Bahzah / Claudia's Comfy Corner Series Book 8

Frederick Childe Hassam (October 17, 1859 – August 27, 1935) an American impressionist painter. His most famous works are the “Flag” paintings, completed during World War I. This picture (one of my favs) titled Allies Day, May 1917 became the most famous of the series.




Best of January
Fiction: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell *5 stars*
Non F: The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller *4.5 stars*

Best of February
Fiction: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier *4 stars*
Non-F: Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss *4.5 stars*

Best of March
Fiction: The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys *4.25 stars*
Non-F: Sophia Tolstoy by Alexandra Popoff *4.5 stars*

Best of April
Fiction: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell *4.25 stars*
Non-F: The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell *3.75 stars*

Best of May
Fiction: Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner *5 stars*

Non-F: It's a really, real tie! Sorry. I can't choose.
Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss *5 stars*
and
Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell *5 stars*

Best of June (not much reading this month)
Fiction: No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod *4.5 stars*

Non-F: - not a one finished!

2011 Books read:

#1 Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende (3.5 stars)
#2 Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (4 stars)
#3 Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (5 stars)
#4 The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller (4.5 stars)
#5 A Lonely Death by Charles Todd (3.5 stars)
#6 Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (5 stars)
#7 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (4 stars)
#8 Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss (4.5 stars)
#9 The Crown Conspiracy by Michael Sullivan (4 stars)
#10 Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien (4stars)
#11 My Own Country by Abraham Verghese (4 stars)
#12 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (4.25 stars)
#13 Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (4 stars)
#14 I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey by Izzeldin Abuelaish (4.5 stars)
#15 Room by Emma Donoghue (3.5 stars)
#16 Winter's Bone: A Novel by Daniel Woodrell (4 stars)
#17 On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers (4 stars)
#18 A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny (3.5 stars)
#19 Sophia Tolstoy: A Biography by Alexandra Popoff (4.5 stars)
#20 The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys (4.25 stars)
#21 The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (4.75 stars)
#22 The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S Lovell (3.75 stars)
#23 The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (4 stars)
#24 Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (5 stars)
#25 Lavender Lies by Susan Whittig Albert (3 stars)
#26 "In Earshot of Water: Notes from the Columbia Plateau" by Paul Lindholdt (4.25 stars)
#27 Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss (5 stars)
#28 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (4.5 stars)
#29 Cogslea Revisited by M Juanita Taylor (3.5 stars)
#30 Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm (4 stars)
#31 Gandhi The Man How One Man Changed Himself to Change the World by Eknath Easwaran (4.5 stars)
#32 Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell (5 stars)
#33 No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod (4.5 stars)
#34 Cleopatra VII by Kristiana Gregory (3.5 stars)
#35 The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (4.5 stars)

I'm first! I'm first! Yah!

You are! You are! Yah!!!!

I'm second. Does that count for anything?

Well, yes, Peggy! You get the silver! :)

ETA: ummm, maybe the silverware?

The most basic format for an image is:

img src="URL_HERE"

per TaD

put the carrots on either end

http://www.librarything.com/topic/104943#2373661

Well Done!

Thanks, Kath.

Came out too fuzzy with re-sizing. Will have to find a better flag picture with flag day coming up!

I kinda like the fuzzy image, Cee. I thought it was deliberate. ;-) It looks like a nice pastel drawing.

Love the picture, Claudia! Happy new thread day to you!

Good evening, your book list looks nice and plump, the 5 starred ones up top always make me look twice.

Sleeping in??

Aren't new threads lovely? Like clean sheets, a fresh notebook, a new day!

Hi Caro! Well, it is impressionistic - but still a little too fuzzy. However, if you like it, maybe I'll just leave it be. :)

Hi Joanne! I love all Hassam's work... incl his garden and coastal scenes.

Hi Megan! It seems I have been loving my recent reads - quite a few 5 starred books for me. ??? Not gonna fight it.
What you don't see here is the book I just abandoned cuz it was boring me to death!
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller . Others have liked it - just not interesting to me.

Hey Kath - today I did sleep later as I was up most of the night with sciatic nerve pain. At least it was a morning Ron could get up with Loki (at 6am)... so I did get some sleep. :) Better now.

Lucy, You DO have a way with words and images. :) I love your outlook and totally agree!

I am starving! all this food talk.. and I got up and did the floors and etc..
found the camera ( gain) and made pasta salad for tomorrow..

crab cakes cooking ..tomato feta salad. almost lunch time!

*starred* :)

What do you do about your sciatic pain Claudia? Just wondering so I can compare notes.

Kath, I got crabcakes for supper tonight. You inspired me. :)
Of course Ron won't eat them - steak on grill for him.
Will make tomato/feta for me - and toss salad for the other two.
Sweet potato for Mom, white potato for Ron, leftover rice for me.
See? No meal is easy around here. :P

Hey there, Kara! nice to see you here - as always! :D

Bonnie, I have to admit not much helps. When I go to bed, I take a Tylenol PM which makes me a little more drowsy and takes the edge off for an hour or 2. During the day I struggle, at night I try not to move much. The whole thing stinks! Do you have any magic potion or advice? I've had this for years on and off.

