2007 Books

74 Seasise Avenue
Acid Row
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl
Anodyne Necklace, The
Astrid & Veronika
Big Cherry Holler
Big Stone Gap
Brave New World, The
C is for Corpse
Cat Who Read Backwards, The
Catcher in the Rye, The
Children of Men
Circle of Quilters
Clan of the Cave Bear, The
Club Sandwich
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime, The
D is for Deadbeat
Dante Club, The
Dark Room, The
Deep Storm
Deer Leap, The
Dirty Duck, The
Dream When You're Feeling Blue
E is for Evidence
East of Eden
Endless Steppe
Ethan Frome
F is for Fugitive
Five Bells and Bladebone, The
Five People You Meet in Heaven, The
Flowers for Algernon
Forever in Blue
G is for Gumshoe
Glass Castle, The
Grapes of Wrath, The
H is for Homicide
Handmaid's Tale, The
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Help the Poor Struggler
Home to Holly Springs
Horse You Came in On, The
Husband, The
I am the Running Footman
I is for Innocent
If Angels Fall
J is for Judgement
Jerusalem Inn, The
Jimmy
Julie & Julia
Keeping Faith
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Man With A Load of Mischief, The
Memoirs of a Geisha
Memory Keeper's Daughter, The
Mercy
Michael Crichton Trio
Mists of Avalon
Nativity Story, The
Next
Night of the Jaguar, The
No Way Back
No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, The
Of Mice and Men
Old Contemptibles, The
Old Fox Deceiv'd, The
Old Silent,The
Once Upon A Day
Ordinary Heroes
Outsiders, The
Playing for Pizza
Queen of the Broken Hearts
Red Leaves
Reed's Beach
Road, The
Sandcastles
Scold's Bridle, The
Shoot The Moon
Single Shard, A
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Stolen Child, The
Tenth Circle, The
Time and Again
Time Traveler's Wife, The
Track of the Cat
Valley of Bones
Water for Elephants
Wedding in December, A
Wheel of Darkness Wild Fire

So Little Time...

I was supposed to be off work tomorrow. But I have to go in at 8am and work until 6pm. This means I am working 4 -10 hour days in a row. I know that I was just off last weekend and then off Christmas Day but I really need a day to catch up. Christmas was spent with family in fellowship and preparations. I need to spend time paying bills, organizing and straightening, and eventually putting away decorations. I have my first meeting as president of my Homemaker's Club in a few weeks and I need to sit down and prepare for that, also. I haven't cross-stitched in almost 2 weeks and I am way behind on my reading. We have another get-together on Sunday and then Tuesday (after working New Year's Eve) we are taking a little family trip. I really needed tomorrow off. But don't worry I am going to make them pay me dearly for the pleasure of my company.

Christmas Evening

Tonight is Christmas evening. Presents have been unwrapped. Lots of food has been consumed. The kids are consumed right now with the new video game console. We are sitting here relaxing and enjoying the "remains of the day." Tomorrow, hubby and I have to work and the kids have to go to their daycare.

It bothers me when people talk about wanting Christmas to be over. I think these people are probably trying to try to do to much and the spirit of Christmas has been lost to them. We spend a lot of time with family during the holidays. I always plan to cook a lot more than I actually have time for. I always get a little carried away with the decorating. I want the holidays to be so special and sometimes think that the results are actually in my power. When in truth the kids are happy without much work. Give them time to play with their new toys. Don't ask them to get dressed before noon.

I have a large extended family. My cousins are all grown with large families of their own and when we get together now our kids play like we did. I enjoyed so much spending time with the family.

I hope you had a good holiday with your family and find this season peaceful and not too over scheduled. Take time to sample the holiday dishes you've worked so hard to prepare. Watch a movie or watch your kids playing video games. Spend time catching up with family. Take a drive and enjoy the lights. Remember what is important in life regardless of your particular Faith.

Twelve Things I Love About Christmas

or some similar named mem....

1. Family - I have a large one and we have several "get-togethers" with lots of:

2. Food - There is always lots of good food. We have dressing and fruit salad at Christmas as well as all kinds of different sweet foods. Fudge is important, too.

3. Christmas music. My absolute favorite Christmas album is December by George Winston. It is so relaxing to play this album with only the Christmas lights on and a good cup of warm drink.
My favorite Christmas song is "Please Come Home for Christmas" by the Eagles.

4. Christmas lights - all over the yard, all over the house.

5. Christmas smells- vanilla candles and cinnamon potpurri. Hot apple cider cooking on the stove. Rolls browning in the oven. Fresh pine boughs.

6. Christmas Cards - from people you see every year and those you haven't seen in years. I love seeing those pictures to see how much the kids have grown.

7. Snow. No, really, I like snow at Christmas it's just that we don't actually see snow on Christmas. Maybe 2 of my 30+ odd Christmases have been white.

8. Presents - shopping for them, wrapping them, exchanging them!

9. Bob's Old Fashioned Candy Canes and Creme Drops. I know this is part of the food category but these are special candies that you only have at Christmas.

10. Stockings. We open our Christmas presents on Christmas Eve but our stockings are still saved for Christmas morning and it is still exciting to see what's inside.

11. Christmas ornaments. I have lots and lots of Christmas ornaments. More, really than I can put on 3 trees. This year we decorated the one large tree plus two 3 foot trees for the kids rooms. I think we put about half the ornaments up.

12. Gingerbread House. Ever year the kids and I decorate a Gingerbread House. Unlike the previous two years this year the house kit did not come readily assembled. There was a little panic while I tried to assemble the pieces but we got through it and the house turned out great. I think we have about 5 houses on top of my kitchen counters now.

Saturday Morning

Whew! What a week I've had. It's Saturday morning now and I'm having a little quiet time with my breakfast before I get to work cleaning and cooking. Here are some of the things I'll be making over the next few days:

Peanut Butter Fudge
Peanut Butter Popcorn
Magic Cookie Bars
Fruit Salad
Smoked Salmon Dip
Baked Beans
Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin
Fudge - if time
Tiramasu Trifle

The kids are in the other room playing some annoying-sounding game they got from the Grandma yesterday. Of course, buying loud noise-making toys is a grandparent's prerogative. But they are disturbing my quiet, peaceful breakfast. That's okay, in a few minutes I'm going to put them to work.

Hope everyone has a delightful Christmas Holiday!!!

Sunday

This morning we did not go to church so that I could sleep late before going in to work at 10am. I cleaned up the kitchen and vacuumed the living room floor before I left. The house gets pretty cluttered when I work for several days in a row. I left the kids a list of chores to do during the day. They asked me to write them down for them, so they could remember.(1. Finish laundry, 2. Unload Dishwasher, 3. Read). I also asked them if they went outside to sweep the leaves out of the garage, but I didn't write that down. (The wind blows the giant leaves from our neighbors Sycamore into the garage when the door is left open.)

Tomorrow is grocery day so there is not a lot of surplus food in the house. I decided to purchase Sonic on the way home at 6pm for supper. My son wanted a slushie but I said, "no." I wasn't inclined to bring home a treat and it was pretty cold out to think about slushies. He said, "You never buy us slushies". I really hate those "absolute" words.

