Thankful Thursday

Looking back over the past week, here are some things I'm Thankful for:

1. I am thankful, flattered and honored that Katrina at Wiredset, asked me to write a review of Happens Every Day. How the heck did she ever find little 'ol me, anyway? However she did it, I'm glad and it was fun to write a review of a book knowing that someone else wanted me to do it.

2. I am grateful that by some stroke of luck and special planetary alignment, I managed to have the house all to myself not just Friday, but Saturday night as well! Never in the history of my Mom-dom has THAT happened. I contemplated going to the movies, but there really wasn't anything I wanted to see. So, I watched an episode of LOST that I hadn't yet seen and I read to my little heart's content. That is how I managed to finish 3 books and get 2 reviews written this week. (Stay tuned for review #3).

3. Yesterday as I was driving home from my hair appointment (hair dye - something else to be grateful for!) - I saw my favorite view in all the world. And it only happens for a few short weeks every year. There is a gorgeous white clapboard church in my town that everyone refers to as The White Church. It sits right next to a small bridge over a narrow portion of a cove that separates my neighborhood from the rest of our town. Anyway, for about 2 weeks in May the cherry tree that sits next to the church blooms with the most gorgeous pink flowers. There is one spot on the busy road leading into to my town in which the trees open up and you can see the church across the water framed by those trees. You can only see it for a split second or two. I love that view all year round. But when the cherry tree is in bloom, it is breathtaking. And I saw it yesterday for the first time this season. I so wish I could take a picture of it but the road is very busy and there is no place to pull over in that spot. But, here is a picture of the church (taken in May with the cherry tree in bloom) from a field that borders the cove, to give you some idea. Isn't it lovely?





Nothing like a dose of Mother Nature to make you thank your lucky stars. How about you? What are you thankful for this week?

How Come No One Warns You?

No one warns you when you have children how hard it's going to be. And I don't just mean physically exhausting or financially draining or brain-frying hard - though it's all the those things as well. I'm talking about emotionally, heart-wrenchingly hard. Yesterday I had to do something that was very difficult to do as a parent and it's something I find myself having to do more and more often as my girls get deeper and deeper into their teen years. I had to let Katie, who is 16 years old, suffer the consequences of her bad decision when I could easily have rescued her. Now we're not talking about something super big and scary here. We're talking about taking the responsibility for getting yourself to school on time. Not only had she set her alarm, I had warned her 4 times to get up because it was getting late. When she finally did get up at 7:20, she was mad at me for not waking her up! She begged me to call the school and excuse her tardiness. I wouldn't do it. Before you all think I'm a major meanie, it's important to note that this is something she does fairly regularly. I thought it might be time for her to suffer the consequences. But, it was hard. Very hard! I knew she would get in trouble when she got to school. I was very upset about this the entire morning, until I read Anita's post about a teen who got herself expelled from school for drug possession. Then I had a reality check and realized this was really not such a big deal. Anita's post came at just the right time for me. I REALLY needed to read that yesterday. Funny how that worked out.

A little while later I read Alex's newest post. She talked about how as our kids grow into their teen years and become more independent, we lose them for awhile. And sometimes the child who worshipped you when they were small can no longer stand to be in the same room with you. But that as they mature they come back to you. Wow! I realized that part of why I felt so badly about the relatively minor incident with Katie was because of that very thing. Katie has always been a little prickly, but for the past couple of years she can't even be in the same room with me without rolling her eyes. When I try to talk to her, about even the simplest things, she gets testy, snappy and fresh with me. She's like this with her sister and her Dad, too. It seems as though she can't stand any of us. It is very painful when you feel as though your child hates you. Especially a child you so longed for. A child you went through hell and back to have. You hear the expression that to have a child is have a piece of your heart walking around outside your body. No one ever tells you how hard it is when that child takes your heart and stomps on it. Well, I'll tell you. It hurts! And Alex, your post couldn't have come at a better time. And I hope with all my heart that you are right. I hope that someday my precious Katie comes back to me.

Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Friday night I finished an amazing book. The Help by Kathryn Stockett is one of those books you fall in love with right away and it never disappoints. I have been hearing a lot of buzz about this book over the past couple months. I first heard about it from an online newsletter I get from the public library in my town. Then I read about it on a couple of blogs (I can't remember which ones or I would link them here. If it was your blog, I apologize for that). And then last week it was featured on The Today Show segment - Spring into a Good Book. As you can imagine, my anticipation and excitement to read this book just kept growing as I heard more and more great things about it. Sometimes when that happens I end up very disappointed (The Art of Racing in the Rain), but not this time. This book definitely lived up to its reputation. If any of you are in a book club and need a good title, I recommend The Help.

The Help, which is Kathryn Stockett's debut novel (!), takes place in the early 1960's in Mississippi. This is during the time of the Jim Crow laws regarding segregation of the races. The novel is told from the view points of three women - 2 black maids (Aibiliene and Minny) and one young, wealthy, white woman. Skeeter Phelan has just graduated from Ole Miss and much to her mother's dismay did not find a husband while a student there. She is now back living at home in Jackson, Mississippi and hoping to become a writer. Upon the advice of a New York editor, she sets out to write something that "really matters to her" and that hasn't already been written by someone else. She decides to write a collection of stories of the black maids of Jackson - in their own words. She wants to write the "true stories about maids and their experiences waiting on white families." As you can imagine the black maids are at first petrified to tell their stories to Skeeter. If they are caught, losing their jobs would be the least of their worries. Blacks are commonly beaten in Jackson for using the "white" toilet (even in error) or sitting at the wrong lunch counter. Eventually, 13 maids consent to tell Skeeter their stories for her book. These tales give the reader a personal view into the minds and lives of these maids that is heartwarming, tender and also filled with fear, humiliation and self-sacrifice. Through the telling of these stories, the reader is transported to a time before the Civil Rights Movement and is witness to the maids' and Skeeter's attempt to make a change in society - however small. The Help is a terrific book. One of the best I've read so far this year!

Book Review: Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies

One of the books featured last week on The Today Show segment Spring into a Good Book was the memoir, Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies. I will be honest and admit that this book was not one that I originally had planned on reading. It's not that I didn't think the topic was interesting. It's that in the past several years memoirs have become far too prevalent, in my opinion. When memoirs first became the genre du jour, I read a bunch of them. And mostly, I liked them. But, soon it felt as though everyone was writing their life story and frankly I started to feel a bit bored by the genre. Anyway, a week or so ago, I was contacted by Katrina, a publicist with Wiredset, who asked me to review this book. What?! Me! Really? Well, as you can imagine, I was deeply flattered and since I had Katrina's assurance that I could be honest in my review of the book, I agreed. Oh, and did I mention that Katrina has also generously offered to do a giveaway of Happens Every Day to two lucky readers of Pam's Perspective. Please see sidebar for information on how to enter the giveaway.

Happens Every Day is a quick, easy and engrossing read. I was so involved in Isabel Gillies' memoir that I finished the book in two sittings. Happens Every Day, tells the heartbreaking story of the dissolution of Isabel's marriage to her husband, Josiah. A marriage that Isabel was deeply committed to and which she had no inkling was in trouble. In fact, she thought she had a wonderful life. When her seemingly perfect marriage and life crumbles around her within the space of 4 short months, Isabel is understandably confused, angry and desperate. Who wouldn't be? But, what is so surprising about this book is that Happens Every Day never degenerates into a diatribe of vitriol and bitterness against her husband or the circumstances of their divorce. As a matter of fact, Isabel is surprisingly candid about her own shortcomings and the deep love she feels for her husband. She takes a very conversational, almost confessional tone, throughout the book. At many points in the book I felt as though I was reading an especially poignant letter or email from a friend. I felt Isabel's bewilderment, confusion and desperation to save her marriage. Isabel does an amazing job of connecting with her readers and I couldn't help but put myself in her shoes. Surprisingly, Happens Every Day is not a depressing story. Gillies has managed to write a story of love and loss, but also one of moving forward and hope for the future. As the title of the books states .... Happens Every Day.

Sentimental Sunday

Considering Katie went to her Junior Prom last Friday, it was very easy to choose this week's Sentimental Sunday photo:




Unfortunately I didn't get any great "formal" pictures of Katie in her gown, but this goofy shot of Katie (in the blue dress) and her friend Kelsey makes me smile. They look so happy! And yes, that is a giant sculpture of a celery stalk. Kelsey's mom rents a house from a sculptor and this is just one of the several interesting sculptures in her garden. Believe it or not, we chose not to take a picture of the girls with the giant baboon. LOL!

TV Quick Quips

The Tudors - It became apparent to me this week that Henry Cavill (the actor who plays Charles, Duke of Suffolk) is not just another pretty face (and gorgeous body). *ahem* He is actually a really good actor. He has done a fantastic job in the last two episodes showing his anguish at having to carry out the brutal punishments demanded by the King. Just his facial expressions alone conveyed his inner turmoil. Made me want to hold him in my arms and tell him it would be alright. But, I digress...

American Idol - Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Kara call Adam's performance "sleazy"? AND she meant it as a compliment. Hmmm... Oh and was anyone else flabbergasted when "sleazy" Adam was in the bottom two?! You've got to be kidding! That was the most drama filled moment in this (kind of bland) season.

LOST - I was happy to see LOST deal with Daniel's story this week. I've always been kind of intrigued by him and they haven't really spent too much time telling us his story. I'm a little bit confused about what will happen if he is able to undo the whole "hatch situation". What will that mean for the Oceanic survivors? What will happen to Aaron back in LA? He would never have been with Kate if there hadn't been a plane crash. Will he just disappear? Will all the dead passengers be alive and living in "the future"? This is just too much for my pea brain to handle.
Oh and did I get this right? Charles Widmore is Daniel's father? Okaaaay....

The Office - What's up with Phyllis? This is the third time (that I can remember) that she's been a b!tch to Pam. First she copied her wedding to Roy (ouch) and then after Pam began dating Jim, she made some comment about assigning sales calls fairly and not just to whomever she was sleeping with that week (double ouch). Most of the time she seems sweet and maternal, but every now and then she turns into a wicked witch. What's up with that? On a positive note, Jim looked very cute in his casual Friday v-neck sweater.

A Girl After My Own Heart

Imagine my surprise and delight when I saw this list posted on 14 year old Madeleine's bedroom door the other day:


WOW!!! I was so impressed and couldn't help but smile when I saw this. Of course, this appealed to my sense of organization. And, being a compulsive list maker myself, I could appreciate the beauty of this terrific TO DO LIST. As I walked into her room I thought to myself, " A girl after my own heart". But then I began to wonder... Have I created a monster?