Sunday Salon, October 26

Location: Eugene, Oregon

Weather: Rainy and blustery. Yesterday en route to Eugene we drove through a tremendous wind storm.

Wedding: we are in Eugene to attend the wedding of my oldest nephew, Jeffrey. He and Alyssa are getting married today at 2 PM. Jeffrey is an alternative-type guy so I anticipate alternative-type wedding. For example, I understand that they have a fog machine. The rehearsal dinner was at a pizza parlor. I'm sure the day will be a fun celebration though.

Calm week: after last week which was crazy-busy, I had a very calm time this past week. I was actually able to catch up on some tasks in the library which hadn't been attended to since the beginning of the school year. What a relief to occasionally have time to think.

Soup: my daughter made a huge pot of vegetable beef soup this week. It was delicious. It is time to go back to the soup diet now that the weather has turned.

Progress on "Moose-a-muffin" project: The sod has been dug up and removed in the back yard making a space for the concrete pad. Of course, it rained like crazy so we will have to wait until it is dry before pouring the concrete. ("Moose-a-muffin" projects are those where one thing leads to a whole chain reaction of necessary projects.  Ours started with the purchase of a new car, which led to cleaning out the garage to make space for it, which led to the necessity of a shed to put our stuff in...)

Books read this week:

• A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman---another YA book written in verse.  I REALLY enjoyed it.  Check out my review.
• Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero---a YA novel under consideration for inclusion on our Mock Printz list. The "voice" of the narrator was very authentic.  Stay tuned for the review. I am almost done writing it.
• Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya---this books falls in to the category of a book that everyone should read but with a caveat: it is not an easy read. I was enthralled. An audiobook.

Currently reading:

• Otherbound by Corrine Duyvis--- a YA half-fantasy book on our Mock Printz list.
• Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy---the audiobook selection for our car trip south. Don is enjoying it since the main character is in the National Guard. 

 A book club first: my RHS book club met this week to discuss the book The Hotel on the Place Vendome and nobody liked the book at all.  In fact, I think a few of us would use the word "hate".

Prayers: for a dear person with recently diagnosed cancer.

Gotta run and get ready for the wedding. Enjoy your week.