JANUARY BOOKS

I can't believe that January is already over.  Where does the time go?  I've noticed that the older I get, the faster time flies.  And I don't like it!

Here's what I read this month:

BETWEEN SISTERS by Kristin Hannah

THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton

THE HERETIC QUEEN by Michelle Moran (What's in a Name 3 Challenge, Historical Fiction Reading Challenge)

INTERVENTION by Robin Cook (Medical Mystery Madness Challange)

ROASTBEEF'S PROMISE by David Jerome (What's in a Name 3 Challenge)

THE SUMMER KITCHEN by Lisa Wingate (Reading Through the Seasons Challenge)

AGENT IN OLD LACE by Tristi Pinkston

THE CAPE ANN by Faith Sullivan

That's 8 books this month - a good start to the year.  I joined a lot less challenges this year, so I'm able to pick books that I want to read, not ones that I need to read for challenges.  But I was able to fill a few challenge spots with these books.  I liked all of these books, but I didn't think the Robin Cook book was up to his normal standard.

How did 2010 start for you, reading-wise?

THE CAPE ANN

THE CAPE ANN by Faith Sullivan

From the back of the book:

Lake Erhardt, the six-year-old narrator of THE CAPE ANN, and her fiercely independent mother dream of owning their own house; they have their hearts set on the Cape Ann, chosen from a house catalog.  But when Lark's father's gambling threatens the down payment her mother has worked so hard to save, Lark's mother takes matters into her own indomitable hands.  A disarmingly involving portrait of a family struggling to stay together through the Great Depression, THE CAPE ANN is an unforgettable story of life from a child's-eye view.

I enjoyed this book.  I loved the characters of Lark and her friend Beverly, a little girl from the wrong side of town.    And I loved seeing the world through Lark's eyes.  Though set in a sad time, there were some happy moments.  My only problem with the book was the ending - I was not ready to give up Lark yet.  I checked the author's website and found out there is a sequel to this book called GARDENIAS, which I immediately ordered from Amazon.

There was a quote on the back of the book from The Washington Post Book World which summed up the book perfectly:

Like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Cape Ann is the ... story of a child's loss of innocence, of a growing awareness of just how complex life can be.

I'm looking forward to reading more about Lark and her family as they set out on a new adventure.

HEROES, PART 3

Webster defines a hero as:  1) a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, 2) one that shows great courage.

My wonderful sister Anne

There are so many things I could tell you about Anne.  She and her husband, Sy, live in Orlando.  She's the mother of three sons - Dean, Keith, and Jack - and grandmother to Lindsey, John and Jeanie.  Years ago, she went through what no parent should ever have to go through, the accidental death of Keith.  Her other sons are scattered.  Dean is in Texas and Jack and his family live in Hong Kong, where he is a missionary (I think that's what he would be called).  John and Jeanie are in the States now; John in Washington and Jeanie in school in North Carolina.  Anne and Sy don't let distance keep them from seeing their family.  They've traveled all over the United States, Hong Kong, Israel, and who knows where else.

Anne worked for the State of Florida as an accountant and also served as a docent at the Morse Museum in Winter Park.  She is also involved in a group called PEO which gives scholarships to deserving young women.

I first met Anne on my birthday in 2005.  She was from my father's first marriage and I never knew she existed.  What a thrill it was to find out that I had a sister and a bunch of brothers.  Anne and Sy came to visit me and brought a lovely present - an invitation for Dom and me to join them and the rest of the family on a family reunion cruise that summer.  Anne and Sy took 31 family members on a 5 day cruise, bringing everyone to Orlando the day before for a party.  She provided transportation for all, lodging for a night, a party at her house, a bus back and forth to the ship, the cruise, and lots of little goodies for all - all at her expense.

