tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57461724926307583952024-03-14T14:31:20.000+11:00Beth's ThoughtsSometimes completely random, but there may just be something useful. So keep reading.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.comBlogger977125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-4633267637499256182018-12-19T19:24:00.000+11:002018-12-19T19:24:00.671+11:00Reading Challenges 2018 - Wrap-UpBlogging just hasn't been a priority for me this year. I haven't had books to review, and really I haven't felt like posting.<br />
<br />
So for now this will be my last post - until I decide the direction I want this blog to take in the future, or if I even want it to continue.<br />
<br />
I managed to get to 100 books (there's still one that doesn't show up on my Goodreads total), and I'm still reading.<br />
<br />
As for the Bethany House Challenge, that is finished too!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DvG1f8vJmM/XBn9-jokMDI/AAAAAAAAB-g/aixn90GSfMQAmDYHjm2ChEij9e0XTxO1QCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHous-Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="558" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DvG1f8vJmM/XBn9-jokMDI/AAAAAAAAB-g/aixn90GSfMQAmDYHjm2ChEij9e0XTxO1QCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHous-Final.jpg" /></a></div>
These are the ones I had already done:<br />
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">With a car on the cover - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">A New Name by Grace Livingston Hill</span></b></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Whose protagonist has a fascinating career - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>True Honor</b> <b>by Dee Henderson</b></span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Set in a place you've visited - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Life's Adventures</b> <b>by Arthur Barton</b></span> (this is the one that doesn't appear on Goodreads) - There is a photo in the book of the author in almost exactly the same spot as a photo of me was taken!</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Inspired by a literary classic - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Possibilities</b> <b>by Debra White Smith</b></span> (based on Persuasion by Jane Austen)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">With a child as a narrator - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Once Upon a Summer</b> <b>by Janette Oke</b></span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Written by an author with your initials - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A Girl to Love</b> <b>by Betty Neels</b></span> (I had a struggle finding a book by an author with my initials and even more trouble finding one that I was actually willing to read. There was another book I initially tried by couldn't even finish the 1st chapter because of the swearing.)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Containing letters or diary entries - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">True Valor by Dee Henderson</span></b></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">A librarian recommends to you - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">From Desk to Dugout by Robyn Youl & Keith Hallett</span></b></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">That shares a title with a song - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Sweet Home Alabama by Paige Winship Dooly, Pamela Griffin, Lisa Harris & Pamela Kaye Tracy</span></b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div>
And these are the final three:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>That takes place in the month you are reading it - <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh</b></span></li>
<li>Whose protagonist is a different race/ethnicity than you - <span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow</b></span></span></li>
<li>Without words (picture-only kids' book) - <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I Can't Sleep by Philippe Duspasquier</b></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
And so that is that.</div>
</div>
<div>
Happy reading!</div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-89374599671764172302018-04-21T16:12:00.001+10:002018-04-21T16:12:37.752+10:00Book Review - Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4z-NTH6wFOw/WtrSeNHx_iI/AAAAAAAAB8o/_m64BGkaeKIIxRbDHA1X-hvenl0lNhfEgCLcBGAs/s1600/Unlocked%2B-%2BKaren%2BKingsbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4z-NTH6wFOw/WtrSeNHx_iI/AAAAAAAAB8o/_m64BGkaeKIIxRbDHA1X-hvenl0lNhfEgCLcBGAs/s1600/Unlocked%2B-%2BKaren%2BKingsbury.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I picked this up for 20 cents when my local library was deleting it from their collection recently and I'm so glad I did. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is such a powerful story. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It made me cry and as I got closer to the end I just couldn't put it down until I was finished. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It covers topics of autism, bullying, family relationships, friendships and more. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not a romantic love story, but rather looking at the love shown by friends and members of families to each other. It's also about reconnecting.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autism can be such a tough topic to talk about, particularly when you talk about what might have caused it, how a diagnosis affects family and friends, and the demands of the ongoing care of an autistic child. This book looks at all of these elements in a variety of ways and perspectives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(This review was not sponsored. I just wanted to share the book.)</span><br />
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-88835222871147958622018-04-06T12:12:00.000+10:002018-04-06T12:12:25.100+10:00Reading Challenges 2018 - Update 1Hi everyone!<br />
By now you're probably wondering what's happened to me and where I am in the progress on my reading challenges.<br />
<br />
Well, by the end of January I had started a new full time job (YAY!! - it's been something I'd wanted for a while)! So I haven't had as much time for reading. I've also read more non-fiction books this year, and they take me longer to read.<br />
<br />
For this reason, I have dropped my Goodreads goal to 100 books for the year. My current total says 25, but I have actually read 2 more than that - one that I mentioned in my last post that doesn't appear on Goodreads and another that I finished this morning, but haven't added to my Goodreads total.<br />
<br />
As for the Bethany House Challenge, I'm actually doing extremely well, with 3/4 of the books read for the challenge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAHchN4yZLY/WsbSfIaP7TI/AAAAAAAAB8U/JoYsHl6BoPIrBzyZgcmiAYGjfsLsf85ngCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHouse_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="558" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAHchN4yZLY/WsbSfIaP7TI/AAAAAAAAB8U/JoYsHl6BoPIrBzyZgcmiAYGjfsLsf85ngCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHouse_LI.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
So here's what I've read for each one:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>With a car on the cover - <b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;">A New Name by Grace Livingston Hill</span></b></li>
<li>Whose protagonist has a fascinating career - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>True Honor</b> <b>by Dee Henderson</b></span></li>
