204 Rosewood Lane

I just finished 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber.  It is the second in the Cedar Cove series.

I seem to gravitate toward books in series and I am not sure why.  Perhaps it is because if it is a good book I hate to see it end so if there is a "next" book -- it doesn't really end. 

This was a good follow up to the first book -- 16 Lighthouse Road -- and it leaves enough dangling questions to lead right into the next book which is what I plan to do in just a little while. 

The first book introduces and explores Olivia Lockhart, the real main character of the series.  This second book is focused on her friend Grace Sherman.  Grace is going through a rough time after her husband left for no apparent reason and try as she might, she couldn't find him.  There is another mystery involving an unknown person who shows up at the local bed and breakfast and passes on while he is there.  His identity is a mystery yet to be solved.  I am hoping to learn more about him in the third book.

So, if you like series books I would recommend.  I did watch the mini-series on tv and the books follow closely so if you want to get a feel for the books, watch the show.  It is all really quite good

Yesterday

Yesterday we lost my mother in law of 45 years.  She was 96 years old and had been blessed with a long, healthy life, a large family and many opportunities.  It is sad but at the same time a life to be celebrated with joy.  It was a peaceful passing and she had the opportunity to see all of her sons and have her daughter speak to her on the phone from Cleveland.  There was time for everybody to say what they needed to say, visit with grandchildren and great-grandchildren and for everybody to process what was happening. 

It was a beautiful day yesterday -- the temps were mild and the sun was shining.  There was no better day for her to continue her journey into the next life where I am sure she was met by her husband and all her siblings.  I am sure there was a joyful noise in Heaven.

Godspeed, Granny

Brief Post

I haven't been here since Thursday but things have gotten chaotic around here.  My MIL went to the emergency room on Friday, was admitted to the ICU on Saturday and was moved to a hospice unit at another hospital this afternoon. 

We have had two episodes that we thought she was passing on but she rallied and is still with us.  She is terminal, there is no hope of recovery but the little lady just keeps on keeping on.  She is strong and determined. 

I will return when it is appropriate.

First Thursday of the New Year

Today is January 4, 2018 and it is the first Thursday of the new year.  What does that mean?  Absolutely nothing.

It fell below freezing last night but is supposed to be close to 50 today which I am very happy for.  I don't mind it being a bit cold, it is winter, after all, but days and days of frigid weather with cloudy skies are just not my idea of a good time.  Growing up in the southern part of the state it was rare we had long stretches of really cold weather so I am not used to it at all.  Even though I have lived up north (Texas) for almost 28 years, I just don't think I will ever acclimate -- the winters are cold and the summers are really hot and there is no gulf breeze like in the south.  I just have to muddle through and wait for October -- my favorite month of the year.

I am still unpacking boxes and I finally found my Kindle charger.  I knew I just threw it in a box but I couldn't remember which one but it didn't take long to find it.  It is a good thing, too, because the device was about to die and I am in the middle of a pretty good book.

I don't know what today holds but I am feeling better so that is good.  I don't have to grocery shop so that is even better.  We might go look for some fireplace logs for our fireplace.  It will burn wood or do gas and I prefer gas logs.  So, that is going to be our Christmas present to each other.  We need it in this weather.

I hope you all have a wonderful first Thursday of the new year.  Try to stay warm!

Good Morning, Frigid Fort Worth!

It is very cold here -- 23 right now at 9 a.m. The high is supposed to be 30.  I will be glad when tomorrow gets here and it will be in the 40's.

I am not a cold weather person.

Back in 1985, in San Antonio, we had 15 inches of snow which completely paralyzed the city.  San Antonio didn't own snow plows.  We were stuck.  These photos came from the internet and aren't my own although I have some but they are packed away.

It was fun for about the first day and then it ceased being fun as I had to rescue my 65 lb. basset hound when she sank in the snow in the back yard.  We watched my elderly neighbor try to shovel snow off his flat carport roof and ended up helping him so he wouldn't have a heart attack.  Being closed up for days with bored kids wasn't fun either not to mention running out of snacks. 

So, I don't look kindly on the fluffy white stuff, the below freezing temps or ice glazing over my driveway and street.  That is all I have to say about it.

I started a new book last night.  It is the second in the Cedar Cove Series by Debbie Macomber -- 204 Rosewood Lane.  I watched the mini-series on tv and enjoyed it so I thought I would delve into the book series and have read the first one.  It is pretty good, lots of characters to keep straight, some spice, some anger, some comedy.  It has held my interest and I read about a quarter of the book in a couple of hours so there you go.

Still trying to shake this bug -- my head is still messed up and still coughing but hopefully it is on its way out the door -- it has really overstayed its welcome!  I am continuing to unpack boxes -- they seem to never end -- and hopefully toward the end of the week we will be back at the old house getting more things packed up.  It is amazing how much stuff there is and how much needs to go someplace else.  Fortunately, though, after the last move, I have been careful about accumulating too much stuff and so it isn't unreasonable, we just got sidelined with all sorts of stuff going on.

