Secret Santa Time!

Every year, I take part in a Secret Santa on Bookcrossing.  This year, did it on Facebook and got a large parcel about 2 weeks ago just before my little bird died.  So, I pulled the pressies out of the parcel pack from the Northern Territory and put them under the tree.
However, over the last few days, I thought it would be good if I treated myself to them.  So, I opened them both and found some wonderful paranormal romance novels, a Christmas pen with bells on it and a Kathy Reichs and a werewolf book too.  Oh!  How wonderful is that?  Thank you so much scrapaholic for sending me these wonderful things for Christmas!  You have really cheered me up.

HGG's to Cheer Me Up

I've had the absolute worst weekend.  My little pet bird passed away and I'm working hard on making her memory good here.  I haven't had the best time getting over her, but I'm getting there.
Today, though, I walked to the post office in the cool breezes - taking my time - and found I had two HGG's waiting for me in the little black space I've rented for my mail.  Anyway, I grabbed them and the mail for my folks (as they're on holidays and their mail is coming to my address and not theirs) and I came home.
On opening the first one, I found a wonderful snowman card with a cool pressed penny inside it!  I love these things.  This came from nmugirl.  Thank you so much for cheering up my week; I honestly needed this.  And Rudolph looks great on the penny; there was a label inside it too.   And, yes, I took the penny out and put it back... that's why it looks like it's torn.
Then, there was another card from another bookcrosser too.  On opening this one, I found postcard and a Christmas card from JmsMom.  The postcard was of Geronimo's grave site.  Very cool!  I love the Great Spirit and North American Indian Laws... and this just made my day.  

Thank you both for cheering me up.  I have enjoyed receiving your cards greatly.      

HGG From San Diego

Yesterday was a busy day.  And also yesterday, I collected a lot of mail from the PO Box; including a little parcel from San Diego.  When I opened it, I found a coin purse with a bookmark inside it and a note from judygreeneyes.  

I love this little something from the States; as I love to received coin purses from all over the world.  Anyway, it's a little something I can use this Saturday while I'm at the Logan Art Gallery as this coin purse matches a bag I scored at a charity store.  Thank you so much judygreeneyes for being so kind in sending me this wonderful little gift.  

HGG from San Diego 

A HGG From Calgary

Today, it's been very hot and muggy.  So, I was up nice and early to get in and do some housework before it became too hot to do anything but hang out on the computer.  I was also at the post office at around 9am as well to pick up the mail.  And there was some mail for Mum and Dad there and also a HGG from Herchelle in Canada.  She sent me a Christmas Card with Polar Bears on it.  Inside it is two tea bags in a zip-lock bag - of 'Yorkshire Tea' - and a postcard of the Olympic Flame from the Calgary Olympics.  Very cool!  I love it!  Thank you so much Herchelle.

A Winning Title

A few months ago, I won a book, titled 'Weak Flesh' from The Romance Bandits.  However, it only came in e-reader format, but Jo Robinson - the author - told me that the book may be coming out in print format in the near future.  So I said if it does, to let me know.

Well, about two weeks ago, she e-mailed me and told me that 'Weak Flesh' had come out in print and wanted to know what my address was so she could post off a copy to me.  How cool is that?  And yesterday, the book arrived!  I look forward to reading this wonderful book over the next year and letting you all know what it's like.  Thank you Jo Robinson for sending this book off to me; no matter how long it took to arrive. 

Chocolate and Reading - Great Combo!

Today, I was off to do my grocery shopping.  So, I took my time - seeing the last few days have been hectic for me with my health and with the Melbourne Cup yesterday.  I left the house at an early time and found myself at the post office at around 9:10am to find only one parcel waiting for me slotted into my PO box.  

It was from New Zealand!  Cool!  I love that place.  Eagerly, I ripped open the plastic wrapping with my house key and found a Pineapples Chunks chocolate bar.  I'm not much of a fan of pineapples (got food poisoning from one when I was really young and haven't been able to stomach them since; not even the smell... but hey, you weren't to know, so don't worry).  Along with the chocolate bar was a book 'Malcolm and Juliet: Sex, Lies and Science' by Bernard Beckett.  I read the back of the book at the bus stop and it looks like a good, funny read!  Thank you so much LeahJett!  I'm looking forward to reading this one - maybe over Christmas as a light read when it all settles down. 

Ornament Exchange Arrives!

