ice fishing

we dragged a ton of stuff out onto the frozen pond in boscawen. ryan and stephanie and ryan's dad were all veteran ice fishers, so jeremy and i just went along for the ride. they brought an auger to cut holes in the ice, traps, and a bob house. us girls sure were excited to turn mr heater on and sit in the bob house to stay warm. you can tell it was really cold from the pictures because we were the only people out there on derby day!

we had ryan's truck loaded with stuff - lunch, extra layers and books for us to read to keep busy while the boys fished. they caught three fishies, but threw them all back because they were small and not the best kinds to eat. walking out onto the spot on the pond where we set up camp was terrifying. everytime ice cracked i was sure i was going into the freezing water and was going to die a miserable death. thankfully, the ice was about 6-8 inches thick all the way across and we were all just fine.

it was a really fun day, and afterwards ryan's mom made dinner and we went bowling. i got to ride the dog sled attached to the four wheeler and yell mush while ryan drove. highlight!

it was a g'day

over the years we have had many long-term guests stay with us from all over the world: south africa, england, ireland, and australia to name a few. every year ellen reminds me when it is australia day and we celebrate the best way we know how.

jeremy buys some fosters (its australian for beer! although i have it on good authority they don't really ddrink it much over there), we dig out our koala collection and sing "the kookaburra sits in the old ..." okay we don't really sing. we do have a drink and take a picture in honor of all our australian friends, but especially our "son" russ. love you!

also, i always take a moment to reflect on the spelling of australia, as it was the word that lost me the spelling bee in third grade. the final word in the whole she-bang and i missed it. i'm still not quite over that.

dream a little dream

i did not sleep well last night. i got home later and we ate late and i staayed up way later than usual, all of which probably had an effect on my sleeping pattern. normally i pass out and sleep like the dead around 10:30. last night i woke up several times from vivid dreams.

one dream was about getting carjacked in my volvo. first, i'm not entirely sure why anyone would want that car. the woman who attempted to highjack it in my dream said it was a sweet ride. hahahahahaha!!!

also, in my dream, there was a tv installed on the dashboard. that car didnt even have a functioning air con, much less tv. weird huh?

the woman tried to carjack me by pointing her finger at me like a gun. in turn, a tried to run her over. the adrenaline must have really gotten going from this because i woke up from the dream and sat up in bed, dislodging two very sleepy and disgruntled cats from their warm spots, with my heart racing.

weird, huh. all of this contributes to the fact that today i am exhausted and i want to go home. doesn't help that it is a pretty slow day today either.

Winter Nights

Winter nights are so much more comfortable when you have someone to share them with. She sure loves her daddy!!
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good/bad and a bonus link

this is a hilarious political/business tutorial from my friend nikki. you'll laugh. or you might not get it. but you prolly will.

it was a beautiful day today. i didnt even need gloves walking to work! i got to talk to jessie on the phone which always brightens my day. my friend is having a party tonight so i will get to drink wine and talk to girlies.

all of these things are positives.

the negative? i was going to sleep in this morning but instead jeremy got me up an hour early so i could clean up cat vomit. he had to get ready for work (and they are my cats after all) but it was gross. and last night, the same cat (still not sure if it was crickey poo or rumpalicious) threw up right before bed and i didnt see it until i stepped in it. that was fun. i have had the suggestion to switch food (which i will if this keeps happening) or mix canned pumpkin into their food (which sounds delicious) but hopefully it was a one- (well two-) time thing.

have i thoroughly disgusted/bored you? sorry. if you havent yet, go read nikki's post and you will forget about my sensitive-stomached felines and laugh like crazy.

enjoy!

Big day

Rumpy cried all the way to the shelter for reverse bar mitzvah day. Instead of becoming a man, we are making sure heisn't one. Poor little guy.
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Big day

Rumpy cried all the way to the shelter for reverse bar mitzvah day. Instead of becoming a man, we are making sure heisn't one. Poor little guy.
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dear anonymous,

this was a comment posted on my blog this morning on a long ago post.

Anonymous said...
From what I can tell...your foot probably fits in your mouth. Now, as far as your "strange neighbors"...you don't think that when people read your blog that they don't think you are a tad strange? Who gives a shit about the wet food you feed your silly cats? And I am pretty sure I was the skinny guy in the "kahakis" on the treadmill...would it ever occur to someone such as yourself that maybe being that thin is a little embarrassing and I thank God you didn't get a picture of me and post it on your blog...cheers.

first, i would like to say that i am glad that i live in a country where i can post pretty much anything i want on my blog. yes, i talk alot about my cats. if i had kids, i'm sure i would talk alot about them, or if i lived closer to my niece and nephews likewise. if anyone who reads the blog doesn't want to read about what the kittehs are doing that day, that's fine. it doesn't hurt my feelings when you don't read this, because guess what - i'll never know. and the freedom of speech that i have also enttles this guy to his opinion.

might i also say that the funny thing to me about the skinny guy on the treadmill was not that he was skinny but that he was dressed for work and was instead working out at the gym. skinny doesn't bother me (obviously).

this blog is a place for me to share things with friends and family around the country (and little pockets of the globe). i try to be entertaining. if i am mean sometimes, it is unintentional.i don't hate the skinny guy on the treadmill or my neighbors. my neighbors are really nice people and i'm sure the skinny guy on the treadmill is too. i would never go onto to either of their blogs and post a rude comment.

i find it mildly disturbing that a stranger would spend so much time reading months worth of posts, but that is the nature of the internet. what i write is out there for the world to see. i'm not ashamed of anything i have written here. my parents and grandparents read this, and i think (i hope) that i make them smile with a little anecdote everyday.

so, dear anonymous, if you don't like reading about the "wet food i feed my silly cats" then don't.

oh, and next time, be a man and leave your name.

cheers!

meaghan

tales from planet fitness vol. 1

we joined a gym last week, and boy am i happy. there are no classes at this gym, which sucks, but there are miles of shiny treadmills and bikes and weight machines. since it is insanely cold outside, this is the only way for me to keep moving this winter!

since we joined right after new year's, there were tons of people at the gym this week obviously working on new years resolutions, most of whom looked like they had never seen the inside of the gym before.

now before you think i am bagging on fat people, let me say this. there is no place i would rather see an overweight person in spandex than on the treadmill or bike in front of me. you go girl (or nice work dude). i love seeing people change their lives and get healthy, which prolly explains my addiction to biggest loser (and the fact that i cry during almost ever episode).

the people i am referring to are a slightly different breed.

scene 1:
meaghan is on a treadmill, listening to music and watching others work out. she notices a skinny man on the elliptical machine in the next row up. the reason she notices that he is so skinny is beacuse the BELT on his PLEATED KAHAKIS is so tight the end is flopping all around. also, he was wearing loafers.

scene 2:
meaghan and stephanie are pounding the "pavement." meaghan notices an older woman, fresh from the beauty parlor where she just had her hair poofed, standing near the stretching area. "that's nice - it's always good to see older people remain active," she thinks. thirty minutes later, as meaghan and stephanie are hauling their tired sweaty butts off the cardio machines and into the weight area, meaghan notices the woman again. she is still standing in the exact same place, just watching other people work out.

i hope the cold weather and urge to meet the resolutions keeps my gym filled with interesting characters. they sure help me take my mind off of running and never getting anywhere.

burning calories isn't as osmosis thing, fyi.

recipes

i think last year i made a resolution to make one new recipe every week. that lasted until i moved and didnt have access to my kitchen or cookbooks for almost two months. i probably made at least 40 new recipes last year, and am trying to continue with new recipes this year. so far i have made three dishes that were new to me: french onion soup, potato soup, and turkey meatballs. all three were good and things that i would cook again.

i got all kinds of new kitchen gadgets for christmas, some of which were essential in my new recipes, or on new takes on old recipes. the kitchen aid attachment that chops and shreds vegetables is pretty much amazing, and i had been wanting a stick mixer for ages.

santa brought me new kitchen scissors and a fancy peeler in my stocking, and although those sound majorly unromantic i was thrilled. i didnt grow up with kitchen scissors or a kitchen aid mixer but i find both of those things to be pretty much essential nowadays. i definitely have certain techniques that i have learned from my mom though.

one thing that jeremy and i always fight over is how you put spaghetti in a pot. my grammer taught me to break it in half so it all fits in the pot at once, and he leans his so it gradually softens and all gets below the water level.

any tips, techniques or gadgets that you couldnt live without in the kitchen? we have appointed rumpy "head dishwasher" because he licks everything clean when we are finished eating. (don't worry though - we aren't that family - we definitely still wash everything before suing it again.)

diary of a snow shoveler

steph forwarded this to me in an email. it pretty much sums up how i feel right now, and from what everyone tells me, its just gonna get worse. los angeles in march cannot come too soon!

