The BIG Drive: Part 3 and 4 and Award

Didn't have time to access internet yesterday and woke with twitchy,itchy fingers. I think I may have been experiencing internet withdrawal.

Part 3 Highlights:
1. Woke up really, really early because my friend had to go pick up someone in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at 10am to start is fishing vacation. (yeah I wasn't too impressed with his vacation plan either, guess I just don't like fishing that much). And lets face it I really didn't want the responsibility of locking up his house. With my luck I would locked myself out and then would have had to wait for his house sitter to show up so that I could get the rest of my things.
2. Was the longest leg trip at 551 miles (887 km).
3. Lots of hills again (in the mountains, go figure) so mileage was okay (still averaging around 44 gpm)
4. Got to relative's house in the early afternoon. There was lots of visiting and gossiping then eating (wonderful meal with a great glass of wine) then more visiting and gossiping until it was past bedtime. Since was up really really early (before that big bright thing in the sky was even remotely visible).

Part 4 Highlights:
1. Had nice breakfast and was off at 8-ish (that bright thing was up and about)
2. Once out of the mountains it was very, very flat and quite boring. But not nearly as boring as the salt flats.
3. Not much in eastern CO or western KS. Corn and other growing stuff and some hay rolls and bales.
4. The Pruis does not like flat roads with no starting and stopping. Currently getting 42 gpm now.

Now only have one more night before hitting my new hometown. Completed 1725 miles of 2383. Hopefully there will be internet at my next stop but not counting on it. Stay with some more relatives so mostly will stay up yakking again and waking with those dang twitchy, icky finger.

Award *blush*: JennJ of Sapphire Romance Realm gave me a Lemonade Award!

The BIG Drive: Part 2 and an Award

I have official completed leg 2 of 6. Leg high-lights:

1. The Great Utah salt flats are really boring. Miles and miles of nothing but white stuff (that apparently is not snow *g*) on the ground. And really, really flat.
2. Averaging 44.4 MPG today. Lots of going up into a higher elevation.
3. There is supposedly a giant used bookstore in Salt Lake City. My friend gave me the choice of going to a high school football game or the bookstore. One guess which one I chose? Because everyone knows how much I loathe love football especially that stuff kids play.

And while I wasn't looking the lovely Leontine gave me an award.



"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all. "

My nominations go to:
KB of Babbling About Books
Donna of Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings
Lusty Reader
My Favourite Books
Orannia of Walkabout (although I think she already got this award)

Another Award.

Cherry over at Contest and Freebies gave me an award.



The Lemonade Award is a feel good award which shows great attitude or gratitude.

Here are the rules:

* Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
* Link your nominees within your post.
* Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

Here are my nominees:
Ann Agurrie
Katiebabs of Babbling About Books
Desert Island Keepers
AnimeJune of Gossamer Obsessions
Barbara of Happily Ever After
Kati of Katidom
Leontine of Leontine's Book Realm
Kristie of Ramblings on Romance
Mandi of Smexy Books
Orannia of Walkabout

Lookie here!

Whee! Tracy over at Tracy's Place gave me an award!

Its the Excellent Blog Award. *blushes wildly*

I'm going to pass this on to some of my evil nice book pimps promoters and some new blog friends:
Orannia of Walkabout
AnimeJune of Gossamer Obsessions
Katiebabs of Babbling About Books
Barbara of Happily Ever After
KristieJ of Rambling on Romance
Mandi of Smexy Books
Wendy the Super Librarian

While I was gone...

I've survived my week of airports, airplanes and hotels mostly sane but very tired. After having slept most of the last day and half, I started to catch-up on the whole blog reading thing (had about 150 to catch up on!!! O_o).

Anyway... the update:
1. The interviews went well (I think) but now it's wait and wait and keeping those fingers crossed.

2. I hate airport and flying! Looking back at the last month, I realized I'd made SIX cross country flights. I have to JetBlue was the best out of the three carriers I flew on (Southwest and US Airways being the other two). And the stewardesses on US Airways are baggage nazis! Never seen so many airline representatives so concerned about carry-ons. Really my little 6-inch x 12-inch x 2-inch purse (which I use as a lumbar support) shouldn't count as an "extra carry-on"!

3. Dress up shoes suck! Now that my heels (the ones on my feet) are rubbed raw, I think I'll toss the shoes into the goodwill so that they can eat up someone else's feet.

