Bookworm

I've been quite the bookworm this summer.  I've read a bunch of good books, both fiction and non-fiction.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This was a fabulous book.  Set in Mississippi in the mid-60s, The Help looks at life for African-American maids and their relationships with the people they serve.  It is told from multiple points of view, which can only serve to help the story along.

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

This non-fiction book is about a man in New York who decides to follow as many of the biblical rules as possible.  He is very open-minded and respectful of every aspect of Judeo-Christian religion that he details.  I read it after *B* swore I'd like it.  I loved it.

We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg

Elizabeth Berg has been a recent obsession of mine.  I've never been one to read authors who are very prolific.  But I read Home Safe, then I read Open House, and now I look for Berg's books wherever I can.  This one is based off of a true story of a woman who had polio while 9 months pregnant.  She and her nurse raise the girl up despite the mother's near-total paralysis.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Mrs. Mordecai recommended Dave Ramsey and I am SO thankful I read this book.  His "baby steps" are common sense, but brilliant.  I'll be going in to this in depth in the future.

 

Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich

I had read Love Medicine by Erdrich in the past, so I was intrigued by this book.  Its Native American themes are much more subtle than in Love Medicine.  I read it on the plane to Oklahoma.  It was fantastic.  A woman discovers that her husband is reading her diary, so she manipulates him through her entries and chronicles the incidents in a second diary.

 Gap Creek by Robert Morgan

This book makes me think of Laura Ingalls Wilder books, but for grown ups.  After dealing with tragedy in her family life, a young woman enters into marriage and faces struggle after struggle.  It was a very satisfying book.

The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure

Since I was on a kick, and because my hold request came through, I've started reading a non-fiction book about the real Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I'm not far in because homework got in the way, but I'm hoping to finish very soon.

2011 - The Year of Sustainable Food

While *B* and I were on our honeymoon, we read a lot considering how busy we were.  Two of the seven days on our trip turned out to be reading days.

I read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

I loved this book.  It put into words a lot of the things I think about on a regular basis.  Pollan breaks his book up into three sections:  industrial, pastoral, and personal.  In each section, he tackles something new.  I was especially taken in by the first two sections.  I knew that we relied a lot on corn, but I never realized exactly how much corn and oil (as in petroleum) it takes to get food to our tables. 

Because I enjoyed this book so much, I've started reading another book of his, In Defense of Food.

So far, so good.  It talks a lot about the processing food undergoes on a regular basis.  His main point, as noted on the cover is "Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants."  I'm a little over halfway through it.  He had an in-depth discussion on the Western diet during the first part of the book, and I'm now getting into his definition of food.  I'm rather fond of one well-worn piece of advice:  don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.

These books got both *B* and I thinking and provided ample conversation points.  We discussed our plans, past and future, and came up with a framework for what we want to do starting here in 2011.

Grow Our Own Food
Last year was our first foray into the world of gardening.  We've learned a few things in that first year.  One such thing is if you don't like tomatoes, do not grow tomatoes in 50% of your gardening space.   Another would be that carrots actually are better if you thin them out.  This year, we're organizing our garden in such a way that we maximize the natural partnerships that occur in nature.  We're going to try the three sisters method by co-planting corn, beans, and squash.  We're also using what we thought was dead space.  I'm very excited to make trellises up our fence for snap peas.  We devoured them last year, and given how many we harvested off of 8 or 10 plants, we'd be set for a good while if we made a perimeter out of them.

Eat Locally
Our next goal is to eat locally.  I'd rather have squash out of someone's garden that might have been sprayed once or twice than eat organically grown squash from California.  When you know where your food comes from, you're better off.  We've been going to the farmer's market in town and a larger produce market a town over for a while now.  I'm confident we could keep this up as far as produce goes.

Purchase Humanely Raised Animal Products
One of the passages that haunted me from OD was the bit about laying hens.  Those that spend time in battery cages are often put together with a number of other hens.  They can sometimes rub their breasts raw on the front of the cage.

From Encyclopedia Britannica

Cage free birds are not a whole lot better.  They have more room to themselves, but they still don't have access to the outdoors. Free range birds have access, but they don't necessarily use it.  From what I've researched, the best things you can do are a) raise them yourselves, b) buy them from a farmer where you can see them raised, or c) buy eggs with a humane certification stamp on them.  Basically, we're looking to purchase products from animals that have been raised as close to nature intended as possible.

