Much Ado About You; Eloisa James

Written by Eloisa James and published in 2005 by Avon, this is the first of the Essex sisters grouping. The others are: Kiss Me Annabel, The Taminig of the Duke, and Pleasure for Pleasure. The cameraderie between the women in Ms. James' stories is always a pleasure to read, like icing on top of an already delicious cupcake.

Raphael Jourdain, Duke of Holbrook, is expecting four young girls as his newest wards. To say he's surprised when four young Scottish women arrive is a slight understatement. But you know, he's rich & he can afford to support them until they marry- so he copes. One of Rafe's closest friends, Lucius Felton, shows up unexpectedly for dinner the night the Essex sisters arrive. From then on he and Tess and his buddy Garret Langham vie for Tess' attentions.

Poor Tess Essex meantime, is torn between her duty to her sisters and her confused heart. As the oldest of the sisters she feels her duty is to marry well to a man wealthy enough to support her sisters until they marry. And as we all know, in circs like these, love is both unlooked for and not the most necessary characteristic. She makes what IMO was a rash decision which she regrets later (of course; don't we all?).

So Tess and Lucius and Garret muddle along. Feeling each other and the situation out until everything boils to a head (so to speak, lol). Tess and Lucius end up married on a special license on extremely short notice. You know? Quite a few romances end up with a wedding via special license. How is that, I'd like to know? But I digress. One of Tess' sisters creates a huge crisis that ends spectacularly badly- and she blames Tess. You know where good intentions lead you, right? Well, Tess isn't going there exactly, but she needs to learn that sometimes you can't be everything to everyone. Anyhow.


So all's not really that well for Tess. Except for Lucius. Who turns out to be a boon, naturally. :) I must say I've very strong feelings about Tess's siblings. Not all of which are positive either. I anticipate reading each young woman's story entirely due to Ms. James' ability to pull me into her narrative. Like many other romance readers I find Ms. James' books uniformly excellent and I am pleased to say I'Ve several more on my shelves awaiting just the right time to pull them out to savor every word.

Thursday 13 #37- Family Update

I've not done a family update in a couple of months, I think. So this morning is as good a time as any. Right? I can't help it if my prof. drones on and on and on and this network is really fast and I'm bored and....it's supposed to snow tonight!!! YAY!!

Click link in title above for a list of other TT participants. Leave a link in the comments and I'll link to you. The purpose of TT is to help bloggers get to know each other better.

1. Husband is a reluctant blogger, link HERE to his/our fitness blog. One post each, not all that impressive. Yet. LOL :)

2. Graduate is now employed at a fast food restaurant & gets free/reduced meals. Leading to his grandmothers and I worrying that he is giving himself clogged arteries at 19. It's wonderful to have a teenager who's fabulous so much so that all I really worry about is his heart health.

3. Anime Queen is bucking for a college hunting trip out to Chicago to visit an art school out there. Husband wishes to go and see the Cubbies if we go.

4. Re: #3, I've already taken a week off in August & so has Hubby. We've not made any firm plans, but it's being tossed around.

5. Pianist is set to play intermission music at a play his school is putting on tomorrow night, weather permitting. He says he plans to play most of the pieces he's been working on with his piano teacher.

6. Also, I've asked Pianist's teacher (aka our church organist and choirmaster) to hunt around for voice and piano camp this summer. Pianist needs to be busy and his singing voice, when you can get him to solo for you- which is rarely, is still soprano. That beautiful clear bell tone only achievable by young men yet untouched by puberty.

7. Anime Queen and a girlfriend are planning to be a girls' church group camping trip youth leaders. This will be with the girlfriend's youth group, a different denomination than we are, but I don't care. Fresh air. Girlfriends. The great outdoors. Faith. It doesn't get much better, except that it'll be free to us. A twofer. lol

8. As for me..er I'm taking a computer class. As I mentioned above. Right now. But he's droning on and on and on about the origins of the internet. And Reston (VA, right up the road) being important to the WWW. So here I am instead. With you. :)

9. Work is ..worky. A word of my own invention, meaning ...meh, more of the same, you get the idea. Some days ulcer inducing. Other days quiet and uneventful. We're finally entering the 21st century and all new equipment is being installed over the next few days. Most everyone else I work with are stressed to the max. Not me. As far as I'm concerned it's about damn time and it'll make the whole work experience easier by far.

