Thursday Thunks

Kimber Has A Migraine, So This Week Is Thunker's Questions~ Enjoy!

Welcome to the October 8th version of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think

a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by

Thursday Thunkers, the number 301 and the color ketchup red.

~This week we will answer questions from the Thunkers themselves. All questions were copied and pasted directly from the blogs. We will continue thunkers questions next week so if we haven't used your question yet... we will!~

1. Bud- What type of meme question is the hardest? this one because i can't think of a good answer

2. Smart Cent's Mom- If you could be any person living or dead, who would you be? me. it has taken a long time learning to be me. in that time, i've learned, no one gets out scot free so why take on someone else's problems. now if i could "see" someone else's reality, that would be a different question entirely. no, i will not answer that question here....what would i have to some when someone else asked it!

3. Thom- You accidentally bumb into someone at a store and you apologize. The person you bumped into says no problem and you notice food stuck in their teeth. What do you do? knowing me and my big mouth, i would tell them...'cause lord knows, i would want someone to tell me!

4. Captured Memories- "Do you ever shed a tear when you poop?" having done the prep for a colonoscopy, yes, on more than one occasion...but in 5 years when they ask me to do it again, i will.

5. Mejis- If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, it's still a tree, right? yes.

6. Tosin- What is something you have said to someone that you wish you could take back? "sure, no problem, i'll do it."

7. Annie's home- not feeling very creative here so I will ask if you were in the Big Brother house how would you play the game? not having watched it i have not the foggiest idea!

8. Meandering Matt- Mac (which is still a PC (personal computer) in my opinion) or PC (Microsoft)? MAC

9. Living Dead Nurse- Do you think Jay Leno’s show should be cancelled? no, why spoil the fun someone else is having?

10. Dixie Chick- I LOVE VICTORIA SECRET PANTIES AND THEY ARE THE ONLY KIND I WEAR. JUST BOUGHT 5 NEW PAIR THE OTHER DAY. 2 BLACK, 2 RED AND 1 PURPLE. THEY ARE ALL FRESHLY WASHED AND READY TO WEAR. MY QUESTION IS.....WHAT SIZE BRA DO I WEAR...? d or smaller cup size as they don't believe well endowed women want to feel sexy! for that, you go to fredrick's of hollywood.

11. And finally one by Kimber (just so you don't think I am too lazy)- There is a rattlesnake living behind the warehouse my husband's company just moved into, tarantulas in our side yard, scorpions all around at night and coyotes howling and running down the street in front of our house. So what color sheets will you want on your bed when you come to visit me? don't bother, i'm sleeping in a motel or hotel or we are going to stay up talking ALL NIGHT LONG with lots of lights, than you very kindly!

Book Giveaway: ROYAL BLOOD by Rona Sharon

Book Info

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758228589
• ISBN-13: 978-0758228581

Synopsis

In the Tudor Court...

Looks like this is my day of J. Kaye's book giveaways. This has the Court of Henry VIII and a mystery. And you know how I love Tudor times and mysteries. I had to enter this giveaway. Go read the review if this is "your thing" and see why you might want to enter as well!

Book Giveaway: THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly

(Paperback)------(Hardcover)------(Audio Book)

Book Info
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (May 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600245749

For those who follow J. Kaye's Book Blog, you know she has great reviews and giveaways. This is one she intrigued me with! Check it out, you might agree!

Did you understand

what I was talking about when I mentioned "colonoscopy"? It is a test that checks the colon for polyps or other signs of cancer. After a certain age, I think it is 55, it is recommended that you take this test. DH and I took our first. They found and removed polyps from both of us. We were told to return for testing in 3 years. We were also told that we would probably never get cancer. Why? Because we got checked out. We returned after three years. This time, I had none, so I don't have to go back for 5 years. DH had one polyp so he has to go back in 3 years. Why? Because we continue to get checked out.

