Perfect Fall Weekend

Yesterday was the first official day of Autumn.
Because I do not work on Fridays, I enjoyed an additional beautiful crisp day for my weekend.
I ran to Half Price Books to look for a couple of easy sewing books for the girls at school. I did find  some good ones, then I wandered over to the Children's Books. I have ALWAYS loved Children's books.  Even before having children I had a collection on a shelf. I have always been a reader & I thank my Mom for taking us to the Library every couple of weeks.  During the summers of Junior High we had the Book Mobile park across the cul de sac. I was thinking about picking up Early Readers & Story Books for my Daughter, Emily.  She will soon be teaching and wants to build her library supply.  So hard not to buy dozens!  These books are awesome! Always in beautiful condition.  I picked 9.

She's excited.
I will give them to her today after Church.

Yesterday Hubby & I went back to Ball State for more tailgating.

It was great fun. I love our friends, the Boyd's, and we had fun catching up. Hanging with the "Baby", Annie, is always a treat. She showed us the house she signed  her 2012-2013 lease with. Amazing she is just starting year 3 at BSU, and already finalizing plans for year 4 living. But if you want a good place, that is what you do. She and two current roommates will join four more for a house of SEVEN Roommates!

When I got home I snapped a couple of photos of a sneak peek of our lovely foliage. It's already starting and soon will be full bloom.

look at Dakota in the background

I love the pop of color

random leaves & branches daring their color

evergreens filling with pine cones

I must make sure I make a trip to Brown County this year for the full effect.  It is quite spectacular and I must share it with you this year.

Today is rainy.  I still love it. One of the best things about living in the Midwest is the change of seasons.  We really get it all and I feel blessed.

White Picket Fences

I wanted to give you a quick review on this book.  I finished it last week and enjoyed it very much.  It wasn't recomended, I hadn't read anything about it, I just saw it sitting on the "to reshelf" cart in the library and picked it up randomly.
I am so glad I did!
It is a novel written by Susan Meissner, published in 2009.  Meissner is Christian writer, winner of the Christian Book Award for Fiction. I love being surprised to see Christianity sprinkled in a book. Particularly when unexpected.
I'm am borrowing Elizabeth Musser's praises of the book:

"Poetic prose and a 'can't put it down' plot makes White Picket Fences a great read. It is a thought-provoking look into a dysfunctional family that thinks it's functional and how an outsider can serve as a means of grace."

It's that good.  Grab a copy, and enjoy.

Reader's Block

I don't know what is wrong with me.  I can't seem to get into or enjoy a good book lately. I am trying, but I am being awfully picky.

Was told by many that a must read, "that I would love" was "The Shack", by William Paul Young.  It sounded wonderful.  Spiritual. Right up my alley.  Although, I didn't like it. I really attempted it! I should have enjoyed it.  But nahh.  Not a good read for me.  In fact I got through half before giving up on it.

I did finish a couple that I enjoyed. I read, "His Favorite Wife" by Susan Ray Schmidt. Which I thought was amazing! Very gripping and hard to put down. The fact that this is a Memoir is crazy!  Very dysfunctional but because of religious beliefs.

I also finished, "Up From the Blue" by Susan Henderson. Which also a memoir but made into a novel because of a few changes. Another hard to put down for me.  Had a few surprises that threw me.

 

My most current read is was "Her Last Death", another memoir, this one from Susana Sonnenberg.  I have made it half way through and am throwing in the towel.  If I don't see something by the halfway point, then it's history.

So, now I am moving on... Here are my next two to go for:

I hear this one is really good for animal lovers like me. Jim Gorant's "The Lost Dogs". I am sure it's a tear jerker and I am sure my dislike for Mr Vick will deepen. I found it was about to be released and got in line for it at the library. Very excited to be the first to crack this book open :)

I also am about to read Rachel Sontag's memoir titled "House Rules".  This is the one I will begin this evening.

Well, there are my picks and icks.  The beauty is everyone has different likes and opinions.  What I may like you may hate.  But, I still LOVE hearing what you read and what you thought.  

By The Way~ Best read so far this year is "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls.  Hands down. 

Yeah, I like reading about dysfunctional childhoods...

The Help

I just finished a wonderful book!  I must share. This book is the fabulous Kathryn Stockettt's The Help.

Click her for the synopsis  http://www.kathrynstockett.com/stockett-synopsis.htm
I loved these characters, I loved the settings, and I can actually remember when times were segregated. Luckily my parents brought me up color-blind, but I did still see much. Especially on trips through the South during the 1960's.
This novel is well written (sometimes hard to read some character's language skills, but the style actually makes it more believable and entertaining).
It was a good read. Even though fictional, it was realistic and believable. A keeper. I hope you add it to your list.

Carol Burnett

Ahh... The great, amazing, marvelous, entertaining, fabulous, incredible... {and so on, and so on}, Carol Burnett has graced us with another memoir! It is absolutely divine!

