It Was a VERY LONG Week

I think the kids took crazy pills this week at school.  I  haven't had such a difficult week behavior-wise in a couple of years.  Student A was suspended from school for a knock-down, drag-out physical fight, spent a n day on "in-school" suspension, and came back into the classroom on Tuesday.  He was in no emotional/mental state to be in the classroom, and I had to remove him  Tuesday.  On Wednesday he managed to stay in the classroom, but I had to file an "incident" report.  On Thursday I was out of the classroom because I am on a district committee that's rewriting the language arts curriculum and my sub had to send him to the principal's office.  Meanwhile Student B was out of control in the classroom on Monday, so I wrote him up and called home.  On Tuesday, I had to write him up again and he spent lunch with the principal.  Also on Tuesday, Student B and Student C had a food fight in the cafeteria because Student D told them too!  Then on Wednesday, Student C and Student A got into a loudly vehement disagreement over whether or not the classroom window should be open.  As I said, it was a crazy week.  Kids really feed off negative energy, even more so than positive energy.  I know that they all were hoping we'd get a snowstorm (the remnants of the massive storm that hit the mid East coast) so storm energy was in the mix too.  Unfortunately we just got snow showers.   I did make some phone calls to parents and I did threaten to make a few more calls, so by Friday, things were much calmer.  I was thinking somehow that it was me but when just about every other teacher experienced a similar week, I decided that it was just one of those weeks.
We have one more week before winter break, so I'm hoping we contain the energy a little bit longer. 

What's Wrong with this Picture?

Somehow it doesn't seem right that it's just going on 8 pm on Saturday night, and I'm still busy with chores.  Almost 5 hours spent today on business bookkeeping and it's not done, plus a trip to a wallpaper store to purchase wallpaper for the 2nd bedroom renovation that will start once the first room is done  (more on that another time.) I already have a full-time teaching job to fit into my life ----  I don't really have time for a 2nd job! 

It Could Have Been a Good One

  Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
   I found this book dull, perhaps because this was a manuscript found after Michael Crichton died, and it was not polished and edited the way  it might have been had the author himself submitted it for publication.  Although there is potential for a "rollicking, swashbuckling adventure", it's unrealized potential.  This truly felt like the first draft.  The pieces were all there - flawed hero, villainous characters, loyal henchmen, damsel in distress, treasure hunt, pirates, exotic locations, murder, mayhem, and sex.  But none of pieces were developed well.  I felt no rapport with any of the characters, and didn't really care how the drama played out.  All in all, I was glad I borrowed this from the library instead of downloading it on my Kindle.

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Another Book Review

Hunter's Moon by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I gave this book 4 stars because I can't stop thinking about it, not because I really liked it.  I hated the ending!  To go from the peak to the lowest depths in one novel is gut-wrenching.  Kate and Jack are hired as assistant guides for a backcountry hunting trip.  The clients are German executives on a corporate retreat, and there's something "off" about them.  The company is being investigated on several fronts, and there are some odd signals being sent. All hell breaks loose when one hunter is accidentally shot, and then a second death occurs.  I just couldn't believe the ending!

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The Jayne Hat - Shiny!!

 

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Firefly. It was a short-lived TV show that only had 15 episodes.  I missed it when it was on TV, but discovered a couple of months ago.  It starred Nathan Fillion of current Castle fame and is best described as a cowboys in space 500 years in the future.  It's developed quite a cult following over the years, and spawned a movie called Serenity.  You can find more info here or here.

At any rate, Elder Son is a big fan, as am I, and he expressed a wish for a Jayne hat.  It's named for one of the characters, Jayne Cobb, who is the resident "enforcer" on the Firefly crew.  He's played by Adam Baldwin and he's a super-tough guy.  He has a soft spot for his mother however, and in one episode she sends him a roughly knit earflap hat which he immediately dons.  Fans of the show have created a demand for such a hat, and a number of patterns are available.  I purchased my pattern on Ravelry here, and I used partial skeins of Valley Yarn Berkshire Bulky.  It was a quick and easy knit, and now I just have to mail my son his hat!

A Busy Week: Of Books and Knitting

First, the knitting project:

 

  

 

This is a pattern I picked up at a fairly local knitting shop in a nearby  "Small" city (more like a large town!)  It was a store pattern that I was able to get for free providing I bought the store-made kit.   There is no author listed on the pattern.  It's made from 3 skeins of Plymouth Suri Merino which is an alpaca merino blend.  It's super soft, with a nice fuzzy halo.  There are almost 1000 beads on the scarf too.  Stringing the beads took me almost as long as the actual knitting, especially because I didn't have the recommended beading needle.  I strung the beads for the first half of the scarf with a needle threader.  That broke just as I was finishing the first half of the beads. For the second half of the project, I used a 00 crochet hook and a tapestry needle.  It took longer than it should have!!  The knitting is just a K2P2 rib, so it went fast.  You knit the 2 halves of the scarf and join them with a 3 needle bindoff.    I haven't decided whether I will keep this scarf or gift it to someone next Christmas!

And now for books:

Book #10 for this year is

All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this second Duncan Kincaid/Gemma Jones novel, Duncan is investigating the death of his neighbor Jasmine Dent. Jasmine's death is suspicious. In the last stages of lung cancer, Jasmine had been exploring the possibility of assisted suicide. When she is found dead by a caregiver, it's not clear whether Jasmine committed suicide or was whether she was in fact, murdered. We learn about Jasmine's life as Duncan reads her diaries. We also are invited into Gemma's personal life: her relationship with her parents, her struggles as a single mother; and we learn more about Duncan's interior life. At the same time, Duncan and Gemma begin to develop an "outside of work" relationship when he asks her to help him with his investigation on her free time. The plotting is tight, and the characters are finely drawn. This was altogether a satisfying read.

Book #11

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
It's been a while since I've read a Kinsey Milhone, and I was looking forward to this one.  I have to say I was disappointed.  I thought the storyline was dull, and I knew who-dun-it very early in the book.  I found the flashbacks and point of view changes annoying too.  It was pleasant to re-visit Kinsey but wished there had been more interaction between her and Henry.  It didn't seem that Sue Grafton's  heart was in this installment.
 


Book #12

La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
La (short for Lavender)Stone retreats from pre-WWII London to the country after her husband abandons her for another woman.  She finds it quiet, too quiet, in fact, at first and she struggles to find a purpose in life.  As WWII breaks out, La discovers a purpose by working a "Land girl", assisting a local farmer with his hens, and by assembling a village orchestra.  This orchestra becomes a symbol for the village of their determination to "keep on, keeping on" during the long war years.

I haven't decided whether or not I really liked this book.  I had a hard time getting to know La - I didn't connect with her in the way I am able to connect with Mma Ramotswe, for example.  La is reserved and cool, keeping her distance from everyone and I think, even from herself.  There is great description, and definitely some similar moral philosophy, but I missed the warmness, openness and joy that infuses the Ladies' Detective Agency series.  It might be worth a re-read sometime in the future.

