A good day!

I had a really good day yesterday. As mentioned previously I won the book A Mending at the Edge from Susanne at Living to Tell the Story. I asked her to mail it to my work and yesterday it arrived in the mail! I look forward to reading it because although it is a work of historical fiction it is "based on the life of German-American Emma Agner Geisy, the only woman sent to the Oregon Territory in the 1850s to help found a communal society".

In addition yesterday I found out that I won a book from the contest at A Book Bloggers Diary. I won Sex and the City - Kiss and Tell. I'm so surprised! Alot of books were given away so I didn't know which one I was going to win (or if I was going to win at all!) While reading the give away blog I told myself that if I won the Sex and the City book I would give the it to my friend C who is a big Sex and the City fan. And now that I've won..... I want to read the book and then give it to her. hehehe

And the third great thing to happen to me yesterday was that I received my income tax refund. A cheque for $766 was delivered to my mailbox! Yeah!!

Southern Reading Challenge 2008

I have decided to enter the Southern Reading Challenge 2008. The rules: read 3 Southern Setting Books by Southern Authors in 3 Months beginning May 15 through August 15. By referencing this website I have narrowed down my choice to these:

1) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

and if there's time

4) Roots by Alex Haley

I know these are all really well known books, but they are the ones I want to read. Here's why:

I read To Kill a Mockinbird in grade 9 and have wanted to re-read it for some time now because I really liked it back then, and I'd like to see how (or if) my view of the book has changed over the years.

Gone With the Wind - Its a classic and I've seen the movie plenty of times, now it's time to read the book.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - I've wondered about Maya Angelou's books for some time now and this is the perfect time to get to know them.

I do want to read Roots (and see the movie) but isn't the book part of a series? Don't know if I can read the whole thing before August 15th.

I did read The Color Purple by Alice Walker earlier this year but since I read it before the challenge started it won't count. (this is my rule - not sure what the official website rule is. :P)

So on top of all the others books I have laying around my house to be read, this is my challenge for the next 3 months. And it will be a challenge! As much as I love to read, I hate deadlines. But its only 3 books so I will give it a shot! Want to join too? Go here.

Friday Fill-Ins# 71

1. The dinner had an extra secret ingredient; it was microwave radiation!
2. I see the sun setting through a haze of clouds through my window.
3. Right now, I need to do the dishes.
4. The hospital is where I went Thursday night; it was great! Seeing new babies and new mothers always is.
5. Why does a relationship (or ending relationship) hurt so much?
6. All I can think of is the pile of 5 books waiting to be read.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting some reading done, tomorrow my plans include shopping for A's shower present and Sunday, I want to hopefully see my sister and her baby again!

Just call me Auntie Julia!

This morning at 4:03am my sister had her first baby. She had a boy and named him Jared. That means I'm an aunt! I went to the hospital after work today and saw my sister, her husband, and the newest member of the family. He is the cutest baby ever!

I think my sister was the best pregnant woman ever. She very rarely complained during her pregnancy (even though she was sick for 3 months) and get this: She got to the hospital only 30 minutes before she gave birth! 5 minutes after arriving her water broke and 25 minutes after that she gave birth. I'm proud of my sister and I think she's going to be a wonderful mother.

Books, books, books

I just wanted to let you know about a book give away. Visit A Book Bloggers Diary to get all the details. There are many books to be give away so make sure you check it out! (Just make sure you only sign up for the ones that are eligible to Canadians.)Please be sure to mention me when you sign up. Thx. :)

Books and a knitting un-update

I haven't been knitting much lately. I cast on twice for Fetching and frogged it twice as both times there was a gap between the DPNs at the starting point. Its kinda killed my knitting mojo. I'm even getting tired of knitting dishclothes. Which for me is really saying something! The SSC knitting group meets on Monday so hopefully I'll feel more like knitting afterwards.

While checking out the blogs of some readers I came across some things I wanted to share. Check this out. Pretty cool huh? Its a staircase/bookcase. I'd love to have something like that in my place ..... except I don't have any stairs, and I don't have half as many books as it would take to fill that thing! But as a reader just the thought of so many books at my fingertips is a great thought. I also love the picture of the old books he has at the top of the page. I don't have much of a book collection but what I do try to collect is some of the "classics". I have Pride and Prejudige, Les Miserable, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Granted they are soft cover books, but a girls gotta start somewhere right?

I have about4 books on my night table waiting to be read (and about 4 more at the church library that I want to read) but I thought this looked pretty neat. Book around the World challenges you to read a book about each country of the world. The story must be based in the country but not necessarily the author. I like the idea but seriously how many countries are currently in the world?

Friday Fill-In # 70

1. Two of my favorite ingredients in a drink are rum and coke!

2. Nature often amazes me.

3. You can keep doing that forever, the dog is staying where he is.

4. Flour, oil, egg, sugar, milk, and blueberries, mix it all together and voila! You have blueberry muffins!.

5. If I had a yard with a garden, I would love to grow tomatoes, carrots, strawberries, and flowers.

6. Strawberries is best au naturel.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out for coffee, tomorrow my plans include painting my sister's dresser and Sunday, I want to attended 2 birthday parties!