One Is The Loneliest Number

I remember this from the movie X-Files and really not getting the point. I think I do now but that's not what this post is about.

I think the loneliest number right now is zero.

On my sidebar I have listed the number of books I've read so far this year.

Zero.

I want to change it to 3/4 cause I'm that much through Singh's book. Then again, I have no clue when I'll get around to finishing it.

So the slump continues.

And now I'm in a funk.

We Have Lift Off - Uh, Slightly.

Thanks to Angela for leaving me step by step instructions on the Ebookwise librarian. I *think* it was the settings that were screwing me up.

That said, I can't get any of the books I currently have into the librarian (which is when I decided it must be a good edition)

So I decided to throw good money after bad and PHEW, cause it worked. I'm horrible for e-book authors and just couldn't remember who did what. I could remember Skin Deep by Bonnie Dee but I couldn't find a copy to download. Edited: Found a copy at Ebookwise but haven't purchased.

Anyways, I went to Ellora's Cave because they have icons and wow, one of them is the icon for the librarian on my computer. So I bought Lisa Marie Rice's Midnight Man, crossed my fingers and prayed that my librarian and e-book would find it.

Woohoo!! I have it on my e-reader now! So I know the librarian is active and working - thanks to Angela. I swear I was going to start crying if I had to ask you to re-enact how to do everything with finger puppets.

I did get a response from Fictionwise which basically said 'You fucked up and we warned ya, so pfffffft.'

I'm paraphrasing.

They are telling me that I need to download a - wait, let me copy it because even though I can figure out what they are saying I'm still thinking, 'speak English!!' -

To use Fictionwise's MultiFormat (non-encrypted) books on an
eBookwise-1150 device, download the Rocket Book (RB) or the OEBFF Half
VGA (IMP) version from your Fictionwise bookshelf

Now, I did try and download a free e-book from them and it was in OEBFF and guess what? Didn't load.

So in general Fictionwise can kiss my ass.

Until such time as I decide to forgive them.

And like, DUDE, I'm so writing to ebookwise about them and why in the world they would have them listed as an ebookstore within the librarian when they aren't exactly .imp friendly. Just saying.

I will be following Angela's advice and be buying my books from the publishers from now on or from Ebookwise bookstore.

Thanks to Everyone

Okay, here is a screen shot of my librarian - I even had to google how to do that!


So you can see that I got the books into the librarian and they even say .imp after them but the top and bottom one won't show up on the online bookshelf.

Wait I'm having an AHA moment - why aren't the other two books still showing up in the online bookshelf? Is it cause I've already downloaded them? Off to see what kind of damage I can do now.

Huge shot out to Angela James for offering me the books for free. I may have to take you up on it but I do have e-mails out to both ebookwise and fictionwise. I'm hoping Fictionwise will take pity on my stupidity but I doubt it. Hard to police this kind of stuff. Yikes.

I'll be honest, I'm now a bit gunshy but I need to figure this out!

Stay tuned. I'll post after I do a few more tweaks. After that, I'm going to throw myself on Angela's mercy.

Edited: Okay, my head just exploded. Those other two books I have on the ereader? I decided to click on them and then find a way to remove them from the reader and see if I could download them again.

Guess what?

I clicked on the titles and there are no pages. None. Okay, one page. And it's blank! That's it. I'm having very evil thoughts right now but maybe I just can't do this from my laptop with it's stupid Vista Windows. As soon as I can look at a computer screen without wanting to smash it into itty bits, I'll try doing all this on the PC.

Edited: I'm guessing I'm an idiot. I can't download anything onto the e-reader. I was thinking of buying another ebook from ebookwise but now I'm just... terrified? Furious? Completely befuddled? Frustrated?

For the life of me I can't convert any of the files. The files that do convert come up with a 'y' which is probably (and I'm only guessing) a thing that keeps people from copying the books. Can't blame them but I didn't copy!! I paid for these!!

So I'm walking away right now. I hate not being able to figure things out. I probably won't sleep now because I'll be all 'okay, you tried this and this and this but what about this?' and I've decided it can't be that hard. It just can't be.

And the crankiness is really about the fact that I want to eat everything in the house and I know I can't because I'm not going back up on the scale.

I could use a good cry and I never really say that.

As to something completely different Bob has thrown his back out. His back hasn't been this bad for about 10 years. He pulled the cane out today. The last time I saw that was just after our honeymoon.

