PUB DATE: May 2009 TITLE: Ricardo: Meals for Every Occasion
Thank You to Sarah at MDG for sending me this fantastic cookbook.
I love Ricardo. (Isn't he a cutie?) I try to watch his show when its on the Food Network.
This is a great cookbook filled with over 100 recipes, great pictures on almost every single page and hints and tips. Another great thing about this cookbook apart from Ricardo being from Quebec is that all the recipes are easy, nothing complicated about them and all the ingredients are easy to find. I love a cookbook that has pictures to go with the recipes.
I have made several recipes from this book already. Such as: Chicken Legs w/Honey & Rosemary, Macaroni & Cheese, Perfect Vanilla Cake, Montreal Steak Spice, and a few others including the recipe below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A household name in Quebec, Ricardo Larrivée has also become quite well known throughout the rest of Canada with his hit show Ricardo & Friends on Food Network Canada and his book Weekend Cooking. In his home province, Ricardo's daily cooking show has the highest ratings of all morning programs on Radio-Canada and is now in its 7th season. Often called "Quebec's answer to Jamie Oliver."
THE RECIPE: Breakfast Club Sandwiches
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Serves: 6 -Ricardo's tip: "There’s no mess quite like the one you make frying bacon in a skillet. To avoid splattering grease all over the kitchen, my trick is to place strips of bacon on a cookie sheet and bake them. They don’t need as much attention and will stay nice and straight. Plus, you’ll look like a food-styling genius."
18 slices bacon (about one 1 lb/454 g package) 12 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup (180 mL) mayonnaise Salt and pepper 18 slices square white bread 18 slices tomato 12 leaves Boston lettuce Toothpicks
With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a 10- x 15-inch (25 x 38 cm) casserole dish with parchment paper, leaving paper hanging over 2 sides. Oil the paper and sides of the dish.
Lay the slices of bacon on the baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the eggs and 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and bake until set but still moist, 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the omelet into 6 portions. Set aside. Turn off the oven and return the bacon to the oven to reheat it.
Assembly: Toast 3 slices of bread and spread with mayonnaise. Top 1 slice of bread with the egg and 3 slices of bacon. Cover with a second slice of bread. Top with 3 tomato slices and 2 lettuce leaves. Top with a third slice of bread. Insert toothpicks into the centre of the 4 corners of the sandwich and cut the sandwich into triangles. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Mailbox Monday is a weekly post that we share what we got in the mail this past week. Thanks to Marcia for hosting this weekly meme. You can check out what Marcia and others got this past week too by checking out Marcia's blog here.
-Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell. -The Whispers of Serpents by Lawrence Haskins -Shotgun Shopping by Sheevaun Moran
The following was a surprise package from Simon and Schuster: -How it Ends by Laura Weis -The Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman -The Promised World by Lisa Tucker -Day After Night by Anita Diamant -Everyone She Loved by Sheila Curran
Books Bought is a weekly post where you share with everyone the books you bought this past week. The books have to be bought but you can buy them anywhere ie Library sale, second hand bookstore, retail store etc.
-8th Confession by James Patterson -Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs -LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
This is an autobiographical collection of anecdotes that Derek Rowlinson has experienced as a second hand bookseller in his store.
This was a funny and quick read. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started to read it.
Some of the stories were really funny and I found myself laughing out loud and being able to relate to them. One of the sections was "Ask a Silly Question" and Derek gets asked "Have you read all these?" I use to get asked that all the time and heaven forbid should you say no. You would then get asked why not, you work here don't you. He also mentioned the shop lifter and that was another one I could relate to as there was this older man who would come in with an open back pack and leave with a heavier closed one. Yes he did steal and it was science fiction books he would steal. We were never able to catch him in the act but Derek the author did in his store.
I have worked in a bookstore (Coles) and I had quite a few characters that I had to deal with on a daily bases. There was one customer who would call every Tuesday to see what new releases there was this week. You had to tell him every single new book that came in that week and heaven forbid should it be a title that interest him and if it was you had to read the back of the book to him. I never got to meet this customer but he did come into the store on a monthly bases.
Another customer would insist that the bargain books we had on display were previously read books that customers returned. We would also say no they are not but they would argue each and every time. Just before I had left my job I told that customer for the last time that it was impossible because there was stacks of 5-10 books in the pile of the same title.
After reading this book I have a whole new appreciation for booksellers in second hand bookstores and in retail stores. Think twice before asking that question you might have to ask. Also please remember your manners and you don't have to be rude and annoying to booksellers.
I heard about this book and I was curious to read it. I was lucky enough to find this at my library. I was surprised to find it in their new release section.
The book is written as a journal/dairy entries. It made for a quick and easy read. The book is about Maxine and her struggle to overcome the lose of her best friend, Leah.
Maxine is a 12 years old girl. She has five best friends, Leah (who is her best best friend), Lexi, Emma, Kelsey and Amanda.
Leah and Maxine have discovered the internet and the darker side of it. They are going into chat rooms and flirting with boys. The girls think that the boys they are flirting with are their age. But before long the girls are getting love letters from them.
