Monday, March 26, 2007

Know your books?

I just recently finished reading a unique autobiography published in 1877 by a female author, just months before her death.(Actually some versions say after her death.)
Scratching your head?
Did I mention this is a fictitous autobiography?
Written about the life of a...horse?
Know what book it is yet?
Click here to find out.

I picked up an illustrated copy at a church book sale in February after being reminded of the book by a Final Jeopardy question of all things.
I had never read the book, but I knew it was considered a classic in children's literature. I hesitantly paid $2 for the illustrated hardcover, hoping that I wasn't wasting my money on a boring read. Looking for light reading material this weekend, I took it off the shelf(soon to be boxed up) and mostly read it from cover to cover in two or three sittings.
As I told my husband, you don't expect it to hold your attention unless you are a "horse" person, of which I am not. But the flow of the story is quick with short chapters and a mostly chronological first "horse" narrative. And the edition I have is beautifully illustrated with full page color artwork generously dispersed throughout the book.
I really enjoyed the book and also learned quite a lot of horse lingo in the process.
For instance, did you know that horses after running hard and sweating should not be given a bucket of cold water to drink? Apparently, without proper blankets, the cold water can give them a chill which can lead to forms of pneumonia and endanger their life. A hot drink with hot food is what helps them cool down safely.
See, interesting stuff, even for those of us who have no experience with horses.

On another note, I'm attempting to read the ever popular The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with virtually no success due to lack of interest on my part. I find it be nonsensical and cold. Sorry, but I'm just not a sci-fi girl. I probably will skim the rest of the book before returning it to the library next week. And I have no shame in saying that I quit books that I don't like, which hardly ever happens to this bookish girl.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

What's going on.

For the past 9 weeks we have been busy buying our first home, which is a condo townhouse out from the city. We close on May 10th, which happens to be our 5th wedding anniversary, so I can gratefully boast that my husband bought me a house for our anniversary.
In the meantime, I'm on pace to be doing the exact same thing I was doing this time last year...packing.
And as the discussion went with my mom last week, some people Spring Clean every year, I just pack up and move the junk. :)
Which apparantly is what my parents did quite frequently in their early years so I don't feel so bad. And as my husband and I thought of our moves from place to place in the short time we've been married, it seemed to fit right in with other young couples we know who are not in the military.
We are just thankful that the Lord has always provided us with a new place at exactly the right time.
In other news, our female cat is in heat AGAIN! The second time in 3 weeks! The howling is annoying, but the mating postures are doubly unpleasant. My husband as already declared that Nico is the last pet we will ever have.
So goes the life.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Amy's Live Well on Less

From Amy's Humble Musings comes this post.
Here's an excerpt:

When I went on a radical diet and exercise regimen a few years back, I made the choice to value fitness, energy, and well-being over my addiction to food and laziness. When I’d get a craving, I’d ask myself, “Which do you want more? It’s your choice.” In the same way, a person who is a paycheck away from bankruptcy must decide that they value financial freedom over a double-shot latte. You have to want it. You have to catch the vision. That way, the sacrifices required to move toward the goal become part of the game. I can’t explain it, except to say that I’ve never felt deprived. It feels alright to have a latte whenever I want it, but it feels invigoratingly awesome to take steps toward financial independence. Choose the better thing.

Let me give an example. Now that times aren’t as lean, we could reasonably afford to spend $300 on a crib for Kid #5. But the hand-me-down crib that worked for #1 works just as well for #5. Here’s the thing, though: the side rail doesn’t go down. It never has. I frequent garage sales and listen to playground mommy chatter, but until I can score one for a good price, we’ll just stretch a little more to pick up Baby and keep the crib with the broken rail. (It is not a safety hazard.) The crib is a depreciating asset, and unless it produces income or increases in value, we ought to think carefully before purchasing a new one.

Read the whole post here
One personal thought:
If I was a tightwad, I wouldn't want people to know it. Using run-down and dangerously broken stuff, bragging about feeding your family on $0.53 a plate, and wearing ill-fitting, severely dated clothes all in the name of being a tightwad has no appeal. Saving money is great, but does everyone need to know it?

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Nico is a She!


Yes, it's true, our little kitty is not the boy we were told he was.
After spending much of last week listening to howling and mournful meowing, I called the vet on Saturday morning to explain the symptoms and discuss getting the cat fixed. She said the "in-heat" behavior matched that of a female cat, not a male and I soon realized that we to needed to inspect our furry feline's posterior.
Thanking her, I hung up and grabbed the cat. Quickly checking, I ran upstairs to spill the news to my husband, "Nico is a girl!".
I verified the results of my brief exam with photographs from the internet and confirmed that Nico(named for the NT Nicodemus by the previous owners)was actually a Nicole.
We've decided to keep the name the same, but referring to her as a "she" after more than six months is the more difficult part.
Lesson learned: always get to the "bottom" of the matter firsthand! :)

Recommended Book


This is a book that I personally have yet to read, but it comes with a great recommendation from a close friend who reads this book to her boys before bed each night. The book is written as a conversation between a grandfather and his grandchildren as he explains the story of the Bible using special items from his war box. The boys really enjoy listening even though they know most of the stories and my friend enjoys the depth of the theology presented in a story format.
Click here for a fuller description and details.