What a weird week

I started off the week still reeling from being hit with the most horrible stomach flu ever early Sunday morning. (Of course it has to hit that day, when I was looking forward to the sermon at church, when we had an adoptathon.) Even though by Monday I was no longer retching my guts out it still took me a few days to really feel better and to not be scared to eat.

We got PB and Jay back this week, two cats we adopted out as kittens over two years ago. The reasons are stupid and not even worth mentioning. But it's been a week of juggling cat issues, between getting them back and trying to help them settle in, to moving the Snow Cats into my office, trying to work in a new kitten (who ended up not coming in after all, though the woman didn't bother to call and tell us she had found a home for her. No, we had to call her.), finding out there is another kitten we might need to take in, talking to a new kitten foster home (Thank You God! They have fostered for us before, just never kittens so I think they'll be able to handle it.), worrying over Muzzy (Is she losing weight? Do we need to get her back to the vet? She's 17, what can they do?), listing several cats for adoption on Petfinder and finally having a talk with a friend about the loss of Katrina, which I really needed to have.

It rarely discuss cats we have lost from our own foster home on here. It's not deliberate, just something that hurts and so I don't write about it. I'm not going to change that too much now except to say that I know the way I'm feeling right now has to do with losing Katrina.

How am I feeling? In a funk, our of sorts, at loose ends. Everything just feels a bit off. Things that usually make me really happy just kind of do. I can't settle on a new book to read. I don't really want to do much of anything right now.

Summary of the Read-A-Thon

Over all I read:

I read 285 pages in 4 different books. (That's the most I have read yet at a read-a-thon.)
I read for 466 minutes.
I finished one and have a hundred or so pages left in another.
I took part in three or four mini-challenges.
I won no prizes.

By book I read:
Hokus Pokus-123
Chosen Prey-36
Eating My Words : An Appetite For Life-13
The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide-113

End of the Event Meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Hour 10 or 11, as I was really feeling tired. (I thought it was just because I had two early starts. Now I think it was because I was coming down with the stomach flu.)

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? If you like action then The Sisterhood books from Fern Michaels are great. They have suspense, a little romance and some great revenge.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Naa, it's great!

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? Everything! The Cheerleaders and hosts were awesome.

5. How many books did you read? I finished one, read from four different books.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels
Chosen Prey by Cheyenne Mccray
Eating My Words : An Appetite For Life by Mimi Sheraton
The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels though The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro did have me laughing till I cried with one paticular story.

8. Which did you enjoy least?
Chosen Prey by Cheyenne Mccray

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
N/A

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Defintiely will! A reader.

End of Hour 18

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 25 pages

Pages Read This Hour -25

I read for 48 minutes

Total pages read: 285 pages

Total minutes read: 466

Books Finished: 1

This reading was done in bed, with my book light. It's the last reading I'll do for this read-a-thon.

End of Hour 17

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 7 pages

Chosen Prey by Cheyenne Mccray - 1 page

Pages Read This Hour -8

I read for 12 minutes

Total pages read: 260 pages

Total minutes read: 418

Books Finished: 1

I decided to give up on Chosen Prey. In reading just one more page I realized I am not going to enjoy the book and all it was doing was upsetting me. So it's out of here. A year ago I would have made myself finish the book, since I have read over a hundred pages. Now I just figure those hundred pages helped me see this author is not for me.

(All these posts are being made a day late as I was hit with a horrible stomach flu on Sunday.)

End of Hour 15

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 3 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 3

I read for 11 minutes

Total pages read: 252 pages

Total minutes read: 406

Books Finished: 1

This hour is cut short as a soccer game I have to watch is starting in three minutes. I will definitely be reading before I go to bed but will most likely post that in the morning. So this may well be Good Night for me. Thanks all you Cheerleaders and Fellow Readers who have payed me a visit. Good Reading everyone!

End of Hour 14

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 21 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 21

I read for 48 minutes

Total pages read: 249 pages

Total minutes read: 395

Books Finished: 1

End of Hour 13

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 16 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 16

I read for 28 minutes

Total pages read: 228 pages

Total minutes read: 374

Books Finished: 1

Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now? Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels

2. How many books have you read so far? Finished One, Read parts of three others

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Hokus Pokus. This is a good one in the Sisterhood Series!

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Aside from not watching as many soccer games as we normally would, no.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? The kiddos (Grafton especially) but they really haven't been too bad. I'm easily distracted though so will never be as focused as I would like to be.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? It's gone really quick!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Just keep it up. I was so happy to know it would still go on in Dewey's honor. It's something Richard and I look forward to.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Usually I pick some good back up books to have ready, in case I need a change of pace. I wasn't well planned out this time around so that didn't happen. Luckily Hokus Pokus is a good book that has kept me interested. And starting off with a book of short stories worked out well.

9. Are you getting tired yet? I was. The break for dinner really helped.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Nothing earth shattering. Just do this because you enjoy it and don't put any restrictions or rules on yourself.