Ba-dum-tish!

Thank you and goodnight!

Crap on a Cracker!!

Okay, I'm a friggin' idiot. My learning curve is UGLY!!

I've been working with my e-book reader for the last 2 hours and my head is now pounding.

First, it took me forever to get the Librarian to download onto Vista. Really, that took an hour and a half to figure that all out. I downloaded it right but a shortcut was never created. I think after searching the computer for the 15th time I see a red icon and click on it. TADA! The librarian.

For some reason I can't create a shortcut for the thingie. Yeah, I've done the right click thing and everything. Meh.

THEN, I can't get the reader to figure out how to talk to the bookstores. So I finally decide, 'screw it, I'll work with the librarian'.

Thankfully, Chantal sent me a few e-book gifts and I was able to figure out how to load them onto the reader fairly easily. Phew!

Now, wanting to impress you all (that would be the Book Binge Ladies) I went and looked for a few e-books I wanted to buy. So I end up at Fictionwise and I go to download a few e-books (Ashleigh Raine's two that Katiebabs reviewed) only I get some sort of techno-geek language.

In other words, what file type would you like to download.

'kay.

I read them and well, none of them say 'e-book reader' so I'm looking through and it seems that something called secure mobi-pocket gives me about 12 types of files to choose from. Sweet! I can figure it out from the librarian after I order.

Uh, yeah. Apparently mobi-pocket is a program and for the last hour I've been trying to figure out how to convert a .prc file into something my reader can read.

*off stage scream*

Yeah, so I'm completely bagged and have no clue why I can't find a conversion program. Okay, I downloaded one but it just disappeared into thin air. It's on my computer somewhere and now I just wish I knew where so I could at least delete the damn thing.

Anyways. Anyone have any helpful hints? Anyone know how to convert the file. If not, anyone have a mobi-pocket thingie cause I have a few books for ya.

My head is pounding so hard I feel like I need a really good cry.

Or a bagful of Tylenol.

Not wanting to be a cry baby I'm heading down to get some headache relief!

Edited: Headache has calmed down cause of Tylenol.

I have converted the files from .prc to .html and then it went to the librarian and it shows as a .imp but I can't get it on the reader. HELP!!

Uh-Oh

Bob surprised me last night by telling me he has taken today off. (Friday) He said he needed a Cindy day ;)

Only problem is I have been sleeping during the days and I have my best bud coming on Saturday at 1pm. I'm thinking I'll be one hell of a bear by Sunday!

So the plan is for me to stay up as long as I can today. I've been up since 2am and it's now 6am. I'm starving which may be a mental thing because I have 'Bobby's on Holiday' brain which usually means we eat. Lots.

In the interest of putting up a blog that I can get done before Bob gets up I'll share pictures.



Oh, before shot of the dining room doors. Keep in mind I will be changing the colour but Bob wanted a clean look so he colour matched a quart and painted the walls.








This is the view from the kitchen side of the doors. I haven't decided whether we'll stain the doors or paint them. Until then they stay the way they are. Let's see if I can find a picture of it from the dining room side.









From the dining room side. The track is already hidden but I don't have a picture of that yet. I had to take a side shot because the chandelier which is HUGE is wrong and needs to be changed out.

Man I hate burgandy. Ah well. I have way too much to do right now to worry about that.






Awwwww, how did he get in here?

He's not afraid of the new camera which I'm so happy about. I think it's because I can turn the flash off and it seems not to bother him anymore. So I got a great picture of him when he was asleep. He must have sensed something because her rolled his head and I got this shot. I love it!

You probably can't see it but over his right eye (look to left) he has a lump between his eyes. We call him a Klingon puppy now. Bob and I are used to it but my cousin came the other day and about burst into tears when she saw his face. Ooops. We are giving him aspirin now for any pain. We know he is in pain if he starts blinking and flinching his head. (poor monkey) So now we stand over him to make sure he takes his pills.

Okay, what else have I got on this computer...

Ah yes, the loft project we've been working on forever. The big screen there on the right keeps me from wanting to blow my brains out when things look this messed up.

The colour on the walls is forest green. Another colour I can't deal with. I've finished painting the upstairs (first coat) and we have a new couch we bought for a steal. The problem is I've now found there is a matching ottoman so I have that on order. As soon as I have that all done up I'll take an after picture.

I'm not sure you'll see a difference in colour but trust me, it ain't green!

