Two latest books I've read

I had time on my lunches to read. I have read two books lately.
1."Ella Minnow Pea" which was very good. I loved the concept.
The note from the publisher is this (from barnesandnoble.com):

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ella Minnow Pea is an epistolary novel set in the fictional island
of Nollop situated off the coast of South Carolina and home to the
inventor the pangram The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The
Lazy Dog. Now deceased, the islanders have erected a monument
to honor their hero, but one day a tile with the letter "z" falls
from the statue. The leaders interpret the falling tile as a message
from beyond the grave and the letter is banned from use. On an
island where the residents pride themselves on their love of
language, this is seen as a tragedy. They are still reeling from
the shock, when another tile falls and then another....
Mark Dunn takes us on a journey against time through the eyes
of Ella Minnow Pea and her family as they race to find another
phrase containing all the letters of the alphabet to save them
from being unable to communicate. Eventually, the only letters
remaining are LMNOP, when Ella finally discovers the phrase
that will save their language.

2.I also read "Love, Rosie", which was previously published as
"Rosie Dunne". It was a nice book, but not my favorite. I liked
the concept of this, too. (barnesandnoble.com, again):

FROM THE PUBLISHER Sometimes you have to look at life in a whole new way . . . From the bestselling author of PS, I Love You comes a delightfully enchanting novel about what happens when two people who are meant to be together just can't seem to get it right. Rosie and Alex are destined for one another, and everyone seems to know it but them. Best friends since childhood, their relationship gets closer by the day, until Alex gets the news that his family is leaving Dublin and moving to Boston. At 17, Rosie and Alex have just started to see each other in a more romantic light. Devastated, the two make plans for Rosie to apply to colleges in the U.S. She gets into Boston University, Alex gets into Harvard, and everything is falling into place, when on the eve of her departure, Rosie gets news that will change their lives forever: She's pregnant by a boy she'd gone out with while on the rebound from Alex. Her dreams for college, Alex, and a glamorous career dashed, Rosie stays in Dublin to become a single mother, while Alex pursues a medical career and a new love in Boston. But destiny is a funny thing, and in this novel, structured as a series of clever e-mails, letters, notes, and a trail of missed opportunities, Alex and Rosie find out that fate isn't done with them yet.

Both were fast reads. Both were written in the forms of letters
back and forth from the characters.
Oddly enough, the character in one
has the last name of Dunn and author's name of the other is Dunn...

Rain Rain Go Away

Well, it's been raining for the last week, and chilly! I was all ready for warmth and working in my garden. Then the rains began and the temp dropped.
I haven't subbed since Friday, which has been nice. I had time to get a haircut, get groceries, catch up on laundry, prepare for our Bible Study, and tidy up around here. I feel like the things at home get dropped when I work outside the home. The girls keep me busy, as does volunteering in their school, but teaching takes up more time. I have subbed for the last sixteen school days. It has been fun, but I needed a couple days to catch up around here! :)
The girls only have about fifteen days of school left in the year. So, time has flown by again this year. We have soccer tournaments for our oldest daughter on Saturday and then soccer is over until next fall! Some weeknights will be free! :) I saw this article on bhg.com (better homes and gardens magazine online) about happy families and it was interesting, so I educate here: :)
I have only run a few times per week, so that hasn't improved, but hopefully it will. A marathon is a big goal. Hopefully I will someday be in shape again!!
I have now become like the people I know from high school who blog...too long in between updates! And not enough time to type up an update when I do sit down here...
One thing I do enjoy and that makes more time is organizing around here... I saw this site and thought it was good, too.
http://www.organize-everything.com/

Substitute

I have been working like crazy these last few weeks. I have been a kindergarten sub, a fourth grade sub and a music teacher (the teacher is on bedrest through the rest of the year, but they have to find a long term sub with a music degree and mine is only in elementary ed.) I have subbed at least three days in the last three weeks.

I have also been to bad weather soccer games, piano lessons, tumbling, school functions, and a Women of Faith Conference since I wrote last. It is always so uplifting and I appreciate going. Their theme this year is Contagious Joy-what a thing to share with others!

I can't believe the end of the schoolyear is so fast approaching. I'm not ready for my oldest to go off to middle school! With all my subbing, my volunteering in their classes and school library has dwindled to almost nothing! I feel bad about this. I have thoroughly enjoyed subbing and being around the kids, though.

I have been squeezing in some exercise, though. My birthday has passed since I wrote last and my husband and I got new bikes so the four of us can ride as a family, which we have done about five times since getting the bikes. I also have picked up running again. It stinks that I'm so winded, when last year I ran a marathon and didn't have to slow to a walk until mile 23. I took too much time off and now I feel so out of shape.

Well, to inform as my hubby thinks all blogs should do ;) here is some information on women runners and heart disease. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-78-185-0-7552,00.html
With my family history, I could be at a higher risk for heart disease, so I need to exercise!! We've been trying
to eat more organicly, and healthily, with less meat, more veggies.

That's all for today, just thought I'd better update! Hope you are well, reader.

