*3* new year, new cushion

Monica Dunkley

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January 3, 2019

… because you can never, ever, have enough cushions. Fact.

The central block, formed by the nine granny squares slip stitched together is another one from the big bunch I was gifted a few years ago… and it’s not the last one either.

I think most of the yarn that was used is acrylic… the colours are very 1980’s and haven’t faded at all when washed or in the light. Normally I shun was from acrylic, squeaky yarn but for cushions it doesn’t really worry me, I think it adds to its authentic feel and it’ll be more durable. (Can you say vintage if it’s from the 80s? good Lord, I’m vintage too!)

Those colours… bonkers right?

The only thing I added was the border for which I used my precious avocado dyed dk wool. To be honest the colour hadn’t come out as strong as I hoped but it matched so perfectly that I had to use it.

The back is a simple off-white cotton.

It’s currently on my Ercol sofa looking rather spiffy. I’ve just used the word spiffy… I am vintage… it’s official.

“No more cushions, please”… said no one, ever.

*2* 48 years of books (2010)

Monica Dunkley

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January 2, 2019

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

To the person who recommended this to me: THANK YOU.

I had heard this was a good book and I’m very partial to American writers, but for one reason or another it never made it to the ‘I want to read this’ list.

It’s basically about life, not it’s about the lives of many people… told in chapters, in a non linear way. There is always one character that connects the chapters so you don’t feel you’re reading disconnected stories. The timeline jumps backwards and forwards, follows characters at various times… but everyone’s life is connected somewhat, even if they don’t know it. Life, let’s face it, is a lot like that, we touch people’s lives even if we don’t know we do.

It’s beautifully written and it’s very cleverly written – one of my favourite chapter is a power point presentation, genius. And I hate powerpoint!

It’s about friendships and relationships and work and music and the passing of time, about details and the whole, about choices, about technology and society. It’s a little bit sad, a little bit funny, a little bit rock and roll.

So so good.

The list so far:

2018   The mermaid and Mrs Hancock

2017 – Magari domain resto (Lorenzo Maroni)

2016 – Upstream (Mary Oliver)

2015   –  Reasons to stay alive (Matt Haig)

2014 – Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer)

2013 – Careless people (Sarah Churchwell)

2012 – Wonder (RJ Palacia)

2011 – The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)

2010 – Visit from the Goon Squad (Jennifer Egan)

2009 – Let the great world spin (Colum McCann)

2008

2007  The Road (Cormac McCarthy)

2006

2005 – Never let me go (Kazuo Ishiguro)

2004 – American Gods (Nail Gainman)

2003   

2002 – Everything is illuminated (Jonathan Safran Foer)

2001 

2000 – Coram Boy (Jamila Gavin)

1999

1998

1997 – Under Storm’s wings – (Helen Thomas)

1996 – Wilfred and Eileen (Jonathan Smith)

1995

1994

1993

1992 – The daughters of the house (Michele Roberts)

1991- Regeneration (Pat Barker)

1990 – Darkness visible (William Styron)

1989 – Like water for chocolate (Laura Esquivel)

1988

1987  –

1986

1985­ – Oranges are not the only fruit (Jeanette Winterson)

1984  – Hotel du Lac (Anita Brookner)

1983 –  Heartburn (Nora Ephron)

1982  – The colour purple (Alice Walker)

1981 

1980 – Emmeline (Judith Rossiter)

1979 – The bloody chamber (Angela Carter)

1978

1977   The passion of New Eve (Angela Carter)

1976

1975 –  First love, last rites – (Ian McEwan)

1974

1973 –  the honorary consul (Graham Greene)

1972 –  Angle of repose  (Wallace Stegner)

1971  – Reunion (Fred Uhlman)

1970  – A slipping down life (Anne Tyler)

*1* new

Monica Dunkley

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January 1, 2019

It’s almost the end of the first day of the new year and it feels right to pop back here after a period that was dedicated instead to family and relaxing and reading and knitting and food.

So what’s been happening… food aside, that is… I read two novels (more in the next few days), I made a cushion (ditto), I started running again… not today no, I didn’t want it to be a ‘resolution’ as such because we all know not many of those stick around for more than a few weeks, so I started before Christmas and whilst I am not making any promises not even to myself, it’s been good for my mind as much as for my body so we’ll see. I also knitted half a body of a sweater but don’t hold your breath as it’s done in very fine wool and very small needles. It might take a while.

The chocolate bowl is looking sad.

2019 is going to be a big one for us, and by big one I mean time will be the most precious commodity of all… I’m trying the ‘college full time’ thing… Mr M had a ginormous office move on top of his crazy busy company running thing… No 1 and No 2 and No 3 have super busy school years with big exams and choices to make. The first six months will be bonkers. I can feel the bonkerness approaching… I can see it at the horizons, looming… I can smell it!

