Wednesday, November 9, 2016

wtf

The orange con-man was able to lie and bully his way into the White House. In three word sentences, he successfully appealed to the lowest common denominator in American culture and turned out the white vote. Voters who feel that this country has dealt them a raw deal. Voters who have hated the fact that a black man dare to occupy the White House. Voters who drank the rancid punch he has been peddling for months.

And here we are. What to do next? Of course, the House and the Senate stayed "red." So, the Republicans control the whole enchilada...oops, are we allowed to say that anymore? Not sure if those will be allowed over the WALL.

Sick to my soul. Sick of those who spout their Christianity and then pull the lever for a man who is the least moral, ethical, and religious candidate in possibly forever.

Disgusted. But, determined. We must not be silent. We must stand up and hold these officials accountable for every decision they make or do not make. We must stay informed. We must not quit. We must not marginalize those that so many have labeled as the "Other" among us.

We can survive this. We must survive this.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

my friday

Today if my Friday, again! Woohoo....three Thursdays in a row for this girl. Gosh, I miss steady, regular, three day weekends. And, to top it off, I'm taking Monday as a holiday too. Yippee!!

I've been busy working on one of the affiliate's newsletter. Ugh. Hideous thing. But, I should finish that this morning and then my former coworker is coming to get me for lunch. Miss that girl.

In other news, the weather has been amazing this week and I've been able to sneak out for at least a 15 minute walk each day. Lovely stuff. Birds singing, trees blooming, people sneezing....spring has arrived.

I've also started reading my birthday present. "Pioneer Girl" is fascinating, but this will be a long haul of a book. Reading footnotes is tiresome, even when they are full of great details about Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Ok. Off I go. Thursday, prepare to be conquered.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

adjusting

The time change always throws me for a loop. The spring forward part of daylight savings time really gets me. Today was the first day I've been able to crawl out of bed on time. Yeah me.

In other news, the oldest is in NYC having a good time exploring the city. The middle is home and has been so much fun to have around. The youngest starts his break next week.

I'm taking Friday and Monday off from work and am looking forward to a little spring break of my own. Four day weekends are to be relished. I'm hoping for good weather. The rain finally moved out and we've had three days of sunshine. I actually got out and walked on my lunch break the past two days. It was so wonderful.

My former coworker is coming out for lunch tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to that. We need to plan a girls' day so that we can chat at length. I eager to hear how her PhD is coming along. She starts comps in April. I miss reading her papers! Early modern isn't my cup of tea, but it was fun to talk literature with her.

So, off we go. Wednesday is here!

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

rain

It is pouring outside and has been for a while. A river of water is running down the road. UGH.

In other news, I have no other news!

Happy Wednesday.

Monday, March 7, 2016

downton

The beloved Masterpiece series, Downton Abbey, came to an end last night. The series lasted for 6 glorious years on PBS and made Sunday evenings something to look forward to for so many. The beautiful costumes, the wonderful acting, the amazing writing (zippy lines delivered with style and skill) all worked together to create a love affair between viewer and show.

While we were in London, one of the tours we looked at taking was a trip up to Highclere where Downton was filmed when it was on location. We opted not to go, but next time, we will make a plan to see it.

I will miss all of the Downton folks, upstairs and downstairs. The finale provided happy endings for everyone and new babies born and to come. It was storybook happy. I'm sure people will wring their hands over the unrealistic nature and sheer goodness of the conclusion, but I loved it.

So, farewell Downton. Thank you.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

rainy thursday

My efforts to finish the flower beds have been dashed, or perhaps soaked would be a better word. We had a very rainy day Tuesday and I woke this morning to another downpour. The yard will be like a sponge and the flower beds full of muck. Maybe Saturday I can try to wrap up this project.

In other news, the middle daughter has accepted a wonderfully paid internship with a large accounting firm located in Knoxville. AND, they are giving her a $1,000 signing bonus. WHAT?! Yep. So happy for her. Her hard work and planning all paid off. She will have the month of May to travel for the Big 4 Leadership Conferences, will work all of June and July, and then have a few weeks off to relax and get ready for her senior year.

And that is the good news for the week.
Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

too early and a happy ending

Restless night. Early morning. UGH.

