Thursday, December 11, 2008

All kinds of wahooey goodness from book pals

Just a warning . . . if you get envious easily, have a nice little coffee or tea and one of those anti-anxiety pills because you are going to be so green with envy that someone's going to have to pry you off the ceiling. I'm just saying . . .

Now, on to all the wonderful wahooey goodness that I've recently received. This is so uber cool, I'm making myself giddy.

First, I must share what the lovely Bellezza bought me for my Secret Santa Blog Swap gift. I don't think the enlarging feature works, anymore, so I'll tell you what's in the photo and crop a second photo to give you a closer view so you can drool all over your keyboard. Bellezza gave me a gift card for one Persephone book (!!!!!!!!), two Persephone catalogs (one is not shown because I hauled it off to read it), a Starbucks gift card, a journal in my favorite color (apple green, 'cause she knows me well) and some unbelievably amazing chocolate mints. Her new kitty, Samantha, gave me the little magnetic paper clips with kitties on them! Wow, what a box full of awesome bookish yummy joy!!! Thank you, Bellezza and Samantha!!!!

Bellezza also sent me a copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for my birthday (which was very, very much appreciated because I was especially feeling my mom's absence on my birthday). I actually carry that book from room to room, now and then, which I know is weird but I'm kind of just saving it for when I desperately need something I know is going to be wonderful to read. And, in the meantime, I admire it daily.

Anyway, here's the closer view of the Secret Santa loot:

The mints are seriously to die for.

Carrie K. bought me all this wonderful stuff below just because. She said it's not a Christmas gift; she's just bought me some little things, here and there, this year. Well, if that doesn't make a chick feel all warm and loved, I don't know what does. She sent me a box of peanut brittle, a little woolen bag (hard to see, so I've got a separate photo of the bag, lightened up a bit, along with the socks she sent), a bookmark with a terrific quote and the face of John Steinbeck looking all weathered and gruff in a friendly way (my opinion), Famous Battles of the Civil War card game, a little wooden "dream box" with my name on it, and the cutest darned pelican socks you ever did see.


That beach card at the back even has a perforated fold with a removable bookmark!! In case you can't read it, here's the quote on that black and white bookmark:

It is the duty of the writer to lift up, to extend, to encourage -- John Steinbeck

You said it, Johnny! And, here's a better photo of the bag and the socks:

Thank you, Carrie!!!!!

And, now a thought. I've been setting aside books I've finished and don't plan to keep (which seems to be most of them, lately). I was thinking I might have a 100,000-hit celebration and give a few of them away, soon. What do you think? Hankering for a free book or two? Or should I donate? I do a lot of donating and swapping, but I've won so many books from blogs that I feel like it's time to share the love.

47 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:45 PM

    Wow! You've had a good week, haven't you?

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  2. What great and thoughtful gifts! Way to go, both Carrie and Bellezza.

    As for donate or give away, I vote for give away! You read such a wide variety of books that seem so interesting I'd love to get my hands on a few! But... donating is good, too. Could you do both?

    cjh

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  3. Wahoo is right! Those are two really awesome packages! Hope you enjoy them...did you get snow???

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  4. Suey,

    LOL! Yeah. :)

    CJ,

    Aren't those just the coolest piles of fun you ever did see?

    I hadn't thought about mixing the two, but that's a great idea. Maybe I could even post a list to see which books people are most interested in acquiring and have a drawing for those, then donate some of the others. Thanks, great idea!!! :)

    Chris,

    They were just oodles of fun to open, you can imagine.

    And, no, dammit. No snow!!! It went north and south -- and missed us entirely. We got nothing but nasty rain. Did you get snow? I know J. Kaye got a pretty little blanket of snowfall in Baton Rouge.

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  5. Anonymous1:49 AM

    I know you wrote that Disclaimer for ME :o)
    And YES I am red/ green/ BLUE with ENVY :D

    Bellezza and Carrie.. awesome thoughtfulness.. and this girl is all dizzy ;) coz of you girls :)

    Feeling loved is so so special innit?!

