Outlander,The Starz Series

CA and I have absolutely enjoyed the first half (8 episodes) of this series. Looking forward to April 4, 2015 for the second half of season one.

-source-

Having loved Scotland when we visited in 2007, I've decided to embrace my (fantasy) origins. (Although, CA can rightfully claim to be of Scottish ancestry.) We were graciously hosted by Bill of the Crawford Clan, and given a topnotch tour of Glasgow, Sterling, The Trassochs, Loch Lomond, Luss, St. Andrew's, and more. We also spent a full day in Edinburgh.

I want Dougal's Tam O'Shanter [TOS]. Actually, I'd like CA to wear one but that absolutely won't happen. I'll wear it myself.

The Sea of Tranquility

The Sea of Tranquility

Katja Millay

 

Very excited to begin a new book. I've been reading mostly non-stop all winter with almost no notable books to record on my First Paragraphs blog. But just a short while ago, I pulled this paperback out of my library bag and my interest level took a dramatic upturn.

 

I love ut when a story just grabs you from the very first paragraph, and The Sea of Tranquility did that and more.

 

Many, many times I've wished to be a slower reader but I can't help but power through almost every book I read. Including, a part-day to polish-off (earlier this week) the non-fiction The Grand Tour, Around the World with the Queen of Mystery - Agatha Christy. I'm not an huge Agatha Christy fan, but I am a fan of PBS and of British fiction, in general. I did enjoy this edition of a portion of Christy's letters and memoir. I plan to read more in other published biographical materials.

 

 

 

In general, my love of reading is one of my most-valued gifts. Life-long learning, vocabulary-enhancing, boredom chasing adventures.

 

Summer Reads

 

 

Life in the Middle Ages

[excerpted from Parade, July 21, 2013]
When I was 30, I read Gail Godwin’s novel The Finishing School. One particular passage, in which 44-year-old Ursula advises 14-year-old Justin about aging, scared me so much that I wrote it down and carried it in my wallet for years:

There are two kinds of people … One kind, you can tell just by looking at them at what point they congealed into their final selves. It might be a very nice self, but you know you can expect no more surprises from it. Whereas, the other kind keeps moving, changing. With these people, you can never say, “X stops here,” or “Now I know all there is to know about Y.” That doesn’t mean they’re unstable. Ah, no, far from it. They are fluid. They keep moving forward and making new trysts with life, and the motion of it keeps them young. In my opinion, they are the only people who are still alive.

[Excerpted from Parade, July 21,2013]

Yikes. I vowed to grow like the weed you can’t kill. This year, I’m an American water willow. Last year, I was a hairy bittercress.

Memories tumble out and sustain me. The other day I was dusting a crisscross of Popsicle sticks my daughter had made in first grade. “The best mother,” the faded ink reads.

Immediately, I am a newly single mom, walking into her elementary school for open house. A flock of parents giggle as they lean in to read something on the bulletin board. One of them spots me, and off they go.
Slowly, I approach the board and recognize my daughter’s drawing of me. “My mother is a bit eccentric,” her essay begins. “She has longer hair than other mothers. She is getting a divorce, but we don’t call it that. Mom says she’s having a growth spurt.”

-Connie Schultz

 

Hunting Down Amanda

 

This story begins on a summer's day in Hell.

The day was July thirteenth to be exact. And Hell was a little town called Hunnicut, Massachusetts.

Before it turned into Hell, it was actually kind of a nice little place. A fishing town. Hills of beryl forests above sunlit bays. Trim shingled houses on tree-lined lanes. Restored Main Street with quaint tourist shops and a couple of decent seafood restaurants overlooking the water.

Hunting Down Amanda

First Paragraphs

Andrew Klavan

 

 

Well-written. Takes a bit to get completely drawn into the characters lives. Yet, you do get drawn in and appreciate, then gripped by, the complexities of the story.

 

Definitely want to read True Crime and his other books. Some written under the nom de plume Keith Peterson.

 

Lucy, The Author

 

 

4-year old LE has written and self-published her first book.

 

 

When Will I Be Old?

My sisters and I laugh whenever any of us refer to being middle-aged... What? We're going to live past 100? The truth is, the five little girls are all over 60. 67-66-64-63-61 as of today. Our "baby" brother is 53.

Yet, we're certainly younger than our parents were at this age. And, dad is 91 with rosy cheeks and a healthy glow. Maybe we can't grasp being older because we have a living parent, several aunts and an uncle, and numerous cousins of several generations.

