Auntie Nettie Reads A LOT 2009 - 2nd Quarter

Same disclaimer as always, this list was maintained mainly so that I could remember what I've read this year. The record does not fully represent me or all of my interests, so don't judge my reading habits. My interests change quite frequently. ... no recommendations or link, yada yada yada.

Just read something, 'kay? Thanks.

April 2009
Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane: A Novel by Katherine Howe (ARC)
Seaview Inn by Sheryl Woods
Knit Two: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs
White Witch, Black Curse (Rachel Morgan) by Kim Harrison
My Best Friend's Girl: A Novel by Dorothy Koomson
The Ghost in Love by Jonathan Carroll
Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson
Where the River Ends: A Novel by Charles Martin
Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, No. 3) by Victoria Laurie
Death Perception (Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 6) by Victoria Laurie
Tathea by Anne Perry
Victory of Eagles (Temeraire 5) by Naomi Novik
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Pastries: A Novel of Desserts and Discoveries by Bharti Kirchner
The Music Teacher: A Novel by Barbara Hall
Turn Coat (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher

May 2009
Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks
The Baker's Apprentice: A Novel by Judith Ryan Hendricks
Love and Other Natural Disaster: A Novel by Holly Shumas (didn't finish)
Chocolate Secrets by Zelda Benjamin
The Book of Useless Information by Neal Botham & The Useless Information Society
Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper
The Blue Notebook: A Novel by James A. Levine (ARC)
Angels of Destruction: A Novel by Keith Donohue (ARC)
Bone Crossed (Mercedes Thompson #4) by Patricia Briggs
The Rose without a Thorn: A Novel by Jean Plaidy
Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs
Chance Meeting by Laura Moore
The Marrying Game: A Novel by Kate Saunders
The Geometry of Sisters: A Novel by Luanne Rice
The Quality of Life Report: A Novel by Meghan Daum (didn't finish)
Leaving Eden: A Novel by Anne D. Leclaire
Beach Roses by Jeanne Stone (had read before, so didn't reread)

June 2009
Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen (ARC)
Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (ARC)
2 ARCS started and discarded, not even to be mentioned here
Recovering Charles by Jason F. Wright
The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Women about Town by Laura Jacobs (didn't finish)
Who You Know by Theresa Alan (didn't finish)
A Trilogy from my own library (reread)
Lament: The Fairie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Laura Willig
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert

The list for the first quarter of 2009 is here.

Blog FAQs

Recently it occurred to me that new readers or others who stumble across this in the future may have questions about this blog. Since I had time, I thought I’d try and answer some of them.

Why did you start the blog, Auntie Nettie?

The blog was started to be a loose record of Auntie Nettie’s life, mostly for the purpose of entertaining herself, and by extension, her nieces and nephews. As the kids get older and can read, hopefully they can use this blog as a way to get to know their Auntie Nettie better and read about shared visits and family stories that they may not remember.

Auntie Nettie? Why are there no pictures of you/uncle/kids/cousins on this blog?

Well kids, you see, the Interweb and Blogosphere can be read by lots of people all around the world. There may be some nice people out there, who are generally interested in our well-being, but there are also some not-so-nice people who cross lines and do some mean things. (Ask your uncle one day. He can tell you stories.) Auntie Nettie and Uncle G-dawg made a decision to not reveal too many personal details, like real names, addresses, phone numbers, and pictures of us or your cousins on the blog. Plus, the blog is called “Auntie Nettie’s” not some variation of maternal musings. Pictures and communications about your cousins will be shared in other old-fashioned way.

Didn’t you used to post a Grateful List?

Yes my darlings. Auntie Nettie did start out one year keeping a weekly Grateful List. However, Auntie Nettie got very busy with all her jobs and with living life.

Here’s a sample of her general, ongoing Grateful List, in no particular order:

~ Loving family, including all of my far-flung nieces and nephews, Grandmary and Grumpa, Uncle G-dawg and our little hatchlings;

~ Gainful employment, even if it can be a bit much a times;

~ Health and relative sanity;

~All the beauty of the various fine arts;

~ Mother Nature’s endless beauty and bounty; and the

~ Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and Inalienable rights, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Auntie Nettie? If you are so busy, how do you have time to craft?

Crafts therapy is infinitely cheaper than regular therapy. It’s a way to harness my nervous energy, relieve stress, and manage anger issues in a productive way, so I don’t end up cleaning obsessively, peeling my cuticles down to the bones, or noshing until the cupboards are bare.

The side effect of all of this crafting is the accumulation of more supplies, more projects, and more handicrafts in the art studio, which in turn adds to Auntie Nettie’s stress because it starts to pile up. It’s an endless cycle.