10. Valentine's was quiet and simple. Filled with chocolate of all types and colors and flavors. We spent it together at home. Maybe next month we'll do something for Hubby b'day and St. Patrick's day combined. If we're not exhausted by the work and school and family schedules that leave us with so much time together. NOT

11. Our neighbor had a screen pried off of their back window a week or so ago. I'd be very nervous except our backdoor a) barely opens because the floor is uneven and won't allow the door open wider than 12" and b) is partially blocked by furniture. The window part? No ideas on what to do about that other than the fact that most days we have an uneven schedule and you can never really tell who's home when. I really want a dog though. A dog who barks.

12. Anime Queen's talk of college hunting has kind of squeezed my heart a little. I'd not thought much about her getting ready to fledge out of our little nest. But here she is, talking about colleges and what she might like to study. Wanting a job where she can work anywhere around the world if she wants to. All of which we've encouraged, it's just my poor little heart isn't quite ready to consider it all.

13. Well, that's all the news that's fit to print for now I think. More next month.

January Reading Synopsis

As further evidence of what a slacker blogger I've become in the last few weeks, my draft January synopsis originally had a date stamp of 1 February. It's now 18, almost 19 February and it's just now getting up. Better late than never I suppose. LOL ;) Eventually I might get around to putting up my end of year, 2007! statistics. Listed in no particular order below.




The Snow White Bride by Claire Delacroix Medieval

A Splendid Indescretion Traditional Regency

Love Me Forever by Donna Fletcher Medieval

When I Fall in Love by Lynn Kurland Contemporary time travel, present to past

Love Came Just in Time by Lynn Kurland Anthology, all by Ms. Kurland

A Well Favored Gentleman, Christina Dodd Historicl paranormal, magical being

Stronger Than Magic, Heather Cullman Historical paranormal, faeries

Goddess of the Rose, P.C. Cast Contemporary romantic fantasy

Even Vampires Get the Blues, Katie MacAlister Love and Laughter paranormal, vampires

A Lady of His Own; Stephanie Laurens

Written by Stephanie Laurens and published by Avon in 2004, A Lady of His Own is the third novel in the Bastion Club series, which is unrelated to the Cynster books. I particularly enjoy the Bastion Club books as well as Ms. Laurens' shorter books which are slowly being rereleased- I think. Anyhow, I like her shorter books too. I know alot of regular romance readers are tired of the Cynsters and their related books, but consider trying these, they're quite good.

Charles St. Austell, Earl of Lostwithiel. Can I just say I love that name, Lostwithiel? No reason. Just do. Anyhow. Onwards. He's returned from the war and is at home on an assignment to find a French sympathizer operating from the English coast using the smugglers. Also nearby is Lady Penelope Selbourne, former childhood playmate. Charles never thought she'd be unmarried after all of his long years away, but here she is. Sneaking around his house in the middle of the night.

Two adults (Penny is in her late 20's & Charles is in his early 30's) discover each other amid murder, smugglers and nosy relatives. ALOHO allows us to watch two people build a relationship upon their shared childhood history. Penny realizes she has unconsciously used Charles as the template on her husband hunting, naturally no one matches up. Charles, for his part, has nurtured the memories of hearth and home to sustain him amid the horrors of war.

Can Charles convince Penny he's really the one? Will he be able to keep her safe from the murder terrorizing the coast? Can Penny and Charles come to terms with each other? And will Dalziel ever get his own book?

New Adventure

The Husband has embarked on a new adventure, as part of a class he's taking. He's begun a fitness blog- and has asked me to participate. He's called it BOB and Muffintop's Fitness Adventures. We thought a little humor might go a long way to easing us into a new lifestyle. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasp*

God knows I could improve my fitness habits.

Lifejackets aren't necessary??!

I'm a week late posting this, but a friend emailed me a request referencing legislation pending in the Virginia legislature- apparently there is no state law requiring children under the age of 12 to wear life preservers while on or near watercraft. Please email your local state representative in support of HB 1250, which would require children under the age of 12 to wear a life preserver.

If you live in the state of Virginia please contact your local representative. Apologies in advance for not making links active.