Weeks

Well, it's been a bit, again, since I've written. I have become the blogger that never writes. Or updates every few weeks, not days...

I wrote that I've been substitute teaching. The last three weeks I've done at least four of five days. I have ranged from the littlest kindergarteners to the fifth graders who are taller than I am. For those readers who know me, you know they don't have to be super tall to do so. :) I did not sub at all last week, which turned out to be good... read on.

I had a mole removed some time ago, December I think. It was a minor thing; no stitches or anything. Well, the biopsy came back that it was pre-pre cancerous. If the remaining cells, left from the previous surgery, are not removed, twenty percent of people have them turn cancerous. So, I went Tuesday to have these cells removed. It was supposed to be no big deal, twenty minutes and a couple stitches and I'm out...well, what it "supposed to happen" and "what actually happens" are two different things. If you put your finger on your temple, the mole was a bit above that. They give me four or five local anesthesia shots and they begin. They get partway through and realize the skin they were going to tug the incision closed with is too close to my eyebrow. It would've given me a minifacelift, so to speak, and leave the side of my eyebrow closest to the hair sticking up and looking distorted. So, they work a bit more, and tug from the other side. This leaves skin lacking hair in the hairline...requiring a mini hair transplant... Well, after an hour the surgery was complete. A 1/4 inch mole turned into a 4 inch by 2 inch incision and 9 outer stitches, I'm not sure how many internal ones. What a crazy thing. And now I must return to the dermatologist to have the stitches removed next week, and then every 6 months after that, as my risk has improved. So, no more gardener's tan, or runner's tan...here come the spf 50+ and hats.

I have moved into a "jounalling" vein, instead of the informative vein that I had adopted as of late, so here is some information on skin cancer... I got this info from http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/index.php

Here are tips on preventing skin cancer...
Sun Safety
Protect Yourself and Your Family All Year Round

1. Seek the shade, especially during the sun's peak hours (10:00am-4:00pm)
2. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
3. Cover up with clothing, especially a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
4. Avoid tanning parlors and artificial tanning devices.
5. Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements.
6. Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens can be used on babies over the age of six months.
7. Teach children good sun-protective practices.
8. Examine your skin from head to toe once every month.
9. Have a professional examination annually.
10. Avoid tanning and especially -- do not burn! One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma.

Do You Know�?

• Year-round sun protection is important
• The sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can penetrate many types of clothes?
• It can also go through automobile and residential windows?
• It can damage your eyes, contributing to cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid cancers?
• When you're on snow or ice, your face and eyes are at almost twice the risk of UV damage because of reflected glare?

Recently, to combat these hidden dangers, The Skin Cancer Foundation expanded its Seal of Recommendation program. For more than two decades, the Foundation has granted the Seal to products containing SPF 15+ sunscreen that meet the highest standards for safety and effectiveness. Now, in recognition of the need for extra forms of sun protection, several other types of products have been awarded the Seal as well, including . . .

• a UV- protective automobile window film
• a UV-protective residential window film
• a UV-blocking face mask
• a laundry product that can be added to detergent to increase UV protection in clothing
• sunglasses that protect against UV and high-energy visible light

More than 200 products in the United States and some 20 abroad currently have qualified for the Seal. For a list of these products, call 1-800-SKIN-490, or send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

The Skin Cancer Foundation
245 Fifth Avenue
Suite 1403
New York, NY 10016

Weimaraners

Well, it's been ages since I wrote last. I have been to busy to "inform" anyone. :) I substitute taught 5 1/2 of the last 6 days, compounded with the girls' activities, my church circle's annual "all daughter dinner" and a quick visit back home. We went up to visit the family and take food to my parents.
Today we went on a family walk. It was beautifully sunny, however a bit on the frigid side. The dogs were so excited when we got the leash out; they love walks! I have inherited my second dog as my sis in law could nolonger keep him. He's a beagle. Barks a lot, but loves to snuggle, and he's small. His name is Percy and we've had him since December.
My dog that I've had since June 2000, is Merlin. He's an 80 pound weimaraner. He's a "mama's dog". Some mornings he won't even get out of his bed when my husband comes down for work, he bolts up when he hears me get out of bed. Here you will see a photo of a weim.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/weimaraner/index.cfm
Weims are high energy. Merlin just slowed down from "puppy behavior" in the last year or so. And he was born April of 2000. He's a bundle of strength and pep, but he is great with my daughters. He is very protective of us girls and does not like salesmen who appear at my door. :)
He is very gentle with my children and learned commands wonderfully, however, his first year with us was a challenge. Neither my husband nor I had ever really had indoor dogs, so this dominant guy was an adventure, but we stuck it out and he is a wonderful dog. He loves to run with me and play with the girls, to be touching me all the time that I'm home-he has not liked that I've been gone all day subbing!
Here is a weim club of America website for further info,
http://www.weimclubamerica.org/
although some of these characteristics do not fit my boy at all. :) He's a spoiled guy, that's for sure, but extremely smart and loves his family. That's all I have time for, for now.
Hoepfully I'll get time to write more soon!