Plants + Good Food + Books = Happy

Check out my new kitchen window!  From L-R, we have: marigolds, Joe’s shamrock named Paddy, g-pa’s plant, and marigolds again.  Don’t worry — you’re not missing anything.  The marigolds are merely seeds.

I got a plantable bookmark at a work conference recently and I needed to get the marigolds started.  I also wanted to re-plant a spinoff that my mom had given me, so during my Saturday night grocery adventures, I bought two new pots.  My mom had been keeping it since my g-pa’s funeral in March of 2000.  I am so thankful I have a part of it now, especially because I was in Europe when he died and I’ve always felt like we never got a proper goodbye.  So now, each morning, the plant and I can have a good morning hello.  I am pleased as punch.  G-pa would have approved of the colbalt blue, too.

The bookmark was pretty cool — I’d never seen anything like it before.  I hope it works! Since my gerbera daisies died a horrid death (cause TBD, but I think it was dehydration), the mailbox bed looks barren.  I may put these out there if they do well.

Do you ever have one of those days where everything seems to go swimmingly?  Where all is well in your world?  It seems like for me days like that have been few and far between lately, but I’ll TAKE it!  Hopefully this is the first of many this summer.  I feel good, I have healthy food to eat, the weather is gorgeous but not too hot, the dogs are behaving not acting too ridiculous…

So yeah, today has been pretty flippin’ sweet.  I met with my book club this afternoon to discuss Crazy Love and had a great time.  I had been looking forward to it because it was a very poignant book to read, and I was able to gain some insight from the other ladies there and their experiences.  If you have time, check it out.

In other random news…

In my crockpot right now, I have the Crockpot Lady’s recipe for Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup.  It smells heavenly and I hope dinner is wonderful.  If there was a soup out there with balsamic vinegar as an ingredient, you KNOW I had to try it, right?  We’ll see how it turns out; I am very optimistic.

AND – this morning I tried Baked Apple Oatmeal that I found on Leslie’s blog. They say you should make chocolate chip cookies for a showing if you’re trying to sell your house, but I think when it comes time to move, I will make this.  I used 2 pink lady apples.  Definitely worth making again!

So maybe I’m not as bad at the cooking thing as I initially thought.  It just takes a lot for me to step out of my comfort zone.  And if there’s a day to do it, today’s the one.  I am a whirling dervish of domesticity and sunshine right now.  Weeee!

It’s the thought that counts, right?

Oh man.  Dinner did not go AT ALL as expected yesterday.

I got home around 5, thinking the dough would be ready for pizza.  I’d been trying to get a hold of the hubz all afternoon, but his phone was dead.  No dough.  There was nothing even started, and not enough leftover sauce to use.  No yeast, either.  EPIC PIZZA FAIL.  When I went to let the dogs out, I realized they had destroyed the bathroom trash.  Lovely.

This is when panic set in.  I was supposed to have dinner to them around 5:30.  I figured if I could stretch it to 6 I could come up with something.  So I called and asked if it was ok if I was late and they said “Sure no problem!”  It’s a 20 minute drive and I had exactly 40 minutes to come up with something edible.  I felt like the guy on Dinner Impossible.

There was no time for pizza.  I (literally) wanted to have a meltdown and cry.  I almost did, in fact.  Instead, I gathered myself and took inventory of my (very bleak) situation.

1. I don’t cook well.

2. Nothing is thawed.

3. I don’t have time to go to the store.

4. I can barely follow recipes, let alone make them up!  The first time I made boxed mac n cheese, I poured the cheese in before draining the water for crying out loud.  And then I cried.

5. I can’t afford fast food for 4.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

After rooting around for a few minutes, I dug some chicken breasts out of the fridge that we’d grilled last night and saved.  I found a packet of stir fry sauce in the back of the lazy susan.  Stir fry!  I can do stir fry!  I boiled some water and threw in the last of the box of pasta from my pasta salad Memorial Day adventures.  I cut up the chicken and threw it in a pan.  Heated it with the sauce and added some EVOO and garlic.  I found some frozen vegetables in the freezer — all is not lost.

