I'm Back!

Hi All!

Guess what I did this morning! Here is a hint!

Yes, I am back to walking and swimming!

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Of course, as this has been the first morning it has been warm enough to swim and the water was COLD!

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After taking half a lap to get my breath back and another half to get warmed up enough to not feel like an ice cube, I managed to complete ten laps. I could have done more but felt like floating for a while. It was wonderful!

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Now all I have to do it work up to my optimum number of laps and I am golden. Hopefully it will get MUCH warmer but not too warm (that bath water swimming isn't too fun!).

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Yesterday, the roofers finished up my roof (I didn't post because I was out talking to them - telling them not to smoosh more plants - and then decided to have a computer free day) and today it is blessedly quiet. Both cats appreciate the lack of pounding and, so do I!

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It was amazing that yesterday I managed to take a short nap in the midst of the pounding. I guess that shows just how tired I was! I didn't get too much sleep the night before so I was tired, tired, tired!

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This morning I am checking out some books on Amazon that a college friend of mine has written. The Veil and The Forgotten Paths by Beth Schiemer. I haven't read them but am planning on buying both (she has a third book that is available in electronic form only) to support my friend. One review on Amazon for The Forgotten Paths give the book and the writing high praise. I can't wait to see what I think of them.

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I would like to get autographed copies so I am holding off on ordering the books until I hear from Beth about if I can do that and if so, how.

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If you are looking for some new books to read, check out these online and possibly order them. Also, if you are a Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader lover, check out the third book (I don't know the name but I am sure you can search under the author's name).

Hope you have a great Friday!

Trisha

Voice Update: Doing really well. My neck is a bit tight (maybe due to the stress of being in the house during all the pounding??) so the massage is a bit more difficult but . . . I am working on it!

Something's Fishy In This Post

Hi All!

Yesterday was a wonderful day of observations for me - six and a half hours! That is a good chunk on my way to 200! Actually, I am almost halfway there - 98 hours so far! Not too bad, huh?

Today I am excited because I have an excursion to the local school's annual book sale planned. This is the place that I get a huge pile of books for the amount of money that I would donate anyway! Score! I will have to show you all the books I end up with after the sale. I can hardly wait to get there and start browsing. The sale takes place in an old Old Navy store - it is huge and there are just rows and rows of tables full of books of all kinds! Maybe I will take pictures of that too!

Last night I made another foray into the world of Amazon's free mp3 downloads. If you like music and like free things (and have an mp3 device or like to listen to music on the computer) you should really check it out! I found several nice classical albums along with some soul songs and a jazz album. It is always interesting to see what you will find.

I enjoy looking at the free songs offered and then selecting one and checking out the ratings (there are some really good raters that make regular comments) for the song. I listen to the preview and, if I like it, I download it. Then I start delving a bit deeper into the world of free downloads. At the bottom of each song's page there is a list of songs that "people who have purchased this song" have purchased. I browse those and check out ratings and then check out more past purchases. Many times I end up finding songs/albums that don't show up on the main page and are "buried" in the other free songs. It is like a big treasure hunt and I really like it!

Continuing in my "theme" of past pictures I found these.


This is Hubby in front of a huge fish tank at the Texas aquarium (I think). We took a trip out to the aquarium to see a very special fish that someone had caught in a local lake.


It was this catfish. While the fish looks like it might be normal sized in this picture, it actually was gigantic! In fact, it was probably as long as I am tall (which is 5 foot 5!). I can't remember how much the fish weighed but I know it was a couple hundred pounds!

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Some guy actually caught this beast while fishing! He donated it to the state aquarium so that it could be studied and then released. While it was being observed and analyzed, it was in this huge tank where the general public could come and see it.

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It does make me think twice about wanting to swim in the local lakes if there are fish like this swimming around!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Rockin' and rollin'!

Mish-mash and a Meme

Hi All!

Here is a very fuzzy picture of my thermometer this morning!


15!!!!!!
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Can you believe that?
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In TEXAS????????????????

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And poor Hubby has to go into work. I am praying that he gets there safely - there is ice on the roads!

