Thursday, June 30, 2011

And we look sexy too


Steve is working extremely late tonight so I had to walk the dogs alone again and then the rest of the evening I was working on the July issue of Premeditated. Final version is in sight. Now, I hope to read a little before lights out.

G'night!


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Sounds like Steve-the-Nonreader. Ah contraire!



Currently reading: at long last a new Patricia Wynn! Woot! Woot!


A KILLING FROST by Patricia Wynn. This is 4th of 4 in series featuring Gideon St. Mars, a viscount who becomes the highwayman Blue Satan, and his friend Mrs. Kean, in early 18th century England. Here is a summary:





In the winter of 1715, the River Thames freezes over and a Frost Fair is erected on the ice. A frozen corpse, leaning against a booth and dressed in expensive coronation robes, turns out to be Sir Walter Tatham, a recent visitor to Hawkhurst House. Lord Harrowby Hawkhurst asks Hester Kean to discover what she can about the baronet’s affairs, but will give no reason for the request—all Hester knows is that the mention of Sir Walter is enough to drive Harrowby into a panic. She enlists the help of her friend, the outlawed Viscount St. Mars, alias Blue Satan, who has a mission all his own, having been asked to help a Jacobite rebel escape Newgate prison. With the greatest frost of a century making the very streets of London treacherous, plus a price on Blue Satan’s head, the two must use all their wiles to corner a clever murderer.



It is just released and has 362 pages.



Steve is shooting tonight; I'll have dinner and then hopefully the boys will let me read. :) It approached 100 degrees today so the boys had a shorter walk again but I took them up to the field so they could run and jump in the ditches. There were three spots of burned patches there and with the wind some little spots were smoking. I imagine it was kids with fireworks. How stupid.


Ryker is definitely afraid of fireworks. He couldn't get in the house fast enough when a boom went off yesterday so I think we'll be spending the weekend and the 4th in the basement and away from noises as much as possible.



Okay, off you go.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, June 27, 2011

And oh was it....



I'm currently reading THE BOOK OF ILLUMINATION by Mary Ann Winkowski. This is 1st of 2 in series featuring Anza O'Malley, who can see ghosts in present day Boston. Here is a description:




Anza O'Malley is in most ways a typical single mom. She lives a happy, busy life with her five-year-old son in Cambridge, Massachusetts, juggling the joys and challenges of life as a doting parent and a freelance bookbinder. But there is more to Anza than meets the "ungifted" eye: she can see and speak with ghosts. Although she's been solving cold cases for the police for years, Anza has been hoping to focus her energies on her son and her bookbinding career. But when an exquisite and priceless illuminated manuscript is stolen from the Boston Athenaeum, and when its desecration spurs the appearance of some very unhappy spirits, Anza can neither look nor walk away. With an unlikely trio of ghosts by her side–a charming butler and two medieval monks–Anza leads us on an urgent journey through Boston's winding, cobbled streets to uncover a trail of deceit, danger, and ghoulish intrigue.

It was published in 2009 and has 320 pages. This is a library book. The author is a paranormal investigator who has collaborated closely with several federal agencies and is the high-profile consultant for the CBS series The Ghost Whisperer.

Work was busy today. We had four people gone from our collection crew so I answered the phones a lot. Last Friday I had taken 36 calls. That's a regular day for the vets so I'm at the right volume now at least. I only had to ask a handful of questions.


Steve has another orientation/board meeting tonight. I'm cleaning out mail and then will read for a bit before bed. Gotta elevate the ankle again.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Times the number of dogs you have...



The weekend was productive. The dogs got good long walks both days and my walking legs are back in form for durations again at last. I worked on the July issue and got most of the cleaning/laundry done. I've got about a fourth left on the Raybourn. There were highlights and lowlights on the weekend overall. Back to work tomorrow and I must be thankful for that.






Dinner is in the oven. Tonight on TV we've got Ice Road Trucker and that may be it. Otherwise, I'd like to read and relax.




Have a lovely evening...






Much love,



PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, June 24, 2011

Yeah, it looks like Friday



I'll be starting THE DARK ENQUIRY by Deanna Raybourn tonight. This is 5th of 5 in series featuring Lady Julia Grey, a young widow in 1880s London. Here is a summary:






Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane's private enquiry business. Among the more unlikely clients: Julia's very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation. It leads to the exclusive Ghost Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances…and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall. From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust. Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them, the Brisbanes find they must unite or fall.


It was published this week and has 400 pages.



I had a good time with my friends after work. Work was all right. I'm going to read and elevate my ankle. Have a lovely Friday evening....



Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Nerd Alert: This is from a great movie....



Oh boy, another quick one. I'm just driving people away.



At work I was basically doing the job I was hired for: taking calls and calling out. I'm slower than the vets but I was feeling more comfortable. I don't know all the details but I am able to ask the vets for help when needed.

Steve got home before I did and walked the dogs which was nice. As I was making dinner I noticed my ankle was swelling for a reason I can't fathom. So I'm going to finish here and then read and elevate it. Maybe it's the heat -- it got up to 90 today. I dunno. I may have drowned the cold that was trying to happen. I'm not feeling it anymore. So that's a good thing.



I went to the library on my lunch and picked up the first Stephanie Pintoff book and another one I can't name right now. The last name starts with a W. Anyhoo...



Steve is watching gun shows and I'm going to elevate. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday. I probably won't post because I'm meeting friends from Unemployment after work at Tiny's. TGIF!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I love a polite put down



One of the girls at work has been sick with a cold this week and can barely talk. Guess who is getting a cold now? I've been drowning the beginnings of this with EmergenC. I'm still feeling yucky; the boys had just a short walk not only because of me but also because it's hot out. I hope to have dinner and if the boys will let me, read and then sleep early. Steve has shooting tonight so no one to run interference. I'm very close to finishing THE BORGIA BETRAYAL.






Sorry once again my posts are so short. The pictures are the best part anyway. :)






Much love,



PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Nerds unite!



Oy. Why so tired? It is hot out and that zaps me. Work is coming together better but still wearying my brain. Tonight Steve has to help with orientation at the gun club. I'll watch Deadliest Catch and The Voice and hopefully get some reading in. I'm about 2/3 the way through the Poole book now. Hungry and tired. Short post




Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, June 20, 2011

Ain't that the truth



Tired brain. I took calls this afternoon and they weren't easy "I'd like to set up a payment" type of calls. Noooooo.


The dogs are walked and fed and watered. I'll eat dinner pretty soon. Steve is off coaching a gun class. I'll hopefully clean up the dishes and then read for a bit before bed; I'm about a third into THE BORGIA BETRAYAL. Tomorrow at work will be better. :)



Oh, the finale of The Killing last night was frustrating. I think we figured out who killed Rosie but the ending was unsatisfactory and not really an end. The finale of The Game of Thrones was good. Of course, as I say each time, I've read the books and I know what will be happening. Still makes it good tv to watch what used to be only in my head when reading. And they're doing it very well.



Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sunday



I've got the first draft of July's issue done today. Next weekend will be detail stuff and hopefully getting it out next Monday.



We took the dogs for a long long walk today. In the field, Coda flushed out a pheasant. What a bird dog. Almost caught it too.



We had early dinner with Steve's parents at the Windmill. Lots of leftovers for lunch.

Tonight is TV night: Ice Road Truckers, the finale of The Killing, and the finale of The Game of Thrones. Then our Sundays will be somewhat free again. :)



I probably won't have time to read, darnit.



And another week begins tomorrow.



Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Resistance is futile



Friday just got away from me. Walking the dogs, dinner and DVD with Steve and no time to blog. My apologies.



Finally, it is the weekend. Steve is off again to coach another gun class. I'll be working like mad on my newsletter and doing laundry and other weekend chores.

We watched Battle: Los Angeles last night. Very well done action flick if you like military action ones a la Black Hawk Down.



I finished the Joseph Finder book last night, BURIED SECRETS. This author just has magic in his storytelling. I don't usually like this kind of jeopardy tale -- a teen girl is buried alive while the bad guy is asking for a huge ransom. This is part of his series featuring an almost Energizer Bunny-type guy but it works for me. I first found Finder reading his stand alone PARANOIA which was fantastic.

I'll be starting THE BORGIA BETRAYAL by Sara Poole. This is 2nd of 2 in series featuring Francesca Giordano, poisoner for Pope Alexander, aka Rodrigo Borgia, in 15th century Rome. Here is a summary:





In the summer of 1493, Rodrigo Borgia, Alexander VI, has been pope for almost a year. Having played a crucial role in helping him ascend the chair of Saint Peter, Francesca, haunted by the shadows of her own past, is now charged with keeping him there. As court poisoner to the most notorious and dangerous family in Italy, this mistress of death faces a web of peril, intrigue, and deceit that threatens to extinguish the light of the Renaissance. As dangers close in from every direction, Francesca conceives a desperate plan that puts her own life at risk and hurls her into a nightmare confrontation with a madman intent on destroying all she is pledged to protect. From the hidden crypts of fifteenth-century Rome to its teeming streets alive with sensuality, obsession, and treachery, Francesca must battle the demons of her own dark nature to unravel a plot to destroy the Borgias, seize control of Christendom, and plunge the world into eternal darkness.