When I got home I discovered the kids had played outside but hadn't swept the garage. Which is understandable because I didn't write it down. My son said he forgets if I don't write it down. I asked them if they completed the list and they said they had. I complained about the popcorn in the living room floor and the leaves they had tracked in the kitchen, plus the mess they had left at the kitchen table. I was feeling a little under appreciated. Of course, you're wondering why I bothered cleaning this morning if they would just mess it up again. But I knew that I would be too tired tonight and that I had to work all day Monday. Imagine what the house would look like by Tuesday!

I asked the kids to bring the laundry into the living room so that I could fold it. Sunday's laundry consists of two loads of the kids laundry which I do every Sunday. My husband is really good about doing our laundry on the Saturdays when I work. My son got the load out of the dryer and brought them to me. I started folding and had folded most of the top load in the basket when I realized the bottom load had not ever been washed. Now I'm going to be up late folding laundry.

I'm not feeling the least bit guilty about not buying my son that slushie.

Busy Week

Tonight is my Homemaker's Club Annual Christmas Dinner and Gift Exchange. We have our dinner catered in the conference room of a local business. Dessert follows at one of the member's house. We draw names earlier in the year and exchange gifts. It is always a enjoyable evening with just the ladies.

Seems like I am so busy this time of year. There is always one or two things I forget to buy or do. I have to work all weekend and them I'm off next Tues & Thursday. I still haven't planned what desserts I'm making and I need to buy the groceries on Monday.

Next Saturday night I have planned a dinner out with my parents if I can arrange a baby-sitter. We used to go out together frequently before the kids came along and in the early years. But in the last year or two it has become increasingly difficult to find a baby-sitter.

We are going to Boaz for a family gathering the following Sunday. I have to work Christmas Eve until 4pm. That evening we will have a nice family dinner followed by the opening of gifts. On Christmas Day we have our family gathering with my Dad's clan.

Did I forget hubby's Christmas party next Wednesday evening and a Brownie workshop on Thursday. Also, there is the cookie exchange with the ladies in my SS class on Tuesday night. And of course there is a lot of baking to be done and always the last minute stuff. And let us not forget the gathering with hubby's family the Sunday after Christmas.

We have a small family trip planned after New Year's to recover from all the excitement.

Long Time No Post

I didn't really mean to quit posting. But, it has been several weeks nonetheless. When I went back to working full-time at Wal-Mart the appeal of spending time on the computer was lost. When I am home I don't even want to check my email, much less spend hours browsing other peoples blogs and finding witty things to post. Call it laziness if it makes you feel better.

I have been really happy back at WM, though, and am confident I've made the right decision.

We've been very busy. I got the house decorated for Christmas. This weekend we went to Auburn for my cousin's wedding and just got back this afternoon. It was a beautiful wedding. Rick and I enjoyed taking a walking tour with our kids of the University Campus (where we both attended) last evening. A lot has changed since we graduated.

Christmas is approaching fast. I have all my presents wrapped except for whatever last minute things come up. I really need to finish my Christmas cards and get them in the mail. I have my deer and Palm Trees up in the front yard.

We have finished the second season of Lost and are anxiously waiting the 3rd season release on Tuesday. To say we are hooked would be an understatement. I don't know what we will do when we have to start watching it only once a week with the fourth season in January.

There is so much going on that sometimes everything is just a blur. We have Christmas parties and family gatherings coming up. The kids and I have an annual tradition of decorating a Gingerbread house. I have Dr appts for both children next week. I have to work next weekend and then my parents will be here over the holiday. Hopefully, we are taking a little trip after New Year's to recover from the rush.

I hope everyone will continue to stop by once in a while. I'll try to post at least once a week until Christmas.

Book Update

I am going to try and update my book list now. I don't think I put any books I've read since Fall Break. I've slowed down a lot on my reading because I changed jobs.

Of the books that I've read since I last did a book post the most notable are:

1) Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. This book is about Father Tim from Karon's Mitford Series. The book details his journey to his childhood home after a 30+ year absence. A lot of questions are answered for Timothy and a lot of old wounds are healed. Definitely a must read for fans of the series but not the best book to start if you haven't read the others.

2) Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. This is the latest Agent Pendegrast Novel. And while it is an independent book and not a sequel to the others, I would not start with this book. It is certainly not among the best produced by this talented writing team. The bizarre circumstances that the FBI agent finds himself in are starting to sound a little repetitive if not mundane. The early Pendegrast books, including Relic and Cabinet of Curiosities are much better. If you haven't read any of Child & Preston's novels I would also recommend Thunderhead or Ice Limit.

3) I am currently working my way through the Martha Grimes, Richard Jury Novels, and I finished The Old Contemptibles. I enjoyed this as much as the previous novels. I am also up to J is for Judgement in the Sue Grafton, Kinsey Milhone series and enjoyed it also. Also, for a little light reading I read the latest Cedar Cove Series paperback, 74 Seaside Avenue.

84 books

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. The primary focus is to be thankful and to eat. What a great combinations that is. My parents are coming for a few days and we are having Thanksgiving Dinner at our house. Sometimes we drive an hour or so away and spend the day with other relatives. This year I have to work all weekend and so we've decided to stay in Huntsville. We will be having the traditional Thanksgiving meal that I have grown up with:

Chicken and Dressing
Turkey
Cranberry Sauce
Green Beans
Fruit Salad
Sweet Potato Casserole
Rolls
Pecan Pie

If you are unfamiliar with the dish, chicken and dressing, allow me to educate you. In most southern families the Turkey if prepared at all is roasted without any sort of "stuffing". Instead we serve dressing. Dressing is a mixture of breads (both white and corn) cream of chicken soup, spices, onions, and chicken baked until golden brown. The recipes and preparation vary from family to family. We tend to eat ours a little soupier than some. We usually serve it with a gravy made from cream of chicken soup. We also traditionally eat dressing at Christmas time and on occasion at Easter. When my Mama was alive and we had Thanksgiving dinner at her house she would make several large pans. There was usually enough for everyone to take home as leftovers. She made the most wonderful dressing and my mother after many years of practice is able to duplicate the recipe. We're not having a whole turkey this year for such a small gathering. Mother bought a Turkey breast from the Honeybaked Ham store. I am not that big a fan of the traditional roasted and usually dried-out bird.

Years ago while I was in college my parents moved to Pennsylvania for a few years. I flew up to join them for Thanksgiving that first year. We drove the four hours to my brother's in laws house in Olney, Maryland. Their Thanksgiving meal was quite different from ours. But the overall tradition of sitting down together for a family meal and being thankful for God's blessings on our lives remains the same regardless of the food served.

Thanksgiving at our house is a wonderful time of fellowship and family time with lots of eating. Regardless of your families traditions I wish all of you a wonderful holiday.

Friday

What a wonderful day today. It's amazing how much more you appreciate your off days when you work so hard to earn them. It's been a long week and I am glad for the 3 day weekend. I know a good many of you will have a short week next week but I have to work next weekend. I spent most of today at the school, working in the clinic and in a teacher conference. I had a wonderful nap this afternoon.