December 8 - 6:00 PM It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9 We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had! Shovelled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplough came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12 The sun has melted all our lovely snow... Such a disappointment! My neighbour tells me not to worry- we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbour.

December 14 Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shovelling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplough came back this afternoon and buried everything again.. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shovelling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska , after all.

December 16 Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17 Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20 Electricity's back on, but had another 14 inches of the damn stuff last night. More shovelling! Took all day. The damn snowplough came by twice. Tried to find a neighbour kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22 Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plough on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.December 23 Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she, nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24 6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplough, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snow plough, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplough.

December 25 Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn slop tonight - Snowed in. The idea of shovelling makes my blood boil.. God, I hate the snow! Then the snowplough driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26 Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27 Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28 Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The BITCH is driving me crazy!!!December 29 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30 Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plough driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars, not only the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted.

December 31 I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shovelling.

January 8 Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

book wrap up 2009

so i guess i didn't read as many books as i thought, and i know i didn't do as good of a job keeping track this year, so this list is probably a little light. (also, as i was copying this list, i realized i messed up on my numbering a bunch of times. oops)

here are the books i read in 2009:
1. once a thief - michele hauf
2. texas heir - linda warren
3. his brother's secret - debroah salonen
4. theodora twist - melissa senate
5. lost and found - jacqueline sheehan
6. play me - laura ruby
7. barefoot bride - jessica hart
8. the prodigal valentine - karen templeton
9. slim chance - jackie rose
10. mate of the wolf - karen whiddon
11. more than a mission - caridad pineiro
12. luscious lemon - heather swain
13. walking with god - john eldredge
14. thristy - m t anderson
15. the mysterious affair at styles - agatha christie
16. romancing the cowboy - judy duarte
17. the wrecking ball - christiana spens
18. the reluctant heiress - christine flynn
19. the breakup club - melissa senate
20. the new girl in town - brenda harlen
21. redwall - brian jacques
22. the heiress - jude deveraux
23. the rebel prince - nina bruhns
24. the sharing knife: beguilement - lois mcmaster bujold
25. never too much - lori foster
26. megan's mark - lora leigh
27. there's no place like here - cecilia ahearn
28. at the sicilian count's command - carole mortimer
29. touch of silk - lori wilde
30. a thrill to remember - lori wilde
31. sexy, single and searching - lori wilde
32. eager, eligible and alaskan - lori wilde
33. again the magic - lisa kleypas
34. roommates wanted - lisa jewell
35. coraline - neil gaiman
36. sarah and the sheriff - allison leigh
37. bad kitty - michele jaffe
38. secrets rising - suzanne mcminn
39. secrets of a shoe addict - beth harbison
40. mr. cavendish, i presume - julia quinn
41. at first sight - tamara sneed
42. the heir - johanna lindsey
43. girlbomb - janice erlbaum
44. for the roses - jude deveraux
45. the luxe - anna godberson
46. spanish billionaire, innocent wife - kate jordan
47. surrender to me - sophie jordan
48. dont look back - amanda quick
49. beyond desire - gwynne forster
50. the thirteenth tale - diane setterfield
51. bratfest at tiffany's - lisi harrison
52. artemis fowl: the eternity code - eoin colfer
53. the tales of beedle the bard - j.k. rowling
54. play dirty - sandra brown
55. some enchanted evening - christina dodd
