Book Review--The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley and read by Jayne Entwistle; accessed through OverDrive.

As always, "reading"* a book via audio combines two components; the story itself and the presentation by the reader.

*Disclaimer:  I put reading in "quotes" because it is a different medium than visually reading the printed page.  However, I maintain that any way you get the story into your brain is actually "reading"; it doesn't matter the mode.

Back to the story and our protagonist, Flavia De Luce.  Agatha Christie would applaud the cleverness of this sleuth and Arthur Conan Doyle might have used her to give lessons to Mr. Holmes in deductive reasoning.  And Lemony Snickett would have devised a series of ever-more-unfortunate events for this aspiring detective as she is only 11 years old. Do not automatically discount this as a children's book due to the age of the main character.  Her level of logic, deduction and reasoning will give you pause for thought as it all makes sense... from her point of view.  1950's-era chemistry knowledge and scientific practices, as well as a different views on parenting add to the flair and freedom of this phenom of the mystery genre.

... and I like it because she reminds me of one of my children.

The added bonus of listening to Jayne Entwhistle read was that I enjoyed a crisp accent that reminded me where the book took place (UK) and didn't leave me to wonder at pronunciations.  Ms. Entwhistle gives the text a brisk, matter-of-fact pace that reflects the character's personality wonderfully.

The double bonus is that this is not a new book and there is already a series featuring this fun little girl so I don't have to wait to find out what new adventures await Miss Flavia!


Shameless plug:  I borrowed this book from my public library's OverDrive collection.  Check your local library for access to downloadable audio and e-books!

I made a difference today

I made a difference today.  I don't do that every day.  But today was the day.

I had a student come in for my one-on-one computer session.  She said, "I know nothing about computers."  I asked if she had something in particular she wanted to learn how to do and she stared at me blankly for a second.  "I just want to learn how to use it."  So I opened the Control Panel and chose the mouse settings to get her comfortable with double clicking on the test pane for mouse speeds (and we slowed it down considerably for her comfort). She said, "I think my hand is shaking."

I said, "You know, a lot of people come in because they want to learn the computer but they're nervous.  It's o.k.  It's something new.  You can't break these computers, unless you plan on slamming the keyboard around (small smile there).  That brings us to my first rule of using computers: Don't Panic.  And you won't do anything I haven't seen before."  She seemed to relax a little at that.

But, again, when I asked what she wanted to do or work toward, she didn't know.  She said, "what do other people do?"

"Well," I suggested, "A lot of people want to learn how to find things on the internet.  We can look at that.  What are you interested in?  Do you like to do crafts?"

This time, it was a long blank stare.  And then her eyebrows twisted a little and she said, "I don't know what I'm interested in.  I worked as a driver and as a teacher's aide for fifteen years.  Then I took care of my mom.  And then my husband got sick and I took care of him for five years.  I didn't do anything for myself.  My husband passed away in October and I've been grieving.  But I have to come out of it.  It's o.k. to be in grief but then you have to be done.  So, I want to learn to use the computer for me."

"How about we learn about something new.  Let's try National Geographic".

And I helped her click and double click, learn how to use the scroll bar on the side of the screen.  I encouraged and cheered her on.  I told her, "You can come in anytime you want to practice what we just learned and then next week, we'll learn something new.  But if you completely forget everything we did--it's not a big deal, we'll just go over it again.  There's no hurry."

She looked at me and said, "I can come in tomorrow and practice?"

"Yes, anytime.  I'll set you up and you can work on what we just did and if you forget, we'll just learn it again."

"I will do that.  I was really nervous but it's like you can read my mind and I'm not worried about it now.  Thank you!  I'm going to learn to do this!"

And she walked away.  Still working on her grief but seeing her way out and feeling good about her new found abilities.  She walked away smiling.

I made a difference. And she is the reason I love my job.

Why I want to find a human like my dog... and shouldn't

My dogs drive me crazy.  One is neurotic and an attention-hound (pun very definitely intended) and the other is a spoiled brat with species confusion (bottle-raised from birth so she's imprinted on people and thinks she is one).  The brat, otherwise known as Hazel is too tall for her own good on her hind legs and has an eating problem.  The problem is, she eats everything from everywhere!  Crumbs that fall off the counter while I'm cooking, forgotten tidbits on the end table, goodies pushed back on the counter, the chicken in the center of the kitchen table.

Wait, what?

Yup, if the chairs are pulled back, I've found that 70 pound ball of fluff with all four paws, standing on the dining room table, swallowing as fast as she can.  She's never mad when you catch her or take it away, her thought seems to be, "Darn, I should have swallowed faster!"

