a life beyond running shoes.

i am working backwards.... we got to leave town for a few days before school started just the five of us.  this does not happen often since we live far from family, we usually take our vacation time to travel to them.  we always love it but don't often get time as a family of five. we got to head north to the coast. mendocino. hiking, walking, eating, bike riding, beach exploring, tide pools, tadpoles, baby frogs, wine, and reading.  wonderful...... and delightful.  we are so thankful that we are loved so generously.  we are thankful to have enjoyed our children.

yup....summer is over. school has started.  i have two in school....one at home. and in case you can't tell, that happens to be one red buccaneers backpack and one blue & orange gator backpack. you can take the dad out of florida but you can't seem to keep him from making his kids florida fans.  sigh. also, note the sweatshirts. it was 55 degrees when we left for school.  again....sigh. it does warm up but it is strange for august....at least for me it is.

almost amish by nancy sleeth (one woman's quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life) does that sound right up my alley or what?! it was.  she takes a look at a community that has be able to stay connected to each other while remaining somewhat "out of touch" with modern culture. sleeth a makes the case that current american culture [and even modern church culture] are the ones that are out of touch not the amish.  sleeth takes ten tenants of amish culture and in a way deconstructs it, finds the merit, and challenges her reader to see what they have that we don't.  her ten things: home, technology, finances, nature, simplicity, service, security, community, families, and faith.  the ones that i really loved:  homes - aren't cluttered. technology - serves as a tool and does not rule. [i have stopped checking my cell phone or email on sundays....so mom, call my home phone] finances - save more and spend less.  simplicity - small and local lea...

lost in a good book by jasper fforde sequel. meta-fiction....not sure i know what that means. having just read a jane eyre book, i went back to this author whose first book was the eyre affair .  he transposed reality and fiction.... well, it is all fiction but includes time travel, adventure, extinct animals, fictional characters interacting with the characters of the novel.....and a character called jack schitt.  funny.  it is entertaining. i realized i had to let go of trying to figure out the time looping stuff and just ride the book for what it was worth. since i own the third book in the series, i might give it a go but wouldn't if it wasn't already on my shelf.  yes, chef   by marcus samuelsson can i fall in love with food any more.... yes, yes, i can.  ethiopian orphan, adopted in sweden, world travelled via the kitchen of restaurants, hotels, and cruise ships and immigrated to new york city where he was one of the first black chefs in...

caveat: this is summer reading folks. i did try and throw one meaningful read in there but just to make myself feel better. the thief lord by cornelia funke. one more YA read for my summer vacation.  venice, magic realism, orphans, and that element of a story that captures you and intrigues you to the end. it was not the most amazing book i have ever read, but i did enjoy the characters, youthful intrigue and suspension of disbelief. i have heard her inkheart series is worth checking out.... i liked this enough to try her as author again.  and i did love it being set in venice. she captures that element of mystery, an old theater home and just a few adults to help move the story along.  the age of miracles. by karen thompson walker. okay, what?  time is slowing down.  and what happens at the end....oh, wait....you aren't going to tell me. but okay, this is really just a story about coming of age in a tense, challenging time. right? okay........