Because it has probably been a day or two since I have shown you some kitty pictures . . . .
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Here is Miss Cleo in her new favorite spot - her "cube." She love sitting just like this - with her head poking out so she can see what is going on.




Skor is still enjoying his play time. In fact, he DEMANDS it! I guess it is okay since he looks so darn cute while he is playing!

Just look at the positions he gets himself into!

This face-off took place yesterday. The dove was cold and was trying to avoid the wind by sitting on our windowsill. Skor didn't think that that was a good idea!

Here are the new shoes I bought last week. I like having something to just slip into for those everyday kinds of errands, etc. There are perfect!

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Yesterday, Hubby and I stayed in all day and kept warm. The sun valiantly came out and tried to melt the snow/ice but it didn't make much of a dent since the temps never got above 21!

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Like I said, Hubby has to go to work this morning. His office opening was delayed until 10:00 so he got to sleep in just a bit. It was only a bit because the power went out around 6:45 (and the Carbon Monoxide detector makes a VERY loud beep when the electricity goes off or comes on). After knowing the electricity was off, it was hard to sleep since the alarms were all off (powered as they are by electricity!).

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At about 7:15 (just an estimate because we were clock less!) I got up to watch the kitties eat and at the exact moment I stepped out of the bedroom, the electricity went back on accompanied by the CO2 detector's loud beep. Let me tell you - it stopped me in my tracks and scared the kitties!

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At least Hubby could sleep for a bit longer now that the alarms were back on!

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I had to reset the time on our automatic thermostat because when the power goes out it resets the time to weird times (this time it was 1:08P.M. even when the real time was 7:15!) and then the temperature settings we have are all wonky. The last time the electricity went out we couldn't figure out why it got so cold during the day - it was because the thermostat time was off by twelve hours and it thought it was night - when we have it set to be a bit cooler! Technology!

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Yesterday, my friend Flea invited me to participate in a Meme about reading. You take a picture of the book(s) you are currently reading and tell a bit about it(them). This Meme sounds right up my alley so I decided to do it even though I don't normally participate in Memes!
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Here we go!

This is my current reading list. From left to right:

Lone Star Ice & Fire by L.E. Brady. I am only into this book a little bit but so far, it seems like a winner! This is the story of two brothers, Sonny and Walker, who come from an abusive home. Their escape was their music.
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Both brothers play blues guitar and both are very talented. They descend upon the Austin, Texas blues scene and quickly make it their own.
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Mixed in with the music there are many tales of mistakes and triumphs that litter their way to fame.
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Next up is a classic - Reader's Digest. This magazine is always fun to read with its humor and stories of people doing good in the world when most of the news is about people doing bad.
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Third is Winter's Awakening by Shelley Shepard Gray. This is a book about the Amish way of life. The main characters are Amish and the book shows how they deal with interacting with "English" or non-Amish neighbors.
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I enjoy reading books about the Amish since I saw many Amish people when I lived in Ohio. The farm that my parents own is rather close to some very popular Amish towns for the tourists. It isn't unusual to see Amish buggies along the roads in that area of Ohio.
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Those, my friends, are what I am reading.
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Well, besides THESE!

Books for class research papers!
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Trisha

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Voice Update: I didn't do much talking yesterday but I did my massage and my exercises! I also did some reading out loud just to get into the swing of things!
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P.S. Hubby update! Hubby isn't going to work this morning since he couldn't even get out of the driveway!

A Prince, A Hitchhiker, and A Class

Hi All!

First of all - let me say that I got a little confused about the title of my podcast book I am listening to. I said it was The Prince of Oak and Hazel when it is really The Prince of HAZEL and Oak. I got the order wrong but, the review was right. It is a good book. If you get a chance - listen to it!

Now - I am happy to report that I got back into my walking/swimming routine today. Last week I put it off during my cranky spell because . . . well, I was just too darn cranky!

The water was moderately refreshing today - a little surprising after the heat of the past weeks here. I don't think that I did my normal amount of laps but I certainly did laps and then got a chance to relax as well. Swimming is a good thing.

My mom keeps telling me that the pool will be closed for the season soon and while it is hard to imagine when the temperatures are still in the 100s - I suppose I should check and see when the pool is closed for the season. I hope it isn't too soon so that I can get more swimming in!

