A seafarin' yarn of worth

This was a really powerful book.  It appears that I have been on a bit of a nonfiction kick lately, and this is a really great addition to that list if you enjoy a good yarn about the ocean and it's travellers.

This is a book that caught my attention in a magazine a while ago, a blurb, and it appealed so I added it to my "to read" list.  I really had no idea what it was about, except that the cover looked neat, and it was well received.  Ironically enough, our book club made a point of reading novels this year that are being made in to movies - and this book falls in to this category (which surprised me, somewhat). 

I learned a lot from this book, and it does help that I read Unbroken  last year, so this isn't my first book reading about unlikely survival at sea.  Comparisons are also drawn to Alive, the book and movie that chronicalled the story of a Uruguayan rugby team who were involved in the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972. 

I really didn't know a lot about whaling, about Nantucket, or about the whaleship Essex.  I have heard about Moby Dick, and it is on the "to read" list, and I have heard about the mutiny on the Bounty (which I also thought was a fictional event but have now learned it to be based on real events).  This novel describes what happened to the Essex and her inhabitants.  What happened out in the Pacific Ocean, the sperm whale the stoves the ship, and the three whaleboats with the crew that seek salvation.  Previously there was only accounts from the first mate, and recently a second first hand account has been discovered from another crew member.

There are so many layers to appreciate about this story, the history of whaling, racism (crew members were local from Nantucket, the mainland, or of African American heritage), survival and what happens and what people are willing to do to survive, human psyche, the push to the west and our naval explorations. It is also interesting to note how the author compares the differences between the stories, and what the locals choose to remember and talk about when it came to the Essex.  It is also interesting to learn that this event was taught to America school children for years.

Very well told.  There were parts that I almost dreaded reading, and I was relieved when the rescue came for the surviving crew members.

Fascinating.  I will need to read Moby Dick (Melville was also a whaler and developed this story based on the Captain of the Essex) one day, and I definitely want to visit some of the San Juan islands again soon and check out the whaling museum there.

A Walk in the Woods

I have wanted to read this one for a few years, and more so after finishing Wild earlier this year.  Talk about two very difference experiences, and two very different individuals relating their own personal experiences on their respective trails.

Wild takes place on the Pacific Crest Trail (west coast) and The Walk takes place on the Appalchian trail (east coast).  As far as folks go, I think I would prefer to kick back and have beers with Bill - and hear about his travel experiences and overall life philosophy than Cheryls'...

Bryson is known for his sense of humor, and I read one of his other books a few years ago (In a Sunburnt Country).  My impressions of Australia are definitely coloured by his words.  In the Walk, Bryson relates his attempt at covering a good portion of the AT with his friend Stephen, and at times solo.  Bryson includes a lot of historical information to supplement his impressions.  Bryson also has one helluva sense of humor, so you can appreciate a few laughs along the way. 

This is a good read.  I did appreciate the history, and the scant personal details that Bryson includes.  It made me appreciate being from the west more - from being from a pretty "wild" place that hasn't been domesticated and tamed for hundreds of years already. 

I have done a distance canoe circuit, and I would one day like to do the West Coast hiking trail along Vancouver Island.  Of course, each of these is just over 100km, where these trails are literally thousands of kilometers long and will take months to complete.  Very different scale.  I would also love to drive across Canada and come back through the United States - just to see.  Reading books like this makes me want to travel, and also appreciate that I am from the West, for so many different reasons. I am glad it is a little more wild, and a little less tame.  I am glad for our wild spaces, and different attitudes.

The end of or schedule summer programming....

Last night, I looked at Ken, and we both realized that we had reached the end of our planned summer activities.

Yes, the boys still have a week of daycare and a week of camp left, and Ken has a handful of days before he has to return to work, but all of things we had planned (with few exceptions) have come to pass.  The demolition derby was a riot (although really, really hot), and camping was good (I really miss having a campfire, it isn't quite the same), we spent time at the beach and some local parks, got a bit of a tan, made pickles, picked blackberries, and read a bunch of books.  The spontaneous stuff, like our day trip to Manning Park, and the scheduled stuff too.

Crazy.  We start the slide towards September and then the month of October.  I love Fall.  I love the slightly cooler weather and surprisingly warm days. The changing leaves, and fresh, local veggies, and the Corn Mae, pumpkins, decorating for Halloween… all that fun stuff.  I really, truly think we are a shoulder season family … Fall and Spring rock… summer and winter are great too… but something about those other seasons.

Grateful.

Every now and then a book comes along that rattles you a little bit.  Especially when you know it is grounded in true experiences.  I have a handful of pages left of the book, but for intents and purposes I am done, and I have a moment to throw down a few thoughts.

Wow.  What a life experience Amanda Lindhout and her friend Nigel Brennan went through.  I applaud their courage to write their stories, and to open themselves up to public opinion by offering up their stories.

I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it out.  I knew the cover was appealing (yes, choices can be that base), and that it was a recommended book that made a few top reads lists.

I am not sure where to begin about a book such as this.  This is the autobiography (of sorts) of Amanda, starting with some experiences previous to her capture by Somali teenage militants whom were looking for ransom money from Amanda's and Nigel's family in Canada and Australia. As I started to read this book, I realized that I could remember hearing about their story in the news a few years ago (2008) but really didn't dwell on it.  I remember images of them when they were free, but really, did not even grasp a glimmer of what they had survived.  In many ways, this is much like how you can't really appreciate the experiences of someone else until you have a few of your own, or have the luck (??) to be able to read or experience a slice of what happened to them through whatever form the story journey takes us on.

This is a beautiful and bleak novel.  Reading parts of it I could feel my insides clench with something, and feel my opinions shifting.  If reading 419 was one thing about Nigeria, this was a whole other thing reading about a personal experience in Somalia.  I am glad that I live in a culture that values life, and women.  I am glad that I am married to a good man, who loves me for who and what I am. After reading this book I am grateful for many things, including my freedom and the culture and land that I call home.  This is not the same around the world and the price of a life here is not the same as other places in this amazing world.  This is an important book to read.  It is very well written, and as I said in the beginning, I appreciate the courage and honesty it takes to make yourself vulnerable by telling this story.  I also appreciate Lindhout's honesty, and humble acknowledge of her naive mistakes and the costs so many people paid.  The grace she found within terrible circumstances, it reminded me of reading the "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl.  Compassion and forgiveness, and consciously choosing to be positive in a world that can be a far cry from this is something that can set any of us apart.

