next#514535
anatomy of a trend, by henrik vejlgaard, c. 2009 lcl copy
stay with me, by garret freymann-weyr, c. 2006 wcl, teen book
Friday, November 13, 2009
quotes#367034 After the fire, a small still voice
No one asked him to stay, but no one seemed to expect him to go either and it was comfortable. He slept deep black sleeps and nothing woke him but the morning. The days were spent hunting and talking and fixing things, even if it was just a hole in a bucket or a blocked pipe, there was some satisfaction in it that he hadn't known before. Out the front of the house was a jungle of metal and scrap. You could pick up a piece, sit in the dirt with a drink and make things - a chair out of old fence and chicken wire, a bin out of insulated pipe. Sometimes useless things, a family of logs, each one with a different expression, wearing funnels and rusted colanders for hats, nails for eyes, scraps of oil-stained cloth for clothes. Leon cut a person out of a tin can, yellow with sharp fingernails, a ring pull for an empty head. p275
[in outback of australia, a group of vietnam vets hanging together]
At the door she turned back. "I like omelettes with capsicum in it." p142
[not stunning, but sounds good]
No one asked him to stay, but no one seemed to expect him to go either and it was comfortable. He slept deep black sleeps and nothing woke him but the morning. The days were spent hunting and talking and fixing things, even if it was just a hole in a bucket or a blocked pipe, there was some satisfaction in it that he hadn't known before. Out the front of the house was a jungle of metal and scrap. You could pick up a piece, sit in the dirt with a drink and make things - a chair out of old fence and chicken wire, a bin out of insulated pipe. Sometimes useless things, a family of logs, each one with a different expression, wearing funnels and rusted colanders for hats, nails for eyes, scraps of oil-stained cloth for clothes. Leon cut a person out of a tin can, yellow with sharp fingernails, a ring pull for an empty head. p275
[in outback of australia, a group of vietnam vets hanging together]
At the door she turned back. "I like omelettes with capsicum in it." p142
[not stunning, but sounds good]
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 08, 2009
quotes#556800 It's all in the playing
With crippled determination he placed the following objects on the daybed beside us: an ear of corn, a wad of animal fat, some seeds, a crystal, a coin of silver and gold, a small book made of silver and gold paper, some seashells, a sponge, several marzipan candles, a piece of llama fetus (as I later learned), and a condor feather. He then sprinkled sugar over everything, on top of which he splashed some anisette liqueur. [skip]
Benito waved my words away as, one by one, he lifted each of his displayed objects and meditated on them separately.
Esther whispered to me: "He told me they each represent an element of life at Machu Pichu which must be respected and recognised." p280
... and I'm real sorry that you don't love yourself enough to follow through and do it. p184
by Shirley Maclaine bc 760 2418
With crippled determination he placed the following objects on the daybed beside us: an ear of corn, a wad of animal fat, some seeds, a crystal, a coin of silver and gold, a small book made of silver and gold paper, some seashells, a sponge, several marzipan candles, a piece of llama fetus (as I later learned), and a condor feather. He then sprinkled sugar over everything, on top of which he splashed some anisette liqueur. [skip]
Benito waved my words away as, one by one, he lifted each of his displayed objects and meditated on them separately.
Esther whispered to me: "He told me they each represent an element of life at Machu Pichu which must be respected and recognised." p280
... and I'm real sorry that you don't love yourself enough to follow through and do it. p184
by Shirley Maclaine bc 760 2418
Monday, November 02, 2009
quotes#186289 The Lost Symbol
[wcl hotpick]
Solomon let it [silence] sit for a long moment, then quietly said, "In closing, I should warn you that unveiling the truth is never easy. Throughout history, every period of enlightenment has been occupied by darkness, pushing in opposition. Such are the laws of nature and balance. And if we look at the darkness growing in the world today, we have to realize that this means there is an equal light growing. We are on the verge of a truly great period of illumination, and all of us - all of you - are profoundly blessed to be living through this pivotal moment of history. Of all the people who have ever lived, in all the eras in history ... we are in that narrow window of time during which we will bear witness to our ultimate resistance. After millenia of darkness, we will see our sciences, our minds, and even our religions unveil the truth." p403
"Not a death symbol, as most assume," Langdon said. "The scythe is actually a symbol of the transformative nourishment of nature - the reaping of nature's gifts." p156
book by Dan Brown
[wcl hotpick]
Solomon let it [silence] sit for a long moment, then quietly said, "In closing, I should warn you that unveiling the truth is never easy. Throughout history, every period of enlightenment has been occupied by darkness, pushing in opposition. Such are the laws of nature and balance. And if we look at the darkness growing in the world today, we have to realize that this means there is an equal light growing. We are on the verge of a truly great period of illumination, and all of us - all of you - are profoundly blessed to be living through this pivotal moment of history. Of all the people who have ever lived, in all the eras in history ... we are in that narrow window of time during which we will bear witness to our ultimate resistance. After millenia of darkness, we will see our sciences, our minds, and even our religions unveil the truth." p403
"Not a death symbol, as most assume," Langdon said. "The scythe is actually a symbol of the transformative nourishment of nature - the reaping of nature's gifts." p156
book by Dan Brown
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
quotes#046255 Daisy's War
It was a time of replenishing the spirit and rebuilding the parts that had been damaged, and she would walk alone through the different seasons, thinking sometimes, at others trying not to. In summer there were apples and plums on the trees and the smell of the fruit made your mouth water, followed by the rustier yellow of the autumn sun complementing the oranges and reds of the trees, the hedgerows full of elderberries, brambles and rose-hips. Almost imperceptibly winter arrived,, bringing crystal-clear air one moment and snow blizzards the next, so that you couldn't see more than a few inches in front of you and the freezing wind blew through you. p194
[not stunning, but still like the imagery]
It was a time of replenishing the spirit and rebuilding the parts that had been damaged, and she would walk alone through the different seasons, thinking sometimes, at others trying not to. In summer there were apples and plums on the trees and the smell of the fruit made your mouth water, followed by the rustier yellow of the autumn sun complementing the oranges and reds of the trees, the hedgerows full of elderberries, brambles and rose-hips. Almost imperceptibly winter arrived,, bringing crystal-clear air one moment and snow blizzards the next, so that you couldn't see more than a few inches in front of you and the freezing wind blew through you. p194
[not stunning, but still like the imagery]
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
quotes#373579 Chandler's Run
Moana's lovely face was without expression as she attended to Adam's needs, but there was pain in her heart, her dignity bruised. The wahine Pakeha had damaged her mana in the manner of her address to her. Wood was wood, wasn't it, whereever it was taken from. There was a longing in her now to be in her own home; to be with her hoa tane, but she knew she must stay until the wairua had left this ravaged body. The dark eyes filled with tears for her own mokemoketanga and then for the same loneliness that was to come for the pale woman. p188
[not spectacular but I enjoy seeing some Te Reo in my reading]
"I can't do all this, Daniel," she wailed. "I had no idea that a cow and hens would mean so much more work."
"Mama, there are three of us - Sarah is able to share in the daily tasks very well now. Between us we will manage until Papa comes home."
Lucy looked at her boy. Not yet thirteen, he was a pillar of strength and so sensible. She felt a little ashamed in the face of his sturdy optimism. "Of course, you are right, Daniel. It's simply a matter of arranging each day a little differently and getting used to these new tasks." p142
[reminder to me -- use of positive thinking]
by Denise Muir, c. 2008 -- bc7520787
Moana's lovely face was without expression as she attended to Adam's needs, but there was pain in her heart, her dignity bruised. The wahine Pakeha had damaged her mana in the manner of her address to her. Wood was wood, wasn't it, whereever it was taken from. There was a longing in her now to be in her own home; to be with her hoa tane, but she knew she must stay until the wairua had left this ravaged body. The dark eyes filled with tears for her own mokemoketanga and then for the same loneliness that was to come for the pale woman. p188
[not spectacular but I enjoy seeing some Te Reo in my reading]
"I can't do all this, Daniel," she wailed. "I had no idea that a cow and hens would mean so much more work."
"Mama, there are three of us - Sarah is able to share in the daily tasks very well now. Between us we will manage until Papa comes home."
Lucy looked at her boy. Not yet thirteen, he was a pillar of strength and so sensible. She felt a little ashamed in the face of his sturdy optimism. "Of course, you are right, Daniel. It's simply a matter of arranging each day a little differently and getting used to these new tasks." p142
[reminder to me -- use of positive thinking]
by Denise Muir, c. 2008 -- bc7520787
Monday, October 05, 2009
quotes#962137 Neat Vodka
"Look. Snow," he said, so we looked. The whole night sky was thick with fat, lazy flakes.
