All the news

Well the major news and the news that every thing else revolves around is that I have tennis elbow. I've had it before - it's rather painful. It comes from repetitive motions. When I had it last time it was from spending too much time on the computer. This time it's a combination of work related actions (lots and lots of portioning) and too much time on the computer.

So I'm supposed to be not using the hand anymore than I absolutely have to. Which leads to I shouldn't even be doing this. But I have to tell you I'm going about buggy. NO QUILTING!! What a nightmare! Especially with my daughter graduating high school in less than two months and her quilt not even half finished - and that's the top never mind the actual quilting. sigh.

I have been reading quite a bit. I read the latest Elm Creek Quilters book and have proclaimed it my absolute favorite. I love all the books but the ones set in the Civil War time frame are my favorites. The Lost Quilter is the continuation of Joanna's story - Joanna being the runaway of The Runaway Quilt. Jennifer Chiaverini has a wonderful gift for telling stories. If you haven't read her books this is a wholehearted recommendation to pick one up - soon.



My next book was The Help by Katherine Stockett. I had heard that this book was a "must read" and it certainly is. Set in Jackson Mississippi in the early 1960s it is the story of the white ladies and the black maids who tended to them. It's told in the voice of three different women and it's a page-turner. It's an unvarnished look at the lives these women lived and parts of it are not pretty - as it accurately portrays the times that were not always pretty. Ugly things happen that mirror events in real life - events that I am thankful I was too young to have been a part of. But in amongst the ugly truths about the past of our Country there are the loyalties, loves and risks that these women were willing to take to make a better Country. If you only buy one book this year - buy this one.



And the one I just finished about an hour ago - A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick. I will admit that I looked at this one a number of times before actually getting it. I'm so glad I finally decided to pick it up. And thank goodness this is the first book in the series because I'm not ready to let go of Evelyn, Abigail, Margot and Liza. If you need a book about the encouragement of friends and the need to have friends in your life - this book is it. And they quilt - who could not love a book about a group of quilters? I can't wait until the end of May when the second book comes out.



Next on my list - if my library has it - is Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas. Maybe I'll get the chance to check tomorrow.

Well the elbow is throbbing so I'm off to find my ice bag.

Until next time - hugs and stitches. Jody