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A New (to me) Book Series

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've discovered a new author and I'm glad I did. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his sergeant Gemma Jones. Kincaid is taking some much-needed vacation time at a Yorkshire time-share. His vacation is quickly interrupted by the discovery of a body in the swimming pool, and further complicated by a second murder. Crombie portrays Kincaid as an astute, intelligent observer, but also as very cool and reserved. His more-outgoing assistant seems to understand Kincaid's need for distance, and provides an effectivie counterbalance. The author does a great job evoking the Yorkshire countryside and the setting comes alive with apt descriptive details. The plotting is tight, and it wasn't until the very last few pages, that I figured out "who dun it." I look forward to reading more of the books in the series.

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Friday Five: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

This installment comes from Rev. Songbird as posted at RevGalBlogPals.

1) What was the mode of transit for your last trip?


My last two trips were completed in a typical transportation mode for me -- my Honda CR-V. The very last trip was a short day trip - we traveled 186 miles one way to southern CT to visit a beloved aunt. The trip before that was a 7 hour jaunt (each way) to visit my youngest sister out in western NY state at Thanksgiving. The trip before that was a major one. We went to Greece. We used a car, a shuttle bus, an airplane, a taxi, a coach bus, several ferries, and a city bus. We passed on the mules.

2) Have you ever traveled by train?

Yes. As a child I lived in southern CT, along the coast, and the train went right through my town. We took the train into NY occasionally. My father and I used to walk to the paper (and tobacco) store and then go over to the train station to watch the trains while he smoked a cigar or pipe, and I enjoyed a Charms lollipop. When I was in college I once took the train from New Haven, CT to Cincinnati, OH. It was a 24 hour trip via Washington, DC, Stoughton, VA, Charleston, WV, and finally Cincinnati. The last time I took the train was about 2 years ago. We went to Cornwall for a week's vacation. We took the train from Heathrow to St. Ives, and used the train several times to travel to other places in the area.

3) Do you live in a place with public transit, and if so, do you use it?


Nope. You need a car in this rural area of New Hampshire.

4) What's the most unusual vehicle in which you've ever traveled?


I can't really come up with one that I remember. However, I have pictures of me at 13 months, riding in a goat-drawn cart in Cuba. (This gives you a hint of my age -- this was pre-Castro) I've also ridden an camel and an elephant, albeit at the Bronx Zoo, so unless you count riding in a circle around a track as travel, it probably doesn't count!

5) What's the next trip you're planning to take?

I don't have a specific trip scheduled, but we are seriously considering a road trip to the West Coast this summer. We will travel by car if we do accomplish this.

A Duo by Dana Stabenow

I'm not sure how I'm finding all this time for reading. It might be that the new TV schedule has left me with some evenings empty of visual entertainment, or that I'm going to bed a little earlier at night to have some reading time. Or maybe it's just that I'm not spending quite as much time on the computer! But here are a pair of books by Dana Stabenow, an author I've really come to enjoy! I think that one reason I like her books is that she allows her characters to have shades of gray. They are able to do what needs to be done, the "right" thing, even it's it's not the legally right thing to do.

Breakup by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not sure if this was meant to be a light-hearted book because murder isn't ever light-hearted, but this book made me laugh out loud in a number of places. It's spring time in Alaska. The bears are waking up and after surviving the long arctic winter, it's not just the bears who are cranky. Kate's day starts with a bear charging her continues with a jet engine falling on her homestead. She becomes a tour guide for a friend's Boston Brahmin parents, and this tour becomes something to be remembered for quite a long time! Kate dodges bears, bullets, and brawls on nearly every page in this installment. As usual the Alaskan setting is a central character as is the conflict between native Alaskan culture and Outside. It was an enjoyable change from the darkness of some of the previous novels!


Killing Grounds by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Killing Grounds is another good entry into the Kate Shugak series. Kate is deck boss for Old Sam for the annual salmon run. The cannery drops the price for the catch, and the commercial fishermen decide to strike - all but an Outsider by the name of Cal Meany. Meany has been buying up set claims using shady means, and he has a reputation for abusing his family. On the morning after a raucous July 4th celebration, Kate finds Cal floating dead in the water next to her boat. Who has killed him? His abused son or wife? A betrayed husband? Kate's Auntie Joyce? Once again the question of who owns Alaska's resources and whose way of life will prevail becomes central stage.

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I Forgot One

I forgot to post this one yesterday == a childhood favorite!

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I first read this book when I was around 11. I felt so sorry for Elnora, and couldn't understand how her mother could be so mean. I loved the descriptions of the swamp, feared for Elnora's safety, and rooted for her all the way. It was a book I reread a number of times, and in fact, still have an early copy of the book that I discovered in the treasure store that was my grandmother's attic. As I read the novel again, probably 40 years since I last read it, I was amazed at how well it held up. It's melodramatic for sure, florid. and preachy, but it's still captivating. And this time, I really noticed the ecological themes. Throughout the book, Elnora and her mother refer constantly to the draining and logging of the Limberlost, and the impact of the changing landscape on the wildlife communities -- birds, moths, butterflies, grasses, ferns, etc. At the same time, although Elnora laments the scarcity of the moths she's looking for, the changes are not considered wrong or destructive in the same way we see it today. I enjoyed this re-read of a childhood favorite but I don't think it would appeal to most of the middle school students I teach. I think the writing style and social changes would make this a tough book for most of them to get into.

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Again with the Books!

Civil War Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
After seeing the PBS American Masters presentation on Louisa May Alcott, I downloaded Hospital Sketches on my Kindle. I'd read all the usual LMA books - Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys, Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, etc. but hadn't ever read this one. It's a thinly-disguised fictional account of LMA's nursing experiences in a Washington, DC Civil War hospital. Alcott's writing style is all Jo - earnest, engaging, enthusiastic, a bit preachy, and very detailed. I enjoyed it!



I also read

Blood Will Tell by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blood will Tell is Dana Stabenow's best yet. I couldn't put this one down. Kate's grandmother Ekaterina, head of their tribal nation, asks her to investigate the unexpected death of one of the tribal board members. Kate uncovers a tangled web of deceit that involves too many people close to her, and she suffers a devastating loss. Along the way, she also helps Jack gain custody of his son. Stabenow delineates the conflict between tradition and progress, between the Outside and native Alaskans, and inside Kate as she struggles to reconcile her feelings about her grandmother and the choices she herself has made. A really compelling installment!

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Socks!

I just finished these socks for myself. It's been a while since I did socks, and I forgot how much I enjoy making them.

From Knitting Gallery

They are from my stash, a Regia 4ply self-striping yarn. They are 75%merino and 25% polyamid so they wear like iron, but are quite comfy. I used the Twin Rib pattern from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Socks book.

