The Island by Victoria Hislop

I was madly trying to choose a book to review/share with my book group. In over 20 years of being in book groups, I have never had this problem. I'm not getting as much reading in these days, and that has contributed to the issue.

I received several suggestions, and read some of them. This one seemed like a good candidate, so I gave it a try also. The Island is about a leper colony on a small island off the coast of Crete, and the village just across from it on Crete itself.  The story highlights one family in particular, although you get to know many people in the community.

I liked the story, and found it interesting to learn a little more about the disease of leprosy.

The author, Victoria Hislop, is a journalist. I think it shows in this novel. It's hard to describe but mostly the story skims the surface, and doesn't really delve into the heart of the characters. There are glimpses that I would have liked a deeper look into. Ultimately that's why I didn't choose to do this book for book group. Although I liked it, the writing didn't make my heart sing.

September in Seattle

Yes. It's been a month since we were there. We had such a good time! We ate at some of our old favorite haunts, which I already wrote about, and spent time with our friends. But best of all we had time with Debra and her family.

We stayed at home and played. We went to the park and played. We went for drives. It was all great.

We took a lot of pictures. Here is the gallery, all in one post:

The most stunning view of Mt. Rainier we've ever had flying in. I took this through the plane window.

Jonathan and Debra

Ray, Madeleine, and Diane. Ray is carefully taking care of Diane's blankie. In his rear pocket.

The girls drew pictures of all of us with sidewalk chalk on their backyard fence. This is Diane concentrating hard.

Madeleine, drawing a picture of all of us. You can see Randy on the left, then Debra, then Madeleine, the Diane and Jonathan. She added me and Ray afterward.

Diane

Madeleine. The girl rides around that cul de sac like a demon. 

Sweet Jonathan

Madeleine and Diane

Madeleine at St. Edward's State Park. They've added this play area since we moved. It's terrific.

Ray, giving the girls a big push on the swings. Still at St. Ed's

Madeleine and Diane. The weather was glorious while we were there. The park was a perfect place to be.

Diane at St. Ed's.

Sunday we went for a drive to Sand Point and got out for a walk. It was chilly. Jonathan's all bundled up.

Throwing rocks into Lake Washington at Sand Point

I could not get enough time holding this boy. He is growing so fast.

Diane, me, Ray, Madeleine. Pure heaven.

The weekend flew by much too fast.

September Report

I have been diligent in writing these reports, at least. Although not much has changed from month to month, I've promised myself I would be accountable all year long. It will be interesting for me to compare them at the end of the year.

I have been so crazy busy that it's ridiculous. Only four blog posts in September! Almost no quilting done, and it should have been a big month for getting at least two quilts done. Nope. Didn't happen. But I've managed to take things day by day, and enjoy (mostly) what's come my way and just been happy with what I've done. That's a big improvement for me personally. Then I'm more in the moment, and enjoying life, rather than being bothered by the "extras" that don't get done.

So,with those thoughts, here is my report on September:

1.  First things first: much the same. Plugging along, doing fairly well.
2.  One shelf/drawer per day: I think about which shelf I want to do every day. Do I get it done? Not that often. But my sister-in-law and I are trading two days a month helping each other organize some area in our home. That's about even with one shelf or drawer per day. Actually the real bonus is that I'm ready for her help, because I've cleaned out and organized so much already.
3. 30-30-30: by far my most effective method of keeping on task. I'm like a little kid--so responsive to the challenge of beating a timer. I like the days that I have time to employ this system.
4. Skype/webcam: I've been doing more FaceTime with the grands. My goal for September was to sign up for Skype. Let's just say that that particular goal will be carried over into October.
5. Digital Photo Storage: I'm still plugging away at the class I'm doing. I got slightly derailed by a different project but will be back on track now.

Eating Our Way Through the Eastside

Seattle is home to some of the best restaurants in the world. We've eaten in many of them, and have some great favorites. Last week while we were there we ate our way through the weekend, and had a great time doing so.

We stopped at Top Pots Doughnuts in Bellevue on our way home from the airport. Those are some good donuts. Perhaps the best apple fritter I've ever had. For regular old donuts, though, I still love Factory Donuts in Kingsgate.

Thursday night we took Debby and Randy to dinner to celebrate their birthdays. We gave them their choice of restaurant, and they picked what we consider to be the best food in the greater Seattle area. And believe me, we've eaten at a lot of great restaurants. Ray discovered Tosoni's many, many years ago. Walter, the owner and chef, remembered Ray and promised to put cioppino on the menu for Ray that night. Tosoni's is in a little strip mall in the Overlake area of Bellevue. It's intimate and friendly. If you like melt-in-your-mouth, savor-the-goodness, out-of-this-world food, this is the place for you.

Ray and Diane

Debby and Randy - see the kitchen in the back? We're at the front of the restaurant. Cozy and small.

The menu. The cioppino was a special offering.

Mahi Mahi

Veal Piccata

Cioppino

The best chocolate in all the world. I couldn't wait long enough for the picture. I just had to have a bite first.