Maxine gets caught with the emails and she is grounded from the computer. Leah's parents don't say anything to her and she continues her contact with the boy. He then convinces Leah to meet him. Leah thinks he is who he said he was and agrees to meet him. The only thing is we all know that most people aren't who they say they are and Leah goes missing.
Maxine is heartbroken and realizes that it could have been her. When the police ask her for her help will she agree? Can they catch this guy in time or will it be to late?
One thing I really thought was important and it was brought up in the book was that you should never give out any real info about yourself. I try to be careful about what I put out there and who I give info too.
This is a great book that all young adults should read. I really think as parents we need to monitor our children's Internet activity. We have to remind them that not everyone you chat with online will be who they say they are.
We need to be careful as this really hit home for me last year when a guy I went to high school with was arrested in the US and is now sitting in a US jail for child pornography and arranging to meeting a minor. He has over 100 charges against him and if he is convicted he will basically be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Bonnie Grove started writing when her parents bought a typewriter, and she hasn’t stopped since. Trained in Christian Counseling (Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, ON), and secular psychology (University of Alberta), she developed and wrote social programs for families at risk while landing articles and stories in anthologies. She is the author of Working Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You; Talking to the Dead is her first novel. Grove and her pastor husband, Steve, have two children; they live in Saskatchewan.
List Price: $14.99 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1434766411 ISBN-13: 978-1434766410
Kevin was dead and the people in my house wouldn’t go home. They mingled after the funeral, eating sandwiches, drinking tea, and speaking in muffled tones. I didn’t feel grateful for their presence. I felt exactly nothing.
Funerals exist so we can close doors we’d rather leave open. But where did we get the idea that the best approach to facing death is to eat Bundt cake? I refused to pick at dainties and sip hot drinks. Instead, I wandered into the back yard.
I knew if I turned my head I’d see my mother’s back as she guarded the patio doors. Mom would let no one pass. As a recent widow herself, she knew my need to stare into my loss alone.
I sat on the porch swing and closed my eyes, letting the June sun warm my bare arms. Instead of closing the door on my pain, I wanted it to swing from its hinges so the searing winds of grief could scorch my face and body. Maybe I hoped to die from exposure.
Kevin had been dead three hours before I had arrived at the hospital. A long time for my husband to be dead without me knowing. He was so altered, so permanently changed without my being aware.
I had stood in the emergency room, surrounded by faded blue cotton curtains, looking at the naked remains of my husband while nurses talked in hushed tones around me. A sheet covered Kevin from his hips to his knees. Tubes, which had either carried something into or away from his body, hung disconnected and useless from his arms. The twisted remains of what I assumed to be some sort of breathing mask lay on the floor. “What happened?” I said in a whisper so faint I knew no one could hear. Maybe I never said it at all. A short doctor with a pronounced lisp and quiet manner told me Kevin’s heart killed him. He used difficult phrases; medical terms I didn’t know, couldn’t understand. He called it an episode and said it was massive. When he said the word massive, spit flew from his mouth, landing on my jacket’s lapel. We had both stared at it.
When my mother and sister, Heather, arrived at the hospital, they gazed speechlessly at Kevin for a time, and then took me home. Heather had whispered with the doctor, their heads close together, before taking a firm hold on my arm and walking me out to her car. We drove in silence to my house. The three of us sat around my kitchen table looking at each other.
Several times my mother opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Our words had turned to cotton, thick and dry. We couldn’t work them out of our throats. I had no words for my abandonment. Like everything I knew to be true had slipped out the back door when I wasn’t looking.
“What happened?” I said again. This time I knew I had said it out loud. My voice echoed back to me off the kitchen table.
“Remember how John Ritter died? His heart, remember?” This from Heather, my younger, smarter sister. Kevin had died a celebrity’s death.
From the moment I had received the call from the hospital until now, I had allowed other people to make all of my bereavement decisions. My mother and mother-in-law chose the casket and placed the obituary in the paper. Kevin’s boss at the bank, Donna Walsh, arranged for the funeral parlor and even called the pastor from the church that Kevin had attended until he was sixteen to come and speak. Heather silently held my hand through it all. I didn’t feel grateful for their help.
I sat on the porch swing, and my right foot rocked on the grass, pushing and pulling the swing. My head hurt. I tipped it back and rested it on the cold, inflexible metal that made up the frame for the swing. It dug into my skull. I invited the pain. I sat with it; supped with it.
I opened my eyes and looked up into the early June sky. The clouds were an unmade bed. Layers of white moved rumpled and languid past the azure heavens. Their shapes morphed and faded before my eyes. A Pegasus with the face of a dog; a veiled woman fleeing; a villain; an elf. The shapes were strange and unreliable, like dreams. A monster, a baby—I wanted to reach up to touch its soft, wrinkled face. I was too tired. Everything was gone, lost, emptied out.
I had arrived home from the hospital empty handed. No Kevin. No car—we left it in the hospital parking lot for my sister to pick up later. “No condition to drive,” my mother had said. She meant me.
