bjwcreations.com Blog

Something pretty to stare at

CC isn’t on until tomorrow, and we are over 100 comments, so I thought I’d through this up for us to gaze at.

Pretty, isn’t it? Would you believe that this is a photo taken at a botanical garden here in Scotland? Yes, here’s your random trivia for the day. There are palm trees growing in Scotland.

Post Category: Uncategorized

60 comments March 17th, 2009 at 08:23amtheresa

Nothing to See Here

Nothing much, just that we’ve gone past the 100 comment line and no one’s scheduled for another few days.

If someone who has something to say actually wants to say it that would be great. If not, you’re stuck with my rambles.

I’m off to work on the office some more- it’s really more of a workroom with a desk, two large countertops, a vent hood, a sink, and lots of floor. Unfortunately not lots of storage.

Post Category: Uncategorized

Add comment March 12th, 2009 at 11:14amConscripted Cherry

In the days following Katrina, when one of my friends was still missing, I picked up JoAnn Ross’s Magnolia Moon in which a hurricane plays a significant role. I did the same thing again this week with her High Risk series which features soldiers who’ve just returned home from Afghanistan, none of them whole.

I take a lot of comfort from her books. She writes characters that resonate with me*, obviously. I know they’ll overcome whatever horrible things she throws at them, save the world and find love.

It’s been rough over here at the Bar and Grill for many folk lately. I was lying in bed last night, unable to sleep as I thought of all the things we do to comfort ourselves. And I know this is a group that dives into a book every chance they can get. Or chocolate.

Chocolate is my main comfort food. I ate it even when I was sick this week. Not a lot but enough to soothe my battered soul. I stretched out on the couch and let the cat’s purrs send healing ultrasound through my belly. I scratched Ky’s ears a lot. I’m very tactile and surround myself with textures.

I listened to Some gave alland watched I want you to live which was filmed at Canadian Forces Base Trenton. Strange comfort indeed.

It’s important to use all the senses, remind ourselves of our connection to this world so that we can find our way out of the fog of grief. When we’re ready.

And of course, there are the CBs. Chatting. Listening. Hugging. Whipping up hot chocolate, chili, guacamole, margaritas. Whatever we need.

Thank you.

Now what can I do to offer you comfort?

Post Category: CB World, Uncategorized

Add comment March 10th, 2009 at 10:50amCherry Magic Sheryl

The Company You’d Most Like to Keep

Tonight we set our clocks ahead one hour. Tomorrow YOU WILL CHANGE THE BATTERIES IN YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog post.

You might have seen a variation on this making the internet rounds before. I think it was maybe four or five years ago when I first saw it. The idea was to ask people to name five famous people they would most like to meet at a party. At the time I thought it was intriguing because it made me think. And now that a few years have passed, I realize that the names I’d come up with today would be a little different. But famous doesn’t necessarily mean interesting (Sometimes the famous are the least interesting. Um, so what are they famous for?) And anyway, if I get to choose the five people I want to sit down to dinner with, why limit myself to reality? So much better to thumb through the pages of fiction and assemble my guest list from a much more entertaining group. Here’s my list, which is subject to change almost hourly as I think of yet another very cool fictional character:

The Dowager Duchess from Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter mysteries. Of all the books in the series, my favorite passage is the letters to and from the DD at the beginning of Busman’s Honeymoon. She’s a much sharper cookie than she appears at first glance.

Brother Cadfael from the Ellis Peter’s series. I’d love to spend some time talking with him. But not in the 12th century. He’ll have to come to me.

Moist von Lipwig from Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal and Making Money. I really think he and Brother Cadfael would hit it off.

Archie Goodwin from Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe mysteries. Because the Yanks need representing, too, and it would be interesting to pit him against Moist in the wise-cracking department.

Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell character. That will even the numbers up, and I think both the Duchess and Brother Cadfael would like her.

And, of course, all of you are invited, provided I can come to your party, too. What would your guest list look like?

Post Category: Books, Useless Fun

96 comments March 7th, 2009 at 02:04pmMcB

Theresa and Xenia’s Excellent Wales Adventure

Back in January, I was hunting around for a 5k race to run this spring, and there were none to be found in my neck of Scotland. But I really, really wanted to find a race to run in, so I started looking farther afield, and stumbled across the St. David’s Day 5k and 10k races in Cardiff, Wales. Hmmmm…Wales…I’d never been to Wales. A quick email to Xenia and she was all for the idea of a weekend in Cardiff, including the race. And so Theresa and Xenia’s Excellent Wales Adventure was on the calendar!

(more…)

Post Category: CB Meetups, Uncategorized

63 comments March 5th, 2009 at 07:23amtheresa

Let’s Write Some Stories!

I was about to read an Ellis Peter’s novel. (Thanks to McB and RSS for recommending her.) As usual I couldn’t remember the title. Was it The Rose Rent or The Rent Rose? Then I started imagining what either title’s story could be.

Ms. Peter’s wrote The Rose Rent. So let’s write The Rent Rose. Maybe several.

