On my nightstand...

Robin of My Two Blessings started a thread at the WTM boards asking "what's on your nightstand?", prompting me to pull out the basket of books gathering dust next to my bed and see what goodies are waiting for me there.

It looks nice and tidy, which is not typical for my house, but I have my rare artistic moments of organizational inspiration. There's at least 14 books in there, a small LED reading light, my paisley reading journal. And the basket leaves enough room for the all important kleenex box!

My iPod dock usually is on the table top, but it just died. I have at least 3 audio books to start and several that are favorites to listen to during the occasional bouts of insomnia, bringing my total nightstand library up to about 30 titles!





Some of these are Comic-con purchases -- the interactive Sherlock Holmes mystery is published by the same folk who brought you Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The Peter S. Beagle and Wizards books are collections of short stories, and red lips is the first of the Charlaine Harris vampire novels. The book seller described the series as "literary crack"! I'm sure I'll devour them once I start.

The book with all the red rings is a collection of articles about wine. Loving Frank is historical fiction about Frank Lloyd Wright and it sounds interesting. Banana is a non-fiction history and economics and science tale about, well, bananas. I never read the Beedle Bard tales, which is silly because I'm a Harry Potter fan and it is a short book. The Nine Tailors I have read, and it is there for when I want to re-read it as it is brilliant. The collection of short stories, Say You're One of Them is amazing, but almost too visceral for bed time reading.

I started the Book Thief a while back and will have my 10th grader read it before the year is out. Which means I'd better get around to finishing it. Finally, Looking Beyond the Ivy Leagues is something I'm reading casually as the entire college search process has barely started.

Guess I'll avoid the library and book stores and get to reading all the good stuff I already have!

Wordless Wednesdays: Mid-morning in February

Wordless Wednesdays

Shouldn't a bird this exotic be someplace other than suburban Orlando?

Releasing my fledgling

Last week my firstborn ds turned 18 and moved to the other side of the continent to start living his dream. I flew out with him to help him get settled in his new apartment and to share in the excitement of the first days, then said good bye and came home without him. I didn't cry when we hugged good bye -- he is where he wants to be in an excellent situation and I'm so happy and excited for him.

It struck me during the last week that setting your child free is much like giving birth all over again. The nesting instinct kicks in as you help them buy things they'll need, and help them choose what to take. The need to feed them and nurture them feels as primal as it did when they were newborns. Emotions are running high. And there is both the excitement of the new and the relief of not having to deal with the things that have become so annoying -- in pregnancy it was getting rid of that big belly, with a teen it is getting that huge teen personality out of the house. Just as when you gave birth, life will never again be the same.

Now I have to get used to a quieter house, but I'm looking forward to hearing all the news from my ds. I guess I'll eventually have to learn to wean myself from updates several times a day, but for now I'm thrilled to have Facebook and Skype and text messaging.