The ever changing ocean, down at the end of the lane

I would have to admit, this book caught me by surprise.  As I sit and reflect about my response to it, I think this is the kind of book that I would love to pick up again in a few years, and see how my perceptions and reactions to it have changed. 

This is one of true spinoffs to having a library card, a book club, and friends that read.  Being exposed to new and different books, ideas, dreams, poetry, and thoughts. I have always read a lot, and there have been times in my life where I have been far happier with the books that I have chosen to be reading, and this is one of those times in my life that I feel like there have been many, many good books crossing my desk and it is has been a pleasure to spend time between their covers.  I could not imagine a life without books.  I am so happy to see B totally immersed in the world of Harry Potter, and I can't wait for the next year to happen and to watch the gift of literacy truly take shape in C.

Back to the book at hand, this is well worth a read.  It is very short, like a long short story (175 pages).  It is poetic, whimsical, a little dark, exporatory, wonderfully vague, magical... I am sure I have missed a few adjectives that I could throw in to the mix.  There are website that summarize novels such as this better, but this is one that I think will stick with me for a while... it is profound, and poetic, and in some ways, it does defy description.

Novels like this explore our fears, and what it is like to be a child, growing up, and what we lose in reaching adulthood, that is not always accessible.

This was a pleasure to read, and I would recommend it as an intriguing and thought-provoking novel.

Back to a familiar series...

Definitely a summer read.

I have been spoiled by the last few books that I have been reading. I found a bit of the dialogue a bit stilted, and the content not nearly as inspiring (or as interesting) as the last few books that I have been reading.

Again, a quick read, and it was good to discover some of Reacher's backstory.  In a way, I wish that I had read these books in series, although you do not have to.  I can't say much profound about this book, except that it was a decent, quick read with some character development and plot twists, not neccessarily grounded in reality, but an escapist read. I do enjoy this for a bit of a break from the more literary books that I have been favouring as of late.  I must also note, that this book pushes me past how many I read for 2011.  Is this a result of going to the library and requesting books or because my kids are getting older and I have a little more breathing space?  Likely both, LOL.

Beach Bums.

I love going to the Beach.

This week, it feels like my summer vacation finally got started.

I also think that it takes me about 10 days before I start to relax.

Of course, now that I have started to catch up on sleep, it is almost 1am and I am catching up on my blog instead of my sleep.  Seems fitting.

Monday, was Centennial Beach.  What a find.  I loved it.  The only real downside is that the sand goes out forever.  I am not kidding.  For EVER.  Almost too far. Next time we come, I will plan it for when the tide is coming in.

Tuesday was Lynden City Park and then to Birch Bay.  The boys were a bit perturbed at how fast the tide came in.  Noted.

Today was White Rock. I love this beach.  Who am I kidding? Perhaps we should have just come here every day, but variety is good and I am glad that we checked out a few new beaches.  Fingers crossed we make it back to Centennial Beach on Friday - I have a hankering for a picnic with the whole family and to watch the sun go down.

Tomorrow is likely a spray park and then CW's graduation potluck from preschool.  Wow.  It is hard to believe that here we are.

Friday, local park in the morning to walk the dog since we will have Duke visiting, and then in the afternoon to the beach.

Caught by the cover, a nice surprise

At the library the other night, the cover of this book caught me.  It was a 7 day express read, so I really hesitated whether or not I should grab it, since I had already started a different book, and well, I saw it was only 250 pages so I thought - what the hell.  Worst case scenario, I take it back - no foul.

It was a lovely book.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would categorize it under "chick lit". Or belonging to what I would widely label as such.  I have never heard of this author before, and this is one of the things that I am loving about my library card - new books, different authors. I will admit to more than one geeky moment because of my library card.  Only drawback is remembering when books need to go back and avoiding late fines.

It really feels like what I have been able to read lately has really taken off.  It does help having the card, and I enjoy being able to request books and have them magically appear on the hold shelf, it is a bit gratifying.  Much like how I really enjoy having my car insurance delivered rather than trying to figure out where to get it done and making sure it happens on the right day.  That it is my BFF's mom, makes it even sweeter.

Back to the book - maybe one of these days I need to come up with my own rating system rather than a few scribbled thoughts.  I really don't want to craft long winded reviews of books, but it is nice to track how I responded to the books that I am reading since I have discovered that I really do like being able to look back in to this window of "where my head was at" and what was I in to reading at the time.

Once again, back to the book at hand.  This is a partly a love story, and partly a feminine journey of rediscovery at age 60.  I like that the female lead was strong, and was likeable, and did make mistakes.  There are some very poetic passages, and I feel like Quindlen captured something in their story that left me with a nice, warm fuzzy.  Every now and then, books like this are lovely to pick up and enjoy without having to delve in and solve life's mysteries.  A satisfying read - quick, and perfect for summer.

No snappy title coming to mind. I blame the time.

Between this series, and the Hunger Games trilogy, the quality of the Twilight series really pales beyond comparison.

This is the beginning of another trilogy in a distopian, futuristic world in which society has broken down, and the solution is to divide people in to one of five factions based on your personality type.  This book focuses upon a 16 year old girl (Tris) that chooses a different faction than the one she is born in to when offered a choice.  By the end of the book, fractures are beginning to show, and war/a rebellion of sorts by one/two factions breaks out.

Books like this do raise the question of freedom, justice, and happiness and with it, they carry their own political warnings.  I do find it interesting the current young adult novels that are popular dealing with this theme - the aforementioned Hunger Games trilogy, the Giver, and now this series.  All three have also been made in to movies.  Hollywood cashing in perhaps to huge trends?

This was an entertaining book in the way that a summer blockbuster movie is - definitely science fiction adventure and I will read the next books in the series - it was a quick read.  I am happy that Tris connected with Four/Tobias, and their shared history adds an interesting twist to the book.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I can't say that I planned on reading a lot on my vacation, but it seems that this has been a goal that is definitely being accomplished.