Eat Organic
This one is last because, if you manage to hit the other goals, it's least important.  For things that we can't grow ourselves, we're going to try to eat organic from our local market.

All this boils down to a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.  We're looking for food to be tasty and nourishing.  Groceries overall will be more expensive, but the food will be a better quality, which leads to greater health in the future.  I am hopeful that in trying to eat this way, we'll both shed a few pounds, too.  But the main focus here in 2011 is eating healthfully and sustainably for a better us and a better planet.

Little House in the Big Woods

This evening, while listening to This I Believe on NPR, a woman mentioned Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Something stirred in me, and so I ran upstairs to see if I could find my book.  I know I have at least one, but I'm sure of one - the one I found was Little House in the Big Woods.  Oh how I love that book.

I read it in about an hour and a half  I lingered on passages that had fascinated me as a kid.  When I was little, I wanted desperately to make a smokehouse out of a dead tree with "fresh, sweet-smelling [hickory] chips" (Wilder, 7) smoldering in the bottom.

I love the description of the pantry:

"Now the potatoes and carrots, the beets and turnips and cabbages were gathered and stored in the cellar, for freezing nights had come. 

Onions were made into long ropes, braided together by their tops, and then were hung in the attic beside wreaths of red peppers strung on threads.  The pumpkins and the squashes were piled in orange and yellow and green heaps in the attic's corners. 

The barrels of salted fish were in the pantry, and yellow cheeses were stacked on the pantry shelves"  (Wilder, 12).

My favorite illustration is of Charles Wilder, playing Mad Dog with the girls.  The girls are huddled in a corner, and their Pa is playfully growling and chasing them around, hair afluff. 

It almost seems a cookbook, with instructions for preserving meat, harvesting honey and syrup, making and coloring butter and cheese, and butchering pigs.  Though I'm not sure I'll actually be able to do all these things (especially the last one), it inspires me to keep on keeping on with my mini-homesteading endeavors.  There are a few books of my childhood that I read again, but the Wilder books are a few that I cannot wait to read to my own children.

What a Weekend!

This weekend has been CRAZY! *B* and I had planned a small vacation with his parents to the Shenandoah Valley for months now, from Friday to Sunday. I'm taking out of state classes on Learning Disabilities from Monday to Wednesday. No problem. Get home Sunday, pack, leave Monday, right? Wrong. I realized at 11:30 pm on Thursday that I had a Sunday flight! So we scrambled to pack bags for both vacation and my trip.

All weekend, I've waited for something to go wrong.

So I got out of work early on Friday and we made it down to Virginia. We actually had a pretty good time. Friday night, we hung out by the campfire. On Saturday, we kayaked down the Shenandoah River. It is gorgeous. We saw all manner of river creatures: fish, turtles, cows and even a mink on the bank of the river. (When I get home, I'll put pictures up). My camera even enjoyed the water. It now has water spots on the inside of the LCD screen. But at least it still works and takes good pictures.

Then, something did go wrong.

This morning, we woke up at 5:00 am in order to leave for my 11 am flight on time. I drove for three hours, then hung out at the airport for an hour and a half. I love airports. They're so clean and pretty, and they make me buy books. I realized that I didn't have two of the required materials for my class - a textbook we were supposed to buy, and one that we use in our classes. That was what was going to go wrong, I thought. I got on the plane, but didn't see the guy I was supposed to be traveling with. Oh well, I thought, I'll see him when we get off in Hartford. So the trip goes smoothly, and I go down to baggage claim. I do not see my travel buddy. He's supposed to rent us a car (I'm 24 and get charged out the nose). So after frantically calling around, I pieced together that my colleague has said from day 1 that he is not flying. No one told me. So I called another teacher who was up here for the last week, and he drove an hour and a half down to pick me up so that we could drive another hour and a half back up. I traveled for TEN HOURS to get here. That is the same amount of time as if I were to drive here straight up. It would have been cheaper, too.

But I'm here! And I'm in time for the classes.

One of my favorite parts of flying Southwest is the napkin they give you. It has a US map on the backside. This is what I do on the flight:

All the gray spots are states to which I've been. That puts my grand total at 27 out of 50 states! I've also got four countries under my belt. And for my most exciting achievement, I've been to three continents.

