AUGUST BOOKS

August was a horrible reading month. I only read 5 books, bringing my total for the year to 75. Of those 5 books, I liked two, tolerated one, and disliked two. Not a good record. I'll make sure that September has better book choices.

Here's what I read:

PROMISES OF CHANGE (Joan Medlicott) - Pub 2009 Challenge, Every Month is a Holiday Challenge

A WOMAN'S PLACE (Barbara Delinsky) - Read Your Own Books Challenge, Celebrate the Author Challenge

THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING (Joshilyn Jackson) - Southern Reading Challenge

THIS TIME (Joan Szechtman)

MARKER (Robin Cook) - Medical Mystery Madness Challenge


I did have some things going on this month that cut into my reading time - having to pack up all my books in anticipation of the new carpet installation was a big one. Boring books that I just didn't want to read. But I have to admit that Facebook and FarmVille took up a great portion of my time. Next month, I'll definitely cut back on Facebook time and spend more time reading.

Now I just have to choose books that I want to read. I've been looking over the books I've chosen for challenges, and I realize that there are some that I have no interest in reading any more. So I can foresee not finishing a couple of my challenges for this year. And I'm going to be all right with that.

MARKER

MARKER by Robin Cook was read for the Medical Mystery Madness Challenge.

From the book jacket:

Twenty-eight-year-old Sean McGillin is the picture of health, until he fractures his leg while in-line skating in New York City's Central Park. Within twenty-four hours of his surgery, he dies.

A thirty-six-year-old mother, Darlene Morgan, has surgery to repair a torn ligament in her knee. And within twenty-four hours, she is dead.

New York City medical examiners Dr. Laurie Montgomery and Dr. Jack Stapleton are back, in Robin Cook's electrifying twenty-fifth novel. Last seen in VECTOR, the doctors now confront a ballooning series of puzzling hospital deaths of young, healthy people who have just undergone successful surgery.

Despite institutional resistance from her superiors, and from the staff of Manhattan General, Laurie doggedly pursues the investigation as the death toll mounts. It seems impossible to determine why and how the patients are dying, yet she comes to suspect that not only are the deaths related - they're intentional, suggesting the work of a remarkably clever healthcare serial killer with a very unusual motive, which may involve frightening ties to both developing genomic medicine and the economics of modern-day healthcare.

As if to heighten the tension, Laurie is dealt a double blow: While coping with Jack's inability to commit to their relationship, she discovers she carries a genetic marker for a breast-cancer gene. With her personal life unraveling, the need for answers becomes more urgent, especially when she is inexorably pulled into the nightmare as a possible victim herself. Time winds down, and Laurie and Jack must race to connect the dots - and save her life.

With his signature blend of suspense and science, Robin Cook delivers an electrifying page-turner as vivid as today's headlines.

This was a good one! Years ago I read a lot of Dr. Cook's books, but then quit as I felt they were all about the same. Maybe I just needed a break, or maybe his plots improved in the past years.

[Years ago, Dr. Cook wrote a book that involved sharks. In that book (I'm almost positive it was in that book), he identified two doctors - Dr. Braxton and Dr. Hicks. I think it was seeing those names - an inside joke I'm sure - that was the deciding factor to stop reading his books. Did anyone else read that particular book? Does anyone know the title? Do the names Braxton and Hicks ring a bell?]

This book dealt with hospitals run by managed-care health insurance companies, and people involved who determined which patients would get the benefits. Kind of a scary thought, especially with the health care legislation being formulated now. Anyway, I liked this book. The story line kept me reading and wasn't too far-fetched. This book was written a few years ago - I'll have to check and see if he has anything more current.

SPEEDY

After a thorough virus scan and a Disc Defragmentation - and possibly an overnight visit from the Computer Fairy - my laptop is now back up to speed.

What a relief!

SLOOOW...

My computer is as slow as molasses.  I don't know what happened to it, but for the past week or so it's been getting slower and slower.  I could probably write this post by hand and carry it to Blogger headquarters in person faster than this computer will post it.

I spent a couple of hours this morning talking to someone from AT&T.  Not only did the phone have a bad connection, but this gentleman had an Indian accent which made it doubly hard to understand him.  He thought he had the problem resolved, but now it's back to where it was.

