Joanne Heim

Rereading books

I've been thinking about the books that I reread. In addition to the Mitford books, I usually read these at least once a year:

Living Prayer by Robert Benson
all of the Anne of Green Gables books by L.M. Montgomery
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
my Bible
all of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
A Year in Provence and Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle
all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
I'm sure I'll add the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon to this list
The Swiss Family Robinson

I'm sure there are others, but since they're all in boxes that's all I can think of at the moment. And now that I think about it, I think I've blogged about this before. Oops.

We're off to the mountains tomorrow--I hope the leaves are changing! Oh, and I finished the beanie while I waited for Toben to get home last night.

Reading habits

My taste in books goes to extremes. (I've been an all or nothing, extreme gal for most of my life. I can hear my parents urging "Moderation!" in my ear without trying too terribly hard!)

On the one hand, I love trashy novels. Bodice rippers...preferably with pirates. They're enjoyable at the time, but don't leave much lasting impression. Truth be told, they make me feel unsatisfied with my life--that it's too boring, too dull, too normal.

On the other hand, I love reading great novels. Stories that leave me feeling content, uplifted, and full. Books that give me things to think about--whether historical, spiritual, or psychological. Books that make me want to learn more about a character, an idea, or a place.

I went to the library the other day and found two books in the Mitford series by Jan Karon that I'd not read: Light from Heaven and In This Mountain. I love this series of books. I first read them shortly after Audrey was born--within days of her birth in fact. I remember reading them while propped up in bed, Audrey sound asleep next to me, putting the books down when it was time to nurse.

I love Father Tim's character--his daily struggles, his incredible knowledge of Scripture, his delight in the people who surround him, and his faith in the prayer that never fails.

We haven't begun to look for a church yet. I think we're waiting until we get moved in, settled, and are ready to give it the time and energy such a search deserves. I would go to Father Tim's church for certain, if Mitford were within a 30-minute drive!

I especially love books that make me reach for a pen to underline something. The Mitford books are full of great things to mark in and of themselves, but are also full of wonderful quotes from other authors. I didn't underline in these since they belong to the library, but I did mark a few things to copy down for later:

He'd always rather liked a ringing doorbell. One never knew what surprise or even amazement might be waiting. It was a great deal like mail in that regard.

"If you would tell me the heart of a man, tell me not what he reads but what he rereads." Francois Mauriac

"We're always getting ready to live, but never living." Churchill

"Live deep instead of fast." Henry Canby

"You know, Timothy, you have a gift for doing that--for making people into family again." Cynthia to Father Tim

If you haven't read them, I can't recommend these books enough!

Photo updates

So...here's a picture of my teak (really it's some other wood similar to teak, but I can't remember the name of it) chair from The Great Indoors earlier this week--originally $80 down to $15. I have four of them and they are really comfortable. I plan to make new sling seats for them--another trip to Denver Fabrics will be in order once my sewing machine is unpacked. I'm thinking a stripe...

I also got this fabulous red lantern (it's hard to tell in the picture, but it's BIG) and a whole bouquet of these jelly flowers from The Great Indoors. I love these flowers--though I don't know exactly what I'll do with them. The lantern will go outdoors on my built-in table once we move.

And from the Arc thrift shop yesterday...

I'm thinking of doing my new powder room with a Paris theme. Toben and I lived in Paris after college, it's my favorite city in the world, and I have lots of photographs (thank you, sister Kristen!) and Eiffel Tower figurines.

Finally, I ran into TJ Max today to kill a few minutes and found these red shoes. I have an evening gown this exact color...but no shoes to match. We're going on a cruise to Mexico with my whole family over Christmas, and I was planning to take my red dress. I know I never would have found these had I been looking for them--they're one of these amazing finds you weren't really looking for. Sorry the photo is a little blurry...while you can see I have big feet, what you can't quite see is that they were only $5!

On another note...I went to the library today and came away with these three books:

I've looked through them quickly and am excited to sit down and look through them again. The Salvage Sisters is awesome--great ideas. Funky Chunky has a great hat pattern I'll be trying as soon as I get to the knit shop, and Country Chic has some wonderful ideas too. I'll look through them and make a wish list...Saturday is another Paris Flea Market!

