Toto- I don't think we are in Kansas anymore!

Lazy bum!

Nosey Kitty!

Martina found another homeless shelter. She just loves those boxes.

What's happening - No, you did not come here by mistake. This is the correct blog. I have done some major remodeling. And... I love it! I love my new look! I had been thinking about switching to a 3 column layout for about a year now. I did a lot of research, it is not as easy as it seems. Oh sure you can go to a website and download an already made layout complete with beautiful pictures (which you either can't change or would be difficult to change) or you can pay someone to make a layout for you. I didn't want to do either of these. I wanted a layout that allowed me to use my own header picture so I could change it with the seasons. I wanted something simple, so that my pictures and posting stood out instead of being gobbled up by design. I finally found one! Please let me know what you think.

My Thanksgiving was great! I was going to take my camera, but... I forgot! It was at my mom-in-law's this year (next year it will be at my house). Everything was great! I just love a whole day focused on family, food, and relaxing! My husband did get that day off! but he had to work over the weekend. I went shopping on BLACK FRIDAY!!!!! This day is scarier than Halloween! I took my mom-in-law. She bought more than I did!

I had a "run in" with Norton over the weekend. My computer was telling me I needed to renew my subscription to Norton anti virus. So I did. I got an email giving me the Key code to activate. OF COURSE... it didn't work. I tried again and again. I even tried older key codes of the past. nothing. Sooooo I emailed the tech help, which... OF COURSE... in somewhere in India! My husband said I should just call them. I said "No, I do not want to talk to someone I can't understand!" I did get a lovely email back from a man in India. Telling me I need to do "this". So I did "this". Which downloaded a totally different version and lots more expensive! It also took off my previous version. It didn't even ask me, how rude! So then I put in the key code and, OF COURSE... it didn't work! I emailed them back. I told them I didn't want Norton 2010, I wanted my old version back. and that the key code still didn't work. I got another lovely email from a second man in India telling me my subscription has been extended and they wouldn't charge me the extra for the newer version. They also gave me a new key code. I emailed them back and said... again... I DO NOT WANT THE NEW VERSION, I WANT MY OLD VERSION BACK! I got another lovely email from a third man from India. Apologizing for the other 2 idiots, extended my subscription even more, Gave me step by step instructions on how to delete the new version, install the old version, and a new key code... IT WORKED! Thank you - "man from India".

I have signed up to do book reviews for two different companies - "Litfuse" (which I already told you about) and "Thomas Nelson, book reviewing Bloggers" My first book is in the mail from them. I am excited! What is nice about this is you only review books that you want, you get to choose. So, I think I will only do about one per month. and you get free books!!!!! I can keep them, give them away, donate them to the library, etc. When I do my book review posts, I will do it as a separate post on a different day than my usual post. I will always do my usual post on Mon. or Tues. But please check out my review posts as well. If anybody else is interested in reviewing for these companies, click on the "buttons" in the right sidebar. You do need to have a blog.

Knitting - Whew, Christmas knitting is somewhat winding down. I finishing things up. Probably by next week I should be finished with most of my knitting projects.

Books I have read - The Shape of Mercy, by - Susan Meissner. This book was GREAT, 5 stars! A young college student (Lauren) gets a job transcribing a diary written by a girl (Mercy) who was tried as a witch in the Salem witch trials. The book goes back and forth between Lauren and Mercy's diary. I is very well written. I fell in love with the characters. And... I did cry! When I was a teenager I was really interested in the Salem witch trials. So this book was great for me to read, and it also renewed my interest. It is so amazing to me that this really happened! That people could be so stupid to listen to a group of girls accusing women of witchcraft, for revenge? Over 100 were jailed and 19 (I think) were hung! This is classic example of mass hysteria.

The second book about the Salem witch trials was - The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. This book was totally historical fiction although the Author's ancestors were the main focus of the book, she makes it clear that it is a work of fiction. I was really torn with this book, this first half I would give only 3 stars, it was really slow and I know that she was doing history and character building, but it seemed very long to me. The last half of this book I give 5 stars, ti was very sad, real, exciting, depressing actually. It is about a family during 1690 - 1692. The Mother (Martha) was accused of being a witch. Then almost her whole family is jailed also, 3 sons and the oldest daughter. I will not go any further so as not to give it away.

In both books there are a lot of true facts about the Salem witch trials. Both Authors did a lot of research, and both were very well written. I would like to now go back and re-read The Crucible and Tituba, which I read as a teenager. I also have another book on order, but I don't think I will be getting it for a while.

