Some of the news that's fit to print

It's been a busy two weeks since I last posted (was it really back on 2/13?) I worked a busy 3 days last week so I could take Thurs and Fri off to babysit Sis 1 of 2's daughters while she was at the Vegas National Conference.

Let me tell you that I love my nieces to bits. They are smart, funny and they love to laugh. Samantha is 6 and her reading is going *so* well! Katherine will be 4 next month and she's sharp as a tack. Samantha read to me from several of her books (including a book from her other Auntie) and Katherine wanted to hear Little Black Sambo at least 3 times a day!

Sambo's story was one I hadn't thought of in a long time. I remember going out to breakfast to Sambo's in Vancouver when we were much younger and I loved to look at the mural on the wall of Sambo riding on the back of one of the tigers. Now that I think about it, the mural didn't portray any scene from the book other than a young boy and tigers. And the restaurant is no longer there either.

The girls and I loved growling like tigers at the right spots and saying to each other "purple slippers with crimson soles and crimson linings." And I only had to explain to Katherine once that trousers were the same as pants. Each time the section of the book came up with Sambo's blue trousers, she would point out that "trousers were the same as pants, Auntie Gina."

This book was a gift from Miss Micki, an octagenerian who lives with them. Katherine, for some reason, wanted to have me read the preface each time. The preface explained that the publisher chose to print it again despite the book's controversy as perceived racism. The girls didn't view it that way; we just enjoyed the imagery of colorful clothing and Sambo dealing bravely with tigers who wanted to eat him up.

Can I also mention that my nieces can give me a migraine? As much as we all enjoyed each other's company, I also had to deal with hurt feelings, argumentative 6-year-olds (yes, Samantha, when you disagree with *everything* said to you, even when you aren't in a fight, that's a form of arguing) and a 3-year-old who screams at the top of her lungs when she doesn't like what you said to her (and then grunts when you calm her down enough to try to reason with her).

It's a this point that I would like to say that Stay-At-Home-Parents have my complete and utter respect for what has to be the hardest job in the world. Long hours, no pay, lots of snot, tears and laundry. And that's just what YOU go through. But the benefits and ultimate pay-off are worth the time. Right?

More on my Adventures in Babysitting later.

Oh yeah, one more thing

I forgot that I've read 2 more books. Re-read Tears of the Moon (Nora, of course) and a new book, Shining Hero by Sara Banerji.

Shining Hero really intrigued me because it's a view of India and it's culture written by someone who's been a part for many years but by marriage. The author currently teaches at Oxford. I wasn't sure I was going to finish it but it kept playing in my head and I wanted to get questions answered.

I'm glad I checked it out.

Moving right along

Footloose and fancy free! Getting there is half the fun, come share it with me.

Sorry, had a little Muppet moment there.

I've started on Erin's fingerless mitts. I finished the first and the second one has been cast on. Forest Green, Lamb's Pride, bulky. I'll take a pic when I finish

Mom's Berry Freeze now only needs ribbing on the armholes and the neck. Yay!

I bought a few skeins of sock yarn to use for baby hats and I'll be casting those on next. Bought them at KnitPicks' store in Vancouver. Their selection is more like remainders from their catalog shipping rather than a full blown LYS. The saleswoman mentioned they would be getting their new Wool of the Andes in to showcase the colors and I'm looking forward to that.

Finished a new book - From Here to Paternity. I really enjoy Jill Churchill. Rob & I were at the beach for a long weekend and we stopped in a used bookstore to browse. Picked up Grime and Punishment and I've been checking her out of the library since.

If you enjoy mysteries, I highly recommend visiting Stop You're Killing Me. Great place to search out new authors and see if you'd missed any by your favorites.

Laziness

I'm still slogging away on Mom's sweater (the back is finished and I'm working on the front). But I set it aside to work on a 5-hr baby sweater for my niece who's expecting a girl in early February. I'm not knitting with any kind of speedy enthusiasm so it will definitely take longer than 5 hours.

I'm re-reading another Nora Roberts book, need to go the library to return 3 books and pick up several more, go grocery shopping, make dinner, watch some of the shows on TiVo to clear up some space and finish filing all the stuff on the floor of the den.

Rob's been sick and has stayed home the last couple of days from work. Doctor told him it's a bad cold with possible bronchitis infection, but no drugs since he wasn't running a fever. With any luck the TheraFlu is helping with the worst of it and he can go back tomorrow.

I'm planning to go to E-burg to babysit my sister's 2 daughters in February. I'll be there for 4 nights and I'm thinking I want to read a chapter book to them while I'm there. Something long enough to last the entire visit or short enough to be re-read at least once. Any suggestions?

Weekend fun

It was a nice weekend here in Vancouver even with the ice storm. Sister 1 of 2 came down with her girls and we spent Saturday night going through Mom & Dad's house deciding who was getting what. (Explanation: M&D are selling their house, planning to sail for a year and then move home and into a houseboat). We got Sister 2 of 2 on the phone and with the list M&D had already made, went through the house claiming items and exclaiming over others.

I managed to go home with a couple of bags, a new purse, a lot of zippered bags perfect for storing yarn or projects and 3 books I'd loaned her to read. I'll also get a couple of storage cabinets, 3 chairs, a sofa, end table and probably some other stuff I can remember. Sis 2 and Mom went through it again Monday with my brother; however, he doesn't know what he needs yet since he and his girlfriend haven't yet moved into their new place.

Once I got home, I re-read the Key trilogy I got back from Mom. I love to read Nora Roberts. Great writing, good plots and I get completely absorbed and hate coming to the end. She has a new trilogy (In the Garden) going on right now. I read Blue Dahlia in a couple of hours and was thoroughly frustrated to find out I'd have to wait until May to read the 2nd book and December for the 3rd! At least with her Key trilogy, I got all three books with 3 months (she is an extremely prolific writer).

I'd originally planned to put only new books on the "New books read for 2005" list, but it would be like ignoring old friends for new. So I've just changed the listing to what I've read and I'm leaving it open. I'm curious to see just how many books I pick up and read over the course of a year.

I also made changes to the color of my blog - I'm having fun with HTML and learning different things. On my monitor it looks rather desert-ish (canyons and cactus versus cheesecake and chocolate).

The Lovely Bones

Well, I've completed my first new book of 2005. I say "new" because I habitually pick up books around the house to re-read. But the new book was Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. I took a while to do it, too. Not to read it, mind you, since I started it on Monday at lunch and finished it today at lunch. Nope, it was just picking it up and starting it.

But I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed it. I cried over it. I laughed and even re-read sections of it. I briefly considered buying it for my personal library. But you know what? I can check it out any time at the library. Which is where it's going this weekend to re-join its siblings. And I will find another to offer me escape, enlightenment or emotion. Or any combination of the three.

I'm thinking to pick up The Time-Traveler's Wife next to read. It was a gift from the little Sis for Christmas.

But I also need to knit on the Berry Freeze, update Quicken to close out last year, pull together the tax files, pay bills, exercise and decide if I'm going to a bridal shower Friday night after work.