Book Review-Late Summer 2013

A Week in Winter- by Maeve Binchy-Maeve Binchy, one of my absolute favorite authors EVER, died right after writing this book.  It was published posthumously, and I was on the waiting list to read this ever since it came out.  This book was classic Binchy, delving into the intertwining lives of all of her characters, told from all of their different points of view.  I teared up several times while I read this book…not because it was sad, but because I knew it was the last new Binchy I’d ever read.  Her novels have lots of recurring characters, and many of them made cameo appearances in this book, and I teared up whenever that happened too (aw heck, I’m never going to hear about Signora again, etc.)  Many people find Binchy’s books slow, and it’s true, there’s really no action and adventure.  But there is amazing character development and sweet, happy plotlines.  I’ll miss you, Maeve Binchy.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green-I loved this.  When I tell you about it, you won’t want to read this YoungAdult novel, but I hope you do.  Hazel, who is narrating the story, is a 16 year old who has terminal cancer.  She is very clear about it.  She is going to die, it’s just a matter of time.  At her cancer support group, she meets Augustus, who also has cancer, but a more hopeful type of cancer. They fall in love.  This book is funny, heartbreaking, and beautifully told.  Please read it.  And get the tissue box ready.

 

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty-  I really liked this one.  Laura Moriarty wrote The Center of Everything which I recommended to you within the last year, and was the reason I picked this one up.  The setting is Kansas and NYC in the early 1900’s. The chaperone is forty-something Cora Carlisle.  Much of this book explores Cora’s life, alternating between her actual chaperoning of the extremely rebellious Louise Brooks, whose mother hire Cora to chaperone the talented Louise in NYC as she attends dance school there.  I didn’t realize until very late in the book that Louise Brooks was a real person (who become a Hollywood movie star) and much of this book is based on true events in Louise’s life (I think the stuff about Cora was all made up).  I loved the book up until the time in NYC was over.  But then the author made the mistake of following Cora back to Kansas and telling us what happened to Cora and Louise for the entire rest of their lives.  It was drawn out and really not that great.  The book should have ended after NYC.  Anywho, read it!  I think you’ll like it (the first two-thirds anyway.)

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris-I love all of Sedaris’s books, and have reviewed others.  He writes unconnected essays and is drily funny in a very sarcastic, understated way.  Check out this one or any other of Sedaris’s books if you want a good (albeit irreverent)laugh.

 

 

Brady, Brady, Brady by Sherwood Schwartz and Lloyd Schwartz-I can’t resist a good Brady Bunch memoir, and while this one was no work of art, it was entertaining and I learned a lot of trivia about the Brady Bunch from reading it.  For instance, the alien midgets in the episode where the boys think they see a UFO are the Brady kids’ stand-ins.  Also, the man who wrote the Brady Bunch theme song played the saxophone with his “daughter” in the Fillmore High School talent Show (the one where Mike read the poem and Greg played the guitar etc.)

 

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella-This newest novel by the author of my beloved Shopaholic series, was just so-so.  Read it or not, I don’t care.  Also I’m tired of typing and Jack wants lunch.  Go google this yourself, you lazy ingrates.

Good News!

Last Thursday, my school district offered me a contracted position in 4th grade!  I had been planning to return to school this fall continuing the long-term substitute position in 5th grade, but found it hard to pass up the contracted position. 

                                 Michelle and Eddie out for a drive.

Unfortunately, I had gotten my fifth grade classroom completely set up already.  I had even copied almost everything I needed for the entire month of September.  And I had to say goodbye to all of it and head to my new, much smaller, completely messed up classroom.  The teacher who left his position had boxed up everything to take with him, when he found out that he couldn’t take anything that had been bought by the PTO or the school district, which meant I had to unpack everything before even beginning to set up my room. 

Maddie helped me out a lot.  I think I totalled her hours in there with me around at least 11.

She cut out lamination, she helped put up bulletin boards, she put names on lunch sticks, she got me extra desks and chairs, she passed books out onto desks, etc. etc. etc. 

                                                   Herbert is ready for school.

On Thursday I had open house and I was ready!  On Friday I got ready for Monday (the first day of school).  This weekend I will get ready for the rest of the week.  I am excited.

I am ready to be back.  FOREVER.

Cape May the Sequel

What do Wolfes do when it rains?

Homerun Derby!  For almost 3 hours.

This is what my mother-in-law and I did while they were playing (it was my day to have the flu, though I’m telling you right now, I wouldn’t have lasted 3 hours out there anyway).

The kids had fun burying each other in the sand this year.  Here’s Nick, (almost) completely covered:

After that they told Jack they were going to cover him up, and they gave him sunglasses and told him to keep his eyes closed so he wouldn’t get sand in them.

And then they made him into a mermaid!

And when he found out what they had done, he got the biggest kick out of it!

Ben celebrated his birthday at the beach (as usual) and he asked for a cookie cake again, which I ordered the day before from the local Acme.  When I picked it up, Maddie and I laughed so hard at it.  She thought we should give it back and ask them to do it again, but my thought was, “How many people are lucky enough to get balloon turds on their birthday cake?”

Trust me.  They looked like turds in person.

Jack bought himself some new pets!  Meet Eddie and Michelle! 

Jack just liked the name Eddie, and Michelle is named after Jack’s future third grade teacher.

We always take family pictures, and this one is my favorite this year.  The future Mr. and Mrs. better get used to the paparazzi!

We had a lovely time at the beach, and were very sad to head home.  I was especially sad, since I knew I was heading back for a week of in-service.

But that’s okay.

Because we’ll always have those memories, right?

WHATEVER!  Take me back, Cape May!

Cape May

We spent last week in Cape May once again with Dave’s family and, except for a day or two of occasional rain and a flu-like sickness that hit many of us at one point or another, we had an excellent time.

It’s a lot of pictures, people.  Deal with it.

Let’s start with the beach pictures, and if there are too many, this will end up being one of multiple posts.

That wasn’t too bad!  How about some Wildwood boardwalk pics, yes?

Cousin Nick tried the “Electrocute Yourself” machine.  It wasn’t really called that, but it should have been…

What are they eating?

CHEESE FRY PIZZA!!!

(Dave and I had plain pizza, but I ate a few bites of Jack’s…and it wasn’t bad!)

We got major dirty looks from the store owner for this picture (and no, we didn’t buy the sunglasses—and Maddie’s wearing her own).

And finally (for now), you know we always celebrate mass at the beach, as Dave’s brother is a priest.  We usually take a photo of the kids with Allan too, and this year we decided to try to redo an oldie…what do you think?  Ten Years And One Day Later…

Allan was kneeling for the photo on the left, and standing for the one on the right.  I love it!

Here’s one with Jack, so he doesn’t feel too left out…

Tune in next time to meet the new members of our family, see the balloon turds on Ben’s birthday cake, find out what Wolfes do when it rains, and see Jack with Mermaid boobies!

A Dozen for my Beezer

Beezer is my nickname for Ben.  And today, Beezer is 12 years old!!

No, really!  It’s true!

NO.  It’s good news, dude!  It means you’re almost a teenager!

Yeah.  It’s an eye-popping, jaw-dropping thought, isn’t it?

So quick!  Blow out your candles before someone else does…

Make sure everyone’s wearing their bunny ears…

…and dive into that cake.

Happy Birthday, Benj!