Labor Day Weekend

Good morning Sunday Saloners! I was up before the sun today. My husband left to go tuna fishing and I couldn't get back to sleep so decided to get up and enjoy a little peaceful time.


I finished this book at the beach on Friday. Very cool story! It takes place in the present and in the 1830's. How the two eras connect makes for a fascinating read.

I especially enjoyed learning about the medical practices of almost 200 years ago. Cleanliness was nonexitent and diseases and infections ran rampant through hospitals. Childbirth was so dangerous.

I think I've read all of Tess Gerritsen's novels, now, and am looking forward to her next one. She knows how to tell a good story!

My Week

It's been a busy week with teacher workshops, preparations for the start of school next Tuesday, and visiting my mom who is still in the hospital but mending nicely.

So, I've been reading the same book all week and am just about done.

This morning Sunday Scribblings posted "Somewhere..." as a prompt and I came up with the following poem about reading:

Somewhere

Every time I pick up a book
somewhere becomes real.

Each page is a wing;
each word a footstep.

Somewheres sit on my bookshelves,
a line of geographies.

Today I’m going to visit
the Boston area in two eras

as I finish The Bone Garden
by Tess Gerritsen, who is from Maine.

Tomorrow, another somewhere
will whisk me away.

Horror, anyone?

Gautami has started this no-obligations meme.


1) When did you first encounter horror stories? About 30-40 years ago I started reading Stephen King's novels

2) What kind of horror stories work for you? I like ones that begin in normal everyday life but then get ghostly so that it seems believable.

3) Do you believe in ghosts? Yes

4) If yes, have you encountered any ghosts? When/Where? We used to have one living in our home. He was friendly. See here.

5) Have you been scared out of your pants reading one? No, but my heart has skipped a few beats here and there!

6) Can you read horror stories after midnight and alone? Yes, except usually my eyes are too tired, dammit!

7) Can you recommend a few horror story authors? Dean Koontz, Stephen King (his early stuff)

The Summer Comes to an End

Good morning! I have only two more days left of summer vacation. Can't believe how fast it went.





This is the last of the Myron Bolitar novels. I accidentally read the last two out of order but still enjoyed them. I'm going to miss Myron, Win, Esperanza, Big Cyndi, and even Myron's parents!

Booking Through Thursday

BTT this week is asking us about our earliest library memories.

I started reading voraciously in the fifth grade. This was back in the late 50's and I was allowed to walk to the library by myself. I was ten years old and the library was at least a mile away!

But so worth it!

It was my second home. I can remember staring at all the books there and feeling so rich.

Most of the time I'd stay a couple hours just running my fingers over the spines and pulling a book out occasionally to look it over, taking my time to pick out the four I would check out.

Sometimes I'd sit and begin one right there delaying the time when I'd have to return home to do my chores or homework.

I wanted this place to be my bedroom.

But, alas, I'd eventually leave,

walk through the vacant lot between the fire station and the bowling alley,

become a tightrope walker as I balanced on the train tracks,

cut through a yard near my elementary school,

stop at Bob's store for a York Peppermint Patty,

take a shortcut by Julie's Cafe,

cross more train tracks,

meander up a wooded path hoping the old men who lived in shacks weren't outside,

emerge onto Wight St. and walk up the sidewalk for awhile,

then cross the heavily-travelled route 110 onto Fifth Avenue

and I'd be back home from the library.

It's a blue sky golden day here on the Maine coast. My husband and I are going to take a motorcycle ride to visit friends at Lake Sebago so don't know how much reading time I'll have.

What a treasure this book is! I don't think I've ever read such a beautiful book about the Nazi atrocities.

It's a series of letters from some of the inhabitants of Guernsey to a writer in London. They're mainly supposed to write about the Occupation but their daily lives and quirky, wonderful personalities shine through.

I so want to be their friend!

Reading and Experimenting at the Beach

I'm pretty much technology challenged. On Monday we upgraded our phones for the first time in about 4 years and my new one has a camera.

I took this picture yesterday when I was at Ocean Park Beach. I read One False Move for about an hour then decided to experiment with my phone's camera feature.

Then, today, I figured out how to send it to my email!

I'll be part of the 21st century before you know it!

I'm typing my entry Saturday night this week while watching the Olympics and the Red Sox because tomorrow I have to drive to NH for a funeral. Well, they are calling it a celebration. It's for the wife of my department head at school. She was only 52 and died from what began as a melanoma about a year ago. The doctors tried everything but the damn cancer just kept on growing. So, I'll be gone all day since it's a 2 1/2 hour drive one way.

I did begin One False Move by Harlan Coben and am enjoying it like I always enjoy his writing, but between company and just feeling kind of sad, I haven't really felt like reading much.

I Love This Series

I needed this trip to New Jersey and Stephanie's world!

I can't tell you how many times I chuckled out loud.

You'd think after so many books, I'd be sick of reading them, but, no way! Somehow, Janet Evanovich manages to keep the writing fresh and entertaining.

If you're in a funk and need a book to lift your spirits and, basically, just tickle your funny bone, pick up one of these and you'l be cracking up before you know it.

An Oldie but Goodie

I'm still in the middle of reading this and I'm really enjoying it but it's the type of book I like to read in between other books. Each chapter is about a female poet and the biography parts are really interesting. There are also 2 poems by each artist and they are accessible and sassy.





I'm embarrassed to say that I'd never read this book! I know, I know, inexcusable for and English teacher.

I saw the book at my niece's and asked her if I could borrow it. My two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter is visiting so I started reading it out loud to her (She's a bit young for it and didn't understand all of it but she loved the pictures.) and had tears in my voice before the end of the first chapter. Kylie said, "Grandma, are you sad?"

I finished it this afternoon while she was watching a Maisy video and put it back on the bookshelf. After her movie was over she took it back out and spent about a half hour going through it enjoying the pictures all over again.

Now I understand why it's a classic! We should all have a little of Anne's spirit in us.

The Culprits

Brian posts a writing prompt each week and the most current one asks what book or other piece of art influenced us as kids.



I especially remember reading these two series of books. I'd go to the library (By myself! I was maybe in 5th grade.) and just browse around looking for new additions.




I'm not sure, now, why I loved them so much. Maybe it was the perfectness of their lives, or the adventures, but these are the kids who got me into reading.