Think Write Thursday | Again for the Very First Time.

Today's Think Write Thursday topic is to tell about a book we wish we could read again for the very first time. It took me all of about two seconds to come up with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - the seventh and last installment of the Harry Potter series (and even better if I could do it over the first two days of a girls beach week like I did back in 2007).

It's no secret that those books (and the movies) are all-time favorites. I'm grateful I got to experience the story as it evolved. and it's crazy to think that we once lived in a world where we didn't know how the story would turn out!

A quick search through the mere-et-filles archives turns up quite a few mentions of Harry Potter - and many of them were Ten on Tuesday posts. Here's one about the things I love about the books, and this one about D.E.A.R. is a keeper if only for that adorable Charlie photo at the top (almost exactly a year ago!). I even found one from before I read that seventh book - about what I was planning to read on that beach trip (too bad there wasn't book bingo back then!)

But my favorite post - for reminding me about a wonderful time - is this one, from August, 2011.

Sara and I had a great day together just before she went back to school (her sophomore year at Georgia Tech). We saw the Harry Potter movie, we had lunch ... and of course we took a photo. Don't  we look young! (and happy!)

Thank you Kat and Carole for a fun topic and a great excuse to travel down memory lane!

I'm headed off to South Carolina this morning. I do have plans to blog with my iPad... and maybe this time I'll get the photos right!

10 things I love about harry potter.

from my journal, entry dated july 23, 2007 

I LOVE harry potter, but honestly, coming up with this list of ten things has been harder than I thought it would be. I was glad I found notes from july 2007 when I read the last book. those notes provided some of my loves. and reminded me about a favorite scene - the wedding between bill & fleur:

"...I declare you bonded for life". The tufty-haired wizard waved his wand high over the heads of Bill & Fleur and a shower of silver stars fell upon them, spiraling around their now entwined figures. As Fred & George led a round of applause, the golden balloons overhead burst: birds of paradise and tiny golden bells flew and floated out of them, adding their songs and chimes to the din.

(ahhh. sigh. see number 10.)

1. the story is about all the great values - love, courage, friendship and I especially love the theme about the bond of love between parents and their children.

2. taken as one story, it's something like 4,000 pages. long enough to tell a story and tell it well. the characters are well-developed and worth spending that much time with.

3. daniel radcliffe and emma watson. he's handsome. she's beautiful (and I LOVE her in short hair!)

4. I love the books and I love the movies.... I can't say that about very many books I've read, and certainly not about seven (or eight :-) of them!

5. the story appeals to all ages. my niece who was barely a teenager when the books first came out, my dad and I all rate these books as "best reads ever".

6. a happy ending.

7. but many twists and turns and surprises along the way.

8.  mrs. weasley is a knitter.

9. I haven't yet seen the 6th or 7th movies. love having them to look forward to!

10. and looking forward to re-reading the books before I do - it's been four years since I read the last one and I can tell from making this list...it's time!

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another summer coming to a close.

...Sara goes back to school on Saturday. and I'm certainly in a much better place this year than last - it helps knowing that Marc and I enjoy being empty nesters :-) and that she's been home over three months (and that I have another very small being to care for). but still, it's bittersweet.

Tomorrow is busy with last minute shopping, laundry and cleaning, so today was the celebration. We saw Harry Potter (quickly - it was wonderful - not as good as the book, of course, nothing could be - the book was the best!) and then enjoyed a(nother!!) very late lunch at Bistro VG.

The food was delicious as always. And I have to say it was a real toss-up about which I enjoyed more - rehashing Harry Potter...or the browned butter fig tart we shared for dessert.

click photos to see more details on flickr

But the best part for sure... sharing a lovely lunch out - and a photo! - with Sara.


Best wishes for the upcoming year, Sara - I'm sure you'll do well (and have fun, too!)

books for the beach.

