Bee's Business

Now that I am getting back to my blog, (oh, how I've missed it!) there is so much I want to write about: money triumphs, troubles, family issues, upcoming trips, finishing an old trip report, the list goes on and on. However, this post won't be about any of that.

This post is about a book that I read last week. Yes, my favorite thing. A book that won't let you go. And this book will probably never let me go. Ah, my favorite kind.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave is an amazing flower that is so steeped in the real world that it will not matter that it is a work of fiction. When I first read the back cover of the advanced reader, I was skeptical. The blurb suggested that if I read it, I would want to tell everyone about it. Then it asks you to not tell too much about the book. But, these book jacket promises don't always deliver. This one delivered and oh, I want to tell you absolutely everything. I'm just bursting!

Originally published in the UK as The Other Hand, this advanced reader was handed to me by another manager who was also just bursting. As I read it, we had a few conversations where she was very guarded. In fact, every conversation began with, "So, how much do you know?" Its a very adept way to talk about this book when someone hasn't finished it. But, you still have to be very careful. Last night, I recommended it to one of my booksellers. I can't wait to see her again so that I can ask the same question.

I know, you're thinking, but what about the book! Get back to the book. But, really I can't tell you much. But, I will tell you a little. And, I'll give you a link to the author's website posting of the first chapter.

Little Bee is a Nigerian refugee. But it is not just her story. It also belongs to a highly successful London magazine editor and the people who populate her world. The relationships between these characters are intense, special, and real. We get gripping narration from both sides of the story.

The story begins in the middle, and the past is woven into the future so that each petal of steel is revealed slowly. But, as the beautiful flower is opened, handle it carefully, the truthful ugliness is not just in the thorns.

And that's it. That's all I'm going to say about the book. But, know this, when I am at work, I will be saying it over and over and over. Chris Cleave deserves to have this book on every bestseller list out there. You can bet I'm going to do my part.

Oh, and one last thing. If you seek out more reviews of Little Bee, please be careful. You really, really, really don't want spoilers and there are many out there.

Dare I say... Routine?

Do I dare say it? We may be establishing a routine? This whole preschool thing has turned us upside down and inside out. But, we're on our fourth week, and we had a good day.

Okay, so I haven't spoken with his morning teacher, but I am declaring it a good day. Why? Because he didn't go to the office today! Hooray! No horrible, Hitler's mommy feeling when I went to pick him up!

Seriously, I have felt so down and depressed with this whole preschool thing. And it wasn't all about missing my Hooter Bear. Sure, I missed him horribly, especially while I was on vacation last week and home all day. But, what was getting to me was that dread pit in my stomach when I went to get him every day.

I would get so horribly rattled by the things that they would tell me:
Hoot hit his teacher.
Hoot told his teacher he was "gonna get her fired!"
Hoot ran with scissors. (Yes, really.)
Hoot poked a kid in the eye.
Hoot slapped at the pregnant teacher.
Hoot wouldn't stop barking. (I never got up the guts to ask if it was a Chihuahua bark or Bolt's Super Bark.)
Hoot had to take his shoes off because he wouldn't stop kicking the door while in the office.
Really, this list could go on and on.

Then, I got in trouble for not signing him in one morning. That really got to me. I mean, I'm not stupid. I run a five million dollar business. I am an intelligent adult. I successfully got him to school, helped him put away his things, told the teacher good morning, got a progress report, then kissed and hugged my love goodbye and left. *sigh*

I know it is all still new, but I felt a little hope this afternoon. There were papers in his box, and they showed very promising work. He hadn't gone to the office. He was polite and in a good mood. Yeah, it felt really good.

Oh, then I followed through with my desperation promise: I returned the power cord to the Game Cube. Yeah, I know. Desperate times, desperate measures. I hated it the whole time they played because Hoot becomes so dang obsessed. But, sometimes you have to take a horrible thing, throw it in the forge, then pound it against an anvil until it becomes something good. It is hot sweaty work, but I guess I can live with it.

Now maybe I can start getting control back into the other areas of my life.