Plum Spooky: Book Review

This was my first read by Janet Evanovich. She was praised at our writers' group a couple of months ago, so I figured I'd better see what all the fuss was about.

I can't compare Plum Spooky to any of Evanovich's other novels, nevertheless as a stand-alone experience, I can tell you that I was entertained and enjoyed reading the book. The plot was adequate - as in it did what it needed to do - but the real joy is in Evanovich's colorful language. I mean, how can you not love farting fire? The characters really are that - characters. Stephanie Plum is a funny, tough broad who doesn't mince words. The crooks she has to catch have hilarious names like Martin Munch, and there's a nice play of romance between the mysterious men in her life: Morelli, Ranger, and now Diesel. Oo-la-lah.

This book had the most unusual combination of romance, suspense, and comedy I've ever read. A head-scratcher sometimes, but overall loveable. I will likely read more Evanovich novels.

If you're looking for a fun and relaxing read to take on your summer vacation, this book is the ticket.

First Day of Summer Va-cay!

Woohoo! Summer vacation is here. YES!

What?! Even I can't believe I feel this way. I remember the first day of school, when I gleefully booted the kids out the door (after I took their picture) and sent them on their way to school. It was so awesome to have kids gone all day. What a difference from those pre-school days when all of the kids were home all day. The day seemed to drag and the afternoon lull between naptime and daddy getting home from work was the worst.

Now, I'm so thankful that they're all home. The first thing I did to celebrate this transition was sleep in. What a joy! This summer promises days filled with crafts, outdoor adventures, soccer, reading, the Zoo man, biking, music, swimming, Czech language, campfires, tents pitched in the yard, friends visiting, playing 'til the sunsets, and sleeping in as long as we wish.

Let's just hope the bickering is minimal, their room stays reasonably clean, and they don't rip through any more jeans.

What does your summer hold in store for you?

Happy playing!

The Sirens of Baghdad: Book Review

The Sirens of Baghdad by Yasmina Khadra, is one of those books I was drawn to because of the cover. It also interested me because I'd recently finished Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and my mind was open to reading more about Muslim nations.

A young man from an unassuming little Iraqi village - and a pacifist at heart - is thrown into the tumults of war and violence, finding himself a part of - and wanting to be a part of - a radical terrorist group. It's a bold, gritty book that lets the reader into this man's thoughts as he tries to understand the conflict of his country and how he inescapably becomes a part of it.

This is a complex read and I admire Khadra for his willingness to analyze the many layers that create the conflicted feelings of his characters. They weigh the situation in Iraq, judging the West, their nation, their people, themselves, and foremost, how to make it right again for themselves. Admitttedly, at times it was hard to read - especially the West-hating parts, but I also understand that the author is trying to explain what brings people to these opinions; that they exist and ignoring them is as futile as the main character's attempts to docilely languish in his remote little village.

I admired Khadra's command of the language and couldn't get enough of his carefully thought-out phrases. I can literally open the book at random and quote anything, because all of his writing is good. Here are a few examples:

"I'd imagined a different Beirut, Arab and proud of it. I was wrong. It's just an indeterminate city, closer to its fantasies than to its history, a fickle sham as disappointing as a joke...It's so trifling, it seems insolent. Its affected airs are nothing but a con. Its alleged charisma doesn't jibe with its qualms; it's like a silk cloth over an ugly stain." (p. 1)

"A hostage to its own emptiness, Kafr Karam was unraveling a little more with each passing day." (p. 47)

"The bus, a backfiring old relic stinking of burned oil and overheated rubber, seemed to be on its last legs. It didn't roll so much as crawl along, like a wounded animal on the point of giving up the ghost." (p. 129)

"The taller of the two was a man in his fifties with a sinister-looking mug resting on his fat neck like a gargoyle on a church. A hideous burn scar extended high enough on his right jaw to cause a slight pucker in his eyelid. The fellow was a downright brute, complete with treacherous eyes and a sardonic grin." (p. 185)

Coincidentally, towards the end of the book, there is a reference about a Dutch filmmaker murdered by a Muslim because of a film he made. This film was made with Hirsi Ali and is the starting point of Infidel.

Unquestionably, this is a good book club read. If you go solo, find someone with whom to discuss. I'm still wrestling with its themes.

Eat the Monster, Mrs. Mommy!

Today I'm featuring a special guest blogger: one of my own monsters, K2. It's (another) rainy day and he's howling to watch Transformers the Movie (the original, you know where they say "Shit" and stuff?) Anywho, this summer my goal is to be craftier with kids. K2 has been in a monster phase, so we made this little bugger. Here's what K2 had to say about his monster:

"My monster eats fruits and vegetables and then he pukes them out. Sometimes he likes to suck on his ear. He blows his nose alot and in the summer he always falls down on the cement. "

This crazy creature was a craft found in the book Easy Art Fun! by Jill Frankel Hauser.

I may have been able to divert K2's attention for a little while, but he couldn't be deterred for long. He built his very own Transformer which he named "Verocity". I don't know either.

So, tell us, what does your Transformer do? "He can fly. And he has guns. (Mommy doesn't like guns.) And bullets. (or those either.) He's a Decepticon, he's a bad guy."

Why did you choose to build a bad guy? "I don't know. Because I didn't have enough Decepticons."

What do you have? "Starscreen, Bumblebee (an Autobot) - he's a good guy - and two more that I don't know. I call one of them Punching The Belly. The last one is a black one and he can only shoot metal, so I call him Black Metal. The one I got from the Easter Bunny - I call the bird Eagle Eater and the car Scary Face. Actually his name is Race Mean."

So, what you're saying is you built a Decepticon so your good guys would have someone to fight against? "No. The good guys don't fight. Only the Decepticons fight. I like the Decepticons because they have really cool guns."

Oh boy. I promise, he's actually a really nice kid.

Mass Flip Flops

The cantor stepped up to the podium, prepared to lead us in the singing of the psalms. She was a beautiful woman - tall, excellent posture, elegant in dress. My eyes scanned over her Sunday best - a white V-neck blouse under a fit blue jacket and a flowing flowery skirt that added to the grandeur of her height. The outfit concluded with a bright, sparkly-sequined pair of aquamarine flip flops. Freshly purchased no doubt as they had that extra shimmer of newness.

I don't mind tight clothes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, track suits or jeans - even tennis shoes don't bother me so much. We even have a guy who comes in his socks because he rollerbladed to Mass. But flip flops? (Or crocs for that matter, but I'll leave those alone for now.) I know they're comfortable and easy, but really, they reduce one's stature to embarrassing levels.

And I'm not even shoe-crazed. I'm all about being practical and comfortable. Usually it's me who's on the receiving end of shoe criticsm. Last year for example, kids and I spent two months in Czech Repbulic with my in-laws. My father-in-law was particularly distressed by my footwear in general, let alone at church. My mother-in-law finally took me out shopping and purchased me not one, but two pairs of new sandals not of the Teva variety.

I found this exasperating, and chalked it up to them being of another generation and another culture. In Czech Republic, how you dress - and especially on Sunday - can practically define who you are. But I have to say, this year, in my community, I have seen women elegantly dressed, even in a business suit, and once my eyes got to their feet, they involuntarily closed on the sight.

I've seen enough Sex and the City to understand that there are women out there that have a relationship with their shoes that's as intimate as the one with their husband/boyfriend/significant other. After this morning, I can appreciate this attitude.

After Mass, my husband turned to me and said in my ear, "Your shoes look nice."

Save flip flops for the beach.

Pretty Dirt and Swings

Just when I was hopeful I might get out of planting another garden this year - with the economy and whatnot - I remembered that I had a bunch of seed packets that never got planted last year. Sigh...So close.

Mother Nature must have heard my rant yesterday, because she blessed us with blue skies and plenty of sunshine.

So after lunch, I gathered my hoe, that three-pronged rake thingy, and my MP3 player (because I'm too cheap to have an iPod.) Admittedly I enjoyed hacking at the dirt, braking up the chunks, and shaking more dirt off the few weeds that had sprouted. I prepared two of my three flower beds availabe to me this year. (The fourth one is being taken over by hubby who wants to stack wood in it.) If the seeds don't sprout into anything lovely, at least I can say I have beautifully-raked dirt.

Speaking of hubby, he did quite an unexpected thing for the kids. He created and hung a swing from a tree at the back of our property that dips down to an oxbow. A regular dad would probably have hung a tire swing, but anyone who knows my husband, knows that he's um...not your usual guy. He took a swing - the kind with the black rubber mat seat attached to metal chains - and attached it to this long, sturdy piece of white fabric that was about 20 ft. long. Somehow he managed to sling it up and over the crook of a tree. But that's not all! He also attached a rope to the seat. When the kids want to swing, he pulls on the rope and the kids swing in ellipses instead of the classic back-and-forth style. It's a fun ride and reminds me of the sensation of riding the Tilt-A-Whirl at the County Fair.

Sometimes he's pretty great.

Today's Forecast: Scattered thunderstorms with bursts of tears

It might as well be raining shit, because this weather is really crappy.

I've lived in Northern Minnesota for over three years now, and I'm starting to get suspicious that we only have two seasons: snow and rain. Both of which are freezing.

The last two Saturdays it snowed. In May. You think I'm kidding? This was what it looked like last Saturday morning. And, no, that's not frost. The weekend before there was a blizzard for Fishing Opener. (Known to the rest of the world as "Mother's Day") I saw cars that had the powdery white stuff accummulated on their roofs and hoods.

The folks up here, are a hardy bunch, you know. You'll see them outside working in the garden pairing their capris and flip flops with a winter jacket, wool scarf, and fur-lined cap with those ear flaps down; the tassles tied securely under the chin. We think that if we wear summer clothing, then the warm weather will feel obligated to make an appearance.

Thankfully, my interest in gardening is low. The few optimists in the region couldn't contain their excitement on that one day last week when it was "hot"enough to wear capris, a sweater, and a stocking cap sans scarf. They planted their flowers only to have them damaged by frost over the weekend. (Or whenever it was.) Even I know you can't plant anything until after June 1. And even then you still have to be careful.

Anywho, snow has given way to rain and while the southern end of the state is getting 90+ degree weather, already sticky and complaining about the heat, we're lucky to get 50 degrees. Now that's a heatwave, eh?

It's all relative. Yah, you betcha.

Oh, look! Mother Nature has a sense of humor. The sun decided to come out after all.

Always trying to make herself look good.