Sunday Salon: The Final Stretch

Here we are, at the end of our (very late) spring break.  I'm always sad to go back to the routine, but at the same time, he have one more month of school left.  Praise Jesus.  It's been one of those school years that I'll be glad to put behind me.  Next year I'll have two high school students.  I'm choosing to believe this will be a good thing (ha - I know, I'm deluded).

  

St. Simons Island Lighthouse

After we last talked, we left Savannah and spent a few days on St. Simons Island, which is about 1.5 hours south, near Jekyl Island.  I thought we were going to Sea Island, but no.  We tried to go out there one day to visit, but they wouldn't let us in.  Apparently we needed three million in the bank to do so.  LOL.  My husband and I golfed, and the four of us rode bikes all over the island and saw a few of the historical landmarks.   

Christ Church (est. 1820)

Christ Church Cemetery (est. 1803)

Dinner at The Rooftop at Ocean Lodge

We arrived back home on Thursday afternoon to our house full of needy kitties.  A friend had a big retirement party on Friday night that the hubby and I attended.  And when I woke up on Saturday morning, I decided that YES I would participate in the Dewey Read-a-thon.  I never know for sure if it will work out until the very day, so I wasn't signed up.  But with the rate I've been reading, I figure any time I get would be more than normal.  I didn't start reading until right after noon, and made it until about midnight, with breaks for laundry, dinner and Game of Thrones (more on that in a second).

On vacation, I did FINALLY FINISH THE EXPATS!!! Woo hoo!  I had no specific complaints about the book.  It was well-written and twisty, but I have to express a niggling doubt that when a book takes a month and a half to read (and is only 300-ish pages) there is something missing.  I just can't tell you what it was.  After that, I picked up Karen White's "The House on Tradd Street", which was an easy read.  One of those books where you allow yourself to slip into the charm of Charleston's old society and a few ghosts, and you know things will turn out OK.  You are in good hands with Karen.  I finished that one yesterday, and am now reading "The Outlaw Album" by Daniel Woodrell, author of "Winter's Bone".  If you saw the movie or read the book, "The Outlaw Album" has the same feel.  It is a collection of short stories that show the underbelly of humanity.

Not much progress on audio, I'm afraid.  When you are on a family vacation, the family frowns on such an activity!  I've halted my listening of "Iron Curtain" at disc 14, and taken a break to listen to "The Martian" by Andy Weir.  It is very entertaining! Once the kids get back in school, I should blast through it.  I'm not into Sci Fi, but who can resist a story of an astronaut being accidentally left on Mars?  Good stuff, man.

So, big news.  We have finished watching all the Game of Thrones episodes, AND ARE CAUGHT UP!!!  OMG!!!!  So tonight, we will be watching live.  I am so excited I can't stand it.  I can actually read all of your spoilery posts and contribute to the discussion!  In other news, I have watched up through Season 4 Episode 7 of The Walking Dead.  (The next episode is the Mid-Season Finale, and yes thanks to damned EW I pretty much know what is coming, which gives me mixed emotions.)  I am being held hostage by my daughter, who dictates when episodes will be watched.  It is driving me crazy.  I have finished the first season of True Detective (LOVE).  We are halfway through Season 2 of House of Cards, so that is next on our list to finish.  After that, who knows.  A friend of mine has all the seasons of Downton Abbey that I can borrow.  Or...Orange is the New Black?  We will have to have a family vote.  Such damn good stuff on TV these days.

Besides church, we have nothing planned for today.  It will sort of be the slow, sliding inevitability of Monday school, which promises upcoming finals, AP exams, 8th grade activities and graduation, etc.  This next month is going to fly by though, and it is all good.