tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74055139291702814202015-09-17T01:16:38.770-04:00A Cup of Tea and A Cozy For MeBook reviews and discussions, product reviews, every day musings and whatever else may come to mind.....Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-2711578887603842432013-01-23T17:13:00.000-05:002013-01-23T17:13:38.657-05:00It's Been Awhile....<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good day, everyone!</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I know it's been a dog's age since I've posted... I don't even know where to begin! </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">There's been a whole lot going on in my life, and it seems like things are finally slowing down a little! I've missed blogging and am so looking forward to getting back into it!</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I've done some soul searching, I've landed a new job, I've grown a little, and now it's time for me to get back to basics.</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I love reading, and in the past year, I haven't been able to do it half as much as I would like to. Now, with things getting back to normal, I'm getting a lot more reading time, so hopefully that spells a lot more blogging!</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I hope you'll all journey along with me. But I must warn you, I won't be blogging about just books. There's many things that interest me and I would like to share with you.</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So put your feet up, grab a cuppa your favorite whatever, and lend me your ear.....</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0Highland Mills, NY 10930, USA41.351874 -74.12682322.516899000000002 -115.435417 60.186849 -32.818229tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-7361106582028710002012-05-04T09:23:00.000-04:002012-05-04T09:23:55.980-04:00My Twitter Account Got Hacked!<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grrrr! My twitter account got hacked! Grrrr!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">When I logged on a few days ago, I found out I was following about three-thousand foreign accounts! All of the tweeters were tweeting in languages I couldn't understand!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">How does this happen???</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, anywho... I had to delete that account and start a new one. If you were following me before, if I could bother you to please hit the twitter button on the left-hand side of this page, I would really appreciate it. I lost all of my followers, all of my previous tweets, and all of the tweeters that <strong><em>I </em></strong>was following!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Social media is the greatest thing ever invented, <strong><em>if </em></strong>it's used correctly and safely! But when your info gets hacked, it sure is a pain in the you-know-what!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">My new account is under @cjcam918, so please follow along!</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-69492437310075031432012-05-01T16:06:00.000-04:002012-05-01T16:06:00.183-04:00The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dressmaker-Novel-Kate-Alcott/dp/0385535589/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335730022&sr=1-1">The Dressmaker</a> by Kate Alcott is a novel of the Titanic. And if it has to do with the Titanic, I'm all over it.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This was a great account of fact mixed with fiction. Some characters were based on real people who were on the Titanic in 1912, others were totally fictionalized, or <em>based</em> on real people.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Tess wants nothing more in the world than to be a fashion designer. But, with her third-class upbringing as a maid, there is hardly a chance that she will recognize her dream.</span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7oDZU6x789E/T52ugLZJAnI/AAAAAAAAAss/RThT02qjEEM/s1600/245586985900256593_4T3yC55s_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7oDZU6x789E/T52ugLZJAnI/AAAAAAAAAss/RThT02qjEEM/s320/245586985900256593_4T3yC55s_b.jpg" width="209" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">When by chance, she has the opportunity to board the Titanic as a maid for Lady Duff Gordon, a French designer who is travelling to her salon in New York City, Tess can hardly believe her luck.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Well, we all know the story of Titanic, so I won't go into detail there. Suffice it to say that both Tess and Lady Duff Gordon survive the sinking, and the meat of the novel really focuses on the aftermath. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Lady Duff Gordon and her husband Cosmo were real passengers on the real Titanic, and they both <em>did </em>survive. But apparently there were some questionable doings on their lifeboat (Lifeboat #1), as there were only 12 passengers aboard a boat built for 65. And this is the basis for The Dressmaker.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have to say, I picked this up by accident, not having heard anything about it before. From the cover, it looked like just another historical romance (that just goes to show you not to judge a book... blah, blah, blah... you know the saying). So, I'm glad I <em>didn't </em>judge it. I really enjoyed it, the mix of fact and fiction, with the Titanic in the background. And of course with the 100th anniversary of the sinking, this was perfect timing to sink my teeth into this one.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">On an interesting aside.... </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">When I started reading this book, I told my Aunt I was reading a book about the Titanic and it had fictionalized accounts of real passengers. Now, mind you... I did <strong><em>not </em></strong>say the name of the passenger. She said to me, "you know, me & Uncle Peter went to a Titanic exhibit in the city (Manhattan) where we got boarding passes of real passengers, and we followed their journey. It was really good - my character was Lady Duff Gordon. She was a French fashion designer." I swear to you this is true. I was like, "whaaaaat???". Isn't that a great coincidence?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I've been trying to upload the boarding passes she sent on e-mail, but they are in document form, and I can't figure out how to get them onto my blog! My bad. If anyone out there knows how to do this, I would appreciate your help!</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-57408434782206386422012-04-30T07:45:00.001-04:002012-04-30T07:45:00.146-04:00Monday Mornings by Dr. Sanjay Gupta<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">In the world of hospitals, doctors, surgeons, and specialists, Monday mornings are a time of stress, nerves, and evaluation. This is the time when these people gather to go over fatalities and mistakes that have happened at the institution, and to discuss what could have been done, what should have been done. "Morbidity & Mortality", it's called.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monday-Mornings-Novel-Sanjay-Gupta/dp/0446583855/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335727314&sr=1-1">Monday Mornings</a> by Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a fictionalized account of what happens in these meetings. It follows a number of surgeons and doctors who are all, at one time or another, the focus. They have all had a tragedy, mistake, or fatality with one of their patients. Sometimes, one doctor might be the focus at more than one meeting.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Yes, this does happen in real life. But this is a novel. I've seen many bad reviews for Dr. Gupta's book. People saying it's not realistic, etc. I am not a doctor, so I don't know if some of the portrayals and scenarios were over the top or not. But I did like the book. It was entertaining, it was interesting, and I liked the characters. And I do like the medical genre.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, judge for yourself. If you're looking for a factual account of a real-life Monday morning, this might not be the book for you. If you like medical fiction mixed with a good story line, this is a good read.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zxOelJmAMY/T52eK3iYdoI/AAAAAAAAAsY/gYlia6kU8bQ/s1600/220px-Sanjay_Gupta_in_Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zxOelJmAMY/T52eK3iYdoI/AAAAAAAAAsY/gYlia6kU8bQ/s320/220px-Sanjay_Gupta_in_Africa.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Dr. Sanjay Gupta is the chief medical correspondent for CNN, and associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-33540579062609797712012-04-29T14:23:00.001-04:002012-04-29T14:54:30.473-04:00German-Style Chicken and Banana Walnut Cake... Happy Birthday To My Husband!