Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sunday Salon: Wrapping Up Spring Break, and Saving Lives Again

This is the last day of Spring Break, and while I am sad (it is nice not getting home every night at 8pm) I am also looking forward to getting my routine back.  It also means that there is only seven weeks of school left!  Yeah baby!  It would be right about now when I start to retreat into my shell and avoid everything to do with school.  I max out in mid-April.  I'm sick of volunteering, the meetings, the homework, everything.  It is a predictable cycle for me.


We have had a busy week.  Just to update you, Easter brunch was splendid.  I did not count calories that day.  I drank champagne and ate dessert, and passed out on my floatie in the pool and got a sunburn.  What a glorious day.  We filled the week with an additional horse lesson, mom/kid workouts at Andre's, an eye doctor appointment to get my daughter contacts, a second viewing of The Hunger Games (while I sat outside and read Nesbo), a day trip to the beach, shopping, and an extra-long day of volunteerism at the animal shelter.  I need to share an animal shelter story with you.


There are two sections for the cats at the animal shelter.  One is the adoptable cats (ones that aren't sick or wild), and then the "back" section, which are the ones that are labeled as "people aggressive".  Nine out of ten times, these cats are put down after the waiting period has passed.  Nobody wants them.  I hate saying that, but it is true.  So that is exactly where my daughter spends her time.  She is a cat whisperer, so if a cat can be tamed, she'll be the one to do it.  This past Thursday, she fixated on a 6 month old tiger kitty that was labeled as "people aggressive", and within 10 or 15 minutes, had it cradled in her arms like a baby.  It was probably just terrified when it was brought in.  I summoned an employee to show them what was happening, and they changed the label to "friendly" and moved the kitten up to the adoptable section.  You see, THIS is why we are there.  We made a difference that day.


*collecting myself*


I did miss both of my book club meetings.  I just couldn't get there.  I was sad because we were discussing "Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen" by Susan Gregg Gilmore, and "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, and I loved both.  The Books, Babes and Bordeaux have chosen our next read to be "Fifty Shades of Grey" (yes THAT one) and I'm not real happy about it.  I do not want to read this book.  I'm highly annoyed.  But I will try for the sake of keeping an open mind.  I am not a prude, mind you, but I really prefer not to spend my time reading pandering, erotica trash written for shock value.  Sorry about the attitude.  I'll settle down now.


Despite all that kid entertaining and running around, I did do some reading.  After finishing Jenny Lawson's memoir "Let's Pretend This Never Happened", I spent most of the week listening to "Chasing Midnight", a book in a mystery thriller series that takes place in Florida.  I can't say I loved it, but I still need to process.  Now I am slogging through the fact-dense "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly.  Everything you'd ever want to know about the Civil War battles, but I'm wondering when we're going to get to the assassination plot?


And HEAR YE!  I finished "The Leopard" by Jo Nesbo in print!  It seemed a bit long and wandering, but I do love his books and will probably never stop reading them as long as he writes them.  I am now deep into "A Land More Kind Than Home" by the most charming Wiley Cash, and I am gripped, GRIPPED, I tell you.  This book is coming out in early May and should do incredibly well.


Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday filled with family, relaxation and reading!     
     

25 comments:

Jenny said...

Aww, what a great thing your daughter did!! Love that story.

As for Fifty Shades of Grey, I'd be annoyed too! I have felt annoyed that people are going crazy over that book.

Elisabeth said...

I have had that experience with my BG also, most of the time I do end up enjoying the book, hopefully you will have the book surprise you too, and turn out to be not so bad after all.

My sister volunteers at a cat shelter and when I visit her I go too. I give you a lot of credit. I love cats and want to take them all home, it's tortireous. Is that a word? My dog does not tolerate cats well, so it would be mean to bring one home and have to live with the little bugger.

Megan said...

That's awesome that your daughter's a "cat whisperer." I love my cat, but he's a huge marshmallow. ;-)

Angry, aggressive cats totally scare me, so I don't think I could do what she did even though I'm sure I could muster the, "there is a sweet cat in here that could be totally adoptable" sentiment. Huge kudos to her for being willing and able to coax those adorable, adoptable cats out of their "people aggressive" shells!

Frances said...

Love the shelter story! And completely understand the burnt out timeline for school. The reality is that the kids are burnt out too. But we will power through... :)

Read that erotica, woman, and then go to that meeting and shred it backed up with the details of a close read. The sheer power of you should help avoid another choice like this. Good luck!

bermudaonion said...

