Tuesday, January 30, 2007

We Are Tired, Today

Thanks to all who have stopped by to tell me you like the new template! It was a little harrowing, at first, losing all the sidebar items and then trying to figure out how the heck to put them back. But, I'm loving the new tools that came with the fresh template (and kind of relieved that yesterday's work is over).

I finished God is an Englishman on Sunday evening! Yippee!!! The idea of reviewing it is a little daunting, but I hope to do so, tomorrow. A friend drew my attention to the fact that this is actually my second chunkster of the year. At 453 pages, Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair also qualified. And, it took me forever to read so . . . okay. Cool. I still plan to shoot for two more chunksters by June, though, even though that bumps my lower-end goal up from 3 to 4. It's a challenge intended to knock down the piles, after all, so it would be silly to use that first chunkster as a way to slide by.

Please note that I've added a link to the list of Chunkster Challenge Participants in my sidebar; just click on the blinking bookworm. This will allow easier access to a hoopty list with links to other bloggers involved in the challenge.

I had a long day after a fitful night, so just one quick anecdote that shows exactly how tired I am. After taking the hubby to get some dental work done in the Big City (Jackson), we ran some errands and returned home just in time to pick up kiddo from school. I fetched the child, dropped him off at home, and dashed off to buy milk and fresh fruit. Because I was tired and youngster needs to eat a little early on swim practice days, I whipped through McDonald's and ordered us each a fish filet and a fruit-and-yogurt parfait. After paying for my food . . . get this . . . I zipped right past the pick-up window and hopped onto the highway to head home. I was halfway to the house before I realized there was no food in the car. Crud.

In the trunk was a gallon of milk that needed to go in the fridge and today was a warm day, so there was no choice but to proceed home to drop off the milk and then turn around to fetch the restaurant food. Just to have a pair of extra eyes because I was obviously awfully tired, the kiddo was forced into co-pilot position. A few McDonald's employees got a good laugh, but we did manage to pick up our food.

My life and welcome to it.

Currently reading:
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
The African Queen by C. S. Forester

Just walked in the door:
French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
The Grizzly Maze by Nick Jans

I'm off to immerse myself in some eucalyptus-scented dead sea salt bath soak. Some days you just have to say, "I quit here. I'm taking a bath and going to bed." Just to be kind to the kiddo, though, I must inform you that the photo is old (although the teenager's leg was already pretty long in 2005, I can see) and Buzz Lightyear has been discarded. He'd really be unhappy if I left you with the impression that Buzz was still around.

Nighty night!

22 comments:

  1. It takes some time to get used to the new template how to customize things. Looking good!!

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  2. Too funny.. I've done things like that before too.
    And I (finally) just finished Eldest yesterday. Man, that felt like I was reading 2 chunksters! That book was huge. But, oh, the feeling of accomplishment! LOL

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  3. Thanks, Suzi!

    I'm slowly getting accustomed to the new process. It's much easier than I thought, once you get going. :)

    Angela,

    I should have filed that anecdote under "airhead moments". I'm sure that would end up a well-filled category. LOL

    Congrats on finishing Eldest! That's a thick one, all right - my youngest read it, last year, and it takes up way too much shelf space, IMHO (but he can't part with it). It's definitely satisfying to close a chunkster and set it down for good! :)

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  4. Anonymous9:13 AM

    Oh too funny. You were tired indeed. Hope the bath helped. And, I like your new look here!

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  5. Yay! Congrats on finishing your chunkster! I think I need to drag my tired body to bed soon. Been a very busy day after a bad night (first I couldn't fall asleep, then kept waking up, and Monsieur William Bailey le Chat woke me up a few times too!).

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  6. Great picture. Looks like my Frankie in a few years.

    I spent a good hour working on my new template (pretty much what yours looks like) and got my blog roll up and a few other things in the sidebar. Then, when I looked at the actual content, I noticed that the hyperlinks to Amazon (using my Amazon Associate html codes so I get $$) were goofy looking. Not terrible, but there was 2 or 3 extra spaces after each book title before the next word (or punctuation). Very annoying since I don't like my blog to look sloppy. So, I reverted back to my original template and will leave well enough alone. Maybe I'll do a little research later and see if there's a solution to the problem.

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  7. Iliana,

    I probably should have a category called "blonde moments". I have a lot of them, unfortunately. :) But, yes, I can blame that one on fatigue!

    Thanks, Glad you like the new template! The bath was terrific. I used a eucalyptus fizzy instead of the bath soak because the cat wanted a drink from the tub (my last eucalyptus fizzy; I'm so glad I found something else with eucalyptus in it!) and clove/mint soap. Oh, my. It was pure heaven. :)

    Hi Nat!

    Thanks! That chunkster was a pretty good book, but I was so glad to close it for good!!

    I love what you called Bailey. Is that his full name? I can totally relate to having trouble sleeping and then just as you drop off . . . the cat does something noisy. Both of our cats take turns scratching the door to come in and curl up with me if it's securely closed. If Miss Spooky gets hungry and wants my attention, she jumps up on the furniture and knocks things down! Cats!

    Hey Les,

    Looks like your Frankie in a year if he eats enough. LOL They grow sooo fast!

    I've meant to ask you about the Amazon thing. Do you actually make any money? I was also going to ask how to go about it, but I'll wait till you get your template figured out. It took me about 4 hours to get most everything back to normal (with my lousy connection). Fortunately, the washing machine was broken so I didn't feel an urgent need to jump up to do housework frequently. :)

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  8. Ooh! I love that photo! Congratulations on finishing your first (or second if you count the other one) chunkster! I still have to decide which one of my three to tackle next . . .

    Although I'm sure it was not so funny at the time, I had to chuckle when I read about your night. While I haven't driven off without my food at a drive thru before, I have walked out of a store without my purchases before. I was so embarrassed! I wanted to send hubby in to get them once I realized my mistake, but the clerk probably wouldn't have recognized him (he hadn't been with me when I made the purchases). LOL We laugh about it now.

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  9. I've been SOOO INCREDIBLY CLOSE to doing that very same thing. And I mean centimeters from gunning the car and driving the heck away. Then I realize I just paid and should wait around for the food.

    You're not alone. Not at allll. ;)

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  10. Hi Wendy!

    Thanks. That photo always makes me smile. I think it's so funny that the cat tolerated that leg sprawled across her middle!!

    And, thank you for the congrats. On to the next chunkster . . . :)

    Oh, yeah, I've left groceries and other purchases behind. Hubby once bought a camera and walked off without it (for Christmas)! And, I once wrote a check over the amount and walked off without the $20 bill the clerk owed me. I always go back. I have far too many airhead experiences, but the advantage is that it's less embarrassing if you're accustomed to doing stupid things. LOL

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  11. No matter what else you did, you got one thing right: You headed for the tub. Bookfool, I salute you. If I were there, I'd give you the Big Time respect bow -- the one where I rest my forehead against the floor in front of you.

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  12. Hey, Nancy. I'm going to stick with my old template. I just don't want to mess around with a new one, what with the Amazon Associate thing. I'm sure there's a way to make it look nice, but I simply don't have the time right now. However, to answer your question, yes, I make money. Not lots, mind you, but for the little time it takes to convert some code (using Amazon's build a link feature in the Associate program), it's worth it. I think all you need to do is go to Amazon, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Join Associates. From there you can read how the program works and sign up. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

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  13. Anonymous12:59 PM

    Kid and kitty look pretty comfy! And of course Buzz Lightyear was long ago.

    Not airhead moments - overtired and overbooked. Somewhat appropriate though, eh? lol.

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  14. Andi,

    Thanks, it's good to know I'm not alone. ;) Maybe it's the subconscious, "Gotta get home" thing that makes us want to race on past the pick-up window. LOL I'm glad you haven't reached the lows of my level of blondeness!!

    Bybee,

    A nice soak in a tub is my solution for a bad day. It never fails. Okay, no, it fails if we run out of hot water, but otherwise . . .

    Oh, dear, get that head off the floor! :)

    Les,

    Thanks. I'll check that out when I have a minute. I don't blame you for not wanting to mess with your template. It took me a very long time to bite the bullet and go through with it - and then I had some long moments of doubt!

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  15. Carrie,

    They were totally crashed when I took that photo. Youngest doesn't fall asleep during the daytime often, but when he does he could sleep through an earthquake!

    It took him a long time to part with his Buzz comforter, but when he decided it was time for it to go, that was it. He wanted it out the door. Funny.

    LOL! "Overbooked" - definitely apropos!

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  16. That is a nice picture of kid and cat. :) LOL I have never left food intentionally. :)I caught it before we got too far and ran back inside. lol They were free pies from my work. lol

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  17. Oh yes, when Bailey really wants some attention he'll start knocking things down, like my alarm clock off the nightstand, and just being naughty because he knows I'll get up. Unfortunately I'm a light sleeper, H sleeps through it all!
    Well, his name is Bill Bailey so when he's a naughty boy I change it to William and add the French bit!
    (I guess technically I should make it Guillaume!!) :P

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  18. Krista,

    Thanks. I love that picture. Ah, yes, the benefits of waitressing. I used to get one free small pizza each time I worked, when I was waitressing in college! I never forgot my pizza. :)

    Nat,

    Doesn't that drive you nuts? I'm a light sleeper, too. David can sleep right through the crashing and the yowling. Bill Bailey is a cute name. I love the French version. Guillaume would work but William sounds better to me. Maybe because I named a kid William. LOL

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  19. Oh yes! I almost never get to sleep right through the night. There's always a Bailey interlude in there somewhere. Once in a while, when I really need some decent sleep we'll shut the door so he can't get in. Of course he'll still meow but will give up after a while. He's so funny though that we can never stay grumpy at him for long. Cats, eh? :P

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  20. Nat,

    That's just what I did, last night. I needed some sleep so I shut Spooky out - I usually leave the door unlatched so they can come and go. I did, however, let Sunshine in when she scratched at the door and said, "Mrph?", which I translated as, "May I come in?" She was perfectly well-behaved, even though I latched the door to keep Spooky from nudging her way in (I expected Sunshine to at least wake me once to be let out). I didn't think I could take a night of crashing noises. :) But, yeah, I'm just crazy about my fur babies and can't stay irritated with them for long. They have this innocent look, for one thing . . .

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  21. Hey, Bookfool!

    I made a switch to my classics challenge list recently and ended up reading "Alice in Wonderland" as well as the sequel. I can't wait to read what you thought of the book!

    I have yet to start on my chunkster...I should be ready for it next week!

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  22. Hi Lotus!

    I haven't gotten much reading done this week, but I think Alice in Wonderland is hilarious. I hope to get really going on it, tonight. I'll have to see what you thought!

    There's plenty of time left to read those chunksters. :)

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