Currently, the End-of-April Edition

• Helping Haley read Hamlet. It's not her favorite. (She read Macbeth last year and loved it. Coincidentally Nathan's class also presented Macbeth, so they sort-of read it together.) I got her a copy from the Simply Shakespeare editions, which has a contemporary translation on one page, Shakespeare's words on the other. Much more manageable for a high school student. (I'm not sold on the idea of high school students reading Shakespeare anyway. I think you need more life experience and education before you can actually enjoy The Bard.)
• Trying to incorporate MUFAs into all of my meals. I'm tired of my belly!
• Gardening a lot. I've not really done much until last week but suddenly I can't get enough of digging in the dirt. Up this week is a trip to the nursery for some new flowers.
• Loving the two purple irises blooming in my front yard.
• Disbelieving that there's only a month of school left.
• Resolving to finish Kaleb's dino quilt before his birthday.
• Also working on a hip to be square quilt to donate to a library fundraiser.
• Scrapbooking Easter and birthday photos.
• Working on a short story based on an image left over from a dream. Hoping I can just finish it, whether or not it's any good!
• Hoping that Jake's last track meet this week—Alpine Days, which is like the state championships for junior high track—goes well and he clears 5'2" in high jump.
• Reading and thoroughly enjoying the novel Once Upon a River and the essay collection Why I Write.
• Savoring this online collection of thoughts about short lines of poetry: life/lines. It is reacquainting me with poetry in a way I didn't realize I needed.
• Trying to decide what book to take on my upcoming trip to Mexico. 11/23/63 by Steven King? Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet? The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron? Or some other book I haven't thought of yet? (If you have suggestions, toss them my way! I want something long and involved but not too hard.)
• Grappling with Nathan's newly-sprouted teenage attitude. It's not my favorite thing. Jake and Haley both went through a similar phase at his age...which doesn't make it easier or more enjoyable.
• Thinking that I need to take Kaleb in to have the dermatologist check the mole he has on his groin. Not sure how he will handle the exam however.
• Keeping my friend Jamie and her daughter in my thoughts and prayers.
• Needing (still!) new running shoes but thinking tomorrow will be the day. Tomorrow,or maybe Wednesday. I don't love shopping for running shoes because they're expensive and because I always feel a little bit silly. This time, however, I am determined to not leave the store without a shoe I actually love. I have HATED my last pair.
• Wishing that my mom would sell her house and move closer to me and my sisters; glad that my mother-in-law finally managed to do just that and is now settled in to her new condo.
• Trying to plan some fun summer traditions to implement this year. Last summer was pretty lame in the fun department.
• Wondering how to get started with college applications and scholarships for Haley; also desperately hoping she'll find a summer job.
• Laughing at something Kaleb just said: "Mom, I see that I have photo albums, and Haley and Jake and Nathan do, but I want to see dad's picture book." Yes. Dad can have a picture book when he actually lets me take his picture. Almost every photo I have of kendell looks like this:

When he stops doing that I will make him a scrapbook!

What's up currently in your world?

 

Comments

[Julie]

My vote is for The Shadow of the Wind. I read it two years ago and really enjoyed it as a vacation book. Currently, I'm reading Wildwood by Colin Meloy, from The Decemberists. Though fantasy, it is set in Portland, OR, my neck of the woods.
Currently, I am...
-thinking about the rest of the Cherry Garcia in the freezer.
-wishing that I could smell lilacs all day long.
-overwhelmed with the amount of projects, assignments, and tasks that need to be completed before this school year can end.(I'm a teacher.)
-happy that it will be light outside tomorrow morning when I wake up for work.
-hoping to get my car earlier than later this week after the smashed back window gets repaired.
-convincing myself that a new pair of running shoes will increase motivation to get out more than I have the last three weeks.
-knowing that the Cherry Garcia isn't going to last many more minutes.
Bye Amy.
Have a good week.

[Margot/NZ]

I really enjoyed the latest Ken Follet tome - Fall of Giants. It's about WW1 - before, during and after, and educated me as well as entertained me.

Your photo on WCS (apple blossom?) is just lovely!

I was trying not to worry about our kitten who was spayed on Thursday and has swelling around the wound; feel so much better since I gave up trying not to worry and made a vet appointment for tomorrow!
It's autumn here and I'm enjoying the lovely colours (not nearly as many deciduous trees as in a US 'fall' but enough to be pretty) and having the woodburner going some evenings.
We have a big market day on Saturday - tomorrow I have to complete a business tax return, but Wednesday will see me making pesto and bagging up hazelnuts for the market.
And I'm adjusting to having a son who has turned 21 and is officially an adult. Gasp!

[Becky]

I vote for Shadow of the Wind. It might be the Zafron book I read. But it might be the one that is before the one I read. Are you tempted by the Stephen King one? I've never read one by him.

I am currently putting off giving up soda - again - for the third time this year. It sucks me in every single time!

That's what my pictures of Kendell look like too. He loves to have his hand photographed... :)

[Jamie]

thank you...
we're feeling a little anxious over here but trying to keep it all in perspective. It sounds like my mom/dad are coming. so sweet. It will be nice to not be alone in the hospital. Plus dad knows all the medical jargon and can help translate :) and mom is just mom, stress-reliever, extraordinaire! (thank goodness for spell check on that last word. sheesh!) Mark offered to take the day off but he gets so nervous and anxious, I'd rather have him working where he will be busy and able to not think about it sometimes. I know it will be fine but it doesn't stop the terrible daydream what if moments from cropping up from time to time.....
I love you! THank you for the talk therapy in the hall yesterday. I miss the post spinning driveway ones. ;(

[Anne Swenson]

Definitely read Pillars of the Earth...the whole series....soooooo good!

[Chris S.]

Tell Jake that if he clears 5'2" he'll be able to jump over me :)

I just finished reading "Night Circus" I enjoyed it and think it would be a good vacation book.

[Lucy]

there aren’t many books I have hated but Pillars of the Earth was one. Sorry to the lovers out there but after investing in that many pages, I expected more than a melodrama. Read Here Be Dragons for a better novel about a similar time period.

You’d probably like Shadow of the Wind. Good writing. And I’ve heard excellent things about the King novel. I have never read him because I thought he only wrote horror but apparently he’s branching out:)