Had a bit of excitement/terror for the Ville as a 6 year old girl was reported missing yesterday. They had helicopters out, search dogs out, several police departments/local agencies, to scour the woods where she was last seen playing in a rain puddle. Social media exploded with her picture and details about her. Thank goodness she was found by 9:00 at a friend's house. Those people didn't know she was "missing." The police had been going door to door and at some point, all the pieces fell in place and she was located.

While the outcome was a good one, and where she had been the whole time was in a safe place, I'm very thankful that our government agencies took the report of this missing child seriously and mobilized everything available to find her.

It got very cold here last night and all I could think about was the little boy who wandered away over in the Nashville area and was found dead in a field two days later. I think that little boy must have been on everyone's mind as they searched for this little girl.



Tuesday, March 1, 2016

making progress

I started cleaning the flower beds on Sunday. I worked on two more yesterday after I got home from work. I am making progress, but have some decisions to make. The two big beds that run across the front of the house are left to tackle. I have several varieties of perennials in those beds and while they are doing quite well, I don't have the time to keep the beds in good shape. I'm thinking about moving a few of the plants and killing the rest. Ugh.

I think a more groomed bed instead of the wild look it has when everything is in bloom, might be easier. Wild is never truly wild. It does require work as things grow and spread.

Today is going to be a rainy possibly stormy day. I have time to think on this and decide the best course of action.

Happy Super Tuesday. I voted in early voting. The weather the South will receive will impact turnout. Should be interesting to see just how much.

Monday, February 29, 2016

don't bother

I very seldom stop reading a book. Last week I received notice that a book I had placed on hold was available for download. I was eager to get my hands on this one as I was intrigued by the author's story. She's still in college, wrote the book for an online site, got a big deal from Harper Collins, and is now a YA publishing darling.

Too good to be true? Yep. I stopped for good when he slapped her to wake her from fainting. I had stopped about 15 pages earlier and decided to read more just in case I was making a hasty judgement. I wasn't.

Why on earth would Harper Collins pay a 6 figure advance to this author? The book was published in 2012. I'm a bit late in reading it. I should have read the book's quote pages and seen where she was inspired by Twilight and known better.

Well, all in all, lesson learned. I only wasted a bit of time and have now added the first book to my "did not finish" list for 2016.

Book: The Dark Heroine: Dinner with a Vampire by Abigail Gibbs.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

quick update

The hubby and boy arrived in Gatlinburg. Hubby had a lovely dinner with our girl and heard all about what she has been up to and was even able to see one of her friends from the GLS program. We met that young lady while we visited in London and she will be joining them for dinner on Saturday night.

The rain finally went away and the moonlight actually woke me up this morning. Not quite a full moon, but bright and shiny in a clear sky. Yippee!

Coffee is tasting very good this morning and I'll have muddy paws to wipe in a moment.

Enjoy your day. Thursday is here!!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

rainy night

I'll be interested to see just how much rain we received in this system that passed through. Yikes. The yard is super squishy. Wiping dog paws is not one of my fave things to do early in the morning, but it is required.

The boys leave today for points east. Hubby will have dinner with the middle kid tonight. Lucky fella.

I see a lot of reading in my future. I started my next book last night. This one was another freebie via BookBub and is set in ancient Egypt.

Enjoy the day!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

oops

I woke a bit late yesterday and didn't manage to get a blog entry written. Oops. Well, we had a lovely weekend. Stayed home Friday, went out Saturday, and cooked and watched a movie on Sunday. Up this week at work, or at least yesterday and today, the executive committee is in the office. We had lunch with them yesterday, but  I'm not sure if anything is planned for today.

I did read a book over the weekend. It was a free download from BookBub. I'm also certain I had read it before as I went through a phase of reading romances set in Scotland. This was "The Countess" by Claire Delacroix. Entertaining enough, a bit formulaic, but it passed the time and it was free.

Off we go into Tuesday! The boys leave Wednesday for the Smokey Mountain Invitational tournament in Gatlinburg. I'll be home hanging out with Duke.

Cheers!

Thursday, February 18, 2016

a bit of sunshine

It looks like we will have a big helping of Spring over the next few days. Fine by me. I will take those bright blue skies any day. I ventured out of the office yesterday to swing by the Hallmark store to pick up a few cards. Then I treated myself to some frozen yogurt. Delish.

Tried a new recipe last night. It was a knock-off of Olive Garden's zuppa toscana. Quite tasty! I love Pinterest for making new recipes so easy to try.

