I might never leave

People keep complaining about the snow. Then why do you live in New England?

I could be driving in to work but have opted to work from home. I do not get as much done or as many hours in as if I went to the office. There is only so much I can do from home. The snow is just a good excuse to stay home. I never thought I'd say this but I am at a point in my life where I don't care if I ever leave the house. My car stays parked for days at a time. I'm content with myself, my home and just puttering and cooking.

I never did get to my fall cleaning until recently. And now it's almost spring cleaning. The stress and living with oldest the energy vampire was too much. But, for the past few weeks I've been on a cleaning frenzy. Not that my house ever looks really dirty (except to me)- an organized house appears clean. I've been washing walls, picture frames, cleaning out closets and cupboards. Hubby remade my pantry which opened up the office. This week end I will be going through oldest's room. It is a pig stye. She packed up her duffel bag, boxed up some books, threw a few things away and abandoned the rest right where it was. I took pictures. I just couldn't imagine leaving my parents home in such a way.

She called at 3:38AM to say she had arrived in Arizona. This made hubby feel better - knowing she arrived safely. Ahh, the train trip was the safest part of her journey but I won't tell him that. He knows that already but has buried it underneath the many other emotions.

He did say to me yesterday, "have you noticed the other kids seem calmer now that oldest is gone?" This week of vacation has been good for him and I'm glad he has noticed. Energy vampire has left the building, left the state is on her way.

And my kindle arrived days before they predicted. I love it. The leather case really gives you the illusion you are holding a book (and protects the screen). The print on the screen looks just like paper. And the illustrations that appear on the screen when it is powered down are amazing. I read The Love Goddess' Cooking School. The way she wove the story of life, love, heartbreak, romance, and food together was fantastic. I love books that involve food. Check it out on my "bookshelf."

What I'm Reading

I'm one of those people who reads multiple books at once. If I pick up a book and read it straight through then it hits the favorite list. Very few things can hold my attention that long. So besides the 5 or so magazines I subscribe to - mostly cooking and Whole Living I'm reading:

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Younger Next Year for Women (read the men's version)
Omnivore's Dilemma
The Yellow Wallpaper
The South Beach Diet

Read any good books lately?

Peggy"s Progress

Nora L Jamieson wrote a wonderful novella called Peggy's Progress. I bought it Sunday morning and read it Sunday afternoon. It was a pure delight. It is about a sixteen year old girl who runs away. It is a coming of age story filled with magic and wisdom. It was a story that touched a familiar part of me.

It was self published so you may have to go through Nora's website to purchase a copy. Mine is not for sale it will hold a treasured spot on my bookcase.

Books

My name is Kim and I bought three books this week, four if you want to count the one I bought for youngest. I'm waiting for my amazon delivery. I returned my books to the library and picked up more. I've been on a reading binge lately - more so than normal. It's summer and summer is vacation, relaxing and reading at the beach.

After reading Angela's Ashes I enjoyed it so much I picked up Frank McCourt's next book, 'Tis. I love his writing and his stories but now that he is older I want to slap him. I have little patience with such low self esteem. I purchased his Teacher Man and one by his brother Malachy. His brother Alphie has a book as well. I'm interested in the different perspectives. My brother and I are 20 months apart and did a lot together growing up. But, to listen to his stories you would think we had different parents and grew up in different houses.

I read Not Becoming my Mother borrowed from the library. Such a true commentary on mother's of a certain era. They were smart and talented and forced to stay home bored out of their minds. Now I'm reading Kitchen Wars - more about her family than food - I'll let you know when I finish.

I'm also waiting for the newest book by Sarah Addison Allan to arrive. I've read her first two books; Garden Spells and Sugar Queen. I really enjoyed both of them. A little magic in both.

Check out my bookshelf for more info.

Vacation

So, the mystery destination was Gatlinburg, TN. We were right in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. We had a great time. A day in Virginia to see the NRA museum and then on to our final destination. The museum was mostly for hubby and son but it was really interesting. The history and development and all. And did you know that all of the gun manufacturers were in the North during the time of the civil war.

We spent a day and a half at Dollywood. The kids were more interested in the rides than the shows. Youngest rode her first wooden roller coaster. I did make them see the raptor show. The eagle rehabilitation center is linked to Dollywood. So far they have released 101 eagles back into the wild.

The day of record breaking temperatures we spent touring the Smoky Mountains. We drove the Newfound Gap road and stopped at all the pull offs to look and take pictures. We hiked one short trail and the paved trail to the observation tower at Clingmans Dome. It is a half mile trail practically straight up. This is the highest point in the Smokies at 6,643 feet. Being in the mountains we were much cooler than staying in town and the views and scents were amazing.

We did some shopping, took the kids to a wax museum, a car museum and for lots of great food. We went to the Dixie stampede one night. The kids wanted to sit on the side of the South. We won. The horse show was really good, the comic routines funny and the food delicious.

And I read. Before we left I hit the book store. I bought a hubby a few books as an anniversary present and I bought myself a couple of books. I read Annie's review of The Elegance of a Hedgehog and decided to try it out. I'll let you read her review because she can say it so much better than I ever could. While looking for the book I discovered that the author wrote another book Gourmet Rhapsody. It was about a dying food critic going back over his life - the stories and the food. How could I resist. I thoroughly enjoyed them both. I started Angela's Ashes while I was away as well. And when I hit my favorite clothing shop at the outlets (Coldwater Creek) they had two books of poetry by Mary Oliver. I just had to buy them. I love her poetry and already own a few of her books. If you love poetry and nature you really need to check out her work.