It's not the test that backs most people off. It's the prep work. You have to have a clean bowel. That means you have to take stuff to clean it out. That is the bad part. The test, it's a piece of cake. They lightly put you to sleep, you wake up, it's all over.

So I ask you, to prevent cancer of the bowel, can you go through a day of cleaning out you bowel worth preventing cancer? I sure do. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what my step mom when through.

As my dad always said, "Preventative medicine is a good thing!" If you won't listen to me, listen to my dad.

Book Review: A Highlander's Temptation

Thank you Anna Balasi of Hachette Book Group for letting review this book. This was their description of Sue-Ellen Welfonder's book, A Highlander's Temptation:

Darroc MacConacher spends sleepless nights dreaming of a raven-haired beauty who makes him ache with desire. Then his dream comes true: the lady with her lush curves and fair skin appears shipwrecked on his shores. Darroc is immediately drawn to her strength and beauty, and from the moment she lays eyes on this powerful, broad-shouldered warrior, Lady Arabella MacKenzie knows she'll never want another man.

The Lady Arabella fears she will be an old maid if her father has his way. With the help of her mother and uncle, she is allowed to go off to see an island her father made part of her dowry. Next thing you know, her boat is rammed by some pirate types. All hands went down with the ship but she lands up in the hands of Darroc, the clan chieftain. There you have it. Love at "second sight."

This is where the fun starts. It's Romeo and Juliet. The Hatfields and the McCoys. Well, sort of as Darroc knows there is bad blood between the two clans but she does not; at least for a while.

"Second sight"? While he has been dreaming of her, she thought she saw him in an inn window just before boarding the doomed ship. This is not all the mischief afoot. We have a relic, a cave of a dead saint, a site of a legend of old gods, singing seals, a conjurer, and a love story or two. Oh, I forgot, we have a wee ghosty as well.

The landscape is as harsh as the weather but the cold winds will carry you along to a warm, tidy ending.

For Highlander fans, this is a winner!

October

My big sister was a beautiful, smart, talented mother of 4 lovely girls. "Was" because she is dead. Does that sound harsh? It should. She did not have to die. She should have gone for check ups. She didn't. Would a mammogram really have caught it? Yes, because she had felt the lump for several years. It took me a long time to get over being angry that such a smart lady could be so stupid.

We could also talk about my step mother who the whole family nagged to go see a doctor but who wouldn't until it was too late. She too died of cancer. When she was a young woman, she was responsible for the care of a sister who was dying of cancer. She was so afraid of the "cancer" that she would not go to the doctor...and this was like 40 years and lots of advancement in medicine later. She died of cancer of the bowel.

So, why am I telling you about my family? Because people don't always have to die of cancer. You need to listen to your body. If you think you feel something abnormal, see your doctor. If you it is time for a mammogram, go! If it is time for a colonoscopy, go!

"Oh, but it hurt!" Fooy! I am...."well endowed", so to speak. Trust me, I know it is sometimes more than a little 'uncomfortable' but it is only once a year. And the pain of breast cancer is a lot more painful (and not just to you).

If you are scared to go for a mammogram, ask a friend to go with you! In fact, talk to the women you work/knit/read with and see if you can go as a group or make a pact or go with the women of your family! Take your daughters...they need to know about what this is all about; why it is important test they need to take after a certain age. Teach them early how to do self exams. Set a good example.

Just so you know, I make sure I talk to my sister some time this month, every year to make sure she has had or soon will have her mammogram. I also, because we are of the age, when the last time she had a colonoscopy.

Please, take what I have written to heart! I love you all and want you to be safe and well and happy!

What a cool halloween treat

I saw these on twitter! The title above should also take you to them. Check it out!

Thursday Thunks

Welcome to the October 1st version of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think

a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by

Kimber, the number uno and the color of the night in a moonless sky.