Anne and I have taken a couple of little trips together.  She took me back to the little town in Ohio where I was born and she was raised, teaching me about the family I never knew.  I took her to Philadelphia where I was raised so she could get to know a little more about  me.  She's had Dom and me down to DisneyWorld twice and has taken other family members on vacations to different resorts.  She's never too busy to spend time with any of us and is always willing to jump in and help in any way she can.

Anne has been having problem with her knees and a month ago she had both knees replaced - at the same time!  She has been making outstanding progress with her physical therapy and plans to be running around and dancing at her grand-niece's wedding in April and her grandson's wedding in May.  Nothing will keep this lady down!

Anne is a warm, giving lady who has done much in her lifetime to ensure the happiness of others, even while enduring physical and emotional pain of her own.

I love you Anne and I'm so proud to have you as a sister.

I hope you've all enjoyed reading about my three personal heroes.  I'm sure you all have heroes in your lives too.  Take a few minutes and let them know!

HEROES, PART 2

Webster defines a hero as:  1) a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, 2) one that shows great courage.

This is my sister-in-law Joann with her husband, my middle brother Paul.

Joann and Paul have been married for close to 40 years.  They live in West Virginia, where Joann is a high school English teacher.  Not just an ordinary teacher, but one who truly cares about her students.  She spends hours and hours preparing her classes.  She even brings schoolwork with her on vacation.  And her students love her.  They appreciate the hard work she does and they know she has their best interests at heart.

Joann is a mother to Jason, Melissa and Lora.  She planned the weddings for Melissa and Lora - two weddings in the space of 10 months.  And they were both just perfect.  Last June, Lora presented Joann with her first grandchild, a precious little boy named Camden.

But just before Camden was born, Joann was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She attacked this diagnosis head-on.  With her sister and Paul's help, they found a great doctor and Joann had surgery.  Luckily, the cancer was found very early and was fully removed during the surgery.  Joann then had to undergo a couple of months of radiation on a daily basis, all during the summer and even when she returned to school.  The radiation is now complete and it looks like Joann is going to be just fine.  She told me that she wouldn't let it get her down, that she planned on dancing at Camden's wedding - and she will.

During this period, Joann started having some dizzy spells and felt a racing heartbeat.  She had to undergo a procedure where a catheter is threaded through veins and then zaps a portion of the heart from where the abnormal beats are occurring.  Just the thought of this procedure gave me the willies, but Joann went through it like the trouper that she is.  Problem solved.

Joann is a fighter and is an example of a hero, showing great courage.

I love you Joann and I'm proud to call you my sister.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about my third hero.

HEROES

Webster defines a hero as:  1) a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, 2) one that shows great courage.

I have some personal heroes of my own.  If you don't mind, I'd like to tell you about three of them.

This is my sister-in-law, Sheila, wife of my youngest brother Dan.

Sheila lives in Boca Raton, Florida.  She is the mother of 3 children, Jessica, Jake and Sean.  As her boys were growing up, they were (and still are) very involved in sports.  Sheila always found time to be at their games, cheering them on from the sidelines.  Jake is now away at college, but Sheila is still on the sidelines when Sean is playing.  Jess has just moved home and will be presenting Sheila with her first grandchild - a little girl named Jolee - any day now.

Sheila works full time as an investment counselor for a major investment firm.  In addition to her full time work and her time with her children, she volunteers for the American Cancer Society in the fight against breast cancer.  She has organized cancer walks and helped raised much money for this organization.  In November 2009, the American Cancer Society nominated Sheila for Woman Volunteer of the Year.

In Sheila's words:  My passion to fight cancer started in memory of my mother who lost her battle at the age of 52.  However, the longer I volunteer the more reasons I have to continue the fight...too many friends and family still being touched...still too many taken too soon.


Sheila is a hero - she certainly fits the description of one admired for her achievements and noble qualities.

I love you Sheila and I'm proud to call you my sister.


Tomorrow I'll tell you about another of my special heroes.

MY LITTLE PALM

This is my cute little Palm Z22.  I've had mine for a couple of years and I love it.  It keeps my phone numbers, calendar, and most importantly, my Weight Watcher information.

