scaifea's 2015 challenge - thread #24

Welcome to thread XXIV!



Below you’ll find an explanation of my reading habits, which, I warn you, is a bit crazy. Usually I have about 10-12 books going at once, one each from the following groups (and occasionally other books slipped in there, too):

1. A book from the 100 Banned Books book (at least currently. As soon as I finish this list, I'll replace it with another, and oh, I've got tons of lists).

2. A children's book, for Charlie's library. I'm trying to collect books from various award lists, and I like reading them before reading them to Charlie or deciding to add them to Charlie's shelves. For this category, I’m currently working through three lists:
a. 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die
b. The CYOA books
c. The Newbery Honor books

3. A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List, in chronological order.

4. A book for the Presidential Challenge. Books for this category are read in chronological (presidentially) order.

5. An audio book, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/drive.

6. A list I'm working through together with my best friend, Rob: The Hugo/Nebula/WFA/Bram Stoker lists (combined, in chronological order)

7. For this category, I cycle through 7 different stacks:
a. A book from my shelves which I haven't yet read
b. Agatha Christie's bibliography (in chronological order)
c. Neil Gaiman's bibliography (in some order other than chronological (don't
ask)).
d. Christopher Moore's bibliography (in chronological order)
e. Stephen Fry's bibliography (in chronological order)
f. The NEH Timeless Classics list
g. The National Book Award list (in alpha order by title)
h. The Pulitzer list (in alpha order by author)

8. A read-aloud-to-Charlie-at-bedtime book.

9. A book from my Classics shelves.

10. A book on Buddhism or from the Dalai Lama's bibliography.

11. Book-a-year challenge: Two years ago, along with a few others in this group (*cough* Paul *cough*), I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've decided, again, to follow Paul's lead and try to fill in some of those blanks, and so I'm adding an entry here to my lists.

12. This slot is reserved for books that just grab me and shout that they need to be read Right Now.

And on top of these, there will be a multitude of picture books and easy readers, which Charlie and I read together. I've decided this year also to list our re-reads, but I'll just list them each day and not number them.

So, now you've got a glimpse of just how neurotic I am.
Please feel free to post comments, recommendations, or whatever else strikes your fancy. And Happy Reading, everyone!



What I'm reading now:
-Black Boy (Banned Books list)
-Howl's Moving Castle (potential Charlie book)
-Water of the Wondrous Isles (The Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List)
-Zachary Taylor (Presidential Challenge)
-The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (audio book/Newbery Honor book)
-The Jagged Orbit (BSFA list)
-Moab Is My Washpot (Fry bibliography)
-Matilda (Charlie's bed-time book)
-Don Quixote (an unread book off of my shelves)
-The Dalai Lama at Harvard (Buddhism list)
-Far from the Madding Crowd (books by year list, 1874)
-Dyer Consequences (series that my mom wants me to read so we can chat about it)
-As You Wish (from the Read Soon shelf)
-The Return of the Native (everyday audio book in the car/book-a-year challenge - 1878)
-The Spoonflower Handbook (just because)

In addition to these, I have some classics-related texts that I'm working through (quite slowly):
-Asinaria by Plautus (reading in Latin)
-Iliad by Homer (reading in Greek)
-Latin Literature by Gian Biagio Conte
-The Cambridge History of Classical Literature Volume 1 Part 1

Books Read:
(For previous reads, see previous threads.)

OCTOBER
465. (#149) Bomb (Newbery Honor book/audio book) - 8/10 = B+
466. (#150) Go Set a Watchman (from the Read Soon shelf) - 8/10 = B+
467. (#151) Daisy Miller (Books-by-Year Challenge) - 8/10 = B+
468. (#152) Morality for Beautiful Girls (series I'm reading with my mom) - 8/10 = B+
469. (#153) The Chocolate Wars (1001 Children's Books list/ audio book) - 8/10 = B
470. (#154) Turtle in Paradise (Newbery Honor book/ audio book) - 8/10 = B
471. Wish (public library book) - 8/10 = B+
472. How to Cheer Up Dad (public library book) - 8/10 = B
473. Reuben and the Fire (Charlie book) - 8/10 = B+
474. Math Counts: Weight (public library book) - 8/10 = B
475. We Both Read: The Three Little Pigs (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B
476. National Geographic Kids: Planets (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B
477. Froggy's Halloween (Charlie book) - 8/10 = B+
478. Ghosts in the House! (public library book) - 9/10 = A
479. Abe Lincoln's Hat (Charlie book) - 8/10 = B+
480. This Moose Belongs to Me (Charlie book) - 9/10 = A
481. Super Cute! Baby Penguins (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B
482. The Witch's Children (public library book) - 9/10 = A
483. Outstanding in the Rain (public library book) - 8/10 = B+
484. Oh, No! Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World (Charlie book) - 8/10 = B+
485. (#155) The Puppy Place: Buddy (Charlie's bedtime read) - 8/10 = B+
486. Open This Little Book (public library book) - 9/10 = A
487. Pumpkin Circle (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B+
488. Stina (1001 Children's Books list) - 9/10 = A
489. Les premieres notions de T'choupi (1001 Children's Books list) - 8/10 = B
490. Dusty Wants to Borrow Everything (1001 Children's Books list) - 8/10 = B
491. Pancakes for Findus (1001 Children's Books list) - 9/10 = A

The Charlie Topper (he was feeling better this morning and excited about his Halloween t-shirt):

And the Bonus Question:

I'm currently really enjoying Howl's Moving Castle and just realized this morning that it's a good time of the year for reading this one, what with witches and wizards and all being in it. So, in the same spirit, what's your favorite book that includes at least one witch as a character? Or don't you cotton to such things, and if so, explain yourself.

Happy New Thread, Amber. Sorry to hear that Charlie doesn't feel well. I hope he gets better soon. I love this T-shirt. It's so gorgeous. He must be very proud.

>4 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! He's feeling better now, or at least he was this morning, and I haven't received a call from the school yet...
And yep, he's pretty excited about his shirt. I had one mom this morning in the hallway ask me if I'd made it - ha!

Howdy! Just came to nosy around, look in the corners and under the beds. Umm umm ummmmmm. Very spacious, but your friends will clutter it up in no time. Uumm umm ummmmmm.

How about The Witches of Eastwick?

>6 weird_O: Aha! There's that Updike fellow, eh? Adding to the list.

Happy new thread!

My favorite literary witch is Morwen from the Enchanted Forest chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. She has seven cats and a sign over her door that reads, "None of This Nonsense, Please," and she's good at coming up with practical solutions to complex problems.

Favorite book with a witch in it: In my youth, The Wizard of Oz and other L. Frank Baum Oz books. In my not-youth, The Master and Margarita, in which Margarita gets to be a witch with Woland's help.

Happy new thread Amber and a nice photo of Charlie in his Halloween t-shirt, hope the little fella is feeling better my dear. Karen has completed the fudge favours and they have been cut up and are in boxes in the freezer ready to take to the hotel on the 29th.

I am going to join Joe with The Wizard of Oz immediately springing to mind. I loved that book as a child, expecially when Dorothy threw the bucket of water at the wicked witch!

Good to hear that Charlie is feeling better today!

I will put in a word for Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner, a delightful book about a spinster "auntie" who decides that life isn't for her, moves to a tiny village with nothing to recommend it, and discovers that she is a witch. My full review is near the top of the list on the book page, if you'd like to read more about it. This book was the first selection of the Book of the Month Club, in 1926.
Oh, and by the way, appropos of a discussion on someone else's thread (You, weird_o, I'm talkin' 'bout you), John Updike greatly admired Sylvia Townsend Warner in general, and this book in particular:

"Sylvia Townsend Warner’s brilliantly varied and self-possessed literary production never quite won her the flaming place in the heavens of repute that she deserved. In Lolly Willowes, her first novel, she moves with somber confidence into the realm of the supernatural, and her prose, in its simple, abrupt evocations, has something preternatural about it. This is the witty, eerie, tender but firm life history of a middle-class Englishwoman who politely declines to make the expected connection with the opposite sex and becomes a witch instead."
— John Updike

Edited to eliminate the stupid.

Anything by Diana Wynne Jones would be my first thought. My mother was very anti anything remotely witchy so in a rare act of rebellion I read everything I could with magic (thank you, the school library). Love the feminist witches Terry Pratchett serves up as well.

Oh, I love fantasy and would have a hard time choosing just one. How about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for an evil witch (and sentimental favorite; I loved this books as a kid), and Tiffany Aching and the other Discworld witches for good. Diana Wynne Jones... Harry Potterr... so many good books to choose from! I would've read more fantasy as a kid, but my mom didn't like anything that could've been remotely "occult" (at the time anyway; she read Harry Potter since then, and we've had some very interesting conversations about the topic since). So it wasn't until I was a teenager and adult that I started reading more. For me, as long as it's a fantasy I'm okay, but if it's too "real world" creepy I still won't read it (I can't touch horror, I'm waaayyyy too much of a wimp).

And that's a really wishy-washy answer to a fairly straightforward question, isn't it?

Nice new thread and excellent photo of Halloween Charlie, Amber!

To answer your Bonus Question: this is a bit of a stretch, but the only book I can think of that mentions witches that I've read is The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Bianca & I saw a fabulous production of it last year at The Old Vic in London last year, and I re-read the script for the first time since I was a high school student after we saw the play.

Hi Amber - Glad to hear that this thread is starting off on a healthy note! Sweet photo!

