I picked up some books at Goodwill a couple weeks ago and already finished them, darnit. I have carved out opportunities to read, and run out of books again.

What I’ve read since March:

Object of Beauty by Steve Martin: I actually liked this, it had a lot of interesting stuff about the art world, though I can’t say I related to any of the characters, and I did sometimes hear it in Steve Martin’s voice. Yes, same guy.

The Hunger Games: I bought this because miraculously Goodwill had one copy. I’d promised that I would only read it if I didn’t have to pay much to do so. It was $2. I enjoyed it and finished in three days. It is what it is, a very unique and compelling YA story (by that I mean it is unique for a YA novel, not that it is in and of itself unique — the story has been told before in “The Running Man,” “The Long Walk,” “The Lord of the Flies,” “Battle Royale,” etc). Not sure that I want to read the other ones, maybe I’ll wait to get them secondhand, too.

Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler: I got this because I had read one or two of the author’s other books. It’s about a wife and mother who one day decides to leave her family while they are all on vacation, and start a whole new life. Interesting story and really well written, though I didn’t particularly care for the ending.

Now what. Well, Freya finally goes back to preschool tomorrow, so Audrey and I can make another thrift store run.

Our kitchen remodel also starts tomorrow: replacing the window over the sink with a new, modern vinyl window, and also removing the other window and covering with siding, sheetrock, insulation, drywall. A wasted wall repaired and turned into useful space.