Hey, it is almost like eating together :)

I used the last of my crab meat.. have to start sale seeking again.

Your dinner does sound complicated.. but, yummy!

Sorry about the night time pain.. it sure doesn't help with sound sleep..
:(

I used to belong to the Doubleday Book Club - had enough and let it go.
I've been getting a lot of emails "We miss you!" :P

... it finally worked for them. I just rejoined. *heavy sigh*
Got 7 books for $10.94 (no shipping/handling charge)
Only have to buy 3 books in the next 2 years.
No problem! I know. I'm a sucker.

Anyway, I'm getting:
True Compass: A Memoir Kennedy
Unbroken Hillenbrand
The Passage Cronin
The Hunger Games Collins
Half Broke Horses Walls
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand Simonson
Bossypants Fey

Plan A: I will pack up a box of books every month
and run away for a week to read!

#20 your dinner menu sounds like our house, what's with the fussiness? It all sounded great to me :-)

Yeah, I don't know Megan. I never did this for my kids!
Ron won't eat fish, Mom won't eat steak.
Ron won't eat sweet pots, Mom won't eat white.
I'm the only one who likes feta, Mom won't eat cheese of any kind.
Even the tossed salad I made for the others had to have completely different veggies.
They both adamantly maintain they are NOT fussy! :P

I like your Plan A

And what fabulous books you got!

morning has broken. yay.

Morning Claudia- That is an excellent book haul and I've read them all and enjoyed them all. A nice variety too. A couple bold choices too, The Passage & The Hunger Games are a bit out of your comfort zone. good luck!

The Passage is one of those books IMO that sort of crosses genre.. something for almost everyone..
Cee does have an adventurous nature when it comes to books,

Hi Kath and Mark!

Almost all the books I ordered are from my WL and rec by LTers... incl both of you guys!
For slightly more than $1/book, I thought it was a good deal!

Maybe being adventurous is one reason why I like to read. Gives me an opportunity to go outside my comfort zone and no one can stop me or tell me I shouldn't.

Thanks for reminding me to get to Unbroken. Who knows why I haven't read it (I got it for Christmas) since everyone who has read it has loved it.

I'm afraid I don't have any great suggestions for the sciatica Claudia. When mine gets bad enough (read: when I can't stand up straight or walk or stand up for more than a minute or two) I get it injected but that wasn't very successful the last time I had it done.

Love the book haul, Cee. I'm all for Plan A ... can I come along too if I bring my own suitcase of books?

Claudia

I'm so sorry you are in pain. Like Bonnie and Cheli, I have cortesone injections. I'm currently in physical therapy, but it seems to make the pain worse instead of better.

Prescription naproxcen helps somewhat.

Gentle hugs to you.

Love Plan A! Love the haul from Doubleday!

Found you; starred you! Looking forward to your thoughts on all those Doubleday books...

I hope you had a better night.. have you decided which will be the first one read?

Hi Bonnie, I hear ya, re sciatica... it's miserable and nothing much works. Medical science still has plentiful challenges ahead... I've heard a lot of good comments on Unbroken and I loved her book Seabiscuit even tho I knew nothing about horse racing.

Hi Caro - Why yes, of course! You will always be welcome on my book reading sprees! Just have to figure out where to hide now... I've been thinking Monhegan Island (off ME coast) but I've mentioned it so many times that will be the first place they look for me. And... if we like the arrangement, we can swap books and stay twice as long!

Thanks for the hugs, Linda! Gentle hugs back... besides being painful, this is so annoying!

Hi Stasia! I always check out the offer, then delete the emails from Doubleday to rejoin. I dunno... this time my resistence was low and I found a better way to check out their offerings. I now look at the list of authors and pick the ones I am interested in... much easier than going thru pages and pages of junk. This was a major breakthrough for me. :} Finally starting to pay attention to the author's names!

Hi Suz! Glad to see you here! I'm just trying to figure out what to say to hubby when the books arrive.... he already thinks I have every book in the world and can't imagine my wanting more! It's the old... "If you don't understand, I can't explain it to you!"

Mornin' Kath! If I were to choose now, I would pick Unbroken. But since my moods change daily - who knows??? I'm as unpredictable as the weather. :}

I want my laptop back! Wah!

Silly me, I didn't realize those book clubs were still around. I've done that several times in the past. Those beginning offers are just too good to pass up... and, like you said, it will be no problem to buy a few more upcoming books. After all, you have your obligation to fulfill. Lol.

I've been lurking here, Cee, but not posting because I know you are hampered by not having your laptop. When will there be good news? (I love it when I can use a book title in conversation.)

I want your laptop back too!
So many days, so few post..

Stopping by...because I haven't in a while

I want your laptop back, three!!

Sciatica is no fun, i know...thank god for my heating pad & my ice pack.....DICLOFENAC doesn't hurt, either..

found this for you, in lieu of a *hug* (though you can have one of those, too):


glitter-graphics.com

;-}

Aww... cute rainbow Jude.

How are you feeling today, Cee?

