mixed bag

Nothing is better than a shiny new project. Energy runs high. Excitement bubbles over. And that all lasts for a few weeks, if you are lucky, then reality sets in. I have a few shiny new projects that are waiting for me as well as some projects that are quite a bit older and the luster is long gone.

In the meantime, normal every day stuff waits to be done. The stuff that keeps the household running and the inhabitants clothed, fed and happy. What a mixed bag of late, a real hodge podge of activities and events.

Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely 2 hour meeting with the current president of the Friends. I am so lucky to count her a friend and know she will be there to support me as I get use to my new role.

I have a soccer banquet to attend tonight with the oldest. This is always an interesting affair, lots of dynamics going on, people to watch and such. I often feel very out of place at these events, for a variety of reasons, but will soldier on and plant the smile on my face.

Before that I will be attending the visitation for the husband of one of our Friends of the Library. His wife is a delightful woman and I have always enjoyed chatting with her and hearing stories about our Town 'back in the day' as well as discussing topics ranging from history to politics to religion.

It is going to be a very diverse day and I think the walk I will take with Duke may just be the best part of it or at least the one part of it that I need to be able to get through the remainder of the day.

an echo in the bone

I finished the latest book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series last night. So sad to turn the last page and know I will have to wait up to three years for the next installment in the Jamie and Claire Fraser Family saga. I loved this book from start to finish, and there isn't much more to say than that. Gabaldon is a pro at weaving together multiple plots, characters and history into a singularly spectacular read. I will now be leaving the 18th century and heading back into the world of the Dresden Files.

Lots of bits of this and that ahead for the week. I'm beginning to jot down things that I will need to address, change, update etc come January regarding my new role in the Friends. A meeting this morning will help begin that process.

Soccer banquet this week for the oldest kid. Soccer game for the middle kid and who knows what is in store for the youngest kid.

Hubby is headed off to a funeral in the middle of the week. His 97 year old great aunt passed away on Saturday and he is going north into Illinois for her service and burial.

Feels like a Monday! Full steam ahead.

fussy

Guess the cash register at the bookstore is being a bit fussy, so off I go to meet the new manager this morning and see what we can do to fix it. At least I hope I can fix it....it has been over 2 years since I programmed the thing, and I know that the manual wasn't the easiest set of instructions to work with then.

I hope to be home in short order and look forward to cleaning up the front and side flower beds. Lots of plants to cut back and lots of weeding to be done before winter sets in.

Up next, the kids will all roll in from school and while the boys are camping tonight, the girls are working. Hoping Netflix delivers the next movie from our queue so I can spend the evening watching some entertainment. I think by that point I will be more than ready to sit and put my feet up.

I've also been fussing around with making notes about what things need doing for the Friends. It is always best to act quickly when I get these ideas in my head, so, maybe I can spend some time formalizing these thoughts and getting them into the computer into some sort of document.

So.....Fuss with the cash register, fuss with my flower beds, fuss with the laptop...Just a fussy Friday ahead!

crunch, crunch, crunch

I took our dog as well as the neighbor's greyhound for a long walk yesterday. The two get along amazingly well and actually walk together in harmony. With the dry weather we've had, the leaves are nice and crunchy along the greenbelt paths that wind through our neighborhood. Each step taken resulted in a symphony of sound between the leaves, the acorns and the twigs on the sidewalks and paths. Three miles later, all three of us were tired, but what a glorious stroll it was. Crisp, cool air, bright blue skies and falling leaves. Perfect way to spend the morning.

I was honored yesterday to be named the next president of our Friends of the Library group. This group has become such an important part of my life and their mission is one that continues to be dear to my heart. I've always loved libraries and to be able to help our local library through the Friends is very rewarding. My mind is already turning with ideas for what I want to give to the group; how I'm going to follow in the footsteps of our past two presidents, two very active and insightful women in our community. I have BIG shoes to fill, but am excited to serve. And I have a group of great gals to serve with me...which makes it very fun!

I'm up to the 300's in my book and the story continues to roll out with gusto.

Tonight our oldest is honored as she is inducted into the high school Beta Club. Looking forward to seeing her 'moment'.

But, first up, a doctor's appointment this morning and then a visit to the bookstore....Happy Thursday.

when you have 800 pages to read

I started Diana Gabaldon's latest installment in the Jamie and Claire Fraser saga yesterday afternoon. This novel, "An Echo in the Bone," clocks in at 800 pages of smaller than normal font sized type. I'm savoring every single word.

Something special happens when you pick up a book peopled with characters who have been in your head for over a decade. It is sort of like going home. A sense of belonging happens, a happiness settles in your soul. A continuity exists in that unique relationship between the reader and the world the author has created and shared.

I enjoy these books on so many different levels: multilayered plots, unforgettable characters, loads of history and interesting historic detail about daily life in the colonial period.

So, for the next several days, I will immerse myself in this novel and everything else will have to wait.....it is Fraser time!!

names

Read an interesting article in our paper today about babies being named after cities. I've never quite understood the need to saddle a child with an unusual name. Perhaps this is because my mom has a very unique name and doesn't like it. I'm much more intrigued by family names, names with some history, names that surpass a certain moment in time.

My oldest daughter has a slew of friends named "ashley" all spelled in a variety of ways, but pronounced the same. Both girls have friends with what would pass as a surname for a first name. Very trendy and very stuck in a 'moment.' I would guess that because of the Twilight phenomena we will see a boatload of Bellas and Edwards in the years ahead. Ugh.

Names do come in and out of style....we don't see too many Marilyns, or Lucys or Agnes names these days, but other names from years gone by are still around. Some names are timeless and hence we still see babies being named Sara, Claire, Anne and Elizabeth!

One of the things I like about fiction writing is that I get to come up with names for my characters and I love to hear stories about how authors select names for the people in their novels. But, feel sorry for the poor folk who end up sharing a name with a famous character, like Harry Potter. I'm sure that poor man gets his share of clever jokes lobbed at him. He probably wishes he had a magic wand and could turn the jokesters into toads!

busy week

From the looks of the calender on the wall, this week could shape up to be a very busy one. Lots of soccer practices, one game, two doctor appointments, one Beta club induction ceremony etc. The list goes on and on! The first week of the month always seems to be overloaded.

So, today, I'm off to restock the pantry. It is all too tempting during weeks like this to eat out and not cook. I will be looking for some quick fix items.

I picked up the latest Diana Gabaldon book, "An Echo in the Bone," yesterday from the hold cart at the library. I need to hurry and finish the Jim Butcher book I'm reading and dive into Jamie and Claire Fraser's world yet again. I started reading the Outlander books when the girls were toddlers! Now they are teens and I'm still reading them...it can take Gabaldon three years to write one of her novels, long stories with lots of good stuff between the covers.

Happy Monday!