Making time for reading ~ for once

I've been slowly reading this book, not for lack of interest but for my lack of my dedication to reading. But that's going to be a thing of the past. I haven't been denying myself the luxury of new books, like I should be. The piles stacking up along the already stuffed bookshelves prove that. And although I had a book already chosen after I finished this first book in the new year, I went out for more! {But that will soon follow ~ I'm making time for that now!}

"The Sharper the Knife the Less You Cry" was a beautiful way to express what happens when you just do it - when you're done with wondering - when you follow your dreams.

I loved how the author incorporated just a taste of Paris through her daily life in the city and with the delicious recipes after each chapter. While most recipes were just lovely to read through what ingredients are needed and with how they are to be cooked, some I am definitely going to include in my weekly menus {I'm sure my Family will welcome the change!}

I came across this title in a bookswap in goodreads, and now I'm off to do one of my New Year's Resolutions ~ make time for another ol' favorite; mailing a thank you note to the person who sent this book to me!

I have just finished Stephenie Meyer's 3rd book, "Eclipse". As soon as I completed the Epilogue I walked toward Kaitlin & Breana's bookshelf to grab the 4th book, "Breaking Dawn" completely convinced that the first 3 books could have been condensed to one nicely impact book - same amount of pages - but just one...not three...one.

Now that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the books. I did get lost in some of the writing and appreciated the content, too...but the neediness and lack of life outside of one's boyfriend was a bore to me - although I know, I know, their relationship was what the book pivoted around. It was frightening, too. I would not want any of the young Ladies in my life to live their lives like a lost puppy who needed to be rescued and then never left alone for fear - even if it were just a few hours or even just for the evening - to be abandoned [oh dear!] But because I was told by my 14 old niece and 13 yr old daughter that I must not skip any parts - no matter what - I read through pages of goo-gooing & gaa-gaaing from cover to cover. It was melodramaticness at its best!

It was a perfect catalyst to talk to my girls about unnecessary "wanting" and "needing" and the strong desire to be self-reliant and being self-confidant.

I do appreciate many facets of the books. One in particular is Edward. I especially appreciate his cavalier and gentlemanly attributes - that is most appealing to me.

I started "Breaking Dawn" in the evening but left it at the dining table for the morning. I'm actually curious about that book so intend on finishing right away. Kaitlin tells me it's the best of the four.

So there, "Breaking Dawn" comes highly recommended!

Weekend busy-ness

I steal pockets of moments to read, "All Passions Spent" - suggested by Cornflower - between
knitting a few Christmas gifts
and working on our sunroom.

Good Read

Never mind that Chuck Feeney is a dear friend of my in-laws dating back from Cornell. Never mind that we have been recipients of his generosity. This is a wonderful book. I spent one day laying around reading this book. Oh, I cleared the kitchen from the morning chaos first, of course. But for the entire day I laid around, in my pjs, absorbed in this book. I didn't intend to - just a chapter here & there. I couldn't help myself. It's well-written, interesting from a business angle and from a humanity level and inspiring. No matter how deep/shallow your pockets are, give without expectations of accolades but give and be fulfilled by the fullness of your heart. We can all lead by example and give our time, money, and other resources to the things that really matter.

"I had one idea that never changed in my mind -- that you should use your wealth to help people," Feeney said.

"Chuck Feeney is what Donald Trump would be if he led his entire existence backwards," Jim Dwyer (NY Daily News)

"Talking with My Mouth Full"

This book accompanied me to the beach - it kept me laughing, intrigued...and salivating!
Recipies galore preceeded by memories of Bonny Wolf's childhood, stories of and heard at her dinner parties where the particular recipies were first discovered or helped make a moment memorable.

Recipies like Chocolate Pistachio Cake, Grand Aioli to Roast Pork with prunes & port.

"I was back in Minneapolis for the funeral of my friend Kate's Mother. After her death, Kate went through her mother's heavy locked jewelry box. In the top tray were the pearls and dinner rings she rarely wore. Beneath was a locked drawer where Kate assumed her mom kept her most important possessions. She unlocked the drawer, pulled out the tray, and found her mother's handwritten recipe for Huckleberry Dessert. That meant more to Kate than jewels."

Lucky book spent it's summer at the beach transported by this snazzy birthday bag - thanks to a wonderful friend, Sharon.

Surprises at the library

One of our trips to the library surprised me with a plethora of knitting books. It's normally not like this. Usually there are out-dated knitting books on a feeble shelf, however, when you look in the library system the lists of newly published books are abundant but all checked-out and probably renewed again and again to its max! Today, oh ho, I hit the mother lode! Shelves & shelves & shelves...I didn't know where to start!
I narrowed it down to these 5. I am getting all excited about the possible projects ahead.

I believe it's time to start working on Christmas presents!

Where do I start?!!!!

