TSS: a kindle, a college visit, and a sick kid

Good morning, saloners! It's been quite a week. A Monday holiday has a way of throwing things off, and Columbus Day proved to be no exception. The long weekend was a treat, but then the rest of the week's work had to be fit into just four days.

It was fall break for Daughter #1, and she came home with a kindle! It belongs to one of her professors, who loaned it to her for a project. (She later told the professor her mother was more excited to see the kindle than her!) An evening out for Daughter #1 provided the perfect opportunity for me to try it. It's the first time I've seen a kindle 'up close and personal'.

Picking it up, I was surprise by how thin and lightweight it was. Reading directions has never been one of my strong suits, so I went straight to the home page, picked out A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, and started to read. The font was too small (oh, my aging eyes!) and it wasn't immediately obvious how to increase the size, so I headed back to the homepage and spent a little time perusing the owner's manual.

Once the font size was adjusted, reading was much easier, but I was distracted again wondering whether the whispernet would work (an old map placed us just out of range). The connection was successful and within seconds, amazon's offerings were on the screen. One wrong click, however, and a book was ordered on the professor's account! I managed to delete and credit before it downloaded, but that proved how dangerously easy it is to get books.

Back to reading for a little while longer, and then decided to figure out the dictionary function (which was also incredibly easy). I didn't try to highlight or make notes on someone else's kindle. My understanding is that these are semi-permanent.

By this time, my eyes were tired and starting to feel the strain. This rarely happens while reading, and took me by surprise. Since the kindle isn't backlit like a computer, I'd read that eyestrain is unusual. The experiment ended and the kindle was put to 'sleep'.

Do I want a kindle?

I'm not sure. Reading a book is much more enjoyable, but the kindle would certainly have a place for travel. I'll consider purchasing one before the next major trip, but doubt it will appear on my Christmas list .

Also this week..

The twins are high school juniors. Monday I drove Twin A three hours to attend one college's Fall Open House program. Guidance counselors strongly urge students to consider applying early decision. But in order to do that, visits need to be completed before senior year. Let the process begin!

Twin B had a GI virus Thursday and Friday, and stayed home from school. Saturday both girls took the PSAT exam.

Needless to say, this has not been a very productive week. My only review was a ghost story, "The Villa Lucienne" by Ella D'Arcy. I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, and will post a review later this week. The Virago Book of Ghost Stories provided the rest of my reading material for the week. Less than 100 pages to go in The Woman in White, but I just wasn't able to get to it last week. Guess what I'm doing today...

Hope you all have a relaxing Sunday. What will you be reading today?