13 years...

happy birthday little blog.
today you turn 13.
(and i'm not going to lie...
that blows my mind a little bit...
i don't stick with a lot of my projects,
but...this one has stuck pretty damn good.)

whatcha readin'? {2018::book 6 - goal 24}

Ok...can we all just give me a little
pat on the back here...
it's February and I'm already at 6 books read!
(actually, it's 7 but I am getting ahead of myself).

Yay me!

I just went back to compare where I was at
this time last year
and I had read 1 book.
ONE book.
By February 20th!
What on earth was I doing!
Any wonder I didn't make my goal last year!
Such a slacker.

So anyway.
I just finished The Last Tudor by Philippa Gregory.
If you read this blog at all, you will know that I
always preface my "reviews" with ... (& I use the word review in the
loosest possible way...I really shouldn't even say review...
it's not a review...if anything it's a recommendation...
or maybe even the equivalent to a facebook thumbs up or down...
but I do not consider what I write here to be a review....
that requires work & thought & proper punctuation
and well...
I just wanna say hey...that book was super-awesome
or that book?  not so much and leave it at that.)

So anyway.
I got off on a tangent there and didn't even finish the sentence I started.
This is why I can't write reviews.
Anyway.  I always preface my reviews (*see above) of this author
with guilt that I am admitting I like these books. 
And I wasn't going to do that this time.
This time, I was going to be like damn it, I love these books
and I am not apologizing for that.

But then,
I didn't quite love this one.
I'm not sure why.  I really don't think it was the writing...I always love her
writing.  I think it might have just been where my own head is at and just
bad timing and I just HATED ELIZABETH SO HARD that
it kind of frustrated me throughout the whole story.

So if you like these books, please do not let this "review" (air quotes) stop you
from reading it.  If anything, go read it and then maybe we
can be united in hatred of Elizabeth. 

Again.  So not a review.  More of a book-related-ramble.  Rambles I can do.
(and Philippa Gregory, if you happen to come by and read this
please accept my sincerest apology.  I really do love your books!)

4 out of 5 ♥'s

NEXT UP:  YOU ARE A BADASS - JENN SINCERO
 

the best way to cure winterblues is...

to put on your best googly eyed monster hat
so no one knows it's you
and go out to the play-doh garden
and pick some fresh lemondrop flowers.

Works like a charm for me EVERY friggin' time.

View fullsize

tuesday truths...winterblues

I've been struggling a little this winter...
I haven't quite been myself.
Winter always wears me down but this year
I'm a little bit sadder, a little more uncertain...
my self confidence is a little worse for wear
and my heart feels a little bruised...
I feel like if I pretend hard enough
that everything is A-OK...then...
maybe I can fool myself too.

And for the most part...it works.

But I am starting to feel a shift.
The days are getting just a smidgen longer...
that tiny extra bit of brightness
has been enough to push me forward a couple of steps.
I can feel a little spark of energy...
and I want to turn it into a full blown fire.

I have been getting back out with my camera
and even went back to the gym...
made it to yoga...spent some time in the hot tub/sauna...
walked through snow filled woods...
and started some new art projects that I am excited about.
I'm reading books and joining book clubs
and writing groups...sometimes you just have to
force yourself to keep going...until you realize you
aren't forcing it anymore...

there IS a light at the end of the tunnel...
just keep swimming
(OK.  I might be getting my sayings confused
but you get my snowdrift).

View fullsize

tuesday truths...(the culinary edition)

► I ate roasted broccoli for the first time tonight and IT WAS SO GOOD.
How did I not know about this?  I tossed it with some olive oil, lemon juice,
smattering of salt and pepper and a heaping (yes, heaping...I can't help it)
spoonful of garlic.  And, even though I suspect I cooked just a tiny bit too long,
it was still SO GOOD.

►  I am not sure that I will ever remember how to spell broccoli. 
I get so confused on how many c's and how many l's.  Sigh.

► If you know me at all...you will know that I tend to order chicken fingers
when I go out to eat.  I love chicken fingers.  Or a chicken burger.  Fries.  No vegetables...
unless the vegetables are corn...I like corn.  Never any sauce for my chicken fingers.  Just salt please. 

I tried sweet and sour sauce tonight though...and I liked it.

My taste buds must be growing up!

►  In the past month, I have eaten pretty much a full family size box of chicken fingers
BY MYSELF.  Mostly with 5 minute fries.  Always with a can of diet coke.  That's healthy, right?  I mean, sometimes there's corn.

► OH!  & totally not related to food....but AJ  Finn liked my tweet about his book!  :)