56. evolution, me and other freaks of nature - robin brande
57. story of a girl - sara zarr
58. personal demon - kelley armstrong
59. thigh high - christina dodd
60. the city of ember - jeanne duprau
61. alanna: the first adventure - tamora pierce
62. star - pamela anderson
63. perfect stranger - gina wilkins
64. oscar season - mary mcnamara
65. scandal becomes her - shirlee busbee
66. adored - tilly bagshawe
67. the boyfriend list - e. lockhart
68. the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation: volume 1 the pox party - m.t. anderson
69. the first assistant - clare naylor, mimi hare
70. the prince's mistress - day leclare
71. the great indoors - sabine durrant
72. royal betrayl - nina bruhns
73. pregnant with the first heir - sara orwig
74. peaches - jodi lynn anderson
75. i'm with the band: confessions of a groupie - pamela des barres
76. chains - laurie halse anderson
77. that summer - sarah dessen
78. turbulent sea - christina dodd
79. one fifth avenue - candace bushnell
80. confessions - kate brian
81. the texans convenient marriage - peggy moreland
82. the texans forbidden affair - peggy moreland
83. getting warmer - carol snow
84. the texns honor bound promise
85. callgirl - jeanette angell
86. and only to decieve - tasha alexander
87. in their footsteps - tess gerritsen
88. thief of hearts - tess gerritsen
89. wild orchids - jude deveraux
90. killing moon - rebecca york
91. the rags to riches wife - mitsy hingall
92. elsewhere - gabrielle zevin
93. blue smoke and murder - elizabeth lowell
94. pygmalion - george bernard shaw
95. does my head look big in this? - Randa Abdel-fattah
96. love in the asylum - lisa carey
97. simply love - catherine anderson
98. english as a second language - megan crane
99. revelations - melissa de la cruz
100. bedded or wedded - julia james
101. between the ceos sheets - charlene sands
102. the shocking lord standon - louise allen
103. kushiels dart - jacqueline carey
104. into the flame - christina dodd
105. slightly tempted
106. a clean slate - lauren caldwell
107. blue christmas - mary kay andrews
108. no lifeguard on duty - janice dickinson
109. slow hands - leslie kelly
110. loose girl - kerry cohen
111. french kiss - lori wilde
112. snowed in - christina bartolomeo
113. fat chance - deborah blumenthal
114. the reader - bernhard schlink
115. petals on the river - kathleen woodiwiss
116. in the hand of the goddess - tamora pierce
117. seinlanguage - jerry seinfeld
118. the thief - megan whalen turner
119. secret agent, secret father - donna young
120. whose wedding is it anyway? - melissa senate
121. the vampire diaries: the awakening - l.j. smith
122. the vampire diaries: the struggle - l.j. smith
123. the gift bag chronicles - hilary de vries
124. satin and a scandalous affair - jan colley
125. star wars republic commando: triple zero - karen traviss
126. backstage pass - gaby triana
127. price of passion - susan napier
128. baby bonanza - maureen child
129. the sharing knife: legacy - lois mcmaster bujold
130. dancing in the moonlight - raeann thayne
131. irresistable forces - brenda jackson
132. snowbound - janice kay johnson
133. the tycoon's very personal assisstant - heidi rice
134. once a cowboy - linda warren
135. the bride's baby - liz fielding
136. mossflower - brian jacques
137. city of bones - cassandra clare
138. a very special delivery - linda goodnight
139. flowers in the attic - v.c. andrews
140. speed dating - nancy warren
141. inner circle - kate brian
142. his lady mistress - elizabeth rolls
143. what a girl wants - liz maverick
144. love in the time of cholera - gabriel garcia marquez
145. spin cycle - sue margolis
146. dating without novocaine - lisa cach
147. the red queen - margaret drabble
148. poison study - maria v snyder
149. predatory game - christine feehan
150. the outrageous lady felsham
151. the curious incident of the dog in the night-time - mark haddon
152. boot camp - todd strausser
153. good grief - lolly winston
154. shout down the moon - lisa tucker
155. lie with me - cara summers
156. secrets of the tycoon's bride - emilie rose
157. inkheart - cornelia funke
158. his wedding night wager - katherine garbera
159. she did a bad bad thing - stephanie bond
160. the hunger games - suzanne collins
161. the secret lives of fortunate wives - sarah strohmeyer
162. woman who rides like a man - tamora pierce
163. the screts of peaches - jodi lynn anderson
164. running hot - jayne anne krentz
165. rumors - anna godberson
166. where dreams begin - lisa kleypas
167. marked - pc cast and kristin cast
168. wintergirls - laurie halse anderson
169. men of the otherworld - kelley armstrong
170. dark of night - suzanne brockmann
171. the good thief - hannah tinti
172. what my mother doesnt know - sonya sones
173. the art of social war - jodi wing
174. tales of a drama queen - lee nichols
