Anne (AMQS) reads in 2015 -- chapter 4

Welcome to my fourth thread of 2015! I'm so pleased you've joined me here.

I am featuring picture book illustrations again this year. Sparky is a fairly new picture book, and is a 2016 Colorado Children's Book Award nominee. I have read this to most students at my school, and they enjoy the quiet and slyly humorous story of a little girl and her sloth Sparky. There's even a kiss blown to school librarians -- apparently we know everything:) Sparky is written by Jenny Offill, and illustrated by Chris Appelhans.

December, 2015
78. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
79. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
80. Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
81. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
82. Christmas at Thompson Hall and other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope
83. Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

November, 2015
74. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
75. East of the Sun by Julia Gregson
76. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
77. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

October, 2015
68. The Giver by Lois Lowry
69. Entwined by Heather Dixon
70. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
71. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
72. The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves by Stephen Grosz
73. Backyard Witch: Sadie's Story by Christine Heppermann and Ron Koertge

September, 2015
61. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
62. Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon
63. Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
64. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
65. The Touchstone by Edith Wharton
66. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
67. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

August, 2015
54. The Story of My Disappearance by Paul Watson
55. Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
56. Paper Towns by John Green
57. The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas
58. Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale
59. The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
60. Hell's Bottom, Colorado by Laura Pritchett

July, 2015
44. Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
45. Loot by Jude Watson
46. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
47. Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace for Your School by Laura Fleming
48. The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide
49. I Funny: A Middle School Story by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
50. Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke
51. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
52. The Martian by Andy Weir
53. Everyday Angel: New Beginnings by Victoria Schwab

June, 2015
36. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
37. The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter
38. The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall
39. The Gravity of Birds by Tracy Guzeman
40. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara
41. Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
42. The Caliph's House by Tahir Shah
43. The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason

May, 2015
31. Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside
32. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
33. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
34. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
35. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

April, 2015
24. Midnight in Peking by Paul French
25. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
26. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
27. Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
28. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
29. King Lear by William Shakespeare
30. Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin

March, 2015
17. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
18. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Method of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
19. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
20. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
21. A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
22. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
23. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

February, 2015
10. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel by Michael Scott
11. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
12. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
13. El Deafo by CeCe Bell
14. Among Others by Jo Walton
15. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
16. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

January, 2015
1. Lexicon by Max Barry
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3. The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
4. The Small Rain by Madeleine L'Engle
5. Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages by Guy Deutscher
6. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer
7. Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieskza
8. Indian Creek Chronicles by Pete Fromm
9. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

66. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

He straightened slowly. He turned and looked at me. His face wore an expression of awe and rage and bewilderment and sadness, all at the same time. I remembered that expression. During the months of my mother's illness, I had drawn her once sitting in the sunlight of our living room, and he had watched me using cigarette ash to give life to the contours of her body and face. He had had that same expression on his face. Who are you? the expression said. Are you really my son? He had not spoken to me then. He did not speak to me now.

This is a beautifully written and achingly sad book about a young Hasidic Jew, Asher Lev, who has an overwhelming need and gift for drawing and painting. Asher's gift manifests itself at a very early age, bestowing upon Asher unusual sight, deep feeling, and hypnotic focus on his art, to the exclusion of nearly everything else. This urge is bewildering to his very traditional parents, who are offended by his artistic sensibilities, and at a loss to understand this obsession in a young man who should be devoting himself to the study of the Torah.

My book club chose this book for our September read, and then were delighted to discover a theater in nearby Golden presenting the play My Name is Asher Lev. We were a little apprehensive about watching the play -- they story is heartbreaking -- but also, most of the book takes place in Asher's head. While it was indeed heartbreaking, it is also a breathtaking adaptation, and was beautifully and lovingly acted. It was a very serendipitous discovery, and a wonderful evening at the theater with good friends.

Hi! Happy new thread!

ETA Sparky looks like a fun book for my niece when she is just a bit older. Asher Lev looks like a good book for me, soon.

Happy new thread, Anne! I'm wishing you a pain-free day too.

I love the humble sloth up top! My fave animal :)

>5 AMQS: and, aaaaaah. My all time favourite book. I re read it last year to make sure, and it still is. And how amazing to see it acted on stage! Wow. I'd love to see that.

Happy new thread, Anne! Charlie and I *love* Sparky!

Happy new thread. Hope your recovery is going well. I love the illustrations and am very tempted by My Name is Asher Lev.

Happy Sunday, Anne! Happy New Thread! I have had My Name is Asher Lev on my To-Read list for ages. Good review!

Happy new thread, Anne!

*waves cast--one more week!*

Happy new thread, Anne. I hope you're feeling better and that the return to work goes smoothly. I love Sparky!

>6 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! Sparky would be a great little book for your niece. It is very fun. I love Chaim Potok. His writing is so lovely, and loving, even when his subject is pain. It is a window into a very different world.

>7 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! Today is starting out pretty good. Yesterday did, too, though I was in a lot of pain by evening. I guess that's progress, though. I go back to school tomorrow, which should distract me. Tonight we are going to a Colorado Avalanche game (hockey). Another good distraction!

>8 LovingLit: Megan, is it your favorite book? I do love Potok's writing. They play was really, really good. Not everyone in the book club loved the book -- too depressing, too much angst, too much repetition (drink your orange juice - the vitamins will go out of it), but we all loved the play. Those who didn't love the book came away with a very different perspective. Those who hadn't finished the book (myself included) went back to the book with new appreciation and understanding. ETA: have you read The Gift of Asher Lev?

I'm hoping you've seen this book?


>9 scaifea: Thank you, Amber!

>10 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. My Name is Asher Lev is a very worthy read. It had been on my pile for awhile, and I'm glad my book club chose it!

>11 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I think you will really enjoy My Name is Asher Lev when you pick it up.

>12 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>13 ronincats: Hi Roni! Oh, you're nearly there! Did you ever figure out how you were injured? I have about 10 more days of soft food and (worst of all) no tooth-brushing:(

>14 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! I'm hoping my swelling goes down -- I'm sure I talk "funny." Looking ahead on the calendar, we have an incredibly busy week ahead, and next weekend, too. Ugh. All the more reason to revel in the sloth (no pun intended) of the past few days!

Oh, I would love to see a play adaptation of My Name is Asher Lev, Anne. I'm glad it worked so well. Fingers crossed some theater company takes it on in our part of the world.

Your comment on so much of the story being in his head reminds me of our concern about seeing the play adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Similar problem, but they carried it off beautifully.

Is it too late to say Happy New Thread, Anne? I hope not. I just said it.
No way I could catch up on thread 3 although I tried. You have had quite an interesting year. I hope that you were able to rest this weekend or at least be greatly refreshed. We'll all rejoice when you get back to normal! Give yourself every opportunity to feel better!!!

I'll join Peggy in saying Happy New Thread, Anne : ). Love the Sparky illustrations at the top!

Happy new thread, Anne! Glad to see you are on the road to recovery after your dental surgery. Sorry to see the recovery has not been pain-free.

>17 jnwelch: Hi Joe! Keep an eye out for My Name is Asher Lev -- the theater here in Golden said they had seen it in NY and were so moved they HAD to bring it here. It worked very, very well.

>18 LizzieD: Never too late, Peggy, thank you! I enjoyed my time off for the laying about and the sloth. Now it's back to work , but I am feeling better.

>19 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! Sparky s a favorite at school:)

>20 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! Every day is better and better. My first day back at work was better than I thought at school, but then singing in rehearsal after school did not go well. There must be a way your gums move and stretch when you sing that doesn't happen the same way when you talk -- even with me barely moving my mouth! Huh. All those years singing and I never knew that!

Glad your mouth is feeling better!!

was here...

>22 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne! Me, too:)

>23 weird_O: Hi Bill! Thank you for dropping by.

*waves cast--6 more days*

Hi Anne! So happy your mouth is feeling better.

Great review of My Name is Asher Lev. I am a big fan of Chaim Potok. How cool to find a play to see, and even better that it was well done. :)

>25 ronincats: Roni, you're close! Probably not as close as you would like, but close!

>26 nittnut: Thank you, Jenn. I'm feeling better, and now I would like to be rid of the Frankengums:) My Name is Asher Lev was terrific -- both the book and the play. I really like Chaim Potok as well. Going to try to find a copy of Davita's Harp.

67. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

I enjoyed this book a lot, and stayed up waaaaaaay past my bedtime last night to finish it. An inspiring true story about a boy growing up in a farming village in Malawi. When drought and wide-spread famine come to Malawi, William has to drop out of school. Crushed, William finds solace in his primary school library, reading everything they have, and repeatedly checking out books about physics. A maker and tinkerer at heart, William reads and puzzles and then hunts scrap materials and fashions a crude windmill made entirely out of recycled parts. Villagers regard him and his creation with suspicion, but it works, and generates electricity for his family's farm. William's success leads to a radio report, an influential blog, and then a guest appearance at a TED event in Tanzania with other inspiring and innovative Africans. William's reaction the first time he is introduced to Google is priceless, and his story from high school dropout to Dartmouth graduate determined to improve the lives of rural Africans is so moving.