I'm wondering if it might just be the computer itself and not the internet connection.  I really don't need the expense of either repairing or getting a new laptop.

Who can I blame for this problem - the genius who first invented computers, Bill Gates, Al Gore??

Posts from me might be hit or miss for a while until I can get this problem resolved.  

THEY'RE ALL HOME AGAIN

I finally got all my books back on the shelves where they belong. Twenty box loads of them. Now it feels like home again!

I knew where each and every book could be found before. Now they're in different places, so I might have to hunt a little to find a particular book. But at least they're out of the boxes.

Time to go looking for a new book to read, as the one I'm reading now just isn't doing it for me. Let's see - which one shall I choose???

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS

Happy 13th birthday today to my granddaughter Ashlie. I can't believe she's a teenager.

Shelby's 19th birthday was last week. Another one growing up so fast! This is the only year that they will both be teenagers.

Hope this coming year is wonderful for both of you - I love you lots!

HARD WORK ... BUT WORTH IT

The carpet installation went without a hitch. The crew of 4 arrived around 9:45 a.m. and were finished and gone before 5 p.m. This crew was terrific. They were polite and took care when moving the furniture. Once the house was cleared (they moved every piece of furniture that was left after Dom and I moved a lot of the smaller things ourselves), they got right to work.

The longest part was removing the old carpet and pad and reinstalling new pad. Once that was done, they started cutting carpet. They rolled the carpet out in our street, which probably didn't endear them to our mail person who was trying to deliver! They did such a great job with the carpet - if I didn't know where the seams were, I wouldn't be able to find them.

After all the carpet was installed and vacuumed (they did that too!), they started moving the furniture back in. I had marked the wall with blue painter's tape where the pieces went, and they got everything back exactly where it should go. When they put the spare bed together, they even put the bed skirt back on before they placed the mattress.

Dom and I spent the time out on the back porch with Maggie. It wasn't hot there, I had a book to finish, and Maggie had her food and water. All in all, a very successful day.

Here are a couple of pictures of the carpet. It's a light beige with an almost-silvery tint to it. A pretty color a little lighter than what we had before. But the major difference is the feel. It feels like walking on a cloud - it's that soft! I don't know too much about carpet - that's Dom's speciality. He said that the higher the weight, the better and softer the carpet. This is 60 ounce carpet. We've always had builder's grade before - I think the weight of the one we replaced had to be around 15!



Now for the unpacking. I have everything done except for the china cabinet and the books - 20 boxes of books! But that will have to wait a little while. I'm so sore right now - I have muscle aches in places I didn't even know I had muscles. I took a nice hot bath last night in the jetted tub and didn't think I could manage to pull myself out.

So I'm taking my time for the rest of the week, even though it pains me to see boxes sitting around. Unless any of you would like to pop down to Atlanta to help unpack??? I've got a nice chocolate cake sitting here waiting for you!

THIS TIME

THIS TIME by Joan Szechtman was sent to me by the author for review.

From the back of the book:

THIS TIME rediscovers the fifteenth Century Richard III as he attempts to unravel the mysteries of this century.

Not only must Richard III acclimate himself to this whole new world - to sometimes comic effect - he must try to undo the damage done to his reputation through 500 years of history.

The novel creates an engaging intersection of past and present, fact and fiction, to prove that Richard III, the real man, was not - and is not - deformed in body or in spirit.

Through her research, Joan Szechtman evokes a larger than life Richard. Not the misshapen evil character from Shakespeare, but a richly human Richard no longer fettered by history's faulty memory.

Richard III is alive, in THIS TIME.

The premise of this book sounded so interesting. Imagine a 15th century English king brought into the 21st century. How exciting to see this world through the eyes of someone who has never seen such common-place items (for us) such as computers, cars, television. And what a chance to learn what life was like back in England, and possibly learn the true story of the princes in the tower.

