Good afternoon, Sunday Saloners! I hope that everyone had the Valentine’s Day they were hoping for this weekend. I had fun planning Emma’s Valentine’s Day party on Friday. I’m her room mother and I’m really enjoying that. I used to love those parties the best when I was in grade school – even better than Christmas. Yesterday morning I awoke to a beautiful long stem red rose and a card that alluded to how much I like to steal the covers. 
After that I spent some time surfing and posting on my other Valentine’s Day gift ~ an ASUS Eee PC 1000HA netbook
It’s got a 10 inch screen and is pearl white. I love it! I’m using it right now to write this post and it’s barely larger than a book sitting on my lap.
It arrived on Wednesday and it was truly love at first sight. The only issue I had was the placement of the right Shift key. I fixed that using a register hack and I’ve been good to go ever since. Because of the 6 cell battery, I have almost 7 hours of life on each charge and I can take it anywhere. My girls like to play at the local Barnes & Noble and I was able to write my review of The Triumph of Deborah while I was there. Incredible!
Last night after the girls mercifully went to sleep quick and easy, Danny and I watched “Burn After Reading” and loved that, too. I was amazed at Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, and George Clooney. They were all incredible in this movie. If you love the quirky, hilarious movies from the Cohen Brothers like The Big Lebowski and Fargo, you’ll enjoy this one, too.
From a reading standpoint, I spent my week with Arthur, the Pendragon. I’m reading an ARC of The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick from Sourcebooks. I’m enjoying the adventures thus far. I’ve never really been very interested in King Arthur and the associated mythology, so this is all somewhat new to me. This novel, which is 563 pages (Amy, were you able to finish it this weekend? LOL!), is the first in Hollick’s Pendragon trilogy. I’m looking forward to reading the rest. With their reissues of Georgette Heyer‘s novels, I’m discoving some wonderful historical fiction through Sourcebooks.
I am almost completely caught up on reviews after this week’s posting of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mermaids in the Basement, and The Triumph of Deborah. This week I will be reviewing Soul Catcher by Michael White and Signora DaVinci by Robin Maxwell. Assuminng I complete The Kingmaking, I’ll end the week reviewing that.
Next up I’m going to be reading The Vagrants by Yiyun Li, Go With Me by Castle Freeman, and Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. The first two are for my Just for the Love of It Reading Challenge. Everything is Illuminated is for Dewey’s Reading Challenge and the Book Awards Challenge II.
I am off tomorrow because President’s Day is an official holiday for my company. I love it because no one else is off. It’s truly a holiday for me. I will be hosting another giveaway tomorrow in celebration. I don’t want to give much away, but it will include three books. Come back tomorrow and check it out.
Have a great week!
I’m totally jealous of your new little laptop!! I agree about the historical fiction through Sourcebooks…they’ve got some great stuff.
And no I’ve barely made a dent in Kingmaking, but hope to get through a good bit of it today!
Amy @ My Friend Amy’s last blog post..TwitterSheep
Enjoy your day off! I work for the State and it is a holiday for me but they take it and put it towards the end of the year so we can be closed for two weeks around Christmas time. In other words, I am working tomorrow. Ugh!
Your notebook is so cute! I’m glad it’s working for ya!
Ti’s last blog post..The Sunday Salon: February 8, 2009
We’re getting an eee pc soon too! I’m glad to read a good review. I mainly want it to use in the sewing room when I want to follow an online tutorial for something, and for traveling. I assume it will be 99% mine.
I’m excited for tomorrow too- I’m off, the kids have daycare.
Lisa’s last blog post..Mike and Lisa’s Valentines playlist
I am soooo envious of your new laptop! However, I think if I had a computer that actually went everywhere with me, my husband would leave me! I already spend half my life on here. I’m still going to petition for one, maybe for my birthday! Have a great Sunday!
Sandy’s last blog post..The Fifth Photo
My fiance has one of those cute little laptops! It’s awesome and so convenient. Mine is big and heavy and very noisy.
I just finished The Kingmaking. I thought it was pretty good! Sourcebooks is coming out with absolutely fantastic historical fiction these days.
Meghan’s last blog post..TSS: a post that nearly didn’t happen
What a great Valentine present! I so want to see it the next time I’m up that way.
Kathy’s last blog post..Weekly Link Round-Up
I understand your excitement at your wee little laptop, as I wrote about a little while ago, I bought a netbook, Sam, and it is true love.
I took Sam on a flight down to Florida and he was a joy to travel with, easily slipping into my bag, long battery life to keep me amused, in the hotel, in the airport… games, books WiFi…yes, it is love!
Beautiful new toy! I envy you!
debnance’s last blog post..TSS: Fancy Nancy and Fancy Mrs. Nance
I’m so jealous! Congrats
Sheri’s last blog post..The Sunday Salon: Misconceived, Pt. 3
nice laptop! I am reading The Kingmaking too, its good
I like Georgette Heyer’s books.
luv it! i’m catching up on my blog visiting.
enjoy your day off, i’m off too
bookworm’s last blog post..The War of the Worlds
Yea! for the presidents! I needed this day off!
‘I like Georgette Heyer’s books’ <- that sounded very random…lol…I meant to to on and say i’ve found great historicals through sourcebooks too
bookworm’s last blog post..The War of the Worlds
What a wonderful Valentine’s gift!