The Library

I go through phases when it comes to buying or borrowing books. I have been in a buying phase for a very long time, which means I hadn't been to the new library in town. Since we are trying to stick to a budget, I figured an easy place to trim would be my book spending. Today I went back to the library looking for a couple of specific books.

First I wanted Jane Eyre. I have read it, but not since middle school and I remember not being very impressed, but after reading The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde (review coming soon) I felt like I should give Jane Eyre another chance. I also wanted the book that comes after The Eyre Affair as well as Great Expectations (which figures heavily in the other book I wanted and which I have never read).

I was disappointed in my efforts. Jane Eyre was checked out, and although the library does have other books by the author of The Eyre Affair, it did not have the one I wanted (must read them in order says my OCD). I did find Great Expectations.

While there, I thought I'd look for Chiefs by Stuart Woods so I could keep working on my resolution, but I couldn't find where the M-Z fiction continued and I already had a stack of five books, so maybe next time.

While checking out, I was surprised to find that I had a $15 late fee dating back to 2006 (I said it had been a while since I'd been to the library, and maybe this is the reason I started a buying phase). Thankfully the nice librarian let me check out books even though I didn't have the cash to pay the fine. If she hadn't I probably would have come right home and continued my buying phase.

Now off to start a new book.

Switches

In this house we have several places with three light switches. Next to the bed - reading light, main light, fan. In the bathroom - main light, shower light, fan. By the garage - outdoor light, garage light, hall light. In most cases, the person who wired the switches didn't put much thought into which switch worked what, so the use of the switches is not intuitive. For example, the shower light is wired to the switch closet to the door, the main light is the center switch and the fan is closet to the shower.

Since the day we moved in we (okay, maybe mainly me) have been bothered by these switches. In most cases, I still flip the wrong switch when trying to turn on lights even though we lived here for almost four years. (Yes, I know, it is not difficult to switch the wires, but take a look around you own home and see what you've been living with even though it's an easy fix.)

Finally, the Husband began working on correcting these wiring errors. He started with the bathroom switch. Finally the bank of switches is wired in a manner that is intuitive and logical.

And finally my brain completed the wiring necessary to remember which switch turns on which light . . . only a few weeks too late.

The Associate by John Grisham

From the book jacket . . .
"If you thought Mitch McDeere was in trouble in The Firm, wait until you meet Kyle McAvoy, THE ASSOCIATE.

From that one sentence I hoped we be returned to the John Grisham legal novels of old, like The Firm or The Pelican Brief. I have been a tad disappointed in his most recent legal offerings, The Appeal, The Broker, probably as far back as The Brethren (although maybe that one is okay and I'm confusing it with a Stuart Woods novel that had a similar idea). I felt like Grisham would rather be writing the other things, Skipping Christmas, The Painted House, Bleachers, Playing for Pizza - all of which I loved, and was writing the legal thrillers only to fulfill a contract or something.

The Associate has a story that could have been up there with The Firm and others, but it was a bit slow to get started and when I finally felt like it was about to get exciting, the story fizzled. It ended too easily, too cleanly with no real payoff.

Now again, I'm asking myself if I'm giving credit were maybe none is due. Because really, if I think of The Firm of The Pelican Brief, I think of the movies. So maybe the books wouldn't not stand up to my memory up them. I will have to reread a few of them. I 'll let you know what I discover.

Here Comes the Bride

While walking through WalMart today, P disappeared around a corner.

"Where are you?" I called.

"Here in the flowers," she replied.

When I found her she said, "I will need flowers for my wedding."

"Okay," I said as we continued.

We walked through the baby clothing looking for a pair of khaki pants for P. (She likes to dress in the same colors as I am lately. But she doesn't have anything close to the khaki pants I usually wear to work.)

"My baby will like this. He will look nice in this."

"Which baby?" I ask, thinking she must be talking about her cousin E or her best friend's baby sister.

"My baby. I will call him Andeen. I will make him a pink blanket like mine and he will love it."

"Okay." I said and we continued on.

While looking for detergent P asked, "When can I get married?"

"You should wait until you're at least 20," and we continued on to find watermelon.

"Maybe I will name my baby P. She can be just like me."

"Okay."

"I will need a wedding dress."

"We'll find a beautiful dress when you get married, but it's going to be a while before you get married. You should finish school first."

. . . . .

Apparently P is already planning her wedding. Only 4 years and 1 month old.

Not what I was hoping for . . .

I was ready to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt. But now that he's granted a waiver on an Executive Order on which the ink is barely dry (http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/23/1758932.aspx), I'm not so sure.

Anyone else just a bit disappointed by this?

Look At That!

I have finally been able to combine my old blog (of the same name) with the new blog. Have a stroll through the archives if you get a minute.

I can hardly believe that I started this in 2006. It is seriously sad that I only have a little over 100 posts in that time.

New post coming soon. Promise.

Choke by Stuart Woods

I had planned to start rereading Woods' novels at the beginning, but I found Choke (1995) at work in the spot where people leave books and magazines for others to take, so I figured I read it.

And I discovered something very comforting. Stuart Woods was, at one time, a good writer. I was really feeling like I was dreaming it. (And don't think I haven't noticed that he has yet another new novel out - it is taking every ounce of will power to not order it. I am helped by the fact that there is a new Spellman Files coming soon and I've preordered the new Grisham.)

Choke is the story of a tennis pro who ends up in Key West and mixed up with the wrong woman, who decides he'd make a great fall guy for her plans. The plot is intriguing and full of twists, but I never felt lost or like the author had made a leap he couldn't back up. Woods' writing isn't flowery, but this story was enjoyable.

So while I wouldn't put it on the list of books I tell everyone to read, it is a Stuart Woods book I'd recommend.