READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Deuteronomy 7

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Deuteronomy 6

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Deuteronomy 5

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Deuteronomy 4

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Deuteronomy Chapter 2

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Deuteronomy 1

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 36

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 35

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 34

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 33

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 32

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 30

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 29

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 28

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers 27

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 26

Reading the Bible this year: Numbers 25

Reading the Bible in 1 Year - learning about the Children of Israel's history

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 22

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 21

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 20 - Moses

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 19

https://rumble.com/embed/v48d79k/?pub=275tqq

Reading the Bible in 1 Year - Join us on our Journey

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 17

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Numbers Chapter 16

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 15

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 14 - See Post Below

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 12

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 11

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 10

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 9 - The Passover

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 8

Reading the Bible in 1 Year - Numbers Chapter 7

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers 6

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Numbers Chapter 4

People Need to Come Together - Not Fight

Reading the Bible in 1 Year - Numbers Chapter 2

Join Us as we Read Through the Bible this Year

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus 27

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 26

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 25

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus 24 with a NT Devotional

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 23

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 22

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Leviticus 21

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR - Leviticus 20

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus 18 and 19

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Leviticus Chapters 16 and 17

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 15

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapter 14

Merry Christmas - We're Reading Leviticus 13

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus 11 and 12

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Leviticus Chps 9 &10

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus Chapters 7 & 8

READING THE BIBLE IN 1 YEAR: Leviticus Chapters 5 and 6

Reading the Bible in 1 Year: #Exodus Chapters 2, 3, and 4

Reading the Bible in 1 Year Leviticus Chapter 1

The Nation of Israel - Reading the Bible in 1 Year

Saturday, January 31, 2009

National Seed Swap Day

Today is National Seed Swap Day. I don't know how you're celebrating but, if you live in Arizona, here's one way you can enjoy the day: how 'bout a hike?

The Washington Gardener is hosting a seed swap this year and some local Civic Gardens offer seed exchanges, here's a little info about one from last year.

If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll send you some seeds from my garden. I love sharing nature's beauty. And, spreading the blooms is one way to pay-it-forward.

Friday, January 30, 2009

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Palmistry traces its roots back to Indian (Hindu) astrology. It is thought to have started more than 5000 years ago.

Now for Earth-Friendly Friday:

One of the ways I live green is by not using any pesticides in my garden. Of course it can be a pain when I watch neighbors come out with Roundup and spray their weeds - instant results. But that's not the way to go. Those poisons destroy so much more than the weeds.

I'm trying to create a habitat for the wild things: birds, bugs, toads, and YES even snakes.


And, even though I don't use any pesticides, some of my plants grow over 3 feet tall. (Cute neighbor-kid model :)


My Mom always used to say, "Money doesn't grow on trees."

But paper is made out of trees - and money is made on paper - right?

Oh...well, if you're going to grow anything - it might as well be moneyplant - that's my motto. :)


Of course here in the city we don't get many toads or snakes but we DO get some. And I don't want to have them arrive, just in time to kill them. These creatures are good for the garden and good for the environment. So, I garden organically. The process may take more time but the results are worth it - don't you agree?

Thursday, January 29, 2009

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY


QUESTION: Do you know where palm reading originated? And, if you do, in what year?

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

ANSWER: Shypod

Someone who doesn't want to share the contents of his or her iPod.

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

I love learning new words. And, it seems like I learn a new word every day. My kids say things I've never heard before and when I look at them with that slap-me-in-the-forehead kind of DUH look, they explain what it means. Here's one, I think is fun:

WORD: Shypod

Take a guess and then come back around 3:00 to see if you were right - or NOT.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Techy Tuesday - What do you think

Okay, we all love books - right? I love to hold them in my hands, late at night, as I curl up under the covers. But so many agents, editors and people are talking about the Sony Reader and the kindle...I'm wondering.

Do you think it's worth the investment, which looks like it's about $359 (according to Amazon) for the kindle? And which one is better: Sony Reader or the Kindle?