I wish I could say that the book lived up to my expectations. There were just too many incidents that seemed completely out of place and character. The man who headed the team that brought Richard from the past into our time didn't seem too concerned about Richard's safety - he let him go home with a female co-worker the second night he was here. Richard met this woman's daughter and told her his story, and her main reaction was to wonder which modern words confused him - she didn't even act surprised to learn about his time travel. Every one who heard his story accepted it without a second thought. The man who brought Richard here to learn all about the past spent hardly any time with him. And the speed in which Richard acclimated to this lifestyle was too fast - in less than two weeks, he had learned to drive, bought a car and had mastered the computer, among other things.

My husband told me that even if I don't care for a book, I should say something nice about it. It is clear that the author did a great deal of research into the story of Richard III and she cast him as an honorable man. But there were just too many inconsistencies for me to enjoy it. I read at the back of the book that two sequels are planned. At this time, I don't see myself wanting to read either one.

I'M PULLING THE PLUG

I've got just about everything packed and the boxes moved into the garage. We're starting to move some of the smaller pieces of furniture - the installers will only move 6 things in each room.

As soon as I get everything moved, I'm unplugging the TV and internet device. Poor Dom is going to go into shock, not being able to watch TV. And I'll probably go into internet withdrawal.

Hopefully, this installation will be completed on time tomorrow and I can get everything hooked back up by early evening. I've taken pictures of the back of the computer and TVs so I'll know what goes where.

Wish us luck!

IT'S LIKE LOSING A GOOD FRIEND

I'm surrounded by boxes. Stacks and stacks of boxes. And inside these boxes are my books.

Can you imagine how sad it makes me to pack my books into these boxes? I know it's only for a couple of days, but I miss seeing them on the bookshelves. I feel guilty forcing them to spend a few days in a dark, confined space instead of out in the open where they can be looked upon each day.

Yes, I know they're inanimate objects. They feel nothing. A box, a bookshelf - no difference to the books. But it feels like a loss to me.

Funny, I didn't feel this way when I packed up the toothpaste and toilet paper.

GONNA DO IT

Tomorrow I start packing in anticipation of the carpet installation next Monday. I'll start with the bookcases, and do the rest of the china cabinet. Then I have to attack the cubes in Dom's closet where we keep extra shampoo, soap, toothpaste, medicines and stuff like that. I'll be taking a big trash bag with me in there - there's a lot of stuff I can throw out.

This seems so silly. I have to pack up all this stuff as if we were moving. Then as soon as the carpet is installed, I have to unpack all the boxes and put the things away again. It just seems like such a waste of time and energy. But it must be done, so tomorrow is the day.

Today at bowling, one of our best bowlers shot a 290 game. He started with a spare in the first frame then bowled 11 consecutive strikes. Then he started the next game with 3 strikes, so he really had 14 in a row. I've never seen anyone roll a perfect 300 game; this is the closest I've seen. I saw this same man shoot a 279 before. He's a bowling machine.

Nothing else going on. I'm off to Facebook for a little while, playing on my farm. Whoever thought this city girl would be buying a tractor and plowing land!

THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING

THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING by Joshilyn Jackson was read for the Southern Reading Challenge.

From the back of the book:

Laurel Gray Hawthorne hasn't seen a ghost in the thirteen years she and her husband have lived in their beautiful gated community. Then, in the dog days of a Florida August, she wakes to find Molly, her daughter's best friend, standing by her bed, who then leads her to her own small body floating lifelessly in the Hawthornes' pool. Laurel's carefully constructed existence cracks, and the past seeps through...

Laurel and her sister, Thalia, grew up in what looked like a typical blue-collar home. But the Grays have long been hiding a skeleton in their closet. While Laurel built her "perfect" life, Thalia became an actress with a capital A, a woman who doesn't fit in Laurel's tidy world. Now Molly can't rest until someone learns her secrets. Laurel turns to her sister, and together they begin a journey that will unearth their family's history, the true state of Laurel's marriage, and what really happened to...the girl who stopped swimming.

I previously read two earlier books by Ms. Jackson and enjoyed them. I wish I could say the same about this one. I hated this book. I didn't like the characters or the plot. I didn't like the writing. I finished it because if was for a challenge, otherwise I would have quit a long time ago. The only thing I can say that I somewhat liked about the book is that one of the characters shares the same name as my granddaughter.

