November Recap

• Savings

  	Previous Balance	1972.00
  Week 40 (11/03)	+90.00	2062.00
  Week 41 (11/10)	+92.00	2154.00
  Week 42 (11/17)	+94.00	2248.00
  Week 43 (11/24)	+96.00	2344.00

  
  

• Book Finishes
  • #22: The Lion, The Witch an the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

    This book is part of a series of books called The Chronicles of Narnia. And, I currently have an unabridged version of all seven books in one volume and the books are presented in the author’s preferred reading order.

    I read this particular book in childhood and loved reading it again. It is fiction. It is fantasy. It is written for children; but, adults would enjoy reading it too. None of the storylines and/or characters is supposed to ring true (to Christianity). The similarities are awesome. But, they are just biblical allusions not strong allegories. I wish people would stick to what it is: fiction and fantasy. But no, they have to nitpick details and whatnot, and by doing so, they destroy a beautiful story for themselves. This book makes for an excellent read for both children and adults.

  • #23: Dark Witch by Nora Roberts.
  • #24: Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts.
  • #25: Blood Magick by Nora Roberts.

    These books are all romantic fantasies. It deals with subject matter that may be offensive to some (witches and magic); but, I treat it for what it is, fantasy and fiction. It is not real. And, it is not supposed to be treated as such. As long as one remains grounded in their personal beliefs, one will not be drawn astray by reading books like these.

    Anyway, I have read a few of Nora Roberts’ books eons ago. Nora Roberts has a way of writing that just draws you into the story, the landscapes, the characters and more. You can get lost in her books. I must confess that I just skimmed over the sex scenes in these books. She has a way of being very graphic without being overly pornographic. However, I avoid them because why get your heart and mind in a tangle wishing for things you do not have? It is the storylines and the characters that I am more interested in.

    Each book concentrates on one character (or two) and usually, the main characters of each book all have a connection to one another. But, I have to say that this series is just a retread of many of her prior books and I have to wonder why the rip-off? Is she losing her ground? Running out of ideas? Plot lines? My initial thought is that these were her earlier writings that did not make print and is now only being printed in spite of some issues. Who knows what the real reason is; but, I think it might have been a mistake to get these books to print because they will drive some of her hardcore fans away.

    My favorite series by Nora Roberts is the Key trilogy. I also loved her Born In trilogy. Even after reading these latest books, The Key trilogy is still my favorite series. And, I am saddened that some of the characters seemed to be ripped off from her earlier books I have read. Nonetheless, these are still good reads; and at times, the characters made me laugh. At the very least, the books are quick reads when in need of a quick read!

  • #26: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis.

    This book is part of a series of books called The Chronicles of Narnia. And, I currently have an unabridged version of all seven books in one volume and the books are presented in the author’s preferred reading order.

    I believe this is the first time I have read this book and I enjoyed it immensely. It follows two desperate runaways. It is an excellent read for both kids and adults alike except for those who like to nitpick everything including the fact the storyline touches upon slavery (which is still a reality in many countries today) and possibly racist overtones. Yes, I have read a few reviews on this book. Face it, if I entered a country like Japan, China, or any one country in the Middle East, I would stand out in both skin color, how I dress and even in cultural nuances. How can I NOT notice (and feel) the difference? It is a fact of life that these things exist. We are so fortunate to live in a melting pot that differences are less noticeable. Anyway, I don’t believe the book is racist. However, many consider it to be which I will never understand.

  • #27: A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen.

    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a better book than Jackson Galaxy’s memoire which does not explain how his cat saved his life nor does it talk about the cat much. It was all about him (the author).

    A Street Cat Named Bob is a much better book and it was not just about the author; but, the cat too. Street cats can save your life. I should know. My first cat came off the streets. I will never ever forget our first meeting after I prayed to God for a friend. And, that cat chose to stay with us in spite of the fact there were four of us (kids).

    Anyway, Bob is a very likeable and sociable cat and the author was more or less homeless and struggling to come off addiction. It is honest and not forced even though it may not be well written. It is straight from the heart unlike Galaxy’s memoire which I struggled to read through. And oh, Bob (the cat) doesn’t die! There is a sequel which is a continuing story of these two and I have it on my wish list.

• Projects
  • My Room

    Slow and steady wins the race. The fabric built-in units are coming along fabulously! I can now finally see the end in sight.

  • Laundry Room

    I cannot remember why we started the laundry room. I do know that we were at a standstill and Dan was bored. So, we started ripping out the shelving to paint the laundry room. I was amazed and thrilled that the paint I had chosen matched one of the colors of the apron I used as the inspiration for the kitchen. Anyway, the laundry room is now painted. We are waiting for a good day to spray paint the cabinets that I bought from Habitat from Humanity restore and then hang them up in there with some new shelving. It is going to be fabulous when it is done.

• Other
  • Thanksgiving

    We spent a little time with one of my brother’s family over the holiday and had a very good visit. We even played Mario Party (a video game) and that was a blast. And, lots of cribbage games in which I was beaten soundly.