How Can There Be Too Many Books?

I held a book sale today in the parking lot where homeschool families meet for a weekly afternoon co-op. It was sunny and successful! Now I wish I had kept count of how many books I started with, or how many I actually sold (lots were priced at 25¢ and several at $1). I started with 16 boxes full. Which is amazing since we only have 6 book cases at home. I must be pretty organized with those 30+ shelves. Anyhow I tried not to be sad about the "good" books going to other homes. Especially since there was $400 in my pocket. Mostly I focused on the other "Sonlight moms" as they talked about their favorite readers, and which ones made them cry in front of their kids! A group of us stood there and could almost quote lines from "One Hundred Dresses" and "Billy & Blaze" and "Little Britches" and "Wheel on the School." But the biggest impression upon me was how many of these books Meggar has read. True, she was the child who stayed in my homeschool the longest, so she had the longest benefit from my standard 30-minutes of read-aloud time after lunch. She is also an avid reader herself. So that when I add up all the school books, library books, read alouds, and then her own shelf of interests and "pleasure reading," it gave me an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Now that's enough to make a mom cry.

Title-Blending Meme

Winger will like the very last submission. I sent out this challenge to some literary friends and so far I only have one that I can offer which came in quickly as a reply -- enjoy these, and add to the list!
My Own Creations:
The Fox and the Hound of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Mannix
Common Sense and Sensibility by Thomas Paine Austen

Aunt Jean's:

Gone With the Wind in the Willows by Margaret Grahame

Of Mice and Men of Iron by John Pyle

This word-game started at Literary Compass (in 2007) who said:

"I've never started a meme before, but I've always wanted to (Well, maybe not always, but at least since last Thursday. Anyway...) Here are the rules: Blend two book titles together by using the last word of one title and the first word of the second title. If you want, you can blend the authors' names too. Like this:

• The Divine Comedy of Errors by Dante Shakespeare
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince of Tides by J.K. Conroy
• The Canterbury Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Geoffrey Blume
• The Screwtape Letters to a Young Poet by C.S. Rilke

and of course,

• The Last Don Quixote by Mario de Cervantes.

Now it's your turn."

First, it was happily discovered when I was reading back in Alicia von Hecke's blog (2012):

For some reason this old title-blending meme came up in conversation today, and I thought it was funny enough to repost five years later. Besides we have a few more to add…

To Kill a Mockingjay 

The Swiss Family Robinson Crusoe 

The Invisible Manalive 

I got tagged by Nick over at Literary Compass to do his brand-new Title-Blending Meme (what fun!).

Our first one was sort of cheating 

Christopher Robin Hood

because it's one Ria "accidentally" made up when she was two or three years old (but honestly, I don't think I could come up with anything better myself).

Here are mine:

The Evidential Power of Beauty and the Beast

The King of Ireland's Son of Charlemagne

String, Straightedge and Shadow of the Bear

In Defense of Philosophy for Dummies

The Dangerous Book for Boys and Girls of Colonial Days

The Boxcar Children of Hurin

The Man Who Knew Too Much Ado About Nothing

Here are some from my son, Gus:

The Everlasting Man Who Was Thursday

The Babe Ruth Story of the Greeks

The Story of the First World War II for Kids (with help from Ria)

Centerburg Tales of the Greek Heroes

Blaze and the Mountain Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I Am David and Goliath 

A Verse about Autumn

I liked poetry as a little girl (A.A. Milne book wtih green binding), and I recall first memorizing a verse in order to recite it at Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving Day. Ever since, I sprinkle poems into the margins of our school and family days. Imagine my joy at finding the perfect autumnal poem over the weekend. I was at Sally Clarkson's blog, and then read her daughter's blog, and found that she admires C.S. Lewis and all the Inklings… until I arrived at my favorite page about the author which tells the historic bits and how his life intersected and overlapped with Jack Lewis.

