a hodge podge and a half

We're out of here tomorrow as soon as the boys get home from school. Going to surprise Rich's mom. So much I've been trying to get done before we go, as I know I won't get much accomplished over the weekend. One of those things is finally, finally, finally getting caught up with everyone's posts. "Caught up" just never seems to happen anymore though. But I did the best I could. Certainly has been a fun week around here, huh? Thank you Amy, for all your dedication and hard work in pulling it off...and well, for being the sweetheart that you are! And thanks to all those who helped her with BBAW as well!

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School is already kicking my butt, so I've had very little time for "recreational" reading this week. I'm only about halfway through The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm hoping to be able to finish it in the car tomorrow (note to self: don't forget book light!). Seriously can't get over how much I'm loving this book. Honestly don't know if it's just me, or if it's entirely the book, or if it's some combination of the two...but this book just has my emotions in overdrive. It's so raw and powerful and compelling...and I don't even know entirely what the hell's even going on yet!

There was this paragraph that I read this morning that just hit me. One of the saddest things I've ever read in a fictional work. I found myself reading it again. And then again. Like I somehow didn't believe that something could be this sad. I'm so curious, to any of you who have read the book, did this passage hit you as well? I don't think it gives away anything about the story to share it here:

Maybe our story will turn out differently if we take the left fork, maybe the bad things that are waiting to happen to us won't happen, maybe there's happiness at the end of the left fork and warm places with the people who love us and no Noise but no silence neither and there's plenty of food and no one dies and no one dies and no one never never dies.

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Oh my gosh...I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you. Yes, I'm beaming with pride at myself. See, the best, and man, I do mean the very best, library sale in the county is going on this week. And I didn't go. Rich and Annie went. But not me. Any freakin' idea how hard it was to say no?!! But I did it!!!

I think the willpower involved in this book buying ban ranks right up there with the willpower it took to quit smoking all those many years ago. Oh shit...I gained almost 50 pounds in the year following quitting smoking. I gain one lousy pound and this ban is history! ;)