I replied to a post in your last thread before I realized that there was a new one: >256 swynn: scaifea: - I actually have Slaves in the Family on my shelf but haven't read it yet. It's a hefty tome, at 445 pages plus quite a few pages of sources, chapter notes, and a lovely generational family tree at the end. I love stuff like this but just have not got to it yet

As for your question here, I will admit that I am not much of a fan of scary stuff (and even, forgive me, of Halloween). Like kidzdoc, the only *witch*-related book I can think of was a Salem-related book, called The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. I thought it was a very good book.

Sorry to be a party pooper re what I know is a holiday most people love

>8 foggidawn: Oooh, I have the Enchanted Forest Chronicles on my shelves and just haven't read it yet - excellent!

>9 jnwelch: Joe: I'm not a bit surprised by your first answer, remembering that you love the Oz books! And I don't know what I thought The Master and the Margarita was about, but it wasn't witches. Ha! I'll have to give that one another think...

>10 johnsimpson: John: Fudge, you say? Yeah, those favors wouldn't last to the wedding were they stored in my freezer...

>11 DeltaQueen50: Judy: Another Oz fan, eh? Lovely!
And thanks! He's tuckered after the school day, but still feeling okay. Thank goodness.

>12 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Interesting... Adding it to the wishlist. And yay for thread crossovers! Ha!

>13 charl08: Charlotte: Oh, definitely yay for school libraries! And I wish I had discovered Jones when I was a kid - I would have *devoured* Howl's Moving Castle then!
I've not been super impressed with Pratchett so far, but I've not tried any of the Discworld books, so we'll see how that goes.

>14 bell7: Mary: I absolutely loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when I was a kid, too. And I wondered how long before Harry showed up here. Hermione, not to mention Professor McGonagall, is one of the best witches ever no? Yay for Potter fans!

>15 kidzdoc: Hi, Darryl! Not a stretch at all - you're just being creative with the assignment, and I like that in a man. Ha! I'm a big fan of The Crucible, although I've never seen a live production of it. I'm envious, I have to say.

>16 jessibud2: Hi, Jess! I'll be interested to see what you think of the Slaves book when you get round to it, and I'm adding The Heretic's Daughter to my wishlist!
And no worries about not liking Halloween - I've only just started enjoying it since Charlie's been around. I hated it as a kid - I was too afraid of the stupid decorations even to go into department stores. My mom had a time getting shopping done in October with me along!

>17 scaifea:- Amber, I will copy and paste my review of The Heretic's Daughter onto my own thread (as it is rather long and I don't want to hijack your thread, ;-). I read it back in 2010, and in fact, I listened to an audiobook version of it, which was excellent.

I am not quite sure how to link to it from here. Will this work?
http://www.librarything.com/topic/185330#5287927

>12 laytonwoman3rd:

Happy New Thread, Amber! Love the Charlie Halloween Topper! Hope he is feeling better.

Happy New Thread! And I'm another The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe fan. It's one of my all-time favorite books.

>18 jessibud2: Thanks for re-posting your review!

>20 weird_O: *snork!*

>21 msf59: Thanks, Mark! He's definitely feeling better. We watched (the original) Escape from Witch Mountain with him tonight and there were lots of shrieks and giggles, so I think he's pretty much back to normal. Here's hoping the night goes well, at least.

>22 cbl_tn: Hi, Carrie! That was one of the handful of books that I read over and over until the binding fell apart. Charlotte's Web and The Westing Game were a couple of others that I can remember right now...

475. We Both Read: The Three Little Pigs by Dev Ross (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B

Also Read Today:
-Haunted Clubhouse

On the agenda for today:

Charlie made it through the night again - YAY! - so I think he is over whatever virus he had, thank goodness! I'll be staying at school for a bit this morning after seeing Charlie to his classroom, to start organizing and tallying up the orders for our big annual fundraiser, which ended yesterday. Ugh. Then I'll come home, take The Gals for a walk, do a bit of cleaning, possibly bake some cookies and then head into the sewing room to work on Charlie's costume until time to go pick him up from school. Leftovers for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I only managed a couple of pages of the Taylor biography before conking out last night. As I mentioned before, I think there will be slim chance for reading now until after the book fair and the craft fair are over - too much book fair organizing and then sewing to get done before then.

The calendar book for today: Breaking Night by Liz Murray, about Murray and her sister surviving living in poverty in the Bronx with drug-addled parents. I've not read it, nor have I seen the movie based upon it, "From Homeless to Harvard." Thoughts, anyone?

Morning Amber! Hooray for "shrieks and giggles". I hope there will be some of those, while we watch the playoff game tonight. Our town is buzzing...

>26 msf59: Morning, Mark! I'm hopelessly at a loss about sports, as you know, but here's hoping you get a happy result tonight!

Favorite witches? Gee, I'm kind of stumped. Can't think of any offhand, except maybe for the ones from The Lives of the Mayfair Witches series by Ann Rice. Should probably read those again.

>20 weird_O: Busted. *turns scarlet with shame* I have known better since 4th grade.

Happy new thread, Amber! All caught up here and on your previous one.

Glad to hear Charlie is over his illness.

As for the BQ, I remember loving The Witch of Blackbird Pond as a kid but don't recall if there was an actual witch... Also, The Witches by Roald Dahl is a good one. And no one has mentioned Harry Potter, yet?!?!?

I love Terry Pratchett's witches. And though I won't argue it's the best in the series, I remember reading Equal Rites as an undergraduate and thinking it was something new, wicked smart and very special. It's the only one I've reread, most recently a couple of years ago, and it holds up well.

>30 katiekrug: " And no one has mentioned Harry Potter, yet?!?!?" I thought that odd too. I almost started my post with "Well, if we leave aside Professor McGonagle..." I guess we all thought everyone else would pick those books! (Or that "other than Harry Potter" was perhaps a given in Amber's question?)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter are great answers to your question. I loved both.

>28 Fourpawz2: Charlotte: I think I've read that series, but I don't remember much about it.

>30 katiekrug: Katie: Oh, I loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond when I was a kid!
And yes, HP has already made an appearance up there somewhere... Caught up, you say? By skimming, clearly. Busted!

>31 swynn: Steve: I'll give his witches a go at some point, I suspect.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Oho, another skimmer! Sheesh.

>33 jnwelch: Joe: Agreed!

Yeah, Harry Potter. And the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.

I am just now realizing though that I don't seem to seek out books about witches. They just happen to be in books that I sought out for other reasons... Hmmm...

>17 scaifea: Hermione is so like me that it's scary, but I rather aspire to be Professor McGonagall when I have a few more gray hairs. I'm well on my way with a couple of boys in our youth group who are in middle school and for some reason get really serious when I tell them off (yeah, it still surprises me to be an adult).

I'm glad to hear Charlie has been better the last few nights.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: and >34 scaifea: - Totally busted! Ah well, my intentions were pure.... ;-)

>35 rosylibrarian: I'm with you, Marie - I don't normally go looking for literary witches, but I've inadvertently made myself interested with this bonus question...

>36 bell7: Mary: Ha! I would love to rock that McGonagall look.

>37 katiekrug: Katie: Yeah yeah yeah.

Hi Amber, the fudge is safe in the freezer from me as I don't do fudge and Karen has to behave so that her dress fits. I just need to transfer my draft speech onto cards and practice it and try not to get too emotional. Hope you are having a good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

>39 johnsimpson: John: Have you got something in your speech about how emotional the ceremony was - even the cake is in tiers...?

I think I'm going to have to go with HP as well for my favourite book with a witch. Can't think of any others at the moment.

I couldn't possibly say I have a favourite witch book, has to be plural so any by Margaret Mahy (The changeover), Diana Wynne Jones, JK Rowling and of course The Witches by Roald Dahl.

>41 MickyFine: It's not easy off the top, is it?

>I'll have to look into Mahy, but I already agree with your other choices!

Many favorites here, from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles to Pratchett's witches (although no one has mentioned my favorite in Good Omens yet), many Diana Wynne Jones possibilities, the Narnia books and HP. I'll add some science fiction-y witches:

The Witches of Karres by James Schmitz
Witch World and its many sequels by Andre Norton
The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff
Water Witch by Cynthia Felice and Connie Willis

and no one has mentioned Eva Ibbotson's Which Witch? yet.

And finally, a favorite picture book!

Which Witch is Which? by Judi Barrett

>44 ronincats: Wow, impressive list, Roni! Thanks! Speaking of picture books, Charlie and I *love* Room on the Broom and Meg and Mog, and we just read one tonight with a pretty cool witch, too (see below).

476. National Geographic Kids: Planets by Elizabeth Carney (Charlie's school library book, easy reader) - 8/10 = B
477. Froggy's Halloween by Jonathan London (Charlie book, picture book) - 8/10 = B+
478. Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara (public library book, picture book) - 9/10 = A
This last one is the one with the cool witch.

Also Read Today:
-Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

>3 scaifea: That is such a tough question. I love the witches in fantasy. Professor McGonagall is awesome. The Wizard of Oz, Howl, The Witches, Narnia, and Strega Nona. I am not so fond of the paranormal stuff. No thanks.

>8 foggidawn: I love her too! I like to think that's the kind of witch I'd be. It's the kind of Mom I am Lol. None of that Nonsense!

>20 weird_O: Ah the beauty of the English language. I don't know why anyone struggles with it. ;)

Amber I've changed my mind: The Worst Witch. Loved this series as a kid. Mildred Hubble is a lovely character.

