tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85693859957512901092024-03-13T05:25:05.775-07:00sara-sundriesSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.comBlogger454125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-50137511088441166052024-02-12T13:24:00.000-08:002024-02-12T13:27:03.597-08:00Thoughts on The Crown<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9uYsA_FTSXuEstJ6PukPUkabYTuv4qlfjl9YaL9Y535aKwpCpDMjuuWn5zCTXprrDSE0SHHHFC2A88tCTxwisR_L0aIlyMREY7UeK8bQQqz-c2mVjLDV31WivOALkVUkGPdrReiz1nh9DKkQ8H-CrPaZY2bmv1MInr3C9EdFS1O5ISEQVHEbnmojRscAz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9uYsA_FTSXuEstJ6PukPUkabYTuv4qlfjl9YaL9Y535aKwpCpDMjuuWn5zCTXprrDSE0SHHHFC2A88tCTxwisR_L0aIlyMREY7UeK8bQQqz-c2mVjLDV31WivOALkVUkGPdrReiz1nh9DKkQ8H-CrPaZY2bmv1MInr3C9EdFS1O5ISEQVHEbnmojRscAz" width="187" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>What? I haven't posted anything in nearly two years? I guess I've been busy. Very, very busy. The hours needed for my job have increased exponentially. In addition, Andrew is busier than ever, and I am his ride--at least for a few more months. Then he'll get his license and I will spend all of my time worrying. Valerie started driving a couple of years ago, at 18. I do worry about her, but I guess I'm used to it now. I'm not sure what to think about that.<p></p><p>So, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crown_(TV_series)">The Crown</a>. I finished watching it this morning and I have thoughts. </p><p>My dear Grandma wore her hair much like Queen Elizabeth II in her later years, though my Grandma dyed hers blonde until she was in her late 90s. So, I was reminded of her quite often while watching. But it wasn't just the hairdo. My Grandma was just thirteen years older than the queen. She had a lovely home built in 1948 and most of it looked the same when she died in 2017. She loved antiques, often found at second-hand shops, and decorated her home with mostly old furniture. Watching The Crown, stepping back in time, was kind of like visiting my Grandma's house, stepping back in time.</p><p>What I'm thinking about today is how looking at the life of Queen Elizabeth is a lot like looking at the life of many matriarchs, like my Grandma. I think in the 21st century, women are just beginning to <i>really</i> be seen.</p><p>We are all The Queen, we just wear different crowns.</p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-43539696456176035432022-02-24T15:10:00.003-08:002022-02-24T15:14:50.466-08:00War and Peace<p>Today Putin invaded Ukraine. My heart is heavy. I finally finished reading <i>War and Peace </i>in January, so Tolstoy's writing is not far from my mind. </p><p>Published in 1869, <i>War and Peace</i> is an historical fiction that takes place during the time of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia">Napoleon's 1812 Invasion of Russia</a>. It is also an exploration of the problems with writing history and a philosophy of why men go to war. </p><p>And here we are today. I feel a sense of foreboding similar to my memories of the 1980s Cold War era, yet so grateful for my good fortune to see a peaceful view outside my window rather than destruction.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI5dhsPCe6t6c5fSWzMMKWB8U03WDecCj1Q1tOhkQs2rlSYzp8fr150Nfn1W2xsqcppTLoOStoylUevh15dWGvd77wX_6Zx7pSI-nV-X9VgUFtJUIQGW62ZSCmWvnHCodES0i8SZDBHfwqWVW7loJTUq4nd-xdxijQUY_MPJrbD79go5FUTSq5qZ0vdw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI5dhsPCe6t6c5fSWzMMKWB8U03WDecCj1Q1tOhkQs2rlSYzp8fr150Nfn1W2xsqcppTLoOStoylUevh15dWGvd77wX_6Zx7pSI-nV-X9VgUFtJUIQGW62ZSCmWvnHCodES0i8SZDBHfwqWVW7loJTUq4nd-xdxijQUY_MPJrbD79go5FUTSq5qZ0vdw=s320" width="180" /></a></div><p></p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-34659927191625695532021-11-12T09:07:00.003-08:002021-11-12T09:07:58.531-08:00Almost Halfway<p>Just a quick update on <i>War and Peace</i>. Still reading it, but almost halfway through. I'm on page 586 of 1350. I very much want to watch the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3910804/fullcredits/">mini series</a> with James Norton and Lily James, so trying to read a bit each day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rAzU5IyUask/YY6ZL82hiaI/AAAAAAAAWQo/58pBkFv7huUDEflwek3bCGHoQlZ3maSjgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="133" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rAzU5IyUask/YY6ZL82hiaI/AAAAAAAAWQo/58pBkFv7huUDEflwek3bCGHoQlZ3maSjgCNcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/image.png" width="200" /></a></div>I did not have to wear reading glasses when I started this book, but now I do. I got these Lulu Guinness frames at the optometrist's the last time I was there in April of 2019. I didn't *really* need them at the time because my vision was still better than 20/20. But I was noticing <i>something</i> was up and my insurance covered it, so why not. In the image, the color looks pink, but it's really red.