Maybe my luck is changing.

Yesterday a friend I had lent money to several years ago sent me a check - just out of the blue - I never thought I'd see that money again.

Yesterday, my husband Tim and I went to visit friends in Sheperdstown and while the boys played in a charity golf tournament, the girls went to the baby store where I got the cutest things for all my grandchildren. Then after returning to my friends house, another of our friends arrived with her Daughter-in-law and her new grandson - all of 7 weeks old. When he got fussy I was able to just rock him and sing to him and calm him down. It was a very peaceful time. Wish I could do it for my grandchildren. Then we went to dinner, meeting the boys who won 2nd place in the golf tournament, and I won the 50/50 drawing of $640. I thought the charity should have most of the money so I gave them back $370 and I kept $270.

I can spend it all on books! My Nook is going to get a big chunk of that!

Vacation and Nonnahood

Tim and I arrived in Myrtle Beach yesterday evening and found, much to my dismay, that we were assigned to the 15th floor with an Ocean view. The view is spectacular but the height scares the crap out of me. Of course, Tim thinks it's hilarious.

Tim and Mary-ellen headed out to the golf course this morning (meeting brother John there) and I sat down to finish the review of one book and the last 4 chapters and review of another. I also worked on Baby Molly's birth announcement. When what happens???!?!?!? I get a text message that Little Miss Molly is at the hospital. My baby pool pick last week was:

Monday October 25th 8:36PM 7 lbs. 7 ozs. We'll see how close I get.

When Tim got back and had lunch, we donned our swimsuits and headed to the pool so I could do my water aerobics. 15 minutes later we are ordered out because of an approaching thunderstorm. We got back just before the deluge started. It was so bad we couldn't even see the horizon. Now we can just sit and wait for news.

Big Event!

I'm really excited because I'm hosting my first giveaway on my book blog.
Check out Cheli's Shelves for your chance to win a new book with over 80 recipes that are included with the story.

Another day in Maine

After a good night's sleep, I woke this morning and prepared for a trip to the General Knox House in Thomaston, Maine.

Tina, Kyla and I went to the Montpelier where we took a tour of the "home" of General Henry Knox. We were informed that the building was not the original, but a reproduction because the house had been badly cared for after the General's death and fallen into disrepair. It was eventually demolished and the DAR worked to have it reproduced on a new site ( the railroad had already taken over the original site). The ceiling and chair moldings were magnificent, the flying staircase was tremendous, and the reproduced wallpaper patterns were extremely interesting. But the most magnificent part was the oval ballroom with 2 fireplaces and doors that were actually curved. I did pick up a book about the homes of the Founding Fathers in the gift shop.

Afterward we went to lunch in a restaurant that resides in what was an old railway station. As rain began to fall we headed home and spent the rest of the afternoon with a friendly game of Maine Monopoly.

Chèli

EBTS rears its ugly(?) head again!

I went to the bookstore - bad idea. I went to buy two things - a blank journal for notes about books so that I could keep with me a list of the books that I wanted when I went out and a copy of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in paperback to complete my collection (I even had a coupon). 2 things was all I wanted....until I was inside and then I couldn't stop myself. I walked out with 10!

I'm starting a new feature on my book blog just to handle this - BOOK BUY BONANZAS!

Check it out!
Book Buy Bonanzas

Reading Blog is on its own!

Well, I've decided that I don't want to mix my reading in with my day-to-day observations so I've broken my reading and reviews into its own blog. I may still mention the books that I am reading here, but I will post my reviews on my reading blog.

http://chelisreading.blogspot.com/

Books, Books and more BOOKS!

I think that I have clearly lost my mind.

I have been diligently reading away trying to complete my 999 Challenge. I signed up to try to read 9 books in 9 different categories in 2009 (81 books). To really challenge myself, I'm trying to finish by 9/9/09. Now, since I was progressing so well, I signed up to try to double the achievement. That's 162 books by 12/31/09. I 'm not sure that I'll be able to do it, but I'm sure going to enjoy the reading as I go along. To help, I'm joining a read-a-thon on June 7th.
It should definitely help me get a few books finished.

A Day OFF at last!

I finally got a day off. I had everything all caught up when I left the office last night, so Tim said that I could take the entire day off. I had an appointment for my hair and nails already so I wasn't going in until 11AM so I got the afternoon too!

Good thing, because I have a book due tomorrow at the library and I have to finish it today because we have bridge tonight. Off to my reading!

Mistletoe Murder - a touch of the holidays in April

I came across this series of Cozy mysteries when Christmas was already passed for 2008 but decided that I could still read it in April and I enjoyed a touch of the holidays this far from the actual time. That said here is my review of MISTLETOE MURDER by Leslie Meier.

Lucy Stone is a working mother and I mean a working mother. By day she takes care of three children, at 5 she heads to work at the Country Cousins mail order facility were she has a shift until 1AM. One night needing a breath of cold air, Lucy finds the company founder dead in his car with the engine running. Since she is in at the beginning of the crime, Lucy proceeds to dig searching for the solution to this murder. The holidays are used as a backdrop for this cozy mystery and the family interactions and seasonal characteristics only blend the story together so that small parts make the whole entertaining and delightful.

Posie said "read Harlan Coben"

My friend Posie ,who likes to read, said that she just loves Harlan Coben so I went to the library and got the first in his Simon Bolitar series and read it. Here is my review.

DEAL BREAKER
Author : Harlan Coben
Read : April 3 - April 19
Pages: 511

The plot centers around a cunning mystery of sex, murder and blackmail. Simon is a multi-dimensional character having been a sports figure turned FBI agent turned lawyer and ending as a sports agent. All these facets of his background come into play in this story where his prize client is involved in a possible murder. Simon's support staff include a college friend who enjoys playing enforcer while in appearance is MR. Preppie and a secretary/receptionist who used to be a wrestler.The fact the Simon is not a detective or policeman or PI makes this series seem a bit more interesting because you wonder what other aspects of his background have you not been told yet. I will admit that I was surprised by the ending, I was not prepared for the solution even though I had an inkling of what was happening. Definitely entertaining!

Genetic Disorder discovered

I have discovered that I have a genetic disorder - the symptoms are that my eyes are bigger than my stomach when it comes to reading and books. My sister Tina confirms that she has the disease and I think that my sister Maureen is also afflicted. (I'm also not sure that it can't be spread by contact.)

I swear to myself everytime I go to the library I'm just picking up the books I have on order - 1 or 2 (I even whisper to myself as I walk in - "I'm only picking up books on hold, I'm only picking up books on hold..." like a mantra that will guard me from those books that reach out and grab at me) but the books on hold are in the back and I have to walk through the gauntlet of shelves lined with books reaching out to me, screaming "take me home, take me home!" and end up with 5 or six! My current reading schedule for 2009 has me reading 129 books provided I don't get anymore from the library that aren't on my list already.

One of the main reasons that I love the website Librarything.com is that there is so many wonderful discussions about books that I never would have read but that others have convinced me I should read. That's where the disease EBTS bites me, I can't wait until I can get the book that someone was discussing and read it and then I have to figure out how to read 15 books at once!

Does anyone know a medication that could reduce some of the symptoms?