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The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - Absolutely the best book I've read in ages and ages. Thanks to Kathy D. for telling me about this story of two women growing up in the same place but very very differently. Handful and Sarah are both smart and precocious as girls, and as young women, one loses hope for her dreams while the other continues to dream. Both are trapped. Both are brave. Both of them accomplish things in life that go beyond what's expected of them. My simple explanations are just to whet your appetite for a book rich with language, characters and story telling. Go get it and read it right now!
French Women Don't Get Facelifts The Secret of Aging With Style & Attitude by Mireille Guiliano - You have to read this stuff occasionally, and Mirielle has some great advice, namely to confidently be who you are by eating simply to stay slim, as well as keeping hair and make up simple as you age and continue to dress in basics always. It's a great one day read on the way down from the high of the fabulously wonderful Invention of Wings. A couple of her recipes are kind of interesting - she prepares the food quickly and easily. I might try making the Red Rice and the Chocolate Souffles if I get energetic and decide to accomplish something. By the way, I just Googled and saw other photos of Mirielle, and sorry, but she looks like she's 62, not 10 years younger. That's short hair for you.
Lately I've been on a shopping jones. It started with not liking anything in my closet, continued with selling some really cute things that I wasn't liking any more at my yard sale, and culminated with a frenzy of shopping trips all over tarnation. Tarnation being Chicagoland and beyond. I also decided that I want to go back to the black and white wardrobe that I wore in the 80's and 90's. I loved those clothes, but they got blacker and blacker, and finally, as the mom of a toddler, I just wanted to look more cheerful, so in came the color, and out went the black and black and white. I've found some really great things, but too many considering that we are getting Peter off to college, so I've been returning like crazy too. This morning I tried it all on, including with things I already owned to make outfits, and decided to keep just a few great pieces and return anything mediocre. And now I am once again going to try to quit shopping. This is what I did all those years ago when I started this blog, and I've been fairly successful. Once I make these returns I'm going to try valiantly to reign myself in, enjoy the beach, make cushion covers for the porch furniture and do some other sewing. Ultimately, I want to get back into that creative place where I can make some great jewelry (black and white, natch) and do some scrapbooking and card making. My bead stock and paper supplies are calling to me. The black and white quest has been fun, but now it's time to stop and enjoy. It would be fun to blog about style and fashion, too. Ok, now it's time to get on with my downstairs day, and yes, you read that right, I'm going downstairs at 15:46, today. I mean I've been up and down countless times already, checked the four email accounts on the iPad, opened the blinds, and realized the downstairs job is overwhelming for the rest of today. However I'm going to try to do something about it. Dining Room table, here I come.
Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress - Tales of Growing Up Groovy and Cluless by Susan Jane Gilman - Just the title is enough to make you want to read this funny slightly edgy book about a smart girl growing up on the upper west side of New York City before it became trendy and safe. Her parents were new age and she was left to her own devices and bad judgement much of the time, but she survived to tell the stories with aplomb and humor. Definitely read it when you want a laugh and to know that you're not alone in your crazy world. 
Bad Teacher - My new latest greatest and favorite sit-com airs on Friday or Saturday nights, and lately they've been airing two back to back episodes. Meredith is a blonde bombshell who is dumped by her rich husband and finds herself teaching history to middle schoolers. She's wild and irreverent and inappropriate, but underneath it all she has a heart. The other characters are quirky and uncool (compared to Meredith and except for the hot gym teacher who just happens to have gone to high school with her). It's a great show - super funny with sugar on top.
The Goldbergs - My other favorite new TV show. Think Wonder Years in the 1980s. Jeff Garlin is the dad, but he just sets the stage for the mom, the grandfather, the older brother and sister and the main character (the youngest brother who wrote the show using videos of his real family as inspiration) to really shine. The storyline is nothing special - it's just about the moments and the 1980s.
