Current reads

These books are my current reads, reviews to come, time permitted!

xx

Rosewater and Soda Bread

Hi again

I finished this book a couple of weeks ago...yep I'm posting out of order!

Title: Rosewater and Soda Bread

Author: Marsha Mehran

Plot: novel is about three Iranian sisters who've ended up in a small village in Ireland, they have opened up a cafe...selling their 'foreign' food: interwoven with their story is another story about a mystery girl who is found on a deserted beach near the village. And there is a romance involving the main character.

It's a nice story, but it lacked something for me. It felt to me as though the story finished in a hurry, there wasn't enough information about why the three sisters left Iran....certain incidents are scattered through the novel but I didn't feel as though it was resolved completely.

I did find the interactions between the sisters interesting, enough to help the character development. There is the usual clashes between the older, more conservative sister and the youngest sister, who has embraced a more modern outlook on life.

The locals, who are highly suspicious of the foreigners and their strange food, make for some amusing moments, their reactions are believable given the setting of the story, in a small Irish village.

I give this novel a 6, the blurb from the publishers promises more than this novel actually delivers....but that's the job of the publishers!

Don't be fooled by that and the lovely cover artwork!

Save your money; if you want to read it borrow it from the library or another person, but I wouldn't recommend that you buy it.

This is the author's second novel; I wonder if this her 2ND book was a rushed affair to capitalise on any success that her first novel gathered? For the record, I haven't read or investigated the first novel....that's just my cynical mind at work!

xx

Atonement...a review

Hi

I've finished off reading Ian McEwan's Atonement. I'm so glad that I picked up this book, something about it has stayed with me, I keep thinking about the characters, which for me usually means that a book is a great one!

I won't do a plot review as you can find plenty of those on the web, and I don't wish to give away the twist at the end!

I just offer my thoughts about the book:

I loved the way that it was written from the various characters points of view and that the two scenes that are at the crux of the novel were done in a very subtle way....nothing graphic, which for a popular novel is almost 'a given' these days. Atonement was short-listed for the 2001 Booker Prize.

Some history was woven into the story; Dunkirk and life in hospital in the 40's....somethings were that same when I was nursing 40 years later...even scrubbing bedpans!

Also the social divisions in the pre-war England are explored in this book, divisions that the war probably broke down to some degree!

There is a movie based on this book, starring Keira Knightly as Cecilia Tallis and Vanessa Redgrave as the elderly Briony Tallis. I've watched parts of this movie, but have waited until I've finished the novel to watch it from begining to end!

I gave the novel an 8 out of 10

Figs

Have you tried this delicious fruit?

I tried my first ever fig yesterday! I've never liked the look of dried figs and hadn't bothered to investigate fresh ones....but yesterday I took the plunge and tasted a fresh fig...and now I'm converted!

I was at one of my clients home yesterday and she has a large tree in the backyard. I'd asked a couple of weeks ago about what kind of tree it was, etc...and yesterday she had some fruit sitting on the kitchen bench...my client peeled on for me to taste.....so sweet!

I pulled down my copy of Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion today to find some ways to use figs....apart from with blue cheese..which I DONT like!

Stephanie writes...."Eating a fully ripe fig warm from the tree is an emotional experience. A basket of freshly picked figs bought to the table with a soft white cheese or a plate of just-sliced curls of palest pink ham has to be the perfect begining to a late-summer lunch." (page 442, The Cook's Companion)

I'd love to plant a tree in my backyard....along with the vege patch that I'm planning!

What do you think? Do you like figs? Tell me what you've recently discovered that you've found that you like, despite your previous opinion?

CYa xx

Lisa

What Have I Done??

