Sunday, October 9, 2011

Sunday Salon: Weedy

Good morning mi amigos! Well, what a week.  I feel like I whine alot on Sundays, but it is therapeutic to regurgitate my week to you, kind listeners, and then walk away and start a fresh new one. 

First, my son caught some ugly virus on Sunday night and was home ALL WEEK.  I don't recall this ever happening with my kids.  I actually made him try to go back Thursday (after confirming that he did not have strep on Wednesday), but it ended up being an hour and a half visit to get his homework, then back home he came. 

Also two book club meetings!  These were highlights, but it is still, busyness.  On Tuesday, my Heathrow Literary Society discussed "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan.  We all like it, we all had emotional reactions, we all felt it was a 3.5 or 4 star book.  Next up Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (love).  Then on Thursday night, Books, Babes and Bordeaux got together to talk about "The Human Bobby" by Gabe Rotter.  Seriously?  If you haven't read this book, just do.  You can blast through it in a sitting, and it is a mind-twister.  We were lucky enough to talk to Gabe as well, and were totally charmed by him.  I am hoping to post more on our conversation tomorrow.  Next month's read will be "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand.

My latest project and obsession is making a "tribute page" for my daughter's 8th grade yearbook.  So I have to go through every picture I ever took of her from birth, and narrow it down to a half dozen or so, come up with a tearful poem or saying, and put it into an acceptable format with some kind of photoshop program.  I spent more time this week than I want to admit on this endeavor, and it isn't close to being finished.

Friday night, at gunpoint, and in the rain, I took my daughter to Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights.  I'd never participated in this event before, because I thought it would freak out the kids.  But it really was amazing.  The sets are sometimes two stories high, and simulate snowing Victorian graveyards, smoky WWI bunkers, ghost ships, Arctic camps, or scenes from Edgar Allan Poe's novels.  I splurged for the express passes to avoid the hour long (and more) lines of overstimulated teenagers, and it was alot of fun.

I'm also gearing up for our 8th grade fundraiser next weekend called the Chili Cookoff.  The 8th grade parents are responsible for gathering auction items, and coordinating the whole event, and of course we all have to make a pot of chili that will be judged in a competition.  My husband decided we are making Polish chili with kielbasa, and little pierogies.  200 little pierogies.  I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to make them.

My son's football game was cancelled yesterday because of rain, and they are attempting to squeeze it in today between the continuing rain storms.  Two more games in the regular season, then playoffs!  Prepare yourself to hear lots of hootin' and hollerin'.

So get on with it you say.  The reading.  Well, I finished "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer late one night.  I really enjoyed the book, some parts more than others.  But how clever and creative!  I immediately dove into an impulsively downloaded Kindle book (thanks to the persuasiveness of Jenn and Ti) "The Night Strangers" by Chris Bohjalian.  To hell with the stacks of others I need to read, right?  Spooky, twisty little thing this is.  I'm enjoying it immensely.

On audio, I wrapped up "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan, narrated by The Great Robin Sachs.  For the first few discs, I really wasn't sure if I was going to make it.  But the audio slowly grew on me, and Sachs charmingly coerced me through the "F**k, kill, eat" business.  Then I started "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline, narrated by Wil Wheaton.  Mother Mary, people, this book is SO GOOD.  It is blowing my mind ten different ways, being a lover of all things 80's, including vintage video games, and being the mother of a gamer now.  Wow.  I'm feeling a top listen of the year coming on.

As for today, maybe some football, maybe some horseback riding lessons, maybe some review-writing that has been non-existent lately.  Hope you all have an incredible and relaxing Sunday!   

     

25 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Wow, that must have been some virus! I hope no one else gets it. I was wondering why you weren't tweeting about football yesterday. I seriously don't know how you keep up with yourself.

Jenny said...

I have The human Bobby and have not read it. Guess I need to reconsider that! I have never been to Halloween Horroe nights because I'm a scaredy cat but sounds like it is fun! I might have to reconsider on that too.. Jason has been asking me to go.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

You are just amazing - do all that AND reading all that! And 200 pierogies! ha ha - you just blow my mind!

Ana S. said...

Your Sunday posts are not whiny! Personally I love getting a glimpse of what's going on in book blogger's lives besides reading. And like Jill I'm constantly in awe of how much you do!

christina said...

Hey Sandy! You are braver than I am with HHN. I LOVE scary things, but I'm afraid of tripping. LOL. The haunted houses - the stairs - people pushing! Ahhhhh!

And what is up with this weather? Our boys made it to finals for soccer and the first match is tomorrow. Rain or no rain. What?!? No bueno.

Kate @Midnight Book Girl said...

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is on my to-be read pile, and I added the Human Bobby- planning on suggesting it to my book club next month!

JoAnn said...

Sunday Salon posts can be therapeutic, but I don't find yours to be whiny at all! Unbroken was great as an audio. My book club had mixed reactions, but I'm glad I listened.