Hubby has apparently decided on the purchase of a new camera after much research. I think he decided against the $600 model and went with something a bit smaller. The big thing with most digital cameras is there is a long delay between pressing the button and snapping the picture (shutter time?). We need a camera that is practical to use and carry around, though. I have seen so many beautiful trees this fall that I wish I could have taken a picture of. You really miss your camera when you don't have one.

We have no big weekend plans. Just the usual. I need to get some Christmas presents wrapped. We're going over to a friend's house for supper tomorrow night. I'm definitely going to get in some napping. Next week I work Monday & Tuesday and off Wed and Thursday. Wednesday the kids are out of school and we all have to go to the dentist. My parents are coming for Thanksgiving so there will be lots of cooking and eating (and napping, don't forget the napping!) Hopefully, I'll be back before then.

Have a good week!

Blogging

I've turned into one of those people who cannot take the time to blog a few lines. What is that about? Can't you sit down once a day or so and type a few lines? Well, actually, no. I've been working a lot of long days (10-13 hours) and when I arrive home I am too tired to even read my email. I know you are thinking that blogging is so much more important then email and that it should be my priority over say, sleep.

Anyway, last week my mother was visiting and we had a great week. I was glad to have a few days with nothing planned. We ate out for lunch and enjoyed ourselves. Most importantly I got some Christmas presents wrapped.

I've got a little cold now and that combined with exhaustion is making me want to do very little on my day off. I'm looking forward to my weekend off.

We are currently looking at a new camera and new cellphones and a shockingly expensive Christmas present for the whole family. It seems that once you start spending money you cannot stop. My old job is still paying me out my vacation time and I've been getting double paychecks. The money has to go somewhere and it seems so wrong to save it.

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving.. Before you know it Christmas will be here. I mean they are already playing Christmas music at work. What we need is some good Thanksgiving music.

Okay enough is enough. You came here to see if I'm still around and I am and thank you for reading this far. I'm going to take the time to visit some of my favorite blogs now. And maybe, just maybe I'll be back in a few days.

Cool Weather

Well, I had to turn the heat on today. I really do not like to turn the heat on and then turn the air back on a few days later. That is a common situation here in the South. The temp in the house got below 60 last night, so I relented. Last year we had to turn the air back on briefly in December.

I finally got outside and planted some bulbs and pansies. A good thing, too, since we had a hard frost last night. My beautiful impatiens had finally had enough and died. I planted tulips and daffodils and hyacinths. Every year the ground gets a little easier to work so the bulb planting went quickly. My daughter was a big help, dropping the bulbs into the holes I dug and covering them with dirt.

We have some gorgeous fall color and if my camera was working I would take a picture and show you. Our camera never worked after our vacation. I've still got to get the pictures off the memory card. Hubby is looking at getting another one. He has been wanting a SLR camera but I didn't want to spend the money. Now I guess it is necessary. I think I might buy myself a small camera to carry in my purse.

We had a great time at the Auburn game last weekend and I know I should do an entire post about it but I have been so busy. I am enjoying the new job but between it and school activities it leaves little time for the non-essentials like blogging and reading blogs. I still find time to read, somehow, though.

I'm working all weekend and I just wanted to do a quick post because I'm not sure when I'll be back. If I didn't get a chance to visit your blog this week, I'm sorry and hope to visit soon.

Friday

I have been so busy lately. I've backed myself in a little corner. But next week I have two days set aside to spend with my mother. We're going to shop and eat out and enjoy ourselves. I am enjoying my new (old) job. I really like the schedule. Of course, in the evenings I am very tired, but the days go by so fast. I'm really enjoying the people I'm working with, too. My old boss has called me about 3 times to ask when I am coming back. It is nice to be in a career with so much demand.

Tomorrow is the annual Auburn University Alumni Band Reunion. My daughter and I are headed down this afternoon. I'll practice with the alumni band tomorrow morning and then we'll perform with the college band during the halftime of the football game and in the stands. Playing with the Auburn band was the most enjoyable experience I had in college and every year when fall rolls around I miss that excitement. It is nice to spend this little Saturday afternoon going back. My SIL is going to meet us in Auburn and sit with B during the game. Looks like we're going to have great weather (not as hot as usual). We're going to a barbecue at the pharmacy school for lunch.

Maybe next week I can check on how everyone is doing with NaBloPoMo. Have a great weekend.

Where Did October Go?

My goodness how time gets away from me. I seem to remember a few days ago it was the first of October and the weather was just starting to cool off. Now it is the day before Halloween. I was considering participating in the NaBloPoMo but now I honestly don't think I could do it. I'm just working too much. I don't even think I have the time to do up a bunch of posts and then post them each day. So good luck to all of the participants and have fun.

After I decided to not participate I saw this entry on Tangerine Zest. Great minds think alike, Ha!

I went on a field trip today with my daughter to Lyon Family Farms in Taft, Tn. This was a very well organized trip. We went on a hayride where the children picked their on pumpkins from the patch. We played in a corn maze, giant inflatible slide, and corn bin. The kids petted and fed all sorts of animals. We listened to they story of how the pumpkins grow and had a sing a long. We had a picnic lunch outside. Luckily, it warmed up enough to enjoy the day. The kids had a onderful time!

My mother sent this picture of me I wanted to share with you because it reminds me so much of Gina's picture on her blog.

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween. Unfortunately, I have to work late and will miss out on the annual tradition of dressing up and begging door-to-door for candy. If our camera was not on the fritz I would perhaps get pictures but now I will only get stories. I'll be back (hopefully) on Friday to tell you about my upcoming weekend plans.

MDA Lock-up

Well, I survived my stint in the big house. I was "arrested" for Mucular Dystropy Association. I was picked up by a Huntsville Police Officer and escorted to Sci-Quest in Huntsville where I had to present my "bail" money to the "judge". I was very fortunate to have raised a good bit of money ahead of time. But I made a few calls and raised several more hundred. I am counting on the company I work for to match my first $1000, also. I enjoyed a good barbecue lunch (they ran out of banana pudding, though) and was escorted back home by limousine. I raised at least enough to send 3 children to MDA's summer camp. I am glad I participated in the fundraiser and am touched by the generosity of so many people. Several of my husbands colleagues came through as well as mine.

Book Update

While on Vacation I read the new John Grisham book, Playing for Pizza. It is written in his usual style but is not a legal thriller. The story follows a disgraced NFL quaterback on his adventures in Italy playing for the Parma Panthers. Just like his previous book, The Broker, it made me want to visit Italy. I enjoyed the book, although I thought it was too short.



I also read the latest Diana Gabaldon book, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. This is the second Lord John book she has written. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first. I would only recommend it to those readers who are already fans of the Outlander series.



I just finished reading Track of the Cat, by Nevada Barr for the second time. This is the first of the Anna Pigeon Mysteries. My book club has chosen this book for November. I read it several years ago and have read all the other books in the series. Anna Pigeon is a National Parks Ranger and all of the books take place in different National Parks. Like other mystery heroines, people are always dying around Anna. There is always a murder to solve. Track of the Cat is not the best of the series but I think it is important (though not entirely necessary in this case) to read them in order. I highly recommend this series to any murder mystery lovers out there.



