Morning Meanderings – Page 57

Morning Meanderings… Snapshots of My Minnesota Life

Published on February 23, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Good morning! Happy Saturday. I am in the middle… no, that’s not right… I am in the first third of a MASSIVE painting project. I decided I was going to paint our downstairs addition yesterday so off I went to buy paint and all the fixings. This is a HUGE undertaking. We finished off the basement in 2004 and the area I am painting is all of that… the wall at the top of the stairs, the stairwell wall area, a couple smaller areas and then an open family area. Basically about 5 gallons of paint worth. 😯 It sounded like a great idea yesterday to surprise Al with this but after not getting started until 5:30 pm last night and working on it until 10:30 pm and knowing I have about 5 or 6 more hours of paining ahead of me… yeah….lets just say I better LOVE this color a LONG time. 😛 Pics of this next weekend.

Today however, I thought it would be fun to show you some pictures (for Saturday Snapshot)of what my Minnesota life is like. Not all of you live in areas that have winters like we do, or if you, you may not heat your home the way we do.

We heat our house with hot water heat. Yes, that was a new term to me about 8 years ago too.

The stove sits outside between our business (DeChantal Excavating) and our home. It burns wood that heats pipes that are filled with water – so essentially hears out home and business with a hot water heat that is a clean heat.

In cold temps it can be a real pain, but this winter has been fairly mild so usually it is filled once in the morning, once mid afternoon, and once at night. You control the heat in house with a temperature dial.

Here is our business, far behind the house. Initially the stove was going to be just to hear that, but when installed we discovered it was only a couple hundred dollars more to run the pipes to the house as well.

**For me the wood pile can be a real pain. I search out pieces I can lift and since I can not pick up the great big ones that fill it fast, it takes me about 10 – 15 trips to fill the stove.**

**This is the back up pile in the event that what we have cut up does not make it through the winter. We purchase the wood locally.**

One fun bonus – about 7 wild cats live in the excess woodpile. No idea where they came from but sometimes in the afternoon I will see them when I fill the stove and they will watch me. Occasionally I leave them scraps but they are all rather healthy looking so they are finding food somewhere. I was hoping to get some pictures of them but they were not out this morning.

So there is a little about my life beyond the books. 😀 For more Saturday Snapshots, stop by Alyce’s At Home With Books.

Morning Meanderings… I Would Be A Messy Single Woman

Published on February 19, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Good morning! Happy Tuesday, 😀

I am now over two weeks with AL (hubby) having been in Florida at the Equipment Auctions. I suspect looking at equipment for our business to him, is much like me going to the book expo…. EXHILARATING! However, as much as I enjoy coming home and not having to cook a meal or wash as much laundry… I do miss him and this week I am counting the days until he is home.

I have also noticed, I am not the super neat person I thought I was. Without anyone here but me, the table has become my domain. From papers to review, books to mail, books to write reviews, agendas, and even my tennis shoes from last nights workout at the gym, a hair clip, and even a stray sock…. I am somewhat of a mess… 😛

Seriously – I took a picture of it:

Wow right? Now you know too much about me. 😀 I will have to get this cleaned up before Al gets home… he will think I have lost it. 😛

In bookish news, I am reading, not as much as I would like – but I am getting there. I can’t complain about a busy life because I like the diversity of all I do from researching books, to writing, to working out, to hanging with friends, to being on committees, to filling a wood stove, to being a friend, to watching cheesy movies, to working in an environment I love. Getting up early… staying up late. Challenging myself to be a better version of me. I really… wouldn’t change a thing. 😀

Morning Meanderings…. Sunday and New Books!!!

Published on February 17, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Good morning! I am sitting here with my COFFEE CUP and apple oatmeal thinking of what a great day yesterday turned out to be. Yesterday afternoon I was tired… I suspect tired from my road trip to the cities on Friday and getting home around 11 pm, but whatever it was it resulted in a 2 hour nap.

Naps are magic right?

