tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71687442024-03-06T22:21:22.061-06:00The Felicity of Unbounded DomesticityCarolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-12588138608838055082009-06-09T19:36:00.003-05:002009-06-11T22:35:14.512-05:00The ChosenA few days ago a postcard came in the mail. I glanced at it casually, expecting another local politician's plea for my vote.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"It is my pleasure to tell you that your household has been chosen to participate in a Nielsen Household survey!"</span><br /><br />A thrill of excitement went through me. Moi? A Nielsen household? I have grown up with the knowledge that it is the Nielsen households who control the destiny of television shows. My grandmother had a subscription to <span style="font-style: italic;">TV Guide</span>, and I learned early on that entertainment was a competitive business. Audiences could be lost in the crucial early minutes of a show, and the Nielsen ratings reflected this. I wondered what it was like to live in a Nielsen household, where you had to write down everything you watched.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"In a few days you will receive a large blue and white envelope,"</span> the postcard read. <span style="font-style: italic;">"In it you will find a brief Nielsen Household survey. This is a special opportunity for you to represent your opinion."</span><br /><br />I waited eagerly for my large blue and white envelope to arrive. While I don't think I am ready to make the commitment it takes to be a real Nielsen household, I was quite willing to fill out a survey. I couldn't wait to tell them about how I always watch the first few minutes of <span style="font-style: italic;">30 Rock</span> after <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span> and rarely make it through a whole episode. Or about how the ABC online episode player makes Firefox crash. Or that I would watch <span style="font-style: italic;">The Amazing Race</span> if it didn't come on on Sunday nights. Or that the spelling bee on MPB was one of the most entertaining things I've watched on TV in months. Yes, this little postcard was my ticket to influence the entertainment world.<br /><br />And finally, the survey came.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxQ30-MK-TKX5lVKjM-K-K1xxU4ogSkQvRssdH41_DCjWYx9A0aNV238qoWDopv-QoPu7jcrfqlmN2TbfzC62m7NlfEDORlgYzYY2XIEzGCivJ0XewHUCA2DI5fasYv22tRhGcw/s1600-h/nielsen.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxQ30-MK-TKX5lVKjM-K-K1xxU4ogSkQvRssdH41_DCjWYx9A0aNV238qoWDopv-QoPu7jcrfqlmN2TbfzC62m7NlfEDORlgYzYY2XIEzGCivJ0XewHUCA2DI5fasYv22tRhGcw/s400/nielsen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346279261787653234" /></a><br /><br />Dear reader, I'm sure you've learned by now that life is full of disappointments. The Nielsen survey was very short, and the closest I got to sharing my carefully planned answers was in the single line after, "What types of television shows do you typically watch?"<br /><br />Life does, however, pleasantly surprise us at times. The Nielsen Company didn't want to know what I think about <span style="font-style: italic;">30 Rock</span>, but they did enclose two dollars for my trouble. Two dollars!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BCnfINhOzkgjuYwbIMVYAPvfmlRZFfvdhh8udcNQupLBh8armY6A6GNpS9inoJe0Wj6FE_k_05UlR7LbHHuZUT4J1VpQzWY2gwW2dMi_GylLh9O85GarqdO13ZIm9im1Xe2MBg/s1600-h/cash.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BCnfINhOzkgjuYwbIMVYAPvfmlRZFfvdhh8udcNQupLBh8armY6A6GNpS9inoJe0Wj6FE_k_05UlR7LbHHuZUT4J1VpQzWY2gwW2dMi_GylLh9O85GarqdO13ZIm9im1Xe2MBg/s400/cash.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346279422279343170" /></a><br /><br />If anyone else would like to give me money for my opinions, just let me know.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-512575994673335512009-02-28T10:03:00.004-06:002009-02-28T11:13:58.113-06:00Books read 2008I know I'm two months late with this, but just in case you like books and lists and lists of books as much as I do, here are the books I read in 2008.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">January</span><br />1. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Irrational Season</span> by Madeleine L'Engle<br />2. <span style="font-style: italic;">If On A Winter's Night</span> A Traveler by Italo Calvino<br />3. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Code of the Woosters</span> by P.G. Wodehouse (audio book)<br />4. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Amber Spyglass</span> by Philip Pullman<br />5. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sunday Philosophy Club</span> by Alexander McCall Smith (audio book)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">February</span><br />6. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Interesting Narrative</span> by Olaudah Equiano<br />7. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Middle Moffat</span> by Eleanor Estes<br />8. <span style="font-style: italic;">My Man Jeeves</span> by P.G. Wodehouse<br />9. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Life and Destiny of Isak Dinesen</span> by Frans Lasson and Clara Svendsen<br />10. <span style="font-style: italic;">Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret</span> by Judy Blume<br />11. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gilead</span> by Marilynne Robinson<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">March</span><br />12. <span style="font-style: italic;">Henry Reed, Inc.</span> by Keith Robertson<br />13. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Penderwicks</span> by Jeanne Birdsall<br />14. <span style="font-style: italic;">On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness</span> by Andrew Peterson<br />15. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Wound</span> by Wendell Berry<br />16. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span> by Arthur Conan Doyle<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">April</span><br />17. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Penderwicks on Gardam Street</span> by Jeanne Birdsall<br />18. <span style="font-style: italic;">Morality for Beautiful Girls</span> by Alexander McCall Smith<br />19. <span style="font-style: italic;">Growing Pains: The Autobiography of Emily Carr</span> by Emily Carr<br />20. <span style="font-style: italic;">Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</span> by Lewis Carroll<br />21. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible</span> by A.J. Jacobs<br />22. <span style="font-style: italic;">Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day</span> by Winnifred Watson<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">May</span><br />23.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Murder on the Links</span> by Agatha Christie<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">June</span><br />24. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sailing Alone Around the Room</span> by Billy Collins<br />25. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sweet Valley High #1: Double Love</span> by Francine Pascal<br />26. <span style="font-style: italic;">Life Together</span> by Dietrich Bonhoefer<br />27. <span style="font-style: italic;">Swallowdale</span> by Arthur Ransome<br />28. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Beatles: The Biography</span> by Bob Spitz (audio book)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">July</span><br />29. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Daughter of Time</span> by Josephine Tey<br />30. <span style="font-style: italic;">Rural Studio: Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency</span> by Andrea Oppenheimer Dean and Timothy Hursley<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">August</span><br />31. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Gentleman</span> by Walker Percy<br />32. <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</span> by J.K. Rowling<br />33. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kalahari Typing School for Men</span> by Alexander McCall Smith<br />34. <span style="font-style: italic;">What Are People For?