Book: Travellers' Tales 2

Summary: With an incisive eye and an Australian perspective, the ABC′s foreign correspondents report from all parts of the globe, including very recent human and natural disaster areas such as: Sri Lanka in the wake of the devastating Boxing Day tsunami; Beslan during the siege (with bullets flying during a live cross); New Orleans in the wake of Cyclone Katrina′s destructive force; London after the terrorist bombings; the violence that continues in Iraq. Also covered are Guantanomo Bay, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Siberia, Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe′s regime and China.

What I thought: Like most short stories it was hit and miss. I really enjoyed some of them and admire what journalists do. I'm too much a a chicken to be a foreign correspondent though. It is amazing to read about different situations in our world while I am safely cocooned in mine...

Tuesday Night Bookgroup: Sarah's Key

Summary: Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours. Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to re-evaluate her marriage and her life...

What I thought: OMG. What an amazingly brilliant and harrowing book. The best book I have read in years. So moving and so very very sad. Just brilliant. Highly recommend.

Monday Night Bookgroup: Keeping Faith

Summary: As Mariah White struggles with depression her seven-year-old daughter Faith seeks solace in a new friend-a friend who may or may not be imaginary. Faith talks to her 'Guard' constantly and begins to recite passages from the Bible-a book she's never read. After a succession of visits to psychiatrists, all of whom conclude Faith is not hallucinating, the unimaginable starts to seem possible: perhaps Faith may actually be seeing God. When Faith's cachet is enhanced by reported miracle healings and alleged stigmata, she is touted as a prophet. Amidst the gathering storm of controversy, most disruptive of all is the arrival of two men: one a renowned television atheist who plans to debunk Faith's claims and help boost his flagging ratings, and the other her divorced father whose fear for his daughter's safety leads him to battle for custody. As Mariah finds herself fighting to keep her daughter, she has to push past her own insecurities and stand up for herself and her competence as a parent.

What I thought: Once again I was hooked. And I actually couldn't predict how it would all pan out. A sensitive topic explored in an amazing way. She really is an amazing writer...

Monday Night Bookgroup: Riding the Bus with my Sister

Summary: When Rachel Simon's sister Beth asks her to ride the buses with her for a year, Rachel is at first reluctant. Not only is she hyperbusy, but her relationship with Beth has never been easy. Beth has mental retardation and, although she is able to look after herself, she can still be a handful.

What I thought: When I first started this book I really enjoyed it however for me it got a little to repetitive as it continued on. It took AGES to finish and I was pleased to be done with it. Probably wouldn't recommend reading...

Tuesday Night Bookgroup: Nineteen Minutes

Summary: In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five.... In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.

Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens - until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families.

What I thought: Once again I really enjoyed reading Picoult. Only criticism is that the ending was a bit short for me. Needed more info... But overall thoroughly enjoyed. I really felt for Peter's mother. So tough...

Book: Promises

Summary: Sophie Dixon is determined to leave her tragic past behind and forge a bright future on her beloved farm. While looking to buy a new horse, she is drawn into her neighbour Aaron's Laidlaw's orbit, despite the bad blood between their families. As the racing season unfolds, Sophie and Aaron's feelings for each other deepen. But Aaron is torn, haunted by a dark secret he fears can never be forgiven – especially by Sophie. Sophie believes herself strong, but the truth behind her mother's death will test her strength, and her love, to the limit. She's been broken once. No one wants to see her broken again. Least of all the man who has grown to love her...

What I thought: Loved it! Another awesome country romance. I just so can't get enough of these. There are so many new authors coming onto the scene it's hard to keep up with them all!

Book: Nowhere Else

Summary: On the surface, current affairs reporter Nicola Harvey has the world at her feet — she's at the top of her profession, part of Australian television's celebrity A-list, has a wealthy, successful fiancé and a beautiful warehouse conversion in Adelaide. But appearances can be deceiving and not all is perfect in Nicola's world. So when her boss offers to send her on an extended research trip to investigate the effects of the drought, she jumps at the chance to indulge in some country-style relaxation.

When Nicola arrives in the little town of Nowhere Else, nothing is as she expected: there's no spa in town, the locals are tight-lipped, and she senses it's not just the drought that is making the town nervous. So why has her boss sent her out here? The deeper Nicola digs into the town's history, the more she realises coming to Nowhere Else wasn't a mistake after all. In fact, it may just unlock the mystery of her own past. And hold the key to her future happiness...

What I thought: Once again another rural romance which has me reading like never before. Loved this book. Sure a bit far fetched in places but who cares!

Book: The Cattle King

Summary: At the age of 13 Sidney Kidman ran away from home with only five shillings in his pocket. He went on to become a horse dealer, drover, cattle buyer and bush jockey and he also ran a coach business. Above all Kidman created a mighty cattle empire of more than a hundred stations, fighting droughts, bushfires, floods and plagues of vermin to do so. His enterprise and courage won him a huge fortune and made him a legend.

What I thought: WOW! What an amazing person. This book made me love the outback even more. Just can't get enough of reading out this wonderful country. Also amazing to still see how much of his legacy still remains. Highly recommend reading.

Book: The Bay

Summary: When Sydney corporate wife Holly Jamieson turns 40, she shocks her husband by buying an old house in The Bay, a beautiful and peaceful town on the Australian east coast, and transforming it into a charming B&B. What began as a gesture of independence changes her life. Holly soon discovers that beneath its tranquil surface, The Bay is a whirlpool of passions and conflicts. Once a whaling town, then a sleepy resort that became trendy... and now developers are moving in for the kill. Holly, her family, and an unusual band of new friends are in the battle lines.

What I thought: Once again I really enjoyed. Just love the vivid imagery. Must admit though that in this one there were a few too many characters and I got a little mixed up...

Tuesday Night Bookgroup: Prime Cut

Summary: Meet Cato Kwong — disgraced cop and ex-poster boy for the police force. Banished to the stock squad after the fallout from a police frame-up, Cato is brought in from the cold to solve the case of a torso washed up on the wild shores of the Great Southern Ocean. But Cato faces powerful opposition when his investigation lifts the lid on the exploitation of migrant workers and disturbs an even darker criminal mind...

What I thought: I really enjoyed this. Lots of different layers to work through... Also loved the vivid descriptions of the scenery. Recommend reading it.

Book: Someone Special

Summary: Romy Kilkenny loves her life in Australia – she has her dream job, lots of mates, and a best friend in Keith who understands her better than anyone. Best of all, she couldn't be further from her family. But when her brother rings to say she's needed back in Ireland right away, Romy's world is turned upside down. Flying home to see her mother and her half-siblings, Romy doubts she'll fit in better now than she ever did, and she's still not ready to forgive her mother for her truly disgraceful behaviour a few years earlier. Romy also worries that the accidental half-kiss with Keith at the airport may have brought their easy friendship to a sudden end. Whatever lies ahead, it's not what Romy's expecting – even the people we grow up with can surprise us, and if love is to be found, it will find a way.

This was Ok. Didn't really draw me in like many of her other books have. But still love Irish chick lit.

Book: Race Around the Sports World

Summary: Sports tragic Tony Hardy sets off to see as many great events around the world as he can in 50 days. The problems? Hardy has a delicate constitution, suffers chronic homesickness and loathes leaving his couch. From New York, where he goes to the US Open at Flushing Meadows, and a Major League Baseball game between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, to Belfast for a World Cup Qualifier between England and Northern Ireland. In Dusseldorf for a famous ice-hockey derby, he escapes with singed ears from a fire-loving Turkish barber, only to be cornered while under the influence for a live interview on German television. In Dublin at a hurling game, he discovers goalkeepers who face death without armour. And at the Australian MotoGP on Phillip Island, he finds lacy women's underwear flying from flags and the greatest sportsman on the planet.

This book was really hit and miss. Some funny parts but otherwise a bit boring which is a shame as it was a great idea...

Monday and Tuesday night bookgroup: The Reader

I am trying to get a jump start on my bookgroup books for the year and this one is in both (not until May and June)! Currently feeling virtuous!

Summary: When he falls ill on his way home from school, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover—then she inexplicably disappears. When Michael next sees her, he is a young law student, and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael gradually realises that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder.

I enjoyed this book though it is somewhat depressing. More a winter read when it's dark and gloomy outside than a summer one... Think I might get the DVD now to see the comparison.

