2010: My Best Reads
These are the books that rocked me in 2010. Click any cover to read my review.
Paul’s Book Reviews
“People never explain to you exactly what they think and feel and how their thoughts and feelings work, do they? They don’t have time. Or the right words. But that’s what books do. It’s as though your daily life is a film in the cinema. It can be fun, looking at those pictures. But if […]
The News from Slackville
It’s the slack time between Christmas and New Year’s, and to all appearances, not much is going on. Jon Stewart’s on vacation, so nothing’s happening in Washington DC or the outside world. Current events are in short supply. Current events at Chez Paul? Also in short supply. We’re enjoying quiet nights at home. There’s only […]
Our Christmas Photo Album
The photos are from yesterday and today, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve we had a house full of company. We wined them and dined them, and they helped us trim the tree. Polly’s friend Claire-Marie spent the night with us and shared Christmas morning with us. I just discovered Photobucket’s slide show […]
Sinterklaas and Me: a Christmastime Update
This is Sinterklaas, the Dutch Santa. Formerly the Archbishop of Turkey, Sint Nicolaas, Sinterklaas is shown with two of his Zwarte Pieten (there are six to eight Zwarte Pieten — “Black Petes” — originally Moorish slaves, but today more gently described as servants or even companions). Sinterklaas arrives in The Netherlands each November by steamboat […]
Seasonal Madness
Every year about this time Donna goes crazy over gingerbread houses. Old school gingerbread houses — Donna makes the dough, rolls it out in sheets, cuts forms for walls, doors, window shutters, roofs, and chimneys, puts them together with frosting, then invites kids over to help decorate them. When our own daughter Polly gets involved, […]
Banned Book News Roundup
Dateline Seattle: we’re not banning books, just “suspending” them! Interesting USA Today article: it’s no longer just isolated parents working alone, now book banners and book banner wannabes are starting to organize and band together. The Smithsonian, taking its cue from Obama and the Democrats in congress, caves to threats of Republican miffitude. Even writing […]
Breezy Update (with Chunks)
Two days under the weather. Diarrhea, vomiting . . . yuck, who wants to hear about that? TMI! TMI! I only mention it because I’m so damn happy it’s over. At last, I can get back to stressing over more important things than the distance to the nearest bathroom. Things like Christmas. I sent out […]