The house has officially sold! Close of escrow was yesterday and my agent called me yesterday to let me know that title recorded the deed at 4:20 in the afternoon, so it is now official. I am "homeless." LOL
So now, I am waiting for the title company to call me to pick up the check. I can't believe after all the stress of the entire process that it is finally done. Now, we can pay off everything and get focused on filing the divorce and starting over. Feels kind of good and a big relief to have it done now.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Feelin' Good
Actually have some good things to share...
1. After less than 2 days on the market, the house is under contract for $6000 over list price!
2. If all goes well, the closing will be around June 30.
3. Someone at work thinks I'm pretty special. I was given a beautiful arrangement of roses and baby's breath. The roses are dark pink with yellow blended in. Kind of a hybrid and they are just beautiful and it was so sweet to be thought of.
At this rate, I should acquire the winning Powerball ticket this week...
1. After less than 2 days on the market, the house is under contract for $6000 over list price!
2. If all goes well, the closing will be around June 30.
3. Someone at work thinks I'm pretty special. I was given a beautiful arrangement of roses and baby's breath. The roses are dark pink with yellow blended in. Kind of a hybrid and they are just beautiful and it was so sweet to be thought of.
At this rate, I should acquire the winning Powerball ticket this week...
Friday, June 03, 2005
Books read in May
Read 7 books in the month of May...
THE SINNER by Tess Gerritsen - 8/10 - Another case featuring Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles that involves the murder of two nuns.
THE KILLING HOUR by Lisa Gardner - 9/10 - Another case featuring Pierce Quincy and Rainie Connor and Pierce's daughter, Kimberly. In this book, Kimberly is more of the primary character as she discovers a body on the grounds of the FBI academy.
FASHIONISTAS by Lynn Messina - 7/10 - Interesting story that takes place at a magazine where an associate editor finds herself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the boss from hell. Some interesting characters and a surprise twist at the end.
JUST ONE LOOK by Harlan Coben - 8/10 - First time reading this author and it will not be my last. Centers around a character named Grace and what happens when a photo of her husband taken many years ago with a group of people ends up in a packet of pictures she picks up from having developed. When she asks her husband about it, he denies that it's him and while she is upstairs getting ready for bed, he takes off. This begins a huge chain reaction of events that leaves Grace trying to figure out what is going on and protect herself and her family from sinister people who won't stop at murder to protect their secrets.
THE SWEETEST TABOO by Carole Matthews - 9/10 - Entertaining story about an English woman named Sadie who meets an attractive LA movie producer. They fall in love and she moves to LA to be with him. Despite their best intentions, they can't seem to get together. Enter Tavis, an up and coming actor who Sadie develops feelings for but thinks he is gay. I enjoyed the triangle though I don't think I would have been able to choose between the two men because they both had great qualities mixed in with their faults.
MURDER LIST by Julie Garwood - 5/10 - Unfortunately, not one of Julie Garwood's better books. I struggled through this book and lost focus many times. There were so many sub-plots going on that I had difficulty following them all and trying to figure out what was connected to what. The story centers on Regan who attends a seminar with her friends trying to expose the host as a fraud. During the seminar, the participants are asked to make a list of people that if ceased to exist, the world would be a better place. Regan forgets about the list until the first person on her list turns up dead.
TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN by Lee Nichols - 8/10 - Another new author to me. This was a light and entertaining story about a woman starting over after her fiancee marries someone else. The main character, Elle, can't seem to get her life on track or hold down a job. She seems to be a flake at times and full of high drama, but very likeable.
THE SINNER by Tess Gerritsen - 8/10 - Another case featuring Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles that involves the murder of two nuns.
THE KILLING HOUR by Lisa Gardner - 9/10 - Another case featuring Pierce Quincy and Rainie Connor and Pierce's daughter, Kimberly. In this book, Kimberly is more of the primary character as she discovers a body on the grounds of the FBI academy.
FASHIONISTAS by Lynn Messina - 7/10 - Interesting story that takes place at a magazine where an associate editor finds herself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the boss from hell. Some interesting characters and a surprise twist at the end.
JUST ONE LOOK by Harlan Coben - 8/10 - First time reading this author and it will not be my last. Centers around a character named Grace and what happens when a photo of her husband taken many years ago with a group of people ends up in a packet of pictures she picks up from having developed. When she asks her husband about it, he denies that it's him and while she is upstairs getting ready for bed, he takes off. This begins a huge chain reaction of events that leaves Grace trying to figure out what is going on and protect herself and her family from sinister people who won't stop at murder to protect their secrets.
THE SWEETEST TABOO by Carole Matthews - 9/10 - Entertaining story about an English woman named Sadie who meets an attractive LA movie producer. They fall in love and she moves to LA to be with him. Despite their best intentions, they can't seem to get together. Enter Tavis, an up and coming actor who Sadie develops feelings for but thinks he is gay. I enjoyed the triangle though I don't think I would have been able to choose between the two men because they both had great qualities mixed in with their faults.
MURDER LIST by Julie Garwood - 5/10 - Unfortunately, not one of Julie Garwood's better books. I struggled through this book and lost focus many times. There were so many sub-plots going on that I had difficulty following them all and trying to figure out what was connected to what. The story centers on Regan who attends a seminar with her friends trying to expose the host as a fraud. During the seminar, the participants are asked to make a list of people that if ceased to exist, the world would be a better place. Regan forgets about the list until the first person on her list turns up dead.
TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN by Lee Nichols - 8/10 - Another new author to me. This was a light and entertaining story about a woman starting over after her fiancee marries someone else. The main character, Elle, can't seem to get her life on track or hold down a job. She seems to be a flake at times and full of high drama, but very likeable.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
So Surreal
Sometimes, I feel like my life has taken on a sense of the bizarre. I often wonder how it got to be this way with little or no effort on my part; almost as if I have no participation in it. Rob moved out on Thursday as planned. I've taken it a lot better than I thought I would. Maybe that's because he has been spending more and more time away from the house doing his own thing with the skank and less time with me. I have to keep reminding myself that I am better off without his sorry ass. I also have to keep remembering how he has lied and betrayed me. All of the early promises of his support, help and friendship are probably lies too. He knows of the tentative move of June 30 but he's already making excuses of "need to see what is going on" that I can tell he's going to cop out and not help with the move. He's gotten what he wanted. People helped him so when the time comes to return the favor, he won't. I suspected he would do this so I don't know why I am even surprised. Just one more lie and betrayal to add to the list. Now, this is where the bitterness kicks in...I so hope she rips his heart out and stomps it into tiny pieces. I so hope he learns how it feels to be betrayed. I cannot wait to shed his presence from my life.
Because he's already reneging on his earlier promises to help, I had to hook up the DVD player yesterday. In all honesty, if I had taken on a more active participatory role over the last 18 years when it came to the installation of electronics and other things, I probably would have saved a lot of money. In typical Rob fashion (which is giving no thought to cost or logic), he tells me I am going to have to buy a whole new TV because the one I inherited has only one outlet and the splitter as well as the AB switch I bought weren't going to work as the DVD player uses an S video cable. I bought an RF modulator kit and brought it home and hooked it up because he obviously can't spare the time as he said he would. The only snag I ran into was getting audio output during DVD playback. That was easily resolved by changing the audio output selection on the DVD setup menu. A major accomplishment I feel and just in time to watch the new Michael Keaton movie, White Noise, which was very good by the way.
Another sense of the surreal is it is still May and we are already in the triple digits. Today is supposed to get to 111 with heat advisories. God, I hate this state...
Because he's already reneging on his earlier promises to help, I had to hook up the DVD player yesterday. In all honesty, if I had taken on a more active participatory role over the last 18 years when it came to the installation of electronics and other things, I probably would have saved a lot of money. In typical Rob fashion (which is giving no thought to cost or logic), he tells me I am going to have to buy a whole new TV because the one I inherited has only one outlet and the splitter as well as the AB switch I bought weren't going to work as the DVD player uses an S video cable. I bought an RF modulator kit and brought it home and hooked it up because he obviously can't spare the time as he said he would. The only snag I ran into was getting audio output during DVD playback. That was easily resolved by changing the audio output selection on the DVD setup menu. A major accomplishment I feel and just in time to watch the new Michael Keaton movie, White Noise, which was very good by the way.
Another sense of the surreal is it is still May and we are already in the triple digits. Today is supposed to get to 111 with heat advisories. God, I hate this state...
Sunday, May 15, 2005
I did it!
I put an apartment on hold with a tentative move in date of June 30. If everything goes well with the sale of the house, I should be in my new place then. I was so excited and nervous and scared to death at the same time. My leg was bouncing up and down, which is strange not only to experience but to see....
Anyway, the apartment is in the same building as the one I was hoping for earlier, but it's diagonally behind the other one. The only drawback is the balcony faces west so I will have to do something to minimize that awful afternoon Arizona summer sun. With every downside, there is always an upside, right? So, the upside is where the first apartment's balcony overlooked the parking lot, the one I have on hold overlooks a grassy courtyard area. Very pretty...another upside....the leasing agent told me that if for some reason, the sale of the house does not go through as anticipated and I can't move in on June 30, they will transfer my deposit to another unit. I won't have to forfeit the deposit as I was afraid I would.
Rob is moving out on Thursday into his own apartment in Scottsdale. Not sure how I feel about it other than it really will be for the best for both of us for him to go ahead and leave. Now, I only pray that everything else will move along smoothly and to my benefit. :o)
Anyway, the apartment is in the same building as the one I was hoping for earlier, but it's diagonally behind the other one. The only drawback is the balcony faces west so I will have to do something to minimize that awful afternoon Arizona summer sun. With every downside, there is always an upside, right? So, the upside is where the first apartment's balcony overlooked the parking lot, the one I have on hold overlooks a grassy courtyard area. Very pretty...another upside....the leasing agent told me that if for some reason, the sale of the house does not go through as anticipated and I can't move in on June 30, they will transfer my deposit to another unit. I won't have to forfeit the deposit as I was afraid I would.