I have other pictures but I'm on the laptop and the photos are sideways. I'm not sure how to turn them so you'll have to wait for the hallway (I just put the first coat on tonight thank God, the downstairs hall walls were stained and ugly looking - like someone had smoked in the house for years!) pictures. And the downstairs den pictures.

Yes. We have too many projects on the go!

Woohoo, Bob's getting up! Breakfast here we come!

I'm Reading!!

Great news is that I finally sat my butt down and started to read.

Yes, I'm reading Mine To Possess and so far I'm really loving it and I'm such a slow reader!

Today in Ontario, Canada it's Family Day, a new holiday that someone cocked up. The legal wiz kids at most businesses took weeks to figure out if they had to give their employees the day off and it turns out that my Bobby didn't make the cut. So no Family Day for us.

I should say that I really love the idea and wish it was a mandatory holiday for all workers (I know docs/police never get the holidays but I'd like to see it more like a real holiday for next year). Even still, I do think Bob gets all holidays anyways, he just gets three floater days. So if he had had to take today off he would have lost a floater day or some such.

Let's just say a lot of math.

I basically slept through today knowing I couldn't get anything done out and about and took Cody boy for a walk. Yep. He's still kicking and you should see him when he gallops through the snow. I swear one day he'll be in mid gallop and just keel over from heart attack. Silly dog. He's like 98 years old in human years (actually I saw a chart that would suggest he's only in his 80's - still, I'm not sure I'll be galloping through snow banks when I get up there!)

I have pics on the laptop that I'm going to publish maybe sometime tonight.

I'm also helping to get the painting done around the house. There is just so much drywall patching going on that it's hard to do all the stopping and starting. I like to paint everything all at once in a couple of days but in one area we found more ceiling cracks so we aren't down in the lower hallway yet. I must say that I love the colour I finally chose. Takes me a while but I usually choose right. I let Bob choose the colour for the den - he was moving towards green so I picked out a few I liked and let him chose. I'm adorable that way.

OH!! Help needed!!

Bob's 50th is March 22 and I'm throwing a 'Retro 50's Party' and I'm trying to figure out where I could rent diner related memorabilia. I really want to rent a Whurlitzer juke box, some dinner tables and chairs, a long bar where I can set up his milkshake machine and some of his other retro stuff. Then I was thinking of playing a game and for some reason The Family Feud keeps running through my brain.

So I figure people can dress up, I'll have old records and posters on the walls and we'll play a few silly games then just chillax.

Bob knows about the party because I'm cheap and renting a place would have made me grumpy and I couldn't figure out how to do a surprise party in our home. Cause seriously, most of the furniture will need to be moved.

Maybe my ambitions are too high. I'm trying to think about aiming for the moon but landing in the stars. Hey, it's a party so it has to fun, right?

WooHoo!!! And Pimpin'

I am a survivor!! I still have sniffles and such but I am so much better!

Bob now has it but he is ten times the trouper I am. He plans on going to work today. Course he has been doping himself up with Contact C. That alone lets me know just how bad it is as Bob won't take ONE tylenol for a headache.

So a few things are going on.

1. Nath, Ames and Chantal have opened up a group review site!



Looks like one of their goals is to do joint reviews. I have always enjoyed Nath's, Ame's and Chantal's blogs and their separate reviews. I actually think they read many different books so it will be interesting to find out what three different people think of a book I just might want to buy!

I added the link to the sidebar but I need to have the colour change or make it so you can find it easier. I'm on it!

2. AAR's Annual Reader's Poll is winding down. It's the 15th of February and you have until midnight of the 17th!!! That gives you the weekend to nail down those favs. Just do it for fun! That's what it's all about. To find out what others read and how you matched or didn't.

Click here to get to the ballot and VOTE!!

3. Keishon's back!! I wouldn't have the first clue how to back up my blog so I'm antsy BUT, if you want to read about the TBR Challenge than click here. Like Keishon says, it's totally for fun and for those wanting to play, encouragement is always the way! Also - Keishon will put up a 100 dollar Amazon Gift Certificate that she will draw for for those who do the challenge every month. I don't know about you but that there is some incentive!

With Keishon's permission I might do a monthly reminder the week before TBR Challenge Wednesdays. That way those who are forgetful (ME) will have a week to get a book read. I wonder if I can get my computer to remind me? AND it starts in March so we have a month to organize ourselves.

