Following Gus . . .

Have you read this book?

I watched the TV series ages ago ... twice ... and thought the book might be a good read (although I don't go for 10 pound books too often!).  Couldn't do it the other way around I'm sure.  Read the book first, start picturing and hearing the characters in my mind, and I'm sure to be disappointed by someone else's "vision" on the TV or movie screen.  I was NOT disappointed with this book.  In fact, having enjoyed Robert Duvall's version of "Gus" Captain Augustus McRae ...

... it was easy to enjoy the book hearing that smooth-talking southerner in my head!  I give this book 5 stars out of 5.  Great long rainy weekend reading!  It is a 10 pounder, so you might want to read it on your E-reader instead of actually carrying around a heavy book.

I guess it was an "entertain LD" kinda weekend ... I took myself out to see this at our local movie theatre ...

Not the 3D version though.  It was plenty exciting 2D.  Since I've been a "Trekky" since the 1960s (used to watch the original Star Trek with my Dad), there's seldom a Star Trek ANYTHING that doesn't make me happy!  And this latest movie did not disappoint.  Only thing that bugged me was the appearance of - and subsequent death of - Captain Christopher Pike.  I REMEMBER what happened to the original Pike, and this shift in story line was a bit irritating.  The younger version of Spock was FABULOUS!  We even get to see him SHED A TEAR!  Oh, and kiss a female officer!

As mentioned above, it was a rainy and chilly weekend, not very conducive to balcony gardening.  I didn't get my balcony composter built ('cuz I was a little busy reading Lonesome Dove and going out to a movie ...), so that task has been put off for next weekend.  I can, however, report that my radishes are up ...

... and the lettuce I seeded is up ...

... and my kale is hail and hearty! 

Okay, I cheated a little on the kale having put out bedding plants instead of seeding it.  Can't wait!  It's going to be a grand salad soon! 

I did a bit of knitting too.  Sorry, no pix of that.  Over the last couple of years, I have accumulated a bunch of Cascade 220 wool as I usually buy an extra skein in addition to however much I actually need for a particular project.  Every so often, I HAVE TO dream up some kind of project to use the "extras".  Sometimes, I just cast on with one colour and let imagination take its course.  That's what I'm doing this time ... I cast on with off-white, switched to black while sitting in a crappy meeting, worked some off-white "snowballs" into the black, then switched to a bright yellow and black herringbone pattern ... oh, I guess I'll just have to take some pix to show y'all!  My buddy took a look at this project and proclaimed "Why that sweater is just plain NUTS!" ... which gave me the idea of working in some squirrels holding NUTS (knitted snowballs or popcorns).  It's a sweater that will always make me laugh!  I suspect you'll laugh too when I post the pix.

Have a GREAT week y'all!