After a few minutes of tossing everything together in the pan (by this time it was 5:27), I tasted the broccoli.  ICE COLD FROZEN.

crapcrapcrapcrapcrap

I cranked the heat and prayed.  Then I threw everything into a big bowl and microwaved it for 3 minutes.  After stirring it all together, I tasted it again.  It wasn’t bad!  And it was warm.  Steaming, in fact.

So, I dumped it all into a serving dish, covered it with cellophane, grabbed my keys, and ran out the door.  Joe had just come home as I was running outside — he had NO idea what was happening.

This will be a story for the grandkids.  “Remember when granny had to cook and she almost had a nervous breakdown?!”

At 5:51, I pulled up in the driveway, rang the bell and presented my pasta chicken stir fry thingey with pride.  The lady of the house thanked me profusely, then mentioned that they were on their way to her 5 year old’s kindergarten graduation so they’d probably eat my dinner tomorrow.

This is where my face fell to the floor.  But she couldn’t have possibly known about my dinnercapades.  She said “Oh it looks great!”

It’s the thought that counts, right?

Pizza Friday

Today is a good day, taters!  It’s Friday, it’s Payday, and it’s been a short week.  We usually do homemade pizza on Fridays, which is my absolute FAVORITE treat.  We’ve been busy lately, so we haven’t had a Pizza Friday in a while.  Tonight should be even extra special, because I think we have some leftover beer from our cookout.  Beer and pizza?  Sign me up.

Tonight is also important because we’re sharing our homemade pizza with some special folks.  We are taking dinner to some church friends of ours.  They have two kids, 3 and 5, and the husband is losing his mother to stage 4 lung cancer; they just found out about it 3 short weeks ago.  She is leaving the hospital today to stay with them in her final days as comfortably as she can.  He just lost his dad April 1 to a terminal illness.  Cancer sucks.  Life is not fair.  If you are the praying type, please remember Barb.

I feel horrible for their suffering, but I am glad we are able to help in some way.  This is the first time we’ve done dinner for them and I hope it’s not the last.  It’s the last day of school at Lake Hillknob, and rather than running the halls screaming that he’s done with teenagers for the summer, my wonderful hubby is making pizza dough and sauce from scratch, mowing at church, waiting for me to get home, and then delivering dinner to the O family.  He is always thinking of others.  ♥

P.S. If you’re curious, this is where my Faithful Friday post inspiration comes from.  I changed the name slightly, but it’s the same idea.  :D  Also, here is my original FF post.

P.P.S. I forgot to mention – I started couch to 5k last night, so I came home after my run/walk sweating as if I’d gone swimming.  All the neighborhood kids on bikes were  pedaling with me as I ran and their eyes said “That lady sure is breathing hard!” I said “Oh, I didn’t realize how much 20 pounds adds stress to your knees!”  Joe said “No way!”  He was either pretending he hadn’t noticed I’d gained 20 pounds, or really hadn’t noticed I’d gained 20 pounds.  I think I’ll keep him.

Blogger Giveaway!

I found Emily’s parenting blog from a link on Matt’s and I love her hilarious stories.  If you’re in the mood for a laugh, read her House Hunters Part 1 and Part 2 posts.  I have not rolled on the floor that much in a long time.  She has the same thoughts I do regarding the folks complaining about “entertaining space” and “stainless steel appliances” AKA the olive green of the 2000s.  Erin has some funny HGTV musings as well.

Anyway, today Emily has a giveaway going on — The Go Girl. It’s a device to help women pee standing up.  Check it out!

Friends, I think I am in love.  I want one so badly.  If I don’t win, I might just have to order one.  Or fifteen.

