RAE’S READS

recent posts

about

This year (2025) finds me with 53 years of teaching “under my belt.” I have taught all levels from pre-K “(library lady” or “book lady”–volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 34 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the “difficult years.” I had some of the “funnest” experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the “young, fun teacher,” I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a “dream-fit” for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. This past fall I accepted a part-time teaching job at Apogee Gulf Coast Schools in its first year at the Alvin campus. After my Better Half died n 2022, I achieved a lifelong dream: opening a bookstore of my own, Rae’s Reads. A year later, I sold the house we had lived in for 47 years and moved into the bookstore. My goal is to circulate and repurpose books. Just as teaching is “in my blood,” so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to “come out and play.”

Sunday (Evening) Post

I missed posting the Sunday Evening Post last week, so this week’s post will reflect two weeks worth of reading and watching.

What I finished since last post:  Freeks by Amanda Hocking and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, both reviewed under “Recent Reads” a short time ago. Both Sunday editions of The Houston Chronicle (practically cover to cover).

Continuing to Read: Who Said I Was Up for Adoption?  by Colin Chappell, a blogging friend, told in alternate chapters from dog owner’s/dog’s point of view. Also The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo, a story of allied nurses in WWII.

Have begun Ayn Rand’s Anthem, a novel of the future written while she was writing The Fountainhead.          

Watched on TV:  Two excellent episodes of PBS’s “Victoria,” two episodes of “Bull,” two episodes of “Superior Doughnuts” a really funny 30 min. comedy (new this season), Rick Steve’s visit to Paris on “The Best of Rick Steve’s Europe” on PBS,and one episode of “Gray’s Anatomy.”

I am really looking forward to starting: Joyful Journey, a friend’s autobiography which she signed and gave away to about forty friends yesterday, complete with coffee and dessert–a lovely afternoon, and Who Is Human? a novel about a computer that attempts to answer that question, available on Kindle, by Gary Pegoda, a long-time friend.

Posted in

6 responses to “Sunday (Evening) Post”

  1. sjhigbee Avatar
    sjhigbee

    You have a very wide and eclectic taste in books Rae, that I find really admirable:). I’ve been watching the new series of ‘Vera’ and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Dinosaur 13’, though was aghast at the injustice of what happened… I’m very much into the documentaries shown on BBC4, particularly the history programmes which are excellent, especially the ones shown late at night. Have a great week, Rae.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      My week is off to a roaring start and it’s just 6:00p.m. Monday. Have been cooking, delivering food to sick and elderly friends, taking flowers from my yard to other friends, plus running my own errands now that My Better Half is spending his afternoons after school working on taxes. Whew! Am exhausted…think I will read for a while.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. sjhigbee Avatar
        sjhigbee

        My goodness! That does sound exhausting – hope you’re not overdoing it, Rae. I’m still recovering from the huge hiccup in my sleep patterns after Himself is now wearing a mask and the snoring is a thing of the past. Odd that it has wreaked havoc on my sleep when I’ve longed for such an outcome for years…

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Rae Longest Avatar
    Rae Longest

    After a night with little to no sleep (probably from overdoing and being too tired to fall asleep) I was the one who was fearful of waking my snoring husband. I was up and down and finally got up and cooked (and froze) for therapy. It helped, for although I am sleep deprived, I am relaxed. I did cancel all driving for the day–not safe in my “condition” which involved rescheduling a hair-do and meeting a friend for lunch in a nearby town. Both friends were willing to “work with me.” I have good friends!

    Like

    Reply
  3. readerbuzz Avatar
    readerbuzz

    I can’t wait to hear what you think of the friend’s memoir.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      Have only read the forward so far. My TBR stack has two library books in it, so they get top priority.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a reply to sjhigbee Cancel reply