</span> by Wendell Berry<br />35. <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday</span> by Ian McEwan<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">September</span><br />36. <span style="font-style: italic;">Wayside School is Falling Down</span> by Louis Sachar<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">October</span><br />37. <span style="font-style: italic;">Speak</span> by Laurie Halse Anderson<br />38. <span style="font-style: italic;">Because of Winn Dixie</span> by Kate DiCamillo (audio book)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">November</span><br />39. <span style="font-style: italic;">Don't Waste Your Life</span> by John Piper<br />40. <span style="font-style: italic;">Thinking With Type</span> by Ellen Lupton<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December</span><br />41. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Case of the Smoking Chimney</span> by Erle Stanley Gardner<br />42. <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> by Stephenie Meyer<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Gilead</span> was easily one of my favorite books of the year. It reminded me to look for beauty all around me and to take the time to enjoy it, no matter how it came. Something as simple as a sprinkler on a sunny day can be glorious.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Penderwicks</span> and its sequel, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Penderwicks on Gardam Street</span> were so charming. Rosalind, Jane, Skye and Batty Penderwick are four sisters who live with their widowed father and have active imaginations. These books reminded me so much of being younger, both in the way that I devoured them so quickly (like I used to do all the time), and in the ways I could relate to all the girls. These books have been criticized for being more innocent and old fashioned than the world is now, but I had a childhood much like this in many ways, and these books were a refreshing reminder of the best things about it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sailing Alone Around the Room</span> gave me hope that I may come to like poetry someday. If you want to like poetry but struggle through it most of the time, this "best of" collection is a good place to begin.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rural Studio</span> documents the work that Samuel Mockbee and his architecture students at Auburn University have done in poor, rural communities in Alabama. Using salvaged materials, they design and built structures for the needy that are both usable and beautiful. <span class="userReview"><span id="freeTextContainerreview26736407" class="reviewText">To do something that helps people, is responsible with materials, and is artistically excellent—that is an exciting idea to me. I like to hear about any way to have a creative career that meets human needs and is others-focused.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Speak</span> begins with Melinda's first day of 9th grade. Her schoolmates shun her because she called the cops on an end-of-summer party, but we don't know why she made the call until Melinda can find the strength to speak. Melinda narrates this story, and her voice, so darkly funny and honest, makes this one of the most powerful books I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-25827009494905117972009-02-25T22:12:00.005-06:002009-02-25T22:24:01.472-06:00Mornings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSbBoBXHRfgeZFihybFk0Li7Crv8GGEMTPhT2J2el65t8LrMCEHylHeZh8ikDAcP69tYCLvjIPVxyHkKxIkabkNlcCBtMEer3FLvkbiKaVDY6f2ZTkXwk7xtLY7XTBCFb0KyDCA/s1600-h/woodpecker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSbBoBXHRfgeZFihybFk0Li7Crv8GGEMTPhT2J2el65t8LrMCEHylHeZh8ikDAcP69tYCLvjIPVxyHkKxIkabkNlcCBtMEer3FLvkbiKaVDY6f2ZTkXwk7xtLY7XTBCFb0KyDCA/s400/woodpecker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306954207584331410" border="0" /></a><br />This morning I saw a woodpecker hammering away outside my kitchen window. Unfortunately he flew away before I could get a better picture. I am so thankful that the sun is usually out when I get up now. It makes mornings so much easier. I like to stand in the sunniest spot while I eat breakfast. That spot happens to be a rather crowded corner, so I'm sure I look funny wedged in an awkward position when the rest of the kitchen is empty. But seeing everything bathed in morning light makes even ordinary things beautiful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOekZPSKKUj-4qLobaZT7vn8vK_MBYfaiBIRHraFAKOwoqXROFr1gI8fwwalMAF3YisFzPNf3LVfqmcw2esv3vM4Bvw_R9FV101uAG8GvSqbEl_r9Gtues4jFvXio5qh7NtNB_A/s1600-h/IMG_1344.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOekZPSKKUj-4qLobaZT7vn8vK_MBYfaiBIRHraFAKOwoqXROFr1gI8fwwalMAF3YisFzPNf3LVfqmcw2esv3vM4Bvw_R9FV101uAG8GvSqbEl_r9Gtues4jFvXio5qh7NtNB_A/s400/IMG_1344.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306956618786497106" border="0" /></a>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-41044690285131927512009-02-16T20:57:00.003-06:002009-02-16T21:27:33.744-06:00Focus on the positive<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcB1l2ld7NiqwB_nBeu4XCLQZYi0ZezUfTXFpuDq18v4V2gGoKoc4A3z4m069t0oru3aRPobgc-fX6ExfcToSukGEYdABMduU4grPiNVtp3bRcLiUzfgNC7_jxIea4zjMfUT09A/s1600-h/IMG_1323.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcB1l2ld7NiqwB_nBeu4XCLQZYi0ZezUfTXFpuDq18v4V2gGoKoc4A3z4m069t0oru3aRPobgc-fX6ExfcToSukGEYdABMduU4grPiNVtp3bRcLiUzfgNC7_jxIea4zjMfUT09A/s400/IMG_1323.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303595334732920978" border="0" /></a>Spring is coming, and I am holding on until then. A few daffodils have come from nowhere in my back yard. I want some red rain boots and feel for the first time in my life that I may be able to justify owning some. I have a 5-minute walk from my car into work now, and having damp ankles all morning is most unpleasant. There, I said I wouldn't complain on this blog, and I just did. <a href="http://www.target.com/Zetta-Tall-Rain-Boots-Red/dp/B001DCI9W0/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1P2R1ZR2BB0GZM53457J&pf_rd_p=447415501&pf_rd_i=B000MVQE84&pf_rd_s=left-5&pf_rd_m=A1VC38T7YXB528&pf_rd_t=201">Solid</a> or <a href="http://www.target.com/Simple-Dot-Rain-Boots-Red/dp/B000MVQE84/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=0JBJ7SY8FKNFCA8PQ0TB&pf_rd_p=447415501&pf_rd_i=B001DCI9W0&pf_rd_s=left-5&pf_rd_m=A1VC38T7YXB528&pf_rd_t=201">dot pattern</a>?Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-69091431464503641462008-09-04T11:35:00.007-05:002008-09-04T12:23:21.811-05:00Summer cookingA couple of Saturday mornings ago I woke up smiling because I had just dreamed an original episode of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span>. Most of it was pretty hazy, but the final scene stood out in perfect clarity. In it, Jim and Pam got engaged. Apparently I am looking forward to the new season. After waking I thought it was a wonderful scene, but after trying to recap the dialogue to friends, I’ve come to the conclusion that the awesomeness was all due to the Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson in my head and <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> the quality of writing. The actors delivered perfectly the warm, awkward humor I have come to love. The cameraman was also right on target, zooming in to capture everyone’s reactions to awkward moments. It was a bit unnerving to realize how much the pace of the show must have become second nature to me in order to have such an accurate and thorough dream. I’ve been watching <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span> on dvd this summer, and I don’t want to start having <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span> dreams.<br /><br />The crinkly yellow leaves that are starting to fall on the front walk tell me that summer won’t last, so I’m trying to make the most of the long days and good produce. One night last week I stayed up past my bedtime in order to make <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/kefta-and-zucchini-kebabs/">kefta and zucchini kebabs</a>, visit a friend, eat said kebabs and make <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/blueberry-crumb-bars/">blueberry crumb bars</a>. A pink sunset was still in the sky at 8 o’clock that night. I love summer. I will be sad to see the zucchini and blueberries go.