Book: The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots

My first book of 2012. Thanks to @sharonu for telling me about this one:

Summary: Lena Todd is a city girl who thrives on cocktails and cappuccinos. So when her boss announces he's sending her to the outback to join a construction team, her world is turned upside down. Lena's new accommodation will be an aluminium box called a dongar; Her new social network is 350 men; Her daily foot attire is steel-capped boots.

Unfortunately, Lena can't refuse. Mistakes of the past are choking her confidence. She needs to do something to right those wrongs and prove herself. Going into a remote community might just be the place to do that, if only tall, dark and obnoxious Dan didn't seem so determined to stand in her way ...

I absolutely LOVED this book. Rural romance at it's best. Can't wait for her next book. Just so excited about this genre at the minute.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Siemensma crew. All the best for 2012 xoxo

2011 books - an overview

I managed to read 40 books this year which was a pretty good effort for me. Here's the break down:

Aussie rural romance - 12
Teenage - 6
Non-fiction - 5
General fiction - 17

I absolutely LOVED sinking into my rural romances this year. Finding Di Morrissey helped! Again though I was bad at reading my book group ones... I was also disappointed in my non-fiction list. I usually read heaps more. But in reflection it has been a massive personal year so all in all I have done well.

Book: Paycheque

Summary: Claire McIntyre has it all: an adoring husband, a bubbly best friend, a chic townhouse and a high-flying corporate career in the city. But somehow she’s forgotten what really makes her happy. After receiving tragic news, closely followed by the loss of her job, Claire’s world is thrown into turmoil. She is then forced to reconsider everything that matters to her.

Claire soon finds herself back at the very place she’s been running from — the family property. A place where the bush telegraph exposes every secret, where reputations are hard won and easily lost, and where fortune is as fickle as the weather. Here, in the rugged beauty of the Australian Adelaide Hills, Claire starts to rebuild her life with her friends, her father and his beloved racehorses — including a promising young horse called Paycheque. But just as she begins to find happiness, and perhaps even love, fate comes to call. Now Claire must decide whether to do the sensible thing, or risk it all on her newfound passion...

Oh tragic rural romance at it's best. Loved it! Looking forward to reading her second one now :)

Clinician's Health Channel catch-up

Last Wednesday I headed to Melbourne for a CHC catch-up. It was lovely to catch-up with folk who I haven't seen for well over a year. It was also good to reacquaint myself with some of the products.

MIMS

MyDR - Consumer health website (includes videos)
MIMS Bi-monthly now called MIMS abbreviated
2,000,000 views per month!
Looking at introducing an overseas "drug equivalent"

Therapeutic Guidelines

Releases in March, July and November each year.

Ebsco

Introduction of Ebsco Discovery Service to CHC and can tailor to individual hospital to include local data. Trials happening.

Book: Vanishing Acts

Summary: Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. Raised in rural New Hampshire by her widowed father, Andrew, she now has a young daughter, a handsome fiancé, and her own search-and-rescue bloodhound, which she uses to find missing persons. But as she plans her wedding, she is plagued by flashbacks of a life she can’t recall. And when a policemen arrives to disclose a truth that will upend the world as she knows it, Delia must search through these memories – even when they have the potential to devastate her life, and the lives of those she loves most. Vanishing Acts is a book about the nature and power of memory; about what happens when the past we have been running from catches up to us and what happens when the memory we thought had vanished returns as a threat...

I really enjoyed this one. Was sucked in from the start! Think I'll read another Picoult now!

Book: The Girl and the Ghost-Grey Mare

This was a selection of short stories from Rachael Treasure. I love Rachael's novels and she is by far one of my favourite authors. Not too keen on short stories though. This was ok. Some were good, some were average. Can't wait for her next full length novel to be released.