The chocolate decadence at Tosoni's is like no other. There is no better chocolate that I've had in my life. Ever. Take it from someone who knows chocolate: it's the best.

On the other end of the food spectrum is King Charley's in Snohomish. The service is excruciatingly slow and the only seating are two archaic picnic tables which more closely resemble teeter-totters. But--there is no better burger, nor are there any better fresh fruit shakes in the state of Washington. Or any other state I've been in so far.

Madeleine, Ray, Debra, Jonathan, Randy, Diane

Those are the extremes of our eating. We also managed to squeeze in Cafe Veloce where I had my favorite Pasta Muffaleta, Pizza Bank for a beef gyro, and Pomegranate Bistro, where I had an incredible BLTGA (bacon, lettuce, tomato, gouda cheese, avocado and peppadew aioli) sandwich. 

The rest of the weekend (and, really the best part) was spent being with family and friends. More of that to come soon.

The Beloved Buick

When I was a kid we had a 1965 Buick Sportwagon. Oh, how my mother loved that car. She swore she would never get rid of it. We had that car for a long time. I remember many a cross-country trip taken in it. My mom cried the day my dad turned it in for a newer car. (We kids rejoiced.)

The other day Ray and I were driving and I saw this car: 

It was an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, not the Buick Sportwagon, but looks so much like the Buick I thought it was one at first. I was very excited. Those windows on the top were a dead giveaway. Our car was beige, like the one below and had a red interior. It had front and back seatbelts that were dutifully stashed under the seat. After all, if they were out they just got in the way. 

I don't think I've seen a car like that since 1975. It was great to see one again. It brought back a lot of great memories.

Pre-travel Conversations

We're headed to Seattle to see my daughter and family. In fact by the time this is on my blog we may be there already.

I've had some fun conversations with the girls about our upcoming trip. It all started one day while we were on FaceTime and I mentioned how excited I was to come. Madeleine informed me that we would be there in ten and nine days. They'd been counting.

Here are the email communications that have happened since then:
Aug 21

Me: I will see you in ten and seven days!

Love, G’ma

via Debra: no two girls were ever more excited. 

Aug 24

Me: Thirteen days!!

Aug 26

See August 28 post

Sep 3

Me:

How old is Diane?

2

How old is Madeleine?

4

What is the number between 2 and 4?

3

That's how many days until I see Diane and Madeleine.

I can't wait!!
I love you!

G’ma

via Debra: madeleine: we already know that!

they've been counting down, hard core. seven days ago, madeleine said, "diane. there are seven days until we see g'ma and pa'a. and then the next day, there are six. and then five, and then four, and then three, and then two. so there are pretty much two days left."

Sep 4

The girls’ morning conversation, via Debra:

madeleine: diane, guess how many days until g'ma and pa'a come!
diane: oh! 
madeleine: that's not a number, that's a letter! it's two day!

August Report

These monthly accountings of my activities are telling. I still love the goals, but have relaxed a little in my approach.

1. First things first: still plugging along. I do pretty well at exercising, and if I am not eating perfectly, I am at least aware of how I'm eating and paying more attention. Scripture study is better, but not perfect. I've got a course of study I'm following now that I like and think I will sustain for a while.
2. One shelf/drawer per day: it is not happening daily, but is happening on a regular basis. So I'm feeling great about that. This could be a goal for a long time.
3. 30-30-30: my miracle working stay on task remedy. I can't believe how much more I get done when I do this.
4. Skype/webcam: I love FaceTime, but need to sign up for Skype on the off chance that I need it. It almost set me back yesterday to not have it. That's my goal for September: sign up for Skype.
5. Digital photo storage: I'm excited about this. I'm still slowly making my way through learning the system, but it is exactly what I need.

I feel like my life is a little unpredictable, what with needing to be available for my parents, and my church responsibilities. When I push myself to get certain things done I can feel the headaches coming on. I've decided not to impose unnecessary deadlines on my projects. That leaves those necessary deadlines more achievable. It seems great to be making progress, and I'm striving to be happy with progress that will eventually end in completion. If that makes sense. Life's too short and people too important to me to fret about projects that should be bringing me joy and satisfaction rather than frustration.

Happy September!

Juliet by Anne Fortier

I don't know what to say. I should have loved this book, but ended up only liking it.

Is it because I had a hard time finding time to read it and sometimes lost track of what was happening and who people were? Maybe. But if I'd really loved it I would have made time to read it, and wouldn't have been as forgetful.

Is it because I just read a story within a story book that I loved and liked better than this one? Maybe. But if I'd really loved it that wouldn't have mattered.

Here is what I liked: I liked reading what is supposed to be the original story of Romeo and Juliet interwoven within a modern story. I liked the modern story okay.

Here's what I didn't like: I felt the writing was uneven. I felt like the characters were not consistent. Sometimes I wanted to say let's just move things along here, don't take so long to tell the story. Sometimes I wanted to say really? you're going to just wrap that up so quickly?

So there you have it. An ambiguous review. Perhaps because that's how I feel about the book. Ambiguous.