<p></p><p>So this quick update turned into a digression on reading glasses. I have an optometrist appointment coming up soon and it will be depressing, I'm sure, but also--new specs! I want retro and green or blue or tortoiseshell. Now that I wear them during my Zoom meetings for work, might as well have a little fun!</p><p><br /><br /></p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-46831428369102616992021-07-06T14:26:00.005-07:002021-07-06T14:48:49.819-07:00Another Circle<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R5EO_KzMuFQ/YOTGOd2mq-I/AAAAAAAAV7M/6iSfHTM5i4UBsCydZsOejukdQPK2NVetgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/chair%2Band%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1764" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R5EO_KzMuFQ/YOTGOd2mq-I/AAAAAAAAV7M/6iSfHTM5i4UBsCydZsOejukdQPK2NVetgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/chair%2Band%2Bbook.jpg" /></a></div><br />Yep, <a href="https://sara-sundries.blogspot.com/2020/07/full-circle.html">still reading <i>War and Peace</i></a>. Last summer I also read Beatriz Williams' <i><a href="https://beatrizwilliams.com/books/her-last-flight/">Her Last Flight</a></i>. And I currently have her latest, <i><a href="https://beatrizwilliams.com/books/our-woman-in-moscow/">Our Woman in Moscow</a>,</i> still in it's mailer in the entryway (along with a lot of other stuff).<p></p><p>Ideally, I should finish <i>W&P</i> first, right? I am on page 403 of 1308. And I looooooooove it. </p><p>But honestly, my heart has broken so many times this past year--for reasons political, social, and personal--it's just been hard to concentrate.</p><p>And Tolstoy isn't going anywhere. Isn't <i>that </i>wonderful?</p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-83920897236429821332021-03-13T10:49:00.001-08:002021-03-13T10:59:36.549-08:00Popcorn <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div>The sugar plum tree in front of our house has popcorned. </div><div><br></div><div>Many years, this happens in the week of warm weather we always get in January. But this year, I waited and waited. And that was just fine with me.</div><div><br></div><div>Something to keep looking forward to, that I knew was going to amaze me, because it always does. That's the kind of year it's been. Marking time with the small things, the cyclical changes of nature outside my window. </div><div><br></div><div>A year ago, I was visiting my mom in the hospital after hip surgery, required to grab a mask from the box on the reception counter. I only wore them in the halls. I threw them away once outside. Weeks later, masks were scarce so I was sewing them, sending a few to my parents and sister.</div><div><br></div><div>I listen to NPR. I knew COVID-19 was coming way back in February. I figured it was already here. On March 9th, I predicted they would close schools the next week. My kids' last day was March 12. I was off by a few days. They haven't gone back.</div><div><br></div><div>And that is just fine with me. </div><div><br></div><div>Oh, I want them to be able to go back. Zoom school is exhausting for everyone, and my kids are teens! I'm not worried about the academics. My daughter and son have suffered emotionally--their worlds should be expanding right now. That's where the twinge in my gut comes from. </div><div><br></div><div>Our middle and high schools will likely both be open within the month for modified attendance. But there have already been close calls with the small extracurricular cohorts they have been operating, so no thank you. </div><div><br></div><div>The risk to them may be statistically small, but it's still too much. Valerie should be eligible for the vaccine in May. My fingers are crossed that Andrew can be vaccinated this summer after it is deemed safe for his age group.</div><div><br></div><div>I got my first shot last Monday due to my educator status. My husband got his last week, at a lucky fluke word of mouth pop up clinic. He has an underlying condition that puts him at higher risk. So, that's just fine with me.</div><div><br></div><div>My parents and sister are vaccinated. Hope is on the horizon. But, the horizon's far off yet.</div><div><br></div><div>Go ahead and get some pretty new masks for summer, because we should all be wearing them for a while longer as we round a corner in this pandemic. As we turn into spring of this next year.</div><div><br></div><div>The past year has shown me sadness and grief and ugliness, but also perseverance--and more time together with my kids. </div><div><br></div><div>And popcorn. Early in the pandemic we started family movie night every Saturday with popcorn. And if we keep it up--that will be just fine with me.