I Thought I Was Getting Lucky and then....

Yep, the cedar got me.  At least I think it is cedar fever and not the flu but I feel rotten.

Pollen off cedar bush outside San Antonio

It is a miserable time of the year for me and especially this year as I have been babysitting and the child has been sick since Tuesday with SOMETHING -- they are treating it like the flu even though her rapid flu test came back negative.  However, I don't feel fluish -- I feel allegy-ish -- itchy throat, eyes, coughing my head off but I was spiking a low grade fever last night so I don't know.  However, I am really tired of coughing now and nothing seems to help. So, I will probably be off to see the little dr. man tomorrow but, in the meantime, I am probably going to have to miss my grandson's 7th birthday party.  However, I would rather miss it than be in a roomful of kids and pick up who knows what from them.  I am not sure what shape my immune system is in after chemo treatments so I am trying to be sensible.   I have felt so good and had so much energy that I don't want to put myself in harms way.  There was a time when I wouldn't think of myself first but that only got me into trouble so now I have to put myself first. It isn't easy but for now that is what I have to do.

So, I am going to start some bread in a bit, if I can quit coughing long enough to do it and that will probably be it for the day.  Ugh -- don't like this -- no, not at all!

Booking Through Thursday


If there was one book you could make sure nobody ever read again … what would it be? And why?

It would be "Bramwell Valley" by John Harold McCoy.  It was the first book I read on my Nook -- I got it free and it is a good thing because it was just plain awful.  I don't usually say that about books but with this one, I just can't help it.

Sorry Mr. McCoy.

Granola

 I cook.  I haven't always enjoyed it and still don't enjoy a lot of cooking but I have a few things I do like to do.  Granola is one of them.

Six cups of regular rolled oats

2 tsp, cinnamon and vanilla, 1 tsp salt, diced walnuts to taste

2/3 cups local honey, 1/4 cups neutral oil

1 cup currants -- more or less to taste or you can use raisins

All mixed up and spread on cookie sheet to cook

Ok, you mix everything together except the currants (or raisins), spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for.....well, that is a tricky question.  I have tried timing it but it messes up on a regular basis so my advice would be to WATCH it.  It burns easily because of the honey so just watch it until you get it browned to your satisfaction.

After it cools add the currants or raisins and stir.  

Sometimes, when I can find it, I add a cup or two of shredded, unsweetened coconut before I bake it.  It adds a little texture but, being unsweetened, it doesn't make it overly sweet.

I store it in a glass jar and there you have it.

Busy work, busy work ----


The weather here in North Texas has been very Texas-like lately.  We have had several days of really gorgeous, springlike weather but as is usual in Texas, it changes quickly and so do our activities.  We have been getting out and about a lot during the good days which has been great but we have also been staying in a lot which requires having something to do so you just don't succumb to cabin fever.  I have been doing a lot of these.

They are very addicting and satisfies my need to do handwork and I can watch tv and not have to concentrate on it too much.  I am not sure what i am going to do with them when I am done but I will figure it out.  Since I am interested in making placemats and napkins lately, I might use some of them for that.  This is just a small sampling of what I have to work with -- trust me -- there are MANY!

I have also been doing some reading for my 2014 Goodreads Challenge.  Right now I am reading "French Women Don't Get Facelifts" by Mireille Guiliano.  I have just started it but it seems to embrace the same ideals of aging that I possess myself.  Trying to do it gracefully but perhaps this book will give me some pointers.

I am also reading "The Big House"  by George Howe Colt.  It is the story of the summer house owned by his family and a vanishing way of life.  I just started it but it is very good, so far, and takes me to a part of the country -- New England -- that I have never been to but always wanted to go to and gives a glimpse into the lives of people who spend their summers in houses in places they don't live -- an event less common today, I would suspect.

I have also been baking lots of bread.  I don't care for commercially made bread.  I don't know why, it is what I was raised on, but it just doesn't taste good to me anymore.  So, I have been baking bread and doing it the old fashioned way -- not in a bread machine -- because I prefer the form.  The bread machine bread doesn't make nice sandwiches and it also dries out much quicker. 

