Read A Thon Wrap Up

So.
That was fun.
No seriously. It was all kinds of awesome.

TOTES doing that again.

However, seeing I'm not a book-review blogger, and not really part of 'that' online community, there really isn't any reason why I have to do it on the same weekend that hundreds (thousands?) of book bloggers are. I can pick any weekend. WHENever I want.

So I think I'll do this again over the Christmas break. Because I can. And I want to.

Things I will remember for next time:
1. Do not arrange to participate minutes after the biggest planning event of your career has taken place.

2. Do not spend a disproportional amount of time driving vs sleeping during the weekend. (Coquitlam to New West to Vancouver to Burnaby to Cultus Lake at the front end. Then Cultus Lake to Maple Ridge to Burnbaby to Langley to Abbotsford then home at the back end.) I spent more time in my truck than I did in my bed.

3. Do not worry about 'page count' or 'total books read'. JUST READ for the love of reading. I lost this somewhere along the line.

4. If possible, arrange to do '24 hours over a weekend' instead of 24 hours in a row. (Maybe 8 hours on a Friday night, 12 hours on a Saturday, and 4 hours on a Sunday.) People are less cranky that way. Or maybe not. Some people are just cranky, regardless of sleep.

5. DO plans your snacks and meals in advance so minimal time is spent on food prep. THIS WORKED FABULOUSLY.

6. Do give everyone the freedom to eat and sleep whenever it works into their reading rhythm. This worked so well with the sisters.

7. Do make sure everyone knows that reading = no talking. (That's why I like the 24 hours over a weekend idea. Because, really? When there are people sitting around reading books? Ideas flow. Conversation is itchin to be had. And taking breaks gives y'all a chance to chin wag.)

8. Do NOT spend all your reading hours in the same position. Bed sores, or something similar, begin to form.

9. Make sure everyone has a good reading light.

10. Don't read to the end of a book just because you've invested 5 hours in it if you're really not enjoying yourself. (I should have done this with my first book. I feel like I wasted my read-a-thon on a book that was simply not worthy.)

11. Have something fun planned so that you have a good thing to look forward to when the 'thon' is over. Nothing worse than post-event let-down, when all you've got ahead of you is laundry or dishes. I picked up Danica and together we met Drew at the airport, who was coming home from his weekend with Mandi in Calgary.

12. If possible. Try to arrange with the Almighty to have perfect weather. Like we did. It was rainy and grey all day Saturday - perfect for snuggling inside with a book or 12. Then on Sunday? When we were tired of being cooped up? It. Was. Glorious.

See?

I went for a walk up this trail.

And stood under a canopy of yellow and blue.

And it was warm and wonderful.

And heck, yeah. I totally know how lucky I am.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. The Gala was a success. Our objectives for the evening were met. Yay. Thank you Jesus for answered prayer.

2. Drew got back from a solo weekend away, safely. Thank you God for protecting him. Thank you for Mandi and their friendship.

3. Thankful for these two girls who hung out with me all weekend. Love being around kind, creative, fun people. And Rachel and Rebekah were all that and more.

Shalom,

The 18th Hour

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: The Distant Hours

Details of My Reading Environment: My bed. It's awesome. WHY did I wait so long to upgrade it? 

I Ate Something: No siree bob. I did not.

Pages Read This Hour: 42

Total Pages Read:633

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour:I did. I read with out stopping. 

Books I’ve finished:Just the one. Agent X (In case you're wondering, I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10)

Going to try for one more hour, but this might be it for me....

17 hours of reading.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: The Distant Hours

Details of My Reading Environment: I've switched off the lights downstairs and locked up the cabin. Will resume reading from my bed. I can hardly wait. I WILL NOT LIE DOWN. I will sit with my back against the wall.

I Ate Something: A few pieces of sliced turkey breast with some avocado. I know, strange midnight snack. 

Pages Read This Hour: 38

Total Pages Read:591

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: I washed my face and brushed my teeth and got ready for bed.

Books I’ve finished: Next time I do a read-a-thon, I will not have this question on the template. 

Sixteen Hours (of Mostly Reading)

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: The Distant Hours. 

Sisters with secrets. Forbidden love. Creaky castles. Stormie nights. Letters lost in the mail. 

Details of My Reading Environment: I'm still alone downstairs. It's very very quiet here. I blog on the couch and read at the table. 