In other news, I fnished the book! "House of Shattered Wings" by Aliette de Bodard wound up being a decent book. Here is a link to her website and some info about the novel. I think the world building here just wasn't my cup of tea, but the writing was solid and while I never felt that connection with any of the characters (they all seemed to be a bit unlikeable), I would be tempted to give another of her books a try.

And that's it for this week! I'm getting a new computer at work, so I imagine that the majority of my day will be spent waiting on IT and then reworking my desktop, shortcuts, etc. For no matter their promises to have it "ready to go," it never is. I'm just hoping they don't lose all my fonts. UGH.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

and so it goes

I'm going to go ahead and finish the book I mentioned yesterday. I'm well over halfway through at this point and I might as well finish it.

The boy received notice from Governor's School that he has been wait listed for the summer academy on international policy. They had 300 applicants this year and took 64. So, being on the wait list is better than being rejected. He has to send in notice that he is still interested and as others send in their decisions, he will be notified if he gets a spot. Plan B is to go to the Univ of Alabama's Early College program for a summer session.

In other news, not much else to report!

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

four day week

It is such a nice treat to have federal holidays off. It allows us to have a three day weekend. Or, if you want to add a day of PTO, a four day weekend. I'm already planning March. We have Good Friday off and I get my birthday as a holiday. Hmmm. Looks like a good time to have a four day weekend! Or, two three day weekends. I need to think about this one.

No idea what is on the work agenda for this week. We are starting to work on National Meeting things as the March issue of the magazine will head off to the printer on Friday. I may start compiling the text for the programs.

I began another book. This one was also on that list I can't find. While the others have been very good, this one is giving me pause. It is a translation from a French author. Concept is interesting, but I've yet to "bond" with any of the characters. Some of the phrasing is clunky and some of the sentences go on forever. Ugh. I'm tempted to let it go. I hate to do that. Think I'll give it another 50 or so pages and see what I think then.

And last but not least, today is a special day! Happy 53rd Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Off we go!

Monday, February 15, 2016

the last three

I powered through a few library books I had loaded on to my Nook. All three were thoroughly enjoyable, but for different reasons. First up, "Uprooted"" by Naomi Novik. I have not read anything from this author before, but this was a well written and very entertaining novel. The fact it had a Russian/Polish flare to it was an added bonus. I loved the plot, the characters were well developed, and the story kept me engaged.

Next up, "The Bookseller" by Cynthia Swanson. Again, a new to me author, and a story that I could see flourishing in book clubs. While I figured out the plot twist fairly early on, I didn't figure out the one part of the twist that made the novel heart wrenching. This one caused a few tears and a large lump in my throat. It has a supernatural feel to it, but it is more women's fiction than fantasy.

Finally, I read a book from Sarah Maas. "The Court of Thorns and Roses" is another twist on the Tam Lin fable. I really enjoyed this novel, I liked the heroine and her resourcefulness. At times I felt the novel/plot lagged and the tension was a bit lax, but it really got moving in the last third of the book. I will read the sequel when it comes out as I'm eager to see the direction this series takes. Lots of romance here, I could see teen girls really going for this series.

Of the three, "Uprooted" was by far my favorite. Gold star for that one!

So, that is it! Lots of reading plus a great visit with the oldest, a fun birthday celebration with the boy, and a relaxed Valentine's Day weekend with hubby.

Good Stuff. Oh, and we have today off! That means it is time to stock the pantry and clean the house. It is really raining here today, gully-washer rain, so it is a good day to take care of the homefires, so to speak.

Enjoy.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

reading

I am making a real run at finishing "Uprooted" by Friday. Such a good book! In other news, while I remembered to bring home the items I had placed in the warehouse freezer on Tuesday, I now have yet another small grocery list to procure. Things I forgot to buy: jam and lettuce. What a combo.

The boy and I are going to have burgers and fries tonight, so lettuce is a must. The jam, well, hard to have PB&J without it. His Ash Wednesday sandwich was a bit dry!

Can't believe Lent is here again. This last year has gone by so quickly. The middle daughter was chatting with me about London and I'm really having a tough time thinking that is almost one year since hubby and I went over to see her and to visit.

