Hmmmmm...

Yesterday I couldn't blog. It was weird. I wrote my blog, and when I tried to post, it timed out and I lost it. Since I personally thought it was a slighly more-clever-than-normal post, (and I say this with all humility and sincerity) I was extremely put out, and the wind went right out of my sails.
So here's the jist of what I wrote:
The next day of home improvements were interesting, we were all zombies, I played the part of the Ultimate Gopher (which included THIRTEEN trips to Home Depot in one day, I know because I counted the receipts) and when we finally collapsed into bed at four a.m. yet again, we were still not finished. My hubby even changed his brother's plane tickets to they could stay an extra day to get the crown moulding put up. It still wasn't enough. Now we have all this crown moulding sitting in our garage (highly annoying to have it there by the way) and two rooms didn't get done, and TO TOP IT ALL OFF they left me a mess the size of Texas to clean up.

Men. 'Nuff said.

ANYWAY, I am heavily immersed in research for my current novel, I have to write about Egypt in the 1890's and since I haven't even been to Egypt ever in my life (I can say I've watched "The Mummy" series and that's as close as I've gotten) I have to find out first accounts on what life was like to be a British Tourist in Egypt back then.
In this endeavor, I have made some critical finds. I found online (and downloaded, naughty me) the entire book by Amelia Edwards titled A THOUSAND MILES UP THE NILE, in which she chronicled in 1888, her tour of Egypt, complete with sketches. I mean, this woman described in vivid detail, the smells, the sounds, and the feel of Egypt. Lucky, lucky me.
I have also put a big bear hug on a 1902 version of BAEDEKER'S EGYPT on Ebay, which I believe will come in very handy. (the spine is missing, so it's currently at the steal-of-a-deal price of $9.99.)
I really wanted the 1885 edition (which would be the edition my heroine would have had when she went to Egypt) but I can't find one cheaply, and I can't justify spending $300 on a book, no matter how valuable it could prove knowledgwise. If only I could get my hands on a copy for a few days! But I wouldn't know where to look. I am not very well connected that way.

I think someday that might be a passion of mine: collecting antique books. Especially from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. I am a hopeless anglophile, and love all things British. I told my hubby that when our kids are grown we are going to do some traveling---and I know exactly where I want to go.
But for now, I have to rely on Google and books, and my own imagination...