Things I Should Be Blogging About More Regularly

So, in my absence of real posts (like I ever write such a thing around here) I thought I'd try to catch you up on what's been happening in my life since I turned the big 3-oh.

1) I so did not have a conversation with my car this morning about how my car does not like the cold weather. Nope, not me. This would be a great post for Not Me Monday, but we all know I can never remember to do those types of posts on the days that I am supposed to.

2) Speaking of Not Me Monday, have you ever read MckMama's blog? If not, and you're female (guys I think you'll be less interested) you should. This woman is a riot. And her kids are so cute. She less off-the-wall random than Pioneer Woman.

3) I just found a nail in the screen of my window upstairs. The construction in the lot next to mine is responsible. I'm hoping the builder will replace my screen. We'll see. With all the contracts you have sign saying you are aware the neighborhood is under construction (which I think are due mostly to noise early in the AM as well as potential nails in the road) I'm not sure they will. But I'll be calling to ask.

4) Speaking of nails in the road, I think they just throw them out there on purpose. I picked up at least 20 in front of the house next door. And then noticed it appears they just dumped a bucket full of them right next to the road. Lovely.

5) I received Camp Cucamonga from NetFlix today. It's been years since I've seen this movie. Oh I love these types of movies.

6) New In Town was stinking hilarious if you like Chick Flicks. Or have ever worked with someone from Minnesota.

7) My friend Grace moved in and took over one of the upstairs bedrooms. Please say a prayer for her as she is currently looking for employment in this downward economy.

8) I got to watch the season premiere of LOST with a long-time friend. Like we went to elementary school together long-time friend. It was nice to be able to hang out with somone I've known for so long.

9) I hosted a "soup"er bowl party for a few of my friends. A good time was had by all but we ate so many appetizers there is still a huge bowl of broccoli cheese soup in my fridge. Good thing it's been cold this week. No snow for us this far South though. We just get snow.

10) My new addiction is House. Seriously, the man is my fictional-TV-character-hero. And I want to be just like him when I grow up to be a fictional-TV-character. Seriously.

Ok friends. That should be enough random things that I should have made whole blog posts about but have not. Thanks for sticking with me through the downtimes.

Desires of Her Heart

Desires of Her Heart by Lyn Cote really tugged at my heart for the story and for society of then and of now.  This is the story of Dorritt and her family as they travel from their home in Louisiana to Stephen Austin's settlement in the Texas area.  On the trip Dorritt befriends Quinn, a frontier scout who is half-Indian, half-Anglo-Saxon.  Dorritt's stepfather quickly disapproves of their friendship, but soon realizes without Quinn they will never make it safely to Austin's settlement.  Will Dorritt continue to trust God to lead her and her family on their journey?  Will Quinn trust God not to let Him down and give him a future he is worthy of?  

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I like the style in which Lyn writes and look forward to reading more books by her.  I really felt drawn into her characters and my heart ached and rejoiced right along with them.  I would encourage you to pick up this book and read it for yourself.  It gives a different perspective to the wagon train lifestyle and makes you really think how we treat those who are different than us, even when we can learn so much from them.

To order a copy of the book for yourself, click here.

Way Back Wednesday - Sea Urchin Edition

Look at that...I made up my own swanky little title for this post. Anywho, as I was perusing through the saved items on my phone the other day I came across the following videos of my good friend Sheriff eating sea urchin. If memory serves me correctly, Paul told us he heard it was good. Yeah, um, we were lied to (and this from a sushi loving crowd!) Oh, and ignore the voice of the person doing the interview. She doesn't get out much.

And now for his reaction to the sea urchin:

Oh, and if that isn't enough, I also found this note in my phone describing said sea urchin. And I quote, "It tastes like a baby ate a jar of pureed sweet potatoes followed by a chaser of sea water and then regurgitated it."

The Red Siren

*** Read to the end: My first ever blog give-away is at the end. ***

Ok readers. I am super ecited to tell you about this book. "Why, RandomCarrie?" you may ask. Because this book takes place in my newest hometown: Charleston. Way back when before it became as it is today. Way back in the day when the city had a wall around it to keep out the indians. M. L. Tyndall visited Charleston a few years ago and decided to write a series of books in this fine city of mine. (Yes, it's mine. Deal with it and move on to the review.) So here goes.

Lady Faith Wescott is the daughter of an Admiral in the Queen's navy (I told you this was a long time ago.) While raised to be prim and proper, by night she haunts the local waters as The Red Siren, a female pirate. When her father is called away to Spain, he asks Captain Dajon Waite to watch over his daughters to keep them from harm. While Captain Waite agrees reluctantly to take on this resonsibility, his major focus is on capturing the pirates in the local waters and bringing them to justice.

