BookAngel_a's Book Heaven - Cloud #1

The title is a bit 'cutesy', I know, but with my new username I just couldn't resist...after all...doesn't being surrounded by books sound like heaven???

I'm going to list and discuss my 2011 books here...probably lots of classics and non-fiction with a strong dose of mystery.

(Oh, and there will also be updates about me, hubby, Barkley, and now Ms. Stripes too!)

Time is so precious, and I appreciate all who take the time to stop by my thread. It means a lot.

Oh, cool. I hardly ever get to be first. And it's a great name!

Welcome back!

Welcome back for 2011.

I'll make an effort to keep up better this time. And I like the name too!

Glad to see you joining us in Book Heaven again, Angela!

found and starred, I love the name of your thread!

Hi Angela, got your thread starred. :)

Nothing cutesy about it, Angela. I'm on Cloud Nine when I'm reading a good book! Adding another star to your heaven.

Stopping by to say Hi!
--BJ

Well, I'm definitely sticking around... I want more animal stories! Oh, and book talk too. Of course. Ahem. ;)

Thanks for your support, everyone! I feel better about my thread name now. Donna, I never thought about it before, but all of you are 'stars' in my book heaven. :)

Ms. Stripes has her routine all worked out. When it's dark, she sleeps in her bed next to our house. But at first daylight, she leaves and hides in the woods and underbrush near our house. She watches for us to take Barkley for his early morning and evening walks so she can come along with us, rub against us, and get some attention. Oh, and we give her food at those times too! If we 'sleep in' that morning, she is a bit confused and looks for us at the usual time. She's such a creature of habit! Barkley is that way too. If you start a "ritual" with him - you must do the ritual every day!

Anyone who has a Kindle and would like to try lending/borrowing ebooks, check out this thread:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/105933

We are listing the titles of our lendable ebooks right now. We can also use the thread for "wanted to borrow" books, I'm sure.

Hi, Angela! I have you starred for 2011. I also hope I can keep up better in the New Year than I did last year! Have a Happy!

Hi Angela -- Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
--BJ

starred!!

Hi Angela. Happy reading in 2011.

Yes, Happy Reading!

I hope you have the best reading year you've ever had in 2011, Angela!

Hi Angela,
glitter-graphics.com

Cutesy but good! Happy New Year!

So Angela, how are you starting off the new Year?

I'll hop behind you from cloud to cloud and keep up with your reading!

Hello Friend!

Welcome back!

And here you are, Angela ... happy new year! I love your thread title ... very apropos

Wow...I'm happily overwhelmed by all your posts. Thanks, all of you!

Interesting start to the new year. I have two bruised body parts, one from a refrigerator accident and one from a clothes-hanger accident. Sigh. I'm not usually like this. Curious? Okay...this morning I was bending over and putting something in the bottom of the refrigerator, and I stood up too soon, slamming my right shoulder into the upper freezer door. I'm surprised by how sore and tender it still is.

Just a half hour ago, I was putting the laundry away in the closet - hanging up my husband's work slacks, and I was trying to unwrap a new pack of pants-hangers that were hooked on the rod. The plastic wrap wasn't coming off, so I pulled really hard and OOOF! The plastic came off suddenly and the hangers flew up and hit me in the face - hard! I'm holding ice on my cheek and had to put it down to type this.

So tomorrow I expect to have a black and blue cheek and a sore shoulder. Hubby says everyone's going to think he beats me. Sigh.

I'll say it again. I'm not normally clumsy. At least I have a funny story to tell!

Oh dear! Hopefully that's the worst that happens this year. ;)

Yikes! I hope both of those heal up soon... I admit I used to bang into the freezer door at my parents' place all the time. When I moved into the house I have now, I was thrilled to find the fridge had the freezer on the bottom... heh.

Here's hoping the rest of the year is accident-free!

Happy New Year Angela! Beware of the nasty plastic hangers;-)

Wasn't there some movie where the characters had to use wooden hangers? Maybe you should switch. Hope your bruises fade quickly.

ouch Angela. Please take care. Gentle hugs

Oh no! I hope you feel better, and do be careful! I'm sorry to say that I do stuff like that all the time :(

Angela, have you been taking clumsy lessons from Caro? Be more careful! :)

Oh poor you! Hope the bruises go quickly.

> 32 - Mommy Dearest?

I am normally clumsy. I hurt myself all the time. I hope this passes as suddenly as it came on.. !

Ouch! Hope the bruises aren't too painful or lurid, Angela.

Ok... Found you, thanks to Kath! I'm not so good on internet stuff and need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Dunno! Maybe this year???

Well, I'm here now Angela. And I'm thinking...hmmmmm... clumsy? I guess I need to keep an eye on you! Hope you recover quickly. :)

Hi Angela, Sorry to hear about your household goods/appliances attacking you. You should maybe spend the rest of the day reading a book...?

I'm just trying to catch up around here and found your thread. Happy new year!

Yep, your house is definitely trying to kill you. Make sure before you go to sleep to make sure the headboard isn't loose, and look out for the ceiling fan over your head!!!!!

...ok ok, maybe your house isn't trying to kill you... ...maybe this is a sign you should give up house work and read all day. :D

I'm so glad to see all of your posts here! I got some good laughs, too. Thanks for all the well-wishes. :)

Stasia, I was wondering if anyone was going to bring Caro into this, lol...

Stephen, I also had the thought that perhaps housework is dangerous and something to be avoided.

Bonnie and Cheli, these hangers weren't plastic. I doubt plastic could have hurt like that. They are the long metal slacks hangers (with 5 rows) with non-slip coating on them - so the clothes don't slide off. They feel amazingly well made and sturdy when they collide with your cheekbone, lol... Not sure if wooden hangers would have been better or not???

Anyway, I'm fine. Yes, my shoulder is still a little sore and so is my face, but no embarrassing black and blue marks - I think putting ice on it really helped. The only lasting thing I'll have from this was a funny story, so that's good. Thanks for the sympathy!

The giving up housework and reading all day sounds like the perfect solution to me, too!
--BJ

Popping in to say hello!

Hi BJ and Leperdbunny!

My first one for the year is a short one:
1. African Diary by Bill Bryson

This short book is a diary of Bryson's trip to Africa for the CARE organization. He describes the country, his travel adventures, the terrible conditions of the poor, and the hope of those whose lives are getting a bit better through the assistance of CARE. And he does it with his usual blend of excellent writing and humor.

---------

I also read and enjoyed An East End Murder by Charles Finch, which has a work page on LT, but LT won't let me add it to my library for some reason. It's a good short story and can be a good introduction to the Charles Finch mystery series.

I'm reading a lot of chunksters at the beginning of this year, so I'll be looking for some shorter reads to balance them out! :)

2. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Came across this at the library book sale, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Meh. It was okay. I don't plan to continue with the series, but I would read these in the future if I have a child and he/she likes them.

I did like the way the book introduces new vocabulary words to the reader - very clever!

Two books already? How long will the book-a-day trend continue? Move over, Stasia! ;-)

Congratulations on reading two books already. You are off and running.

LOL Donna - you DO realize these are SHORT books, right?

The Bill Bryson one is...50 pages or so...and the Lemony Snicket is 150 pages of larger type for young readers. An easy afternoon's work! :)

I really WISH I could read a book a day - all year! D-R-E-A-M dream dream dream...

Edited to add: Thanks, Linda! :)

#28 : I can sympathize Angela .. that sounds like a normal household accident to me. ;-)

I love Lemony Snicket .. I re-read these almost every other year.

I definitely need to get to the Bryson book. I have enjoyed his other books very much. Thanks for the recommendation, Stasia-junior :)

I had the same reaction to The Bad Beginning when I read it a few years ago. But if you can find the audio of some of the later books read by Tim Curry, they're great. He has the perfect voice for those books.

Perhaps I'll skip the Lemony Snicket series then. Bryson's African Diary is one that I haven't read so I'll look out for that.

52 - Hope you like it Stasia!

53- Hmmm...I bet those books WOULD be really good in audio. Esp. with Tim Curry. I might like them better like that. Sounds like a good idea for long car trips with pre-teenagers.

54 - Heather - well, it wouldn't take long to try the first one and see. I read it in a little over an hour. I hate to discourage you from trying. Other people have just loved this series, and I wanted to as well, but it was just okay.

Like Jen said, audio might be better. Or if you are reading the books with a child of the right age and they are loving it. That would probably work for me. I thought it was darkly witty and sarcastic, and I like the way the characters work large words in, explaining what they mean, to build a child's vocabulary. But definitely not a happy ever after book, obviously!

Hubby and I just watched 84, Charing Cross Road, the movie! (With Anthony Hopkins)

Very good - made me cry, actually. I didn't cry when reading the book, but seeing it acted out was more emotional than I expected. *happy sniff*

Great movie! I didn't cry the first time I read the book, probably because I was stunned. Because I was prepared, if that's the right word, I started crying about halfway through the film.

Hi, Angela! *waves*

>56 BookAngel_a: I think it's because of Anthony Hopkins face. Even as he's aged, his face looks so innocent to me.

Glad you enjoyed the movie version of the book, Angela.

You're probably right Anne. I think I was pretty stunned when I read the book. That could have taken away some of the emotional impact.

Hi Terri!

Hi Jen - I think you're right too. He did a great job of conveying emotion on his face - while still keeping up that British reserve. :)

Thanks Stasia!

MS. STRIPES UPDATE:
She almost came into the garage this morning! I'm wearing her down, lol...

