Category: Meanderings

Morning Meanderings… UGLY Sweaters…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)34 Comments

Good morning!  Happy Saturday. 😀
Last night I was at an Ugly Sweater party with Al.  We go to this party every year.  It is just a gathering of friends, good food and good conversation.. 

Usually I have a great picture to show you – but this time, it was not until after we left that I realized that no pictures had been taken.  I know, I know… I am usually so on this, but I think after a day of looking for a great sweater (KOHLS, Walmart, Bargains On 7th, and finally Good Will) I came up with nothing… I heard that recently there was a big Ugly Sweater gathering at the Casino and the top prize was $10,000 so I am guessing that all ugly sweaters had been taken.

So I came home and dug through a tote of sweaters I have in the spare room that I no longer wear and came up with a dark green kind of stretched out one and wore that.  Al wore the same one he wore last year. 

For Saturday Snapshots, here are the two previous years sweaters:

2010: I called this one "Lion King Extra"
2009: Al's sweater we referred to as "Old Yeller" and mine I called "The Wuzzle", truly something right out of Dr. Suess

Looking at these past two years I am a little bummed this year was not captured.  Hopefully I will make up for it next year.  😀

As for this Saturday… I have several books that are partially read that I hope to get a grip on finishing.  I also have a couple of reviews that I have been meaning to write for days and just have not found the time. 

What does your Saturday look like?  Any good books being read?  Any fun events?

Morning Meanderings… Book Coveting for 2012

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)30 Comments

Good morning!  I hope this Friday finds you all well. 😀

I was sitting here in my home with Asus (laptop) a warm blanket and a hot cup of coffee. It is currently 4 degrees here, the coldest it has been yet and I thankful that I do not need to go out this morning.

As I have had a little time to visit blogs the past couple of days I love to see the excitement generated in the posts surrounding the best books of 2011, challenges for the new year, and books coveted for 2012.  The later baffled me as I had no response to what I was looking forward to book-wise in 2012.  I know there are books I am waiting on… but my mind seems to have shut down that avenue for construction because I can not recall them.  😯

Then this morning, I recalled a book that I have started hearing buzz around this week.  I guess I thought it was already out there and as I became more and more interested in this book… I realized it does not release until January 17th  2012.

But oh… how I am coveting it…

Have you heard about this book?  It’s the story of Evelyn, who walks into a book store (always a good start!) and is handed a book on Medieval Romance by a boy names Brendan… little do either of them know that this is just the beginning of their story…

*raise hand and wave it crazily*  “Uhhh Sheila, you don’t really like romance novels, right?”

Yes, that is true… BUT there is always an exception to every genre rule, and this would be one of those exceptions… what has me LOVE LOVE LOVING the idea of this book is that you can read it from either side… open one way and you can read the story from Evelyn’s account.  Flip it to the other side,and you can read the story from Brendan’s point of view. 

 

 

Anyway… I think it is going on the wish list 😀 

 

Today I have lunch with friends and tonight hubby and I have an Ugly Sweater party…  ah…. this time of year can be fun, even if it is cold outside.  😛

Morning Meanderings… Planning The First Book Of The Year

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)41 Comments

Good morning.Here in central Minnesota we have only a dusting of snow… seriously, that makes me deliriously happy.

Snow…

not a fan.

Perhaps you may think for a person who is as anti-snow as myself would have chosen a different place to live other than MINNESOTA then…

but here is the kicker…

Spring through Fall here are AWESOME!  The air is crisp and I can smell the signs of things to come…. warm air, rollerblading, biking, sitting on the deck reading…

wow…. I miss it already.

I wish I had an attitude like Lorelei Gilmore when it comes to snow…

 

Anyway…. I always look forward to January 1 because that is when I read my first book of the year.  That has been a tradition for years – long before blogging.  I usually start it New Years Eve but I finish on New Years Day thus being the first book I read of the year.  AND – it is always a treat, a re – read like last year (Lauren Kate rocks! ) and in 2010, well… I was in the mood for Harry… or one that I have simply been dying to read….

this year I have my eye on City Of Fallen Angels…. but I am also thinking maybe Divergent… AND it will also mark my first book of 2012 on the Reading map…..

oh the possibilities…. 😛

Do you plan out the first book of the year?  Any thoughts on what it may be?

 

Morning Meanderings…. Goodreads Book Awards Announced!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)25 Comments

 

Good morning.  😀

The weekend was so busy and Monday I had work and meetings and Tuesday I had work and dinner with friends.  Really, I feel wiped out this morning and today is another big day. 