...despite the fact that the last Harry Potter volume is due out the day we leave for the beach and Karen and Jillian have volunteered to camp out on line at midnight to ensure we all have our own copies to read. and that my "unread" stack of books has overflowed from the nightstand to the bookshelf (and is about to overtake another shelf). I continue to buy books. I love the whole process of shopping for books - maybe because there's a Barnes & Noble pretty close to home that's staffed with nice, helpful people and a Starbucks. And of course I have the beach week coming up next month - and some measure of the week's relaxation is how many inches of books I read. Karen usually wins that contest (and maybe Jill is a front-runner this year?) but I try to put up a good showing. There are two things I dread running out of that week - books and wine. So we've also made a tradition of Sundog Books in Seaside and I was thrilled when a wine bar opened up in Rosemary Beach...walking distance!

Anyway - I've been thinking about what to bring in addition to the Harry Potter and Julia's Chocolates for bookclub.

I really enjoy books that have a series. Where you can follow a character over time. Read reviews just recently about Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series (#4 is just out in paperback) and Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels (#11 is out in hardback this week). The Lee Child was completely new news to me, but I know I read a Maisie Dobbs novel - maybe a few years ago at the beach? It must've been Karen's book because I don't have it. Maisie Dobbs is "an intelligent, intuitive young London maid who went to France [during WWI] as a war nurse." The novel I remember was set in early 1920's London and was delightful. "Jack Reacher is a muscular 6-feet-5, has no address, no belongings, no social adhesions..." [sounds a little like Magnum P.I. - a good thing for me!] {quotes courtesy of the AJC}

So maybe the the four Maisie Dobbs, maybe the first one or two Jack Reachers. And to be sure I have some mental stimulation something by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Pete Hamill, Don DeLillo and/or Paul Auster.

A sampling of my unread pile - if anyone has recommendations, please comment!

Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
Goodnight Nobody, Jennifer Weiner
Children of Men, PD James (actually, I read this years ago, remember liking, and need to re-read in case I see the movie...Clive Owens' picture on the cover is probably enough to justify bringing this one!)
The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion
In Country, Bobbie Ann Mason
The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien
The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson
House of Sand and Fog, Andre Dubus II

Also - I did buy the bold brights watercolor crayons from Stampin Up. Just arrived yesterday and I'm looking forward to trying them...probably this weekend. And the hat is for every day. Well, maybe not every day, but certainly not just for special occasions. Expect to see me wearing it "around"!

...and in closing, the mandevilla - just now - I love how the colors have deepened:

10 thoughts about fifty for 50.

...taking a break today from carole's prompt to share an update on my fifty for 50 project. I'd wanted to do this last week since that was close to the one-third done mark (and carole even took a break!), but sara was home, and I had ella to finish...and I just didn't! I did however, thanks to a gentle push from sara "yeah mom, where are you with all those things you wanted to do this year?", post an electronic page here on my blog (with a link on the sidebar) to track my progress.

the paper, as of this morning...

so, with 234 still days to go, here are my top ten thoughts about this project.

1. be flexible. just because something was important to me back in november doesn't mean it still is. other more important things are bound to come up. or even if they don't, it's ok to let something go. I've replaced re-reading the harry potter books with reading seven new-to-me 5-star books (the gargoyle was the first; welcome suggestions on the remaining six!) and I've abandoned the superhero treasure hunts. I'm trying to embrace the idea that doing fifty "right" things is better than doing the fifty things I first documented.

2. actively plan. like those doctor appointments. reviewing the list last week prompted me to schedule the physical (and think about the eye exam :-)

3. loving photo-a-day. I have a set on flickr and a feed on instagram. I think this is definitely a habit to keep.

4. also loving the new routines for a monthly charity hat, healthy recipes and quick breads.

5. still need routines for random acts of kindness, strength training and manicures.

6. not sure when I'm going to knit through those WIPs, but I haven't abandoned the idea!

7. or get back into needlepoint? (or organize the pre-2003 photos or clean out the guest room). see #2 above!