</div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-8704528611151534352021-02-22T16:27:00.001-08:002021-02-22T17:24:49.659-08:00Rest<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqD8yeR_YIA/YDRFYEoxFhI/AAAAAAAAVwM/6cof3R5nBQoQuJm8aws7Jm8FjYLTUjpPwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/view%2Bfrom%2Bswing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqD8yeR_YIA/YDRFYEoxFhI/AAAAAAAAVwM/6cof3R5nBQoQuJm8aws7Jm8FjYLTUjpPwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/view%2Bfrom%2Bswing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />This is the view from the swing in my front yard. <p></p><p>I have spent a lot of time here in the past year. Not so much in the past few months, but now that the weather is warming a bit, I'm drawn to it again. I got the cushion and pillows out of the closet. They are upholstered in warm red/brown/yellow/orange hues with shells, hibiscus, and seahorses, however. A good excuse to order some <a href="https://www.fabric.com/buy/0576053/lacefield-designs-global-market-amelia-exclusive-kelly" target="_blank">fabric</a> to recover them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Countless times I have come out here with my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199232768" target="_blank">book</a> and not read a single page.</p><p>I'm weary. I'm exhausted. Constantly, foundationally overwhelmed. Background noise. Low level static. Ringing in the ears. Dull buzz.</p><p>I think we are all quite tired, collectively. Traumatized.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, if I may suggest, just rest. Even when you have ten thousand things to do.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rest.</p><p>Look up at the branches and see a heart.</p><p>Swing. Breathe.</p><p>Rest.<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 22px;">♥</span></p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-59488946544439810822020-11-26T16:45:00.003-08:002020-11-26T16:48:58.062-08:00Fall Morning<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ecaMu5eHFYA/X8AkWDLKb4I/AAAAAAAATKo/HsSXQuEOOpwMTDKVQx-E3MEwycW9gvnVwCPcBGAsYHg/s2268/20201126_135305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2141" data-original-width="2268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ecaMu5eHFYA/X8AkWDLKb4I/AAAAAAAATKo/HsSXQuEOOpwMTDKVQx-E3MEwycW9gvnVwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/20201126_135305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This was the Maxfield Parrish view out my window a few mornings ago. To me, this is the most glorious time of year. Several times throughout each day I find my heart in my throat, joy swelling up from my core. Be safe, be well, be golden and glorious.<p></p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-12393490128236442852020-07-04T14:53:00.001-07:002020-07-04T15:09:20.476-07:00Full Circle<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOXgiRNxAso/XwD5pkifOCI/AAAAAAAASwo/yqJMn1UOx6Y9q0OPpyZoyVltPekxxiX0gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200704_143519.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1100" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOXgiRNxAso/XwD5pkifOCI/AAAAAAAASwo/yqJMn1UOx6Y9q0OPpyZoyVltPekxxiX0gCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200704_143519.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>I still haven't finished <i>War and Peace</i>. Last year I only got to page 148 before I had to return it to the library. Remember when we used to actually go into libraries?<br />
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If our current federal administration hadn't failed so fantastically at handling COVID-19, things might be different.<br />
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We can't go back, but we can decide our future leadership. So, I'll just reiterate what I said in my last post: We'll change that on November 3, 2020.<br />
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It feels like a very American thing to do.</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-41546395055347371062019-07-06T17:26:00.000-07:002019-07-06T17:28:55.606-07:00Reading Tolstoy on the 4th of July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27WS669p258/XR6Ui6Oe34I/AAAAAAAAOcg/HYuiIOTLQsQ9-gHL8bYl0vT5iI9ce8H6ACLcBGAs/s1600/20190704_170435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27WS669p258/XR6Ui6Oe34I/AAAAAAAAOcg/HYuiIOTLQsQ9-gHL8bYl0vT5iI9ce8H6ACLcBGAs/s320/20190704_170435.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It felt like a very American thing to be doing. I am grateful for my beautiful country and my precious freedom. I am thankful we are not ruled by a dictator, just a petty man who likes to pretend he's one. (We'll change that on November 3, 2020.)</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-46069722999633510682019-07-01T11:37:00.003-07:002020-07-06T09:43:25.376-07:00Work Gets in the Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d30mKACmZrQ/XRpNJWIIJYI/AAAAAAAAN8g/ltFh51Sleesln-JS-6UsltBuUjAvVgBSwCLcBGAs/s1600/hydrangea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1478" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d30mKACmZrQ/XRpNJWIIJYI/AAAAAAAAN8g/ltFh51Sleesln-JS-6UsltBuUjAvVgBSwCLcBGAs/s320/hydrangea.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
