Category: Meanderings

Good morning.  *sips coffee deeply, slowly*

Did any of you ever watch Gilmore Girls ?  If you watched it like I did (every episode and then I bought the seasons….) you may remember that in a particular episode or two they talked about Luke’s “Dark Day.”  I don’t recall all the details of his “dark day” but I think it had to do with the passing of his dad and Luke would just disappear for a day.

Yesterday was my dark day.

June 6 is a hard day for me,  It is an anniversary of a loss and even though it has been 15 years, it can still hit me like a ton of bricks.  (Does this happen to anyone else?)

My point of sharing this really is multi-fold.  One is, as much as I try to keep my posts on a happy note, occasionally there is stuff in our lives and I don’t mind letting you in.  Two, this is where many things come into play that make me thankful… and without dark days… we may not always notice that silver lining.  🙂

Yesterday – I would have rather just been gone for a day.  I was feeling bad, and if it were not for factors in my life and on this blog that I commit to – I would have had a “dark day” and not posted at all….

however…

It was Monday.  And… the Monday meme is a privilege for me to host and I enjoy it.  AND it was the start to Audio Week which I have so been looking forward to as I do love my audio and I am going to hopefully bring some of you nay sayers around to audio throughout this week.  😀  So my point is… no dark day… I had things to post.

As the day went on I left work early, came home with a plan to get some things done and instead I wallowed a bit in a dose of self-pity and then…. my College son called.  He checked in on me, made sure I got the card he sent (he amazes me), and asked my plan for the day.  I told him that I was home… that I was supposed to go out to dinner with a few friends but was going to pass.  He told me I had to go out to dinner and if he had to he was going to text me friend and tell her to make me go. 

So at 5:30 I went mainly because we were celebrating Key’s birthday and I did not want to miss out on that.  As I drove through town I was down… but there is something about friends…. soon we were sitting outside the restaurant at a table with the warm sun and cool breeze, with the smell of lilacs next to a small waterfall.  Tension and sorrow melted off me.  We talked, we ate, we shared until 9:30 pm.  It was getting dark when we left, and while I had no intentions of staying that late.  I am so glad I did. 

My point (I believe) in sharing this is that we all have these moments where we would just rather not let others in.  The first part of June is  hard on me.. has been for many years as memories pour through…. BUT, even my daily rituals of chatting with you makes it a little easier, and friends… are icing on the cake called life.

Ok – enough.  One more thing this morning.  I mentioned it is audio week (SSQQUUEEE).  If you did not get a chance to read my introductory post yesterday, I hope you do.  There is a giveaway.  If you want to join in – check out Devourer Of Books as there are daily things and giveaways.  Also – pop over to The Literate Housewife for the start of something fun… introducing:  Shaken Not Stirred!

Mmmmm…..good morning.

I feel like I had a good nights sleep after a 10 hour headache which I believe is all about the pollen.  It was so thick yesterday when we went bike riding you could see it on the side of the roads and in the grass.  I have been sniffly (my word) and sneazy (like the dwarf) ever since.  And with such an exciting week coming up – I really do not have time to be lying low.

I suspect soon I will be done talking about BEA but I still have not quite spilled out everything I seen and did.  This morning seems like a great day to be talking about the Harry Potter Exhibition in New York.  To someone who has grown up herself on the books along with her kids (hey… I am about as grown up as I am going to get here!) this was a must see.  Even linking it now gives me a bitter-sweet feel as it is with heavy heart that we close out the final chapter of the movies in July of this year.

*sigh*

Ok….

When you walk into the Exhibition we stand in a room where all around us are screen scenes of the actors through the years with great “Potterish” background theme music.  Within the first two minutes I had tears in my eyes.

In the next room we have a chance to be sorted by the sorting hat (which I had heard about pre-exhibit and was going to be sure I had a chance to be sorted.  I was…….  GRYFFINDOR!!!!