Monday Night Bookgroup: Marching Powder

Summary: Rusty Young was backpacking in South America when he heard about Thomas McFadden, a convicted English drug trafficker who ran tours inside Bolivia's notorious San Pedro prison. Intrigued, the young Australian went to La Paz and joined one of Thomas's illegal tours. They formed an instant friendship and then became partners in an attempt to record Thomas's experiences in the jail. Rusty bribed the guards to allow him to stay and for the next three months he lived inside the prison, sharing a cell with Thomas and recording one of the strangest and most compelling prison stories of all time. San Pedro is not your average prison. Inmates are expected to buy their cells from real estate agents. Others run shops and restaurants. Women and children live with imprisoned family members. It is a place where corrupt politicians and drug lords live in luxury apartments, while the poorest prisoners are subjected to squalor and deprivation. Violence is a constant threat, and sections of San Pedro that echo with the sound of children by day house some of Bolivia's busiest cocaine laboratories by night.

I did enjoy this book but it was pretty poorly written. Was desperate for it to end about 3/4 way through and some of the incidents were just a little too far fetched to believe...

Kaszazz workshop

On Friday night I headed to my friend's for another scrapping workshop. This time though we made a tissue box. It is actually really cute. Was even thinking of making another one for a friend at Christmas but am a little time poor at the minute!

Uni: HRM & Operations Management

Well Uni is done and dusted for another semester. I am now only 3 subjects away from completing my MBA. This semester saw me finish Human Resource Management and Operations Management. I thought the first would be easy but it happened to be the harder of the two. I could grasp concepts easily enough but the lecturer was a REALLY hard marker so you never really knew if you were putting in what you were meant to... Operations Management on the other hand took me way out of my comfort zone. It was all about manufacturing and included maths and formulas (yuck!). However I did learn a lot by studying hard and blitzing the exam (I think!). Am still waiting the results of exams which are due in about 10 days or so but am pretty sure I passed. Also am waiting for next year's timetable to be released. Not sure if I can finish next year or the one after. There is a summer subject starting late January but I just don't know...

Book: Kimberley Sun

Summary: Lily Barton is beautiful, adventurous and looking for a complete life change. Sami, her daughter, is 30, driving alone through the outback and finally, reluctantly, confronting her family roots. Together they are swept into a world where legends, myths and reality start to converge. Among those who come into their orbit are Farouz, the old Afghan camel driver, Bobby, the Chinese/Aboriginal man who is tangled in the murder of a German tourist, and Biddy, the survivor from Captain Tyndall and Olivia's era… All have a secret and all have a story to tell until each finds their place under the Kimberley sun.

I am so loving Di Morrissey. This again swept me in... Once again though I later discovered it was a sequel! So annoyed. Will probably wait a few years before reading the first one now.

Book: Parvana's Journey

Summary: Homeless and alone, Parvana begins a desperate journey through war-torn Afghanistan in search of her family. Living in constant fear of the Taliban, often without food or water in the barren landscape, Parvana and the children she rescues journey on foot through a country laid waste by years of conflict, in search of peace and safety.

This was a beautifully written story. I loved the relationships between the children. Only problem is that it's the sequel which I only discovered after reading. Now my dilemma is to go back and read or wait a few years and read the first one...

Cardmaking class - Christmas

In late October I headed to my friend's house for a Kaszazz cardmaking class. This time it was Christmas cards. Here's what we produced:











This one is also a Kaszazz card and is the card I am making for Christmas this year:

Book: No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club

Summary: Don’t harass her about parasailing or taking Italian language courses. Forget about suggesting she join a gym. Marie Sharp may be a little creaky in the bones as she heads toward the big 6-0, but she’s fine with it. She would rather do without all the moving-to-Florida-bicycling-across- Mongolia-for-the-hell-of-it hoopla that her friends insist upon. She’s already led an exciting life: She came of age in the 1960s, after all. Now, with both a new grandchild and a new man on the horizon, all she wants to do is make the most of what she considers the most interesting stage of her life. In this wonderfully astute novel based on the author’s own experiences, No! I Don’t Want to Join a Book Club is the funny—and often poignant—fictionalized diary of an older woman . . . a decade or two past her prime and content to leave it all behind her. So don’t tell her to take a gourmet cooking class, and whatever you do, don’t you dare tell her to join a book club.

This book was actually really funny. I know a few ladies who have recently turned 60 so I had them in mind when reading. This was a great light read and I've recommended it those 60 somethings!