1. What color is your mouthwash?

orange

2. Do you remember your first phone number? Have you called it recently? taylor6 7863...no...that number is 56 years old...i am sure there have been too many changes since then

3. BPD in OKC's question- Do you have a super-secret hiding place and what's in it? not i, but i think dh does...it's call "the office" and because of off the crap on the floor, it is a total archatechual barrier...what's in it? i don't think even he knows. but it is his man cave so...

4. When was the last time you used a pay phone? How much did it cost to make the call? i don't remember when, but it was pissing down rain and i was cold and wet and needed dh to come rescue me and the dead car! (shortly after that, we got my first cell phone.)

5. What was that noise? the dog snoring, the ceiling fan?

6. Stef H's question- how long is a woodpecker's pecker? as i am not an ornathologist, i have not for the foggiest idea.

7. How many comments did you receive on your last Thursday's Thunk? 8 but they were good comments

A Yummy Day Review

DH took Mystery Pup for a walk and on his return, he checked the mail. Among the bills and junk mail, I received a package from Fiber One. What a propitious arrival, because when I opened the wee box, I found a coupon for any one of the other Fiber One products.

But even better was a Fiber One snack bar and a box of cereal!!! The snack bar disappeared in no time (I was hungry). The flavor was "Oats and Chocolate". It was wonderful; chewy and crunchy! It was just what I needed to satisfy my hunger pains until we could fix dinner. I guess I will have to buy some more as at 140 calories, it will be good for snacks.

This morning I had the Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal. It contains 51% of the daily requirement of fiber. It was quite good. Not too sweet and nicely crunchy. No taste of the cardboard box it came in. I ate it without milk because some times I just like cereal that way, like a fun snack. Now here's the deal. Not all cereals, while still good, can be eaten this way; they just need milk to complete them. This Fiber One cereal tastes very nice all by itself with no after taste. The lovely thing about eating Fiber One without milk, is you don't eat it in a hurry for fear it will become all soggy.

These two items will go on the shopping list.

Thank you FIBER ONE for a lovely breakfast and a much needed snack!

EEK

DH washed the Oscar Wild! Yea, clean dog. EEK, how does washing a dog cause his ears to become lighter?

What, you want a picture? OK but this was take a bit ago...at least he is dry. I'll try to get a newer one so you can compare.

If you read that expression as "ya got me", it was because he was caught in the act of mischief!

Review: American On Purpose (Audio)

American on Purpose:

The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot

PUBLISHER'S SUMMARY:

In American on Purpose, Craig Ferguson delivers a moving and achingly funny memoir of living the American dream as he journeys from the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland, to the comedic promised land of Hollywood. Along the way he stumbles through several attempts to make his mark - as a punk rock musician, a construction worker, a bouncer, and, tragically, a modern dancer.

To numb the pain of failure, Ferguson found comfort in drugs and alcohol, addictions that eventually led to an aborted suicide attempt. (He forgot to do it when someone offered him a glass of sherry.) But his story has a happy ending: in 1993, the washed-up Ferguson washed up in the United States. Finally sober, Ferguson landed a breakthrough part on the hit sitcomThe Drew Carey Show, a success that eventually led to his role as the host of CBS's The Late Late Show.

By far Ferguson's greatest triumph was his decision to become a U.S. citizen, a milestone he achieved in early 2008, just before his command performance for the president at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. In American on Purpose, Craig Ferguson talks a red, white, and blue streak about everything our Founding Fathers feared.

©2009 Craig Ferguson; (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

I have vague memories of Steve Allen and Jack Parr. Mostly Johnny Carson entertained me. Johnny was warm and funny and enjoyed his guests. His was quick and bright and funny. But you never felt like you knew him. Here in is the difference, I think the man you see on the TV, this Scotsman from Glasgow, lets you in on his reality. That is why I wanted to hear him read his words; to see if I was right. I am so I was!

No one's life is easy, surely not his, but he makes no apologies for it...it is what it is. He said something like, his son and he grow out of their mistakes. Isn't that lovely? His explanation of what addition was/is like for him is probably one of the best I have heard.

