The 1st 100 books of 2009:
1.
Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
2.
Collected Poems of Robert Frost by the same
3.
King's Oak by Anne Rivers Siddons
4.
Nora Jane-a Life in Stories by Ellen Gilchrist
5.
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg
6.
The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg
7.
Digging to America by Anne Tyler
8.
Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
9.
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
10. Complete Poems & Plays, by T.S. Eliot
11. The River King by Alice Hoffman
12. Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman
13. The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
14. Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
15. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
16. Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons
17. Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons
18. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
19. Low Country by Anne Rivers Siddons
20. Sandpebbles by Patricia Hickman
21. Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons
22. Good Grief by Lolly Winston
23. Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons
24. Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
25. Fault Lines by Anne Rivers Siddons
26. Pieces of my Heart by Robert Wagner
27. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
28. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
29. Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
30. Language of the Threads by Gail Tsukiyama
31. Colony by Anne Rivers Siddons
32. The Last Valentine by James Michael Pratt
33. Do Dead People Watch You Shower by Bertoldi
34. Before You Knew Kindness by Chris Boyjalian
35. Thirteen Moons by Charles Fraizer
36. The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
37. The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg
38. Ordinary Life by Elizabeth Berg
39. Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons
40. Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg
41. Rachel's Quilt by Sheila Spencer-Smith
42. Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
43. Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout
44. I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass
45. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowlings
46. The Sea Lady by Margaret Drabble
47. A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler
48. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
49. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
50. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
51. The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
52. The Dream Comes True by Barbara Delinsky
53. The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau
54. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowlings
55. The Memoir Club by Laura Kalpakian
56. One Extra*Ordinary Day by Harold Myra
57. Night Train to Lisbon
by Emily Grayson
58. Your Labrador Retriever by September B Morn (my guess is a pseudonym)
59. Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever by Richard T. Burrows
60. Music of Falling Water by Julia Oliver
61. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
62. The Precious Present by Spencer Johnson
63. An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi
64. The Complete Stories of TRUMAN CAPOTE by of course, Truman Capote
65. The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard
66. Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons
67. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
68. Eggshell Days by Rebecca Gregson
69. A Bluethroat Morning by Jacqui Lofthouse
70. Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell
71. Foxes Earth by Anne Rivers Siddons
72. Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA by Kris Radish
73. Shop Girl by Steve Martin
74. Three Junes by Julia Glass
75. Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
76. Beloved by Toni Morrison
77. Adam the King by Jeffrey Lewis
78. The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
79. Local Girls by Alice Hoffman
80. Spring and Fall by Nicholas Delbanco
81. The Saturday Wife by Naomi Ragen
82. Minotaur by Benjamin Tammuz
00. Crime and Punishment
83. Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
84. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
85. Big as Life by Maureen Howard
86. Studies in Classic American Literature by D.H. Lawrence
87. The Holiday by Stevie Smith
88. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
89. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
90. The Razor's Edge by Sumerset Maughm
91. The Fireman's Wife by Jack Riggs (ER)
92. Conscience Point by Erica Abeel (ER)
93. The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck
94.
The Blank Wall by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding
95.
The Penelopiad by
Margaret Atwood
96.
March by Geraldine Brooks
97.
The Moment Between by Nicole Baart
98.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
99.
The Lost City of Z; A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
100.
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Message edited by its author, Oct 28, 2009, 11:08pm.
Newest update on Chrissy. Some of you have already read it. I put it up yesterday. It is just a funny little story of a broken girl mending. My luv to you all and many thanks for your support through all of this.
Just a very funny aside regarding the Chrissy thing.
Yesterday (Monday) the therapists were coming down the hall and Chrissy heard them (she thinks these two guys are pretty cute and you can tell----she does have a boyfriend of 3 years, but it's okay to flirt) and motioned for her helmet (she is bald and doesn't like them to see her head), and her pants. She grabbed her walker, slid off her bed and down the hall she went to the nurses station where the therapists were. The nurses and therapists all gave her a standing ovation. She was so proud. (and flirty!~!)
She is still not talking, but they have her humming and trying to make noises. And she had the surgery to put "part" of her skull back on today. They will be doing more of that later. While they were in there (surgery), they checked out her brain very carefully and say they can see no reason at this time for her to not make an almost complete recovery and live a full and fruitful life.
Yea Chrissy!~!~! We are so happy she is such a stubborn girl.
Such a wonderful story, Belva! I am still remembering Chrissy in my prayers.
And I have you starred. I think 200 will be no problem!!