A Time of Rapid Change -----

And no, it's not today. It's the 1800's and it's depicted in this novel I just finished.


My Lady Ludlow by Elizabeth Gaskell


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My Lady Ludlow is one of the books that the PBS series Cranford is based on. I downloaded this novel for my Kindle. I enjoyed the story despite the mid 19th century writing style. It's not Jane Austen, but it's readable and provides an interesting insight into a long-vanished world. Lady Ludlow is a dying breed, who is struggling as the world changes around her. She is an aristocrat born in the 18th century as the 19th century brings innovation and social change at a dizzying pace. It was easy to draw parallels between then and now as the world order changes! Despite the fact that she doesn't want things to change, she is eventually able to bend and adjust to changing times.
The story is told from the perspective of a young relative who goes to live as a companion to her distant relative.

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The Chores are Waiting

It's already Sunday, and I haven't done any of my chores yet. But it's been a good weekend so far. We went out to a local inn for dinner with good friends on Friday night. We'd planned on a drink, and a meal from the pub menu. We had the drink (and a very rare 2nd one!) and ended up ordering off the restaurant menu (read "bigger bucks"), but we had a wonderfully relaxing evening.

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny, January day with no bad weather in the offing. It's cold (yesterday about 18°F) but seasonally so. We decided to head to southern CT to visit my nearly 91 year old aunt. We usually go visit over the holidays, but weather and my husband's work schedule prevented our usual trip. We had a wonderful visit, and got home about 9 pm. It's a 3 hour trip for us, but it's a fairly straight shot down an interstate, so it's not a difficult trip unless we hit traffic.

This morning it's about zero, again, not unusual for a January in NH. I'm off to church in a bit, and then it's chores and schoolwork for the afternoon. Too bad the chores can't wait forever!

It's Been One of Those Days

I woke up this morning with what I've always called a "sick headache." It's not a migraine headache, (which I have been known to suffer) though it does make me feel a bit wonky in the stomach department. It's like a tight band is around my forehead and my eyeballs hurt. It's also a headache that sometimes goes away really quickly. There are times that I get into the shower, and as soon as my head gets wet, I can feel all the blood vessels constrict, and the headache goes away almost instantly. That didn't happen today, unfortunately. Neither did the next remedy - a good shot of caffeine. I went to school hoping that as the day wore on things would get better.

I got to school, got out of the car, closed the front door, and opened the back door. Or I tried to open the back door. It was locked. So was the front door. My keys were inside the car on the seat. So was my water, my lunch, my school bag, my school id. You get the picture. I did have my Vera Bradley wristlet around my wrist with my cell phone in the pocket so I called my husband. Or tried to. My cell phone was dead. I eventually got to my room, and called him from my school phone, and he very gallantly arrived about 40 minutes later with the spare key. He rescued my lunch, and school things, and brought them up to my room. (The kids always get a kick out of his quick visits.)

Fast forward to my first science class of the day. I have taken the kids to our new computer lab to work on an internet assignment. I have also found a cool interactive website that I want them to take a look at before they get started on the main assignment. In walks the principal, just as 20 kids and I discover that two of the sites aren't working, 3 kids can't seem to log on to their accounts, and a video won't download. I hate that about technology! Especially since last night, I doublechecked everything. I feel myself get a little flustered (headache isn't helping) and the principal actually sticks around and helps me get them all up and connected. But I still feel a little bit "under the microscope." Our principal is brand new this year and he's ONLY 31! He's new to the school and this is his first principal job, and he's just a tad older than my son. He's also technologically brilliant, and while he hasn't ever said anything to anyone in particular about technology skills or lack thereof, he has made comments like "staff people have to be able to use technology and integrate it seamlessly in the classroom," in just that way as to make some of us older folks feel a tad intimidated. (I used to be the tech pioneer but for a variety of reasons, not all of which have been in my control, am not anymore!) Anyhow, we finally got everything and everyone working.

As the day wears on, my headache doesn't go away and by lunch recess, I eagerly volunteer to go out, because sometimes fresh air and cold help. And it did for a bit, but my afternoon class was really difficult.

I left school as soon as I was contractually allowed to (which happens very rarely) and I headed home. I took another dose of of extra strength Exedrin, drank some more water, and headed for the sofa. Two hours later, I woke up when my husband came home. I feel like a new person. My headache is gone. I actually felt like blogging about it. I hope it stays away!

Kindle : A Different China Bayles Mystery

Wormwood by Susan Wittig Albert


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This entry into the China Bayles series was a bit different. China accompanies her Mississippi friend Martha to a Shaker village in Kentucky where she finds the answers to two different mysteries. One puzzle is current: Are funds being embezzled from the nonprofit foundation that runs the museum village? Was the accountant murdered or did she drown accidentally? The other mystery goes back to 1912: Why did Sister Charity suddenly leave the Shakers? What hastened the demise of the Mt. Zion community?
This book was different from the usual China Bayles mystery because it was set entirely in Kentucky. All of the usual supporting characters are back home in Pecan Springs so China is on her own. The major difference however is that the story is told in 2 parts. One narrator of course is China herself, but the other story is told through the journals and letters of the 1912 Shaker inhabitants.

I really liked the peek into history, and the use of the journals and letters provided insight into a different culture. I didn't mind that the book was a departure from the usual format, although I can see why some readers might not appreciate the break.

This was another book I read on my new Kindle. I really do like the ease of reading in bed that the Kindle affords.

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Book # 1/2??

I started reading this one on Dec. 30th and finished it this morning. I think most of it was actually read in 2009, but I guess 2010 will get the credit for it! I actually read this on my Kindle, so the book pictured isn't the exact edition I had. I got it for free!

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this! I've seen the PBS series Cranford which uses this and two other novels as its base, and so I ordered this book on my new Kindle. The author's gentle series of vignettes about Miss Matty and her neighbors in a mid-19th century British village are charming. Her characters are well-developed and likeable; I would dearly love to meet them. I am looking forward to reading the other two stories that create the Cranford world.

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The First Post for 2010

We've spent a quiet first day of 2010 which is nice.  New Year's Eve was spent with friends.  We are a group of 4 couples - all of us married to the same people for 30+ years, all of us with adult children, some of whom are in Los Angeles,  some of us with grandchildren, all of us affliated with education, either as teachers, librarians, principals, or bus drivers - and we gather just about every New Year's Eve for dinner and conversation.  We turn on the Times Square coverage about 11:30, pour some champagne or other sparkling wine, toast the New Year, and then all  head for our respective homes.  Every year we group-call our West Coast children at midnight to wish them Happy New Year from their future and we pretend that we've had much more to drink than a sip of champagne!  It's fun!  Last night was no different.

Today was leisurely -just husband and me.  I cooked a beef roast and made some garlicky mashed potatoes, and we each had a glass of merlot.  Now it's time for TV, reading, knitting, or even napping!