>47 nittnut: Jenn: Oh, I forgot about Strega Nona! Yep, that's a good one, too.

>48 charl08: Charlotte: I've never even heard of that series! Adding it to the list...

On the agenda for today:

This morning I'm meeting with a few other PTO moms to work on tallying up the order sheets for our big fall fundraiser (yuck). After that I'll come home for a bit to walk The Gals and possibly get a tiny bit of sewing in, then it's back to school to pick up Charlie a little early and get him to his appointment with the ear specialist. Fingers crossed on this one, please, folks...

On the reading front: Only managed a couple of pages in Howl's Moving Castle yesterday. Reading is slow-going these days.

The calendar book today: Tunnel Vision by Sara Parentsky, which is, apparently, the eighth entry in a detective series. Anyone a fan of this series? Thoughts?

Explanation of the "yuck" above: I *really* don't like this fundraiser, but I get ignored at the meetings when I grouse about it, because it makes lots of money. Gah. I don't even allow Charlie to participate. It's one of those programs that has kids trying to sell as much over-priced junk as they can because the more they sell the better chance they have of winning prizes. I feel that this is just wrong on multiple levels: How about we not teach our kids that it's worth rewarding this sort of thing? I've not had to deal with explaining to Charlie why we don't participate yet because they don't give the big pre-sale Hoopla presentation to his grade levels, but next year he'll see it. If he comes home all excited about it, I'll sit him down with the Catalog of Crap, point out how not-so-nice the stuff is and how expensive it is and how that's not really fair or a nice thing to do, and then say, "Instead of trying to get people to buy stuff that we don't really believe is worthwhile so you can win a silly prize, how about we make our own prize (we'll go on a fun day out and he can invite a friend or something) and keep our integrity, too." Ha! At any rate, sorry for the rant, but I really don't like this sale. In the past I've pitched the idea of replacing it with a Read-a-Thon, where the kids get pledges for reading (a penny per page or something), which would still raise a goodly amount of money but also combine a love of reading and learning, fundraising, and giving the community a chance to cheer on our students, but that got shot down right away as not having enough earning potential (nevermind that I disagree - I think it would make plenty). Again I say, Gah.

Oh I despise those kind of fund-raisers. And as someone who always hated selling stuff (even Girl Scout Cookies, which everybody wants), I was very low key about fund-raisers with my kids. I don't remember there being incentives or pressure on them, thankfully. We usually bought stuff ourselves so they had something to show for their efforts, and left it at that.

My husband spent a large part of his career in non-profit development and rants about fundraisers like these. Why won't people just contribute money directly rather than buying from the Catalog of Crap, for which the institution only receives a (probably small) portion of the proceeds? I agree but for some reason people feel better buying $50 of crap than giving $50 to their kids' school. Sigh.

>50 scaifea: Oh, ugh -- I always hated selling stuff to raise money. Magazines and wrapping paper were the bane of my existence in middle school, and I think I had to do candy bars one time, too. Needless to say, I was never the winning salesperson!

Morning Amber! I am enjoying a day off and it looks like it will be another beauty.

I read the Parentsky series, back in the 80s and early 90s. It was a decent crime series, with a good Chicago setting.

>51 lauralkeet: >52 foggidawn: Why can't there be more people like you two on my PTO?! Ha! You've got me thinking, though; maybe we coupld put together a survey of families, to see if they would prefer the option of simply donating? Although when the time came, would they honestly do it? I still like the read-a-thon idea...

>53 msf59: Morning, Mark! A day off sounds wonderful! And I didn't know that the series was set in Chicago - cool!

>53 msf59: I agree about Paretsky. And you might take the trouble to read them in order. It's not absolutely necessary, but I think it enriches the ancillary characters.

I'm a fan of the Paretsky series (still ongoing), starring V I Warshawski. She was one of the first to write a female detective *and* show you don't need the femme fatale stuff that dogs so much of the genre. Her books are unafraid to tackle big issues like attacks on abortion clinics and the trauma of holocaust survivors, whilst the detective herself struggles with finances, relationships alongside a love of beautiful clothes and music. They're also pretty gripping, of course.

Hope Charlie's appointment goes well.

>55 ffortsa: I would *never* read a series out of order! Forbidden!!

>56 charl08: Charlotte: Wow, you're really tempting me...
And thanks so much - me, too!

Wait, did someone say *read stuff out of order*?!! *faints clean away*.

Oh, I see.

I hope Charlie gets on well with the ear specialist.

Hi Amber - favourite witch book would probably be Roald Dahl's The Witches - worst one about witches would be one of those interminable biographies of Lady Thatcher.

All the best to Charlie.

>54 scaifea: Maybe you could get in touch with schools that do a readathon fund raiser and see if they would be willing to say how much they earned -- then you could present that data when the other PTO members say a readathon wouldn't make enough money?

>58 susanj67: Susan: Ha! I know, right?

>59 PaulCranswick: I agree about the Dahl - excellent stuff. And *snork!* to the Thatcher zing!

>60 foggidawn: Yeah, maybe, although I think this may be a case of stubbornness even in the face of factual evidence.

>40 scaifea:, love this, I think I may have to sneak it into the speech, thank you dear friend.

>62 johnsimpson: John: Ha! Tomm had it in his Best Man speech at his brother's wedding - it brought both groans and cheers.

>63 scaifea:, Karen said that would probably be the reaction but it's my speech so I will include and see how it goes. Hope you are having a good day my dear, it has been a day of Amber's. First we were watching Escape to the Country and the young couple were looking for a first time property in Somerset and the young ladies name was Amber and then following this we were watching Home away from Home where people swap homes for a few days and todays episode showed a mum and daughter from Suffolk swap with two ladies from West Sussex and the daughter from Suffolk was called Amber and now I am chatting on here with the Number One Amber who is my best friend.

Those fundraisers are the WORST. I thought so even while a kid, but I didn't think of how wrong it is to sell that stuff, or to pressure kids into selling it. I just didn't bother participating.

ETA: admittedly, I don't participate in fundraisers now very often, either, though I think garage sales and bake sales are quite worthy.

Hi Amber, I hope Charlie's appointment goes well. Thinking of you. Hugs

>43 scaifea: Do check her out. Mahy's picturebook The witch in the cherry tree is delightful, she also wrote YA with urban witches. She was a master of word play, check out her poem/picturebook Bubble Trouble, her collected verse was called The Word Witch: the magical verse of Margaret Mahy. She won the Hans Christian Andersen Medal and twice the Carnegie Medal (UK) and 2 x Phoenix Award. I created a slideshow of her workthat was used as a background for a talk she gave a few years ago. Oh and she was a children's librarian for many many years and one of my favourite songs from the 1970s, Blerta's Dance all around the world, was based on one of her stories - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN8kVlUIxSs
_

Excuse my enthusiasm but every child needs to have a little Mahy magic in their life.

>64 johnsimpson: John: Aw, I love it! You know, I had never met very many other Ambers at all before we moved here to Wisconsin, but now they're all over the place! There are 3 other Amber moms just at Charlie's school. Weird.

>65 The_Hibernator: I agree on both counts!

>66 Ameise1: Many thanks, Barbara. Full report below...

>67 avatiakh: Thanks so much! I'll definitely be on the lookout for some of her stuff for Charlie, then!

Charlie and the Ear Doctor Report:

Well, so, he has some minor hearing loss in his left ear, which he was likely just born with and there's not really anything they need to do right now (the loss is in the range that's out of the human voice spectrum and is apparently really quite minor), but it's good to know about it so we can keep having him checked once a year to make sure it isn't getting any worse. For now, I'll give a copy of the report to the school administrative assistant so that she can add it to his records and then let his teacher know that she should just be aware that it's probably better to be on his right side most of the time and to keep him close to the front of the class. I'm relieved, really, that it isn't worse and that we don't need to do anything about it right now (I was worried that there would be talk of tubes or something).

Good news for Charlie. My mother always loves to tell how I failed a hearing test when I first started school, they found out eventually that I was too shy to indicate when I heard the sounds.

>70 avatiakh: I was half convinced that that was the case for Charlie, too, because he is so shy with strange adults! Ha!

>50 scaifea: I HATE those fundraisers too. I never bought any of the stuff, and I really object to the manipulative way it is presented to the kids at school. My kids struggled with feeling guilty for not participating. Awful. I am that parent that presents a check to the principal and says I'd rather just give money and not have the crap, or send my kids door to door selling the crap.

So glad the ear appointment was good. I hope he's relieved as well. :)

>72 nittnut: Jenn: I know, right? It's terrible.
And thanks! I think he is relieved, too.

479. Abe Lincoln's Hat by Martha Brenner (Charlie book, easy reader) - 8/10 = B+
Charlie read this one to us!

480. This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Charlie book, picture book) - 9/10 = A

Also Read Today:
-Ollie's Halloween
-The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Good for you for "opting out" of the stupid fund-raiser, Amber. I hope Charlie sees the sense of it when you need to explain it to him... I always hated those things, but I took the order forms to my office and left them in the copy room, where most people would see them...never asked anyone to buy anything. If they did, they did, and if not, so be it. HOWEVER, we do have a local chocolate factory that makes truly excellent products, and the fundraisers featuring their stuff do very well. You pay a little more than if you bought the candy in their stores, of which there are several. But even though their products are fairly easily available all the time around here, people buy a LOT of them from kids selling. Mostly candy bars, which are almost a bargain at $1.00 a piece. (And they're GOOD. Better 'n Girl Scout Cookies, even.)

