BALLOONS!

As opposed to that pink gorilla in the neighborhood used car lot, the time of year when it's not only acceptable but downright exciting to see giant inflatables in shapes of bunnies and popcorn boxes took place at Forest Park's annual Balloon Glow.

Hot air balloons were once again roped down and lit up, offering glorious views and a chance to step right up to these beautifully simplistic early flying machines. It's a short and very popular event, pretty busy with the beautiful weather this year. Yet once you hear the blow of the air horn and the roar of the burner flames, the warm glow of the balloons makes you feel like a kid again.

If you've never been or just missed it this year, put it on your calendar for next September, it's a free event that's definitely fun for all ages.

Gone Girl

I just finished reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and I'll admit I had a hard time putting it down. The dialogue was well written, quick and witty. The concept promising, a thriller told by two unreliable, neurotic, narrators with potentially deadly secrets they wanted to hide from the reader as well as each other.

But (there's always a but, right?) the minute after I finished it, I felt a little cheated.

Move over Amy.

So psychological intrigue paired with witty dialogue, what's my problem?

By the end, I had a hard time believing in some of the characters' motivations and found some of their games to be a bit flimsy. For example, would it be as easy as reading a few love letters to start to fall back in love with someone that you think is framing you for their murder? I guess maybe you have to be truly insane to understand the possibility.

Or at least a bit insane to think that hard about it, ha.

In the end, I'd recommend it being worth the quick read. It was certainly thrilling enough to keep me coming back for more.