How Well Read Are You?

This is the kind of thing I really love!  Give me a list and I love looking through it to see what I have accomplished; it also gives me a challenge and a goal to complete.  This list was compiled by the BBC, which I found on Inside of a Dog, and it apparently includes many contemporary and classic titles that if read, would make you well read.  I'm not sure if I agree with all of the selections listed, but that would make an interesting post for another day.

According to the BBC, most people have not read more than 6 books found on this list.

Instructions:
•Copy this list.
•Bold those books you’ve read in their entirety.
•Italicise the ones you started but didn’t finish or read only an excerpt.
•Tag other book nerds.
•Highlight the ones that you have but haven't read. They are probably in your TBR stack/on your shelf at the back because someone said you should read them.


Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Harry Potter series – JK Rowling
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
The King James Bible
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
Nineteen Eighty Four (1984) – George Orwell
His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
Complete Works of Shakespeare
Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk
Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Middlemarch – George Eliot
Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott FitzgeraldWar and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
Emma -Jane Austen
Persuasion – Jane Austen
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieres
Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
Winnie the Pooh – A.A. Milne
Animal Farm – George Orwell
The DaVinci Code – Dan Brown
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
Lord of the Flies – William Golding
Atonement – Ian McEwan
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Dune – Frank Herbert
Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History – Donna Tartt
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas (en francais)
On The Road – Jack Kerouac
Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
Moby Dick – Herman Melville
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
Dracula – Bram Stoker
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
Ulysses – James Joyce
The Inferno – Dante
Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
Germinal – Emile Zola (en francais)
Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
Possession – AS Byatt
Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
The Color Purple – Alice Walker
The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert (en francais)
A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery (en francais)
The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
Watership Down – Richard Adams
A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas (en francais)
Hamlet – William Shakespeare
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
Les Miserables – Victor Hugo (en francais)

Okay, I have read 45 of these books, with several on the partial read list, and others are still sitting on my shelf.  Some of these were required reading for high school and university, which is probably the only reason I read them in the first place as I don't think I would have otherwise.  And that would have been a shame as, for example, I loved Germinal and became a huge Zola fan, but would not have read it if I wasn't forced in university. 
 
Luckily, I have actually heard of all of these books, and I am happy about that as I do consider myself a well-read person.  When I was young, I went through a stage where I adored reading about animals talking like humans, which is why I read The Wind in the Willows.  I completely avoid these books today though, which is weird.  Something must have happened to turn me off of them, but for the life of me, I don't know what it is. 

I am Canadian, and what little Canadian girl has not heard of Anne of Green Gables?  I read the entire series by the time I was ten and am now passing off the books to my daughter (and the films).  The Chronicles of Narnia also passed through my childhood and I have just given that series over to my son and daughter as well.  I am totally excited over The Voyage of the Dawntreader opening up over the Christmas holidays and can't wait to see the newest intallment.

Even as a child, I preferred a good ghost story or paranormal story to anything else.  I hunted for them hungrily (and still do), and when I discovered fantasy and science-fiction, well...a whole new world was opened.  I was, and continue to be, a very eclectic and prolific reader, never focusing on any one genre, choosing whatever catches the eye, there are still some things I can never turn my back on.

So, take a look at this list and tell me how YOU did.  I'm pretty sure that most book bloggers and readers would probably have reader far more than six books on this list.  What do you think?

Operation Thriller - Five Thriller Writers Tour With USO

Five of today's most critically acclaimed thriller writers (left to right) Douglas Preston, Steve Berry, David Morrell, James Rollins, and Andy Harp posed for a group photo during a USO meet-and-greet in Kuwait on November 8, 2010. Part of a week-long USO tour entitled "Operation Thriller," the authors were in the Middle East extending America's heartfelt thanks to US troops.

My Obssession With Castles: Trakoscan Castle, Croatia

When I was growing up, my dad had this book of all these famous places in Croatia and I was always drawn to this one picture of this castle.  I remember I used to go back and look at it over and over again, imagining I was princess living in that castle with my handsome prince.  Didn't all girls dream of being princesses?  It wasn't until years later that I learned the history of this castle, and although I've since been to Croatia, my dad's native land, I have yet to visit this place that has always held such a special place in my heart.  Today, however, I'd like to focus on Trakoscan Castle in My Obssession With Castles.

This castle is considered to be one of the most beautiful and also the most romantic castles in the region.  It is located approximately 82 km from Zagred, a city I have visited, and is open daily to the public.  It is now a museum, also containing a library which is accessible only by special permission, a museum shop, and restaurant. 