Rob is moving out on Thursday into his own apartment in Scottsdale. Not sure how I feel about it other than it really will be for the best for both of us for him to go ahead and leave. Now, I only pray that everything else will move along smoothly and to my benefit. :o)
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Busy day
Today was a busy day. The pool table is gone! A couple of guys from City Billiards showed up this morning before 0800 to dismantle the table and take it out of here for the new owners. The great room sure looks odd now. But at least we can move around the room easier and there is more room for boxes. Rob took the day off so after the pool table departed, we went to IHOP for breakfast and then to Walmart to pick up a few items for dinner. Came home and packed several more boxes. Found all of my Christmas wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, etc. and couldn't find a box that they would fit in and be waterproof so I ended up with yet another rubbermaid storage box. This one sits really low to the ground and has wheels on it. It's called an "under-bed storage box" though I don't know if it will be going under the bed once I move. Anyway all of the various sized rolls of wrapping paper fit perfectly and there was plenty of room for the other accessories. Much more organized.
Went up to north Scottsdale this afternoon to look at a couple of the apartment complexes that Rob is considering. I think it comes as a shock somewhat to both of us just what moving into an apartment is going to mean. Not to mention all of the fees and deposits and what not that we will both have to cough up for each place. This whole process has left both of us feeling a little shellshocked. I will be glad when it's done and we can both move on with our lives.
Went up to north Scottsdale this afternoon to look at a couple of the apartment complexes that Rob is considering. I think it comes as a shock somewhat to both of us just what moving into an apartment is going to mean. Not to mention all of the fees and deposits and what not that we will both have to cough up for each place. This whole process has left both of us feeling a little shellshocked. I will be glad when it's done and we can both move on with our lives.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Trouble Concentrating
Been having difficulty concentrating on books. One of the things that ending a marriage reveals to a person is there are no more walls or barriers to hide behind; or a book to hide in. My mind has been so wrapped up in the dissolution of my 18 year marriage, that it has been hard to immerse myself in a book. For the past several weeks, I have been reading the same books:
Dog Handling by Clare Naylor
Getting Over It by Anna Maxted
No, these are not self-help books, but by guessing at the titles, you would think so....
Also listening to Whispers by Lisa Jackson
Hopefully things will settle down soon and I get back into the one true passion in my life and that's reading...
Dog Handling by Clare Naylor
Getting Over It by Anna Maxted
No, these are not self-help books, but by guessing at the titles, you would think so....
Also listening to Whispers by Lisa Jackson
Hopefully things will settle down soon and I get back into the one true passion in my life and that's reading...
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel
This novel about a woman's quest to find herself was published in 2002, so I'm a little behind with this author's work. She publishes them so fast, it's hard to keep up...
Book Description: This novel is about family and friendship, about one woman's struggle to break free from the past -- and the man who helps her triumph. And most of all, it is about daring to believe in... ANSWERED PRAYERS. On the outside, Faith Madison is the very picture of a sophisticated New Yorker. Slim, blonde, stylish, Faith has a life many would envy. Overcoming a childhood marked by tragedy, married to a successful investment banker and having raised two grown daughters, Faith has enjoyed her role as mother and wife, and the good life that emanates from their bustling Manhattan town house. But every step of the way, Faith has carried within her a secret she could divulge to no one. And with it, she has kept an even more painful secret from herself. For Faith, it is the sudden death of her stepfather -- a man who, like her husband, Alex, always remained just beyond her reach -- that will touch off a journey of change and revelation. At the funeral, painful memories flood back -- and an old friend reenters Faith's life. Faith is greeting mourners, when she hears a voice behind her and a single word that brings a quick smile to her face: "Fred." Only one person aside from her older brother, Jack, called her that. Brad Patterson was Jack's best friend, a long, lanky boy who teased, tormented, and protected Faith when they fancied themselves "The Three Musketeers" as kids. When Jack died years later, Faith and Brad came together again in their common, inconsolable grief, then lost touch once more amid the demands of families and busy lives a continent apart. Now a lawyer in California, Brad has reentered Faith's life just as she is making a decision that plunges her marriage into crisis. Determined to fulfill a long-held desire for a career of her own, Faith applies to law school against her husband's wishes, igniting a barrage of anger and recrimination. Faith's only solace is the correspondence she has begun with Brad, a man trapped in an empty marriage of his own, a friend she once lost and has found again. Soon e-mails are flying between them, bridging three thousand miles, sharing much-needed friendship, support, laughter. And as these two childhood friends rediscover each other, something extraordinary is beginning to happen. In the safety of their friendship, Brad will find the courage to make a decision he should have made years before. And Faith, too, is changing, beginning to believe in herself -- and in her right to grab hold of her dreams. Gathering a strength she never knew she had, Faith is finally ready to face the most painful step of all: of sharing the secret that has long been haunting her, and truly opening up her heart for the first time in her life. With unerring insight into the hearts of husbands and wives, lovers and families, Danielle Steel tells a wise and moving story of the secrets that wound and the choices that heal -- and of the second chances that come only once in a lifetime.
Book Rating: 8/10 - Danielle Steel used to be an auto-buy author for me; I couldn't get enough of her books. Over the years, I found myself disappointed many times and the stories seemed to all sound the same. I was afraid this book would follow the same pattern. It starts out a little depressing with the history of Faith's marriage and how Alex treats her but then draws the reader in as Faith's journey to finding herself begins with her decision to go back to school. The reader is given an inside look into not only Faith's life, but her marriage of 26 years and what her quest to have a life does to her marriage. The reader is uplifted at the recollections of Faith's past, her painflul childhood, her brother, and her friend Brad, who reenters Faith's life when she most needs a friend. I thought the author handled the blooming friendship and enventually the romance with style and grace. I also enjoyed being drawn into Brad's life as well. All too often, a story centers around one central character with supporting characters adding flavor throughout. I enjoyed that the reader gets to know Brad and you see his personality come alive on the pages. The author has created characters in this story that the reader will care about. Overall, a very enjoyable story about family and friendship. Ironically, I felt many times while reading this book that my marriage held an eerily similar view as Faith's...
Book Description: This novel is about family and friendship, about one woman's struggle to break free from the past -- and the man who helps her triumph. And most of all, it is about daring to believe in... ANSWERED PRAYERS. On the outside, Faith Madison is the very picture of a sophisticated New Yorker. Slim, blonde, stylish, Faith has a life many would envy. Overcoming a childhood marked by tragedy, married to a successful investment banker and having raised two grown daughters, Faith has enjoyed her role as mother and wife, and the good life that emanates from their bustling Manhattan town house. But every step of the way, Faith has carried within her a secret she could divulge to no one. And with it, she has kept an even more painful secret from herself. For Faith, it is the sudden death of her stepfather -- a man who, like her husband, Alex, always remained just beyond her reach -- that will touch off a journey of change and revelation. At the funeral, painful memories flood back -- and an old friend reenters Faith's life. Faith is greeting mourners, when she hears a voice behind her and a single word that brings a quick smile to her face: "Fred." Only one person aside from her older brother, Jack, called her that. Brad Patterson was Jack's best friend, a long, lanky boy who teased, tormented, and protected Faith when they fancied themselves "The Three Musketeers" as kids. When Jack died years later, Faith and Brad came together again in their common, inconsolable grief, then lost touch once more amid the demands of families and busy lives a continent apart. Now a lawyer in California, Brad has reentered Faith's life just as she is making a decision that plunges her marriage into crisis. Determined to fulfill a long-held desire for a career of her own, Faith applies to law school against her husband's wishes, igniting a barrage of anger and recrimination. Faith's only solace is the correspondence she has begun with Brad, a man trapped in an empty marriage of his own, a friend she once lost and has found again. Soon e-mails are flying between them, bridging three thousand miles, sharing much-needed friendship, support, laughter. And as these two childhood friends rediscover each other, something extraordinary is beginning to happen. In the safety of their friendship, Brad will find the courage to make a decision he should have made years before. And Faith, too, is changing, beginning to believe in herself -- and in her right to grab hold of her dreams. Gathering a strength she never knew she had, Faith is finally ready to face the most painful step of all: of sharing the secret that has long been haunting her, and truly opening up her heart for the first time in her life. With unerring insight into the hearts of husbands and wives, lovers and families, Danielle Steel tells a wise and moving story of the secrets that wound and the choices that heal -- and of the second chances that come only once in a lifetime.
Book Rating: 8/10 - Danielle Steel used to be an auto-buy author for me; I couldn't get enough of her books. Over the years, I found myself disappointed many times and the stories seemed to all sound the same. I was afraid this book would follow the same pattern. It starts out a little depressing with the history of Faith's marriage and how Alex treats her but then draws the reader in as Faith's journey to finding herself begins with her decision to go back to school. The reader is given an inside look into not only Faith's life, but her marriage of 26 years and what her quest to have a life does to her marriage. The reader is uplifted at the recollections of Faith's past, her painflul childhood, her brother, and her friend Brad, who reenters Faith's life when she most needs a friend. I thought the author handled the blooming friendship and enventually the romance with style and grace. I also enjoyed being drawn into Brad's life as well. All too often, a story centers around one central character with supporting characters adding flavor throughout. I enjoyed that the reader gets to know Brad and you see his personality come alive on the pages. The author has created characters in this story that the reader will care about. Overall, a very enjoyable story about family and friendship. Ironically, I felt many times while reading this book that my marriage held an eerily similar view as Faith's...
