My Reading Blog

The sunrise glistening through the trees.  The headlines last week predicted ICE/SLEET/FREEZING RAIN/SNOW.  BE PREPARED. Hubby (along with the rest of our area) went to the gas station to get gas for generator and fill a propane tank.  The lines were endless.  You couldn't find a parking place at the grocery stores.  Those of us who experienced the ice storm of 2009 were frantic to get prepared. The day of the anticipated ice storm, it rain, snowed, accumulated on the trees.  But no power outages, no snapping of branches and little if any damage.  People stayed home and waited. The day after, this is the beauty that we viewed from our windows and during our walk.  We are grateful that we were on the very edge of the storm, and we pray for all those who received the brunt of the storm. The weight of ice on the pine tree. Ice melting then freezing and creating tiny icicles. Trees covered with ice trying to absorb the warmth o...

Goodreads Summary:  " Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn’t stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict.” Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town—and the family—Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared fo...

As I alluded to last week, my map reading skills are in need of improvement (I think the GPS spoiled me).  Before our next trip by car to unknown places, I'm going to check the local college to see if they have a class on Map Reading 101 (and I think Hubby would wholeheartedly agree). I look at the map and think to myself that I know exactly where we are at and then something happens.  I say that we need to turn left, but really it's to the right.  So I turn the map around so that it's going in the same direction I am and then my lefts and rights are correct.  Hubby just shakes his head and can't figure out how I know where we're at. During our trip, he went so far as to write out exactly which roads that we needed to take and if it was left or right.  I did manage to follow those directions.   I really don't think it's just me.  The road signs leave a lot to be desired - we would see a sign that would direct us to a certain road, but never see...

va.ca.tion 1: a respite or a time of respite from something; 3: a period spent away from home in travel or recreation Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?  And, for the most part it was, but let me share some of our ups and downs during our week of respite. Planning - where shall we go?  what shall we do?  should we fly or drive?  how long will we be away? Preparation - searching for the right flights, and then hotels - when will we be there - one night or two; reserve a rental car; confirm our stay with my Aunt. Anticipation - what will the weather be like, will we need jeans and sweaters or shorts and tees.  Don't pack too much, but how much is enough - only taking carry-on luggage.  Put the liquids in a baggy.  Camera, phones, chargers, Kindle, more chargers, money, charge cards.... The day arrives - sunny and nice at Branson... but then we watch the weather channel - Atlanta has bad weather.  The plane arrives, we board, the pilot backs o...