waiting for my next book release {sigh}

No, it wasn't as bad as that today....

Hmmmm, not much to report today. Work was work. I ran errands at lunch: got oil changed on Moby, put gas in Moby, stopped by Cabelas to look for a dehydrator. It was snowing when I walked the dogs but seems to have stopped now. Steve picked up dinner from a new Mexican place called Cafe Rio -- it was good. I'm doing some article posting to Facebook and then I will read the Larsen book. I'm a bit tired. I slept better last night but not enough of it, I think.

Just a heads up: there will be no post on Thursday. I'll be "volunteering" at the Friends of the NRA banquest. It's not really volunteering when your husband volunteers you for the job.

Okay, off you go...

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

I’m currently reading IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larsen. This is nonfiction; here is a description:

The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance--and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition. Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror.

It was published in May 2011 and has 464 pages. This is on my Kindle.

Tonight I have The Voice to watch so I may not get a lot reading done.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

... it's a perfect day for napping....

I forget to mention that after work on Friday I stopped at Albertson's to pick up some groceries, including a bottle of wine for the fish recipe I was doing that night. And yes I would be drinking it eventually. I GOT CARDED and the lady was SERIOUS. It wasn't a I-have-to-check-everyone situation; she really meant it. So I gave her my driver's license. She said, "wow, you had me fooled." Not bad for 45, eh?

It is snowing. I walked the dogs at 7:30; Coda chased a jackrabbit the size of a Labrador but didn't stand a chance. I'm sure he thought he was in rabbit heaven. I then picked up the WSJ and Billings Gazette -- it's just a news reading kind of day. I would like to listen to some things on the computer along with doing clothes laundry. We'll see.

I'm nearing the end of the Robb book. A solid procedural after the emotional stuff in the last book.

Last night we watched the first two episodes on DVD of the first season of the TV show Justified that shows on the FX channel. Everyone, and I mean everyone, kept saying how wonderful it was. And I have to say ... it was really good. We now have something to watch on Saturday nights. A few months ago, we made a marathon of the Starz show Strike Back, watching two episodes per Saturday night. It's nice to have something again.

Tonight, is the Academy Awards. I don't really know who/what's up for them nor do I plan to watch. Downton Abbey is done now on Masterpiece and they're starting Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop. I don't know if I'll watch that or not. Otherwise, we'll watch The Walking Dead and then I'll probably read.

Gotta keep moving on catching up on news, maybe make a cuppa tea. Have a cozy day!

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Our sunbeam traps have worked!

Well I guess mission accomplished in pissing off liberals. Discovered that some 4MA "friends" unfriended me on Facebook, probably over the articles I posted. Shows you: a) who your friends are and b) liberals want to live in the world that is fed to them on the mainstream media and not deal with the reality.

I feel like I should have gotten more done today but I did do the usual walk the dogs, vacuum, laundry and even cleaned out a cupboard that had been ignored for several years. Then I cleaned out and/or caught up on some emails and news but that job is nowhere near done.

I haven't finished the Robb book yet. Sigh. Should I be glad that I'm not racing though the books as I used to therefore the time spent with them is longer or be not happy that I'm not getting to all the books that I want? Looks like March is a light month for new releases for me so I can maybe do some catching up then.

We're having hamburgers tonight and will watch Cops. Maybe I can read afterward or maybe we'll watch a movie.

The boys are in trouble right now. Steve had taken them out to run around the front yard and then apparently got caught up talking to our neighbor. I was at the laptop which looks out onto the back yard ... and the next street north of us ... and I happen to look up to see the dogs running west on Hazelnut. Grrrr. I had to jump in the SUV and hunt them down. All three are unrepentant.

A storm has moved in with awful wind and occasional snow. So I feel like hunkering down.

Have a lovely weekend....

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Truth in advertising

Isn’t it funny how we change? I've changed reading habits over the years but I'm thinking right now of The Oscars. The Academy Awards used to be a big deal to me to watch each year and I couldn’t care less this time. The lives of those people are so far from reality of real people. And the awards themselves are really just an elaborate marketing strategy for their products. Will I watch? I don’t think so. I truly think that we as a people are being diverted and numbed into caring about the entertainment industry so we won’t pay attention to the real things. Bread and circuses.

I will probably finish the Robb book this weekend. Next up I’m thinking is IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson. Nonfiction. About Germany in the 30s as Hitler and his atrocities were building and the American ambassador who was assigned there at that time.

Tonight is Say Yes to the Dress and Spartacus on TV. I'm experimenting with a fish recipe, so we'll see how it goes over with Himself.

Not sure what this weekend will bring. I should go to Petsmart and get some dog food. Otherwise, I could clean, organize, etc. etc. Will I? Maybe; maybe not. Maybe I’ll just read. Ha!

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

More like "It's after 7pm ..."

