The Nancy Drew inventory

Just for fun, and because lately two different people have asked me, I thought I would inventory my Nancy Drew collection.

"Blue covered Nancy Drews:" The blue-covered Nancy Drews were published between 1930-1961. They are pretty hard to find. I have two of them. I wish I could find more!

The Ringmaster's Secret 1953

 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm 1936

"Yellow Nancy Drews:" Beginning in 1962, the Nancy Drews did not come with a dust jacket, and the spines are yellow. These are easy to spot and can be found at yard sales, junk shops, antique stores, etc.

The Secret of the Old Clock (1) 1959

The Mystery at Lilac Inn (4) 1987

The Clue in the Diary (7) 1987

The Sign of the Twisted Candles (9) 1968

Password to Larkspur Lane (10) 1966

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (13)- 2 copies: 1936, 1974

The Clue in the Jewel Box (20) 1972

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (22) 1973

Mystery of the Tolling Bell (23) 1973

The Clue in the Old Album (24) 1947

The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (26) 1949

The Secret of the Wooden Lady (27) 1967

The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (36) 1959

The Moonstone Castle Mystery (40) 1963

The Mystery of the 99 Steps (43) 1966

The Secret of Mirror Bay (49) 1972

The Secret of the Forgotten City (52) 1975

The Sky Phantom (53) 1976

The Thirteenth Pearl (56) 1979

My favorite Nancy Drew book is #13, The Mystery of the Ivory Charm. I'm not sure why- I've just always loved it! I have three copies that James bought on eBay for me a few years ago. Two yellow spines and the coveted 1936 blue-tweed cover.

I think today is the first day I've been able to fathom the thought that I might make it through this semester. The "side job" of research assistant is taking up all my time. But I just turned in one of the last drafts yesterday so hopefully all that will be over soon. I had been working out really hard this semester and then suddenly, my knee started feeling weird. Last Wednesday in boot camp, we crawled across the floor and spun and raced and jumped---and that's when my knee started hurting. I ignored it. I worked out on Thursday and Friday, and then I ran all the way to the lake and back on Sunday. Then I started thinking the knee thing might not go away, and maybe I should not have run on it. Monday I did boot camp and walked a mile, Tuesday I did weight lifting class and a little cardio BUT ON ONE LEG ONLY...by that afternoon I was convinced I'd hurt myself (it takes me this long to think about things). So I began icing and heating the knee, I bought a complicated knee brace. I skipped boot camp yesterday, I'm skipping Zumba today (but I went to Tai Chi!) and I have a request in for an appointment with my doctor. My sister Erin has had knee trouble before and now I really, really sympathize with her. I can do just about anything with a hurt shoulder or back, but I can't even walk with this knee! I am bummed about gaining back the weight I've lost, and undoing all the fantastic endurance I'd built up. I'm scared, too. And frustrated. I'm in the best shape I've been in for years and now THIS.

Running

I would go over to my Grandmother's house after school and go on a long run with my dad down Bartholomew Road.  He'd say, "You're lucky to be so young, it takes you a couple of days to get in shape. It takes me weeks!" He was younger than I am now.

Alice-and-Me

Lost one way or the other after you fell, did you pick up the pieces that scattered when you broke against the wall? Here a thumb, an eyelash, half of a wrist. If you drown in someone else's tears, is that murder or suicide? Here's a splinter of bone, a pink slice of your brain- how can you be walking without all these parts? A vein, looped around stubble of ivy. One lung submerged in mud. You create your own story from another tale-- Frankenstein. You become a glued-together girl with  kneecaps where your ears should be. You are a nightmare, if only you had a mirror. You decide there is no better decision for someone who breathes through her fingernails than to have to choose between falling and drowning.