My brother and my sister and I all had children in the same year; we call them the "triplet cousins." And the youngest of the three turned 18 this week. I remember flying up from San Francisco to Seattle when my sister's water broke, carrying my own one month old, so I could help with the birth. And a few days later, here we are, with those tiny people now eligible to vote and everything.
I'm not very good with presents, so I gave her a AAA membership so she'd be safe on her drives to college and back and some cash. The boys found some Asian treats to remind her of her school trip to Japan a few years ago. And we all sang and ate cupcakes.
I managed to cook on both my assigned nights -- a cheesy polenta topped with roasted vegetables and our standby pesto lasagna. The polenta was a bit bland -- if I make it again I'll add maybe some fresh spices to the vegetables and more cheese and maybe spices to the polenta. The lasagna was fine but I was in a hurry and didn't add onions, and I missed it. And on the weekend I made a brunch for me and Paulos, with a egg scramble with loads of veggies and cheese and bacon and toasted bagels on the side. We were happy. I'm using Prepear for planning and shopping lists as my beloved Gathered Table is no more. I like the grocery lists but I have to figure out pantry management and how to find the best selection for recipes.
The weekend weather was lovely, which was good for the graduation party we hit for an old friend, who has been friends with my guys since the 2nd grade. It's a real turning of the season around here. The babies are all grown up!
My currently reading has edged up to 25 because I refused to finish anything this weekend due to my new book challenge which starts on Monday (today). But by the time this goes live I'll have finished the three books with bookmarks lurking on the final chapter.
The Book Date does a weekly roundup of what people are reading, want to read, or have read each week called It's Monday! What Are You Reading so I'll sign up there. There's also a version that is kidlit focussed at either Teach Mentor Texts or Unleashing Readers so I'll sign up over there/
Started:
The Other Lady Vanishes, Amanda Quick. For my local library summer reading club.
The Skavenger's Hunt, Mike Rich. Finishing up an ARC so I can give it out at the summer party.
Meal, Blue Delliquanti. Recommended by a friend.
Cookie, Jacqueline Wilson. Another book I plan to read at a glacial pace.
Mort Ziff Is Not Dead, Cary Fagan. Another freebie to finish up. I'm pretty sure I was sent this by accident. No wait -- I shelved it with the Cybils books but it really came from LibraryThing. Oops.
Worth Her Weight in Gold, Sarah Gailey. Another author recommended by a friend.
Envy of Angels, Matt Wallace. Going down this list of authors from that friend.
How to Set the World on Fire, T.K. Riggins. Got to finish up all these books before the party for the kids on Wednesday.
Completed:
The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury. Sword and Laser May pick. I'm caught up! I enjoyed revisiting Bradbury's lush language and imagination, although I'm more annoyed by the dearth of real female characters than I was in my youth. A lot of the discussion is about whether or not to include the story about African Americans fleeing the racist American South. It's possible it gets dropped because of the slurs used by the viewpoint racist, but it's also wildly inconsistent with the rest of the book. Bradbury isn't going to absolute consistency, but that's definitely an outlier that is forgotten during the rest of the stories. I remembered the final story almost beat by beat, and it was fun to revisit my forty year old memory as I read along.
Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During WWII, Albert Marrin. 2017 Cybils book. I learned some things, especially details set before and after the war. Despite the title the book spends a lot of time setting the stage both in American and in Asia, as well as following the after effects.
Out of Left Field, Ellen Klages. It was lovely to reconnect with Suzy and Dewey's family and see what they are up to. Klages keeps me entertained even in this story about a girl doing a history report; it's the story of women in baseball as researched by a girl banned from Little League by fragile men-folk. Lots of fun detail about daily life and childhood kept me interested; it felt realistically like a childhood while Sputnik beeped up in the sky.
Del Toro Moon, Darby Karchut. A boy and his magical horse fight evil with his family! I enjoyed this Coloradan adventure, although I wish authors could imagine boys who don't view girls as aliens. Kids are kids, people! Good brotherly rivalry and family tension, and a well foreshadowed tragedy make for a gripping read.
Meal, Blue Delliquanti. Like Out of Left Field, this is more a lesson than a story, but it's delivered easily and the story parts help it go down. It's a discussion of the history and significance of eating bugs, and how the practice is growing in America but shouldn't be separated from its heritage and cultural relevance. Also the eager bug cook falls in love. Short and sweet. I won't be hunting down bug restaurants, but I'm not as scared of the idea as I was before I opened this book.
Worth Her Weight in Gold, Sarah Gailey. Turns out this is a short story, presumably set in the hippo-riding AU that other books take place in. It was fun and I really liked the main hippo character, so I'm inclined to find one of the actual books.
Bookmarks Moved In:
Son of the Black Sword, Larry Correia. 45/? Baen's podcast serial. The bad guy does some educational monologing for a minion.
Cyteen, C.J. Cherryh. Reread. Justin makes his move. It's a terrible move. Don't do it Justin!
Metal Wolf, Lauren Esker. Kindle read. Heh heh, they are going out for Halloween. Because everyone looks weird then anyway.
Becoming, Michelle Obama. On the campaign trail. Things are going rather well.
The Way Into Magic, Harry Connolly. Our hero likes being healed up but still distrusts the healers.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home, Carol Rifka Brunt. This kid feels very true.
Autonomous, Annalee Newitz. I'm already behind for my Tuesday book club.
Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion. Audio Reading My Library. Beautiful but grim.
Picture Books:
None. I need to spend more time in the library.
Palate Cleansers
These books I'm barely reading; I use them as palate cleansers between books I'm actually reading.
A Traitor to Memory, Elizabeth George.
Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception, Wendelin Van Draanen.
Inn of the Sixth Happiness, Alan Burgess. Japanese soldier show up, and a lot of people die.
The Educated Child, William Bennett.
Reading and Learning to Read, Jo Anne Vaca. Sharing journaling with teachers, with peers, with anyone you can reach.
Reading Challenges
- Cybils 2017. Finished the nonfiction YA category!
- Cybils 2018. No progress.
- Reading My Library. Halfway through the audio. Picked up the next print book.
- KCLS Ten to Try. Do Canadians count as immigrants? I mean, obviously yes, but it doesn't really seem in the spirit of the category.
- The Hunt Is On! Every week I get 10 challenges, and try to meet them with as few books as possible. I'm hoping this inspires me to finish a lot of books. Starting next week.
3 comments:
That is so cool about triplet cousins! In our family, on both sides, we seemed to alternate cousin births for just 10 years between the six of our families -- especially between me and my youngest brother. It's so fun when we get them all together since we pretty much had a new baby born every eyar, but it doesn't happen very often since we live about 1,000 miles from one another. Also, I think a AAA membership is a great idea -- very practical and something most others wouldn't have thought to give. I'll look forward to seeing all that you've finished next week. I'm slowly inching down the wait list on the Becoming audiobook (I checked out the book-book so that I could see the photos, but I'm excited to hit the audiobook version soon). Have a great week, Beth!
I am from a very large family with almost more aunts and uncles on both sides than I can count. I have six cousins my age who I actually know. There might be more, but I don't know them. I grew up with three of them and we are still pretty close. I agree with Shaye that an AAA membership is a brilliant birthday idea. I end up giving cash or certificates for a book store when they get older.
My daughter is turning 18 this year as well - and I can not believe how the years have just gone by in the proverbial blink of an eye. I can not cook to save my life though - I leave that to my husband, but your description of the polenta has made me famished. Thanks for sharing so many great reads yet again!
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