THURSDAY POTPOURRI: DISTURBING MIDNIGHT MOMENTS, ETC. — APRIL 25

I’ve been reading The Smart One, and thoroughly enjoying it.  So it was only natural to pick it up and read it when I woke up at midnight last night.

But what happened after I went back to sleep?  Well, my dreams were populated by a mix of the story and its characters, along with my own memories of that time in my life.  An intriguing mix, but a bit disconcerting, too.

What do you do when you awaken at night…if you do? 

Sometimes I watch a movie on TV, but that often has the same side effect….dreams that mix with reality in disturbing ways, especially if the movie is a thriller, like this DVD that offers a collection of horrors.

A Triple Feature Thriller, with Helter Skelter, etc.

 

Which is why I prefer to read in the middle of the night, even though there are definitely some risks…lol.

This morning, I woke up without any lasting effects, except for that feeling, in the first few moments, that my nighttime visitors were still there…but then, as reality inserted itself, I knew that I could go on with the real tasks of the day.

 

Here I am, set up at my living room coffee table…and that’s actually my Sunday morning set-up, with the mimosa!  Have a good day!

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: BOOKISH SURPRISES — APRIL 18

 

Do you ever preorder books and then forget that you did?

That happened to me today.  I know that I had added this book to my TBR list on Goodreads…and I even had the book cover.  But when it showed up on Sparky, I was totally gobsmacked. 

Not that I didn’t want to read it at some point….but it wasn’t on the preorder list that I keep in my journal!  I must have been “out to lunch” that day…lol.

But the book looks intriguing…and I am now remembering why I preordered it.

Virgin Soul, by Judy Juanita, is a ’60s tale.  You know I love those!

From a lauded poet and playwright, a novel of a young woman’s life with the Black Panthers in 1960s San Francisco

At first glance, Geniece’s story sounds like that of a typical young woman: she goes to college, has romantic entanglements, builds meaningful friendships, and juggles her schedule with a part-time job. However, she does all of these things in 1960s San Francisco while becoming a militant member of the Black Panther movement. When Huey Newton is jailed in October 1967 and the Panthers explode nationwide, Geniece enters the organization’s dark and dangerous world of guns, FBI agents, freewheeling sex, police repression, and fatal shoot-outs—all while balancing her other life as a college student.

A moving tale of one young woman’s life spinning out of the typical and into the extraordinary during one of the most politically and racially charged eras in America, Virgin Soul will resonate with readers of Monica Ali and Ntozake Shange.

***

In the early ’60s, I lived in SF and attended university there.  I didn’t get involved with much back then, however; it would be a few years later, in Sacramento, that I would join some groups.  But I love remembering those times and what I knew about the events that defined a decade.

 

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: RANDOM THOUGHTS & BOOKISH THINGS — MARCH 7

As I sit at my desk in my little office, I almost don’t notice my surroundings.  But today, over at Booking Through Thursday, I thought about certain aspects of the room…and all of my rooms.

Especially my clock collections.  Like the one in the photo above, which is just a quirky little thing I bought years ago in one of those crafting shops.  Here are some more of my collections.

 

Why am I pondering my clock collections?  Well, our post at BTT today is about the “spring forward” aspect to this Sunday.  Yes, daylight savings time returns.

It used to be in April…and in the fall, it was October.  But now it has changed around so much that I can’t keep track of it!

Some states do not participate in this event….and one year, I was in Arizona during the time change…but the time didn’t change there.  Or that’s what I thought happened.  But then I got home and the time wasn’t changing until November!  The first time that had happened.

While we’re really looking at my collections, however, take a closer look at the top photo:  my clock, and to the right, my bulletin board, with assorted photos.  Notice the top one?  That’s an autographed photo of Victoria Rowell (from Diagnosis Murder and Young and the Restless).  I met her at her book signing in 2008.  When I was also signing my book Chasing Stardust.

 

My post has taken some random twists and turns today, but while I’m on that path, I have some more not-so-random stuff going on today.  Signing my tax returns.

And yes, for the first time in forever, I am probably getting a wee refund.  Which is so much better than paying extra!

I’m also reading a book on Sparky that was one of the first ones I downloaded in 2010:  Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls.  Intriguing so far.

What are you reading and pondering today?  What twists and turns (if any) have taken over your day?  I’m also missing my granddaughter Fiona…sigh.  She moved a few hundred miles away.  1400 or so.

Missing Fiona & Her Music

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: FIONA THROUGH THE YEARS — HAPPY BIRTHDAY! — FEB. 21

Today is my granddaughter Fiona’s sixteenth birthday.  I have a potpourri of images that I love; they remind me of special moments over the years.  In this shot, Fiona is sitting amidst some of my dolls in my old house in the foothills.  Back then, she lived next door in my guesthouse.  I loved having her  close by.

She was about four years old in this photo.

And here are a few special ones that I cherish:

Newborn Fiona:

Fiona and a Favorite Snuggly Toy

 

As a toddler, she loved the cat Sebastian.  Here they are (above) curled up in the laundry basket.

Fiona & Aubrey – Age 7

A favorite of both birthday girls, Fiona and Aubrey.  Yes, they are cousins, but birthday twins.  Aubrey was sixteen on the 13th.  In the photo above, we enjoyed a special time at the cabin in Big Bear.

 

Fiona at Eleven — Loving my Hat Collection

And now we see a few of the versions of Fiona as a teenager:

Prom Night 2012

Fiona in 2012

Fiona & Aubrey – Summer of 2012

And here’s one of my favorites.  I captured her while she was engrossed in her guitar playing.  A special weekend at my house.

 

Fiona & Her Music

 

I wish I could spend time with her today, but she and her mom moved to Texas earlier this month, which is a plane ride away.  But not possible right now. However, there is texting.  And we texted this morning and will talk on the phone tonight.

As much as I resisted the whole “texting thing,” I’m grateful for it now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FIONA!!

A Virtual Birthday Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: VALENTINE’S DAY TIDBITS — FEB. 14

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been drooling over images and thoughts of this holiday, even down to my blog header.

But this teapot above, with the sweet goodies…now that says it all, doesn’t it?

Cozy things and beautifully decadent sweets are the sum total of this day for me.  Not necessarily romance, or the object of one’s affection, but being able to nurture ourselves and indulge in a few guilty pleasures.

And yes, I have my guilty pleasures blog where I usually express these thoughts, but since this blog is also about tidbits and the potpourri of thoughts and feelings, I’m here.

Yesterday was the birthday of one of my granddaughters:  her Sweet Sixteen!  Happy birthday, Aubrey!

Here’s a photo of her taken recently.  But from her very first birthday, Valentine’s Day has seemingly brought thoughts of her to me.

And later today, I’m getting a manicure.

Should I do something like this?

I’ll also be reading on Sparky.

Have a great day, whatever you do!

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: BOOKS & LIFE MOMENTS

Yesterday started out great…it was a nice lazy day; I finished reading and reviewing Nine Months; I was getting ready to read a book on Sparky, called Kinsey and Me; and I decided to visit my daughter at the bar where she works.  A pomegranate martini sounded perfect!

While I was at it, I decided to order a chicken salad.  Bliss!

After a nice visit with my daughter and some of the friends who had gathered there, I went on home and curled up to watch a TV show.

About an hour later, I got a frantic call from my daughter.  Noah’s after school program had called to say he was running a fever.  So, since she was still working, I hustled across town, while mumbling to myself about how I wished the school were closer to where I live.

Poor Noah curled up on my sofa as soon as we got home, with a cool cloth and some juice.

Picture him lying on the sofa above.

Naturally, I was now curled up nearby, reading…and anxiously waiting for his mom to come.  Before he finally went home, he upchucked, too; but luckily made it to the bathroom.

Envisioning the next couple of days playing nursemaid—a job I was never good at even when I was young, although my kids never complained—I sighed.  Resigned.

But instead, today my daughter rescheduled her appointments at the salon where she also works and stayed home with him.

So I am now free to resume my normal life, while feeling guilty at how relieved I feel!

Nevertheless, I picked up Kinsey and Me again…loving it!  I thoroughly enjoy the character, Kinsey Millhone, a private eye who is featured in the Grafton alphabet mystery series.  And since the next alphabet book (W) hasn’t been released yet, I get to enjoy the character while waiting.

The book is a short story collection featuring Kinsey, and the second half shares stories about the author.

What books or other events are capturing your attention on a Thursday?  What interruptions take you away from your reading, and, at the same time, make you feel guilty for being frustrated?

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES & OBJECTS OF AFFECTION — OCT. 18

Earlier this week, I wrote about savoring the moments, over at Chocolate & Mimosas.

I was inspired by Nate Berkus’s book, The Things That Matter.  In my review, I shared how I also leap up and rearrange things in my house, almost at a moment’s notice.  A trigger might be something I’ve read in a book, like Berkus’s; or it might be just studying the objects around me and asking how they might look if I moved Object A to Point B.

Like shifting the chairs around on this dining table and noticing how I can see the trinkets on the shelves better now.

Or in the photo at the top of this post, I took objects from other places and shifted the ones that were already there…and I have a new vignette.  Notice the two versions of the Wizard of Oz characters, which have been there for awhile, but sometimes I don’t see both versions.  The resin vs. the plush.

Or in my office, moving the dolls and angels about so they are more noticeable.

Now that I can see the objects in this jelly cupboard (with the chairs shifted about), I can look at each of them and remember where I got them…and why.

