August & September 2024 Books

AUGUST

* The Last Bookshop in London ¹ by Madeline Martin - I'm pretty sure that Natalia recommended this to me a while back. It takes place during the second World War and was thoroughly engrossing

* The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene - Terrible cover. This was a solid mystery that, like all the Nancy Drews I've read, was a nice escape from the grind of every day life.

* You Matter by Christian Robinson - I read this and the next bookvat the Delaware Art Museum when I went with Lucy. This was sweet and if I had a kid, this would be in their personal library.

** Parker Looks Up by Parker Curry & Jessica Curry - Adorable and important.

** The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey - Last year for Vincent Price Day I asked Ms. Price what her father's favourite book was and this was the title she gave me. I bought a paperback copy but knew I'd never get around to reading it. Thankfully I found a wonderful audiobook version that was slow to start but soon picked up. I had re-watched The Lost King just before I started this and Richard III was already heavy on my mind. I know I will without question be listening to this again. So good!

** The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare - I needed a light historical romance and this one was a great read. 

SEPTEMBER

** Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is by Casey Lyall - I bought this in Doylestown earlier this year and thought this was a sweet book. It's about a young girl named Lemon whose grandfather was visited by aliens when he was younger and how Lemon is the only one that really believes him. Grandpa has Alzheimer's and his granddaughter is determined, with the help of her two pals, Marlo and Rachel, to find proof that those garden gnome, green-faced aliens that Grandpa Walt talked about were 100% real. Oh it was so good!!

* Show Up and Vote by Ani DiFranco - Couldn't believe that I scored a signed copy (Ani, your signature is atrocious) of this fabulous book. It's never too soon to teach kids about just how important voting is.

♥ A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton - Okay, okay, I should have been patient and waited to read this in October but I JUST COULDN'T!!! And clearly I will be re-reading it anyway since it's the cutest book series, possibly of all time.

♥ Narwhal - Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton - I know I read the most recent one first and am all over the place, but I finally got around to reading the book that started it all! Absolutely adorable in every way. Can't wait to collect each book in the series.

♥ The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk by Carolyn Keene - I first read this in October of 2019 and it really kicked off my love of the series. I had completely forgotten all but the fact that it took place on a ship, so it felt like I was reading it for the first time.

♥ James ¹ by Percival Everett - Bishop and I decided to form a little book club duo and this is our first book. I'll go into more later, but I absolutely loved it. Completely mesmerizing and Dominic Hoffman's narration was pure perfection.

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Curious Cats

Today was a little better. Doing a fun puzzle and listening to an audiobook is very calming. I needed this bright and cheery puzz to bring me out of my funk! (Oh and the cats are named Mildred (white on steps), Maisey (yellow), Alfred (chocolate), Violet (take a guess), Naranja (orange), and Elvira (white seated).)

Artwork by Boyoun Kim

(A fifty minute FaceTime call with Lucy was the bonus bit of wonderfulness.)

Desk with a View

Today I felt all kinds of craptastic. Daydreaming that I lived in a place where I could type while sipping tea and looking out a window to a lovely back garden was a nice distraction.

(photo kidnapped from bugungunlerdenkitap IG page - original pic by ft.rossi)

Better Things

I thoroughly enjoyed this series over the Summer, but Jesus Christ, those children are horrible. They have zero redeeming qualities. Zer-o. I don't know why anyone would have kids after watching this show and especially why they would keep them if they turn out like these three little assholes. I would call DYFS on myself to have them taken away and then never deal with them again. You don't like me? You don't like how I run things? Enjoy life in foster care, bitches. This show would be so much better without those three monsters. Yeesh... But Pamela Adlon is absolutely sublime and I wish I looked like her and was as effortlessly cool as she is. She is a teeny tiny powerhouse of rad-ness.

(photo kidnapped from themoviedb)

Phineas Finn

Of the eleven paintings I bought in the Autumn of 2009 from Steve Keene's website I kept six. Phineas Finn is one I loved from the moment I saw it. To me it has always looked like hand grenades and a human heart. 

Wall: Flat Iron building in NYC that I bought when I worked at Pier 1 Imports in the late 90s - Bettie Page photo I bought in Philly - half of an African mask, also from Pier 1 - April 1993 Vogue cover

Black Shelf: Bowie - Grandad's  embosser - Granny Roseanna's old phone - David Lynch-esque yellow and red vases from Pier 1

Entertainment center shelf: gum parker (but mine has navy blue feet) - DUI's feathers in a vase

Wall: Phineas Finn - The Office by Pam Beesly - small gold framed sketch of Florence

Aunt Gina's kitchen chair: Mum's copy of Danielle Steel's "No Greater Love"

September 2024 Donation

BUMBLEance - The Saoirse Foundation

BUMBLEance was launched on Friday, 6th September 2013 and is owned by The Saoirse Foundation.

We are the world’s first ambulance service specifically designed and tailored for children.

BUMBLEance is the Children’s Ambulance Service of Ireland. Traveling half a million kilometres each year across our 15 vehicles, we provide safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel between their homes and hospitals, hospices, treatment centres and respite centres nationwide. At BUMBLEance, we know how stressful it is to transport a sick child, which is why we’re with our families every step of the way.

The BUMBLEance service is the first of its kind in the world. It has all the amenities of a regular ambulance, but includes the all-important extras to make a sick child’s journey as safe, comfortable and entertaining as possible. Our aim is to distract, comfort and entertain Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel to and from hospitals and paediatric treatment centres nationwide. BUMBLEance exists because there is no alternative.

Happy Journeys

BUMBLEance provides children with less stressful journeys in safe, fun and comfortable vehicles. The bright and cheerful exterior, which makes a great first impression, is only just the beginning!

Unique Interior 

BUMBLEance has room for two parents/carers to travel with the child and paramedic.  There is also an on-board locker for personal items, and a fridge for medication, food and drinks.

Fun & Games

BUMBLEance has it all – Playstations, WiFi, Netflix, DVDs, Games, Books, Colouring, Sensory Lighting, Netflix, Apple TV, Music and much more!

Expert Personnel

We operate two key services: one service is operated by the National Ambulance Service and manned by EMTs, the other is a driver-only service designed for children who do not need constant medical intervention.

BUMBLEance ensures that the journey of a sick child is as safe and comfortable as possible.

•Our Trips and Services•

Pre and Post-surgical appointments

Inter hospital transfers

Respite and Hospice Trips

Scheduled Trips

Chemo Cab

Transplants and critical care

Angel Trips

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

Kitchen Utensils Puzz

This one was a bit annoying but once it started coming together I wound up liking it. 

Artwork by MUTI

Turd Talk

Scrolling through old texts looking for something specific, I came across this cute little convo I had with my Godmother. 

Fall is Finally Freakin' Here!!!

Hallelujah for cooler weather!!!!!! (Note my mega-rad Garfield tee!)

SLP Fridge

(4 September 2018)

Another One Biting The Dust

Like everything I love, Blazing Salads in Dublin is closing shop. Permanently. Their old shop on Drury was one of the highlights of my visits to the city because they had fantastic vegan grub plus super sweet employees. I discovered them in 2014 on my first trip to Dublin and never passed up the chance to pop in for some takeaway. I should be used to things going bye-bye at this point, but it doesn't seem to get easier. I'm gonna miss Blazing Salads. Like a lot. Especially their lentil burgers.

I Want It!!

I saw this on Instagram and oh my goodness gracious....I want it so bad!!!

Godmommy's iPhone

Last weekend I was hanging out with Aunt Berne and she let me kidnap her sister's old iPhone. Most of the info had been wiped, texts deleted, and accounts were logged off, but there were still a few gems that I found while snooping around it. 

- Photo taken 8 Nov 2019 of the I Heart Guts uterus goodies I bought her when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer.

- One of her few playlists, Good Time:

- Mum and her baby sister, Gina.

- And the best? A snapshot my cousin took in Ocean City, Maryland on December 7th, 2019. She is so happy and free and I can hear her laughing when I see this photo. It's shocking to think that 38 days later she would be gone.

Doggone Days

I'm a sad old lady who can't have pets (thanks, allergies) but I love to buy and do puzzles with puppers and kittens so that as I put them together I can give them the names I wish I could give to a real life fur-pal.

Seamus (yellow collar & glasses) - Fiona Trixibelle (white poodie with lil' bow) - Iris (pink glasses and scarf) - Orangina Bear 

Vicente Javier (purple collar) & Frida Beatrisa (blue sweater) - Bandido (red bandana)

Floofy "Flo" Flufferington (teal striped sweater) - Rodie Anna (rose-coloured glasses)

Charlotte Pimpernel (lil' yorkie!) - Bones Malone (blue t-shirt)

Jerome (red sweater) - Lemon (yellow shirt) - Majesty "Madge" (pink poodle)

Ellis (rainbow sunnies) - Dashing Desmond "DeDe" or "Dez" (tuxedo boy)

Seamus, Iris, & Gina Bear plus Stretch the greyhound

Bandido - Emerald Penelope Sanders (in blue heart frame glasses)

Lil' Lizbette the corgi and Pierre Monroe the dachshund 

Mitchell and Mangus (the tug of war puppers) - Radney "Rad" Taylor McCary (rainbow sunnies)

Poopsie Daisy (guess who)

Vincenzo Pupperington (with red tennis ball) - Joyful Girl (frisbee) - Howard (scarf & hat)

Opal (Cocker Spaniel with crown)

Orangina Bear - Stretch the Greyhound - Aoife Siobhan (plaid jumper)

Emerald - Arthur  Columbo (Bassett Hound) - Julia Pumpernickel (white Scottie) - Alistair (yellow scarf)

Pierre Monroe and Snickerdoodle (speckled pup)

 
Jack London (husky) - Dashing "Dash" McGuire

Char - Jerome - Bones - Lemon 

(artwork by Rebecca Jones c/o Mudpuppy)