I picked up the book based on a text from my BFF as we exchanged random notes about what we were reading one morning.  In her typical, dramatic fashion, I was pretty much told to "read this".  Which translates loosely to "this is an amazing book and you really need to read it".

Well, she was right.  I will never look at Bees the same again.  I even think I leaked out a tear at the very end! Who was that?? What a total surprise this book was.  I was caught a bit off guard, and it really wasn't a book I expected to enjoy as much as I did.  Yup.  Once again, a good call about this book.  It will stay with me  for a while, I am sure.  Today (okay, not really the posted date but today, the day I am working some date magic again to get caught up since the last time I did a bunch of posts) when I was mowing the lawn I watched for bees as I mowed through the clover.  I didn't want to send a forager bee to the jaws of doom!  It was a quick read, and as I said, once you read this book you will never look at bees the same again.

And how is the weather today?

Hay's writing and story telling sneak up on you.

I really enjoy her books.

I wish I would have been able to read more authors/stories like this when I was doing my undergrad.

Knock that one off of the list.. almost

It was almost a family affair… next year!  Connor and I got to go up in an air balloon!  I must admit I have always been a little bit curious, and didn't expect that today would be the day that I would get to go up in one!  For a free event, this was an awesome day.  I must admit, this is a far cooler community than the one I left 14 years ago.

  Too bad you can't see Connor in the basket, and that I am off to the side. Ah well.  It was cool - slightly reminiscent of going up in an elevator. I guess the tie downs will do that.  Here is my little man, beaming as he gets to go on a cool ride around the airport.

What - a book that wasn't about the pants?

Downside of library books.

Too many good books! Not enough time…

Well, I almost made it through this book before I had to return it.  Alas and alack. I didn't make it.  I got about halfway through when my turn was up.  Since I had to wait months to get it, and the list after me was pretty long… I decided a buck a day wasn't worth keeping this book until I finished the last page.

It was good though - and eye opening about how Pixar got started and what came together to create our current golden age of animation.

Well worth a read, hopefully I will think about this again in a few months and try again and finish it off.

Inspector Banks, how nice to see you again!

Damn. I think I am getting really close to having read all of these books.  Always a consistently well written, well plotted novel.  Even when I am not really in the mood for a police procedural, these books never let me down.

It is very cool we can all Robinson a Canadian.  I also think it is pretty cool I did get to meet him at a writer's festival a few years ago and he was a lovely man in person. I miss going to the Sechelt Writer's festival this year… next year, we will need to make a point of going again..

Another book about food… funny how themes can emerge in the books you choose

To the woods!

I think I have a sweet place in my heart for this place. The first time I really spent time here was with Ken, and it must have been in our first year together.  We fed the ground squirrels at Lightning Lake, we checked out the Hope Slide, we drove to Three Brother Mountain and did part of the hike, checked out Manning Park lodge and fed the Whiskey Jacks by hand.. it was a magic day.

Jump forward a few years (??!!) and we went when I was pregnant with Brandon and spent Father's Day there with my folks.  I think I even posted about it back in 2006.  In 2008, we spent an awesome weekend exploring Hope and the area around there for a May long weekend and drove out to Manning Park on a whim. There was still snow on the ground, so we more drove in for a while and then turned around to come back since it was obviously still way too early in the season.

It really is hard to believe it has been 6 years since we have been to Manning Park.  To say we have been busy raising two kids, moving, working, and then some is an understatement.  The time has flown.  It is nice to get back out in the woods again, and to be seeing some new things, and to be exploring a bit more of BC again, and not just Washington (no matter how much I enjoy heading south it is nice to spend more time in our province).

Feeding the ground squirrels - cheeky buggers will eat out of your hand, and will also help yourself if you leave the carrot container open..

My handsome boy.

 My other handsome boy.

A little older perhaps, same breathtaking view.  It really helps even just blogging a few thoughts down. To try to remember these kinds of amazing moments so they don't get lost in the shuffle.  Our weeks go by so fast, and at times have to be so structured, it is so great to get out and do something like this, even if it means all my laundry is not done and our meals completely planned for the week.  I probably should not have spent the last few hours blogging, and thinking about books, and not doing those tasks, but it has been really nice to take some time and do just that.

Balance.  Again, it comes to trying to find this elusive thing.  That and being better at setting limits and realizing that not everything needs to be done at once.  I can spread out tasks and things to do.

Today was great.

Tonight B did karate belt testing.  I was so proud of him.  I leaked out a few of those things called tears again.  Watching how hard he is trying, and seeing him getting his legs up, and giving the best he can with his rosy cheeks and sweaty hair.  I love my kids so much.  C fell down earlier and took a knick out of his head in the shower.  Scared the bejesus out of me.  Sometimes it seems relentless, I can talk about trying to find balance and I just seem to go from moment to moment.  I wouldn't trade it, life is interesting, life is going at a crazy pace, and there are so many amazing experiences that we are getting to have as a result.  I do feel pretty blessed.

June has been a very, very intense and mostly wonderful crazy month.

Pitt Meadows Day, MIL 90th birthday and family reunion, friend getting ready to move away to Alberta, the end of the school year, changing daycares, changing schools, karate provincials, wrapping up baseball, karate belt testing, going to Winnipeg for three days, then you add in a few late nights at work, and book club, and a friend's wedding celebration, and my BFF coming to town for a short period of time and you get a really busy month.  There is apparently another 8 days left before the month is done!  I almost forgot to add in C's birthday as well.  The list has been growing all month. I am also trolling a bit for a book to catch me… I have been reading so many good ones lately and now I just finished my last library book. I need more.  None of the books I have that I have not read are really calling out to me right now.  I am going to check and see before I head up, but nothing is yelling out READ ME next.  I guess a lull was coming after the 5 weeks of great reading..

"No Man's an island. Every book is a world"

That post title is not mine - it is definitely from this book's cover, and is very close to the John Donne poem… No Man is an Islande.. which is one of my personal favourites.

I really enjoyed this book - one of those quirky books you grab because it has an interesting cover and it looks a little bit different.  What a satisfying read.  I have really been enjoying many of the books that have crossed my path this year.  I am also still loving have books magically appear for me at the library. Being connected and being able to put holds on books until your number comes up is pure genius.

