Let's get physical

Some may think my mild obsessions with the zombie apocalypse and The Hunger Games (OK, so maybe I haven't mentioned my new found love of The Hunger Games trilogy...and yes, I did read all the books before I saw the movie) and the like are complete and total wastes of time.  I'm here to tell you they are not.  Not at all.

Turns out, these obsessions are a really great motivator for getting in shape.  Really, if our world were suddenly thrown into Panem rebellion like chaos, I'd need to be in much better shape than I currently am.  Mutts are fast.  Scary fast.  And don't even get me started on the need for serious cardio in case the dead begin rising from their graves & feasting on the brains of the living.

And this is why I've renewed my interest in exercise.  Well, that and the fact that I paid $150 for a bridesmaid dress for Bubba & Beck's wedding and I can no longer zip it up (and it's one of the rare dresses you really can wear again.....speaking of which, does anyone know if you can dye 100% polyester satin?).

When A Starry Night started posting about jogging on her Facebook page I chimed in that I am not a runner.  She suggested I download a C25K podcast (no, that is not a Star Wars reference- it stands for Couch to 5K) and give it a try.

You might recall that Husband lost around 60 pounds last year on a C25K program so I thought I'd give it a try.  Much to my surprise, it didn't kill me.  And my intro was a bit harder than Husband's.  His started out with 60 second intervals of jogging,  Mine started with 2 minutes of jogging broken up by 3 minutes of walking.  On my off days (which I'm keeping religiously), I'm stretching, doing a mish-mash of yoga and Pilates and strength exercises I've picked up over the last year or so.

In reality I gained 20 pounds a year or so ago & while I could use the extra weight, it's dispersal is what I'm having issues with.  It's all settled between my waist and about 6 inches above my knees.  Busha says I can thank her family for that gift.  It seems not only are she and her sisters well padded but their mother, grandmother, aunts and cousins were as well.  I don't mind some of the extra padding (it sure helps on Sundays with our lovely, antique, solid wood, non-cushioned pews) I just mind the jiggle.

So I run.  And hope.  And should probably lay off the cinnamon brown sugar Pop Tarts.

I bet you thought I forgot...didn't you?

I can't say I blame you. I nearly did. It's not that I don't love you all & I don't adore giving you advice by the barrel full, but this past week has tried it's darnedest to kill me. I kid you not. Well, maybe I kid you a little.

First of all, the pollen in Southern Illinois has been out to get me ever since our return from vacation. And when it's not microscopic flora attacking me, it's random wigged out weather pressure systems trying to make my head explode. Remind me why I've been waiting for Summer.

And in the middle of it all, these lovely, abstract yellow patches appeared on my bedroom ceiling. Ahhh, the joys of home ownership. Fix the leaky roof your darned self. Gahhh! So this week has been spent hunting roofers, prices, warranty info, and the like. How I love being grown up.

So now, in a desperate attempt at forgetting the water spots lurking above my head, I shall get to your most pressing questions.

Inkling starts us off with a political piece: Here's a serious question. Canadians observe that Americans tie religion and politics together, speaking boldly about their political leanings publicly in services at church, Christian radio programs, etc. A. Do you agree that Americans do that? B. Do you think it is a good thing? Why or why not?

Um, well, not to disagree with an entire country, but I cannot remember having been in a Church service where strong political leanings were preached from the pulpit. I have been in services when moral aspects that cross over into politics (abortion & same sex marriage being the two that jump to mind) are discussed, but never in a "you must vote for Candidate X" way.

I think it's probably much more prevalent in things like radio programs but since I don't listen to much talk radio, I cannot really weigh in on this.

That being said, I think that if you have strong religious beliefs, they absolutely must reach out into every aspect of your life. You cannot claim to be religious (or spiritual) if it doesn't permeate the way you live every part of your life. Our political leanings cannot be at odds with our moral values. I cannot say if Americans are alone in this, but I hope not.

Sarah at Ordinary Days wants to know my divine opinions on familial relations. What do you do about a family member that is a borderline stalker? And how about a family member that thinks you are their therapist but really you're just completely tired of hearing them whine all the time because you're trying to grow your fifth baby while raising the other four?

Oh wow! First of all, I do not envy you this problem. I used to have it, but then Inkling moved to Canada (I kid! I kid! Just had to take a jab at my cousin in retaliation for her hatred for my Facebook profile picture).

