Hide ~ Lisa Gardner

HIDE

You have good reason to be afraid..

It was a case that haunts Bobby Dodge to this day-the case that nearly killed him and changed his life forever. Now, in an underground chamber on the grounds of an abandoned Massachusetts mental hospital, the gruesome discovery of six mummified corpses resurrects his worst nightmare: the return of a killer he thought dead and buried.

There's no place to run..

Bobby's only lead is wrapped around a dead woman's neck. Annabelle Granger has been in hiding for as long as she can remember. Her childhood was a blur of new cities and assumed identities. But what-or who-her family was running from, she never knew. Now, a body is unearthed from a grave, wearing a necklace bearing Annabelle's name, and the danger is too close to escape. This time, she's not going to run.

You know he will find you..

The new threat could be the dead psychopath's copycat, his protégé-or something far more terrifying. Dodge knows the only way to find him is to solve the mystery of Annabelle Granger, and to do that he must team up with his former lover, partner, and friend D. D. Warren from the Boston P.D. But the trail leads back to a woman from Bobby's past who may be every bit as dangerous as the new killer-a beautiful survivor-turned-avenger with an eerie link to Annabelle.

From its tense opening pages to its shocking climax, HIDE is a thriller that delves into our deepest, darkest fears. Where there is no one to trust. Where there is no place left to hide.

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This book was phenomenal! I read it in less than 2 days. I couldn't put it down and it kept me up at night with wanting to read 'just one more page'. Anyone that loves to be spooked when reading a book, needs to read this one. Read anything from Lisa Gardner, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Dear Santa Update

I've added another 6 hours to this piece and I'm loving it. I'm so close to finished, but not near close enough.

I have a confession to make and I hesitate to post it. I started another piece. I started Love With A Capital L. I worked on it for 2 hours this evening. There isn't much to show for my work, but soon enough I hope to have an update. I didn't think this one through all that well. I committed to 36 count over 1 and it is very very tiny. I can now make out a pattern in the design which I'm surprised since at first it was just a blob. Have faith should be my new motto, I think. Hope to be back soon with an update at the 10 hour mark, maybe by next weekend.

Happy stitching days to you.

Love and hugs!

Bait ~ Karen Robards

It's a business trip that takes attorney Maddie Fitzgerald down to New Orleans, but it's hardly business as usual when a man breaks into her hotel room and tries to kill her. Barely escaping with her life, the sexy, stylish thirty-two-year-old brunette calls the police and finds herself face-to-face with FBI agent Sam McCabe. Unnerved by his questions-and his good looks-Maddie is told she's been targeted by a hired killer, one who has eluded McCabe for years.

Apparently, she's been mistaken for another woman, an FBI informant of the same name who was also staying at the hotel that night. McCabe grills her, and then disappears. Shaken, she finishes her business and returns home to St. Louis.

But days later, Maddie is attacked a second time, and again McCabe returns to question her. He convinces her that the only way she'll ever be safe again is if the killer is caught, and the quickest way to nab him is to use her as bait. Maddie reluctantly agrees, and sparks fly and then ignite as McCabe shadows her. But their unexpected romance throws McCabe off his stride-and puts Maddie in the hands of a killer.

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This was a fun read. Very predictable, but fun nonetheless.

I'm soooo excited as I try to conherently compose this entry. Have patience will me, will ya.

As I've stated in some of my previous posts my house is in various states of renovation. Well, one step closer to completion I am today. From the very first time, I was separated and each time after I started to tear my bedroom apart. Over the course of the past 3 years, my room has had the flooring torn out, trim taken down. Krista and I got together one night quite a few months ago and painted the room. Okay, I'll admit we had a few Corona too! No, seriously we did. As I come to think of it anyone that has meant something to my recovery (minus Mary) has helped in the transformation of my room. Mary, there's still lots to do, my dear.

Next step in the process was the laying of the flooring. I bought the laminate a few months ago and after some scheduling with Cute Boy, my new flooring has been laid. I just love it. I had expected to help lay the floor, but much to my surprise I really had to do nothing. Not being expected to help with the renovations was a gift in itself. Couple that with the new flooring, what a lucky girl I am!

Cute Boy just left from laying my laminate flooring and putting up the trim in my bedroom. It took him a bit longer than expected only because he had to assemble a table saw because I didn't own one. I'm soooooo excited I can't even tell you!!!! I didn't expect him to do the trim as well, but he did. Now I just have to get the trim for around the window and he'll do that as well. I love it. I'm so in love with my new room. I can't wait to get my bed put together and put together all my decorations. I've been buying things for my room for about a year now, so this promises to be lots of fun!!!!!

Cute Boy isn't a perfectionist my any means, but he's persnickity enough to be awesome. I didn't have to help at all which is very strange. There was no condescending comments or tones spoken. He just puttered around as though he wasn't even here and did everything all by himself.... what an absolute doll. I felt totally inept and lazy as a cut dog, but I just stayed out of the way and hung out with my dog pretty much all day! If I truly wanted I could have cuddled in Lil's bed and read a book. I know this might appear as nattering, but it is extremely foreign to me! I will post a pic tomorrow night. I need to get batteries for my camera. WOOHOO for me! I'm soooo excited. One job at a time and soon enough I'm going to have a house I can be proud of and no longer dread people coming over!!!!!!!!!!!

What Kind of Love?

I wonder what is up with the theme of love on my blog lately. Now, don't go getting all deep and try to put more meaning into that than there is. It seems that everywhere I look I'm finding things pertaining to love and can't resist the temptation to share with you.

I recently did this on-line question thingy to discover your kind of love. I think it fits me pretty well, although those I spend time with may disagree.

You have PLAYFUL love, and it suits you well. You are light-hearted and easy-going, and are willing to compromise when there is a disagreement (which isnt often). Maybe some people think you dont take love seriously enough, but you have a good time and a good heart, and thats what is important.

The Game Is On and The Door Is Open

I get a lot of forwards in my e-mail. Some people aren't big fans of forwards, but they don't bother me too much. It means on some level someone is thinking of you, and that is the way I try to think of it. There are times when I wish certain people would think of me in other ways than just a forward, but that is for another time.

The forward I got the other day was different than most. This particular forward is one where you had to think of something about the person who forwarded the e-mail. Reply to the sender with the word that comes to mind when you think of said person. Hope I explained this well enough to make sense.

I've had a few e-mails come in and I'm surprised by some of the words used to describe me. As with most things, the words have given me reason to think which I love. Things like this can be scary, leaving yourself out there to be critiqued. I came away okay, although I think people were a little easy on me.

Fun ~ I've always thought I was boring
Loyal ~ Awwwww, thanks so much
Real ~ This one is the big one. It made me cry!
Beautiful ~ puuuuullleeeeze
Courageous ~ WOW
Lovable ~ That is appreciated
Sweet ~ Geee, thanks
Strong ~ I'm starting to finally see this! Thanks
Sweetheart ~ ohhhhhh, I thank you Leigh.
Bright ~ Okay, I'm speechless
Open ~ Sometimes too much so

Dear Santa

Here is my Dear Santa piece as it is right now. I'm going to be focusing on this piece for the remainder of February. It was to be my March piece, but since I finished the Christmas Elf Fairy so quickly I'm able to move on to something else. Such fun.

I might as well enjoy my quick finishes while I can because soon enough I'm going to be working on pieces that will not be finished in a month or less no matter how much time I dedicate to them.

I thank you for looking! I hope to be back soon with an update at the 20 hours point.

Elf Fairy Finished

I was able to put the final beads in this morning. I love this little imp. She is just too cute. The only thing I'm unsure about is the white beads on the tree. I think I should have changed them up and used the silverish coloured beads. Lily thinks the white ones are fine since they look like snow. They just appear to me like Minnie Mouse shoes! KWIM? Overkill, really! Big and loud and so out of place!

Here she is with her beads changed to silver. I think is much improved and not so distracting.

This piece was started January 14, 2005 and completed Feb 17, 2007. How is it that it took me 2 years to find 39 hours 35 minutes to stitch this piece? Oh, I keep forgetting that I had 15 pieces on the go at one point! I'm kidding. I did forget or rather, can't forget no matter how hard I try.

My next piece is something being stitched for a friend on the Cross Stitch Crazy Board. I'm not sure if it's a surpise or not, so until I find out for sure I'll keep this next piece to myself.

