MaeLyn's Musings

Agatha Christie I've been reading a lot of Agatha Christie lately. Nothing helps me unwind in the evenings like a good old murder mystery. After a certain point, I've come to learn a few things about her mysteries. Here are some of the things I've learned: While the detective (whether Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple or someone else) will know who did it before everyone else because They are privy to inside information They are just plain smarter than everyone else.  The detective won't divulge all the information they have until the very end. This is because They are missing one pertinent fact such as motive and want to divulge everything at once They want to wait until the perfect moment, when all the suspects are gathered together and the police are waiting in the other room to arrest the suspect at the perfect psychological moment. If the detective decides that the murderer deserves mercy, the detective can let them know privately that they are discovere...

If you chose anybody from tale, book or movie,  to trade places and lives for a while,  Who would you choose? What would you do? Which character best fits your style?  Would you like to have tea with Anne-with-an-e?  Or ride on a raft with Huck Finn?  Would you like to consort with Darcy or Wart?  Or Pocahontas or Abraham Lincoln?   Would you go to school to learn how to rule, To become a wizard, or spy?  Or maybe a ranger, or viking in danger, An inventor or wise private eye? Would you put up a fight to become a great knight? Or would you rather find pirates and treasure? Would you ride a big horse as a matter of course, Or find some sweet child to nurture? Would you climb up a mountain to drink from a fountain  that promised you eternal youth? Would you follow a star or drive in a car As you sought for an egg or a tooth? You could be a hobbit, fairy, elf, or rabbit, Or would you rathe...

What are you reading? What is the most recent book you have read? Do you like it? Would you recommend it to someone else? Here is what I would like from you (yes, you, the one who is reading this blog right now): Click on the link below that says "comments". Write the name of the book you are reading right now (or most recently finished). On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being you really like it, 1 you hate it, rate the book and type the number. Write yes or no, whether or not you would recommend the book to someone else, like me. If you have any additional comments about the book you can type them, too. For example, here's mine: The Dragon Reborn, 5, yes. This is the third book of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, and I am reading this series for the second time. If you are the type that has multiple books in progress at the same time, feel free to list all the books you are reading. I look forward to hearing from you!

I like to read. I mean, I really like to read. According to Shelfari , I read 230 books last year. This year I've only read 158 so far. Almost all of these books are fiction. When I read, I like to escape from real life. For me, a good book transports me to another world. I like reading books in series, so that world expands and grows. One of my favorite series is Anne McCaffrey 's Dragonriders of Pern. She has created an entire world with a history, a culture, a life of its own. With a compelling blending of science fiction and fantasy in the earlier books, she makes the existence of dragons (through genetic engineering) seem plausible.  I enjoy how different books she has written tell about the same events from different points of view.  When I am reading her books I feel drawn into her society. Another series I enjoy is Raymond Feist' s Riftwar Saga, as well as other series set in that universe. Several years ago, I came across a copy of the first book, Magician: App...

I have bright blue eyes and brown hair that is usually past my shoulders. I have a long vertical scar on the right side of my face from where I had a basal cell removed when I was 23 years old. I'm about 5 feet, 3 inches tall. I hovered between 95 and 105 pounds through all of high school, college, and my mission, and only started gaining weight when I got pregnant with Hannah. Right now I weigh about 135 pounds.  I have a weak chin. I've never shaped my eyebrows or dyed my hair. I only recently began wearing makeup on Sundays and special occasions. I'm starting to get wiry grey hairs mixed in with the brown ones. I got my ears pierced at a mall in Brazil while I was a missionary. I tend to have weak joints and have had troubles with my ankles, knees, wrists, and back. I have a large mole on the side of my big toe, that I have always called my "eleventh toe". I don't like having my picture taken, and I don't like most pictures that have been taken of me. ...

Lately I've been reading Hannah's library books. She has found an author, Andrew Clements, who writes fun books about school kids. Last night after dinner I asked her what book she got for me to read, and soon we were sitting on the couch, and I was reading the book out loud to her. It was fun! John was across the room reading another book, and Josh disappeared after a while, but for a couple hours I had Peter sitting on one side of me and Hannah on the other side crocheting while I read to them. We got through about three fourths of the book before I happened to glance at my watch and realized it was past Peter's bedtime and realized that I hadn't seen Josh in a long time. I got Peter to bed, and noticed that Josh was already sound asleep in his bed. I finished reading the book silently on my own, then passed it to Hannah so she could read it. It was a very enjoyable evening for me. I wonder if Josh went to bed early because he was tired, or just bored since everyone e...

Tuesday exhausted me. Wednesday I recovered. The kids had the day off school so I took the day off as well. I read a couple of Hannah's books, "The View from Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg (yes, I did have to go look that up. She also wrote, "From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler") and "The Tiger Rising" by Kate DiCamillo.(Author of Because of Winn-Dixie) I relaxed on the couch most of the day while the kids were in and out, on the computer, playing with friends, making concoctions in the kitchen, playing games, doing puzzles and having fun. I didn't go anywhere. I renewed the one library book I had that was due yesterday online so I wouldn't have to go to the library. Steven took John to scouts last night. I had a very relaxing, enjoyable day. Today, I've paid the piper. I got the kids to school, then came home to clean the mess that resulted from the kids' activities yesterday. I cleaned out the cat's litter (Okay, I ...

Lately I've been reading a lot. Most of the books I've read recently are geared towards young people, and I've been borrowing Hannah's books to read while she is in school because they are good! If anyone is interested, (and has similar taste in books, and would like some light reading) here is what I've been reading: The Cat Who .... series by Lilian Jackson Braun.  These are detective/mystery type books, but there are actual cats involved. The books in the series stand on their own and don't necessarily have to be read in order, but sometimes it helps because it gives you more background on the characters involved. Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I read this a long time ago along with its sequel, but I wanted to refresh my memory before I read the third book in the series. Strong influences from Tolkien and David Eddings. Percy Jackson and The Olympians   series by Rick Riordan. It helps if you have some basic knowledge of Greek Mythology because in the ...