Cotton candy for the mind

I love trashy novels. I suppose they're not really trashy...but that's what I call them. The kinds of romance novels that transport me to another time, another place, and let me be someone else for a while. A woman of means, a woman who wears corsets and jewels, and who is rescued by some dashing cad who turns out to be her prince charming.

They're not very filling, don't last very long, but they're so fun to read...exactly like cotton candy.

Today I've been to regency England as an heiress, the rugged coast of Maine at the turn of the century, and in between packed box number 100. Somehow getting to escape for a while made it easier to finish packing up the dining room and think about tackling the kitchen tomorrow.

I've often toyed with the idea of writing a romance novel, and have gone so far as to begin one. But now that it's begun, I'm not quite sure where to go with it. I guess my tendency to begin projects (like king-sized quilts with hand stitching and clothes patterns that are cut out but never sewn together) and not finish them goes beyond just sewing. Go figure.

Okay, so to be totoally honest, the sewing projects have more to do with losing interest and finding something more exciting to make. The unfinished novel has to do with being scared of failure. Writing nonfiction is one thing, but writing a novel scares the pants off me for some reason.

Another great read

I'm working my way through the Newberry Medal winners. The Newberry Medal is "presented to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published during the preceding year." My library has a bookmark with all the winners listed, so I'm checking them off as I go.

This afternoon we ran to the library to return some books and I picked up three new books. I read The Midwife's Apprentice this afternoon (written by Karen Cushman, won the Newberry Medal in 1996).

I'm a big fan of midwifery, having had a midwife for the birth of both of my girls. I surprised most of the people who know me by going to a midwife, but I had some friends who had had their babies at home with a midwife and their experiences encouraged me to consider a midwife when I found out I was pregnant.

I loved my appointments--they lasted at least an hour and we spent lots of time just hanging out and talking about babies, delivery, life, love, pregnancy, and a host of other things. By the time I was ready to deliver, Jeanie knew me so well, knew Toben so well, and knew us as a couple so well that I felt completely safe and at ease. Having a midwife (and her apprentices) is like having a bunch of motherly women care for you and do everything in their power to make you feel safe, comfortable, and loved.

Despite all that, Audrey ended up being born in the hospital. After about 30 hours of labor we were getting nowhere fast. I was exhausted and discouraged and was afraid that I would be too worn out to deliver. I had some drugs, got some sleep, and she was born after 36 hours of labor. It was the right decision for us, but I regretted that she wasn't born at home like we'd planned.

Emma was born at home--in just 8 hours. Being at home, having a shorter labor, and no drugs hurt a lot less than my previous labor. (I found the drugs made me feel slightly out of control, like my body wasn't really mine.) She was born at 8 p.m., everyone was gone by 10 p.m., and we all snuggled into bed--a family of four. It was wonderful.

I've often thought it would be fun to be a midwife--or a midwife's apprentice. To love on women and care for them and encourage them during such a wonderful stage of life. (Can you tell I loved being pregnant?)

All that's to say, The Midwife's Apprentice was another great read.

Great read

I read a great book today--Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson. It was written in 1980 and won the Newberry Medal.

I was drawn to it because of the title. Having spent this spring studying The Patriarchs with Beth Moore, Jacob and Esau and their story is pretty familiar. This book is about twin sisters--the older who feels like she lives in her younger sister's shadow. It takes place on a small island on the Chesapeake Bay and the writing matches the setting beautifully.

Here's a quote that I loved:

But I had never caused my parents "a minute's worry." Didn't they know that worry proves you care? Didn't they realize that I needed their worry to assure myself that I was worth something?

If you've not read it, go get a copy.

Swiss Family Robinson

The Swiss Family Robinson is on television tonight. I love this movie and have from the first time I saw it when...well I can't remember when! Here's one of those rare movies I do like as much as the book. Of course, the book is MUCH better than the movie--reading it allows you so much more insight into how they survived and made things like rubber boots and the kitchen sink made out of a sea turtle shell. In the book, they have more than one house--one is even part of a salt mine if I remember correctly.