And Belle, the seemingly innocent one is the culprit for chewing up favored books and toys (Tinkertoys were the first casualties years ago, now it's large Lego pieces) and the classic homework eater.

But... as you've heard a hundred times before, the benefits outweigh the irritations.

They are happy to see me every time I walk in the door, no matter if I was gone for 45 seconds to get the mail or 2 days and someone had to watch them.  They are cheerful and ready to play any time I am but are always primed for a nap, too.  They make no demands besides a reminder when it's feeding time (and the calls for attention like "Hazel!  Get down").  And when I'm feeling particularly down, I can hold Hazel and cry into her fur and she's just there.  She snuggles up to me at night (only in the winter, the little chunker gets too hot in the summer to get close) and shares her valuable body heat with me, the heat sink, when I need it most.

Belle and Hazel are there to make sure I never talk to myself... I talk to them.

But it's not really the same as having a real, live, human friend.  Now, don't mistake me, I have friends, one or two close ones (although, no matter how hard you try, geography does make a difference and the everyday urgency of those friendships have waned) my family who have to fill the bill more often than not, and quite a few acquaintances. And, despite my flamboyance in some public settings, I don't make friends very easily. My actual personality seems to be overwhelming for many people so I rein it in until I think people are ready for it.  That's exhausting so I tend to be a homebody and only inflict myself on my nearest and dearest.  So it would be wonderful to have a friend that is always ready when I need them no matter what time of day.  Excited to snuggle and watch a movie, hold hands and just share some physical space with no self-consciousness (I mean, Belle and Hazel don't care if I have bad breath) and to fall asleep next to at night knowing that you can do no wrong but also have conversations with two participants.  And the person should be leashed trained to make sure we go for walks together (theatrical wink).

But, even a hopeless romantic like me can see that even if I want it, this is not the best thing for me. Because, before you don't ask why, oftentimes the thing we most want is not the thing that's best for us.  I've told my kids this before but it's true and applies to me, too.

What are the dangers inherent in having a friend around who only agrees with you and never challenges you?  For one, the conversations could be pretty boring.  For another, fresh perspectives and new ideas make you think in different ways. And too much agreement can lead you to believe that you are always right, even if you're not. I've known too many people like that to want to be... we'll use the nicest term possible: insufferable.

Additionally, if I have someone around who thinks like I do all the time and only wants me to be happy in that moment... I'd never get out for those walks.

I'd lose all sense of compassion because I would expect that my needs are the only ones that are necessary to be met.

That sounds like it's starting to describe someone I don't want to be; I don't want to fall into that trap.

I guess I'll let my dogs be dogs and my people be people and I'll muddle along being myself.  I'll enjoy the comfort of Hazel and Belle and value the challenges offered by the multitude of people I see every week.  And make an effort to be the kind of person I'd like to have for myself.

Hazel and Belle

Why Shakespeare?

So, what's the big deal about William Shakespeare?

With that curly language and plays that go on forever, is he really worth all the hype? Or is it all just a bunch of pretentious literary snobs trying to make themselves seem smarter than the rest of us?

Yes and... Yes? (But probably not)

Consider this...

Have you used or heard of any of these phrases?  You wouldn't if there hadn't been a William Shakespeare! He invented over 2,000 words to add to the English language.  Languages change all the time, adding words and some falling out of favor or being changed in context.

For even more interesting interpretations, see the Urban Dictionary (warning: explicit content in unexpected places)

You might giggle now, but even these were popular words at one time.  However, they didn't exist before someone made them up and started using them.

 Shakespeare added over 2,000 words and phrases to the English language through his plays and we recognize some of them now but his working vocabulary was so extensive there are many others that are unfamiliar--that is one of the things to be aware of when studying his works.  Be ready to learn some vocabulary! It's kind of like learning a new language and it takes practice but persevere and it will get easier!

Also, what kind of story do you like?

Adventure?

Romance?

Tragedy?

Farce?

If you like it, it's been done by Shakespeare.  His plays span the whole spectrum of human emotions and adds in just enough action and fantasy to keep it moving along. If you've seen a movie with an interesting plot twist, it's likely it was already done in one of Shakespeare's plays.


And what the heck is iambic pentameter?

One of the most noticeable things about Shakespeare is the format of the verse writing.  It looks kind of like poetry, even though it's telling a story.  But this is a very specific style called iambic pentameter. Essentially, that means that it is written to have 4 unstressed syllables followed by 1 stressed syllable. (the iamb is the "foot" or base of the word and penta means 5, so it's a total of 5 syllables).