>72 nittnut: I'm also against those fundraisers. Thankfully our children are finished with all that but I used to hate it especially the fundraisers selling chocolate bars, always mentioned that we were against it as we had diabetes in the family. The first school we were involved with did events like walkathons and art auctions for raising money. Lots more organising but builds community.

Good morning, Amber. Glad to hear that the ear appointment went well and there is nothing worse.

Fundraising for the school isn't common here. Our daughters have done it only for special projects for their hobbies like the youth band (new uniform, a big tour etc.). Than they had walkathons which is a good thing. They asked all relatives to sponsor them and we all spent great events.

I read Slaves in the Family the first year that I was on LT. I posted my review on your previous thread. The witches question was a hard one for me as I don't read much fantasy and kind of skipped over those books when I was a kid. When thinking of witches in literature I can hear the witches in MacBeth with their memorable lines - they are good if done well!

Hi Amber. :) I was just reading the end of your last thread and noticed you asked whether I'd read Daisy Miller. Yep. Liked it. I had a Henry James phase years ago when BBC was doing the period pieces. Masterpiece Theater did The American, which I really liked, so I read it. Then I read a bunch of the short ones. Washington Square is my favorite, I think. I did not so much enjoy my read of Wings of the Dove this year. However, I think if it had been edited a little more aggressively, I might have liked it more. :)

Found the link to The American - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/americancollection/american/

Glad to read the ear outcome was ok.

Has Charlie seem the colouring in version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar? (With the craze here for aimed-at-adults colouring in books, maybe I could get away with a copy myself...)

Hi Amber! The schools here sell coupon books as fundraisers. Many local businesses, including tourist attractions, offer coupons. They're very popular. It's not uncommon for people to look for a school child to buy from instead of waiting for a child to find them. The coupon books are more than an inch thick so they provide lots of value for the money.

>75 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: We sold chocolate bars when I was a kid, too, and they were *very* good (and sold very well), but there was still that element of "sell this much and earn a prize!" nonsense. Bah. At least it wasn't over-priced crap, though.

>76 avatiakh: Kerry: It's difficult when selling foodstuff to cover all of the illness/allergy bases, eh? My brother had Type 1 Diabetes, so I understand the difficulties involved in having a young one in the family with diet restrictions like that - it can be rough on them.

>77 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! I'm still amazed that this kid love school and is essentially at the top of his class academically, even though he's struggled with being nearly blind in one eye without us knowing and now slightly hearing impaired. What a kid, eh?
Charlie's school used to do walkathons, but they decided that this fundraiser would make more money. I'd rather make a little less and keep my principles intact, but, well, I'm in the minority there, apparently. Ha!
And I'm not shocked that you don't (need to) do many fundraisers - I very much suspect that you get more financial support for education where you are than we do here. It's embarrassing, honestly.

>78 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! And how have we not thought of Macbeth yet?! What's wrong with us?! Ha!

>79 nittnut: Jenn: I enjoyed The American, too! Thanks for the link!

>80 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! We're relieved. And thanks for the heads-up on the caterpillar coloring book - I'll pass it on to a couple of the teachers at school, who I think would love it. Charlie, however, has never been interested in coloring books; he'd much rather draw his own pictures.

>81 cbl_tn: Carrie: I know that some schools do that and I like that idea much better than the junk stuff. If the PTO keep insisting on selling stuff like this, maybe I'll do some research into how to organize such a book and see it if would fly...

On the agenda for today:

Grocery shopping this morning, then I'll walk The Gals and spend some time in the sewing room before heading back to school for my Friday afternoon volunteering. It's Family Game Night, so we'll see what games Charlie picks this time around. Unstuffed Pepper Soup for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I read a few pages in Howl's Moving Castle in the waiting room yesterday, while Charlie played in the kid's play area (which was a really nice one!), and then a few pages in The Jagged Orbit before bed. Still loving the former but bemused by the latter. Brunner has some interesting moments but they're bogged down in a lot of intentional weirdness, it seems.

The book calendar for today is a classic, although I only just read it for the first time this summer: Animal Farm by George Orwell.

After we left the doctor's office yesterday I told Charlie we were going to Target because he deserved to pick out a small treat for being so amazing. He decided that he wanted those decorative wooden ready-to-paint letters (they're about 12 inches tall) that you can hang on your wall and I think are normally used to spell out names or initials. I knew that his full name would be a longer project than he'd stick with, so I suggested right away that he get a C for Charlie. He liked the idea of getting his initial, but insisted that C wasn't quite right, because his name starts with the "ch" sound, not the "c" sound. So, we ended up getting "CH" to paint and hang on the wall. I love this quirky-minded kid so much.

Morning Amber! Happy Friday! Good news about Charlie! High fives to the little guy.

A bit cooler today, back to long pants but I am not complaining.

>84 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I'll pass that high-five along!
Enjoy the cool weather today - I'm looking forward to my walk with The Gals later on...

>82 scaifea: Amber, you can be very proud of Charlie.
You're right schools get enough money from tthe government to buy all stuff which is needed. You can call it a paradise in comparison to all other countries. School is free here and nobody has to pay a cent. Kids get all stuff (books, papers, pen etc.) for free. We don't have school uniforms or anything else parents have to pay for. They only have to pay a little amount when their kids can't go home at noon for lunch. Here, at noon we have a break of 1 1/2 hours where kids normally go home for lunch.

>86 Ameise1: Oh, Barbara, that "is" a paradise! Wonderful!

>87 scaifea: Isn't it?

The coupon book thing may work better in a fairly large metropolitan area with lots of businesses. However, I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't scale to a smaller community.

Here's an article about this year's coupon book sale: http://wate.com/2015/09/01/knox-county-schools-to-kick-off-coupon-book-sales-cam...

Having never had to do a school fundraiser and not having children, I am intrigued (and somewhat appalled) by the concept. My niece and nephew occasionally hit me up for walkathon pledges, but that's about it.

What kind of over-priced crap is on offer from your fundraiser?

Happy Friday, Amber! You're raising a reader and a kid who loves to learn. Very cool. Those were on the top of our parents agenda, exceeded only by keeping them as healthy as we could and teaching them how to keep themselves as safe as possible, without our hovering too much.

>3 scaifea: Bonus question answer is Harry Potter series of course! Also, loved the witches Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch from The Chronicles of Prydain and I can't leave out The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman. Those ladies were wicked and fun! I may try to reread that one this month.

ETA: Also, Harry Dresden but he's a year round read, not just Halloween.

^Oh, The Chronicles of Prydain and the Dresden Files. Good ones, Roberta. It's been forever since I read the Chronicles.

>88 Ameise1: Barbara: I admit to being completely jealous. *grins*

>89 cbl_tn: Thanks for the link, Carrie!

>90 katiekrug: Katie: Waaay over-priced cookie dough ($20 for one tube?!), drink tumblers,...

>91 jnwelch: Joe: I think we have very similar parenting theories! And it helps to have a kid who makes it an easy job, too. I talked to the PE teacher this morning, to let him know that he should let the administrative assistant know if Charlie ever bumps his head during gym class, and we were chatting about his eye and now ear issues and he said that he's never had any indication that either were a hindrance to Charlie, who is one of his most attentive and well-behaved students, and he wishes he had more students like him. Proud Momma Moment, for certain, and Charlie will get an extra squeeze today when I pick him up from school, just because.

>92 luvamystery65: Roberta: Oh, how could I forget about Prydain!! And The Kindly Ladies are a given - they're already super cool when they come on the scene in Greek mythology, but of course Neil's use of them makes them even more so.

>93 jnwelch: Joe: I know, right? And I need to get round to the Dresden books soon...

Hi Amber! It's too bad Charlie has hearing loss, but I'm glad he doesn't have to have tubes. Those things are a pain. Happy weekend!

>95 The_Hibernator: Rachel: You know, I'm not even thinking in terms of "too bad" about this. Beyond the need to monitor his hearing to make sure it doesn't get worse, it seems analogous to something like being colorblind: it may be a bit of a nuisance for him from time to time, but it's not really in any sense debilitating. In short, it could be a lot worse and I'm super thankful for what we've got.

I will echo Carrie Beth that the coupon books are wonderful! I was not lucky enough to get one this year. I guess I didn't make it to Knoxville and catch a student selling them outside Walmart, Target, or such. I used to be asked by some of the faculty members on campus (on behalf of their children), but I don't think we have many faculty members living in Knoxville or Sevier County with school age children at the moment.

>97 thornton37814: Good to know, Lori. I'll definitely look into the possibility!

Similar to the coupon book, our local university's football team sells a discount card. The card offers promotions from local businesses -- free drink with purchase of a meal, 10% off your purchase of $50 or more, etc. -- good for one year. We are not a metropolitan area -- population around 17,000 (sa-LUTE!), and we're the largest town within 60 miles -- but this must be a successful fundraiser, because the team has done it year after year.

As for the junk-catalog sales, I always buy popcorn from the Boy Scouts as payback for everybody who bought from my kid in the same situation. I also buy lots of Girl Scout cookies, mostly because I have a relative who is always on about how the Girl Scouts secretly support Planned Parenthood, abortion clinics, the Democratic Party and probably Satan himself. (I figure that's a bargain at any price: where else can you simultaneously support girls' empowerment and The Lord of Darkness? Plus cookies! I ask you.)