I would love to be able to upload books and take them with me wherever I go, without the bulk and weight of them. Plus, whenever I pack, I over pack. This way I could bring way too many books with me without having to worry about space.

But, what do you think? Is it worth it to invest in this new technology?

I'm considering it. But, then again, I've never been a big techy. Of course my kids are and my husband is an IT director - so I'm sure someone would use it even if I decided it wasn't for me. But, having grown up poor, I hate to waste money.

Any words of wisdom for a bookaholic?

Monday, January 26, 2009

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris


I guess I'm the opposite of most people. I read Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (2004) first, then When You're Engulfed in Flames(2008) and now I'm reading Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000).

I didn't read the first book first, I read the middle book first and the last book second, now I'm reading the oldest book. So I guess I'm a little mixed up but it doesn't matter which order you read the books in, they're all good and they all stand alone.

There is a lot of humor in each of these short essays, although some might think it's a little twisted. So, I guess twisted goes well with mixed up.

Me Talk Pretty One Day is an especially good book for anyone studying a new language. If you've read any of David's books, add your comments here.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Underworld, Rise of the Lycans

I went with my family to see Underworld, Rise of the Lycans. I enjoyed the film. Of course, I usually do enjoy a good vampire or werewolf movie.

Most of my friends, coworkers and family think it's funny that I love scary films. Give me a good zombie movie any day. I guess they think it's odd because I'm such a traditional Mom. But I love the adrenalin rush we get from the thrill of suspense.

I especially liked it when Viktor said, "Without the loyalty between us, we are no better than the beasts at our door." But he had a real strange look in his ice-blue eyes - I mean he was talking to his daughter - not a girlfriend. And, he seemed a little too . . . something with her. He should have been happy that Lucius (who was like a son to him) was in love with his daughter but instead... well, I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone. But, if any of you go see the movie, please come back and comment. I'd love to see what others thought of the prequel. Now, I'm going to be waiting for the next movie in the series.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

BIG BEAUTY BLOG

Beauty is only skin deep and, if you aren't peaceful, relaxed and healthy, whatever beauty you may have, that others see in you, will soon be lost.

Mom used to always say, "It's what's inside that matters." Kind of like a beautiful apple pie crust - that's great - but if you cut into the pie and find a rotten filling, what is the pie worth? Nothing. Now, I'm not trying to compare people to pie but I'm sure you get the picture.

That's why I'm including this BIG BEAUTY BLOG post. Here, I'm going to talk about inner beauty. I honestly believe you can only look and feel your best, if you take a little "time-out" for yourself to regenerate, rejuvenate, and re-energize.

So, I'm just trying to encourage everyone to take time to relax. If you can't get a massage then maybe a nice long bath (remember the Calgon "Take Me Away" slogan?), or even a hot shower where you can spray some eucalyptus oil into the steam and have a nice moment of aromatherapy, it can't hurt and maybe it will help. At the very least, you'll probably have a more beautiful attitude.

Friday, January 23, 2009

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Wikipedia shows 18. But there are at least twelve according to yahooanswers.com:

Andorra
Bahamas
Brunei
Kuwait
Maldives
Monaco
Nauru
Oman
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Vanuatu

NOW FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Winter has come and spring is just around the corner so it's time to start thinking about the garden. One of the best ways to help save the Earth is to compost and it's easier than you might have thought. Check out the info on the compost web page and see what you think. But remember, even a little bit means a lot...less.

So if you're only composting your coffee grounds and putting them back into your garden, that's more than most and it's saving space in the landfills while helping to regenerate your soil. Plus, your plants will love you for it. And we can all use a lot more love. :)

Thursday, January 22, 2009

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

It seems like just the other day I was cooped up in my house, snowbound and enjoying the holidays. But I look up on the wall calendar and see the month is already more than half over.

At work, they handed out our W-2's. It made me think about one of the two certainties in life: Death and Taxes.

Well, at least the second part of those two certain things: the taxes part.

QUESTION: Do you know how many countries don't require their citizens to pay taxes?

And, can you name it/them?

