Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday Salon: Boo


Happy Sunday and Happy Halloween my friends! Is everybody ready for some spookiness this evening? What I am ready for is an evening with friends and my husband's margaritas. It has been another one of those weeks!

As you may have deduced from my Monday Movie Meme post, my son lost his football playoff game Sunday. It was a hard thing to face for me - I wasn't ready for all of that to end. So I brooded for a couple of days over that. My son shook it off though, and is looking forward to an exhibition bowl game to end the season next Saturday up in Jacksonville.

Our Babes, Books and Bordeaux group met this week to discuss "Room", and what a great discussion we had! One of our members is 8 months pregnant, and suffice it to say she didn't get past page 30. But everyone else literally consumed the book and thought it was one of the best books we've ever read. We spent a long time talking about breast-feeding (ha!). You just never know what's going to push our buttons! Our next book is "Cane River" by Lalita Tademy.

My son turned 11 on Thursday. We didn't have school on Friday, so the kids and I went to Universal for a little roller coaster and Harry Potter action. My husband was out of town, so when he got home on Friday night, we all went out for a decadent dinner at one of our better steak houses to celebrate. (My son's choice...he is a meat eater.) As for a little fun with his friends? Because of our crazy schedule this time of year, the poor child usually has to wait until January for that. He wants to take a couple friends to Disney, so I'm going to sit down and try to perform a miracle to squeeze it into the calendar.

I also had a parent meeting on Tuesday evening to put the final touches on a trip coming up next week that I have yet to share with you, because I knew you would be jealous (not). My two kids and I, along with about a hundred other parents and kids from our school, will be flying to Washington DC and Williamsburg for a field trip Wednesday through Friday. We have to be at the airport at 6:30am on Wednesday, land (in theory) at midnight on Friday, and in between those two points is a whole flurry of goodness. Pray for me.

So between all of this, and some more stuff that I won't bore you with, and Blogger shutting down for a good part of Friday, I fear I haven't been as sociable as I normally am. My apologies, but it isn't going to be any better next week. I'll do my best!

So reading. What of reading? The kids and I are about 10 minutes away from finishing "White Cat" on audio. My daughter has declared that she is sick of "this audio book thing" and is annoyed with the mediocre selections as of late (which I guess means White Cat and Mockingjay?). I can probably blame some of this on Harry Potter withdrawal. I may take her to the library and let her pick out the next one, although I'm doubting whether anything will please her these days. I've been listening to "Backseat Saints" by Joshilyn Jackson, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was about one of the characters from "Gods in Alabama"! I love it when authors do that. I'm not sure I like this book as well as GiA, but it has kept me very entertained. Jackson is narrating this book herself, and I love her little southern voice.

After 2 1/2 weeks, I finally wrapped up "Carry the Rock", an OKRA pick and a book I picked up at SIBA. This was a painful experience. In theory, a book about race and football in Little Rock Arkansas should be solid, but it was as dry as dry could be. This is was one of those situations where I should have walked away, but I felt obligated. Anyway, that behind me, I picked up "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver. Rhapsody Jill told me I had to read this book, so like a good girl I ordered it from the library. I am unable to put the book down for more than five minutes people. Wow. No idea what I am going to read next. I've got a read-along coming up for Doctor Zhivago with Frances, and a huge stack of urgents on my nightstand. Maybe I should focus on wrapping up some challenges? I'll let the spirit move me.

Hope you all have a safe, candy-filled (the GOOD kind), and perhaps even margarita-filled evening!




22 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Your life sure is a never-a-dull-moment kind of life! I'm glad your husband makes a good margarita! :--) So glad you're feeling the same about Before I Fall - be sure to email when you're done so we can talk about the ending!!! (I NEED to talk about the ending!) :--)

Ana S. said...

Best of luck with that field trip, Sandy! Maybe it won't be so bad :P Happy Halloween, and enjoy those margaritas ;)

Beth F said...

Have a super field trip. I have Before I Fall sitting around here. I guess I'd better pick it up.

Beth F said...

Oh and sorry that the kids don't like White Cat. I loved it because I love books about the mob and I thought this alternate history involving the mob was a lot of fun and different.

bermudaonion said...

Carl did the field trip to DC and I did the one to Florida theme parks, but they were both bus trips. By the time Vance flew for school trips, we weren't allowed to go. The trip will exceed all of your expectations - enjoy it while you can!