Post Category: Books, Useless Fun

81 comments March 1st, 2009 at 07:56amGatorPerson

Pretty, pretty books

I like books. No big shocker there. But I like my books pretty. If I am going to spend 27 bucks, or even 8 bucks, on a brand-new book, I want a smooth, clean, straight, even, shiny, unmolested cover. I don’t mind getting used books that are a little beat up, but I’ll be damned if I’m paying that much for a cover with a bent corner when the book was just released yesterday. If it is a book I know I am going to keep forever and reread at regular intervals, I want it to be in good shape in order to stand up to my loving. And even after I buy it, I keep it in good shape. I do not open the book the entire way, spread-eagle. That would crack the spine and make unsightly creases in the spine cover. (I have a hard time loaning out books because of this, worrying about how other people are holding my book or, Bob forbid, if they have it laying pressed open flat on a table so they can read it without the use of their hands. *shudder*) And I never never never dog-ear the pages to hold my place.

So, I went to a B&N near me to get Lani Diane Rich’s Wish You Were Here, because the bookstore in Dayton didn’t have it, and Beth Ciotta’s Evie Ever After, which is the last in the trilogy, the first two being All About Evie and Everybody Loves Evie, all three of which you should go out and read right now. I’ll wait.

…

Oh good, you’re back. Anyway. I’ve been pining for Evie Ever After since last year after reading the second in the series. The B&N near me only had one copy. The middle top of the front cover was very slightly bent. Okay, maybe you wouldn’t have noticed it, but I did. And there was some black schmutz on the spine. I put it back and walked out of the store. No way was I going to spend $7 (well, OK, no way was I going to take $7 off my gift card…) for a damaged book. I drove 10 miles to the other B&N in my area. This store also only had one copy. And it was in worse condition than the first. The cover was not even applied correctly. The spine was all bunched up and creased right down the center, and the entire cover was pasted on haphazardly, so that part of the spine overlapped around into the front. Nope, not gonna buy it. So what did I do?

That’s right. I went back to the first B&N and got the book with the schmutz. Because while I need my books to be pretty, I also need my fix.

Do you have any habits with your books others might consider odd?

Post Category: Books

90 comments February 24th, 2009 at 08:45pmme

Letting go of old ideas…

As we grow up, we all hear ideas (or truths) from our parents, friends, and teachers. I think that when we are told something by a trusted source, we take it to heart and keep it close as part of our internal security blanket. Many times we find ourselves unwilling to let it go even when confronted by evidence to the contrary because it is part of our internal security, even if not letting go prevents us from moving forward. Intrenched beliefs can keep us from trying new things, spreading our wings, or growing as a person.

For instance, I was convinced that I could not deal with computers on any level. I learned how to type on a manual typewriter in high school. When computers first came out, they were not user friendly, and seemed incredibly complicated to me*. I had a friend at the time who worked at Hewlett Packard, and she was a very analytical personality. She tried her best to explain computers to me, but I simply could not comprehend. She told me* that she felt that I was not going to be able to to learn how to operate a PC, or become proficient with one. To be fair, she had good reason to say that at the time. It soon became obvious I would have to learn to operate a PC as all the companies were becoming computerized, and I needed to work (not being independently wealthy – which is massively annoying, BTW!).

My breakthrough came when I found out that no matter what I did, I couldn’t break the computer. Mess it up so that someone had to be called to put it right, but not break it. That started my thorough exploration of software, and lots of training later, I’m a Systems Analyst. Go figure…

What truth were you told that kept you from moving forward, and how did you get beyond it?

Post Category: Uncategorized

Add comment February 23rd, 2009 at 01:26amLou

Cherry Bomb Fabric?

I know that saying c***t to some of you causes hives. That is not the goal of this post. The goal of this post is to delve into the creativity that is this group. So….

Who knows what Spoonflower is? They are a neat, small company that prints custom designed fabric. I want Cherry Bomb fabric!!! I’m picturing a cream or gray background with the cherry bomb from the t-shirts (yes, I know we have to get permission or design something else) that can be used to make bookcovers or the little totes I made for folks in Oregon. But what I really, really, really want is a dress. A Cherry Bomb dress. Think about it. A full skirt, a fun bodice, leaning towards a shirt dress with Cherry Bombs all over, some red piping, and some cute vintage cherry buttons. Or, I know, some fun Moot buttons. Better yet, some Moot fabric. Wait, Moot and Cerise and Cherry Bombs all scattered around. A few overlapping each other so the design elements look casual and not too structured. After all this group doesn’t do structured very well. Maybe a Hawaiian inspired floral design with Moot and Cerise and Cherry Bombs peeking out from the flower petals.

Maybe not so much a Cherry Bomb fabric but a book fabric. Something that has classic bodice ripper covers scattered along one edge so that when it’s made into a dress there is a border of books along the bottom. I don’t know.

Can’t you see this dress all made up? Take the black and white dress- keep the body white and use a red trim- have the overwrap part done in a fabric with Cherry Bombs scattered all over. Use two vintage cherry buttons at the waist, add a pair of red kitten heels and you’re ready for book signings all over the world. Or make the custom fabric in a deep, rich brown and have classic books scattered all over like it’s raining books. Pair that with your hair up in a bun, a pair of “librarian” glasses and watch out world.
Hmmm. think I need to go design some fabric. Anybody want some?

Post Category: Craft, Useless Fun

Add comment February 19th, 2009 at 12:14amConscripted Cherry