Thursday 13 #40~ Kiss of Midnight; Lara Adrian

Thursday thirteen is intended to allow bloggers all over the world to get to know one another better. Click link in title above to see a list of other participants. Leave a link in the comments below and I'll link back to you here.


1. Written by Lara Adrian and published by Bantam Dell in May 2007, Kiss of Midnight is the first book in a new series of paranormal romances set in a vampire world created by the author.

2. The backstory is unique, to say the least. Vampires, it seems, originated when a small group of aliens crashed on earth millennia ago. They could not eat the foods found here and took to drinking human blood for sustenance. At first they wiped out large groups of humans (like the Maya and the mound building Indians of the central US) before they figured out a way to survive without eliminating the food source. Crudely put, but pretty accurate.

3. In the modern era, the vampires have evolved into three distinct groups. One- colonies of vampires who live routine lives and try to blend into whatever human society is close by. Two- Rogue vampires who break both human and vampire laws by killing those they feed from and making zombie minions out of humans. Three- warrior vampires, calling themselves the Order, whose chosen role is to protect civilian vampires and humans from the Rogues.

4. This series revolves around members of the Order living in metropolitan Boston Massachusetts.

5. Gabrielle Thorne is a freelance photographer who lives a relatively quiet and orderly life with a few close friends. Things get exciting one night when she sees a gangland style execution in an alley behind a club built in a former church sold to pay for legal expenses (shades of 'real' life, anyone?).

6. Lucan Thorne is the leader of this group of the Order. He is a Gen One vampire, meaning he’s a first generation offspring of one of the original alien vampires. Vampires are exclusively male (another genetic anomaly) and have beautiful tattoo like markings all over their bodies which change colors depending on his mood.

7. Gabrielle comes to Lucan’s attention at the club. Eventually he decides he can’t protect her at her apartment and he brings her to the Order’s compound for her own protection. Things escalate from there.

8. Someone has declared war on the Order, but who is it? Because whoever it is, they seem to have declared war against the Order and they are willing to use humans and civilian vampires as fodder.

9. In the meantime, one of Lucan’s fellow warriors gets killed when he takes a mission in Lucan’s place. Lucan being at Gabrielle’s at the time. It turns out his mate is three months pregnant and they had planned to retire when the child was born. So Lucan has that to cope with.

10. Gabrielle has emotional issues from her past to cope with and, like many childhood traumas they affect her present too. The fact that Lucan witnessed part of what happened complicates matters.

11. Ms. Adrian has really caught my eye and my greedy reader’s heart with this series partly because the characters are depicted as flawed and needy and bringing baggage to a relationship, yet Ms. Adrian doesn’t allow these problems to overwhelm either the character or the storyline. Essential and necessary but not developed to the point of putting off the reader.

12. The idea of dermaglyphs all over the guy’s bodies fascinates me. Ones that change color even. Mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm. ;)

13. Props to Ms. Adrian for developing a unique vampire world populated by well rounded characters whose relationships remain at the forefront while simultaneously sketching out an ongoing plot that could keep the series going for quite a while.

Image found at fantasticfiction

The Perfect Waltz; Anne Gracie

I'm thinking Anne Gracie is my new glom. Good for the reader in me, bad for my wallet. Unless I find them in the UBS..Anyhow, The Perfect Waltz was written by Ms. Anne Gracie and published by Berkley in November 2005. I read the first book in the Merridew sisters group a few days ago. My thoughts HERE.

The heroine this time around is Hope Merridew, one of the twins. Naturally she is a darling of the Ton, a diamond of the first water, etc. No shy, retiring wallflower she. Sebastian Reyne has recently decided he needs a wife in order to better care for his younger sisters recently returned to him. Sebastian has specific criteria due to issues with his sisters. With the help of his buddy Giles Bemerton, a man whose social polish is well known, Sebastian decides Lady Elinor Whitelaw is meets all of his criteria. That he's actually attracted to Hope is irrelevant.

So Sebastian sets out to court Lady Elinor. That she and Hope move in similar circles means they all meet frequently. Giles steps in to assist with socializing duties, and he and Lady Elinor are like oil and water. Poor Elinor, convinced the only way she can honor her recently deceased mother is to be just like her. Only Giles sets himself to make her see that this idea is wrong.

The Perfect Waltz allows the reader to watch two different couples step through an intricate dance complicated by the little Reyne sisters, Sebastian's sense of honor and duty, and the faces we all wear when out in public. Absolutely one of the best romances I've read in a long long time. Keeper.

The Invisible Ring; Anne Bishop

Published by ROC in in October 2000 and written by Anne Bishop, The Invisible Ring is set in the same universe as Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy and related books and short stories. After reading and digesting it I am reminded of an issue that came up when I started reading the Miles Vorkosigan (written by Lois McMaster Bujold) books. Namely, which order do you want to read them in? Published or chronological? Now the Vorkosigan saga is much longer, but the comparison is apt, I think. Despite being listed on various sites as the fourth book in the Black Jewels trilogy, The Invisible Ring is set before the trilogy begins. Chronological order works best for me, and now I wish I'd read this one before I read the trilogy.

Lord Jared has been sent to the biannual slave auction at Raej. Why? He's a Queen killer. Murdered the last Queen who wore his Controlling ring. So he's going to be sent to the salt mines in Pruul via the slave auctions. Except, Grizelle the Gray Queen buys him. And plans to take them to her Territory, Dena Nehele. Jared has heard nothing but rumors about Grizelle and Dena Nehele, and not a single positive thing.

