Eat Pray Love

I just finished Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I don't think I knew what it was about when I picked it - I don't think I would have intentionally chose 2 mid-life crisis stories back-to-back like that. The layout is a little strange at first, but once I got used to it, it was fine. I ended up really enjoying the storytelling. Liz did a good job describing her yearlong soul searching quest, down to the food, atmosphere, people. Since it was mentioned in her book that the divorce was long a drawn out and how she would have to pay some of her book royalties to her now ex-husband. I decided to do some investigating on what other books she'd written. I hadn't really heard of any of them, they didn't look like my type for now. But I did find her current website interesting and turns out she did marry again. Again, and this book was true, not many people get that lucky.
Verdict: Loved it.

I have an alarm clock, his name is Bob

I have an alarm clock his name is Bobby and he is quite reliable. I laughed to myself yesterday as i was getting ready for bed. I reached to switch on the alarm clock and then I stopped. Why bother, I have Bobby. He will reliably wake up at 5am and demand breakfast. So I slept peacefully until I heard the familiar calling from down the hall. I scooped him up, snuggled him into bed, and went back to sleep.
I think I might need to work on his snooze feature though. The next time he woke me up it was 6:40 - which is not nearly enough time to get ready and out the door on time.

Book Report: The Mermaid Chair

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

I picked this one up since I loved the Secret Life of Bees. It started out freakishly similar to Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya sisterhood. Turns out it is quite similar in plot to that story with an added midlife crisis thrown it. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story yet not really wanting to. It disconcerting to me to think that one can just wake up after 20 years of marriage and decide you don't want to be there anymore. I suppose if you look around in our society it does happen - though it's heartbreaking for me to think about. Putting my emotions aside, I loved the storyline, plot, hook-line-and sinker. The ending though perfect for me (it ties everything up into a neat little package) is a little unbelievable. I don't think that someone who throws their marriage away, has an affair, has 30 years of irreconcilable differences with their mother can have such a fairytale ending.
Would I read it again - heck yes, 4 out of 5 stars.

Trip to See Steve

The Woolseys went to see Steve, Juliann, Jessica and Thomas over the weekend. We had a great time. Finding I had no morning sickness this time around (as I am not preggo) I couldn't come up with an excuse not to share the driving time with Will. I took the first leg, both ways, and most say I'm pretty proud of myself. That's the longest driving in one sitting that I've ever done. Armed with a thermos full of coffee, jerky, and a few good audio books I passed the time away quickly. Emma did wake up around 1am to inquire where we were going and could I share my chips with her. Of course I indulged her.

The visit was fun and I wished we could have stayed a little longer. Emma earned her Indian name right off the bat - "Avalanche". Want to know how she got it, you'll have to ask Steve.

We were treated to horseback rides, sightseeing around Coeur D'Alene, and some great food.

Emma warmed up quickly to Steve and Juliann, she didn't show her usual stranger danger shyness. She and Steve tried hard to master the monkey bars in the backyard - next time I think. At one point I hear from across the yard "I think I might fall and get a pretty good bleed" in a perfect British, Charlie bit me kind of way. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

The best part was getting to see the family and as I sat and watched Emma learn how to blow darts and run around silly, I was reminded how many many years ago Steve use to lift us up to dangle off the roof and how he was always the best person to have on my team in snowball fights against Jacko and Luke.

Old Will Woolsey had a farm

Old Will Woolsey had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on this farm he had some......CHICKENS, E-I-E-I-O.

Hee hee, I just called him old (But he is getting there). Yep, that's right, check that one off Will's I need to do before I die list. We acquired 6 chickens from a friend of a friend. It put a big of strain on the schedule for September, because we had to take them right away and we didn't have a pen built yet. So, Will worked feverishly to get a functioning pen built - he is still putting the finishing touches on it.

Emma loves the chickens, I hear Will and her arguing all of the time about who's chickens they really are. Will has named the cute little Rooster Dobby. Then there's Big Red. The others aren't named yet. Emma goes out every evening when we get home from daycare to throw scratch and collect eggs. It has been a little trying to explain that you cannot crack and eat the fresh eggs. She thinks all eggs come hard-boiled. So we've had a few casualties but they are becoming more rare.

The rooster crows every morning just about as early as Bobby likes to wake up. They're going to be best friends I can tell.

So, as Emma would say, "Get your own chickens, Dad."