Book ~ "Moose" (2011) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles is determined to help Moose, a giant Great Dane puppy. The problem is that this huge pup is scared of everything-loud noises, other dogs, even his own shadow! Charles has a lot of work cut out for him. 

With the help of his Aunt Amanda, Charles figures out a way to slowly get the dog adjusted to scary noises and fast movements. Once Moose is trained, his original owners are happy to take him back.

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. The Peterson family have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Their aunt Amanda runs a doggy daycare and one of the puppies who attends is Moose, a big Great Dane puppy. Despite his size, Moose is afraid of EVERYTHING and his owners are running out of patience. Moose seems taken with Charles so Amanda asks him if he would accompany her, a couple other dogs and Moose to her getaway cabin for the weekend and work with Moose to make him less afraid.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Moose's point of view. It is the twenty-third in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ ""A" is for Actress" (2015) Rebecca Cantrell and Sean Black

From Goodreads ~ After a decade spent in the glare of the Hollywood spotlight as the star of kids’ TV show "Half Pint Detective", Sofia Salgado has had enough. Desperate to build a life outside showbiz, she quits acting to do something that everyone around her - including her family - thinks is plain nuts. Get a real job.

They think she’s even crazier when she announces that she’s going to become a real detective, instead of playing one on TV. She’s convinced the technical consultant from her TV show, Brendan Maloney, to take her on in his detective agency but can accident-prone Sofia hack it?

Sofia was a child actress who wanted to do something different with her life so she quits acting and joins a detective agency that is run by Brendan, the technical consultant to the show she was in, Half Pint Detective. She is being trained by Brendan and his son, Aidan, who is her age and teases her all the time.

The agency is hired by Melissa ... she wants to know if her husband, Nigel, is screwing around on her. Sofia puts her acting skills to work and goes undercover and tries to see if Nigel will put the moves on her at a bar or if he is meeting someone else. He basically ignores her but he obviously has a lot on his mind and rushes out. The next day he is found murdered and Melissa is the suspect. Her lawyer retains Brendan and his team to find out who murdered Nigel before his client is sentenced to prison for a murder she didn't commit.

This is the first in the Malibu Mystery series and I liked it. It is fairly light and amusing. It is written in third person perspective and focused on Sofia. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Basic Beanie

I just finished knitting an adult basic beanie using Caron Big Cakes (Toffee Brickle). I found the pattern here.

Sizes: Prem [0-3, 6-9, 12-18, Child, Adult, XL] 

To fit head: 30 [35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 61]cm 

Yarn: 4ply weight yarn

Needles: 5mm circular needles or double pointed needles to work in the round and for crown shaping 

Using circular needles, cast on 60 [70, 76, 90, 96, 104, 116] sts, join for working in the round, making sure the work isn't twisted, and place the stitch marker to mark the beginning.

Ribbing: (k1, p1) to end.

Repeat until cuff measures 2 [2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4, 5]cm from cast on (straight cuff), or 4 [5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10]cm from cast on (folded cuff), or desired length.

Sizes 6-9, 12-18 and XL: kfb, knit to end. 1 stitch increased. (- [-, 77, 91, -, -, 117]sts)

Now knit every round until hat measures either 5 [6.5, 8, 9.5, 12, 13, 16]cm from cast on edge (straight cuff), or 7 [9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 20]cm from cast on (folded cuff), or desired length.

Crown Shaping

Decrease round: (k8 [8, 9, 11, 10, 11, 11], k2tog), to end. 6 [7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9] sts decreased.

Next round: knit to end.

Repeat these two rounds, working 1 less stitch before the k2tog in each new repeat, and still decreasing the same number of stitches each time, until you have 18 [21, 21, 21, 24, 24, 27]sts.

Next round: (k1, k2tog) to end. (12 [14, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18]sts.)

Next round: k2tog to end. (6 [7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9]sts.)

Cut yarn leaving a long tail. Thread this tail through the remaining live stitches using your yarn needle, taking the knitting needles out as you go, and pull to close. Fasten off, and weave in both ends.

Alltrue, Winter 2023

My winter 2023 Alltrue box, a customizable quarterly subscription box, arrived today. 

We are committed to delivering delightful goods made fairly and sustainably by brands doing their part to better the world. We believe everyone should have access to low-waste, sustainable alternatives without a price barrier to entry.

Here’s what I received:

PHANTOM CHEF Small Dutch Oven ($99 value)

THIS WORKS Stress Check Sleep Spray ($25 value)

Knitted dog sweater

I finished knitting a medium dog sweater.  I recently came across a charity called ElderDog Canada who are looking for knitters to make and donate them.