You all know how frequently I pee.  I even went so far as to move my desk at the office closer to the bathroom.  It’s been glorious to only have to walk 2 steps away!

Thought you might like to read this, too.  Here’s my Go Girl pee entry story:

The strangest place I had to pee was in a boat, ironically. I was taking sailing lessons as a young teen (my parents idea to build character) and I was stuck in the middle of the lake with a set of twin sisters. They REFUSED to go to shore to let me pee, and we weren’t allowed to go swimming. I begged and begged, but it didn’t work. One of them handed me the bailer (which was an old milk jug with the top cut off) and said to pee in it and then toss it over the side. Well, whoever made the “bailer” must have used a butter knife because the top was incredibly jagged. There wasn’t anyplace to hide, so the creepy girls watched me move my suit to the side and attempt to pee in the stupid thing. It wouldn’t stay still, they weren’t wiling to hold it (obviously) and since we were HORRIBLE sailors, the boat lurched and moved all over the place. I missed. Then they got mad at me for peeing in the boat!! I wanted to cry. Stupid twins.

Some Good News

I know I probably shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, but it is 99.9% certain that Joe has a job this summer.  Some freelance handyman stuff has also come through, so he can do that during his off hours.  Since we have been stressing about this since March, and saving like banshees to plan for a temporary unemployment, we are obviously very excited.  He still doesn’t know what building he’ll be in next school year, but I guess we’ll take what we can get!

Since I eat my feelings, I feel like a huge weight (literally) has been lifted off my shoulders.  It’s been difficult to be alongside someone that is struggling and worrying about their livelihood, which now that we’re married, is my livelihood too.  I realize that may sound selfish, but I have really had difficulty finding a balance between being supportive and worrying excessively.  If I’m not realistic, we may be in trouble, but if I’m a perpetual naysayer, we may also get ourselves into a self-fulfilling prophecy situation — so it’s a catch-22.

I don’t mean to minimize Joe’s struggle in all of this, because I know he has had a difficult time and handles the situation differently than I do.  I just have extreme difficulty dealing with situations that are ENTIRELY out of my control.  I tend to say things I don’t mean and become frustrated and try to control other things, when the proper response would have been to take an hour breather.  My excessive stress does not help my waistline or fix the situation, that’s one thing I’ve learned for sure.

I know a lot of friends have had job difficulties themselves, but I never realized until I found myself smack in the middle of it all how much it affects the “unaffected spouse.”    You’re along for the ride, and for the most part, can’t do anything except fasten your seat belt and hope for the best.  I feel strange thinking that I’d be financially supporting us if something were to happen — I never thought of myself as the breadwinner.  And really, I’m not, but the “role” you think you’re supposed to play certainly comes to mind when your world is turned upside-down.  How to handle it all becomes a full-time job in and of itself.

Anyway, my point is that hard times have the potential to affect a relationship dynamic and it takes (ironically enough) WORK to make it work.  So many nights, instead of arguing over resumes or cover letters or who was hurting more, I wished we had just turned off the TV and went for a walk.  We are learning to do this now, but it took a while to find a balance.

I have definitely learned a lesson.  We need to rely on each other and stick together first and foremost, because without a strong foundation, the unexpected can rip anyone apart.  And really, this can be extended to your family, circle of friends, support system, and community.  I’m not just in it for me anymore (I honestly never was, but sometimes I THOUGHT I was when I was preoccupied with my own dealings — part of the whole transition to being married thing), which is incredibly scary but also incredibly refreshing.  My lightbulb “you are not alone and you never will be” moment did wonders.  When I only thought about what *I* wanted and my own plans, Joe suffered, probably in more ways than I will ever know.