Unfortunately, Dorothea SaDiablo is out to kill Grizelle and she's willing to use every weapon in her considerable arsenal to achieve this goal. A new master of the guard, spells specific to this task, and an endless wellspring of powerhungriness amorality and cruelty. Lucklily for Grizelle and her little band of slaves, Daemon Sadi saw Jared in the auction pen and decided to help out as much as he could.

Will Grizelle make it to Dena Nehele? Will Jared and the other males be able to protect everyone long enough to make it over the border? Will the reader's heart survive Dorothea's agonizing activities? Is the invisible ring real or not? Is Garth what Jared thinks he is? Will Jared make it to Shalador or Dena Nehele? Neither? And who is the Rogue sapphire warlord? For, like in all good books, all is not what it seems.

Anyhow, I think any new Anne Bishop reader would do well to read The Invisible Ring before reading the Black Jewels trilogy or any of the related pieces. Ms. Bishop fleshes out the role of pleasure slaves, details what the Blood is supposed to be and gives a reader an inkling of the true price of Dorothea's schemes would be if she succeeds. Not to mention making Daemon much more mysterious, thereby priming the reader for the trilogy. Excellent book. Buy all four at the same time and read this one first. BTW, this is being reissued month after next in June in trade paperback size with a new sexy cover. Click here to see Amamzon's page.

March Synopsis

I only finished two reviews this month, although I read three books. There just isn't time enough in the day to finish everything that needs to be done.


Sword of Shame, Medieval Murderers

A Rose for the Crown, Anne Easter Smith

Tangled Webs; Anne Bishop

Published by ROC in March 2008, Tangled Webs was written by Anne Bishop. Click link in title above to go to Ms. Bishop's website. It’s a follow on to the Black Jewels trilogy, featuring Surreal SaDiablo and her lover Rainier. Set shortly after Daemon and Jaenelle’s wedding, events unfold quickly. I loved Ms. Bishop’s nod to real life fairy tale Prince Rainier of Monaco. The multi layered references within the title amuse me. First thing that came to mind was the old truism, “what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive.” Second, the method of travel within the Realms of the Blood is by ‘web’ for those gifted with magical abilities. Third, there are relationship webs woven between individuals.

Tangled Webs is set in late October in Dhemlan. Surreal is coming into her moontime and Daemon is in the house to protect her during the few days a month when witches are without most of their magic. Things get a little prickly when Rainier arrives, but Surreal manages to smooth it over. A few days later Surreal gets a royal invitation to attend a spooky house built by Jaenelle and Marian. A rather abrupt and oddly worded invitation. Surreal and Rainier decide to go, though. And that’s when the trouble really begins.

Surreal and Rainier meet at ‘the spooky house’ and enter with a small group of landen (base born, non magically gifted) children. Thus they are trapped and in deadly danger. Now comes a race against time and danger. Will Surreal and Rainier be able to keep themselves and the children alive and escape the spooky house? Who built it and why?

Ms. Bishop works in details of the SaDiablo family relationships: how Jaenelle and Daemon are dancing the tender and prickly dance newborn marriages go through; we watch Lucivar and Marian and little Daemonar; we see Saetan and Sylvia mourn the inevitable end of their relationship; we watch Jaenelle feeling her way around her new jewel and how recent events have changed her official role. All of these things deepened my affection for the Realms of the Blood created by Ms. Bishop.

In my opinion Tangled Webs could be read by someone unfamiliar with Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series, although I feel that familiarity with this world deepens the reading experience. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys both fantasy and mystery novels.

Image found on Fantasticfiction

Glomming again

As regular readers know, I love vampire romances. I dunno, sharp teeth. Hungry all the time. Only for her, naturally. A couple of days ago I came across a new to me vampire romance author. Lara Adrian has written four Midnight Breed books, all set in my former stomping grounds of metropolitan Boston. Ms. Adrian's website is linked to above. Click here to go a trailer page on Ms. Adrian's website. They're really delicious. Work safe, most likely. Nothing too graphic. The trailers are quite well done. Really. I've seen some corny ones.

I've read two of the Midnight Breed series in the last week, and they are YUMMY. LOL Needless to say the Excel project I was supposed to do for class was put off until the absolutest last second. And even then Pianist helped me.

Image found at stockxchng.hu

Thursday 13 #39- The Perfect Rake, Anne Gracie

This is the first time I've done a Thursday 13 book review, but there's always a first right? The purpose of Thursday 13 is to help bloggers get to know one another better. Put a link in the comments and I'll link to you here. Click link in the title above to see a list of other participants.

1. The Perfect Rake was written by Anne Gracie and published by Berkeley in 2005. It's set in Regency England.

2. The set up is full of time worn romance cliches: abused orphan sisters led by the plucky eldest flee their evil guardian and are launched into society by an elderly relative while said mean evil guardian pursues them/her and she/they are finally saved by the hero.

3. In this instance, I must say Ms. Gracie makes all of these cliches work for me. And work well, too. The initial scene where Prudence and Gideon meet is extremely funny and reveals much about them individually and sets the stage for their relationship.

4. I think Ms. Gracie let the guardian off the hook too easily at the end, though.

5. I appreciate Ms. Gracie's ability to show the internalization of emotional abuse and she walks the knife's edge of just enough, not too overblown, yet clearly depicting how easily damaged a young woman could be.