--BJ
This message has been deleted by its author.
Sorry, Belva, but it is not giving me permission to see Chrissy. Don't the FB people know she has many friends on LT that want to meet her?
Thanks for trying Donna.
CHRISSY'S PICTURE IS ON MY PROFILE PAGE NOW.
belva
Message edited by its author, Oct 28, 2009, 11:19pm.
Found ya, starred ya, thinking of ya Belva... xx
P.S. What a beautiful niece! This story has moved me so much, especially given my 19 year-old sister's recent (if relatively minor) car accident... It's amazing how far your brave girl has come in such a short time, pass on all our congratulations to her!
Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 8:12am.
Good Morning Belva,
A lovely young woman. And lots of positive energy being sent her way!
Thinking often of you and yours,
Joanne
Thanks for posting Chrissy's picture. What a darling girl she is!
Isn't she pretty? And she is doing so wonderfully well now. Still on the Neurological Unit, but is doing therapy and working so hard. Not really talking, but is beginning to hum and make vocal noises so hopefully it won't be long.
Thanks guys!~!
love ya,
belva
HEY---------is everyone ready to go on Sunday? Don't forget to "fall back" on your clocks as it is the end of daylight savings time (here, anyway) and Whoo Hoo--------
WE BEGIN
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK!~!
YEA!~!
Ugh! I am so frustrated. I'm still waiting for my book from the blankityblank library. Someone is holding on to a book that was due 10-5-09 #*#**** and others are due back around 11-5-09. Why did I ever give my book away?! *^&*#&@82. Ugh!
Belva- Yes, your niece looks like quite a sweetheart! Best wishes are still winging their way to you!
People of the Book!
People of the Book!
>Carmenere- Those blankityblank libraries make me so mad! We are only reading just over a 120 pages the 1st week, so you could catch up pretty quickly.
Cracking my People book open...Yeah!! Belva, more love and light winging its way to you and Chrissy. Thanks for posting the picture. It's nice to actually see who we are rooting for!
I began
People of the Book last night and am loving it thus far. I like the writing of Geraldine Brooks so very much. There is a smoothness about her writing that I find quite comforting no matter the material. I hope everyone is enjoying the read.
belva
I started yesterday too - I'm not too far in yet though because I'm having to do a madcap clean-up of my flat for when the whole house is valued tomorrow - that's the main house, my flat and the workshop. We're not even putting it on the market until spring but the estate agents have insisted on sending someone now. And my flat is just full of boxes and books and magazines and paperwork, it's a disaster!
Still, between reading at the shop and cleaning at home, I think 'twill be okay - and once the guy's left tomorrow I have the rest of the day to read in a newly tidy living room, complete with a jumbo tin of chocolates that I sneaked into my grocery shop! My new filling's still playing havoc with eating but I'm prepared to overlook it for chocolates. :-)
Over in "Le Salon Litteraire du Peuple pour le Peuple," Salon founder EnriqueFreeque started a thread called "Thanksgiving" in which he publicly gives thanks for his blessings.
You, my dear fiancee, make every day brighter and happier just by being in it. I wish every patient in Chrissy's situation had at least one Belva to cheer, to applaud, to fret and worry, and to pray like sixty for them. No one would ever be hungry, or lonely, or sad in a world run by Belva, because Belva is the antidote to all those feelings.
Thank you for being my friend.
Richard;
You just made my heart sing. My world is a better place for having you in it. Thank you for being MY friend. Always there, always cares.
Love ya St.
belva
Just checking in to see how things are with you and yours...
sounds as if Chrissy is doing great, and clearly, she is an amazing girl....
So Happy for you all!
.....
Belva- Yes, you are a ray of sunshine and it's great when you drop by. The group read is going great, huh?
Awww Belva - I can feel the love on this thread! There's a reason I call you 'the fairy godmother of LibraryThing', y'know!
Belva -
Adding my two cents worth to the growing collection of "lovings" being sincerely sent your way.
You are dear to me and a real sweetheart to your friends and family.
It is a pleasure to be one of your friends.
With love,
Ruth
Aw, Kath, Mark, Ellie, and Ruthie;
I love you guys!~! You always make my days brighter.
And guess what??????????????
CHRISSY MAY GET TO GO HOME ON THE 11th!~!
She is walking with a walker, using some words and trying to say others, making sounds for them, humming and what not.
She is my hero along with her mother, Julie or Jules, as we tend to call her. What a ride this has been and if it hadn't been for my friends on L.T. (because I tend to stay home most of the time, you are my only friends bar one) I probably would have ended up back on One South at St. Peter's Hospital.