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY


Smarmy:

Cheesy, pretentious, similar to snobby.

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

Writers out there, you should know more words than most. So here's my challenge: tell me what the word for Wednesday means - Without googling it or looking it up. Be brave fellow blogging-buddies and take a guess if you don't really know. It's more fun that way.

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: SMARMY

Check back around 3:00 p.m. and you'll see the answer.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

TWO REASONS TO CELEBRATE

First of all it's Inauguration Day and a new beginning!

And second:

Kreativ Blogger Award??? For Moi


What?...I can't even spell it right. But thanks to Rena Jones I've been nominated.

It's kewl to think my blogging-buddies enjoy reading my stuff - now if only publishing houses thought so too. :)

Here's a list of some other blogs I'm nominating for this award, check them out, I think they are worth reading:

1. Chocolate for Inspiration by Christina Farley;

2. Hello Ello by Ellen Oh;

3. A Little Sweet, A Little Sour by Cindy Pon;

4. Summer Friend by Danette Haworth;

5. Colorado Writer by Stephanie Blake;

6. Brenda's Page; and,

7. Marcia Hoehne's blog

HAPPY READING!

Monday, January 19, 2009

LET'S CELEBRATE - IT'S MLK DAY!


It's MLK Day! And in these hard economic times, I think it's nice to remember that Dr. King said:

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead.

But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop."

Martin Luther King, Jr., April 3, 1968, Mason Temple, Memphis, TN

(Side note: it's my 26th year wedding anniversary!!!)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sasha - Our Siberian Husky



Sasha wasn't in a talkative mood. We'd taken her to the dog park so she was tired and wanted to be left alone.

Have you ever tried to get your kid to do something on cue? . . . so, you understand.

Siberian Huskies are usually very friendly dogs. And they can have different colorings. But, I think they are all beautiful. Of course, I've always been an animal person.

We have one frog, two dogs, and a cat - right now. But in the past, we've had iguanas, hedgehogs, horses, birds and more. So, maybe I'm not the person to ask, but I say animals are very smart - well...some of them are. Just like people, some are smarter than others. And, some are nicer than others.

People can be grouchy, anti-social and quiet but, if you find those same traits in a dog, its thought of as "dangerous".

I say it's all in the personality. . . of the person and the pet.

And, I say Siberian Huskies talk. Sasha even picked out her own name. I wish I had filmed it but - sadly - I didn't.

My daughter, Kara, wrote down ten different names, each on a separate piece of paper then she spread them out around the floor.

We all stood and watched as Sasha went up to one particular piece of paper. She picked it up in her mouth. Kara read the name.

Jake didn't like it. He said it sounded slutty. So, Kara - wanting to please her brother - put all the names back in a circle and sat Sasha in the center of the circle. We watched as she walked back over to that same piece of paper and peed on it. That was it.

Now, she's slutty-Sasha. We cut it short: Sasha. But...she does love attention.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

My BIG Beauty Blog





Lisa Graff was my inspiration for this Beauty Blog - well, that and my upcoming 30-year high school reunion and my husband's 30-year reunion, where I'll be his date ;)

Okay, my skin has aged - a lot - over 30 years. So I thought I would start with a facial but, OMG, those things are expensive so I opted for a homemade facial. I used a little mini-spatula to smear the concoction over my face, then I let it dry and finally I washed it off. It was a great exfoliation process. I was hoping to end up having skin looking like:



Okay, maybe that's going a wee-bit young. So how about going for a look like:



Okay, maybe I'm dreaming. But, at least now you can see why I started this process so early. It looks like this beauty-blog project is going to be one LONG experiment. I think I'll do a little bit each week, over the next six months. And, hopefully, I'll see some improvement.

My daughter is even committed to helping me. She started by straightening my hair. I have super-thick, coarse, hair that has a lot of wave to it, so that can be a big job. But we did it.

This was just phase one of my BIG beauty project. I'll keep you posted here on my blog, as I keep advancing (in years but hopefully doing a Benjamin Button on my face).