I love how books and stories weave their way through this novel, and how the main characters grow and evolve as well.  I think this one will stick with me for a bit - it was also a really quick read.  There were a few places I think I would have liked to have written down some quotes (which is always a good sign in my books) and I was caught up in the story.

Finish the next one.. please

One of the best thing about discovering a new author, is reading your way through all the books they have written.  The worst thing is after you have finished reading that last book, and you have to wait for the next one to be published.  Alas and alack, this is where I am at with SAA.  I have enjoyed all of her books, and this one was no exception.  I would say that my one real head scratcher was when I was trying to figure out how the novella/e-short story she released ("Waking Kate") tied in to this novel, since there is a few year gap I think in the story.. (or at least a time break).  I would not call SAA a formula writer, but the feeling her books evoke in me is the same, book to book.  I like the memories that her books stir up - that awareness of perhaps where I come from, the idea of my people, and even the people I am creating with my children and the place we call home.   This is a story about redemption, and finding yourself.. and like the short story, is a book about Kate's waking up.  I often think that the right book sometimes appears at the right time in my life, or that I finally pick up a book from my shelf when it is the right time to read it… what has really resonated with me about this book, is that line "Waking Kate".  

It feels like I am waking up again and see the world fresh.  This last month has been emotionally intense (understatement).  So many extremes in terms of the emotional ride that I feel like I have been on at times.  This book reminded me of how I feel.. like waking up after a few years of being stuck in a crazy moment (some of my own doing) between young kids, responsibilities, changing jobs, learning limits, relearning limits, and a new one, to really trying to learn that I don't need to be superwoman all the time.  I can rest.  I can sleep.  I can slow down a little.  I perhaps can even learn how to ask for help better or set my own limits (especially at work) better.  

It helps that the kids are older.  I am relieved my stint as a board chair is almost over. I am glad I know where my kids are going to school in the Fall and that we have all of our weeks in order for the summer and covered well.  Both kids should have an awesome summer.  OMG my youngest starts kindergarten in the fall and both are in a new school and a new daycare, close to home. I will commute solo soon, and I will have a more regular schedule.  I am sure there will be chaotic moments, but I am hoping they are a little less crazy that what the last two years has felt like.  It feels like more stability is coming, which can only mean that perhaps I will be able to make a change within my career to apply my skills in a new way.

Waking up.  I can roll with this theme for a while.  

I need to get back to jogging again.  Once again, a semester start up that has thrown my regular routine out the window. I really feel like this is the next element to take back.  Exercise and work.  Crashing through limits with exercise, and better defining my limits with work and working better within those.  I should maybe bookmark this post to come back read this.  I am not superwoman.  Having a deadline that doesn't work and just working harder and more hours doesn't make it a realistic deadline. I have to speak up and stop trying to make it better by taking it all on.  /repeat as needed.

A-M-P-S

This is taken along the Red River, near the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Reading this book, felt like the "right place, right time".

Toews is a great Canadian author, and is a very profound, elegant writer.  Her books aren't always happy, but they are still a pleasure to read.  This book also took place partly in Winnipeg (which I can now say that I have experienced in a very limited way since I was there for three days for a conference), and had Mennonite sisters for lead characters.  Which was also interesting since there is Mennonite history on my mom's side, although her family originally settled in small town Saskatchewan when the west was opened up for Homesteading.  Therefore, the timing was good for me to read this book, and it was a very thoughtful read.

I am glad that I don't suffer from depression.  I really wonder about that black dog sometimes, and how some people struggle so much with it.  I have my pity party on occasion, but nothing like some people I know do.  This book delves in to doe pretty hefty topics (depression, single parenthood, aging, suicide, to name but a few) but this book remains hopeful (really) throughout.  It does have a more or less happy ending, and is a worthwhile read to pick up.

Not quite as original as the first...

Perfect read for a long plane ride across Canada.  BC is very interesting from the sky.  As is Alberta.. in the beginning.. and then the blocks of green start to flatten out, rivers meander and are interesting, greens seem to fade to browns, and then you arrive in Winnipeg.

This was one of the books I choose to read while I went away on conference. I figured I had a fair bit of time to myself waiting in airports (transfer in Calgary) and then in the air, and at night, that I would get some reading done.

It was an entertaining book, but not quite as novel as the first book. If having read several books by SAA in the last two years and I haven't gotten bored and really latched on to a formula… this one felt a little more formulaic and it is only book two by this author.  It was still really interesting, and crazy how different elements come together.. think Tarantino meets book.  Fun, but not quite as quirky and novel as that 100 year old man tale. (grin)

Jump in to this world...

What a welcome surprise! I think I have mentioned that I have been stumbling upon some pretty rewarding books in the last while, right?  This is one of them.  It is also part of a whole series!

This is a lovely period book that is placed in Northern Ireland after the second war (I believe).  It is about a young doctor that has just graduated from University and is deciding whether or not to become an assistant GP to a 'country' doctor.  What a great book.  This is a book about characters, and stories, and about how health weaves its way through a life, and how folks get on in small towns.  A really enjoyable read and I will slowly work my way through more of them.

Food and literature, can you go wrong?

Yes, of course you can wrong.  Just not in this case.

What a great book.  I was NOT expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did.  What a great read.  It will be interesting to see what they do with this one as a movie.. this makes a few that we have read pale in comparison.

This is a great story about a passion for cooking, for food, and how a young Indian boy comes a great Parisian chef.  Totally unexpected, well written, and a pleasure to read.

Food, and our stories, are such an important part of our lives.  How we cook, the meals we share, is so important.  Equally important is how we craft our own story, how we internalize it, and then retell it to our kin.  Using revisionist history, it has been a month since I read this book (and a lot of experiences it has felt like) and what I remember most is the feeling about this book - well written, very interesting, and I never lost my interest.

Went by so fast, what did I read again?

I will easily admit this - I am a fan.  I think reading this meant more since I read Chris Hatfield's book earlier this year.  This is a book about the Canadian and American space agencies working together to help increase their public awareness.  The lead characters of this book are working to move the percentage of folks that would rather go for "lunch" than watch a "launch".  You can't help but reflect about what Hatfield was able to do for space exploration with just how he was on the space station.  I think it has been since 1986 since I cared that much about what was happening (or for that matter KNEW) about CSA/NASA.

