What a busy few days. The drive over from Lexington on Wednesday was a delight. Partly because I had gotten my spring semester grades done and I was in a good mood about that, but mainly because I am listening to The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. No wonder she received a huge advance for this first novel - it is fascinating! Henry is born with Chrono-Impairment, a condition that sends him traveling through time, even arriving where he already is and interacting with himself. But, so he doesn't affect the time period in which he arrives or leaves, he comes with nothing and leaves with nothing, including clothes, which make some of his travels more than a bit interesting. But this is much more than a time travel book, it is an enduring love story between Henry and Clare, who he meets when she is only six, but knows one day he will marry her. Clare grows up accepting that Henry arrives naked in the secluded meadow on her family's South Haven, MI property. Henry helps her with homework and plays chess with her as they wait for her to grow into a woman. When he is isn't with Clare, Henry works a normal job as a librarian in the Newberry Library in Chicago. Many of his time travels take him back to the library at night so he keeps an extra set of clothes in his office. The beauty of this book is the quiet joy Henry and Clare find in each other, no matter what time periods they are in together, but the here and now is the sweetest. I have a little over a CD left to listen to and I suspect I may end up crying before I am done.

On a lighter note - I have Emily Gravett's Wolves next to me on my desk in the office, where I am wrapped up in a heated blanket because it is so darn cold in here! I am glad I work from home most of the time. BRRR!! The cover art in itself made me pick up the book. It is off white with a funky looking bunny on the bottom looking up at the title. Then I chuckled in delight as I read the "reviews" on the back - "Every burrow should own this!" - The Daily Carrot. "A rip-roaring tail." - The Hareold. Gravett has me chuckling before I even open the book. And then I am thoroughly captivated by this quirky picture book as rabbit is at the library to check out a book on wolves from West Bucks Public Burrowing Library. :-) There may be few words, but what is happening around rabbit as he has his head burrowed in the big red book on wolves is hilariously wolfy! Let's just say rabbit learns a lot about wolves, including what one of their favorite foods just happens to be. Don't worry - "no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book." The publisher information lists it at ages 4-8, but this one will delight the adult reading it with their little one as much as it will the child, if not more! This one stays in my "gramma collection" to read to my grandkids. But, do buy it for your primary level library - the kids will love it!

This afternoon is our tea and snacks gathering with our graduates and then the ceremony itself at 7:00. Wish it had been earlier as I would have driven home tonight, but that is too late. I didn't care much for driving through the mountains in the dark like I did when Sophie and I drove home for the first time. So, tonight is girls' night - we are going to watch Sleepless in Seattle, which I haven't seen in years. All I can say is that I wish my hair looked like Meg Ryan's in that movie. I am not a big Tom Hanks fan and never have been, but I love Meg Ryan. My favorite movie of her's is one that didn't get much attention, I.Q., with Ryan as the brilliant niece of Albert Einstein, delightfully played by Walter Matthau. It is a laugh out loud fun romantic comedy with Uncle Albert playing cupid. Also love French Kiss with Kevin Kline. We have our own copy of this one and my stomach hurts in sympathy as Meg Ryan's lactose intolerant character, Kate, pigs out on delicious French cheese while on a train and suffers greatly for it! Hey, I just saw a Meg Ryan movie listed on B&N I haven't seen - Flesh and Bone. Blockbuster here I come when I get home! :-)

Now back to sorting books in my messy office as I prepare for lots of fall semester workshops.