(By Owen Barfield)

An Autumn Bicycle-Ride

The leaves, grown rusty overhead,
Dropped on the road and made it red.
The air that coldly wrapped me round,
Stained by the glowing of the ground,
Had bathed the world in the cosy gloom
Of a great, red-carpeted, firelit room;
It filled my lungs, as I rode along,
Till they overflowed in a flood of song,
And joy grew truculent in my throat,
Uttering a pompous trombone-note;
For this elegant modern soul of mine
Was warm with old Autumn’s rich red wine.

Old Home Week

Lesa was in town for some business. Just saw her in Detroit in September at hockey tournament, but it was fun to catch up with her this week. And to celebrate Alison's birthday. And to hear Brenda's report from book club.

Home, Sweet Home

Been back for three days in our "own" beds, which is always nice after lots of driving. Captain calculated 90 hours in the past few weeks, but I didn't want to check his math. Instead I calculated hockey stats for twins, proofread two papers for Dorito, and worked the polls all day Tuesday. The ballot only contained a tax measure, so the turnout was low. I don't mind working 13.5 hours when I'm allowed to read! I finished three magazines and half of the PD James novel "Death Comes to Pemberly."

A Referee Advances

Dorito is ready for Level 4 USA Hockey referee certification. This is the highest you can go. There are not many Level 4 referees, and there are not many clinics where you can complete the assessment. Unfortunately, he missed the only one held in Kansas City because his car broke down. So Captain signed him up for one in Wisconsin. Yes, that is the closest destination which is not being held the same day as a home K-State football game (Dorito has priorities!). So, we made a beautiful drive north to Madison, and I am enjoying a book on tape from my literary friend, Constance. The connection here is that the story is written with a 15-year-old autistic boy as the narrator. He is just like my friend, Eli! (I'm so glad that I get the humor.) And in the story, Christopher is trying to relate to Sherlock Holmes in "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Brenda might or might not like this story! But I am still on my Sherlock-kick, and this is a great way to pass the time while driving.

But Owen is Not the Meany

I wonder why John Irving chose to name his leading man Owen Meany? Our book club met tonight and Brenda led the discussion of "A Prayer for Owen Meany." How fortunate that my break enabled attendance for book club night! The book was an autobiographical-type novel about the narrator, John Wheelwright. And his friend Owen is not evil or mean-spirited, just small -- probably dwarvish. I agree that God uses the weak to lead the strong. But that is just one layer of this Protest-the-Vietnam-War story line. It meandered through all the muck of the 60s, which I didn't enjoy, and it sounds very elitist in terms of smart academic males who rebel against the norms and traditions of society just for the sake of originality. No thought to the long-term consequences of their actions and words.
But book club is always an opportunity to learn and expand my horizons. And eat terrific appetizers. I made cinnamon rolls, which may not be as 60s-kitsch as Bonnie's peach cobbler, but they were yummy.

Book Club and Hemingway

Tonight we discussed "As You Like It" and other summer reads among our members. But I wanted to blog about last month's book club, which I missed, but I've kept reading "For Whom the Bell Tolls." I suppose everyone should read Hemingway at some point. He joined the Kansas City Star as a report at age 17 and then volunteered with the Red Cross during World War I (severely wounded in Italy). By 1921, he had moved to Paris and rowdied with a group of expat authors who all wanted to write the Great American Novel. He also partly lived and wrote in Key West (Captain and I toured his home during our honeymoon) and Cuba.
I've always admired the poem which forms the title of his novel:
No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; 
every man is a peece of the Continent, 
a part of the maine; 
if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, 
Europe is the lesse, 
as well as if aPromontorie were,
as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; 
any mans death diminishes me, 
because I am involved in Mankinde; 
And therefore never send to know 
for whom the bell tolls; 
It tolls for thee. (John Donne, 1624)
Thoughts of death most certainly are on the minds of all the soldiers/main characters in the book. This is an intense story that focuses on Jordan, an American fighting with the anti-fascist guerillas in Spain, who falls in love with Maria during his dynamiter mission. He is constantly weighing his chances at death or suicide. Jordan wants to avoid suicide, partly because his father committed suicide and he views it as cowardly. And partly because he wants to "live in the moment" with Maria, whose love gives him hope and renews his courage. "I suppose it is possible to live as full a life in seventy hours as in seventy years," Jordan thinks to himself. Unfortunately, Hemmingway himself committed suicide 21 years later (and his father had also committed suicide).

