Great Expectations

So... I read The Alchemist yesterday, thinking I could add it to my list of favorite books, with all the wild praise it's received. It didn't quite make the cut but it was a really good story, much better than Eragon, and bumped me up to 26 books read this year! (which puts me right on schedule because we're halfway through the year and 26 is halfway to 100!!....wait...)

Also I bought a digital piano thinking I would be Mozart in a week. I'm not. Ok I didn't really expect to be but I had to be consistent with my title! Actually I'm doing better than expected in my "do-it-yourself" piano lessons. And I love having it in the house, and it adds variety to my days. so it's great! In fact, to give you an idea of just how stinkin good I am, as Steve puts it, "She can almost play Jingle Bells!" so you can see how proud we both are of my progress...

Went to my first major league baseball game last night! With Steve of course, and some friends. The Oakland A's! vs. the (Detroit?) Tigers. I didn't expect too much excitement based on the college and minor league games I had been to, but it was still lots of fun just to be there with people and enjoy the atmosphere. And listen to little kids scream for their parents' teams until they lost their voices. And the cold, cold wind... and the free muffins from Otis Spunkmeyer! provided by JD and his new job. I just wish I had remembered my camera. Now you all think I'm lying. I was there! I promise!

In other news, we went to Alcatraz about a week and a half ago which was really interesting. Did the audio tour and everything. Really cool. (See pictures below - the first is of a ruined building on the island and the second is inside the actual prison looking down one of the upper level cell blocks). Steve also let me ride the cable car (think: Rice-a-Roni) and we had bread bowl soup at Boudin's Sourdough Bakery, just to add to the excitement of the day! it was delicious.

Last Saturday was spent garage sale shopping around town. Found some REALLY old books (like Divine Comedy from 1892 and Nicholas Nickleby published in 1906) and a good sturdy table for my art. I'd say it was a success. And a good time. Steve spoils me!

All in all, life is good. Got some free bread from Safeway this morning. Planning on making sloppy joes for dinner tonight (that right there is cause for celebration!) I have some new art supplies to keep me busy, thinking of opening a shop on Etsy.com, and I'm reading Lord of the Rings-the Fellowship. The sun is shining, the tank is clean, and we are gonna get out of here! (10 points if you can name the movie...)

Well that's it for today... Time to start living!