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
New Book Acquisitions
Went to the library to pick up some books today...I picked up:
The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket (Book #4 in the Series of Unfortunate Events)
Honeymoon by James Patterson
and several others that I had to return before due to running out of time.
Went to Waldenbooks to use a 25% coupon I received in the mail. I used it to purchase The Cat's Meow by Emily Carmichael. I have enjoyed this author's previous books featuring paranormal activity and animals and I expect this one will deliver.
Book Description: When a cat plays cupid, it means love with the PURRFECT stranger...
Sparks (and fur!) fly both in and out of the courtroom in this sparkling new novel, second in Emily Carmichael's "Hearts of Gold" trilogy....
When workaholic attorney McKenna Wright returns home from the hospital following a car accident, she has the sinking feeling that her road to recovery is going to be a long one. Her memory has more holes than a piece of swiss cheese; she can barely recall her own name, let alone the details of the big case she's been trying in court. And then there's the fact that her beloved cat, Nefertiti, has suddenly learned how to talk. Or is it that McKenna has suddenly learned how to listen? Not that she wants to hear what Titi is trying to tell her, because it just might turn her world even further upside down. Such as the fact that the music star she's been defending isn't all that innocent. And worse, that the hunky prosecutor McKenna condemned on sight is guilty of nothing more than his criminal good looks.
But after losing her job and her house, and making no progress at finding her memory, McKenna needs all the help she can get to rebuild her life. She's determined to reclaim her fiercely independent former self, even if it means taking advice from her talking cat, listening to her bossy friends, or -- worst of all -- leaning just a little on the man she used to snub. Once her memory returns, she'll finally be able to put chatty felines and a certain entirely-too-handsome lawyer behind her so her life can return to normal. After all, normal is exactly what McKenna wants... isn't it?
Received my Red Dress Ink shipment today. They included a very pretty wineglass and a bookmark with the books. Here's what I got:
A New Lu by Laura Castoro
Book Description: "What was I thinking? Sex for the last time. That's what."
Five-O magazine lifestyle columnist Lu Nichols has led an ordinary life. Marriage. Career. Two kids. Now she's turning fifty, and the wear is showing. The kids are grown. The ink is dry on the divorce papers. Her boss wants to do an extreme makeover feature, starring Lu. And those bad oysters she ate have turned out to be something a little more permanent.
"I'm almost fifty years old, recently divorced. Now I'm about to be an unwed mother. And you thought you had issues."
Her soon-to-be-wed daughter is horrified. Her boss is thrilled; she can turn her delicate condition into a monthly expose. Her ex is AWOL. And the sexy, slightly younger doctor who delivered the news? Well, he hasn't run off screaming yet. And however it all turns out, there's one thing Lu can be sure of --- she's knocked up, but not out. And more than ready for a brand-new Lu...
Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool by Lynn Messina
Book Description: This could mean the end of cool as we know it...
So hip it hurts...
Want to know what'll be hot next season? Just ask Mim Warner, the best coolhunter in the business. But Mim's latest trend predictions ("slut" T-shirts for eight year old girls? Samurai swords for ten year old boys?) are troubling, to say the least.
Fearing that Mim's about to be out like last season's Capri pants and worried about what she'll say next, her staff implements a Mim surveillance mission. With clients fleeing in droves and everyone around her in a tizzy, Meghan Resnick, Mim's protegee, seems to be the only one in control of all her faculties. But watching Mim lose her cool is loosening a few of Meghan's own screws. Suddenly she's not sure of anything --- her career, her future, her ex-boyfriend, even her judgment. When Mim-watching leads to the scene of a murder --- with Mim leaning over the dead body --- Meghan can't help but wonder if her boss will be forecasting her next trend from Sing Sing.
An affectionate satire about the ins and outs of coolhunting, Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool mines the mysterious forces that make a trend come together --- and a woman fall apart.
Had I known I would be getting a copy of Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool, I wouldn't have bought the copy I already had...oh well. Speaking of strangeness...when I got to the mall today (where Waldenbooks is located), I was putting on my glasses and the lens pops out. Somehow the screw on the frames worked itself loose enough that the frames separated and out comes the lens. Luckily there was a Lenscrafters in the mall and they were kind enough to fix it for me. Wonder if it's a full moon...
The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket (Book #4 in the Series of Unfortunate Events)
Honeymoon by James Patterson
and several others that I had to return before due to running out of time.
Went to Waldenbooks to use a 25% coupon I received in the mail. I used it to purchase The Cat's Meow by Emily Carmichael. I have enjoyed this author's previous books featuring paranormal activity and animals and I expect this one will deliver.
Book Description: When a cat plays cupid, it means love with the PURRFECT stranger...
Sparks (and fur!) fly both in and out of the courtroom in this sparkling new novel, second in Emily Carmichael's "Hearts of Gold" trilogy....
When workaholic attorney McKenna Wright returns home from the hospital following a car accident, she has the sinking feeling that her road to recovery is going to be a long one. Her memory has more holes than a piece of swiss cheese; she can barely recall her own name, let alone the details of the big case she's been trying in court. And then there's the fact that her beloved cat, Nefertiti, has suddenly learned how to talk. Or is it that McKenna has suddenly learned how to listen? Not that she wants to hear what Titi is trying to tell her, because it just might turn her world even further upside down. Such as the fact that the music star she's been defending isn't all that innocent. And worse, that the hunky prosecutor McKenna condemned on sight is guilty of nothing more than his criminal good looks.
But after losing her job and her house, and making no progress at finding her memory, McKenna needs all the help she can get to rebuild her life. She's determined to reclaim her fiercely independent former self, even if it means taking advice from her talking cat, listening to her bossy friends, or -- worst of all -- leaning just a little on the man she used to snub. Once her memory returns, she'll finally be able to put chatty felines and a certain entirely-too-handsome lawyer behind her so her life can return to normal. After all, normal is exactly what McKenna wants... isn't it?
Received my Red Dress Ink shipment today. They included a very pretty wineglass and a bookmark with the books. Here's what I got:
A New Lu by Laura Castoro
Book Description: "What was I thinking? Sex for the last time. That's what."
Five-O magazine lifestyle columnist Lu Nichols has led an ordinary life. Marriage. Career. Two kids. Now she's turning fifty, and the wear is showing. The kids are grown. The ink is dry on the divorce papers. Her boss wants to do an extreme makeover feature, starring Lu. And those bad oysters she ate have turned out to be something a little more permanent.
"I'm almost fifty years old, recently divorced. Now I'm about to be an unwed mother. And you thought you had issues."
Her soon-to-be-wed daughter is horrified. Her boss is thrilled; she can turn her delicate condition into a monthly expose. Her ex is AWOL. And the sexy, slightly younger doctor who delivered the news? Well, he hasn't run off screaming yet. And however it all turns out, there's one thing Lu can be sure of --- she's knocked up, but not out. And more than ready for a brand-new Lu...
Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool by Lynn Messina
Book Description: This could mean the end of cool as we know it...
So hip it hurts...
Want to know what'll be hot next season? Just ask Mim Warner, the best coolhunter in the business. But Mim's latest trend predictions ("slut" T-shirts for eight year old girls? Samurai swords for ten year old boys?) are troubling, to say the least.
Fearing that Mim's about to be out like last season's Capri pants and worried about what she'll say next, her staff implements a Mim surveillance mission. With clients fleeing in droves and everyone around her in a tizzy, Meghan Resnick, Mim's protegee, seems to be the only one in control of all her faculties. But watching Mim lose her cool is loosening a few of Meghan's own screws. Suddenly she's not sure of anything --- her career, her future, her ex-boyfriend, even her judgment. When Mim-watching leads to the scene of a murder --- with Mim leaning over the dead body --- Meghan can't help but wonder if her boss will be forecasting her next trend from Sing Sing.
An affectionate satire about the ins and outs of coolhunting, Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool mines the mysterious forces that make a trend come together --- and a woman fall apart.
Had I known I would be getting a copy of Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool, I wouldn't have bought the copy I already had...oh well. Speaking of strangeness...when I got to the mall today (where Waldenbooks is located), I was putting on my glasses and the lens pops out. Somehow the screw on the frames worked itself loose enough that the frames separated and out comes the lens. Luckily there was a Lenscrafters in the mall and they were kind enough to fix it for me. Wonder if it's a full moon...
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
This is the third book in the Series Of Unfortunate Events...
Book Description: Dear Reader, If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and the one you are holding may be the worst of them all.If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signaling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair.I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.With all due respect, Lemony Snicket
Book Rating: 8/10 - Another good installment of the doom and gloom that is the lives of the Baudelaire orphans. In this episode, we find the orphans now living with their Aunt Josephine, a woman who is afraid of everything. I mean everything. The doorknob, the telephone, the stove, the lake. If you can think of it, she's probably afraid of it. When the dubious Captain Sham comes into their lives, Violet, Klaus and Sunny immediately recognize him as Count Olaf, but, of course, Aunt Josephine doesn't believe them when they try to warn her. When Aunt Josephine suddenly commits suicide, the children are left in further despair to learn that Aunt Josephine leaves instructions that the children are to be cared for by Captain Sham. The children immediately begin looking for clues to find out the truth about Aunt Josephine's disappearance and to avoid having to go live with Captain Sham. Looking forward to the next installment of this story.
