Somewhere there is a snappy title written down for this post. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget and then I put it somewhere safe... I'll let you know when I find it. 

From Joanna's bookshelf:

It has been a regrettably long time coming, but I finished Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It has undoubtedly been at least 10 years since I bought it and many since I last attempted to read it. I’m fairly certain this was my 4th attempt at making it past the halfway point. Unlike other books I’ve struggled to get through, (I’m looking at you Pride and Prejudice) I really enjoyed Good Omens every time I attempted it. Life simply got in the way.

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch is a delightful collaboration. Many people are able to tell who wrote which part, but I cannot. I’m simply not familiar enough with their writing to tell, but that isn’t really important to enjoying this delightful tale about the end of the world. I assure you, looming apocalypse aside, this is a comedy.  You would think the agents of Heaven and Hell would welcome the end times, but for Aziraphale and Crowley, it means the end of their way of life. As both sides prepare for the final battle, it becomes clear that someone has misplaced the Antichrist….

Good Omens keeps things light, while taking on a rather bleak topic. Aziraphale and Crowley were probably my favorite part of the book. I like counterintuitive pairings. An unlikely buddy story of two guys just trying to maintain their lifestyle a little bit longer. Their relationship is an opportunity to explore how the two sides are different, as well as how they aren’t. They both skirt the rules set out for them, which I always enjoy. I also enjoy one thing they agree on: humans are far better at being good and evil than they are.

I wasn’t a big fan of the Antichrist until the end. The reader needs to know where he is and what he is up to, but I spent a lot of time wondering where Pratchett and Gaiman were going with him. I wasn’t bored, but underwhelmed by him. They make all the exposition come together nicely in the end. Nothing like the end times brought on by an 11 year old boy.

As delightful as I found Good Omens, it does drag a bit from time to time. There are a few jokes that go on too long. I’m told those are Pratchett bits. I also found a few side plots trying. They redeemed themselves in the end, but I’m guessing reading the book over a shorter length of time would have helped too.

I can understand the cult following the book has, but I’m not sure I love it with the same fervor. Would I read it again? Of course! Would I recommend it? Yes, but you better get a move on: armageddon could be any day now. 

- Joanna

From Joanna’s stove top:

​I used to think that knitting was a gateway craft. Knitting lead me to spinning.  Spinning has led me down a rabbit hole into a new world. So far, the actual crafting has been limited to knitting and spinning. I haven’t managed to knit with my hand spun. Weaving is on my list, but I don’t have to space to dive into that one. Not yet anyway.

I’ve expanded a bit into more accessible areas. With a bit of help from a friend, I learned how to card wool. With the help of the internet, I learned about dying wool with egg dye.
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The wool in question was from a local farmer. For the more sheep minded, it is a suffolk Hampshire cross. Think dark faces and legs, white and fluffy everywhere else. These sheep are common in the US and primarily used for meat.  I carded the wool I was given and spun it over the course of a few months, finishing it last November. As a beginner, prepping and spinning was a learning adventure. With no project in mind, the finished yarn was tucked away.

I’m not sure when I first read about dying yarn with egg dye kits. I’m sure I just stumbled into it online somewhere. Unlike some dying techniques, food dyes don’t require dedicated equipment, so I figured it was worth a try. Then came the waiting. Why buy kits now, when I could wait till the post Easter sales! My handspun yarn was the only undyed wool hanging around, making it the best option for my little adventure. The process is pretty easy. Put wet yarn in a pot of water and heat it up with some vinegar. Add dye tablets.

Naturally, there is a bit more to it. I had a general idea of what I wanted to end up with. More vinegar early means the dye bonds to the wool faster, leading to more concentrated color. Adding vinegar later allows the color to dissipate, producing more even color. I went for the former, I got the latter. Yay learning. The color is still fantastic. I want to dye more… much more. I guess I have a new fiber hobby… oops. Guess I stepped through the gateway
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- Joanna