My husband has the original book. After some debate I decided to read the Young Readers Edition (not the picture book) from my library so I could recommend it to students. If there's a young tinkerer or dreamer you know, this would be a good choice.

^ Oooh. That sounds fabulous! On to the top of the pile it goes.

Yay Jenn! You will not be blown away by the writing, but rather by the story. I knew practically nothing about Malawi, but his description of the people and their lives is fascinating. Wanted to note that this is NOT a picture book- some reviewers on the book page indicate they read a picture book. The Young Readers Edition is a chapter book about 300 or so pages long. The original book was published for adults.

>28 AMQS: Oh my, Anne, I loved The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (like your hubby, I read the original one). So great to see your positive review. What a story! I hope more folks give it a go.

Anne, wonderful review of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This one sounds excellent! Love this: his story from high school dropout to Dartmouth graduate determined to improve the lives of rural Africans is so moving.

Sounds like non-fiction -- true? (just being lazy, I know I could look it up and see). It may have to go onto the wish list.

>31 jnwelch: Joe, I thought it was so moving -- what a bright young mind using literally every piece of trash he could find to make a big difference for his family and others. Hope I can find an audience for it at my school!

>32 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! It is excellent.

>33 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, Reba, it is non fiction. This remarkable young man tells his own story.

Hi, Anne ~ Just stopping by to see how you're doing.

*waves cast --4 more days!*

Thank you -- I just bought it at Audible. It'll be next up after The Pearl by Steinbeck which I just borrowed from the library.

>35 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, thanks for checking on me! I am getting better every day. I would dearly love to be able to sing and smile and eat like a normal person, but I'm stuck with Frankengums for another week. How are you?

>36 ronincats: Roni, are you sure you should be waving that thing around? ;) You're getting closer and closer every day! I'll bet you can't wait.

>37 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I hope you enjoy it!

Had to share this: All of my issues with the "Goodnight Moon" bedroom. My family saw me laughing helplessly, and asked if that was a good idea with my mouth full of stitches. I admit that I'm sore, but it was so worth it!

Congratulations on your latest thread Anne. Hope you pass 75 in October.

*waves cast--ONE more day!*

To answer your way-back-when question... Yes I have read The Gift of Asher Lev. It was nice enough to read, but had nothing on the original. Which is my #1 all time fave book :)

>28 AMQS: sounds like a good one!

>39 AMQS: Anne, thank you for the link to the Goodnight Moon spoof. That was hilarious! I'm sorry you read it with a mouth full of stitches, though. Gum surgery sounds oh so painful.

I think I'll pull out my copy of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind so it will be handy next time I need a feel-good read. I might also reread some of my Chaim Potok books. I read them so long ago all I have are a few fond memories.

Best of luck on your return to work!

*waves*

>40 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! I am glad you stopped by.

>41 ronincats:, >44 ronincats:: YAY, RONI! What does freedom feel like?

>42 LovingLit: Hi Megan! Yes, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a good one. Good to hear your thoughts on The Gift of Asher Lev. Sounds like one I can pick up if it comes across my path.

>43 Donna828: I'm glad you enjoyed it, Donna -- I still crack up when I read it:) Isn't it nice to have some books in the pile you know will be good ones when they get their turn? Love this community for making my TBR pile so wonderful!

Stitches come out tomorrow! I'm excited to chew food again.

68. The Giver by Lois Lowry

"Do you love me?"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then Father gave a little chuckle. "Jonas. You, of all people. Precision of language, please!"
"What do you mean?" Jonas asked. Amusement was not at all what he had anticipated.
"Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete," his mother explained carefully.
Jonas stared at them. Meaningless? He had never before felt anything as meaningful as the memory.
"And of course our community can't function smoothly if people don't use precise language. You could ask, 'Do you enjoy me?' The answer is 'Yes,'" his mother said.
"Or," his father suggested, "'Do you take pride in my accomplishments?; And the answer is wholeheartedly 'Yes.'"
"Do you understand why it's inappropriate to use a word like 'love?'" Mother asked.
Jonas nodded. "Yes, I think I do," he replied slowly.
It was his first lie to his parents.

This book sits on the boundary of children's literature and YA literature, and is considered a classic. For good reason. The book was published in 1993, the year after I graduated from college, which I think is why I missed it. This is a favorite book of many teachers -- a teacher at my school reads it aloud every year.

The story takes place in a community that values order and sameness. Citizens are assigned everything: their spouse, their children, their adult jobs, their medications, their food and clothes, etc. Jonas is about to turn 12, the age when he will learn his assignment. Jonas is not assigned, but selected, to become the community's new Receiver, the person who can offer guidance to the community based on the memories and feelings that have been transmitted to him from the old Receiver, a man who opens Jonas's eyes to what the world was like before sameness and choice. I read this book in one sitting.

>46 AMQS: I read that one in school (I can't remember if it was late elementary or early junior high) and adored it. Glad you did too. :)

>47 MickyFine: Hi Micky! Wow, it was good. Glad I read it at long last! Have you read any of the other books in the quartet?

69. Entwined by Heather Dixon, audiobook narrated by Mandy Williams

This is a YA retelling of the classic fairytale The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and in true fairytale style, combines sinister elements, dark enchantments, loss, love, and slippers. Eldest princess Azalea, the only one of the sisters who is of age, takes her ailing mother's place at the palace's annual Yuletide Ball. Just before the ball, the queen extracts a promise from Azalea that she will take care of her sisters. Later that night, the queen dies after delivering Lily, the twelfth and youngest princess. Just as Azalea was expecting the dresses, balls, and engagements of being of age, the palace is plunged into mourning for a year. The girls discover a magical passage in their room which leads to a silver forest and an enchanted ballroom controlled by a mysterious man named Keeper. Keeper invites the princesses back again night after night, but as his name suggests, he *keeps* things, and before the girls are aware of it, they become so far entwined into a magical contract of sorts with Keeper that everything and everyone they love may be hanging in the balance.

A good and suspenseful story. The writing is a bit lazy at times, and the princesses a bit too petulant at times for my taste. The back-of-the-book blurb says that just as Azalea is about to enjoy all the parties and accoutrements of her age and position, it is all taken away from her. I was thinking wicked stepmother or something, but what essentially drives the plot, and what keeps the girls returning night after night to dance after being expressly forbidden by the king is mourning. Mourning! Mourning their beloved mother. It's not FAIR!!!! I don't do snotty girl very well, so that did grate on me as a mother and a teacher. Then I would tell myself to get a grip and remember that as fairytale girl princesses, they really have practically nothing to do. LOL. The fact that I had arguments with myself about their conduct meant that I really was absorbed in the story, and indeed the last third of the book I was completely obsessed. A twist I did enjoy was that royal family or not, they were actually fairly poor, eating gruel, patching tattered dresses, and severely economizing to pay for repairs and such. Worth a read, especially if you like fairytale retellings.

Woot! Wonderful reviews of The Giver and Entwined, Anne. I'm not at all familiar with either of these, but The Giver sounds excellent! As for Entwined, its merits aside, I don't do snotty girl very well … nor do I, LOL!

Hi Anne! The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind made my top 5 list last year. I'm glad you liked it, too! And I love your tale of serendipity about your book club read and a local production of a play based on the book. I love going to the theater with friends. I'm sure that was special for all of you!

>28 AMQS: Count me another lover of *Boy Harnessed Wind*. I got it as an ER offering when it came out. I have to say that I thought that it was written pretty much on a YA level, so I'm guessing they didn't have to do much to it. I was able to get confirmation about the culture, especially the witchcraft, from the adopted son of Presbyterian missionaries to Malawi who went to school here.
I trust that your mouth is a bit better every day, and that one day soon you'll say to yourself, "Yes, that was pretty bad, but everything is fine now."

>50 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! Both good reads, though The Giver is the better of the two. As for snotty girls... I was trying to get over it. I just wished they had been less self-absorbed and compassionate for their grieving father. Also in true fairytale style, they do suffer the consequences of their behavior and learn their lesson. I have become more and more aware of my modern lens when reading -- probably teacher training!

>51 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! It was very special, and very lucky! It is fairly rare to have an evening out with friends, so it was indeed very special. I am talking about The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to students. No takers yet, but I did have a parent volunteer check it our yesterday:)

>52 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Wasn't it a great story? The wife of one of the teachers at my school works for Water for People and travels to Malawi a lot, so some students already know about this little country. I think this book would be the perfect fit for many students -- they just have to agree to take the plunge!