Book Description: Dear Reader, If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and the one you are holding may be the worst of them all.If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signaling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair.I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.With all due respect, Lemony Snicket
Book Rating: 8/10 - Another good installment of the doom and gloom that is the lives of the Baudelaire orphans. In this episode, we find the orphans now living with their Aunt Josephine, a woman who is afraid of everything. I mean everything. The doorknob, the telephone, the stove, the lake. If you can think of it, she's probably afraid of it. When the dubious Captain Sham comes into their lives, Violet, Klaus and Sunny immediately recognize him as Count Olaf, but, of course, Aunt Josephine doesn't believe them when they try to warn her. When Aunt Josephine suddenly commits suicide, the children are left in further despair to learn that Aunt Josephine leaves instructions that the children are to be cared for by Captain Sham. The children immediately begin looking for clues to find out the truth about Aunt Josephine's disappearance and to avoid having to go live with Captain Sham. Looking forward to the next installment of this story.
Inappropriate Men by Stacey Ballis
Another new to me author...
Book Description: Sidney Stein has come undone, but who's going to pick up the pieces? "Don't get me wrong. There was -- there is -- much love between my husband and me. We aren't miserable, we just aren't happy. And we aren't really together that much -- it didn't used to seem to matter. But it's starting to matter. It's starting to matter very much indeed." With her marriage spiraling toward divorce, sexually confident and unapologetically sized-24 Sidney Stein finds herself drawn into an illicit affair with Geoffrey Fahl -- not only married and twenty years her senior, but also her father's business partner. Perilously close to falling in love with this man who is so very wrong for her and knowing there's no future in the relationship, Sidney decides it's time to turn her life around.Newly separated from her husband, Sidney dives into the dating pool. And after more than a dozen dates, a disastrous transitional guy and reconnecting with a high school crush, she can't help but wonder if it might not just be easier to let herself drown. But just as she stops looking for the ideal man, someone else arrives... and he might just be everything she never knew she always wanted.
Book Rating: 6/10 - I have to admit that, initially, I didn't think I would care for this story at all. Adultery themes really turn me off, usually. I skimmed over the poems, but I did enjoy the story for the most part. I thought Sidney was a realistic character trying to find passion and true love, though I didn't agree with her direction. I did like the author's voice and found her to be very witty, which came through in the character's personalities. The last 1/4 of the book seemed to drag for me while Sidney was waffling about what she was going to do about Geoff and having her email marathon with Joe. I think the author has a lot of potential so I will be looking for more by her to read.
Book Description: Sidney Stein has come undone, but who's going to pick up the pieces? "Don't get me wrong. There was -- there is -- much love between my husband and me. We aren't miserable, we just aren't happy. And we aren't really together that much -- it didn't used to seem to matter. But it's starting to matter. It's starting to matter very much indeed." With her marriage spiraling toward divorce, sexually confident and unapologetically sized-24 Sidney Stein finds herself drawn into an illicit affair with Geoffrey Fahl -- not only married and twenty years her senior, but also her father's business partner. Perilously close to falling in love with this man who is so very wrong for her and knowing there's no future in the relationship, Sidney decides it's time to turn her life around.Newly separated from her husband, Sidney dives into the dating pool. And after more than a dozen dates, a disastrous transitional guy and reconnecting with a high school crush, she can't help but wonder if it might not just be easier to let herself drown. But just as she stops looking for the ideal man, someone else arrives... and he might just be everything she never knew she always wanted.
Book Rating: 6/10 - I have to admit that, initially, I didn't think I would care for this story at all. Adultery themes really turn me off, usually. I skimmed over the poems, but I did enjoy the story for the most part. I thought Sidney was a realistic character trying to find passion and true love, though I didn't agree with her direction. I did like the author's voice and found her to be very witty, which came through in the character's personalities. The last 1/4 of the book seemed to drag for me while Sidney was waffling about what she was going to do about Geoff and having her email marathon with Joe. I think the author has a lot of potential so I will be looking for more by her to read.
The Ex-Files by Jane Moore
This is the first book I've read by this author and am very happy I did!
Book Description: TAKE ONE WEDDING, ADD SEVERAL EXES, AND STIR...
After five years spent maneuvering for Mr. Right, beautiful, feisty Faye Parker has finally snared a sensitive cutie named Mark. So when he pops the question, Faye is fully prepared to step out of the dating rat-race, call the caterer, and don the veil.
Just as soon as she has one last teensy-weensy little fling.
Then comes the dicey issue of the guest list. First there's Nat, Faye's ex -- a narcissistic fashion model hell-bent on flaunting his substantial charms in Faye's face, his latest Playboy bunny in tow. Next there's Kate, Mark's ex -- a woman so indignant she's not the bride that she's liable to slit Faye's zipper. And, of course, there's Adam, Faye's flamboyant sidekick, milking the chaos for all it's worth while shamelessly ogling Nat's abs. As the rehearsal dinner lurches toward the brink of a spin-the-bottle-fueled imbroglio, Faye must face the fact that marriage means more than a flawlessly executed reception. She's got a serious decision to make -- about Mark, about love, and about her own deepest desires.
Book Rating: 8/10 - I really liked this story! I laughed myself silly through quite a bit of the book. Though Faye comes across as a very shallow and selfish female, I found it hard to not like her. Of course, you had to know what was going to happen once Tony showed up in France, so that wasn't a surprise, but I was surprised she gave in as quickly as she did. Of course, if she had called Tony's bluff, who is to say how the story would have turned out. I also liked how the author takes the reader back in time to illustrate both Faye and Mark's previous relationships as well as giving us some background on Faye's mother. I thought Adam was a riot and think he would be a lot of fun to hang out with. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Book Description: TAKE ONE WEDDING, ADD SEVERAL EXES, AND STIR...
After five years spent maneuvering for Mr. Right, beautiful, feisty Faye Parker has finally snared a sensitive cutie named Mark. So when he pops the question, Faye is fully prepared to step out of the dating rat-race, call the caterer, and don the veil.
Just as soon as she has one last teensy-weensy little fling.
Then comes the dicey issue of the guest list. First there's Nat, Faye's ex -- a narcissistic fashion model hell-bent on flaunting his substantial charms in Faye's face, his latest Playboy bunny in tow. Next there's Kate, Mark's ex -- a woman so indignant she's not the bride that she's liable to slit Faye's zipper. And, of course, there's Adam, Faye's flamboyant sidekick, milking the chaos for all it's worth while shamelessly ogling Nat's abs. As the rehearsal dinner lurches toward the brink of a spin-the-bottle-fueled imbroglio, Faye must face the fact that marriage means more than a flawlessly executed reception. She's got a serious decision to make -- about Mark, about love, and about her own deepest desires.
Book Rating: 8/10 - I really liked this story! I laughed myself silly through quite a bit of the book. Though Faye comes across as a very shallow and selfish female, I found it hard to not like her. Of course, you had to know what was going to happen once Tony showed up in France, so that wasn't a surprise, but I was surprised she gave in as quickly as she did. Of course, if she had called Tony's bluff, who is to say how the story would have turned out. I also liked how the author takes the reader back in time to illustrate both Faye and Mark's previous relationships as well as giving us some background on Faye's mother. I thought Adam was a riot and think he would be a lot of fun to hang out with. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The Key Of Knowledge by Nora Roberts
This is the second book in the "key" trilogy and I've really enjoyed this series so far.
Book Description: Following hot on the heels of the first installment in Roberts's Key trilogy, this second book (following Key of Light) continues the story of three contemporary female friends chosen to free the souls of ancient demigoddesses called the Daughters of Glass. This time, the heroine is Dana Steele, a librarian who is sure that the key she's seeking lies in a book. As she begins her search, Dana renovates Indulgence, the gallery-cum-salon-cum-bookstore she is opening with her friends Malory Price and Zoe McCourt. She also spends sometimes passionate, sometimes vexing time with Jordan Hawke, the thriller writer who broke her heart years earlier when he abandoned her and their small Pennsylvania town of Pleasant Valley to seek fame in New York. Dana slowly realizes that the love they once felt for each other has not died-and that Jordan's writing is inextricably entwined with her supernatural quest. In the end, Jordan must join with Dana to fight the spells of the sorcerer Kane and fulfill the terms of her quest.
Rating: 8/10 - Very enjoyable. I loved the interaction between all of the characters, including Moe. I can't decide which couple I like the best. I definitely felt a kinship with Dana, since she is the booklover of the trio and Jordan is an author. Nora Roberts weaves a wonderful tale of romance, passion and magic around the reader in such a way that you feel like you are part of the story; experiencing and seeing everything the characters do. Kane was definitely more menacing and evil in this book, which tells me he will be even more sinister in the next book
Book Description: Following hot on the heels of the first installment in Roberts's Key trilogy, this second book (following Key of Light) continues the story of three contemporary female friends chosen to free the souls of ancient demigoddesses called the Daughters of Glass. This time, the heroine is Dana Steele, a librarian who is sure that the key she's seeking lies in a book. As she begins her search, Dana renovates Indulgence, the gallery-cum-salon-cum-bookstore she is opening with her friends Malory Price and Zoe McCourt. She also spends sometimes passionate, sometimes vexing time with Jordan Hawke, the thriller writer who broke her heart years earlier when he abandoned her and their small Pennsylvania town of Pleasant Valley to seek fame in New York. Dana slowly realizes that the love they once felt for each other has not died-and that Jordan's writing is inextricably entwined with her supernatural quest. In the end, Jordan must join with Dana to fight the spells of the sorcerer Kane and fulfill the terms of her quest.