This was the last book I read for this challenge, and I'd like to thank Maggie for hosting it once again. I'll be looking forward to next year's edition.

I NEED A PANDA FIX!

Xi Lan
Zoo Atlanta

He'll be a year old in 12 days!

47 AND A HALF

Through the wonders of Facebook, I've been in touch with a lot of people from my high school graduating class. I was able to go to the 40th reunion a few years ago, but missed the 45th. Our 50th is coming up in 2013.

Yes, 50 years out of high school. I am officially an old goat!

Anyway, I really don't feel like waiting until 2013 to see some of these people. So a few of us are planning a 47.5 year reunion! We're just starting to put out feelers to see who's interested. Since we're scattered across the country, from California to Pennsylvania, we decided to meet somewhere in the middle of the country. Looking at a map, I came up with Missouri. Our first thought was St. Louis, then my daughter suggested Branson.

I've looked at some Branson websites, and it looks like it would be a perfect place. There are shows, outlets for shopping, golf, fishing, clubs - something for everyone. Right now, we've just invited the girls but we're thinking of opening it up to the guys too, so we needed to find some place where there would be things for them to do too.

We're planning to go in September 2010. Has anyone been there before? Do you think it would be a good place for a bunch of old geezers to get together and raise some hell? We may be old in years, but definitely not in spirit!

Of course, if this 47.5 reunion does occur (and I see no reason why it won't), it's not going to take the place of our big 50th. We're hoping to get a really big crowd together for that one. It might be our last!

UPDATE: We changed the installation of our carpet until probably next week. There was no way that I would have gotten everything packed up and moved by this Tuesday. Whew!

WHAT WAS I THINKING???

I think I overextended this week.

First, bowling on Wednesday. Lots and lots of paperwork. Scores to enter in the computer, standings sheets, averages, record all the money collected. Then silly me, last year I did a blog for the league. So everyone expects it again this year. OK, that's not too bad. But some are expecting it to be written and posted by Wednesday night. And some get irritated when it's not done by then. Sorry guys, it'll get done when it gets done!

Then there's the issue of the carpet installation. I didn't realize how much stuff I have to pack up and move out. And it looks like I'm going to be doing the brunt of the work. The boxes that Dom brought home are big, which means if I fill them, they're going to be heavy - really heavy. Luckily we have a hand truck to help us move them into the garage.

This is how I envision Tuesday. I'll be up at the crack of dawn or before, moving boxes and unhooking the TV's and computers. (I'm going to be smart and take a picture of all the connections first so I'll know how to put them back together.) We'll be moving some of the smaller pieces of furniture ourselves, so that will have to be done. I'll have to strip the bed so it can be moved. When the installers get here, from what I was told, they'll be moving furniture from one room to another as they do the install. I'll be following right behind them with a vacuum cleaner to get up all the little cut pieces before the furniture gets moved back. I have no idea what we're going to do with Maggie while all this is going on. Dom won't take her to a kennel for the day, so we'll have to try to keep her in a room that's not being used and keep moving her from room to room. Then when the installation is finished (and it better be finished on Tuesday!), we'll have to move everything back into the house, make up the bed, hook up the TV's and computers, and think about unpacking boxes. Since I have to bowl Wednesday afternoon, I probably won't get the house put back together until sometime Thursday - if I'm lucky.

What was I thinking??

HELP NEEDED!

No, I don't need a copy of the Beatles' HELP! Although I don't think I have a CD of that particular album and it's a really good one. I guess I'll have to check on eBay.

But, back to my original thought.

I just scheduled the installation of our new carpeting for next Tuesday. So I have 5 days to get everything packed up. All my books in the bookcases. All the china in my china hutch. Knick-knacks from all over. Things on closet floors. TV's and computers.

I have to go out for a couple of hours today and then there's about 5 hours tomorrow for my card club. Monday I bowl for about 3 hours. All that cuts into my packing time. So if there's anyone in the Atlanta area who has absolutely nothing to do in the next few days and would like to help pack boxes - come on down!


