She's 22 !!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Summer Reading Challenge 2009...
My Rough Draft:
updated 7-18-09
5 Points
1. Andy Griffith (Actor) - Born June 1, 1926 - Read A Book That Takes Place In Or Is About A Small Town Ala Mayberry. THE OPTIMIST’S DAUGHTER (WELTY) – MOUNT SALUS, MISSISSIPPI
2. Twyla Tharp (Dancer/Choreographer) - Born July 1, 1944 - Read A Book With The Word…PIROUETTES ON A POSTAGE STAMP ???
• Dance, Dances, Dancing, Dancer, Dancers
• A Dance Term I.E. Pirouette, Arabesque, Plie Etc.
• Or A Specific Type of Dance in the Title I.E. Ballet, Tap, Tango Etc.
3. Jerry Garcia (Musician) - Born August 1, 1942 – Read A Fiction or Non-Fiction Book about A Musician or Band. LOVE IS A MIX TAPE (SHEFFIELD)
4. Going To The Chapel And They’re Gonna Get Married – Read a Book Where the Main Character Is Getting Married or Where a Wedding Occurs during the Course of the Story.
5. Tasty Treat’s straight From the Farmer’s Market – Read a Book with a Fruit or Vegetable in the Title. SEXING THE CHERRY (WINTERSON)
6. Christmas In July – Read A Christmas Story Or A Book That Takes Place Primarily During Winter.
7. Discover Hidden Gems - From Your Favorite Genre…Find And Read A Book That Has Less Than 50 Ratings On Goodreads THE MERCY ROOM (ROZIER) 37 REVIEWS AS OF 5/31/09
8. Let’s Hit The Beach – Read a book with one of these “Beachy” words in the title – Beach, Boardwalk, Island, Lighthouse, Ocean, Sand, Sandcastle, Sea, Seashell, Seashore, Seaweed, Shell, Shore, Starfish, Tide, or Wave. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA (HEMINGWAY)
9. This Day in History - July 27, 1858: First Use of Fingerprints as a Means of Identification – Read A Mystery Or Crime Fiction Book. 7TH HEAVEN (PATTERSON)...done
10. U.S. Independence Day – July 4th - Read A Historical Fiction Book That Takes Place In The U.S. And Relates Somehow To An Important Event Or Time Period In Its History I.E. The Revolutionary War or the Great Depression.
10 Points 1/10
1. Wolfgang Puck – Famous Chef – Born July 8, 1949 – Read A Novel Where The Main Character Is A Chef, A Caterer, A Waiter Or Waitress...Or Basically Anybody Whose Job Revolves Around/Relates To Food. LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS (HARRIS)
2. Percy Bysshe Shelly – Born August 4, 1792 And Died July 8, 1822 – Famous English Poet – Read A Book Written By An Author That Lived During His Lifetime.
3. Hans Christian Anderson – Died August 4, 1875 – Read a Collection of Fairy Tales or a Novel That Is An Adaptation Of A Classic Fairy Tale. CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER (MAGUIRE)
4. Day Of The African Child - June 16th - Read A Book Written By An African Author; Or Set In Africa/About Africa. THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY (MCCALL)
5. Bastille Day - July 14th - Read A Book Written By A French Author; Or Set In/About France. MURDER IN MONTPARNASSE (GREENWOOD) OR THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG (BARBERY)
6. This Day In History - August 6th, 1945 – The Bombing Of Hiroshima – Read A Book Written By A Japanese Author; Or Set In/About Japan. SNAKES AND EARRINGS (KANEHARA)
7. June, July, August Are The 6/7/and 8th Months in the Year – Pick and Read ONE book that has…
• 6/6th/Six/Sixth THE SIXTH TARGET (PATTERSON) ...done
• 7/7th/Seven/Seventh
• Or 8/8th/Eight/Eighth in the title
• Or is the 6th/7th/or 8th book in a series.
8. Our House In The Middle Of Our…(Street, Drive, Court, Lane Etc.). Your task is to read a book whose title has the one of those that matches where you currently live.
