tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61387282024-03-13T06:39:13.507-04:00MadChatterDr. Ruth Cox Clark, Young Adult and Children's Literature professor (contact info: clarkr@ecu.edu), booktalker, and author of Tantalizing Tidbits for Teens (2002), Tantalizing Tidbits for Teens 2 (2007), and Tantalizing Tidbits for Middle Schoolers (2005), discusses books, audiobooks, and movies for young adults (teens) and children, along with anything else that piques her interest - often her daughter, grandkids, husband and their travels (especially to islands), and cat Sophie.Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comBlogger573125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-60784338997606879222011-08-10T06:58:00.002-04:002011-08-10T07:01:01.102-04:00I'll be out on medical leave for Fall semester so my postings here will be limited to none. I am using GoodReads.com to post books as it much easier for me. If you can't find me, and want to follow what I'm reading and have read, email me at ruthellen1201@yahoo.com and I'll friend you on GoodReads.com. You need to join if you don't already belong to GoodReads.com to see what I've read. You can Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-66643467728838971722011-07-27T11:48:00.002-04:002011-07-27T11:50:32.457-04:00Just a quick posting to let you all know that I am sorry I haven't done any posting for quite some time. Been quite ill and am taking the summer off from teaching to try to get back on my feet again. The grandkids have been to visit, which is good for the soul, but tiring for the body! They may no longer nap, but Gramma does. I finally joined Facebook so you can find me on there as well as Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-67386681522581309342011-05-09T16:00:00.006-04:002011-05-09T17:12:08.913-04:00Steve is trying to fix the mess I made on the other computer so I can't access a picture to add to this posting. Never download free anti-virus software 30 day trials is what I learned. The pop-up screen wanting me to purchase it is in an infinite loop and won't let me access a web site! Growl!!I had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Steve took me out to lunch on Saturday instead, which is good Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-38226950515494597502011-05-03T12:55:00.005-04:002011-05-03T13:36:09.133-04:00We forgot poor McKinley and Kegan's sunglasses when we went out in the boat and moving they had to squint the whole time. But, they did get to see one alligator. It was a cloudy day so there weren't a bunch of them sunning themselves. I had Kegan in my lap so I wasn't worried about them falling in but I can't imagine what it would be like to get lost in those canals amongst the weeds and dead Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-75679518656582111512011-04-22T14:50:00.002-04:002011-04-22T15:03:50.024-04:00Happy Good Friday to one and all. The schools are pretty much out around here so there were families everywhere when we took time off from our computers to go out to lunch at the new Mexican place in town, Lime. A cute little cafeteria type place where you order and they bring it out to you. Lots of food and good food too at a reasonable price. Their sign says, “So Mexican we can’t open in Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-34454154361078526202011-04-20T13:05:00.002-04:002011-04-20T13:19:55.443-04:00I had the third procedure done on my neck and I am having a reaction, again, to the oxygen during anesthesia. The first time I thought I had caught something at the hospital as I was really sick for three days after I got home. This time isn't quite as bad - I just feel like I have to sneeze 24/7 and when I do it is enough to take the roof off! My eyes are watering and my nose is running. The Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-8455507118395781202011-04-17T07:48:00.002-04:002011-04-17T08:01:10.088-04:00 I I feel like a heel because I am getting Astro's Valentine card and picture up barely in time for Easter! For those you who didn't read the earlier posting - Astro is the delightful Steller Sea Lion in Jeanne Walker Harvey's book Astro The Steller Sea Lion that is beautifully illustrated by Shennen Bersani. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Astro/Jeanne-Walker-Harvey/e/9781607180760/?itm=3&Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-89772725866214562072011-04-16T05:47:00.002-04:002011-04-16T06:57:34.173-04:00 Isn't this a wonderful picture of Steve? I honestly do not know where this was taken. He sent it to me from his phone so someone else must have taken. Probably on one of his business trips. But I think Steve is very handsome when he smiles. Well, he's handsome to me all the time, but especially so when he smiles! I apologize for not posting more. It would take me days to write about all the Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-43347571513458374362011-04-16T05:28:00.002-04:002011-04-16T05:47:09.079-04:00I cannot believe it has been so long since I posted. A lot going on that I'll address in another posting, but since I cannot be at my aunt's funeral today, I felt the need to write down what I remember about her. Aunt Ruth holds a special place in my heart and always will.My favorite Aunt Ruth, whom I am named after, passed away this week. I’ve not seen her in several years as my visits to PointeRuth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-6029551303529608402011-02-16T08:49:00.002-05:002011-02-16T09:43:27.951-05:00I love this picture of Michael. Mary found copies of Rob Kidd's Pirates of the Caribbean Series in a used bookstore and brought them home for him. Michael immediately curled up on the couch and was lost in his book. One of the titles, Quest for the Sword of Cortes http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Quest-for-the-Sword-of-Cortes/Rob-Kidd/e/9781423106562/?itm=6 has a cover that will pique the Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-87197850109513941872011-02-14T21:30:00.003-05:002011-02-16T08:29:41.686-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!! Can't wait for Steve to get home from California tonight. He went out to watch the ProAm golf tournament at Pebble Beach. Wish he had gotten Drew Brees' autograph for me. He and a couple of other football players were playing. Bill Murray won this year! Brees is one of my favorite quarterbacks, along with Aaron Rodgers. I was so excited when the Packers won the Superbowl. Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-46706572992883276312011-01-24T15:40:00.004-05:002011-01-25T08:47:32.001-05:00That isn't a dog - it is horse! Mary is tall for a woman so that just shows you how big their dog is! I love the second pic of the boys - wonder who wore who out! I've yet to see this "puppy" and I am nervous around big dogs because of my balance. Can you imagine trying to dry her feet from a romp in the snow? I was talking on the phone to Mary the other day and I she was fussing at Michael as Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-44326155208379260622011-01-07T13:07:00.002-05:002011-01-07T13:33:27.508-05:00Vowing I am going to do more frequent shorter posts. Can't believe another semester has begun. Classes begin today. Where did 2010 go? I hope 2011 is better health wise - I am optimistic it will be.Sent in the review to VOYA for Jennifer Pharr Davis' Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trailhttp://search.barnesandnoble.com/Becoming-Odyssa/Jennifer-Pharr-Davis/e/9780825306495/?itm=Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-63124619402725834412011-01-05T06:44:00.002-05:002011-01-05T07:20:51.090-05:00Wow! I had no idea it had been so long since I posted last. I am so sorry! I think I need to just start doing short posts when I think about them rather than taking the time to do the long posts I normally do. Between moving to Florida, a wild Fall semester, and then being quite ill in the last few months, I've barely kept my head above water with the basics. Some days even those don't get done!Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-75633714019871472522010-10-26T09:07:00.002-04:002010-10-26T10:41:39.231-04:00Umpteen millions things to do today but I had to write this short blog entry as I was so in the “reading flow” as Kelly Gallagher calls what I call "unconscious delight" in his intriguing book called Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do about It http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Readicide/Kelly-Gallagher/e/9781571107800/?itm=1&USRI=readicide+how+schools+are+killing+Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-32069521571296521532010-10-14T21:13:00.004-04:002010-10-19T10:40:10.361-04:00Another beautiful day in South Florida. We are loving this weather! We drove down to the Upper Keys to watch the Texans win :-) on Sunday afternoon. We sat outside and looked out on the ocean and checked out the small boats as couples and families came in to have a late lunch and watch the various games. No worries about having to cover up your kids' Halloween costumes with winter coats or add Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-47233959361209321912010-10-13T04:57:00.002-04:002010-10-13T05:02:43.065-04:00It is amazing how much the kids have grown and I am missing