Sunday, August 22, 2010

Sunday Salon: School Days


Dzien dobry my fine friends! I come to you today slightly tired, and a little off-kilter. It has been one of those weeks. The kids started school on Tuesday, so it's all good, but I've been flying around here like a nutcase. There is a trade-off for having my days back, and I really don't want to bore you with my whining, but it will take a week or two for me to adjust to my new schedule. I'm also kind of freaking out my oldest is going into 7th grade. How did that happen? We are also immersed in a nice, healthy sports schedule, with my son's first football game yesterday, and my daughter's basketball season starting tomorrow. It is always encouraging to get them off the couch.

I had my initial meeting on the Heathrow Literary Society this week with the Director of Membership from Heathrow and a gentleman named David who will officially chair the group. I knew everything would be OK when David and I immediately began to gush all over each other about the brilliance of Middlesex, and had to shut ourselves down when we realized our third lunch partner was being excluded (although I think she found our enthusiasm amusing). Our intention is to try to keep our reading selections on the literary end of the spectrum, which has really got me pumped. Our first official meeting is in mid-September, so I will keep you updated!

One of the perks of a new school year is my ability to return to my walking (in the 95 degree, but who cares about a little sweat). So I've been productive with my audios. I finished "Gods in Alabama" by Joshilyn Jackson, and I'm wondering why it has taken me 44 years to read her! May I digress here for just a moment, and mention how totally cool it was that the two of the main characters in the story played a game called "What do I have in my pocketses?", which is a nod to Gollum in The Hobbit? That tickled me to no end. After I finished that little bundle of fun, I started the latest Jack Reacher novel "61 Hours" and I have less than a disc away from finishing that. The kids and I are also very close to finishing the latest Carlos Ruiz Zafon audio "The Prince of Mist".

I also read "The Gendarme" by Mark T. Mustian, the latest Amy Einhorn imprint. After that, my sitting and reading came to a complete halt, and I'm about two pages into "In the Woods" by the most wonderful Tana French. I need to get some pool time today to put a dent on that one.

I would also like to raise a toast to my husband, who has put up with me for 18 years. Our anniversary was yesterday, and we celebrated by not only sitting and sweating all day at a football game, and going wine shopping, but attending a birthday party for a friend last night, then slipping away for a nice dinner. 18 years is a really long time to live with someone, but it really seems like only yesterday that we just met.

So as you can probably tell, the week has been hectic, and yesterday we spent probably a whole two hours at home. I didn't even touch my computer or visit any of you, so please forgive me. I predict most of my Saturdays from now on will be traveling the same path.

So what plans to you have today? I am hoping to write a couple of reviews (which I am behind on AGAIN), and maybe read a few chapters of my current book.


Happy Sunday!

24 comments:

gautami tripathy said...

The Gendarme is a great book and so is In The Woods. I loved both.

Yet to read Gods In Alabama.

I plan to finish The Prince of Tebron by C S Larkin. I am liking it until now but am not sure if I will finish it. Sunday is more than half way through me!


Here is my Sunday Salon post!

bermudaonion said...

Happy Anniversary to you!!

I was in the grocery store on Friday and the cashier asked me if I was happy to have my kids back in school. If it'd been a guy, I would have thought he was flirting with me. My friends my age have grandchildren!

I loved Gods in Alabama - I think it has the best opening line ever!

Kaye said...

Belated happy anniversary! I chuckled when I read "18 years is a long time to live with somebody"

lol, try 2 weeks away from 44 years and then we'll talk! Holy crap, where has the time gone?

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Happy Anniversary! That time really flies by, doesn't it?!!!

Melody said...

Happy Anniversary to you, Sandy! 18 years is indeed a long time!

Ooh, I can't wait to hear what you'll think of "In the Woods"!!

Julie P. said...

My kids start on Wednesday. I'll be excited to have a few hours to myself every day (only half-day kindergarten) but I have a lot of worries too! Kind of bittersweet!

Alice said...

Happy Anniversary, Sandy!!

I have read some reviews of the books you mentioned here including The Gendarme. They're on my wish list.

