Exceedingly Mundane

I don’t normally do book reviews, per se, or recommend books. I read a lot of books, and I generally enjoy everything I read. I don’t step far outside my comfort zone. I know the authors and types of books I like, and I tend to stay within those parameters.

I had to blog about these two books though, the Marta’s Legacy books by Francine Rivers (the first is called “Her Mother’s Hope” and the second, “Her Daughter’s Dream). For one thing, these two books were most enjoyable to me, and I highly recommend them if you like Christian fiction, or enjoy big epic books that span generations, following the characters through trials, triumphs, relationships and the course of their life.

Second, I believe I set a personal best record yesterday! I picked up this second book, “Her Daughter’s Dream” from the library on Saturday. We had a family reunion to go to at lunch, and were gone for several hours. I read a few pages in the car, then read some Saturday night before bed (my preferred time to read). But, then, on Sunday, I read. A LOT. I read about 500 pages, which has GOT to be a new record for me! I finished this book, all 564 pages of it, in basically a day. New record for me!

Now, my biggest concern is deciding what to read next! I downloaded “The Inner Circle” by Brad Meltzer to my Kindle, for Tim. I’m trying to get him to like my Kindle, it’s an uphill battle 🙂 So, I’ll be working on some “real” books from my bookshelves while he’s reading on my baby!!

P.S. Have any of you seen Meltzer’s TV show on the History Channel? We’ve been watching it too. It’s called Decoded and is a mixture of history, obscure facts, conspiracy theories and the like. We’re oddly fascinated by it!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since the Challenger disaster. I suppose there are events in ones lifetime, where you always remember where you were and what you were doing. I’m sure 9/11 is for all Americans, and for me, the Challenger accident is, as well.

I was in college. Every Tuesday, we had chapel (I went to a small Presbyterian college). I remember before they started the chapel service, they told us what had happened. We prayed for the astronauts and their families, and after a short time, they dismissed everyone. I lived in the newest dorm, which also happened to be close to our chapel area. Our lobby was packed after we were released from chapel. (Notice I said lobby, guys were not allowed upstairs in the girls dorms and vice versa.) We watched the coverage for a long time. I think I even skipped lunch that day, but had to leave after for either a lab or an on-campus job, I don’t remember. I just remember being numb and so shocked by what had happened.

Do you remember where you were or what you were doing when this accident happened?

As seen on Kim’s blog, from the original source, Miz B:

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

OK, I haven’t talked books in a while, and I have been trying to read more. I LOVE my Kindle, and have read a lot of books on it since I got it for my birthday last fall. I’ve been trying to get Tim to read on it, so I loaned it to him a couple of weeks ago for him to read a free book I had gotten and really enjoyed. That gave me time to read a couple of “real” books that I had on my bookshelves.

Let’s see, I’m currently reading: The Justice Game by Randy Singer on my Kindle. It’s another freebie from Amazon, a Christian legal thriller. I’m really enjoying it so far 🙂

What did I recently finish reading? While Tim had my Kindle, I knocked out three “real” books from my bookshelves. Two I had won and one I had purchased. I read “The Swiss Courier” by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (WWII story about the Swiss Underground and the fight against the Nazis). I also read “Mystery at the Inn”, last fall’s offering of the Grace Chapel Inn set of books by Guideposts. Lastly, I read “Secrets” by Robin Jones Gunn, a freebie I won online. It’s the first of a series, but I probably won’t purchase any. They were all good, and I enjoyed each of them (all Christian fiction).

Lastly, what I might read next? That’s always hard for me to pick, as I’m a moody reader. Right now, I’m leaning toward the sequel to “Gone To Green”, that I got free recently from Amazon, called “Goodness Gracious Green” (by Judy Christie). I might read “Always the Baker, Never the Bride” on my Kindle instead. If Tim wants to read on my Kindle again, I’ll probably read “Under the Cajun Moon” by Mindy Starns Clark, which is languishing on my bookshelves.

How about you? Have you read any good books lately? Are you reading one now? Happy Reading! 🙂

This is the time of year that I get the most cleaning out and decluttering done. I think it’s a combination of two things: a) post holiday, wanting to get pared down and back to normal and b) the weather dictates that I stay inside and the grey days lend themselves to cleaning out and purging.

I finally started today! Not a lot, but a good start. Tim took the day off to go deer hunting, but decided at the last minute not to go. So, we got up in the attic and cleaned out a large cache of boxes and stuff. I tend to “collect” empty boxes (say, from Amazon!) all through the year, so I will have empty boxes to use for birthdays and Christmas presents. I also have the tendency (being the packrat that I am), to keep boxes for certain kitchen items and other gifts that I receive. Today, we cleaned a lot of those out, and broke them down for the recycling bin. I also took a couple of big bags of stuff to the Goodwill store.