I tried to convince them all that we needed some sort of family motto, or mantra to take us through the dark woods… but they either laughed, rolled their eyes or left the room. Some of them did all three. Nobody bought it.

…BUT… I don’t care, and I hereby declare that this year’s words to live by are:

no pressure, no diamonds

Good eh?

I’m counting on the second six months to be the diamonds. (We have booked flights for a most exciting destination in August… and if we can survive till then… it’ll be amazeballs)

Sigh.

We took the tree down today. VERY early for us, normally I make sure it stays up till the 6th, but I was in the perfect mood for it and out of the window it went. Literally.

Very satisfying.

Kept finding decoration everywhere I looked. Does that ever happen to you? You think it’s all done and then you look up and… doh…

I then wrote more of my next essay due next week and I think I’ve almost cracked it. I look forward to get stuck in tomorrow with a bit more time. Boys think it’s sad I like writing essays. Is it sad?

This was our dinner today: Chicken Cosima from the book ‘Simply Nigella’. Super easy to do and absolutely delicious; everybody ate it, once of course they got over the shock of finding chickpeas on their plates (can you see MY eyes rolling now?)… I know… chickpeas are terrifying things….

Oh and the amaryllis went too. It was time.

Bring on the tulips.

Remember… no pressure, no diamonds.

– 2018/204 – Elfriede Shawl

Monica Dunkley

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December 19, 2018

Elfriede Shawl from the latest issue of Laine magazine.

I have two other sweater marked down to make from this issue alone, but whilst I was waiting for my yarn to arrive I cast (casted?) on for this shawl and … well the rest is history.

Yes, yarn from the stash, from the stash. From the staaaaaash…

From the stash. (Although the downside is that I was a little short of yarn and so the big border at the bottom – which I loved in the pattern photo – has turned out about half the size.

It’s a huge shawl shaped like an asymmetrical triangle, and knitted in the softest Malabrigo worsted yarn, it’s like having a fluffy blanket on your shoulders. 4 Skein. 5mm needles.

The eyelet pattern is lovely… just don’t look too closely… ahem…

Am I the only one that likes to wear the shawls ‘bib-style’?

On a totally different note, have you seen ‘Bruce Springsteen on Broadway’ on Netflix?

Sigh.

What do you mean no? Just do it. I mean it.

Sigh…

Bruce, I love you.

Also, I was going to bake brownies today and I didn’t.

– 2018/203 – poetry Monday

Monica Dunkley

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December 17, 2018

I discovered this poem through my college work… I’m fascinated by Helen Thomas, the wife of the poet Edward Thomas and I’m reading all that she has written and that was written about her.  In the morning I’m heading to the University archive to read some of her actual letters.  There is something so special in holding someone personal correspondence… and not just because they’re 100yrs old or so… letters are so personal and private…

Anyway, I think this is a beautiful poem.

And you, Helen   (by Edward Thomas)

And you, Helen, what should I give you?
So many things I would give you
Had I an infinite great store
Offered me and I stood before
To choose. I would give you youth,
All kinds of loveliness and truth,
A clear eye as good as mine,
Lands, waters, flowers, wine,
As many children as your heart
Might wish for, a far better art
Than mine can be, all you have lost
Upon the travelling waters tossed,
Or given to me. If I could choose
Freely in that great treasure-house
Anything from any shelf,
I would give you back yourself,
And power to discriminate
What you want and want it not too late,
Many fair days free from care
And heart to enjoy both foul and fair,
And myself, too, if I could find
Where it lay hidden and it proved kind. 

– 2018/202 – random Friday

Monica Dunkley

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December 15, 2018

The new tree has arrived.  I had never had to return a Christmas tree before now… it seems somehow wrong and a symbol of what’s wrong in society today… I mean, seriously?  Is a tree really that important?  Are we looking for perfection in all the wrong places? Shouldn’t we fight injustices instead of striving for the perfect tree?  Except… well, small things are important too and because we’re worried about a tree it does’t mean we don’t care for the big things too right?   Apologies for the mood… it’s freezing out there, No 3 is ice-skating without a coat and/or gloves/hat etc. and I’m torn between feeling sorry for him and wanting to drive a coat to where he is and being totally furious that he just ignored me this morning when I told him to take one with him.

Children eh? Who’d have them…

Anyway, the tree is up.  Unsheathing my best emotional blackmailing I managed to get all the boys to help with the decorating… it’s hard to get them ALL in one room together if it doesn’t involve food these days.  It’s not as nice as the first tree but it’ll do.