Venturing farther into the cooking realm, I have also been making my own granola.  Not rocket science, I know, but it is really good and the more I eat of this homemade food, the less I like the commercial, processed varieties.  I haven't calculated cost because that isn't really my emphasis in  making things myself, but I would imagine that it makes the products more expensive but at least we aren't throwing half the food away which is another calculated expense.  So, I have now taken to making my own breakfast cereal, my own bread, my own cookies and I discovered a lovely little cake in my very first Betty Crocker cookbook which was given to me as a wedding present.  It is called "Dinette Cake" and is made in a 9 inch cake pan.  It comes up in a nice layer and frosted it makes a great little dessert for us with only six portions (or eight if you cut it that way) which means a lot less for us to eat since neither one of us need it at all.

So, that is what I have been doing.  Sounds boring but it has been a lot of fun and I have been having a great time exploring new ways of doing things.

2014 Goodreads Challenge


I finished the second book for my 2014 Goodreads Challenge -- The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado.

I had seen the book in B&N many times and saw the ads for the movie but never picked the book up nor did I see the movie at Christmas.  I wanted to but time just never allowed.

I was reading a post at Brandon's Notepad and his review of the book and the movie made me want to read it right away.  So, while still reading the post, I  downloaded the book and started reading immediately.  It is a short read but it is very good, very satisfying.  Although it is a bit predictable, that didn't take away from its charm or its message.  It takes place in a small English village with a cast of colorful characters welcoming a new minister following the death of the rector that had always been there.  The young man is pleasant enough and catches the eye of the local young women but he has a hard and bitter heart .  The townsfolk are perplexed that he refused to believe in the legend of the candle -- a time honored belief of the people that really brings hope to them.  However, as the Christmas season progresses, the young rector has a change of heart and, at the end ..... well, maybe you should read it for yourself.

There are things about the book that are a bit vague such as what denomination does the young minister belong to.  I believe him to be Church of England.  The reason I say this is the term "rector".  In Methodist churches the ministers are called Brother (at least ours was when I was growing up) and in Lutheran Churches they are called Pastor.  Also, because this is set in England I think it is a safe assumption to make.  There is not a lot said about the village itself but you can picture a small, English village with a bridge going across a small creek or river at the edge of town.  You know it is small because of the population and their interaction with each other.  There is enough said, however, so that you can form a mental picture.  The author adequately makes you feel the cold of the winter and the warmth of the indoors as well as the light of the candle and the presence of the angel.

And then there is the sub-story of Abigail. 

This is a good little read -- a lot packed into a small book.  I don't generally re-read books but I think I will re-read this one around Christmas next year and I can't wait for the movie to come out next month.

I recommend.

Old School or Just Old


I am finally beginning to feel old.  Not old in that decrepit, old crone way -- just old enough to start comparing life today with the life of my youth.  It has come to my attention lately that, without much thought given to it, I have reverted back to doing things the way I used to when I was a young bride (no, we didn't have a pet dinosaur) or even back to the way my mother did things.

I noticed this the other day when I told my husband that if he wants to do any changing of things in the kitchen, he could do away with the microwave and have a double oven put in.  I find the microwave to be the most useless appliance around.  However, I could use two ovens.  I had two ovens in my old house and loved them but I barely had room for a microwave. 

I no longer have an electric can opener, haven't for years, nor do I have an electric skillet.  I cook on the stove and in the oven -- I have even taken to making toast in the oven like my mother used to -- you can make much more at a time.  When the pop-up kicks it, I am not sure I will replace it.

I don't care for commercial bread.  I just don't like the taste of it and Hubs rarely eats it when I buy it so we toss copious amounts of the stuff in the trash.  I don't even feed it to the birds because I am afraid they would just keel over from ingesting it.  So, I make bread, in a bread machine.  A noisy, big, clunky bread machine that is hard to store.  So, I was reading some blogs the other day and realized that making the bread like I used to when my children were little (I was a real Earth Mother back then) was just as easy and not nearly so noisy.  So, I sat about doing just that and it was wonderful.  The bread lasted longer than the bread machine bread and it looked normal.  So, this morning I quickly mixed up another batch and am enjoying the smell of the rising bread as I type this. 

I also have a real dislike of emptying the dishwasher.  So, I have taken to washing the dishes by hand.  There are only two of us so how long does it take to wash a couple of bowls in the morning?  It seems like I get jobs finished completely when doing things "old school" rather than with all the labor saving appliances we have now. 

I sweep the floors with a broom and use an old fashioned dust mop that I bought online -- I only vacuum occasionally.  I dust with a lambswool duster -- I don't use swiffers or anything of that manner.  My husband prefers to dust with the vacuum cleaner but I find that to be exhausting -- too much arm work.

