Afflictions & Snipers

My poor daughter has a terrible condition.
For some reason, her arms, that can wrap around each side to touch her shoulder blades, aren't quite long enough to scratch her own arm "pips".
It's quite sad really, but she's fortunate to have so many in her family willing to drop everything when she needs those "pips" itched.

Surely this is from her Dad's side...


My side of the family is afflicted with the inability to read just one book at a time.  One of the books taking over my bedside table is AMERICAN SNIPER by NAVY SEAL Chris Kyle.

I don't usually read war/guy-type books because I like to live with my head in the sand but I am really glad I was offered a chance to review this one.

This book and I got off to a rough start. I was having a hard time discerning the "voice" that I was reading. But after I set aside the literary snobbery I must have gained from my four years of university level English and just began reading the book for the value of the story telling, I started to enjoy the experiences shared by Kyle.
Chris Kyle is an incredibly focused, committed Navy Seal. Readers should go into this book remembering that and not expecting Twain, Hemingway or Shakespeare.
One reviewer best described his writing style as though the reader is sitting in the room with him while he tells his stories. Once I looked at it that way, it was hard to put it down. I could envision myself gathering around the kitchen table while Chris told his stories about being in Iraq.

AMERICAN SNIPER has also opened my eyes to things our troops deal with both away and home. I found myself looking at my husband differently since in all honesty, I sometimes see his time of deployment a holiday of sorts...
Even so, I know that Kyle has probably had to "water down" some of his stories for various reasons.

Kyle doesn't go into a lot of detail-except when describing weapons. The weapon sections alone would appeal to the testosterone holder in the family, while the broad overview of life as a SEAL manages to keep readers like myself still engaged.
It's a quick and easy read, perfect for anyone with an ounce of patriotism flowing through their veins.

I feel so lucky that I had a chance to read this!

SO,

let's share the love!

I am excited to connect the nice people over at William Morrow with one LUCKY reader to win his or her own free copy of AMERICAN SNIPER by Chris Kyle!!
Read a free excerpt of the book here at Scribd (if you want to see what I'm going on about).


Nothing crazy, nothing elaborate, just leave a comment and tell me what you're reading, or why you think American Sniper would look good in your home.

WAIT! Did I say ONE lucky reader? Make that two. Comment and clear off the bedside table...

I have to go scratch someone's arm pips.

Days Off

After the usual hectic week, I looked forward to this weekend as one of the first FREE weekends in months. Next week begins with physiotherapy (thanks everyone who talked me into seeing the doctor about my arm pain) as well as the usual craziness, so I am determined to take a break for a couple of days.

Husband: "I thought we could drive to York."
Me, the usual campaigner for a York trip: "I was really hoping we could just do nothing this weekend."

Husband: "Oh, ok. Maybe I could make pancakes." (something he misses since we're always running everywhere).

I envisioned Saturday morning starting with pancakes-cooked by NOT ME and cleaned up by NOT ME.
Feeling generous, I offered to make my famous French Toast that takes 24 hours to prepare...
(doh! What have I done?!)

Knowing my toast suggestion just killed my Saturday morning, I suggest BBQing for the remaining meals. (Translation: husband cooking outside, clean up done by NOT ME).

He agrees. I make the shopping list.

Husband: "Hey, since we're not going anywhere, maybe we could invite some people over for dinner..."


I hope you all have a nice, restful weekend. If you need me, I'll be hiding in my room under the covers with a sock in my mouth.

I have worn the same pair of jeans for three days.

It's not that I don't have other clothes to wear, it's just that the other jeans are bigger and if I wear them, I might be more comfortable...which could lead to bigger portions, or more late-night snacking.
 
Nothing says "Stop!" quite like a zipper stabbing the abdomen.


These jeans are my only size 12 skinny jeans (I know! Jumbo Shrimp- how do you call anything over a size 2 "skinny"?). They're my only hope (Obi Wan) against the barrage of Valentine's Day candy jumping off of the shelves into my cart.

Tonight after the boy's rugby game, we stopped off at the grocery for some pies-proper hot, meaty British food. 
At the checkout there were left-over Cadbury "Scream" Eggs from Halloween, Christmas chocolate and Easter candy.
It's like they're all out to get me.
No one wants me to drop any of this baby weight (can I still call it "baby weight" when the "baby" is now 5?).

