Hello from the land of endless rain!

No, seriously.

It’s been raining for about two weeks straight. We’re getting Florida-style weather in Pennsylvania. It’ll be glorious and bright one moment and miserable and wet the next. We’ve been getting raging storms, too. Thunderstorms with gnarly two-inch hail and triple-digit wind that did some major damage to my area — including turning residents into their Amish counterparts for a few days. Oh, and totally off topic, but I saw a horse and buggy and a Cybertruck on the same road this week. Felt like I was in the Twilight Zone or something.

Anyway, this is my first weekly update, so let’s get to it and see how we’ll do this.

What I’m watching

I’m usually not a big TV person. I’m the adult equivalent of an iPad kid. I just like watching YouTube most days. However, my husband (Matt, for future reference) loves movies and tries to culture me. His latest installment of torturing me with long-form media was The Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

I read the Hobbit and loved it, but we only made it through the first movie and skipped the other two. I couldn’t do it, my sisters in sin. For the LOTR books, I gave up midway through the second installment. There’s world building, and then there’s Tolkien. But Matt pushed through and gave me a recap so I knew what happened. 

As for the movies, they were definitely stunning. I loved all the practical effects. CGI has gotten too out of control lately — which is my biggest gripe with the Percy Jackson show tbh (but that’s a convo for another day). The story was good, too. It’s a typical hero’s journey, but I enjoyed that everyone sort of got their moment to shine. Sam was my favorite. Though I did admittedly laugh every time Gollum called him the fat hobbit (we may or may not now call our slightly chunky husky a fat hobbit).  

That being said, they were all way too long, especially the last one. They should’ve kept the director’s cut but made it two parts. I hate movies longer than 2½ hours. 

We’re also watching The Last Of Us (said literally everyone). As the Walking Dead’s last remaining fan, I love a good zombie show. I always find it so fascinating to explore how humanity responds to an apocalypse. And there’s a sense of nostalgia because I used to watch so many YouTubers play the games.

What I’m reading

I’m a slow reader. I’m not ashamed of that. I’m still rereading The Hunger Games trilogy to prepare for Sunrise on the Reaping. I made it to Mockingjay, which has always been my least favorite of the original trilogy but I’m enjoying it more this time around. I think Katniss’ response to everything she’s been through is commendable. Also, I’ve been evaluating Gale a little more closely than I think I have before. He’s just so angry. And rightfully so. But I think his anger is misdirected, and that’s the difference between him and Katniss. Katniss focuses her anger on President Snow, whereas Gale blames the Capitol as a whole. He’s mad at their way of life, which is understandable, but they don’t choose where they’re born. Just like Peeta didn’t choose to be born a baker’s son and live a better life than those in the Seam. 

Aside from THG, I finished listening to the 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It was a really great mystery thrill. It genuinely had me tripping over myself trying to untangle the web, and I enjoyed the concept of different lives to piece together the puzzle. Every host had a new perspective and restrictions to work with, and it helped guide the narrative. My only note would probably be that, as an audio listener, it was sometimes hard to keep track of the days. But I suck at listening to audio books, so it could just be me.

What I’m doing

I’ve mostly been crocheting. I picked up the hobby about a year ago, and it’s now an obsession. I really want to start selling my work at craft shows and markets, so I’ve been building up inventory. I’m also slow at this … sigh. 

This week I made the cutest jellyfish, a couple book sleeves and a Charmander for my nephew’s birthday at the end of the month. I also have been making flowers to eventually put together a bouquet. And I’ve been working on a blanket which has become a way bigger project than I originally thought lol the pattern was done with acrylic yarn, and I used blanket yarn. That means I got a HUGE blanket. I had to order more yarn, which I’m waiting on now. It’s beautiful, but definitely not perfect. However, it will be perfect for our couch once it’s done. 

I’ve also been continuing our hiking adventure despite the rain. We have a huge bike/hiking trail near us called the Ghost Town trail. It’s a 36-mile trail that runs through a bunch of run-down coal towns (hence the name “Ghost Town” trail). We have an extension like 15 minutes from our house, and the trail is mostly gravel so it doesn’t get too muddy from this weather. Our boys (Nico and Gunter) love this trail too. It has so much to stop and sniff and explore. We usually go around seven miles, which is what it takes to wear out two huskies. 

A few weeks ago, we hiked Stackhouse Park in Johnstown, and it kicked our butts. It was so hilly and I was not prepared. Neither was my asthma. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath and hit the ole inhaler on the way back. It was gorgeous though with how green it was. The streams were also breathtaking as the sun reflected off the rocks. Just so stunning.

Which sort of brings me to my other hobby of photography. I got my second batch of 35mm photos back and it was much more successful than my original try. I got all my pictures and only had a few light leaks. I’m quickly falling in love with film photography because of its imperfections. You can’t snap a million photos for the right one. You just get what you get. It makes you think before you take the photo. Think about the angle and lighting and subject matter. I just love the look of film, as well. 

I use a Kodak Ektar H35 camera I got for Christmas. It’s a cheaper film camera, but I didn’t want to invest too much before I knew if I’d like it. My goal now is to find a vintage 35mm camera at a thrift store to fix and use. I actually have a Kodak Brownie from the early 1900s but I need an adaptor for the film so I have to wait for Matt to 3D print me one to try it out. 

Check out some of my favorite shots from this round:

Moving forward …

My initial plan was to do weekly updates; however, I just don’t have enough going on to sustain that schedule. So the new plan is to do bi-weekly updates, and maybe some Dracula posting in between because Dracula Daily is back in swing and I’m a super fan. I love to discuss that book, and I think it would be fun to make that Tumblr book club even wider of an audience.

Anyway, I think that’s all from me for now. I’ll see you next week with hopefully new adventures!

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