Fallis' humour is refreshing.  I really enjoy his books. I will read them as they are published and I know he will be attending one of my favourite writer's festivals this summer.  Who knows, maybe I will get on a ferry and just go for a day trip.  Crazier things have been known to happen.  It is also a week night.  As above, crazy things have been known to happen.  Hmm. Maybe I will get lucky and my Aunt will still be living on the coast…

Forty one and a day.

Maybe not quite completely accurate in terms, but this sums up the spirit of the moment.  I really want to just throw down some thoughts since it is around my birthday.  I find that one of the best parts of having had this blog for as long as I have, there is a lot of history embedded here.  Even if I have just alluded to certain events, left some out, concentrated on the books I have been reading lately, there is still a bit of my story within these pages.  Together, they amount to quite a bit.

I am enjoying my 41st way more than my 40th.  If 31 was anticlimactic and my 30th a lot of fun, it was the opposite this time around.  Last year felt so chaotic, this year feels so much more settled, or I am must less chaotic.  Almost.  I am in a better place at work. Or I am making it a better place.  I have been promoted (in a way, I will believe it truly once the job reclassification has gone through).  I am more confident than I was a year ago in my role.  I have almost completed my Child Care Society Board commitment.  A few more months, and we are good.  Our kids will be going to new elementary schools and daycares in the fall, and I think it is the best thing for them.  We don't have a lot of plans for the summer, but we do have some time off.  I am hoping that next year will have much more camping, and much more excursions, and this year to really be the one everything comes together.  We really didn't plan a lot in terms of trips since we really needed to figure out the kids, and what was happening in the fall.

We finally painted our family room, and got the fireplace fixed.  We may even get a fence put up this summer.  I  haven't been for a run for about 3 weeks, and it is bothering me a bit, but it has been a semester start up, we have been short staffed (of course), and there has been karate and baseball and work and birthdays and family events.  Oh my!

What do I hope for in the next year?  To get some kind of physical activity most days of the week. I would like to start up my jogging again and do at least another 5km run (read jog).

I really want to try stand up paddle boarding.

I want the kids to settle in and really enjoy their new settings.

I want to get out camping, continue to read good books, continue to knit, continue to encourage my kids to be active and enjoy reading as well.  I want to get Connor swimming and skating.  I want Brandon to continue with the sports he is enjoying.

I want to feel more caught up.  After putting everything back after painting our family room.. I realized it has been a year since I last sorted most of our bills.  I would like to be more on top of things - to do something with our photos, to keep on top of a few more things.

I want to see a few new places.

I hope the bulbs and seeds I just planted in our garden grow.  I am so happy we made the changes to the front yard, and for the work done in the backyard.  It feels like I am changing our space and bringing new life to it.  I find it amazing we can cart out a whole container (large one at that) of green waste every single week.

I want Ken and I to continue to get out for some dates.

A year from now, I hope we have gone on a family trip outside of the normal confines of where we have been going.  I hope to be a little fitter.  I hope to just be more excited about Summer and what is next and just to keep on building on what we have.

Forty. And One.

Forty One does not feel or look nearly as ancient as I thought it would more than twenty years ago.

My youngest. Almost five.  The weeks and months and years are flying by.

My oldest, almost eight.  I am speechless, I was I really a newlywed and 7 months pregnant this time 8 years ago?

My family.  I am blessed.

Date night!

Date nights rule.  Especially now that they seem to happen more than once a year.  I would also say, few people can appreciate date night as much as the parents of young children do.

We joined up with another couple and went out for an amazing bistro dinner.  Very small.  Very cool.  Amazing service.  It was called "The Stable House Bistro."  A lovely meal.  We had the table in the window, and everything about the experience was good.

Then we saw Spamalot.  Again.  Funny as hell.  Irreverent.  I love it.

THEN!!! We went to the Drive for coffee.  After circling a few times, we located an italian coffee shop, and talked away more time.  It was awesome.

It was so nice being out at night, without the kids, hearing night sounds, and doing adult things.

So important to try for some kind of balance…

Fair enough, the books were worth some of the hype…

Having finished this book, I am really surprised I waited so long to read the whole series.  Normally I plough my way through series.  I guess you have to be in the mood, and that mood took a few years to strike apparently.

It was a good series.  Definitely entertaining, and I look forward to watching the movies, eventually.  I think I will miss a bit of Katniss' character, she certainly does grow on you.

Catching up with fire…

Why did I wait so long to read you?  I read the first book years ago. I borrowed the series from my niece months ago.  It took me forever looking at you on the shelf before I picked you up. I can be so strange at times.

These are well crafted books.  I enjoyed this one much more than the Giver, if you are going to go in to tween/teen science fiction.. or Pullman's "Dark Materials" trilogy instead. I enjoyed watching the story arch, and characters evolve after the Hunger Games.

Another second book by a writer that just didn't quite hit the same mark…

I will admit to a bit of "revisionist history" as I catch up from the last 5 weeks.  Apparently life got really busy and I stopped blogging and staying current with my emails.  Alas and alack.  Life is like that sometimes.  I am trying to recall parts of this book to my version of a proper recall, and well… I can say that parts of this book were interesting, and parts were quite far fetched and not all that realistic.

What does stick out, and it is a shame, is that within this book, the author had one of her main characters reading her first book.  She doesn't come out and spell out the title, but she describes the cover.  LAME.  I must admit, that was a real turn off for me.  Not really an arrogant thing to do… just… did not sit right for me.

This didn't have the same magic that the Memory Keeper's Daughter did for me.  It is hard when you are outrageously successful in your first novel… where do you go from there?

A bit of the south…

I chose to read this book because one of the author's that I like to read listed it as one of their favourites, and the last one I read by her was a decent read.  This one was pretty good.  A bit melancholic and sad, but a decent story.  A little whimsical and a little mystical.  I am writing this weeks after I finished reading it, so I can't really capture anything that really sticks out for me…

I remember the lushness of the river, and the roses that bloomed when they weren't really expected to.  I remember some of the characters, and the feelings, but overall… it was an okay read.  

