October Books

I just finished a book and when I went to write it down in my little notebook I realized that I read 5 books this month!! I had no clue.  This month was a little strange.  Melissa fell behind last month and wasn't able to read the Sept books... So the beginning of this month I read  books on my own while waiting for her to catch up.  It worked out pretty well I guess... We were able to start the October book choices a little over a week ago.  So here we go.....

The Jinx by Jennifer Sturman-  I really enjoyed this book.  I did not know that is was the sequel until I was nearly done with it.  Oops... but even though it is a sequel I didn't feel like I was lost. The story is about a New York business women on a trip to Boston where she is stuck trying to solve a 'who done it'.  Even though at times I was screaming at her to catch up .. "like hurry up and put two and two together already!!!"  (That always makes me a little upset.  I like to feel like they are  smarter than me.  Hehe.) The book is completely cute and a I really liked it.  I am planning one day to go back and read the first book. ( after I finish the million I have on my stack)

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich-  Another absolutely delightful Stephanie Plum book.  These adventures are so fun.  I can't put them down.  I don't know how many times I can describe these books as side splitting funny, but what else can I say?  This book isn't a good book if you are trying to calm down before bed.  I found myself in bed laughing so hard I began to cry.  Gets ya all riled up some of the things she does. In this book it seems everyone she knows ends up dead.  Yikes.  It was so entertaining.

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich-  Thank goodness Janet Evanovich knew we couldn't take any more Joe Morelli teasing.  After three books I couldn't handle it anymore!!  Thankfully Joe and Stephanie finally get more serous in Four to Score.  I have decided that if by #7 they aren't married that I will not read any more of the Plum books.  Stephanie might not be a good bounty hunter yet but I have so much fun watching her screw up.    Her grandma is a riot and I feel like I know these people now.  Thank goodness Stephanie is able to avoid the numerous attempts to take her life in this book.  And thank goodness Rex the hamster survived.  I have never been teary eyes over a pretend hamster before.  I guess that is just how good Janet Evanovich is!!

Widow of the South by Robert Hicks-  I have to admit I wasn't geeked about reading this book.  It is about the Civil War which I have never been interested in quite honestly.  I could barely get through the textbook reading I had to do in school.. How was I going to get through a book about the subject if no one was forcing me to??  Well, it didn't take me too long to get hooked.  By page 100 I was trying to figure out when I should take a trip to Franklin, TN to visit the battleground.  This book is full of history and the rest is filled in with a great story!!  The McGavock's home is taken over as a hospital for the wounded men fighting in town not very far away.  Carrie McGavock is already dealing with death.. The deaths of three of her children.  Strangely she is brought back to life when she is forced to take care of the dying and the injured.  One soldier in particular.....  This book is so wonderful.  I highly recommend it!!    ( and I will let you know if I ever visit Franklin.)

Tales from the Bed by Jenifer Estess-  This book was so moving.  It is a memoir. Jenifer at the age of 35 is diagnosed with ALS.  A lively active woman living in New York City is now dealing with a terrible disease.  She has to deal with so many scary things.  At the end of this book I was really affected.  The books is amusing though, her sense of humor is a relief even in the end.  I have 14 page markers in my book so when I talk to Melissa about this book I won't forget all of the things that were really funny or really touching. What an amazing person!! 

This month's book were really great!  Yippie Love it when that happens. hehe

Spinach and Beef Enchiladas

I made this dish last week.  Dave and I both really loved it.  Give it a try.

SPINACH AND BEEF ENCHILADAS

You will need:  * 1 lb. lean ground beef * 2 garlic cloves minced * 1 1/2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach ( from a 1 lb bag) * 4 oz. cream cheese * 1/2 teas. ground cumin * 1 can(4.5 oz) chopped green chiles * 2 cups shredded Mont jack cheese *  1 package flour tortillas for burritos, 8 inch( 8 tortillas)  *  1 can (8oz) tomato sauce * 1 cup thick n chunky salsa * 2 tbls chopped fresh cilantro if desired ( I used dried)*

Step 1- heat oven to 350. spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with Pam. In 12 inch skillet cook beef and garlic over med high heat about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

Step 2- add spinach and cook till thawed stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to medium; stir in cream cheese, cumin, chilis and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  stir till combined.  spoon 1/3 cup of the beef mix into each tortilla.  Roll up; place seam side down in the dish.

