booktastic

I made a mistake tonight. This is the third time that I have babysat Miss A.V.S. Each time I have babysat, I brought a book. The first time, although I brought a book, I didn’t have an opportunity to open it because she was a baby proper - I was watching her constantly. The second time I babysat her, I brought a book. It looked like I was going to get to read it after she fell asleep. However, she didn’t fall asleep - she got over-tired and I had to hold her and carry her around the house for a half an hour while she threw an over-tired tantrum.

This is the book I was going to bring tonight. I’m supposed to be reading it so that I can review it for the publisher. (Isn’t it pretty?)

However, as I was getting ready to leave and throwing things into my tote bag, I thought to myself, “Who am I kidding? I’m not going to have an opportunity to read.” So, I left the book at home.

You know where this is going, don’t you? At nine o’clock sharp, my charge fell sound asleep. Her parents don’t get home until eleven, so I’ve got two absolutely empty hours to myself. The one time I would have got a chance to read is the one time I didn’t bring a book!!!

Oh well. As you can see, it gave me a chance to catch up on my blogging. (Thank goodness Miss A.V.S.’s parents have an internet connection or I would be totally out of luck. I might have been forced to watch television - shudder). And I should have plenty of time to read this book, since the only thing I’m doing in the next few weeks is packing up boxes (my temp job ended on Thursday and now I’m moving).

But trust me not to bring a book the ONE time that I would actually have had an opportunity to read it. And, of course, the next time I babysit I suspect I will bring a book - and have no opportunity to read. Because that is how These Things Work. — Mrs. Hall

Well, I started my temp job today… in fact, I’m actually AT my temp job right now. Don’t worry, I won’t get fired for writing this: they have nothing for us to do right now, so we (I and the five other temps) were invited to “play” on the Internet.

I’m not sure how much this job is going to affect my reading/writing schedule. Obviously, I won’t have as much time for either…. However, public transit always seemed to help my reading habits, as once I get used to the route I can just bliss out with a book for the majority of the trip.

I don’t know if I’ll be doing that today. I didn’t in the morning because this is the first time I took this route and I didn’t want to miss my stop. I could potentially do it in the evening… But the last few times that I’ve tried to read on the bus (since I left my old job in September) I’ve found myself combatting motion sickness. I don’t know where that came from, as I thought I had effectively cured myself of that this past year by insessantly reading on the bus and train. It’s probably a psychological thing: I’m reasonably certain that as soon as I get used to riding the bus every day again, I’ll get over it. (I brought along The Jane Austen Book Club today just in case). 

As for writing - well, I won’t have eight hours a day to do that anymore. Now I have to fit it into my evening which is also time I have to spend cleaning, cooking, and spending quality time with Mr. Hall. So I won’t have as much opportunity to do that, which is unfortunate, but unavoidable for the next two months (i.e. until I am hired or passed-along) by this job. I’ll still do it as much as possible; probably mostly on evenings when Mr. Hall is working.

So we shall see what the next two months bring. It should be interesting - in every sense of the word. – Mrs. Hall

I should have posted earlier today… but I was plumb wore out. In apology, please accept a link to this wholly-unrelated video of The Mavericks singing “Here Comes My Baby.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsK0hz2ABbk

I believe I walked somewhere in the order of twenty blocks today in my quest to pick up a bit of hose for my husband’s Halloween costume and get a printer cartridge refilled. And for all that walking I was only half successful: I got the hose, but to my simultaneous disgust and approbation, Cartridge World is closed on Sundays! I mean, good job not profaning the Sabbath and all - but why o why must they be so good about that when I really need my printer cartridge refilled? Oh well.

I’m still reading Mistletoe Murder. It’s a bit harder to read than Christmas Cookie Murder was, and it’s bringing to light some faults I didn’t intially see in that other book - but still, I can hardly blame her for any roughness in the story or writing craftsmanship. I mean, this is her first book. I already know she gets better, so all is forgiven. (For the time being. I still have to finish the book…)

However, the majority of the evening was spent writing, which gives me a warm, satisfied feeling. I would love to show you what I just wrote - but, unfortunately, these silly publishers these days seem to consider a piece of writing that has been online as being “published” - and hence don’t want to buy it.  So, in order to increase my chances of getting this thing off the ground, I must refrain.

I’d better get back to my writing while I still have this inspired feeling. And before the milk I’m drinking puts me to sleep. — Mrs. Hall