Friday

Bucket List...

Woot!

* Read one more book!
* Blogged another recipe on my cooking blog!
* Cleaned off my scrapbook desk but didn't actually start yet
* Thought about camping....

Oh Anne...

Another book under my belt.  I was cleaning out my closet last week and came across a bag with this inside.  I had forgotten that my mom had bought me this book during their cross Canada tour. 

I admit it here for all to see...I adore the movie Anne of Green Gables.  It is at the top of my movie lists most of the time.  I think I have seen the movie at least 20 times if not more.   I did enjoy the book Anne of Green Gables as well of course but I ADORED Megan Follow's portrayal of Anne.  When grouped with Colleen Dewhurst, Richard Farnsworth and Patricia Hamiliton it makes for the best movie ever.  Mrs Smith in my office would beg to differ.  Hailing from Nova Scotia she hates everything green gables and the mere mention of it sends her into the 'depths of despair.' 

I see you rolling your eyes out there.  You don't have to like Anne.  I do.  Did I mention that my daughter's middle name is Anne which may or may not be related to Anne Shirley.

I assumed that this book would be 'the most tragical thing that ever happened to me' but I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes - you have to suspend a little bit of reality but I am totally ok with that.  I finished this book in less than 48 hours and rather than add to my giveaway pile it's going to stay on my bookshelf.  This book isn't for everyone.  Die hard fans of the original book will likely find it a 'perfect graveyard of buried hopes' as it isn't dark enough but it's a fun story and an enjoyable read.  Easily a 9/10 for me.  Hee Hee.  

I enjoyed it so much that I am going to have to watch the movie again. Soon.  I know that this review did go on and on so thank you for bearing with me as I ranted and raved.  'If you only knew how many things that I want to say and don't you'd give me some credit.'

Currently reading "Charley's Web" by Joy Fielding and "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.  Reviews coming eventually....

Tupperware Veggie Spiral at work....

When I saw these on sale I bought a 4 pack and distributed them to some of my friends.  Over Easter I grabbed one of Mom's radishes and gave it a try.  :)
Ta - Da!

Bucket List Update

Let's catch up!

* My Mom taught me how to knit one evening at her house.  I have not picked it up since but I had better try soon or my dream of knitting something recognizable will fail.
* My friend Heather and I met during my lunch hour and we went to the Antique marketplace.  I didn't buy a thing and wasn't even tempted to buy anything.  Am I losing my touch?
* I signed up and attended a scrapbook retreat in Calgary
* I don't actually remember what I got done - if anything.  LOL  I will have to go back through the projects I brought and see if I can tick any more off the bucket list based on that.
* I did purge quite a few supplies from my scrapbook room.  More work is needed.  :)   Or maybe just more scrap time is needed.
* I do not move my butt 3 times a week.  Some weeks I do well with that and other weeks I fail completely.  The last 2 times I moved my exercise bike into my scrap room and watched PVR'd episodes of Days of Our lives.  I kept the remotes in the cup holder for convenience.  Hee Hee  That was fun.  I could do more of that.  I think I still am behind about 21 episodes.  I got addicted in University and now it's my guilty pleasure and stress outlet.  How can you watch that and NOT laugh your ass off?  I think I have perfected my own John Black eyebrow raise now and maybe even Friends Joey's "smell the fart" acting.  Almost ready to go pro with this and use it on real people...
* I thought about baking a pie.  Instead I played more Frontierville on Facebook.

Books and more Books

Another from the pile from my aunt.  This one was a fairly quick read and wasn't too bad.  A little too stretching of my own reality to really buy into that much I give this one a middle of the road rating.  6/10

Yeah yeah...I know I alternate between /10 and /5 but it's my blog and I'll be inconsistent if I want to.







I am actually not quite done this one but my Kindle battery died this morning when I was at 92%.  It's plugged in getting new life now but I've read enough of it to have an impression.  I enjoyed this book.  My husband suggested it after we watched the entirety of Season 1 of The Walking Dead: Season One . REALLY LOVED Season one and can't wait to see where they go with it.

As for the book, I did enjoy this one.  It is written from a unique perspective and while I sometimes wished that some of the survivor accounts went on longer I really liked how the whole story unfolded.  I am looking forward to reading those last few pages and see how they wrap it all up.  4.5/5




Just returned this one to the library today.  I saw this book reviewed on a blog that I read and even though I don't have any more babies in my future I wanted to give this one a read.

The first few pages made me laugh out loud.  By the time I was over half way I had begun skipping pages and then I finally just closed it without finishing.  This book does have some really humorous parts.  I found though that the humor grew wearisome after a while and I just wanted to stop reading.  DH tells me that my sense is humor is off though so maybe I just don't appreciate this book like I should.  DH did read a few pages on his own and reported that it made him laugh out loud.  He wants to give this book as a gift to the next couple we know expecting their first baby.

There isn't a whole lot of real info here but there is some buried in between the sarcasm.  It's not meant to be though - that's what all those other books are for.  While DH would likely give it a higher rating I am going with a 4/10 here.


Live More, Want Less: I can't give this one a fair review.  I've read too many of these books recently and have cancelled my other library requests for them.  It had some good ideas but nothing all that unique.  I peg it average and tuck it in with the other books of the same genre.










By the same author as above I also read this one.  I really enjoyed this one.  I love the idea of giving something up each month to try.  My mother thinks the whole idea is absurd and why would anyone do that to themselves.  I think it's brilliant.  I may be adopted.

As I near the halfway point in my 2011 bucket list, I am wondering if I should have a bucket list in 2012 or do my own version of "give it up".  I think I'll do both.  :)

I don't have a rating here - I liked it!!




This book was recommended to me by a co-worker who took a free course at work by the same name.  This book is a very quick read with a great fundamental idea.

The idea of prioritizing your life certainly isn't a new one but it is an important one.  I  had the privilege of hearing a keynote speech on the same idea at a conference that I attended 2 years ago.  It was inspiring and thought provoking.

This book brought back memories of the keynote speech and while I enjoyed the keynote more - this book does deliver the same message.  Definitely worth a read if you don't get bored with all the circus analogies.



I don't review cookbooks.  It doesn't seem fair when most of the time I take it out of the library, look at the pictures and vow to make something from there someday.  This one deserves a special exception.  Even if you don't plan to cook a thing from here (and you may not wish to with all the cheese etc in the self described not low on calories but high on taste recipes) the stories and pictures within make this a worthwhile read.  Her story of the city girl turned country ranch wife is great as well as the stories that follow. I have seen her blog now and again but this cookbook is a great compilation of recipes.  I love how she shows every detail of all the recipes in it - step by step.  There should be a law that all cookbook should do the same. DH thought some of these recipes sounded good so I will likely take this out from the library again the next time I am on a cooking binge.