fall break

I think everyone needed fall break. We've had such fun already. Took a short drive to a lovely park and had a cookout with our neighbors. Smores, brats, and a dutch oven dessert....yes, we were heavy on the sweet stuff, but it all tastes so good when cooked outside. Then yesterday we hit the zoo to see the latest exhibit featuring grizzlies and wolves. I could watch the wolves play all day long. The zoo has three youngsters, beautiful creatures. In the same exhibit, they have three grizzly cubs who were trying to catch fish while we watched them. They are very good fisherman yet, but it was very funny to see their efforts and the looks on their faces...such determination! We also watched the polar bears for a long time as they swam around their 'home.' Such fun to see them so up close. Loved it and the weather cooperated for a change. The zoo is also all decorated for fall....hubby and I made the kids take of pic of just us to celebrate our successful fall break adventures.

Today isn't looking too promising as rain is forecasted for the entire day. The super dooper double dopler is quite green in every direction. So glad we managed to get the yard and two of the large flower beds put in order for fall. I actually had hubby help me and we totally gutted the back beds. Things were just out of control after six years and it is time to start all over. The bed outside my kitchen window is looking quite barren, but ready for spring planting. I'm already thinking about what I want to do back there....and I have all winter to dream about it. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the next two days and the break we have from our normal routines.

little lady agency

Hester Browne's novel, "The Little Lady Agency" is easily summed up....FUN. Meet Melissa, a recently sacked secretary in a real estate office. Mel, needing some money to keep her in tea and biscuits, decides to harness her amazing organization and etiquette skills and create a business geared towards helping hapless men navigate social settings, gift buying and even domestic staff management. She takes on the persona of "Honey", puts on a wig and her business takes off. Add into this a cute American real estate mogul, a darling best friend, a funny and cute flat mate, nutty family members and you have a darling book.

I can't wait to get my hands on the next story in this series. Just the thought makes me want to brew a pot of Earl Grey, set out a tray of digestives and read the afternoon away.

Homecoming week comes to a close today with Spirit Day, a football game and the big dance. The first nine weeks of school ends today. Wow. Fall Break will mean the kids have Monday and Tuesday off from classes. Hope they are able to rest up and start refreshed on Wednesday.

Lots of fun things planned for the weekend and I hope our weather cooperates.

TGIF.

550 posts later

When I logged into my blog this morning, I noticed I've hit the 550 mark. Yep, I've written over 550 blog posts. Not sure if I've managed to say anything earth shattering in that time, but I've enjoyed using a blog. I usually write my entries as I savor that very first cup of coffee, before the kids and the hubby start to stir and the house is quiet.

I've blogged about books, reading, my volunteer work, my kids and hubby, my friends, the library and a few other of my passions.

It usually isn't too difficult to find a topic to write a few words about. There is always something going on.

So, here is to another 450 as I look at 1,000 as my next goal.

Started reading, on the recommendation of my friend Anne B, "The Little Lady Agency" by Hester Browne. I love the wit and humor that comes out of Great Britain and this book has plenty of it. Very witty, very cute, very British, very fun......and not literary fiction by any stretch of anyone's imagination.

I'm off on a field trip with our youngest today. Tour buses filled with fifth graders are making their way into the city to see the sights. Soccer mom I may be, but field trips are not my cup of java. It is five o'clock somewhere in the world, right?

The Friends meeting went well yesterday and I was given a glorious bouquet of cut mums as a thank you for my efforts in the bookstore over the past two years. They flowers looks amazing in my family room and I was so grateful to receive them. I love what I do for the Friends and I'm so glad I'm a part of that group.

Fall break begins tomorrow after the last school bell rings as well as Homecoming events at the high school. Looking forward to the mini vacation for the kiddoes. We have a few things planned and I hope our weather cooperates.

the magicians

Whenever I read a book that can even remotely be classified as literary fiction, I suffer a bit of anxiety. I usually read what publishers consider as genre or mainstream/commercial fiction. Genre stories are straightforward and while they are highly entertaining and can communicate wonderful emotions and human truths, they aren't supposed to be full of hidden images, symbols and mind blowing insights into the human condition.