• I.E. If You Live On Main Street Then You Would Read A Book With The Word Street In The Title Such As The Street of a Thousand Blossoms. QUEEN OF THE ROAD (ORION)
9. Take Me Out To The Ballgame – Read A Non-Fiction Or Fiction Book About A Baseball Player Or The Game Of Baseball.
10. Dog Days Of Summer – Read A Fiction Or Non-Fiction Book With The Word Dog Or A Specific Breed Of Dog In The Title. OUTSIDE THE DOG MUSEUM (CARROLL)
15 Points
1. Dream Vacation – Read A Fiction Book That Takes Place In Or A Non-Fiction Book About Your Dream Vacation Spot (It Should Be A Specific Location I.E. Not Just the Beach or Mountains but Hawaii or the Swiss Alps Etc.) – When Finished Reading Create And Post An Itinerary Of Things You Would Do If You Were To Visit That Location. THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE (PRESTON) OR DEATH IN VENICE (MANN) – ITINERARY TBD
2. Casting Call – Read A Book That Hasn’t Already Been Made Into A Movie And Post A List Of Who You Would Cast If You Were Making The Film. THE BOOK SHOP (FITZGERALD) CASTING CALL TBD
3. It’s Summer So It’s Time To Enjoy The Great Outdoors - Read an Entire Book While Sitting Outside – Book Must Be At Least 150 Pages. For Those Of You Who Live Where It Is Actually Winter You May Read A Book About Outdoor Activities (Instead Of Reading Outside) Like Camping, Rafting, Fishing - It Should Be An Activity Done In Summer Though Not Like Skiing Or Snowboarding. DANGEROUS TIDES (FEEHAN)
4. Quiz Me? – Do the Goodreads Trivia Quiz and Read the First Book You Come to but Haven’t Yet Read. FAHRENHEIT 451 (BRADBURY)...done
5. Current Events – Read A Book That In Someway Relates To Current/Recent Events/Topics From The News And Read A Newspaper Or Magazine Article Related To The Same Topic. THE ABORTIONIST’S DAUGHTER (HYDE) AND ARTICLE AT http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tiller_shooting - TOPIC: ABORTION DEBATE
• The Book Itself Does Not Have To Be Set In Current Times…I.E. They Say History Repeats Itself So A Historical Fiction Book With A Subject That Is Relatable To A Current Event Is Acceptable.
6. Opposites Attract – Read 2 Books That Have Words in the Titles That Have Opposite Meanings – i.e. If You Selected the Pair Up/Down You Could Read – Seven Up AND Don't Look Down. NAKED (SEDARIS) AND DRESSED TO KEEL (CALVERT)...done & done
7. Popularity Contest…
• Read One Book From The All Time Most Popular Books On Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular THE GREAT GATSBY (FITZGERALD)
• And One From The All Time Most Unpopular Books On Goodreads Shelf http://www.goodreads.com/book/unpopular THE ALMOST MOON (SEBOLD)
• The Books Can Be From The List For Your Country Or The World List.
8. Friendly Suggestions…
• Read A 5 Star Book From The Book List Of The First Friend You Made On Good Reads DEAD UNTIL DARK (HARRIS)
• And A Book They Gave 1 Star Or Their Lowest Rating To (But Not An Unread Book). BELINDA (RICE WRITING AS RAMPLING) – 1 STAR RACHEL B.
9. What’s In a Name? – Read 2 Books Written By 2 Different Authors Who Share Either A First Or Last Name. STILL ALICE (LISA GENOVA) AND LOOK AGAIN (LISA SCOTTOLINE)...1/2 done
10. Initial Thoughts - Read 2 Books Where the First Letter of the First Word In The Titles Matches Your Initials. AMSTERDAM (MCEWAN) AND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN (GIBBONS) A.V.