Step 3- in med bowl combine the tomato sauce and salsa.  Spoon over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Step 4- Bake 20-25 minutes or till thoroughly heated.  sprinkle with cilantro.  EAT.  Enjoy!!

This is what we are having this week.......

Monday- Beef and creamy potato casserole

Tuesday- Sweet and Sour Pork with rice

Wednesday- Chicken Fried Rice

Thursday- Beef and Tortellini soup

Friday- Maple Sage Pork Roast

Saturday- Stuffed Shells

Sunday- Ham Steaks

Yuck what a bad day

Well, it wasn't terribly terrible, but you know when your day starts out really crappy and the rest of the day your just in a bad mood?  My sister called and woke us up this morning at 7 am to tell us that our storage unit in Michigan was broken into!!  We had a lot of our things shipped to Michigan and put into storage when we moved to Japan.  I guess the cops didn't think much was missing. Looked like they went through our storage tubs.  I mostly had extra kitchen stuff in the tubs.... but we did have some really important stuff in there I hope they didn't break!!  All of Dave's childhood ornaments, my Christmas village, my Great Grandma's record player and records( which I have blogged about how important those memories are to me, but I guess its the memories that are important not the actual player. But I want to be able to play the record for my kids one day and tell them about her you know??)  The thing I am guessing is gone is Dave's big 373 piece Craftsman tool set that was setting right by the door.  I suppose his bow is gone too.  He had a box with some really delicate toys from his grandfather which would be broken if the thieves didn't take the utmost care going through the box.  I am guessing that if you were out to steal stuff from others you wouldn't waste time taking great care not to break things though. So probably should be prepared for a lot of broken stuff eh.

So after that I tried to go back to sleep.  When I woke back up we went about our day.  Nothing terrible happen just stupid stuff annoyed the crap out of me.  You know when your just in a bad mood???  Looking forward to a new day tomorrow!! 



Saturday is the Salmon Festival.  We already bought one ticket so Dave can catch a salmon with his bare hands!!  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!! 

We had a really great day yesterday.  We drove to Aomori to see the Big Buddha.  The drive there was so beautiful.  All of the fall colors were amazing.  We had a really great time at the park.  It was so peaceful and beautiful.  I posted a photo album, check it out.

This weeks dinners are very exciting

I am really excited about this week.  I am trying a whole bunch of new recipes.  FUN.  I might not end up cooking a lot though because Dave has wed, Thurs, Friday off and we have stuff planned.  Hoping to take a couple of day trips to explore around a bit so might not end up cooking those days.  We will see! 

Monday- Leftovers (like always)

Tuesday- Turkey Noodle Casserole with steamed broccoli. * This is a new recipe*

Wednesday- Spinach and Beef enchiladas * this is new recipe*

Thursday- Honey Nut Chick sticks roasted red potatoes Lima beans * the chicken is new recipe*

Friday- Beef and Creamy Potato casserole, salad and a side veggie. * this is new recipe*

Saturday- Bean Night

Sunday- Beef and Tortellini soup, bread sticks, salad

I think some of those recipes were from last week.  Sometimes I am busy and don't end up cooking but we always have leftovers in the fridge.  Last week was super hectic since the base was having a exercise.  YUCK.  Tomorrow I am going to the spouse coffee, then I will probably come home and try to finish Widow of the South.  I am crossing my fingers I can get it finished and start the next book... Tales From the Bed. 

funny how things get interesting

I started a new book last week.  Widow of the South by Robert Hicks....I had a really tough time getting through the first 50 pages.  It is about the Civil War battle that took place at Franklin, TN.  I have never been a civil war buff.. but Melissa is and it was her pick for the month.  I only had to trudge through it a little further to get hooked.  I am about half finished now and I am really enjoying it.  I even find myself thinking I would really like to go tour this town.  (I looked it up on the net.. maybe next summer I'll go down there. lol)  Melissa is two books behind so she is catching up right now and hasn't started Widow yet.  I think she is getting antsy... I hope she can start it soon so she and I can chat about it in the evening.

I finished all of my cleaning on Wednesday.  Feels great to know everything is spic n span.  I am sure my spring cleaning will be a lot easier.  I made three loaves of banana bread last night and some banana muffin for Dave to take to work and share.  I love the feeling of a clean house and something yummy in the oven!!!

 We should find out today if Dave got the few days off next week that we have been hoping for.   We really want to get out of Misawa and travel to Sapporo to check the city out.  I am crossing my fingers we will get the o.k.

