Birthday Gifts

I've read a lot of books over the years.  I love to read.  Somehow, though, Anne of Green Gables passed me by - I don't know how.  But after watching Anne With An E on Netflix, this complete set ended up on my list of birthday gifts - yay!  So, I'll just read up to the point where the series stopped so I don't have media confusion.

And, of course, I've been watching The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu, so that book is now on my nightstand.  That may seem weird to be reading these at the same time, but really not, since they are both about women and their ongoing issues.

So, of course you need Nina to sing about it.  Still waiting on this to arrive - can't wait!

Skittles

Skittles.  Little pieces of delight!  As I sit here writing this, my mouth waters at the memory of the little sweet and sour colorful wonders.   There are so many pictures like these two of me caught with bags of skittles and coffee and a sheepish look on my face.  Not a proud moment for someone who really tries to eat healthy food.

The glowing-eyed monster next to me is my little black girl dog, otherwise known as THE BEST LITTLE GIRL DOG IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.  I am proud to say that I have not eaten a skittle in at least a year.  It's a miracle!

Dixie Cash

Ever since I was a little girl I loved to read. I don't even really remember learning how to read. I remember some of the first books that I read, like "Run, Jane, Run", but I don't really remember learning about phonetics and how to sound words out. It just feels like I always knew how to read.

The closest public library when I was growing up was located on the grounds of my elementary school. It was about eight blocks from our house, so it was a pretty good walk, especially during a hot Louisiana summer. I would walk to the library regularly, either with my friend Deby or alone, and would check out as many books as I thought I could carry on the trip home. I must have read every fiction book in that tiny, little library and a good portion of the non-fiction books, too.

I loved reading so much that when I didn't have anything new to read I would pull out a volume from our set of encyclopedias and start reading about everything from aardvarks to zebras. I was hooked and addicted and it became a lifelong guilty pleasure.

So, I've decided to include this passion of mine in my blog. I'm going to title each post with the author's name, because that's my way of tracking good books. I even keep a list of authors in my purse so that I can almost always find something good to read.

Now, to Dixie Cash. Dixie Cash is actually a pseudonym for two sisters, Pam Cumbie and Jeffery McClanahan, who grew up in rural West Texas and currently live in or near the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex. They collaborate to write some of the funniest Southern fiction that I've read. If you're from the South, and have lived in Texas, this is Southern humor that you can relate to.


The titles of their other books, from first to most current, are:

Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out The Trash

My Heart May Be Broken, But My Hair Still Looks Great

I Gave You My Heart, But You Sold It Online

Don't Make Me Choose Between You And My Shoes

Curing The Blues With A New Pair Of Shoes

Get my drift? Check it out.

Petit Jean Mountain State Park

One Saturday morning we decided to go hiking at Petit Jean Mountain State Park, which is only about an hour and a half from Little Rock. We had a very pleasant drive up to the park and decided to do the Seven Hollows trail. The Seven Hollows trail is my favorite, because of the huge rock formations. Here's Sweetie and the Little Black Dog on the Seven Hollows trail.

We didn't get very far before we realized that the trail was really CROWDED, so we decided to do the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) trail instead. We pretty much had the trail to ourselves for most of the time. We're spoiled from hiking at our place in the country, because we usually don't run into anyone on the trails we hike there. Anyway, it was a good hike - nice and warm, but breezy - and we ended up at Mather Lodge.


This is a pic of the vista from Mather Lodge - doesn't really do it justice, you have to be there!


Here's another pic from close by.  There are so many great trails at this park - that's why it was crowded!

Buh Bye Tiny Water Heater.......

This is the water heater that was in the building when we bought it.  It is way too small.  This is maybe one sink full of hot water?!  This just won't do.  So, we replaced it with a tankless, gas water heater, which is now in the tiny kitchen and not in the front bathroom.

Here is the tankless water heater in the very narrow kitchen.  It's ugly and takes up too much space but well worth it!