As far as actual book reading (instead of podcast listening) I am re-reading the entire series in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (or is it Universe? I can never remember). Hubby's nephew is getting married and he and his bride like the book - they are getting married on 10-10-10 which translates into the number which the book reveals to be the meaning of life - so I have decided to make a "weird" wedding present with components which refer to the book. To do that, I must read the book again since it has been a while since I originally read it.

As my vision for the present becomes clearer, I will share it with you. Currently, all I know is that his and her towels are involved in some way!

Looking ahead - this week promised to be interesting. My one and only class starts tomorrow. Then I have a speech appointment on Wednesday (supposedly - it has been rescheduled three times so we will see!). After that . . . who knows! I am sure that I will have work to do for class and all kinds of stuff popping up now that school has started again.

Fun, fun!

Have a super week!

Trisha

Voice Update: Well, I have been a bad speech patient since my cranky spell hit. I haven't gotten back into the swing but . . I will, I WILL!

Hoping for a Serene Saturday

Hi All!

Well - the crankiness spilled over into yesterday. I was pretty good in the morning but could feel the crankiness around the edges just wanting to come out. I fought the good fight but, by the evening, it just flooded out and I was cranky. Instead of inflicting this "lovely" crankiness on Hubby, I decided to just retreat to the bedroom and listen to some music.

Well, I am happy to say that the music did the trick. I listened to my normal melange of music and after about 45 minutes I was almost calm and in a good mood! I took a short walk around the yard while listening and it was only about 97 degrees at 7:45 (Did I mention that it is still HOT here?)!

The kitties must know that I haven't been feeling too chipper lately because this morning they let me sleep until about 7:30!!! No - I didn't walk/swim this morning. I have decided to get some extra sleep to see if that will keep the crankiness at bay. So far so good!

Hopefully, today will be a happier day for me. I know we WON'T be going out shopping since it is the state Tax-free weekend. For those of you who don't know what that is - Texas has one weekend a year, right before school starts, where all school supplies and clothes (and a whole list of other stuff) is tax free at all stores. I mean ALL stores. The stores then help things out by having good sales.

Let's just say that the scene looks a lot like the day after Thanksgiving - crowds everywhere!

Hubby and I just take shelter and wait for it to blow over unless we absolutely have to go to the store.

Yes, I know that we are probably missing some good deals but - I would rather pay tax then have to deal with all those slightly crazy people!

One good thing that is going on right now is that I am now listening to the second book in the Shadowmagic series. If you recall, Shadowmagic is a podcast book (and a real, paper book too that you can buy) that I found. I finished that book and luckily, the author has a second book out ready to be downloaded.

I just started listen to this book - called The Prince of Oak and Hazel (by John Lenahan) and it is good! I am only on the second chapter but . . . I am already eager to listen to more!

Here is hoping for a serene Saturday!

Trisha

Voice Update: Well - being cranky has kept me from doing my reading. Of course, if I WAS reading the Bible I might feel better. Too bad I just thought about that now!

New Shoes and What's Up With Blogger?

Hi All!

Here are pictures of my new Croc flats. They look like brushed suede but are really all plastic/rubber. The insides have the normal Croc insoles and they are really cushy. I think they will be perfect for standing on my feet interpreting!

I think that the lighter brown strip on the heels adds a nice touch!

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The only problem I have seen so far is that the textured plastic collects cat hair! *sigh* Another thing to use the lint roller on!!!

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Okay - if you use Blogger I have a question for you. Have you had a difficult time logging on lately? I log in and get sent right back to the log in page! Everything is right - the user name and password - but it won't log me in.

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I couldn't get in at all yesterday!

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Today I had to try to get in three or four different times and then finally went to my blog site and logged in from there. Frustrating!

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Currently, I am reading Summer's Child by Luanne Rice. It is very good and I would rather read it than do much else. However, I do force myself to do things like clean, cook, wash dishes, etc.

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This book is about a woman who has been missing - presumed murdered - for nine years. A retired detective is still bothered by the case and keeps following any new leads which come up even though they are few and far between. The missing woman's grandmother - who raised her - still lives in the same house and is privately grieving the loss of her grandchild and great-grandchild (the woman was pregnant when she disappeared).

