A Thousand Splended Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This remarkable story spans three decades in Afghanistan, from the Soviet invasion to more recent post- Taliban days. We get a much closer look and idea of what it is really like to be a woman in this war ravaged country through Mariam and Laila. They form an unbreakable alliance after years of being married to the same brutal man, Rasheed. It is heartrending to see what happened to the women there, with no power to defend or represent themselves for justice and the most basic humanitarian treatment. Often in our own busy lives, we don't give too much thought beyond the quick news blurb or more statistics coming from Afghanistan. This beautiful, yet incredibly sad book shows the hopes, dreams and spirits of these two remarkable women. Their dignity and bravery in the face of such malice and degradation is an inspiration. They care about what women everywhere do- love, protecting their children, and having a purpose and happiness in their lives. 5 stars

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

What a delightful tale that I never get tired of. This was the audio version narrated by Rob Reiner, he did a really fabulous job. Loved it! This is a family movie that is one of our top five favorites of all time. (Billy's shirt with one of our favorite lines from the movie)

Laundry Room Makeover

This project was long overdue. The laundry room became the dumping ground for all objects that needed a temporary home. It got to the point where there was just a path to the freezer and the washer and dryer. Sad. I chose a pretty blue called Blue Cosmos which is actually prettier and more vivid than it shows in the pictures. I chose a brighter white for the cabinets and it was really the perfect finishing touch. The cabinets were all re-organized also and everything put away neatly. The finished look really is so cheery and it makes doing the laundry much more pleasant.

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

Review and rating of 4 stars.
I began this story on the 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy, it just so happened to show up from my holds list at the library.
Tess Collins is a maid in Cherbourg who wants a better life for herself and flees to the docking area of the new luxury ship Titanic hoping to find employment and passage there. She meets up with the true life character of Lady Duff Gordon, the famous fashion designer. Hired on as her assistant, they make their way to New York and of course we all know what happens on the way.
This story deals mostly with the trials after, how the survivors cope with the loss and their actions, the media circus, and lack of acknowledgement of responsibility and cover up from the White Star line. Tess is torn between two love interests and she eventually has to make the decision to stand up for herself and the truth, to follow her heart, and whether or not to abandon her dream of becoming a successful dressmaker under Gordon's tutelage.
An interesting blend of fact and fiction that prompted me to look up some of the characters in the story and to learn more about the aftermath of this tragedy that so could have been prevented. I also learned that Lady Duff Gordon was supposed to sail on the Lusitania and had to cancel due to illness.

The best granola in the world

This is Alton Brown's recipe for granola. I think it is the best I have ever had and so easy to make. Why would you ever buy it again after finding out about this incredible treat? Recipe courtesy of the Food Network: Ingredients 3 cups rolled oats 1 cup slivered almonds 1 cup cashews 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup raisins Directions Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

God Save The Sweet Potato Queens by Jill Conner Browne

This was just okay for me, mildly amusing in places but never outright hysterically funny. I listened to the audio version while out on my walks and enjoyed the author's reading of it. I can't get enough of Southern stories and charm so maybe this is why I was initially drawn to this. I wish that I had known years ago that basically all you need to do well in life is a title, a tiara, and a sassy attitude. Would have saved a lot of time :)
Not a complete waste but I won't be pursuing any more of the Queen's adventures.(3 stars out of 5 and I'm being charitable).

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

I swear that this is my last Stephanie Plum novel. I mean it this time. No different than the ten installments before this one, I feel that the author is just coasting at this point. The one thing that saved it for me was that I got it from the library and didn't plunk any of my own money down on it.
Stephanie and Lula in another madcap misadventure as the most inept bounty hunters on the planet, dining on Cluck in a Bucket chicken and doughnuts. How hilarious! Let's not leave out Lula's outrageous fashion sense, skinny clothes on a plus sized body, and her prized Via Spigas. Rex living in his soup can must be the longest lived hamster in rodentdom considering his spotty diet. Morelli and Ranger are the same old story, I used to care but don't anymore. Did you know that Ranger favors the color black and basically gives hot, steamy glances while uttering his one word of "Babe"? Grandma Mazur is still up to the same old schtick. Stephanie's mom is just waiting for the respectable hour of 5 or something so she can begin to drink, while Dad waits for his lovely Italian dinner to be laid out, rolling his eyes and muttering behind the newspaper. And of course you can add the random wacky and very unlikely villains to bring the whole story together. I just can't go through this again. Ever.
1 star rating.