<li>Set in a place you've visited - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Life's Adventures</b> <b>by Arthur Barton</b></span> (this is the one that doesn't appear on Goodreads) - There is a photo in the book of the author in almost exactly the same spot as a photo of me was taken!</li>
<li>Inspired by a literary classic - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Possibilities</b> <b>by Debra White Smith</b></span> (based on Persuasion by Jane Austen)</li>
<li>With a child as a narrator - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Once Upon a Summer</b> <b>by Janette Oke</b></span></li>
<li>Written by an author with your initials - <span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A Girl to Love</b> <b>by Betty Neels</b></span> (I had a struggle finding a book by an author with my initials and even more trouble finding one that I was actually willing to read. There was another book I initially tried by couldn't even finish the 1st chapter because of the swearing.)</li>
<li>Containing letters or diary entries - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">True Valor by Dee Henderson</span></b></li>
<li>A librarian recommends to you - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">From Desk to Dugout by Robyn Youl & Keith Hallett</span></b></li>
<li>That shares a title with a song - <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Sweet Home Alabama by Paige Winship Dooly, Pamela Griffin, Lisa Harris & Pamela Kaye Tracy</span></b></li>
</ul>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-10017119714354139132018-01-12T20:57:00.001+11:002018-01-12T20:57:45.989+11:00Book NewsHi everyone! Welcome to 2018.<br />
Blogging took a back burner last year, partly because there weren't as many books to review, partly because I wasn't doing any reading challenges and partly because my heart just wasn't in it.<br />
<br />
At this stage, there won't be any book reviews this year because the Australian Christian Reader's Blog Alliance (ACRBA) will not be continuing for a variety of reasons. Plus although I am still interested in reviewing books, the only options are to get e-books and I just don't read e-books. I have some sitting on my computer waiting to be read, but I really don't like reading on a screen, and you can't curl up in bed with a computer (I don't have a tablet, smart phone or e-reader).<br />
<br />
Good news, however, I am once again doing a reading challenge this year.<br />
<br />
In 2017 I did the Goodreads Challenge and ended up smashing my goal. I aimed for 120 books and made that by October, ending up reading 150 books for the year! (This was my biggest reading year since 2010.)<br />
<br />
For 2018 I am again aiming for 120 books in the Goodreads Challenge. You'll be able to see a button for it on my side bar, but there is actually one more book that I have read, but I can't put it on the Goodreads total because the book can't be found.<br />
<br />
The Goodreads Challenge will not be the only challenge that I am doing this year. I'm joining the <a href="https://bethanyfiction.com/2018/01/11/bethany-houses-2018-reading-challenge/" target="_blank">Bethany House 2018 Reading Challenge</a>!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NODoQlQGprI/WliFGDSMV5I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/1a6sMFnQrvIKiN83X8zf2Z841m0sDMCHACLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="558" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NODoQlQGprI/WliFGDSMV5I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/1a6sMFnQrvIKiN83X8zf2Z841m0sDMCHACLcBGAs/s1600/2018-reading-challenge%2BBethany%2BHouse.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It will be fun to see what I find for this challenge and I may have read something this year already!<br />
The only rule is that a book can only be used for one category!<br />
<br />
Would you like to join in?<br />
Do you have any ideas for books that might work for any of these categories?Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-43918170677677698952017-12-31T20:01:00.001+11:002017-12-31T20:01:33.336+11:00New Years EveIf there was one place I could be this New Year's Eve, I wish it was my Grandpa's farm in far east Gippsland. (Sadly, this cannot be because the farm was sold just before Grandpa passed away.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sQEgXBPT6TI/WkimSvPFsDI/AAAAAAAAB64/UvwZ0Nn5LegBw11ypT54eF2EKex2UBqlwCLcBGAs/s1600/Image015.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sQEgXBPT6TI/WkimSvPFsDI/AAAAAAAAB64/UvwZ0Nn5LegBw11ypT54eF2EKex2UBqlwCLcBGAs/s640/Image015.1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The only music would be the sound of the cicadas, instead of the loud cacophony coming from the neighbours.<br />
<br />
We would watch the stars, instead of the fireworks (many of which are illegally set off).<br />
<br />
The only drinking would be cups of tea/coffee as we chatted about the memories from the year just ending and our hopes and dreams for the year to come, instead of the raucous, crude language coming from people around us who have consumed too much alcohol.<br />
<br />
And, I wouldn't have to explain to people that I actually find New Years Eve a difficult day to navigate because today would have been my Dad's 63rd birthday and I miss him.<br />
<br />
So Dad, Happy Birthday!<br />
<br />
And to everyone else, Happy New Year!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-14863664753000615322017-08-09T21:44:00.002+10:002017-08-09T21:44:20.900+10:00Grief ... You Don't Just "Get Over It"I can tell you now that grieving the loss of someone special doesn't end. It is different as time goes on, and the intensity lessens over time, but there is always an element of grief because you will always miss that person this side of heaven (or that they are no longer around to share things with - like you're grieving over the time that you don't have with them).<br />
<br />
I was reading an article today called '<a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/10-things-you-should-know-about-grieving-people.html" target="_blank">10 Things You Should Know About Grieving People</a>'. There are a lot of good things written in it.<br />
<br />
When my Dad passed away 6 years ago, it felt like everyone was just going on without me.<br />
<br />
Well meaning people said call if you need anything, but what I needed was for them to not forget that I was there and ask me to do something with them. I wasn't feeling up to calling them, and I had been taught not to invite myself places.<br />
<br />
One thing I have discovered is that the grief doesn't always hit you when people think it will. So far it is either a little bit before or after the anniversary of my Dad's passing that the grief makes itself known, rather than on the day. One of the biggest things that can trigger it is a smell that somehow reminds me of Dad. It isn't always the same one, and it's not just smells.<br />
<br />
I know this post might seem incomplete, and in a way it is, but then my grief is not complete, and won't be until I am no longer on this earth.<br />
<br />
