Happiness is…….

Hooray! Book 5 of the Nicholas Flamel series: The Warlock came in the mail !!!! (actually this happened a few days ago and I am 1/2 way thru The Warlock, but wanted to share the “mail”)

Actually 2 books came (still waiting on the used ones ) I always spend enough so I don’t have to pay shipping.  And there’s always more then enough on my wish list to do so.. *groan*

Question: ok.. is it just me or does the girls face on Random Magic make Nicole Kidman come to mind?? (not the red hair of course).. something about the eyes.  The moment I saw this cover I thought of her!! *sheesh*..

Anyway, I am waiting for 2 more books (used) in the mail.. they are: Cecil B DeMille by Simon Louvish and Spellwright by Blake Charlton.

Meanwhile, as I said I am 1/2 way thru The Warlock.  I am not reading fast because I waited a whole year for this book and have to wait another whole year for the last book to come out!!

On another note, for those who read my blog and I read theirs:  As many know there are still problems with Blogspot.  Some people will notice that on certain blogs you cannot leave a comment.  You will also notice that on those blogs they do not use “pop up comments”..  I have found the fix! Or rather read about it in help on blogspot.. it seems if those people NOT using pop up comments changes to it (in settings/ comments) then everyone will once again be able to leave comments.  Until I found this out I was emailing comments to those who’s blogs I could no longer leave comments.    Just thought I’d pass this tidbit along because blogspot surely does NOT get back to you when you leave a written problem.. I found the answer among other’s who stumbled on the fix.

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May 29, 2011 Sunrise

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Oh Where, Oh Where Can You Be?

chick 1: hey can you see mom?

chick 2: Where’s mom?

chick 3: Hey mom! come out, come out wherever you are!

Chick 1: hey pop have you seen mom?

Chick 2: *waiting breathlessly*

Chick 3: Ok mom, enough of this… where the hell are ya?

chick 1: MOM!!!!!!

all 3 chicks: a little piece of bread and we’ll all behave!

mom & dad: *yeahrightsure!*

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Daddy-Long-Legs

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Paperback: 116 pages
Publisher: Aegypan (June 1, 2008)
ISBN-10: 9781606641903

 

Book 9 for Once Upon a Time.

I can remember the movie of the same name, “Daddy Long Legs” .  It was made in 1955 when I was but 11  yrs old.  In the case of the Movie, Daddy Long Legs was Fred Astaire, which makes perfect sense if you think of it!   Leslie Caron was  young Judy. (and a favorite of mine was in the movie too.. Thelma Ritter)

Anyway.. it’s been eons since I’ve seen the movie but I sorta remembered it.. but then again,not totally, so when I read this mere 114 page book filled with letters from Judy to Daddy Long Legs it still came as pure joy.

It is a book for females, which is not my usual thing to read but I remembered other reviews some time ago and thought it would be a good book for a fast read.. and considering the last book I read was 994 pages long.. this was a breeze! lol

So here we have young Judy about to be tossed from an Orphanage with no where to go and no one to care, when along comes a mysterious benefactor and pays to send her to college. (where was MY daddy long legs??? sheesh)

And so  Judy begins writing letters to the rich man she has dubbed Daddy Long Legs.  The letters span all four years in college and tells of her life at college and her life in general.  If there is any fault to be found it would be that I felt some of the letters sounded like a much younger person than Judy was… but that could just be me.

Overall it was a very good book.

…and it was a very good movie.  Check them both out!

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Book Meme!

I took this Meme from Cath.. it’s not as easy as it looks!

1 – The best book you read last year: The Meaning of Night & The Glass of Time by Michael Cox.  (I can see where choosing one of anything is not going to be easy!)

  

2 – A book you’ve read more than 3 times: Again, I can make a list! But I will simply say The Dragon Riders of Pern Trilogy (and all the other Pern books!) by Anne McCaffrey.

3 – Your favorite series: I will have to repeat number 2. The Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey.

4 – A guilty pleasure book: Gosh I find them all a guilty pleasure since I shouldn’t spend money on books!  But I will go with a silly book I read just to be able to join RIP Challenge, it’s called Gil’s All Fright Diner, by A Lee Martinez.  It was just silly enough to make me laugh in parts and shake my head while smiling at other parts.

5 – A book that made you laugh: I’ll say the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud.  It’s not everyday one meets a snarky demon!

6 – A book that made you cry: wow, I can’t think of any off hand.

7 – Most underrated book: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. A really excellent book but I don’t think it got the popularity it deserves.

8 – Most overrated book: when they get overrated I tend not to read them. (Harry Potter being the exception, and of course I loved them)

9 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving: The Thirteenth Tale Diane Setterfield. My first “gothic mystery” book.. I’ve since read it 3 times!!

10 – Favorite classic book: The Woman in White by Wilke Collins.

11 – A book you hated: I don’t think I hate any books but I didn’t really care for Edward Sawtelle and many liked it.

12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore: So far that hasn’t happened to me.. if I love them I keep them. ’nuff said.

