Achievement Unlocked.

 

JENN McKINLAY: It took me 15 years to finish this %$#@!&^%$# skull scarf for Hooligan 1, but I did it just in time for his 25th birthday. Y'all, I don't think I've ever felt such a sense of accomplishment in my life. 

How did I get myself into this, you ask? Maybe you didn't. I'll tell you anyway.

I decided to teach myself to knit in 2008. I made a bunch of simple scarfs, very fun, but then wanted a challenge. While looking through patterns one day, Hooligan 1 saw this one and asked if I'd make it for him. "Sure!" I said WAY TOO CONFIDENTLY. I bought the pattern off the Ravelry website and bought the yarn and set to work. At the same time, Otto our salt and pepper schnauzer entered our lives. 

I had gotten a good start on the scarf when Otto got into my yarn basket and as the Hub said when he found him, "I didn't know where the dog started and the yarn began and vice versa." Mercifully, the puppy didn't strangle himself. The destroyed project was ripped out and put on a shelf and promptly forgotten about. A few years later, I found it and started again assured that the puppy who now had his buddy Annie as a playmate would stay out of it. They did. 

But here's the thing. THOSE STITCHES ARE TINY. 

This frigging scarf took FOREVER!!! I'd pick it up and work on it a little bit through the year and then put it down to work on more interesting projects. It became a running joke between me and H1 as to whether or not I'd ever finish it. Then I was cleaning my office, found it again, and realized I was 30 rows from finishing. Newly motivated I spent the week before his birthday working on it. Maybe four hours of work in total. WHY didn't I get this done years ago? Argh!!!

Needless to say, H1 was surprised and pleased and I was relieved. Seriously, achievement unlocked, as the gamers say, and I will never knit anything with those teeny tiny stitches ever again!

So, fess up, Reds and Readers, what's a project you put off forever and then it took no time to finish? 

Are Thank You Notes Still a Thing?

 Jenn McKinlay: During the school break after every holiday, there would come the dreaded day that my mom would pull out the list of gifts we'd received from family, a pack of stationary, and a couple of pens. My brother and I would then take up residence at the kitchen table until every thank you note had been written. 

Not gonna lie, when there were snowball fights to be had, our sledding hill was beckoning, and the ice on the lake had just frozen over enough to skate on, being forced to stay inside and write thank you notes was sheer torture. It took us forever!

Now that I'm a full time writer, I laugh at ten year old me. Writing a heartfelt thank you is a no brainer (thanks, Mom!) and I can't believe I was ever so resistant. The Hooligans were given the same task as kids and I'm pleased that while they don't use stationary and stamps anymore, they always text thank you messages to people who've given them gifts or helped them out in some way. 

Mostly, any thank yous I get these days are in text or email form. I'm okay with that, I mean, it does save trees but there is something extra special about getting a thank you card in the mail. Frankly, it feels a bit more sincere. 

How about you, Reds and Readers, what's your take on thank you notes?

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Tree from books. All the rage, apparently.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Jungle Red! 🎄✨

During this holiday season, we’re sending you warm wishes wrapped in gratitude. Thank you for popping in to spend part of your day with us—for reading, commenting, recommending books, welcoming our visitors, and being the kind of community that makes stories matter even more.

Whether today finds you surrounded by family, sneaking a quiet moment with a book, or enjoying a peaceful day to yourself while enjoying a great read, we hope it brings comfort, joy, and a little sparkle. We’re endlessly grateful for your support, your enthusiasm, and your love of stories in all their cozy, thrilling, and heartfelt forms.

May your coffee or tea stay hot, your books be unputdownable, and your new year be filled with many wonderful stories.

With love and holiday cheer,
The Jungle Red Writers ❤️📚

P.S. Does anyone want to attempt to make a Christmas tree from books? I can only imagine what my 5 cats would do to it. Eep!