4. And Karen's blog is also back up!! She watched North and South and Kristie(J) is going to swoon with delight cause she liked it, she really liked it!

All great news! I tell ya, blogs start disappearing and I get antsy so I'm glad they are back and that there are new blogs coming along all the time!

Finally:

This weekend will probably be a laze about kind of weekend if I know what's in store for Bob. The good news is there is plenty of painting that can happen and I'm very pleased with the colour I picked for the hallways and loft of the house - it's called Hiking Trail by CIL but if you look at it on the computer it just looks black. It's a beautiful dark grey with a purple undertone. Gorgeous!

Okay, sickie Bob is up. I must go and be sympathetic.

Poor Bobby.

Meme

Megan tagged me for the “6 unimportant facts about me” meme.

The rules are:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.


1. I've never found my 'passion'.

2. As a young girl and woman I was very self-conscious about my nose. It has a bump and then a bulb at the bottom and a few people mentioned how large it was. Now I kinda like it.

3. I watch true crime shows with real crime scene photos yet I won't watch horror movies.

4. I like to think witches are real and I'm a descendant. Can't do anything fun but if I hex something in anger things go nutty.

5. I like my toes.

6. I don't collect anything. (Except books but even then I'm not looking for rare books)


Hmm, six people.

C2
Dev
Mollie
Chantal
JMC
Suisan

And Happy Valentine's Day to those of you who enjoy it.

Bob came home with the sniffles last night. Just as I get better poor Bob falls ill.

Double Ugh.

Round Up

Good news is I decided to blog before taking the sleeping pills tonight.

That last post was a killer on re-read.

This post is just the usual clutter.

I rented something like 7 movies today. I watched two tonight 'The Invasion' and 'The Brave One' so I can return them before midnight tomorrow and get a dollar credit on each. I had to do something after getting nailed with an 8 dollar late fee at Blockbuster. Yeah. That place that no longer has late fees? The sad part was I didn't get around to watching the Prison Break series so I had 4 disks at 2 bucks a pop for late fees.

I'm tellin' ya, they are making a mint off me.

THEN, I had a docs appointment today and all's good in the hood. The lump on my inner thigh is not a tumor like my brain started thinking and is some really deep zit. I was all, can we just drain this thing and she was all 'nah, it'll deflate or it'll blow up and then you might need antibiotics'.

Sounds delightful.

Then I asked to go to a dermatologists cause of the breakouts on my face and instead the doc looked at my face and prescribed a cream. She said family doctors are very good with acne. Yeah? What about anti-aging stuff? You know about that? Cause I got some questions.

She thought that was funny.

Bob came home and wondered about my black eye.

I don't have one but my one eye gets darker when I get sick (I had a black eye as a kid and there is a blue blood vessel that will pop up when I get really sick so it looks like a black eye). I've never 'seen' sick on my face. The only person who seems to notice is my mom but I guess you get to know your kids' face.

This past week is the first time I have seen 'sick' on my face - I was paste white and my eyes were crazy glassy and slightly red. I was looking for little puncture marks on my neck cause I was sure I had finally turned vampire. Would explain the ugly and the body rejecting absolutely everything I've put in it. Hell, I didn't look this bad when I had pneumonia!

And finally - and this is where I am just excited - I started Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh!!

I'm hoping tomorrow will be a sit on my butt day where I finally feel well enough to visit other people.

At least in books.

Have I Recruited Anyone?

Still sick and I'm sure we'll come back to that cause I can whine with the best of them.

BUT!!

Have I recruited anyone to watch the BBC movie North and South? Cause like, there's a crusade and stuff going on and I'm not feeling like I'm pulling my weight!

Now, I know I can get a few girlfriends to watch the movie but they aren't bloggers. Okay, 'know' might be a strong word but I think a few of them would love it.

Okay, point time.

Last night after enjoying the Youtube flick up at Kristie's and Katie(bab)'s OH! On that note - Hi, Katie(babs)!! Kristie told me so many wonderful things about you when she was down for a visit and I never got around to saying hi and that I love your posts also! I may have missed where you guys had explained why the two of you decided to blog together.

Just in case others missed it - basically Kristie 'Crusader Extraordinaire' felt that there were books that needed a voice She didn't read them BUT a great person she talked with at AAR did and voila - a happy union.