So, when I read literary fiction the anxiety comes when I start thinking to myself...am I getting 'it.' The 'it' being whatever lesson or moral the writer is trying to impart. "The Magicians" qualifies as literary fiction and even though the book started off really well and even though the blurbs on the back cover rave about the novel, it was just okay for me.

Part of it I loved; I thought Lev Grossman did a wonderful job of digging deep into the whole idea that learning magic and being a magician is hard, mind numbing, body damaging work. Yet, the whole coming of age angst, what does it all mean, and ennui laden tone of the book just didn't appeal to me. The characters became self indulgent and irritating and the book began to lose its charm.

The writing, in many spots, is beautiful. Grossman writes lean and powerful prose. The pace of the book is good. The concept of the book is really neat.

But for all those good things, at the end it fell flat for me. Maybe I just didn't get 'it'.......

odd feeling

Even though I am officially finished with my bookstore duties, one of my very faithful volunteers asked me to help her move the 'cherry picked' donations from last week out of the store and into the stocking closet. I showed up at 9 and we were able to finish the work by 10:30. A lot more than what is needed was pulled from the sale to be kept for stocking the store. We needed romance paperbacks, but the rest is just extra stuff that is nice, but the nonfiction bins are so full it means a big inventory swap is in their futures.

It was odd walking away from the library and to the car yesterday knowing that I'm not responsible for that endeavor any more. It really hit me.

Then, of course, I got home and the emails were flying about the money we brought in and how it should be allocated. Looks like Wednesday's meeting will be an interesting one. Think I will need to bring a calculator along, we have some number crunching to do.

Today I need to clean house and finish reading "The Magicians" so I can return that book to the library.

hunker down

Our weather had taken a severe right turn into FALL. It rained all day yesterday, non stop and the temperature stayed well below 60. Brrrr. Ugh. I made a huge crockpot full of beef stew and then made a huge pot of chili. We had the stew last night for supper and will have the chili today.

I'm off to the library and bookstore today to help one of the girls move all the good donations she pulled last week to save for the store. They have to be relocated into the stocking closet, but it shouldn't take very long at all. Then I need to hit the grocery store for a few oddball items I seem to keep forgetting, like corn starch, noodle soup and dandruff shampoo!!

"The Magicians" is a slow read. I can only take small doses of it. How to describe....literary fiction about magicians, serious, dark, adult, interesting. This isn't a gobble it up quick sort of book...more like you have to just nibble your way through it. I'm enjoying it, but will be ready for some lighter fare once I am finished.

The oldest had great success over her away game soccer weekend. They won all three games and all three were shutouts for her as the keeper. Yeah!! The middle kid is quite the U8 referee according to reports from those at the scene. She did a great job of explaining to the players the rules of the game etc. It was 'her' field and she was in charge!! Love it. The youngest enjoyed watching a show on some science channel about ten way to annihilate the planet....he is not alone in his geekiness as there are lots of adults out there who are as intrigued with black holes as he is.

If the fields dry out we may have a soccer game and a soccer practice this evening...off to look at the forecast and the super duper double doppler radar screens for our area.

Happy Monday.

books, books, books

The Friends of the Library book sale is underway. Last night was the pre-sale for members. From all reports, it was a smashing success with 30 new memberships purchased and lots of books sold. Today the sale opens to the public and there is nothing better than helping folks find books to read. I just love talking authors and stories with our shoppers....avid readers are such a fun group.

Birthday felicitations today to my Uncle Matt who turned 73 yesterday and my bestest friend since our freshman year in college, Cindy, who turns 45 today.

I started reading Lev Grossman's book, "The Magicians" and have already determined that this is going to be a good one....I'm on page 47. Can't wait to spend some time with this novel over the weekend.

Had a delightful lunch outside on the patio of one of our local Tex-Mex places yesterday with my usual lunch crew. Nothing better than good food, great weather and fun conversations.

The oldest and hubby head off to the middle of our state for three soccer games. The middle kid is refereeing five soccer games this weekend. The youngest and I will find some sort of trouble to get into I'm sure.

Enjoy the weekend.