It was published this month and has 416 pages.



Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Almost Friday. Oh yeah.



While walking the dogs, we most often take a detour through the park/field where I can let them off leash so they can run for a bit. It is really just an overgrown field with park status. The mosquitos were bad today. I felt like a walking smorgasbord.



Steve is off coaching a gun class this evening. I'm going to have some dinner and then read I think. My brain is tired. At work, things are coming together in my training of all the systems used but there are still gaps and by the end of the day my brain just doesn't want to work hard anymore. So I'm having a half glass of wine, cleaning out emails. I don't have time to really read them now that will probably happen this weekend.



The rain didn't start until about ten minutes after we got back from our walk this evening. Bwa hahaha! I wonder if that means Steve will be coming home early? They will probably move inside.



I picked up a 14-day book from the library today so I don't know if I should abandon the Finder that I'm halfway through or go full speed ahead on it. The new book is the new Sara Poole, THE BORGIA BETRAYAL.

I've been running errands on my breaks. Tomorrow I only have a half hour lunch so I don't know what I can get done but at least most of the big stuff is accomplished.

Okay, going to eat my dinner now. The boys are snoozing at my feet. I hate to move and disturb them but oh well.

Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Doh!



It is just becoming difficult to post. I don't know what it is about getting off work at 5 instead of 4:30 but it just blows my schedule in the evening out of the water. Tonight I had to --- had to -- get groceries. I didn't get home until quarter to 7. Then unloading Moby and putting away all the stuff. No time to walk the dogs now because there's a storm a-brewing. Big wind. Still need to have dinner (salad). I hope Steve gets home soon from shooting because there's no way they can keep shooting in these gusts. Plus the last game of the Stanley Cup is going on so he'd much rather watch that.



I had lunch today with Tami. It was simply brilliant to see her and chat. I hadn't seen her since her wedding.



Currently reading BURIED SECRETS by Joseph Finder. This is an advanced reading copy that the author sent. This is 2nd of 2 in series featuring Nick Heller, ex-Special Forces, now an international security consultant. Here's a summary:





Nick has returned to his old home town of Boston to set up his own shop. There he’s urgently summoned by an old family friend. Hedge fund titan Marshall Marcus desperately needs Nick’s help. His teenaged daughter, Alexa, has just been kidnapped. Her abduction was clearly a sophisticated professional job, done with extraordinary precision. Alexa, whom Nick has known since she was young, is now buried alive, held prisoner in an underground crypt, a camera trained on her, her suffering streaming live over the internet. She’s been left with a limited supply of food and water and, if her father doesn’t meet the demands of her shadowy kidnappers, she’ll die. And as Nick begins to probe, he discovers that all is not quite right with Marshall Marcus’s business. He’s being investigated by the FBI, he has a lot of shady investors, his fund is in danger and now he has a lot of powerful enemies who may have the motivation to go after Marcus’s daughter. But to find out who’s holding Alexa Marcus hostage, Nick has to find out why. Once he does, he uncovers an astonishing conspiracy that reaches far beyond anything he could have imagined. And if he’s going to find Alexa in time, he will have to flush out and confront some of his deadliest opponents ever.


It will be released next week and has 400 pages.



Gotta go put my salad together. Have a lovely evening...



Much love

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, June 12, 2011


'Tis the afternoon. Just got back from a long walk with the dogs and Steve. Ryker and Coda are now panting like mad at my feet. Hopefully now they'll nap for about three hours so I can work on my newsletter.

The boys are associating the zap they received a while ago with our next door neighbor's dog, Hailey therefore they don't like her. She's a great German Shepherd who lives to retrieve. They were first seeing her -- she and our neighbor Clayton had been away for quite a while so they didn't meet until the wire was put up. So this morning we brought Hailey over into our yard as a get to know each other better thing. Not happening. Ryker pretty much stayed on the deck. Coda jumped anytime she got near him. It may take some time but we really want them to get along because they share a fence line.

I finally finished the Knight book. Oy. One book done and it's almost the middle of the month. How sad.


Tonight is TV night. We have Ice Road Truckers, The Killing, and The Game of Thrones to watch.


Last night we actually went to a movie. I know, shocking. We went to see Thor. I had forgotten or not known that it had been directed by Kenneth Branagh. Steve liked it; I thought it was so so. Thor, Norse god of Thunder had an Australian accent. :) And not bad looking.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Some?


