Elizabeth's Christmas

It was really supposed to be a totally different scarf but after I messed up about $50 worth of yarn (unfortunate, very unfortunate) I went with plan B.  I think this is adorable and very very soft.  It's bamboo feather yarn woven with grey merino.

Book Review: Seduction by Amanda Quick

Seduction by Amanda Quick was a very satisfying read.  At first I thought it was a little slow to get started, but once I was a little over 1/3 into it, the plot really picked up and the characters took on a personality that was both enjoyable and fitting.

Sophy and Julian decide to marry for their own reasons, neither of which is embedded in a deep passion for one another.  Sophy is quite the budding feminist, reading such books as A Vindication of the Rights of Women, and has expectations of her husband that he's not willing, at first, to abide by. They negotiate their relationship and come to an understanding of one another that brings the book to a satisfying close.

Recommended to readers of romance.

A Weekend...

There is a weekend with my name on it coming up...it has a heating pad, a comfy couch, some piano playing, weaving, reading and nintendo playing all packed into 3 days of also sleeping late and snuggling with my cat.  I think I can deal with that...and maybe find middle ground while I'm at it.

Where is Middle

There is a song by Mary Chapin Carpenter called "Middle Ground" where she wishes for some space in the middle where she could be content (lyrics here if you're interested). There's the overly busy side of her that works really hard and enjoys it. Then there's the side that goes home, turns off the phone and hides under the covers for the weekend even though she feels guilty about avoiding her friends and family. There's the part of her that longs for love so bad it hurts and the part of her that is happy to be single.

I'm searching for that middle ground. I'm perfectly happy with my love so that's not an issue, but I would like some more quiet time with David. I'd love to be able to spend an entire 24 hours where neither of us works or thinks about work. It would be heavenly not to look at the clock sometime between 5 and 5:30 and realize that I've got to get up and "go to work." And I love my job...but I need some space or something where I can be just middle for a few days. No pressure, no expectations, just middle.

I long to sit and play the piano uninterupted for a long time. Or read a really good book (I'm at that place in my current book, so that's nice). Or weave a lovely complicated project. Or even shop on-line for some yarns in pretty colors that I would love to work with.

I've been dreaming of tidal waves and swollen out of control rivers. I compare these dreams to my former tornado dreams (which I haven't had in a long time). And what is so odd about all this--this feeling of stress--is that I don't really feel stressed. I thoroughly enjoy my job, everything I'm doing is fun and interesting, and will make significant changes in the culture and practice of the college where I am...there's just not enough time to get everything done. And that must be the point of stress. Time slips away every day and here I am at the end of it with a pile left to plow through tomorrow.

So, I long for middle ground. That place between up and down where I can enjoy what's around me and appreciate all that I have before me.

Book Review: An Affair before Christmas by Eloisa James

In this second installment of the Desperate Duchesses series, James focuses on the love between Poppy and Fletch, who have been married for four years but have never been able to kindle that "spark" that begins with their love of one another. As Poppy works through the abusive relationship she has with her mother and learns to grow and develop her own interests, she discovers the passion that she holds for Fletch and as a result their marriage is able to survive.

Meanwhile Jemma and Beaumont are slowly negotiating their relationship. She is learning to appreciate his passion for politics while he is learning to love her intelligent and wit. The Duke of Villiers, injured in the duel at the end of Desperate Duchesses develops an infection and is sick most of the novel--he has to learn to forgive himself in order to be healed.

Artful weaving of three stories. Beautifully written. I'm always sad when I finish a James book because I know I'm not going to miss the characters.

Highly recommended for romance readers.

Book Review: The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue by Barbara Samuel

LOVED this book. I liked all of the characters, really appreciated their growth and determination. Samuel's use of 4 women in different stages of life and love represented a "whole woman" and I thought it was a perfect picture of womanhood. The style is also accessible, and the book well-written.

In The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue, Samuel tells the story of Trudy (whose is separated from her husband after finding out he was having an affair, Jade (who returns to her grandmother's house after the death of her grandfather), Roberta (Jade's grandmother who just lost her husband) and Shanelle (who is having trouble with her husband accepting her desire to be a writer). The women support each other, grow and learn from each other, and seek out fulfillment in things that will make them a better person--and by default a better wife and mother.

Highly recommended.

The View from our Balcony

Wonderful Beach Weekend

We:
* made some killer sangria
* made some more
* sat on the balcony watching the waves and birds and people
* enjoyed the beautiful weather
* walked on the beach
* Jenn went for hikes
* sat in the hot tub
* went swimming in the condo's pool
* went to the Jimmy Buffett benefit concert (which was awesome)
* cooked some amazing food
* read a lot
* had great conversations
* laughed
* cried
* drank wine
* ate lots and lots
* made some pina coladas (do I detect a theme???)

We had a wonderful time. The condo (Martinique on the Gulf) is gorgeous. We'll definitely be going back there!

Beach today!

We're heading to Gulf Shores, AL, today for a weekend at the beach with my friend Jenn. We will be lazy for a couple of days and on Sunday we are going to the Jimmy Buffett benefit concert. Hopefully I'll get some pictures.

Old Friends

My friend Jenn comes in for a visit today. She'll stay for a week. We have a few plans, but mostly she'll be birding, hiking, and otherwise enjoying Mississippi nature. We are going to Gulf Shores, AL, Friday-Sunday. On Sunday we'll be attending the Jimmy Buffett and Friends concert, which I'm looking forward to. Should be fun.

Details as they come!