The Old One

Hi all! I am Beckee's mom Rochelle. Just a fun little story about Tess. When Beckee picked this book, I thought I'd go grab it off my shelf (having also read this one in high school). Although I couldn't immediately find it, I figured it would turn up--until Beckee told me the copy she had said "Rochelle E" inside of it. So, I purchased a copy of Tess which I ended up giving to Andrea a day later (as she is on bed rest, and Jer does not consider books a necessary expense!!). Got another one on the way home. Then Melanie came home for the weekend and said, "Mom, do you have a copy of Tess I could read for book club." So here I sit, Tess-less. I'm going to the library tonight just to refresh my memory.....

I am looking forward to this, but seriously Beckee, would you please invite Aunt Julie, Kris, Angie, or Mary to join so that I'm not the only old woman (oh wow, now my sisters are going to kill me for calling them old).

And as for a common theme I'm hearing (about leaving book clubs or rolling one's eyes over choices), I'm suggesting alternatives (fun, silly, short, children's, just totally opposite in tone of the book of the month) for each month just in case you finish early or you just can't stand the book of choice: Remember, there is always Cliff (or I think Sparks is more popular these days) if you just want to know what happened...

As for this month's alternatives: How about any of the Stepahnie Plum novels (by Janet Evanovich, hilarious, short, and fun. warning however, tends to get a bit profane in her language), or The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (if you haven't already read it), or two books I just read with Spencer: The Secret Garden (yes, he used this one for his book report in September and LOVED it) and Football Hero by Tim Green (which I had to read to him in order to get him to read it). And a book I just recently read (because Spencer is playing football for the first time this year): Football for Dummies.

Now, as for an introduction. I am over 40, wife to a brilliant attorney, mother to 4 unbelievably incredible children; 3 absolutely awesome adult women whom you have already met (come on Mel, give us a little more information), and 1 adorable, active, inventive son (who taxes my energy more than all 3 girls did), and xia xia (grandmother) to almost 8. I type all day long in my job as a writer for Rockwell Collins (often boring, dry stuff, but sometimes I get an interesting project) and I'm a PTA mom, avid reader, and pianist in my spare time. I don't clean (at least not willingly or enough) and have an unhealthy relationship with clutter, laundry, and dishes. I'm hoping to learn a lot from you young 'uns!