    :)

    Love and Wishes ;)
    Take Care

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  6. What lovely gifts, you must have been very excited opening them. Very thoughtful!

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  7. Yes. Yes, I am jealous!

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  8. Bookfool, you crack me up with all that joy and enthusiasm. It's good to have friends. XOXO, Bellezza

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  9. Anonymous9:07 AM

    Wow! wahoo, indeed. I love Frangos....

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  10. What a lot of fantastic stuff. The kitty magnets are so cute!

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  11. You're right, I'm totally jealous.

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  12. Veens,

    You turn a lot of colors when you're envious. LOL Carrie and Bellezza are so sweet.

    Yep, it's a wonderful feeling. :)

    Thanks, lots of love to you, too!

    Leah,

    I had such fun. We have really boring Christmases because most of my family has died off, so I am truly appreciative of such thoughtful blogger friends! :)

    Chris,

    I knew it was coming. ;)

    Bellezza,

    You would have loved to watch me open everything and hear the squeals. LOL Thanks, B., you're a sweetheart!!! ((((Hugs))))!

    Care,

    Frangos are new to me, but they taste just like the bavarian mints my parents used to buy in Nebraska, so I think I'm going to have to find a Frango source (bad for the bank account and hips, good for the taste buds). :)

    Jeane,

    Obviously, Samantha has excellent taste. :)

    Nikki,

    It's possible you need a care package, although I have a feeling one wouldn't make it to you till March. ;)

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  13. Oh I'm am jealous!! Persephone catalogs and a book?! And, chocolate.... Oh man, you are one lucky bookworm :)

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  14. Iliana,

    Bellezza knew I've been wanting to try out Persephone. Isn't that the coolest gift, ever? I'm going to have to work off the chocolate and pie, pretty soon.

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  15. I'm glowing green....
    what a great week for you!
    Those two ladies sound wonderful.

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  16. Such thoughtful and generous friends you have!

    Happy reading, browsing and coffee drinking to you.

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  17. Wow. Lots of neat stuff!

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  18. Kris,

    Oooh, you should have that green glow looked at. Yep, they're both wonderful. I'm a lucky chick to have such peachy friends. :)

    Christina,

    I certainly do! Thank you! I'm already having enough fun that I can visualize a weight-loss program in my future.

    Tink,

    Isn't it great? Oh, hey, did you get snow? It missed us entirely.

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  19. Such great gifts! I love the fact that you got something from Samantha too :D

    yay for book pals!

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  20. Sock envy!!!! SOCK ENVY!!!!

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  21. Nymeth,

    Isn't it all wonderful? Kitties can be very generous, too. ;)

    Pat,

    Cute aren't they? I'm shocked, though. Aren't you supposed to be perpetually barefoot?

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  22. Anonymous6:23 PM

    Persephone gift card! Trumped! lol. It's good to be Bookfool this week, yes?

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  23. Carrie,

    This was quite nearly a perfect week, actually, yes. And, you should know that I have a thing for boxes, so I keep opening and closing my little box, just because I can.

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  24. Well, you are obviously well-loved! Miss Bellezza is a great pal. I'm still enjoying some marvelous hand cream she sent last year. Smells heavenly, so I use it sparingly.

    Glad you had a great week. And, by the way, when is your birthday and how did I miss it?!?!

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  25. Yep! We got snow all the way down here in New Orleans. It was gorgeous! I posted a pic on my blog. It was beautiful at the hosptial with all of the trees. That's really sad that you didn't get any snow...and you're north of us...you should have!

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  26. Anonymous9:26 PM

    Great loot! Enjoy!

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  27. wow- impressive! I am jealous of your bookmarks!

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  28. I am pea green with envy....way to go kiddo! You have some great friends.

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  29. You lucky girl! What a great reason to get gifts - just because. I think they are the best kinds of all. :D

    Have a good weekend!

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  30. Yes, I'm very jealous now! ;)
    Especially about the Persephone book and catalogs. I look at their website and sigh every so often but I haven't given in yet.
    Have fun with all your goodies!

