Birthday Gifts

I had a wonderful birthday last week; and spent the weekend at my brother's house. It was a good place to hang out and with good company too!

I spent the day doing some cleaning up and packing to drive to my brother's house. It was pretty much a chill-out day until then. But I didn't unwrap any presents until I got to my brother's house - as living alone makes it more an obvious thing that you're not a part of any family when you open your presents on your own.

So, once there, and my SIL was there, we exchanged gifts and I found my Mum gave me a Book Bed; along with an Andy Griffiths book ('The Big Fat Cow That Went Ka-Pow!'). I love the book bed, it's just lovely to use! 

Then, I bought myself 'The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet' by Benjamin Hoff. What a book! I've begun reading it and it's great so far. I read it before I turn out the light using the book bed. 

Then, yesterday, I picked up the parcel of my Birthday Buddy's and there was a good collection of wonderful reads in that box! I saw some good supernatural books and an animal book (she knows I love animal books) and a journal (yep, I enjoy writing out my thoughts at the end of the day). She also included a Claude Monet mug too; it was one of 'The Lilies'. So pretty! And it's a great size too! 

I also received a hand-thrown pot from my SIL and two vinyls from my older brother... great presents from the family and plenty of birthday cards too. But I do enjoy the books the most as they last so much longer in my life; and I remember them for so much longer as well. 

How about you? Do you remember your book presents better than other ones? Until my next post, happy reading!

Up-coming Birthday

Well, I have a birthday coming up, and it's always fun to buy myself a little something special for that day.

Usually, I get a set of shelves, a lot of pots and plants or something for the kitchen - you know, something I can build on with care and love. This year, I bought myself a book. I was in the city last week meeting up with friends from 'A Place to Call Home' craft group - of the Brisbane people - when I popped into Archives Bookstore to see if I could track down 'Black House' by Stephen King and Peter Straub. 

My lovely big black copy of this book has gone missing, and I really would love to read both books again in the next year. But without the second book, I simply refuse to read the first. So, there I was looking around this gorgeously big and full to the brim bookstore - and not to mention one of Brisbane's oldest bookstores as well! And I found I was lost! They had moved the book around and shifted all the genres around since the last time I was in.

So, after asking, I found the ladies there said that their Stephen King section was very tiny. His popularity has come back in a huge way and so when something comes in of his, it doesn't sit on the shelf very long. Then they asked what I was looking for and when I mentioned 'Black House' they said no, it hadn't been in a long time. Well, there went that endeavour!
So, I Googled which books I was looking at next... and remembered I was also searching for a cool little book titled: 'The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet' by Benjamin Hoff. When I asked about it, the lady pointed me in the direction in the shelves I'd find it, when she stopped me then showed me the lovely blue book I was searching for and it was only $9 or so. Well! What a great find! And I've got it all wrapped up for my birthday this Saturday! I really can't wait to read it - and I did get my nose into the first 20 pages on the way home on the bus (I didn't have anything else to read with me). 

So, what books have you been looking for and found another you've been looking for instead, much to your surprise and delight? Until my next post, happy reading!

Birthday Books!

Today, I was out doing my grocery shopping, collecting the mail, going to the chemist and, well, having the busiest day of my week with my car. 

There was a lot of driving involved and when I get out there on the road, my brain goes into auto-pilot. I know that happens to everyone... but not today. Today, I was mindful of where I went as I had to include the post office in my travels. I had to see if my Birthday Buddy from Bookcrossing had posted me my present... and she had!

Poor Froggirlwendy has been struggling with the flu lately - as have most of Brisbane and Queensland - and so I let her know on Facebook that it was perfectly okay if my present was a few days late... just to care for herself first.

But today, I checked the mail, and there was a parcel pick-up card in the PO Box... Yay! There were bills there too, but then, who cares about those? Once paid, they're only going to come around again. Anyway, I took the card inside, and Narelle, at the desk, went and grabbed the biggest postal bag I've ever seen in my life!!!

I opened it but all the precious contents were wrapped up in shiny bronze paper. So, I took it on home to unwrap everything after I put all the veggies away (before going out again to get the groceries from Coles). Well! What a lovely set of presents I have received! A pocket adult colouring book of flowers with pencil and pens to colour with, two books - one off my wishlist, 'Human Instinct' by Robert Winston', and the other is 'Introducing Quatum Theory' by J P McEvoy & Oscar Zarate - and then there's lovely Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear (oh yummo!) and Hemp soap for sensitive skin and a larger item called: 'Herb Grow Kit' where there's 3 little buckets in a saucer and they have their own little place to grow herbs... it's very cool! I love it all! 

What wonderful things to receive for my birthday from such a generous person I've never met except through Bookcrossing and Facebook. Until my next post, happy reading.

My Birthday!

Yesterday was my milestone birthday of 40!  Yep, I turned an age where it ended in a zero and not worried about it.  Anyway, I had received a couple of parcels in the mail and they were from family and friends for my big day on Saturday... so I waited to open them yesterday.

I enjoy opening parcels - big ones - which I've been sent and have to wait for the right time to open... it's like waiting for Christmas.  Anyway, I thought to share with you guys what I scored.  My Bookcrossing Birthday Buddy - froggirlwendy - sent me a heavy box filled with some great stuff... and that included some books and a BIG COFFEE MUG so I can drink some great coffee or tea while I read... very cool, and not to mention good thinking!  The books I received are:  'Hello Darkness' by Sandra Brown, 'A Painted House' by John Grisham and 'The Dream Life of Sukhanov' by Olga Grushin.  And the main title I found wrapped up with my coffee mug and tea cannister was 'Joyland' by Stephen King!  How cool is that?  And here's a photo of my birthday pressie!