You might ask how you can help relieve this stress by buying some of the handicrafts. Sadly, you have to know Auntie Nettie and/or know when she’s having one of her boutiques/trunk shows, because she’s just not gotten an on-line etsy shop … yet. That’s more stress.

Why are there so many pictures on this blog, Auntie Nettie? Isn’t a blog more of a written record?

To paraphrase an “ancient” song, it’s my blog, I’ll post what I want to. But really, there are a few reasons that photos appear so much. As you’ve read from the profile and some of the entries, Auntie Nettie’s very busy, between work, family, crafts, commuting, etc. Sometimes, I don’t have time to write a whole entry.

Also, Auntie Nettie realizes that while all of her nieces and nephews are precociously intelligent and very advanced for their ages, they are all at various reading levels. I’m trying to post a little something for everyone to understand.

After all, A picture is worth a thousand words.

(Plus, sometimes, I just like to amuse myself.)

Speaking of which … Auntie Nettie? What is the deal with The Shushing Librarian?

Ah … The Shushing Librarian.

Let’s just put it this way. Alter egos come in all shapes and sizes. Pookahs, Imaginary Friends, Avatars, Imps of Perverseness … and Action Figures. "Nough said.

If you have other questions, just let Auntie Nettie know.

Please and thank you.

Retroblog July 8, 1983

WARNING: This entry will discuss delicate feminine undergarments and female body parts. Men, read at your own risk.

Today is July 8, 1983 Time Bedtime

Today we finished all the chores Grandma wanted us to do. Yesterday we went swimming. I have gotten new clothes: shoes, shorts, bras, p.j.'s, slippers.

What fun.

Why is it when you are doing chores for Grandma or Grandpa -- or anyone BUT your parents -- you are more inclined to do them? Could it be the attraction of doing them in a semi-exotic locations? Could it have been the "foreign" nature of some of the chores, like feeding the chickens, running down the lane to fetch the mail, or putting clothes out on a line right near fields of sweet potatoes, soy beans, and/or cotton? Were these chores real, or invented to get three energetic cooped up "city" kids out of the house?

I can't believe I was so excited to go shopping. I HATE clothes shopping. I must have been much less body conscious at that age, or really excited that Mom deemed it time to buy bras. Seriously. Bras. Was I really this age when we started buying the bras? Did I really need them or just want them? I doubt these were really even bras -- more like the camisole/training variety that is more like an undershirt.

This is another instance of wanting to go back in time and tell yourself that there are years of struggles ahead with underwire, slipping straps, and wrong cup sizes. You want to warn yourself about failed flirtations with lace, demi-cups, push-ups and paddings, and flashy prints and colors. The older and wiser you will counsel that comfort and coverage is more important than all that stuff. Plus, she will tell you not to rush to want to grow something that will eventually have to have to be squished into X-ray machines or be potential risk factors.

Goodness child. How about we exchange my "wisdom" with your sense of fun about shopping and lack of body issues?

Deal?

Toppled by Topple

[Hey Jr., this one's for you ... not so many words!] :)

S.L. again,

Playing games with little kids is hazardous to your health. You think Candyland is cutthroat? Ha. Try playing Topple!

Here I am checking out the mechanics of the game.

Play is under way and so far, so good.
What a reach on that kid! Placing my pieces.
Contemplating my next move. I was trying to get a better lookwhen it all came crashing down around me.

What a crushing defeat.

Next time, little man. I will crush YOU!

Retroblog July 4, 1983

Today is Monday, July 4, 1983 Time 11:17 AM

Today is Indenpence Day. It sure dosen't feel like it. yesterday We got to Grandma J.'s house around 7:00 a.m. We got lost in Penn following Mr. Derr's instructions or we would have got here sooner. This morning I had breakfast over Uncle Hyram's with some relitaves. it was good, I am having fun.


After dropping my friend off at her grandparents' house, our family continued south to North Carolina to go to my maternal grandmother's farm. It must have been a long night of driving for my folks, since we apparently took the really long way. Now that I think about, it may have been a reprieve for them, somewhat relaxing and quiet (finally) with all three of us asleep in the back seat.

We kids must have gone to my great-uncle's house for breakfast so my parents could nap. (We referred to all our great aunts and uncles like Mom did, simply as Aunt or Uncle. Less confusing.) I'm sure we had a huge breakfast with Nahunta sausages from the store around the corner from his house.