Have a great weekend everyone!!! 

More Cleaning

I got a lot done today.  Cleaned the bathroom big time.  I took everything out of the cabinets and wiped down the shelves, cleaned the walls from floor to ceiling, washed all the rugs, put up a new shower curtain. Took me long time but its done now and I am so happy.  I am really glad that last night I finished cleaning the spare bedroom.  It took me THREE DAYS to clean the spare room!!!!!  I knew it would be a real nightmare but I had no idea it would take three days! 

But the good news.. All the windows are clean, all the curtains are washed, the ceiling fans are done, and the ceilings have all been dusted!!!  Tomorrow I am going to clean the bedroom( flip mattress and everything!) and hopefully I will have time to clean all of the baseboards.  Wednesday I should be able to finish the kitchen and dining room.  WOOF!!!  The living room shouldn't need too much work, just some good dusting. 

Well, that's all I have been up to.   Take Care everyone!!!

quick FFFB update

Well, I was just able to finish 5 more pages of the FFFB.  I am really excited.  Here is where I am at.......    

• I have 31 of the 38 pages for my book done.   
  
• I have 12 of the 19 pages for Melissa's book done. 
  
• I have 16 of the 18 pages done for the book I am making for Chuck and Ruthann. 

eeeeee I am so happy I am getting so much closer.  Only waiting on 4 resposes now (7 for melissa's book).  yippie.    I have finished 59 of the 75 pages!!!!  More than three quarters of the way done!!! eeeeee

WOOF

Well... after I finished that super long survey I kick my behind in gear and have been working ever since.  I ended up cleaning the windows in the rear of our house.  What a chore to clean the outside and the inside of the windows and the tracks.  Our windows are double thick so instead of having 2 panes to clean I have 4!!  Plus I sort of have to hang out the window to clean the outside because out ladder wont reach from the outside.  After cleaning the windows I started unjunking our spare bedroom.  This afternoon I finally felt like I was making progress.  I had a ton of mail and stuff I needed to shred..... our shredder was crap so after struggling with it yesterday I decided to run out this morning and see if they carried a nice one at the BX.  Luckily they did.

I have had a pretty strange day today........ It started when I woke up this am.  I knew I had to wake up before Dave so I could run to the store before he had to work.  I got up, went to open the bedroom door and the knob came off!!  I was still groggy and i stood there staring at it for a few before  I realized what happened.  Then I went to main base to get the few things which as I was picking them out I decided it looked very strange.  I needed one butternut squash, Windex, and OJ.  That's all I bought.  Then I found the shredder at the BX and they had Christmas paper so I picked up a few rolls.  I stopped a the mailbox and they had stuffed three thick magazines in our tiny PO box!!  SO there I was struggling to get them out without destroying them.  It took me awhile.   I came home. Dave left for work. I finished the few panes I had left to clean since I ran out of Windex last night.  Then I finished my shredding. After that I started sorting out my saved stuff box.  I keep cards and letters and stuff and after awhile it seems too thick to be all save worthy.  SO I went through it.  I read a few letters from Dave which is good for our marriage.  His letters were always so sweet.  I am always cheery after I read his letter.  Then I finished wrapping Christmas  gifts.  Then I made dinner.  Watched Dancing with the stars. And now I am beat and I have a kink in my neck.  I think the tub is calling.   I am gonna listen to Nora Jones while I soak. I have been on a Nora Jones kick lately. 

This pic  I am posting is from my college id card!!  LOL I found it in my saved box.  LOL Ahhh.. to be 18 again!! Do you have a mementos box???

This is really great

I just got this link from Redbook for speed cleaning tips.  I think the tips are all really great.  Here they are!

In the kitchen:



Every night, take 5 minutes after dinner to:

■ Wipe down counter and stovetop (2 minutes).

Run a damp cleanser-treated microfiber cloth across the counter using horizontal overlapping strokes, and spot-clean spills and grease on the stove (including under the burner rings) and in the microwave.

■ Sweep the floor (3 minutes).

Look around: If you spot coffee grounds, cookie crumbs, or pet hair balls on the floor, grab a hand vacuum or flat Swiffer-style sweeper and give the floor a quick once-over, starting in the farthest corner and working out toward the door. Wipe wet spills with a dampened paper towel.



Every 2 weeks, take 13 minutes to:

■ Dust walls and cupboards (4 minutes).

