Puzzles & Stuff

When I was younger, I did jigsaw puzzles.  I always had a puzzle going.  In my home growing up, we had a basement and us kids had a big area to play in.  My grandpa gave us a section of pegboard (it was blue, I still remember) and we laid it out and started doing puzzles on the floor in the basement.  Sometimes, we would do them in the living room and it would take up the whole middle of the floor until we were done.  We had dogs and they would step all over it, whatever. 

I once did a puzzle that was 2000 pieces and it was a Victorian Garden.  It had all of this green grasses, 100 different types of flowers, etc.  This puzzle I did as a tween and it took a long time.  Not quite sure how long, but the peg board was huge.  This one I had to do in my bedroom and I had to pick up off the floor and place on my bed each and everyday.  I had to walk the perimeter in order to get out of my room.  I glued this one and wanted it framed, but framing (as anyone who has gone to Michael's or Joann's knows) ain't cheap.  A 12/13-year old girl does not have $200 to frame a puzzle.

So, I stood it up and slid it behind a dresser that was about the width of the puzzle and went about my life.  I never framed it.  My parent's do still have it in the basement, propped up behind a few dressers.  That was my last hoorah for puzzles for quite some time.

Recently, I did a few puzzles.  I wanted to remember how fun they were and how involved you can get in a puzzle.  Hours and hours at the table sifting through the box, looking for edge pieces, making the border, focusing on a section at a time...Better than mindlessly watching hours of TV.

My first puzzle was a dragon puzzle that technically did not have an edge.  It did have an edge, but it was a shaped puzzle with curves and points.

Vince and I did the dragon one at his parent's house, on the dining room table.  That pic was not the actual put-together puzzle.  Unfortunately, I can't find the pic of the actual puzzle we did.  It is somewhere on my computer, I just have not fully transferred all my pics from my old computer.  That puzzle was 1000 pieces.  I bought it at a yard sale for $1.  Great deal; it is about $15 online.  One does run the risk of having missing pieces when you buy it open, but I was willing to give it a whirl.

My next puzzle was a 1000-piece Mystery Puzzle, where there is a mini-story in the puzzle box, you read it as you put together the puzzle.  The puzzle is the murder scene.  With the help of the picture and the story, you can figure out the mystery.

I thought that the puzzle would give an extra clue, like the puzzle would be slightly different than the picture on the box so you only know this clue by putting together the puzzle.  No, that was not the case, but it was neat anyway.  You supposedly can go online to find out the answer to the mystery, but I guess the puzzle was old enough that it was not available anymore.  I got this puzzle at a yard sale, too.  Two-for-two on all pieces being there!

The tough part on that one was the gray stone walkway and the gray marbled walls.  They all were very similar.  My last piece was the left wall where the lion sits. 

My most recent one was a 550-piece Teapot puzzle.  This was a new puzzle that I got for Christmas one year from my mom.  I did this one and the Mystery puzzle on my dining room table.  We don't typically use the table for everyday meals, only when we have people over.  I did get a huge square of cardboard from Costco (free, it was a toilet paper layer separator) to do the puzzles on, so that I may move it, if people come over.

Isn't this quaint?  I started with the roses and then worked on the chair and down that way.  I was left with this one piece and was thinking, "I have an extra piece??!"  I scanned the puzzle and truly could not find where I was missing one.  I called Vince over and showed him, he laughed and saw the hole right away.  It was in the berries that are in the roses.  So, my last piece was were I started.  I had come full circle (or square, whatever!).

I think I have one or two more puzzles in the garage.  I will dig them up and do them, in-between my summer knitting. 

Books - Quarter 3 - Part 2

This is my second part of the books I have read recently.  I like to break it up into quarters throughout the year to have it semi-organized.  Last year I was trying to gain at least one bit of useful information from each book I read and I am sad to say that I forgot to do that this year.  Darn!

Here are links to my other Books posting for 2013:

• Books - Quarter 1
• Books - Quarter 2
• Books - Quarter 3 - Part 1

I will resume my education through fiction books starting with my next set of books.  This was not that easy.

