A NEW BOOK MEME

I was tagged for this meme by Alexandra I just love books, as anyone who reads this blog knows. Thanks for thinking of me for this meme.

1) Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

A Christmas Carole by Dickens. Also, his A Tale of Two Cities. When I was in high school I was assigned both these texts. I hated assigned reading, irrationally. I love to read, but detested just about anything that I was assigned to read, except the ridiculously smutty books that were wholly inappropriate for high schoolers, those I loved. Since becoming an adult, I've tackled two Dickens books and completely enjoyed them. Perhaps I should get over my aversion to these two and give them a try.

2) If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Wow! How exciting! I would love to meet Shirley Keeldar (from Shirley by Charlotte Bronte), Lucy Honeychurch (from EM Forster's A Room with a View), and Elinor Dashwood (from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen). I must add Miss Lavish, also from A Room with a View, which absolutely no gathering would be complete without. There are countless others. I would love to go for a walk through a quaint little European town with them, stopping in a delightful shop for tea, and if we happened to witness a crime in the street, all the more interesting!

3) (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

This was harder than I anticipated. I considered Doestoevsky, but he really isn't boring, just prattles on like the mad man he was. Then I thought about math and science books, but deep down inside I think I enjoy a lot of those. I even considered a dictionary, but I enjoy reading them as well! While horror books are not my choice of reading materials , I seriously doubt they are boring. There must be some boring books! Finally I decided to go with something which I've never read, but decided MUST be boring, and for this I tip my hat to new daddy, Claudio. Before I met him I had no idea that people wrote rather large works about the dialects of Indian languages. At first glance this seems interesting, until you think about reading hundreds upon hundreds of pages about how sounds are formed in the throat, phonetic spellings of these sounds, translations of these sounds into English, discussions of the fine nuances between the sounds of the different dialects, etc. No offense to Claudio or anyone else who finds this stuff interesting, someone really ought to look at and study this. But for me, those books would buy me an early grave!

4) Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I cannot remember ever doing this.

5) You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).

Since the VIP is not a big reader, I'd probably start with a book most everyone is sure to enjoy. I would choose something with a little meat to it, a moral message disguised to sneak up on the reader unaware. Also, something not too difficult to read considering the dumbing down of America these days...I would go with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

6) A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

DEFINITELY FRENCH!

7) A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Since I can read other things as well, I would say the Bible, because that ought to be read more often!

8) What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I am not sure I've discovered anything new from book blogging, but I've recently discovered fantasy writing, which I always avoided. My favorite fantasy stories are definitely the Books of Pellinor but I have read and enjoyed others as well.

9) That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

This room would contain complete works of all my favorite authors, to include original manuscripts, advanced reading copies, first editions, special editions, and inscribed editions. For all other books, there would be beautiful leather bound copies with gilded pages so when you walked into the library, it would smell like books and leather. This room should be a huge room where there was a sliding ladder on each wall to access the uppermost shelves. To counterbalance the effect of walls of leather and cloth, the decorations would have a distinctly feminine flair. There ought to be a fireplace, tiled in a beautiful light colored floral tile, with a tiled hearth. Over the hearth should be a tea kettle, cast iron of course, so there would always be hot tea and coffee on hand. This would require a cabinet to store all the accoutrements required for a fine tea and coffee experience, as well as a place for biscuits. Also inside this cabinet would be a small refrigerator for things like cream, cheese, and other culinary delights requiring chilling. There would be a selection of comfortable chairs and settees as well as various lamps spread about the room, and several small tables for the more formal tea occasions or for when we had readings in the room inviting in famous authors, poets and cherished friends to enjoy the evening. In one small nod to modern comforts the room would be temperature controlled for the preservation of the books.

Oh to dream!

I tag Mary, Mary, Katherine, and anyone else who would like to do this meme. Just leave me a comment!

Six Unimportant Things Meme

The rules for this meme are: (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

I was tagged for this meme by Jamie (CONGRATULATIONS to Jamie and Claudio on the birth of their new baby boy just last night!!) from Ad Silvam Ibimus.

1. I LOVE coffee, but I'm a bit of a snob about it. I like french press coffee. If I must make other coffee, I doctor it up. If it is coffee from a machine I add a package of hot chocolate to it. If it is a cheap, ground coffee I prefer automatic drip. If I am going to use my coffee press for cheaper or ground coffee from a can, I will add cinnamon to the grounds before brewing it.

2. I don't really like 'clown' art. For some reason, I find clowns creepy. I would never decorate my child's room in clowns, I think I'd have nightmares.