Book: Size 12 is Not Fat

Summary: Heather Wells Rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two -- and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

I really enjoyed this book. Light and fluffy with a bit of crime thrown in. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

Rachael Treasure talk

Back at the start of October I was lucky enough to go to one of our local bookshops to see Rachael Treasure talk about her latest book. She is one of my all time favourite authors. She writes about farms, outback and rural romances. Just love her work. It's all very Aussie which I love. Anyway, she has just published a short story collection which I am currently reading now. I love listening to authors read their own words and just listening to them discuss how they got into writing, why they write, when they write etc. The bonus of going was that I also got to be a groupie and get her to sign all my books that's she's written!

Cardmaking class

Sometime in late August I went to my friend's for a Kaszazz workshop. Basically we made Father's Day cards and male cards. Here they are. The shirt folding one I replicated for all the kids at Mother's Group to give to their dad's:

Book: Noah's Law

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Noah is a troublemaker. His father is a hotshot barrister.
This is not a good combination. When Noah gets caught mucking up at school, his dad sends him to work at his aunt's law firm during the holidays to 'learn responsibility' and 'fix his attitude'. There he meets Jacinta - the cute intern who knows her way around a photocopier, and Casey - the wicked witch of the firm. Noah becomes involved in a case where a woman has been killed during a mugging gone wrong. There's a grieving husband, a guilty employer, and an open and shut case involving lots of money. But right and wrong, and crime and punishment are soon entangled as Noah realises that things are seldom what they seem.

I really loved this book. At lot of it was a bit far fetched but still enjoyed it. There is just something about the law that fascinates me...

Book: Heart of the Dreaming

Summary: At 21, Queenie Hanlon has the world at her feet and the love of handsome bushman TR Hamilton. Beautiful, wealthy and intelligent, she is the only daughter of Tingulla Station, the famed outback property in the wilds of western Queensland. At 22, her life lies in ruins. A series of disasters has robbed her of everything she ever loved. Everything except Tingulla – her ancestral home and her spirit's Dreaming place. An extraordinary tale of one woman's courage and her determination to take on the world and win.

Oh my, what a romping great read. Outback romance at it's best. Will have to borrow the sequel now. Just adored this book and the characters in it. Trashy rural romance, handsome farmers, determined women.... Bliss!

Paperific

In late August (I think) I headed to Melbourne to catch up with the lovely Tania, Rebecca and Rachel to attend Paperific. WHAT FUN! Sooooo many scraping and cardmaking products. Just boggling. I spent about $150 which included buying a Big Shot machine (which is still all wrapped up but will be unleashed this week). Plus lots of embellishments and stamps and other bits and pieces. Just insane what you can buy though. I'm still very much a newbie to this hobby. Anyway, one of the best things was the "Make and Take" demonstrations. I got to make the following cards and a few other things (scrap pages and tags which I don't have pictures of). Anyway, Paperific is definitely on my to attend list every year!

Book: Fly A Rebel Flag - The Battle At Eureka

Summary: "We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties!" The diggers' oath, 30 November 1854.

The diggers were fed up. Ever since the gold rushes began, the police had hounded them, forcing them to show their licenses like common criminals. At last the diggers of Ballarat made a stand. They would pay no more licence fees. They took up arms, built a stockade, and swore to defend themselves against the authorities. When government troops stormed the Eureka stockade the battle lasted just twenty minutes, but it changed Australia forever...

I read this one basically because I live in Ballarat and often forget the wonderful history of this town. Was OK. Great for school kids.

Cardmaking

I often have my friend's daughter over for a sleepover if they are out for the night (as Miss 9 is the best baby sitter EVER, my kids adore her). Anyway, tradition is that when the kids go to bed we sit up and make cards. Here are some of my creations from one of those nights. I think it must be when I got some new chalks for my birthday!

July Scrap Challenge

Back in June I did a 30 day card challenge. July's challenge was to make a scrap layout per week and incorporate the theme. I only managed to do one. The concept of the week was "7 things I love..." At the very end of my kids albums I plan to include a page like the one below. This page now lives in Adam's album which chronicles the adventures of him as a one year old. Love my little man to the moon and back xoxo

Tuesday Night Bookgroup: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Summary: Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. Routine, order and predictability shelter him from the messy, wider world. Then, at fifteen, Christopher's carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents' marriage. As he tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, we are drawn into the workings of Christopher's mind.

What a fabulous book. Highly recommend.