I found the pattern at Yarnspirations and used a Caron Big Cake.

Book ~ "Sweetie" (2010) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Sweetie is a smart poodle pup, with a knack for learning tricks. Can Charles find an owner that will make use of her talents? 

Charles loves Sweetie at first sight. For such a small pup, she has a whole lot of charisma and she's amazing at learning tricks. But Buddy is jealous every time the new miniature poodle gets near the family. Can Charles find a home for this cuddly sweetheart without upsetting his own puppy?

Charles and his older sister, Lizzie, are in elementary school. The Peterson family have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Their father brings home a co-worker with a problem ... he'd bought his girlfriend a poodle puppy named Sweetie as a surprise present but she broke up with him last week and he can't keep the puppy. Charles and his family agree to foster Sweetie and find her a home. Charles and his friends discover that Sweetie is really smart and knows a lot of tricks and wonders if she would be a good fit in a circus.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Sweetie and Buddy, the puppies' points of view. It is the eighteenth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Toronto, ON (Front Street W)

I had supper with my pal, Trish, this evening at Chipotle Mexican Grill on Front Street W near York Street. 

Trish had a tofu burrito.

I had a chicken burrito with chicken, brown rice, cheese, black beans and mild salsa.

Both were good ... it's been a while since I've had a burrito.

And it's been a while since I've seen Trish so it was fun to catch up.

KC's tree, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

I visited KC's tree this afternoon Trinity Bellwoods Park ... I hadn't been since the fall. 

The trees are cold and bare now ... but it won't be long until they are full of leaves again!

Knitted dog sweater

I finished knitting a medium dog sweater.  I recently came across a charity called ElderDog Canada who are looking for knitters to make and donate them. 

I found the pattern at Yarnspirations and used a Caron Big Cake (Grape Jelly).

Book ~ "Muttley" (2011) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters dogs that are in need of a permanent home. 

At first, Muttley the mutt seems untrainable but he quickly becomes a hero when he smells smoke in the Peterson's house and rescues the family.

Lizzie and her younger brother, Charles, are in elementary school. The Peterson family have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Lizzie volunteers at an animal shelter and there's a lazy puppy named Muttley who just sleeps all the time. The vet has checked him out and there's nothing wrong with him. The Petersons agree to foster him to see if Buddy can liven him up and show him what it's like being a puppy. He sleeps a lot at the Petersons but they also discover his loyalty and awareness when he awakens the household when there is a fire and becomes a local hero.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Muttley, the puppy's point of view. It is the twentieth in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Knitted dog sweater

I finished knitting a medium dog sweater.  I recently came across a charity called ElderDog Canada who are looking for knitters to make and donate them. 

 

I found the pattern at Yarnspirations and used a Caron Big Cake (Grape Jelly).

Book ~ "Primer and Punishment" (2023) Diane Kelly

From Goodreads ~ Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are looking once again to rehab and resell a house, only this particular house is made of fiberglass, floats and has been dubbed the Skinny Dipper. The old houseboat sure could use some work but the unusual project has Whitney bubbling with excitement.

The charming and handsome Grant Hardisty lives on the cabin cruiser in the adjacent slip but the cousins soon learn he’s left a half dozen angry ex-wives in his wake and made enemies of all sorts of unsavory folks. The man is clearly caught in an increasingly dangerous current with no life preserver in sight.

Whitney and Buck are spraying primer on their houseboat when - KABOOM! - Grant’s boat blows sky high with the man himself inside. Detective Collin Flynn has no shortage of suspects but the waters become muddied when several of them confess to the crime. Is one of those who confessed truly guilty, or are they taking a dive for someone else? When anonymous threats are made against the cousins, Whitney must quickly determine who killed their neighbour at the lake or she and Buck might also be sunk.

Whitney and her cousin, Buck, buy fixer-uppers, repair them and then flip them for a profit and then move on to their next project.  This time they buy something different ... a houseboat.  It should only take a couple weeks to renovate it so they move in.  In the meantime, Buck and Collette, Whitney's best friend and roommate, are getting married and the houseboat would be the perfect spot to have the bachelorette and bachelor parties.

Docked next door to the Skinny Dipper is Grant, who is currently not working because he recently had an accident and needs a cane to walk.  But that doesn't stop him from going fishing with buddies or looking for wife #6 (wife #5 is in the process of divorcing him so he needs to sucker someone else into supporting him).  His boat blows up one day, luckily out in the water so no other boats were damaged, and Grant is killed.  Was it an accident or murder?

