From my friend, Danielle (not sure who she scored it from)

From:  Yahoo/Reuters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This undated handout photo shows a creature called a pygmy tarsier, believed for the eight decades to have been extinct. One of the world’s smallest and rarest primates, it was rediscovered in Indonesia by Texas A and M University professor Sharon Gursky-Doyen in August.

 

There is a really fabulous, full article on Yahoo.Com.  But, the basics of the story are that these pygmy tarsiers are the planet’s smallest and rarest primates and they only weigh something like 2 ounces.  They are in the same species/family as us humans!  Apparently, on a “misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi,” scientists observed and subsequently trapped 3 of the animals.  At first, I’m livid… TRAPPED?  For God Sakes, Why!?!  Especially because these little guys have been sucessfully keeping the breed alive and away from humans for 8 decades!!!  But, the scientists say that they are just being photographed and radio-collared so that they can monitor their movements.  They did this trapping, via nets, in a National Park.  Lovely.   Anyway, they did spot a fourth one that was able to escape, lucky guy!  He was probably totally freaked out and saying, “DAMN!  WHERE ARE THE TAKING MY PEEPS!” (and, he was probably thinking humans were crazy aliens).

One of the tarsiers bit one of the scientists.  Good for him!  And, doesn’t the guy in the photo just look totally p’d off about being held?

It’s an interesting article, check it out.

DeeDee Gives Her Two Cents

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

As you may have read, we have a new rule in my family, before Mom buys a kidlet a new book, they must write me a book review on the one that they just finished.  Books are, after all, expensive.  If they want treats… they have to do what Mom does.  I’m so strict! 

The other reasoning that I have for this rule is that they are in 6th grade now.  Much of their curriculum is including the 5 paragraph essay.  And, boy, do they need practice!  With  the presence of “spell checker,” it seems as though spelling has taken a lesser importance to my children’s schools.  But, I find that knowing to spell properly is a very important skill.  So… I hope that writing helps them with their spelling.

A few things to know about this book.  This book is the second in a series of four books.  Some think it’s a trilogy (The Inheritance Cycle), but the author elected to write a fourth book.  The twins have each read the first book, Eragon, which was made into a movie released in 2006.  They are both in an all-day “ReadAThon” fundraiser at school tomorrow and they are starting the next book, Brisingr tomorrow for the all-day read.  I donated $20 per child and they get to bring a pillow and wear jammies to school for the ReadAThon. 

Another notable fact, the person who wrote this series is a young man.  I think he started writing his books as a teen or pre-teen.  He was a home schooled child and his parents encouraged him to write it.  He explains that he wrote something that he would want to read, himself.  The video below tells a bit more (it’s a short one… check out how excited the kids are!)

OK, so… I promised the kids that their book reviews would go up on A Novel Menagerie.  I’m pleased to present DeeDee’s first review.

The Review:

Title:  Eldest

Author: Christopher Paolini

Author’s Website:  http://www.alagaesia.com

Publisher: A Borozi Book Published by Alfred A. Knoff <which  believe Random House acquired (Mom)>

Publisher’s Website:  http://www.alagaesia.com

Type:  Fiction

Number of Pages:  681 (hardback)

ISBN #: 0-375-82670-x (trade) & 0-375-92670-4 (lib. bdg.)

Settings:  Ellesmera is where Eragon trains the elves.  Carvahall is where Ronan and Katrina get engaged.  Terim is where Eragon, Roran, Nasauda, Araya, Orik and many more face a hard and compelling battle.

Characters:   Saphira, Eragon, Twins, Roran, Katrina, Murtagh, Arga, King Galbatorix and many more.

Summary of the Story:  Eragon is waiting for Murtagh, his friend, Ajihad, the leader of the Varden, Twins and more.  Suddenly, the Urgals jump out and carry the Twins, Murtagh and one other guy with them.  Ajihad dies and his daughter, Nasuada, takes his place.  Eragon goes to the Elf Clan’s Palace and trains there.  Roran is about to ask Katrina’s father to marry his daughter, but before he can soldiers come for him.  When that happens, he must go into the forest and wait for the soldiers to leave.  But, they refuse to.  He comes down and they attack the soldiers.  Katrina and Roran get engaged without Katrina’s father’s permission.  Katrina gets taken away and Roran decides to go after her. 

