I have returned from my sojourn with the parents and sister and a goodly portion of the rest of the family. It was lovely seeing everyone. My mom hosted a party so I got to chat with everyone including my 11 year-old bookworm cousin who had his nose in his book whenever he could. His younger brother obligingly gave me a lesson in all the things his Nintendo DS2 could do after I made the mistake of calling it a Gameboy. He was very forgiving even when I told him that I used to play Mario on a huge video game machine in an arcade. Towards the end of the evening he even gave me one of his duplicate squishies, these soft little rubber toys small enough to fit over a pencil eraser that are apparently all the rage. I took it to work with me today and now I have a blue octopus squishy sitting on top of the computer monitor to keep me company and remind me of my little cousin whose mother I used to babysit.
My family also found my “accent” quite amusing and decided that I sounded just like they do in the movie Fargo. Now I know people who do sound like this:
but I am not among them. I suppose to the uninitiated ear, everyone from Minnesota sounds like that with no degree of difference. I am just grateful they didn’t try to make me “talk Minnesotan” or tell a Sven and Ole joke.
As I mentioned before I left I took my Kindle with me, loaded with books and ready for any contingency. I am so glad I had it too. My plane leaving Minneapolis was delayed well over an hour, and since you have to get to the airport so early anyway, it was a long wait. I needed something to make me laugh because I was feeling pretty grumpy, so chose P.G. Wodehouse’s My Man Jeeves. It was just the thing to lift my mood and by the time they finally announced we could board the plane I was fairly snorting out loud with laughter.
Once on the plane though I needed something soothing so I went with Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim. It too was perfect. I didn’t finish it on the plane but continued to enjoy it in spare moments like at 5 a.m. San Diego time when everyone else was sleeping but my body said, “Hey! It’s 7 a.m., wake up you lazy bones!” So I would read until 6 when I’d hear my dad beginning to stir. Then I would get up and make us some coffee and we’d have breakfast and a cuppa together.
The flight home was the first of the morning from San Diego so there was no delay in leaving. I finished reading Elizabeth and her German Garden not long after take off. It helped me block out the screaming baby in the seat behind me. The baby fell asleep and I went back to Jeeves which helped loosen up the tension brought on by the screaming. And I chuckled my way back to Minneapolis where Bookman, Waldo and Dickens were all very happy to see me.
I have a couple more Jeeves stories left that I will try to finish soon. Tomorrow I will do a proper write up of the von Arnim. Tonight it is back to reading for school. Yes, that’s right, quarter break is over, school is in session again. Did that time ever fly.
I’ve got lots of comments to catch up on too that you all so graciously left while I was away so be patient with me while reply to all of them.
“my little cousin whose mother I used to babysit”
I feel your pain. Ya.
I’m glad you found the Jeeves snort-worthy. I must try Elizabeth and her German Garden.
If this is your first von Arnim – I can’t recollect – then you are in for a treat. I’ve read 5 of hers now, and have another on my TBR pile. Elizabeth, though, is a perfect delight. I should read it again JUST so I can blog it!
Glad the Kindle did the job, by the way. Did you use its note-taking capability?
It’s very good to have you back safe and sound and I’m glad being at home went well. I always hang out with the children at parties – they often have the best conversation. And Jeeves and the German Garden make a perfect travelling pair for me. I also need to be continually soothed and entertained while travelling!
Hey, Dylan gave you a squishy? Why didn’t I get one?? No fair!
Glad the trip went well (and that the reading material was enjoyed). Elizabeth and her German Garden is one of my favourite books, so I’ll look forward to your review!
Happy to hear your trip went well and welcome back! Can’t wait for your review
Welcome back! I also love my Kindle for long trips — books, and I also store all my classes material on it and I feel so virtuous to know I could work at ANY point… Should I feel the desire to!
I am so happy to hear your trip went well! It’s always wonderful to get back home, though, isn’t it! Flying makes be very anxious, and P.G. Wodehouse would have been my choice as well. I am so tempted to get an e-reader. I’ve been weighing the Kindle vs. the Nook.