I haven't made any resolutions and I haven't gone back to reflect on the ones I made last year.  Here's my hope though for this year:  Many more leisurely, relaxing times with my family, my husband, and my friends.  

Happy 2010! 

The First Book I've "Kindled" - Book #104 for 2009

The first book I've read on my Kindle is Sense and Sensibility.   I enjoyed the experience of using the Kindle.  I especially found it easier to get comfortable reading in bed with the device than with the actual book.   I think my only "complaint" about the Kindle was not having the ability to see how far I'd read or how much further I had til the end --- you do lose that piece of seeing the pages stack up on the "read" side of the book and diminish on the "to read' side.   My other "complaint" with the Kindle is the spottiness of the wireless coverage in my rural area.  I get only 1 bar at home.  I do go to the pool at our local Wellness Center 3-4 times a week, and the coverage there is better (3 bars) so that's probably where I will do most of my downloads.    Now I will go back to the usual reading experience to read Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters which Elder Son bought me for Christmas!

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I got Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters as a Christmas gift.  Because I don't think I ever read the original, or if I have, it's been so long that I don't remember it, I decided to read Sense and Sensibility first.  This is definitely not Jane Austen at her best.  Her characters all have potential, but it's unrealized potential.  None of them came across as being fully developed, and the whole novel felt too passive.  The "rightness" of the final marriages didn't ring true enough for me; I didn't feel the connection between Edward and Elinor was strong enough. And there was never enough interaction between Marianne and Colonel Brandon to make that connection feel right either.  I am looking forward to seeing how the novel plays out in its new incarnation!

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My Husband Hit a Home Run!

This is what my husband got me for Christmas!  A total surprise - which is hard to do!


 
 



I love it so far!

#103 for 2009

Play with Fire by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The fire-ravaged woods hold more than a bumper crop of morel mushrooms. Kate Shugak stumbles across the partially decomposed nude corpse of Dan Seabolt, a teacher who has been missing for more than a year.  He's the son of a charismatic fundamentalist preacher, and father of a 10 year old boy who has hired Kate to find his missing father.  Kate's investigation into Daniel's death uncovers larger issues:  Who controls local education? What's the role of organized religion? Where is the line between faith and fanaticism? 

I really like this series, and I especially enjoyed this entry.

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And a Very Merry Christmas to All

I'm taking a few minutes to post a book review, while Elder Son puts together his specialty potato broccoli soup to accompany our Christmas ham.  We've had a leisurely morning opening our stockings and gifts.  Younger Son wasn't able to be home with us this year, which was hard on me since it was the first time we weren't all together.  But he and his girlfriend put together terrific stockings for the 3 of us.  We had a great time opening them!  If I can find the camera, I'll grab a picture of the non-traditionally decorated stockings they bought to put all the loot in!  I have a flamingo on mine.

Edited to add photo:

  Later we'll enjoy the above-mentioned soup, ham, parslied potatoes, green beans, and a maple cream pie.  That last is a new recipe that sounded delicious, but after spending a long time stirring custard yesterday, I'm not sure that it will live up to its promise.  We'll see!!  

Great minds think alike.  I bought Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters for Elder Son.  He bought me the same book!  I also got him a new copy of Watership Down.  He wore out my original copy that my best friend gave me back when it was first published.

Here's the book review:

A Cold-Blooded Business by Dana Stabenow


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
In this outing Kate Shugak is asked by the CEO of the Royal Petroleum Company to investigate dope dealing along the Alaska Pipeline.  Kate finds a surreal world of excess --- very hard work, harsh climate, luxury lodgings, gourmet food, and hedonistic recreation.  In the process of uncovering the dope dealers, she also uncovers a ring of archeological artifact smugglers.  I once again enjoyed the way the Dana Stabenow brings an unfamiliar to me setting alive. 

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And the Race is On!

It's the day before the day before Christmas, school is out, and it's time for the final sprint.   School is out, and now I have time to get some things done that should get done.  Last year we were still without electricity due to the ice storm, and I was freaking out about how I'd do Christmas dinner, etc.  But last year both my sons were coming home.  This year, our "baby" (28 years old) won't be home.  That's the first time for both of us!  I realized last night that it's bothering me a lot more than I expected.   I'm tearing up even as I write this!  I'm guessing that's why I'm not super anxious that a lot of stuff isn't done.  Of course that's not fair to Elder Son who WILL be here!  

So, on today's agenda:

• grocery shopping, once I finalize the menus
• gift-wrapping
• looking for the tree skirt to go under the lighted, but decoration-less tree so we can put the wrapped gifts under the tree.
• cookie baking or "Best Buttermilk Poundcake baking.  (What doesn't get baked today, gets baked tomorrow)
• water aerobics at 5 pm - a MUST!

Wish me luck!

A Fairly Typical Weekend

Saturday:  Out of bed rather late -- 7:30 ish.  Started a load of laundry,  did some basic bookkeeping chores, and had breakfast.  Organized a shopping list for husband, and delegated a couple of errands to him.  Off to nearest shopping area with a good friend at 10 am to do some holiday shopping.  (That's actually atypical.  Normally I'd be running multiple errands and/or working on some major monthly tasks like the business bookkeeping or billing.)  Home about 3 pm.  Elder Son called to inquire about weather as a major storm was heading up the coast, and he had weekend travel plans.  He decided to come to our home for Sat night and then leave for his ski trip from here on Sunday rather than chance being snowed in in southern New England.  Meanwhile:  washed the sheets and vacuumed his room; did another load of laundry, and some school work.  At 6 pm, Elder Son arrives and we took him out to dinner.  Home about 8 pm and we watched a Netflix disk.  Off to bed about 11.

Sunday:  Up at 7, showered, dressed, breakfasted, more laundry and basic housekeeping chores.  Off to church at 9:30 for 10 am service followed by an extra-long church council meeting.  Got home at 1:30 and cooked the main meal of the day.  Now the kitchen is cleaned and it's just 3 pm.    Choices for the rest of the weekend include:  more schoolwork, bookkeeping, present wrapping, some secretarial work for business, and I hope some TV, knitting and Netflix. 

And then the week begins again.. . . At least this week, we have 2 days of school and then break.  I can do it!
I can do it!  I can do it!

I've decided that the older I'm getting, the longer it takes for my battery to be recharged, and the faster it runs out of juice!!

Book Review #102 Jane Austen Book Club

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler



I was disappointed in this book.  I never really connected with any of the characters.   If the book's organization was intended to link each character's story with one of Austen's novels, it didn't succeed.  It wasn't an awful book, but it wasn't particularly engaging or thoughtful.  I did find the chronological reviews of Austen's work at the end of the novel fascinating.  To see how  opinions of her work have evolved and changed over the years since their original publication was fascinating!

