Why I'm So Glad I Read the Harry Potter Series

When the Harry Potter books first came out, my husband wanted to read them and I told him I'd rather he didn't because it was all about witches and wizards and witchcraft and I didn't want it in my house.  I just assumed that what it was but I was wrong.  Yes, I admit it honey, I was wrong.

When I looked at different booktubers on YouTube, over and over the Harry Potter series came up as being favorite books, best fantasy world, best book about a boarding school, book that got kids into reading and probably some others I forgot.  I never found one negative comment from anyone who actually read the series and my curiosity was sparked.  This year I decided to read it so I could find out exactly what it was that everyone who read it loved so much, and I did!

It is definitely my favorite series and I loved every book in the series.  Never would I have thought I would read a book that was over 700 pages, but I did and want to reread them!  This is so much more than witchcraft.  It is about friendship, family, loyalty, kindness, leadership, sacrifice, good vs. evil and love with lots of humor!  It's a coming of age story following Harry Potter from a little kid through to adulthood and Harry Potter is so cool!  I liked how each book told about another year in Harry's life.  He is a lover, not a fighter.  He just wants to be ordinary and not famous.  He didn't like everyone staring at him all the time because of his scar.  He was always humble and showed love for others all through the book, even to the end and managed not to kill anyone even though his life was threatened over and over.

There are many well-developed characters in this series that were introduced gradually enough that I was able to keep them straight.  I found myself really liking Harry and his friends and felt as though they were my friends too!  This series brought out a variety of emotions for me too which I love.  At times I felt sad, jubilant, scared, angry, excited and curious.  I laughed at quite a lot of things and cried during the last book.  I loved the interaction between the professors and the students, and the interaction among the students.

There is a lot of mystery and suspense with action, adventure and unexpected twists and turns.  This book is so well written and I was just amazed at the imagination that went into it.  J. K. Rowling had me eager to read more and more and get back to whatever book I was reading.  Even after the book was done, I kept thinking about it!   

The plot is very elaborate and complex which is why I'm surprised these are classed as juvenile books rather than YA, especially since most of them are about Harry's teenage years.  Also, I think the vocabulary is very advanced for children.  Because of the witchcraft and the dark plot, I would not recommend it for young children but would highly recommend it for teens and adults who missed out on this classic literature series.  I loved this whole series!!!! 

Here's some links to check out for more information and some fun:
See http://pottermore.com
Here's a sorting quiz (one of many) to see which house you would belong to:  http://www.gotoquiz.com/pottermore_sorting_hat_quiz_2  I got Gryffindor on this one but Hufflepuff on another one

Have you read the Harry Potter books?  Which was your favorite?  (Mine was the 3rd, Prisoner from Azkaban).  What did you think of the series? 

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5 Friday Fragments (food, humor, heart attack, blogging, computer)

Friday Fragments is hosted my Half-Past Kissin' Time for bloggers to post a list of short things on their minds that aren't really enough for a whole post. Here we go:

Alternative Cooking

I heard of a new way to make a grilled cheese sandwich: turn the toaster on its side, insert two slices of bread, one with cheese on it and put them together when it pops out. I haven't tried this yet because I would think the cheese would get all over the toaster when it melted, but I may have to update my video: Making a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Without a Stove.

Ambrosia

At my Sunday morning Bible study, I had a delicious treat called ambrosia and the best part is that it's easy enough for even me to make! Yes, I'm going to give it a try and will post about it. The main ingredient is whipped cream and all you do is mix in some pineapple chunks, pistachio pudding mix, marshmallows, chopped nuts, and some cherries if you like.

Heart Attack Symptoms for Women

This is a humorous video with an important message:

Find out how this video may have just saved a life at Go Red For Women.  The symptoms are shortness of breath, nausea, chest pressure, aches, dizziness, and jaw pain.  This video is probably how I would be.  We put off calling 9-1-1 because we think it's nothing and we'll be fine.

Feeling Guilty

I keep telling myself that I do not have to post something every day, but when I don't, I feel a bit guilty. Especially when I have ideas in my mind about things I could do. I just don't always have the time. I could have done a good post with Mama Kat's prompt about a ride in a limo, but just didn't get to it in time. Thursday morning I linked up an old post about an Easter memory from our "My Funny Dad, Harry" blog (Easter was Great Except For the Stupid Hats) and spent some time tweaking the layout. The gadget with the links across the top wasn't letting me delete the one that is no longer working--what a waste of time that was! Then I didn't have time to visit my usual blog buddies.