Trying to think carrots, dream broccoli, drink water. Must eat healthier!

I was set to eat more veggies until I saw this:

I always knew tomatoes couldn't be trusted.

A Winner!

The winner of My Last Giveaway of 2011 (horrible title considering we drew the winner's name in January 2012) with a free gift of MyMemories Suite v3 Digital Scrapbooking software (which is AWESOME, I may add) is...


in a minute.

First, it's cold outside--well, in some parts of the world-- which is perfect chocolate-shipping weather. The "blue" months of Winter need chocolate. Okay, every month needs chocolate.
So, while I was considering a second giveaway of British chocolate (just for fun), I remembered a really great "swap" of sorts I participated in a couple of years ago called My Favorite Things. I would love to give credit to who ran it, but I'm old and apparently have permanent sleep deprivation brain damage.


If there's interest, I'd like to host a "Things that make me Happy" swap for February. Let me know what you think- either for or against.

Now,
the person whose 2012 is starting out as a lucky year is...

Congrats STACEY!!!

(Don't worry, I double checked her blog to make sure her name is public knowledge)

I wish I had more to give away. I am completely honest when I say I have thoroughly enjoyed my software and am very grateful that MyMemories let me be part of this.

My first real page was a photo swap (gee, no pressure!!), and everything used was from a free kit on the site called Christmas Lace by Digizines by Teri:

Remember there's still a coupon code STMMMS29382 to use to use when purchasing your own software ($39.97 less $10.00 with the code) and kits (varying in prices from as low as .99 less another $10.00 with that same code). Head out to their site and see all of the freebies you can pick up when you have the software.

Happy New Year Stacey and thank you to everyone who came by to participate.

Things Will Be Different

BuhBye 2011!
It wasn't all bad, but the last few months of it overshadowed the rest.

Only a few know of the tragedy that hit our family just before the Husband came home from his deployment, but so the rest of you don't think I'm Debbie Downer all of the time, I thought it was time to share.

My MIL became a widow. She was in the process of becoming a divorcee (with our blessing) when her husband shot and killed himself.

Suicide is a nasty business, and I've always felt that it's truly sad when someone feels so lost that they see no other options but to end their life, but this wasn't just any suicide. It was retaliation.

He timed it in a way to hurt her the most. He had given the titles and keys to 40+ vehicles (he restored cars) away. He had run up quite a bit of debt in the 6 weeks she was away at her sister's; stopped making car payments, the mortgage and paying utilities. Without those cars, she would have no way to gather the money she needed to pay the debts. 

That sick man knew all of this while he sat at her kitchen table-as she cooked his breakfast-with a gun in his pocket.

We can't know why he didn't shoot her first (there was a discarded fax she found afterwards with details he would need to collect insurance after her death). Maybe she's alive because she ran screaming from the house the minute he lifted the gun. Maybe it was because she had brought a friend along when she came back to the house that morning and he didn't want to leave three bodies in the house. Maybe because he decided that leaving her behind would punish her far more than killing her.


My MIL doesn't get to be a grieving widow because instead, she has to be a battling warrior against a nasty family that climbed out of their holes to blame her for his death. They're the ones holding the titles and his belongings, shouldn't THEY have seen his sudden generousity as an obvious sign of suicide?
These nasty people have held fundraisers (for what? My MIL paid all of the death-related expenses) and shown up in large groups with car trailers to remove the cars that now sit in probate. After being turned away by a sheriff, they have spread the word that it would be less complicated if my MIL who is alone, could be "removed" from the scenario.

We are thousands of miles away...

We will now have to take care of my MIL decades sooner than we expected, but I'm wholeheartedly ok with that because I'm so  glad we still have her around to take care of.

So yes, 2011 won't be the year that I look back on with fondness, but it gives me great hope for 2012- no where to go but up, right?

My goals for this year are:

*Do something creative every day. I considered the 365 Photo challenge, but think any creative project is less confining.
*I'm also going to be nice to me and quit putting myself last.
*I am going to travel this beautiful country like a mad woman. Only 18 months left and they'll make me leave the UK. Feel free to offer up suggestions of where you would visit if you were here.

Happy New Year everyone! What are you going to do to make 2012 different from the rest?