After finishing the surprise piece, Lily has chosen for me to finish Dear Santa. It is a about 1/2 done and shouldn't take too long to get finished either. Just imagine I could have 3 finishes in 2 months! I think I had one finish in all of last year, but I did get a good number of them started last year, right? That's part of the process too, isn't it?

Thanks for watching the progress of this piece and always being here to cheer me on.

Stitching Up A Storm

Under the blanket of snow that fell yesterday I was able to stay home all day. I had to leave the house for a total of 10 minutes, if that. The rest of my day was dedictated to tea, television and stitching. Oh, somewhere in there I did assembly Princess' new bed. Pics of that coming later.

This little fairy finally got her wings and everything else except her beading and backstitching. I'm hoping to have her completed by the weekend, if I can find her beads. For the life of me I can't find them. How they got separated from her person, I'll never know!

If at some point throughout the day my neck and back start to hurt, someone remind thats what happens when you stitch 10 hours in one day!

Love Is

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8a

I'm not a real advocate of Valentine's Day, so I'll post this on a day NOT Valentine's. I believe if you love and care for someone you should show that in your every day encounters, not just on a specific day set out on a calendar.

I've been reading the above verse a lot lately and most of that is because I will soon be stitching this piece. It is the most gorgeous of pieces and a most beautiful verse. In thinking about stitching this, I think about the meaning and I couldn't agree more. I'm really looking forward to working this piece, and think I already have the perfect place to hang it. I'll let you know if I stay with my original plan or deviate as I've been known to do from time to time.

The Apprentice ~Tess Gerritsen

It’s a boiling summer in Boston. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes that end in abduction and death. The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently thrown behind bars. Police can only assume an acolyte is at large, a maniac basing his attacks on the twisted medical techniques of the madman he so admires.

At least that’s what detective Jane Rizzoli thinks. Forced again to confront the killer who scarred her – literally and figuratively – she is determined to finally end Hoyt’s awful influence. Rizzoli isn’t counting on becoming a target herself.

Yet once Hoyt is suddenly free, he joins his mysterious blood brother in a vicious vendetta….

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I am now hooked on this series. I have an obligation read that I will finish before I pick up book #3 otherwise I'll never finish my book club book. Tess Gerritsen can tell a story with such clarity you would think you were living the nightmare along with the characters. Absolutely creepy, but I love it!

English Lesson 101

Love:
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection
3. affectionate concern for the well-being of others

Fear:
1. be afraid of
2. to have reverential awe of

Risk:
1. exposure to the chance of injury or loss

One can be experienced without the other. To have love fear isn't a prerequisite. There is no need to bring the two together. If challenged, you can live in a life without the two side by side. Life is meant to be lived, not something to fear. Love is the most wonderful of gifts. To give it, you give of yourself more deeply than you can give of anything else. Fear need not rule all things, but freedom from fear is yet another gift of a life well lived. Risk is what life is about and fear of the unknown is what could keep one from experiencing the most life has to offer.

Mirabilia's Fairy Elf ~ 20 hours

My piece for this month is Mirabilia's Fairy Elf. She is such a cute little imp. I've not had as much time to work on her as I had hoped I would, but things should slow down some and I'll be able to spend more time with her.

Without further adieu, here she is in all her glory so far.

For those of you that are familiar with how I stitch, I put a face on her to stem the flow of comments of how creepy she is without a face. You see, I do listen to you! She would have had a bit more hair had the frog not shown up with his handy little scissors! Darn him. I think someone has spotted him in Siberia which is where I aimed when I kicked his sorry little rear out of my house.

Thanks so much for looking. Love ya!

FWACKED Toes And All That

What an awesome time I had last night and get your mind out of the gutter. I've not had that kind of night in some time..... oh I digress. Now, where was I? Oh ya, last night.

A bunch of people got together last night to celebrate Queenie's 16th Birthday. As usual, it is the birthday girl's choice of restaurant so off to The Lonestar we head.

There were a bunch of people and it couldn't have been a better sized crowd. I presented Queenie with her Fan Club Badges. She was impressed ~ NOT!!!! Too funny.

After a great dinner we head back to the house and there I'm entertained by Krista and Mary. Oh, again how I love these women. We do not get together near enough. The topics of conversation run from something to do with backwards cowboy something or other... very much grown up for my innocent ears, to FWACKED toes. Miss Mary broke her toe by FWACKING it.... you talk about laugh. I was laughing so hard, I thought I was going to stop breathing. Only does this happen in the company of these two women. It was more like my party than Queenie's.

Mary, Krista and myself have a trip to the States planned for the beginning of March. I pity them. They'll have not seen the likes of us, if they even let us enter the country. Now if we get to the States, will Canada allow us to return or will the say good riddance to us.

I will be the one driving ~ hold on! I hate heights and will have to drive over the bridge... how do you do that with your eyes closed? Krista and I have yet to figure that one out. We might let Mary drive, but that will only work if we clear the sky of birds. Poor Miss Mary and her bird phobia. We still love ya, hon.

I'll keep ya posted on the developments of our trip to the States as well as anything else that might be of interest as the time to our trip nears.

Happy Sweet 16 My Precious Baby Girl

Oh where has the time gone? It seems as though it was only yesterday I looked in to your eyes, my most precious little angel. I knew from the earliest moments of my pregnancy that you were going to be an amazing little girl, and that you would forever change my life. Never did I dream just how you would change my life nor that I would come to love you to the degree I do today.

You've been a firecracker from day one, so full of life and ready for whatever life throws your way. That doesn't seem to have changed as you've grown into the beautiful young woman that stands before me today. As much as I cherish the little girl you were I look forward to the type of woman you will become. I'm more proud of you than any words I put to paper could convey.

In closing I will say, I'm honoured to be a member of your Fanclub, Alyssa!

Point Blank ~ Catherine Coulter

FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich face the most dangerous case of their careers in Catherine Coulter's explosive new thriller.

Point Blank's propulsive story takes off when FBI agents Dillon Savich and Dane Carver are nearly killed while trying to rescue popular entertainer Pinky Womack from kidnappers. Lured to a motel in Pumis City, Virginia, by a known snitch, the only thing the agents discover is a glowing red timer. The place is demolished in a catastrophic explosion, but everyone survives.

The same snitch leads them to Arlington National Cemetery, promising the agents Pinky's safe return. The search is interrupted when Savich takes a fateful call on his cell. The mysterious caller taunts Savich with other threats-against him, and against his wife, fellow agent Lacey Sherlock. Up against an untraceable foe-not even MAX can locate him-Savich and Sherlock find themselves fighting an unstable villain with a very long memory.

At the same time, Agent Ruth Warnecki's passion for treasure hunting leads her to Winkel's Cave and a cave chamber that really shouldn't exist-as well as a dead student from Stanislaus Music School, left there for eternity. Some students have wandered quite far from the beaten path, with terrible consequences.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller as exhilarating and frightening as anything she's ever written, Point Blank is Catherine Coulter's finest achievement.

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In typical Catherine Coulter fashion, this story moved quickly and with smooth character development. I had a difficult time putting this one down. Now to wait for the next installment.

Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus

This has been a project in the works for 2 1/2 years and 146 hours and it has now been moved to the finished pile!!! I'm not sure I actually believe that I've finally finished this piece. As much as I love it there were times when I just dreaded it coming up in my rotation. I think most of that stems from the linen, but in the end I wouldn't change a thing. Okay, maybe I would I'd have never put it down and neglected it for so long.

Now that both pieces, Spirit of Christmas and Gift of Peace are completed I'm faced with what to do with them. I'm going to leave them hanging and mull it over for while. You think in the past 2+ years I would have some idea about what I had planned for them, but I don't.

February's piece is Mirablia's Elf Fairy. I'll update with progress pics as I produce them.

Happy Stitching Days to you.

Stitching Chattering

January saw a month of amazing stitching numbers. I logged 55 hours 55 minutes in the month of January. I don't know that I've ever stitched that much in one month. Even with such a great amount of stitching time I was unable to get Spirit of Christmas completed. I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of the weekend.

I had laid out what I was to be working on for the year, but I've have a change of heart and a change of plans. I have the most adorable stitching extraordinaire assistant by the name of Lily. I was planning on working on The Bride for the month of February, but after long contemplation and a push from Lil, I've decided to work on Mirabilia's Elf Fairy. I have about 15 hours in on this and Lily and I think I should be able to finish her up in the remainder of the month.

I'll keep the updates coming as I have them available. Stay tuned for my first finish in 2007!!!