Susie Monday . El Cielo Studio

The last three days we've spent several hours a day kayaking, walking, dipping into the surf. Relaxation for the mind, body and spirit. What's on the reading list:

Martha Beck's The Four Day Win, an interesting and convincing "anti-diet" book by a Harvard-trained life coach. I'm tryiug out the Four Day Win practise. More about this strategy for change later.

Sue Monk Kidd's First Light, a compilation of her early writing, mostly for Guideposts magazine. (on audio in the car)

 John Sandford's Invisible Prey, a mystery thriller by  this best-selling author  -- the first of his I've read, and so far, this one about two vicious murderers who are also art thieves, is a great beach read.

Keith A. Arnold and George Kennedy's Birds of Texas, a new field guide, since I can't manage to remember to bring any of the seven birding field guides I have at home (real truth: field guides of all stripes are among my favorite affordable luxuries)

I'm a dip in-and-out reader and like to have a several things in different genres going at once.I beg that you share your favorites as we've just canceled the TV satellite service. (DirecTV wanted to charge me  $100 to remount the dishes after we put gutters on the house. Why a company will give you free service for new accounts, even free service if you move to a new house and then want to charge for the same service to a longtime customer, I don't get. When I called back to cancel, they  did offer to move the dishes for free -- too bad, by then, we'd decided we don't watch enough TV and would rather have the $ for something else. I subscribed to Netflix and paid for an out-of-county library card -- there's a new branch on my usual path) and I guess I'll find someone to tape Top Chef and Project Runway or get them on tape!)