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!)

Happy Purple Monkeys

I was out and about the other day and my friends husband said 'I miss Purple Monkey Dishwashers'. Apparently, folks, that's a kind of drink that the bar I used to frequent (and sort of met the cc at) makes. I don't think I have ever actually had one before, but that seems the logical place for me to pick up the name I considered for my blog. Mystery solved. I wonder if they still make them because now I am curious about them...

Moving on. I am in a bit of a lull after the Olympics. I know it is silly, and normally doesn't happen, but that seems to be where I am at. I think it is just because the Olympics were in Canada this year and there was a lot going on. Now, there doesn't seem to be anything going on! It was a lot of fun, though. There was random singing in the street, and after the hockey game the other night there were crowds of people nationwide out celebrating that we won gold. Sidney Crosby, the winning-goal scorer, lives about an hour from here and they kept showing people up that way during the course of the game. Then, later that night, we ended up near there and there were people walking down the street screaming and waving a Canadian flag. You would watch the news and there would be random crowds singing the national anthem... And, not that random half English/half French that they do for major events now. Do they not know that kids are going to start learning that and not be able to sing the song in one language?

I didn't get to watch the Closing Ceremonies on the actual night, but I did watch them on the television a couple days ago finally. I actually liked it better. It was OnDemand, or whatever that is called, and it meant that I could fast forward through the boring parts. This would be the several different national anthems and the guy that did his speech entirely in France french. The guy before him who speaks about as great French as I do was funny attempting to speak French, but the other guy I couldn't understand anyways!

I am left wondering what the Olympics will be like 2014. I will watch them, of course, but I don't think it will be as fun as it was this time around. Russia is freaking out because Canada beat them in hockey for the first time in 50 years and I guess their leader did some freaking out in general about the pathetic showing they had at the Olympics this year. He thinks it, I think just GOING to the Olympics is worthwhile! But, anyways... There is just something about the Olympics being in your own country that makes it extra-special. I had promised myself I would go this year, but it wasn't in the cards. I am determined that the next time the Olympics are in Canada I will be there for sure!

Okay, so, hopefully I can maybe write about something else now!

March 3, 2010

Part of the reason that I have been so quiet in blogging and reading lately is because I was pretty sure I needed new glasses. I think it had been a problem for a while, but it had just got to a point where it was giving me headaches. So, I am happy to now have new glasses. It made a big difference! They are bothering me, though. I had my others for like two years and I really liked them. I think these ones need to be adjusted a bit. Also, my other ones were just a basic colour, but these are a bit more noticeable. But, if I get them adjusted I think I can handle them.

Because of a favour for a friend I have a karaoke player and a pile of CDs at the moment. It's kinda fun, actually. The cc sings karaoke all the time, but I am a sing in my own house type of person. It's been fun using it while I have it. The cc still does most of the singing, but that's okay. I really need to educate myself on music. I have only heard about 10 percent of the songs I have here.

Okay, off to read!

I Have Returned!

*waves* Hi! Remember me? Believe it or not, I am a blogger! Unfortunately, I have not been much of one lately. Yesterday marked the closing of the Winter Olympics, though, so here I am! Yes, I was obsessed with the Olympics. This is nothing new. It only happens with the winter ones, so it is only 17 days every four years. I do not feel guilty! I actually feel pretty excited. We won 26 medals; with 14 of them being gold. The record for gold at the Winter Olympics was 13, so we beat the record!

And, AND, WE WON GOLD IN HOCKEY!!!!!!!!! I was so excited! First the women and then the men. The men beat Russia for the first time in 50 years, so that game was awesome, but then to play the US for the second-time after a round-about road and WIN! It was the most exciting hockey I have seen in a while.

I was excited for the Olympics for weeks (er, months) beforehand, so the cc was prepared that I was going to be off in another world for a couple weeks, but he venomously stated that he was NOT going to watch with me. He is one of those guys that does not watch sports at all. The first few days we fought over the TV. Then, one day I was not home and my cellphone rang. It was the cc telling me that someone just won a gold medal and then going on with the details. He didn't necessarily care, but he knew that I was missing it and would want to know. We watched the Olympics together from there on out. If one of us wasn't home and something exciting happened we called the other one. When the cc had to work during one of the hockey games, we called each other back and forth so I could tell him the score and then we watched the last few minutes together. It was really fun. I am so happy that he changed his mind and watched them with me. He claims he wouldn't have watched any of it if not for me.