I Ate Something: A small slice of Rebekah's shortbread thingy.

Pages Read This Hour: 34 

Total Pages Read: 553

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour:  I've tided the kitchen. Will turn the dishwasher on to keep me company.

Books I’ve finished: Still just the one. 

Fifteen Hours? Uhh. No.

I did not read a single page this hour.
I've been on facebook. Answering messages and playing Wheel of Fortune.
Then I checked all my email accounts.

And now. Back to scheduled reading.

Fourteen Hours? Really?

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one.  The Distant Hours

Details of My Reading Environment: The Sisters Plett have retired to their bedrooms. Alas, I never did get the other memory foam out of it's box for Rachel's bed. I feel badly about that. Guilt ridden am I.

I Ate Something: A canteloupe. It was refreshing and delish. 

Pages Read This Hour: 38

Total Pages Read: 519 

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: I think I did. Well, I did take a break to prepare the melon for eating. And I went to the bathroom. (I've mentioned the bladder infection, no? I saw a brown doctor at a clinic near the office on Friday and he asked me if I'd ever used a painkiller specifically for bladders - to help with the pressure and squeezing and throbbing... I said I'd never heard of it. He said it's been around for decades, and has a cool side effect: it would turn my urine bright orange. So that has made the day interesting.)

Oh, and typing these updates? Takes me about 10 minutes. So I lose reading time by blogging. 

And I think I spent some time last hour reading about 100 facebook updates. 

So in the end, I probably only read my book for like 30 minutes.

Books I’ve finished: Agent X

I've been reading for 13 hours.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: The Distant Hours

Details of My Reading Environment: Moved back to the kitchen table. I can't recline. I am prone to napping against my will if I am horizontal. Now that I've finished all the laundry all I can hear is the sound of one of the sisters eating chips. CRUNCH crunch crunch.

I Ate Something: Nope. Oh wait. Maybe I did have another roll of Rockets.

Pages Read This Hour: 32

Total Pages Read: 481

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Because I wrestled with a 50 pound piece of memory foam and got it to lie flat on my bed. Then I covered it with new sheets. Then with blankets. And added the pillows. And now I can hardly wait to go to bed.

Books I’ve finished: yeah, yeah, yeah. Just the one. 

One Dozen Hours of Reading. Well, mostly reading.

Whoops. I nodded off again. This time sitting upright with a laptop on my lap, and book on the chest and lasagna in my belly.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: The Distant Hours. Spinster twin sisters and their mentally fragile younger half sister. Castle dwelling. Old secrets. 

Details of My Reading Environment: We're all on our respective couches. It's very quiet here, everyone reading. 

I Ate Something: Nope. Although it's that time of day that I crave chocolate. 

Pages Read This Hour: 40

Total Pages Read: 449

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Because I kept dozing off. Weird dreams and the fear of snoring kept jerking me awake. Not a restful hour, and not a productive hour either.

Books I’ve finished: Still just the one.

Thinking about - Mandi and Drew in Calgary and wondering what they're up to. Also thinking it's time for another packet of Rockets.

Eleventy Hours of Reading

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: NOT a short one. What is wrong with me? I'm reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton.

Details of My Reading Environment: I'm on the couch again, after a brief spell back at the table. Bekah and Raych are still on their couches. It's dark outside, we are snuggly and the cabin smells like Italian food.

I Ate Something: I surely did. Lasagna and a toasted bagel for dinner.  Two packets of Rockets for dessert. And water to drink. Lots of water. 

Pages Read This Hour: 18

Total Pages Read: 409

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Supper. I was eating. 

Books I’ve finished:

 1. Agent X

My boys:

TEN hours...

... to read one stupid book.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: I JUST finished. Agent X by Norah Boyd

Details of My Reading Environment: I moved over to the couch. I've lost natural daylight so I needed to be under a lamp.

I Ate Something: Nope. But I did put lasagna in the oven.

Pages Read This Hour: 53

Total Pages Read: 391

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: But I did! Did you see my page count?

Books I’ve finished: Agent X

Obligatory Photo.

This one was taken last week while beach walking:

I've Been Reading for 9 Hours

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one. Do I even care anymore how it ends? More dead guys. More kisses. More discoveries... the Lithuanians are involved. And chess.

Details of My Reading Environment: Nothing has changed. We are all still  sitting exactly where we were 4 hours ago. 

