Fate and Faith: Stephanie Laurens

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Sunday Sundries--Wassup?

While I haven't gotten any writing on my main Work In Progress done, I did write four major scenes on four other books. Don't worry, it's my goal for July, as I'm almost finished with WIP.

My petite physical therapist kicked my butt this week, but I'm getting twenty percent more range of motion in my right shoulder and arm.

My husband did dishes earlier in the week because of my injury and I swear I almost cried in relief. I did some more yesterday. I set up my big slow cooker full of spaghetti sauce:

Yeah, it's the retro olive green. Don't judge. It still works fine. Aren't the liners a great idea? It will be ready when I get home to eat on all week. Yum!

One of the things I put in was this:

Because:
1. I like lots of garlic flavor in my sauce and I didn't have any fresh.
2. This was in my pantry and it would have to do.
3. I remembered a picture of my bedroom as a teenager. I had a Confederate flag on my wall. While I'd "studied" The Civil War, I didn't think of the implication or meaning. It was simply something cool to put on my wall. I suppose if I decided to run for Congress in the future (my husband has instructions to buy a gun and shoot me if I do, by the way), someone might bring it up, but you know what I'd say? IF YOU ARE GOING TO JUDGE ME ON SOMETHING I DID OR SAID THIRTY PLUS YEARS AGO, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANYONE ON TV OR IN POLITICAL OFFICE. Walmart and Target pulled her products. I don't think they should have. She wall rise above and make even more money. Look at the guy on "Restaurant: Impossible" who lied on his credentials? They fired him, then brought him back and gave him even more endorsement deals.
Anyway....

My husband hijacked my personal Facebook account and left a political rant on a mutual friend's board. He identified himself, but said friend took it personally. I didn't apologize for my husband, as that's not my job. I did say that if hubby didn't respect our friend, he would have just flamed him instead of doing a little research and posting a carefully crafted argument. This friend is radically conservative in some things and I have to hide some of his posts, as I'm sure he hides some of mine. But, reminder to all, our pages are our pages. Y'all play nice. And don't let your husband/friend/parent post under your name or you might have to make peace.

Some other stuff I got this week:

These are the little drink tabs you put in water and I love them. Of course, they're discontinued at the stores, but I found them at Big Lots and bought about a dozen boxes. They use granulated honey for sweetness rather than the artificial sweeteners.

Another Big Lots find and almost addiction. Again, don't judge.

Dear liberal honey and I have been watching our DVDs of this show again:

Yes, we've been through the shootings and the Thanksgiving episode. We've laughed, we've cried and we've realized how much we love good writing and acting.

We saw the first episode of "The Dome" the other day. Hope it lives up to its potential.

Got a shipment from Better World Books the other day:

The Marion Chesney was not in there, it was one I got from the reading room at work, but the others are ones on my teetering To Be Read pile. The Cynster series by Stephanie Laurens started me reading romance again and I'd read the Eloisa James series on my Kindle from the library, but wanted the hard copy. Here's another one I got that looked fun:

Yes, I am a total geek fangirl.

I got a bunch more needlework projects sorted through and put away and I'm ready to start reassembling my craft closet so I can have better access to things I want to use more often. Here's another piece I knew I'd never finish:

It was on a backed material that was difficult to stitch. If I ever restart it, I have some lovely deep blue hardanger I would use. Rest in Peace, Mr. Moon.

Finally, one of those face palm ideas--why didn't I think of this?

Duh, but admit it, if you've got a ceiling fan, you'll consider getting this, right?

So, it's been a productive week, in some ways. Will try to be even more productive next. Thanks for stopping by and sharing some of my world and see you again soon!

Freely admitted--I'm a book ho.

I grew up in a library. Mom worked at our small town library in the '60s and '70s. I volunteered in the middle school and high school libraries. One of my college workstudy jobs was at the library. I was a retail bookstore manager for almost ten years. I had a temp job at a medical library. On vacations, my husband and I usually scour the local bookstores. You get the picture.

So, when I started writing again, I wanted to get back into the swing of things. I was on the road for work and spent a lot of time reading, which I considered research. I got back into my Regency romance obsession when I found Stephanie Laurens' Cynster series, the first two in one volume, on a bargain book table. Since 2007, I've kept a list of books read and in 2008, I read well over a hundred titles.

When I signed onto Facebook, Blogger and Goodreads last year, I discovered whole new worlds of authors and reading communities in which to wallow. While it's been very enjoyable, it's significantly cut into my reading time. Plus the fact, I've been writing my own stuff. I've skimmed through parts of dozens of books, but only read enough of maybe two to consider I've "finished" them.

That hasn't stopped me from buying books, though. Whether it's checking out what they've got for $3 at Big Lots, spending a hour skimming the huge wall o' books at The Mission Store or pointing and clicking on-line at Better World Books http://www.betterworldbooks.com/ I check my printed out list (not that I've EVER bought duplicates grumblegrumble) and give an inner squeal when I find things I don't have. I've been checking the book giveaways on various blogs and on Goodreads periodically http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway and it's a real thrill when I get a package in the mail with a "freebie." Another obsession is autographed books and if I see a posting by an author I follow that they're doing an autographing somewhere, I have a credit card and I know how to use it, unfortunately. Other new and used bookstores, Walmart and last month's Evansville Vanderburgh County Public Library sale add to the growing piles of books in the dining room. Let us not forget the closing of our local Borders, where my husband and I purchased our birthday and Christmas presents for ourselves at 40-70% off.

So, here's a PARTIAL list of what I've acquired this past three months, new, used and freebie. Imagine if I started reviewing stuff--no, therein lies madness.