Monday's Postcard 2014: A Happy Disney New Year!

Happy New Year with some fireworks from Disney World and Disneyland!! Thanks to everyone over the years who has sent me postcards, I love getting them!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Merry Christmas

These postcards definitely have a Christmas theme to them!

They are both from my Granny

Monday's Postcards 2014: Christmas Lights

I think this postcard of Santa Fe looks so Christmasy with the lights and I love this artist that does these interesting pictures of animals in the desert.

Monday's Postcard 2014: Recipes

I'm not the best cook, but I do enjoy these postcards with recipes on them!! I might even try to make this stuff one day. :-)

Christmas Decorating

Well, in my family, the holiday decorations weren't just about putting up lights and adding a tree to the living room. My granny and my mom were famous for replacing everything in the house with a holiday equivalent.   So here are some of my photos of stuff around the house.

Dish Towels, Remove the Lobster and Replace with Santa

Soap Dish, replace Fish with Santa

Replace Raven in Foyer with Wooden Santa I bought in Thailand

Book Potholder replaced with Santa and Snowman

Pillows on the Sofa

Candles on the Mantelpiece

Photos on the wall replaced with Cross-Stitch Snowman

More artwork replaced with Christmas themed art

Another piece of art in the hallway, replaced by embellished Christmas Tree art

My plain black work socks replaced with Christmas socks

Even my pot scrubbers in the sink get a Christmas up grade!

And I have holiday sheets, dishes, glassware, vases for flowers, place-mats and napkins in addition to the wreaths, garlands, lights and trees that I put up around the house. I don't have to replace all the pictures and artwork on my walls, but I love my holiday decorations and it reminds me of my mom and Granny. They enjoyed Christmas and decorating for the holidays so much. It keeps their memories close in my house during the season. The newest ornaments on my tree:

From the Burke Museum here in Seattle

Felted Heart from Montana

I love these, you just put them on top of the lights, I have three of them and I wish I had bought more

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Mom

Today is my Mom's birthday and here are two cards I received from her while she was traveling around the USA

November Reading

Photo of me on Hemingway's grave in Idaho. Not my all time favorite author, but I am a fan.

We are Called to Rise by Laura McBride (library) the lives of several folks from Las Vegas intersect in interesting ways
Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen Another Rizzoli and Isles mystery
The Backbone of the World by Frank Clifford about the continental divide not specifically about the trail, but about the whole area and the building of the trail
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (library) an Oprah book and many of you have already read The Secret Life of Bees by this author I liked this one a lot about slavery and emancipation
Jack Reacher's Rules by Lee Child (library) just a little book of lists really, but entertaining if you like these books by Lee Child
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (library) So everyone is reading this and saying how fabulous it is...I did not think I was going to like it, it is extremely stark and depressing. Lots of drug use and depression, but some of her descriptions are awesome. So it wasn't totally fabulous, but I did like it
The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams (library) very enjoyable and fun especially after the heavy reading of the Invention of Wings and The Goldfinch.
Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (library)funny memoir about a girl from rural Texas ...laughed out loud a couple of times with this one .. Nice after some heavier reading earlier this month!
Once Upon a Time, There was You by Elizabeth Berg (library) I think this is my second time reading this one....but it is good nevertheless
Someone Could Get Hurt by Drew Magary (library) very funny I laughed out loud a couple of times with this one too!  It's about having a baby and raising toddlers from a fathers perspective
The Train by Georges Simenon (library) WWII, it was okay. Refugees on a train, espionage, it's not sophie's choice
Struck by Genius by Jason Padgett (library)True story of a man who was assaulted and after the head injury it changed his personality and his perception of the world I liked it
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson I thought I had read all his stuff, but this one slipped under the radar. Loved it
Shopping, Seduction, Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead I loved the PBS series and I enjoyed the book too (with photos of the actual store and people mentioned in the book)
The Stench of Honolulu by Jack Handey (library)
Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg. (Library) I enjoy her books this was not my all time favorite of hers, but it was nice
The Mystery of the Fiery Eye by Robert Arthur (three investigators mystery)
The Mystery of the Blinking Eye by  Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden mystery)

Monday's Postcards 2014: Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so blessed to have great friends from all over the country who send me postcards. I am truly thankful for all of you!!

Monday's Postcards 2014: Fall Color

These cards are full of gorgeous Fall Color! I feel thankful every day for my friends who send me postcards!

Monday's Postcards 2014: Twin Towers

In the Newark Postcard, you can see the twin towers in the distance....and of course the top postcard was made after 9/11. Friends sent me these cards after their visits to NYC.

Monday's Postcards 2014: Misplaced Postcards

I just found these postcards tucked into a book on my bookshelves. I usually put some postcards up for display on my bookshelves and when I rotate them out with new postcards, I put them in a shoe box size box that I have especially to store my postcard collection. But these got side tracked and have been hidden away on my bookshelf for a while. I received them in 2011 and 2012

October Reading

This photo is from around 2002-2003. Actually while letterboxing in Connecticut. But I think that counts as reading too! 