I’ve been listening to Christmas song looking for new ones/different ones and it was not a good idea.  Justin (Bieber) wants to get ‘shawty with you’… (whaaaat?) and someone else wants a hippopotamus for Christmas, and only a hippopotamus will do…  honestly people, let’s bring back the ‘chestnuts and the open fires and the silent nights…’!  Any suggestions are most welcome.

Silent Nights… oh yes, No moaning, no grumpiness, no nothing.  Silence.  Wouldn’t that be nice.

The broom broke.  It’s fixable.  But it’s broken.  Most annoying.

The first amaryllis has bloomed.  It’s blooming marvellous.  White, I choose white this year.

One more hockey training and one more tournament and then we can rest, non more taxiing people around, no more washing kit or arranging matches… for a few weeks at least.

I am really really looking forward to slow down this year, we’re having a small Christmas with my parents and Mr M’s dad… in our home.  I want to flop on the sofa, and do jigsaw puzzles and play cards… I want to stay in bed late in the morning and take walks all wrapped up in hats and scarf knowing there’s a hot chocolate waiting for me at home.  What about you? any plans?  are you going away? are you hosting?  

I think I’m going to make soup now…

Somebody has stolen my kitchen scissors.

My brother is in hospital in South Sudan with malaria and suspected typhoid fever… he’ll be ok, but send good thoughts.

 

– 2018/201 – wreath making, again

Monica Dunkley

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December 12, 2018

“Oops she did again…”

Last night I had a gorgeous night in the company of lovely women making Christmas Wreaths.  Yeah I know… you just can’t have too many, I don’t care what you say.

There green branches everywhere…

First we had a lesson, which made me realise that the old ‘glue gun manoeuvre’ is not exactly the best method when it comes to ‘greenery’.  (TBH… it always worked for me.. )

Then we started our own.  We used a wire base, beautiful fragrant moss and  meters and meters of florist wire.  (I’m in love with florist wire).

I almost called it done I was so happy with how it looked at this stage  (Moss wreath are a thing’, surely.  If not they should be… but I soldiered on… and this is when it all went mad!

I don’t want to think what my friend’s dining room must look like this morning… in the light of day…  last night it was like a forest, or perhaps like an explosion in a flower shop… with feathers!  And gin.  There might have been gin… what goes on tour stays on tour…

They all came out crazy beautiful.  Big, small, all different too… I tried to keep it neat and classic…

(incidentally… since I bought these shoes… I can’t take them off.  I mean, I can take them off but I don’t want to… they’re just the best)

This morning I had a bit of a crisis because the front door already has a wreath… and then I remembered the back door which faces the square (which I think at one point was the ‘service door?’  waaaaay back when people had staff… instead of just… mothers…)

Ta daaaaaaaahh

Me thinks it’s fab.  Not perfect… a little crooked and wabi sabi, but if the milkman complains he can forget his Christmas tip!  

And I have all sorts of idea for next year/spring/Easter… you name it… it’ll be wreath city around here!

– 2018/200 – poetry Monday

Monica Dunkley

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December 10, 2018

Leisure (by William Henry Davies)

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare. 

– 2018/198 – a book, just because

Monica Dunkley

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December 6, 2018

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson

You have to understand that for me to stick to the ’48 books challenge’ has been extremely difficult.  Rewarding and interesting… but difficult.  That’s one thing, the other thing is that ‘rules are meant to be broken’, right?  Not all the time and not all the rules… but a little rebellion spices up life too…

Are you with me so far?

With this in mind I can safely say that attending the Cheltenham Literature Festival back in October without buying and/or reading any of the books I saw would have been a kind of torture that’s probably banned by the Geneva Convention on Human Rights, so of course I bought books and … yes I read one…  A NEW ONE, still in hardback (guilty pleasure) even if I haven’t finished my self-imposed task.

I picked this one, kind of randomly,  because of the intriguing title probably but as soon as I read the amazing first page I was hooked and had to have it.


The story is great, off beat and mysterious, you get really fond of the characters and at the end everything is all tidied up neatly.  It’s the writing that makes the book totally brilliant.

Skilfully, masterfully, written… you’ll be shocked and saddened and amazed… it’s a modern fairytale, it’s an old Greek tragedy (a re-tell of Oedipus), it’s harsh and it’s moving, it’s about filial love and forgiveness and old age and death.

Gretel has grown up on a boat along a river with her mother and nobody else, it’s just the two of them, and their own language… until they’re not.  And then her mother disappears, leaves her, and Gretel, now an adult, finally finds her and tries to put the pieces together in an attempt to understand who she is and what happened.

Genius.

Seriously, it’s a brilliant book that in my opinion would have deserved winning the Booker Prize.

Must read it.

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