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc29gY98ABZstKY86a6KzO0P_hqHecmLt9NmU5ys-k6fyDGPpTowSMCfzwwNBKpsUriRnkr1q6WNvvowD278tzmhe8duqllshtgmzCW4pkX47v8uh8emJTiHu3nR27cmy6ztxUg/s1600-h/kebabs3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc29gY98ABZstKY86a6KzO0P_hqHecmLt9NmU5ys-k6fyDGPpTowSMCfzwwNBKpsUriRnkr1q6WNvvowD278tzmhe8duqllshtgmzCW4pkX47v8uh8emJTiHu3nR27cmy6ztxUg/s400/kebabs3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242207604485249922" border="0" /></a><br />These meatballs—I could eat them dipped in cool yogurt-mint sauce over and over. And I did, for lunch the next two days. Sometimes cooking for one is a good thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhRHeNe7BzxVAxfY6BXRQamFD4s_0FIq70QLOc_WCGbs4yzL94px1K58NaO1D-0BBXqrOCM0_CakArAoHdbhxcbbbm9lmr0PQrG98RO4C_gE0oBp8sQuhBOuyYnRj-WMvKg6-Qw/s1600-h/blueberry+crumb+bars.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhRHeNe7BzxVAxfY6BXRQamFD4s_0FIq70QLOc_WCGbs4yzL94px1K58NaO1D-0BBXqrOCM0_CakArAoHdbhxcbbbm9lmr0PQrG98RO4C_gE0oBp8sQuhBOuyYnRj-WMvKg6-Qw/s400/blueberry+crumb+bars.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242207935460532338" border="0" /></a><br />I took the blueberry crumb bars to a fish fry at my church, and they were CLEANED OUT. One man even scraped the dish when I came to take it home. I’ll definitely be making these again, because I don’t feel that I got my fair share.<br /><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> has served me well: I’ve also made <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/huevos-rancheros/">huevos rancheros</a> (easy and satisfying), <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/pearly-whites/">couscous with roasted tomatoes</a> (more time-consuming but delicious), <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/02/pasta-puttanesca-broken-artichoke-hearts-salad/">pasta puttanesca</a> (I thought of <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=p0joaI_MBmAC&dq=%22lemony+snicket%22+bad+beginning+puttanesca&pg=PP1&ots=4ccoyseWWW&sig=xsx86Tj_ol0gNr1pJ2f7z-ku_lU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA39,M1">Violet, Klaus and Sunny</a> while I washed up), <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/06/dead-simple-slaw-6-heat-wave-reprieves/">dead simple slaw</a> (a hit at growth group last night), and <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/summer-of-the-bats/">zucchini bread</a> (more zucchini!). I also found I can grill eggplant on a George Foreman, and I have a pot full of healthy mint in the back yard, a first for me after many summers of failed attempts.<br /><br />I try to remind myself of small victories like this because the yard itself is still putting up a fight. I’m working my way around the back perimeter, clearing out everything that doesn’t have a right to be there. It’s slow going, and the mosquitoes seem to be on the side of the invasive plants. No poison ivy outbreaks or West Nile yet, for which I’m thankful.<br /><br />And because bullet points are so much easier than writing a real paragraph, here are some links to things I’ve enjoyed recently:<br />• Cheryl Kline gave a <a href="http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeqjo1w/id38.html">speech</a> about writing, using the Harry Potter books as an example.<br />• <a href="http://www.rabbitroom.com/?p=989">Pete Peterson</a> and <a href="http://www.rabbitroom.com/?p=986">Andrew Peterson</a> tell good stories well in The Rabbit Room.<br />• <a href="https://www.noisetrade.com/#">Noisetrade</a> has lots of great albums available for free download. I started with Waterdeep and Matthew Perryman Jones.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-83801531609373204622008-08-29T16:21:00.004-05:002008-08-29T16:58:05.306-05:00Chair RedoHello, internet. I have not forgotten you. Well, actually that's not true. I did forget, but only for a bit, and during that time I've been gathering stories and pictures to share. I've been working away to make my house feel more like a home. Most projects are still in progress, but I did finish recovering a chair seat and two pillows. This chair was purchased in Texas for $6 several years ago, and I had planned to use it with other citrus colors in the living room of my old place. The citrus theme never came to pass, and now the chair is in my bedroom, in close proximity to these throw pillows. Pink floral and bold orange stripes do not go together (I have a lot to learn about design, but I am confident about this much). So I took advantage of a sale at <a href="http://quiltartsonline.com/">Quilt Arts</a> and covered both in <a href="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/main.php?fl=0">Amy Butler</a> fabric. Notice the closet doors, which <a href="http://harrietvane.blogspot.com/2008/06/small-and-white-clean-and-bright.html">I painted white</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwvP9bTnI7X3fkG1brDW2llm68KLeJepwSxQJVQJ0HTKA-i2qK-6rdLx3tTJZhaZomgogDizLE3muGOGpCkMU77oU_fE_cdl2OKuxPoUGQtHo4bXfdbupBVBYewj71sUzMHnj4Q/s1600-h/chair+before+%26+after2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwvP9bTnI7X3fkG1brDW2llm68KLeJepwSxQJVQJ0HTKA-i2qK-6rdLx3tTJZhaZomgogDizLE3muGOGpCkMU77oU_fE_cdl2OKuxPoUGQtHo4bXfdbupBVBYewj71sUzMHnj4Q/s400/chair+before+%26+after2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240053444394300930" border="0" /></a><br />Next time: I dream an episode of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span> and haul more debris out of the back yard!Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-72374525001774657602008-07-17T15:47:00.004-05:002008-07-17T16:15:48.586-05:00U stand for uptight. That's how I'm feelin.'If I had kids who were going to sing the same thing over and over I would show them this upcoming segment from <span style="font-style: italic;">Sesame Street</span> in which Feist teaches kids to count to--you guessed it--four.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9fciD_II7NI&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9fciD_II7NI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />She joins a long line of musicians who've appeared on the show over the years. Altering your hit song to help children learn is a worthy cause... although I'm not sure what my generation was supposed to learn from Smokey Robinson's <span style="font-style: italic;">Sesame Street</span> performance of "You Really Got A Hold On Me."<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UyUxVCR0p9g&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UyUxVCR0p9g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Does anyone else remember being mildly creeped out when they saw Smokey being chased by a giant letter U?Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-52512743151131713662008-07-07T16:19:00.004-05:002008-11-13T01:36:36.542-06:00“The rent here may be low but I believe we have it on very hard terms.”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElOQn9PgxwIiudy8ex5sMg8wDhwXIDSz6Pm4WOLIYfjD-6Qr011fihd0kYD2PC0fGfFmiNWlsMmc7CNz9ovUOaI09YyXVgfhnqR0KXHVOupJrCn7Sod7KVhdH2kUaP17QJIHm3A/s1600-h/trash.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElOQn9PgxwIiudy8ex5sMg8wDhwXIDSz6Pm4WOLIYfjD-6Qr011fihd0kYD2PC0fGfFmiNWlsMmc7CNz9ovUOaI09YyXVgfhnqR0KXHVOupJrCn7Sod7KVhdH2kUaP17QJIHm3A/s400/trash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220642149590318434" border="0" /></a><br />Our neighbors aren’t meddling and trying to match us up with eligible young men, but my roommates and I have discovered that our new house doesn’t come without a price. I don’t know when the last person who cared lived in the house, but it wasn’t too recently. After I finished <a href="http://harrietvane.blogspot.com/2008/06/small-and-white-clean-and-bright.html">painting my room</a> and bathroom I turned my attention to the yard. This photo shows the result of Thursday evening and Friday morning’s work. When our landlord said we’d be responsible for the yard, I didn’t think that would include moving 20 rusty pipes that were lying under what was probably years’ worth of sediment and leaves. I would rake off a layer, haul a pipe to the street, rake off some more, haul another pipe away, and so on. We can walk around the north side of the house without being scared now!<br /><br />Last week was a hard one. Some of the things that happened sound like the back cover of a Lemony Snicket book. On Monday alone there was an unsuccessful shopping trip, a homeless fish, a small amount of bloodshed, cold waffle fries, and <a href="http://wellspringing.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/metamorphisis/">an unwanted guest</a>.