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-26171270548419224882017-07-03T09:00:00.000+10:002017-07-03T09:00:00.679+10:00ACRBA Tour - My Brother Tom by Michelle Worthington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 - 7 July 2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><a href="http://acrba.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 25px;">Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">is Introducing </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.wombatbooks.com.au/my-brother-tom" target="_blank">My Brother Tom</a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">(<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">By Wombat Books, 1 April, 2017</span></span>)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">By </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michelle Worthington</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHK3bnBNlyw/WVipbU1zgRI/AAAAAAAAIBI/qnFRwDAT560pC1OO-cQfUBTVAmScUuv6ACLcBGAs/s1600/mybrothertomsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="251" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PHK3bnBNlyw/WVipbU1zgRI/AAAAAAAAIBI/qnFRwDAT560pC1OO-cQfUBTVAmScUuv6ACLcBGAs/s1600/mybrothertomsmall.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kczg4EPaSW0/V_HHU5g8RlI/AAAAAAAAAKE/fb6hu3W5n5UOph2TjixaKNTEsBBx_JiVwCLcB/s1600/beyondthefightes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Book:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<div style="font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tom was born earlier than expected and had the doctors worried. His big brother wasn't worried though, he saw angels outside his window and knew everything would be okay.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Brother Tom is a story for older siblings of premature babies to help them make sense of what is happening at a difficult time.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2jyyBXQ-nY/WVipIGYaqII/AAAAAAAAIBE/iol-_ppr9Fg4jsXNYDL28HP01z4xcEUmACLcBGAs/s1600/WorthingtonMichelle1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1350" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h2jyyBXQ-nY/WVipIGYaqII/AAAAAAAAIBE/iol-_ppr9Fg4jsXNYDL28HP01z4xcEUmACLcBGAs/s320/WorthingtonMichelle1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michelle is an author of children’s books, who is also available for workshops on writing for children, book signings and school readings.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michelle Worthington was born in Brisbane, Queensland and currently works and lives in the Redlands. She enjoys travelling and has spent time studying in France where she lived for a year. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Winner of the 1988 Little Swaggie Award and other Australian poetry competitions, she has been published in numerous Australian and International poetry anthologies. Since a very early age, Michelle has shown a love of words and rhyme, and has always excelled at English and Creative Writing. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from University of Queensland in 1996, Michelle is currently undergoing studies to further her career as a published author and book publisher.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Australian publisher, Wombat Books has released her first children’s picture book titled <a href="https://www.wombatbooks.com.au/index.php/the-bedtime-band" style="outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 200ms;"><i>The Bedtime Band</i></a>. It is the story of what the animals in the Australian bush get up to when children are at home asleep in their beds. Michelle has two sons, Jordan and Cody, who she has read to every day since they were born, as she believes in the importance of fostering a love of books in children. Her books encourage children to use their imagination and dare to dream big. Michelle’s other titles are available at <a href="http://www.michelleworthington.com/" style="outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 200ms;" target="_blank">www.michelleworthington.com</a>.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>My Thoughts:</u></b><br />
Helping children understand what is going on in their world is important. I don't know what the statistics are on how many children are born prematurely, but it is a traumatic time for everyone. Older siblings need to understand what is going on and why their parents need to be with their sibling. This book is a good way to do that.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-23567563854988292822017-06-05T12:25:00.001+10:002017-06-05T12:25:50.758+10:00ACRBA Tour - Unnoticed by Amanda Deed<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
5 - 9 May 2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<a href="http://acrba.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 25px;">Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">is Introducing </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/unnoticed" target="_blank">Unnoticed</a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">(<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">By Rhiza Press, 1 March, 2017</span></span>)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""> By </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">Amanda Deed</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kczg4EPaSW0/V_HHU5g8RlI/AAAAAAAAAKE/fb6hu3W5n5UOph2TjixaKNTEsBBx_JiVwCLcB/s1600/beyondthefightes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JjTubX1tk6M/WRmCk786I-I/AAAAAAAAH-A/hWnccRk7i5sGv7FoXwhobg5LlAtPQZWkgCLcB/s1600/unnoticedes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JjTubX1tk6M/WRmCk786I-I/AAAAAAAAH-A/hWnccRk7i5sGv7FoXwhobg5LlAtPQZWkgCLcB/s1600/unnoticedes.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Book:</b></span></div>
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Plain Jane O’Reilly is good at being unnoticed. Detested by her stepmother and teased by her stepsisters, Jane has learned the art of avoiding attention. That is until Price Moreland, an American with big dreams, arrives in her small town.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Does she dare to hope someone might notice her?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">However, Price Moreland may not be the prince that the whole town thinks him to be. Was his desire to be a missionary a God-given call, or just a good excuse to run from his past?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Complete with an evil stepmother, a missing shoe and a grand ball, <em>Unnoticed</em> takes the time-old Cinderella fairy tale and gives it an Australian twist.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lSCva3cDvsw/WRmF5iILkHI/AAAAAAAAH-M/Wxuktrr8puoqpSO2xasQlQGOdoX6UzXxQCLcB/s1600/DeedAmanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lSCva3cDvsw/WRmF5iILkHI/AAAAAAAAH-M/Wxuktrr8puoqpSO2xasQlQGOdoX6UzXxQCLcB/s1600/DeedAmanda.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b><br />
</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Amanda Deed has penned several Australian Historical Romances, including <em>The Game</em>, winner of the CALEB Prize for Fiction in 2010. She resides in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne with her family, where she works full-time in her local church office.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Outside of work and family, Amanda loves to write stories filled with intrigue and adventure using her favourite themes as a backdrop: Australia, heritage, romance and faith. Her books include <em><a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/unnoticed" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.5); text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;">Unnoticed</a>, <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/ellenvale-gold" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.5); text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;">Ellenvale Gold</a>, <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/18-uncategorised/ebp-titles/81-black-forest-redemption" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.5); text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;">Black Forest Redemption</a></em> and <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/18-uncategorised/ebp-titles/81-black-forest-redemption" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.5); text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;"><em>Henry's Run</em></a>. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.amandadeed.com.au/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.5); text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;">www.amandadeed.com.au</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>My Thoughts</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
This book is another take on the Cinderella story - this time set in Australia during 1877.<br />
I liked it, and this is one book that I will be finding space on my shelf for. I haven't been reading much historical fiction lately, but this one didn't have such a historical feel (apart from modes of transport and things like that).<br />
<br />
It is also a wonderful look at forgiveness and the way that letting God into your life can change your attitude even if your circumstances don't change.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-2306914843143906262017-04-05T09:14:00.000+10:002017-04-05T09:14:02.006+10:00Book DilemmasWhile updating my books on Goodreads a couple of weeks ago, I came across a blog post about <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/845-20-problems-only-book-lovers-understand" target="_blank">Book-lover Problems</a>. This prompted me to think about my own book dilemmas, and I came up with list of 12 things.<br />
<br />
My list is in no particular order. Some of them are the same as ones in the Goodreads list, although I can honestly say I have never had the problem of trying to keep a book dry in the bath because I have never read in the bath.<br />
<br />
So, here is my list:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Not enough shelf space.</li>
<li>Books announced but never published (especially when they are part of a series).</li>
<li>Book shops telling you the book is available, but when you order it, the book is out of print.</li>
<li>Books that are only available as e-books.</li>
<li>When and American author writes a book set in Australia, but still uses American terms to describe things, not Australian terms (e.g. Ranch vs. Station; field vs. paddock; forest vs bush).</li>
<li>When a series ends with a baby on the way but you never find out if it is a boy or girl.</li>
<li>Books ending without conflicts fully resolved (okay, so this is what life is like, but many of us read to escape life for a while).</li>
<li>When authors don't have consistency in characters between books (e.g. A character gets married and has children in one book in the series, but in a later book in the series it says they never married and no children).</li>
<li>Knowing a book is released in the USA, but it will take 3 months or more before it arrives in Australia (if ever).</li>
<li>Having a friend borrow a book and then not return is for ages even though you know they have finished with it.</li>
<li>Wanting to rearrange your bookshelves but not knowing how much space to leave for books loaned to friends.</li>
</ul>
<div>
I'm sure I could come up with more.</div>
<div>
What are your book dilemmas?</div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-64969478825984138532017-04-03T09:00:00.000+10:002017-04-03T09:00:16.315+10:00ACRBA Tour - Activate by Adele Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 - 7 April 2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">
<a href="http://acrba.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 25px;">Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">is Introducing </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/activate" target="_blank">Activate</a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">(By the Rhiza Press, 1 November 2016</span>)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""> By Adele Jones</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kczg4EPaSW0/V_HHU5g8RlI/AAAAAAAAAKE/fb6hu3W5n5UOph2TjixaKNTEsBBx_JiVwCLcB/s1600/beyondthefightes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJTG6OpqeLo/WOC4ZMp-6uI/AAAAAAAAAOU/iIeLwRgplZQrRQ3aRGdGkgtyDRfJl58XACLcB/s1600/Activate_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJTG6OpqeLo/WOC4ZMp-6uI/AAAAAAAAAOU/iIeLwRgplZQrRQ3aRGdGkgtyDRfJl58XACLcB/s320/Activate_large.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Book:</b></span></div>
<div class="comment mobMore" style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: auto; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Josh Hammond’s not who he says he is. To stay alive, he must guard his identity, existing isolated from his former life and those he loves. The one enemy he can’t outrun is his failing health, and time is short. Desperate for a solution, Josh leaves the protection of his safe house unapproved. Instead of a cure, he’s left powerless against a cunning adversary. Determined to reclaim his life, he grasps an opportunity for escape, but things go drastically wrong. Can he find a way to expose the lies of a criminal mastermind, or will he be silenced? Forever.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr7Qo7o9BJ8/WOC5vaQx33I/AAAAAAAAAOg/RdJoXz9LePEwTOHeHS_pSHAGKWdP-VQcQCLcB/s1600/adele_jones_author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr7Qo7o9BJ8/WOC5vaQx33I/AAAAAAAAAOg/RdJoXz9LePEwTOHeHS_pSHAGKWdP-VQcQCLcB/s1600/adele_jones_author.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adele Jones lives in Queensland, Australia. Her writing is inspired by a passion for family, faith, friends, music and science – and her broad ranging imagination.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A strong believer in embracing life's journey, Adele delights in sharing that adventure with others, be that through the pages of a story or engaging in a social or professional context. Through her broad personal and professional interests, she has welcomed diverse engagement opportunities, including science based student experience sessions, conference presentations, literary readings and musical exploits.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With a long standing interest in historical fiction, Adele based her Master's dissertation on this topic and is currently anticipating release of her first novel in this genre, A Devil's Ransom (www.roseandcrownbooks.com). She has also had a variety of poems, short stories, inspirational meditations, devotions and magazine articles published. Her first YA novel <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/integrate"><em>Integrate</em></a> was awarded the 2013 Caleb Prize for unpublished manuscript, and is due to for release in September 2014. <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/replicate"><em>Replicate </em></a>is the second book in this series and was released in October 2015. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>More information:</strong><br /> Adele Jones: <a href="http://www.adelejonesauthor.com/">www.adelejonesauthor.com</a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><u>My Thoughts</u></b><br />
<br />
I haven't read the first two books in this series, so I felt like I jumped into the middle of something and struggled to pull all the threads together. There were a lot of plot elements that I think came through from the previous books, so I always felt I was missing some information.<br />
<br />
There were also a few words included in the book that were unnecessary - close to swearing, but certainly ones that I didn't want in my head.<br />
<br />
The suspense kept going through the entire book, so it was hard to put down. While it isn't one that I plan to read again, it might appeal to some.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-27704992051093798552017-03-14T12:07:00.000+11:002017-03-14T12:07:40.506+11:00Picnic EtiquetteOn occasion this blog becomes my soap box ... today is one of those days.<br />
<br />
Recently some of my family and I went out for the day for a picnic and sightseeing. Our picnic got off to a leisurely start, we enjoyed watching the seagulls fly, and just spending the time together.<br />
However, close to the end of out picnic, the tranquillity was rudely interrupted by a large extended family.<br />
<br />
