As promised...

I mentioned that Hayley and I went to the pool the other day while we were having our Girl's Night/Day Out. She had spent the previous night with me and we managed to sleep in until 9am! This is a record because she is usually up with the daylight, which means so is everyone else.

After we rolled out of bed, we decided to fix breakfast--no cereal here--we actually made eggs and toast. She's into the sunny-side up eggs so she can dip her toast into them; I had a cheese omelet. Then we decided to "let our food settle" before we headed to the pool. Here are some of her serious poses in her stylin' new suit....

I know...I laughed at her dramatic focus too. Here are some others while we were at the pool... (This one is her swimsuit model pose. Where she comes up with these, I'm not sure, but it was pretty funny.)

She also had to show me how she can jump in the pool:










I think the best part is the video I took of her showing off her swimming skills. There were a couple of times I thought I was going to have to jump in after her because I thought she was going down, but she always grabbed the side of the pool or took a minute to tread water.



I made her take a break after this, and you can tell by her face exactly what she was thinking about that...

Overall we had a great time at the pool! This one has the water shooting off of the sides so it created a "bubble land" that she enjoyed playing in...with the "cheesy" noodle of course. (It's cheesy because it's orange like Cheetos.)

After our swimming adventure--we were both pretty tired, so we somehow managed to climb the three flights of stairs to my place, Hayley hit the showers, and I made lunch--chicken nuggets and buttered pasta. (I know, not the healthiest, but it was either that or stale crackers. I really hate grocery shopping!) By the time we finished lunch, it was time for me to hit the shower, while Hayley watched a movie. It was so late, that we had to hurry to get to our meeting place with her Mom on time. Oh well--maybe we'll have more time later this summer. Next time we might go to the movies. There's a few cute ones I think she'll like--we'll see.

I'm Still Here...I Think

Looking at the calendar is pretty depressing for me at the moment....only 3 more weeks and I'm back at work. Yuck! I feel like I'm finally starting my vacation and now I have to go back. I know I shouldn't really complain--after all, not all jobs have the "summer off," but anyone who knows a teacher knows that this is the time we work the hardest. Whine...Whine...Whine....I'm out of cheese.



Since the last time I posted, I finished reading Meljean Brook's two novels Demon Angel (with yummy Hugh) and Demon Moon (with delectable Colin). While that doesn't seem like much, both novels were around or over the 400 page mark with tiny writing. DON'T let that hinder you--both books were great although I will warn you--neither are Christian books. With that having been said, I think I'm in lurve with Colin! Not only is he astonishingly handsome and wealthy, but he has excellent taste, BRAINS, and he just happens to be a vampire. (I'm not sure what my obsession with vampires is, but for a vampire, he's most excellent!) I'm thoroughly jealous of Savitri--his love interest--not only is her name cool, but she hangs out with rather er...interesting characters, has the coolest job hacking into files (if I had that talent I could be "Librarian of the World"....insert evil laugh here), and has a vampire (amongst other other-worldly creatures) protecting her from the nosferatu that are chasing her. A bloody good read! (Pun intended...)

I also read The 6th Target by James Patterson. I've been waiting for this book to come out forever because I wanted to find out if Lindsay (the main character) and Joe (her LDR guy) decided to stay together. Action is packed with a startling shooting from the first couple of pages, but I have to say I'm disappointed. Ever since I found out that they're turning The Women's Murder Club series into a TV series, I've found that Patterson's book read like dialogue from TV characters rather than novels. It's the same thing that happened with Stephen King and Dean R. Koontz when their books became movies on the big and little screens. (Thankfully Koontz pulled himself out of it.) I HATE THAT!!!