Like the cranberry and beige wooden necklace hanging from the door….I wore that for the first time on June 9, 1970.  Why do I remember that date?  That was the date of a party (semester ending party!) where I met my second husband.

I have moved that trinket, along with many others, through numerable transfers.  I counted fourteen moves in the 1970s.  I’m surprised that so many things survived!

What do your things help you remember?  Do you change things around, and thus recall the moments in your past, even as you look at them in new ways?

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: WHEN ONE EVENT LEADS TO A FLURRY OF ACTIVITIES — SEPT. 27

Today I’m in the mood for something decadent.  But it’s only Thursday.  Shouldn’t I wait for tomorrow?  Isn’t Friday the day when we can give in to guilty pleasures?  But I started thinking about this one when I participated in a post over at Dames of Dialogue.  And then I segued into my own continuation of that post over at Chocolate & Mimosas.

That whole scenario led to a day of doing whatever I felt like….and I naturally had to create some new blog headers for a couple of my sites, like Rainy Days and Mondays.

This is the one I’m currently using, but I created a couple of spares for when I’m bored with it…lol

Since I was already on a roll, I took another look at my two writing blogs.  Yes, I have overdone it a bit.  I have a primary blog about my Creations:  Creative Journey.

And then I had created two writing journals:  Snow Chronicles and My Forest Journey.  I noticed that I hadn’t been posting in the second one all that much and had just a handful of followers.

So I moved the content to one of my pages at Snow Chronicles and merged them.  Voila!

Did I feel a momentary pang of loss?  Yes, especially when deleting the blog and Word Press said:  Are you sure?

Were they reading my mind?  But no, I went ahead.

But the fallout is always a lot of work.  Deleting the links from everywhere….and rewriting biographies that list the number of blogs or sites I have.  Thankfully, there were only a few posts at My Forest Journey and no book reviews happened at that blog.

I did love the latest blog header I had created there…sigh.

So of course I was in the mood for comfort food, after the day I had….and that led to dinner at Marie Callender’s with pot roast and pumpkin pie to take home.

 

Do you ever go on a spree of activities that started with something really minor…and found yourself way out there on a totally different path? 

 

 

 

 

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: A WISH THAT CAME TRUE! — JUNE 21

You know the saying:  Be careful what you wish for.

Well, sometimes wishing can lead to good things, too.  In yesterday’s Hump Day Potpourri, my eagerly anticipated book (on Kindle) was due to release in 2/2013.  I preordered it, expecting to wait quite awhile.

I heard from Patty, at Books, Thoughts, and a Few Adventures that it was already out in hardcover.

Guess what?  I opened Sparky (my Kindle) this morning to find it there.  Already!  Tumbleweeds has a gorgeous cover, and the blurb captivated me when I read it.

How did that happen?  Did wishing bring it to me faster?  Well, I seriously doubt that, but I’m willing to accept the “gift” of a wish come true.

While thinking about wishes, I’m reminded of guilty pleasures from the past.  This morning, I wrote at Chocolate & Mimosas about Another Guilty Pleasure.

Actually, the post includes a couple of them…and poses the question about what “floats your boat” these days.

That expression alone is a blast from the past.

When the days bring heat at ever early hours, we have to grab our pleasures where we can find them.  And in my fridge is a large pitcher of iced tea…just waiting.

Another arrangement of the space where I curl up to read….

 

The big sofa is still angled, but the love seat is now in a different position.  Will I ever stop rearranging this space now that I know I can?

What I’m reading now:  Gone to Ground, by Brandilyn Collins.

What are you reading?  And what do your pleasures look like today?

 

THURSDAY POTPOURRI: CHILLING WITH A GOOD BOOK — JUNE 14

On a Thursday morning, with the week fast-forwarding toward its end, I’m chilling with a good book and a glass of iced tea.  Iced tea in the morning?  Well, yes, when it’s going to be another hot day, it feels right.

I heard that this book was like “The Big Chill” meets “The Group,” and so far, I’m finding that aspect very true.  But The Red Book is also so much more.  It’s turning out to be a story about reunions, regrets, and hope for the future.

I’m enjoying it on Sparky, my Kindle, where so many other upcoming reads are just waiting….like Rain, by Leigh K. Cunningham, a story set in provincial Australia in the early sixties; a multigenerational family saga that chronicles the lives of three generations of the Wallin sawmilling dynasty. It explores the often difficult but enduring ties between mothers and daughters, men and women: the sacrifices, compromises, and patterns of emotion that repeat themselves through generations.  My kind of read!

Then there’s More Than You Know, by Penny Vincenzi, another favorite author.  I really want to dive into this one, too.

What I’d really like to do is grab a bag and my Kindle, and take off to the beach!

What would you like to do this weekend?