6. The hero, Gideon, is supposed to be the classic "rake": well experienced with married women, drinks too much, parties too much, but has his own code. You know the drill: no innocents, because even rakes have to draw the line somewhere; a female relative or two who dotes on him and swears society has it all wrong; no bastard children, emotionally damaged in some way as a child and tons of money.

7. From the beginning, Gideon has eyes only for Prudence. From the start he calls her Miss Imprudence for her tendency to allow her mouth to get herself and by extension, Gideon, in trouble. I loved Gideon for his sense of humor, his ability to roll with Prudence's schemes. In the end, for his ability to both protect her and his ability to to help her grow.

8. Prudence for her part is fiercely protective of her sisters and is desperate though resourceful in her efforts to save them. Luckily she has enough memories of her parents to sustain her and give her strength through her ordeals.

9. Despite the overtones, The Perfect Rake manages to be funny and at times lighthearted. Always showing the power of familial love, parents' ability to reach beyond the grave to influence their children and the healing power of a new relationship.

10. A midnight hell for leather carriage ride.

11. Gideon gets shot, but all is not what it seems.

12. A Duke who is described as stout and serious and likes to live on an isolated estate.

13. Very highly recommended.

A Rose for the Crown; Anne Easter Smith

Um. Ok this is a great book. Go buy it. Historical women's fiction. Richard III. Political intrigue. Mistresses. Illegitimate bastard children. Insurrection. Lice. Seasonal bathing. Mean evil stepmothers. Weird immature smarmy husbands.

Photo found on Simon Says

Thursday 13 #38- Family Updates

Click the link in the title to see a list of other Thursday 13 participants. Thursday 13's reason for being to help bloggers get to know one another. Leave a link to your TT in the comments and I'll link to you here.

1. College Student has quit his job to focus on his studies. Prioritizing is a skill many of us need to work on, students especially.

2. Anime Queen is planning to go to New Orleans for a week this summer with her church youth group. They will be rebuilding and passing out supplies for a week. Our parish has adopted a church with an identical name and we've worked with them over the last few years.

3. Pianist has become the school accompanist. He's played for the 6th grade play and the county spelling bee. His music teacher wants him to conduct a little, and has tried to get him to do it during Thursday night handbells. Pianist, though, was self conscious and uncomfortable.

3. The Husband is frustrated at work, staffing issues and his boss trying to juggle a serious family medical problem which is distracting her. School seems to be perculating along, which I'm glad to see. I think it helps keep him going, knowing that every day he's in school brings him one day closer to his goals.

4. Next weekend we're going into DC for the anime movie marathon held at the Freer. It's free (YAY!) and there will be fireworks that night too. Plus- College Student is coming home to go with us.

5. Anime Queen is begging to go to the street fest the following weekend (April 12th), but both Hubby and I have to work. I can't decide if she could go for a little while during the day while I'm working. Doubt it but she's very convincing.

6. I've decided to give my notice at work, probably at the end of April. Read this post to understand why. When I accepted this job I knew it might not last long because of the commute issues, but it has really snowballed out of control. I will stay through the end of Hubby's semester because I want to keep that promise.

7. College Student went to my sister's a couple of weeks ago to play with his little cousins. He says the little one (a toddler) is quite a firecracker and the older one (early elementary age) loves to play Grand Theft Auto. My Lovely Sister was working, but notre chere Grandmere, who comments here, made all the boys go outside.

8. No progress on finding a Japanese language class for the AQ. The one held by the community college begins May 19 and goes twice weekly all summer, but she'd still be in regular classes and needs to concentrate on those first. Not to mention having two trips away.

9. Speaking of AQ again, she has been promised a ticket to the Warped 2008 Tour. IF she gets a C for the year in IBMYP Algebra II. She's gone to tutoring all year and has still struggled mightily. I happened on this incentive by accident with prodding by College Student, but if it works more to the good. Poor girl's gonna get ulcers because of her math struggles.

10. Other than work and stress and high blood pressure and ulcers, the family life is anemic. April's going to be the longest month, I swear. I am regretful on the kids' behalf, but the Lord gave me this job when we needed the extra money to set College Student up and to pay for the car. It'll all work out in the end, I think. For everyone's benefit. Think positive and have faith. *That's me reminding myself*

11. The gentlemen in the family are hoping to go camping this summer, and are aiming for somewhere out in the Shenandoah Valley. They threaten to take the AQ- as the representative female and as one who whines at the start but beats the boys in enthusiasm in the end.

12. No the Wife will not go camping. She will stay home and play with her books.

13. Or visit the chere grandmere. Or garden. Anything but camp.

New Post Up

Over at Access Romance. All about glomming and book collecting and cheering yourself up. Really. It works. Honest.

Big Box Bookstore News

According to Reuters Borders Books Music and Cafe is in trouble. Share price dropping fast and they've borrowed 42 million to keep going. They've started hunting for a buyer, Reuters speculates B&N but they're not exactly super strong at the moment either.

So Borders has been in business long enough to put indie booksellers on permanent life support and now Borders is in danger of sinking beneath the waves. I wish I could say I'm sorry, but the moment they put a former supermarket executive in charge of a bookstore, I knew they were in trouble. This was years ago. I hesitate to say it, but groceries and books and DVDs aren't the same. The ambiance in a bookstore is different from most grocery stores.

I'm not gleeful, but hope springs eternal that the little bookstores I love will benefit from Borders' trouble. I often go out of my way to get books from the few indies in our area.

