It's Baaaaaccccck! That Would Be Winter!

I have lived here all my life and I KNOW the weather is changeable but really?  We have gone from summer to winter more times in the last six weeks than I can count.  It is just a bit hard on the old joints and the allergies as well.  So, today I am sitting here doing really almost nothing.  I am marginally cold even though I am in jeans and a long sleeved shirt and SHOES! I never wear shoes! However, the stone floors are not being nice to my plantar fasciitis so I am trotting around in my croc flats which make my right foot swell up.  Ain't being a grown up grand?

Anyway -- it hasn't been a very eventful week.  My commute to babysitting is miserable because some brilliant city planner has decided to tear up every highway in the area all at the same time.  I went a new way yesterday which wasn't good because I didn't know my way and, in the process, I almost killed a huge, HUGE, red pick up.  The truck flew out of a convenience store driveway between cars and I couldn't  see around the monster truck next to me and never saw the guy.  I didn't hit him but it really shook me up and the seat belt hurt my chest.  If I ever go that way again, I have to remember about that driveway.

On my struggle journey to get home in the afternoon, I see some really amazing drivers.  While standing in the queue to get through the major  intersection that is torn up (it takes about an hour to travel two blocks) I have seen a person drive across a median and up the wrong side of the road to get out of line.  I have seen a person make a left hand turn from the far right lane in front of two lanes of oncoming, albeit non-moving, traffic and the best of all -- a woman in front of me decided it would be a good idea to turn on her hazards, do a bit of work, phone calls and then get out, open her hood and close it immediately, open her truck and close it immediately, get in, turn off the hazards and drive off after keeping traffic stopped for almost 20 minutes.  I have always been able to honestly say that I have never, nor do I now, hate anybody or anything but I am coming close with this afternoon foray into traffic hell.

I have discovered, on my journeys, that I can no longer listen to music on the radio -- it is too distracting nor can I listen to conservative talk radio -- it is too infuriating (and I am a conservative!).  I can't sit in the car with nothing going on because that is too boring so I went to our neighborhood used book store the other night in search of an audio book to see if I could listen to that and not get distracted or angry.

I came across "Folly Beach" by Dorothea Benton Frank.

It is twelve discs.  I have started the first and have listened to two chapters.  I had never listened to an audio book before so I didn't know what to expect but it is a bit like listening to a radio program and I found it to be quite enjoyable.  I look forward to my commute next week so I can find out more of what is going on with Dorothy Heyward and Cate Cooper.

While I was at the used book store I managed to find a copy of The Bobbsey Twins at London Tower.  I used to have this book and even remember when it was purchased.  My mother was Christmas shopping at Toudouze Market and I found it and asked for it.  She said yes but that I had to wait until Christmas for it.  However, as I followed her around the huge store, I read most of it so she just gave it to me when I got home.  I am not sure what happened to that book -- I will probably find it now that I have replaced it -- but I intend to read it for the children's book challenge I have joined and only read one book for.  I am not good at challenges!

I also managed to score a very nice hard back copy of The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe.  I enjoyed a previous novel that I read of hers -- The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and hope this one is just as good.

However, right now I am reading The Cross Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini and completely enjoying it.  I am three fourths the way through it and I know I am going to hate to see it end.  I wonder if there is a challenge for reading a series?  I could probably do reasonably well with that since I am hooked on this series.

So, let's see,  that is about all that has happened this week.  The Hubs has killed the computer three times this week and can't seem to get it back into working order this time. I am protecting my little netbook from him -- he is dangerous.  I also signed up for a one week free trial of Hulu.com.  So far, it is looking good -- has a lot of stuff on it but we will see how much we watch it during our free trial.  At only $7.98 a month, though, I think it is a better deal than Netflix streaming.  Just saying.

Well, that is all my news.  Think I will get back to my book before the urge to take yet another nap gets the better of me.  I am so ready for summer!