Barefoot Books

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am now a SAHM. Wanting some sort of outlet for myself outside of the home, I decided to become a Barefoot Books Ambassador, meaning I am now an independent bookseller of Barefoot Books. I had been a fan of Barefoot Books for quite some time, but just recently found out about their ambassador program. Barefoot Books is a publisher of children's and young adult literature (as well as games, puzzles, and CDs) and promotes diversity, tolerance, multiculturalism, and environmental awareness in all of their books. The artwork in each book is stunning and I am very happy to have now become a part of the Barefoot Books team of ambassadors.

From time to time, I will post about current sale offers on my blog, as well as reviews of some of my favorite Barefoot Books and notifications of upcoming releases. Please feel free to visit my site for some book browsing or shopping! You can also access the current sale offers by clicking "SALE" when you visit my site. I have also posted a link to Barefoot Books in the sidebar of my blog.

For a chance to win some of your own Barefoot Books, visit this blog and read all about one of Barefoot Books' amazing authors!

Up next, some reviews of recent adult books I have read...

I'm baaaack - is anybody still out there?

After a year and a half hiatus, I am finally making my re-entry back into the blogosphere. Much has happened in the past year and a half...after a rough pregnancy, my husband and I are now the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl who will be referred to as baby "M" for the sake of this blog. I've also resigned from my full-time job in corporate research, something I never thought I would do, and now stay home with the baby and pick up a few hours here and there tutoring. So with that being said, I find I finally have time to do some blogging again.

Recently I had the opportunity to review The Help by Kathryn Stockett for my local paper. I loved this book and had a great time reviewing it. If you haven't read this book yet, go out and get it - you won't be disappointed. I also got the chance to meet Stockett (who is just as nice as can be and gorgeous too I might add) in person at last month's ALA conference in Chicago which was fabulous. I met my old college roommate out there for the conference and it was a total blast. We are already planning next year's trip to the conference in DC.

That's it for now - just wanted to say hello and that I am looking forward to catching up on all of your blogs!

Hanging up the blog for now

I've been quiet for a few months and think it may be time for me to hang up the blog. At least for the short-term. My husband and I are expecting our first child later this year and my morning sickness has been HORRENDOUS. I haven't had much chance to do any reading or anything else for that matter as everything seems to make me nauseous. I hope in time I will start to feel better and will get back into the reading habit. But wanted to say farewell for now - I am very grateful to have become part of the book blogging community and hope to get back to it someday. You may still find comments from me here and there; when I do feel well enough to read more again your blogs will be the first I go to for book recommendations!

Eva's Book Meme

I've been tagged by CoversGirl at Between the Covers for another meme. This one originated at Eva's A Striped Armchair. It's a fun one - here goes...

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. I confess I haven't actually read any reviews of it, but I have had several friends tell me I should read it and everytime someone brings it up I inwardly cringe and just sort of say "hmmm..." so as not to offend anyone but to also escape having to commit to reading the book to appease the person. It just sounds way too New Age-y for me and I know the minute I start reading it I will be berating myself for ever agreeing to read it in the first place.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Probably because I just read Plum Lucky, Stephanie Plum and her sidekick Lulu, and of course Grandma Mazur. Dinner at the Plum family home in the 'Burg would be perfect. I need to know these women in real life - there would never be a dull moment!

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): You are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
The only one coming to mind right now is Billy Budd by Herman Melville. I'm not even sure if this qualifies as a novel - it might be more of a novella although I can't remember now. I had to read this for my 11th grade English class and remember being so painfully bored by the book and the assignments that went with it that I wanted to throw a tantrum everytime I had to go to that class. Granted, this is going back about 16 years, but something tells me if I read it again now I would still find it unbearable.

Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
Probably Pride and Prejudice, although not intentionally. I think I feel like I know the story so well from all of the movie adaptations I have seen that it sounds like I might have read it, but not yet :) I assure you though, this is the year I will read it!

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?
I don't think this has happened to me...I can usually remember which books I have read and haven't read. At least the ones that matter to me anyway.

You’ve been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP)
I would have to agree with CoversGirl here - a book of short stories would be the way to go. Then the person doesn't have to commit to anything more than 30 or 40 pages and might be more likely to finish it. Either that or Harry Potter book #1. Book #1 was still pretty slim and very entertaining - and if the person liked it they would then have 6 more to read.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
French. After 5 years of high school and college French I seem to have lost most comprehension of the language. But that doesn't stop me from "reading" my favorite magazine Marie Claire Idees. I mostly love it for the pictures, but it sure would be nice to be able to actually read all of the captions, articles, and craft instructions. I love that magazine. I'd also love to visit Paris and the French countryside again, this time understanding the language. I am sure it would be a very different experience.

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
Little Women. Didn't even have to think about that one.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art - anything)?
I've gotten more intrigued by the fantasy genre. Until recently I only dabbled in fantasy lit, now I find I have a greater appreciation for it.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works?
Creaky floors, lots of built-in bookshelves, comfy leather chairs, the perfect window seat overlooking lush gardens, a kitty snoozing in the corner, a dog snoozing in the other corner, gourmet snacks and every book I've ever wanted to read and then some. I could go on and on, but this is a good starting point.

I won't tag anyone specifically for this, but if you're reading consider yourself tagged.