The Sword of Shame; Medieval Murderers

I found this completely by accident, it was shelved in the science fiction section (???). This title is an anthology of medieval set mysteries centered around a sword and what happens to those who own it or come across it over the course of several centuries. Individual stories are written by Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Susanna Gregory and Philip Gooden. Not all of whom I have been able to find in my local bookstores. Jacket image found on Amazon.com. The photo of the authors found on Michael Jecks' website.

The sword was crafted by a Saxon sworsmith before the invasion of William the Conqueror. Very soon afterward the sword affects the fate of the swordsmith's family. It is then passed on and sold and traded and so on. We watch the sword as its form changes and as it touches the lives of its owners. It moves from Britain to Italy and back to London over time.

Can an inanimate object be evil? Without specific intent by the smith or anyone else involved in crafting it? As an example, in some stories an object is specifically made as a ritual object and over time with use and intent it becomes imbued with atmosphere or awareness. This sword, which I don't think ever has a specific name despite being inscribed, somehow manages to involve itself in shady goings on. But does it influence it's owners in a negative manner?

All of the stories are well written, but as is usual with anthologies of any type, possibly excepting those edited by Datlow and Windling, some appealed more than others.

Stressed and Conflicted

Work is still kicking my my butt, although at this point it's due to schedule changes which have resulted in closing one night, 10 pm and later, and opening the next morning, 6 am. Repeatedly. I'm looking for another job, the constant schedule changes and high stress levels are pulling me down into the abyss. The Husband took my blood pressure on a whim last week. According to the American Heart Association online, I'm now in the "pre high bloodpressure" category. Borderline. How fabulous! Hubby sat me down for a big lecture on stress reduction and eating better (as if) and maybe I oughta reconsider this line of work.

I'm really conflicted about the whole employment issue, to be honest. I found a job so he could return to school while he's already working full time. I didn't want him to have to work extra hours to make ends meet, especially while he's in school. I want to keep my promise. He points out that only four days of extra work per month and he can equal what I'm bringing home. He didn't say it to put me down, although it is discouraging, only in an attempt to help me feel like it's ok to let this one go. So that's one arm being pulled in one direction.

Another arm is held by the kids, who in the last two weeks, have seen me only a couple of days because of school. Meaning, to be clear, that I'm off mornings and then go to work right before they come home. I don't return until after 11 pm, long after they're in bed. Husband works late evenings as well, so over the last few weeks they've been home alone for the afternoon and evening three nights a week. Which isn't what I signed up for.

I know that most of my problem is simply whining. There are women I work with who can't quit, who are the main breadwinners or who have a financial situation where their income is absolutely required. While we'd have to be careful and Hubby would have to be sure to get his four days in, I could simply leave without finding a job first. I'm in a better situation than many others and I know it.

The third problem is that my schedule has greatly interfered with our church activities, most importantly Sunday attendance. I think I've only managed to get to Sunday services four or five times since Christmas. The kids' activities have been sharply surtailed too, because of transportation problems. We live 30+ miles away from the parish, so carpooling is out of the question. No one lives as far out as we do. Like all people, I'm made of clay. Skippinig church if I want to is ok, not great but ok. But having my option to attend or to stay home taken away is like a pebble in my shoe.

So Hubby's added four days to his schedule this next few weeks. I've not given notice yet. I've not made up my mind. I'm job hunting. I miss my kids and I miss my church. There's a huge part of me that says that I just need to grow up and get with the program, all adults have to make compromises with work and family life. I know that and it's ok. I just feel like the job is winning.

Visiting the Fam

Otherwise known as visiting the grandparents in the Tidewater area, most importantly the Graduate. Who signs his emails Coolidge Stoodant so that is what I shall call him here. Earlier this week he spoke with hubby and sounded homesick, so off we went. Only to arrive in the middle of a windstorm. My parents had no power.. So we ate Chinese- sort of. The kind of Chinese takeout that you can only get in semi rural America. Neither Chinese nor American, an odd kind of hybrid only found here.

Well, let me back up a little. I'd worked Friday closing shift, which is 2:00 to 10:00. Saturday I open, which is 6:00 to 1:30. It takes 45 minutes to get from home to work & vice versa. I think I got 4 and half hours of sleep if you're generous. So hubby scooped me up after work yesterday and we stopped off and got the kids and our bags. I didn't dare sit down at home for fear I'd fall asleep and be dead to the world for hours. I napped in the car along the way, about an hour and a half or so I think.

Anyhow. It was a great evening. We lit every candle we could find, which was plenty..My mom likes candles. Listened to Prairie Home Companion and talked and laughed for hours. My parents' house is pretty big, so normally we would've scattered all over, but with no power we sat together and visited. It was nice. That's a pathetic word, but it was nice. Coolidge Stoodant sat next to me and I ran my hands through his hair just like when he lived at home full time. Thick and wavy and soft, enough to make any girlfriend jealous. The big brown mole just inside his hairline that I always think is a tick is still there.

My mom knitted me a prayer shawl, a beautiful thisck yellow yarn just big enough and heavy enough to drape over my shoulders and it won't fall off. Now she's knitting me a silk and cotton short sleeved green sweater. It actually looks Asian, a Mandarin collar and frog closures down the front. When she's done I'll post an image if I can.

Map image above courtesy of Old Halifax.com

February Reads

I read and posted about the following:

A Lady of his Own, Stephanie Laurens

Much Ado about You, Eloisa James

I finished three others, but haven't had time to post about them. I hope to write them up this month.