Even in the middle of this unsavoury story it was magical and everyone around the table
was six years old again, gazing out at the first real snow of winter. Something about Russia seems to put life in to perspective. Something here makes you stop looking in and makes you look out. Maybe it really is just the same. p158
[by Anna Blundy, c. 2006; lcl - quote not profound, but worth thinking about]
"Look. Snow," he said, so we looked. The whole night sky was thick with fat, lazy flakes.
Even in the middle of this unsavoury story it was magical and everyone around the table
was six years old again, gazing out at the first real snow of winter. Something about Russia seems to put life in to perspective. Something here makes you stop looking in and makes you look out. Maybe it really is just the same. p158
[by Anna Blundy, c. 2006; lcl - quote not profound, but worth thinking about]
Saturday, October 03, 2009
quotes#115666 The Message
Moving on is not about filling your life with new things. It is about resolving issues and finding new paths. And it is also about valuing and putting into proper perspective what you used to have in your life. p115
The most common question I'm asked is: 'What does the afterlife look like?'
I am always wary of ansering this question. This is partly because, even if I had been given a clear vision of what it is like, to do so would give people a fixed definition of something that is highly personal. This would, I believe, inhibit their ability to grow personally and spiritually. So my reply is always the same. I'm not capable of seeing eternity and nor is anybody. I can only tell you what I've seen. And what I've seen is an environment which reflects what people want their afterlife to look like. p101
[by Colin Fry, c. 2009 lcl]
Moving on is not about filling your life with new things. It is about resolving issues and finding new paths. And it is also about valuing and putting into proper perspective what you used to have in your life. p115
The most common question I'm asked is: 'What does the afterlife look like?'
I am always wary of ansering this question. This is partly because, even if I had been given a clear vision of what it is like, to do so would give people a fixed definition of something that is highly personal. This would, I believe, inhibit their ability to grow personally and spiritually. So my reply is always the same. I'm not capable of seeing eternity and nor is anybody. I can only tell you what I've seen. And what I've seen is an environment which reflects what people want their afterlife to look like. p101
[by Colin Fry, c. 2009 lcl]
Thursday, October 01, 2009
quotes#286585 The Children's Writer
Sometimes this happened when I was at St Finbar's, all those years ago. I remember Father Stevn, who was young and earnest, giving us boys sermons about 'Keeping the Faith, and 'The Temptations of the Devil'. St Finbar's was not a rich school, but it did have a stone chapel, which was vaulted and cool, and I would kick off my shoes and put my fett flat on the stone floor to feel the cool creep up through my socks. I would sit alone, off to one side, so chapel could be my dreaming time. p58
I was twenty-three and studying Literature at Uni. Lootie was even younger, just nineteen, and in her first year of Education. I wanted to be a writer, she a teacher. We rented a shabby terrace in Elm St, North Melbourne. We owned a bed, a table, two chairs, a sofa and hundreds of books... p2
[not particularly quotable but I like the concept portrayed in the last sentence]
Sometimes this happened when I was at St Finbar's, all those years ago. I remember Father Stevn, who was young and earnest, giving us boys sermons about 'Keeping the Faith, and 'The Temptations of the Devil'. St Finbar's was not a rich school, but it did have a stone chapel, which was vaulted and cool, and I would kick off my shoes and put my fett flat on the stone floor to feel the cool creep up through my socks. I would sit alone, off to one side, so chapel could be my dreaming time. p58
I was twenty-three and studying Literature at Uni. Lootie was even younger, just nineteen, and in her first year of Education. I wanted to be a writer, she a teacher. We rented a shabby terrace in Elm St, North Melbourne. We owned a bed, a table, two chairs, a sofa and hundreds of books... p2
[not particularly quotable but I like the concept portrayed in the last sentence]
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
quotes#555765 The Rose Grower
Married life was like the walnut inlaid drawers that lined one wall of the pharmacy; you slid them open one at a time, hooking your little finger into the hollow under the brass handle, and so learnt which ones were best left shut. p204
Autumn has always been his favourite season. His grandfather used to tell him that as he grew older he would long for springtime, for blossom and quickening green. But spring promises so much, how can it help not living up to expectations? Autumn is unexacting, dependable, its leaves like so many responsibilities discharged and now unloosed, drifting quietly earthwards. p168
by Michelle de Kretser, c. 1999
Married life was like the walnut inlaid drawers that lined one wall of the pharmacy; you slid them open one at a time, hooking your little finger into the hollow under the brass handle, and so learnt which ones were best left shut. p204
Autumn has always been his favourite season. His grandfather used to tell him that as he grew older he would long for springtime, for blossom and quickening green. But spring promises so much, how can it help not living up to expectations? Autumn is unexacting, dependable, its leaves like so many responsibilities discharged and now unloosed, drifting quietly earthwards. p168
by Michelle de Kretser, c. 1999
Thursday, September 24, 2009
quotes#346980 21 dog years (doing time at Amazon.com)
In some ways it was the curse of talent; there was a whole list of things in which I showed great promise. But there is a hell of a gap between "talented" and "successful," and to bridge it you need something called "will." My teachers begged me to dedicate myself - just a little - and said I would really blossom. I dug in my heels and refused. I feigned scorn and indignation but really I was just too scared to apply myself. I was afraid I would discover my limitations. Better not to know. Better to be free and easy and cultivate an air of smug accomplishment. Nurture my talent. Read another book. Play some more Nintendo.
But I miscalculated. p4
But "beat" in what context? B&N still has all its physical stores, and even if the website isn't growing at a staggering rate it's not as if B&N's physical store sales have been crippled by Amazon. People still like going to bookstores, which strangely is considered more romantic than spending an evening alone in your underwear staring at a website. p67
by Mike Daisey, c. 2002 -- lcl res
In some ways it was the curse of talent; there was a whole list of things in which I showed great promise. But there is a hell of a gap between "talented" and "successful," and to bridge it you need something called "will." My teachers begged me to dedicate myself - just a little - and said I would really blossom. I dug in my heels and refused. I feigned scorn and indignation but really I was just too scared to apply myself. I was afraid I would discover my limitations. Better not to know. Better to be free and easy and cultivate an air of smug accomplishment. Nurture my talent. Read another book. Play some more Nintendo.
But I miscalculated. p4
But "beat" in what context? B&N still has all its physical stores, and even if the website isn't growing at a staggering rate it's not as if B&N's physical store sales have been crippled by Amazon. People still like going to bookstores, which strangely is considered more romantic than spending an evening alone in your underwear staring at a website. p67
by Mike Daisey, c. 2002 -- lcl res
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
quotes#604908 Going the distance
If Diana was Milton St John's scarlet woman, then Maddy must be at least a carmine apprentice. p195
By the time she'd had a bath and washed her hair and, again, wrapped in the quilted dressing gown, had staggered back into the kitchen, Suzy and Drew were setting the table. She felt slightly embarrassed, but extremely relieved that he was still there. He smiled at her. "Feel better now?"
"Cleaner. Not better. You can't improve on perfection." p188
If Diana was Milton St John's scarlet woman, then Maddy must be at least a carmine apprentice. p195
By the time she'd had a bath and washed her hair and, again, wrapped in the quilted dressing gown, had staggered back into the kitchen, Suzy and Drew were setting the table. She felt slightly embarrassed, but extremely relieved that he was still there. He smiled at her. "Feel better now?"
