Bloggy Book Club

Jane Austen's Persuasion was this month's choice for Bloggy Book Club and I have to admit it has been ten years or more since I have read a Jane Austen book and I have never read Persuasion before now.
Persuasion was, like Northanger Abbey published after Miss Austen's death. The book begins in the Summer of 1814 and peace has broken out; and the Navy is home. A vain widower, Sir Walter Elliot due to his finances is forced to rent out his family's estate to an Admiral Croft, and move with his eldest daughter, Elizabeth to Bath. Anne Elliot the youngest daughter, visits her very whiny married sister, Mary before she joins her father and older sister in Bath.
Anne, years before was engaged to Admiral Croft's brother-in-law, Captain Frederick Wentworth but after her family and a family friend, Lady Russell disapproved of the engagement, Anne called it off . She does still feel love for him however these many years later.
Eventually after some misunderstandings on both of their parts...they realize that both feel as they once did and marry.
I wanted to enjoy this book so very much but I have to admit...I struggled to get through it. It seems so predictable and I kept thinking and comparing it to other Jane Austen novels...to the point that I had totally frustrated myself. I haven't read Northanger Abbey, but found myself wondering what that book was like while reading Persuasion!
I don't think it has anything to do with Jane Austen's book but rather where my heart lies these days...I haven't read fiction in a while...I have read three books, one right after another about the Middle east or about religious conflicts. My mind just couldn't get to this place of simple genteel gestures...I am not however giving up! I am reading Northanger Abbey and after that
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, in fact that will be the choice for September's Bloggy Book Club. This is an contemporary novel using Jane Austen's books and readers as a vehicle to engage us in her storytelling. You may link to this post or leave a comment if you have a review of Persuasion!

Housekeeping!

Okay...First go back and say "Housekeeping" like the character in Tommy Boy...
If you haven't seen the movie..
watch the dumb movie and then go back and say it like the character in Tommy Boy!

First, I am having a a little contest on my new blog Travel with Ronda called "Where's Ronda?"
Now...if I had a budget like the Today Show I would actually be at these locations now but I do not...these are trips I have taken in the past! This trip was taken in October of 2006!
Check it out! The first correct answer on Travel with Ronda wins a Thanksgiving Coffee Basket!

Second, I am playing Pay-it-forward again...this is my last time playing on my blog, however I will do this in the real world again, as I think it is a great idea and I will blog-ument about it later! So, here is how you play...The first three people who comment to this post will receive a gift from me...and you may play it forward in the blog world or real world. This doesn't have to be a monetary gift...it can and should be above else an act of kindness!
For those of you who are members of Bloggy Book Club...we will blog about Persuasion by Jane Austen on August 31 and since it's a Holiday weekend...whenever is fine!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I am having a very restful weekend with my Hubby and I wish you all that much fun!!!!

Where's Ronda?

For clues...visit Travel with Ronda

The first person to guess where I am in this photo and to post it as a comment on

Travel with Ronda wins a prize!

For more Friday Foto Finish Fiesta visit Candid Carrie.

I Am So Going to Get a Big Head!

I have received another award and I have spent the last ten minutes doing my best celebration dance! It is a cross between a rain dance and a pee pee dance! A sight to behold...I tell you!


Jill at Jill Jill bo Bill has further increased the circumference of my noggin' by giving me this swell award!
Thank you...and a shout out to all my peeps who made this possible!
(I want you to know that my adult children think I have lost my mind...but I am happy and who am I hurting...it's not like Momma's on crack, right?)

I am passing this award on to seven people whose blogs I love!
Gina at Lattes&Lipsticks
Brenda at Queen of Good Intentions
LoLo at The Simple Things
Karla at Zander & Me
Beth Ann at TeamThornhill
Teri at Let me think on it
Lisa at JujuBoo
Celebrate anyway you wish...you may dance the dance of your own choosing but here are your instructions.
1. The winner can put the logo on her/his blog
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated

I am opening the envelope and the winners are...

So...I as I was saying Lisa from JujuBoo gave me an award. It is not for the "biggest ass..." I read it wrong, it is The Kick Ass Blogger Award...a much nicer award... for sure!

Here are the rules:

1. Choose 5 bloggers that you feel are "Kick Ass Bloggers"

2. Let them know in your post or via email or blog comments that they have received an award.

3. Share the love and link back to both the person who awarded you and back to http://www.mammadawg.com/

4. Hop on back to the Kick Ass Blogger Club HQ to sign Mr. Linky then pass it on!

My Fab Five are...

Rhonda at A day in Rhonda's Life because she is so dang cool!

Nic at My Family and Other Animals because she uses words like OHHOLYMOTHEROFGODANDALLTHEBIGGYSAINTPEOPLE!

Kendra at Nest Half Empty because I seem to relate to all she writes about.

Jennifer at The Fun House because it IS always FUN at her house! and last but not least...

Blogstalker at The Blogstalker

I really enjoy this blog...just a lot of random stuff from a stalker type! I mean what's not to enjoy!

Okay, Here's What I am thinkin'

My Mood is much better...
I think such a load is lifted off our shoulders when we forgive and when we seek forgiveness and receive forgiveness. I know we all talk about World Peace but really...How many of us can really achieve peace in our own homes? It's not always easy to "get along," especially when family is close and when I say "We are always in each other's "bidness", I mean it... because we have a family business! Well, we all just do the best we can and with God's help it will be enough.

My Grandmother (Granny) is out of the hospital but she is still struggling with pain...our family will have some tough decisions to make about her continued care. We all want to do what is right for her as she has always been there for all of us. I thank God for my Mother and my Aunt who have worked around the clock to take care of her. As our society ages, we have got to get this right...or I see a great many families in peril, financially and emotionally!

I want to give a big shout out to my friend karyn...I share her with Brenda from Queen of Good Intentions but I wish you all a friend just like her...
She is the kind of friend who would always bail you out of jail...no matter what you did and tell you the truth about it..."Prison won't be so bad...you'll make lot's of friends!" I wish she had time to blog because she would be my first choice for the Kick Ass Blogger Award....
speaking of ...

I won one! Thank you Lisa from JujuBoo...I want you to know I didn't have my glasses on but...I quickly went and got them ...because I thought it said "Big Ass Blogger Award"...

I am not sure I would have recovered from that one! Thank you again and I will post my choices later this afternoon!

For more Think About it Thursdays visit Brenda at Queen of Good Intentions

Brother had Fun with Markers

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes for Mom