happy bday LEO, preparations & unexpected r&r

TODAY IS LEO'S BIRTHDAY (aka: Leah, aka: granddaughter)!

It seemed like a good time to slip away and get some Easter shopping done - Whit and Bodin were still in bed, I had no lessons to teach, and it was early enough to get away. THEN, the storm hit! It rained (hard) the entire ride south and when I got there it started to sleet and snow harder and harder with each passing minute! I thought it would clear up by the time I finished shopping for all the Easter candy, plastic eggs and everything else - but it didn't! It was that kind of weather you want to curl up with a good book or DVD and just hang out. I kept looking for a good sized tree to park under as the rain was turning into some gnarly sized hail - but couldn't find one big enough and one that wasn't out in some field! It shortly changed back to snow and now I was looking for some place warm to let the storm pass!

I spotted it! Barnes and Noble! (Don't tell Barnes and Noble) I usually use this wonderful store to case some good books to read to see if I like them - you know, rather than be unpleasantly surprised when they come. I rarely buy anything there because (shhhhh, don't tell Barnes and Noble) they charge waaaaaay tooooo much - I then go on Amazon and purchase the book I want. Today was an exception! Okay, I didn't go into B&N totally innocent (without an agenda) - there was a book there I wanted to scope out as I've read some amazing reviews about it - comes highly recommended. The book is "Aspire" and as the weather outside was anything but ideal, I read the introduction and the first chapter of the book - a little unexpected R&R (take a visual here: music playing in the background, comfy corner the smell of beverage and sweet cakes in the air - ohhhhh yummmm) - BUT, I read - I didn't eat!!! Well, I bought the book! It was that good. It's 'one of those books' that you'll want to read and reread - there's so much to learn! Research for yourself and tell me what you think. So, tonight I'm looking for a quiet corner, curling up and reading under a nice warm blanket! Ahhhhhhhh.