8. This is the start of the Kay Scarpetta novels.  This is actually book #2, where Post Mortem was the first novel.  I started with what I owned.  This was a very action packed murder suspense novel that involves the Chief Medical Examiner, Kay Scarpetta.  She gets very close to her cases to the point that she was next on her murderer's list.  Trace fibers from the victim has her and Detective Marino tracking down leads that seem to go nowhere and everywhere.  She heads to New York and even Key West and finds out the people she can trust are not the people she should be trusting and vise versa.  The victim was fleeing from a stalker that landed her in Key West.  When she returns, she is brutally killed.  The detectives find that she unarmed her alarm prior to letting in the killer.  If she was so scared of the stalker, why would she let him in?  The answer comes to Kay almost too late when she does the exact same thing that the victim did and almost was killed herself.  This novel was a hook for me where I definitely want to read this whole series. 
What I have Learned: It is hard to say what practical knowledge I have learned by reading this book, but will have to say simply that Bestselling authors are close to a sure way to know that you will enjoy the story.  I have been giving first novels a chance for about 2 years now and I am tired of not really enjoying them much.  I will try and choose more wisely.

9. This book marks a moment in history...this is my first eBook.  Yes, I have broke down and bought a tablet. I have explained my dealings with the tablet further after the book list.  This is the first book in the "Joe Pickett" series.  Joe is a game warden and he is stationed in Wyoming.  Needless to say, people are not necessarily following the law and things get "cowboy" real fast when an animal thought to be extinct has been seen and found in the area and even in Joe's own yard.  People in the area would rather see this animal stay extinct than have the government know that they are still alive.  What I have Learned: As for a practical learning experience, this was tough.  I could probably say that my attempt at going for Best Selling Authors has worked because I believe I will thoroughly enjoy this book series from this author.

10. It amazes me how many great books this man can write.  He never stops writing.  This was my second eBook, borrowed from the library.  I seem to read the eBooks in record time for me because the library only gives you 14 days to read them, then they expire and are inactive on the device.  So, I am reading under the gun.  This book is the first book in a series about a private investigation agency called Private.  Private has the edge in technology, having the best of the best PIs, scientists and doctors working  for them.  It's fiction, so of course they do.  Jack, Private's owner, has to solve his best friends wife's murder, a teenage-girl serial killer and find what his inner demons are trying to tell him.  It dives right into the first case and this book keeps running until the end.  Great story, drama, romance, suspense, right up to the end.
What I have Learned: Again, best-selling authors deliver a great story.  In addition to not really learning anything from a fiction story where everything comes out perfect in the end.  The type of problem-solving skills this books adopted are from unattainable technology that the police do not even have to use (due to a limit on government budgets).  It was an enjoyable story, but also, not very realistic.  Sometimes books are just a great way to escape and unwind and then you can go back to reality.  No harm done.

I intended to use the tablet as an eReader and if I had to look something up quick at home and did not want to fire up the laptop.  This experience was very frustrating to me for a couple of reasons:

1. I had to download the library app so I could borrow eBooks, but had to renew my library card first, personally, at the library.  Once I had that in place, I logged onto the app to set my library up.  This app is not the greatest; it does not help you in anyway.  You need to know how to navigate through it on your own.  How nice. 
2. Once I started searching, I realize that my library has a crappy selection of books.  The titles I searched for were either not listed at all or they only had a few copies and I had to get put on a waiting list.  One book, Dan Brown's Inferno I am on the waiting list as # 327.  Really!  You can have the book out for 14 days, so I could wait as long as a year for it.  Even C.J. Box's book, I had to wait for it and it is the first book in the series.  Not exactly new.  Anyway, I have not tried buying a book yet, so we shall see if that process is any easier.

After reading two eBooks, I like it, or I should say, I'm not against it anymore.  I do like the real book, so I will continue to read from my bookcase, because I have plenty of those left.

Anyone out there against eBooks or now love the eBook and never want to read a paper book again?

Romance Shell - Part 1

I seem to start summer projects in the summer and winter projects in the winter.  Well, normally that would make sense, but since it takes me forever to finish a project, I really should do the opposite: Knit a winter item in the summer and a summer item in the winter.  That way it will be done in the correct season for wearing it right away.

 

Alas, I have a summer frilly shell that I have started at the end of summer and I won't be able to really wear it until the spring.  Well, in Florida, the seasons are screwy anyway.  Our "winter" is like 1 week of weather where a jacket is nice for the morning, but not really needed on the way home.  But truly, this shell is a summer item to wear.

 

This project is from Tahki Yarns Intermix pattern booklet.  The pattern is called Romance Ruffle Collar Shell.

Romance by Tahki Yarns

 

When I was looking through the booklet I fell in love with almost everything in there!  That is my downfall, is that I like too many patterns and have a hard time choosing only one.

 

This pattern is knit in a novelty yarn called Ripple (100% Mercerized Cotton) that is thick and thin.  Charming at first, then after awhile, not so much.  I chose to do it in the same color as the model.  I typically try hard not to choose the same color, but the other colors in stock at Brandon Yarn Boutique, I had plenty of garments in those colors.  Vince suggested that I pick a color I would not normally have in my wardrobe.  Okaaaaay......

