And so a new month begins here at Austenesque Reviews! The fun and festivities of Austenesque Extravaganza have come to an end and I will soon return to my regular posts, reviews, featured authors, giveaways, etc.
This month is a special month for me as well, because it marks the start of a new chapter in my life! Some of you may already now this, but for the last four years I’ve been working as a part-time school music teacher in a private K-8 school in addition to teaching piano lessons after school. I love both jobs and I love the opportunity to work with children and instill in them a love and appreciation of music, but working both jobs has been a little tiring and stressful…
Well, after months of prayer, filling out applications, and more prayer,my wonderful husband(a.k.a. my Mr. Bingley) was offered a fantastic, new full-time job! Woot Woot! A job that will be able to replace (and far exceed) my measly teacher’s salary. I’ll say it again. Woot Woot!
And so, tomorrow is my last day as a school music teacher (for the time being). While I’ll definitely miss my little darlings that were always so well-behaved and full of enthusiasm, there are many many aspects of that job that I will NOT miss.
What will I do with all my new-found free time, you ask?
ANSWER: TONS of stuff!
- I plan to return to actually “playing” the piano. Ever since I got out of college and started working full time +, I just haven’t been able to find the time or energy to practice! You know what Lady Catherine says about practice.
- I plan to expand and improve my business. My “part-time” job of teaching piano lessons after-school has greatly expanded over the years and I now own my own studio. For the last year, I’ve only been able to put the bare minimum amount of time and energy into it. I look forward to devoting more time and creativity to my budding studio. Like Mr. Rushworth, I have a head full of ideas for improvement.
- I plan to dabble in some domesticity. My poor husband and I are four years out of college and we still live like college students! I plan to cook, bake, and play in the kitchen! (We have a crock pot that I’ve never even tried using!) Hopefully my hubby will love my cooking as much as Mr. Woodhouse loves Serle’s!
- I plan to tackle some Pinterest projects. Yes, I’ve recently discovered Pinterest (very addictive!) Crafts, DIY cleaning, home improvements, the list goes on! Sadly Mrs. Reynolds does not reside here, so I must attend her duties for her.
- I plan to READ and BLOG! I know I already am doing this, but I plan to do it in greater quantities! Thinking about adopting Marianne’s strategy “to divide every moment between music and reading.”
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Speaking about blogging…here is what is on this month’s Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO REVIEW ~
Read all of these during Austenesque Extravaganza, but haven’t finished writing the reviews!
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
~ TO READ AND REVIEW (if time) ~
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
October 26th – Christina Dudley
What do you think? Should be a fun month, eh?
What Austenesque novels are you planning to tackle this month?
Congratulations! I know you must have been tired from all that plus this blog. You should post some of your piano playing here. I love symphonies and classical music, wish I could play them. 🙂
This blog has been my solace the last three years! So many days during the week do I look forward to winding down and ending my day working on reviews, reading other blogs, and interacting with other Austenesque readers!
I am toying with the idea of recording myself playing some Jane Austen piano music eventually…
Thank you for the kind congrats!
Well if you do play and Jane Austen you have to post it for us to hear! I think it is a law somewhere. 🙂
Congratulations to you both. I’ve always thought children’s music teachers are the most heroic, long-suffering people on earth (just judging from my own kids and the amount of “practice” they put in). Look forward to our turn this month!
I think all teachers are long-suffering, overworked, and undervalued! My dad was a school teacher for 30+ years. Seeing the way our society is going and seeing how different schools are right now, I just know I wouldn’t be able to last that long.
Looking forward to our fun project this month, Christina!
Congratulations on your career changes!! I love piano…especially classical piano. I took lessons for several years when I was young but never practiced so as an adult I can’t play at all. LOL I agree with Danielle that it would be lovely to hear some of your playing!!
I agree that Pinterest is addictive. If I could have the house and wardrobe that I have pinned, and have time to cook all the things I have pinned it would be just splendid. =D
Looking forward to your reviews!
Thank you, Stephanie!
I really love all the great ideas I am finding on Pinterst! I just love finding new uses for household projects, or inexpensive ways to re-purpose old things! It’s just brilliant!
I feel like I took a review-vacation with AE! Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things! 🙂
Congratulations on new start!
I look forward to reading your reviews:) My Austenesque plans for this month are not so big: I would like to finish reading Falling for Mr.Darcy by KaraLynne Mackrory and to read The Future Mrs.Darcy by Maria Grace.
Thank you, Oloore! 🙂 It most indeed feels like a new start!
I have not read either of those, but I definitely want to! I look forward to hearing what you think about them!
Congrats on your job changes. I also teach piano but just to my own kids. 🙂
Have you heard of For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund? It’s a YA Sci-Fi/Post-Apoc version of Persuasion that was really really good (and I don’t really like sci-fi).