READING UPDATE:
BJ and I are plugging away at Proust #3. I'm planning to start Sense and Sensibility soon. After that I'll be finishing Proust #3, reading The Law and the Lady with Stasia, and borrowing a thick Henry VIII book from Suzanne on my Kindle!
That's 3 chunksters and one Austen in two months - whew! But I'm enjoying it so far. :)

Barkley BEFORE his grooming appointment:

Barkley AFTER his grooming appointment:

I actually like his hair a bit longer - the shaggy dog look - but he hates to be brushed and he gets dirty right away. Oh, and he has a hard time SEEING sometimes. So we get his hair clipped at the groomers and then he looks sleek and handsome for a little while.

Although my mom calls him 'Barkley Chicken Legs' after the grooming, lol...

He looks more awake in the after picture. In the before photo, he looks like he is irritated with humans.
Lots of pets, Barkley.

My dog will not be groomed. We made her an appointment just for a bath, and they called and said that she was so upset that they could not bath her and although she was soaking wet, they could not dry her. My husband is the only one who can give her a bath! But she is accepting of his attentions. Reluctantly.

I think Barkley looks pretty good in both photos.
--BJ

Awww, cute doggy, Angela.

I'm enjoying that Kindle book I borrowed from you. An academic mystery with satire. Kind of funny, at times. I have about 40 percent to go and hope to finish it today. If I do, I will send it back.

What a cute little dog Barkley is! Haircut or not.

Good news on the Ms. Stripes front - woot! Great pictures of Barkeley too.

> 63: Barkly looks lovely, I prefer the little longer coat too.
I wonder if Ari would handle a haircut like that. The problem is not that I can't brush and comb him, in fact he loves that, but it is a LOT of work keeping him tidy ;-)

Cute pictures!

awww what a cutie :)

>28 BookAngel_a: I did the same thing last week with my refrigerator. Only it was the back of my head that got banged. I had to sit down, it hurt so bad.

>37 London_StJ: "A two. hundred. dollar. dress. on a wire. coat. hanger."--accompanied by ferocious beating. I thought the same thing....

>53 mstrust: Agreed. The Lemony Snicket books are much better on audio, read by Tim Curry. He does a wonderful job.

ETA: Oh, Hi Angela! Hope you're feeling better...

Hi everyone! Sorry I've neglected my thread again. My injuries have healed but I've been sick. I'm annoyed that I got sick now, when I was just sick a few months ago. Surely it's not my turn again YET, lol! Anyway, I'm getting better but I'm still weak because the fever and headache really took away my strength.

Thanks everyone for the Barkley compliments - I'm a proud mamma. :) He's been a doll while I'm sick. He is usually snuggled up right against me every minute of the day! (and it's nicer to snuggle with him now that he's clean and fresh from the groomer's!)

On the reading front, I'm half done with Proust #3. Now I'm moving on to Sense and Sensibility. I will try to finish it sooner than the group - so I can move on to some of my other planned reads. Something tells me S&S will be a quicker read than Proust, lol...

Sorry to hear you have been sick, Angela. I hope you are completely recovered soon!

Feel better! Or at least well enough to enjoy reading. I love that part of convalescence!

Wow, you guys are being hard on yourselves -- Angela & Terri.... Ease up a bit!!

LOL@ Barkley- second photo is actiontastic!

Hope you are feeling better Angela!

Aww, what a handsome pup!

Awww! I like the shaggy dog look too, but the fur gets matted too easily and grooming is a necessity! My brother's little dog just got groomed as well, and to me he looks like a little rat (the dog, not my brother)... cute, but a little bizarre as I'm used to seeing the longer fur. Still just as cuddly though!

Cute doggie!

Hope you feel better soon, Angela!

So sorry to hear you've not been well Angela. Hope you feel better soon and enjoy S&S!

He looks, oddly, wise with long hair. Like some ancient wizard!

Hi Angela!
Awwwww..... Love the pix of Barkley... So cute! I think he is pleased with the results of his grooming. At least he is smiling now. lol
I used to have a little dog about that size and look. That sweet dog was the best in the world! I still miss her. Love my dog Loki, but someday I may get another little dog. Not sure what the cat would think about that.
Glad to hear the further adventures of Ms Stripes includes heading toward the garage.

Sorry to hear you were sick. :(

Hope you are feeling much better.

Hope you feel better soon Angela. Your dog is very cute, much smaller than mine too. And on the topic of Lemony SNickett I read the first three and I felt they were exactly the same plot, just a slightly different location, good guy and evil character that the bad guy disguises himself as. After that I sort of didn't see much point in reading the others although I suspect the last couple would be good, just to tie it all up. My girls love them though.

Hi Angela, hope you're feeling much better!

Thanks everyone for the comments about Barkley and the get well wishes.
Stephen, you are right - he does look wise with longer hair. I think the hair over his eyes causes that effect. :)

I'm feeling much better with only a lingering cough left. Went back to work after a long weekend and I'm almost 100% back to my normal routine.

Anyway, I went ahead and finished book #3 for the year:

3. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

(I know, the group read of this book only STARTS today, but I got a head start and it was so good I couldn't stop reading!)

This book has been reviewed so many times - so I won't review it. I will, however, give my impressions of it.

Recently I read Austen's 'juvenalia', and when I started reading this book, I could see a lot of similarities. The beginning of S&S has a tone of satire. The reader can tell Jane is a young writer, mocking many of society's views which were common at the time.

However, as the story progresses, I began to see Jane getting more serious about her subject and caring about her characters. That was when I began to love this book. And it just got better and better toward the end.

On a personal note, I found many similarities to my own life in this book. When I was young and in love for the first time, I acted a bit like Marianne, wearing my heart on my sleeve. Unfortunately the man I loved also acted like Willoughby, and he broke my heart. I grew wiser and learned to keep my emotions in check. I'd like to think I grew up and became more sensible like Elinor.

The man I eventually fell in love with and married is older than I am, extremely shy like Edward, and had a melancholy air from his past experiences (like Colonel Brandon).

I loved this book and gave it 4 stars - but you can see how I might be a biased reader. It's amazing to me that hundreds of years can pass, and a modern reader like me can still identify with these characters.

Stasia and I are going to read The Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins.
Here's the thread for our discussion, if anyone's interested:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/107545

Interesting thoughts on Sense and Sensibility. Glad that you have your own happy ending :)

Thanks, Kath! :)

Here are the bestselling books from the week I was born:

Fiction
1 WAR AND REMEMBRANCE Herman Wouk
2 CHESAPEAKE James A. Michener
3 OVERLOAD Arthur Hailey
4 SS-GB Len Deighton
5 THE MATARESE CIRCLE Robert Ludlum
6 GOOD AS GOLD Joseph Heller
7 HANTA YO Ruth Beebe Hill
8 DUBIN'S LIVES Bernard Malamud
9 DRESS GRAY Lucian K. Truscott IV
10 THE STORIES OF JOHN CHEEVER John Cheever
11 MANHATTAN Neal Travis
12 EVERGREEN Belva Plain
13 THE COUP John Updike
14 PROTEUS Morris West
15 THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT Lawrence Sanders

Non-Fiction
1 THE COMPLETE SCARSDALE MEDICAL DIET Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker
2 LAUREN BACALL BY MYSELF Lauren Bacall
3 SOPHIA LIVING AND LOVING, A.E. Hotchner
4 MOMMIE DEAREST Christina Crawford
5 HOW TO PROSPER DURING THE COMING BAD YEARS Howard J. Ruff
6 A DISTANT MIRROR Barbara W. Tuchman
7 LINDA GOODMAN'S LOVE SIGNS Linda Goodman
8 AMERICAN CAESAR William Manchester
9 IN SEARCH OF HISTORY Theodore H. White
10 NURSE Peggy Anderson
11 THE COMPLETE BOOK OF RUNNING James F. Fixx
12 A WALK ACROSS AMERICA Peter Jenkins
14 THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM Christopher Lasch
15 TUTANKHAMUN: The Untold Story Thomas Hoving

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never heard of any of these books.

Nice thoughts on S&S! I haven't started it yet as I have company. But I can't wait now after all the comments on the group read thread!
--BJ

Great response to Sense and Sensibility. I haven't read it in years, but you've inspired me to return to my Austen collection.

Great review of S & S! I love all of JA's books. Have you read Persuasion yet? It's not as well known but it's one of my favorites, too.

#90, You're an infant! By the time you were born, I was in college and wishing I could afford the hardcover of War and Remembrance!

91- Thanks, BJ!

92- Thank you Luxx - Stasia's Austen-o-thon is going to be very enjoyable for me this year, I suspect....I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would.

93- I read all of Austen's books when I was a teenager, Carolyn. As I'm now nearly 32, that was half a lifetime ago, so my memories are unclear. I do remember that I thought P&P and Persuasion were my favorites. But I was surprised at how much S&S tied into my own life since then, so we'll see how I feel at the end of this year. I'm doing the Austen-o-thon with Stasia and the group! I also liked Sandition, which Austen left unfinished - I read a version finished by "another lady".

94- Thank you very much Suzanne - it feels very good to be called an infant. Hubby and I spend a lot of time with some teenagers of a family of SEVEN children, and they continually make me feel like a dinosaur. So being considered young is quite refreshing. I do feel bad that I haven't even heard of any of those books...so War and Remembrance was good??

I've never realized this before, but Kindle reading seems to go faster than regular book reading. Currently I'm reading a 900 page book that Suz lent me on the Kindle. It's good, but I'm stressing about how I'm going to finish that much reading in only two weeks. Well, I borrowed it on Saturday night and I'm already 25% done, so I'm excited!

The book is called The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by his Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George. It's fiction, not an actual autobiography, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm embarrassed to say that I had no knowledge of the Tudors until now, (except for a vague knowledge of Henry VIII killing his wives) and I'm trying to remedy that. Expect to see more Tudor reading here in the future...

