Category Archives: Whatcha Reading

Whatcha Listening to? Whatcha Reading?

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Whatcha Listening To?

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Band of Horses-Live at The Ryman

We have been big fans of Band of Horses for years now. My Man and I have seen them about four times and The Boy has seen them once. Last month when we went to Nashville and visited the Ryman, we saw that they had played a show there recently. I was super excited when about a week ago I saw that they released an acoustic album of the songs they played there over two nights. I LOVE this album. I love the reworking of the songs especially The Funeral and Older. So, so good. I also love how after almost every song they are like “thanks y’all! or Thank you so much!.” Such nice boys. Check it out!

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Hoizer-Take Me to Church EP

I know nothing about Hoizer. Well, I just google him and apparently he his from Ireland so I know he has one hell of a sexy accident. That counts for something right? Anyway, I heard his song Take Me to Church on XM radio and really liked it. The EP contains a total of four songs and I like all of them! From what I read, it looks like he is hitting it big in Ireland and starting to tour in Europe as well. Maybe he will soon hit the states and release a full length album. So far I like what I hear!

Whatcha Reading?

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Cockroaches- Jo Nesbo

I know I have mentioned Jo Nesbo before on a pervious Whatcha Reading. Since he is originally from Norway not all of his books get released in English in order. He became pretty popular in the US when Snowman came out and since then they have been translating his older books in the Harry Hole series. Cockroaches is one of them. I am about half way through and am enjoying it just as I have all of his books. Even with all his faults (he has many) Harry Hole is a character you can’t help cheering for.

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Still Life with Bread Crumbs- Anna Quindlen 

From Booklist

Rebecca Winter was once a famous photographer, and, with any luck, she will be again. Having achieved surprising early success with her feminist “Kitchen Counter” collection, Rebecca, now 60, finds herself on fame and fortune’s flip side. With her former torrent of royalties dwindling to a trickle, Rebecca has been forced to give up her perfect Manhattan apartment for a paltry upstate cabin, and with marauding raccoons, stray dogs, and trigger-happy hunters, life in the country is proving to be no walk in Central Park. Luckily, Rebecca still has her camera, and she soon finds inspiration for new work in unexpected places, often in the company of a bird-watching roofer named Jim, whose quiet companionship proves to be just the balm she needs to fully embrace her unfamiliar surroundings.
What got me to read the book in first place was that the main character was once a famous photographer. Being that many moons ago I dreamed of being a famous photographer, I thought it would be a good read. And it was. Don’t think it is all about photography, it is a story of a woman, in her 60’s (she is not written like any 60 year woman I know) trying to kick-start her life again. Who of us hasn’t had to do that two or three times?

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Stella Bain-Anita Shreve

From Publishers Weekly

Shreve’s 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuilding. A young woman wakes up with amnesia in a battlefield hospital tent in Marne, France, in 1916. She thinks her name is Stella Bain, and she thinks she knows how to nurse and drive an ambulance. As she recovers, she returns to duty in this new environment, caring for the wounded and dying. When she arrives in the city exhausted and destitute, she’s discovered in a park by a doctor’s wife, who takes her in. The doctor, Augustus Bridge, is a cranial surgeon with an interest in psychiatry. Stella becomes a €œquasi-patient€; he finds a way to get her into the Admiralty, and, when a former friend recognizes her by name, her memories return, including the fact that she has children—and the reason why she left them. The amnesia and its cause are only part of the story; the lack of understanding at the time of the consequences of witnessing the horrors of war, for both men and women, also plays a key role.
I love reading historical fiction and this one did not disappoint!!
Readers, what album can you not stop listening too? What book can you not put down?

Whatcha Reading? Listening To?

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Whatcha Reading Reader’s?

Here are some of the books I have read over the last month or so.

The Last Anniversary- Liane Moriarty–A good, fun, fast read with a little mystery.

Summer People- Elin Hilderbrand–A good, fun, fast read.

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The Blue Bistro-Elin Hilderbrand–A good, fun, fast read.

The Beach Club-Elin Hilderbrand–A good, fun, fast read.

White Fire-Preston & Child–This one took awhile to get into. I did enjoy it but I don’t think I will read any others in the series.

The Secret Keeper-Kate Morton–I have read all of her books and while I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t my favorite.

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I just started listening to How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper via Audible. I have listened to a few of her books before and loved them. The narrator is Amanda Ronconi and she does a wonderful job. The book does have a werewolf in it but it isn’t a super natural book. It just happens that one of the guys is a werewolf. It is a very funny read and I suggest it and her the “Nice Girl” series. Molly Harper is also the narrator the series and does a fantastic job.