"Cleaner. Not better. You can't improve on perfection." p188
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
quotes#732854 Going the Distance
She turned the key. Nothing. She tried again. The engine didn't even whimper. There was a strange buzzing noise. Pushing her ear against the dashboard, Maddy cursed. Suzy had left the radio on all night. The battery was as flat as squashed hedgeghog. p46
Apart from that, you're a brilliant jockey. It's a bit tough though - Ricahrd can't ride because he's got ginger hair and freckles and a lived-in-face. p80
She turned the key. Nothing. She tried again. The engine didn't even whimper. There was a strange buzzing noise. Pushing her ear against the dashboard, Maddy cursed. Suzy had left the radio on all night. The battery was as flat as squashed hedgeghog. p46
Apart from that, you're a brilliant jockey. It's a bit tough though - Ricahrd can't ride because he's got ginger hair and freckles and a lived-in-face. p80
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Monday, September 07, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
quotes#731823 Slumdog Millionaire
I had only fifty thousand rupees, but every rupee had a technicolour dream written on it and they stretched out on a cinemascope screen in my brain to become fifty million. I held my breath and wished for that moment to last as long as it possibly could, because a waking dream is always more fleeting than a sleeping one. p179
You have been counting rosary beads for an era,
But the wandering of your mind does not halt,
Forsake the beads in your hand,
And start moving the beads of your heart. p110
I had only fifty thousand rupees, but every rupee had a technicolour dream written on it and they stretched out on a cinemascope screen in my brain to become fifty million. I held my breath and wished for that moment to last as long as it possibly could, because a waking dream is always more fleeting than a sleeping one. p179
You have been counting rosary beads for an era,
But the wandering of your mind does not halt,
Forsake the beads in your hand,
And start moving the beads of your heart. p110
Friday, August 07, 2009
quotes-from-my-notebook#718527 Paying for It and other stories
Sometimes in families, the child is more grown up than the adults, like Ayesha in this story. Parents make mistakes, but that doesn't mean that they stop caring. Being part of a family can be a painful, messy business. Accepting this is often the key to survival. p43
When I was little my mum and dad were abroad a lot, and when they were away I sometimes used to stay in Scotland with people who were kind to me but left me on my own a lot. Outside my bedroom was a dark corridor with a bookshelf crammed with ghost stories and horror stories. I read right through them. Sometimes I was too scared to sleep. But I kwpt on reading more ... p67
squeezing-in#669393
Slumdog millionaire, by Vikas Swarup c. 2005 -wcl teen
Sometimes in families, the child is more grown up than the adults, like Ayesha in this story. Parents make mistakes, but that doesn't mean that they stop caring. Being part of a family can be a painful, messy business. Accepting this is often the key to survival. p43
When I was little my mum and dad were abroad a lot, and when they were away I sometimes used to stay in Scotland with people who were kind to me but left me on my own a lot. Outside my bedroom was a dark corridor with a bookshelf crammed with ghost stories and horror stories. I read right through them. Sometimes I was too scared to sleep. But I kwpt on reading more ... p67
squeezing-in#669393
Slumdog millionaire, by Vikas Swarup c. 2005 -wcl teen
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
quotes#799385 from my notebook The Broken Window
"The butterfly effect," she said. "A small thing in the past makes a big difference in the future." p277
Amelia Sachs didn't believe in a sixth sense. Not in the way people think of the supernatural. To her, the whole world was so amazing and our senses and thought processes so complex and powerful that we didn't need superhuman skills to make the most perceptive of deductions. p246
"The butterfly effect," she said. "A small thing in the past makes a big difference in the future." p277
Amelia Sachs didn't believe in a sixth sense. Not in the way people think of the supernatural. To her, the whole world was so amazing and our senses and thought processes so complex and powerful that we didn't need superhuman skills to make the most perceptive of deductions. p246
Saturday, July 25, 2009
quotes#728761 Where are you now?
I could feel the beginning of a headache, and even though I wasn't hungry, I went down to the kitchen, made a pot of coffee, and toasted an English muffin. I carried it to the breakfast alcove and sat at the table, gazing at the spectacular view of the East River. Thanks to the strong breeze, the current was visibly swift, and I found myself identifying with it. I was being carried by a current I could not fight, and I had to let it take me along until it either overwhelmed or released me. p151
[not profound - but I still like it]
The apartment was always immaculate, but today the sun was especially bright and, like a magnifying glass, exposed the worn areas of on the edge of the couch and the chip on the corner of the glass coffee table. p31
I could feel the beginning of a headache, and even though I wasn't hungry, I went down to the kitchen, made a pot of coffee, and toasted an English muffin. I carried it to the breakfast alcove and sat at the table, gazing at the spectacular view of the East River. Thanks to the strong breeze, the current was visibly swift, and I found myself identifying with it. I was being carried by a current I could not fight, and I had to let it take me along until it either overwhelmed or released me. p151
[not profound - but I still like it]
The apartment was always immaculate, but today the sun was especially bright and, like a magnifying glass, exposed the worn areas of on the edge of the couch and the chip on the corner of the glass coffee table. p31
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
next#456456
Jamaica Street, by Sally Worboyes, c. 2004 wcl paperback
How I changed my body and my life, by Suzanne Prentice, c. 2002 bc7337326
Where are you know?, by Mary Higgins Clark, c. 2008 wcl
The broken window, by Jeffery Deaver, c. 2008 bc
Poppy [Pirate Princess], by Judy Brown, c. 2008 w kidsbk, purp
Paying for it and other stories, by Viv French, c. 2002, w kidsbk red
Prom, by Laurie Anderson, c.2005, bc7337433
Dangerous spaces, by Margaret Mahy, c.1991, w kidsbk red
A fortune branches out, by Margaret Mahy, c. 1993, w kidsbk red
Imagine, by Ruth Brown, c. 2006, w kidsbk, green
Jamaica Street, by Sally Worboyes, c. 2004 wcl paperback
How I changed my body and my life, by Suzanne Prentice, c. 2002 bc7337326
Where are you know?, by Mary Higgins Clark, c. 2008 wcl
The broken window, by Jeffery Deaver, c. 2008 bc
Poppy [Pirate Princess], by Judy Brown, c. 2008 w kidsbk, purp
Paying for it and other stories, by Viv French, c. 2002, w kidsbk red
Prom, by Laurie Anderson, c.2005, bc7337433
Dangerous spaces, by Margaret Mahy, c.1991, w kidsbk red
A fortune branches out, by Margaret Mahy, c. 1993, w kidsbk red
Imagine, by Ruth Brown, c. 2006, w kidsbk, green
Sunday, July 05, 2009
quotes#839312 One day at a time
"Next time you'll be wiser and more careful," Coco said quietly. "Don't beat yourself up. You learned something from it. We always do." p84
[not profound but useful to remember]
Her mother sighed as she listened. It was as though they were whispering across the Grand Canyon - neither of them could hear the other, nor wanted to. p30
[by Danielle Steel]
"Next time you'll be wiser and more careful," Coco said quietly. "Don't beat yourself up. You learned something from it. We always do." p84
[not profound but useful to remember]
Her mother sighed as she listened. It was as though they were whispering across the Grand Canyon - neither of them could hear the other, nor wanted to. p30
[by Danielle Steel]
Saturday, June 20, 2009
kids-picturebooks#013013
cindy and the lost jandal, by chris gurney
the princesses have a ball, by teresa bateman
ella's big chance, by shirley hughes
next-on-list#066221
the elegance of the hedgehog, by muriel barbery, c. 2006 lcl request
the heiress bride, by laurey bright, c.2002 bc 7288012
homeplace, by dorothy garlock, c. 1991 bc 7288015
little fred riding hood, by michael cox, c. 1995, wcl purple kids
reunions, by eileen berger et al, c. 2000, lcl
the prince's virgin wife, by lucy monroe, c. 2006 bc 7288016
where yesterday lives, by karen kingsbury, c. 1998 wcl
gobbolino, the witch's cat, by ursula moray williams, c. 1942 wcl red kids
cindy and the lost jandal, by chris gurney
the princesses have a ball, by teresa bateman
ella's big chance, by shirley hughes
next-on-list#066221
the elegance of the hedgehog, by muriel barbery, c. 2006 lcl request
the heiress bride, by laurey bright, c.2002 bc 7288012
homeplace, by dorothy garlock, c. 1991 bc 7288015
little fred riding hood, by michael cox, c. 1995, wcl purple kids
reunions, by eileen berger et al, c. 2000, lcl
the prince's virgin wife, by lucy monroe, c. 2006 bc 7288016
where yesterday lives, by karen kingsbury, c. 1998 wcl
gobbolino, the witch's cat, by ursula moray williams, c. 1942 wcl red kids
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
quotes#561842 Not for bread alone
My mother did not, does not cook. Like learning to type , it was something for servants. She scrambled to success with education as grappling tool and was moving always upward, bringing sometimes a memory of a tasted recipe for Rachel, a recipe reflecting the ever-increasing image of a better life, first, moules mariniere, then fillet of sole bonne femme. She liked chocolate ice cream and tried French with a clumsy accent. I learned that food was part of travel and distant places. p48
My mother did not, does not cook. Like learning to type , it was something for servants. She scrambled to success with education as grappling tool and was moving always upward, bringing sometimes a memory of a tasted recipe for Rachel, a recipe reflecting the ever-increasing image of a better life, first, moules mariniere, then fillet of sole bonne femme. She liked chocolate ice cream and tried French with a clumsy accent. I learned that food was part of travel and distant places. p48
Saturday, May 23, 2009
next#140227
jumper, by steven gould, c 1992 -- wcl pbk
the good husband of zebra drive, by alexander mccall smith, c. 2007 -- lcl
horse apples, by ged maybury, c. 1998 -- bc 7168507
no good deed, by manda scott, c. 2001 -- bc 6406131
the tibetan art of serenity, by christopher hansard, c. 2006 -- lcl
wedding vow of revenge, by lucy monroe, c. 2005 -- bc 7223461
the visitors book, by caroline upcher, c.1997 -- bc 7223463
jumper, by steven gould, c 1992 -- wcl pbk
the good husband of zebra drive, by alexander mccall smith, c. 2007 -- lcl
horse apples, by ged maybury, c. 1998 -- bc 7168507
no good deed, by manda scott, c. 2001 -- bc 6406131
the tibetan art of serenity, by christopher hansard, c. 2006 -- lcl
wedding vow of revenge, by lucy monroe, c. 2005 -- bc 7223461
the visitors book, by caroline upcher, c.1997 -- bc 7223463
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
quotes#702166 Book Lover
I reach behind me and grab one of the six books I had thrown into the car. One thing I'm glad about: I'm never bored and I never mid waiting - anywhere. Unless, of course, I've forgotten my book, in which case I just run off and buy another one. I read at the DMV, in movie lines, in bank teller lines, or when the shuttle from L.A. to San Francisco is four hours late. Layovers in unfamiliar airports are a treat, as are jury notices that arrive at my home and give me license to sit around and read all day, knowing that I'm doing my civic duty. On my last jury dury, I was rejected from two trials, one because I told the judge in voir dire that I thought the defendant, a skinhead with tattoos, looked guilty, and the other because the attorneys got a load of the hostile jury pool and settled the case. That day, I actually got to finish Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections. p26
I reach behind me and grab one of the six books I had thrown into the car. One thing I'm glad about: I'm never bored and I never mid waiting - anywhere. Unless, of course, I've forgotten my book, in which case I just run off and buy another one. I read at the DMV, in movie lines, in bank teller lines, or when the shuttle from L.A. to San Francisco is four hours late. Layovers in unfamiliar airports are a treat, as are jury notices that arrive at my home and give me license to sit around and read all day, knowing that I'm doing my civic duty. On my last jury dury, I was rejected from two trials, one because I told the judge in voir dire that I thought the defendant, a skinhead with tattoos, looked guilty, and the other because the attorneys got a load of the hostile jury pool and settled the case. That day, I actually got to finish Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections. p26
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Friday, May 08, 2009
quotes#152502 Goodnight nobody
Kate Klein, this is your life, I thought, and tried to sort out the latest skirmish in the Crayola Wars.