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  31. Les,

    Bellezza's a sweetheart. My birthday was September 1. I think I must have mentioned it on the blog, at some point.

    Chris,

    I went to your blog to see if you'd posted photos, but I must have arrived too soon. I'll go back and look. I can't believe we didn't get any at all! They said in the paper that the dividing line between rain and snow was Clinton -- about 30 miles east of us. So . . . north, south and east. I wonder if it snowed to the west.

    Guatami,

    Thank you!

    Jessica,

    Yep, great stuff. The bookmarks are perfect. I love that quote and, of course, I'm a cat lover. :)

    Joemamma,

    I do, indeed. :)

    Indigo,

    I so agree. The parcel from Carrie was a total surprise, so I squealed before I even opened it. The pitch just got louder when I saw everything. LOL

    Nat,

    Me, too! I've never been able to justify a Persephone purchase -- actually, I guess the catalog I requested got lost in the mail because I did sign up for a catalog but never received it. I took it as a sign from God that I needed to avoid becoming a Persephone addict. We'll see what happens. Thank you!

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  32. Anonymous11:24 AM

    wow - are you giving something away in this post? You are so POP-lar (as my niec would say)

    and you have me curious abt 'bavarian mints my parents used to buy in Nebraska'... tell me more? My inlaws are in Beatrice and willing to do my bidding, ha!

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  33. what lovely goodies!!!

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  34. Anonymous1:41 PM

    Oh you had me laughing out loud with that warning! Love it. I think your gifts are just beautiful and no one deserves them more. :)

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  35. Care,

    That sounds so strange. I ran in the nerd crowd, you know. ;) Nope, not giving anything away in this post, but I'm gathering things for a 100,000 hit party. I'm a little under 97,000 hits and I have all these books lying about. Might as well give some away, right? Stay tuned.

    On the Bavarian Mints . . . oh, that kills me. I can't remember the brand name, anymore, and there is absolutely nobody left to ask. Everyone's dead!!! Seriously. But, the Frangos taste just the same and the box says they're available through Macy's website.

    Amy,

    Aren't they wonderful? BTW, sorry I haven't dropped by your blog, lately. I'll visit, soon. I hope you're doing well!!

    J. Kaye,

    I'm glad I made you laugh. :) Why, thank you. You've just given me my warm fuzzy for the day!

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  36. Missed me too. We got rain :( Hubby spent the week out in one of those Navy ships and they said it was the roughest it's ever been with HUGE swells (?)

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  37. Tink,

    Sucks, doesn't it? That cold rain was miserable. If it's going to be cold, it really ought to snow. Wow, really? Was your hubby in the Atlantic?

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  38. Wow! You got some very cool stuff! I especially like that your secret Santa's cat gave you a gift too! :)

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  39. Anonymous12:32 AM

    *envy*envy*envy*

    *Turns green*....

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  40. Trish yells: "Scott--come peel me off the ceiling!!" :) Very very cool gifts!

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  41. Laura,

    Isn't it all great? Samantha probably bought me those magnetic clips because I kept telling Bellezza about the wonders of cat ownership and now, with Samantha having recently entered her life, B's suddenly overcome with kitty joy. I'll bet she whispered in the cat's ear. You think?

    Betty,

    LOL It's not easy being green. ;)

    Trish,

    Oh, boy. I hope Scott was around. Can't have you stuck to the ceiling (at least, not for long). They're wonderful, aren't they? I'm a spoiled chickie.

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  42. Oh my, gemming here in Canada. Great gifts!

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  43. No, the gulf. He works at Northrop and Grumman and they had to take the ship out to see if she was sea worthy.

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  44. Dar,

    Most definitely. I didn't know you're in Canada; I should pay more attention. :)

    Tink,

    Wow, that's pretty bad for the gulf! The ship must have passed its test, though, yes?

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  45. Sharon,

    Thank you! I think there are a few flies on my bloggy wall and that's fine by me. :) I'm glad you stopped to say hello and that you're enjoying your visits! Nice to meet you!!

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