I bought a hydrangea about a month ago. Or maybe end of May? Then we had a heat wave the next week and I came home to find it completely wilted (even though I had watered it two days before). I knew we live in an iffy area for hydrangeas and I thought I had killed it. It made me want to cry. So, I poured a gallon of water into it and the next morning it looked like this again. There's got to be some sort of significant metaphor here.<br />
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So it's July. I haven't posted since December. I don't know how that happened. Wait. Yes I do. I got a new job as a homeschool teacher for a public charter school. I like it a lot, but this first year was a HUGE learning curve. Not only work stuff, but figuring out how to be a regular working mom stuff and all the stuff that goes along with that. Stuff.<br />
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I also drive my kids--one or both--to swim practice every day. Twice a day four times a week for my daughter. I love that they like it so much but, wow, I never ever thought this is what we would be doing.<br />
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So. I bought a hydrangea. I put it in the back against the fence across the yard from the kitchen window over the sink. I look out there often and it is a thing of beauty. I love the way the colors of the flowers change. It reminds me of my Grandma, though I don't remember her ever having a hydrangea or even if she liked them. (And that makes me sad, because I feel like I should know this and now I can't ask her.)<br />
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I read one book in the last six months and I'll post about it in a few days. Probably. And now I am starting <i>War and Peace</i> which the librarian told me her son told her is just one big long cocktail party. So, I'm thinking--beach read!<br />
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Happy summer.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-86539196386701454602018-12-31T15:58:00.001-08:002018-12-31T15:58:16.761-08:00Book o' the Month: The Old Magic of Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2OinhihM_E/XCqnHebJpqI/AAAAAAAALX8/FIhTQDwZRZA_8Xpj1lCtAaUD4OW1waTGACLcBGAs/s1600/the%2Bold%2Bmagic%2Bof%2Bchristmas%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1101" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2OinhihM_E/XCqnHebJpqI/AAAAAAAALX8/FIhTQDwZRZA_8Xpj1lCtAaUD4OW1waTGACLcBGAs/s320/the%2Bold%2Bmagic%2Bof%2Bchristmas%2Bbook.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738733340"><i>The Old Magic of Christmas</i>, by Linda Raedisch</a>, is quite the eye-opener. It turns out, the days between mid-October and February 2nd are chock-full of nasty characters, spirits, monsters, etc. You have likely heard of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus">Krampus</a>, but he is just one of many menacing entities you have to watch out for during this season. However, there are also several actions you might take to help keep the baddies at bay and usher in some good luck (and presents)!<br />
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It explores the folklore and traditions of Europe and beyond. And in case you were wondering what you need to beware of on this New Year's Eve...it is moving night for Icelandic elves and if you are in Iceland, you might notice magical white frost "pantry drift" in your pantry. Also, it is the night Finnish maidens might see the image of their future husbands reflected in a mirror. <br />
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And, if you can swing it and you stroke a piglet this evening, you may have good luck all next year. So with that I wish you--<br />
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<img alt="A HAPPY NEW YEAR pig balancing cones on its nose, line up of pigs along bottom of card" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e1/b6/bc/e1b6bcbfdb9162e4e78c2a168a698481.jpg" width="206" /></div>
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(image found <a href="https://tuckdb.org/items/51030">here</a>)</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-2491841670792195142018-12-06T21:01:00.000-08:002018-12-31T15:22:48.827-08:00Book o' Last Month: The First Four Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oftNHWAQIM4/W_RP0KVzauI/AAAAAAAALF0/5_ksSaXqmPk-YbLzO2uK8WbZ6Uc4sPyAgCLcBGAs/s1600/the%2Bfirst%2Bfour%2Byears%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="757" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oftNHWAQIM4/W_RP0KVzauI/AAAAAAAALF0/5_ksSaXqmPk-YbLzO2uK8WbZ6Uc4sPyAgCLcBGAs/s320/the%2Bfirst%2Bfour%2Byears%2Bbook.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