So, I didn't read or blog or lots of other things that I should have been doing. And, yes, I really missed everyone, but I wouldn't trade the last couple weeks for anything. Canada came together as a country and I have lots of great memories to carry with me. So, I am back!

A So-So Interlude...

I have had a lot on my mind lately and I have to share... I am terrible at keeping secrets, so I have to talk about it before I go crazy. And, well, if anyone happens to read this post so be it. Tomorrow is the 2nd anniversary of me and the charming comedian. I should be really happy, right, but instead I am sad. The economy sucks and I am tired of applying for jobs that last no time at all, so I am actually applying for jobs outside of my province. After I finish this post I am going to be sending in the second part of my application to teach English in Korea. That is the job that I really want, but we will see what happens...

The thing is, I haven't actually told the cc yet... I know we should be talking about this, but I have to do something and I am afraid if I tell him I will talk myself out of what could be a really great opportunity. He has a life here and I know he won't even think of relocating with me, so I imagine that things between us will be ending. It's not fair to ask him to wait for me for a year. It makes me sad. I know that he will tell me to go, anyways, because I am getting very discouraged with this job searching thing, but still... He knows this blog exists, but he has never read it before. I don't have to worry about him reading about it here, but I am going to have to tell him soon. So, yeah, great happy anniversary moment, huh? I spent all those years in university with the promise of a job when I graduated, and I can't find anything in my field and I am too qualified for most of the jobs available. It is very very discouraging.

Okay, now that I have depressed myself I am going to go...

February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day Folks! Thanks for being such great friends!

February 13, 2010 - The Book Edition

Dear Me,

You complained endlessly about the cold weather and how the Michael Chabon book you are supposed to be reading with Chris is in your car. The problem is that when you finally went to get the book out of said car, it was not there at all! Then, you thought you lost it, but luckily you found it today. Yay!

Also, you got Fables Volume 13. This is worthy of jumping up and down, right?

Sincerely,

Me

February 13, 2010 - Olympics Day 2

Last night was the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I was very excited! I had really hoped to win the lottery or something so I could afford to go, but alas, it was not meant to be. One year I will get to an Olympics. It was rather depressing that someone had to die yesterday... That started things off on a bad note! I saw the recap of his accident on the news last night and wow! It was so touching when Georgia came out with their black armbands.

For those of you that don't know, I live on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. I was very happy that we had some representation last night. Ashley MacIssac, a fiddler, was the main guy for that segment. He is from Cape Breton, which is part of Nova Scotia. Then, there was Anne Murray. She is a singer from Springhill, Nova Scotia (right, fellow Nova Scotian Chris?). She was one of the people that got to carry in the flag. I imagine more fiddlers were from here, but in their strange outfits I couldn't pick them out. In case you are wondering if I hear a fiddle regularly? Yes, yes I do. My sister plays and actually her and her boyfriend are apparently putting on a concert this evening...

Anyways, I watched the Olympic opening ceremony and was on Twitter at the same time. Apparently there is a limit on how many tweets you can send. That would be the first time I knew of that! lol I normally don't even really watch the Olympics, but where it is in Canada I have to support them a bit. I have my red mittens, for example. If anyone was watching last night you will notice that a lot of the people there for Canada had them on. I got a pair for Christmas.

What about everyone else? Did anyone watch last night? What was your favourite segment and do you plan to watch some of the sports?

February 9, 2010

I am very bad at this blogging thing! I like blogging, but I can't seem to actually do any lately. I am not sure what is wrong with me lately. I am just in a weird mood. Things that I normally really enjoy I am not really doing at all...

I am very excited because I got new glasses today. Well, I picked them out. It will take a week for them to be made. I have been having headaches lately and that is part of the reason why I haven't been reading. Turns out I was right, though, and my eyes have changed a bit. I am hoping when I am not straining my eyes I will be more interested in reading.

Honestly, the exciting thing is that in 2 days. Count it: TWO days it is the Olympics. It is hard not to get excited about them because they are in Canada this year. Well, that being said, the cc could careless and is all ready complaining about how the television is going to suck, but there is something about the Olympics and how they bring countries from all over the world together that makes me excited. Plus, you know that Canada is going to rock the hockey, so no one better place bets on ANY other team! Actually, I have my fingers crossed Canada is going to do great in many things, but sadly the history is that we don't do so great on our home turf...

