I was called Hyacinth Clare...

   

On Books and Life

   There are those who say that 

life is like a book, 

with chapters for each event in your life 

and a 

limited number of pages 

on which you can spend your time. 

But I prefer to think that

a book is like a life,

particularly a good one, 

which is  

well worth staying up

all night to finish.
- Lemony Snicket

My New Ride

   
Ok, this isn't actually MY car.  This is a picture I pulled off the internet.  I didn't want to take a picture of my car, because it's really dirty right now (because I live in Wisconsin and it's February).  And, it's difficult to take a good picture without getting the liscense plate in the picture.  And also, my computer doesn't like my sister's camera, so getting pictures off the camera onto my computer is like a 5 step process.  (I exaggerate.  Maybe only 3 steps.) 
Anyway.  This is my new car.  It's a Ford Escape.  'And it is RED.'  (points to whoever knows what movie I just quoted.) 
I absolutely LOVE it.  It's my dream car. 
I named her Dawn Treader.  :)

Proverbs 31:13

      She seeketh wool, and flax,

and worketh willingly 

with her hands

 -Proverbs 31:13

The main part of this verse that caught my eye was "She worketh WILLINGLY with her hands."  Probably every one of us is familiar with that ancient saying "A man will work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done."  I have my doubts whether or not this saying is really true of the sexes in general.  I've met men who never stop and woman who like to take plenty of breaks.  :) 

Regardless, every single woman in this world, married or single, mother, sister or grandmother has more than enough projects, jobs, etc. (feel free to fill in the blank here with whatever it is that keeps YOU busy) to distract her every minute of every day.  How many of us have moaned for the luxury of 36 hours in a day instead of 24?  In fact, I'm pretty sure we were having a conversation along these exact lines on the IDD forum just the other day.  :)  I'm convinced however that whether we were given 36 hours a day or even 48 every single one of us would remain just as busy and behind on our "to-do" lists as we are now. 

Here's why:  From the minute I wake up in the morning, and often even before I've woken up in the morning, I am planning my day.  I wake up with a list in my head entitled Things To Get Done Today.  I get out of bed and before I've even washed my face the list has grown.  It goes like this:  On my walk to the bathroom I add Sweep Kitchen Floor and Make Coffee.  As I'm putting on my makeup and brushing my teeth I mentally add Buy a New Toothbrush, Look at Garden Plan, Save Money, Wash Towels and Talk to Mom about This Weekend. All of this is before I've even poured my coffee or eaten breakfast.  As soon as I open the refrigerator to get out the milk I start adding things to the Grocery section of my list and planning dinner.  I check my e-mail during breakfast (Three cheers for multi-tasking!!) and start adding more things to the list Pay Insurance, Write a Blog Post, Check on Library Books Due Dates, Water Plants.  If I'm feeling super organized I might even pull out my phone and start putting my list into a drafted text message that I keep for this exact purpose.  But, honestly, the thoughts come faster than I can put them into my phone and realistically I can't walk around with my phone in my hand all day long adding things to my list.  I walk to my car and the list grows.  Get Gas, Take Out Garbage, Practice Piano.  I arrive at work and my "Home" list retires to a "Look at Later" file and my "Work" list comes out.  Re-cut Flowers, Clean Roses, Order Plants, FIND MORE PENS, Clean vases, Call Other Shop....  During the day I think of people and add their names to my "Call and See How They're Doing List."  But, who has time for an hour long conversation with each of those 25 people?  I'll be perfectly honest.  By the time I've arrived home at the end of the day I've forgetten 80% of the things on the list, and of the remaining 20% maybe 5% of THOSE actually get done.  I fall into bed and try to sleep as the image of my "Things to Get Done Today" list haunts me with it's lack of check marks.  Imagine how it would be if we had 48 hours to spend thinking of things to do?  I, for one, would definitely be just as behind on my projected goals as I am now.  Maybe more so.
 


This is the life of a young, single woman with no husband to think of and no children to care for, and supposedly plenty of energy.  I'm not trying to give you the impression that I work uber-hard and deserve a vacation in Hawaii.  (Although that would be nice...)  As a matter of fact, I'm really trying to show you how discouraging it is to NOT get things done.  I, of course, take the lions share of the blame for things not getting done.  I could be more efficient.  I could prioritize better.  I could be less selfish and choose to spend my time doing the things that I know need to be done but I don't really want to do.  I could probably sacrifice an hour of sleep. 

Above all, I could have a better attitude.  That's all I'm really trying to say here.  The Virtuous Woman WORKS.  It's true.  But, more importantly, she works WILLINGLY.  You've heard the saying "Attitude is everything"?  It's absolutely true.  I would be willing to bet that I could sweep the floor faster and more efficiently if I have a good attitude versus sweeping the floor with a bad attitude.  If I go through my day with a willing heart I'll probably remember more of the things on my list.  I'll probably get more of them done and I'll definitely be a better example, a better employee, better sister and all around a better person to know.  On the flip side, if I scowl and complain about everything I do, I'll probably talk myself out of doing things, be less productive and no one will want to be around me. 