Challenges, movies, and Literacy and Longing in L.A.

I finally seem to be getting to all of those books I have been wanting to read for sometime now, but for whatever reason have gotten distracted from somewhere along the way. For instance, Literacy and Longing in L.A. has been on my TBR list for months now, and at last I have immersed myself in it and am enjoying it immensely. I love the fact that the main character Dora goes on "book benders" whenever she is faced with emotional turmoil she doesn't want to deal with. There are tons of literary references in this book and each chapter's heading begins with a perfect literary quote. One paragraph in particular early on in the book really jumped out at me.

"I collect books the way my girlfriends buy designer handbags. Sometimes I just like to know I have them and actually reading them is beside the point. Not that I don't eventually read them. I do. But the mere act of buying them makes me happy - the world is more promising, more fulfilling. It's hard to explain, but I feel, somehow, more optimistic. The whole act just cheers me up."

This describes my book buying habits to a T. I am forever buying books, excited by the new novels that will line my bookshelves. No matter that I already have more books than I know what to do with and that a good chunk of them are those that haven't been read yet - just knowing that I can walk into any room of my house and pick up a book that suits my mood is somehow comforting. It can make a crappy day seem less crappy and provide a much needed escape.

I'm hoping to crack open some Jane Austen novels in the coming weeks. I've been watching the Masterpiece Theater film adaptations on PBS Sunday nights. I thought Persuasion was ok, but I really enjoyed Northanger Abbey. And I am ashamed to admit that I've never actually read any of Jane Austen's works. In an attempt to inject some classical literature reading into a standing bookclub I am a member of, I suggested we pick a Jane Austen novel, read it, and compare it with the movie and then discuss both for a future meeting. Sounds like a good idea, right? I had noticed that PBS posted a nifty book and film club discussion guide. However, my suggestion went over like a lead balloon so suffice it to say I will be reading Austen on my own. Ah well, I tried...and everyone's tastes are different. But I couldn't help feeling disappointed by those people who weren't willing to even try reading one of her books. Kind of like when people tell me they don't like to read or couldn't possibly find the time to read...it doesn't make me think any less of them as a person, but right away I get that deflated feeling from knowing that I will never be able to talk books with that person as books are such a huge part of my world. It makes me want to scream at these people too - "Do you have any idea what you are missing???" But at the same time I know I have to realize that not everyone loves to read. And there's nothing wrong with that (even if I happen to think it's bizarre :)

And speaking of PBS, while watching the Jane Austen adaptations I stumbled across the show the Vicar of Dibley and found myself roaring with laughter. Definitely a show to be DVR'd for me!

I've seen some challenges posted about in the blogosphere and I think I'm going to jump on the Chunkster Challenge bandwagon. I thought this one would be perfect for me since three of the books in my current TBR pile are indeed chunksters. Here is my pick list for now with the option to add others as I think of them.

1. The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
2. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (It's about time - this one has been waiting on the shelf for me for the past 2 years!)
3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (I've been saving this one for a rainy day because I know it is going to be oh, so good! I think it qualifies as a chunkster, although I haven't checked the page count.)

And last but not least, have people seen that there is to be a movie adaptation of Meyer's Twilight series? If you go to her website, you can see who has been cast as Bella and Edward. I'm in agreement with the casting - both actors look similar to how I had envisioned the characters. Robert Pattinson, aka Cedric Diggory from HP, is a great choice I think - those cheekbones lend themselves well to the vampire look. What does everyone else think? Are they happy with the casting choices?

Latest reads

After getting my stitches out Friday, I met some friends for dinner at John Harvard's. And enjoyed a very tasty post-stitches meal :) Finally being able to open my mouth wide enough to cram a hamburger in was wonderful. We started with a buffalo tender appetizer, enjoyed a couple of winter warmer beers - with the glass rims coated in cinnamon sugar, yum - before polishing off a good sized burger and fries. An excellent meal indeed. Afterwards we moseyed on over to the movie theater and saw P.S. I Love You. I had my doubts about this movie as I wasn't too crazy about the book, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked the movie better than the book, which almost never happens. I still say it's more of a renter though rather than a pay $10 to see it like my friends and I did.

Currently, I am reading Atonement and am enjoying it, although based on what I am hearing and the tone the book is setting, I am getting the feeling that things do not end well. I can't say for sure though, I need to keep reading. I've just gotten to part three. I do think I will try some of McEwan's other books once I've finished this one and gotten through a few more in my stack. I've heard good things about Saturday as well.

Next, I am hoping to sink my teeth into Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (book 6) or Literacy and Longing in L.A. - I've had L&L in L.A. on request from the library for months now and a copy finally came in. I'm not really even sure what it is about but I've seen it blogged about quite a bit.

I bought my copy of Jennifer Donnelly's The Winter Rose and can't wait to start reading. I read The Tea Rose right before Christmas and couldn't put it down - I thought it was fantastic! I ended up buying a copy of it as part of a Christmas gift for my MIL as I think she will really like it too. I just loved the setting of The Tea Rose and the historical fiction-ess of it - set in England, then NYC, and then England again. I loved reading about Fiona and her success as she moved up the ranks and became a very prominent business owner in the tea trade as I silently rooted for her and her long-lost love Joe (I will say no more in case you plan on reading yourself). Just a fabulous book. Another one of my favorite reads of 2007.

