To Do List:

It is a cold, grey Sunday in January which is perfect weather for getting things done! Here’s what I hope to accomplish today:

1. Take down the Christmas tree. We put it up exactly one month ago for Helen’s birthday and it has now outstayed its welcome. However, at night, in the dark, with just the colored lights from the tree, it’s magical and I hate taking that away.
2. Clean the dogs’ den (kitchen and dining room) which they have trashed yet again. Fluff and hair and parts of a magazine they “read” are all over the floor and need to be swept up.
3. Make blankets. We made huge – 108″ x 72″- blankets for my brother and my sister’s fiancée for Christmas. L’s was in Green Bay colors and M’s was in the blue and silver of Dallas. Everyone was really intrigued that we had made them and a little envious that they didn’t get one as well. We foolishly mentioned that the original  plan had been to make one for everyone but we ran out of time. When we met again for New Years, several of the family asked how their blankets were coming along. So now, we have yards and yards of fleece and two sewing machines and a serger waiting to go to work.
4. Organize and put away the fabric we bought yesterday from Fabricland. We went there on a whim yesterday and came away with some really nice material. As we get more and more into sewing, we need to keep things in order as we have a tendency to go crazy and spend lots of money and buy things we already have, because we don’t know where they are or we forget we had them in the first place. Order is needed!
5. Read. I have started The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and I am just loving it! Her style and way with words are wonderful and the story is really interesting too. Even though she jumps from England in 1900 to Australia in 1975 to Australia in 1913 to England in 2005, it doesn’t matter. I have no problem following her or the story.
6. Sit with these guys.
   

   After the bath

   We’ve taken to sitting with them every night just before we go to bed and giving them a rub down. It calms everyone down before we head upstairs. We promised them we would try to do a little more of that this weekend, so I plan to combine this with a little reading.

7. Start another blog for the store, Fragile Earth Stuffed Animals and More. In the hectic-ness of the summer and fall, our old blog got lost and then we didn’t renew the domain name so I need to start anew. There’s been a lot happening with the store and I want to get it down on paper – as it were.
8. Take pictures and list our new stock. It is unlike anything else we’ve had so far and I am so excited about it. Check back in a few days (www.feplush.com) and you’ll see what I mean!

That should be enough to get me started. What do you have planned for today?

DROOL

Seriously, this is like crack for me!

I was so excited when I went home for lunch and saw all these books waiting for me! paperbackswap.com is my new drug. You list the books you have that you are finished reading and don’t want to read again and if someone wants your books, you mail them out. For every book that arrives, you get one point which can then be used to pick up someone else’s books. If you are mailing out books, you pay the postage and anyone who’s mailing you books pays the postage on their end. It’s a great system.

You can do the same thing with movies their sister site – swapadvd.com, and to make it even better, you can transfer the points you get from movies to use for books, or vice versa. And if you have a sister who’s moving out of her apartment and has tons of movies she no longer wants and doesn’t want to deal with them and gives them to you with no strings attached, you are in heaven with all the books arriving at your door. Amanda, thank you and I will be thinking of you as I read all these treasures!

Now, I just need to find a way to earn money while reading books because I have to tell you, working 8-5 is cramping my style here!

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE by Steig Larsson

The Girl Who Played with Fire is not an easy book to read. There were parts that made me cringe. Not as much as the first book in the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but enough to make me realize that there are some seriously sick people out there. There is cursing, there is violence, there is brutality. Despite that, I really liked the book … a lot. Amongst all this inhumanity, there are good people. They’re not perfect but they stand up for those in need, even if indirectly. I like that Lisbeth Salander has a clear sense of right & wrong.  She doesn’t believe in grey areas and she’s not about to back down on her beliefs just because society tells her hers is a simplistic way of looking at life.

I got confused with the names a few times. What I thought were surnames turned out to be places and it would throw me for a second. However, my biggest problem with the book was the ending. SPOILER ALERT – IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON READING THE BOOK, SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH ….

Salander makes a great protagonist – she’s intelligent and rebellious, getting away with things I only wish I had the guts to attempt. But she’s not superwoman. I was really upset when she was shot and buried but I was okay with that ending. To have her come back, dig her way out of the grave with only one arm and a bullet in the brain was a little unbelievable.

AND WE’RE BACK…

Stieg Larsson died in 2004 just after handing in the manuscripts for his three novels. I’m interested to read the third one, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest and see how it all ends.

GRATUITOUS CAT PICTURE!

GARDEN SPELLS by Sarah Addison Allen

Last year, as I read about books on blogs, if I thought they sounded intriguing, I jotted down the title in my iPhone. At Christmas, when people asked what I wanted, I emailed them my book list. Many of the titles I’d completely forgotten but I knew something about them had to have sparked my interest when I noted them. By the end of the day, I had a lovely pile of books just waiting for me to (re)discover. Garden Spells caught my eye immediately with its apple green cover

The blurb on the back of Garden Spells states “In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small house in the smallest of towns, is an apple tree rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.”

