My life has been pretty uneventful...but I have read some good books...

Not much has been happening around here...the usual routine. But I have been reading a lot lately and I've read a few good books. When I'm at work I see all the books that are circulating...so I know what's popular (at least in this corner of the world) and I can always tell what the book clubs are reading...(by the number of holds on a title).
For a long time I primarily read non-fiction. I have always enjoyed biographies...even as a kid.I stayed away from most fiction because I guess I read a string of books that had these characters with so many problems or weird disfunctional families that I just lost interest. I had enough of my own issues/problems whatever that I wasn't interested in entertaining myself by reading about fictional people with too many problems. But over the years I have been finding more and more fiction that I enjoy.( I seem to gravitate towards historical fiction..)When the film "Midnight in Paris" came out...several people told me it was well worth seeing. We got it in at the library and I watched it. I enjoyed the story and then one of the Library volunteers told me how much she had enjoyed it as well as the book "The Paris Wife". I had seen that book going out quite a bit and I had nothing to read so I checked it out. I really enjoyed it...not to mention it made me want to have a 1920"s themed party...which I will do sometime in the future.....(David can hang is "old" artwork....the abstract stuff...kind of Picasso-like...maybe he can come to the party as Picasso...who knows...lots of possibilities... Cole Porter music, martinis...or drinks in martini glasses... I don't drink martinis...haha). I've already been online checking out suitable wigs/costumes, etc. At any rate...back to the post...the book was a good read...a fictional account of Hemingway's first marriage and time spent in Paris. There was a lot going on at that time...lots of art, literary works and music being created and they sure had fun in the process. After I read the book...I watched the movie a second time...and enjoyed it even more...because I had a better idea of who everyone was...I followed that book up with an older book that for whatever reason I never read...."The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" by Annie Barrows. I loved this book. It was about London and Guernsey Island just after World War II. I didn't want it to end I loved the people in the story, learned a little about what was going on in that part of the world during the war...that I didn't previously know anything about and didn't want it to end......but of course it did....haha, but enjoyed it anyway...and wonder why no one ever made it into a movie?
I read a non-fiction book "Enjoy Every Sandwich" by Lee Lipsenthal. Interesting....the author had terminal cancer...talked about making the most of every day...he had some interesting wacky? ideas...overall it was a good message...enjoy life...enjoy every day!
After that book I got the new book by one of my favorite YA authors...John Green.
He's very popular with the YA crowd...and I guess big kids like me like him too. His first book..."Looking For Alaska" is one of my favorites! After I read it I bought a copy...told my girls to read it...they did...they liked it...and I recommend it often.That story was told from the point of view of a young man...which I found interesting...as a woman, with two daughters...it made me think a little differently about situations....a different perspective. I have read subsequent books by Green and have enjoyed them as well...(his characters always have these little personality quirks...that make them who they are...it's fun) ...but I have to say his latest "The Fault in Our Stars" is my favorite since "Looking For Alaska". In the latest book...the main character is Hazel...a 16 year old with terminal cancer.....so it is what you would expect...a little sad. It is a great story about Hazel and her experience in a kids Cancer Support Group. I just love the way the characters think and talk to one another...it all feels so real...even though I personally have no way of knowing what it's like to be 16 and have cancer. One thing I really like about all of Green's books...is again the great personality quirks each of his main characters have...but also in each book there is at least one conversation between the character and a friend or a parent or whatever...and it just makes me stop and think..."He really GETS it."...I don't know if that makes any sense...but give one of the books a try and see for yourself.
Right now I'm reading a funny/sad book called "An Available Man" by Hilma Wolitzer. (I'm not sure how I got on this track of books about cancer, cancer survivors...etc...just random luck). It's about a 62 yr old guy, named Edward Schuyler, who has lost his wife to cancer and is trying to move forward. He's surrounded by well-meaning friends and family members who want to set him up on dates...and as the review puts it...he is ambushed by all the available middle-aged women. It's funny and heartbreaking to see him trying to get past the loss of his wife and start really living again...but the women are (sadly) true to life and pretty funny!(some of them are just kind of desperate..haha) It makes me glad I am not "dating" at this point in my life.... I haven't finished it yet...but so far so good.
Another recent book I enjoyed was "The Dry Grass of August" by Anna Jean Mayhew...it was set in the 1960's in the south....I enjoyed reading about the time frame...the character was close to my age in the 1960's...and while the similarities end there... it was a good read. Well...this has gone on long enough...haha...

Am I a saint? or just stupid?

