Nancy Drew, Revisited

written by Katrina on March 9, 2010 · 11 comments

and filed under Books/Reading

I have to admit, I didn’t do a whole lot of reading in the Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge during the past month. But I did take some time to re-visit one of my dear childhood friends: Nancy Drew.

I headed to the basement, to the row of yellow-spined Nancy Drew mysteries collected during my childhood, and pulled out book #1: The Secret of the Old Clock.

Memories

It’s been many years — like, more than 20 years — since I pulled out a Nancy Drew mystery. But the first thing that struck me was the memories. The endpapers of these books are so familiar to me, probably because I spent a good portion of many summer days studying them, memorizing them. My editions (copyright 1959 but most likely printed in the 60s) dedicate the end-papers to black and white sketched vignettes representing the early books in the series.

I know without having to look which one represents The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Book 4, one of my favorites), and most of the others stir something in my mind as well, bringing back vague memories of scenes, conflicts, and clues from the books that were once my regular companions.

And right there, inside the front cover, is proof positive that this copy of The Secret of the Old Clock has been mine for a long, long time.

As you can see, good handwriting has never been one of my strengths. But clearly, this book was important enough to me to track down a sticker and use it to label this Nancy Drew mystery as mine.

“Luck was with me this time.”

As I read through The Secret of the Old Clock, I couldn’t help but smile. The approach to plotting a mystery novel — yes, even a children’s mystery book — has certainly changed.

These days, authors insert more confusion, more roadblocks, more red herrings to stump their detectives. As for Nancy Drew…well, every chapter had her easily finding another clue and she quickly connected the dots to solve the mystery. Even her attempt to go for a walk to forget about the puzzle for a while resulted in her overhearing an important conversation.

And when she conveniently found the keys to a van under the floor mat where she “thought” some people “might” put their keys, she admitted, “Luck was with me this time.” Oh, Nancy — I’d say luck was with you throughout the book!

Nancy, herself

Reading this first book of the series reminded me that I loved Nancy Drew. More than that, I wanted to be Nancy Drew. And it’s not hard to see why. Nancy is spunky, determined, smart, tough…and she saves the day. Ten-year-old me aspired to be just such a girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip down memory lane to re-visit a childhood “friend,” and I look forward to reading several more Nancy Drew mysteries in the coming months.

Be sure to visit 5 Minutes for Books to see what others have been reading in the Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge this month.

{ 11 comments }

Meet Ed. And Dave. And Dave. And…

written by Katrina on March 8, 2010 · 9 comments

and filed under Family

I sighed. I was going to have to crawl under L.’s bed.

Though L. is 3.5, I still use a “baby” monitor in his room. Between the white noise machine (yes, I’m a believer in white noise machines), closed doors, and the distance between our bedrooms, I can’t hear a thing from L.’s room at night. And I have him convinced that he is not allowed to wander the house after bedtime, under any circumstances.

So if he is sick, or falls out of bed, or has to use the bathroom, he’ll just sit in his room and call me. Repeatedly. Until I come. Or until he feels completely abandoned and breaks out in tears. Thus: the continued need for a monitor.

And on this particular night, it appeared that the monitor had mysteriously been turned off at some point during the day, causing the receivers to let out an annoying BEEP-BEEP-BEEP as they expressed their confusion over not finding a signal.

Which meant that I’d have to crawl under L.’s bed (where I had mistakenly thought the monitor would be safe from little fingers) to turn it back on.

As I slowly and clumsily extricated myself from the cramped quarters of Under L.’s Bed, I found him watching me with curiosity.

“What are you doing, Mommy?”

“I’m turning your monitor back on. It seems that somebody crawled under there and turned it off earlier today.”

“Hmm,” he said. “Well, I didn’t do it.”

“Oh no? Then who did?”

“Um…Ed. Ed did it.”

And so it begins.

A few weeks ago, L. summoned me to his room and announced, “Mom — meet Ed the Pillow!”

Yes, he had named his pillow Ed.

Aw, I thought. How cute. His first imaginary friend. And it’s a pillow.

But apparently, one imaginary friend was not nearly enough. Ed the Pillow was just the beginning.

Since that time, I’ve been introduced to Ed (who is no longer a pillow), Dave & Dave, Timdy (my favorite name that L. came up with), Tall Guy, Millie, Girly, and a handful of other friends who seem to come and go. Let me tell you, it’s hard to keep track of all the new additions to our family.