>>96 BookAngel_a:. Funny you should mention it. I was thinking this morning that I read much faster on my ereaders than with dead tree books. I wonder why that is? Any ideas?

I think I saw Kath make the same remark recently too!

One big reason for me is it's less intimidating. A huge chunkster sitting on my shelf seems daunting, but on the Kindle it's hard to tell how thick the book is.

Another big reason for me is adjustable font size. Reading a thick book with tiny print takes a LONG time. But making the font larger on the e-reader seems to make the reading fly by!

Anyone else have any ideas?

Hi Angela,
I agree about the font size reason. Trying to read Middlemarch in a real book/teeny print was impossible and tiring for my eyes. I finally switched to my Kindle and things went much quicker.

Also, for me, reading goes quicker on an ereader cuz I don't flip back and forth to re-read, check footnotes, etc. (not savy enough yet) That may not be such a good thing - but there's a price for everything. If others are reading the book on LT, I get enough commentary to make up for that.

How's Ms Stripes? It's cold out there! :)

Angela, I remember reading The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk years ago and loving them.

>95 BookAngel_a:: I haven't even heard of any of those books...so War and Remembrance was good??

Good? I remember my life stopping back in the 1970's when I read these Wouk books. Oh, I'm sure I had to fix a few meals and do some laundry with three little kids at the time...but, oh, how I got lost in Wouk's war stories. In fact, I still have my copies. I confessed months ago to being a "book hoarder" and here's further proof!

>96 BookAngel_a:: "Faster reading" is about the best motivation I've heard for getting an e-reader.

I just let my daughter borrow both Wouk books to take back to Austin with her. I haven't read them yet, but I assured her that I knew they would both be terrific!
--BJ

I loved those Herman Wouk books back then (and also the miniseries).

This raises an interesting point. I've heard of very few of the books that were bestsellers when I was born but, from Angela's list which is from I would guess I was about 16 to 18 or so, I remember many, if not all of them and have read many of them.

Bestsellers often don't stand the test of time.

Bestsellers may not always be great books in literary terms, but when you read them as they appear, they kind of become part of the literary wallpaper for your life.

Anyway -- the two Wouk novels were the ONLY ones by him I ever enjoyed (believe me, I tried others) and I really like the narrative sweep. Incredibly ambitious. The miniseries was just OK. They miscast Natalie Jastrow in BOTH series (Ali McGraw, and then, because she was far too old to play someone in her 20s by the time they finally got around to W & R nearly a decade later, Jane Seymour), but I loved Robert Mitchum as Victor Henry. Both books are finally available for Kindle, btw.

I had read Hailey's books in the late 70s/early 80s; Evergreen launched Belva Plain's career. (It was one of those sagas that everyone was reading then.)

Yes, War and Remembrance and Winds of War are the two Wouk's I'm thinking of. I never tried any others.

The Culture of Narcissism was a must-read on my college campus at that time, too.

Dress Gray was a particular favorite of mine but I've always loved novels set at the military academies.

Suz, I absolutely agree with your wallpaper of your life comment. I really do associate these books with my freshman year of college. I also recall how The Winds of War and Roots were big events, everyone watched these.

I owned a Linda Goodman astrology book and really associate it with that time.

#104: I loved Robert Mitchum as Victor Henry.

Oh, I agree with you there! I thought he was perfect for the part, despite his age.

Victor Henry was written as a middle aged stuffy man, so having someone in his 60s play the role didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, especially since the age gap is written as if it's even bigger than it is in the book. When I first read the book, it was the Natalie-Byron story line that appealed most -- the youth, the drama, etc. -- but every time I have re-read it, I've found the Victor Henry-Pamela story line more interesting. Horrors, am I aging?? :-)

Hi Angela!

I confess that I am a Tudorphobe. My passion began years ago and hasn't abated a bit. The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by his Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George is a wonderful place to start. If you are interested in reading more, please let me know and I'll start you on a journey with many interesting characters, plots, twists and turns. I have many, many books on Anne Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VIII, Catherine Parr, Katherine Aragon, Jane Seymour, Catherine Howard, Anne of Cleves, Thomas More, Cramner, Elizabeth I.....

If I can stick my neck out a bit, I would recommend staying away from Philipa Gregory. She plays fast and loose with historical accuracy to the point of exagerations and lies....My opinion anyway.

I have shelves devoted specifically to these books...

Hugs to you!

Thanks for the info about Herman Wouk. I put the first book on my Kindle "to buy" list - will check it out as soon as I can!

I think you guys are right - when I see a bestseller list for someone who is younger than me, I recognize more titles...perhaps because those books were part of the "wallpaper of my life".

Linda, I would appreciate any Tudor recommendations you can give me. I did hear that Philipa Gregory was not accurate, and I've avoided her books when I've come across them. After I finish this Tudor book, I'm considering reading Wolf Hall (fiction) as well as Henry VIII or The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (non-fiction). I can always add more to my Tudor list!!

Ms. Stripes UPDATE: She will now come inside the laundry room (which leads to the garage) when she is hungry and I lure her with food. But when she senses that I'm closing the door behind her, she has a panic attack and needs to go back outside.

So we're making slow progress. By the time this cat feels comfortable coming indoors, it will be spring!!

She's got a snug, slightly warm spot next to our house that seems to provide good shelter during the rain and snow. Today we had freezing rain that put a coating of ice over the snow, and she was slipping and sliding everywhere while she was trying to walk around the yard. We felt sorry for her but it was also funny to watch...

HOUSE UPDATE: We got snowed (and iced) in today, so my parents came to our apartment and helped me put in a glass tile backsplash in our kitchen!! I've always wanted glass tile in the kitchen but it's so expensive...recently I found glass tile "seconds" at a discount home store, so I bought some. It looks REALLY good and I'm pleased with our day's work...now all we have to do is grout the tile another day and we're done!! :)

Angela, haven't you read Wolf Hall? Talk about your Tudors...

Nope! I have it here to read, but haven't tackled it yet. I was a little intimidated because I had NO Tudor knowledge, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to follow it. Suz suggested reading this Margaret George book first, before I tackle Wolf Hall, because it's an easier read. (Just really long!) I think she was probably right - it's better that I'm reading this one first, because now I'm getting the background info from Henry VIII's perspective.

I can lend you Wolf Hall as well. Though it does require slightly more attentive reading than Margaret George!

Just STAY AWAY from Carolly Erickson. Talk about playing fast and loose... Also, I think Laurien Gardner's books are dreadful -- she can't figure out what she's doing and takes wild liberties with plot. (The same person is variously referred to as Sir Francis, Sir Bryan and Lord Byran -- he was Sir Francis Byran, should have been Sir Francis.) I had no real problem with The Other Boleyn Girl, as I felt that the changes were either small (eg birth order of the Boleyn siblings) or within the realm of the unknowns of history. For instance, it's unknown whether Henry fathered either of Mary Boleyn's children; he had acknowledged his only known bastard son, so the fact that didn't acknowledge either of hers argues against it. Gregory writes her novel from the POV that they are his. Truth? we'll never know. I can certainly see a reason for not acknowledging them; by the time the younger was born, Henry was becoming infatuated with Anne, and it would have been messy.

The liberties that I object to are the ones that rewrite history. Gregory's The White Queen is full of them, and then there's that ridiculous magic, to boot.

You could take a look at Margaret Campbell Barnes. They are older books, and perhaps a bit romanticized, but I think they're reasonably good -- and they are now on Kindle. My Lady of Cleves and Brief Gaudy Hour deal with wives; The king's Fool will bring you back to Will Somers. I also really recommend the mysteries of C.J. Sansom, set against the backdrop of the royal court and beginning around 1537/8? There's a novel simply called "Jane Seymour", by Frances Clark, that I read in the 1970s and found I still liked. Avoid the Secrets of the Tudor Court series -- not that good and basically just romances set against an inaccurate background. Molly Costain Haycraft wrote a not-bad novel (a bit romantic) featuring Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII and sister to Henry VIII. I'll try to think of some more...

The same person is variously referred to as Sir Francis, Sir Bryan and Lord Byran -- he was Sir Francis Byran

That sort of thing drives me CRAZY. It happens a lot in American movies - usually there I wince and let it go - but somehow I expect better of books. :)

I'm getting a new project started to get together great recommendations for books by themes. I've called it Books By Themes (BBT) and I'd love to have your suggestions! Here's the link.

I am excited to hear about your glass tile. What color is it? Was this your first time to tile something? I am hoping to put in a new backsplash in my kitchen, but it is years away in the future.
--BJ

kudos to you on the seconds store! way to go.

Reading through the advice on Tudors -- this is just the sort of thing that could go on the new BBT site? As a reference for anyone trying to decide what Tudor stuff to read???

I'm always behind on these threads, but I just had to sneak in her and tell you how I laughed when I came to your comment about the books published the week you were born: I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never heard of any of these books.

Well, I'm embarrassed to admit that I either have each one of these on my shelves (yes, still) and/or I've at least read the book--ha. I could do such a riff on both of those lists, but I don't have the time. Wow, what a blast from the past.

I'm in the anti-Gregory camp, but I've only read The Other Boelyn Girl. I find that Tudor history is interesting enough (for me) that I don't really have much of an interest in Gregory's alterations.

Congrats on the kitty-progress!

Yay, Tudor books. I love them: I'm completely fascinated by that era.

Alison Weir is a good author to read. I enjoy even her non-fiction, which is rare for me as I don't read them much. Another author to look out for is Jean Plaidy, who wrote a LOT of historical fiction and all of it is good. She really knows her stuff.

I'm one of those that adored Wolf Hall but everything else said about it is true. It's a much heavier and slower read than The Autobiography of Henry VIII but worth it. The thing I've most noticed about Margaret George as an author is that while her books are long, they are very easy reading, whilst still being in-depth and enjoyably detailed.

