No sewing (again)…...

Yup, another week with no sewing.  I still have that idea I told you about last week,that I could make for the Mug Rug swap that I'm in, but think I'll keep it "upstairs" for another time.  I already made one and my partner did comment that she liked it, so I think I'm set for now.  Besides, with all the books that it seems I need to read now, who has time to sew?

I did send out a few envelopes this week though.  More than last week:

AND, of course I read a few books this week.  The first one was a soft cover that I purchased some time ago (actually the best one of the bunch) and all the others I got from the library and are current releases.  Seems my "HOLD" list at the library gets longer and longer.  This is what I read this week:

"The Funeral Dress"                                by                    Susan Gregg Gilmore
"We Were Liars"                                     by                    E. Lockhart
"Remember Me Like This"                     by                    Bret Anthony Johnston
"My Real Children"                                by                    Jo Walton

Actually, I'm half way done with the last one, so I'm not sure if it will be good or not.  So far, it is keeping my attention in between planting annuals and cleaning up which we always do this time of year.  Seems it takes forever to get the yard looking nice in spring.

Then, (much to my dismay), I broke a porcelain crown this week eating butter toffee peanuts.  Ugh!  I went to the dentist and he smoothed what was left out for me, but in order to keep my "QUEEN" status around here, I'm afraid I'm going to need a replacement to the tune of $1400.  Double UGH!  Thankfully, it's not a tooth that shows much, so for now, I'm letting it go.  And here I thought I would be spending that $$ on another puppy.  Just goes to show you, huh???

Have a good week, my friends and enjoy your Memorial Day!  Blessings and many thanks to all our servicemen and woman for your service to our great country!  Until next time………..

Hallelujah……...

Do you wonder why I'm celebrating?  Well, let me tell you!  I already checked the online website for my upcoming jury duty (a day early, I might add since we're not supposed to check until Sunday night) and discovered……..YEAH!!!!!…..to my absolute delight, that I don't have to show up this week because the trial has been cancelled.  Hurray!  So…...thank you to all of you who were wishing for me!!!  Now I have 4 days of freedom that I didn't expect!  I think a shopping spree at Target is in order for this week!!  lol

I didn't sew a stitch this week and I also didn't send out many envelopes you haven't already seen.  Now that I've gotten some early readers back from my little great niece because she has advanced and no longer wants them, I am re-sending them onto my little granddaughter who has just learned to read.  Needless to say, I'm using the same design for the envelopes for them since they depicted the book title perfectly in most cases.  (Call me lazy!)  Here are a few new ones though: 

Next week, I'll try to do better………..PROMISE!!  I might even sew……don't hold your breath though.  lol  I do have something in mind I want to try so we'll see!  Hopefully, it won't be a flop!

I did read this week again (big surprise, huh?)  The librarians are beginning to know me.  I just adore our "HOLD" system.  I look up the books I want on the online website and can place a hold on them so all I have to do is pick them up from the front desk when they notify me that they're there.  Our library is hooked up with 5 counties in our state so there are 44 libraries from which to borrow.  Pretty cool!  This is what I read this week:

"The Target"                                      by                     David Baldacci
"Desperate"                                        by                     Daniel Palmer
"An Untamed State"     DEBUT        by                     Roxane Gay
"Where the Earth Meets Water"         by                     Pia Padukone

(Incidentally, I want you to know that all the "by" and beginning of the authors names line up perfectly when I do this, and I can't figure out how to fix it when it finally publishes, so I'm sorry if it's all mismatched all the time).   Eikes!  Now back to the good stuff………….

I also started "The Hidden Child" but after about 100 pages, gave up on it.  Besides, it was over 500 pages long and I figured if I didn't "get it" after 100 pages, why bother?  I MUST tell you though that I think I discovered another favorite author in the above bunch.  I had never read Daniel Palmer before and now I KNOW I will be reading everything he has written before "Desperate".  Wow!  Talk about twists and turns…….my mouth was open in surprise many times reading that book.  It was sort of like we all felt years ago when reading our first Grisham, Baldacci, or Lee Child book.  REALLY!  Do look him up and try him……if you like mysteries, and thrillers, you'll love Daniel Palmer!!

I think I should also tell you about "An Untamed State".  This is a newly released debut book and while you all KNOW how much I love debut books, this one was quite disturbing  The story revolves around a woman of means who gets kidnapped in Haiti and is held by her captors for 13 days, and how even after her release, she is plagued with coming "back into herself" after the brutality done to her.  I think that book will haunt me for some time.  Eikes!!