To knit with one another

Despite all the new/haven't-been-read-books in their own library, Breana wanted to go to the Public Library. Now, I love the library - I love bookstores...but there are fall-backs to borrowing from the library. (1- late fees and 2- simple: you don't own the book!)
But how do you say no to a visit to the library?
Last month Breana did go through her bookshelves. Much to my dismay, she took out her animal story books and Pony Club books to sell at their Yard Sale. I reassured her that it was okay to keep them (you know, to remember her childhood!) but she reassured me that it wasn't necessary to keep them. (Is she my child?) I should have taken that as a sign of change. Oh she still loves animals, especially horses, she can watch Animal Planet on tv all day if she was allowed...just wasn't necessary to keep the books. A stack of the animals books went to a good home; our neighbor across the street bought them for her granddaughter who's room Kaitlin & Breana now call their own - cute, huh?
So off to the library we went. It was a good morning, there was one parking spot available under the shade of a tree in the 10 slot free parking in the back of the library. Gotta love free parking!
Breana scoured and examined books. She, like me, judges by the cover & spine of books :} so she'd slide a book off the shelf, run her hand across the cover, read the title, test to see if the cover pleased her and either moved on or returned the book back to its place and sigh. This went on for awhile until she had a stack of 4 books (as did her cousin, Kylie.) Merely, appetizers for a few days.
On our way out I took a spin around the low table displaying the new books and spied this one.

The cover was very pleasing to my eye and the title reminded me of the year my friends & I gathered once a week - my stagnant year, I call it. As soon as we got home, we retreated to corners in the front room and read. Time wasn't on our side - Breana had to get to soccer practice. She read while getting dressed, she read in the car on the way to the soccer field, she even read until the Coach pulled up in his truck - she wasn't a bit tempted to go out and juggle/pass with her teammates. I felt bad for her when she had to put her book down, for a little bit...I stayed since I was parked in the shade and read for 2 hours. Sweet luxury!

What a beautifully written book.

I walked away from the book with manymany thoughts & emotions.

One was appreciating the kindness & pure existence of my friends.

The other was what I hope to be teaching my children and even what I still have to remind myself from time to time: we all have our own stories. When I come across a nasty-hateful person on the street or a rude Cashier/disinterested Sales Clerk, I take a deep breath and say a quick prayer for that person. I pray that their troubles will be resolved and that they'll seek comfort & peace in all that is good. I pray that their pain & agony will subside so that they can go through their day in happiness. I think of the months I spent with chronic back pain where I couldn't muster a thank you or a smile - where all I needed to do was get quickly from point A to point B and everything in between that crossed my path either intentionally or just happenstance received a glare to remove their existence from my sight. Deep down inside where pain did not exist, I would hope that they would understand that I was not my usual self, that I was in excrutiating pain and did not hate the world.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle" - Plato

Be kind, be gentle, be sympathetic - don't react to what people say or do that hurts or bothers you. Remember that they're fighting their own battles and what is really needed is the kindness & understanding of others.

If we all were a group of friends "knitting" together, we'd have the comfort of a smile from across the room and the promise of a beautiful project in the end.

While "The Knitting Circle" touches beyond what I walked away from, this is what I took from it. I'll return the book before it's due, I will, really I will. I have to, I borrowed it on Breana's library card!

Poo Poo on Practicality

For my birthday, my friends gave me a gift certificate in the amount of $1 per year of my age. As she hugged me, Marijoy said, "Buy magazines!" - "M Magazine!" Randolf chipped in. I took that as a challenge to be frivolous not practical as us Moms tend to be.
So I went to Borders 3 times in the course of one week. Each visit I concentrated on one section - no, it wasn't the magazine section, although it was near it. It was the "Craft/Sewing" section. I found incredible books. There were books on many ways to cut a t-shirt, books on sewing skirts, books on embroidery patterns, books on how to reconstruct your wardrobe, books on bags ...Most books I could only see myself partaking in a few activities -most books were pure eye-candy - aha, frivolity! But each visit I left empty-handed. I was finding it difficult to be frivolous. At one point I found myself by the 'sale' tables where my eyes seized upon book after book where buying 2 from that table granted me a third! Ah, the possibilties! The savings!
Is this what turning 40 is about?!
I went home to think about some of the books that I pulled off the shelves and debated upon. One evening I decided on 1 possibly 2 craft books - the titles I couldn't think of but the pictures & the projects, oh! - but the very next morning, the 6 shelves were organized and alphabetized so where I remember placing the books were no longer where I could find them :(
Again I walked out empty-handed.
Too much thought was going into this - this was a simple challenge, a mere task, a drop in the bucket - one book...thank goodness I wasn't turning 100!
Then it occurred to me...frivolous not only meant "lacking a serious purpose" it meant "pleasure-loving"...

What timing...
and I still have $$$ left in the gift certificate to purchase August issue magazines! :)