Book Blogs

Oh my! I've discovered book blogs. I have been engrossed ever since. Housework is undone, dinner was leftovers, and the laundry continues to pile up. Must.stop.reading.
:)

A Sort-of Book Review-Aunt Dimity's Christmas (Nancy Atherton)

OK, we all know that I am not a great writer (but I do want to be one when I grow up). The other thing I'm not is a reviewer. But, I read a great book last evening and I was inspired to write about it. Then today, I spent the entire day in my pajamas surfing the interwebs and relaxing. What struck my fancy today? Book blogs. Tons of them. The reviews and the camaraderie are simply wonderful. In the spirit of the wonderful blogs I visited today (and will continue to visit-I added a bunch to my reader), here's my thoughts on Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity's Christmas.

Wow. I didn't know when I picked up the book this evening that it would have such an effect on me. I've read a few other books in Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity series before and I liked them. The premise of her series is strange, but it works and the stories are quaint and entertaining. There's always a strong emphasis on relationships in her books, but I didn't realize until tonight how much these books had to teach me.

As usual, I've read this series completely out of sequence. This book, I think, is the 4th in the series, really touched me and explained so much that happens in later volumes. I see these stories through new eyes now. I thought they were just pithy little entertaining cozies, but they are more. Aunt Dimity's Christmas really drove that point home.

I am a sufferer of depression, the worst episode of which occurred after I had the Kidlet. Let me just say that it is one horrible disease. I do not wish it on anyone. I think my experiences with depression are what made such a strong connection with this novel. Ms. Atherton is not afraid to take on mental illness in this book. One of her metaphors for depression was darkness. Certainly not an original idea, but it worked here. She wrote about it beautifully.

I knew how precarious the light was, how quickly the darkness could close in, and I knew, better than most, that it could happen to anyone, anyone at all.

I'd gotten too fat and sassy . . . I'd paid my dues, so I thought I was entitled to my blessings . . . Blessings aren't a right-they're a gift.

Lori Shepard is a wealthy, young mother of 9 month old twin boys and married to a successful attorney. She's an American living in Great Britain. She has inherited a beautiful cottage and a fortune from her Aunt Dimity. Aunt Dimity isn't really a blood relative and Lori never met Dimity while she was living. Lori always knew Aunt Dimity as a heroine in the stories her mother told her when she was young. In reality, Aunt Dimity was a friend of Lori's mom's with whom she shared her life through letters. They had met during the war. Lori comes to know of Aunt Dimity after both she and her mother died and Lori inherits Aunt Dimity's estate. The unique aspect of their relationship is that Aunt Dimity communicates with Lori through a blue journal from beyond the grave. In the series, Aunt Dimity helps Lori sort out her relationships with others and several mysteries she finds herself involved with.

In this book, Lori is trying to have the perfect Christmas. The kind of Christmas that her father would have had. Lori's dad died when she was very young and she doesn't have much except photos to remember him by. She's working hard to create an idyllic holiday when a man, covered in snow and almost frozen to death, is discovered under her lilac hedge. From then on Lori's holiday is turned upside down.

First, Lori is repulsed by the "tramp". He's shabby and obviously homeless and he had caused such a disruption in her plans. He has no identification and his reasoning for traveling to the cottage is unknown. When Aunt Dimity is informed of the incident she makes Lori promise to visit the man in the hospital and find out who he is.

Once Lori visits the mystery man at the hospital, her views on him change. She is enchanted by him. She experiences an overwhelming desire to help this man. During her quest, she meets Julian, a Catholic priest who runs a homeless shelter for men. Together they work to find out how the man came to Lori's cottage, who he is, and how he became homeless. Lori has to face her own history and revise her assumptions about those who are less fortunate than she.

I loved this book. It was well written and hooked me from the very beginning. This one gets 5/5 stars.

Menu for January 2009

1-Steak and salmon, mashed potatoes, cucumbers

2-Grilled chicken and peppers wrapped in tortillas, Spanish rice, green salad

3- Pasta w/ chunky tomato sauce, steamed cauliflower and broccoli, french bread

4-Tilapia w/ breadcrumb crust (butter and lemon, too), roasted lemon potatoes, Caesar salad

5- Crockpot chicken teriyaki, brown rice, steamed green beans

6-French onion soup, Bibb lettuce salad w/ apples & mustard vinaigrette, crusty bread

7- Homemade pizza (w/ ham, bacon, pineapple and cheddar), breadsticks, crudités

8-Dijon mustard chicken, twice baked cauliflower, salad

9- Salmon w/ herbs, risotto, salad a la Nancy

10- Pasta w/ shrimp and white wine, sauteed broccoli w/ garlic and pinenuts and parmesan, and french bread

