Currently... linking up about Stuff and Things vol.7

Celebrating.....  my partner visa being granted.  I already plastered this on other forms of social media, but I'm pretty happy/relieved with this behind us.  It took 19 months from application submittal with documents (so many attachments that I had to receive permission to send more), pictures, legal declarations of proof of relationship, fingerprinting with an FBI check and AFP (Australian Federal Police) check, medical physicals, lots of money (because this process ain't cheap), headaches, anxiety, and worry.  Now, I wait another 6 months to submit my request for "permanent residency".

Wearing..... this new super comfortable shirt dress.  I love spring clothes!

Having..... such a bad hair day, it doesn't even look good in a knot.  Not that it ever looks "good" in a knot, but, you know what I mean.

Trying.... to read people's messy handwriting.  Customers are offering/asking to subscribe for our customer database at work.  Wouldn't you think that you'd write as clearly as possible your email address if you want someone else to be able to read it?

Thinking..... of ways that I can participate in this "Back to Blogging Non-challenge Challenge" hosted by Alyssa.

Participating..... in the Great Pumpkin Swap.  Are you?  There's still time to sign up if you do it now!

Attempting..... to finish the bonus round of my book challenge, Book Challenge by Erin.  This is the final month of the challenge, and I've never actually finished the "bonus round".  I get distracted by other books I want to read, which is totally fine, but I want to finish the bonus round one of these times.  I've got four books needed to be read to finish.  Totally doable.  I've got all of them on reserve at the library (or sitting on my floor waiting to be read):  Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart, The Island by Victoria Hislop, Baby Doll by Hollie Overton, and Heidi by Johanna Spyri. 

Liking..... that the books I need to read are a mix of genres, because those of you who follow my reading habits know that I like to mix it up. 

Reading.....  well, you'd think that if I really wanted to finish that bonus round, I'd be reading one of those books, am I right?  Well, I'm not.  I'm reading The Dry by Jane Harper because it has received a ton of buzz in Australia, and I was 18th in line when I put my name on library reserve.  My turn for it is now, so I started reading it today.

Watching......  nothing.  I should be watching movies for the fall film challenge, but I'm failing miserably.

Sharing.....  this adorable story about my nephew and his Homecoming date.  They've known each other since they were preschool age.  They used to call each other boyfriend & girlfriend in elementary school.  They've remained close friends all these years and went to Homecoming together this year.  Aren't they just too cute for words?

Loving..... that Niece 2 is so confident, secure, and comfortable that when she wanted to wear a tee shirt, gold skirt, and Converse to her Homecoming dance, that's exactly what she wore.

Planning.....  another consultation with my tattoo artist.  I'm meeting with her this Friday.  Some more new ink coming soon!

Feeling..... anxious and excited about what the future holds for my guy and me.  Last month's link up, I talked about the fact that we are closing our current store at the end of the year.  We've been talking and planning, researching and looking, brainstorming and developing our plans for the future.  Hopefully, only good things to come. 

Linking..... with Kristen and Gretchen:

Linking up with  Kristin & Joey:

Flower Power

Monday was Australia's Labour Day.  (Yes, I spelled it "Labour"; if it was America's Labor Day, there wouldn't have been an "u".  The English language can be so tricky.)  That meant TWO full days off for both my guy and me.  That doesn't happen often.  We took advantage of the beautiful weather and the extra day to complete one of my "50 Before 50" tasks.  I've never owned a house plant, pot plant, or planted flowers.  Never.  I like flowers.  I admire them in others' yards.  I thought it was about time that I got some of my own.

I googled a little.  You know, looking at what I should plant during spring and in this climate.  What flowers work best in gardens or pots.  Full sun or partial shade.  Those kinds of things. 

My guy and I talked about it, looked at our yard, and decided on pots instead of planting directly into the yard.  Partly because we rent, and if these flowers live, then I'll want to take them with me when we move.  But, mainly because we didn't need anymore excess landscaping duties.  Really.  I don't need to tackle too much in this project.