Molly said...

WOW - that is some field trip! It will be crazy fun I am sure.

How I wish we lived closer to Orlando. All the hype about the HP movie has made me want to visit the amusement park even more.

Blogger has been giving me fits all weekend. I have input my Sunday Salon post TWICE - and it still won't post. UGH!!

I think I may need one of your hubby's halloween margaritas :)

Frances said...

You are coming to DC? And I bet that schedule is jammed pack if I know you. If there is any time for a book story outing let me know? Or if you need any pointers or get lost or something else unpredictable, let me help? You and yours should have a great time, but bring rain gear. It is looking a little wet for your visit right now.

Trisha said...

I can definitely relate to Harry Potter withdrawal symptoms. Before the last book came out I re-read all of them, spending about one month with nothing but Harry. After finishing the seventh, I read it again. After that, nothing was good for awhile. :)

Happy Halloween!

ds said...

DC and Williamsburg?? Wow. What a fun, interesting, but exhausting experience you will have (I hope the planners factored in one of the nighttime tours of W'burg--as great as Halloween for spookiness and cool information). Enjoy those margaritas; happy happy Halloween!!

Alyce said...

I don't blame your daughter one bit. I keep trying new audiobooks and then giving up on them, going back to the best-loved Harry Potter audios. We're almost finished listening to #5 in the car again. :)

I wish you luck on your long field trip!

I have Cane River on my shelf, so I'm very interested to see what you and your book club think of it.

Before I Fall is totally awesome! I cried buckets, and it made me think and reflect on my own life.

Hope you have a wonderful Halloween!

Michele said...

You are simply a braver mother than I am. Can't imagine that hell. Even Halloween has been a challenge (I'm blaming my kids for ruining what used to be my favorite holiday with all their activities crap. Sigh.

Just starting Room, so hoping I'll love it as much as everyone else seems to.

Stephanie said...

I would love to discuss Room with my book club! I bet it elicited a great discussion.

Gavin said...

DC and Williamsburg? That sounds fabulous. Sharing Room with a group must have been a great experience, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Iliana said...

Sounds like you have a busy week ahead Sandy! Have several margaritas tonight! And, while you are at it, have one for me. I'm up to my ears in crafting mania so I could use a margarita too :)

Happy Halloween!

Zibilee said...

Oh, I am sad to hear that Carry the Rock was so dry. I have it coming up and I am starting to get cold feet now! Also, it sounds like you are going to be a very busy lady this week, and I am hoping that you have a good time, what with all the ruckus such a field trip entails. We have kind of slowed down on the audio book front as well, because frankly, Mockingjay sucked the fun right out of it for us. Luckily we picked a David Sedaris for our next audio, so things should be looking up! Have a great week and remember to make some time for just you.

Melody said...

Wow, looks like you've a busy week ahead, Sandy! As for me, I'll be busy packing/unpacking in the next few weeks since we're shifting office. I'm so not ready for the move!!

Good luck on that field trip! Hope you guys have fun!

The Bumbles said...

Yikes. I did that same DC trip when I was in middle school - whole lot of site seeing packed into a short amount of time - it was fun though. We didn't have our parents with us - just a few brave teacher chaperones! When I brought Andy there it was packed with school groups as well. Nightmare. Bring some advil ;0)

Lenore Appelhans said...

I started ROOM a few months ago, and need to get back to it.

Kathleen said...

Wow, after the last couple of weeks that you've had you definitely needed AND deserved a few margaritas!

Jenners said...

You do need a break. And it is only going to get worse with what sounds like the field trip from hell. Take lots of audio books!

I finished ROOM last week and loved it. Kills me that you ended up talking about the breast feeding. Ma would be pissed at you guys!! : )

And I'm giving "real" audiobooks a try (in other words, one with professional production values and good readers) and it makes a world of difference. And "Backseat Saints" is one of the ones I'm listening to now.

And Rhapsody Jill just made me request Before I Fall from my library too!!!

Alice said...

Have fun with the field trip! I hope you had a great Halloween. I celebrated my sister's birthday on that day.

I didn't know that Blogger.com was down on Friday...

Melissa said...

I'm so glad to hear the your discussion of Room was great. I look forward to your thoughts of Cane River. I've had it on my shelf forever.