Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sunday Salon: Sweating, Sloth and Snape

 Happy Sunday folks! Our first week in Indiana was a combination of action and laziness, which is fine by me.  At the beginning of the week, we spent a couple of days at Turkey Run State Park, a beautiful and small park with rugged hiking trails that wind their way along creeks (pronounced "cricks" here) and under large rock formations.  I grew up camping and hiking here, and I'm always nostalgic when I come back.  But then there was the HEAT.  I never knew I could be so totally disgusted with myself.  But I guess somehow I have to work off all that butter I put on my sweet corn.  We also did some horseback riding.  We came back home exhausted.

After that, it was all sloth...watching movies, reading, sleeping.  Aaaaahhhhh.  My daughter has decided she wants to ride horses somewhere beyond a trail, so we found her a place to take a few lessons before we go back home.  We also drug ourselves off our duffs and went to see Harry Potter on Friday.  So bittersweet to see it all end.  And the part when Snape's memories are revealed in the pensieve?  Just freaking RIPPED my heart out truly.  *sigh*  Snape is love.

Yesterday my husband flew up to spend a few days with us.  We had to take him on an obligatory shopping spree for Purdue merchandise, and he had to test-drive my dad's Corvette.  Those were his goals upon visiting.  We started the dialogue of MAYBE spending Thanksgiving at our favorite beach in the panhandle.  We are having a yearning.

So what of my reading frenzy?  I finished Wendy Wax's "Ten Beach Road", which as I said last week, is what one needs on a summer vacation.  Then I read "What Alice Forgot" by Liane Moriarty for the August Skype book club.  Did you know that this was an Amy Einhorn book?  I loved the story down to the tips of my toes.  I obsessively read...I couldn't stop.  No reason for the fervor to stop, so I picked up Gayle Forman's "If I Stay", read it in a day and now am finishing up the sequel "Where She Went".  Methinks I'm going to need a Nesbo fix after that.

Audio has been less frenetic.  That is the way on family vacations I think.  My audio time has been isolated to my walks, so it has been a slower pace.  I did finish "Clara & Mr. Tiffany" by Susan Vreeland, and I'll warn you that there will be some gushing with this one.  Now I am several discs into "Faith" by Jennifer Haigh, a book that people have been raving about. 

So how is it going for everyone today?  Anything exciting going on, or good books that you are reading?   

 

17 comments:

Book Dilettante/Harvee said...

Glad you like your reads. Mine are more thriller and mystery this week but I enjoy mostly all genres!

Meghan said...

Sounds like a good trip so far. I completely agree with you on Snape's flashback - that was one part of the movie I felt worked so well.

bermudaonion said...

It was hotter than blazes here too, but we've had some relief the last few days. Carl and I are going to see Harry Potter today - after all the blog posts, I'm beginning to think we're the only people who haven't seen it already. What's your favorite beach in the panhandle?

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I'll probably finish up Faithful Place today. I've actually been delaying finishing because then I'll be sad that it's done. Wondering how we will do if we actually go to Ireland next year: that Irish dialect is so amazingly different than American English! Might need subtitles for our trip...

Molly said...

I guess Indiana is experiencing the same oppressive heat as Kansas City. I try to go out of the house as little as possible!

I have really enjoyed the two Vreeland books I have read so far. I look forward to reading your "gushing" review of this audiobook :)

Unknown said...

I'm in the midst of my very first Anita Brookner novel. I started it yesterday on International Anita Brookner Day. It's good, but very mannered. Quite a change of pace from the detective and fantasy fiction I've been indulging in the last few weeks.

I spent a summer week in Indiana once at the university in Bloomington. I feel your pain.

Heidenkind said...

"Snape is love."

LOL I heart you. And I'm turning that into a t-shirt. :)

ds said...

Glad you're having a good time despite the heat. "Snape is love"--that's great!!

Alyce said...

Some of my ancestors must have come from near there because my family says "crick" too. :)

I also loved What Alice Forgot also, and Where She Went is in my pile for later this week.

Unknown said...

Hi Sandy, I've been visiting family this week, and have had much less reading time. My father seems to get such pleasure out of saying,oh you're reading, well lets do X. Oh well.
I've got Faith on my shelf,I really need to read it!!
I like how you have a wide variety of book interests.
Oh,and I have been trying to read MAINE.

Melody said...

Sounds like fun! And wow, you read a lot of books! Nowadays I'm glad if I'm able to finish one a week, lol.

I totally agree with you on Snape's flashback. *sigh*

Jenny said...

Wow, you got a lot of reading done! I saw Harry Potter too but I have not read the entire series (I know, shameful). But yes that part with Snape was heartbreaking! And I, not having read the book, was like what?!

Frances said...

Cried my eyes out over Snape's memories especially when he holds the dead Lily in his arms and before that, when he wants to look into Harry's eyes as he dies. I am tearing up now just thinking about it again.

JoAnn said...

Oh, I've got to get to FAITH soon! Have enjoyed 2 of her previous books on audio, so have a pretty good idea I'm going to love it.

Darlene said...

It sounds like such a nice time you have out there. The end of HP is depressing. I'll probably wait and buy the movie in December. I still want to do a reread of the books.

Glad you've had some good reads. I'm going to be reading What Alice Forgot for a book club read and I can't wait. Right now I'm working on The Secret Lives of the Four Wives and it's good.

Have a good week Sandy!

Unknown said...

It sounds as though you are having a great time and I hope you manage to cope with the heat for the rest of your trip.

I still haven't seen the final Harry Potter, but am looking forward to it. I think I'll need my tissues ready!

Melissa said...

It's pronounced crick here too. :)

And yes, hot here too. Upper 90s into the 100s. We don't have quite the humidity you have, but for CO the air has been soggy. That's why I felt so bad for Rachel in her sweater!