Books, books and other things

 

 I have nothing to show you on the yarn front today.  Frankly all I have been doing is taking care of my sick teenager, cleaning and doing all of his laundry as he sweats through his clothes and sheets.  The poor soul has strep throat and apparently antibiotics do not work for him with this particular illness.  There is no relief for him after being on the meds for 24 hours like others have, in fact he gets much, much worse. Friday he had a fever of 105 degree's, that is smoking hot for a 17 year old.  I swear my leg muscles are hurting from running up and down the stairs a million-zillion times a day checking on him and bringing him whatever he needs.  He is better today, no fever and he is eating so things are looking up. As I have spent several hours at the doctors office this week reading, I have been thinking a lot about books

 I love to read and I always have.  I remember reading a lot as a child.  My sister Claudia  was always reading when I was little.  She found her love of reading from my Mom, I found mine from watching Claudia.  When I was little we had a bookmobile that came and parked at our elementary school parking lot.  My Mom always took us over so we could check out books.  But as I got a bit older, and the bookmobile stopped coming, it was my sister who drove us to the library or Little Professor's Book store.  Those were always special treats, riding with her to the big library.  We would walk in together and part ways as I went to my section and she went to hers.   In those days you could leave a young girl in the library in her own section of books and never worry about a thing.  I would always have 7 or 8 books in a big stack, I'd take them home and read each one.  Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Little Women and all the Little House on the Prairie books.  I read Gone with the Wind three times when I was younger. I would read them all and Claudia would take me back so we could start all over again.  My Mother used to say, " You are never bored if you have a book."  So true.

I have read some very good books lately.  These have been read over the past few months, mostly in the evening when I am ready to hop into bed.  So if you are looking for a good book here are a few suggestions.

Beautiful Day by Erin Hilderbrand

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I have also listened to three books on CD while driving.  This is new for me, I started listening on my trip to North Carolina and continued after I got home.  I drive a lot for work and I have found if I am listening to a book I am much less tense in the car.  If there is heavy traffic I just listen, and sometimes I am almost sorry I have to get out of the car, I want to stay in and listen some more.

The books I listened to are  Beaches, and The Island both by Erin Hilderbrand, and Breakfast With Buddha by Roland Merullo.  This last book made me laugh out loud in some sections, I loved it.

So now I am wondering if any of you listen to books on your phone or iPad?  Do you have a particular app you like to use?  I have been researching a bit, but you all know I am technology challenged.  I am always a few years behind in all that stuff.  So if you have any suggestion I'd love to hear them. 

My sister Claudia has a new blog about reading, books and newsworthy items based on all of that.  You can still find her at Mockingbird Hill Cottage and now you can also find her at Just let me finish this page.....  She is an avid reader.  You'll love her new blog.

Just to be fair there have been a few books I was not so in love with.  Diane Keaton's new book Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty.  Parts of it I loved and made me laugh out loud.  I love that she is so real,  struggling like the rest of us to come to terms with aging.  Parts seemed to drag a big, but regardless I still love Diane Keaton.  And you might all shoot me but The Goldfinch was not a best seller to me.  I liked the beginning and end but the middle 300 pages made me want to quit reading, I didn't so I guess that says something!

Have you read or listened to any good books lately?