Bluebird Books

Today is Sunday.  After four days of clouds and rain, there are patches of blue sky that fill my heart with hope and happy thoughts.   I went for a walk with my husband.  We took in the fall colors and the neighborhood decorations.  We talked and laughed and no one interrupted us.   And then, after lunch, I took my two youngest children to a birthday party at a birthday party mecca: laser tag, bowling, and arcade games all under one roof.  It is my son's favorite place. "Who cares," you say.  "No big deal!" Well, I say it is a big deal, ever since they opened a Barnes and Noble next door. I didn't need another book.  God knows I've got too many unread books in my house already.  But, after some leisurely browsing, I settled on Virgil Wander because I adored Peace Like a Rive r and it sounded like something I'd love: a small town story with a quirky cast of characters.  Yes, please. I grabbed a venti hot cinnamon spice tea fr

Today all of my kids are at school after a run of sickness.  I am in that euphoric state that will either result in great productivity or absolutely nothing.  But, if you're reading this I must be favoring productivity.  Yay me!   I took the dog out this morning.  It's one of those cold days, somewhere between fall and winter.  It might rain later.  The trees in our yard are maroon, orange, and red--really red.  Ruby and I wandered around the yard for a minute or two and then, when we went back in, I was immediately met with the smell of heater + candle and a comforting sensation: warmth.  This is why I love cold months.  That split second makes the cold house and the heavy jackets worth it.  Yesterday I put on a pot of hot apple cider and watched my whole family gravitate to the couches.  Carrying books and mugs we rested.  It was delightful and just what we needed.   I set a goal to finish A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by the end of the month.  I've pushed it asid

September was hard.  I feel like every month I say that, but this month: Wow.  Back to school, new routines, travel, going to my Grandmother's memorial, and off the charts humidity and rain.  I am ready for October.  I had hoped to get more reading done, but the four books I finished were important ones.  They helped me relax, taught me something, and took me out of my little world for a while.  Here are my October books: Persepolis 🌟🌟🌟 "Nothing's worse than saying goodbye.  It's a little like dying." I decided to start the month with a graphic novel and this graphic memoir has been sitting on my bookshelf for years.  I heard it discussed on a podcast and decided it was time. It didn't knock my socks off.  The art was striking but I've read better.  I learned a bit about Iran from someone who lived through much of the revolution but I think I would have liked a longer forward or afterward to add more perspective. Eleanor Oliphant is Co