 

Anyway… in bookish news, the Goodreads awards have been posted and I was so excited to see that!  This is a great selection of books… and totally gift worthy!

 

Winners of the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Best Humor

8,722 Votes
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Best Goodreads Author

6,097 Votes

 

Out of these I have read Bossy Pants, Little Princes, and Where She Went.  WHAT I still hope to read soon out of this list is:  Divergent (won in two categories!!!), IQ84, 11/22/63, Graveminder, and City Of Fallen Angels. 

How about you, have you read any of these?  Are there any you want to?

 

6 week Calorie challenge update:  1,000 calories burned /out of the 20,000 goal… 19,000 to go.  I need to step it up!  😛

Morning Meandering: A Brunch Recipe and A Flash Mob

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Good morning!  Happy Sunday!

*sips coffee*

Yesterday morning I had a breakfast brunch to attend and I was to bring one of the main dishes.  *gulp*  I am not a big breakfast person… really I either have a Fiber One bar around 10 am or a packet of oatmeal.  SO…. I had to do some thinking to come up with a breakfast item that 1.  was tasty for a group but also 2.  traveled well.

The actual breakfast brunch

I enjoy participating in the Weekend Cooking Meme a Beth Fish Reads.  I like to nose around what other people are cooking, and as someone who does not enjoy a lot of kitchen time… finding great recipes that do not take a ton of time makes my day. 😀

The recipe I found and made is here.

Almond Pear French Toast Casserole

1/4 cup butter cut into little squares

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 29 oz. can of pear halves – each half cut into fourths

1 pound loaf of sour dough bread cut into squares (not the end pieces)

2 3/4 cup of eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup slices almonds

Using a 10 x 14 pan, evenly distribute the butter slices around the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and bottom of pan.  Put the pear slices over the brown sugar in a single layer.  Take the cut up bread and place in a single layer over the butter and brown sugar.

Now mix together the eggs, milk, sugar, and extracts.  Pour this mixture over the bread evenly – make sure all pieces get wet.  Put foil over the pan and refrigerate over night (if you wish).

When ready to bake, take pan out of refrigerator and let sit while over gets up to temperature.  Then bake at 350 for 40 minutes, take out and sprinkle almond slices on top, put back in over and let continue to bake for another 15 minutes.

This is delicious and when we ate it about 35 minutes later it was even good after it had cooled. 

As for the flash mob… I think they are so cool.  I seriously want to find one and do this.  😀  Here is one that was in Minnesota recently, and I will leave you this morning with this:

Morning Meanderings… Crafty kick off to weekend

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)35 Comments

Good morning!

Kick off to the weekend!  Last night I got together with a few friends and we crafted ornaments.  I did not get a whole lot done but this is what I did accomplish:

These are glass ornaments that you pour craft paint inside and rotate until paint covers
"Snow Globe" Thanks Carrie for this cute idea!

We only crafted for a couple of hours so I guess this accomplishment isn’t bad… but really the get together is always more about this:

Hanging with friends, chatting about life.... (Kate and Millie)
Just being together.... (Millie's FACE and Christy)

That is my contribution to this weeks Saturday Snapshots.  Stop on over to see Alyce and At Home With Books to see what everyone else has been up to this week in pictures.  😀

As for today… this morning I have a breakfast brunch I am attending for a group of volunteers I work with.  I am making and taking an Almond Pear French Toast casserole which – if it as yummy as it sounds, will grace this blog later today.  😀

Later I am hoping to do a bit more blog maintenance, and some reading of the several books I have going….

How about you – what adventures do you have planned for today?

Morning Meanderings… It’s Time To Play Catch Up

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Good morning and happy Friday. 😀

I hope this day finds everyone well.  I am sitting here enjoying my second cup of coffee before I meet a friend at the gym.  This is good as this morning with the temp sitting right around 10 degrees…. I could just sit here, sip coffee, and hang out with you.  😀

Friends = motivation.

If you read my morning post yesterday I put myself on the same challenge my son is doing in the Navy… to burn 20,000 calories in 6 weeks.  I was pleased to see that some of you are doing this with me and I will make the button this afternoon.  I need the motivation…. 😀

And that is not the only thing I need to catch up on around here.  My side bar books are sooooo outdated… I want to update that today.  I also need to mail books today and if you have won a book from me and are waiting on it, this is totally my bad and I am sorry for the delay.  Today…. I am going to the post office and getting caught up.