"You have the patience of a saint"....I can't tell you how many times I've heard that over the years. A few stand out...once when dealing with the Brownie troop...haha and another when I "taught" I use that term loosely 5th grade CCD. I had about 25 kids...about 20 of them were boys and they all had way too much energy...haha One kid in particular drove me crazy...unfortunately he also was the one that usually could answer the questions I asked. When the priest dropped in on our class one day and asked the kids "What do you think of your teacher?"...that kid spoke up right away "She's very patient!"Okaaaaaaay.(I used to think to myself..."Why am I doing this? I could be at home drinking coffee, reading the newspaper." haha) So I guess it's a good thing...but sometimes being patient almost makes me feel a little ridiculous...for instance
Sunday I decided I was going to Macy's to buy myself some new make-up. I had been thinking about going ever since I came home from work one day and realized that my make-up foundation...not much else was giving me a sort of orangey glow....yikes...I was hoping none of the patrons were looking at me closely enough to see this! I was putting it off...but decided that an offer from Lancome was good incentive to just go get some new foundation. I unfortunately arrived right after a woman, her daughter, grand-daughter and great granddaughter all got there. "Mom" was getting some new concealer. There was only one girl working at the counter...and I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted...so I didn't mind waiting my turn.Well...once she decided on a new concealer...daughter suggests she get some foundation while she's at it."Mom" hems and haws...decides that's not a bad idea but doesn't remember what color she's currently using...so they go through the process of figuring that out. Meanwhile daughter and clerk smile and apologize to me...I smile back..."No problem...I'm not really in a hurry." Other clerks from other counters come over to help...but again..I'm not sure exactly what I want...so I wait. Meanwhile great granddaughter is whining for some lip gloss, granddaughter is attempting to get daughter to buy her some earrings on display across the isle and daughter in her tight leopard print tank top...that shows off her various tattoos (okay the fact that I am sharing this detail proves that I am NOT a saint...haha)is giving mom advice and going over to try on earrings herself. And I am still waiting...at this point I'm getting a little frustrated...but I've waited this long...why leave now...and I know myself well enough to know that if I leave I won't come back...and I really do need the make-up. well...foundation, concealer, eye shadow and lip gloss later...it's finally time for "Mom" to check out. Now they are tracking down the lip gloss color that great granddaughter has her eye on...it's not available so they have to match it to something that is. They finally find it...I've meanwhile talked to complained to Brenna on the phone...also talked to John--- "Where are you?" and more than one clerk has come over and said..."You're still waiting?" I'm still trying smiling. I just want the damn make-up....and when one tells me I have the patience of a saint...I think...yes either that or I'm an idiot...but what the hell. After "Mom" decided to apply for a Macy's charge card...and got rejected incidentally...and finally paid...the girl helped me find my color. I almost lost it when daughter found out the card application did not get approved and said...you could use my Macy's charge...I almost jumped her...haha...luckily "Mom" declined. All along I told myself...the clerk was just doing her job...trying to keep the customer happy...and really...her job is to sell the products so she certainly wouldn't discourage her from buying one of everything (almost)...so it wasn't her fault. I really didn't have anything better to do...but I was starting to feel a little stupid...so I don't know...patience is good...but mine was getting tested. The good thing is that if anyone is keeping track of these things...I'm looking pretty good for sainthood...haha

Valentine's Day

I hope I get a good Godiva chocolate treat today...even if I have to go buy it for myself most likely!. I did get a very nice card from John this morning and we went out to dinner and breakfast the other day...so that's really enough. We don't normally do anything big on Valentine's Day......but that doesn't mean I don't want some good chocolate! :)

Valentine stories and more

Last Saturday at the library we had some Dragon Dancers. They put on a show for Chinese New Year. I wasn't there, but Dianne said she had over 150 people. They had refreshments, the dancers and a craft for the kids. I helped cut out all the pieces...there were lots of parts to the mask the kids made....cute.
Thursday I did Valentine stories at Storytime. Here's a couple of the books I used this past week.
The kids always enjoy pop-up books. In Bee Mine, all the different animals are sending valentines to one another...complete with the corny greetings.


Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas was one I hadn't seen before. The story is about a little girl who wants to make a valentine heart for her mother...but she has a little trouble making her heart(s).
As you can see with this illustration...she manages to come up with a solution. Everyone , adults and children, liked this story.
Another hit was Mamma's Kiss by Jane Yolen. Mama throws a kiss and it bounces off the baby and makes it's way around the house, and town and eventually ends up back home where it all started. Simple illustrations...but it was very cute! Everyone enjoyed it.
This adorable book came in the courier too late for me to use Thursday...but I'll share it with the kids next week
It's a Toddler book with flaps. Very cute and colorful. Dianne used it Friday and the little ones liked it.
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I liked this book as soon as I saw it...we asked the director to order us a copy!
Have a Happy Valentine's Day on Tuesday.

weekly wrap up

We had a nice week last week...starting with the Super Bowl party. The weather all week was a little different than our usual winter weather. It was cloudy and humid and warmer than normal all week. We finally got a good soaking of rain at the end of the week and then a cold front worked it's way down to Florida. Saturday was windy and kind of cool...then it got chilly last night. This morning we woke up to cold temperatures and foggy windows. Finally!