HI everyone

I stole this from my friend Susan's blog, Kerguma



Highlight the ones you have done so far, in your lifetime (I’ve put mine in bold):


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Every Australian State (no, haven't been to WA, NT or Tas)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Cuddled a Koala
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo....do you want to lose your hearing???
11. Bungee jumped...no way never
12. Visited ‘The Dog on the Tuckerbox’ (Gundagai)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the largest Wooden Rocking Horse (at Gumeracha in South Australia)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Thrown a boomerang (but it didn’t come back)
25. Held a lamb
26. Rode a horse
27. Run a Marathon
28. Eaten a pie floater (disgusting!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (if you count a cruise on Sydney Harbour!)
33. Seen Ayers Rock in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen a platypus
36. Taught yourself a new language (does Elvish, HTML and CSS count?)
37. Been unable to pay at the checkout
38. Seen the Big Orange (Berri, SA) in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen a Pro Hart painting in person (also met Pro Hart)
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen the Great Barrier Reef
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Been to Darwin
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sydney Opera House in person
50. Been bush dancing
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Big Banana in Queensland
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Seen the Swan River (Perth) in person
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies...girl guide biscuits here in Oz
62. Gone whale watching (10 min at Victor Harbour…does that count?)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited someone in prison....does working in a prision ward at the hospital count?
67. Bounced a cheque
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited the War Memorial in Canberra
71. Eaten Caviar (disgusting!)
72. Made a quilt
73. Patted a kangaroo
74. Toured the Outback...if driving between Brisbane and Adelaide counts as the outback!
75. Been fired from a job
76. Broken an expensive item
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Dandenong Ranges in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited a Cathedral
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Swam in the ocean
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited Parliament House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating...I watched
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Been to Rottnest Island (WA)
96. Been to a gym
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day...last book was Kite Runner



I think that is 53...not bad

If you post one of these lists on your blog, post a comment here so I can check it out!

xx

The Oscars

Hi again

I have a quieter week this week, hence a bit more time to blog!

It's Oscars time again...and I'm not really into them at all...I do like to see who wins the major awards...hoping for Slumdog Millionare to take out the Best Movie gong...

I've just read on the web at Heath Ledger won for his role in the Dark Knight.

I haven't watched all of the movie...too much violence for me....and we started watching it late one night and I was too tired to follow it...

But 'everyone' thought that he would win it...but is all the hype because he died or because it was the BEST performance??

It appears that no one questioned him getting the award....it was/is a given....but I wonder if he was living, would he have won it????

Here is Australia, it's almost a 'holy cow' thing....dare anyone offer an opinion to the popular one?
He was of course the Aussie local done good in Hollywood.....

This of course is no biggie in the scheme of life....I'm just wondering if it's an emotional response to someone who died when they were still young, or is the award deserved on merit?

My opinion is the first one....

xx

Times Top 25 Blogs

Hi there

I was taking a look through some of my favourite blogs today....I headed over to Pioneer Woman's blog today to read that she has been nominated in Time magazine's best 25 Blogs of 2009.....

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1879276,00.html


I haven't checked out any of the other 24 listed here....I will do later, but I thought that some may find the list interesting.

Kudos to PW for making the list....when you think of the millions of blogs out there in cyberspace it's a very big achievement....congratulations Ree....if you ever read this!

xx

Movie: Slum Dog Millionaire

Hubby and I went and saw this movie on the weekend...I don't have time to write a review that would do this fabulous movie justice...but Sheri at http://anovelmenagerie.com/ghost/ has written a great review, one that doesn't have spoilers!

Head on over to A Novel Menagerie is check out her post...and then head out to your nearest cinema to see this fantastic movie...you won't be sorry. Both Keith and I enjoyed this movie...while there is a love story embedded into the movie it would appeal to most people...there is some violence as you would expect of a movie based in the Indian slums.


http://anovelmenagerie.com/ghost/2009/02/16/mondays-movie-slum-dog-millionaire/

xxx

Lisa

My new life

After 18.5 years at home with kids, I am now a 'working outside the home' mum!

I have done admin work based at home for the last 6+ years but with both my dd's at school now (after home educating for 8+ years) but now I'm out the in the real world....

The job you ask???

A personal carer/support person for aged or disabled people....ie I do some domestic work, running errands, assisting with other activities like showering....this week I got paid to take a lady to the hairdresser!!

It's physical work...especially in the hot weather, but so far I'm enjoying being with other people....helping the oldies so that they can continue to live in their own homes....most are housebound so your visit is a bit of a highlight in their day!

It's only casual at the moment, so the hours are all up in the air....this week I'll do OK, who knows what will happen next week? So I'm out of the house....busy driving around visiting oldies!

So if I'm not around much it's because I'm not at home with time to burn...my reading hours have been greatly diminished...hence a lack of reviews!