We headed to Flower Power (yes, I ripped the store's name for this post's title) and rolled out with two baskets full of stuff.  Who am I?  Hey.  Guess what.  Flowers ain't cheap.  Maybe that's why I've never planted flowers before.

Liam wasn't thrilled with this shopping adventure.  But, he sure was happy when we agreed to buy these decorative animals to put in the yard.  He named them Frederick, the dog and Matilda, the cat.  He even told us we could call them Freddy and Tilly for short. 

Matilda and Frederick guarding the plants

My guy decided we needed to grow some herbs and strawberries as well.  His mother has always had gardens.  He felt pretty confident we could grow herbs and strawberries.

I agreed as long as we could buy the cute pots.  I think he snuck a tomato plant in there too.  Oh, don't worry, I've already had him agree to go buy more cute pots.

Yep, there's 3 strawberries that you can see.  We're growing strawberries already! 

Let's be honest.  I took this picture so I could remember what flowers I bought.  In addition, I got some geraniums too.

I even got myself some cute gloves, because, really, I need cute pots and cute gloves, right?

No make-up selfie for the win

Drum roll, please...................................

We've got flowers! 

You can see my inexperience with freshly planted flowers in a picture - soil everywhere!

Yea, I know, we need to clean out those dead leaves under there.  One step at a time.

My gardening squad

Now, let's only hope I can keep them alive..................

Sunday's Seven Snapshots vol.92

I graduated from Texas A&M University. You could call it a family tradition. Aunt brag: Niece 2 will be joining Niece 1 at TAMU next year. Whoop! 

#thirdgeneration 

My dad, her Pops, Class of '67

My brother, her dad, Class of '92

My sis-in-law, her mom, Class of '92

Niece 1, her sister, Class of '19

Niece 2 ~ Class of '21!

Also, me (duh!) plus her uncle Jimmy, her great uncle Bobby, etc........

Proof I'm getting older/wiser: I bought $10 jeans this week & think they fit & feel better than the $150+ ones.  I used to spend an obscene amount of money on jeans. 

I also picked up a dress for $10. Think Target clearance racks, that's what I hit. 

From the library: I picked up 5 movies for the fall film challenge. I've watched none of 'em yet. 

We feasted on German food as our way to celebrate Oktoberfest. 

These two love the duck pond!

Muddy mutt butts after their swim

It's a public holiday tomorrow ~ hooray for another free day!

A Decades Playlist by Jana and Erin: 1950s

Last Thursday of the month means it's time for another playlist with Jana  and Erin - a playlist with a twist.  Not "The" Twist because that song was released in the '60s, so that doesn't make the cut.  Yet.

The 1950s. A time for poodle skirts, sock hops, and soda fountains. Also McCarthyism, the Cold War, and Jim Crow but that's the part that sucked so we're not going to talk about that today. Nope. Instead, we're going to talk about one of the fun parts of the 1950s--the music!

I (Jana) love 50s music. It melts my dark, hard rock loving heart. It's fun and catchy and not at all like anything we have now. When I need a pick-me-up, I'll put on one of my 50s Spotify playlists. It makes me happy. Probably has to do with childhood memories of listening to the music at bar mitzvahs or with my grandparents. But who knows? I just like it. #noshame Hope you guys like some of the songs, too!

This is also the beginning of our through the decades playlist series (think of this as the Time Life version of our playlist series. Anyone else remember the Time Life CD collections? No? Just me?) and thanks to Erin for indulging me in this decade first. 

Songs from "The Day the Music Died" artists:  Sadly, all three of the following artists died in a plane crash in Iowa in February 1959.

Come On, Let's Go by Ritchie Valens (1958):  This video clip is fun, even if the person who uploaded it misspelled the artist's name.

Chantilly Lace by The Big Bopper (1958): "Hellllooooo baaaaaby!" 


