BSF Lesson 30 - From the Notes

I can't believe this is our last lesson already!
There's a section in the notes this week that has really impacted me, and stuck with me.

The inhabitants of Zion (Jerusalem), God's people,  would also be "called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for th edisplay of his spendor" (Isaiah 61:3).  Those belonging to God are grounded and productive, living and growing in His fruitful goodness and His high moral strength.  Do the people around you see God's enduring stability in you?

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I love books that include a little history.  This book almost could have been two books -the mothers story, and the daughters stories, were really two complete books.  I'm glad it was one book though, the author made it work together well!


The history is on Stalin, and Leningrad - which may not sound all that interesting.  It sounds sort of dry actually..  but told as a fairy tale, it will suck you right in.  Although it's no fairy tale, it's more horror.  And it's based on actual history, which makes it even more horrific.  No more so than any war I guess.


I loved this book, right up until the last few chapters.  Then it felt like the author was trying to hard to make it something it was not.  The ending was..  too much.  There was no happy ending here, no matter how contrived, it would have been better to just leave it be a loss, I think.  Wrap up the daughters stories happily, but leave the mother's story as is..


It didn't ruin the book, I just think it would have been much better without the extra ending story.


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2011 Reading Challenge

You have read 47 books toward your goal of 100 books.

47 of 100 (47%)

Awesome work, you're 16 books (15%) ahead of schedule!

My favorite Cleaning Products

Home Made Glass Cleaner (which I use for counters, appliances, & glass)

Home Made Laundry Detergent

& Purex Fabric Softener.  Yes, I know you can use vinegar, but I really prefer Purex.

Scott's Liquid Gold for every day dusting (the BEST for old wood furniture!)

Home Made wood cleaner (for once a month cleaning, a little more oily then the Scott's)

Comet & sos pads - for the sinks and stoves

The Works Toilet Cleaner, and The Works Shower Cleaner, for hard water stains

(Dollar General has their own brand for a few cents less, but I do not think it works as well. )

Iron Out for monthly cleaning of the shower heads, washer, coffee pot,  and if the water system is acting up, the dishes.  I've started using lemon shine in our dishwasher and it is AWSOME.  Not only is is cleaning up the dishwasher, but our glasses are finally truly clean and sparkling!

For the daily floor cleaning..  I admit to loving my swiffer wetjet.  I keep trying various reusable options..  but most often I buy the disposables.  This is the one area I want to work on  - I don't like disposable products and try to avoid them.

(Weekly the floors need to be washed by hand.  Not that I always do, but they NEED to be.) For that I use pinesol.

Bissel vacuum cleaner.  This is one of the cheaper models - but I love it!  I tried a more expensive Pet hair version, and it was just too much of a pain to use. The attachments on this are easy to get to, it cleans well, is light, the cannister holds a lot (this is a farm, with two dogs, several cats, and 4 teenagers in and out. )  My first one lasted me 4 years - a record for any vacuum I have ever owned.  I bought a new one, just like it, recently for $89.

   

Home Made Furniture Polish

I still love scott's liquid gold for every day dusting. Yes, I prefer it to pledge - although I will use pledge in a pinch.  

But for polishing, and scratch cover, this works REALLY well.  Especially on really old dried out wood!

• 2 cups olive oil (use the cheap stuff)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix well.  I use one cloth to apply, and a second to buff off.  It is not supposed to store well, but to be honest, I have never stored it for long, so I really do not know.  :-)

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The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


When I looked at this book, I saw the description "On the eve of the United States's entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn't deliver a letter."




At the time it appeared to me that this would be a big, monumental event.  Rereading the description now, I can see that maybe it wasn't even meant to sound that way.  After reading the book, the description seems to sum it all up pretty well...  it really does tell you everything.  There is no surprise, no twist, no big event, and no great story.


That's the other thing I first noticed when looking at this book and adding it to my "to read" pile.  I saw in the back there was a section "the real story" and I assumed, falsely, that this was a book based on a little known real event in history.  Had I read that section first, I could have saved myself a lot of time drudging through this book.  It was based on a few things the author saw that inspired her to write the book.


It was tedious for me to read, and I wish I hadn't wasted so much time on this book.  :-(


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https://amzn.to/37bzev3

Greg Mortenson's book Three Cups Of Tea is a lie??  I really should pay more attention to the news I guess.  I read Three Cups Of Tea.  I loved it.  I was planning to read the sequel this year.  Guess there's no sense in reading THAT now.  I'm so disappointed.  :-(

Three Cups of Deceit

How Greg Mortenson,
Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way

Greg Mortenson has built a global reputation as a selfless humanitarian and children’s crusader, and he’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also not what he appears to be. As acclaimed author Jon Krakauer discovered, Mortenson has not only fabricated substantial parts of his bestselling books Three Cups of Teaand Stones into Schools, but has also misused millions of dollars donated by unsuspecting admirers like Krakauer himself. This is the tragic tale of good intentions gone very wrong.
http://www.byliner.com/

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Paper Flowers

Found the kits at Big Lots last year - they are by Martha Stewart

Now that Meg's room is painted, we finally put them together as accents in her room.  :-) 

The vase of flowers here, and another out of sight on the other side of the tv, were also a Martha Stewart kit, also from Big Lots - we made those last year.  :-)