Apologies for the delay in posting this; I know I told everyone who's participating to try and do it before the holidays but we have both been extremely busy lately.
-Welcome Erin! Please tell us, which part of the world do you call home?
I live in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada. I grew up here, beside the Pacific Ocean, with snow-capped mountains all around. I'm so lucky! Come visit me at Pughs' News to read more about my life here.
(Erin and her boys in London this summer)
(Erin enjoying a glass of wine outdoors)
-What do most of your weekdays look like?
I get up way too early every morning, and somehow manage to get everyone organized, dressed, fed and out the door on time, including me (only problem is, I often forget to feed myself!) I drop my husband off at the bus stop, my little one at his preschool and then take my older son to kindergarten. He goes to the school where I teach, so once he's at school, I'm at work too (I work three days a week). Isn't that handy? Once in a while, we have enough time to drive through Starbucks and pick up a latte that I'll drink at my desk. Those are the really great days! I get to relax a bit while I'm in my library, but at 3:30 or 4, I'm in the van and on the go again, running errands, picking kids up, and heading home to make dinner and get a fire going (it gets awfully chilly here in the winter!) I try to read with the kids, and do art activities with them before or after dinner. Then it's time for baths, pajamas and several bedtime stories. My husband gets home around this time and helps me tuck the kids into bed. Then I head for the gym (3 nights a week). I'm usually there for an hour, and then I head back home to have a shower and start packing backpacks and lunches for the next day. When all that's done, I sit down with a cup of tea and try to write on my blog for a bit, write a letter, or maybe read a book or watch a tv show with my husband. Needless to say, I go to bed way too late every night...
(Erin and her husband)
- As I've told you before, I love your job as a school librarian. What do you like most about it?
I think my favourite part is shopping for books! There's nothing better than spending the afternoon in the bookstore, picking out stacks of wonderful children's books, and then charging them to someone else's account! I also really love the excitement on the kids' faces when they see a title arrive on my "New Books" display shelf that they've been waiting for!
-Which are some of your favourite children's books?
Growing up I loved the Betsy-Tacy series, Anne of Green Gables, the Narnia books, A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. I still love all of them, and can now add Harry Potter to my list. Children's books are still my favourite kind of books to read.
- What are you reading these days? Can you recommend a couple of books you've really enjoyed?
Right now I'm reading The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. It's a strange story, but I'm really enjoying it. I just finished The Hunger Games Trilogy. It was intense, and rather disturbing, but I couldn't put it down. Next up I'll be re-reading Water for Elephants, for my book club. A few books I always recommend are And God Created the Au Pair (hilarious!) and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (lovely historical novel). Both are written in the form of letters. I love letters!
( Parliament buildings in dowtown Victoria)-How do you usually spend your weekends? What are some of the things you do as a family?
We go grocery shopping as a family every weekend. We work out in the yard (we have a big garden), and try to catch up on a few household chores. We like to take walks and go for bike rides. The four of us usually go to Starbucks on Saturday evening for a drink and a treat.
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-How does your family celebrate Christmas? Any traditions you'd like to share?
We love Christmas! We celebrate with lots of lights and decorations, baking of traditional treats (like gingerbread men and shortbread cookies, chocolate rumballs and butter tarts) and getting together with family and friends. Christmas dinner is always an enormous extravaganza with at least 20 people! My sister does a movie night at her house where her husband projects a classic like White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life (my all-time favourite feel-good film!) onto a big screen. We eat popcorn and goodies and get all weepy and sentimental. It's great. On Christmas Eve, we sing carols loudly, with the windows open, so the elves can hear how festive we are and toss candies into the room. It is a completely magical time of the year. I adore it.
(Her little boy on the beach)Thank you so much Erin; it was great getting to know you a little better; and thank you for all the beautiful pictures.
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I think if I ever get tired of teaching, I may become a reporter; this was such fun!
xxx
5 comments:
Thanks for having me over, Yiota! I imagined us chatting about all this over a cup of tea... and it was great fun.
I'll publish your interview just as soon as I can. Right now I've got about a million cookies to bake!
that was very interesting. i would love to work among books all day :) off to check erin's blog.
Great - and you'd make a good reporter. Afraid my partner and I have let this idea go and haven't been in touch much at all . Must go and see if she is still up for it.
Jane
Really nice interview, Yiota and Erin.
You've given me some ideas for interviewing Kim which will be in the New Year, I think. We've been in contact with each other but have been sidetracked by other things - like Christmas:-)
Lovely to meet you Erin! Thankyou Yiota!
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