Sunday, March 4, 2012

Sunday Salon: The Week Without End

 Good morning friends!  Well, as I predicted, I think this week will go down in the record books as one of the more hairy ones I've had in awhile.  Everything that happened was GOOD, so I won't complain.  Too much.  Did I tell you I was giving up all alcohol for Lent?  I'm starting to question this decision.


So the beginning of the week was a normal kind of busy.  I endured the normal Andre torture on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, plus Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights when my kids go.  It is tiring, but it is a good feeling.  I've dropped 22 pounds, and I feel like a new person.  The kids had to be chauffeured to volleyball and horseback riding lessons.  I cleaned the house and raked leaves and walked.  Normal stuff.  


Thursday was our Adult Literacy League annual fundraising event called Reading Between the Wines.  I was there working from 2:00pm until about 10:00pm, helping set up the auction, and then once the event started, "selling" my books!  We had some great author-signed books and packages there, and it was my mission to get people excited about them.  I would just poke my head between bodies and whisper "Oooh, that book is sooooo good!".  I don't know any hard numbers yet but I know we did well.  A big THANK YOU goes out Kathy, Julie and Jill for their book donations, plus Wendy Wax and the gals at Southern Belle View for their generous package donations. The lady that won the opportunity to get her name in Wendy's next book was absolutely GIDDY.  I think she giggled for 10 minutes straight, with a crazy look in her eye (I think she might have been a little nervous she might end up being a villain!).


On Friday, I had the privilege of sitting on a panel for the Sleuthfest writer's conference with Nancy Pate (On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever), former columnist at the Orlando Sentinel and Oline Cogdill, a professional reviewer and syndicated columnist.  The panel was called "Reviewing the Reviewers" and I had a ball.  Some other highlights were listening to Jeffrey Deaver go over his rules for a successful mystery novel, and listening to Elizabeth Hand (on my short-term gotta-have list) talk about plotting.  She is so cool, that one.  Love her tattoos.


Saturday was my daughter's 14th birthday, so I took her and her best friend to a Disney spa for the day, and then went out to a Japanese steak house for dinner with the entire family.  (Alas, I did not "spa", I laid in one place like an old toad and read a book pretending I was bored and on vacation.)


Today will be packed as well with church, horseback riding lessons, Animal Shelter volunteering, and a dinner out to celebrate my dad's birthday.


Before I talk about my reading for the week, I did want to point out that March is Pekkanen Until You Puke Month here at the blog.  Every Thursday this month, I will be reviewing one of Sarah Pekkanen's books.  I'm probably the last person to discover this, but she is a wonderful writer and a wonderful person, and we are having way too much fun with this.


On the audio front, I finished "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns, and OK I will admit I liked it.  It probably won't end up on my favorite of the year, but it was charming.  I also just finished William Landay's "Defending Jacob", and I loved this twisty turny story.  I think my next listen will be "Stay Awake" by Dan Chaon.


In print I finished Sarah Pekkanen's "Opposite of Me" and Marybeth Whalen's "She Makes It Look Easy".  I also squeezed in a fun little jaunt through Lynda Barry's graphic novel "Picture This".  (You can tell my husband was out of town, otherwise I never would have been this productive in the evenings.)  I just started Sarah Pekkanen's new book "These Girls".  And you know, I haven't puked yet!


Hope you all have a great Sunday.  Anything exciting going on?


  

20 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I'm so glad the ALL event went so well! What a fun event for a wonderful cause. My week was busy, but nothing compared to yours.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Sounds like your usual week to me! 22 pounds - so amazing! I'm sure Andre helps a lot with that! How long are you going to keep going?

Nise' said...

Glad it was a great week! The first time I read Cold Sassy Tree I liked it, the 2nd - nth time I LOVED it. It is on my all time favorite list. I have yet to listen to it though. Happy Birthday to your daughter. Is Andre a personal trainer?

Jenners said...

22 pounds! WOW! That is impressive! Andre is doing something right!! Keep up the good work.

Jenny said...

You are the coolest mom!

Did you get any pictures on the panel? I was wondering how that went!

Julie P. said...

You had a similar reading week to me. I got a lot read because my husband was out of town too.

Carrie K. said...

22 pounds - congratulations! I haven't ever read Sarah Pekannen - sounds like I need to fix that. :) Have a great week, Sandy!

ds said...

22 pounds, wow! As always, reading about your week exhausts me--but I'm so glad it was a good one for you, your charity, your daughter--and your dad. Yes, keep up the great work, on all fronts, Sandy!

Michelle said...

22 pounds? Congratulations! Your book even sounds like it was a blast. I hope next week is going to be a little less stressful but just as enjoyable for you!

Alyce said...

Wow, that does sound like a very busy week! I'm glad all of the events went well. We were busy with birthday celebrations this week too and it gave an element of fun chaos to the week. Congrats on your weight loss - that's fantastic!

Anonymous said...

22 pounds? Great job!!

But you should chuck it all and come to Tucson. ;-)

Beth F said...

Great week! And congrats on the weight loss. Maybe Andre ain't so bad after all???? I think I tried Cold Sassy Tree years ago and never finished it. Not sure why.

Anonymous said...

22 pounds, wow Sandy that is amazing! I haven't seen you in forever, I can't wait to check out your new bod! LOL! My week was crazy as well, and it culminated in flying to Chicago at 7 am yesterday morning. So now I am on vacation at last. Yay for family time.

Have a great week!

Zibilee said...

22 Pounds is a serious accomplishment, and you must be so excited about that! The panel also sounds like it was a lot of fun, and I am thrilled that you got the chance to participate! As a matter of fact, the entire week sounds like it was full of good things, and I am glad that you are had such a great week. I hope that this week is just as wonderful for you.

Literary Feline said...

You've done so well with the weight loss, Sandy! I'm so proud of you. :-) I haven't lost nearly as much as you but I'm happy with my progress in terms of weight loss. Mine's just from eating right and chasing after Mouse.

The auction sounds like it was a big success! I wish I could have been there. And Sluethfest--a name after my own heart.

Happy birthday to your daughter! Fourteen already! They grow too fast, don't they?

I hope you have a great week, Sandy!

Darlene said...

Seriously Sandy I don't know how you get any reading done with how busy you are. I have trouble and I'm nowhere near as busy as you. lol.

22 pounds is awesome! Way to go girl!

The Bumbles said...

No wonder you've dropped the weight - apparently you never sleep. Go, go go Sandy!

I think charming is the perfect word to describe Cold Sassy Tree, by the way.

Very jealous about your panel experience. You find the most fun things to participate in :0)

Unknown said...

Oh wow, Sandy, no wine for 6 weeks? That's huge - and exactly what I was always encouraged to give up for Lent, something that I really enjoyed and would feel the loss of. So good for you and good luck!

Congratulations on the auction, it sounds like it went really well! It's wonderful how happy you made the woman who is getting her name in Wendy Wax's next book.

Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Have a good week!

Ti said...

I've been watching (watching, mind you) the personal trainers at the fitness center here and they are no Andre. They are easy peasy and not difficult in any way. At least, that is my opinion as I slave over my bike and casually glance over at them.

Kathleen said...

You gave up alcohol for Lent? Oh you are so much braver than me! HA!