*****************************************************

So our family just can't get enough excitement. I got my stitches out today, which feels much better, but I still cannot bite into anything, or eat anything hard or crunchy for at least another two weeks. While the stitches were coming out, Callia was texting me from school saying that she had terrible pain in her lower right abdomen, and that she had taken Advil and it was getting worse instead of better. She drove herself to her pediatrician, who examined her and sent her to the ER. Stelios and I met her there, and spent the afternoon getting labs and scans. They thought it was her appendix, but as it turns out, she has a ruptured ovarian cyst. Poor kiddo. She is in a lot of pain, but is on painkillers and is resting now at home. She has a follow-up appointment at her pediatrician tomorrow morning, and after that she INSISTS she will be attending her physics class. I admire her dedication, but wish there wasn't so much school-related stress.

Oh dear! Congrats on getting stitches out, despite the limited diet. And poor Callia!

>46 AMQS: Hooray for The Giver! I read it way back in '94 or '95 in a RL book club. I remember the intensity of the discussion around the ending of the book. Everyone kind of had their own take of on it, and it was one of the beauties of the book, I thought. Now that the quartet is complete, there is a different kind of feel, but I liked the whole quartet. My favorite is probably Gathering Blue. Margo just read the whole thing and I guess she liked it, because she went right back to the beginning and read it again.
I took the kids to TC to see her when she was doing a reading and signing for Bless This Mouse. She was lovely. She took time to really look my kids in the eye and talk to them. Love her. Margo has the Anastasia Krupnik books and enjoyed those too.

>53 AMQS: Hooray for getting the stitches out. Boo-hiss for Callia's ovarian cyst. I know exactly how she feels. Not fun at all. Hopefully her pediatrician can sort her out. Brave girl for driving herself to the doctor and ER. Wow. One more thing you can tick off on the "getting ready for college" list. Good to have a strong urge to take care of yourself.

>55 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn. It was a rough day for all of us. She is very good at advocating for herself:)

Glad to know the rest of the quartet is good, though I really love everything Lois Lowry has written. Recent-ish favorites have been Number the Stars and The Willoughbys. How wonderful to hear that she is lovely in person. That's an "all's right with the world" feeling!

Oh no, if it's not one thing it's another! :( I hope Callia is feeling better tonight, poor thing.

Oh my goodness, Anne, I'm sorry to hear that there's still more excitement in your family! Hope Callia is feeling much better tomorrow. I do hear you about the school related stress.

Oh, poor Callia! I hope she recovers quickly!

Oh no!! Poor Callia. Sounds like this will heal itself without surgery -- right? hope so!!

>56 AMQS: We love The Willoughbys too. :)

>57 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne. Callia had a hard day today, but will stay home tomorrow with Stelios (and plans to spend some quality time with Mr. Knightley:)

>58 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy. Callia went to the doctor this morning, and then insisted on going to school for the rest of the day, ending in tears in the counselor's office. She has been ordered to stay home tomorrow. Poor thing. Missing school is very hard for her. Emma will distract her tomorrow, I hope.

>59 scaifea: Thank you, Amber. The doctor told her that her body will reabsorb everything, but until it does, she can expect to be in pain. Poor kiddo.

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, yes, it should be fine in a few days. That's the good news! In the meantime, she has painkillers, and had finally been convinced that it's okay to stay home.

>61 nittnut: Have you read Number the Stars? Another favorite.

>62 AMQS: Yes! Love that one. I have tried to get Margo to read it, but she doesn't like sad books. I tell her it's more happy than sad, but she is digging in her heels for the moment. I may have to read it to her. Some of Lowry's books, like A Summer to Die I read so long ago, I hardly remember them.

If Mr Knightly is finished before she can go back to school perhaps Mr. Darcy can take his place :) Best to all of you.

Great reviews, Anne! Like you, I am not a big fan of snotty girl characters in my books but I think I may forgive the appearance of one in a fairytale retelling.

YAY for getting your stitches out and for feeling better. Poor Callia. Wow on being able to drive herself to the doctors! My threshold for pain is really low. I probably would have been curled up in a corner in the fetal position. I hope Callia is one the road to recovery.

Hi Anne - I hope the mouth is back to normal. I loved The Giver and your Goodnight Moon send off is hilarious. Scout loves the book, so I'm going to send the link to my daughter.

>63 nittnut: Jenn, my girls are as picky as I am when they choose books. Usually they'll get to one I give them or recommend, but it may take them a good long while.

>64 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. She is slowly getting better, but tired easily. Poor thing is a bit overwhelmed by the make up work she has. Shocking how much work accumulates in just a few days.

>65 lkernagh: Yes, poor Callia. Thank you, Lori, for your wishes. We attempted an outing last night -- we ate out as a family at an Ethiopian restaurant we love but rarely visit since it isn't close to us, and then attended an "American Roots" concert by a local choir that was simply beautiful. She was hurting by the time we were ready to leave, but glad we had gone. I'm pretty sure she will be back at school tomorrow, but hopefully taking it easy. She's already decided to skip her choir rehearsal tomorrow night, and cut back on extra stuff until she is feeling better.

>66 BLBera: Hi Beth! Still can't eat solid food, or brush the affected teeth, but other than that I am pretty nuch recovered. Hope your daughter gets a giggle out of the Goodnight Moon blog -- it just cracked me up:)

From the Denver Post yesterday:



Um... what?

70. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Oh, what a little gem of a book, one I read both joyfully and mournfully -- I absolutely love Kent Haruf, and this is his last book, published posthumously. Set in Haruf's fictional Holt, on the eastern Colorado plains, this quiet little story is about loneliness. Addie and Louis are long-time Holt residents and neighbors. One day Addie comes over and asks Louis to start sleeping with her at night, so that they both may have someone to talk to and a way to keep loneliness at bay. Their unconventional arrangement gets people talking, and changes each of their lives in unexpected ways. I love when they discuss the Denver Center for the Performing Arts highly-acclaimed productions of Haruf's earlier works, also set in Holt:

Did you see they're going to do that last book about Holt County? The one with the old man dying and the preacher.
They did those other two so I guess they might as well do this one too, Louis said.
Did you see those earlier ones?
I saw them. But I can't imagine two old ranchers taking in a pregnant girl.
It might happen, she said. People can do the unexpected.

A work of fiction mixed with real life and circling round to appear in fiction again. The book is lovely, and also melancholy. I still have Benediction waiting for me (the old man dying and the preacher), and I am somewhat reluctant to start it. Unwilling to finish all of Mr. Haruf's works. I never did see the Denver Center productions of Plainsong and Eventide, but maybe I'll make it to Benediction. After reading it, of course:)

Fabulous review of Our oils at Night, Anne. This is my last Haruf, and although it's been in the iPad for some time now, I feel like I am "saving" it. Love what you've written here about the characters discussing a Haruf performance!

>69 AMQS: I'm with you in loving Haruf and Our Souls at Night, Anne. Tough to lose him.

Glad to hear you're recovering, Anne. My daughter loved the Goodnight Moon spoof - her favorite was the three bears bit.

Absolutely loved the Goodnight Moon spoof! I think I still have my daughter's copy on the bookshelves somewhere and will need to pull it out and look at it with fresh eyes.

Anne, I do hope Callia is feeling back to her real self again soon. What a brave soul she was heading to the ER on her own. I'm glad Mom and Dad were able to join her soon after she got there. We sure hurt when our kids are sick, don't we? And you weren't feeling too spiffy yourself!

Haruf's last book was a sad time for me, too. I have read them all now…and can begin rereading. His two earliest books were read about 15 years ago so they will seem like new to me!

>68 AMQS: - *snickers* That article must be for those people who think bookshelves are for displaying their knickknacks. ;-)

>68 AMQS: I would like to know who has room in their bookshelves to need ideas for accessorization, and if I know them, would they like me to take such unnecessary shelving off their hands for them? ;)

I hope Callia's feeling better. I was fortunate in homeschooling not to get "behind" because I was sick, but it was sooo stressful once I hit college if I missed an important class.

I am another huge fan of Kent Haruf's books. Such a shame his output wasn't so much more.

Give my best wishes to Callia, she showed remarkable maturity in driving herself to the hospital to have her problem diagnosed and treated.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

>70 lit_chick: Hi Nancy. We went with Marina to the doctor this morning to get her first injection and to get us trained in administering her injections. It was definitely a day of Parental Softheartedness, as we went right after to a local mountain book store and bought Marina three new books (love that this is an awesome treat for her). Stelios saw Mr. Haruf's Benediction there and urged me to read it. But I am saving it. I'm not ready for that to be *it*. I know I'm among kindred spirits here!

>71 jnwelch: Hi Joe -- yes, such a shame! So grateful for the works he left us.

>72 BLBera: Hi Beth! I have what I hope to be my final check this week, and then (hopefully) I will be cleared to eat whatever I want! Glad your daughter enjoyed the Goodnight Moon spoof!