My little Palm died about 3 weeks ago.  So I started looking on e-Bay for another one.  I didn't want to pay a lot of money for one.  I didn't care if it were new - just so it would work.

I found one that was marked "NEW in opened box" and I was able to get it for $50 - quite a steal.  It arrived in a few days and I anxiously pulled it out of the box and pushed that little button on the left.  Nothing.  Deader than a doornail.  And it had scratches on the back, the UPC bar code had been removed, and there was a chip in the glass screen.  Obviously not NEW.

I e-mailed the seller, but never heard from him.  Since I used Pay-Pal, I was able to enter a claim there.  I finally heard from the seller, and he is going to refund my money.  I returned the Palm this afternoon.

But - good news (I hope) - I found another one on e-Bay.  It's listed as used but the seller has told me that it definitely works and has no scratches.  It should be here in a couple of days.

Finally, I'll be able to have all my Weight Watcher information at my fingertips again.  It's been rough guestimating points for the past couple of weeks.

Oh please, let this one work!

AGENT IN OLD LACE

AGENT IN OLD LACE by Tristi Pinkston, one of my favorite bloggers

From the back of the book:

Shannon Tanner has it all, a perfect family, perfect job, perfect boyfriend - or so she thinks.  What Shannon doesn't know is that her boyfriend, Mark, is stealing money from her father and making millions doing it.  When Shannon learns Mark's secret, he turns on her, and Shannon's life abruptly goes from perfect to perilous.


In an effort to protect Shannon, the FBI assigns their only female agent to go undercover as her personal bodyguard.  But when the agent gets injured the day before the assignment, they turn to the next best thing:  their top agent, Rick Holden - in a dress.


Life seems safe again for Shannon with Rick by her side and Mark apparently gone for good.  Then Shannon gets word that her best friend has been kidnapped, and it becomes clear that Mark isn't going to stop any time soon.  Shannon realizes the only way to save herself and her friend - and stop Mark once and for all - is by sending Rick, her only source of protection, away.  Can Rick save Shannon before it's too late?

This was a quick book to read.  Tristi's earlier books were more on the line of historical fiction, where this one was current.  The characters were fun and I could just picture Rick dressed up as Aunt Anita, hiding his 5 o'clock stubble under some heavy makeup.  Tristi has a dry sense of humor which came out in this book.  I did figure out the ending before it was revealed, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

I'm looking forward to reading Tristi's newest book, SECRET SISTERS, which is due out in March.  Until then, I'll just keep having fun reading her blog.  Go over here and visit with her.

THE SUMMER KITCHEN

THE SUMMER KITCHEN by Lisa Wingate was read for the 2010 Reading Through the Seasons Challenge.

From the book jacket:

Sometimes hope springs up in unlikely places.  SandraKaye Darden certainly never expects to find it in the little pink house left by her uncle Poppy.  With adopted son, Jake, missing thousands of miles away, and her family life disintegrating in the comfortable suburban home that once seemed perfect, Sandra feels as if her world is falling apart.  A decaying house in a struggling Dallas neighborhood just adds to her burden.  But what begins for Sandra as a simple painting project to help sell the house becomes a secret venture that starts to change everything.


When runaway Cass Blue sees the uptown lady chasing kids out of the nearby Dumpster, she figures it's best to lie low.  Cass and her brother have enough trouble keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table since they ditched foster care.  When the stranger shows up with free sandwiches, Cass has no way of knowing that one lunch will lead to an unexpected partnership, and the creating of a place of refuge that could reunite a divided community.


In this moving story of second chances, an unlikely pair of friends will realize the ability of one person to make a difference - and the power of what becomes knows as the Summer Kitchen to nourish the soul.

I absolutely loved this book.  Narrated in alternating chapters by Sandra and Cass, it was the story of two people who were lost in different worlds and needed the help of the other to find their way again.

