Carol's Notebook – Page 340

Saturday Snapshot – 5/16

May 16, 2015May 16, 2015 by Carol6 Comments

These are a few pictures from our trip to Salt Fork State Park last weekend. We stayed in the lodge and this was the view from our balcony. There's a fire pit on the left and the small path goes down to the lake and cabin area. Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads. ...

Water Safety Tips

May 16, 2015May 16, 2015 by CarolNo Comments

I'm hoping to open our pool at the end of the month. We also spend a lot of time out fishing during the summer, so water safety is important to us. Amber's 15, but we have younger nieces and nephews and some things, like sun screen, apply at any age. The following are some tips I found that I thought I'd go ahead and share. Water Safety Tips Parents Should Know With the warm weather quickly approaching, it’s important to brush up on water safety tips. 1. Learn CPR, even if there’s always a lifeguard on duty where your kids go swimming. Check with the Red Cross to find a certified instructor in your area. This is especially important if you have a pool at home, where professionals aren’t around to watch the children. 2. Always apply sunscreen to your child before they head outside. This is especially important for babies, who are more prone to sun damage than older children. 3. You may know...

Othello by Vincent Goodwin, William Shakespeare

May 15, 2015 by Carol3 Comments

I actually bought this graphic novel for Amber. I thought that it would give her an idea of what Othello was about before we went to see it. She never read it, but I did - a quick refresher never hurts. This is just a quick version of the play. Yes, it uses Shakespeare's language, but a lot is cut out of it. It does give you most of the general idea of what's going on though, and the illustrations are attractive enough. Not outstanding, but they let you see what's going on in the play which is so much more helpful than only reading the sometimes difficult to understand dialogue. I think it took me like a half hour to read or so. It definitely can't replace the play itself, but it's a good introduction I guess you could say. Graphic novels like this one can make Shakespeare relatable and less scary, I guess. Some people hear "Shakespeare" and...

Thursday’s Tale: Tamlane

May 14, 2015May 15, 2015 by Carol3 Comments

I'm not feeling quite up to par today, so I went digging in my archives and found "Tamlane," a story I had forgotten. It's a tale of a young man and the woman who loves him, both children of earls, told by Joseph Jacobs in More English Fairy Tales, 1894. I like this one because it's the woman who has to come to the man's rescue. Tamlane and Burd Janet grew up together and had known since they were young that they would marry, but when the time comes near, Tamlane up and disappears to no one knows where. Many days later, Burd Janet takes a walk in the Carterhaugh Wood and is picking flowers from a bush when who should appear but Tamlane. She asks where he's been, and he responds that he's been in Elfland, a knight of the Queen. He says it's a wonderful place, except he misses her and he's afraid that he is going to be...

The Importance of Changing Your Home Furnace Filter

May 14, 2015May 16, 2015 by Carol3 Comments

We're not very consistent about changing the filter on our furnace, which is why the following article really struck home. We actually had a new unit put in a few years ago with a thicker filter that only needs replaced once a year. Changing your furnace or air conditioning filter is something that many homeowners forget to do, but this simple form of maintenance can help save on repair bills. By changing the filter, you are preventing dirt form entering the heating and air conditioning system. This dirt finds its way into the motor and belts, creating a build up of dirt and grime that causes the system to fail. A dirty filter will also mean that there is a good chance that dirt is being passed through to the output of the system and sent through the ducts and out the vents. This dirty air is then breathed by everyone in the home. It is not only unhealthy, but people with allergies or...

The Dead Key by D. M. Pulley

May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 by Carol1 Comment

I liked the sound of this one and it's set in Cleveland, which is kinda cool. I just couldn't get into and finally set it aside. I doubt I'll pick it up again. I just didn't care about any of the characters, in '98 or the '70s. Maybe it was the back and forth between times periods and points of view that kept me disconnected or maybe I just picked it up at the wrong time. Maybe I just couldn't relate to either of the main female characters. They just seemed so young, especially Iris, who should have been an adult with a career but was more intent on drinking than working at least in the section I read. The writing wasn't bad, and the characters could have been interesting, but for me it was blah. I had to give up and move on to something I'd enjoy more. I think this is my first DNF of the year....