Schedule Change

Work has preoccupied nearly my entire waking life these last two weeks. All of the computers and machines and programs and whatnot were changed overnight. Literally. Overnight. With approximately 4 hours training apiece we were essentially left to ourselves and the public. Who expected the same level of service as before, with no allowances for lack of appropriate training, software problems, mechanical problems, etc. We were supposed to get an additional three nights of OJT (on the job training) on other systems only a few of us use primarily in the late evening. However, the training team was from Ohio. All they wanted to do was investigate the nightlife downtown (DC, obviously). Therefore they did everything possible to shortcut the training so they could clear us the hell out and go party. Fabulous.

They left a week ago Sunday night. None of us had any idea what we were supposed to do or how to do it. Other than the instruction manual and the help line number. Which we discovered closed at 10 pm. So if you are an American taxpayer and wonder if your money is being well spent, rest assured your money is being thoroughly abused by the government contracting system.

And no this is not some fly by night little company who changed everything out either. This is a major, Fortune 500 international US company. Whose employees really don't give a $&^t what we needed because we've no say on their annual review. This is a huge contract with a government agency who is spread worldwide. This technology rollover will be/has happened all over the world. Hopefully other training teams actually did their job.

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

Drive By

Just a quick drive by to say hi and happy New Year and Merry Christmaqwaanzikah and whatnot. We're still around. Busy. Tired. Overscheduled. Eating too much. Happy to spend time with Graduate while he's been home, sad we've had to work most of the time he's been here. Gonna be out of town for a couple of days visiting the family, but hope to post a Thursday 13 some time tomorrow.

Hope all of you out there had a joyful and rejuvenating Holiday- whichever winter fest you choose to participate in. Many happy hours curled around a good book with more hours and books in the near future.

Cheap and Easy

Yup, that's me. Cheap and easy. So here it is:



www.neoworx.net


BTW:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Meditation on Winter

The sky was a rich blue heavily laced with dark grey storm clouds late this afternoon as I waited in the biting wind. Tiny finger size twigs and bigger branches tossed back and forth like coral in a current. The wind played with me- chasing up the sleeves of my winter coat and tying my hair in knots. I could feel my body heat rising from my head into the sky.

I wanted to walk for blocks in the nighttime quiet. For that's how it was this evening in Old Town. Quiet. The little white lights draped in the trees danced frantically over our heads, clinging to their branches like barnacles in the surf. Winter's frozen currents rushing and swooping around us swirling fallen leaves over our heads. Other than a group of college age carolers, laughing and singing as they rushed up the street, we were alone in Old Town- a rarity neither of us can ever remember in the years we've lived here.

I was refreshed and invigorated. The cold winter wind reminds me of how human I am. How alive I am. I feel brighter. Full of possibility. The earth rests and recuperates, but I'm energized. Somehow in the summer I'm sluggish. Lethargic. I want to hibernate. Like an ant trapped in honey. Winter, though, that's more my season. Gathering energy for the year to come.

2 DNFs

Do You Believe? by Ann Lawrence

Set in contemporary England, this is a gothic romance with a bad boy hero who has slept with the heroine's sister- who is now missing. Could've been interesting, plot wise, but sleeping with the heroine's sister is definitely a no go for me.

Sword of Darkness by Kinley MacGregor

Simply didn't work. Couldn't make it past page 32. I just don't buy the world Ms. MacGregor built and I intensely dislike men who fall in instant lust with a woman because she "tastes of innocence" (my words, not hers). I know some men really do get off on virginity and very young women, but this particular phrase really turns me off.

In hopes of snow tomorrow:

Snow-Flakes
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Out of the bosom of the Air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow
Descends the snow.

Even as our cloudy fancies take
Suddenly shape in some divine expression,
Even as the troubled heart doth make
In the white countenance confession,
The troubled sky reveals
The grief it feels.

This is the poem of the air,
Slowly in silent syllables recorded;
This is the secret of despair,
Long in its cloudy bosom hoarded,
Now whispered and revealed
To wood and field.

Thursday 13 #34- Classic Authors

In my permanent collection you will find the following classic authors, usually several volumes each. All are old favorites, some deeply treasured gifts from long deceased family members.


1. P G Wodehouse

2. Pearl S Buck

3. Robert Louis Stevenson

4. Louisa May Alcott

5. Nathaniel Hawthorne

6. The Bronte Sisters

7. Lewis Carroll

8. Charles Dickens

9. Henry David Thoreau

10. Shakespeare

11. George Orwell

12. Gustave Flaubert

13. Alexandre Dumas

The purpose of Thursday Thirteen is so that members of the blogosphere can get to know one another better. Click link in the title above to see a list of other participants. Leave a link in the comments below and I'll link to you here.

Bumperstickers III

Part I can be seen HERE and part II HERE. Recently seen while out and about within our region:

1. I hear voices and they don't like you

2. H2 recovery vehicle seen on a Land Rover

3. Next time you curse a trucker or a farmer please do it with your mouth full Seen on an 18 wheeler waiting at the truck scales

4. You can't be pro war and pro life

5. Ignore your rights and they'll go away

2 Traditional Regencies

I've always loved traditional Regencies and Christmas stories- this fat volume combines 2 Elizabeth Mansfield stories. One is A Christmas Kiss, originally published in 1978 and the other Winter Wonderland originally published in 1993. I sat on my keister for a whole afternoon and read them- no housework, no errands, no chauffering. Just sat and read, something I've not done since before I went to work.

