In like a lion, out like a....

I don't know went wrong this winter, but March is certainly not going to end quietly in my neck of the woods, and I would not use the phrase "out like a lamb" to describe the weather we've been having lately.  Luckily, I am headed to Richmond this weekend to visit family, including my brand new baby cousin!

via jellycat

I would like to snuggle up with her and this funny guy...

via amazon.com

...and read this book (even if I'm the only one paying attention). 

Starting Over

Remember my new years resolution to read more?  Remember this?  Well, it all went downhill as I got further into Little Bee.  Turns out, the basis for the story is incredibly sad.  As my only real down-time for reading is right before bed, and considering I've developed a nasty habit of overthinking books (also: tv shows, movies, stories I've read online, etc.), I decided to leave Little Bee for another time--say, perhaps, when I'm on a tropical vacation, sipping a margarita, looking at the world through rose-colored glasses.

Instead, I picked up the newest book by my all-time favorite author, Atul Gawande. 

Aside from being a surgeon at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, he's a New Yorker contributor and and author of two previous books about health care.  His most recent book, The Checklist Manifesto, looks at the use of the simple checklist in complex settings (like hospitals).  So far, it's awesome.  You can read the introduction and first chapter here.

P.S. If you like watching "Mystery Diagnosis" and don't get grossed out too easily, this is the article that got me hooked on Atul Gawande and sparked my interest in medicine.

Simple Sewing

Happy Sunday!  What have you been up to this weekend?  We've been having lazy mornings and productive afternoons in Portland.  I rediscovered my love of Grey's Anatomy, after a three year hiatus, and am getting wrapped up in the drama once more.  I've also justified my multiple-episode-mornings by convincing myself that watching medical dramas is one way of preparing to one day be a clinician myself (heh heh).  

Aside from catching up on the Izzie-George drama of Season 6, I also had a chance to take my brand new sewing machine for a test run.  I got this model for Christmas, and so far it is awesome!  My first project is a set of napkins (I'm starting slow here), and I've been using my all-time favorite sewing book for guidance:  Simple Sewing, by Lotta Jansdotter.  

All of her patterns are quick and easy, but also very cute and functional.  I love this gardening tote!

The Little Bee

I just started reading Little Bee.  I'm excited to continue because I have no idea what it's about! 

Instead of a blurb about the story on the back of the book, there is a plea to readers to please not give away the story to friends once they've finished reading.  I think it's a cute idea.  I guess I'll keep my mouth shut about it until I find someone else who's read it!