Especially when I can’t see them.

Which isn’t to say they’re not around much.

Oh, no. They are around all. the. time.

I’ve had to prepare lunch for Dave (fortunately, L. accepted a bowl full of “invisible fruit” as a suitable meal for Dave). I’m repeatedly asked to say “Hi” to Timdy or Tall Guy when they — unbeknownst to me — enter the room. Ed rides in the back seat of our car. Girly is a good artist.

And now, clearly, Ed is getting into mischief by turning off the monitor when I’m not looking. Or maybe when I am looking — who knows? I can’t see him anyway.

L. comes by his hoard of imaginary friends quite honestly. I remember having a slew of “friends” when I was about four — friends that no one else could see, but whom I knew well. The names have faded (I vaguely remember there was a Lucy), but I remember talking to them — quietly of course — after I was tucked in bed for the night.

Experts assure us that the presence of imaginary friends is not cause for alarm. Often, it’s simply a sign of creativity. And imaginary friends can sometimes help kids better process the in’s and out’s of everyday life.

So I suppose I don’t mind if Ed and Dave and Dave and Tall Guy and Timdy and all the others hang around for a while.

As long as I don’t have to cook them too many meals.

And as long as Ed keeps his promise to me that he won’t turn off the monitor any more.

{ 9 comments }

Spring Reading Thing 2010: Posting Guidelines

written by Katrina on March 7, 2010 · 6 comments

and filed under Spring Reading Thing 2010

Do you plan to join Spring Reading Thing 2010? I hope so! Though I haven’t finalized anything, I have started thinking about my list and which books I’d like to tackle this spring. Don’t forget — it starts March 20th! In the meantime, here are a few posting guidelines/rules. I’m not too picky, but there are a few things I need you to do.

1. Write your post before you sign up on the linky list that goes live on March 20th. I know that it can be tempting to try to get your name near the top of a reading challenge participant list, but please, please have your post written and published on your blog before you add your name to the Mr. Linky  list.  If I click on your name/link and do not see your post and reading list, or if it takes me to a post that says, “I’m going to join the Spring Reading Thing, but I don’t have my list yet. But I’ll do it soon.” or something like that… I’m sorry, but I will have to delete your entry from the list. Not because I’m mean, but because it’s simply not fair to the other participants who have already prepared their lists and blog posts. Of course, once you have your post/list up, you are more than welcome to come back and submit your name again.

2. Use a permalink when you sign up. In other words, use the linky list to link directly to your Spring Reading Thing post, not just the main address (front page) of your blog. When you see the linky list here on March 20th, you’ll see a space to enter your URL. In that space, you’ll need to put a “permalink” to your Spring Reading Thing post.

For example, instead of something like:

http://myniftyblog.blogspot.com

You’d want something like this:

http://myniftyblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-reading-thing.html

I completely made those addresses up, but you get the idea. Blogging Basics 101 has an article on how to find the “permalink” to a particular post HERE.

Once again, your link will be deleted if it does not go to a specific post (the one with your reading list). And again, I’m not being picky about this to be mean, but rather as a courtesy to all involved. People will be checking out everyone’s lists throughout the spring challenge, and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to find your list. That means submitting a link to your specific post, rather than a general link to your blog.

If you have tried and tried, and read the post at Blogging Basics 101, and are still having trouble figuring out your permalink, please feel free to contact me (just click the “contact me” tab in my navigation menu above). I would be glad to help you and to get you signed up on the linky list with the correct link. Depending on the volume of email, it might take me a little while to get back to you, but I definitely will. I want you to be part of the Spring Reading Thing!

3. Keep your post family-friendly. I realize that, with potentially hundreds of challenge participants, the Spring Reading Thing is going to represent readers of various reading interests. However, I do request that you keep your “official” Spring Reading Thing post (the one you add to the linky list) family-friendly and “clean.” In other words, please make sure that any book titles or book covers you include (or that are prominent on the blog page that includes your post) would be safe for little eyes to see. I’ve had kids participate in my reading challenges in the past, and I just want to make sure the links presented on the official Spring Reading Thing list are safe for them. Links to posts with explicit titles or covers may be deleted. Please feel free to check with me ahead of time if you’re not sure about a particular situation.

