Hello there! Sorry about the belated Fiona Friday pic. I don't mean to make you suffer an entire weekend without a cat photo.
You won't believe why I hardly showed up at the blog, last week. Television! Seriously. I know I told you that I've recently been a bit of a streaming junkie (pretty weird for a girl who doesn't normally watch anything at all, apart from the occasional PBS show or movie), but this was just unreal. Last week was all about Jericho, Season 1 -- a show that was canceled years ago, and yet I still decided to torture myself.
When I started watching the first season, my husband walked past and said, "You've got a higher tolerance for stupidity than I do." Haha. Honestly, Jericho did have a terrible start but it improved. I'm particularly fond of episodes that are heavier on action than interaction. Eventually, I got so hooked that I watched the final 6 or 7 episodes of the first season in a single day. I'm midway through Season 2. Probably not the best way to spend my time but I'm having fun, so I guess that's okay. :)
Reading-wise:
I read the same book all week long and finally finished it on Thursday or Friday: The India Fan by Victoria Holt. Enjoyed it but not enough to stop me from watching Jericho. I picked up Firefly Island immediately after finishing because I was supposed to tour it (I missed my tour date but talked to the publicist and she said no biggie, just post within the tour). So far it's just not grabbing me. I set it aside (again -- that was actually my second attempt) and read Legacy of a Rescue by Marta Fuchs on Saturday, the story of how the author's father and other people in his forced labor camp were saved during WWII by a fellow who ended up perishing in the war. More about that when I review the book.
Last night I started reading The Pope's Last Crusade by Peter Eisner, a book about how Pope Pius XI tried to warn people about how dangerous Hitler was, before WWII broke out. It's great, so far. And, then I read a bit more of Firefly Island, today. Page 64 and it's still not grabbing me. I think I may have to give up and do a DNF post, but I'm going to give it at least till page 75. Usually, I love Lisa Wingate's books so I keep hoping it'll pick up.
Recent Arrivals:
- The Pope's Last Crusade: How an American Jesuit Helped Pope Pius XI's Campaign to Stop Hitler by Peter Eisner - from HarperCollins for review. That one actually just arrived on Friday and I found myself promptly drawn to it.
- NOS4A2 by Joe Hill - from HarperCollins for review. It'll be interesting to see if I survive Hill's latest. I loved his first book, 20th Century Ghosts (short stories - link leads to my review) but after reading it I was honestly too terrified to read a full novel by him, at first. I guess if you wait long enough between horror reads, even if you're a wienie like me you can built up some guts.
- Little Chipmunk's Wiggly, Wobbly Tooth and Little Raccoon Learns to Share, both by Mary Packard and illustrated by Lisa McCue, who has long been a favorite children's book illustrator - from Sterling Children's Books, unsolicited. I'll have a Children's Day in a few weeks. I'm always up for unsolicited kids' books. They make me happy.
- The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs - from HarperCollins, just arrived today. I'm pretty sure I didn't request this one, although I might have and just don't recall. I'll look in the files to make sure I don't have a tour date I've forgotten about. Either way, I'll give it a go.
We had snow flurries on Saturday!
And, today it hit 70. Wild weather. It was so gorgeous out (sunny, dry with little puffball clouds and a brisk wind) that I took a nice, long walk in the neighborhood, today, and then sat on the deck reading and taking photos of birds for a couple hours. We had a flock of cedar waxwings come through! Very exciting. I've only seen them one other time. They're so stunning that I've been hoping to see them again, ever since.
And, about that book by Kate Atkinson . . .
I honestly didn't even think about Life After Life much, most of last week, but I've decided that since I got stuck when I tried to review it, I may just default to the old "self-interview" concept. That is my one blogging block-breaker that never seems to fail. Not sure who I'll use as my fake interviewer. The goofier I get with self-interviews, though, the better they seem to work.
Since I cruelly deprived you of cat photos on Friday . . .
. . . a second dose of kitty joy for today.
Happy Monday!
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I love the picture of Fiona! I would kill for some nice warm weather. Enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteFiona and I thank you. :)
DeleteToday's weather was a one-off. Very strange. We've had cold weather (for us) and, in fact, I think I killed all my succulents in a freeze, this weekend. Tomorrow, we're supposed to be cold, again. It won't last, though. The mayflies are out, daffodils are blooming, Bradford pears have budded. Winter's on its last leg. In no time at all, I'll be grumping about hot weather.
I LOVED Jericho! I had such fun with that show, and my husband and I were so sad when it was cancelled! I thought I heard somewhere that they might bring it back, but that soon faded, and I haven't heard anything since. I am so glad you are loving it!! It's one of my favorite shows. If you want something fun to move on to next that you may not have watched, try Battlestar Galactica. The new version from the Sci-Fi channel.
ReplyDeleteI read up on Jericho a bit and found that they have continued the series in comic book form. Not quite what I was hoping for. It really did get better as the series progressed. Pity they didn't start out well; they might have kept a broader audience.
DeleteFunny you should mention Battlestar Galactica because I just noticed it's available, the other day, and decided that's definitely one I'll try soon. There's a British actor from the Hornblower series that I love in Battlestar Galactica, so I've always wanted to give it a go. Thanks for the reminder!
Love the kitty pictures, even on a Monday. It's funny how sometimes television is all we have the energy for. I'm missing Downton Abbey already! Hate it when I can't get into a book, and I'm supposed to review it. Love the 70 degrees as Spring seems to have spring where you live. As opposed to Illinois where today we had a Snow Day!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I'm so missing Downton Abbey, too. But, it's been fun watching TV in the evening with Huzzybuns. Since I usually don't watch TV at all, we are seldom even in the same room, most of the evening. I like the together time.
DeleteIt's frustrating not to feel like a book is for you when you're supposed to review, isn't it? I find myself obligated to keep trying just a bit longer, but critters in the closet? Uck. I get enough of that in real life. LOL
Yes, spring has sprung. I can't say I'm happy about it because that always means summer will be here soon (I'm allergic to pretty much everything that pollenates and heat makes me sick, so I love winter). Snow would be great. I could handle snow. I loved Oklahoma and Michigan for the real winters but I understand how tiresome the cold weather can become, after months and months of it.
I love watching a series episode by episode without weekly interruptions. I did the same with Jericho and hated when I got to the last one!
ReplyDeleteWe just finished Season 2, last night. It was not badly done but it was still definitely a letdown when it ended. I really enjoyed it.
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