So here are my thoughts on picnic etiquette:<br />
<br />
1. Choose your spot where there is quite a bit of space between you and the next family/group.<br />
<br />
This family stood less than a metre behind us loudly jabbering, then spread their picnic rug within 2 metres of ours even though there was a lot of space elsewhere throughout the park in both sun and shade.<br />
<br />
2. Walk well away from where others are sitting.<br />
<br />
The above mentioned group walked all around us with less than a metre to spare. They could have walked a lot further away. Plus if anyone had tripped on the uneven ground, they would have fallen on top of us. There was no reason to walk anywhere close to us as all amenities were in the opposite direction.<br />
<br />
3. Stop your children from doing an activity that could endanger others.<br />
<br />
Included in this family group were a number of preteen/early-teen boys. They opted to throw and kick very heavy pine cones (these were more like bricks in density and weight) and sticks at each other and at the shade trees, trying to knock down more pine cones. We were in the firing line and very concerned that we would be injured. The parents/grandparents did nothing to stop the boys or even get them to move away.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, the rest of our picnic was not relaxed and we very quickly packed up and headed off. It really put a damper on what had been a lovely time.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-73494757806360309562017-03-06T09:00:00.000+11:002017-03-06T23:47:47.087+11:00ACRBA Tour - Chocolate Soldier by Hazel Barker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
6 - 10 March 2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<a href="http://acrba.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 25px;">Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">is Introducing </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/chocolate-soldier" target="_blank">Chocolate Soldier</a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">(By the Rhiza Press, 1 October 2016</span>)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""> By Hazel Barker</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kczg4EPaSW0/V_HHU5g8RlI/AAAAAAAAAKE/fb6hu3W5n5UOph2TjixaKNTEsBBx_JiVwCLcB/s1600/beyondthefightes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pkEixIcZ1tI/WLvDW5jwYdI/AAAAAAAAANI/mJaO1xiUshwZQLZQmucOqijiVn1CLs6CwCLcB/s1600/hazel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pkEixIcZ1tI/WLvDW5jwYdI/AAAAAAAAANI/mJaO1xiUshwZQLZQmucOqijiVn1CLs6CwCLcB/s1600/hazel.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Book:</b></span></div>
<div class="comment mobMore" style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: auto; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">London. 1940.</span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When World War II breaks out and men over eighteen are conscripted, Clarence Dover, a conscientious objector, refuses to go rather than compromise his principles. Instead he joins the Friend's Ambulance Unit. From the London Blitz to the far reaches of Asia the war tests Clarence in the crucible of suffering. In the end, will he be able to hold his head up as proudly as the rest and say, to save lives I risked my own?</span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One man will stand as God's soldier, not the war's soldier.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ymosvb4aSU/WLvENjVxOwI/AAAAAAAAANM/AjP_HZjaT8ATsqESFcPt_FHB4xXEh8REACLcB/s1600/hazelbarkerphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ymosvb4aSU/WLvENjVxOwI/AAAAAAAAANM/AjP_HZjaT8ATsqESFcPt_FHB4xXEh8REACLcB/s1600/hazelbarkerphoto.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hazel Barker lives in Brisbane with her husband Colin. She taught in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane for over a quarter of a century and now devotes her time to reading, writing and bushwalking. From her early years, her passion for books drew her to authors like Walter Scott and Charles Dickens. Her love for historical novels sprang from Scott, and the love of literary novels, from Dickens. Many of her short stories and book reviews have been published in magazines and anthologies.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hazel’s debut novel <em>Chocolate Soldier, </em>and Book One of her memoirs <em>Heaven Tempers the Wind, </em>will be released in 2016. Both books are set during World War Two – the former in England and the Far East; the latter in Burma.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more information, visit her blog on:</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #585858; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="http://hazelmbarker.wordpress.com/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(115, 150, 17, 0.498039); color: #739611; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-out;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://hazelmbarker.wordpress.com/</span></span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><u>My Thoughts:</u></b><br />
<br />
I really enjoyed reading this book (not that war is ever enjoyable). I think it's because recently I have been researching my Grandfather's service in the Royal Navy during WW2 - where he served, what his role was and how he got there. Part of if he wrote in a book about his life (never published), and part research on the internet.<br />
<br />
This book is what I would call biographical fiction. It's the story of a real person, but with fictional licence so that it reads well and is interesting to the average person picking it up. Life wasn't easy for Conscientious Objectors (or anyone during WW2), but when they were able to find a way to serve without picking up arms, I think they should be commended. Many Conchies did jobs that no one else wanted, and they did it under the ridicule of those around them.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-71789940047011390312017-03-05T21:58:00.000+11:002017-03-05T21:58:07.584+11:00Let Kids Be KidsIn my job as an After School Care Educator I see some children every day of the week. This year we have seen a large increase in the number of children doing homework, so much so that even though we set aside the largest table as our homework table we have also had to add another table specifically for homework and that is also always full and children are using whatever space they can for homework.<br />
<br />
While I understand that homework can be important, these children aren't just doing their school homework. Most of them have homework from tutoring on top of their regular school homework. Then there are also ones who are preparing for scholarship testing, which adds yet another level and set of problems to work through or things to write. There are also some who are learning another language (also in addition to what they are learning at school) and they have homework for that as well.<br />
<br />
Some of these children spend their entire time as OSHC doing homework. They finish their school homework, then straight away move on to their tutoring homework. The tutoring isn't to help them get better at something that they are struggling with, it's to get ahead of the pack. Even during the school holidays there were children doing tutoring homework when they came to Holiday Club.<br />
<br />
I was talking with one of the children last week and they were complaining about how much they had to do and the fact that as soon as they left OSHC they would be going to tutoring class, then on to another activity. I asked this child if they have time to relax and they were told only when they were at Grandma's house.<br />
<br />
Later in the week we had a parent asking us if we could make sure their children did their homework because when they got home they wanted to have fun with them and not have to worry about the homework.<br />
