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Overnight, we got 7 inches of snow and it hasn't quite let up yet!
DD was driving me crazy about going outside to play. I swear, that kid never stops yakking! (And there for awhile, we thought she was never going to learn to talk!) So she spent about two hours outside this morning already, in her new used snowsuit and snowboots I bought off Ebay. DD says they keep her nice and warm, so that's good. She built a snowman. Her face is so beet red now from being outside, I hope she gets warmed up here in the house!
I really should be doing something more constructive today than sitting her at the computer. Maybe I'll go take a nap. If the weather permits and the roads are cleared off, tomorrow we'll be going to the in-laws to see pictures of their trip to Germany. They were gone two weeks to visit friends.
But who wants to do housework on a snow day?
******
This week's book list includes "The Good Guy," by DRK, and "The Children of Hurin," by JRR Tolkien.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Book Review: "Fat Girl"
"Fat Girl" by Judith Moore is a memoir—about the pain of growing up fat during the 1940s and 1950s. At 208 pages, it is a quick read.
The narrator says she was thin until her parents divorced when she was four years old. Through several chapters, the reader learns of the narrator's constant abuse at the hands of her mother and maternal grandmother. She turns to food for comfort, which spirals into a cycle of yo-yo dieting throughout the rest of her life.
There are a few people in her life who treat her with respect, but deep down, the narrator feels ashamed of herself for being unable to lose the excess weight and keep it off.
The descriptions of food are wonderful; food porn, I would call it. This book may be triggering for some people, as the author does describe details of an abusive childhood, and also a molestation encounter.
I highly recommend this book!
The narrator says she was thin until her parents divorced when she was four years old. Through several chapters, the reader learns of the narrator's constant abuse at the hands of her mother and maternal grandmother. She turns to food for comfort, which spirals into a cycle of yo-yo dieting throughout the rest of her life.
There are a few people in her life who treat her with respect, but deep down, the narrator feels ashamed of herself for being unable to lose the excess weight and keep it off.
The descriptions of food are wonderful; food porn, I would call it. This book may be triggering for some people, as the author does describe details of an abusive childhood, and also a molestation encounter.
I highly recommend this book!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Other People's Stuff
So, in my last entry, I was bemoaning the fact that the house felt like a cluttered mess. DH did get things cleaned up, with DD's help. They straightened up the computer room and her bedroom, which really weren't all that messy. The thought of the mess was more overwhelming than the actual mess. However, guess what we've been doing lately...
That's right: going to auctions and buying other people's stuff.
Actually we've gone to four auctions in the past two weekends, partly just to get out of the house, but we also ended up with two great finds. The first was a library desk for only $175, which probably cost three times that orignally. I couldn't believe I won the item. The second piece was a lighted, mirrored curio cabinet for $70. It stands about 8 feet tall. Again. I couldn't believe I won the item. I didn't need the desk—I already have an antique rolltop desk that had been my grandfather's—but it was in too good of condition to pass up. If it had been more expensive than what I paid, I wouldn't have continued to bid on it. Same way with the cabinet. But I have a use for the cabinet. I can house many of my Fenton glass baskets and candy dishes in it. We were talking of buying a new one, but this one is probably much nicer than any we could have afforded to buy brand-new.
In other news, DH's grandfather passed away in mid-April. I haven't felt much like blogging or writing or anything else lately. It was expected; he had been sick with emphysema for years. All the same, losing a family member is difficult. It's been stressful to say the least.
This weekend, we will probably be going to another auction, just to get out of the house. I like to look through other people's belongings to see what kind of person they were/are. Both sales we attended this past weekend were moving sales, and one last week was also. The other one was a storage facility cleaning out non-paying people's stuff. We got a futon and a small, one-man kayak. :)
Also last week, we finally bought the lavender paint for DD's room. We found some cute Tinkerbell stick-on border and cutouts at Wal-Mart to add to the room once we're finished painting. It will be adorable. It was definitely time for the Noah's Ark theme to go.
We still have more spring-cleaning to do. The garage needs to be organized. The house is somewhat of a mess since I haven't felt like doing much of anything lately. Although I would like to live a minimalist life, it seems that I can't help but acquire more stuff. What can I say except I like the thrill of the hunt!
Looking for a good inspirational book to read? Check out Sue Monk Kidd's collection of essays titled "Firstlight." It is an awesome book, and not just for Xtians. A person of any faith would enjoy reading it. And if you're in the mood for a classic novel, read Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie." It tells the story of a small-town woman who becomes a stage actress in the 1890s. She becomes a "kept" woman, almost accidentally, who eventually learns how to make it on her own.
That's right: going to auctions and buying other people's stuff.