So, guess it is time to get the day started.  Have a good one!

Happy New Year!

Yes, 2018 has arrived!  Hubs and I rang it in while binge watching Jurassic Park movies.  I would have preferred to watch something else but was too lazy to change the channel.  It's ok -- kept us awake to enjoy the New Year and listen to the thumpy, bumping of the fireworks outside which we didn't bother to get up and look at.  We were really having a lazy day yesterday!

I had started a new read a couple of days ago and had thought I could finish to add to my Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge but I didn't quite get done.  I did finish it up this morning and thought I would share a review.

The book was Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate.

 It was another in the Agatha Raisin series and was pretty much like all the others but I do enjoy these little books even if they are very formulaic.  I might even start another if I can find it on Overdrive for my Kindle.

I am really enjoying the library feature on my Kindle.  I love checking out books on it -- it makes me feel so resourceful!  I have a lot of books, too many actually, and I do like the idea of free instant gratification! 

The new year has started off quietly for us.  We had ice yesterday and we stayed in since we are still marginally under the weather.  It was a gloomy day as the last few have been.  Today, however, the sun is shining and we are inching closer to a warm up later in the week.  I am ready.  I know, that sounds wimpy, but I  a South Texan -- living in North Texas -- and cold weather is just not in my realm of understanding. 

The weather in South Texas is quiet different than North Texas but they have had snow twice down there in the last couple of weeks and I know how people react -- it isn't pretty.  Not much better up here either.  We just aren't built for it.  So, I will be glad to see it go. 

We have had to put off Bean's First Communion twice.  She was supposed to take it on Christmas Eve which would have been a lovely thing.  We all had the flu.  Then she was supposed to take it yesterday, New Year's Eve, but we had ice that closed the highways down and her godmother has strep throat.  So, we are now looking at next Sunday -- her godfather will be serving so he will get to serve her which will be really nice.  Hopefully we are all back together again and the weather is supposed to be good-- in the 60's and I can certain do the 60's.  She has a lovely dress and I will share photos of the event.

So, the first day of the new year has been quiet -- soup for lunch, doing a bit of unpacking and settling in.  All of that has been put off because of the dread, evil disease we have been messing with.  Hopefully I can get more done today and the stack of boxes can dwindle a little more. 

Do you make resolutions?  I do not.  I just like to think that the thing to do is make the most of each day and what it has to offer.  Here is wishing all of you a very Happy New Year full of blessing!

Creeping Up On NYE

I can't believe the Christmas holiday is almost over and we missed almost all of it.  I am feeling some better now but not going to push it.

Tomorrow is NYE and we are supposed to have Bean's First Communion which we had to cancel from Christmas Eve because everybody was sick.  Everybody is better now but we can have ice.  What a thrilling break.

As I said, I am feeling improved but still not wanting to overdo -- I know, that sounds lazy -- so I decided to start a new book even though it is highly unlikely I will finish before tomorrow night to add it to my 2017 Goodreads challenge.  However, it is going pretty well so I might -- we will see.

I chose "Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate" to be my quick read.  I love these little cozy mysteries and Agatha Raisin is such an identifiable character.  The character in the book is nothing like Ashley Jensen of the tv show fame and I really prefer the Agatha of the books.

I might have to branch out in the new year and try some of the other cozies out there and I do have the new Jan Karon book to start.  I decided I would wait for the new year for that one though. 

I really do enjoy Overdrive -- I really like checking the books out of the library through Amazon and not even having to worry about taking them back.  It is wonderful! And, there are more and more titles all the time.  I am reading this Agatha Raisin book that way and I love it.

So, I guess it is off to find some breakfast.  I can actually feel my appetite returning even though I can't really taste anything.  I have been drinking apple cider vinegar and it is helping but I need it to help a little faster.

I will review the book when I am done.

Christmas Come and Gone -- and Where Were We?

Christmas 2017 has come and gone and where were we?  Well, we were sick with the flu that is having a good go here in Texas.  This is the first year we didn't get flu shots -- we meant to but time just got past us -- and we came down with the dreaded illness.  I am not sure the shots would had made much difference, though, as this year they seemed to be high ineffective.

So, we have spent the last week feeling awful with no energy and surrounded by yet unpacked boxes.  A couple of days ago I felt better than I do today and I did manage to get a lot of boxes unpacked so it is happening -- it is just a little slow. 

We were doing pretty well trying to get everything done with moving and Christmas and such -- birthdays have gone by the wayside for the moment though but I will catch up with that -- the recepients know they weren't forgotten-- and then we got sick. 

It seems that I have been so focused on either moving or Christmas or being sick that I haven't really thought about reading.