Its History

Trakoscan Castle was built in the late 13th century as part of Croatia's (Hrvatska's) fortification system, a small fortress for observation.  It is not known who the early owners of the fortress were, but legend states that another fortress stood there in antiquity.  Another legend also claims the knights of Drachenstein were in control of the region in the Middle Ages.  Despite this, the first known owners were the Celjski family who ruled over the entire principality as well as Medimurje, Varazdin and part of present-day Slovenia.  The castle then passed from owner to owner until 1584, when King Maximilian gave the estate to Juraj Draskovic for services rendered.  The castle was badly damaged in the 17th century and was used primarily as a military base during this time, even as they continued to restore and repair the damage done.  

In the second half of the 18th century, Trakoscan was largely abandoned by the family to follow other pursuits, but interest was renewed in the middle of the 19th century when the family returned to its traditions.  The current heir turned the estate into a pleasure ground and the castle into a residential manor-house.  The castle was largely occupied until 1944 when the family was forced to flee to Austria.

Trakoscan Castle Today

The Castle Museum went on permanent display in 1953.  Today the castle is owned by the Republic of Croatia.

The exhibits date from the 15th to the 19th centuries.  The castle has four levels; two ground-floors, the first floor, and the second floor.  The First Ground-Floor includes the kitchen, armorer's shop, storage room, and workshop.  There also used to be a dungeon. (I couldn't find any information on who may have stayed in said dungeon though.) The Second Ground-Floor includes the main part of the building which contains large halls for holding receptions.  The First Floor is the most luxurious as this contains the owners' living quarters.  The Second Floor includes the guest bedrooms.  The rest of the floor acts as a permanent museum for many other articles.

You can also view an amazing collection of portraits spanning over three centuries.  Some of these valuable pieces include works called "The Four Continents" by Mihael Stroy, "the best-known Biedermeier painter in the eastern world".  I adore paintings and portraits and would love to see this collection.  There is also some work by one of the first women in Croatia to achieve the level of an "academic painter", Julijana Erdody.  It would be interesting to learn her story.

What I love best about this castle is the garden.  Apparently it has one of the most beautiful parks in the region and is absolutely amazing to see.  I know I will definitely add this lovely castle to my travel agenda when I return to Croatia.

Sources:
http://www.mdc/hr/trakoscan/eng/dvor-ulaz.html (The Trakoscan Castle)
http://www.croatia-nudistbeaches-scubadiving.com/trakoscan-castle.html (Trakoscan Castle - A Brief History)

Random Thoughts on Book Censorship

I was at the library today (where else would I spend a soggy morning but at one of my favourite places in the world?), and I had an interesting experience while I was there.  There was this boy, somewhere around ten years old, wandering around the juvenile book cases for quite a while, being very selective with his books.  It's so unlike me, I'm a whirling dirvish in the library, that I was intrigued.  After selecting his books he happened to sit next to me and began to read.  Then his mother appeared and as soon as she saw what he was reading, she had an absolute fit.  And I mean FIT!  She went on and on about how he was not going to bring that filth into her house and how that FILTH was going to corrupt his mind, and under no circumstances was he going to be reading anything with witches, ghosts, werewolves or anything of that kind as anyone who does so has made a pact with the devil. She wanted all those books removed from the shelf and she would darned well see to it as soon as she could. I was so shocked and I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  The poor boy was in tears and my own daughter didn't know what to do either.  He put his books quietly on the table as she went on raving.  My daughter asked me what was going on and all I could say was that his mother didn't want him to read certain books because she thought they would corrupt him.  And the thing that amazed me the most was his book selections:  Harry Potter, Charlie Bone, and Tunnels. 

The whole thing stayed with me for quite a while afterwards and I also had to explain to my daughter what happened as she didn't understand.  It made me think of several history periods when books were burned:  one memorable incident at Oxford University in the 1500s comes to mind very quickly as many books were supposed to have been burned because they were heretical, but loyal scholars smuggled them out at their own risk to protect them.  I also had to read The Cheese and The Worms by Carlo Ginzburg in university, and this story tells of a 16th century miller who was executed by the Inquisition because of his love of reading books.  Knowledge was considered dangerous during these times.  Martin Luther is known for his burning of Jewish texts when they refused to convert, and the Nazis were famous for their destruction of many texts during the 2nd World War.  Even today, many schools have bans on certain texts because they contain content that is deemed inappropriate for students.  The Merchant of Venice was not allowed to be read at my old high school because of its Jewish content; it was because of this ban that I went and read it anyways and I certainly did not appreciate Shakespeare when I was 16 like I do now.

