Good morning, friends. Today is Super Bowl Sunday, but around here the really big game happened last night: #DUKEvsCUSE. The Syracuse University men's basketball team defeated Duke 91-89 in OT. In addition to improving to 21-0 (their best start in school history), it was the largest on-campus crowd ever, the official birth of a new rivalry, and, quite possibly, one of the best college basketball games ever... what a night!
Sure, we'll watch the Super Bowl, but it can't possibly match the excitement of last night's contest. I like football, but without a real stake in today's game, food and commercials become the main attractions.
January Wrap-Up// Well, January sure was a long month. It actually seemed more like two separate months to me. We began with a couple of beautiful weeks in Florida and ended with two (can it really be only two?) weeks of bone-chilling cold, battling the lake-effect snow machine here in central New York.
On the plus side, time on the beach plus time holed up indoors allowed for some pretty decent reading. A book a week is generally as good as it gets for me, and I finished five books this month:
- Julia Child Rules: Lessons on Savoring Life by Karen Karbo
- The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
- Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
- The Gravity of Birds by Tracy Guzeman
- The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (audio)
And now it's February...
Current Reading// We Are Water by Wally Lamb, on page 200 (of 561) and fully invested in the story.
Current Listening// This is The Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett, read by the author is amazing. I'll have a hard time picking a favorite essay from this bunch.
On the horizon// The Boys in the Boat for my book club meeting at the end of the month, I'm still trying to decide whether to read or listen.
In the kitchen// Lots of soup! There's nothing better than soup on a bitterly cold day. Butternut Bisque from Susan Branch has become a new favorite. This afternoon I'll whip up some Buffalo Chicken Dip for the Super Bowl party... calories don't count today, right?
Will you be watching the game? What about the conflict with Downton Abbey?
Don't care about the game, so I'll be reading and grading papers most likely. And hoping for rain, really hoping for rain.
ReplyDeleteI
James - Today's game is really only a social event for me. I just saw another article about drought in your area... hope your get some rain soon.
DeleteConflict? No problem. I'll be up in the bedroom (which seems to be the warmest room in the house lately) watching Downton Abbey!
ReplyDeleteLilea - I plan to slip away at precisely 9:00 myself ;-)
DeleteWhile my family watches today's game, I plan on reading up a storm! This is the Story of a Happy Marriage is such a good book.
ReplyDeleteVasilly - I'm almost halfway through This is the Story of a Happy Marriage and so impressed... just love her essays!
DeleteI loved The Signature of All Things, too - I bet the audio was great! I'm not into the game, so I'll be reading through it (and maybe sneaking in a quick people-free trip to the grocery store).
ReplyDeleteShannon - The Signature of All Things was an excellent audio! Juliet Stevenson's narration was amazing. I'm not sure I would have picked it up in print based on the description alone... so glad I decided to listen.
DeleteI read my first Lamb last year (The Hour I First Believed) and am determined to read more of his work this year, because I loved it.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're absolutely right - calories don't count today! I figure I'll burn a few hundred just sweating and worrying and (hopefully) screaming in delight over my Seahawks!
Carrie - The Hour I First Believed was a favorite several years ago. I've loved all of Lamb's books and, so far, this one is just as good.
DeleteCongratulations to the Orangemen! You really have had two separate Januarys, haven't you?!
ReplyDeleteLisa - That was quite a game last night! We should be looking at #1 this week since Arizona lost...
DeleteThe SU game last night was the best college game I've ver seen! It was shame that one team had to lose, but congrats to our Orange. Now that Arizona lost, we are #1!
ReplyDeleteI loved We Are Water and This Is The Story Of A Happy Marriage too.
I agree that the Super Bowl will be a letdown after last night, we're still riding high from SU's victory. Enjoy the day.
Diane - Wasn't it amazing?? I saw a story yesterday saying that Varsity Pizza was expecting so much business between the Duke game and Super Bowl, they did not have enough storage space to accommodate the necessary supplies/ingredients... and decided to close today for the Super Bowl!
DeleteGlad to know you loved both We Are Water and This is the Story of a Happy Marriage... our taste in books seems very similar!