After that I did a little house cleaning, went to the gym and kicked some elliptical butt by cranking out a 5k + in 42 minutes. Then I came home and made a couple healthy appetizers for my wellness group which turned out to be a great time with some fun foods to try. You can find the recipes here at Team Kickin It)

And then on of course there are books….

Today after church I may go to a movie this afternoon with a friend but for sure I want to try to fit in time for the gym. After getting motivated yesterday, I felt so good, and even today feeling the work out in my back and in my legs makes me feel a little rock-starish 😛

Later, I plan to do some reading… so many good books to get moving on.

What are you doing with your day?

Morning Meanderings… Life In Minnesota

Published on February 16, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Good morning! It has been a couple of weeks since I have been home and able to put up a Saturday post. I am so excited 😀

SO for Saturday Snapshot check this out over at (At Home With Books) I went back to look at some of the earliest pictures I have on this laptop which takes me back to the fall of 2011. SO, just for fun… here are few pictures:

010 — **This was a sign in out local coffee shop where people were asked to write down their favorite book.**

099 — **This is a picture of my friend Amy and I before out first obstacle run, this was in July 2011… 6 weeks after I had broke my finger and dislocated my wrist on the MN 150 bike ride.**

175 — **Finally this is August 2011 – me looking over Lake Superior. This spot is about 8 miles from our cabin up North.**

There it is. I know it would be random – I have had no awesome picture opportunities as of late… Minnesota winters…. I am soooo ready for spring.

Hope you all enjoy your day. I have a meeting this morning and then home most of the day which will be nice as the week has been fairly busy and reading time has been close to nothing. Enjoy your Saturday!

Morning Meanderings… The Case Of The Missing Book Blogger

Published on February 15, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

Hey there! How have you been? Whassup? 😀

I had no plans of going MIA on this blog this week but wow… apparently life had other plans. After the back to back retreats that kicked off the month, then picking up College Son in Mankato with his broken foot… THEN getting stuck home in a snow storm and returning the aforementioned son on Monday in a white knuckled 4 hour drive back to his campus in less than fun driving conditions…

I then proceeded to come home Monday night wiped out from the STRESS driving, Tuesday I worked and then went directly to the grocery store (did not pass go… did not collect my $200) where I picked up my items for book club – was home all of 40 minutes before off to Book Club I went and trust me.. it was awesome, more on that later today… Home around 10 pm, work on Wednesday, then home for an hour then back to work with the students like I do most Wednesdays, then home at 8 pm where I proceed to watch a couple of episodes of Downton Abbey (do not judge.. more on that another day!)…

THEN Thursday I worked, shopped for salad makings, home about an hour and off to mt friends Chad and Amy’s home where I have a tradition now of spending Valentines Day with them as Al (hubby) is usually in Florida this time of year for the equipment auctions. I was at their home until 10 pm then home, one episode on Downton and then bed. TIRED.

This morning I am free until 3 pm where I then drive to the cities for a Board Meeting for camp and then will be back home around 10.

SO yeah… my week has went like that. 😯

Looking ahead, I have a few things going on Saturday but Sunday will be wonderfully quiet and next week is much less crazy train and more chill. YAY!!!

What I miss most in busy times like this is books. I just have not had the time to sit down and enjoy a book for more than a few pages at all this month. Maybe on Sunday…. 😀

Hows your week shaping up? Any fun things planned?

Morning Meanderings… New Books In Da’ House

Published on February 10, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Good morning! Happy February 10th! I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. I spent it with my College Son hanging out at home watching LOST episodes (I have seen the whole series but it is new to him). We went out to lunch and later went out with friends for awhile. It really was a great day!

Now -for new books that came in the house this week and I think, some are from last week to:

You may notice the REALLY BIG green sunglasses and they go with The Shining Read A Long for February. You will see them again during my review.

So that’s the haul… I obviously have some good reading to do. 😀 How about you – anything exciting come your way this week?

Morning Meanderings… Road Trip to pick up the BROKEN son

Published on February 8, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

Good morning! Grabbing a quick bite to eat this morning and then heading out the door shortly to go pick up College Son who last weekend broke hid foot and is in a cast up to his knee and can not drive.