My proposed method for learning to appreciate Shakespeare is to:
a. absorb and explore the new vocabulary
b. map out the plots and action of the stories
c. rock to the rhythm of the language



p.s. when you become a Bard fanatic, don't be a literary snob to make someone feel bad for not appreciating the work; be the Bard advocate and say, "let me show you why he rocks".

On a roll with dinner...

So, even though I maintain that I'm not a good DIY blogger, I do have a little dinner trick to share with you.

I'd seen it on Pinterest (or Facebook, I can't remember which), I tried it, and it worked exceptionally well!

 

 It's making individual lasagna roll-ups, rather than the traditional layers.

I started with my favorite spaghetti sauce recipe (but you can use your own)

1 lb Italian sausage
8-16 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or to taste
1 tsp. basil or to taste
1 tsp. parsley or to taste
1 TBS. sugar

Brown Italian sausage, remove from pan and place in crock pot.  Saute mushrooms in sausage drippings adding olive oil and half the garlic. Add to crock pot.  Add all other ingredients, stir and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

I had made the sauce previously and frozen it in gallon bags so they laid flat in the freezer.  I thawed one out to use for the lasagna rolls.

I cooked the lasagna noodles as directed and as they were boiling, I mixed up the cheese innards.

1 lb. mozzarella, shredded
16 oz. cottage cheese (or ricotta for you purists, but this is what I grew up on)
1 c. grated parmesan
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 egg

I mixed these together and then put them in my food processor and whirred it up until it was a creamy consistency--this made spreading a whole lot easier.

I sprayed the 9X13 pan with cooking spray, then ladled a dollop of sauce on the bottom and shook it around to coat.

Then I took each noodle out, put it on the cutting board and patted it dry.  I spread cheese mixture along it, using the scalloped edge of the noodle as a depth indicator (this was almost too much, if you can believe it--and I'm a cheese fanatic).  Then rolled it up and placed it in the pan.  I did this with each one until I ran out of noodles and cheese.  Topped them all with the rest of the spaghetti sauce and baked it all in the oven at 350F for an hour or so, until everything was bubbly.

There was enough for a 9X13 pan and an 8X8

Completed pan

Served with salad, Italian bread and a lovely glass of wine, this was a treat! I would say the output of work was the same for the rolls as it is for layered lasagna and far easier to serve and save for lunches. Give it a try!

Mad Hatter's Tea Tasting

Whew!  It's over but it was fun!

I put together a program for the library called the "Mad Hatter's Tea Tasting" to celebrate Hot Tea month.  The goal was to have the participants try up to 10 different teas and tisanes and learn a bit about the world-famous beverage. I offered 25 tickets for a $3.00 donation each, selling 5 for an overage in case some people didn't show up.  Half the tickets sold in a day, the other half by the end of the week.  It appeared this was a popular idea and the pressure was on to make it a good event!

Since this was a learning opportunity, I made some infographics outlining the important facts I wanted them to know (not bad for a self-taught amateur on Publisher, eh?):

Basic facts on tea.

If it's not Camellia sinensis, it's not tea.

Little extras to think about

I begged and borrowed cups and saucers from several different people and brought my own teapots in as well as my vintage hats and gloves for people to try on.  Several of the library staff are big tea drinkers and were interested in helping and some just loved being able to bring in their pretty china! (I did ask that they not bring in anything that they considered "precious" due to possible breakage).

Everybody scoping out and pouring their tea.

Mingling and conversations happened around the decorated tables.

There were some wonderful hats and fascinators!

While everyone was tasting the teas and talking about it, my daughter and a friend's son put cookies on napkins on my three-tier tea cart and pushed it around to offer snacks.

Isn't she pretty?

In between tasting and chatting, I called out Tea Bingo words and encouraged them to find the answers to the Tea Trivia questions (about half of the answers were on the infographics and the rest I encouraged them to collaborate on with people who had Smartphones so they could use the library WiFi for answers).

These are the teas we served: Earl Grey, Emperor's Pu-erh, Oolong, Jasmine Green, Masala Chai, Earl of Harlem, Chamomile, Sleepy Time, Peppermint, and Rooibos.  I wanted everyone to try something a little bit exotic, maybe out of their comfort zone, and expand their horizons.

Then... there was the photobooth!  So much fun!

My family (big cheesy grin)! They're so supportive.
I'm at the top, then clockwise: grandma, sister, daughter, aunt and mom.

