Remember Me?

Hi everyone.  I'm back from a two-week long, much needed - but not always nice - break.  You know, flat tire, sinus infection, sick kid, 16-year-old's first fender bender (his fault, of course).  Inconveniences I'd rather not deal with but are part of life?  I did spend a week with my family in southern California, so at least that was fun.

But I've missed my blogging friends!  And even though I took a break from blogging, I never stopped reading.  Here's the lowdown:

WHAT I'VE READ:

• The Mountain Between Us ~ Charles Martin (5 Stars, loved it)
• Messages:  Signs, Visits and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11 ~ Bonnie McEneany (4 Stars)
• Spunk & Bite:  A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Outgoing Language and Style ~ Arthur Plotnik (5 Stars)
• Bonobo Handshake:  A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo ~ Vanessa Woods (4 Stars, enjoyed the parts about the bonobos but not so much the politics and war.)
• Strangers at the Feast ~ Jennifer Vanderbes (4 Stars; dysfunctional family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner; a cliffhanger because you know something really bad happens, but it doesn't happen till the end. Author does a great job of keeping an otherwise boring storyline interesting until the climax. Disappointed in the vague ending but otherwise enjoyed.)
• Steps to Writing Well ~ Jean Wyrick (4 Stars)
• Full Court ~ The Untold Story of the St. Louis Hawks ~ Greg Marecek (4 Stars)

I don't know what my recent obsession with books on writing is about; unlike a lot of bloggers, I have no desire to write.

I read Full Court because my son plays high school basketball with Ed "Easy Ed" McCauley's grandson.  "Easy Ed", who played for the St. Louis Hawks, an NBA team, attends all of our games.

READING NOW:

• The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven ~ Kevin and Alex Malarkey

LIBRARY - TO PICK UP:

• Suicide by Sugar:  A Startling Look at our #1 National Addiction ~ Nancy Appleton, G.N. Jacobs
• Reading Like a Writer:  A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them ~ Francine Prose  (Again, I love books but have no desire to write one.)
•  One Dog at a Time:  Saving the Strays of Afghanistan ~ Pen Farthing

LIBRARY - ORDERED:

• Knowing Jesse:  A Mother's Story of Grief, Grace, and Everyday Bliss ~ Marianne Leone
• Small Furry Prayer:  Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life ~ Steven Kotler
• You Lost Me There ~ Rosecrans Baldwin
• Better Off:  Flipping the Switch on Technology ~ Eric Brende
• Glamour of Grammar:  A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English ~ Roy Peter Clark

WON:

• Fly Away Home ~ Jennifer Weiner  / Won from Florinda at The 3R's:  Reading, 'Riting and Randomness.  Can't wait to read this.

RECEIVED:

• Award from Vicki at Reading at the Beach  Thanks, Vicki!

MISSED:

• The 32nd Annual YMCA Book Fair.  I must have been sick!  Darn it.

LOST:

• My mind. 

I'll get it back by September, I promise.  Anyone else taking a break or in a blogging funkslump?  I know Staci from Life in the Thumb wrote about her blogging blues one day and got lots of sympathizing comments.
Eva at A Striped Armchair declared August a month of no blogging worries to ease pressure on herself and simply read on a whim. The Literary Stew wrote a post today about her reading and blogging slump. Good to know I'm not the only one.

The weather in St. Louis today is gorgeous, and I can't decide between going on a horseback ride with my friend Donna or a motorcycle ride with my husband.  Hmmm...

Have a good day, everyone!