I built a fire in the living room fireplace and played three games of Chutes and Ladders and four of Candy Land. I heated up canned chicken soup for lunch, knowing that every other mother in Upchurch, including my pie-baking pal Carol Gwinell, was probably feeding her kids homemade. p294
Oh no, I thought, as my breath caught my throat. Philip Cavanaugh was making his way unsteadily through the crowd with his daughters. One was on his left side and one was on his right and they were guiding him, like tiny navy blue tugboats guiding a freighter into port. p189
Kate Klein, this is your life, I thought, and tried to sort out the latest skirmish in the Crayola Wars.
I built a fire in the living room fireplace and played three games of Chutes and Ladders and four of Candy Land. I heated up canned chicken soup for lunch, knowing that every other mother in Upchurch, including my pie-baking pal Carol Gwinell, was probably feeding her kids homemade. p294
Oh no, I thought, as my breath caught my throat. Philip Cavanaugh was making his way unsteadily through the crowd with his daughters. One was on his left side and one was on his right and they were guiding him, like tiny navy blue tugboats guiding a freighter into port. p189
Sunday, May 03, 2009
quotes#607970 The Paper Bag Christmas
The only gift is a portion of thyself -- Ralph Waldo Emerson p117
Tim liked baseball, too, but hadn't been able to play much recently because he had been in and out of hospital so often. Since we didn't have a baseball to toss around, I found a pair of socks in Tim's dresser drawer and rolled them up tightly in a ball. For the rest of the evening we just sat playing catch across the room with socks.
It was a wonderful visit. p102
The only gift is a portion of thyself -- Ralph Waldo Emerson p117
Tim liked baseball, too, but hadn't been able to play much recently because he had been in and out of hospital so often. Since we didn't have a baseball to toss around, I found a pair of socks in Tim's dresser drawer and rolled them up tightly in a ball. For the rest of the evening we just sat playing catch across the room with socks.
It was a wonderful visit. p102
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
quotes#693957 The heaven shop
Sometimes Binti would catch Kwasi drawing in the dirt with a stick. She knew his fingers were hungry for the feel of a pencil against paper.
She had an idea. She fetched her radio script. "Draw on the back of this," she said.
"Are you sure?"
"It's paper. I don't have a pencil, though."
"Don't worry. I'll find something." Kwasi's whole body started to glow with excitement. He got a charred bit of wood from the fire pit. Right away, he started to draw - birds, first, of course, but as the little ones gathered around to watch him, he switched to drawing their faces.
That's one problem solved, Bindi thought. p157
[context: Aids-torn Malawi]
squeezing-in#032384
randomly chosen the following:
the paper bag christmas, by kevin alan milne, c. 2006 -- res tcl
book lover, by jennifer kaufman & karen mack, c. 2006 -- res pcl
christmas calamity and other stories, by emma thomson, c. 2005 -- wcl jpk
hoppy birthday jo-jo, by pippa goodhardt, c. 2004 - jbk
bill bird's new boots, by vivian french, c. 2004 - jpk
the twin, by gerbrand bakker, c. 2006 -- lcl
joe lions big boots, by kara may, c. 2006 wcl
the blue stone, by jimmy liao, c. 2008 -- wcl -- kids
Sometimes Binti would catch Kwasi drawing in the dirt with a stick. She knew his fingers were hungry for the feel of a pencil against paper.
She had an idea. She fetched her radio script. "Draw on the back of this," she said.
"Are you sure?"
"It's paper. I don't have a pencil, though."
"Don't worry. I'll find something." Kwasi's whole body started to glow with excitement. He got a charred bit of wood from the fire pit. Right away, he started to draw - birds, first, of course, but as the little ones gathered around to watch him, he switched to drawing their faces.
That's one problem solved, Bindi thought. p157
[context: Aids-torn Malawi]
squeezing-in#032384
randomly chosen the following:
the paper bag christmas, by kevin alan milne, c. 2006 -- res tcl
book lover, by jennifer kaufman & karen mack, c. 2006 -- res pcl
christmas calamity and other stories, by emma thomson, c. 2005 -- wcl jpk
hoppy birthday jo-jo, by pippa goodhardt, c. 2004 - jbk
bill bird's new boots, by vivian french, c. 2004 - jpk
the twin, by gerbrand bakker, c. 2006 -- lcl
joe lions big boots, by kara may, c. 2006 wcl
the blue stone, by jimmy liao, c. 2008 -- wcl -- kids
Friday, April 24, 2009
quotes#527126 I wish someone were waiting for me somewhere
"I'm tough at work, but that's just because I'm playing a role, you see? I have to be tough, I have to make them think I'm a tyrant. Can you imagine if they discovered my secret? If they figured out that I'm shy? That I have to work three times harder than the others for the same result? That I have a bad memory? That I'm slow to understand. If they knew that, they'd eat me alive!
"Plus, I don't know how to make myself liked ... I have no charisma, as they say. If I give someone a rise, I do it in a curt voice; when someone thanks me, I don't answer. When I want to do something nice for someone, I stop myself, and if I have good news to announce, I let my secretary Francoise do it. When it comes to management, or human resources as they say, I'm a disaster, a complete disaster. p260
Now, if I had to give one piece of advice to a young person who wanted to go rural (although after everything that's happened, I'd be surprised if anyone asked), here's what I'd say: Muscles. Lots of muscles - it's the most important thing. A cow weighs between five and eight hundred kilos, a horse between seven hundred kilos and a ton. That's all there is to it. p92
[vet advice]
adding-in#905818
piano rock, by gavin bishop, c, 2008 - nz post finalist, copy from lcl
"I'm tough at work, but that's just because I'm playing a role, you see? I have to be tough, I have to make them think I'm a tyrant. Can you imagine if they discovered my secret? If they figured out that I'm shy? That I have to work three times harder than the others for the same result? That I have a bad memory? That I'm slow to understand. If they knew that, they'd eat me alive!
"Plus, I don't know how to make myself liked ... I have no charisma, as they say. If I give someone a rise, I do it in a curt voice; when someone thanks me, I don't answer. When I want to do something nice for someone, I stop myself, and if I have good news to announce, I let my secretary Francoise do it. When it comes to management, or human resources as they say, I'm a disaster, a complete disaster. p260
Now, if I had to give one piece of advice to a young person who wanted to go rural (although after everything that's happened, I'd be surprised if anyone asked), here's what I'd say: Muscles. Lots of muscles - it's the most important thing. A cow weighs between five and eight hundred kilos, a horse between seven hundred kilos and a ton. That's all there is to it. p92
[vet advice]
adding-in#905818
piano rock, by gavin bishop, c, 2008 - nz post finalist, copy from lcl
Saturday, April 18, 2009
next#878170
i wish someone were waiting for me somewhere, by anna gavalda, c. 1999 -- lcl
every last cuckoo, by kate maloy, c.2008 -- reserve mcl
the heaven shop, by deborah ellis, c. 2004 -- reserve scl -- ya
portofino, by frank schaeffer, c. 1996 - bc
goodnight nobody, by jennifer weiner, c. 2005 -- bc
konnichi wa kiwi, by warren payne, c.2007 -- bc
i wish someone were waiting for me somewhere, by anna gavalda, c. 1999 -- lcl
every last cuckoo, by kate maloy, c.2008 -- reserve mcl
the heaven shop, by deborah ellis, c. 2004 -- reserve scl -- ya
portofino, by frank schaeffer, c. 1996 - bc
goodnight nobody, by jennifer weiner, c. 2005 -- bc
konnichi wa kiwi, by warren payne, c.2007 -- bc
Friday, April 10, 2009
quotes#832146 The Necklace
In the past, Priscilla had always thought that the smarter and more successful you were, the more you didn't need other people, the more you could do it all yourself. Priscilla had never asked anyone for anything. Now she was starting to think differently. Maybe the smarter you were, the sooner you recognized you were in trouble and asked for help. p163
In the past, Priscilla had always thought that the smarter and more successful you were, the more you didn't need other people, the more you could do it all yourself. Priscilla had never asked anyone for anything. Now she was starting to think differently. Maybe the smarter you were, the sooner you recognized you were in trouble and asked for help. p163
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
quotes#575694 At peace in the light
Dying people don't have much time or energy to talk. Yet more than anyone else, they have a deep need to wrap up issues in their lives. By using my psychic issues to get issues and feelings out in the open, I could help the dying and their loved ones face things that had bothered them for years, and thus heal psychological wounds before their deaths.