The Mad Hattress and the Mad Hatter 

While there were some logistical things that can be corrected if we do this again, I would consider it a rousing success!!

Hooray for Tea!!!!

When the Library is Cut, the Community Bleeds

The first public library in the U.S. was founded by BenjaminFranklin.  While mission and vision statements weren’t all the rage in 1731, mottos were and what he settled on for this newly established institution was “Communiter Bona Profundere Deum Est”. No, my fingers didn’t slip on the keyboard—it’s Latin.  And the free translation (a free translation incorporates the literal and cultural meaning, rather than just word-for-word, as opposed to being monetarily free) is: “To pour forth benefits for the common good is divine.”

Wow.  That’s quite a motto to live up to, isn’t it? 

But public libraries have been doing just that for the past 284 years.  They don’t look the same as they did in Franklin’s day but they serve the public to the betterment of the community and nation today just as they did then.

Public libraries exemplify the true definition of a democratic entity; one that focuses on “believing in or practicing the idea that people are socially equal”.  Everybody that comes through the door has the same rights, privileges and opportunities as everybody else.

I like this explanation from ilovelibraries.org:

“Libraries are great democratic institutions that serve people of every age, income level, location, ethnicity or physical ability, and provide the full range of information resources needed to live, learn, govern, and work.  Because libraries bring free access to all, they also bring opportunity to all.”

Now, I know I’ve written some complaints about the people I serve involving some of the more uncomfortable interactions I’ve had.  Too much 'positive appreciation' (e.g. creepy attention), some aggressive or argumentative patrons, and the olfactory assaults that come with working with people en masse, to name a few.  But that’s just the beauty of the organization; everybody that comes to my desk gets the same quality of service, regardless of their background (or personal hygiene). And everyone has the same opportunities! Which means that even though I’ve had to grit my teeth and help the sarcastic fellow who snidely comments, “you know you’re going to be replaced by a computer soon, right?”  I’ve also been able to help:

• The gentleman who had just gotten out of jail after a 10-year stint and needed to get an email address.
• The gentleman who had to argue on the phone with the insurance company about the care his elderly mother needed.
• The high school student who needed information for her National  History Day project.
• The lady who made sure to thank me for help on her resume which helped her land a job.
• The multitude of people who need legal documents printed out so they can file for divorce, request child custody, or contest a ruling from the court.
• The older couple that comes in looking for books that are enjoyable but not too exciting (because the wife gets so into her books that sometimes when she’s done she has to take a Xanax!)
• The blind gentleman who comes in for dozens of audiobooks at a time.

Every one of these people is a valued citizen who is served by the public library.

Unfortunately, since libraries render services for the common good and equality of the citizenry, they don’t make a profit.  In reality this is not a failure, that is simply not their intent.  So, in times of financial crisis, they are often a target of budget cuts.  This is the exact opposite of what is best for the community!  When money gets tight at the library, what becomes endangered?

• Books—despite what you might hear books are still bought, sold, rented, borrowed and read (and stolen as "souvenirs" as we in the biz say, but still need to be replaced).
• Periodicals—these include magazines and newspapers.
• Digital services—ebooks can be expensive but it’s actually the access and storage of them that requires the expense output.
• Internet and WiFi capability—broadband is expensive and all services require maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Children’s programs—with so much outcry about the decline of education in the country, decreasing literacy programs is not only counter-productive, but actively dangerous to our country's future.
• Job hunting—Many patrons come in for access to, and help with, online job applications.  Less money means less time and help are available. Fighting the specter of unemployment is more difficult when people can’t apply for a job.
• Hours—This is one of the most heinous cuts.  If there isn’t enough money for staff or utilities, the library hours are cut which means limiting the equalizing opportunities for everyone.
• Staff—Budget cuts mean fewer hours and fewer positions available so staffers have to take on more and varied duties, often doing things outside their normal job parameters to get things done.
• Staff—Professional library staff hold higher degrees; a Master’s degree in Library Science (or often now, an MLIS—Master’s in Library and Information Sciences) or State Professional Certification is required to be a librarian. With less money it’s difficult to attract and hold certified professional staff to develop and maintain a quality library.

Make it a point to convey your support of the public library, not just to the tireless staff that serve you but to the governing body that provides the funds.  The city government might not understand the gem in their midst.  The county library might not see how many people utilize this vital tool.  The state might forget about the benefits supplied at the ground-level by the public library.  But you can remind them!

Help support your public library!