Sock, Swimming, and a Book

I spent my weekend working on the sock. The first one is now finished, and I started the second this morning when I should have been eating breakfast. As one does. (I did eat breakfast, just rather hurriedly.) If you want to see pictures, check out my Instagram--the link is in the sidebar! Follow me there for lots of pictures of knitting (and of Darcy).

Not only that, I found a one-piece bathing suit, which is quite the accomplishment if you know how long-waisted I am. (You don't get a picture of that.) Now I can swim laps at the gym whenever I like! I always enjoyed swimming laps when I was younger, back before I had a giant scar I worry about hiding from the public eye. Now I'll be able to go back to swimming. I missed it!

I've been reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Loads of people, literature buffs and recreational readers alike, have already written reviews and critiques of this novel, so I will keep mine brief. The book is the first in a trilogy about the life of Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell (not to be confused with Oliver Cromwell, who came later) was a lawyer, political advisor,* merchant, and former mercenary. He rises to prominence through the fabric trade and with his work for Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII's advisor.

Plot summary aside, this novel is brilliantly written. I highly recommend it. Mantel manages to breathe new life into an often-repeated period of English history. The characters, like the real people they are based on, are multi-faceted, sometimes dangerous, sometimes hilarious, and always interesting. The BBC is about to release a miniseries based on the book, so pick it up now while you still have time to finish it before you watch!

I already have the second book on hold at the library, and I'm hoping to finish the end of this one tonight, because I just checked out All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and I have a feeling I won't be able to renew that one.

It's hard to read a single novel quickly when you're fickle and therefore are reading five of them at the same time. Maybe I should cut down. Nah.








* Dear Google, stop telling me the spelling of words is wrong when the spelling of them isn't wrong. There are two ways to spell "advisor" and both are correct.