This post is bittersweet. <i>The First Four Years</i> by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a bittersweet story of Laura and Almanzo Wilder's first four years of marriage. It was tough going trying to make a living farming in the Dakota Territory, but Laura was resilient, pragmatic, and ultimately optimistic.<br />
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Andrew and I have spent many sweet mornings curled up before school reading through this series. We have both been absorbed in the details of Laura's pioneer life. But this is the last book in the series and when we finished the final page I thought, Now what? That's the bitter.<br />
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Andrew is an excellent reader (thoroughly enjoying <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchet_(novel)">Gary Paulsen's <i>Hatchet</i> series</a>) and interested in many other things: guitar, drawing airplanes and ships, Snap Circuits. But, lucky for me, he is also still interested in hanging out with his mom. Now I just need to find a new book to read to him.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-75011655546769393022018-11-20T10:27:00.000-08:002018-12-31T15:22:25.984-08:00Book o' Two Months Ago: Moby Dick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S_RuiqULMKI/W_RPj-AUO_I/AAAAAAAALFs/6GKIe9q9MQcoAfqlK028q1ZpjHzYBFSygCLcBGAs/s1600/moby%2Bdick%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1172" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S_RuiqULMKI/W_RPj-AUO_I/AAAAAAAALFs/6GKIe9q9MQcoAfqlK028q1ZpjHzYBFSygCLcBGAs/s320/moby%2Bdick%2Bbook.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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I read it--the dreaded <i>Moby Dick </i>by Herman Melville. Why is it so dreaded? I was immediately drawn in to the witty narration of Ismael. Who knew <i>Moby Dick</i> was funny (the book, not the whale)? True, it is a loooong book (at over 600 pages in the edition that I read), but the chapters are short--perfect for our current condition of smartphone related short attention spans (or <i>parenthood</i>). I will admit I learned more about ALL the aspects of whaling, which I never had any intention of knowing, including one particular visceral image I may never be able to purge from my brain, but it was worth it. I may be partial because of my love of 19th century subject matter and literature, but I would still dare you: Read <i>Moby Dick</i>!<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-25454721486448568432018-07-03T09:11:00.000-07:002018-07-03T09:12:06.690-07:00Summer Plans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What are my summer plans? I get asked this question everytime I bump into a friend or acquaintance. </div>
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Besides a four day trip to see family later this month, we've got nothing going on. And by nothing, I mean spendng 1-3 hours a day driving kids to activities. And by activities, I mean mostly Valerie's swim practice. (Swim team has been awesome for her, don't get me wrong, but still. A lot of driving for me.)</div>
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Yesterday I see that dooce.com is back in Paris this summer and I start thinking about the four weeks I spent in Spain back in the summer of 2002. I was there for a professional development class for teaching, but that was just an excuse, si?</div>
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So...here are my new summer plans:</div>
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No, I'm not going to Spain. Just looking up flights. And browsing accommodations. A mama can dream!</div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-20898970324406058302018-07-02T15:47:00.002-07:002018-07-02T15:58:22.007-07:00Book o' the Month: Doctor Zhivago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember renting a video cassette of Doctor Zhivago as a teen (the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Zhivago_(film)">1965 version</a>, obviously). It was long and I lost interest. (It actually had an intermission in the middle.) I didn't know anything about the history. I watched it again on DVD (things change!) last May and thirty years older, I was captivated. I also watched the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Zhivago_(miniseries)">2002 miniseries</a>, but I found the actors not as convincing as the dashing Omar Sharif (!) and mesmerizing Julie Christie. </div>
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Then, naturally, I had to read the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Zhivago_(novel)">book</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Pasternak">Boris Pasternak</a>. Wowza, I think I have mentioned somewhere on this blog that it is always a good idea to read the book before watching the film(s). The 1965 film is quite different from the book, besides some key details. The 2002 version is like a riff on the previous effort. I still like the first movie, and frankly, why didn't they get it closer to the novel the second time around? At least I had <a href="http://www.hotflick.net/pictures/965/big/fhd965DZV_Julie_Christie_047@030424.html">two beautiful people</a> in mind as the main characters while I read.</div>