Does it live up to the hype?

This Spring in our book club we consciously chose books that were currently being made in to movies.  It has actually been a pretty good ride so far, and it will be interesting to see how some of them translate to the silver screen.

This book has had many, many reviews.  Right up there with the Divergent series, 50 shades of something, Twilights, likely Harry Potter series… funny that these are either dubbed 'young adult' or 'well talked about and poorly written erotica'.  I wasn't quite what sure what to expect. Overall, it is a good novel.  There are some times that the story goes off a bit.  The characters don't always act like normal teenagers, but then again, they do not have normal teenage lives.

I liked it.  I didn't all out cry over the ending (Art of Racing in the Rain got me more), but I did leak out a few tears.  You could see how it would end by halfway through, and it did make it a little more poignant to fully grasp this different take on a Romeo and Juliet twist of star crossed lovers that just don't have nearly enough time.

There are some beautifully poetic quotes that you can pull from this story, and I was surprised when I went looking for some pics to attach, how many of them are out there.  I would guess with the movie coming out, and the age that this really appeals to (especially when you hear it is being read in high schools), that really isn't all that surprising.  Star crossed love stories kind of elicit that kind of response from readers.

This was a quick read - three nights and it will be returned to the library by Saturday.  I do feel a bit melancholic now that I am done.  I can't help but think of one of my really dear friends that died nearly a decade ago from AIDS.  They were one of those good ones that died young.  That lived a bit of a charmed life before everything fell apart.  I miss his friendship, his smile, and his quirky songs.  In the last chapters of this book, you can't help but think of those you have lost (we all have), and what it is to be a survivor (I am writing this and you are reading this) of this thing we call life.  There is joy within the sadness, and hope.  There is also a leap of faith to love, and reach for the stars even if it is for but a fleeting moment.  That we should all reach out and take some happiness, no matter how short lived.  I talk about choices all the time - the choices we all make when we face each new day.  The characters in this book reflect this in their own choices in the face of disaster.  There is a place for gallows humour, a little bit of crass talk, and for respect instead of tolerance.

Knee jerk I would give this book many stars.  It does move you, I am sure we are going to have a good discussion when we discuss this at a future book club (I have to stop reading months in advance… I blame my new library membership for the timing of this read, I was on the wait list and my turn came up!).  Is it perfectly crafted, nope.  Does it need to be? Nope.  It is a good read, albeit a wee bit sad.

Beauty and a Dwarf

Dunant's books make me glad that I studied a bit of Florence and the Medici family a lifetime ago in my undergraduate degree.  You never know where being well read comes in handy!

I have never read a book told from the perspective of an ugly dwarf before, and this was quite a novelty.  A very entertaining way to spend a few hours reading. 

I enjoyed reading this book for the different portrayal of Italy (Rome, Venice, and a few other cities) and it's citizens.  This book is about a courtesan and her companion dwarf (a beauty and the beast of sorts, and about how appearances can be deceiving in terms of their intelligence and relationships) and follows them from the fall of Rome in 1527 to Venice in the next decade or so.  I like that Dunant celebrates different female roles, without making her women out to be simpering fools.  I really enjoyed Bucino's point of view because it was so different.  I did find myself almost skipping ahead at times to see how the story would unfold, and there are some interesting characters that weave their way through this book and found the turn to focus on 'La Draga' in the last third of the novel to be somewhat rushed and not perfectly connected to the rest of the plot.  A moment in time is captured in the textures of this novel, and it is worth a gander.  I found it totally different from what I have been reading lately.  Not perfect, but crafted well enough with an interesting story to tell.

A frenzy of dishclothes and making baby blankets :)

 For this baby blanket, for a baby girl, I went for somewhat earthy tones.  I am not quite sure if pink, purple, and greens qualify, but this works for me.  This was a really quick knit up, and it feels nice.  It is a heavier weight, and likely a blanket that baby can use for a long time.

I do enjoy knitting baby blankets, and I also enjoy not purchasing baby wool for them.  There is nothing wrong with the pastels, however, I think when Ken traipsed in to my life, he brought colour along with him.   I really have no desire to knit a baby blanket that is as white as snow, or is that pale yellow colour.  I also don't really want to do one in mint green, and full on pink or blue in my mind, is pretty boring.  My goal is to knit three baby blankets this spring.  I am currently working on number 2.  One for a lovely coworker, one for Brandon's physiotherapist, and one for one of the ladies at daycare who has cared for both of our kids.  All I would consider friends.  It is amazing when you consider the people that come in to your life as a result of your kids.

I normally take a basic pattern, eyeball it, adjust it to the wool I picked out, and run with it.  I know there are mistakes in here, and I know there are some of my hairs interwoven in to it.  Likely there are also some of Ripley's as well.  End of the day, it makes a blanket like this pretty unique.  I still have the blankets that were made for my boys.  It is pretty magic when you consider the time that folks took to make something for your child.  In my mind, that is a pretty big deal and I have been happy to make them for our loved ones as well.

And now for something a little sweeter around the edges.

I finally cracked and signed up for a library card at my local.  It was time. I have tried to be much more disciplined about buying books, especially since I tend to go through about one a week.  It is a nasty little habit, right up there with enjoying good coffee.  Perhaps nasty is too strong of a word, but you catch my drift when your pile of books to take and trade in gets to be a few feet high. 

Which is why I am glad that I have a library card, and am learning their system so I can actually order books online from their lending system, and I am totally okay waiting for them to come in, as long as I have a few books at home on the go.  I will openly admit that I feel better when I have a pile of "to read" books.

I am also using 'goodreads' to track some of the books I have read, and to troll for books that may be interesting to read in the near future.  Since I have altered my reading habits, I am way more open to trying out new authors and types of books.  Which seems to be either rewarding, or a bust.

So, after the very dark previous book, it was really nice to turn to one of my favourite authors for a break. Each of SAA's books are easy to read, I like the magical realism, and the characters are easy to warm up to.  I like the blend of food, relationships, and earth magic.  They make for whimsical stories that are a joy to read.  I can't say the whole story sticks out and is life changing in the philosophical revelations that I explore as a result, but it captures more the feeling of her books being a quick, lovely read and a lovely escape to dive in to.