I Ate Something: Nope. Another food-free hour.

Pages Read This Hour: 54

Total Pages Read: 338

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Transferred another load from the washer to the dryer. And took my new, freshly laundered sheets to my room. Maybe sometime during the next hour I'll carry that 50 pound box upstairs and wrestle with it's contents. I will sleep on a memory-foamed, sheeted mattress tonight. 

Books I’ve finished: Quit asking this question. It's embarassing. My next book? Will be one of the children's books here. Just so I can get my book count up to a respectable 2.

Out of pics of today's escapades. 

Here's one from last night's gala:

Two hundred people showed up.

Has It Really Been 8 Hours?

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same. All the bad guys caught? Sex has been had? Why do I have another 100 pages to go? Another twist?

Details of My Reading Environment: Same

I Ate Something: In fact, I did not.

Pages Read This Hour:44

Total Pages Read: 284

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Oh but I did.

Books I’ve finished: 0

I took this pic many hours ago. NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

Rebekah is still reading by the light coming in from the windows, and Rachel is still reading by the lamp next to her head. Can you see them? Click the pic for a bigger view.

I've Been Reading for 7 Hours

Do you people know how fast an hour zips by? Holy smokes.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same stinkin one. I am enjoying it. CIA. FBI. Double crossing soviet spies. A kiss. 

Details of My Reading Environment: It is pouring rain outside. And we are snuggled inside and it smells heavenly if your idea of heaven is fresh, warm-from-the-oven, homemade cinnamon buns.

I Ate Something: Some chips at the top of the hour and cinnamon buns as the hour ended.

Pages Read This Hour: 34

Total Pages Read: 242

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: I did another load of laundry, and folded towels.

Books I’ve finished: Again, 0

Another view taken from my reading spot a few hours ago. Nothing is visible past the houses now... fog, clouds and rain are in the way of the pretty mountainside across the lake.

I've Bin Reading for 6 Hours

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one. There is intrigue, dead bodies, clues and codes. The witty banter seems a bit contrived at times, but alas- a twist in the tale. So I shall carry on.

Details of My Reading Environment: Still sitting at the kitchen table. Hearing a dozy fly buzzing into the sliding door at my side. Slightly annoying, but not enough to move me to action.

I Ate Something: Bekah made these shortbread thingy's that are to die for. I helped myself.

Pages Read This Hour: 32

Total Pages Read: 208

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: OK. See. The beds here are not top quality. And while they were brand new when we built this place, this place is now 17 years old (just like Drew). Even so, they don't get slept on more than 10 nights a year - so, they're kinda still new-ish. But not comfortable. On my list of things to do in the next 1001 days is to make my bed here more appealing. And seeing I'd be sleeping on it TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW, I decided, on the night before the gala, to go shopping for bed supplies. At Costco. 

I bought 2 Queen-sized memory foams for two of the beds here. Seemed wrong that I got a comfy bed (my sister's bed has already been upgraded because she is the queen of comfort), and one of my guests didn't. But they are HEAVY and cumbersome, so we didn't bother unpacking them last night at 1 am. 

All that to say? I took a portion of this hour to finish emptying my truck. Took 3 trips. And also, I bought new towels. So I washed a load of them. And also. I have no sheets on my bed here, so I bought new sheets too. And had to wash them.

Next time I do this, I'm staying in a hotel. Seriously. 

Oh. 

And we had a visitor this hour. The sisters mom, who is at a conference at Stillwood, dropped by to say hi. 

THUS, 32 measly pages were read. I feel I have no rythm going here. 

Books I’ve finished: 0

Some snacks:
The baking dish in the front has shortbread heaven in it.
The round baking dish in the back has homemade not-yet-baked cinnamon buns rising in it. She's just turned the oven on, so I suspect we'll be eating those soon.

I've Been Reading for 5 Hours

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one. Why oh why didn't I choose shorter books with big font? Why didn't I go with my instinct of reading YA fiction?

Details of My Reading Environment: Still sitting at the kitchen table, beside the sliding door, on a hard chair because I refuse to get too comfy. The sisters are being very quiet. Only sounds are Rachel updating her blog and the furnace. Maybe the fridge is humming too.

I Ate Something: I did not. Although there are alot of snacks here. I will dip in soon.