I have discussed here in the past that I tend to line dry more of my clothes than I tumble dry.  I just prefer not to be a slave to the dryer.

I have tried all sorts of exercise equipment over the years to get myself in better shape but they have all been an epic fail.  Our latest acquisition of about seven years ago is a Tony Little Gazelle.  The concept is great -- low impact on knees that are aging quicker than the rest of me.  Uh, not so much.  It completely wrecks my knees and back so I decided that walking, on my feet, on the ground is the best exercise with a few pilates thrown in.  Pilates is fantastic -- did it in college in a dance class I took and it completely changed my body.  I finished the semester, quit doing the pilates and the old body snapped back just like a rubber band.  Note to self - don't quit doing the pilates.  Anyway, I digress.  So, I decided that a fitbit would be a great thing to have -- linked right up to the computer to download your activity through the day.  Again -- not so much.  It wouldn't sync to my computer since we don't use windows and back to the store it went. 

What I ended up with is this

and this

oh, and a pencil but I didn't think I needed to show you that.  So, I am counting my steps with the pedometer and writing down the information daily.  It is working just fine.  I am keeping track of my water intake, my steps, my calories expended, etc and it doesn't involve a computer.  I was surprised that yesterday I walked almost 9000 steps, about 2.63 miles -- just in my house doing my daily chores.  So....

So, anyway, am I just getting old or could it be possible that doing things "old school" is really easier?  I am thinking it is. 

 Musing Mondays -- January 13, 2014

 
 

Question: Are “best” and “favorite” the same thing? If someone asked you “What’s the best book you ever read?” would the answer be the same as for “What’s your favorite?” {source}



I would assume that by "best" you mean the best written technically and "favorite" is the one you like the most regardless of the quality of writing.  I think these terms are probably more interchangeable in younger readers than adults.  A child can read a book (do they even still do that?) and declare it to be the best book ever but an adult will be more discerning. 

How would I answer that question?  I have no idea.  I don't know that I can answer because I don't know that  I have a favorite book although I have many that stand out in my mind.  As far as "best", unless the writing is just completely horrendous (like you can't understand what is being said because of lousy syntax) I tend to not be particularly critical if I am "into" the story.  However, if the writing is really awful, there is no way I can get into the story if I have to work too hard at figuring out what is trying to be said. 

My Book Beginnings on Friday today is from "The Christmas Candle" by Max Lucado.

"Light exploded in the small house, making midnight seem as daylight.  The bearded candle and his wife popped up in bed.  Wh-wh-what is it?  she said, trembling."

These are the first two lines in the prologue.  Unfortunately these aren't the most  compelling lines but trust me, it gets really good quickly.  Hope to finish it this weekend.

Friday Finds is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.  The premise of this exercise is to post about books you found this week to add to your TBR list.


I was reading a blog that I frequent, Brandon's Notepad, and the author was writing about "The Christmas Candle" by Max Lucado.  I decided, on the strength of the blog post, to read the book so I downloaded the book to my nook immediately and began reading it.  It isn't a long book so I am sure it won't take long to read it and I am already hooked.

While doing some genealogy research recently I happened across a library card catalog card on Ancestry.com that made reference to a book in which one of my ancestors was mentioned.  It is actually a compilation of books of papers involving the Indians in Texas.  The title of the collection of books is "The Indian Papers of Texas and the Southeast".  I did a little research and found these books available on Amazon for the tidy sum of about $85.  I am still thinking if I want to purchase these books or see if the library has them but, at any rate, I would like to read them and they are on my TBR list.

Fitbit -- Not

Ok, I caved and bought a fitbit.  However, and I should have known, it won't work with our computer operating system.  No way.  Doesn't work.  So...back it goes to the store and I guess I will just try a regular pedometer.  Not as much fun, for sure.  Blah.

2014 Goodreads Reading Challenge -- 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper

Yesterday I finished my first book in the 2014 Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I started the challenge by continuing to read down my Nook queue and this was the next in line.  There are so many books and so little time that I have to figure out a way to get all the reading done in some orderly manner -- gone are my days of just reading for fun -- I now have to have a plan.

So, I have to say that I picked a very painful book to read.  It is an account of a man, Don Piper, being involved in an horrific auto accident, his death and trip to Heaven and his return to tell the tale.  I have to say that I was a bit disappointed because the time spent on his account of Heaven.  There wasn't much there but I don't really know what I expected -- I just expected more.

The account of the accident was graphic and painful.  The account of his recovering was long and grueling and he was honest about his depression.  Toward the end he did discuss how the accident had affected his faith and how he realized that he was allowed to live so that he could use his experience as a ministry.  However, the whole book has a depressed tone to it.

Would I recommend the book?  I don't know.  I read it, I didn't find it boring but I didn't find it uplifting either.  It was simply painful, beginning to end.  

To Fitbit or Not to Fitbit


A huge part of a successful marriage is patience.  My husband had to test his patience first thing this morning.  Now, I go to bed early and get up early -- generally earlier than him -- so I have lots of time for my brain to work before I see him.  I can formulate honey-do lists, grocery lists, places to go lists -- in multiples -- before his feet ever hit the floor.  I am raring to go and he only has one eye open. 

Today was the ultimate test.

I handed him a math word problem.  I completely expected him to break into the Tammy Wynette song "D-I-V-O-R-C-E". However, being the gentleman that he is he simply begged ignorance -- like he didn't quite get what I was asking. 

Well, what I was asking was -- how long (in time) do I have to walk a predetermined path to total 10,000 steps.  I got THE look -- the blank look so I sat about doing the math myself.  My path is 100 steps.  Clearly I would have to walk it 100 times.  I timed myself with my trusty Timex and it takes a second or two over 1 minute to walk it so......drumroll....I would have to walk it  1 hour and 40 minutes.  Yes, I know that is simple arithmetic but in all fairness to me, I adjusted the path.  My original path was a bit longer and wasn't as easy to calculate so here I am.

So, here is the next consideration.  In the last six months I have had major surgery and I have arthritis but I need to exercise.  My exercise of choice is walking.  No, I don't have room for a treadmill and while walking outside would be preferable it is too cold or too many allergens or too hot -- most of the time. We have a Tony Little Gazelle

 but it just kills my back.  After I got the go ahead from my doctor to exercise I climbed on it, walked for 30 minutes and felt great.  Repeated the next day I sent my back into all sort of discomfort -- not to mention my hip which hurt all the way through me.  So, I rested.  I did the same thing, half the time, night before last and the back was zinging me again so I have now given up on the Gazelle. I don't have any problem walking through my house, however, and the way the floor plan is laid out  I have almost a track like path to walk so that will be my exercise of choice.

Now, after all the math is done and the decision to wear out my floors has been made, I have to decide whether to do it the frugal way by just timing or do I buy some sort of a tracker to wear to track my steps for me.  I have been looking at these

but other than the pink color catching my eye and noting the price differences, I have no clue which one would be the best.  I think I can link it to myfitnesspal on my Nook so that would be good if I were wanting to count calories which I don't really want to do particularly but it would be a good feature. 

My thought process is that by using a tracker of some sort I could track all my steps throughout the day, not just the 100 laps around the house and maybe I wouldn't have to walk all 100.  Of course, I don't expect to make that goal immediately, maybe never, but it is just that -- a goal -- and any activity toward that goal is a plus.

So, any thoughts?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  What a great start to a new year, a new week, and a new book.

This morning I downloaded a copy of "The Christmas Candle" by Max Lucado. I had seen the book many times on the shelves at my neighborhood Barnes and Noble but failed to pick up a copy. I had seen the ads for the movie that I still want to see even though we have moved past the Christmas season but apparently we are not movie goers anymore.  So the whole "Christmas Candle" experience escaped me until I read a review on a blog I frequently read.

The review, which can be found at Brandon's Notepad, discusses the book and the movie.  The author of the blog entry does an in depth analysis of the religious aspects of the both the book and the movie as well as some comparison/contrast of both.

I found the review to be well thought out and compelling -- enough to make me stop reading and download the book which I began immediately.  I will refer back to the blog as I read the book to think through the points made by the blog author.

As I generally like to read "the book" before I see "the movie" I am glad I bought the book in plenty of time to get it read before the movie is released in February.  I am sure I will enjoy both and hope that "The Christmas Candle" will become one of my yearly Christmas favorites.