it all! I remember Mary and her brother Mic playing in the leaves much as McKinley and Kegan are doing in this pic. McKinley has the same blonde hair as her mom, my Mary, and I did at this age. Wish I could go up there during this Indian summer period in the Midwest but that isn't going to happen for a bit.I told Mailene, my new Worker'sRuth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-15385021244594546742010-09-22T10:47:00.003-04:002010-09-22T12:31:51.667-04:00Tons to do today but just had to post about the burrowing owl that somehow decided the miniature golf course on a Caribbean cruise ship was a good place to call home. Poor little guy - no way to burrow a home into Astroturf! The endangered 9 " tall owl was captured with a net and set free. What a great current events story to tie in with a discussion about Carl Hiassen's Hoot http://Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-91883824063295806722010-09-15T09:01:00.002-04:002010-09-15T10:27:47.813-04:00The sun is out today - thank goodness! We had a day of down pours yesterday. The canal behind the house had risen up into the neighbor's yard and onto the golf course. Water got into our garage, but not from the canal. The water has pretty much receded and the pond on the golf course green is gone. I should be out doing some stretches in the pool but the rain water really cools it off so I'll Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-47690144877751739962010-09-09T20:43:00.003-04:002010-09-09T22:34:57.047-04:00It has been a wild few weeks. We had the house in Lex on the market for many months, gave up, took it off, and put it back on and it sold! So I am writing this from our new home in Plantation, FL. My docs are all delighted with the move to a tropical climate. The speed of the change over to a Worker's Comp. Case Worker here in Florida has been wonderful. I'll be seeing an orthopedic surgeon soon Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-59242120476014562152010-08-14T14:12:00.002-04:002010-08-14T15:22:48.120-04:00Steve is in second heaven as the football preseason has begun. He's watching the Kansas City-Atlanta game that he taped. There may be late night football but neither or us are night owls so we watch a lot of our favorite shows, including football games, the next weekend. My knee is going nuts from too much standing on it so I'm "kinda" watching football as I blog. I always watch a Texans' game Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-63148488694224397772010-07-31T15:12:00.001-04:002010-07-31T15:15:13.319-04:00Grading in is! Yahoo!! I am taking the weekend off before I start preparing Fall semester course materials. I am sure I will hear from the students who want reading lists so I know I can't let it go too long.So, I'm going to enjoy the rest of the day by going through new books. I love Kitten's Autumn by Eugenie Fernandes. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Kittens-Autumn/Eugenie-Fernandes/e/Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-3794402925572258062010-07-29T20:06:00.002-04:002010-07-29T20:53:02.859-04:00Well, now I know it was a Thursday night that I did the vampire entry as I'm watching The Vampire Diaries as I type this. I am finally feeling a bit better. Steve thought it was something he ate at Bella Notte that made him so sick. I think it was the sliced ham we bought as I've spent the last couple of days dealing with the same symptoms. Yuck!! All that sounds good right now is Fresca. StomachRuth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-76347731648174519112010-07-26T20:24:00.004-04:002010-07-26T20:33:57.856-04:00I wrote this on June 3rd and it never got posted. I just found it on the desktop of my laptop. I was certainly "on a roll" that night! I haven't watched any of the vampire shows since then. Just hasn't been time. I rarely ever watch a show when it is actually airing as we TiVo it and we can delete the commercials. I watch NCIS in real time once in while but we often catch up on favorite shows Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6138728.post-46220682800236069522010-07-26T18:41:00.005-04:002010-07-26T19:59:28.044-04:00Well, I made it through 2 1/2 days without Steve and I haven't fallen on my face! The knee brace is on when I'm not in bed and the cane is in my left hand. He's calling to check on me in the a.m. and p.m. and via email so I think I am going to be okay. I don't know who is more disconcerted by being alone, Sophie or me! It is going to be an early night as I am exhausted. Who knew a person sleeps Ruth Cox Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04297107858339733871noreply@blogger.com