*whew!*

Once inside you will find everything from school uniforms the actors actually wore through the years, their wands (OH!  *sigh* again), Quidditch uniforms, the brooms, Harry’s invitation to Hogwart’s, ball gowns, the tri-wizard cup, the Marauders map, Harry’s glasses, props from the classrooms, and we were able to give a try at pulling a young mandrake out of their pots…. awesomeness!!!

Ahhh, but don’t take my word for it…. (a mere Muggle) see for yourself:

and here is a sneak peek into the exhibition in New York which is supposed to sadly be the last stop in North America for this exhibition.

Reagan from Miss Remmers Reviews and I enjoyed seeing this very much and even had a chance to play a little Quidditch.  (I am sure we are both going to be asked to join the team).

A must see for any Harry Potter fan!

As I have talked about before J K Rowling and the entire cast of characters that came out of her mind, and then out of her pen – fascinate me.  Both my boys grew up reading these books and I read right along with them.  For me, the books were a wonderful way to connect with my kids – and even when Justin was a Junior in High School and that final book came out, we were still reading them together.  I have pictures (somewhere) of my boys in capes and casting spells with sticks from the yard)… if a book can make you want to ask it out… it much have magic in it.  😀

Once you get through the exhibit of course you are deposited into a store with everything you may wish to purchase for your full experience:  t-shirts, wands, ties, robes, the candy, collector pieces, books, costumes, board games, and more.  I made a purchase that really excited me – and that was the first book, hard cover Anniversary Edition.  I am so excited about this as I have all the books but this one in hard cover.  I have never been able to find the first book in hard cover.  SSQQUUEEEEEE!!!!!

Now that I have it – I am going to read it before I shelf it. 

In answer to my own question on this post title, I can not let go because these books were such a  big part of many years of connecting with my kids, and with a story line that blew me away with each new book that came out.  These books made both my boys readers.  They made me believe in the magic and beauty of words… more than I think I ever have before. 

If you are reading the Harry Potter books this year as the final movie closes in, or if you were thinking about it… Shannon at Giraffe Days sent me this link to a Harry Potter Read A Long that starts this month…. one book a month.  How exciting is that?  AND Elle and Kate from The Book Memoirs sent me an invite to join their Harry Potter Week and The Book Of Memoirs that starts tomorrow, June 6 – 12.  I don’t know a lot about this one other than it looks like their will be a giveaway a day!

** Random note – biked 40 miles yesterday on the Tour Of Lakes bike ride.  The weather was GORGEOUS.  I have a 150 mile ride coming this next weekend and hoping the weather can be the same for that two day ride.

Good morning.  This is an early one today as Wendy and I are on the road at 6:30 am to get to our bike ride – The Tour Of Lakes by 7:30 am starting time.  30 or 60 miles…. we have not decided yet.

Yesterday afternoon I sadly had to return many (MANY) library books unread.  *sigh*.  I had renewed them on-line twice and then finally it came down to who was I kidding… as much as I wanted to read them… it wasn’t going to happen in the time frame I needed to read them, and really…. has it come to this?  Book hording?  Really Sheila?  Holding books for my own selfish reasons making it impossible for others to read them…

What am I?  Two?

SO back they went.  As my habit would go – I had two to pick up that I had on hold.  Of course I am not so cured that I left them behind… oh no, I hauled home the copy of Discovery Of Witches I have been so curious about and the audio of Every Last One by Anna Quindlin.  What?  Did you expect me to be cured overnight?  Please!  This will take YEARS of practice….  😛

Good morning.  Can you smell the fresh brewed coffee?

MMMMMMMMMM

Take a moment and smell it. 

Mmmmmmmmm……

Yesterday afternoon I came home with a plan.  My hubby on Monday evening was scrounging around the house for something sweet.  Cake is actually what he was craving.  Cake.  We never have cake in the house but apparently he had been watching some tv show that had cake and now he too wanted cake.  All I had in the cupboards was a brownie mix, but no eggs in the frig as I forgot them when I went shopping.  Disgruntled… sweet tooth unsatisfied he went to bed.