175. sophie's choice - william styron
176. vision in white - nora roberts
177. the wednesday letters - jason f. wright
178. the bootstrapper's bible - seth godin
179. getting the girl - markus zusak
180. revolutionary road - richard yates
181. the sharing knife: passage - lois mcmaster bujold
182. homespun bride - jillian hart
183. skinned - robin wasserman
184. kiss of midnight - lara adrian
185. testing kate - whitney gaskell
186. promises in death - j.d. robb
187. this moment on earth - john kerry, teresa kerry
188. treasure keeper - shana abe
189. gathering blue - lois lowry
190. city of ashes - cassandra clare
191. ms longshot - sylvie kurtz
192. scandals from the third bride - sara orwig
193. night fall - cherry adair
194. vampire diaries: the fury - l.j. smith
195. vampire diaries: dark reunion - l.j. smith
196. cry wolf - patricia briggs
197. the playboy's passionate pursuit - emilie rose
198. the tales of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation volume 2: kingdom on the wanve - m.t. anderson
199. living with the dead - kelley armstrong
200. graceling - kristin cashore
201. any given doomsday - lori handland
202. the third circle - amanda quick
203. strange angels - lili st. crow
204. magic study - maria v snyder
205. a long, hard ride - alison kent
206. envy - anna godbersen
207. the summoning - kelley armstrong
208. up close and dangerously sexy - karen anders
209. night secrets - cherry adair
210. betrayed - pc cast, kristin cast
211. dashing through the snow - mary higgins clark, carol higgins clark
212. maneater - gigi levangie grazer
213. mona lisa awakening - sunny
214. once an outlaw - debbi rawlins
215. still irresistable - dawn atkins
216. sacred pathways - gary thomas
217. always ready - joanne rock
218. kushiel's chosen - jacqueline carey
219. the sharing knife: horizon - lois mcmaster bujold
220. the bell jar - sylvia plath
221. the postman always rings twice - james m cain
222. handle with care - jodi picoult
223. bringing home the birkin - michael tonello
224. riding the storm - brenda jackson
225. the boy book - e lockhart
226. all night long - jayne ann krentz
227. the chocolate war - robert cormier
228. forever princess - meg cabot
229. lust - robin wasserman
230. a fly on the wall - e lockhart
231. the queen of attolia - megan whalen turner
232. legacy - kate brian
233. the declaration - gemma malley
234. unwind - neil shusterman
235. the dispossessed - dell shannon
236. artemis fowl:the arctic incident - eoin colfer
237. the perfect poison - amanda quick
238. the secret history of the pink carnation - lauren willig
239. jellicoe road - melina marchetta
240. repossessed - a.m. jenkins
241. summer of my german soldier - bettegreene
242. speak - laurie halse anderson
243. moon called - patricia briggs
244. vampire academy - richelle mead
245. paying the playboy's price - emilie rose
246. the people of sparks - jeanne duprau
247. the farmer's wife - lori handeland
248. single doctor, single dad - janice lynn
249. the l shaped room - lynne reid banks
250. home for the holidays - johanna lindsey
251. the daddy quest - lori handeland
252. cowboy lover - tima leonard
253. sammy's house - kristin gore
254. looking for alaska - john green
255. working for the devil - lilith saint crow
256. the witches - roald dahl
257. chosen - p.c. cast, kristin cast
258. lioness rampant - tamora pierce
259. fire study - maria v. snyder
260. fahrenheit 451 - ray bradbury
261. mona lisa blossoming - sunny
262. the last of the red-hot vampires - katie mcallister
263. the graveyard book - neil gaiman
254. the treasure map of boys - e lockhart
255. the kissing game - suzanne brockmann
256. home at last - margaret watson
257. no choice but seduction - johanna lindsey
258. kira-kira - cynthia kadohata
259. the city and the city - china mieville
260. the marvelous land of oz - l. frank baum
261. diamond in the rough - diana palmer
263. lisa unger - die for you
264. called out of darkness - anne rice
265. the bermudez triangle - maureen johnson
266. hot dish - connie brockway
267. messenger - lois lowry
268. found: one baby - cathy gillen thacker
269. kushiel's avatar - jacqueline carey
270. lost princess of oz - l frank baum
271. burned - ellen hopkins
272. lost tribe of the sith: precipice - john jackson miller
273. seduction of an english scoundrel - jillian hunter
274. wishful drinking - carrie fisher
275. twenties girl - sophie kinsella
276. lost tribe of the sith: skyborn - john jackson miller
277. darkfever - karen marie moning
278. seventh son - orson scott card
279. suitte scarlett - maureen johnson
280. something more - janet dailey
281. silver flame - hanah howell
282. frostbite - richelle mead
283. aspen gold - janet dailey
284. the neighbor - lisa gardner
285. how to be bad - various