If you like her as an author then I can thoroughly recommend The Memoirs of Cleopatra, which I've nearly finished. It's just as good a book, and I'm enjoying it maybe even more because I knew so little about her, as opposed to the amount I knew of the Tudors.

113- Thanks for the suggestions Suz! Duly noted...I will put them on the Kindle wish list. :)

114- That would drive me nuts as well.

115- I will be following your threads for recommendations! I don't have any of my own to add yet, but I'm sure lots of others do.

116- My parents and I have always been involved in some building project or another, so I've BEEN AROUND when tile was being installed, but never did it myself until now. It was easier than I thought, except for cutting the tiles to go around outlets or in corners. We didn't have the right tile cutter (for glass) so the glass tiles kept breaking. So frustrating. But the three of us got it done in only a couple of hours. Now I need to go and buy the grout, and then after that it will be finished! (I'm considering putting some around the bathtub, now that I know how it's done.)

The tiles are a mixture of tans and beige tones - very neutral. My kitchen counter is green and the cabinets are a medium brown. My appliances are black. It's prettier than it sounds as I type it! I'm going to get a beige color grout. Once it's done I will post a photo here. Every time I look at it I have to smile.

Part of me would like to paint my kitchen cabinets as well, since that would look *even better* than it does now. But I quake with fear over the 4 coats of paint they would likely require, so that will be put off for now.

We have an apartment sized kitchen but I only spent $120 for the tiles - and $15 for the glue. And we still have 8 pieces left! So economical. At our big chain home improvement store, it would have cost at least $300 - probably more! Hope you get yours fairly soon, BJ!

117- Thanks Susan! As you can tell, I'm excited about it too...

118- Very good idea Lucy!

119- Don't be embarrassed, Becky! Glad I could amuse you with my birthday list. Hey, if I'm missing any good reading on that list, just point me in the right direction and I'll add it to the wishlist! I already have Wouk on my list to try...

120- Thanks, Luxx! I keep telling myself that truth is stranger than fiction. So far I find the Tudor history fascinating and I'm not sure why a 'Tudor writer' would need to change major details to make their book more interesting. I understand the need to invent details that history doesn't provide, to fill in the blanks, but changing facts is just going to alienate a large group of 'Tudorphile' readers.

Speaking of "truth is stranger than fiction"...I have a story to tell from this morning's work.

I work as a secretary. I handle LOTS of paperwork, data entry, answering phones, writing letters, you get the idea.

Well, this morning I had to run to the store and buy diapers. As part of my job.

Why? Well, when we came in this morning we discovered that the roof had leaked and the water fried one of our computer servers, so some of us have not been able to access our work. My top boss, the owner, crawled around in the roof trying to find the leak. It was a small leak. Until the repairmen came, he wanted to find something to soak up the water so it wouldn't keep dripping down onto the computers.

So he sent me to the store for a cheap pack of diapers. I've never bought a diaper before in my life. I decided to get the largest size the store had, since I thought that would absorb more liquid.

When I came back to the office, I had to walk around looking for my boss. I got some strange reactions from other employees when they saw me carrying around diapers and looking for the owner.

Weird and funny morning at work. Truth is DEFINITELY stranger than fiction. I couldn't have made that up if I tried!

Funny!
--BJ

#123 Hehehe

Reminds me of the fact we have diapers (well, nappies as we call them) in our horse first aid kit!!

We use them around horses feet when they have what is called 'pus in the foot'. Basically they get a tiny puncture wound in their sole, which then closes before we know about it and traps in dirt which causes infection. We open it up and tape the nappy to the hoof to draw the pus and fluid out of the foot.

They work great and are so much cheaper than the specific veterinary pads that are our other option.

Going back to Gregory -- I just don't see any of her changes as significant at all; not in terms of "major" events. Now turning to Carolly Erickson -- well:
-- she has Mary Queen of Scots escaping captivity, giving birth to a daughter with Bothwell (who has been visiting her in disguise), visiting the pope in Rome, camping out with soldiers in the Netherlands, then collecting eggs in a farmhouse in Normandy wiht her grandmother and daughter before returning voluntarily to be beheaded... Yeah, right...
-- she has Tatiana, the Grand Duchess murdered by the Bolsheviks, escaping that fate. Apparently Tatiana also used to sneak out of the Winter Palace and off to visit and help the poor people in Petersburg, without being noticed...
-- Marie Antoinette went off on a trip to Sweden with her lover, Axel Fersen.
-- I could go on but it's way too depressing.

Jean Plaidy's books are fine; I find them perhaps a bit TOO straightforward? She's taking the historical facts (she relies heavily on Agnes Strickland) and rendering them in dialogue. I loved them as a child; I'm v. lukewarm now. That said, they are a good first stop. Readers should know that scholarship, in some cases, has made new discoveries since these books were written. Also, she tends to a very sunny side up approach. For instance, her book on Thomas More completely ignores the fact that he undoubtedly has a rather big S&M streak; her Catherine Howard is a sweet young thing.

"Mary Queen of Scots secretly had a child" has a long pedigree in historical - or pseudo-historical - novels. It became a very popular plot point from the late 18th century onwards, after the huge success of Sophia Lee's The Recess, which gives her secret twins. :)

Way back on #98..

Yes.. I do read faster on nook.. weird .

eta

Jean Plaidy's.. I liked them as a child, too :)

Angela

I believe I have Alison Weir's book The Six Wives of Henry VIII. If you would like, I'll send it along to you.

121- I must have cross posted with you Jenny, I just read your message now. I will add your suggestions to my list, thanks!
125- Also finding it interesting to read about the many alternate uses for diapers, lol...
126- I will have to try a Jean Plaidy book and see what I think...
127- There seem to be a lot of historical legends like that, with many sources on either side of the issue. I guess we will never know for sure in some cases...but it adds to the mystery and the appeal of the subject.
128- Glad it's not just me. Also glad to hear you enjoyed Jean Plaidy.

129- Dear Linda, I hope everything went well today. I want to read Henry VIII - Alison Weir before I read The Six Wives of Henry VIII, so if you want to send it to me as a 'long term loan' I will read it and send it back to you when I can! Thanks for your generous offer. :)

Hi Angela!
Apparently I've been lurking here lately... so, I'm de-lurking for a moment to let you know I am here! :)
(*back to lurking*)

Claudia, you've inspired me to de-lurk as well. Hi, Angela!

Double post, sorry!

131, 132- Thanks so much for coming out of lurk-dom for me! Hello to you too! :)

Even though I'm in the middle of a 950 page book on the Kindle, I still managed to finish a book...yay!

4. Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene

This book was...interesting. I liked it a lot, but sometimes I had no idea what was going on - much like the main character.

Henry Pulling has spent his whole life trying to be a respectable English gentleman. He's about 50, retired from the bank, never married. At his mother's funeral he meets his Aunt Augusta. She is eccentric and doesn't care one bit about being respectable. She tells him some things about his father and mother, and Henry, intrigued, wants to further their acquaintance.

Next thing he knows, his aunt Augusta is booking him as her companion on travels to other countries. He wants to say no so he can stay home and take care of his flowers, but he doesn't know how to get out of it. So he goes along.

They have adventures together, and stiff Mr. Pulling begins to know his aunt, and himself, a little better.

Aunt Augusta tells long rambling stories and never fully explains anything...which often leaves Henry (and the reader) a little confused. But I think this is exactly what the author wanted to do.

This book is not going to be for everyone...but I'm pretty sure that if you liked Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, you are going to like this book as well.

I have been wondering about that book. Thanks for the review!
--BJ

*waves* Skimmed over your thread- Yay for kitteh progress!

135- Oh, good. I'm glad my thoughts could be of use to someone. I had never heard of Graham Greene before this and now I'm wondering if there are other books by him that I should try.

136 - Thanks, leperdbunny! One of these days the cat will come inside where it's warm...one of these days. I can picture her singing the old song "Don't Fence Me In", lol!

I liked Our Man in Havanna, sort of a twist on the spy novel, and The Quiet American, more of a traditional type spy story (or maybe a spy novel with a romantic/jealousy angle to it). He has written lots of books, and I have wanted to read more of them.
--BJ

I have somehow managed never to read any Graham Greene: I think I had him mentally categorised under 'authors I know I won't like' - but I have no idea why, because that one looks good. Adding to wishlist.

When I saw the name, I thought Greene looked familiar.. but, I guess not. He doesn't look like he has anything for me.

You know there is an absolutely delicious movie of "Travels with my Aunt" that is reasonably true to the book -- w/ Maggie Smith as the aunt.

I think "Our Man in Havana" is an incredibly funny and fun Graham Greene book -- kind of a send-up of spies and spying -- there is also an old movie which is sublime - Alec Guiness plays the lead. Both are wonderful, I promise!

I've been intrigued by Travels with my Aunt and other Graham Greene books for awhile. Time to actually pick them up! Thanks for the review. Thanks also to Lucy for the recommendations!

#110 Hurray for Ms Stripes coming inside a bit. Slowly but surely...

And intrigued by your 950 page Tudor tome. I hope you enjoy Wolf Hall when you get to it.

>123 BookAngel_a: - I'm just coming to your diaper story, but it gave me a good chuckle. ;) Those things ARE absorbent! It reminds me of a Marine friend taking tampons and baby wipes when he was sent to Iraq as part of his first aid/personal care kit.

I think I first heard of Graham Greene when I was perusing the other authors at the back of the book after reading Miss Pettigrew. Sounds good though and also agree about the great nappy story.

I have read a couple of Greene's books, but not Travels with My Aunt. I will have to give that one a shot too.

