Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Can't get my blogging groove on . . .

. . . so you get storytime with Bookfool. That's not my cat, by the way. I don't know how to spell her name, but I believe she's a Coco or maybe Koko or Cocoa. We'll guess she's named after Coco Chanel, since the other bookstore kitty who hangs out with this gal is named Bette Davis. Want to see Bette Davis? Of course you do.

Awww, Bette Davis and Coco were sleepy. So cute. They're store kitties at my local indie, Lorelei Books. I don't go there often, mostly because there isn't a very big selection (and I already own several thousand books so I'm not a big spender in bookstores, these days), but I probably should. The owner is lovely, the cats are friendly. It's a great place.

So, I took these two snaps with my new little handy, dandy point-and-shoot camera. One day I was at my friends' photo-developing store and I pulled out my little point-and-shoot to show to . . . uh, I don't know if they want me to share their names. We'll just call them Tarzan and Jane for ease. Tarzan said, "Oh, Sony, pfffft. I got the first in that Cybershot series and it lasted all of three months. When people come in to ask if I know where to get their Cybershot repaired, I take their camera, switch it with mine and do this --." He pretended to trip and tossed the camera halfway across the store. Tarzan is funny.

I flipped through my photos while Tarzan was telling me Sony horror stories and showed Jane my shot of snowflakes . . . on my sleeve. Remember that one? Jane said, "How did you do that?" I said (very quietly), "It's not a bad camera."

Reading-wise:

I mentioned earlier that my sidebar hasn't changed, lately. Well, Mr. Darcy's Great Escape has been there for weeks but I kept setting it aside to finish other books, for a while . . . which is not a negative statement about the book. It's just that it's 500 pages long and I'm not much of a chunkster reader (which explains why I came up with the Chunkster Challenge back in 2006 or 2007 -- or, whenever -- and then handed it over to Dana after a single year). I'm enjoying it. I'm still only on page 300, but I swear I'm going to finish it soon.

The other book, The Things They Carried, is one that's been there for a while because I'm stretching out the joy, so to speak. It's such an amazing read that I don't want it to end. Good news, though. I got a copy of Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato from PBS, this week, so I can just chug on through and know that I've got more O'Brien to read, after I finish. There's some comfort in that.

Speaking of things that have arrived, here's a list of recent arrivals at the House of Bookfool:

Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School: We the Children by Andrew Clements - from Simon & Schuster (unexpected and it just happens that I love what I've read of this author).

Beyond Blue by Therese J. Borchard - A drawing win from The Book Tree

Eli the Good by Silas House - A purchase from Lorelei Books, on SuziQ's recommendation

False Colours by Georgette Heyer - from PBS because I love Heyer's books

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod Eagles - from Sourcebooks for review

This is actually a couple of weeks' worth I'm listing, since I've stopped regularly accepting review books. Today, the postman came to the door with a box crammed full of children's books -- 6 of them!!!! -- for review (again, surprise books), all wrapped in pretty polka-dotted tissue. The publisher said please don't review till the release dates, which is funny because I sat down and read all 6 of them, immediately and then read the letter about when to review.

So, now I have to hold my horses, when I'd really love to babble about them. Fortunately, they're worth rereading a squillion times. I would so love to tell you about my favorites, right now. But, I'll have a Children's Day or two when they're released. You'll be so thrilled. There's some fun stuff. See, this is another reason I need kittens. Children's books practically require an audience, so I need to adopt a new audience.

I have to go, now. Please be patient with me. I keep saying I'm going to bang out bunches of reviews and then I end up staring at the screen. So, let's just say I'll get to them when I get to them. We're supposed to have storms for the next two days and that means I may not even manage to get online. I'm okay with that. I can use the reading time.

Happy reading to all you lovely bookish people!

Bookfool, hoping she'll get her groove back, soon

11 comments:

  1. The cats are beautiful. And, they gave me an idea - check with the local vet's office. They may know where there are some kitties.

    cjh

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  2. You need a cat... That's all I have to say. :)

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  3. cute cat, but she doesn't have Bette Davis eyes.

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  4. I can't wait to see what you think of Eli the Good since it's in my TBR pile. The kitties are adorable!

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  5. CJ,

    That's been suggested to me and, since I have a bill I need to pay, I'm thinking I'll go pay the vet in person and ask. Thanks for mentioning it! I think asking the vet is a super idea.

    Kelly,

    Yes. I know. NEED, not just want. :)

    Bybee,

    Well, we won't hold that against her. She does have grace and a tendency to drama.

    Kathy,

    I hope to read it within the next couple of months because it's on the Vietnam challenge suggested reading list, but don't hold your breath. I've been reading slower than molasses in January, this year.

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  6. Pretty kitties! And I can't wait to read about the children's books. I did that recently, and it's been sooo hard to hold my tongue!

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  7. Andiloo,

    Aren't they pretty girls? Both came from our local Humane Society. Laura said she asked Georgia, who runs the Vburg Humane Society, to watch for kitties with at least a little Siamese in their blood.

    It's very hard to hold your tongue about children's books, isn't it? They're such fun, quick reads that you can't help but sit down to read them right away.

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  8. Bookfool, today I ran into a woman who used to work near me, and we both loved the stray cats around our buildings. I fed them, of course, but could not adopt because I already had my limit. Anyway, she asked if I knew anyone who wanted rescued kittens. I said, "Only in Mississippi." She said, "We'll ship them there." When I told her about you, she said there's a small kitten as young as you want. Then she said, "I'll TAKE the kitten to Mississippi!" I gave her my card with my phone number on it. Email if you want me to pursue this. She's supposed to call or email me about the kitten, who weighs about three pounds, she said.

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  9. Bonnie,

    That's a very tempting offer, but I have it in my head that I want to choose my kittens, this time around (and I want 2 of them, preferably siblings) because I've actually never gotten to choose my pets. I only had a couple during my childhood, since one of our kitties lasted close to 20 years -- I was 6 when my parents chose her. The boys brought home Miss Spooky and Sunshine was a stray that a teacher found and who came home with him from school in a cardboard box. Is it awful to want to see and choose my own kittens? I hope not. It's just something I'd really like to do. But, wow, what an offer. Seriously tempting.

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  10. Bettie Davis is a beautiful kitty. Thanks for sharing those photos you took!

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  11. Jeane,

    Yes, she is lovely. You're very welcome. I'll have to visit them again, some time soon -- probably when I need a specific book. ;)

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