286. wild magic - tamora pierce
287. untamed - pc cast, kristin cast
288. the pretender - celeste bradley
289. a girl's guide to vampires - katie macallister
290. just take my heart - mary higgins clark
291. peace, love and baby ducks - lauren myracle
292. take me there - susane colasanti
293. black hills - nora roberts294. the geography of bliss - eric weiner
295. hothouse flower and the nine plants of desire - margot berwin
296. the fate of the jedi: outcast - aaron allston
297. red prophet - orson scott card
298. dark melody - christine feehan
299. divine by choice - pc cast
300. definitely dead - charlaine harris
301. thirteen reasons why - jay asher
302. ransom my heart - meg cabot
303. playing with fire - katie macallister
304. fate of the jedi: omen - christie golden
305. kiss and tell - cherry adair
306. an affair before christmas - eloisa james
307. born in sin - kinley macgregor
308. the girl with the dragon tattoo - stieg larsson
309. night watch - suzanne brockmann
310. guilty pleasures - laurell k hamilton
311. hunted - pc cast, kristin cast
312. phantom waltz - catherine anderson
313. embraced by love - suzanne brockmann
314. from a distance - tamera alexander
315. charlie all night - jennifer crusie
316. bloodfever - karen marie moning
317. faefever - karen marie moning
318. magic bites - ilona andrews
319. the boyfriend school - sarah bird
320. before i die - jenny downham
321. the pusuit of happiness - tara altebrando
322. all together dead - charlaine harris
323. a certain slant of light - laura whitcomb
324. being nikki - meg cabot
325. water for elephants - sara gruen
326. finger lickin' fifteen - janet evanovich
327. when you reach me - rebecca stead
328. magic burns - ilona andrews
329. fate of the jedi: abyss - troy denning
330. from dead to worse - charlaine harris
331. dead as a doornail - charlaine harris
332. strange bedpersons - jennifer crusie
333. identical - ellen hopkins
334. dead witch walking - kim harrison
335. catalyst - laure halse anderson
336. mario acevedo - the nymhos of rocky flats
337. the ideal wife - mary balogh
338. sweethearts - sara zarr
339. shadow kiss - richelle mead
340. the good, the bad, and the undead - kim harrison
341. i think i love you - stephanie bond
342. losing it - valerie bertinelli
343. winter fire- jo bererly
344. up in smoke - katie macallister
345. ambition - kate brian
346. secret society - tom dolby
347. the stepmother - carrie adams
348. the forest of hands and teeth - carrie ryan
349. buirning wild - christine feehan
350. hush, hush - becca fitzpatrick
351. uninvited - amanda marrone
352. along for the ride - sarah dessen
353. josie and jack - kelly braffet
354. far from you - lisa schroeder
355. then we came to the end - joshua ferris
356. dreamfever - karen marie moning
357. after - amy efaw
358. fire - kristin cashore
359. a kiss of shadows - laurell k hamilton
360. liar - justine larbaliester
361. evermore- alyson noel
362. the laughing corpse - laurell k hamilton
363. art geeks and prom queens - alyson noel
364. dark slayer- christine feehan
365. something, maybe - elizabeth scott
366. a duke of her own - eloisa james
367. dramarama - e lockhart
368. stealing heaven - elizabeth scott
369. every which way but dead - kim harrison
370. hot pursuit - suzanne brockmann
371. evernight- claudia gray
372. leviathan - scott westerfeld
373. angel time - anne rice
374. the journal of mortifying moments - robyn harding
375. the handmaiden's necklace - kat martin
376. circus of the damned - laurell k hamilton
377. freefall - kristin heiztman
378. true lies of a drama queen - lee nichols
379. eve - elissa elliot380. always looking up - michael j fox
381. catching fire- suzanne collins
382. the unsung hero - suzanne brockmann
383. the devil's necklace - kat martin
384. a caress of twilight - laurell k hamilton
385. halfway to the grave - jeanine frost
386. there's a (slight) chance i might be going to hell - laurie notario
387. kindred in death - j.d. robb
388. when it happens - susane colisanti
389. a fistful of charms - kim harrison
390. going bovine - libba bray
391. the giver - lois lowry
392. hero under cover - suzanne brockmann
393. seduced by moonlight - laurell k hamilton
394. shiver - maggie stiefivater
395. the help - kathryn stockett
396. the bride's bodyguard - elizabeth thornton
397. a highlander's temptaion - sue-ellen welfonder
398. the season - sarah maclean
399. otherwise engaged - suzanne brockmann
400. lucan - susan kearney
401. dark hunger - rita herron
402. blue moon - alyson noel
403. the maze runner - james dashner
404. simply scandalous - carly phillips
405. wolf speaker - tamora pierce
406. 20 boy summer - sarah ocler
407. simply sensual - carly phillips
408. hold still - nina lacour
409. ill wind - rachel caine

