Sunday Salon: Happy Place

 I'm coming to you today from my happy place.  Most of you that come by here have been around long enough to have heard about this place before.  Sorry to be a broken record.  St. George Island is in the Florida Panhandle, just off the coast from Apalachicola (known as the Oyster Capital of the World).  The island is a laid-back place with no high rises...just a bunch of houses on stilts.  A few restaurants and shops.  And miles and miles of beach, dunes and sea oats.  Sorry no pictures today but Google it - it is gorgeous.  We've been coming up here for 13 years, mostly over the Thanksgiving week.

So my son and I got up here yesterday.  My parents will arrive today.  Unfortunately my daughter and husband have to stay back until Tuesday night because of sadistic teachers that give tests on Monday and Tuesday.

We promptly rented some bicycles, went for a long ride over the island, then bought some shrimp from the fisherman guy that sells out of his truck.  That is for lunch today.  It turned cold last night (it is 52 degrees right now).  But you know how much I bitch about the heat so this is awesome.

On the reading front I finished Mo Hayder's "Hanging Hill" on audio.  This was not one of her best books, but was still entertaining with a deliciously ambiguous ending that would make Tana French proud.  I'm now 3/4 of the way through "The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) and I love it.  The mystery itself is kind of plodding but she creates such great characters, is such a colorful storyteller, I don't mind.  Plus I have to add that the narrator is incredible.  He will most definitely add a star to my rating for his performance.

In print I finished "The Sea of Tranquility" by Katja Millay based on the very high recommendation of Jill, and I was completely smitten.  She and I don't always see eye to eye on YA novels (I'm a cynical poop and generally fed up with teen angst), but the book swept me away.   A must read.  Now I'm about halfway through Mo Hayder's standalone novel "Pig Island".  It is insane.  This is why I love her.  It is also my last Mo Hayder by the way, until she adds on to her Jack Caffrey series.  With all the books I want to read, I think it definitely says something when I become so besotted with an author that I plow through everything she has written in less than six months.

I've been meaning to mention that our C.B. James (Ready When You Are C.B.) is once again hosting the Triple Dog Dare starting January 1st and lasting through the end of March.  Yes it is a challenge but one that I would never miss.  You just have to read from your shelves.  Sounds simple but its not.  I always go on a Kindle-buying binge on December 31st, then rarely end up even reading those books.  But it's good fun and I have to support James always because he was my very first follower five years ago when I started blogging!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family and yummy food.  What plans does everyone have?  Have you started your shopping?  I promise I'll take pictures and see you back here next Sunday!