Rating: 8/10 - Very enjoyable. I loved the interaction between all of the characters, including Moe. I can't decide which couple I like the best. I definitely felt a kinship with Dana, since she is the booklover of the trio and Jordan is an author. Nora Roberts weaves a wonderful tale of romance, passion and magic around the reader in such a way that you feel like you are part of the story; experiencing and seeing everything the characters do. Kane was definitely more menacing and evil in this book, which tells me he will be even more sinister in the next book
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Bad Day
Can't seem to get my shit together today. Rob left yesterday to go to Payson...so he says. For a man who is supposedly going to help a friend clear downed trees from his property, why does he need $200 cash and acne medication? Maybe I'm just a suspicious person, but something doesn't ring true here....
After work, went to Diana's to check on Tommy Kitty and wasn't watching my step (probably because I'm thinking about the above) and took a header on the sidewalk. One of the sections of sidewalk is raised and my shoe caught it just right and down I went. White jeans and mud definitely don't go together. My left knee is swollen, but fortunately I didn't scrape it up. Just sore...
Started reading Love Overbord by Janet Evanovich. Maybe it's just my mood (and probably this anti-social song I'm listening to...Hate Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe), but this book isn't grabbing me. This book was published before her Stephanie Plum series, but the characters in this book all sound like the ones from that series.
After work, went to Diana's to check on Tommy Kitty and wasn't watching my step (probably because I'm thinking about the above) and took a header on the sidewalk. One of the sections of sidewalk is raised and my shoe caught it just right and down I went. White jeans and mud definitely don't go together. My left knee is swollen, but fortunately I didn't scrape it up. Just sore...
Started reading Love Overbord by Janet Evanovich. Maybe it's just my mood (and probably this anti-social song I'm listening to...Hate Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe), but this book isn't grabbing me. This book was published before her Stephanie Plum series, but the characters in this book all sound like the ones from that series.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Books Read in February
Here is what I managed to read in February:
BAIT - Karen Robards. I rated this book 8 stars out of 10. Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story that revolves around a woman who is the target of a hitman and the FBI agent assigned to protect her. The level of suspense kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Great supporting characters give the story balance and the chemistry between Maddie and Sam was fantastic, as well. There were multiple plots occurring that confused me, especially Maddie's past and her connection to the mob and just who the villain was, but the author tied up all of the loose ends nicely. I look forward to more by this author.
HEIST AND SEEK - Amy Sandrin. Never have read anything by this author before, so I was intrigued as to how it would turn out. Unfortunately, it only rated 5 stars out of 10. The story revolves around a woman who, while working as a janitor in a bank one night, interrupts a robbery in progress and is subsequently taken hostage along with an FBI agent who was in the bank trying to catch the guy in the act. A lot of running in the woods, and hiding from the killer ensues and they end up being rescued, but it isn't over as the killer is killed by someone and now is after Robyn and Killian. The story was so-so, I felt. There were some good scenes, especially the one where Robyn adopts a stray kitten and tells Killian she named the kitten SAM (for Secret Agent Man).
AS SEEN ON TV - Sarah Mlynowski. I could only muster up 4 stars out of 10 for this one. Initially, I thought the premise of the story sounded really good and one that I would enjoy. Woman gives up her job, apartment, etc. to move to NYC to live with her boyfriend. When the job she was expecting falls through, she finds herself on a reality TV show called "Party Girls" where, with 3 other women, they go to bars, get pissed and pick up men. Now, I'll admit, I've never had much of an interest in some of the reality TV shows going around, like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but I thought it would be interesting. Unfortunately, the story quickly lost its appeal as I couldn't find anything entertaining in getting drunk, pretending to be unattached and picking up strange men. Hoping I will have better luck with this author down the road.
THE REPTILE ROOM - Lemony Snicket. I'm trying to prepare myself for when I watch the movie as to what this story is all about. This is actually the second story in the Series Of Unfortunate Events. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and gave it a 9 stars out of 10 rating. In this installment, the Baudelaire orphans go to live with their Uncle Monty and assist him in his reptile room caring for the many reptiles. Unfortunately, Count Olaf soon makes an appearance and the orphans are again dealing with tragedy. This installment takes on a darker twist that I wonder if it will continue in future books. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to them next and how they outwit Count Olaf.
KILL THE MESSENGER - Tami Hoag. Undoubtedly, the best book of the month. I rated it a 10. The story centers around a bike messenger who goes to make a last delivery one evening for a lawyer. When he arrives at the address to make the delivery, someone tries to kill him. Jace manages to escape, barely, and decides to go back to the lawyer's office to find out what is going on. Unfortunately, someone has gotten to the lawyer first and has killed him and now the police and the killer are looking for Jace. Totally awesome story with a surprise twist at the ending that really packs a punch.
MOTHER OF THE BRIDE - Lynn Michaels. Another new to me author whose story about the trials and tribulations of a wedding got an 8 stars out of 10 rating. There were several moments in this story that I laughed out loud and I really enjoyed the characters. After seeing what a wedding does to people, I'm glad I opted for the Justice of the Peace route.
THE NEXT ACCIDENT - Lisa Gardner. This book is a sequel, of sorts, to The Third Victim. Old characters are revisited and new ones are introduced. This one picks up with the plot of Quincy's daughter's death that was briefly touched on in The Third Victim. Rainie Conner, now a private investigator, is hired by Quincy to look into the circumstances of his daughter, Amanda's accident to determine if it really was an accident. I rated this story 8 stars out of 10. This author never fails to surprise me with the twists and turns and surprises she throws into her books. I'm looking forward to the next book, which features Quincy's other daughter, Kimberly.
IT TAKES A HERO - Elizabeth Boyle. This is a historical romance set in 1800s England. The heroine is an author whose books have made the daughters of the ton turn their backs on the marriage mart, which is completely unacceptable to their mothers. The hero is hired by one of the mothers to ferret out the author's identity and make her stop writing. Along the way, mysteries are solved, murderers are caught and love blooms. I gave this book a 7 stars out of 10 rating. The story had great characters and the heroine's Uncle deserved an Oscar for his pretense of being insane...
Happy Reading!
BAIT - Karen Robards. I rated this book 8 stars out of 10. Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story that revolves around a woman who is the target of a hitman and the FBI agent assigned to protect her. The level of suspense kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Great supporting characters give the story balance and the chemistry between Maddie and Sam was fantastic, as well. There were multiple plots occurring that confused me, especially Maddie's past and her connection to the mob and just who the villain was, but the author tied up all of the loose ends nicely. I look forward to more by this author.
HEIST AND SEEK - Amy Sandrin. Never have read anything by this author before, so I was intrigued as to how it would turn out. Unfortunately, it only rated 5 stars out of 10. The story revolves around a woman who, while working as a janitor in a bank one night, interrupts a robbery in progress and is subsequently taken hostage along with an FBI agent who was in the bank trying to catch the guy in the act. A lot of running in the woods, and hiding from the killer ensues and they end up being rescued, but it isn't over as the killer is killed by someone and now is after Robyn and Killian. The story was so-so, I felt. There were some good scenes, especially the one where Robyn adopts a stray kitten and tells Killian she named the kitten SAM (for Secret Agent Man).
AS SEEN ON TV - Sarah Mlynowski. I could only muster up 4 stars out of 10 for this one. Initially, I thought the premise of the story sounded really good and one that I would enjoy. Woman gives up her job, apartment, etc. to move to NYC to live with her boyfriend. When the job she was expecting falls through, she finds herself on a reality TV show called "Party Girls" where, with 3 other women, they go to bars, get pissed and pick up men. Now, I'll admit, I've never had much of an interest in some of the reality TV shows going around, like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but I thought it would be interesting. Unfortunately, the story quickly lost its appeal as I couldn't find anything entertaining in getting drunk, pretending to be unattached and picking up strange men. Hoping I will have better luck with this author down the road.
THE REPTILE ROOM - Lemony Snicket. I'm trying to prepare myself for when I watch the movie as to what this story is all about. This is actually the second story in the Series Of Unfortunate Events. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and gave it a 9 stars out of 10 rating. In this installment, the Baudelaire orphans go to live with their Uncle Monty and assist him in his reptile room caring for the many reptiles. Unfortunately, Count Olaf soon makes an appearance and the orphans are again dealing with tragedy. This installment takes on a darker twist that I wonder if it will continue in future books. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to them next and how they outwit Count Olaf.
KILL THE MESSENGER - Tami Hoag. Undoubtedly, the best book of the month. I rated it a 10. The story centers around a bike messenger who goes to make a last delivery one evening for a lawyer. When he arrives at the address to make the delivery, someone tries to kill him. Jace manages to escape, barely, and decides to go back to the lawyer's office to find out what is going on. Unfortunately, someone has gotten to the lawyer first and has killed him and now the police and the killer are looking for Jace. Totally awesome story with a surprise twist at the ending that really packs a punch.
MOTHER OF THE BRIDE - Lynn Michaels. Another new to me author whose story about the trials and tribulations of a wedding got an 8 stars out of 10 rating. There were several moments in this story that I laughed out loud and I really enjoyed the characters. After seeing what a wedding does to people, I'm glad I opted for the Justice of the Peace route.
THE NEXT ACCIDENT - Lisa Gardner. This book is a sequel, of sorts, to The Third Victim. Old characters are revisited and new ones are introduced. This one picks up with the plot of Quincy's daughter's death that was briefly touched on in The Third Victim. Rainie Conner, now a private investigator, is hired by Quincy to look into the circumstances of his daughter, Amanda's accident to determine if it really was an accident. I rated this story 8 stars out of 10. This author never fails to surprise me with the twists and turns and surprises she throws into her books. I'm looking forward to the next book, which features Quincy's other daughter, Kimberly.