The Boy Scouts in my area have an annual fund raiser I can really get behind. For $40, they will put an American flag in your yard on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and 9/11. They raise it early in the morning and take it down at nightfall. They've done this for the past 7 years. After the troop's initial investment in flags and flag poles, all they are out is the time to deliver them, so I'll bet it's a pretty good producer. I know I see lots of flags in the neighborhood on those holidays that were put up by the Scouts.

>99 swynn: Steve: *snork!* Yep, those Girl Scouts have got it going on.
And I've seen those kinds of discount cards, which seem like a pretty good idea, really.

>100 dulcibelle: Riva: Huh. That's an interesting one!

Not being in an office environment anymore I find that I miss the candle fundraisers that I used to get hit with about 3 times a year. It was a great way to stockpile the little ones in a variety of scents. Now I have to truck all the way to the candle store at the Mall in order to replenish my supplies and that is a pain. I still buy the Girl Scout cookies from one of my friends at the office (Still visit the place at least every other week and often it is every week) who has 3 of her girls in the GS. But really I only do that because I want to support her and her girls. Truthfully, I really don't like GS cookies much - they aren't very good and I always have the feeling that they are just packed with stuff that shouldn't be eaten by anyone.

>102 Fourpawz2: I've never seen candle fundraisers. Huh. And I agree about the cookies - they're not nearly as good as they used to be. I feel the same about Boy Scout popcorn - it tastes terrible (the in-laws give it to us every year for christmas, I mean, honestly).

481. Super Cute! Baby Penguins by Karie Schuetz (Charlie's school library book, easy reader) - 8/10 = B
Charlie read this one to us tonight.

482. The Witch's Children by Ursula Jones (public library book, picture book) - 9/10 = A
A fun story with some interesting twists and good illustrations. A good one to play "what do you think happens next?" with.

Also Read Today:
-Max's Halloween
-Doctor Mickey

>104 scaifea: Cool factoid of the evening: did you know that Ursula Jones is the sister of Diana Wynne Jones? I though that was interesting, since you are reading Howl's Moving Castle.

Happy weekend, Amber.

>105 foggidawn: COOL!!! It's a Halloween Miracle!! Seriously, that just made my day.

>106 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! That's lovely!

On the agenda for today:

Gymnastics class for Charlie this morning, to which I will take him while Tomm is off to Lowe's for new space heaters for our bedrooms (it's getting to be that season, eh?) and supplies to re-seal the driveway. Weekend chores include laundry, bills, weekly photos, some baking (maybe some bread and a Spice Cake), some work on the book fair and some sewing. We got our next Try the World box in the mail the other day, so tonight's dinner comes to us from Spain! I love these boxes, and how excited Charlie gets when they arrive. It's such a fun way to teach him a bit about different countries, and they make it easy, too, sending along little tidbits about the culture and links to music playlists and such. So fun.

On the reading front: I read a couple more pages of Howl's Moving Castle (still so good), and a few pages in Moab Is My Washpot, which is also excellent.

The weekend calendar quote: "Being a poet is one of the unhealthier jobs - no regular hours, so many temptations!"

Our son and new DIL were given that Try the World as a wedding gift, and they're loving it, too, Amber. Great idea to use it to help teach Charlie about other parts of the world.

They're also both poets - but hold down jobs at the same time, so the weekend calendar quote doesn't quite apply. They're both at the International World Poetry Slam (IWIPS) this weekend in DC, where she's competing.

Morning, Amber! Have a nice Saturday. Looks like a nice, fall day.

>109 jnwelch: Joe: Oh, that's a great idea for a wedding present!
Send good luck to your DIL!

>110 msf59: Mark: It's a *gorgeous* day so far!

Soooo far behind. I will start off with happy new thread wishes and glad to see that Charlie rebounded from his illness and that his ear appointment went well.

Hum.... books with a least one witch as a character? It would appear that I haven't been reading books with witches as characters lately. Last book I read - this time last year - was Hounded with a druid. Does that count? I love movies with witches like the movie adaptation of The Witches of Eastwick and the Harry Potter books but I think my reading tastes differ from my movie watching tastes when it comes to witches, goblems, vampires and whatnot. Have I mentioned that I have watched, numerous times, all of the Harry Potter movies and never read any of the books? Once Upon A Time is one of my favorite shows and it has witches but again.... not a book. Sorry!

>112 lkernagh: Iron Druid does have witches in several of the books so it totally counts! ;-)

>100 dulcibelle: We paid for that service when we lived in CO. Loved it. Well worth the money. When me move back to the US, someday, we will be hoping our local BSA provides the same service. :)

Hi Amber. LOVE the CH for Charlie. :)

>112 lkernagh: Lori: I'm happy for the movie tips, too, so no worries - and I *need* to get round to those Druid books...

>113 luvamystery65: Hi, Roberta! Again, I really need to get to those!

>114 nittnut: Jenn: I've never been a big flag-waver, but I get that there are folks who would appreciate that service, for certain.
And, I know, right? So funny with the CH thing. He picked out a paint color today (lime green - his favorite) and he and Tomm will paint them tomorrow.

483. Outstanding in the Rain by Frank Viva (public library book, picture book) - 8/10 = B+

Also Read Today:
-The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
-Elmo's Monster Mash

Hi Amber, a good morning to you and the family! Happy Sunday.

>117 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

On the agenda for today:

Not much on the To Do list today besides spending time in the sewing room, and I'm really looking forward to it! I may even get close to getting Charlie's costume finished. Slow Cooker Bacon Ranch Chicken for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I read another chapter in Don Quixote last night and can't believe I've waited so long to read this one. It's so good!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

"Slow Cooker Bacon Ranch Chicken". Yum! Sounds mighty tasty, my friend.

Happy Sunday! It looks like another gorgeous fall day. Smiles...

I am enjoying the Marvels. I think you will too. For a monster-sized book, it reads very quickly.

>120 msf59: Mark: I hope it turns out tasty - it's a new recipe!
And yes, the weather looks amazing out there already.
I'm glad to hear that The Marvels is good, but I'm not surprised...

Have a lovely weekend, Amber dear xx

>122 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

"CH" is for "Charlie"!

Great photo, Amber.

Cute!

Go, Charlie!

*waving* Happy new-ish thread!

I loved Don Quixote, I did a combo of reading and listening to the audio.
Can't believe that the touchstones brings up the Marcia Williams picturebook edition as the default.

Hi, Amber ~ Coming out of skulking mode to say hi and that I totally agree with you on the fundraiser issue.

As for my favorite witch, I think the White Witch in Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and the Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz are my favorite evil witches. As for a good witch, I always liked Willow in the Buffy TV series, though that's not literature, so probably doesn't count.

Love the CH-CH-CH-Charlie pic!

>125 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! The Ninja on his shirt peeking through the C is the character he wants to be for Halloween, and so that's the outfit I'm working on for him...

>126 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

>127 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

>128 avatiakh: Kerry: It's wonderful, isn't it? So, so funny so far.
I'm awful at paying attention to the touchstones - if it shows up blue then I happily move along. Ha!

>129 Storeetllr: Mary: I just wish our PTO chair agreed with all of us! Dang.
And I agree with you that the White Witch is a pretty great wicked one, and Willow totally counts because she's The Best! I love her.

484. Oh, No! Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World by Mac Barnett (Charlie book, picture book) - 8/10 = B+

485. (155th non-picture book) The Puppy Place: Buddy by Ellen Miles (Charlie's bedtime read, 80 pages) - 8/10 = B+

Also Read Today:
-Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin

>130 scaifea: Well, there is some work to do when he will get his Ninja costume. Wishing you good luck.

Lovely picture - looks like the crafting gene has successfully been passed on (and great sounding pumpkin related reading :-)

>132 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara - I'm almost finished with the costume! The top and pants are done and I'm almost finished with the hood and mask...

>133 charl08: Charlotte: He's definitely a crafter. Just yesterday alone he painting those letters (with Tomm's help), made me another bead necklace and wanted me to show him how to start knitting a scarf!
And I love holiday-related reading. For each major holiday we have a stack of themed books, which we start reading about a month in advance.

On the agenda for today:
I'll be staying at school for a bit this morning to help with school picture retakes, then it's home to do a bit of cleaning, work on the book fair and hopefully some sewing time for a bit before taking Tuppence to the vet for her monthly laser treatment (and while she's there I'll run to the PO, the library and the print shop (to pick up the Charlie: Year 7 poster)), then I'll drop Tuppence off at home and go back to school to pick up Charlie. Somewhere in there I'll get the crock pot going for dinner: Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken for dinner tonight.

On the reading front: I managed a bit more of Howl's Moving Castle and then a couple of chapters in The Dalai Lama at Harvard last night, which is dense but very good so far.

The calendar book for today: Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy, from 1453 to the Present by Brendan Simms. Whew, sounds a little ambitious, really. Anyone read this one?

I keep forgetting to mention that we're also working through our Scaife Family Halloween Movie List (A new family feature this year, although, of course, we've always watched Charlie Brown and a couple of others). Here's what we've watched so far:

-A Magic Puppy (A hilariously awful business starring Eric Roberts, of all people. Charlie loves it, though.)
-Escape to Witch Mountain (LOVE this one! This was Charlie's first time, and he *really* loved it, too!)
-Curious George: A Halloween BooFest
-Children's Favorites: Halloween Treats (This is a collection of Halloween episodes of kid's shows, including Barney (ugh, but Charlie likes him for some reason), Bob the Builder, The Rubber-Dubbers, Pingu, Kipper,...)

