Castle in the Clouds

This was supposed to be an easy, carefree weekend.  One of those rare weekends where spontaneity is possible because plans were not made ahead of time.  We could lounge on the couch, work on our hobbies, or even do a little shopping.  And, no, I'm not referring to the necessary evil of grocery shopping, but the much more enjoyable version where you get to buy things that actually make you happy. Because the oldest boy needed some pants and the youngest could use a new pair of shoes, I decided to head into the city to do some shopping at Kohl's.  Of course, my decision to shop there was not quite so altruistic.  Mama needed a new bathing suit! So, I pack the kids up and head into the city.  The youngest picks out his shoes . The oldest tries on a few pairs of jeans and ends up with two in the basket.  Did I mention we have to shop in the men's department now?  That he's wearing size 29?  My baby is growing up! Then it was Mom's ...

Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie My rating: 4 of 5 stars In a lot of ways Reservation Blues reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude . Repeatedly I found myself thinking of the similarity in technique, the blending or bending of time and space. One significant advantage this book had over Marquez's, though, was the fact that the characters were at least easily identifiable by name alone. View all my reviews

Dragonsblood by Todd McCaffrey My rating: 4 of 5 stars It's been a long time since I've read anything set in the Pern universe. Oh, how I missed those dragons and their little Pernese brethren. This particular book is Todd McCaffrey's first solo foray into the Pern his mother created. While there's no denying there are stylistic difference, I thought Mr. McCaffrey did a fair job in continuing the saga. One last thing...I might have gotten a smidgen teary-eyed near the end of the novel. View all my reviews

There are so many things I've already forgotten about my boys growing up, so I've decided I need to make more of an effort to record these fleeting moments of childhood. KC turned thirteen last Friday.  Although his birthday didn't create the mythical teenage monster every parent fears, his personality has been gradually changing over the last several months.  He's a bit more willful now and isn't afraid to voice his opinion.  (At least, not with Mom; with Dad, he's still a bit more hesitant.) His willfulness sometimes crosses over into moodiness, but that's mostly directed at his brother, which I think is perfectly normal even if it is annoying beyond belief.  As an official teenager, his mouth does occasionally get him into trouble, though.  He doesn't always know how to read the nonverbal cues or is unaware of proper social etiquette.  He doesn't always respond to people who approach him with a friendly hello.  He's still learning the ins ...

With children in different sports, it's not always easy to make sure everyone gets to where they're supposed to be. You know that saying "it takes a village to raise a child"?  Well, sometimes it takes a village to get a child to wrestling practice, especially when his parents are busy watching his brother's basketball games. We've had to ask favors of friends and family alike during the wrestling/basketball season.  This particular night is was Aunt Kellie to the rescue.  She volunteered to pick Gage up from school and take him home with her.  He was excited because he'd get to play with his cousins before practice, something he's certain doesn't happen with near enough frequency. When she got to the school to pick him up she noticed something was missing, though.  His wrestling bag.  "It's at home," he told her in a rather matter-of-fact voice, as he wriggled into the backseat of her suburban with his four cousins. Knowing he...

Last night - or was it the night before - my husband commented on my frequent blog absences.  I wasn't aware that he read the blog, but the comment got me thinking.  Why are my blog absences becoming more and more frequent?  Have I run out of interesting things to say?  Did I ever have anything interesting to say in the first place? Or is it because I feel like I'd simply be posting the same thing over and over again. Went to work today. Picked up child from practice and/or watched child's game Ate dinner Watched tv Helped children with homework (if they remembered to bring it home) Did some homework of my own Threw in a load of laundry and/or did dishes Read a bit before bed Rinse and repeat. And that's kind of boring, isn't it?

So, I got a Kindle for Christmas. It's been a little over a month now, so I've had plenty of time to form an opinion. Mind you, this is the opinion of one consumer. Not a hopeful writer. A consumer. I feel the need to clarify that up front. Although I am confident that there will always be room in my life - if not on my bookshelves - for paperback novels, I must admit I am a fan of the e-book. Oh, I was resistant at first. As much as I love technology, I am a little bit in love with the feel of a book in my hand. The glossy cover, the smell of the pages - old or new - and the weight of the words on my fingers and palms will always hold a little bit of magic for me. Yet, as some of my friends began venturing out into the e-publishing world, I found myself frustrated by the limitations of their chosen venue. Sure, I could read the stories on my computer, but sometimes that's just not convenient or comfy. Reading in bed at night, it's easy enough to lay aside the ...