Book Review: Against the Tide

I was recently provided the book, Against the Tide, written by Elizabeth Camden for review from Bethany House.

 

I liked the book. The writing was really, really good. I liked the character development of both Lydia and Bane, especially the relationship which developed between the two. Both individuals found redemption from their past – a tragedy in Lydia’s and choices which were forced upon Bane. While they loved one another deeply, their love was not the all-consuming aspect of the book but presented as more of a catalyst for them to save/serve others.   

I enjoyed, too, the camaraderie of Lydia’s co-workers at the Naval Office – Karl, Willis and Jacob. How their idiosyncrasies annoyed each other on a daily basis & yet, they cared for/protected each other, too, even amidst their individual responsibilities and life circumstances.

The Professor’s character was dark, VERY dark as the villain of the story. For this reason, I would not recommend for young readers. But the insight into the opium trade and those who fought to end the terrible effects on innocent children was a topic which I have not encountered in other books of this genre and enjoyed learning about.

A good historical romance with just the right amount of suspense, facts & fiction.

Never A Dull Moment, Indeed!

Wow! What a week/weekend! Sometimes my Sunday evening calls with my mom can seem somewhat mundane, simply re-capping the ordinary weekly happenings but last night, I had PLENTY of material :)

On Wednesday evening, we picked up a sweet 16-month old little girl (Lily) from a nearby ER where her mom was admitted earlier that day. Lily seems to be adjusting well, although the first week is always somewhat experimental in determining schedules, eating habits, developmental abilities, etc. At one point on Thursday afternoon, the X-man said with great drama, "Mom. She won't leave me alone. I want to play by myself" and then shortly after, he laid himself on the ground saying, "Tackle me, Lily. Tackle me!" He is proving to be a great big brother!

The next unexpected event of the week was a lovely back-up of our sewer on Saturday morning, what is becoming a somewhat annual occurance due to some shifting/mis-alignment of pipes where the city system meets up with our house. Or something like that. Sewer back-up. 'Nuff said.

Fast-forward to Sunday morning as I am helping the X-man remove his oh-so-comfty footed pajamas. One minute he is standing. The next he has face-planted onto the tile floor. I checked his mouth/teeth and thought he had escaped unscathed only to see blood dripping. Further inspection revealed a nice, deep gash under his chin. Off to the ER/Prompt Care where our little guy received his first stitches. And this mommy tried to be as brave as her 4Yr-old.

So, here I am welcoming a Monday morning and hoping for a week which holds a little LESS excitement than the last :)

Fall Fun With Friends

The Botanic Gardens is great for those with refined, expansive knowledge of plants, bushes, trees, etc. But...it is also super-fun for little ones, too. Lots of wide open spaces to run, run, run! Last Friday we had a 'small herd' of kids that we guided chased around the gardens. A tad-bit chilly/rainy but still totally fun day with friends.

 



xander and new buddy, Logan

logan, shae, skyler, xander (thrilled to be with his big-boy friends!)

shae leads the way with the little ones

sisters! -- alea a bit more thrilled about that than maille

mr. blue-eyed Owen

 

Botanic Gardens: End of the Season (?) Visit

I have always thought of the Botanic Gardens as a 'summer' place to visit, when the blooms are alive & at their peak. And I know it is beautiful during that season. But, we recently went with some friends and I found the end-of-the-season landscaping/plants to be just as amazing. Here are some pictures of the plant life. Photos of the human-life, the friends we went with, to come shortly :)

 

 

 

Corn Maze with the Plattner Pals!

Our Nashville cousins (aunt/uncle, too) were in town recently. While Blake was at a work event, Xander and I tagged along on our first ever Corn Maze adventure. All I can say, good thing we had some 'big kids' along or we might STILL be trekking thru the cornfield :)

racing ahead of zachary

X-man with Miss Moriah

feed Mr. Bunny. the x-man LOVES bunnies, much to his daddy's delight who has fond (and sometimes not-so-fond) memories of raising bunnies when younger

   

very important! must punch the card!

 

emily, savannah, elijah, jonathan, xander, zachary & moriah

 

Playing At the Park

With the chill of the fall season fast descending, I am all too aware of the limited number of park days that remain. Just a couple of shots of our latest park adventure with cousins, Isaak & Brooke.

 

 

Love This Drew-by!

So much fun to see the X-man loving on his cousins. We helped bale some hay while downstate recently and these two guys were my 'helpers' as I kept them occupired and safe, while all they wanted to do was be close to gpa/dad. I had them run around the hayfield picking up loose hay piles; soon they were giggling together and having a blast!