20 Points
1. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Rhiannon's Task – Choose and Read a Book by an Author That Shares the Same Birthday as you. Month and Date. OPIUM (COCTEAU) JULY 5TH
2. ROOKIE OF THE SEASON – Tina’s Task - June 6 is the Anniversary of D-Day - Read a Book that Takes Place During WWII. EYE OF THE NEEDLE (FOLLETT) OR SARAH’S KEY (DE ROSNAY) OR LEARNING TO BREATHE (WHITE)
25 Points
1. Jessica IL’s Task – Paying Homage - Read A Classic Novel Or Play And Then Read A Modern Novel That Reinterprets That Story Or The Characters In It. ROMEO AND JULIET (SHAKESPEARE) AND JULIE AND ROMEO (RAY)
2. Ashley ID's Task - Read a Dystopian novel...for this task you would read a book about a dystopian/totalitarian government; or a novel where the government creates a dystopian society. WE (ZAMYATIN)
3. Cait's Task - In honor of our Mod Squad, read 2 books - one from Lori's (the TNBBC Mod's) shelf and one from Cynthia (the Seasonal Challenge Mod's) shelf - by an author you've never read before. The book can be on their TBR or Read shelves. THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (ALAN) – CYNTHIA AND HEART OF DARKNESS (CONRAD) - LORI
4. Amy MA's Task - The Birthstones for June, July and August are Pearl, Ruby and Peridot. Read a Book Where One of These Stones is Named in the Title or is Part of the Author's Name. FAR ABOVE RUBIES (POLANSKY) OR (HANKO)
5. Beth MN's Task - Read two books (no audio) from the adult genre of your choice (no YA or children's fiction) with over 555 pages each. THE GLASS BEAD GAME (HESSE) AND A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE (TOLTZ) or OUTLANDER (GABALDON)
6. Sharon's Task - Edinburgh International Festival - In honor of this annual summer festival that's held in the capital city of the country where Sharon lives...Read a Fiction or Non-Fiction book that takes place in or is about the capital city of the country you live in. However, if you are a US resident you need to read a book that takes place in or is about the State Capital of the state you currently live in. BLAZE (BACHMAN) BOSTON
7. Bonnie's Task - Read a Book with 900+ pages. THE EXECUTIONER’S SONG (MAILER) OR THE HISTORIAN (KOSTOVA) OR THE MERLIN TRILOGY (STEWART)
8. Angela IL's Task - Read 2 Books by 2 Different Goodreads Authors. WATER WITCHES (BOHJALIAN) AND NEVERWHERE (GAIMAN)
9. April's Task - Reading Through The Ages: Read a book first published in the 1800s, a book first published in the 1900s, and a book first published in the 2000s WITNESS AT THE WEDDING (BRETT) 1ST PUBLISHED 2005...done; THE STRANGER (CAMUS) 1ST PUBLISHED 1946; TURN OF THE SCREW (JAMES) 1ST PUBLISHED 1898
10. Kristina GA's Task - Read A Book About A Secret Society And Post A Little Review About It. It Could Be Fiction Or Non-Fiction. THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY (CHRISTIE)
30 Point Tasks
1. Donna Jo's Task - Read A Biographical Fiction Book & An Autobiography/Biography About That Person. CHANG AND ENG (STRAUSS) AND DUET FOR A LIFETIME (HUNTER)
2. Sandy's Task – In Honor of Lucille Ball's B-Day (Aug 6, 1911) and My Favorite TV Show I Love Lucy Read Two Books with Main Characters Whose Names are Lucy, Ricky, Fred or Ethel, or A Variation Of Any Of Those Names. Both Books Can Have The Same Name Or It Can Be Different. LUCY (FELDMAN) or TURTLE MOON (HOFFMAN) AND 4.50 FROM PADDINTON (CHRISTIE)
Lucy= Lucille, Lucila, Lucia, Lucina, Lucette, Luc, Luciana, Lucie, Luce and Lucinda
Ricky= Ricardo, Richard, Rick, Dick, Richie, Ricki, Rikki, Ricarda
Fred= Frederick, Freddy, Freddie, Fredericka, Freda,
Ethel= Ethelda, Etel, Ethelene, Ethelyn
3. Wendy's Task - Summer Peace Accord- Read 2 Books…
• One Book With A Positive Muslim, Islamic, Or Arabic Protagonist PEOPLE OF THE BOOK (BROOKS)...done
• And One Book with a Positive Jewish, Israeli or Zionist Character. NIGHT (WIESEL)
4. BJ Rose’s Task - In Honor Of U.S. Independence Day - Read A Biography (Not An Autobiography) Of A U.S. President Who Either Was Born Or Who Died During Summer. The book must be at least 300 pages. JOHN ADAMS (MCCULLOUGH)
• Born In Summer - John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Harrison, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Clark Hoover, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Gerald Rudolph Ford, George Herbert Walker Bush, William Jefferson (Bill) Clinton, George Walker Bush, Barack Hussein Obama
• Died In Summer - Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Monroe, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, James Knox Polk, Zachary Taylor, Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, Warren G. Harding, Ronald W. Reagan
5. Kristen IL's Task - In Celebration of Young Adult Librarians Everywhere…Read Three YA Books. WINTERGIRLS...done AND CHAIN...done (ANDERSON) AND
6. Bridgit’s Task - Read a Compilation of Short Stories or Essays...it can't be a book with a collection of short stories all written by the same author. Then Choose One Of The Authors Included In The Compilation That You Have NEVER Read Before, And Read A Stand-Alone Book Of Theirs. (Not another Short Story).