I thought of the boy then, and wondered how he would find a way to read those books he was longing to read.  And make no mistake about that, he WANTED to read those books.  I saw the look in his eyes when he put those books back on the table; it is the same look in every book lover's eye when they have to put something back on the shelf they desperately want, but just can't buy at that moment.  It's a HUNGER, a DESIRE, and I knew he would find a way to read those books somehow.  And I wondered if that desire has grown because he has been denied what he wanted.  I thought about all those books on my shelf and wondered how I would react if someone decided to destroy my biography of Celine Dion Henry VIII or Marie Antoinette or the Knights Templar, or my copies of Demonfire, Shiver, Rebecca or Pride and Prejudice.   And I hoped with all my heart he would find a way (and that somebody would help him) because no one should be denied a book to read.  And I will work very hard to ensure that someone like that women does not succeed at ensuring that those books get removed from my shelves or from my daughter's or my son's.  I want them to have the right to choose.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

My Obsession With Castles - Dragsholm Castle

Last week I featured Bothwell Castle, so I thought it only fitting that this week's feature be Dragsholm Castle, located in Denmark.  Considered one of the most haunted castles in Europe, it reportedly boasts over 100 ghosts within the walls, including the ghost of James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.  I have always been fascinated by this, and have always wanted to visit Denmark and the famous Dragsholm Castle.

History of Dragsholm Castle

Dragsholm Castle is one of the oldest castles in Denmark.  It was first built around 1215 by the Bishop of Roskilde, modified during the middle ages to a fortified castle and eventually was so strong that it was the only castle able to withstand the forces of Count Christoffer in the mid-sixteenth century.   Around 1536, it passed to the Crown during the Reformation and remained as Crown land for over 100 years; it was used during this time as a prison for noble and ecclesiastical prisoners.   Many famous people were held as prisoners for crimes and behaviours against the throne. 

For Visitors

Currently, the Castle is owned and run by the Bottger family as a hotel, restaurant, and attraction.   The hotel rooms have been refurbished and modernised.  The land surrounding the castle is full of lakes and meadows, a nature lover's paradise; it is an area much loved by artists and nature lovers for its undulating landscape and ever-changing appearance. 

Ghosts of Dragsholm Castle

Dragsholm Castle claims to be one of the most haunted castles in Denmark, with over 100 spirits living within its walls.  Amongst all these spirits, three seem to make the most appearances and to gather the most attention to its visitors.

1) The Grey Lady

While staying overnight, a visitor may awaken to find a ghostly lady keeping watch over them because this spirit still keeps an eye on things in order to make sure things are running smoothly.  Apparently, as the legend goes, this lady suffered from a toothache that was cured by someone in the castle.  This grateful spirit returns to check up on visitors ever since and to repay the kind deed of which she was once in need.

2) The White Lady

Unfortunately, this story is a little more tragic.  In the early 20th century, workers were dismantling a wall during a renovation and came across a skeleton dressed in a white gown.  As the story goes, the daughter of a former owner fell in love with a commoner who worked in the castle.  The girl's father eventually discovered them and in a rage, he ordered his daughter to be locked in a room in the castle.  This spirit still haunts the hallways at night.  There are so many stories like this one, aren't there?

3) The Earl of Bothwell

James Bothwell, the consort of Mary, Queen of Scots, is perhaps the most famous of the spirits to haunt Dragsholm Castle.   He was imprisoned in the cellars of Dragsholm Castle for murder of Lord Darnley for the remaining years of his life.  The story goes that he went mad and died in 1578.   Visitors can see the same pillar where the Earl was once chained and some of the artifacts that he had with him during his imprisonment. 

Hotel And Restaurant

Today, Dragsholm Castle is a beautiful place to visit and stay.  It is open during the spring and summer months on a daily basis for those interested in tours of the castle and to learn a bit about the local history and history of the castle.  For those who wish to stay, the castle is a fine establishment in which to stay the night, with all of the modern conveniences you'd expect.  It is also home to Denmark's oldes wine-cellar, originating to the 13th century.  All produce and ingredients used in the restaurant are locally grown, something the restaurant is imminently proud.

I, personally, would love to visit and learn more about the history of this amazing place.  And, maybe, just a little part of me, would love to see one of these spirits that haunt this amazing place.  Without getting scared and hiding under the covers, that is, and ruining the moment. 

Off to Denmark I go one day and I can't wait!!

