Review - Oink! My Life with Minipigs by Matt Whyman

Title: Oink! My Life with Minipigs
Author: Matt Whyman
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Publish Date: February 17, 2011
Hardcover, 320 pages

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I have always had this thing for a farm. Yes, I am totally crazy. I know that the work involved in a farm is astronomical! But my heart would love to visit (?) a farm. Especially since I can't convince Saint to go farm with me. lol

This book should have been called, "My wife traded my balls in for two mini pigs." This poor guy! I feel so bad for him. His life is turned upside down when his wife wants to add mini-pigs to the mix of four kids, cats and chickens. These kids and Matt's wife, Emma, gang up on him to help out which is code for turn your life upside down. His office becomes the place for the pigs, they pee on his toes, they take his spot on the couch and so much more.

When I started reading this book, I thought, a set of mini-pigs that would be awesome. After three quarters of the book, I decided mini-pigs are too messy. And way too much trouble! The story was sweet and funny and just so incredible.



Summary -
What happens when a man wonders aloud if a pig would make a good pet? A great deal -- once his wife discovers a kind the size of a handbag. Matt Whyman is a writer and house husband. He enjoys the quiet life. His career wife, Emma, prefers the chaos a big brood can bring. On top of four challenging children, one freaked-out feline, a wolf-like dog and a wild bunch of ex-battery chickens, she brings minipigs Butch and Roxi into the fold. But can the new arrivals really cuddle up on the sofa, or will their growing presence spark a battle of hearts, snouts and minds? Funny, touching and entertaining, Oink! charts the trials and errors of one man and his menagerie. With help and advice from a seasoned local smallholder, Matt sets out to master the art of managing minipigs -- inside the house and out. Then someone suggests breeding minipiglets, and Matt's understanding of marriage is tested in the most unexpected ways...

Review - Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: Drink, Slay, Love
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publish Date: Sept 13, 2011
Hardcover, 385 pages

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I honestly didn't see myself reading this book. I am kind of over vampire books. Yet, I am not. (lol) Seriously, some vampire books are so similar it's sad. Then again, I am surprised over and over again with books like this one.

Pearl is a vampire who is cruel, heartless and on her way to being a stereotypical vampire. She has a handsome boyfriend who hangs out with her as she pushes all the risks. Until one morning, she is staked with a unicorn horn. She wakes up on the porch of her families house, still alive. Her family is completely annoyed with her bringing attention to the family. As Pearl starts to figure out quickly, with the staking comes special powers like walking in the daylight. But she soon realizes her powers give her more responsibilities. She is now the person in the family who must find the answer to their problems - she must find the food for their big bash with the King Vampire. As she hangs out with humans, high school humans nontheless, she starts to find her conscience. Not a good thing for a vampire. At the same time, she realizes what true friends are. She must choose friends or family.

I loved this book. So much fun. Very different and very entertaining. Hoping and praying that this will be the first in a long series of other books for Pearl!

Going to read Sarah Beth Durst's other books!

Summary -
Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

Wordless Wednesday - Dinner

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday - Tune In

Having gone back to my grandparent's house recently, all the places we've been and seen, it's the one place that hasn't changed since I was born. This song was in my head. It's so beautiful and mysterious, yet achingly comforting.

I know this is Soundtrack Month, but I am sorry, had to go with the song in my heart.

Sheryl Crow
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Here's where I've been the past week

Took a little siesta from blogging this week as I have been dealing with a lot lately and needed to catch up on things. Mainly needed some person health days. Here's a few bullet points -

• My grandmother was sick and we thought we might lose her. Thankfully she is recovering. I was able to go see her and spend five days with her and my grandpa. I learned so much from this trip. I learned I can be the adult when necessary, as I was with my grandfather and niece, I had to make some decisions and drive at night. Needless to say, I couldn't be all weepy and difficult. (not that I am) It was very eye opening for me. I heard stories of my grandfather when he was an MP and overseas in the Korean War, when my grandparents met and dated and so much other wonderful history. I heard about my uncle when he grew up being a sheep farmer, then going off to war at age 15 to WWII. I want to go back and record all that stuff before it is too late.
  
• Haven't seen Saint in almost a month, having withdrawals. He visited this weekend. Just missed our first snow, but we had a wonderful weekend. We didn't do much, but enjoying each others company is how we do it best.
• My cat, Izabel, has a ruptured ear drum and we think that might be the reason she has been acting a bit strange like walking off the bed and falling over. Apparently the vet says ear drums grow back??? (google searching this) She also has a heart murmur. We are having blood tests run for that. I will find out if she will ever be able to have her teeth cleaned again, as they cannot do this without anesthesia and anesthesia is not good for heart murmurs.
• I have been trying all class to get ahead of my schedule of work and homework and haven't been able to do so. My days off have been spent doing all things not school. I finally caught up, but will hopefully get ahead this next week. (fingers crossed)
• I bought another new cookbook. GASP! (i know) I found a few good recipes I love and decided to go shopping. GASP! (again) After the past couple months of living off cereal, coffee and take out, this is a pleasant surprise to even myself. I made a really good Cajun Chicken and Andouille Sausage recipe with pasta, but too much cajun and I think over rice with spinach would be better. I also made a wonderful Pork Tenderloin over Sweet Potatoes that was so AWESOME!!
  
• My boss was sick for over a week. We did our best to avoid him and let him be, but there is only so much we can do to not have a meeting. Not to mention we all walked around with hand sanitizer and wipes, even wiping his aura. (LOL great joke for a boss) The day after we convinced him to take days off, I got sick. UGH! I am recovering and okay, not nearly as bad I thought I would be, but nevertheless. It stinks to be sick. I am popping Zinc, Vitamin C, Aspirin (for headaches) and having a nice Hot Totty before bed with whiskey. (granted occasionally with nose plugged bc whiskey is harsh stuff, but I am wimpy when it comes to alcohol)
  

How are you?