Use a half-damp microfiber cloth (Dellutri says H₂O and microfiber are all you need to tackle 90 percent of household surfaces) to spot-dust walls and cupboards as well as door and window frames.

■ Clean out the fridge (2 minutes).

Spot-clean mysterious spills on shelves and inside drawers with a damp microfiber cloth.

■ Wipe down surfaces (3 minutes).

With a cleanser-treated cloth, wipe down the counter, sink, stove, and fridge (including handle) using overlapping horizontal strokes (no redundant circles!). A grout brush and lime-scale remover will nip grit and grime around the faucet.

■ Clean baseboards and floors (4 minutes).

Sweep baseboards with a Swiffer or dry microfiber mop, then sweep the floor, starting in the farthest corner and working out of the room. Spray cleanser on the mop for an I've-been-mopping- all-day shine.

In the bathroom:

Every day, take 3 minutes after you shower to:

■ Spray tub, tile, and shower curtain/doors (30 seconds).

Let a shower spray fight all-over scum while you get on with your day.

■ Spruce up the sink (30 seconds).

Grab a paper towel from under the sink and run it across the vanity and sink bowl to clean up toothpaste, powder bronzer, or whatever you may have left behind.

■ Wipe down the toilet (1 minute).

If the toilet is showing telltale signs of messy aim, use a disposable disinfecting wipe to give the throne a royal wiping-down.

■ Spot-clean the floors (1 minute).

Use a paper towel or rag to wipe around the tub and toilet, and below the sink where dust and drips gather.



Every 2 weeks, take 14 minutes to:

■ Disinfect the toilet (1 minute).

Maximize the disinfectant in your multisurface spray by letting the cleanser fight germs and bacteria while you work the room. Spray the toilet — from the commode (don't forget the flusher) to the base.

■ Clean the sink (2 minutes).

Again bucking the "spray your cloth" rule, spray sink fixtures and surfaces. Let the cleanser disinfect while you spray a microfiber cloth and clean the bathroom mirror using horizontal overlapping strokes to prevent streaks. Then, use the cloth to wipe down the sink.

■ Shape up the shower (5 minutes).

Spray tile with multisurface cleanser. Let it eat away lingering soap scum while you quickly scrub the tub (target the sides and the floor) with a scrub pad and a dab of cream cleanser (like Soft Scrub). Wipe shower tiles with a clean, damp microfiber flat mop, then clean shower door with a microfiber cloth.

■ Finish cleaning the toilet (3 minutes).

Sprinkle a mild powder cleanser inside the bowl. (Never mix cleansers in the bowl or on surfaces — this may cause noxious fumes.) Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away the cleanser and buildup on the surfaces you sprayed seven minutes ago. Now, grab your brush — the two minutes you spent shining up the john just shaved off half your scrubbing time.

■ Sweep and mop floor (3 minutes).

Tackle dirt in hard-to-reach areas — behind the toilet, under the sink — with a microfiber cloth. On entire floor, do a dry, then a wet, once-over with a flat microfiber mop. No scrubbing necessary!

In the living room:

Every night, take 3 minutes before bed to:

■ Clear away clutter (2 minutes).

Tie up newspapers for recycling; stash magazines and remotes.

■ Spot-clean the floor (1 minute).

If the day brought tracks of debris through the room (leaves, pretzel crumbs), use a hand vac to get rid of messes.



Every 2 weeks, take 12 minutes to:

■ Dust ceiling fans, bookshelves, walls, and windowsills (2 minutes).

Use a microfiber extendable duster or an ostrich-feather duster (ostrich feathers are dirt-trappers too) to dust ceiling fans, blinds, light fixtures, and bookshelves. Then swipe walls and windowsills with a damp microfiber cloth.

■ Tidy the tables (5 minutes).

Swipe coffee tables and other surfaces with a damp microfiber cloth. (Keep a dusting cloth tucked away in a drawer in an entertainment center or an end table so it's easy to find.) Straighten surfaces as you go; whenever you pick up an item, dust the surface where it sat, then the spot that you're moving it to, before you set it down.

■ Sweep baseboards; vacuum or sweep floor (5 minutes).

Run a dry microfiber mop along baseboards to remove dust and pet hair. Continue sweeping noncarpeted floors with the microfiber mop. For carpets, vacuum the room. Employ the golden cornrowing rule: Push the vacuum all the way up one side of the room, turn, and walk back down the next row — it covers more carpet area in less time.