ATTENTION AUTHORS: WRITE FOR YOUR READERS, NOT THE SCREENS! If you forget about us "little people" we will turn on you and all of your work will be for nothing. Books can always be turned into movies later--but the thrill of reading a good writer lies within the characters and if they turn into stock characters that we see every day, then we'll lose interest in your work. Just in case you're interested. Of course that's just my opinion. What do I know? I'm just a librarian, so it's my job to find good books for my kids to read...that's all. :)


After that's all said and done, I've just started reading The Copper Scroll by Joel C. Rosenberg. It's SO good and I'm only on page 22! I wish I would have read the other books her wrote before this one: The Last Jihad, The Last Days, and The Ezekiel Option--mainly because this novel comes after those. On the front cover flap it mentions that a lot of what he's written has come true. The scary part is that he published these books BEFORE the events happened. Is it a God thing? I don't doubt it. (Although if this book comes true I'm glad I have my fire insurance...and I'm not that far in...) Thankfully you don't have to have read his other novels to understand what's going on, but I'm sure it would have helped to understand the world's situation in this novel. Rosenberg includes a list of the characters (much like the Left Behind series) and then you jump feet first into the action. I definitely recommend it--and of course I'll post a review when I'm done.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out Friday evening--yes, I'll be standing in line to pick up my copy and will spend the rest of Saturday and probably Sunday afternoon reading it, so it will be awhile for the reviews. I hear it's about 736 pages or so, but since some lucky people managed to get their copies in advance, I'm trying to stay away from anything Harry related so that the ending isn't revealed. To put in print--Snape is a good guy. I think Dumbledore told Snape to kill him to help Harry carry out the prophecy. I also think that Ron and Hermione will finally get together--she may have to smack him over the head with her wand since he is such a guy and doesn't "get it," but i think he'll finally come around. I'm still torn over who gets offed in the book. I think that Harry will defeat Voldemort (come on--the whole series has been leading to this...if the bad guy wins there's going to be loads of unhappy people out there), but I think he may die in the process--after all, his wand is from the same phoenix as Voldemort's, so I think they have to cancel each other out in order for things to be saved. I don't want that to happen, and I'm really hoping I'm completely wrong, but sometimes the hero has to sacrifice himself to make things right for the rest of us. (Yes, I could give lots of examples, but I'll save it for another post.) In any case, I can't wait to find out. If you're one of those people who ended up with an advanced copy--can you overnight it to me? :)



Hayley is really growing up...she lost her first tooth,


and she's learning how to swim!



I actually have some really funny pictures of her serious swimmer poses, but I have to edit them so that they don't appear sideways. Maybe I'll post them tomorrow.

Yuck--the sky is a scary yellow-green color. Isn't that the warning color for tornadoes? Yikes--I see lightning in the distance, so I should probably get off of the computer before it gets any closer.

Don't Mind Me.....

I'm just enjoying the couple of days I have off since we've finished the emitters at pH-Farms.All of the rows are straight in all directions....thanks to the work of wooden stakes and string running each distance. Check out the pics!

They're straight....
Lengthwise:


Horizontal:


Even Diagonal!



Here's me working...Yes, I actually work! (Check out the farmer's tan!)



Hey! Who put that picture in here?!




You'll have to wait for the group shot pic--as soon as "el jefe" sends it (hint...hint).... I'll post it for you.


In other news....

I hope you have a wonderful July 4th! The skies were yucky and rain-filled for most of the day, but the evening was perfect for the fireworks that were being set off. I had planned on going to one of the big events in Tampa, but ended up going to my grandmother's house for a late-afternoon lunch instead. By the time I arrived back at my place, Madison and I decided to sit down in the living room floor and watch the fireworks being blasted over the Alafia River. (I actually think this was the best decision--no crowds, no bugs, and no clean-up! Unfortunately, it also meant no pictures.)