I'm sure I was reading something else before all of these but I can't recall now what it was. Must not have been that memorable. I have a lot of things still on my shelf to read. My SIL brought me two books when she was in town and I checked out one from the library. One down side to the new job is there isn't quite as much time to read. Bummer!

Jail Bird

Hey! Thursday is the day I am going to be locked-up in Jail for MDA. It's not too late to help me with your 100% tax deductible donation. Please!!! Any amount is appreciated.

Blog Fodder

Blog Fodder, blog fodder, where are you...

I am not going to blog about the ballgame yesterday. I've refrained from blogging about football this fall for good reason. I'm not going to blog about how I stayed up 'til after 11:30 (by myself) last night watching a game that did not turn out so well for us. Why do they have games starting at 8pm? T.V. of course. Football was all anyone wanted to talk about in Sunday School this morning (well, the men anyway). I really didn't want to relive it at 8 am this morning. Apparently, our rival school across the state had a big win yesterday. Some guy mentioned how the coach had shown he was worth the $4 million he had been paid. I can't help being thankful it isn't my Alma Mater that paid that much for a FOOTBALL coach. Anyway, I said I wasn't going to blog about it, okay? So STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!

Glorious Autumn

The kids and I loaded up the bikes on our new bike rack and headed out to the Indian Creek Green way this morning. The weather was wonderful (even a little cold in the shade). We rode about 1.5 miles then sat in the sun and had a snack before returning to the car. I had been shut up inside all week at work and it was great to get out and enjoy the sunshine.

Hubby and some buddies have headed to the mountains in Tennessee for the weekend and the kids and I are flying solo. Last night we picked up Pizza Hut and watched a movie. Tomorrow, after Sunday School we are going out for breakfast. This afternoon they are busy playing and I am just relaxing. I slept better last night than I have in weeks.

Thursday, night we had a house full. Mike from AtHomeDaddy drove over from Texas to go camping. My SIL drove over (from the other direction) to see him while he was here. Unfortunately, she did not get to stay but one night. Mike, if you are wondering, is just as entertaining in person as he is on his blog.

I had lunch with some fellow Homemaker's on Friday to celebrate Homemaker's Week in Madison. We ate at the Welcome Table, a small restaurant in Madison. Although, a little shabby on the outside it was very elegant inside. I had a wonderful lunch of chicken salad on croissant with sweet potato fries. I also enjoyed the conversation with the other ladies.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekends and this great fall weather we are having.

Monday

Where have I been? Well I went on vacation for a few days, and when I returned of course there were many things needing attention. The I worked all weekend. So here I am trying to catch up on a week's worth of blogging. So much for my ambition to blog two to three times per week.

Our Vacation to the Beach went well. We put the kids in seperate rows in the back of the Tahoe and that seemed to work really well. They did not have the temptation to irritate each other. As expected there was some argument on whose turn it was to ride in the very back. The weather was wonderful. It did not rain, was in the 90's every day and the water was warm.f

Our condo in Ft Walton Beach was adequate but had some problems. The first morning there I had planned to cook cinnamon rolls and discovered there was no bread pan or cookie sheet. And no pot holders, either. We couldn't find the remote to the DVD player. The bed. Don't even let me get started on the bed. But besides all that it was a relaxing vacation. We played at the beach and at the pool. I read a lot. We watched T.V and the kids did their usual playing. We ate out every night and had some nice meals. We raced go-carts, a vacation tradition.

My daughter's birthday fell during the week and we had her ears pierced. I had my pierced at age 6 but had decided she should wait until 7. I think she was suprised how much it hurt, but seems to be happy with them now. She is trying to be responsible and clean them every day.

We watched the first 8 episodes of Lost. I had checked it out of the library. We are hooked now. I went back to the library but they did not have the next set. I guess we will order it from Netflix. We finally got through the first season of Sopranos. Of course, now we have all the regular prime-time stuff recorded on TiVo and have to work our way through that.

Hubby's camping trip is coming up this weekend and AtHomeDaddy is driving out to participate. My SIL is coming in to stay a few days, too. So I guess we will have a busy weekend.

My fundraising for MDA is going well, however, I am still a long way from my goal. I wonder if they will really leave you locked up if you fail to raise your bail. Anyway, that is still a week away.

I really should have broken this post up into several and spread it over a few days to make it look better. Oh, well. Thanks for stopping by and I'll talk to you later.

Saturday

Today was the Madison Street Festival. Hubby and I, along with my daughter drove the 1924 Chevy in the parade. We had a good time waving to the crowds lining the street. The parade is just a short jaunt down one street and up another and includes not only the usual Boy Scouts, Beautie Queens in convertibles and marching band but also people pushing strollers and pulling wagons. The street fair seems to get bigger every year. The kids enjoyed the morning with the Grandparents. Hubby and I had a nice lunch out alone. I had to head back out to the street fair late in the afternoon. My Homemaker's Club has a booth every year to sell pizza and my shift was 4-6 pm. I brought home cheese pizza for the kids and donuts for everyone. I drove the Miata over to the street fair because I was afraid of the parking situation. The Miata is certainly a lot easier to maneuver in tight areas. The weather could not have been better. It was warm and sunny with a cool breeze. I enjoyed cruising around in the little car.

Thirteen Things I Am Going To Do At the Beach

Well Fall break officially starts tomorrow afternoon and we are headed to the beach for a few days. What I love most about the beach is the layed back atmosphere and the lack of pressure to do anything. Some vacations you feel like you have to go, go, go (like Disney World) but at the beach you just are.

1. Eat
2. Read
3. Sit and listen to the surf
4. Ride Go-Karts, a family tradition
5. Sleep late
6. Watch the kids play in the pool
7. Sit on the beach and read
8. Help the kids build sandcastles
9. Watch movies and stay up too late
10. Play games
11. Eat
12. Sit outside on the balcony and read
13. Spend time with the family

Changes Coming On

Tomorrow is my last day of work at my current job. I am leaving this slow-paced, quite workplace (with a window) to go back to the hurried, frantic pace of retail. I'm not really going to go into the reasons for this change because I don't feel I need to defend my decision. The decision was prayed about and it has been made.

The reason I'm telling you is that it will affect not only my blogging but my reading of blogs. At my current job I have lots of downtime with which to spend on the computer reading blogs. At my new job not only will I not have time but will not have internet access. This means I will only be checking blogs on my off-time. Sadly, I will be cutting down on the number of blogs I can keep up with.

So many people I have gotten to know through the blog-world and many of them I will miss checking in with several times a week. I will still visit, I'm sure, though not as frequently, and I will try to blog at least twice a week.

Monday

What a glorious Sunday we had. I stayed up too late Saturday night. I was too keyed up from the excitement of watching Auburn beat Floriday to sleep. War Eagle!! So Sunday morning we slept late. I went out for my morning walk with the kids riding their bikes. It was a great day weather-wise, one of those blue-sky, cool days we so longed for during the heat of August. I put out my yard display (first in the cul-de-sac, thank you). I took a much needed nap and took the kids out for ice cream. I enjoyed my hot tub for a while. I fixed a big pot of chili for supper and we watched the Japanese Grand Prix. My back is hurting again this morning and I wish I knew what I had done to it. But otherwise, I'm having a good morning and looking forward to this weekend (more later.)