What am I listening to?

Arcade Fire- Reflektor–It is ok. Not my favorite of theirs. To be honest I was kind of disappointed. No need to rush out and get it.

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Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon- Mechanical Bull- I am very happy to say, I love this album! Not as good as Only By The Night but very a close second. Check this one out!

What are you reading? Listening to?

 

 

Breaking Free today…

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Hello Reader’s!

The bruises on my back are gone! Woot! Woot! Waking up and getting up out of bed is getting easier each day. I am also able to raise my right arm above my head without any pain. Still taking the pain pills but not as often or as much. I am on the mend.

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Guess what!?! I am leaving the house today! It has been over a week since I last left the Hotel Yorba. My Man and I will be going out to dinner tonight to Empire Sate South. This is one of Hugh Acheson‘s restaurant. We have been there a few times before and have loved our meals. They have a Half Shell Oysters cocktail, celery mignonette, ESS hot sauce, benne crackers as an appetizer that I may get. Yummy. They also have a six course tasting. Since we have a nice sized gift card, that may be what we will try. Either way, I am looking forward to tonight.

The Boy will be spending the night at his friend, Corey’s, house. He is very excited.  We don’t have much else planned for the weekend, which is kinda nice. I may try driving, it will depend on how the pain is on my right side and if my arm feels strong enough.

Whatcha Reading?

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I have started a new book, Police, by Jo Nesbo. I have read almost all the books Nesbo has has written in The Harry Hole series. In fact the only ones I haven’t read are the ones that have yet to be translated into english yet.

Jo Nesbo

Jo Nesbo

Nesbo is from Norway and has written over 20 novels. The first book of his I read was called The Snowman. Very good. Unfortunately I have not been able to read the entire series in order. For example, book two, in a 12 book series, isn’t coming out in English until February. I don’t know why they have released them done this way. It is kind of confusing but well worth it. Check them out.

What are your plans for the weekend?

 

 

 

I have turned into a cat.

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Good Morning Reader’s!

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Did you have fun? Me? I impersonated a cat this weekend. I laid around. I slept. I got up. I walked around. I laid back down again. My “human” aka My Man, fed me. I napped. I stretched my right arm. I walked around. I tried to get comfortable. I laid down. This went on all weekend. I would love to say I feel rested but that is not the case. It is no wonder they (cats) sleep as much as they do. They are forever searching for the perfect nap.

The right side of my torso is very sore and where the incisions are, painful. In fact at times it feels like they are burning and I feel like they are bleeding. But they are not. I am having a hard time not using my right arm. Like opening the refrigerator. That hurts! But I automatically reach with my right hand and pull at my side. I have incisions under my right armpit, my right boob (ouch!) my right side and halfway down the right side of my back. That is the one I wasn’t planning on. The pain medication is working but it doesn’t take it all away. I am also tired. I have no energy. All I want to do is lay around and nap. I have turned into a cat.

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The above picture was taken the day we adopted Timber. It was also right after I got my cancer diagnosed. This is what I really look like. I was asked to post the Jiffy Pop picture. I am not happy but here it is.

Jiffy Pop Hat

Jiffy Pop Hat

That is me after they took my glasses away and were getting ready to wheel me out and into surgery. As you can see, I have lost my eyebrows, eyelashes, my skin is a mess and I am about 15 pounds heavier. Not looking my best. But that is ok. While I have been laying around acting like a cat, I have been thinking about all I will need to do to get back to looking like I did in June. I have always been one to plan ahead.

Whatcha Reading?

Here a the books I have read recently. If you are a reader check them out.

Replay by Ken Grimwood

The Valley of Amazement- Amy Tan

The Kitchen God’s Wife-Amy Tan–Reading right now

Allegiant-Veronica Roth

Sycamore Row-John Grisham–Listening to right now

 

Rain, Rain, Go Away….

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Hotel Yorba Landscape Pictures

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Coop/Run Foundation

Coop/Run Foundation

Stairs are done!

Stairs are done!

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Below is a great story on how important it is to have a good foundation of family and friends surronding you when you have cancer (or any illness for that matter). I can’t begin to tell you how much my My Man and all of my friends and family have helped me. I couldn’t have gotten through all this without them.

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/53088893/#53088893

Whatcha Reading?

I finished up The Wife by Meg Wolitzer and The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty recently. The Wife was ok. I liked her book The interesting’s much more. The ending  to the Wife was very abrupt. I was like Wait? What? I really thought I had missed something. I flet like she kids got bored writing the thing was like “The hell with it. I’m done.”