End of Hour 12

This hour I read:

Eating My Words : An Appetite For Life by Mimi Sheraton - 13 pages

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 2 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 15

I read for 48 minutes (while eating).

Total pages read: 212 pages

Total minutes read: 346

Books Finished: 1

The Strawberry Smoothies at Panera are yummy!

End of Hour 11

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 3 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 3

I read for 9 minutes.

Total pages read: 197 pages

Total minutes read: 331

Books Finished: 1


Didn't get much reading done as we were on the way to Panera and service was slow due to computer problems.

End of Hour 10

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 22 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 22

I read for 35 minutes.

Total pages read: 194 pages

Total minutes read: 322

Books Finished: 1

It's time for dinner so we'll be heading off to Panera. A change of scenery will do me some good as I am really fighting not to fall asleep! Will update when we get back.

End of Hour 9

This hour I read:

Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels - 24 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 24

I read for 39 minutes.

Total pages read: 172 pages

Total minutes read: 287

Books Finished: 1

Some distractions this hour (in kitten form) and I am fighting the urge to take a nap.

End of Hour 8

This hour I read:

Chosen Prey by Cheyenne Mccray - 22 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 22

I read for 38 minutes.

Total pages read: 148 pages

Total minutes read: 248

Books Finished: 1

I'm not really enjoying this book too much. It's romance/suspense and I was hoping for more suspense and less romance (which in this book is closer to smut IMO). If I wasn't a third of the way into the book I would be tempted to give up on it. I definitely will be reading a different book for the next hour.

End of Hour 7

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 5 pages Finished It!

Chosen Prey by Cheyenne Mccray - 13 pages

Pages Read This Hour - 18

I read for 29 minutes.

Total pages read: 126 pages

Total minutes read: 210

Books Finished: 1

I debated starting a new book but decided to stick with ones I have going already. If I get bored or just need a change I have plenty I can start.

End of Hour 6

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 18 pages

I read for 31 minutes.

Total pages read: 108 pages

Total minutes read: 181

End of Hour 5

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 19 pages

I read for 36 minutes.

Total pages read: 90 pages

Total minutes read: 150

Time for some lunch now.

End of Hour 4

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 24 pages

I read for 40 minutes.

Total pages read: 71 pages

Total minutes read: 114

End of Hour 3

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 31 pages

I read for 48 minutes.

Total pages read: 47 pages

Total minutes read: 74

I need some caffeine here. I spent all day scrapbooking till 11 o'clock last night and I am tired! Good thing this book is funny so it's keeping me interested.

End of Hour 2

(End of my first hour reading, though most of it was spent eating breakfast (a yummy blueberry muffin) and doing the intro. meme.)

This hour I read:

The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Guide by Laurie Notaro - 16 pages

I read for 26 minutes.

Introduction Meme

I got up at 9 so am getting a little of a late start (but early for me!)

Where are you reading from today? My home, mostly on the couch next to my husband who is reading too.

3 facts about me …
*All our kids (9 cats and 1 dog) are all excited that mommy and daddy are both home and downstairs reading. They make for quite the distraction.

*I am so not a morning person. So the fact that I am up this time on a Saturday morning tells you how much I love to read.

*I realized last night that I am still reading one of the same books I was last read-a-thon. I seemed to hit a wall with it. Hope I can get some read in it today.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Well I'm reading 5 books (my norm) but not sure I will read from all of them. If I get bored I will most likely pick something light and easy from my huge TBR pile.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Finish at least one of the books I have going.
Enjoy it!

Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Have fun with it! Don't get too bogged down with goals, just enjoy a day of reading with others all over the world.

24-Hour Read-A-Thon!

Yae! I am so ready for this!

My Reading Goals for the Year 2009

Last year I had a goal to read 24 books. I surpassed that and finished 32. This year I am making my goal 36 books, three a month. I finished one in January already so I'm off to a good start. I want to work on reading some of the series books I have. I have a lot of books that are parts of series that I haven't read one of. It would be nice to know which series I truly want to read and which ones aren't really my style. Since a lot of the series books I have are mysteries it looks like I'll be reading a lot of mysteries. I also want to finish The Cold Moon, the books that seems to have taken me forever to read! I actually have three books I carried over from 2008 and want to finish all three.

1. Read 36 books
2. Read series books
3. Finish all books carried over

Summary of the Read-A-Thon (a very late post)

Over all I read:
I read 254 pages in 5 different books.
I read for 677 minutes.
I finished two books and almost finished another one.
I took part in three mini-challenges.
I won no prizes.

By book I read:
The Devil's Arithmetic-134
Dead Until Dark-32
Any Given Doomsday-62
Under the Duvet-22
Eating My Words-4

This wrap up is very late, as life got pretty complicated for me right after the read-a-thon, so somehow this just never got done. Better late than never!

