Saturday, December 27, 2014

Reading Challenges


I have signed up for five reading challenges in addition to the 2015 Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I have added the buttons to the sidebar and I will be listing my books there.  Obviously these are going to overlap because I do have to spend time doing other things like eating and sleeping -- well, ok, maybe not so much eating.

The Cloak and Dagger Challenge will find me beginning with 5 books -- the Inpector Lestrade level.  Considering that I am really enjoying mysteries these days (something I never thought I would ) I think this should be do-able.


Cruisin Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge is going to be fun.  I am deeply entrenched in two cozy mystery series and plan to continue with each of those.  I am starting with Level 1--Snoop -- goal is 6 books.  I don't think this will be a problem!

I think this will work nicely with the next challenge --





This series I am going to use to finish the Elm Creek series as well as the Aunt Dimity series and the Agatha Raisin series.  Sounds like a lofty goal and I might not make it but who knows -- if we actually get snow and ice I won't have anything else to do.  The only problem with this is, I am really enjoying these series and I don't want to rush them because I have separation anxiety issues when I finish a book I really enjoy!


The next challenge is the Newbery Reading Challenge.  When I was in elementary school, we received a reading list each year from which we were to choose books and write book reports.  Many of these books were Newbery or Caldecott winners.  I loved most of them and I have some of them in my personal library.  Obviously some of these will be re-reads but I think that is ok.  I don't think there is a limit on how many books we can read however there is a point system for the number of books you read. I am going to begin with the L'Engle level which is 15-29 points and I will see how it goes. I am going to try to find copies of some of the early Newbery winners -- however, actually acquiring them is a bit cost prohibitive if you try to find those from the 1920's!





I also signed up for the I Love Picture Books 2015 Challenge hosted by Gina at The Book Dragon's Lair.  I routinely read to a four year old.  This is a no brainer.  Easy peasy.  Plus, I love picture books.



All of the book on these challenges will be included in my 2015 Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I haven't put up a button, though, because there doesn't seem to be one yet.  I will probably leave my goal at 20 books for that challenge as that seems to be a do-able number for me.

So, that is my reading goal for this year.  It sounds overwhelming but I think it will be ok.  I am doing a lot of reading on my Nook glo-light and I find that I read faster when I use it.  I have read that people who use e-readers don't retain the information as well but I don't find that to be true -- I have gotten a lot less resistant to using an e-reader as heavy books really hurt my hands to hold.  Plus, there is just something about that instant gratification of being able to push a button and voila! there is the book you just couldn't wait to read.

So, happy reading for 2015!




Getting Ready for the New Year


It seems that 2014 is going to go out with a crunch ---  possibly that of ice underfoot.  We have had reasonably nice weather for the Christmas holiday, so far.  It has been gloomy enough to look like winter yet mild enough to go without coats.  However, it appears that may be coming to an end.  We watch one specific weather report every night and I have absolutely no faith in one of the forecasters.  However, the head meteorologist is usually pretty good and when he says, several days out, that ice is a possiblity, even a small one, I tend to listen and make sure I have certain necessities in the house.  So, after the events of this weekend, I will be heading out to make sure I have those necessities -- bathroom tissue, milk and chili.  Everything a person needs for the duration.

I will also be spending some time re-doing my blog.  I have signed up for several reading challenges for the upcoming year.  Yes, I know, I said I wasn't going to do that but they ARE fun and they do keep me reading and they do give me goals throughout the year.  I am finding that as I get older, if I don't have a goal things just tend to not get done.  I am not particularly bothered by that -- I have spent a good many years "getting things done" so if something slides I don't get my knickers in a twist about it.  However, there is something fulfilling about ticking things off a list.

I might actually create a monthly cross stitch challenge for myself.  I do like to cross stitch and it is coming easier for me these days than quilting.  For instance, I have quilted myself into a very sore and swollen wrist right now and that was doing it on a machine! Sometimes I think machine quilting is much harder than hand quilting but I digress.  In any event, I might be putting something up about a personal cross stitch challenge.

I need to re-do the side bar of the blog to reflect my reading progress in all of these challenges.  If it is there, in front of me, I will remember it and pay attention.  If I jot it down in some obscure place, like a little notebook, it will be lost forever and sometime down the road, when I do remember it, I will be playing catch up and that just never works well. 

I think I will leave the 2014 Reading Challenge list up there at least until New Year's Eve.  I might leave it period.  That way I can see clearly what I have already read without having to go to Goodreads and look it up.  Goodreads and I don't seem to play nice.

So, that is my goal for the blog this year.  I think I will keep the same design because I really like sharing my own photos and I like changing the colors around.  I have one of those little flag holders outside my house and I like to change the flag each month to celebrate something special for that month -- every month has something special.  That is sort of how I view my blog header -- changing it up every month.  Who knows, maybe that is where I will display the ongoing cross stitch challenge.  We will see.

Well, time to go work on the baby quilt.  I will post photos when I am done.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Update

 Ok, so we visited our cardiologist yesterday to get the lay of the land for the Hubs.  Seems there is an issue with one of the grafts from ...