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And speaking of reading...I'm so glad I read this Nobel Prize winning book that the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/during-cold-war-cia-used-doctor-zhivago-as-a-tool-to-undermine-soviet-union/2014/04/05/2ef3d9c6-b9ee-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3d6759d8264e">CIA helped</a> spread around during the Cold War. I so love classic literature. The language! (I bet it sounds even better in the native tongue.) Just sink your teeth into these quotes:</div>
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Does anyone still write like this in our soundbite world? Pasternak was also a poet and it shows, no?</div>
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I had to include that last one. It seems oddly...contemporary. (Looks like I cut off the last several words which are "and left nothing behind them.")</div>
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I'm thinking of reading <i>Moby Dick</i> next. It doesn't have "Sea" in the title, but I think it counts for sticking to my traditional summer reading theme. What are you reading this summer?</div>
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[Book i<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Zhivago-Translated-Hayward-Harari/dp/B002ELP544/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530567634&sr=1-11&keywords=dr+zhivago">mage from Amazon</a>]</div>
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-9932144961041442262018-06-21T18:49:00.001-07:002018-06-25T13:00:38.216-07:00Books o' the Month: Little Town on the Prairie and These Happy Golden Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Andrew and I are almost finished with Laura Ingalls Wilder's series. We read <i>Little Town on the Prairie</i> and <i>These Happy Golden Years</i>. They are both wonderful. I find myself wishing I had read them to my <a href="http://sara-sundries.blogspot.com/2017/08/she-goes-on.html">Grandma</a>. She was born in 1913 in Minnesota. She lived there and in Iowa before moving to California in the late 1930s. I think she would have loved the stories of prairie life and found many things familiar, especially the descriptions of the cold weather.<br />
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Next up, <i>The First Four Years</i>. This will be the beginning of Laura's life with Almanzo and the birth of their daughter, Rose. The description on the book jacket sounds like hard times lay ahead, which will be different from the happy courtship story in the previous book. That's life, I suppose.<br />
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I am also reading <i>Dr. Zhivago</i> after watching two film versions of the book first--never a good idea. But, more about that later.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-73977921139712464352018-06-19T18:23:00.000-07:002018-06-21T11:34:06.347-07:00Book o' Last Month: The Seven Sisters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Margaret Drabble's <i>The Seven Sisters</i> did not disappoint. I first read her novel <i>The Waterfall </i>for a class in college. She has a very accessible style and intriguing themes.<br />
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Now that summer vacation is here, I'm hoping to do more reading, but all I seem to be doing is driving my kids around to their activities. Oh well. Seems summer is for kids, just like Friday nights, weekends, holidays, and vacations.<br />
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Books are my escape. After reading just a couple of pages, I am in another city, another country, another time, another life. Where are books taking you this summer?<br />
<span id="goog_422971595"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_422971596"></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-53455036160772029122018-04-16T12:01:00.000-07:002018-04-16T12:01:55.561-07:00Book o' the Month: The Enchanted April <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This book was excellent! Imagine, I didn't even know it existed until I was telling a dear friend about the movie. She didn't know there was a movie! We have both been enlightened this April.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-33648157617547112842018-03-20T12:18:00.001-07:002018-03-20T12:18:36.378-07:00Book o' the Month: The Long Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Andrew and I got through <i>The Long Winter</i> and I really think it took <i>us</i> all winter to do so! This book is quite the document of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard#The_Snow_Winter_of_1880%E2%80%931881">winter of 1880-1</a>. Wow! Now on to the next Laura Ingalls Wilder book. Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-40545752090250133302017-12-27T11:31:00.001-08:002017-12-27T11:32:38.710-08:00Books o' the Month: By the Shores of Silver Lake, Beautiful Ruins, Cocoa Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Andrew and I continue to work our way through the Little House books and they are so great! We usually read a chapter or two in the morning before school. Andrew is going on ten now, so I read to him whenever he asks, because, you know. Time flies. <br />