But, today is Thursday! One day closer to the weekend!! Enjoy.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

healing well

Well, I made a visit to the dentist yesterday. My gum/jaw/former tooth spot is healing well. I get my teeth cleaned next month and then sometime in June I will get the post implanted. After that heals, sometime in September, the tooth will be placed on the post and I'll be good to go.

I've never considered myself a very patient person. I guess this adventure is teaching me, at age 50, the virtues of patience.

In other news, yet another book is available for download from my library. That makes 4. Blerg. Why did I get greedy and place holds on all of them at once? I'm reading Naomi Novik's "Uprooted" at the moment and really enjoying it. Wish I was able to stay home and just ready the day away.

Instead I will be sitting in our atrium for at least an hour of the day going over, with the entire staff, the 2016 goals, objectives, and tasks. Watching paint dry is more fun.

But, it is Wednesday and that means the middle of the week has arrived. A three day weekend approaches as does a visit with the oldest daughter.

Good Stuff. Happy Wednesday.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

on the nook

Well, I went ahead and downloaded three titles from the library onto my nook. Hubby heads out of town today. I don't think I can get all three read before he returns, but I should be able to make a good dent in at least of them.

Bookbub is just dangerous. I really need to start deleting those emails as soon as they arrive. But, instead I've been saving them and then looking in the library's ebook collection to see if they have them. Gets me into trouble. And that doesn't even consider the impact the word "free" has on me. I have three free titles on the nook at the moment.

The book I just finished, "Thorn Jack," was a debut novel by Katherine Harbour. A retelling of Tam Lin, it features a brave heroine who has lost her mother and sister and has an absentminded professor for a father. Of course she finds two new friends/sidekicks when they move to her mother's hometown and she learns of the strange, compelling, and irresistible Fata family, including the heart-breaking-ly beautiful Jack. The novel got better as it moved along, but I was left feeling it could have used a good trimming. Of course, since I'm a sucker for Tam Lin, I borrowed a book by Sarah Maas that is yet another retelling of that tale.

Enough of all that. Time for some coffee. Enjoy Tuesday.


Monday, February 8, 2016

too many books

Blerg! All the book holds I had placed are now resulting in everything being available at once. I received two notices that titles are available and it looks like the third one will be ready soon. Too many books and not enough time!

I'm still knee deep in a YA novel woven around a retelling of Tam Lin.

This was not a good weekend for reading. Not that I'm really complaining. Hubby and I had a blast at the charity gala event we attended at the Peabody. Ducks galore! LOL. That hotel is so neat and the duck motif is seen just about everywhere. We had some great food, fun conversations, and a good time dancing. It was quite a treat for us and an early Valentine's celebration.

The boy's birthday is the next big celebration as he turns 17 on Saturday. The oldest is coming home to retrieve a book she had shipped here, so she will be on hand to celebrate with us. He has requested cheecake this year; no pies to bake. I'm going to order it from the shop down on the square.

Easy!

Off we go. Going to be a busy week.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

those horses

I'm a sucker for a good commercial/advertisement. And, I'm equally enamored of good packaging. When it comes to TV commercials, especially Super Bowl commercials, I have my favorites. Last night hubby and I watched a bit of the recap of the top 50 Super Bowl commercials.

Those horses. Ugh. Gets me every time. The Budweiser Clydesdale ads pluck at my heartstrings like no other commercial can. Who can resist those gorgeous horses? Throw in an adorable puppy, a cute horse trainer, and what else could a girl want?

Maybe a new Audi?

Wah! The new Audi commercial is really well done. Maybe it is that sexy car. Maybe it is David Bowie's "Starman" as the soundtrack. Maybe it is the idea of taking a spin with your old man in one helluva automobile. Whatever, that one got me too.

Weepy goodness.


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

tuesday

The tooth, or the spot where the tooth was, is feeling better day by day. Yesterday was a very quiet day at the office, just didn't feel like talking much as it is still tender. I feel better this morning. More myself. Which is a very good thing.

I have my first meeting for the tourism board today after work. It starts at 4:00. This should be quite interesting and a huge departure from my work on the library board. I'm excited to see what this new volunteer spot will bring.

While I was under the weather, I finished a couple of books, watched a couple of movies, and basically sat around. Worth noting are Neil Gaiman's "Trigger Warning" and the movie "Philomena" starring Judi Dench. Good stuff all around.

