- What I've Been Reading -
I finished up my reading of Jimmy Buffett: A Pirate Looks at Fifty. Let me say, first, that I am no Parrothead. However, I think I knew lots of folks who might have been during my younger days. I've always had the impression that Buffett was a free spirit, a sort of ne'er-do-well, a guy who just floats through life with no responsibility and who is just looking for a good time. Yet, this text sort of blew that concept out of the water for me.
It does seem that Buffett was sort of a free spirit and went down the road of Bad Boy for a while. I sort of got the impression that his wife, Jane, must have pushed him toward the more responsible life or, maybe it was them having children that nudged him in that direction. At any rate, this story of looking back at a month vacation to celebrate his fiftieth birthday made me see that at that stage of his life - and probably beforehand as well - convinced me that he was not just the free spirit floating along that he wanted everybody to believe he was.
It was sort of like listening to an old friend about his life and hearing about how different people and experiences influenced him and how he changed over the course of his life. Buffett is a great storyteller. His music fans could probably have all told me that as his stories all seem to tell a story. The book is sort a mish-mash of travelogue, reminiscences, and history. Many of the chapters started with a few lines from one of his songs. So, I would click over and listen to the song before reading the chapter. That convinced me that Buffett was more philosophical as well as a meticulous planner who coordinated planes and hotels and all sorts of things to make the vacation work out.
I think that what sticks with me most is that Buffett really probably could have been an English professor. It was really an oversight on our part not to recognize his intelligence and love of books and unique philosophical writing. Maybe I will read something else about this fellow to learn more and appreciate more about him!
I started a couple of other books this week. A light read, Snowed In by Catherine Walsh. It is an age old story with a bit of a twist. A couple who grew up together bump into one another and agree to go home to family Christmas celebrations and fake being one another's date. It is entertaining and easy to read. I also read a short story by Kristy Woodson Harvey, Leave it Up to Love. It was an Amazon Prime freebie this month. I like those freebie choices as a way to try out an author or read a book that one might not want to buy. I also started The Pursued by Corey Mead. It is a true story about a stalker in the heartland of Kansas. I must be honest, knowing it is a true story is not really a plus for me. Maybe it is that we have watched too much suspense on the television lately, but I have a hard time reading this one right before bed and then falling right off to sleep!
I do love reading using my Kindle or Libby app. However, every now and again I wish I had the physical book to loan out to somebody else.
- What I've Been Loving -
I visited with my son and his family this week. I always love spending time with the grandchildren and letting them teach me about the world and them allowing me to show them a little piece of it as well. When I arrived for my visit, I went straight to the gym where the granddaughter, Linley, was playing basketball. This is something she really enjoys with her little competitive spirit. Of course, it certainly fit right into my competitive edge as well.
Her group was separated into three teams and two teams would play one another for a few minutes while the other team watched. Then, one of the teams would rotate off the floor to rest and get water while the other two teams played one another and so on. As soon as it was her team's turn to catch their breath, she came over and gave me a hug and showed me the strawberry on her knee that she had just earned while diving for the ball. Then, it was back to the team and prepping for the next rotation. She stole the ball a few times and dribbled it down the court to her team's goal, she scored a couple of baskets, and she did some boxing out - a skill she and her dad had worked on the week before. After a while, the coach/teacher worked with them on skills like stealing the ball and a much harder concept of learning to pivot on one foot.
When we got to their house, we trekked down to the barn to feed their lambs and I learned all about their personalities and eating habits. I also got to observe both Linley and her brother, Harris, driving the go-cart. Look out Mario Andretti!
I learned about school, their friends, and how a couple of girls followed Harris and his buddy around Urban Air when they were at a birthday party. He and his buddy were "Hot Guy 1 and Hot Guy 2." When we asked which was who, of course, we learned that Harris was #1 but he did admit that if his buddy told the story, he probably claimed that title and pushed the other off on Harris.
While Harris showered, Linley and I worked on her homework. She read me a story and we discussed it and she answered questions using complete sentences. She was amazed that the questions I asked at paragraph breaks were also the questions that she had to answer with complete sentences. She told me that I, "may as well be a teacher."
Then, we played a Guess In 10 game. Linley asked if I wanted to play the animal version or the space version. Knowing that she has been focused on learning about the planets lately, I chose the animal version in hopes of having a fighting chance at winning a time or two. She informed me as we were getting started that she is also an "Animal Expert," so, I knew then that I probably would not fare well. It was great fun to hear the questions she asked and to get the clues she would give me. In the end, though, she truly was the animal expert, of course.
I also sneaked snapshot of a sign that Linley had posted on her bedroom door. It just screamed little sister. I don't know where the handout came from but her personalization of it was priceless. No Boys! Yet, at school recess, she generally is running and ripping and playing football with the boys. I guess that rule just applies at home with the boy there. Notice that there is a bold underline informing the masses at their house No busting in Brother.
- What I've Been Working On -
I'm gearing up for a few sewing projects. I'm going to recover an ottoman that is in my bedroom. The upholstery guy is working to recover the chair that I inherited from my Granny. So, I'm going to make the ottoman match the new upholstery. I had to order extra fabric because the guy ran out before getting the seat cushion covered. So, I had to do some online searching to find matching fabric. Fingers crossed that what I found is a match.
I absolutely love the paisley fabric that will cover the chair. It is a few yards that I picked up years ago at a store called Sirs that burned almost a decade ago. It was a place that we all loved to visit and was a wonderful resource for folks who stitched or who were decorating or redecorating. I still miss it terribly. Yet, I still have a few flat folds and remnants that I purchased there and they are great for projects. When I bought the nice linen fabric, I had planned to make some drapes. I changed my mind and used a different bundle that also came from there. I guess you could say that if you only buy something that you really love, it will always work in your home. I think this is going to be a fabulous accent chair and with the colors in the fabric - blues and tans - I could use it in any room in my house. I will share a reveal when I get it back here. I hope Granny would approve.
My son also has a chair that needs a repair. It will be a simple project, I think. It will just be a simple director's chair type back. I ordered heavy duty needles, though, to stitch that up. I have a couple of other sewing projects waiting in the wings. So, I hope these two go smoothly.
I've started the transition from winter and Valentines to spring accents. The wind is still blustery and makes the temperature feel like something cooler but I know that it won't be long till all the days are warm and getting warmer. I hope the breezes blow in something nice for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment