update!

Sunday night I finished the book "Highest Duty..." with Capt. Sullenberger that I mentioned in previous post! SUPER book! Highly recommend it! I feel like I know him personally now. What an amazing guy!
And I've already started on book #18 "I Capture The Castle" - it was originally published in 1948 and takes place in England in the 1930's. It is from the perspective of a 17 year old girl who is writing a journal, trying to be an author like her father. So far, very good!

16 books completed

Well, I just finished book #16 for the year. So here's an updated list of what I've read so far....

1. Under the Banner of Heaven
2. In Cold Blood
3. The Alchemist
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
6. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy
7. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
8. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair
10. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle
11. Auntie Mame
12. Night
13. Beloved
14. My Sister's Keeper
15. Wuthering Heights
16. The Group

I'm working on #17 right now; again, it's not on my list but I still want to read it. It is "Highest Duty: My Search For What Really Matters" by Capt. Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger. He was the pilot who landed the plane in the Hudson River this past January. The book is quite interesting so far (I'm about 1/2 way through) and I'm anticipating that it won't take me long to finish it.

My next book is going to be "I Capture The Castle" by Dodie Smith. Not sure how I'll feel about this book, but I'll give it a shot!

Wuthering Heights was highly confusing and I had to re-read some parts due to the comnplexity of how the story was told. But I'm glad I stuck with it and finished it - painful as it was at times.
The Group was another complex story but I really enjoyed it - as it portrayed women in the 1930's in New York. It's hard to imagine what they went through and put up with...it was hard being a women back then.

Since summer was so busy for me and now that things are slowing down, I'll probably have more time to read. I'm disappointed that I won't meet my goal of 50 books this year but I'll keep trying to get them all read....hopefully in the next year.

A 3 Hour Tour.....

Over the weekend I went on a Mailboat Tour of Lake Vermillion. It was a lot of fun!! I also learned a lot about the history of Lake Vermillion, as well as the fact that this mailboat delivery service is the only authorized mailboat in the United States! We covered 75 miles in a little over 3 hours.....the best was seeing all the wildlife....loons, baby loons, bald eagles, baby eagles, blue herons, and more sea gulls than you can imagine!
I went with my mom and 2 friends of hers from Missouri. We all had a blast and agreed it was a unique experience!
Here's some pics.....


This is of Mom as we would take off after each stop. The boat would lean back quite a bit before leveling out. Mom's face pretty much says it all....



Lots of cabins have dogs running around and when they hear the boat coming, they start barking like you wouldn't believe. The dogs are always given a treat from the mail carrier....sometimes they even get two!


Even got a picture of some baby loons!

kayaking!!!

My friend Barbara and I went on a kayaking adventure today! We went kayaking on Lake Superior checking out a couple of ship wrecks. We had so much fun...the weather was perfect (mid 70's) and the guides were super. We went through this company. They were very organized, but yet laid back and attentive to us.
Here's a few pics....






Like I said, it was a great day! Glad to be able to take a day off work and enjoy the outdoors with my friend!

pictures!!!

I have so much to share! I'm still reading Wuthering Heights and The Group...it's just that I've been busy with summer stuff. Among them, is spending time with my friends every Monday or Tuesday night. Recently we went to Enger Tower...here's some pics.....




pic of the girls at the top of the tower


just having some fun!

It was a chilly night but we enjoyed hanging out!

I also went to Naniboujou Lodge in Grand Marais...it was really beautiful!




the lodge


the view


the largest fireplace in MN!


the original paintwork in the dining room

And....I've also been knitting again!! I've been on a knitting "hiatus" for almost a year, but I was inspired to start up again. I decided to knit socks....so here's what I accomplished this weekend:

no too bad, huh?

I got to the point of doing the heel, and I didn't have the book with instructions with me up at the lake so hopefully I'll get at least this one done soon. Mom has already laid claim to this pair....so I guess I'll have to knit another pair for me. Ahhhh well.... :)

My Sister's Keeper

Well, I've strayed from my list of 50 books for a bit, but I'm getting back on it. I decided to read "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult and just finished it. Wow, is all I have to say...wow. It was a really good book...very deep and controversial too. I know that there is a movie out based on this book and I'm eager to see it, even though I know how it ends.
I'm still reading "The Group" by Mary McCarthy. It's not very exciting and action-packed, but still intriguing enough for me to keep on reading it. In the meantime, I have decided to start "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. I don't think this book will take too long....and I do enjoy bouncing between 2 books, which is something I haven't done before either.
Here is a tally of the books I've read so far this year:

1. Under the Banner of Heaven
2. In Cold Blood
3. The Alchemist
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
6. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy
7. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
8. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair
10. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle
11. Auntie Mame
12. Night
13. Beloved
14. My Sister's Keeper

So I'm currently reading #'s 15 and soon to start #16! While I'm waaaay off my pace to read 50 books this year, I'll still make a good dent in my ever-growing collection of books.

I'm also enjoying watching some great classic movies today on TCM. Next up is "Psycho"!! LOVE IT!! The rest of the day is all Alfred Hitchcock great films...makes for a fun day when it's gray and rainy outside!

Ooops!!

I finished "Beloved" by Toni Morrison and I'm almost done with "Auntie Mame". Once that is done, my grand total for the year will be 13! My next book is not one that's on my list, but it was recommended to me by a friend and I must say I'm intrigued! It is "The Group" written by Mary McCarthy, and it's about a group 8 Vassar graduates and their lives after graduation in 1933. I read the first few pages and was hooked right away!

I've come to realize that I may not meet my goal of reading 50 books this year, but I'll at the very least read half of them. And, I'm ok with that.....my goal is to read as I feel like it. I love to read and I don't want it to become a chore to meet a deadline. What I do struggle with is prioritizing my reading time....I spend a little too much time on my computer or watching TV. I need to discipline myself a little better...I guess I'll have to work on that, huh?

Spending a beautiful Memorial weekend up at the lake. It's gorgeous outside and lots of people canoeing, boating, and fishing on the lake.
Take care one and all!!