It sounds like your daughter chose the perfect place to volunteer! I don't think I could make it through Fifty Shades of Grey so I feel your pain - what kind of discussion can you have with that book?

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Just so you know, the Bill O'Reilly book has been pilloried by historians because of inaccuracies. The museum shop of Ford's Theater refuses to carry it! But apparently it's entertaining....

I just finished a book that might be perfect for a cat whisperer - The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong. I love Kelley Armstrong anyway, and you definitely could call the protagonist a cat whisperer. In fact, I might steal that line for my review! :--)

caite said...

a cat whisperer, huh? Would your daughter like a vacation near the Jersey shore? :-)

I have to agree with you on Fifty Shades of Grey. So little time, so many books, good books, and no time to waste on what is just porn with an attempted literary veneer.

Unknown said...

Big congratulations to your daughter! I hope she manages to perform her magic on many more cats!

JoAnn said...

What a heart-warming shelter story! Thanks for sharing it. Your end of the year timeline sounds so familiar. It's weird this year having everyone in college... not saying I miss it though ;-)

Anonymous said...

I've flip-flopped between glasses and contacts ever since I was a teenager (I'm currently in a glasses phase). As a teenager, it was quite important to me that I not wear braces and glasses at the same time...that's way too much metal for a face. :-D

I hope the contacts are working out for your daughter! Sounds like it was a big week for her.

Anonymous said...

Love the kitty story!! What ever happened to the cat you were showing us at dinner 2 weekends ago who decided he belongs on your couch?

I'm not happy about Fifty Shades of Grey either. I think I might not read the book but still go to book club to see what everyone else thought.

ds said...

Who knows what turns a cat "aggressive"? Too little attention, abuse, fear...Your daughter has done a marvelous thing.

Sorry about the book choice. I've no interest in reading that thing--too much hype for starters. Frances is right, though. Knock 'em dead!

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

Ahhh.... yay for saving kitties!e saved a dog this week, and a friend of mine pulled two large dogs mark for being put down this coming Monday. Its been a week of animal saving around me too and that makes me smile.

I agree with you about the Shades book, it came up for the vote at my book club but thankfully it did not win the vote. Instead we will be reading Still Alice.

Carrie K. said...

Your Easter celebrations sounded just about perfect. I'm glad you got to enjoy yourself and relax.

I'd be upset about the Book Club choice, too - I really have no desire to read that book.

Anna said...

That is so cool about your daughter! Warmed my heart. :)

Jenners said...

What a wonderful thing about your daughter saving the life of that kitty!! I'm all Verkelmpt.

And I'm curious about this Fifty Shades of Grey and will look forward to hearing your thoughts on it … even though you're bringing an obvious bias to the book. If you end up loving it, I'll know what a hard row the author had to hoe (does that even make sense) and I'll get it ASAP.

Unknown said...

Your daughter and her whispering are amazing. So very sweet.
I read the Shades book quickly a month ago or so. I was curious to the hype. IMO poorly written fiction, very graphic but fairly well done erotica. I didn't discourage it's selection at all. LOL! I have no idea how we will discuss.
FWIW only Derry and I read book and the discussion was short.
I loved Dairy Queen.

I burned out at the same rate, next year I'll help one day a week 3.5 hours at the HS it was great for staying in touch.

Heidenkind said...

Can't wait for the 50 Shades review! ;)

Julie P. said...

Since you're an old pro at counting points/calories, I need to vent!!!! Maybe you can keep me from jumping off this cliff! :)

Marianne said...

Aww, Emma love, nothing like it! I agree with the book choice. I started it out of curiosity and quickly decided it was trash. Wasn't going to finish it, but guess now I have to! I guess our book club discussion will be about who likes to be whipped into submission!

Ti said...

Your Easter Brunch sounds divine. No calorie counting and floating in the pool sounds perfect to me.

Darlene said...

Ugggh, you know I read this during the week and I just now realized that I must have gotten sidetracked and not commented. I love the story of your daughter and the kitty. She has a real gift and I love that you two are making a difference!

Unknown said...

Sndy, your daughter is my hero. I love the story of how she comforted the kitten. That's an incredible gift and talent she has.

I'm curious about how your book club is going to discuss Fifty Shades of Grey! I'm in your camp, though...I have no interest in reading this book. I saw an interview with the author and I liked her although I don't think she was completely honest.

The Bumbles said...

I cannot wait for your 50 Shades review! I say, live a little. Let your mind go numb and have a little trashy fun. Clear the palat and dive back in fully appreciating all those other books you'd rather be reading.

Kathleen said...

That's an awesome story from your shelter volunteering. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.