Empty handed. The thought, incomplete and vague, crept closer to consciousness. There should have been something. I should have brought his things home with me. Where were his clothes? His wallet? Watch? Somehow, they’d fled the scene.
“How far could they have gotten?” I said to myself. Without realizing it, I had stood and walked to the patio doors. “Mom?” I said as I walked into the house.
She turned quickly, but said nothing. My mother didn’t just understand what was happening to me. She knew. She knew it like the ticking of a clock, the wind through the windows, like everything a person gets used to in life. It had only been eight months since Dad died. She knew there was little to be said. Little that should be said. Once, after Dad’s funeral, she looked at Heather and me and said, “Don’t talk. Everyone has said enough words to last for eternity.”
I noticed how tall and straight she stood in her black dress and sensible shoes. How long must the dead be buried before you can stand straight again? “What happened to Kevin’s stuff?” Mom glanced around as if checking to see if a guest had made off with the silverware.
I swallowed hard and clarified. “At the hospital. He was naked.” A picture of him lying motionless, breathless on the white sheets filled my mind. “They never gave me his things. His, whatever, belongings. Effects.”
“I don’t know, Kate,” she said. Like it didn’t matter. Like I should stop thinking about it. I moved past her, careful not to touch her, and went in search of my sister.
Heather sat on my secondhand couch in my living room, a two seater with the pattern of autumn leaves. She held an empty cup and a napkin; dark crumbs tumbling off onto the carpet. Her long brown hair, usually left down, was pulled up into a bun. She looked pretty and sad. She saw me coming, her brown eyes widening in recognition. Recognition that she should do something. Meet my needs, help me, make time stand still. She quickly ended the conversation she was having with Kevin’s boss, and met me in the middle of the living room.
“Hey,” she said, touching my arm. I took a small step back, avoiding her warm fingers.
“Where would his stuff go?” I blurted out. Heather’s eyebrows snapped together in confusion. “Kevin’s things,” I said. “They never gave me his things. I want to go and get them. Will you come?”
Heather stood very still for a moment, straight backed like she was made of wood, then relaxed. “You mean at the hospital. Right, Kate? Kevin’s things at the hospital?” Tears welled in my eyes. “There was nothing. You were there. When we left, they never gave e anything of his.” I realized I was trembling.
Heather bit her lower lip, and looked into my eyes. “Let me do that for you. I’ll call the hospital—” I stood on my tiptoes and opened my mouth. “I’ll go,” she corrected before I could say anything. “I’ll go and ask around. I’ll get his stuff and bring it here.”
“I need his things.”
Heather cupped my elbow with her hand. “You need to lie down. Let me get you upstairs, and as soon as you’re settled, I’ll go to the hospital and find out what happened to Kevin’s clothes, okay?”
Fatigue filled the small spaces between my bones. “Okay.” She led me upstairs. I crawled under the covers as Heather closed the door, blocking the sounds of the people below.
Saint Jean Baptiste Day, held annually on June 24, is the feast day of St John the Baptist, a Jewish preacher who baptized Jesus in the River Jordan. It is a day of celebration in Quebec and other areas of French Canada. Saint Jean Baptiste Day is also known as "la Saint-Jean", "St John the Baptist Day", "Fête nationale du Québec" and "Quebec's National Holiday".
Thanks to Sarah at MDG Associates for sending me this cookbook to review and also for the images and recipes that I am able to post. This makes a great gift to give to the person who loves to barbecue. In the summer we barbecue almost every weekend. So being able to review this was great cause I am always looking for new recipes to try on the barbecue.
This is a great cookbook because there was a ton of pictures to accompany the recipes. Just a warning not to look at this on an empty stomache. Its also filled with great stories, helpful hints and tips through out the book.
Here are just a few of the recipes that I have tried but there has been many more I have used this season so far. I hope you will enjoy them just as much as we have.
Really Easy Chicken
Makes 6–8 servings
"One of the biggest challenges of championship barbecue is finding a way to cook chicken so the skin doesn’t turn out rubbery. This simple recipe is based on a technique some barbecue competitors use to get chicken skin that melts in the judges’ mouths. The secret is the acid in the dressing, which softens the skin while the chicken is marinating." (page 203)
2 chickens, cut into pieces, or 12 chicken thighs kosher salt freshly ground black pepper one 16 oz [475 mL] bottle store-bought zesty Italian salad dressing (I have also used Golden Italian Salad dressing)
Reserve ½ cup (125 mL) of the Italian dressing. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place them in an extra-large freezer bag. Add the rest of the dressing, making sure all the pieces are coated, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
Prepare your grill for indirect medium cooking. For propane grills, this means preheating the grill on high, turning off the burner underneath where you’re going to place your meat, and then turning the other burner or burners to medium.
Place the chicken pieces on the cooking grate, skin side up, leaving at least a little space between them to ensure good air circulation. Cook the chicken, turning and basting it periodically with the reserved salad dressing, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F (71°C). Transfer the chicken from the grill to a serving platter and tent it with foil to rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve it with your favorite accompaniments.
