Saturday Snapshots Last day of April, Let's Bring on Spring!!

It's Saturday!  It's time to share snapshots!  Check out Melinda's blog at West Metro Mommy Reads for a few rules then share your photos. 

We had a bit of a return to winter in our area this week. Tuesday we got somewhere between 6-8 inches of wet wet snow. "We need the moisture" is on everyone's tongue. I know, but come on! It is nearly May!! 

 Our back deck!

Our front yard. You can see it really isn't sticking on the street. But Mr. Busy and our granddaughter's husband drove to Colorado this day (Tuesday) . DH said it was the worst roads he has ever driven on. I am glad I did not know how bad it was. I was worried enough as it was. 

These are roses in a friends yard. Pretty yes! 

 But I would rather be seeing these happy daffodils that are blooming in my SIL's yard.

 Or these two flowering trees she "spied" on her morning walk.

So come on Spring!  You can do it!!  No snow this morning, but dreary and overcast and promising rain. May 1st is tomorrow, so Mother Nature, let's see what you can do to bring on the sunny, warmer weather.


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline ( audio)

Ready Player One

Ernest Cline 

audio version: read by Wil Wheaton

Published: August 16, 2011  Random House Audio

Goodreads Synopsis: 

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready? 


My thoughts:


I really enjoyed listening to this book. Fantasy and Science Fiction are not my usual reads. But I do watch some science fiction, Mr Busy and my kids and grand kids are fans. I did not grow up in the 80's, I was already an adult. I did enjoy the references made to movies and game consoles and music, though. I was raising teenagers in the 80's!

I was captivated by the narration by Wil Wheaton. He did a really great job separating the voices of the various characters. The setting has such a real feel. I think our future may be just like that, only I think (or hope) it will be longer than 28 years. Our younger generation already spends a lot of time in the virtual world. I would recommend this audio version to anyone who might be interested in this story of a world in the not too distant future and the young people that inhabit it. I cannot do a better review than this one already done by Sheila at Book Journey. Click on over and read her thoughts. Just FYI, she loved it and her recommendation played a large part in my decision to download this audio version.

Wondrous Words Wednesday 4-27-16

Kathy at Bermuda Onion hosts Wondrous Words Wednesday. A chance to highlight words you find while reading or occasionally by listening. Share your words then link up with Kathy's blog so we can all learn a new wondrous word.

from The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas


calumny   noun - an untrue statement that is made to damage someone's reputation; also: the act of making such statements

Welcome was satisfied they were telling the truth and he reassured Emma, " I don't doubt you. I do not believe you capable of calumny where I am concerned.

definitions from the dictionary embedded in my Kindle: Oxford Dictionary of English

from Witch is When It All Began by Adele Abbott

skip   noun   - skip  Brit   a dumpster

"The second thing I did was to grab the book of spells and take it to the skip. 

hob and paintwork

"You'd better put it on the hob" my mother advised. "The splash guard will prevent you from damaging the paintwork."

I understood that paintwork was probably the painted walls, but I looked it up anyway.

hob   noun -    a flat metal shelf at the side or back of a fireplace, having its surface level with the top of the grate and used esp. for heating pans.

paintwork   noun -  painted surfaces in a building or vehicle.


What new and interesting words did you discover recently?


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Witch Is When It All Began by Adele Abbott

Witch Is When It All Began  
Adele Abbott

Jill Gooder is a P.I., because her father was and she took over the business. She is not very successful at the present time, and so decides to take on a job to find a “serial killer”. At least her client thinks a serial killer murdered his girlfriend, the police do not. As in most cozy mysteries, the protagonist sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong. She can’t help it however, she has a job to do.


Enter a quirky office assistant, an adopted one-eyed cat, a police detective who seems to hate her, and a sister who is trying to hook her up with just about anyone. As Jill deals with all these characters in her life, she discovers that her biological mother is a Witch. That means she too is a witch, at least that is what her mother says from her deathbed, “You’re a witch!”

This is a fun story. I grew up watching “Bewitched” on television and this books reminds me of Samantha and Darren and their exploits. I was a bit put off by the slang words I did not know, but because I read it on my Kindle, I could look up the meanings without too much trouble. If you are looking for a light easy read, this is one for you. There are more installments in the series and I will check them out as well. I am adding this to my “Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies” challenge, hosted by Yvonne at Socrate's Book Reviews.

This also will fit for Read What You Buy and Women's Fiction Reading Challenge. A three-fer!! 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4/25/16

It's Monday What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Share what you are reading, what you read recently or what you hope to get to in the coming week and then link up with Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great place to see what is going on in the blogosphere and to add to your reading lists.

Finished but no review yet:

It was pretty good, but lots of terms and sayings that were unfamiliar. Luckily it was on my kindle, so looking them up was easy. 

Over 1/2 way : 

I have been listening on my phone ( a new deal to me) and carrying it everywhere. 5 hours left and I have it on 1.5 speed. I am loving Wil Wheaton's narration!! 

If I finish this one, I am not sure what to start next. Maybe - 

 It is the May book for my book club:

 This has been on my Kindle for a long time:

 I love Kristin Hannah and this is one that I have been wanting to start!

I borrowed ( or just took with her permission) this from my youngest granddaughter. She could not finish it, and I have not started it. But I want to read it before seeing the movie. 

Any suggestions as to which one I should read next?  

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

I am prepping for a Quilt Retreat the first weekend in May. Plus DH has out patient surgery on the 4th. Hoping to get some reading time in. Wish me luck. 

Saturday Snapshots 4-23-16

Linking up with Melinda at West Metro Mommy Reads.  Join in the fun, share a photo taken by you or a family member or friend and link up at Melinda's blog. 

I am sharing photos today of some small boys in our family and their activities. Oh, and one of a recent activity of my own!

"Put me in Coach!"

 Little League has started!  My brother has been a Little League umpire since his boys were little. They are 35 and 24, and now the tradition continues with the grandchildren.

"You see a weed, he sees a wish!"

                                  This is my DIL's nephew. Isn't this just a precious photo.





                                                  "Sometimes you need to read the instructions.!"

And this precious boy is our son and DIL's grandson, our great- grandson. Gramma and pa sent him a kitchen, because boys need to learn to cook too. Our son is the cook in their family.



And finally, some cupcakes I made using an idea my SIL shared. My dear friend, Lynn in a quilter and an avid fly fisherwoman. I made these in honor of her birthday, yesterday. So easy, fish crackers, a pretzel stick and a squiggle of white icing on blue iced cupcakes.

She was tickled!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Wondrous Words Wednesday 4/20/16

Kathy at Bermuda Onion hosts Wondrous Words Wednesday. A chance to highlight words you find while reading or occasionally by listening. Share your words then link up with Kathy's blog so we can all learn a new wondrous word.


Again, a word from Bossypants by Tina Fey. 



carrageenan:   noun -   a colloid extracted from various red algae (as Irish moss) and used especially as a stabilizing or thickening agent


They have endless time to fill, but viewers get kind of "bummed out" if they supply actual information about wars and stuff, so "Media Portrayal of Sarah Palin" and SNL and I became the carrageenan in America's news nuggets for several weeks.



Then from The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas


husbanded:  (husband as a verb)   to carefully use or manage something, as a resource

transitive verb: to manage prudently and economically,

"Afterward, he told her he wasn't looking for a place to stay at all, since he had little money and he husbanded it."


dishabille: noun

the state of being dressed in a casual or careless style
archiac:   negligee.

" She thought for a moment about remaining in dishabille for John's return, for she was curiously aroused."


Did you find any wondrous word this week?


Stay Busy and Stay Happy