It is still 100 degrees in So Cal and yet, all I can think about is scary reading and comfort food. For the scary reading part, I am participating in the IT Along which is a read-along of epic clown proportions. It’s a lot more fun this time around because the group that lured me into it seems to be having way too much fun with it. Way too much. Trust me.

I like IT for numerous reasons but what I like most of all, is that it’s really a very simple story. Bad things happen to kids. Other kids stop IT. Then it comes back. Kids return as grown-ups, to see if they can stop IT again. I am listening to the audio which is so well done, yet utterly terrifying! It’s read by Steven Weber. You might remember him from the TV show, Wings. Anyway, he is such an unassuming guy but I am telling you, I get chills while listening to this one.

I just hit the halfway mark and it’s been fun talking about it on Twitter and scaring each other with clown pics and the like, but it’s made me want to re-visit some of King’s other books too, primarily The Shining. I need to get ready for the sequel due out next year.

On Friday we hit the lake for their “Movies on the Lake” and it was our first time going even though they have been doing it for years. Here’s a summary of how it all went down:

• Found out they were showing The Hunger Games.
• We went to dinner, and decided last minute to check it out.
• Once there, The Girl said she had a headache.
• The Boy pitched a fit and left to sit in the car. Apparently he had other things he needed to do. AKA, phone was dead.
• 20 minutes in, The Girl is hungry. We just had dinner.
• 10 minutes later, we smell a skunk.
• The Boy returns. The skunk sprayed near the car. The Boy was forced to come back.
• The Girl cries when Rue dies but laughs when someone else dies.
• The Boy wants to leave again.
• A bright light begins to really annoy me.
• The movie ends.
• Start the car. Click click click.
• Battery is dead. Are you kidding me???
• The Girl cries. The rest of us yell at each other.
• No jumper cables. WTF?
• A nice guy and his wife take pity on us and help us out.
• The End.

UGH.

How was the movie? Truthfully, not very good but the idea of seeing a movie, outside on a lake was enough to make it worthwhile to me.

This week is audition week so we will be very busy. The Girl and Boy have been practicing. We’ll see how it goes. I know The Boy knows what to do. It’s his 12th show so he ought to, but The Girl… it is her 3rd show and she is still a little gun-shy when it comes to auditions. She has no problem once she has the part and is in front of an audience, but they audition in front of judges AND peers and I think it’s the latter that she has a problem with. Please send good performance thoughts for Tuesday and Wednesday. I’d appreciate it!

Now for the soup. I was craving tortilla soup so I am making a huge pot of it now. There is no recipe. I toss all sorts of stuff into it. Sometimes even enchilada sauce or cream cheese but today’s soup is pretty traditional (chicken, cilantro, good stock, tomatoes, tortilla strips) topped with avocado and cheese. YUM! We will be eating this all week, I’m sure. Even when it’s 100 degrees I still crave soup every now and then. I’m a soup girl!

Well, I am off to read Blackberry Winter and finish off the soup. Hope you are having a good Sunday!

BTW…for those wondering, the Otter Pup’s broken tooth is out and she is all better! Thanks for sending us good thoughts.