Did anyone watch Persuasion on PBS Sunday night as part of the Jane Austen Masterpiece Theater special they plan on running through the winter? I did while I caught up on a little knitting and I'm still undecided as to whether or not I liked it. I liked some of the scenery shots, but am not sure how impressed I was with the acting or the presentation of the film - it seemed a bit choppy to me. Of course I did like the story though - another Jane Austen novel I will have to read in the very near future! I do plan on watching the other movies - there is a new one every Sunday night. I am especially looking forward to Pride and Prejudice which I think has 5 parts.

I need to get my act together - I've noticed several new (or newer) reading challenges in the blogosphere many of which I want to join. I need to pick and choose which books are going to make my lists and then post about them!

Holiday 2007 Wrap Up

Hmmm...time seems to have gotten away from me once again as I realize it's been a few weeks since my last blog post. I'd like to say my New Year's resolution is to blog more, but as much as I would like that to happen I'm not sure how realistic it is. So for now, I will just be content to post as often as I can and continue to keep up with my Bloglines - I read so many great posts everyday (I find this to be the perfect activity while on my lunch break at work); I am very happy to have found such a wonderful and fascinating community of book bloggers!

This weekend is definitely a reading-filled weekend. I'm recovering from some minor oral surgery, which has caused my bottom lip to swell and bruise making me look like I went a couple of rounds in the boxing ring. I figured rather than venture out and risk scaring small children, I'd relax at home, put my feet up and catch up on some good reading. Although I did take a trip over to the library earlier because I received an email saying a copy of Atonement was waiting for me and I couldn't possibly wait until Monday for that! Anyone see the movie yet? I'm dying to see it.

Speaking of movies, I've seen some good ones recently. First there was The Golden Compass. I know this one got some mixed reviews, but I have to say I enjoyed it. I had read the book for a young adult literature class I took in grad school and had to do a whole semester-end project on the book. I will say though, that if I hadn't read the book ahead of time I am not so sure I would have understood everything. My husband hadn't read the book and said he was a little confused in some parts, but overall got the gist of it enough to enjoy it. And I thought Nicole Kidman was prefectly cast as the sinister Mrs. Coulter. I've always found her to seem cold and aloof when I watch her in interviews...I found her portrayal of Mrs. Coulter to be very believable! And as a knitter, I just have to mention all of the fabulous knitwear Lyra wore in the film. I loved her hat and I know there is a pattern for it floating around somewhere in Ravelry.

Most recently, we saw Sweeney Todd. The timing was perfect, because we had just seen a theater production of it in Boston right before the holidays. We both thought it was great, but then again I love all of Tim Burton's films and I think Johnny Depp always does such a great job of playing those eccentric characters. Who would have thought that when I was watching 21 Jump Street in junior high, that he would turn out to be such a well known and respected actor? And again with the knitweat in this movie - I think Sweeney Todd wore a pair of handknit warmers in every scene which was funny to us because I had just finished knitting a pair for my husband which he dutifully wore to the movies that night.

And a couple pairs for myself...look closely and you'll see a wedding photo in the background - this is probably the closest I will ever come to delurking :)

This week I am going to see P.S. I Love You with a friend. Total chick-flick I know...I don't have high expectations for it other than to be entertained for an hour and a half (or however long it is). I read the book last week and hated the ending, I am curious to see how true the movie will stay to the book. My friend and I are both in agreement that Gerard Butler is dreamy to look at, so if nothing else I am sure we will both enjoy watching him :)

I got some great books and DVDs for Christmas this year, and I am sure many of you did as well :) Most of the books I got were knitting/crafting books or cookbooks with oh so many pretty pictures and project ideas. Here are a few below...

DVDs include seasons 4 and 5 of Smallville, so I now own seasons 1-5 and only have season 6 left to get. I didn't start watching this show until season 3 and became hooked right away. Such a great show. And I also got seasons 1 - 4 of Felicity. I loved this show before it was cancelled...we are slowly working our way through season 1 right now and I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed watching it the first time around.

And my Christmas gift to myself...a brand new pair of Uggs! I have lusted after my sister's pair for some time now, I finally bought my own. They are the most comfortable boots ever and I only take them off to shower and sleep - he he.

I hope everyone had a good New Year's. We didn't do too much...we stayed in New Year's Eve, had a friend over and feasted on yummy appetizers most of the evening. Anybody ever have Amy's Organic Pizza from the freezer section of the grocery store? We love this stuff - it is delicious. We've tried several varieties and have liked every one, although the roasted vegetable and margherita pizzas are our favorites.
I also served this appetizer which couldn't be any easier to make. We have a Harry and David store near us, so getting our hands on jars of their pepper and onion relish is very easy. If you don't have one near you, I urge you to order some of this stuff online and try the recipe - it seems to wow everyone. It's the perfect blend of savory and sweet.
New Year's Day morning I tried to recreate some blueberry-lemon-sour cream pancakes I had had for brunch at a cozy little inn we had gone to earlier in the week. They came out quite good if I do say so myself (although pancakes are pretty hard to screw up).
Ok, all of this talk about food is making me hungry...I need to go rummage around in the kitchen and see what I can find to eat that will actually taste good and not rip the stitches out of my lip. Starting to get very sick of oatmeal and cheese ravioli...