<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today is my husband's birthday. 42 and counting. Unfortunately he is working all day, but I am making a special dinner and dessert for when he gets home, and I thought I would share the menu with all of you.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Forgive me for not having pictures. I'm really crappy about that: taking pictures as I'm preparing the recipe. I guess because my hands are dirty with flour, bread crumbs, chicken juice, etc... I don't want to take the time to wash my hands to take pics as I go. I promise, I'll try to do better with that in the future.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Dinner is German-style Chicken in my crockpot, with spaetzle and steamed green beans. Dessert is a Banana Walnut Cake.</span><br /><br /><strong><u><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">GERMAN-STYLE CHICKEN</span></u></strong><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 15oz can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 10 3/4oz. can cream of potato soup</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/2 c. water</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/4 tsp. ground black pepper</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/2 c. sour cream</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">In crockpot, combine sauerkraut, soup, water, worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Add chicken thighs, stirring so chicken is coated with sauerkraut mixture. Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from cooker, and de-bone. Shred chicken into pieces. Return chicken to pot and add sour cream, stirring to coat all.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Serve over hot spaetzle, noodles, or mashed potatoes.</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Serves 6.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><u><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">BANANA-WALNUT CAKE</span></u></strong><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">2-3 ripe bananas</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">3/4 c. oil</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/2 c. sugar</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 box (18.5 oz.) yellow cake mix</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">5 eggs</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 tsp. vanilla extract</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">3 Tbsp. brown sugar</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/2 c. chopped walnuts</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1-2 tsp. cinnamon</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Put bananas and oil in a blender, and blend until liquified. Add this, with 1/2 c. sugar to boxed cake mix. Beat with electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Pour 1/2 of cake batter into a greased bundt (fluted) pan. </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Combine brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Pour remaining batter over nut mixture, making sure the batter covers all of the nuts (spread with a spatula, if you need to). </span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Cool. Turn onto a cake plate. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, or a cinnamon/sugar mixture.</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">** We put a big plop of Cool Whip on ours.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Served warm with a cup of coffee.... FABULOUS!</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-74987535057566289092012-04-03T15:00:00.000-04:002012-04-03T15:00:03.888-04:00TestSomething seems to have gone wrong with my blog. This is just a test.Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-14395945769797458822012-03-31T10:07:00.001-04:002012-03-31T10:07:43.965-04:00Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a huge interest in the Hasidic Jewish religion. Mainly because I live two miles from one of the largest Hasidic communities (Kiryas Joel) in America.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">When I saw <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unorthodox-Scandalous-Rejection-Hasidic-Roots/dp/1439187002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333200462&sr=8-1">Unorthodox</a> by Deborah Feldman, I pounced on it. A biographical sketch of her life as an Hasidic woman, the author gives the reader a window of what it is like to be a part of this ultra-orthodox religion. Their beliefs, their rules, their way of life are foreign in an "Old World" kind of way.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">There are many different sects of Hasidim. And although the religious beliefs all fall under Judaism, their social outlooks may differ.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aof3GFrcmgY/T3cPUCie1qI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/NjSRSewYPSs/s1600/51gbYBqbwSL__BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aof3GFrcmgY/T3cPUCie1qI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/NjSRSewYPSs/s1600/51gbYBqbwSL__BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Unorthodox was a fascinating look into a private world that many people don't get to see. The orthodox people have a different way of thinking and living: they reject most aspects of secular life. Here, Deborah Feldman gives the reader a glimpse into her own personal life, and her experience of being a part of that religious world. From the daily ins-and-outs of being an Hasidic Jewish girl in a modern world, to her arranged marriage to someone whom she has never laid eyes on, Ms. Feldman leaves no stone unturned in this tell-all account of her struggles and triumphs.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I loved this. Like I said, I live very close to a huge Hasidic community, and I see members of the sect every single day. Not much is written on the subject, so when I see something, I tend to jump on it. I especially like biographical accounts, such as Unorthodox because it does give the reader a personal point-of-view, as opposed to just a general non-fiction fact-based volume.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">(this was an e-book I purchased myself for the Kindle app on my iPad.)</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-1376270844488503592012-03-30T09:36:00.000-04:002012-03-30T09:36:10.987-04:00Meet My New Pup: Wally!<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many of my followers know that a year-and-a-half ago, I lost my beloved dog, Daisy. She was an 8 year-old Basset Hound who developed lymphoma, and was gone from my life within a matter of 3 days. :( She was the love of my life, and losing her was one of the worst days of my life.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I always knew I would get another dog, I just didn't know when. When would I be ready? When would the time come for me to say "Daisy's loss still hurts, but not as much... I think could open my heart to another friend?"</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pk4fGAIoOE4/T3WwWlEk4VI/AAAAAAAAArY/mst8IWHmO4Y/s1600/P1070694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pk4fGAIoOE4/T3WwWlEk4VI/AAAAAAAAArY/mst8IWHmO4Y/s320/P1070694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Well, that time has come. I would like to introduce to you, my Wally-pup! He is a full-bred Basset Hound, just like my Dukes. And I am head-over-heels in love.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">He was born December 15, 2011. I drove over 2 hours to go get him in Connecticut, from a very nice family who had two Bassets of their own, and they thought they would start breeding them. The mommy had her first litter of 6 male pups, and the family decided it was <strong>way too much work</strong>, and they didn't want to put their dogs through that. They were very grateful that their six children were able to experience the miracle of their dog's litter, but said breeding was just not something they wanted to do.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxiu2APz4m4/T3WzSu0xn1I/AAAAAAAAAro/0zQL9kcg6wk/s1600/P1070686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxiu2APz4m4/T3WzSu0xn1I/AAAAAAAAAro/0zQL9kcg6wk/s320/P1070686.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, they had 3 puppies left when I went there, and my little Wally came right up to me and plopped himself in my lap. I said, "this is my dog!". My heart soared. The sight of 3 little eight-week old Bassets falling all over eachother, stepping on eachother's ears, and biting their mommy & daddy's tails was almost too much! I wished I could've seen all six of them in action, and of course I wanted to take them <strong>all</strong> home!