And tonight's movie is another of Charlie's favorites, Spooky Buddies (this will likely take up a couple of nights to finish, as there isn't enough time between bath time and bed time to watch an entire movie).

Morning Amber! Hooray for holidays and hooray for slow cooker meals.

I should wrap up The Marvels today. I am really enjoying it but it does get a bit convoluted in the narrative, which could make it more difficult for younger readers.

>136 msf59: Morning, Mark! No, I don't think his stuff is really for younger readers. I've even got his first one up high on Charlie's shelves where he can't reach it yet. Ha!

Oh my, a Ninja for Halloween. We have a 25 year old son who'd love a costume like that. Lucky Charlie, to have such a talented mother.

>138 jnwelch: Ha! Thanks, Joe! Here's the Lego Ninjago Ninja that he wants to be, specifically:

>139 scaifea: :-)

That looks like a lot of work, Amber. But you say that it's almost finished. Great Job! I think there is no need to ask for pictures! They will show up eventually. ;-))

#124 CUTE pic :)

Been awol for a while so sorry to hear about the ups and downs school wise.

#139 Love the costume idea. Will wants to be a ghost - full old school white sheet mode which is nice and easy! Cass however wants to be a box-troll... which may take some more work :/

>140 jnwelch: Joe: B.A.G., as our mutual friend would say...

>141 connie53: Connie: Not really too bad, honestly. And yep, photos are on the way...

>142 BekkaJo: Bekka: I love the old-school ghost idea! And I don't think a Box Troll would be too bad: a box and some face paint...?

Okay, here are the Lego mittens:

Bah! I was trying to contrive some smart remark about Charlie having to surrender his hands, then I scroll down a few more posts. #*&%@*!!!
Mittens. Brilliant! Did you knit those, Amber? Yet another skill?

Great looking mittens, Amber!

Love the mittens.

>145 weird_O: *snork!* Yes, I did knit them!

>146 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl!

>147 johnsimpson: Thanks, John!

Oh, love the Lego mittens! Perfect for that costume!

>144 scaifea: Those mittens are excellent!

>150 lycomayflower: And will you be making some for Dr. G?

>149 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! I made a Lego Yellow pair for him for last year's costume.

>150 lycomayflower: >151 laytonwoman3rd: The pattern is fairly simple, really...

Wow, totally impressed with your lego mittens! Did you find a pattern or make this one up out of thin air?

>153 lauralkeet: - my question exactly. Either way I am in awe.

>153 lauralkeet: >154 Fourpawz2: Ha! No, I'm not nearly talented enough to make up my own pattern for these! Here's the pattern I used: http://www.carissaknits.com/2012/09/lego-man-mitts.html

Books We Read Today:
-It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!
-Little Golden Book: Toy Story
-Where Is the Green Sheep?

>156 scaifea: Your first book reminds me that I saw someone post an old Peanuts strip today from about 1960 where Charlie Brown was wondering how to send a letter to the Great Pumpkin so he'd get what he wanted. Linus suggested the address was the Great Pumpkin Patch. Gotta love Charlie Brown! I wonder when that will be on TV this year?

>124 scaifea: Aw! CH is also for charming!

>144 scaifea: Nice! You're so crafty.

I'm so glad to be done with fundraisers. The crappy catalogs were the worst. I never minded the coupon books or discount cards though, especially nice to support the school and local businesses. Magazines and gift wrap sales were also pretty big. So much better and easier to just write a check to the school,though.

Hi Amber! Love the CH for Charlie photo. So cool. I am now wondering if I could convince Eli to be a Ninjago guy for Halloween... mostly I just want to knit those mittens, but the Ninjago costume would be very cool.

I need to read Don Quixote too. It's one I think about fairly regularly but never get to. I probably need to make one of those lists.

>157 thornton37814: Lori: We have it on dvd, so we can fit it in when we want (plus, we don't have cable or satellite)! That one will be repeated on actual Halloween, because it's such a classic that we need to watch it at least twice.

>158 Copperskye: Joanne: CH for CHarming - I love it!
I saw on facebook recently where one PTO group sent out a letter to families to give them a chance just to send a check and phrased the letter pretty hilariously. I honestly really like that idea - giving them the option of buying out of being hassled by fundraiser stuff, Ha!

>159 nittnut: Jenn: So far the ninjago costume has been super easy - I made elastic-wasted pants from my pajama pattern and modified the pattern for the top from a karate costume pattern. Now I'm working on the hood and mask. Not difficult at all, really. But then, I absolutely love making Halloween costumes for him, so that makes it easier, too. And who says you can't just knit him a pair of the mittens for everyday? They're super warm and comfy...
And do squeeze in Don Quixote - it's wonderful so far.

On the agenda for today:

Charlie has a dentist appointment this morning to get that tiny cavity filled, and since it's his first-ever filling (and so first-ever time having a numb mouth), I'm just keeping him home from school for the day (sanctioned by the school admin. assistant, who agreed with me that it's more hassle than it's worth to bring him back to school just for the after-lunch portion of the day). So once we're home and I've got Charlie settled on the couch, I'll be doing laundry, a bit of cleaning, some work on the book fair, some baking, and some sewing. Leftovers for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I started Far from the Madding Crowd yesterday and after only the first chapter, I'm sold. Love the characters so far and am sufficiently intrigued by the emerging story. I think I'm a Hardy fan!

The calendar book today: The Stranger by Albert Camus. I've read it, yonks ago, and felt pretty meh about it, which I think is likely an appropriate response (*snork!*).

Morning Amber! Early start for me, so I have limited LT time. Hope you have a nice one. Can you believe I have never read Hardy? Bad Mark!

Good morning Amber. I feel with Charlie. Within the next hour I'll see my dentist for a deep cleaning. Therefore I'll have a numb mouth, too. So tell him he isn't the only one today on this planet.

>162 msf59: Glad to see you're enjoying FFtMC. The recent film with Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba is very good.

>162 msf59: Bad Mark, indeed! Ha! I highly recommend The Return of the Native on audio - Alan Rickman is the reader. Need I say more?

>163 Ameise1: Barbara: Kindred Tooth Spirits today! The mysterious ways of LT... Ha! Best of luck with your deep cleaning, friend.

>164 lauralkeet: Laura: Oh, I didn't know about the recent movie - I'll have to keep that in mind after I finish...

Far from the Madding Crowd was my first really grown-up movie when I was a kid, as was the book. Loved that movie, starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terrence Stamp and Peter Finch. Don't know about the new one. Am kind of reluctant to see it, but suppose I ought to give it a chance. Thomas Hardy is one of my favorite writers, especially The Mayor of Casterbridge.

>167 Fourpawz2: Charlotte: Julie Christie and Peter Finch?! I love it already. Thanks for the tip!

>168 scaifea: please prepare a 500-word essay comparing and contrasting the two films. Thank you.
:)

>169 lauralkeet: *SNORK!* Thanksnothanks.

Good morning, Amber. Good luck with the Compare and Contrast. Jeez, that brings back memories. Excellent job on those mittens. I don't know how you figured out how to do those hands.

>171 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I didn't need to figure anything out - I just followed the pattern!

Ooooh, intrigued to hear of an older film version of Far From the Madding Crowd... The recent one is, as Laura noted, excellent!

>173 katiekrug: Good to know that you've a fan of the new one, too. Noted!

What We Read Today:
-Blown Away
-Green Eggs and Ham
-Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch

>161 scaifea: I LOVED Far From the Madding Crowd. I'm a moderate fan of Thomas Hardy. Didn't love Jude the Obscure, Liked Tess, mostly, and really, really liked Return of the Native (but it could have been influenced by the fact that Alan Rickman was reading it to me).

Hope Charlie has an easy time at the dentist. It should be entertaining to watch him navigate the numb face. Can't wait to hear what he thought about it. ;)

>176 nittnut: Jenn: Oh, whoa, I forgot about Jude the Obscure. Ugh. Yeah, I didn't like that one. Oh well, he's allowed one goof, I guess. Ha! And I'm really enjoying The Return of the Native, too, but, like, you, I'm not sure how much of that is Alan Rickman reading to me.

Charlie did amazingly well at the dentist's office (they declare every time we go that he's their best patient (and I'm ignoring that they likely say that to all the kids)) and the numbness didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. So, he likely didn't really need the whole day off from school, but I did want to make sure that he had soft foods for lunch (not easy with a packed lunch) and I enjoyed having him here all day.

On the agenda for today:

A bit of cleaning, a walk with The Gals and some time in the sewing room before running a few errands (post office and bank) and then heading into school for my library volunteering this afternoon. Leftovers again for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I got a chunk of Howl's Moving Castle read in the dentist's office yesterday morning, and then the first chapter on Dyer Consequences last night after watching the debate. Still loving the former and excited about the latter (I'm really enjoying this series).

The calendar book for today: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, which is described as a modern day Walden and if that's so, then thankyounothankyou. I know I must be an Awful Person, but I just can't get myself to like Thoreau. He always reads to me like a self-righteous, pretentious stick-in-the-mud. Ha! I think I tend to agree with his opinions, but I can't stand the way he presents them.

Oh, and I know that we try not to get too political here, but after watching the debate last night, I just want to say a couple of things, if only to myself (feel free to skip this post, although I don't think I'm going to say anything too button-pushy):

1) Who the heck are those weirdos on either end?! One kept pouting about how little attention he was getting and the other one with his, "I was new in town" thing?! Seriously?! Did that really sound like a smart thing to say in your head?! Sheesh.