Oh, don't doubt it, he is really glad to be an American.

Is it a "tell all" book?

Yes, about himself. No about others, he changes the names of people where he feels appropriate.

Who is this for?

If you are listening to it, those who like the Scottish burr. People who like memoirs. People who like a bit of a giggle. People that like him on TV and want to know more about the man; like did you know he wrote a novel before this book?

Oh,all of you who like a good story told in the first person, read the book! For you vampire lovers, he likes them and likes to play them.

What more can I say? I love this story and will listen to it again in future...just to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time. That is my story and I am sticking to it!

(Oh, if you have have watched the program, you know Craig does have to be bleeped something....he is not bleeped here but it is not excessive and is part of who he is. Just do a mental bleep and go on.

Of course I now have another book to add to my evergreen and growing list...yes, I gotta read that first book!)

They are talking to me

Audible books, that is. I had 3 credits burning a hole in my brain. The problem is not one of lack on inspiration. The problem is which to chose. After much deliberation, I picked out these:

That's one memoir, one historical fiction, one satirical, modern novel. See face of contentment (sigh)

Do you need a new car but think you might need help?

I hate buying new vehicles. I am never sure if I am doing this right! So what's a woman to do when she know she is out of her league?

My friends, it is time to introduce you to my friend, Gail Dunn. But first, you need a bit of background.

Gail and I graduated from Fort Knox High School, Fort Knox (KENTUCKY) back in...never mind...let's just say, it wasn't yesterday. After many moons, we caught up with each other through other high school friends who wanted to reunite (you can't image what that is like for army brats). And then, come to find out, she is smart in an area where I have admitted ignorance.

Gail is the President of Women's Automotive Connection. This is what is posted on the WAC site:

Gail Dunn, President

Well, that didn't work (except for the picture). Now for plan B, click here and it will take you to what I was going to post.

When I found out what she was doing, my first thought was: "YEA, finally, someone I can trust to give me good advice who I know I can trust!"

How can I say that after all these years?

Because she was brought up the same way I was. It's an honor thing, a caring thing, that you have by the time you graduate or you don't. She did. (Some of us are just stubborn that way.)

So, summation: if you are concerned, ask Gail questions. She is still the nice, caring, smart lady she was "back when". Her blog as lots of good tips!

Don't let the salesmen get you crazy!

Review: My Name Is Will : A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare

My Name Is Will : A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare

Jess Winfield

I don't know what is wrong. I have tried listening to this book. I have tried reading this book and I just cannot get into it. I've even tried different times of the day and night. I do wish I could tell you what is wrong but I can't. I wish I could give this first time author some constructive critism, but I can't.

Maybe it is just not my cup of tea. Or maybe I am stuck in William's time and not ready for Will's time. (Also, though I was in college in the 60's, I was a real square... not tuned in at all!)

So far, I am this is the only negative review I have read. So go find a good excerpt, read it, and then decide for yourself. And, Jess, if you see this, I'm sorry I can't give you more.

Thursday Thunks

Welcome to the September 24th version of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think

a little bit before you blog!

This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Kimber, the number 1172007 and the color of the walls in an asylum.

1. Does soap or shampoo have to really lather up for you to feel that it cleaned thoroughly? yes, but it is probably from being brain washed by parents and teachers and television.

2. Do you have a long standing joke with someone that you still laugh about every time you talk to that person? no, at least not that i can think of at this moment.

3. Share something that happened to you this past week that was unusual. my body decided i had been treating it disrespectfully, so it put me to sleep for something like more than 12 hours! what's with that?

4. If you dropped a purple crayon and a green crayon off a roof, which would melt faster in the sun? neither, i don't get on roofs. you see you have to climb up on a ladder and they are really not wheelchair accessible.