4. Get ready to read! Personally, I plan to abandon all housework, bill-paying, and errand-running during the spring season, so I can focus exclusively on reading. Okay, maybe I won’t go that far, but I do hope to rearrange my schedule a bit to fit in some more reading. I also plan to visit lots of Spring Reading Thing participants, to find out what they’ll be reading this spring and to share our mutual love of books and reading. I encourage you to visit other participants as well. It’s fun to be in the challenge; but it’s even more fun to enjoy the challenge with others.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A few other things:

My plan right now is to put up the official Spring Reading Thing 2010 launch post at 9:00 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, March 20th. If, for any reason, that time will change, I’ll let you know.

Watch for a post next week detailing the giveaways and prizes that will be offered during Spring Reading Thing 2010.

Now…get back to working on your reading list!

{ 6 comments }

Spring Reading Thing 2010 Button

written by Katrina on March 2, 2010 · 14 comments

and filed under Spring Reading Thing 2010

Okay, not too bad. I’m only a day late in getting this button to you. Feel free to use the code below to put the Spring Reading Thing 2010 button on your sidebar or in a blog post. Spread the word!

Spring Reading Thing 2010

<center><a href="http://callapidderdays.com/2010/03/coming-soon-spring-reading-thing-2010.html"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/callapidderdays/SRT10_sm.jpg"></a></center>

{ 14 comments }

Coming Soon: Spring Reading Thing 2010

written by Katrina on March 1, 2010 · 23 comments

and filed under Spring Reading Thing 2010

If you happened to glance at the calendar today, you may have realized that the first two months of 2010 are already gone! Which means that we are now in March.

Which means that spring will be here in about three weeks. I cannot tell you how ready I am for spring. I’m ready for sunshine, and warmth, and green grass, and no snow. And I’m also ready to incorporate a little structure in my reading. So I’m happy to announce that along with getting ready for the season of spring, it’s also time to get ready for the Spring Reading Thing 2010, here at Callapidder Days! Hooray!

Many of you know what my reading challenges are all about, and I’m so thankful for all of you faithful readers who come back twice a year to join in. But for those of you who are new to my challenges, let me give you the basics.

Essentially, Spring Reading Thing 2010 is a fun, low-pressure reading challenge open to anyone and everyone. It will take place March 20th-June 20th (which is, not-so-coincidentally, the spring of 2010).

To participate, here’s what you need to do:

  • Create a list of some books you’d like to read or finish this spring.
  • Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). This is completely optional.
  • Write a blog post including the list of books you want to read and any additional goals you’ve set, and get ready to post it on your blog on March 20th.
  • Visit my blog on March 20th to sign up. I’ll have a Mr. Linky set up that morning, so you can submit a link to your personal Spring Reading Thing post, and it will be added to the master list.
  • Read! Work on your goals throughout Spring 2010.
  • Report your results. Write another blog post in June to let everyone know how you did.
  • Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your spring reading.

A brief Q & A

Q. What is the point of this whole thing?

A. I started these twice-yearly challenges because I thought it would be fun to share my love of reading with other bloggers and to push myself to read some books I might not otherwise read, or to finish some books I had started and then abandoned & stashed under my bed. I thought there were probably others out there who would appreciate the accountability and encouragement that a challenge can provide. And along the way, I discovered there were lots of people who — whether they needed the extra push or not — loved to share what they planned or hoped to read during the upcoming months.

So that’s the point: sharing some reading goals with all the other participants and doing it in a way that works for you. If you want to push yourself, go for it! Or if you just want to share what you’re hoping to get around to reading before winter, that works too. The most important thing is to read this fall, to enjoy it, and to share that enjoyment with others.

Q. What if I don’t have much time to read and I only set a goal to read 2 books? Is that lame?

A. No, it’s not lame! Whether your list includes two books or thirty-two books doesn’t matter to me. Make the challenge work for you. Be reasonable. Maybe try to stretch yourself a little. But don’t stress about it. This is supposed to be fun.

Q. What if I get half-way through the challenge, realize it’s not working for me, and I want to change my list/goals? Does that mean I lose?

A. No! I don’t mind one bit if you change your list part-way through the challenge. The point of my challenges is to provide a fun and easy way for you to set some goals, work toward them, and enjoy reading. If your original list isn’t working for you, you’re likely to be miserable, which would completely defeat the point. Rework your list/goals and keep on reading.

Q. Do I have to review the books I read? I stink at writing reviews.

A. Absolutely not. Writing reviews of the books you read is entirely optional. To be honest, I usually don’t write reviews of the books I read during these challenges.

Remember: Katrina’s reading challenges are low-to-no-pressure.

