Early Winter and craft

Winter has arrived early this year, and with the cold snap - winds straight off the Antarctic! - I've started nesting on the couch with my traditional winter crafts being pulled out of the mothballs ;-D  On Friday I started searching through my quilting projects for something small that could be hand made in front of the TV (Once Upon a Time Seasons 1 & 2), as well as leftover knitting or crochet from last year.   Since I couldn't help but buy some more quilting fabric I'll have a lot of projects to choose from, but I'm leaning more towards doing some quilt-as-you-go charm squares.  My green knitted jumper still isn't finished so I think that will go in the 'must do' pile as well.  I still have to dig out my chair-side storage basket so everything is within easy reach and then I can keep myself occupied through the cold winter months.  All I need to do now is raid my TBR pile for some good books and it'll be perfect!

ANZAC Day

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Hydrotherapy a joy

I was recently accepted into my local hospital's Hydrotherapy program.  Thanks to a referral from my Physio, I began the exercise program 3 weeks ago and I absolutely love it!  The pool is lovely and warm - but no too hot! - and although I am the youngest member of the group (as usual ;-D) it is great to meet with a group of people who suffer from similar problems and understand the difficulties of everyday life.

So with only 3 weeks left of hydrotherapy with the physio, I will endeavor to make the most of every session.  Thankfully the exercises are structured in such a way that I will be able to keep it up when the program finishes.  The real surprise was the pool.  Pictured above, it was such a relief to walk in to the Aquatic Centre and find such a wonderful setup.  As you can see, the therapy pool has a ramp that gently runs down the length of the pool allowing access for those who find steps a challenge.   It beats the local pool here hands down - no undercover heated pool - and although I have to travel over 40km (round trip), I don't mind as it ticks all the boxes for me.  Unfortunately, it will close soon for it's winter renovations but now that I know it's here... I'll be back!

In the mean time, it means that I'll be reading a little less.  Until I get my health sorted out I find sitting down for too long a tad painful.  I've only been reading in fits and starts lately which isn't the way I like to read.  Finger's crossed that this new regime works and I can soon get back to reading in comfort ;-D

Short and Sweet

Happy Easter to all!  Just a quick post today.  My feet are still sore from the Garden Expo yesterday - see Country drive and the Garden Expo - as well as my recent hydrotherapy, but I've managed to keep busy with my books.  

When you can't find your cat...

Always check the bathroom ;-D

Favourite pic!

This is my favourite picture at the moment.  During a cold night, my cat decided that I should share the doona and demanded to be let in under the bedding.  When I lifted the sheets a couple of minutes later, this was what greeted me....

Cheeky little monkey ;-D

Small Break

Hi all,

I just had a few days computer free.  It was wonderful to not jump online and sit at a desk for a couple of hours - during which time I usually end up with a really numb butt at some stage ;-D

During this down time, I managed to get some general cleaning done around the house that I've been putting off for a while, as well as cook a few meals to put into the freezer for those times when I'm too tired to cook.  Thinking ahead, that's me!

Resized from original (f/6.2, 1/25sec, ISO-125)

I've also been trying to curb my reading as well.  I have to make an appointment with the optometrist soon as it's been about 2 years since I've had my prescription checked - oops! - and my eyes are just so scratchy at the moment.  Until then, I'll be taking it easy and sticking to audiobooks at night.  This will also leave me more time to play around with my new digital camera that I finally bought to replace my old reliable Fuji Finepix.  It was fabulous, but at nearly 9 years of age (and only 6MPs) it was getting frustrating to take clear macro shots that I could use in my photography.  All I really needed was a everyday camera for the moment - my phone's camera totally sucks! - until I decide what digital SLR to go with.  So last night I spent some time playing around with the settings and taking photos of anything that would stand still long enough... as you can see from my curious cat above.

PS - If you have any digital SLR recommendations, please, please, please let me know in the comments section ;-D

Review: Archon

Archon
The Books of Raziel, Book 1
Sabrina Benulis

Released: 05 Jan, 2012 (AUS)

HarperVoyager, Trade, 385p.
ISBN: 978-0-06-212817-1 (international edition)

Between Heaven & Hell, a battle for 

supremecy is about to begin...

For years, Angela Mathers has been plagued by visions of a supernatural being - an angel with beguiling eyes and magnificent wings sho haunts her thoughts and seduces her dreams.  Newly freed from a mental institution where she has been locked away for two years, Angela hopes that being accepted at the Vatican's exclusive university, the Westwood Academy, will bring her peace and a semblance of normality.