8. starting project life as a way to document. my binder and page protectors arrived yesterday and I have time planned next week to dig in and start.

9. glad there are still 234 days to go.

10. and I need to make each one of them count.

Ten on Tuesday | Nothing Scary.

this photo has nothing to do with scary books...but that double chin makes me smile!

...Carole's topic this week is "ten favorite thriller/suspense books." I don't like to be scared by what I read (or watch). I've never read any Stephen King (but his 11/23/63 is on my to read shelf) and I didn't think I had much to contribute...until I read Carole's and then Margene's posts and saw Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca - a 5-star re-read from this past summer - on both. hummm... maybe this genre is something I've read...and even enjoyed!

I couldn't come up with ten favorites, but I did come up with six. And four more I want to read. Maybe by this time next year I really will have ten!

1. Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier.
2. Shadow of the Wind, by Carols Ruiz Zafon (I didn't think this was suspense, but Goodreads does...and I LOVED this book!)
3. Inferno, by Dan Brown. My favorite Robert Langdon to date, I'm sure because I was planning a trip to Florence when I read it...but still.
4. The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum. I read this way back in the summer of 1983 (which sticks in my mind because that was the summer after I graduated college; I commuted to my job downtown on the bus and I had a lot of time to read!); it seemed smart and well-plotted, but not scary.
5. The Charm School, by Nelson DeMille. I'm sure it's been more than twenty years since I read this, but it still stands out as my favorite of his...as a child of the cold war years it was spooky to think about all those Soviets living among us!
6. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie. I'm not sure this really counts in the genre, but Goodreads did have Christie's And Then There Were None on the list. And this one was my first encounter with the unreliable narrator. Of course even that couldn't deter Hercule Poirot for too long!

...and on my to-read list, four more:

1. Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith. I haven't read anything by JK Rowling since I finished the Harry Potter series. I loved that enough to want to read more of what she's written.
2. 11/23/63, by Stephen King. This would be my first Stephen King and I love time travel stories.
3. Secret History, by Donna Tartt. This one sounds a little scary (is it?) but everyone says it's sooooo goood!
4. The Bone Clocks, by David Mitchell. It's already sitting on my Audible shelf...but I've heard it's scary, too (it was described as a nightmare - yikes!) Oh well, I'm just going to have to wait until Marc is home for a few weeks and then dive in.

I look forward to reading everyone's lists...and fine-tuning that to-read shelf!

 

 

 

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and now about reading.

...last night I had the very fun experience of a first bookclub meeting. It was organized by a friend of a friend who just moved here and had enjoyed a bookclub in her old neighborhood. She invited a few neighbors, and mothers of her kids' classmates, my friend and me. Nine of us met and over dinner and drinks got to know each other (well kind of, I'm still not sure of everyone's name!) The group is diverse in terms of age and background which always makes for good discussion. and yikes! I think I'm the oldest (and I know I have the oldest children.) It was rather fun to hear talk about third grade reading projects, and the trauma of starting middle school or finding a good tennis coach...and know that those difficult mothering years are behind me.


We moved on to a good discussion about A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett. The group had voted via email on three titles, and this one won. A few of us had read - and loved - other books by Follett including Pillars of the Earth, A Dangerous Fortune and Fall of Giants. Sadly, none of us thought this one measured up. I admitted I'd skipped the middle 300 or so pages, yet still didn't have any problem keeping up with the story. or the discussion.

And then we started talking about what book we should read next and I suggested we share a bit about books we'd recently read and books we loved. I offered up Night Circus and Cutting for Stone and A Discovery of Witches. (and would've offered up The Gargoyle but I couldn't remember its title). I heard a few new titles - The 12 Tribes of Hattie (how I could miss an Oprah book is telling about the state of my reading right now!) and Team of Rivals.  We ended up choosing The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which no one had read, but everyone had heard good things about. Through that whole discussion, I used the Goodreads app on my phone; and that was new to everyone, so I offered to send an email after.

the Goodreads app - HIGHLY recommend!

