Gone With the Wind

I just finished reading Gone With the Wind by Margret Mitchell. It took me quite a long time to get through, but it was a mostly enjoyable experience.

One night, right after I started reading it, I was eating alone and reading at a local restaurant. This is, by the way, one of my favorite things to do. Anyway, I was reading and the manager came up behind me, asked me how my meal was, and then asked me what I was reading. I showed him the book and looked up at him. He was black. I felt embarrassed to be reading a book that portrays such antiquated and unflattering views of blacks. This was strange for me because I can never remember feeling guilty for reading a book. Well, the following conversation revealed that the manager was more amazed that I was reading a classic instead of something from Oprah's book club. So, I got over my feelings of awkardness fairly quickly.

I think that this book was good enough to win the Pulitzer (which it did). The characters are very rich and well flushed out, and the plot is structured very well. I must admit that the attitude the books characters and author have toward black people was quite alarming and disturbing at times. There was even one slur toward Jewish people made by the main character that just blew me away when I read it. However, for anyone who is interested in reading a good novel with historical elements (the details on the Civil War, particularly the fall of Atlanta, are very good) I would recommend it.

Vacation

Matt and I went on a one night get away this past Friday. I have to say that it was well needed and deserved. And, of course, it was well appreciated. We have been having some disciplinary issues with Ella lately and I have gotten a little stressed out.

We went to a nearby golfing and spa resort and got a room for one night. We had in room massages (and my therapist was a former student of mine...such a small world) and then a late dinner. The next morning after waking at the unusually late hour of 7am, we had breakfast in room, and then spent some time soaking in our jacuzzi tub. We checked out around 11am and strolled around a nearby town after having lunch. We came home around 3:30pm and played happily with Ella for a few hours before putting her down for the night.

By the way, thanks to my parents for staying with Ella for the night so that we could get away for awhile.

You guys didn't really think that we left her alone that whole time, did you!

more signs

First of all, let me apologize for not writing in awhile. Ella was sick, then I was sick, and now she is teething and not sleeping a whole lot.

So, if you read Matt's blog you know that her walking has improved to a point where she will walk a few feet from one stationary object to another with no problems. Example, she will walk from the couch to the music table we have in the center of the living room. Still no stopping and balancing, and still no sitting down in a controlled manner. But we are working on both of those.

I have been much more diligent in the sign language department lately, and she almost has 4 new signs. I say "almost" because she either doesn't do the sign consistently, or because she only does it if you help her out a little bit. These new signs are cracker, milk, book, and open.

I also recommend the "Signing Times" videos for anyone who wants to teach their child to sign. I was skeptical as to how much they would really help because just watching someone else do a sign doesn't do anything for Ella. You have to physically make her do a sign multiple times before she comes close to getting it. But the videos are entertaining, and give you lots of time between new signs so that you have time to do the signs hand over hand multiple times before a new one comes up.