So, that's it for this week, my friends.  Finally, after the 30's and 40's last week, we're supposed to get some nice weather this coming week.  I'm crossing my fingers!  Maybe, I'll even take a trip to the nursery for some plants………..yippee!!  Enjoy your tomorrows…………..until next week.  OOXX

Happy Mother's Day

I hope all you Moms have a super duper day!  The sun is shining here and so far the temps are cool, but going into the low 70s, so the weather should be perfect!  Unfortunately, both my kids have plans with the other halves of their lives, so this year, hubby and I are on our own, although who knows, one or the other might pop in to say, "Hi" anyway.  We'll see.

I want to thank you all for your thoughts last week on my jury duty.  I'm happy to report that the trial was called off and I didn't have to show up.  YEAH!!!  Now, if you all can pull that off again for the next days I'm scheduled (May 19th through the 22nd) I'll be an even happier girl.  (I'll remind you next week just so you don't forget.  lol)

I might have mentioned that I recently joined a few swaps.  I like to keep my fingers in the pie so to speak without huge projects looming and I thought by joining the smaller project swaps, I might just be able to pull that off.  Below is a mug rug (6" x 9.5") I made for my secret partner.  She hasn't commented on it yet so I'm thinking this isn't her style at all.  Guess I'll have to try again.  Stay tuned…..I do have another idea that I'll sew up this week.

Of course, I sent out envelopes to my little sweeties this week.  Thankfully, I have many envelopes with books enclosed already made up, addressed and stamped, so whipping one out of the cupboard is an easy task.  I do have to color some more soon that I've already drawn, so perhaps that will be on my list to do this week too.

I'm loving the library!!!  Although I do have a stack (actually two stacks) of soft cover books that I've purchased and haven't read yet, I continue to find NEW fiction from our local library.  I think it's so neat that they belong to a SHARE system that contains 44 libraries from 5 counties from which to borrow.  All I do is look up a book online, and put a "HOLD" on it and within days (sometimes longer) they call to tell me it has arrived and I can pick it up.  Soooooo cool!   These are the ones I read this week:

"The Book of Jonah"  (Debut)                        by               Joshua Max Feldman
"Necessary Lies"                                             by               Diane Chamberlain
"Gemini"                                                         by               Carol Cassella
"The End of Always"  (Debut)                       by               Randi Davenport
"The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion" by               Fannie Flagg

By far, "Necessary Lies" and the last one, "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion" were the best.  I'm telling you, I laughed out loud at Fannie Flagg's writing.  She is a riot!  I remember reading her years ago, but for some reason didn't enjoy her as much as I do now.  Perhaps it's because I'm older, or maybe because people don't write as much for fun anymore.  I noticed that most books now are really serious and try to have a message, but sometimes I want to read just for the fun of it and if a book can make me laugh (or even cry for that matter)…….I'm all for it!

Have a great week, my friends!  Do something fun!

Happy May….

First off, I have to show you the awesome Keds I found on Amazon.  They are SO ME, I couldn't pass them up!!  I just got them yesterday and I'm so excited to wear them somewhere.  My hubby said that all I need now was a floppy hat and a big red nose, but I totally disagree!  I bet people are going to ask me where I got them so they can get some too.  AND, they come in different colors too!

Delia's friend sent me a photo of Delia with herself.  Too bad she decided to change her hair color since I made her.  If you remember, she was Lady #66.

And, naturally, we have the envelopes I sent this week:

And lastly, I read a few books (again)….mostly from the library this week.  There is just something about holding a hardcover book that I love!

"The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry"             by         Rachel Joyce
"Lost Lake"                                                           by         Sarah Addison Allen
"Ruin Falls"                                                           by        Jenny Michman
"The Weight of Blood"                                          by        Laura Mc Hugh

The first one (the only softcover) took me forever to get into, and I almost put it aside, but I'm so glad I didn't because it was my favorite of the week.  Anyone over 50 should really be moved by this debut by Rachel Joyce.

So, that's it!  Tonight I have to check to see if I have to show up for jury duty tomorrow as the summons declared.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for "NO".   How I'll ever sit that long is beyond me…say a little prayer for me please.  Many of the trials in our county are settled the night before, I understand, so I can only hope!!!  Until next week…………..