Monday, December 6, 2010

Monday - Monday - Monday - Monday - Monday -infinity

Ahh - seems like yesterday we were feeling full and content from Thanksgiving...
and here we are on another Monday -
only this time it means we're one more Monday closer to Christmas,
one more Monday gone and I've only shopped for my granddaugher...LOL - she's the easiest to shop for. Dolls, barbies, polly pockets, pet shop babies, pretty much anything with pink in the packaging, with some sort of doll and you're good to go.
Once again, I will focus on mainly the grandchildren for Christmas gifts...
only this time I'm adding a few little friends that I've me this year.
One little girl that has played with my granddaughter a few times, a little boy who is the son of an ex of one of my sons... (it's complicated)
...but I'm deviating from the book post - it's MONDAY!
and I'm working on this MEME
(btw, Sheila is currently in Honduras!)
Sheila is also hosting a reading challenge, Where Are You Reading - which looks like a challenge that I could get excited about
(and then fail at *g*)
So. What have I accomplished this week?
Folks - I finally, FINALLY finished a book. Read to the very last page. It was a damned good book.
I was finally able to finish reading Bitter
Angels by C.L. Anderson. Damn, it was good too. Very dramatic final chapters. Glad I picked it up.
When you click on the cover or the link I've provided, it will take you to Sarah Zettel's site - that's okay, they are one and the same. Zettel writes sci-fi and fantasy - when I have more time away from my demanding farmville farm, I will explore more of her writing.....(farmville can be soooo demanding - beware...oh, and does anyone need a farmville friend? LOL - no, really)

I read the latest installment of Doc, the Vampire Hunting Border Collie - this just keeps getting better and better. I am enjoying this peek inside Doc, the dog's way of processing events, smells, etc. Julie Campbell sure seems to know animals. If I ever get reincarnated I want to be one of her pets! LOL - that was just weird of me. In my defense, it is around 4 a.m. here, and I've been doing too much laundry....need sleep!


Before I decided to put a moratorium on bookbuying for myself (not for others, just me) I did indulge meself a bit and ordered a few books from overseas. Two of them are by Australian writer Marianne De Pierres, who some might know as Marianne Delacourt. Whichever way you know her, she is the writer of Nylon Angel the first in a cyberpunk trilogy. This is where I first became aware of her. I ordered Dark Space - the first in a series of deep space and politics. It came recently and I've been able to read a few chapters so far - and it's interesting. The other book - Sharp Shooter - hasn't arrived yet. That's the one that is only available in Australia or the UK. Hopefully, Sharpshooter will arrive soon.


In the meantime, I was offered a chance to read Witch Hunt by Devin O'Branagan. This worked out well, since I was thinking of getting a copy to read. I'd been seeing the cover once in a while (I know, I KNOW! never judge a book by it's cover - in fact, I've bought a few books based on the cover...and been a bit disappointed, but then I've had a couple of gems fall into my hands this way also - book gems, that is. *g*) Witch Hunt was originally released around 20 years ago, but the story is still relevant today. In fact, 20 yeards ago we were in Iraq and 20 years later we are again. Devin O'Branagan has re-worked and updated the novel about a family with witch powers and another family with witch hunting propensities...and once again I totally over-simplify the plot. I'm looking forward to reading this novel. I did read the prologue yesterday as soon as I got the mail. Good prologue, filled with terror and action. After Witch Hunt, I think I'll work on getting a copy of Red Hot Property, because even though I don't normally go for romance, there are some very interesting side characters noted. Travel on over to O'Branagan's website and look up Witch Hunt, Glory and Red Hot Property (sequel coming soon)

This weekend I spent time surfing the internet with my granddaughter. We found some kid friendly sites hosted by libraries and others. Some of them have interactive story time - audio reading and the child clicks to turn the page. There are also pages up with craft actities, which I would like to try next weekend. Beans, toilet paper rolls, tape and paper. Those are the materials for one of the craft ideas....
Beantime Stories
Lycoming County E-Branch
Li'l Fingers
Between the Lions
Some of the sites we visited. We had fun. We also frequently visit a site hosted by the ALA - Art with Leo. Art with Leo and Nick Jr are two of the very first online places that my granddaughter used to learn how to navigate a bit of the internet on her own. She was just barely three at the time. She cannot yet type website names into the search bar yet, but once we get her on a specific site, she's pretty good at figuring out what to do. She can search for videos, enlarge the screen, mute the sound, fast forward, go backward and close a window. She can figure out how to start and end games and video clips. She has no idea that a lot of adults have problems with this, so of course, she has no concept that this might be hard for her, being a kid. She just does it. And enjoys it very much.
And I've learned that just because we might be watching a kid friendly story on you-tube, doesn't mean that the other story videos listed on the page will be kid friendly. We watched part of a very rude and sarcastic Red Riding Hood - it started out fine, if a bit strange, and went completely downhill after my granddaughter was sitting quietly enjoying the story - there was blood and mayhem mentioned, along with some rude language. Parents and grandparents beware.
Now I know. I am also looking forward to seeing what my grandson will be interested in on his night with me. I'm going to introduce him to my computer Friday night - if he behaves...LOL

3 comments:

  1. Looks like you have had a great week. Witch Hunt looks good. Hope you enjoy it. Have a wonderful week.

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  2. You so crack me up!

    You had a fantastic week :)

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  3. Thanks for the shout out!!! My critters do have pretty good lives :) At least I think they do.

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