And now we two people helping us spend our money ;)

Uh, oh. I lost my point. Seriously I had one when I started but I think I lost my footing and with the cold meds and sleeping pills starting to kick in well, it was bound to happen.

So.

Oh! I wanna be a crusader! (yes, that came out very whiny)

Here's why, after watching the video over at Kristie and Katie's I needed to watch the final scene from the movie again. I watched it twice. Then I noticed they had the extended version of the proposal scene so I then watched that. I figured I knew the different points I re-watched the final version in the film.

On that note, why in the world would they have cut out that bit of dialogue!? What, they couldn't cut something else, they had to cut words that helped to understand the heroine's point of view?

Anyways, after watching her cut him to the quick I had to watch the final scene once again.

So, just in case there are a few here that saw the post and thought 'whoop-de-doo' North and South with Patrick Swayze I just have to say IT'S NOT THAT NORTH AND SOUTH!!

It's North and South, a movie based on Elizabeth Gaskell's book by the same name, and is about the industrialization of England and how the classes had to learn to exist with one another.

And a wonderful love story to boot.

So, dude, seriously, let me know if I have inspired you to watch the movie?

Cause I'm a crusader dammit.

Shut up.

Ooops, I had to get up to get something and Bob caught me stumbling in the hall - sleeping pills have kicked in and I have to go to bed now.

So I stole this one from Kristie but I'm hoping she won't mind.



Cause I'm sick.

TBR Challenge for FUN

First, still sick. Yucky sick. Made the mistake of saying to hubby when I got up today that I would swear I had pneumonia. Since his father passed from that over the summer, I got him all riled up.

So I did something I next to never do. I called the doctor on call and went to see her.

She explained to me the progress of a cold.

Cause I'm stupid.

I mean, really, no kidding I have a cold and yeah, maybe you don't think I've been sick long enough to take me seriously but, DUDE!

The last time I had pneumonia I think my doctor was humouring me by sending me for X-rays because she couldn't hear anything with the stethascope. Ding, ding. Pneumonia.

So I'm listening to this doctor and thinking 'lady, I wouldn't be here if I just had a cold cause I've had enough of them in my lifetime.' Ah, well. Maybe tomorrow I'll wakeup and be all fine. Until then you'll have to put up with Whiney Cindy.

But let's talk about books. That I can only hope I'll read. Cause I'm in deep.

Keishon over at Avid Reader has resurrected the TBR Challenge cause Lord knows many of us are buying books and not exactly reading them.

Okay. I know it's not just me so quit frontin'.

My problem is I can't get onto Keishon's blog so I can't put all the details on here. I mean, I could try working from memory but that usually get's me in trouble.

Basically, it's for fun, there's no punishment for not doing it and I *think* it will be something that participants will blog about on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. So if you read a book or four from the TBR pile published before 2006 then you blog about it on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and maybe link on through to everyone.

So LinnieGayl, I have a feeling I may finally read those Nora Robert's books you've been recommending. They've been in the pile for a while.

Then there is that Tami Hoag book Lucky's Lady that's been taking up space.

Heck, that's four books right there.

So there is a link on my sideboard to Keishon's that normally works but for some reason I keep getting an error. So you can try it and see if you can get through. If not I'm sure we'll find her again and get it all set out.

Okay, I'm off to feel sorry for my sick self.

Stolen Meme

I stole this from Marg. I saw it and I wanted it so I took it. I'm trying to feel some remorse.

Still a sickie so maybe I can be forgiven.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

Let's see, this would be a long list.

Outlander and the rest. Scares the beejeepers out of me.

Dorthy Dunnet series although I own the first book - can't remember why I'm afraid of it.

Ah, Bujold books with Miles but I think that has to do with most of them not being romance.

Any thing by Judith Ivory because her prose is lush. Sounds like a tropical disease to me. Ugh.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Uh, gonna have to go with Jesus cause I got me some questions. Oh, wait. Characters. Never mind!

Geez, I don't do well with these questions. *thinking*

Han Solo cause I've loved him since I was seven. But it would have to be on my terms in that he would find me the most beautiful fascinating woman in the world. Yeah. Lots of flirting. And Bob has allowed a pass for him - cause he's not real but hey, I can dream.

Seriously, bring me Han Solo and I don't need anyone else cause we'll be busy.

I'm sitting here saying to myself 'but what if you had to behave yourself? Who would it be?' And you know what? I don't have a clue!!!

