Saturday Snapshot – 1/24/15

by Carol9 Comments
I thought I'd share a couple of picture from last weekend. Friday I went with a couple friends to a Paint and Sip event. The leader is the same person Amber takes her art classes and paint lessons with. It was a really fun evening. And here's my painting. It's to put up for Valentine's Day. I'm actually pretty proud of how nice it turned out. Of course, he helps you along so you can't screw it up too much. Saturday, Amber went to Solo & Ensemble. She did a French horn solo, "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly," and got a 1, which is the best rating. Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads....
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Good Health, Good Life by Joyce Meyer

by Carol1 Comment
I don't know what I was expecting from this small book, but it was certainly more than I got. The twelve keys are good and solid: 1. Get God's Help 2. Learn to Love Your Body 3. Master Your Metabolism 4. Exercise 5. Eat in Balanced Ways 6. Water Your Life 7. Be Mindful About Eating 8. Curb Your Spiritual Hunger 9. De-Stress 10. Live With The Right Vision 11. Make It Easy 12. Take Responsibility But they're nothing new. Eat well, exercise, drink water. Don't let stress take over your life. The only thing that really distinguishes it from  other self-help books is that it comes at it from a Christian point of view. Our body is God's, so we should take care of it, both for its own sake and so that we are capable of doing the work He has for us. But that's not a new concept either, if you are a Christian - and if you're not I doubt you would pick up this book. The only good thing...
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Thursday’s Tale: Making a Man

by Carol2 Comments
Today's tale is another short piece from Margaret Atwood's Good Bones and Simple Murders, "Making a Man. " There are several ways of making a man including the traditional method, using dust and the breath of life. You can also use marzipan or the clothes method. You can even a make a cute lawn ornament with a bit of plaster of Paris. But my favorite method, and the reason this story fits in on my Thursday is the man you can bake. Yep, a man made of gingerbread of course. Actually any cookie recipe will do, but if you want him lively, you need to add some extra ginger. There is one caveat though. After he comes out of the oven, this type of man is difficult to hold on to. "Men made this way are apt to take off down the roan, on motorcycles or off them, robbing convenience stores, getting themselves tattooed, and hopping up and down and singing, "Run,...
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When in Rome by Ngaio Marsh

by Carol4 Comments
When in Rome is my first TBR challenge pick. I haven't decorated my TBR jar yet, but when I do I'll post a picture. I have a jar and put about 11 titles in it, but I'll add to it as the year goes by. They're a mix of ones that have been sitting on my shelf for a while and recent additions to the list. Usually I wouldn't read two Marsh's so close together, but you just can't argue with random from a jar. When in Rome was first published in 1970 and you can tell in some of the dialogue and phrases, like groovy. It's also very drug heavy and there's a "party" that fits into the fictional version of the era. Aside from that, it's a typical Marsh mystery. Some interesting characters, Inspector Alleyn being his usual handsome, intelligent self.  The characters are a particularly interesting lot: a Dutch couple clearly in love; a man and his aunt, both rather...
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Readers’ Workouts – 1/20/15

by Carol5 Comments
Finally, maybe, I'm making some progress getting moving again. I made my step goal on Tuesday, even though you can't see it above. Yay! I took the dog for a walk, which definitely helped. I did a little bit of weightlifting in the evening, too. I took a short walk on Thursday. And must have done something else too. Maybe I went to the gym? I can't remember. We did go bowling on Sunday, so that counts as exercise, right? Monday I was so close! I should have just stayed up and extra 15-20 minutes and walked around the living room. And since eating and exercising are so closely related, I thought I'd include a new recipe I tried this week, Amish One-Pan Ground Beef and Cabaage from smilesandwich.com. I know it's not pretty, but it was yummy! And so easy. Amish One-Pan Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet Ingredients 1 pound grass-fed ground beef 1 onion, chopped 1/2 - 1 head cabbage, chopped 1 tablespoon butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes 1 (8...
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Beastly Things by Donna Leon

by Carol3 Comments
I've read several of the Brunetti mysteries, but not necessarily in order. Beastly Things was okay, not the best in the series and there were some things I missed. First and foremost I missed the food, the delicious meals Brunetti has, the desserts and drinks. They're here, but not as tempting as usual. Of course, that probably has to do with the social theme she's tackling in addition to the mystery. We have a look inside the food industry, at the slaughtering of animals and how the meat is deemed "safe for human consumption." I don't mind social issues in mysteries, but at times it can over-shadow the actual mystery plot. And the horrible scene at the slaughterhouse was not as disturbing as I thought it would be, in all honesty. But maybe I've heard too many horror stories before. I like the characters as always and Venice is as a wonderful setting. I will say the plot held few surprises. I guessed...
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