Sources:

1) Dragsholm Castle

2) Ghosts of Dragsholm Castle

3) Dragsholm Castle

My Castle Obsession - Bothwell Castle, Scotland

Bothwell Castle is one of those castles that I first became infatuated with at the tender age of 14 as it was featured in a romance novel I absolutely adored in which the main character, James, was a descendent of the Bothwell family.  Although I have visited Scotland, I didn't get a chance to visit Bothwell Castle, so I thought I would include it on my list as I plan on going to see it when I go back in a couple of years.

Bothwell Castle is a medieval castle, located about 10 miles south-east of Glasgow.  The castle was first constructed in the 13th century, but underwent a series of sieges and eventually was abandoned in the 18th century.  It is currently managed by Historic Scotland and is open to the public.

History of Bothwell Castle
David Olifant was granted the Barony of Bothwell by King David 1 in the 12th century.  His heir, who married Walter of Moray, began construction of the castle about 100 years later, but by 1296 only managed to complete the main donjon, the prison, the connecting curtain wall, and the foundation for the rest of the building. 

Bothwell's location was often in the way of British invasion forces into Scotland.  In the late 13th century, Bothwell Castle and all its inhabitants, including Walter de Moray and his son William were seized.  The English Garrison holding William and Walter were besieged by the Scots for 14 months, until the English eventually gave up.  However, Edward 1 returned in 1301 with over 6000 men, capturing the castle once again.  The 2nd Earl of Pembroke was appointed the Warden of Scotland and remained at Bothwell for several years.

After the battle of Bannockburn, the English nobility often used Bothwell as a refuge.   This is something I find fascinating, as Sir Walter FitzGilbert surrendered the castle to the Scots and was awarded the barony of Cadzow, the progenitor of the House of Hamilton.  The castle was destroyed after its surrender, again something I find fascinating.  It's a tradition of the Scots to SLIGHT something, meaning to destroy, in order that it cannot be used again by the enemy. 

However, in 1336, the English returned again, but lasted for only a short time as the rightful heir recaptured the castle.  Sir Andrew Murray, the heir, destroyed the west side of the Donjon by having it fall into the river so that it could not be used again by the enemy.  The castle remained unoccupied for around 30 years.

The Reoccupation of Bothwell
Joan Moray married Archibald Douglas, a man with the nickname "The Grim" (lovely, eh?) in 1362.  He was later to be Earl of Douglas, part of the Black Douglases.  He began rebuilding Bothwell, the work being continued by his son. 

Bothwell and all other lands belonging to the 9th Earl of of Douglas were forfeit in 1455 for rebelling against the King. Bothwell exchanged hands many times over the next few years, eventually being granted to Patrick Hepburn who had the Earldom of Bothwell created for him.  He quickly exchanged it for Hermitage Castle with Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus.  In a strange twist of fate, Bothwell Castle ended up back in the hands of the Douglases, this time the Red Douglases.  (Just a note of historical interest, the red Douglas line was restored to peerage in 1633 when William Douglas was created First Marquess of Douglass by Charles 1.)

Bothwell Castle descended through the Earls of Angus, eventually going to the Earls of Forfar.  The 1st Earl of Forfar, Archibald Douglas, constructed a new mansion nearby that stood until the early twenties.  In 1715, a lawsuit arose over an inheritance issue and Archibald Steward of Grandtully won, so the castle reverted to the Earls of Home.

Today, there is very little left to see, but it is still interesting to view a place where so much of Scotland's history took place and where so many important historical figures trod.

Source: http://www.castleduncan.com/

Glamis Castle - Scotland

I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I've decided to do a somewhat regular feature on the castles of the world.  I've always had this special fascination with castles and, in particular, with their history.  I look for books and novels, both fiction and non-fiction, about them, and I never hesitate to read a story that centers around an old European castle, especially if there is a ghost story and time travel involved.  One of the latest books I've read featured Glamis Castle, so I decided to feature this one first.

Glamis Castle is located in Angus, Scotland.  It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and what is especially intriguing to me for when I go back to Scotland one day, it is open to the public.  It was the childhood home of the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret was born there.  It is currently featured on the 10-pound notes issues by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

History
Glamis Village can be traced back to the 8th century, and the earliest records of Glamis Castle record it as a hunting lodge in 1264.  The land was granted to Sir John Lyon of Forteviot by Robert the II in 1372, who also married Robert's daughter Joanna.  Construction on the castle began around 1400.  The castle remains home to the Lyon family today, although it looks remarkably different than it did in 1400.

A little note of interest for Shakespeare fans:  The title character in Macbeth resides at Glamis Castle, although certainly the historical King MacBeth (d.1057) could not have had any connection to the castle as it was not yet built.

The current castle occupies some 14 000 acres and continues to produce cash crops today.  You can also rent some of the rooms for parties and weddings.