If you want a small taste of SAA's writing style, you can check out a short story that she has crafted as a teaser for her newest book.  Click here for a copy of the PDF version of "Waking Kate."  Alas, I only have one more book of hers to read before I have read them all.  Then I will be waiting anxiously for her to write more.

Appropriate title...

Hands down, Flynn is a good novelist. 

That being said, I can't say that I am a really big fan of her writing.  I have now read this one, as well as Gone Girl.  Both are well crafted thriller suspense novels.  I have grappled with my reactions to Flynn's writing and characters, and I think where I end up is that although these are truly good books for the genre, I find them really bleak, dark forays in to human psychology.  This is not a terrible thing, but I find that the absence of the redeeming, or of hope in a sense, makes these books not quite my cup of tea. 

I am not quite sure how to articulate this feeling, but these are not happy books to read.  The characters are definitely interesting, and everything comes together with some pretty amazing twists in the end... as I mentioned it is well written, but at the end of the day, it is a bit of an unsettling read.  I don't always need a knight in shining armor, or a happy ending, I just find these books to just not be completely satisfying as a result of the bleak darkness that the characters and tale tends to exude.  In a Tarantino kind of way, you could see this book as the adult characters ultimately catch their dues. 

specific measurable achievable relevant time-bound

Now this is the way that you describe time management and goal setting.

I intend to add more to this post.  Time will tell.

A practical soul

If I had a lot of fun in my twenties, and my thirties were a blur between hockey, before kids, marriage, kids, house in short order, I think I am buried in the very practical years of my life in my early forties.  I planned a baby shower this week for a coworker, and as I wandered around a box store picking up items for our group gift, I could not get away from practical soul. 

I went for things like a curved laundry basket, crack cream (ok zinc oxide cream for diaper rash), lanolin, books, a sleep sack.. I realized that I am thinking to cover the basic needs.  The practical.  I didn't even blink an eye at the flash in the pan type items you can get for a baby girl.  I wasn't even tempted.  I am definitely a planner at this point, and I keep lists, and I recycle, and I have a budget, even if I can't always stick to it.

Ken gets to be the fun parent.  He makes the kids laugh, and he scares them all the time, he plays video games with them.  I feel like I am the one that gets to do the stuff in the background, and when that is done, if I have energy, then it is time to have some fun.  I still laugh, and my sense of humor is definitely twisted and healthy... but I am not always the merry making person.  I am worrying about the laundry, or the bills, avoiding the dishes, or wondering if it is time to roll over the kids clothes to the next size.  I have a hard time sitting still, and I am half on the hunt for my next project... which has been filled with the making of baby blankets and dishclothes so far this year. I don't think that I am not a fun parent, but I think I have to get all the practical stuff out of the way first - the cleaning and cooking, and then the chasing for brushing teeth and practise reading. 

Which comes back to my practical heart. 

I think another side project for this year will be balancing practical with moments of whimsy.

Like wearing my crazy neon coloured zebra print socks when I go for a jog.

The writing is slightly better than it's competitor....

I can't say that this book is going to make my "top 10 reads of 2014" list anytime soon.  I picked this one up in our lunchroom out of curiosity since the "50 shades" has sparked off it's own cottage industry of similar novels.  This better writing, perhaps a little more plausible (fractionally in an impossible word) storyline, and still, fodder.

It really didn't take me long to blitz through this read, I don't think I will read the next ones in this series...

Not quite at a loss to say something profound about this book, but there isn't quite a lot to say.  If you are looking for some romantic escape, it is an average read and it does feel pretty predictable. I think I would return to a Nora Roberts, or even better, pick up another Sarah Addison Allen novel.  I think I am looking for a little more something in my reading... :)

I really value individuality.

I am catching up on my bookclub reads, and now I am ready for our next meeting in April.  I had a really hard time getting in to this novel.  I have come to recognize that not only do I have a hard time getting in to short stories, I also have a hard time getting in to futuristic novels that are pretty bleak.

This novel did get better after a few chapters, and it is an interesting exploration in to how "sameness"and "uniformity" and avoidance of pain can lead to a very bleak and joyless society. 

I found there was a lot of lead time to when the "giver" and the "receiver" meet, and then everything unravels quickly towards the end of the novel.  There were a few loose ends for me, which was likely by design since it would spark some good discussions with tweens, but for me, it wasn't a truly satisfying read. 

I am very much an optimist, which is affirmed when I read novels like this.  I know I can look at the world through rose-coloured glasses, and I am kind of glad for it.  I do believe we all have choices when we get up in the morning.  We can choose to dwell on the negative and have a pity party, or we can dust ourselves off, and choose a different path.  The path that involves us being the best us we can be in the moment.  I am trying to be more.. more of what I am not always sure but I do want to try to do my best, and push myself a little harder to enrich our lives to the best of my ability.  When I read novels like this, I like to see the role of the group, but also how important we ALL are as unique individuals.  The highs and lows makes our lives worth living and gives us depth and character.  I think it is important to step out of our comfort zones, and ask ourselves some tough questions at times.  I find complacency and fundamentalism/closed off minds disconcerting and I hope to never find myself in that place.

Amazing, inspiring, or just crazy?

This was certainly an interesting choice for our book club last month.  I am only a few weeks behind in our reads, and well, last month we saw a movie, so I am in the clear :)  When I was a few chapters in, I asked one of my mates how they felt about it - she made the comment that she was amazed by the accomplishment, but certainly not inspired by her to do the same thing.  Over all the reads we have tackled over the years, some of the authors have created quite the response in all of us (not always the same response).  Some of the authors we all wanted to reach out and connect even remotely on FB, and others, you realize you don't even really want to meet them in person.  I think I went through a range of emotions as I read this book, and considered whether or not this is an inspiring tale, or an amazing one.  I would err on the side of amazing.  Yes, it is truly inspiring to read about any individual challenging themselves physically or intellectually, however, how she goes about it is truly ass-backwards.  There are moments of clarity in this book, and there are profound moments that could have been revealed that are dropped like bombs and then moved away from as quickly as possible in a slightly disconcerting way.

