The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Action. Intrigue. Suspense. Just when you're sure you've figured things out, there's a twist. Then when you're sure of the next thing, there's another twist. I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to give anything away.

I will say this though: it is young adult science fiction - not really my cup of tea in general. In fact I spent about 10 pages fussing about that in my mind, then I was sucked in and held on for dear life. 

The first snip on the apron strings

Today we went to hear my grandson Austin (age 3 1/2) give his first talk in Primary. He was so darling I could hardly stand it. He stood right up at the podium, looked directly at the audience and spoke into the microphone with great confidence. He delivered a message that hadn't been prepared beforehand - something about children, God, and love (about 15 seconds long). What a great theme! Then just as he was ready to step down, his dad stepped up to help him deliver the prepared message. Another brief, but just as important message about the family. 

It struck me as I sat in the back of the room to watch/listen to him give his talk that that is one of the first times I've really seen Austin from a distance. Usually he is up close and personal with me. I had a tiny glimpse into the future - his independence, and ability to do things all on his own without his parents' help, or my help either. 

I remember that same feeling when I saw my own children from a distance for the first time. It's a little bittersweet. The beginning of the end is here. Although we desire the independence and self-reliance of our children, we love having them close. It is natural for them to move on, just as I did, and every generation before me. As a mother and grandmother, though, I just want to bask in the moments of early childhood and pretend that independence won't really come to pass so quickly. 

The Darcy Connection by Elizabeth Aston

I enjoy these books with an Austen flavor. They are predictable, but I like that sometimes. In fact, I am sometimes looking for a predictable book when the rest of my life is unpredictable. 

I also love the artwork on the book covers.

Married in Seattle by Debbie Macomber

My friend Marsha loaned me this book - it is a clean, light romance - with a bonus feature of taking place in the familiar territory of Seattle. It's a good book for traveling. A very fast read.

Thanks Marsha!

Addicted

I found out about a new game for my phone on Sunday night. Bejeweled 2. I had Ray add it for me - it looked like fun!

I almost never play games on my phone. I'd much rather take a book along to occupy myself in doctor's offices, airports, and other places where I have to sit and wait. I pretty much just use my phone as a phone.

I have just one question. If your phone battery dies, are you playing too much Bejeweled?

State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy

A new mystery series! Actually this is the first in the series, and the second one is just coming out now.  My friend Laura picked it up at the library - it was on the Readers Choice shelf. She enjoyed it and recommended it to me. It was great!

The main character is a chef at the White House, and the action takes place there and around Washington, D.C. It was a fun story, and had some interesting insights into the White House kitchen.

♥ Happy Anniversary ♥

Ray and Diane in Tahiti 2007

29 years today. My, how time has flown.  I almost can't remember when we weren't married.

I have been so spoiled. Today is a great example of that. This morning Ray made me a delicious omelet for breakfast. Then he made the soup for our dinner. After that he mopped the kitchen floor. Oh, and I forgot - he scrubbed the shower this morning also. What have I done? Well, I did shovel a miniscule amount of snow off our front steps. Also I admired greatly, then devoured the delicious food he prepared. Like I said: spoiled. 

The day we got married it stormed and rained like crazy. I always tell people it's good luck to have rain on the day you get married. 

Life is good - thanks to Ray!

Happy Anniversary today also to Audrey and Joseph, Marian and Chad, and Kathy and Craig.

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast

A new season of Survivor started last night. I think I've only missed one episode in all the years it's been on - and that was because the Tivo didn't record it. 

I remember the very first season. At the time I was teaching early morning seminary, and one of my students, Melanie, came in and said "I watched a new show last night - they had two teams, and when one team lost, they voted someone off the team..." she then told me more about it - she was very excited. Then she added that they were going to rerun the very first show again that night. I thought I'd better watch that show. I wanted to have something to connect to Melanie with. I watched it, and was hooked. 

We used to watch it as a family when the kids were still home. We'd stop the recording and discuss why one team or person was successful and others were not. Why were some personalities voted off, and some kept on? These made for good "life lesson" discussions. Almost always those teams who worked together won. Teams with a lot of dissension usually lost. Those people who would work together, and were not extreme usually lasted a long time on the show. We had lots of fun talks watching that show together. 

Occasionally I wonder if a Survivor contestant has ever watched the show before. Haven't they paid attention to why people get voted off?? I told Ray that if I ever went on Survivor, there are three things I would do for sure: 1. Learn how to make a fire with no matches. 2. Swim, swim, swim. There are lots of challenges with swimming. Plus being in shape swimming helps with a lot of other physical things too. 3. Practice rowing a boat. It is surprising how often they have to do that. Additionally, don't be bossy! No one likes that (that might be a challenge for me...).