While in the airport waiting to board my flight, I was drawn to the Borders shop. I LOVE bookstores, and I don't get to go in often. But I did, and I saw a book for which I've been looking a while now. It's A Mercy by Toni Morrison.

I've never read any of her books, but people always gush about her. If I remember correctly, I first heard about this book from the author herself on NPR. It was a rather good read. It's not my favorite book ever, but I'd give it a 4/5 as far as recently read books go.

That's all for right now. I'll give a thorough tour of my amazing accommodations once I'm safely at home Wednesday :o)

Recent Reading

I've taken up reading over the past few months. I had lost the habit while in college, but gained it back since having my own house. Over the last week or two, I've read three good books.

The first was called "Friend of the Earth" by T.C. Boyle.
I had been given this book for my college graduation by a favorite professor. I tried to get into it once, but couldn't. The second time around worked much better. This book is somewhat post-apocalyptic. We've ruined the environment, but the world is not the arid desert one would expect. It rains all the time, and just about the only meat available is catfish. The book bounces back and forth from their present day (2025-ish) to the narrator's past (2000-ish). In present day, the narrator keeps exotic animals - lions, Patagonian foxes, hyenas, etc. In the past, he was an eco-terrorist, sabotaging big business.

The second book I read was "Black and Blue" by Anna Quindlen.
This was a whole different story. In this book, a woman gets up the courage to leave her physically abusive husband with her young son. It really reminded me of "Sleeping with the Enemy." It's a VERY fast read - I read it all at one shot.

The final book I read was my favorite - "See You in a Hundred Years" by Logan Ward. I literally JUST finished it. Unlike the other two, this was non-fiction. The author chronicles his family's experiences when they leave New York City to live a 1900's life in the Shenandoah Valley. Ward was inspired by a PBS show - the 1900s house - that I absolutely adored. This book details a dream of mine, to live off the land. I don't know if I would carry on after the end of the experiment. Aside from writing about the hardships of that kind of life, which he does, Ward also goes into depth on family life, community, and happiness. I absolutely adore this book. Though it's a library book, I might just go buy a copy to read again.

Spring Break Reading

Today was my first day back to work in more than a week. It was a lovely break, full of family, gardening, and READING! I read four books on my days off. It turned out almost all of the books were on Oprah's Book Club list. I never wanted to read them because I thought it was cliched, but I realized that she's just tagged all the good books. I've made peace with that.

Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood
This is a weird book. There is a common thread throughout the stories, but it took a little while to figure out the plot line. Overall, I loved it. It made me want to be a homesteader even more.

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
This book covers some rough topics - most of them death related or sexually oriented. It covers the development of a family throughout a few generations. It's definitely a 17 and over book. It really reminded me of The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb.

While I Was Gone by Sue Miller
This was a great book exploring the interaction of our pasts with our present lives. The relationship between the main character and her husband is amazing. It made me consider my relationship with *B* in a new way.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This book has been in the news recently as it was just made into a movie. It was a super fast read - maybe 3 hours total. I can't imagine this as a movie. It chronicles the story of a man and his son in a post-apocalyptic world. This is definitely NOT for children. It even turned my stomach.

An FYI - I have been picking my books by using the website What Should I Read Next. Once you get books you like entered, it makes choosing new books super simple. I love it!

Simple Pleasure Thursday Plus

My simple pleasure today is a BIG one. It's the first day of spring break! I started to read a book in bed round about 8:30 last night and passed out two chapters in. I slept in until 9:30 am. It. Was. AMAZING! I haven't felt so good in so long.

Though I will say...

This morning I made myself a really good breakfast - two waffles, a fruit cup, and a raspberry yogurt. Very healthy. I even ate it outside on the picnic table. It was wonderful. I went to let Hailey in after I was done eating, and it happened - Evie got out. AGAIN! Hailey chased her down and kept her busy under the picnic table. I couldn't get a hold of her. I stepped back, and Hailey managed to chase her straight into the house.

Okay, I thought. The one bad thing for the day is done. So set about washing up dishes, and documenting the garden's progress (which I'll post about later). I heard this very distinct sound coming from the basement. From my experience with rushing water and our basement (see posts here and here), I ran down the steps as fast as my little legs could carry me. The cats had knocked Shamrock's return tube out of his tank such that the filter was pulling dirty water out of the tank and dumping clean(ish) water on my carpeted basement floor.

