"Don't read so much," the mama said to me, standing in my doorway. "You'll go crazy." She said that to me a long time ago when as a kid I had again lain too long on my bed reading yet another book. I'm sure what she meant was something like "Go play outdoors!" Did I lay my book down and go outside? I doubt it. Since the husband and I moved to Hollister seven summers ago, I haven't done much book reading for fun. Most of my reading has been research for work. I want to change that in 2011. The last few days, I've been pulling books from the bookshelves and the various book piles throughout the house. Those plus the ones I got for my last birthday come up to 70 books. Soooooo, I shall be reading 70 books in 2011. It's not so bad though. About a third of them are children's books, which is still one of my favorite types of books to read. To see my list of 70, please click here . To make my reading quest even more fun, as well as to

Today's letter is " X ." Last week , I told you that the husband and I decided to have some fun with the x mas presents for each other.  E x aggerating the use of the mathematical terms, it went like this: $10.00 = total e x pense we each would spend x ≥ 5 presents (In other words, 5 or more gifts) How did we do? E x cellently!  X -wise, we found that x = Si x e x ceptional gifts! We shopped downtown, going in opposite directions. Amazingly, we each finished before the time allowed: 60 minutes – x minutes = 45 minutes My e x penses: $9.95.  At the thrift store, I found a Michael Crichton novel and a booklet about Oregon caves, which was published in the era when the husband worked there during the summers of his college days. Because the husband is a visual artist, I purchased water colors and a couple of brushes at the art supply store. ( Hint, hint, the husband. ) At our favorite drugstore, I bought Post-it notes for his note-taking and a box of Milk Duds for the ne

Back in November , I signed up for the All Things Alcott Challenge .  Because it was during the last six weeks on the challenge, my goal would be to read one book by or about Louisa May Alcott. I'm sorry to say that I didn't make my objective.  I read the Wikipedia article about Ms. Alcott's life and read one short story, "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving." The Wikipedia article about Ms. Alcott is a great introduction to her fascinating life.  Here are five facts about her: Ms. Alcott was born on her father's birthday. Her father was Amos Bronson Alcott, one of the founders of American Transcendentalism . One of Ms. Alcott's teachers was Henry David Thoreau, author of Civil Disobedience . She wrote novels that Wikipedia describes as "passionate, fiery novels and sensational stories," which perhaps would be categorized today as Chick Lit. The character "Laurie" in Little Women may have been based on Ladislas Wisniewski, a young Polish man

I almost forgot to post a Christmas song. The husband and I just finished wrapping presents. Yes, I know. Anyway, I've accomplished my goal: Post a Christmas song a day until Christmas. Here's the list of the past 24 Christmas songs that I've posted (I'm too pooped to give you links. Sorry. But, click here to go to the 25 Christmas Songs category: "Christmas Time is Here Again" performed by the Beatles  "Jingle Bells" sung by Ella Fitzgerald "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" sung by Bruce Springsteen "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" performed by Gayla Peevey "Mele Kalikimaka!" sung by Bing Crosby "Jingle Bells" performed by Glenn Miller and Orchestra "Carol of the Bells" performed by Jake Shimabukuro "Up on the Housetop" sung by Gene Autrey "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel" performed by Randy Granger "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" sung by Brenda Lee "O Holy Night&

Sitting on our doorstep are two Christmas bags that someone left on our doorstep. The husband and I found it when we came home yesterday evening. Somebody must've come by when the mama was sweeping leaves in her garden. We brought them in and looked for tags to identify the givers. One said "Delsa" and the other said "Happy Thanksgiving." Obviously, someone left the presents at the wrong house. So, of course the husband and I headed back outside and knocked on a few neighbors' doors. No luck at all.  Nobody was home at the house where we think the intended giftee lives. And, the other neighbors couldn't help us. All we can do is try again come morning. We set the presents on the doorstep in case the ones who left them finally realize they got the wrong house and come back for them. I surely hope they do.  The paranoid part of me wonders if the presents contain contraband or a bomb. But, I suppose if it was the latter, we would've heard something ti