I’m sure all of this is not exactly revolutionary, but I am glad I am finally able to give voice to my previously unspoken thoughts.  I may be uninvolved in the literal sense, but I am just as much entwined as if it were me looking for a job.  And that’s ok.  I never took 5 minutes to let myself feel helpless.  Next time I will.  It’s ok to acknowledge my feelings — I don’t have to be the relationship rock all the time.  It’s ok for my first thought to be “How can I FIX THIS?” but not ok for that to be the first thing I say.  At the same time, it’s important not to forget the ultimate goal, either.  The sunshine and roses of the honeymoon period are certainly over, but each day I am confident we are heading towards someplace better and brighter.  Together.

Office Kitchen Musings

I work in an office of 10-15, depending on who is out of the office that day.  Our kitchen gets a fair amount of use from day to day because most folks pack their lunch.  And about once a week, someone makes a colossal mess and cleans it up halfheartedly.  One coworker went so far as to put a sign on the microwave recently that says “Please cover all dishes.“  I think it should have said “Please clean up your crap before it becomes dried crap” but I kept that to myself.

I’m learning that the unspoken kitchen rules I THOUGHT were universal are not so universal.  Perhaps I should type up a list?

1. If you make popcorn, make sure you have enough to share, because the whole office will want popcorn.  Most importantly – DO NOT BURN IT.  Ever.  Under any circumstances.  If you leave the microwave unattended while making popcorn, you will never live it down.

2. Please don’t microwave tuna anything.  If my leftover chicken tastes like chicken of the sea, you owe me lunch because I’ll lose the first one.

3. Cover your spaghetti/stir fry/anything with sauce that can bubble over with something more substantial than company-issued paper towels.

4. If you don’t like the way someone makes the coffee, for heaven’s sake, don’t drink it.  There are a lot of options here: (a) you can buy your own, (b) you can bring your own from home, (c) you can keep quiet and not be RUDE about it, (d) you can appreciate the FREE COMPANY COFFEE and courtesy of those who make it FOR YOU.  If you’re the first to arrive and you want coffee, please, by all means, make it your way.  Don’t wait until everyone is here, taste the pot that’s been made, spit it out, and then comment loudly that it’s weak.  I promise to roll my eyes extra big behind my big cube walls if you do that.

5. Label what is yours in the fridge and don’t forget to clear out the old stuff from time to time.  If I have to store my lunch in the freezer because of your 6 month old blocks of cheese, I may get a twinge upset.

6. If you put something in the garbage disposal, follow it with a bit of water and RUN the darn thing.  Nothing is worse than singing “Happy Birthday” to someone and anticipating a lovely slice of cake while getting a whif of gunk that’s been sitting in the sink for 3 days.

7. If the dishwasher is dirty and full, run it.  If it’s clean and ready to be emptied, empty it.  There are about 3 of us that trade off keeping tabs.  It’d be nice if we had some help!   Letting stuff pile up in the sink instead is no good.

In other news, in the last week on the “community table” we’ve had up for grabs: almond cake, chocolate chip cookies the size of my head, ice cream cake, donuts (x2 – 1 was my doing…I know, I KNOW), pizza (x2 occasions- 10 pies total), chips, 2 dessert platters, and a partridge in a pear tree I think that’s all.  I think.  With graduation and cookout season in full swing, we have definitely stepped it up a notch!  The office is in the shape of a figure-8, so I think I might have to start taking the long loop way around to avoid the kitchen goodies.  I have absolutely no willpower these days.  Maybe that will help me avoid noticing the dried crap on the microwave.

So….got any good office kitchen stories for me?  Anything to add to my list?

Adventures at the DMV

I realized the day after my birthday that my driver’s license had expired.  I bet you can imagine how thrilled I was, since the DMV is always a circus.  You can’t just “pop in” to take care of something — oh no, it always manages to take up the afternoon and leave you in a foul mood.

I’ve never understood why they surround such renewals and due dates around your birthday.  Because clearly, most everyone else I meet in line is thinking the same thing I am.  The DMV is the absolute LAST place they’d like to be on or near their birthday.  Is it so people remember?  “Happy Birthday!  You owe us $102.73!”  I’d much prefer a 6-month birthday delay schedule so that it was as far away as possible from my actual celebration.  November renewals sound awesome to me.

