Here and There

I know, original but I liked the mix with the last post title.

So what's new with you? I hope you are all doing well!

What's new with us?

So many things I'm not sure where to start.

Just for fun, I make sure I get to see Baby Ben at least twice a week. It's funny how such a small little man can make me feel utter joy. Don't know if I've mentioned or not but Gorgeous Cousin rocks as a mom and I'm so proud of how she is handling everything. Especially since her SO has not found a job down our way so he's only home on weekends. I also feel horrible for him because I know how it feels to leave the baby and he's not mine!

I'm just so proud of her and Ben is such a good baby. He has his fussy moments but he's only driven his new mommy to tears once and that was early days home with her SO to help and the baby wouldn't stop crying. But I just love the light he has brought to the family. I actually enjoy watching all my family interact with him and that's saying something because I will hog that baby gleefully.

Okay, next!

Bob and I were approached by our former neighbour to ask if we would purchase their house and do a flip. We were floored and we explained to the person that she would be better off putting the house on the market as we wouldn't be able to touch market price. She insisted she wanted us to have the house (in truth Bobby - people do love the Bob) so we got her an agent but she went with our offer - soooooo, sometime in early May we may just be the proud new owners of our 4th renovation house.

Don't tell Bob but I'm a touch excited by all the possibilities and Bob and I have decided to go in with no partners so really, it's just he and I making all the decisions. Bob went a bit over the top with the original design but we've talked through it and I think he understands where I'm coming from and how best to make our money on it.

On top of all that, Bob is holding down 2 other jobs and was essentially offered a third the other day. I keep saying 'bird in the hand, bird in the hand!!' in other words, we have to look at what we have instead of searching the bushes hoping for better. It's a lesson I've learned as I go on in life.

Little bit of wisdom for ya, you're welcome.

Other than all that I can tell you truly that I don't want to read ANY book EXCEPT for Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh.

There.

I admitted my mental block. It's like I can't really concentrate on another story because it's not the one I want. So instead of forcing anything I'm sitting idly by and reading reviews and building up my shopping cart at Chapters.

On a completely different note:

Two nights ago I discovered Pixie (how dare you invade my personal space!) and Twilight (a little love never hurt anyone!) curled up with each other on the bed while Bob was sleeping. Did I get the picture evidence? I did, but it's on my video cam and I haven't downloaded anything from it yet.

So yes, the adventures of C-Rex and Bob will soon hit high gear. Until then, hardwood floors need to go down on the main floor, a coffered ceiling needs to be built in the dining room, the fireplace is currently getting painted and touch ups everywhere need to be dealt with. I'll get there yet!

Happy reading! Hope you are reading something that is really working for you!

This and That

I'm still alive and all. I have to say that I'm fully into cabin fever and it's not pretty. I think I'm fighting some depression but the good news is the exercise room is now all up and running so for the past few days the exercise has helped with my mood.

I'm stunned as I know most people are about what is going on in Japan. I just hope and pray that those who are in need get help now. It does make you feel powerless for sure - at least it does for me as I can do nothing for them except donate money. I do find comfort in the fact that Japan has training for these kind of natural disasters - I just don't think they expect everything to happen all at once.

In other news, I have not seen my baby cousin and I'm getting all antsy.

In even other news my husband is getting shell shocked by the price of things.

See, he had a job. And we had a paycheck and we also had a company car. Gas, insurance and well, the cost of things Bob wanted did not really enter his world view. Afterall, he was well paid and hey, he works hard so why not get a chocolate chip cake for later that night.

For the past week I have heard about how much is costs to drive to places.

Yeah, I know. I used to drive everywhere for my job but I was reimbursed mileage but hey, I was always aware of how much money went in the tank and most people have to know that. Bob has never really had to factor that in and now it's all 'it's going to cost us 30 bucks to go see my family!'