After your 'Miss Pettigrew' comparison I'm definitely going to have to investigate Travels with my Aunt. That was one of my favourite books from 2010.

138- BJ, I've added Our Man in Havana to the wishlist!

139- Caty, I've heard that this book is very different from Greene's other works, but I can't judge for myself yet because this is my first. You might like this one.

140- Hi Kath! Glad you escaped the book bullets, for now!

141- I will have to look for those movies sometime, Lucy. I'm also planning to read Our Man in Havana.

142- Hi Anne! Hope you like it...

143- Hi Heather. I'm about 65% done with the Tudor tome. I expect I'll post a favorable review. Henry's on his 4th wife right now - that's another way for me to tell how far I am in the book, haha...
Ms. Stripes has been living outside in some of the coldest temps we've had in recent history. She is one tough cat. Yesterday she killed a bird. I was quite sad to see it, but I suspect she needs extra calories right now to combat the cold. I will have to start feeding her bigger portions!

144- Hi Luxx - I was also reminded of a time when I went with my cousins to see Gallagher (the stand up comedy guy with the sledge-o-matic?) When he broke out the sledge-o-matic, he took the absorbent part of an adult diaper and mixed it with pickle juice...and splatted it all over the audience. Classy, isn't it??? So yes, the insides of diapers must be very absorbent.

145- Hi Leonie - another connection between this book and Miss Pettigrew? Cool...and I'm glad my posting of the diaper story provided some amusement to people OTHER than myself! ;)

146- Good to see you Stasia...I hope you like it. Do you have any other Graham Greene recommendations for me?

147- I would say Miss Pettigrew is more charming than this book...this is perhaps a more 'masculine' style. But the two books have a theme in common, I think! Hope you like it!

Not an overwhelmingly great book#5 - however, the other reviewers liked it a lot more than I did:

5. Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut by Jill Kargman (touchstones???)

I requested a review copy of this book because I love essays, I love humor writing, and the author shares my terror of clowns.

Jill Kargman is a busy wife, mother, and writer who lives in New York City. In these essays, she discusses (among other things) babysitters, tiny apartments with rats, getting cancer, giving birth, blush-inducing motherhood moments, her love of gasoline smell, bad teachers, and the above mentioned fear of clowns. Oh, and did I mention she includes her own sketches?

While in school, she did not fit in with the pretty, popular girls, which she discusses in the essay "Wednesday Addams in Barbietown". Awesome title.

This woman is funny and wacky and she reminds me of someone who would be fun to hang out with. However, her language got on my nerves. First of all, there's a lot of profanity in this book. Do not read this if that bothers you. Also, she uses words that seem...immature. For example: suh-in'('something'), beyotch, text message abbreviations like OMG, or worse, OMMFG. I did not expect this from a writer of Ms. Kargman's caliber, and I found it 'grating' at times throughout this book.

Profanity doesn't bug me; constant use of profanity as a substitute for other words does. I'd like to read the Barbietown essay, but probably not enough to buy the whole book -- maybe a library book? Although I think I have one of hers out on loan right now...

ETA: What is it with clown-phobia? An ex bf of mine has the same dislike, only I think with him it's absolute & utter phobia. I'm indifferent, either way.

150- I'd send it you Suz, except mine's already spoken for. :(

The profanity did bother me a bit, but then again, it usually does when it's excessive. I think the author was trying to write the way she talks, and it worked - I think she must simply use a lot of profanity in her day to day speech. I was willing to forgive some of the language for the sake of the humor, but it was just too much. Same with the 'text message speech'. A little would have been fine, but it was too much for me.

Oh, and clowns???? I was terrified of them as a child. There's a family story flying around about how I refused to go to the circus, when I was right outside the door. "I'm not going in there. There's CLOWNS in there." I had to be carried in, screaming and crying. I'm no longer terrified by them, but just find them downright creepy. The same goes for any costumed character.

This is what I think it WAS/IS:
They are not who they appear to be. Even as a child, I could tell that somebody different was under that mask but they weren't showing themselves. I believe that's why it scared me.

When my family went on a cruise, a person dressed as Sylvester the cat started flirting with me (there were Looney Tune chars on this cruise!). I laughed it off, but who knows who was under that costume??? Man or woman? Teenager or retiree? Decent person trying to make a few bucks, or psychopath?

Tudor Tome Update - I'm about 85% done...this is going much better than I anticipated. I should have no trouble finishing by the time my Kindle loan expires on Saturday night! (are those famous last words?;)

6. The Deer on a Bicycle by Patrick McManus

My first exposure to Patrick McManus was my 5th grade teacher reading his stories to us after lunch. Some of them made the class laugh out loud. I remembered some stories but had forgotten the author's name...until I stumbled onto one of his books at a friend's house as an adult.

I would like to eventually find all of his books and reread the stories I first heard in 5th grade...just for nostalgia's sake.

In this book, McManus incorporates examples of his humorous short stories with instructions and advice on how to write humor. He creates a character named Newton who asks him questions about writing, and then answers Newton's questions. Amazingly, this makes an instructional book about humor...humorous. I have to admit I didn't really read this book for the writing advice. I read it for the funny stories and anecdotes the author weaves into the book.

Recommended if you like humor writing, or writing advice.

Hi Angela, busy place around here. I've read several Graham Greene novels over the years and pretty much have liked everything I've read so I'm going to add Travels With My Aunt. The Power and the Glory is my favorite Greene novel.

I think I agree about being able to deal with a bit of profanity in books but too much would come across as overkill. Text speak however I have very small patience for. Perhaps I have seen it one too many times in work emails or on my children's phones but it bugs me no end!

#152: My local library does not have that Patrick McManus book, but it does carry one of his entitled How I Got This Way that looks pretty good, so I am going to give it a try.

I got Garrison Keillor's Good Poems for Hard Times from the library. lovin' the intro LOL

153- Hi Bonnie! I will check out The Power and the Glory - thanks for the suggestion!

154- Text speak doesn't bother me in text messages, but it does bother me when someone is SPEAKING like they are texting, or when I see it a lot in a book. But I may have been too hard on this author. Not sure. I love reading Jen Lancaster, for humourous brain candy, and she uses profanity and some immature speech at times too. It bothers me less with Jen for some reason. Although Jen doesn't use the C word, which this author did use, repeatedly, and I hate that...

155- I hope you like Patrick McManus, Stasia. His stories are based on his upbringing, but they are very exaggerated, so his stories could be called "tall tales". I guess you could say they are a little 'red-neck-ish' too. I'm not sure if I'll love them as much now that I'm grown up (they were awesome when I was 11, lol...) so I'm anxious to locate one of his books and see.

156- Hi Sus! I will have to check out that book. Never heard of it before.

CAT UPDATE:

Well, the kitty house we made is finally getting used...by another stray cat, not Ms. Stripes. Sigh.

We have probably about a foot of accumulated snow around our house so the cats can't really go anywhere. This second stray cat showed up a week or two ago and I think he/she's kind of stuck here now until the snow melts.

We all like Ms. Stripes SO much better, and we wish SHE would be using the special house that we made, but she just sits there in her open air bed every night, seemingly happy. We keep trying to coax her inside but not yet. I might have to break down and buy yet another bed for her to try.

This new cat is not a very pretty cat, sadly. It's also very scared/shy. Barkley ran up to play with it like he plays with Ms. Stripes and almost got a piece of his nose taken off! And when humans are around it usually hides under or behind something. But it sits outside crying and crying and crying its little heart out, because it is cold and hungry, so I don't have the heart to chase it away...when it is in the house we made, and if it has food, we don't hear any crying.

I'm going to the store today to buy the cheapest cat food I can find, because these cats are eating me and Barkley out of house and home! I really hope we don't keep getting more and more stray cats...because I really can't turn down a hungry animal.

I foresee you standing in the middle of a sea of cats, all looking at you mournfully while your hair stands up on end and Barkley hides.

158- Me too. Oh, and you forgot to mention that you foresee me flat broke as well, from buying so much cat food, lol...

At least I'm not as bad as my friend Kelly. At last count she was feeding 24 stray cats, something they can't really afford either. I told her she should sign up for one of those low cost spay/neuter programs where volunteers come in and round up all the strays and 'fix' them at a large discount.

I think Ms. Stripes is fixed. I believe she was a former house cat, although she won't come in our house yet. But I don't even know if this new cat is a boy or girl.

Oh well at least somebody is using the cat house:)

Ms. Stripes sounds like a character I hope she settles in sometime.

160- Lol, yes, it is good to see someone enjoying the house we made. :)

Someone said earlier that Ms. Stripes has trust issues, and I think that about sums it up. She really likes us, and Barkley, but she doesn't seem to tolerate being inside...anything. She's settled in very well to her spot outside our house, and she loves to be petted and rub against us, but if we try to enclose her in any way...watch out!

Our Luna is like that as well, massive trust issues. We still can't pick her up very easily, but if you let her choose to come to you, she is the most loving and soppy cat there is.

When she first came, she spent her entire time hiding under a bookshelf. She didn't purr, didn't know how to play, was too scared to eat.

Now, she is far more playful than her daughters or the male cat we have, and the cuddliest. She won't talk to strangers at all though. Being a mother really helped her, she refused to let me out of her sight when she was in labour, just followed me round and climbed on me wherever I was. So they were born on my bed at 5am!!

I think watching her progress and gaining her trust has been one of the best experiences of my life.

My dad and stepmom always have a stray cat or two that they have adopted. They enjoy the getting to know you part and like having an independent kind of pet. My dad has severe allergies and can't have any animals in the house. The cats are perfect companions for them.
--BJ

162- Yes, gaining the trust of an animal and seeing the changes it brings is very, very rewarding. I just wish I didn't have allergies! Then again, perhaps there's a positive side...if I didn't have allergies I'm sure I would live in a zoo by now, lol...