So on Tuesday I came home from work armed with the missing eggs, a lemon cake mix and cream cheese frosting.  I also picked up a couple of steaks and shrimp (shrimp was on sale – woo hoo!!!) for dinner.  I was planning a special dinner since I was gone in New York all last week.  So I came home and I baked not only the cake, but the brownies.  I doctored up my steaks – tossed the shrimp on top and put them in to broil, feeling a lot like Betty Crocker as I never put this much effort into cooking.

Yay, I thought…. me time!  I text Al (hubby) to let him know when dinner would be ready, and grabbed Laptop and got comfy in the recliner in the reading room.  I was going to catch up on emails before dinner.  That is when Bailey (see exhibit A) decided he would like to go out.  Ok.  Out of the recliner I get, Laptop carefully to the side and let Bailey out.  I see it looks like he is going to stay outside awhile so I get cozy in the recliner again, and just get emails opened when…. Bailey wants in.

Of course he does.

Laptop carefully to side…. out of the recliner, let Bailey in and then back to the recliner wondering if I still have any time before dinner.  I think I do…

Then comes Elmo… he looks at me.  He wants to go outside.  (See Exhibit B)

Now, I can not deny Elmo anything.  Elmo is my dog.  We have had him since 1997.  He grew up with our boys, has been lost (and found) three times in his life, hit by a car 2 years ago and dragged (gah – awful story) and has just been through the ringer.  He is blind in one eye, has loss of hearing, and the early stages of dementia.  Needless to say – I get up and let Elmo out.

Ten minutes later, I get up and let Elmo in.

Some days…. I think I am the pet.  😛

Ok off to work.. later I return to kickboxing class where I have been MIA for three weeks now and am probably going to be hurting in the morning.  Oh well…. it’s all good for me.  😀

Have a lovely LOVELY day everyone!

Good morning!

Wow.  This morning is a BIG dose of normalcy here.

AND uh huh…. I like it.  😛

It has been over a week since I have sat down at my kitchen table in the morning having  a cup of coffee and tapping at my keyboard a message out to the blogosphere. 

It is GOOD to be home.

Brainerd Minnesota…. is quite the opposite of New York. 

I love taking my time in the morning with my coffee.  I love looking our my window and seeing blue skies and a yard that has been a part of my life since I was 3 years old. 

I love my deck… and that it is finally time to sit on it and read – my absolute favorite place to read!  😀

No rushing in the early hours, fast walking down busy New York sidewalks, crowds of people everywhere, the smell of donuts on one corner, hot pretzels on the next, and something greasy and fried on the next.

(I had some  really good food in New York and I had some really bad food in New York.) 

Anyway…. I drift.

I am off to work here shortly and even that feels good and normal.  I am hopeful the day turns out to be a nice one so I can ride my bike this afternoon…. (it has been 2+ weeks since I have worked out and I feel a bit sluggish…..)  I have kickboxing and group power on Wednesday and I am soooo looking forward to getting back at it.)

Ok… so this post really was just a ramble and gushing of how good it is to be home… putting images of Dorothy clicking her red (totally outdated) pumps together saying, “there is no place like home…. there is no place like home”. 

Oh… it is good to be home. (I should be over this melancholy by tomorrow…. really)  😛

Good Morning!  😀

I am here at my kitchen table…. safely back in Brainerd Minnesota with a hot cut of TEA,

WHA?

Yes… tea.  I have had a sore throat for the last couple of days.  No reason why…. I don’t recall any yelling while I was in New York… however I did talk a lot.  😉  Another reason for the tea is… uh… the DeChantal home seems to be out of coffee.  I know, perish the thought but there it is.  A trip to the grocery store today is in the planning. 

After an amazing week in New York with Reagan (Miss Remmers Reviews), chatting it up with authors, publishers, bloggers, and occasionally… the perfect stranger, there comes a time when all good things must end.  Thoroughly exhausted we caught our plane on Saturday morning at 5:45 am and between the two flights we were back in Minnesota by 10:00 am.  I then drove home and between traffic and a lunch stop landed on my door step a little after 1:00 p.m.  and promptly took a nap until 4:30 pm.  SO TIRED.

