Saturday, November 28, 2009

Still stuffed!

Had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner. I trotted down the road with a 28 lb. turkey and 4extra legs and thighs, a ham, two kinds of stuffing and sauerkraut. Destination was my stepdaughter's house. Everyone brought something and we had a great meal. Still missing my two stepsons but Christmas is coming and hopefully they'll be here for that.




Finished the latest James Patterson book, "I, Alex Cross." This was a great read. The nice thing was that he wrote it himself without any help! Alex Cross is back on the police force and working his magic in this one. His own niece has been murdered in a horrible way and he tracks the killer to the most famous address in Washington, DC.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Terrible James Patterson novel

I just read the worst James Patterson novel......"The Thomas Berryman Number" is the worst novel I've read by one of my favorite writers. It's an old one that I found I hadn't read and I'm sorry I found it. Even sorrier that I wasted the money to buy it. Get the picture? Not posting a link. Don't waste your time on this one. EVER!

Time is growing short for the Thanksgiving Day festivities. I'm dining with my step daughter this year. Her husband is a doctor and he's on call so we're going to their house. Of course I'm taking the turkey, ham, two kinds of stuffing, gravy and some other stuff. Everyone is contributing so we're hoping for a good turnout. Guess I'll be up late on Wednesday getting my share done. Hubby has to work early on Thanksgiving Day so I'm on my own with the prep.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hard Day's night

I awakened at 1:30 this morning and that was it. I had to be at work at 5:45 and work till 5:15. Needless to say, I'm one bushed Momma! I'm trying to stay awake so I can have a good night's sleep tonight since I work till closing tomorrow night.




I finished "The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Stieg Larsson. This is a sequel to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" which I finished not long ago. I'm loving this author! We have the same characters again and this time Mikael Blomkvist rescues Lisbeth Salander. We get a lot of background on the strange Lisbeth that we didn't have before. The book left me hanging so I know there's got to be a third book coming. Great read!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Short stories



As I've said....I'm not a fan of shortstories but John Grisham's new book is wonderful. "Ford County" is filled with stories about a southern town in Ford County. Lots of stories that are so John Grisham! Definitely one to pick up and enjoy.

My hubby and I decided to go out to eat and we headed to Maryland to a restaurant we hadn't been to in 20 years. I went there 40 years ago and other than an addition to accommodate the waiting crowds and a gift shop, it's the same. Friendly Farms Restaurant is an all you can eat place. You order your "meat" choice and then they bring the old fashioned farm goodies for as long as you can eat them. Just one serving of the meat but everything else keeps coming. Been in business for 50 years. Don't think we'll wait another 20 years till we go back.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Another day; another title




I recently discovered that there was one or two James Patterson books that I haven't read. Unbelievable, but true. I just finished "Hide and Seek" which sounded familiar but apparently I didn't read it. For most of the book I thought I was reading a Danielle Steel novel. At the very end it turned into a James Patterson book. I guess back in 1996 he was writing his own novels and not co-authoring everything so I had forgotten what the real James Patterson was like. Interesting read.

I have three glorious (probably rainy days) off. I guess it's almost 4 since I only worked 3 1/2 hours this morning and I'm home by 10 am so it's almost like an extra day. Should be raking leaves and splitting wood but the rain is preventing that so I guess I'll just have to ignore the housework, too, and read my new John Grisham book. It's short stories and I'm not a fan of those but I've heard that this is some of his finest writing so we'll see.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Blaaaaablaaaaablaaaa




I finished "Enemy Women" by Paulette Jiles. Very interesting novel about the civil war and the Union army imprisoning women who they suspected of having dealings with the South. Took place in Missouri where half the state was for the south and the rest, the north. One such prisoner was Adair Colley and she was imprisoned after her father was taken by a vigilante Union group, beaten and hauled away while their house was set fire and all of value stolen. Adair and her sisters headed north to find their father and instead were separated when Adair was put in prison. She was friended by a Union Major and while he went south to fight in the final stages of the war she used the money he left with her to bribe her way out of prison and head back home. A great story of life during and after the war.

I've been informed at work that I have to have my hours cut because I've had too many for too long as a part time worker. This is the reward for not ever calling out sick; taking shifts that are 10-12 hours long when others don't show up; and working wherever they need me standing on my poor feet that have heel spurs now in both of them. Great reward for all I've done. I was even told that if I wanted to get another job that they would work around my schedule. What a kick in the teeth. Right at the holidays when every penny is needed, they pull this stuff. ##$^^$@#&&!!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

A different kind of book




I always read Dean Koontz so when his latest, "A Big Little Life" came out, of course I got it. It's a memoir to his late Golden Retriever named Trixie. Most of his book jackets for the last 10 years or so have pictured him with a Golden and even before that he's written about such wonder dogs. Apparently after years of having no pets he and his wife got a dog from an organization in California that trains service dogs. Trixie was doing that until an injury to her "elbow" kept her from returning to that job and therefore needed a home. The Koontz household became the home for this phenom. No other words to describe this animal. I've had pets before but I feel that I've been cheated out of the experience that they had with theirs. Maybe when you are childless and have pets then it's a different experience. Anyway, if you're one of those people who live your life through your pet then you will want to read this one.

Sunday, November 1, 2009




A great overnight read was James Patterson's "Miracle on the 17th Green" I'm not a golf lover but this was a good story of family and going for your dream even if you're older and everyone thinks it too late. The golf jargon put me off some but I muddled through.

Hubby's birthday today! Got to spend the evening with 3 of our 6 kids and some grandkids. Great surprise for hubby and yummy meal!