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

One more meme

I just realized I've been tagged by LK at The Literate Kitten for another meme. So here goes.

5 things I was doing 10 years ago
1. Finishing up my first semester of graduate school and seriously questioning what made me decide to pursue a graduate degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
2. Dating my husband who I had just met
3. Cursing the professor I was assigned to for my teaching assistantship. I should have known things were going to be bad when the more seasoned graduate students in the program referred to him as "the troll in the basement office." He wasn't a bad man, just very set in his ways and rather moody...and hard of hearing and VERY resistant to wearing his hearing aids. A normal conversation usually consisted of me screaming at him and him saying "What was that dear?" By the end of that semester I thought I would go out of my mind.
4. Holing up in my apartment and reading Cook & Campbell articles printed at a reduced size on the photocopier at the library because I didn't have enough money on my copy card to print all of the articles I had to read for class in a normal font size. To this day I am convinced that is what ruined my once perfect vision.
5. See number 1. I did indeed finish the program, got my MS degree, worked in the field for 2 years, then made a career change and went back to school for another graduate degree in a field that I love - library and information science!

5 things on my to-do list today
1. Check out the used bookstore I happened to notice when out on my lunch hour the other day
2. Return some library books
3. Check on my friend's cats on the way home from work since she is away for the week
4. Make oreo truffles when I get home for my husband and I to bring into each of our offices tomorrow
5. Get some work done on those homemade holiday gifts I committed to this year

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire
1. Sell my house and buy a different house - preferably a completely renovated antique farmhouse set on a nice big plot of land. Or a fabulous condo in Boston or New York.
2. Travel, travel, travel
3. Pay off my student loans and mortgage
4. Quit my job and open up a bookstore
5. Buy a whole new wardrobe and then of course invest any money left over :)

5 things I'll never wear again
1. Tapered jeans
2. Anything tie-dyed
3. Doc Martens
4. Oversized flannel button downs (when I think back to my college wardrobe, I cringe)
5. Anything acid-washed

5 favorite toys
1. Puzzles
2. Lincoln logs
3. My bike
4. Clue
5. Do Nancy Drew books count?

I'm hoping to take a vacation day Friday - I'll have lots more to post then on books I've read and movies I've seen recently. Until then...I tag the following people for this meme. And if they've already done this meme - I apologize, I am a little behind on my blog reading!

Susan at On An Even Keel
Nutmeg at Another Nutter
Heather at The Library Ladder
CoversGirl at Between the Covers
Camille at Dabbling Dilettante

Library Meme

It's the day before Thanksgiving and while I should be busy baking pies to bring to the in-laws tomorrow, I am home from work sitting on my butt cursing my knack for getting sick right before or on major holidays. Last year it was Christmas, this year it's Thanksgiving. ARGH!!!


But being home sick from work does let me catch up on my blogging, reading, and watching DVR'd epsiodes of The Barefoot Contessa. So there is a silver lining :) All morning I have been reading Barefoot by Elin Hildebrand. I'm about a 100 pages in and it is exactly what I need today. A good story, one that doesn't require a lot of thought from my congested head. It takes place on Nantucket too - a place that I love. I think I would read more of Hildebrand's stuff - I bet they would make good beach reads.

I saw this meme at A Guy's Moleskine Notebook and thought I'd play. I don't do many meme's, but I really liked this one. I won't tag anyone, but leave me a comment if you decide to post one so I can go read!

1. Do you remember learning to read? How old were you?
I don't remember specifically when I learned to read, I just remember being really young. Both of my parents read to me as a child and I certainly had my favorite bedtime books. One of which was I Am a Bunny by Richard Scarry. I liked to read this EVERY night. It was about a bunny named Nicholas (and we also actually had a pet rabbit named Nicholas which seemed to make this book even more special to me - although now I can't remember if our rabbit was named after the bunny in the book, or if we bought the book because the bunny's name was Nicholas) and I still remember almost all of the words -"...I chase the butterflies, and the butterflies chase me..."

2. What do you find most challenging to read?
Science Fiction. I had to read a lot of it for a speculative literature class I took in grad school and I really struggled with it. It's always been a genre I've never been able to warm up to and I've tried numerous times. I just don't get it half the time I think.

3. What are your library habits?
I am there all of the time. I live in a pretty decent sized town and the librarians know me. I am always taking out way too many books and have always found the library to be a very comforting place. I was very shy as a kid and the library was an escape for me - I could spend hours there surrounded by all of those books! There was always something there that caught my interest. You know it's funny, when I first moved to this town, I somehow got invited to one of those home shopping parties that I decided to go to in the hopes of meeting some people. And the whole time I was there, not a single person talked to me unless I asked them a question first and then it was only to talk completely about themselves before turning back to the friend they had come with. I remember slipping out of the party, completely unnoticed I am sure, feeling like crap and thinking there was something wrong with me to have been treated as a total outcast (looking back now I realize I had walked into a party of very cliquey women who probably wouldn't have taken the time to welcome ANYONE new). I stopped at the library on the way home from the party and instantly felt better. The quietness and solitude of the stacks was exactly what I needed after standing in a room full of people talking with one another and feeling very lonely. So even as an adult, the library still appears to be my refuge!