As I said below, I received a full PO Box.  In with the postcards from Lithuania was my Ornament Exchange from my buddy.  So, I opened it and have found it just lovely!  There's the hand-made garland of trees and stars.  Then, there's a bookmark made with cardboard and buttons with a little saying on it; so cute!  And then, I found a retro book too!  It's been registered too.  It's a book of a Christmas story about a puppy who tries to find a family for Christmas; but fails as he gets into more and more trouble.  Poor little pup!  Anyway, it's a good book.  I'd like to thank Lightlybenthalo for sending me my Ornament Exchange this year!  I love it how it's hand-made and very retro.  Thank you so much!

Beautiful sites from Lithuania

Today, I wasn't feeling the best - in fact I'm feeling horrible.  So, I thought to collect the mail and take it easy at home for the day.  I opened the PO Box and found a parcel inside it and two envelopes.  One was a bank statement the other was from Lithuania; and I opened the latter to find out what was inside it.
To my joy, one of my Bookcrossing friends, xfarimax (I think that's how your name is spelled on the fold-out postcard) sent me a lovely set of postcards of where she's studying.  How pretty are they?  Thank you so much!

My First HGG of the Season!

First I must apologise if I miss a few letters.  My hands are sore as hell with arthritis; and I might miss a few keys or mis-spell something because they are so sore today (and I thought yesterday was bad!).  

Today, I had to post off 3 parcels.  Two were interstate and one was over to New Zealand.  So, I thought to do all of that today to get it all out of the way.  While I was at the post office, I picked up my mail and found a parcel pick-up card; and what do you know? It was a a HGG from the UK!  How cool is that?
'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins was found the little parcel along with some Bookcrossing labels, a home made bookmark and a cool little coin purse!  I love it all.  Thank you so much footymadgill for your wonderful and thoughtful HGG!  I'll send you one back before too long.    

The Flame and the Shadow Prize

I've won another book off Romance Bandits; however it's not just a book.  It's the first book of a four-book series.  This is so cool!  I won it last week, and now today, it arrived in the mail.
I can't wait to read this one.  Now, it's another book to add onto my Christmas Reading List over the NYE period.  Along with the book, there was the first chapter of the next book, a bookmark, a couple of business cards and an advertising card or two of other books.  Very cool.  I'll be looking for the other three books of this series soon so I can review them as a set next year.

More Birthday Goodies!

Today was the first day I could get to the post office to collect any parcels that were owing to me; and there were two.  I had a red card and a blue card, the latter of which I found in my PO Box this morning.  So, I went inside and picked them up.  One was from my Bookcrossing Birthday Buddy here in Brisbane and the other?  Well, that was from New Zealand, from sfogs.  

Once home, I unwrapped my Birthday Buddy's one first and was amazed to find a great array of things.  There were three books and a massive present all wrapped up in gorgeous paper and a card too and bubble wrap!  I looked at the three books first and then unwrapped the present after reading the card from Froggirlwendy.  I was totally blown away to find a massive book!  And it's one of those secret compartment books where it looks like a book but it's not!  I love these things!  Well!  She hid a copy of 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins, a burnt copy of a P!NK from this year, a journal for me to write in with a pen and a bookmark as well as a coin purse full of packets of different types of tea!  This is very cool!

My second parcel also turned out to be a Birthday Present!  It's a Birthday RABCK from sfogs of 'The Fallen' by Thoma E. Sniegoski as well as the second book he's written.  Thank you so much sfogs for sending me these two books!  They look great... and the guy on the front is hot! Now, it feels like my birthday has been and gone; now I've received presents from near and far and I've also gotten cards from friends and relatives and Birthday wishes on Facebook and on a Bookcrossing forum too.  Thank you all for making my day special.  

Birthday Presents

Today is my 39th Birthday.  I love birthdays... they're so much fun!  You get gifts from family and friends and cards and it's a time for celebration of another year on this here little blue planet. 
Well, I firstly received an sms from my Dad.  He had written out the whole song of 'Happy Birthday' through sms... that would have hurt his fingers!  But he did it.  Then, he phoned me and sang it in a funny voice making me laugh.
I opened my presents I bought myself and they were all 8 seasons of 'That 70's Show' and a copy of 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson; which I ordered in from MacLeans Booksellers in Newcastle.  When I jumped on Facebook, I had many friends wish me a Happy Birthday... how cool is that?  Then, Mum called me and sang to me... she hasn't been well, so this means a lot!
There's still other things to unwrap and pick up for this day; but they are at my house in Logan - and I'm currently not there at the moment - so I'll have to leave this post with just these two gifts so far reported as received.

