Happy Purple Monkeys - Day 5

Picture from Last Fall

~~Valentine's Day~~

• We don't go all out for Valentine's day, but, since the weather was cooperating, we decided to go out. We just went to watch a friend of Lorrie's perform at a bar. It turned out to be better than I expected. Lorrie isn't much of a dancer, me either really, but the mother of Lorrie's friend sat with us and I wound up getting up to dance with her. We had fun. Her husband doesn't dance either.
• We went to check out this outlet store. They sell books! My head hurt a bit with the disorder, though, and there was all this stuff in the way so I couldn't read the shelves. I don't think they are book people. I don't mind browsing, and I am sure I will again soon, but I just wish I could get to them easier.
• Mail call! I got The Martian, House of Mystery, and a collection of short stories by James Tiptree Jr. I have heard her shorter stuff is the best and she is not out on e-book much yet. I am really excited about them all!

Happy Purple Monkeys - Day 3 and 4

Our house and Lorrie's car.

Day 3:

• Actually spent the day at my mother's. Her other cat, Abby, is still there with someone checking in on her. She is not used to having no one around, though, and she is lonely. 
• Went to the second hand store. Found Season of Storms by Susanna Kearsley. My copy appears to have vanished in the move and it is the only book by her I haven't read before.
• Found a few of the science-fiction books that appealed to me from Jo Walton's book and one of the Terry Pratchett's I need.
• Spent the evening having a drink and reading The Fixer by T.E. Woods for a TLC Book Tour.

Day 4:

• Finished The Fixer by T.E. Woods and reviewed it.
• Tidied up my bookcases so there were not piles everywhere.
• Worked on postcards because I have fallen behind a bit. Still need to get stamps.
• Went out for a drink with Lorrie for an early Valentine's because we have storms headed this way, last nights was mostly rain, and because everything will be busy.

Happy Purple Monkeys - Day 2

• We were invited over for a random turkey dinner at Lorrie`s sisters` house. (I can always tell when my keyboard has turned French...) It was fun. I am not a big turkey person, I find it dry, but it was good and I didn't have to cook. Works for me! We stayed and visited for a bit.
• It was a really pretty sunset last night. You can see an example of it above. My phone makes things a bit dark. I think it is the case I have.
• I got my first postcard in the mail from Start 2014 Write. 
• The Martian shipped! I have been hearing awesome things about this book. I can't wait to read it! I also am going to try out Locke & Key and House of Mystery for new comic book series.
• Canada received two more Olympic medals.

Happy Purple Monkeys - Day 1

• We finally got our passport photos taken so we can go to Florida!
• It was snowing this morning, but not enough to make things TOO bad. It was more pretty than anything else... 
• I finally took the time to figure out how to put review copies of books on the Kobo I bought in December.
• We watched the Beatles 50th Anniversary Concert from last night. It was great! The Beatles definitely will live on.
• I went to Value Village and found a Patricia McKillip book. Need to read more from her this year!
• The new Charles de Lint and Marissa Meyer came in the mail.

March 16, 2010

You know, I love bag-less vacuums, but cleaning the filter is horrible! Good thing I only use the real vacuum to do the rugs. The rest is all hardwood and I use the Swiffer Vac because it is just so much easier!

So, today was a good day. The new Sarah Addison Allen book is on the way in the mail. I pre-ordered it and it is actually coming. Amazon is a bit slack on my pre-orders...

I am getting a Review copy of Ariana Franklin's newest novel. I am so excited!!

Guy Gavriel Kay reads my blog and requested that a review copy of his new book be sent to me!

The sun is shining AGAIN! Yay for spring! I also started The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan and I am enjoying it so far.

March 15, 2010

Yesterday was such a great day. I think spring is on the way! Now, if you know anything about my neck of the woods you will know that we have two seasons: winter and two months of poor sledding. There's another saying that implies lots of road construction, but I couldn't get the wording right and the cc told me that one. We just don't seem to get spring anymore. It snows and then it is summer. There is no season in-between. We are actually getting spring weather! We had a VERY mild winter, so I am all around excited. I like snow, but we had a couple really bad winters in a row. It is always nice to have a break. Yes, it could still snow, but let's not think about that, shall we? The point is yesterday was spring-like and I went to a provincial park with the cc for a walk. It was really nice! I even went on the swings. I used to love to swing when I was a kid and growing up we had a swing-set in the backyard. So, I still do when I have the chance.

I also had homemade bread yesterday... I am considering whether I have the skills to make it. I royally messed-up pizza, so I am sort of fearful of attempting the task.

Today I went to the library and to the bookstore. I pre-ordered Carrie Ryan's new book, but it didn't arrive. I got annoyed and canceled it. I bought it today. I am both really excited and really nervous about reading it because I liked her other book so much. I also made really good spaghetti sauce today.

March 7, 2010

Michael Chabon, how I love you! Why did it take me so long to read Michael Chabon? I have like three of his novels on my TBR pile and it took his new essay collection released last year to get me to FINALLY read him! So, now, I really must read his novels. I am on his second essay collection, which is actually his first, and then that's it for non-fiction. I am both excited and nervous to attempt his fiction. Just because I love his non-fiction does not mean I will love his fiction... Look at Nick Hornby. I love his non-fiction, but all of his fiction I have tried I have not finished. I started this second collection of essays to catch-up because I am going to be buddy reviewing it, but it has ended up being my go-to book. This is bad because I am supposed to be reading like 5 other books at the moment... It's still going slowly, but my reading mojo is coming back. I can feel it! Reading FABLES helped...

Speaking of Fables... I really really wish they would hurry up and release books! It seems it is November before there is another Fables, but you can't pre-order it yet. There is one out next year, though, and you can pre-order it... Not sure what that is all about! The only thing out soon is a new Jack of Fables and that is still like June. Then, there is a spin-off with Cinderella out in August. But, still, so much waiting! I liked it better when I was behind in the series, but I bought the last two Jack of Fables with my Christmas gift cards and then had pre-ordered the new Fables, so I have them all read now... It's sad because the people that got me reading the series in the first place are behind me now in a lot of cases! I read too much last year... And spent too much money if you are sitting there doing the math... Believe me, I did the math. I just hope that other people around me have not done the math because when I tell someone that he spends too much money on tools he will point out that I spend too much money on books.

Also, I bought books today...

Okay, I have 20 mins to read more Chabon before I have to cook supper. The very glamorous chicken burgers! I can't be a gourmet chef all the time! (Who am I kidding? I am NEVER a gourmet chef! ha ha!)