Move along, no spoilers here

I pre-ordered the latest Harry Potter from Amazon way back in the late winter/early spring…Midnight is too far past my bedtime these days, and given how hectic our weekends are I didn’t want to take the chance we wouldn’t be near a bookstore either.

Is there anything more delicious than an opened, long anticipated, nice fat book? I’m sure there are some things, but I love reading. I have since I was a little kid. I can remember all the nights during the summer when I’d have my nose in a book, tucked into bed with just the light on the table next to me and the cat for company, and coming up for air to realize that it was almost 2 in the morning? Or the long, lazy afternoons floating in the pool with a book (I never dropped one in, but did get lots of water spots on them in those days).

Unfortunately those days are long past – now jobs, and family and everyday obligations take up much of the time that was spent reading in the past. Last week on vacation, however, I was reading a couple books that I stayed up to keep reading long after D and C were in bed (don’t ask about the sleeping arrangements in the “cottage” we rented. It was almost comical). It also made getting up early a bit hairy, but I managed (although I did fall back asleep on the couch one morning after C got up extra early and came in to wake me up).

And on this past Saturday, when we got home, the mailman dropped off all our mail for the past week, and the Harry Potter! I didn’t immediately dive in, wanting to savor the anticipation for a little bit. But I couldn’t hold out that long, and started reading after dinner. I wasn’t able to spend all night reading, and put it down a little before the half way mark Saturday night. Sunday was spent at my dad’s, in the pool (so Harry has some of the waterspots too!) and I finally finished Sunday night before bed.

It wasn’t the same as when I was younger, but for now, it’s enough.

PS. For those enquiring minds – the books on vacation that kept me up were: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (excellent! The ending was not predictable at all), and White Hot by Sandra Brown.

And we're back!

We're back from a week of sun, sand, surf and too little sleep (someone was so excited she woke up early every. single. morning.!) Some pictures below:

Building sandcastles on the beach:



Chasing seagulls (because she wants one for a pet):




Getting buried in the sand:





And very tired at the end of a long day:




Off to catch up with everyone soon!

Hollywood East?

I had seen the electronic signs earlier in the week - "Route 8 closed between exits 23 & 24 July 12 & 13 between 7 PM /5 AM"...I thought nothing of it - after all, I live in Connecticut, the construction state. I figured the state Dept of Transportation was doing some major construction between those hours and it was easiest to just shut the highway.

I knew Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg had been in New Haven filming the new Indiana Jones movie.

What I didn't realize was that this summer, Connecticut appears to be the setting for a few films! Besides Indiana Jones, apparently Martin Lawrence has been filming a movie in the Bridgeport area, and, I have been commuting through the set of yet another film - Revolutionary Road starring Kate Winslet and another little known actor - Leonardo DiCaprio....

I had wondered why a farm stand had appeared on the shoulder of the highway earlier this week too...it's actually part of the set. And that part of the highway is picturesque too...I think we might actually have to go see this movie when it comes out!

Promises not kept

After 9/11, I had made certain promises to myself. I would never let a piece of paper become the most important thing to me, I would always trust my instincts, and I would always evacuate if a fire alarm sounded in the office (false alarm, malfunction or otherwise)...

And yet today, on a sunny, blue sky day similar to that day in September almost 6 years ago now, I am ashamed to admit I was busy with 2008 budget spreadsheets and didn't want to walk down 5 flights of stairs. I kept working, quickly trying to save as much of my work as I could, in case there was something really wrong and I didn't want to have to start the process over.

It was nothing serious, the fire department never even showed up (so it must've been a malfunction) and we were let back into the building after a short while outside...but how easily that promise to myself was forgotten.

Happy 4th of July!

A bit damp for us this year:



The Polly Pockets were having a "boat race" :



And it's always fun to splash in puddles and get wet:



I hope everyone has a fun 4th!

Uh oh!

I just checked the rental listing for the cottage we'll be staying in for a week in the next few weeks....

Air conditioning - check
Cable TV - check
Dishwasher - check
Washer/dryer - uh oh....

No washer and dryer! And I have a fashionista that changes clothes multiple times a day....let's hope it'll be warm enough that we spend most of our time in our swim suits!