:) cute rainbow :)

Oh dear, oh dear.
The laptop saga continues.
Not to bore you all with the details...
but the original estimate has gone from $130 to $220 to $600... and climbing...
It's looking like I should have thrown the thing in the trash and bought a new one.
I'm not paying more than the orig estimate.
They are trying to tack on an $86 shipping fee for getting to their service center and back.
Never mentioned it before - not written anywhere - NOT part of the deal.
Gonna have another encounter w/ Best Buy tomorrow morning -
Then we'll see...

Thanks for the rainbow, Jude! Cute indeed... do I get a pot of gold too?
I know... some people are never satisfied...
I still love your hugs, too! :)

Remnants of nerve pain leftover - but I believe it is going away.
Tomorrow will be better. :)

Went out tonight with Ron and had our fill of Nachos w/ the works -
and lotsa wine/beer!
Haven't done that in a long time! Woohoo!
Ah feel gud!

A computer guru friend of mine told me lap tops only last 4-5 years max. I don't know if it is true...but, while I like my lap top, I am a PC person through and thorugh.

I hope you beat up on Best Buy, Claudia! :) Good luck!

I love my macbook. Three years and counting and I love it to bits!

ok... I'm already not too happy :P
I was told to call Best Buy at 9:00 (and call EARLY) to talk to the supervisor about my computer.
Called. Store is not yet open and phone does not give me option to get through.

Linda, I prefer the performance of PCs too... but a laptop gives me the option of being conveniently located in the house - wherever it is I need to be. Can't isolate myself at one end of the house while Mom is at the other end.

Hi Stasia - I would love to beat the bejeebers out of Best Buy right now... but Ron (who works in retail) says I have to be reasonable to get anywhere. This is gonna be hard. If I get in trouble... will you come bail me out?

I think I'll be looking for a new laptop, Kath.
I am hesitant to jump to a Mac only because I'll have to learn all new stuff.
It might be good for me... but my old brain resists.
I thought I could get a couple more years out of my laptop by replacing the lcd wire -
but I'm not gonna replace a harddrive!
Does Ammy have good deals, do ya think? Gonna look.

V Unhappy Camper :{

Cee.. let me know what you are looking at.. I will use my priceblink and other magical things to tell you where to get the best price.

Claudia, I feel your pain, but that doesn't help much does it? I think Ron is right about being reasonable, but I also think you need to do it in person with the Store Manager and have three hankies with you (think about Marley and Me if you want some tears) and definitely play the "poor me" role. My brother used to be a BB manager and said that the heartache stories swayed him more than the tough guy approach. GOOD LUCK!!!

Donna has a point.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

My faith is restored in humanity and Best Buy! Talked to the supervisor of Geek Squad...
total satisfaction! He was nice and eager to please!

He is intervening with service center to see what's going on.
Shipping charges waived.
They will check hard drive in store to see if it really needs replacing
If so, will only charge for harddrive ($49)
no labor charge
will move all my stuff over - no charge

WooHoo! Thanks for the offer of your magical pricing, Kath.
Will let you know if I need it.

Even tho is it cloudy today, I know the sun is shining!
Oh, happy day! This just might work out! :)

Come, laptop. Come! Come home to Mommy....

ETA: Thanks for the advice, Donna. I know you are right. This turned out good even w/o the tears! :)

That IS some great news, Claudia. I've always found our local Best Buy to be very accommodating to customers. It didn't hurt that I got the "family" discount when my brother worked there, but he's retired now, and I continue to be a satisfied BB customer.

Very pleasing news

I'm so sorry about the sciatica and glad your computer woes are resolving satisfactorily --

I had one bout with it ten or fifteen years ago, had a young doctor, who, when I asked her how long I could expect it to last, cheerfully (and I mean just that) said, "Oh, maybe for the rest of your life!" Oh boy. It went away on its own. I was lucky.

Huzzah for satisfactory customer service! I hope the results are just as pleasing.

Glad to hear your good news about your laptop, Claudia!

I've bought our last few from Costco and have been happy with their concierge service. They even reminded me to call Amex about their extended warranty when one of our laptops was just off of HP's warranty. Amex had the hard drive replaced for me.

Great book haul! I used to do Book of the Month club.

So, whatcha reading?

Update: I DID get a call back from BestBuy ... they are honoring the orig estimate and will check things out when they get the laptop in-store - probably Monday. Oh... I hope, I hope! Thanks for all the moral support, ladies! :)

Sciatica started when I was pregnant w/ second child. Has been recurring on and off over the years. Sometimes tolerable; sometimes agony. This time annoying and waking me everytime I move at night. But it is almost gone now - so I got off pretty easy this time. I certainly hope it is through with you, Lucy. Better knock on wood...

So, reading... at the moment I am finishing up No Great Mischief (love those Canadian authors and stories) and I'm in the middle of The Tea Rose the first in a trilogy. I won the third in that trilogy from LT ERbooks. So, I have some reading to do to catch up.

It sounds like some good reading. I am back to wanting to catch up on "owed" reviews.. so..
but the books are books that I want to read, so that is a good thing :)

#46: If I get in trouble... will you come bail me out?

Gladly, especially if a trip to Maine is involved.

#50: Sadly, it looks as though you will not need me since Best Buy has decided to behave themselves.

#57: I sympathize with your sciatica pains. I have it too.

good morning! Going to the beach? Grilling? Spending the day under a tree? What is on for today?

:P rain, rain, rain for the next 4 days
then 1 partially sunny day
then, back to rain... so the weather gurus say.
But, really... what do they know?
I'll believe them for today as I can actually see everything is getting drenched. :)

No rain on my house.. they keep promising and .. well, the weather guessers lie shamelessly

Finished No Great Mischief - loved it!
4.5 stars
I'm a sucker for anything about the Canadian Maritimes!

#33 No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod

This is a story of family, a tightly bound clan. With an ancient history of Highland loyalty running through their veins (and their dogs), to the MacDonald family blood is indeed thicker than water. A compassionate and gritty story of siblings, who begin their hardscrabble life in Cape Breton, unfolds into a heartwarming survival story spanning their Canadian relocations, aging, and evolving philosophical views. There are no miracles or easy outs, but there is strength of purpose – successes and failures taken in stride. Alcoholism, social troubles, poverty, a strong work ethic, a connection to the sea, respect, love and death are explored in this excellent, earthy novel.

MacLeod, internationally acclaimed and award-winning author, richly portrays the seasons, the landscapes, and the wild beauty of eastern Canada. His writing is insightful and moving. You can’t help but share the respect and an awe-filled love of nature found in his richly drawn characters. They depend on the land and sea for sustenance. Death is natural and merciless. Life is a shared journey. A fierce love is rooted deep in the collective consciousness of the culture. Reading this book, you cannot escape its grasp.
Highly recommended. 4.5 stars

Sorry to hear of your laptop woes, Cee. If repairs cost more than $200, you're better off buying a new laptop. I think computer companies produce laptops and desktops to run efficiently only for up to 4 years, and after that, performance deteriorates, battery life (in laptops) last as long as a bad cough, and jittery things start popping up on screen, your cursor takes on a life of its own and at times, the darn thing just refuses to turn any other shade then blue.

Hope you find a solution to the madness soon. But when in doubt, head down to Best Buy and give your laptop (and maybe them) a kick.

LOL - funny and true, Caro! No one can describe computer death throes as well as you! :)
So far I am paying $129 and a possible $49 add'l (if new hard drive is necessary).
If that gets me another 2 years, I'll be happy surprised.

Sssshhhhh... you cannot say you'll be happy for another 2 years out loud. That will surely jinx your computer fate! Quick, stare crossly at your monitor, mutter curses about electronics in general and moan that customer service is going down the tubes!

yeah.. I need a new battery.. bummer

#65b (what's with the numbering lately???)
Anyway, I revised it... hope it's not too late. *muttering cross curses*

Glad you got the laptop issue resolved...for now

My old iBook lasted...5 years....now, it won't stay "on" for more than 5 minutes before the screen goes black...it's been 'sent to Coventry"...upstairs....until i figure out how to dispose of it.

I actually own No Great Mischief...and your review has given me incentive to actually read the darned thing...see, we do have books in common

***hug***

It's quite a good book, Jude. It's kinda short but fully packed.
I do think you'd like it. :)
Wait, was that a cigarette? Round & firm & fully packed???? :}
What was the brand?

Oh! Thanks for the hug! :)

What...who's smoking here?

I stopped in 1986...after a bout of Strep Throat...couldn't swallow for a week....i "got better" and figured i "deserved" a smoke...one Puff..i was hanging over the toilet for 10 minutes....i no longer smoke...'nuff said

The "round and firm and fully packed" is your fantasy, sis

LOL!!!

Love ya, Claudia!!

OK, Jude. Maybe I dreamed it???
It could be a fantasy...
I quit smoking in 1978... hypnotized, cold turkey, never took another puff.
Hope my lungs are nice and pink now. lol
Every once in a great while I still have a slight craving...
but I have been oh, so good! Not so hard anymore :)

Hi Claudia- The laptop soap opera continues, huh? Well, at least things are starting to look more hopeful. Good review of No Great Mischief. Sounds interesting.
Hope your weekend went well.
BTW- Quit smoking in January '84. Never looked back.

Hi Mark! So glad you had a great vacation... you must be exhausted! But that's what vacations are for IMO... having fun!
Maybe, just maybe, I'll hear about my laptop tomorrow and get it back??? or Tuesday???
everything crossed - incl my eyes! :)

I read and loved No Great Mischief last year Claudia. Good review.

Good morning! Busy yesterday..

Cory is home, and will be on his way to St Louis later today..
We watched the Tony's.. it was fun!
We enjoyed it.. Did you watch?

So, busy day again, until Cory leaves..

What is on your agenda..

Thanks, Bonnie. I'm not happy with any of my reviews lately. It seems the more I like a book (and I have really, really liked a lot of them lately), the worse my review is... or maybe I just know I can't do it justice. It makes me want to really learn how to do a good review. Unfortunately, writing is not my thing. And I can accept that... just wish I could do better.

Hi Kath, Tony Awards? Nope.
Didn't watch tv last night. hardly ever do.
Glad you had fun w/ Cory!
We went out for Mom's birthday dinner
then had cake and presents at home...etc

Today? Dunno. Maybe I'll lay low and reserve my energy... read
I'm working at the polls tomorrow.
I like to do that... but I kinda wish it was NOT as moderator...
since that means I have to be there from the opening to the bitter end.
It's a long, long day/night.