As I sat there with my friend Peyser, I knew that his life was ending. At the same time, I knew that mine was beginning. Peyser had given me an insight that might never have arrived without him. My gift of intuition and my experience of dying was to be passed on to the dying. p91
Maybe I needed that constant motivation to keep me true to their goals. p11
Dying people don't have much time or energy to talk. Yet more than anyone else, they have a deep need to wrap up issues in their lives. By using my psychic issues to get issues and feelings out in the open, I could help the dying and their loved ones face things that had bothered them for years, and thus heal psychological wounds before their deaths.
As I sat there with my friend Peyser, I knew that his life was ending. At the same time, I knew that mine was beginning. Peyser had given me an insight that might never have arrived without him. My gift of intuition and my experience of dying was to be passed on to the dying. p91
Maybe I needed that constant motivation to keep me true to their goals. p11
Friday, March 20, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
next-on-list#351470
All together now, by Monica McInerney, c. 2008 - newbie
The faraway fairies (the magical roses), by Eleanor Coombe, c. 2008 - kids book
The good life, by Jay McInerney, c. 2008 - recommended by patron
Border crossing, by Rosie Thomas, c. 1998
The maze of bones, by Rick Riordan, c. 2008 - 39 clues
The book of fame, by Lloyd Jones, c. 2008 -- donated to library
All together now, by Monica McInerney, c. 2008 - newbie
The faraway fairies (the magical roses), by Eleanor Coombe, c. 2008 - kids book
The good life, by Jay McInerney, c. 2008 - recommended by patron
Border crossing, by Rosie Thomas, c. 1998
The maze of bones, by Rick Riordan, c. 2008 - 39 clues
The book of fame, by Lloyd Jones, c. 2008 -- donated to library
Sunday, March 01, 2009
quotes#310056 The other side of the bridge
Last thing at night he went out to the barns for a final look around before bed, as he and his father had always done, just to check that everything was OK. They used to stand for a minute or two in the farmyard afterwards, studying the sky, and Arthur did it still, couldn't break the habit, though of all the moments of the day it caused the greatest pain [of dad passing]. He stood alone in the silence of the night, remembering. In his mind's eye he saw the two of them - always saw them the same, standing together, faces turned upwards. Clouds pale against the blue-black of the night. Stars cold and bright. The moon hanging there, pale and brilliant, clouds drifting across it like smoke. The sky and the silent land beneath it stretching on, and on, and on, so that he and his father were shrunk to almost nothing by the vastness of it. Two tiny insignificant specks, side by side, faces upturned, staring at the sky. p179
Last thing at night he went out to the barns for a final look around before bed, as he and his father had always done, just to check that everything was OK. They used to stand for a minute or two in the farmyard afterwards, studying the sky, and Arthur did it still, couldn't break the habit, though of all the moments of the day it caused the greatest pain [of dad passing]. He stood alone in the silence of the night, remembering. In his mind's eye he saw the two of them - always saw them the same, standing together, faces turned upwards. Clouds pale against the blue-black of the night. Stars cold and bright. The moon hanging there, pale and brilliant, clouds drifting across it like smoke. The sky and the silent land beneath it stretching on, and on, and on, so that he and his father were shrunk to almost nothing by the vastness of it. Two tiny insignificant specks, side by side, faces upturned, staring at the sky. p179
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
quotes#854973
Work, school, home life, petty local politics, I did what I always did in times of stress: I took a deep breath dug inside, and forced myself to stand up taller than ever before. I had been picking myself up by my bootstraps all my life. There wasn't anything about this situation, I told myself, that I couldn't handle. It was only late at night in the library, alone with my thoughts and staring at that blank computer screen, that I began to feel the pressure. It was only then, in my first quiet moment of the day, that I felt my foundation begin to shake. p104
Our downtown is the legacy of the fire of 1931, but it is also the legacy of the farm crisis of the 1980s. When times are tough, you either pull together or fall apart. That's true of families, towns, even people. In the late 1980s, Spencer once again pulled together. And once again, the transformation occurred from the inside out when the merchants on Grand Avenue, many in stores run by their grandparents in 1931, decided they could make the city better. They hired a business manager for the entire downtown retail corridor; they made infrastructure improvements; they spent heavly on advertising even when there seemed to be no money left in the community to spend. p63
[from book "Dewey, the small-town library cat who changed the world," by Vicki Myron, c.2008]
Work, school, home life, petty local politics, I did what I always did in times of stress: I took a deep breath dug inside, and forced myself to stand up taller than ever before. I had been picking myself up by my bootstraps all my life. There wasn't anything about this situation, I told myself, that I couldn't handle. It was only late at night in the library, alone with my thoughts and staring at that blank computer screen, that I began to feel the pressure. It was only then, in my first quiet moment of the day, that I felt my foundation begin to shake. p104
Our downtown is the legacy of the fire of 1931, but it is also the legacy of the farm crisis of the 1980s. When times are tough, you either pull together or fall apart. That's true of families, towns, even people. In the late 1980s, Spencer once again pulled together. And once again, the transformation occurred from the inside out when the merchants on Grand Avenue, many in stores run by their grandparents in 1931, decided they could make the city better. They hired a business manager for the entire downtown retail corridor; they made infrastructure improvements; they spent heavly on advertising even when there seemed to be no money left in the community to spend. p63
[from book "Dewey, the small-town library cat who changed the world," by Vicki Myron, c.2008]
Sunday, January 25, 2009
quotes#597835 Fishing for stars
Anna once explained to me that winning wasn't always about reaching the top of the mountain; sometimes whoever clung longest to the cliff-face without falling was the ultimate winner. "Business seldom has a formal start and definite finish but is more like a constant cliff climb," she'd said. "After you've won, you keep climbing."
"Righto, we'll wait. But as far as I'm concerned, stuff 'em. Plenty more ships in the sea." p145
He was always careful to bend this young and pliant twig slowly, taking great care never to snap it or inhabit the flow of young sap. p46
[a teacher and a student]
note: Fishing for stars, by bryce courtenay, c.2008
Anna once explained to me that winning wasn't always about reaching the top of the mountain; sometimes whoever clung longest to the cliff-face without falling was the ultimate winner. "Business seldom has a formal start and definite finish but is more like a constant cliff climb," she'd said. "After you've won, you keep climbing."