New Computer

I got a new computer at work--they replace them every three years! My new monitor is huge! At home, I am still using the emachine PC that I got for my dad in 2006. I hesitate getting a new one because I dread reloading all the software and I don't even know if my anti-virus program would be transferable. I feel so ignorant when it comes to technology now.

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Color Is Good--Eat Healthy!

This is an email that Louise over at Country Pictures sent to me that I think is so good, I want to share it with my readers.

COLOR IS GOOD Yesterday I went to the doctor For my yearly physical. My blood pressure was high. My cholesterol was high. I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot. My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said: Just think in colors. Fill your plate with bright colors. Try some greens, oranges, reds, maybe something yellow, etc. and eat an entire bowl of bright colors. And Sure Enough, I Felt Better Immediately !! I never knew eating right could be so easy !! Now stay healthy, eat your colors, and have a nice day!

Are you a healthy eater? This cartoon shows the way I think!

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Great Household Hint I Had To Share

When I lived alone I seldom dusted and could often write in the dust on my bedroom dresser. I don't ever remember my dad dusting. I sometimes dusted for him when I'd visit, but I waited for it to accumulate pretty good.

Now if you really want a good laugh, head on over to Kathy's post at The Junk Drawer: The Grocery Store Walk of Shame. I laughed out loud all through this post this morning. Her writing can make the dumbest things hilarious!

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9 Things I Learned This Week-#66

Games For Charity

I don't know how long it's been there, but I just discovered this week that at the animal rescue site there is a "games" tab on the side where you can play a variety of games and raise money for the cause. I think all the different causes have this including Breast Cancer, Rainforest, Literacy, Child Health, and hunger. There are 20 games to choose from so what are you waiting for? Click on either the Breast Cancer or Animal Rescue Site badges on my sidebars to go there.

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Jesus Knows You're Here!

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said,

'Jesus knows you're here.'

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze.

When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued.

Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard

'Jesus is watching you.'

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice.

Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.


'Did you say that?' he hissed at the parrot.

'Yep', the parrot confessed, then squawked, 'I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.'

The burglar relaxed. 'Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?'

'Moses,' replied the bird.

'Moses?' the burglar laughed. 'What kind of people would name a bird Moses?'

'The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.'

This post was reproduced from an email I received and thought it was so funny that I wanted to share it with my blog readers.

Check out some of my Christmas posts you may have missed last year on my left sidebar.

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We Were Not Alone On Our Honeymoon (Writers Workshop)

It is customary for newlyweds to take a trip somewhere to have some quality time together, just the two of them. One of the things I liked about Gerard is his knack for putting me at ease and his sense of humor. I loved that he had stuffed animals too when we got married and looked forward to “introducing” them to mine.

We even took some along on our honeymoon with us! The lucky pets who got to come along with us were Patch Dog, Brownie, Snoozer, Leo the Lion and Spotty (my purse). When we unloaded our things at the hotel, Snoozer rolled of the cart and we did not realize it until we got to our room. Gerard ran back down the hall to retrieve him. We even took pictures of our entourage. It was fun! We had a great time!

This post was inspired by the prompt: Share a humorous wedding experience. To read more posts or to participate, check out Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

Related Posts:
A Fun Honeymoon
What Does Your Handbag Say About Your Personality


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7 Things I Learned This Week--Part 41

UPDATED AT 11:50 A.M.:

National Feral Cat Day

Just found out when reading Laila and Minchie's blog that today is National Feral Cat Day! In honor of this day, please read my post about missing my dad's cats here, all of which were strays.

Funny Video--The Yaya Ponytail

From watching the Yaya Ponytail video at Yaya Stuff, I learned how to make a ponytail and also enjoyed watching a hilarious video! You gotta check this one out but be sure to visit her blog and read the post about it--keep in mind this is a spoof video!

Sorting Programs

At Bloody Computer I learned this little tip: From the START on your computer, when you go into ALL PROGRAMS you can sort these alphabetically to find them easier by right clicking on one and then clicking on "Sort by name." Very easy!

Alexa

I read about Alexa, a system that rates blogs, at The Constant Complainer and finally took the time to register my two blogs and add the widget. I was surprised my rank was as low as it was. It took me awhile, but I finally got it.

Body Fat

When I worked out at the gym with a new trainer last week, I found out my body fat is back up to 32%. I know that body fat gadget isn't entirely accurate, but wow! That's back to where it was before I ever started working out, I think. At one point I had it down to 23-25% but that's when I weighed only 110 which didn't really look very healthy. People kept wondering if I was okay. As long as I can fit into my size 7-8 jeans, I'm not going to worry about it! I refuse to give up my pizza!!