My current read.

I am enjoying every page.

I feel as though she is sitting with me sharing these madcap stories and I am relishing it all!

She has always been a hero. She made me smile, gave me laughs through my tears.

Waiting for the weekly Carol Burnett Show was ALWAYS such a treat growing up.

This is a must BUY. I am so glad I got it now. I will cherish for years. It will be one of my re-reads.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it today!

Collections of who I Am

I am a collector.

I like stuff.

I like things that bring a smile. I like things that reflect parts of me.

I remember my Great Grand Mother, had bright primary dishes when I was young. Many years later I "rediscovered" Fiestaware. It is my dinnerware choice. I can never have enough of the different colors. My table settings are festive and fun. I remember vaguely My Great Grandmother saying she like the variety of bright colors. (I gratefully have a few of her pieces, within my collection). I have China too, but my love goes to the Feistaware.
I love baskets. I am ashamed to say I have more than a few. But, I use every one! They each have a purpose! Especially the ones my cat loves to sleep in! (Rocky is in one now!)
You already know I collect photos... I can't ever seem to have enough of them. I like REAL photographs. Yes, I download and have many only in the computer. But, my true loves sit in albums, photo boxes, picture frames, and those useful Basket.
Books...Books are my friends! How could I not collect them? Yes, I borrow and give away, but some have to be kept. They are re-read, referenced to, loaned out, and a wonderful reminder of stories, facts, and memories.

I have alot of this and that. Fiction and Non.

A bunch of Children's Books in storage that are waiting to be brought back to life with Grandchildren (many years from now!)

You can find books on shelves, tables, counters, in cabinets, and yes, in baskets too. I like to display them along with "stuff".

I have a lot of stuff. Sergio sometimes call it clutter. BUT I see him sometimes looking at an ornament, an art object the girls had made once upon a time. I see him smile at this clutter stuff. And of course photos are tucked within the books & stuff too.
Strange, (nah...make that more interesting) stuff, are my collections like... stuff in jars and vases. I have jars with change, cups, & vases full of pens and colored pencils. I have an interesting jar full of the girls old toys and even ballet slippers. Funny.. I never could part with these items. Part of my desire to hang on to them I think is because I can. I remember when my sister Julie, and her family lost their home to a fire, it was the little things gone that hurt the most. Maybe, in turn, it made me appreciate them more. That and they are just so darn cute!

I have a cylinder vase with 27 beautiful stones. They each represent the young adults that went through my confirmation groups. Each young adult, chose a stone to represent themselves. I cherish these stones. They are a part of me & I hope that I am a part of these kids. Little reminders to pray for each one of these lovely young people. There is also a jar next to the cylinder, of old jewelry. The watch I got at high school graduation, ear rings from Deb's wedding, some of my Mom's & Grandma Kitty's "junk" jewelry, Disney jewelry that the girls wore, my ski pins, Realtor pins, gold chains, and charms. I could never turn the "good stuff" in to GOLD FOR CASH! I like it mixed together in this jar.
I could go on, but this has gotten quite long already. Recently I had a Partylite & Wine party. Several friends stopped by. One work friend, walked around looking at many of my displays and "stuff". she smiled and said, "Janis, I have learned so much about who you are looking around. I can tell God & family are very important to you. I like what I see. I am glad I have gotten to know you more." I said that's good right? She laughed and said, "Oh yeah, that is good!" Thank you M. that and you, made me feel very special.

candy store!

The other day, I stumbled onto the Marion County Public Library website. I was impressed. I haven't belonged to a library for quite some time. I loved it for many years, but when we moved out of this county, and into another, we were not able to utilize there services as well. We are now back in Marion County!

I called on my Bestie, Sheri, for guidance, as she is the Book Guru! The girl knows books! What she does not know, she will find out. So, being a Bestie, she said, "when & where and I will meet you". So, this afternoon, to catch up, teach me about the anatomy of a library, and to find the best books, she joined me.

I got there first and started my process of becoming a member (FREE!). The librarian set me up, gave me some rules, told me my limits, I had to try to stay calm, but I swore she said I could take up to 75 books at a time and keep for 21 days. What! Sweet! She did! Not that I ever will, but dang!

I walked into the BOOKS sections and OMG! I texted Sheri. "It's a F*cking Candy Store!" She soon came around the corner and welcomed me to the candy store!

I am in HEAVEN! How could I have forgotten this wonderful haven that I loved so much as a child? Seriously, it was such a wonderful part of our upbringing, getting to go to the library every couple weeks and pick out books. I also enjoyed the Book Mobile as a pre-teener. Which was perfect because it chose to park in my cul de sac, during the summers and I could not wait for this groovy bus to pull up.

Today, I was able to get one of the books on my list. Four others that I found intriguing and two audio books to try out while I am working on spreadsheets at the office.

I wanna be a Librarian now when I grow up!