Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sunday Salon: Where to begin?


Happy Sunday to you all! I'm sitting here on the tail end of the 24 Hour Read-a-thon, knowing that in just a few short hours I will need to be on the road to Sarasota for a shopping boondoggle with one of my High School friends who is vacationing in sunny Florida. I will be gone most of the day, so I guess now (4:45am) is the perfect time to tell you about my week. And what a week it was!

My kids were on Spring Break, so much of my time was spent playing. Emma and Ryan both had playdates throughout the week, we did some shopping, saw The Last Song per the request of Emma (as loathing as I was to see it, it wasn't all that bad), and attempted to go to Universal Studios, only to find out that it was blacked out. Boy did I feel like a heel for not checking! Overall, it was a nice week of hanging out though.

Friday night was our big Adult Literacy League fund-raising event, and it was a huge success! I don't have numbers yet, but it was close to sold out, and people were bidding on everything. Seriously, the book table was overwhelming...such an amazing array of literary coolness, thanks to many of you! Of course I had to buy a few of the books back for myself. My husband was also running amuck with a drink in hand, bidding on things. He ended up winning one of the "big" prizes...the Chef's Table for 8 at The Capitol Grille with limo service! He also got Emma and I tickets for Discovery Cove, where you can swim with the dolphins. But here is the auction item that blew my mind and that you will appreciate...he bid on the opportunity for MY NAME to be in Connie May Fowler's next book!!!!! Can you believe it??? What an amazing gift!

And speaking of Connie May, I did finally get to meet this lovely woman (if you missed her amazing guest post on Friday, you really must check it out). I had her sign all of my Connie books and was able to snap this picture:

















I was pretty star-struck. In fact, I dreamed about it all Friday night! I know, I'm such a geek.

Then of course the 24 Hour Read-a-thon on Saturday. For those of you that get the automatic e-mails, I apologize. You probably didn't realize I was going to be posting a million times over the period of a day. The kids did a pretty good job. My non-reading son Ryan read 160 pages. Emma read 323 pages. And I read just around 500. I slept 3 hours, and took a break for a shower and church. This was my first time participating, and it was an interesting experience. I'm very impressed with the individuals who organized it, hosted various shifts, the cheerleaders, the readers, all. It is truly awesome to see 400 bloggers all supporting each other in a common mission!

So what this all boiled down to was a decent amount of reading. The kids and I are about 7 discs into Harry Potter 6. I wasn't able to make much headway on the audio "Let the Great World Spin" since the kids were always around, but after 6 or 7 discs, I'm seriously loving the story. I finished Facebook Fairytales, The World We Live In (the third and final installment of The Last Survivors trilogy), Small Change (a review copy), The Summer of Moonlight Secrets (middle grade ARC from my buddy Danette Haworth), and Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin. Not shabby eh? Now I just have to find time to write the reviews!

So now I think it is time for me to go back to sleep and get a couple more hours of shut-eye before I doing some driving. Have a wonderful (and for those sleep-deprived, restful) Sunday!




26 comments:

bermudaonion said...

The fund-raising event sounds awesome! I think you and your husband must be the Adult Literacy League's biggest supporters! I'm sure you're totally geeked out about being in Connie May Fowler's next book!

Unknown said...

I am so happy that your name is going to be in a Connie May Fowler book! I can't imagine a more deserving person. I think I'll have to read it when it comes out.

Frances said...

What a blast of Connie May Fowler happiness for you! Also had to laugh at the image of your husband with drink in hand, bidding away. Only poor planners fail to serve alcohol at these auctions. I've wound up with stuff I did not even remember bidding on. But maybe I should keep that to myself?

Have a great time with your friend and happy reading this week!

Literary Feline said...

What a fun way to spend the day! I hope you and your friend have fun, Sandy.

It sounds like it's a great end to a busy week. Congratulations of the success of the literacy fundraiser. That's great news! And OMG! I'm so thrilled for you that your husband won the opportunity for your name to be in Connie May Fowler's next book. That is so awesome, Sandy! If I could still do a cartwheel, I'd do one for you right now.