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Then there is the small community of Cape Hawk in Eastern Canada. A new woman and her daughter moves in and the daughter immediately makes friends with Rose - another nine year old girl. Rose has severe heart problems which have needed multiple surgeries in her short life and one more "final" surgery looms in the near future.

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Interestingly, both the new woman in town and Rose's mother have a shared past. They have both left abusive husbands and came to Cape Hawk to hide out and start again.

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Things get more interesting as the retired detective starts following a lead which might take him right to Cape Hawk and to these two women.

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I am getting close to the end of this book and can hardly wait to find out what happens!

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I would say that if you see this book hanging out in your local shop - snatch it up for a nice, addicting, quick, read.

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Trisha

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Voice Update: Well, I am now done with the Song of Songs and moving on. The Bible really is interesting, isn't it? My voice is holding its own with few hesitations, etc. My throat is a bit crunchy but that tends to happen when I wait so long between visits to Susan!

Balloons - on a Plant!

Hi All!

Happy Friday! Yesterday I didn't blog because I had to go and get a mammogram - fun, fun, fun! Anyway, that messed up my entire schedule (it was at 8:15 in the morning) and I just can't make myself blog in the middle of the day for some reason!

I finished reading the book Flea sent me, Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers. It is a very good book and I am looking forward to the next book which is due out this Fall. The book follows the life of a mother from her beginnings in Switzerland to her own motherhood in California as well as HER daughter's life. There is a lot of strife between the mother and daughter which is based in the mother's background. Despite the stress caused by the rocky relationship, this book is full of hope and love and determination. This was a book that I had problems putting down. Despite the fact that it is rather thick, I read the entire thing in less than two days and then wished it hadn't ended so soon!

While I was swimming this morning, I looked up (between laps) and realized that there is a Balloon Flower plant among the landscape. It was blooming and it inspired me to take some pictures of my own Balloon Flower plant!


The plant is growing to take up all the space between the two shrubs (and of course, they are growing too!) and is much taller than it was last year.


I love the rich purple of the blooms - as well as the fact that they start out as purple "Balloons" before popping open into lovely flowers.

Here is a fuzzy picture of a "balloon" about ready to "pop!"

For some reason, the blooms seem to be clustered in groups of three (this is a different cluster than the first picture). They add such a nice "pop" of color to the front bed.

Here is some video of Skor and his "buddy," the squirrel.

Trisha

Voice Update: I am doing pretty good. I am not doing my massage as much as I should but . . . hey - I am getting there! I finally finished 1 Chronicles and into 2Chronicles. All of those Biblical names are really getting to me!

An Unwelcome Visitor and My Latest Reading

Hi All!

Skor has been busy most evenings around here with this unwelcome visitor.





Luckily, the squirrel (or it might be two who alternate for the evening shift) hasn't figured out the bird feeder yet. He (or she) has done some chewing on the wire holding the bird feeder up though!
I would love to get a photo of this little bugger when he/she is just hanging by his/her feet from the gutter without touching the feeder. However, each time I get the camera ready, the squirrel retreats to the roof!



Here are the latest books I have read. As per my new habit, I won't tell you about all of them but, I decided I would tell you all of their titles.




From left to right - Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns; Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (the third in the Brides series); Hating Valentine's Day by Allison Rushby; Undue Influence by Steve Martini; Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber; Look Closely by Laura Caldwell.


Interestingly, all of these books was what I consider a "good" book. Any of them would be good reads. Undue Influence and Look Closely are about lawyers chasing down facts in unsolved mysteries.

Trouble With Angels is a light read about three angels helping people on earth in their own, peculiar, bumbling way.

Hating Valentine's Day is about a wedding photographer who hates Valentine's Day until she meets someone special.

Savor the Moment is one of Nora Robert's newest books and it is one I enjoyed. This is the third of four chronicling the lives of four best friends who run a wedding establishment. One woman does the planning, one does the pastries, one does the flowers, and one does the photography. This is a good read which departs slightly from the usual Nora Roberts formula. I am looking forward to the fourth book!