"Righto, we'll wait. But as far as I'm concerned, stuff 'em. Plenty more ships in the sea." p145
He was always careful to bend this young and pliant twig slowly, taking great care never to snap it or inhabit the flow of young sap. p46
[a teacher and a student]
note: Fishing for stars, by bryce courtenay, c.2008
Friday, January 23, 2009
quotes#967713 Pride and Prejudice
Their parties abroad were less varied than before; and at home she had a mother and sister whose constant repiningsof the dulness of every thing around them, threw a real gloom over their domestic circle; and though Kitty might in time regain her natural degree of sense, since the disturbers of her brain were removed, her other sister, from whose disposition greater evil might be apprehended, was likely to be hardened in all her folly and assurance, by a situation of such double danger as a watering place and a camp. Upon the whole, therefore, she found, what has been sometimes found before, that an event to which she had looked forward with impatient desire, did not in taking place, bring all the satisfaction she had promised herself. It was consequently necessary to name some other period for the commencement of actual felicity; to have some other point on which her wishes and hopes might be fixed, and by again enjoying the plesaure of anticipation, console herself for the present, and prepare for another disapointment. Her tour of the Lakes was now the object of her happiest thoughts; it was her best consolation for all the uncomfortable hours, which the discontentedness of her Mother and Kitty made inevitable; and could she have included Jane in the scheme, every part of it would have been perfect. p219
To this, Mary vary gravely replied. "Far be it from me, my dear sister, to depreciate such pleasures. They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds. But I confess they would have no charms for me. I should infinitely prefer a book." p206
Their parties abroad were less varied than before; and at home she had a mother and sister whose constant repiningsof the dulness of every thing around them, threw a real gloom over their domestic circle; and though Kitty might in time regain her natural degree of sense, since the disturbers of her brain were removed, her other sister, from whose disposition greater evil might be apprehended, was likely to be hardened in all her folly and assurance, by a situation of such double danger as a watering place and a camp. Upon the whole, therefore, she found, what has been sometimes found before, that an event to which she had looked forward with impatient desire, did not in taking place, bring all the satisfaction she had promised herself. It was consequently necessary to name some other period for the commencement of actual felicity; to have some other point on which her wishes and hopes might be fixed, and by again enjoying the plesaure of anticipation, console herself for the present, and prepare for another disapointment. Her tour of the Lakes was now the object of her happiest thoughts; it was her best consolation for all the uncomfortable hours, which the discontentedness of her Mother and Kitty made inevitable; and could she have included Jane in the scheme, every part of it would have been perfect. p219
To this, Mary vary gravely replied. "Far be it from me, my dear sister, to depreciate such pleasures. They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds. But I confess they would have no charms for me. I should infinitely prefer a book." p206
Friday, January 16, 2009
quotes#776268 In the winter dark
You get that big church feeling up there in the forest. We were running out of fuel early this winter, so I took the chainsaw with me to feel like I was working and not just farting about. I dawdled the ute along the muddy tracks in the broken light looking for windfalls. It didn't take long to spot a toppled tree. I stopped and got out. The wind sounded like a choir way above. I grabbed the axe from the rear tray, picked my way through the undergrowth with its crush of bracken and creepers and ferns and bright orange fungi and beds of soft wet pungent bark, and when I came to the tree, I scrambled up its great flank and stood panting a moment.
The axe rung out sweet and clear, and I made a bigger notch than I needed to, just to feel the weight of the axe and hear that thock! a few times more. The timber was good and dead, the colour of honey.
I went back for the chainsaw. The air was full of the smells of eucalyptus and gravel mud and dew. p28
[not literary but I like descriptions of nature]
It was dark outside, and cold, and if it hadn't been for the dog and the chops and the stove and our crotcheting, you might have heard the water-snore of the valley, that strange sound of the river moving and the damp air settling on it in the hollows. p17
You get that big church feeling up there in the forest. We were running out of fuel early this winter, so I took the chainsaw with me to feel like I was working and not just farting about. I dawdled the ute along the muddy tracks in the broken light looking for windfalls. It didn't take long to spot a toppled tree. I stopped and got out. The wind sounded like a choir way above. I grabbed the axe from the rear tray, picked my way through the undergrowth with its crush of bracken and creepers and ferns and bright orange fungi and beds of soft wet pungent bark, and when I came to the tree, I scrambled up its great flank and stood panting a moment.
The axe rung out sweet and clear, and I made a bigger notch than I needed to, just to feel the weight of the axe and hear that thock! a few times more. The timber was good and dead, the colour of honey.
I went back for the chainsaw. The air was full of the smells of eucalyptus and gravel mud and dew. p28
[not literary but I like descriptions of nature]
It was dark outside, and cold, and if it hadn't been for the dog and the chops and the stove and our crotcheting, you might have heard the water-snore of the valley, that strange sound of the river moving and the damp air settling on it in the hollows. p17
Monday, January 12, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
quotes#994534 My one hundred adventures
Is this what it is to get older, to have adventures you can no longer tell your family because you are moving apart from them? Is this why my mother likes to have Ned around, so that she has someone to whom she can always tell her adventures? Or do you grow up and have adventures you tell no one? Are some adventures only yours alone? Will my mother have adventures she won't even tell Ned? p257
Ginny feels bad that she can't help me and is very upset with her mother, who doesn't seem to care that camp is making Ginny miserable. That ginny counted on her summer to work on her dress designs. Now at the end of her day she is too tired to be creative. She says she feels like a steam kettle with a plugged hole. Any moment she will pop. p140
Is this what it is to get older, to have adventures you can no longer tell your family because you are moving apart from them? Is this why my mother likes to have Ned around, so that she has someone to whom she can always tell her adventures? Or do you grow up and have adventures you tell no one? Are some adventures only yours alone? Will my mother have adventures she won't even tell Ned? p257
Ginny feels bad that she can't help me and is very upset with her mother, who doesn't seem to care that camp is making Ginny miserable. That ginny counted on her summer to work on her dress designs. Now at the end of her day she is too tired to be creative. She says she feels like a steam kettle with a plugged hole. Any moment she will pop. p140
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
quotes#733852 Great possessions
It was not Flynn's fault that at nineteen she felt as dried-out as the ostrich egg Margot kept in her drawing room, gaily painted, fragile and empty. p232
Lonnie cupped her hand round one of the flowers, feeling the coolness of the petals and breathing in the fragrance that rose from its golden heart, and felt comforted. She ought not to have needed comfort; most people would have seen her as the luckiest girl in the world, but Lonnie knew that always, except when she was holding Rosemary [child] or was completely swept away by the sexual passion of which she was vaguely ashamed, there was something missing in her life, an empty place waiting to be filled. p226
[cliche i know]
It was not Flynn's fault that at nineteen she felt as dried-out as the ostrich egg Margot kept in her drawing room, gaily painted, fragile and empty. p232
Lonnie cupped her hand round one of the flowers, feeling the coolness of the petals and breathing in the fragrance that rose from its golden heart, and felt comforted. She ought not to have needed comfort; most people would have seen her as the luckiest girl in the world, but Lonnie knew that always, except when she was holding Rosemary [child] or was completely swept away by the sexual passion of which she was vaguely ashamed, there was something missing in her life, an empty place waiting to be filled. p226
[cliche i know]
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
quotes#516008 Afterdark Princess
And Joe Quail wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh and laugh until his sides split like baked apples. p95
"Of course," said Alice. "And once you have put on your moonglasses on you never forget. It's just that most people think there's only what they see wth their ordinary eyes. They don't realise that even the name, Forest Street, is a clue to the magic world secretly tucked inside the ordinary one lie a pea in a pod. They don't know about the Street Forest and they wouldn't want to. It's a funny thing, I don't know why, most people don't care for sorcery and danger." p22
And Joe Quail wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh and laugh until his sides split like baked apples. p95
"Of course," said Alice. "And once you have put on your moonglasses on you never forget. It's just that most people think there's only what they see wth their ordinary eyes. They don't realise that even the name, Forest Street, is a clue to the magic world secretly tucked inside the ordinary one lie a pea in a pod. They don't know about the Street Forest and they wouldn't want to. It's a funny thing, I don't know why, most people don't care for sorcery and danger." p22
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
quotes#718956 from my notebook Cinderella Rules
She didn't know why she'd worried about Shane needing to leave home for adventure. He'd just brought the adventure home to live with them. p398 [not profound but still good for me to note:]
Darby tried to squash the little leap of hope. Dangerous things, those little leaps. p377
She didn't know why she'd worried about Shane needing to leave home for adventure. He'd just brought the adventure home to live with them. p398 [not profound but still good for me to note:]
Darby tried to squash the little leap of hope. Dangerous things, those little leaps. p377
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
next-lot#335827
my one hundred adventures, by polly horvath, c. 2008 -- wcl - new red jfic
shadows on the shore, by jessica stirling, c. 1993 -- bc 6803169
turn left at bindi creek, by lynne wilding, c. 2000 -- lcl, paperback
50 management ideas you really need to know, by edward russell-walling, c. 2008 -- wcl new
contented dementia, by oliver james, c. 2008 -- wcl, new
my one hundred adventures, by polly horvath, c. 2008 -- wcl - new red jfic
shadows on the shore, by jessica stirling, c. 1993 -- bc 6803169
turn left at bindi creek, by lynne wilding, c. 2000 -- lcl, paperback
50 management ideas you really need to know, by edward russell-walling, c. 2008 -- wcl new
contented dementia, by oliver james, c. 2008 -- wcl, new
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
quotes#893012 Comet in Moominland
"It's all over now," said Snufkin. "Don't cry any more Sniff."
"The garnets," Sniff moaned. "I didn't get a single one."
Snuffkin sat down beside him and said kindly: "I know. But that's how it is when you start wanting to have things. Now I just look at them, and when I go away I carry them in my head. Then my hands are always free, because I don't have to carry a suitcase."
"The garnets would have gone in the rucksack," said Sniff miserably. "You don't need hands for that. It's not the same thing at all just looking at them. I want to touch them and know they're mine."
"Never mind, Sniff. We're sure to find some more treasures," said Moomintroll comfortingly. "Now cheer up and get a move on. It's getting cold and creepy out here." p51
"It's all over now," said Snufkin. "Don't cry any more Sniff."
