Here are some photos CW and I took of the dogs when it began to snow last week. I really enjoy taking them out and the snow makes it even more fun. Happy Dogs on Thursday! 8 inches of snow on the Racecourse On the path at Peel Park near the University of Salford Making a snow angel while the dogs lick my face and jump over me. Snow snuggles with Oscar Oscar sporting new Snow Boots
Robert Langdon is back again for his third adventure. In true Langdon style, he has been lured to Washington DC under false pretenses and becomes swept up in a race to save his close friends’ life while being pursued by the authorities. Sounds juicy and gripping eh? It was! Although I knew exactly what I was getting, and the adventures are getting slightly formulaic, Dan Brown still delivered a gripping novel. Occasionally the plot felt a little obvious, but I was still intrigued by the puzzles and secrets Langdon uncovered in The Lost Symbol. A couple times I smiled at a good plot twist and for the most part it was an easy plot to follow, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In a gripping, fast-paced thriller, you want to be able to easily and quickly comprehend the plot. I finished the book in about four days (days with ample reading time). I enjoyed learning about symbols and magic squares and a new form of science called Noetics (really real!). The Lost Symbol revolved around Freemasonry and the legends of a hidden knowledge located in Washington DC. Robert Langdon’s close friend (and prominent Mason) has been kidnapped by a man who insists that Langdon decipher the clues that will lead him to “enlightenment”. The parallel storyline involves the Mason’s sister, who is conducting her research of Noetic Sciences at the Smithsonian Centre. The man who kidnapped her brother also wants to destroy her controversial research. Visit the Wikipedia page for [...]
Week Two: January 10-16, 2010 “Tell us about your favorite teas. Do you prefer black, green, white, red, or herbal? Do you like added flavors such as fruit, flowers, vanilla, chocolate, or spices, or are you a purist?” My tried and true is a cup of orange pekoe with milk, no sugar. But I love flavoured and fruity black tea as well as spiced chai made with milk instead of water. And occasionally I’ll have a white or oolong tea. I’m pickier about those kinds. I have a really nice peach oolong tea and a “cleansing” white tea that is really enjoyable after dinner. I’m not much of a green tea drinker, but I do enjoy yerba mate every so often. I’ve tried a variety of roiboos teas and I do enjoy them but have yet to find one I absolutely love. If I want something calming or for my stomach, I’ll have chamomile or pepperment herbal tea.
Last year Ruth and Chan hosted Hot Tea Month Blog-a-thon at the Knit1 Tea2 Swap blog. This year, Ruth is going it alone at a brand new Hot Tea Month blog. I made some more buttons this year for Ruth and I’m also participating too. Week One: January 3-9, 2010 “Tea as a mood lifter: How does tea improve your day? What is your favorite time for a nice, hot cuppa?” My day always begins with a hot cup of tea, but my favourite time is in the late afternoon to just cuddle up with a cuppa tea and a book or a movie. Nowadays (winter time) we use tea to warm up. I’m nursing a cup right now, holding it to my chest and warming my hands… when I’m not typing.
SPOILER ALERT: This is the second book in the Hunger Games series. If you have not read it, or haven’t finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, DO NOT read this post! I have been wanting to read Catching Fire ever since I finished The Hunger Games in August. I resisted mainly because of my huge TBR pile. However, with the holidays, I got a chance to read it. Here is the synopsis of Catching Fire (and I must say, it does a good job of meeting this hype): After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns to her district, hoping for a peaceful future. But Katniss starts to hear rumours of a deadly rebellion against the Capitol. A rebellion that she and Peeta have helped to create. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless Katniss and Peeta can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying… I flew through the book in three days! I would say that Catching Fire isn’t quite as compelling as The Hunger Games, but that is often the case with series; the second book has to deal with all the cliffhangers and strings the first book left hanging. But Catching Fire was certainly a good transitional book, and even though it can’t stand alone without The Hunger Games, it sets things up well for the third [...]
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