Top 5 - Things you hate about the telephone.
1. ummm... the ringing! Seriously, every time the phone rings I moan, uuuuuuhhhhhhh and stomp to the phone. Its not a pretty site.
2. Answering, especially if I have to get up just after I got comfortable and the phone is on the other end of the house, why oh why didn't I grab it and put it next to me???
3. Finding the phone, I seem to have a problem with leaving it in unusual places, bathroom, laundry basket, bed, coat pocket, outside!
4. Talking on the phone,really! I am not a phone talker. There are very few people I actually enjoy talking to on the phone. Usually only people I never get to see. I HATE idol chit chat on the phone. If you don't have something to tell me... don't call!
5. Telemarketers!!!! The worst. I really have no tolerance for them, and I know I have been rude on more than one occasion, OK OK more than 100 occasions. But really these people have to under stand that when they sign up to be telemarketers they are going to get grief from people and they are going to be despised! It should be in the job description.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I am really excited about Thanksgiving! My Mother-in-law and I take turns each year. This year it is at her house. And who ever is hosting the big event gets to do the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and the other person brings the other stuff. Sooooo no turkey roasting for me! I am taking Squash, Candied yams, Pumpkin pie, a yummy fruit salad, and fresh ground coffee. There is only school Mon. and Tues. this week so I will have no kids from Wed. on! Yeah, V-A-C-A-TION!
What are your plans for T-day?


I got my person for the Holiday swap. This is going to be tough! At the questionnaire, I filled out a lot of stuff, I put as many ideas as I could think of because I knew the person who got me wouldn't know me. But the person I got didn't hardly put anything. So I am at a loss! Hmmm. Help me think, any suggestions?


I haven't seen much of my husband this week. He has either been home very late (10:00 or so) or not coming home at all. We are both really hoping that he will even be here for Thanksgiving! He said that there is suppose to be a big Rig-move this week and there is a possibility it might run into T-day. He is usually gone for several days when he is on a Rig-move.

I thought it would be fun for you all to see where it is my husband works and what he does. This is the link to their website - DC Rauscher. On the top click on - Wellsite services, Oilfield Hauling, and Pipeling construction. That's what he does! And he actually took most of the pictures they used. He travels between NY, PA, and WV. He has been in PA and NY this past week. There is ALOT of drilling going on in PA! If you click on "About us" it kind of gives you an overview of what the company is all about. Very seldom does he do water hauling, only when they are slow and there is nothing for him to do, he is too talented for it to be wasted on hauling water! LOL, just bragging.

My daughter did a really nice post - Ashley Amanda, about her friend's death, brought tears to my eyes. You should check it out, its touching.

I won "The Heretic's Daughter" from Dar - Peeking between the pages - and I just received it in the mail on Sat. I am excited! Right now I am reading "The Shape of Mercy" its about the Salem witch trials and so is Heretic's Daughter! So I think I am going to read them back to back. That should be fun.


Knitting - STILL knitting for Christmas! I can't wait to be knitting for myself again!

Books I have read - Shanyn - Chick loves Lit - was so wonderful and sent me her copy of "Laced with Magic" by Barbara Bretton. It the sequel to "Casting Spells" which I loved so much!
It was just as great! I really do suggest that you read the first one though, even if the second one could be a stand alone book, you really get the jist more if you read them in order. Once again this is about a small town in VT where strangely enough is filled with witches and sorcerers, faeries, trolls, vampires, etc. I know, this doesn't sound like my kind of book, but it was great, fun, not to be taken seriously. I am actually going to look into getting other books simular to these. I already have on order (from PBS) the first 2 "Demon Hunting Soccer Mom" books, sound like fun?

I also read "Devil in the Details" by Jennifer Traig, this is a memopir about a girl who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Well let me start by saying, I was disappointed. It started out great. It was funny and very descriptive about her OCD. But by the 4th chapter, it started lacking.
I felt it was more of a lesson Jewish law than OCD. Nothing against Judaism, but as a non-jew I didn't understand 1/2 the terminology used in this book. I kinda got the feeling that when she wrote it she expected all the people reading would be Jewish.
Also - It skipped around a lot. One minute she was a child then a teen , then back to being a child again, very confusing. In one chapter, 1/2 way through the book, she talked about getting the biggest glasses possible to punish herself, then about 5 chapters later she told about how she found out she needed glasses. Kinda backwards. I was like "Wait a min. didn't she already have glasses?"
AND... the books keep repeating the same stuff over and over, Ha! maybe she does have OCD! LOL little OCD humor there.


EVERYONE - HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!!!!

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Live everyday to its fullest

This is my husband and what he gets to play with all day!


I bought some new bird feeders. They are great!
The birds like them.