While I was cleaning up the soaking mess that was my floor, Evie hopped up on the edge of the turtle tank and started punching Shamrock in the face. I've seen this before; it was Wicket's favorite pasttime as a kitten. Then, it was funny. Now, it was infuriating. It was her third strike for the day. I swatted her ever so gently straight into the tank. I've never seen a cat clamber so fast. I'm hopeful that she won't do that again.

Now, after a very delicious, very healthy salad lunch, with laundry in the washer and hanging out on the clothesline, things have settled down. I'm going to have my siesta, then, back to the spring cleaning extravaganza.

Bursting Out of the Cocoon

We've made it. The sun is shining, the icicles are melting, and it's a glorious day. *B* got a phone call from his manager saying he didn't have to come in until 7 am, then 9 am, then finally noon. He was so sweet - he let me drive him to work and take his car! When we shoveled, we had no room to put snow, so it went on top of my car. We figured that I don't work until Tuesday, so it was okay. I just hope that some of this melts before our next snowfall on Monday. There is some amazing angel who has been snow blowing our driveway. I don't know who it is, but I am so very thankful for it.

The first place I went after getting out of the house was Southern States. I got rock salt (which we couldn't find before now) and something I'm very happy about - SEEDS! I'm debating on starting them early inside or waiting until after the frosts have died down. I got:

• zucchini
• tomatoes
• snap peas
• cantaloupe
• carrots
• parsnips
• parsley
• cilantro
• lavender

I'm looking forward to a tasty crop this summer. There are still a few seed packets I need to pick up (lettuce, spinach) but for now, I've got enough to keep me occupied. Should I start my seeds now? Or wait a while?

I finished my latest book, My Antonia by Willa Cather. While it's considered a classic, I had never read it. It was one of the few fiction books *B* has that I'm into. Most of his books are either non-fiction nature books or cheesy cookie cutter series novels. My baby cats (I still call them both this though only one is a kitten) laid on the bed with me while I finished the book. It was heavenly.

I had also read a Good Housekeeping magazine yesterday that I received in the mail after I accidentally signed up for (and canceled) a subscription. This has inspired me to find a vintage cookbook and start working through it. I've a very picky person, so it's got to be just the right book. After I find it, I think I'll start a series on the recipes in it.

A God Week

Afterthought: I always proofread my posts before I publish them. While the title on this was supposed to be "A Good Week," I think the title that came about instead seems more appropriate.

I think it has been a good week. Monday was a free day (yay!), Tuesday was a repeat of last week, Wednesday and Thursday we did a lab, and Friday was Right to Life Day. On Thursday, my school had a dress down day for Haiti. We raised (drumroll) $15,800!!! I couldn't believe my ears. People donated way past the $5 minimum to dress down. The money went to the brotherhood who sponsors our school. They have been working in Haiti for some time, so they have some idea of how to best help. It may go to immediate relief, or it could go to rebuilding. Either way, I know it goes to a good cause.

Yesterday was the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision. Our school allows (encourages) students to go the the March for Life in DC by taking buses down and having chaperons. More than half our school went. I stayed behind as I did last year. For those of us at school, we watched a gorgeous movie, Bella. It's described as a pro-life movie, but I'd describe it simply as a great movie. I highly recommend it. Afterward, we had mass. After lunch, a man from Ghana came to talk to us about Catholic Relief Services. He was touched personally by their efforts as his parents and two brothers died from starvation, and his older brother ran away. Now, with their help, he has a masters degree and works for them, stressing the importance of education to liberate people from poverty and distress. Finally, we had a concert by Tony Melendez and the Toe Jam Ministry.
He was a thalidomide baby from Nicaragua. He plays the guitar with his feet. He really is amazing. While he wasn't as good as the guest from last year (Jesse Manibusen), I still liked him.

I think I've just about figured out where I stand on the pro-life/pro-choice issue. I don't believe I could ever have an abortion. I think that unbiased education, not slanted arguments like "abortion causes breast cancer," is key to saving lives. I think that crisis pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, and yes, even planned parenthood can help reduce the need for abortions. We can't outlaw abortions while ignoring the causes of the pregnancies. Women who are desperate enough will have the procedure done. Beyond my strong belief in unbiased prenatal counseling, I don't want the government having that much control over my body. We should convince people not to do something, not forbid them from doing something.

