Approaching Glory

Unexpected Treasures

Jbird and I got an early start to the day because he had to work this afternoon.  Off we went to pharmacy to get my much needed meds (think hormones and cholesterol).  Stopped off at Blockbusters to return "Amazing Grace" - which I give a 4.5/5 rating.  A little slow going in the movie but we all still enjoyed it and the message.

We then went to Arby's for brunch.  Finally got through the construction on the road and got into WalMart.  Did a little grocery, holiday trims, and clothes shopping.

We had some books to return to the library, Jbird had some fines to pay, and I had to update my account.  Jbird found some movies he hadn't seen, and we make a move to head on home.  And then.... we both spot at the same time a sign that says, "All items 10 cents".  We both make for the room at the speed of light.  There inside a good sized room were "treasures".  The libarian saw us coming and gave a big smile.  Sonny boy says, "Is everything here just ten cents?"  She nods and then informs us that you could also fill up a plastic grocery bag with as much stuff as you are able to cram in it for just one dollar!  You'd have thunk we were given the keys to Oz!  Off we went and ended up with two big bags full!  Great stuff - they had bunches of things we wanted to listen to, watch, and read.  My house look like a library.  Really.

Then it was head home, unload car, make a crockpot full of BBQ wings, and drive Jbird to work.  And then, watch some movies while I tink my mistakes - ugh!

Save Time See It My Way

I had a poster of Lucy van Pelt with the slogan, Save Time See It My Way hanging on the front of my teacher's desk.  I loved that poster.  My principal was a little concerned it would send the wrong message to my kids.  She could have - might have - been correct.  But I loved the poster none-the-less.  And for the same quirky reason I laughed when I read this paragraph:

"One of the things that I am is opinionated - although I prefer to use the word 'informed.'  I have been known to inform others of their failings, in hopes that they will mend their ways and in the end make the world a better place." spoken by Magdalena Portulacca Yoder, the main character in Thou Shalt Not Grill by Tamar Myers.

Right. In that spirit, I said I would let you know about the books.  Well, I read through Assault and Pepper.  That being said, I will not be reading anymore of the series.  The author has talent that has been taken to overdrive.  One peppermint piece of wit or two per page is tasty.  One right after another is way too much for me - thank you.  The story line suffers at some point.

Summer Reads

This is the time of year when I try to read some new "light" mysteries series.  This summer I'm going to try the Tamar Myers series - "A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes".  I hate to start a series in the wrong place (read this as I want to start at the beginning and go forward) but the library didn't have the first book - so I decided to break my OCD and just pick a book.  The two titles I grabbed were :  Assault and Pepper and Thou Shalt Not Grill.  The titles make you groan - they are just SO bad - lol.  Here's a little excerpt from Assault and Pepper to give you a feel for the writing:

"Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies," Reverend Schorck said, seconds before toppling, face forward, into a pot of chili.  That's the gist of it.  I'll spare you the grisly details, but those seconds seemed like lifetimes, and all the while we, the congregation of Beechy Grove Mennonite Churche, were powerless to do anything.

By the time the rescue squad arrived, our pastor was as dead as last summer's daisies, and getting ready to push up fresh ones of his own come spring.

The second series is by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.  These are "A Joe Grey Mystery" and one of the books I checked out was Cat Cross Their Graves.  Here's an excerpt from it:

Up the Molena Point Hills where the village cottages stood crowded together, and their back gardens ended abruptly at the lip of the wild canyon, a row of graves lay hidden.  Concealed beneath tangled weeds and sprawling overgrown geraniums, there was no stone to mark the bodies.  No one to remember they were there save one villager, who kept an uneasy silence.

Ewww..... that seems like a good one to read on a stormy summer night!

Jbird and I went to breakfast at IHOP and then on to the new Walmart in Oakwood to get some Father's Day gifts for Hubby. Hubby was up bright and early to head off for the golf course with his buddy Mike.  Jbird has now run over to his buddy's house.  Me?  I just finished a sink of dishes (for which I purchased a plastic cheapo rack to dry said dishes).  It is MY time to do some surfing, posting, tweaking, and perhaps a little time reading.

May your day be blessed.

Ate Another One!

I've stated many times that I eat books. And I do. If I get into one that wets my appetite I gobble it down. That's what happened when I picked up the latest Rita Mae Brown mystery. I think it's that I like the characters and the small town. Crozet seems a place I would enjoy. As a transplanted Southerner I truly appreciate the culture around me. And as anyone can tell you - I may have lived here over twenty years but I am still "from there." Oh - don't get me wrong - I'm accepted and loved - but I'm not one of them in their eyes. Back to the book - I ate the words like a pig and was a satisfied hog. While I know there are those who don't care for the cats and dogs being able to speak I thoroughly enjoy the author's giving us "their perspective" on the events.

Update on the knitting - got two of the little warmers done - just need to sew up the seams. Must say I'm rather proud and I really like the ease of this pattern. I can listen or watch the tube and not feel guilty about "wasting" time. I've already got a list of people I want to make them for for Christmas. That means I get to go back to the craft store and pick out more yarn - yipee!

So I Read It....

My sister-in-law brought the book over for my niece to read. Unfortunately for my niece I got the book first. So I glanced that night at a few pages and I was hooked. What book? The Davinci Code by Dan Brown. I made a pot of coffee (Hazelnut) the next morning and read the book to the end. I love mysteries but I think what made this one so intriguing were the riddles and puzzles the curator left behind. And I must agree with one of the reviews I read that the research the author did concerning secret societies and symbolism made you want to surf the Net to find out what was truth and what was fiction.

Opus Dei is definitely a reality as I suspect are many of the other groups the author discusses. The murder plot isn't the most complicated, but the information that is provided around the murder is what I think has caused the book to soar in sales. I actually think the unveiling of the "truth" about the Grail is anti-climactic. But I'm not surprised that Brown misses some of the major points of theology. Just remember it's fiction...