Q. What should I write in my post that has my list and goals? Is there any special format?

A. Nope. As long as you include your goal-list of books, it’s entirely up to you. You might want to check out last year’s challenge page and visit some participants to see how they did it, if you’re not sure where to start.

Q. Do you have a graphic we can put in our sidebars?

A. Um…not yet. But I’m working on one and plan to get it up and available to you very soon.

Q. Where can we get more information?

A. Well, you already have just about all the information you need. Check back here next week, though — I’ll have a few posting guidelines up, just a few to-do’s that I ask you to abide by if you decide to be part of Spring Reading Thing 2010. And feel free to leave a comment here if you have a specific question I haven’t yet addressed.

:::::::::::::::

Okay, that’s enough babbling by me. It’s time for you to start making your list. Go peruse your bookshelves, visit the library, check behind your nightstand for lost or abandoned books, and decide what you’d like to read this spring. See you soon!

{ 23 comments }

Dear blog…

written by Katrina on February 27, 2010 · 15 comments

and filed under Etc.

Dear blog,

Hi.

Remember me? Katrina? The one who’s supposed to visit you every now and then, write some stuff, keep you updated?

Yeah, it’s me.

You probably think I’ve abandoned you.

I haven’t, really. At least, not on purpose. I’ve just been…I don’t know, distracted, I guess.

Distracted by never-ending snow that has landed me in a mid-winter funk, longing to hop in the car and drive south until I find sunshine, warmth, and yards where you can actually see the grass.

Distracted by being sick and having sick kids…the usual runaround in our house for this time of year.

Distracted by household stuff — I painted the hallway, I got a sewing machine, and I learned to sew (yes — I actually picked a new activity and worked on it!).

Distracted by a weekend trip.

Distracted by a couple good books that sucked me in and one book that completely irritated me.

Distracted by the local weather-people, who tell me nearly every day that we’ll be getting another 1-3 inches, or 2-4 inches or 4-8 inches. Oh wait, I mentioned the snow already. Sorry about that.

What’s that you say? You think I should have blogged about all those things as I did them? Yeah, you’re probably right. I don’t have a very good reason for why I didn’t, except for that first thing I mentioned — the mid-winter funk caused by day after day after day after day of more snow and more clouds and more gray skies. You see, I was half-afraid that any and every blog post I attempted would turn into some kind of whine-fest, and who wants to read that?

So instead, I just kept my distance for a while, kept my funk to myself.

Why am I back, you ask? Well, I missed you. There are some stories I want to tell, some experiences I want to share…

Oh, and the Spring Reading Thing is coming. You don’t think I forgot about that, did you? Of course I didn’t. I plan to post more details about it next week, and if I get my act together, I’ll even have a button ready for people to put on their blogs.

So, my dear blog, don’t count on daily posts from me or anything crazy like that. But rest assured that I didn’t forget about you and I plan to visit you more often. I’ll even try not to complain about winter. At least, not too much…

Your friend,
Katrina

{ 15 comments }

Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge Update

02.09.2010 Books/Reading

Last month, I mentioned that I was participating in the Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge, hosted by 5 Minutes For Books — spending some time between January and June of this year reading classic mystery books for kids.
During the past month, I focused on some Encyclopedia Brown books. I didn’t have a particular plan of attack; I just [...]

11 comments Read the full post →

A little hibernation is the plan for today

02.06.2010 Home stuff

It started snowing yesterday around noon. Nothing too heavy, but it was coming down.
By 3:30, the roads were covered and the plows weren’t quite keeping up with it.
Around 6:30 last night, someone in our neighborhood abandoned their car at the bottom of the hill. Heavy wet snow covering the roads left things slick and not [...]

18 comments Read the full post →

Of chocolate and Cheerios

02.02.2010 Home stuff

So…did you know that these existed?

I didn’t. Until a recent trip to the grocery store, that is.
As I walked down the cereal aisle, this brown box practically jumped out at me, set off in stark contrast to the standard yellow Cheerios boxes.
Let me tell you something about my childhood: My favorite cereal of all time [...]

23 comments Read the full post →

The Week In Words - February 1

02.01.2010 Week In Words

Another Monday, another chance to play along with Melissa’s The Week In Words carnival. To participate, just share quotes from anything you read this past week. Visit Breath of Life to check out other participants or to submit your own link.
This week, I started to read Thin Places, the spiritual memoir of an author I [...]

13 comments Read the full post →

← Previous Entries