163- Hi BJ, I agree, there ARE positives to adopting strays - especially if they still want to go outside from time to time (and if you live in a good place for that, of course!) The independence can be nice for those who want a lower maintenance pet, and you still get the benefits of animal love!

**SPEAKING OF CATS - I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RETRACTION!**

The new stray cat is not ugly. I apologize. (I'm going to call her a girl, just for easier communication - haven't gotten close enough to tell what she is yet...)

Anyway, we thought she was a less pretty cat because we were getting her mixed up with another cat that wandered around here last year - and we couldn't really see her. We saw her mostly when it was dark and she was hiding, so yesterday I finally got a good look at her.

She's...unusual looking. But I think she could be called a pretty cat. She's mostly black with red/orange blotches. Her hair isn't short but isn't long either - kind of in the middle. And her legs are too short for her body...it looks odd. Unusual is a good word for her. Unusual and exotic.

She let me pet her for the first time last night, but only for a moment.

I will try to get a picture sometime. Won't be easy. And I've really got to figure out if it's a girl or not, before I keep on calling her a "her", lol...

Celebrate with me! I finished the 950 page Tudor Tome that Suzanne loaned me - and I did it ONE day before my two week deadline was up!!

7. The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by his Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

There are a lot of books authored by Henry VIII's opposers. Margaret George wanted to write a book told from Henry's side of the story.

This 950 page tome is a very thorough recounting of Henry VIII's entire life, written as entries in Henry's diary. In between Henry's entries (where we read HIS thoughts), his jester Will adds his perspective, and tells the reader what Henry's subjects were in fact thinking. The contrast between the ruler's brain and his subjects opinions made this book even more interesting.

Ms. George does an excellent job getting us inside Henry's head. I went from being fascinated, curious, sympathetic, and then repulsed by Henry, as he sought to justify his actions at the most difficult times of his life. No matter how repulsed I was, though, I always felt a bit of sympathy for Henry. He never knew who he could trust, and no one would tell him what they really thought.

This is a highly readable book. It's a fast read, too, and the pages just flew by. Recommended for those like me who are just beginning to learn about the Tudor history - or for Tudorphiles who haven't read it yet!

PS - I really need to read a non-fiction book about Henry VIII now, however. Throughout this book I kept asking myself if _____ ever happened, or if it was pure fiction. Very curious to know the established facts of his life now...

Angela

I'll be sending a book re. Henry VIII to you next week.

Congrats, Angela! You read that in jig time. Nice review.

Be careful! I think word is getting out to all unloved stray cats in your neighborhood.
Free food, beds, warmth and love @ BookAngel's house! :)

If the cat is black with red AND orange spots, odds are very high it is a girl!

166- Thanks, Linda!! Looking forward to it! xo

167 - Hi Claudia...and thank you. Yes, I think I'm going to be opening a cat bed and breakfast here really soon. I will have to round them all up in a couple of months and take them to a low cost clinic, to make sure they are fixed! I'm sure they will be thrilled with that, lol...

168- Really, Roni? My teenage friend told me something about calico cats - I think she said if you have a male calico it's worth a lot of money because it's so rare...is that what you're talking about? Pardon me, I'm still inexperienced in these matters and ask lots of questions! I would say this cat's coat is black with one shade of reddish/orange spots.

Hoping you and Mike are warm on this cold winter night.

#165: I know I already have that one in the BlackHole. I will get to it eventually.

I love the continuing cat sagas, Angela :)

Yup, calico/tortoiseshell cats are invariably girls. Something to do with the genetics. If you do get a male tortoiseshell (about a 1 in 3000 chance), he will be sterile.

The autobiography of Henry VIII sounds like good fun, but I'm not sure that I have the patience for 950 pages right now. It would have to be an amazing book!

Luxx
I read this book years ago and I remember that it was captivating and didn't seem like a lot of effort.

Thanks for the vote, Lina. I may have to check it out...

Hi Angela!
You learn something new everyday - so they say!
Never knew a thing about calico cats... interesting.
Can't wait for the picture - I'm sure you will find a way. :)

Loving the cat tales and congratulations on finishing the Henry VIII book. It sounds like a very good read.

So happy she is letting you pet her!

Hi Angela!
Don't know if you saw this???? (And I hope it works... shot in the dark here)
Reminded me of you!

www.pawnation.com/2011/01/24/cat-that-never-leaves-its-tree-has-found-a-good-home-and-owner/

Hi Linda and Stasia! It definitely is cold and snowy around here lately, but so far we are managing.

172- Thanks for the clarification, Jenny! I'm not sure if this one would be classified as a calico or not. I'll try to take a picture as soon as I can. But she definitely looks like a girl to me...she has dainty feminine features. Does not look like a "tom" cat, at all...

173, 174- Hi Luxx, I agree with Linda that it is an easy read. It took me two weeks, reading for a little while each day. But I enjoyed it.

176- Hi Claudia - I will manage a photo eventually, but this cat is extremely skittish and is usually underneath something or other...

177,178- Thanks, Leonie and Lucy!

179- That's a great story - thanks for sharing! Yes, I can totally see me crawling up a ladder to feed a cat, with my husband standing there looking worried, and wondering if I've lost my mind...does anyone else wonder how/where the cat manages to 'do his business'???

Out on a limb? Lots of animals poke their back ends over the edge of something and let 'er rip! :} Just a guess on this one!

I think that a 950 page book in two weeks is quite impressive! I found the Proust thread and gave it a bump. Don't know if we will lose power or not. The start date on the thread for Part 2 is Feb 6th. Then or now is ok with me.

I was delivering info to my neighbors yesterday about our neighborhood association meeting, and my next door neighbor introduced me to her new cat. She looked like a jungle cat. I can't recall what she called the breed, but she was the most beautiful cat that I have ever seen.

I am not really a cat person myself due to significant allergies. More of a dog person.
--BJ

181- LOL! Not sure I want to picture that, but it would work...

182- Oh, yeah, I forgot we already had a start date. Whoops! Feb 6th is fine by me...let's stick with the plan!

Cats are very beautiful. I really wish I wasn't allergic. Although my allergies are getting better. I can be at a cat owner's house for several hours now without getting an asthma attack...most of the time. It used to be worse. So that's progress!

Will has asthma and cats trigger an attack. Our sheltie Simon is in the house with him and I am always sure to brush Simon and keep him groomed on a regular basis.

I love your cat stories.

Snow is on the way...stay warm and dry.

Books re. Henry VIII went out in the mail today and you should have them soon.

Hugs.

Thanks, Linda! I will check my mailbox eagerly until they arrive. :)

I'm hoping for a snow/ice day either Tuesday or Wednesday...but I worry about Mike driving around in this stuff...

Anyhow...here's a CAT STORY:

I've just discovered...my beloved Ms. Stripes is...A BULLY!

I've mentioned that we are feeding and housing a new stray. Well, a week or two ago we had heard cats outside fighting overnight. I assumed that it was this new cat, trying to chase Ms. Stripes away from her food. Ms. Stripes seems older and has a bit of a limp, so I assumed that this younger cat was causing the problem.

Well, last night I went out to feed both cats. I fed and petted the new cat, and then went to Ms. Stripes' spot to feed and pet her. In two minutes' time, she had vanished from her spot! Then I heard kitty growling sounds. Ms. Stripes had instantly gone to the new cat's area to steal her food! She was the aggressor...not the victim. I had to go up the steps and break up the fight.

(I've been told it's my imagination, but I think Ms. Stripes is still mad at me, for being nice to a new cat.)

I came back inside and said "Note to self: Feed Ms. Stripes FIRST from now on..."

This explains why a couple of days ago I caught her sitting near the new cat's spot. I bet she was trying to defend her territory. "These are MY people - stay away!"

She doesn't realize there's enough food and shelter and love for both of them.

I guess your next lesson to Ms Stripes is to teach her to 'share'. ;-)

Great kitty picture!

Ms Stripes, a bully? Aww! My mom's super-skittish cat was the same way though. That cat was afraid of everything, constantly paranoid...even so, it always picked on and fought with other cats. :(

Hi Caro! Yes, Ms. Stripes needs to learn to share. Love the gif!

Hi Terri!

Stephen, that could very well be the reason. She might dislike other cats because of fear.

Anywho...as you can see above I was finally able to take pictures of the new, and yet unnamed, cat. Don't you think she looks like a girl??? Alas, I haven't gotten close enough to tell yet.

She has the shortest little legs you ever saw - it's so cute/unusual looking when she walks!

And doesn't she look snug and warm in that house that we made for Ms. Stripes??? I'm so glad someone is getting use out of it, and I wonder if Ms. Stripes is jealous now...

(Oh, by the way, this house is not next to Ms. Stripes anymore. It never would have worked for them to sleep next to each other. This house is on top of the deck, and Ms. Stripes is downstairs, next to the basement window which is "her" spot.)

Nice pictures! I wouldn't know how to tell the gender of a cat even up close. I just ask.
(the owner, not the cat).

"She" looks sweet... soon you'll be taking pictures of them together.

My cat approaches an open door with curiousity - then when she feels the cold air she shakes her paws and walks away. She is an indoor cat - but I take her out in nice weather on a leash. Too many wild animals around here that would eat her for lunch if she got away, I fear.

That is a cute cat. You could name her/him Bonaparte after another short-legged body and call it Bonny for short as I think you're right, it has the look of a girl about it. If it's a boy, then you've still got a boyish back-up name.

Nice bed by the way, my dog is jealous and wonders whether you'd like to come and make him a house as his owners are slack and the last house I made him didn't last the distance.

Love the pictures. I would pretty much guarantee that it's a female from the coloration. Nice plush fur!

