Return to Cherokee by Harvey Mendez Review

Here is my review of my free book from Goodreads. Sometimes free books are not worth the trouble.

I'm not sure where to start. If I could I would give this book a 1\2 star.
I feel that I am well read and I would know a well written book vs a poorly written book.
I will start with giving Harvey Mendez credit for writing a book and giving it away to be read, reviewed and criticized by complete strangers.
The Pros: I need to find Cherokee AK because everyone is beautiful in that town.
The Cons: There are way too many characters and they are all one dimensional.
I couldn't seem to identify with one character or truly feel any emotion. A woman is raped and yet her friend has no sense of compassion. "Steevee put an arm around her shoulder. I'm sure he'll understand."" :"He will. Its just that he's the only man I've ever been with." she trembled. Oh - that wont matter." To describe one of the characters as possessing a "Giant scrotum" and that he's "Mole like" is as bland as can be.

I personally feel this book is extremely poorly written and reminds me of an 8th grader writing in a way he think adults would talk and act. For example, "He watched the women speed up and quickened his pace also." Why add the word also? It does not enhance the story and it stops the flow of the sentence.
I could go on but I will stop here. As I said before I feel this book is poorly written and I advise all future writer to read this book as a "What Not To Do When Writing."

Pretty Blue Eyes

Though I was in love before
Then you moved in next door
Pretty blue eyes
Pretty blue eyes

All the guys in the neighbourhood
Keep saying that you sure look good
With your blue eyes
Pretty blue eyes

Saw you from my window
My heart skipped a beat
Wanna sit on your doorstep
So now I can meet
Pretty blue eyes

Please come out today
So I can tell you what I have to say
That I love you, love you
Pretty blue eyes
By Steve Lawrence


PS I didn't do anything to make their eyes look this blue expect take the picture.

A house full of sickies

Last week Martin start with a awful cough that wouldn't go away and than Roxie thew up last Sunday and it all went downhill from there. One week later Martin, Roxie and Zoey all have ear infections, Doug has a possible sinus infection and as for me my ear hurt and my head is killing me. The adventure started Friday night when Roxie started to pull and twist her hair and Martin complaining about his head hurting so I decided to take them to the Doctors Saturday morning but I ended up leaving Zoey because I didn't want to drag her around. Fast forward to 7:30pm last night I ended up going to peds urgent care and two hours later found out Zoey has an ear infection. It was 10pm by the time I got to Walgreen to fill up Zoey's prescription only to find out it wouldn't be ready for 1 1\2hours. I guess we are not the only ones sick.
Atlest we are getting it all at once :)

When Did It Happen

I've turned into a mom and I'm trying to figure out when it happened. I mean when did my conversation start off with yup she hasn't pooped in three days, can you believe she ate or I wonder what she ate because its a strange color. When did going to lunch with friend consist of McDonald's and we talk\compare labor stories (Who was the longest?Shortest? Drugs or No drugs.) Comparing kids and there abilities (Mine walked at 1 year or mine was talking in full sentences at a 2.)Or my personal favorite your kids look nothing like you. TRUST me I was there I have the stretch marks prove it.
What happened to never leaving the house for a week because the kids are sick and getting excited to leave for 10 mins to Walgreen for medicine for sick kids just to get out of the house and than sitting in the car outside of the house loving the silence. Wearing the same shirt for three days and never once realizing it until it got up walked in the laundry and scream "WASH ME PLEASE." Laying down next to a sick kids and having him\her sneeze or cough all over you and thinking I need to get the dishes put away.
When did going to the bathroom become a spectator sport? With the conversation starting with "Mom why do you sit down and pee? Or can I sit on your lap?" Why didn't some one warn me that bedtime doesn't mean sleep it just means you get to rest your eyes before someone wakes up wanting mom to cuddle, needing Fresh Water, needing to pee and say "look at all the pee in the toilet", screaming wipe my nose or needing a diaper change.
What happened to those days of date nights spending hours to get ready talking about work, dislikes and looking into each others eyes for hours turned into enjoying the quite drive to dinner the quite dinner and trying not to fall asleep though a movie. Only wondering did I even take a shower today? YES!!!

Becoming a mom seemed to have happened over night and than looking at my three beautiful children and realizing it happened 4 years ago with the birth of my sweet Martin. I wouldn't change being a mom but I am going to start locking the door when I need to go to the bathroom and taking showers a little more often.


The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck





I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," M*A*S*H

Getting old ain't for sissies. - Bette Davis

Happy Birthday to the best cousin a girl could ask for!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!!
AS for me I am having a wonderful birthday celebrating with Martin home from preschool running a 101.2 temp and hacking cough.
Doug gave me my birthday present early. He painted and update upstairs bathroom and it has become my favorite room in the house. (PICTURES TO COME)

I'm at an age when my back goes out more than I do.
- Phyllis Diller


A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's
birthday but never remembers her age.
- Robert Frost

Free Book

I am so excited!! Like everyone else in the family I have signed on to Goodreads giveaways and I will get to review my first book. Its called Return to Cherokee.
Now when to find the time to read between diaper changes, emotional break downs from kids, cleaning my house, preschool home work, Martin learning to read and trying to take a shower. Maybe the 10 mins before I fall asleep at night. I am really excited.

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. ~Edward P. Morgan


Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~Charles W. Eliot

What can Happen in a year?

“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”

Og Mandino

What more can I say than what a day.

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back. ~William D. Tammeus


Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. ~John Wilmot

Record Bowls

I was trying to find something fun for Christmas present for the kids to make as well as for me to give away with treats inside. So I melted records to make them into bowls. So I typed in melted record bowls and found several blogs with directions on the.
Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Place the record on top of a large bowl turned upside down and carefully place in the oven.

3. Heat for about 5-8 minutes, or until record begins to soften and melt.

4. Wearing oven gloves, quickly remove from the oven. If you have two of the same-shaped bowls, you can press the bowl down on top of the other to bring a better shape to the record.


5. While the record is hot and pliable, you can adjust the shape to your liking. If necessary, reheat for a short time to make adjustments.

My rule was if I do not like the look than stick it back in the oven until it takes the shape you like.

I made several different types some using a bowl and other I shaped myself.

PS I found the records at D.I they had thousands of records.

What I would love to make is a record purse. That will be my next project while Grandma Bremner is visiting.

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf81185662.tip.html
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=37123.0