KY Derby Hats: The Pretty, The Quirky and The Bold, Plus My First One!

I Made My First KY Derby Hat This Year!

 I really made it to be worn at my son's Kindergarten Kid-tucky Derby this Friday. The parents of the children will be having a Derby Hat contest while the kids will be racing on fake stick horses in a mock Derby. It will be so exciting for the kids. Gavin even built his sock horse and decorated it (we helped last week), then decorated his "jockey shirt" as well. He'll even wear baseball pants in order to sort of look like a real jockey! How neat is that! I'll update with pictures and re-send this when the race is done.

KY Derby Attendees Proudly Wear Their Best And Sometimes Wildest Derby Hats

Look at all the pink! This must be from the year they had the Susan G. Koman Best Pink Hat Contest.

It's a bonding experience!

Although hats are not standard fashion anymore, at the Kentucky Derby they are almost iconic. Go to the Derby, wear a hat, drink a mint julep, place a bet, etc. But when you wear a hat, make sure it's either your most lavish beautiful one or your most outrageous crazy one, especially if it is horse or Derby themed. The rich and famous get in high gear  when it comes to picking out their special hats, since those are what will be in the spotlight during the Derby as they are first spotted. They simply must have the perfect hat to go with their outfit! Some go outlandish and some don't bother. But that's the fun of the Derby Hat craze! You can participate but don't even have to go wild like I've done. Here is a link to a great story chronicling A Brief History of the Kentucky Derby's Most Famous Accessory. A 19th century businessman can be thanked for turning Churchill Downs (and other notable American race tracks) into one of the sport world's most fashionable venues.

Here are some of my favorite hats chosen from a Google image search. I liked them either for being most outlandish or most stylish, in my opinion. 

                        

                                                         

 

TV and Book Obsessions

Ever since International Tabletop Day my household has been quiet. Nothing to think about, nothing going on. Just basic life. Sad, but true

I have started another obsession. I began watching Dr. Who. My Step-Daughter Ryan introduced me to the Tardis, which is the vehicle the Doctor takes across space and time, so I got interested. I'd, of course, heard about Dr. Who throughout the years. But even a Sci-Fi fan like me was not really that interested before now.

Just one look at this season with Matt Smith and I was hooked. Matt Smith brings something to the show that just makes me want to watch even the shows that I don't care for. I like them just for him. So, I'm now a little ticked off to learn that Matt Smith is not going to be Dr. Who after the 7th season, the current one. Will it mean I won't watch Dr. Who after this season? Possibly and very likely. UPDATE! I just read on Wickipedia and it's cited source where he says he will stay at least until 2014! The source is from late 2012, and things could have changed, but at least it was quoting directly from the man himself. 

I've watched a sampling of Dr. Who seasons from others in the past with previous Dr. Who's (Matt Smith is number 11) and I wasn't happy with them. So, Matt Smith is the only Doctor for me I guess. It is funny, Gavin has decided he loves Dr. Who, too. ANY Dr. Who. He even has a Sonic Screwdriver (the tool that fixes everything) which he has to have in hand when he watches the show.

 Another TV show, and the only other one I actually watch, is The Vampire Diaries. I know, it couldn't be more different from Dr. Who, but seriously, I'm eclectic that way. I totally love the dynamics between the characters and the magic in it is pretty neat. I've always and forever loved vampires. Of course, I also read anything vampire I can get my hands on without spending a ton of money.

 On Vampire Diaries right now I think Damon is sexier than Stefan so I don't understand why Elena wanted Stefan first of the two Salvatore brothers. The fact that Damon is a little bad is only a turn on instead of a turn off. Stefan is just too good. As far as the rest of the bunch, I don't really have much of an opinion of them. I just like watching them. Gavin watches this show with me too. But I think this one is more because it comes on at his bed time so he watches it in the bedroom with me while he is falling asleep. He still kind of knows what is going on and likes it. No, he doesn't get nightmares.

That is the extent of my TV watching. Nothing else interests me. It is really sad to turn on the TV, have so many channels (we only have basic and a few more), Netflicks and Hulu Plus, yet not think of a thing I truly care to watch.