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I got this book suggestion from <a href="https://www.theskimm.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=branded&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu5a2w_Wq2AIVkeNkCh3u1gxIEAAYASAAEgIXjvD_BwE">The Skimm</a> (which I highly recommend). It was a really fun read, which I also highly recommend.<br />
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The most recent Williams book did not disappoint. I love the way the there are characters in all her novels that are related in some way. This novel ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, so I can't wait to see what happens next, and to whom!<br />
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See you in 2018! Happy New Year!<br />
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-10848353190346411672017-12-27T11:17:00.002-08:002017-12-27T11:18:45.780-08:00Books o' Last Month: The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr, The Forgotten Room, The Wicked City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you seen Hamilton? I have not, but I did read a biography of the man who caused his death. Quite the tragic life--and I'm still not sure what his real motives were. We may never know.<br />
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Another Beatriz Williams book, written with two other authors. Three main characters in three different times, one forgotten room. Just as much fun as the other Williams books I can't get enough of including...<br />
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This one was a little more intense, but equally as fun. What have you been reading lately?Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-88523021698817067312017-10-26T16:25:00.001-07:002017-10-26T16:25:32.937-07:00Books o' the Month: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, A Hundred Summers, Extraordinary Life of an Army Wife, Making Masterpiece, On the Banks of Plum CreekI have been absolutely prolific in my reading lately. Prolific, I tell you, which is different than obsessive--search my blog for Diana Gabaldon and Paulina Simons, not to mention Austen and Bronte, for <i>obsessive</i> reading!<br />
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Let's start with <i>Confessions of a Prairie Bitch</i> by <a href="http://www.hgd.com/alison/">Alison Arngrim</a>, AKA Nellie Oleson. I had to read it after enjoying Melissa Gilbert's memoir. Take all your preconceived notions of Alison/Nellie and throw them out the window. Then read this book. She is an amazing woman who has been through hell and now spends a great deal of her time and energy helping others.<br />
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Oh, Beartriz Williams, please never stop writing! I love her style and her characters and her settings, etc., etc., etc. <i>A Hundred Summers</i> has it all and was pure fun to read.<br />
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I finished reading <i>Extraordinary Life of an Army Wife </i>right before my dear sweet Grandma died. Jacky Cagwin was another woman of her generation, and what they had in common was being army wives. True tales from mid-century America, plus Mrs. Cagwin met a lot of interesting people (JFK? check!) and led an interesting if sometimes painful life.<br />
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After reading <i>Making Masterpiece</i>, I have a whole new appreciation for what it takes to bring my favorite TV show to my living room. I have zero regrets about signing up for <a href="http://www.kqed.org/tv/passport.jsp">KQED Passport</a>.<br />
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Andrew and I are still working our way through the Little House classics. <i>On the Banks of Plum Creek</i> was the next fascinating installment. I love these books! (As a family, we are now on season five of the television series.)<br />
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More books coming next month--you betcha!!Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-8644949422911137012017-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:002017-09-30T12:12:24.877-07:00Books o' the Month: A Gentleman in Moscow, Overseas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My reading-like-crazy streak has not stopped! (And the house isn't getting any cleaner or less cluttered.) <i>A Gentleman in Moscow</i> by Amor Towles? Believe the hype. This is a wonderful book. Wonderful!<br />