3. I detest being hot. Balmy, sweaty, hazy, hot, and humid weather is not for me. I could never live in Florida. I'm not sure if I could take hot without humid and I'm not overly keen on finding out.

4. I drive a truck. A mommy truck of course. But it is still a truck. I have to hike up those skirts to climb in. In fact, both of our vehicles are trucks. I would prefer to be up high in a vehicle than down low to the ground. Although if I could afford a sports car, I'd have to reconsider this position. Nah, I still think I'd be afraid to drive it.

5. I go in fits and spurts with my taste in music. Over the last two years I've gone from classic rock, to Delilah (I know, how could I!!) , to country music, and now I'm listening to classical music, my favorite being a feature called, "Bach's Lunch" on my local classical radio station.

6. I'm a budding herbalist...no pun intended. I'm a real novice, but I have been taking classes and hope to learn more as time goes on. I'd rather make a remedy than dish up medications, and I shy away from homeopathics, though I have used them in the past. I would really rather concoct something myself than rely on manufactured remedies.

I tag A Thorn in the Pew, Beth, Heather, Jackie, Alexandra, Debra

I still have more blogger housekeeping to finish...another meme, an award mention, and some postings, but I'm out of time for this evening. It must wait until week's end, unless a random opportunity should arise between now and then! God bless!

Behind the 8 ball

I am behind on my posting, sorry for that. I have some blogger housekeeping to catch up on, it is scheduled for tomorrow evening. I have some acknowledgments, and a couple of tags to complete. I'm feeling a bit behind the 8 ball. There are many changes in the works at the Thorns household and it is keeping me away from my computer. Of course the slow/intermittent connection isn't making me rush right over to the screen either. Until tomorrow...

Sewing Reference

This is my 100th post! I thought I would share one of my newly re-discovered passions. SEWING! As a teen I took many sewing classes paid for by my parents. I was quite good but lacked the patience sewing requires. Through the grace of God I have conquered this life-long struggle with patience and I am able to enjoy the process of creating without being completely impatient for the instant gratification of the finished product. Now for the time to do more!

I am doing a bit better, no longer walking bent over double, but I surely must have cracked my tail bone, it is still sore! I have not been on the net much lately because of all my aches, and we are having internet troubles again. I have been asked by a neighbor to teach her pre-teen daughter to sew. In researching some patterns she may be interested in, as well as a sewing reference page she could utilize, I came across this gem of a website. For any of you hobby sewers out there, or for any of you more accomplished yet rather rusty on technique, this is an awesome site. Burda is a European fashion magazine, so these patterns are en vogue, but best of all, they're FREE. I like the how tos and the sewpedia in particular. There is great information here! You do need to sign up to access the patterns, but you can peruse the site anonymously. The sign up process is quick, pain free and simple.

One really neat feature of the patterns page is you can click on 'view creations' and see photographs of what others have done with the pattern. The patterns are free for you to download and print from your computer or a copy center. There are instructions on how to do both on the website. The print at home option looks rather complicated it may be simpler and possibly cheaper (considering the cost of ink these days) to do this through the copy center. Generally you can obtain great discount coupons for copy centers if you keep your eyes peeled for them. I did try to download the copy center pattern for one design and found it to work like a charm. When I tried the print at home button for the same pattern there was some error and I couldn't download it. The second pattern I tried to download 'print-at-home' pattern for worked beautifully. I tried the tote bag and it will be printed on 12 pages of US letter sized paper. The instructions start by explaining how to attach the 12 sheets into a proper pattern. The instructions are clear, and seem easy to follow. I have no actual interest in making this bag at the moment, so I cannot say for certain the directions are as clear as they appear to be upon quick perusal. If anyone has used these patterns before, or does as a result of reading this, please let me know how well written the instructions actually are. For a fashion pattern, these free downloads are a great idea. I especially like the fact that your resulting pattern will be on sturdy paper and not on that tissue found in most commercial patterns today.

For me, the most interesting feature of the website is the 'how-to' and 'sewpedia' mentioned earlier. I hope you enjoy the site as much as I have.

Happy New Year

A Thorns update for you:

We are recovering from the pox. I think the kids enjoyed the attention, the fussing, the popsicles, and the movie marathon. We watched about a million movies on the sofa bed in front of the television. Except for the heads (pox in the hair is the pits) we seem to be over the worst of it.

