Monday, July 09, 2012

Monday Malarkey - Of ice cream bars and little fishies

Ever have one of those days in which you need to accomplish something like, say, write a Monday Malarkey post, but then you sit down and load a picture and decide, "Nah, that's not what I want." So, you look through your files and can't make up your mind between a photo of the cat trying to pull down a bowl you're holding over her head to keep her from grabbing your ice cream bar or one of the many photos of the same cat looking like The Laziest Fisherman on the Planet, sprawled over an iPad with little fishies sailing past her nose? That is my Monday. You probably don't need extra vitamins for this kind of stress.

So I've made an executive decision: Cat attempting to reach Haagen Dazs. Who wouldn't pull out the big moves for Haagen Dazs?

Last week was a week of waiting on the mortgage company to decide if we're worthy (we're worthy!) and trying to solidify Kiddo's apartment lease (done!) with lots quiet stretches between errand-running and packing, so I actually had a pretty decent reading week. I've already reviewed Kaytek the Wizard, so no need to say more about that.

The other books I finished, last week:

This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley - A very basic book about writing a novel in a single year. Only 103 pages long, it's a breezy book that you can keep rereading repeatedly, if you need a little reminding about what the heck you're trying to accomplish when you do decide to write your novel in a year. This Year You Write Your Novel is a good refresher course, although it's really meant for new writers; the ratings at Goodreads are on the low end of the spectrum but I think it's actually quite decent, especially if you're not very patient with how-to books.

Truth Be Told by Larry King - A gossipy book of anecdotes by the retired talk-show host. I'll save my thoughts and try to write at least a mini review of this one. It's also a very light read.

Johnson's Life of London by Boris Johnson - Finally finished this book that lurked in my sidebar for weeks. I loved it up with about a squillion Post-it notes. It may win a trophy for "Most Post-it-filled Bookfool Read of the Year." Or, maybe a handmade ribbon. Possibly some feeble applause. Johnson's Life of London is subtitled "The People Who Made the City That Made the World," so each chapter is essentially a mini-biography of an individual or, in one case, two people who were important to London in some way (although they weren't all necessarily native Londoners). Excellent, excellent book. I'll try to give this one at least mini treatment, too.

In other news, I've discovered that the only way to keep books from walking in my door is to come up with some form of book repellent. Well, that's not going to happen.

Just walked in, this past week:

  • The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian - a win from Goodreads, for review
  • Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake - from Paperback Swap
  • Truth Be Told by Larry King - from FSB Associates, for review (unfairly knocked to the head of the queue by virtue of its levity)

What I'm reading, now:

I started The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, this morning (from Random House via Shelf Awareness). I have bookmarks in a few others but Harold has grabbed me by the hair and I'm happily following his poor, blistered feet across England.

The Laziest Fisherman on the Planet (because two cat photos are better than one):

Disclaimer from Isabel: "I am not lazy. I was playing quite vigorously before Mom snapped this picture. Please don't judge me. By the way, did you know you can actually 'catch' the fish by sticking your nose on the screen and attempting to bite them? Also, no matter how close you get, your human will not let you have a bite of her Haagen Dazs. What a load of malarkey."

Cat on the Verge of Stealing Haagen Dazs (because three cat photos are even more satisfying than two):


©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

14 comments:

  1. I just saw The Sandcastle Girls on a list of "Books That Should Be Bestsellers." I haven't heard anything else about it, but I hope you enjoy it!

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    1. Ooooh, that's good news, Charleen! I'm excited about The Sandcastle Girls. Hopefully, I'll get to tell you all about it, soon. :)

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  2. The kitty photos crack me up so much. Cats can be so much darn fun!! Glad that the mortgage company found y'all worthy and that the son got his lease!! Y'all can all sleep easier now. And the writing book really reminds me that I REALLY do want to finish another book. The novel I wrote when I did my first NaNo is not something I'm really proud of, lol. I really did like my story from last year, but I quit...I would love to get back to it and really work on it! Was just thinking that the other day. Anyway, hope things have been good in the Bookfool world!

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    1. Chris,

      You should have seen the contortions involved in taking those ice cream photos! LOL Izzy does that all the time. She will climb all over me to try to get to my food. It's hilarious. She's such a little nut.

      Yes, so happy Kiddo has his apartment all lined up. It's tiny but functional. It should be interesting moving him in one direction and ourselves in another! What a month we're about to have!

      I'm not proud of any of my novels but in packing I've come across a lot of my older writing and some of it's not too bad. Some of it is appalling!! It's pretty funny to read that old stuff. I'm hoping that once we get settled I'll get back to writing. That book is very inspiring and it had all sorts of ideas churning. If I wasn't about to move, I'm sure I'd be writing, already. I hope you'll get back to your book, soon. One thing Walter Mosley says is that it's okay for your book to suck because what you write down initially is, after all, your first draft.

      All is well, here, thanks. I'm a little nervous about closing and the coming money drain (including Kiddo's college expenses) but so, so excited to be moving!!! Hope things are good in Stuffster world, too!!!

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  3. Ice cream bars! credit-worthy! Cats fishing on the ipad!! WOOT.

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  4. Lot of people are loving the Harold Fry book, and I am glad that you are enjoying it. I need to find that fishing app for my kitties as well. I have a couple who would prefer that to the window where they can watch squirrel and bird television all day.

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    1. Harold is awesome. I'm about halfway into it and absolutely loving it.

      The fishing app is so cool! Both kitties enjoy it, although it's best saved to play just occasionally (and definitely take your iPad out of its case if yours have claws -- I learned that lesson quickly).

      Haha, "squirrel and bird television" is a perennial cat favorite. Add lizards to that list. Isabel tries to dig her way out through the window when a lizard walks by. :)

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  5. Must try the fishing app--although I'm quite annoyed at the Triad right now concerning rolls of toilet paper.

    Taking note of The Unlikely Pilgrimmage...

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    1. Uh-oh. I assume you had a big shredding incident? Kitties are notorious for that. The fishing app is loads of fun and totally free. Gotta love that.

      The Unlikely Pilgrimage is excellent, so far.

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  6. My cats have tried one of the mice apps that my folks got (I think mostly for my mom's Yorkie). They mostly patted at the mouse, then waited for it to run off the screen so they could have a good chase. Will have to tell them about the fish one.

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    1. Oh, funny! They got it sort of backwards, didn't they? It probably just depends on the cat, just like every other toy. Some they love, some they don't. Both of my kitties enjoy the fishing game but only occasionally. If I break it out too often, they lose interest.

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  7. I have heard that Sandcastle Girls is an amazing read..I hope to get to it soon! And I hope that after getting so close she was rewarded with a little nibble?

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    1. I've heard nothing but positives about Sandcastle Girls. Hope to get to it soon, also.

      Yes, Izzy got a little ice cream to lick from the tip of my finger. She's relentless but pretty easily satisfied with a taste of whatever I'm eating.

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