It's been a busy day. Worked a little on the newsletter, cleaned quite a bit, and then ran some errands -- haircut and clothes. Walked the dogs this morning for a good long jaunt. Now it's late afternoon and there's a thunderstorm rumbling and heading this way, maybe.

Tonight, I'm not sure what is going to transpire. Someone is not talking to me today. Don't know what's for dinner either. So there it is.


I'm ] [ this close to finishing the Bernard Knight book. Just not much time to read this month. Haven't even finished one yet. Uff da.


Tomorrow I must make tremendous strides in the newsletter. Finish laundry, etc., etc....


Have a lovely weekend.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Baby, it's a jungle out there



Some things are starting to make more sense at work in the programs to be used. I did more observing today but also did hands on maneuvering while the co-worker did the talking.



Got home from work and took the boys for a really long walk with Steve. They were extremely happy and running when we let them of leash in the field. Steve is now down watching gun shows on tv and I'm going to make the attempt to read some emails. I haven't been able to do that a whole lot lately. Basically just cleaning out the garbage and leaving the rest.



I'm glad tomorrow is Friday. Apparently on Fridays we can wear jeans to work if we wear a company shirt which I've been lent. Also on Fridays, one can take a half hour lunch and then leave at the end of the day a half hour early. Woot.


Have you seen pictures of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly Kate Middleton from a gala on Thursday? Gorgeous in a pale pink dress.


I have much to do this weekend and probably even more so next week when I get my last paycheck from UI. I need to get a haircut and buy a couple pieces of work clothes and get groceries and ... well, you get the picture.


So, off you go while I do something about my emails.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Da boys



Caption says Great Dane: Looks like Coda and I've wondered from the beginning



I'm not getting much reading done, unfortunately. Evenings have been busy. Last night I watched Deadliest Catch and The Voice.


Work went okay. Observed more with co-workers but learning where to look on the screens for some basic info.



Steve is gone for shooting night though the weather is now turning a little yucky. He'd like to be home so he can watch the hockey game. I walked the dogs and made taco soup. Now, a quick online check and then reading.



I like having the two dogs but it is difficult to give attention to one without feeling like the other is getting neglected. And ever since Ryker's last zap on the fence, he's lost his sense of play. He won't run or play with Coda anymore or anyone really that I have seen. And that just hurts my heart; I hope he will find it again in time. He still loves the walk though.



I've got to do a quick load of laundry so I'll clothes to wear tomorrow. Have a lovely evening.



Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, June 7, 2011



Sorry, not a whole lot of time tonight to post. Getting off work at 5 therefore getting home at 5:30 -- just that half hour messes things up. Steve had a board meeting tonight so dinner had to be rushed. I got home and walked the dogs and just go go.

The first day at the real job was all right. Interesting. It will be repetitive things but there is a lot to learn in terms of systems and having the knowledge to help callers. I'm liking the people I'm meeting so I think that will be okay.

Watched Deadliest Catch tonight. Will clean up my email and then read a bit before sleep.

Last night we had a monster of a storm pass. We had tornado sirens going off; the sky was DARK. Looking up overhead at one point from the deck, the clouds were swirling. Coda wouldn't leave the upstairs bathroom. Ultimately we didn't get anything other than darkness and wind. Hail, rain and funnel clouds around us. I learned that in order for these conditions to occur there needs to be lots of moisture/humidity so the rain in the past month made possible tornados happen. Billings has been very dry the past few decades therefore this kind of weather hasn't really been an issue.

I didn't sleep very well last night so maybe I can made a running start at it tonight... :)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, June 6, 2011

Ah, a cat after my own heart


Holy cow, my brain is fried. I had orientation this morning at St. V's. Okay, first, the place I went to initially was wrong because it had been changed to a different building and I had not been informed. A little stress. Orientation was a couple hours and then I went to my actual work site for a half hour. Home around 10:45. I'm paid for a full day of work because there is online orientation/testing that had to be completed before the end of the day. More on that in a minute.

I then took the boys for a walk when I got home because it was already getting too warm -- 75. It wasn't the longest walk in our repertoire but enough of one to count and not get home dying of the heat. Then the boys napped while I was on the computer.


Let me say right now that it sucked. St. V's doesn't fool around with it's hiring. From a get-in-a-dressing-gown physical to this sucky FOUR HOUR online hell just to do collections. I just finished it and I don't want to play anymore today. The next few days will be training so a lot of observing and learning new computer systems which has not really ever been a problem for me.


Tonight, Steve has his gun class to teach. I will probably read. I guess we're on our own for dinner.