It feels good to get some stuff cleaned out! I still have a lot left to go. Receipts and paperwork are the worst for me. I still have some closets and drawers to go through,too. But at least it’s a start! 🙂

Have you cleaned out or decluttered anything since the holidays? Leave me a comment and let me know! 😀

I normally go grocery shopping today (or the middle of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday). But looking at the thermometer, it’s 29 degrees outside, with a wind chill of 19 degrees. Really too cold for a shivering girl like myself. I really think I’d much rather stay inside, all wrapped up, with some hot raspberry zinger tea, my Kindle or maybe a movie on TV. Doesn’t that sound better that schlepping groceries in below freezing weather?

Thankfully we never lost power over the weekend, nor did we get as much ice as I expected or they predicted (thank goodness!). I took some pictures, but lazy old me hasn’t loaded them yet. Probably not very scenic pictures. Snow photographs a lot prettier than ice!

So, I’ve about talked myself into staying inside today, and will procrastinate on going to the grocery store. Luckily, we went at 11 PM Saturday night (to stock up in case we lost power), so I’m not out of anything. I just hate to go on Friday or Saturday or Sunday, because it seems like everyone and his brother is out buying groceries.

Which leads to today’s Question of the Day: When do you do your grocery shopping?
[poll id=”20″]

I normally do mine during the middle of the week, across the middle of the day, to avoid the crowds and be able to get what I want and get in and out. A lot of times on the weekend or evenings, the shelves are missing something I want or need. I hate that! How about you, when do you grocery shop, why then, and do you even like to go grocery shopping? Leave me a comment and let me know 🙂

We’re waiting to see what the weather will do today. It’s already started sleeting here, and they’re calling for a lot of ice, freezing rain, sleet (what’s the difference between those, anyway?!), and maybe even some snow. The snow is fine, the ice is not. Ice brings down limbs on power lines and then we have no power, no heat, no way to get warm, cook food, etc. I really hope we don’t lose power.

Yesterday was such an unhappy day here. The Saints played their playoff game against the Seahawks, and LOST. So sad that the season is over. Last year was so much better 🙂

Hope everyone is having a great day! 🙂

What do you guys do with old Christmas cards? The ones you receive from others, whether they are the photo kind of kids or families, or just plain Christmas card greeting cards. Do you save them? Throw them out? Scrapbook them? Do something else with them?

I have been saving them, but I have a pretty big collection of them. I have several years worth in a couple of photo boxes. I am afraid I’m equally as bad with birthday cards, I tend to save those as well. I chalk it up to two things 1) I’m sentimental and 2) I’m a packrat. I think both stem from the fact that my mom was neither. She threw everything out. And I mean everything. Drawings I made for her as a child. Ornaments I made for her in Sunday School. Birthday and Christmas cards. Everything. She even threw out or gave away some old handmade quilts that were made by her mom and aunt. What I wouldn’t give to have those quilts!

Anyway, I’m trying to decide about tossing Christmas cards from years past, but apparently I’m looking for affirmation or back-up here, LOL! What do you do with your old cards you receive from others?

Thanks, and have a wonderful day!

So begins a new year! I am always amazed at the end of a year that it appeared to have “flown by”. 🙂 I must be getting old or something.

We had a busy end to the year, as always:

* Tim was off work the week of Christmas, but went back to work the week between Christmas and New Years (he works from home though, remember!).

* We got all of the packing up and putting up of lights, decorations, tree and Snow village, done (always a relief).

* We watched several old movies on Netflix streaming (Holiday, The Big Sleep and It Happened One Night).

* We had some of our nieces and nephews over for New Years Eve. Some really bad thunderstorms rolled through that night, and everyone was pretty soaked when they arrived. Tim grilled out steaks and we hung out for a while (although I didn’t make it till midnight here. I usually watch the ball drop on TV at Times Square and that’s good enough for me, LOL!)

* We watched football and worked our annual puzzle on New Years Day. This year, we did a panoramic puzzle (our first) of Niagara Falls. I think I like panoramics better – more straight edges pieces and a little easier, haha!

Now, it’s time to get this year going. I have to learn to write 2011 on checks and things. I have to start over on my reading lists (I read 57 books in 2010, way below my normal average, but good enough for me. Tinnitus has really affected my reading, although it’s gradually getting better). I always look forward to January and February. I like to clean out and declutter. I like being a homebody and being inside with the weather colder and drearier outside. I look forward to spending more time with Tim, because once it warms back up, he’ll be out on the golf course most every day. So, bring it on!