I remember how to read.

Yes, I am using a take-out menu as a bookmark ;)

So, I finished Hotel Bemelmans. I lost some pace on it about 1/3rd of the way in, but made up for it later. It didn't blow me away, but it was an enjoyable read and a good pace to keep me engaged in reading.

I took a deep breath after that and went to the nightstand and picked up When We Were Romans. This moved a little better than I expected. However it's told from a 9 year old boy's perspective. His mother is suffering from some mental illness and paranoia and he and his little sister get caught up in a journey to be safe and happy ... yeah you see it coming. Anyhow, the problem is, they use misspelling in his first person narrative. Technically he is not keeping a journal, so I find it a bit distracting and unnecessary. I don't know if I would recommend it, if there is nothing in the general concept that interests you. I did walk away thinking about how I have to protect The Kid from my anxiety and all my flaws but also be honest about it. We've talked a bit about how I worry is not right, and basic things I try to do to keep perspective and focus on being more positive and constructive.


Which leads me to a parenting book. Lady H. recommended and lent me Raising Cain. You know, often when kids are small, you pay better attention to the "right way" to do things, take the good, let go of the bad, and find your way. And then somewhere along the parenting way, you just rely on you. Well, the me could use a new perspective, and not one that belongs to my husband. I like him, but just the fact he's my husband, sometimes peppers these conversations with bias and pre-determined defensiveness. Not that it should. But I am going outside of MY box, so to speak. I'm intrigued by what I'm reading, and I'm not despairing. So far so good, but I'm only a few chapters in ...

Up next? Possibly some fiction that I don't know how I got this "Ida Elizabeth", but it's on the nightstand now.

The Kid and I finally finished Artemis Fowl. He seemed to enjoy it, but then again everyone loves a soil eating dwarf with powerful farts right? He continues to read The Dark Is Rising series at school for silent reading and is rereading the Alex Rider series at home. We haven't decided on our next "read aloud together" book.