There are many small pork plants in North Carolina, and each one has their own special blend for sausages and the vinegar-based pulled pork that is "barbeque" for this family. From all these visits south, our family has developed a deep abiding love for the spicy Nahunta Pork Center sausage patties. (The closest to the national brands I can find is the Jones brand, but they aren't quite the same thing.) Even now, whenever my mother goes south to visit with the copious amounts of relatives, she has to bring back CASES of sausage and pints and pints of pulled pork barbeque. I have a stash of sausage in my freezer and many a frozen patty has been shipped, flown, and trekked across the country to my brothers. (After I wrote this a few days ago, I had to go thaw, cook, and devour a half dozen from the freezer. Not the smartest move when you have gout and aren't supposed to eat pork .... but sooooooooo good.)

Trips to the farm meant hanging out with our cousins -- well, our second cousins. Mom was the oldest of 36 first cousins. Most of Uncle Hyram's children lived nearby and had lots of feisty kids around our ages. It was a bit disconcerting, though, to realize on Sundays that you were somehow related to every single person in the chapel. If you asked the right relation, they could verbally recite the genealogy charts back more than the standard four generations. We "Yankees" often felt a bit out of places, and cousin Krissy enjoyed telling us to "kiss it" when she felt we were being too uppity or thought we were mocking her accent.

We weren't mocking it ... too much. We were just trying to fit in. If that meant learning how to drawl, so be it.

Programming Note: Enjoy Independence Day weekend. I will be off enjoying a four-day mini-break.

More later, ya'll.

Legal Limbo Update

It is with great happiness that I’m able to give an update on my legal limbo.

While I was on vacation, I played voice mail phone tag through three time zones with the lawyer assigned to my case. [Another hint for legal professionals, when “you have good news,” don’t just leave a voice message that says that you have good news, leave the details of the good news so one doesn’t have to speculate or play phone tag for two weeks. Just saying!]

The words “settled,” “you don’t have to do anything else,” and “it’s over” made my day.

Last week, I got letter that had the following words in the first sentence.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you regarding the resolution of the lawsuit that was filed against you and defended by our office."

Once I fill out the questionnaire about the insurance company’s handling of my case, hopefully I can add it to the pile of documentation and finally close the drawer on this chapter of my life.

Last month contained the four-year anniversary of the accident. My driving record had been littered by minor fender benders, but this was the worse accident I had been involved in. It wasn’t pretty. Airbags were deployed. Glass was everywhere. Cars spun around. Others were stuck together. Most were totaled. A highway was shut down. Some injuries were reported. No citations or tickets were ever given at the scene. Three different households were involved. Unfortunately, litigation was filed. Depositions given. Paperwork piled up.

Honestly, it could have been so much worse. There could have been more vehicles involved. Catastrophic injuries and/or fatalities could have occurred. Tickets could have been issued. Totaling the car could have been the least of my issues. Believe me, I know how lucky I was.

I have so many people to thank for their support throughout this process.

My guardian angels were indeed with me that day. Once again, they were watching out for me – just like they had when they helped me walk away from my first accident, when I rolled the car into a ditch, totaled it, and had to climb out a window and slide down the side of the car.

I am so grateful to my former colleagues and friends who picked me up from the accident within 15 minutes, after I called them in shock and disbelief. They dusted me off and then supported me the rest of that day. Those same dear people were there the day I found out about the lawsuit, though they could have run interference and body blocked the process server. They also continued to be my transportation lifeline and moral support as the years rolled by. I literally could not, and still could not, get around without them.

My friends with legal training, and you know who you are, reassured me over and over and over again that this would be the end result. They shared with me their experiences with similar cases and let me know that I was in good strong and serious hands with my insurance company and their legal team. Let me tell you, you are, indeed, in “good hands” with that company.

Finally, many many thanks to my parents. They have proved steadfast and supportive despite hearing of this latest and greatest automotive catastrophe. Somehow, they have continued to trust me to drive their cars, a series of short-term loaners that ferried me around when I was away from mass transit. I know that it was mostly due to their many hours of prayers that I was able to call them with an update and hear the words … “Glory Hallelujah!”

Amen.

P.S. Thanks to you, readers, for all your prayers to your various deities of choice.

Darling Demon Drew

You know the expression: Let sleeping dogs lie? Same goes for sleeping children. You don’t know which Drew is going to arise from a deep sleep. Luckily for Auntie Nettie, on this particular day, the nicely tolerant Drew got up and eventually consented to play around with his aunt and his Mom.

So quiet

So cherubic

Why are you people staring at me?

I said NO Photos!

Come on. Leave me alone!

SO THERE!

My aunt is quacked up. Just like my duckie.

Look at those goof offs.

I thought Jabooty was in Africa, but there it is.

Love ya kid!