Some random photos........

Thought I'd make a post with some random photos about random things........

I was in Costco this week and saw these two arcade games.  Sent a photo to our son and told him the boys would love them.

Son: "If only we had a generous grand parent that would want to buy that for our kids."

Me: I totally agree....if only 😉

Local store was clearing out some coffee.  I bought a package one day to try it out.  Rather strong but okay, so went back the next day and bought another 8 boxes.......coffee is so flipping expensive nowadays.

Walmart has finally stocked up on socks, so been buying packages of these ones.  For only $3 for three pairs they're a good deal.

I mentioned about the deal at Indigo where if you bought one book you could get a Murdoku book for $10; they're normally $24.99 each.  So I picked up 3 for $10 books, as they have restocked those with new ones.  I did try the first puzzle and was totally confused 😕

Indigo also had buy one get on for half price on their puzzles.  So picked up two; and with that I have spent the last of my birthday gift cards from Indigo.

Hubby's favourite birthday card was from the grandsons this year.

8 year old picked it out and wrote it.  While five year old put all the stickers in it...LOL

So there you go, random photos about random things.

Indigo Book Giveaway

 

For the third year in a row, Canada's biggest bookstore chain, Indigo was giving books away.  We went last year and I blogged about it here.

The store opened at 9am and we were there just after 8:30am and here was the line.  The weather was glorious, unlike last year when it was cold and drizzling.  A lady from the store went down the line and handed out slips of paper with what book you would like.  You were allowed one book per adult (age 18+).  I of course dragged hubby along with me.  It was very well organized.

By the time the lady got to us; they had no more copies of "Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon" left.    I was going to get that book, but luckily I had two others picked out.  I ended up with:

"Educated by Tara Westover"  I started to read this book on Saturday afternoon and kept thinking to myself, this all sounds familiar.  So decided to look at my Book review blog and sure enough I reviewed it there back in 2019.  You can read my review here.

"The Wager, by David Grann"

The two other books choices were, "Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi" and that is a graphic novel and just not my thing.  "Bear Town by Fredrik Backman" seemed a popular choice with people we were standing with.  I do not enjoy this author at all and its about hockey which again is not my thing.

I have added links to all the book titles, so you can see the synopsis on the books.  I will of course pass on my books when I had read them, like I always do.  As I have said before this is a wonderful thing this company does and it's a Canadian company which is an added bonus!

Who could resist this..........

Not me, when I was in Home Sense the other day I had to take a look.........

Then of course I had to buy one 😁😉 The paperbacks are $7.99 each which isn't too bad.  They seem to be getting more and more books in Home Sense?

And I said I was going to cut back on reading............

Trending..........

 Did you know one of the biggest trends on Tik Tok is reading?  I didn't.  So I guess I am trendy, who knew😉

We had a doctors appointment last week, so called in at the Indigo Book Store while there.  Lots to see of course, in fact I spent a whole hour wandering around the store.  Took random photos of things I liked.

They have such lovely sweatshirts.  Shame I am always too hot to wear a sweatshirt......

I love the concept of book clubs, but generally hate going to them as I never like the books..........

The sign "Read More Scroll Less," caught my eye........I should do that!

I always check out the 3 for $10 books, did pick three up, but put them back.

Loved the colourway of these items, but I am not a journal writing person, are you?

These book sleeves/bags are popular.  I did buy one for grand daughter for her birthday last year, as she is a big reader.

I did pick this book up for $6 as it's one I have never read.  Have you read it?

I love this British magazine, I have bought it regularly since it was first published in the early 80's.  Fun fact, the lady on the front Helen Skelton;  she came from the same village hubby was brought up in.  He played football with her dad, although the dad is 3 years older.  Her brother is or was an assistant coach for the football team hubby supports.  She went through a rough time with her now ex-husband, it was splashed all over the newspapers.

Finally a bit of an update, as we are talking about books and reading in this post.  I have started reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and have to say I am struggling with it.  Probably less than a third of a way through it.  It's the language in it, and the way she writes.  I am having to reread things to make sure I have understood what she is saying.  Did anyone else have to same issues when reading her work?  The rate I am going It's going to take me better part of February to read the one book!