4. Have your library habits changed since you were younger?
They really haven't changed much although everything is electronic now so there is no more flipping through the card catalogue. And after completing a graduate program in library and information science I feel like there is nothing I can't find when I am there! I am also more aware of the value and services a good library provides it's community.

5. How has blogging changed your reading life?
I've tried more books I wouldn't normally have picked up and I've found an outlet I had been searching for for quite some time. I've finally found a community that enjoys reading as much as I do and I have gotten more involved in book discussions and connecting with other readers. I also started reviewing books which has given me a chance to get some of my own writing out there.

6. How often do you read a book and not review it on your blog? What are your reasons for not blogging about a book?
I read much faster than I blog, so a lot of times by the time I am ready to blog again I have already read a handful of books since the last time I posted. So I try to review the ones that really spoke to me and maybe give a blurb about others here and there.

7. What percentage of your books do you get from new book stores, second hand books stores, the library, online exchange sites, online retailers, other?
I would say there is a 45% - 35% - 20% split between books bought from retail stores (whether they be independent booksellers, used bookstores, or the major chains), library books, and books bought online. I really like to browse so I visit bookstores and libraries a lot. If I feel like I've been spending too much money, I'll try to stick to the library, but I have a hard time walking, or even driving past a bookstore without stopping and going in!

8. What are your pet peeves about the way people treat books?
It drives me nuts when I lend someone a book and it gets returned to me completely mangled. It makes me wonder what their own books look like. It also drives me nuts when I lend a book and it doesn't get returned. Unless I specifically say "Keep the book" you can safely bet I want it back when you are done. I also don't understand people who claim they are too busy to read. I'm a pretty busy person also, and I make time to read every night before I go to bed regardless of what time it is or how busy I was that day. But I know I also have to accept that reading is not a hobby for some people and that's ok (even if I don't understand it :)

9. Do you ever read for pleasure or for work?
Almost always for pleasure. I don't like wasting my reading time on things I "have to read" if I can help it.

10. When you give people books as gifts, how do you decide what to give them?
I like to think I have a pretty good sense of knowing what friends and family members might like to read based on their lives and interests. And of course there are those books I have read myself and loved that I just know another particular person will love. I almost always give books as gifts and I usually try hard to match the book to the person.

And to all of my American readers - Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

32

32 years old today...how did that happen? I remember waking up on my birthday last year and thinking the same thing - 31 years old...how did that happen? So far though, I've been enjoying my 30's more than my 20's, I feel more settled in my career, I feel more certain of what I want and how I want to lead my life, etc. Here's to hoping that things continue to get better with age :)

Just got back from seeing the movie Gone, Baby, Gone. Not a very uplifting movie, but then again none of Dennis Lehane's books are warm and fuzzy. All in all though, I thought it was a good movie and the theater was empty as everyone was home having their World Series parties and getting ready to watch the game. I did see Elizabeth last week and I really enjoyed that. I am a huge fan of the Philippa Gregory books and I really wanted to see that part of history on screen. My ony complaint was the overuse of imagery and dramatic music, but the costumes were incredible and Cate Blanchett did a fantastic job of protratying the queen.

While catching up on season 2 episodes of House tonight (and keeping an eye on the score of game 4), I'll be knitting away and enjoying those tasty cupcakes pictured above. Then it's off to bed with Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian (finally - this book has been in my TBR pile for 2 whole years!!). I was trying to get through Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult, but eventually gave up. I know I've mentioned this before and have said I've sworn off all of her books after reading The Tenth Circle, but a co-worker convinced me to try Salem Falls saying it would be different. And once again I was sucked in by the book jacket description (I hope who ever writes these book jacket descriptions for Picoult gets paid well) and once again I was disappointed. Ah well, can't love everything I read.

Unintentional blogging break

Well I managed to fall off the face of the blogging earth in recent months. What I intended to be a short hiatus (in an attempt to avoid stumbling across any Harry Potter and Eclipse spoilers) turned into a much longer absence. Still not having read Harry Potter 7 or Eclipse yet, I realized if I waited until I had them both finished it could be a very long time before my re-entry into the blogosphere. In my defense I did complete HP #5 and have #6 at the top of my TBR pile. And Eclipse, well, I enjoyed the first 2 books so much that I keep putting Eclipse aside for when I really want to treat myself. Almost like I don't want to read it too quickly because I don't want it to end too soon. Anyone else do that? Have a book they are dying to read, but for some reason put others before it to prolong the excitement of that book they are so looking forward to? It seems to be a pretty consistent habit of mine.

I am reading Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir now. I have enjoyed the Philippa Gergory books so much that I find myself becoming more and more interested in the history of that time period. Innocent Traitor is equally as excellent as Gregory's books and I look forward to reading more of Weir.

Next on the list is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I'm reading this for a book club I belong to and seeing as I am hosting the next meeting, I need to put time aside this weekend to get some reading done! I haven't read The Kite Runner yet, but have heard very good things about both of these novels.

And of course I have to report on our recent trip out west to Boise, ID and Portland, OR - two great cities. To avoid repeating myself I'll link to my other blog's ramblings about the trip. I will mention here though that I finally made it to Powell's and it was everything I fantasized it would be. Heavenly. Sigh...

