I really like the videos at knitting help ath profsusan mentioned. I have the embarassingly titled "I Can't Believe I'm Knitting!" book at home (was the exclamation point really necessary?). Easy to find at Michael's or similar and I find the illustrations fairly easy to follow. But more than that, is there a yarn shop in your community? A lot of the time, it is easier to see some of these things in action and ask a real live person for help. Most dedicated yarn stores are staffed by experienced knitters who are willing to talk a newbie through the basics. Here is a link that might be useful: craftfetish blog

Chris Bohjalian, who's been mentioned already, also had a book out of compilations from a column he wrote when he moved to Vermont. It's called "Idyll Banter," and I really enjoyed it. Right now, I'm reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," which is a few years old. I'm enjoying it. "The Distant Hours" -- (fiction) about a letter posted in 1941 that reaches its destination in 1992 -- is one of the titles on my to-be-read list. "A Vintage Affair" I read a few books back. Really liked it. A mystery to go along with your cruise theme? Mary Higgins Clark's "Santa Cruise."

Just read this short summary & thought of this thread. Basic & aimed primarily @ weight loss, but still helpful, IMPO... The 3 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Going Low-Carb Ditching carbs to lose weight really sucks, but it works, which is why so many people have joined the low-carb craze. If you're cutting carbs to lose a few, just be careful not to make these three mistakes. Going Completely Carb-Free Think of your body as a car and its fuel is carbs. A car won't run without gas, and your body can't function without carbs. Your brain runs on glucose, which comes from carbs, so without it you'll feel tired, foggy-headed, slow-moving, and cranky. Plus, ditching carbs altogether will only make your cravings that much stronger, so when faced with a delivery of office pizza, who could blame you for devouring four slices in a row? Eating mostly protein and going completely carb-free just isn't a diet you can sustain. Certified dietitian Leslie Langevin, MS, RD, CD, of Whole Health Nutrition says you want to make sure you're eating at least 120 to 130 grams of carbs a day - about 30 to 40 percent of your diet.Not Eating the Right Carbs Not all carbs are created equal, so you don't want to slurp down a soda with your Instagram-worthy salad and grab a chocolate chip cookie afterward. Skip the refined and overly processed carbs like white bread, pasta, bagels, and sugary beverages and baked goods, and fuel up on carbs that are also high in fiber - they'll add to the fullness factor. Leslie recommends one-half to one cup of whole grains like quinoa or oatmeal and one to two pieces of fruit each day. That will keep your carbs low enough to lose weight and allow your body to have the energy to function. Plus, they also offer valuable vitamins and minerals your body needs to have a strong immune system.Not Watching Portions Low-carb doesn't automatically mean low-calorie, and just because you're not eating spaghetti, rolls, or rice doesn't mean you're not overeating other foods! Watching your portion sizes is still very important when it comes to weight loss, so be sure to monitor how many calories your meals and snacks add up to." HTH

jenn,,,it takes days, sometimes weeks, for the smell to dissipate. Give it a chance. it's not mold. it's musty. if you want to cover it, then use the oil base primer from Zinsser w/the smell/odor coverage. otherwise, do what I've advised. (I know you haven't let it sit in the sun enough, if at all) . here is the one I redid. I cleaned the door just fine exactly how I told u. this is how I got it. and yes, it had the musty smell. because of the discoloration of the door, I took the time to sand each groove by hand. The person who wanted this asked for the aqua color, so that's what I did. Inside wasn't the best of shape so i covered the bottom w/material over a thin piece of luann.