My husband's 30-year reunion (from Scappoose High School) will be in October and I haven't found out about mine - yet - but, like I said, at least I have a little time to work on this project and, as you can see from my pictures, that's a good thing ;-)

Friday, January 16, 2009

TRIFECTA or QUADFECTA: ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY, NUDE PENCILS AND RHYME FOR THE WEEKEND

Okay, this is one blog-post that is packed full of information, environmentally friendly tidbits and (I hope) entertainment.


ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: The armadillo (You blogging-buddies are unbelievably smart and - at least - you listen to the question)

When I asked my husband this same question, he said, "the potato bug."

I said, "WHAT?"

He said, "The roly-poly." I said, "Huh?"

"You know," he said, "The sow bug."

I said, "Critical words you must have missed, 'mammal' and 'shell'."

"Oh," he laughed, "Maybe I should listen a little more."

"Maybe," I said.


NOW for my EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY BLOG
:

Some people don't do anything to save the planet, 'cause they think they can't do enough to make a difference.

But, that's not true.

Every little bit helps and we can all make a difference. For example, we like to buy earth-friendly...pencils. The only difference in these pencils and "regular" pencils is that they don't have any yellow paint on them. They are just natural wood. What difference does it make, whether a pencil is natural or yellow? They write the same. So, I'm going nude from now on - I mean my pencils. My family is opting for unpainted or "nude" pencils from here on out.



Here's a little poem honoring my Mom who was

THE QUEEN OF GREEN


I was GREEN before it was kewl.
I was GREEN in grade school.
Other kids snickered, and called us poor
Cause of hand-me-downs that we wore

With nine kids, grandma, and Mom and Dad
Some would look at us and think, “how sad.”
Only one car, with twelve to ride
We squeezed together to make room inside

But, we played outside until it was dark
Took long walks to the neighborhood park
Ate everything put on our plate
Never complained – thought life was great

Waste not, want not – it would be a sin
I’d never heard of a recycling bin

Mom had a garden in the back
Lunch was packed, in a brown sack
She darned socks and mended shirts
used old tablecloths to sew my skirts

We were the sustainable few
before it was THE thing to do

We were poor as poor could be
But we were just being GREEN – now I see

Thursday, January 15, 2009

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

Did I ever say, "I love games!"

No?

Oh well, I do!!!

QUESTION: What is the only mammal with a shell?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY


ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: Harbinger is a sign of things to come, according to Wikipedia.com

And according to dictionary.com it's a person who goes ahead and makes known the coming of another. To herald, just like the Lilly of the Valley blooming in the snow, heralds spring. The LOV is a harbinger of Spring.

Word for Wednesday

Come on take a guess. What's the word mean?

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: HARBINGER

Check back later today around 3:00 pst and you'll see the answer.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Coraline - A Seriously Creepy Kids' Book



Coraline is one creepy kids’ book. And, I loved it.

Coraline’s life is sorta boring at least in her mind. She wants to be an explorer and have exciting things to do. Well, we’ve all heard the expression, “Be careful what you wish for – it just might come true.” And boy does it ever come true for Coraline.

There is a door in the drawing room that is “only for best”. Right away you know something’s wrong with a room that is “only for best”, ‘cause who calls something that any way? The words aren’t even right.

There’s a door in there that’s always kept locked. And, when Coraline asks her mother, “Where does that door go?”

She says, “Nowhere, dear.”

“It has to go somewhere.” Coraline doesn’t believe her but her mother proves her point.

The door swings open and it opens onto a brick wall – but that doesn’t last for long.

Later, Coraline goes back to the odd door and this time it opens into another house just like her own…except when you look a little closer, it isn’t.

She has another mother and another father but they aren’t the look-alikes they appear to be. Instead the other mother turns out to be…

Well, I don’t want to ruin the story for all you readers out there.

Suffice it to say that Coraline must use her brain to win this game, and a little trickery too – along with the help of a not-so-friendly cat.

This 163 page novel is a fun read and now there’s a 3-D stop-motion animated picture – that is currently on my “To-Do” list.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - Just finished

I have been so into the True Blood series. I first found the story on HBO and I loved it.