A bit tired tonight. Three people gone from work so just two of us on phones and then I volunteered at the Rehberg campaign again after work. Got home at about 7:30. Steve wasn't home but didn't take the dogs for their walk -- got them fed. Steve brought Taco Bell for dinner. I did a quick scan of the news and this post and now I'm going to get comfy in bed and read the Robb book before getting too sleepy.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

I understand completely

One for the co-workers

I'm currently reading CELEBRITY IN DEATH by JD Robb. This is 43rd of 43 in series (if you count the novellas) featuring Eve Dallas, a homicide lieutenant in futuristic New York City. Here is a description:

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is no party girl, but she's managing to have a reasonably good time at the celebrity-packed bash celebrating The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of her famous cases. It's a little spooky seeing the actress playing her, who looks almost like her long-lost twin. Not as unsettling, though, as seeing the actress who plays Peabody drowned in the lap pool on the roof of the director's luxury building. Now she's at the center of a crime scene-and Eve is more than ready to get out of her high heels and strap on her holster and step into the role she was born to play: cop.

It was published today and has 400 pages. Oh woot a woot!! This is Snoopy dance time. The good news is I still had a bunch on a Christmas gift card so didn't pay anything and there is still some left over to help with the new CS Harris book in a couple weeks.

Work was work; just mentally wears you down to hear so much negativity or try to solve problems. So hopefully you'll forgive another short post -- yeah, you're getting used to them now -- while I catch up on news and then read my lovely book.

It's been in the 40s but now the wind has arrived that they've been predicting. This weekend is supposed to be cold, in the 20s. I'll have to find something to read by then. Maybe I'll be in the mood for one my series by then.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

My dogs are so unproductive

This weekend I read two books; finished one and read another. Finished THE PICCADILLY PLOT by Susanna Gregory on Saturday night and read THE GARDEN INTRIGUE by Lauren Willig yesterday. I hadn't read like that for a while.

I watched the finale of Downton Abbey. There will be a season three which I think they are filming now.

Tonight I have more of The Voice. Two hours of more blind auditions.

Tomorrow I will pick up the new JD Robb, CELEBRITY IN DEATH. Woot!

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Why is Saturday night "bath night", why?

I got my main chores done early: vacuum, laundry, newspapers out, groceries. A nap called me so that was lovely. Now, there are things to do, yes. Don't know what to tackle first.

Last night's Spartacus was ... ewwwww. And they have brought back the concept of the "red shirt character." If you don't understand that, you're not a Star Trek fan. Just a lot of graphic violence that made me have to look away. We're up to episode four and I don't know if the storytelling is up to snuff yet.

I hope to get some good reading time in. Must make a lot of progress.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Friday

Friday Eve

Tiredness has caught to me. After work I volunteered at the Denny Rehberg campaign, doing survey calls. It was a lot of fun. But now I'm home and have had dinner and the full day is hitting me full in the face. And I still have to jump on the computer downstairs. Because when it rains it pours. I received a new release by Susanna Gregory on Tuesday, which I'm reading now. Another new release arrived today, the new Lauren Willig. Next week is the new JD Robb and the week after or the one after that is the new CS Harris. So of course today two 14-day digital books shook loose from the library. (sigh)

But, it is almost 9:00. See you tomorrow.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday

I'm currently reading THE PICCADILLY PLOT by Susanna Gregory. This is 7th of 7 series featuring Thomas Chaloner, a spy in Restoration London. Here is a description:

Thomas Chaloner is relieved to be summoned back to London. His master, the Earl of Clarendon, has sent him to Tangier to investigate a case of corruption. Chaloner will be glad to be home and reunited with his new wife, but the trivial reason for his recall exasperates him—the theft of material from the construction site of Clarendon's embarrassingly sumptuous new house just north of Piccadilly. Within hours of his return, Chaloner considers these thefts even more paltry as he is thrust into extra investigations involving threats of assassination, a stolen corpse, and a scheme to frame the Queen for treason. Yet there are connections from them all which thread through the unfinished Clarendon House.

It was published this year and has 352 pages.

Busy busy day at work. Uff da.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Happy Valentine's Day

I just like the picture

The good news of the finale last night of Downton Abbey: they're showing the Christmas episode next week so we get a resolution to the cliffhanger. Woot.

Tonight is another tv night. (yuck - why do I do it?) I have The Voice and maybe Smash to watch.

For some reason I got very, very little sleep last night and a headache so I stayed home and rescheduled volunteering at the Rehberg campaign.

So, getting some things done this afternoon.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Only Mr Moose understands me

Tonight I have the season premiere of The Walking Dead and the two hour season finale of Downton Abbey. Isn't that a contrast in subject and style?

I've been doing laundry, reading news, and napping today.

I haven't picked up anything new to read in anticipation of the Gregory book on Tuesday. I have been working on finishing THE 5000 YEAR LEAP by Clousen. Almost done.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Yeah, learned that one at a young age

It's been cold today. Ten degrees this morning when I walked the dogs; 23 degrees went I took them out again this afternoon. I haven't ventured out otherwise.

I finished reading a library book, THE CROSSING PLACES by Elly Griffiths. It is first of three, I think in series featuring Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, and Harry Nelson, a detective chief inspector, in the Saltmarsh area near Norfolk, England. Here is a summary:

When she's not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants--not quite earth, not quite sea. When a child's bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice. The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have archaeological knowledge. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory--and in serious danger.