IT TAKES A HERO - Elizabeth Boyle. This is a historical romance set in 1800s England. The heroine is an author whose books have made the daughters of the ton turn their backs on the marriage mart, which is completely unacceptable to their mothers. The hero is hired by one of the mothers to ferret out the author's identity and make her stop writing. Along the way, mysteries are solved, murderers are caught and love blooms. I gave this book a 7 stars out of 10 rating. The story had great characters and the heroine's Uncle deserved an Oscar for his pretense of being insane...
Happy Reading!
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
VNSA Booksale
This weekend was the 49th annual VNSA charity booksale. This organizations hosts a booksale every year on the second weekend in February in downtown Phoenix. You can see more about this worthwhile organization and the charities they sponsor by visiting their web page at http://www.vnsabooksale.org
I try to go every year and I try to tell as many people about it so they can enjoy it as well. This year, I came home with quite a few books, I am happy to report and even some for Rob...
Here are the books I brought home for me:
BUNDLE OF JOY? - Ariella Papa
LOST AND FOUND - Jane Sigaloff
MY LEGENDARY GIRLFRIEND - Mike Gayle
YOU HAVE TO KISS A LOT OF FROGS - Laure Graff
PUSHING THIRTY - Whitney Gaskell
MIM WARNER'S LOST HER COOL - Lynn Messina
THE SOLOMON SISTERS WISE UP - Melissa Senate
THE EX-FACTOR - Andrea Semple
A CLEAN SLATE - Laura Caldwell
MR. MAYBE - Jane Green
A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE - Saralee Rosenberg
BOMBSHELL - Lynda Curnyn
STRAIGHT TALKING - Jane Green
LUCY'S LAUNDERETTE - Betsy Burke
MIKE, MIKE & ME - Wendy Markham
THE MORNING AFTER - Lisa Jackson
MILKRUN - Sarah Mlynowski
RETURN ENGAGEMENT - Lynn Michaels
THE NIGHT BEFORE - Lisa Jackson
THE SPY WHO LOVES ME - Julie Kenner
THE CLUB - Jane Heller
PRACTICAL DEMONKEEPING - Christopher Moore
THE AWAKENING - Shannon Drake
KISSCUT - Karin Slaughter
MAKING MINTY MALONE - Isabel Wolff
THE NINE MONTH PLAN - Wendy Markham
ONCE UPON A BLIND DATE - Wendy Markham
DEATH DU JOUR - Kathy Reichs
And for Rob, I picked up these:
THE WINNER - David Baldacci
THE TESTAMENT - John Grisham
THE PARTNER - John Grisham
THE FIRM - John Grisham
THE SUMMONS - John Grisham
THE STREET LAWYER - John Grisham
THE KING OF TORTS - John Grisham
THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN - David Baldacci
And if this wasn't enough, on the way home, we made a pit stop at a Barnes & Noble where I bought the following new:
THE WEDDING DATE - Elizabeth Young (previously published as ASKING FOR TROUBLE)
THE LAST JUROR - John Grisham (for Rob)
Now, I just need to find shelving space for everyone...
I try to go every year and I try to tell as many people about it so they can enjoy it as well. This year, I came home with quite a few books, I am happy to report and even some for Rob...
Here are the books I brought home for me:
BUNDLE OF JOY? - Ariella Papa
LOST AND FOUND - Jane Sigaloff
MY LEGENDARY GIRLFRIEND - Mike Gayle
YOU HAVE TO KISS A LOT OF FROGS - Laure Graff
PUSHING THIRTY - Whitney Gaskell
MIM WARNER'S LOST HER COOL - Lynn Messina
THE SOLOMON SISTERS WISE UP - Melissa Senate
THE EX-FACTOR - Andrea Semple
A CLEAN SLATE - Laura Caldwell
MR. MAYBE - Jane Green
A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE - Saralee Rosenberg
BOMBSHELL - Lynda Curnyn
STRAIGHT TALKING - Jane Green
LUCY'S LAUNDERETTE - Betsy Burke
MIKE, MIKE & ME - Wendy Markham
THE MORNING AFTER - Lisa Jackson
MILKRUN - Sarah Mlynowski
RETURN ENGAGEMENT - Lynn Michaels
THE NIGHT BEFORE - Lisa Jackson
THE SPY WHO LOVES ME - Julie Kenner
THE CLUB - Jane Heller
PRACTICAL DEMONKEEPING - Christopher Moore
THE AWAKENING - Shannon Drake
KISSCUT - Karin Slaughter
MAKING MINTY MALONE - Isabel Wolff
THE NINE MONTH PLAN - Wendy Markham
ONCE UPON A BLIND DATE - Wendy Markham
DEATH DU JOUR - Kathy Reichs
And for Rob, I picked up these:
THE WINNER - David Baldacci
THE TESTAMENT - John Grisham
THE PARTNER - John Grisham
THE FIRM - John Grisham
THE SUMMONS - John Grisham
THE STREET LAWYER - John Grisham
THE KING OF TORTS - John Grisham
THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN - David Baldacci
And if this wasn't enough, on the way home, we made a pit stop at a Barnes & Noble where I bought the following new:
THE WEDDING DATE - Elizabeth Young (previously published as ASKING FOR TROUBLE)
THE LAST JUROR - John Grisham (for Rob)
Now, I just need to find shelving space for everyone...
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Books read in January, 2005
Didn't read as many books in January as I hoped, but for the most part they were enjoyable:
Andrews, Mary Kay. HISSY FIT. 9/2004. B. [Rom/C] - I really enjoyed the Southern flair and sass the characters bring to this story. The lead character, Keeley is someone you can see yourself being friends with. The light mystery and romance really round out this book for enjoyable reading. I recommend this book.
Brown, Sandra. WHITE HOT. 9/2004. A. [Mys/Rom/C] - I loved the suspense in this story and the surprise twists the author takes the reader on. Sandra Brown is one of those authors that easily draws the reader so deep into the story, you wonder if you are there; especially with her descriptions of the sultry summer days. I also love animals that have a supporting role in a book. This one has a golden retriever named Frito who I think stole several scenes. I highly recommend this book.
Dyer, Chris. WANDERLUST: A Novel Of Sex And Sensibility. 2/2003. B. [Gen Fiction] - This is a new to me author and after reading this book, I will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author. This book follows the life and travels of a writer who writes travel articles for a magazine. The book is written completely in email format, which I enjoyed and follows our frequent flyer, Kate Bogart (affectionately known as Bogie by her close friends) as she traipses all over the world finding romance. I recommend this book.
Gardner, Lisa. THE THIRD VICTIM. 1/2001. B. [Mys/S] - Lisa Gardner delivers another satisfying mystery/suspense novel that is reminiscient of the headlines we so often see today. The story centers around a sheriff's deputy named Rainie Conner who is investigating a school shooting that has left two little girls and a teacher dead. Unfortunately, their confessed shooter is the sheriff's son. Several sub-plots add to the detail and richness of this story and I am happy to see that Rainie and FBI profiler Quincy will be back in a quasi sequel called The Next Accident. I recommend this book.
Lissner, Caren. CARRIE PILBY. 6/2003. B. [General Fiction/Rom/C] - I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this one or not when I started it. Another new to me author, Lissner weaves a tale around a young 19 year old prodigy named Carrie Pilby who has graduated from Harvard at age 18 and is trying to make sense of the world, find her place and be accepted for herself. Along the way, her therapist is trying to get her to leave her apartment more often, make friends, go out for New Years, go on a date and tell someone you care about them. I ended up enjoying this and watching Carrie learn to accept herself as well as others. I recommend this book.
Matthews, Carole. LET's MEET ON PLATFORM 8. 8/2004. F. [Rom/C] - Unfortunately, this book totally turned me off. Adultery, adultery, adultery. I couldn't plug in to any of the characters and their behavior left me cold. I think the author's intention in writing this book is to show how love comes upon us when we least expect it and from some unlikely places and that we don't always get to choose who we love. Having said that, we still are in control of ourselves and choosing to conduct a relationship with a married individual is wrong. That's just me. I would have been more accepting of this story if the leading man had perhaps been physically separated from his wife instead of still living with her...also the leading lady uses poor judgment in continuing to see him even after she finds out that he's married! Yuck. This was the first book by this author I've read, so I will try another in the hopes it gets better.
Moore, Christopher. BLOODSUCKING FIENDS. 1995. B. [Rom/V] - You would think by the title of the book that this is a horror novel. I labeled it as a romance because the cover says "a love story". The story centers around Jody, a woman with a problem. She certainly never asked to become a vampire but one night after work, she is attacked while waiting for the bus. She wakes up under a dumpster with strength she didn't know she had and a huge thirst. Along the way, she meets Tommy, an aspiring Kerouac writer who spends his evenings frozen-turkey bowling in a Safeway grocery store. They end up moving in together and falling in love while trying to catch the vampire who sired Jody and stop the vampire killings in the city. This was a wacky and off-beat story by another new to me author, that I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending leaves it wide open for another Jody and Tommy adventure. I recommend this book.
Andrews, Mary Kay. HISSY FIT. 9/2004. B. [Rom/C] - I really enjoyed the Southern flair and sass the characters bring to this story. The lead character, Keeley is someone you can see yourself being friends with. The light mystery and romance really round out this book for enjoyable reading. I recommend this book.
Brown, Sandra. WHITE HOT. 9/2004. A. [Mys/Rom/C] - I loved the suspense in this story and the surprise twists the author takes the reader on. Sandra Brown is one of those authors that easily draws the reader so deep into the story, you wonder if you are there; especially with her descriptions of the sultry summer days. I also love animals that have a supporting role in a book. This one has a golden retriever named Frito who I think stole several scenes. I highly recommend this book.
