Jessiebud tagged me to complete this meme.
So here goes:
1. Tell 7 quirks, habits or unknown (to most) things about yourself.
2. Tag 7 people to complete this meme but not the person that tagged you.
1. My first husband and my current husband were both born on October 19th. This was also my parents wedding anniversary.
2. I graduated from College as a single mom of three kids under the age of 11.
3. If I could start a new career I would be a midwife.
4. I would love to live in both rural Ireland and England for at least one year.
5. I have a huge fear of Death
6. I love to smell and touch my books - I know Im strange!
7. I have been with my hubby for 16 years but we have only been married almost 6 years.
Im tagging Ottawabill, beckerbuns, morsecode, Aceofhearts, cestmoi, hoserlauren, and princessrica
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Book Meme
Dana (Aceofhearts) tagged me to complete this meme
What book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Three immediately come to mind - "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, and I'm not sure why because I enjoyed his other novel. I have only heard good things about this book but I have had it on my bookshelf a few times and just could not bring myself to attempt it. The second book is "The DaVinci Code" and the third is any Harry Potter books.
If you could bring three characters to life for a social event, who would they be and what would the event be?
I would bring Inspector Alan Banks from Peter Robinson's mystery series, Anne Shirley of "Anne of Green Gables" and Moranna MacKenzie of "An Audience of Chairs". We would meet at a remote cabin in a clearing somewhere near the Ocean. Our time would be spent drinking tea and shooting the shit.
You are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to give you a nice grave?
I don't know if it is the most boring book on the planet but I think the Bible and following its lessons would help to secure a nice hereafter. I've only read parts of it so I guess I will have to stick around for awhile longer. he he
Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you have been nowhere near it?
I dont think that I have ever hinted or lied about reading a book that I havent.
As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realize when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you have'nt. Which book?
I can't think of one but I'm sure it has happened on occasion probabky if it was part of a series I might become confused about having read it or not.
You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you would pick and why?
I would pick "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee because it is a classic (IMO), aone of my very favorite books.
A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. What language do you go with?
Probably Gaelic.
A mischievious fairy comes and tells you that you must pick one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life. Which book would you pick?
Easily "The Time Travellers Wife"
I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What is one bookish thing that you 'discovered' from book blogging?
Definately to read out of my normal comfort zone, and that there is a whole world out there to still be discovered.
That good fairy is back for one last visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it and the books that would fill it.
My dream library would have a huge window that looks out over rolling hills, a pond and beautiful flower gardens. It would have a window seat covered with a comfy cushion.
The bookshelves would be built in and the books on them would be both new and used ( I love a book that has been 'loved' my many. It would not matter if they were paperback or hardcover and some would be autographed. I would have an over stuffed chair and a horribly comfy over sized couch, that you would just sink into. The walls would be covered in pictures of family and friends and the floors would be in big plank hardwood with a small throw rug. This room would be probably decorated like an old english country house. There would also be a huge wood burning fireplace, like the ones in old manor houses that use to heat the whole house.
Now I have to tag 4 people to complete this meme.
Lauren (hoserlauren), Shelley (jessiebud), Vincenza (cestmoi) and Janelle (Antheras)
What book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Three immediately come to mind - "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, and I'm not sure why because I enjoyed his other novel. I have only heard good things about this book but I have had it on my bookshelf a few times and just could not bring myself to attempt it. The second book is "The DaVinci Code" and the third is any Harry Potter books.
If you could bring three characters to life for a social event, who would they be and what would the event be?
I would bring Inspector Alan Banks from Peter Robinson's mystery series, Anne Shirley of "Anne of Green Gables" and Moranna MacKenzie of "An Audience of Chairs". We would meet at a remote cabin in a clearing somewhere near the Ocean. Our time would be spent drinking tea and shooting the shit.
You are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to give you a nice grave?
I don't know if it is the most boring book on the planet but I think the Bible and following its lessons would help to secure a nice hereafter. I've only read parts of it so I guess I will have to stick around for awhile longer. he he
Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you have been nowhere near it?
I dont think that I have ever hinted or lied about reading a book that I havent.
As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realize when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you have'nt. Which book?
I can't think of one but I'm sure it has happened on occasion probabky if it was part of a series I might become confused about having read it or not.
You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you would pick and why?
I would pick "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee because it is a classic (IMO), aone of my very favorite books.
A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. What language do you go with?
Probably Gaelic.
A mischievious fairy comes and tells you that you must pick one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life. Which book would you pick?
Easily "The Time Travellers Wife"
I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What is one bookish thing that you 'discovered' from book blogging?
