Kansas

Kansas became the thirty-fourth state on this day in 1861.

Book Discussion Group

We discussed 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' by Shirley Jackson at our local library discussion group yesterday. It was a book I had recommended to the library person in charge of the group. I had read it in 2005, after seeing it discussed online. I found it fascinating reading. Just before the group met, I re-read the book. I liked it even better the second time. It is concerned with the poisoning of Merricat and Constance's family. Merricat has a certain weirdness about her. During the discussion, some in the group thought that Merricat (Mary Katherine, the narrator) had Asberger's Syndrome. An almost 'Gothic' novel.

Shirley Jackson also wrote 'The Haunting of Hill House'. The movie 'The Haunting' with Liam Neeson, was inspired by that book. Shirley also wrote a short story called 'The Lottery' that was published in the New Yorker magazine years ago, that really caused a stir. You can find it in a collection now. I'm almost afraid to read it.

Test Post

Testing new Icon

Scooter

Owen on his new Razor scooter. I'm glad Grandpa got a picture! I was taking my afternoon nap and missed the activity.

My Favorite Books 2006

MY BOOKS
1. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - Memoir , Good
2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman - Amazing!
3. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan - Good!
4. Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata
LIBRARY
1. the Ha-Ha by Dave King - Very Good!
2. Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos - Good Read!
3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami - Tales of the Weird! (good tho)
4. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami - Excellent , even without the quirkiness
5. The Fallen by T. Jefferson Parker - Cop Novel : Good
6. "June 29, 1999" by David Wiesner - This one's a keeper
7. Extinction: How life on earth nearly ended 250 millions years ago by Douglas H. Erwin - "Really Good, Discusses the major extinction before the dinosaur
extinction"
8. Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and more from The Kitchen Sisters by Nikki Silva &
Davia Nelson - Good, interesting story about 'America Eats'
9. The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel R. Primack and Nancy Ellen
Abrams - Good!
10. Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson - Good. Set in D.C.
11. Walking Money by James O. Born - Good
12. Killing Rain by Barry Eisler

Trainspotting

We took a drive into the countryside last Saturday. A beautiful day, with lots of sunshine and blue skies. We parked at a train station and walked around the site. As a special treat, a freight train came through! It was so exciting. I was reminded of the phrase 'the rumble and the roar' from the old Wabash Cannonball song. We stood at the platform's far edge, but were still very close as he went by. The power was shattering. Of course, we all waved at the engineer and he waved back!