<br /><br />By Thursday things were looking up. My boss gave me the afternoon off, which was the beginning of a beautiful weekend. It included such good things as fireworks, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/B-Muffins/Detail.aspx">homemade muffins</a>, <a href="http://quiltartsonline.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi?cart_id=17864.2994.s0&lastmenu=submenu-5000.html&menu=submenu-4000.html">new fabric</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0783233/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Atonement</span></a> (finally!), and time with friends. Not to mention the sleep earned by one who has done much yard work. I finished the weekend with a sense of accomplishment and refreshment, which almost never seem to go together. We just need more three-day weekends. I want this house to be a place my roommates and I can feel at home, and where others enjoy being. After this weekend I feel a little bit closer to that goal.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-189299064502936422008-06-27T09:49:00.000-05:002008-06-27T09:51:19.032-05:00Night at the libraryLast night I went to the library to return some books and decided to stay and read for a bit. I found an empty corner and flopped down with Walker Percy’s <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Gentleman</span>. A group of adults who seemed to be having a meeting were a few feet away, obscured by a bookcase. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but when the babble of their voices dropped down to one man speaking alone I could tell from his rhythm that he was praying. “…We ask that you would bless…” jumped out clear from the murmur. I smiled and tears sprang in my eyes (as they are prone to do when one is tired). In this messed up city, it is good to know that some people are praying.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-81215412898028622572008-06-17T11:14:00.004-05:002008-11-13T01:36:36.736-06:00Small and white, clean and bright<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mhjT3h8vfXTrbc34ywsbCOQxzImVerH1FVx0QRW94Yt6aIgmnyTSBhgQqQS8Z8n7d-CEdNJAShgceune-Owul1zxIuaKLkKsrdGl25I0JhaRMc5qqZykI8YnDNiL9Oox-TwDuA/s1600-h/paint+colors.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mhjT3h8vfXTrbc34ywsbCOQxzImVerH1FVx0QRW94Yt6aIgmnyTSBhgQqQS8Z8n7d-CEdNJAShgceune-Owul1zxIuaKLkKsrdGl25I0JhaRMc5qqZykI8YnDNiL9Oox-TwDuA/s400/paint+colors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212884811972867058" border="0" /></a><br />If I have been quiet here for the last few weeks it is because I’ve mostly been occupied with mundane domestic tasks. I’ve moved to an old house with lots of quirks. Some of these I love—the phone nook!—and some of these I don’t—the large cracks in the corners of my bedroom walls. I decided not to live with the cracks and messy paint jobs left by previous tenants, so I’ve been spending most of my free time for the last few weeks painting my bathroom and bedroom. I’m almost done now (I’ve been saying that for a while, but it’s more true now than it used to be), and I’m pleased with the result.<br /><br />Most people probably wouldn’t paint colored walls in a rental home white, but I’m happier in rooms with clean white walls. I change my mind so often about colors for other things that it’s good to start with a neutral base. And there is a certain satisfaction in smoothing new paint over a dirty surface. It reminds me again that <a href="http://harrietvane.blogspot.com/2007/06/i-am-making-all-things-new.html">summer feels like the start of something new</a> in many ways. It’s a good time to look up from the usual busyness and try to see where I’m headed. It’s hard to believe that we’re almost halfway through 2008. I still have a 5K to run and an empty sketchbook waiting.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-34155506084523625312008-05-08T11:37:00.003-05:002008-05-08T11:45:46.103-05:00I love Tom Waits.<object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EOrG1r3S6ZA&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EOrG1r3S6ZA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Paste has the dates and locations listed <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/7355/news/music/constellation_hydra_reveals_tom_waits_summer_tour_dates">here</a>. Anyone up for a trip to Mobile on July 2?Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-971954986513672032008-04-07T14:04:00.003-05:002008-04-07T14:16:49.480-05:00Sense and Sensibility drinking gameTake a drink every time Margaret (called Meg in <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/senseandsensibility/index.html">this version</a>) runs and yells to announce the approach of a visitor.<br /><br />I'm sad <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/austen/index.html">the Jane Austen season</a> is over. Now to the books!Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-78139824820424129652008-04-04T11:03:00.003-05:002008-04-04T11:17:24.987-05:00...and then I found $20.No, really! Yesterday as I was walking into the post office I found a $20 bill lying in plain view on the sidewalk. I walked past it at first. "Surely it's not a real $20 bill," I thought. "Someone else would have picked it up by now." I continued in and retrieved the mail from our box. When I came out, the bill was still there. So I picked it up and took it inside to Mr. Johnny, one of the employees. He was awarded a purple heart, so I think he is trustworthy. And I realized that I didn't even need to keep it; just <span style="font-style: italic;">finding</span> $20 is exciting. The next time I find myself in a lagging conversation, I will tack this story onto the end of it, and all will be well.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-83675425926671987172008-04-02T15:00:00.003-05:002008-11-13T01:36:37.398-06:00Time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHcerGrFN2mLOQgK_oqI4TSYkdhlZvfpoIPdkIqaNvUPIg7AjrNvsqUBNJEPYEacMyEQTJG2ArDk_1aF3z_dzmxdE2pg3m_Rw5f0Y4WF3tH1AP3Vca-ZXmnF5QB_VD6Dme8ESRw/s1600-h/goodideabadidea.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHcerGrFN2mLOQgK_oqI4TSYkdhlZvfpoIPdkIqaNvUPIg7AjrNvsqUBNJEPYEacMyEQTJG2ArDk_1aF3z_dzmxdE2pg3m_Rw5f0Y4WF3tH1AP3Vca-ZXmnF5QB_VD6Dme8ESRw/s400/goodideabadidea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184749231729105746" border="0" /></a>Good Idea: getting back together with old friends to make a successful collaboration.<br />Bad Idea: stealing old friends in order to copy a successful collaboration.<br /><br />or<br /><br />Good Idea: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sixpencethericher">Sixpence None the Richer is recording and touring together again</a>.<br />Bad Idea: <a href="http://www.officetally.com/the-office-spin-off-announced">NBC is creating a spin-off of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span></a>, set to air after the super bowl this fall. NBC executive Ben Silverman says, "It’s very likely you will see some of those actors [from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span>] on the spin-off."<br /><br />I'm sure Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum have plenty of creativity left, but I'm afraid an <span style="font-style: italic;">Office</span> spin-off while the original is still running can only hurt both the old and new shows. I think I'll watch <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=x5QE3hW_Ots&feature=related">this</a> to cheer myself up.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-73438778060109496662008-03-31T10:24:00.003-05:002008-04-04T11:20:46.899-05:00And the winner is...I'm pleased to announce that the winner of <span style="font-style: italic;">On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness</span> is <a href="http://davidhogue.wordpress.com/">David</a>. How did I arrive at this, you ask? Simple: I cast lots. That is, I wrote each of the commenter's names down on sheets of paper, folded them up, shuffled them around under my desk, and drew one out at random. The lot has fallen to David. Enjoy your book!Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-59724877593943017082008-03-21T15:15:00.007-05:002008-11-13T01:36:37.567-06:00On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness<span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yRjAy_KcK95g8UrVCITFFJT3zn5c_BCEXPj40nHSwHX20f824zII2ExGASa9g10qfsKJRWUcHBaHcVHCDb-Rz9W1z2eO_x067HgzTIZ7o61WC0YkJaVXaZa2vDTwIQfgYYZhzg/s1600-h/image001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yRjAy_KcK95g8UrVCITFFJT3zn5c_BCEXPj40nHSwHX20f824zII2ExGASa9g10qfsKJRWUcHBaHcVHCDb-Rz9W1z2eO_x067HgzTIZ7o61WC0YkJaVXaZa2vDTwIQfgYYZhzg/s400/image001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180300221136067394" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.andrew-peterson.com/">Andrew Peterson</a> has long been one of my favorite songwriters, so I waited with eagerness when I heard that he was writing a book. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Dark-Sea-Darkness-Wingfeather/dp/1400073847/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206132063&sr=1-1">On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> arrived in bookstores this week, and I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy. I approached it with some nervousness; I like AP's music so much--what if his first novel wasn't very good?</span><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">I needn't have worried. Book One of The Wingfeather Saga is a delightful read, full of humor and adventure. Janner Igiby, his younger brother Tink, and little sister Leeli live with their mother and ex-pirate grandfather in a little cottage in the town of Glipwood. Glipwood and the surrounding land of Skree are occupied and controlled by the Fangs of Dang, huge lizardlike creatures who make life miserable for the inhabitants. As danger and mysterious events build, Janner struggles with the responsibility of looking out for his siblings. It isn't an easy task when the evil Fangs seem out to get the Igiby children, though they don't understand why.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">I love a book that begins with a map. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> has two maps, footnotes full of funny asides, and heaps of made-up names that will make this an excellent book for families to read aloud. There is also plenty of gross humor that boys will love; my favorite example is when the Igibys' mother makes maggotloaf. It's obvious that AP has read Tolkien, Lewis and Rowling, but this story stands on its own. Like his predecessors, Peterson has created a world that is clearly much bigger than this first story shows, and I'm looking forward to reading more.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">The folks at WaterBrook Press have given me an extra copy of the book to give away. Just leave a (relevant) comment in the next week and I'll choose randomly. Haven't you always wanted a book with the subtitle: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree</span><span style="font-size:100%;">?</span></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-71190900950596147692008-03-06T15:01:00.005-06:002008-03-24T10:32:53.785-05:00Awkwardness at 6:00Yesterday after tutoring at my church I went to Kroger for a couple of items. I bought escarole for the first time ever in order to make <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/02/escarole-and-orzo-soup-with-meatballs/">Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs</a>. I had some time to kill while I waited for 6 o'clock. You see, 6 o'clock is the magic hour when all of the baked goods at Broad Street go on sale for 50% off. So I lingered in the new international foods section, which turned out to be a lucky thing, because I also found orzo, a rice-shaped pasta the recipe called for. It was then that I realized just what this new Kroger could mean. I'm used to substituting or skipping when a recipe calls for ingredients that can't be easily found. I'd already bought some small macaroni to use in the soup when I found the small package of orzo in the "Italian" section. "This could change the way I cook," I thought.<br /><br />I went to checkout and found myself in the uncomfortable position of buying something I didn't know how to pronounce. "What is this?" said the clerk when she picked up the escarole, asking the very question I'd hoped she wouldn't. I spelled it for her and resolved to look up the pronunciation so this doesn't happen again. Thanks to <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escarole">Merriam-Webster</a>, I can now speak the name of escarole with confidence.<br /><br />Then it was on to Broad Street, where I was happy to see that they had a couple loaves of honey whole wheat bread left. I asked for one and had handed over my money when the employee at the next register asked the guy who was helping me, "Did you just sell a loaf of wheat bread?" He looked confused, and I looked to my right to see the customer from whom I had just taken a loaf of bread away. And wouldn't you know, it was a friend of mine. She'd asked for the last two loaves of wheat bread, but I beat her to one of them! I tried to get her to take it, but she would have none of it. "I guess you know each other?" the girl employee said, as my friend gave me a hug. After some more protestations I received my change, took my bread and headed out the door, wondering what my friend was going to eat instead. I'd just taken food away from her!<br /><br />I ate my bread with the escarole and orzo soup (which was delicious, by the way) for supper. I wonder what my friend had.<br /><br />I have known for a while that if I go to McDade’s at 5 o'clock there’s a good chance I’ll run into some guy friend or another on the beer aisle. Now I know that I must be careful when buying Broad Street bread at 6:00.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-36917954421202888882008-02-12T16:54:00.000-06:002008-02-12T17:04:15.377-06:00You, you… me! ME!<a href="http://guittahogue.blogspot.com">Guitta</a> tagged me, so I’m going to talk about myself for a little while.<br /><br />1. My books are organized by color. I got the idea from <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com">Apartment Therapy</a>, but I have only myself to blame. This might sound crazy to some people, and I know it’s not for everyone. But I remember things visually and I don’t have very many books in my apartment. It’s working so far, and I like the way it looks.<br /><br />2. I much prefer going barefoot to wearing shoes. As long as the floor is clean and the right texture. (See number 3.)<br /><br />3. I can’t stand shag carpet. CANNOT bear to come in contact with it, and thinking about it too long makes me start to feel nauseated. I know white shag rugs are hugely popular right now, but nothing could induce me. No. Ugh.<br /><br />4. I think Rembrandt was amazing. Did you ever look at the Bible and start thinking, “Why are these the books in the Bible and not others?” Then you read bits of the other possibilities and think “Oh, that’s why.” It’s like that with art. After a while looking at an art history book you think, “Why are these the famous artists and paintings and not others?” Then you get a chance to see an artist like Rembrandt in a museum, with his work hung alongside his contemporaries. Then it all becomes clear. Others tried, but he achieved something they couldn’t quite get. <br /><br />5. I’ve never seen <span style="font-style: italic;">A Christmas Story</span>. This can be amusing when the person I’m talking to starts referring to it without even checking first. I nod and smile for a little while until it comes to me. “Oh, I get it,” I eventually think. “It’s from <span style="font-style: italic;">A Christmas Story</span>.”<br /><br />6. In elementary school I ate everyone else’s unwanted black jelly beans at Easter. Now I probably wouldn’t want to eat food that had been on another kid’s plate, and I don’t crave candy so much anymore.<br /><br />7. When I see how I have changed my mind about things in the past—the jelly beans for example—I worry that I will change my mind about other things I hold true now. What if I decide that putting bobble headed plush cats and dogs in the back window of my car is cute? Will someone stop me, or will they let me just go down that path of tackiness?Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-70239609517443225122008-01-14T11:11:00.001-06:002008-03-17T10:21:47.785-05:00Books Read 2007<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>I know you've all been eagerly awaiting my annual list of books read in the past year. Now the anxious clamor can subside. Without further ado, here are the books I read in 2007:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">January</span><br />1. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Two Towers</span> by J.R.R. Tolkien (f) (reread)<br />2. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Enchanted April</span> by Elizabeth von Arnim (f) (recommended by Bethany)<br />3. <span style="font-style: italic;">Postern of Fate</span> by Agatha Christie (f)<br />4. <span style="font-style: italic;">Cold Comfort Farm</span> by Stella Gibbons (f)<br />5. <span style="font-style: italic;">On Being Presbyterian</span> by Sean Michael Lucas (nf)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">February</span><br />6. <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</span> by J.K. Rowling (f) (reread)<br />7. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dreaming in Clay</span> by Christopher Maurer with Maria Estrella Iglesias (nf)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">March</span><br />8. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dragons in the Waters</span> by Madeleine L’Engle (f)<br />9. <span style="font-style: italic;">A House Like a Lotus</span> by Madeleine L’Engle (f)<br />10. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World</span> by A.J. Jacobs (nf)<br />11. <span style="font-style: italic;">I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being A Woman</span> by Nora Ephron (nf)<br />12. <span style="font-style: italic;">Just So Stories</span> by Rudyard Kipling (f) (reread)<br />13. <span style="font-style: italic;">Traveling Mercies</span> by Anne Lamott (nf)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">April</span><br />14. <span style="font-style: italic;">An Acceptable Time</span> by Madeleine L’Engle (f)<br />15. <span style="font-style: italic;">Tears of the Giraffe</span> by Alexander McCall Smith (f)<br />16. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dark is Rising</span> by Susan Cooper (f)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">May</span><br />17. <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</span> by J.K. Rowling (f) (reread)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">June</span><br />18. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mysterious Affair at Styles</span> by Agatha Christie (f) (reread)<br />19. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Staircase</span> by Carolyn Keene (f)<br />20. <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince</span> by J.K. Rowling (f) (reread)<br />21. <span style="font-style: italic;">A Treasury of Great Mysteries Vol. 2</span> edited by Howard Haycraft & John Beecraft (f)<br />22. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Cricket in Times Square</span> by George Selden (f)<br />23. <span style="font-style: italic;">Haroun and the Sea of Stories</span> by Salman Rushdie (f) (recommended by Daniel)<br />24. <span style="font-style: italic;">I Capture the Castle</span> by Dodie Smith (f)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">July</span><br />25. <span style="font-style: italic;">Swallows and Amazons</span> by Arthur Ransome (f) (recommended by <a href="http://teaandscones.blogspot.com/">Liz</a>)<br />26. <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</span> by J.K. Rowling (f)<br />27. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Great Divorce</span> by C.S. Lewis (f) (reread)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">August</span><br />28. <span style="font-style: italic;">A Confederacy of Dunces</span> by John Kennedy Toole (f)<br />29. <span style="font-style: italic;">Greenwitch</span> by Susan Cooper (f)<br />30. <span style="font-style: italic;">Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn</span> by Donald Spoto (nf)<br />31. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Grey King</span> by Susan Cooper (f)<br />32. <span style="font-style: italic;">Silver on the Tree</span> by Susan Cooper (f)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">September</span><br />33. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Luckiest Girl</span> by Beverly Cleary (f) (reread)<br />34. <span style="font-style: italic;">Notes from Underground</span> by Fyodor Dostoevsky (f)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">October</span><br />35. <span style="font-style: italic;">Atonement</span> by Ian McEwan (f) (recommended by <a href="http://rmfo-blogs.com/karibeth/">Kari</a>)<br />36. <span style="font-style: italic;">Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man who Would Cure the World</span> by Tracy Kidder (nf) (recommended by <a href="http://ibrownie.blogspot.com/">Wendell</a> and <a href="http://afellowstranger.wordpress.com/">Sara</a>)<br />37. <span style="font-style: italic;">Bridget Jones’s Diary</span> by Helen Fielding (f)<br />38. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Total Money Makeover</span> by Dave Ramsey (nf)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">November</span><br />39. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Christian’s Great Interest</span> by William Guthrie (nf)<br />40. <span style="font-style: italic;">Breakfast at Tiffany’s</span> by Truman Capote (f) (reread)<br />41. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Return of the King</span> by J.R.R. Tolkien (f) (reread)<br />42. <span style="font-style: italic;">Slaughterhouse Five</span> by Kurt Vonnegut (f)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December</span><br />43. <span style="font-style: italic;">Out of Africa</span> by Isak Dinesen (f)<br />44. <span style="font-style: italic;">To Own a Dragon</span> by Donald Miller (nf)<br />45. <span style="font-style: italic;">Villette</span> by Charlotte Bronte (f)<br />46. <span style="font-style: italic;">Madeline</span> by Ludwig Bemelmans (f) (reread)<br />47. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Golden Compass</span> by Philip Pullman (f) (reread)<br />48. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Subtle Knife</span> by Philip Pullman (f)<br /><br />You'll notice that I did <span>not</span> reach my goal of 50 books. I suppose I could have rushed through two more books to have them completed in time to make the list, but what would be the point of that? To meet an arbitrary deadline I've imposed on myself and miss the content of the books in the process? Instead I've resolved to read <span style="font-style: italic;">less</span> in 2008 (which I'm chronicling at <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">GoodReads</a>.) I want to devote more time to making art and getting exercise, and I know that time is going to have to come from somewhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Enchanted April</span> was probably my favorite book of the year. It came at just the right time and told me truth about myself and the world while entertaining and giving hope in the dreary month of January. I wouldn't expect everyone to get as much out of it as I did, but it is certainly worthwhile, and the movie version is lovely.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cold Comfort Farm</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Know-It-All</span> were two of the funniest books I read all year. If you've ever read <span style="font-style: italic;">Wuthering Heights</span> and thought, "Get a grip, people! Take a bath and get over yourselves!," <span style="font-style: italic;">Cold Comfort Farm</span> is the book for you<span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> The movie with Kate Beckinsale, Ian McKellan and Rufus Sewell also quite amusing. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Know-It-All</span> is A.J. Jacobs account of his attempt to read through the Encyclopedia Brittanica. I laughed a lot, learned a little bit, and found his thoughts on Ecclesiastes interesting.<br /><br />In the original version of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Staircase</span>, I learned that Nancy Drew kept a loaded revolver under her pillow. <span>And</span> she had curly hair! These two facts make her a lot cooler than the 60's version of Nancy I grew up with.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A Treasury of Great Mysteries</span> was a garage sale find that included <span style="font-style: italic;">The Big Sleep</span> by Raymond Chandler. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler">Chandler</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell_Hammett">Dashiell Hammett</a> pioneered the hardboiled detective novel in the 20's, 30's and 40's. True to its reputation, I found the plot of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Big Sleep</span> hard to follow, but I loved the heavy use of similes like "...he used his strength like an out-of-work chorus girl uses her last pair of stockings."