Everest

I admit it ~ I am an addict ~ I am addicted to all books regarding MOUNT EVEREST. I had just started reading a book my sister had lent to me ~ Three Cups of Tea ~ when the call came in from the library. My library let's you select a book on line and then when it comes in they call you to let you know that they have reserved the book just for you. Novel idea ~ I love it. Sometimes I will request a book and have to wait several months to receive it. So when I got the call that a long awaited book had arrived, I jumped in the car and sped over to the library to pick it up.

Seriously ~ who speeds over to the library ~ 'Sorry officer ~ I was on my way to the library and just ignored the speed limit signs. You see ~ I am jonesing for an Everest book ~ gotta read it right now!' ~ luckily I picked up the book and drove home without any embarrassing incidents. Mountain Madness: Scott Fischer, Mount Everest and a Life Lived on High, by Robert Birkby is a wonderfully entertaining book detailing Scott Fisher's life. He was such a breath of fresh air ~ so passionate about the outdoors and climbing and he always was eager to teach anyone who would listen. He wanted to share his love of the mountains with as many people as possible. Just from reading countless other Everest themed books I feel like I already know Scott ~ everyone who ever met him loved him and his zeal for life! Even though he died in one of Everest's greatest tragedies, reading about his life journey has brought him back to life.

Again ~ I try to figure out why I am I so addicted to reading personal accounts of Everest climbers? There's no one in my family that I know of who has even attempted to climb the tallest mountain in the world. Somehow, living vicariously through all of their adventures, I get a sense of peace from the climbers when they stand on top of the world. Some day ~

Sam I am

My First Grader has recently been reading like crazy ~ she reads everything ~ making sense out of letters has opened up a whole new world to her! Just the other day, she surprised my husband by gleefully reading 'Green Eggs and Ham' all by herself! Anyone who has ventured into the nutty world of Dr. Seuss knows that mastering his books is a huge accomplishment for the emergent reader.

So last night, as bedtime rituals came to story time, I requested that she read Green Eggs and Ham to me. Let me preface this with the fact that yesterday was New Years Day ~ the day after staying up super late ~ we were all tired ~ and you as well as I know that when we are tired our brains just don't work very well. Anyway, she started to enthusiastically read the first page of the story...

That Sam I Am, that Sam I Am, I do not like that Sam I Am.

Just two seconds later my darling daughter was shedding tears of frustration ~ and me and my brain tail were empathetic. She was all upset ~ she didn't understand why the guy who was talking did not like himself!!! I'll admit ~ the book is confusing ~ the story is about the guy on the cover ~ the very first page of the book has Sam I Am holding a sign 'Sam I Am' and that's your only introduction to the annoying character.

So ~ when the tears died down a wee bit I tried to explain who 'Sam I Am' was and that he was different from the main character. But ~ SERIOUSLY ~ what is the name of the main character?? Does anyone know? I will try, again, tonight to explain the story ~ and hopefully this time sans tears. If a long explanation is needed I just don't know if my brain tail can explain it!