5. You are standing in line (grocery store, bank, etc.), and someone gets in line behind you that stinks. The stink is so bad that people in line in front of you turn around and look to see if you are the one causing the stink. Do you cover your nose, hold your breath, breathe through your mouth or just get out of line altogether? Herbert Tarr said in THE CONVERSION OF CHAPLIN COHEN, "it says in the talmud, it is better to throw oneself on a burning bush than to humiliate another publicly. however it is not written in the talmud what to do if there is no burning bush handy."

6. If you dropped your cell phone in the toilet, would you fish it out? If so, how much soap would you use to wash your hands afterwards? i think that would depend on when i dropped it...before or after. and yes, it would involve lots of soap and water...hot water.

7. Sydney Australia dust storm (link). How long do you think it would take you to clean your house after that sort of dust storm? have you every been to west texas or the panhandle of texas? i know that was why my mother had daughters...with everyone assigned a task, it just take a really good vacuum and lots of cleaning cloths and hands! (or a lot of money to get a good cleaning crew in.)

8. Do you think you can dance? no. but after watch Tom Delay, i don't think i should worry much.

9. You are out to eat and someone across the room is staring at you. Do you get paranoid, try to ignore them, or go find out why they are staring at you? the last time it happened, i was in panama, 19 or 20, eating dinner with my parents and younger sister. it was a lady. i was telling my dad about it when she suddenly got up and rushed to the table. when she arrived, she called me by name and said she would have recognize me anywhere. she said nothing to my little sister (2 years my junior). after she left, i asked my dad when she would have seen me last. "oh, you were about 5." talk about deflation! and i was/am a fairly buxom lady.

10. Come up with a crazy, wacky Thursday Thunk question. have you ever colored your hair and had to live with the disaster? or any other such hair raising experience?

MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We Can Take It! Spew Alert

This was sent to me from our dear friend, Christopher, in Britain. We really broke up over many of these:

One day my housework challenged husband decided
to wash his Sweatshirt.
Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room,
he shouted to me, 'What setting do I use on the
washing machine?'
'It depends,' I replied..
'What does it say on your shirt?'
He yelled back, ' OHIO STATE ! '
And they say
blonds are dumb....
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
A couple is lying
in bed. The man says,
'I am going to make
you the happiest woman in the world.'
The woman replies,
'I'll miss you.........
------------ --------- -------
'It's just too hot to wear clothes today,'
Jack says as he stepped out of the shower, 'honey, what do you think the
neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?'
'Probably that I married you for your money,' she replied.
------------ --------- --------- --------- ----
Q: What do you
call an intelligent, good looking, sensitive man?
A: A rumor
------------ --------- --------- --------- ----
A man and his wife,
now in their 60's, were celebrating their
40th wedding anniversary. On their special day
a good fairy came to them and said that because they had been so good that each one of them could have one wish.
The wife wished for a trip around the world with her husband.
Whoosh! Immediately she had airline/cruise tickets in her hands..
The man wished for afemale companion 30 years younger....
Whoosh...immediately he turned
90!!!
Gotta love that fairy!
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --
Dear Lord,
I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him;
and Patience for his moods.
Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength,
I'll beat him to death.
AMEN
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------


Q: Why do little boys whine?
A: They are practicing to be
men.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --
Q: What do you
call a handcuffed man?
A: Trustworthy.
------------ --------- --------- --------- ------
Q: What does it
mean when a man is in your bed gasping
for breath and calling your name?
A: You did not hold the pillow down long enough.
------------ --------- --------- --------- ---
Q: Why do men whistle when they
are sitting on the toilet?
A: It helps them remember which end to wipe.
------------ --------- --------- --------- ----
Q: How do you
keep your husband from reading your e-mail?
A: Rename the
email folder 'Instruction Manuals'
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Send this to at least five bright,
funny women you know and make their day! And send this to five
bright men who have enough sense of humor to take it!

Book Visitor Missy Lyons

This is my first time doing this so if it seem awkward, bear with me. Let me explain. While reading my email, I came across what I am about to share with you. It drew me in quickly. So naturally I asked if I could share the email with you. Give said permission, this will be sort of a guest posting.

