Monday, April 30, 2018

2018 Resolutions - May Update

I missed last month.... so we've got a huge update this month!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
We saved in February.  We're holding back on spending this month and next month, too.

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
So, we were out of town for a good chunk of Lent, so I didn't get 40 bags of crap out of the house.  I'm still trying to get the 40 bags of junk out of the house.  As of this writing, I've gotten 7 bags out of the house... just  33 more to go.

3) Get Away With My Husband - Twice
Emporer Penguin, Sydney Aquarium

First get away is done!  Now, to get another one planned for the fall!

4) Get 1 Big Debt Paid off this Year
The goal is to get the Civic paid off - or mostly paid off - this year.

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilts
I've gotten daughter's quilt back out.  I'm curious to see if I'll actually be able to quilt without too much interference from Hobbes.

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this Year
We're hoping he's going to be home the weekend we head out there.  I'd really hate to spend a weekend in Kansas and have him not be there.

7) Replace the Roof on the House this Fall
All of the money we put aside from the NoSpenduary Challenge is being set aside to replace the roof on the house.  If we can set enough money aside, I want to add a porch onto the front of the house.  We'll see how things work out!

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week.
It's a struggle.  I'm at 3 dedicated days/week.  I am struggling to get that number up to 4.

9) Make some of my Christmas gifts this year.
Watching my daughter and her boyfriend exchange home made gifts has inspired me to think outside the box. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I will do something.

10) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.
Well this has gone down the drain.  I haven't kept track of groceries at all while we were gone.  I need to get back on the wagon and keep track of these numbers..

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
What's next?

12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.
 
14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before
Lawrence Public Library
Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch

I have a couple of professional goals I want to meet, too.  I'm not going to list them here, but they're in the back of my mind!
1) PG #1
I had an article published! 
2) PG #2

Friday, April 27, 2018

It's what to read!

I've read a lot of excellent books so far this year.  The "big" summer releases haven't been released yet, but I've read a lot of wonderful releases that have come out so far this year.  These are all adult titles.  If you're looking for something wonderful to read, then here's a list of possibilities!  I've read all of these books, and they have appealed to me.  I hope you can find something that appeals to you!


The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
After returning home from Vietnam, Ernt Allbright finds himself unable to keep a job or control his temper.  Finding himself the recipient of a gift of land in the remote Alaskan Wilderness, Ernt takes his family: his wife Cora, and his daughter Liv to this property, sight unseen.  At first, Ernt seems to have shed the demons that have been haunting him since his return.  Liv finally finds a place where she belongs in this beautiful wilderness.  But, as winter sets in, the demons that Ernt has kept at bay for so long come roaring back, and his family is in the direct line of fire when he can no longer control them.  In the harsh Alaskan winter, how will the family survive when there is nobody that you can call for help?

Educated: A Memoir
Tara Westover
Tara grew up in a large Mormon family in Idaho.  She grew up working in the family business and helping her parents prepare for The End of the World As We Know It.  Because of this, her home school education was mostly ignored.  The children in the family learned what they wanted in their free time.  As Tara grew older, one of her brothers broke away from the family business and went to college.  Tara found herself intrigued by the thought of college and found a way to break away from an abusive family situation.  This tale of perseverance and determination will enthrall you.


The Woman in the Window
A.J. Finn
Anna Fox is a recluse - suffering from Agoraphobia - since her husband and daughter left.  To deal with the pain of the loss, she takes the meds her doctor has prescribed her and self medicates with copious quantities of alcohol.  To pass the time, she watches the comings and goings of her neighbors from an upstairs window through a pair of binoculars and a high powered camera lens.

Her world in unexpectedly turned upside down when a neighbor unexpectedly reaches out to help her - and enters Anna's strange world.  Filled with life and laughter, Anna immediately warms to this young woman who just moved in across the street.

And then, watching through her binoculars one night, Anna sees this neighbor murdered right before her eyes.  She sees a knife and blood.  So much blood.  Anna calls the police and attempts to go outside for the first time in almost a year.  The resulting panic attack leaves Anna hospitalized and questioning herself.  The neighbors claim that the woman Anna saw murdered doesn't exist.  She wasn't the mother of the family, and nobody else claims to have seen her.  Anna is certain of what she saw, but nobody else believes her - and she begins to question her own sanity.

Reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's Movie, Rear Window, this thriller will keep you on the edge of your street until the shocking conclusion.



The Alice Network
This one.  Right here.  It's my favorite.  If there's one book you feel the need to read this summer, make this the one.  This is historic fiction, based upon real people and real events.  The main character, Marguerite, is based upon a sliver of information in the historic record.  Personally, I think the horrors of the second world war overshadow the horrors of the first war, and we have forgotten stories that need to be remembered. 

In World War I, there was a network of female spies working for Great Britain.  They are a legendary network of spies that posed in everyday roles - and got information that changed the direction of the war.  Led by a young woman code named Lily whose fearless determination kept her crossing the border and taking risks to get the information passed through when others would have given up and gone home.

