Random bits

1. I picked our next book! I’ll reveal it next week. There’s got to be some suspense around here.

2. Emeline started violin lessons today. I’m excited about it. Her teacher asked what made her want to take violin and when she didn’t answer right away, I said, “Charlie Daniels.” And she giggled because that was the truth.

3. I bought a miniature recliner at the flea market the other day because my two youngest children fell in love with it and because I want to use it as a test subject for making a slipcover. If I am successful, I plan to slipcover one of my living room chairs.

It’s a perfect practice chair because I totally hate the current fabric (which is dirty and covered in dog hair or cat) and it won’t matter if I mess it up.

4. I’m picking up paint for the girls’ room makeover on Saturday. I’m going to have so many projects going I won’t know what to do first.

5. I also want to paint my kitchen table.

6. I may have to cancel school the entire month of August just to finish these projects.

7. After I finished listening to The Help on my iPod, I was so sad that it was over. I actually missed the sound of their voices, especially Skeeter’s. Since then, it has been impossible for me to settle into a new book. I downloaded books by Isabel Allende, Chris Bohjalian and Sue Miller. None of these will hold my interest anymore. The Sue Miller book was practically driving me crazy with its indecisiveness. The character was all, “this and this and this, or maybe not.” I couldn’t finish it.

What if Kathryn Stockett has ruined me on audio books forever by making a superior product that no other writer can live up to? (Though the writing and the story was excellent, I have to give a lot of credit to the readers. Audio books can fail so easily with the wrong voice.)

8. I have gone to bed with a messed up kitchen every single night this week.