Legends and Tales
This is what really interested me in Glamis Castle.  Oh, how I do love any kind of ghost stories and this castle has them by the score.

The most famous legend is the Monster of Glamis.  Supposedly, there was a hideously deformed child born to the family, and this child was kept in the castle for his entire life and his suite of rooms kept hidden after his death.   I did read that perhaps this legend was inspired by the Ogilvie family, who sought protection from their enemies the Lindsays, and were left to die in the castle of starvation, they were in fact walled up somewhere in the 16-foot walls.

There is also the story of the Grey Lady.  The tour guide states that there is one seat in the chapel that is always reserved for this lady, thought to be Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, although it is still used widely for family functions.  This ghost apparently haunts the castle and many people have seen her around.   

The story of Lady Janet Douglas is a tragic one and I am very familiar with the story.  I wasn't going to share it here, but I can't get her out of my mind so I will.  To make it short, Lady Glamis and her husband were very happy together until he passed away.  Left at the mercy of the king who wanted Glamis Castle, she was imprisoned (for 5 years) on trumped of charges of witchcraft along with her son.  People did not believe she was guilty as her character was impeccable and she was much loved amongst her people.  King James, who bore a deep hatred against anyone carrying the Douglas name (you can read more about that another time), he resorted to horrible torture to many people around her.  She was eventually found guilty and burned at the stake at Edinburgh Castle.  James returned the castle, but not many of its possessions, to Janet's son after her death and it is believed he felt great remorse over her death and a lot of guilt because he let his anger get the best of him.  He was wildly hated for his treatment of this beautiful and gracious lady.

James V

Some sites to visit:

Glamis Castle - Hauntings

Glamis Castle - History

Saturday Morning Meanderings

It was a pretty busy week at work last week and I'm sitting here this morning reflecting on life, wondering about things I haven't really thought about in years. Well, okay, it's been about a year since I've really reflected like this. And you may have guessed why I'm a little maudlin this morning: Yes, it's my BIRTHDAY! I find as I grow older, and I watch the numbers get bigger every year, I tend to get a little more reflective and look back upon the year to see what I've really accomplished and whether I've met my goals. Many people tend to do this on New Year's but I've always tended to do this on my birthday and I'm not always satisfied with the results. I've always tended to be a go-getter and a perfectionist and somewhat of a leader, but upon deciding where to go for my birthday dinner, my daughter decided we were going to go go Montana's and it was decided that's where we were going. And I thought to myself, how did that happen? Where are my leadership qualities, where is my aggressiveness when I've allowed a 7 year-old to decide where I wanted to go for MY birthday dinner? And now I'm of course rebelling and sitting here reflecting on that minute little episode, thinking, how in the world did that happen?

Are there other moms out there who feel the same way?

I've always wanted to be a writer, ever since I learned about the world of books. Spending hours in a library or bookstore was an amazing thing for me. And I've always been a closet writer. It took a lot of courage for me to even start a blog, and expose even my own reviews to everyone, as I've always done them anonymously. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? But upon all this reflection, I've decided it is now time to reassert what I think is missing from my life. Don't get me wrong though. I have a fantastic husband, wonderful children, a successful career, and a good life. But I need to write again. So, after all of these meanderings, I've decided to get out and buy some journals that I used to fill as a teenager and young adult (by the dozens) and start writing on a daily basis and see where it leads. It's almost like a hunger, if anyone knows what I mean!?

On a more positive note, I am taking my family out to see The Lightning Thief tonight at the theatre, a movie I WANT TO SEE. And they didn't even argue!!!!! Assertiveness training 101 is back in force. And Montana's will still be a good choice for dinner (lol).

Here's to a new birthday year, a quiet day spent reading, and to a truly loving husband who is taking the children out for the afternoon so I can have some time to myself on my birthday. Bless you love!!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!

I haven't always believed in new year's resolutions but I did achieve some this year. I finally, though in the beginning stages, and still not really sure what I am doing, have started this blog. I have also come out of the closet, so to speak, and admitted more publicly to friends and family, that I love to write. This is something that I have kept to myself for years. I am one of those who kept diaries and journals for years, but they were always hidden, because I didn't want to let people know I wrote. It sounds so silly now.

My new year's resolution for 2010 is to actually start writing again, but in a more disciplined fashion. Who knows, maybe that book I've always wanted to write is still lurking in there and inspiration will come? I hope everyone has a wonderful day!! I am now going to go play Martian Matter with my 7 year old daughter. And I got 'The Summoning' for Christmas. A great read to look forward to for later.