Then he wanted that chocolate chip cake I had mentioned earlier and holy cow, it's 5.99! 'Did you know this cake was that much!?' I get asked. Truly, I don't know that I ever really looked as again, job, finances, things were fine - now I'm looking at him and wondering if this new crabby Bob is worth 5.99 (just kidding).

What's funny is Bob thinks I spend most of our money and hey, I never really cared because really, I didn't. Now I look at him and say 'who spends all our money now?' and I think Bob is coming to the conclusion that 200 bucks at Home Depot is 2 weeks of gas money.

He told me I wasn't allowed to buy books anymore. I laughed and said I still have 200 bucks in gift cards to which his answer was 'crap!! I used all my gift cards.'

There's a whole lot of other stuff going on that I have to bite my tongue about but he does get C-Rex grilling him every few days and he's not used to that. He has started a Sales Agency with 2 partners and I so hope these guys can make a great go of it. I know they can, they just need to get enough clients going.

Anyways, he was offered something this past week and he's thinking it over. Of course, me being the biggest and best proponent of all things Bob (seriously, I think he's a genius and if he would only hire me as an agent we'd be rich in a few years. Or not because C-Rex can be off-putting) - I felt he needed some reality thrown in like cost of benefits (we use 'em!), cost of gas/mileage, wear and tear on a vehicle etc. These are things a company that hires Bob would have to come up with so in this new company he needs to ask the right amount of compensation to take care of all those things.

But, what do I know. I just know I pray and bide our time with full faith in Bob as long as he remembers his value and doesn't undervalue his work. (yes, we had that discussion and C-Rex almost bit him)

Anyways, that's the pile of ugh we have over here - I hope you guys are all holding strong and finding lots of leisure time and I don't know about you guys but I can't wait for the spring!

Dream of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

Finally! A title that might actually help me remember the characters and plot of the book.

Dreams actually play into the story so hopefully that stays with me but then, with my memory, who knows.

Cindy Blurb: We meet Regin the Radiant (A Valkryie) a thousand years ago plus another 9 or so when she first leaves Valhalla (Heaven) and is still a child of 10 years. She has no real fear of anything but does need food and a horse cause she is still a mortal and hunger does not keep itself at bay.

She enters a Berzerkers place (think Vikings with super rage) to find Aidan, the leader to ask for help. Aidan, upon seeing her knows she is his but also knows she is too young. So he hies her off to his cottage to feed her and keep her safe for the night before sending her to live with family until she is of the age they can be together. I'm thinking Aidan is like 40 at this time. Regin thinks he's a touch crazed but he listens to her and laughs with her when most people find her a pain in the arse. Doesn't matter though, she leaves in the night and for the next 9 years Aidan does nothing but try and find her.

Finally they are together and Regin still finds him fun and charming but hey, he's a mortal and she has no interest in sticking around to see him grow old and die. So Aidan says he will gain immortality by fighting 200 battles in the name of Woden (her Father) and will not anger the gods by taking her virginity. But they still have lots of fun. Until the night he can't help himself and afterwards is killed. His dying words are how he'll find Regin again.

Fast forward a thousand years and Regin is now the prisoner of Declan Chase, an evil man with the soul purpose of destroying all things Lore or immortal or of another species that is not human. He is the right hand man of a huge operation and has hunted and killed many of the lore.

Only Regin knows he the reincarnation of Aidan and with one kiss and a night of bliss she hopes she can save herself and her allies.

But with all things lately, it's complicated.

I have to admit I have a few left over questions about how everything worked and worked out. I mean, the idea of reincarnation is not really explained as to how or why it happens. In previous books Cole usually has logical reasons why something odd in the lore might happen. This time the reincarnation part wasn't really explained.

With that said, I have to say the story has stayed with me. I love dark tortured characters and Declan was definitely all that. In fact, he is considered the greatest enemy of many of the lore when they discover he exists along with The Order (a human group experimenting on miscreats (miscreations) to find the weakness so humans can exterminate them). I also like how even at the end of the story he wasn't all sunshine and happiness about the lore. I mean, how do you go from hating and fighting for over 20 years of your life and then just flip a switch. You don't and Declan really can't.