Not Fade Away by Buddy Holly (1957): Jana is a big fan of this bespectacled musician's songs.  He appears in our playlists from time to time.

Songs from piano men:

Tutti Frutti by Little Richard (1955): 


Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957):  Let's forget about that whole marrying his teenage cousin part of the story.


Songs by brothers: 

Shout by The Isley Brothers (1959):  The dance scene in Animal House with John Belushi in a toga is one of those iconic cinematic scenes where the perfect song was picked for a movie.  But, that's not this video clip because that was Otis Day and the Knights covering The Isley Brothers.



Bye Bye Love by The Everly Brothers (1957):  fun fact~the daughter of one of these guys is named Erin Everly and that's who inspired Axl Rose to write the lyrics for Sweet Child of Mine.




Songs that make you want to dance (besides the ones already mentioned):

Shake, Rattle, and Roll by Bill Haley and the Comets (1954):

At the Hop by Danny & the Juniors (1957):

Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry:  Since we forgot about Jerry Lee Lewis marrying his cousin, let's forget that Chuck Berry allegedly had cameras installed in the women's toilets filming them while using the restroom at a restaurant he owned...


Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley (1956):  For that slow dance...


Songs that were introduced to me (Erin) by my grandfather:

Your Cheatin' Heart by Hank Williams (1953): 


It's Only Make Believe by Conway Twitty (1958):  Sometime, in the '70s, my (Erin's) grandparents and extended family went to a Conway Twitty show, and Dolly Parton was the opening act.  My uncle bought me nachos, and I was sitting on his lap eating them.  Then, I puked all over his boots while Conway Twitty was playing.  Awww sweet memories. 


Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash (1955):  Johnny sings "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die."  Johnny was gansta before gangsta rappers.

But, what's great, is songs like these have lasted SIXTY years.  Think about that.  What songs recorded this decade do you think will last as long as these?  What artists will the bloggers of 2076 be sharing? 

Pumpkin Swap

LINK

Reasons that I shouldn't sign up for "The 5th Annual Great Pumpkin Swap" hosted by Kristin and Becky:

1. It's not fall in Australia.
2. I'm celebrating springtime which happens to be my favorite season of the year.
3. Shipping costs to Australia aren't cheap.

Reasons that I should sign up:

1. I've attempted to sign up for a couple of other swaps, was denied, so I avoid that rejection...but...Kristin already told me that I wouldn't be denied in this swap.
2. I like sending care packages.
3. I like receiving care packages.
4. The world needs more care packages.
5. Fun with other bloggers
6. I can educate others about seasonal differences in different hemispheres.

Clearly, there are more reasons that I should sign up than shouldn't.  So, I've thrown my hat in the ring. 

Do you want to join the fun of The 5th Annual Great Pumpkin Swap?  Go here to sign up!

Reading a book by a foreign author set in a familiar location PLUS Aussie Author Challenge: Book 10

I like mystery/crime books.  I like them a lot.  There was a time when I pretty much only read books that fell into the mystery, crime, thriller, or true crime genres.  Yes, I've expanded my reading horizons, but a good mystery book is still one that I love to curl up and read.  So, I'd been looking forward to finally reading a book from Michael Robotham because he is an Aussie author that I regularly see him mentioned as a recommendation for this genre. 

When I picked up this book, all I knew was the synopsis from goodreads, that it had a 4.05* review on goodreads, and it was about a guy who escapes prison the day before he is set to be released.  Sounds like my kind of book.  But, I made an assumption.  I assumed this Aussie author wrote his books set in Australian locations. 

Lo and behold, on the very first page, I see a reference to "Lake Conroe".  Uhm.  My dad owned a house on Lake Conroe.  Not to be morbid, but my stepmother lost her battle to cancer in this very house after spending late spring and early summer looking out the window at scenes on Lake Conroe.  Is this my Lake Conroe?  Well, yes, yes it is.  I got even more excited to read this book. 

