I'm "Cable-ing"

My co-worker, Pam helped me get started on a new knitting adventure ... the cable stitch. I've always shied away from it as it looked too complicated and more for the intermediate knitter. But Pam shared a scarf pattern she has been working on and after buying all the necessary supplies ... I'm "cable-ing." So far I've knit 5 inches and I haven't ripped it out/completely started over yet : ) During the past few years I've earned the title: "queen of un-knitting"!!!
If you are interested in this pattern, check out the following link:
http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60053.html?noImages=
Without my knitting-mentor, Pam I would still be mass-producing pillows and kitchen dishcloths.
Thanks, Pam for expanding my knitting horizons!

Top Twenty

I've been sick for several days and I've spent a lot of time reading. I've been looking through my bookcase and it brought back memories of my favorite books and authors over the last decade or two.
As soon as I started learning to use Excel, I've kept a spreadsheet of books I've read each year. As more tools became available, I've switched to a free program for MAC users, "Books" and I started using Library Thing this fall. Years ago my goal was to read 50 books per year and I found, as time passed, I would have a hard time recalling what the book was about when reviewing past lists. The solution: write a summary!

So here's my top twenty ... in alpha order:

Beach Music by Conroy, Pat
Between Friends by Macomber, Debbie
Bleachers by Grisham, John
Blue Nowhere by Deaver, Jeffery
Crossings by Steele, Danielle
Evening Class by Binchy, Maeve
Harmony series by Gulley, Phillip
Hawaii by Michener, James
Leota’s Garden by Rivers, Francine
Lonesome Dove by McMurtry, Larry
Maiden’s Grave by Deaver, Jeffery
Mitford series by Karon, Jan
Nights of Rain and Stars by Binchy, Maeve
Savannah Series by Price, Eugenia
Scarlet Thread by Rivers, Francine
Sunflower, The by Evans, Richard Paul
Testament, The by Grisham, John
Three Weeks with My Brother by Sparks, Nicholas & Micah
Thursdays at Eight by Macomber, Debbie
Toxin by Cook, Robin

And here's a list of my favorite top 20 authors:

Alborn, Mitch
Binchy, Maeve
Clark, Mary Higgins
Cook, Robin
Deaver, Jeffrey
Evans, Richard Paul
Grisham, John
Gulley, Phillip
Jance, J.A.
Jenkins, Jerry
Karon, Jan
Kingsbury, Karen
Macomber, Debbie
Margolin, Phillip
Patterson, James
Plain, Belva
Rivers, Francine
Sparks, Nicholas
Spencer, Lavyrle
VanLiere, Donna

Please feel free to share your favorite books/authors. I'm always looking for something new to read.