Helen Plus Three

Previously when the Sans bookshop was still around I could buy books and then sell them back at a fraction but at least they were not taking up space on my book shelf and piling. Now that Sans is gone, I buy a lot of new books, they are piling up and soon I'll have to decide what to keep (possibly keep) and not keep and donate to the Library (which is ok). But I love many of these books and I think I could read them again in the far future... but alas, will I have the space to keep that many. Recently I acquired more through gifts and then of course the Christmas sale came on and I bought MORE !! But they're really good books by Jojo Moyes and Helen Fielding and Sue Monk Kid (sigh). I'm not sure.... is reading a hobby ?.. feels more like a passion. I like the style this is written in, thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish..  I could feel her panic, the mad rush and the chaos in Bridget's life with the kids. I can identify with all that and that feeling o

Another good book! Meg Wolitzer writes with great depth. I was nodding and agreeing with many instances of expression, these were moments I had gone through in my life growing up and thoughts even today. Really good piece of work, insightful. Very realistically describes thoughts, fears, doubts of individuals from teenage to senior life. One could probably identify with a character of the group who are all so diverse even though they met in the same place for a similar purpose. It boils down to two characters really seeing from within and without. I keep telling myself to mark those great lines, but I never remember to.. there were many but I located only one ...what holding a job demands of an individual... " a job outside the house that would require energy and focus and exactness and calm." A perfect description of what being at work or the office entails vs being at home.. and sometimes we are  just not all  that...

" I wanted to know what happened when two people felt it. (it being the hurt). Would  it divide the hurt in two, make it lighter to bear, the way feeling someone's joy seemed to double it ?" A 14 year old's thoughts are not that far from any adult in the same emotional situation really. The idea of a 'wailing wall' is quite interesting. If it can help a person cope, why not. I'm thinking how I might adapt that for kids to cope with the stress of school demands ! Descriptions are so simple and direct it's easy to imagine the life of bees, their livelihood, the routines and the hum... " At thirty feet your skin will start to vibrate..... but your heart  will send you straight into the hum, where you will be swallowed by it...." 'I decided sometimes you just need to nurse something, that's all " - and that was how she succinctly described sentimental attachment. That certainly makes wonderful sense why we do it.. What I l

Mother's day, quiet one this year, but it's ok. I enjoy the quiet. Got mum some flowers and made her a card. I decided I'd go pink on the card and a little wild with the dies and hearts.. don't need to make a card look old !! The giving brings as much joy as the receiving. I got a free lunch from Dad.. and flowers from my kids.... Wedding coming up.. next card to keep me busy...

Fear manifests in many ways, it's not cowardice, it's a lack of courage that paralyses the mind of all rational arguments like panic. Not sure where I read that but it's about  right. When problems overrun the mind I can't seem to enjoy or concentrate on what I'm reading because of work distractions, It's like an overflow I can't switch off in my head. Compartments are flooded with office issues. No compartmentalization is possible. Is there a name for this ?

A neat mix of embossing and dies, Sizzix the Sweet Shoppe, words for Peny BLack die and Impressions Obsessions stamp. Flowers punched using Carl punches and sprayed with Tattered Angel inks. A sizzix frame in the background if you catch a glimpse of it sticking out behind the cart and flowers. It's not quite aligned yet as I have not glued it on to the checked background. Sizzix Owl, 'Make a Wish' from Penny Black die and Wonder dies for the foliage... Martha Stewart punches for border and corner

My Lipstick is at it again... ..so sweet.. The Episcia ...seems to be larger leaves than usual.. it's finally blooming after a long spell...

Isn't this a neat idea, and oh so FUN. You get to play with lots of different pattern papers and the little stamps. And it all turns out sweet and eye popping depending on the colours. The idea came from Splitcoaststampers. Most of the the dies are from Sizzix and Cottage Cutz.... Sometimes my blend of colours isn't all that wonderful... ..but I keep at it.. Stamps are from Penny Black (hedgehog), Magenta, Hero Arts (words)... The heart is extracted from Martha Stewarts punch out borders. The pattern punch out in the centre of the flap is also from a Martha Stewart's punch.

As I got out of the train this morning, I was thinking what if it slipped out of my hand and fell through the gap. I'm reading a book, and well as much as the style of it is loose, the story is kind of depressing, yet funny in a dark sort of way !. Perhaps it is just not my cup of tea, not sure why I picked it. I started it about a week ago, and I usually don't take that long to finish a book. What am I reading, it's by Jess Walter - The Financial Lives of the Poets -.  It 's not really about poetry but about this guy who lost his job and then is loosing his self esteem ( along with everything else ... wife, self confidence... honesty..)  but thinks himself a poet of sorts. It's about reacting to crisis. It's amazing what can happen when you go out late to buy MILK. Anyway I am halfway through the book  (the Hero has not yet, is almost about to become a drug buyer to  'ínvest' and grow his money that is, before he loses his house),  and this mor

Recently I completed reading the Memorykeeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards  It was sad and yet as I thought more about it, is also a happy story. For some reason I got hung up on the sad part, the parts about the loss and the guilt. On the other hand, the happy side which was the baby that lived in spite of nature's error, got less of my dwell time. Do we avoid looking at the imperfect and always look for what seems perfect or hope to be. Perhaps that was how the author slanted it. Decisions at one point in time affect the rest of life, Guilt is a horrible thing to hold on to especially for good souls. The father tried to find a solution(his peace) to his guilt through his new hobby of photography. Hate is another form that eats away at a person's soul. It starts like a tiny blot that spread and grew and grew and impacts the life of all within and around it. But love grows no matter what.. (it did for the nurse that saved an imperfect child).. that's probably th