A woman's work is never done.  And, according to Proverbs 31, the Virtous Woman is WILLING to shoulder that burden.  Something every single one of us can work on every single done.  Because as long as there's work to be done, there can and should be a willing attitude to go along with it. 

January Book List

 1. Lord Edgeware Dies by Agatha Christie (****)  Pretty good.  I did think the answer seemed obvious, but...  maybe not.  :)

2. As You Like It by William Shakespeare (****)  I'm helping my brother with his Shakespeare class.  (rephrase that:  He and I reading Shakespeare together IS the "class")  Tons of fun!

3. Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (****)  I love the surprise ending of this one.  :)

4. Jeeves and the Tie That Binds by P.G. Wodehouse (****)  Cute and funny.  Wodehouse is some kind of genius. 

5. An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (*****)  Such a sweet story.  The very beginning and the end are best.  This is another book that I find myself grinning like a fool as I read the end.  *sappy sigh*

6. Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (*****) I absolutely LOVED this book.  And for so many reasons.  Some of which I can't tell you because it would be giving away the whole story.  It is an excellently written, beautiful, touching story of a 16 year old girl proving up a homestead claim by herself.  A true coming of age story and I absolutely loved it.  I cried for both grief and joy.  Based on the homesteading experience of an actual young girl named Hattie Inez Brooks.  Read her story.  You will love it. 

7.  Horseradish, Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid by Lemony Snicket- (****)  If you like Lemony Snicket, you'll love his Horseradish.  Quite cunning.  :)

8.  Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse -(****)  Pretty funny.  :)

9.  Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aiden- (***) This is my second time reading this series and I have to admit it's not quite as fun the second time around.  I feel like Aiden has a hard time filling the dead spaces in Austen's work and has to make up what Darcy is doing meanwhile.  There are too many passages that tell us in minute detail exactly how Darcy is training his dog or practicing fencing...  Anyway, I did like the book and I already checked out the sequel from the library. 

10.  The Golden Ball and other stories by Agatha Christie - (**)  Mostly ghost stories.  Not really my thing. 

11.   Poirot Loses a Client by Agatha Christie- (****)  I think this plot survives only because Christie is such an amazing writer.  She tells us EVERYTHING we need to know but in such a way that we all read ourselves right into the wrong ideas.  Amazing.

12.  Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, Duty and Desire by Pamela Aiden (***)  I like these books for several various reasons.  The whole concept of Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's point of view is interesting.  Also, I like the history and how we learn about the life of a gentleman in this time period and that's interesting too.  This book is a little different from the other two in the series.  Aiden is a bit at a loss for material since at this point chronologically in P&P we have no idea what Darcy is doing.  She spends the first half of the book with Darcy at Pemberly with Georgianna, his family, in London... all very nice and Darcy-like.  The second half of the book however takes a very non-Austen like turn and, while it's a not bad plot, and quite engaging, I have to say it really doesn't seem very Darcy-ish.  Anyway, in my opinion, Aiden should've left all of that out and made the series only two books rather than three.  The secondary plot could easily have been expanded to a full length novel perhaps featuring a different main character?  I don't know. Just my opinion.  I do like Fletcher.  :)

13.  The Feminine Minority, A Brief History of Feminism and the Modern Woman by Patricia Regar- (***)  As history lessons go, this book is phenomenal.  It's a clear, well-formulated look at the birth of the Feminist Movement.  The author makes some conclusions regarding the modern woman that I don't completely agree with, but I found the history very interesting and thought provoking.  I've had some good conversations on the subject brought on by reading this book.

14.  One, Two Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie- (****)  Another good Christie... :)  It amuses me that so many of her mysteries are inspired by nursery rhymes. 

I'm posting merely for the sake of posting

   I feel a little guilty for my lack of post-age lately, so here's a totally random one for you. Maybe it will just go to prove how little I have to talk about...

• I got a new car about a month ago.  I don't know if I mentioned that here...  comment and tell me if you want to see pictures or if you really don't care...
• Last weekend was spent at the Kalahari hotel and resort in the Wisconsin Dells.  Tons of fun, waterpark, etc (I don't really swim and actually didn't even bring a swimming suit... but, the kids had fun!) The trip was a Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa, YAY!
• Our family has 8 licensed drivers and 7 cars and we STILL have to do car swapping and intricate plans involving who will drive who where and who will pick up who's car and swap keys, etc.  Strange, no?
• It is 9 degrees right now in Southern Wisconsin.  Up from 0 this morning.  Oh happy, frigid day.  
• I believe I have spring fever.
• Is it too early to order seeds for the garden?  
• At the risk of sounding like a very extravagant girl... I also just bought a new laptop.  Tuppence (my old laptop) is decidedly an "Old Thing" and is ready to retire.  I ordered my new laptop and it should be here in a week or so, I'm thinking.  I'm so excited it's almost ridiculous.  
• And.....  
• That's all, folks. 
  

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