A Warrior's Woman
by Missy Lyons
Whispers Publishing
Price $2.95

Blurb:

Kivra was bound by her honor to live as Kona's woman for one month. For one month she was to please him in every way, become one of the lowest class of women, but finding herself under the Barbarian's masterful body, she knew she would be begging to be used. She wanted nothing more than to seduce him and have him beg for more. Even though she surrendered her body, it was something altogether different to surrender her heart. Kona was the second son of the King, and as second son, he had no inheritance, no lands, and no title. When he hears that the ruling Shirkan of Kanaha has died, leaving an only child, a daughter, he decides it's an opportunity to find his own fortune. He knows he isn't welcome in Kanaha. He knows and yet, he goes anyway. He meant to kidnap Kivra and run away as his brother had done with her sister, but the moment he laid eyes on her warrior spirit, he knew she would have to be conquered to be won over, and he wasn't about to accept anything less than compete surrender.

Excerpt:

"Well if you feel so badly about it, you can fight me now." Kona's arrogant smile nearly incapacitated her.

Surely he was jesting?

"Fight you? I think not. I am not giving you that kind of satisfaction. " She looked over his strong male body. Too male for her, she would appreciate him from afar, but she knew better than to play with men like him--men who played with women and then tossed them aside. Kivra knew his type, the biggest warriors who were the most handsome could have any woman eating out of their hand, and they often had several women.

"Well if you won't issue the challenge then I will." He moved towards her. He stopped when he was only a breath from her. "I challenge you to a battle, Princess."

"How dare you challenge me?" Kivra curled up her lips, a nervous energy invading her body. The words still hung in the air, stinging her ears. Kivra sounded a little childish even to her own ears. The man was just goading her into making a stupid mistake, something she could not afford to do, if she were to accept such a rash offer.

She looked nervously to his waiting men. All of them warriors. All of them there to support their leader, who came here to challenge her, a woman. What kind of man would do such a thing?

Only a man with no honor.

Only a barbarian who did not care anything for treating women any different from men. She answered her own question.

In her country, women may not have the same rights as men, but they were protected. Women were known as the weaker sex, yet they were respected. Women were treated with honor and always with respect as mothers and as wives. They could never physically equal a man's physical power, and so they were never allowed any real power. Even the right to own land was not allowed to a woman.

She was still flummoxed that Kona would even consider fighting her. Even the barbarians of Kapomo had ethics, or so she had thought. This personal challenge made her question those morals. It was not like she had any males left in her family to fight for her honor or her cause.

Kapomo must be a land full of thieves and kidnappers.

"Do you accept?" He grinned down at her. They were standing on even ground, but the man towered over her by a good foot. All the warrior men of Kapomo were large men, but he seemed exceptionally large and exceptionally powerful. A muscle pulsed in his neck as he awaited her decision.

Kivra looked at him for a moment, letting her gaze trail over his well-muscled warrior body. It would be no contest. She let her fingers feel the reassurance of her sword at her hip, feeling the engraving well worn on the handle. His was a body that would soon overpower hers within minutes. But with her skill and experience, she could give him at least a little challenge. If he'd miscalculated her skills before offering the challenge, that might give her an edge against his strength. Perhaps if the fight were short, she could end it as the winner.

"Why would you challenge me?" Of course she already knew why in her heart. He wanted to usurp her power. Her father had been the Shirkan, the unquestioned leader by strength. He retired, because of age, and had not accepted a fight for years. When he died three months ago, he left her the sole survivor of the clan. No other man had dared to fight her for her leadership in her own clan. With no brothers or any other men in the family to fight for her, Kivra would have to fight for her own honor.

"Perhaps, because you have something I want..." his words may have been innocent but his eyes were insinuating something wicked. The way he let his words trail off, Kivra had guessed he had bed play on his mind, like most men. But unlike most men, he figured out she would only give herself to the strongest of the lot. She needed a man who was stronger than she; a man who had something to offer her, like himself.

