Friday, August 25, 2006

What does 24 years feel like?

Monday was Toby and mine’s 24th Anniversary. While we were lying in bed snuggled together he wished me a Happy Anniversary and I responded with the question “Does it feel the 24 years?” He proceeded to ask me “What does 24 years feel like?”

Hhhmmmm? That is a good question. What does 24 years feel like?

My brother said it feels old. I didn’t like that response.

It could feel comfortable.
It could feel stagnate.
It could feel boring.
It could feel ho-hum.
It could feel exciting.
It could feel like forever or like *snap* that long.

For me it feels comfortable and secure in some ways, yet every changing as we continue to grow and experience new things. We still have two boys in school so we’re not yet through with the childrearing stage of our lives and yet with our oldest son getting married next February and we will soon be entering the new stage of being In-Laws. Hopefully one day in the future we will be blessed with grandchildred and will enter the stage of being grandparents.


So what does 24 years feel like? It feels good. I like being married, most of the time I like my husband and I love him dearly. Hopefully we’ll have at least 24 more years and even longer the Lord willing.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Stardoc

In keeping with the monthly theme of non-romance.... although this book did include a romantic interest for the heroine it was by no means the focus of the book.


Title: Stardoc

Author: S. L. Viehl

Year Published: January 2000

Why did you get this book?
I had read the first three book of the Darkyn series which this author writes under the name of Lynn Viehl and really liked them. I looked her up on the internet and found out that she had other books in different genres and decided to try one.

Do you like the cover? It’s interesting, gives what I think is fair portrayal of what the heroine might look like, and has some interesting depictions of some of the secondary characters.

Did you enjoy the book? Absolutely! While I have always loved futuristic romance and time travel; reading Sci-fi outside the arena of romance is new for me. When all is said and done what really makes or breaks a book for me is the story. If the story draws me in, makes me what to know what happens next, and if I can connect with the characters and care about what happens to them then for me it is a good book. Sometimes a great book and this one fits that description. I actually cried for a good portion of the last several chapters of this book.


Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? No this author wasn’t new and yes I will continue to read her books. I’ve already read the second book in the series and can’t wait until I can buy the rest.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it.

Anything else? Stardoc is about a young woman, Dr. Cherijo Grey Veil, who has followed her father’s wishes and desires for her life only to find out that all is not as it seems. It turns out that her brilliant physician father has done some experimenting; experimenting that would be consider questionable by most and illegal by the government.

Upon this discovery this Cherijo decides to leave her home world and journey to the farthest reaches of the galaxy to practice medicine and escape from her father’s control. It is an interesting experience for Cherijo, who has never treated a species other than her own. We get to know and appreciate Cherijo through a series of mishaps and emergencies as she painstakingly feels her way along this new path. There are also a number of secondary characters who the author introduces and who add a great deal of interest and detail to the story.

All in all this was a wonderful engaging story. It is entertaining and the world building in exceptional. I was so thankful I had already bought the second of this series as I started it immediately.

Monday, August 14, 2006

When you take your children out to eat with you

please be considerate of the other customers and MAKE THEM BEHAVE!!! [and yes, I meant to yell that]

We were at a small local Mexican restaurant today for lunch and at another table there were two ladies, probably Mom and Grandma from the looks of them, and three boys. The youngest boy looked to be about four years of age and he was the main problem. He yelled, for no reason that we could ever discern; he yelled at his brother, he yelled at the waiter, he yelled at his mother, and never once did either of the ladies tell him to quit or correct him in anyway. As they reached the end of their meal he was allowed to get up and roam the room. He must have opened and closed the door a dozen times; it was one of those with a chime that goes off every time it is opened. He also destroyed a display of flyers sitting on a counter, again neither of the ladies ever told him to quit or corrected him in anyway nor did they clean up the display he dumped.

We have always taken our kids out to eat from the time they were little and I know that they did not always behave. I can in fact remember a few times Toby had to take one or another to the bathroom for a chat, but they were never allowed to get up and roam and we always tried to be conscious of whether or not their behavior was disrupting to others.

All children have to learn what is acceptable in public and what isn't and it is their parents job to teach them that. I just don’t understand why people think it is okay to inflict their child/children on the general populace when they don’t/won’t/can’t make them behave and obvisouly have no intention of teaching them how to behave correctly.

Okay, end of rant!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Isn't it amazing

Isn’t it amazing the things we can take for granted and how we miss them when they aren’t there? Turn on a switch and we have lights, television, and computer. Pick up the phone and we can talk to almost anyone we want or in today’s world we can at least talk to their machine. Thirsty, dirty, need clean clothes or dishes turn on a faucet, shower or washing machine.

Uuummm that is unless your day started like mine this morning and that faucet is dry. We aren’t on city water and sewage but have a well and this morning the well pump it isn’t working. To make things even better the well service people say it will be next week ... late next week before they can get out here to check it out. Going without water for a few hours seems a trial; days of no water seem an impossibility..... a week *groan*

Well at least there is the laundromat for clothes. We can shower at relatives or even the health club where we are members if necessary, although my guys have this real aversion to using public showers.

Yep, there are many, many things we take for granted.

In other areas of life I have completed two books so far for the August Reading Challenge and hope to get reviews written and posted soon. Well as long as the phone and electric still work *bg*

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Oklahoma in July

My brother sent this to me and I just had to share!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN OKLAHOMA IN JULY WHEN. . .

-The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.

-The trees are whistling for the dogs.

-The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.

-Hot water now comes out of both taps.

-You can make sun tea instantly.

-You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.

-The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a little chilly.

-You discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.

-You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.

-You actually burn your hand opening the car door.

-You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m.

-Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?

-You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.

-The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.

-Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.

-The cows are giving evaporated milk.

Ah, what a place to call home.