Cold Sassy Tree is a work of fiction written from the perspective of a young boy in the south at the turn of the century (the 20th not the 21st!). His family experiences ups and downs and the boy narrates the action. I was leery when I picked this book up but I found that it was a good read and it certainly held my interest. The story is filled with interesting details and the voice of the narrator sounds almost like he is talking only to you.

Well, that is my latest reading. All good books which I would recommend to you.

Trisha

P.S. I just updated my records and from May 31, 2009 to May 31, 2010, I have read 59 books. A slow year for me!

Voice Update: Still doing okay. I got back on the reading "horse" last night and am struggling my way through 1Chronicles. All those Biblical names!!!!! I think I am past most of the genealogy and into the stories now though. I think my voice is pretty strong now. I am concentrating more on trying to get those last few sounds worked out!

My Walk and My Books

Hi All!

Yesterday I totally crashed and ended up taking a three hour nap. It felt so decadent to sleep that long during the day! Such is the life of a lady of leisure!

This morning I was up to make Hubby's lunch and then hit the sidewalks for my morning walk. Once again, I took my camera with me.











There are a lot of trees with pinkish/reddish/purplish buds on them. Mom keeps asking if I see Redbud trees but . . . I honestly don't know!

Here is the Bluebonnet patch. More and more blooms "pop" up each day. They are so lovely.

Okay - tilt your head to the left to view this picture. This tree has the prettiest "blooms." Like green waterfalls!

The "good" tree in our front yard is sprouting lots of tiny, green leaves. I love seeing the tree turn from brown to green.

My strawberry plants look so lush this morning with the dew still clinging to their leaves. That bloom means that we will have berries this summer!

Okay - tilt the head to the left again for this shot (and the next one too). Here are my recently read books. I know I promised to talk about them more frequently so that I don't end up with a huge, long post but . . . as you can tell - that didn't work out as I planned. So - I am just going to show you a picture of the books and then talk about my most recently read ONE!

Here is the most recent book I read. I just finished this yesterday (after the marathon nap) and really savored each word. Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a fun journey with two completely opposite personalities as they travel across the country.

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A famous, playboy NFL quarterback, Dean Roulliard, is taking a break from his life and picks up a woman in a beaver costume on the side of the road. Initially, he was only providing a ride but soon he found himself with a traveling companion.

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Blue Bailey, the costumed woman, found herself at a crossroad in her life with each direction looking rather dreary and depressing. Her ex-lover shows up and steals her rent money days after her literal saint of a mother cleaned out her saving and checking accounts to help save some kidnapped girls in a third world country. Getting into the car with Dean provided a way out and a way to a new adventure.

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Both Blue (her real name!) and Dean find out that the car ride was only a prelude to a journey that neither of them could have predicted.

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I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well written and developed and the addition of more characters is done in a way that makes the reader feel that they have always been there in the shadows just waiting for their moment in the sun.

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I don't believe that I have ever read a book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips but I will certainly be keeping my eyes open for more of her books if they are as good as this one was!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: I am trying to increase my exercises. My voice seems to be marginally better - fewer breaks and hesitations than earlier this week. I am back to talking to myself and my kitties since I don't have to talk for work these days!

A Post From Skor

Hi All!

Mom is still struggling with her head cold so I decided that I would take over her blog for the day.

I know Mom told you about the books she bought. She told you that Miss Cleo and I had already checked them out. Well, she wasn't quite right. Let me show you the REAL story.


















Okay - wait. This camera is a bit tricky. Let me try again.



















Darn! Mom makes it look so easy!



















You have it upside down! Here, I can help you.



















Thanks. I think we have it now. Okay. Here are Mom's new books.



















As kitties, it is our responsibility to check these things out completely for any danger. Homeland security has nothing on us!

Each book gets a total sniffing and then we have to check the back and edges too. That leads to a bit of what Mom would call a mess.


















See? I am almost done with the pile. The only issue is that I can't pile them back up. Mess? I would call this a job well done!


















This is Mom's book cabinet. She will put the new books in here just as soon as Miss Cleo and I are done investigating them. The books in here are off limits to us kitties - I keep trying to get in there to investigate but, Mom won't let me in!



