But that didn't happen and I feel more and more of belva's life slipping back in, thanks to Chrissy's fight, recovery and you all.
So..............here's to you, my friends.
Luv n hugs,
belva
luv n hugs back at ya belva! and a tip of the hat to Jules ~
Confetti all over Chrissy!
Awe Belva, such good news. Let's share a teapot of cyber tea and exhale.
Let's Do!~!~!
And let's make the confetti purple as Jules loves the color purple. (Chrissy likes it too) It is even in all of her user codes and email addresses. Most of her clothes are purple and all of her tatoos are purple. Yes, our Jules has tats. I don't think she would be such a fierce mother if she weren't such a rad personality!~!
Thanx ladies,
belva
Belva, that's great news about Chrissy! Her recovery is going so well :)
Okaaaaaaaaaay;
Am reading
People of the Book (group read),
War and Peace (group read),
Vanity Fair (group read)
Elizabeth and her German Garden (Author of the Month read),
Real Stories of Life Changing Moments (ARC/ER), and I think that is it for now. November is a busy month. I have so much I want to read for this month and next month as well.
I am looking forward to January so I can begin my 2010 challenge, (10/10/10 with 2 bonus categories of 10 each as well) and I am hoping that I am caught up with all my other reads by then so that I can begin with a clear, uncluttered mind.
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 9, 2009, 6:40pm.
Yay for purple confetti! Sounds gorgeous to me. Congratulations on Chrissy's progress!
Hi Belva, I just wanted to check in and see how everything was going before I shut down for the niight. So happy to continue to hear good news regarding Chrissy.
And Wow - what a lineup of books you're reading! I keeping seeing comments about how well the group read of PoftheB is going. Nice job and congrats to you and Mark!
Night sweetie! Joanne
Hi, Belva! It's always good to hear how Chrissy is doing. Glad you're hanging in there too!
Hi, Belva!
I am so happy to see the wonderful news about Chrissy!!! :) What a wonderful blessing!! :) I know that you have been a rock for your family in this difficult time. Thanks for being you. God bless.
--BJ
Hi Belva - I only got caught up on your Challenge threads about a week ago, when you'd reported on Chrissy's improvements. I looked back at your other thread to see what had happened, and although I knew the worst had passed (thank heavens!), I still shed a few tears reading about it. We hear so much bad news, it can be hard sometimes to believe things might get better. I am so so happy that the outcome for Chrissy and your family is a good one! It sounds like she's a tough cookie -- and it seems that same strength runs in your family. ;-)
My best to you and Chrissy and all your family. Thanksgiving is coming soon, and you'll have much to celebrate! :-)
Marie
Hi Belva, just checking in to see how everything is going. Glad to see that your beautiful niece is improving. Happy reading!
That's wonderful news about Chrissie. I'm so happy for you all.
Wow, I go away for a couple of days and come back to:
wookiebender,
Joanne,
bonnie,
--BJ,
HMF,
Delta, and
aruba..............
all coming to my little thread and bringing the love. Thank all of you so very much. I have felt every bit of it all the way throughout this trial. Chrissy may get to go home today; we don't know for sure yet. Will keep you posted!~!
How are all of you? It is nice that my life is coming back slowly but surely. I have been in such a Chrissy cocoon that I don't know what is going on with all my L.T. friends nor did I realize, until this happened, how many of you I have and I appreciate each and every one of you. I need to hit all of your threads and see what I have missed, what is going on in your lives and what all of you are reading these days.
I am, of course, still reading
People of the Book and just this morning finished
Vanity Fair and truly enjoyed it. I didn't even know who
William Makepeace Thackeray was (I, of course had heard the name but didn't have any idea what he wrote) until I began that group read. I was supposed to be reading
Life and Fate but
Vanity Fair arrived first and I did know that they were both tomes so I just switched the order of my reads. Now I shall begin
Life and Fate. I understand it is very good, but I am still also reading
War and Peace so I'm hoping they are quite different. The POTB group read is going wonderfully well as it should with all the participation and great comments I have been reading. It is a very good book.
I am no --BJ; I don't know how I got hooked into so many group reads at once. But I AM trying --BJ. You are the group read hero!~! Seven and eight at a time!
Well, I will talk to you all later on your threads. Thank you so much for coming by and all the support.
luv n hugs,
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 11, 2009, 4:23pm.
