reading

I'm reading two books for the first time right now, for my seventh and eighth grade English classes, and enjoying them thoroughly. They're classics, but in case you never read them either, add them to your summer reading list. Around the World in Eighty Days is a blast. I can't believe I've never read Verne before. The characters are funny, and the plot suspenseful. (O-kay, I read the last few chapters [which is NOT a typical habit] so I'd know what to expect and could properly steer class discussion while we're reading it...but it's still been exciting seeing how it all pans out.)

If you don't know, Phileas Fogg is an methodical, home-loving Englishman from 1872 who takes on a home-loving butler Passepartout, only to tell him he's just taken a bet that he can get around the world in eighty days. The world having just been made that much smaller by the steamboat and train, he sets out to prove this to his whist-playing friends of his Club. So you follow him as he goes -primarily by boat and train- eastward around the world, being chased by a detective, and thoroughly convinced he'll have no trouble winning his two-thousand-pound bet.

It'll be a great cap-off-the-year read with the seventh graders who've been studying geography all year, to plot his journey round the earth.

The Bronze Bow is one of those books I recall my mother telling me several times to read, but I wasn't drawn in by the cover or time period, and I guess a bit stubborn on taking reading suggestions (which I realize is stupid, but I was 13). I've not gotten very far yet, but it's quite engaging.

The setting is Judea during the time of the Romans. The main character Daniel is a zealot, who's living in exile from his home town, hoping he's part of a growing army to throw off the Romans. He knows Simon the Zealot who begins to follow Jesus and tries to show Daniel Him.

We're starting our unit on the Romans in eighth grade next week...

I'm pedalling back and forth between them - getting sucked into one, and then realizing I need to keep up with my English class in the other. So far I've gotten Phileas Fogg into India, but it's really time to turn back to Daniel in Capernaum.

our wedding, part 3: getting ready before the ceremony

February 28th

Kailin did makeup for Courtney and me.

My sisters getting ready

My lovely gown, made by Jana

Explaining to Courtney how the corset laced up

Admiring the beautiful beadwork on the neckline

our wedding, part 2: rehearsal

Friday evening, February 27
Wilmot Baptist Church

Riley, Garrett and Courtney in the doorwary

Practicing the processional -
Ruth and JT, our ringbearer
Annica, our flowergirl
Courtney, my bridesmaid
and me and my daddy

The best part about the rehearsal was the reunion with the friends from Atlanta, who had all arrived in time to meet us at the church!

We had dinner at the lodge, and then a sweet time of sharing followed by a slideshow of us put together by Craig.

our wedding, part 1: days before

On Thursday, February 26 we visited the Bluewater Farm where our rehearsal dinner and reception would be. Courtney and I went down to the nearby town for my haircut, and then we drove down to visit the lodge. Garrett and Craig met up with us, and Craig took some photos of us.

Thursday night we celebrated Courtney's birthday, and had a fun dinner at the Park*r's, my family having just driven up from NJ. (I wish I had photos.) Carol arrived late from the airport that night, and on Friday morning she, Garrett and I drove down for breakfast to where the rest of the fam stayed.

(he's kinda goofy...)

We spent Friday afternoon decorating the lodge with twinkle lights.

Earlier that week back in NJ, Garrett crawled into the Target-bag that wrapped our new Kitchen Aide. It strickingly reminded me of another picture I had of myself; shocked at how suited we were for each other, I had to photograph the moment.
Mine is from several years ago, on Euclid Avenue: I bought a new sleeping bag...

Our apartment

It's been a lazy Saturday afternoon. It's sunny, and the warm spring air is coming in our windows. We're resting here at home, after a full, fun week of traveling and sightseeing with Courtney. Now she's almost home, and we've tidied up the place, and I've taken some pictures to show you what it's like.

Our windows face the park to the west of us, and the afternoon sun is starting to creep in.

Here's the full view of our living room/dining room, standing in the doorway to our kitchen.

This is the other side of the living room, with the doorway into our bedroom.

Our clothes are drying in the bedroom window.

From our bedroom into the kitchen. The door leads out of our apartment. The bathroom and water closet are on the right side of that wall.