Book Update

My Last book update was about 2 weeks ago and I've read quite a few books in that time. My mother left a bag full of books on her last visit. My favorite of these is Once Upon A Day by Lisa Tucker. This book is written from the view of the different characters (switching back and forth) and detail both their past and present to tell the story. The book kept my attention and I read it quickly. It is a compelling story about how some decisions both big and small can affect so many lives. Please go read Amazon's review to get a better idea of the story. I loved it.



Another very interesting title was The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. You may be familiar with the legends of the Changelings: Fairies would replace children with their own weaker offspring and steal the human child for their own. The stories were used to explain a child who failed to thrive in rural areas. The Stolen Child is a "real-life" story of a changeling who grew up as the child he replaced, and also the story of the human child and his life with the fairies. Once you accept the basic premise the remainder of the book is quite believable. It is a different type of novel then my usual and I enjoyed the change.



I finished the short novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The author actually wrote this story before his bestselling Tuesdays with Morrie (which I haven't read either). It is the story of how in heaven you meet 5 people who were somehow part of your life (if only briefly) and your life affected them or was affected by them in someway. These 5 people help the character, Eddie, understand his life and its meaning. It's a short story but very good.



I also read Circle of Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini. This is the eighth book in the Elm Creek Quilt Series. You do not have to enjoy quilting to enjoy this series (although it may make you want to learn.) The stories are well written and enjoyable. If you find them interesting I would recommend starting from the beginning with The Quilter's Apprentice.



Finally, I read Jimmy by Robert Whitlow. Whitlow writes really good Christian fiction. I enjoyed Jimmy but I was so dissapointed in the ending that I can not recommend it. It is the story of a mentally challenged boy and some of the adventures in his life in a small town. It was a good story until about the last 20 pages. If you are looking for good Christian fiction I would recommend other books by Whitlow, especially The List.

Shameless Plea For Money

I am going to be arrested!!

Actually, I am participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's (MDA) Lock-Up on October 25. I am to be put in "jail" until I raise enough money to send 4 children to MDA summer camp. How much does it cost do send 4 children to MDA camp? $2600. Wow!

Last year my good friend Beth's son David was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. Specifically his diagnosis is Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic, degenerative disease primarily affecting the voluntary muscles. David is only 3 years old.

Now everyone has heard about Jerry's Kids and the annual MDA telephon held each Labor Day weekend. Now this disease is affecting someone close to me and I am trying to do my part.

I know that there are a lot of other worthy causes to support and so this is my shameless plea for help from my internet readers. Any contribution is 100% tax deductible. I have a lot of money to raise and so I am looking for help wherever I can find it. Take the time to look at MDA's website and learn about this disease and the Association. Look at the Better Business Bureau's report on this charity. Do your own research and then please, please help me send 4 deserving children to MDA summer camp.

Go here to see my MDA fundraiser website.

And if anyone can help me put a linky on my blog to this site, I would appreciate the help.

Tuesday

I had a really good, relaxing weekend but it went by too fast. We skipped swim lessons on Sunday because frankly I needed a nap! Sunday evening the kids were racing down the hill to our house on their bikes. I had visions of an emergency room visit and stitches. But when the inevitable accident happened it was not that bad. B had to have tender loving care and bandages but she is alright. Of course, she screamed so loud from the street that I heard her in the house. I had just went in to check on the spaghetti on the stove. But I am glad I didn't witness the wreck. The aftermath was enough, thank you. Even though I knew it was coming, I didn't stop them riding. All children have to experience these things, right? Of course they had on their helmets, but perhaps next time I'll insist on not riding in shorts. On the bright side her brother was a great help. He walked her bike back to the house and gave her some of his chocolate milk.

Saturday

Today we had a family reunion. This one is held at my great-uncles farm about 35 minutes away. He has a beautiful back yard with tall oak trees for shade. It was a pleasant afternoon. There was a lot of good food. I enjoyed seeing relatives again. It was a little sad because this reunion last year was one of the last times I saw my Papa alive. His presence was greatly missed.

My cousin Janet and her family were there also. They too, live in Huntsville. Janet and I met each other for the first time at my first football game as part of the Auburn band. (We're actually distant cousins. My great-grandfather and her grandfather were brothers.) We both play trumpet and we happened to sit together in the stands at that first game. We were talking about where we were from and realized we were related. Her grandfather at that time ran a small country store in the town where I grew up. After the game her parents came over and we were introduced. It was a little strange but we became great friends. We roomed together the next year. Even though we live in the same town, we don't see each other often. We both work and have two children. I am hopefully going to the alumni band game in November and we will sit together in the stands again.

We returned home sated and tired from sitting in the warm afternoon. Everyone rested or napped. I still had to finish the laundry and refill the hot tub. (I had drained and cleaned it in the morning.) Tonight we tried out a new Mexican Restaurant out in the county a bit. The food was good and the service quick. The cheese dip was excellent. We will definitely be visiting it again.

We've been watching Sopranos on DVD from the beginning. I definitely do not like the language but the story line has captivated me. As hubby says, "They keep pulling me back in."

Friday

I had lunch plans today but they fell through. Because I did not receive the email canceling the plans I did not make any other arrangements. So at 9am this morning I found myself off work without a lunch date. A little disappointing. I went to LifeSouth and donated blood. I do this occasionally (though not regularly) mostly for the free T-shirt and movie coupons. I did a little grocery shopping and by the time I returned home I was feeling a little faint and nauseous. I skipped lunch and took a nap. When I picked the kids up from school we made a Sonic run for slushies and root beer floats. I spent several hours in the kitchen. I made fruit salad and pound cake for a family reunion on Saturday. I mixed up some homeade butter pecan ice cream to be made on Saturday and made Baked Potato Soup for supper.

September

I'm so glad that it is September. It's hard to believe now how hot it was just a month ago (and how much I was complaining about it.) Before you know it it will be October, my absolute favorite month of the year. Before you know it the weather will be cool enough for sweaters. I know I've done a favorite things about fall before so I really didn't want to bore you with it again. But what else can I blog about?

13 Things I love about Fall

1. Fall color. The maples and oaks and redbuds turning their gorgeous colors of gold, brown & orange before falling to the ground and creating piles of leaves for the children to play in.

2. Boiled Peanuts bought from a roadside stand. I wish I knew where I could get some. I may have to settle for my own. If you're unfamiliar with this delicacy check out my mom's post on the subject.

3. Candy Corn. It may be mostly corn syrup but I love it! It is good that it is only available in the fall (or the good kind, anyway) because I definitely eat too much. The absolute best, of course is Brach's.

4. Cool morning & evening breezes. My morning walks are so much more pleasant now. And in the evenings you can sit outside while the children play and just soak it in.

5. My hot tub. Oh, yes. After months of disuse because it was just too darn hot, I'm looking forward to evenings soaking in bubbled bliss.

6. Fall Fashion. Oh how I love my sweaters and sweatshirts and jackets and boots and jeans.

7. College Football. I love to go to games although in I've only been to 4 in the last 12 years. The atmosphere and excitement is hard to explain to the uninitiated. Playing in the band at Auburn was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I miss it. I even love watching the games on T.V. And I love Auburn even if they are not having the best season so far.