Alternative method: This recipe also works really well cooked on a hardwood plank, like maple or hickory. You just need to be careful to watch for flare-ups.
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Makes about 12 brownies
"This recipe, plus an icing, won a brownie contest about 20 years ago. When these brownies were first served to me and Kate by my fellow barbecue team member Kathy Richardier without the icing that was called for in the original recipe, we all agreed that frosting these babies would be overkill—even to us, which is really saying something. Triple Chocolate Brownies have been served at least 100 times in my house, and they never fail to provoke ecstatic approval. They freeze superbly, too, although the fact that they are frozen doesn’t always keep eager fingers away. Note: Use the big, good-quality European-style chocolate bars. You can probably mess around with the chocolate combination, using chocolate bars with nuts or fruit, but this basic recipe is so outrageously good you ought to try it as is at least once." (page 351)
½ cup [125 mL] butter 3 oz [90 g] unsweetened chocolate, chopped 2 eggs, at room temperature pinch kosher salt 1 cup [250 mL] sugar 2 tsp [10 mL] vanilla extract one 3 oz [90 g] bar white chocolate one 3 oz [90 g] bar milk chocolate one 3 oz [90 g] bar bittersweet or dark chocolate ½ cup [125 mL] all-purpose flour vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fruit (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Line an 8-inch (2 L or 1.2 L) square or round cake pan with foil; grease the inside of the foil generously. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the unsweetened chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to melt completely.
Beat the eggs and salt together at high speed for 30 seconds in a large bowl. Gradually add the sugar and keep beating until the batter is very thick and pale. Mix in the butter-chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Chop the chocolate bars into pieces and toss them in the flour. Add them to the mixture in the bowl and mix well by hand.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake it for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are firm to the touch. Serve them warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fruit, or nuthin’ at all.
Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia at Printed Page. If you are new to this and are wondering what Mailbox Monday is well its basically a post where you list the books you get in the mail. Go check out Marcia's blog to find out what she and others got this past week.
This is what came to my house this week:
Julia's kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and recipes from a lifetime of cooking by Julia Child
Tidings of Great Boys Book #5 (All About Us series)by Shelley Adina
Otto Growns Down by Michael Sussman.
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Ales Cross's Trial by James Patterson
I. Alex Cross by James Patterson
Tell Me Something True by Leila Cobo
The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini
Roses by Leila Meacham
Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the really big adventure by Kritina Stephenson
Candor by Pam Bachorz
Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks
Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey
Little black Lies bu Tish Cohen
Food, Girls and other things I can't have by Allen Zadoff
Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
Callie's Rules by Naomi Zucker
Invisible Lines by Mary Amato
Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
Riot by Walter Dean Myers
Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser
Candleman Book 1 The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance by Glenn Dakin
Back Home by Julia Keller
The Chore Board: a helping around the house Game by Sarah Malarkey. This was a contest win.
Books Bought Meme is a weekly meme that I started to do just a few months ago. This is where you can tell everyone the books you bought this past week. They can be brand new or from a second hand store, library sale, yard sale etc, its basically any book that you paid for.
Okay I know I said I wasn't going to buy any more books but I couldn't resist this one with all the reviews I have been reading.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Je Suis Lire by Louise A Gikow (For Michael)
Allons-y, papa! by Louise A Gikow (For Michael)
Family Fun magazine (we love this magazine and always get it monthly)
Well the first Bloggiesta is completed. I really hope that this will make another appearance again. Thanks again to Natasha for organizing it. Also I have to say thank you to her husband for designing all the graphics there were used for Bloggiesta.
Another thank you goes out to the bloggers who organized the Mini Challenges that we all could take part in. I have completed a few of them which I will talk about them in a few minutes.
I would have loved to do more online but for some reason last night I was having internet issues and if it wasn't that then when I tried to so something I kept getting time out messages or pages not opening up. I was getting frustrated and rebooted a few times until finally I gave up.
So my total of hours completed in this challenge was about 15 hours. I was able to do alot offline and a little online. Here is what I managed to complete:
Organized my books that I have gotten recently.
Printed out the next 6 months of calendars and put all review & tour dates on it.
Set to post my Mailbox Monday post for the past week
Posted my first ever Library Loot
Wrote up some holiday posts
Cleaned up some of my labels
Edited my about me section and posted a new picture
Prepared questions to ask two authors that agreed to mini Q&As with me
Worked on a review policy
Written up all my reviews on paper of books I have read
Completed some mini challenges
Prepared for a new feature that I will be starting on my blog in July
Scheduled to post 2 reviews for later this week
Mini Challenges Completed:
BethFishRead's Challenge was to make a list post. As you can see I have been going a making list posts frenzy.
Lynn's challenge was to get listed and I was going through the sites to get listed and I am happy to say that I am listed on bookblogsning, here be reviews, BBAW, blogarama and blogged. I have put my name on blog catalogue. I just discovered taht I was listed on fyreflybooks which I have never heard of before and I will be checking it out more later on.