The first one, A Christmas Kiss, unfolds as both a misunderstanding, not the famous 'big mis' some novels are known for and a device I dislike, and as a May-December governess romance. House parties. Jealous wanna be wives on patrol for a rich husband. Loving siblings. Snow storms. I never knew it snowed so much in England.

The second one, Winter Wonderland used a plot device that has worked in the past, but not in this instance. In this case the male lead was horribly emotionally scarred by a single encounter with the heroine at his first ever ball at the tender age of 19. I finished it, but it never really clicked with me. I found myself picking it apart, and that's always a bad sign.

Toward the Winter Solsitice; Timothy Steele

Although the roof is just a story high,
It dizzies me a little to look down.
I lariat-twirl the cord of Christmas lights
And cast it to the weeping birch’s crown;
A dowel into which I’ve screwed a hook
Enables me to reach, lift, drape, and twine
The cord among the boughs so that the bulbs
Will accent the tree’s elegant design.

Friends, passing home from work or shopping, pause
And call up commendations or critiques.
I make adjustments. Though a potpourri
Of Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and Sikhs,
We all are conscious of the time of year;
We all enjoy its colorful displays
And keep some festival that mitigates
The dwindling warmth and compass of the days.

Some say that L.A. doesn’t suit the Yule,
But UPS vans now like magi make
Their present-laden rounds, while fallen leaves
Are gaily resurrected in their wake;
The desert lifts a full moon from the east
And issues a dry Santa Ana breeze,
And valets at chic restaurants will soon
Be tending flocks of cars and SUVs.

And as the neighborhoods sink into dusk
The fan palms scattered all across town stand
More calmly prominent, and this place seems
A vast oasis in the Holy Land.
This house might be a caravansary,
The tree a kind of cordial fountainhead
Of welcome, looped and decked with necklaces
And ceintures of green, yellow, blue, and red.

Some wonder if the star of Bethlehem
Occurred when Jupiter and Saturn crossed;
It’s comforting to look up from this roof
And feel that, while all changes, nothing’s lost,
To recollect that in antiquity
The winter solstice fell in Capricorn
And that, in the Orion Nebula,
From swirling gas, new stars are being born.

Poem found at Poets.org Click link in title above.

Chalchihuitlicue was here

Image found on latinamericanstudies.org



She is the Aztec goddess of rain and flowing water. It rained all Sunday afternoon, a light barely noticable drizzle. Enough to soak the ground and drip down the windows. Bead on my potted plants. When I went to bed, though, much later- Chalchihuitlicue poured her blessings upon us.

The wind shook all of my chimes and leaves blew down the street, visible in the yellow glow of the streetlamp. I curled up in our bed listening to the rain drum on the roof and snuggled deeper into the cocoon of warmth. Somehow the rain always helps me sleep better.

November Synopsis

I managed three titles last month, listed here in reversed reading order.

A Lick of Frost; Laurell K. Hamilton

In This House of Brede; Rumer Godden

Free Food for Millionaires


I've reached the completely uninspiring number of 65 new to me books finished this year. Far, far short of my original goal of 106. Life and times intervened and so I'm satisfied that I've done the best I could under the circumstances. December being the busiest holiday month, I doubt I'll manage more than three books- but it'd be great if I could reach 70 by January 1st.

New blogging adventure begins

My very first post is up at Access Romance on the Readers Gab page. Click link in title to read my post.

Thursday 13 #33- Things that make me happy

I came up with this list as a way to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the season, no matter how hectic and hurried we become. List is in random order.

Thursday thirteen is a way for bloggers to get to know each other better. Leave a link in the comments and I'll link to you here. Click link in post title above to see a list of other TT participants.


1. Looking out the front windows at work I see a giant old hardwood tree slowly turning a rusty orange against a background of young flame red maple trees. The weather has been warm this autumn and the late changing trees reflect the temperatures.

2. My little collection of acrylic snowmen and peguins dance and sled and skate and ice fish across our dinner table- cheerful and happy and whimsical.

3. The bright red blueberry bushes on the back deck remind me of the promise of summer to come and fresh blueberries warm from the sun.

4. Clean linens and cold pillows.

5. Hubby taking initiative and hauling out all of our Christmas stuff and setting things up and decorating and..well, just making me smile every time I come home and something else has been set out. When we first married, his family hadn't celebrated Christmas in any form whatsoever since he was in grade school. Now the winter holidays are his favorites.

6. Anime Queen's A algebra test papers pinned on the fridge

7. Surfing through photos of houses and land in the wilds of northern New England daydreaming about my fantasy flower garden.

8. Fresh hot coffee in the morning

9. Long hot showers

10. Bookstores and libraries

11. Listening to jazz and standards

12. Listening to Pianist play

13. Going to church for mass

A Lick of Frost; L.K. Hamilton

A Lick of Frost by Laurell K. Hamilton was published this fall by Ballantine Books. This is the sixth book in the Meredith Gentry series and cannot be read as a stand alone. ALOF is short, only 274 pages- although the previous book Mistral's Kiss has only 212 pages. There are lots of readers out there who can't or won't read either of Ms. Hamilton's series or who have given up reading them for many different reasons. I only read this one & while I have misgivings and there are elements that put me off I have continued with Merry and her band of lovers. Read my comments on the previous book HERE.

In this installment, three of Merry's guards have been charged with raping a member of her Uncle Taranis' court. We watch as the platoon of lawyers carefully parse their every word, playing out an intricate chess game of words and hidden motives. Another assassination attempt is made which one of her men barely escapes with his life and that only with the help of a human weapon. The goblin twins arrive in Los Angeles with the Red Caps, each of whom want something different. Odd and unusual events happen to the house and land where Merry and her men are living- but what does it all mean?