There were many references to areas and locations that I know very well.  The teenage character in this book goes to the very high school that I graduated from.  My intimate knowledge caused me to stumble across a few edit mistakes.  For instance, there is a massive "master-planned" community called The Woodlands.  That's its name...with an upper case "T"...The Woodlands...not just Woodlands, or lower case "t", the Woodlands.  But, hey, I don't want to be pedantic or pretentious. 

So, I saw a few of these minor mistakes.  Then, I saw another.  As seen in the following picture, a passage mentions some girls at a "honky-tonk" (fine, no problem, there are actually bars in Texas that we call "honky-tonks"), but these girls seem to be at a bachelorette party (Aussie "hen's night").  The author says that the assumed bride-to-be is wearing "an 'L-plate' strung around her neck." 

Hold up.  America doesn't have L-plates.  It is safe to assume most Americans don't know what L-plates are.  And, it is even safer to assume that a bride-to-be in a Texas honky-tonk won't be wearing an L-plate around her neck. 

Am I nit-picking?  Is this book, published at an Australian book publisher, is it edited for Australian readers?   Therefore, are changes made to the book for Australian readers, and the American version wouldn't mention L-plates?  I don't know. 

I asked Kristen (our favorite Aussie expat in America blogger booklover) what she thought.  She said:  "you should apply things to where it is set, regardless of where it is published."  I must admit, I agree with her. 

Rachel mentioned something similar to this about a recent book she read written by an American that was set in London (Lovestruck in London by Rachel Schurig).

Okay...................all the edit questions/comments/concerns aside, I liked this book.  I liked the story.  I liked the characters.  I liked the pace.  It wasn't too fast or "thrilling", but it wasn't slow either.  It was good story-telling of a crime & mystery book.  I liked that the author gives the reader some nuggets of clues throughout the book, as if he wants you to figure some things out on your own, and others he wants to still remain a mystery.  In the end, all of the stories are tied together and resolved, and I liked that too.  I will definitely read more from Michael Robotham, and I'd recommend him to others.

One more example, Americans call it a "tank top", not a "singlet".  In fact, it took me a good month or so living here before I even knew what Aussies were talking about when they said "singlet".  If the book is set in Australia, call it a "singlet". If it's set in Texas, call it a "tank top". Am I right?  

Okay.  I'll stop now.  My point was already made, right?  Now, I know I am nit-picking.

Two more to go; I got this!

It's the 7th year for the Aussie Author Challenge, and my 2nd year participating (click on the picture/link to take you directly to the site for more information).  My working book list is as follows:

Female Authors:

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks - COMPLETED 23 April 2016
• What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty  - COMPLETED 25 March 2016
• The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood - COMPLETED 24 August 2016
• Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (non-fiction) - COMPLETED 17 January 2016

Male Authors:

• I Hear Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty
• Life or Death by Michael Robotham - COMPLETED 23 September 2016
• Guilt by Matthew Nable - COMPLETED 3 February 2016
• The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman

Authors New to Me:

•  Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett - COMPLETED 12 March 2016
• This House of Grief by Helen Garner (non-fiction) - COMPLETED 25 February 2016
• Hades by Candice Fox - COMPLETED 21 May 2016
• Resurrection Bay by Emma Viskic - COMPLETED 14 April 2016

Sunday's Seven Snapshots vol.91

Australia doesn't typically have candy corn anything, so when I stopped by this shop that imports American candy, I flipped out when I saw these. Y'all, those M&M's are crazy good.

I got anew dress that may look a little Stepford Wife-ish, but I love it. 

Also, I love when my mom sends me messages like this...a picture of J.J Watt...she cracks me up. 

Saturday night, my guy and I had a decent meal with a few fun drinks. 

He refuses to behave for selfies. 

We babysat our friends' cat while they were away for the weekend. This is Dash. 

As a "thank you", they gave me this "Halloween" pumpkin spiced candles. It smells delicious!

I hope you had a fun-filled, delicious weekend!