Regin meanwhile is fun and mouthy and hey, I enjoy that. She has a way of egging on her enemies and being somewhat inappropriate but you never have to wonder where you stand with her.

What Regin didn't expect was the man who had harmed her and tortured her could be her reincarnated lover Aidan. Afterall, other reincarnations had never tried to hurt her. Declan has her and many of her allies and greatest enemies all imprisoned and she realizes her only hope is to get Declan to remember his past lives with her.

But there's a catch and you'll have to read the book to find it. At least, I think you do, I don't think it's mentioned in the blurb and probably not in the first couple of chapters either.

I do have to say that there was a part of this story that didn't work for me and that was the 'mine' aspect which has worked for me in the past. The only problem is yelling 'mine!' out while making love it not overly romantic to me. Easily fixed with the addition 'you're' but just 'mine' and I'm wondering if it's the vagina he's claiming and the rest of the body parts are just there for the ride. Okay, yes, I may be pulling at fine strings but for some reason with this book I really, really noticed the use of this word and have to say it was off putting.

I don't want to go into spoiler territory so if you're going to read the book you might want to skip this paragraph just in case. I found the previous incarnations of Aidan to be obsessed with Regin and not really in love with her and Regin never really fell in love with them. Declan meanwhile has so much to over come that he doesn't come off as obsessed but more curious and needing. I think the separation of Aidan from Declan would have been complete if Declan had never used the same terminology as Aidan and claimed all of Regin without yelling 'mine'. Cause really, 2 year old kids run around yelling 'mine' all the time and even they aren't cute when doing it.

Once again, there is a meeting of many of the previous lovers and friends near the end and Nix is hanging about (but I can't see her as a pretty young woman - I see her as an old hag kind of thing) and I couldn't really tell who's story would be next which is kind of cool.

I'm going with a B- because I enjoyed Regin and her sense of humour and her ways and I really did like the dark Declan Chase. I guess the ending just didn't work out quite right for me (and it had more to do with changes in Declan than to plotting) so it's not really a keeper but then, I'm keeping the book - just in case!

Finding Normal

Bob's job officially ended on Friday and as much as I am feeling off kilter, Bob seems to be thrilled. Until I got up this afternoon and he looked me dead in the eye and said, 'I'm bored'.

*shrug* I'm guessing the next few months are going to be interesting to say the least.

For the past 5 days I have been a day walker because Bob is hand nailing the hardwood floor in the master bedroom.

Hand. Nailing.

This takes serious time and well, Bob's not been slaving away up there. Not that I blame him, it's a huge undertaking but he seems quite happy with doing it all by hand. No huge mallet hammer to get things moving. I've decided this is his 'coping' with not being employed. Bob thinks I'm bonkers. But hey, I just notice patterns is all. Whenever something 'big' happens Bob loses himself in a project.

And the floors are the Mother of all projects.

Ah well, we'll figure it out. I just told him that I'll be back to my nocturnal ways soon and that I didn't want to hear it. He nodded and said that I had indeed been a trooper. Yeah I have!

All I know is my 'space' is being all ruched up. Bob 12/7 is a lot of Bob. I love him but I need my 'me' time or I get lippy. We just need to find out sea legs is all.

Finally I went to buy the Kindle only guess what? My gift card is only good for the Canadian Amazon so whenever I switch to buy the Kindle it doesn't recognize that I have funds on the account. So it would be 170 bucks right now and I'm not feeling all that jazzed about the future to be plopping down that coin at the moment. Bob has insisted but I've held steady. He did say he would order it himself but I laughed cause I'm pretty sure Bob knows how to find the news on the internet and then after that, the computer is a huge chess board or solitaire.

But hey, my birthday is in August and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm asking for!

And onto reading, I finished Dream of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole tonight. I'm working out my opinion piece but it's slow going.