"The garnets," Sniff moaned. "I didn't get a single one."
Snuffkin sat down beside him and said kindly: "I know. But that's how it is when you start wanting to have things. Now I just look at them, and when I go away I carry them in my head. Then my hands are always free, because I don't have to carry a suitcase."
"The garnets would have gone in the rucksack," said Sniff miserably. "You don't need hands for that. It's not the same thing at all just looking at them. I want to touch them and know they're mine."
"Never mind, Sniff. We're sure to find some more treasures," said Moomintroll comfortingly. "Now cheer up and get a move on. It's getting cold and creepy out here." p51
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
next#596088
The Mitford bedside companion, by Jan Karon, c.2006 - from patron
The wedding night affair, by Miranda Lee, c. 1999 bc 6782604
Comet in Moominland, by Tove Jansson, c. 1946 - request, ecl
The Cinderella rules, by Donna Kauffman, c. 2004 - request,ncl
Cole for Christmas, by Darlene Gardiner, c.2003 - wcl
The Mitford bedside companion, by Jan Karon, c.2006 - from patron
The wedding night affair, by Miranda Lee, c. 1999 bc 6782604
Comet in Moominland, by Tove Jansson, c. 1946 - request, ecl
The Cinderella rules, by Donna Kauffman, c. 2004 - request,ncl
Cole for Christmas, by Darlene Gardiner, c.2003 - wcl
Monday, December 08, 2008
quotes#128874 Chrissie the Wish Fairy
[only cos it's close to Christmas]
"How do they work?" Rachel wanted to know.
"My Magic Card makes sure Christmas cards spread Christmas wishes of joy around the world," Chrissie explained. "The magic of my wooden spoon makes Christmas food taste lovely, and means that wishes made by people stirring their Christmas puddings will be granted." p27
[only cos it's close to Christmas]
"How do they work?" Rachel wanted to know.
"My Magic Card makes sure Christmas cards spread Christmas wishes of joy around the world," Chrissie explained. "The magic of my wooden spoon makes Christmas food taste lovely, and means that wishes made by people stirring their Christmas puddings will be granted." p27
Saturday, December 06, 2008
quotes#170916 Singing bird
"I was thinking of something Proust wrote," he said, looking into the empty glass with a wry smile. "There is nothing like desire for preventing the things we say from having any resemblance to the things in our minds." p176
"Enough talk for two sets of teeth," Donal whispered. "But a great cook." p89
"I was thinking of something Proust wrote," he said, looking into the empty glass with a wry smile. "There is nothing like desire for preventing the things we say from having any resemblance to the things in our minds." p176
"Enough talk for two sets of teeth," Donal whispered. "But a great cook." p89
Thursday, December 04, 2008
quotes#274393 Singing Bird
At six o'clock, I waved goodbye to the cheery trio of removal men and went back inside. I stood for a while in the kitchen. The house was quiet. I opened the French windows and walked to the end of the garden. The brickwork glowed pink and gold in the evening sun. A frill of red leaves curled down the edge of the back wall. The scent of rosemary filled the air. I walked back up the path, wrapping my memories around me, like a cardigan. p43
[sold house]
At six o'clock, I waved goodbye to the cheery trio of removal men and went back inside. I stood for a while in the kitchen. The house was quiet. I opened the French windows and walked to the end of the garden. The brickwork glowed pink and gold in the evening sun. A frill of red leaves curled down the edge of the back wall. The scent of rosemary filled the air. I walked back up the path, wrapping my memories around me, like a cardigan. p43
[sold house]
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
kids-book#928412 My favorite thing (according to Alberta)
delightful colours ... it starts of as "Alberta is a girl of particular tastes ...."
my favorite page ... the page about loving orange
book that flips between horizontal and vertical - the way the words are put on the page
love this dedication "In memory of Rob Moss, who liked jazz, classical literature, beautiful women, and telling stories. I don't know what his favorite thing was - but I hope he's got a lot of it, now."
am going to read to Riverside kindy tomorrow.
delightful colours ... it starts of as "Alberta is a girl of particular tastes ...."
my favorite page ... the page about loving orange
book that flips between horizontal and vertical - the way the words are put on the page
love this dedication "In memory of Rob Moss, who liked jazz, classical literature, beautiful women, and telling stories. I don't know what his favorite thing was - but I hope he's got a lot of it, now."
am going to read to Riverside kindy tomorrow.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
next#358872
My favorite thing (according to Alberta), by Emily Jenkins, c. 2004, jpb, wcl
Geography, by Sophie Cunningham, c.2004, afi, wcl
A life at work, by Thomas Moore, c. 2008, 204.4, scl - returned to wcl
The new man, by Janice Kay Johnson, c. 2003, bc6759933
Going to the chapel, by Sharon Sala, Dixie Browning and Stella Bagwell, c. 2002, bc6725810
Great possessions, by Kate Alexander, c. 1989, bc6759937
My favorite thing (according to Alberta), by Emily Jenkins, c. 2004, jpb, wcl
Geography, by Sophie Cunningham, c.2004, afi, wcl
A life at work, by Thomas Moore, c. 2008, 204.4, scl - returned to wcl
The new man, by Janice Kay Johnson, c. 2003, bc6759933
Going to the chapel, by Sharon Sala, Dixie Browning and Stella Bagwell, c. 2002, bc6725810
Great possessions, by Kate Alexander, c. 1989, bc6759937
quotes#171403 The Italian billionaire's secret love child
Charlotte automatically reached down and smoothed some of the dark curls back into position, "Okay. Now, you're sure you've got everything?"
"Sure!"
"How sure?"
"Two thousand sure." They grinned at each other, enjoying this little game they had been playing before school since time immemorial, and then they were off. p28
Charlotte automatically reached down and smoothed some of the dark curls back into position, "Okay. Now, you're sure you've got everything?"
"Sure!"
"How sure?"
"Two thousand sure." They grinned at each other, enjoying this little game they had been playing before school since time immemorial, and then they were off. p28
Friday, November 28, 2008
quotes#349578 Instructions for living someone else's life
Because Chris's thought contained, like a grub in an apple, a question no one would ever want to be asked; one that it would be terrible to consider even if you weren't required to answer it. p207
The human spirit is a powerful, powerful thing, and there's very little that it can't achieve, if it's out of spite. p166
Because Chris's thought contained, like a grub in an apple, a question no one would ever want to be asked; one that it would be terrible to consider even if you weren't required to answer it. p207
The human spirit is a powerful, powerful thing, and there's very little that it can't achieve, if it's out of spite. p166
Thursday, November 27, 2008
quotes#014716 Cloud Busting [by Malorie Blackman, c. 2004]
I started writing poems for my own amusement long before I began to write stories. Nursery rhymes, playground songs and pop songs were as much a part of my life as breathing. I was reading at an early age, but this was a deliberate, though fun activity. Reading was something I had to be taught, something I had to sit down and do. Poetry was different. Poetry for me was in the way the branches of the trees danced in the wind, in the way snow fell to the ground bringing silence with it, in running water, in smiles, in music, in skipping songs, in insults, in chants - poetry was everywhere.
I started writing poems for my own amusement long before I began to write stories. Nursery rhymes, playground songs and pop songs were as much a part of my life as breathing. I was reading at an early age, but this was a deliberate, though fun activity. Reading was something I had to be taught, something I had to sit down and do. Poetry was different. Poetry for me was in the way the branches of the trees danced in the wind, in the way snow fell to the ground bringing silence with it, in running water, in smiles, in music, in skipping songs, in insults, in chants - poetry was everywhere.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
quotes#855347 Heart and soul
She found herself looking up at the old buildings which had been there since the first Elizabeth was on the throne of England. She saw the lines waiting to go and see the Book of Kells. Imagine monks decorating that, nearly seven hundred pages of it, instead of getting on with things. But maybe they weren't doing anyone any harm. p420
"so should we get the Guards?" Fiona asked.
"She specficially asked Lidia not to make any fuss," Declan said.
"But she must have been so upset."
"I know, Fiona, but what's the point of asking your friends not to make a fuss if you can't trust them to do what you ask?" p377
She found herself looking up at the old buildings which had been there since the first Elizabeth was on the throne of England. She saw the lines waiting to go and see the Book of Kells. Imagine monks decorating that, nearly seven hundred pages of it, instead of getting on with things. But maybe they weren't doing anyone any harm. p420
"so should we get the Guards?" Fiona asked.
"She specficially asked Lidia not to make any fuss," Declan said.
"But she must have been so upset."