Eragon, Arya, and Orik eventually make it to the Elves’ Palace where Eragon meets another dragon rider.  This rider is Eragon’s teacher and his dragon becomes Saphira’s teacher.  <For those of you who do not know the story of Eragon… Saphira is his dragon (Mom)>.  Eragon goes to a ceremony and confesses his love for Arya.  She turns him down.  Eragon gets his back healed and is as fast as an elf now.  Roran goes on a daring adventure to rescue Katrina.  This adventure means having to cross the forest, go on two boats, and find Eragon.  Does he make it or does he fail?

Eragon learns that a battle is about to go on and Nasauda needs him.  He goes to battle.  Then, he meets Roran who comes and helps win the battle.  All of the people are amazed when another dragon rider comes.  Guess who it is?  It is Murtagh, Eragon’s old friend.  He betrayed them.  He also took Eragon’s sword and told Eragon the truth.  They where brothers and they had the same mother and father.  Eragon agrees to help rescue Katrina.

DeeDee’s “Out of Ten” Scale:

This is a great adventure story.  The things I like about it are that ever time you think ”that’s all of the surprises,” another one leaps out at you.  Some words are hard to understand, but it is a great series and I love this book.  I give it a 9.5 out of 10.

Where To Buy The Book:

You can buy the book for $7.99 at Amazon.Com (Click Here)

Today was a day that I want to forget, but never will.  It was one of the most painful days of my life that rendered me feeling completely worthless.  How could I have attached so much of my self worth to a career?  Looking back, I ask myself so many questions.  I’m such a fool.

One thing that I learned today is that my children are the most important thing in my life.  I mean, I always knew it and said it, but today I felt it.  When I came home from a very difficult day today, I had to tell them how things panned out for us as we’re on the verge of losing our home.  When I spoke to them, suddenly I spoke from this very honest and vulnerable place inside my soul.  I wasn’t the brave mom who kept everything bottled up.  When I spoke with them, I told them the truth (to the appropriate degree) and tears started streaming down my face.  I have failed them. 

Both of them, now 5′2″ a piece, embraced me with the most loving hug I think I’ve ever felt in my life.  The three of us stood there in the hallway holding each other in one big embrace as tears streamed down our faces.  We just held each other for the longest time.  At that moment, I realized that nobody loved me more than they did.  I realized at that very moment what true love was… it is not what I thought it was.  It was a revelation for me that I never expected.  I didn’t think I could love my children any more than I already did… but, I do.  I love them more than ever.  I think there was a disconnect there between us and it fused tonight.  It’s us against the world, we are a team… we are a family… nobody can tear us apart.

In facing our future, financially, I am frought with fear.  It’s funny how money changes people, and I’m not exempting myself from the equation.  Look at the difference of how you behave when you have it and how you are when you don’t.  It so affects the psyche!  I wish there were an easier way of living in which money wasn’t the root of all evil.  It is what kills peace, in my opinion.  I believe that my parents controlled me with money.  They showed their affection with money.  And, that is not to say that we were rich.  But, every positive emotion from them came in the form of something monetary.  When they were unhappy, they pulled back money/support.   I wonder if that history had something to do with my adult life and some of the decisions that I’ve made of late, including the people that I surrounded myself with.

I grew up in a family devoid of hugs and kisses, tears and laughs.  We were a family stifled by fear and riddled with judgment.   With that fear came control and that very same control is something that I have issues with today.  I’ve been working on my “control issues” for some time now.  Things are better, but not where they should be.  My personality, as my brother tells me, is “intense.”  If that is true, how does an intense person relinquish control… really… I want to know.

I’ve been changing in these past six months, but I don’t think that God is done molding me at this juncture yet.  I had hoped that he was done, but apparently there’s still some work there to be done.  I hope that He finishes up soon and sets me on a wonderful journey and on a road of financial stability.  I know that He will, I feel Him inside me.  I have this inner voice that I believe is His, showing me that I must rely on my faith.  I know that I’m here to learn and understand.  I know that it is through these life experiences that he is preparing me for Heaven.  He will take care of us, He will not let us fall, and most of all it is His will that will be done.  In the meantime, I’m keeping my head down and continuing to work at finding a suitable job to support my family.

Thank you for letting me share.

DWTS: TONIGHT’S SHOW WAS…. Good

This week’s Semi-Finals were good.  I agree with the judges, that I expected a bit more from the routines than I saw (in the beginning).  I think Lance and Lacey were the King and Queen of the Ballroom tonight. 

