About now I am having a romping good time at Husband's annual family reunion. Every year, his aunts, uncle, mom, sibs and cousins (and all their spouses and kids) get together at someplace Michigan-y, lake-y, hotel pool-y for socializing (read 'beer and euchre'). This weekend is the weekend. However, thanks to the magic that is Typepad, I can postdate a few entries (just like my bills!) and not have to worry about typing coherently after much of the aforesaid beer and euchre. If I thought my beer-soaked post would come out like Danny's, I'd give it a try. More likely it would look like this: Hiiiiyyy! I'm hving a godd tiiiiiiiimmmmeee. RRRRRRRRRR UUUUUUUUUU? oewnm beer, p,erease!!! So, no.
When the fam goes on vacation, I wash, dry, fold, and pack clothes for four people, prep car snacks, make sure there is gas in the car, talk to the neighbor about fetching papers and mail, feed the fish, pack toiletries, grab the beach stuff and set the schedule. Husband packs CDs for the car. And DVDs for the hotel. And possibly a DVD player, or even a TV if he feels the hotel TV will be inadequate (I wish I was kidding). This separation of preparations is oddly akin to when we have a party at our place, but that's another post.
Anyway, Husband's preparations put me in mind of the old 'desert island' scenario wherein one selects what one cannot live without should one be stranded on aforementioned island. To keep you kids busy while I am poolside, I will post my desert island picks this weekend, books on Friday, CDs on Saturday, and movies on Sunday. Feel free to add yours to the comments, or on your own blog, just let me know so I can visit! And criticize! I'm gonna do fives, with explanations, but feel free to format yours how you want 'em.
Middle-Aged-Woman's Five Books I'd Want With Me on a Desert Island
- Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Yeah, I know it's three volumes. It's my list. Bite me. Since I first read this story about thirty years ago, I have re-read, re-cried, re-cheered, and re-escaped at least twenty-five times. The movie almost does it justice. Favorite Character: Aragorn. Who wouldn't love an 80-year-old-guy who looks 40?
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Yes, it's hard to pick just one of these. I have loved them all. Previously my favorite was Prisoner of Azkaban for Harry's at-long-last meeting with a family member he could love. Half Blood Prince finally had the long-awaited father/son, mentor/student relationship between Harry and Dumbledore. Plus, I cried like a baby at the end.
3. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
I don't think there ever has been, or ever will be, two characters as wholly realized as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call. There must be five copies of this book here, because Husband and I keep wearing them out. If you haven't seen Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones as this pair, you should. Now.
4. The Stand by Stephen King
Have read and enjoyed many Stephen King stories, and so far, only Duma Key comes close to this one in terms of characters who come alive for me. Also, being a psychopathic loner, I kind of like the idea of having the country to myself and a few hundred friends. Although now that I think about it, this kind of explains DadGoneMad's recent Vegas experience.
5. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
What the hell is this one doing on the list? 95% of my book collection falls either under fiction or humor. The other 5% is by awesome people I hear on NPR: Sarah Vowell, David Sedaris, Noah Adams, Teri Gross and the like. Sarah Vowell is my hero. In her own words, "(W)hile I gave up God a long time ago, I never shook the habit of wanting to believe in something bigger and better than myself.So I replaced my creed of everlasting life with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This book is the tale she weaves about dragging various friends and relatives around the country (she doesn't drive) to visit the relics of assassinated presidents. Who knew it could be such a good time?
Ready? Make your list now, and come back tomorrow for Part Deux: The Music.
