Books books books.

ok... nominated for the book thing... I don't usually do nominated games, I'm a spoil sport. BUT I do like books, and I think I was nominated like 5 times for this.  10 most influential books (or books that have stuck with me for forever)

1)  Haroun and the Sea of Stories -Salman Rushdie * Jeepers, I love that book. Go read it. Read it to your entire family. I made my roommates in university (a bunch of boys) sit and listen to me read it to them out loud. See if you can figure out how it ties into

2) The BFG- Roald Dahl  *I love books that are real made up stories. I love that all of Roald's books took me someplace and made me laugh... and still make me laugh and see with new eyes.

3) Clan of the Cave Bear/Valley of Horses Jean M. Auel * I read Valley of Horses before I read clan of the cave bear... The lead character Ayla has since then been in my mind as the perfect woman role model. I read it when I was in my early teens (oops, my parents forgot there was a lot of sex in that series) and I figured that to be a real strong independent woman, I should probably learn how to do most of the things Ayla did while she lived in that little cave by herself.

4) I heard the Owl Call My Name- Margaret Craven * This is my favourite book. Full stop. Read it, then let's talk about it.

5) Watership Down - Richard Adams *This one and the next book were read to me a few times by my dad as I was growing up. I loved the rumble of his voice while my sister and I would lean on him to hear the story. Plus I think this is where I first really started to love rabbits. And geeky things like made up languages.

6) The Hobbit- J R R Tolkien * see above... but insert the word "hobbits" to replace "rabbits".

7)The secret Garden- Francis Burnett *just a great story that I always come back to read, because for me, it's about a story.

8)The princess Bride- William Goldman/ S Morganstern * DID YOU KNOW THIS IS FUNNIER THAN THE MOVIE??? Read it, let's talk.

9) Foxfire series- Editor Eliot Wigginton * oh man. why wasn't I born in the Appalachian mountains? This was my bible for learning everything I needed to know to live in a small cave of my own someday.

10)The Island of the Blue Dolphins- Scott O'Dell *again, it's all about books with those young women learning amazing things and taking care of themselves. I got this book for Christmas when I was in grade 6, I was so pumped when it was on the reading list for grade 7... don't ask me how many times I've read it since... it's embarrassing.

Flip drip

I totally indulged at the book sale today.
I didn't over indulge, I came away with 6 books for me to read and pass on to the library, and two sweet little books to go right into the kids' section.

I've spent most of today looking forward to curling up on the couch with one of the new books. Well... that and dreaming of a nap in my non-existent hammock... but whatever.

As soon as I got home I let the dog out, grabbed some pillows, found a bookmark, and grabbed the first book from the bag. Then I let the dog in for story time. Story time because I've been finding my focus has been so bad lately that I need to read out loud to follow a story. The dog settled in and I got up.... grabbed the Kleenex box. I settled in... got back up for the trash can... I settled in again.... and read for a few pages... and then realized I was out of breath.

After a two day reprieve from allergies,  I was hit full force again tonight. Can't read out loud for too long because I have to breathe though my mouth!

Also I sucked two of those aweful little "no seeums" into my lungs when I was out for a walk tonight. The first one because I was breathing through my mouth (because of the allergies), the second when I started coughing and choking after sucking in the first bug.

Ok. I'm done complaining.  Honest.

Snowdays

Power has been out for more than an hour... the roads are snow drifts.

I think we'll just stay put with a good book today.

25 things part 2

6. I've "fake raptured" housemates as a prank.  - In university my housemates and I read the "Left Behind" series. One day I left random piles of clothing around the house for my roommates to find. These ladies put up with a lot of strange pranks (orajel on the toothbrushes!) and random quirks (the infamous "concentration whistle").

7. I trained myself to be a 7:15pm pooper while on the road with Watoto. Shows started at 6:30 or 7, so while everyone was busy watching the show/was in the show, I had a few minutes to myself for "the long call". I'm not a 7:15pm pooper any more.

8. I'd like to be a singer... For a career. Currently there's a little too much emphasis on people being "singer-songwriters". Maybe someday. Reading that thing J.Byrd posted, and some things said at last year's OCFF has pushed me think a little more about this.

9. The first time I saw the words "pubic hair" written, I totally read "public hair". Not only that, but I read it out loud to a huddled group of friends in grade 7 from a copy of "The Valley of Horses". I'd  borrowed the book from my Dad's collection, and spent the next 4 years hoping he wouldn't reread the series or remember how much sex was in it.

10. I'm really good at starting things.... not so good with follow thru.

favourites

My favourite hobbits came home last night, which is lovely... but it meant their house sitter had to go back home. *sigh*

Since the hobbits were settling back into their schedule, and everyone else seemed to be doing other things... I found myself with no choice.

I put on an audio book, I opened a can of Rekorderlig (red berry), and I took down the Christmas tree.

The house looks funny now. And I miss the twinkle lights lighting... I may have to buy one of those paper lamps and fill it with twinkles... just for the glow.

playing the game.

A meme, as tagged by Amy and Fez

oh man... this sounds really boring, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book...
"Researchers had thought that the ratio of these two proteins might determine whether the gluten in a particular flour would prove to be especially elastic or extensible when kneaded. Nothing seems to have come from this hypothesis, or from the idea that the molecular weight of a subfraction of glutenin might tell the story. One scientist who has devoted a lifetime to understanding the protein in wheat thinks that typical American bread flour is simply too high in total protein to bake a proper baguette."

taken from Jeffrey Steingarten's "It Must've Been Something I Ate".
honestly, this book is SO great, I laughed and laughed reading it (you just got the driest part) AND it made me want quality food.

I'm not going to tag anyone... I'm not a party pooper... I just want to go to sleep. If you want to play too, find the closest book, turn to page 123, find the 5th sentance, post it and the next 3 sentances.

curses

swears thrown at you publishers!

Just as I'm enjoying a great book... loving what's going on, content to have left the real world and snuggled all cozy with my fictional friends... you go and screw things up!

I yelled out loud today. In my car. No, not driving. While waiting for an appointment. Reading.

I turned the page in my nearly finished book... only to discover that indeed my book was done. The remaining 30 pages we just previews for other books!

who does that???
Ugh. Now I have to go to the library again.