13 – Your favorite author:  Anne McCaffrey for fantasy and Simon Louvish for Biographies.

McCafferty    Louvish

14 – Favorite male character: Masterharper Robinton . Ah yes Cath and I have to share him! lol  I Can’t thank Anne McCaffrey enough for the Masterharper!

15 – Favorite female character: Maybe Lessa from Pern..  she is strong and I am not and because I am envious of her love with the dragons.

16 – Your biggest fictional crush: No one anyone knows: Abbercorn.  But once again Masterharper Robinton would be a runner up!

Abbercorn  Robinton

17 – A Good Quick Read: I don’t know a “good” one but an EXCELLENT one would be Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary A Shaffer.

18 – A book that disappointed you: I’ve set aside so few and once I do I don’t give them another thought.

19 – Favorite book-to-movie conversion: Rebecca. And  A Christmas Carol and The Secret Garden and for newer movies: Harry Potter (The Kings Speech was really good too)

20 – Favorite romance: Hmmm I don’t read Romance novels

21 – Favorite book from your childhood: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

22 – A book you can’t wait for: The Warlock by Michael Scott. I have totally enjoyed each book in the series even though I am ancient and the books are for young adults!

23 – A book you’ve been meaning to read for ages: The Moonstone by Wilke Collins

24 – A book that you wish more people would read: I wish everyone would love and read The Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. I know everyone doesn’t love fantasy and the books have been loved by many for years.. but there’s a reason for that and it’s why I wish more people read the books.

25 – Character you are most similar to: I can’t really come up with one that I am *similar* to but sometimes I feel I have as many books as Aunt Elinor in Inkheart.

26 – A book that changed your opinion about something: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.  I went from not reading mysteries and not reading anything gothic to loving both!

27 –  Most surprising plot twist or ending: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

28 – Favorite book title: Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society   Mary A Shaffer ..such a great title!

29 – A book everyone hated but you liked: well, Inkheart didn’t make the biggest splash in the ocean,  I don’t think it was hated ..but Ioved it!

30 – Your favorite book OF ALL TIME: If I leave the Pern books on the back burner it would be a toss up between Drood by Dan Simmons and Stan and Ollie by Simon Louvish.

    

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A Wise Man’s Fear

 

 A Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.

Hardcover: 994 pages
Publisher: DAW Hardcover (March 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0756404738

 

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. As seamless and lyrical as a song from the lute-playing adventurer and arcanist Kvothe, this mesmerizing sequel to Rothfuss’s 2007’s debut, The Name of the Wind, is a towering work of fantasy. As Kvothe, now the unassuming keeper of the Waystone Inn, continues to share his astounding life story—a history that includes saving an influential lord from treachery, defeating a band of dangerous bandits, and surviving an encounter with a legendary Fae seductress—he also offers glimpses into his life’s true pursuit: figuring out how to vanquish the mythical Chandrian, a group of seven godlike destroyers that brutally murdered his family and left him an orphan. But while Kvothe recalls the events of his past, his future is conspiring just outside the inn’s doors. This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence, and will leave fans waiting on tenterhooks for the final installment.

It was May 1st when I finished reading Name of the Wind.  Knowing I have become a slow reader I am almost surprised that I read this 994 page book in 21 days!  My thumbs will be forever sore holding this book up!

As we all know I stink at “reviews” which is why I always use the review from Amazon. But I will say a few things about the book…

Once again: short chapters! (gotta love Rothfuss for short chapters!!)

Once again: absolutely beautiful story telling. 

If I said this book was worth the long wait everyone had between book one and book two then he might take that long to write book 3…so I won’t say that.  Actually, I can’t say that.  I bought Name of the Wind a few  years ago and didn’t read it.  I wanted to wait for book 2 to be out.  At that time I didn’t realize how long it would take for book 2 to come out!… but I had them both and read them back to back.  A worthy feat!  However, now I wonder how long before the last books comes out!

The protagonist, Kvothe, is definitely someone worth reading about.  Not always easy to say when I tend to feel this is a “man’s book” but written in such a way that a woman can enjoy it just as much. Enjoyable enough that I really wish we only had one year to wait for the next book!

In the end I’ll just say that if you liked Name of the Wind you will like Wise Man’s Fear, no doubt about it.. it’s an extension of book one!! 

Patrick Rothfuss is one very fine writer!

I Googled for  Reviews of Wise Man’s Fear because the book deserves real reviews!:

The Little Red Reviewer

Nethspace

Pats Fantasy Hotlist

Fantasy Book Critic

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In and Out and About

(warning this is a post of many photos)

First: Outside…

These are yesterday’s photo’s of the Moorhen chicks.  Thankfully, still 3 of them.

Ok now..

For anyone who is easily squeamish stop here…

The next few shots are of a Heron eating his newly acquired fish. I took quite a few shots but I am only putting up a few.. these are the least, ummmm upsetting?