Connnnn-flictttttttt? (I tried to write that in the Dowager Duchess' voice.) :)
ReplyDeleteAudrey - And that's exactly how I read it! ;-) I'll be slipping into another room at 9 to watch Downton Abbey... no matter how good the game might be.
DeleteGlad to hear calories don't count today. Since I am outnumbered today, I have to DVR Downton Abbey and watch it tomorrow. I read during the game and watch the commercials. Go Seahawks!
ReplyDeleteNise' - The big TV will be reserved for the game, but I'm sure I can find a smaller screen and quiet room to watch Downton!
DeleteI've not watched a single minute of DA, although I keep telling myself I will eventually. We are going to a party tonight, and probably won't watch anything but the commercials. It's all about the socializing. I sure hope the calories don't count tonight, but just in case they do, I'm headed out soon to walk a VERY LONG TIME to justify my sins.
ReplyDeleteSandy, Sandy, Sandy... some weekend when you have nothing to do(!!!), a season 1 marathon is a must!
DeleteGlad to hear you've had a great reading month, but sorry to hear it's so cold. Enjoy the Super Bowl. I'll be watching the game.
ReplyDeletePat - We're heading to my sister's as soon as the Buffalo Chicken Dip comes out of the oven. Hope you enjoy the game!
DeleteI wasn't a fan of Gravity of Birds sadly, it just did not work well for me. I do want to read the Gilbert book. Happy Sunday
ReplyDeleteDiane - Sorry to hear Gravity of Birds didn't work for you. Hope you like The Signature of all Things more.
DeleteI'm so glad Syracuse is #1 and that Arizona lost! ( I went to Arizona State) I will watch a bit of the Super Bowl when I get home from work - thankfully, out here in the West there is no conflict with Downton Abbey.
ReplyDeleteAnbolyn- Syracuse got the official #1 spot today when the polls came out. We're all thrilled!
DeleteI watched that game last night and, boy, was it a nail biter! I'm still getting used to Syracuse being in the ACC!
ReplyDeleteKathy - Such a great game! We're still getting used to the ACC, too.
DeleteI could use some buffalo chicken dip right now. Decided this was the year to lose the baby weight (Gage is 3, after all) and have been counting calories :( On the plus side, by depriving myself of all buffalo chicken for a month, I lost 6 pounds :)
ReplyDeleteStacybuckeye - Congratulations on your weight loss!! I can say today, that the pleasures of Buffalo chicken dip is nothing compared to how great dropping some weight feels :)
DeleteUgggh, it's so cold here. Taking Sam for morning walks has not been fun. I am very ready for spring and summer already.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed The Girl You Left Behind and Gravity of Birds as well. I'll have to find your reviews and read them. I have The Signature of All Things on audio and since you liked it I'm really looking forward to getting to it. We Are Water is amazing. I listened to the audio and I loved it.
Stay warm and enjoy all that soup. I'm with you - soup is the best in the cold!
Darlene - I haven't posted reviews of either yet, but TGYLB should be up this week and GoB next. The audio of Signature is amazing... Juliet Stevenson is a favorite narrator. I hope you enjoy it.
DeleteI read all about Syracuse's win on a friend's FB page. He got his Ph.D from there last year but is back in Texas teaching.
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on any sport really, so it was my mom's house and Downton Abbey watching for me!
Picky - As it turned out, the game was pretty much over before Downton even started.
DeleteYou know, it hasn't been cold enough here to make soup yet. Except, this morning it was 35 but the weather forecast said it will be 70 later today. Who am I kidding? This is production week for the show the kids are in. There will be no cooking and lots of eating on the fly. I hate this week.
ReplyDeleteTi - I'll be thinking of you this week... you'll deserve a big reward when it's over!!
DeleteIt must have felt weird going from the beach to the snow!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Tigers in Red Weather, did you enjoy it?
Sam - Here's my review of Tigers in Red Weather. It was a good book, but not the great book I was expecting.
Deletehttp://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2014/01/tigers-in-red-weather-by-liza-klaussmann.html
I really enjoyed The Girl You Left Behind - will definitely be reading more of Jo Jo Moyes's books.
ReplyDeleteTwitter was exploding during the Syracuse -Duke game - it was fun to follow it that way. Congrats!