I have a little per diem job in the health care industry, I fill in when no one else can/wants to work for a little spending money when Mr. Thorns is home. I get out once in a while, it is a good thing. New Year's Eve it was snowing like mad and I need to be to work by 6:45am. My sweet husband says to me as he is heading out the door to warm up my car and clean the windows, "Just wait for me I'll help you down to the car." Can you guess the rest of the story? I didn't wait! I went down on my bum and got all wet. By the end of my shift I was sore all over. Today, a week later I'm still sore and cannot sit comfortably on anything hard. It is not like I needed to fall, I had an offer of help. Why didn't I wait? When I woke up, I was surprised to see such a storm. Remember I have no television, I hadn't heard a report. I was running late because I live in the mountains and with such a storm I should have left more time. I thought I'd save a few moments and ended up with a sore butt and a bent over back! I didn't get to work until 7:15 the roads were barely passable.

We started back to our home school routine, and the kids tried to tell me, "But we have chicken pox, we are supposed to be resting."

Lastly, I'll leave you (because my sore self needs to lie flat for a while) with a description of the sandwich my 4 year old made for me yesterday, I hadn't asked for one, this was an offering of love:

Wheat bread, strawberry yogurt and cheese puffs. All of her favorite lunch treats on a sandwich! Yum yum...NOT!

I wish you all a very happy new year. I do have a few post ideas rattling around in my brain, I just need time, and a soft pillow to sit on and maybe I'll get them posted.

More Pox!

Just as expected, more pox broke out today! We have two more definite cases and one suspicious kid! Mister Thorns will be bringing home more acetaminophen (which I believe my readers across the pond call paracetamol), we are amply supplied with benadryl, calamine, oatmeal and baking soda and Popsicles. I have been blessed, though I doubt my 'itchers' will agree in a couple of days. Pray for the poor wee ones who will be suffering. Your prayers are apparently very efficacious, we may be finished with this in the first month of the new year!

Be sure to click on the dots image to see where you can buy this lovely wallpaper!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

From the Thorns household to your home, we wish you a very happy and very Merry Christmas. May God bless you abundantly this Christmas season and throughout 2008. For us, I think there are many changes on the horizon. Please pray for us and know that we pray for you. Here is a great post on the Maternity of Mary. This post, from the Digital Hairshirt just touched me, I thought I would refer it to you.

Overheard in the Thorns household

If you were a fly on the wall today you would have enjoyed a little conversation between 7 year old son and myself. First you should know that I do in fact encourage belief in the "Mom has eyes in the back of her head" philosophy of parenting. It is quite good at keeping your children honest. They never know what you may be 'seeing' or hearing for that matter. I always love to have an opportunity to exhibit my skills to my children to reinforce this adage.

Today my son asks me, "Do you really have eyes in the back of you head, Mom?"
"Of course I do."
"How did you get them?"
"When I became a mommy."
"Do all mommy's have them?"
"Yes."
"Do Daddy's get them too?"
"Do you think your Daddy has them? Does he always know what is going on in this house? Can you fool Daddy?""
"No, Daddy doesn't always know, and we can fool him."
"Do you think Daddy has them?"
"No. But why doesn't Maria (six year old sister, pox sufferer at the moment) have them? She will be a mommy someday."
"Well, if she is a mommy she will get them, but not until."
"Well how come Daddy's don't get them?"
"Because only Mommy's do."
"Why can't I get them?"
"Because you are not a mommy."
"Do you see better with the eyes in the front or on the back?"
"Depends."

I anticipate more questions on this in the future. This is my analytic philosopher son. LOL. He is so smart about some things, but this one apparently offends his sense of justice, and his sense of reason. He is, rather amusingly, quite stumped. I have demonstrated enough to him, apparently, that I do have these eyes to make his little mind spin off track. He won't let up until he solves the mystery, which we all know of course, he never will. Insert evil mommy laugh ;-)

No Doubt About It

We have the pox! My poor baby has pox marks everywhere! I'm glad for it, but right now I just wish she was well, it is tough to watch them suffer through an illness even when it truly is the best thing for them. Thank you for the prayers! Incidentally, none of the others have any symptoms yet. I think we are doing this the drawn out way. I will try to keep you posted!

Prelusion to the Pox

Unbelievably so, I'm having more computer woes. But it matters not as the pox are beginning.

One child is mildly afflicted. This is the child who had the direct exposure. I only know this because I've been watching like a hawk since my last post on the topic. We have 7 red marks with little blisters, and the start of a temperature...very likely the pox. I would like to see more so it can definitely be labeled as the pox, but I recall from our first bout with this (over 10 year ago) even a mild case is still a case of the pox and it counts. I will be giving the children a very long bath shortly, that ought to serve to promote the appearance of the pox!

I will keep you posted.

For those interested, if you would like to visit and expose your own children you are welcome to do so, contact me through my email. Izzarina, you are invited to call if you are up to the drive! You know how to reach me!