• Samantha Harris… that dress was not my favorite on her.  We caught her dancing to ”Jim Dandy to the Rescue” at the end of the show.
• Kym’s casino dress was the coolest ever!
• Lacey looked really happy tonight and I also thought her Mambo outfit was smokin’!
• I just love when Len does the master class!  Wasn’t that classic him learning Warrren’s moves?
• Brooke’s pants for her second number were super groovy!
• Warren touched Kym’s boob!
• ARETHA FRANKLIN IS IN THE HOUSE TOMORROW NIGHT!  WHAT?  THAT’S SO FRIGGIN’ COOL!

The “low-down” on this week’s couples:

Brooke & Derek

She was so off in the first number that I was a bit in shock.  I think the judges were, too.  She’s obviously a sweet person and a good person, but there is just something lacking for me in her connection to me as her audience.  It’s like she’s holding back that piece of her soul that most dancers expose when they dance.  I don’t know how to really describe it well… it’s just something that is missing for me.  She has solid technique and I think that she’ll make it to the finals.

They came in 2nd on the overall LeaderBoard

Julianne & Cody

I hope that Julianne’s scalp is okay after Cody nearly ripped her hair out.  She looked very well after her surgery and I’m excited to see her sing tomorrow night.  They looked good tonight, not great, but good.  I enjoyed watching their numbers.  Unfortunately, I think that they may be voted off the show tomorrow night.

He’s a good kid and obviously cares so much about Julianne.  I was happy to see him tonight, but he’s not our finalist.

They came in last on the LeaderBoard

Cloris & Corky (aka “Clorky”)

I know that she didn’t dance.  The news said today that she was hospitalized for pneumonia.  I just wanted to send out my prayers and well wishes to her for a speedy recovery.

Lance & Lacey

Go Jim Dandy!

I’ve been saying from the beginning that they were my favorite… they still are and I’m totally stoked with tonight’s performance!  Lance’s shoe came off in the jitterbug and he just kept going.  I was so distracted by the shoe that I had to rewind it and watch it a second time.  I kept thinking, “don’t trip on that shoe.” 

Anyway, his grandpa is so cute (kiss). 

Lacey was just glowing.  Can I just say that I LOVE LACEY?  I’ve loved her since So You Think You Can Dance.  I’ve seen her perform, live and in person.  She’s just an incredible spirit when she dances… amazing.  She did a number during her season with SYTYCD that brought me to tears.  I saw her perform this number live and I cried, again.  It was the Mia Michael’s number about her father who had passed away.  If you can find it on YouTube or something, check it out… wonderful.

Well, that was a tangent… but, I LOVE LACEY.  She is just bringing out the best in Lance.  My sister thinks that she has something for Lance, even though he doesn’t swing that way.  I disagree.  But, now everytime they come on, my daughter says, “Aunt Terra says she has a thing for him!”  I can’t get it out of my mind during the dance.  Thanks, Terra, for that one!

They SHOULD and WILL go to the finals.  They deserve it.

On another topic, I think calling Lance “Pigeon Toed” is horrible of Len.  It was very upsetting to me.  Some people can’t help how they were born and Len just needed to shut-up about it and help him privately.  Enough said on that.

They came in TOP of the LeaderBoard

 Warren and Kym

Warren, Warren, Warren. 

Does it seem like he has a major crush on Kym, or what?  The kiss on her shoulder thing was weird.  The boob thing was weird.  The way he was holding her head was weird.  Are they an item?  If not, it looks like Warren would like to be.  Even his comment during the judges’ scores about if people wanted to “see her again” they should vote. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I really like Kym.  She’s got a bangin’ bod and she’s just so pretty and cute.  I would like to see her win, for once.  She’s very creative and deserves a fair shot at it.  But, I just don’t think that she’ll win with Warren.  His technique is just too far lacking.  This may just be because of his size and you can’t fault him for that. 

I really like Warren… for me it’s a toss up between him and Cody.  I’m really not super moved either way for the finals.

They scored third on the LeaderBoard

I enjoyed the professional dancers that came tonight for a demonstration, especially the swing dance couple.  Man, that guy could really dance!

I thought that Carrie Ann Inaba’s hair looked lovely tonight. 

Bruno was rather calm tonight.  I loved it when he told Warren that he “wasted the Master’s Time.”