Jenn's Challenge was to clean up your about me page, check for errors in your top posts etc and I am happy to say that I updated my about me page and added a new picture. I also checked the top posts for errors and worked on my review policy. Hoping to have that posted this week.
Amy's Challenge was to make a blogging buddy. I was connacted by Avis and we are going to be blogging buddies and I am waiting to hear from someone else and we will be hopefully blogging buddies. I will post her link when I get the info.
Trish's challenge was to add a favatar and a gravatar and I can happily say that I did do that gravatar. I got a note saying that the favatar was hacked but was given a link and instructions on how to do it from Liyanna. Thank You
Michelle's challenge was about anchoring text. As you can see I have that pretty much mastered and will continue to do so when needed.
Ruth's challenge was about grading your blog. I did that I am 84. I am happy with my grade.
Of the other challenges I didn't get to do but I am determined that I will gradually complete them. They are:
Rebecca's challenge was to clean up your google reader. I am still new to that and I will be asking for help from my blogging buddy.
Jill's challenge was to go and comment on new blogs. Thank you to all the new comments I got and I will be commenting on your blogs this week. Providing computer will be working.
Emily's challenge was about Google Alerts. That is something that is new to me and need to find out how to do that.
Deborah's challenge was elavator pitches. Need to work on that.
Wishing a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Also today just happens to be my friend Michael's first father day. Happy Father's Day Michael if you are reading this.
Okay I managed to take part in a few mini challenges and here is what I have completed:
Beth from BethFishReads - I did a post using a list. The post would be Library Loot and Mailbox Monday. (this is set to post)
Jen from Devourverofbooks- I have update my about me and added a new pic, when through my most recent posts and checked for errors.
Trish from Hey lady- I did the gravatar and i was surprised at how easy it was to do. The only one I couldn't do was the favatar as I keep getting a message saying they are down for maintenance. Will go back and do this one later
Michelle from GalleySmith- I have already been anchoring text and I will continue to do so.
Bookish Ruth- I did the webgrader and I got 84. I have added that to my blog.
Amy from my friend amy - Her mini challenge was to make a blogging buddy and I have. My blogging buddy is Avis. I am looking forward to having her as a blogging buddy.
Lynn- Her mini challenge was to get listed and I have to say I am already listed on book blog ning, here be reviews, BBAW, blogarama, fyreflybooks (this was new to me and was nice to see my name there)blogger.com and I just added myself to blog catalogue.
Thanks everyone for those great mini challenges. I have alot of fun doing them and in the morning I will be adding their blog links to this post.
The start up time was 8am local time. I didn't start at 8am for a few reasons such as Michael has to be at the bus stop for 8:20 AM and when I came back I really had to clean up since I am having company coming to stay next week for a few days.
Anyways from my to do list I have managed to complete two items that were on my list and they were to write up and schedule my MailBox Monday post and cleaned up some of my labels.
Mini Challenges: I have done Trish's favicons and Gravatars. I thought it would be complicated but it wasn't. I am not very computer savvy and always panic when I do anything to my blog. I couldn't do the favicon because I kept getting the message that they were down so I will have to go back to do that later.
GalleySmith challenge was about anchoring and I am happy to say that I did complete this as you can see. I have been anchoring for a few months now. I have to thank Avis for showing me how to do this months ago.
Hours spent on bloggiesta so far is 2 1/2 hours as of now.
After the weekend of the 48 Hour Book Challenge Natasha mentioned on twitter that there should be a 48 hour review challenge. I agreed with her right away after spending the weekend reading I was wondering how would I ever be able to write my reviews. This is where the idea was born. Thanks to Natasha for organizing it and to her husband for designing the little mascot.
I am late in starting this which surprises me as I was the first to sign up when she posted this on her blog. You can check out Natasha's blog here for more information about Bloggiesta.
Unfortunately I won't get much done today as I have a whole lot of things I need to do in the house because I have company flying in from Chicago on Wednesday to stay a couple of days.
I have alot that I would love to get done this weekend on my blog such as get a bunch of reviews scheduled to post, clean up my labels and reorganize and add a few things to my blog.
Here is my to do list:
Write up reviews for four books that I read for the 48 hour book challenge & set to post
Write up reviews for thirteen other books I have read & set to post
Prepare posts for two author interviews I have coming up
Clean up labels -This is Done-
Clean up the side bar on the blog
Prepare post for a new feature I want to start on my blog
Answer all comments that have been made on my blog
Prepare Mailbox Monday post -THIS IS DONE-
Organize things to post during my absense next week (I have company coming in next week)
Organize a post for my 1st blogoversary
Good luck everyone. Enjoy but most of all have fun.
I have been seeing this on Jenn's blog for the longest time now and finally decided to join in on this weekly meme. I don't know why its taken me so long to join this? I always borrow a ton of books for Michael from the library.
For us at our library we are allowed to borrow 50 items for 2 weeks per card so that would be 150 items on all three cards. Sadly we can only put four items on hold per card.