Great pictures, Angela, and very attractive cat. I'm glad the house you made is getting some use.

Beautiful cat! And I love the house that you made for her (or really for Ms. Stripes).
--BJ

Oh my gosh, that cat is diabolical! I'm not sure if I should pet it or pray it doesn't eat my soul. Does it sneak into your bedroom at night and whisper lullabies in your ear with a demonic little girl's voice?

And Ms Stripes picks on THAT cat? My goodness, Ms Stripes must be one tough kitty. Or suicidal.

I think I'm going to go repent of my sins or something. Whatever it takes to make sure that thing doesn't show up on MY doorstep.

Yup, that would be called tortoiseshell, and so is definitely a girl. Any cat mottled like that, with or without white, is the same 1 in 3000 genetic chance of girl/boy. She's lovely :)

I kinda like hearing that Ms. Stripes has some spunk. ;) I'm sure the two will figure out a truce soon enough.

Beautiful kitty! I have a soft spot for tortoiseshell cats. I had one once who was an absolute lover. Sweetest cat ever.

I love the kitty stories and what a pretty little tortie! Odds are extremely good that she's a girl. She's not a bully, just a cat defending her territory (HER yard - congratulations!). Unlike dogs, they aren't pack animals and generally dislike sharing space with another kitty interloper.

Love the pictures of the new cat!

>185 BookAngel_a:: Sounds like Ms. Stripes has a bit of jealousy. It is understandable that she feels that way. There have been a few times on my walks when a stray dog has tagged along with us. Lucky is okay with it until we get close to home. Then he starts growling and showing his teeth! Be careful breaking up those cat fights! With two females anything can happen.

>189 BookAngel_a:: What a beauty! Let us know what you name her. I'm looking forward to a picture of the two ladies together. ;-)

What a beauty. I love torties and calicoes... I grew up with a calico (female) and currently have a medium-haired tortie (also female), so I have a weak spot for them as well!

drive-by hug, Angela

Hi Claudia, I must admit I don't enjoy checking adult cats for gender, and I don't know HOW to tell the difference when they are tiny kittens, but I know plenty of people who can. I guess this is part of being a 'country girl', lol...

Leonie, the kitty house was very easy to make and only requires a plastic storage container with a lid and some insulation. Let me know if you want detailed instructions. It doesn't take long. :)

Hi Pat and BJ - thanks for the compliments!

Stephen - what is it about this cat that scares you, exactly? Is it the yellow colored eyes? The mostly black coloring? I guess you're one of the only people who might understand why we got this cat confused with a very ugly cat who came through here earlier, lol...
But now that I've seen her in broad daylight I think she's adorable...like I said earlier, she's kind of exotic and unusual and I like that. Plus, she's really friendly.

Jenny - You (and Roni and everyone else) are right about the gender. She is a girl!

Luxx - Yeah, I like a bit of spunk too, especially in an older cat with a limp. However, I don't think the new cat could handle it, and that makes me kind of sad (see below...)

Anne - This cat is such a 'love' too!

Joanne - It is nice to know that Ms. Stripes has become attached to us and thinks of us and our place as 'hers.' :)

Hi Stasia!

Donna - Yep, Ms. Stripes is definitely jealous!

Faith - Hi, I'm definitely getting a weak spot for cats like this, too!

Richard - Hi! I'm very impressed that you braved my thread. I was sure all this cat talk would scare you away. :) Thanks for coming! ((Hugs!))

Here is where you got to! Heavens...

Yes, she's definitely a tortie and thus a she -- gorgeous coloring. (My first cat was a tortie...) Aren't you glad you don't have to deal with these territorial issues INDOORS!!??

Molly and Cassie, the two girls, are both fraidy cats in different ways. Molly has always been VERY skittish -- it took months for her to come close to me, and then only because my legs were tucked under a rug while I watched TV. I have to wait for her to come and visit, usually while I'm sitting somewhere, and then she purrs more loudly than any cat I've ever known. On the other hand, if I come within a foot of her and she feels she doesn't have an escape route, she'll panic. Meanwhile, Cassie is v. feisty with the other cats -- and so terrified of humans most of them never even meet her!

CAT UPDATE:

When I posted the pics of the new kitty on Facebook (in order to link to them here), one of my neighbors less than a half mile down the road saw them. Apparently she's been feeding a bunch of strays for 5 years, and this is one of them. She's definitely a girl cat - she's had litters twice a year, according to the neighbor. She's at least 6 years old. So I found out some kitty info, which is nice to know.

Bad news - I got the feeling that it bothered my neighbor that this cat came to me. She said she guessed she needs to start putting out more food, since the cat left her place.

So, between the efforts of my neighbor to get her back, and the efforts of Ms. Stripes to get her to leave, I haven't seen her in two days. Ms. Stripes has begun sitting very close to the new cat's bed and food dish - almost like she's standing guard in case the cat comes back.

I'm glad that Ms. Stripes loves us so much, but I'm sad because I really started to like this cat. She was so shy, but when she started letting me pet her she would purr loudly and jump up a little "into" the petting...she couldn't get enough. And I loved seeing her dainty features and cute little legs. I also loved that she stopped her heartbreaking crying. She used to hide in the bushes, crying and crying - loudly! Once she started sleeping in her bed, eating, and getting attention - no more crying.

Oh, well. She might be back at some point. We will see.

Wow, I'm amazed your neighbor hasn't tried to catch her and have her fixed if she's busy having litters like that!! And if she liked you and felt comfy -- and if the grub's good -- she'll be back!

207- Hi Suz! Yes, you're right - I would not want to deal with an indoor cat fight! It's amazing to me that a cat can be an indoor house cat and still be scared/skittish around its owner. You would think they would learn that we mean them no harm. I guess it depends on the situation,too.

You're right. They all have different personalities and are scared of different things. (Classic example - this new cat went in the house we made right away, even when she was terrified of us. Ms. Stripes loves us and will not use the house. ?!?)

209- I know. I told the neighbor I was going to do that if she was still here in the spring. She said cats only have litters for 6 or 7 years so she was probably at the end of her fertility and I might want to just let her go. Not sure if I agree with that or not.

I know they were having money problems (very bad) for a while so that might be why they decided not to neuter the strays. Not sure...

READING UPDATE:

I haven't cracked a book in days. Sigh. We rent an apartment from my parents, and said parents decided to take any snow days we get and use them for home improvement projects. So far we've worked for 3 days and we tiled the backsplash in my kitchen, grouted the tile, and painted the kitchen into the living room. Now we have to finish painting the living room and stairway. (My dad also built a bed platform for another tenant. He's quite good at odd jobs like that.) Will post pictures sometime...

I'm excited to get the work done, but I miss having a cozy snow day to snuggle with a good book! Oh, and bake cookies...

There's an outfit called Muffin's (I think) that you can find online -- they will cover a chunk of the cost of spaying and neutering. I agree that money can be an issue, but it's also the health of the animal. I'd certainly try to find a way to do this rather than just shrugging it off!

I'm trying to work rather than read. It's painful...

213- Thanks for the info - I will definitely check it out. I've been wondering where I could find a low cost place for neutering strays.

Ms. Stripes doesn't seem to be of kitten-bearing age anymore - either that or she's a former housecat who's fixed. But I'd like to know for sure. I really want to do something for both of them. We'll have to see if this new cat comes back to me or not. (I'm pretty sure I'd offend my neighbor if I went to her place and took the cat.) I'd love to take both of them somewhere economical to get checked out by a professional - of course for their health, and also because I don't want to be feeding multiplying litters of kittens in a couple of years...

Each litter a cat has is dangerous for both mother and kittens, increasingly so the more they have, as it depletes the mother's resources, and it's rare that as strays, all the kittens will survive.

2 litters a year for 8 years is a LOT for a mother to go through, and will shorten the cat's lifespan.

Not only that, but of course it's bad for all the other strays as well, as there is less food to go around.

Definitely try and get them checked out, as well as trying to find a cheap liquid wormer to put on food you offer, as worms are extremely common AND dangerous to cats, sometimes leading to life threatening illnesses.

Good idea about the liquid wormer. Will definitely look into that, as well as a place to take them to get checked out.

This is kinda weird. I'm tracking my Kindle wishlist on ereaderiq.com. The website lets me know when the prices drop on books I want.

The book Hens Dancing has been dropping in price every other day or so for the last week. It's gone from almost $10 to $5 something. I'm probably going to buy it soon, but I wonder how low it will go? I also wonder why they are dropping the price so gradually...if you're planning to drop the price to $5, why not all at once? Maybe they're trying to see what price will get people to buy it?

I bet that's what's happening -- with all the kerfuffle over publisher-set prices, everyone is trying to figure out what price point will trigger purchases.

Incidentally, if you're looking for a decent historical novel, The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick is now free on Kindle.

218- Heh. Funny you should mention that. This morning I was going to post it on your thread and ask you if you knew if it was any good. I just forgot. Great minds think alike and all that... ;)
I downloaded it figuring I had nothing to lose. Glad to know it's not junk. Thanks!

PS - Some friends of ours have a 4 year old girl named Elizabeth Chadwick - same spelling and everything. I feel like gifting them a copy of the book...;)

206: The look in it's eyes, in both pictures, looks purely evil. I think it's trying to eat my soul through my computer monitor. I have nothing against cats, they are funny and cute! But that one is definitely some sort of demon spawn.

I know Elizabeth slightly, and she writes very solid if slightly romanticized historical novels. I've got a few hanging around that I have yet to read. She lives in the N. of England and is v. diligent about her research, even though that includes a quirky kind of psychic stuff. If it helps her get richer imaginative detail, that doesn't bother me! Will be interested to know what you think.

so she was probably at the end of her fertility Oh, that sounds like logical reasoning. Snort.