Through out this past week I gave a couple hints as to things I was doing and people I was seeing.  I plan to write posts this week of the events in more detail and I hope you enjoy them as I would love for you to feel like you were there.  I did get a little reading done, not much but on the plane I made a dent so I do have 2 reviews to write and hopefully a couple more very soon after.

Here are a few of the highlights of the week:

*  Dinner with Beth Hoffman, author of Cee Cee Honeycutt)

*  Seeing the Harry Potter Exhibit

*  Catching up with Sandra Brannan, author of In The Belly of Jonah (there are hints of this becoming a movie!)

* The walking tour of Greenwich Village and lunch after with author Adriana Trigiani

* Meeting Harlan Coben (oh…. he is my favorite mystery author!) 

* Chatting it up with Sarah Pekkanen (author of Skipping A Beat)

* Meeting a couple of my fall tour authors…)

Going to the Broadway showing of Mary Poppins (I believe I will write my first play review!)

Anyway – I could go on and on between the awesome bloggers who I chat with here and ,meeting them in person to the food experiences (yup – there will be pictures)…

I will share it all with you!  😀  There are a couple of books coming out that were super exciting to get early – and that will be shared with you here as well as a copy may be showing up at my Blogiversary Party on June 9, so make a note to be here for that!

Anyway…. I need to get ready here.  It is wonderful to be home and cant wait to catch up with all of you!  😀

Good Morning!  😀

Hoping everyone is well….I am having a BLAST!

I do not have a lot of time… we are leaving in about a half hour for the Javitz, last day of the Book Expo part of this trip.  Tomorrow is the book blogger convention.  We have until 10:30 today before we grab a taxi and go meet up with Adriana Trigiani for our tour of Greenwich Village and lunch.  How crazy is that?

The weather has been beautiful!  Our first day here it rained (Monday) and we had heard that was pretty much the norm so far this year but Tuesday and Wednesday have been gorgeous and today is supposed to be in the mid 70’s.

Highlights have been:

• Meeting Harlan Coben (I really enjoy his books)
• Going to the Harry Potter Exhibit – and sorted by the sorting hat!!!!!!  (SQQQQUUUUEEEE!!!!!!! Oh and I am….. GRYFINDOR!!!!)
• chatting it up with blogger friends – old and new!

Tonight we have a couple of blogger/Publisher events that we hope (HOPE!) to spend time at both.  It will be another busy day but we did not have a super early one this morning which helps so much. 

On another completely random (but fun!) note… Linda White from the Minneapolis Books Examiner wrote up an article about my blogging path.  She would love it (and I would too :D) if you would pop over and comment on this article. 

Good morning.  Dreary and dark this morning in Central Minnesota as I sit at my kitchen table COFFEE CUP in hand.  I have about 9 hours before I head to the cities. 

I know most of you know that I am going to New York for BEA this week…. second year attending and UBER excited.  See my crazy schedule here 😛

I am half packed,still need to pick up some shipping tape (for books coming home), an IPOD car adapter (so I can listen to my books on it during drive time), and a NOOK charger as for the life of me I can not find it (I have a vague recollection about this in the back of my memory that it is a cord that I already have but I need to do something to it to make it work in the NOOK.)  Of course this also tells you how little I have used this reader.  😳

Looking at the weather now for New York… it looks like rain at least the early part of the week….  maybe I should add umbrella to my list of things to bring (would you believe I have never owned one? )  I may need to change that today. 

Really though that is it …. I have posts yet for today and plan to blog all through the BEA experience, and I am a little concerned about traveling with LAPTOP as this is the same one that died a while back, came back to life, died again…. and then suddenly just started working again.  I am really hoping the trip isn’t too much for him because I don’t think I would make it a week without my laptop… 😛

Stop by and check out the What Are You Reading post later tonight, it will be light of course, but I will be going NOOK, not book, for the first time ever.  😯

**Oh and I am still taking votes on which real book to take with me (I am only taking ONE).  Currently the Berg book is ahead, I will announce on the post tonight which one won the vote.

Have an awesome Sunday!