<br />
So, my question is, when do these children actually have time to be children?<br />
<br />
When I was growing up, we had reading to do for homework. Occasionally there was a project or class work that hadn't been finished. There was time to play, to use our imaginations, to run around, laugh and just have fun.<br />
Tutoring was just to catch you up if you were having trouble, not to push you ahead of where it was expected you would be based on your year level.<br />
<br />
And I haven't even mentioned music lessons, team sports and other sports or activities that children are being sent to on a daily basis. Even their weekends are filled to overflowing.<br />
<br />
Play is an important part of children's development. And kids also need time to be quiet, not running from one thing to the next.<br />
<br />
Please, please, please ... let your kids be kids while they can.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-11905412029615696792017-02-26T20:27:00.000+11:002017-02-26T20:27:44.997+11:00Music in Your HeadDo you have a song (or 2) that you just can't get out of your head?<br />
<br />
Now my brain is often on shuffle with all the songs that I know, but for the last couple of months I haven't been able to get the theme music for The Longest Day out of my head. It keeps popping up and I find myself humming or whistling it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gZ7hYEJt2UY?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
What song can't you get out of your head right now?Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-64304274748150144302017-02-24T22:01:00.001+11:002017-02-24T22:01:07.683+11:00Re-read to Reduce and Giving Away BooksHi Everyone!<br />
I want to ask you a question (or 2).<br />
<br />
I've been thinking about how to reduce the number of books that are in boxes rather than on the shelf and have tried on a couple of other occasions to figure this out. A little while ago I decided that if I wouldn't read a book again, I wasn't going to keep it. Mostly, to remove the books, I have donated them to charity, but I was wondering if there were people who would be interested in having them instead.<br />
<br />
If I was to try getting rid of my books, would any of you want to take them off my hands?<br />
<br />
Would you be willing to pay the cost of postage? (A few years ago I did this on my blog, and was sent the cost of postage in the form of postage stamps.)<br />
<br />
Would you pay a small amount to purchase them?<br />
<br />
Or should I just keep donating them to charity?<br />
<br />
Please let me know what you think.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ePxjSY-kaOk/TSVmkp_PLAI/AAAAAAAAA9A/aMVR5vmons8Zr7VTeG6wpNcZiuqkPaAFACPcB/s1600/P1060002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ePxjSY-kaOk/TSVmkp_PLAI/AAAAAAAAA9A/aMVR5vmons8Zr7VTeG6wpNcZiuqkPaAFACPcB/s640/P1060002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
This is what my shelves looked like a few years ago. Some of the books I no longer have, and the shelves have all been rearranged. I can't get to the lower shelves anymore because of the overflow boxes of books - I think I'm now up to 10 boxes of various sizes. Plus there are some shelves with a double layer of books. I also have 2 other bookshelves of different sizes in the room, plus my bedside cupboard holds some as well.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-65259421309319684322017-02-06T09:00:00.000+11:002017-02-06T09:00:07.900+11:00ACRBA Tour - Once Confronted by Lynne Stringer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MUwXrTJhVbU/T8sWZS-0_rI/AAAAAAAADVQ/wKovA319BnY/s1600/acrba+button1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
6 - 10 February 2017</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<a href="http://acrba.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 25px;">Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">is Introducing </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br /><a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/once-confronted" target="_blank">Once Confronted</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="">(By the Rhiza Press, 1 October 2016</span>)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""> By Lynne Stringer</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kczg4EPaSW0/V_HHU5g8RlI/AAAAAAAAAKE/fb6hu3W5n5UOph2TjixaKNTEsBBx_JiVwCLcB/s1600/beyondthefightes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuCg1fnGQ5E/WJbMogXnoTI/AAAAAAAAAMs/l4kHuXPX0DsQw5tRccjaT46V_Lq9WirYQCLcB/s1600/lynne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuCg1fnGQ5E/WJbMogXnoTI/AAAAAAAAAMs/l4kHuXPX0DsQw5tRccjaT46V_Lq9WirYQCLcB/s1600/lynne.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Book:</b></span></div>
<div class="comment mobMore" style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: auto; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a normal day turns disastrous, Madison Craig tries to put her life back together. She’s jumping at shadows and finds even familiar places terrifying. Can she forgive the men who hurt her? </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Her friend Evan Mansfield sees no need to do anything but hate their assailants. He struggles with bitterness, but Maddy wants to move on. What will she do when one of the men asks for forgiveness? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10rgURDvbnI/WJbNSnKfeQI/AAAAAAAAAMw/FUhV-wC1HzMaD_3mgrp8z3FN1w_P71_yACLcB/s1600/lynnestringersm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10rgURDvbnI/WJbNSnKfeQI/AAAAAAAAAMw/FUhV-wC1HzMaD_3mgrp8z3FN1w_P71_yACLcB/s320/lynnestringersm.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lynne Stringer has been passionate about writing all her life, beginning with short stories in her primary school days. She began writing professionally as a journalist and was the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, before turning her hand to screenplay writing and novels.</span><br />
<div style="color: #555555; line-height: 25px;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lynne is the author of the Verindon trilogy, a young adult science fiction romance series released in 2013. Her latest novel, released in October 2016, is <a href="http://rhizapress.com.au/once-confronted" style="color: black;">Once Confronted</a>, a contemporary drama. Visit www.lynnestringer.com for more information.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; line-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Lynne is the author of the Verindon series including</span> <em><a href="http://wombatbooks.com.au/the-heir" target="_blank">The Heir</a></em>, <em><a href="http://wombatbooks.com.au/the-crown" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Crown</a> </em>and<em><a href="http://wombatbooks.com.au/the-reign" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> The Reign</a>.</em></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
<br />
<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif=""><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<b><u>My Thoughts:</u></b><br />
<br />
I really wasn't sure what to say about this book. It wasn't one that I was convinced about reading, but gave it a go. I must admit that I nearly put it down after just a couple of chapters, but kept at it.<br />
<br />
There was a wonderful theme of what forgiveness can do in the life of people and also shows how bitterness can destroy them.<br />
<br />
This book is not for the fainthearted, as there will be some confronting things inside.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-43699791440441271762016-12-27T11:57:00.001+11:002016-12-27T11:57:20.712+11:002016 Reading Challenges - Final UpdateHi Everyone!<br />