By the time I finish my work, pick the girls up from the bus, do dinner etc.....I'm ready for bed and beyond following my latest book.

For anyone waiting for reviews...I did finish The Diving Bell and the Butterfly....a lovely book, an amazing story when you consider how it was 'dictated' by a man paralysed, (he actually was considered a locked in person, in other words despite being unable to move his body, he still had a fully functioning mind). Following a massive brain hemorrhage, only able to move one eyelid he dictated his story, pre and post brain injury. It's a short book, only 140 pages...very timely read for me considering the work that I now do....I consider that everyone who intends to work in the medical related fields should read this work!

There is also a movie, now available on DVD, in French with subtitles, I have found myself a copy but haven't had a chance to watch it.
My 16yo dd is reading this book for a school assignment....she could choose any auto biography, so once she has finished reading it we'll probably enjoy the movie together!


I've almost finished The Reader...the movie hasn't been released here yet, so I have a couple more weeks!

I did finish God's Callgirl....so glad that I go this book out of the library....I have mixed feelings about this book...not quite what I thought it would be! Turned in to a bit of a self-centred search.....

So that's all for me.....I'm very time poor at the moment as on top of that I'm finishing off my admin job with the charity....handing it on to the new lady....

Chat soon...please drop me a comment now and then, I do still have time to check my in-box even if my computer time doesn't extend to writing new posts for my blog!

xx

Australia Day.....

For the benefit of my American readers, this weekend is the Australia Day long weekend, we have a public holiday to celebrate the beginings of this country, well when the land of Australia became a colony of the UK.

What follows is some interesting information about Australia....all in the name of fun.....and you might learn a bit more about life 'Down Under'

****Warning....some parts not suitable for younger eyes...I have omitted the really bad words!*******

You know you're Australian when........

1. You're familiar with Neighbours, Home and Away, Playschool, A Country Practice, Norman Gunston, Barry Humphries, Blue Heelers, Ray Martin, Bert Newton, Lisa McCune, Jon Burgess, Number 96, Molly Meldrum, Kerry O'Brien, and of course, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch.

2. You know that Burger King doesn't exist. It's Hungry Jacks.

3. You know that snow is a memorable and freakish occurrence. Sometimes it's even fake.

4. You know the difference between thongs and a G-banger

5. You know that "stubbies" are either short shorts or small beer bottles, a "gimp", "bogan" or "geezer" is a random idiot, someone in trouble is in "strife" and you're liable to burst out laughing whenever you hear of Americans "rooting" for something.

4. You know how to abbreviate every word, all of which usually end in -o: arvo, combo, garbo, kero, lezzo, metho, milko, muso, rego, servo, smoko, speedo, righto etc.

5. You know that some people pronounce "Australia" like "Strayla" and that's ok.

6. You know that there is a universal place called "woop woop" located in the middle of nowhere... no matter where you actually are.

7. You know that while we call our friends 'mates', we don't use terms like 'shiela' and 'shrimp on the barbie', contrary to popular belief.

8. You know that none of us actually drink Fosters beer because it tastes like sh*t. But we let the world think we do. Because we can.

9. You know that if a man has s*x with another man, he's a homos*xual, and (until recently), a criminal in Tasmania

10. You resent people who succeed over others- everyone should do the same thing, so we all get a "fair go"; a kind of 'American-dream' in reverse. This is why we actively like not liking Americans.

11. You've seen Gallipoli, Crocodile Dundee, Young Einstein, Muriel's Wedding, The Castle, Beneath Clouds, Strictly Ballroom, 40,000 Horsemen, and maybe even Wolf Creek.

12. It makes you happy when someone in Hollywood is actually Australian... Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Russle Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrman, Elle MacPherson, Olivia Newton-John, Midnight Oil, ACDC, INXS, Greg Norman, Cathy Freeman, Dawn Fraser, Pat Rafter, Ian Thorpe...

13. One word: Skippy.

14. You know that Sydney 2000 was one of our proudest moments in history. We just rock.

15. You know that you are not going to die of cholera or other Third World diseases (remote Aboriginal communities are a different matter)

16. You know our country has never been conquered by a foreign nation (you don't count 1788).

17. We know that the Metric system will always be better than anything inches, feet, pounds and farenheit will ever offer

18. You drive on the left-hand side of the road.

19. If you're a pedestrian and cars are stopped at a red light, you will fearlessly cross the street in front of them. 'Hit and runs' just aren't cricket. Because aussies stick together.