I am also writing the three reviews I have to write, reading a bit and hopefully finishing one or two more as this weekend there is a little read a thon going on:

In other crazy news I had mentioned earlier this week that my hubby was going to be gone for 6 weeks, having taken a job North Dakota for a company….. uhh… yeah…. they hired too many people and finished the 6 week job in a week.  He is working there today and then making the long trek back home tonight and should be here some time in the wee hours of the morning.  Life….. is never dull.

Got to run but after the gym I will be back here and finishing up my review of Ready Player One….. it is going to be awesome.  😀

Morning Meanderings…. 6 week Calorie Challenge

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments

I was going to post this mmmmm…Monday?  BUT – as we all know, life has a way of making its own decisions sometimes, and commitments have made this impossible until (hopefully) now. 

My Navy Son Brad is coming home the second week of January for two weeks.  He and his buddy who is also going to be on leave have been challenged to EACH burn 20,000 calories before that time.  I told Brad that I would like to try to do it too….

I think it is doable.

NOW – before you comment about “the crazies” that have apparently attacked my brain again… hear me out. 😛

Seven weeks is 42 days… that’s less than 500 calories a day – AND when I go to the gym (key word here is WHEN), if I spend 30 minutes on the tread mill that’s about 300 calories and 30 minutes on the elliptical is about 300 as well.  That’s an hour.  If I do a Group Power class I can burn between 300 – 500 calories in that 40 minutes of working out. 

Yes it will take commitment but since the accident in June when I had to drop kickboxing and Group Power, I have had a hard time getting back into the rhythm again… I am hoping this is the push I need. The bonus will be that in six weeks that should create a workout habit that I can stick to… and that is the bigger bonus.  😀

I plan to keep you updated here under my morning posts…. I will make a cute little button updating my progress but not this morning as I an 33 minutes out from needing to be at work and need to get moving here.  Anyone care to join me?  Say so in the comments here and maybe we can email and encourage each other.  😀

I have not started yet… hopefully I will get to credit some calories later today and get this party started.  Have a lovely day.  I am out of here. 

Morning Meanderings… Friends Are Real Life Characters In Our Lives

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

Good Morning.

I feel… exhausted.

Not a good way to wake up… but there it is.  AND it has hung over me for a little over a month now.  Just a lot of stuff going on… some good, some bad, some sad…

ARGH.

Anyway – once again as I have trudged through these days I am reminded I am not alone and many of us are “trudging” through our own things. 

On the bright side in the past few weeks I have had some time to spend with some of my friends and really… are they not sometimes these paranormal beings with magical powers?  My friends can heal, can make tears turn to smiles, make a mountain… feel like a power hike when they walk beside me…

and in turn, I like being that kind of friend back.

Just something I have been thinking about as of late as I flip through the chapters of my life story…. even each of you have a place in my book. 

What happenings in my reading adventures?  I am spending time with 14-year-old La Vaugn as she is taking care of Jolly’s kids in Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff.   I am also sitting in an abortion clinic with Dynah and her mother as they ponder what should be done when a child is produced out of a rape in The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers.

Hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday.  I have a full one… which is good….

Morning Meanderings… Holy Distractions Batman

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)19 Comments

Good morning!  Happy Tuesday!  😀 

Yesterday I was trying so hard to stay focused on the Monday meme and visiting and it just wasn’t in me.  I would read a few blogs…. then wander away to other areas of the blogosphere.  I could not stay on task.  So what does a wandering Sheila do?

Well for starters…. I am loving the game Words With Friends on Facebook and have about 15 games going.  (It is like scrabble, and you take turns, when your opponent has played the board comes back for you to play)…. lets just say once a word girl… always a word girl.  😛

Then I went to find out what district I was in for Hunger Games.  You can actually go to the Capital and find out for yourself… which many Hunger Game fans have already done… it just took me awhile.  😀  So what district am I in?

There I am… ready for battle with District 5.  (It is times like these that crazy pictures of someone playing buck hunt arcade game pays off… 😀

 

Made coffee…. drank coffee… drank some more coffee 😯

 

Downloaded work out music on to my IPOD (Podette)

 

Started a draft of this post so I did not forget what I wanted to chat about

 

… and then I went to work, ran some errands… came home late afternoon… played some more Words with Friends and went to my study last night. 

A good day… but I did not get through the Monday Memers like I had hoped to. 

Today I only work a partial day.  I am attending my friends sisters funeral and then going out to a late lunch with some of my friends who will be in attendance. 

Beyond that I do not know what this day holds beyond reading the rest of the INSPY Award books. 

I hope your day is lovely – and all your distractions are good ones.  😀