In our area people can buy vouchers for $20 spay/neuters (from the SPCA, I believe), which are then accepted by a number of local vets. Three of our four cats were rescued and came fixed, but we went that route to get our one pet shop (gifted) cat fixed. It was a bit tough to find the info when we first went looking for it, but you may want to check your area if you're serious about taking the cat in yourself.

Not much to add to the cat conversation; I'm glad you're taking such good care of them Angela.

Hi, Angela! *waves*

ditto Bonnie's comment above.

Hi, Angela!
Did you watch the Super Bowl today? I thought that the McDonald's commercial at the very beginning was the best one. There were several that I liked, though. I picked up the Proust today. Kind of a contrast to Harry Potter which I am also reading! lol. Have a great day!
--BJ

220- Ah, I see, Stephen. Well, she was probably trying to turn her death ray on the camera I was holding. She did NOT like having her picture taken. :)

221- I will let you know what I think Suz, when I read it. Not sure when that will be, but it WILL be read!

222- Yeah Luxx, I was being sarcastic earlier when I said I wasn't sure if I believe that reasoning. Thanks for the mention of the coupons - I will see if something like that is available.

223, 224- Thanks Bonnie and Terri...I try. I will take care of just about any animal in need - if it lets me, that is. I just made my husband promise to stop me if I ever want to volunteer in an animal shelter. I would be bringing home a new animal every day or so...

225 - Hi BJ - I'm not sure which McD's commercial you mean...refresh my memory?? My favorite that I remember is the one where the little kid is pretending to be Darth Vader. My husband and father are big Star Wars fans so we all got a big kick out of that one.

UPDATES:
I'm not sure I'm going to make 75 books this year if I don't pick up the pace. Haven't read a thing all month so far...sigh...but my apartment has never looked better, so I should count my blessings I guess! I plan to pick up Proust again soon...today if possible.

CAT UPDATE:

GUESS WHO IS SLEEPING IN THE HOUSE WE MADE??

Well, if you know anything about cat behavior, that's an easy one...Ms. Stripes.

We live on the second floor. Ms. Stripes was sleeping down on the first floor level. Wanted nothing to do with her special house. As you know, this new cat came around and started sleeping in the house we made. We put it up on our deck, on the second floor, right outside our door.

So NOW, of course, Ms. Stripes kicks out the other cat (haven't seen her since...sob...) and now Ms. Stripes is living on our 2nd floor deck, sleeping and eating right outside our door.

Mom and I think she likes it here because it's closer to Mike and I and Barkley, and away from some of the other tenants in the building (she's afraid of two of them). Plus, she's going up in the world. Cats like to be on top of high things.

AND...remember how I was trying to coax her inside in the cold? Well, since I've tried to have cats in my place and I can't breathe, I was trying to coax Ms. Stripes into the garage or laundryroom, which is on the first floor. Again, she wanted NOTHING to do with them. Had panic attacks when I tried to carry her in.

Well, NOW....I turn my back for one second and she marches straight into our apartment!! Sigh. I'd love to let her, but I just can't.

So...to summarize:

She only decides to live in her special house AFTER she sees another cat using it.
AND...
She doesn't want to come inside the rooms where she's ALLOWED to be, but she darts into the place where she CAN'T be.

In other words, she's a CAT! :)

Very funny about Ms Stripes... and I believe every bit of it! Maybe the reason for cat#2 visit was to move cat house upstairs and trick some sense into Ms Stripes! Now that's accomplished, the tortie is ok to go back to her original "home".

Too bad you have an allergy. Have you sought dr's advice or treatment? When my sister was younger and tested for allergies, she was allergic to everything!
She had a long series of injections (years) and eventually was not suffering her awful respiratory reactions. Some people can be helped. Alas, for others nothing works. :(

Glad to hear your apartment is shaping up. I'm waiting til Spring and have a few projects planned for then. As much as I love winter, I do look forward to throwing open all the windows/doors and doing some refreshing around here. :)

Love the latest Ms. Stripes story, Angela!

Way late to this Par-Tay...but i have you **STARRED** you Angel(a) you

;-)

My daughter also loved the Darth Vader commercial. The McDonald's one was before the game started. The bears are going for McDonald's to celebrate. They look for a car where the people are eating McDonald's food. The bears get the food. I don't know. I liked it when I saw it.
--BJ

#226 - I actually didn't even see your post, just someone else's response to it. ;) Sorry I missed the sarcasm.

Once again glad to see Ms. Stripe's spunk and spirit! I'm glad she's starting to realize what she has there.

Angela, I love the Ms. Stripe stories. I miss cats soooo much...it's good to be able to vicariously enjoy them

And I know what you mean about not keeping up the pace...just finished my first February book today, the 7th!! Perhaps things will look up soon, for both of us.

Oh, gotta love cat logic.

Great Ms. Stripes anecdote, can't wait for the next installment.

#234

I live my life by cat logic. Is this why people think I'm slightly odd??

I am a devoted follower of the Ms Stripes story and I am thrilled with the new developments! In the good weather you will be able to be 'with' her now on your deck!

As I understand it some folks are allergic to the saliva, others to the dander (or both I suppose). Believe it or not there are sprays and things to help with the saliva issue. There is even a breed called Ragdoll that most allergic-to-cats people can tolerate well.

Just stopping by to say



Cats! Don't you just have to love them:)

*cheerfully reads the cat updates*

*a little bit sad about the other cat*

Angela, I got way behind on your thread but glad to hear all your cat news now I have caught up. Ms Stripes makes me laugh though it is a little bit sad about the other cat.

And I've wishlisted the Henry VIII book.

Angela, I'm loving the cat chronicles, too. Glad you're making progress with Ms. Stripes. Hopefully, you can get a picture of her soon!

love the cat house! very creative :)

We have a new one, an spca adoption. He is so ... not mean per say, but has no clue how to be gentle and is easily spooked (which then translates into more bites and scratches). my hands look like a war zone. THe nice thing is when he settles down he is a sweety. One of our gals is in heat now, poor thing. When it's done she's off the vet!

I definitely live by cat logic. And I admit, I'm odd. There are worse things in life, however...

Hi everyone - sorry to have neglected my thread.

Gotta love the cat logic. I think we all live a little by cat logic sometimes - for example, sometimes what we have is not as appealing as what we DON'T have. Sigh.

I'm a bit sad about the new cat too.

Things are still the same with the kitty situation. Ms. Stripes is now firmly housed outside our back door on the deck. I still have not seen the other cat, although I heard her crying in the woods once - I walked around calling her and she wouldn't show herself, so I couldn't find her.
I sincerely hope that she's made her way back to the neighbor's place. I'll have to ask the neighbor.

On the reading front, BJ and I are finishing Book #3 of Proust. I'm reading Grimm's Fairy Tales on Daily Lit, and should finish that soon. And I started reading an interesting diet book, The Shangri-La Diet. It's a little unusual as far as diet books go. I'm curious to see if it actually does work like it claims to.

On the house front, since we live in a 4 room apartment, I have been wanting some new furniture in our combo living room/kitchen for quite some time, to make better use of space. Also, our entertainment center is falling apart! But everything I found was either too expensive or I didn't like it! Finally, on Tuesday mom and I went to Target and I found some really beautiful furniture - they had every piece I needed, and it all matched, and it was on sale! Woo hoo!

So the home renovations continue. Now I have to put together 7 boxes of furniture. 2 down, 5 to go. Good thing I kinda enjoy putting boxed furniture together, as long as the instructions are reasonably good and all the pieces are there. So far, so good.

Soon I will have nearly floor to ceiling book cases in our living room! Although, most of the bookcases will be filled with our DVD's and family photos...not books. But yay for less wasted space!

I really wish they'd make a show on HGTV specifically for people who live in small apartments, with creative ideas for saving space. All the shows seem to focus on bigger homes.

I know what you mean about HGTV. I was looking at magazines for kitchen remodels and all the kitchens were totally enormous (18' x 23' or even bigger). So I found one in the grocery store that was specifically for smaller kitchens. Every single one was bigger than my kitchen. I don't want a bigger kitchen. I just want to update it some.

Floor to ceiling bookcases are something to cheer about. Congrats!
--BJ

The new furniture sounds very cool, I love it when you find exactly what you need and it's on sale.

Hi Angela, Congrats on finding all the matching furniture pieces. It's gonna look really great when you get it all together...

>245 billiejean: "So I found one in the grocery store that was specifically for smaller kitchens. Every single one was bigger than my kitchen."
My problem exactly! I have a "one-butt" kitchen. I want to re-do to make it more efficient - because I think it can be. Just can't figure out how!

Your remodeling projects sound fun!

I love the cat stories.

While we live in a residential area, there are woods in back of our house. Yesterday Will called me at work and with an excited voice told me there were ten deer in our back yard.

We now have a fox, ten deer, three stray cats and a host of cardinals residing in or near our yard.

Hi Angela! Stopping by to say hello and get caught up- new kitteh is adorable. Ms. Stripes is typical cat thru and thru. :)

Ikea is always my answer to small kitchens. I love walking through their display homes ...

That is a wonderful store. I wish we had one in Tulsa!
--BJ

#251: Come down here, BJ. I will take you to the one in Frisco, about 40 miles away from my house. I have never been there.

One thing about IKEA. You have to wear your walking shoes. It is enormous! It sounds like a fun day!
--BJ

It's certainly a full day if you do it up right, but it's so worth it.

I really love IKEA but there's none close by. (Their catalogs are great too!) We have to drive over an hour and make it a day trip. They do have some great space saving ideas. I just wish there was a TV show about living in small spaces, too!

NEW THREAD! NEW THREAD! NEW THREAD!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/110331