Library Loot is hosted by Eva and Alessandra. In this weekly meme you are encouraged to share the books that you have checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate you can check out either of the above blogs and then just write up your post. Feel free to steal the Library loot button and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. You can also check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.
This week I borrowed:
They Call Me Red by Christina Kilbourne
Good Housekeeping magazine (Jan, Feb & March issues)
Parents Magazine June Issue
A Garden of Opposites by Nancy Davis
Mighty Machines Airplanes
Mighty Machine Police Cars
The Foggy Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt
Harry and the Dinosaurs Go Wild!
The Jolly Postman or other People's letters by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland
Swapping Lives by Jane Green
I always borrow tons of children's, YA, cookbooks and magazines from the library. Michael loves going to the library and picking out his own books so over the summer you will be seeing alot of is Library Loots.
Thank You to Duopress for sending these two great board books to Michael. He loved them. I was really nice to see him looking at the books and making up the story. He wanted me to read them but then realized there was no words to them. He was happy cause he was able to read them himself. ABOUT THE BOOK: Introducing Sounds Funny!, a seriously wacky board book that takes the youngest readers to theworld of comic sounds.
A car goes vroom, a dog goes woof, and a bubble pops! Sounds are all over, and kids will love toimitate them with this book that uses some of the most appealing elements of comic books andpop art, such as simple panels and intense primary colors.Imitating sounds is an important element of language development, and this sturdy board bookpresents a cause-and-effect scenario (cause: an airplane takes off; effect: the plane goes “zoom”)that will introduce young readers to the wonderful world of sounds in a fun and appealing way.
Sounds Funny! is giggling-inducing reading for kids and parents alike.
Sounds Funny: A Book About Comic Sounds. This one he really enjoyed because he was thrilled he could read it on his own and he was even making the sounds that go with each picture. He loved the airplane sound and always says "Daddy works with airplanes right mommy?" This is a great book for any age child. The pictures are bright and colorful.
Here is another favorite of Michael's. His cousin lives in Chicago so I think this was something he could relate too, although we have never been but want to go now. Its a great counting book that uses Chicago landmarks such as The Towers of the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, Chicago River, Sears Tower and the Chicago Water Tower to count with. This is a great counting book and its perfect for the little ones that are learning to count. This is probably be a book we bring with us when he go to Chicago.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Introducing 123 Chicago, a new board book that takes the youngest readers on a cool trip through the windy city while practicing essential number skills.
Kids will count to 10 using some of Chicago’s most beloved symbols— The Sears Tower, the El train, Fireworks on Navy Pier, Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Deep Dish Pizza—in this board book featuring contemporary illustrations, dazzling colors, and a bold, clear design. The end of the book includes a complete location list, in both English and Spanish, to help parents locate the symbols and landmarks and plan an entertaining trip to Chicago.
123 Chicago is part of the Cool Counting Books series, which includes 123 New York, 123 California, 123 Texas, and 123 USA.
Thank You again Duopress for allowing us to review these two great books that you publish. Looking forward to reading more of your books.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Allison Bottke spent 17 years as a professional fund-raiser before her personal journey prompted her to create the best-selling God Allows U-Turns anthologies. Now a popular speaker and author of hip-lit fiction as well as nonfiction, Allison was one of the first plus-size models with the Wilhelmina agency. Today, she has created a place where fun, fashion, food, family, and faith merge to empower and inspire boomer women all around the world. That place is her website.
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99 Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1434799492 ISBN-13: 978-1434799494
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Susan Anderson yawned and mumbled an incoherent complaint. She tried to focus heavy-lidded eyes on the glowing chartreuse numbers of the digital clock. Six a.m. She rolled onto her side and picked up the ringing cell phone, wishing she’d shut it off the night before. This was her day off, the one day in seven she could stay ensconced in her luxurious bed, wrapped in Egyptian cotton like a mummy princess. The one day in seven she could snuggle with her hubby when he came home from working the night shift.
“Slow down, Karen,” Susan whispered hoarsely. “I understand you haven’t been to sleep yet, but I’m still waking up, okay? Now, start from the top. Who’s Tina?”
Stretching like a limber feline, Susan propped her pillow against the headboard and slowly sat up, her eyebrows knitting together as she listened. Her eyes opened more fully as she listened to Karen’s amazing tale.
“… that’s the whole story. I’m afraid she’s going to do something drastic. Please, you have to help her. I know you don’t work Mondays, but you’re the only one I know who might be able to do something.”
Susan leaned her head back and yawned again as she considered.
“Susan? Susan, are you there?”
“Still here. Sorry. Okay. I need coffee and a bagel, but you can tell her to meet me at the salon at seven.”
“Seriously? Fantastic! You’re a lifesaver!”
Susan hung up the phone, rolled onto her stomach, and buried her face in her pillow. Part of her wanted to go back to sleep. But the rest of her loved a challenge—and this was truly a challenge. Although dull moments were few in her world, so were new ventures these days—at least ventures of the dramatic magnitude Karen had just described.