...I knew I hadn't updated my Goodreads in a while. but I was surprised to see it was last October. three months ago. and even more surprised that I hadn't read a new book since then. I did re-read the first Harry Potter. and I read the beginning and ends of Lamb in his Bosom (for my other book club) and A Place Called Freedom. and I started Cloud Atlas on October 30 (and I'm only 30% through it...I am still intending to finish, but I think it's going to take me a while).

whoa. I haven't done this little reading since I can remember. and I miss it. I think the reality for me right now is that I have time to "play", I'm more likely to knit, or edit photos, or work on other crafty projects. which could be simply that I'm not reading anything that's better than those activities. or maybe I need a better way to read.

the Audible app...this is as far as I've gotten!

So this morning, I signed up for Audible and downloaded the app for my phone...and Wolf Hall. It's 24 hours long. I'm hoping to finish my Market Jacket while I listen.  (and while I was at it a short story by Lisa Gardner that was free...her name came up last night and I don't think I've ever read her).

Curious - do any of you listen to books? and what was the last book that really captured your attention?

when pigs fly (and other news).

...it's been busy, and we have new news and other updates, and I decided not to split it into multiple posts - so bear with me!

first up - marc's pc laptop died a horrible death in the early hours of yesterday. and he's well on his way to being a mac user. (that's the title credit. I even had an email from him already tonight - I told him there was extra credit if he could send me a photo of himself, but I think he decided simply doing email was enough.)
then, not so much pigs flying as pigs all jumping up and down doing their happy dance (like me!) - sara is now a licensed driver. much thanks to marc for cramming lessons on parallel parking and finding the one reservation for a behind-the-wheel test in the state of georgia this week (yes, marc and sara drove to calhoun to take the test - like I said "much thanks to marc".)
and finally (gee - this is almost like reverse order), we had fun with karen and jillian figuring out the beach for this year. since there are only four of us, we get an extra half-foot, but I think we all thought packing lighter was really the right way to go. I am planning to bring my laptop (but not planning to spend too much time on-line). and surely not taking four copies of the latest harry potter book might even create another cubic foot! we all know this year will be much different - karen and I (that's the same), but just two of the girls (both driving!), a new place, and persistent thoughts that this could be the last year for them. karen and I already have a pact we're going to do this forever (and in some strange way, I think we're looking forward to what it might be like to share a small apartment for the week...when we're grandmothers).
we talked about the food (sara signed up for two meals and jillian is planning a yummy dessert for dinner thing), books (everyone has grand plans to read lots), bike rides and the zoo gallery. good times.

no internet.

...yep - completed my follow-up from yesterday's beach planning session. And the reservation desk shows "no record of an internet connection" at our unit. So - we'll have a nice long blog break (thank goodness we're back on Saturday so I can somewhat catch up on Sunday!) and lots of time for other activities, like
*reading the 7th Harry Potter book and the rest of my beach reading pile
*playing phase 10, zilch and yahtzee
*running (bought my much-needed new shoes today)
*bike riding
*being "there" for those good conversations that are likely to come up with 5 girls sharing a condo at the beach
*cooking (or more likely cleaning up)
*knitting! bought yarn for two more pairs of socks - oh no! - but only after I finished glove #1 - woo hoo!

fifty for 50.

...today marks the beginning of my 50th year. (not to confuse, and not to embarrass my parents who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next month :-), my 50th birthday isn't til 2012 - this is my 50th year. and being one who loves to-do lists, I decided to make a big one for this year.

things to accomplish once and done.
1. grow my hair to wear a pony tail.
2. knit through my WIP's.
3. read mansfield park (and then I've read all of jane austen's novels).
4. make pesto with my own homegrown basil.
5. knit ten projects from my stash.
6. finish the superhero photo treasure hunts.
7. clean out the guest room.
8. finish the poppies needlepoint canvas (that I started months ago).
9. sort through the books on my bookshelves and donate the ones I no longer need.
10. organize all the pre-2003 photos.

