TUESDAY POTPOURRI: LUSTING AFTER BOOKS — MAY 21

A week or so ago, I wrote about wishing for this book...and I was all prepared to preorder it.  Sophie Hannah is one of my favorite authors of dark mystery, and Kind of Cruel sounds like one I have to read.

Amber Hewerdine suffers from chronic insomnia. As a last resort, she visits a hypnotherapist, doubtful that anything will really change. Under hypnosis, Amber hears herself saying, “Kind, cruel, kind of cruel.” The words awaken a vague memory, but she dismisses the whole episode as nonsense. Two hours later, however, Amber is arrested for the brutal murder of a woman she’s never heard of, and the only way she can clear her name is by remembering exactly where she’s seen those words.

 

But just as I was poised to order it, I found it in the Amazon Vine newsletter.  Even better!

So I’m expecting it this week!  Along with another book that’s been calling to me:

The Husband’s Secret, by Liane Moriarty.

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. ..

 

***

I’m very excited about both of these books…and I’ll be rushing to the mailbox today, hoping to find at least one of them!

What books are calling to you? 

 

A Cozy Book Room

TUESDAY POTPOURRI: A MORNING WITH BOOKS, COFFEE, & THE DVR — FEB. 19

Yesterday was one of those stay-at-home days; because of the holiday, I didn’t even go to the post office.  Just the supermarket for supplies.

But today I’m getting an early start so I can mail things.  First I’m enjoying some coffee in one of my favorite mugs.  Note the stack of books ready to go out to giveaway winners.

In my restlessness yesterday (that’s what happens when I stay at home!), I did some more rearranging of the entry/dining area space.

In this photo below, note that the wicker loveseat is once again up next to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.  From the dining room, you can see the angled sofa table and the little dropleaf table where I pay bills.

Earlier I was blogging my Teaser Tuesday meme….and finding new books to add to my list.  But before that, I woke up in the middle of the night to keep reading Evil at Heart.  And then had nightmares when I went back to sleep.  EEEEK!

Now I’m going to finish watching my favorite TV shows that are on my DVR from last night:  Switched at Birth, The Carrie Diaries, Monday Morning, The Following, Deception, and Castle.  Yes…a lot of shows for one night!

I watched Dallas live.  Love that show!  Here are my thoughts about the show over at Chocolate & Mimosas, my “guilty pleasures” blog.

What is going on in your world on a Tuesday?  Busy things?  Relaxing?

 

HUMP DAY POTPOURRI: RECYCLING & REARRANGING…AGAIN! — SEPT. 5

If you read yesterday’s Tuesday Potpourri post, you know that I love unusual bookshelves…or just bookshelves in general.

You may also notice that I do a lot of rearranging of my stuff.  But after I rearrange things, sometimes the process leads to more changes, ad infinitum.  Otherwise known as “holes or empty spaces left behind.”

To avoid that, I always have my eye out for ways to fill those holes, and I obsessively dig deeply into books and magazines for ideas on new uses for old things.

Like this barbecue cart that once held my Old TBR Stacks and then moved out on the patio for awhile.

Here it is, standing in for a shelf that now “lives” at the foot of my bed (where the wicker trunk stood).

Barbecue Cart in background now standing in for shelf in foreground (standing in for trunk)

 

Oh, how convoluted the path becomes!

And here’s an update on the bookshelf now filling up with “read” books….

Soon I will be searching for new ways to contain my books….which brings us back to the first photo, from Pinterest; what a great idea for shelving!  My ceilings are not that high, of course, but I could move upward and add some at the topmost areas of the rooms.

How do you contain your treasured volumes?  Do you display them or do you save them in storage?  Do you give them away?

 

 

 

 

TUESDAY POTPOURRI: BOOKISH WISHES, CHANGES, & FUN READS — SEPT. 4

This is what I need in my condo!  Wall to wall books that can be easily accessed.

Instead, what I have is a series of bookcases and shelves in every room, with books alphabetized on each shelf…and after awhile, it is almost impossible to know where any given book might be hiding.

I am grateful that I do have shelves, however, and the TBR shelves are in much better condition than they once were.

Here’s what my unread stacks looked like when I moved in here…

And here’s what they look like now (the Old TBRs).

Two Small Stacks on the Desk

Of course, I do have my New TBRs…but hopefully they will remain somewhat under control.

These stacks are two-deep, so there are about forty books in all.

Unable to control much about how my books are shelved, I have been moving other things around.  Like coffee tables.  I moved the office coffee table into the living room, and the humongous and bulky table is now in the garage.

And I found this wicker trunk in my bedroom and moved it into the office.  (This is an update to the earlier post).

You can be certain that whenever I get that itchy restless feeling, something else will be moved somewhere. 