February is going to be a

... Jane Austen reading month for me.

I picked up this Jane Austen boxed collection on half price at Christmas for $15 which I thought was a good deal.

This is what is in the set:

Not sure in what order I should read them?  

Is there a right or wrong way in the order they should be read?

I have probably read these books at some point in my life, but I can't remember when?  I am a sucker for a historical British romance, so must say I am looking forward to reading these.

I will probably end up donating these to one of the "N's" both are bookworm's.  Would you believe Nora turned 12 in November and Nitara turned 13 earlier this month.........where has the time gone too?  Both are in Grade 7.......high school is just around the corner!

Are you a Jane Austen fan?  When was the last time you read one of her books?

Goodreads Reader's Favourite Books 2025

I can actually say I haven't read any of them. (I have put links to the books, if you click on the titles)

Fiction: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Historical Fiction: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Mystery & Thriller: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

Romance: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Now there are more categories which you can read about here.  The one I would be most interested in reading is the Mystery & Thriller one, "Not Quite Dead Yet."

Have you read any of them?  Have you decided to put one of the winners on your list to read?

Book's I read over the past couple of weeks........

 Here are a couple of books I have read over September/beginning of October.

A House In The Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett.

As a child, Amanda Lindhout escaped a violent household by paging through issues of National Geographic and imagining herself visiting its exotic locales. At the age of nineteen, working as a cocktail waitress, she began saving her tips so she could travel the globe. Aspiring to understand the world and live a significant life, she backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and emboldened by each adventure, went on to Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq she carved out a fledgling career as a television reporter. And then, in August 2008, she traveled to Somalia—“the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road.

Held hostage for 460 days, Amanda survives on memory—every lush detail of the world she experienced in her life before captivity—and on strategy, fortitude, and hope. When she is most desperate, she visits a house in the sky, high above the woman kept in chains, in the dark.

This was such a good book, well worth reading.  It was very eye opening.  Although I didn't feel any sympathy when she got kidnapped, as she was told multiple times by various people not to go to Somalia as it was so dangerous.  What they did to her while she was in captivity was not good!  You go through so many emotions while reading this book.  I do admire how she dug deep through the worst of times to just to get through the next day/hours/minutes.  Well worth the read.

"Our Woman in Moscow, by Beatriz Williams"

In the autumn of 1948, Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. The world is shocked by the family’s sensational disappearance. Were they eliminated by the Soviet intelligence service? Or have the Digbys defected to Moscow with a trove of the West’s most vital secrets?

Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from the twin sister she hasn’t seen since their catastrophic parting in Rome in the summer of 1940, as war engulfed the continent and Iris fell desperately in love with an enigmatic United States Embassy official named Sasha Digby. Within days, Ruth is on her way to Moscow, posing as the wife of counterintelligence agent Sumner Fox in a precarious plot to extract the Digbys from behind the Iron Curtain.

But the complex truth behind Iris’s marriage defies Ruth’s understanding, and as the sisters race toward safety, a dogged Soviet KGB officer forces them to make a heartbreaking choice between two irreconcilable loyalties.

I picked this book up while on vacation.  Wasn't sure where the story was going to go, but once I started it I could not put it down.  It's a mix of fact and fiction.  Some people mentioned in the book, were actual spies.  I did enjoy the twist in the book, didn't see it coming.  Lets just say I was impressed. Again another book worth reading.  I picked this book up in the clearance section in Books A Million (I think that's the chain) in the States.

"We Are Afghan Women, by George W. Bush Institute"

Here are Afghan women in their own words. Words that are by turns inspiring, moving, courageous, and heartbreaking. Their powerful stories create a compelling portrait of the lives, struggles, and successes of this extraordinary nation and its extraordinarily resilient women. With an introduction by Laura Bush, honorary founding co-chair of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council.

Afghanistan has been described as “the worst nation in the world to be a woman.” More than fifty percent of girls who are forced into marriage are sixteen or younger. Too many women live in fear and in many areas, education and employment for women are still condemned. The women featured in We Are Afghan Women are fighting to change all that. From rug weavers to domestic violence counselors to business owners, educators, and activists, these courageous women are charting a new path for themselves, their families, their communities, and their nation. Told in their own voices, their stories vividly capture a country undone by decades of war and now struggling to build a lasting peace.

Meet Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, who ran underground schools for girls until the Taliban fell, and today has established educational centers across Afghanistan to teach women and girls basic literacy. Or Freshta Hazeq, who as a female business owner, has faced death threats, sabotage, and even kidnapping threats against her children. Naheed Farid is the youngest female member of Afghanistan’s parliament. During her campaign, opponents cut Naheed’s face out of campaign posters and her family risked complete ruin, but her husband and father-in-law never wavered, encouraging her to persevere. Here, too are compassionate women such as Masooma Jafari, who started a national midwives association. Her own mother was forced into marriage at age twelve and gave birth to her first child at age thirteen.

With an introduction by former First Lady Laura Bush, We Are Afghan Women chronicles the lives of young and old, daughters and mothers, educated, and those who are still learning. These determined women are defying the odds to lead Afghanistan to a better future. Their stories are a stark reminder that in some corners of the world the struggle continues and that women’s progress in society, business, and politics cannot be taken for granted. Their eloquent words challenge all of us to answer: What does it truly mean to be a woman in the twenty-first century?

I had made a start on this book a while back and so I picked it back up when we came back from vacation.  It was first published in 2016, so unfortunately things have changed again in Afghanistan, and not for the better.  However, all these "stories" are still well worth reading.  Whether all these women are still doing what they set out to do and are still doing it under the leadership of the Taliban, who knows.

Regardless, they are very courageous and very determined individuals.  It makes you think that what we take for granted, by just going out for a walk by yourself, or playing sports, or talking to another man who is not related to you, is unthinkable for a lot of women in Afghanistan.

The one thing all these women and one man want is to make Afghanistan a better place for women to live in.  I do hope they succeed. 

I think I got this book from Book Outlet, where I get a few of my books from. 

"The Witness, by Nora Roberts."

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth Fitch finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance security systems designer, her own protection is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery and her sharp mind, secretive nature and unromantic viewpoint intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. And while he suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, Gleason is accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, not the powerful and dangerous men who are about to have him in their sights.

And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

I read this book in a day, as it was so good.........until the ending; which I thought was lacking.  The detail in this book, got you sucked into it from the very start.  That doesn't happen very often I find.  I rarely read Nora Robert's books, but picked this one up from Indigo in the 3 for $10 section.  

Abigail reminded me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory.  The way Nora built up the storyline was great and she kept the leading characters to a minimum so it doesn't get awfully confusing as to who is who. There was action, romance, a bit of technical stuff, and a bit of cloak and dagger.  I did expect more from the ending though, as there was a lot more to tell to my mind.

I will look out for more Nora Roberts book's, as I did enjoy this one.

A great way to start a Saturday.......

Our biggest Canadian Bookstore chain Indigo was giving away 10 thousand books on Saturday the 13th of September to people over the age of 18.  This is the second year of doing this and they are going to make it an annual tradition.  Heather Reisman is the CEO of the company and is behind all this.

You got to choose one of these books:

I took hubby along and we lined up outside just before opening.  There was probably 20 or so people in front of us, and it was very well organized.  A lady came along the line and asked us what book would we like.  We told her and she gave up a slip of paper with the name of the book on it.

I made hubby chose this book, he doesn't read:

Here is a link so you can read the synopsis.

I chose this one:

Again here is a link to the synopsis.  I am really looking forward to this one and will take it on vacation with us.

I am reading this book that I picked up at the dollar store.  It's one of those books that you don't have to think hard to follow the story!!

You can read the synopsis here.

After I have finished that I may start on The Grey Wolf.

