Waxing Poetically about my latest book find…

I am such a sucker for books.  I scaled back on purchases for me because I decided with a bookcase of 100+ books to read, I needed to stop and read what I have.  But I haven’t been able to do that with children’s books.  I love them!  And I love buying them for the kids.  I buy new and used – doesn’t matter, as long as they’re in good shape.  I got these at the Good Cents Children’s Shop in Geneva.  For a used book – they’re a bit pricey, but they have a huge selection and the books are in great shape.

I should clarify:  Morning Glory Monday and Archaelogists Dig For Clues were on the sale rack at the Geneva Public Library – so that was like $1.50 for both (practically brand new, both of them – I should shop in the swank libraries more often).  And the Cupcake book is actually a coloring book I bought brand new at Good Cents Children.  Have any of you read The Bake Shop Ghost?  What a great book – I’ve checked it out from our public library before.  Cora Lee Merriweather, a ghost who inhabits her former bake shop and keeps driving out renters until this one lady, Annie, finally stands up to her.  The bake shop ghost says that she won’t leave the shop until someone bakes her something that will make her cry with delight.  Annie bakes and bakes but Cora Lee says “nope”.  Finally, Annie goes to the library and does some research.  The next night, when Cora Lee shows up, Annie presents her with a two layer chocolate layer cake with buttercream frosting and  ”Happy Birthday Cora Lee”  with red rosettes.  Cora Lee said “How did you know?”, her eyes brimming with tears.  And Annie says:  ”Today is your 100th birthday, and you grew up as an orphan.  Who ever makes cake for the baker?”  After eating her cake, Cora Lee says she will go, but Annie wants her to stay and names her new bake shop “Washington and Merriweather”.   Cora Lee stays and they coexist happily together.  Very sweet!

I got some classics that we’ve read from the library (the Ezra Jack Keats books) and I couldn’t pass up the Tasha Tudor book even though Lainie is too old for it.  And the fables book is illustrated by Arnold Lobel, of Frog and Toad fame!  And there’s a book by Mary Ann Hoberman – my sister-in-law gave Cole a book that was a discard from the library at the school she taught named How Do I Go? that both kids have loved.

Thanks to all of you who commented about Cole’s surgery!  We made it to the hospital at 6:00 a.m., and he had the surgery around 8:00 a.m. — they didn’t even have to put in an IV as he did well with the sedation he was given.  He’s got cotton packed in on one side of his nose that has to stay there until Monday and tape all around the nose, which is driving him nuts.  But other than that, he’s doing good.  Next up in August:  Lainie’s tonsils and adenoids are going to be removed!   I’m dreading that!

It’s a beautiful day, we’re watching my brother-in-law’s 2 dogs this weekend, Craig is recording music at NIU and the kids are bowling with Grams.  I’m off to the gym!

Jelly!

6 half pints of red currant jelly made by yours truly.  I would have more but I grew tired of the straining (I’ve got to research the best way to strain these little berries) and then I didn’t use all of the jelly in the pan.  It looked like it was starting to jell and I thought:  will this set right? 

I now understand why currant jelly is so expensive.  Currant berries are TINY and it takes a boatload before you have a decent amount.  You have to pick them, then mash them, boil them, strain, add cups and cups of sugar, boil, add liquid pectin, skim foam off the top and bing!  Jelly.  I would imagine that grapes would be easier to make jelly from because they are so much bigger and therefore have more juice.

Cole is having surgery tomorrow to fix his fractured nose.  We have to be at the hospital at 6:00 a.m.!  It’s going to be a long day…

And now I’m off to do laundry.

Back Home

We got home today from VA-KAY.  It went as follows:

1.  A week ago Friday – drive to PA., see Pirates game, drive to Chalkville, PA.

2. Sat. – Whitewater raft (Craig/Cole) &  bike along the river (me/Lainie) at OhioPyle National Park (beautiful).

3. Drive to Washington D.C., take Cole to the emergency room for a fractured nose at 11:00 p.m., go to the Smithsonian Museum of American History

4. Monday – Craig gets a reckless speeding ticket in VA for going 20 over on the way to Kitty Hawk, NC.  Unknown at this point if we can pay the ticket or he has to go to court in VA.

5.  Stay at Kitty Hawk for 3+ days, have a great time.

6.  Thursday/Friday-Drive through the Appalachians to Kentucky.  Car starts acting funny and we rolled into Florence, KY to a Saturn dealership.  Left 4 hours later with a new catalytic converter – $1,400.00.  Ouch. 

7.  Go to see Reds play, then drive home 6 hours rolling into my m-i-l’s at 3:30 a.m. — we had no key to get into the house because the neighbor had it.

I’m trying to stay positive about the whole thing.  You know, good parts, bad parts.  One of the nice things about vacation is that it allows you to clear your head of the everyday monotony  and think about the stuff you haven’t been doing but want to.  I feel like I”m making New Year’s resolutions all over again:  blog more, list more markers for sale, keep a to-do list and actually do the things on them (very helpful with my memory loss), cook more, etc. etc.

I didn’t knit much on the trip (GASP).  I worked on a cross stitch santa ornament and tried to finish some blanket squares I’m making for the Pine Ridge Reservation group on ravelry.

Off to get a shower and go to dinner/movie with Craig.  We both need a break from the kids!