Looking Forward

So, last time, I said I would be posting about what I'm looking forward to this year.

Well. I'm hoping to read some really good books this year. I'd like to think I might find another writer of the calibre of James Sallis this year, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. He's the kind of writer you could go your whole life without finding, and I can't believe I'd never heard of him until about six months ago. I just finished his latest John Hunter book and it is a masterpiece. More about that later though.

I'm hoping that there will be some really good crime books out there for me to review this year. A bit less of the mediocrity that I've found in some this year, and more good quality stuff. I'm planning to expand my literary horizons and read more non-crime. I know I probably say this every year but I'm still trying.

On the crafty front I'm planning to knit several more Norah Gaughan designs, following on from Mobius, which I haven't really blogged about - it got lost somewhere in the mayhem of Christmas, but it's finished and I love it. I'm being a bit of a project tart this week and have cast on three different new projects - a shawl, a pair of mitts and a cardigan - whoops! I'm going to do more weaving this year. I've not really got the four shaft loom I acquired last year up and running yet - still needs a little TLC but I will get a project warped up on that shortly. My spinning will continue much as the last year. My wheel is a little under the weather at the moment as the conrod connecter snapped just before Christmas, but I've spoken to the lovely people at P&M Woolcraft and a new set will hopefully be winging its way from Canada shortly. In the meantime I've done a short-term fix which will work temporarily - it just means the spinning action is a little uneven. I shall actually start to sew the quilt I've been planning since I got back from Florida - possibly even this week! I've got all the fabric ready, just need enough daylight to be able to sort the colours the way I want them.

On other fronts, now that we know the Evilpixie can look after the house/dog/chickens, we are planning to have a few more trips than we've been used to. Wonderwool in April is a definite, especially as it ties in with the Mid-Wales Food Festival - something to keep Pete occupied while I fondle the fibre. We might make a weekend of that as it's a long day with the driving as well. We're going to have a long weekend to Barcelona or somewhere else where we can get a cheapish flight. A visit to Scotland is also on the cards. We've not been up there since my father died so it would be nice to meet up with old friends and revisit some favourite places. We'd like to go to Seattle too and then travel down the west coast of the US but that will have to wait till the exchange rate improves a bit (and we've saved up some money!)

I can't say that I've set myself any resolutions for the year - they always seem too much like tempting fate. I think I'll just see what happens and take it from there. Bring it on.