I must say as a reader I do appreciate a company that encourages reading, especially in adults.  I will of course pass my copies on to other readers, so they will be well used.

I also admire Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, that is such a great cause also.

Books........

Here are a couple of books I have just read.  The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong and  The Hollywood Governess by Alexandra Weston.   Both are good in their own right and both highlight gender prejudices.  I think I preferred the The War Librarian better as I didn't figure out the twist in the story, whereas I figured it out in The Hollywood Governess.

My next book up is Come Fly With me by Helen Rolfe.  It's the first book in Skylark series.  I have never read anything by this author.  Have you?

Update: from when I originally wrote this post I have read this book and it was really good, plenty of action in it.  I need to look out for the rest in this series.  

All three books were purchased at Indigo in the 3 for $10 section.

Daughter picked up this diamond art project for me on clearance.  Not sure if I should start it now or leave it until the colder weather appears?

What are you reading at the moment?

More books I have read.........

I have read these three books over the past couple of weeks.  All were really good and I would recommend them.  I have ordered a couple more by Jennifer Ryan from the library, so will show you those when they arrive.  All the books involve some aspect of World War II.  It was a tie between the Jennifer Ryan books as to which one I enjoyed the most.  Both of the Jennifer Ryan books involved actual things that happened during the war.

I must say Jennifer Ryan is my new favourite author at the moment.

Books I have read

Here are some of the books I have read in the past month.  I have not reviewed any of them though.

The Paris Showroom: Set in World War II based on true facts, and very interesting.

The True Love Bookshop: Perfect "chick-lit" great quick read.

The Beach Quilt: Teenage Pregnancy and how it affects all the people around her.  Well worth the read.

The Cornish Midwife: Perfect summer read.

The Oysterville Sewing Circle: Set of the west coast of the States.  Shows how resilient a woman can be when challenged.  Good read.

I got this one from the auction site for just under $4.  Again it was a feel good book.  It does feature a bit of religion in it, but it's not overwhelming.  Easy book to read.

I have just started this one by Jennifer Ryan.  This book includes recipes from World War II so very interesting.  I borrowed this book from the library.

What are you reading at the moment?

What happened on Wednesday..............

I have come to the conclusion it's one of "those" weeks, this week.  I got a call on Tuesday from the dentist, asking me if I wanted to change my cleaning appointment to 8am on Wednesday morning.  Said that was fine and off I went there on Wednesday morning.

The hygienist was someone I hadn't dealt with before.  Although quite nice; she was also very pushy.  As I think back to what she said about my mouth and teeth, I personally should walk into a lake and never come back out....LOL  I mean if she did "praise" anything it was followed by a negative comment about my mouth.

She did however suggest I should use a water flosser, as I refuse point blank to floss my teeth with regular floss as it feels like nails on a chalk board to me.  I will take her up on that idea, to try it out.  All in all that visit cost $140, and all she did was clean my teeth.  I do not have them polished, don't like that.  She did floss my teeth, she scraped them and poked about in my mouth.  I did not see the dentist, as it meant hanging around for another 15 minutes, as he didn't start until 9am.  So all in all a waste of time and money!!

I am back to ordering my fruit and veg bags, for $20 a month.  Here is what I got for $20.  There is only one thing we won't use and that is the celery, but I have my good friend coming up today and will give it to her.

I know I have mentioned this before but I do love my Tupperware FridgeSmart containers.  They work so good.  Here is everything put away ready to go into the fridge.

Where I pick the veggie bag up is at the north end of the city close to the mall, so had a look around there.  Plus I got a coupon in the mail for 6 free bagels from Great Canadian Bagel, as it's my birthday in March.  I have never got this before, and don't remember signing up for it?  If you click on the link and look for the birthday icon, you can sign up there.  So I picked up two sesame seed, two cheddar cheese and two everything bagels.  I also treated myself to a sesame seed bagel with veggie cream cheese and a coffee for my lunch, which cost $7.

I was also bad and picked up three books for $10 at Indigo in the mall.

I rarely go to the mall, so enjoyed my walk around it.