Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday Salon: Hot and Steamy


Good morning, friends, and welcome back to a hot and sweaty Sandy, courtesy of the lovely 97 degree Florida weather! The kids and I mosied on back to our home, kitties, piggy and daddy from Indiana on Wednesday, and brought the nasty weather with us. I don't even want to go outside at this point - you can't even breathe. But after being gone for three weeks, and with the beginning of school leering at me like an evil troll, I had to get a few things done.

The first item on the agenda was simply groceries. I don't know what my husband had been living on for three weeks (apparently friends' hospitality). Then I decided to tackle the worst things first - back to school shopping, which includes uniforms, shoes, and supplies, and always is accompanied with fighting and heated discussion. My son doesn't want to reuse anything from the previous year, and my daughter wants her uniforms skin tight. Still on the to do list: scheduling about a half dozen appointments of various kinds, getting the kids together with their friends because they seem starved for companionship, and yard work. Bleh.

I'm also trying to get my blogging act together. It just kind of fell apart over the summer. I usually have a good month's worth of posts stacked up which gives me wiggle room. But this has dwindled away because I am uninspired to write. I'm going to have to get over this I realize, and quickly. I'm definitely not lacking in things to read for sure. When I walked through my door Wednesday afternoon, I saw an almost toppling tower of books that had arrived while I'd been gone. An ARC of Sara Paretsky's latest, another Beth Kephart gem, two more graphic novel volumes of The Stand, a WWII novel and DVD from my friends at Aquila Polonica, several books that I'd won in giveaways (including the most BEAUTIFUL journal from Iliana!), and a buttload of library books. Plus more that I'm probably not remembering. It was overwhelming and tickling all at once!

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of of the tunnel called The Passage - only a few more discs to go! Jenners and I are planning on reading Middlesex together sometime soon, and mine will be in audio format, so I hope to start that when she is ready in the next few weeks. I'm also itching to listen to the latest Jack Reacher installment called "61 Hours". The kids and I started an audio that I impulsively ordered because of Raych called How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (precious precious). So audios are back in working order.

I am closing in on "So Cold the River" and I'm having a great time with it. There is nothing more exciting than reading a book where the location is like another character in the story, in this case the West Baden Springs Resort which I fell in love with last fall. Now I think I need to go back! I also sorta kinda squeezed in the two volumes of the graphic novel The Stand because I couldn't help myself. I am eyeballing another graphic novel next, one that I ordered from the library called "Pyongyang" that was recommended to me from Alyce.

As I am writing (on Saturday evening), I am preparing a yummy feast for my family and friend that is coming over. Shrimp Cakes with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce, Gorgonzola Risotto, a salad, and maybe if we are so inclined, Twix brownies for desert. When this particular friend comes over, we usually get involved in a wine tasting extravaganza, hence why I feel it is best to get my post written now and not in the morning when my only goal will be to drag myself out of bed for church. Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!



23 comments:

Unknown said...

I didn't notice your blog falling apart! It is very impressive that you have so many posts stacked up. I normally only have two or three written in advance and often get down to zero! I think my blog might struggle over the summer as I don't have that cushion you'd built up. Good luck building up your posts again.

Nicole (Linus's Blanket) said...

Your dinner sounds wonderful. We need to be neighbors so that I can come over and borrow your Stand volumes and then end up staying for dinner. I want to read So Cold the River. I am excited to read about the place that you got to see.

Julie P. said...

I am in a bit of a writing slump too. I am looking at my huge pile of finished books and wondering when I'm going to find the time or desire to review them.

And a month ahead...you are crazy! I get excited when I'm a week ahead.

Molly said...

Well, I never noticed any lagging in posts this summer, so I think your writing is in tact :)

The dinner you described made my mouth wather at 7:00am. WOW -- my meals are nowhere near that fancy (although they used to be about 20 years ago). Maybe when I retire....

Good luck with all the back to school shopping. I love shopping for the office supplies, not quite so much the clothes.

JoAnn said...

Coming home from vacation is hard work! The groceries and laundry are tough enough, but back to school shopping is a killer!! Good luck.
That dinner sounds wonderful... don't think I've ever had shrimp cakes!

bermudaonion said...