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I am cruising through all of Beatriz Williams' books, including <i>Overseas. </i>Time travel with a twist. Her books are fun to read, hard to put down.</div>
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Need a good rec for October? A brooding classic with darkness and danger? <i><a href="http://sara-sundries.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-o-month-wuthering-heights.html">Wuthering Heights</a> </i>by Emily Bronte. One of my all-time favorite novels, perfect for the spooky season.</div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-87290738870867820572017-08-29T13:05:00.000-07:002017-08-30T11:56:40.876-07:00She Goes On<div class="kp-header" data-ved="0ahUKEwiw5c6vmP3VAhVqwlQKHQO5D40Q3z4IJygA" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
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My dear sweet grandma died today at the age of 103 years, 11 months, and 6 days. She was my role model and the world seems less bright now without her in it. <br />
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Ever since I first heard this song years and years ago, it has been about her.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9XYmMKRsho">She Goes On</a></div>
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by Crowded House</div>
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Pretty soon you'll be <span style="color: #222222;">able to remember her</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;">Lying in the garden singing</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;">Right where she'll always be</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;">The door is always open</span></div>
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This is the place that I loved her</div>
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And these are the friends that she had</div>
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Long may the mountain ring</div>
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To the sound of her laughter</div>
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And she goes on and on</div>
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In her soft wind I will whisper</div>
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In her warm sun I will glisten</div>
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Till we see her once again</div>
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In a world without end</div>
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We owe it all to Frank Sinatra</div>
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The song was playing as she walked into the room</div>
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After the long weekend</div>
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They were a lifetime together</div>
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Appearing in the eyes of children</div>
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In the clear blue mountain view</div>
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We're coloring in the sky</div>
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And painting ladders to heaven</div>
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And she goes on and on</div>
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In her soft wind I will whisper</div>
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In her warm sun I will glisten</div>
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Till we see her once again</div>
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In a world without end</div>
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In her soft wind I will whisper</div>
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In her warm sun I will glisten</div>
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And I always will remember</div>
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In a world without end</div>
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She goes on</div>
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She goes on</div>
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She goes on<br />
She goes on</div>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569385995751290109.post-65978353930455382802017-08-03T15:34:00.000-07:002017-08-03T15:34:48.060-07:00Books o' the Month: The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Tiny Little Thing, Along the Infinite SeaThese books are the Schuyler Sisters Series by <a href="http://beatrizwilliams.com/">Beatriz Williams</a>. I actually read them in reverse order, which was not a problem at all. They are so engrossing and hard to put down! Each one has two parallel story lines in two time periods told in alternating chapters. I simply devoured them.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03265763475632104771noreply@blogger.com2