8. Halloween. Not just the night of when all the kids come to your door begging for trips. But the whole Halloween experience. School carnivals and carved pumpkins, yard displays of mums and scarecrows,. I love to decorate the house with pumpkins and fall decorations and candles. I have these really cute pumpkin baskets and Halloween beanie babies.

9. Fall Break. This is only the fourth year of fall break for us. I wish we had this when I was younger. It is nice to have that week to look forward to.

10. October at the Beach. Fewer crowds on the beach and in the restaurants. The water is still warm but the sun is not scorching. The kids spend long hours playing in the sand and I spend long hours lounging and reading. (Hubby spends long hours inside the condo on the computer). We race go karts, play miniature golf, and play games at night (since we can't take our Tivo with us.)

11. Christmas shopping. Although I start this process in August I try to be finished by October (except for the unexpected). I like to have my presents wrapped before others start thinking about who's on their list. Of course, I miss the bargains, but I also miss the crowds and the last minute stress.

12. Harvest Festivals, Street Fairs, Pumpkin Patches. We have a wonderful pumpkin patch here complete with hay rides and activities for the children. In October we have the Madison Street Festival complete with a parade. Our school is having a harvest festival in late October.

13. Chili. Now, I confess that I have eaten this during the warm months but usually refrain from cooking it. I like my chili full of beans (unlike the Texas versions) served over corn chips and topped with cheddar cheese. It is a great meal to eat while watching a football game (or even a F1 race).

Blogiversery

Tomorrow is my 1 year blog anniversary. One year ago, after months of reading other people's blogs, I took the plunge and began writing my own. I remember it well (because I blogged about it.) It was a beautiful fall day and I felt like engerized about the prospects. Of course, those first few months my readership was limited to my mom and husband and iMike. Now, I'm proud to report my readership has at least doubled. So in the tradition of others celebrating this milestone, I'm giving you the last two sentenences (because one sentence just didn't seem enough) of the last blog for each month of the year.


But I never say, "What race?" Of course, in his defense, he doesn't jump up and down and yell at the referees during the formula one races. Please do not put off planning for your eternal future. Please do not fail to plan for those loved ones you leave behind. We ate lunch together and he fussed over my children. I hugged him goodbye before we parted in what would be the last time. I am going to try and catch up on all my blog reading now and if I find anything else to say I'll be back. We've almost destroyed it and Him in the process. I like to think He tried it again and maybe got it right. So I don't need to have the dream interpreted to understand why I dream. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had an incurring dream for a long time. 12. Tomorrow I am going to clean off my porch, wash my car, and buy a sofa.13. I am off the next three days! There are only 5 in a box, though, so you pay a bit more. But I think they are worth it. Thursday is only 1/2 day of school. Friday they both start summer care, though. On the bright side (always, always look for the bright side), tonite I'm having Rosie's and watching qualifying for the French Grand Prix. So if I can entertain myself for the next 9 hours then I'll be home free and happy. But today I am taking the kids attitude and concentrating on doing nothing. We will see how it goes. We've had a couple days with rain and the highs are just crossing 90 with overnight lows in the 70's. Looks like Fall is on the way!!!

Actually, it sounds pretty mundane put altogether like that.

Book Update

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented and prayed for me. I'll get to a regular post soon.

I just finished reading Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel. Wow, how did I miss this book? It reminded me so much of the Outlander series and also a little like Mists of Avalon. Maybe that is because it is historical fiction that goes into great detail about the lives of its characters. It is well researched and well written. It fit my criteria of a really great novel by immersing me completely in the story. I wasn't too dissapointed with its ending because I knew there was a sequel.

I haven't blogged a book update in almost a month and I'm trying to remember what all I've been reading. I did read Club Sandwich by Lisa Samson because I read about it on someone's blog. (Again, I didn't write it down, so thank you and I'm sorry if it was yours and you're not getting credit.) It was a pretty good read but a little eratic. I also read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (I remember I read about this on J's blog. Actually, this might be where I get a lot of my book ideas. Thanks Jules.) A Single Shard is more of a children's tale but quite enjoyable.

In my quest to read more of that silly top 100 list that circulated a while back I also read A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The book seems a little silly to me but I can understand its appeal when first published in 1932. The overall concept is still fresh, though.

I also read The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. This was the first of the Cat Who books by Lillian Jackson Braun. I had never read any of these but my new book club had chosen this author for September. What better place to start then the beginning, right? This was a short, light book and would be perfect to follow any of the more deeper titles I tend to read.

Book Update II

Oh and let me tell you about Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow. Turow has written a lot of legal thrillers which I enjoy but this book was quite diffrent. It is a wonderful story of romance and intrigue set in WWII as told by both the veteran and his son as he discovers secrets that were kept for 50 years. I shamelessly stole this quote form Amazon's review but it tells it so much better than I could:

This hard truth stands at the center of Ordinary Heroes, Scott Turow's seventh novel. The story opens in 2003, when Stewart Dubinsky, a 55-year-old crime reporter, happens upon a bundle of letters that allude to his recently deceased father's court-martial during the last days of World War II. Stewart is knocked flat by the thought that his "tirelessly proper" father should have such a scandalous past. An insurance company lawyer and devoted family man, David had always claimed that his wartime service as an assistant judge advocate in Europe was unexceptional. Stewart decides to investigate whether he is "the son of a convict who'd betrayed his country and slipped away on some technicality, or, perhaps, the child of a man who'd endured a primitive injustice which he'd left entombed in the past."

A very good read. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy fiction surrounding WWII.

I'm halfway through another book I got from mother and am enjoying it a lot. I'll tell you all about it soon. I'm really enjoying using Bookins and appreciate the commenter who suggested it. I am looking forward to a couple of brand new titles that I'm saving for my October vacation: Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (Diana Gabaldon) and The Wheel of Darkness (Preston/Child). Also, John Grisham has a new book out soon. I like to have really good books to read on vacation and then read almost constantly (while relaxing at the beach or beside the pool).

Friday

Hello, everyone. Thanks for stopping by here and checking on me. I had a great two days off with my Mom. We shopped a little, went to lunch and saw The Nanny Diaries. We had our homemakers club's annual International Dinner Last night. So I've had a good week despite my blue mood on Tuesday. My SIL is coming for a vist today! With any luck Hubby and I will be able to go out to eat alone! I'm struggling with a couple of issues. If you are a Believer, I would appreciate your prayers. Tomorrow, I'll try to do a book update.

Raining

It's raining. A long slow steady rain adding to (or subtracting from?) my mood. But oh, how we needed it. Thank you blessed Lord for the rain.

Tuesday

I want to tell you about the weekend but I just can not right now. There are some things going on around me which are bringing me down and I am just not up to blogging right now. I'll keep reading, though, and hopefully will be up to a full post by Friday.

Weekend

Mother and I are here in Nashville enjoying our girls weekend. The conference was wonderful in some ways and very frustrating in others. I don't think I will attend another event of this size with general admission. Waiting to enter with 5-6 thousand other ladies was most unpleasant. This morning we ended up sitting in the upper most level of the arena. Tonite we are just relaxing. We had some Italian food delivered and we're watching the Auburn game.