 

I need 5 balls of the Ripple yarn.  Here is a close-up of the thick and thin characteristic:

Knitting a gauge swatch was a bit of a challenge.  I went down one needle size, so I am using a size 6, rather than a 7. 

I'm starting with one of the front pieces, because my size 6 circs are being used for another project, so until those get miraculously get freed up or I buy another set, I can knit the front panels on straights.

The interesting trait about this yarn is that it knits up with a unique texture; it gives a pebbly look.  The basic pattern is a k8, p8 ribbing, so it even makes that basic pattern interesting.

 

To be totally honest, I really do not like knitting with this thick and thin yarn.  Often the thick portion almost gets stuck when you go to do the next stitch.  So if you leave it, then the stitch is tight, if you "let it go" then the stitch is loose.  Not exactly something that I like, when I am trying really hard to keep gauge.

 

Good luck to me!

Books - Quarter 3 - Part 1

Wow, we are in the home stretch of the year right now.  Unbelievable.  I actually got through a few more books than expected, so I am going to split Quarter 3 Books into two separate posts.  Here are the ones I have read so far:

3. This was an engrossing scientific novel, typical from Michael Crichton.  He takes the concept of shrinking machines down to micro level and takes it one step further and shrinks people (scientists) down to micro level.  A lab in Hawaii has engineered this technology and they are recruiting.  A leader int he recruiting group is involved in a boat explosion and it appears he has died, but it is too suspicious and the scientists try to figure out this whodunnit.  During this time, the scientists are dubbed into the shrinking room and get shrunk.  This is not an accident and they are then transported to a forest where they are forced to fend for themselves against an insect world where Mother Nature rules.  It is very interesting to see the brutality of the insect world and what the scientists had to do to defend themselves.  Their goal is to get back to the shrink room in the lab and reverse the effects.  That was not going to be easy.  Great scientific spin on a classic theme.

4. This novel is a suspense mystery that I got into right in the first page.  A former detective, Elena, is living her life in solitude to atone for a drug bust gone bad in the past.  Her actions caused the death of another detective working on the case.  She had decided after her own medical rehabilitation, she was going to lay low and work at a prestigious horse stable in West Palm Beach, FL.  She had ties there and knew that she could remain hidden there, until a young girl seeks out her detective skills to help find her missing sister.  The older sister worked at another stable and unexpectedly quit and moved to Ocala.  After an internal battle with her inner demons, Elena takes on the case, even though she no longer has a police badge or a PI license.  She finds out more than the actual cops in the county.  The story revolves around the horse show trade, where horses are worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars and what people will do to ensure they win and stay the best.  All of the characters come to life and tell a story that is riveting and full of lies, deceit and a plan gone bad.

 5. This book is a book that I have had for awhile and believe it or not, I have a signed copy!  When Janet Evanovich published this book, she promoted by doing a book signing tour.  She was going through Boston and I got my friends Kj and Fatima to go and stand in line and wait forever to get me a signed copy.  It was awesome, I think Fatima may even have gotten a pic with Janet.  Anyway, I'm a fan of the Stephanie Plum series and am really behind in reading them.  Ms. Plum is now on her 19th numbered book and I think my last one was 10.  Got to catch up!  So I got my Plum fix by reading a "between-the-numbers" novella which was a super fast read.  It was cute and she is somewhat getting better at this bounty hunter thing she is trying really hard at to make a living with.  This took place around Valentine's Day where in order for her to get the skip, she had to play match-maker in time for Valentine's Day.  As usual, Stephanie evoked a chuckle or two from me while she was running around the 'Burg with Diesel.

 6.  This adolescent novel was one that I read in elementary school, I believe.  I came across this book at either a used book store or a yard sale.  I was feeling nostalgic, so I decided to buy it, not really knowing when I would get around to reading it.  As I was reading it, I really do not recall one thing from it, which strikes me as odd, because I was so compelled to buy it.  The title alludes to a summertime romance, but in actuality, it is about sibling rivalry with the title coming from a quote in the bible, "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated."  Here are twin sisters, Louise and Caroline.  Caroline is painted as the perfect child, talented in music, beautiful and intelligent.  Louise is her older sister by mere seconds and has felt in Caroline's shadow ever since that moment.  Louise has held in her feelings of anger over Caroline seizing all of the attention for years.  This is Louise's struggle to find who she is and what her true calling is despite her bitterness .  I loved reading this book in which my heart went out to Louise on all the occasions that she felt wronged, down to her childhood friend falling for Caroline and not herself.  Although Louise never allows herself unity with Caroline, she is able to capture the life she was meant to lead.  