Off we go. Happy Tuesday.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

joyville

So, one of my molars lost its filling yesterday. The filling was over half the tooth and now the tooth isn't sound enough to refill, crown, or truly repair in any way, shape, or form. I'm having it pulled on Friday and getting the spot prepped for an implant.

Joy.

This isn't a quick fix, but it will be a long term fix. My weekend plans will now revolve around pain meds, movies, reading, soft foods, and more pain meds.

Ugh.

Enjoy the weekend? lol


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

out of the routine

The hubby, for some reason, woke at 4:00 a.m. and beat me out of bed! Nice to have the papers in, the coffee brewed, and the dog fed. But, my quiet morning routine is a bust today. He's even whistling and singing.....oh my.

That's it. Happy Hump Day!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

short stories

For some reason, when I see a short story collection on the shelf (real or virtual) I hesitate to borrow or buy it. I like novels. Always have. But, when I had the chance to borrow Neil Gaiman's "Trigger Warning," I took it. I'm so very glad I did. I'm only about half way through the stories, but I've been so thoroughly entertained by the stories and as always, wonderfully in awe of his writing.

This was another title on the list I found that I can't seem to locate now. Blerg.

In other news, I'm 7th in line for the new Karen Marie Moning title. That should give me time to finish the Gaiman book as well as the other two I have on hold.

And, Nerissa awaits as well. One of these days my TBR pile will be manageable. Happy Tuesday.

Monday, January 25, 2016

my second 3 day weekend

With the holiday last Monday for MLK and the bit of snow we received on Friday, I wound up with a 3 day work week! Yes, we had Friday off. The projected 4-6 inches did not fall in Memphis. In fact, the streets stayed clear. A bit of freezing on some overpasses, but nothing that caused any wrecks. The grass did get covered, sort of, but our snow was very disappointing. The meteorologists had, what they call, a busted forecast. I guess a big patch of very dry air descended and basically zapped the snow making potential of the front for us.

The Memphis weather dome held strong. Boooooo. I really wanted some real snow. I sort of felt a bit jealous seeing the photos of the east coast. Sort of. I only wanted the snow for a few days, then winter can go away.

Picky. I know.

February is usually the month we get some winter weather and we have had decent snowfalls during that month. So, hope springs eternal.

Lisa, back when we lived in South Bend, IN. we rarely had snow days. They too, like your neck of the woods, were very equipped for snow. But, when the lake effect snow machine kicked in and the winds whipped those flakes around, the drifting would be quite impressive. That would cancel activities for the kids, but I think I only recall a few times that business shut down. That would have been the Blizzards of 78-79-80. Those monster storms dropped feet of snow. I remember my Dad opening our garage and a wall of snow greeted us.

Happy Monday!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

snow day?

And just like that, it is Thursday. With Thursday comes quite a bit of excitement since it appears our weather may actually produce snow tonight and into tomorrow. Will we have a snow day on Friday? I'd bet the boy will. Heck, they may even cancel school Thursday night in anticipation of the white stuff falling. For me, well, who knows. If it is snowing hard at 6 a.m., chances are good.

The most recent models show we could have snow until sometime in the afternoon on Friday!

The boy has to work tonight, and my guess is the local Kroger will sell out of milk and bread. Need to mention to him that he will be kept busy with the local folks stockpiling like we will get 2-3 feet of the stuff instead of 2-5 inches!!

Enjoy the weekend, and here's to the possibility of a snow day tomorrow. Cheers!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

oh my

It's cold. It's raining. Oh my. I guess they have closed a portion of the bypass out our way due to ice. I hate ice. I'd rather have feet of snow.

The good news is that the radar I looked at showed that we truly are just getting rain and the ice is staying north of us. The other good news is that it is 35 at 4:25, so we should be okay. It is only going to get warmer from here on out.

I tried a new recipe yesterday. Tasty, but not exactly what I was hoping for. Maybe I needed to use more cheese. It was a tamale pie casserole. Hubby and the boy both enjoyed it, and it did the trick on a cold January night. Tonight will feature stew!

Soooo nice that today is Wednesday. Got to love a short week.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

brrrr

It is a whopping 21 outside. Brrrr. The boy mentioned the "s" word last night. Well, my favorite weather site ( he is a FedEx meteorologist) said that we have a slim chance on Friday. It is quite dry here and you need some precip to make the fluffy, white stuff.