The evil storm that just destroyed the U.S. with snow is currently going to miss us. YAY! It was supposed to hit tomorrow and things were being canceled and everything, but if the weather people are actually right we are not getting snow!

After temperatures last week that could make a person cry, it was really really nice out today! It made it into the plus digits and there was no precipitation, so I was happy. I miss the sun!

What's new with everyone else?

February 8, 2010

I skipped a couple days... Too much on my mind lately! I need to get back on focus. All this ideal time is making it hard for me to get anything accomplished. I need a schedule. When I don' t have one, I find nothing gets done... I have just been in a weird mood lately with everything that has been happening. I am finding it harder and harder to bounce back after every setback... Anyways, this is supposed to be a happy thing blog, so I suppose I need to think happy thoughts!

I said in my post the other day how I wondered how people were viewed online and if it matches how they are in real life. I think people were pretty good at figuring me out, so I guess that is saying something! I email a lot of people, too, so I suppose what I don't show on my blog comes across in my emails. I think reading tastes say a lot about you, but one of my friends disagrees because she likes young adult books about drug abuse and other forms of teenage problems... I do admit I am not really sure what that says about her!

I am going to keep saying yay for the buddy review with Debi because she is trying very hard to talk me out of it! Not going to happen, Debi. Unless you can come up with a really legitimate excuse, but so far you haven't been successful.

Yesterday was the baby shower for one of my friends that is expecting. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of baby showers... I only go because it would be rude not to, but generally, it is not my scene. It's hard to believe the baby is almost here! Her first daughter came running over to me going 'Hi, hi, hi!' She had a lapse on my name, but that is understandable. There were a lot of people there!

February 5, 2010

Honestly! I really wonder if people can drive... I got stuck behind a truck going WAY below the speed limit, so a passing lane comes and he speeds up! I was in the process of passing him, though, so I carried on. Two seconds later he passed me back! So, he is now going really really fast, right? It didn't last! I get stuck behind him again! Why do people do that? That is why there are accidents! I have no patience for people going way below the speed limit on a perfectly clear drive, but it is even worse when you deal with these people for a long time and they keep speeding up at the passing lanes so you can't get away from them... They have to know they are being a lot of swear words that I try to not say on my blog, right?

That being said, I did have a good day. :)

I went to visit my friend that is expecting her second child. We wandered around the stores. She bought books. I was good and didn't buy any. We drove to the other side of town so she could buy ice cream... In rush hour traffic... That was an adventure! And, seriously, why you would want ice cream at this time of the year has to be a pregnancy thing because it is minus 19 outside right now. It was actually colder than that earlier today. It warmed up and then went back down again...

Her first child is pretty cute. I confess to not being the best with children... I am a bit sad that as she is getting older she is becoming less and less a fan of me, but that happens. Last time I saw her she cried because I wouldn't pick her up. This visit I was lucky to get a hi and bye... It's partly my fault because I don't visit regularly, but still, makes me sad. The baby shower for the second baby is on Sunday. My mother made her a blanket. I bought the yarn, but I can't knit and long ago gave up trying! I have given every person I know who has had a child one of my mothers' blankets, though. I need to figure out how to make them... (hahaha, yeah, right!)

My other happy news for the day makes me look like a vindictive bitch because I entirely got happy by profiting off other people's misfortune. Since that sort of defeats the purpose of a happy things blog, I believe I will just not elaborate and let you think I am a nice person (ha!).

That brings me to something else I have been thinking about. I know that several book bloggers have met each other, but I have not met anyone. I often wonder if people will be surprised by how I really am compared to how I am as a blogger... Do you ever wonder about that? About whether who you are on the screen is how you are in person? People might think I am this sweet, small town girl... The sad thing is, in many ways, I probably am that! I know that I have impressions of all the blogs that I read on a regular basis, so I wonder about what people are like in person compared to their blogs all the time... Then, you know, I wonder if the people you know in person really know the real you...

February 4, 2010

I need to think of better titles for my posts....

Today I am excited about tomorrow. I am going to visit one of my friends for the day. She is expecting her second child and is giving the father daddy-duty so that we can hang out just the two of us. It's been years since that happened! It will get even harder when she has a second child, so I am looking forward to it. I have no idea what we are going to do, but it will be fun. She is due at the end of the month, so not long to go now.

