Sunday, May 27, 2007

Sunday Stuff



"It must be Sunday. You never could get the hang of Sundays."

--Bookfool's Husband

I have no idea what he meant. I'm perfectly fine on Sundays, really.

Still haven't finished any books, here, but I've been having fun reading. Anyone else having fun?

Husband and eldest son spent the day flooring the hallway, today, so youngest and I drove to the Big City. Yesterday, I refused to go to the Big City because it's Memorial Day weekend and I figured the traffic would be horrendous. Spouse was not happy, but I stuck to my guns, put my foot down, etc. My thought was that today would be a better traffic day because it's a Southern tradition that everyone goes out on the water with a case or ten of beer and about 20 cousins or friends and they all get fried on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Mark my words, there will be a lot of dermatologists benefiting from this weekend in 30 years, when the nasty sunburns turn into skin cancer.

Okay, so any bets on who was right about the traffic? I am smiling. That's your answer. The traffic was so light it was actually pleasant. I only saw one - exactly one - insane, speeding, likely-to-die, flashing-headlights-to-say-"out of my way" driver, today. And, he was truly an idiot; he came close to tragic, high-speed death twice within the time he was visible to me. He also did not get off at the hospital exit, so we know those flashing headlights related to impatience, as opposed to medical emergency.

Anyway, kiddo and I went to Borders, where we discovered that the marked-down bargain books were down to $1 each. Wowee, did I have trouble narrowing down. But, I got myself down to just a tiny little pile of 5 books and kiddo got the last of the Alex Rider series, Ark Angel, from the other discount shelves. Fun.

By then, of course, we were starving. All that book shopping makes a bibliophile ravenous. So, we drove to the north side of town and ate Italian food. The husband called while we were awaiting our orders and said, "You little snot," when I told him I was eating at the good place. At least I didn't abandon him and go to Italy to eat Italian food and take cooking lessons at a freaking villa. Who is the snot, here?

Since I knew I was going to the bookstore, I didn't tuck a book inside my purse. Big mistake, but thank goodness I bought a few. I grabbed Kathy Little Bird by Benedict and Nancy Freedman from the Borders bag and began reading it in the restaurant. I am loving this book and I have a bad feeling I'll have to look up the other two "Mrs. Mike" novels. I used a little restaurant sugar bag as my bookmark because I couldn't find anything else. Which makes me think . . .

What's the weirdest thing you've ever used as a bookmark? I use anything nearby, provided it's dry (tissues and receipts have always been biggies); but, a friend once used a lettuce leaf to mark her place. I still think that is by far the weirdest thing I've ever heard about when it comes to substitute bookmarks.

In other news, I'm having a serious migraine-sufferer's crisis, here. I had a medication-only appointment with my primary physician, since my neurologist cruelly moved to the Gulf Coast and left me high and dry. Guess what? When I made the appointment, the person I spoke to by phone said, "I have an opening on Friday, May 21." I wrote that down on a little post-it pad instead of the calendar and filed away the thought that I had an appointment three weeks from Friday. And, wouldn't you know, the 21st was a Monday. On Wednesday, I realized we'd had a miscommunication and it was too late. I was an unintentional no-show. So, I asked for a refill of the one med I thought I could get by phone. I had to spell the seven-letter drug name four times and, yep, they got it wrong. So, I am currently completely out of medicine that works, my doctor is about to leave town and thinks I'm a no-show (so, like, no way is he going to squeeze me in, now), I have no alternate physician and I've got a migraine that's getting worse each day. Yeesh. It could be a painful couple of weeks, while I wait for the doctor to return from his vacation.

Hugify this and print it out for yourself, if you'd like. I feel like sharing. You'll actually probably have to save it and then resize. It won't hurt, I promise.

Don't tell anyone in Mississippi that I absolutely abhor sweet tea. They're not going to remember to bring it without the sugar, anyway.

Off to read. Happy Sunday!