I really liked The Husband’s Secret. It posed a few tough “What would you do?” questions that I am still not sure what my answer would be. I really got into the book and finished it in about 3 days. It takes place in Australia, so I had to get use to the comments about Good Friday being the beginning of Fall and some of the slang I didn’t get but overall I it was good. Right now I am reading What Alice Forgot also by Liane Moriarty. I am only 10 pages into the book, so I will let you know if it is as good as The Husband’s Secret.

I am also listening to a book on audio. It is called The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. I saw her interviewed on the Today show about her book and thought it sounded good. I think they have a book club and this is the current book they are reading. Shannon is like 24 years old and this is her first book. She has already sold the movie rights and ithe book going to be a series. So far I like what I hear. The story takes place in London in the future. If you are into audio books I recommend this one. The narrator, Alana Kerr, is doing a great job so far. A bad narrator can kill a book for me. I have been known to stop listening all together due to the narrator.

It has been overcast and rainy here in the ATL for the past two days. I fear the weather will slow down the chicken coop/run progress and the rest of the landscaping. Fingers are crossed that it clears up later this morning like it did yesterday. Busy day today. I have financial plans to work on and finish, two conference calls, laundry that needs to be started, need to go to the bank and I really need to go to Trader Joe’s. The Boy’s lunch is looking pretty pathetic!

Reader’s! Have a wonderful day!!

Waking Up is so Hard to Do….

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Reader’s!

Is it me or is it almost impossible to wake up on a Tuesday after a long weekend? I love long weekends but waking up is so tough and now for the rest of the week I will be thinking it is one day behind. I have a lot to do in the next two days. I have three conf. calls for work, trades to make, follow-up letters to write, house to vacuum, laundry to wash, bathrooms to clean, grocery shopping and packing for my trip to the hospital. Pickles. Life suddenly got very busy after being lazy for three days. Does this happen to you too?

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Now that Labor Day is over, I am ready for Fall. I am. Like right now. Let’s close up the pool, pack away the shorts and pull out the jackets and jeans. Fall is my favorite season and I am ready for it to begin now. However, living here in the ATL, I think I have to wait a bit longer. Other than rain, the temperature for the rest of the week will be in the high 80’s. I will have to wait for my mid 60’s.

Whatcha Reading?

I have not been in the mood to read anything since I started chemo. I think the chemo makes it hard for me to focus on one thing for too long and I found it impossible to concentrate on reading. My friend Jennifer C. had suggested the book The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. I started reading my last time in the hospital but couldn’t get into it. This weekend I tried again and had a very hard time putting it down. The story is about a groups of friends growing up in the 70’s and follows their lives, through marriages, break-ups, politics, AIDS etc., to present day. I really enjoyed it even though I did not really like a few of the characters. I finished the book yesterday and decided to give another one of hers a try. I am now reading The Wife and am liking what I have read so far.

Question

What is your favorite season? Why?

Whatcha Reading? What am I listening to?

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Whatcha Reading?

I found a book to read!! My friend Kristen suggested I check out The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

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  • The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.—From Amazon.com

I am really enjoying the story but right now I am at the point where the main character has to make a dig decision and I just hope she doesn’t make the wrong one! The book takes place in San Francisco and flash backs to the wine country. This makes me miss our friends Aidan and Kysha and long for good wine, crusty bread and yummy cheese.

Three days later…

I finished the book. I really enjoyed it however there were times that I did not like the main character, Victoria. She makes some choices that I found inconceivable as a mother. Thankfully she realises her faults and makes the best decision. It just takes her a bit to get there. I totally suggest the book!  I need to come up with a rating system… Should it be a Paw rating or Beak rating?  What do you think??

What am I listening to?

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Right now I am listening to the new album by The Civil Wars that came out on August 6th. I have been a fan of the duo when I first heard them interviewed on NPR before their first album came out. I loved their work on the Hunger Games soundtrack and was upset when I read they had broken up. Thankfully they came to their senses and got back together!  After only listening to it a few times, the stand out songs for me are The One That Got Away, a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins song Disarm and Scared Heart which is song by Joy in french.

For those who are not familiar with The Civil Wars here is some information about them.

  • The Civil Wars is a duo composed of singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White. Williams and White met in 2008 during a song writing session or “writing camp” at a music studio in Nashville, Tennessee. In an exclusive interview, Williams stated that the band name was generated, “As I was driving around town looking at all the Civil War monuments I thought about all the wars that we each face. So the name came about that way.”  According to their website, the group’s name, The Civil Wars, and their song “Poison and Wine,” sum up their thematic direction. They are about the good, the bad, and the ugly of relationships.-From Wikipedi, the free encyclopedia

Readers!!! What are you listening too?