7. Kristenr’s Task – Read a Book First Published the Year Your Father Was Born, and a Book First Published the Year You Were Born. LAUGHING BOY (LAFARGE) AND A SEVERED HEAD (MURDOCH)...partial read
8. Leora’s Task – Pick and Read 2 Books From The '1001 Books To Read Before You Die' List. http://www.listology.com/list/1001-books... THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (HADDON)...done AND THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE (SPARK)...and mostly done
9. Lizzi’s Task – Judge a Book by Its Cover. Select a Book Only Because You Love the Cover, And Post a Picture or a Link So We Can See the Cover When You're Finished. MS HEMPEL CHRONICLES (BYNUM)...done
10. Rora’s Task – Read A Nominee Or Winner Of The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award From 1971-1991. http://www.mythsoc.org/awards/fantasy/ THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER (MURPHY) NOMINEE 1990...done
50 Point Mid-Way Task
1. PENDING
updated 7-18-09
5 Points
1. Andy Griffith (Actor) - Born June 1, 1926 - Read A Book That Takes Place In Or Is About A Small Town Ala Mayberry. THE OPTIMIST’S DAUGHTER (WELTY) – MOUNT SALUS, MISSISSIPPI
2. Twyla Tharp (Dancer/Choreographer) - Born July 1, 1944 - Read A Book With The Word…PIROUETTES ON A POSTAGE STAMP ???
• Dance, Dances, Dancing, Dancer, Dancers
• A Dance Term I.E. Pirouette, Arabesque, Plie Etc.
• Or A Specific Type of Dance in the Title I.E. Ballet, Tap, Tango Etc.
3. Jerry Garcia (Musician) - Born August 1, 1942 – Read A Fiction or Non-Fiction Book about A Musician or Band. LOVE IS A MIX TAPE (SHEFFIELD)
4. Going To The Chapel And They’re Gonna Get Married – Read a Book Where the Main Character Is Getting Married or Where a Wedding Occurs during the Course of the Story.
5. Tasty Treat’s straight From the Farmer’s Market – Read a Book with a Fruit or Vegetable in the Title. SEXING THE CHERRY (WINTERSON)
6. Christmas In July – Read A Christmas Story Or A Book That Takes Place Primarily During Winter.
7. Discover Hidden Gems - From Your Favorite Genre…Find And Read A Book That Has Less Than 50 Ratings On Goodreads THE MERCY ROOM (ROZIER) 37 REVIEWS AS OF 5/31/09
8. Let’s Hit The Beach – Read a book with one of these “Beachy” words in the title – Beach, Boardwalk, Island, Lighthouse, Ocean, Sand, Sandcastle, Sea, Seashell, Seashore, Seaweed, Shell, Shore, Starfish, Tide, or Wave. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA (HEMINGWAY)
9. This Day in History - July 27, 1858: First Use of Fingerprints as a Means of Identification – Read A Mystery Or Crime Fiction Book. 7TH HEAVEN (PATTERSON)...done
10. U.S. Independence Day – July 4th - Read A Historical Fiction Book That Takes Place In The U.S. And Relates Somehow To An Important Event Or Time Period In Its History I.E. The Revolutionary War or the Great Depression.
10 Points 1/10
1. Wolfgang Puck – Famous Chef – Born July 8, 1949 – Read A Novel Where The Main Character Is A Chef, A Caterer, A Waiter Or Waitress...Or Basically Anybody Whose Job Revolves Around/Relates To Food. LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS (HARRIS)
2. Percy Bysshe Shelly – Born August 4, 1792 And Died July 8, 1822 – Famous English Poet – Read A Book Written By An Author That Lived During His Lifetime.
3. Hans Christian Anderson – Died August 4, 1875 – Read a Collection of Fairy Tales or a Novel That Is An Adaptation Of A Classic Fairy Tale. CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER (MAGUIRE)
4. Day Of The African Child - June 16th - Read A Book Written By An African Author; Or Set In Africa/About Africa. THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY (MCCALL)
5. Bastille Day - July 14th - Read A Book Written By A French Author; Or Set In/About France. MURDER IN MONTPARNASSE (GREENWOOD) OR THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG (BARBERY)
6. This Day In History - August 6th, 1945 – The Bombing Of Hiroshima – Read A Book Written By A Japanese Author; Or Set In/About Japan. SNAKES AND EARRINGS (KANEHARA)
7. June, July, August Are The 6/7/and 8th Months in the Year – Pick and Read ONE book that has…
• 6/6th/Six/Sixth THE SIXTH TARGET (PATTERSON) ...done
• 7/7th/Seven/Seventh
• Or 8/8th/Eight/Eighth in the title
• Or is the 6th/7th/or 8th book in a series.
8. Our House In The Middle Of Our…(Street, Drive, Court, Lane Etc.). Your task is to read a book whose title has the one of those that matches where you currently live.
