Memorandum Monday - A Weekend At Home

I returned home in the wee hours of Friday morning after a FUN four days in New York with friends, so I spent a good portion of the day catching up on sleep and a little laundry. Robbie spent the day at work trying to catch up after being home sick a few days earlier in the week. So, we were definitely ready for a nice relaxing weekend at home.

Reading Books - New & Old

   

I finished up three books over the weekend; two that I'd read before and one that was new (to-me). Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite books, despite the fact that it is quite a reading commitment at over 1,000 pages. I enjoy how Scarlett O'Hara's story is intertwined with so much history of the south before, during and after the Civil War. This book contains vivid descriptions that make the land, the cities, the plantations, the homes, and the people come to life. However, Scarlett's selfishness and youthful infatuation with Ashley Wilkes often keep her from taking notice of the changes around her. She is hardheaded and doesn't mind pushing her way in front of others and using deception to get what she wants. Yet, I have to admire the way she goes after what she wants and that Rhett Butler falls in love with her despite seeing her for her true self. It's such a shame that she doesn't realize until the very end that she loves him, too. If you've never invested the time to read this book, I highly recommend!

I also finished up the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series. Anne of Avonlea continues the story of Anne Shirley during the two years she teaches at the Avonlea school. Although she's growing up, her imagination is still fabulous and she finds two new kindred spirits in her small student, Paul Irving, and an newfound neighbor, Miss Lavender Lewis. She's also challenged and kept busy helping Marilla with the twins Dora and Davy who come to live with them after their mother passes away. Anne, of course, continues to get into some hilarious situations - selling her cow only to discover she actually sold the neighbor's cow, rubbing red dye instead of freckle cream on her nose and then answering the door to a distinguished guest, and getting stuck in a duck house roof! I'm definitely enjoying my re-read of this series.

I read The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures for the first time. I had heard of this book on a Paperclipping Roundtable episode several years ago, and my friend Minetta recently loaned me her copy. (Thanks Minetta!) This novel is in the form of an old scrapbook, with vintage photos and ephemera covering the pages, along with Frankie Pratt's typewritten journaling. The story follows Frankie from her high school graduation through college at Vassar, to a year in New York, to an ocean voyage to France, to a year in Paris, and finally back to her home town of Cornish, New Hampshire. I especially enjoyed seeing how this scrapbook format told the story of her life during those years.

Robbie also complete three books that he read (& enjoyed) for the first time: The Litigators by John Grisham, and Independence Day and Silent Zone from The Complete Independence Day Omnibus.

Watching A TV Show & Movie

Friday evening we finally watched the first episodes of the new season of The Last Ship,which aired the previous Sunday after I'd already left for my trip. So we were all caught up before the new episode aired yesterday.

Since I had finished reading Gone with the Wind, we invested four hours of Saturday evening watching the Gone with the Wind movie. I always find it interesting to watch a movie right after completing a book as I can easily spot what's been changed and/or omitted. I think this is a great movie adaptation as it contains all the major scenes to portray Scarlett's story, although so much had to be omitted to make it a manageable movie. I highly recommend reading the book first because it helps the historical context come alive more in the movie.

Learning New Words

I often encounter words that I'm not familiar with when I'm reading, however I'm usually able to get a good sense of the word through the context so I simply continue reading. But occasionally a word will catch my attention and I take time to look it up, which is so simple now that my iPhone is usually handy. I've just started reading through the The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Vol. 1: 1889-1910 and have learned two new words in the process.

RACONTEUR - A raconteur is a gifted storyteller, a person who tells anecdotes in a gifted and talented way. (The long winters in Cavendish were conducive to visiting, gossiping, and honing one's skills as a raconteur.)

RUCTION - A ruction is a disturbance or quarrel, a noisy fight. (There is going to be a big ruction in school tomorrow.)

Recuperating

While Robbie was feeling much better this weekend after a bout with sinusitis earlier this week, I began to feel poorly and had to make a trip to the doctor. This is the first time this year I've had to see a doctor for illness, but fortunately I was able to get in quickly and get a shot and prescription for the sinus infection and possible strep throat. I'm feeling better today but have very little energy, so I'm just going to rest a little more and catch up on some blog reading!


Joining in today with Sian, a wonderful raconteur, for her Memorandum Monday meme sharing something NEW (something you did over the weekend FOR THE FIRST TIME or something you learned and DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE).