2014 Book Challenges

Prior to last year I didn't know about online book challenges.  All in all I think I faired pretty well.  While I didn't complete or reach all of my goals I most definitely read genres and authors I wouldn't have considered if not for those challenges.   I am going to repeat some of the same challenges as last year and taking on some brave new ones....

So what have you been up to?

 .      This summer as I mentioned earlier this week, truly seemed to fly by.  It wasn't that I had a whirlwind of a summer or even went on a long vacation.  But I'm guessing now that the kids are older summers truly aren't what they used to be.   I think we figured that everyone was home for maybe 3 weeks of "Official Summer". We did wind up having one childless week as all three volunteered as counselors at a camp. And I must say it was quite nice not having to write a check for camp this year ~ woo hoo.
     Reflecting back I can't really say I even accomplished or completed anything major this summer and you know what I am perfectly OK with that.  I believe this new laid back attitude of mine is helping in my recovery as I have had less stressed-out/migraine episodes. So yeah.
    While doing "nothing" I did however seem to devour books.  I still am having trouble on the reading side so all of my books were audio versions.  I think I completely read all that my library system offered on two different authors.  I really am running out of option though so if you have anyone you particularly like that writes suspense or historical fiction please let me know.  I have added a page to my pinterest board just for my audio books. Though now that I've looked at it there are a bunch missing... guess what I'm doing once this is posted.
     One thing hubby and I did get into this summer was COCKTAILS. How is it that I didn't know such a thing as watermelon or strawberry vodka existed?  (head shake ~ I know how sad).  Well I made up for lost time.  We were buying a bottle every other (OK sometimes every) weekend.  With hundreds of recipes on the Internet how else was I going to do diligent research to share with you???  After trying a few (dozen) I finally decided to get creative for two reasons.

1. It gets expensive going out and buying all the different juices and vodkas
2. We started Weight Watchers

By the end of July our weekend cocktails started to follow this format:
2 2 liter bottles of club soda
1/2  flavored bottle of vodka (approx 1 1/2 cup or 12 oz)
fresh fruit
2 pks crystal light type mix.

PEOPLE do you know the combinations you can come up with??? I found that Wal-Mart has many more choices than Crystal Light does.  We did some serious experimenting.  Once favorite was Strawberry Vodka, fresh strawberries and banana muddled, walmart's strawberry banana drink mix.  Here's the best part~ the pitcher usually lasted the weekend.  Hubby and I shared so figured we each drank half (just go with it).  As far as WW goes half the pitcher would wind up being about 15 points.....less than 1/3 I was allotted for the entire weekend.   Here are some we tried :Lady Bren cocktails

     There were a number of exciting moments of  course but I think I'll share those one at a time.

So tell me any great cocktails you'd like to share :)


 

A peek into my Royal Roots

    In case you haven't heard I am royal... obviously since I am Lady Bren.  It isn't as if I woke up one and declared myself royalty... well actually that is what I did but don't tell anyone.  It wasn't until my stroke that I truly embraced my royalty completely.  Notice though I haven't claimed to be a Queen or Grand Duchess just a simple Lady, the wife of a Knight, though to be modern I have decided to keep my own name.

    I am proud to say that I am a second generation American.  My Grandfather (that's what we called him) came over from England around 1910.  He actually snuck in through Canada so I won't find him in any immigration registrar.  The story goes that he wouldn't become an American citizen just in case the two countries ever went to war.  You have to kind of love that tenacity I guess.  My grandfather was a composer and wound up being a Captain in the Salvation Army.  While my childhood memories are very limited I fondly remember Fish and Chips with vinegar,  Real Tea Parties, Beef and Kidney Pies and his bragging on English Strawberries.  Hanging in the basement where I grew up is a framed piece of glass with a quote "The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire".  It is the only thing from my Dad that's still left I hope to someday own. 

     In 1977 my Dad, a Pan Am employee, received 4 First Class tickets and we went to London.  This was back when air travel was still a luxury and you dressed as such.  We had never flown anywhere before and I thought that every time you flew you ate dinner upstairs with roses and chocolates.  For one week we explored castles, museums and the streets of London.  I came home an official anglophile.  Thank heavens we were regulars at the Library so the research department didn't mind getting me all the books I could devour on the subject.

     Queen Elizabeth I is truly my hero.  After her is another great woman, Queen Victoria.  They are two of the people I choose for the 5 people I would invite for dinner.

     My bookshelf is full of books both fiction and non-fiction.  Margaret Howard and Philippa Gregory are among my favorite authors.  So you can imagine my delight when today I received an email from my dear friend Amy Bruno at Passages to the Past that I had won one of her many glorious historical fiction giveaways!!  So I am going to be checking my mailbox with baited breath for my copy of In a Treacherous Court