Sandra's life on the surface looked perfect - married to a doctor, big house in the suburbs, big car, lots of money.  But she was drowning in grief and trying to hold on to the past to make the pain go away.  Meanwhile her life was crumbling around her.

Cass and her brother were just trying to survive.  They barely had enough to get by themselves, and then a couple of strangers were added to their lives.  Cass needed to find a way out of her problems and a way to trust again.

Sometimes you need to be able to reach out to another person to save yourself.

A SECOND CHANCE

I received the nicest letter today.  In a handwritten envelope there was a typed letter from an author, Arlette Gaffrey, whose first book, A WORLD OF HIS OWN,  I had read and reviewed almost two years ago.   I enjoyed the book, but felt it could have been better with a simpler storyline.

Ms. Gaffrey has a new book out and asked if I would like to receive a copy to read and review.  Here's the first paragraph of her letter to me:

Back in 2008 you offered to read and review my novel "A World of His Own - In the Land of the Creoles."  At the time you kind enough to review the book on your blog, and although it wasn't your favorite you did give it a fair review, and for that I was grateful.

I thought it was very nice of Ms. Gaffrey to write to me and offer her new book, BEHIND THE COLUMNS, even though I wasn't her biggest fan.

I'm going to write her back and tell her I would be delighted to read her book, and thank her for giving me a second chance.

ROASTBEEF'S PROMISE

ROASTBEEF'S PROMISE by David Jerome was read for the What's in a Name 3 Challenge (food).

From the book jacket:

When Jim "Roastbeef" Hume embarks on a quest to sprinkle his father's ashes in each of the forty-eight contiguous states, he has no idea that a series of bizarre and ridiculous adventures await.  But nothing will deter him from fulfilling the promise he made to his dying father - not a brief incarceration in Iowa or a punctured lung in South Dakota.


As he travels across the country, he picks up numerous new friends, presides over the ultimate frat party, poses as a lesbian's boyfriend, and gives away a very pregnant bride in a Las Vegas wedding.  And who could have dreamed that somewhere amidst the craziness of dropping ashes from a crop duster and finding Elvis's toenail, Roastbeef would stumble upon a lucrative career?


Join Roastbeef as he drives, bikes, hitchhikes, rides the rails, and mo-peds his way around the country.  This is one warm and funny road-trip you don't want to miss.

This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while.  In fact, I can't remember from where it came.  Sent by the author or publisher perhaps?  If so, I want to give a big thank you!

I loved this book.  Roastbeef started his trip in his old Hyundai, which soon met up with an elk and died a glorious death (the car, not the elk).  But Roastbeef was not stopped - he continued his trek finding transportation wherever he could.  He met a lot of interesting people along the way, made some money, lost most of it, but he carried out his father's last wish.

He met a man named Harlin in South Carolina who kept a notebook full of his thoughts and observations on life.  One quote from that notebook "stuck" in his head:  "Life is like a buffet dinner.  You can have whatever you want, but you have to get off your ass to get it."  So true.

Mr. Jerome is writing a sequel to this book entitled ROASTBEEF SPRINKLES.  I can't wait to read it.  It's going to be a very important book - Mr. Jerome posted the following on his Facebook page:

Good News Roastbeef Lovers!  I've only completed 12 pages of the sequel, but I was just notified by the Nobel officials that "Roastbeef Sprinkles" has been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature!

INTERVENTION

INTERVENTION by Robin Cook was read for the Medical Mystery Madness Challenge 2010.

From the book jacket:

It's been more than thirty years since New York City medical examiner Jack Stapleton's college graduation, and almost as long since he's been in touch with former classmates Shawn Daughtry and James O'Rourke.  Jack was once a highly regarded opthalmologist, but his career took a dramatic turn after a tragic accident destroyed his family.  And that, too, is very much in the past:  Jack has remarried - to longtime colleague and fellow medical examiner Laurie Montgomery - and is the father of a young child, who has unfortunately been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.