Phooey, phooey, phooey!
On the profile page for No Great Mischief there is another author mentioned by the NYT
who I never heard of... Alice Munro?
Has anyone read her stuff before and what do you think?
Apparently she does short stories.
They are rated pretty highly?????
The "phooey" is because I don't need to add another author to my WL-
but???? maybe this one needs to be looked at?

Morning Claudia- I read Too Much Happiness last year. It was my 1st introduction to Munro and I loved it. I have another one or 2 of her books in the stacks. Yes, we are always hesitant to add a new author, but some you just can't ignore.

Hey, Mark - why am I not surprised you would be a "first responder" to my inquiry??? LOL
I guess I'm gonna have to give it a go... I really need to retire from real life and become a reading hermit. :P

Yes, I like being a "first responder", especially when friends are in need, but back to RL tomorrow, when computer time is limited. It looks like a beautiful day here. Sunny & 70. Have a nice one, yourself!

I loved No Great Mischief too, Claudia. I am glad to see you did too!

*Crossing fingers that laptop problems are over soon*

Yeah.. me too, re:laptop

today MUST be the day :)

reading hermit? I think that's what I am

I can drone on about Alice Munro if you like -- she's written any number of short stories -- Lives of Girls and Women are the interconnected stories of a young girl growing up in rural Ontario -- if you are interested in Munro I would start with her first books. She is an unflinchingly observer of the human condition and writes -- I want to say 'beautifully' but that won't tell you anything. Her prose is just what it should be -- a mix of straightforward no-nonsense, appropriate to the country and people, but with subtleties of shade and details that haunt. In my head I connect her with the irish short story writers like William Trevor or Edna O'Brien - people with harsh rural lives, but who aren't in the least bit simple, but dark and complicated. Her later books are about more contemporary people and lifestyles but always have that core of harshness.

Hi Mark - well... vacation is over. *sniff* But you could stand the rest I imagine! lol
Hope you have good weather today.

Hi Stasia! I wonder if I will ever read a book you haven't yert read???? LOL
I've gone from crossed digits to praying re my laptop. Next phase is falling on my knees and begging, tearing out hair and renting clothes in grief!

Mornin' Kath... I wonder if we could be hermits together? (since you are such a good cook). I imagine "together" flies in the face of "hermit" definition. :P
Have a peaceful day...

Lucy! Thanks so much for the advice on Munro. I don't know why I am attracted to that type of writing... but she sounds perfect for my tastes. Think I'll check out the library first... then I expect it will be over to Amazon. :)

Off to the polls! Hope it's quiet enough for me to get some reading done.
Happy Flag Day everyone!!!

Oh yeah! forgot about the voting..
blast! all that reading time down the drain..

#78 : Don't sweat it on the reviews, Cee. I am probably the worst reviewer on LT, and as you can see, I still post my pathetic reviews and nobody's laughed yet.... or at least not to my face. haha

Me too, caro.. pathetic as my reviews are.. I post them here and at Amazon :)

Hope you get home soon..

I want to be a hermit with you and Kath too, Claudia!

The tome home will have locks on it's doors.. and heavy curtains on the windows.. lol

Hope you had a nice time yesterday and got some decent sleep last night.
That's over with for a few months :)

I am going out for a while with my sister..
so will be out and about today, I hope that you are, too..
picking up your laptop.

Mornin' All!

Last night wasn't bad... got home at 9:30 which is early for voting days. It was only municipal elections so the counting went quickly.

Caro, I don't laugh at your reviews. And they can't be so bad as I have The Chukchi Bible waiting for me on my shelf per your review!

Kath your reviews are NOT pathetic. They are *real*. Many times I find a surprise or two. Just having a hard time lately keeping up with all the books you've been reading.

Stasia - I have no trouble accepting you into the hermit group as I figure you will always have your nose stuck in a book... like the rest of us. Funny, "us" doesn't sound like a hermit's life, does it? Well, we'll make do. Come on up!~

This morning I have docent training for a special art exhibit in town this summer. How'd I get myself into this one???? Don't ask. But I'm hoping it will give me some reading time if no one comes. Fat chance!

Update to the laptop saga: Have not heard anything yet and I will be calling today! Grrrrrrr......

Those "real" reviews that let me know how a book impacted the reader are the ones that I enjoy most. I can read a summary other places. I want to know if it made someone laugh, cry...or fall asleep.

Hisssss and boooo on the slowness of your laptop repair. I am being especially nice to mine these days as it is over 5 years old now. Who needs to see the "n" or the "e" on the keyboard as long as it keeps chugging along.

Tell us more about the upcoming art exhibit. It's going to be hard for you to become a book hermit with your involvement in the community. ;-)

Hiiiii Claaauuudia!!

No laptop report? Dislike.
Funny day today.. out during the morning..
Kohl's. Red alert. Bought a pair of jeans.
I do not trip on them. They are comfy.

I also bought 2 white tee shirts and a green one,
to go with my green pants. Plan, slightly scoop neck.
Cheap.

Margie came over for a couple of hours of porching.
Dan cut some limbs off of tree. Sadness.

I am ready for anything.
Getting my hair cut at 5 30
hope I don't fall asleep.