Other than that, lots of reading, knitting, and running going on here. We've finally broken past the psychological 5 mile barrier and have worked our way up to 6.5 miles. I never thought I would say this but I am starting to love running. Sometimes I feel like I could run forever (on a good day of course - on those bad days, half a mile feels like a chore). Just the idea that we can run for over an hour at a time feels like a huge accomplishment and the longer distances give us more of an opportunity to explore country roads. Next weekend we are aiming for 7 miles. Who knows - maybe that half-marathon is not as unattainable as I thought ;)

I leave you with a picture of some yummy sno-cones we enjoyed while visiting Portland's fabulous Rose Test Garden. Perfect way to end the summer.

Beautiful Maine

For those of you that read my other blog, skip ahead...you've already heard enough about my recent trip to Maine :)

We've returned home from a recent trip to Maine and I thought I'd share some pictures of the state we love so much. We stayed in Boothbay Harbor again at our all time favorite inn - The Topside Inn where we had fabulous breakfasts consisting of homemade gingerbread waffles, vegetable frittatas, homemade granola and yogurt, various baked goods, fruit salads, etc. - absolute heaven. In the evenings we dined at the tasty Lobster Dock and enjoyed steamers, corn on the cob, buttermilk biscuits, and Coronas while sitting on the deck overlooking the harbor.









Side trips included a jaunt to Wiscasset where we had an amazing lobster roll (on a toasted buttery croissant, yum) and a big, fat slice of blueberry pie at Sarah's Cafe. We also indulged in a Maine whoopie pie (double yum) before browsing some antique shops and picking up some cute souvenirs and books of course.


Next, drove up the coast to Camden, which I think might be my favorite town in America. The library and grounds are amazing and I make a point to stop in everytime I am there. Check out the benches outside of the library and the beautiful flower gardens surrounding the building.

We stopped for lunch at a very authentic Thai restaurant (can't remember the name if it now) - we were so happy to see it was still in business since it had just opened there the previous year. The food was excellent again - I got some wonderful pad thai while my very daring husband tried the "Camden Special"; I don't think he had a stomach lining left after he ate it.

All in all, a great trip despite some dismal weather. We can't wait to go back again next summer or maybe even in the fall.

Reading The Girls by Lori Lansens now and am mesmerized. Sometimes as I am reading this novel it's easy to forget the girls are conjoined twins since it alternates between being narrated by each sister. The sisters are very different from one another and their life experiences have served to shape them into very unique individuals despite experiencing the same things together from birth throughout their entire lives. Definitely one of my favorite summer reads so far.

She's Come Undone

Thank you to everyone for their kind comments in response to my last post. I have since been wearing much more fitted clothing in an attempt to avoid anymore confusion and assumptions. But I must say, those looser, flowy tops are way more comfortable so I don't think I'll ever be able to ban them from my closet completely :)

Thought I'd start this post off with a picture of my newly painted family room and bookshelves. What was once faux wood paneling is now an airy linen white. It brightens up the room tremendously and I love how all of the book bindings look against the white shelves. The books get to be the focal point of the room!

The book I finished most recently was She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I read this when it first came out and loved it and reread it again last week for my book club. Although there were some mixed reactions to it from the other bookclub members, a lot of conversation was generated which was nice - the group tends to have a hard time staying on topic. The main character Dolores Price suffers from numerous self-esteem issues which are the product of various events that take place over the course of her childhood and early adulthood. While other characters misinterpret her abrupt, harsh nature as an abrasive personality, the reader gets to see a side of Dolores that others don't and recognize her lashing out as insecurity, uncertainty, and self-loathing. Truly unputdownable in my opinion - a great summertime read if you haven't already experienced it.

I know this has been mentioned in the blogosphere several times already, but if you're not in the know yet you might want to check out LibriVox. LibriVox provides free access to audio versions of those books in the public domain. A great way to catch up on some of the classics. For instance, I enjoy knitting, but find that it takes away from my much valued reading time. This weekend while lounging on the porch and knitting up a baby sweater for a friend's baby I listened to the first few chapters of Little Men by Louisa May Alcott on my laptop. It was rather enjoyable - the only thing I'd warn you about is sometimes the narrators voices are hit or miss. Some narrators tend to be monotone which usually kills the story for me, but there are some good ones so it's worth the listen.

And to all those Americans reading - have a happy 4th!

Awkward

I experienced a very awkward moment yesterday. On my way home from work, I stopped at my local fabric/yarn shop to pick up a few balls of yarn for a friend so that I could knit her new baby a little sweater. To set the stage, yesterday I was wearing a tunic top (which I have loved until recent events described here) similar to the one pictured below. Not this shirt exactly, but close enough - slightly high waisted, flowy material, and oh so comfortable!

I get up to the register, the woman working rings me out and as she hands me my package, points to my stomach area and asks "So when is the happy day?" My first thought was "What the hell is she talking about?" AND then after I realized what she was referring to, I started stuttering and eventually managed to choke out the words "Oh, I'm not pregnant!" as I frantically tried to smooth the front of my shirt so she could see that the air bubble there was indeed NOT my stomach. We both stood there uncomfortably for a few seconds while she then began stuttering in response "Oh, I'm so sorry - it must have been the shirt..." and both of our faces started turning several shades of red.