Off Course by Michelle Huneven (library) a girl stays at her parents Sierra cabin to finish her dissertation and ends up veering a little off course....there were things I liked about the story and things that I did not like.
Around the World in 80 Dates by Jennifer Cox fun book about a girl trying to find her soul mate by dating people from all over the world.
Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen another Rizzoli and Isles book I enjoyed it more than some of the others
Fast Times at Ridgemont High by Cameron Crowe I have been looking for this book for a couple of years for a reasonable price...if you go to Amazon or Ebay, you can see that it runs into the hundreds of dollars  thanks so much to the friend that found it for me at a Goodwill!!
A Prize for Princes by Rex Stout (library) not a Nero Wolfe Mystery which I did not know when I got it from the library. It was just okay. 
Road Rash by Mark Huntley Parsons Ryan and I went to Wendelin Van Draanan's Sammy Keyes Kiss Goodbye Party at the Puyallup Festival of Books and her husband had written this book, so we picked it up to give it a try.
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (library) a retelling of the Oz story this is a YA book
Sisters by Raina Telgemeier (library) Fun graphic novel/comic about sisters, I loved her book about having braces called Smile and now she has another one called Drama! can't wait to read it too!!
No Safe House by Linwood Barclay (library) another thriller by this author and he revisits some characters from a pervious novel
Scarp by Nick Papdimitriou about the suburbs of London and interesting to me because I am always looking for unique things to see and do on layovers
Bedelia by Vera Caspary (library) thriller/pulp fiction boo, I was told that Caspary's book was the inspiration for the film "Laura"
Drama by Raina Telgemeier (library) another graphic novel by Telgemeier, these are so fun and I hope she writes/draws more!
The Girl from Botany Bay by Carolly Erickson (library) I just watched a great TV movie called the "Amazing Journey of Mary Bryant". And this is a book about her life. I wanted to learn more about Mary Bryant.
Scared Scriptless by Alison Sweeney (library) fun novel about a script supervisor in Hollywood
Personal by Lee Child (library) The latest Jack Reacher novel. Ryan says it is not as good as some of the others.
Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson (library) short stories. I am a fan of the Longmire TV show and the show is based on the books by Craig Johnson

16 books

Monday's Postcards 2014: Sunsets

I love the colors of the sunsets on both of these postcards! Friends sent both to me, Montreal in 1991 and South Carolina in 2011

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Mom

My mom sent me these postcards from a trip to Madrid and from Wrightsville Beach to remind me of home!

Monday's Postcards 2014: Holiday Inn

When I was a little girl, we only had one car and we would drive to the airport in Wilmington, NC to pick up and drop off my Dad when he would go fly a trip. At night, the neon lights from the Holiday Inn sign would fascinate me! I would beg to go along just to see the starburst lights on the Holiday Inn Sign. So these postcards remind me of those night time trips to the airport when I was 4 years old. I got them from relatives traveling in the 1970's.

Monday's Postcards 2014: Postcards from Ex-Boyfriends

Before Ryan, I did date other boys and they would send me postcards from their travels too!!

September Reading

Yeah, I was a teenager and wore a bikini while tanning in the islands....and I read a lot too!

Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear (library) a Maisie Dobbs I liked the mystery and I am not sure about the direction that Maisie is going with her personal life....will have to see how the author addresses this in more books
Double Feature by Owen King (library) Stephen King's son a very good book! Lots of talent in that family
Longbourn by Jo Baker (library) Pride and Prejudice, the Downstairs version!! Love love love it!!!
Philomena by Martin Sixsmith I saw the movie first. The book has a lot more about her son. And less about her search for him... It really was more about him I thought, so this title is a little misleading I think. It was more about his struggle with his identity and his search for her. I think the original title of the book was The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, which is more accurate.
Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson just made into a movie with Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. It was pretty good, but I predicted the ending
The Book of You by Claire Kendal (library) great if you like Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) you might check this out. About a girl and her stalker
I Love You More by Jennifer Murphy (library). Great book about a bigamist. When his wives find out about each other they ban together to kill him.
The Rubber Band by Rex Stout (library)I am finding these Nero Wolfe Mysteries pretty convoluted 
A Death in Summer by Benjamin Black (library) more from this author
The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear (library) Ms. Winspear does like her Suffragettes. And if you are a foodie, you might enjoy this one.  A husband and wife exchange letters during WWI.  She describes meals to raise his spirits.
You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried by Susannah Gora (library) About the "Brat Pack" and movies by John Hughes that shaped the 80's Loved this book and really enjoyed it.
Sammy Keyes and The Kiss Goodbye by Wendelin Van Draanen The last Sammy Keyes book.
Baggage Claim by David E Talbert (library) Made into a movie, about a single flight attendant looking for love
Shirley by Susan Scarf Merrell. (Library)  fictional story about author Shirley Jackson. I liked it
Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (library) interesting about a poor girl spending the summer with the rich family of her college roommate....

Monday's Postcards 2014: Greetings from Letterboxers

My letterboxing friends send me postcards from all over the country! Maryland and Oregon represented here!!

Monday's Postcards 2014: So Exotic!!

Some of my friends get to the most exotic places!!

Iceland and the Far East!

Monday's Postcards 2014: My Grandmothers

My Grandmother Arkebauer did not travel as much as my Granny, but she did make it to Munich to send me this postcard. Granny sent me so many cards from so many places, and this one is from Cypress Gardens, Florida

Monday's Postcard 2014: Make me laugh!

Fun postcards just to make you laugh are always fun to find in your mailbox!!