I'm feeling sleepy today

Fingers crossed for laptop

Aww... it's always sad when trees have their limbs cut. I'm dreading the call to the tree guy ... we have 2 trees that are really dying and should be cut down. I've been putting it off for years because they're beautiful trees and old and... and.. they're trees! But more branches keep falling off during heavy winds, and one's leaning towards the house, and they both have about maybe 5 green leaves left on the trees. *sigh* I know, it's time for them to come down. booohoooooo

Hi Donna, Tammy, Kath and Caro!
Thanks to all my kind and loyal friends who keep me company and lend moral support while my laptop
is being retrieved from Hell!

WARNING! SKIP THIS MESSAGE IF YOU ARE TIRED OF READING ABOUT MY LAPTOP.

Oh, yeah. I have another update. :P
Not saying the local BestBuy store isn't doing their job... but... they are NOT miracle workers.
So... I don't know why - there were never any symptoms or signs of any problem w/hard drive
but the store has re-tested it and confirms the HD is failing 2 tests. Whatever.
pffffffffffffffffffftttttttt! (sp?)
So they are willing to switch all my programs and data over to a new HD,
BUT - they need the recovery disks. Do I have them?

Called Ron at work cuz if I could rush them over, could get this done.
NO - OH NO!!! We do not have any disks.
Toshiba will send them if we request (snail mail).
If I am lucky they'll come in 3-4 days.
Then we rush them to BB, then they start the transfer of stuff.
I'm figuring in reality, this will take at least another week.
If I had known all this in the beginning, I would have bought a FLIPPIN' NEW LAPTOP!!! :P
Wahhhhhhhh! This is like not having electricity... it's just not 21st century!
RANT NOT OVER! sorry

I'll tell you about the upcoming art exhibit as soon as I learn more about it, Donna.
My town has had a lot of famous artists in the past and the exhibit's goal is to show the loaned art and make it personal with stories that are mostly unknown.
It's no secret I am not an artist nor do i have any real appreciation for much stuff that passes as art. Some of the stuff is ok, I guess. I'll try to do pictures sometime.

Congrats on the jeans, tees, porching time and haircut... will you get the job Kath?

Kath & Caro, So sorry about the trees that are giving up the ghost. So sad. But you can plant others to replace... right?
I do feel your pain... we had to cut down a big tree recently. :(

ETA: Almost forgot! I'm spending an overnight in Bethel tomorrow night to get Bridget and Doug off on the "Trek Across Maine" on bicycles early Friday morning. Then I have to pick them up in Belfast on Sunday.
Need to pack an overnight bag and a book! :) But will have no laptop to bring. :(

glitter-graphics.com

Well, you and your bleakin' laptop!!

;-}

Hi Jude! Thanks!
but...
$25 to ship the recovery disks to us from Toshiba. :P

AND the inn I'm going to tomorrow night is haunted :}

"The Chapman Inn is the only officially “Certified Haunted” inn in western Maine. After many years of strange happenings here at the inn, a certified paranormal investigator was called upon to do an in depth study of the Chapman Inn. Some of the many unexplained events include doors that open and close by themselves, footsteps where no one is there, and cold drafts in closed rooms, even during the summer. Female voices, one very young, have been heard emanating from empty rooms. There have been two reported sightings of a black cat that exited the room quickly when the room was entered. Normally this would not be an issue, except the cat left the room through a solid wall.

Our paranormal investigator spent several days on this investigation, utilizing all of the modern and accepted techniques, including electronic detection and monitoring. His summation indicated that the inn is definitely haunted, and almost certainly by at least two entities. He feels certain that one of the spirits is very likely that of Abigail Chapman, who was the invalid daughter of William Rogers Chapman, an early and long time owner of the home. "

Haunted!!!!! I am officially jealous. REALLY jealous.
take notes of all paranormal activity, please. What book will you take?

The whole laptop thing is turning into a real mess.
I am so sorry. Tomorrow sounds fun..
I am glad for your little getaway ..

Hi Claudia- Sorry to hear you are still singing the "Laptop Blues"! Bummer, my friend.
Have you got very far in Thousand Autumns? Hope you can hang in there. I'm 90 pages in. It's a bit of a challenge at times but the flashes of brilliance, keep me going.
Good luck at "Chapman Inn". Don't forget your crucifix & holy water.

Can't wait to hear about your overnight! L

Sorry to hear about the continuing laptop saga, Claudia. . .

Glad I can be included in the hermits though :)

Well.. good friends can be quiet together, right?
Everyone here is welcome to join as far as I am concerned.
I suspect if we were all tumbled together sans laptops .. we would have our
nose in books, instead of chattering :)

I hope that you have fun with your overnight trip.. sounds fun to me!
I can hardly wait to hear all about it.
:)

Hi Kath, Mark, Lucy and Stasia!
Everyone is so anxious to hear of my haunted adventures...
I hope something happens!!!!
If not, they have great gourmet breakfasts and that should make it all good.