"I am just trying to say that there is nothing I have to offer you." She wanted nothing more than to put an arrogant man like him in his place.

"Oh but I disagree, you have much to offer me. You will have to let me be the judge of that, Princess..." There was no doubt what he was alluding to when he stared her down with that hungry gaze. His eyes stayed far too long on her chest for her liking.

Buy now at Whispers

http://www.whispershome.com/book_pages/a_warriors_woman.html

Buy now at All Romance Ebooks

http://www.allroman ceebooks. com/product- awarriorswoman- 8561-144. html

Buy now at Fictionwise

https://www. fictionwise. com/ebooks/ b64669/A- Warriors- Woman/Missy- Lyons/?si= 0

Thanks for reading!

Lots of love,
Missy Lyons
www.misslyons.com

I got it!!

Be jealous, be very jealous! Not only did I get it, but it was autographed!!! I got way behind on mail just reading recipes!!! Yummmmmm!! If you love cooking and/or reading cookbooks, you gotta get this one! Thank you Mrs. Bindu Grandhi!

Who doesn't like Sara Lee?

Not me...I love Sara Lee...especially her cinnomin bread. So, guess who was excited to receive an email from Louise Bishop of Mom Start saying: You won the Sara Lee coupons! I know this is silly but I love her button! It is so pretty. When I first found her blog, I added it to my blog without ever being asked. I love her blog too. Very easy on the eyes and she gives away lots of good stuff?

Review: The Last Queen: A Novel of Juana la Loca by C W Gortner

I just finished listening to The Last Queen: A Novel of Juana la Loca by C W Gortner (unabridged). The narrator, Margarite Gavin, did an excellent job of reading the book and interpreting the characters. She has a lovely voice that makes listening easy.

This is what the publisher said about the book:

One of history's most enigmatic women tells the haunting, passionate story of her tumultuous life. Juana of Castile is just thirteen when she witnesses the fall of Moorish Granada and the uniting of the fractured kingdoms of Spain under her warrior parents, Isabel and Fernando. Intelligent, beautiful, and proud of her heritage, Juana rebels when she is chosen as a bride for the Hapsburg heir - until she comes face-to-face with Prince Philip the Fair, a man who will bring her the greatest of passions, and the darkest despair.

When tragedy decimates Juana's family in Spain, she suddenly finds herself heiress to Castile, a realm prey to scheming lords bent on thwarting her rule. The betrayal of those she loves plunges Juana into a ruthless battle of wills - a struggle of corruption, perfidy, and heart-shattering deceit that could cost her the crown, her freedom, and her very life.

In case you didn't understand the title, she was called the "crazy" by many people. We are lead to believe that may have been mostly the based on rumors spread by her power hungry husband and his group and, after his death, furthered by her own father, whose need for power was equally as great as he wished to out shine the accomplishments of his dead wife. Was she crazy? I will let you decide.

Was she mad? As in angry? The life of strong, smart, educated women during this time of male dominance was never easy. Women were expected to be docile, marry who they were told to, and bear children (she had 5, only 2 of which for male). How does one stand up for her rights and those of her country, to be a QUEEN, in such an atmosphere?

This is a face paced, fascinating autobiographical novel, which drew me in quickly and kept me riveted to her story. Looking through her eye, you clearly see all the different characters, while feeling her reactions.

(My husband's comment: "The characters are well formed and developed. Its only flaw is that it reflects a modern woman's perspective of a vastly different time and I wonder if women 500 years ago area accurately depicted int it?)

I expect this will be one I will want to read and/or listen to again.

British humor

I do love it so! And if you do, you will enjoy this...if I have finally figured this out! and I can't so just click on the exclamation mark....especially if you like Alan Rickman and Eddie Izzard. (O, I think if you click on the title of this posting, you will also get there.