No matter what stresses he faces, Jack's renegade, activist personality can't rest.  After performing a postmortem on a promising young college graduate who had recently been treated by a chiropractor, Jack begins researching alternative medicine as a way to avoid obsessing about his child's illness.  Quickly, he is confronted by the question of what makes some people step outside the medical establishment to seek help from therapies based on dubious science, Eastern philosophies, or even faith healers.


Jack's classmate Shawn Daughtry is now a renowned archaeologist and biblical scholar.  Brash, impetuous, and completely career-driven, Shawn makes a spectacular find at a souk in Cairo:  an ancient codex, whose contents may vault him to international fame.  His discovery takes him on a secret journey to what is held to be Saint Peter's tomb beneath the basilica in Rome, where he hopes to unearth a two-thousand-year-old ossuary, the contents of which may have earthshaking ecclesiastical and medical implications.


Shawn can't wait to flaunt his treasure before his old college buddy James O'Rourke - now James Cardinal O'Rourke, bishop of the Archdiocese of New York:  the treasure may jeopardize the very nature of papal infallibility.  Desperate to protect his church and his own political ambitions, James turns to his friend Jack to help safeguard an explosive secret, one with the power to change lives forever.

This book started out very interesting, dealing with a death possibly caused by a cervical spinal manipulation by a chiropractor.  (Note to self:  stay away from chiropractors.)  At the same time, there was a parallel story taking place in Egypt and Rome that seemed to have no connection to what was happening in New York City.  The storyline dealing with chiropractors and alternative medicine seemed to just end with Jack giving up the search for answers.

The book took a major change from the middle on.  Instead of being simply a medical mystery, it became focused also on religious doctrine of the Catholic Church.  The ending seemed as though Dr. Cook had painted himself into a corner and couldn't figure a way out.

I usually enjoy Dr. Cook's books, but this one didn't hold much appeal for me.

LUCKY

We've been watching Shelby's dog, Lucky, since last Wednesday night.  He's about 2 or 3 years old, a Beagle-mix, and wild as the wind.  He's not used to having a big backyard to run around in, and he's been loving the freedom.  He tormented Maggie a little on the first day or so, but she's gotten used to him.  When she's had enough of his playing, she lets him know in no uncertain terms and moves away.  I've even taught Lucky to ring the bell by the back door (wind chimes that are hanging at nose level) when he wants to go out.

Of course, he does get tired from running and playing.  And he's discovered the magical blue couch in the office. It's impossible to lie down on this couch and not fall into a deep sleep.

What a life!  Lucky will be going home either tomorrow or Wednesday.  It's been nice having a playmate here for Maggie, but I don't think I want another dog on a full-time basis again.

THE HERETIC QUEEN

THE HERETIC QUEEN by Michelle Moran was read for the What's in a Name 3 Challenge (title) and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2010.

From the back of the book:

In Ancient Egypt, a forgotten princess must overcome her family's past and remake history.


The winds of change are blowing through Thebes.  A devastating palace fire has killed the Eighteenth Dynasty's royal family - with the exception of Nefertari, the niece of the reviled former queen, Nefertiti.  The girl's deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names.  Nefertari is pushed aside, an unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace.  But this changes when she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh's aunt, then brought to the Temple of Harhor, where she is educated in a manner befitting a future queen.


Soon Nefertari catches the eye of the Crown Prince, and despite her family's history, they fall in love and wish to marry.  Yet all of Egypt opposes this union between the rising star of a new dynasty and the fading star of an old, heretical one.  While political adversity sets the country on edge, Nefertari becomes the wife of Ramesses the Great.  Destined to be the most powerful Pharaoh in Egypt, he is also the man who must confront the most famous exodus in history.