• I.E. If You Live On Main Street Then You Would Read A Book With The Word Street In The Title Such As The Street of a Thousand Blossoms. QUEEN OF THE ROAD (ORION)
9. Take Me Out To The Ballgame – Read A Non-Fiction Or Fiction Book About A Baseball Player Or The Game Of Baseball.
10. Dog Days Of Summer – Read A Fiction Or Non-Fiction Book With The Word Dog Or A Specific Breed Of Dog In The Title. OUTSIDE THE DOG MUSEUM (CARROLL)
15 Points
1. Dream Vacation – Read A Fiction Book That Takes Place In Or A Non-Fiction Book About Your Dream Vacation Spot (It Should Be A Specific Location I.E. Not Just the Beach or Mountains but Hawaii or the Swiss Alps Etc.) – When Finished Reading Create And Post An Itinerary Of Things You Would Do If You Were To Visit That Location. THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE (PRESTON) OR DEATH IN VENICE (MANN) – ITINERARY TBD
2. Casting Call – Read A Book That Hasn’t Already Been Made Into A Movie And Post A List Of Who You Would Cast If You Were Making The Film. THE BOOK SHOP (FITZGERALD) CASTING CALL TBD
3. It’s Summer So It’s Time To Enjoy The Great Outdoors - Read an Entire Book While Sitting Outside – Book Must Be At Least 150 Pages. For Those Of You Who Live Where It Is Actually Winter You May Read A Book About Outdoor Activities (Instead Of Reading Outside) Like Camping, Rafting, Fishing - It Should Be An Activity Done In Summer Though Not Like Skiing Or Snowboarding. DANGEROUS TIDES (FEEHAN)
4. Quiz Me? – Do the Goodreads Trivia Quiz and Read the First Book You Come to but Haven’t Yet Read. FAHRENHEIT 451 (BRADBURY)...done
5. Current Events – Read A Book That In Someway Relates To Current/Recent Events/Topics From The News And Read A Newspaper Or Magazine Article Related To The Same Topic. THE ABORTIONIST’S DAUGHTER (HYDE) AND ARTICLE AT http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tiller_shooting - TOPIC: ABORTION DEBATE
• The Book Itself Does Not Have To Be Set In Current Times…I.E. They Say History Repeats Itself So A Historical Fiction Book With A Subject That Is Relatable To A Current Event Is Acceptable.
6. Opposites Attract – Read 2 Books That Have Words in the Titles That Have Opposite Meanings – i.e. If You Selected the Pair Up/Down You Could Read – Seven Up AND Don't Look Down. NAKED (SEDARIS) AND DRESSED TO KEEL (CALVERT)...done & done
7. Popularity Contest…
• Read One Book From The All Time Most Popular Books On Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular THE GREAT GATSBY (FITZGERALD)
• And One From The All Time Most Unpopular Books On Goodreads Shelf http://www.goodreads.com/book/unpopular THE ALMOST MOON (SEBOLD)
• The Books Can Be From The List For Your Country Or The World List.
8. Friendly Suggestions…
• Read A 5 Star Book From The Book List Of The First Friend You Made On Good Reads DEAD UNTIL DARK (HARRIS)
• And A Book They Gave 1 Star Or Their Lowest Rating To (But Not An Unread Book). BELINDA (RICE WRITING AS RAMPLING) – 1 STAR RACHEL B.
9. What’s In a Name? – Read 2 Books Written By 2 Different Authors Who Share Either A First Or Last Name. STILL ALICE (LISA GENOVA) AND LOOK AGAIN (LISA SCOTTOLINE)...1/2 done
10. Initial Thoughts - Read 2 Books Where the First Letter of the First Word In The Titles Matches Your Initials. AMSTERDAM (MCEWAN) AND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN (GIBBONS) A.V.