Bookfool

20 comments:

  1. When I read what your husband said about your being at the Italian restaurant, my first thought was, "Did he not just get back from Italy himself?" and then I saw that you had the same thought in the next sentence. You were definitely not the snot in that scenario. :)

    Also, a lettuce leaf bookmark cracks me up. I, too, use whatever's close at hand. I've used hair bands quite often, or an emery board, but usually receipts, post-its, tissues, a ripped piece of a magazine page, a string or paper clip, heck, I'll stick anything in there.

    So sorry about the migraine situation!

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  2. It sounds like you had a great Sunday, Nancy. Book shopping and Italian food, what could be more perfect? I am sorry though that your migraines are still a problem. They are such nasty beasts. My sinuses have been visiting and making my life miserable, especially the headaches. Not migraine bad, but still miserable making nonetheless.

    Weirdest bookmark . . . I think your friend's lettuce leaf takes the prize. LOL When desperate, I use anything handy from a paperclip (not clipped to the page, but just sitting in the middle), toothpick, receipts, to swatches.

    Have a good Monday, Nancy!

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  3. What a tease! :) I can't see your pictures!!! I can't see Friday's book either, everything else is fine. Grrr. I'm currently using explorer, so I'll try another venue.

    I sure hope you find something/somebody that can help you with your migraine. You can't go weeks without relief!!! That's just not right.

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  4. Anonymous8:32 AM

    I remember hearing of someone who used a strip of bacon for a bookmark. Cooked, presumably.

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  5. Anonymous8:34 AM

    I remember hearing of someone who used a strip of bacon for a bookmark.

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  6. I hope you're having a nice long weekend, Nancy! It's a working Monday in Canada! :(

    Ohhhh, I couldn't sit in the sun all weekend long, a 15 min exposure is all I want or need!

    What's the weirdest thing I have ever used as a book mark? Not so weird maybe but I love using price tags or labels that come with jeans and other garments. They are usually made from nice hard paper, quite pretty and some of them even have nice ribbon or brightly coloured cord...perfect for a book mark I think. Using a lettuce leaf? Now that's going to be very hard to top! I have used q-tips (not used!) on occasion tho'! ;)

    Hope your migraine doesn't get too bad, Nancy, am thinking of ya!

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  7. Poor Bookfool, sorry about your migraine. Try to hold it together.

    Your book shopping trip made me smile, because I just got back from my own. Didn't buy anything, but I read 5 chapters of Michael Chabon's latest (can't wait for the library to get it). Then we went for Indian food.

    You'd have to be crazy to use a lettuce leaf for a bookmark. The moisture! I'm too uptight about my books to use anything but paper for bookmarks. Guess I'm boring that way. I can corroborate the 'bacon as bookmark' story, by the way. I've heard that one too.

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  8. Camille,

    Thank you for that. Hubby still doesn't seem to understand why I felt a bit put out at being left behind while he went to Italy.

    I use post-its to mark my place a lot; I hadn't thought about that. And, ripped paper. But, I'd never stick a lettuce leaf in a book! I should have added that my friend was cooking, at the time. :)

    Wendy,

    We had a really great day. My youngest can spend hours in a bookstore, just like me. Without hubby around to give me the, "Can we go?" look, we were both happy. We brought home leftovers, too. :)

    Sorry your sinuses are bothering you. We all go through sinus misery, now and then, because of the high humidity/pollen but I think most of my headaches are migraines. Everyone's closed, today, but I'll try to harass the doctor into submission, tomorrow. I might bypass the front desk and say, "Have his nurse call me." It doesn't work well to leave messages.

    I don't think I've ever used a paperclip or toothpick. You guys are too fun!

    Thanks. I hope you're having a good Monday!

    Joy,

    I can't imagine why it's happening, but some of my photos aren't showing up. I had to reload the montage of hubby in Italy. I used one of my own photos (of the sky) rather than the book cover for Joan Didion's book, mostly because I thought the book cover was dull.

    I'm going to see what I can figure out to do about the migraines, tomorrow. Usually my doctor will squeeze me in for just about anything, but he might be irritated with me, since I missed that appt. I'm never, ever a deliberate no-show, but it was as much my fault as that of the person who quoted the wrong day of the week, since I didn't bother to put it on my calendar. Sigh.