Any of Anne Stuart's men but c'mon, I'm sick and refuse to make my hubby sick also so only pecks on the cheek so I'm not kidding myself with this sex on the brain.

Crap. I'm nothing but a shallow woman. I got nothing. Now I gotta try and redeem myself in a later post.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality Longevity-Industry Dec-07 is great for awhile, eventually you realise it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Good grief. Literature. All the crap I was forced to read in school where people died after leading some of the most boring lives ever - I know boring people! Anything by Margaret Laurence I'm sure would send me off and even though I loved The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood I'm sure anything else would make me crazy. Maybe it wasn't the books so much as the ramblings of teachers on symbols and stuff I can't remember. Symbols. Dude, when is a knife just a knife?

And in case you are wondering I didn't die as a teen reading these books because death would have been too easy. I'm just saying.

Explains the 'shallow' though don't it.

Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?

Please. Gonna have to go back to school days on this one. My fav. though was Frankenstein in university - didn't read word one of this book but I wrote my mid-term essay on it and got the highest grade in the class. Yeah. And pretty much every other book ever assigned to me throughout high school. Dull, boring, dull.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you haven't? Which book?

I'm thinking I haven't read a Linda Howard book which I think is called Heart of the West. For some reason I thought this was a historical where the heroine uses a whip on some bad guys. I didn't like that one but I read it years ago so maybe on re-read I'll like it better. HOTW is a contemporary and I'm now saving it for a rainy day cause Howard isn't bringing it anymore.

And then there are authors I get mixed up - Susan Grant and Patti O'Shea - one author I like and the other I don't. Can't remember which but right now I would say I like O'Shea.

You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why? (if you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP)

I would always suggest Dream Man by Linda Howard. I think it has enough crime stuff for a man but I haven't tested that. I can't say I really bother with people who don't read and I don't mean in a bad way cause hubby doesn't read as a hobby. Don't ask me for a recommendation unless you've seen my bookshelves cause it's all romance. After that, ask away.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Marg said Latin and I would have to say the same. Or maybe a language that the historians are still trying to decipher. Ohhh, that might be fun and financially rewarding.

I'd be rich and shallow.

I hear that's the best combination.

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart. No hardship at all.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What's one bookish thing you 'discovered' from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I've tried Chick lit when I was sure I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. I have bought YA books although I haven't really been able to pick them up.

Derek Craven and North and South. Wonder who influenced me with those?

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

My hubby built my dream library so I can't really complain. But if I could have one more thing it would be all of Anne Stuart's backlist in leather bound volumes. And possibly some of my other favourite books. You know. If I could get a few more things.

And the final portion of the assignment is to tag four others.

Kristie(J), Ames, Nath, Rosie and anyone else - c'mon, you know you wanna

Sickie

Well, I managed through most of the year without catching a cold but on Tuesday I got nailed. I was up for maybe an hour and had to go back to bed. It was a jammie day and I think I was up maybe 3 times an hour each and then I just gave in. 24 hours later I woke up but wasn't wide awake. And that's the way it's been since.

Another storm hit yesterday, all ice sleet and some snow. I was going to blow out the drive and then decided I didn't really want pneumonia on top of this. I was also going to paint but I couldn't get the energy up to do anything.

So I've been on my couch when I'm up or in front of the computer.

Poor Cindy.

Yeah, I'm giving myself some sympathy.

I weigh in tonight. Up till last week I had lost 8 pounds. We'll see what this week brings. I'm thinking water weight and general sicky goo might not be working for me.

I've mentioned Slumpville a few times but now I know it's real. I was thinking that maybe I just wasn't in the mood to read anything BUT auto-buy books.

Well, I have Singh's latest book which I just couldn't wait for and ... nothing. For me, this is as bad as if it was an Anne Stuart book.

Another reason why some serious comfort food will be demanded after weigh in!

I'm Thinking I Lied

Today was a 'meh' kind of day.

PMS doncha know. Get's me every time.

So I get up and have my cereal but I already know fries and gravy are in my future. I did very well over the weekend and I need a reward. I wait for about an hour and then decide I can head out.

This is when I realize I left my keys in Bob's Jeep. Which is with him at work.

I take a look around sure that the keys for the TWO other vehicles I have in my driveway are around somewhere.

Uh, no. Bob has every key with him.

Euchred.