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-24x75YD1oxQ/T3Wz_q4KjMI/AAAAAAAAArw/xl1EYVUa5Lo/s1600/P1070692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-24x75YD1oxQ/T3Wz_q4KjMI/AAAAAAAAArw/xl1EYVUa5Lo/s320/P1070692.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Wally has been with us for a month and a half now, and everyone just loves him to pieces! He is sweet, he is gentle, and he is such a love!! He just wants someone to smooch him and cuddle with him.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I thank God for bringing him to me, and giving my family the chance to find good, unconditional doggie love again.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J-Q2znlV4yo/T3W0jiLzRDI/AAAAAAAAAr4/_2rgfDvmnq4/s1600/P1070706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J-Q2znlV4yo/T3W0jiLzRDI/AAAAAAAAAr4/_2rgfDvmnq4/s320/P1070706.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7jkzZvhG5w4/T3W1Q9ghi-I/AAAAAAAAAsA/7MeMeeOKxKw/s1600/P1070715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7jkzZvhG5w4/T3W1Q9ghi-I/AAAAAAAAAsA/7MeMeeOKxKw/s320/P1070715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHSfi43KA1w/T3W1gXMSU2I/AAAAAAAAAsI/QZkCQhetDgg/s1600/P1070725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHSfi43KA1w/T3W1gXMSU2I/AAAAAAAAAsI/QZkCQhetDgg/s320/P1070725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-76678080620718405692012-01-15T16:34:00.000-05:002012-01-15T16:34:26.447-05:00Julie Of The Wolves by Jean Craighead George<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was another book I read with my son for a school book report.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">At first, I thought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Wolves-rack-Craighead-George/dp/0060540958/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326661202&sr=1-1">Julie of the Wolves</a> by Jean Craighead George couldn't get any slower or dull! But by the end of the book, I was so enamored of Julie that I didn't want her story to end.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6H5Zt9I9Mo8/TxNEq81RbfI/AAAAAAAAArQ/gisErLoCyd8/s1600/61z7CzXXlLL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6H5Zt9I9Mo8/TxNEq81RbfI/AAAAAAAAArQ/gisErLoCyd8/s1600/61z7CzXXlLL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Julie is a young Eskimo girl whose mother has passed away. She lives on the Alaskan tundra with her father, Kapugen. When she is thirteen years old, Julie is promised as the wife of a neighbor, in an arranged marriage. Although apprehensive about becoming a wife, the boy's mother tells her they will live as brother and sister. But when Daniel, her betrothed, forces her into a sexual situation, Julie takes to the tundra to live life on her own in the Alaskan wilderness, with only a pack of wolves to protect her and help her stay alive.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This story started out very slow. My son & I had a hard time with some of the names in the book, as they are Eskimo names that were hard to pronounce, and we read it aloud.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I was not crazy about the so-called "rape" scene, where Julie's husband Daniel forces himself upon her, but it was not a <strong><em>graphic description </em></strong>- just obvious as to what was happening. But this <strong><em>is </em></strong>recommended reading for my son's age group (he will be twelve in February). And there was one mention of Julie having her "periods", but again... these kids are in sixth grade and have already had health education regarding these things, so it wasn't that big of a deal - <strong><em>for me</em></strong>.</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I think parents should take their own kids' maturity level and knowledge into consideration. (There has been some controversy over this passage, but I do think it's necessary for the reader to know the background as to <strong><em>why</em></strong> Julie is out there all alone. As I mentioned, parents should consider their own kids' understanding of this subject).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">After a few chapters I got so wrapped up in Julie's story that I found myself saying, "let's just read one more chapter". Aside from the two scenes mentioned above, it was a beautiful, innocent story. This young girl was out on the frozen landscape all by herself trying to survive the elements with no food, water, or human companionship.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The whole book had me guessing what would happen not only with Julie, but with her wolf family as well. They took her in as one of their own, she named them all, and they became her family - it was hard not to wonder how it would all pan out. There was heartbreak and triumph, and the ending - though surprising - left me feeling very satisfied, and very glad indeed that this one was on the school reading list.</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-89347228098430992112012-01-07T13:29:00.000-05:002012-01-07T13:29:01.287-05:00Downton Abbey - Part II... This Sunday January 8, 2012 on PBS<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh, how I've been waiting for this day!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Tomorrow night at 9:00p.m. on PBS marks the return of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Masterpiece-Classic-Downton-Abbey/dp/B0047H7QD6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1325959960&sr=8-5">Downton Abbey!</a></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">If you love historical, period drama from the early 20th century that involves romance, scandal, betrayal, royal ties, class distinction, and everything in between, you have <strong><em>got to </em></strong>see this mini-series!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Pv74169EK4/TwiOp3ia_BI/AAAAAAAAArI/IjGvbx6uW4M/s1600/81AakLv%252BsKL__AA1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Pv74169EK4/TwiOp3ia_BI/AAAAAAAAArI/IjGvbx6uW4M/s320/81AakLv%252BsKL__AA1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Part I took place in the early 1900's, and ended with the declaration of World War I in 1914. Part II is supposed to pick up right where the first one left off.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">It's been <strong><em>months</em></strong> since Part I ended, and I have been absolutely chomping at the bit waiting for the next installment!</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Seven episodes set to air on January 8, 15, 22, 29th and February 5, 12, and 19th, with actresses Maggie Smith and Elizabeth McGovern at the helm, Downton Season 2 promises to be worth waiting for. I hope it doesn't disappoint.</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-83600011164131500492012-01-06T20:55:00.000-05:002012-01-06T20:55:43.269-05:00When Was The Last Time YOU Cried? (Semi-Spoiler Alert... Where The Red Fern Grows)<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80VoS-FI3rY/TwecOSFkKyI/AAAAAAAAAqw/v0mY82kere0/s1600/big-tears.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80VoS-FI3rY/TwecOSFkKyI/AAAAAAAAAqw/v0mY82kere0/s1600/big-tears.gif" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm a crier. I admit it. I cry <strong><em>a lot!</em></strong> I cry when I'm happy, I cry when I'm sad. I cry over movies. I cry at church. I cry at weddings and funerals. You get the idea.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But there is one thing I have <strong><em>never </em></strong>cried over.... until now. I have never cried over a book.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This week I did.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ctiULXWLEtI/TwedQcG37iI/AAAAAAAAAq4/HZSM4KYUl94/s1600/51QWK0WB8KL__BO2%252C204%252C203%252C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%252CTopRight%252C35%252C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ctiULXWLEtI/TwedQcG37iI/AAAAAAAAAq4/HZSM4KYUl94/s200/51QWK0WB8KL__BO2%252C204%252C203%252C200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click%252CTopRight%252C35%252C-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">My son was reading Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls for his sixth-grade class. Even though he's twelve, he likes when I read aloud. We like to alternate.... he'll read a chapter out loud, then I'll read a chapter out loud.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'll admit: in the beginning of the book, I was thinking it was a tad outdated. But by the second chapter, I was enjoying it much more than I thought I would.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Red Fern is a classic American tale about a boy who has a dream to own hounds and teach them to hunt coons. It takes place in a bygone era, set in the Ozark Mountains.