20. You think of Australia as being somewhat out of place within the Asia-Pacific region; surrounded by unstable ex-colonial nations who regard you as racist, imperialist, and unfairly wealthy.

21. You know that New Zealanders are basically our naive country cousins, who have a weird fush-and-chups accent, and for some bizzare reason, think that they invented pavlova. Bastards. They are to be pitied and laughed at. They have no hope of gaining the upper hand in the endless sporting rivalry between our two nations.

22. You know that you can't eat Fantales alone... Otherwise who will you play the 'Who am I...' game with when you're reading the wrapper?

23. You know that Sydney should be the capital because Canberra is a hole.

24. You know that Americans think we're all Steve Irwin clones. And crickey, they couldn't be more wrong.

25. You know that Lawyers wear wigs and gowns. And we make it look good.

26. You have some time in your life slept with Aeroguard on in the summer. Maybe even as perfume.

27. You feel obliged to spread salty black stuff that looks like congealed motor oil on bread... and actually grow to like it. You've also squeeze Vegemite through Vita Wheats to make little Vegemite worms.

28. You believe that democracy means the freedom to draw caricatures of good ol' Johnny Howard

29. You think footballers dressing up in drag on TV is funny (but your son being gay isn't).

30. You have the ability to compress several words into one - ie 'g'day' and 'd'reckn?'. This allows more space for profanities.

31. You've ever used the words - tops, ripper, sick, mad, rad, sweet - to mean good. And then you place 'bloody' in front of it when you REALLY mean it.

32. You know that the barbeque is a political arena; the person holding the tongs is always the boss and usually a man. And the women make the salad.

33. The private lives of footy and cricket players become more important than local and national news stories.

34. You say 'no worries' quite often, whether you realise it or not.

35. You know what fairy bread tastes like, and you can't imagine your childhood without it.

36. You know the first verse to the national anthem, but still don't know what "girt" means. And you're ok with that.

37. You've drank your tea/coffee/milo through a tim tam.

38. You know that backyard cricket is a nice way to bond with family and the rubbish bin. And the 'one bounce, one hand' rule always applies.

39. You know that we are home to the just about all of the world's deadliest of animals. That's why if anybody messes with us we'll get some funnel webs on their asses.

40. You see people walking bare-foot on the sidewalk and don't scorn.... because you're doing it too.

41. You know what trop-fest is and it makes you happy.

42. Sausage rolls and meat pies. End of story.

43. You firmly believe that in the end, everything will be ok and have offered advice that included the words, "she'll be right, mate".

44. You have a story that somehow involves an excessive consumption of goon... but you can't remember.

45. You own a Bond's chesty. In several different colours.

46. You've ordered a steak the size as your head and only paid $5 at your local RSL

47. You know that Italy should never have been granted that fateful kick in the 2006 Soccer World Cup.

48. You know how to slip, slop, slap like it's nobody's business.

49. You've heard the Prime Minister dismiss anyone who disagrees with him simply as 'un-Australian', and that's enough to make us sit down and shut up.

50. You know that the value of a public holiday is measured in terms of alchohol. God bless the queen and her 4-day birthday.

And right now you feel bloody awesome.

I'll try to return with some things that Aussies do to celebrate Australia Day....oh, and if you need anything clarified from the above post ask/comment and I'll do my best to explain.....

Happy Aussie Day everyone!

xx

Lisa

Update of sorts....books and music

Hi again....

After a spurt of activity on this blog recently, it looks like I've fallen off the face of the earth again!

Not really, just busy with life and stuff going on, like broken down cars that needed towing and a repair, getting daughters ready to start the new school year...yay!!!

Also, it's been like living in a sauna here is Brisbane this past few days...yuck, thank goodness that we have beautiful air conditioning in this house......this kind of weather is so energy sapping!

Anyways, I've finished The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and God's Callgirl, reviews are to come...please don't expect too much from my reviews, I'm feeling quite daunted about it!