 

It is hard to reconcile parts of her life - the woman who could shoot heroin the day before she takes off on such a momentus hike and the humbled person whose hand reaches out to touch the Bridge of the Gods.  The person who struggled with being alone, and the one who sought out to undermine her first marriage.  It is also hard to grapple with how the family horse was so ungraciously 'put down', and then the quiet serenity in the woods when she sees a fox or a deer. 

 

It is a good book.  I thought of myself when my friend Kelz and I did a 120 km backwoods canoe circuit in northern BC.  We planned the whole thing out, had our supplies, and took a fair amount of care heading out.  Definitely a personal accomplishment, and you meet some amazing people along the way.  Ken and I hope to take the boys and do it in a few years.  I digress. 

 

Was I truly inspired by this book? Well, I was impressed at what she accomplished but I am not planning to trail blaze in her path, in her manner.  Then again, who would?  We are all on a personal journey of discovery and I look forward to talking about this book in our next meeting.  Cheryl completed most of the PCT as a woman on her own, with limited financial means, with very little training. She most certainly accomplished something to be proud of. I suspect it will be a lively discussion and I look forward to hearing everyone's opinions about this book.

 

I have come back to edit a few paragraphs of this post, since the end felt a bit rushed.

 

I reflected a bit more, and I do admire her honesty in this book.  To know your kids are going to read about some of your mistakes, and events in your life that you are not proud of is raw and leaving your self vulnerable.  She does leave herself open to criticsm (such as the points mentioned above), but there is also a kind of courage in writing a book like this and not omitting these kinds of details from the book itself. 

 

I know that writing this blog, there are parts that I do censor, even if it is from strangers. I choose the details that I want to reveal.  Laying everything on the table isn't easy, and in this book, there are parts that I wish she talked about more, but perhaps the starkness of some her revelations are also telling.  So, to go back to an earlier point, it will be an interesting book club.  At some point  in the future, I think that I will pick up Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"... which is another backpacking novel.  I also think about what will be my next personal, physical challenge.  Will it be participating in a few 5km jogs (I really don't move fast enough for them to be called runs yet) this year or if it will be something else that I don't know is coming... I look forward to figuring it out.  I would like to get in some local hikes and just challenge myself.  I would also like to start canoeing again, and spend more times doing these kinds of things outdoors.

 

one thousand posts

It is hard to believe that when I started this thing many, many years ago that one day I would reach this milestone.  I can't quite call this a journal or a diary, and perhaps that is why the name "blog" fits.  It has been many things over the years, and currently it is mostly tracking the books I read and the thoughts that spontaneously burst in to my head.

I think it would be interesting to grab a picture of me back then when this started in 2005 (OMG) and how I look today.  When this started, I wasn't a mom.  I worked somewhere else.  Ken and I were in the beginning stages of our relationship.  Some of my friendships were different, I was in my thirties.  Now, I have two boys, married almost 8 years, and most definitely over my 40 year old self.  I still knit, I still love the outdoors, I am still slightly offbeat.  We moved, and now live in a community that I grew up in that I never thought I would see again, and it has worked out beautifully.

What a journey!

Here is a mighty cheers to a 1000 posts. 

I can't wait to see what the next decade will bring.

Beginnings and Endings

I only have two more "work" days before I return to my old job.

I think I have run the gamut of emotions when it comes to this, especially when I think about everything that has transpired over the last eighteen months.  The good, the bad, and the really UGLY.

This has been a great learning experience for me - the things I wanted to be able to put on my resume, I now can.  I am hoping that eventually this allows me to take the next step in my career, whatever that looks like.  It feels like it has been really hard won at times.  This has not been an easy time.  When I look back over 2013, it is a real blur of experiences.  It feels like a year that I almost wish I could have a do-over for.  In that same breath, it was an incredible learning experience too, both personally and professional.  I also turned 40. I would not go so far as to say I had a midlife crisis, but it was an anticlimatic year, and I kind of shake my head a bit when I reflect over how it evolved.

I think I was a little crispy around the edges from a bit of everything for most of the year.  I can't say that anything was truly terrible, not was anything absolutely amazing.  There were some great moments along the way (like our trip to Olympia). It was a year that just was, in my books.  I started some things that I think will pay off in the long run - kids are happier now in school and care, I am jogging, I am making some better food choices, and I am grabbing control back for our finances, trying to just have a bit better balance.  I know as I write this post I am drinking from the "half-full cup".  I do try to see the positive, and I choose to find the silver linings rather than dwell on the negative. 

I leave this position and return to my old position a little more open, and a little more ready for whatever is next.  Our kids are a little older.  I am also getting better sleeps.  The jogging also helps heaps, even if I don't always get out and hit the pavement.  That hour on the weekend when I just get out and go, is great for both my head and my body.  This is something I have learned to enjoy more than I ever thought I would.  It helps my coworkers are really looking forward to welcoming me back.  Being wanted changes everything.  I am keeping an eye out on the postings here.  I may be picky at what could be next, but I think that it is a healthy attitude to have.  To be open to making a change, or a leap of faith and see where it takes me.  I was not there a year ago.

Searching for a profound title for this post. Nope. Not coming up with one right now.

You know that point in a book where you realize it is time to just buckle down and finish reading it?  Some times this is a really positive thing - you can't wait to get to that last page because you are so involved and wrapped up in the plot you really need to know what happens next so you can get on with your life.  Some times you need to finish a book so you can move in a different way without putting your finger on the exact reason why.

For me, this book fell in to the second category.

French is a good writer, she crafts memorable characters and plots, however, there is a layer in her books that gets under my skin.  Kind of similar to Gillian Glynn's book (Gone Girl), there is a layer in the novel that is unsettling.  Not about the crime, or the detective work (I have read plenty of these at this point) involved, but in the overall portrayal of the characters.  I guess I would call it around hope, and positive feelings.  In this novel, the characters are richly drawn, and quite fallible, but there is an underlying feeling that things are just poised on the brink of falling apart, or thinking about Scorcher Kennedy, of losing total control.  I like Scorcher (the lead murder detective in this book), and I have cared about the other main characters in her novels.. but there is this element that I do find unsettling, that sits with me.  It just takes something away from the experience for me - that isn't there with an Inspector Banks novel, for example.