But, when the season ended, being the true fanpire that I am, I had to do something since I went into immediate TB addiction withdrawal. I had to get my Sookie and Bill fix. But with the show on a hiatus until March, I couldn't wait THAT long.

Have I mentioned, "I'm not the most patient person in the world"?

So, without the weekly show to satisfy my thirst (he-he), I had to find another way to get my fill of True Blood and Sookie.

And, just to let you know, where there's a free will, there's a way.

So I ran right down to the bookstore and bought my first Harris novel: Dead Until Dark. But, that was just the beginning. From there, I read:

2) Living Dead in Dallas
3) Club Dead
4) Dead to the World; and,
5) Definitely Dead

Now, I'm on my way through number six. I've read the first chapter of All Together Dead, which was offered as a special preview at the end of Definitely Dead. And, I have the hardback copy of From Dead to Worse - waiting. . .

So, I'm here to say, if you love a good romance novel, with a little paranormal spice thrown in for good measure, Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Romance Series is well worth the read(s).

And, if you've read any of the books or, if you run out and get one and read it tonight, let me know. I love talking shop: books.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

A Hot Toddy

I didn’t really drink at all - until my kids became teenagers – I just looked drunk, all the time: stumbling around in a sleep-deprived fog, bloodshot eyes, clothes all disheveled.

I even remember wearing two different shoes to work one morning, when I'd been up all night with one of the kids. That might not seem too horrible - if you're thinking one shoe was just a slightly different shade than the other, like blue and black. But that wasn't the case. This scene was much MUCH worse.

One shoe was a flat and one was a pump.

I hobbled in the door: up-and-down, up-and-down, all the way to my desk. Even that wouldn't be so bad, if I worked behind a counter where no one could see my feet. But, I work in a law office, where we are supposed to look professional.

Maybe it was then that I gave up all my hopes of being a perfect parent. I'm no longer a strict tea-tottaler and that's another word from my Mom.

On a hot summer night, and not all of them, I love a salty margarita. And on a cold winter’s night, I love a Kahlua and Coffee.

But there’s one drink I remember Mom talking about in the winter, when cold and flu season hit. She'd pull out the Brandy and Lemon juice. She said it was her cure for the common cold and I remember her giving us kids a mixture of the liquid - but only a tablespoon full, or so.

It was the Hot Toddy

I always thought Mom made up the name of THE HOT TODDY because my brother's name was Todd and Mom always played games with names, so it wouldn't have been such a stretch.

My name is Kimbra Fay - my little sister's name is Tambra Kay and that's just the beginning.

Did you know today is National Hot Toddy Day?

:) It brought back a lot of nearly forgotten memories for me.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

A GREAT MOVIE - The Duchess - with Keira Knightley


Even if you don't like historical movies, you will love the costumes and hair. They couldn't have been done any better and Keira Knightley is one of the most beautiful women alive today. But, that is just the beginning.

This is the true story of the Duchess of Devonshire, who befriends Lady Spencer, played by Charlotte Rampling. Unfortunately, Lady Spencer betrays the Duchess in a tragic turn of events.

This is a heart wrenching story that will cause even the most cynical of viewers to have to hide a tear.

Friday, January 9, 2009

ANSWER(S) TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY






ANSWER(S) TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: The fastest animal in the world...depends. In the water, it's the dolphin, in the air, it's the falcon, on land, it's the cheetah. So it depends. But you can read all about these amazing animals here.

Here's My Earth-Friendly Friday Post: My sustainability tip "Bike Bound" made it into the Oregonian, which is my local newspaper. It's the second clip on the right-hand side. So Yipee!!! I'm celebrating this one because it's more than a tiny little clip - it's my own little way of adding a little green(ery) to the world. (I had to cut and paste the article, to get it to fit on one page.) If you click on the article, it will enlarge. Hope you can read it. If not, you can see it here, the Oregonian posted an on-line article about the story - my tip is half way down the page.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: What is the fastest animal in the world?