I've started The Reader, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, I'm also reading Salvation Creek at the same time.

One other thng that has consummed me is my Ipod and using I Tunes....I'm happy to report that I appear to have mastered the art of loading up new songs on to my Ipod, Christmas pressie from hubby.

I've been out buying cd's....lots to choose from in the sales.....and the other thing that I've discovered recently is watching dvd's of rock concerts.......way cheaper than going to the concerts; with a good sound system I get to enjoy Bono and U2, Sting and the Police and others in concert in the comfort of my lounge room....I've even enjoyed my husbands favourite, Andre Rieu........one day I'll post about my music....

A question for you....what kind of music do you like listening to?

Bye for now....

xx

Monday Mailbox...of sorts

In an effort of reduce the amount of money that I spend, and the amount I books I have to house, I'm not ordering too many books on-line these days.
So my Monday mail-box is the list of books that I've received from my visit to the library....I had 3 waiting for me and found one on the shelf.







The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby




This is a small book, only 140 pages, with tiny chapters, so it's perfect to pop into your handbag to pull out for a quick read when you have a spare few mintues...or it could be read in just a few hours!
I've started it already, it's lovely...I'm sure I'll have a review up very soon!











God's Callgirl by Carla Van Raay



I picked this off the shelf at Borders one day when I had a couple of hours to kill while waiting for my dd to finish work. I read through the first couple of chapters and wanted to read more, so I got home and ordered it through my library. I'm looking forward to completing it, it's the memoir of a womans journey from a nun to a callgirl and beyond....













Salvation Creek by Susan Duncan



This book I've seen sitting in the bookshops, but I have read an excerpt from it in one of our Australian women's magazines recently and wanted to read more. It is a memior of the authors journey following the death of her husband and her brother within three days of each other. Don't know anything more than that, I haven't looked at reviews or blurb abouth this book....it's one that I'll let unfold as I read the pages!












The Reader by Bernhard Schlink





Listed on Sheri's blog, anf because there is a movie being released soon, is what has let me to this book.
Again I know very little about this book, but from what I have read it sounds good...and I'm game for another unknown book which could become a favoured gem!











xx

Lisa

Books for 2009 and a challenge...

I've found a great blog about my favourite past time...books.....

Sheri at http://anovelmenagerie.com/ghost/ has issued a challenge called "Just for the Love of it" Challenge.

Join up and list the books that you can't wait to read....and the best part is...is that you can change your list whenever you like!

Good for the likes of me, who write a list and then never seem to get through the darn thing!

So, while I've signed up, I need to get a list up...to follow after this introduction...and I'm trying to work out how to get the widge thing displayed on my blog....Sheri, if you get over here and read this...please help!

Ok, enough of the chatter.....here is the list...

The Reader- Bernhard Schlink

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Jean-Dominique Bauby

Atonement- Ian McEwan

Bill Bryson- need to pick a title!

Someone Knows my Name- Lawrence Hill

People of the Book- Geraldine Brooks

Another book written by Monica McInerney

Vanity Fair- William Makepeace Thackeray

ok, that's a place to start, but remembering the rules...it could all change!

xx

Lisa

My books for 2008

Hi all

Here are my picks and misses for my books that I read during 2008......the year started off really well, but with the move and all I ran out of steam towards the end...


My "Don't Miss List" in no particular order....but do start with The Kite Runner....

The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseni, I gave it 5 stars, awesome book

The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger, 4.5 stars
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249132&sr=1-1

Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen, 4 stars,

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls a bio/memior, 4 stars
http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-Jeannette-Walls/dp/074324754X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249298&sr=1-1

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See
http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Flower-Secret-Fan-Novel/dp/0812968069/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249347&sr=1-1

The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
http://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Earth-Deluxe-Oprahs-Book/dp/0451225244/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249467&sr=1-1

The Birth House, by Ami McKay
http://www.amazon.com/Birth-House-Novel-P-S/dp/0061135879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249533&sr=1-1

The Audacity of Hope, Barak Obama
http://www.amazon.com/Audacity-Hope-Thoughts-Reclaiming-American/dp/0307455874/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249608&sr=1-1

Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picolut
http://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-Minutes-Jodi-Picoult/dp/0743496736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249762&sr=1-1

