Audio book lists July 2015

http://bookriot.com/2015/06/22/36-best-audiobooks-for-your-roadtrip/

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/2015-amazing-audiobooks-young-adults

http://www.audiobooks.com/browse/booklists/2015-oscar-worthy-listens

http://www.booklistreader.com/2015/02/13/book-awards/the-years-best-audiobooks-2015-audies-award-finalists-done/

I'm reading my posts from last year -- all two of them, and this summer is not much different.  Putzing around with my plants, playing tennis, cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry.  Shheesh.   I have some creative thoughts when I'm out there, putzing, like this morning I was just looking for reasons to stay outside, listening to the birds and the cicadas, it all sounded so southern.  So I'm pulling weeds, dragging dead branches, fertilizing flowers, just to stay outside and listen.  but soon the heat drove me in, at only 9:15!  And I want to play tennis in this?

Oh, an update from last summer -- I did find a car, thanks mostly to my spouse, who did a lot of the online investigation.  I bought a 2012 Toyota Rav4, the most wonderful blue.  And I am very happy with my car.

too busy to blog

or maybe too lazy to blog...too boring to blog?  this is day 7 of "How I spent my summer vacation".  Slept in for the 1st time since the last day of work.  Then started putzing around with my flowers, planting a few more, begonias, some cactus for the sun, before I knew it, it was 1:30 and pretty warm outside.  And I still haven't tackled the kitchen.  That's next.

Day 6, yesterday, I went to tennis drills in the morning, then my spouse and I went boating with my brother.

Day 5,  Saturday, I don't remember.  no, that's not true.  walked 1.5 miles with friend, I bought flowers that were planted on day 7, and went to tennis drills.  Then got an invite from my sister for dinner.  My family is being very nice to me.  I wonder if it's because my son is on a road trip to lend a hand to out of state family...or if it's just a coincidence.  Both events were much appreciated.

Day 4, Friday, I think I took it kind of easy.  I don't sleep well after playing tennis at night, and woke up earlier than I wanted to.   So, I watched the French open, started this blog, and caught up on "Call the Midwife".

Day 3,  3 mile walk with friend, eggs and kale for breakfast - yum -  bought and planted flowers.  I must have had the car that day.  Played tennis that night, two sets, lost.  but it was nice to be out playing.

Day 2 - walked 4.5 miles with friend, woohoo!  Finished the All-girl filling station's last reunion.  Lousy title, but the historical novel does inform about the WASPs in WW2.

Day 1 - laundry and vacuuming.  what a start to summer vacation!  but we had dear friends over for dinner, and that was lovely.

Carless in suburbia

I wonder if it's true for suburban life anywhere, but in my suburbia, carless means I can only walk to the library, the grocery store, the park, a couple restaurants...wait a minute, that sounds pretty good, it's all just a mile and a half down the road...but if I want to go to a movie, or to my tennis coaching - which I really want to do - or to shop for a car (oh, the irony) I'm out of luck.  And if I were unable to walk a mile and a half, I'm really out of luck.  My vision of living in the big city is so much rosier, like there would be a bus or streetcar or light rail just down the street.  But maybe that's not so accurate either.

The truth is, I am spoiled by having a car, as most Americans are.  I wonder if I am up to the effort it would take to live carless.  Planning every trip - to walk, then use public transportation, or to ride a bicycle and brave the traffic.  And to get much fitter than I am now.

Sheesh - revelation here - Am I too old to go for the environmentally correct, healthier for the planet and maybe for me, nearly carless life?  "old, but I'm not that old, young, but I'm not that young" -- I think that's a song I've heard.