Favorite books of 2016 and Life in General

We've been having another winter storm here on the Oregon coast.  Four and a half inches of rain in 2 days! Today is one of those BIG OCEAN days!  In between downpours that we can't see anything through .. the waves are crazy huge - slamming over the sea stacks we see out our window.  The waves have even gone over the top of Rainbow Rock Island several times.  DH and I are glued to the windows, calling out where to look quick!!  I won't be getting much done today, just saying!!

You know those women that only enjoy a certain type of book?  A mystery lover, only romance or only historic fiction.  Me neither!!  And I am certainly not one of them!!f Although I notice I enjoyed a lot of Science Fiction this year.

I have an old fashioned Ledger book that I write down and rate the books I read. The current Ledger was started in 2003.  It's full and falling apart!!  I also have an Access spreadsheet that goes back to 1985!

I rate them because - when you're in the doldrums, can't find anything good to read, you can go back and find the ones you really liked (4 stars) and then see if that author has written anything new!

In 2016 the **** books were:

Flying Changes by Sara Gruen
About a Jr Equestrian Star now that she is grown up.  Sara Gruen always tackles the issues that we think about how to handle.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
Fascinating story of a SciFi spy who helps people.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
Imagine you have a pen pal from another country.  You've been invited to come for a visit, but once you get there, your penpal has passed on.  But she's made arrangements for you to stay ...

Dies The Fire by S M Stirling
SciFi, but near future end of the world story that takes place in the Great Northwest!  I enjoyed this book which is the first of a series by the author.

Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein
I love John Sandford - all 3 series he's written.  This is different!  SciFi - 2066 and an alien  space ship has entered our solar system.  The race is on to capture the new technology.

This Is Not A Game by Walter J Williams
When online games and real life interact.

The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth (5*!)
A 38 year old woman is slipping into early dementia. What is left when your mind is gone?

Extreme Prey by John Sandford
In this, his 26th Lucas Davenport series, well the legend lives on.  I love his series (plural) I've read every one and most of them several times!!  If you haven't discovered John Sandford yet - start now!! Rules of Prey is the beginning.

I'm finally feeling like myself after my l*o*n*g bout of the Respiratory Flu I got before Christmas.  I still am fighting a little cough - but at least I have my energy back most days.  And all that laying around, when I wasn't just vegging, I was planning quilts!!  So I have been on a mission to work on some ongoing projects that have been in "time-out" too long!


Our guild quilt show is over Memorial Day weekend.  We've had less and less hand quilted quilts to show.  We eliminated the size restriction so I finished a 'bunk bed' size UFO with the aim of hand quilting it.  DH is gone for a week in two weeks and I plan to frame it and quilt on the frame as far as I can get.  If I'm not done before he gets back, I'll baste it and continue quilting in a hoop.  I'm hoping my hands hold up!

I sent out the "Christmas Leftovers" fabric post cards.  I think they went by Pony Express - but they have finally arrived.  I always collect the debris left Christmas morning - and fashion a thank you note out of it for each of my children's families.  Dumpster diving at it's best!?!

Here's a great picture my daughter took during all those snow days in Portland this month.  The new game in Portland was "Where's Meg the Dalmatian??"

The cul de sac we usually play ball and ride bikes in!

That's it for now.  Go read some good books, get going on quilt projects you have figured out something for.  Or sit in front of the window and watch nature where ever you are!!