Check back tomorrow for the answer ;)

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

What Was Happening the Year You Were Born?

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: Here's the answer:

According to Dictionary.com: to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely

To see what was happening the year you were born click on the year -

1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006

WORD for Wednesday

Word for Wednesday: NONPLUSSED

It seems like such a simple word,
one that we have doubtless heard.
But, can you bring its meaning to mind?
Do you know..., is it to be rude or kind?

The diction is easy to assume,
but pondering can cause utter gloom,
for those of us who like to think
we wield words, and we shouldn't have to check a link
for a simple term we find in cyber space.
So take a guess - come on - be brave. Join this race...

(I'll post the answer later today along with another FUN post "What Happened the Year You Were Born". Let's celebrate the New Year - check back around 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time PST)

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

THE LACE READER - A Book Breakdown for all You Readers Out There


I'm in a book club at my office. We just finished The Lace Reader by Brunoni Barry.

This is the story of Towner Whitney or Sophya and the women in her family: Great-Aunt Eva, Emma and May - and we can't forget her twin sister Lyndley or Lyndsey - or can we?...

Brunoni Barry decided to self-publish her first novel and it took off like a rocket, which created a bidding war. Learn more about it here. You can listen to the podcast at Prosecast, it's an interview by Cathi Bond.

I love the line in the beginning: "...in the space between what is real and what is only imagined." This speaks to all things unknown and sets the stage for a mystery filled with suspense. What I didn't realize, in the beginning, is that it actually explains the entire book.

The Lace Reader is another story set in witch haven: Salem, Mass. But don't be fooled. This story has a different type of backdrop. It's not your typical Salem witch story. There is an interesting mystery to this story - or maybe a few of them.

One of the new twists to this tale, is the use of Ipswich Lace. The women in Towner's family can read the future - in lace. All they have to do is hold a piece of lace up in front of a person's face, and the reader can see the future.

This was a very creative device to the story and I only wish this aspect would have been developed more because it was fascinating, like phrenology. And I loved the snippets of history delicately woven, like a thin thread, throughout the story.

The mystery starts when Towner's or Sophya's Great Aunt Eva is thought to be missing. Sophya feels duty-bound to travel across the country, to return home, and find out what is going on.

But, immediately, Sophya is caught up in something. We just have no way of knowing what it is:

1) Is it a ghost story?
2) Is her Great-Aunt Eva really at home, sneaking around but healthy and happy?
3) Is everyone crazy?
4) Has anyone searched Aunt Eva's house?

But it doesn't help solve the mystery when they find her. There are still a lot of questions to be answered.

SPOILER ALERT:

Don't read on if you haven't read the story yet and don't want any info about the story leaked out.

SPOILERS:

One question is why did Eva leave everything to Sophya and not her own daughter, Emma? There are so many more questions. Like, what really happened to Lyndley or Lindsey? And why did she kill herself so suddenly?

It makes for a page-turner.

BUT, then, I got to the end. And, I felt "slightly" cheated. Kind of like when Dorothy woke up back home in Kansas with all her friends from Oz surrounding her. Nothing was real.

The same is true here: Towner really was crazy.

And I have more questions now than I had in my head at the half-way marker, in the middle of the book:

1) Did Towner have a split personality or can everything simply be explained away by hysteria and hallucinations?
2) If it was a split personality, did the alter ego surface because she was s. abused by Cal?
3) Was any of the abuse real or was that another part of her hysteria?
4) Was Sophya crazy from birth or did that develop because of her father's s. abuse?

I don't want to ruin it for everyone and it was an interesting story but, like I said, I felt a little cheated at the end. But, if Brunonia Barry decided to write a sequel that answered all my questions...

Well then, the Lace Reader would be a great book.

Monday, January 5, 2009

The Absurdities of the English Language

Words that are spelled similarly should (maybe) sound the same, but:

"I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?"
Quoted by Vivian Cook and Melvin Bragg 2004,
by Richard Krogh, in D Bolinger & D A Sears, Aspects of Language, 1981,


MacKenzie was telling me about the difficulty people have learning the English language. She has taken a bit of French and German.

