Anathema - Megg Jensen

Don't you just love getting things for free?

This book was a free Kindle book, and it looked interesting, so I thought, why not? I wasn't enjoying the current book I'm reading, and knew this was a short one, so it was a perfect fit. PLUS, the power was out for a few hours. Just enough time to read this book. 

Anathema is the 1st in the Cloud Prophet Trilogy.

Reychel is a slave girl. She has never been outside. She sleeps in a room with 40 other slave girls. Every morning, they shave their heads. There are no mirrors, so they rely on each other. Reychel's job is to spend the day washing dishes, in a dark room.

It's the morning of Reychel's 15th  birthday. Not a day she's looking forward to. This is the day her master's symbol is burnt to the back of her scalp. She wakes up in the morning to find her best friend missing and she has upset her master before the ceremony. 

But suddenly, someone helps her escape. And now Reychel finds herself in a world she's never known, with people thinking she can help them.

I loved that this book got me hooked right away. It was a fast pacing book, with a character I loved. 

Now, let's see when the second book comes out. I'll even pay for it! 

An Open Apology

The best part of living abroad, is all the different cultures and accents.My mates and I always get into conversations on how we pronounce certain words. We even laugh at each other. It's fun. We never tease someone who's not there. We basically poke fun at one another.

What isn't fun is having people say you make them cringe.

Yes cringe!

Ok, so no one actually came out and told me that, but recently I was involved in a discussion where some acquaintances commented that when they see the word learnt, it makes them cringe.

Cringe!

Are you kidding me????

So then it got me thinking.

OMG.

I must really make some people cringe. 

And so, I would like to apologise.

I'm sorry I make you cringe with the use of the verb learnt.

I'm Canadian and learnt British spelling.

I mean not to offend by spelling colour and favourite with a u.

Grey is spelt with an e not an a.

Yes, my son wore nappies

and not a diaper.

We throw our trash in the rubbish.

I buy my food at the supermarket

and my medicine at the pharmacy.

I watch a movie at the cinema

and go to the theatre to see a live show.

My rain boots are called Wellies.

I'm not sure where that comes from.

Some mates call them Gum Boots.

Ah yes,

I have mates. 

I do make sure I disappoint everyone.
Scott hates the way I pronounce
tomato.
He says I must remember I'm a Canadian
and not British.

Oh, and my British mate hates how I think that
ferry and fairy
are homophones.

However,
I do not think that
ant and aunt are.

I was living in Korea when I read my first Harry Potter book.
I borrowed a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
I later bought a copy of
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. 

I do hope my apology is accepted,
even though I spell apologise
with an s not a z.
(That would be zed not zee
unless singing the ABC song)

29 Things

I had a bad couple days at work.

I actually considered quitting.

It's all good now.

No worries.

With it being the 29th today,

and it being a cool thing,

I thought I'd heed some advice from my principal

and remember the good things.

So, here's my list of 

29 Things I Love About Teaching.

1. I love sharing my experiences with my students.

2. The ability to help students acheive their best.

3. Knowing that I inspire some of my students.

4. I feed off the energy of my students.

5. I get to share my enthusiasm. Did you know enthusiasm is contagious?

6. Teaching grade 2 is amazing. You can't imagine how much growth there is.

7. I work with a group of fabulous professionals.

8. You never get bored of teaching.

9. Have you ever seen a lightbulb go on in one of your students?

10. I have an administrator that listens and is supportive.

11. I get to read. Every. Single. Day!

12. I get to share my love of books with 20 other people.

13. I have the best assistant teacher.

14. My teaching partner thinks I'm great!

15. I honestly have the job I've always wanted.

16. I get siblings who know who I am. It's like being a rock star.

17. Kids say the darndest things!

18. Seeing children help each other out.

19. Hugs! I love getting hugs from my students. 

20. I get to travel. With the vacation time I get, I get to see the world.

21. I love it when students ask thoughtful questions.

22. I learn all kinds of things from my students.

23. I get to act like a ham in front of my class. And they still love me!

24. A month off at Christmas, Easter Break, Mid Term breaks, Summer Vacation!

25. Ethan and I get to go to school together.

26. I get a kick out of telling my students we're going to play a game, and they think I'm not teaching them anything!

27. I have the best timetable ever, this year!

28. If a lesson's going stray, you can improvise and the students never notice.

29. It's who I am.

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 52

Saturday was market day.

I love market day.

Ethan's favourite part of market day

is eating the noodles.

Scott had to go into the office

later that afternoon,

so Ethan and I went on a date.

Correction,

"It's not a date mommy.

You are already married to Daddy."

My handsome non-date date.

 The latte's mine.
The black forest mousse,
we shared.

 Open wide!

He's so proud to be paying the bill.


Happiness is having a non-date date with your favourite little man.

Future Ex-Husband

It was Elizabeth's birthday this week.

This evening, a few girls went to the cinema

before her birthday dinner.

We decided on the chick flick

This Means War.

I found my future ex-husband here.

Yes, Tom Hardy.

Hellooo....

British accent

and

tattoos!

I love you Reese,

but really,

you picked the wrong guy. 

Valley of Silence - Nora Roberts

I've noticed that I tend to read a lot of series. And while I enjoy them, I do have a pet peeve. When it comes to the last book of the series, I'm usually disappointed. The last few books don't tend to have the same pull or excitement as the first few. 

Well, that was not a problem here. Valley of Silence is the last book in the Circle Trilogy and I have to say it's my favourite. 

In Morrigan's Cross, Cian is turned into a vampire. His brother Hoyt is visited by the goddess Morrigan and told he must travel into the future and gather the Circle of Six who will battle the evil vampire queen Lilith. During this book, we watch as the circle is formed, we see them train, learn about each other, and we see Hoyt fall in love with Glenna.

In book 2, the training continues. This time we watch as Blair fights her feeling for Larkin.

Now the Circle of Six consists of 3 men and 3 women. Two sets have been paired off, so obviously you enter this one knowing it will be all about Moira, Queen of Gaell, and the vampire, Cian. Ok, asides from the whole war thing which is so sad, how does a vampire and a queen from another land possibly make it work?

My mate, Sarah, recommned this series. I started crying at chapter 17 and I still had over 200 pages to go. Needless to say, I texted her, wanting to know if I should expect to cry for the next 200 pages. I did. On and off. It got pretty dicey there too, for awhile, but Sarah has never steered me wrong. And neither did Nora!

52 Weeks of Happiness - Week 51

Scott's a little funny when it comes to flowers.
He won't buy me flowers over Valentine's
simply because it's expected.
He likes to say I'll get flowers when I least expect them.
I like to say I never expect them,
and I never get them.

So on Valentine's I thought I'd be cute
and send Scott this card.

Turns out he didn't read his email until
Tuesday night,
but Tuesday afternoon he came home with these;

Happiness is getting flowers when you least expect it.