THE NEW HARRY POTTER MOVIE (HP AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX) comes out tonight (ok-technically it's tomorrow) after midnight!!!!! I've been debating for days over whether or not I should go to the midnight showing of the movie. (In all honesty, it was all I could do to finish the book because it was so dark in nature. Don't get me wrong, it turned out to be one of the most significant books published in the series, but it was a little dry for my tastes.) I guess my main concern is that I might doze off because of the late hour, which would be utterly mortifying! I'm also concerned because my friend April will probably KILL ME if I see the movie before she does...although there are a few she's seen without me....hmmmmmm... I'm also concerned about K-I-D-S....you know, those little buggers will pack the theatres and I really don't like to sit around people when I watch a movie. It ruins the whole experience for me because I'm constantly focusing on the people around me instead of the movie. Ack! Maybe I should wait until next week to see it....although my inner twelve-year-old is stomping her feet and yelling..."but I want to go NOW!" See...KIDS...YUCK!

Although I haven't posted my recently read books along the border, I have been reading some amazing books....



Demon Angel by Meljean Brook

This is the book that I won in her contest a few months ago, but haven't sat down long enough to read it yet. (I know....bad D. U.!) The real reason is because I started reading a couple pages and realized that it was historical, which meant I actually had to concentrate so that I wouldn't forget the details...something I don't want to do the first couple of weeks out of work.

However, I picked it back up last night and it is SO GOOD! The historical part doesn't last long before the characters are brought to modern times (i.e., May 2007). I don't want to say too much because it will give some of the action away, but just imagine Hugh (yep--the yummy angel on the front) as your Guardian Angel and you can imagine my attraction to the book. Lilith (is a demon--Lucifer's child) is the seductive sin that gets "man" into trouble. You can imagine the clashes that these two have until Hugh finally ends things once and for all...or so he thought....


I fell asleep in my comfy chair reading last night because I didn't want to put the book down. I already have DEMON MOON on the night stand so that I can read about Colin--the vampire! (He's actually in DEMON ANGEL too.)



Bang by Sharon G. Flake

Wow! What a gripping story. Mann's little brother Jason was murdered on their doorstep several years ago, when a man with a gun was running after another man from the neighborhood and shot both of them. Mann's family must learn to live without Jason, but suffer from many pitfalls along the way. Many other young black men are getting killed in the same neighborhood and Mann's parent's fear for hi sown safety in the neighborhood. Read (or listen) to see what they do to try and protect him.



Fair Game by Elizabeth White

Very cute Christian Romance! Jana Cutree returns home to Mississippi with her two active children in tow-searching for some serenity and hoping to open a Wildlife Rescue Center on the land her grandfather once offered her. Grant Gonzales, Jana's high school crush, unintentionally runs into Jana her first day back in town, after Jana hits a loose cow with her car, and her son finds an injured fawn in the woods. He's hoping to open a Hunting Camp as soon as the deal goes through and Jana's grandfather signs his land over to Grant. What do you get when you cross a all-male hunter and a vegetarian veterinarian? Read this delightful book to find out!



Midnight Sea by Colleen Coble

Book Four of the Aloha Series, tells us the story of Lelani (Lani) Tagama as she helps her "hippie" aunt on the Kona Plantation. Unfortunately, Lani gets caught in the middle of a smuggling ring and ends of losing her sight--right at the beggining of harvest season! Will she be able to identify the smugglers? How will she learn to cope with her loss of sight? Will her sight return before she is harmed? Read this exciting conclusion to find out what becomes of Lani, her aunt, and the Kona Plantation.



Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Yes! Another vampire book! Young Blue Bloods' lives are starting to be snuffed out around Manhattan and people are starting to get nervous. You see, the Blue Bloods are vampires, so they can never die unless their blood is completely drained from their bodies, which is what has been happening to the up-and-coming socialites. "The Silver Bloods are back!" is the rumor that is going around, but few believe the rumors until more Blue Blood deaths start happening.

I must admit, this first book is a little slow until about halfway through when the action starts taking place. I couldn't wait for the second one to come out because I just had to find out what happened next! This book is a cross between vampires and the Gossip Girls. If you like either one, you'll LOVE this series!



Blue Bloods: Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz

Page One had me hooked as I continued to devour (no pun intended) the book's pages. Continuing along with the drama from book one, the Blue Bloods are trying to track down who among them might be a Silver Blood. Meanwhile, we learn more about the family connections between the characters as more and more revealations are made about parentage.