I've read many books by this author and I thought this one was okay.  Though it's the fifth in the House-Flipper series, it works as a stand alone (I've read the first four).  It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity (there's no heat at all between Whitney and Collin).  It is written in first person perspective from Whitney's point of view and third person perspective from Sawdust, Whitney's cat's point of view.

Diagonal Garter Stitch Scarf

I finished knitting a scarf tonight ... the pattern is diagonal garter stitch. It was surprisingly an easy pattern, which I found here. It's about 5 feet long and soft and cozy.

Cast on 3 stitches. 

First Section - increases:

• Row 1: KFB, knit to end, KFB.
• Row 2: Knit all stitches.
• Repeat rows 1 and 2 until there are 45 stitches on the needle.

You can adjust the width of the scarf by knitting more or fewer stitches. The finished edges of your beginning triangle (the two edges that do not have live stitches) give a close indication of how wide your scarf will be when complete.

Middle Section - main length of the scarf:

• Row 1: KFB, knit to end, k2tog.
• Row 2: Knit all stitches.
• Repeat these two rows until you are nearly out of yarn.

Final Section - decreases:

• Row 1: Ssk, knit to end, k2tog.
• Row 2: Knit all stitches.
• Repeat these two rows until there are 3 stitches left on the needle. Bind off.

Book ~ "The Christmas Wish" (2022) Lindsey Kelk

From Goodreads ~ Newly single lawyer Gwen Baker is hoping that a family Christmas - countryside, a mountain of food and festive films - will salve the sting of her career hanging by a thread and her heart being trampled on. Because everyone else has their life sorted: even Dev, her boy-next-door crush, is now a tall, dark and handsome stranger with a fiancée. She can’t help wishing her future was clearer.

Then Gwen wakes up to discover it’s Christmas day all over again. Like Groundhog Day but with eggnog. And family arguments. On repeat.

As she figures out how to escape her own particular Christmas hell, Dev is the one bright spot. He might be all grown-up but underneath he’s just as kind and funny as she remembers.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart can be mended after all.

But how do you fall in love with someone who can’t remember you from one day to the next?

It's Christmas and Gwen is heading home with her cousin, Manny, to celebrate with her family. She's hoping it will lift her spirits because her long time boyfriend recently broke up with her to be with someone else and she has been suspended from her job as a lawyer at a big law firm because she threw a stapler at a rich client.

Christmas Day doesn't go as planned ... she's fighting (as usual) with her older sister, her brother-in-law is drunk and snarky, her grandmother hates her dress, her father finds out she's been suspected from her job, and more! She is happy when the day is finally over ... only to discover that when she wakes up the next morning, it's Christmas Day again and again and again.

Gwen suspects it must have something to do with the sixpense hidden in the rum pudding ... apparently whoever finds it gets have a wish granted. So every day she focuses on a different family member asking what their wish is and trying to fulfill it so she will hopefully wake up and it's Boxing Day.

I thought it was a cute story. I found the writing draggy and slow so skimmed a bit during the middle ... I didn't want to give up on it because I wanted to find out the ending. The story takes place in England so there are references I wasn't familiar with. It is written in first person perspective in Gwen's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Bella" (2011) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They enjoy taking care of the dogs themselves but the best part is finding a perfect new owner for these adorable animals. Bella is an orphaned newborn cocker spaniel. She is very weak and almost doesn't survive her first night. Lizzie is determined to save the pint-sized pup. The Peterson's bottle-feed her around the clock until she's healthy enough to be adopted. But who will give this sweet little dog the home she deserves?

Lizzie and her younger brother, Charles, are in elementary school. The Peterson family have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

Lizzie was at a birthday party at an animal shelter she volunteers at when a weak four-week cocker spaniel puppy was brought in. Her mother was sick and the owner was busy taking care of her so she asked the owner of the shelter for help. The puppy wasn't expected to make it through the night but does. Lizzie and her family offer to foster the puppy who they name Bella. Taking care of such a young puppy is a lot of work for the family. Though they try to keep Buddy away from Bella, it turns out he is the best surrogate mom for her.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Bella and Buddy, the puppies' points of view. It is the twenty-second in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 64 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Knitted dog sweater

I finished knitting a medium dog sweater.  I recently came across a charity called ElderDog Canada who are looking for knitters to make and donate them.

 

 I found the pattern at Yarnspirations and used a Caron Big Cake (Grape Jelly).

Knitted dog sweater

I finished knitting a medium dog sweater.  I recently came across a charity called ElderDog Canada who are looking for knitters to make and donate them.

 I found the pattern at Yarnspirations and used a Caron Big Cake (Nightberry).