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Christmas Traditions - Friday Five

The Friday Five at  RevGalBlogPals is all about Christmas traditons"
So for this Friday Five, tell us five things about the traditions in your family. Think of

• traditions you always do
• traditions you always cook or eat
  
• traditions you would like to start
• traditions you would like to discard
• anything about your family Christmases

My Christmas traditions are in transition now as my children are now adults, and for the first time ever, the Younger Son will not be home for Christmas.  Over the past few years our traditions have evolved as our sons left home for college, graduated, and started independent lives in other states.  But for many years our family traditions were pretty much what I grew up with.  (My husband is Jewish, so all the traditions were mine!)


In MY growing up home, we put the tree up about a week before Christmas, but we always kept it up til Ephiphany.  This was important to my Cuban father whose tradition was gift-giving on Jan 6th when Los Tres Reyes arrived.     I carried on this tradition in my own home although my tree goes up earlier each year.  This year the tree has been up most of the month, but it has only lights on it still ----  I've decided I love the lights more than the hassle of unpacking all the ornaments!!

For most of my growing up years we lived away from other family members, so we'd get huge boxes of presents mailed to us.  Mom wouldn't open the boxes til Christmas Eve. We looked forward to the grand opening of the mailing boxes and loved the pile of wrapped presents that grew under the tree. Despite my mom always warning us it was "going to be a slim Christmas", that never seemed to happen.  Of course with 5 children, and generous parents and relatives, that was quite a huge pile of gifts!   I broke this tradition with my own family  --- as soon as the boxes arrived, we'd unpack them.  I've always enjoyed the anticipation as much as the actual unwrapping, and I like seeing gifts piled around a tree!

Santa brought stockings and wonderful toys to us.  We'd hang our stockings on the fireplace or stair railing, depending on the house we lived in, and sometime during the night, Santa would fill them and put them at the foot of our beds.  We were allowed to wake up as early as we wanted to and open our stockings BUT we had to stay in our rooms/beds!  Nobody was allowed downstairs until Mami and Papi were up and dressed, and then we had to line up from youngest to oldest before heading downstairs. I think my folks were brilliant --- we had the surreptitousness of opening stockings by the light of the electric candles in our window, to hold us over until about 7 am!  I was the oldest though, so I was always last to see what Santa had left under the tree.  Santa's gifts were never wrapped, and most things were removed from their packaging. My parents were smart about that too, I think.  Trying to wrap things like dollhouses and ice skates and tricycles would have been difficult!   This was one tradition I definitely kept!

A twist on the stockings that emerged when my sons were in high school was that they started to fill stockings for husband and me.  I really looked forward to that.  I think that might not happen this year, since the 2 boys would go out shopping together to put the stockings together.

Food that has to be part of Christmas now includes:
Swedish meatballs on Christmas Eve  (from  my childhood)
Farm Journal's "Best Buttermilk Poundcake" on Christmas morning  (from my teenage years on)
Mrs. Greenhill's Shortbread cookies (for most of my childhood)
Crissy's Butter Cookies (since #2 son was about 5)
Ginger Crinkles (for most of my adult life)
Cranberry Almond Biscotti (relative new comer to tradition -- only about 5 years so far)

My kids never really liked Swedish meatballs, but one year, in what I thought was deference to their tastes, I made something else for Christmas Eve.  They were so upset!!!


A tradition that has been lost, that I dearly miss, was having a huge family gathering on Christmas Eve.  Mom would serve a buffet featuring the Swedish meatballs, we'd all sit in the living room and talk and sing Christmas carols,  budding musicians would play a carol on the instrument being learned, a child would read the Nativity story from the Bible, and last of all, Mom would gather us around her and read "The Night Before Christmas".  We'd hang our stockings and head for bed, and listen to the grownups below laughing and talking, and much later, we'd hear the rustling of what I was sure was Santa, but was really the adults setting out all the "loot".  With my own family, we never had the large family gathering since we lived 1000 miles away, but I did read the poem to my kids from the book my mom read from.

This year will be very different I think ---- we'll see!  I have been discarding some traditions, partly through attrition, and partly through change of circumstance.  I've already asked First Son if he'd be upset if I made something other than the meatballs. . . ..

Book Review #101

Once in Every Life by Kristin Hannah


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
 Despite the fantastical premise of the book, once the core story started, I couldn't put it down. And this was in spite of the fact that this novel is actually from the romance genre that I generally avoid.

Tess is a lonely microbiologist.  She became deaf at age 7 from a bout with spinal meningitis, and spent her life being shunted from foster home to foster home.  On her way home from work one evening, she's hit by a bus, and dies.  During the death experience she's given a 2nd chance at life, this time as the estranged wife of a Civil War vet suffering from post-traumatic shock syndrome.  Because it's a romance, it has a satisfying happy ending.  In the author's note at the end, the author says the story was inspired by a real-life incident in her family's history.  I have to admit, that I didn't like the title.  I think Second Chance would be a better one.

I like Kristin Hannah's books, but have only read her contemporary fiction.  This is apparently from her early days as a romance writer. 

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A Few Random Thoughts

1.  A year ago we were just beginning our 13 days of no electricity.  It's been the topic of conversation all week, especially among my 6th graders.  I suspect that when they are my age, they will be regaling their children/grandchildren with stories of the the 2008 ICE STORM.    One of the good things to have come out of that experience has been the deepened appreciation of all the things I used to take for granted:  Christmas lights, our washer and dryer, lights at the turn of a switch, to name some of the biggies. 

2. This was a relatively calm week at school despite a snow day.  Today we had a blast in one of my science classes.  The kids finished their work early and we still had just under 1/2 hr left. I really couldn't stand the thought of giving them the paper and pencil assessment I'd planned, because I just couldn't add one more thing to my pile of papers to be graded.  They also needed to get up and move.  So I "improvised" and adapted a colleague's activity.   We've been talking about ecological succession, and I wanted to be sure the kids understood the difference between primary succession, secondary succession, and climax communities.  I told them to divide themselves into teams of 2,3, or 4.  Each team had to create a song or rap that defined/explained ecah concept and present it to the class.  They had 20 minutes to create and practice, and we took the final 10 minutes of class for their performances.  They had so much fun!  Most of the teams created a rap-type song, and one enterprising duet combined rap and "opera" for their presentation.  It was clear from their attempts that they understood the concepts and we all laughed a lot while they performed.  I have to keep remembering to address these other learning styles and offer them more opportunities to show what they know in ways other than paper and pencil.

3. I thought I was behind on my reading for this year, but as I was looking back over last year's book lists, I'm just about even with my pace.  That surprised me.

4.  My plans for this weekend include finishing my out of town shopping, going to the town craft fair, going to church, getting a few Christmas cards done, and relaxing.  I wonder what I'll actually accomplish!

  



 

SNOW DAY!

