Sunday Salon: Ahhhhhhh

Praise the Lord, someone finally hit the off button.  We attended a track meet yesterday, then headed up here to our heaven on earth for the week, St. George Island.  I'm hoping to do some chilling out, some reading, some wine consumption, shopping, napping and MAYBE a little review-writing. 

Over the years, we have been to this island, located in the panhandle of Florida off the coast of Apalachicola, probably more than a half dozen times.  Four of those times have been at Thanksgiving, breaking the stereotype of turkey day by celebrating with the crash of waves as background noise.  Every time we cross the long bridge to this strip of land with a bunch of houses on stilts, my heart sings.  But it has been three years since our last visit.  The last time we were here, I had just started my blog and was fretting the entire week over a post I was writing for James (Ready When You Are, C.B.) on Larousse Gastronomique.

I turn into a different (better) person when I'm here.

Up until Saturday, I was busy with dentist appointments, horseback riding lessons, packing for our trip, and hosting our Books, Babes and Bordeaux book club (discussing "Unbroken").  I was so preoccupied though, not only with our upcoming trip and getting the hell out of Dodge, but with my most excellent reading adventures.

I finished the audio of "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness (the first installment of the Chaos Walking trilogy).  I became totally obsessed with it.  So I attempted to get the second installment "The Ask and the Answer" on audio, but no go.  I downloaded it via Overdrive on my phone as an e-book and read it in only a few days, despite the fact it is a looong book.  I've now just started "Monsters of Men" on audio.  I'm going to knock this one out here on my vacation.  What a series.

I also listened to "The Stranger You Seek" by Amanda Kyle Williams, which was insanely fun.  The murder mystery was very satisfying but the real treat here was the protagonist, a Chinese-American, recovering alcoholic, crotch-grabbing, ass-kicking woman worthy of your attention.  I cannot WAIT to write this review.

I'm now reading, in print, "The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus", a testament to all of us near-menopausal wives who are grieving over our lost younger bodies, our children who are embarrassed to be seen with us, and are contemplating our aging parents.  This is a fast read, and highly entertaining, written in verse form.  I should have it knocked out today.

Even though I'm on vacation, I can't promise I'll be around 100% of the time.  I'll do my best.  What are you all up to today?