Oh, and it’s not like the license plate tags that can be renewed by mail.  Noooooo, you have to make an actual appearance, hope that your hair and outfit looks right, and smile at the lady in the jean dress with Dolly Parton hair.  Actually, you think to yourself, she makes the smiling somewhat easier.

The other times I’ve been at the DMV it was for happy occasions, so I didn’t give a rat’s behind how long I had to wait.  When I turned 16 and passed the test, I would have gladly camped out in line.  When I turned 21, I wanted the different color license, making me officially legal at bars.  I had some serious partying to do, so it was the same deal — I could have waited forever in the days before my “real” job.  Heck, I bet I could have made friends and sang kumbaya to keep their spirits up while in line.  But today I joined the ranks of the adult and the bitter, hoping to be in and out in under an hour with minimal fiscal damage.

So off I went.  I got there at 1:30pm and was happy to note that I was only 6th in line.  I forgot my book in the car, and rather than lose my place in line, I read the fun signs they have posted on the walls.  I learned that forged documents would be confiscated and there is a $50 returned check fee.  They ONLY take cash and checks, which, in my opinion, sets them up for some trouble.  I saw no fewer than 3 people turned away for not having cash with them.  One lady left in tears because she didn’t have the right paperwork or any cash.  It’s 2009!  A debit card is a wonderful thing, my antiquated friends!

Another thing they could work on is the form signing regarding insurance.  In the great state of Ohio, car insurance is requred, but you don’t have to PROVE you have it to get your license or tags for your car.  Seems to me they could eliminate a ton of headaches if you had to show proof before you could even get on the road.  But that’s just old logical me blabbing, so I’ll stop.  Buraucracies never seem to follow logic anyway.

After 25 minutes, it was my turn.  The lady was nice enough, asking me all the official questions and even offering an antibacterial wipe for the eye test machine.  The button to activate it is pushed with your FOREHEAD.  Whoever thought that was a good idea??  Even after wiping it down, I still wanted to bathe in bleach.  Luckily I passed.  So, I sign the papers, give them a check, and I’m down to the last stop.  The evil camera.  I don’t know where they get those things, but I don’t think even Ansel Adams could take a shot worth looking at with one.  I fix my hair, smile into the silver ball, and wait the dreaded 2 minutes while I ponder the fate of my picture.  They don’t re-do those things under ANY circumstances, so no matter how glazed over I might look from not sleeping well from my half-body sunburn, I’m stuck until 2013.

After what seems like an eternity, Dolly Parton calls my name.  “Amanda…here you go!”  My head is cocked sideways, but I am otherwise recognizeable and don’t appear to be on drugs.  Victory is mine!

When I leave, there are 15 people in line and it’s almost out the door.  I was in and out in 45 minutes.  I got lucky this time, that’s for sure.

Holiday Success

I think this Memorial Day weekend will be one for the memoirs.  It had all the makings of a great weekend: nice weather, a pedicure, plenty of time for reading, and ample naps.  And the makings of a great Memorial Day: a graduation party, cookout at our house, peonies finally in bloom, and fun at the dog pond.  And finally, all the makings of a memorable weekend: grill fire, singed hair, dog puke, and painful sunburn.  Awesome.

At the height of our party, the burgers were on the grill, I was buzzing around talking to folks and making sure the food was plentiful, and it seemed like everyone was having a great time.  It was much better than the great 2008 New Years party bust, where I vowed never to have a big party again.  I’m glad after a year and a half I finally came around.  So anyway, I look outside and there are three foot high flames shooting up in the air, threatening our (extremely dry) deck and Joe’s head.  Naturally, I worry about the deck first.  Grills make me nervous, ever since my brother-in-law’s bacon grease fireball and our redneck neighbors burning their entire house down after deep frying 3 turkeys (the last one was frozen) on their (also extremely dry) deck.

