Beheading

Yes, it is a horrible concept. But according to these two websites, it had to be done. My African violet (remember her?) had stopped flowering, and was starting to look like a miniature tree.


So I gathered all the courage I could and beheaded my dear potted plant, who's been with me for more than four years. It broke my heart. Then I discovered that she actually had three heads instead of one, and I felt better. I hope at least one of them survives.



Here's the picture of the fingerless mitts I made last month.



I'm looking at the last issue of knotions and trying to figure out whether or not I should knit bifröst for my swap victim. I love the look of it, but it is a top down sock. I'm not sure if I should try converting it to toe-up or try toe grafting once more and see if I do a better job this time. What would you do?

Sock Swap

This will be the third time I participate in Swapetines. This has always been a very small exchange, which gives it a very intimate feeling. By now I feel I know most of the people participating in the swap. I might have never met them in person but, with the exception of some new faces, I have been more or less following their blogs for two years.

Things at work have kept me busier than expected. One more person at work is also under treatment for breast cancer. That's two in a row and it makes us all very depressed. Plus, we had to find someone to substitute her during her leave, and even though we found three wonderful people (yes, it takes three part time people to cover one full time person), they are all on their learning curve and that puts a heavier load on some of us.

So I make no promises regarding blog updates. I will, however, make sure that I do not disappoint my swap recipient.

Somewhere in my camera there's a picture of the mittens I made for the other coworker that underwent chemotherapy last semester. I'll get it later.

Meanwhile, let me bore you with books I've read since my last post:

The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
Buzón de Tiempo, by Mario Benedetti
Before they are Hanged, by Joe Abercrombie
The Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson
New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer
When you are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris
Last Argument of Kings, by Joe Abercrombie
La Cena Secreta, by Javier Sierra
Novela de Ajedrez, by Stefan Zwieg (The original novel was written in German).

My, it seems that when I'm under stress I read a lot. Not all of it was good. I did not like neither The Well of Ascension nor New Moon. Both are second parts in their own series. There's a pattern here. An author can write a wonderful first novel in a series but then become very sloppy with the second one.

It had been a long time since I last read a book in Spanish. The Stefan Zwieg novel was a gift, that's why I read a Spanish translation. Otherwise I would have probably read an English translation. I should maybe ask for some more recommendations for books written in Spanish.