>73 Storeetllr: Yay, Mary, I'm so glad! I still have my daughters' copy. A friend gave me the French version as a baby gift, too. I still treasure them, and love the spoof! The picture of Clement Hurd, the book's illustrator, has always cracked me up: not what our 21st century sensibilities find acceptable anymore!


>74 Donna828: Hi Donna! I know I will be rereading all of the Holt, CO books at some point. I still have Benediction to savor. Callia is gradually feeling better. She had a few good days, and then a bad day again, with a low-grade fever and a swollen mass in her abdomen. We went straight back to her pediatrician, whom we love. He gave us more information than anyone else, and said that there is nothing wrong with her, and that she will not have any damage, but that this is unbelievably painful, and the only thing is just to endure it, which can last for two weeks or more! She has been struggling. The good news is that she rallied and went to homecoming tonight with a large group of friends, and I am very glad. She left the dance early because she was hurting, but she didn't thing she'd go at all, so I was glad to see she was able to rally a bit.

>75 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I know, right? I can't even imagine:)

>76 bell7: Thank you, Mary. She had the okay from her teachers to use the time she needed, but still there was a lot of pressure to catch up. I wish it wasn't so stressful, and not just for schoolwork. It is so hard to adjust when something goes wrong -- our lives are too busy, I think, and I know most people are the same. Too busy!

>77 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. She is doing better, but it is a slow and painful road, as we're finding out. I am very proud of her.

71. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, audiobook narrated by Barrett Whitener.

The original 1910 tale (translated from the French) that inspired the movies and musicals. In some ways I enjoyed learning more about the familiar characters, particularly Erik (O.G., or The Opera Ghost), the managers, Christine Daae's father, and Mme Valerius, Christine's guardian and benefactress. It is a moving story of a brilliant and gifted, but horribly disfigured man rejected by all, just desperate to be loved. It is also a scary Gothic tale of an omnipresent menace who is everywhere at once. It is also, alas, a somewhat tedious narrative -- one of the rare cases where I felt as I listened that the story could use some updating, which is exactly what happened with the fantastically successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The characters of Christine and Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, are barely developed either in the musical or the book, and what more we learn of them in the book only makes me like them less. While I was glad to read the original, I was not sorry for it to finish. The Royal Albert Hall 25th Anniversary production (2011) is a favorite of mine, as Christine is played by Colorado Children's Chorale alumna Sierra Boggess, who is phenomenal, and said to be Andrew Lloyd Webber's favorite Christine.

I meant to ask how your mouth is doing, if it's healed enough for you to eat real food again.

Interesting story about The Phantom production and Christine. Were you involved with the CCC when Sierra was a student?

>80 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! Yes, I got clearance TODAY from my periodontist to eat real food again, and also brush and floss the affected teeth. Hooray! Tomorrow I will ditch the Cream of Wheat and stop in Kittredge for a breakfast burrito:)

And yes, I was working for the Chorale when Sierra was a singer. I think I joined the staff when she was a 7th grader, so I worked with her for her last two years, and went on a couple of tours with her. She came two years ago and sang at the Chorale's 40th anniversary gala. She performed a couple of songs with the kids, one with all alumns (me included), and then sang a few songs on her own. What a treat for Marina to share the stage with her! She is coming back in February, I think, for a performance with us and the Colorado Symphony, so Marina will get to sing with her again.

Welcome news for you, I'm sure!

I bet Marina was thrilled! How wonderful that you were instrumental in Sierra's development! I'm always happy when local kids with talent "make it big."

Hooray for real food!

>82 Storeetllr: Mary, I'm not sure how instrumental I was -- I was pretty new and very young at the time! I'm sure she remembers how, on a 3-week long tour, I *mostly accidentally* had coleslaw accompany every meal. The kids from that era have never let me forget it:)

>83 BLBera: Hooray indeed, Beth! I even went to the dentist this week. It was so nice to get a thorough cleaning after not being able to brush all of my teeth for a month.

************************************************

Sooooooooo behind. I hope to catch up and pay some visits this weekend. I have a book to review as well, and hopefully will finish a couple more here soon. I do have Halloween In The Library photos to share!


Amelia Bedelia draws the drapes:


My favorite part of the day was when some fifth grade boys asked to check out Amelia Bedelia books because they remembered how much they enjoyed them when they were little.

Love your costume! So Perfect!

Love your Amelia Bedelia costume, Anne! I'll bet you had a lot of fun at school.

Oh my goodness - I LOVE your costume!! Perfect!

Oh, Anne, what wonderful shots of you in your Amelia costume in your library! It looks like you, and I'm sure the children, had such fun! Thank you for posting.

Great pictures, Anne. You must be the most creative school librarian ever. Have a fun Halloween.

>85 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! I was grateful to my daughter Marina, who made it for me -- she sewed the lace on the apron and helped with the hat:)

>86 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne! I did have fun at school, though holidays and parties, particularly costume-and-candy fueled ones, make for a tough day at school. Glad it's the weekend. Will you get many trick-or-treaters tonight? Neither of the girls is dressing up or trick-or-treating this year :(

>87 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! I had fun:)

>88 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! It was fun, but tiring -- the kids are always a bit wild on a party day.

>89 BLBera: Thank you, Beth, but hardly! There are so many others far more creative than I, which is why I rely so heavily on Pinterest:) Even then, I rarely have the know-how to pull off the awesome ideas I find there!

Adorable costume, Anne. :)

>91 MickyFine: Thank you, Micky!

72. The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves by Stephen Grosz, narrated by Peter Marinker

I happened across this book when I read a piece published in The Telegraph listing it as one of the top audiobooks of all time. Pretty high honors, but I will say that I enjoyed it very much, and would very much like to try psycho-analysis with this author, or rather, with this narrator. The book is a collection of stories or episodes drawn from day to day practice of a psycho-analyst. As he states in the preface, people often feel trapped by things they find themselves thinking or doing; ensnared by some unhappiness or fear. They want to change, but are terrified of change, or as one patient put it: "I want to change but not if it means changing."

Here, case histories are introduced and examined, but then listeners are left to ponder the insights gained on their own, which frustrates several reviewers. But I found this book completely fascinating -- a glimpse into the thoughts and fears of a wide spectrum of people, and into the analyst's "unpacking" and insights.

73. Backyard Witch: Sadie's Story by Christine Heppelmann and Ron Koertge

This is the beginning of a new series of beginning chapter books aimed at kids who enjoy Ivy & Bean or Judy Moody. I read it eagerly, but it didn't resonate with me as much as those other series did. For one thing, it felt too old and too mature -- I wonder if it can hold the interest of a young reader, yet everything about the book screams "beginning chapter!!!" so that kids who are reading "real" chapter books likely wouldn't pick it up. Still, there is a lot to like. Sadie is devastated when her two best friends go on vacation together. Moping and sure this will be the worst week of her life, Sadie is surprised and distracted by smoke emerging from the chimney of her playhouse. She discovers a witch inside. An older, kindly, somewhat befuddled one whose spells don't always work, and who is in search of her best friend Ethel, who has turned into a bird. More than anything, she seems to "get" Sadie and her sorrows. Her good cheer and mission -- to find Ethel -- soon have Sadie forgetting her friends and learning all she can about the wonderful world of birds. I enjoyed the book but didn't love it. I don't know that a 9 year-old would, either. Most reviewers loved it, though, so I hope I'm wrong. The world needs more high-interest, high-quality beginning chapter books.

>93 AMQS: sounds interesting ! The whole idea of unpacking the can of worms that is my brain is a little unnerving, but hey. I can read the book and not change if I want to, right? ;)

Anne, I love your costume! How sweet of Marina to help with it.

I'm sure you'll all be glad to get back to a low-sugar school environment on Monday :-) We had a small Hallowe'en riot here in London - evidently the "trick" side of things won out.

We LOVED the Amelia Bedelia books when the kids were growing up. They got a big kick out of the wordplay. Great choice of costume.

Love the costume, Anne. I am a big Amelia Bedelia fan and am grateful I have grandkids who enjoy her books too. It's good that Callia could enjoy part of the Homecoming festivities. She is such a trooper!

I wish the Sadie series had come along when my Sadie could have enjoyed it. Thanks for the heads up on The Examined Life. I hadn't heard of it and it sounds like one I would like.

>95 LovingLit: Yes you can, Megan! It is a good read, and very insightful. As I said in my review, it is not a guide for change, but rather an interesting peek into why we think the way we do.

>96 susanj67: Yikes! Hope things have settled down, Susan.

>97 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I loved the Amelia Bedelia books myself when I was little. Glad to know that some classic books have staying power.

>98 Donna828: Thank you, Donna! Callia is pretty much back to normal, which is a relief. Marina is hanging in there - she has started injections for her JRA, and had a pretty ugly reaction Sunday. Apparently it's a common side effect for this drug, but it is very scary-looking:( Wish I could change places with her. I can't tell from reading the first book of this series if it really is about Sadie. The Backyard Witch appears when you need her, which means subsequent books could be about different people. In any case, it's too bad your Sadie is too old. Always fun to share a name with a book character! How old is Sadie anyway?

Backyard Witch sounds like a good start, but Judy Moody is pretty hard to compete with. The witch sounds like a type though, and it sounds like the plot may be a bit too adult driven for an Early chapter book. Hmmm.

Anne, so sorry to hear about Marina's reaction on Sunday. I'll be it is frightening looking, and I can only imagine how you would wish to change places with her. Thoughts and hugs, friend.

>100 cammykitty: Hi Katie! Yes, I think that's it: the plot may be a bit too adult driven for an Early chapter book I was really excited about it, and it fell a little flat for me.

>101 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy. She got her third shot today, so we'll see. Her rheumatologist says a reaction is pretty common on the second and third shots, and that it should get better after that. She also said that if we change injection sites, sometimes the reaction can appear in the old site. Weird. She had a nearly 2-hour visit with the rheumatologist this week, and she is pleased about how Marina looks. No great improvement yet, but no worse, which can happen when you stop Prednisone. So something to celebrate. On the other hand, her orthodontist removed the CBJ: the lever and rods that are correcting her jaw and bite. She's not ready for them to be removed yet, but x-rays show damage to her jaw, and the ortho was afraid to put any more stress on her jaw. Apparently that's a really common place for JRA to appear/affect:( I appreciate your hugs and good thoughts!

74. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, audiobook narrated by David Horovitch

Thank you to Beth (BLBera) for recommending this one. This is a dream-like story, beautifully written and achingly sad, set in early England soon after the death of Arthur, and at the outset of an uneasy peace between Britons and Saxons. In this country, ogres occasionally raid villages, pixies make mischief, and memory is fleeting and hazy. Axl and Beatrice, a pair of elderly Britons set off from their village in search of their son. They are joined on their difficult journey by a Saxon warrior and a young boy, and by Sir Gawain, still seeking his dragon. The book is a long reflection on memory and love, on what sustains a lifetime lived together, and what eases or enflames tribal passions. The narrative is muddled at times, as both reader and characters chase a memory or seek a truth. Mr. Ishiguro is a masterful writer, and David Horovitch's narration is superb.

75. East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

Don't you think most people make their parents up? When you're a child, you're not really ever interested in them, and later, if you talk to them at all, you have all the wrong conversations.

This was a luxuriously long historical novel to get lost in. It follows three young English women who board a ship for Bombay in 1927: the young and naive Rose who is traveling to India to marry a man she barely knows; her best friend Tor, desperate to find a husband of her own; and Viva, traveling as their chaperone, and returning to India to live as a writer and confront her tragic past. India is on the cusp of massive upheaval and transformation when they arrive: the girls confront overwhelming poverty, the crumbling of the decadent colonial rule, and the passionate and diverse Indian factions struggling to shape their country. This book has a great mix of light romance and serious grit, and would make a great summer -- or November -- read!

>104 AMQS: Well you weren't that "luxuriously long" getting to the 75!

Congratulations Anne and I trust it only improves an already splendid weekend.

Congratulations on reaching 75!

^Congrats on hitting our magical number, Anne!

Happy Sunday! Glad you liked The Buried Giant. I was a fan too.

Hope all is well.

Hi Anne - Congrats on 75. I'm so happy you liked The Buried Giant - I heard about it from Ellen. #75 East from the Sun sounds very good, also. I added it to my list.

Hi Anne! The Buried Giant is one I hav eon my library WL, and I own a copy of East from the Sun around here somewhere....

Enjoy what's left of the weekend!

Congratulations on reaching the 75 book mark, Anne!

Wonderful reviews of both The Buried Giant and East of the Sun, Anne. I remember reading Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go: it was unlike anything I'd read before, and I was glued to it.

Congratulations on 75! You rock!

Congrats on 75! and with a month and a half left to go :)

Congratulations on reaching 75 books! Enjoy yourself exploring the beautiful campus of UBC with your daughter! ( University of British Columbia) . That is where I went eons ago and my son and now daughter in law attended. They both graduated in 2012, I think it was. It is really a beautiful campus , especially if it is not raining, which is often the case at this time of the year. Fabulous views, nice residences , for the most part and I think very good programs. My son works as software engineer and had a job waiting 4 months prior to graduating, My daughter in law is now working as an elementary teacher. My nephew attended UBC at the same time and he is now at Cambridge in the UK working on his Ph.D.

East of the Sun sounds lovely!

>105 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Actually, I did take quite a lot of time reading East of the Sun. LOL. Thank you for stopping by!

>106 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie!

>107 msf59: Yes, our magical number:) I hadn't realized you had read The Buried Giant, Mark. Did you do print or audio? I can't decide if I love it or not, but I've been thinking about it a lot.

>108 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! I appreciated your recommendation, and love how our LT community passes around the great books! East of the Sun is a good one -- just the right balance of light and serious.

>109 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie! Did you have a nice weekend? We're supposed to get quite a lot of snow early this week, so all the more reason to enjoy the sunshine!

>110 ronincats: Thank you, Roni!

>111 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy! Ishiguro is quite the storyteller. I think you might find that The Buried Giant is unlike anything else also. It has made me want to read another Arthur story -- maybe a reread of The Once and Future King? I have been wanting to read the Mary Stewart books (The Crystal Cave et al), but my library doesn't have them either in print or on audio. What's up with that?

>112 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba! Glad to reach the mark, as I missed it last year. December gets so busy I am not likely to add much more!

>113 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah! So glad to hear that everyone had a good education and successful professional prospects at UBC! I am very excited to visit.

I have some catching up to do as well. Congratulations on 75!

Love the Amelia Bedelia costume. :)

Glad the girls are doing well. Poor Marina. I know you'd trade places with her in an instant. She's lucky to have such a loving family.

Stopping by with further 75 congratulations, Anne!

>104 AMQS: Adding my congratulations on reaching 75.

Congrats on reaching 75, Anne!

Congratulations on reading 75 books, Anne! And I loved the Amelia Bedelia costume.

>115 nittnut: Thank you, Jenn. Marina is handling everything so well -- we're lucky she's so responsible and level-headed, but yes, if I could change places with her I would in a heartbeat. BTW, she made my costume!

>116 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori!

>117 thornton37814: Hi Lori -- thank you!

>118 Copperskye: Hi Joanne, and thank you!

>119 cushlareads: Thank you, Cushla! How's your school year going?

76. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond, audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry

Revisiting a childhood favorite. My brother had a whole set of Paddington books, and a Paddington bear to go with it. Charming story about a small bear found by the Brown family at Paddington Station, recently arrived from "Darkest Peru" and with a definite fondness for marmalade. I happened to see this audio at my library, and *had* to check it out because it is narrated by Stephen Fry, whom I would listen to read the tax code. Fun!

Anne, congratulations on your 75!

Congrats!

Oh, you've put a bug in my ear, no pun intend, about a new narrator, Anne: it is narrated by Stephen Fry, whom I would listen to read the tax code. Must seek out some of his audiobooks.

Way to go on reaching 75, Anne!

>121 AMQS: My wife (a pro storyteller) used to read the Paddington books to schoolchildren. We were delighted to find various statues of him around London.

>122 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! I don't think I quite made it last year, so I'm pleased, though I imagine you're probably at triple that number by now!

>123 drneutron: Thank you, Jim! Any CO trips planned?

>124 lit_chick: Oh Nancy, Stephen Fry is a gem. He narrated the Harry Potter audiobooks sold in the UK, which I would love to hear someday. He is terrific narrating his own books (I listened to The Hippopotamus last year). He was the comedy partner of Hugh Laurie, and I have been meaning to find some of their Fry & Laurie shows to watch, as well as their Jeeves & Wooster shows. Hope you find something good:)

>125 jnwelch: Oh Joe, I LOVE the Paddington statue! I guess I didn't know your wife is a pro storyteller -- how wonderful!

>126 AMQS: Actually, yes, at the end of January. No official dates yet, but am hoping we can get together again.

We are big fans of Paddington here. I gave my youngest son (just turned 40) his Paddington Bear after he saw the movie with Haley. I'm not sure if he kept it or let it become part of the girls' menagerie of stuffed animals. I have the Complete Works in one hardback volume which I'm keeping here.

I am sad that Marina is having to go through those health woes. Both of your girls are very mature and handle setbacks with aplomb. I'm so glad I've gotten to know them a little through our meet ups. I hope to get back to CO sometime in the spring. Wish I could be there for Jim's visit, but I'll probably be babysitting in Kansas City while the parents spend a week in Mexico.

I'm adding more congrats on the 75 books read, Anne. You are amazing!

I agree that Stephen Fry is amazing. We have all the HP books read by him (they're wonderful, of course), and the Paddington books he narrates, and yes I highly recommend that you get hold of both A Bit of Fry & Laurie and Jeeves & Wooster, as both are fantastic. I also recently listened to him narrate a collection of Wilde stories, too - wonderful.

Hi, Anne! I heard you guys are getting some snow? Hope it wasn't too awful.

I listened to the Buried Giant. I thought it worked very well in that format.

>127 drneutron: That's great, Jim! Let us know how your plans shape up.

>128 Donna828: Hi Donna! Oh, I love that! My brother had a stuffed Paddington. I'm sure my mom still has it. Thank you for your good wishes for Marina and Callia. I am blessed that they are so mature, but I regret that there are situations they have to be -- especially Marina's JRA. Her journey has been very hard on Callia. I love that your kids are headed to Mexico -- though I wish you could have some beach time, too. Grandchildren time will be fun also!

>129 scaifea: Amber, I've decided to ask my brother to pick up the Stephen Fry-narrated HP books the next time he's in London. I've read the series several times, but I know I would love the audio as well. I know both TV series are at the library, but I need to request them, and then find some time to watch them!

>130 msf59: Hi Mark! Well, we pulled out all the stops: pencil in the freezer, ice cubes flushed, PJs on inside-out, spoon under the pillow, but we were not rewarded with a snow day:( Actually, where we live it was mostly just sloppy on the roads, but my school had a foot of snow. I see that it's headed your way -- hope you stay warm and safe.

Paddington Bear is just so appealing. And, congrats on reaching 75!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Anne.

Happy Thanksgiving, Anne, to you and to your lovely family! Hope you have a wonderful celebration!

>127 drneutron: Yay! Looking forward to seeing you again, Jim!

>128 Donna828: Boo. Wish you could be here, Donna, but you'll have fun with the grandkids, I know.

>114 AMQS: I have hardcovers of #1 The Crystal Cave, #3 The Last Enchantment and, I think, #4 The Wicked Day, but I somehow seem to be missing #2 The Hollow Hills, though I thought I had it too. Anyway, if you haven't found copies before our next meetup, I'll bring the ones I have. Maybe by that time I'll have found my copy of The Hollow Hills. It's a really amazing series, and one I plan to reread "one of these days."

I just checked, and the interlibrary system has this series, both as separate novels and within an omnibus (The Arthurian Saga and The Merlin Trilogy). I know your library must subscribe to Prospector, since I have gotten books from the JeffCo library though the interlibrary system using my Aurora public library card.

Morning, Anne. Just having coffee and breakfast, and dropping in to say hello : ). Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving.

>132 LovingLit: Thank you, Megan!

>133 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. It is far too late for return Thanksgiving wishes:( Best wishes to you for the holiday season!

>134 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! We were out of town for Thanksgiving looking at colleges (!) but we had our Thanksgiving meal on the Sunday of Thanksgiving. It was nice. Were you in town?

I had seen that The Crystal Cave are available via Prospector, but as I had just finished The Buried Giant I was sort of hoping to find an audio. That looks unlikely, however, so I may turn to Prospector after all. Thanks for your offer!

>135 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! Thank you so much for your wishes. We had a nice Thanksgiving, though we were traveling. It was a long, long day that began in Vancouver, and ended up very late in Denver struggling through a snow storm. Nevertheless, we were safe and well-fed!

Oh, I am so embarrassingly behind (seems to be a common theme...) but today we have an unexpected SNOW DAY so I can spend some time getting caught up! Not all of us are excited about the snow day. Final exams will happen as scheduled tomorrow and Thursday, and Callia was really wanting to take advantage of the final review day in all of her classes, PLUS the snow day was unexpected, so she does not have all of the materials she needs for studying. I'm sure she's in the same boat as most Denver-area high schoolers.

The news from here:
We had a lovely/whirlwind family trip to Seattle and Vancouver over Thanksgiving break to look at the Univ. of Washington and the Univ. of British Columbia. As a bonus, both my college roommate and Stelios's live in Seattle, and it was great to catch up with them and their families. I love Seattle, but had never been to Vancouver. Oh, wow -- I am already a bit of a Canadaphile and am even more so after visiting that amazing city. Unfortunately I think she has ruled out UBC due to its size (nearly 60,000 students). I think she may be leaning toward a small liberal arts-type of school.

Seattle:


Vancouver -- exploring Stanley Park and Canada Place:

Other news: We have wrapped up the Christmas season with the Children's Chorale and the Colorado Symphony (whew!). Excerpts from our Christmas concert will be broadcast on Colorado Public Radio on Christmas morning at 9:00 mountain time. My school's Whoville Day is approaching, and a volunteer made me a treehouse that leads to our Magic Treehouse shelf:)

And I read some books:)



77. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

I loved this lovingly told, laugh out loud funny memoir. Gerald Durrell, the renowned zoologist and conservationist, moved to the Greek island of Corfu with his family in the 1920s when he was a young boy. The memoir details how he pretty much had the run of the island, and explored to his heart's content, with varyingly successful degrees of schooling attempts along the way. Young Gerry collects magpies, water snakes, scorpions, owls, tortoises and more, making room for them in his family's home. His mother and siblings learn to take care when stepping into a bath or opening a matchbox, never sure of what might be living there. His is a childhood I can't even imagine, and while my 21st century sensibilities winced at some of his collection and ownership tactics, I think a total personal investment and curiosity perhaps is what it takes to develop the experience, scholarship, and passion required to become such an expert. It was gratifying to read that Mr. Durrell was ahead of his time in advocating that zoos exist for the purposes of conservation, and that captive animals' habitats should resemble their natural habitats as closely as possible in size and ecology. Gerald Durrell is the younger brother of writer Lawrence Durrell. What an interesting family!

78. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, audiobook narrated by Bronson Pinchot

A good middle-grade debut novel of wonder and loyalty, tinged with grief. Young Micah grew up with his Grandpa Ephraim and enjoyed an idyllic childhood with buddy adventures and Grandpa's stories about a magical circus called Circus Mirandus. As Grandpa begins dying, he tells Micah the stories about Circus Mirandus are true, and sends a message to an enigmatic man called the Lightbender, who promised him a miracle when he visited Circus Mirandus. Micah is sure that the Lightbender can save his grandfather, but when Circus Mirandus comes to town, Micah learns that it is every bit as magical as Grandpa described, and that the Lightbender may not be able or willing to perform the promised miracle. The book explores themes of love, friendship, loyalty, and belief.

79. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, performed by Neil Gaiman using a prompt script created by Charles Dickens himself for a public reading in New York in 1867.

This is storytelling at its best. I happened to see this on the Tattered Cover's FB page last night, and we dropped everything to listen to it. Neil Gaiman brings the classic Dickens tale to life in a live reading for the New York Public Library, using the only "prompt copy" known to exist of A Christmas Carol -- one that Charles Dickens created for a live performance in New York in 1867, and which now belongs to the NYPL. If you have 90 minutes, you should definitely listen: https://soundcloud.com/nypl/neil-gaiman-reads-a-christmas-carol

Good to see you, Anne! Love the photos of Vancouver, and so happy that you enjoyed, even if Callia is leaning towards a smaller university.

80. Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

I don't remember who recommended this one -- was it Roni? This is a great 5th-8th grade read that combines art history, WWII history, and urban farming into one breathless mystery. When 13 year-old Theodora's grandfather dies, he leaves her with a crumbling Greenwich Village home, a backyard farm and garden on which she must live, and a mystery: with his dying words he implores her to find a letter and a treasure "under the egg" before it's too late. What Theo stumbles upon may turn out to be an unknown Raphael painting, but figuring out if it is, and how it came to be in her possession, may be not be possible, or enough to save her. I really enjoyed the historical storyline, the unlikely friendships, and especially the rockin' librarian. I did wonder if it would appeal to the intended audience. This adult liked it very much, except for one important aspect: many books for young readers require some way to have parents out of the way (one reason why there are so many orphans in classic children's fiction). In this case, Theo is effectively orphaned because her mother (very much alive) is helpless -- a brilliant mathematician too deeply sunk in equations and derivatives to contribute to their welfare, or understand that they can definitely not afford the exotic teas she must have to perform her calculations. Perhaps the parent in me is distracted by her poor parenting:) Otherwise, I enjoyed it very much, and agree with Kirkus Reviews that it is the Da Vinci Code of middle-grade fiction.

>142 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! We loved Vancouver. Now I'm wishing we could see the other UBC campus -- is that nearer to you? It looks like a beautiful (and smaller) campus. Perhaps in the future. How are you?

>134 Storeetllr:, >136 AMQS: I've been looking for an audiorecording of The Crystal Cave too but was unable to find one anywhere. Very disappointing, but the books are definitely worth reading in print. I'm going to reread the series sometime in the next year or so, as soon as the great new books stop arriving on my doorstep, so to speak.

Lovely pics of you and your beautiful family in Seattle and Vancouver!

>138 AMQS: The magic treehouse art is very cool and a keeper. I'll try to get up early enough on Christmas morning to listen to the Christmas concert. I bet it's wonderful!

>141 AMQS: Love Neil and definitely want to listen to this!

>143 AMQS: No, not me, but Kerry (aviatakh) put that one on my wishlist as well. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

National news is showing the snow that caused your snow day today!

Yes, the other UBC campus is in BC's Okanagan Valley, very close to where I am: smaller campus, much better climate (I'm afraid I would go made with Vancouver's constant rain).

Hi Anne, I love all your pictures! College visits...*sigh*.

Yay for snow days!

I've had that Gerald Durrell book on my wishlist for a while now and forget where I first heard of it. It sounds charming and I'm glad to see you liked it. I saw the Christmas Carol/Gaimen post, too, and plan on listening to it one afternoon while I'm in the kitchen doing some baking. I love listening to Gaimen's narrations.

I'm looking forward to hearing the Chorale Christmas morning! CPR is on in our kitchen every morning and it will be a treat!

Hi Anne - so nice to catch up on your thread. Just looked up Under the Egg and it is in our central library - sounds like a good book for Teresa. (Oh and nice that the mother actually enjoys maths too and does it for a living, instead of the all too frequent portrayal of adults, especially women, who find it difficult or boring or both. I will climb off my soapbox now!)

Good lot of books you've read recently, Anne. I have read only three all of December. Boo hoo. S much for study ending and catching up on reading!

Hi Anne - Happy Holidays to you, too. Love the pics, stories of campus visits and, oh yes, the books read. The Durrell sounds great. I will also check out Gaiman's Christmas Carol -- maybe it would be good to listen to while baking cookies?

Vancouver is definitely one of the most gorgeous spots in Canada. And half of Canadians want to move there. ;)

Glad you enjoyed your trip.

Hi Anne! Great photos of your college visits trip. I LOVE Seattle. Vancouver too...
RL is very busy, so I'm dropping by early to wish you a VERY Merry Christmas. Hope the new year brings you all the good things, especially family fun and books. :)

Happy Sunday, Anne! Just checking in. Hope all is well. Are you ready for the holidays?

I have had Circus Mirandus on shelf, since ALA, which was last winter. Glad you liked it.

Stopping by to get caught up with things in your world, Anne. So happy to see you had a wonderful trip to Seattle and Vancouver, and that is not just to westcoaster in me talking! ;-) I do feel somewhat blessed living where I do, having both cities within easy reach for weekend getaway trips. Love the pictures. One cannot visit Seattle without stopping by Pike Place Market.

As for UBC in Vancouver... that is one big campus so I can understand why Callia may be leaning towards a smaller, liberal arts institution. The University of Calgary is my alma mater and that was big enough for me way back in the days... I think it only had 17,000 full time students when I was enrolled.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, Anne, full of family and books!

For my Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holiday image this year (we are so diverse!), I've chosen this photograph by local photographer Mark Lenoce of the pier at Pacific Beach to express my holiday wishes to you: Peace on Earth and Good Will toward All!

Happy Christmas Anne!

Merry Christmas to you and your family, Anne!

Happy Christmas Anne, and best wishes for 2016. The pictures of your trip are great. What a lot of choice of colleges Callia has. I hope she finds something just right.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season to you and your family, Anne!

Merry Christmas Anne!

Have a lovely holiday, Anne

Warm wishes for a magical holiday season, Anne!

Hope your family has a wonderful Christmas, Anne and that 2016 treats you well.

Loved the pictures from Vancouver. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!

I am very grateful for all of the Christmas wishes, and for all of you. Thank you. I feel like the worst 75er ever. 2015 has been a good year, but a tough year. Christmas was just about beyond me, and from the time school ended for winter break until Christmas I was frantically decorating and shopping and wrapping... Oh yeah, and Marina turned 14 -- first year in a long while she didn't have either school or a Colorado Symphony Christmas concert on her birthday, so we celebrated big-time with a movie (STAR WARS - YAY) and a hockey game (go Avs!) and a sleepover with cookie decorating and pancakes for breakfast:) And then on top of it all I ended up hosting our family's Christmas dinner. 19 people for dinner last night! Now I have a moment to catch my breath, and there's no place I'd rather do it than here:)

>145 Storeetllr:, >166 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, and Merry Christmas to you! I hope to read the Mary Stewart series soon -- I was so in the mood for an Arthurian saga after reading The Buried Giant. Did you listen to A Christmas Carol? So fun!

>146 ronincats:, >157 ronincats: Thank you, Roni! We had more snow last night and today. Nice to have a white Christmas! Love the photograph - I wouldn't mid some beach right about now!

>147 lit_chick:, >156 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! I have been hinting to Callia that maybe she should look at the Okanagan campus, but I also know that I need to step back and let her do the "driving," so to speak for college-hunting:) Colorado can be cold, and we definitely get weather, but I don't think people realize how lovely our weather is over all. I think if she goes out of state, she'll be surprised. I know the rain would get to me! Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

>148 Copperskye:, >159 Copperskye: Hi Joanne, and thank you! Hope you enjoyed the Chorale if you heard it yesterday. Forgot to tell you it was on their classical station and not the news station:) It's funny -- Callia started out with a big area for consideration -- east coast, mostly, and though we've yet to visit east coast schools, she is more and more enthusiastic about Colorado schools, particularly DU and Colorado College. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

>149 cushlareads: Hi Cushla! I really enjoyed Under the Egg. Not sure the mother/math aspect of Under the Egg will satisfy you... she actually doesn't make her living doing math, but is so far into her equations, derivatives, etc, that she is completely disassociated from the world, including her own welfare and upkeep, or the care of her daughter. In another book, the daughter might be orphaned. She has the freedom to race around the city solving the mystery without having a parent to make sure she is eating and coming home at night, and actually has the responsibility to provide for her mother, who can't forgo terrifically expensive teas even though they have no way to pay for them. Could have been so much better!

>150 LovingLit: Hi Megan! It doesn't always work out the way we plan, does it? Are you done done, or just done for the term? (Desperately need to visit and catch up!) When I got my masters I imagined all of the things I would do with my time, but I was in something of a fog for months after. Be gentle with yourself!

>151 BLBera: Hi Beth! Yes, I think the Gaiman narration of A Christmas Carol would be excellent listening while baking cookies -- hope you did just that! Merry Christmas to you!

>152 MickyFine: Hi Micky -- I'll bet they do (want to move to Vancouver)! When we checked into our hotel, we told the manager we were there to look at UBC, and he told us that we would definitely want to move there and advised us about several neighborhoods to check out! I can't deny that it is a stunning city, with amazing food! Wow -- we ate like kings there. Traffic is awful, though, an very frustrating! So many times drivers are unable to make left turns. We even unwillingly had to cross the Lions Gate Bridge one night because we couldn't get out of our lane or make a left hand turn to our hotel!

>153 nittnut: Hi Jenn! Merry Christmas to you and your family! Is it warm in NZ now? Like beach warm? We've had quite a lot of snow and cold recently, and are all dreaming about warm weather:)

>154 msf59: Hi Mark! NO, I definitely was not ready for Christmas, but now that it's over I can recharge a bit. Did you get an awesome book haul this year?

>155 lkernagh:, >161 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! Is that a Victoria image -- so lovely! That's another place I would love to visit again. Any thoughts on U-Vic? I hope you had a lovely holiday!

>158 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian! Is that your tree? It's beautiful!

>160 susanj67: Thank you, Susan, and Happy Christmas to you, too! I hope she finds something just right. That's what t's all about, isn't it? It is an exciting time, but feels very strange to be doing this!

>162 cbl_tn: Thank you, Carrie! I hope you enjoyed a lovely holiday as well.

>163 PaulCranswick: Love it, Paul! I hope you received (at least) 12 books for Christmas! Love your photos on FB - hope you are enjoying your holiday at home:)

>164 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie -- how pretty! Merry Christmas to you!

>165 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba! Is that your tree? Love the cookie ornaments:) Hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday!

>167 Donna828: Thank you, Donna! Love the reading bear:) Did you have a nice Christmas? What perfect ages your granddaughters are to enjoy the wonder of Christmas!

81. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer, audiobook narrated by Phyllida Nash

So much fun! A curmudgeonly uncle, a plethora of nephews, a penniless ward, a dashingly handsome cousin, and a false engagement. Uncle Matthew summons the nephews to announce that he is leaving his fortune to young Kitty on condition that she marries of of them. She rejects the hapless Foster and the stodgy Hugh, secretly pines for handsome Jack, and convinces Freddie to become engaged to her so she can enjoy London life for a time, and hopefully make Jack jealous. Kitty and Freddie both get more than they bargained for! Heyer is good, frothy fun:)

82. Christmas at Thompson Hall and Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope

Fun collection of Christmas stories, each offering something a little different, from a comedy of errors (Christmas at Thompson Hall -- laugh out loud funny, with a very unfortunate mustard poultice) to Victorian-era romances (Christmas Day at Kirkby Cottage and The Mistletoe Bough); the achingly sad (American Civil War story The Two Generals) and the short-but-testy-and-not-so-sweet (Not If I Know It).