things to set me on a good course for the next fifty years.
1. take a photo a day.
2. have a physical.
3. and a mammogram.
4. and an eye exam.
5. schedule a colonoscopy.
6. start a strength training routine.
7. keep walking 15 miles a week.
8. and 12 new (to me) healthy recipes.
9. get a manicure (and keep it up).
10. participate in one little word for 2012.

things to do because they're good.
1. celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.
2. and my dad's 75th birthday.
3. and sara's 21's birthday.
4. (with karen) raise another $2,500 for the atlanta 2-day walk (and walk for the 6th time).
5. knit 12 hats for charity.
6. revitalize the church's prayer shawl group.
7. practice 50 random acts of kindness.
8. investigate volunteering at a senior center with holly.

or because I'll learn something.
1. teach katie to knit.
2. bake bread with sara.
3. make a photobook.
4. knit fair isle with two hands.
5. read power of a praying woman.
6. read mere christianity.
7. figure out "what's twitter?"
8. identify 12 trees at the park.
9. learn three new needlepoint stitches.
10. master oatmeal cookies.
11. take a monthly self portrait photo.
11. take a class.
13. try yoga.

or because they're fun.

1. re-read all seven harry potter books.

2. bake 12 new (to me) quick breads.

3. host a card-making party.
4. complete four more needlepoint projects.
5. celebrate my 1,000th blog post.

or just because I want to.
1. get four regular students in my saturday afternoon lace class.
2. take a trip to visit a friend.

then 49. document my progress and 50. plan a celebration for next year's birthday!

thank you in advance to everyone who will play a part in helping me accomplish all of this, including everyone who cheers from the sidelines!!

here's to a wonderful year!

Ten on Tuesday | Opening Lines.

...Carole's idea for today was about opening lines of books. She suggested we write ten of our own, or choose ten favorites. I did neither. Instead, I decided to revisit the opening lines of ten of my favorite books. which of course entailed revisiting my favorite books (and, ahem, a bit of re-shelving). I was surprised to see that, with just a couple of exceptions, these openers aren't really all that memorable. In case you're in for a bit of fun, I listed the books and authors at the bottom of the post. Can you guess the titles from the opening lines?

1. When they write my obituary.

2. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

3. Mr. & Mrs. Dursling, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

4. I go down to the shore in the morning and depending on the hour the waves are rolling in or moving out, and I say, oh, I am miserable, what shall -- what should I do?

5. A fug of tobacco smoke and damp clammy air hit her as the she entered the café.

6. In 1980, a year after my wife leapt to her death from the Silas Pearlman Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, I moved to Italy to being life anew, taking our small daughter with me.

7. The circus arrives without warning.

8. I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice -- not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.

9. Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

10. There he is, three days after his fifth birthday, standing barefoot upon wet summer grass.

and of course today was a Charlie day. I'd intended to include the first line from whatever book we read most often. But instead, it really makes sense to include the last line.

at naptime

This is The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It's wonderful. I teared up on the first reading. and didn't hate it after the sixth.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has done with this prompt. and to what surprises (or not) you found with my list. Happy reading!

If you're not already playing along with Carole's Ten on Tuesday fun, click here to join.

*****
1. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
2. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (this one isn't on my favorites shelf, but the last one is...and it only felt right to use the first line from the first one)
4. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
5. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
6. Beach Music by Pat Conroy
7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. Emma by Jane Austen
10. Forever by Pete Hamill

10 things to do at the beach.

...life interfered with my plans yesterday, so I missed ten on tuesday. this, then, is ten on wednesday morning...and I'm hoping to be back on track with wordless wednesday before today is over. thanks for hanging in there with me!

thanks, carole, for yet another fun topic...and reminding me I must get a beach trip planned for 2013!!

click the photos to see more info in flickr

1. watch the sunrise. early morning is one of my favorite times. combining it with a gorgeous sky, a cup of coffee, my journal (and my camera) gets me in a good place to enjoy the rest of the day.

2. watch the sunset. while the sunrise is most often a solitary thing, sunset is the party to start the evening. best enjoyed with friends (and family!), a carafe of wine, on a blanket just by the water's edge.

3. read. a few of our summer trips coincided with the release of harry potter books. it was great fun to have the freedom to read, and read, and read...and then have others to discuss the story with. my sister and I would judge the success of our vacation by the height of the read pile of books. most years our piles were at least a foot high. of course now with the kindle, that doesn't work the same, does it?

4. walk.

5. ride bikes.

6. play in the waves.

7. knit.

8. watch people.

9. eat.

10. take photos!

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Ten on Tuesday | Serially.

...Carole's prompt this week is about our favorite book series. I'm a huge fan of books that span volumes over years. It's fun to see how the characters develop, and if you're lucky enough to catch the series mid-stream, the anticipation of the next book...and ultimately the story's conclusion....it's magical. So you might not be surprised that my favorite series is Harry Potter. It was so cool to be part of the series when we didn't know what came next and couldn't imagine how it might end.

Honestly, none of the rest of these come even close, but here they are, in no particular order:

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Little House on the Prairie. We moved to Wyoming in 1971, the year Harper Trophy re-published the series. I was just starting the 4th grade and I was enthralled. The photo above is from the inside cover of the first book in the series (circa 1971 or '72, I'm sure).

3. Jan Karon's Mitford series. Read as a young mother and re-read as an empty nester. Loved both times (I'm delighted to see there's another Father Tim book coming out soon!)

4. Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. It begins with The Eyre Affair and has continued for seven (or eight or more?) books. I've only read the first four, but I've read that first one three times and I find new things to smile about and love each time.

5/6. Alexander McCall Smith's Sunday Philosophy Club and 44 Scotland Street series. Funny, I never got into the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency but I love these other series. Must be the Edinburgh setting.

7. Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series. England between the wars. The stories are quiet and slow (at least the ones I've read) but they're thoughtful and thought-provoking.

8. Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. I got addicted to these books in high school and never outgrew it. Honestly, I haven't read one in years, but I love the Masterpiece Mystery series with David Suchet!

9. P.D. James' Adam Dalgliesh. This addiction started a bit later and I haven't read the last few ... but I have them - in hardcover - on my bookshelf...just waiting.

10. Outlander. I'm only on the third book (of eight - so far?) but I can tell it's a top 10. If I go fast, I might be able to catch up before the next one comes out. I'd love to be part of the unfolding story...in real time.

(well ugh, I got to 10 too fast! I was also hoping to share Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache, Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen - I haven't read all of either series, but I've enjoyed what I've read so far.)

Can't wait to see what the rest of you share!

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Happy Birthday!

…to this blog! Yep, mere-et-filles turns seven today.

I guess blog years are like dog years because it seems like this space is my contemporary, not a crazy kid or moody teenager, but a friend. It gives me freedom when I need it, then nudges me with just enough guilt when I neglect it for too long. Gathering and then documenting my thoughts to share here helps bring order to the chaos and often leaves me with a different perspective. I like to think it's honest, kind, patient, inspirational and (on very good days) pretty, too!

Much about me and my life has changed since that first post. I'm so very grateful that this blog has been a part of it … along with all of you. I remember how excited I was the first time someone left a comment here. It still thrills me that people I've never met in real life read what I write and take the time to let me know. I consider y'all friends for sure. (and I hope to meet at least a few of you in real life … someday!)

To help say "thank you", I have a lovely skein of yarn to give away. It's not quite as old as the blog, but close. I acquired it in the summer of 2009 when the first Sock Summit happened (do y'all remember all the craziness that event sparked?) I was much into sock knitting then and Sophie's Toes (of the very talented Emily Parsons) was my favorite Etsy shop. Emily won the Indie Dyer competition with her Just a Small Gathering of Friends (you can read the color story here; of course I love the Harry Potter reference!)  I didn't get to attend the event in person, but I stalked her shop and was happy to get a skein. Over the years I've imagined a few projects for it, but none seemed worthy enough… until now.

