Sunday, February 27, 2011

Books

So I love books.  Definitely an understatement but nonetheless I love them.  I love the feel of a book, the smell of a book, I just love books.  My only problem with them is the space they take up and the amount of clutter they cause after they've been read.  I have clutter issues in the first place but books take up a lot of my office clutter.   I've been debating over the past few months the prospect of getting a Kindle.   I was against it due to the fact that I love a printed book.  My husband has a Kindle and he loves it.  Every night we read in bed and I watch how effortless it is for him to hold his and how I have to sit a certain way for my book.

I also have been looking at the cost per book.  For a Kindle book, if its 6.99, its 6.99.  For a regular book, its 6.99+ shipping and handling.  Plus, I have to wait until it arrives for it to even be readable.  For the Kindle, its click click download enjoy.  Also, new hardcovers are cheaper on Kindle than in print.

I'm not even sure I'm going to like it yet. Sure, I've tried the hubby's just to see if I could tolerate it.  But its not "mine."  But I ordered one, it should arrive in 5-8 days.  So we shall see.  In the meantime, I have 1-2 printed books to finish before I try ebooks.


I know this is pathetic but why does it feel like I'm "cheating" on books?




Friday, February 25, 2011

Perimeter

So we successfully shopped the perimeter of the grocery store today. Yay. That was the goal. Making pit stops only for juice and oatmeal.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

I Am A Young Old Lady

I have been contemplating my lifestyle lately and thinking how my interests are those comparable to a little old lady.

 1.) I LOVE HOT TEA

Red Rose tea is my absolute favorite tea.  I've been drinking it for a good portion of my life.  My first taste of tea was my Great Grandma Martin's tea (Red Rose brand) sweetened with saccharin.  So, now I'm a lifelong tea drinker. On Fridays, one of my girls and I have "tea time" as a  way to unwind after the week (for me) and start (for her) before the weekend.  Its a nice tradition that we will hopefully continue as our schedules get in the way.  But we have one of those friendships that  always pick right up no matter how much time has passed.  Always has been.  Always will be.  Its nice to have a fellow 26 year old "old lady."  I'm sure she'd agree with me as my list here continues. (well, most of it anyways ;-) )

In our 20's/30's
Will this be us in our 80's??


2.) I LOVE TO READ

This statement is actually more like an understatement.  I have a book addiction.  I usually average 1-2 books a week when I have the time.  During the summer, it could be up to 3-4 per week.  My grandma and I swap books as she is as avid a reader as I am.  She and I have some favorite authors/series:
*Heather Graham
*J.D. Robb
*Allison Brennan
To just name a few.

Lately, I've been reading a lot of Chick Lit books, especially ones set in London.  I don't know what it is about Brit Lit, probably the language and brazen personalities and opinions but I can't seem to put them down.  But give me a cup of tea (surprise surprise), my recliner, a book and I'm all set for contentment.

However, to make that scenario a bit more perfect is my 3rd item:

My 3yr old cat, Calypso
3.) I LOVE CATSI once read an article about a ranch in Florida called "The Caboodle Ranch" and what it is is a ranch full of cats!  My mother and I always joked about having a farm where we would take in stray cats and give them shelter, food, and love.  I have two cats, Calypso and Malibu.  I admit, I'm a bit crazy when it comes to them, but as I have no children they are my furbabies.  No matter how rotten my day is, they always cheer me up.  Its like they know that I need some extra love.  I can't get enough of their cuddles (well Malibu cuddles a lot more than Calypso does) and the soothing sound of their purring in contentment. Calypso was a birthday present for me from my husband.  We went to the Humane Society and I chose her from the shelter because she cried the loudest.  She isn't a very cuddlesome cat (unless on her terms) but she is definitely "mommy's girl."  She sleeps on my pillow every night.


Malibu, 1 yr old
Even now as I type, Malibu is snuggled on my legs, sleeping away.   We got Malibu from a litter of kittens I rescued.  I had been feeding the stray pregnant momma cat (who I named Rosie because she slept in my rosebush pot during the wintertime since it was off the ground).  One day she didn't greet me at my door so I went looking for her. Lo and behold she had given birth to 6 kittens!  I took them into my house (much to the displeasure of my husband) and gave them food, shelter, and love so that they would have a chance.  I fell in love with all of them over the 8 weeks and giving them up was so difficult. My husband said that we could keep one of them and that is how we got our Malibu. The hubby thinks that Malibu is his girl but we both know the truth ;-)  

4.) I LOVE OLD MOVIES

I love older movies.  The classics.  My favorite actress of all time is: Judy Garland (with whom I share a birthday and a small stature).  She had a very tragic life but was a phenomenal talent despite the constant struggles she had throughout her entire lifetime.  I have seen most of her movies and hope to own all of the pictures that she has done.  I have read many biographies about her, did my senior thesis in high school on her, and even visited her resting place at Ferncliff in Ardsley, NY.  

I love the stars and starlets of this time period.  The movies from the 30's and 40's are among my absolute favorite movies.  Black and white pictures with Gable, Garbo, Kelly, Durbin, Rooney, Astaire, Rogers, etc... I just love watching them.  They weren't about the finest effects or the most daring stunts.  They were about the mood of the picture.  They were about family values.  They were about romance.  They were wholesome not filled with scenes of graphic nature looking for the shock value.  Maybe it is because I grew up watching these movies with my grandma but I will always enjoy these films as they are the classics for a reason.


5.) I LOVE THE GOLDEN GIRLS

I own the entire set of this show.  I absolutely love the Golden Girls.  It is my favorite tv show of all time.  I was devastated when Estelle Getty, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan died.  They were pioneers in their time and helped revolutionize television.  Powerful icons for women.

Betty White, now 89 is STILL an icon in today's television.  She is all over the media now.  I read her autobiography which was great and insightful into her career on television.  I love her "new" show- "Hot in Cleveland."  I have it on Netflix so that I can catch up on episodes from the start.  She is just a lovely woman who is a real inspiration.