First of all, is this just a random aunt or cousin or distant in-law, or is it someone important like your mother, sister, mother-in-law? If it's one of them, sorry, you just have to suck it up, pull up your big girl pants & get over it.

I'm kidding. Stalkers are the worst (not that I've ever been stalked). You can try screening your calls, avoiding all contact with this lovely person, or hiding in your basement for days on end...or you can very politely say, "I'm sorry, but I'm horribly busy right now what with being a pregnant homeschooling mother of four. Can I call you back in about 18 years when I have a chance to sleep through the night and pee by myself?"

Unfortunately, relatives come with their own set of craziness. There's a reason God doesn't let us choose our families. I'm not sure what it is yet, but when I figure it out, I'll give you a call. I guess my best advice would be to firmly but gently establish boundaries (don't I sound all professional & stuff?!). If she (I'm assuming the female gender because we tend to be clingy like this) calls or drops by numerous times a day, tell her as much as you enjoy her company you really need to keep things quiet around the house so Sunshine can nap & you can spend quality time with the boys. Maybe schedule a visit with her sometime when you know you cannot be roped into staying for hours. Go to her house knowing you must be gone by such & such a time because you have a pressing engagement.

And when you tire of giving advice or being a sounding board for all her issues, the phrase, "I really don't know what to tell you. I wish I could be more help," could eventually steer her in the direction of someone more willing/able to dish out the massive amount of support she thinks she needs.

If that all fails, put a giant sign on your front door that reads:

I'm sure there's an answering machine version. In fact, I think I'm going to print one off & keep it by the back door for the next time my SIL comes by with all 3 of her kids at 8 o'clock (the FarmHands' bedtime) on a school night and won't leave.

I totally stole/borrowed (entirely not for profit) this truly awesome piece of artwork from musingsofasarcasticmind.blogspot.com. I wonder if it comes in a version that mentions the Zombie plague.....

See, it's not just me.

The CDC is in on it, too.




But to be honest, if they couldn't stop the Swine Flu, I'm not sure what they'd accomplish against a horde of flesh eating undead.

And the Winner is......

A Starry Night!!

And I promise, the contest was not fixed. I plugged the numbers into random.org and it spit out #3. #3 being A Starry Night's comment.

"First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it." Amen.

Blogsplosion and the Last Crusade Dreadfully Ever After

It is here, again, my dear readers. The third instalment of Blogsplosion hosted by our friends at Quirk Classics! These are the days I blog for: days full mayhem, zombies, ninjas, classic mash-ups, and free books. And this time around I'm going to pass the fun on to you all!

If you'll remember, last year I blogged about Android Karenina and my darling mother won a prize pack from Quirk Classics full of literary goodies. (A prize pack I got to delve into and enjoy the Quirk!) This time around, there are prizes from far & wide....Far being Facebook and Wide being here on the Farm. But first, you must allow me to wax poetic about zombies (a much easier task than waxing poetic about head lice).

In P&P&Z: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, Mr.Steve Hockensmith introduced us to the strange plague ravaging England. Something unknown had caused the dead to rise from their graves in search of human flesh. A once respectable family named Bennett was soon, much by necessity, made to take up arms against hordes of Unmentionables changing the lives of the 5 daughters of Mr. Bennett forever.

In P&P&Z, we read of the exploits of the warrior tribe of Bennett sisters and their on-going search for suitable husbands. In the end, Miss Elizabeth Bennett found her match not only in love, but in combat as well. She and Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy were wed much to the chagrin of The Great Lady Catherine de Bourgh, aunt of the groom.

In the third installment of this classic love/zombie story, we learn of the horrible effects of this strange plague when Mr.Darcy himself falls prey to a stray Unmentionable. As Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After continues, Lizzy is faced with the nearly unbearable and yet only acceptable course of action: to promptly behead her dear husband. But before she follows through, she discovers there may be a chance to save her true love. But can she do what is necessary to save Fitzwilliam from this fate worse than death?

I have to say, even with something as tragic as the thought of Mr.Darcy being defiled, I loved this book. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats. No, wait, that's something else.

I really did enjoy it. For those of you who may be Austin purists, set aside your preconceived notions and read it just for larks. It's worth it. It in no way has spoiled the love I have for the original Un-zombiefied version. It's all apples and oranges to me. Think less classic-literature-adulterated and more zombie-books-risen-to-new-heights.