I'm pleased to announce that I have actually finished all of my reading challenges!<br />
<br />
I told you a while ago that I had finished the Bethany House Challenge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-av9Ihya3uU4/VoXaBYk91MI/AAAAAAAABtw/lIv4EL4Gy1om5Bwcsr133QNclgqb97jtwCPcB/s1600/Anne-of-Green-Gables-Reading-Challenge-2016-Small-610x610.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-av9Ihya3uU4/VoXaBYk91MI/AAAAAAAABtw/lIv4EL4Gy1om5Bwcsr133QNclgqb97jtwCPcB/s320/Anne-of-Green-Gables-Reading-Challenge-2016-Small-610x610.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
With the Anne of Green Gables challenge, I decided that I had already read the final book earlier in the year - Blue Castle. Plus I had actually had enough of reading her books. Not that I don't like them (they are childhood favourites), but I was ready to move on to other things.<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
With Christmas reading, came the end of the 2016 ABC Soup Challenge.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClSUFm9pJrc/VoXhnTRHOoI/AAAAAAAABuM/EB7LdJlpg0076HlcJPnmF6oee4_0NucDwCPcB/s1600/2016%2BAlphabet%2BSoup%2BChallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClSUFm9pJrc/VoXhnTRHOoI/AAAAAAAABuM/EB7LdJlpg0076HlcJPnmF6oee4_0NucDwCPcB/s320/2016%2BAlphabet%2BSoup%2BChallenge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b> </b>Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">B - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">C - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">D - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">E -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Every Storm by Lori Wick</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">F - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">G - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">H - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A House Divided by Robert Whitlow</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">J - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jennifer by Dee Henderson</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">K - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">L - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">M - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A Murder Among Friends by Ramona Richards</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">N - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Lonely Planet Guide)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">O - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">P - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Q -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> The Quilt by T Davis Bunn</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">R - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rest Assured by Vicki Courtney</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">S - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">T - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">U - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Undetected by Dee Henderson</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">V - </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A Victorian Christmas Cottage by Catherine Palmer, Debra White Smith, Jeri Odell & Peggy Stoks</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">W - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">X - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">XXIII Olympic Games: The Official Pictorial History, Los Angeles</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Y - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You Are Special by Max Lucado</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Z -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Zen Doodle Unleashed by Tiffany Lovering</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></b>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The final book was for the letter V.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My other reading goal for the year was to read at least 120 books. I made that yesterday!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There will be a couple more finished by New Years Eve, but I'm happy to have reached that goal.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">These books included both fiction and non-fiction and all of the books included in my other reading challenges.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I don't know if I will be doing any reading challenges next year (other than setting my self a goal of a number of books to read for the year).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I know I won't be doing another ABC Challenge, although I know that is being run again next year.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #01004e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So stay tuned for news on that account.</span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-51876182328404637802016-12-27T11:34:00.001+11:002016-12-27T11:35:30.631+11:00Book Review - Breaking Free by Jennifer Slattery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53vxGe281Nk/WGG0JjLM-sI/AAAAAAAAB2o/gVIt_Ybh7fIOsjtIsvMhqVYoE8z1DbIHwCLcB/s1600/Breaking%2BFree%2B-%2BJennifer%2BSlattery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-53vxGe281Nk/WGG0JjLM-sI/AAAAAAAAB2o/gVIt_Ybh7fIOsjtIsvMhqVYoE8z1DbIHwCLcB/s400/Breaking%2BFree%2B-%2BJennifer%2BSlattery.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Breaking Free by Jennifer Slattery</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Thank you to Jennifer for my review copy.)</span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sometimes it takes losing everything to grab hold of what really matters. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px;">
Women's ministry leader and Seattle housewife, Alice Goddard, and her successful graphic-designer husband appear to have it all together. Until their credit and debit cards are denied, launching Alice into an investigation that only leads to the discovery of secrets. Meanwhile, her husband is trapped in a downward spiral of lies, shame, and self-destruction. Can they break free from their deception and turn to the only One who can save them? And will it be in time to save their marriage?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0SaOg1x7q_M/WGG1iA3PMVI/AAAAAAAAB20/tEbHbWSTpvY-5HYAlpyCBaGkHYpoaPvLACLcB/s1600/Jennifer%2BSlattery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0SaOg1x7q_M/WGG1iA3PMVI/AAAAAAAAB20/tEbHbWSTpvY-5HYAlpyCBaGkHYpoaPvLACLcB/s200/Jennifer%2BSlattery.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Slattery</a> is an inspiring contemporary novelist whose stories of hope, love, and grace resonate with real people. She is the author of compelling contemporary romance novels such as </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Beyond I Do</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When Dawn Breaks</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Intertwined</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, and </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Breaking Free</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. She also writes for Crosswalk.com and devotions for her personal blog, JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud; Internet Cafe Devotions; and Takin' It To The Streets, a ministry serving Omaha Metro's working poor and homeless. When not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her teenage daughter and real-life hero husband, as well as serving in her church.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>My Thoughts</u></b><br />
<br />