The winter bowling league started yesterday. It was fun to see a lot of familiar faces and some new ones too. I didn't do too badly for the first week - wound up with a 138 average. The first week, there's a lot of paperwork involved, but I think I have things under control. I had written out information for everyone regarding the sanction fees and payment envelopes, but there were still a lot of questions. Apparently, some people just don't bother to take the time to read things that are given to them.


Maggie's vet called this afternoon. Her recent blood work showed some problem with her kidneys. I had taken him a urine specimen and that came back abnormal. Looks like she's starting to have some kidney dysfunction that we'll have to check. She's 10 years old with a bunch of medical problems. We've noticed that she's been leaving little puddles on the floor when she's sleeping. After losing Teddy just 3 weeks ago, I can't bear the thought of anything happening to Maggie. Hopefully we've caught her problem early enough that we can treat it. UPDATE: I checked Maggie's lab values and she's just a teeny bit off normal, so it looks like her vet caught this just as it was starting. Her vet - Dr. FitzSimons - is the best!


I need to start doing laundry - what a fun life I lead! Then run a few errands, get some packing boxes and start working. Ugh!

But first - I'm heading over to eBay to look for that HELP! CD.

BACK TO BOWLING ... ALMOST

I've spent most of today getting things ready for our winter bowling league which starts tomorrow. Being secretary, there's a lot of paperwork involved in setting up the league. There are sanction cards to be filled in for each bowler and a league application form, plus setting up the teams and payment envelopes.

I have a program on the computer that keeps track of all the scores and players, so that needs to be updated also. I have a separate blog for the league that I do each week and then print out to take to the bowling center for each team every week. I also have to keep track of special games (high scores for games and series) and send that information to the bowling association - we get pins and patches as awards.

In addition, I have to collect the fees each week, making sure that the money reported is the same as the money in the envelopes, then pay the bowling center. At the end of each session, I collect all the score sheets and verify the scores.

And I have to bowl too!

Who says I don't earn my 35 cents per bowler each week???

A WOMAN'S PLACE

A WOMAN'S PLACE by Barbara Delinsky was read for the Read Your Own Books Challenge and the Celebrate the Author Challenge (birthday August 9).

From the book jacket:

Claire Raphael is a true woman of the nineties. She was the perfect helpmate while her husband, Dennis, built his career and the perfect mother when it came time for their children. She managed all this while transforming a furniture hobby into WickerWise, a thriving business that has grown into a nationally franchised success.

For women of the nineties, however, success does not always come without its price. Claire has become the primary breadwinner in the family, taking the pressure off Dennis's failing investment company. But Dennis sees things differently. Arriving home one night after a grueling business trip, Claire is served with divorce papers that claim abandonment of Dennis and the children - and he is suing for custody. Her world is shattered.

Claire struggles to understand how this could have happened. She had always made her children and husband the priority, devoting more time as a parent that Dennis ever had. Now, with one court document, she had lost custody of her children and is ordered out of her own home until a hearing can be held. Claire hires a tough woman divorce lawyer with an excellent reputation, but even she hints that Dennis has a strong chance of winning. The day when women had the advantage in divorce proceedings is gone, and a double standard has taken hold, whereby a former do-nothing dad is extolled for spending three hours a day with his children and a former full-time mom is vilified for spending only six hours a day with them.

Caught between a vindictive husband and a censorious court, Claire is about to be punished for doing it all and succeeding. She turns to her longtime friend and business partner, Brody Parth. In Brody she finds the understanding and tenderness that are missing from her marriage and the strength she needs to fight for her children and her dignity...

I like Barbara Delinsky and I liked this book. The characters were believable - even Dennis who was a real bastard. Claire's pain over losing her children and other problems in her life was clear and strong. As was her disillusion with the legal system. All the cards were stacked against her but she never gave up. She knew that she was a good mother to her children and would do whatever was necessary to get them back.

This was one of Ms. Delinsky's older books, published in 1997. I think her newer books are even better.

SOOTHING SUNDAY

This has been a perfect weekend. No rushing to go anywhere or do anything. Time to sit and relax, read, play on the computer.

Dom didn't have to work this morning, so he was able to sleep in a little bit. Susan picked up Ashlie a couple of hours ago, and it's nice and quiet here.

I have dinner all planned (steak on the grill), linens already changed on the bed, and just a short trip to WalMart planned for later this afternoon.