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The story is simple, clean, and moving. And it made me bawl like a baby. I'm not kidding. By the last three chapters, the tears were streaming down my face. I haven't been so moved by a book in a <strong><u>very long time</u></strong>! And I have <strong><em>never, </em></strong>I repeat - <strong><em>NEVER </em></strong>cried over a book.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I will not say exactly what put me over the edge. (I'm sure if you haven't read the book, you might be able to guess what happens in the end.) But this has never happened to me before. I've read all kinds of books, stories, articles... whatever. Romances, chick-lit, literature... you name it.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqndYRURUIM/TwejbbK9S8I/AAAAAAAAArA/Saw4gwRe01U/s1600/th_basset-hound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqndYRURUIM/TwejbbK9S8I/AAAAAAAAArA/Saw4gwRe01U/s200/th_basset-hound.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Something about Red Fern just hit me the right way. Maybe because I had a hound (Daisy) for 8 years, and just last year I had no choice but to put her down? I guess I could relate to the way Billy felt about <strong><em>his </em></strong>hounds Old Dan & Little Ann? The love, the loyalty when you look into those soulful big brown eyes?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Where The Red Fern Grows was a classic, innocent, coming-of-age story. I loved it. My son liked it (which is saying a lot because, like the rest of my household, he is not a big reader. So when he admits he "liked" a book, I consider it a success!).</span><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Don't be surprised if you too find yourself sniffling at the end.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">How about you guys? Have you ever cried over a book? Which ones?</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-40963477661260103562011-10-23T14:50:00.000-04:002011-10-23T14:50:41.222-04:00The Lost Boys vs. Twilight<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, I'm going to say this right up front: this is a very bias post.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZm9U4bzQV0/TqRaqxb_FXI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/vC_fS4lcVqQ/s1600/220px-Lost_boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZm9U4bzQV0/TqRaqxb_FXI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/vC_fS4lcVqQ/s320/220px-Lost_boys.jpg" width="218" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Last week, I watched The Lost Boys. Classic, 1987 vampire movie starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, the two Coreys (if you are from this generation, this needs no explanation. If you are <strong><em>not</em></strong> of the 80's, it is Corey Haim and Corey Feldman), and Jamie Gertz.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Sweet cast. Great movie.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, here's my question: why is this one of my favorite movies of all time, when I'm not the least bit interested in the whole Twilight thing? Is it because it is not my generation? Is it because there is <strong><em>so much hype</em></strong> about the whole saga? Is it because I'm getting old, and I just don't get it?</span><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2T91MI2R8k/TqRc4-7s37I/AAAAAAAAAqg/g-Ysg5P7qmo/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2T91MI2R8k/TqRc4-7s37I/AAAAAAAAAqg/g-Ysg5P7qmo/s320/untitled.png" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I told you this would be a bias post. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have not read the books. I have not seen the movies. The whole premise of vampires and werewolves just seems so.... <strong><em>silly </em></strong>to me! But why did it fly in the 1987 version of "paranormal"?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric were definitely two hotties in my day. Are Taylor Laughtner and Robert Pattinson our modern day "Lost Boys"? (oh, how I hope I got those names right! That goes to show you how little I know about the series!)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'm thinking it might be time to see what I've been missing with Twilight, etc. If I see it on Netflix, I might take a look at it. And if I like it enough, I'll try to read the books. This is totally going against my grain because I'm a big fan of reading the book first, <strong><em>then </em></strong>checking out the movie. But this time, I think I'll do it the opposite way.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Do you love/hate the Twilight saga? Why? What makes it so great? What turns you off about it?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I would love to hear from all the "Team Edward"s and "Team Jacob"s out there (see, I do know <strong><em>that </em></strong>much!)</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">What should I expect? Total genius or total ridiculousness?</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kQSTLMtT0fM/TqRhizrFzGI/AAAAAAAAAqo/81oUL_rARGQ/s1600/contests-80sfashioncostumesgiftcertificate-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kQSTLMtT0fM/TqRhizrFzGI/AAAAAAAAAqo/81oUL_rARGQ/s320/contests-80sfashioncostumesgiftcertificate-sm.jpg" width="190" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Help this 80's girl come into the 21st century!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-71433306798952509192011-10-05T19:53:00.000-04:002011-10-05T19:53:55.678-04:00Men of the Stacks<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I <strong><em>knew </em></strong>there was a good reason why I love the library!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Check out the <a href="http://menofthestacks.com/">Men of the Stacks!</a> 2012 Calendar! Can you say, "hubba, hubba!"??</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I would <strong><em>love </em></strong>to see some of these cuties at my local branch! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Seriously, all the proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to the "It Gets Better" Project which helps raise awareness for the bullying of young people, especially gay and lesbian teens. What a great cause. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Kids especially need to know that it's okay to be proud of who they are, and not feel like they have to hide the truth for fear of being bullied and teased.</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-57210921129433796912011-09-30T20:46:00.000-04:002011-09-30T20:46:19.462-04:00Pajama Friday<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know I've posted about it before. But I'm so excited that it's finally time to indulge in "Pajama Friday"s again!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U91PWEgHYYo/ToZWZUBAxJI/AAAAAAAAAp8/KzIhhfhxXqI/s1600/thATT1134401222.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U91PWEgHYYo/ToZWZUBAxJI/AAAAAAAAAp8/KzIhhfhxXqI/s200/thATT1134401222.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The summer time is no time for Pajama Friday! Fridays in the summer mean sitting out back with a fire, some cold beers, and a table full of hamburgers and hotdogs. But come the fall and winter, I like nothing more than to come home from work on a Friday afternoon and change right into my p.j.'s. It's time for me to catch up on all the catalogs, magazines, and reading material that came in the mail all week. It gets dark early, the week was long, and it's time to unwind.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u3OQzB-X9Jg/ToZYJgchM7I/AAAAAAAAAqE/lrpIXBaT9LY/s1600/th_HappyFall.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u3OQzB-X9Jg/ToZYJgchM7I/AAAAAAAAAqE/lrpIXBaT9LY/s200/th_HappyFall.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Well, now that the cool weather has returned (yay!), Pajama Friday is soon to be back in full swing! I love getting into my bed at 7:00 on a Friday night surrounded by reading material, and just lounging out. Especially after a day like the one I had today.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I got really irritated by a situation I had going on in the office, and I really lost my cool. Then a couple of co-workers said some things that really hurt my feelings, and I just wanted to crawl under a rock! And of course, after that I felt like I just couldn't do anything right, and I wanted to crawl even <strong><em>further</em></strong> under that rock. Ever have one of those days?</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOdwcnux38o/ToZcaRqTkDI/AAAAAAAAAqI/0XtsH6gHMF4/s1600/th_attachment5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOdwcnux38o/ToZcaRqTkDI/AAAAAAAAAqI/0XtsH6gHMF4/s200/th_attachment5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, I thought it was the perfect time to reinstate the Pajama Friday I so dearly love. I actually had some errands to run after work today, so I'm already a little behind schedule here. </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But now I'm ready to get undressed, climb into my bed and call it a night. Tonight I have a new People magazine to read (slow week in the periodical department), but then I'll be continuing the book I started last week, The Confession by John Grisham (one of my all time favorite authors).