Yesterday was a 3 football game day for our family - local high school, then my nephew's high school (he scored a TD with 10 sec left to tie it up, but they lost in OT), and finally the SU game. Whew.

Have a great week, Sandy!

ds said...

Not whiney, just busy. I am always gobsmacked by the amount of...everything...that you cram into a single week: reading, kids' activities, volunteer work, LIFE. Glad your son is feeling better.
200 pierogies?!! Only you ; )

Unknown said...

Seriously your daughter cannot possibly be in 8th grade already! Dedication/tribute pages were the bane of my existence as yearbook advisor. But they are very popular. Very popular.

Trisha said...

I've had to choose pictures for something similar, and it is amazing how difficult a process that is. Narrowing down is a horrid activity fraught with indecision and second guessing. :)

Anonymous said...

The Night Strangers is a great choice for a spooky and creepy read. I finished it last week and although the story had a few minor flaws, it has really stuck with me.

Darlene said...

I really want to know what goes in the Polish Chili. Making 200 little perogies will be great fun. Not! Lol. Yikes on that virus your son had. Hopefully none of the rest of you get it.

The Halloween thing sounds like so much fun. I would love something like that. As usual I don't know how you keep up to your life. I get exhausted reading about how busy you are.

Sammy is napping so I'm going to settle in with a book for a bit before some housecleaning. Have a great Sunday!

Unknown said...

I can't imagine having to chose just a few pictures as a tribute for a year book. I spent several hours picking out one baby photo last year - it involved so much reminising that I barely got anything else done all day - good luck!

I haven't even read Human Bobby yet, but I'm jealous you got to talk to Gabe. Perhaps I'll have to pick it up tomorrow so I can appreciate your post fully. :-) Have a wonderful week!

Unknown said...

I hope your son is feeling better...that's quite a virus to keep him out for an entire week. I hope nobody else in your family gets sick.

It's so sweet that you are making a tribute page for your daughter and then have the Chili Cookoff which sounds fantastic! Your chili sounds deeelicious!

What fun and agreat event for you and your daughter, the Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights. I love things like that!

I remember when The Human Bobby came out, I wondered if it was any good since it sounds like a quick, fascinating read. I have Ready Player One staring at me from my nightstand but haven't quite gotten up the nerve to take the plunge. Everyone who reads it seems to love t though so I'll pick it up soon.

I hope you get a chance to relax some today! Have a good week, Sandy!

christa @ mental foodie said...

My book club read Loving Frank earlier today, and we just read Middlesex last month! Loving Frank was okay to me - I liked that I didn't know about the ending ahead of time.

I couldn't finish Middlesex. The preface turned me off and I just couldn't get into it.

The Human Bobby is going to be in my top 5 this year! Took me totally by surprise.

Zibilee said...

2oo mini pierogies? Wow, you are very ambitious, and I bet the chili will be fantastic! I am so glad we got to talk to Gabe Rotter this week as well. It was such a nice meeting! I am sorry to hear that your son was so sick this week. Hopefully this week gets off to a better start. And your trip to Universal sounds very interesting and not at all what I had been imagining. Maybe I will have to take my daughter. She loves scary things. Have a great week ahead!

Alyce said...

Wow, lots of reading and busy times in your house. I hope your son is feeling better now (or soon)!

I've heard good things about The Human Bobby, but forgot about it. I need to check to see if it's still on my PBS wishlist. :)

Beth(bookaholicmom) said...

200 little pierogies!?! You are very brave! I have never heard of chili with kielbasa and pierogies. That sounds divine! I hope you get a chance to catch your breath this week. I hope your son feels better too. Whew, you are a busy woman!

Melody said...

I love reading your Sunday posts, Sandy, so don't ever feel they're whiny because they are not!

I hope your son is feeling better!

I bought "The Human Bobby" right after reading your review and I'm waiting for that reading mood to strike.

Jenners said...

You've got to make 200 little piergies? Lord help you!!! I would lose it. But yum … I love me some homemade pierogies!

And I totally need to read The Human Bobby. You're going to love Unbroken -- it is an unbelievable story. And Ready Player One is going to ROCK your world! I just loved that book!

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

Sandy, you deserve to put your feet up and settle down with a great book (or two) and a big glass of wine (or three!). What a week!

Unknown said...

I think I'd enjoy HHN @ Universal, but it's always just such a busy month for us.
I am over the rain, my son's game also cancelled. We stayed in all day yesterday, but had to get out today, lunch and a movie.
I like your Sunday posts!!
Have fun with the Chili!!

Kathleen said...

You never cease to amaze me with all of the activities you manage to fit into a week. Hope your son is feeling better now and that your coming week will be just as fun, if busy!

Beth F said...

In your spare time could come over here and organize my life?

Ti said...

I love the chili cook-off idea. But I thought for sure your chili would have wine in it. It cooks off anyway, right?