Tag: Morning Meanderings

Good morning!  😀 

Friday!  Don’t you just love weekends?  😀  I am sitting here this morning with the back door to the deck open feeling that lovely warm breeze come in and brush across my shoulder.  If I could bottle today and repeat it 365 days a year I would.  This is a day that holds adventures and promises and I can not wait!

Last night, after a lovely dinner with a group of friends, I then went to the movie Hope Springs with Wendy, Heidi, and Susan.  I had two free tickets from hosting the House Party for Hope Springs last week.  It was a cute movie about a couple Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones who have been married for 31 years and Meryl’s character, Kay, wants to put some sort of the spark back into their marriage….. Tommy Lee Jones character, Arnold, feels that their marriage is fine even though he has barely touched her in 5 years and they sleep in separate bedrooms.  Enter Steve Carell as Dr Felt, book writer and marriage therapist, and you have a bitter sweet comedy that at times is honestly sad how far they have drifted apart. 

People watching at the theater was a bonus to the movie, we were pretty close to the youngest ones there and it was fun to watch these older couples reactions to different parts of the movie.  Laughing and jabbing each other in the ribs.  There was also a woman up front who had a boisterous laugh and when something struck her funny – well, we all had to laugh too. 

A fun movie to see with friends, only one scene a little “risky” when Meryl and Tommy are in a move theater, but nothing over the top – the movie is rated PG13. 

It was my first time in our new theater, and I LOVE the changes…. we have finally entered the world of stadium seating and nice comfy chairs that rock.  A real improvement from what we had before where you did not dare sit your purse on the floor next to your chair for fear you would never be able to release it from the gooey substance that would hold it as tight as super glue… subsequently, it was amazing you could walk out of the theater with your shoes intact as they suction cupped to the gooey floor and you “plungered” your way to the safety of the outside. 

Today, I leave for Wisconsin at 2:00 Pm with my friend Amy and Wendy.  We are doing the Muckruckus tomorrow morning for MS.  We are all first time “Muckruckusers”  and I am both excited and apprehensive.  From those who have done this before me that I know, they say it is a LOT OF MUD.  This is not like the Warrior Dash where we get a little mud at the end.  Nope – this is solid mud and if I recall, it is a 10K (holy cats…..) and a lot of obstacles.  So….. another adventure for this small town Brainerd girl. 

I think I will bring Laptop with me today – then I can post in the morning and I have reviews (believe it or not!) for both today and tomorrow!  Slowly I am finding my way back to the mix of books and activity combined. 

As for now… I need to plan what I am going to wear tomorrow.  They suggest pants  because the rocks in the mud hurt your knees.  I may get a bandana but I suspect it will be sucked off my head in the mud, tennis shoes that will never be the same again, and a tank top.  I think… I don’t know.  😀 

Morning all!  Thursday already?  Why oh why is my summer flying by?  The days are full and fast…. before I know it, Friday will be here and I leave for Wisconsin for the Mudruckus with two awesome daring friends.  BUT – more on that tomorrow. 

I slept well last night and while that may not seem like a big deal, it is.  Mater (new dog) is like that having a baby in the house – sometimes at night he cries, and like a new mom – even if he does not cry from his space in the entryway… I listen for it.  This morning I woke up surprised to see it was 6:30 am and I had woke up on my own – without noise or distraction.  Usually I have been getting up between 5 and 5:30 am.

Now with coffee cup – I am eager to share that I just read on Shelf Awareness that Childrens/Middle Grade YA reads have continues to grow in sales all year…. some months in triple digits.  That excites me so much.  The future of books and reading will be in the next generations hands and I am always excited to see kids with books.  YAY to our authors who are writing the books that are keeping these kids engaged and wanting to read.  😀

This morning I have work- I am biking in for the third day this week.  Later I have dinner with friends and then a group of us are going to the movie Hope Springs!  I am excited about a full day and a fun evening. 😀

My reading is still slow since July… so much going on in life and in my weekends but it is good stuff and I know once life slows down again my nose will again be in a book daily. 

I hope your Thursday is wonderful!  Any fun plans for the weekend?

 

 

Good morning everyone!  Once again, I have not been around the blogesphere much due to a busy summer schedule.  This past weekend I was for the 4th year in a row a part of the Camp Benedict Cyclists riding for a camp that is for people, children, and families with AIDS.  This is one of my favorite rides of the year because everyone that does this ride is amazing.

