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.