Alice part II

So after reading Alice in Wonderland and finding it rather creepy I went on to read Through the Looking Glass. It wasn't creepy just bizarre. That's all I can say. And from what little I know of Disney's movie (remember I was hiding under the dash) they combined the two books. And even with Johnny Depp in the new version I still have no urge to see it. I'm still wondering who thought these were great children's books.

Alice

When I was about six or seven my mom took me and a few friends to see Alice in Wonderland at the drive in. All I remember is being scared and sitting underneath the dash. I've had no urge to see it since. Then a new movie comes out with Johnny Depp. Hmm!

I thought maybe I should read the book first. They had a beautiful display at the book store still. There was a beautifully illustrated copy I almost bought before settling on the Norton's Critical Edition. I finished Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and still have Through the Looking Glass to read.

Now, I know why I was scared. I found it creepy. I read several of the critical essays on it afterwards and some of the biography. If this is such a much loved children's tale I'm missing it.

Any other thoughts would be welcome.

Awesome book

The First Thing and the Last by Allan G Johnson is a must read. I bought this book last week end. I usually read several books at a time until I eventually finish one. This book though painful to read at times captured my attention and carried me all the way to the end. My hubby had to tell me to put the book down and go to bed. I woke up and read some more and spent the afternoon reading the rest of it.

It is a book about domestic violence. This is why it is painful. As you read you realize that this could happen to any one. This could have happened to me. The pain, fear and loss of self permeates the pages and seeps into the reader. The reaction to the situation by friends and family made me furious. It also made me wonder if this is the same reaction I would receive.

I think everyone should read this book. I think it should be read and discussed in high school classes.

Sleepy Sunday

Between the cat in my face and my hubby's snores (he was over tired from that double shift) I didn't sleep well Saturday night. Mother-in-love called to say happy birthday and she was so sorry she didn't have my card out in time. Her and father-in-love wanted to come down and drop it off. I suggested they come for dinner. She brought shrimp cocktail and cheese and crackers. I made chicken pot pie with a full rainbow of veggies and we had some of my birthday cake for dessert.

I took the girls for hair cuts in the morning and son went with hubby to rope rescue practice. I spent the afternoon reading in the sunshine room. The spare room is painted bright yellow. As tired as I was I stayed up and finished my book. I can't walk a way (or sleep) when I am that close to finishing. I read True Compass, the Ted Kennedy memoir. I enjoyed the book. It was interesting to read his view on the events in his life both professionally and personally.

Hubby, born and raised in Massachusetts hates Kennedy. If you ask him why he can't give you a single reason. This annoys me. He bad mouthed the book the entire time I read it. He has not read it and I'm sure never will. Do I agree with all of Kennedy's politics? No. Do I think he always made the right choices? No. Does Kennedy? No. Kennedy's passion and strong family ties comes through and I admire him for that. On the other issues we can agree to disagree. Talking to MIL I see where hubby gets his no discussion of politics attitude. MIL says her other son and his wife don't talk politics either. What a shame. You should be able to discuss differing views.

Books and Movies

I finished Eat Pray Love this past week. It was a fun fluffy read. I'm sure that is not what it was meant to be. I enjoyed the first section Eat the best. I love food and cooking and reading about food. I kept thinking it must be nice to loose all of your money and get enough of an advance to take a year off from life and do whatever you want. OK, that is the accountant in me trying to do the math while I read.

Hubby and I went to see Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood yesterday. I enjoy Eastwood movies though that surprised Hubby. But really, how many times can you watch The Good, The Bad and The Ugly? Hubby and the kids can watch movies over and over and over and..... I've never understood that. Anyway, the movie was really good and I admit I did shed a tear towards the end.

Kids are home now. Nightmares started again. Youngest came home in sweat pants that looked more like knickers and no socks. We had a high temperature of 24 yesterday. When asked where her clothes were she said bio packed them so she could move. This has been going on since October. Now, call me crazy but if I was packing my kids clothes I would go through and get rid of items that no longer fit. But, then again I know what size clothes my kids where. And for the full visual she had on a camouflage turtle neck that used to be her brothers and bright blue sweats. They did not have cake for oldest's birthday because that would cost too much money. They did say happy birthday. Youngest also had a tummy ache - hmm could be the boxed fried spicy chicken for breakfast, the soda and frozen pizza? Hey, she was at least fed this time.

So, today is the big birthday. I need to make the meatballs and the cake.

Book Reviews

I'm still trying to tweak my book shelf to show the books I'm reading as well as the books I've read. I'll figure it out eventually. I finished Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama last night. I liked his writing style. He divided the book into three sections, origins, Chicago and Kenya. The Chicago section was a little slow. I'm not sure if it's because I couldn't relate at all or - enough already. It picked up pace and readability again in the Kenya years. It really shows how knowing where you came from influences where you are going.
I started a The Heretic's Daughter a while ago. It hasn't hooked me enough to keep the book on the top of the pile. I think because I'm anticipating that the conflict in the book is going to annoy me.
I was given a pile of books by a friend to read at our last Pagan discussion group. I started Eat, Pray, Love last night. It had mixed reviews but, reviews mean little to me. She's divided the book into three sections of 36 stories(beads) each. Snippets work for me as I tend to read more than one book at a time. I've read the intro and the first "bead" so far and enjoy it enough to keep reading.
I was also gifted with a signed copy of Matthew Wood's new herbal. I'm savoring this like a fine wine.