Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

Last night I had another great summer dinner (the menu similar to the best summer dinner #1), something I looked forward to all afternoon while I was working at the library. In what seemed like no time Jay was firing up the grill; I was snipping Swiss rainbow chard and picking tomatoes; RugbyGirl was stopping by to drop off beer; Sierra was pouring drinks as I chopped chard, onions and garlic; TSO and Brett were arriving. It's these simplest of simple moments that I cling to; pray that these are the moments I remember years from now; hope that when most things fade, I will have these nights. I want to remember how we didn't even notice the warmth from the stove-top as I par-cooked the potatoes --theses summer nights are getting cooler; remember the feather-like weight of the chard in my hand, how the stems fought against my old, dull knives; remember the smell of the grill, the sound of the cicadas; remember that familiar feeling of being comfortable with the people you are...

As you can imagine we get a lot of people at the library looking for the perfect books for their summer vacations]. This summer I've been reading a strange brew of books; from Edith Wharton, to a sprinkling of scattered (WHOREY!) chapters by Chelsea Handler, to an interesting smattering of books on topics from homesteading to farming to gardening to food. Here's some of the books which I've read:   The Age of Innocence , Edith Wharton A look into the upper class of (Gilded Age) New York; the rules that governed those who strove to be a part of that class. One man's struggle to be a part of this class while hating the rules he must live by, which govern who he can love. LOVED the story, but not until the very end. House of Mirth , Edith Wharton Following Lily Bart through her falls from grace and the social ladder. Another one of Wharton's keen observations about upper class (Gilded Age) New York. Good book, not my favorite. Twain's Feast: searching fo...