Steeling Kisses of a Different Kind!

Wow! This week has been one of parcels arriving, book rings showing up and other great things just popping up in my PO Box!  I've only had one day where there was nothing in the little PO box but the next day I found something else - which ended up being a bill, but it was something! 
Today, I was out in the beautiful sunshine of Logan City and when I checked my mail, there was yet another parcel waiting for me at the post office.  This one was a prize I had won on the Romance Bandits site - YAY! - and this looks great!  I just love the cover of this book... doesn't it look fantastic?  Just the title - 'Kiss of Steel' by Bec McMaster - makes you want to jump right into it and read it!  I have always loved steampunk movies, however I've never read steampunk books before; so this will be a first for me.  Thank you so much Bec McMaster for choosing me as the winner of this one!  It arrived today and I'm looking forward to reading it soon!

A Bookring Arrives From France

I've had parcels arriving throughout the week; and it's wonderful when something like that happens, isn't it?  
Well, today's parcel was from France and is part of a Bookring.  For all of you who aren't Bookcrossers, I'll let you into this great idea.  A bookring is where you want to share a book with a group of people because you love it.  So, you register it on Bookcrossing.com and ask on their Bookring/Bookbox Forum if anyone would care to read your chosen book as a bookring.  After a few people take an interest in it, you sort out in which order and where in the world it will travel and send it on its merry way.  After around 2 years - give or take, depending on how many people you have on your list - you book will come back to you in a very well-read condition.  
The Bookring I've taken part in is 'The Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers' by Xiaolu Guo.  I have yet to begin reading it, but the premise on the back looks good. 

American Stretchy Book Protectors

Yesterday and today have been days of great things arriving in the mail.  I haven't received a single bill, but all the great fun stuff has been arriving... and I love it!
Yesterday, I had a thick envelope show up in the PO Box and so I opened it and out came two stretchy book protectors - one black and one a vibrant purple - and they looked beautiful!  They also came all the way from America as we can't get them here.  thank you so much LittleWhiteBird.  I'll use these a lot - along with the ones I already have.  I just love the colours and how they fit so well.

Birthday Orders Arrived

It's the time of year again - my Birthday - and I have been ordering things over the phone to get exactly what I want for my birthday.  And yesterday, my first present arrived!  It was a copy of 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson.  I had ordered it from MacLean's Booksellers in Newcastle and once I got it home, I went and wrapped it up for next week; seeing that's when my birthday is. 
Tomorrow, I'll be picking up my next present... well, okay, paying it off.  Early on in the year, I ordered in all 8 seasons of 'That 70's Show' on dvd and have been paying it off bit by bit since about February.  Now, I have $30 left on it, I'll pay off that last bit of money tomorrow so I can wrap it up and take it with me to where I'll be celebrating my birthday.  It's always nice to have pressies you have bought yourself for your birthday... then you're disappointed when you open them on the day. 

Golden Writings from Sweden

I've had a horrible week; truly, I have.  With my computer broken being lent this laptop by my Mum and having only limited internet, I'm not having all that much fun on the net as I normally do.  I can't look up the amount of sites I usually do and I feel as though I'm missing out on a great many things.

However, I felt very much in the loop the other day when I checked the PO Box and found a parcel pick-up card.  I thought a prize from America had arrived (as I had won a book on another site).  But it was a surprise from Sweden of a much-sought-after book I had been hunting down for years.  I must thank Deepswamp for sending this wonderful book to me in memory of Oppem, a wonderful Bookcrosser who recently passed away suddenly.  This book had been on her Wish List - as well as mine - and he sent this book for the 'Oppem RABCK'.  I didn't know this was on, otherwise I would have taken part.  I hope it's not too late by the time I get another computer.  Until then, thank you again, Deepswamp for 'The Golden Notebook' by Doris Lessing.  I do look forward to reading this great masterpiece by a brilliant writer.

Romance Prize From Across the Miles

It's been over a month since I received a prize from anyone; and I'm happy to say that I when I opened the PO Box today, I found a parcel pick-up card and not a bill (unlike yesterday).  

A few weeks ago, I won a book on the Romance Bandits and it was a copy of 'The King's Mistress' by Sandy Blair.  Today, it arrived and I'd been looking forward to it.  Actually, I was going to e-mail her to see if there had been a problem with the postage if it hadn't arrived today or tomorrow as it had been a long time since I had won.

