library update
i officially suck at blogtoberfest. i’m scraping the bottom of the bucket. anyway, i found DIY instructions for building floor to ceiling shelves. my library is so on its way now. these particular instructions seem very easy with minimal damage to the walls. and judging by the pictures, they seem to be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of a rediculous amount of books–superb.
check it
my husband’s new toy
my husband recently got promoted. as a direct result, we now have in our possession the toy he’s always wanted. good for him, but i feel like we’re moving farther away from the mini cooper i’ve always wanted.
award time!
i’m so excited! my friend mendie from the spectator has given me this award. when you have a moment, you should visit her blog too because it also fits into the “it just rules” department. thanks mendie!
pictures
since i didn’t post on 10-13-09, i’m doing a double post to keep in line with blogtoberfest 🙂 i have an update on my pictures. my dad so eloquently told me that i should figure out a way to flip my pictures to prevent people from thinking i’m an idiot. my mac has a built in camera and i use it to take my “book & me” pictures. the photo booth app tends to reverse the pics when initially taken. i didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but apparently it IS. so just in case you thought i was dumb, please observe the following:
corrected version
idiot version
my future library
so i’m getting pretty serious about turning one of my walls into my own personal library: shelves floor to ceiling. i’m thinking floating shelves. this is my victim:
antiques!
i am a HUGE antique lover. as a matter of fact, i go antique shopping about once a week. i can hardly afford anything but every once in a while there’s that thing i can’t live without. i recently bought the following at a tiny shop called “the feathered nest”:
it’s a tree! with deer and everything 🙂 i turned it on its side so it would look better hanging over my bed. i think it works. the aged fabric of the background looks pretty darn good against my blue walls. the embroidery is just gorgeous!
for an early birthday and christmas present, my friend brandi gave me following:
it knocked my socks off. you have to know me pretty well to know that an antique chair (in my favorite color!) is the most perfect thing EVER to get me. i didn’t even know it was the perfect gift until i got it. surprise!
the lovely bones
get your tissue. i’m glad i’ve finally finished this book. i have to say that it took me a while to get through it. not in a bad way. i was frequently finding myself going back over what i had just read. the way alice sebold writes is so leaden with meaning and just so plain beautiful i wanted to make sure i didn’t miss anything. i’ll admit that at the halfway point, the book’s momentum picked up big time and it turned into an unputdownable page turner. i wasn’t expecting that.
i have never come across a story like susie salmon’s before. written from the perspective of a 14 year old in heaven, she brings innocence to the story and surprisingly tells it without judgement. i mean, the girl is murdered for goodness sakes! don’t worry, this is established on the first page of the book. when susie reviews her murder once in heaven she gives a play by play as she’s lured into her murderer’s trap. susie’s companion in heaven Franny eerily says it was “like taking candy from a baby”. i love that line. it caught me by surprise. it was so frank and it set the no-nonsense tone that they have in heaven. the struggle of susie’s family is heartbreaking. the effect her murder has on her friends and community is unexpected.
there is a heavy layer of forgiveness threaded throughout. the relationship of susie’s parents Jack and Abigail was particularly emotional to me. to think that they went through ALL that and they were able to fall in love again…amazing. and jack understanding that what abigail did was her way of coping and the way he patiently waited for her…amazing. at the end of the story i felt as if i had been completely ripped apart then put back together again. it was the best unhappy happy ending i have ever read.
movie notes: i’m so there. i would just like to say that i’m a huge fan of saoirse ronan (atonement) and she is an amazing pick for susie. peter jackson is directing and i think he pulled it off. december 11th. you wouldn’t want to miss it!
brown owls
oh my gawsh, i can hardly contain my joy. this is the cutest blog. i love me some owls and the postings are the neatest.
just check this out (location: far corner of my heaven):
the photo is originally from Ernesto JT.
blogtoberfest!
since i have been MIA from my blog the past few weeks, what an appropriate way to kick my butt into severe gear! get ready for some seriously silly posts 🙂 oh, and my post for the lovely bones is coming soon i promise!
the bookend. 