Sunday, January 1, 2012

Sunday Salon: The one where I implode from happiness

Hey friends!  Long time, no see!  At least here at the Salon.  Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and got everything they wanted.  Ultimately, I had intended this post to be an accounting of all of my New Year's literary goals, but I can't restrain myself.  I had to share.  Goals, schmoals.  I'll talk about them some other time.  I have to show you what Santa brought, and talk about what I've been reading (or not).  


So first, Precious #1.  My husband, my parents and a family friend (my stand-in Grandma) all chipped in to give me a place to put my books.  Or at least get them off the floor.  These gorgeous bookcases came from IKEA believe it or not.  They weighed a million pounds, but Santa got them in his car, carried them into the house, and assembled.  Although I caught a nasty flu bug on Christmas evening, I mustered all of my energy to move my floor books to a better place.  Ahhh.  I almost want to weep.  













Precious #2, from my husband.  After three years with a beloved little HP netbook that crashed with a simple video, I received a brand new 11 inch Macbook Air.  Oh, it is just an amazing thing.  It is so thin and light and blasts all over the Internet at the speed of sound.  I was a teeny bit scared making the transition from Windows to Mac, but it was actually seamless.  For those of you who are Mac people, you may be rolling your eyes at me, but you understand. 






















So what have I been up to?  Well, not a whole lot of reading really.  I tried, but all that shopping and cooking and gifting and fluing took up all my time. I did finish "Dog On It", a cozy mystery narrated by the most awesome dog.  This is a series, and I can't wait to read more.  I also read the graphic novel "Anya's Ghost", a gift from Heather, and loved that.  Now I am working on "Unsaid" by Neil Abramson, about a female vet who has died, but has yet to pass into the afterlife because of unresolved issues with the animals she cared for in life.  I know, why not just rip my heart out and stomp on it, but this author made an impression on me at SIBA this year.


My audio activity has been almost nil, but I did start Stephen King's 11/22/63.  I'm only on disc 5 (out of 30) but it has been gripping from the first word.  Jill and I are reading this together, so prepare for some dueling reviews when we both finish.


We brought in the new year last night with our New England friends, lobster, steamers, chowda, high cholesterol and laughs.  So!  The diet has officially started in earnest.  I've banned butter and carbs from the house and I have a trainer that has accepted the mission to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.  Or whatever that saying is. 


Hope you all are relaxed and recovering nicely from your celebrations over the last week.  What are you up to today? 




34 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Your bookcases are beautiful! I swear IKEA is the best place to buy bookcases. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Elisabeth said...

Love those bookcases, they are on my TBB list{to be bought} list! I am also starting a diet today, so depressing, I love butter, but look forward to another great year of reading with you!

christina said...

Good luck to the animal read. I have a rule to never read a book that centers around animals. I just can't do it. So, sincerely, good luck to you.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Happy New Year! And also, can you please send me the IKEA specs (model and whatever) so maybe I can get some too because it looks perfect! Yes, going to try to get back to 11/22/63 today! :--)

caite said...

bookshelves...what a lovely gift!

Beth(bookaholicmom) said...

Those bookcases are awesome! Enjoy the new laptop and the bookshelves. That flu...nasty stuff! I hope you are feeling better and the New Year is good to you and your family!

Trisha said...

Love the bookcases! And isn't playing and organizing and moving and readjusting and looking over and all that just fantastic? I love moving books around on shelves. :)

Teacher/Learner said...

Happy New Year! Awww, what a great pair of gifts :) Hope you're feeling better.

Jenny said...

The shelves look great!! My shelves are from IKEA as well!

Heidenkind said...

Welcome to the cult, Sandy! Once you go Mac you never go back. ;)

Ana S. said...

I love your new bookcases! And hooray for a new computer. Sounds like the holidays treated you well :)

Belle Wong said...

Gorgeous bookcases! I agree with Kathy, IKEA is the best places for bookcases. Happy new year!

Michele said...

Oh gosh, Santa WAS good to you!!!! Beautiful! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Bookshelves AND a Mac?? You must've been a very good girl in 2011!

Happy New Year Sandy!

Alyce said...

My first read of the year is a sad one too. It's called Immortal Bird and it's a memoir about a boy with a heart defect. It's been hard to put down, and I keep waiting for an inevitable sad ending, but I went into this read ignorant of the outcome on purpose.

Your bookcases are gorgeous! I wish I had room for such bookcases!

Literary Feline said...

Ooo! Love the bookcases! And the new computer. :-). Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas, Sandy. I really liked the first Spencer Quinn book. Such a fun series.

I hope you have a happy New Year!

Jenny said...

OH, here's another thing to be happy about... my husband tells me EL&IC will be released nationwide on 1/20!

Marie Cloutier said...

Holy moly, beautiful new bookcases AND a beautiful new Mac? Lucky lady!! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you!

JoAnn said...

Bookcases and a Mac - you are one lucky woman!!

Unknown said...

I love your bookcases! They look just lovely. I love to go to IKEA. Glad to hear you've recovered and enjoyed a nice NYE. Really....30 discs? Dang!
Congrats on the Mac too....Santa was very good to you!!

Julie P. said...

Now that's a gift! I think the good old flu bug found me too on Christmas Day.

Unknown said...

What an amazing set of book cases! I really need something like that as my books are falling over the floor. I hope that you have a wonderful 2012!

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

Santa was very good to you!

I switched from PC to Mac last year, and I haven't looked back. Kathy (Bermudaonion) is great with sharing Mac tips :)

Michelle said...

Beautiful - on both counts! You do know that you will never go back to PCs ever again, right? ;-)

Good luck with the diet and with all of your 2012 goals!

Kathleen said...

Happy New Year Sandy! Your bookcases and computer are wonderful gifts! I know you will enjoy them both all year long!

Molly said...

Oohhh... somebody must have been a very good girl!!

The bookshelves are to die for - and I, too, was amazed how easy the transition was from Windows to Apple. I am now totally converted. I have an iPhone - MacBook Pro - and iPad :)

Wishing you and your family a most glorious new year, Sandy! I look forward to reading all your posts in 2012.

Anna said...

Looks like Santa was really good to you this year! Love the bookcases! Happy new year!

Jenners said...

Oh lovely!! Gorgeous!! And not having to put the bookcases together yourself? Pricess!!! (This said from someone who is currently assembling Ikea furniture all by herself. ACK. My son is getting a "big boy" room. )

And I moved to a Mac earlier this year and LOVE IT! Never going back. Never!

Great presents for you! I'm soooooo happy for you!

Meg @ write meg! said...

Oooh, congrats on your lovely laptop and bookcase! I have one from IKEA, too, and about cried with joy after I'd organized all my novels in one place.

Of course, that was three years ago... and that same bookcase is now caving under the weight of double- and triple-stacked books on its shelves. But still -- my precious!

Unknown said...

Beautiful book shelves, Sandy and the Macbook Air sounds like a lot of fun and looks so cool! I'm so sorry to read you had the flu, awesome you recovered in time for a fun New Year's Eve!

Happy 2012, Best Wishes for a wonderful year for you and your family!

Melody said...

Happy New Year, Sandy!
I love your new bookcases! And that new MacBook Air is simply wonderful!!

patebooks said...

Wish I had room for more bookcases. The stacks are turning into furniture. Do you have a favorite place to donate books?!

Happy New Year!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

A mac laptop and bookcases! What an amazing Christmas!

Melissa said...

I love the new bookshelves!! I wish I had room in our house for something like that. :) Instead I'm trying to thin my collection out enough to get rid of a bookshelf...