Book Two is better than book one and I hope book three comes out soon so I can find out if my assumptions are correct. However, I have a feeling that this series may drag on longer than necessary, just as the Gossip Girls series did. Bummer!

You're probably wondering why I have the links to Amazon in my blog....I have applied to become an Associate of Amazon so that I can earn gift certificates to use there. If you use the links posted in my blog, or search for items at the top right, and purchase items through these links, I get a percentage from the orders. There are different ways to sign up for the perccentages, but I'm asking for gift certificates so that I can order more books (of course)! (Hopefully I've explained this correctly--there's a lot of lawyer-gobbledy-goop that you have to read through when you sign up.) Now, this doesn't mean that I work for the company, I'm justy volunteering my space so that if someone happens to take me up on the offer and orders items, then I can reap a few benefits. So, by all means, order away....! :)

Thief Alert!

I have to say that I'm REALLY PISSED OFF right this minute! Someone broke into my parent's house this afternoon and tried to steal the big screen TV (that happens to be my brother's) and other items from their home...IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! Obviously the thieves are IDIOTS, but I digress...

According to my Mom, the next door neighbor (Martha) called her at work to tell her that someone was trying to get the big screen TV out the back sliding glass door.....(Thankfully after she had called the police)

I guess the two guys decided to park their red Nissan pickup across the street to deflect attention. (As if someone wouldn't notice them carrying a TV across the street.) When they couldn't get the TV in their truck, they decided to leave it in the drive--whereas their crazy neighbors across the street decided that my parents must be trying to get rid of it and decided to try and put it in their house...but that's another story...

Mom said that the thieves ransacked the house--broke open the firesafe box to try and get any valuables there (it was under my dad's desk in the back corner). They took my Mom's good watch (a gift from her work) that was gold and had sapphire and diamond chips around the face of it. The also stole her box of bracelets (some that I had made her when I first started making jewelry) and skipped the expensive costume jewelry, etc.

They went through her bedclothes and were going to take those...then they broke into the gun-safe and stole some of the guns there--and left the cases in my niece's bedroom!

I'm not sure if anything else is gone, but Mom did say that the police-officer said that they probably got in through the window where we have the cat door for Tabby. They took it out and opened the sliding glass door from there...

It's kind of scary to think that this could happen--in the broad daylight to someone. I thank God that no one was home when this happened(especially since they may have had guns since they stole them out of the gun safe)! I also thank God for Martha--that she noticed what was happening so that nothing else went missing! And while I'm still ANGRY over this happening to MY parents, I also thank God that they're safe and still have each other.

As for the thieves, well...we do have part of their tag number. And, I can always pray that justice is done--whether it be through the legal system or through God's way. I know I'm supposed to pray for them, but I'm not there yet. In fact, I'm kind of praying that God has them get into a really bad accident right down the road, that everything they stole is returned, and then they decide to turn their lives around because they're quadriplegics and can do no more harm. (Is that really bad of me to want?) Send your prayers....we need them!

Happy Monday!

Wow! What an interesting...week!? (My days tend to run together between working and trying to enjoy my summer break.)

Mom ended up going to the hospital this past Wednesday, because her blood pressure went up and she became very dizzy. Ken and I were up at the farm, so we floored it back to Tampa to find out what was going on. When we arrived, Mom was getting and EKG so we had to wait outside the door. They had already started her on a Valium drip (!) to help rehydrate her. Then , they decided to take her to get an MRI done in one of the tubes. I told them that they would need to knock her out, but they didn't listen--at first. A little while later she was returned, completely knocked out. In fact, the nurse that had given her the sedative double-checked on her to make sure she was still breathing.(YIKES!) After she slowly woke up, the ER doctor decided that she had vertigo and sent her home with a prescription. Trying to help her get dressed was a trip. She kept falling over--just like in the cartoons. Then, she decided she wanted to walk down the hallway--thankfully, one of the nurses decided that she needed a wheel-chair and we managed to get her out to the truck. She doesn't remember any of this, and I wasn't allowed to take pictures (although the EMTs were gorgeous), so you'll just have to trust me on this one. She's doing better--although we're hoping her stress level goes down, which is what we think caused the vertigo.