Whole-hearted Approach

When I was a young mom and just starting to homeschool, I chose a fully-literature-based curriculum because it fit my personality and my style of mothering. It was definitely intentional. One of those early curriculum writers that I loved was Sally Clarkson, whose company is even named Whole Heart Ministries. Through the years, I have read and embraced most of Sally's books starting with "Educating the Whole Hearted Child." Imagine my surprise at the readings during today's morning mass. There was that word: wholehearted. The Responsorial Psalm told me that I can trust in Lord to be sheltered and fed (even in times of distress). I can rely on Him for salvation. The Lord will help us and deliver us from the wicked. The Lord will watch over the lives of the wholehearted. Halleluia!

Psalms 37 (36): 3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40 ~ 
  
Trust in the Lord and do good, 
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. 
Take delight in the Lord, 
and he will grant you your heart's requests. 

The Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted; 
their inheritance lasts forever. 
They are not put to shame in an evil time; 
In days of famine they have plenty. 

Turn from evil and do good, 
that you may abide forever;
For the Lord loves what is right, 
And forsakes not his faithful ones. 

The salvation of the just is from the Lord; 
He is their refuge in time of distress. 
And the Lord helps them and delivers them;  
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,  
because they take refuge in him. 

Shakespeare in the Park

It was closing night for "As You Like It" and the summer season of Free Will in KC. I met Robin there for her birthday. We also bumped into Amy, who was by herself, so she joined us for a potluck picnic! Robin made delectable egg salad and had sourdough bread, butter lettuce, sliced cucumber, and avacado for toppings. She also brought cherries and wine. Remember: Life is a bowl of cherries! I brought broccoli salad, watermelon wedges, cheese and crackers, and blueberry iced tea. Amy shared crab ragoons and lively conversation. For dessert, there was iced coffee and chocolate hazelnut cookies from Trader Joe's.
The play was very entertaining: made even funnier with groovy costumes, cigarettes, and 60s culture (for a twist).
"I can suck melancholy out of a song as a weasle sucks eggs. More, I prithee, more."
The weather was fabulous: breezy enough to ward off bugs and stickiness. The evening went late but I'm so glad to continue my summer tradition. And I'm all ready for this month's book club!

Another Trip to St. Louis

I spent three days this week in St. Louis with Meggar. She had the four Mackie children 24/7 while their mom was out of town, and I went to lend a helping hand. Good thing I did! Together we managed to cook and clean plus go to the pool every day, but not much else. On Thursday, we took everyone to Magic House on behalf of the Downs Syndrome Guild. Fun museum--with many upgrades since we were there last. We enjoyed the storytelling and music making areas!

Then on Friday, their grandparents came to take them for the weekend. (Whew!) Meggar and I certainly enjoyed our bit of alone time. We went to Trader Joe's and a couple shoe stores (cute finds). We went to a flea market at a Catholic Church (good finds). We made chicken fajitas and talked to the endocrinologist where Meggar was referred. He thinks her thyroid is still swollen (though less than before) and ordered a sonogram for next week. Then I drove home last night with my book on tape.

Sherlock Holmes Continues

I really enjoyed myself when book club selected Sherlock Holmes and "The Hound of Baskerville" for our March meeting. I was keen to continue with these mysteries, so I have begun "The Sign of the Four" for our family's read aloud time.

We try to do reading after lunch during the school year, but for the summer we are scheduling it only on Monday afternoons and inviting Eli to join us. Eli is from our Scout troop, was homeshooled, and has some special needs. But he has become our friend in a short time! He likes puzzles, is good at spelling, and sometimes talks a little louder than necessary. But he is good with irony and humor. Plus he knows the history of some things even before we complete the Google search.
I also try to do an enrichment project like cooking, art, music, or a science experiement each Monday. Even I can't wait to find out where the "buried treasure" was hidden, whodunnit, and then watch the movie! Don't tell them how much they are learning--or that it is just like book club.