Dyer, Chris. WANDERLUST: A Novel Of Sex And Sensibility. 2/2003. B. [Gen Fiction] - This is a new to me author and after reading this book, I will definitely be on the lookout for more by this author. This book follows the life and travels of a writer who writes travel articles for a magazine. The book is written completely in email format, which I enjoyed and follows our frequent flyer, Kate Bogart (affectionately known as Bogie by her close friends) as she traipses all over the world finding romance. I recommend this book.
Gardner, Lisa. THE THIRD VICTIM. 1/2001. B. [Mys/S] - Lisa Gardner delivers another satisfying mystery/suspense novel that is reminiscient of the headlines we so often see today. The story centers around a sheriff's deputy named Rainie Conner who is investigating a school shooting that has left two little girls and a teacher dead. Unfortunately, their confessed shooter is the sheriff's son. Several sub-plots add to the detail and richness of this story and I am happy to see that Rainie and FBI profiler Quincy will be back in a quasi sequel called The Next Accident. I recommend this book.
Lissner, Caren. CARRIE PILBY. 6/2003. B. [General Fiction/Rom/C] - I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this one or not when I started it. Another new to me author, Lissner weaves a tale around a young 19 year old prodigy named Carrie Pilby who has graduated from Harvard at age 18 and is trying to make sense of the world, find her place and be accepted for herself. Along the way, her therapist is trying to get her to leave her apartment more often, make friends, go out for New Years, go on a date and tell someone you care about them. I ended up enjoying this and watching Carrie learn to accept herself as well as others. I recommend this book.
Matthews, Carole. LET's MEET ON PLATFORM 8. 8/2004. F. [Rom/C] - Unfortunately, this book totally turned me off. Adultery, adultery, adultery. I couldn't plug in to any of the characters and their behavior left me cold. I think the author's intention in writing this book is to show how love comes upon us when we least expect it and from some unlikely places and that we don't always get to choose who we love. Having said that, we still are in control of ourselves and choosing to conduct a relationship with a married individual is wrong. That's just me. I would have been more accepting of this story if the leading man had perhaps been physically separated from his wife instead of still living with her...also the leading lady uses poor judgment in continuing to see him even after she finds out that he's married! Yuck. This was the first book by this author I've read, so I will try another in the hopes it gets better.
Moore, Christopher. BLOODSUCKING FIENDS. 1995. B. [Rom/V] - You would think by the title of the book that this is a horror novel. I labeled it as a romance because the cover says "a love story". The story centers around Jody, a woman with a problem. She certainly never asked to become a vampire but one night after work, she is attacked while waiting for the bus. She wakes up under a dumpster with strength she didn't know she had and a huge thirst. Along the way, she meets Tommy, an aspiring Kerouac writer who spends his evenings frozen-turkey bowling in a Safeway grocery store. They end up moving in together and falling in love while trying to catch the vampire who sired Jody and stop the vampire killings in the city. This was a wacky and off-beat story by another new to me author, that I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending leaves it wide open for another Jody and Tommy adventure. I recommend this book.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Bargain Books @ Amazon.com
Not sure how I ended up at Amazon's web site, but I was there this morning and to my delight, discovered they have a bargain book section. I got 6 trade paperbacks for $26 that had I paid full cover would have cost over $60. Here's what I am getting:
A Girl's Best Friend by Elizabeth Young
Dogs Are Better Than Men
1. They never brag about their ex's stunning cleavage.
2. They don't moan or sulk if you're a half-hour late.
3. They never tell you a Brazilian would really turn them on.
After her most recent disaster with the King of the Unrepentant Jerks, Isabel "Izzy" Palmer is finally convinced that the only male she truly needs in her life is Henry, her lovable part wolfhound, part who-knows-what. Henry's faithful, he adores her madly, and he's great fun to sleep with. So who needs the additional heartache?
But even armed with powerful knowledge and a new resolve, Izzy starts to feel that familiar itch ... and it's all because of Nick. He's a vet for goodness sake -- confident, handsome and compassionate -- if a bit rough around the edges. After teasing her about Henry's unusual looks and questioning her most recent choice in men, Nick then has the gall to turn halfway charming. But he doesn't stop at halfway, and though she already has a best friend, Izzy realizes it doesn't preclude her from having a perfect match, too.
Does She Or Doesn't She? by Alisa Kwitney
Passion. The kind of tear-your-clothes off, scream-your-lungs-out, crash-into-the-furniture passion that changes lives.
It's what Delilah wants. It's what she craves. It's what she fantasizes about whenever her disinterested husband's not around. Okay, so it occasionally makes her late for the school run and distracts her from the fact there's no food in the fridge, but an elaborate fantasy life is a basic requirement for a fledgling soap opera writer. Lately, though, the oddest things have been happening in Delilah's real life. First, she discovers a couple of skeletons rattling around in her husband's closet. Then, she learns that the insolently sexy plumber who's been fixing her pipes and starring in her daydreams is really an undercover FBI agent. And now all the clues seem to point to the conclusion that she's the only person in New York City not carrying on a torrid affair. Which she intends to do something about. Or does she? Because there's nothing more dangerous than acting on your secret desire.
The Accidental Virgin by Valerie Frankel
There ARE no accidents...
FROM: Venus, Goddess of Love, 120 Main, Mt. Olympus
TO: Stacy Temple, lapsed temptress
Stacy, Stacy, Stacy.
You were so promising at the beginning: Sexy, smart, personable and funny. Great on dates and really great afterward -- if you know what I mean. But this is a sad state of affairs; or, in your case, non-affairs! It's been nearly an entire year and you haven't had your way with even ONE eligible male. You've been working so hard concocting sexy lingerie for Thongs.com -- and really, Stacy, if that little pink velvet bustier didn't put you in the mood, I don't know what to say! -- that you haven't even tried to be coaxed out of your own thong.com! Are you listening, Stacy? Seven days to find the perfect man -- or else!
Happy hunting!
32AA by Michelle Cunnah
Emma Taylor wanted an engagement ring and a job promotion for her thirtieth birthday.What she got instead was the boot from herboyfriend, the heave-ho from his Manhattan loft -- and the indignity of having to work for the weenie who stole her position. Her pals only add insult to injury by giving her the "perfect" birthday gift: a bottle ofbreast-enhancing pills. It would be enough to defeat even a well-endowed woman, but Emma's not about to let such twists of fate get her down, even as she sets out on the most grueling task known to humankind: apartment hunting in New York City. But sleeping in the backseat of her car provides an unexpected bonus -- she meets Jack, who's kind enough to invite Emma into his home ... in a strictly landlord/tenant-type of arrangement, of course. Perhaps things are looking up -- since honestly they couldn't get much worse. Emma may not be able to fill a bikini, but she's going to do that "life and love" thing right this time. Because no matter what else destiny throws in her face, she's determined to come out where she never has before ... on top!
The Dominant Blonde by Alisa Kwitney
The search for the perfect boyfriend AND the perfect hair color. Lydia Gold has a new body (size 10 at last!), a new hair color (medium ash), and a new boyfriend (not too sexy but -- she thinks -- secure). She's certain Abe is about to propose. Then he shocks her down to her roots by going missing with about three million dollars of her family's hardearned cash... leaving behind nothing but some lukewarm memories and a ring she's sure is a fake! Distressed, depressed, and dumped, Lydia turns to Liam MacNally for help. From the moment he sees her there is something about "Blondie" that he can't resist. So the ex-cop turned scuba instructor decides to help her get back her money -- and her pride. It's time for Lydia to start having more fun!
On The Couch by Alisa Kwitney
After going for more than a year without a date -- a record in New York City -- Marlowe Riddle has finally met a broodingly sexy, sharply intelligent man who is clearly interested in making more than polite conversation. The only problem: Joseph Kain is an NYPD detective clearly under the mistaken impression that Marlowe is a call girl. But while Marlowe does take money for spending time with strangers in her expensive Upper West Side apartment, she's a psychologist -- not Manhattan's answer to the Mayflower Madam! A fact she has no intention of telling Joe ... at least not until she finishes her research project on the "Behavioral Effects of Disguising Identity." But Marlowe's not the only one trying to secretively gain information ... and it's becoming increasingly unclear who is seducing whom. Because sometimes the only way to learn what a man really wants ... is to get him on the couch.
A day that involves the acquiring of more books is a great day, don't you think?
A Girl's Best Friend by Elizabeth Young
Dogs Are Better Than Men
1. They never brag about their ex's stunning cleavage.
2. They don't moan or sulk if you're a half-hour late.
3. They never tell you a Brazilian would really turn them on.
After her most recent disaster with the King of the Unrepentant Jerks, Isabel "Izzy" Palmer is finally convinced that the only male she truly needs in her life is Henry, her lovable part wolfhound, part who-knows-what. Henry's faithful, he adores her madly, and he's great fun to sleep with. So who needs the additional heartache?
But even armed with powerful knowledge and a new resolve, Izzy starts to feel that familiar itch ... and it's all because of Nick. He's a vet for goodness sake -- confident, handsome and compassionate -- if a bit rough around the edges. After teasing her about Henry's unusual looks and questioning her most recent choice in men, Nick then has the gall to turn halfway charming. But he doesn't stop at halfway, and though she already has a best friend, Izzy realizes it doesn't preclude her from having a perfect match, too.
Does She Or Doesn't She? by Alisa Kwitney
Passion. The kind of tear-your-clothes off, scream-your-lungs-out, crash-into-the-furniture passion that changes lives.