Even though I just started the book, it has me hook, line and sinker.  As one reviewer, John C. Maxwell, said "Fans of Charles Dickens and Jan Karon's Mitford series, you're in for a treat!Max Lucado has penned a wholly original Christmas story complete with cbblestone streets, quirky characters and a supernatural visit that you'll never forget."  Well, that cinches it for me -- I am in and I am sure I won't be able to put it down.

So, if you have read the book or seen the movie or if you like to read religious analysis, visit Brandon's Notepad.  Perhaps his blog will encourage you to read the book again or, as in my case, the first time.  I will review when I have completed the book.

One Little Word -- 2014


Faith


Enough said.

Musing Mondays

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, Musing Mondays asked several questions and you are asked to answer only one.

Today I will be talking about a new reading habit of mine -- reading in bed before I go to sleep.  My husband bought me my fifth Nook for Christmas.  Excess?  Absolutely!  NOT MY FAULT!  They need to quit coming out with new models.  However, I have been passing my other models on to family members so that is good.  Anyway, my latest acquisition is the new Nook Glowlight.  It is significantly lighter in weight than my Nook Simple Touch but more importantly, it has a light which makes it easy to read in bed and not disturb the Hubs. 

So, because I have the light now, I can read a bit in bed without the light disturbing the Hubs.  I don't read long because it absolutely puts me to sleep but it is such a nice way to end the day.  I don't watch the news much because that is just disturbing before you try to get a good nights sleep but reading is  a much gentler way to nod off.  I haven't always read in bed because of the lighting issue but now I can and I am enjoying that five to ten minutes before I drift off.  Fortunately I conk out before the urge to stay up all night reading strikes.

Anyway, this is my new reading habit and it is a nice one for sure!

Downton Abbey


Hubs and I don't watch a lot of television.  It may be "on" but that doesn't mean we are watching it.  My father was a television news announcer when I was a child and the television was always on with him keeping up with the news of the day so he had some idea of what he would be reporting on at 10 p.m.  After he left news reporting he worked as a cartoonist and, because he had always worked at night, he continued to work at night so there was always noise, either the television or the radio.  So, I became very accustomed to the constant noise factor and I still find myself comforted by it. 

We do watch a few things on a regular basis, however.  We watch my soap opera "Days of Our Lives" every evening -- we DVR.  Then, we watch "Elementary", "Revenge" and "Parenthood".  A year or so ago we got rid of all our "premium" cable channels, bought a Roku and subscribed to Acorn and Hulu Plus.  A great deal of our television viewing is done via this device as we love all the British mysteries on Acorn.  We are working our way through the Hercule Poirot mysteries now, having finished the George Gently mysteries, which I absolutely loved. 

However, there is nothing like Masterpiece Theater on PBS which usually has such wonderful offerings.  We have all been looking forward to season 4 of "Downtown Abbey" which began airing last night and we weren't disappointed!  A two hour episode of this series to start us out was pure delight  I love the setting and scenery as well as the costuming.  The characters are wonderful -- glad to see O'Brien go -- she was so devious.  And what about that dreadful Nanny?  It is so much fun to see the personalities of the staff as well as the "upstairs" family and to see them interact so personally.  I remember watching "Upstairs, Downstairs" and while both sides of the house were represented in the story, I don't remember there being such interpersonal relationships between the staff and the family. 

It was a wonderful evening for television viewing and I heard recently that they have already started filming season 5!  I hope this series is around for a long time!

Dont' Have Time--

For a blog! It is time for Downton Abbey!  Love, love, love!

Shopping Spree!!!

I have always had an interest in quilting but I prefer hand quilting to machine quilting even though it is hard on my hands.  I don't really care for machine piecing because I am not really very good at it but hand piecing is so -- well, slow.  So, I have been exploring English Paper Piecing and absolutely love it. I started with EPP a while back and abandoned it -- don't know why -- but have picked it up again.  It is something mindless to do while watching tv and it doesn't make a huge mess. 

I am also going to go back to foundation piecing because I like the accuracy of it.  I have made a few blocks with the paper foundations and find it a lot of fun, once I figure I have things going correctly.

However, after browsing through several blogs I realized I needed some new stuff to do either of these techniques. No, I don't really need new stuff but what a great opportunity to go do a little shopping.  I haven't set foot in a quilt store in quite a while so it was good fun.

This is what I came home with.

