RAE’S READS

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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

It is back to reading, coming with a few rainy days in a row.  I had about finished up several books, so this past few days, I have started a few “new” ones. Striving to work some non-fiction into my reading, my “grandson” loaned me a very readable non-fiction work by Luis Alberto Urrea, The Devil’s Highway, which deals with immigrants’ desperate attempts to achieve a better life in this country and the work of the US Border Patrol.  I am only on chapter two, but am thoroughly “hooked.” I am looking forward to reading more on this book this coming week.

Last week I started a unique review of Philosophy 101 in novel form in the YA “classic”, Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner.  The introduction to this, the 20th anniversary edition, by the author is enough to stimulate anyone’s curiosity, and the novel itself is extremely engaging. In a week’s time I have read a little over one half of this hefty, thought provoking, mysterious novel. I also began Garth Stein’s (author of Racing in the Rain) A Sudden Light, also a mysterious, somewhat supernatural novel written in 2014. I am only on chapter seven, which is scarcely into the book, as the chapters are pleasantly short.  All of these books are keeping me reading.  I am also continuing with Gary Pegoda’s Who Is Human?  on my Kindle app on my laptop.  I am definitely going to ask for a real Kindle for my birthday coming up, for the glare does not allow me to read for long periods of time.  The story just keeps getting more and more interesting, and although I cannot predict where it is going, I want to keep reading to find out.

We have been turning the house upside down and inside out, placing new furniture and moving pieces from room to room.  Our sixteen year old cat, Lena, is most upset because nothing is where it used to be (except for the granite topped table in the breakfast room and the large dining room table and assorted furniture in the dining room), and she seems somewhat disoriented and confused.  As long as she has her “box”, food and water bowls, and a window next to the window seat to look out of, I think she will be fine.

The PWR ladies met last Sunday (I was too exhausted to do a Sunday (Evening) Post last week because we had such a good time, and although our numbers were small, we had a lovely visit, and we were able to send attendees home with sandwiches for husbands for supper and various baggies full of “snacks” for the coming week.) It was a matter of quality time, and considering that it was Memorial Day Weekend and many had family plans, I was especially pleased.  Everyone took home some books to read, and a couple brought books to loan and magazines for my Bookworm Club (which will meet in July)which we will use to cut up for vocabulary “projects.”

It was a good week, and the week ahead promises to hold many good things as well. I wish the same for you and yours.

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9 responses to “Sunday (Evening) Post”

  1. readerbuzz Avatar
    readerbuzz

    I’m glad you had a good get-together. It is always nice to talk books and eat together.

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      We talked about many more than the three books chosen for this quarter. I recommended several you posted on Readerbuzz.

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      1. readerbuzz Avatar
        readerbuzz

        I’m glad. Wish I could have been there.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. sjhigbee Avatar
    sjhigbee

    My goodness, it sounds like a busy week, Rae! Your books, as ever, all sound fascinating. A Sudden Light, in particular, snagged my attention, though the novel about the immigrant’s efforts to achieve a better life for themselves and their families also sounds an engaging read. Installing new furniture is always an undertaking if you’ve been in a house for a while, I hope your cat soon settles down with the new floor plan. We are currently busy working on the garden and trying to show it some love as it has been somewhat neglected the last few years.
    Your book club meeting last Sunday sounds delightful – I hope you have a busy fulfilling week, though knowing you, that’s more or less a given:).

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      I worked in my flowerbeds too, but with it 85+ degrees after 10 am most days, I almost prefer pulling weeds in the humid days with light rain. At least the weeds are looser and don’t pull back quite as hard. I came back from Lake Jackson, Tx yesterday (Saturday) with ginger, air potatoes, four-o’clocks, and a few other plants to plant along the fence. The woman who gave them to me warned that they would “take over”, but that is exactly what I am hoping for. Our hibiscus (red, hot pink, and yellow) are blooming profusely, and the verbena is taking over the side flower bed. I have ornamental cabbages as big as a big man’s head, and one is so heavy, it is “lying down” but still rooted in the ground. We have Mexican Heather, Mexican Sage, and Butterfly weed which are blooming in both the large side yard and the smaller front yard. Our knockout roses which we planted in honor/memory of my Mother-in-Law has four blooms and a bud in a rosy-rose color, which looks great alongside the pinks and lavenders of the flowers (I don’t know the names) alongside the front of the house. I guess you could say we are “blooming idiots,” all of which I attribute to the days of sunshine and alternating thundershowers. It sometimes feels like a sauna “out there,” but the plants love it. Sometimes the cars will slow down as they pass. I never know if they’re seeing if there’s anything new in the LFL or looking at the plants.

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      1. sjhigbee Avatar
        sjhigbee

        It sounds utterly gorgeous, Rae. Our garden has descended into something of a jungle after a couple of years of neglect – but we are taking steps to retrieve it! I have one of the main beds organised, we are in the process of painting the new garden swing and have replaced the reed screen at the front which is a HUGE improvement. We will get there!

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      2. Rae Longest Avatar
        Rae Longest

        This morning we planted four o’clocks, laid out air potatoes (beautiful heart shaped leaves) and have several “clumps of ginger to put in whenever. We have kept things in buckets of water since Saturday (Today is Mon.) and the rain keeps filling the buckets to overflowing. I’m not sure if we’re planting the plants or baptizing them!

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  3. Herminia Avatar
    Herminia

    All those books sound interesting.

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      And another interesting one came in from the library this morning (Monday) and a friend texted me she was bringing a signed copy of a friend’s book for me from the NY Convention. I’d better quit typing and get to reading!

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