Anyway, today I am happy about buddy reviews. They really are my favourite type of reviews. I am finally doing a buddy review with Debi! I have to answer her email. I started to before and got distracted... I think she was trying to talk me out of it, but I am determined! We are going to review The Unwritten together. Otherwise, I am reading Maria Snyder with Melissa (Book Nut), All Families are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland with Darren (Bart's Bookshelf), Finding Bovine by Libba Bray with Cat (Beyond Books), etc. I also have been reading the Michael Chabon book with Chris... You may remember the book is in my car! There are a few others coming up, but they are a bit in the future.

Pork chops! That's what I made for supper. I am a good cook when I want to be.

Clean clothes. All the clothes in the house are clean. I am so happy to have a functioning washer. After all the drama we have had I need to remember to appreciate it. I like laundry better than most chores.

I spend the day cleaning, mostly. The fact that I can find anything cheery about that is amazing! lol

February 3, 2010

I have a funny feeling that even though this is not a book blog... A lot of my 'good things' are going to be related to books. I can't help it!

Ana from things mean a lot reviewed a graphic novel published by Vertigo called The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. Every bookstore in the area had a copy, so I decided that was fate because the bookstore here never has good graphic novels. I love the cover. I am looking forward to reading it!

I also bought Affinity and Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. Did I need them? Nope! Those were my cutoff, though. Anything else I buy for the next few months will be new releases.

I made Fettuccine Alfredo for supper for the first time and it was a success. Yay!

Charles de Lint. Why do I read him so slowly? I love him so much! He is a brilliant author! I finally purchased a copy of Dreams Underfoot and it was one of the books that I received yesterday. I am enjoying it so far, which is so great considering I am not a big short story fan. (That being said, Michael Chabon is STILL in my car! I really have to get that book out of there. I keep forgetting...)

The weather. It is only going down to minus 15 tonight and there isn't much of a wind chill. Apparently we are in-between weather systems, but it is still damn cold!

As Pat mentioned in my comments I am grateful for indoor plumbing! lol

Comments. I don't really do the follower function or any of that stuff, but I do love getting comments! I have actually been replying to the comments on this blog, while The Written World has been suffering in that department for a few months... It always makes me so happy when I check my email and someone has commented on one of my posts. It makes me feel special.

Okay, that's all I can think of for now... I write such exciting posts, huh? lol I have to go do the dishes which is not really a good thing, but it is a necessary one...

February 2, 2010 - Take 2

Since the day wasn't over yet I decided to do a second post before I go to bed to read.

Happy Item Number 1: Coffee! After I wrote my first post I went to make my scrambled eggs, so I decided to have coffee at the same time. We get Fair Trade coffee and it is the best thing! It has made other coffee taste bad...

Happy Item Number 2: My library is having this thing where they will take food for the food bank in exchange for late fees. One food item covers up to three dollars of them. That's so cool! I had crazy late fees because of the holidays and the weather and stuff, so I dropped off 4 things and my late fees are over with.

Happy Item Number 3: Blogging friends. I am not going to advertise this blog off my own blog or anything, so I just invited people to read it. I only was going to invite a select group of people I consider friends... There are a lot of them! It amazes me how many people I know as a result of blogging. If other people want to read the blog that's fine, of course, but it is not going to be my main blog.

Happy Item Number 4: Swiffer Vac. I hate advertising, but OMG, I love my Swiffer Vac! I HATE vacuuming, but since it is mostly hardwood I can just use the Swiffer and all my troubles are solved. I like it because it is quick and easy. It also is compact so it wasn't as hard to vacuum under the bed. So, yes, if you have hardwood floors and hate vacuuming, you should buy one!

Happy Item Number 5: Books in the mail and a trip to the library. I have lots of good books to enjoy. I am looking forward to crawling in the warm bed with Michael Chabon's Manhood for Amateurs and finish it up. It is a buddy read I am doing with Chris from Stuff as Dreams. I would have finished it last night, but I couldn't convince myself to get it out of my car no matter how much I wanted to read it!

Happy Item Number 6: HEAT! It is minus 16 outside and that is without the windchill. I. WANT. SPRING!

Happy Item Number 7: The fact that I can think of so many happy things. It wasn't an exciting day, but at least there were some good parts.