Delegate Harvey B. Morgan (Committee Chair, Co-Patron of the Bill)
(R) - House District 98 - Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Mathews, and Middlesex Counties
DelHMorgan@house.state.va.us

Delegate M. Kirkland Cox
(R) - House District 66 - Chesterfield County, City of Colonial Heights
DelKCox@house.state.va.us

Delegate Beverly J. Sherwood
(R) - House District 29 - Frederick County, City of Winchester
DelBSherwood@house.state.va.us

Delegate R. Lee Ware, Jr.
(R) - House District 65 - Chesterfield and Powhatan Counties
DelLWare@house.state.va.us

Delegate Thomas C. Wright, Jr.
(R) - House District 61 - Amelia, Brunswick, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and Nottoway Counties
DelTWright@house.state.va.us

Delegate Robert D. Orrock, Sr.
(R) - House District 54 - Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties
DelBOrrock@house.state.va.us

Delegate Christopher B. Saxman
(R) - House District 20 - Augusta, Highland and Rockingham Counties, City of Staunton
DelCSaxman@house.state.va.us

Delegate Clarke N. Hogan
(R) - House District 60 - Charlotte, Halifax, Nottoway and Prince Edward Counties
DelCHogan@house.state.va.us

Delegate Edward T. Scott
(R) - House District 30 - Culpeper, Madison and Orange Counties
DelEScott@house.state.va.us

Delegate Daniel W. Marshall, III
(R) - House District 14 - Henry and Pittsylvania Counties, City of Danville
DelDMarshall@house.state.va.us

Delegate Matthew J. Lohr
(R) - House District 26 - Rockingham County, City of Harrisonburg
DelMLohr@house.state.va.us

Delegate Charles D. Poindexter
(R) - House District 9 - Floyd, Franklin and Pittsylvania Counties
DelCPoindexter@house.state.va.us

Delegate Brenda L. Pogge (told the kids she would support the bill)
(R) - House District 96 - James City and York Counties, City of Newport News
DelBPogge@house.state.va.us

Delegate Kenneth R. Plum
(D) - House District 36 - Fairfax County
DelKPlum@house.state.va.us

Delegate James M. Shuler
(D) - House District 12 - Alleghany, Bath, Craig, Giles and Montgomery Counties, City of Covington
DelJShuler@house.state.va.us

Delegate Albert C. Eisenberg
(D) - House District 47 - Arlington County
DelAEisenberg@house.state.va.us

Delegate Stephen C. Shannon
(D) - House District 35 - Fairfax County
DelSShannon@house.state.va.us

Delegate Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr.
(D) - House District 100 - Accomack and Northampton Counties, Cities of Hampton and Norfolk
DelLLewis@house.state.va.us

Delegate David L. Bulova
(D) - House District 37 - Fairfax County, City of Fairfax
DelDBulova@house.state.va.us

Delegate Margaret G. Vanderhye
(D) - House District 34 - Fairfax County
DelMVanderhye@house.state.va.us

Delegate Robert W. Mathieson
(D) - House District 21 - City of Virginia Beach
DelRMathieson@house.state.va.us

Delegate Joseph F. Bouchard
(D) - House District 83 - City of Virginia Beach
DelJBouchard@house.state.va.us

Thursday 13 #36- Houseplants To Cheer You Up

It’s been several weeks since I’ve participated in Thursday 13, breaking yet another resolution. Maybe I shouldn’t use that word- for me ‘resolutions’ are bound to fail. I guess I could just say ‘goal’ but somehow that lacks the oomph of resolution. Anyhow. The only list I can think of is to list my houseplants. It’s a gray, drippy chilly January and the warmth of spring seems oh so far away.

1. Ponytail palm

2. Christmas Cactus

3. Palm tree

4. Spider plants

5. Pointsettia

6. Maidenhair fern

7. Norfolk Island Pine

8. Asparagus fern

9.Peace Lily

10. Philodendron

11. Epipremnum (pothos)

12. Thanksgiving cactus

13. Donkey Tail

The purpose of Thursday thirteen is so bloggers can get to know each other better. Include a link in the comments and I'll link to you here.