Last night we watched the first hour of the premiere of Ice Road Truckers, then The Killing (only two more episodes I think), and The Game of Thrones (Does it end next week?).

The boys have been sleeping here for too long. I need to take them in the yard and romp in the heat a little. Thunderstorms start tonight they say and stormy for a few days.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, June 4, 2011

That's a NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!



It was a beautiful day outside and tomorrow is supposed to be even better. Mom and I had salads at Red Robin for lunch. Then I went to the library to get some research materials and then picked up a pizza at Papa Murphy's for dinner to go with hockey. My allergies were acting up again so I took a pill and a nap. I've got laundry going.


Tomorrow will be full bore on the newsletter and other laundry. New job starts on Monday.


Both dogs got zapped again today while I was talking to our neighbor who has been gone for a while with heart surgery. He got back last night and so I went out to introduce him to the dogs. Ryker got zapped first and hightailed it onto the deck. I was trying to keep Coda away from the wire but he touched while I was touching him so I got zapped too. Oy, when will they learn so we can take it down? Coda got zapped this morning too. I think other than the first time, these other zaps have been accidental, i.e., not knowing where their body parts are in relation to the wire.

Steve has been out working. I'm hoping he will get home within the hour so we can take the boys for a walk together before the hockey game starts.

Have to get bedding out of the dryer and make the bed now. Have a lovely rest of the Saturday.

Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, June 3, 2011

It actually is



Woo hoo, Friday! Very glad to be here finally.


Yesterday, after I left for work, Coda apparently had a several diarrha accidents in the house so Steve got mad and rubbed his nose in it. This scared Coda to the point of peeing and Ryker got freaked out in sympathy. So they were both not wanting to be around Steve much last night. I think the boys will come around sooner rather than later.

We went out to lunch today to the Burger Dive. Num, and I got my usual. I took the afternoon off and used the rest of my sick time. Actually, I had was starting to have a big allergy situation this morning. The cotton is just flying from the trees over there. I took a Claritin and it helped. Why do I have so many allergies as I get older?



Tonight I plan to walk the boys with Steve (part of the forgiveness plan). We have Camelot on tv, I think. The Stanley Cup playoffs continue tomorrow. This weekend I have to start the July issue and do the usual cleaning. I'm taking my mom to lunch for her birthday.


I got eye drops for the boys -- Coda came with conjunctivitis and I think Ryker has it now. They are resisting efforts to put drops in their eyes. Go figure.



It is majorly windy today. Oy, pretty bad. And chilly But the sun has been out and this weekend is supposed to be lovely, with wind.



Off you go....



Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Next up: Klingon cloaking device



I'm currently reading THE NOBLE OUTLAW by Bernard Knight. This is 11th of 14 in series featuring Sir John de Wolfe, the crowner (coroner), in 12th century Devon, England. Here is a synopsis:





Renovations of a school in 12th-century Exeter are disrupted by the shocking discovery of a partially mummified corpse hidden in the rafters, and the county coroner Sir John de Wolfe is called in to investigate. Richard de Revelle, Sir John's brother-in-law and founder of the school, immediately blames Nicholas de Arundell, a young outlawed knight. As Sir John discovers, Nicholas has good reason to bear a grudge against the unscrupulous de Revelle. With the victim's identity unknown and the motive a mystery, however, the murder remains unsolved. But then comes news of a second violent death, and Sir John is forced to track down the culprit in order to find the answers.



It was published in 2007 and has 368 pages.



I took the boys for the walk after work. It's warm out now. They're lying here panting. I was pretty red faced too but my face turns red in warmth and in cold. It's embarrassing. We passed a 9 to 10 year old boy on a bike and Coda started to head in his direction so I called out he's just coming to say hello, he's nice. The kid says "I know, I used to be your neighbor." Looking more closely, I realized it was one of the Babble Twins who did indeed live next door. I replied, "But these are new dogs." And he said, "They are?" That is the level of intelligence the Babble Twins are famous for. Yes, whichever-twin-you-are, we had only one dog and he was yellow. I'm now walking with two black ones AND YOU COULDN'T TELL?


Steve is shooting. I've got dinner on the stove (jambalaya) and will probably read this evening. If I am able, if the boys will let me, I'll finish the June issue.



The Stanley Cup playoffs start tonight. Depending on when it starts, Steve may be able to see the last of the game. The nice thing about the Avalanche sucking big time this year is that I don't care who wins so I can enjoy it more. I don't think there is anything on tv for me otherwise.

Two more days left at UI. We're going to lunch on Friday at the Burger Dive. Num.



Have a lovely evening.



Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster