Excitement!

Wahooo! Tomorrow I leave for a vacation on Bainbridge Island! That is where my Dad, and his wife, Mary live! Their house is not as grand as those pictured below; but it is wonderful and I love this area. I don't know why, but I feel totally at home there. If someone told me I had to move there tomorrow I really wouldn't mind!

The other excitement stems from my new Iphone!!! This is truly the greatest invention known to mankind! I am in love with it! I can do everything with it; talk on the phone, listen to podcasts, watch videos, check email and about a billion other things. It is a wonder.
I am excited to get on this ferry tomorrow afternoon. It is one of my most favorite things to do! So relaxing! I fly to Seattle and then take this ferry over to Bainbridge Island.
This is the cross-stitch project I am going to bring along with me. It is called "Colonial Gardner" and is by Annie Beez Folk Art. Love it!
While hanging out with my Dad we are going to work on some special projects, one of which I have been thinking about for two years. I want to take old books and turn them into journals. I will be sure to post pictures of what happens. This is a perfect father/daughter project; especially because I am finally going to use my Bind-it-All for the first time!!! Yes, I am hauling it and my portable Ott light with me.

One of the days that I am out there I will get to have lunch with my friend Carolyn! She is a total stitch and a total sweetie all wrapped up in one person. She started out as my Mom's friend, but now she is a great friend to both of us.
Then, towards the end of my stay, my best friend, Noreen, is going to come to visit! She lives in the L.A. area so often times when I go see my Dad she comes up for several days. We have known each other since 1977; so she knows me inside and out.

Book Club Books

Say what you will about Oprah, and I agree sometimes she is over the top; but one thing she has done changed my life. Her book club. If Oprah had not picked the books on this entry; I would have never found them. I would have missed my best book of all, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.

I actually remember where I was when I started the book. Mike and I had gone to Costco and I bought the book there. Then we went across the parking lot to look at a furniture store. While Mike shopped around, I sat in a chair and started the book that was to become my #1 read of all time!
Stones from the River: I remember Mike and I were living in our first apartment together. I was working at the hospital then, 3-11 shift, so I got to see the announcement of the new book that morning......I absolutely love this book. I love the zweirg, Trudi.
On a couple of occasions my friends and I were lucky enough to get tickets to go to Oprah's book club show! On one occasion we got the new book that was just announced, We Were the Mulvaneys. I probably would have never read a book by Joyce Carol Oates if not for this. She is brilliant.
Ahhhhh, Wally Lamb. What a man, what an author. These books of his are perfect. I remember reading I Know This Much is True one summer in our first house. I remember the feel of the pages and the fact that I could not stop reading.
I think I had The Poisonwood Bible on my shelf unread. When Oprah announced my interest peaked; and may I say that this is a Must Read! I remember we were between our first house and our current house; we were staying in a cheap, kind of yucky apartment to save money. I was reading this book then.
House of Sand and Fog. Could not put it down.
So, that is why this morning when I heard there was going to be a new pick I was really excited. I was at work so I had to surf the net to find out what Oprah picked.
Above is the current book club pick, Say You're One of Them. Needless to say; I am off to get my copy tomorrow! It looks totally fabulous.

Home News

Mike and I had an Extremely lazy Labor Day weekend! Just the way I like it. On Saturday we spent a wonderful afternoon in Barnes & Noble.
I bought the book pictured above. Just two weeks ago I had snubbed this book when my friend Patti told me about it. I was all "oh that is not a very literary author" and saying other assorted snobby things.....well, when we went to the store and I read the first few pages, I was hooked! In fact, right after finishing this post I am going back to reading this book. It has a great story and is a real page turner. Just shows you....don't ever be a snob!
I got this magazine, The Believer. It is an interesting mix of articles.
Also was able to sneak this book in. It talks about all of the old classics; Are You There God? It's Me Margaret (one of the best books ever written!), Harriet the Spy, Ramona Beasley, A Wrinkle in Time, etc. I love books about books!

I also got the new Somerset Studio and the new Where Women Create. What a bonanza!
I managed to stitch a bit on Monday while watching the Cubs. I am working on Sampler Lady exclusively until I finish it. I am very slow. I am planning on going for an eye exam soon. I have hit the phase where reading glasses are needed. I am hoping I can get a Lasik surgical adjustment so that I can see up close as well as I could when I was 16. I hope that is an option.
Isn't this just a beautiful tote bag? I wanted this when I first saw it this spring at B&N but could not justify it....however, my Mom surprised me with one this weekend! I am going to cart The Sampler Lady around in it!
As I was standing on a chair taking pictures of the above treasures Mike wondered what the heck I was doing. I snapped one of him walking into the dining room. He is such a QT!