Friday, July 9, 2010

Another Take On Beach Reading...







I love reading Jesse Kornbluth's blog...HeadButler. He offers keen and unique insights on books, movies, life and a slew of other topics.  He is wry and satirical and just makes so much sense. He posted an article on his changing feelings about the books that he chooses to read on the beach in the summer.  I loved his comments...I think that you will, too. 

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Another Hot Hot Hot Hot Day...






I just finished Claire Cook's book...Seven Year Switch.  It was so relaxing to read this book...the perfect set up for summer.  Here is my review...I am so thankful to Claire Cook and Allison McGeehon from Voice for my copy...after Kindling so many books it was so much fun to turn pages again!!!







Oh me…oh my…I do love a great absorbing fascinating charming and cleverly written summer book. Did I mention uniquely funny, too? If I didn’t…I am mentioning that right now. This is the tale of Jill and her 10 year old daughter Anastasia who have been making their way through life on their own for the last seven years. They have been abandoned by husband/father Seth who just couldn’t take a normal domestic life any more…not one more minute…so he tucked a note under a pillow and left and has not been seen or heard from in seven years. Life has been a struggle for Jill…she has worked and been the sole support of herself and her daughter. She has managed to buy a home and keep herself and Anastasia clothed and fed…but just barely. She has sacrificed her life and her dreams in order to care for her daughter. Jill and Seth began their life together as a carefree unworldly engaging couple. They were happy traveling the world stopping just long enough to pay their way to their next destination. However all of that changed when their daughter Anastasia was born.


One of the two became responsible…the other did not.


Jill works for a travel agency that books women only trips…girlfriend getaways. She also teaches a cooking class at a local community center to a group of senior citizens…funny, clever, quirky senior citizens. One day at the end of class she looks up to find her runaway husband Seth in the doorway. And of course he wants to see their daughter.


And now you know where this is going…


Mixed feelings, anger and resentment run rampant with Jill especially when she realizes that Anastasia is in desperate need of Seth. So…supervised visits with Seth and Anastasia, family dinners, wine and other tender gestures from Seth begin to confuse Jill into believing that perhaps there can be a future with Seth.


However…at just about the same time that Seth returns Jill meets Billy. He initially hires her to help him prep for a business venture in Japan and slowly chemistry between the two of them begins to grow. That is until


Jill sort of becomes overwhelmed by emotions toward both men and abruptly takes a girlfriend getaway to Costa Rica to sort through her life, her feelings, and her direction.


The trip and Jill’s fellow travelers help to clear her head and allow her to believe in herself again. There is a wonderful surprise visit from someone near the end of her trip that helps her to really know where she wants her life to go.






Seven Year Switch houses lots of really interesting characters who have tons of clever things to say. It was beautifully written with just the right amount of humor. Everyone sort of weighs in with a clever thought or two in this book. Next door neighbor Cynthia was one of my favorite characters…one of those characters you love to dislike but then find out she is uniquely likeable after all and capable of surprises, too.


I had no clue reading about Spanx could be so funny…that was Cynthia’s humor. It would not be summer for me without a Claire Cook book. I have been reading them for years and hope to always welcome summer with a new one.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Oh No...here comes the zucchini!!!






It is so exciting to see vegetables emerge from the garden...they are such a treasure...such a delight...and yet...after the first zucchini you know that you are in big trouble.  The first zucchini is so green and firm and perfect...much thought goes into what it will turn into.  Today was "First Zucchini Day" at our house and the first zucchini went into zucchini pancakes.  I used Ina Garten's recipe but I added freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh corn.  They were delightful.  Yummy...crisp and delicious.  But even as that first zucchini was being grated I was wondering what on earth I am going to do with the next fifty...oh my!!!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

I Have To Have This Shoe...Simply Stated...






I am an Uggs junkie...I am wearing Uggs flipflops right now in silver and I also have them in black and gold.  It is a million degrees here on the East Coast today and I am yearning for this shoe...click on the link and just wait until you see it in every glorious color!!!  It is called the Rylan and it is a work of art...no laughing at me, please!!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

What Books Worked Their Way Into My Kindle This Week And Also What Surprise Books Came In The Mail...







As a relatively new "blogga" this entire book acquiring thing was a total surprise to me.  I have always bought books.  I love the heft and smell and feel of books.  I love owning them and putting them in stacks in various rooms all over my house and I love them on shelves.  I also buy books for my Kindle...I love carrying around my most recent library with me in one slim case.  I even have a Kindle carrier...it is sort of a bag...very cool...that is similar to a shoulder bag where I keep my Kindle and charger and night time light etc.  There is a site called M-Edge where you can get the coolest ereader accessories.  So rather than toss my Kindle into my regular bag...I just wear this flat bag...mine is red and I love it for travel and more.  Any way...this brings me to my first Mailbox Monday.  Here are my most recent choices. 

On my Kindle...

Eternal Hunter by Cynthia Eden
Tuscan Holiday by Holly Chamberlain

These were offered free from Amazon so I just whispernetted them to my memory card because I could not resist.

I bought these...

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
Thirteen To Life by Shannon Delaney
One Day by David Nicholls
Folly by Marthe Jocelyn

And suddenly I am getting books in the mail...hurray for Patty!!!
This week I received these...

The Whisperers by John Connelly with a thank you to Atria Books
the one that i want by Allison Wynn Scotch with a  thank you to Read It Forward
everything lovely, effortless and safe by jenny hollowell...this was a win from Librarything

Why is it so much fun to get books in the mail?





Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy July Fourth!!! Thank you for the flag, Dad!!!




Today should and actually must be a total chillaxing kind of a day...the East Coast is sweltering in heat and we are staying put.  Right now we are inside but we are setting up our kiddie pool and going out to sit under the trees by the pond.  The pool is for toe chilling...hee hee hee.  I am not making any major foods for dinner.  I did make Cowboy Beans...they will go in the oven later and I made my mom's potato salad.  I even put it in the same bowl she always put it in...my sister and I call it the potato salad bowl.  I cut hardboiled eggs for the top and paprika'd them the same way she did.  We are grilling hot dogs and having hot fudge sundaes with peanuts in them for dessert.  Just like when I was little...we are then going to sit in the driveway and watch the fireworks from the arboretum that is almost right next door.  When I was little my town had the most amazing July 4th celebration.  My dad always had lots of real fireworks and sparkliers for us...scary to think of that now...the neighborhood was always filled with smoke...my normal practical dad was obsessed with fireworks.  My mom would be mad at him for days but he totally loved it.