The most important things in life aren't things! Faith*Family*Friends

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Kindle Books - Cheap or Free!

I love reading, really, it's almost as essential to me as breathing.  I would rather read a book than watch a movie 90% of the time.  I've been a voracious reader as long as I can remember.  As a child I would hide on the floor behind my Mom's bed with a book.  As long as no one could find me they couldn't ask me to do something else and I could keep reading. I love Nancy Drew and visiting the tiny library in my small hometown.

I read for entertainment, for enlightenment, to learn new things, to pass the time while waiting, I really don't need a reason. It just one of my favorite things to do, on the patio, at the beach, in front of a fire with a cat on my lap on a cold winter evening.

And that brings us to my new friend, KINDLE.  Ta Da!

Well first it was the Kindle App.  When I got a REALsmartphone, to replace my NOT SO SMART phone, I discovered THE KINDLE APP.  I think I heard angels singing.....

So I started downloading free books from Amazon, just to try it out.  This would be a good time to mention that as much as I love to read, I believe in borrowing books or buying second hand.  I don't spend $10 to $15 on a book unless my daughter needs the book TOMORROW for school and no half-price bookstore within a reasonable distance has a copy of that book. 

So with the Kindle App literally in hand, I started my hunt on Amazon for free or really cheap books.  There are an amazing number of cheap books.  Here is an example, Currently $2.99 for FIVE books.  This series is amusing and fun and very easy light reading, perfect for times when you don't want to think hard (entertainment reading.) Plus I love a series, once I am introduced to a likable character I hate to say goodbye after only one book.
High Heel Mysteries by Gemma Halliday, photo courtesy of http://www.amazon.com/

Another great thing about e-books is that you can get a sample before buying a book which is awesome! You can read a few chapters and if you don't enjoy it, then don't buy the book. There are also a lot of free books which you can download and if you don't like it, just stop reading and move along to the next one. 

With the smartphone app I now have my book everywhere I go as long as the battery will last.  So I find I actually enjoy waiting for appointments now that I have reading material at my fingertips.  Kindle makes me a more patient person and it makes me smile because I get to spend more time reading.

For Christmas I got an actual Kindle device which has a much bigger screen than my phone (easy on the forty-something eyes) and I'm loving it! The phone app and the Kindle sync up and I can read on whichever one I have with me when I have time to read.

Many local libraries also have free books or check out some of these sites.

Free ebooks online

 InkMesh A search engine that searches more than thirty online sources for free ebooks.
Free eBooks offered by Project Gutenberg  You can download over 33,000 free ebooks to read on your PC, iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, IPhone, Android or other portable devices.
FreeBookSpot Free but registration required.
Free eBooks.net Free but registration required.
The Online Books Page  An index of hundreds of thousands of books freely readable on the Internet from the University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
eBookFling Swap ebooks for free with other readers while still retaining ownership.

I'm currently reading Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/
It's a wonderful true love story that makes me laugh out loud and since it takes place in Oklahoma, and I'm an Okie girl, I love it even more.

What are you reading?  Have you found any good free or cheap Kindle Books?  If so, please let me know.

Happy reading,

Laura

Monday, January 30, 2012

Before the www


Even though I have not even reached the ripe old age of 50 (yet) I remember when the world was a simple place with

no computers,

no internet,

no smartphones!

Our phone was an old black rotary model that hung on the wall - and it was a party line, my Mom imposed a 10 minute limit on phone calls! 

I'm pretty sure my kids could never survive without their smart phones.  I would really miss mine too, but I know I could live without it because I've been there and done that before. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for my smartphone, it helps me, most of the time. 

I'm envious of today's parents who have instant internet at their fingertips. It would have helped me tremendously when my kids were younger.  When my kids learned to talk they started asking questions - lots of questions.  I bought a dictionary, reference books, an atlas.  We learned a lot together from those questions.

Of course there are always questions that you just can't answer.  One of my favorites, came from my son when he was only four years old.  You see, my son was a kid who wanted exact, specific information from a very young age.  When he asked how babies get out of the Mommy's tummy, I gave him the same answer I gave his older sister, I told him, "God made a special place for the baby to come out."  His response was, "Where is it and can I see it?"   I'm looking forward to the day when he has kids of his own to ask him a thousand questions a day.  I hope they leave him speechless and fill his life with laughter.

Happy Monday,
Laura



Friday, January 27, 2012

Time for a New Hobby?


Because through the years I've had so much spare time that I mostly sit in a bubble bath and eat bonbons.....

I've had a lot of hobbies. A few of those include

Sewing - crafts, clothes, curtains, quilts, costumes

Snow White, Lady Gaga style

A baby quilt I made for a dear friend so long ago that the "baby" is now a freshman in college
  Gardening and canning

Lately I mostly grown bunny food
 Redecorating/updating my home

 I applied sealer, texture, paint and glaze to the walls of my kitchen.  I also spruced up an old chandelier for my breakfast room, disregard the popcorn ceiling, I'm not brave enough to tackle that (yet)

Painting on clothing - seriously my friends and I did this

One of many shirts I painted in the 80s
Pencil drawings

This is a picture of a drawing, I apologize for the quality, turns out I wasn't very good at this

Jewelry making

A few necklaces and bracelets, this was fun for a whle, but I'm mostly done, I think

So now I'm curious about this whole blogging business, I'm thinking it would make a nice new (inexpensive) hobby and wouldn't leave me with a bag full of supplies.  I'm thinking maybe now, more than ever, I will have time for a hobby because at forty something my life is not actually beginning but definitely taking a major turn.

I've been telling my friends, much to their astonishment, that I'm looking forward to turning 50.  The reason?  My last child will graduate from highschool the year I turn 50.  And I am happy to say that yes, it's this year!  Now it's not like I have a LOT of children.  I have three, but the firstborn is 12 years older than the youngest, so I've had a 'kid' in the house for 31 years. 

I'm anticipating that the next 10 years (and possibly beyond) will be a decade with more time for me and my husband.  That may sound selfish, but here's the scoop - I was married at age 17 and have lived in bliss for 32 years with my dear husband and for 31 years with at least one child and as many as three.  We had our first child 16 months after we got married so as much as we have loved raising kids together the last 31 years, we are excited about time for just the two of us again.

Anyway, I believe life might finally become a little less complicated in my 50s and I'm looking forward to every minute, but for now I'm still forty something.

Live, Love, Laugh,

Laura

And please be patient with me while I work the bugs out of my new hobby