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Atonement</span> was another of the best books of the year. I still find myself thinking about it, but perhaps that's because I've been looking for a movie location near me (there isn't one).<br /><br />I will always be grateful to Charlotte Bronte for giving us Jane Eyre, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Villette</span> was hard to get through. At first I wasn't all that interested in the story or the characters, and when I did finally get hooked, the ending was crushing. SPOILER: I'd imagined M. Paul Emmanuel to look like <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille/content/images/wallpaper/800x600/rat_wallsSkinner_800.jpg">this guy</a>, so I had to make some adjustments in my imagination to see him as a romantic possibility.<br /><br />In addition to reading less in 2008, I also want to choose books carefully and examine my motives for reading. If it's to get something checked off a "must read" list someone else has compiled, that's a bad reason. If it's to learn more about a subject I enjoy, that's a good reason. So here's to reading good books for good reasons!Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-47305135340936459332007-11-06T08:47:00.000-06:002008-11-13T01:36:37.887-06:00Don't teach me about politics and government......Just tell me who to vote for. Today is election day in Jackson, and I don't have a clue who to vote for in most of the elections. The candidates running for state representative and senator in my district have been bombarding my mailbox with mudslinging flyers for the last several weeks with the result that now I don't want to vote for anybody. Gee, thanks, guys. You all have exhibited bad grammar, terrible graphic design and unprofessional behavior. I will be leaving a lot of boxes unmarked when I go to the polls today. Meanwhile, dear reader, I leave you with this shocking photo evidence that Mississippi State Senatorial candidate David Blount fathered a child we've never seen on his promotional flyers.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPbHFrT9PtbIbX0c5NqmMp8azRNJIvTzyi2jByjGM8gMuD42CWeylYPi81cUQtRF-UR-9xWt7Pk4LAId3niFsX_jC4p9yCgv7HpTxabqn59ZkqwJo-fbf0gberRwR2vrtEh2Huw/s1600-h/blount-temp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPbHFrT9PtbIbX0c5NqmMp8azRNJIvTzyi2jByjGM8gMuD42CWeylYPi81cUQtRF-UR-9xWt7Pk4LAId3niFsX_jC4p9yCgv7HpTxabqn59ZkqwJo-fbf0gberRwR2vrtEh2Huw/s400/blount-temp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129742782243264978" border="0" /></a>You be the judge.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-81679087878353144672007-10-31T16:48:00.000-05:002007-11-07T08:57:56.627-06:00This just in: Martha Stewart is a weird-oI've long suspected that Martha might be one of those crazy pet people. You know what I'm talking about. Well, now we have proof. I will let <a href="http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/martha/2007/10/my-doggies-and-.html">the images</a> speak for themselves.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-47430241299405948822007-10-26T10:16:00.000-05:002007-10-26T14:05:45.804-05:00Brown paper packages tied up with string<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Here are some things I've been enjoying lately.<br /><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/couscous-and-feta-stuffed-peppers/">Couscous and feta stuffed peppers</a>. I made these <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/couscous-and-feta-stuffed-peppers/"></a>Wednesday night. If I hadn't forgotten the salt they would have been smashing. This recipe is definitely worth making again, very colorful and healthy <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> comfort-foody. Tonight I'm planning to attempt <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/10/pumpkin-bread-pudding/">pumpkin bread pudding</a>. My mouth starts watering as I type those three words. Pumpkin. Bread. Pudding.<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/martha/2007/10/fall-blooming-p.html">Martha Stewart and Carole King</a>. How much awesomeness can you fit in one room? These two women shaped who I am today. My Sunday School teacher gave me my first Martha Stewart Living subscription when I was 14, and my life has never been the same (see couscous and feta stuffed peppers above for evidence). My best friend <a href="http://bodene.blogspot.com/">Paula</a> and I used to listen to <span style="font-style: italic;">Tapestry</span> together on vinyl when we were teenagers. I was intrigued by the fact that her hair was frizzy---and somehow that was okay.<br /><br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/">The Office</a> is back to half-hour episodes, which I think are stronger than the hour-long ones. I loved Daryl's song and Michael's commercial last night.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Atonement-Novel-Ian-McEwan/dp/038572179X/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-7236992-3185456?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193418984&sr=8-2"><span style="font-style: italic;">Atonement</span></a> by Ian McEwan. A really absorbing novel that is so carefully paced. I could hardly stand the understated suspense of waiting for the story to unfold. The story begins in England in 1935 and moves on to Dunkirk in World War II. I won't tell you too much more because you'll enjoy it more the less you know about what is going to happen. The movie <a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/atonement/">trailer</a> looks promising too, and it's getting good reviews.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wee-Small-Hours-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B000006OHD/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2828429-6702459?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193414709&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">In the Wee Small Hours</span></a> by Frank Sinatra. It was <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114625231558339036.html">this review</a> in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Wall Street Journal</span> that prompted me to put this album on my Half.com wish list a while ago. When a lot of my friends got engaged and my roommate moved away, I thought, "Well, if I'm going to be sad and lonely this winter I'd better have some good music for it." And oh, boy IS IT! This album is the closest thing to perfection I've heard in a long time. I don't profess to be knowledgeable about Sinatra or music from this era (1955), but I can tell you what I hear: He embodies these songs written by others so thoroughly that you're sure he's lived it all and can tell you from experience. The melancholy is so beautifully balanced, never overwhelming. He delivers a silly line like " You had what I lack, myself / Now I even have to scratch my back myself" with so much pathos, that I give a quick smile followed by a sigh. He's so alone, and it's so beautiful! Listen to this at night in a quiet room on good speakers.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-2319648558573157472007-10-19T14:47:00.000-05:002008-11-13T01:36:38.070-06:00An Adventure Averted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcISEKT4uXgZAFfwxl4utO5jICTprR85qVokracQN9XYjGPBeGLkUl7sSbvVTp99NbWNLKs1XHn1uz287xuJWOIQWD_rCublYuN0ZMDZWwblO5kz_B1UvI5cF97rpoJdJLPhf5ug/s1600-h/IMG_0367.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcISEKT4uXgZAFfwxl4utO5jICTprR85qVokracQN9XYjGPBeGLkUl7sSbvVTp99NbWNLKs1XHn1uz287xuJWOIQWD_rCublYuN0ZMDZWwblO5kz_B1UvI5cF97rpoJdJLPhf5ug/s400/IMG_0367.