20 Points
1. MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Rhiannon's Task – Choose and Read a Book by an Author That Shares the Same Birthday as you. Month and Date. OPIUM (COCTEAU) JULY 5TH
2. ROOKIE OF THE SEASON – Tina’s Task - June 6 is the Anniversary of D-Day - Read a Book that Takes Place During WWII. EYE OF THE NEEDLE (FOLLETT) OR SARAH’S KEY (DE ROSNAY) OR LEARNING TO BREATHE (WHITE)
25 Points
1. Jessica IL’s Task – Paying Homage - Read A Classic Novel Or Play And Then Read A Modern Novel That Reinterprets That Story Or The Characters In It. ROMEO AND JULIET (SHAKESPEARE) AND JULIE AND ROMEO (RAY)
2. Ashley ID's Task - Read a Dystopian novel...for this task you would read a book about a dystopian/totalitarian government; or a novel where the government creates a dystopian society. WE (ZAMYATIN)
3. Cait's Task - In honor of our Mod Squad, read 2 books - one from Lori's (the TNBBC Mod's) shelf and one from Cynthia (the Seasonal Challenge Mod's) shelf - by an author you've never read before. The book can be on their TBR or Read shelves. THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (ALAN) – CYNTHIA AND HEART OF DARKNESS (CONRAD) - LORI
4. Amy MA's Task - The Birthstones for June, July and August are Pearl, Ruby and Peridot. Read a Book Where One of These Stones is Named in the Title or is Part of the Author's Name. FAR ABOVE RUBIES (POLANSKY) OR (HANKO)
5. Beth MN's Task - Read two books (no audio) from the adult genre of your choice (no YA or children's fiction) with over 555 pages each. THE GLASS BEAD GAME (HESSE) AND A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE (TOLTZ) or OUTLANDER (GABALDON)
6. Sharon's Task - Edinburgh International Festival - In honor of this annual summer festival that's held in the capital city of the country where Sharon lives...Read a Fiction or Non-Fiction book that takes place in or is about the capital city of the country you live in. However, if you are a US resident you need to read a book that takes place in or is about the State Capital of the state you currently live in. BLAZE (BACHMAN) BOSTON
7. Bonnie's Task - Read a Book with 900+ pages. THE EXECUTIONER’S SONG (MAILER) OR THE HISTORIAN (KOSTOVA) OR THE MERLIN TRILOGY (STEWART)
8. Angela IL's Task - Read 2 Books by 2 Different Goodreads Authors. WATER WITCHES (BOHJALIAN) AND NEVERWHERE (GAIMAN)
9. April's Task - Reading Through The Ages: Read a book first published in the 1800s, a book first published in the 1900s, and a book first published in the 2000s WITNESS AT THE WEDDING (BRETT) 1ST PUBLISHED 2005...done; THE STRANGER (CAMUS) 1ST PUBLISHED 1946; TURN OF THE SCREW (JAMES) 1ST PUBLISHED 1898
10. Kristina GA's Task - Read A Book About A Secret Society And Post A Little Review About It. It Could Be Fiction Or Non-Fiction. THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY (CHRISTIE)
30 Point Tasks
1. Donna Jo's Task - Read A Biographical Fiction Book & An Autobiography/Biography About That Person. CHANG AND ENG (STRAUSS) AND DUET FOR A LIFETIME (HUNTER)
2. Sandy's Task – In Honor of Lucille Ball's B-Day (Aug 6, 1911) and My Favorite TV Show I Love Lucy Read Two Books with Main Characters Whose Names are Lucy, Ricky, Fred or Ethel, or A Variation Of Any Of Those Names. Both Books Can Have The Same Name Or It Can Be Different. LUCY (FELDMAN) or TURTLE MOON (HOFFMAN) AND 4.50 FROM PADDINTON (CHRISTIE)
Lucy= Lucille, Lucila, Lucia, Lucina, Lucette, Luc, Luciana, Lucie, Luce and Lucinda
Ricky= Ricardo, Richard, Rick, Dick, Richie, Ricki, Rikki, Ricarda
Fred= Frederick, Freddy, Freddie, Fredericka, Freda,
Ethel= Ethelda, Etel, Ethelene, Ethelyn
3. Wendy's Task - Summer Peace Accord- Read 2 Books…
• One Book With A Positive Muslim, Islamic, Or Arabic Protagonist PEOPLE OF THE BOOK (BROOKS)...done
• And One Book with a Positive Jewish, Israeli or Zionist Character. NIGHT (WIESEL)
4. BJ Rose’s Task - In Honor Of U.S. Independence Day - Read A Biography (Not An Autobiography) Of A U.S. President Who Either Was Born Or Who Died During Summer. The book must be at least 300 pages. JOHN ADAMS (MCCULLOUGH)
• Born In Summer - John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Harrison, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Clark Hoover, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Gerald Rudolph Ford, George Herbert Walker Bush, William Jefferson (Bill) Clinton, George Walker Bush, Barack Hussein Obama
• Died In Summer - Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Monroe, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, James Knox Polk, Zachary Taylor, Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, Warren G. Harding, Ronald W. Reagan
5. Kristen IL's Task - In Celebration of Young Adult Librarians Everywhere…Read Three YA Books. WINTERGIRLS...done AND CHAIN...done (ANDERSON) AND
6. Bridgit’s Task - Read a Compilation of Short Stories or Essays...it can't be a book with a collection of short stories all written by the same author. Then Choose One Of The Authors Included In The Compilation That You Have NEVER Read Before, And Read A Stand-Alone Book Of Theirs. (Not another Short Story).
