Summer Reading Fun

When you were a kid, did you participate in the summer reading contests the local library sponsored, where you could get free pizza or prizes for reading books? Well, this summer I discovered that the Maricopa County Library system does a reading contest for adults! All you had to do was sign up and do brief reviews of books you read. I completed 3 reviews and won a $10 Harkins Theatres Gift Card!! I felt 10 again. . . 

Since I got a new Kindle Fire last year I have been reading quite a bit. I have been an avid reader my whole life, as both my parents always enjoyed books. My dad was always quiet, but if you got him talking about books he could go on for hours. I grew up reading Louis L'amour, Tom Clancy, James Herriot, and Patrick McManus. This led to a development of a dry sense of humor and a great imagination. My reading library has expanded quite a bit lately. I read books 3-5 in the Game of Thrones series, Steve Jobs biography, Freakonomics, a couple of books on French Bulldogs in anticipation of getting a new puppy! I also read Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess and even got to meet her at a book signing sponsored by Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe! I know own 3 copies of her book, as I pre-ordered a hard copy to get a signed nameplate, ordered a copy for my Kindle so I could read easily on my travels, and then bought the 3rd copy from Changing Hands as admission to the signing! It has been quite the summer of books and puppies!

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Pudge and Sadie playing in the yard!

@azcardsgirl29 and @thebloggess meet in person!

Pudge and his dental rope!

Sadie the Swimmer

Sadie, Matt & I's dog, loves to swim, so much so that a pool was a requirement when we bought our house in Tempe. As we were just sitting around being lazy this Sunday, and Sadie was getting antsy, I asked if she'd like to go swimming. Her response was to sprint to the back door and start barking like mad. a

Of course, she can't just jump in right away. First she has to run around the pool several times barking, winding up for the swim. And it is only 90 degrees outside, so it's not boiling hot. The pool is a bit cool for my taste, and at first I thought she wouldn't go in. But we just needed proper motivation.

Here she is, all excited because we brought out the soccer ball with rope attached. (Thank you Costco for the awesome dog toys). With that, she happily jumped in the pool to retrieve the toy and swim her heart out.