Actually we've gone to four auctions in the past two weekends, partly just to get out of the house, but we also ended up with two great finds. The first was a library desk for only $175, which probably cost three times that orignally. I couldn't believe I won the item. The second piece was a lighted, mirrored curio cabinet for $70. It stands about 8 feet tall. Again. I couldn't believe I won the item. I didn't need the desk—I already have an antique rolltop desk that had been my grandfather's—but it was in too good of condition to pass up. If it had been more expensive than what I paid, I wouldn't have continued to bid on it. Same way with the cabinet. But I have a use for the cabinet. I can house many of my Fenton glass baskets and candy dishes in it. We were talking of buying a new one, but this one is probably much nicer than any we could have afforded to buy brand-new.
In other news, DH's grandfather passed away in mid-April. I haven't felt much like blogging or writing or anything else lately. It was expected; he had been sick with emphysema for years. All the same, losing a family member is difficult. It's been stressful to say the least.
This weekend, we will probably be going to another auction, just to get out of the house. I like to look through other people's belongings to see what kind of person they were/are. Both sales we attended this past weekend were moving sales, and one last week was also. The other one was a storage facility cleaning out non-paying people's stuff. We got a futon and a small, one-man kayak. :)
Also last week, we finally bought the lavender paint for DD's room. We found some cute Tinkerbell stick-on border and cutouts at Wal-Mart to add to the room once we're finished painting. It will be adorable. It was definitely time for the Noah's Ark theme to go.
We still have more spring-cleaning to do. The garage needs to be organized. The house is somewhat of a mess since I haven't felt like doing much of anything lately. Although I would like to live a minimalist life, it seems that I can't help but acquire more stuff. What can I say except I like the thrill of the hunt!
Looking for a good inspirational book to read? Check out Sue Monk Kidd's collection of essays titled "Firstlight." It is an awesome book, and not just for Xtians. A person of any faith would enjoy reading it. And if you're in the mood for a classic novel, read Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie." It tells the story of a small-town woman who becomes a stage actress in the 1890s. She becomes a "kept" woman, almost accidentally, who eventually learns how to make it on her own.
Friday, December 29, 2006
D29 -- Year-End Review
Journals:
#58 = "As Long as You Live, Live!" (Jan-Feb 2006; 354pp)
#59 = "Along a Winding Road" (March 2006; 192pp)
#60 = "Found Passions" (March-April 2006; 208pp)
#61 = "Song of Happiness" (April-May-June 2006; 401pp)
#62 = "Metamorphosis" (June-July 2006; 192pp)
#63 = "Dreaming in Reality" (July-August 2006; 300pp)
#64 = "A Deliberate Life" (Sept-Oct 2006; 384pp)
#65 = "Gossamer Strands Everlasting" (Oct 2006; 158pp)
#66 = "Unexpected Opportunities" (Oct-Nov 2006; 272pp)
#67 = "WordCrazy" (Nov-Dec 2006; 160pp)
#68 = "VisionSeeker" (Dec 2006; 240pp)
for a total of 2861 pages, 10 journals (1100 more pages written than 2005!)
Books: I read over 72 books this year.
Nanowrimo: I wrote over 55,000 words and completed my story. :)
2006 was... a year of mostly the sameness. We didn't go anywhere or do anything special. We saw a few movies here and there, most notably, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
DD passed into first grade, and she has learned to read, add, and subtract. She is even writing us letters!
DD & I went to my cousin's wedding in Evansville, IN, in September. I saw my Floridian grandmother, but unfortunately, it was a quick trip. I wish I could have spent more time with her. DD & I also visited one of my college roommates and went to another friend's baby shower. Both my roommate and my friend had babies this year, and I have a (different) cousin who is due at the end of January 2007--all babies are boys.
Healthwise, I had two UTIs (!), probably due to dehydration or possibly stress. (One of my 2007 goals is to drink more water.) Otherwise, except for a few colds, we were all healthy--thankfully.
The weather was HOT all summer long. We never did get around to going to the town pool (I so detest public swimming pools!), but we did go to a newly opened waterpark, which was fun. DD was a little too young to go down the big slide, however.
In June, we had a yard sale, and made about $250. I used the money to buy groceries. Would you believe that here at the end of the year, I still have garage-sale leftovers sitting on the front porch!?
I found my muse again, and spent all of October and November writing. But just as suddenly as the muse had returned, it faded away, and I am now trying to get caught up on blog entries.
I cleared out some stuff that was cluttering my brain; hitting the delete button on old emails and such was more gratifying than I had anticipated, and I don't feel as if getting rid of that stuff was any big loss. I had held onto some of it because at the time, I couldn't bear to part with it, but when I felt I needed to get rid of it all, I hit delete with no hesitation. That surprised me most--that I didn't even hesitate.