This is a hard hitting book. It is a look at the way addictions and a negative family legacy can result in a downward spiral - not just for the individual, but for the whole family. Even families who look like perfect church-going people can have hidden sin, addictions and a lot of serious problems. Yet through all of this, the story brings hope, along with friends and strangers willing to help and pray.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-64443206838369061472016-11-07T09:00:00.000+11:002016-11-07T09:00:01.735+11:00Get Talking - Seasons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Seasons come and seasons go ...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>What's your favourite season and why?</i></b></span></div>
<br />
I love Spring.<br />
It has the promise of many things new; roses are blooming, forget-me-nots come out, daffodils bob their heads.<br />
Spring brings hope.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhfwITho-0Q/TS6zKcePp6I/AAAAAAAAA9o/xmcT-WmnC_EWeJ4GxHdqPfpjbgR4D8kHgCPcB/s1600/P7130234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhfwITho-0Q/TS6zKcePp6I/AAAAAAAAA9o/xmcT-WmnC_EWeJ4GxHdqPfpjbgR4D8kHgCPcB/s320/P7130234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-47184358296683493412016-10-24T09:00:00.000+11:002016-10-24T09:00:24.630+11:00Get Talking - Autobiography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Have you ever thought about writing your autobiography?<br />
Our question for this week asks ...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?</i></b></span></div>
<br />
We pulled out these cards at the dinner table the other night and this was one of the questions that we pulled out. My title would be ...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Is It Time?</span></b></div>
<br />
My life is always about waiting and wondering when it will be time for ...<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>marriage</li>
<li>children</li>
<li>being noticed</li>
<li>finding friends</li>
<li>changing jobs/careers</li>
<li>getting to places on time</li>
<li>people to finish/start something</li>
<li>people to come/go</li>
<li>moving on</li>
<li>Jesus to return</li>
</ul>
<div>
There always seems to be a wait for everything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What would be the title of your book?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-71229473871051094152016-10-17T09:00:00.000+11:002016-10-17T09:00:23.823+11:00Get Talking - Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We are talking style this week.<br />
And the question is ...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Who is your style icon?</i></b></span></div>
<br />
Can't say that I have one.<br />
<br />
When it comes to clothes, I buy things that are comfortable and modest. I don't go for the latest fashion and if I don't find something one year, I will look again the next and make do with what I have (I'm pretty good at mending and getting better at altering clothes).<br />
<br />
Furniture and home - well I'm pretty much maxed out, space wise, at the moment. I could really do with another bookshelf (or two), but there is just no more space in my room to put it. And I would love to replace my desk (I've always wanted a roll-top desk). I have all different styles, although I'm currently in a bit of a white furniture phase (except that dust shows up a lot and I hate dusting). If I am buying, I look around for something I like, regardless of the current trends (I do like Ikea ... hmm ... must plan a trip there, even if just for a look).<br />
<br />
When you boil it down, I guess you could say I'm my own style icon!!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-88607305978871458342016-10-10T09:00:00.000+11:002016-10-10T09:00:01.635+11:00Get Talking - Deserted Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2KUwqTtmlg/Vomx4GlImXI/AAAAAAAABuc/ivg6v9Jqmewb82hUKuYVM8rDSGpkWZWvQCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2KUwqTtmlg/Vomx4GlImXI/AAAAAAAABuc/ivg6v9Jqmewb82hUKuYVM8rDSGpkWZWvQCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
What's the classic question that always pops up at some stage?<br />
Yes, you guessed it, and here it is for this week.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>What five things would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?</i></b></span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>My Bible</li>
<li>A water bottle</li>
<li>A lightweight, large scarf (can be a hat, shade or blanket)</li>
<li>Comfortable shoes</li>
<li>A friend</li>
</ul>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-80690672631695378092016-10-03T09:00:00.000+11:002016-10-03T09:00:04.906+11:00Get Talking - Taste of Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So we have just started spring and already many people are already looking forward to summer. Not me, well except for the fact that it will make me an Auntie, summer holidays, Christmas and my birthday. I struggle with hot days and sad memories of people who are no longer with us.<br />
<br />
Anyway ... this is meant to be a lighthearted post.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><i>What's your favourite ice-cream flavour?</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I love peppermint choc-chip.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRhWbQpKmJ8/V-jBeVx53bI/AAAAAAAAB0c/JEav5mtNucQkkGdP4M2W785Vx_z-mMR6ACLcB/s1600/peppermint%2Bchoc-chip%2Bicecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRhWbQpKmJ8/V-jBeVx53bI/AAAAAAAAB0c/JEav5mtNucQkkGdP4M2W785Vx_z-mMR6ACLcB/s320/peppermint%2Bchoc-chip%2Bicecream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's so refreshing.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-48833400635166258082016-10-02T16:26:00.001+11:002016-10-02T16:26:33.036+11:002016 Reading Challenges - Update 5Hi Everyone! How are you going with your challenges?<br />
<br />
I'm pleased to announce that I have already completed one of mine!<br />
Actually I finished it a couple of weeks ago.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9A3T-xjpb6I/V_CZK9-7UOI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/_Q0tOXv6puUtVOc0KizExCWG3Ip3ICd0ACLcB/s1600/2016%2BBHP%2Breadingchallenge%2BComplete.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9A3T-xjpb6I/V_CZK9-7UOI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/_Q0tOXv6puUtVOc0KizExCWG3Ip3ICd0ACLcB/s1600/2016%2BBHP%2Breadingchallenge%2BComplete.png" /></a></div>
<br />
So here we are!<br />
The last book was for:<br />
Contains one of your favourite things in the title - Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott<br />
<br />
I had thought about something with butterflies or lighthouses, but I had read the ones I had within the last year and didn't want to read them again, so I went with this oldie, but goodie.<br />
I've probably read it 5 times, but it's such a good story.<br />
<br />
No more updates with the other challenges for now. It will probably be December before I finish the Alphabet Challenge and I'm still working on the last of the Anne of Green Gables Challenge. Which reminds me, I need to start the next book that I'm reading for that. Which book will it be ...?<br />
<br />
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746172492630758395.post-26665356881650077732016-09-26T16:26:00.000+10:002016-09-26T16:26:09.233+10:00Get Talking - Proud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s1600/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sW2MuURnDGA/Vom16mIuMmI/AAAAAAAABus/_1bR7G-jK8cWKpyZjU_TgbMF1Jp0I42XwCPcB/s320/Kikk-K%2Bconversation%2Bstarters%2B50pk%2Bcute%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>What are you proud of?</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I'm proud of my sisters.<br />
They have had some health issues in recent years but keep on going. Not complaining, just getting on with life as best they can.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319783522813289404noreply@blogger.com0