I am amazed how quiet it is here - all I am hearing is birds out in the bushes in front of the porch. Yesterday Steve and I left for work to the sounds of breaking glass. Someone is gutting an ocean front house right below us and they were throwing out old windows. On the days I work from home I often hear their music - they like 80s rock so I am not complaining. Most of the houses on this road, including the one we are in, were built back in the 70s and people are beginning to remodel them. Wish I owned one to remodel! But, I am happy just to be living in such a beautiful area. It has taken me a year to feel comfortable on the island - I wonder if it would have taken me so long if we had moved to a quiet neighborhood initially.

I just looked through the critical and reader reviews for Flavor of the Week by Tucker Shaw. The hardback came out in 2003 but I just read the Hyperion paperback edition. I have to say I enjoyed the book and was enchanted with Cyril, the chubby Cyrano de Bergerac type character in this recipe laden story of a teenage love triangle. Cyril loves hippy/vegetarian Rose, who in turn loves Cyril's best friend Nick. Cyril is a natural in the kitchen and hopes to be a chef one day and agrees to make a romantic dinner for Nick and Rose, with Rose thinking Nick is the cook. Of course, the truth comes out and Rose realizes where her affections truly belong. I think I gained weight just reading the ingredients in the rich and delicious sounding recipes. Although the narrator is a guy, this is a book girls will enjoy reading, evident by all but one of the reader reviews on B&N. A wide audience with teenager girls and a limited audience with teenage guys. Offer it to the girls who loved Cherry Wytock's hilarious novels about Angela Cookson Potts - My Cup Runneth Over and My Scrumptious Scottish Dumplings, which also include recipes.

Now to unpack some more boxes.