It's what Delilah wants. It's what she craves. It's what she fantasizes about whenever her disinterested husband's not around. Okay, so it occasionally makes her late for the school run and distracts her from the fact there's no food in the fridge, but an elaborate fantasy life is a basic requirement for a fledgling soap opera writer. Lately, though, the oddest things have been happening in Delilah's real life. First, she discovers a couple of skeletons rattling around in her husband's closet. Then, she learns that the insolently sexy plumber who's been fixing her pipes and starring in her daydreams is really an undercover FBI agent. And now all the clues seem to point to the conclusion that she's the only person in New York City not carrying on a torrid affair. Which she intends to do something about. Or does she? Because there's nothing more dangerous than acting on your secret desire.
The Accidental Virgin by Valerie Frankel
There ARE no accidents...
FROM: Venus, Goddess of Love, 120 Main, Mt. Olympus
TO: Stacy Temple, lapsed temptress
Stacy, Stacy, Stacy.
You were so promising at the beginning: Sexy, smart, personable and funny. Great on dates and really great afterward -- if you know what I mean. But this is a sad state of affairs; or, in your case, non-affairs! It's been nearly an entire year and you haven't had your way with even ONE eligible male. You've been working so hard concocting sexy lingerie for Thongs.com -- and really, Stacy, if that little pink velvet bustier didn't put you in the mood, I don't know what to say! -- that you haven't even tried to be coaxed out of your own thong.com! Are you listening, Stacy? Seven days to find the perfect man -- or else!
Happy hunting!
32AA by Michelle Cunnah
Emma Taylor wanted an engagement ring and a job promotion for her thirtieth birthday.What she got instead was the boot from herboyfriend, the heave-ho from his Manhattan loft -- and the indignity of having to work for the weenie who stole her position. Her pals only add insult to injury by giving her the "perfect" birthday gift: a bottle ofbreast-enhancing pills. It would be enough to defeat even a well-endowed woman, but Emma's not about to let such twists of fate get her down, even as she sets out on the most grueling task known to humankind: apartment hunting in New York City. But sleeping in the backseat of her car provides an unexpected bonus -- she meets Jack, who's kind enough to invite Emma into his home ... in a strictly landlord/tenant-type of arrangement, of course. Perhaps things are looking up -- since honestly they couldn't get much worse. Emma may not be able to fill a bikini, but she's going to do that "life and love" thing right this time. Because no matter what else destiny throws in her face, she's determined to come out where she never has before ... on top!
The Dominant Blonde by Alisa Kwitney
The search for the perfect boyfriend AND the perfect hair color. Lydia Gold has a new body (size 10 at last!), a new hair color (medium ash), and a new boyfriend (not too sexy but -- she thinks -- secure). She's certain Abe is about to propose. Then he shocks her down to her roots by going missing with about three million dollars of her family's hardearned cash... leaving behind nothing but some lukewarm memories and a ring she's sure is a fake! Distressed, depressed, and dumped, Lydia turns to Liam MacNally for help. From the moment he sees her there is something about "Blondie" that he can't resist. So the ex-cop turned scuba instructor decides to help her get back her money -- and her pride. It's time for Lydia to start having more fun!
On The Couch by Alisa Kwitney
After going for more than a year without a date -- a record in New York City -- Marlowe Riddle has finally met a broodingly sexy, sharply intelligent man who is clearly interested in making more than polite conversation. The only problem: Joseph Kain is an NYPD detective clearly under the mistaken impression that Marlowe is a call girl. But while Marlowe does take money for spending time with strangers in her expensive Upper West Side apartment, she's a psychologist -- not Manhattan's answer to the Mayflower Madam! A fact she has no intention of telling Joe ... at least not until she finishes her research project on the "Behavioral Effects of Disguising Identity." But Marlowe's not the only one trying to secretively gain information ... and it's becoming increasingly unclear who is seducing whom. Because sometimes the only way to learn what a man really wants ... is to get him on the couch.
A day that involves the acquiring of more books is a great day, don't you think?
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Kitchen Gadgets & Clothes
OK, OK, I admit it. I'm addicted to kitchen gadgets. The real kick in the ass is that I absolutely HATE to cook! Odd, I know. But, there is just something, oh I don't know, soothing I guess, about browsing through a kitchen store. For the past two weekends I have done that. Originally, I was on the prowl for a new garbage can for the kitchen. I want a stainless steel can (can't believe how bloody expensive they are!) and found myself at several kitchen stores and home interior design type stores. Went to a Home Depot Expo Design Center in North Scottsdale as well as a Great Outdoors, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath & Beyond, and a store I've never heard of before called Sur La Table, which sells all kinds of cool stuff as well as offers a culinary program (yuck, no thanks). Didn't buy a trash can but got lots of cool things instead. A stainless steel potato peeler with the big black cushy grip; 2 mesh strainers; this thing called Rub Away which looks like a bar of soap, but it's stainless steel. It's really cool. Ever mess with onions and garlic and can't get the odor out even after washing your hands? Well after washing your hands, you rub this Rub Away gadget in your hands as if it is a bar of soap and it removes the odors! How cool is that? Picked up some HUGE coffee mugs from Bed Bath & Beyond. They are ceramic blue that match my kitchen beautifully and are 24 oz in size. Need to get about 4 more. Actually Bed Bath & Beyond was the best prospect for the stainless steel garbage cans, but starting at $80 plus tax, it will have to wait until I get some overtime in my check or holiday pay or I win the lottery....
Then tonight, we went to an outlet mall in Tempe to a Linens & Things store where I picked up some plastic bowl covers and another outlet mall in Mesa where I picked up some pyrex dessert dishes (perfect for pudding or jello or using it to combine spices...), a garlic press and this cool tomato slicer with a finger protector that pushes the tomato through the blades without your fingers getting cut. For $3.50, I just HAD to try it. I really like the stainless steel gadgets like measuring cups, measuring spoons, etc. How many sets of measuring cups and spoons does one person need, right? My favorite is a set of 4 measuring spoons for "dash, pinch, smidge, and tad."
At the Home Depot Expo Design Center, we were blown away by this jacuzzi whirlpool tub that has a huge built-in flat screen television mounted. Oh my God! I would never get out of the tub if I had one of those! We almost fell over when we saw the price of $26,100! I was dying to ask a salesperson just how many of these tubs do they sell. Do people just whip out the old Visa or Mastercard and have the tub delivered? Would I actually tell people if I owned one of these tubs? Unbelievable!
On a side note...I hate shopping for clothes. I want a new outfit for work. I have to teach at the Police Academy next month and with the weight I've lost, all of my clothing is very baggy. For almost 25 years, unbeknownst to me, I have been buying the wrong clothing. I should be buying petite sizes. Always wondered why trousers and jeans were so bloody long. Now, I know. The problem is that although I need a 14 petite on my ass, I can't wear petite on top. I need a regular misses 14. So, how the hell do I buy clothes when everything is usually the same size top to bottom? I found the cutest suit in turquoise and black. The skirt fit great in the 14 petite, but the jacket was a no-go. Too tight across the back if I button it up and it just didn't look right unbuttoned. It's a conspiracy....wish I was one of the filthy rich who could afford a personal shopper to take care of this shite for me...
Then tonight, we went to an outlet mall in Tempe to a Linens & Things store where I picked up some plastic bowl covers and another outlet mall in Mesa where I picked up some pyrex dessert dishes (perfect for pudding or jello or using it to combine spices...), a garlic press and this cool tomato slicer with a finger protector that pushes the tomato through the blades without your fingers getting cut. For $3.50, I just HAD to try it. I really like the stainless steel gadgets like measuring cups, measuring spoons, etc. How many sets of measuring cups and spoons does one person need, right? My favorite is a set of 4 measuring spoons for "dash, pinch, smidge, and tad."
At the Home Depot Expo Design Center, we were blown away by this jacuzzi whirlpool tub that has a huge built-in flat screen television mounted. Oh my God! I would never get out of the tub if I had one of those! We almost fell over when we saw the price of $26,100! I was dying to ask a salesperson just how many of these tubs do they sell. Do people just whip out the old Visa or Mastercard and have the tub delivered? Would I actually tell people if I owned one of these tubs? Unbelievable!
On a side note...I hate shopping for clothes. I want a new outfit for work. I have to teach at the Police Academy next month and with the weight I've lost, all of my clothing is very baggy. For almost 25 years, unbeknownst to me, I have been buying the wrong clothing. I should be buying petite sizes. Always wondered why trousers and jeans were so bloody long. Now, I know. The problem is that although I need a 14 petite on my ass, I can't wear petite on top. I need a regular misses 14. So, how the hell do I buy clothes when everything is usually the same size top to bottom? I found the cutest suit in turquoise and black. The skirt fit great in the 14 petite, but the jacket was a no-go. Too tight across the back if I button it up and it just didn't look right unbuttoned. It's a conspiracy....wish I was one of the filthy rich who could afford a personal shopper to take care of this shite for me...
Friday, January 21, 2005
ABC Reading Challenge
For 2005, I have made a personal challenge to read as many books as I can. Of the hopefully hundreds I plan to read, I want to read a book from authors representing every letter of the alphabet. I think the only difficulty will come in finding an author whose last name ends in X. Do any exist? Must research...
Anyway, you can see how I am doing by looking at my bookshelf. Here's the link:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/sharalsbooks
Anyway, you can see how I am doing by looking at my bookshelf. Here's the link:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/sharalsbooks
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About Me
- Sherri
- I am not a professional reviewer, but I love to read and share my opinions on my reading with others who are interested. I work full time but my ideal perfect day would be to curl up with a good book. The majority of the books I review here are from my private collection and my reviews are provided purely for entertainment purposes. I receive no compensation whatsoever for sharing my thoughts and review on any book. If you would like me to review your book, please email me at sharalsbooks@yahoo.com Happy Reading! :o)