So…. my favorites of the night, in order of how much I loved them:

Lance & Lacey

Kym & Warren (I just get bored with Brooke)

Brooke & Derek

Julianne & Cody

For more commentary on this week’s DWTS, visit Apooo’s Site… she’s got tons of good conversation on everything!

Falling In Love on A Tropical Island…

Watching Sexy Surfers Ride the Surf…

Mai Tai’s At Sunset…

Those Long Romantic Walks on the Beach…

♥

What Could Be Better?

This week’s contest is in celebration of a couple of things… first, being a woman and second, is romance!

I recently read Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter.  The Early Birds Blog Tour is reviewing this book on December 5th.  In addition, there is a live broadcast with Jane Porter on December 5th in which you can talk directly to Jane and ask away!  But, what I’m very excited about is that on December 6th, Lifetime has adapted Flirting With Forty into a Lifetime Original Movie starring Heather Locklear.  SO COOL!

One of the things that I like most about seeing a movie based on the book is having read the book prior to watching the movie.  So, I thought to myself… if we don’t review it until December 5th, why… you wouldn’t have enough time to read the book before the movie.  So… my wheels got to turning and I got in touch with the publisher and the author about an exciting giveaway for Flirting With Forty readers!

A little “heads up.”  The main storyline in Flirting With Forty is about Jackie, a 39-year old divorced mother of two finding love and discovering herself during her 40th Birthday trip to Hawaii.  There, she meets this WAY SEXY surfer named Kai.  Now, I’m not going to reveal too much about the book because, not only do I have a review coming on December 5th, but I think it would be super if you picked up the novel and read it between now and then.

 So… for the LOVE IN THE TROPICS CONTEST, I’m giving you a few choices for your entries:

 What is your favorite tropical food or drink recipe (I’m Posting MaiTai’s on the 5th)

What was your favorite tropical vacation?

What was your favorite “girls only” vacation?

Facing Forty… is Forty “The New Thirty”?

Finding Love a 2^ndTime Around

This way, you have many choices to choose from for the contest.

Oh… THE PRIZE!!!!

Of course, there’s a great prize!

You will receive a fabulous beach tote, stuffed with goodies.

In addition, you will receive a copy of Jane Porter’s Flirting With Forty.

You will receive a copy of all tropical drink and food recipes submitted by the bloggers.

It’s like Summer in November! 

 

OK… So, there are rules…. 

• You must write a post, comment or email on one of the above topics.
• If you write a post, you must link the post back to here and leave the link to your post in the comments below.  You will get a double entry for that.  If you include in your post a copy of the badge below, you get a TRIPLE entry! 
• You may write a comment below as your entry.
• You may send me an email at anovelmenagerie@aol.com with your entry.  I’ll post it for you.
• All entries are due by no later than November 22nd, 2008
• The Winner will be announced in The Sunday Salon post on November 23rd.  As I am leaving on vacation on the 25th, I must have the winner respond by no later than noon on November 24th with the shipping address.  If you want to email me your address ahead of time, in case you win and you won’t be around on the 23rd/24th, please email it to me at anovelmenagerie@aol.com.
• The prizes are courtesy of the author, publisher and A Novel Menagerie

 

For the TRIPLE Entry:

Good Luck!

You Won A Gift Certificate to Doodlebug Web Designs!

Congratulations to:

Krissy

There were 12 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Krissy
2. Alessandra
3. Lady Tink
4. Shelly
5. Shelly
6. Alyce
7. Lady Tink
8. Krissy
9. Yasmin
10. Vicki
11. Amy
12. Janel

Timestamp: 2008-11-17 08:25:44 UTC

 

Krisie, get in touch with me, girl! 

You are going to like Judi!

  I can’t wait to see what she makes for you!

P.S. My Three Wishes Are:

Good Health & Happy Lifetimes For My Twins

A Trip To Greece For As Long As I Want To Stay - All Expenses Paid

To Be Able To Live In A Stable Home (preferrably paid for) Until Death

You Won A Signed Copy of A Great Book!

Congratulations to:

BOBBIE CRAWFORD-MCCOY

There were 7 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Bobbie
2. Alyce
3. Dawn
4. Alyce (Double Entry For Post)
5. Alessandra
6. Serena
7. Heather

Timestamp: 2008-11-17 07:05:04 UTC

 

Bobby, get in touch with me, girl! 

You are going to read and really like this book!