I would so much rather find a book on Amazon to read. I especially like the free Indie books that are given away every single day on the Top 100 free lists. I read those voraciously. Some of them are not as big as a true book, but read two or three of them and you've got your book a day. Or for the slow reader there are tons of short stories published for free on there. Those authors can be really really good or really bad, but they all need someone to read their work and to give them ratings to let them know if they are doing well or not. How else are they going to improve?

Here is a nice wallpaper I pulled off the internet if anyone wants to grab it.

International Tabletop Day - March 30, 2013

What is it?

On March 30th, 2013, premium YouTube channel Geek & Sundry (The Guild, TableTop, Written By A Kid) asks all of our fans to go to their friendly local game store, community center, or host an event at home and play more games. - See more at: http://www.tabletopday.com/index.php/about#sthash.M8t5l04L.dpuf

International TableTop Day also represents the one year anniversary of the launch of the hit show TableTop, hosted by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek, Big Bang Theory, Leverage). - See more at: http://www.tabletopday.com/index.php/about#sthash.M8t5l04L.dpuf

Ken loves to collect and, when he has time, play, board games. This day is right up his alley. It's also a great time for anyone to get started playing games of their own. Or, if you already play, it's just a fun time to get a tournament going in your family or in the neighborhood for the fun of it. 

On some weekends Ken, his daughter Ryan, her husband Kevin and I get together to play games. This weekend on International game day we're going to get together and play some games too. I'm not sure if we're going to play some that we've already played. We like Ticket to Ride and Formula De.

There are over a hundred other games we can choose from including a couple of new games I gave Ken for his birthday: SmallWorld and SmallWorld Underground with a SmallWorld Tales and Legends Expansion Pack. Or we could play one he won on some website. It's called Evilbaby Orphanage. 

There is nothing wrong with playing the old standbys Monopoly or Scrabble, either. I have those and they can be quite entertaining. We even bought Upwards at Goodwill a couple of weeks ago. Remember that oldie? We intend to play that one soon. 

In Danville, Comic Cosmos is hosting games all day long. They are featuring games for people of all ages and for all levels of expertise - easy to hard because they will be teaching these games. Then they will be holding tournaments for prizes of nice boardgames to be given out. The hours are 11am to 7pm

So no matter what type of board game you may be interested in, just get one out or go to a place to find a tournament and play. It will be fun! 

                                           

  

Book Review ----- Salt On Our Skin aka Desire 1988

A book that deserves to be in the spotlight again

In 1988 Benoite Groult published a book in French that translates to English as Salt on our Skin. For some reason, when it was translated into English, the title was changed to Desire. The book was also made into a movie. You can find the book or movie by searching either name on Amazon or clicking this link.

I believe this book could be enjoyed by every generation. The blurb on the back of the book is as follows:

Worlds separate them--dividing walls of class, culture, wealth and breeding. She is a beautiful Parisian intellectual--he a rustic and rough-hewn Breton fisherman. They share nothing in common--except for an improbably perfect love born in childhood and nurtured through the years...an intense and immutable passion that transcends even the seemingly unbreachable barriers of distance and time.

A best seller throughout Europe, Desire is a poignant, beautiful, and lucidly honest tale that explores the breathtaking realities of sexual passion and erotic obsession.

My review of this book

Mainly this book is about two people that get together at a time when it's socially unacceptable for them to be together, but they fall in love. Both of them marry someone else and have a family. Then occasionally as the years pass they meet up each other again so they can get together in the only way they are allowed to - sexually. It is a hot passionate togetherness. They grow old together, but not together, still in love. It's a very sweet love story. I love this book. It is one of my favorites and has been for many years. I decided to put a review on my blog about it because it has probably not been talked about in many years, but it's worth looking for a copy, hopefully finding it and reading it.   I did not watch the movie so I don't know if it was made well or not. 

Kiss of Fire Book Tour and Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

is hosting a Kindle Fire Giveaway during the Tour. Just click the link to go to it and find out more about the tour.

Synopsys:

Joclyn Despain has a scar. In fact, it is almost like a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why it appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.
The scar is the reason she is being hunted.
If only she knew that she was.
If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.
Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; but he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.