Random Friday, 20 weeks (& a poll)

Maybe one week I'll try this with a real camera instead of my phone, and maybe not in a work shirt and not AT work?

Monday is our 20 week ultrasound, I will be sure to report back as soon as we know anything. Meanwhile, a little poll? I don't know how to insert a REAL poll, so just pick a number and explain in the comments.

1. You are having another boy, because boys rock and it's always nice to be outnumbered 4 to 1.
2. You are having a girl, because everyone should experience stepping on Barbie shoes in the middle of the night.
3. Your baby will be a stubbon little thing and refuse to let you see. Everyone likes a nice surprise.

Some possible hints: This baby is WAY lower than the boys were. This baby is also way more active at this point in the pregnancy than the boys were.  This is the last time I will be pregnant, this is IT.

I have an excellent picture of the boys to share with you soon, just as soon as I get it out of my camera. Maybe I should have posted it here to show you what life with two boys is like, you know, before you vote in the poll?

You know that pain scale of 1-10 that doctors insist you use? Try this one instead. MUCH clearer, no?

We have one million things to do this weekend. Additionally, I have quite a few shop type things to get taken care of over the weekend. I have TWO custom name banners to get made (one of which has the Pirate's name on it! The Pirate insists I make him one too. Um, kid, what do you think that is hanging in your room?) I need to fill some rice bags. I need to completely a small bit of handsewing for the quilt bee group. I'd like to have a new item to add to the shop next week, the list goes on and on.

And speaking of new items, last weekend I added a brand new category of items to the shop- Rice Heating Pads. Now, shipping is a bit spendy, but if you buy two the shipping is about the same as if you buy one. And if you buy one rice bag and one (or more) something else that fits in the same box, you get the something else shipped free. How nice is that? So go check them out.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Pretty in Ink by Karen E Olson

Pretty In Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E Olson is the second book in the series that began with The Missing Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery, which I read last year as part of the Read-a-thon. I put Pretty in Ink on hold at the library pretty much as soon as I heard the title, and it finally came in last week. (Or was it the week before? I don't remember.)  I only had a one week check-out on it so I got started right away.

In this installment, Brett, the owner of The Painted Lady tattoo shop, is pulled into the investigation of the death of  drag queen that had recently been tattooed at her shop. One of her employees goes missing, people get very sick, another drag queen dies, and Brett is in the middle of it all. Like the last one, there is plenty of good tattoo shop talk, plus the return of some of my favorite characters including a rival tattoo shop owner.

However, there were a couple of points in the book where I felt that Brett, who is presented as a smart woman, was taking a turn towards Stephanie Plum land. It just felt like she did a few stupid things that any smart woman would know was going to look really bad when the cops found out. She eventually pulled out of it, but I think this caused my enjoyment of it to go down just a bit. I'm still planning to read whatever comes next for Brett and would recommend the series to anyone who likes a light mystery.

The author maintains a website at http://www.kareneolson.com/ if you'd like to find out more.

Pretty in Ink
Signet
2010
320 pages


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Random Friday for April 23.

True Confession: I don't get Steampunk, not the books, not the jewelry, not any of it.

It's raining here and my daycare's street was full of worms- giant, finger sized, foot long worms. All crawling. My mouth was saying, "boys, look at all these cool worms!" and my brain was saying, "AiiiiIIIEIeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

 I got an ARC in the mail this week that made me squeal with joy. I don't get a lot of review books, and have never been offered one that I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted, but this one made me hop up and down like a crazy woman.  Forget You by Jennifer Echols.

Mine does not have this lovely cover (I stole the picture from Jennifer Echols's website.)

I want to make a blanket like this one.

I owe you reviews of Pretty In Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E Olson and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Both of which I have returned to the library so hopefully I can review them without a book to reference.

I work on Saturday, but after that is the first meeting of The Pirate's T-Ball Team. I can't wait to see him make new friends (not that there is anything wrong with his old ones!)

What's news with you?

Random Friday: 18 weeks.

Well, actually 18 weeks, 2 days. Our ultrasound is on May 3, and I can't wait.

I am feeling much better, thanks for asking.  Now I'm running around like a crazy woman trying to make up for lost time.

The boys had a terrific birthday and one day I'll even post pictures.

One of the things I'm working really hard at is promoting myself and my little shop. I've been reading tons of business books and blogs and making notes. I'm going to be offering some discounts to my Facebooks fans starting in May, so if you aren't already a fan now is a good time to go become one. (Let me know if that link doesn't work, k?) I've got about half a dozen brand new ideas in the works, so in the next few weeks I'll be adding some new product.

Yesterday I posted about my library haul. I started to read Pretty In Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E Olson since it has to be back in one week. I quite enjoyed the first one (The Missing Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery) but  100 pages in and this one has already had a few obvious moments where I think Brett (the heroine) is being stupidly stupid. I'll finish it, but I hope she doesn't turn into Stephanie Plum.

The other book I've been spending a lot of time with is The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman. I'm about halfway through and I have to say, Goodman ROCKS. She's very motivational while also being realistic.  Any suggestions on what business type book to read next?

What's news with you?



I am an Amazon Associate. As such, any purchase you make at Amazon.com after following a link from this blog will earn me a (tiny) percentage back as income. Thanks.

Library Day!

It's been a few weeks since I subjected you all to my library loot. I had a hold expiring today so I HAD to go, and since I couldn't check out the hold without turning in my one late book, I had to do that too. The reason it was late? My boys ripped the cover off and I didn't want to admit I needed to pay for a book. Fortunately, the librarian took one look at it and said that she thought it was likely on it's last legs anyway and I did not have to replace it. Whew.

So, what did I get?

Pretty In Ink: A Tattoo Shop Mystery by Karen E Olson (the hold book. I have one week to read it!)

Dearly Devoted Dexter (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) by Jeff Lindsay (mostly for Mike)

Garden Spells (Bantam Discovery) by Sarah Addison Allen (yes, again. Might read it this time!)

Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen (yes, I've read this. I want to read it again.)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (yes, again again. would like to read it this time.)

These on top of the others that I still have out:

The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman (EXCELLENT, will review this when I'm done!)

The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line by Kari Chapin (might be a tad burnt out on how to sell handmade books)

Lead Me On (Hqn) by Victorian Dahl

Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms by Ethan Gilsdorf

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (I think I'll like this one, once I get into it.)

The Girl's Guide to Starting Your Own Business : Candid Advice, Frank Talk, and True Stories for the Successful Entrepreneur by Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio


Whew. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? I won't likely get them all read. I tend to grab up books without really looking at them. It's free, why not?

What's new on your library shelf this week?



I am an Amazon Associate. As such, any purchase you make at Amazon.com after following a link from this blog will earn me a (tiny) percentage back as income. Thanks.

Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Grave Secret (Harper Connelly Mysteries, Book 4) by Charlaine Harris is (as you might can guess from that link) the fourth book in the Harper Connelly series. Despite being on the fence about it, I managed to read it all in one night so perhaps I enjoyed it more than I think.

Harper has the unique ability to see a person's last moments when in close proximity to their remains. She's gone to Texas to visit her little sisters and while there manages to stir up some trouble by "seeing" something that wasn't meant to be public knowledge.  There are threats to her life and when her partner Tolliver is injured they are unable to just leave town (as they would prefer.)  While there, they visit both their younger half-sisters and Tolliver's older brother and father.  There is a second storyline about Harper's missing sister Cameron, which plays out rather nicely.

If you're reading this series you know that something vaguely creepy happened in the last installment (An Ice Cold Grave (Harper Connelly Mysteries, No. 3) ) that seemed to resolve itself ok. In this one, it comes up again and again and while the talking about it makes it less creepy, the display of it was still wierd. (And yes, this is vague, other readers know what I'm talking about though.)

I'm really on the fence about this one. I don't think the writing is as tight as the Sookie Stackhouse books (Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7) also by Charlaine Harris. I found several plot points to be completely useless information that added nothing to the story.  The family dynamics are awkward as well (see previous paragraph) and it makes me wonder where Harris is going- does she want them to have family or to be complete loners?  I loved seeing Manfred again and kinda wish he had his own series, and still enjoy the premise of Harpers ability.  It seems likely that I'll continue with the series, but it's definitely not a favorite.

You can find Charlaine Harris on the web here, and be sure to visit her blog where she recommends great books to her readers.

Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
Berkley Hardcover
2009
320 pages



I am an Amazon Associate. As such, any purchase you make at Amazon.com after following a link from this blog will earn me a (tiny) percentage back as income. Thanks.