Related Links

• Books - Quarter 1
• Books - Quarter 2

TreeUmph!

I did say that I was going to start doing some fun activities before the summer is done.  Last weekend, Vince, me and his daughters went to TreeUmph!

TreeUmph! is an Outdoor Zipline Adventure and Obstacle Course.  It is an obstacle course that you do in the trees.  So, first you have a climbing harness on with a contraption for the zipline and two carabiner clips attached to separate lengths of rope (rock climbing rope grade).  You must tether yourself to the safety wires at all times up on the course, but all obstacles can be done with your ability to balance and use your weight wisely.

First, we have us ladies, all geared up and ready to rock and roll!  We all had to go through a practice obstacle course with an instructor so they can show us how to be safe and to trust the ropes and gear attached to us.

Behind me in this course, you can see some of the obstacles.  There were a total of 6 obstacles for adults; they got progressively harder and higher.  The course behind me had a tube that you had to crawl through.

All of the courses were in the trees, you had the ladder to climb up, the landing, the bridge and the zipline.  I have pics of all of these elements.

Alex and I are on a landing, having just completed a bridge.  The bridges are the spans that connect the landings.  Each one is slightly different.

This is a bridge.  This bridge were logs suspended only by ropes hanging from wire ropes.  I am tethered to the safety wire rope above my head.  You accomplish bridges by either holding onto the ropes attached to the logs, the wire rope they are attached to, or the wire rope you are attached to.  There is some upper body strength required for some of the obstacles.  Look how high up I am!!

Vince was the cameraman; he took this picture from the ground.  I am holding onto the wire rope that I am attached to.  There is nothing else to hold onto to.

Like I said, the obstacles got progressively more challenging.  This bridge was a series of ropes hung like a U or jump-rope like and you stepped onto the rope loop only, to get across.  Weeee!!!

 Here is Alex doing a zipline.  We had a special attachment for the ziplines.  This was so much fun!

There was even a Tarzan moment, where you attach yourself to a swinging rope and literally swing and grab onto the rope netting.  Once you are on the net, you climb over to the landing.

Another bridge where you are stepping on the end of the log, where the log will move on you, not to mention that they are suspended by more rope.  Did I mention that rope is very flexible?  This section was the optional section.  It was Course 4 that gave you a choice to continue with Course 4 or start Course 5.  You cannot start Course 5 from the ground.  Right away, Course 5 was monkey bars on ropes...ugh!  Alex and Gen continued with Course 4 and Vince and I did Course 5.  Course 5 took the longest and is the most challenging.  I did complete it, but it was not easy.

This bridge was Course 4, where once you were done with Course 5, Course 4 picks right back up in the trees.  This one had a wire rope to walk on, with rings that you had to go through.  I was very tired, almost exhausted at this point and straddled that damn ring!  There was no fancy moves to get through that!

There was a final zipline that was 650 feet long and starts 60 feet off the ground.  Not everyone make it completely across, ending just shy of the landing.  You would just grab the wire rope and use the hand-over-hand method to reach the landing.  Vince made it and I came up just shy.

After all of that, which was about 4 hours of straight obstacling, we ate lunch at a restaurant called the Linger Lodge.  If you did not know it existed, you never will find it; you will never stumble upon it.  It was located within a housing community, in a trailer park/camp site area.  Yes, we drove through a very nicely established, maturely landscaped community and then heading into a campground-like place with trailers.  First thing, there is the Linger Lodge attached to a bait shop and complete with a laundry facility in the back near the ladies room.  Interesting!

We sat out by the back screened in patio overlooking the Braden River.  There is a side story that the owner got his leg bitten or bitten-off by an alligator.

This is supposedly the alligator that bit the leg.  He is stuffed and on the wall of the restaurant.  Along with others...

Behind the bar they had animals not naturally seen in nature, ha, like the jackolope.

In addition to fish and lots of animal skulls.  Vince tried one of the more exotic items on the menu, alligator chowder.  We all had a bite...it wasn't bad!  It had a cajun flavor.

Our day was filled with lots of excitement.  Unfortunately, TreeUmph! is only located in Bradenton, FL.  But I do believe there are other adventure courses similar to TreeUmph! around the states, somewhere.  I'm excited to know that this is only a 1 hour drive and we can have a half day of some serious climbing!  I will definitely be back!