In all honesty I think she felt worse than I did because it was so obvious how embarassed she was, so I awkwardly snatched up my package and made my way out the door. I immediately called my husband for reassurance that no I do not look pregnant and no I do not have a huge gut. Then we went out to dinner and I got carded when I ordered my raspberry mojito which slightly offset the earlier trauma of the day. And to be fair to the woman at the store I was buying baby yarn and I do know those tunic type tops have the tendency to billow out sometimes giving the aura of pregnancy, but STILL - WHO THE HELL ASKS THAT unless they are absolutely certain??

Another friend had a similar thing happen to her - only the woman that did it to her actually reached out and felt my friend's stomach when she asked. Another very awkward moment as my friend was not pregnant either. And I also have to say I usually have a pretty accurate body perception of myself and although I am not super skinny, I'm not what you would call overweight either - I try to eat right, I jog a few times a week, all in all I'm pretty healthy. However when I woke up at 6:00 am to go jogging this morning, all I heard in my head over and over again was "So, when is the happy day?" WHY DON'T PEOPLE THINK BEFORE THEY SPEAK? Note to self: Never. wearing. that. shirt. again.

On to book talk...I just finished The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde and thought it was a pretty good read. A quick read told from different points of view of each family member - the abortionist doctor herself, her husband, her daughter, and the detective investigating the case before the killer is finally revealed. Kind of predictable, but still enjoyable.

Now I'm reading A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read. This is a good summer read. It takes place in Syracuse, NY among the working class while a former debutante of NY's wealthy Long Island set investigates a 20 year old double murder that her favorite cousin may have been involved in. I really like Read's characters - there's some grit to them which keeps it interesting.

And of course after going to the library last night with the intention of only returning books and renewing existing ones I had checked out, I came home with 7 new ones. I just can't seem to help myself :)

Next up - The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery, The Dead Father's Club by Matt Haig, and The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer and Susan Dworkin.

And this lovely picture that makes me smile. Wild roses growing in our yard. We have rose bushes we planted ourselves, but I think I like these wild ones even better with their deep color and heavenly fragrance!

Rise and Shine

I'm currently sitting at work alternating between drinking mass quantities of hot tea, ginger ale, and water, and putting my head down on my desk every 20 minutes. I woke up this morning with the dreaded summertime cold. I hate having colds or being sick in any way, shape or form, just like everyone else does, but to have a nasty cold during the hot weather of summer seems so unnatural. My throat is on fire and my ears keep popping leaving me fearful of tomorrow morning (when the cold will have spread into my chest and head as they always do) while I chant to myself "I will not be sick, I will not be sick." It's always a tug of war with my conscience as I debate whether or not to throw in the towel, go home early, and take half a sick day, or try to tough it out for the rest of the afternoon. Unfortunately, toughing it out seems to be the plan of action today as I have an afternoon meeting I can't really miss. Not that I will actually be of any use to anyone in that meeting as I sit there in a cold-medicated haze.

Enough complaining. Done.

I'm reading Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine at the moment and am thoroughly enjoying it. I've taken this one out of the library on three separate occasions only having to return it before I actually got a chance to read it. I'm glad I've finally managed to crack it open. So far, it's the story of 2 sisters living very different lives in NYC while keeping a very close sisterly bond intact. The unexpected happens when the older sister (Meghan) essentially snaps while on air hosting the nation's most popular morning news show. Compounded with Meghan's husband of 22 years leaving her, it's Bridget's (the younger sister) turn to take on the big sisterly role as she tries to keep the family together. I've never read anything else by Anna Quindlen, but am finding that I really like her writing style. Anyone recommend any of her other novels in particular that I should read next?

Need to go pop another zinc lozenge and drink the third gallon (exaggerating here) of water for the day before my meeting. So miserable now...so, so miserable. I needed to get that last complaint in before I signed off ;)

My first meme

I've been tagged by I Buy Books for the 8 random things meme. I've never participated in a meme before and after catching up on my blog reading I think I may be among the last few in the blogosphere to list my 8 random facts/habits. So I won't tag anyone else since most have been tagged already. But here goes:

1. I am 31 years old and have never had a cavity (something I am very proud of :)

2. I think I am one of the few people on the planet that cannot stand watching any of the Star Wars movies. Much to my husband's dismay, I despise them. Not a big fan of Lord of the Rings either.

3. I am literally allergic to exercise. Seriously. Everytime I work out I break out in itchy hives. This has been a rather recent development. To get around this annoying issue I take Claritin or Zyrtec before I go jogging. Which doesn't always work, but I guess it's better than nothing. I'm hoping the hives will one day disappear as mysteriously as they came.

4. I am three inches taller than my husband, therefore it's pretty rare for me to ever wear heels. Flip flops are my footwear of choice. I should probably just get over it, own up to my height of 5'9", and wear heels with pride. There are some benefits to being tall I suppose...one in particular is it takes more time for unwanted pounds to show up on a taller frame because there is more area to spread it over! Regardless, I feel like I am always trying to lose 10 pounds. Sigh...

5. I've never read Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice (both are on my TBR list for this summer).

6. I am a packrat and surround myself with clutter. Not matter how hard I try, I just do not have the knack for organization and simplification.

