Tagged !

Ok, so Allyson tagged me several days ago with this lovely little meme about books we've read, etc. . . . and I have been thinking about it and dreading it like a school assignment ever since !! Let me begin by saying that I am not nearly as well-read as my lovely friends Allyson and Jenn, and tend toward the drivel and fluff . . . not exactly Harlequin Romances or anything, but nothing scholarly either !! And I don't usually notice or remember the small details of what I read, much less all the in's and out's of the characters . . . I'm in it purely to escape !! That said, here goes . . . !

1. Three characters you wish were real so you could meet them:

This one is probably the hardest for me to answer . . . no one specific comes to mind, except the characters I have in mind for question #2 !! I'd love to meet any or all of the characters from some of my favorite books and authors: all from the Harry Potter series, any from Little Women, and just about anyone from the books of Rosamunde Pilcher (my favorite !), Daphne du Maurier, Marcia Willett, Maeve Binchy, and Barbara Delinsky, and the list goes on. I just can't pick !

2. Three characters you would like to be:

Either Jo or Meg March from Little Women. I think I am similar to Meg in some ways . . . quiet, holding back a bit from socializing, a huge sense of propriety, and a desire for the simple family life. She seemed to have a clear sense of herself and her ultimate place in life, and I admire that. I'd like to be Jo, too, because of her energy, eccentricity, impetuousness (?), and creativity . . . I think these traits reside in me in very small doses, and I tend to admire people that let them out !!

I'd also like to be any of the main female characters in Rosamunde Pilcher's books. I'm currently re-reading Winter Solstice, and the main character, Elfrida Phipps, is a good example of the typical main character . . . some sort of artistic vocation or background, the endurance of some tragedy or misfortune, involved in the gathering of a hodge-podge of friends, family, and acquaintances, being the pillar of strength and voice of reason in the midst of changing circumstances, and a basic celebration of eccentricity . . . all set in beautiful England or Scotland !! Just plunk me down into one of her books and I'll be a happy camper !

3. Three characters that scare you:

I could only come up with one for this question, but it was the only answer for any of the questions that popped immediately into my mind . . . Mrs. Danvers from Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. Not only is she outwardly hateful toward the new Mrs. de Winter, and undermines her in every way possible, but she's creepy in her preservation of Rebecca's room and belongings, and downright evil in her encouragement of the main character to commit suicide ! Eeeee-vvviiiilllllllll !!!

Well, now that that's done and over with . . . . ! I had thought that if I ever got tagged it'd be with one of those "5 weird things about yourself" memes . . . I have all kinds of answers for that one ! Maybe next time . . . !

Happy reading to all !

Travel is a tonic for the soul

Harrod and Funck had it right . . . travel is indeed a tonic for the soul . . . and just what my soul needed !

Jack and I spent the last few days in New York City on a mini-vacation. . . and what a jam-packed few days it was !!




We stayed in Jersey City with a good friend of Jack's, and became very familiar with the PATH train and A train as a result !





Just a short walk from his apartment led us to these great views ! And the weather was PERFECT !!





We spent time on Friday with my favorite writer and maker of lentil soup, who I had just learned the night before would be in town the same time as Jack & I !!

We thoroughly explored Manhattan from Rockefeller Center to St. Patrick's Cathedral to 5th Avenue to Central Park . . . my legs haven't been that sore in years !! Such a blessing to spend time with a great friend in such a great place !


We saw one of our all-time favorite bands perform Saturday night . . . Over the Rhine !!! Amazing as always, their music is truly comfort food for the soul !






And on our way back to Jersey City that night, we took in the craziness that is Times Square . . . not exactly my favorite part of NYC, but cool to experience at night, just once !


We explored Greenwich Village before the concert on Saturday . . . it was definitely my favorite area of the trip. My head couldn't stop rotating, trying to take in the beautiful brownstone buildings and tree-lined streets, the cafes, the quirky stores and markets, and just the general vibe. When we walked through Washington Square Park, we happened to catch what must have been a festival of wiener dogs . . . owners and dogs everywhere, crowding the park . . . there was even a table selling dachshund t-shirts and bookmarks and pins !!

I guess you really do see a little bit of everything in New York City !!!

Before leaving to come home yesterday, we were able to see the Broadway play "Talk Radio", in which one of Jack's high school buddies is a cast member !! He took us backstage to see the set and all . . . very exciting ! And while we didn't meet any other cast members, we did see the stunning Stephanie March pretty up-close. A very full and wonderful trip !!

It's nice to be back to our home sweet home today. As much as I enjoy visiting big cities, I'm always happy to return to our country abode and our daily scenes (like our friend above !). . . I am definitely a country girl at heart !!

Cheepies . . . Peepies . . . !

Because we had a low-key, camera-free Easter yesterday, and because I haven't posted anything in awhile, here is my latest and greatest, my ode to peeps . . .


I tend to like mine fresh and chewy . . . and I know there are those that prefer them stale and hard as rocks. So, how do you like your peeps ???

(Jack doesn't like them at all, and can barely remember what they're called . . . hence the title !)