I can't think of any better way to celebrate all this blog has brought me than to share this special skein with one of you. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (please be sure I know your contact information; blogger isn't good about helping me track you down!) I'll choose the winner at random on March 1st.

I look forward to sharing the next seven (and more?!) years here…with all of you. Thanks so much for being part of my journey!

2 movies I'd like to see in the theater.

...I am honestly not much of theater person anymore. I used to be - like back in our just-married days, marc & I would go at least once a month. we'd see a weekend matinee and then go out for pizza and beer. but that was ages ago. I remember seeing ghostbusters to give you some idea exactly how long! or the first year that katie was in college, sara & I had a regular chick flick saturday thing. we'd go to phipps plaza and start with lunch at the tavern (we'd share onion rings, a hamburger and cheesecake) and then see the movie. sisterhood of the traveling pants was one of my favorites.

yep, good times. but I've fallen out of those habits and now a movie must really be something special to catch my attention (otherwise, I'd rather watch it at home). and right now, I have only two* must-sees on my christmas list:

harry potter and the deathly hallows. one of my all-time favorite books, and for sure my favorite of the entire series. the movies have stayed pretty true to the stories and I've enjoyed the five I've seen. last week I DVR'd the sixth and I'm looking forward to watching it with katie before we see the new one.

morning glory. looks fun. sara loves rachel mcadams and diane keaton as much as I do. we just have to find a different place for lunch. sadly hamburgers and onion rings just don't cut it anymore!

*apologies to Ten on Tuesday for the abbreviated list!

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beach trip 2007.

...sadly, now history. but we had a wonderful time! decided not to post a blow-by-blow of photos and daily activities. because I realized early into the week that we don't really do much (how had I forgotten that?!). instead, a mosaic of my favorites (you can see the whole set here) along with a few of the best memories:

*Sara and Paula giggling in the back seat watching The O.C. Season 4 (trip down) and Friends Season 2 (trip home)
*time to read Harry Potter #7 nearly without interruption (I'm not so obsessed I'd lose sleep or miss a meal to keep reading)
*riding bikes on 30-A and to Rosemary Beach
*six days in a row running nearly 25 miles in my new running shoes
*sunsets and photo ops
*no schedule, so plenty of time for relaxing and reading (see the new Goodreads button on the sidebar - updated with what I read and quick ratings/reviews)
*Southern Living Idea House with Karen (we biked there)
*ground-level condo perfect for pool access and sunrises reflected in the water
*first one up (by 6 am to catch Marc's daily call)
*catching up with Karen
*Phase 10 (with a new twist where you get a personally-determined phase) and zilch! after dinner
*fruit and cheese plates for lunch with a glass of ice cold sauvignon blanc
*Rosemary Beach - so different from Seaside - close by, plenty to do, but needs a bookstore
*Zoo Gallery for Sorrelli earrings and a new t-shirt
*Apres Beach at Fonville Press to listen to Lindsey Battle (next year, we'll plan to be hungry - the tapas looked delicious!)
*learning I can knit socks (#1 nearly done since Karen drove!)
*welcome home dinner and fun with Marc

summer blowout.

...I totally hate that it's August now - and not even two weeks left before school starts. But we are going to make the absolute most of the few more days of summer break. Friday afternoon we are kicking off the "summer blowout" - the next 10 days will be filled with fun, laughter, photo ops and generally anything to ensure that summer 2007 is well-remembered.

Sara and I brainstormed a few ideas over dinner last night (we love summer Tuesdays - Marc plays golf, so it's just us and we can eat what we want) - crab cakes, roasted asparagus with raspberries and baby greens with strawberries and tarragon vinaigrette. I've seen beautiful strawberry photos on blogs lately. Think they look better photographed whole, in the daylight, but I didn't have that option at 7:30!