I didn’t notice until most of the guests had left, but Joe lost half an eyebrow, some eyelashes, and hair on the side of his head.  Singed hair looks downright weird, I’m telling you.  Especially singed ear hair.  Have you ever seen it?  It’s tan colored and curly and just looks bizarre.  I have photo documentation if anyone wants to see it.

Luckily no one was seriously harmed and we only had a few burgers and hot dogs lost along the way, which brings me to my next memorable incident.  I’m hanging around again, and all of a sudden the dog pukes up a WHOLE hot dog onto our nice new floors.  We partly had the party to show off the tile and pergo we put in the entire downstairs, and there she went just fouling it up in front of everyone!  Nothing is more mortifying than talking to your cousin’s husband you don’t know well who doesn’t like dogs and seeing yours yak all over the place.  Well, nothing is more mortifying than that AND THEN hearing the familiar *lurch*hurk*grunt* of, you guessed it….DING!  ROUND 2!  We shuffled the dog outside, cleaned up the mess relatively easily – I am so glad we didn’t have to bust out the carpet cleaner – and went on with the party.  Turns out, those burned hot dogs?  Joe just threw them in the yard and of course the animals were on them like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat.  He said they were too hot to eat initially, so poor Bella wolfed them down and likely burned herself on both trips.

When I learned this, I didn’t feel so bad about the singed hair.  Mental note: hide the Sam Adams until AFTER the food is done next time.  I’m wife of the year, I swear.

And then today we played mixed doubles tennis and this forgetful pasty white girl didn’t wear any sunscreen.  I have never had a sunburn on the back of my knees, but oh my goodness – OUCH.  I never realized how much I sit with my legs/feet under me until this afternoon.  And we only won 1 game.  Double whammy.  So now I’m laying on the couch with my feet extended and I’m thinking how much cuter my pedicured toes would look on an ottoman.  Maybe we’ll venture to Ikea on the next memorable holiday…

Yum

I got this beaut recently and I can’t wait to try it.  Apparently there is a leaf grading system from the Italian Balsamic Taster’s Association (must google) with 4 quality levels.  One leaf is “classic for everyday use” and four leaf is “the highest level with the sweetest and smoothest taste suggested for exclusive recipes.”  They suggest drizzling it over fresh fruit, ice cream (must try!), or parmesan shavings.  This little bottle is a four banger, baby!

However, I was slightly concerned when I read the tag and saw “California Proposition 65 Warning – This product contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defect or other reproductive harm.”  Figures, it was after I got it home.  And obviously, I was left with a few nagging questions.  Only the state of Cali knows that lead causes birth defects?  How does lead get into the vinegar if it’s aged in oak barrels?  And shouldn’t defects have an S on it?  If it tastes good, I guess I won’t hold it against them.  Do pregnant ladies have to avoid good vinegar?  Shame.

I think I will make a caprese salad since it’s been in the 80s here recently.

Caprese Salad - from AllRecipes.com

2 large fresh tomatoes
8oz fresh mozzarella
8-10 basil leaves
3 parts balsamic vinegar : 1 part olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Slice tomatoes and mozzarella; place one slice of mozzarella and a basil leaf on each tomato. Mix vinegar and EVOO together in shallow dish; add tomato slices. Salad tastes best if tomatoes are allowed to rest for ~5 minutes after assembly.

YUM!

I also just realized I didn’t share this picture from my Jungle Jim’s adventure, where I got my previously coveted bottle of balsamic.  It’s been on my camera for a while and I just rediscovered it.  There was a strict NO PHOTOS sign on the door, which seriously intrigued me.  Walking in, I had no idea why folks may want to take pictures.  Then I took a look around.  There were cheese displays the size of Monaco in there!