As the back cover blurb says, P&P&Z: Dreadfully Ever After brings the story to a thrilling conclusion complete with romance, heartbreak, martial arts, cannibalism, and an army of shambling corpses. Chocked full of surprises (you've always wondered what was to become of Mary Bennett, haven't you....or just how long Wickham and Lydia could make their scandalously patched up marriage work), Dreadfully Ever After does not disappoint.

Now, for the goodies. For one lucky reader, I have a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After to give away. Just leave a comment on this post and at the end of the week, say Friday night, I will draw a name. Then (hopefully in a much more timely manner than when I sent Brando Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters) I will dispatch the book to your mail box. Excited yet?

As if that were not enough, pop on over to Facebook and click "like" on the new Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After page and you will be entered to win one of eight Zombie Antidote necklaces! Now I know you're excited!

Get to clicking folks, but more importantly, get to reading!

No one loves Poor Fanny Price.

Except me. I love her. I love her just as she is. I do not wish her to be someone she is not. I only wish others to love Fanny simply for being Fanny.

If you currently have no clue as to what I am referring, you have not read Mansfield Park by Miss Jane Austen. I hadn't read it until a few years back, preferring instead to read & re-read the much loved Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, or Emma. Then my mother went on a quest to fill out my Austen library to it's entirety. I now own every novel she ever wrote including the unfinished ones. And Mansfield Park is brilliant.

The problem being its heroine.

"Mary Crawford is, so it seems, the very model of a Jane Austen heroine. Spirited, warm-hearted, and, above all else, witty, she displays all the familiar Austen virtues, and she stands in need of the familiar Austen lessons as well......But Mary Crawford is not the heroine of Mansfield Park- Fanny Price is...." Amanda Claybaugh, Associate Professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University.

The lovely folks at Austenprose.com have even tackled the question of why Fanny Prices rankles our ire.

You see, Fanny is a good girl. She is shy, retiring, quiet, well behaved, timid, and more than a bit insecure. Fanny is not dazzling. She does not sparkle. She does not hold the room's attention. She is entirely too plane Jane. And I adore her for it.

The film industry, on the other hand, despises Poor Fanny. They cannot leave the poor waif alone. Heaven forbid a movie be made about a genuinely good person. Instead they attempt to make Fanny more daring, more interesting, more Hollywood. They warp her into an aspiring author or a closet feminist.

I have seen portions of 2 versions of MP and could finish neither. Both versions went completely against who Fanny was. Both versions tried to force her to be someone she simply is not. I've read that the 1980's version of the film (possibly a mini-series?) sticks much closer to Miss Austen's original character & story. I would really like to see for my self.

But in the meantime, could we all please leave Miss Price in peace...and quit trying to drastically change the person Miss Austen created?

(Yes, I realize just how hypocritical this sounds in light of the fact that I adore Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters.....but they are open and hones, as well as a bit tongue in cheek, about their adaptations of these classics. Therefore I wholeheartedly forgive them....but not the villains who've tainted Poor Fanny.)

Eleven important things I've learned from the movies.

1. If you should find yourself at the center of a conspiracy involving government agencies, law enforcement, organized crime, royalty, secret agents, religious sects, industrial espionage, the supernatural, robots, or the military, never, never, never take your world changing information to the one person you trust most in the world. They are in on it.
2. If you are single, fun loving, and free wheeling, beware. Someone you love is about to die and leave one or more children in your custody because in their infinite wisdom, they know an impressionable minor is the only thing you truly need to get your life "on track" and that parenthood will suit you to a T.
3. Someone you know is a prodigy, child genius, secret marshal arts master, has an eidetic memory, or has some kind of preterhuman ability.
4. If a girl is a bit on the geeky side, a 30 second make over will turn her into the most stunningly gorgeous woman you've ever seen. Just take the bobby pins out of her librarian-esque bun, remove her glasses, and giver her head a good shake. Works every time.
5. If a girl is already stunningly gorgeous, she's probably the person you know mentioned in #3.
6. It doesn't matter where (or when) you live. Unless you are American, French, or Indian, you probably speak with a British accent.
7. Screen doors and windows are completely frivolous and unnecessary. As is the desire to close windows or doors.
8. If a man doesn't shave for weeks, he'll probably just end up with a heavy 5 o'clock shadow....unless he's Tom Hanks. And any woman stranded without a razor will immediately stop growing leg and underarm hair until she's rescued or finds her way back to civilization.
9. If you make some kind of grand, selfless sacrifice, fear not- you will not actually die. But if you should die, you won't remain dead for long. Something astonishing will happen to bring you back from the brink.
10. The Double Tap/Head Shot rule applies to all villains not just zombies.
11. It doesn't matter how few seconds are left in the race to save the universe. There is always a moment to spare to declare your undying love & kiss the girl of your dreams before you rush off to save the day.

