The last few days I have listened to my husband cough… err… hack, and thought well at least I dont get colds as easy as he does. THEN this morning as I am typing away, having my coffee I catch myself clearing my throat, and yeah… a little *cough*.
GAH.
I started to listening to Great House this morning and as it plays on my kitchen cd player and the narrator is going on about a missing Daniel and a desk she kept his letters in I suddenly realized I had no real idea what this story was about. I had seen it around the last year or so… I liked the cover, I picked it up at the library…. but now I am in a story of what? Poetry, a desk, a missing man…. so I had to go on line and try to read something about the book and find out that the desk becomes almost a character… a center piece around which the story is set. Ok… now I am engaged…
Our narrator has written seven novels at that desk and when a mysterious daughter calls to claim it after two decades…. hmmmm… interesting.
Ok.. .I have to get ready for work, stop back in later I have a snarky review coming up which while the book was BAD BAD BAD… I had a lot of fun with the review.
My recap of this week is so much more laid back then last week! I absolutely had nothing in my evenings all week. I know right? That never happens! I usually am looking at my week thinking – ok I have that Monday evening, that on Tuesday evening, that on Wed…
but nope, this past week my Monday group was cancelled, Wednesday activities I usually volunteer for were cancelled due to the snow storm that hit Brainerd (sort of), Thursday I was supposed to have a belated dinner with friends and one of them had to go to the cities so we decided to postpone… and that was all I had planned for the week!
On Friday night hubby and I had chicken fajita and watched the movie Moneyball. I will review it this week but in the meantime know that it is good and worth seeing! 😛 On Saturday evening we went out to dinner with friends Robb and Julie to a restaurant we had never been to before. It was about a 30 minute drive but the food was good, the conversation was awesome. Robb and Julie had just completed the Polar Plunge earlier on Saturday.
Beyond that – I received some pretty exciting books in the mail this week:
AND – Bloggiesta is back!!! Woo Hoo! I am so excited and you can sign up to be a part of it now… and trust me, you want to be a part of it! 😀
That’s a wrap! Today I have church, then working out… some reading this afternoon and tonight Floor Hockey and then Amazing Race. Ahhh…. a good Sunday 😀
A quiet Saturday! Just what I wanted and needed! A day to catch up on some reading, a little bit of working out and a couple of reviews.
Isn’t it weird what a difference a week can make? Last week at this time I was exhausted and at a Women’s Retreat… which really sounds like an oxymoron right? I mean the words “women’s retreat” brings up visions of relaxation and down time and girl chats….
and it was all that – but I went into it wrong. I had a hugely busy week last week and by the time I arrived at the women’s retreat on Friday evening, stick a fork in me… I was done. 😯
Don’t get me wrong – it was a lovely time.. I was just tired. I had a chance to chat with some friends and make a few new ones.
Part Of the camp we stayed at - Trout Lake Camp
An area that was in the main lodge.... my favorite hang out space!
Me... ready for the winter activities!
Loading on to the bus to be driven to the dining hall
The massive fireplace in the dining hall
A few of my AWESOME roommates!
And a few more of the awesome gang!
All in all the retreat was fun! We ended the second night with a purse action. Throughout the retreat you could earn “dollars” to bid on purses. I did not win a purse but t was a lot of fun to watch people go a little crazy over the purses!
These pics are my contribution to the fabulous Alyce’s Saturday Snapshots. Pop over and see what others have taken pictures of. 😀
Have a fab morning – I am going to make an egg white omelet while listening to the end of an audio book. Later I am back with my February recap and possibly later yet (to get myself on track) a review.
Put that on pause though as I do have a half day at work today – and this morning as I sit her with COFFEE CUP contemplating life and what to wear… I thought I would share with you the commercials that cracked me up when I watched the Oscars and have continued to do so since…
First off… kudos to JC Penney’s for these funny and smart Ellen Degeneres commercials that have been airing since the Oscars. Seriously – the ones over the holidays that Penney’s had going with the screaming people were awful!
BUT – all is forgiven now as I smile every time I get a chance to see these funny commercials about returning items…
It certainly went out with a bang here as I mentioned yesterday we were DUMPED on by the snow fairies….. I shouldn’t complain too much – it was not as bad as was predicted and it is all over now except for all that snow… which I am not a fan…which I know I live in Minnesota and do not like snow. It’s true.