4. Got 4 and 1/2 books read! Yeah!

5. LeeAnn gave me an award. See further down.

6. CL Wilson finally put up an excerpt for Queen of Song and Souls! Whee. Read excerpt here.


MY AWARD

LeeAnn gave me an award! As usually I'm speechless. I'm not so good at getting compliments since I usually don't think I'm all that good at the blogging-thing (or whatever it is I'm getting complimented on). So... THANKS LeeAnn

The Kreativ rules state that:
Once you receive this award you are to list seven of your favorite things and then nominate seven other blogs.

Some of my favorite things:

1. Burt's Bees lip balm. The original minty flavored one. I can 't get enough of it. I think I have 5 or 6 sticks of the stuff floating around my house and various purses.

2. Books. I don't think you can have enough. Though at this point I think my house is a fire hazard with all its various piles of books everywhere. I think it's time to get yet another book case. Just have to figure out which wall to cover up.

3. My Mac. The security blanket of all security blankets. Thank goodness its a laptop so that I can lug it everywhere I go!

4. Handmade soap. I've got to one of the world biggest sucker for handmade soap! Thank goodness for being short on money since it has made me have to choose between getting more soap or books. I think the soap drawer is now down to just one drawer and not the two or three it was before.

5. Teas. Can't get enough of them. I have at least 20 different blends currently hiding in my cupboard. Mostly herbal since I'm already high-strung I don't need anything else to make me hyper.

6. Fresh fruit especially berries. I love summer since that's when most of the fresh fruits and berries are the cheapest and I don't have scrape the bottom of the purse to feed this habit.

7. Pajamas. I think you should be allowed to wear them everywhere. They are soooo comfy and go so well with bedhead! *g*

And the nominees are...

Orannia of Walkabout
Mho Fho of Babbling About Books
Mandi of Smexy Books
Carolyn Crane of The Thrillionth Page
Nalini Singh
Ana and Thea, The Book Smugglers
Judge a Book by the Cover

Banned Books And I Love Your Blog Award!

Look what happens when one hides in one's cave for awhile.

I got tagged by Alice (for the Banned Books).

And CJ gave me an AWARD *faints*!


Okay first the banned books... in honor of the banned books month (ah... I think it was actually last month *g* oh how the time flies). I've colored the ones I've read in RED.

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson I was on such a roll...
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna Its a really naughty picture book *giggle*. My mom bought it for my sister then gasped at what she had actually purchased for her teenaged daughter. Hmm... maybe she should have fingered through it first.
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel okay... this is assuming it's that Clan of the Cave Bear series
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes oh so sad... *sniff*
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein oh my... really? If that one then I thought Uncle Shelby's Book of ABZ's would be on this list for sure...
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice) Erotica at work on a classic... hehe
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King uh... probably read it but don't remember there for not colored
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl okay so don't get this one
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume Really? It's a must read for all teenage girls!
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle and What's Happening to Me?
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford hmm... This one confuses me. What's so objectionable about this book?
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell haha... I remember this one.
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Okay there were some surprises on the list (like Where's Waldo? Still a bit confused on that one, and who knew Judy Blume was so objectionable) but then on the other hand some people will ban anything. It does bring to question whether or not they've actually read it before banning it.

I think there are some notables that seem to not have made this list but I just have the feeling that they've been banned SOMEwhere...
a. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown maybe its just too new to have made it onto any official list
b. 1984 by George Orwell
c. Animal Farm by George Orwell
d. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
e. And Tango Make Three by Peter Parnell, Justin Richardson, and Henry Cole
Just to name a few...

Now the question of who to tag...
I vote for CJ of the Thillionth Page!
and whomever else wants to do this!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And WooHoo! CJ of the Thrillionth Page awarded me an I Love Your Blog award. My first every. Thanks CJ! So honored! I'm so happy, giddy even. It was a really nice thing to wake up to.

The rules for this award are that you need to:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

So I'm officially awarding this award to:
Alice of Peaceful Days and Dreamy Nights... my first blogging friend!
Ana and Thea of the Book Smugglers... my other book-crack dealers
Ciara of Ciara Stewart... 'cause she always has something interesting to read and ponder
DIK Ladies of the Desert Island Keepers... 'cause I can't blog without you all
To whomever runs Judge a Book by Its Cover... 'cause its always good for a laugh
Kristie and Kate of the Ramblings on Romance... my favorite book-crack dealers
Nalini Singh... not only does she write great books, she runs a great blog too!