Quite a bit happens in this action packed 274 pages. I wonder about Merry's claim of loving Frost and yet being remarkably intolerant with what she perceives as his biggest shortcoming. To me love means accepting all of your partner's flaws and loving them anyway, but Merry constantly whines about Frost all the while claiming to love him. It rings as a dissonance with me, I suppose. There is a big plot event, actually one of several, toward the end that strikes me as odd and unbelievable and too far fetched even for fiction. I'm curious about how Ms. Hamilton will try to pull it off.

If you're new to Ms. Hamilton's Merry series or are a fence sitter you might want to wait for the paperback. I've bought all of these as hardbacks, and despite some doubts and disappointments I plan to continue reading the Merry books. Ms. Hamilton has managed to pique my curiosity and hold my attention over the course of this series. There is plot momentum a plenty in this title, hang on to your seat!

Not only is this an image of my newest houseplant, courtesy of Ikea (they have a wonderful plant section in the marketplace), this is also an image of my hair standing on end lately. For inspiration it sits beside the computer, a friendly reminder to smile.

Image courstesy of hallmark.com

Thursday 13 #32- Thanksgiving Day Edition

The list below has been compiled with assisitance from my family. It's unedited & original.

1. My Family (from Hubby)

2. Good Health (also from Hubby)

At this point I told him to come up with an original, heartfelt Thanksgiving wish & to stop recycling what everyone thinks you should say. Then he came up with the following:

3. SEX, SEX and More SEX

4. ACC Football

The next two are from the Pianist:

5. Life

6. Cheese (yes, really)

It took Anime Queen ten minutes to come up with her two, whining the entire time that Hubby took her two (#1 & #2):

7. Friends

8. Anime and Manga

That leaves me with the remainder:

9. For the sunshine that pours over my keyboard as I type this

10. For the laughter and smiles our little nephews and nieces bring us

11. For my coworkers who have been patient and helpful as I stumble my way towards competency

12. For my children

13. For my garden, which brings me much joy and peace

The purpose of Thursday 13 is to help bloggers get to know one another better. Leave a link in the comments and I will link to you here. Click HERE to see more participants.

Thursday 13 #31- Along our Commute

I haven't participated in Thursday 13 in months and months- probably over a year. The purpose of TT is to help bloggers get to know one another better. Leave a link in the comments and I will link to your blog here. Click link in title above to see a list of other Thursday thirteen participants.

Below is a list of things seen along my or hubby's commute to work.

1. We've started commuting together regularly due to transmission issues with the other car. Lately we've seen an elderly couple slowly meandering along the sidewalk with two equally aged dogs. The amazing part? It's always before 5:30 am when we see them. No late risers they! LOL

2. We know every McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts open before 6 am in greater Arlington.

3. I saw a group of Marines running in formation along the outer wall of Arlington National Cemetery singing jodies. Touched a chord in my heart, honestly. There's something about military men who can run and sing simultaneously. And they're easy on the eye! LOL

4. Saw an elderly widow dressed in black kneeling beside a grave well covered in thick green grass and colorful autumn leaves.

5. There's an incredible number of folks who commute before 5 am- an hour I still consider ungodly no matter I number among those early risers.

6. Women attempt to put makeup on in the dark while driving

7. Drivers who surf on their laptop at the same time

8. Fallen autumn leaves swirling through the air as the rain poured. They glow brightly against the grey and black morning street scape.

9. The Air Force Memorial is beautiful and touching every time I see it, no matter the weather or my mood.

10. An elderly man showed my hubby his Japanese surrender card (given to all Allied troops who occupied Japan) one day in McDonald's. Hubby showed him his Geneva convention card from his tour in Korea back in 1992 (given to those personnel at risk of capture by the North Koreans during their tour). Much handshaking and many stories followed.

11. I heard Taps play one day while outside work waiting for hubby to come pick me up.

12. We often see the same cars and drivers in the same spots day in and day out

13. Can't think of anything else!!!

In This House of Brede; Rumer Godden

Thanks to our church library, I found an original 1969 paperback put out by Fawcett Crest publishing. Miraculously it has survived bouncing around in the bottom of the tote bag I haul back and forth to work. Lately I have been drawn to fiction about women in a transitional period of their lives, and this book revolves around this theme. Link to the official site of the Rumer Godden Literary Trust in title above. Ms. Godden died in 1998 after a long and distinguished career, this is the centenary year of her birth. Image at right is of a pre-Vatican II Benedictine habit used at a monastery in PA.

Philippa Talbot is a woman in her mid forties who has decided to leave a highly placed, well paid position in the British government to become a cloistered Benedictine nun. Talk about transitions! LOL The book details Philippa's journey of self dicovery as well as the intimate inner workings of a community of women. As it turns out, Philippa must face the reality that despite being cloistered she cannot escape the workaday world the rest of us must cope with. Not only that she cannot avoid accepting essential aspects of her personality she thought to leave behind.

In This House of Brede deals with Philippa's efforts to make peace with herself. Bonus for romance lovers: there is an undercurrent in the story between Philippa and a man she loved but left behind to join the convent. I wonder just how much sacrifice is too much? How much did Philippa remain willfully ignorant of the depth of the relationships she was involved in before becoming a nun?