So just what do I do on a snow day 2 weeks before Christmas? I get up very early, my usual time in fact, and spend the better part of the day baking. Since my husband runs the bus company that provides the transportation for all of our students, he's up by 4 on mornings that are potential snow days. He turns on the outside lights to check the weather, turns on the TV to check the forecast, and then waits until the superintendent calls, usually about 5 am. Meanwhile, my alarm goes off at 4:45. I stay in bed, hoping that what the decision is, it's made early enough that I don't HAVE to get out of bed and start getting ready. Sometimes, depending on the storm's timing, the decision to call off school doesn't come until I'm up, showered, dressed, and making lunch. Today, the decision was made at 5:05, but I was awake, thinking about what I could be doing. And the phone calls start: all of the drivers have to be called, we get phone calls from people who for some reason, aren't on the automated call system the district has in place to notify teachers and parents of snow days, and then my husband and his assistant make numerous calls. So it's pretty hard to go back to sleep. Today, I got out of bed and decided that I would do this:

Don't look too closely at the oven floor - I need to run the self-cleaning cycle one of these days!

Those are my Ginger Crinkles, only one tray didn't crinkle! They taste great, however, probably my #2 favorite cookie.

And I also made these:

These are Cranberry Almond biscotti -- a relatively new Christmas favorite.

Then I made Younger Son's favorite cookies - his aunt's butter cookies. I really dislike making rolled cookies, but for him . . . .even though he won't be home, they will be sent to him.

I also made the dough for "Mrs. Greenhill's Shortbread" which is my favorite cookie. This recipe came from my brother's 2nd grade teacher, way back in the late 1960's, and they've graced the table every Christmas. I like them because they're not too sweet, and I can make the dough way ahead of time and keep it in the fridge or freezer until I have time to bake them.

And of course, now my kitchen looks like this:

From cookies

From cookies

I also put the lights on our Christmas tree!

#100

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this wild chase through Washington, DC. A great escape from the stresses of job and holiday hoopla. I especially enjoyed the very short chapters which suited the fact that I just have bits of time to read, no long periods of sustained reading available. Of all Dan Brown's books, I enjoyed Angels and Demons the most, however. This is not great literature, but it's a fun read, and it poses some interesting questions.

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A New Day, A New Frame of Mind

I feel much more relaxed today, despite the still-too-long list of To-Dos.
The play last night was terrific. We saw "Peter Pan" performed by Theater at the Mount, a community theater located at Mt. Wachusett Community College in Gardner, MA. We have season tickets with our friends and there are 5-6 plays per season. This one was a lot of fun, and brought back really good childhood memories -- of my sister "crowing" and Mary Martin flying, etc. My middle school also performed it a couple of weeks ago - this time the Disneyfied version, and they did a nice job too.


I am skipping church today --- I really need the time to get some things done, but I've been having my own Advent preparation. I spent some time with the lectionary, and I've been listening to John Rutter's "Music for Christmas". I got my creche put up too.

Now it's time for some work: science planning, new seating charts, and some language arts prep. Nevermind the piles of papers to grade. That's not going to get done today.

And it's really pretty outside. We got about 2 inches of snow yesterday/last evening. It looks like December, and the sun is shining brilliantly.

It's Just One of Those Days . . . .

I am feeling super stressed today. I have a list of things to do that seems endless, and so far everything I've worked on has either taken longer than it should have or I've run into a complication that made usually simple tasks difficult.

On my to-do list:
Monthly billing
Business check book reconciliation
Education association bookkeeping
Put up the window candles and set all the timers (the 2nd part's the worst)
Buy tree and put up (not decorate, yet!)
Plan this week's science and reading/language arts
Finish Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol
Bring creche down and set it up
Go to church
Go with friends to see play at theater for which we have tickets. Dinner first!
Laundry (It's in progress)
Christmas shopping via online
Wrap already bought gifts
Knitting
Watch Firefly Netflix disc

It's snowing too.

I just realized that I totally spaced the church Christmas fair! I was supposed to bake something for it, and not only did I forget that, I didn't even go to the fair! The first time in 30 plus years that I didn't buy my door wreath at the church fair. Now I don't have one.

I know that some of the stress is from work -- some big changes on the horizon that are scary, even though most of them are probably needed changes. I'm also disappointed that the best Younger Son I've got won't be home for Christmas.


Well, it's almost 3 pm and I haven't gotten much done on the list, but at least the billing and tree are accomplished. Now that I've had a break, I guess I'll tackle some school work before I think about what I'm changing into for dinner out and the play. I don't think my pjs will work!

Annoyed with Myself

I am annoyed and frustrated with myself right now. I started a new knitting project over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Winding Road Henley from Creative Knitting. I cast on 123 stitches and went to work. I've knitted about 4 inches of the pattern, and last night went to double check my stitch count. I have 157 stitches on my needles. I counted it 4 times, and each time it came out to 157 stitches. My pattern is perfect, so it's not that I added extra stitches during the yarn overs, or that I skipped a decrease. I just have 34 extra stitches on my needles. ARGHHHHH!!!!

So tonight I will be visiting the frog pond.

Book 99 for 2009

I'm falling behind in my reading for this year! I was on track for 150 in mid summer but my pace as slowed down. Oh well. Here's #99



The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wish there were a ratings comment like this: Compelling but disturbing read. Or, perhaps: Well worth reading, but I can't say I liked it.
Either one of these is how I'd rate this one.

Mikael Blomkvist is the publisher and leading journalist of Millenium magazine, and he has just been convicted of libel. Henrik Vanger has hired him ostensibly to write a biography of the Vanger family, but in reality, wants him to solve the 40 mystery of his niece Harriet's disappearance. Blomkvist and the very odd, very talented researcher Lisabeth Salander team up to investigate Harriet Vanger's disappearance. Along the way they discover family secrets, industrial espionage, and unspeakable violence against women. I couldn't put this one down, but I'm not sure I will read next one.

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A Pretty Thing

 

This is indeed a "Pretty Thing." It's a pattern by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka The Yarn Harlot. I knit it from Jade Sapphire Cashmere. The color is called scarab. It's a deep teal green, though the picture looks grayer than it is in reality. It is going to be a gift, but I really want to keep it myself! I've never knit with cashmere before and I loved the experience. It's so soft. I did have a few issues with the yarn breaking but I survived the trauma. It was not hard to knit, once I got appropriate needles. I started on double points because all my circulars are longer than 16 inches. I hated the fiddliness of the dpns. One night while I was just dozing off to sleep, I came suddenly awake with the "duh" experience. Use 2 circular needles! That worked fine but I did end up breaking down and purchasing a WEBS interchangeable needle tip set and cables as a way to "try them out" before deciding I want the whole set!

Another Friday Five - On Saturday

From RevGalBlog Pals:

The Cure

Lying around all day
with some strange new deep blue
weekend funk, I'm not really asleep
when my sister calls
to say she's just hung up
from talking with Aunt Bertha
who is 89 and ill but managing
to take care of Uncle Frank
who is completely bed ridden.
Aunt Bert says
it's snowing there in Arkansas,
on Catfish Lane, and she hasn't been
able to walk out to their mailbox.
She's been suffering
from a bad case of the mulleygrubs.
The cure for the mulleygrubs,
she tells my sister,
is to get up and bake a cake.
If that doesn't do it, put on a red dress.