She pulled back the covers and eased up on the edge of the bed. Absentmindedly tucking a strand of ash-blond hair behind her ear, she considered her options for another minute or two before reaching for the phone.
“She works hard for the money, so hard.…”
“Stop singing, Loretta—please. It’s too early for Donna Summer, even for you. I hate caller ID.”
“Heretic—bite your tongue! It’s never too early for Donna. And you should love caller ID. It’s the only reason I always answer your calls.”
Susan laughed. More than a dependable employee, Loretta Wells was a good friend and a sister in faith. She was also the reason Susan could take Mondays off. Loretta was more than capable of handling things without the boss. In fact, she’d been Susan’s right hand for almost twenty years.
Every Monday morning before opening the salon at seven thirty, Loretta had coffee at the Starbucks just off Tropicana Boulevard. Susan knew she could depend on her to rise to this challenge, cut her Starbucks run short, and get things ready for Tina before she arrived.
Susan explained what little she knew about what she’d dubbed as Tina’s Tragic Trauma. “You don’t mind coming in early?” she asked.
“Are you kidding? Sounds utterly fascinating. Don’t worry about me—what about you? I don’t think I’ve seen you on a Monday in more than a decade. Think you can function?”
“Very funny. I’ll be just fine. See you in forty five.”
She flipped the phone shut, grabbed a notepad and pen from the bedside table, and scribbled a note to leave downstairs for Michael on her way out. Her husband wouldn’t get home until eight, about the time she was usually getting ready for work. He wouldn’t be happy with her for taking off like this on their one day together, but what could she do? This young woman needed her.
She recalled the most recent argument she’d had with Michael about this very subject.
“You’re a hairdresser for crying out loud—not George!” he had shouted into the phone last week when she called him from the salon at 2:30 a.m.
George was their neighbor, a psychologist who was on call for police emergencies twenty-four/seven.
“You wouldn’t say that, Michael, if you had seen her. The creep used a butcher knife to cut off her hair. I couldn’t say no. Michael, you should have seen …”
“What if he had showed up at the shop? What then? He might be outside waiting for you right now. Maybe I should come over and follow you home …”
“No, Michael, I’m fine. I’m sure he’s not waiting for me. He doesn’t have a beef with me.”
Susan didn’t tell him she had worried about the same thing when the girl showed up, referred by a friend who ran a shelter for battered women.
“I’m sorry I called,” she said with a sigh. What she had really wanted to share was her excitement at being able to pray with a young woman who was openly searching for an answer to the unexplainable emptiness in her heart.
“Me too,” Michael grumbled. “Now, get out of there and go home. I’ll stay on the phone while you lock up.”
That had been several days ago, and they had yet to talk about the situation again. She wasn’t exactly eager to bring it up—not with the way Michael had been acting lately. His sixtieth birthday loomed on the horizon, and Susan was quite certain he was having a delayed midlife crisis. She was hard-pressed to feel sympathetic. She was turning fifty in April, and she wasn’t snapping at everyone about every little thing.
Susan didn’t start thinking about Tina’s Tragic Trauma again until she was in the shower. What if she couldn’t help her? Lord, I’m almost embarrassed to bring this to you. I mean, I know it’s just hair. But what if Karen isn’t overdramatizing the situation? Surely someone wouldn’t commit suicide over a bad hair day, would she? Please help me help Tina. Amen.
Hurrying to get dressed, she pulled her thick hair back in a ponytail and wrapped a vintage Chanel scarf around her crown as a headband. She brushed her teeth, stroked on moisturizer, and applied her makeup in record time even though she’d been tempted to go without it, since her goal was to return home in a couple of hours and jump back into bed.
She quickly straightened up the bathroom for Michael, knowing he would take a shower as soon as he got home. When she finished, she sat down at her laptop and sent a quick e-mail to her online chat group. Then she checked herself one last time in the hall mirror and headed out the door.
From: Susan Anderson (boomerbabesusan@boomerbabesrock.com)
Sent: Monday, January 9, 6:43 a.m.
To: Patricia Davies; Mary Johnson; Lisa Taylor; Linda Jones; Sharon Wilson
Subject: You will NEVER believe this … story to follow
Good morning fellow boomer babes!
I’m off to work early … seems we have a Hair Emergency. I’ll fill you in when I know more. Can’t believe it’s only week two of the new year. Things haven’t slowed down at the shop … we’ve been operating full tilt since before Thanksgiving. Guess I shouldn’t complain … business is good. Hope everyone is healthy and happy.
Suze
Looking around the casino on his way out that morning brought Michael Anderson a bittersweet feeling. He liked his job, and every day yielded a new challenge. Yet, after thirty-five years, he was beginning to consider early retirement. The past night had been another busy one, and he was tired from walking the length of the property countless times as one mechanical problem after another surfaced. The Silver Spur was one of the oldest casinos in Las Vegas, and time was beginning to take its toll.