There are people around here that fish in the pond and don’t get as big a fish as the Heron got!… *jealousy*  (not me)

He strutted around like  he was showing it off..

Then of course he ate it… not without difficulty I might add..

Still outside but in my so called garden area.. The Geranium is gearing up for it’s second set of blooms.

My Kalanchoe, which was loaded with blossoms when I got it , is ready for it’s second set of blossoms also.

Onward to inside the apartment:  Boo still likes his pop up cube to sleep in!

The photo below shows 3 things he loves: the cube, his cardboard scratchy pad (gawd forbid he doesn’t have that!) and his oat grass that I purchased in a little container (just open spred the seed, water and set in a cool dark area until it begins to grow) and grow for him (especially for cats). No! it is NOT catnip! I think that stuff is cruel to cats!..but he does love to have some “green” in his diet and it stops him from trying to eat the live plants in the house. But he’s not spoiled! Oh no! Not Boo!

Oh and I suppose  you though I could do a long post and not mention some books?  Ha!

The used book store came through with a nice hardback copy of the Biography of the Marx Brothers and a paperback of Daddy-Long-Legs. The grand total : eighty one cents. ! I think I will read Daddy Long Legs next just to be able to finish a book quickly!!

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If at First You Don’t Succeed

Ok..so the story goes like this.  Last year mama and papa Moorhen had a gazillion babies.  Strangely they let them stay at the pond to help each generation after the first..  Before we knew it we had Moorhens up the ying yang..but mama and papa were happy.  They all stayed thru “winter”.

Spring came and one day it seems as if all the Moorhens have left! Then I spot 2 or 3 still here, but the original Moorhens were gone. I believe this pair is from their offspring.

About 5 weeks ago they had their first brood of 3.  For whatever reasons mama Moorhen wound up killing the babies. It was a sad day at the pond.

Low and behold she has come forth with a second batch of 3 babies!  So far she is acting just fine with them so we have our fingers crossed that this batch makes it.

Here are the first pictures I’ve taken of the babies…..

 

 

Meet Moe, Larry, and Curly! (Right now they all look like curly with barely a hair on their  heads!)

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Glossy Ibis

Wow! We had a visit from a new guy on the block!   When I first saw it I thought it was a brown ibis and I just couldn’t see white patches ..(which is a juvenile white Ibis ).. 

I quick snapped some pictures and I’m glad I did for numerous reasons.. one being that someone walked outside and the bird flew away .. the other was clear to me once I put the photo’s on my computer!..

The bird is gorgeous!.. and indeed (after looking in my bird book) it IS an Ibis!.. a Glossy Ibis to be precise.

Let me show you the great colors on this bird!  Boy I wish more of them would come around!  The white ones get boring!

At first it’s back was to me and I really couldn’t see the colors until it was on the computer! They are just gorgeous!

wow!  This one is a whole lot prettier than the “Florida chicken” that my son was feeding! I hope he/she returns! I wish all the Ibis looked like this one!!

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Believe It or Not

This post should be called: Will I ever Finish Wise Man’s Fear?.  I don’t have the definitive answer yet but I am creeping up on 700 pages which means I only have 300 more to go (the size of yet one more book) !  However, I don’t seem to be in a rush to complete the books because I feel like it’s going to leave me *hanging*, and I am of the age that having to wait too long could mean I’ll never get to read the last book! Ugh! (also because I now feel comfortable with a 994 page book in my lap!)

Ok.. so .. this post is for all you ladies (and men) out there who, although we grew up with a mother who ironed *all our clothes*, refuse to acknowledge that *any* of the clothes I now wear actually  *need* to be ironed!

This folks is my iron..

Why I brought it with me when I moved to Florida is beyond my comprehension!  I haven’t used the iron in so long I was amazed that when I plugged it in ..it actually heated up! (damn! now I have to use it!)

I knew before I began this activity.. that it would be a once upon a time thing for me, for no matter that the air conditioning is on in the apartment, the sweat would provide enough drips that I wouldn’t need to “sprinkle” any objects on the ironing board!  (is there anyone else old enough out there to remember bottles that had a push in sprinkler cap? ack!)

I took two photo’s just so you can be absolutely sure I really own the iron and ironing board up AND used it!  (pathetic, I know!)

You can trust the fact that I didn’t over use it nor do I intend on using it often!  I guess I felt an obligation to at least bring it out once every 2 years!

But I have promised myself to preserve the Iron until it becomes a collectable antique, then I can go on Antique Roadshow and make some money on it!  Which is much preferable to actually using it!

Now if anyone can tell me how my mind works that one day I am talking Space, the final frontier, and the next day talking about small electrical items about the home…………..

Ohhhhh wait!  OMG! I’m not crazy after all!  (a bit of trivia here)..

I bet most of you out there didn’t know that my friend, DeForest Kelley did a voice in a cartoon called , “The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars!”  1998 .Taaadaaa!  (voice of Viking 1)

See there?!!  Space/ toaster/ iron… makes sense to me!

Honestly.. there’s no accounting for my mind!

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