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Here's hoping tomorrow will be a sunnier day. :)</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-88781885413299504462011-09-25T21:08:00.000-04:002011-09-25T21:08:19.499-04:00Sunday Evening Dinner Chat<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I'm back to blogging, and I'm really excited about it. But as I was going through the list of blogs I follow, a lightbulb went off.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5_GExJOy1Q/Tn-y1vZ5TsI/AAAAAAAAAp4/K1QL_rTGKLc/s1600/th_Lightbulb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5_GExJOy1Q/Tn-y1vZ5TsI/AAAAAAAAAp4/K1QL_rTGKLc/s1600/th_Lightbulb.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seeing many of these blogs' latest posts reminded me of why it was so easy for me to let blogging fall by the wayside. I mean, don't get me wrong... I have been ridiculously busy! BUT, I think I was secretly harboring a deep resentment towards not only my own blog, but many of the blogs I follow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As I was scrolling through, I realized that a lot of the blogs are the same-old, same-old. I guess I'm tired of that. The memes, the reviews of the same book by 120 blogs, the challenges, etc! I've had it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">My blog is not supposed to be "work". It's supposed to be "fun"! And it was kind of turning into a chore. Trying to "keep up with the Jones's" left me feeling irritated and cranky. I already have a full-time job, thankyou. When I come home from a long day, I have dinner to think about, kids with homework, meetings, schedules..... LIFE!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So from now on, I'm doing things MY way! I don't have time to read 6 books a week, and then review them. I'm lucky if I can read just one! And you can bet your sweet bippy that if I <strong><em>do</em></strong> have the time to pick up a book, it's going to be something I like, something I've been wanting to read. Not something I agreed to read and review because it will score me some more followers. I need to be true to myself and get back to basics here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I <strong>do </strong>like to participate in a meme here and there (i.e. Cat Thursday), but that's because it makes me happy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I don't mean to sound bitter and petty. So I'm sorry if I'm coming off that way. But seriously, the In My Mailbox just gets my goat. Or maybe I'm just envious that I don't have the time to read 8 or 9 books that have been sent to me in a timely fashion. And then the energy to write a quality review. Maybe I've just spread myself too thin in the past, and it finally caught up to me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I do know that from now on, my blog is not going to be <strong><em>work!</em></strong> I want it to be fun and fresh... not a cookie-cutter of every blog you see in the "blogosphere" when you're surfing around to see what's what.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">It just feels like a huge competition, and truthfully.... I've been through middle school. I don't need the drama.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I just want to read books. That I like. At my own pace.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">They might not be the newest release, or the current bestseller, or by the next up & coming author.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But they will be books that I enjoy. So most of my reviews will most likely be positive ones. After all, why would I read stuff that I'm not into? Just to get a free advance copy and a leg up on other bloggers who are coveting the same book?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Not up in here. <strong><em>Not up in here.</em></strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-39280877148761736622011-09-24T19:03:00.000-04:002011-09-24T19:03:20.429-04:00It's Been Awhile....<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wow.... it's been a long time since I last posted. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I apologize to all my faithfuls for not having anything new lately. Life has been so busy the past few months!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I started working full-time and it has taken me awhile to get into the groove. Then before I knew it, summer was in full swing, and now - before I knew it again, summer was over! Now we're a month into the new school year, and time is just flying!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I think I've finally gotten a handle on working full-time for the first time in <strong><em>16 years!</em></strong> Whew!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'm hoping to be able to post more reviews, on a more regular schedule, like I <strong><em>used to do!</em></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I hope you'll all join me again.... I love blogging, and I love doing the reviews! So please check back soon!</span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-21595696979038098182011-06-05T08:00:00.001-04:002011-06-05T08:00:03.033-04:00"Gaslight" Mysteries Author Victoria Thompson Guest Post<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://victoriathompson.homestead.com/Vicki_20NYC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266px" src="http://victoriathompson.homestead.com/Vicki_20NYC2.jpg" width="179px" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Victoria Thompson is the author of my absolute favorite series of all time, the "Gaslight" Mysteries. </span></div><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Set in turn-of-the-century New York City, the series main character is Sarah Brandt, a midwife whose job takes her to all corners of Manhattan, from the lower East Side tenements to the marble mansions of Fifth Avenue.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">To celebrate the release of her latest mystery, <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sisters-Row-Gaslight-Mystery/dp/0425241157?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Murder On Sisters' Row</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0425241157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /></span>, I asked Ms. Thompson to stop in to A Cup of Tea to let us all know about the research that goes into each of her sensational books. I am absolutely thrilled that she took me up on the offer and decided join us here. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I am honored to welcome Victoria Thompson!</span><br /><br /><br /><br />For someone who hated studying history in school, I’ve turned into quite a history buff as an adult. I’ve been writing historicals for over 25 years now, and for me the best part as always been doing the research. Researching New York City in the 1890’s is much easier than you might think, too. Photography was quite popular then, and you wouldn’t believe how many photographs there are of the city and its residents. I actually have several books of nothing but photographs, and these tell me far more than any research book ever could. I mean, who would think to write a detailed description of what the back of a tenement building looked like? Or a flop house? Or a beach at Coney Island? Yet all I have to do is look at a photograph to find all the details of what life in that particular time and place was like. <br /><br />Another great research tool I have found is the book How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis. This is one of the earliest books that used photographs as illustrations to touch the hearts of upper class New Yorkers and convince them they needed to take action to help those less fortunate. He has short chapters devoted to various neighborhoods and ethnic groups in the city where he outlines their unique issues and problems. Here is where I found a story about the Irish women who married Chinese men and lived in Chinatown, which was the inspiration for Murder in Chinatown. And here is where I gleaned a lot of great information about Italian immigrants for Murder in Little Italy. I also plucked out details of life in the tenements that I have used in every one of the Gaslight Mysteries.