Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sunday Salon: A Jackson Kind of Awesome

 Finally, some cold weather!  I woke up this morning with a cold nose.  Some arctic wind blew through here and left us, finally, with some sweater weather.  


Not that I'm going to allow myself to get used to it.  It is supposed to be 80 by Thursday.  I've never seen such a winter as this, in the 23 years I've lived in Florida.


But enough about that.  I had myself a decent week...some productivity, a lot of busy.  I've been continuing my workouts with the Angel of Death/uber-trainer as well as counting every last crumb that I put in my mouth.  I no likey.  It's hard work.  But I'm down 16 pounds and I feel good.  


We had our Heathrow Literary Society book club meeting this week, discussing "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman.  Everyone seemed to like it - in a synopsis, the premise is amazing.  Within the details of the prose however, some of us felt the protagonist felt distant, and the narrator didn't do anything for me.  That review will be up next week.  We are reading "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns next month.


Last night my daughter had her confirmation, after months of classes.  Now we will have our Thursday nights back, and I'm quite sure we will find some way to fill them.  Over the next month we will be starting our volunteerism at the animal shelter, we'll have my daughter's birthday, the beginning of volleyball, the Adult Literacy League Reading Between the Wines event, my participation on the panel at Sleuthfest, and a trip to Kiawah Island and Charleston.  I need to fortify myself!!!


In reading this week, I finished (and loved) Sarah Pekkanen's "Skipping a Beat".  On Friday, I started "Praying For Strangers" by River Jordan, who attended SIBA and will be at the UCF Book Festival.  22 pages into it, I was already emotional.  This feels like a book that could change my life.


On audio, I finished "To Be Sung Underwater" by Tom McNeal, and Holy Moses did it level me!  It got off to a slow start, but the last third of that book had me under its spell.  Then I listened to "Jacqueline Kennedy:  Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy", which was extremely INTERESTING.  Recorded four months after the President's assassination, Jackie lets it all hang out, dishing on various historical figures, who she liked and who she despised and why, and the day-to-day life of Camelot.  After I finished that audio, about two minutes passed before I started on Joshilyn Jackson's "A Grown Up Kind of Pretty", her newest release.  I could not be denied any longer.  Jackson will be here in Orlando for the UCF Book Festival at the end of March, and I'm going to do a big feature on her sometime before then.  There aren't many authors whom I've read everything they have written, but she is one of them.  Her books always feature strong, Southern women, and are full of her brand of humor.  She is pure joy to my ears.  She is some kind of awesome.


Today we'll be churching and horsing as usual, and then we've got friends coming over for dinner.  It doesn't bode well for reading, but I am going to try to sneak in a few minutes here and there.  Hope you all have a great day!




17 comments:

Jenny said...

I was thinking about reading Praying for Strangers. Look forward to your review!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

You had quite a reading week - can't wait to see those reviews! Interesting to read about the revelations in the new book by JFK's intern, juxtaposed to what Jackie said...

bermudaonion said...

I finished A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty yesterday and I think it's my favorite of Jackson's books! I can't wait for lunch tomorrow!

Unknown said...

Down 16 pounds!! Woohoo! You go! We've had almost no winter here at all this year. It's rainy today, but looks like just a little bit will fall. And all our garden has already started to bud.

Jenners said...

Wow … down 16 pounds! That is fantastic! Keep up the good work!! I still haven't gotten to Jackson's last book yet. I better catch up soon.

Unknown said...

Congratulations on the 16 lbs, that's fantastic Sandy...at least the Angel of Death is worthwhile! He may kill ya but you'll look great!

It's great that you're going to be volunteering at the Animal Shelter...hopefully you won't end up with more pets!

Nice trips you're going to be taking, two beautiful spots!

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty is on my wishlist and I'm looking forward to your review of Praying for Strangers, it sounds like quite a book!

I hope you have a terrific week!

Trisha said...

Congrats on the weight loss! And I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Ackerman.

Gavin said...

Congratulations on the weight loss and the volunteer opportunity. I can't wait to read what you think about "To Be Sung Under Water". Have a wonderful week!

Zibilee said...

I just got Gods In Alabama on audio from the library, and it's my first Jackson. I am already excited since I have heard so many good things about it! And congratulations on the kids being confirmed! I hope that you have a great week, and a nice time on your trips!

Carrie K. said...

I really wish my library would get more of Joshilyn Jackson on audio!

And I loved Cold Sassy Tree when I read it in high school. Of course, that was over 20 years ago, so I wonder how it would hold up with a reread?

Marion said...

Had to laugh at your weather comments, we in New Zealand are in the exact opposite boat, cold and rain, rain and more rain and where is our Summer?

Alyce said...

I loved Cold Sassy Tree when I read it years ago. I didn't get any reading done today, but we had a lovely quiet day at home as a family. We had some plans get canceled at the last minute resulting in a fabulous day of hanging out and no stress. It was such an awesome pleasant surprise.

Congrats on your weight loss!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Congrats on the weight loss! It's hard, no matter how you're doing it. I think the JFK conversations sound fascinating!

Serena said...

Sounds like you had a great weekend...our first book club discussion meeting will be this Saturday, and I still have to finish the book selection Dorian Gray.

Ti said...

You are doing well with the Angel of Death. Sixteen pounds is pretty awesome. I have been working out since January 27th and I have lost maybe 3 lbs. I seem to fluctuate each week. However, I haven't change my eating habits but I eat pretty well as a rule anyway. I really just don't want to drop dead from a heart attack. I am over the vanity part of it.

Julie P. said...

You are so inspirational! Seriously! I need friends like you in my life!

Kathleen said...

Congratulations on 16 pounds lost! That is an awesome accomplishment, especially considering how busy you always are.