In the bedroom:

Every day, follow basic living-room maintenance plus take less than 2 more minutes to:

■ Make the bed (1 minute).

Pull up the covers and fluff the pillows.

■ Unclutter the dresser or bureau (30 seconds).

Straighten up dresser top, then use a microfiber cloth to pick up any errant dust or hair.



Every 2 weeks, take 6 minutes to:

■ Change the bedding (3 minutes).

Wash sheets in at least 130-degree water (set dial to "hot") or pour in a detergent additive (Dellutri recommends De-Mite Laundry Additive, $13.99, natlallergy.com) to kill invisible dust mites lurking in your linens.

■ Vacuum or sweep the floor (3 minutes).

THE FIVE GOLDEN RULES OF SPEED CLEANING

1. Spend 5 minutes a day tidying the main rooms of your home. A day's worth of dirt is easier to tackle than a week's accumulated mess. Then, every two weeks, do a quick, deep clean.



2. Keep your cleaners handy and organized. Stash a set of tools and cleaners under the bathroom and kitchen sinks, so you don't have to lug them around for quick touch-ups.



3. Embrace microfiber technology. The intricately woven fibers trap fine dirt and liquid — rather than pushing it around like other cloths.



4. Work efficiently. Apply cleansers to your mop or cloth, rather than directly to floors or counters, so you don't spend more time cleaning up product than spills. And use long side-to-side strokes (cornrowing) with your mop, vacuum, or cloth on floors and surfaces to avoid repeat cleaning (which happens when you move in circles), says Dellutri.



5. Clean each room from top to bottom, dry to wet. Knock dust and dirt from high places down to low places. And always dust before mopping and drywipe before cleansing. (You'll just be moving debris around if you wet-clean first.)

The Redbook site is really neat.  There is always something fun to read about check it out...Redbook speedy cleaning tips

Woof What a DAY!

Today was a busy day for me.  We got the keys to our new outdoor shed today and I started right in moving our crap out there.  We have a storage room inside our building but it wasn't large enough to hold all of our stuff.  So now all the camping/fishing/gardening stuff is in the shed and I was able to move a bunch of my crafting stuff to our storage room.  It took me  5 HOURS!  I did it all on my own (Dave was sleeping) and I must say that it looks pretty spiffy out there.   I have to move some junk around our spare bedroom closets now then our house will be much roomier!!  I had planned to start my Fall "Spring" cleaning tomorrow anyways so everything worked out perfect. 

After I finished with the storage room and shed I was inspired to clean our fans for some reason.  I cleaned our three ceiling fans, what a nasty job.   Then I cleaned out table top fans.  I took off the front grates and washed them in the tub.  Then I wiped the fan blades really well.  I didn't do that last fall and when we got the fans out this summer they were really gross.    SO next summer I can look forward to already clean fans!!  How do they get so dusty and gross??   Dave took a picture of me washing the fan grates.  Wendy was really interested in what was going on.  It was funny.  She is always amusing. 

After all that work I am too tired to cook tonight.  I am going to have leftovers from last night.   Take care all!  Happy Hump Day!

its whats for dinner....

Its  another week already.  I did my shopping this morning.  This weeks is pretty relaxed. Here is what I have planned.  If anything sounds yummy to you let me know and I will give you the recipe.

Monday-  LEFTOVERS

Tuesday- Rachel Ray's Mac and Cheese with Broccoli, and  biscuits*new recipe*

Wednesday- Black Bean Stoup and Monte Cristos.* new recipe*

Thursday- Perogies with Roasted butternut squash

Friday- Tex- Mex Lasagna

Saturday- EATING OUT (yippie  2 nights off in one week!)

Sunday- McCormick Bag'n Season Chicken Italian Herb Dish.  Garlic bread, green beans.

I am really looking forward to trying the two new recipes this week.

Scrap-cabinet

I was able to finish cleaning out my scrapbooking stuff this weekend.  I am so happy with it.  I went through my paper and embellishments and took out all of the stuff I will never use.  I am thinking that Melissa might be able to use some of the stuff.  I hate to throw it all away.  I still have plenty of 'stuff' leftover as  you can tell.  I have more scrapbooking to do this week.  I am still working on the Family Fun Facts Book.  I am sure working will be easier now that my supplies are organized better.

We went to Hach today like I had hoped.  Nice to get out of Misawa.  We stopped at the Statue of Liberty and took some pictures.  I posted a new photo album.  Check it out. 