February is usually a great reading month for me but I don’t think it was this year. Seems like as of late reading has been hard to find the time. I am behind on books, but not reviews because I need to read the books to do the reviews… you get the picture. 😀
In the next couple of days I will work on my Feb stats and get that posted but I think it will be disappointing, mainly because I have several books going that I want to finish… just need to make the time to do so.
In other news – I was FINALLY able to put my review on Amazon for The Book Club Cookbook, which I LOVED and I am excited to be the first to review it there!
SSSQQQUUUEEE!!!!!
Today I work and work out – tonight I must finish my reviews for Her Voice magazine – the books are read the reviews are written I just need to put them in a word document and send them. It does not sound hard right? Yet night after night I claim I am too tired…. what is my issue? 😯
Well… here’s to March… may it be filled with great reads and time to read them 😀
Brainerd Minnesota is under a winter storm warning as I type until 6 pm tonight. It is coming down pretty hard right now and due to continue to 6 pm tonight. Here is what it currently looks like:
My back deck... was snow free last night...
Back yard
Front deck...
Its snowing and blowing and some may be able to call this a snow day but here is the good and the bad about where I live. I live right off a main highway that takes me directly to work which is about 3 miles away – straight stretch. Of all people, I am the one that can get to work.
Being from Minnesota, of course both my vehicles have 4 – wheel drive….
So – while I was hoping it would be a complete white out and I could stay at home… I dont think that is the case so I am off to get ready for work…
IF this had been my dreamed of an actual snow emergency my day would have been:
writing my book reviews that are due
READING!
Making Soup
and part of that reading would have been what arrived in the mail at my house yesterday:
SQQQUUEEEEE!!!!
Ok… seriously – I have to get ready for work…. my three mile drive and my snow filled driveway might be interesting 😀
Did anyone else watch the Oscars on Sunday night? I admit… I first was watching Amazing Race with the hubby… BUT as soon as that was over I tuned into the Oscars. While not a die-hard fan, I do like to look at what people are wearing and this year in particular – I was interested as so many movies from books were up for awards…
Highlights for me were of course the supporting actress award going to Octavia Spencer for The Help.
If you did not see her acceptance speech grab a tissue and watch it. If you have yet to see The Help, I highly suggest you do and do it soon. Octavia is a hoot (yes I said hoot!) throughout the movie and in case you did not know… she is also the voice of Minny on the audio version of the book. Nice pic all the way around and standing ovation on her best supporting actress award.
As always the Oscars in surrounded with wonderful announcers and one stands out to me…. Angelina Jolie parades out to the stage front and center and immediately takes a stance that I was sure was going to be the topic of today:
So at first umm…. glance, you (I) would think well… she is in very good shape why not show off a little…. er, a lot of leg….. although this was when she was presenting an award… prior to that moment there was…
Brad and Angelina earlier in the eveningand on the red carpet, Angelina with her legand yet again.... another pose with her leg
Ok … I am picking…. I mean if I had legs like that I may have a tendency to show them off a bit too…. what surprises me is that Angelina has a history of awkward Oscar moments (oh if only I could forget the year of her acceptance speech about her brother….), but again… I pick. Honestly I think this whole thing went down something like this:
(Scene: The Pitt/Jolie home. Afternoon, pre- Oscar arrival, Brad and Angelina meet in the foyer after each getting dressed in their separate rooms)
Brad takes a look at Angelina…
Brad: That dress shows off quite a bit of leg
Angelina: So? I have quite a bit of leg.
Brad: Well its going to be hard to not draw attention to yourself my dear.
Angelina: Jealous much my much shorter darling?
Brad (smugly): Ok, fine, we don’t have time for this. I DARE you to bare your leg….. ALL of your leg at least ten times during the Oscars. Oh and it must be caught on camera!
Angelina: Fine, you are on. If I win you owe me a green bean. I am famished!
😛
LOL
Ok enough of Angelina…
In other Oscar moments I realized I have missed out on a few movies that I did not think I would enjoy but after seeing highlights now I have added them to my “must see” list…
and my nominees are….
Hugo
Moneyball
Iron Lady
and of course, I need to own The Help.
Did you watch the Oscars? Have you seen any of these movies or want to see any of these movies?
Good morning! Happy Sunday! This has been an extreme week and I am so thrilled to be able to see the finish line to the over committing for a little while at least 😀
Last Sunday after a busy afternoon I played Floor Hockey.
Monday I worked, came home-made a desert and then went to our Monday evening small group study. We are starting a book called Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe by Larry Osborne. I cam e home at 8:30 pm.