Deeper Still

Friday, Mother and I (along with 20, 000 of our closest friends, Hah!) are going to a Women's Conference in Nashville called Deeper Still. The key speakers for this event are Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer. This event has been sold out for many months. (We bought our tickets in November.) They've even opened up a secondary "satellite site". The coference will be held at the former Gaylord Entertainment Center. It is a two day event. This will be the fourth time I've seen Beth Moore live. (I first saw her at a conference in 1998 when I didn't even know who she was!) Two years ago Mother and I attended a similiar 3 day event in Chattanooga. We've both done many of Beth's bible studies and are very excited.

Friday morning we are driving up to Nashville intending on spending the day together before gettting ready for the conference. Our hotel is within walking distance. We are also staying over Saturday night to further enjoy our time away. I'm taking my laptop so that I can listen to Auburn's football game Saturday night. So I might blog about the conference on Saturday.

Several other ladies from my Sunday School Class are attending as well and we are all going out to lunch together on Saturday. It is going to be an exciting weekend.

Editorial Clarification

Just in case there are people out there reading my blog who are not from The South and who also might have heard about or even watched the controversial NBC show yesterday morning in which a well-known comedian spoke out about a controversial issue, I would like to issue the following clarifications:

1) Virginia is not considered the "Deep South". For the most part, we consider the Deep South to include Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, & South Carolina. In fact, even though Virginia was indeed part of The Confederacy it is not considered by Southerners to still be part of The South anymore than Florida is. I am not talking about geography folks.

2) D*g F*ght*ng is not condoned in The South. It is found (according to Wikipedia) in other parts of this country and the world. It is not practiced out in the open nor is it legal in the South. I can't find any evidence that it was commonly practiced in the community where the accused grew up.

3)D*g F*ght*ng is not part of our "culture". It is not "culturally acceptable." It is no more indicative of the Southern culture than being shot in the back while eating at an Italian restaurant is part of the New York culture.

Now, I understand that she did not mean to condone the behavior only give a reason or excuse for it. However, we do not excuse people's criminal behavior based on their background. We are not really angry about her having or having not condoned the criminal act. Her comments suggesting that this was commonly "culturally acceptable" in the Deep South were without merit. I don't think she meant to offend an entire region of the country either. However, in later comments to the press, I did not find her apologizing for doing just that.

Tired

But why am I so tired? I know that I have gotten up early for so many days in a row I've lost count. But exercise is supposed to give you more energy, right? It's not that I haven't gotten enough sleep, either. I actually had a good nap yesterday afternoon. (I'm so thankful that my children are of an age where this is possible.) My mother is coming today for a 10 day visit and I am very excited. I'm just worn out. This weekend we are going to a women's conference and will not be resting. However, hopefully, I will find it refreshing and invigorating. I really need that. Next week, I have two days off and we intend to spend them together doing Mother-Daughter stuff (shopping and dining).

Wednesday

Yesterday I had a very busy day. First a few hours helping out at my old job and then sped across town to the library for my book club. I was home long enough to grab some lunch before time to pick up the kids. Last night we had our first PTA meeting.

I am really excited about PTA and the new school and my place in it. I never really felt like I belonged at the old school (despite how well my children seemed to like it). Most of the mothers were of the SAHM variety and had been together since Kindergarten. They were not unfriendly but not really warm, either. I did okay in preschool with B. But my son's class seemed to already be formed into mom-clicks and I never found one where I belonged. I grew discouraged and gave up. I'm not trying to say it was all their fault. I know I should have made a bigger effort to assimilate.

So this year I am not going to sit back and feel left out. I am going to volunteer and get involved. I am going to meet parents and (hopefully) go on some field trips. I'm going to find a place where I fit.

Monday

Even though today is a holiday I am working. That happens sometimes to those who do not have normal M-F, 8-5 jobs. My husband and kids are at home enjoying their day off. I wonder if they'll notice I am not there.

Yesterday morning I went out and walked before church and again this morning before work. I'm not becoming obsessed. I'm just trying to stave off the guilt of not exercising. Plus tomorrow I may not get the chance. I'm off tomorrow but going in for a few hours at the other job to help them out. The day after Labor Day is a busy day for pharmacies.

I'm going to the second meeting of my book club tomorrow. Our book this month was any title by Lillian Jackson Braun. I read the Cat Who Read Backwards.

Yesterday evening the kids and I did a little bicycling in the neighborhood. We're trying to build up our stamina for longer rides when the weather cools off.

Sunday

I'm not going to blog about the ballgame. I'm not going to mention how poorly Auburn's offense played or how the defense could not seem to cover the receivers or running backs. I'm not going to talk about the new freshman place-kicker and his 3 field goals. I'm not going to mention the score or how inaccurately it reflects the game that was played. No, I'm not going to blog about any of it. I hope after next week's game there will be something that is actually blogworthy to say.

September

As if the very changing of a page on the calendar is enough, this morning dawned with a cool breeze. I enjoyed my walk. It was 75 degrees and a gentle breeze blew around me. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. Only the birds were awake. Oh, I know that there will still be warm days to come. But just seeing the first day of September gives me hope that fall is not too far away. Football season has started. Because it has been so dry, the leaves are already turning and starting to fall. Before long we will be thinking of pumpkins, candy corn, and boiled peanuts. We will put out our yard displays and plant our bulbs. I hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day Weekend.

Friday

Today is the last day of August. And after all of my griping about how much I dislike this month, I'm a little surprised it's over already. Where did the month go? Tomorrow is the first day of September and I couldn't be happier about it.

Tomorrow is Auburn's first football game of the year and it will be televised (not a lot of big games on the first weekend.) Auburn is only #18 in the AP preseason poll (behind 4 other SEC schools). But I'm good with that. It is very tough starting the season ranked high. It's much better to prove yourself as you go along. Of course everyone will be looking at Florida. Auburn has to play them this year in The Swamp on September 29 but let's not look too far ahead.

The weather even seems to be cooperating with the end of August. We've had a couple days with rain and the highs are just crossing 90 with overnight lows in the 70's. Looks like Fall is on the way!!!

Thursday

I've had a busy last two days. (Which is good, because when I am off work I tend to be lazy and unproductive.) Wednesday morning I worked in the first aid clinic at school for the first time. I have to work for 10 hours with another volunteer before they set me loose on my own. It was an interesting morning and I think it will be a good volunteer position for me.

Wednesday night I went out to eat with my friend Kim. Kim and I have been talking on the phone (while at work, no less) for years and have never gotten together. We both needed a night out without the kids. We met at Logan's and had a good time. I recommend their Mesquite Chicken, it was very good.

Thursday I worked 1/2 day at Sam's Club Pharmacy for Kim. They are a little busy then I am at this pharmacy but not by much. It was a slow morning but I probably would not have gotten anything done at home. I walked before I went in to work, though so by the time I picked up the kids at 2:45 I was feeling run down. I took a nap. That put my whole day in perspective. I exercised, I worked 5 hours, I napped and even cooked supper for my family.