My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picolut...interesting topic!
http://www.amazon.com/My-Sisters-Keeper-Jodi-Picoult/dp/0743454537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249837&sr=1-1

Those Faraday Girls, Monica McInerney
http://www.amazon.com/Faraday-Girls-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0345490231/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249912&sr=1-1

Beautiful Boy, David Sheff, Biography, a powerful perspective from a fathers experience with his son's meth addiction.
http://www.amazon.com/Faraday-Girls-Ballantine-Readers-Circle/dp/0345490231/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232249912&sr=1-1

A Burqa and a Hard Place: Three Years in the New Afghanistan, Sally Cooper...and Aussie's experience in Afghanistan...sorry I can't find it on Amazon and I can't remember how I found out about this book, but I enjoyed the read!
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Travel/Travel_Writing/product_info/12538439/?cf=3&rid=1662243376&i=2&keywords=sally+cooper

The Lady Elizabeth, Alison Weir
http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Elizabeth-Random-Readers-Circle/dp/0345495365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251240&sr=1-1

The Household Guide to Dying, Debra Adelaide
http://www.amazon.com/Household-Guide-Dying-Debra-Adelaide/dp/0399155597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232250572&sr=1-1

The Boylen Inheritance, Phillipa Gregory
http://www.amazon.com/Boleyn-Inheritance-Philippa-Gregory/dp/1439124671/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251405&sr=1-1


And the rest...some are misses, some were OK but didn't have huge impact on me....

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert...all my friends were/are raving about this book..sad to say I listened to them and went out and bought it...and while I did finish it, I'm missing what the rave is about....I think it will go to the book exchange!
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Pray-Love-Everything-Indonesia/dp/0143038419/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251062&sr=1-1

East of the Sun, Julia Gregson
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Fiction_Literature/General/product_info/12536828/?cf=3&rid=2048781449&i=2&keywords=east+of+the+sun

The Secret Life of Bee's, Sue Monk Kidd....I was looking forward to this books...something about books written in the south of the US appeals to me...it lacked something for me! Nice but not worth all the raving...imo!
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Bees-Monk-Kidd/dp/0143114557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251658&sr=1-1

The Awakening, Kate Chopin...for me it was one big yawn of a book and I didn't finish it although i really did try!
http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Norton-Critical-Editions/dp/0393960579/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251762&sr=1-2

The Gathering, Anne Enright, another in the didn't finish list! I have to agree with the reviewer on Amazon, review entitled 'uneven'
http://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Novel-Anne-Enright/dp/0802118739/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232251938&sr=1-1

The 19th Wife, David Ebershoff...I was looking forward to this book, the topic and the manner in which it was written, two stories woven together about the same topic but set 100 years apart, intrigued me and I chose this book over Someone Knows my Name....sadly it lacked something and I wished that I'd gone with my first impluse....another book that will probably go to the book exchange
http://www.amazon.com/19th-Wife-Novel-David-Ebershoff/dp/1400063973/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232252387&sr=8-1

New year

Hi

Welcome to the New year....and I'm now living in a new home!

Finally we have made in to our new home...it's been a long and drawn out process!!

Two years ago we moved back to our home state after 5 years living down south! We had our down south home to sell which took longer than we ever thought....and then due to a crashed contract we missed out on a house that we all loved! Anyways, long story short is we made a bold move and decided to move as close to the city as we could afford to and while still being a practical distance from the school that our 2 daughters now attend! And finding a house that could accommodate a family of 5......but we have been blessed to find this house!

So finally after 2 years I feel somewhat settled....although this year will bring a few more changes...apart from living in a new area of town!
I need and want to get work that will take me out of the house! I have been working from home for the last 18 months or so, which work fine when I was homeschooling our youngest daughter, but with her now at school, my house is very quite and I'm not enjoying being home alone ALL day EVERY day.....of course I pick this current ecomonic 'downturn' to re-enter the formal job market....and me with little formal qualifications for the type of work that I wish to enter!

I'm sure that something will turn up that will suit me and everything that needs to be considered, like getting the girls to school, etc...and it will happen at the right time!

Regarding books.....well with moving and all there hasn't been too much time for reading...but I hope to get back on here and list my reading list for last year....

Blessings

xx

Lisa