Why I LOVE my Kindle

I got a Kindle for my birthday from my wonderful Auntie. So, I've had it for almost a month and I HAVE to say, I LOVE IT!!!

Right now it has 78 books in it- almost none of which cost anything. Lots of my favorite authors are from long ago and anything out of copyright can be found for free. So I have a complete collection of Jane Austen, plus lots of other stuff that I will really enjoy having available at any time, like Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), GK Chesterton (Fr. Brown), and PG Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster). These are the kinds of things I can pick up and read ANYTIME and always enjoy them.

I've also been trying out some things I never had the opportunity to read before, that are also long out-of-date. So far I have particularly enjoyed reading "The Prisoner of Zenda" after seeing the movie so many times. It was great fun to read "The Red House Mystery", often listed as one of the 100 Best Detective stories of the 20th century- and written by AA Milne, whom most of us know only as the author of Winnie the Pooh! "The Mysteries of Udolpho" is not only cited in Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey", but also in countless Regency Romances as something young ladies "should not be allowed to read", so naturally finding it on the Kindle Classics list was terrific news. So far, I cannot see what all the fuss is about, but I haven't gotten to the "classic Gothic" part yet.

I have had the frequent conversation "I love the feel of a book" with most people I tell about my Kindle. Having gotten a cover for it, for protection reasons, as soon as I received it, I can now say that a Kindle in a cover feels a lot like a book. In fact, the other night I tried to physically turn the page while I was immersed in "The Red House Mystery", so I guess I was not aware of that much difference, lol!

I'm going on a scrapbooking retreat next weekend, and to Florida over Easter break. Being able to carry untold numbers of books in one little package is SUCH a big improvement over loading down my luggage, that I am really excited about it. Seems silly, but for a voracious reader like me, being able to have so much reading material available wherever I go is FABULOUS!

I also have to praise the fact that my 58 year old eyes were considered when they designed the Kindle. I can change the font size and that makes reading WAY more comfortable than dealing with whatever the publisher chose for a book. I can still see small print pretty well, but when I read for hours, having the bigger type really makes a difference. (Why do you think I use this font and size for my blog, lol?!?)

I haven't gotten up the nerve yet to start tossing books that I can also have (or already do have!) on my Kindle, but the day when I give away (no, I could NEVER actually TOSS a book!!!) most of my library is coming. It has to come- we are getting ever closer to giving up this large house for something much smaller and more manageable. Right now there is somewhere in excess of 2000 books (probably closer to 2500+) in the room where I am sitting. They are in floor-to-ceiling bookcases that cover every wall space except the small area for the computer desk; the books are two deep on every shelf and there are more books laying on top of the two deep. In fact, I'm willing to share pictures of this disaster just to show how desperate the situation is!

Imagine 24 shelves like this! And, there are other bookcases around the house- in the living room, on the sunporch and in the basement. Yeah, we have a LOT of books!

So, for LOTS of reasons, I LOVE my Kindle. If you are thinking about one and any of *my* reasons for loving it apply to you, definitely I would recommend it.

Back to work for now, but later, my Kindle and I will be delving further into "The Mysteries of Udolpho"!

Plants and other things

Well, it was another long, killer week. Two 12+ hour days- teacher conferences on Tuesday and Ring Mass on Thursday. That I am too old, or at least that my age plus the fibromyalgia don't do well with that schedule, was proven when I was too sick to go to school on Friday. So, I slept from 11PM Thursday until 3:30 PM Friday and today I am STILL tired! Oh, well- such is life when almost everything is bad news and everyone is having troubles.

One piece of good news is that the two Amaryllis bulbs I bought at the Flower Show are sprouting well, as you can see in the picture above. I am happy about this because I love amaryllis. The three plumeria cuttings I got the same day seem to be OK so far- it's hard to tell until they either sprout or get soft.

The bad news is that the local critters got to my Stargazer Lily and Gladiola bulbs! :( Of the 4 lilies and 3 glads that I potted on the front patio, only 1 Stargazer still survives- the rest were dug up and I presume eaten! Although I have supplied bulbs, unintentionally of course, to the locals before, this is definitely the most greedy they have ever been. I hope my one, remaining, lonely lily gets to grow up!

Today is a Blog Hop for Operation Write Home. This is the first one I have not participated in- just wasn't time to dig everything out to make a card. However, I hope you will check it out! This is SUCH a great organization- come summer and some free time and I will be sending them some more cards- I hope you will also!

Otherwise, it's been pretty depressing. DH's school had major layoffs for next year announced yesterday- so sad to see young people who WANT to be teachers lose their jobs. More bad news for North Catholic, the school my family has been connected with for it's entire 84 year history. Ring Mass for us was really nice, but only about 1/3 of the kids even got rings- who wants a class ring from a closed school? Nothing else positive at my school this week either- just more of the same discouraging, sad and frustrating situation. No wonder I'm tired.

The only ray of sunshine was in fact, just that- MANY rays of sunshine. We've had a glorious few days of spectacular weather that make everyone feel better, even if only for the short times one can be outdoors.

Tonight DH and I are attending a Beef-N-Beer to honor an old friend who died suddenly back in January. That he was younger than us, and in better shape than us, was frightening. Tonight we will be seeing people we haven't seen in years and celebrating a wonderful man's life, so it should be a joyous occasion. I am looking forward to it- I NEED some happy time!

And, don't forget to change the clocks!

It's Been a L-O-N-G Time!

So, this picture from the week before last week shows school, the Flower Show, and the hospital! And, the hospital is the reason there are no pictures from last week. :(

Mom was sick, in the hospital for several days, and needed lots of attention when she got out. So, I've been busy- too busy to post or even read.

She's feeling a little better and hopefully things will get back to normal soon.