I had read Ms. Moran's earlier book, NEFERTITI, and really enjoyed it.  This book continues the story of the family, telling the story of Nefertari.  It was interesting to read about the "back-room politics" that went on by different groups to have their princess be crowned as the Chief Wife and Queen.  And I thought that political deal making was something that only went on in our country.

I'm looking forward to reading more by Ms. Moran.

THERE SHOULD BE LAWS AGAINST THIS

This is me, age 4.  We were living with my grandparents.  That's my grandmother on the right.  Isn't 4 years old too young to be FORCED to dry dishes?  Look how unhappy I was!  Where are the child labor laws when you need them?

And then to make matters worse, I was forced to do schoolwork.  At home!  Again, see the distressed look on my face.  Terrible!

At least the mean old schoolmarm let me take a break with my best friend, Margo.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA

Happy Birthday, Donna!

Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner!

THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON

THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton

From the back of the book:

Grace Bradley was just a girl when she began working as a servant at Riverton House.  For years, her life was inextricably tied up with the glamorous and eccentric Hartford family's daughters, Hannah and Emmeline.  Then, at a glittering society party in the summer of 1924, a young poet shot himself.  The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline, and only they - and Grace - knew the dark truth.


Many years later, when Grace is living out her last days in a nursing home, she receives a visit from a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer.  The director takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories of the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege, of the vibrant twenties, and of a stunning secret that Grace kept all her life.


A vivid, page-turning tale of suspense and passion, THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON is marked by indelible characters and a breathtaking ending that readers won't soon forget.

I had heard a lot of good things about this book in the past year or so.  It's been sitting on my bookshelf, but for some reason, I hadn't gotten around to reading it.

I loved how the book was written.  Grace is an old woman who is recording her memories for her grandson.  The book moves from present to past and back again with no loss of continuity.  It reminded me of the movie Titanic when the old Rose was telling the ship's crew about the night the Titanic sank.

Hints are given throughout the book about the ending.  In fact, it is no mystery that there is a death, a suicide.  But the last pages of the book are surprising - not exactly what I had imagined.

I had planned on counting this book for the Chunkster Challenge, only to realize that challenge doesn't start until February 1.  Even if I can't count it, I'm glad I finally picked up this book.

SLIPPERY SATURDAY

I did a lot of joking about the "snow storm" we were expected to have here in Atlanta.  Some areas got a little bit of snow; on my street we got 1/8 of an inch if that much.  Schools all around were closed.

But the real problem was ice on the roads.  I wasn't out yesterday, but Donna and Shelby both told me they had some problems with icy roads.  There was a big 47-car pile-up on one of the interstates south of Atlanta.

Now they're saying that the cold weather won't let up until the middle of next week, so it looks like the icy roads may be here for a while.  And I even read where more snow might be expected at the end of next week.

Looks like somebody might have been fooling around with Mother Nature!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

I'm tired of this cold weather.  Now I know what we have here in Atlanta isn't nearly as bad as other parts of the country, but we're just not used to this.  They're predicting snow later this afternoon into this evening.  With a possible accumulation of - are you ready for this? - 1 to 2 inches!  And maybe some sleet and/or ice.

The schools around here have already planned an early dismissal today because of the impending storm.  There's absolutely nothing coming down now, but yesterday they called for the half day because of what might come today.  Get real, oh mighty-makers-of-school-decisions.

I was in Kroger last night, stocking up on Lean Cuisine because they were on sale and it was 5% discount for seniors day.  The store was mobbed.  Carts were full of bread and milk.  As if people expected to be snow-bound for weeks on end.

I'm going to the doctor this morning for my regular 6 month visit for bloodwork and prescription refills.  She usually asks if I've had any problems - I usually say no.  Today, I can actually give her a list.  My back has been feeling good, but this vertigo is getting very old.  I know I could take dramamine or some other drug for it, but I just want it gone.   UPDATE:  I'll be going to PT for the vertigo - should take care of the problem!