Take Care.  Hope your Monday is great!!

My Step-Sister's Wedding

So my step-sister Jamie was married yesterday.  We had planned to take a trip home but Dave's leave was cancelled.  I was really bummed.  I really wish we could have made it home.  I really hate missing things like this.   I guess today I am feeling pretty crummy.  I get really homesick sometimes.  It is so frustrating knowing that we are pretty much going to continue missing everything for the next 15 years.  It is days like today that I don't think I can stick out 20 years in the Air Force.  I will probably spend the next few days trying to convince Dave that the military 'isn't for us'.  Then in another week I will be back to thinking 'this isn't so terrible'. 

The one great thing is that Dave's mom went to my sister's shower and wedding so she took pictures and sends them to me through IM the next day!  Talk about convenient!  If I had to wait for pictures from my mom I would be waiting for months.   It is nice.  When Dave's brother was married in July we got pictures the next day.  I couldn't live without my IM connection to the real world.  LOL.

Well, that's all I got for now.  Dave has tomorrow off.  Thank you Christopher Columbus!  Hoping to get out of Misawa for the afternoon. Maybe drive to Hachinohe to go to Lapia Mall.  Maybe they will have a movie there we want to see.  We haven't tried watching a movie off-base with Japanese subtitles.  I'll let you know how that goes.     

Rainy Day

Its Saturday already I cannot believe it!  This week went fast!!  I did some scrapbooking this week and I am really happy with what I got done.  I am planning to clean out my scrapbooking supplies and organize everything.   I sorted my scraps last night.  Man what a chore!! 

It has been raining here.  It rained all day yesterday, today and tomorrow are supposed to be more of the same.   There is a typhoon nearby and it is dumping a lot of rain on us.  Windy too.  The windows are whistling.  Yesterday was a great day to curl up with a book.  So that's what I did after I cleaned house.

Today we plan to run up to the bazaar and hopefully finish our Christmas shopping.  (Yippie.  We only have a couple people left to buy for. ) Tonight is Bean Night.  I woke up early to get them in the oven.  I had too cups of coffee and so far my 6 hours of sleep seem to be enough.  Dave has a cold, I feel bad for him.  Crossing my fingers I won't get it. 

Today is my step-sister's wedding day!!!  I am so sad that we are missing it.  I hate missing stuff like that. I'll try not to think about it.  Well, this has been a boring entry eh.  I'll end it quick.  Take Care!!  Have a great weekend!!

The Past Year

So a year ago I wasn't much of a reader.  I never had time and when I did pick up a book I was never able to get into it.  Then  a year ago a friend gave me a book to read.  It was so good and I really enjoyed giving myself the time to read.  I told my mother in law Melissa about the book and she picked it up at her library and loved it too.  Then we decided to read another book, and another.  Now that I am not working I have plenty of time to read.  There are so many I want to read.  I realized the other day that it was last October I started reading.  I have been keeping a list of the books I read and when I looked over it I was amazed at how many books I have read.  I laughed at how you can tell when I quit working because the number of books I read a month jumped. 

Here is the list:

Books read 2005

Lovely Bones  by Alice Sebold(oct)

Lucky  by Alice Sebold(oct)

Icy Sparks   by Gwen Hyman Rubio(nov)

The Four Agreements by 

Books read 2006


Mine Are Spectacular! by Janice Kaplan & Lynn Schnurnberger(read alone)(mar)

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik (apr)

A Girl Named Zippy  by Haven Kimmel (read alone)(apr)

The Pilots Wife by Anita Shreve (apr)

Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay (may)

Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus (read alone) (may)

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford (may)

Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson (jun)

Gap Creek by Robert Morgan (read alone) (jun)

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus (jun)

Love Smart by Dr Phil (read alone) (jun)

The Group by Mary McCarthny (july)

Cheat and Charmer by Elizabeth Frank ( july )

Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingslover (read alone) ( July )

Crazy Ladies by Michael Lee West ( Aug )    

Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik (aug)

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich(aug)

The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell(aug)

The Tall Pine Polka by Lorna Landvik (aug)

Two For  The Dough by Janet Evanovich (sept)

She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel (sept)

The Clothes They Stood Up In and The Lady In The Van by Alan Bennett (sept)

If Melissa posted a list of all the books she has read in the past year I bet it would be even longer.   We only plan to read two books a month but we always end up having time for atleast one extra. It works out great.