Only I remember that my best friend now has a used vehicle that Bob and I helped her finance. I figure I'll give her a call and see if she wants to come for a visit and get me an order of fries on her way over.

Now maybe you are thinking I'm using my friend but I should mention that for the last 12 years I have been going to her house about twice a week (I'm averaging) and every time I bring her a coffee from Timmies. There are a number of times I will get a phone call asking if I'm heading to her house today and some of those I hadn't planned on it. Only she would really love a coffee so couldn't I please come over for a bit. Being me I relent and head on over.

So I give her a call and she answers and says 'Are you coming over?' and I tell her about the key situation. I then mention to her that she hasn't visited me since she got her car and hey, I would love an order of fries and gravy.

'Oh.' 'Well, I have to be home....' So I'm thinking she's babysitting today. It's 1pm. 'I have to be home when Zach gets home at ten after 3 and well, uh ... '

That's two hours. You live five minutes from me and you can't take 1/2 hour out of you day to come visit?

She asks if I would mind her not coming and if I could live without the fries.

Now, by this point it's no longer about the fries. Trust me. Bob has already said he would drive home (40 minutes) to bring me my keys so I can get out of the house.

I tell her not to worry because really, I didn't know what else to say. Sure, when tough things need to be said I can say them but at this point I'm not about to say 'uh, hi, I've been doing you favours for years and the one time I ask you for something you bail!!??' cause I so don't need a guilt visit.

Just so happens that before today my hubby had called asking her and her hubby for help in moving a couch. Since hurting my back in December I'm leary of doing anything too strenuous. These are people who have asked to borrow vehicles, to borrow money (and could you drive it over since I don't have a car), to come and fix something in their house etc.

They didn't even call back. They told Bob later that they didn't get the message till late and then decided that he wouldn't need them anymore.

Good news is I didn't hurt my back lugging that couch up the stairs.

So I ended up being a touch weepy this afternoon when I told Rosie that it takes a lot for me to cry. I'm thinking PMS and feeling sorry for myself. Once again, I have a friend who is there when she needs something but can't help me if she has something better to do.

Well.

Now I just sound pathetic.

I did get my fries and gravy when Bob got home tonight. Like I said, it wasn't about the food.

I also got lots of painting done today. I used Zinzer 123 which covers stains and oil based paints so you can paint over it with latex. Let's just say the fumes were killer and even though I had all the windows open upstairs in zero degree weather, I'm still feeling loopy.

So forgive the past/future/present tense failures I have all through this. I can see them but my brain can't work out how to fix them.

Tomorrow more paint!

Bits and Bites

Have you filled out your AAR Reader's Ballot yet? You have another 17 days but I figured I'd give you some fair warning. I filled mine out last weekend when I realized this slump from Beelzebub wasn't going to go away.

It's 5:30am and I'm heading into daywalker territory. No clue. Just weird sleep which I figured would mess with my WW (weight watchers).

I'm going to a weigh in and meeting this morning - they have one at 8am! So I can get that out of the way and go eat some fries with gravy all ready!!

I have pictures on my new camera of the fancy new french doors that my hubby put up last night while I was sleeping. They look awesome except for the fact that everything else needs to be done. Then I guess we'll decide on whether to stain them or paint them. I'm definitely a white trim kind of gal but I have seen dark stained doors with white trim a few times and I'm thinking it looks good. So I have to load in my camera and I'll post some pics.

LOST was finally on. Finally! And I'm more confused than ever but I do so love that. It was great to see them all again and to remember what they have been through. Eight episodes this year. I guess they better get their work on when they writers get back.

On that note, I really, really hate TV shows without a 24 episode season. All those HBO shows would be so much better if they just did more work! I mean really. And if these shows think I'm just going to go and buy their DVDs with their puny 8 episode season they are wrong. I might buy it when every stops caring and the price is a dollar but I'm thinking by then I won't care either.

(I know that LOST only has eight because of the strike but it just triggered that rant)

Eli Stone - what a great opening show. I love the humour of this one and can only hope people will see the charm of it.

Oh!

Last night I watched 3:10 to Yuma.

What a friggin' awesome movie.

I'll qualify that with a background. I grew up with westerns because of my dad and I think I will always love them and since this one was so well done I just can't give it enough high praise. I'll have to ask my dad about the ending - I'm sure he'll have the insight.

Hmmm, my brain just stopped. I think there was more but it's gone.

Not surprised, are ya?