Anne, your Christmas sounds very busy! I hope you can get in some relaxing time. I want to download that Trollope collection and read it immediately - thanks for the BB!

In New Zealand, leaving home to go to university isn't (or at least wasn't) a common thing - I had one friend who moved from Auckland down to Otago university in Dunedin, but everyone else stayed in Auckland and went to the university there, and we pretty much all lived at home. The big universities are all in the big cities. It's interesting for me to read about the very different way of doing things in the US, and all the choices of universities available, even in Canada. And yes, it must be strange to be looking at universities, even with your oldest child. How did that *happen*?!

A belated happy birthday to Marina :-)

>169 AMQS: We're in a rented condo in San Francisco for the week so I didn't want to dig out the Christmas ornaments but also didn't want to be without a tree so we bought a (cheap) 3' one and decorated it with edibles which, I hope, will be gone by the time we leave for home on Tuesday :)

Hi Anne. It sounds like you've been wildly busy. Glad things are quiet for a minute. :)
You got me with Christmas at Thompson Hall - the unfortunate mustard plaster... Can't wait to read it.
It's very warm and summery here. In fact, it's supposed to be about 24 C today, which is very warm for our little coast. We got a couple of inflatable raft boats for Christmas and I think we will take them for a test run today. Also, since the sun is shining, there is laundry. Lots and lots of laundry. Lol

Anne, I hope you can get rested up before school starts again. I remember how exhausted I was when I was teaching and had kids at home. Now my kids are all grown, I am retired, and I still get exhausted. Ha! We saw Star Wars, too, and loved it. At least I did. I am enjoying the post-Christmas lull but I could do without the two days of rain that may continue. Happy Belated Birthday to Marina. Sadie turns 14 in February. Where does that time go?

>172 susanj67: Susan, I wonder if it's a north American thing? I remember when I studied in France that not many French students went away to school. It actually made it hard to meet people other than other foreign students living in student housing! When my husband grew up in Cyprus, there weren't any universities there (now there's one), so everyone not only went away, but abroad to study (lucky me, that's how we met!) Hope you can find a digital copy of Christmas at Thompson Hall. I enjoyed it.

>173 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I love it! I love following your retirement adventures, and hope we can follow your example one day. Enjoy your stay in San Francisco!

>174 nittnut: Wildly busy sounds about right, Jenn, though I suspect I am no busier than anyone else. One more week until school starts again, and I am determined to enjoy it! Hope you enjoy Christmas at Thompson Hall also. The Bas Bleu catalog had a collection of Christmas story classics, and I was torn between the Trollope and a collection by Louisa May Alcott. Maybe next year! Ah, laundry, laundry, laundry... no dryer, I take it? I remember getting very creative when I lived in Europe. Nice to have clean clothes, though! Have fun in the rafts!

>175 Donna828: Hi Donna! I'm doing my best:) It's amazing how tired I get. There's just never enough time, but I am trying to make changes to be a bit healthier. I think however much time we have, we find some way to fill it. Where does the time go, indeed? Callia will be 17 in February -- eeeek!

My stab at the meme:

Describe yourself: Backyard Witch
Describe how you feel: I Funny
Describe where you currently live: Castle Hangnail
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Around the World in 80 Days
Your favorite form of transportation: The Most Beautiful Walk in the World
Your best friend is: My Family and Other Animals
You and your friends are: Fish in a Tree
What’s the weather like: The Winter's Tale
You fear: The Story of My Disappearance
What is the best advice you have to give: The Importance of Being Earnest
Thought for the day: Fortunately, the Milk
How I would like to die: Death in the Garden
My soul’s present condition: Drama

Hi Anne - I always think teachers have a tough time during the holidays; we finish right before the actual day, so it's hard to have time to prepare, or even sometimes, to enjoy the season. Because we all try to do too much, right? I'm just lucky I don't have any birthdays to worry about during the season.

Happy New Year; I imagine you'll help me to add many books to my lists next year.

Happy Holidays, Anne!

>177 AMQS: Ha! Nice. I'll try to remember to be earnest more often.

Glad you had a good time with Cotillion; me, too. Frothy fun, as you say, and she's got some writing chops.

Hosting 19 to dinner, oh my. You deserve some R & R after that one.

Love the meme, Anne! Great answers, you Backyard Witch with the Drama soul!

Glad you survived the holidays. Excellent answers to the meme. :)

>169 AMQS: - Not a Victoria image, but it does kind of convey the old town vibe of the place a bit. ;-) U Vic is one of those schools, in my opinion anyways, that is really good for certain programs and then just okay for the rest of its offerings (I tend to not follow the University rankings that are out there as they can be rather subjective). It is definitely smaller than the UBC Point Grey campus, but Victoria has a bit of an accommodation shortage and if one were to live on campus, the amenities like on campus cafes, etc are seriously lacking.

>177 AMQS: - I love your meme answers!

>178 BLBera: Hi Beth! Yes, that's it -- you know exactly what I mean. This year was rough -- I HAVE to be more organized next year! Happy New Year to you as well! You have contributed immeasurable to my reading list, I can tell you! I'll be following you again in 2016.

>179 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe:) I did get some R & R, fortunately:) Still getting some, though school (Monday) is looming large right about now.

>180 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy!

>181 MickyFine: Thank you, Micky -- fun meme. I enjoy seeing it again year after year.

>182 lkernagh: Thanks for the U Vic info, Lori! We certainly have terrific schools all over the country, but I've been thinking a lot about Canadian schools now that we're getting closer. I think it's partly because I just love Canada, and partly because I'm feeling anxious about the impending separation, and Canada feels safer than the US.

83. Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard

This is a new middle-grade novel -- appropriate for 5th grade and up. Not sure how I feel about it yet. I tore through it in two sittings because it is so compelling, yet it left so much unanswered. Young Jory is an outsider: his stepfather Caleb has always instructed him to trust no one, and to ask himself hard questions about authority and about what he learns in school. No one is safe. There are signs -- an increasing number of them -- that indicate that some kind of catastrophic event is about to happen, and the family takes care to prepare, but only Caleb knows for what. Jory endures the awkwardness of school, but for the first time he is making friends and experiencing life outside his family. Just as this is happening, the family's preparations become urgent, leaving Jory torn between his family and his burgeoning independent consciousness.

There is a sense of unease throughout that never is fully resolved -- in fact, the reader is left with more questions than answers at the book's end. In some ways that is a strength -- when authors feel that they need to resolve everything is when credulity stretches to the breaking point. I attribute some of the unease to everyone knowing someone who is very like Caleb the stepfather. An upright man, a strong man, a man determined to protect his family, and a man with a paranoid distrust of authority and belief that some kind of apocalypse is impending. Listens to talk radio all day... super secretive... the only trait this fictional character lacks that his real-life counterparts have is being armed to the teeth. Kids seem to be very sophisticated these days, yet I wonder if the book will seem more sinister to adults and more adventurous (in a kid versus world way) to kids. I can't decide if I love it or even like it, but I am thinking about it a lot, and that is a good thing!

83 books! Nice one.
Happy new year from the first to see it on the under side of the world :)

Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2016! May it be filled with happiness, health, prosperity, and plenty of good books!

>183 AMQS: - Anytime! It must be very challenging (and a bit heart-wrenching) trying to do the best for your first born while still giving her the freedom to make her own choices. My sister was rather lucky in that her eldest decided to attend the local university (and continued to live at home) while the second chose a different and more distant university that was closer to her paternal grandparents, who made bi-monthly trips to take her out to lunch and check up on her for the first year away from home.

Cannot remember if your 2016 thread is up so I will wish you and your family a Happy New Year, Anne and best wishes for 2016!

>185 LovingLit: Thank you, Megan, and Happy New Year! Catch you in the 2016 group!

>186 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! Hope to see you more on LT and in RL in 2016!

>187 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori. It is an exciting time, but a bit daunting and yes, a little scary. She has a good head on her shoulders, but it is hard to think about her spreading her wings:( I guess it's good that it's so busy -- college is a lot of work -- so I don't have too much time to be sad or worried:) See you in the new group!

My daughter is turning 33 this year, and I still have a hard time letting her make her own decisions. LOL She also has a good head on her shoulders and, I believe, is solidly grounded, but some of the decisions she makes are ones I made when I was young, and regretted, so it always makes me cringe and bite my tongue. So far, though, none have been about serious or life-threatening matters, so I do bite my tongue. Most of the time.

Hope to see you more in 2016 too Anne!