2) I'm rubbish at understanding political stuff, really and truly. But I have to say that Bernie Sanders seems like a class act. Beyond the fact that what seems important to me aligns more with Sanders than Clinton anyway, Clinton was too smarmy and snarky and over-confident-feeling and too "my 5-point-plan"-y. Sanders seems much more to-the-point, no-bullshit, and wonderfully free of snark. Yep, I'm feeling the Bern.

>161 scaifea: Good to see that Hardy hits the spot, Amber. I think Far From the Madding Crowd is one of his better novels. Absolute favourite is Return of the Native but I liked the headstrong ladies he created.

>180 PaulCranswick: Morning, Paul! Good to hear that you're a fellow Hardy fan! He's really growing on me, I have to say.

Morning, Amber! I read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek last year. It was very good and Dillard is in contention for the AAC next year. I would like to read more of her work.

>182 msf59: Morning, Mark! Dillard for the AAC, eh? I may have to give her a go...

And, *SNORK!* All are welcome on this thread, even clowns.

Re: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek - I think you would like it. I read it in high school and really the only similarity to Thoreau (whom I also don't love) is that they both write about nature. But Dillard's writing is beautiful and she's so dang smart with a subtle sense of humor. Her memoir, An American Childhood, is also excellent (though I have only read parts of it), so if the nature stuff is unappealing, you could try that for the AAC next year. She's also written a few novels, none of which I have read (yet).

Have a good day, Amber!

Some clowns are better than others. I at least wouldn't run from this one.

>184 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I'll certainly think about it for the AAC next year, although I'm not very good with keeping up on those challenges...

>185 jnwelch: Joe: Oh, nice one!

>178 scaifea: I just can't get myself to like Thoreau. He always reads to me like a self-righteous, pretentious stick-in-the-mud. Ha! I think I tend to agree with his opinions, but I can't stand the way he presents them.

AMEN!!!!

And here are more clowns heading your way :

>187 weird_O: Yay for validation! Ha! Thanks, Bill!

>188 PaulCranswick: Paul: *SNORK!!* Agreed.

>178 scaifea: What Katie said. I read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek a couple of years ago and liked it veryvery much. Thoreau is a naturalist and lecturer, but Dillard is a naturalist and poet. I liked Walden well enough, but Pilgrim I liked well enough to read again.

>190 swynn: Thanks, Steve - I'm definitely re-thinking my hesitation about her work!

OK, if you need a further push....READ ANNIE DILLARD! I will even forgive you for not liking Thoreau, who turned me on to the natural world in a big way when I was about 14. I still have the paperback copy of Walden that I read first and underlined passage after passage. It may have been a matter of timing and receptivity, but I wouldn't be "me" without him. So maybe one day you can give him another chance, too. (I will concede that he was probably a bit full of himself!) I like Steve's characterization of Dillard as naturalist and poet, and Katie is right about An American Childhood---it's marvelous. I'm less fond of her fiction.

>192 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: I'm definitely adding Dillard to the Someday List, but nopenopenope to Thoreau. I've tried him more than once and I just can't stomach the guy. I do, however, appreciate that he helped make you you, so he *does* have *that* going for him...

What We Read Today:
-Hello Kitty's Fun Fall Day
-We Both Read: Just Five More Minutes
-Trick or Treat with Elmo

And tonight's Halloween movie was The Heffalump Halloween Movie (or some such title). Pooh and the Gang are always welcome at Scaife Manor. Eeyore is my own favorite, although Piglet is pretty darn adorable, too.

On the agenda for today:

I'll be helping out with picture retakes again this morning at school, then I'll come home to do some menu planning and make up my grocery list for tomorrow, do a bit of cleaning, take The Gals for a walk, possibly bake some cookies and then head down to the sewing room until time to pick Charlie up at school. I finished Charlie's costume yesterday, so now I'm ready to start on Mario's...

On the reading front: I started As You Wish yesterday, which I've been excited about for a while now. One of my very favorite films and I can't wait to see what Elwes has to say about it.

The calendar book for today: The Fan Man by William Kotzwinkle, who, apparently, also wrote E. T.? Sounds like it could be a good one - anyone read it?

Morning Amber! Sweet Thursday! Last work day of the week. Yahoo!

^^I LOVE the clown car up there!! Thanks, Paul!

>196 msf59: Morning, Mark!

Late to the Mittens party! But I love them!

>198 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

>144 scaifea: How I admire, and feel so happy for you regarding your life with Tom and Charlie. You remind me of how I was when my daughter, soon to be 43, was a wee little one. I sewed very pretty, frilly dresses; I made curtains; I loved sewing projects, and I still love to bake.

Life is good!

>200 Whisper1: Aw, thanks, Linda! I generally feel like the luckiest lady ever and I certainly lead a charmed life here at Scaife Manor with the two best guys I could ever have wanted.

Amber: I haven't read Don Quixote yet; your recommendation makes me want to read it. I don't know how you can stand reading one chapter at a time!

I love them! I'd like them as a kid, and I didn't like mittens! I showed them to my wife and daughter; they're both knitters and crocheters.

One more thing: I think my favorite witch in literature is Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching in Disk World.

There was another young adult book I read in 6th grade or so, with two witches in it, an old and a young one, that I liked, but I can't remember the name 47 years later!

I'm not really sure where the original comment was made, but I've only read Don Quixote in Spanish. Our Spanish III class in high school was a Spanish literature class really. We read lots of Spanish authors that year.

>202 jjvors: Jeff: I formed the habit of reading many books at once in graduate school and have never kicked it. And I would read more than one chapter of a book at a time if I had more time or wasn't so tired at the end of the day that I can only keep my eyes open for a few pages!

>203 jjvors: Jeff: Note that I listed the link for the knitting pattern above, in case they want to make a pair.

>204 jjvors: Jeff: I haven't read any of his Discworld stuff yet, but I will eventually. And if you ever think of the title of the other book, let me know!

>205 thornton37814: Lori: The entire thing in Spanish?! In high school?! Whoa.

What We Read Today:
-Hello Kitty Picture Clues: Fall Surprise (read by Charlie!)
-Spooky Hayride
-Tractor Trouble

>206 scaifea: It took awhile to get through. We were advanced though.

>208 thornton37814: Lori: You must have been *very* advanced!

On the agenda for today:

Grocery shopping this morning, lunch with some PTO ladies, and then volunteering at school this afternoon. No time for sewing today, but I did make good progress on Mario's costume yesterday so I should be able to finish it up this weekend. Stuffed Green Peppers for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I read a bit more of Black Boy last night, which is so well written and very interesting but definitely not light-hearted.

The calendar book for today: Nightwood by Djuna Barnes, which I think I read in college, but I can't quite remember...

This is linked to the book you're about to read



Have a great weekend Amber

Happy Friday, Amber! We are heading to your fine state again, this morning, but far on the other side. Hope to see plenty of fall color.

I've never read Black Boy. I am way overdue, on reading a Wright work. How has it aged?

>211 PaulCranswick: Paul: I'm afraid you'll have to explain your photo to your simple friend...

>212 msf59: Mark: Black Boy has aged very well, and you should definitely try it.
Safe travels and have fun in Door County! We've never been yet, but need to soon...

>211 PaulCranswick: & >213 scaifea: It is an island on the Hudson River at Storm King Mountain which is where Djuna Barnes was born.

I don't remember Nightwood well from a college read either. I remember T.S. Eliot was a big fan, and that's what got me onto it.

>214 PaulCranswick: Aha! Thanks, Paul.

>215 jnwelch: Joe: I know that I had a volume that included both Nightwood and Passing and I don't remember which one we read in the course for which I bought it... Ha!

>214 PaulCranswick: We were just on Storm King Mountain a couple weeks ago....had brunch in Cornwall-on-Hudson...probably saw that island. The views from the mountain are incredible. Did not know that's where Djuna Barnes was born. The things this group can teach ya! I have tried to read Nightwood, and couldn't. But maybe her earlier short fiction might be the key to getting in... I believe Eliot not only admired her, but was responsible for getting Nightwood published in the UK after it had been rejected several times.

>217 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Oooh, lots of interesting stuff in that pithy little paragraph - thanks!

Amber! Hey Amber! I'm just now reading an article in the current The New Yorker about Henry David Thoreau. It asks, "Why, given his hypocrisy, sanctimony, and misanthropy, has Thoreau been so cherished?"

The author of the piece is a new staff writer named Kathryn Schulz. Here's an early passage:

The real Thoreau was, in the fullest sense of the word, self-obsessed: narcissistic, fanatical about self-control, adamant that he required nothing beyond himself to understand and thrive in the world. From that inward fixation flowed a social and political vision that is deeply unsettling..."Walden" is less a cornerstone work of environmental literature than the original cabin porn: a fantasy about escaping the entanglements and responsibilities of living among people.

I have visited Walden several times, and have always ended my visit sooner than planned, i.e., well shy of the final passage.

"a fantasy about escaping the entanglements and responsibilities of living among people" As much as I enjoy the company of certain people, many many here among them, that is a fantasy of mine that has lived within me for as long as I can remember. I don't seem to do anything about it, but isn't that what fantasies are for, really, to allow us to escape harmlessly when we need to? Not a bad thing, I'm thinkin'.

>219 weird_O: Bill: Ha! Timely. And it's nice to know that I'm not alone in my inability to appreciate his stuff.

>220 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: You're right that there's nothing wrong with fantasies and harmless escape; what's annoying about Thoreau is that he touts his as something else, I guess.