Now I'm curious about Gods in Alabama, too, after reading Kathy's comment...

JoAnn said...

Happy Anniversary, Sandy!! As they say, time flies when you're having fun - we celebrate 25 years in November. Enjoy the return to your school year routine. Our "last first day" is coming up in a couple of weeks. It's hard to believe...

caite said...

now let me get this right...your group will not be reading any of Nicholas Sparks' books? Really? lol

and congrads of your years of wedded bliss.
and the others too. :-)

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

Happy anniversary!

I thought THE GENDARME was fantastic (yet to review it), and after *loving* BACKSEATS SAINTS, have put GODS IN ALABAMA on my must-listen list.

Enjoy the back-to-school routine (2+ weeks until we start, after labor Day)

Unknown said...

Happy Anniversary to you.

I'm off to my book club today. They better like the book! It was Let the Great World Spin, one of my favorites so far this year.

Trisha said...

Happy Anniversary! I can't wait to see what you think of The Gendarme; I have that one on my shelf, but I've been going back and forth with whether or not to keep it there or donate it...

Unknown said...

Happy Anniversary, Sandy! I'm glad you and your husband were able to find some time for each other yesterday! Your days are jam packed!

It still amazes me that your kids are back in school already and your son is playing football in 95 degrees. Although, the way our weather is going, it's going to be 95 degrees when the football season gets underway here!

The Literary Society sounds like it is off to a great start! Love that you and the official chair gushed to each other about Middlesex, a fantastic book!

I'm looking forward to your reviews as you've been reading several books that really interest me!

I hope you get some pool time today to read "In the Woods" which I am hoping to read very soon!

Hang in there, Sandy!
~ Amy

Beth F said...

Congratulations on your anniversary. Yeah, time do fly.

I loved Gods in Alabama too.

Life has been crazy for me too, but I'm hoping and praying I'll have a chance to settle in to my normal routine.

Heidenkind said...

Aw, my parents' anniversary was on Friday. :)

Megan said...

Happy Anniversary! My parents' anniversary is today. Who knew late August was such a popular time for getting hitched? ;-)

I finished The Gendarme last week and really liked it - still have to get to my review of it though!

Gavin said...

Happy anniversary to you! It does sound like you had a hectic week but maybe now that school has started things will calm down..or probably not. I think you will love In The Woods. I just started The Passage, got pulled right into it. Have a great week, Sandy.

Cathy said...

Happy anniversary, Sandy! It's interesting to read people's blogs and see how we're all getting super busy again with fall and school and so on. Hurray for the cooler weather ... soon to come.

Zibilee said...

Happy Anniversary Sandy! I hope you had a wonderful dinner out with your husband! Our kids start back bright and early tomorrow, and I am looking forward to having a bicker free household again! I also can't believe that you are getting out there to walk in that heat! I admire you lots for being so tenacious with the exercise! I hope that you are able to get used to your new schedule soon, as it sounds like you've got a lot going on over there! Have a great and productive week!

Jenners said...

Wow ... 18 years is something! I'm impressed. Congrats to you!

And I love that you bonded over "Middlesex." : )

I'm thinking about reading "In the Woods" fairly soon. We do seem to read many of the same books around the same time!

Ana S. said...

Aw, happy anniversary to you and your husband!

Also, you're not whining at all! Getting adjusted to "real life" schedule (the summer kind of belongs to another dimension :P) all over again does take some time.

Iliana said...

Congratulations on your 18th anniversary! That is so wonderful. Hope you get to celebrate many more years of wedded bliss :)

And, how do you manage to read all those books when you have so much going on?! I have been having so much going on with work and going out with friends and such so my reading and blog visiting seems to fall behind all the time! You must share your secrets :)

Kathleen said...

Sounds like you are on the same life treadmill as me these days. There just aren't enough hours in the day! Congratulations on your anniversary!!

Ti said...

I'm going a bit nuts with the school stuff as well. Basketball is starting as is tennis for the little one and then since I am on PTO my nights are getting a little bit crazy too. Oh, and I can't find my calendar!

Happy Anniversary!!