Belva, you are the hero to each and every one of us! :)
God bless,
--BJ
Gosh, --BJ;
You are making me blush. Thank you
big hug,
belva
My husband and I cleaned gutters yesterday and I went to Seattle today and watched Chrissy tie her shoes! What a woman!~! The hospital van was taking some of the more mobile patients and family members to the Aquarium and Chrissy was so excited to go. She is talking well now, but her voice has a kind of monotone to it. Her speech has improved so much though. And on Sunday they are letting her go (for a few hours) to the apartment that they have rented. They have rented the unit until they can go back home to Alaska. Chrissy is making huge strides!~!
I jumped ahead of the group last night and finished POTB. I thought it very good, but would have liked to have seen more of each main character's story line.
So ............ still with
War and Peace and
Elizabeth's German Garden. Have not yet begun
Life and Fate. I may finish
War and Peace first.
Have any of you read both of them? Are they very much alike? If so, I just may put off
Life and Fate and read some more of the "Author of the Month" and some different and lighter group reads so please let me know if you and any input here.
thanx,
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 12, 2009, 8:10pm.
Belva- Thanks for the very encouraging update on Chrissy! Wonderful news! Sounds like you have your hands full with your reading challenges! You can dooooo itttt!
Wow! Chrissy really sounds like she is doing well! How many weeks since the accident, Belva?
The news about Chrissy just gets better and better. What a wonderful miracle.
--BJ
I'm so glad Chrissy continues to improve.
I don't think
Life and Fate is very much like
War and Peace, other than that they both are set during war and are huge family sagas. I've only read about 250 pp of
Life and Fate so far, but my advice would be Do Not skip this book.
Wonderful news about Chrissy. Isn't Thanksgiving around now (forgive the non American's vagueness)? Will you be able to spend it with her? Truly something to be thankful for.
Okay, arubabookwoman; you talked me into it. I think I can do both of them at once and began
Life and Fate this afternoon. So far I'm just getting into it and familiarizing myself with the wheres and whens, etc. But looks good thus far. Thank you for the encouragement.
Mark, bonnie, --BJ, Robert;
Life is becoming good again. Limbo--------not such a great place. But our girl is coming along by leaps and bounds. We don't know what more to expect out of her each day. It has been only 7 weeks since her accident bonnie so she has come a very long way in a very short time. And yes, it is miraculous!~!
Robert, our Thanksgiving is in two weeks and this year we truly have a lot to be thankful for. We don't know yet if we will be able to spend it with her. I know her grandma and grandpa will be there, her boyfriend, her 2 brothers, 2 cousins, another auntie so that is a great deal of people. Plus if we go, then my mother will be all alone so most likely we shall remain home and I will cook; we will bring my mother to our house and have our 2 local children and their families and settle for a phone call with Chrissy and her's. Hopefully our daughter in Texas will be spending the day with friends. She has some marvelous friends. When I go down to visit her, sometimes she tells me; "Okay, this trip you will be staying with so and so because I have such and such going on." It's pretty funny. She has about 6 friends that all have a room for me whenever. Just like one huge happy family. Some are straight and some are gay and they all treat me like I am the cat's meow. Really nice.
Will, you all take care. I think I need to do some thread hopping.
luv to all,
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 13, 2009, 8:46pm.
Awww Belva, big hugs to ALL of you... you are the cat's meow, after all! I must say, I'm very impressed by your reading list at the moment. My ABC challenge has taken quite a hit at 'I' - I'm waiting to see how
Cinnamon City turns out after the Bronte Book Mistake - but I've enjoyed Week 2 of POTB even more than week 1 so that's been fun! :-)
Miss ellie;
I missed it. What
Bronte book mistake?
And yes, POTB has been awesome!~!
hugs,
belva
I started reading
Authors in Context: The Brontes for my 'I' read, thinking it was going to be a biography with some historical information and a bit about adaptations of their work - but it's actually only a short bio with a whole lot of critical material on the books. Which may explain why I thought it was a good idea when I bought it during the Uni Years...
So I gave it up to the bookshop and I've started
Cinnamon City again from the beginning (I was only about 50 pages in) and now I'm really enjoying it. I think my lack of concentration was swirling all the foreign names and terms around a bit too much last time!
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, gotcha!~! I like having my authors in my own context. Not that I don't read biographies of authors, I do........especially women authors of years ago. But I don't think that one would be satisfying to me either.
love ya,
belva
just dropping by to say hi and thanks for visiting my thread.
pleased to hear of such good progress for your Chrissy.