"I know, Fiona, but what's the point of asking your friends not to make a fuss if you can't trust them to do what you ask?" p377
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
quotes#927673 Come Fly With Me
But as a free spirit and a wanderer who needed to be alone more often than not, Alexandra hd soon found her own place. p21
[boarder. not literary but this piece reminded me that i need that self-time, too]
[as an aside .. i have seen 4 different chevy blazers today about town -- beasties]
But as a free spirit and a wanderer who needed to be alone more often than not, Alexandra hd soon found her own place. p21
[boarder. not literary but this piece reminded me that i need that self-time, too]
[as an aside .. i have seen 4 different chevy blazers today about town -- beasties]
Monday, November 17, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
caught-my-eye #130876 Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
Journal entry 1 by davemurray101 from newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, September 13, 2008
Be careful what you wish for. A small town librarian lives a quiet life without much excitement. One day, she mutters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning.....
so have reserved it from the library.
Journal entry 1 by davemurray101 from newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, September 13, 2008
Be careful what you wish for. A small town librarian lives a quiet life without much excitement. One day, she mutters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning.....
so have reserved it from the library.
quotes#473592 One Red Paperclip
As soon as you believe there was someplace in the past where things were better than they were today, you won't operate at your full potential now. You are where you are, and if you aren't, it's probably a good idea to figure out how to get to yourself. p164
The grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, but maybe it is. Listen to the advice of other people, but remember that we all see colour differently. What my be less green to someone else might be greener to you. p125
As soon as you believe there was someplace in the past where things were better than they were today, you won't operate at your full potential now. You are where you are, and if you aren't, it's probably a good idea to figure out how to get to yourself. p164
The grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, but maybe it is. Listen to the advice of other people, but remember that we all see colour differently. What my be less green to someone else might be greener to you. p125
Thursday, November 13, 2008
quotes#057295 Ice Age
Nature has random kindnesses; she was unmistakably his. p206
The pace of life suited her. And it was beginning to suit Anthony, too. For the first time, he began to imagine that he could perhaps lead a real life away from London, a peaceful life with a peaceful rhythm. As he hacked, his mind turned vaguely towards projects - if there was any money left after the Riverside Scheme's final stand, he would stay in Yorkshire, he would dig and grow his own vegetables, he would let people like Molly and Tim hang around year in and year out, he would struggle no more to do, he would learn to be - and if there wasn't any money left, if he had to sell High Rock, he would get a job, in a school. He would teach. Why not? A country school. A school for the handicapped. Vague, idealistic notions drifted very pleasantly round his mind; fantasies of peace and virtue. He would opt out; surely, after the unpleasant experiences he had suffered during his attempts to opt in, he would have a right to make such a decision? And anyway, what was there wrong in a quiet life, digging one's own garden, being pleasant to those that need pleasantness. It would not have suited him when he was younger, but whyever should one's life show any consistency? p 172
squeezing-in#787533
One red paperclip, by Kyle MacDonald, c. 2007
Nature has random kindnesses; she was unmistakably his. p206
The pace of life suited her. And it was beginning to suit Anthony, too. For the first time, he began to imagine that he could perhaps lead a real life away from London, a peaceful life with a peaceful rhythm. As he hacked, his mind turned vaguely towards projects - if there was any money left after the Riverside Scheme's final stand, he would stay in Yorkshire, he would dig and grow his own vegetables, he would let people like Molly and Tim hang around year in and year out, he would struggle no more to do, he would learn to be - and if there wasn't any money left, if he had to sell High Rock, he would get a job, in a school. He would teach. Why not? A country school. A school for the handicapped. Vague, idealistic notions drifted very pleasantly round his mind; fantasies of peace and virtue. He would opt out; surely, after the unpleasant experiences he had suffered during his attempts to opt in, he would have a right to make such a decision? And anyway, what was there wrong in a quiet life, digging one's own garden, being pleasant to those that need pleasantness. It would not have suited him when he was younger, but whyever should one's life show any consistency? p 172
squeezing-in#787533
One red paperclip, by Kyle MacDonald, c. 2007
Saturday, November 08, 2008
quotes#255493 Berlin Poplars
He took the old hand; the familiar, busy hand. All the things it had done, everywhere it had been, in wash buckets, around the food, on the knitting needles, among the fruit bushes behind the barn. He laid his cheek to it, and it felt the cold. The skin smelt a bit rank, like the smell you sometimes got under a watchstrap. p212
[of ill mother]
- he couldn't make the effort to remember what it was called - and they sang about birds, how their little broter had been a migrating bird, a summer visitor who suddenly flew away when it got too cold. People sobbed openly along the pews, blew their noses and dabbed their eyes with stiff, helpless moments. The aisle at the back of the church was packed with people. Three youngsters clutched each other. On the floor lay a much-trampled hymn sheet, sodden and grey. He longed to be alone in here; perhaps he would borrow the key from the verger one day soon, lock himself in and stay for a while, listening to the voices from the walls, without feeling ashamed of not believing in heaven or hell any more. p170
[funeral director]
He took the old hand; the familiar, busy hand. All the things it had done, everywhere it had been, in wash buckets, around the food, on the knitting needles, among the fruit bushes behind the barn. He laid his cheek to it, and it felt the cold. The skin smelt a bit rank, like the smell you sometimes got under a watchstrap. p212
[of ill mother]
- he couldn't make the effort to remember what it was called - and they sang about birds, how their little broter had been a migrating bird, a summer visitor who suddenly flew away when it got too cold. People sobbed openly along the pews, blew their noses and dabbed their eyes with stiff, helpless moments. The aisle at the back of the church was packed with people. Three youngsters clutched each other. On the floor lay a much-trampled hymn sheet, sodden and grey. He longed to be alone in here; perhaps he would borrow the key from the verger one day soon, lock himself in and stay for a while, listening to the voices from the walls, without feeling ashamed of not believing in heaven or hell any more. p170
[funeral director]
Friday, November 07, 2008
quotes#675167 Berlin Poplars
He worked with a kind of warm and extended happiness within him. A happiness that occasionally made him catch his breath and pumped small jabs of adrenalin into his diaphragm. p40
[cliche but still good to remember]
The doctor had given the mother a sedative; the father didn't want one. It was a classic case; men tried to manage without, keep their heads clear, not break down or lose control. Instead, he paced the kitchen floor with his hands behind his back. Margido didn't envy him the night ahead. p15
He worked with a kind of warm and extended happiness within him. A happiness that occasionally made him catch his breath and pumped small jabs of adrenalin into his diaphragm. p40
[cliche but still good to remember]
The doctor had given the mother a sedative; the father didn't want one. It was a classic case; men tried to manage without, keep their heads clear, not break down or lose control. Instead, he paced the kitchen floor with his hands behind his back. Margido didn't envy him the night ahead. p15
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
quotes#589335 Baby come back
But Molly Meredith wasn't the type to collapse for long. Looking on the bright side was her religion. If God had sent her a plague of locusts, Molly would have decided they were good for greenfly. p216
In the end, given that it was another glorious summer's day, she chose white linen trousers and a loose, flowing white silk top with a deep V, plus wildly expensive white trainers that had as much relationship to real running shoes as a Jaguar car has to the furry thing you find in the jungle. p155
But Molly Meredith wasn't the type to collapse for long. Looking on the bright side was her religion. If God had sent her a plague of locusts, Molly would have decided they were good for greenfly. p216
In the end, given that it was another glorious summer's day, she chose white linen trousers and a loose, flowing white silk top with a deep V, plus wildly expensive white trainers that had as much relationship to real running shoes as a Jaguar car has to the furry thing you find in the jungle. p155
Saturday, November 01, 2008
quotes#112231 Six Pack Two
There was a tiny weatherboard house, a boat pulled up on the sand below it, and a long fishing line strung out on poles into the estuary. Beside the house, in a clearing striped with sunlight, the air warm and still and dusty, was a wooden picnic table, at which a fat woman was reading a book. A small boy in yellow togs decorated with skulls and crossbones waded out of the water and ran towards he, cannoning into her side; she dropped her book and pushed him away, saying in a lazy, good-natured voice, "Get off, you, you're soaking wet."
I watched them. The boy lay down under the long line and covered himself with sand. The woman went back to her book. I decided to walk past them along the shore. p84
[comment: not literary but i like the scene]
"... mother," Kathy says, the next night when Tim phones. Two hours, twelve minutes. They are both going to have an early night. While they sleep the well of their conversation fills up again. p59
There was a tiny weatherboard house, a boat pulled up on the sand below it, and a long fishing line strung out on poles into the estuary. Beside the house, in a clearing striped with sunlight, the air warm and still and dusty, was a wooden picnic table, at which a fat woman was reading a book. A small boy in yellow togs decorated with skulls and crossbones waded out of the water and ran towards he, cannoning into her side; she dropped her book and pushed him away, saying in a lazy, good-natured voice, "Get off, you, you're soaking wet."
I watched them. The boy lay down under the long line and covered himself with sand. The woman went back to her book. I decided to walk past them along the shore. p84
[comment: not literary but i like the scene]
"... mother," Kathy says, the next night when Tim phones. Two hours, twelve minutes. They are both going to have an early night. While they sleep the well of their conversation fills up again. p59
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