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Vintage Romance
I’ve recently discovered that I accidentally wasted 33 years of my life not reading D.E. Stevenson’s books. She wrote what Wikipedia is pleased to call “light romantic novels” and she published one book (sometimes more) pretty much every year from 1923 to 1970. I am making up for my unconscionable lack of judgment now by … Continue reading
Gandalf the White
After spending five minutes yanking white hairs out of my head, I’m starting to think my window for having kids has closed. It’s not so much that I’m old; it’s just that if I can spend that long staring at myself in the mirror, I’m certainly too self-absorbed to pay attention to another person 24 … Continue reading
Other things
During our second week in London we stayed with Thomas most of the time in what is basically my dream apartment. (Very different from a dream house. I also have a dream houseboat, a dream caravan and a dream yurt.) But for one night we stayed in a hotel, fairly pokey except for the included … Continue reading
Driving Miss Austen
You know what I realized today? Fanny Price would be a terrible driver. Imagine Fanny trying to merge: she’d be letting six, seven cars through — basically, she would just sit there until a kind driver in the other lane took pity on her and waved her in. Several times. And I’d be sitting behind … Continue reading
Books about houses
I realized today that my favorite kind of book is a story about people fixing up a house. (Note: I was into these well before we moved here, but living here has certainly not helped.) For example: – Agnes and the Hitman, where Agnes remodels her decaying Southern plantation home to be ready for a … Continue reading
Who’s callin’ bluff?
Kris: I am now the proud owner of Wyclef Jean’s “Greatest Hits” album. Gene: Really. Kris: I’m sorry. I don’t do these things to hurt you. Gene: I know, I know. Seriously though, how good do you feel about your future artistic prospects now that you know there is a “greatest hits” album out there … Continue reading
On the phone with my mom
Me: “Hello?” My mom: “Hi, it’s me.” Me: “Hey, what’s up?” My mom: “My earrings and my shirt and my socks all have the same shade of blue in them!” Me: “That’s awesome! Nice job.” My mom: “Thanks!” Me: “So…what else is going on?” My mom: “Nothing, I just wanted to call about that.” Me: … Continue reading
WHAT?
Most of the kids at my volunteer gig are of a similar age, somewhere between seven and ten, but a very few are as young as six. It can be a bit tough to get the young ones to conform to some of the more abstract rules. For example: keeping your voice down in the … Continue reading
Why my husband is the best husband
Me: “I bought a piece of slightly creepy decor today.” Gene: “Cool?” Me: “It’s a gold severed hand with a mirror in the palm. You hang it on the wall.” Gene: “…” Me: “I sort of love it.” What a normal husband would say: “Please stop bringing gilded severed body parts into our home.” What … Continue reading
The worst great play I’ve ever seen
You guys, a local theater is showing a play that the critics are absolutely loving. It’s about a young prince who wanders around in this cool gloomy castle and interacts with a bunch of fascinating, strange characters. There’s love and singing and a play within a play, and the writing is amazing. Doesn’t that sound … Continue reading