Lots of interesting children's space fiction mentioned in this article - thought you might like it for future reference!
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/17/railhead-philip-reeve-review-all-ab...

>222 avatiakh: Excellent - thanks, Kerry!

486. Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier (public library book, picture book) - 9/10 = A
A very cool book-within-a-book-within-a-book sort of thing. Charlie loved it.

487. Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson (Charlie's school library book, picture book) - 8/10 = B+
Explains the circle of life for a pumpkin with cool photographs to go along with it.

Also Read Yesterday:
-Inside a House That Is Haunted

On the agenda for today:

I'll be taking Charlie to his doctor's flu shot clinic this morning, then we'll swing back by home to pick up Tomm before heading straight on to gymnastics class. Then back home for lunch and weekend chores: laundry, bills, organizing photos, cleaning, possibly some baking and hopefully some time in the sewing room. We decided on pizza for dinner last night so tonight will be either the Stuffed Peppers or Zuppa Toscana.

On the reading front: Nothing to report. Between a nasty afternoon headache and a very busy day yesterday, there was just no time for cracking open a book. Gah.

The book calendar's weekend offering is a quiz question: What novel concludes with this sentence: "It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search after her missing children, only found another orphan."?

I admit that I've not read this beast of a book yet, so there's no chance that I could have answered correctly.

>146 kidzdoc: Bill, A wonderful American Literature professor lo many years ago, had the same comments regarding Henry David! I visited his cabin location in the woods of Concord. At the time, there was a trailer park across the street of the entrance to the woods.

I remember the professor telling the class that Henry David was a mamma's boy who went home for dinner every night. The writing does not match the experience.

Happy Day Amber!

>226 Whisper1: Linda: A momma's boy, eh? Ha!

>226 Whisper1: I need to reread Walden with this comment in mind. Henry David was a mamma's boy who went home for dinner every night. The writing does not match the experience.

Amber, I started a thread for NF November. Join us please. I know you usually have a NF in your rotation. :-)

https://www.librarything.com/topic/198771

225> I'm not sure if you were asking us to answer, but it's the last line from Moby Dick.

>229 ffortsa: I really don't want to read this book, and that quote doesn't help!

>228 luvamystery65: Thanks for the link, Roberta! I've got a couple going right now!

>229 ffortsa: Yep, you got it!

>230 charl08: Charlotte: Oh, really? Why not?

Just stopping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Amber! Staying to say I agree with Charlotte about the quote and having no interest in reading that "beast of a book."

>232 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary! I don't really have any thoughts that I'll super-enjoy it, but I still want to read it, just to have, well, read it. Ha!

What We Read Today:
-Walt Disney's Cinderella (The Little Golden Book version)
-Grow a Pumpkin Pie!
-Dora the Explorer: Follow the Music

I read Moby-Dick in college and it was not as bad as expected. The detailed information on whaling was a slog, but the parts that actually advanced the plot were good. I guess in this case I advocate some judicious skimming. ;-)

>235 foggidawn: Ha! Good to know.

On the agenda for today:

Just finishing up the weekend stuff that didn't get done yesterday: photos, baking, possibly a quick trip to the library to pick up some holds, and then some sewing.

On the reading front: I got a bit more done in Howl's Moving Castle and then another chapter in The Water of the Wondrous Isles, both of which are good in their own ways.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Morning Amber! Happy Sunday! We are having a nice time in DC. The fall colors are stunning. You guys should plan an autumn trip over here.

BTW- I think you would love Slade House. It sure seems like your cuppa.

>235 foggidawn: Hmm. Maybe. Not a fan of the whaling, or those big novels generally. Never say never though!

>238 msf59: Morning, Mark! We definitely want to make it up there at some point - we've heard such good things about the area. And thanks for the tip on Slade House!

>239 charl08: Hi, Charlotte!

Morning Amber, well it is still morning here but then we are usually behind the rest of the world. How are you doing with your Fitbit? Dog walking must help with getting in the steps.

I was forced to read Moby Dick in high school - a civic pride kind of thing making it obligatory reading in my town. Once Ishmael actually set sail, I hated it. Don't remember anything about it except that the cover of the book was blue.

>241 Familyhistorian: Meg: I'm doing okay with the fitbit. Weekends make me feel guilty, though, because I eat more and walk less. *shrug* But yes, walking The Gals really helps me get those 10,000 steps in!

>242 Fourpawz2: Charlotte: I can't really imagine high school students getting any benefit from reading such a thing. Yes, it's a classic, but I suspect they're not really ready for it.

>243 scaifea: - most definitely! I did put a copy of it on my Kindle in case I reach an age where I think I can face it again, but so far I'm still not there.

Hey Amber - thought of you re latest book Melisande! What are dreams!?. The narrator becomes a classicist, so full of quotes (and I suspect allusions that were beyond me!). Have you read it?

>244 Fourpawz2: I'll be interested to see when/if you ever get there...

>245 charl08: Oh, that one *does* sound good! No, I haven't read it but thanks for the tip!

What We Read Today:
-The Shy Scarecrow
-The Poky Little Puppy
-A back-issue re-read of a Lego Club Magazine

244>. I must be perverse. I read it in high school and also a couple of years ago and I loved it, whaling details and all.

>248 ffortsa: I think by "perverse" you mean 'awesome.' *grins*

Morning Amber! Final day in Door County. We head back about noon. It was a perfect long weekend getaway.

Have a good day.

>249 scaifea: Add me to the perverse group who actually likes it... :)

I'm going to send my husband (@flamingrabbit) over here to read these last few comments on the subject of Moby Dick----he's another one of those perverse people.

Add me to the non-perverse club of folks who didn't like Moby Dick. I kept expecting a whale merchandise gift shop to pop up somewhere in there.

>253 jnwelch: That's funny, Joe. There is quite a bit of Moby Dick-related swag around our house---mugs, T-shirts, stuff like that.

>254 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! My BIL probably has some, too, Linda - he loves M-D.

I'm also a Moby-Dick fan.

I read it in high school and liked it for the story and the heavy symbolism, but thought the prose was a bit overwrought.

Then in college I fell in admiration with the radical theologian William Hamilton, whose so-sixties moment had already passed but who had gone on to a career as a Melville scholar. I read Moby-Dick again through Hamilton's death-of-God lens and liked it even better.

I read it again with my son a few years ago. This time I liked it for the prose, and less for the story. The symbolism felt overwrought.

My son just thought it was boring. Oh well.

>250 msf59: Morning, Mark! Enjoy the day - it's a beautiful one here!

>251 drneutron: - >256 swynn: Jim, Linda, Joe, & Steve: All this back-and-forth makes me want to pull out my copy and start reading right away! Ha! I'll get there eventually.

On the agenda for today:

Our internet was Awn-The-Blitz this morning so apologies for getting a late LT start today. I've ran some errands already after taking Charlie to school and now I'm ready to to a few little odds and ends around the house before heading down to the sewing room until time to pick Charlie up from school.

On the reading front: Nothing to report, I'm afraid. We had a very busy weekend of chores around the house and I was just too tuckered last night to crack open a book at all. Hopefully tonight I'll get some more reading in.

The calendar book for today: Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson. Sounds intense but interesting and important stuff. I may have to add this one to the list...

488. Stina by Lena Anderson (1001 Children's Books list, picture book) - 9/10 = A
Charlie and I both liked this one bunches. Lovely story with equally lovely illustrations.

489. Les premieres notions de T'choupi by Thierry Coutrin (1001 Children's Books list, picture book) - 8/10 = B
490. Dusty Wants to Borrow Everything by Inger Sandberg and Lasse Sandberg (1001 Children's Books list, picture book) - 8/10 = B
491. Pancakes for Findus by Sven Nordqvist (1001 Children's Books list, picture book) - 9/10 = A

Also Read Today:
-Hello Kitty: Ice-Skating Fun (read by Charlie!)
-Splat the Cat: Good Night, Sleep Tight

On the agenda for today:

This morning after taking Charlie to school I'll head back home for laundry-doing, a bit of cleaning and then some time in the sewing room before going back to school for my library volunteering this afternoon. Smoked Sausage Gumbo for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front, I read a bit more in Howl's Moving Castle last night - I'll try to finish it up today.

The calendar book for today: My Next Step: An Extraordinary Journey of Healing and Hope by Dave Liniger.

I finally finished up both Charlie's and Mario's costumes - I'll try to get a new thread going today and post preliminary fittings photos there. Next up on the sewing agenda is getting ready for the Craft Fair I've signed up for in November...

Morning Amber! I am trying to get back into my A.M. ritual. The "Smoked Sausage Gumbo" sounds wonderful. Smacks lips...

Have a good day!

>261 msf59: Mark: Come on over for a bowl this evening! *grins*

>260 scaifea: You know, I have to think for a second when you say "Charlie's and Mario's costumes", becuase why would you say Mario, when that's the character.

And then I realise "Oh, Mario!"

And then I think "Mario? Costume?"

What's she (thinking hard again) going as?

>263 humouress: Nina: Charlie is going as the Blue Ninja (Jay) from Lego's Ninjago cartoon, and Mario will be the Golden (retriever) Ninja, aka Lloyd, from the same:

The Blue Ninja:



The Golden Ninja:



I'm working on getting the new thread up now, and there will be photos of Charlie and Mario trying on their costumes over there...

And, as promised, here's the new thread, where you will see Scaife Manor's version of the Blue and Golden Ninjas:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/200187