Definately to read out of my normal comfort zone, and that there is a whole world out there to still be discovered.
That good fairy is back for one last visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it and the books that would fill it.
My dream library would have a huge window that looks out over rolling hills, a pond and beautiful flower gardens. It would have a window seat covered with a comfy cushion.
The bookshelves would be built in and the books on them would be both new and used ( I love a book that has been 'loved' my many. It would not matter if they were paperback or hardcover and some would be autographed. I would have an over stuffed chair and a horribly comfy over sized couch, that you would just sink into. The walls would be covered in pictures of family and friends and the floors would be in big plank hardwood with a small throw rug. This room would be probably decorated like an old english country house. There would also be a huge wood burning fireplace, like the ones in old manor houses that use to heat the whole house.
Now I have to tag 4 people to complete this meme.
Lauren (hoserlauren), Shelley (jessiebud), Vincenza (cestmoi) and Janelle (Antheras)
Friday, January 25, 2008
Dancing with the Virgins
Late last fall I was looking for a new (to me) mystery series to follow. I'm partial to British settings when I read mysteries, and years ago fell in love with Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series. I had tried the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin thinking that the Scottish settings would pull me in, but I found Rankin's character of Rebus and his style of writing just a bit to dark for my taste. Someone (and I can't remember who) suggested Stephen Booth. Booth's books are set in Britian, mostly (so far) in the Peak District . Booth 's main protagonists in these novels are Ben Cooper an almost 30 copper from the local area and the newly transplanted Sergeant Diane Fry.
In Booth's second novel of this series "Dancing with the Virgins" again takes place in and around the Peak District. The Virgins are a set of nine stones placed in a circle with the tenth stone set off to the side. Legend had it that nine village maidens had been caught dancing on the Sabbath and had been turned to stone for their sin and that the tenth stone (the fiddler that played for them) had been dealt the same fate. When the partially naked body of a woman turns up in the circle, Fry and Cooper must solve what seems to be a senseless crime .
I enjoyed watching the relationship start to take shape between Fry and Cooper on a professional level and wonder just how far on a personal level these two will evolve. Opposites may or may not attract in this case?? Don't let this fool you into thinking that this series is more about love interests then mystery and suspense. Booth writes without pleasantries and places the facts in the readers face - cold and unflowered - at times with description unwanting.
My only complaint would be that with the large amount of key characters in this book, I sometimes found it hard to keep them all in place. Nonetheless, I am eager to continue this series that I am sharing with my friend Enza (cestmoi).
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Cam's couch throw and surgery
This was a Christmas gift that didn't get finished and Im trying my hardest to have it completed by Feb. 13th when Cam comes to have his ear surgery. Im really enjoying the textures of this wool and the combination of colours will look great with his chocolate brown walls and tan couch.
I purchased this from my local knitting store "Spun Fibre Arts" and the owner had this yarn made in Italy exclusively for her store. The Yarns are a nice combination of 100% silk, 100% cotton and 98% alpaca mixed with 2% nylon.
I can picture my boy wrapped in this on his couch drinking a warm drink from starbucks, and I want to be able to put it over him when I bring him home from the hospital. I'm more concerned about this surgery then he is. It doesnt seem to matter how old you children get they are still little to you. He is my first born and 23 years old but when push comes to shove he becomes my little boy again in my heart.
We are not sure how it happened but he ended up with a bad earache early in the fall. It wouldn't go away so he went to the emergency room as he was feeling quite sick and dizzy. It turned out that he had a massive hole in his eardrum. After seeing a specialist and the specialist unsuccessfully trying some procedure in his office to fix it, it was decided that he would need to have surgery. The waiting list in the city he lives in was one year but he could have the proceedure done at my local hospital. So he will come the night before and then stay a few days with me. Im sure I will drive him nuts fussing over him.
Back to my needles I go!!
I purchased this from my local knitting store "Spun Fibre Arts" and the owner had this yarn made in Italy exclusively for her store. The Yarns are a nice combination of 100% silk, 100% cotton and 98% alpaca mixed with 2% nylon.
I can picture my boy wrapped in this on his couch drinking a warm drink from starbucks, and I want to be able to put it over him when I bring him home from the hospital. I'm more concerned about this surgery then he is. It doesnt seem to matter how old you children get they are still little to you. He is my first born and 23 years old but when push comes to shove he becomes my little boy again in my heart.