For a re-cap of last week...We started off with the fun Super Bowl party...we all agreed that the food and friends made for a great time. I think everyone enjoyed it. It was also the first day of Joe and Marilyn's visit. They arrived late Saturday night and jumped right in with golf and the party on Sunday.
John took the three of us down to the job site where he was working last week. Friends of ours are opening a Bed and Breakfast in Melbourne Beach. It's across the street from Rykman Park and within view of the Melbourne Beach Pier. The are remodeling an old home and then built a new building in back that will have 6 rooms available, a small pool and gazebo area. Very Nice...it looks like it will be cozy. They hope to open in a month...John figures it will more likely be about 2 months until they finish. John did all the tile work. each room has some sea glass tile. There is a big old oak tree that they built around...I liked that.

We had to take our guests to all the local spots...LongDoggers and Moo's of course! Joe has a real sweet tooth...so he stopped by the local candy shop for some chocolate covered potato chips.
and we all enjoyed the hot tub. Nothing beats sending a photo of yourself in the hot tub back home to friends up north! hahaha
John had some snapper to cook up for Marilyn...island style.
Marilyn cooked us dinner one night Pana-peian style barbecued chicken and a chicken and noodle dish. It was nice to come home from work to a big dinner. Everything was good.

The week ended with a trip to Orlando to have dinner with Martha and Tony, David and Bridget. Martha and Tony left here last Monday for a couple of days in Orlando and then a meeting in the Bahamas. They got back to Orlando yesterday and had one last day in town before leaving for home this morning. We picked them up at the airport hotel and we all went to dinner at my favorite place...The Flying Fish at Disney's Boardwalk.
we all had a good dinner and some nice wine and a lot of laughs.
and then it was time to say goodbye to them and the end of a great week.
It's going to be awfully quiet around here this week. The good thing is that in a few weeks we will see Martha and Tony again in Lake Tahoe...when we meet them to ski/snowboard and celebrate our 30Th anniversary.(we actually went to Tahoe on our honeymoon...and just by chance...we will be going back to celebrate our anniversary.)

Super fun Sunday

We had a great full weekend of fun and family. My sister Martha and Tony were in town before heading over to a meeting in the Bahamas next week. Saturday night we got together with Paul, Mark, David, Bridget, Martha, Tony for a dinner of fresh fish. (John and his group got 13 mahi mahi, Ron and Ben got a bunch of tuna and mahi mahi Thursday...all in all they spent 5! hours cleaning fish on Friday) we had a great dinner and then later that night John went to pick up his cousin Joe and Marilyn who were coming in from Scranton, PA.
Martha, Tony and Marilyn posed for a picture at the place Martha and Tony were staying at down by the boardwalk. After the last cookie incident...haha (that we are still laughing about) I made a big platter of cookies. They were all gone before the end of the night. Bridget took one, took a bite and said "Now that's a cookie!"
In the morning Martha and I took a walk and we passed several people we knew...all of whom said..."Are you going to the party? See you there!" So we were looking forward to a fun time.
Not everyone...as a matter of fact mostly everyone...really didn't care WHO won...because around here there are lots of Dolphin fans...like John and Bridget. (There were others in Dolphin gear too.)

Al was making adjustments before the game

when Madonna was performing at half time...some of the crowd got in on the dancing. Al called to the girls working inside to come out...they had fun
then Al grabbed a friend and joined in

Martha,Pat, Gayle and Marilyn and
plus Anne
we were having fun. The girl between me and Pat was cheering and ringing a cow bell...Al asked her who she was rooting for...her answer "I don't know. Who does Tom Brady play for?"
this is a bad picture really...but Martha's expression sums up the night which ended up with a great exciting finish. David and Bridget were dancing to a Bobby Darin song in his van while Destin rolled her eyes and assured me she was driving them home HAHAH When Tony started dancing with them Martha and I got a little nervous...we figured they all end up in a heap on the pavement...haha...but they did not.

We ate till we were full...everyone made something...fresh fish, crab, tuna, ribs, chicken, pork, veggies and dip, 7 layer dip and chips...etc. We saw lots of people...Martha enjoyed seeing old friends...Marilyn and Joe met all of our crazy friends...and we all had a great time!

Friday!

It's Friday afternoon and I am so glad! Tomorrow my sister Martha and Tony will be arriving for a couple of days. Tomorrow night John's cousin Joe and his wife will be here from Pennsylvania. Big tailgate party planned for Sunday...who cares who wins the Super Bowl...haha my teams are out. Looking forward to fun with family we don't see that often, cooking out with fresh fish (caught yesterday!) and who knows what else!
Happy weekend!