Phae Returns!

She is back from her vacation ... and loving the few days of relaxation at home before going back to work tomorrow. I have been surprisingly productive for a week off. I started working on my novel again (at long last), I read two books (nearly three), have started making plans for renevating my bathroom, and have actually started thinking about the big 'W-day' (I even went so far as to buy a bridal magazine).

I got to meet Erin and company ... the Victoria group is pretty cool. I was infinitley more comfortable around them than I was when I first went to meet the local coven. Maybe I just do better in mixed faith groups. There is so much less of the 'you are doing it all wrong' vibe.

My best friend's wedding was pretty cool ... I spent the first three or four days of our vacation drunk ... it has been TOO long on that one for me. Luckily, my loving fiance's father has started making wine again, and sent me home with two bottles of blackberry yummy-ness.

It started raining yesterday after a long hot summer. It is SO refreshing to smell everything getting all wet and rained on. It stormed this morning, complete with thunder and lightening ... I love fall storms! The nostalgia season is beginning! I love fall ... some of my most favorite memories are associated with the early fall. The anniversary of my first date with Wintersdark is on September 7th (which will be the date of our wedding ... one of these years :oP).

Well, I guess that is about all ... we had some fun with our 'just us' days when we didn't have to visit anyone, and we went to see the Brothers Grimm with Erin on Friday before catching the last ferry home. All in all, a pretty nice little vacation. Next year, I think we have decided on heading out into the world ... explore some places we have never been too (Wintersdark wants to go to Europe).

--Phae

A Meme ...

... before I get to the serious stuff of updating my Gratitude Project, 50 Book Challenge List, and answering all those website emails I forgot to answer before I left.




--Phae

50 Book Challenge Update

#19 - Eclipse (Sweep #12) by Cate Tiernan

Silly Teen Wicca Book ... I am almost finished the series. These last few are turning in focus from Morgan to a new witch discovering her powers named Alisa. While I did enjoy this one, and the one after (#13 - Reckoning), I feel it is somewhat of a cop-out. Kind of like the author couldn't think of anything else interesting to do with Morgan and her life, so she just switched to a new witch to pick up the slack.

#20 - Reckoning (Sweep #13) by Cate Tiernan

This one was entirely about Alisa (and from her point of view). An interesting direction, but I would have liked it better if the rest of the series hadn't been so focussed on Morgan. It would have been great if the other books had been from the other characters points of view. That would have made the whole thing a lot more interesting, and made for great character development. I feel a little silly figuring out how much better a series of teen books could have been, but on the other hand, why shouldn't teens have well written books to read? Do book about/for teens really need to be badly written? The more I think about this, the more I want to write my own teen fiction book just to prove that it doesn't need to be mediocre.

#21 - Living Druidry by Emma Restall Orr

I finally finished this one. I loved it. The way she describes her path is beautiful and poetic, and it seems the perfect calling for the artist in me. I am seduced. I picked up the Thorson's coffee table book on Druidry that Emma wrote. I want to pick up a couple of her other books as well. I don't really know what this will lead to for me, but I think it is important to explore it.

( Let's Take a Look at the List )

--Phae

Gratitude Project 2005 - Day 26

Well, back from vacation, and I guess that means that I owe about 10 ... so here goes:
( Clicky for Vacation Gratitudes )

--Phae