Today, *B* and I proctored the SATs at my school. I usually do it, but *B* decided to go too and donate his pay to the wedding fund. Such a sweet guy!

I managed to read a book and a half today. The first book I read was Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. It was so great. It's split between a young Jewish girl living in 1942 Paris and a 45 year old American expat living in ~2000 Paris. I highly recommend it. The other book I was working on I'm still on the fence about. It's Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I've started it three times now. I'm about half way through, but I'm not entirely sure why it's supposedly such a great book. It definitely doesn't draw me in the way Sarah's Key did. Once I finish, I'll decide whether or not I liked it.

An Overview of My Break - In Reverse

Happy birthday to me!!! I turned 24 today at 5:30 pm. Woo hoo! For lunch/dinner, my parents and my brother took me to Carabba's. It was sooo good. I like their chicken marsala a lot.

This morning Michelle and Bill took *B* and me out to breakfast at a really awesome cafe called Blue Moon in the city. *B* had Cap'n Crunch French Toast (omgosh) and I had a great omelet.

*B* had promised me a planned party on the day before my birthday. I was a little disappointed when it didn't happen. He got caught up and didn't invite anyone. But his friends Dan and Laura came over and we chowed down on leftovers - turkey korma with samosas using the leftover turkey and mashed potatoes. The boys even polished off the trifle *B* made for dessert on Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, it went really well. Unfortunately, my camera died and I couldn't find the battery charger. But I took pictures with my mom's camera. I'll post them as soon as she sends them to me. We had ten people total, and a 21 pound turkey. There was stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, peas, and sauerkraut. For dessert, there was pumpkin pie, pumpkin gingerbread trifle, chocolate pie, and apple crisp. We still have a full pan of apple crisp, turkey, some peas, sweet potatoes, and curried potatoes, but everything else is gone. My dad and his parents got on well. I'm glad to see their year long feud has at least taken a hiatus. Right after everyone left, *B* and I pulled out Christmas boxes and started watching DVDs and decorate. I love the holidays! I can't believe it's almost Christmas!

Before that, my mom and I painted my upstairs bathroom. It looks so good! It needs one more coat, which will probably be done during the Christmas break. Again, as soon as I find my charger, I'll post pictures.

One of my first activities once the break started was to go out and buy a whole heaping cart full of food during the holiday sales. I swore it would cost me $200, but I got out of there just shy of $80. I am well on my way to stocking a good, healthy pantry!

I'm also through a book and a half in my nine days of vacation. I had bought but never read Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence a number of years ago. I finally pulled it out and read the darned thing. I ended up really liking it! I bought The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, thinking that I love Kate Winslet and every movie she's been in, and I've found it lacking. It's not great, but not awful. It's a shame - I read Little Children by Tom Perrotta and found it engulfing. Not so much this time. I also own, but have not read, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. That will probably be my next book. I have asked for Look at the Birdie by Kurt Vonnegut and Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb for Christmas. Vonnegut's book was published posthumously, and Lamb's books are amazing, but few and far between.

I hope everyone out there had a good, relaxing holiday!

Back on Track and Thinking of the Weekend

I'm back on meds and feeling much better. Sorry for the off-the-wall posts.

I'm so excited for this weekend! Friday is *B*'s birthday, Saturday is our anniversary, and Sunday we agreed to do absolutely nothing. It will be gorgeous!

For his birthday, *B* asked for lamb, parsnips and carrots, potatoes, and yorkshire puddings. He also asked for a lemon pudding cake, which is essentially lemon cake with lemon pudding between the layers like a trifle. After the weekend, I will definitely post pictures (with recipes) of all the great food.

For our anniversary, we're going to a restaurant that was our second date. It's a little place owned and operated, that sells any kind of meat you could want (his reason for going) and has great food (my reason for going). Last time we were there, he got alligator tail and buffalo bites. They have venison on the menu as a staple, not just a gimmick - something I've never seen before.

A funny note: I picked up a book from the library called Find More Time by Laura Stack. Problem is - I haven't found time to read it! Maybe this weekend...