January Reads

I've not had time to review all of these, but I've enjoyed the majority:

1. The Snow White Bride by Claire Delacroix- Medieval, abused widow; couldn't figure out the Snow White connection

2. A Splendid Indescretion by Elizabeth Mansfield- Traditional Regency

3. Love Me Forever by Donna Fletcher- Abused widow, clan conflicts; scarred hero

4. When I Fall in Love by Lynn Kurland- Time Travel present to medieval

5. Love Came Just in Time by Lynn Kurland- Collection of four short stories, all by Kurland; enjoyed two could've passed on two.

Edited to correct:I reviewed 5 other titles this month, for a total of 10 books read.

Even Vampires Get the Blues; K. MacAlister

Written by Katie MacAlister and published by Signet Eclipse in 2006, this is a title I looked forward to reading for a long time. The previous book in the series is Sex Lies and Vampires which I read and posted my thoughts about HERE. Anime Queen loves Katie Maxwell (MacAlister's young adult alter ego) and her sense of humor and fun, but I confess I struggle with love and laughter paranormals. I mostly go for the dark and intense paranormals, so take my thoughts here with a grain of salt if you really enjoy the love and laughter romance subgenre.

Samantha Cosse is a human elf 'halfbreed' who lives in Scotland. One of her talents is finding lost objects. Moravian Dark One (has no soul) vampire Pean Scott (tribute to Sir Walter, maybe??) needs to find a lost staute in the next five days or else his mother forfeits her soul. Paen hires Samantha's new sleuthing firm to help him. From there EVGTB turns into a race against time. Can Samantha help him in time? Will Pean be able to keep her safe from those who threaten her and her cousin?

Trouble is there isn't much relationship development going on. Everything revolves around finding the statue and associated issues. Paen is supposed to be a scholar and yet he doesn't question what he was told about the statue or the truth behind the claims he must find it at all costs. To my mind scholars are inquisitive and curious- but we don't see him dig very deeply into the validity of why he must find this object.

Second issue for me was the lack of relationship development between Samantha and Paen. Many things happen to them, but I don't see much between them. Superficially most of their interaction comes between the sheets, but I really missed the emotional asapect of relationship building that, for me, is central to romances regardless of subgenre.

Thirdly, and this is tied in with number two, after a while so much happened to Samamntha that I gave up reading and skimmed. There were just one too many plot twists and I couldn't take it anymore. I'd had enough. I skimmed through the rest. Up to a certain point plot twists are good, but it's necessary for me to feel that each is important for character or relationship development- anything beyond that and I get bored or impatient or both.

Fourth- Paen's name is annoyingly similar to the word peaen which is a song or hyymn of joy and praise. It's like a pebble in your shoe or a run at the toe of your hosiery- irritating enough that you're constantly picking at your foot and not paying attention to the task at hand, ie: reading this romance.

So there you have it- a love and laughter vampire romance that didn't quite work for me. I've enjoyed Ms. MacAlister's writing before and I plan to look over her upcoming works. This might have worked better if it had been categorized in another genre.

Wicked; Shannon Drake

Wicked was written by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham) and published by HQN in 2005. Click link in title to see a list of other titles published under the Drake nom de plume. To my knowledge this is the first title by Ms. Drake I’ve read. Then again, my memory is like a sieve, so who knows? This isn’t intended as a slur on Ms. Drake, simply a comment about my own shortcomings. To me Wicked is a gothic Beauty and the Beast style romance.

W is set in late 19th century Britain. Thematically it’s about trust and facing one’s past honestly, about the faces we wear in public and in private. About revenge and resolution. Quite a lot for a gothic romance. IMO.

Camille Montgomery has finally landed a job working at the British Museum in the Egyptology section. A job she and her little family desperately need to keep themselves afloat. Camille has been raised on the very outer edges of the lower middle class by a man who found sitting beside her mother’s lifeless body. Camille loves her job and her guardian with all her heart and wants nothing more than to help provide a bit of stability for them by her employment. Tristan, her guardian, feels like a failure since no man worth his salt permits a woman in his household to work outside the home.

Brian Stirling, Earl of Carlyle, is a man with a one track mind: justice for his parents, whom he believes have been murdered by those they trusted. To the world he is known simply as The Beast- a man whose face and form and personality have been irretrievably warped by the death of his parents and the ancient Egyptian curse they invoked.

The jist of the story- Camille’s guardian intrudes on Carlyle’s estate. Carlyle decides to use him as a hostage to ensure Camille’s cooperation while Carlyle plots to unveil the murderer. Meantime Carlyle and Camille fall in love. Is Carlyle what he seems? Or is he obsessed with vengeance (as opposed to justice)? Will he succeed or fail? Can Camille be kept safe in the meantime?

