Shackleton's Stowaway

Today I finished a great book called Shackleton's Stowaway. 

I got this at the library when I was getting any and all of their Shackleton books. I knew I wanted it after I started reading the library copy, so I got one I could write in a little bit. I underlined things I liked, and I also put the page numbers of parts I liked in the back page of the book with a note about the quote, so I can look there and then go to the page quickly rather than thumb through the pages to try and find parts I underlined. So here are my favorite parts:

On page 34 talking about time alone by the ocean: "If the weather was fair and the ship was on a steady course, there was time to just sit and think and watch the ocean. There was nothing in the world like this feeling. It was sort of lonely, but not in a bad way. He felt partly sad, partly happy, longing for something, but wanting nothing. He knew he was one tiny person in one small ship in the middle of an enormous ocean, but it was the right place to be." 

Two parts from page 104-105 - When you're in a funk, write it out! Perce's journal is in quotes
  "Sometimes I hate this ship! I am the stupidest person alive for stoning away! I want to run off across the ice and keep going and not look back. Sometimes I hate everyone here, even Billy. Well, not him so much. Just seeing him all the time. The same faces and the same smelly socks in the same old jokes. I want to see girls and Sunday ribbons – yellow, blue, pink, green. I belong for color. I want to eat color, I hate everyone. Well not the dogs. I love the dogs. And Mrs chippy. But everyone else--yes! I hate them all!
  "Sometimes the dark feels evil. Like a live thing out there, wanting to get you. Or a monster. It is always out there and nothing we can do about it. Everything is just dark, dark, dark. I know the Earth is still turning. I know the sun will come back one day. But sometimes I can’t believe it. I can’t remember sunlight."
  It felt good to write all that. It was like opening a window in a stuffy room and letting fresh air in. With the fresh air came better memories. Perce took up the pencil and wrote some more.
  "But then I’m on the night watch and the Boss comes and sits with me and talks. Just ordinary talk. Like he isn’t the boss and I’m not nobody. He remembers how I have five brothers and ask questions about them. He has eight sisters. He asks why I first went to see what else I want to do in my life. I don’t know that. I don’t know much beyond this for now. But just because he asks, I think there might be something. So then I don’t hate everyone anymore. I don’t want to run off across the ice. I believe the sun will come out again and the ice will melt and Endurance will sale free again. So maybe things are really all right."

page 150-151 "Sometimes you just pretend. Sometimes, though, the pretending makes you believe again."

page 154 is a long passage that I liked. They were on day 3 of a terrible blizzard, and he thinks about back home and says "Every ordinary day I ever lived now seems exotic and wonderful."

I teared up when I read about Shackleton and Wild meeting again after months apart, after Shackleton's ocean journey to South Georgia Island and then his 4 attempts to get back to Elephant Island to rescue the men left there. It is a really good book. I want to share it with the kids and have them all read it, or read it to them. I highly recommend. It made me keep my trials in perspective, and also know it's ok to have hard days and be in a funk, cause sometimes things really are hard! And sure, I'm not stuck in Antarctica, but it's still hard too. No one gets to escape or avoid a mortal experience. (Julie Beck quote). Some people's trials are harder than others, but we're all being stretched. 

It looks like Abi might have been stretched last night and had a hard night sleep? I got a laugh when I saw Katharine's feet this morning and wondered how Abi slept? Cause it looks like Katharine must have been laying down on her neck.

I didn't go to temple this morning cause I forgot to schedule appt last week when we were on spring break, and when I checked last night and this morning it was all full. So instead I made oatmeal. 

Peter and Daniel played at Evan's house right after school today. I walked down to get Daniel at 5:30 for activity days. I walked him over to the church, because Abi had the car (she took Sophi and some friends to the thrift store). They went on a hike to Rocky Mouth.

Owen didn't go on the hike cause he wanted to go to soccer practice. 

I took Owen to that at 6:15 then drove up to Lisa Falls, went on a walk up the canyon while he was at soccer practice. I finished my hike and got back a little bit late to get him at 7:35. So I'm in a bit of a funk and I think the reason is because I'm always planning on begin interrupted, so I just don't bother getting started on anything that I can't walk away from. It's ok to feel frustrated and in a funk even though I'm totally doing what I want by having a large family. I know I'm doing good and important things with my children. It was good to be out on a walk though and take a breather. Here's a view of the ruins from up higher on the trail.

I love where we live. Glad I'm not in Antarctica.