Reading Lists

I just realized that I've read more books this summer than I've read in the last couple of years. I read:

• You or Someone Like You by Chandler Burr
• Serena by Ron Rash
• The Shack by William Paul Young
  
• White Oleander by Janet Fitch
  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
  
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  
• Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwartz
• Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life by Neil Strauss

All of those books were very good, and recommendable, with the best being The Shack. The latest book I've read was an interesting peek into the world of survivalism, a close cousin of preparedness. The more I read, the more I realized how unprepared I really am. Yes, I have a lot more to put in my kit, but I am unprepared in my skills as well. I have a working knowledge of a handgun and a few rifles. I have a very basic knowledge of survival skills and first aid. Other than that, I'm fairly useless in a "survivalist" situation. I suppose math is important, but there are far more skills that are useful. Unfortunately, I've waited too long to decide what to do this summer, and now it's over. Two more days and I go back to school.

Catharsis Restrained

I cried today in front of *B*. I think it's only the second time I've done that in as many years, the first when I found out my parents were getting a divorce. I didn't let all out, but it was nice to expend some of the pent up sadness and frustration. I miss our life. I miss our grown-up-ness and coming home to the cat, days of candlelight, movies on the couch. It feels like we'll never get that back. There's been a lot of stress in this house lately. Personality clashes, grumpiness, the strain of new people interrupting a routine. It literally makes me cringe.

I started reading White Oleander by Janet Fitch to get away from everyone. I found myself surprised to get sucked into it. I feel like Astrid, afloat with nothing to anchor me down. I'd come to an interesting place where I didn't want to keep reading, because I knew it will only get worse for her. But I persevered, and I finished the book last night.

Why Can't I Write Anymore?

I used to be really excited to hop onto my laptop and churn out a post. For the last week, I haven't been able to write much of anything.

We submitted our withdrawal of contract today. Once we get our good faith deposit back, we'll never have to think of that house again.

I have bug bites all up my legs and arms from sitting outside on Saturday. I'm going crazy! I just can't stop itching.

I've been reading Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. So far, it's really good. I'm 2/3 of the way through, and I've only had it two days. I'll probably finish it tonight. Tomorrow, I'll give a thorough report.

I'm really hoping to get a jump on my emergency bag tomorrow. The hardest thing I've had a problem getting together - a change of clothes. Should I pack for warm or cold weather? *B* is packing zip-off pants, but I am not so lucky. Tank tops and long sleeve t-shirts perhaps??

I Feel MUCH Better

Last night, when I finally laid down to sleep, I asked for help with the stressors in my life. I had a long hash out of what I needed and for what I was thankful. I, then, woke up this morning a full 3 hours after I wanted to be up, better than the night before. By mid-afternoon, I was feeling alright. *B* and I had a nice snuggle and a talk about what's bothering me. Now, I'm feeling much better. I'm still working on the God thing. Above all, I think prayer is working well for me. I don't know why, and I don't know how, but it makes me feel better.

I started my summer classes back up, and Gail from work is teaching my class. This development is good because she knows me, but bad if I don't perform well! I think it'll be alright. I get to go in late to school tomorrow, which is nice.

After class today, I went to Borders. I have a coupon for $5 off of any book, but I couldn't find anything that struck my fancy. So I came home and hopped on What Should I Read Next to find something I like. I'll be back at Borders tomorrow, list in tow.

A few months ago, a Real Simple blog got me to thinking about this question: what do I want my life to be like in five years. Since then, I've been creating a collage (albeit from Google images pics) of what I want in my life in five years. Tonight, I've worked it into something that I think fits pretty well. It's definitely a work in progress as it reflects how one's priorities change over time. Even from the time I first started, my priorities have shifted. But here it is, in its unfinished glory:


It's a tad bit blurry, but overall, it demonstrates the major areas of my life that I'd like to develop. From top left, clockwise: having a home, having a family, traveling here and abroad, and cultivating hobbies.

One Book Finished, Back to Daydreaming

I finished The Shack. It was a fantastic book. I loved it so much that it will probably end up being a re-read.

I want to move into my house so bad. I was looking at Facebook pictures of someone who graduated high school a year before me. She just had her first son. Everyone and everything in those pictures looks so clean and happy. The family looks like everyone gets along so well. I want a life like that. My family can be so dysfunctional.

What I Want:
A place where I can be by myself
A garden
Cleanly painted and decorated rooms
Someone to coo over
To feel clean and light

What I Need:
To remember that I am fortunate
To remember that I love and am loved
To be more grateful for what I have
To remember nothing is ever as it seems

Wowie Wicket!