Breast Cancer

At Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, I learned that every 3 minutes in America a woman either finds out she has breast cancer or looses her battle with it. This is absolutely astounding to me! It was a long post about losing her Aunt Paula to Breast Cancer and participation in the Breast Cancer walk but one worth reading!

Healing Update

Yesterday the radiation oncologist told me it will take 6 months to a year for my breast to completely heal on the inside! I was shocked! I expected to be able to fully workout chest, biceps, shoulders and back by January--guess not! Get this, she said I could do bicep curls with 1-3 lb. dumb bells as long as I didn't do high reps! What good would that do??

Click here for more Friday Fragments.

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Keep The Ants Away With A Moat and A Use For That Good China

When I got home from work Friday I was greeted by a slew of ants crawling in my cats' food dish and all over the place mat under it. This was very distressing to me. I wish I could have gotten a picture of all those ants that I came home to, but unfortunately, my digital camera battery died that morning when I tried taking a picture of Manny lying in my wardrobe closet. I grabbed up the dish and squished those little tiny ants as they crawled around in the dish. Every time I stirred it up, I saw some more!!! By the time I got them all and went back to the place mat, most of them were gone but I did get some.

I knew I couldn't spray anything like RAID around in the house because it would hurt my cats. I decided to go to my friends on the Internet through Twitter but didn't get any help there. Then I remembered about http://answers.yahoo.com. You can search for a question and if someone has asked it before, chances are there's several answers to it. Sure enough, other people had the same problem and I found a great answer byKatslookup--not suspended yet.

She said to spray Home Defense around the OUTSIDE of the house, windows, doors, down spouts but also place the bowl inside a larger dish filled with water so there is a moat around the cat's food bowl. Ants can't swim so won't be able to get to it! She said after they realize the food source is no longer available, they will leave.

So, I went looking for a slightly bigger bowl I could use and guess where I found one. In the basement storage closet from among some of the good China that belonged to my parents which we never use. Well, I dug out one of the soup bowls and after killing the spider that was in it and cleaning it up, it worked perfectly. The cats food dish is a good China bowl that belonged to Gerard's parents. (Nothing but the best for our cats!) Anyhow, it works! There have been no ants crawling in the food since, just some on the mat around the bowl now and then which I promptly squish with my fingers.

Can you guess where we went first thing Saturday morning? At 8 a.m. we went up to RiteAid for the RAID. Then Gerard went to the gym and library while I learned football drills for coaching sports camp, then we went hunting for a new battery for my digital camera, finally finding one at Best Buy after trying Radio Shack and OfficeMax with no success. Whew, what a relief! What would I do without my camera to take pictures for my blog posts? We ate lunch at Arby's and then played two sets of tennis at Elmwood Park. After all that, I was just too tired to do it so waited until yesterday to spray.

Have you ever used Yahoo Answers find a solution to a problem? You might want to give it a try. What do you use your good China for?

(For Spunky Doodle's post about this, click here.

Drive Carefully--Here Is a Video Showing What Not To Do

This is hilarious! I came across it on Signe Says and just had to share it. I bet it will make you laugh!

UPDATED: Sorry, the embedding was disabled but here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygtBxhFc24A It's worth checking out.

A Little Lent Humor

I got this in an email so don't know where it originated from but I did not make it up myself.

Each Friday night after work, Bubba would fire up his outdoor
grill and cook a venison steak.

But, all of Bubba's neighbors were Catholic..And since it was
Lent, they were forbidden from eating meat on Friday.

The delicious aroma from the grilled venison steaks was causing
such a problem for the Catholic faithful that they finally talked to
their priest.

The Priest came to visit Bubba, and suggested that he become a
Catholic.

After several classes and much study, Bubba attended Mass...and
as the priest sprinkled holy water over him, he said, 'You were born a
Baptist, and raised a Baptist, but now you are a Catholic.

Bubba's neighbors were greatly relieved, until Friday night arrived,
and the wonderful aroma of grilled venison filled the neighborhood.

The Priest was called immediately by the neighbors, and, as he
rushed into Bubba's yard, clutching a rosary and prepared to scold him,
he stopped and watched in amazement.

There stood Bubba, clutching a small bottle of holy water which he
carefully sprinkled over the grilling meat and chanted:
"You wuz born a deer, you wuz raised a deer, but now you is a
catfish."

Perhaps this struck me so funny because I had just finished reading "The Longest Trip Home" by John Grogan that told about his Catholic family in a humorous way.