Shelby and Mike brought their dog Lucky over yesterday to play with Maggie.  We're going to watch Lucky next week when Shelby and Mike take a little trip to South Carolina.  Poor Maggie was so tired last night.  She had an episode of vomiting during the night that I think was brought on by too much excitement during the evening.  Poor old girl.

I guess I better go dig out my snowshoes, shovels, and long johns.  It's going to be a hard night of snow clearing - 2 inches might take me hours to clear!

Stay warm and safe!

IT'S REALLY MONDAY

This is exactly what it felt like early this morning.  It's not supposed to get this cold down here in Dixie.  It was around 15 degrees when I got up early this morning.  That's just too darn cold!

Back to bowling this morning.  I'm so glad to have my normal routine back again.  I did pretty well today - had all three games over my average.  And my back didn't hurt at all.  In fact, it felt better than it had for the past two weeks.  Maybe I just needed to move around more.

I'm going to be sewing some more tomorrow.  I'm making another pair of PJ pants for Shelby - yellow with turtles.  I bought some flannel for PJs for me.  And I found the cutest fleece to make either a snuggie or PJ pants for me - it's purple and white check with great big baby pandas all over!  I couldn't resist it.

Speaking of pandas, there will be 3 US pandas going back to China in the next few months - Tai Shan from Washington, DC, Su Lin from San Diego, and our sweet Mei Lan from here in Atlanta.  Dom and I are going to go to the zoo as soon as it warms up a little so we can see Mei Lan before she leaves.  And I want to see just how big Xi Lan has gotten - he's almost 18 months old now and ready to be weaned from his mom.

But right now, I'm changing into nice warm PJs and curling up in my favorite chair with a cup of tea, a book (THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON) and my pink snuggie.

Stay warm, y'all!

IS TODAY SUNDAY??

Is it just me or are other people having trouble keeping track of what day it is?

I'm so used to bowling on Monday and Wednesday, but we haven't bowled for the past 2 weeks.  Dom didn't work on Christmas, of course, even though it was Friday and a day he normally was scheduled.  But he did work on New Year's Day, which seemed like a Sunday because of all the football games on TV.

Things should get back to normal tomorrow when I start bowling again.  Tomorrow is Monday, isn't it?

BETWEEN SISTERS

BETWEEN SISTERS by Kristin Hannah

From the back of the book:

Years ago, Meghann Dontess made a terrible choice that cost her everything, including the love of her sister, Claire.  Now Meghann is a highly successful attorney who doesn't believe in intimacy - until she meets the one man who can change her mind.  Claire Cavenaugh has fallen in love for the first time in her life.  As her wedding day approaches, she prepares to face her strong-willed older sister.  Reunited after more than two decades, these two women who believe they have nothing in common will try to become what they never were:  a family.  Tender, funny, bittersweet, and moving, BETWEEN SISTERS skillfully explores the profound joys and sorrows shared by sisters, the mistakes made in the name of love, and the promise of redemption - all beautifully told by acclaimed author Kristin Hannah.

As I was reading this book, parts of it seemed familiar.  I vaguely remembered some of the characters, but not the story itself.  I looked on my bookshelves and found an old hardcover copy of this book that I had bought at a garage sale years ago.  So I had read it before, but I enjoyed reading it again.

This little blurb from the book cover makes it seem like Meghann and Claire hadn't had any contact for 20+ years.  Not exactly true - they had been in contact but were never able to find the closeness that they had as children.  During the planning of Claire's wedding they are able to find the closeness again.

Parts of the book seemed a little unbelievable, but in books like this, you learn to suspend full belief for the sake of the story.  Overall, it was a nice, easy book to read that gave a cozy and warm feeling by the end.

ONE MORE CHALLENGE!

I love this challenge!  I love reading brand new books, so this fits in perfectly.

Michelle from 1MoreChapter is hosting the challenge again this year.  Just need to read 10 books published in 2010.  No problem!

You can go here to sign up.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope 2010 is your best year yet!