But the movie is great too and I have a fun memory of laying in bed at The Cypress Inn in Carmel early one morning and watching this movie while eating cheese danish and drinking freshly squeezed OJ. It was one of the trips we took back to Carmel to celebrate our anniversary before we had kids.

I was so disappointed when they turned the Swiss Family Treehouse into Tarzan's Treehouse at Disneyland. It's just not the same.

Anyway, I've always wanted to be part of this family and ride around on an ostrich and swing on vines like they do in the movie. Not to mention live in a treehouse. Can you even imagine how wonderful that would be? (Yes, I'm choosing to ignore the giant snake that shows up on the beach in the book and in the river in the movie! It's my little fantasy, so I'll edit at will.)

I'm going to make a sock dog while I watch the movie to help keep myself awake. (I am NOT a night person!) Ever since I bought the Holiday 2002 issue of Martha Stewart Kids I've wanted to try making one. In my defense for waiting so long, I don't ever wear socks--except to the gym--so I don't really have any spare socks to cut up for little sock dogs. (Really, I can't remember the last time I wore socks. It must have been while visiting Colorado and snow!) But I bought some socks today while I was at Target, and I'm ready!

Early this morning, I looked out Audrey's window and there was a fat, little Easter bunny sitting in the grass under our tree. I think the Easter eggs hanging from the tree brought him! He was so cute and small and round and furry and soft-looking--I tried to take a picture, but the flash kept bouncing off the glass and he hopped away when I opened the garage door. I think I'll go toss some carrots into the grass before I forget!

P.S. Today's vocabulary word is gregarious, but I've already used it twice in the last week--in regard to sheep.

Can't put it down!

Thursdays are typically full days for me. I went to Bible study this morning and then met Terri at Michaels to get supplies for our Brownie meeting tomorrow after school. I picked up Emma from school, then we went back to Terri's house and spent a couple of hours planning Brownie stuff. Emma and I ran to the grocery store and finally made it home a little before four o'clock. Phew!

Terri loaned me the book Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson. I picked it up before dinner and haven't been able to put it down. It's astounding to me that women today live lives like this--without rights, at the mercy of the men in their lives, and filled with so much emptiness. Sultana, the princess whose life story is told, comments that the wealth of Saudi Arabia is the undoing of its people--because there is no need to work or strive for wealth, young people are bored and unhappy and unfulfilled. I can't help but see some similarities to life in America--or at least life here in So. Cal.

Several times in the past few days the idea of not valuing what you don't have to strive or work for has come up in different conversations I've had. That when we don't have to work for something we don't value it. In these conversations we've wondered about wanting to provide for our children and yet teaching them to learn the value of working for things at the same time. Definitely a balancing act.

It's always fascinating to me when the same idea pops up all over the place.

Not a very exciting or crafty post tonight...I'm going to go finish this book; I only have one chapter left to go.

I love magazines!

I had time to fill today after Bible study (which was great, as usual!) and before I picked Emma up from school and took her to the doctor for a shot. (Ugh, I so don't like this part of mommy-hood. Needles freak me out and make my stomach hurt and the room spin, so it's hard for me to be totally convincing when I tell her that it'll be okay.) So I made copies of my bunny pattern (paisley bunnies this weekend, for sure!), had lunch with Toben, and then wandered through Borders for an hour--all by myself! Heaven...

I started in the craft and knitting and sewing books, but they didn't really have much I hadn't seen before or couldn't live without, so I looked at magazines. I love looking through magazines, and turning down corners to mark things I want to make, or cook, or look at some more. Here's what I bought and marked after an initial pass through:

The spring issue of Martha Stweart Kids.

The newborn blankets with flannel on one side and beautiful fabric on the other on page 32. Hmmm...which babies do I know?
The omelet with strawberry jam and cream cheese and sprinkled with powdered sugar (page 43). Breakfast on Saturday, I think!
The three little piggy banks to help kids save, donate, and spend.
The crispy carrot fries on page 134. With olive oil and kosher salt. Mmmm...
And I love all the piggy pictures in the "How Now" section on page 70. The pig in the lower left corner looks exactly like Olivia--and we love her at our house.
The egg creatures beginning on page 116. Audrey, Emma, and I must make these!

