To-Do List.....October Update

So let's see how I did on my To-Do List for October......

* Pay Bills  DONE  The number one item on my list always.  Stay on top of the due dates and pay all the bills in full and on time.

* Read 1, 2 Books  DONE  I actually got THREE books in last month.

The modern American classic by Charles Portis, "True Grit".  I have seen both movies(the original with John Wayne and the remake with Jeff Bridges)multiple times but had never read the book.
Now that I have, I feel the book is a better way to spend your time. ;-)

I also read "Blood Beneath the Skin" by Andrew Wilson.  It's one of the better biographies of fashion designer/artist Alexander "Lee" McQueen.
A very complex person who fought more than his share of demons, Lee left our planet too soon. 
I give this book a recommendation if you enjoy fashion and reading about designers.

And I plowed through this one too.......

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.  This one was a quick read and enjoyable.  I have moved onto the second book in this collection, "The Tears of the Giraffe".  While the books are a quick read, the characters he creates are enjoyable.  
When I first started reading this I got a bad "feeling" after seeing the author's name.  Alexander McCall Smith is so "English" sounding and white European but African in any way.  
McCall Smith is writing in this book as an African would speak and sometimes the language is simplistic.  I got the feeling that the author was appropriating another culture at times for his own monetary gain.  The English in previous centuries had a long history of appropriating lands(Hello? English Empire anyone?!).  All I could picture was a white guy talking down as Africans characters to sell a book.  Mostly this was just my perception.

Then I went online and read about the author.  Turns out he was born and grew up in Southern Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe)which was a British Colony at that time, so yes he is an Englishman by DNA but he is a Zimbabwean by birth. McCall Smith has resided in Scotland since he went off to college so I'd say he is more English than African.  This has nothing to do with anything really but at least I feel he isn't exploiting a culture not of his own anymore.
And I don't see why this series of books is so popular worldwide!  While it's an enjoyable read with interesting characters I don't find them THAT good.

If anyone has any recommendations for good books written by Africans on African cultures please speak up as I'd like some ideas.

* Donation to Salvation Army  DONE  I don't have any photos to share but we took a trunk full to Sallies.  I also took up some items to the local food bank; cold cereal, soup, laundry detergent and contact lens solution.

* Clean Garage  DONE  We did a sweep of all the containers in the garage which resulted in a Salvation Army donation.  I also straightened up/culled the food storage items out there and identified some items to sell.

* Sell Stuff  FAIL  I tried to sell a few things on the local online yard sale site but no buyers.  I didn't get around to listing anything on eBay however due to getting a puppy mid month, which cut down on my time available to sell stuff. sigh.

* Sew Stuff  FAIL  Again, new puppy means less time for sewing so all sewing(unless it's a repair or an emergency situation)will go on the back burner and will leave my To-Do Lists for the near future.

* Hold Giveaway  DONE

Giveaway completed and winner selected.

* Mail Giveaway  DONE  Mailed and received, as far as I know.

* Wrap Xmas Gifts  DONE

Since I had been storing my accumulated Xmas stash in College Boy's room since he went back to school, and he is coming home for Thanksgiving, I needed to get them out of there.  Since I don't have a hiding spot right now I went ahead and wrapped everything I have already.  The little stocking stuffer items I can hide in a box in my bedroom closet.

* Shampoo Rug  DONE  As part of the garage clean/straighten we took a rug my mother willed me out of the garage and cleaned it.  I really don't have a place to put it done in this house so it's going back into wrappings and storage but in a closet in the house as keeping it in the garage is not good for rugs.

* Pick-up Puppy  DONE

We are going into week 3 of being Puppy Parents and we are so tired. lolz  It's almost as bad as I remember having a toddler was.  They never stop and get into everything.  I'll be glad when this puppy phase is over. ;-)  From what I read at 8 months Chester should start to calm down a bit.  Let's hope I last that long......

* Puppy to Vet  DONE  Chester got checked out and given a clean bill of health.  He's had two shots so far and only needs his distemper booster now and he's good to go for awhile on shots until his yearly rabies then.  

* Dr. Appointment  DONE  Not to be confused with Chester's doggy doctor appointment. lolz  I have been cleared of the infection and am back to my regular routine.

So did you get anything accomplished in October?
Tell us what got done that you are glad for.


Sluggy