Tuesday I worked all day, ran to pick up a few things at the grocery store, came home with dinner for Al, and cooked my pasta for book club – then went to book club. We had an awesome time and I came home at 9:30 pm.
Wednesday – worked all day (seeing a pattern here?) Rushed home to change and went back to help with the students activities like I do every Wednesday evening. Home at 8 pm.
Thursday – worked all day, prepped for an event in Aitkin (40 miles from where I live), picked up a pizza for Al, changed, drove to Aitkin by 5 pm and helped with event… home at 8:45 pm
Friday – worked until noon… met my husband for a quick-lunch so I could see what he looks like (seems like these days I only see him when he is sleeping… :razz:. Went and got a hair cut, ran home to pack, met 8 friends at Applebees at 4:30 pm, had dinner then drove an hour to Crosslake Minnesota for the women’s retreat at Trout Lake Camp. As soon as we were there we had a two-hour session, bed around midnight.
Saturday sessions and a chance to catch up with ladies I never seem to have enough time to talk to, which was nice… really nice. Busy all day – short break in the afternoon, then in the evening a Purse auction, which was fun.
Which brings me to today. 😀 I have a dull headache from lack of sleep and am assured that a nap is in my near future. Tonight I have floor hockey again, work and group meeting tomorrow evening and then a quieter week… I think… nothing Tuesday, (YAY!!!), Wednesday students but I am going to request a pass this week, Thursday dinner with friends and then the blissful weekend of no commitment! 😀 That is my goal!
Now… I just want to relax and read…. that’s it.
How is your week ending? Hopefully it was a wonderful one! 😀
Ok picture this (since a real picture would be frightening and I know some of you have kids who would have nightmares…)
Hair in my eyes and well… everywhere. (Haircut scheduled for this afternoon…. Thankfully!)
Sleep pants and t shirt
flip flops
Coffee cup… not full enough… not hot enough… not enough.
Cheeto stuck to the side of my face.
(Ok, not really about the Cheeto but I thought that was a funny visual.) 😛
I have had a crazy week and that is why the Morning Meanderings have been missing as of late. No time to meander… my days are work, my evenings are commitments… I run from one thing to the next.
Today I plan to work a short day, 8 – 11:30… then I am hitting the gym 12:15 – 1:15, then I have a hair cut at 1:30… then I need to come home and pack for the womens retreat that starts at hmmm….. 4:30 meeting at Applebees. (Dont you hate it when even the fun stuff feels like a commitment?) 😯
I will be at the retreat until Sunday late morning… then home, floor hockey at 4 pm then HOME for the night. YAY!!!
I know I will have a good time once I get there… I am just tired and I have a ‘tude. Laptop is coming with so I will be checking in and I do have posts for the weekend too…. no idea when I had time to write them – but they are there 🙂
I am off… I have 32 minutes to shower, dress, stop at the store and get to work. Oddly… that is enough time for me… I am probably the fastest get ready woman in the world…. LOL
I did not get around to many blogs yesterday. Between work and last nights meeting I had a tiny window of about an hour and a half which I used for CRAZY stuff like a load of laundry and making dinner. 😛
However, and possibly unfortunately, in the few I was able to get around to…. I found….
books.
I know… I know…. like a hole in my head, but yeah… books and darn good reviews that made me want to read those books…. and now… I am going to pass them to you so you catch the fever too!
I have seen this book around… not really given it much thought (you know what a cover snob I can be and this is just not calling me…. but then I innocently pop over to see Lydia from The Lost Entwife and I am reading a review for this book that causes me to put it on the wish list. Whoa. What happened?
Stop over and check it out for yourself!
And then…
Ok this cover DOES call to me… I don’t know why…. maybe because it looks like Skittles…. or pastel Easter M & M’s, but any book reader knows…. one can not live off cover love alone….
Nope. Instead I am over at Kritter’s Rambling minding my own business and then this review makes my jaw drop and now… now I want to read this. I want to read this now.
In other news, it is snowing. SNOWING. My beautiful dead grass world is now covered with snow and it is supposed to continue irritating me for the next three days. Not a fan.
Tonight is book club. We have read Adrianna Trigianni’s Very Valentine. This is a re-read for me but a delicious one and while I grumbled about it being a book I have already read, I forgot how fun it is to read Adrianna’s writing and for that…. I am a schmuck. Instead… getting back into Valentine’s world has almost (almost) made me forget about the snow… 😛
Book Journey 