7. Kristenr’s Task – Read a Book First Published the Year Your Father Was Born, and a Book First Published the Year You Were Born. LAUGHING BOY (LAFARGE) AND A SEVERED HEAD (MURDOCH)...partial read
8. Leora’s Task – Pick and Read 2 Books From The '1001 Books To Read Before You Die' List. http://www.listology.com/list/1001-books... THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (HADDON)...done AND THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE (SPARK)...and mostly done
9. Lizzi’s Task – Judge a Book by Its Cover. Select a Book Only Because You Love the Cover, And Post a Picture or a Link So We Can See the Cover When You're Finished. MS HEMPEL CHRONICLES (BYNUM)...done
10. Rora’s Task – Read A Nominee Or Winner Of The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award From 1971-1991. http://www.mythsoc.org/awards/fantasy/ THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER (MURPHY) NOMINEE 1990...done
50 Point Mid-Way Task
1. PENDING
Monday, June 15, 2009
Third Time's A Charm...
after 21 days of nervous anticipation the baby chicks are cracking out! So very exciting considering the first dozen produced six, but only three survived (two whites and an araucana named Chester) and the second dozen and a half produced none, zero, pizzenzinenda or some such phrase Nana used to throw out when there was "less than nothin'." Especially heartwarming since the fox caught another one of the mama birds over the weekend and put a whole new spin on the visual "running around like a chicken with its head cut off"... Happy Birthday Chickers !!!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Bonnie Jean...
(Carl, Me, Bonnie & Vincent 1967) (5th grade autograph book 1972) (Boston Harbor 1976)
my bestest friend in Elementary and Middle school, turns 47 years old today. She and I were inseparable and as opposite as could be: Bonnie was strawberry blonde, blue eyed and freckled face with long skinny legs. She had an older sister, Lorna and an older brother, Carl, who I crushed on for most of my adolsescence. Her parents, Big Carl and Pam were two of my favorite adults and to this day some of my most cherished memories are of times spent with the Strouts. Bonnie lived in the red cape house with the white trim three houses down and across the street on Pearl Road. Lorna and Bonnie shared a room with two twin beds, but when her brother was over a friend's house Bonnie and I would sleep in his double bed and climb out his window onto the roof of the sun porch to soak up as much sun as possible - in 1973 it was all about baby oil and roof shingle reflection. When the tall ships came to Boston during the Bicentennial, Bonnie got so sunburned from being on Uncle Bobbie's boat that she couldn't go outside for a week. Pam was always baking or sewing at her sewing machine in front of the window down the hall upstairs or dying her own wool to hand hook rugs that she designed. Working on refurbished Corvettes in the driveway, going for rides in old convertibles always with the top down, hanging on the back of motorcycles or dirtbikes around Lynn reservoir and snowmobiling on the same res during winter were a part of everyday life except that one winter when the belt from the snowmobile snapped and broke Bonnie's leg leaving her in a full leg cast and sleeping on a cot in the front dining room for what seemed like an eternity. She and I would ride our bikes or roller skate around Indian Valley and we could name every family that lived in every one of the 70 or so houses occupied at the time. One day we found an old shack in the woods at the very top of the Valley and there was this old guy who lived there who was sitting in a rocking chair wearing a bathrobe and nothing underneath. We never went back. She was so nervous on the first day of seventh grade (I was in eighth) that she threw up and I didn't get out of the way fast enough. That afternoon, we hid under the pine tree across the street from my house while I smoked a pilfered cigarette and swore her not to tell. We picked wild blueberries every summer and took first-day-of-school pictures every fall straight through high school - even when our paths had gone in two different directions. We trick-or-treated on Halloween as kids and partied on Halloween at Clark when she came for a visit. When I called to ask her to be one of my bridesmaids she said that she couldn't because she had already booked the church and the hall for the same date for her wedding. She's married now with two daughters and a son. She lives up the street from her parents and also from her brother and she shares a backyard with her sister. I've been back to our neighborhood maybe a dozen times in twenty years. We still send each other Christmas cards. Her dad once told her ours was a friendship she would always remember. Forty years later, I couldn't agree more.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Catch-Up with Relish...
Vooch earned an A in Algebra II (and he said he couldn't do math, sure...) and is now ready to take the next step in his five year journey and what does he say last night with a smile on his face? "I don't think I want to go to nursing school." Gotta love this guy.