So glad you had a fun trip! I just got some Wodehouse, myself. Anxious to start reading… I have been wondering about an e-reader lately. Not for at home, but to tuck in my purse for doctor’s visits, lunchtime at work, etc. Hmm. Maybe for birthday this fall.
Sylvia, Oh ya
My consolation was that mother of the cousin I used to babysit was also at the party and she babysat me when I was a kid. 
Jeeves is definitely snort-worthy. I probably would have guffawed if I weren’t in an airport.
whisperinggums, it is not my first von Arnim, I read Enchanted April last summer. I have several of her other books on my Kindle and intend to parcel them out carefully. I didn’t take notes on my Kindle but I did use the underlining feature.
Litlove, thank you, it is good to be back. I’m a little slow, but I think you are right about the kids and parties. They are so wonderfully surprising.
Cindy, my sister, yes indeed Dylan gave me a squishy. Don’t know how I managed it, but there you go.
Claire, thanks! I hope my review does the book even just a tiny bit of justice!
Lua, thank you!
Charlotte, thanks. Now the the Kindle is so much better at reading PDFs I put stuff from school on it too, just in case.
Grad, coming home is always nice no matter how good the trip was. If you have a Barnes and Noble near you they have a Nook in the store that you can touch and play with. And check with your local libraries, they might have a Kindle you can borrow. I tried out the Nook not long ago at a B&N and like the Kindle better, but an e-book reader is an individual decision. Good luck!
Daphne, thanks! I wish San Diego was closer to Oakland! I bet you’d like an e-reader. Like I mentioned to Grad, try one out at a B&N and check with your library to see if they have any Kindles. That way you can do a test drive and see if you like it and which one you like.
Haha, oh man, I should really see Fargo again in its entirety. Frances McDormand is so great.
Glad to hear you had a good trip, and I very much enjoyed the archived entries you queued up during your absence.
The Fargo’ed accent …whoa!! super resoundingly hilarious. I can only wonder how can that be?”
Loved your writing style ..free, stylized, funny yet simple. Keep at it.
I’m glad your trip went well, and that the Kindle worked out. A combination of funny and soothing sounds just right for travel. I wish my library had more Wodehouse on audio, because it makes good listening while driving to work. Then I can sit and laugh in my car (even if people do look at me funny!).
It’s nice to get away and see how nice the weather is when your return? You must have brought it with you!
I’ve only read one Wodehouse short story, which I thought was great fun, so I look forward to trying more at some point. Good luck on your new semester–it seems like you’re flying through your classes!
Glad you had such a nice time with your family and how cool you have a bookworm relation, maybe one day you will leave him all your books and he will love you for it. Sounds like travelling was painful, but then I think all air travel is – bring back long distance rail travel I say (and longer holiday periods to compensate for it). But I’m sure Jeeves helped you get through.
I think we need a picture of the squishy toy at your work desk
Sounds like a great time with family!
I have listened to all the Jeeves story on cd in my car-talk
about laughing out loud. It was also made into BBC series
with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry-just as funny.
The video of Sara Palin and Fargo has made my day.
Emily, you haven’t see the whole movie? Oh you have to. You will laugh. Hard. Glad you enjoyed the archived entries while I was away
Alberto, it’s an upper midwest mostly Minnesota accent thanks to all the Scandinavians who originally settled the area, dontcha know
And thanks for your kind words!
Dorothy, thanks! laughing in your car can’t be anymore odd than people walking around singing or dancing to the music on their ipods!
Danielle, my coworkers all thanked me for bringing such nice weather back with me
Thanks for the good wishes!
Jodie, it is great fun to have another bookworm in the family. I’m with you on wishing rail travel and the compensatory time off to enjoy it were the thing again. I hate planes but I love riding on trains.
Iliana, hmm, I’ll see what I can work out on that
Donna, I’m planning on giving the BBC series a whirl. I love Hugh Laurie.