Book Club and Conversion

Conversion is at the center of the story of Saint Augustine's Confessions. So I am nervous that my book club will be discussing it tomorrow--particularly since half of the women are not Catholic. Yet it was chosen because it's regarded as a classic pillar of Western Civilization. I love the straight-forward nature of the book, and I have read it multiple times with my high school juniors. It starts with a great message for them about peer pressure (in the pear tree theft). And St. Augustine talks about friendship, death, fidelity, and honoring his mother. For his time, he was brilliantly educated, well connected at Court, and becomes humble. He was a sinner, like St. Paul, who resisted the true God for years. He was so restless for answers, but thought he was better than the "average Joe." Not until he heard the preaching of St. Ambrose did he start to see the light. Another reason we need good preachers in our post-modern age of skepticism and secularism.
"Thou hast formed us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."

Comments Over Tea

We needed to catch up before the next round of finals, so my friend Constance came over for tea this afternoon. The pool is open, but we chose to sit inside instead. We nibbled on Bischoff cookies and sipped Irish Breakfast Tea. I certainly enjoyed the little break. We analyzed motherhood, medical issues, and music concerts. We reflected on the next book club selection: Confessions by St. Augustine. I'm obviously looking forward to summer -- as soon as all our school work is completed.

Internship with Wedding Planner

Meggar had her first wedding today! She is the intern for a wedding planning duo in St. Louis while one partner is on maternity leave. Today's young couple had met at a library -- so books were their
decorating theme for the reception tables.
She sent me a photo of the cute cake topper -- complete with Jane Austen and Harry Potter.

Name of Business: Simply & Forever

Compare and Contrast

The twins are writing essays to show the correlating themes between Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 and The Odyssey. (This is my favorite part of ninth grade with Kolbe Academy.) At first the boys thought the poem too romantic, while Homer's tale is heroic and bloody. The word language is what gets me. Did Shakespeare know about Penelope's nightly un-weaving when he talks about "alteration"? Did Shakespeare pity the "tempests" sent by Poseidon to delay Odysseus for ten years at sea? Wasn't young Telemachos similar to "Time's fool" in his passionate threats and final revenge against the suitors? Our reward in homeschool for completing the book, exam, and essay is to watch the modern parody "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" I predict that everyone will like the fiddle music, too.

Waiting for the Spring

Another rainy day. I expect the chilly temps,
and
we needed the rain.
But I'm tired of this weather already.
If you are longing to see some sunshine,
the only cure is "Enchanted April" -- either the wonderful 1922 novel by Elizabeth van Arnim or the cinema version (which is currently available on NetFlix via "Watch Instantly").

Margaret Thatcher's Story

If you travel to England, you will see the legacy of Margaret Thatcher everywhere. If you travel in England, I mean. The privatization of the British rail stations seems so natural to Americans, but I recall when Nancy, Blair, and I always had to pack a sandwich and book along because you could hardly buy gum or a newspaper at train stations. Today they have built up mini-malls in many stations with cafes, druggists, book stalls, and boutiques selling china or clothing. They are one-stop-shopping destinations now! Reaganomics certainly had its ally in the "Iron Lady."
Guess this will prompt me to read that biography which has been on the shelf these 25 years.

The Brothers Karamazov

For two months now, my book club has been reading "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoyevsky. I am quite happy to have finished all 700 pages, but it was not all happy reading. Certainly, the whole point of free will is that man can choose which master he will serve. While anyone can attempt to fool the world with intelligent speeches and lofty philosophies, our integrity is what we are like when no one else is looking/listening. Overally, I really enjoyed this powerful apologetic by a clear-eyed religious man. As narrator, Dostoyevsky manages to illumine both sides of the drama -- over faith, reason, loyalty, family, ethics, and love. (I loved the irony of "The Grand Inquisitor" best of all.) Actually, the worries of "modern" Russians in 1880 were not that much different from my "post-modern" peers in 2013.

More Reading

Since there is no book club selection for December, I am trying to focus on some of the other reading that stacks up on my bedside table. I'm midway through a biography of the youngest daughter of Winston Churchill: Mary Soames. I have a signed copy and am enjoying the photos and tales immensely.