Speed Reader

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Awhile back I gamely joined the blog challenge to read 100 books in 2009. It is October 14th (already?) and I have only read 40. Books 41 and 42 are not finished yet. Alas, has anyone ever read 60 books in 2 1/2 months? Probably not. Well, at least I've read 40 books that might not have gotten read without the little push of a challenge like this one. It was a good justification for the $120 something fee we had to pay to join the nearest library for the year.

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Particular stand outs were the biographies of Amelia Earhart, Martha Stewart, and Queen Elizabeth. Cherie Blair's was really interesting too, very down to Earth sort of person but highly intelligent. Elizabeth was chosen on a whim, it was on the shelf end as I was passing by. It did turn out to be fascinating and well worth the late fees for keeping it an extra week so it could be finished. I read Martha & Elizabeth back-to-back and I was amazed at the personality differences in the two. Both women of power, one rules with an iron fist and makes grown men cry and the other is extremely well thought of and known by everyone to be pleasant on every occasion for the last 60 years. Guess which was which? Now, I do love me some Martha but if Queen Elizabeth has the time and the discipline to be nice...tsk tsk


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The Lost Men by Kelly Tyler Lewis was another fascinating book, and again well worth the extra late fees for keeping it a week past it's due date. The story of the two- year deprivation of the men chosen to lay the food depots for Sir Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated Endurance trip to the South Pole.

There is another book I'm hankering to read called My French Life by Vicki Archer that's supposed to be very good. I keep just missing it on eBay. Maybe this is the week. I'm feeling lucky...


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Has anybody read something yummy lately?

Little Things

Whoever said that you cannot buy happiness certainly lacked imagination, Walgreens, and a library card. (Seeds 3 for $1) ♥

Thanks Lena! Lena is from Sweden and has a beautiful miniatures blog. She's just tagged me to name 7 things that I l♥ve.

1. My family, including the littlest one: Scruffy

2. Travel

3. Being artistic

4. Collecting little houses

5. Rosamunde Pilcher Books

6. Flea Markets/Boot Sales

7. Scotland

Back to Work & Bookathon

Monday!! Okay, I'm not usually a Monday person but this one saw the kids back to school after their holidays. A break is nice and likewise so is getting back to routine. And back to business for me creating and selling on Etsy. This morning I'm painting an order and packing up another to go out. I have Valentine's Day supplies at the ready - always one holiday ahead (at least) is part of this deal. And also some cottage style supplies to make things for my LolliShop.

Still figuring out the new schedule for baby Oliver who is 3 weeks old. Cranky baby was just cranky for the day so he's back to being a happy little guy. I managed to eat breakfast by 10:00 a.m. today and he's quietly snoring in his swing at the moment. Maybe tomorrow I can beat that time and actually get dressed too :o/

So stop yammering on and what is this Bookathon you speak of, is that what you're thinking. While browsing through the Etsy forums last night I came across a thread by PoshMommaStore who has decided to read 100 books by December 31, 2009 and she was looking for reading buddies. No re-reading books and at least 25 of the 100 to be non-fiction. A resolution that's actually fun! Sign me up. Anyone else interested? Her blog post is here Resolution Amendment: Bookathon

I've always been a big reader but 2008 was a busy one for us with a little stress and reading sort of fell by the wayside for me so I figure this is a great way to get back into it. Guess I'm a sucker for deadlines and accountability-and I'll get to use the heck out of my brand new library card. I'm currently reading an impulse buy paperback from the grocery store; She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb.

A gadget called "100 Books" has been added to the right at the very bottom of this blog under the playlist to keep track.