<br /><br />While I’m researching my current book, I often come across ideas for future ones as well. This happened when I saw a reference to the New York Charity Organization Society in a book I was reading for something else entirely. I was fascinated to learn that attitudes toward poverty were much different in the Nineteenth Century than they are today. Do-gooders back then believed that only the deserving poor should receive help, and not too much at that, lest they grow lazy. This became the germ of an idea that grew into my newest Gaslight Mystery, Murder on Sisters’ Row. Sisters’ Row was a row of houses on 25th Street that were all brothels, and when Sarah Brandt is tricked into going there to deliver a baby, she can’t resist helping the young woman escape from prostitution. But nothing is what it seems, as Sarah learns when she seeks help from the Charity Organization Society.<br /><br />If you’re a fan of the Gaslight Mysteries, you’ve already learned that the problems people faced in the 1890’s aren’t so very different from those we still face today, and that’s why I find doing research so fascinating.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can find out more about Ms. Thompson and her books by visiting her website <a href="http://www.victoriathompson.com/">http://www.victoriathompson.com/</a>. She is also the author of many romance novels, if that is more your cup of tea!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-65694411561150262962011-06-05T07:59:00.001-04:002011-06-05T07:59:00.223-04:00Review: Murder On Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sisters-Row-Gaslight-Mystery/dp/0425241157?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Murder on Sisters' Row (Gaslight Mystery)" height="200px" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0425241157&tag=acotaacfm-20" width="127px" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sisters-Row-Gaslight-Mystery/dp/0425241157?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Murder On Sisters' Row</a> is the latest and greatest of Victoria Thompson's amazing "Gaslight" mystery series.<span><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0425241157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>Sarah <img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0425241157" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" />Brandt, midwife, has been summoned to a birth. When she arrives at what she believes is a guesthouse for young women, she finds a young lady in the throes of labor. What she doesn't realize is that the house is really a brothel. The mother-to-be, Amy, insists that she is not a prostitute and is being held against her will. She begs Sarah to help her escape with the help of a Mrs. Van Orner, who has been known to help other girls that want to leave that kind of life behind.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>Once Amy is safe in a rescue home that Mrs. Van Orner runs, she surprises everyone by naming her newborn baby after its father, which just happens to be the name of Mrs. Van Orner's husband Gregory. Is this a coincidence? Or is Amy really connected to the very rich, very high society Gregory Van Orner?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>When Mrs. Van Orner appears to be poisoned, Frank Malloy of the New York City police is sent to investigate. But because the rescue home does not allow men inside, Malloy is none to happy to have to ask Sarah to help him with the case by questioning the women who reside there.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>You all know how much I love the "Gaslight" series! The setting of early Manhattan is just fantastic. Peppered with period details, it's like going back in time to a simpler life that just happens to have murder and mayhem!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>Reading Sisters' Row was like coming home. Being the thirteenth novel in the series, the characters are like old friends. The plots of these mysteries are always fresh and new, even if set over one hundred years ago. They bring the reader to all different sections of the city, from the highest society to the poorest slums. And they keep to the era in which they are set - they're believable and solid.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>I get so excited when I hear Ms. Thompson will be publishing a new installment of the "Gaslight"s. No matter where in New York City the author is going to take me, I know that there is going to be a history lesson embedded in the mystery that I can never seem to solve until the very end!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span>This book was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review; all opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way. Thank you to Berkley Prime Crime.</span></span>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-47264671073468846312011-06-03T07:26:00.001-04:002011-06-03T07:26:00.448-04:00"A Cup Of Tea On The Trail"... Review of Trail of Thread and Guest Post From Author Linda K. Hubalek<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was recently contacted by Jodi at <a href="http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/">http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/</a> to read and review the first book in Linda K. Hubalek's Trail of Thread series. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I had never heard of this series, but after reading a summary, I jumped at the chance because it seemed right up my alley.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Trail Of Thread is "A Woman's Westward Journey" from Kentucky to Kansas during 1854 - 1855. Written in letter form, it is a fictionalized account of the author's great-great-great grandmother's movement across the Plains. Not only is this a fascinating read, it is truly a lesson in American history.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">At a quick 109 pages, it took me no time to devour the story of Deborah Goodpastor Pieratt and her family. Times were definitely tough for these pioneers who travelled hundreds of miles to get to Kansas to start a new life.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Not only is this the 150th anniversary of Kansas, but also of the Civil War. The author is now celebrating the e-book release of her Trail of Thread series.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lo-kxb7kMo0/Tegs7FDoFiI/AAAAAAAAApw/xHo8xlSgfes/s1600/trail_of_thread__book_series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lo-kxb7kMo0/Tegs7FDoFiI/AAAAAAAAApw/xHo8xlSgfes/s320/trail_of_thread__book_series.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">About the author:</span><br />Linda’s sixth grade teacher assigned her class the traditional “What I Want to be When I Grow Up”. Linda has an untraditional answer…she didn’t want to be a nurse, a teacher, or a mom. She wanted to be a farmer! Linda’s sixth grade dream came true when she graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Agriculture/Horticulture and spent years doing agronomy research and eventually starting her own business Prairie Flower Creations.<br /><br /><br />Much like her own ancestors headed West, Linda found herself in California tending a cement garden and longing for the fields of Kansas. Linda “visited” her beloved Kansas by writing the Trail of Thread series about Kansas pioneer women.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZS98xf78tU/TegtKnRvQ_I/AAAAAAAAAp0/d-4ZCr6TD-g/s1600/LindaAuthorPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZS98xf78tU/TegtKnRvQ_I/AAAAAAAAAp0/d-4ZCr6TD-g/s1600/LindaAuthorPic.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div>Although Linda is back in Kansas (growing bison this time, not prairie flowers), she’s still writing about Kansas women. Her FOURTH series, the Kansas Quilter series will be released late this year.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can find out more at</span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.lindahubalek.com/">http://www.lindahubalek.com/</a></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And now, please help me welcome the fabulous author Linda K. Hubalek.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Cup of Tea on the Trail</span><br /><br />Talk, gossip, laughter or tears—with a cup of tea or coffee—has been a comfort and need for women in any century.<br /><br /><br />These days it is easy for us to brew a quick cup of a hot drink, and hardly stop the flow of conversation. Even if it is just a cup of hot water heated up in the microware with a tea bag thrown in…it takes less than two minutes. <br /><br />Back in the pioneer days—depending on if you were traveling or on the homestead—you’d have to gather the wood, start the fire, go outside to a well or creek to draw up a bucket of water, put an enamel pot over the fire to heat up the water, roast and grind the coffee beans, etc (sigh) before even thinking of savoring that hot cup of brew. <br /><br />The time consuming work of getting meals—or even an afternoon cup of coffee on the trail—was very evident when I was researching and writing my Trail of Thread series.