We have a busy week ahead, so I'm taking advantage of this peace and quiet while I can.

RELAX

So far, it's been a pretty quiet, relaxing Saturday. Dom is working - he'll be home soon. Ashlie is here to spend overnight. Susan was here for a while and Shelby is coming over for a while soon.

I plan on spending this evening reading. I haven't done too much of that lately, but I've got a pretty good book going right now and really want to get back to it.

I made a big pasta salad for dinner, so that will be easy. Maybe a trip to Dairy Queen a little later for dessert.

How's your Saturday?

FRIDAY STUFF

Friday afternoon means card club with 4 other ladies. We alternate houses - the hostess of the week provides some type of lunch and dessert. We'll take about a half hour or so to eat, then we start playing cards. Today there were only 4 of us so we were able to play Pinochle and Euchre. My team lost Pinochle but we took most of the Euchre games.

I really look forward to this. It's not so much the cards - though that's a lot of fun. It's just being able to get together and have a good time. We've known each other for about 3 years through our bowling league (except for one lady who we've only known a year), and this gives us time away from the madness that ensues at the bowling center.

I finally found a perfect color for the house. At least I think it's perfect - Dom thinks it's too dark. I took a color that we liked but I thought was too light and had it mixed up at double-strength. We might have to compromise and mix it at 1-1/2 strength. And I found a good color for the shutters and door. I had a suggestion to paint the door red, but I know Dom would never go for that. It's supposed to be good feng shui, but I think we'll pass.

Not much else going on here in Georgia. Anything new where you live?

THE COLORS ARE ALL STARTING TO LOOK ALIKE

The search for the perfect paint color for the house continues.

I thought we had found the right shade of tan. It met Dom's requirement that it not be too dark. I thought it would give a little more contrast to the white trim, which is what I was I wanted.

I got a sample quart of the color we picked and painted a board and put it outside by the brick. It goes perfectly with the brick, but it's a lot lighter than I thought it would be - hardly any contrast. But I'm sure - unfortunately - that Dom will love it. Before he sees the board, I think I'm going to go and get a sample of the color that I had wanted that's a little richer and see what that looks like. I just wish I didn't have to buy a quart each time!

The color that we picked for the shutters is too dark and too green. So I need to look again for that color. This is starting to become a real job. We need to decide within a few days, because we are required to get approval from the homeowner's association which could take about 3 weeks. We're scheduled for the painting the first week in September.

I wish it were as simple as painting a room inside the house - if you don't like the color, repaint. Can't do that on the exterior - a little mistake could be very costly.

PROMISES OF CHANGE

PROMISES OF CHANGE by Joan Medlicott was read for the Pub 2009 Challenge and the Every Month is a Holiday Challenge (August 21 is Senior Citizens Day).

From the back of the book:

In Covington, life seems settled into blissful domesticity. Happily married now, Hannah and Max together nurture the parkland they saved from developers. But their peaceful life is shattered when Max's estranged son, Zachary, returns from India with his pregnant wife, Sarina. Soon there will be a new baby in Covington, and Hannah and Sarina bond while shopping in preparation for the blessed event. But Hannah worries about the rift that still exists between Zachary and his father. Can it possibly be repaired? Despite her instant affection for Sarina - and for baby Sarah when she arrives - Hannah worries that Zachery's return may cause more heartache than joy. Has their quiet peace fled forever?

Interwoven with the continued stories of Grace, Amelia, and others who have joined their circle, this beautiful and touching tale is a moving addition to the Covington series, sure to be cherished by readers new and old.

I've been reading this series for years now. I've liked reading about women "of a certain age" who have spunk and aren't afraid to try new things. I read stories of their love lives - yes, mature women do have love lives - and even sex lives! - their children, their grandchildren, their work, their health problems, their friends and neighbors. But I think I'm done.

It wasn't that this book wasn't good. It was good - not great - but interesting. Maybe a little too much going on at one time. But I think I've just gotten tired of these women. I'm simply not interested in them any more.

I really hate to stop a series before the end. But in this case, I really think I will. So goodbye Grace, Hannah, Amelia, Max, Bob, and all the friends and neighbors in Covington. It's been fun, but I think it's time to call it a night.

