Went from one hot and humid place to another, but I know I am home. I didn't have to do laundry and wash dishes while in New Orleans, nor did I have a very whiny cat let me know how she feels about my being gone most of the the last two weeks. I spent yesterday just catching up on mail, email and chores around the house. Planned on grading, but never got that far - was in bed early. My mornings of lolling in bed with the cat are over as I have to get as much done at Montessori as I can before I leave at the end of the month.

On the flight home I read Alex Flinn's Diva. Chick lit with a bite! Flinn's sense of humor comes through in Cait's e-journals, as does a wonderful education in opera titles and plots. And yes, this is the very same Caitlyn from Breathing Underwater. And yes, she does encounter Nick a number of times in the progression of this book. Cait's realization that her relationship with him is truly over was much needed by the fans of Breathing Underwater. Diva truly is Cait's book - Nick isn't central in her life, her singing is - a desire so strong that she blackmails her mother with the threat that she will go live with her father so she can go to the Performing Arts school in Miami. Cait now has a sidekick, Gigi, with an eyebrow ring and electric colored hair. Hardly the cheerleader group she hung out with at her old school. But, even at the Performing Arts school Cait is a bit different - there aren't many teenage girls who lose themselves in opera. Sean is also an important person in her life and as she learns more about his rough home life she loves him even more, but in a different way. And we see the person behind Cait's make-up and appearance focused mother, a woman much stronger than her daughter, or the reader, initially gives her credit for. The mix of "straight novel" and e-journal entries allows Flinn to delve deeply into Cait's life as she comes to terms with who she is, both in a physical and an emotional sense. A totally satisfying read, and I didn't even mind learning about opera :-) I actually found myself laughing at Cait's e-journal descriptions of the various operas and the murderous outcome of most of them. Flinn has smoothly made the transition from her edgy male perspective novels to this well written, thought provoking, and down right entertaining novel from a female perspective. And, has given her readers what they have been begging for - Caitlyn's story.

The wind is blowing like crazy and the rain is coming down in sheets. Although we need it to fill the cisterns, I want it to stop before we leave for work. I hate driving in the rain. One of the best things about the almost two weeks off the island was being able to take a leisurely shower. Oh how I can't wait to be able to enjoy the jacuzzi tub in my new condo in Greenville! We close on it the end of the month and I am already decorating it in my head. Light oak furniture and pastels! It is going to be a "girlie" condo. :-)

It is now 4 p.m. and I need to publish this as it is thundering like crazy outside. We lost power this a.m. so I couldn't publish it. Here we go!