But I’d still love that wall-to-wall shelving!

Here’s what I’m reading now:

Little Night, by Luanne Rice.

And I finished this one earlier; click title/cover for review:

And When She Was Good, by Laura Lippman

What was your holiday like?  Did you celebrate with family/friends?  See a movie?  I had a good time catching up on movies on the DVR.

THURSDAY POTPOURRI — THE NEVER-ENDING SEARCH FOR BOOKSHELVES — SEPT. 29

Let's Chat!

 

For those who have followed my various posts about my TBR stacks, my constant search for shelves, and my various rearrangements of books in places like the dining room, the pantry, and the bathroom—well, you must realize that I’m a hopeless book collector.  Not to mention dolls, bears, etc.

And for those out there who might think the “h” word (shh, hoarder!), I resist that label.  Books, dolls, bears, and things of this kind are precious treasures. 

They desire attractive shelves!

Today I’m in search of a new shelf for the bedroom, to replace the barbecue cart that now houses my Old TBR stacks.  I’m thinking that, with a proper shelf, I might read through them faster.  Yes, with a proper “home,” I could conceivably do just that.

Below, take a peek at the current housing.  Despite the cute bear to the right, and the various cuddly things that surround these books, they really look…well, homeless!

Old TBRs - Housed Here

 

A few months ago, I found a new bookshelf for the office, which filled up rather quickly.  Then I “released” some shelves by moving some books into the dining room, in various cupboards…and even on the bottom shelf of my Baker’s rack.

 

Books - Hanging out in the Dining Room

 

At Home on the Baker's Rack

So I do have some empty spaces.  But judging from the New TBRs that are slowly encroaching around me in the office, it won’t be long until I need that new shelf.

Wish me luck!  Last time, I happily found a fairly inexpensive shelf and the store clerk even put it together for me!  Yes, I am challenged when it comes to assembling things…sigh.

Usually I have to find one of my grown kids to do this job, but they’re always VERY BUSY!

What are you planning to do on this lovely Thursday?  After my bookshelf hunt, I think I’ll have coffee and read at Barnes & Noble.  But before I do any of that, I have to hit the gym.  I’ve been VERY bad this week.

 

WEEKEND POTPOURRI — REORGANIZATION — APRIL 22

UP NEXT BOOKS - REORGANIZED COFFEE TABLE!

Yesterday, after I had spent the past couple of days with two of my grandkids, with one of them sleeping over, I felt exhausted.  But then I went to my daughter’s salon for a new styling experience, and I felt totally renewed. 

She gave me some lighter highlights, which made my whole being feel new.

Naturally I turned my attention to some things that had been bugging me.  Like the overwhelming book stacks in my office.  Many of them are new TBRs, but I also had several stacks of books to reread, which made me look at the whole thing with new eyes.

So I opened my eyes and readjusted my attitude about the little country cupboards in my dining area that hold Disney and Engelbreit collectibles, and thought:  what if?

Sometimes we can have the best of both worlds.  Collectibles and books, living side by side.

MY LITTLE RED CUPBOARD WITH BOOKS

In the upper and lower shelves, I still have my Coca Cola stuff.

Now take a look at this one….

MY BURGUNDY JELLY CUPBOARD HOUSING BOOKS, ETC.

My collections, living side by side:  books and memorabilia.

DISNEY CHARACTERS, KITCHEN ANGELS, & BOOKS....

I have one more “country cupboard” in this room, but it holds my vintage dishes.

Now take a look at my newly designed stacks of TBRs….

NEW TBR STACKS ATOP THE BOOKCASE

It looks better, I think.  Especially since the only stacks on my coffee table now are the “up next” books  (Photo at the top of the post).

This is my version of “spring cleaning”… LOL.  What is yours?

BOOK LOVE — NEW SHELVES — FEB. 27

MY TBR STACKS -- SOON TO GO ON THE "READ" SHELVES

Earlier today, in my Sunday Salon post, I talked about my quest for new bookshelves.

In my wrap-up for the month, I also mentioned that in the past two months, I’ve finished 28 books…and they have to go somewhere.  Right?

So, after checking around at several shops, I finally found this shelf.  Here are two views of the shelf, which is in my office.  As you can see, there are no books on it yet…a few fairytale images are “place holders” until I finish some more books.

Top Two Shelves Shown

Two bottom shelves shown in this next one.

Another View

I like having my quirky treasures share shelf space with my books.  I’m pretty sure that within a couple of months, though, these shelves will be filled with books.

What do you do when you finish your books?  Do you have lots of shelves just waiting?  Or, do you have to go out and shop for more?

P. S.  I had to come back and post this photo of the shelves with a few books….

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FEW BOOKS MAKES!