Will Faith and Dajon be able to live under the same roof? Will their paths cross in the water or on land? I highly recommend you read this book to find and and learn more about Charleston when it was still Charles Town.

Leave a comment and one lucky reader will receive a copy of this book courtesy of me! If you don't want to read it, you can always use it as a gift for someone close to you who reads a lot. Contest ends at midnight, Friday, January 30, 2009. Winner will be announced on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

But if you don't win, you can always link on over to Amazon and pick up a copy for yourself! Good luck to all!

Stand-In Groom

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Stand-In Groom
Barbour Publishing, Inc (January 2009) 

by
Kaye Dacus

I have not been this excited to tell you about a new author I have discovered in such a long time.  Kaye Dacus did an incredible job with this book.   When Kristen Billerbeck wrote the Ashley Stockingdale books I wanted to be an attorney.  Kaye makes me want to be a wedding planner.  

Stand-In Groom is the story of wedding planner Anne Hawthorne.  Anne Hawthorne is a life-long resident of Louisiana with family ties that are strong.  When Anne meets George, her latest groom-to-be, there is immediate chemistry that must remain unrequited.  The story of planning the wedding as well as Anne's adventures (and misadventures) makes me want to move in next door and cheer her along.  From her cousins who live in the same building, to the actually story behind George, Kaye takes you on an adventure you wish you could be there to experience.  

See what the following authors had to say as well:

“Absolutely delightful! I enjoyed Stand-In Groom from cover to cover! Ms. Dacus’s clever story and wonderful prose will draw you away to a place deep in the heart of Louisiana, surrounding you with the scents, sounds, and sights of the deep south. A story filled with romance and intrigue, betrayal and forgiveness, I found myself laughing, crying and rejoicing right along with the characters.”
–M.L. Tyndall, author of The Falcon and the Sparrow and the award-winning Legacy of the King’s Pirates series

“Stand-In Groom is as sweet, beautiful, and chaotic as a perfectly planned wedding. Anne is a bright and wounded heroine you’re going to care about for a long time. George is a hero to capture your heart. Kaye Dacus will take you along for a fun, poignent ride in Stand-In Groom.”
–Mary Connealy, author of the Lassoed in Texas series and Of Mice...and Murder

To buy this book for yourself head on over to Amazon.  

It Happened One Friday

Well, actually it happened last Friday. I turned thirty. It seems better to type it out than to write 30. Less invasive somehow. How, might you ask, did I celebrate such an occasion. Well, to begin with my Facebook wall exploded with well wishes from friends, old and new. My phone beeped with text messages from those I would not see that day. Emails came from friends as well as phone calls from family. (And yes, Doodlebug told me she was working on my Christmas present. Last year she wished me a Merry Christmas. I guess I remind her of Christmas. Not sure what that means.) Mom came down so we could relax. And relax we did. It was a spa day for us girls. We had mud wraps, hot stone massages, and a microdermabrasian facial. And I know I proabably misspelled that but who cares. I'm old. Give me a break. Anyways, those 3 hours were amazing. I'm not sure yet if it was the pampering or the fact that I had no access to my cellphone or work email for 3 hours. Bliss. Pure Bliss. Saturday night, Grace joined us and we went to eat at South End Brewery. Yes, it is still one of my favorites, but I will not be going there again when the termperatures are cold. They apparently have no heat. It was miserable, but the food and the company were the best. So, my blog header has been re-worded because I am not longer twenty-something, but my life is still random and I don't see that changing because I added another year to my age. So here's to the adventure we'll call the 30s. May it be more than I deserve.

You're Safe, I Promise

I'd like to take a break from the ever-so-exciting posts from this week to let you know you are safe. How do I know this? Because I went to the Charleston County building today and put my purse and jacket through the x-ray machine. The ever-so-observant security guard quickly made me remove this item from my purse as I might poke someone's eye out with the file. (He actually demonstrated how I would do such a thing.)

I willingly gave up my "weapon" because it would have cost more to take it back to my car and pay for the additional time in the parking garage than it would to buy a new "weapon." However, as I stood in line in the tax assessor's office, I became relieved to know the dangers of the above "weapon" because I would have assumed the below (which was in my jacket pocket) was more dangerous.

Yes, I still have the Leatherman. Mr. Security Guard did not pay attention to my jacket for fear I would extract my anger at county government with my "weapon."