Marguerite is a young English Woman with flawless French and German who has been recruited to work for the Alice network. She is to find a job working in a French Cafe for a French Man who is a collaborator with the Germans.  Deep behind enemy lines, Marguerite's existence is dependent upon her ability to listen, and lie without a second thought when occasion demands.

Interwoven with Marguerite's tale is the story of Charlie St. Clair - set in 1947.  Charlie is searching for her cousin who disappeared in France during the second world war.  She has the name of one person who might be able to help her find her cousin - Eve Gardener.  Eve- who operated under the code name Marguerite during the first war.

These intertwining tale of suspense as Charlie searches for her cousin and uncovers the deep well of secrets that Eve has kept hidden for years will leave you breathless. 


The Weight of Ink
Rachel Kadish

This tale is told between two times and with two different narrators.  In the early 21st century, a pile of manuscripts is found buried in a house in London.  Helen Watt, a historian of Jewish History, is called in to assess the historic value of the manuscripts.   As Helen begins to read the manuscripts, she is drawn back into the 1600's - a time when the Jews from Spain were able to flee the Inquisition and were settling into London.  The manuscripts hint at previously unknown theological divisions within the community.

As Helen digs deeper into the manuscripts, she discovers that there is a deeper, more important discovery within the pages.  A woman wrote the manuscripts.  Not only the pages dictated by the Rabbi, but also many pages of her own - deep thoughts that she herself had about theology and the the nature of God.  As Helen races to find the name of the mysterious woman, her own health begins to fail.  Will she be able to find the identity of the unknown writer?

Esther Velazquez is an immigrant to England.  She is a scribe for the blind rabbi.  Determined to learn as much as she can, Esther reads everything she can get her hands on in her spare time.  She knows that she is something very dangerous.  A woman should not be able to read, much less think, for herself.  But Esther has deep questions that needs answers.  Answers that can get you killed for heresy.  Unable to express herself freely, Esther writes her thoughts and questions. 

This is a tale told between two time frames - Helen's story as she attempts to find the mysterious scribe, and Esther's desperate tale of a woman who longs to be educated.  The stories are connected by sections of Esther's manuscripts. 


Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The Rocks

The first part of Sydney developed by the English settlers, The Rocks is a very old, very well kept up historic gem just up the hill from Central Quay.  Beautiful cobblestone streets, old brick buildings, small streets, tiny courtyards, and historic sites make this one of the most memorable walks!  Not only did we explore the Rocks, we walked across the Bridge and explored the Observatory. 
Below are some random pictures that I took while roaming through The Rocks.  










Monday, April 23, 2018

New South Wales Library

Our hotel in Sydney was just down the street from the New South Wales Library.  This gorgeous showpiece of a library is centrally located in Sydney near Central Quay.

New South Wales Library Website: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/



The Lobby is breathtaking....




Computers.... and people....

 
and more computers, and more people...


The Reading Room.  I love this room!







Hey look!  It's a card catalog!


I love the light in here!  I love the space - there are outlets everywhere - so it's easy to charge a phone, or use your laptop.  This is gorgeous!


My pictures don't even begin to capture the elegance of this library.  It is a gorgeous, well utilized space that is heavily used.  There were people using library resources everywhere you looked.  I think I work in a beautiful library, but this building just takes my breath away. 

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Australia

I've been very quiet lately, I know.  I was busy knocking a big item off of my bucket list.  I had the opportunity to travel to Australia.  We found out in March that Husband was traveling there on business for a month.  I took all of the leave that I have, and flew out to meet him at the end of his business so that we could explore together.

Train Station in the Blue Mountains.
Do you remember the song "I Had the Time of my Life" from Dirty Dancing?

That sums up my experience!  It was amazing!

I've been back for a couple of weeks now - attempting to catch up on laundry, work, and chores around the house as spring slowly creeps into the Mid-Atlantic.  I've got to move fast - because spring changes over to summer so very, very fast!

So, what are my thoughts about Australia?  The flight is very long.  Very long.  Fly at night if you can.  On the way out, we left Los Angeles at 10 pm local time - that's 2 am East Coast time.  Let me tell you, I was out cold before we even pulled away from the gate!  I slept on and off for a good 8 hours.  There were still many hours to go once I woke up, but sleeping for a good chunk of the trip is an excellent thing.  Coming back, we left at 9 am local time - and 13 hours later - just about the time I would have naturally fallen asleep - we landed in Los Angeles - at  6 am.   There really does need to be a better way to do that trip back. 

We stayed around Sydney and used their marvelous public transportation system to go everywhere we wanted to go.  Never once did we need a car, or a taxi.  Our hotel was near a ferry terminal and a train terminal.  Australia has a fabulous public transportation system!

The country is absolutely beautiful, and the people are genuinely friendly.  (And why not?  They live in Australia!!!!)

I'll be posting some pictures and some stories over the next couple of weeks.  I hope you'll join with me as I share. 

You know, I miss having the kids at home, but there are some advantages to being empty nesters.  Being able to pick up and fly out when an unexpected opportunity comes along is one of those advantages!