Thank you, Melanie!
That’s so great that you teach piano to your children! My husband and I say we will never force music on our children (someday) but we hope they will naturally gravitate towards it!
I’ve heard really good things about Diana Peterfreund’s book! I have to admit, I’m not big into sci-fi, but all these recommendations + the fact it is about Persuasion are making me want to check it out! Thanks!
Congratulations to you and your husband, Meredith!! I’m so happy that you’ll be able to do some of the things you’ve longed to do. I taught piano lessons eons ago with three of my own small children at home – not an easy task. I wish you great success in your future endeavors.
Thank you, Jan! I’m greatly looking forward to ALL my projects! As you can see, I’m a goal-setter!
Awesome! I didn’t know you played piano! We have no little ones in our house yet, but I hope I’ll be able to continue teaching piano when they do come along! 🙂
Congratulations to both of you!! Career changes are exciting :0 Looking forward to seeing your upcoming reviews!
Thank you, JuneA! I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts about these books I’ve been reading recently! 🙂
Wow, big changes! Congratulations!
And your plans sound wonderful!
My austenesque reads planned for this month are finishing Victoria Connellys A Weekend With Mr. Darcy (I LOOOOOOOVE THIS BOOK! So much fun!) and I´d like to read Capt. Wentworths Persuasion by Regina Jeffers, Maria Hamiltons Mr. Darcy and the secret of becoming a gentleman, and I´ve been waiting to read My Dear Sophy for a while too. And than there´s real life – who knows how much I´ll get done reading ;).
Thank you, Katrin! September has been a very exciting month for us, to say the least!
Oh, I just loved AWWMD! And Regina’s book too! I hope real life doesn’t interfere too much with your reading plans! I’m not sure if my list is a little too over-ambitious or not. Oh well, there is always next month! 😉
This is awesome news for you. My piano sits idle too- sadly. Enjoy and I hope you are able to achieve many of your goals.
Thank you, Sophia Rose! My piano gets played more by my students than it does me, but I hope to change that soon!
Best wishes to you! I wish I had learned how to play piano. I was one of the few people in the band in high school that didn’t know how. I’d love to hear some of your playing – maybe Jane or some lovely Austenesque will inspire you to compose something! 😉
I’m 100 pgs into Dear Mr Darcy, right now and will be reading Pulse And Prejudice soon, along with Pride & Pyramids and There Must Be Murder. That’s my plan, anyway.
Thanks, Monica! LOL! I do have the sheet music for P&P 2005, so maybe…one day… LOL!
I hope you are enjoying Dear Mr. Darcy! I sure did! What a great line-up! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Congrats on all your new beginnings Meredith!
may you be greeted with success [or perseverence!] in every effort… 🙂
austenesque? waiting for the ‘Becoming Jane’ movie i’ve requested from the library.. just completed Lori Smith’s ‘A Walk with Jane Austen’.. and have also requested Jon Spence’s ‘Becoming Jane Austen’ book.. 🙂 ahhhh Autumn !
Thank you, Sharon! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen BJ. I need to rewatch it! Have fun reading! Isn’t Autumn just wonderful!
Oh Meredith I’m so happy for you! Congrats on the new adventures for you both. As I recently learned my mother took piano lessons and it was one of her most cherished memories. That was 85 years ago or so. I just can’t imagine. I wondered why she and my grandparents were so keen for me to take organ lessons. I never did get good at it. So I had my girls take organ lessons too – boy that was brief. smiles. Finally just gave my organs away that I inherited. No one wants a full size organ anymore. I do love music however. Lots of different kinds. I keep hip hopping about in my reading. Just finished “The Garden Intrigue” and “The Girl in the Gatehouse” and started “All Roads Lead to Austen” (hmmm along with a couple others which shall remain nameless until I’m done). So I’m hoping to finish what I’ve started.
oh Suzan – i’ve been looking for that Girl in the Gatehouse! do you review or will you say how you liked it ?…
Thank you, suzan! I hope all my students feel like your mother did one day! The organ is an instrument I know little about! I think the foot pedals must be something that takes a long time to get used to!
How was the Girl in the Gatehouse? I’m interested in reading more by Julie Klassen. I hope you are enjoying ALRTA!!! It’s fun to travel!
I usually put something about how I liked it on Goodreads and sometimes amazon. I haven’t put together what I want to say about it. But let me just say I’d read it over in a heartbeat. I took it with me on my travel to CO so I didn’t get to take any sticky note notes. I enjoyed it very much. Probably next to the Silent Governess for me or very close and that speaks highly for it.
Meredith – Mr. bingley I love it. I think I’d prefer a Bingley to a Darcy any day. I’d like a Bingley myself.