Of course, I would never be a contestant. There are many, many reasons, but the top two are: 1. The bugs - way too many spiders. 2. The food. I could handle the bare basics they eat around camp, but I don't want to be eating the bugs, and other gross native things they sometimes have. It makes me shudder and gag just to think of it. I don't eat anything that looks like it did when it was alive. 

I look forward to Thursday nights when Survivor is on. Now it's only me and Ray, but it's just as much fun, and we have just as much discussion as we did when the kids were still home. 

Try it. You might like it. 

Betrayed

Ray and I finally broke down and joined a gym. Sigh. What happened to my 18-year-old body? I think it went on vacation and never came home again. Actually I would settle for my 30-year-old body. 40 was still looking okay too. 

I am pitifully weak. I can walk on a flat treadmill forever, but try to lift 5 pounds and I can't move for a week. I've got my work cut out for me just to become somewhat normal. We're getting up at the crack of dawn to go. We're usually there around 5:30 a.m. Some days I come home and take a nap right away. Why procrastinate and wait until the afternoon? Then I'm up from my nap and getting going when the sane world has begun to function. 

I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. That ended a while ago, but my mindset has remained the same. I want to believe I've been betrayed, but I'm afraid I'm the betrayer, and now I'm paying for it. 

Oh well.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows by Mary Ann

Delightful, wonderful book! I loved it from the very beginning. At the end I tried to slow down my reading because I wanted it to last longer, but was also in a hurry to keep reading it - the perfect combination of feelings when coming to the end of a book. 

The story takes place right after World War II in England and on the Island of Guernsey (of the Channel Islands). It is comprised solely of correspondence, which is one of my favorite styles of writing if done well - and this one was.

Today I didn't even want to start a new book yet. I'm still savoring this one. In fact last night when I finished it, I turned back to the beginning to reread a couple of parts. 

Twilight - the movie

After months of refusing to see the movie, I finally caved in and saw it last night.

Hmm, where do I start? I think I'll make a list - I haven't done that for awhile.

1. I read the entire series, and enjoyed it.

2. I have avoided seeing the movie for various reasons - the two main reasons being that a) I didn't like the look of Edward, and b) a movie is never as good as a book.

3. Both of those things remain true after seeing the movie.

4. I thought Edward did as well as anyone else acting, but his hair was SOOO distracting that I could hardly stand it. It was a bad style, and much too stiff. It was impossible to squint at the screen and fade out his hair, so I had to just live with it. I even chose a picture for this post that showed the least amount of his hair.

5. The only one with worse hair in the movie was Carlisle. I could even take the obvious make-the-skin-look-pale make-up. But the hair? Get new stylists if there are more movies made! Or rather, new wigs, because they seemed so obviously not real hair. Where was quality control on the set when they needed it?

6. They did an okay job adapting the story. I wonder how it was for people who had not read the book, because I know I filled in a lot of gaps with book knowledge. 

7. Ultimately I went to see the movie for social reasons. I was invited by friends, and it was fun to spend time with them.

Am I glad I saw it? Hmm, I'm still not sure. I think I feel rather indifferent about it. At least now I know that I would have been fine not ever seeing it. I still prefer the movie I saw in my mind as I read the book. I don't think I'll see any sequels for that very reason.

Vicks for a cough - myth or fact?

I've read in several places that if you put Vicks VapoRub on the bottoms of your feet, with socks to cover it, it will stop a cough at night. I checked it out on Snopes, and they label it as undetermined.

I've had a persistent, miserable cough for two and half months that I can't seem to clear up.  So last night I ran to the store and bought some Vicks. What could it hurt, right? I applied it liberally to the bottoms of my feet, put on my socks, and crawled into bed. Let me tell you, it sure heats up the bottoms of your feet!

The result: it didn't eliminate my cough, but it was definitely better than it's been in a long time. I only woke up twice coughing, and the coughing stopped very quickly. So, I think I'll continue to use it until I have another bad night. Maybe it worked, maybe it was just a placebo effect. Who knows? 

Rachel's quilt

Here's the quilt I made for Rachel. It's hard to see the print, but it's a darling print by Windham Fabrics (the Paper Dolls collection).

Here's the even more darling recipient (who, by the way, was given a clean bill of health today by her doctor - biliruben normal, and back up to birth weight):

Here are a couple more shots of the quilt, a little closer look:

I was brave with my freehand quilting. I can stipple like no other, but to actually make something that resembles anything anyone would recognize is still a challenge. To help remove the challenge aspect, this is supposed to be a flower:

Quilt size: 42 inches X 54 inches

Finished: January 19, 2009

Fabric: Paper Doll collection by Windham Fabrics

Pattern: made up by me! (modified from an old In the Beginning pattern I had)