Update: Obviously, there was a glitch in the Weather Advisory on WeatherBug this morning! Here are the actual stats for the day, thus far:
Daily Weather Data
High Temp: 92°F Low Temp: 64°F Rain Total: 0.00" Wind Gust: 26mph Sunrise: 6:05 AM Sunset: 8:59 PM
While I would have liked cooler temps, I really don't think I'm ready for winter weather!
I know we've have some unusually cool and damp weather this summer, but imagine my surprise this morning when I clicked on the WeatherBug icon to read this local warning!
ALERT 1 - Winter Weather Advisory WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY Issue Time: 5:03AM CDT, Thursday Jul 17, 2008 Valid Until: 1:00PM CDT, Thursday Jul 17, 2008 Back to summary
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY. PATCHY FREEZING RAINLIGHT RAIN AND SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW THIS AFTERNOON Urgent - Winter Weather Message
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Ne
I'm fairly certain this is a bug in the system. However, we do live in Nebraska, so I guess anything is possible!
Another light month! Summer is here and I've been busy at work, fishing, cooking, playing with my camera, pulling weeds and slappin' mosquitoes (gotta love all that rain we've had this year!). I figure I'll get more books read this winter when I can't play outside!
Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts Contemporary Fiction 2008 Grand Central Publishing Finished on 6/29/08 Rating: 2.5/5 (Fair)
Fate sometimes thought that God was looking out for him and Lutie. The notes left for them, and the food they found on the hood of the car and in the library. All of that came from someone. And if it didn't come from God, then maybe Fate's mother was watching over them or maybe even Floy. But he felt pretty certain that it wasn't his daddy because he didn't figure Jim McFee had the status of an angel.
Product Description
The bestselling author of Where the Heart Is returns with a heartrending tale of two children in search of a place to call home.
Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.
Made in the U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
I had such high hopes for this new release by Billie Letts. I loved all three of her previous books (The Honk and Holler Opening Soon, Where the Heart Is and Shoot the Moon), each peopled with quirky memorable characters and situations. Unfortunately, Letts fails to deliver with Made in the U.S.A., which was nothing but a lot of simplistic plotting and one-dimensional characters. And, if the thin (and ultimately sappy) storyline wasn't bad enough, the depressing situations Lutie brought upon herself (shoplifting, fake ids, drugs, prostitution and pornography) were almost enough to make me give up on the book before I'd reached the halfway mark. I desperately wanted to root for these pathetic, homeless runaways, but found it more and more difficult to work up any sympathy. The only reason I finished was to see how it all turned out. I needn't have bothered, as it was pretty much how I guessed.
Early reviews have claimed Made In the U.S.A. is a heartbreaking, yet uplifting story. Maybe I have a cold heart, but I didn't feel anything other than annoyance and a sense of deep disappointment in this mediocre effort by Letts, especially in view of her previous literary accomplishments.
The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason #1 in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles Romance 2007 Signet Finished on 6/19/08 Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Product Description
In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy of vampire slaying, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget. And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love.
I'm probably one of the last in my circle of blogger friends to read this series, but I finally picked up The Rest Falls Away last month and was immediately sucked in! (So to speak.) I had to set it aside for a little while so I could read The Sparrow for book club, but the short break didn't upset the rhythm of the narrative and I was quickly immersed back in Victoria's world of high-society balls and vampire slayings.
It's been years since I read Ann Rice's Interview With the Vampire (which I loved), and although I've enjoyed Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga, I'm not chomping at the bit to read Eclipse. However, after reading a couple of vampire books, I realized how much I enjoy the genre. I rarely ever read romances, though, so I have to admit that I was a little nervous about reading Gleason's debut novel (albeit, one of a paranormal nature), in spite of all the great reviews that I've read here and here and here. I won a copy of the second in Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicle series, Rises the Night, a few months ago from Booklogged and decided to buy The Rest Falls Away with a birthday gift card. (Thanks, Jen!)
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was very pleasantly surprised with The Rest Falls Away! This book has a greater level of sophisticated writing than the handful of romances I've read over the years. The pacing is even, maintaining the tension from start to finish, the dialogue is entertaining and believable, and I love the subtle humor. I'm anxious to see where the developing relationships lead and am eager to read more in the series to see who Victoria winds up with! I plan to read Rises the Night later this month, but I think I'll save The Bleeding Dusk (and When Twilight Burns, which comes out on August 5th!) for my trip to Virginia next month. I prefer trade paperbacks to mass markets, but now that the airlines are charging for luggage, smaller books are looking better. Hmmm, maybe it's time to buy a Kindle!
This video never ceases to bring a smile to my face. I think it's because in this day and age of war, famine, floods, earthquakes, typhoons, tornadoes, fires and every other unimaginable disaster, accompanied by overwhelming sadness and despair, I love to see the children laugh and smile. I could watch it every morning with my cup of coffee. Thanks, Matt!
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Science Fiction Arthur C. Clarke Award1996 Fawcett Columbine Book (Ballantine Publishing Group) Finished on 6/17/08 Rating: 4.5/5 (Terrific!)
Product Description
"A NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT . . . Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense." --USA Today
"AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED . . . If you have to send a group of people to a newly discovered planet to contact a totally unknown species, whom would you choose? How about four Jesuit priests, a young astronomer, a physician, her engineer husband, and a child prostitute-turned-computer-expert? That's who Mary Doria Russell sends in her new novel, The Sparrow. This motley combination of agnostics, true believers, and misfits becomes the first to explore the Alpha Centuri world of Rakhat with both enlightening and disastrous results. . . . Vivid and engaging . . . An incredible novel." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"POWERFUL . . . Father Emilio Sandoz [is] the only survivor of a Jesuit mission to the planet Rakhat, 'a soul . . . looking for God.' We first meet him in Italy . . . sullen and bitter. . . . But he was not always this way, as we learn through flashbacks that tell the story of the ill-fated trip. . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence." --San Francisco Chronicle
"SMOOTH STORYTELLING AND GORGEOUS CHARACTERIZATION . . . Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them." --Entertainment Weekly
I have three brothers, so naturally I was outnumbered when it came to voting on television shows when we were growing up. Forget The Partridge Family, Family Affair, or The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I got stuck watching episode after episode of Star Trek. I think that's when I decided I hated science fiction! I never ventured into the Sci-Fi section at the library or book store and honestly, I just couldn't understand the appeal.
Well, if it hadn't been for my online book group choosing The Sparrow back in 1997, I may have not only missed out on one of the best books I've ever read, but I would've remained stubborn about science fiction in general. Fortunately, I have gained a great appreciation for the genre and have gone on to read several more books, leaning heavily on the post-apocalyptic theme (as well as becoming a huge Battlestar Galactica fan). I initially thought The Sparrow was the first science fiction book I'd ever read, but then I remembered I'd read (and loved) Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine back in seventh grade. I also have a vague recollection of borrowing my brother's copies of Logan's Run and The Adromeda Strain, which I think I enjoyed as well, although the details are a bit fuzzy.
It's been over a decade since I first read The Sparrow and as with most of my favorite books, I'd been meaning to read it again for several years, but kept putting it off for something I hadn't read yet. When it came time to nominate a science fiction title for my face-to-face book club, I decided the time had come. I was very happy when the group voted to read it this past month. More importantly, I am happy to say that it withstood the test of time! It was just as enjoyable as the first reading. Maybe even more so since I wasn't rushing through the chapters, eager to see where the story was leading me. I read more slowly and paid much more attention to all the details. I was actually a bit surprised that I had forgotten so many! I was fairly certain of a few important plot points, but as it turned out, I had forgotten the specifics and was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events. It was almost like reading a new novel. However, the extrapolation of technology that had so intrigued me back in '97 wasn't quite as exciting this time around. Laptops and PDAs are such a big part of our lives now that I barely noticed the mention of similar devices in the book. Yet, in spite of the lack of technological thrills, I fell back in love with all the characters. It felt almost like a reunion of sorts, visiting with old friends of whom I'd grown so very fond.
The Sparrow wound up on my Top Ten list back in 1997 and everyone on my Christmas list received a copy that year. When I went to work for Borders Books & Music in Fort Worth, the book became one of my favorite titles to recommend (to customers and employees). I had recently returned from a small book conference in Cleveland where I met Mary Doria Russell and I was eager to tell customers about her upcoming sequel and the news of a possible movie (which, unfortunately, still remains to be filmed).
If you're one of those people (as I was) who swear they'll never read any science fiction, don't be too quick to dismiss this remarkable book. The author has created some wonderful characters that will stay with you long after you finish the book. The writing is both captivating and provacative, not to mention quite funny here and there. I've yet to meet anyone who didn't love it.
First and foremost, thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers for my brother. He's doing very well. For those of you who didn't see my reply to the comments on my post, I'll give you the Cliffs Notes version. The surgeon was able to remove the entire tumor (which was benign). However, it encapsulated the auditory nerve, so Mark lost all hearing in his left ear. He's been home now for almost two weeks and is taking it easy. He's still a bit fatigued and has some balance issues, but he's cracking jokes and sounds very upbeat. It was great to be out with my family in San Diego. I think it's been close to 8-10 years since my last visit. I spent most of my time at the hospital, but I did manage to get a long walk in at the beach in Del Mar. I also managed to eat Mexican food at almost every meal. Love those fish tacos at Rubio's!
By the way, that blog entry about Mark's surgery received the most comments of all my posts. You all are such a caring group of people and I'm honored to know each and every one of you! Thank you.
Bellezza honored me with another award almost two months ago!
Thank you, dear friend, and shame on me for failing to pass on your kind gesture. I was so touched by all the comments posted about my brother (as well as all the virtual hugs on May 28th) that I would like to extend this Blogging Friends Forever award to each and every one of you.
Spring must be my lucky season. Not only did I get the BFF award, but I won this darling apron from Kristen's Dine and Dish blog. I've been reading Kristen's blog for quite some time (I've accumulated a huge stack of recipes to sample) and was so surprised to win the contest. I love the apron and will try to remember to have my hubby snap a picture next time I'm wearing it. Thanks again, Kristen! Your blog rocks!
The stormy weather has been unbelievable this past month. Not only did we have all those tornadoes I mentioned a week or so ago, but we had another big storm come through last Wednesday, just to the north of Lincoln. The sirens went off and we headed to the basement. I think there were four tornadoes that night. And early Sunday morning, one touched down in West Omaha. Crazy weather. I heard that Snoqualmie Pass got 7 inches of snow last night. In June! Go figure, eh?
I've been putting together a list for a new end cap at work and was so pleased with the numbers for my current display. Here's a picture of what's currently up:
I've read Durable Goods, Joy School, Yellow Raft on Blue Water, The Secret Life of Bees and Some Things That Stay twice. It's been quite a while since I read Boy's Life, so maybe I'll add that to my towering stack of summer reading.
The best-selling of all of these books has been Fannie Flagg's Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man. I think a lot of readers missed it when it was first published in 1992. It's such a fun read! Definitely another to re-read later this summer.
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