Of course, mechanical problems were easier to deal with than the inevitable people problems his wife seemed to encounter on a daily basis. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like for Susan, standing in one area, doing the same thing day in and day out. It must drive her crazy. It drove him crazy sometimes, just hearing about it.
“I love it, Michael, really I do,” she often told him. And he knew she was proud of her unique beauty salon, Disco Diva. But she had to be as tired of the daily grind as he was. They’d both been at it for so many years.
He couldn’t wait to get home and tell her his news—and this was the day to tell it. Monday was their only full day to spend together. Oh, sure, he saw her throughout the week, but not for long. Most days they were like the proverbial ships passing each other. He came home from the night shift just before she left in the morning, and she woke him when she returned from the salon in time for him to shower, get dressed, eat, and take off for work.
For years, though, they had enjoyed their evening meal together—Susan’s dinner and his breakfast. It was a solid ritual. And there was always something to talk about. Communication wasn’t a problem in their relationship. Having time to communicate was the problem. He’d once computed the time they’d actually spent together in the almost twenty-five years they’d been married; it was far less than the years implied.
And recently, it seemed, things were getting worse. More often than not during the past few months, Susan was already gone when he came home in the morning. And instead of waking him in person in the evening, she had taken to setting the alarm clock for him before she left for the salon.
This was all very unusual for her. He suspected she might be going through early menopause—not that he was an expert on such things. But she was certainly acting strangely these days. She spent more time at the salon than ever and seemed on edge a lot of the time.
That was another reason he’d decided to unveil his surprise a little early. It was time to free her from the growing responsibilities that were clearly taking away her joy.
Time for him to make their longtime dream come true.
MY REVIEW FOR YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING WILL BE POSTED THIS WEEK. I AM REALLY ENJOYING THE BOOK.
Sunday June 14th was the regular Book Blogger monthly meet up with Avis, Donna and Tina. We met at our regular little tea shop. I will have to remember to take a picture at the next meet up so you can see our little spot. Its not very big and only sits about 20 or so people but the teas, hot chocolates and other drinks are delicious.
This was one meet up where everyone was excited to go. Donna was the lucky one this year as she got to go to BEA in May so the topic of conversation was about BEA (everything about BEA), the Strand and books of course. She was kind enough to bring the catalogs she picked up at BEA so we got to look at them while she talked about BEA. Thank you Donna for graciously lending me one of your catalogs.
We are all hoping to go next year and we have decided that we need to start saving now. Watch out NYC 4 wild Montrealers are going to be hitting your city next year. Brace yourselves.
I also have to thank Donna for the little bag of goodies she got for us while she was in NYC/BEA. She was very generous and got everyone a little something. Since everyone shared and showed their goodies, I will share with you what Michael and I got.
I put everything together.
From the Strand she picked up: Strand totebag (that is one store I plan on visiting when I am in NY next year), a pen, Sticky notes (will come in handy while reviewing books) and a tshirt for Michael.
A Doodletop for Michael. (its a top that you spin and put a marker in so when you spin it the marker leaves a mark on the paper)
From BEA: a luggage tag (got the hint for next year Donna LOL) a nubs dog tag, BEA bookmark with save the dates (another hint to go to BEA LOL) a cd with assorted songs on it, a audiosample from NPR Road Trips, and some books, Star Wars the clone wars w/bookmark, Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon, Publication Services Glossary of publishing terms, Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble and Discover the Amazon by Lauri Berkenkamp.
Thank You so very much Donna.
As for books we exchange I have been giving Donna quite a few when I meet up with her on Fridays and I brought Avis the ones she asked for. This is what I got from Avis: Thanks for the presents Donna and Avis thanks for the books. See you in July.
Thanks to Marcia at Printed Page for hosting this weekly Mailbox Monday. You can check to see what Marcia and others got on her blog this past week. I know you want too? What are you waiting for?
Here is the books that came to my door looking for a new home. By Mail: -Everlost by Neal Shusterman -The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum -This Charming Man by Marian Keyes -The G Free Diet by Elizabeth Hasslebeck (this was a contest win from Luanne -Best Intentions by Emily Listfield -Die For You by Lisa Unger From Donna at Books Bound -Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon -Glossary of Publishing Terms -Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
Books Bought Meme is a list of books that you buy. I wasn't sure if anyone has done this book I thought it was a neat idea to list books you buy either at an indie bookstore, big box store, library sale or second hand books stores etc.
This is what I bought this week. I only bought one for myself and the others are for Michael. Books Bought Meme #9 For myself I bought the new Nora Roberts book called "Vision In White" I love the cover.
Horrid Henry Tricks the tooth fairy and Horrid Henry and the mega mean time machine. I think Michael will like these series of books. I knew Donna was giving me the first one so I thought I would pick up these two to add to the collection. These I will give him when he finishes school on the 23rd.
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig. This is by the author who wrote Tales of Despereaux which Michael is loving. This is his graduation present. On special occasions/holidays/birthdays or going somewhere new on vacation I always buy him a book and write in it what the occasion is for and he loves this.
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PUB DATE: May 2009
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
-Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell.
Triple Chocolate Brownies