I forgot to put that of the 5 I’ve read my favorites have been “The Maid from Fairbourne Hall”, ” The Girl in the Gatehouse”, and “The Silent Governess”. I don’t often give 5 stars to anything (for one reason or another). I have a couple of these. I like the mystery, romance, personal circumstances in each is different and are relevant in any time period I think, and it usually takes until very close to the end to figure out who really is responsible for what. No dirty words, no sex, no vulgarity but still has a great plot. I checked out from the library “The Girl in the Gatehouse”. I couldn’t afford to buy it just yet. At least that way I satisfied that longing before I decided to purchase it for real. 🙂
Whoo Hoo!! Way to go, Meredith! I’m almost done with my Doctor Who binge, and then I plan on reading again. I haven’t read in a month – that’s a long time for me!
Thank you, Angie! I hope Howie is doing better! Looking forward to hearing what you are reading soon!
Sounds amazing! I can’t wait to come back and see many new reviews for new books 🙂 I feel like I should be reading a lot than just a textbook. 😛
Thank you! I hope your midterms went well! I hope you get a chance to read for pleasure soon! 🙂
Oh, Merry, this all sounds so exciting! I’m so happy for you and your husband. You will be the perfect homemaker, and I totally agree with you – both about practicing piano and Pinterest. It’s easy to spend a couple of hours on there without ever knowing where the time went.
I’m looking forward to reading more of your blogging, and I hope to provide you with another book to read by Christmas.
Enjoy your new life!
Thank you, Robin! You are so sweet! It is such an exciting change! Monday morning is sure going to feel weird!
Oohh! By Christmas! How exciting! 😉
Great Blog Meredith!! So, so happy for you. When we women can, meaning when it’s possible and life, money, careers, education, children, etc.aren’t eating up all of our time, nothing is more enjoyable than taking care of our sweet hubbys. Trust me, he will love your cooking. A fun October ahead. I really looking forward to it. C.
Thank you, Cynthia! I soooo agree! I’m looking forward to being the kind of wife I want to be for my hubby! Of the two of us, he is the better cook – but I hope to teach him a new thing or two! 😉
Congratulations to both you and your husband! Very exciting changes for you! I wish you all the best.
I just finished Find Wonder in All Things, then I think I’ll start on P&P: A Royal Disposition, Pulse & Predujice, Edenbrooke, The Secret Keeper, My Dear Sophy…, I have more, but I don’t think I’ll get through them all in Oct!
Thank you, Candy!
What a great line up you have this month! You, Monica, and I are all planning to read Pulse and Prejudice, and Jakki just finished it – it should be fun to compare notes!
Not sure if I’ll get through all my books either – you may see them here again on my November update! 😉
Congratulations to you and your husband, Meredith! What an exciting time for both of you. It sounds like you’re finally about to embark on doing something you love, and I’m very happy for you. To have the opportunity to do things that makes you happy (whether it’s blogging, baking, or teaching) is something you can’t put a price on.
Can’t wait for you to read all your new reviews. Oh, and break out that crock pot (best. invention. ever.)!
Heather
Thank you, Heather! It will definitely be a new chapter for both of us! Very excited!
LOL! Let me know if you have any good (and easy) crock pot tips or recipes! 😉
Congratulations to you and your husband, Meredith! Teaching is a rewarding job, but it will be wonderful for you to have some more time to explore all your talents. I’m so happy for you-wishing you every success in your endeavours.
Thank you, Jane! I’m much more enjoy the teaching environment for private lessons rather than in a school! Plus I get to be my own boss! 😉 Thank you for your kind and lovely words!
Meredith, HUGE congratulations on such wonderful news for you and your hubby!!! I’m thrilled you’ll get to do more of what you love :).
BTW, my husband and I got a crock pot for our wedding and it was YEARS before we ever used it. Now? We make a meal with it about once per week…it’s a really great cooking tool and makes tasty stews with very little effort!
I’m so happy for you, Meredith, as you and your husband start this exciting new chapter! It’s fantastic that you’ll have more time to focus on the things that tend to fall by the wayside when there’s just too much to do (I have to note that my last day teaching was definitely one of the happiest-to-date for me, but I do still love the one-on-one of tutoring).
And, to top it off, this is such an excellent time of year to be diving into more cooking, baking, etc. Bring on the apples and pumpkins! 🙂
How very cool, Meredith! I have a soft spot in my heart for piano teachers — loved mine when I was young and my own mom happens to be a music teacher, too! Good luck as you focus more on that.
I’m also very flattered that you’re reading My Dear Sophy during this busy month! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
P.S. I will also eat anything pumpkin! Have fun cooking 🙂