--Ginger Andrews (from Hurricane Sisters)

So this Friday before Thanksgiving, think about Aunt Bert and how she'll celebrate Thanksgiving! And how about YOU?

1. What is your cure for the "mulleygrubs"?


It used to be to go out shopping for something I didn't really need, but that I really wanted - kind of "I deserve this" mentality. Nowadays, I tend more to call a friend, or to cozy up on the sofa with my knitting and a Netflix movie.

2. Where will you be for Thanksgiving? We're going to my youngest sister's home to celebrate with her family. They used to live about an hour from us, and we shared Thanksgivings with each other. They've moved further away, so now it's a 5-6 hour drive. We both miss the huge family celebrations of our childhood - our family of 7, my aunt and uncle and their 2 children, another aunt and uncle and their 2 children, and very early on, my grandmother. As the years went on cousins married and added their families. I think our largest celebration had almost 30 people around the table. This year, one son is in Los Angeles, and the other is on his way to spend the holiday with friends in England. So there will be 6 of us around the table.


3. What foods will be served? Which are traditional for your family?

Turkey with stuffing (inside the bird, and outside the bird), mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, squash, turnip, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and mince pie. All of these except the green bean casserole are "our" traditional foods. The green bean casserole is traditional in my brother-in-law's family. This is a somewhat pared down list of the traditional clan foods which also included creamed onions, a tray of celery/carrot sticks, olives, sweet pickles, mixed nuts in the shell, tangerines, dates, grapes, figs, and pecan pie.

4. How do you feel about Thanksgiving as a holiday?


I love it! I hate the growing trend of this holiday being overshadowed by Christmas advertising and hoopla. It's being lost. I think I love it because it's such an inclusive holiday - no matter your faith, no matter your lack of faith, everyone has an opportunity to recognize the things they are grateful for. It also triggers strong childhood memories for me: Making an elaborate centerpiece when I was about 6 years old. A weird one, for sure, but I remember the effort I put into it -- a mirror that I laid flat on the table and surrounded with cotton balls. Then I made clothespin Pilgrims and had them ice skating on the pond. I don't have any idea what inspired this delight, but I remember the pride I took in it, and I can only imagine what my mom was thinking as I created this -- Pilgrims ice skating???


5. In this season of Thanksgiving, what are you grateful for?

I am grateful for many things, big and small. My children are happy with their lives and are good men. My husband and I have jobs and are relatively healthy. We have what we need. The stars in a clear night sky. Coffee. My washer and dryer. My fleece robe and slippers. The chance to go visit one of my sisters and her family. . . .


BONUS: Describe Aunt Bert's Thanksgiving.

Aunt Bert, sitting at a card table in Uncle Frank's room. The table is covered with a lace tablecloth, and a huge 3 layer coconut cake sits in the center. Aunt Bert is slicing the cake. Her red dress is protected by a voluminous apron. They are smiling and talking with each other.

Relative Time

The concept of time is pretty weird. I just finished balancing my checkbook. I do it every month ... I thought I did it every month. I was shocked to discover that the last time I balanced it was in August, right before school started. And that was the July statement!! Where the heck did the time go?? Luckily we handle our money pretty well and haven't had any setbacks to give us nasty surprises. No checks bounced, and I actually had more money in the account than I thought I did. The last 3 months have flown by when I judge it by one set of standards. And yet when I look forward, it feels like it's a VERY long time to June. But I know that it's suddenly Thanksgiving, and tomorrow it will be Christmas. I guess it all depends on whether you're anxious for something to start, or something to end!

. . . But on the Other Hand . . .

Today was the first day in almost 2 weeks that I finally felt pretty good -- not sick, not fighting being sick, not getting over being sick, but actually felt normal. I did NOT have H1N1. I did not have a normal garden-variety cold either. I started with 24 hours of a scratchy throat, then a day of what threatened to be a major sinus problem, then a day of bronchial coughing, then 12 hours of low fever, drippy nose and itchy eyes, then heavy sinus stuff, and so on. For most of the days I've had a very productive chesty cough, but no fever except for the 12 hours over a week ago. I did take one sick day, and I spent 2 weekends doing absolutely nothing. I spent last week coming directly home from school, napping, and going to bed early. Most nights I had no problem sleeping, and I only went through 2.5 boxes of tissues. So it's been a weird collection of symptoms. I did call the dr on my sick day, but was told it wasn't flu. So that was the good news for the day.

On the other hand, I had a really difficult day with one of my classes. There are 4 students in that one class who regularly act out, usually one at a time. Today all 4 of them were "off". None of the usual tricks of the trade were working - pulling aside, moving seats, time-out, change task, etc. On the bright side however, a number of the other kids in the class took it upon themselves to start exerting some positive peer pressure -- one of the popular kids (who's not always perfectly behaved, but who is just your normal 12 year old who occasionally makes a bad choice blurted out "Will you guys knock it off! Mrs. W is trying to teach us!"' Gotta love that kid!

Report cards went home today too. Most kids had decent grades, but a few received failing or close-to-failing grades. I know I will get some parent feedback, and unfortunately it's usually of the "It's your fault, not my child's fault" variety. On the other hand, I did get an email from a parent who said that until his child's grades improve, his child will not be allowed to play video games, and also asked if there was any way his child could stay after school occasionally to get some extra help.

I stayed late tonight too --- I needed to rearrange some furniture, clean my desk, and finish putting together a project the kids will start next week. On the other hand, we don't have school tomorrow in honor of Veterans' Day. I'm all set for Thursday and Friday, and have my planning done for Monday and Tuesday too.

So, tonight I will relax, watch some TV and get some knitting done. On the other hand . . . I could go to bed early and read late!

Friday Five: What's New -- On Saturday Morning

From Songbird at RevGalBlogPals:
There's a new baby on my street, a double PK whose Mom and Dad are Methodist pastors and church planters. I'm hoping to go over and meet her today. I love new babies, the way they smell and their sweet little fingers and toes. Little K has me thinking about all the new things that please us with their shiny freshness.

Please share with us five things you like *especially* when they are new.


In no particular order:
1. New notebooks and/or pads of paper There is something about a brand new notebook or pad of paper that calls to me. I can't wait to start writing. I wish I could say that I was inspired to create something terrific - like the next bestseller, or a beautiful poem, or even a thoughtful reflection. Usually it's something much more mundane, like a grocery list or to do list. Notebooks make me feel organized too.

2. New leaves on trees. The delicate green of new leaves fill me with a feeling of promise. The leaves stand out against the dark branches, and catch the spring sunlight. There is a brightness and glow that seems to emanate from them. As the summer moves on, the color deepens and flattens out.