1a3a — **You can see the little toe area where the break is…. officially called the fifth metatarsal.**

So off to Mankato this morning, a 3 1/2 hour road trip one way so I will be on the road about 8 hours today, back early afternoon. Justin will stay with me for the weekend and I will take his home Sunday afternoon.

Of course that translates for me = AUDIO! I am currently listening to The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott (good!) and Killing Kennedy (really really good!). I am thinking of Bringing Hunger Games on audio with me or perhaps a Harry Potter one, something that we can listen to together on the way back… 🙂 I also have Gone Girl…. decisions decisions….

How are you spending the start to your weekend?

Morning Meanderings… Top 10 Literate Cities

Published on February 7, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

Good morning! I only have a few minutes this morning, life has returned to normal and I am off to work this morning… first time in a week so really no complaints here. 😀

I wanted to share with you something I read this morning over my coffee…. I read about the current top 10 literate citied and I found it interesting:

Washington, D.C.
Seattle, Wash.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Denver, Colo.
St. Paul, Minn.
Boston, Mass.
Atlanta, Ga.
St. Louis, Mo.
Portland, Ore.

You know I am cheering for my home state Minnesota. Yeah, that’s right… I dont get into sports much but I would wear the big foam finger to a bookish event going “Yeah… that’s right… we bad… We’re #3! We’re #3!”

Ok… perhaps a bit much, but you get the point. 😀

Today I work, I have a couple of errands, later I work out, it’s going to be an awesome day 😀

Morning Meanderings… Coming Home

Published on February 6, 2013February 6, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Good morning from Trout Lake Camp! I am at the morning of our final day at camp. The agenda this morning is breakfast, a quick wrap up of the retreat and then we are heading home.

Home!

I feel like I have not been there for days! It will be so wonderful to go home and just BE. 😀 We had a great time the last few days, ping-pong, card games, hanging out, I even had a nap yesterday. Now, I am ready to get home. Al is in Florida for the next three weeks so the dogs and I will be hanging out and working out and getting in some good reading time! I am excited about all of the above 😀

1a2 — Me playing shuffle board (I think). Pretty intense stuff 🙂

I will have a review up this afternoon and this morning I wanted to leave you with this super fun picture I seen this morning on the Shelf Awareness email.:

According to the Shelf Awareness email, New York Public Library had 281 children + 1 cat come to an event that broke the world Guinness Book Of Records for people wearing the cat in the hat, hat.

Makes you wonder… what World record could we readers break?

Morning Meanderings…Retreat! Retreat!

Published on February 1, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Good morning! Happy Friday! Lots of stuff happening around here in the next 6 days so I am basking in this little time I have this morning to enjoy some coffee, eggs, and chatting with you. 😀

This morning I put up the 12K Challenge over at Team Kickin It. Yes, today is kick off day and I am excited to see where this challenge goes for everyone who signed up for it.

Now in the midst of a half filled suitcase, laundry in the dryer, food on the counter and a “to do” list, I am preparing for back to back retreats over the next 6 days. No, I couldn’t plan this if I tried.

First, many months ago the AIDS Camp that I am on the board for thought it would be fun to do a three-day retreat at the camp. The days were chosen for February 1 -3. Awesome I thought, I have nothing going on. Then, a couple of months ago, the staff I work with thought, wouldn’t it be cool if we did a staff retreat. That sounded cool, we would all go hang out together for a few days at a camp about an hour away. They chose the dates February 4 -6. 😯 Yup. Seriously, I could not make this up.

So….. today I need to be at Camp Benedict by 2:00 pm. I will be home on Sunday early afternoon and then need to be at Trout Lake Camp by noon on Monday. I will be home on Wednesday afternoon.

I am taking my laptop so I should be on-line and checking in and writing posts. Things like this make me a bit buggy… so much going on but I have to break it down to one day at a time or I can overwhelm myself. I am hoping for some reading and relaxation time as well.