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Last day of August. Strange, isn't it, that the year is going by so fast. Overall, I can't complain about my reading for the month. Lots of quality and quantity; I could get used to this. Good movies were watched but I need to step up my viewing. Work is there and there are things about it I can't change so ...

I didn't mention the results of my haircut on Friday. I really liked it, basically just making it look good by trimming up the ends. While I was there, I changed my mind. I had been leaning toward a more layered look a la Rene Russo but while I was there I kept seeing that blunt edge look that I really like so I kept it simple. Sleek, straight, blunt edges. I have to get a flat iron though so I can recreate the smoothness; I have too much wave in places. I didn't even change the length much other than the back apparently was a bit longer, now it's even all the way around just below the top of my shoulders. Sanctuary Spa does some really nice things: a complimentary head and shoulders massage before the cut and a heated towel after they wash your hair. That was wonderful.

A big ol' storm moved through late last night with lots of lightning and thunder. I was reading in the bedroom and heard the thunder but didn't hear the rain so as I was engrossed with the story. Today, as expected with forecasted cooler temps, it is dark and cool. Perfect day off weather.

It was soooo hot yesterday afternoon. I walked Tug around 3:30 (because it doesn't count with him when it's earlier in the day but cooler) I was beat and it was about 4:30. Steve had gone to Sportsman's Warehouse opening while we were gone. Came back and asked it I wanted to go to Madsens to visit. I respectfully declined. I was hot, sweaty, and cranky. So Steve went, thank goodness. I jumped in the shower again and read. It got to be 7:30 so I had dinner and Steve came home shortly after that. I wouldn't have wanted to be over there for that long so I'm glad how it turned out. I think we have to go to dinner today but I'm not sure now.

Reading: SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain. A website about her books is at http://us.macmillan.com/Author/chelseacain where there is an interview with her, an exerpt from the book and other goodies. The book has 328 pages and is second in her series. Here's the blurb:

In Cain's superb follow-up to Heartsick, damaged detective Archie Sheridan is back home in Portland, Ore., trying to resume a normal life. Archie's ties to serial killer Gretchen Lowell still run deep, even if he's stopped their weekly visits in prison. Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward is finishing an article accusing a beloved U.S. senator of seducing his children's 14-year-old babysitter a decade earlier. When three bodies are discovered in a local park—where Archie's team found Gretchen's first victim 12 years earlier—Archie worries another serial killer is at large. After the senator's unexpected death, Susan discovers links between the sex scandal and the bodies in the park. When Gretchen escapes from prison, Archie knows he's the only one who can stop her from killing. In Cain's capable hands, Gretchen is both a monster and the only person who truly understands Archie's pain.

And the first paragraph reads:

Forest Park was pretty in the summer. Portland’s ash sky was barely visible behind a canopy of aspens, hemlock, cedars, and maples that filtered the light to a shimmering pale green. A light breeze tickled theleaves. Morning glories and ivy crept up the mossy tree trunks and strangled the blackberry bushes and ferns, a mass of crawling vines that piled up waist-high on either side of the packed dirt path. The creek hummed and churned, birds chirped. It was all very lovely, very Walden, except for the corpse.

This is a very pschologically creepy but well-written story and series. It is unusual to have a female serial killer -- and she is nasty -- and the protagonist not only is the hunter but one of her victims -- and that he never truly escaped her power. The aftermath goes on and on for him and those around him.

TV: I suppose there is but I haven't really checked it out.

I've got clothes laundry to do yet today. I think a nap is coming up soon because I stayed up late and got up early. I need to get some groceries soon. The nice is that it is still only the middle of a three-day weekend. Phew!

I've been roaming around the web but not finding much today. The Sunday morning round up isn't up yet on http://www.sarahweinman.com/. I've skimmed the online newspapers. Read the latest 4MA digests. I think I'll head upstairs for a mug of something warm and read a bit.

See ya later!

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster