Week-ending. Improvements.

This weekend has been pretty crazy, yet productive.  On Saturday morning (at 0'-dark-thirty), I loaded up the car, picked up breakfast, and headed over to Harvey to help my two friends with their yard sale. Of course, I ended up with books:

^^  I haven't read any of these yet...  (still trying to get through Koonz's "Odd Thomas")

And I also received a lot of clothes (especially shorts and capris - I didn't realize how much weight I actually dropped - SIX SIZES - squeeeeeeeee!!).  So, I was happy-happy-happy that I didn't have to go shopping (which I detest - trying on clothes, getting frustrated, and then ending up kind of pissy about the whole shebang).  I'm usually not the *thrifty* type, but I'm pretty sure my husband is thrilled that I didn't blow the bank.  :0))  Besides, I fully anticipate losing more inches.  So, when these new-to-me clothes get too big, I'll just pay it forward to someone who can use them.  Karma, baby.

 ^^  I don't care how long I live here in New Orleans, I still love looking (and taking pictures!) of all the palm trees.  I was sitting underneath this one... quite shady, actually.

On Friday (okay - my days are sadly out-of-order), I went with A. to Lowe's and picked up some tropical plants for our tiered deck.  It needed help, desperately.  We have a bunch of elephant ears growing wild (and I think they look pretty good), so we picked up tropical ferns, Boston ferns, a pretty purple wandering Jew, and some smaller accent pieces for the other side table.  This is where I'm at thus far:

 ^^  View of the happy table, chairs, umbrella, ferns...  A. thinks I need some sort of indoor/outdoor carpet under the table.  I'm a bit torn on that one...

 ^^  Coming around the corner from the entrance...  I'm still working on that other corner, so no pictures yet.  I feel like I'm creating a secret garden, because there is NO indication that any of this is back here from the outside of the fence.  I love that aspect...  something that looks bland and generic from the outside, but lush and beautiful once you walk inside...

^^ KMart had these lights on sale...  24' of 100 lights for $6.99.  The cool thing??  If you bought one, you received a second box for half off.  So, I ended up buying four boxes.  :0))  White decorative lights are the bomb-diggity all year round.  So it's not like they'll end up in a closet somewhere...  I'll use them regardless of whether or not it's inside or outside.  

So, after the gym tomorrow morning (I'll be leaving here at 9:00 AM - but setting my alarm clock for 7:30 AM so that I can get my housework out of the way), I'll go to the pool for about an hour to do laps, and then I plan on finishing up the back porch.  I've also got some Mardi Gras beads to hang up.  And then, I'll be close to having a proper New Orleans "courtyard".

We also have a series of Wednesday Night Concerts in Algiers Point starting this week.  I'm going to get the info and post tomorrow.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!!  

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Stocking Up: On Books.

Although this stash will only last me a week or two (at the most).  It'll depend on how many notes I make or references I come across (I find some of the most interesting tidbits/quotes/people)...

I had some free time today, so I figured I'd mosey on down to my local Barnes and Noble.  They had been calling me for a couple of days (I ordered a hard-to-get book and didn't expect it in so soon) - but my social calendar had been full, AND it's been 90* with humidity above the 90% mark.  Not exactly cruising weather (I've taken two showers today and I'll probably take another one before I go to bed), but I figured I could take one for the team (hahaha) and make the effort to pick up my books.  Besides, I'm hard-up for reading material in printed form (I love my Kindle, but it'll never replace real books).

And, since it is Memorial Day Weekend, I figured I'd probably be enjoying my lovely deck, soaking up the sun, drinking a dirty martini or a gin-and-tonic or an amaretto sour (or maybe all three)... but what is missing from this idyll picture??  The pleasure of a BOOK.

Here is what I ended up getting:

 ^^  "LIARS FOR JESUS:

The Religious Right's Alternate Version of American History - Volume I"

- Chris Rodda - Foreword by Rev. William N. Esborn

ISBN:  1-4196-4438-6

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."

- Daniel Patrick Moynihan

This was my special order.  The author has not completed Volume II as of yet, so I've added Chris Rodda to my wish list... and I'll be notified as to when it comes out.  :0))

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 ^^  "Urban Voodoo:  A Beginner's Guide to Afro-Caribbean Magic"

- S. Jason Black and Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D

ISBN:  1-56184-059-9

My initial interest was piqued because of the strong Voodoo and Hoodoo influence here in New Orleans.  There are shops here which cater to the practice of both - along with witchcraft and Paganism.  You can purchase a Voodoo doll suited for your needs at some shops - I received one for love when my husband I were married here.  It's on my desk right now.  

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 ^^  "The Handmaid's Tale"

- Margaret Atwood

ISBN:  978-0-385-49081-8

Description:  "Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead.  She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read.  She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable."

One of my friends, who is a librarian at a university, recommended this book to me.  I'm really looking forward to reading it - and there are a couple other Margaret Atwood books that I'd also like to buy.

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 ^^  "Alien Contact"

- Edited by Marty Halpern

ISBN:  978-1-59780-281-9

Compilation of stories by:  Stephen Baxter, Orson Scott Card, Cory Doctorow, Karen Joy Fowler, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, Elizabeth Moon, Pat Murphy, Charles Stross, Michael Swanwick, Harry Turtledove

Oh, how my geeky little heart beats faster at the thought of delving into this awesome alien sci-fi...  I can't wait to start reading this!!  Besides being a *huge* Stephen King fan, I also love Neil Gaiman.  Hopefully, some of the other authors may have other novels available... and if I enjoy their short stories, I'll be willing to try a full novel, a book of their own short stories, or a novella.  Finding new authors within genres that I like is always such a pleasure.

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^^  "God's Brothel"

- Andrea Moore-Emmett

ISBN:  978-1-930074-13-2

Description:  "The extortion of sex for salvation in contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy - and the stories of 18 women who escaped."

"[An] illuminating new book" - CNN

I initially came across this book while reading about Flora Jessup and her escape from Warren Jeff's FLDS sect.  Another novel, about the "Lost Boys" (young men exiled from their communities so that the elders can take more wives) is on my short list for summer reading.  I am fascinated with cults - and the people in them... both from a sociological and psychological standpoint.  It is difficult for me to understand the need to "fit in" or (in Borg-speak) "assimilate" in order to stay in a lifestyle in which you've been born and raised.  I cannot imagine not having mentors who encourage learning in any capacity - or repress the natural nature of questioning your world and the people who inhabit it.

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I'm currently reading the sci-fi/fantasy book "Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin.  HBO has made a program that follows the series... but I didn't realize that there were quite a few books that follow.  The second is "A Clash of Kings", the third is "A Storm of Swords", the fourth is "A Feast for Crows", and the final book is "A Dance with Dragons".  If the first book is indicative of the rest of the series, I can say (with some certainty) that I will be purchasing the rest of the series.  

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