Here are some pictures of pH-Farms:
Trees:

Hay Growing:

Hay Cutting:

Hay Rolls:
(This roll is taller than I am!)


Mowing:
Yep--that's your truly on the mower...in the middle of summer...in Florida!


(Yep--I mowed the whole zone--10 acres!)




This past Friday, we had a few more helpers at the farm--especially since we're on the emitters for this new tree zone (a couple thousand)--we needed all the help we can get!



Yep--all of those little orange things are the emitters. We've really only finished a fourth of the field...(whose crazy idea was it to do this during summer?!)




On a funnier note--we passed this sign on the feed store lot as we were going home:


No wonder all of the guys are so polite...they have to mail order chicks! Hee!Hee!


(Yes, I know that they really mean the fuzzy yellow kind, but for us city folk it's pretty funny.)



Get this--by Wednesday I'll have had 5, yes, FIVE days off of work--in a row! Can you believe it?!



Yes, I had a family function on Saturday, but that was a good thing because I had to get the scoop on my cousin's Europe trip--especially since I really, really, really, really...want to go there.

Today I had a brief meeting at Borders (I know, a real hardship), and then decided to take advantage of their sale.....maybe I should have asked to work tomorrow...hmmmmm....

After reading a lot of the book lists from the Spring Read Thing, I made my own and used it for some of my purchases today. Although I must admit, I did purchase some of the books because I thought they sounded interesting and they're not my normal genre(s) of books:

A Girl Named Zippy (Haven Kimmel)-recommended by one of my friends
She Got Up Off the Couch (and other heroic acts from Mooreland, Indiana)
(Haven Kimmel)-the sequel to Zippy
100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed (Melissa P.)--DON'T BUY THIS BOOK-IT'S SMUT!!!! HAD I READ THE FINE PRINT I WOULD HAVE NEVER PICKED IT UP--YUCK!
Miss Match (Erin Mangum-this book was on several reading lists and sounded like a great book!
Conspiracy Game (Christine Feehan)
Deadly Game (Christine Feehan)
Veil of Roses (Laura Fitzgerald)
English As a Second Language (Megan Crane)
In Her Shoes (Jennifer Weiner)--My firend informed me after I bought the book that I could have just rented the movie...oh well...hopefully the book is good.
C'est la Vie (Suzy Gershman)-I SO want to live in Paris (France)for a bit, and this woman is living my life (ACK!)
Body Movers (Stephanie Bond-an interesting twist on mystery stories.


Of course I still have my gazillion and one books that I brought home from work to read this summer...(If I don't read them before the kids get them, I'll never see them again)...so I can be found in my comfy chair by the window over the next few days--probably with Madison in my lap--if anyone needs me. :)

In interesting news--Dracula's castle is for sale! No, really--if the right buyer comes along, the castle will be theirs for a mere $135 million or so....

Speaking of castles, Harry Potter #7 is only a few weeks away....I'll be in Borders at midnight waiting for the last book in the series. According to the sales clerk today, she said that the "party" will last until around 3am. Three A.M.!!!!! I hope to have half of the book read by that time--so all I have to say is stay tuned...you'll know what I think as soon as I finish it.

Speaking of opinions...I went to see the Nancy Drew movie last week with April. She's never read the books and said that she thought it was "cute, but could have easily had about 45 minutes chopped off of it and it would have been better." Having read the Nancy Drew books since I was in the second grade, I have to say that it was okay. It's a great movie for kids and will keep their attention, but any hard-core Nancy fan will be a tad disappointed at the results. It was cute, but I felt like I was in the theatre for three hours--the running time is only 1 hour and 39 minutes--if that tells you anything. Oh well--just go in with no preconceived notions about what you think it should be like and you'll be okay. As I said, it's cute, but a slow story-wise.