<br /><br />For example, Deborah and John Pieratt, featured in the first book of the Trail of Thread series left Kentucky in 1854 when the Territory of Kansas was formed. They were part of the thousands of families that packed wagons and headed east for the promise of a new life. They had to gather wood for a fire for every cup of hot drink they made for three months. I’m sure conversations with other women they met along the trail were welcomed, but short, due to the groups moving on every day.<br /><br />Thimble of Soil, the second book in the series, features Margaret Ralston Kennedy. She was a widow who moved with eight of her thirteen children from Ohio to the Territory Kansas in 1855. She was dedicated to the cause of the North, and helped with the Underground Railroad in both Ohio and Kansas. Did she brew and secretly give hot drinks to people hiding under her watch? Did Margaret have a chance to ask where her visitors were from let alone where they were headed?<br /><br />Orphaned Maggie Kennedy, portrayed in Stitch of Courage, the last book in the series, followed her brothers to Kansas looking for a better life as the states fought out the history of the Civil War. Again, think of the work it took to make a cup of coffee behind the battle lines, and how welcomed a normal conversation with someone from home would have been.<br /><br />This series, written in the form of letters the women have written back home to loved ones portray the life and times of that generation. I wish I could have a cup of tea with one of my ancestors to get to know her, and her way of life.<br /><br />I imagine there would be talk, gossip, laughter, and tears—with that cup of tea…<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LOJPxMkO6bg/Tegfl7jBfeI/AAAAAAAAAps/08MgCye9xjg/s1600/gray_cat_2-24-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LOJPxMkO6bg/Tegfl7jBfeI/AAAAAAAAAps/08MgCye9xjg/s200/gray_cat_2-24-11.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a></div>(And since you talk about cats quite often in your blog…)<br /><br />I have a large paperweight on my desk…that loves to bite pens, shove papers off the desk, and push the keyboard out of his way.<br /><br />Meet Gray Cat! He’s a stray tomcat that adopted us seven years ago. After several months of living in our backyard—wanting food but not attention—he moved into the house and hasn’t stepped outside since. <br /><br />He only sits on my lap occasionally, and for just a short period. However—if he really wants to be petted—the keyboard slowly moves out of my reach…<br /><br />It’s sometimes tough to keep my train of thought on writing with Gray Cat trying to help…<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-76262475936357785412011-05-27T14:46:00.000-04:002011-05-27T14:46:20.570-04:00Cat Thursday... On Friday!<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A favorite meme, all about CATS and the cute, funny, hilarious things they do. Brought to us by Michelle at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/2011/05/cat-thursday_26.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheTrueBookAddict+%28The+True+Book+Addict%29">The True Book Addict.</a></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This video is almost too cute to watch. You could just <strong><em>die</em></strong> over how sweet this is! Mommy protecting her baby who appears to be having a bad dream!</span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cobject%20style=%22height:%20390px;%20width:%20640px%22%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/Vw4KVoEVcr0?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vw4KVoEVcr0?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/Vw4KVoEVcr0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vw4KVoEVcr0&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vw4KVoEVcr0&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend! Be safe and have fun!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have a few fun guest posts and reviews scheduled for June, so I hope you'll come back and visit again soon!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-6564776929349190132011-05-19T08:00:00.001-04:002011-05-19T08:00:00.957-04:00Cat Thursday<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's that time again! Time for Cat Thursday! A fun meme hosted by Michelle at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/">The True Book Addict</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Let's celebrate all things cats!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This is by one of my favorite artists, Charles Wysocki. He does fantastic cats, along with all kinds of other folk art. This one totally captures my simple dream. Cats and books. That's it. That's all I need. :)</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5Uk0FenASs/TdGoZiTQTtI/AAAAAAAAApo/44Y-Wa6JlrU/s1600/ClassicTails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5Uk0FenASs/TdGoZiTQTtI/AAAAAAAAApo/44Y-Wa6JlrU/s640/ClassicTails.jpg" width="288px" /></a></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-9823402280478682892011-05-17T07:26:00.001-04:002011-05-17T07:26:00.228-04:00Tasty Tuesday.... "Meatloaf Dip" Sandwiches<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">MEATLOAF "DIP" SANDWICHES</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">2 lbs. meatloaf mix</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">(this can be found in your grocer's meat case. It is a mixture of ground beef, veal, and pork. 1 lb. of ground beef and 1 lb. of ground pork can be substituted if you can't find meatloaf mix)</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 envelope mushroom-onion soup mix </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">(onion soup mix may be substituted)</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 egg</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1 10 3/4 oz can condensed tomato soup, <em>divided</em></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">8 Kaiser rolls</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">In a large bowl, combine meatloaf mix, bread crumbs, onion soup mix, egg, and <em>1/2 cup of tomato soup.</em> Reserve remaining tomato soup.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Shape into 8 patties. Place on broiler pan, or similar pan that will allow juices to drip through to bottom.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Bake for 45 minutes, flipping 1/2 way through cooking time.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">With about a 1/4 cup of water, loosen browned bits from bottom of the pan. Combine drippings with remaining tomato soup and heat until bubbly.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Serve patties on rolls with small bowls of gravy to "dip" sandwiches into.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Serve with coleslaw, curly fries, and carrot sticks with veggie dip.</span></strong>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-17994213119995105622011-05-16T16:24:00.001-04:002011-05-16T16:39:01.638-04:00The Cat, The Lady, and The Liar by Leann Sweeney<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another fave! Oh my... I guess there are just so many good ones out there and I don't waste time with ones I don't like!</span><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Lady-Liar-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451233026?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Cat, the Lady and the Liar: A Cats in Trouble Mystery" height="200px" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0451233026&tag=acotaacfm-20" width="123px" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Lady-Liar-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451233026?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cat, The Lady and The Liar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451233026" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451233026" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /> by Leann Sweeney is the latest mystery in the "Cats In Trouble" series.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Seriously, this is one of my all time favorite series! It's a down-home, feel-good kinda series that makes me crave the next installment!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This time around, Jillian Hart has her hands full with a pampered black cat named "Isis". Trying to determine if Isis was abandoned, or if the kitty has slipped out on her own, Jillian tracks down the well-to-do (to say the least) owner and quickly sees that something is amiss.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Ritaestelle Longworth is the very wealthy lady of Longworth manor house. Although a longstanding member of "society", the townsfolk are starting to question Ritaestelle's sanity and trustworthiness - lately she's been found with some stolen accessories, and been telling some outlandish stories.