While I was gone, an amazing transformation has taken place. My cat is sweet! She isn't bothering the other animals, she's giving me love and attention, she walks around the whole house. It's amazing considering how angry she was when we first got here.

We roughly have 17 days or so until we move into the house. I'm really hopeful that everything will work out. I've been trying to clean here as much as I can so that I can pull my weight around here. While it's been fairly easy to keep the kitchen clean, I can't find a vacuum, so I can't clean the living room like I wanted. I think it'd be really awesome if I could get a couch slip cover as a present for letting us stay here.

I'd really like to start making food gifts for people. I like the veggie breads where you layer the dry ingredients in a mason jar. The hard part for veggie breads is that the most time consuming step - grating the veggies - can't be done ahead of time. I think I'll make cookie jars, hot chocolate mixes, and breads. It might be nice to make herb mixes, too.

I'm a little bit slower on my reading of The Shack than I thought I'd be, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm really trying to take in the lessons this book is presenting. My favorite passage so far has to do with the garden. In this passage, Mack and Sarayu walk to a garden behind the shack. It is a mess and chaotic, but also pretty. Together, they clear out a section of the garden. Then, they dig up poisonous roots that corrupt the ground. It is made apparent that the garden is, in fact, Mack's soul.

I like the idea of the soul as a garden. I intend to meditate on this, visualizing the removal of poisonous roots for the growth of beautiful plants. Everyone has poisonous roots in their hearts, eating at them and preventing the growth of truth and beauty. My roots are centered around judgment, arrogance, insecurity, anxiety, and fear. In the coming weeks, I will work especially hard to rid myself of these poisons.

A Relaxing Trip and Some Itchy Housemates

I just got back from a really relaxing trip to Florida. I went to a conference down in St. Petersburg. I learned a lot, and I got some great beach time. It was so peaceful. The water was green and so warm. I really swam twice, and got to the beach every day. The food was awesome, too.

The thing I'm most pleased about is that I read TWO whole books on my trip: You or Someone Like You by Chandler Burr and Serena by Ron Rash. YOSLY was great, better than I expected. Serena was good, but I didn't love it like I thought it would. On the recommendation of another teacher on the trip, I bought The Shack by William Young. So far, it's fantastic. I'm hoping to finish it tonight or tomorrow.

As I'm writing this post, I'm itching like crazy. We're petsitting someone's dog, and she brought fleas with her! They're driving me NUTS!!!!! So much for my relaxation time...

Figuring Myself Out

I've spent the last few nights reading random blogs. I have no idea who these people are, but I feel connected to them in some strange way. Reading a woman's blog from Australia, I got a new perspective on what June means to me. I've been drawn to young mother's stories. Generally, they're housewives who like to cook and live simply. Surprisingly, most of them are fairly religious.

Every night, after my college classes, I listen to religious radio. I'm not particularly spiritual or religious. I'm still vague on my beliefs in God, and even moreso on my beliefs in Jesus. But I find the basic messages comforting and appealing. Rather than feel guilty about not knowing where I stand, I'm going to take baby steps and discover in my own time what I believe.

School is over for the summer. I've still got parents driving me nuts, but at least I have a break. I've gotten tons of ideas from my college classes that I will use for my classes next year.

We found out today we were turned down for a loan. We're hoping they reconsider as I got a HUGE raise that should make us more appealing loan-wise. I am really unhappy with the service from our mortgage broker though. I will never recommend him again.

This summer I plan to read a lot more. My first for-fun read is going to be Serena by Ron Rash. I have two books to read for school as well. I am more than open for suggestions.

Lots to Do and No Willpower

We move anywhere from less than a week to 10 days from today. Bubs has helped a lot, but I need to pick up the pace. I can't bring myself to pack any more! Tomorrow, I plan on:

1. Cleaning the kitchen.
2. Putting the pots and pans in boxes.
3. Making zucchini and carrot bread.
4. Finishing the laundry.
5. Packing the bathroom.
6. Packing the miscellanea that sits next to and on top of the desk.

We also talked about not getting cable in our new house. I think it's beneficial to get rid of the television as much as possible. We still have and love our DVDs, so we won't miss the random shows too much. I'm hoping that without the TV, I can get back into reading more. I've got lots of plans for our new place, and I'm excited to be going! I'm sure I will miss our little apartment, though. There were lots of good memories here.