And isn't it a lovely book?  I saw the large parcel and wondered what else was included inside it - besides the book that is - and found it was just a large envelope that's all (probably the only one her post office sold at the time).  Thank you so much for picking me a the prize-winner, Sandy.  I do look forward to reading your debut book and reviewing it as well!

From New Zealand

My parents are overseas at the moment on a holiday; traveling around the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Years ago, I went to the South Island on a Contiki Tour, but hardly remember it - only through the photos and a diary I kept on the road do I have any memories.  But I know it was a lot of fun!

Today, I received my first postcard from them.  It was of their first destination of The Bay of Islands.  Isn't a lovely-looking place?  I think so.

A Romance With the Devil

Yesterday, I didn't check the mail; but today, I did.  I found only on item in my PO Box and that was a blue pick-up card.  So, I grabbed it, closed the door and went inside.  I was given a small parcel from the UK and wondered who it was from; as I'm expecting a parcel, however I'm not really sure which part of the world it was coming from.  

On opening it there at the post office, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had received a gorgeous romance novel 'The Devil and Miss Jones' by Kate Walker, a bookmark, postcard and a pen from Kate Walker.  What a wonderful prize pack!  Thank you so much!  I've put the book with the others on my Mt TBR and do look forward to getting my nose into it soon!  Thank again Kate!

Shakespeare's Birthday

About a week or so ago, Shakespeare celebrated his birthday... a big one.  People are still celebrating his birthday and his works in many way. And on Bookcrossing, one of our BCers offered up postcards as a ways to celebrate his works and life.  So, I put my hand up for one.  And today, mine arrived.

I didn't know what it was going to look like or what was going to be on it; and that was the fun part of this venture.  

And so, here it is... a simple black, red and white postcard with a quote from 'The Tempest' on the front.  I love it!  Don't you?  I must thank Anne-Elliot for sending this to me from across the miles; I appreciate it very much as it brings back memories of being in the UK all that time ago.

Death, Taxes and a French Manicure!

Today, I received my first parcel in over a month!  It's been a long time since anything except bills came through my PO Box.  But then, I haven't sent anything out lately as I'm saving up to fix up my garden; so I guess we have to sacrifice something in saving for other things.

Besides, I'm still entering competitions; and this lovely prize arriving was just what I needed to get me reading again, as I've been in a really big reading slump!  So, thank you so much Diane Kelly for picking me out of the commenters on the Romance Bandits.  I'll read this as soon as I can and review it on my book review blog - My Reading List - and keep you posted about it.  Thank you again!

A Prize Pack Arrives!

I'm frequenter on The Romance Bandits blog and while there, I comment on quite a few of their posts.  Well!  Not long ago, I commented on one of their guest blog posts and won a prize pack!

At first, I didn't know until somebody told me about it!  How very cool, and fun.  So, not knowing where this author was in the world, I e-mailed them my PO Box and wondered quietly what was to arrive in the mail.  Today, the prize pack arrived!  And isn't it great!  I've always love receiving things in the mail, no matter what they are.  Thank you Kylie Griffin for choosing me - along with Fedora and Helen - as your winners!

A Hot Read for Winter Shows Up In the Mail.

Just before Christmas, I won a 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' by Addison Fox on The Romance Bandits' site.  After a few weeks, I received an e-mail asking if I had received it and I said I hadn't.  She had forgotten to send it; so she quickly did after Christmas and after I told her I had been published with Bibliotastic.com.  

Today, I received the book in the mail and it was a lovely surprise to open my PO Box and find just the one single item of the blue pick-up card there waiting for me.  This is my fourth book I've received over the last year from this site; and I've yet to read, so I've got all four of them on my reading pile for this year.  Along with this book came a bookmark - marketing the book - and a note from Addison.  The book is also signed by the author!  How brilliant is that?  Thank you Addison for sending it all this way.  I look forward to reading it! 

A Second Secret Santa Gift

Today, an Express Post Parcel arrived in my PO Box from Romy86.  She sent me another one because of the confusion with the fire that consumed the Australia Post truck a few weeks ago; and both of us not knowing if my parcel was in amongst the ones lost.  So, she sent me another  one.

I think that's the nicest and most generous thing I've ever had somebody do.  Inside it was two books and a handful of wrapped lollies.  Very nice.  Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness, Romy86; I'll get in and scoff into the lollies and read the books over the next year... if I get through the massive huge tomes I've set myself this year.