  Don’t forget, you promised me your opinion on it!

This tiny deer was delivered by Caesarean section at a wildlife hospital after his mother was killed by a car.

Little Rupert, who is so small he can fit in an adult’s hand, was born after vets failed in their battle to save his mother.

At just six inches tall and weighing just over a pound, he is now in an incubator in the intensive care unit at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire.

He has only recently opened his eyes.

Les Stocker, founder of Tiggywinkles, said: Rupert’s mother had very severe injuries.

We brought him out and got him breathing and then he went into an incubator on oxygen. He is now being fed by a tube.

 Tucked in, Rupert is in an incubator

Dear deer: Rupert pulls a striking pose for the camera

Staff are optimistic Rupert, now five days old, will make a full recovery.

Deer are very, very tricky but this one has spirit. He’s extremely feisty little guy and quite pushy, Mr Stocker said.

Asleep: Rupert takes 40 winks

I can’t believe that a week has gone by already!  Happy Sunday, everybody.

Contests & Memes: First, I want to get some “housekeeping” out of the way.  There are two contests that end today: Three Wishes and Losing Kei-Book Giveaway.  I can’t say enough about this book… so enter…  AND, as I’ve mentioned before, Doodlebug Designs rocks!  If you don’t need a header, perhaps a signature or a couple of badges?  She’ll work with you, I’m sure.   In any event, get those entries in!  In addition to the contests that are wrapping up, we have Love In the Tropics Contest that has just started.  This is a fun… chick-thing…. contest.  Check out the background of the contest, especially if you are a member of Early Birds Blog Tours.

BookCharming: Well, I have just finished updating our BookCharming.Com website.  It’s all ready for Holiday Shoppers to shop away!  I’ve got PayPal Cramp!  That’s when your arm dies from too much repetitive movement in installing a GAZILLION buttons for PayPal to work.  So, please check it out.  I had a show this week and they did very well.  Again, those teacher and care-giver gifts… you can’t beat these lovely gifts for under $10.  And, if you Buy Books For Christmas (as suggested in the campaign), this is the perfect stocking stuffer or accompaniment to the books.  OH… and, we have now added to our line ChainCharmers, looks for readers.  They are chains for around your neck to hold your reading glasses.  We are doing everything from gunmetal black to Sterling Silver and Swarvoski Crystals.

Book Reviews… well, I’m reading a ton.  But, all of the books that I am reading are for blog tours in which the posts won’t be out until a few weeks from now.  But, I am still reading away.  I’ll hopefully get a review in this upcoming week.

Personal:  Girls won one and lost one today.  That meant - THIRD PLACE OVERALL, Their division!  They earned their first trophies ever!  We had a full day of soccer and the subsequent pizza party.  We’ve had incredible fires the past couple of days.  The sky was just plain scary!  So, we’re also having Santa Ana Winds… this all equals me having allergies from hell!   Check out these photos!  Anyway, so I can’t breathe and my heart has been giving me some problems.  We scored a goal and I jumped up to clap and blacked out.  All I saw were stars and I fell flat on my face.  Then, after I realized I fell, I couldn’t get up.  It was like… “I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up” and I needed the LifeAlert bracelet.  I did this in front of everybody on the field.  So graceful, huh?  I looked like such a dumbass!   I had grass everywhere… hair, clothes… places where it shouldn’t have gone!  Anyway, the after party was nice and it was even nicer to be home and put on my “fat pants!” (You know, the comfy pajama pants with the drawstrings on them!)  So, the allergy medicine that I took for my allergy attack (because of the wind and the smoke) knocked me out and now, in the middle of the night, I cannot sleep.  This time is as good as any to get my Sunday Salon done! 

Upcoming Stuff that I Need Your Prayers For:  I have some very important business meetings and personal decisions to make over the next few days.  Due to “legal stuff,” I can’t write about it.  But, just know that it has to do with the job situation and that I appreciate all of your extra prayers for Monday the 17th.  If you could pray that God sends angels to each side of me, above me and below me… to keep me safe and to protect my family… I would very much appreciate it.  I need each and every prayer that I can get.

Well, it’s 5am… time to try to go back to bed!

Hugs to everyone and ENTER THE CONTESTS!

This is so sweet. This little girl soloist has a future!  Look at the faces of the kids when they are singing!

Sally from Book Critiques gave me a Bookworm Award today. Guess who else did?  My friend Alyce at At Home With Books.