NOTE: I think there was a problem with the commenting verification thing yesterday and the day before so I removed it. I really thought the video I posted yesterday would have received more comments . . . it's funny, did you watch it?

Gerard and Spunky Doodle Playing Together

We posted this video for your enjoyment. I hope you will take just a couple minutes to watch to the end. We enjoy playing with our pets and our pets seem to enjoy it too.

We Thought This Was Funny--A Little Church Humor

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it. The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, 'Good morning Alex.'
'Good morning Pastor,' he replied, still focused on the plaque. 'Pastor, what is this? '
The pastor said, 'Well son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.'
Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.
Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked,........

"WHICH SERVICE ? THE 8:30 OR THE 10:30 ?

6 Things I Learned This Week - Part 8

1) I finally tried peanut butter mixed into my oatmeal this morning--Umm, Umm, Good! I found this suggestion several months ago on The Peanut butter Blog but didn't try it until Tuesday of this week.

2) The Christian fiction author, Karen Kingsbury, used to be a sports reporter and has wrote MANY books. Her website is www.KarenKingsbury.com if you'd like to see all the books she's written and get recommendations from her readers.


3) I learned from visiting Chica and Pumuckl's blog at Two Egyptian Cats in Germany the Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park and for the Cinderella Castles at the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. I thought that was interesting and enjoyed taking the tour of the castle with Chica and Pumuckl.


4) I learned the story of Adam and Eve's pets from Comedy Plus--it's very funny! You should go take a look.

5) In talking with one of my bosses this week, I learned that Israel is very big on technology. I always just thought of it as a barren country big on religion but they are big on education and high technology!


6) Through the Beth Moore Bible study, "Living Beyond Yourself" on the fruit of the spirit, this week was faith. I learned that to keep our faith steady and firm, we need to base it on who God is and not on what He does because his ways are higher than our ways. Sometimes what is good for us is not always pleasant or easy, but God always makes it beneficial. That was the key point for me. Another point made was that in order for us to come to Him through faith, (which is the way He ordained it to be), he left some things that we can't reason or prove scientifically for then there would be no place for faith! Finally, faith always involves action. (See Hebrews 11 and my more in-depth post about this at http://karen.pnn.com (Parma Heights Baptist Church section).

New Tornado Policy For the Cleveland Area

For the Cleveland and nearby areas:
> In case of possible tornadoes sweeping through the greater Cleveland metro area, we ask
> that all residents take shelter at the Cleveland Browns Stadium. We are certain that a
> TOUCHDOWN will not occur there.
>
> Thank you for your cooperation.
>
> National Weather Bureau

A Joke From Gerard! Ha, ha!

A young boy just turned 16 and goes up to his dad and says to his dad, "I've been thinking about getting a car."

Dad: Okay son, I'll think about getting you a car but you have to do three things first. The first thing you have to do is improve your grades. The second thing you have to do is study the Bible. The third thing, you have to get a haircut.

The kid comes back to the dad after a couple months and says:

son: Well, dad, can I get a car?

dad: Well, I see you've improved your grades and gotten into a Bible study. But you still haven't gotten your hair cut. Why is that?

son: Well, dad, it's like this. I've been reading the Bible and noticed that Samson had long hair. Moses had long hair. Even Jesus had long hair. What about that?

dad: Well son, another thing they had in common is that wherever they went, they walked!

Laugh A Lot--Stay Healthy!

It always makes me smile when the researches make "new" discoveries that God has already long before included in His Word--The Bible. Today is a good example in THE PLAIN DEALER on health: "Doctors say you really can laugh your way to better health."

God's word says in Proverbs 17:22: A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

I love to laugh. In fact, it was one of the reasons I was attracted to my husband in the first place--he has a knack for making me laugh. My dad made me laugh too because of the funny things he used to do.

When my cat was a kitten, she would do something just about every day that made me laugh. If you want to laugh every day, get at kitten!

I don't read all the comics, in fact I skip most of them, but I do generally chuckle at Family Circus, Garfield, Peanuts, and Hagar.

As far as TV shows go, these are the ones that make us laugh: Everybody Loves Raymond, The Bachelor, Wife Swap and Moment of truth all make us laugh and sometimes Seinfeld.

Funny emails that people forward to me make me laugh.

For a funny post about her teenage son entitled "Dude, Where's My Son" go to http://jackiepapandrew.pnn.com/. She also has another blog as well called "Airing Dirty Laundry, the Blog" at http://www.jackiepapandrew.blogspot.com/.

Go to cleveland.com/healthfit and cleveland.com/medical for health news you can use.