Embrace

My word for the following year will be embrace. I looked up the definition and it is:
1. "to take or clasp in the arms"
2. "to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly"

I plan on doing both, to hold those I love close to me and make sure they know I love them. And I plan on being open to new things and to be truly open to the feelings of whats happening around me, of what I'm involved in. Life is full of so many moments we should enjoy and we don't take the time. This year, I am going to.

Grieving and Soap Operas

I lost My De the first of this month. It wasn't a shock, as she had been ill a long time. But theres really no way to be prepared for the loss of someone you love. You think your ready. Your a sensible person, you know theres no cure, but still it stuns you when it happens. The idea of our parents dieing just seems unthinkable. And yes, De was my parent. The world would view her as my grandmother, but she helped raise me and was a mother to me as much as my mom is. My mom is the more free spirited one, who taught me to be independent. My De was the over protective mother. She worried about me, fussed over me, did all those things that make you crazy but make you feel loved just the same. I was My De's first grandchild and I spent a good portion of my life living with her. That parent who thinks their child is perfect? That was how My De was with me.

For the past few weeks I have been back and forth to Texas, spent the last week of her life with My De and been through a memorial service in a town I hoped never to go back to. The whole thing has been a bit surreal. I have felt like I have been cast in a play or TV show that someone forgot to give me the script to. I've just felt a bit out of step, a bit off. Things that would normally worry me haven't really upset me as much as they normally would and the things that would usually make me ecstatic just haven't affected me as much. I was able to speak at her memorial and I will always be glad I did. To say I love My De doesn't cover it. I adore her. She was my best friend and my confidant. She was someone I could call up and tell her anything and know that she would still love me. That's a precious and rare thing and I know how blessed I am to have had that. I was glad I spoke about De as I knew her, not some person other people made her out to be. My De was spunky and full of fire. She was a pistol and hard to handle and proud of it. She was far from the stereotypical grandmother and that's part of what made her so special.

So now I am back to my "normal life". Things are going along, I'm working with my foster cats, working on bringing others in, doing all the things I'm supposed to. I keep thinking about grieving. Have I done it? Am I doing it? I'm honestly not sure. In some ways I feel like I have been grieving off and on for years, since she first became sick. I had times of being so angry this illness was happening to her and times where I would cry so hard blood vessels would break in my face. Maybe that's why I haven't cried as much as I thought I would after the fact. Maybe it's because I'm not ready to mourn and will do it when I am. I'm not sure.

Since being back home I have found comfort in an odd place: Soap Operas. Well, one soap opera precisely. When I was 12 I was home schooled for a year. I can't say that year did much for my academic life but it did give me and De a chance to start watching Soap Operas. There were three we liked, two of which have gone off the air, but our true love was one in particular: Guiding Light. Over the years I got busy and stopped watching, though I always had a soft spot for it. Last week I found myself watching it again and thinking about De. The funny thing is the couple we watched all those years ago who was in such romantic turmoil is the same one I am watching now. Josh and Reva are still star crossed lovers who we all know belong together but there are obstacles in their way. De thought Josh was so handsome (Eh, not really my type.) and she always liked Reva (She rocks in my book.) Alan's still there causing problems and I read today that Philip will be back next year. For an hour a day I watch GL and that time when De and I would lay on the bed in her room and watch the show together doesn't seem that far away or that long ago. Maybe it's because it struck me this year that there are shows I'll never get to watch with her that she would have loved. (She would have loved to laugh at Bones and would have thought David Boreanaz was good looking. And One Tree Hill would have drawn her in. I know she would have been a Nathan fan just like me.) It may seem silly to mourn over shows you can't share but it's not the shows so much as the sharing. It's something we always did and sadly can't do anymore. But with GL we can in a way. Soaps really don't change much over the years and theres a comfort in that, especially now. I feel closer to My De when I'm watching GL and it makes me feel better. That's priceless for me. So for now and the foreseeable future, I'll be getting my daily dose of soap. It's an hour out of the day that's just about De and me, just like old times.

End of the Event Meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Hour 21, the last one I did.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Under The Duvet
The Devils' Arithmetic
Some of Tim Myers Candlemaking Mysteries

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Nope, it's great!

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

Everything

5. How many books did you read?

I finished two and started two more, one of which I almost finished.

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes - Finished
Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handelhan - Finished
Eating My Words:An Appetite For Life by Mimi Sheraton
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolan
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Any Given Doomsday & The Devil's Arithmetic

8. Which did you enjoy least?

Eating My Words-It's a good book, but not as good as Garlic and Sapphires

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

N/A

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

Definitely as a reader!

End of Hour 21

I'm calling this hour a bit early as I am tired and heading off to bed.

The Devil's Arithmetic - 8 pages

Books Finished - 2

Pages this hour - 8

Total pages read: 254

Minutes Read: Aprox. 677

I only have 36 pages to go in my book but I am too tired to keep going. It's bed time for me.

End of Hour 20

The Devil's Arithmetic - 22 pages

Books Finished - 2

Pages this hour - 22

Total pages read: 246

Minutes Read: Aprox. 661