Enjoy your sleep and the rest of the weekend, Sandy.

Unknown said...

Two great events! I'd love to find out how much some of the books went for. Which title got the most money? I know that's a bit crass, but I'm very curious.

Getting your name in a book is a wonderful auction idea. I'm going to pass that one along to a couple of local charities out here in California.

Julie P. said...

I'm just amazed by all you do. You are a remarkable woman!

Alyce said...

It sounds like a wonderful week! I'm so glad to hear that the literacy event went well, and how cool of your husband to bid on that stuff!

Kathleen said...

What a fantastic week you had! I'm so happy to hear that your fund raising event was so successful in every way and that you got to meet Connie Fowler!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Very cool about getting your name in Connie May Fowler's next book!

My husband and I went to Discovery Cove in Orlando, and he was very happy although I was disappointed. (a) the dolphin I got to meet did NOT feel an immediate bond with me and commune somehow JUST WITH ME which I wanted to happen so much! It was just doing a job, and waiting for lunch break... (b) dolphins need cold water, and even though they gave us wet suits, I was freezing! and (c) I couldn't use the snorkel! Oh, and it even rained for a while! With all that, however, I wouldn't have traded going there!!

Melody said...

Wow, looks like you had a fantastic week, Sandy! Congratulations on finishing the read-a-thon, and I'm thrilled for you on the fund raising event!

Hope you've a good rest and I can't wait to read your reviews on those books you've read!!

Michelle said...

What a weekend, eh? I am impressed that you not only participated in the Read-a-Thon but did it during a weekend where you had an event on both Friday AND Sunday! Congrats on getting your name in the new Connie May Fowler's book. That is awesome! I hope the rest of the week stays in the same vein for you!

Jenners said...

I'm so glad your auction was a success! And you got to meet your favorite author! How cool! And what awesome prizes your husband won!!!! WOW!

And you all did great on the Read-A-Thon!

Have fun on your trip! Get some rest!

The Bumbles said...

I am wondering if after the Read-A-Thon you popped in an audio book in the car for your drive to meet your friend for shopping?!

Thanks for the photo of you and Connie - you two make a great pair. And kudos to hubby for the name bid. He obviously knows how to support a book blogger.

Molly said...

Friday night sounds like such a success --- for the library AND for you :)

We went to Discovery Cover about 5 years ago and it remains the absolute best vacation we have ever taken! I hope to go there again sometime.

Anna said...

So awesome that you got to meet one of your favorite authors!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Bonnie said...

You accomplished a lot with the read-a-thon, the fundraiser and meeting Connie May Fowler!

Iliana said...

Congratulations on the big success with the literacy event. That's wonderful!

And, how cool that you get your name in Connie's next book. I mean, that is just all kinds of awesome!

Hope you had a great time with your friends :)

Ti said...

How awesome!! The event the auction items you got to bid on and win, etc. It sounds like such a fun time.

Andreea said...

Wow, what a fantastic week. Congrats on everything! Have a great week and happy reading!

Zibilee said...

Your literacy event sounds like it was absolutely fantastic! Once again, you have had an amazingly busy week! I am always amazed at the amount of stuff you get done in one week. You are probably ultra-organized and a great manager of time. I hope you have a wonderful week and get some really good books read!

Alice said...

Hey Sandy, I would be dreaming about it all night too if I were you! What an awesome auction gift too! You're one energetic woman. I hope you enjoy your shopping trip! This is such a happy post. :D

Darlene said...

I'm glad your fund raiser went so well-that's awesome! And I can just imagine how thrilled you were meeting Connie May Fowler! lol.

Serena said...

You did far better than I! Great Job for a first time.

Jen - devourer of books said...

I hope you got some sleep and had fun with your friend!

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

So glad to know that your Literacy League Auction was a great success! Congrats on winning the Connie May Fowler naming prize (and I'm smiling at the thought of your husband bidding madly with drink in hand)

Melissa said...

That is so cool that you got to meet CMF and have your name in her next book!