11-Fajita chicken, pinto bean salad w/ avocado, tomatoes, red onion and cilantro, tortillas or lettuce

12- Burgers (veggie and beef), fried potatoes, pickles/olives, crudités

13- Middle Eastern tomato salad, Greek chicken, pita and hummus

14- Baked tilapia, flavored rice (packet), broccoli and cauliflower salad with lemon, dijon and tarragon

15- Baked chicken tenders, dilled redskin potatoes, green salad

16- Mexican style lasagna, Spanish rice, green salad

17- North Country corn chowder, chef salad, french bread

18- Flying chicken wings, scalloped potatoes, crudités

19- Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, left-over potatoes, green salad, olives/pickles

20- Baked shrimp w/ tomatoes and feta, white rice, Greek salad

21- Pizza and breadsticks, leftover Greek salad

22- Baked salmon, parmesan brown rice, Caesar salad

23- Grilled chicken, chopped salad Italiano, bruschetta

24- Beans and rice casserole, green salad

25- Grilled chicken club salad w/ guacamole dressing, cheesy bread

26- Pasta w/ marinara, sauteed broccoli w/ garlic pinenuts and parmesan

27-Cheddar potato soup, chef's salad, oyster crackers

28-Parmesan crusted fish, linguini w/ garlicky breadcrumbs, lemony green beans

29- Madison County chicken, twice baked cauliflower, Caesar salad

30- Burgers (veggie and beef), baked potatoes, pickles/olives, crudités

31- Free Day

To Do Today

1. Unload dishwasher

2. Reload dishwasher and run it

3. Take out garbage and recycling

4. Wash dishes

5. Clean off counters and scrub sink

6. Scrub toilet

7. Clean tub

8. Sweep kitchen and bathroom

9. Start laundry

10. Make beds

11. Mop kitchen and bathroom

12. Switch out laundry

13. Check on finances

14. Pay bills

15. Put away scrapbook stuff

16. Put away sewing stuff

17. Make dinner

18. Tidy up living room

19. Switch out laundry

Wordy Wednesday

Well, I am back and I have a book review for you! My reading goes in spurts. I've been on one of my reading spurts lately.For some weeks, I'll read 3 books per week and then I can go several more weeks without reading anything.

The book I have chosen for this review is Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter by Nancy Atherton.  Sounds perfect for the season-huh? This was the 13th book in a series. I've previously read the first book, Aunt Dimity's Death and the 12th, Aunt Dimity Goes West.

The series has kind of a weird premise. The main character, Lori Shepard is an American living in Britain. She inherited a cottage and fortune from her "Aunt" Dimity-a friend of her mother's whom Lori has never met.  In fact, Lori didn't even know that Aunt Dimity was a real person. She thought she was just a character in stories her mother used to tell. The weird part is that Lori can communicate with the dear, departed Aunt Dimity through an old journal. Lori talks to the journal and Aunt Dimity responds by writing in it.

In this installment in the series, Lori is certain that a vampire is lurking in the forest near the riding school her twin sons attend. The twins insist they have seen Rendor-a vampire in a comic book. Lori and Kit Smith (her friend and the boys' riding instructor) helps her hunt down the mysterious monster.

In their investigating, they stumble across a 40 year-old murder, a newcomer who is camping out in the rain, and a cranky old woman who seems to know a lot about the unexplained events in the village's past. Through it all, Aunt Dimity helps out by offering explanations and acts as a sounding board for Lori's speculations.

The story wraps up a little too neatly and predictably, but I still liked it.  It's a cute, cozy mystery that's quite entertaining. I'm always amazed when I finish one of Atherton's books. I fully intend to dislike them, but they seems to hook me with their likable characters and fun plotlines.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Life has been busy for me lately. I'm trying to get into a regular schedule here at home. I've been exploring ideas for earning some money, I've been cooking a lot more, I'm in the process of renovating a closet into my creative space and working on my finances.

My hope is to post a little more this week. See ya soon.

Playing Catch up

I really wanted to stick to the blog schedule I had planned, but life has a way of messing up all of my planning! *smile* It's ok, my life is good.

Last Friday, The Man went out of town for the weekend. He had the opportunity to meet up with a bunch of college friends in Denver. He had a great time! I'm so glad he was able to go. He returned home Sunday night. The Kidlet and I had a nice weekend-just the two of us. We bought his Halloween costume, had a dinner date, went on a five mile hike with the boy scouts, and snuggled a whole bunch. It was great! Unfortunately, I had to deal with some family drama and that has had me a little bit preoccupied.  I am doing a lot of praying and trying to accept that there are some things that I am unable to control. We will be ok.

I hope to be back tomorrow with a book review. The plan for Thursday is to show you the extra little fall decorating touches I have added to our house in the past week. See ya tomorrow!