De-lurking, snow prevention, and sweatin' to Salsa.

Happy National De-Lurking Day! Whoo-hoo! I'm so excited! Someone pinch me!

Um, Sorry. I got a bit carried away. But it would b awesome if someone de-lurked today. I love comments. They make me happy. Knowing that somewhere out there in the vast blogsphere folks choose to visit my tiny corner of the interwebs just makes me all tingly.

I have an announcement to make. The snow is officially over for the entire southern part of the state of Illinois for the remainder of the winter. How do I know this? We bought snow pants for #1 Son & B.B. today. That should seal the deal. We've never bought snow pants before. Our kids had hand-me-downs enough to keep them all dry & happy for the 3 days they used them each winter....until this year. And this year the snow just won't quit. So we snagged 2 pairs (they're HUGE!) in hopes that they'll get some serious use out of them before they out grow them...when they're 14 years old or so.

Today I tried something new. Husband and I blew through Wal-Mart like we were racing against Armageddon, came home, napped, and did my Zumba while the FarmHands were still at school. It's not really easy to do Latin dance aerobics with a 3 year old underfoot, but it's much easier than doing it with 4 kids lounging about asking strange questions the entire time. I kid you now, working out is like talking on the phone. They will ignore me for hours on end until I dial a number or boot up my work out on the Wii. Then it's, "Mom, can I have? Mom, can we watch? Mom, is this over? Mom, can I play? Mom, I'm hungry. Mom, I'm sick. Mom, the dog just ate my underpants. Mom, a horde of the undead is attacking our house." It's enough to make a girl scream...if she had any breath left after doing 20 minutes of Salsa.

Maybe I'll make a habit of it. Or maybe I'll go back to my regularly scheduled nap time and fight the approaching horde of zombies while keeping my heart rate over 120.

It's as if they were thinking of me.

The universe is conspiring to feed my love of all things Zombie.

First of all, A&E has a new show called The Walking Dead that is entirely about the Zombie Apocalypse. It's about a Georgian police officer who wakes up from a coma to find that while he was sleeping, the plague of the undead has been unleashed on Earth. His wife and son are gone along with 90% of the population of the small town he's living in. The rest of the population has turned into Walkers or Geeks depending on who you ask. I'm loving it. I think I need to find the past issues of the graphic novel it's based on.

Last weekend, when my family came to visit, Princess brought me a magnetic ribbon for my van. It's black with red trim & reminds everyone to Support Zombies. I tried to shrink the picture, but it didn't want to be minimized. Apparently the lack of Zombie support is a big problem.

Today, when Husband brought in the mail there was a cream colored envelope with my name printed on the front. The return address was in Philadelphia. I was puzzled. I cannot think of anyone I know living in Philadelphia who would be sending me a letter.

Much to my surprise, it was a lovely note from one Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the heroin of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (yes, I know she was in a book prior to P&P&Z, but if I can get the note to load you'll see why I make this distinction.

In the note, Miss Bennet was kind enough to warn me of the horde of reanimated corpses overrunning her beloved England. She also informed me of her latest purchase- a Macintosh computer with which she is now keeping up a digital correspondence.

This evening I've learned that not only do Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia Bennet have their own Facebook pages, but so do their parents and love interests...including the insipid Mr.Wickham. Mrs. Bennet has started her own blog in order to share her tips on raising marriageable daughters in such a time as this. Lizzy has an Etsy shop and Lydia has joined a dating web site. If you're interested in finding their links, you can find them all collected at www.quirkclassics.com/zombies .

For now, I will leave you all to ponder your survival tactics for the coming Zombie apocalypse while I read up on the lives of the Bennets and other families living in Hertfordshire amongst the Unmentionable Hoard.