steadfast and resolute

after reviewing my resolutions i made for 2009, i realized i really only met one of the three.

i did indeed end the year living in a different state than i started the year, which is partially why i didnt meet me other two goals. that and the fact that i am i own best demotivator.

one of my goals was to pr in a 5k, be able to do 5 man pushups, and the splits. i did none of those things this year. i did however complete a triathlon and a 10 k, ran 4 straight miles (even though it wasnt very fast, i finished them) and tried bikram for the first time. right now i am the most out of shape i have been in quite a while, since we no longer belong to a gym and it is snowy and icy outside.

the second goal i failed to meet was to be completely off all medication for my colitis by the end of the year. i am still just taking 1/4 of the prescribed dosage, and feeling great, but i would love to be off all medication completely.

which brings us to 2010.

i am going to re-up some 2009 goals: i would love to pr in a 5k (or 10k, i'm not picky), and would love to be off all medication by the end of the year.

in addition to that, i am setting a monthly goal for january: work on my wedding scrapbook. most of you are thinking... wait a second here. didnt you guys get married in 2005? yes, thats right. we are about to celebrate 5 years together and our wedding scrapbook is yet unfinished. january will be a slower month at the theatre so i have more time off to work on these crafty projects that have fallen to the wayside.

i would love to run or walk 500 miles this year. thats less than 10 miles a week. some of you reading this may be very impressed by that figure, and some of you think, pshaw i ran that before breakfast this morning. for me, 10 miles a week is doable but will be a stretch. it is easy in the spring and summer and harder in the fall and winter. i need to find a friend with a treadmill! :)

i havent done my final tally, but i think i read over 500 books for the second year in a row. i will continue to keep track of what titles i have read, but probably will not participate in any reading challenges again this year.

i am going to try to come up with a goal for each month of the year... but first, let's see how i do with january's.

anyone out there have any goals/resolutions they would like to share with the class? making them public is a great motivator. :D

a few books in review

i've been reading a lot of books that i own over the last few weeks, mainly because the library has had crap hours over the holidays. right now i do not have a single library book in my house. except for times when we have moved and i had to establish an address before they would let me check one out, i cannot remember the last time i didn't have a stack of books from the library sitting on a shelf. i still carry around my wichita and manhattan library cards for goodness sake, just in case i find myself in one of those two cities and need something to read.

a few books that i have won in various contests deserve their own posts, but here are a couple that were average...

Dark Hunger

Rita Herron

Basically, a reporter uncovers some secrets about an assassin, and he is sent to kill her. it sounded like a great romantic suspense, but fell a little flat. there was a lot of the paranormal stuff mixed in, which i don't mind, but in this case felt a little forced and unnecessary. overall, eh. it is the second in a series, and while normally i love series and the chance to get to know characters better over the course of several books, in this case i just didn't care at all.

A Highlander's Temptation

Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Basically, this was a twist on the romeo and juliet set-up. their families are at war because of seomthing that happened many years ago. she goes sailing with some friends and winds up shipwrecked on his island. then her dad finds out that she is in love with him. can their love survive? that's it in a nutshell. not terribly inventive plot-wise, but it was entertaining.

Lucan

Susan Kearney

this one had the most inventive plot, mainly because it was on a completely fictional planet. it twisted arthurian legends about the holy grail into something futuristic and life-saving. there were still plenty of elements that made my eyes roll, but the story was interesting and kept me turning the pages to see what happened at the end. this was the first in a series.