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Convinced that her money hungry, mooching family members are drugging her tea, Ritaestelle enlists Jillian's help to prove that somebody really <strong><em>is </em></strong>out to sully her good name. When her secretary Evie is found floating in the lake behind Jillian's house, and Ritaestelle is standing nearby with a bloodied rock in her hand, it will take some quick thinking on Jillian's part, plus the help of all her feline friends to help clear Ritaestelle's name and reputation.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong>FUN, FUN, FUN SERIES!!! </strong>There is something about Leann Sweeney's "Cats In Trouble" mysteries that keep me coming back for more. They have great story lines, and I <strong><em>love </em></strong>Jillian Hart!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1siss3kU7sY/TdGC5-UOYMI/AAAAAAAAApU/u-YtQPwLlh8/s1600/p_leann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1siss3kU7sY/TdGC5-UOYMI/AAAAAAAAApU/u-YtQPwLlh8/s200/p_leann.jpg" width="153px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'll tell you a secret (not really, since I've stated it on this blog before, but...) when I can really get into a book, I can picture the characters in my head. Now, I've never <strong><em>met</em></strong> Ms. Sweeney, per se, but I have seen pictures of her. And she is exactly what I have in my mind for Jillian.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ur1VWzhBfb4/TdGFBeNEl1I/AAAAAAAAApk/1Vc3WuH5fIM/s1600/selleckREX_450x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110px" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ur1VWzhBfb4/TdGFBeNEl1I/AAAAAAAAApk/1Vc3WuH5fIM/s200/selleckREX_450x250.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As for Jillian's love interest (but mostly friend) Tom Stewart, I've got none other than Tom Selleck stuck in my head!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Candace, an evidence loving police officer and Jillian's closest friend I have pictured as one of the security guards at my son's school (I don't have a photo of her! LOL).</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Having these images of the characters in my mind really helps to cement the story as well as the people, so I can keep track of what's going on in the book. (Weird, I know!) If they're just faceless ideas, sometimes it's hard to get into the story.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Not so with the "Cats In Trouble"! Ms. Sweeney manages to pull me in each and every time!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Other titles in this series:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Quilt-Corpse-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451225740?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse: A Cats in Trouble Mystery" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0451225740&tag=acotaacfm-20" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Quilt-Corpse-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451225740?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cat, The Corpse and The Quilt</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451225740" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451225740" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Professor-Poison-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451229800?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cat, The Professor and The Poison</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451229800" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451229800" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Professor-Poison-Trouble-Mystery/dp/0451229800?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Cat, The Professor and the Poison: A Cats in Trouble Mystery" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0451229800&tag=acotaacfm-20" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">***this book was graciously sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review, just an honest one. I received no monetary compensation, and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Berkley Prime Crime.</span></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-73690792558328909392011-05-09T14:28:00.001-04:002011-05-09T14:29:56.884-04:00Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind The Veil by Richard Sheff, MD<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Confidential-Secrets-Behind-Veil/dp/0983081905?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Veil" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0983081905&tag=acotaacfm-20" /></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love memoirs, biographies, and personal accounts of anything to do with doctors, nurses, hospitals or any kind of medical subjects. So I jumped at the chance to review this one.<img alt="" border="0" height="1px" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=acotaacfm-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0983081905" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1px" /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Confidential-Secrets-Behind-Veil/dp/0983081905?ie=UTF8&tag=acotaacfm-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Doctor Confidential</a> by Richard Sheff, MD is a great memoir of the author's days as a medical student and intern in the 1970's at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The chapters are broken down into the different "rotations" the author had to participate in, such as Obstetrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery. It is not only a journey through med school, but also a coming of age feel-good story of a young man morphing into a caring and compassionate doctor.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The stories in Doctor Confidential were both heartfelt and eye opening. I had to remind myself through some of the chapters that this took place in the 1970's, because even though many of the principles and practices of medicine have changed throughout the decades, the bottom line of compassion and bedside manner are timeless.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">And Dr. Richard Sheff was definitely way ahead of his time in that department. From helping a woman in labor to breathe through her contractions, to extubating a dying woman so she can have one last conversation with her family, Dr. Sheff answers the question:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> "What's love got to do with medicine?... </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Everything!"</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I really enjoyed reading about Sheff's experiences in the hospital. This was a wonderful book that took me one afternoon to breeze through. Told in layman's terms, the language was not difficult to understand, and there were plenty of footnotes to help if the medical jargon got too technical.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">It's always fun to see what goes on behind the scenes, so the author's subtitle of "Secrets Behind The Veil" is very fitting.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">This book was graciously sent to me from the Cadence Marketing Group in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. I was not compensated for my review, and all opinions are my own.</span></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405513929170281420.post-5642214201088940212011-05-06T07:26:00.003-04:002011-05-06T07:26:00.426-04:00Cat Thursday... On Friday!<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is one of my favorite memes. Hosted by Michele at The True Book Addict.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I haven't participated in awhile because... well, life keeps getting in the way of blogging, and I haven't had much time to blog lately!</span><br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But I'm participating this week, and I think this is <strong><em>THE BEST CAT THURSDAY</em></strong> (even though it's Friday!) I have ever found to share!</span></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Look at this cat's markings! I don't know if this has been shopped or not. It looks real to me, but these days you never know....</span></div><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I prefer to think it's real, and just goes to show you the amazing things God can do when He is "making stuff"!</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ggjtLbCu194/TcMyKbd5TFI/AAAAAAAAApQ/ghx3ODnaicA/s1600/228161_10150187261872240_26012002239_6762976_2714428_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ggjtLbCu194/TcMyKbd5TFI/AAAAAAAAApQ/ghx3ODnaicA/s640/228161_10150187261872240_26012002239_6762976_2714428_n.jpg" width="443px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope you all have a great weekend, and a very Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who inspire us every day!</span></div>Jeanne C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09983400327527054058noreply@blogger.com4