The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
My Week
I didn’t have a very productive week, with work, with the blog, or around the house. I spent several days fighting off some sort of bug which really wiped me out. For a couple of days, it felt like last spring’s mono had come back — just the fatigue, not the fever. But I’m feeling better now, and starting to get back into things.
My knitting, on the other hand, is going well. I started a scarf about two weeks ago for a nephew, and I’ve got nearly two feet of it done already. I also started another angora lace scarf for a family member (I can’t name names in case they read the blog!); that one’s on the back burner at the moment, but I’m sure I can finish both scarves by the middle of November. I’m close to finishing a warm, chunky-wool shawl that I’ve been working on for a friend. And after hours and hours of looking through patterns, I finally chose one for my next shawl, using a long-gradient color changing yarn in a fingering weight. I hope to cast that on in November, though I’m sure I won’t finish it before Christmas; shawls can take a while, and I have some more Christmas knitting to do to as well. Incidentally, if you’re a knitter or crocheter, and you want to connect on Ravelry, my username there is Lady-Lark.
Something on Sunday
Something on Sunday is hosted by Gin Jenny at Reading the End. The idea is to counteract the gloom and anxiety many of us feel by “writ[ing] about something that kept you on your feet that week… something that matters to you.”
I gave myself a treat this week: an afternoon to shop for costume pieces. I used to love “dressing up,” and often went to sci-fi/fantasy conventions in costume. I even took courses in costume construction and costume design in college, though I didn’t excel at either. But I haven’t done any costuming for myself in years, and I miss it. Recently, I decided that there’s absolutely no reason a 50-something woman can’t cosplay, and I’m going dip a toe or two back into the costuming world. Now that I have a wand (which I bought on Etsy a few weeks ago), I’ve been thinking of putting together both a Molly Weasley cosplay and a Hogwarts professor-ish cosplay. I went to Goodwill and found some pieces that look like something Molly would wear. Then I went to the craft store for some supplies of various sorts, and stumbled across a decorated witch hat for the professor costume that I think looks pretty good on me — and it was on sale! I don’t have a robe yet, but I could pair the hat with a black or purple shirt, long black skirt, and tunic-length black cardigan, all of which I own already. I don’t yet know which one I’ll wear for Halloween, but I’m going to have fun dressing up this year when the trick-or-treaters come.
Last Week on the Blog
- Sunday Post – 10/15/2017
- TOUR: Death Overdue by Allison Brook – reveiw & character guest post
- News & Notes – 10/21/2017
- Sunday Post – 10/22/2017 – this post
Upcoming on the Blog
- other posts TBD
- News & Notes – 10/28/2017
- Sunday Post – 10/29/2017
What I’m Reading/Watching
Reading: I’ve been rereading this week: Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick, followed by The Copper Crown, The Throne of Scone, and The Silver Branch by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison. (I’m still in the middle of the last one.)
Listening to: I finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and started Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Watching: We watched episode 5 of Star Trek: Discovery. I like the series better every week. (Yeah, yeah… despite the Klingon redesign. I’m still not over that.) We also saw a few more episodes of Father Brown, and both parts of Campion‘s “Look to the Lady.”
Challenge Update
Goodreads Challenge: Completed! I read 200 books this year. However, at least half were re-reads, possibly as many as 2/3. And I was only able to get that many books read so early because so many were comfort re-reads (which often go faster, since they are familiar), and because of last spring’s mono, which left me with little energy and lots of free time… so I read. Next year, I want to get back to reading more new-to-me books.
Backlist Reader Challenge: I’ve read 25 books for the Backlist Reader Challenge, but I’m way behind on reviewing them.
New Additions to the Hoard
Cover links take you to Goodreads.
For Review or Review Consideration
Purchased for Kindle
I’ve been wanting to read H is for Hawk, and the other two are books I enjoy rereading.
Jenny @ Reading the End
Oh my gosh, a Molly Weasley cosplay sounds AMAZING. That’s awesome that you’re getting back into it! I am terrible at costumes so I’m always hugely impressed by people who can manage it.
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, Jenny! Well, neither of these takes any sewing, which makes things a lot easier. It will be a while before I’m ready to plunge into full-scale costume sewing — I’m woefully out of practice. But even pulled-together costumes are fun. 🙂
Ronyell (a.k.a Rabbitearsblog)
Sorry you came down with a bug. I hope you get better soon!
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thanks, Ronyell.
Kelly
I want to see your Molly Weasley! Let me know if you get it done. <3
Lark_Bookwyrm
I will! I’m not quite there yet, and debating how to handle hair, since mine is definitely not ginger. I think I’ll end up going with the unnamed professor-witch this time around. I coul add my purple-framed glasses and a pile of old books, and be Madame Pinch’s successor in the Hogwarts library.
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
Molly Weasley sounds like such a fun costume! What fun you’ll have! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been feeling poorly. I had mono as a teenager (just the fatigue though – no fever) and it felt like it took several years before my energy was back to 100%. I’d have relapses of the fatigue for a few days every now and then. I don’t know if that’s really a thing but it felt like it was. I LOVED The Liar! It was the book that got me back to reading Nora Roberts. Have a great week!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…This Week in Reading – October 22
Lark_Bookwyrm
I love Molly—maternal, protective, kindhearted, and fierce!
I’ve dealt with somewhat low energy and fluctuating energy levels for about 20 years, a result of my thyroid disease. (Thyroid meds help a lot, but I never completely bounced back.) So it’s hard to tell if I’m still a little low-energy overall from the mono. I thought I was mostly better, but maybe fighting off another bug takes more out of me because my reserves are still low.
I love The Liar. It’s one of my favorite Roberts books ever. Callie is adorable, Griff is wonderful, and I so admire Shelby for her courage, strength, and honesty.
kimbacaffeinate
A Christmas to Remember archived before I downloaded it. Boo. Would love too see Molly once you’ve got the outfit together. Hope your feeling better.
Lark_Bookwyrm
I got it on my Kindle, but couldn’t download the epub version. I’ll try to take a selfie of my Halloween outfit, whichever one I decide to wear!
Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
Ugh, sorry to hear you had an off week but thank goodness it didn’t turn into anything worse. Obviously I’m a bit “off” myself since I’m only just getting to reading everyone’s Sunday Posts… on Tuesday. Oops! But better late than never hopefully! Love the sound of your costume coming together! Molly Weasley is such a great choice. Love her. It’ll be fun to see how many of the trick or treaters guess who you are. 🙂 Hope your week is off to a great start!
Tanya @ Girl Plus Books recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Unique Book Titles
Lark_Bookwyrm
Sometimes I don’t get around to people’s Sunday Posts until Friday LOL! I’m leaning toward dressing up as the professor-witch this time, since I don’t have my whole Molly costume pulled together yet, and I’m not sure the children would figure it out, anyway.
Charlie
I’m glad your feeling better. I hate feeling zapped of energy and strength like that. Fatigue is a drain physically and mentally. I love that you are gathering together items for costumes! I’m not really one to dress up – although I secretly want to. I have just always had back luck with costumes fitting. I can’t wait to see how they turn out!
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m short, curvy, and currently on the heavy side, so I get where you’re coming from about costumes fitting badly. One of the appealing things about cosplaying Molly Weasley, besides the character herself, is that she isn’t slender, and her clothing is on the matronly side. That said, I’ve seen some curvy/plus-size women pull off some really incredible cosplays—but it does take sewing skills, or the willingness to pay for someone else’s skills.