I enjoyed this novel quite a lot. It was an impulse borrow from the library, next time I feel introspective I may just borrow another Rumer Godden novel and give it a whirl!

Honoring Veterans' Day

Turn volume up and click Here




In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae

Updates

Hubby~ Has had the worst luck with his car, in the last several weeks. His ancient Toyota- 217,000 miles and still getting 35+ MPG, was sideswiped while he sat in traffic. Pulled off the front bumper, did signifigant front end damage & ruined the tranny. $2,000 to put a rebuilt tranny in. Great. Just what we need, with the holidays coming up, a freshman in college, new car payments. The insurance company will pay for the front end issues, but not for the tranny due to the mileage on the car. We've not decided if we're able/willing to pay for the transmission, so for the moment it's in the repair shop yard. Fabulous. Otherwise he's fine except we have to share a car. That's a post all by itself.

Graduate~ Theoretically still alive, but I've no other info. Spoke with him briefly the day after he took my dad to the VA ER (dad's fine). Jobless. Likely he stopped looking, but right now I've other fish to fry, so I've not pushed this problem.

Anime Queen~ Going to football games and sleepovers. Suffering through algebra. Returned to volunteering at the local animal shelter, and at church. Took the PSAT recently. Has a mysterious boyfriend named John, whom we have yet to see in person. He attends a different school, but lives a few doors down from AQ's best bud.

Pianist~ Studying Corelli and Mozart with his piano teacher. First grade report comes out in a week or so. I anticipate he'll do just fine. So far he hasn't seemed stressed about the academics, just the social issues (locker, class changes, girls, the usual). This coming weekend he's going to a weekend retreat with his Sunday school classmates and our new assistant Rector, Mother Caroline. I'm confident she'll be well able to deal with the kids- she's four of her own, plus she was the "official camp chaplain" last summer. Fortunately, Pianist's best buddy (and chief troublemaker at church) can't go this time, so there are sighs of relief all around.

Moi~ Had a rotten cold in October. Trying to share a vehicle with Hubby. Have been tired beyond all reason lately- not a good sign heading into the holiday season. Am thrilled to death that the weather has finally turned cooler. It finally feels like fall. Of course, it's only two weeks until Thanksgiving it oughta be pushing on towards winter by now. At least, that's how the internal seasonal calendar in my head works. Still on New England seasons no matter how long we've been out of the area. I've started opening my livingroom curtains more. The sun shines directly indoors all winter thus opening the curtains helps me fend off winter blues. Our livingroom is butter yellow and so it has a cheery glow all during the winter.

Free Food for Millionaires

Published this fall, I picked this up because the Washington Post Sunday Source gave it an A. This is one of the few pieces of straight literature I've read this year. Plus, I am interested in Asian American writers, particularly women. That and I had a 25% off coupon from my local big box bookstore. Image found at BarnesandNoble.com, link in title above.

I have to say, Ms. Lee grabbed my attention from the very start and wouldn't let go. Casey Han is the primary protagonist. The story revolves around and through the lives of several people Casey is involved with, much like a trellis supports and frames the roses growing through it. In the opener, Casey has just graduated from Princeton, but doesn't have a job or a place of her own. If you assume this will be a typical story detailing a grown child returning to the nest to "figure out what I really want to do with my life," you couldn't be more wrong. I was too, so don't feel bad. There are no cliches here, trust me.

Ms.Lee slowly shows us just how unique each character, and by extension, how each of us is difficult, complicated and glorious all in one fell swoop. There is alot about Korean immigrant culture, and particularly the parent child relationship. IMO, most of these relationship issues could possibly be transposed over to any ethnic group with one caveat being the husband and wife relationship between Casey's parents- although that too is arguable.

Casey lives in NYC and has a high profile job on Wall Street, so there is a certain amount of brand name dropping, similar to what you might find in a chick lit novel. I found it irritating, but managed to ignore it for all of the action going on. We get to watch as Casey tries to feel her way through the perils and pitfalls of young adulthood: the parental expectations, the inner confusion, the problems with romantic relationships, money vs. education vs. priorities and expectations.

The ending is upbeat, but nothing is certain. I was left feeling hopeful that Casey and her buddies were all headed in a positive direction. Some of Ms. Lee's insights into motivation and behavior made me stop and think a long while before I picked up and carried on as before. She also seems to be very comapssionate towards her characters, event he despicable ones. This is a book I will treasure and reread often. Highly recommended. Keeper.

October Monthly Synopsis

Two DNFs this month, listed as follows:

Love Underground, Alicia Fields

Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert

Plus one book I finished: The Earl's Prize, Nicola Cornick

Not much progress toward my annual goal, I have to say. Unusual to have more than one DNF in a month as well.

A New Adventure

Last week I was contacted by Access Romance to be a guest Gabber, LOL, one Thursday a month. There are other bloggers in the online romance community who already post on Mondays: KristieJ and JMC, Tara G. and Robin are the others. Tara Gelsomino was managing editor at Romantic Times and Robin is a regular commenter on Smartbitches. KristieJ and JMC are both linked on my sidebar, as is Smartbitches. I'll be joining RfP and Devon and Rosie on Thursdays beginning this month.

I'm excited and flattered and surprised to be asked to blog for them, TBH. I hope it will force my flabby "leetle grey cells" to quote my favorite Belgian detective. Not to mention exercising my soggy writing and observation skills. My first post will be up on Thursday November 29th.

Thanks to the ladies at Access Romance for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on my favorite genre!