This year the weather was perfect and myself, along with the two girls I ride much of the ride with Sheila and Belinda, decided we would do the Century route which is 100 miles in one day.  I am so glad I did.  This is something I have been wanting to do for the past two years and it was the plan for last years MS ride, the one I was hurt on. 

I don’t want to post too many pics because I am pretty sure this will be my topic for the Saturday snapshots as well.. but here is a sample:

Over the two day ride I biked 173 miles and feel… yeah, a little like a rock star…LOL.

Thats it for now… I still have to get ready for work and yes, my reading is still suffering…. GAH!  😛 

More pics on Saturday of this event. 

 

Good morning a brief check in before I go garage saling…

I was so busy yesterday I was not on line at all after the morning.   After work, I shopped and came home and got ready for my House Party for the upcoming movie Hope Springs. 

What House Party is, is an online site where you can sign up to host parties over new products, games, books, movies, etc…. my friend Angie has done several of them from Craft Macaroni and Cheese (they sent her 16 bags of macaroni!), to coffee creamer.   I signed up and was excited to be offered a host spot for Hope Springs.  At first I was really nervous… I was supposed to invite people to my home to discuss a movie that was not at the theaters yet…. whatever would we do?  What would we talk about?

 

Here is the movie trailer:  (which we all watched together)

 

House Party sent me a box of goodies and then I started to get into it…  they sent 12 of these super cute Hope Springs glasses:

and as you see – these cute IOU coupon books came with, those were for my guests to give to their souses, fun relationship guides, save the date cards to plan a movie night, fun discussion questions and these cute tote bags:

I bought wine and made horduerves… some of my friends brought horduerves too…

We actually had a blast sitting on the deck and enjoying each others company the conversation flowed easy and the questions that were sent along in the party box were fun to discuss.  It was one of those nights where I have known most of these girls for YEARS but I learned something new about them through our fun conversation.  Funny enough, my hubby came home during the conversation as we all sat on the deck talking relationships… he had no idea what we were talking about when we all started laughing. 😀 

There were 8 of us total… I forgot to get a group picture – we had so much fun though and it was a great evening just to hang out with friends.

I will be back later today with a review.  😀

Good morning!  Thursday already!  Did anyone elses week fly by?  I feel like I have run from one thing to the next but it has all been so good!  I am drinking my coffee and hustling through my morning traditions in anticipation of riding my bike to work.  I think… 😀  I do have errands to run after work so that puts a little damper on things but I am seriously considering biking to work 😀

Reading Shelf Awareness this week (if you do not receive this AWESOME daily email you should and you can link up on my right sidebar) and I have seen a couple of book trailers that caught my eye.  Yes… I said book trailers, and yes – I am not a fan of book trailers because I want to develop the story in my head… but… I am warming to a few of them.

First, on Monday – this trailer for the book Cascade really caught my eye… and then my heart.

and then last night I was reading email and seen this trailer hiding at the bottom of yesterdays Shelf Awareness and wow… I am turning into such a James Dashner fan want to be and have not read a thing he has written yet… obviously Maze Runner is in my near future so I can then read this one:

Tonight is my Hope Springs House Party.  I am getting kind of excited…  😀  Hope your Thursday is fab-tastic! 

Are you a book trailer fan… if so, any books call to you by seeing their trailer? 

Good morning!  Wednesday already!  I feel like the week is flying by!  I am not ready…LOL.  Tonight I have a get together at friends and tomorrow I have a get together here.  Have you heard of House Party?  It is a website where  you can sign up to host parties for products, board games, book releases and movies.  I signed up a while back and was chosen to host a party for the upcoming movie, Hope Springs with… Meryl Streep (I am on a Streep fest – but that is another post….)

SO… tomorrow evening I am having friends over to talk about the movie, other Streep movies, and to go through some fun questions that House Party sent me.  They also sent me coupon books for the guests, engraved glasses with the movie title on them, and tote bags.  I am kind of getting excited about this…. still need some appetizer ideas…. (anyone?  anyone?)

(More on that tomorrow)

August first huh?  Wow.  Where did July go?  This morning my email graced me with Amazon’s thoughts on the books of August.  While I am going to post this today… I am thinking I will make up my own some day soon….