I completed my Spring reading Challenge in record time and am now attempting to complete the Summer Challenge (yeah, right) along with taking a Fitness and Wellness class, hatching a dozen - more - chicken eggs, steeping lemon skins for the best limoncello* this side of Italy, still deciding if I want to put up the amazing brushed nickel door knobs on my kitchen cabinets (I know, I know, I started this project two years ago), completing my yearly billing par usual (relax, two months down only ten to go), debating with my felines and watching my tomatoes grow with perfectly pedicured piggies in polished peony pink.
J has just about wrapped up her semester before heading off to camp as a nurse counselor for young girls living with diabetes and has filled the house with laundry, a turtle, clothes, undiagnosed tachycardic episodes, laundry, girlfriends new and old, and clothes. Man, this camp and these girls have no idea what a gift they have landed.
J has just about wrapped up her semester before heading off to camp as a nurse counselor for young girls living with diabetes and has filled the house with laundry, a turtle, clothes, undiagnosed tachycardic episodes, laundry, girlfriends new and old, and clothes. Man, this camp and these girls have no idea what a gift they have landed.
R has been invited to join her academic adviser's research team heading to Argentina - all expenses paid. We are all mucho excited peppered with the realism that Dr. H advised her to bring a sleeping bag good to 30 degrees below zero. Puts a whole new twist on warm summer days and crisp cool evenings for sleeping. Keeping my fingers crossed that it actually happens. I couldn't be any more proud of this Woman - she has worked her butt off for the past five years and she is sooo ready for this well-deserved honor.
S is now an official YMCA camp counselor with an assignment 5 miles from our house - what an incredible first job, which she landed all on her own with a wee bit of help from a six year old who said to the hiring manager after the third interview something on the lines of "can that lady come back? she's fresh." Lots of mosquitoes (hmmmm) and many little kids - RIGHT up her alley. She continues to amaze me with her determination: four proms with four friends at three schools in two gowns and one impressive school year: academic achievement in history, recognition for excellence in chemistry (which has driven her just short of mad) and recognition in theology. Not bad for a kid who in first grade almost had me convinced that l.m.n.o.p. was one letter.
Pap continues to share his life stories - over, and over, and over. God Bless Nana, she's my favorite puzzle partner, gardening buddy, errand-running sidekick and partner in crime - can y'all say lobstahs???...
*Limoncello
*Limoncello
- 15-20 lemons - clean, unwaxed with nice plump skins. The skins should give off a lemon sent, don't get ones that don't smell heavenly. And try to get organic fresh lemons when you can.
- 2 (750-ml) bottles 80-proof vodka. The cheaper the better.
- 2 to 3 cups of water
- 2 to 4 cups sugar (a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water makes a classic simple syrup, but use more sugar if you want yours a little thicker or sweeter)
For this recipe you also need a large (2-3 litre) glass jar with a sealed lid. The jar should be washed and rinsed very well or sterilized. You don't want anything in your limoncello but what you put there.
Step 1: lemon in alcohol- Wash and dry the lemons. Only use the ones without blemished peels or pare off any spots and the stems/ends.
- Remove the peel from the lemons with a sharp peeler or fine grater/zester, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith. If you choose to peel your lemons, please note that if any white pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off. If you get any of the white part in the batch, the limoncello will be bitter and you don't want that!
- Put the peels in a glass jar and add the vodka leaving at least two inches below the top rim. Seal tightly.
- Leave the lemons to steep in the jar in a cool, dark place (in the corner of the kitchen in a brown paper bag works too) until the peels lose their color, at least 2 weeks. Two to three times a day swirl the peels around in the jar to mix up the oils in the alcohol and check out your brew.
- Put the water and sugar in a saucepan, stir and slowly heat until it turns clear and all the sugar is dissolved completely. Let the syrup cool.
- Put the cooled syrup in the jar with the lemons (you might have to divide the batch into two jars at this point, depending on the size of your jar).
- Put the jars back in the closet for at least two weeks. Longer is fine too.
Step 3: strain and bottle
- Strain out the lemon peels through a coffee filter or cheesecloth and pour the limoncello into another container. Press down to remove all the vodka and oils that you can from the peels before tossing them in the trash.
- Stir the liquid with a clean plastic or wooden spoon.
- Put the liqueur in clean bottles, seal tightly and leave the finished bottles for at least 1 week before using.
For best flavor and drinking it straight, store the limoncello in your freezer. It shouldn't freeze because of how much alcohol is in it.
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