But Angela isn't normal.  With her stain of dark red hair and alabaster skil, she is a blood head - a freak, a monster, and the possible fulfillmentof a terrifying prophecy.  Blessed with strange, mystical powers, blood heads hold a special place in Luz, the remote island city that is home to the Academy.  Among them, one special blood head is more powerful than all: the Archon, the human reincarnation of the dead angel Raziel.  And when the Archon arises as foretold, it will control the supernatural universe.

I came across this book by accident yesterday when I happened to pass a discount store and they were having a 3 for $10 sale.  Now, I can't resist a book for a decent price, so I scoured through the tables of junk and found three possible gems.  Archon was my last discovery, but the cover was so beautiful that I just couldn't pass it up.  So with nothing on television last night,  I cracked open Archon, and from the first page, I was hooked.  Archon follows the struggle of Angela, the newest student at Westwood, who starts off as a more reserved girl, and the resident bitch queen Stephanie Walsh - head of the Pentacle Society - who lusts for power over the everyone at the University.

Adriano Zumbo's Tim Tams Rock!

Just got back a little while ago from the shops where I bought a pack of the new Salted Caramel Tim Tams by Adriano Zumbo.  OMG!  They totally rock!  So yummy and salty.  

If you see these at your local shops - and you love the Caramel Tim Tams - you simply MUST try these ;-D

Great series - boring covers!

The cover for the new Stephanie Plum book has been released and I don't know why I am so surprised at how boring it is - but I am.  I keep hoping they'll commission some great artwork for the covers :-)

OMG! This sounds awesome...

A Shiver of Light 

Merry Gentry, Book 9

LKH

I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. Legal name Meredith Gentry, because “Princess” looks so pretentious on a driver’s license. I was the first faerie princess born on American soil, but I wouldn’t be the only one for much longer...

Merry Gentry, ex–private detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended from fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean. Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries. Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles, because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her. He’s using the human courts to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his. And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can’t prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares. They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie—while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

OMG!  This sounds soooo good!  I shouldn't have read this on Amazon 'cause I want to read this now, now, NOW!  ;-D

Save the date

09 September, 2014

Note: this is NOT the official cover, but a 3in1 I edited for illustration purposes ;-D

Festive in Death
In Death, Book 39
J.D. Robb

Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who’d been loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list—plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash.
 

Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.

Review: Night Broken

Night Broken
Mercy Thompson, Book 8
Patricia Briggs

Published: 11 March, 2014

ACE, Hardcover, 352p.
ISBN: 978-0425256749


As an unexpected phone call herald a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam's ex-wife is in trouble,
on the run from a stalker. Adam isn't the kind of man to turn away a person in need - and Mercy know it.
But with Christy holed up in Adam's house, Mercy can't shake the feeling that something in the situation
isn't right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good
intentions. She wants Adam back and she's willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen,
including turning Adam's pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn't about to step down without a fight, but there's a more dangerous threat circling. Christy's
stalker is more than a bad man - in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start pilin up,
Mercy must put her personal troubles adise to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world
apart.

With the introduction (to us), and the return of Adam's ex-wife, Christy, I was very hesitant about what I would find between the covers of Night Broken - and I was right. Up to a point, that is.  Christy just waltzed back into their lives like Little Miss Sunshine and tried to mess up Mercy and Adam's relationship - as well as Mercy's standing with others in the Pack.

Review: Thankless in Death

Thankless in Death
In Death, Book 37
J.D. Robb

Released: Feb 2014

Berkley, mass market paperback, 371 p.
ISBN: 978-0-515-15413-9


Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for, especially Roarke's big Irish family, which is a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren't as lucky.  The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition.  Those who knew them are stunned - and heartbroken by the evidenc that they were murdered by their own son.

Turns out that twenty-six-year-old Jerry is not only capable of brutality but has taken a liking to t.  With the money he's stolen from his parents and a long list of grievences, he intends to finally make his mark on the world.  Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of these murders.  What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry's going to strike next.

I was fully prepared to dive right into Thankless in Death {TiD} and have a great time - as I usually do - in the world of Eve & Roarke.   However, I was surprisingly disappointed with TiD.  Having the antagonist served up on a silver platter - name, motive, and all - was actually quite boring.  I much prefer it when Eve, and team of course, have to push themselves to the last minute to uncover the identity of their unsub - as well as their motives.  With Jerry Reinhold as the murderer, it just fell flat!  You can't reveal his identity as a spoiler as this time its stated right there in the blurb!

Mercy Thompson kicks @$$... again!

OMG!  OMG! OMG! 

That's all I've got to say about the new Mercy Thompson book, Night Broken.  I just finished it, and had to put fingers to keyboard to let you all know how fabulous it is!  Will be posting a review soon - will re-read so I can cement it all in the grey matter ;-D - and now I can't wait for the next Alpha & Omega book to come out so I can find out what happens in a world where werewolves rock!