First things first: Books. Of course. I received just one book in the mail, this weekend, but guess what? It's set in Newfoundland! All right! Canada, baby! One for the Canadian Reading Challenge, eh? The book is Random Passage by Bernice Morgan. I have no idea how I heard about the book and ended up putting it on my wish list at Paperback Swap, but I'll bet a blogger is to blame. So, thank you, unknown likely-guilty blogger.
I finished The Questory of Root Karbunkulus on Saturday. I'm working on the review, right now, and will also post an interview with the author, soon.
And, I'm reading Legerdemain (history, set in French Morocco in the 1950's -- excellent, so far). I'm also still reading Anne of Green Gables and loving it. Washington's Lady by Nancy Moser -- haven't gotten far, but it's well-written and engaging. I have a feeling I'll give it a high rating, but I'm pushing the ARCs to the head of the pile, so it may take me some time to finish.
We had a busy weekend and, typically, I completely lost track of time. In fact, I woke up this morning thinking it was Sunday. As my husband was nicely dressed, I assumed he and the kiddo had decided to go to church without me (it happens) and I had myself firmly convinced that they'd be home around 11am. And, the guys were going to bring donuts. You should have heard my husband laugh, when he came home from work at lunchtime. The places an imagination goes . . . especially when you're groggy.
Here's one good reason to ask your mother lots of questions while you can . . . the things you find after they're gone can be truly baffling. My mother was involved with a geneology group for most of my childhood. Occasionally, I tromped through graveyards with her, but she never bothered to share more than the odd scrap of what she learned from her years studying the family tree. We have piles and piles of records to sort through and here's one little article I found whilst cleaning her house:
Wait a minute! Are we related to Omar? Because my mother's maiden name is Conger. If so, I'd really like to know why she didn't at least share the cool stuff. A shark victim, possibly related to us? That's a story, people! However, I have no idea whether Omar was even distantly related and probably won't until I dig through that whole geneology mess, which could take years. Bad news on the home front: My favorite camera lens broke.
Good news: Hubby ordered me a new one.
Bad news: My husband tried to burn the house down twice, last week (by using the stove as a countertop and inadvertantly turning a burner on).
Good news: He didn't succeed. I noticed the hot burners, both times, and moved things quickly out of the way, after turning off the heat source.
Thank goodness the good outweighs the bad on all counts.
In other news, eldest son has volunteered to take this ancient poster off my hands if I ever decide I don't want it:
Anyone else old enough to remember Woodsy Owl?
Gotta go. Next up will be the Root Karbunkulus review. Good news about Root Karbunkulus: It's extremely easy to google. There is only one book with the name "Root Karbunkulus" in it, period.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Isn't genealogy great? I've always wanted to dive into the past of our family but I haven't done much yet. One of these days I'll start...yeah, add that to the list. I've pried for stories from Grandma and have gotten some great ones, but that's about it. That's a really cool one though! And you have a newspaper clipping!! Love it! In a morbid sort of way...
ReplyDeleteLove that poster too. I've always been a big fan of vintage type things and that's certainly an eyecatcher 8)
Okay the shark account thing is really wild! That kind of thing would definitely intrigue me...and I'd probably be sifting through all those papers until I found an answer (but then again, I'm a big OCD about stuff like that!)
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteYeah, geneology is cool. What little I've learned about both sides of the family has been fascinating. Like the fact that we had one of those sets of brothers from Missouri that fought on opposite sides of the Civil War. Write down everything your Grandma says or, better yet, record her and then transcribe. My dad did that with *someone* but I don't know who. And, I don't know where it is. Okay, yeah, useless if you don't keep track of things. LOL
It's a cute poster, isn't it? Unfortunately, it also means I'm vintage. Yeeks.
I remember the owl!!! Wow, that's a blast from the past. Kudos to eldest for wanting to snatch that poster. It's excellent!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for your Karbunkulus review and interview. Must know more!
*raises hand guiltily*
ReplyDeleteI loved Random Passage when I read it years ago. It's depressing and tough, like pioneers, but they lived in outports and you will get a great sense of life in old Newfoundland. Book #2 for the 2nd challenge. You'll fly through this challenge.
and yay! for loving Anne of Green Gables. Get some kleenex for the ending!
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteIsn't that something? I might have sifted through the geneology papers right then, if there hadn't been such a chaotic mess to deal with, throughout the house (it seems my sister is about as organized as my husband). Something to look forward to, I guess!
Andi,
Oh, good, I feel better. :) Hubby and I are thinking we need to frame Woodsy to preserve him. He really is a blast from the past -- excellent description.
Oh, sorry, better get back to the review. I stopped to look for kiddo's missing paycheck. Found it, thank goodness! Now, I can get back to reviewing!
Raidergirl,
Aha! It's a good kind of guilt, though, right? Book #2 it is. I can't wait. But, darn it, I have to.
I'm so loving Anne. I got all snuffly when Marilla told her they were going to let her stay and Anne teared up. Thanks for the warning. I'll put a box of tissues by the bed.
I love it when you babble...
ReplyDeleteAnd I've got to admit that the article would make me do some serious searching. Obviously you have to be related. Nothing else makes sense.
Sounds like you and hubby have the perfect relationship - he fixes your problems (camera lens) and you fix his (burners).