Belva - yes, I still have Lucasta Miller's
The Bronte Myth on my shelf, plus Daphne du Maurier's
The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte and I'm sure there's a copy of Gaskell's biography of Charlotte kicking around in a box of old books somewhere... PLENTY to go at without worrying about this one!
Hi Belva, thanks for stopping by my thread over the weekend and thank for the congratulations. It's so nice to see your posts around the threads again, it's not the same here without you! I'm glad that Chrissy is doing so well, what an amazing girl she is.
I did really enjoy the
People of the Book group read, we've got a great group! The book wasn't what I expected going into it but I really enjoyed it, for the most part (I'm not a fan of Hanna or her mother, especially now that I've finished it). I highly recommend
The Thirteenth Tale, I'd think you'd enjoy it and this is the perfect time of year for it. When it gets cold, dark, windy, and rainy out, just cozy up with that book and enjoy the ride :)
I've just skipped ahead and finished
People of the Book for the group read too - but I don't think I'll add my thoughts to the thread for week 3 until Thursday, when more people are likely to have finished it too... I didn't much like Hanna and her mother either - jeez, what a harridan! - though I did think Hanna seemed more likeable with Jim in her native Australia at the end. And another recommendation for
The Thirteenth Tale - can I resist until the festive laziness of the Christmas holidays?!
Hi Belva! So glad to catch up on your thread and hear the great Chrissie news!! I know this Thanksgiving will be a special one for you and your family.
Really enjoyed
People of the Book, although I liked the historical personalities more than the present day Hanna. I don't think I'd bash her as much as some people have, but I'll throw in her mother for sure!
Hugs!
I had a whole long response to all of you here and added info on Chrissy and my father-in-law, but it is now out there somewhere in computerland.
Update on father-in-law on Marks profile.
I am going back to bed and will re-do this post later when feeling better.
Love to all,
belva
Best wishes to your father-in-law and to you. Take care of yourself, Belva.
Much love,
Dad has now been moved to a long term care facility. We don't know if it will be permanent or not. He hasn't recognized anyone in the family since last Sunday afternoon, which is very sad as one sisters (these are my in-laws) who lives in Kentucky was unable to get a flight out until Monday early. They still don't know exactly what is it is but he is definitely suffering from "sundowners". So when we go to visit, we try to go earlier in the day as his days start going to shit about 3:00 or so. He still doesn't know us, but seems content and happy enough until then. And it is so hard to see him like that.
I have been trying to keep busy. The vertigo is all but gone. I only fell once yesterday and it was pretty funny. I mainly stayed in bed and played with my pretty picture books but I feel much better now. I try not to bend over; I kneel and I don't turn my hear; I turn my shoulders. That seems to be working at this point. So far, my biggest whoops, was when I was cleaning the litter pan. I was leaning and I just slowly kept on going. I yelled for the husband and he caught me just in time. Talk about "egg" on your face!~!
I finished
Life and Fate by Vasili Grossman this morning. What a powerful novel. This was only the 3rd book I had read from the Eastern front's perpspesctive and I didn't even realize it until rebeccanyc posted a comment on the 2nd thread of that group read.
Grossman, in my humble opinion used the war as the main character and I think he did it quite masterfully. There were many underlying snippits and snapshots of human interest stories but only one that seemed to follow through very much. That is my only complaint about this book. It is a fascinating read. I am so glad I read it and I am especially glad that I read it in the spirit of a group read.
Now if I can just get past
War and Peace; another group read. But I have until the end of the year for that one. Currently I have that on my plate,
The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rugen, (at the point of which right now, I am preparing to jump into the book and bitch-slap dear cousin Charlotte); but other than that, it is wonderful, and I am getting ready and building up to begin the dreaded
Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land by Herman Melville. U sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssee,
we hatesssssssssssssssssssssss
Melville.
We doessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssn't
like him at all sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssso
we doessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssn't
know why we sssssssssssssssssssssssssigned up to read him, but now we mussssssssssssst
and we isssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssn't
happy about the ssssssssssssssssssssituation.
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2009, 4:45pm.
Berly, miss ellie, spacespuds, and calm.............
****big waves to U*****
hi belva! *waves back* be well;)
*waves to all*
eta
glad you didn't do a dive into the litter pan...
Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2009, 6:14pm.
Hey Belva- Thanks for the update on "Dad"! Please keep us informed! What's your problem with Melville? I've only read
Moby Dick but thought it was outstanding!