I enjoyed the book although I was a bit disappointed that the beast aspect was downplayed. I also feel that the emotional growth and depth I anticipated was sacrificed for the air of menace. Which was quite well done BTW. Reading Wicked felt like watching an old black and white suspense movie. You know the heroine is just asking for trouble with every move she makes, especially the candlelit trips down the secret passageway after the hero tells her to stay in her room for her own safety. Yet you know that no matter what else happens, she will be rescued in the end.

Not a keeper, but well worth my time and money. Image found at Amazon.com

Goddess of the Rose; P.C. Cast

Written by P.C. Cast Goddess of the Rose was first published by Berkley in 2006. I have read two of the other books in the Goddess Summoning series and I like them all. Review of Goddess of Spring HERE. Ms.Cast's heroines are smart and capable without beating the reader or the hero with it- a trait I find lacking elsewhere.

Mikado Empousai is an ER doctor who lives and works in Tulsa Oklahoma. Her all consuming hobbies are raising roses and volunteering at the local municipal rose garden. One night after a blind date with a guy who makes snap judgements about people based on what they read (!!!), Mikki is transported to the Realm of the Rose under Hecate's domain. Let's just say she breathes new life into an all women all the time locale desperately in need of regular care.

The beast, meanwhile, has haunted Mikki's thoughts and dreams since she was in Tulsa. Exactly how she ended up in the Realm with him puzzles her at first. After Mikki gets her bearings, though, her attraction to him returns in full force. First she must save the roses, then find the love starved ladies a little companionship then maybe she'll have time for the beast.

The Beast actually has a name, and a cool one at that. Unfortunately for him he has a long history of mistreatment and neglect which affects how he reacts to Mikki. Apparently the sins of the father are visited upon the son even in the Realm of the Rose. Luckily for all- Mikki's there to save the day.

Looking beyond the superficial to the substance underneath is always insightful. Dropping a stone in a pond causes ripples- watching the ripples and how they effect changes in the pond and along the shore is fun too. Mikki is the stone dropped into the pond. Will the pond be positively or negatively effected?

Highly recommended. Keeper.


Corrected: Sept. 30, 2008 ~ As the anonymous poster below kindly pointed out, I was mistaken thinking Mikado Empousai is an ER doctor. On page twenty of the copy I used for research, Ms. Cast writes, "..executive assistant for the director of nursing services at St.John's Hospital .." (Goddess of the Rose, P.C. Cast, Berkley Publishing Group, NYC NY; ISBN 0425208915) I appreciate the chance to set the record straight.




Image found at Barnes and Noble

Stronger Than Magic, H. Cullman

Stronger Than Magic was written by Heather Cullman and published by Topaz in 1997. I found STM on a list of fairy or fantasy related romances. I can't remember exactly which site, most likely All About Romance. A list of Ms. Cullman's work can be found HERE.

Alys Faire has been trapped in the fairy world trying to earn her way back to life within the mortal realm. Back in the day she was the proverbial "fairest of them all"- but she was also shallow, vain and manipulative and contributed to the death of the fairy king's son. As punishment she must learn her lesson and she can return to the mortal world. Alys is one hell of a slow learner, because she's been stuck with the fairies for five hundred years.

Finally she gets a turn on earth playing matchmaker for one Lucian Warre, Marquess of Thistlewood. Echoes of Alys' original misdeed echo down through time as Lucian's suffering is a direct result of Alys' previous behavior. It's payback time for little Alys. Lucian is a decorated soldier just back from the War. As such he's a little of a control freak, a little rigid and very much a difficult case for a matchmaker. At least, I would think so. Alys, however, figures this couldn't be so hard- decorated war hero, wealthy. No prob. right? The matchmaking mamas in London will be all over him.

Naturally anything involving the Faeries is more complicated than it first appears. I was pleased to see that both Lucian and Alys evolve into better people. Alys most especially. I thought Alys' sidekick Hedley Bragg was a riot. Every main character needs a buddy who deliberately messes everything up and yet also one who's there for him/her when the chips are down. This being a romance the requisite HEA is there. Stronger Than Magic will make it onto the temporary keeper shelves and I'll likely read it again before the end of the year to see of I still want to keep it.

A Well Favored Gentleman; C. Dodd

Originally published back in 1998 (doesn't seem like it was 10 years ago!) by Avon, AWFG was written by Christina Dodd. Lady Alanna MacLeod has been "hiding" in her ancestral village, masquerading as the witch/healer Mab. I had a few problems with the choice of this name. I always associate it with Shakespeare's fairy queen not rural witches. In two weeks she will reach her majority and inherit her family's land. If she can outwit her cousins, Ian Fairchild and his father.

However, Ian stands in her way. Fairchild is the illegitimate son of English nobility, has dirtied himself in "trade" and is now in search of a permanent place to call his own. Fairchild decides Fionnaway manor will be it. He's manipulative (to the point I nearly put it down due to what he does) and lonely and emotionally scarred but like all heroes, beneath it all lies a heart of gold.

Alanna too has her problems, but they're mostly the product of her own behavior and Fairchild's manipulations. Some of which stem from her naivete and willingness to believe Ian despite attempting to outwit his father. Alanna annoyed me because she successfully hides for a long time, but as soon as Ian shows up she succumbs to him and her former independence evaporates. I thought Alanna reminds me of a Mary Sue. Sort of. Almost, but not quite. Not enough to stop me from finishing the book.


As always in the end love triumphs over all- with a little help from Scottish legend. Not a keeper but I enjoyed it.

Chili Cookoff Rematch

Every January our church sponsors a chili cookoff to raise money for various programs. Last year my recipe won. Last year's post HERE. It's in the Sunday section. Recipe HERE. The rematch is Sunday night. I will cook this recipe again, with a minor adjustment or two. Let the best chili win!

Image found on EasyCarts.net

Food for Thought

Found HERE. Short bio HERE. Fabulous poem that says a lot. Is this you? Or could this become your child?


Blues
by Elizabeth Alexander


I am lazy, the laziest
girl in the world. I sleep during
the day when I want to, 'til
my face is creased and swollen,
'til my lips are dry and hot. I
eat as I please: cookies and milk
after lunch, butter and sour cream
on my baked potato, foods that
slothful people eat, that turn
yellow and opaque beneath the skin.
Sometimes come dinnertime Sunday
I am still in my nightgown, the one
with the lace trim listing because
I have not mended it. Many days
I do not exercise, only
consider it, then rub my curdy
belly and lie down. Even
my poems are lazy. I use
syllabics instead of iambs,
prefer slant to the gong of full rhyme,
write briefly while others go
for pages. And yesterday,
for example, I did not work at all!
I got in my car and I drove
to factory outlet stores, purchased
stockings and panties and socks
with my father's money.

To think, in childhood I missed only
one day of school per year. I went
to ballet class four days a week
at four-forty-five and on
Saturdays, beginning always
with plie, ending with curtsy.
To think, I knew only industry,
the industry of my race
and of immigrants, the radio
tuned always to the station
that said, Line up your summer
job months in advance. Work hard
and do not shame your family,
who worked hard to give you what you have.
There is no sin but sloth. Burn
to a wick and keep moving.

I avoided sleep for years,
up at night replaying
evening news stories about
nearby jailbreaks, fat people
who ate fried chicken and woke up
dead. In sleep I am looking
for poems in the shape of open
V's of birds flying in formation,
or open arms saying, I forgive you, all.

Reading Vs Blogging

Like everyone pressed for time lately I've had to choose between blogging or reading. Reading has won, hands down. I've read two full size historicals and one traditional Regency. I'm two thirds done with a contemporary mythology based romance. I need to write my thoughts up about those. I need to list my personal and blog/reading resolutions for 2008. I thought I oughta post a family update.

Except

I had to go out of town Sunday (my employer is under the impression I was ill, so please don't tell on me). Anime Queen's birthday is Wednesday. My work schedule changed again. I'm due to start a computer class next week. I suppose I oughta clean the house (Hubby's done his fair share & more lately). I want to try out my new clothes washer.

I'll be back soon to try and catch up on my neglected blog.