We are not sure how it happened but he ended up with a bad earache early in the fall. It wouldn't go away so he went to the emergency room as he was feeling quite sick and dizzy. It turned out that he had a massive hole in his eardrum. After seeing a specialist and the specialist unsuccessfully trying some procedure in his office to fix it, it was decided that he would need to have surgery. The waiting list in the city he lives in was one year but he could have the proceedure done at my local hospital. So he will come the night before and then stay a few days with me. Im sure I will drive him nuts fussing over him.
Back to my needles I go!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Reading Goals for 2008
Every January I set some type of reading goal for myself. It's usually the amount of books that I want to read by the end of the year. I decided that this year would be different, it doesn't matter how many books I read,but I don't want to rush through them in order to reach my goal. I found that I was doing that the past couple years. My goal is to complete the following books that have been in my TBR pile for varying times. It doesn't matter if I read them all in a row or what order I read them, as long as I read them.
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
The Keepers of the House by Shirley Anne Grau
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote
A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House
The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris
Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Happiness Sold Seperately by Lolly Winston
Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
Carry Me Down by MJ Hyland
A Family Daughter by Maile Meloy
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Wicked by Jilly Cooper
The Summer that Never Was by Peter Robinson
The Man Called Cash by Steve Turner
The Ballad of Typhoid Mary by J.F. Federspiel
The piano man's daughter by Timothy Findley
The Vision of Emma Blau by Ursula Hegi
The Way the Crow Flies by Ann Marie MacDonald
These were picked for many different reasons. some because I enjoy the author, some because they have sat on my shelf forever, some have been recommended by friends or have simply caught my eye, some because they are a Canadian author. I have even been known to pick a book because I like the title or the cover. I'm sure I'm not alone there.
Knitting is still occupying alot of my time right now and hopefully soon I will get a few pics of my projects on here.
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
The Keepers of the House by Shirley Anne Grau
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote
A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House
The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris
Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Happiness Sold Seperately by Lolly Winston
Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
Carry Me Down by MJ Hyland
A Family Daughter by Maile Meloy
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Wicked by Jilly Cooper
The Summer that Never Was by Peter Robinson
The Man Called Cash by Steve Turner
The Ballad of Typhoid Mary by J.F. Federspiel
The piano man's daughter by Timothy Findley
The Vision of Emma Blau by Ursula Hegi
The Way the Crow Flies by Ann Marie MacDonald
These were picked for many different reasons. some because I enjoy the author, some because they have sat on my shelf forever, some have been recommended by friends or have simply caught my eye, some because they are a Canadian author. I have even been known to pick a book because I like the title or the cover. I'm sure I'm not alone there.
Knitting is still occupying alot of my time right now and hopefully soon I will get a few pics of my projects on here.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The First of the New Year
After a false start to my reading in the new year I finished my first book just the other day. Slower then my usual start but it seems that I have a few unfinished knitting projects that are monopolizing my free time. Originally, I started out reading Big Boned by Meg Cabot but after muddling through the first 100 pages I put it down to finish at another time. I really enjoyed the first two in this series but this one just wasn't keeping me interested.
A Christmas present from hubby, look me in the eye by John Elder Robison is what I picked up next and thankfully completed. I had first heard about this book when I played in a swap over on bookobsessed.com. I had tried to secure it as my own but unfortunately was not that lucky. The cover is what originally caught my eye but upon further examination I realized that it was about the author's life with Aspergers Syndrome. Aspergers (a mild form of Autism) is a condition that until 20 some odd years ago went undiagnosed.
This was a interesting look into not only into John Elder's experiences both before and after diagnosis as a middle aged adult but also into his family, first written about by his brother Agusten Burroughs in Running With Scissors. Equally funny and heart touching this story was told without sentimentality and maybe because I have some professional experience with Aspergers I found his actions and reactions in certain situations vivid in my mind.
look me in the eye
John Elder Robison
copyright 2007
282 pages
A Christmas present from hubby, look me in the eye by John Elder Robison is what I picked up next and thankfully completed. I had first heard about this book when I played in a swap over on bookobsessed.com. I had tried to secure it as my own but unfortunately was not that lucky. The cover is what originally caught my eye but upon further examination I realized that it was about the author's life with Aspergers Syndrome. Aspergers (a mild form of Autism) is a condition that until 20 some odd years ago went undiagnosed.
This was a interesting look into not only into John Elder's experiences both before and after diagnosis as a middle aged adult but also into his family, first written about by his brother Agusten Burroughs in Running With Scissors. Equally funny and heart touching this story was told without sentimentality and maybe because I have some professional experience with Aspergers I found his actions and reactions in certain situations vivid in my mind.
look me in the eye
John Elder Robison
copyright 2007
282 pages
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