It was published in 2009 and has 310 pages. It is in present tense which bugs me to no end but I was able to overlook it as the story progressed.

I have a Susanna Gregory coming on Tuesday and Lauren Willig's new release coming on Thursday. And a new JD Robb book the following week. Back to fiction reading then for a bit.

I've been posting articles and quotes to Facebook which means I'm reading a lot of current events. I get so frustrated that the country is being destroyed from within by government, media and citizens and it seems like no one cares or does anything. Best I can do right now is pick fights with liberals, well, I don't pick fights, I just respond to their ignorant party line with facts they are clueless about. Probably is a useless gesture.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

TGIF - oh yeah

Thursday

I'm feeling like I'm fighting off a cold or something. All day. And I'm tired. So I'm going to head in early.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

We prefer "little abominable snow people"

Yeah, not much here. Work was better but still work. Steve is at shooting. I've read the WSJ and taking in the news and blogs.

I am very pleased Santorum did so well yesterday. I hope the momentum holds up during the next three weeks until Super Tuesday. If Gingrich were smart -- he's extremely intelligent but sometimes not smart -- he would drop out and those votes would consolidate for Santorum. But he's not smart and he's got an ego.

I got my Scentsy stuff yesterday. I think I like it. Smells good anyway. :) I've got one in the living room (the scent is called Just Breathe - eucalyptus, lemon, mint) and one in the bedroom (called Satin Sheets - sandlewood and vanilla). I don't have a great sense of smell but I figure anyone would appreciate this over Eau d' Coda & Ryker.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday

Last night was completely spent in front of the tv -- I enjoyed it but what a waste of time in general! I had two hours of The Voice and then I stuck around for the premiere of a series called Smash about the behind the scenes of a theatre musical. Yeah, had to see that.

BUT... three hours??? Nothing else accomplished. Nothing read.

Today, the phones were crazy, at last check I had taken 75 calls. Blech. And I was in a vicious cranky mood. I blame the full moon. I took the boys for an extra long walk to work it off.

Steve has a board meeting tonight so I'm doing some catch up on the news and blogs. There are some caucusi (?) and primary tonight. Looks like Santorum is doing well -- Woot!! I volunteered to help with Congressman Denny Rehberg run for Senate; I'll give it a try next Monday evening doing some calls. We'll see how it goes.

I'm waiting for the library to kick loose a hold on Deborah Crombie's newest, NO MARK UPON HER. I read the sample on the Kindle and I liked it. At last, a book to look forward to that might not let me down. :)

All right, off you go.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

I could do that

This morning after putting the dogs out, I decided to give them each a little chewey. I went out on the deck and realized Ryker decided to lay in Coda’s igloo and Coda – wanting to be in “his” igloo too, tried to crowd in – it wasn’t working. So Coda came out, sitting outside the igloo looking in. It looked like a conversation like this:

Coda: Are you going to come out now?

Ryker: No.

Coda: Are you going to come out now?

Ryker: No.

Coda: Are you going to come out now…. Etc., etc.

I had to show Coda the igloo right next to the first one, that it had a blanket too, that he could go in. He did go in it. It was like having children.

Much love

PK the Bookeemonster

Whatever you want it to mean, no really.

Not much going on. The usual Sunday laundry, took a nap, etc.

Will watch bits of the Super Bowl but not really interested in the teams or the outcome. I'll make nachos and I've been catching Puppy Bowl VIII off and on. Tonight I'll watch Downton Abbey. The Voice starts tonight too but will have to miss some due to Downton.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

That's what I think about vacuuming stairs

Doing the usual, vacuuming, laundry, cleaning.... I probably need to run to the grocery store for a couple items this afternoon.

We have Cops to watch tonight. I'm reading an autobiography about a woman learning to garden - and living off her produce. Interesting.

I just had some lunch; I think I may lay down for a wee bit before getting going again.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Boys

Watched Say Yes to the Dress, a bit of Spartacus and bit of Titanic. Got cold watching Titanic so I had to jump in a hot shower. Now I'm gonna read. :)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Yeah .... me too....

Nor, apparently, do I care about yours

Well, shoot, last week's showing of Touch, starring Keifer Sutherland, was just a teaser. It doesn't start until March. That's not right. I'm vexed. Terribly vexed.

I've been reading THE 5000 YEAR LEAP by W. Cleon Skousen. This is a remarkable book that goes through the principles behind the founding of the US. I actually had two copies of it; one I had purchased and one I had picked up for free in the books for free in the lobby of the library. I had one with me at work today on my desk. The IT guy came by to ask me to do some more recording for the phone system and he saw and said he had it was a great book. I had confirmed it and we chatted a bit then I decided since I had an extra copy to give it to him. Maybe it will open another person. He said he was really excited to read it. :)

Otherwise, a typical work day. I'm going to read some news and then get back to my book.

Oh, and an update on yesterday's post: the SJ Parris book has slipped now to an April release date. Bah.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster