Good Books and Great TV and A Little Bit Of Painting

I am generally a "home body" whether we are on the road or at our sticks and bricks home.  And if you have read many of my posts, you know that I am basically a couch potato.  I like the idea of hiking, and I like the idea of swimming, and I like the idea of walking hither and yon, but I rarely do it.  And yes, this makes me wonder if I will ever fit in with full time RVers, because from the blogs I read, you are a busy and physically active group.  Perhaps it is because those of you going and doing actually have something to blog about.  I, on the other hand, blog about couch potato activities, recipes and general musings, especially when we are not on the road.....which we are not now, not that I'm whining.  Okay, maybe I'm whining just a wee little bit.

When I find an author I enjoy, I tend to binge read all their books.  Then I get frustrated when I get caught up to the last (most recent) book.  I'm always on the look out for new authors and new series.  I prefer the mystery genre, and I love books that are set in cities with which I am familiar.  Books set in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, Louisiana, California, Alabama, Hawaii and Florida, top my list as those are the areas I have visited.  I can picture in my mind the settings and surroundings that are described.  I've been catching up on some J A Jance books I had missed over the years.  I love all of her series, including Detective Beaumont, Ali Reynolds and Joanna Brady.  I did a binge reading marathon of books by Chelsea Cain, which take place in the Portland, Oregon area.  I'm so glad I discovered her.  I've always enjoyed John Grisham, and it appears that I have missed quite a few of his newer books.  That is where I am finding myself now.

On to TV......Well, Sons of Anarchy has aired its last episode.  I loved those characters.  I know those characters.  I was not enamored of the last season.  However, because it was so wonderfully written by Kurt Sutter and his team, what happened was exactly what should have happened.  I just did not want to say good-bye.

I have to ask though, what the heck is up with the "winter season finale" - at least I think that was the term they were using.  Apparently it is now common to develop an arc, insert a cliffhanger, and make you wait through the month of December to see what happens.  It's not the end of the season, but instead a 4-5 week waiting period.  And some shows only introduced a few episodes before they inserted the winter season cliffhanger.  Can't wait for How To Get Away With Murder to return.  I'm also waiting for new episodes of Scorpion, Madam Secretary and Stalker.  This will be the last season for Parenthood.  I've enjoyed this show in the past, but so far, I'm bored.  I will watch until the last episode, but I have to wonder if the writers have changed or if they just ran out of story line and are trying to wrap things up.  The Mentalist is in its last season as well.  And it is the same thing with the few episodes I've watched this season.  I've got my fingers crossed for the return of Justified, also in its final season.  I love the characters and the way they have been written.

Two shows I have enjoyed in the past, The Bridge and The Divide, I hear have not been renewed.

I hope they don't mess with The Blacklist and The Following!

When I'm not reading or watching TV, or doing the mundane things such as housework, laundry, dishes or cooking, I have been painting.  Here are a few of my recent projects.

What is up this week?  Cleaning off my desk is on the list.  It is usually in a state of organized chaos. Recently it has crossed the line into just plain chaos.  I'm not sure what else, but I'm sure it will include reading, watching TV and painting.  I love retirement!

What Are You Reading?

Kim's work on the fifth wheel continues, which means we are "camped" at home, living in the house. My yard is under control.  The house is as clean as it is going to get. ( I refuse to go overboard when the temperatures are in the 80s. ) Yesterday, I washed windows and gave the kitchen floor a good scrubbing.  Today I may dust, but otherwise it will be a day of relaxation.

Which brings me to the subject at hand....what are you reading?  Here is what I am currently reading or re-reading.

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield.  This is a re-read.  It is part of my morning spiritual//prayer routine, along with 365 Saints by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker, and Around The Year With Emmet Fox by Emmet Fox.

As part of my "continuing education" I've been reading and enjoying How To Write A Novel Using The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson.  I have started writing a mystery, and I'm just having trouble finishing it.  I've got plenty of excuses on why I'm not working on it regularly, but primarily I am just not feeling motivated right now.  I'm looking for inspiration and a swift kick in the behind-er.

For fun, I am now reading Judgement Call by J. A. Jance.  Somehow I missed this book, which is the 15th in the Joanna Brady series.  It takes place is Bisbee, AZ and surrounding areas.  I have enjoyed the character over the years, and we hope to travel to that area next year.  (It was actually planned for this November/December, but the RV repairs took precedence)  If you haven't read any of J A Jance's books, I highly recommend them.  I love her Detective Beaumont series which takes place in Seattle. I love being able to picture in my head exactly where things are happening.  I also love her Ali Reynolds series which takes place in the Sedona, AZ - another place I have spent enough time that it is very easy to imagine.  Book 16, Remains Of Innocence, is on deck.

Also on my Kindle is A Shot In The Bark by C.A. Newsome,  Cloudbusting by Slade Roberson,  The Hard Bounce by Todd Robinson, and The Racketer by John Grisham.

I recently finished Top Secret Twenty One by Janet Evanovich.  Not my favorite in the Stephanie Plum series, but the author continues to be a role model for me as far as my writing goes.

So, what are you reading?