After all that investigation, Miss Cleo and I are tired out and need to nap on Mom's favorite blanket.

Well, that is the REAL scoop on how kitties investigate Mom's new books. I hope you enjoyed the information.

I hope Mom is feeling better tomorrow. I don't know though - she has THAT class tonight and never is real happy after that.

Oh well!

Have a great day!

Skor (and Miss Cleo)

Saturday

Hi All!

Despite the fact that I didn't get enough sleep due to Buzzer . . . oops, I meant to say because of Skor! Anyway, Skor was determined to wake me up early this morning. I managed to ignore him for a bit but . . .

I am feeling pretty chipper this morning. I am listening to Sister Hazel.













I have liked this band ever since Hubby and I met the band members on a flight from Ohio to Dallas about 10 years ago or so. At the time neither of us had heard of Sister Hazel. We did a little research and got their album (I can't tell you if it was their first or what). We liked their album.

Last night I was talking to my friend Tricia (who spells her name TOTALLY wrong!) and was telling her about the availability of free albums on Amazon. While I was talking I happened to look on Amazon and there was a FREE album by Sister Hazel! I was THRILLED! Needless to say, I downloaded the album. It is what I am listening to right now!

Hubby did give me a moment's pause when he said that Al Gore likes Sister Hazel too. I wasn't given pause by the mere fact that it was Al Gore politically - I don't care. My pause was caused by the fact that he is older than I am and maybe I am liking "old person" music! Heaven forbid!!

Another reason I am feeling chipper is this:

Yesterday I stopped by the book sale put on annually by the school district I used to work for as a teacher. I love this sale. Every paperback is only 75 cents and there are LOTS of books. The sale is in an empty Old Navy store. There are long tables stretching across the space with an aisle in the middle. The books are all organized into different sections like a book store and there are literally millions of books!

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Heaven!

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The only downer is that I forgot my book list - the list of books I have read - so it was hard for me to get books written by any of my favorite authors without being sure that I hadn't read them or not. Because of that, I wandered the aisles and picked up books by authors I had never heard of! That was fun! Also, I have a lot of "serious" books in my stock already - you know, mysteries and things like that. So - when I was at the sale I picked up "light" books. Romances and things like that. To balance out my stock!

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After giving my new books a thorough sniffing, both cats seemed to approve of my selections!

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Today is "The Phantom of the Opera" at the Music Hall at Fair Park. I am excited. This will be the second time Hubby and I will have seen the musical and the reviews in the paper have been excellent.

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Have a super weekend!

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Trisha

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Voice Update: My stuffy nose and the drainage is making me a bit raspy in the mornings but other than that . . . doing fine.

Book Bonanza!

Hi All!

Sorry about not posting yesterday but I was sleeping off a cold which hit me on Friday and is still sort of lingering around today. However, everything is getting better (keep your fingers crossed!).

The temps are still a bit "brisk" in my neck of the woods so there is nothing better than staying inside cuddled up with a good book. Here are the latest I have read. Because I have so many today I am only going to go in depth on some.

First - Otherwise Engaged by Eileen Goudge.


In this fun novel, two high school friends hatch a plan to help Jessie get a magazine article. Erin, her friend, is married and lives in their hometown while Jessie is single and lives in New York - exactly the opposite of what they both thought would happen when they were young. Now, for the article, Jessie and Erin are changing places to see what their lives might have been like if they had followed through on their original plans.

This book is a fun read and following along on the journeys the two friends take to discovering themselves also makes you stop and take stock of your life as well.

Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb is up next.


Another futuristic murder mystery story by the master. As always, J.D. Robb is a wise choice for an entertaining read.

Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky.

This is a powerful book which gets you thinking about things you thought you knew about your own family. In this book a young couple is having their first child. Everything is fine until the adorable little girl is born. You see, she looks . . . different. She looks like she is African American while both parents are definitely not. This tiny baby girl leads the parents - and their family - on a long, rough road of family trees, suspicion, hurt feelings, and hidden secrets.

While reading this book isn't always comfortable, it does make you think.