			The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			The Dog Stars by Peter Heller Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			Dare Me by Megan Abbott Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			When It Happens to You by Molly Ringwald Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			Winter Journal by Paul Auster Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			The Double Game by Dan Fesperman Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep by David K. Randall Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			We Sinners by Hanna Pylvainen Hardcover  |  Kindle book
			City of Women by David R. Gillham Hardcover  |  Kindle book

 

Hmmm…. out of this group – I have Dare Me and City Of Women waiting for me to read.  I would like to read Molly Ringwalds book as well.  As for the others, I don’t really know much about them.  Any thoughts or advice from you on these books?  Any books you would add to this group as a great August read? 

Oh and one more thing… lat night I posted a Bel Canto read-a-long!  I think it is going to be fun… .care to join me?

Good morning.  I am sitting here with coffee this morning watching Mater (new dog – part beagle/ part basset hound) tear through the house.  Its funny… and like I said, I have coffee so all is well in my little corner of the world.  😀

Yesterday I actually found some time between work and laundry and lawn mowing and reading to visit a few blogs, most were part of the Monday What Are You Reading Meme, but a few were blogs I just love to read and some were random that I seen in my travels.  Point being, when one (errr, I) travel around to blogs….  books, maybe movies, sometimes recipes or ideas, travel back with me….. clinging to my brain.  😀

So while looking around the blogs yesterday here are a couple finds I came back with:

Heather at Based On A True Story just read this one and many things appealed to me about it.  One and probably two… the title… Eat and Run…. I do like to eat and while I do not like to run…. I wish I did.  Scott’s memoir s about his training, how he ate to get the best performance and 3., he is a Minnesotan… and well, Minnesotan’s are just really cool people.  😛

Heather’s entire book list she posted yesterday were books I wanted to read…. dangerous site!

And then…. I stopped in to see how Meg was doing from write meg! and she is cooking.  Yes!  Cooking…. and she is cooking these awesome looking Spanish Green Beans that have me thinking… I could do that! 

Seriously, look at these – this is Meg’s picture and links to her recipe:

I seriously am going to make these this week some time.  I am trying to make healthier eating choices and this has all goodies in it!

My final thought for the day, (well, actually I hope this is not my final thought for the day because work is going to be interesting if I can not think…) I mean – my final thought here on this post that I want to share is that BOOK PAGE listed Gone Girl yesterday as their book of the day and that is super SQQUUUEEE  Worthy if I do say so myself, and yeah, I guess I just did. 

My day today looks like this – I work until 3, then I pick up my bike from the shop.  It is getting new tires, an a few other goodies I am excited about.  Then I hope to go for a bike ride to check it all out because I have a BIG ride this weekend and want my bike to be in fab working order. 

Hope your day is awesome and many great reads come your way! 

On that note, while blog traveling, and books that you decided you must read thanks to someone’s gushing/raving sqquuueeeeing about a book?  (I do love it when that happens!)

Good morning and HAPPY FRIDAY!  I have been up for hours already but you would never know it.  I have walked the dogs and started some laundry, had a little coffee and really what has kept me busy this morning is that I wrote my review post to Gone Girl.  WOW.

That book kept me reading and readers, you know how we all love that.  I carried that book to the kitchen, to the living room, to my car, to work, and last night, even next to the grill (for those who borrow my book, I apologize in advance for the BBQ sauce on the lower corner of the final pages).  I even went up to the attic of the blog and pulled out the Spoiler Button.  I do not get to use it often… but I love it when I do. 😀

The Spoiler Button was something I created a couple of years back that led to a page where I could discuss a book in-depth with those who had also already read that book…. spoilers in that case, are allowed.  If you check out my SPOILER page, you will see all the books I have written Spoiler Pages for and some of the discussions are still going strong because some of these books became movies and that opens it all up again.  😀

 

I leave this afternoon for the cabin with my cousin’s wife and two other friends I ride bike with.  We are taking the bikes to the North Shore and biking tomorrow and I am looking forward to it, but will also miss Mater and the gang here.  I will be back Sunday afternoon.  I have another review to write and will hopefully be able to do that after I run a  few errands this morning and then get back here to pack. 

Any fun weekend plans for you?  I would love to hear about them!