DD & I went to the library a lot. I held onto two books until the end of December, renewing them every two weeks. I finally finished reading them and returned them. One of my 2007 goals is to read what I check out in the time period allotted and avoid overdue fines. :)
Time has flown this year. I look back on 2006 and wonder where the time went. It seems like only yesterday that I was castin off 2005, and here I am, casting off 2006. My motto of 2006 was "A New Hope," and I think I lived up to that, pretty much. I did have some bad days, but none of them were as bad as I felt during 2005.
2007 is going to be My Year of Victory.
#58 = "As Long as You Live, Live!" (Jan-Feb 2006; 354pp)
#59 = "Along a Winding Road" (March 2006; 192pp)
#60 = "Found Passions" (March-April 2006; 208pp)
#61 = "Song of Happiness" (April-May-June 2006; 401pp)
#62 = "Metamorphosis" (June-July 2006; 192pp)
#63 = "Dreaming in Reality" (July-August 2006; 300pp)
#64 = "A Deliberate Life" (Sept-Oct 2006; 384pp)
#65 = "Gossamer Strands Everlasting" (Oct 2006; 158pp)
#66 = "Unexpected Opportunities" (Oct-Nov 2006; 272pp)
#67 = "WordCrazy" (Nov-Dec 2006; 160pp)
#68 = "VisionSeeker" (Dec 2006; 240pp)
for a total of 2861 pages, 10 journals (1100 more pages written than 2005!)
Books: I read over 72 books this year.
Nanowrimo: I wrote over 55,000 words and completed my story. :)
2006 was... a year of mostly the sameness. We didn't go anywhere or do anything special. We saw a few movies here and there, most notably, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
DD passed into first grade, and she has learned to read, add, and subtract. She is even writing us letters!
DD & I went to my cousin's wedding in Evansville, IN, in September. I saw my Floridian grandmother, but unfortunately, it was a quick trip. I wish I could have spent more time with her. DD & I also visited one of my college roommates and went to another friend's baby shower. Both my roommate and my friend had babies this year, and I have a (different) cousin who is due at the end of January 2007--all babies are boys.
Healthwise, I had two UTIs (!), probably due to dehydration or possibly stress. (One of my 2007 goals is to drink more water.) Otherwise, except for a few colds, we were all healthy--thankfully.
The weather was HOT all summer long. We never did get around to going to the town pool (I so detest public swimming pools!), but we did go to a newly opened waterpark, which was fun. DD was a little too young to go down the big slide, however.
In June, we had a yard sale, and made about $250. I used the money to buy groceries. Would you believe that here at the end of the year, I still have garage-sale leftovers sitting on the front porch!?
I found my muse again, and spent all of October and November writing. But just as suddenly as the muse had returned, it faded away, and I am now trying to get caught up on blog entries.
I cleared out some stuff that was cluttering my brain; hitting the delete button on old emails and such was more gratifying than I had anticipated, and I don't feel as if getting rid of that stuff was any big loss. I had held onto some of it because at the time, I couldn't bear to part with it, but when I felt I needed to get rid of it all, I hit delete with no hesitation. That surprised me most--that I didn't even hesitate.
DD & I went to the library a lot. I held onto two books until the end of December, renewing them every two weeks. I finally finished reading them and returned them. One of my 2007 goals is to read what I check out in the time period allotted and avoid overdue fines. :)
Time has flown this year. I look back on 2006 and wonder where the time went. It seems like only yesterday that I was castin off 2005, and here I am, casting off 2006. My motto of 2006 was "A New Hope," and I think I lived up to that, pretty much. I did have some bad days, but none of them were as bad as I felt during 2005.
2007 is going to be My Year of Victory.
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
Lost White Tribes
Now this sounds like an interesting book. I had no idea such "lost white tribes" existed.
Tuesday, November 06, 2001
New Book
Diana Gabaldon of "Outlander" fame has a new book out. Check it out here. It is the fifth book in the series. Years ago, when the first book in the series came out, I read it and loved it--until the end, when I realized it was going to be a continuing series.
So of course, I read the second and third books, which, if I recall correctly, ended the story of the main characters. I never did read the fourth book, and this fifth book now holds no interest for me as it has more to do with the children of the main characters. I don't like when authors try to stretch stuff out like that. Create something new! Don't rehash the same old stuff all the time.
So of course, I read the second and third books, which, if I recall correctly, ended the story of the main characters. I never did read the fourth book, and this fifth book now holds no interest for me as it has more to do with the children of the main characters. I don't like when authors try to stretch stuff out like that. Create something new! Don't rehash the same old stuff all the time.
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