I had a great day with some friends coming over to hang out, listen to music, eat food and scoff into a home-made cake while we got into some serious drawing and sketching... a great day to turn 40!  Until my next post, happy reading!

My Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a great day of going out and eating fish'n'chips at Sandgate with my Dad.  But in the morning, I had organised my own presents; seeing we had a family member in the hospital.  
I had ordered in a book for myself titled 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson.  It's a dream book which most Bookcrossers have only wished they could write, about a Bookcrosser who travels overseas with the plans to release eight bookcrossing books.  However, when the main character - Jane Townsend - meets Jeremy, her life begins to unravel.  I've yet to read the book, but it does sound great!
I also got myself another present of the full 8 seasons of 'That 70's Show' ... really daggy of me, I know. But I think that show is so funny and it's about to go off the air; so I thought to get it for a good laugh once in a while.  Well, until my next post, happy reading.

Birthday Books!

Yesterday was my 38th Birthday and it was a very cool day; weather-wise.  Normally, here in Australia, Spring is nice and warm and sunny.  However, we ended up with a cloudy, cold day; but with a birthday to celebrate, we didn't let that interfere with occasion.

The day before, I received a parcel from a Bookcrosser in New Zealand - Sfogs - of two books.  One titled 'ShadowLight' by Mike Jefferies was my birthday book; and the other  was titled 'Unsettled' by Graham Walker.  This one was a bookring I'm taking part in and so I have to read this one before the month is out.  It's going well so far.

Yesterday, I didn't get any mail.  However, I did receive a very unusual gift from my parents:  a sewing machine.  I call it unusual, but really sewing is in my family's blood - we come from a long line of seamstresses and dressmakers.  I know how to sew, but I just don't like to.  Mum's hoping I pick it up again.

Today, I was on for volunteer work and picked up my mail at the post office of a 3kg bag from my Birthday Buddy off Bookcrossing, Froggirlwendy.  She lives here in Brisbane and is only on the other side of town; however we've never met.  We've been Birthday Buddies for a few years now; and send each other great birthday gifts each year, as our birthdays are both in October.  Today, my parcel from her arrived!  I was thrilled!  So, I took it to the Logan Art Gallery and opened it there!  There were four books - all registered on Bookcrossing - and a wrapped present for my birthday!  In the gaily wrapped pressie was two coin purse, a lovely card, a card with an inspirational quote on it, writing paper and ' 'The Lady of the Rivers' by Philippa Gregory.  The other books were titled:  'What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day' by Pearl Cleage, 'Sixty Lights' by Gail Jones, 'Death At Dawn' by Caro Peacock and 'The Mermaid Cafe' by Andy Maconachie.  None of these are on my Wish List on Bookcrossing, however, they do look like great reads!  And I look forward to reading them in the future - or better still, over Christmas!   Until my next post, happy reading!

Birthday Purchases!

Today was a good day for book-buying.  For one thing it was raining and dull; thus a good day to read a book.  And another thing?  Well, I had in my bag of tricks my $50 QBD book voucher my wonderful friend, Nick, had posted to me.  So, once a doctor's appointment was out of the way, Mum and I went to Garden City and split up  to do our own things.  And QBD was my first port of call to see which books I'd be looking at to buy; but I ended up purchasing and not just looking.

The first one I found was in a bargain box - would you believe it? - and it was 'Last Night In Twisted River' by John Irving.  A whopper of a book but it was only $3.99 down from $35.00!  What a bargain; something I just can't pass up!  I look forward to getting my nose into this one as 'The First Tuesday Book Club' on the ABC recommended it as a great read; and now I have it in my hot little hands!

The next book I found in the bookshelves was 'Send Yourself Some Roses' by Kathleen Turner.  I love this woman.  She's a great actor and I love her movies (her most recent one was 'Marley & Me'; even though she had a cameo part, she was great in it!).  I look forward to reading this one too as I really loved her in 'Romancing The Stone' with Michael Douglas and the way she danced and had fun.

Then, I found 'Never Have Your Dog Stuffed' by Alan Alda.  I think this man is one of the funniest people on television and in the movies.  He's got a real charisma about him and it's something he had right from when he was Hawkeye Pierce in MASH... and it never went away.  I read his first book: 'Thing I Overheard While Talking to Myself' and have been looking forward to reading this one.

The last one was staring at me the whole time while I was looking through the shelves, but I didn't really notice it until the last minute.  I've been wanting to read this book for a long time 'No One Here Gets Out Alive' by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman.  When I saw this one - and last one - on the shelves, I just had to have it in my hands; and thus I did!  

So, there you have it, my birthday purchases from my $50 book voucher.  I had to put in a little of my own cash, but that's the rules of passion I guess.  

My Birthday Presents!

Today is my birthday!  And I had a great one!  Mum took me out to lunch and I received a $50 QBD Book Voucher, a $50 voucher to the Normanby Hotel in the city from Triple M, a coffee voucher from a place I know well, lunch at the Runcorn Tarvern (Mum paid) and we sussed out a nice new dvd player for me at WOW... not bad.  

Other pressies I scored are a couple of USB sticks, a Rockaways music voucher and a book from Dad by a local author titled 'The Riders' War: Battle For Today' by M A Clarke; and he got her to sign it too!  I'm looking forward to reading this one and telling you guys about it.  I hear she's currently working on a new one that follows this one.  So, I'll see how this book is and - if it's as good as the blurb says - I'll track down the next one.

I had dinner at Mum and Dad's place and came home early.  Well, that's all from me for now.  Just thought to let you guys know of my pressies this year for my birthday.