A few of the things on our list:
*gourmet grilled cheese for Friday dinner (fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, pesto on a really nice whole grain bread)
*Harry Potter movie and lunch out (Marlowe's Tavern maybe)
*a trip to the airport, followed by a vegetarian dinner (welcome home, Katie!)
*an Atlanta date - haircut for Katie, browsing, dinner and coffee in Virginia-Highlands
*a day off work - a run in the park, lunch out (Bistro VG maybe), 10th grade orientation
*Lydia's b-day dinner
*shopping
*rewatching a few fave chick flicks
...stay tuned!

10 books I'd recommend to a friend.

...love the topic this week - and very much looking forward to others' recommendations! thank you, carole, for the timely topic!

the bookshelf in my bedroom...back in april, 2009! it's a little messier these days,  but still holds my favorite books

here's my list, in no particular order:

1. forever, by pete hamill. the story of a man who lives forever, but only if he never leaves the island of manhattan.

2. harry potter and the deathly hallows (the 7th one), by j.k. rowling. but only after reading the other six! this was my favorite of the series.

3. sense and sensibility, by jane austen. I read/re-read all of her novels (save mansfield park - still hoping to get to that one this year) over the past two years and this one replaced pride and prejudice as my favorite. (but the BBC version of pride and prejudice with colin firth as mr. darcy is my absolute favorite video version!)

4. gone with the wind, by margaret mitchell. the movie was good, but oh my, the book was so much better!

5. the art of racing in the rain, by garth stein. narrated by enzo the dog. we just read this for bookclub and everyone loved it.

6. the help, by kathryn stockett. one of the few stories about racism in the south that I've truly enjoyed.

7. the history of love, by nicole krauss. a story within a story within a story. (and all of them are good!)

8. the book thief, by markus zusak. set mostly in nazi germany, narrated by death. interesting, thought provoking and hard to put down.

9. beach music, by pat conroy. my favorite of his books. recently re-read and just as enjoyable the second time.

10. the last days of summer, by steve kluger. a little bit about baseball, but mostly a well-told coming of age story that's presented as letters, notes, newspaper clippings, even scribblings on a napkin and matchbook cover.

thank you, goodreads, for reminding me about a few of these titles. you can see all of my favorites here. (and please friend me - I'd love to see what you're reading, too!)

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Ten on Tuesday | D.E.A.R.

In honor of Beverly Cleary's 100th (!!!) birthday and D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Day, this week, Carole's asked us to share ten books we have dropped (or would drop?) everything...to read. 

Charlie will drop just about anything to read ... just about anything. Today he read a little bit to me, too*. This is Mac Barnett's Extra Yarn, which features a cute dog in a sweater. and a magical message about knitting. Highly recommend for anyone who reads this blog! Today's other favorites (which I read to him...more than once) included Farmer Duck, Where the Wild Things Are and It's a Little Book.

And now to my part of this list. I have just a few that I've DEAR'd:

5, 6, 7 - The last three books of the Harry Potter series. All three were released the day before our annual summer beach vacation. I did wait until we'd arrived (and unpacked, provisioned and somewhat settled in...but not much else) before I dropped everything...until I finished.

and that leads nicely into three books I'm looking forward to DEAR'ing...soon?!

8. the next Robert Galbraith installment. I'm quite attached to Robin and Cormoran and think I'd plan a little vacation to escape again with these two.

9. the next Dan Brown/Robert Langdon. ditto.

10. the next Louise Penny/Inspector Gamache. and ditto. thankfully this one is probably going to come sooner than later! ...and likely won't take even a "little vacation" to read. Maybe just a  nice free weekend.

Can't wait to read more about what y'all would DEAR. Be sure to click here and join the Ten on Tuesday fun. Thank you, Carole, for another lively week!

*my voice is still not 100%. I know! But it's definitely better. and I'm still loving all the coffee, so I'm still thinking it's allergies. But geez....