ELEVTHERIA

With open arms and open heart,
You welcomed me right from the start.
You introduced me as your daughter.
You filled our home with love and laughter.
You steadied me along the way,
By my side, come what may,
When I was lost in this strange land,
You showed me how to understand..
When I missed my family,
You were there to comfort me.
My cares and worries you made your own,
You never let me cry alone.

I open up my arms and heart
It’s my turn now to play my part.
You cast me as your loving daughter,
I will fill your home with love and laughter
I’ll steady you along the way,
By your side come what may.
When you are lost I’ll take your hand
Your pain I’ll try to understand.
You have become my family.
Your comfort now will come from me.
Your cares and worries I make my own.

I will not let you die alone.

--------------------------------

55 Flash Fiction -

BATTERED WIFE (the sequel, as requested by Top Cat)

Gripping the knife tightly she tiptoed through the house. The rhythmic breathing of her sleeping children caressed her ears. Pausing outside their door she listened to this gentle sound, inhaling its sweet insinuation.Would she be the instrument of more destruction? Returning to the kitchen, she let the knife fall unheeded from her helpless hands.

--------------------------

ONE FOR MY INBOX

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl, "Will you marry me?" The girl said "No" and she lived happily ever after and went shopping, drank martinis with friends, always had a nice, clean house, never had to cook, had a closet full of shoes and handbags, stayed skinny, and was never farted on.


This second piece was forwarded to me by Ann, who recieved it from her dsaughter. It was doing the rounds of London banks as a joke email. I just happened to notice that it was an accidental 55 flash.

Nature's Poet

Once I sat for hours,

Just to watch the flowers grow.

I was at one with nature.

But then I did not know.

Once I lost myself,

In admiring the trees.

Which whispered ancient stories,

While rustling their leaves.

Once I was at peace,

Just lying in the grass.

But growing in experience,

My innocence would pass.

I can't recall those moments,

No matter how I try.

When I felt the joy in life,

Laughing at the sky.

KIDNAPPED! a true story.

As some of you may have noticed I am prone to reminiscing about my past when real time events don’t provide sufficient stimulation. It is for precisely that reason that I have chosen to share with you the true story of my kidnapping. Many moons ago when I was working on a Chandris ship called The Horizon and nick- named the horizontal. I was unfortunate enough, a few days prior to the incident in question to break two bones in my foot.

Officially I slipped in the shower but there were persistent rumors at the time that I had actually slipped in a puddle of beer during a particularly energetic Irish jig. This can’t be true as I didn’t even know anything about an illegal party in the pump room that evening.

As a result of my untimely accident I was unable to join my friends on their weekly boogie night in Puerto Rico and had resigned myself to a lonely night reading in my cabin. Little did I realize that a cunning and dastardly plan was afoot or indeed that I was to play a central role in the drama waiting to unfold.

Shortly after 10pm the security guard was called away from the gangway near my cabin to help deal with an affray in another part of the ship. Several assailants then rushed into the room where I was resting on the bed in my pyjamas. I was seized and roughly bundled out through the door by 2 or 3 of these never do wells whilst another one grabbed my crutches, apparently to make it appear that I had left under my own steam.

They hurtled along the corridor, I felt like a human torpedo, and then they clattered and clanged down the metal gangplank carrying me like a ladder in a Laurel and Hardy show. I was completely disorientated by our subsequent rush through darkened alleys dimly illuminated by the glow of ancient street lamps. I would later be unable to aid the authorities in capturing my assailants as the only thing I could see was a banana yellow sheen reflecting off one of the men’s gaudy shirts.

Eventually they slowed and I was carried through a dread portal into a dark, misty, cavernous room. Colored lights flashed psychotically in the gloom and the white mist swirled everywhere, twisting sinuously around the legs of strangers glimpsed in the sinister shadows of the interior.

My captors were on the verge of revealing the purpose of their daring escapade. I was carried to the centre of the room and dumped unceremoniously on a chair fetched for that very purpose by one of the crutch carriers. Realization dawned on me and a cold chill gripped my heart at the thought of the indignity of the ordeal that I was about to endure. Yes, they were planning to handbag me!

The other crutch carrier approached taking care not to spill any of the precious liquid contained in the glass vessel which he was carrying. “Yours is a large G n’ T, isn’t it Cathy? He asked. Without further ado the drink was placed in my unresisting hand and my co-workers proceeded to dance around me in Laser’s Disco. Just as if I was some bimbo’s bloody handbag!

TEN THINGS THAT I NEVER DID BEFORE (insert noun phrase of your choice here)

I am feeling decidedly lazy and uninspired today so I am posting a meme just to irritate the hell out of everybody who hates the damn things. (It's annoying me already and I wrote it!)

Ten things that I never did before immigrating to Greece.

!. I never had a meal that consisted of only bread and olives.
2. I never screamed at the top of my voice whilst having a friendly conversation.
3. I never belly danced.
4. I never danced on the table in a crowded bar.
5. I never swam in the sea surrounded by jellyfish..
6. I never took part in a candlelit vigil outside a church.
7. I never rode pillion on a moped.
8. I never saw anyone eat a sheep’s eyeball.
9. I never attended a big fat Greek wedding.
10. I never supervised the building of a house in a language that I couldn't speak.

Battered Housewife

She feels so much pain, she thinks she may go insane.
What would make her feel better?
How to stop this gut churning, blood boiling, mind numbing fear.
The light stealing through the window glints on the blade of a knife.
She picks it up smiling, it would look much better buried in his chest.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Logophile interview meme

Logophile composed these questions especially for me so I now have the dubious honor of answering them and presumably trying to get 5 other fools to fall into the same trap.

1. For the year I lived in Greece, although I mostly loved it, I found some of the things there drove me NUTS! In some ways Greece is incredibly backwards, how do you handle that?

For the most part I make an effort to change the things that I can.

I erect an SEP* field around the things that I can’t do anything about,

but if nothing else works I drink.

*somebody else’s problem

2. How is your consumerism doing? Have you been involved in a treatment plan at all?

Strangely enough, ever since I started blogging I have no desire to leave the house to do any shopping.

3. You started blogging to remember you, find you, or reinvigorate you, is it working?

I have been making progress on several fronts where these goals are concerned.

In the short time that I have been blogging I have found friends who praise, guide, chide and generally offer all kinds of useful advice and support.

As well as boosting my self confidence this has had a knock on effect. So I am claiming back my right to be treated with respect and consideration by everyone who is close enough to get a poke in the eye. Anyone who doesn’t like it can whistle!

4. Since everyone else had a go, I want to know your take. Describe your blog.

For crying out loud girl!

If I’d known how to describe my blog I wouldn’t have asked you guys to help.

When I set it up it was just an experiment to see if I could do it.

It appears to have turned into a magical mirror of a myriad mental musings. Will that do?

5. Did your friend actually tell off her whiny/bossy boyfriend?

They split up and she blamed herself for not living up to his expectations. Hopefully she will look back at it from some point in the future and realize what a lucky escape she had.

Now, if you want me to ask you 5 interview questions make sure you mention that in the comment section and hurry. I will interview the first 5 who request it. You would then answer the questions I compose for you on YOUR blog and you can proceed to interview your commenters.

--------------------------------------

I have also been tagged by Queenie,

http://queenie-randomramblings.blogspot.com/

and my ego won’t let me ignore it because she said nice things about me. As a result I am about to inflict the same dilemma on a few of the people I visit. This is limited to 5 but anyone who wants to know which blogs I like just has to look at my sidebar; If I don’t like it I don’t link it. With one exception, anyone who visits me and is new to blogging will get linked on my site, just to give them a leg up as it were.

My Choices:

1. Dan's Blah Blah Blog, http://dabalogh.blogspot.com/ :

Not just a pretty face but a talented and entertaining raconteur.


2. Lime http://houseoflime.blogspot.com/ :

Another bit of everything blog where I feel right at home.

3. Malnurtured Snay, http://www.malnurturedsnay.net/ :

Sometimes side splittingly funny, sometimes serious, he helps to keep me young...

4.Groovy Lady http://groovyladyblog.blogspot.com/ :

A modern mum with a humorous view on the hazards of raising a family.

5. ,Spoon http://itsnopicknick.blogspot.com/ :

New to me I haven’t even linked her yet but I sense a kindred spirit.

I have included Queenie’s choices below, so that anyone who wants to see what else is appealing to somebody who likes my blog doesn’t have to go far to satisfy their curiosity.

Leelee-thoughts and meanderings.

A woman who seems to have a genuine compassion, and humour.

Libby-thoughts...usually with attitude.

Honesty and strength, again with humour.

Nea-southern view.

Her patience's and intelligence, show a grace of her own.

Gardener Greg- General stores.

A wise man with a lot to share.

Now I have to go and grovel to the poor souls who I've just done this to.

When I’m Cleaning Windows

I have no idea what the elected members of a school’s Parents and Guardians Association do in other countries but here in Greece it ranges from bugger all to bugger me. As luck would have it our school’s PGA is turning out to be one where the members require not only free time and good will but also a large jar of Vaseline and a soft cushion.

Over the Easter holidays we were asked, by the headmistress, if we could possibly do something about the curtains. Fools that we are, flushed with the success of a recent fundraising event we nodded and smiled in dumb acquiescence little suspecting what was in store for us. On reflection we really can’t blame anyone but ourselves, the headmistress must have known what a bunch of pushovers we were having seen us dancing through the streets of Egaleo dressed as cups tables and, in my case, a three tier cake whilst escorting half the schools 112 children to a fancy dress parade, anyway I digress let’s get on with this story.

Before school broke up we did an inspection of the offending drapes to see what "doing something about them" would entail. At this point our amiable smiles became noticeably less pronounced because when you take a good look at curtains your eyes tend to take in other details besides the actual fabric, for example windows. The windows were filthy and, as is the wont of school windows rather large and numerous. It would appear that due to a local council cock-up the cleaners have not been paid for several months, ergo they have not been doing any cleaning beyond keeping toilets usable and floors swept.

Do any of you know of a self-respecting housewife who is capable of hanging clean curtains at dirty windows? If such women exist I am mercifully unacquainted with them. To cut a long story short we had blithely agreed to spend three days of our Easter holidays doing somebody else’s job for no money and little thanks. Last Friday my friend Tina, who is also President of the PGA, called at my house that we might go together to undertake this mammoth task .It was a fairly good litmus test of how the day was due to proceed that she then made me change my clothes THREE TIMES, apparently I wasn’t scruffy enough, eventually having finished my Mrs. Mop does windows fashion parade we collected dusters buckets and assorted children and set off on the short walk to our ultimate destination.

WHY OH WHY DIDN’T WE GAG THE CHILDREN? As we perambulated along the road our kids shouted out to every single sprog along the way and by the time we got to the school gates we looked like particularly perturbed pied pipers of suburbia. This caused another hiatus in the operation whilst we made umpteen phone calls to the mothers of children who had come along to watch the entertainment. Needless to say none of the aforementioned mothers fell over themselves to offer a helping hand, secure in the knowledge that the miraculous maids of their PGA could easily supervise thirty kids from the top of a wobbly ladder.

Ah yes, the ladder. Tell me pray, How it is possible to have a ladder on which all four legs are different lengths. One wobbly leg is not such a problem but what we had here was an implement which only a break dancing circus freak on stilts would appreciate. Tina climbed up to test it, I think she reached the third rung before deciding that she was far too afraid of heights to contemplate the fourth. By this time we had been joined by Irene who, not having had the benefit of Tina’s wardrobe advice, had turned up in an almost floor length skirt and high heeled boots. My turn on the ladder! It was not fun. Imagine a monkey disco dancing on top of a Florida palm tree in a hurricane and you just about have the right mental image for how I must have looked. I can’t say that Tina’s constant litany of “I’m holding it.” Accompanied by Irene’s “you’ve missed a bit.” did anything to improve the situation.

Getting the first set of curtains down was a lot easier, and quicker, than expected, falling off the ladder was a foregone conclusion Tarzan would have been proud of me and if swinging in the classroom isn’t already a song title it should be. I can’t tell you how touched I was by the concern of my dear friends. Irene was practically incapacitated by the humor of the situation as Tina pronounced in concerned tones, “Now we need new curtain hooks”. I need not have fretted though revenge would soon be mine. There is nothing quite so cheering, having been the unwilling star of an unanticipated stunt, as seeing somebody else get theirs. I was therefore positively gleeful when Irene decided that she would show me how things ought to be done. I have already mentioned that this lady was not really dressed for the occasion but undaunted by inappropriate attire she airily tucked her skirt into her knickers and proceeded to climb. I would not have dreamt of telling her as she ascended those unstable steps that there was a whole bevy of bewildered boys peering through the window panes following her progress.

I won’t keep you any longer, though we still had a couple of days worth of work in front of us it would be unkind of me to make you endure the entire debacle and I’m not sure that I can go through the whole episode a second time, not even on paper. Suffice it to say that we now have freshly laundered curtains, at sparkly clean windows, through which the sun is shining on the very dusty classrooms!

SPRING CLEANING OF THE SOUL

Every now and then we get the urge to re-examine the clutter in our lives and clean out the grotty neglected corners where dirt accumulates unheeded.
When we are done we feel justifiably proud of ourselves as we look around at the gleaming surfaces and open cupboard doors to display neatly lined and orderly shelves where only days ago chaos reigned. Spring is the time of year when this kind of overhaul generally takes place. For me this year my spring cleaning has taken on added significance. My house is as messy as it was before Easter but I am undergoing a process of self examination that is undoubtedly long overdue.

If you hold up a mirror to your face what looks back is the mask that you show the world, If you hold a mirror up to your soul what you see is a multifaceted image that glows and shimmers in parts whilst emitting an eerie hellish glow in others. Sometimes you find yourself in the unenviable position of having somebody else hold up the mirror. If you are unlucky they may choose to slap you in the face with an insult to get your attention first though this seldom has the desired effect. When we are attacked our natural reaction is to defend ourselves which tends to distract us from the reflected images as we turn our attention to the attacker. Occasionally we may be lucky enough for the mirror of multifaceted reflection to be in the hands of a genuine friend, and then we are indeed blessed for instead of a slap the hand waving to get our attention will light upon us with the gentle caress of genuine concern. This is when we will have the opportunity, if we are brave enough to see ourselves as we truly are, taking in both the sparkles and the dark subtleties of our inner reality.

I am grateful to my friend both for caring enough to chastise with a caress and for remaining by my side easing the pain of an agonizing transition from self pity and selfishness to the higher ground of due consideration for the feelings of others. I may still have some cobwebs in the corners of my mind but for now at least the cupboard shelves are looking a bit more respectable.

Thank you.


WE APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE NORMAL SERVICE WILL RESUME SHORTLY.

I hereby swear by everything that is shiny that my next post will be a damn sight more amusing than this one. If you have bothered reading this far I thank you for your forbearance and compliment you on your tenacity. Please leave a comment so that I know I’m not just talking to myself like the mad old dear I am probably destined to become.

NO FRUIT FOR MOTHER.

He left us apparently to broaden his choices.
But what am I going to do now with four children
and only one wage packet. I’ll manage, somehow.
Now where did I put my list, ah there it is.
4 apples, 4 Pears, 4 oranges, 4 bananas.
I’ll just have to tighten my belt a little

-----------------------------------



Early this morning I posted a 55 which I had dashed off in order to have something to write. I wasn't happy with it so I asked my brother for his opinion, "Not up to your usual standard" ,he replied. I deleted it. Better not to post than to post something that I felt was substandard.



As I was going about my morning tasks, seeing to my children's needs and picking up after them, an old memory of my Mother's shopping habits came back to me. I didn't understand its significance as a child, but I do now. Thankyou Mum.

I have few pictures of my Mother this one is from my wedding day.

Discover Me Discovering You..

The first ship that I ever worked on was called “The Discovery” at the time it had the biggest floating casino in the world. This meant that the casino staff could not live on board as there were not enough cabins to accommodate them. I should probably explain at this point that it was not a normal cruise ship. The Discovery did “nowhere cruises’, it was actually a floating casino. Sometimes we would sail to the Bahamas just for the day and sometimes we just sailed out beyond the 12 mile limit so that we could open the casino without breaking The USA’s gambling laws.

We were based in Ft Lauderdale and our company provided accommodation for us by leasing an entire motel so we worked lived and played together which made us a bit like a mobile village. Everybody knew everything about everybody else.

At the time I was employed as part of a couple which was fairly common, though not married my boyfriend John, and I were recognized as a couple and sent to work together on all our contracts

John was terrified of lizards, much as some people are afraid of spiders etc and it was this fear that resulted in the rather comical though extremely embarrassing incident which is the nub of this little story.

I was taking a shower one day when I heard John literally howling in terror. Running out of the bathroom to find out what was happening I found him backed up in a corner as white as a sheet, he had seen a lizard in the room and was paralyzed with fear. Cathy to the rescue then, as lizards don’t bother me I armed myself with a paper bag and started hunting for the offending reptile. Half an hour later it was in the bag and I needed another shower.

Without a second thought I opened the door to our room and tossed the thing outside, right in the face of a coworker who happened to be speaking on the pay phone in the corridor. I don’t know what was worse really, was it the hurling a lizard at him or the fact that in all the excitement I had actually forgotten that I was completely naked. As I made a hasty apology before diving back inside I heard him say to the other party on the phone, “ I beg your pardon, do go on, Ive just been attacked by a naked woman and a lizard.” You can imagine what sort of ribbing I came in for in our little community after this but as I said once before in a previous article This is not the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me but It comes in a close second.

Coming Through

Remembered Pain

Searing through my memory,
Branding iron of used to be,
Remembered pain..

I deny it’s hold on me,
I will not live in misery
Or let it’s remnants hurt me once again.

A victim once through circumstance
I will not let past happenings hold sway
.
Recalling of past agonies
Will not shape who I choose to be

My future life,
My destiny,
Unsullied by its poison will remain.

I cast out the indignity,
Of all that has been done to me,
I choose to be
Unsullied, unashamed.

Hope in Season

I woke up in such a delightful mood this morning

that I wanted to share it with the world.

So here are a few words and pictures

to set the scene for whatever will be...?

-------------------------

"Daffodils" (1804)

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze...

by William Wordsworth.

-----------------------------------------

Hope in Season

Spring forth new hope on frigid air.

Retreat now winter to your lair.
It is the turn of dancing feet,
A myriad flowers, aromas sweet
Their life and hope and lack of care
A gift of joy for all to share.

by Cathy

EASTER IN ATHENS

ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ

Greek Orthodox Easter
Greek Easter is the country's most important religious festival.
It begins with a 40-day fast, though many people choose to fast only on certain days of religious significance or just During Holy Week the churches are full every evening as even people who are not regular church goers still observe Easter during the final week before Easter, Holy Week.
The red eggs for just after the Resurrection are the women’s first job as far as food preparation is concerned. In our house this involves 3 generations Grandma, myself and my girls. Eggs are usually painted and cookies baked on Thursday.
Good Friday is a solemn occasion and many people spend long periods of time, sometimes all day in church. Others go for a short time to light candles. The church bells ring a death toll all day long and it is the only day of the year on which I do not play music, mainly out of respect for local traditions.At about 9pm the “epitafio” is brought out of the church and leads a candlelit procession around the streets.


At midnight on Saturday the church bells ring out joyfully: the faithful, candles lit, can celebrate the Resurrection. Fireworks are set off and some places have bonfires where they burn an effigy of Judaes.



The meal afterwards consists of "mageritsa," (soup made from offal) which I avoid like the plague the red eggs are knocked and the traditional phrase "Christ is risen" will be heard all around the table.
On Easter Sunday, spit-roast lamb is the centerpiece of the table Served with plenty of green salads particularly lettuce and lots of good red wine or retsina. Many families will spit roast a whole lamb for this ocassion, ours included, and friends as well as family are invited to join the feast.
HAPPY EASTER . PASSOVER. HOLIDAYS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK ON LINK

http://www.chiff.com/a/easter-greece.htm

55 Flash Fiction. Twice as Nice

Unusual Encouragement

Lying in the scarlet bloom of his own blood
he looked so vulnerable. Leaning forward
Sarah whispered tantalizingly, “If you just hold on
Until help arrives I swear that when this is over
I’ll give you the best blow job you’ve ever had in your life."
He had always wondered what horse whisperers were saying.

_________________________

Oedipus

The initial exploration over, lips kissed, nipples sucked,
breasts caressed his mouth continues its journey.
Discovering his own ecstasy in the hidden contours of her
softly yielding flesh. Thighs spreading in silent acquiescence
her body beckons and he enters the forbidden gates, delving
deeper wanting to be totally engulfed, curled up in her womb.
Motherfucker!

____________________________

SO I LIED ABOUT THE MEMES (with a twist)

I was just saying that I’m not going to make a habit of posting memes then "barefoot mistress" posted this and made a liar of me. The answers were a bit much to post as a comment and it is such a shit hot meme that I couldn’t resist. Before I go any further I should explain that as I broke my MP3 player recently I used winamp on my computer in shuffle mode. I have 40GB of music and video files on my PC including my kid’s and student’s choices in AT LEAST 4 different languages so it was a rather strange and interesting experiment. I swear my answers have not been tweaked.

{The Twist- answers in green are what I would have put if I'd cheated}

Grab your Ipod or Mp3 Player, set it to shuffle and start asking it these questions:
{I’m using winamp on shuffle as don’t have ipod}


1. How does the world see me?
Ghetto Gospel-2pac ft/ Elton JOHN
“those who wish to follow me I welcome with my hands…”
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen

2. Will I have a happy life?
El Corazon-Arno Elias
{Er…?}
Complicated – Avril Lavigne

3. What’s going to happen next?
Quest For Camelot-from Disney film
“If you were with me now I’d find myself in you…”

Love Resurrection - Alison Moyet

4. What do my friends really think of me?
Filakas Angelos-Kotsiras (Greek)
Translation: Guardian Angel,
“When you feel lonely, when your house is empty you will have me as your companion and I will give you courage.”
Closer to Madness - Jesse Cook

5. Do people secretly lust after me?
Speed Needs No Translation- ?
U and UR hand - Pink

6. How can I make myself happy?
A lover Spurned _ ?
(oh wow, get me a divorce lawyer quick!)

Red Red Wine - UB40

7. What should I do with my life?
Act Naturally-Buck Owens
“ they’re goin to put me in the movies. They’re goin to make a big star out of me. They’ll make a film about a man who’s sad and lonely and all I gotta do is act naturally.”
Let Me Be Your Muse - Shakira

8. Should I have more children?
Candyshop-Black eyed peas ( I think)
“ I’ll take you to the candyshop, I’ll let you lick my lollipop, keep going ‘til you hit the spot…”
(what the hell!)
Are You kidding Me - Anouk

9. What is some good advice for me?
Now and Forever- Air Supply
( OK , no divorce then?)
Drink That Mash and Talk That Trash - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs

10. How will I be remembered?
Out On The Edge-Jennifer Rush
(Enough said!)
Legendary Hearts - Lou Reed

11. What is my signature song?
Searching For Something- Paparrizou
(another Greek one.)

Requiem For A Dream - Lord Of The Rings

12. What do I think my signature song is?
It’s My Life-?
{LOL- I wish it was}
Queen of the Night – Whitney Houston

13. What does everyone else think my signature song is?
People Are Still Having Sex-La Tour
(How I wish that was true!)

Hero of a Fool - Jennifer Rush

14. What song will play at my funeral?
THA SE VRO-Vandi?
Translation: I’ll find you.
Chorus-“I will see you now and then. I will find you in the sea, on the road,in the sun and the sky…”
Time Waits For Nobody - Freddie Mercury

15. What type of boys do I like?
Daddy Cool Remix-?
(no comment)

Ride Captain Ride - Three Dog Night

16. What is my day going to be like?
Rocky and Balboa- Theme tune to some movie

Black and White - Three Dog Night

Bookworm's Turn, another meme

I'm not planning to make a habit of this but I love books and when I saw this meme on lime's blog I couldn't resist. Having seen so many posts recently about favourite movies and music I thought it was time for bookworms to get in on the act so I will add a couple of things of my own. Then you can tell me your preferences.

Favourite quote/s from Shakespeare.

"I will speak daggers to her, but use none".

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".

"My salad days, when I was green in judgment."

Quote/s from favourite book/s

Karma Cola- They thought we were profound,

we knew we were provincial

You get the idea, add anything you like, If you like, or just sit there muttering ,"When is she going to do a proper bloody post?"

--------------------------------------------------

THE STOLEN PART

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
Anything I can get my hands on.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
.Bricks and mortar, I’m very tactile.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Who?
W.H.SMITH, Sweetens when I’m in England
and Floras when I’m in Greece

Bookmark or dog ear?
Anyone who dog ears is a marked man in my books


Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

I have my own system based on author, function, reading age and several other factors which involve which books should be invitingly within reach so that small hands can reach them more easily than the TV remote control and whether I own them or have borrowed them.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep mostly and occasionally pass on to a good home

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
keep

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
remove


Short story or novel?
Anything and everything, if I forget to take a book to the bathroom I have been known to read the back of the shampoo bottles.

Collection or anthology ?
I’m not keen on either.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
HARRY POTTER

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
It depends on the circumstances, when I fall asleep usually.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
. “Against the stars a great turtle passes carrying four elephants on its shell”

Buy or Borrow?
Both, but never steal !
Book thieves should be flayed alive.

New or used?
both

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
All of the above

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Whichever suits the story best.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
24.7

Stand-alone or series?
both

Favorite series?
Discworld

Favorite children's books?
Not Dahl

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
The Praise Singer


Favorite books read last year?
Karma Cola
Chronicle of a Death Foretold


Favorite books of all time?
Jitterbug Perfume
Guards! Guards!
Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy

Least favorite book you finished last year?
Undomesticated Goddess

What are you reading right now?
Mostly poetry


What are you reading next?
The Historian