Distinctly different than though simultaneously similar to housekeeping, blogkeeping chores include sidebar modifications (check), new back-end spam blocking software search and installation (check).

Some time in the wee hours this morning I did yet another search for spam blocking software to work in conjunction with Akismet. I found a product called WP-SpamFree, and installed it. It actually works with my older Wordpress software (I’m still running 2.3.1), which is critical. It works with Akismet, which is good since I really don’t want to turn that software off. All this without making everyone fill in a captcha field. It seems to be helping. It feels that it’s caught six spam messages so far. This is good. It’s catching them before they go into the Akismet folder, so I don’t have to waste my time slogging through 40 or 50 nasty saved spam messages every day, filled with links to things I’d rather not think about much less look at. I’m hoping that friends like Denise will still be able to leave comments for me, unlike when I used the last anti-spam plug-in. Fingers crossed.

I don’t know that you’d notice, but for most of this year I’ve had this book, Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti in my sidebar under current reads. I’ve periodically picked it up and slogged through the next chapter, or part of the next chapter. No doubt, there is some good information in the book, but gads. It’s like reading one of those horrid college text books that make even interesting information dry, dull, boring, and sleep worthy. The book is no longer in the sidebar, but back on the shelf. I’ve (temporarily? permanently?) given up on it. Instead I’m cruising through Knitting in the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. Granted, there is different information in this book, it may not be as complete, and its focus is on ethnic sweaters rather than being more general. However, so far anyway, it’s actually enjoyable to read. The wide gutters include useful information, and delightful quotes like this one:

“Life is a stocking,” grandma says,
“And yours has just begun.
But I am knitting the toe of mine,
And my work is almost done.”
    —Nineteenth century rhyme

Plus the text is written with a friendlier hand, and is much more approachable. It sounds more like a dear friend is gently instructing, rather than a strict teacher sternly lecturing. At least so far. I’m already on page 76, so it’s probably fairly indicative. Thank you again, Kristie. This was an awesome present.