Monday

Yesterday I worked at that other job. It was one of those days in which I remember why it was that I quit working there full-time a year ago. First of all, I went out and walked in the morning which guaranteed I would be tired by the end of the day. I didn't go in to work until 10am so I had an hour in the morning to relax. Later, I was really glad I took that time. One of the computer terminals was out at work. This both slowed down production and interrupted the normal flow of work. Also, someone knew was in to start training. Monday is not the best day to train someone. We were entirely too busy to take the time. I'm not the best person to train someone as I have little patience for it. (Get trained already and get to work!) After I ate some lunch the laser printer quit working. (It had been giving us maintenance warnings all day but we had unwisely ignored them). There is a back-up printer (of the dot matrix variety) but it prints about a page per minute. After that small things began to go wrong. There were a couple of times I thought I was going to lose it but I kept it under control. (There really wasn't time for a panic attack.) After an hour or so a second printer was located and installed and we were back at full-speed. I left at 9pm having worked steadily on my feet for 11 hours (except for my 20 minutes of lunch). I had to buy groceries. I managed to arrive home by 10pm but naturally I forgot some things in my haste to get out of the store. This morning I am here at the regular job and I am going to sit down for most of the day and recover.

On the positive side it was a good day diet-wise. I was too tired to eat supper last night and instead ate a banana and went to bed. I didn't have a snack. I'm sure I'll make up for it today.

Interview Meme

Autumn's Mom was kind enough to send me these interview questions. If you would like to be interviewed, see the instructions below. If you do this meme, you can pretend like there are people out there who really care about the answers.



1. If you could pick any profession to be in, what would it be? Besides the one I have, I assume, and without the corresponding training and education required. Secretly, I think I would like to be a nurse. I think I enjoy the patient interaction part of my job most of all and I seem to do so little of it.

2. What is your favorite part of being a parent? My favorite part of being a parent is having this little companion to always share things with and have around for company and who is constantly looking to you for an example. And your least favorite part? Having this little companion you always have to share things with and who is always around and who sees your every mistake.

3. If you had the chance to speak to a relative or friend who's passed on, who would it be and what would you say? Gosh, I miss my Maw-Maw. She's been gone 2 years now. She was sick for a long time before that. She was like a second mother to me. I would tell her how much I loved her and how many lives she touched here on Earth and how much she is missed. But that we are all happy she is singing with the angels and without suffering or pain.

4. You read a lot of books, give us your top 3 favorites. Top 3? That is a hard question. I'm not sure I can narrow it down to 3, but I'll give it a go. I loved the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (of course there were 6 of them.) I love Jane Eyre and White Fang and books by Elizabeth Berg, John Grisham, Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston and the Harry Potter books. Sorry, I said I didn't think I could do it. If I had to pick 3 from this year's list I would say, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Time Traveler's Wife and East of Eden (and Mists of Avalon).

5. Sweet or Salty? Why must I chose? Can't I have them together? My two favorite candies in the world are M&M's (plain or dark chocolate) and Reese's Cup Minatures. I love that combo of salt & sweet. I love chocolate covered cashews, almonds and macadamias. But if I had to choose I would say my favorite is the chocolate and therefore - sweet.



Here are the rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Friday

I had a pretty productive day today. It was good to do something and not feel so lazy. I washed sheets and blankets, painted the mailbox, picked up some groceries and worked on some projects. This afternoon I made homemade strawberry ice cream. Tonight I'm cooking hamburgers on my indoor grill. I'm feeling so proud of myself I thought I would brag to you a little.

Still no rain and still hot! (You thought I had quit harping on the weather, didn't you?) I have a Dogwood tree that looks like it is dying. Next week we are supposed to have a high down in the 80's. It will be like a cold front!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday Thirteen

Rather than talk about the weather (again!). I thought I would fantasize about vacationing.

Thirteen Places I would like to visit (US edition)

1. New York City - Broadway, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building

2. Charleston, SC - old South

3. San Francisco, Ca - I've been there on a one day visit but would like to see more

4. Grand Canyon

5. Yellowstone National Park

6. Seattle, WA

7. Philadelphia, PA

8. Alaska

9. Hawaii

10. Boston, Ma

11. Kansas City

12. San Diego, CA

13. Key West

Wednesday

Yesterday I went for my Red Cross first aid training. I am certified in first aid now. If you have a minor accident while I am nearby I know how to call 911. Just kidding. It was a pretty comprehensive course and luckily covered a lot of the legal aspects of what you can and can not do. I hope to volunteer in our school's clinic. It did not include CPR and I might go back for that. It has been many years since I took CPR and the procedures have changed.

I'm feeling a little blue today. I didn't exercise yesterday and then I blew my diet in a big way. (Because once you realize you've blown it you might as well blow it big, right?) I'm working today and tomorrow and then I have a 3 day weekend without a lot of plans. Maybe I can pull myself out of this slump and stop being so lazy.

Our area Water Department has put us on water restrictions. This is as good an exuse as any to stop watering & fertlizing the flowers. They seem to be holding their own. I'm still wishing for a little tropical storm to blow some rain & cooler weather our way.

Monday

Nothing for you to see (read) here. An uneventful Sunday. I have no witty stories or frustrating tales to tell you. Church, swim lessons, supper - that was our day. I'm at work today hoping everyone else's blog will give me some food for blog posts.

Saturday

It rained last night. A large thunderstorm rolled through. I'm very thankful for that. We are still in a deficit of course but it was a blessing nonetheless. My walk this morning was cooler (although still quite humid).

Book Update

I wanted to tell you about a couple of books I've read recently. The first is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I heard about this book from some one's blog. It's a shame I don't write these things down so I can thank them later. I have found the most delightful book recommendations lately from reading blogs. This book is the story of Jacob, who after his parents die leaving him penniless runs away to the circus. It is set in 1931 but told through the eyes of Jacob when he is 90 (or 93 he's not sure which). It is not a very long story but I enjoyed it immensely and found it very easy to read. Read the review on Amazon and decide for yourself but I recommend it.

I also read The Dante Club by Mathew Pearl. This one was a little more difficult to read and it took me 6 days because I couldn't get into it at first. But it turned out to be a pretty good read. It is set in 1865 Boston and features historical characters involved in a murder mystery. If you enjoyed Dante's Divine Comedy then this will be enjoyable fiction for you. I had never read Dante so I had to read up on the story through Wikipedia. (I also took the time to read up on the characters in the book.) The dialogue and language is unfamiliar and I struggled sometimes to keep focused. But I am glad I read it because I found it educational.

Another book that I read rather quickly was The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. First published in 1985 and made into a movie in 1991 it is on that notorious list of must read books that is circulating around. It reminded me a lot of the book The Road which I just read a few weeks ago. It is set in the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States of America) which is under a kind of strict marshall law. Women are valued only as breeders and servants and are forbidden to read. The story follows Offred, a handmaid, given to a high "Commander" with the hopes of producing a child for him and his wife. The book is a bit frightening but an enjoyable read.

I also read recently H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton. I'm working my way through these alphabet murders. I find them a refreshing change from more complicated fiction as the above novel. They are good murder mysteries and very quick and easy to read.

As you can see on my blog I read quite a lot of books and am always looking for a recommendation. Feel free to make a suggestion.