    Sherry,

    I can't imagine using bacon, cooked or otherwise. Think of how the pages of a book would sop up the grease! The reader who did that must have been desperate! Thanks for the smile. :)

    Lotus,

    I'm the same way; a few minutes in the sun is enough for me (although I prefer exercising outdoors and I've wandered around outside with the camera, quite a bit, lately). I'm already paying for the years during which sunscreen wasn't even available. I had many blistery burns.

    A Q-tip! That's a new one! Wow, thanks for telling me it was clean, though. LOL So true about the clothing tags - I've used those, also. I sometimes take off clothing tags and leave them in the console of my car, to use as spares. You're right - there are some really pretty tags and they do tend to be nice and stiff.

    I'm fine, so far, today. I found some very old painkillers that I'm mildly allergic to - and just took 75 mg. of benadryl, along with one of the tablets. It's been several years since I had a reaction, so I knew it would be fine and that seems to have done the trick, at least for now. Fingers crossed it stays away till I can get some meds that I haven't ever reacted to!

    Kookie,

    Thanks, I'm feeling much better, today; just hoping the migraine stays away, till I can get something, now.

    You must mean The Yiddish Policemen's Union, right? I've read a couple of positive reviews on that one. You must have enjoyed what you read. :)

    Me, too, on worrying about the moisture. I'd never use a lettuce leaf and greasy bacon?? Goodness.

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  9. Yikes! Lettuce and bacon? I'll bet those people would even fold down the corner of the page.

    Good luck tomorrow with that migraine medicine. I just realized last night that I was going to run out of one of my meds that needs a doctor's renewal. With my luck the doc will be on vacation, too.

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  10. Booklogged,

    Oh, the horror! Not a turned corner! :)

    Good luck getting your meds. I plan to call the moment my doctor's office opens, although I've found that they don't like to answer the phone for the first 30 minutes or so.

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  11. If your doctor can't squeeze you in, what about a walk-in clinic? If the migraine gets too bad it's a better option than suffering. Migraines flat out stink. I get them but rarely and not as bad as it sounds like you get. My sister is probably on par with you.

    I go with the 'whatever's handy' bookmark crowd. Lately it's been a business card from a financial group I'm trying to redo my mortgage with. Perfect size but it's starting to get a little beat up. The strangest thing I can remember using is a piece of dental floss - not used, please!

    cjh

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  12. I saw an Ark Angel book in Walmart the other day.. Is it a good series?

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  13. Sweet tea is gross, I'm with you. ;)

    So sorry about the meds. That sucks.

    My mom once used a pay check as a bookmark, and didn't even wonder where the money had gone (before direct deposit...and she was a waitress, so most of her money came in the cash form of tips.)

    I just (finally) finished the second book in my Chunkster Challenge, Half of a Yellow Sun. :) Here's my review:

    http://jellyjules.com/?p=646

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  14. CJ,

    My mother mentioned walk-in clinics, too. We don't have one here, but I guess I could always drive to Jackson if the situation gets desperate - although it's hard to drive with a migraine. I've got a call in to my doctor and my toes are crossed ('cause it's kind of hard to type with crossed fingers). I get them quite frequently, but I went two or three weeks without one, so I was really happy about that.

    Dental floss is a good one (oooh, the thought of used floss is pretty awful, though!). Business cards are nice because they're stiff, but paper does eventually get a beat bit up, doesn't it? I think that's why I've been having so much fun laminating everything; it adds a bit of longevity to the bookmarks.

    Angela,

    The series is the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz (seen the movie?) and I really enjoyed the first book. It was a little over the top, but the action was worth a bit of disbelief. My son has read them all and loves the series. In fact, he sat down on Sunday night and read Ark Angel from cover to cover. They're young adult books, but I think you'd still enjoy them.

    J,

    Thank you. My eldest son acts like I'm a fruitcake for thinking sweet tea is disgusting.

    I'm still working on the meds. It's a rainy week and rain means migraine, so I've got to get something soon or I'll be a basket case.

    I'll go peek at your review, thanks!

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  15. Oh, poor baby! A migraine, no drugs and no doctor? I would be a pitiful mess. Whatever you do, don't go to the ER. They'll sit you next to some screaming child and ignore you because they know you're not going to die. Probably. It sounds like you've staved it off at least. Call your doctor. Misunderstandings happen and he shouldn't hold it against you.

    A lettuce leaf??? I hope it wasn't a library book. ;) My nieces and nephews favorite bookmark of mine was a hundred dollar bill. What can I say? It was the only thing handy.

    Sweet tea. Yuck. I ordered tea in Montreal and almost gagged at the sugar. For a girl who likes her sweets as much as I do, I don't like them in my drinks. Black coffee, unadulterated tea, water. No sugar.

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  16. Anonymous1:56 PM

    How's the migraine? Ugh that must be a horrible feeling. I hope you get your medicine! And way to go on those book bargains :)

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  17. Carrie,

    I did try my doctor, again, and he turned me down. Very unusual - he typically slots me in, even if it's not an emergency, so I truly think he's annoyed that I missed an appointment. The ER is a life-and-death thing for me; I wouldn't go for a migraine. I went without meds for 30 years, so I can cope. It's just really miserable, that's all. :)

    Wow, a hundred dollar bill! Cool! I'd be afraid to use it as a bookmark outside the house, though!

    I love soda pop, so I guess it's a little strange that I can't stand sugar in my tea. But, I think it partly has to do with the fact that I never had brewed tea as a child. We drank that yucko dried stuff - Nestea - and it was so awful that I heaped the sugar into it. When I finally tasted real tea (after I married), I liked it so much that I couldn't bear covering up the taste of brewed tea with sugar.

    Iliana,

    It's not bad, right now, thanks. I'm just a little queasy and the pain is mild. I couldn't look at a monitor, otherwise. I'm more upset than hurting, at the moment. I was really stunned to find out the clinic hasn't managed to hire a new neurologist. I finally managed to get squeezed in with a doctor I don't know but my husband has seen once (and he thought that particular doctor was awful). It appears to be my only option.

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  18. Ugh....Sunburn...I'm suffering horribly from it right now. I got to swim with dolphins for two hours which was an amazing experience but they don't allow you to wear sunscreen because they are sensitive to it. So my shoulders are literally blistering. It's horrible!

    I'm so sorry to hear about your migraines. That's miserable. Hope they get better soon!

    I missed reading your posts! At least I have a few now to catch up on :)

    I'm trying to think of the strangest thing I've used for a bookmark and I really can't think of anything too bizarre. I have a big stack of postcards and I usually switch them up and use those. Aside from that...receipts, plane tickets, napkins...that's about it.

    Book shopping and Italian lunch sounds great :D

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  19. Oh nice. I couldn't see the pics yesterday for some reason. As for bookmarks, I'll use postcards, photos, business cards, post-its but all paper (or ribbon). I could absolutely never imagine anything wet. If I was your friend in the kitchen I would've grabbed some paper towel or a dinner knife or something! :P

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  20. Chris,

    I blister, too. I can't imagine spending two hours in the water without sunscreen!! But, wow, what a great experience that must have been.

    Some doctor I don't know (but my husband had to see once - hubby didn't like him) slotted me in, so I've at least got an appointment. I don't know if I can get refills from a guy I've never seen, but we'll find out. No migraine, today, probably because the sun came out. Wahoo!

    I missed your posts, too. We've had such a busy week, though, that I've hardly sat down at the computer. I'm waaaay behind on blog-hopping!

    I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks a lettuce leaf is a little crazy.

    Nat,

    My photos keep disappearing and I've had to reload, several times. I guess it's a Blogger glitch; the week Blogger ate photos. Sounds like a movie title.

    Same here on grabbing something other than a lettuce leaf. I would definitely have reached for something dry!!!

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