And the poster is a hoot! Woodsy was the coolest.
cjh
CJ,
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you. I never know when I'm going to have a babble attack. LOL
From what little I read in my mother's big book about the Conger family, they're all somehow related and the Conger name was at some point either Bel Conger or Bel Congre -- allegedly French Hugeunots that escaped to England during during the Protestant persecution. I was a little afraid to tackle that geneology stuff because it's such a mess, but I will. :)
Oh, what a nice way to look at the burner and lens disasters!
I think we're getting a consensus here. Woodsy was cool. David said he's worth preserving as "pop culture". Hmmm. Good thinking.
I remember that owl, too! What a cute poster. I'd call dibs.
ReplyDeleteHaha about thinking Monday was Sunday. I've been off by a day before and it sure can be distracting.
ReplyDeleteI like cj's perspective too, that you fix each others problems. Glad that the good outweighs the bad in any case. :)
I know my father has done some work on the family tree but I have never been overly interested in it. I wonder if I'll regret that someday..
I just sent an email reply to a cousin who offered me some letters from the previous generation. In addition to saying that I would, indeed, like the letters, I made the comment that since Mother died (my Dad has Alzheimer's), I have no one to answer questions! Your newspaper clipping is just another example of how events can be lost without someone to explain!
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you remember Woodsy! He's a cutie, isn't he?
Nat,
I have the luxury of not knowing what day of the week it is, right now, but hubby says once my mother's house has sold I need to become a productive human "for once" (meaning, "get a job").
Hubby thought CJ had a good point, too.
I wasn't particularly interested in the family tree for many years. And, then, my dad died and all of his wonderful stories were lost for good. He was quite a storyteller. We have no way of knowing when our loved ones will be taken from us, so it's good to ask while you can. I did find some intriguing bits and pieces that filled in gaps, already, but there is much to learn!
Jenclair,
How lovely of your cousin! I have the same problem, of course, since both my parents have died. What we need to do, while we can, is sit down with my dad's sister and my mom's brother and pummel them with questions before absolutely everyone is gone.
Woodsy Owl! I even remember the jingle ...
ReplyDeleteBridget,
ReplyDeleteMakes you long for the 70's, doesn't it? ;)
Much more catchy than "Give a hoot. Stay in school."
ReplyDeleteI'll say, John. :)
ReplyDeleteBookfool -
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'm going to say that I'm being perfectly serious about this...
If you're thinking about a job, you should seriously think about doing something with your photography. You take the most amazing photos and you should be able to do something with that talent. If you lived in a peewee town like mine, I'd be telling you to go offer your services to the local newspaper. They're in dire need of a competent photograph at things like sporting events.
cjh
CJ,
ReplyDeleteI live in a peewee town. Actually, I know who the photography editor is and he would probably recognize me if I walked in the door. I waved at him when I noticed he was gawking at me while I walked around the high school lawn, photographing the birds, the magnolias and the plants, one time. I'd have to get some better equipment, though. Mine is rapidly becoming outdated and parts seem to be regularly falling off. I'm currently using bandaging tape to hold the battery compartment closed.
Thanks for the idea! I love it that you wrote that sentence about being totally serious. You must have known my gut reaction would be to say, "Nah, I'm not that great," right?
Oh, Woodsy Owl! I remember those posters...
ReplyDeleteRobin,
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I think it used to hang on my door, but I can't say for sure. I had a tendency to decorate my bedroom door repeatedly, even though my parents nagged me about tape marring the woodwork and occasionally yanked everything down.
Bookfool -
ReplyDeleteYup, I knew what your reaction would be.
So, update the equipment and go offer your services. Maybe it would be worth it. Photo journalism is becoming a big thing.
cjh
I agree with CJ. You are more than qualified to get a job doing something with your photography skills!!
ReplyDeleteYou and I must've been on the same wave-length the other day. I was commenting to a co-working about the huge shipment we received and said, "Well, at least it's Friday and we don't have to worry about it until Monday." She looked at me like I had three heads and then said, "Lesley, it's only Tuesday!" Good grief. How could I have been so far off?!
My husband left a (electric) burner on all night once while I was in England, of all places! Thank goodness he didn't burn the house down!! He's also been known to leave the kitchen faucet running. Ok, maybe just once, but still!!
Bummer about your camera lens! Hope your new one arrives quickly.
And, finally, yes, of course I remember Woodsy the Owl. Great flashback to the '70s. Speaking of which, I was singing a jingle today and two coworkers had no idea what it was for. Remember this?
You deserve a break today,
So get up and get away,
to "fill-in-the-blank here"
I felt so old when they didn't recognize the song even after I told them what it was for! Sheesh.
Les,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know I'm not the only one who can't keep track of what day it is. :)
Oh, those airheaded husbands. What will they do next? Sometimes I just don't know what we're supposed to do with the menfolk. They're obviously untrainable.
I got my lens, just a bit ago. The UPS man dropped it off, but I was so immersed in Legerdemain that I opened the box, felt the bubble wrap and went back to my book. I'll see if it works, tomorrow.
You have to feel for the new generation, stuck with "Mickey D's" instead of a nice, tuneful jingle, don't you? Woodsy was great. I've stuck him in a poster frame, just to protect him. I had no idea he was such a popular guy! :)