With Open Arms by Nora Roberts contains two short novels: Song of the West and Her Mother's Keeper.

Nora Roberts is always a good, light read and these two stories are no exception.

Side Effects by Michale Palmer.

This oldie but goodie is from my grandmother's stash. I was a bit hesitant to start it since some of the books from her stash are a bit beyond my taste. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book.


Kate Bennett, a well respected pathologist at the hospital on the verge of being named department head, finds herself embroiled in the mystery of several suspicious deaths. As she investigates she finds that not only is her career involved but also her marriage and possibly her own life too.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is well written and the plot is something which could happen today and which is just a bit chilling.

James Patterson's Against Medical Advice written with Hal Friedman is next.

This book is the real story of Hal Friedman's son, Corey, and his struggle with devastating medical problems.

This book could be a bit much to read since it does tell, sometimes graphically, about medical issues (no blood and gore though) but it is also very inspiring and full of hope.

Morning Light by Catherine Anderson is the next book.


Anderson writes a good story of a woman, Loni, who is "blessed" with second sight and a rancher, Clint, who doesn't quite believe in such things. The two are thrown together when Loni moves to Clint's small town trying to hide from notoriety after helping police in a kidnapping case. However, she starts seeing Clint's son in danger and is compelled to tell Clint so he can save the boy. The only problem? Clint doesn't have a son. Or does he?

While dealing with a "mystical" theme, Catherine Anderson does a nice job of keeping it light and believable. The writing is rich and the story catches you up in the feelings of the characters. A good read.

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts is the next book I read but, I don't have a picture of it because I gave the book to my mother to read.

This is the second in the Brides series by Roberts and is refreshing to read as it doesn't quite follow the traditional Roberts recipe. It left me wanting to read the third book - not yet published!

Stuart Woods, a favorite of my favorite Aunt Donna, is up next with Hot Mahogany.

This is a good, light mystery with Stone Barrington as the main character.

Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs.

Beginning with a party which doesn't quite feel "right," this book thrusts you into the life of Sophie Bellamy, an international lawyer, who has scarified a lot to do her job. After the party, Sophie stops to reexamine her choices and decides to make some major changes. Those changes take her to the little village of Avalon where she begins to adjust to her new life.

I found this book very compelling. One of those that you don't want to put down until you reach the conclusion.

Ann Rinaldi, my favorite author of young adult historical fiction, shows up this time with The Color of Fire.

Phoebe, a slave in 1740's New York, guides readers through a time of racial and religious tensions.

This is a wonderful book for taking a peek into a world which is part of our history but one which we might not understand.

Another James Patterson book , Black Friday is on my list.

The U.S. financial world is thrown into chaos after a mysterious group destroys much of Wall Street. With no apparent demands or reason for the destruction, the group leaves those investigating in the dark as they struggle to piece together the answer before the world's financial market is affected.

This is a powerful book with I enjoyed a lot. I found myself trying to piece together the puzzle along with the characters and when the answer is finally revealed just as amazed as they were.

Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy is next.


Taking place in a small Greece town, this novel lets us follow a group of strangers who are brought together by a local tragedy.

Jude Deveraux contributes the next book, The Summerhouse.

Three woman who met at a turning point in all of their lives gather together again and find themselves on an interesting, and intriguing journey. This book is a great read with an odd little twist in it which leaves the reader wondering . . .

Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell is a book I read before but read again and enjoyed as much the second time as the first. All of Cornwell's books are well written and masterful!

Wrapping up this book bonanza is a book I picked up on a whim at Wal Mart. I am a fan of Christmas fiction and this looked like a good one. I wasn't quite prepared for what I got in The Wicked and the Wondrous by Christine Feehan.

This book contains two tales centered around Christmas, "The Twilight Before Christmas" and "After the Music." Both tales are romantic as well as full of the unknown. In each of the stories, there is witchcraft in some form and in each is the story of love which must conquer evil to find peace.

Well, that is it! I will have to make an effort to post about my books more frequently so that I don't end up with such a HUGE pile to post about! Thanks for hanging in there and have a super weekend!

Trisha

Voice Update: Doing well but it is sort of hard to tell since I have been basically sleeping non-stop for two days!