In the meantime, I will enjoy the fact that it actually feels like winter and not spring. A week of cold weather would do us all some good and perhaps the allergies would abate and the creeping crud viruses would go away. The back and forth, up and down, temps we've had have not been helpful in the itchy eye department or the stuffy nose arena.

And, it is Tuesday! Gosh, I do love a 4 day work week.

Monday, January 18, 2016

best book list

I really wish I could remember where I found the list of the best sci-fi/fantasy books for 2015. Bookbub? Goodreads? ALA? UGH! When I found it, I went to the library's online portal and reserved every one that tweaked my fancy. From the dozen or so titles, I put holds on 5. I'm reading my second one at the moment. I have read Rachel Caine before, but she has really hit it out of the park with "Ink and Bone." What if the Great Library in Alexandria never burned? What if it became the political, social, and policing power of the world? I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be very fresh, an original concept. Seems so rare to find a plot that isn't a rehash.

At the moment I'm reading Lila Bowen's "Wake of Vultures." This was another title on the recommendation list. Good Stuff. I'm going to be very spoiled when I work my way through all of these excellent novels. Again, this novel is quite captivating, fresh, and original.

I have today off for MLK Day. After a few things around the house, I need to run over and finally purchase something to put in the hanging basket by the foyer. A soccer ball perched in the ceramic pot isn't working for me anymore and the Christmas poinsettia is long gone. After that chore is finished, I will be brewing a big pot of tea and snuggling under a quilt and reading the day away.

What fun!!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

lunch

I went to the local Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday. The library director asked if I would attend as she had partnered with the Chamber to bring in a Teddy Roosevelt re-enactor for a series of programs, including a performance at the luncheon.

So much fun! The gentleman portraying Teddy was amazing. Educational and fun! Lots of laughter in that banquet room.

It was so nice to be able to go and just relax for a few hours in the middle of the day. I used up PTO to attend, but it was well worth it.

And, I got to talk books with the adult services librarian. An added bonus in my book.

Happy Thursday! See you next week.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

blerg

I overslept. Blerg.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

ROLL TIDE!

Even though I went to bed before 10:00 last night, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I kept checking my phone, hearing my hubby yell from the family room, and thinking about the game.

LOL. Yes, the Tide rolled last night after a hard fought battle with Clemson. Our girl has the fun of enjoying a National Championship during her senior year. I've never forgotten the fun I had when IU made their run (basketball, not football) in the Big Dance and brought home the grand prize.

So, congrats to Coach Saban, the Bama Nation, and those players on this year's team and the ones who wore the crimson on previous teams. The season started off with a loss and wound up with winning it all. Well done! Rammer Jammer!

And to our girl, ROLL TIDE ROLL! xoxoxo

Monday, January 11, 2016

back to our regularly scheduled programming

And, just like that, winter break is over  for the ladies and they are back to school. It was so nice to have them home and the month was filled with family dinners, fun times, and lots of chatter. The house will seem so quiet from now on as it takes a while to adjust to this version of normal.

The temps have dropped here and it feels like winter. When it is 22 in the morning, that blast of cold air wakes you up better than coffee.

I'm reading my 3rd book for the year, Rachel Caine's "Ink and Bone." Feels like the first original YA novel I've read in a while. Of course, the whole lot of books I had on hold through the library's e-book system are now becoming available, so I need to read more quickly or release the holds I've placed. I think I have two ready for download now. Feast or famine it seems.

And here is Monday. Not quite ready, but off I go.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

almost friday

Thursday is here! Yeah. A few quick updates as I'm feeling a bit fuzzy headed this morning. I think my body is trying quite hard to fight off the crud that is lingering in my house and at the office.

The coffee is tasting really good this morning.
The oven baked fajitas last night were a big hit and both girls asked how to make them.
I'm almost finished with my second book of the new year.
We're all going out Saturday for a final Christmas break dinner before the ladies head back to school.
The March magazine is finally coming together. Whew. Huge sigh of relief.
The new towels I ordered all arrived and I'm quite pleased. The big switch out will happen this weekend.