I managed to snap a picture stealth-mode of the entrance to the bathroom -  it looks like you are going into a real port-a-potty.  Absolutely hilarious!  There are real bathrooms on the inside with tile and paper towels and plumbing.  And a phone booth in between that looks like a velvet Elvis confessional.  I love their sense of humor.

Next time, I”ll try to get one of the locked up vinegar display.

Book Update

I am pulling the plug on Wicked.  I honestly have no idea how it ever made it to Broadway.  The whole thing is just terribly abstract.    The blurb sounded great in theory, but it just didn’t materialize for me.  I quit on page 32, which is really early for me in terms of quitting a book (I know, I KNOW – I probably didn’t give it enough time), but I have so many other good ones awaiting me that it just wasn’t worth my effort.  For the record, I’m not opposed to seeing it on Broadway at all.  I just can’t.make.it.through.the.story.

Right now my main squeeze is The Poisonwood Bible and it’s really great so far.  That sounds strange to say, because not much has happened – the Baptist Missionary family made it to The Congo and set up shop – but I love what I know of Barbara Kingsolver so far and also from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  Her writing is so descriptive and I adore the characters.  This snapshot from Adah kills me: “When I finish reading a book from front to back, I read it back to front.  It is a different book, back to front, and you can learn new things from it.  It from things new learn can you and front to back book different a is it?”  And Leah’s musings on her sister Rachel: “Her full Christian name is Rachel Rebeccah, so she feels free to take after Rebekah, the virgin at the well, who is said in Genesis to be ‘a damsel very fair’ and was offered marriage presents of golden earbobs right off the bat, when Abraham’s servant spied her fetching up the water.  (Since she’s my elder by one year, she claims no relation to the Bible’s poor Rachel, Leah’s younger sister, who had to wait all those years to get married.)”  Wit  like that makes me want to devour a book in an afternoon.

Oh, and the mailman brought me two treats today – not a single bill AND my GoodReads Giveaway Win - Love in Condition Yellow.  It only took a week to get to me and there was a special note inside that was HAND SIGNED (mental note – corporate America is not as soulless as previously thought) by the Marketing Manager requesting a copy of my review when I finish.  You got it, Alyssa.

Here’s a summary of my progress so far on my 2009 ABC Book Challenge, my rating, and some random notes.  I am really excited that I stuck with it and I am on track to finish early.  Woo!

A – American Wife, Curtis Sittenfeld ★★★★ – made me want to read a bio of Laura Bush
B – Beloved, Toni Morrison ★★★
C – Chocolat, Joanne Harris ★★★ – French chocolate WANT
D – The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger ★★★★ – book was good; movie was funnier
E – Emma, Jane Austen ★★★ (((Jane Austen)))
F – Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes★★★★ – changed the way I thought about the mentally challenged
G – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer ★★★★ – favorite on the list so far!
H – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams ★★★ – strange but bad
I – In Her Shoes, Jennifer Weiner ★★★
J – James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl ★★★★
K – Knit Two, Kate Jacobs ★★★★ – better than Friday Night Knitting Club
L – Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Marian Keyes ★★★★ – I will read more Marian Keyes
M – Messenger, Lois Lowry ★★★★
N – The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri ★★★ – strange but good
O – Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, Allan Gurganus – will put on reserve today
P – The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver [currently reading]
Q – The Quality of Life Report, Meghan Daum – on my nightstand
R – The Road, Cormac McCarthy – also on my nightstand
S – Sophie’s Choice, William Styron
T – The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield – really looking forward to this one
U – The Undomestic Goddess, Sophie Kinsella
V – The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenedies – a little wary since I didn’t like Middlesex, but how many books start with V?  Ideas?
W – We Were the Mulvaneys, Joyce Carol Oates
X – Great eXpectations, Charles Dickens
Y – You Suck: A Love Story, Christopher Moore
Z – Z is for Zachariah, Robert O’Brien

What about you?  What are you reading?

P.S. I realized the other day I have more books on GoodReads than I do Facebook friends.  Not surprising!!