I finished "The Winding Ways Quilt" a few weeks back and decided not to start another book until after the move.  I purchases the new Jan Karon book back when it first came out and I think my new year with start with that.  I am looking forward to it.

I wasn't going to do a Goodreads challenge this year but finally did sign up.  Unfortunately I didn't meet my goal but that is ok because one of the reasons I didn't want to do a challenge to begin with is because I wanted to enjoy the books, not just read for the sake of reaching a goal.  I did enjoy what I read this year and I didn't fall too short -- not sure if I will do another 2018 challenge but rather just keep up with my progress on my own.

So, yeah, we are going to try to finish Christmas up tomorrow and I think I will take the tree down.  It has been a non-Christmas with all the flu and sickness -- the Lost Christmas as my cousin, MLHall refers to it.  Lost indeed.  But, now that it is over, I am ready for spring as I am not a winter person.

Looking forward to the new year with new reading, new projects (going to try to get back to some cross stitch) and new adventures in our new neighborhood!

I Am Sick So It Must Be Christmas

Christmas has never been my healthiest holiday.  This year is no exception.  I am sick.  I feel like I have a really bad head cold but I am running a temp which is going up and down.  It is probably viral.  I am going to try to go to the dr. tomorrow.  I have to be well by Sunday.

Blah.

Moving is Enlightening -- The Upside to Hoarding

They say you never really know a person until you live with them.  I believe that to be true.  I can expand on that -- you never really know yourself until you move.

Twelve years ago we moved from Wakeland Manor to Maison Brinkley.  It was a disaster -- we only moved what we needed and we held on to the rest way too long.  We finally hired a skip and tossed and tossed and tossed.  It was cathartic.

Moving along to the current move from Maison Brinkley to Brinkley Cottage.  We had acquired more stuff, of course, we are human after all.  But, since I have been trying to organize my home more logically things weren't as helter skelter as they were at Wakeland Manor.  I packed like things with like things and labeled the boxes very well.  The movers were great about putting the boxes where they should be.

I didn't pack my kitchen though, until yesterday, and it still isn't done.  I did bring home six boxes of things and have managed to put most away.  Surprisingly, the new kitchen, which I thought was smaller, actually has a lot of storage so I am pleased.  In any event, dealing with the kitchen stuff really makes me wonder what sort of disease I have.

There is no reason for a person to have four cookie sheets, two mini-muffin pans, three regular muffin pans and a miniature bundt cake pan I have no recollection of buying.  It has never been used.  What in the world is wrong with me.

However, hoarding tendencies -- if well, organized and stored neatly -- do come in handy once in a while.  The Bean needs a shepherd's headdress for Thursday.  She doesn't want to be a shepherd but that is another story.  Well, since I am the only person who sews those sorts of duties fall to me and I was stressing a bit since I don't live across the street from Joann Fabrics anymore and all my stuff is packed up in big boxes.

So, I did what everybody does and went to pinterest and noticed a lot of these sorts of costumes are made with towels or just rough cut fabric so I got to thinking.  I like to embroidery cup towels -- the old fashioned muslin sort and I knew I had a package of them.  Someplace.  So, I limped up the stairs, went to the box labeled "needlework" and started rummaging through all the cross stitch fabric and voila! There it was.  A brand new package of muslin cup towels just ready to be transformed into a shepherd headdress.  How will I do that?  Open the package, take it out, place on child's head and tie it on with a random piece of fabric.

Boom.

Hoarding isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Moving -- the Agony and the Ecstacy

We are moving.  I keep questioning this decision.  I am sure I will feel differently when all my possessions (i.e. junk) are under one roof again.  But for now here are my thoughts --

Moving is exciting -- a new house is exciting -- being closer to my kids with less driving is exciting.

Having to learn a new phone number is not exciting.

Having to pack up everything you own -- a lot of which you have forgotten you have -- is not exciting.

We have lots of boxes -- most of which are books and stuff that goes in the curio cabinet.  We also have lots of dust it seems.

Don't buy books.  Go to the library or get an e-reader.  Same goes for magazines. Books don't have the same value they used to -- and they are so easy to hoard.

Arrange your home in some sort of logical manner -- like things with like things -- putting things where you are going to use them.  If you don't have room and have the urge to stick your children's baby photos in with the cup towels step back and re-think.  If you don't have enough room maybe you should get rid of something .

If you arrange your home logically then the movers can pack up for you.  If you don't then you run the risk of them whispering behind your back "what is this broad thinking" or "OMG, why does she have this here".  I am sure they don't do that but that is a real fear.

Ok, time to go take the cover off the bed and throw it into the back of the car.  Day 1 went well with the movers and I am sure day 2 will go equally smoothly.  The rest is up to us and I am sure it is going to take days and days and probably not go nearly as smoothly.  I will let you know.

Let the moving commence.