Migraine

Finally a day off and I spent it once again with a blinding migraine. I slept most of the day and finally feel a step closer to normalcy.




I finished "The Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It was to be a prequel to "The Shadow of the Wind" but other than mentioning the bookstore and owners from the previous book it wasn't anything prequel about it. It was once again set in Barcelona. A young man named David Martin makes his livinng by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. He's a survivor of a brutal childhood. He moved to a house he always wanted to live in which is believed to have a horrific past. The history of the place seeps into his very being. He receives an offer he can't refuse. Write a novel about a new religion and get paid a fortune. This leads to a realization that this house he lives in and the evil he feels is all connected.

I've been offered full time work. Since I've been able to get 40 hours for the last few weeks and that will end soon, I took the offer. Not sure what is happening. Suddenly a place that can't give me hours over 29 is offering me full time. There are changes coming since we've been slated to be the new home of the District Manager. I've been told heads will roll. I didn't want full time work but I did want at least 35 a week and the freedom to take time off if I needed it. That wasn't happening so I did what I needed to do. Hope I made the right decision.

Great read

"The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a wonderful read! Set in Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mounrs the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax's books in existence. Soon Daniel's seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets - an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love. I discovered this book when I found Zafon's latest "The Angel's Game" and it was obvious that they needed to be purchased together when this one was brought back into circulation to be sold with the latest. I'm starting "The Angel's Game" tonight.

hanging in

Plodding away at work and doing my 40 hours that they are suddenly allowing me to have. I know it will end soon so I'm grabbing what I can. That and watching the Australian Open are interferring with my reading time. At this rate, I'll be lucky to finish 25 books this year. Well, I'll save money if that's the case.

Suffering from the after holidays blahs. Sure do hate this time of year. Wish it would snow a bunch and make the world something other than brown and gray. I need to do something creative.....it's been ages since I picked up a paint brush or a knitting needle. I did a little stained glass work just before Christmas but nothing major. Just a little repair. Need a project!! I did manage to sell one of my stained glass pieces at Christmas which was great. Haven't done that in a long time. They want another piece so I better get busy.

Birthday wishes

I spent the last day off (Friday) with a migraine that lasted two days. I have today off and it's finally gone away so I was able to finish Tami Hoag's latest, "Deeper Than the Dead." Excellent read! It had me wondering till the end who dunit. A small town brings in an FBI agent to solve a serial killing. The victims are young women who have started over in life after either a life of crime, prostitution, drugs or abuse. The killer tortures them by puncturing their ear drums, gluing their eyes and mouth shut, then he stabs them repeatedly over a period of days. The story was great but gruesome! I'll probably have nightmares.

On the eve of her 38th birthday I want to wish my wonderful daughter-in-law the happiest of days. My son brought her into our lives 20 years ago and married her almost 16 years ago. She's a delight and very special to us all. Thanks Son and Happy Birthday Daughter!

The devastation

I'm just so overwhelmed by the earthquake devastation in Haiti. I just want to grab those little ones and bring them home and take care of them. Darn! I'm just so old! We'll, I guess a check will have to do but I do so wish I could do more.



I finished Anita Diamant's "The Last Days of Dogtown." It was about a small town in New England that disappeared in the early 1800's. Not the poof, you're gone disappearing. Just the lack of anyone wanting to keep living there. Poverty was the key factor. Apparently only the dregs of society were left there. Diamant covered the characters as they one by one left or died off. Very good book.

I had a 11 hour day again today. I'm glad for the full time hours but I know that as soon as they hire their quota, they'll drop my hours back to minimum. Sure hope they have a few good weeks yet. I know I'm scheduled for another 3 weeks of 40 hours so the bank account will be happy. Got up at 3 so I'm slightly out of it. Hope I can last through "The Mentalist." Love that show!

Finally finished the latest book

I finished Stephen King's "Under the Dome" late last night. 1074 pages of true blue King. I wouldn't put it all the way up there with some of his greats but it's way better than he was doing a few years back. The little town of Chester's Mill, Maine is suddenly encased in a dome. No explainations; just there suddenly. Many deaths when it happened. Aircrafts flying into it; cars and trucks crashing in to it. It was invisible! Small amounts of air and water came through but nothing could destroy it. Not missles or the latest in acids. The town was run by 3 Selectmen (really two men and one woman) and a Chief of Police. The 2nd Selectmen was the real leader and controlled all. The Chief of Police died the day the dome came down so their was a change in leadership there that was not for the better. A dictatorship was put in place. The "town," except for a few, did not know that the so-called religious Selectman "Big Jim," was also the head of the largest ring chrystal meth makers and dealers in the country. The good guy was a former army guy who happened to be the local cook in the best restaurant in town. The government (on the outside) tried to appoint the army guy as leader but Big Jim wasn't having any of this. The small cluster of good people were trying to determine what was causing the dome and the ring of bad were trying to keep things as they were even though conditions were worsening under the dome. Interesting concept as to what caused the dome and why when it was finally revealed and sad ending for a lot of Chester's Mill, Maine.

More work

I've had an increase in my deminished hours lately. They fired a bunch of people for different reasons so they've needed me to help fill in until new hires are trained and in place. 40 hour weeks are coming up! It's amazing that I was being penalized for having too many hours as a part-timer and now it's okay. Saturday I get to work another 11 hour shift. Can't figure out this company. Once again my hopes for training on a new job have been smashed since I'll be too busy in the other department to get the time to train.

I'm working on reading Stephen King's latest novel. I'm enjoying it. The only problem is it's almost 1200 pages long and even though I'm trying to read at least 100 pages a day, it's taking quite a while. I feel like I'm slacking in the reading department. By now I would have a couple books done. Early morning work shifts are interferring, too. Hard not to get home and fall asleep on the sofa for a little snooze when you've gotten up at 4:00 am.

Happy New Year

Brought the new year in with a sudden burst of tears. Remembering the sadness that overwhelmed this year. Hoping that the new year will be better.



Finished Steve Berry's "The Paris Vendetta." Another sequel but very enjoyable. Berry brought back his Cotton Malone character and this time he was in Paris fighting the bad guys. His poor bookstore was once again destroyed and we had to say goodbye to a beloved character. A new one was introduced so the next book will have a different format for sure.

Not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow. Sure would like to take some time off but that's not to be.