And, that is it. It felt good to be back blogging/journaling to kick off 2016. See you Monday.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

new attitude

Do you remember the song, "I've Got a New Attitude"? While browsing in Sprouts on Monday afternoon, that song was being played. It always makes me chuckle to hear the music that particular grocery store chooses to have playing in the background. I don't believe I've every heard a song in their that predates the mid 70's or is more current than the early 90's. Certain songs must improve fruit and veggie sales!

Music isn't the point of this post. New attitudes abound at work, for the moment. With the new year, new opportunities have arrived. Everyone seems to be a little more upbeat, a little more engaged, and a little more tolerant. Except for my manager. He's struggling. The mama in me wants to give him advice. He admitted he has the back to work blues. He took 2 weeks off like I did. But, after finishing his MBA last year, I really expected him to launch a more aggressive job search. He didn't. He's been in his job for over 10 years and really has no place to move inside the organization. If he wants a new job, it will be beyond our building and with a different company.

Would it be good for me if he left? I really don't know. I'm not interested in that job. I don't want the stress. But, part of what makes my job so enjoyable is working for him. Yet, a new person could bring new energy and would shake things up a bit. That could be good or bad.

Ugh. Time will tell.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

mad for plaid

A story ran in yesterday's paper about plaid. Plaid is the new "shade" for designers. Hmmmm. Considering the amount of plaid shirts in my house, the pattern has always been a thing for us. I made the mistake of pinning a plaid wallpapered hallway on Pinterest. Of course, now every other pin that shows up features a plaid something. The suggestion pins can be quite humorous at times. I wonder if I pin a bare-chested man in a plaid kilt just how many others will magically appear?

I've always been quite mad for plaid. Black Watch is my long running favorite. Decades ago I had a knife pleat Black Watch plaid wool skirt. LL Bean sold this particular one, and it made that first trip to London with me. I loved that skirt. If they started selling them today, I'd buy another.

At current count, I have the following, all in Black Watch: a cashmere scarf (my splurge in London last March), a pair of flats, a long sleeve blouse, and a men's long sleeve flannel shirt.

I do think I need that skirt. Again.

Monday, January 4, 2016

the routine

I'm ready to roll, It is time to start 2016. I guess since I have been on vacation, I haven't really felt like the new year began. It all gets real today as I head back to the office after a lovely 2 week vacation.

I did not read as much as I thought I might.  We had hubby's mom arrive for a short visit, took a quick trip to Florida, did some fun things with the three kids, and took care of normal everyday things around the house. We were busy!

In other news, I am very happy to have my laptop back! And, I'm very happy the first book I read of the year was such a good one. I'm also very happy that I seem to have escaped getting the cold that the hubby had.

Back into the routine I go. The boy starts school tomorrow. The ladies leave next Sunday. Second semester is here. We have a college graduation to attend in May. Yikes!!

As Ferris says, life moves pretty fast.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

first book of the new year



Just finished my first book of the new year. V.E. Schwab's "A Darker Shade of Magic" was recommended (can't remember what list included it, might have been BookBub) as one of the best fantasy/sci-fi books for 2015. It did not disappoint. Of course, the fact that the story takes place in multiple versions of London, more or less sealed the deal for me. Toss into the mix, various magics, a strong female protagonist, some derring-do action, and stir. It was a fun, quick, entertaining read. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Friday, January 1, 2016

2016

I was rather astonished to see that my last blog post was in October. The boy and I were sharing a computer for the last part of the year and many mornings, I did not want to journey upstairs to search for it. So, out of laziness, the blogging came to a halt.

That will be rectified from here on out as he received a new laptop from Santa and I have been restored as the primary user of this machine. Yippee!!

Things I need to do now that I have my computer back: I need to read Lisa's latest book, I need to update my "books read" list, and I need to clean the junk off the computer from the boy and his games.

It is already running faster now that I have uninstalled Minecraft, Steam, and a few other programs.

2016 has arrived. I did not see the new year come in as I crashed at 10:30. I did, however, see the Tide drown the Spartans and set their sites on Clemson. What a great, fun, cool thing it would be for the daughter's senior year to include a National Championship!!

The holidays are now behind us and I am so happy that I was able to take the full two weeks off from work. I needed the break.

Speaking of breaks, I broke my goal for 2015 in regards to books read. I always set a one book a week goal, but this year I shattered that and logged in 68 titles. Good stuff. When hubby travels, I tend to read more. He traveled quite a bit in 2015.

Off we go into the New Year. Best wishes for new adventures.