Hiya Belva - Sorry to hear about your father-in-law. I hope things are starting to calm down in your life and that you will soon be feeling fit as a fiddle. Joanne
See, it is the small things in life that make us so happy...kudos missing the litter bin! Hope your Dad gets his memory back, and if not, that his fog remains blissfully happy. So sorry. Hugs for Thanksgiving and I might suggest that you not do any of the serving, but sit happily upright in your chair. :) (You don't want to dump the gravy on anyone, afterall.)
Lots of Love to you and for all my other favorite people here!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Belva.
You will be in my thoughts and I send gratitude your way for all of your loving posts this year, my first on LT.
It is wonderful to read the good news about Chrissie, and sad, of course to read of the struggles of your father-in-law. Hope your dizziness clears up quickly, too.
With love,
Ruth
Hi, Belva,
I hope that you have a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving full of family and friends and good books.
Love,
--BJ
A big wave right back at you and a happy thanksgiving!
I'm really sorry about your father-in-law, it's so heartbreaking watching someone you love go through that. My grandfather had dementia and for a while, he only recognized one family member. He'd spend hours in front of the mirror talking to his reflection and not realizing that it wasn't a separate person, and he'd get agitated that his reflection wasn't responding. It would have been hilarious if it wasn't so sad. He did eventually get back to a good, lucid period for a while. I hope your father-in-law is able to come back to himself too.
And take care of yourself, hope you are also feeling better.
Belva - Have a great Thanksgiving!
Hello everyone;
Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate the care, concern and friendship of everyone.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Ours was nice and quiet. Only eight at table and I ordered a cooked dinner from the local deli. It was wonderful. I did pies, extra mashed spuds and gravy, dressing, sweet potatoes and a salad. But they did a very good turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls and a pumpkin pie. So I did take a lot of stress off myself.
My vertigo is gone; just still a little dizzy, but I can cope with that.
Dad is content. He isn't aware of where he is most of the time, sometimes he recognizes us; sometimes not. But they are taking good care of him and he is not sad nor begging to come home. That would make it so much more difficult if he were unhappy, but he isn't. He is just accepting of where he is and what is happening in the moment. That is all he seems aware of most of the time. We are hoping he will get better. This is our second go round with this so we know it is possible, but we are prepared that if he doesn't, this is the way things will be.
Chrissy is expected to be able to go home to Alaska somewhere around the middle of December. We are all excited and happy about that. She is definitely our miracle girl!~! Her mom & dad haven't yet decided if they will remain in Alaska & fly her in from the island to Ketchikan daily for her therapy or come back down to Seattle and have her do her therapy at Harborview. Time will tell.
Mark;
You asked:
"What's your problem with
Melville? I've only read
Moby Dick but thought it was outstanding!"
That's the one; you hit it in a nutshell!~! I have tried
Moby Dick 3 or 4 times and I just have a problem with the way he writes in that I get lost in there somewhere. I have yet to be able to read more than a third of it. I read a book of his shorts and same thing. I hated them........................all of them. To me, he is the dreaded author. (He and
James Joyce. But I am not giving up. I never give up. In the near future I have slated for myself
Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land and
Pierre: or, The Ambiguities. Maybe if I can get through some of his other works I can go back and make it through
Moby Dick.
Happy Days After!~!
hugs to all,
belva
Message edited by its author, Nov 28, 2009, 2:24pm.
Belva--I admire your tenacity with Melville, but seriously, why torture yourself if he doesn't float your boat. Save your valuable time for someone you like! Love ya!
Berly makes an excellent point! I was just interested in why you didn't like him! With massive amounts of choice unread books out there, why get bogged down!
I did get through
Moby Dick, but would really appreciate having those hours back again. Never, never again.
There is a thought in
Moby Dick that sticks with me to this day. I can not remember the line verbatim but the jist of it is that you know your in a warm cozy, dry place when you stick your toe out from under the sheets and feel how cold it is where you were before you found a warm place. It may sound silly but I do that occassionally and give thanks for the warmth of a duna on a cold winters night.
Moby is a very well told story but one needs to be in the mood for it. I remember I picked it up once or twice before I sunk my teeth into it. Something is going to trigger your need to pick it up again Belva, someday.
I've never read Moby Dick but I absolutely love
Bartleby the Scrivener ! If you say Melville hasn't been your thing so far but you're still trying,maybe you should give that a try. You know why? Because it's less than 100 pages long! Start with little steps. One at a time. :)) Maybe one day you'll get to enjoy the dreaded Moby Dick!
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