I enjoyed this book a lot because the story line caught my interest and I got wrapped up in the characters. I always enjoy books more when I like at least one of the players and, in spite of their faults, the women of the Waverly family drew me in. Claire, the older sister, runs a catering service who is known for using flowers and plants in her dishes. She is the home-body, desperate to feel like she belongs somewhere – anywhere. Sydney is the younger sister, the one who couldn’t wait to get out and be on her own, living on the edge. When she returns to the small Southern town of her youth, she brings the next generation of Waverlys with her – her daughter Bay. And then there’s Evanelle,  Sydney and Claire’s elderly cousin, who also lives in the town.

Each of the Waverly women has a “power” – something that influences the way others think/feel/act. Claire uses the plants & flowers from her garden to enhance the dishes she creates for her catering service. Sydney, once she realizes her own profession, helps others feel better about their appearance and themselves. Bay knows where things, and people, belong. And Evanelle periodically feels the urge to give her family and neighbors things (batteries, a blouse) that might not make sense when received, but will be needed later on. They are an interesting bunch!

I think Sarah Addison Allen will grow as a writer. There are parts of the book where I wanted a little more depth in the story, in the character backgrounds, just overall. I am in the middle of her second book now and I plan to continue reading her work. It’s just that there were parts where the book felt a bit thin.

GENTLEMAN GEORGE

Before I get caught up in the hectic-ness that is my job, I wanted to post something since I haven’t managed to write anything this week. On Monday, Helen and I took our posture pictures (and no, the world just isn’t ready for that yet so they will not be posted here.) Anyway, we decided to take before, during and after shots of our weight loss attempts. The ones we just took were the befores and let me tell you – they are not pretty. But we will persevere and by the time we’re done – Goddesses, I tell you!

Anyway, George came to show his support of our venture.

Yeah, thanks for that buddy:)

I have gotten sucked into the Sword of Truth books, by Terry Goodkind. There are 11 of them in all and I am on #6 right now. Every free moment I get (lunch hour, after my shower, before I fall asleep) I’m reading these books. I have other book review posts just waiting to be written, pictures waiting to be posted, inventory waiting to be counted, and all I want to do is sit and read.

Put a book in his hands, and that could be me if I had my way. Luckily, I don’t work at home otherwise I’d never get anything done. I have no willpower when it comes to books:D However, since I do have an employer, and I am officially on his dime, I should get to work. But fear not, there are only 5 books left and then I should be done this addiction.

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY – Time is of the Essence

This week’s Booking Through Thursday questions are:

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?
(I’m guessing #1 is an easy question for everyone?)

Can there ever be enough time for reading? That’s like saying you’ve got enough books, which we all know is heresy! Real life has a nasty habit of getting in the way of my reading time, though. And, I’m embarrassed to say, I’ve been so enamored with my new toy, that I take time normally reserved for reading to play. Today is the perfect day for staying home and reading – it’s cold and wet and miserable outside, and I’m making stupid mistakes at work which just tells me I should be home reading!

2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

I would get caught up on my magazines (all two subscriptions) and then delve into comfort reading which is, for me, fiction – mostly mysteries and fantasy with some historical and young adult thrown in for good measure.

What about you? Do you have enough time to indulge in your favorite past-time, reading or otherwise?

SUMMER READING

I’m supposed to be doing some updates with pictures and I can’t find my wire to download my pics. Man I wish my camera was in sync with my computer so all I had to do was press a button and **poof** they’d appear in my photobucket account. Steve Jobs? Want to get on that as a feature for the new iPhone? Then I’d have to get one because I created one of the special features. Until then, I’ll continue the way I have been and hopefully tomorrow I will find the wire in one of my bags and bring it so I can actually move pictures.

So today, I’ll write about the book I just finished – Lean, Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich. This is the 13th book (surprise!) in the series about Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire, set in Trenton, NJ. Bumbling doesn’t even come close to describing her method of trying to catch skips (people who skip out on their bonds.) She works hand in hand with Lulu, a very large ex-ho who usually dresses in spandex a few sizes too small; Ranger, a super sexy, super dangerous bounty hunter who has a thing for Stephanie; and Joe Morelli, her on-again, off-again boyfriend who’s a Trenton cop. This time, the story revolves around Dickie Orr, Stephanie’s ex husband who, after an encounter with Stephanie, disappears and rumors start flying that she killed him.

The last in the series, Twelve Sharp, was a real let-down. It didn’t even sound like Evanovich did all the writing (she has quite a distinctive voice). I wondered if she extended herself to far and had help writing it. She has shared author credits before so it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. It was poorly enough written that it turned me off her for a while. Then, this weekend, I committed the ultimate crime. I finished my book without bringing a backup (gasp!) Luckily, I was at my parents’ house and there are plenty of books lying around. I borrowed this from sister #3′s bookshelf and whipped through it in no time. This book brings back the Janet Evanovich I know and love. The action is fast and fun and all the major, and most of the minor, characters are there. The Plum novels will never be deep, introspective literature. Instead, they are the perfect beach read – piques my interest to keep reading and find out what happens, however, if I doze in the sun, I’m not completely lost and I don’t have to go back several chapters to pick up the train of thought. So now, I have to pick up #14.

I highly recommend this one. However, if you haven’t read any of the Plum series, start at the beginning. You’re only going to enjoy them (minus the last) immensely.

R is for READING

I come from a family of readers – some read more than others but we all know to travel with a book in case you get into an accident. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents – all were readers. My parents read to us from the very beginning. I have memories of sitting with my brother (who is 10 months older than I am) with our backs against the wall, listening to my mother read Treasure Island and The Wind in the Willows and The Lost Prince. She read us picture books as well, but what we really loved were the books that had lots and lots of chapters. It was our time together and I tell parents today, if you want to create a warm and intimate time with your kids, read to them because it’s just you and them. Nothing else intrudes for that time. As my brothers and sisters joined the family, the reading continued, never diminishing because there was a younger child included. My parents believed that everyone would get something from the story, even if it was just an appreciation of the language of the book.

I learned to read for myself when I was three – almost four. The first book I read all by myself was Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats. I think I still have that copy – falling apart but still near and dear to my heart! From then on, I never looked back. I loved reading the Raggedy Anne and Andy stories and Uncle Wiggly. I devoured books my mother read as a child – The Live Dolls in Wonderland and anything and everything I could find by E Nesbit and Enid Blyton. One of the best series was the Adventure series (Mystery Island, The Castle of Adventure, The Sea of Adventure, and so on). They are out of print now but my sister surprised me by finding them on ebay and giving them to me for Christmas one year. I have read and re-read them so many times, I can quote most of them. I love Kiki and all Phillip’s animals. I lived the Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew books – and since there were so many of us, we acted out tons of the stories. One of my favorite series was The Happy Hollisters. I remember going on vacation one year and finding them in a tiny library in Indiana. It was the highlight of the trip for me.

Some books that made a huge impression on me in my teens: Anne of Green Gables (I cried so hard at the end of that one and I still have a Snow Queen growing outside my room at home), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (another weeper) …. God did I read any happy books back then?? Yes! I found Ngaio Marsh, and Tolkien, and CS Lewis, not to mention Louisa May Alcott and Annie Fellows Johnston.

Now, I read everything, although I prefer fiction, especially mysteries and fantasy. I once had a principal ask me why I was reading Harry Potter, as it was a young adult book. Oh, I don’t know …. Cause it’s a good book?!! Sorry, I don’t believe in age limits on books. And I don’t believe in reading books only once. There are some authors – Dick Francis, Agatha Christie, Nevil Shute to name a few – that are read and re-read and read again whenever the mood strikes or whenever I don’t have anything started.

My sister and I recently found a couple of websites that include reading challenges — and there we’ve found lists and lists of books that we haven’t read yet — horizons yet to be discovered – I can’t wait. I’m dusting off my library card and getting ready for a gorge!

L is for LIBRARIES

What is it about Libraries that make them such a special place to visit?

• They are often housed in wonderful buildings. Some of them are huge but many of the really cool ones are in tiny little buildings with separate rooms for each genre of book. The one we go to on LBI is like that – cool brick floors, mysteries in one room, children’s books in another. And upstairs, and balcony that goes around the large downstairs room, just lined with books.
• They are usually quiet – I am able to lose hours looking for a book. And when you are done looking……
• The librarians actually encourage you to sit and read for a while. There is nothing from your busy life outside those 4 walls that can intrude so you can escape. And is there any other floor nearly as comfortable as that of a library? I don’t mean deep pile rugs or anything like that – it’s just that any floor surrounded by all those books becomes somehow more accessible than the floors at home. (This could be because the library floors have not been taken over by dust bunnies, but that’s just my opinion.)
• But for me the biggest draw are the infinite possibilities that libraries open for me. What next adventure will I go on? What land will I visit? What hobby will I begin?

I come from a family of readers and I read a lot of books. And I like to have copies of all the books I read because I very often reread my books. There are some that I have read 8 or 10 times. And with all these books, I need some place to put them. Unfortunately, I am not independently wealthy, so I am not living in a huge house with unused rooms all over the place. Some day, when I’m rich and famous, I will have lots of rooms with shelves to the ceiling and the rolling ladders so I can reach all my lovely books. While I may not have reached that level yet, every room in my house does have at least one bookcase in it and this includes hallways. And still, there are books piled on tables, in leaning towers on the floor, all over the place. When I’m tripping over them, I sometimes think “Is this any way to live?” And the answer to that is “YES! There is no better way to live – with a mind that is constantly stimulated and engaged!”

In rereading this, I realize it’s been a while since I was actually in a library. If you need me, you know where to find me:)