I've been thinking...

I'm afraid some big points have been left out of today's wedding vows. I think a few things should be added for anyone considering a trip down the aisle.

• I promise that if/when the zombie apocalypse occurs and you get infected, I will put you down in the most immediate & humane way possible unless of course an antidote is readily available...and I expect you to do the same to me.
• I promise to explain the rules to any game/sport I happen to be watching/in-to without laughing at you...for example when you ask, "What does fourth and inches mean?" will not induce me to roll on the floor & laugh or roll my eyes at you.
• I promise to pay attention to the brands you use so that when you send me to the store to purchase _____________ (insert favorite brand of tampon, deodorant, toothpaste, or tomato sauce), I will be sure to come home with the right stuff.

And I think there should be an entire addendum just for Netflix and movie dates.

• I promise to swap out movie types fairly. One action flick for you, one rom-com for me. One Zombie movie for you, one psychological thriller for me.
• I promise not to commit Netflix Adultery*...unless of course I'm stuck home sick with nothing to watch...or I'm really, really bored.
• If I do commit Netflix Adultery I promise not to mail back the DVD's before you've had a chance to watch them.
• And if I do commit Netflix Adultery, I promise not to give away what's going to happen in the episodes you've missed in what ever series we're watching.

*Netflix Adultery is when one spouse watches episodes ahead of where the couple is in a rented television series without the other spouse present.

Blogsplosion 2: Electric Boogaloo Android Karenina

Once upon a time, I lived for Zombies. Now I'm all about Steampunk. Yes, you'll soon see pictures of me all over facebook in full Victorian garb complete with corset & bustle, packing heat, accompanied by my own personal android. And what has brought on this turn about, you might ask? Leo Tolstoy. Well, Leo Tolstoy and Ben H. Winters. OK, Leo Tolstoy, Ben H. Winters, and Quirk Classics.

You may remember my waxing poetic over a few past works from Quirk Classics: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. Much to my delight, their latest Monster Mash-up is that much beloved (almost) classic Android Karenina. Ahhhhh....all the tragedy of the original Russian romance Leo Tolstoy delivered to us in Anna Karenina, plus all the robots, aliens, and political intrigue you've always wanted.

Mr.Winters, co-author with Jane Austen, of Sense and Sensibilities and Sea Monsters, teamed up with Ol' Leo this time around to give Anna Arkadyevna a liberal sprinkling of Steampunk. I was over the moon when I heard Mr.Winters was part of Q.C.s newest project. I adored what he did with S&S, so in my mind he could do no wrong with Anna. I am pleased to say, Mr.Winters did not disappoint.

To be entirely honest and up front about this all, Quirk Classics sent me the book a few weeks ago for free. The only strings attached were that I read and blog about my feelings on the book as well as toss in a few links (which I'll get to in a moment) for my readers. I'm all about free books. Especially free books I might actually enjoy. And enjoy I did. Win-win, folks!

And since I'm in the midst of this outpouring of honesty, I'll also tell you I have never actually read the original Anna Karenina. Sorry. But as soon as I dug into Android Karenina, I called the Queen Mother (all hail The Queen Mother) and asked to borrow one of the many versions of the movie she owns on DVD. She brought me the BBC version filmed in 1977. If it follows the BBC's literary movie tradition, it was probably very accurate. I really think Tolstoy missed the mark with his original concept. There was always something missing. Sure, it has adultery, emotional melt downs, morphine, madness, and a healthy dose of political commentary, but what it was really missing was robots. Robots and aliens. Robots, aliens, and interplanetary travel. Mr.Winters has fixed that nearly fatal flaw.

I believe we can now set aside the worn out issue of Team Edward or Team Jacob and ask ourselves a new, more pressing question: Team Karenin or Team Vronsky?

And now for you, my darling readers, a chance to win free stuff!! Whoo-hoo! Let's hear it for swag!

If you are at all interested in more of the quirky fun our friends at Quirk Classics have put together for us, you might want to check out this: a chance to win one of 25 Quirk Prize Packs, each with a retail value of nearly $100. Each pack will include:

• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith



• How to Survive a Horror Movie by Seth Grahame-Smith



• Dracula's Heir: An Interactive Mystery by Sam Stall



• Extreme Encounters by Greg Emmanuel



• How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is the Antichrist by Patricia Carlin



• an Android Karenina poster



• and more!