7. My favorite place in the world is Hawaii. Someday I will get back there.

8. I am one of those people that must get at least 8 hours of sleep a night in order to be productive and not cranky...I'm 10 minutes late for work every morning because I've hit the snooze button one too many times.

Speaking of sleep, I am headed upstairs to bed. We spent the entire weekend painting our family room. We painted over hideous faux wood paneling which required 2 coats of primer and then 2 coats of paint. Not to mention the built in bookcases we had to paint around. I am wiped. But the room no longer feels like a dungeon!

Before I sign off - has anyone read Black Girl, White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates? I just finished it - great book.

I'm back

I know I have been MIA for the past month, recent weeks have been crazy busy, although most weeks seem crazy busy. I definitely think I need to scale back my activities before I run myself ragged. I feel like I haven't had much time to do any significant reading lately and that's never a good thing. I look forward to lazy summer evenings lounging on my porch with a good book and the crickets chirping (or whatever it is that they do) in the background. Those days cannot get here fast enough. In any case, I recently discovered Bloglines and have been reading what everyone's been up to - you've all been very busy!

Lately, I've had a minor obsession with buying knitting books. Just today I found three more I want. I need to slow down with the purchasing because I can't knit as fast as I am buying the books! It's all the beautiful pictures that entice me into thinking "Yeah, I can do that..." and while maybe I can, most of the patterns I am drawn to would take me forever. But does that stop me from buying the books? Nooo, of course not. This time though I am going to be smart and take these three out of the library and determine realistically just how many of the patterns I would knit before I invest the money. In no particular order, here they are.

Sigh...I want. But I don't need.

I did manage to score some great finds at a library book sale the other weekend. I picked up several hardcover craft books for $2 a piece.

But the best find of the day was Michael Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White. This is one that's been talked about a lot in the blogosphere; I was so happy to see it laying on the table I let out a little shriek when I spotted it. I'm glad to own this one as it is a rather hefty book; I know I can take my time with it and not have to worry about getting it back to the library.
Which is exactly what happened to me with Michael Gruber's The Book of Air and Shadows. I got about 225 pages in and was way overdue my 2 allowed renewals so I had to give in and bring it back. I marked down my page number though and have already requested it again.

Other books I have out of the library include The Post-Birthday World, The Teahouse Fire, and Rise and Shine. I've got my reading cut out for me!

And from this point forward I vow to be less sporadic with my posts. With summer coming and the promise of extra reading time, I am sure I will have lots to post about. One more thing...Picnik is my new favorite tool - it's a very fun photo editor and is completely free.

Getting my head above water again

After a very busy two and a half weeks, I feel like I am finally getting my head above water again. Work has been positively insane and since so much of my job involves programming the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of a computer again. Which has caused me to feel very out of the loop; I'm glad I'm getting the chance now to catch up on all of my blog reading!

I finished Moloka'i about 2 weeks ago and can say it was probably one of the best books I have ever read. The novel follows a young girl diagnosed with leprosy at the age of seven. After she is shipped off to Moloka'i with other people also afflicted with the disease, the reader witnesses Rachel and other members of the leper colony create a sense of community in a place where they have been sent as a means to isolate them from the general population. Some of the residents at Moloka'i have more visible signs of the disease than others, but none of that matters. The community members create beautiful lives for themselves in the midst of severe hardship and incredibly bad luck. Really, just an amazing book.


Right now, I am almost done with Mark Haddon's A Spot of Bother and am loving this one too. I enjoyed his previous novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, but I think I am enjoying A Spot of Bother more. The novel centers around George, the patriarch of a modern day dysfunctional family. In the midst of his daughter planning her wedding to a man they all think is wrong for her, his gay son is experiencing yet another failed relationship, his wife is having an affair with his old co-worker, and George finds a raised bump on his hip that he begins obsessing about, fearful that it may be cancer. I feel like I know these people; regardless of the issues they have with one another, all are quite likeable characters and I find myself rooting for each of them.

All of my fiction reading has been from the library lately so I've been pretty good about not spending money on that, although I can't say the same for craft books. But I figure craft books are books that are better to own since they contain such good reference material. Here's a snapshot of my recent acquisitions from the past few weeks.

And for those of you that like to bake, be sure to try out this recipe from The Canadian Baker. I made these almond-ricotta Napolean pastries for breakfast one weekend and they were super easy and delicious. Enjoy!

Adorable bookplates

I came across the Pink Loves Brown site today and had to pass it on. I love the idea of bookplates, but have never puchased them for myself. I've given them as gifts before, although sometimes my less bookish friends look at them not really understanding what they are until I explain it to them. And then there is always a look of understanding and a "Hey, that's a great idea!" that follows the explanation. I think most people just write their names on the inside of the book cover and then don't think about it again. But these deserve a second look. I can't wait to buy my own set. Ex Libris - if you're reading, these are especially for you!
Right now I'm reading Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene mentioned in an earlier post. It's the first in a series that I have read twice before and I am loving every minute of it. Alternating between Berlin, Vienna, and Prague during WWII, it's a mesmerizing read. I was happy to stumble across the books again at my local library.


I've also started Alan Brennert's Moloka'i and found myself sucked in after the first chapter. I can't wait to get some more of it read tonight. I really do need to update the "What's On My Nightstand" links to the right of my blog posts. Most of those have already come and gone!