Old Bessie retires

The Husband swears this is the cheapskate sales coup of the year, bar none. Since it's only January 4th I'm not so sure but it's likely he's right. This whole episode would never have happened except for my intense dislike of bugs inside my house. Outside- no problem. In the house? The stuff of nightmares. A series of bad incidents while I was pregnant with Pianist cemented the bug-Bookwormom relationship into one of a very tense detente as long as the bugs remain where they belong. Outside.

So there we were. In the kitchen listening to BBC Outlook on the radio & preparing to make dinner. Lift up the glass cutting board. Discover three, not one or two, but THREE bugs under there. Picnicing on leftover Thomas' English Muffin crumbs from this morning's breakfast. Screech a little and dance around the kitchen with the cutting board (likely the closest I'll ever get to a formal ballroom, lol). Discover we're all out of bug killing spray. And yes I know that pesticide in the kitchen is not such a good idea. TOO BAD. The only good bug is a dead one. After a few moments to calm myself I announce to the family that after dinner I'll be driving up to Lowe's in search of a new bug killing arsenal. Husband decides to keep me company, probably to try and convince me I really don't need one of every type of pesticide in the place.

Once we're in Lowe's we pick up a couple of things on our list. I bend down to look at some mildewcide spray cleaners (our bathroom is a pit of dampness no matter what I've tried) on the bottom shelf of the cleaning aisle. Straighten up to discover Husband has disappeared. In 5 seconds flat. Into the vast ocean of empty space that is Lowe's at 9:15 pm. I wander for a moment and then discover him in the appliance area. Luckily for us no salesmen in sight. Today is the first day of their clearance sale. There are quite a few scratch and dent and repaired appliances marked for quick sale.

Now- as my immediate familty knows I've been in desperate need of a new clothes washer for a year now. However, with Graduate starting college and increased car insurance and whatnot we've patched and prayed over our old machine all year. It's only thirteen. Poor old Whirlpool- it's moved a bunch of times and seen us through three kids and two dogs. Old Bessie deserves a rest, but like loyal servants everywhere *Eye roll* she can be coaxed into limping along until the Mistress fianlly has mercy and allows her a well deserved rest.

Husband is standing beside a brand new refused special order clothes washer marked at $50. Yes children. 33.95 Euros; 25.27 Pounds Sterling; 49.65 Canadian Dollars. To buy a new bottom of the line clothes washer. Simply because the original customer refused purchase. There are no bells or whistles (or many choices at all for that matter) but it's new to us and will allow us to get by until I've squirreled away enough to buy the washer I really want. Poor old Bessie Whirlpool can now retire with dignity knowing she held on as long as any self respecting clothes washer could.

Tomorrow our newest family member will come home and take pride of place in the kitchen beside Baxter Whirlpool, Bessie's partner. Who seems fine if a bit banged up. He'll look lonely and forlorn and old beside his new partner. Hopefully they'll settle in together nicely and rub along well until Baxter can join Bessie in retirement.

Family Christmas

The infectious joy of children's laughter. The thundering herd of little feet. Wails of tiredness & lack of ability to share. Attempting to remember a recipe for coconut cream refrigerator pie I'd never made before and brought all of the ingredients but forgot the instructions. The mystery of the disasppearing pillows. Watching the dog try to figure out how to smell the parakeet and the parakeet totally ignoring him. Yummy broccoli and cauliflower and cheese and sour cream and cracker casserole. Peach and blueberry galette. Sinking up to the tops of my shoes in the mud pit that used to be the front lawn. Visiting with my sister and my mom. Discovering that two family pets didn't live through the Christmas Season, and how sad their families are. The surreal scene of my BIL surrounded by people and food and festivities but talking over a headset with World of Warcraft players online. Listening to adults try to figure out how to text on a cell phone. Sympathizing with my Lovely Sister who has to write 4 20 page assessments (among other arduous requirements) to qualify for a national certification in her specialty.

World Peace

is totally out of reach. Have you READ THIS? This is so ridiculous.

Thursday 13 #35- Poets

Click here to see other Thursday thirteen participants. Thirteen favorite poets, in no particular order:


1. Robert Frost

2. ee cummings

3. Edna St. Vincent Millay

4. Shel Silverstein

5. Christina Rossetti

6. Edgar Allen Poe

7. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

8. Shakespeare

9. Robert Louis Stevenson

10. Lewis Carroll

11. Sara Teasdale

12. Emily Dickenson

13. King David- Master Psalmist