Your blog has never been in a slump! I can only imagine the stacks of books waiting for you after being gone for 3 weeks!

ds said...

Yes, coming back can be even harder than leaving...best of luck with the school preparations (egad! but love the troll). But--a NEW Sara Paretsky?!! a new Beth Kephart?!! I am all adrool. Also slavering at the thought of your Gorgonzola risotto and shrimp cakes & imagining the lovely wines that will accompany them. Hope you had a fabulous Saturday night. And it's okay to sleep in on a Sunday. Really.

S. Krishna said...

Yeesh, I'll be in Tampa in mid-August, I really hope the weather gets better by then! I know what you mean about the comfort of having a month's posts ready - I feel really behind this summer with school, and it helped a lot having those posts ready to go!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I also think I need to be your neighbor! And risotto and wine - what could be better?!!!

Trisha said...

Your blog is definitely not falling apart! And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around listening to longer books on audio. That is so impressive.

Unknown said...

mmmmm risotto....

I'll be heading home soon myself. I also plan on putting my blog back in order and on catching up with everyone else.

It's good to get away, but life sure does go on in our absence.

Heidenkind said...

This post was totes not what I thought it would be about. :/

Harvee said...

Lucky you! A pile of books in the mail! Happy reading. Here's what I'll be doing this month: My Sunday Salon.

Zibilee said...

Can you believe how hot it is right now? I dread going outside for even a moment! It sounds like you had a wonderful surprise waiting for you when you came home with all those books, and I hope you enjoy every last one! I am also dreading the back to school shopping. My son seems to think that he needs no new clothes for the school year, even though his jeans are now high water pants! I hope you have a great and productive week!

Ana S. said...

I think everyone's blogging act falls apart during the summer - isn't that part of what the summer is for? ;) But you've actually been doing much better than you think, Sandy.

I looooooved How I Live Now and can't wait to hear that you think!

Alyce said...

Every once in a great while (like twice a year) I will get about a week ahead in my posts. Usually I'm flying by the seat of my pants over here. I wish I had more scheduled in advance for wiggle room, but it never seems to happen.

I have a similar situation going on with the stacks of books (and a few more to pick up at the library today). I don't know why I always think I'll have more time to read in the summer. The truth is things are always busy. :)

I hope you enjoy Pyongyang if you find the time to read it!

The Bumbles said...

I have never had a reserve of posts. I always dream of doing it but then when I have some spare time, I find other things to do instead. I am the ultimate procrastinator - who dreams of being prepared for rainy days. Kudos to you!

Alice said...

Well, I still think you did so well with your blog I didn't notice anything amiss. For one, I know mine is falling apart. I'm working very hard on getting things back to full swing and visiting blog buddies regularly again. Right now, I can only squeeze in some here and there.

I have been meaning to get THE PASSAGE and I keep forgetting. I need to get my act together. Have fun blogging!

Melody said...

I echo the others; your blog is definitely not falling apart. In fact, I think you're doing very well with your reading, reviews, etc etc.

Looks like you've a great reading month ahead with all those books you received! I look forward to reading your reviews, especially The Passage!

Jenners said...

Damn!! I was just in Orlando for vacation but I didn't realize you were home from Indiana already. Maybe we could have met up!!! It was darn miserable down there, I must say. We lived in the various pools and waterparks our entire stay.

And I'm finishing up "Cutting for Stone" tonight so I'm good to go on "Middlesex." : )

Serena said...

I saw alyce's review of that graphic novel and it seemed fantasticly absorbing.

I hope you enjoy all your new books and get those chores done quickly so you can have time for blogging and reading. :)

Ti said...

On the one hand, I enjoy back-to-school shopping because it means the return to routine. BUT, the physical act of doing it is always a chore.

I laughed when you mentioned the skin tight uniforms. My kids don't have uniforms but my daughter likes her stuff tight too and she is only 6. I suppose when you have no belly, and legs as long as noodles one can carry off tight clothing.

Iliana said...

I didn't notice any blogging slump here either so don't know what you are talking about girl! :)

Isn't the heat the pits. We are seeing temps in the 100s this week and it's making me dream of moving to a cold country. haha..

So glad you got your journal!