I guess that means… I AM A WORM. 

This conjures up all sorts of images for me.

Sally and Alyce, are you suggesting that I am in dire need of a makeover?  Do I have that “worm-like” appearance?

Well, here’s the picture (below) of the “BookWorm Award” that my “friends” (who should be sending me a tube of lipstick since I need the “worm-no-more makeover”) gave me:

The BookWorm Award

Well, this award comes with its perks.  We get to call 5 OTHER people worms!  Tee Hee Hee!

• Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment.
• Turn to Page 56
• Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following there.

The book nearest me is: The Frog Prince by Jane Porter. It is a novel. I have not even started reading the book yet. It’s sitting on my desktop because I totally crinkled up a gift certificate on accident and I’m trying to smooth out the wrinkles of the certificate under a mound of heavy books (crossing my  fingers).

page 56:

“… For a moment, he can’t speak.

He sits for a moment longer, then abruptly stands.  And when he looks at us, his lips twist, and it’d be a smile if there weren’t so much heartbreak in his face.”

Then, according to Sally and Alyce… I have to pass this on to five blogging friends.

The five people I am calling a WORM are:

1. Shana at Literarily <but, Shana… you’re too pretty to be a worm>

2. Anna at Diary of an Eccentric

3. Yasmin at Apooo

4. J. Kaye at J. Kaye’s Book Blog

5. Amy at My Friend Amy

So, I’ve passed the torch… I’ve spread the word… and, I’ve called five women I like, WORMS!  Aaahhh.. the joys of bloghood!  (Thanks, Sally & Alyce!)

Today’s Topic For Booking Through Thursday:

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?

Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What made you buy the books that you actually own, even though your usual preference is to borrow and return them?

If you usually buy your books, tell me why. Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?

Well… my answer may not be a popular one, but it’s honest.  I buy books and keep them FOREVER!  They are my collection… my menagerie.  I do lend them out and I do read them again.  I’ve even kept my twins’ best books from childhood to read to my grandchildren (fingers crossed). 

I love everything about them… the colors, the covers, the typesets, the stories, the instructions, the words, the visual memories… ALL OF IT. 

And, I never buy a book that I don’t finish.  Although, there are two right now that I need to finish that I’ve been putting off FOREVER.  But, I always finish them.  I make a commitment to myself and the book when I purchase it to read it.  In case you want to know what those books are:  The Power of Now and One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln. 

If I went to the library, I’d have overdue fees up the YANG!  I change my mind all the time on what I want to read first.  I’d be running over to the library constantly to review them, etc.  When I get books, I never just get one at a time… I need like 7!  I know; it’s strange.

I love the library.  For school reports and throughout school I LOVED IT.  But, no so much anymore.  The kids use their school library, which is really well stocked.  What I buy them… well, we have a new rule.  They do not get a new book to read until I have a written review (what the story was about and whether they liked it or not) of the last one they read.  They really need the practice for 6th grade and their spelling is atrocious!   And, what’s good for Mom… is good for them.  After all… our budget is very tight until I get that wonderful job that God has in store for me.

So, that’s my Booking Through Thursday.  Please visit Thursday’s Thoughts for our weekly MEME contest.  This week, it is tied to our “Three Wishes Contest.”  Time is running out… so enter enter enter!  Also, as I mention in the rules of the contest… if you don’t need a designed header.. she can exchange it for fun buttons or signatures or whatever!

Thanks!

Colie kicking it to her twin Dee Dee

How is it that they can play on the same team, to help each other to win, and still fight so much at home?  My twins seem to be so competitive with each other:  Who’s the better singer, Mom?  Who’s been the most help today, Mom?  Who’s smarter, Mom?  Who played better today, Mom?  Drives me NUTS!  Similarly, when they are in trouble:  But, SHE did this.  SHE made me do it.  SHE told me to do it.  SHE did it too!   Kill me now!

What is it going to take for them to love being a twin and love having each other rather than bickering all the time?  Am I expecting too much, here?  Is this just normal twin stuff?

Oh, and when one’s in trouble, the other one milks it!  The other twin just acts nicer and nicer to me to get the other one more jealous and more angry at her predictament. 

I need some twin advice for all you out there with experience on this topic!

Thank you,

U.S. Veterans! 

Army

Navy

Air Force

Marines

We’ve only got the best men and women serving our great country!