The April-May issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion.

This quote by John Calvin: "There is not one blad of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice."
The interview with the guy who created paint-by-numbers. I think I'm going to have to try one of these--I especially love the mountain scene on the bottom right of page 9.
The paper doll--Georgia. I'm going to have to cut her out and buy a laminate roll for my Xyron machine.

Cookie. I'd never seen this magazine before, but the banner "All the best for your family" pulled me in.

The angel wing tank in the bloomingdale's ad. I think Audrey needs one and I haven't used fabric paint in a really long time.
The bacon band-aids on page 74. My brother-in-law must have these. And the duct tape ones are neat too.
The flower-topped fleece hat worn by the little girl on page 143. Too cute! It may have Ava's name on it...
The dream of a trip to The Philo Apple Farm and staying at "cottages among the apple orchard, with porches..." mentioned on page 146.

Good Things for Kids from Martha Stewart (it's listed under "Special Issues"). The cover says 60 fun after-school crafts, which sounds like something we'd like. I've seen most of these through the years, but a few stood out to me again.

The pretty pencil case on page 14 made from a placemat.
Add-on envelope books for all the girls' collections (page 23).
Butterfly bobby pin...for me too! (page 30).
Bubble bags from bubble mailers on page 34. How cool are these?
Terrarium jars on page 72. A must for the kids' rooms.
Dressed up keds on page 86. Again, a pair for me too!
Rock dominoes on page 100. A fun day at the beach collecting rocks, fun afternoon painting them, and hours of playing with them. What a great idea!

No need to be bored for a while! (Not that I'm very often bored--there are too many wonderful, fun things to do. And if that fails, a nap is always a good idea!) I'm going to go put on my jammies and look at my magazines some more...

A Very Happy Thursday

I recently read The House at Pooh Corner for the first time. Here's one of my favorite quotes:

Piglet thought that they ought to have a Reason for going to see everybody, like Looking for Small or Organizing an Expotition, if Pooh could think of something. Pooh could. "We'll go because it's Thursday," he said, "and we'll go to wish everybody a Very Happy Thursday."

So, a Very Happy Thursday to you!

I love Thursdays. On Thursdays, I go to Bible study at my friend Lori's house. I love sitting back and visiting on someone else's couch almost as much as I love sitting back and visiting on my own couch. Lori always has beautiful flowers on her coffee table and I always resolve to go right to the Saxony Market and buy fresh flowers for myself, but somehow I never do.

I love this group of women. When we moved here, they became my first friends. After we moved, Toben fell apart and was diagnosed with being bi-polar and my life felt like it was unraveling like a knitting project the cat got into and ate. I showed up at this Bible study and said something like, "I'm Joanne and my life is falling apart and I'm scared and alone and angry and I need help because I can't do this on my own any more."

This group welcomed me and hugged me and prayed for me and listened to me and loved me. So seeing them each Thursday makes for a great day.

After I left Bible study I went and got lunch for Audrey's teacher. I put an Easter themed basket together and assembled it on my lap while I waited at traffic lights since I was running a little late. I got out of the car at school, Easter basket in arms, and promptly locked my keys in the car. Along with my purse, my phone, my lunch, and the cream puffs for dessert.

Toben happened to be at school picking up Audrey and her friend--but without my key on his key chain. He just looked at me and said, "Again?" before heading home for the spare key. I really don't do it all that often; in fact, this is only the second time. But Toben's had to rescue me both times, putting his own plans on hold and driving "'round Robin Hood's barn," as he'd say.

After he unlocked my car (Thank you, Toben), I ate my by-then-cold lunch at the beach. So it all turned out fine in the end.

P.S. I just realized how often I use the word "love." I love having so many things in my life that I love!

P.P.S. Why don't we drop in on friends to wish them a Very Happy Thursday or for any other reason anymore? Why do we have to call ahead and schedule something so simple? Probably because no one is ever home. But I am and I wish people just dropped by my house and would come in for a cup of coffee and a "little smackerel of something" as Pooh would say!