1.  Add-a-quarter ruler to make my trims better on my foundation piecing. 

2.  Two packages of templates for my English Paper Piecing

3.  Sewline glue stick to eliminate basting on the EPP.  I have tried it but not
      sure how I like it yet.

4.  Refill cartridges for the glue stick.

5.  Clover applique pins.  TINY! but oh-so-cute.

I guess all this means I need to get myself in gear and start getting busy!

Book Beginnings on Friday

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader.  The premise is to share the first sentence or two of what you are currently reading.

I am beginning this book as I share this line with you so here goes:


"Liverpool was a desperate place on October 9, 1940, when Julia Stanley Lennon gave birth tp her first and only son, at the Oxford Maternity Home."

Yes, this is a biography of John Lennon written by Tim Riley.  My first impression of this book came when I saw the cover in the store -- a somber John Lennon looking through rose colored glasses.  I never thought of John Lennon as anything but a realist and a bit cynical so the idea of him looking at life through pink tinted shades just doesn't mesh with my impression of him.  I look forward to seeing if perhaps he was a bit more idealistic and optimistic as a youngster than he was as an adult.

From the descriptive language of the first sentence I expect this book to be written in a realistic manner, sometimes harsh, but never sugar coated.  That remains to be seen.  I will review when I am done.  Loads of photos in this book -- I am sure I will enjoy that!

Booking Through Thursday -- January 2, 2014


Looky, looky - I got the date right!

I digress.

Today's question for Booking Through Thursday is "What Were Your Favorite Books Last Year".

This is easy -- the books I read by Dorothea Benton Frank.  I was looking for an audio book to read on my daily commute and decided on "Folly Beach" because I recognized the cover and it was affordable at my neighborhood Half Price Books.  The first five minutes into the book and I was hooked.  It helped that it was narrated by a fantastic speaker in the form of Robin Miles.  This led me into a love for the Frank books and a love for audio books.

I went on to read "Pawley's Island", "Sullivan's Island", "Return to Sullivan's Island" and "Porch Lights".  I am pretty sure I am not done with Dorothea Benton Frank yet -- will let you know.

Deja Vu All Over Again and Let the New Year's Reading Begin


Meet H and C.  They are "best friends".  Their mothers, B and C, were best friends at the same age.  C looks just like her mother and H looks just like hers so, for me, it is like deja vu all over again! They were at my house yesterday afternoon visiting and they were so much fun to watch.  This was the best moment!

H (on the left) and C -- New Year's Eve 2014

New Year's Eve was spent at home.  We enjoyed a chuck roast I had put in the crock pot almost twenty four hours earlier and I can't tell you how good it tasted.  I had roasted veggies and scalloped potatoes with it.  After dinner we settled down to a bowl game -- Texas A&M vs Duke University.  I only watched with one eye because I had already started on my 2014 Reading Challenge.

I am drawing my books from four sources -- The Elm Creek Series, The Aunt Dimity Series, my Nook queue and the Nancy Drew series.  I also have a couple of biographies to enjoy as well.  The first book I am starting with is one from my Nook -- I am just starting with the first in the alphabetical library list.  However, with that said, I am dismissing any that may have sounded like a good idea when I acquired them but no longer hold any interest for me.  I have no plan to spend my time reading books I am not interested in just because I have them.

The book is "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper.  It is a short book, less than 200 pages and it is packed with a painful account of how Mr. Piper was in a horrific automobile accident, sustained horrific injuries, died for 90 minutes and came back to tell the tale.  I don't know why I am chosing to read a book with so much pain involved but I can't put it down.  Do I believe that he actually saw heaven?  I don't know yet but his story sounds an awful lot like the one my brother in law has retold when he had a heart attack a year ago.  So, I will continue and review when I am done.

I am not good at reading more than one book at a time but I think I am going to jump into the John Lennon biography.

I never had a favorite Beatle but I now I think that John Lennon is the most interesting.  Of course, I still believe in the Paul Is Dead Conspiracy so what do I know?

I did buy a new book for my personal library.  I have read quite a few Dorothea Benton Frank books and have decided to add them to my own bookshelves.  So, when I visited Half Price Books a couple of days ago I picked up a brand new copy of "Folly Beach" for only $5.98.  I listened to this book on audio book for my 2013 challenge but I might just have to read the actual book.

So, that is the beginning of my new year.  Relaxing day reading and stitching today, dinner with daughter tonight and getting on with the rest of my life tomorrow.

Have a good one!