Pages Read This Hour: 42

Total Pages Read: 176

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Oh but I did.

Books I’ve finished: None. *Hangs head.

View from my current reading spot:

I've Bin Reading for 4 Hours

No I haven't.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one. Agent X. 

Details of My Reading Environment: I am sitting on a hard chair at the table. The sisters are just over there, each on a couch, being very quiet. They are taking this very seriously and/or have fabulous books in their faces. I am a little jealous. I wish I was reading The Hunger Games for the first time right now.

I Ate Something: Yes I did. A toasted blueberry bagel.

Pages Read This Hour: A big fat zero. Mostly because I woke up at 11:30 and knew I had to change my ways. So I've spent this past half hour fully waking up. My teeth been brushed. My face done washed. Facial skin has a colored powdered covering on it. My belly bin fed. And a few pics been taken. 

Total Pages Read: Same as last time... 134. BUT watch me burn through pages this hour. 

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: See excuse explanation above.

Books I’ve finished: Nary a one.

I've Bin Reading for 3 Hours

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one.

Details of My Reading Environment: Same. EXCEPT way too comfortable. Have to leave my nest NOW.

I Ate Something: Again no. Not because I'm not hungry. But because I'm too lazy. Getting something to eat involves getting dressed first. And washing my face/putting on make up second. BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS CABIN WITH ME.

Pages Read This Hour: Sadly, only 26. And I had to use the calculator to figure that out.

Total Pages Read: 134

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: For shame. I fell asleep. For an hour. I will leave this reading environment immediately.

Books I’ve finished: At this rate, I'm not even going to finish one. 

I've Bin Reading for 2 Hours.

(OK, not really. But for the sake of easy math, let's pretend that I read for an entire hour when I started.)

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Same one. Agent X. Snappy-ish dialogue between two FBI agents who are kinda flirting with each other while hunting down Russian spies. 

Details of My Reading Environment: Still in bed. Still awkward to blog. Still awesome for reading.Half an hour ago I could here the rain. It was lovely. But now? There is sunshine out there. And from this angle on my bed I can see brilliant gold leaves outside my window. I notice that Rachel is adding photos to her blog posts. Do I have a choice? The bar has been set high ... It's not enough to simply read for 24 hours. One has to be witty and creative in the reporting process as well. Oy the pressure.

I Ate Something: Still no. 

Pages Read This Hour: 48

Total Pages Read: 108

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: Because blogging takes time, yo. And blogging sideways takes even longer. I am enduring physical discomfort in order to keep you updated on my reading journey. 

Books I’ve finished: Not one yet. 

 

This hour has 31 minutes

I started!
At 8:29 am.

Book  I’m Currently  Reading: Agent X

Details of My Reading Environment: I`m in my bedroom at the cabin, very snuggled in my down comforter from home. The only sounds I hear are my stomach grumbling and the overhead fan`s dangling chain clicking as it sways. This is very comfortable for reading. Not so much for blogging. 

My laptop (which MUST be plugged in) is beside me on my bed. The power cord is stretched as far as it can go and it's just not long enough. I have to contort to type and I make a typo every fourth letter. This makes the reporting process tedious. May have to adjust my environment next hour. 

I Ate Something: No I didn`t. But I will soon.

Pages Read This Hour: 22. 

Total Pages Read: In order to determine if a book was read-a-thon worthy, I read the first chapters of five books this past week. That little jump start took me ahead 40 pages.

Why I didn’t read for the whole 60 minutes this hour: I was sleeping. And hoping to start this thing at 8 am. But not hoping enough to actually set my alarm. Good thing I've got a bladder infection. It woke me up and forced me to run to the bathroom. 

Books I’ve finished: None yet. 

Read-A-Thon

Around the world, the Read-A-Thon has started.
I am going to sleep a little longer.
See you in a few hours. My plan is to start at 8 am.

My first book?
Agent X by Noah Boyd.

I picked it up on a whim. So we'll see how much I love it by mid-morning.

I'm a little bit jealous of Rebekah's pile. She's got the Hunger Games trilogy and Capture the Castle to look forward to. I LOVED ALL THOSE BOOKS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rekehah and Rachel went to bed a few hours ago. They will likely start blogging their reading accomplishments before I even open my eyes. You can check their progress here:

http://www.booksidoneread.com/

http://rebekahjoyplett.blogspot.com/

Later gators.