She pointed me to a couple fun websites that prove her point. If you want to look at a few poems that point out the oddities found in our spelling, look here.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

All the Girls - My Siberian Husky and Sheba Inu



Sasha is only ten months old and a . . . handful...I meant puppy, honest I did. Kit is 15 and a little old lady. The two (almost) even each other out.

Kit is (shhhh - I don't want to hurt her feelings) a "little" chubby but she's a part of the family and of course she gets too many treats - just like me. But don't call us names . . . and I'm sure, especially with this post, you might be thinking of a few. But be nice.

Sasha is a Siberian Husky - with an eighth of German Shepard. Kit is a Sheba Inu. We got Kit from the Multnomah County Animal Control when she was four months old. Some people call it The Pound and then there is also the Humane Society, which are all great places to get a pet.

But volunteers make mistakes and Kit was labeled as a kitten so the kids wanted to name her Kitten. I compromised with Kit.

Sasha picked her own name and she is a husky so she can talk but that's an entirely different story for another post.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Celebrating Like It's 2009


We have had some great holiday celebrations. On New Year's Day we had a wonderful dinner with friends and family. Then we sang Happy Birthday to my brother Steve and my sister Tammy - no they aren't twins.

I don't know what it means - if anything - but it's an odd phenomena in our family. We have a lot of multiple birthdays without any twins. My oldest son (Jake) and my youngest daughter (Kara) have the same birthday too. And even my husband and I have the same birthday. On the bright side, it cuts down on the cakes I have to bake. :)

This is one cake I baked. We call it "lagekage" which is Danish and should be pronounced "Lauh Kay". And "lauh" is like "now".

Then we opened Christmas presents. My sister gave me this beautiful painting.



And I gave Serena a cute bracelet/necklace combo present.



Our extended family holiday celebrations were postponed due to weather. It was the worst snow storm in my lifetime (as far as I can remember) and it hit just before Christmas.

We didn't really mind because it was nice to stay home and have a quiet Christmas with the kids but we missed Steve and Tammy's birthday party. So, we had a little catching up to do.

Now we're all caught up and ready to move on - so we had to party like it was 2009. Oh . . ., wait, it is.

Time flies!

Friday, January 2, 2009

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: JOHN WAYNE


Earth-Friendly Friday: Here's a great website with lots of helpful information if you want to GO GREEN in 2009. You can click around the site and learn some helpful information but you can begin with their five initiatives listed below.

The five initiatives for the Go Green Project:

1. Generate compost. This is nature's way of recycling. Through basic and worm composting programs, children learn about ecology, biology and waste reduction.
2. Recycle everything that cannot be reused and purchase items that can be recycled. With fast shrinking landfill space and diminishing natural resources, recycling has never been more important. Recycling items such as paper, plastic, aluminum and ink cartridges reduces toxic greenhouse gas emissions and conserves energy. Manage E-waste by finding creative solutions to divert obsolete computer parts, cell phones and other such devices from the waste stream. Schools that recycle provide much-needed materials to manufacturers who produce recycled products.
3. Educate students, teachers and parents on environmentally-responsiblebehavior. When students, teachers and parents work together to make their schools environmentally friendly, they are more likely to take the same behaviors into their off campus lives. Our goal is to create environmentally-responsible school communities throughout the nation and across the globe.
4. Evaluate the environmental impact of every activity. Identify products and practices that could threaten the health of children and the world around them. Consider improving the campus environment with activities such as eliminating excessive energy consumption; evaluating the toxicity of pesticides used in classrooms and on playgrounds; improving outdoor air quality through increased carpooling efforts; and working to improve indoor air quality.
5. Nationalize the principles of responsible paper consumption. Consider purchasing post consumer recycled paper and office products. Use technology to communicate electronically as much as possible. Seek ways to provide Internet access to all school families.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

2009 - HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009 is HERE! I can hardly believe another year has come and gone.


THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY
: What was the stage name of Marion Michael Morrison?