3. New clothes I guess I love new clothes because I hang on to my old clothes for so long. I get so bored with the same outfits all season, that it just lifts my spirits to get something new, especially in the middle of a season.

4. A new book by a favorite author or a book in a new series that I will love. I love finding a new book series to read. I am currently in search of one -- I've read all the Claire Fergussons, I've read all China Bayles, I've read all the Aunt Dimitys and Maisie Dobbs'. Any suggestions?

5. Newly-mowed grass - What can I say, the fragrance of just-cut grass conjures up summer vacation back when I was a kid. The kind of summer that probably only exists in idyllic memory, and that I wish I could re-live.

Almost to My Goal: Book #96

Echoes by Maeve Binchy


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoy Maeve Binchy's novels, and apparently this is a reissue of one of her very early ones. This story focuses on 3 characters: Angela O'Hara, a spinster teacher caring for her invalid mother; David Powers, the only son of the town's doctor and his unhappy wife; and Clare O'Brien, the intelligent, ambitious daughter of a shopkeeper. The lives of the 3 are closely intertwined, and we follow them through the 1950's and early 1960's. Clare rises "above her station" and wins a scholarship to secondary school, and again to university. David becomes a doctor. Angela finds happiness, after years of trouble and care. Binchy depicts the minutia of daily life in a very small Irish village brilliantly, and while at times, the story threatened to get bogged down in details, overall the details were what brought the characters to life. The ending is bittersweet, and I think came too quickly. After the years of build-up of the relationship between David and Clare, I felt that the denouement deserved the same amount of attention. I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending either, but it was realistic. I did really like this book.

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Knitting Content

I finished this recently as a baby shower gift. It's made from Plymouth Encore which I purchased from WEBS from a Lion Brand pattern. It was a surprisingly easy knit, and it was fun to do.

From Knitting Gallery

I ended the month with a sore throat, achiness, and general fatigue. And I did something I haven't done since I had pneumonia a couple of years ago -- I spent the entire day in my pajamas! I just didn't have the energy to shower and dress, so I didn't. I curled up on the sofa and watched a bunch of DVR'd shows, and I slept a good part of the day. I got up a couple of times for juice, tea, soup, and a piece of Halloween candy, and then finally, got up about 7:30 pm to go to bed. I slept for a few hours, and then woke up about midnight not able to sleep anymore. I read this instead:

Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea by Nancy Atherton


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was the only Aunt Dimity I hadn't read yet, and while I enjoyed it, it was least like any of the other books in the series. Lori and her twins have been sent to a castle on one of Scotland's Western Islands to keep them safe while Scotland Yard investigates death threats against Bill. Lori has nothing at all to do with the solving of this mystery. While on the island, a secret is uncovered, but only accidentally, and while her presence was the catalyst, she was not purposefully trying to uncover it. I have enjoyed all the books in the series, and I did like this one. The series is light-hearted, and perfect for reading when you don't want to have to work at it!

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It's still really early, and my throat is still sore, but I'm feeling better --- no achiness and some semblance of energy. I will have to skip church, a baby shower, and the Ecclesiastical Council for our in-care seminarian because I don't want to spread germs. But hopefully the energy will stick around long enough for me to get some work done ---- lesson-plans, unit plan, billing, and finish the art-work for the class I'm taking. At least the paper for that class is done.

I Finished Something!

I crossed something off my list at last!!

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really liked this book, although I was confused at times. Part of the reason for my confusion was the fact that I had too many interruptions while reading it. The organization of the book didn't help. The story is told from multiple points of view which can be distracting under ordinary reading circumstances.

With all that being said, I did really like this book. Towner Whitney has returned to her hometown of Salem. She has a troubled past which includes hospitalization in a psychiatric ward, the mysterious death of her twin sister, and a highly dysfunctional family. Her mother is agoraphobic but she runs a shelter for abused women who make the famed Ipswich lace. Her aunt Eva has died and left Towner her home. Cal Boynton, another aunt's husband, is the leader of a fundamental cult that harasses the Salem witch community, and is a recognized abuser. Cal is accused of the possible murder of the missing woman he was living with. All of the Whitney women have the gift of "reading lace", but Towner refuses to accept this gift. This complicated story traces the events that follow Towner's return to Salem. I was totally unprepared for the surprise twist at the end that ties everything together in a very satisfying package. (This is not to say it's a happy ending kind of story, but it a satisfying end.)

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Unfinished Business

I seem surrounded by unfinished projects, chores, books, plans, etc. It's bothering me today.

The Biggies:
1. A 3-5 page paper for a writing class I decided to take for credit. I could have just taken the workshop, learned what I wanted to learn, and then apply what I wanted to apply in my classroom. But no, I decide to take it for credit. How hard can a short paper be? Well, when you haven't written one for almost 20 years, it's hard. Never mind that it's a "simple" paper: Construct an argument for a principal, curriculum coordinator, or concerned parent that supports the reason why this program is worthwhile. But before I can write this paper, I have 2 books to read, and I must find at least 3 quotations from the reading material that support my argument. Again, simple --after all it's basically what I ask my 6th graders to do in their reading journals. The other part of the credit is that I have to complete a short story inspired by some art work I completed during the class. That's just about done, but again, it's only "almost done."


2. Finish developing the science project inspired by the above-mentioned class. I need to find the supplies (watercolors, paper, brushes) for 43 students, decide on which of 3 project ideas I've come up with to follow through on, and figure out when to teach the art lessons that need to be taught before implementing the science unit.

Other projects that are less important, but hanging over me:

3. My Vintage Vest. I've done the back, and the left front. I've started the right front. I really want to finish this so I can wear it. I also am sick of knitting it!

4. The Lace Reader. I have been reading this book for almost 2 weeks in bits and pieces. I am enjoying it, but I just haven't had the time to sit for any length of time to have a good reading session.

5. A Wrinkle in Time. This is the book I'm reading during sustained silent reading at school. It's hard to read and supervise 20 kids who are supposed to be reading. This is a re-read for me; probably about the 5th time. I still can't figure out why upper elementary teachers are so eager to teach this book, and I especially can't figure out why so many special ed teachers think this a good book for struggling readers. It's a terrific novel, one of my favorites, but I would never use it in my reading classes. It's difficult material to understand! And I can't see how I could steer appropriate public school conversations around it. I WOULD use this book in a confirmation class setting, or in a Sunday school setting in a minute. And I read it once in graduate school as part of a "Teaching Students with Special Needs" class. We had to choose one of the characters and create an appropriate educational program for that character.

6. Genealogy research: This is not a project that really can be finished, but I wish I had a long period of uninterrupted time to work on this one.

7. Renovations: We still haven't found anybody to help us with the work of replastering ceilings and walls.


8. Laundry: Is it ever done?


9. This list --- these are just the items that are most bothering me this rainy morning!