ANOTHER NEW BABY

You all know how much I love Giant Pandas. Well, now there's a new one to love.

Bai Yun at the San Diego Zoo gave birth to her 5th cub early this morning. Mother and baby are doing fine as far as the zoo staff can tell. They won't be able to examine the cub for a while, so the sex is unknown at this time.

Our little baby cub here in Atlanta, Xi Lan, will be a year old at the end of August. I guess he's not a baby any more - a toddler would be more appropriate. Whatever - he's adorable.

In other news, we had our bowling league meeting this afternoon. Just about everyone is back this year. I'll be secretary again.

Nothing else going on of any importance. I'm heading back to my old chair to do some reading before dinner.

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP

Doctor visit this morning - Check. Everything OK.

New prescriptions - Check. Already filled at Publix.

Doctor visit with Dom - Check. No problems.

Reading - Finally managed to read about 100 pages today and will finish my book tonight. I like this book, but I'm ready to start something new.

Tomorrow is the meeting for our winter bowling league. I'm ready to get back to that. We'll be losing some bowlers, but gaining some new ones. Hopefully we can have the same number of teams as last year.

We found a new Mexican restaurant close to home. We had lunch there and it was good! It might even take the place of the one we've been going to for a while. We'll see how a second visit goes. So many times we've tried a new place, liked it, but then were disappointed when we went back again.

We'll be getting our house painted sometime next month. I went to the paint store today and got some color chips to bring home. Everyone in our neighborhood is going with dark colors. Dom absolutely refuses to have a dark house. So I found a nice light tan that will look good with our brownish brick and dark green shutters. The color is just a little darker than what we have now, and will have a little more contrast with the white trim. We'll probably have the only light colored house in town, but that's OK with us.

Our new carpeting will be installed in a few weeks - probably about the same time e as the painting. I have to get some packing boxes and start putting things away. I dread the work, but we really need the carpeting replaced. It'll look great (I hope) when it's done.

Nothing else going on here. What's cooking in your neck of the woods?

ME ... AT THIS MOMENT

I'm exhausted. I'm out of my medication for hypothyroidism and I can feel it. Luckily I'm going to the doctor tomorrow morning and will get a new prescription. I should know better than to cut it so close.

We've decided to get new carpeting for the entire house. I've been looking around and just realized how much stuff I'm going to have to pack up before the furniture can be moved. All my books. All the dishes in my china hutch. All the CD's and DVD's in the TV cabinet in the living room. The TV's and the computer. And all the stuff in the closets, including one that has a whole section of cubes full of stuff. It's a good thing that it will be a couple of weeks before the carpet is being installed. I need to get some boxes and start packing up all this stuff.

It's making me even more tired just thinking about it. Can't wait to get my meds refilled!

JULY BOOKS

Looking back through my book journal, I realized I read a lot more books in July than I remembered. The beginning of the month seemed so far away.

Here's what I read in July:

THE BRASS VERDICT (Michael Connelly) - Celebrate the Author Challenge

TO HELL AND BACK (Audie Murphy) - New Author Challenge, 9 Books for 2009 Challenge, Read Your Own Books Challenge, Every Month is a Holiday Challenge, Non-Fiction Five Challenge

GOOD HOPE ROAD (Lisa Wingate) - Read Your Own Books Challenge

HARVEST (Tess Gerritsen) - Medical Mystery Madness Challenge

BLOOD LIES (Daniel Kalla) - Medical Mystery Madness Challenge

SWIMSUIT (James Patterson and Maxine Paetro)

THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWS (Scott Lasser)

HER ROYAL SPYNESS (Rhys Bowen)

RETURN TO SULLIVANS ISLAND (Dorothea Benton Frank)

BENNY & SHRIMP (Katarina Mazetti)

A ROYAL PAIN (Rhys Bowen)

ROYAL FLUSH (Rhys Bowen)


12 books in July, 70 so far for the year. I'm up to date in my challenges and was able to read some books just for fun.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that this past week or so has been tough for me. Luckily I have books to read that can take me away from a sad place for a little while. The wonder of books!