 

Loved this piece of writing in Kate Morton's The Distant Hours.

(As Saffy tangles with her preciously-mended silk stockings) "Oh Lord, no!" Saffy's big toe caught and she began to topple sideways. There was a split second in which she might have righted herself, but her toenail had snagged in the fiber and to plant her foot would have risked a new ladder. Thus, she took the fall bravely, whacking her thigh painfully on the dressing-table corner. "Oh dear," she gasped. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... "

All seemed in order; it had been a narrow escape. Saffy let out the sigh she'd been holding, and yet she wasn't wholly relieved... When she and Percy were girls they'd had plenty of opportunity to observe adults up close and what they saw had mystified them. The ancient grotesques behaved, for the most part, as if they'd no inkling at all that they were old. This perplexed the twins, who agreed that there was nothing so unseemly as an old person who refused to acknowledge his or her limitations, and they'd made a pact never to let it happen to them. When they were old, they swore, they would jolly well act the part. "But how will we know?" Saffy had said, dazzled by the existential knot at the question's core. "Perhaps it's one of those things, like sunburn, that can't be felt until it's too late to do anything about it." Percy had agreed on the problem's tricksy nature, sitting quietly with her arms wrapped around her knees as she gave herself over to its consideration. Ever the pragmatist, she'd reached a solution first, saying slowly, "I suppose we must make a list of things that old people do--three ought to be enough. And when we find ourselves doing them, then we'll know."

Gathering the candidate habits had been simple--there was a lifetime's observation of Daddy and Nanny to consult; more difficult was limiting their number to three. After much deliberation they'd settled on those leaving least room for equivocation: first, professing strong and repeated preference for England when Queen Victoria was on the throne; second, mentioning one's health in any company other than that which included a medical professional; and third, failure to put on one's undergarments whilst standing. Pgs. 138-139.

 

Posted with Blogsy

At the Beach, Day 3

The Fun Kids arrive in our condo around 6:00am to watch kids shows and have breakfast. TV and videos are always referred to as shows in the Fun Kids lexicon. Most of us walk across to Pocahontas for pancakes, grits and eggs, or breakfast sandwiches--with lots of coffee. MA is working back at the Business Center at Oceanaire--the newest Gold Key property next door to our Ocean Beach Club.

Navy jets. The sounds of freedom.

 

Lots of hanging out time. We play at the beach near Neptune, then catch some beverages at the Hilton--sitting around a fire pit with the Fun Kids.

Grandma may have sneaked in some me-time and found a fun TJMaxx/Homegoods...

CA and I use a Groupon at Sawasdee Thai in Norfolk. Turned out to be exactly across the street from Crown Point--the townhouse community we lived in when CA was in the Navy and DM was born (1972 - 1973). Cool. Great food. They've been open 7 weeks. I want more! I had drunken noodles with chicken and CA chose pork pad Thai YUM! We'll come back January/February 2013--I hope.

We traded a lunch date for a dinner date for JE and MA--we watch the Fun Kids for a bit before bedtime while the young parents go to Catch 31 at the Hilton. LC is inconsolable, so CA entertains him in the lobby for awhile as I monitor the older two. (I'm happily invested in my wonderful book--The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova.)

 

 

LC charms everyone he sees in the lobby. He slept late this morning, took a good nap, and definitely resented grandma putting him to bed instead of mommy. The Fun Kids are renowned for their bedtime manners.

A very satisfying beach day-- where every view is an ocean view. Ah-h-h...

Jami Attenberg

I read everything Jami Attenberg writes and was delighted to find her blog whatever-whenever a ways back.

She's been working on her latest book while living temporarily in New Orleans. If you've only ever seen an official Mardi Gras parade, you're missing out... Here's a sample of the fun.

We visit New Orleans periodically, and I can't say I love it there. CA's only sib--LFW--resides in suburban NO and teaches at one of the universities, so we've heard her stories and seen some of this first-hand.

Crawfish are ubiquitous and delicious, so don't eat this little guy.

Our favorite spot for seafood is Harbor Seafood and Oyster Bar in nearby Kenner, LA. The very best Bloody Mary ever!

This spot is the definition of casual. Think: paper towels for napkins, sticky table tops, high chairs and booster seats for the kiddies. Counter seating available. Their seafood retail outlet is just next door. Delicious. Every time.

These photos from here.

Mardi Gras dog photos from whatever-whenever, Jami Attenberg.