Enjoy...and let me know if you win. It will give my ego a bit of a boost.

Introducing: FarmWife- Literary Critic

Oh yes, oh yes, I have hit the big time. People are sending me books to review. Books that haven't hit the store shelves just yet. Books that involve the Sorry Stricken. Books that made me happy.

OK, by "Books" I mean a book. And by "sending me" I mean at my request. They didn't really hunt me down, I volunteered. But the rest is totally true.

My old friends at Quirk Classics put out a call to all interested bloggers to review their newest piece of fiction- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. I get a free book before its release & I get to tell you all about it! Whoo-hoo!

But then it hit me....this is just like High School. I'm, in essence, writing a book report. I'm under a deadline. I have a task someone is counting on me to complete. Oh the stress. Well, sort of.

Like all good procrastinators, I was waiting 'til the last minute to write my review...then I found out B.B.'s surgery was going to throw a wrench in the works, so I'm writing this a bit earlier than planned...and it's my 3rd post of the day. I hope it doesn't show, but I feel much like I did the night I left my US History project on Louisa May Alcott until the last minute & tried to write the entire presentation at 10:30 the night before. Don't ask me how, but I B.S.'ed my way through that with amazing finesse....either that or my history prof knew next to nothing about L.M. Alcott. But I digress.

Back to the Zombies. I love Zombies. And I love Jane Austen. So I really love Zombies crammed into Jane Austen's works. P&P&Z (as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is affectionately called buy those of us in the know) made me a very happy FarmWife. This prequel, P&P&Z: DOD, made me a happy FarmWife (notice the lack of "very" in this sentence).

It was a good book. It made me laugh. It thoroughly entertained me during a 6 hour trip in the car with all 4 FarmHands when I was exceptionally cranky. If you need a bit of light reading that won't challenge your mental prowess, it's great for that.

Do not expect it to live up to Miss Austen's original work....or even to P&P&Z as it's written by neither Jane Austen nor Seth Grahame-Smith. But don't discount it entirely, either....unless you're a purist & cannot stand to see someone else's take on the family Bennett. Steven Hockensmith had an interesting take on the young ladies & their rise to the warrior calling. And he did a great job unveiling some of the hidden history of the residents of Longbourn (including a long lost love of Mrs. Bennett).

A few things irritated the Austen purist in me (yes, I know, "They gave Elizabeth Bennett a katana & put Zombies in Jane's most beloved novel & that didn't irritate the 'Austen purist' in you?!"). Mr.Hockensmith gave the Bennett girls a governess. She was momentary, but there none the less. I refer you to the first evening Lizzy spent at Rosings in the original:
"We never had any governess."
"No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess!- I never head of such a thing."
And I think he made Jane Bennett a bit of a wet noodle, but that's simply a matter of opinion.

In all, I really liked the book. Even if Bitsy & B.B. repeatedly told me the book was "yucky!" Zombified cover art does not appeal to my children....yet.

And now for the really cool part of all this. In honor of the "All-Out-Worldwide-Zombie-Blog-Explosion 2010" Quirk Classics is offering you, my darling readers, a chance to win one of 50 Quirk Classics Prize Packs. Each pack will include:

• an advanced copy of P&P&Z: DOD


• audio books of P&P&Z and Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters (which I adored)


• a P&P&Z: DOD poster (I have one. It scares my children....maybe I could use it as some kind of deterrent for bad behavior....just a thought.)


• a P&P&Z Journal (you can start your own Zombie Apocalypse survival journal)


• and a box set of P&P&Z postcards (Yahoo, good mail!)

To enter to win, click this link, post something on the message board, and mention that you read about it here at Memoirs. Good luck! And don't forget to let me know if you win!

Some day, when I feel a bit less like the Sorry Stricken (that's Austen for Zombie), I'll tell you a bit more about our trip to The STL (as someone recently dubbed St.Louis....to be said in the same way you would call Atlanta "The ATL"). But for now, you'll have to find contentment in this tidbit of information: B.B. will be having surgery in the next 4-6 weeks to repair his hernia & retractile testicles. Fun for him. Poor baby.

And on March third, Memoirs of a FarmWife will be over run by hordes of the literary undead via our old friends at Quirk Classics. Tune in.