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123137292672677346" border="0" /></a>After a short storm on Wednesday afternoon I came home from work to find a tree limb pinning down a power line just outside my house. I didn't have any electricity, but that was okay with me since I was headed to my church small group for the evening. But the power was still out when I got home at 9. I thought about just going to bed early, but men were buzzing away with chainsaws right outside my window. "No way I'm going to be able to sleep through that," I thought. I weighed my options: I could escape the darkness and go to Barnes & Noble, or I could embrace it by lighting candles and settling down with a book. I thought of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Ingalls_Wilder">Ingalls family</a> and went for option two. <br /><br />Ever since the hurricane I've been determined to keep at least a small supply of candles on hand in case of emergencies. So I dug them out from under the bed and found saucers for them all. Now--what to read? I'm in process on Dave Ramsey's <span style="font-style: italic;">Total Money Makeover</span>, so that was the first thing that came to mind. But Dave Ramsey by candlelight? NO! Every feeling revolts! Reading a financial book by in dim, romantic lighting is just wrong. This is an adventure, I thought. I need an adventure book. I had only to crack open <span style="font-style: italic;">The Return of the King</span> and glance down to read, "Oathbreakers, why have you come?" and I knew I'd found my book. <br /><br />I settled down to read, book turned toward a bunch of candles to catch as much light as possible. But y'all, I hadn't even finished the synopsis of the previous two volumes before I noticed a soft glow coming from next door. Hmmm. I flipped a switch and winced at the light that came on. NO again! Just when I was excited about not having power--it comes back on. I'm not sure what the moral of this story is... Enjoy the simple pleasures in life? Keep your house clean because you never know when you'll have to get around it in the dark? Try to remember you're not Caroline Ingalls?Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-84810339645302107602007-10-01T15:33:00.000-05:002008-11-13T01:36:38.566-06:00It's so damn hot! Milk was a bad choice.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtcogTTrKr6gA9axnruOBUgYva1T3VNPCoAhXYrYFebmhVYQfrXU3_flddbw1YaYwnQ12FWjuWnfZimbntzab9VyvFKcz6kgvURiXN4i7sENNfSnzc22nk6kc4rsk9U_KxUWZbw/s1600-h/butternut+soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtcogTTrKr6gA9axnruOBUgYva1T3VNPCoAhXYrYFebmhVYQfrXU3_flddbw1YaYwnQ12FWjuWnfZimbntzab9VyvFKcz6kgvURiXN4i7sENNfSnzc22nk6kc4rsk9U_KxUWZbw/s400/butternut+soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116483320705276274" border="0" /></a>I'm so ready for fall that I went ahead this weekend and made a fallish meal, even though it's still hot outside. So I had to turn up the AC and I still broke a sweat. I just couldn't wait any longer to make this recipe for Butternut Squash soup, which came from my friend Carla. I love how easy it is. And the color, which just says, "Hello, fall!" It does take the squashes (or is it butternuts? I really don't know--you so rarely hear them mentioned in conversation these days) some time to bake, so start early or else you'll be sitting down to eat supper at 9 o'clock like I did. I ate it with <a href="http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2007/03/bready_in_no_ti.html">Ann's No-Knead Bread</a>, which is also very easy. Are you noticing a theme here? I usually make it with whole-wheat flour, but I found that I was entirely out after I'd already started. So, white it was. I discovered I actually like wheat better. Whew.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Butternut Squash Soup</span><br /><br />1 Tbsp. butter<br />1/2 c. chopped onion<br />1 tsp. curry powder<br />1 1/2 c. chicken broth<br />1/2 c. apple juice<br />1 cooked butternut squash (or 4 c. cubed)<br />1 c. pear or apple, peeled and chopped<br />1/4 tsp. salt<br />milk and/or sour cream (optional)<br /><br />Heat the butter in a pot and saute the chopped onion until soft. Add curry powder and cook 1 minute. Add the broth, apple juice, squash, pear or apple and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Blend or mash once the ingredients are soft. Thin with milk if needed and garnish with sour cream if desired.<br /><br />This is a pretty flexible recipe. This time I used water instead of chicken broth and milk, and applesauce instead of apple juice. I also added a dash of cloves, some cinnamon and some chili powder, and ground pepper just before serving. To cook the squash, I used two small ones because they're easier to cut. Just scoop out the seeds (these are good toasted as well--memories of American Indians using the whole buffalo flashed through my head at this point, when I almost threw them away) and bake somewhere around 400 degrees. Mine took about 50 minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWggkY2kZM6YBQwr489ZHwJ3ACvohUIHv8iKxr30MrLtxAgOxX9PFf03IilQ7ZhAoYhPFXOnWCwxGH_sWEQCB3P2SKu0l1I0_b_bBPTVU4ODu1OrqG03TMpaugNd0U8AoaNygtGw/s1600-h/white+pumpkin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWggkY2kZM6YBQwr489ZHwJ3ACvohUIHv8iKxr30MrLtxAgOxX9PFf03IilQ7ZhAoYhPFXOnWCwxGH_sWEQCB3P2SKu0l1I0_b_bBPTVU4ODu1OrqG03TMpaugNd0U8AoaNygtGw/s400/white+pumpkin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116490725228894594" border="0" /></a>Both make good leftovers.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168744.post-69071940412250197392007-09-12T10:49:00.000-05:002008-11-13T01:36:39.479-06:00Ceili<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZ9b5xNiIeDyE8CtWd2bWZ_lKuclflsrLv7PTd4q1ptMA7sF8a5m8wRra5LvQmnt7g-rBdOXBMWFeDZJaoEZCr8OQiIpGV-ir6KV1RTXhdfEooU0__Bw0afU8MQeuhMeMZ-2NaQ/s1600-h/red+skirt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZ9b5xNiIeDyE8CtWd2bWZ_lKuclflsrLv7PTd4q1ptMA7sF8a5m8wRra5LvQmnt7g-rBdOXBMWFeDZJaoEZCr8OQiIpGV-ir6KV1RTXhdfEooU0__Bw0afU8MQeuhMeMZ-2NaQ/s400/red+skirt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109346880818167538" border="0" /></a>My cousins and I went to a ceili Saturday night. It's held every year as part of the <a href="http://celticfestms.org">CelticFest</a> at the Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson. We danced and watched and danced some more. The room was crowded, and I met friends I didn't know were there as I passed down the line.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7v64ChLyKnd6VhdEvp4J5vpXM8O9HhIu1FCAUpjdQZYpeyJ5AaV7jYMfu8RFpa0nDlbjC-FlXAhWluXBCrsmd0AGnaor73eyvuypENOTjLMAC-E5RWdRXfUbEc3iaWbfze01bw/s1600-h/ladies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7v64ChLyKnd6VhdEvp4J5vpXM8O9HhIu1FCAUpjdQZYpeyJ5AaV7jYMfu8RFpa0nDlbjC-FlXAhWluXBCrsmd0AGnaor73eyvuypENOTjLMAC-E5RWdRXfUbEc3iaWbfze01bw/s400/ladies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109346889408102146" border="0" /></a>Girls wore their skirts and slippers. And hoped there would be enough boys to dance with.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqCSddGuD8Fz-98MwNal-PX2I46oOlIAJ69wWxkbw90AydoSV2d2PmOOWjIxD74VCQDEx76PQ3M_UmycgL2BHnijztPAoMCURek8uAmPlkkkvCrj_xSnGq025O-hndwgtpuSMtA/s1600-h/gentlemen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqCSddGuD8Fz-98MwNal-PX2I46oOlIAJ69wWxkbw90AydoSV2d2PmOOWjIxD74VCQDEx76PQ3M_UmycgL2BHnijztPAoMCURek8uAmPlkkkvCrj_xSnGq025O-hndwgtpuSMtA/s400/gentlemen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109346893703069458" border="0" /></a>The gentlemen listened carefully to instructions. To tread on a lady's foot is embarrassing and painful for all concerned.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWhihppV4cntUGQUk41ToxosxIX73BItUaUlstYnJmM8yWH7282MNBkxaFZOov41_LUSKQeZaln4h8oQxd43Ci6KP-4yPtNfnkkk_k3wdxMfupA83nlguGxi9gQl6_CSr1UKHJg/s1600-h/couple.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWhihppV4cntUGQUk41ToxosxIX73BItUaUlstYnJmM8yWH7282MNBkxaFZOov41_LUSKQeZaln4h8oQxd43Ci6KP-4yPtNfnkkk_k3wdxMfupA83nlguGxi9gQl6_CSr1UKHJg/s400/couple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109346902293004082" border="0" /></a>Suspenders and newsboy caps were also donned. I like to see the couples lined up like characters in a Jane Austen novel. If he asks you to dance twice, it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a compliment, since there are so many other young ladies to choose from. Just remember to hold on tight during the spins, or else you'll go flying.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2jds6Jmz7j0lNk8nwKdEv8tMHutBoIynMjjzWm5sD3_SnTGcZGqrTN5xSR6nNiJyuKI-NfMVCCGaGqxd4zxtNjhJcEGthc0NKXUtKwEpJBbkMNUk-LxG9wP9DVYvsn25eDR8Kw/s1600-h/musicians.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2jds6Jmz7j0lNk8nwKdEv8tMHutBoIynMjjzWm5sD3_SnTGcZGqrTN5xSR6nNiJyuKI-NfMVCCGaGqxd4zxtNjhJcEGthc0NKXUtKwEpJBbkMNUk-LxG9wP9DVYvsn25eDR8Kw/s400/musicians.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109346893703069474" border="0" /></a>Which might not be a bad thing. It's what the music makes you want to do anyway.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14177006412922042142noreply@blogger.com1