What's happening - My husband and I had a great weekend. We out to dinner to one of our favorite restaurants - Ciccino's in Waterloo. Its a great Italian restaurant. We hadn't been there in a long time. Then we went to "The Walmart" bought new pillows and flannel sheets. We looked for the new Lady Antebellum CD, of course they didn't have it. That is really something that Walmart is lacking in - country music. Maybe the CD is not even out but Walmart's country section is very sparse. On Sunday I wake up with a terrible headache, which I kept for at least half the day. In the afternoon we went to Lucus winery (I realized my headache was gone), Glen and I both did wine tasting and bought 2 bottles. Glen said he actually liked all the wine he tasted! This would not have happened two years ago. I told him maybe he was developing a taste for it. It would be nice if we could sit and have a glass of wine together.

We got some bad news over the weekend. My daughter found out that her ex-boyfriend (the one right before the present love of her life) had died in a car accident on Fri. night. This was very upsetting for her. They had a lot of mutual friends so she had a lot of support. She is going to the calling hrs. and Funeral on Tues. and Wed. He was a Christian so there is no doubt in my mind that he is with God. Be at peace Ryan.

Knitting - Someone last week asked if I was still knitting because there were no pictures of knitting stuff. I am knitting like crazy. Its just that it is all for Christmas and people who read my blog can't see! After Christmas I will play catch up with all the knitting photos. Promise!

Books I have read - "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova, Great book. Very sad story about a Harvard Professor who gets Alzheimer's Disease. She was only 50 when she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

"Made in the USA" by Billie Letts, I also really liked this book. I could easily tell it was by the same Author as "Where the Heart is" and not only because someone dies in "The Walmart" in the beginning., hahaha I love that! This was about a homeless teen and her brother trying to make it Las Vegas. Through drugs, rape, theft, beatings, porn, and handouts. They finally find a home and what they want in life. This was one book you were really hoping for a happy ending.

Contests - Dar at "Peeking Between the Pages" is giving away a copy of "After You" by Julie Buxbaum. This sounds like a really good book, sad.

Top 5 - If someone gave you $10.00 how would you spend it?
1. A book, of course!
2. Yarn (not very expensive yarn, or some on sale)
3. Coffee for my daughter, my hubby, and myself
4. Go to Micheal's and buy whatever is on sale
5. Save it for the next time someone gave me $10. then I would have $20.00!

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Having a nice Fall?

Is anybody missing a few leaves? If so, I think they got put in our yard by mistake.


Martina destroyed her homeless shelter! So we had to recycle it.


She quickly found some good low income housing though.


She moved right in!



What's happening -

I just signed up for something really fun.It is a secret Santa through Bloggers! You sign up and fill out a form that tells about you. Then you will receive a person and another person will receive you. You send your person gifts and you get gifts in return! Doesn't that sound cool? Here is the link - Holiday Swap You have to sign up by Nov. 12 so hurry!

I also just signed up to be a book reviewer through "litfuse" the button link for the site is on the right. I will not be reviewing my first book till Feb. but I am really excited about this! I have been thinking about signing up to be a book reviewer but didn't know if I really had the time. Well, you choose the ones you want to do, so if I am having a busy month, I just don't sign up for that one. Or if I am not interested in that book, etc. This sounded like something I could handle.

My husband's birthday was Mon. I had a little party for him on Sunday. I baked a cake (yes! I baked! only for birthdays) a white cake with yummy cocoa frosting. We had icecream, presents, family, good time. On Mon. for dinner I made him one of his favorites, Lasagna.

The Steelers win again! They are now 6 - 2, yea!!!!
We have had really nice weather. I am almost afraid to tell you. I don't want to jinx it. Monday it was 70! But only high 50's today, maybe we can squeek out a 60?


Books I have read - I read two great book this past week!

"Casting Spells" by Barbara Bretton, it took my four months to get this book from the library (I was on a waiting list that long), It was absolutely worth the wait! I loved it! This is certainly not the type of book usually read, but I am hooked! It is about a small town in VT that secretly harbors Witches, Vampires, Trolls, Werewolves, Faeries etc. The main Character, Chloe, is half witch and half human whose powers have not developed yet. If her powers don't develop soon the town will be doomed! Of course there is a mysterious death - enter handsome investigator! This is part mystery, suspense, love story, and funny! Very fun, quick, quirky read!


"Boneman's Daughters" by Ted Dekker. Boy I love this Author! He is Freaking amazing! He is every bit as good as Stephen King and Dean Koontz! It is suspenseful on every page. A serial killer is kidnapping young girls, breaking their bones, and leaving them to die. Ryan Evans is an intelligence officer who is alienated from his own family. When the BoneMan kidnaps Ryan's daughter, Ryan must take on this deranged killer himself to save her.

Contests - "At Home with Books" is giving away 5 copies of "Kissing Games of the World" by Sandi Kahn Shelton.

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