I got thru the first few chapters in Thousand Autumns . I'm a bit antsy with Mitchell - as I was in Cloud Atlas -with all the start-ups and new characters - leaving me up in the air before tying them together. I will, however, give it a chance knowing it will turn out to be good. :)

Will probably bring an easier book to read tonight so I can be alert for ghostly visits! ;-)

#104: I suspect if we were all tumbled together sans laptops .. we would have our nose in books, instead of chattering

True - except when someone finds something really good in their particular book and wants to share it :)

#106: Will probably bring an easier book to read tonight so I can be alert for ghostly visits!

Sounds like a good plan!

You're voluntarily going to a haunted inn, Cee? Hey, maybe you should get your laptop back from BB for the weekend and bring it with you. The ghosts there might be able to fix it for you for free! They certainly couldn't do anything worse to it.

Always thinkin' Caro! Great idea!

Just catching up with you, dear Cee. Sorry to hear of your laptop woes. My desktop computer is currently in the shop, so all I have is our laptop. I'm getting it back tomorrow but they don't know if it's truly fixed or not. It was highly frustrating, so I can totally relate. I think computer problems are some of the most stressful to deal with! Hang in there...

Count me in on being interested in the haunted inn!
I stayed the night in a haunted jail a few years back (cells had been converted into offices), and although I didn't see /feel anything specific, it was still scary and exhilarating!

Oh, how fun - a haunted inn! I have a friend who loves to stay at The Stanley Hotel and go on their ghost tours. She's come back with some interesting stories. (The Stanley was the inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining.)

I'm too chcken!

I agree with Angela about computer problems being very stressful. It can be so oddly random and make you feel so helpless.

So, how many ghosts did you meet? Did you talk to them?
Any pics? I can hardly wait to find out!!

Joanne.. I would stay @ The Stanley, but I think I would want a friend with me :)

Hi Stasia, Kath, Caro, Angela, Megan, and Joanne!

I'm rather disappointed... no ghost sightings! But, I now know it's cuz they put us in the wrong room! Apparently the housekeeper will not go in rooms #7 and #9... so, I figure they don't put anyone in there or else they'd have to clean the room themselves!

It was obviously an old inn - very old Maine. I walked all over the inn (in the dark) last night in my pjs trying to catch a cat walking thru the wall or hear disembodied female voices... but, no luck. Tried to find some eerie cold air but the only strange cold stuff was cold water coming out of the hot faucet. :P
I tried!

I did however get blasted out of bed at 2 am by a very loud train whistle! Then at 4 awakened by chirping birds... then at 5 by the kids getting up... and decided that was enough sleep disturbance for one night. Got up. Otherwise, slept peacefully and deep. :) Go figure!

Dropped the kids off for their trek across Maine and went back for a gourmet breakfast of fresh fruit, fresh yogurt, homemade toast, fresh/warm blueberry muffins and a fluffy Vermont cheddar omelet w/ home fries. Coffee was a special blend of their own - awesome! But next time I want room #7!

No reading yet today. Although I did get lost on a dirt road coming home - wound up being a dead end - and the GPS was no longer talking to me. So, I had my very own adventure!

So. Where is The Stanley Hotel????

Hooray for your very own adventure - even if it was not the ghostly variety! :)

>114 -Cee-: - Oh well, you never know about the ghosts - minds of their own. The Stanley is in Estes Park, CO, near Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park. It was built around 1900 by the Stanley of steamer fame.

Your breakfast sounds heavenly!!

What!!! You didn't ask right up front for a haunted room?!?!?

sigh Well, it sounds like breakfast was a success !Bet that held you for a while.
Don't you love it when the GPS just gives up?
It happened to me in town one day. I just kept ignoring it and going my own way..
and it just stopped talking.

Getting lost isn't much of an adventure for me.. sgh. It happens all too often!

Sorry no ghosts.. disappointing :P

Stasia, I wasn't 100% thrilled to have a getting lost adventure, but I got to see parts of Maine I will probably never see again!

Joanne, We love Estes Park, CO. We went to a lovely B&B there awhile ago (forget the name). hmmm Don't remember The Stanley... I think we need to go back! Shall I get a bus trip organized?

Kath, I wasn't paying for the room so I didn't ask for anything. Too shy.
I figured I would take what I got... hoping the ghosts would find me.
Apparently if you are on a road that the GPS has no data on, it goes silent cuz it has nothing to say.
Shoot! That's when you need it the most!

Man! I need to read! Soon! and a lot! Getting shaky... biblio-withdrawal. Acccckkk!

I don't know. I think it just gets sullen. I was in town.. but decided to go a different way, and ignore the Garmin. She kept at me for a minute then just shut down.. as if she was saying, "you made your bed, now get yourself out of it!"

:)

#34 Cleopatra VII by Kristiana Gregory

Part of the children's Royal Diaries series. Interesting details of Egyptian lifestyle around 57 BC.
Good background of Cleopatra's family and her childhood... left me wanting to know much more. This book is well written for kids - and a tease for me!

Looks like there are a lot of books about this well known princess/queen. I'll no doubt run across one sometime to satisfy my new curiosity.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a really good book about Cleopatra's adult life?

3.5 stars

#120: There is a new biography of Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff that has gotten very good reviews, Claudia, called Cleopatra: A Life.

Years ago, a read a book or three about Cleopatra and her times.
I am interested in the new one by Stacy Schiff.. plan to read it someday..

Good Morning!

Thanks, Stasia! I'll check into that.

HI Kath - she was an interesting woman... intelligent and seemingly a true leader - as far as this story goes.(unlike the rest of her immediate family)

Happy Sunday All!
Absolutely GORGEOUS day here! :D
And I'm off to Belfast to pick up my dau and son in-law after cycling 180 miles across Maine.

Your daughter sure knows how to have a good time...............................................

Morning Claudia- Hope you enjoy your day!

Too bad the ghost left you alone.....

Hi Claudia, I've got the Schiff book sitting on my shelf and since you've whet my appetite with Cleopatra VII I guess I will move that uo to the top of the pile :)

Hope that you are having fun with the kids!

Good Morning friends!

>124 mckait: Yes, she does!

>125 msf59: Thanks, I did!

>126 sibylline: Well, I'm still looking for my meds that I know I packed before I left the inn. I did go to breakfast between packing and leaving... but my door was locked. ?????

>127 brenzi: Oooo! Please let me know how it is!

>128 mckait: They are always fun. Had a big lobster dinner at home last night and had to hug them goodbye this AM. But they got some good sleep and now have a beautiful travel day...

So, today... I am busy again helping the GHS get ready for next weekend's auction, art exhibit preview, and annual meeting. Also have to cook some kind of finger dessert for the annual meeting on Sunday. It will take me all week to decide what to make - that's the hardest part. :PPP Any ideas???

Hope everyone has an awesome Monday! :)

A ghost with a pill-fering habit? Hmmmmmmmmm....... now that is interesting!

LOLOL!!!! Good one, Lucy!

Here you are!

Don't work too hard, ya hear?
make some Cee time and maybe go to the beach.
We might do the same.. Annapolis..
same ocean view! kinda..

Have fun in Three Pines south.. with all of your summer stuff...

Hey, you.....what's up?

And how are we gonna keep this nutty group going, with Kath gone????

;-}

Hi Claudia
I'm stopping by to wave hi.

Hi Kath! Been thinking of you all morning... you must be high right now! lol

Hi Jude... good question! Kath is the kingpin nut... we'll have to muddle along. :P
What's up? Kath! *grin*

Hi Linda!
I don't know if you noticed - I read one of the Royal Diaries - Cleopatra VII
You got me started on these books. Thanks a lot! Now I want to know more about her and have to go out and get an adult book on Cleo!
Passing this on to my granddaughter. The next one I'm trying is Jahanara - India, 1627
If I get sucked into wanting another book on her, I'll have to give up on the Royal Diaries... too dangerous! :)

Made a batch of brownies last night. They WOULD NOT cook! Made another batch just now - I hope they are better, but I'm nervous. This is my favorite, never failed in the past recipe. I hope I don't have to resort to box mixes in my old age. I must be losing it! Eeeek! Mom wants to eat the gooey ones anyway. Ah, moms... always there to make the kids feel better about their mishaps (no matter the age). I had to throw them out. :(

I hope to hear a report on the brownies ... maybe with a recipe, too? ;) I have yet to find a great "scratch" recipe, but I keep trying...

Hi Claudia- Sorry to hear about the brownies! Hope the 2nd batch succeeded. I'm off today, enjoying some ME time. I've been immersing myself in Thousand Autumns. It sometimes takes a couple pages, to draw you back in, but when it does...

Hi Luxx! I will gladly give you the brownie recipe based on years of past high performance - if you want it???? It's from an old Betty Crocker Cook Book - not in the newer ones, I don't think. It's easy. All in one pot. I suppose you could try it once and see how it goes.

Hi Mark! I was reading Thousand Autumns in the doc office this AM. I almost blurted out a "Hey listen to this..." to the people sitting around me but realized in time they might take me over to the hosp to get my head examined... Can't get a really good block of time this past week to read. :(

Brownie Update:
OK.. I'm still not delighted with the way batch #2 came out... but they are better and certainly taste good.
I don't know what the problem is. Weather is good.
I've never had any trouble with this recipe before.
The only difference is last night and today - I added 1 cup chopped nuts (which the recipe calls for).
Never added nuts before as Ron will not eat them. I added them this time cuz they are for a group gathering.

I turned the oven heat up today and they cooked- but still took longer than usual.

So, what's up ?
Do nuts affect the amount of cooking time for brownies????
Is it just being stubborn cuz I want them to be good for a crowd???
Could it be the eggs??? The solar flares???
OR - Am I just too OLD to bake and I will be forced to give up my baking license????

I'm sure everyone will love these brownies...
but I know they are usually more fluffed up and wonderful! These came out a little too dense. drat

I would love the recipe!

As for unexpected problems ... is your oven on the fritz? Do you have a separate thermometer in it to help you regulate the temperature?

I was a baking queen when I still lived with my parents, but it became more difficult when we moved into our first apartment, and downright impossible when we bought this house. Well, it turns out my oven was possessed - it wouldn't keep a consistent temperature, which is why my baked goods wouldn't work out like I hoped. We bought a new oven a year or so ago, and voila! Suddenly my cookies are gooey and my bread is fluffy!

Ooo, or are you using a different pan? I know when I bake cookies I get the results I want with a particular metal sheet, and not the other metal sheet or baking stones...

OK, Luxx... here you are:

BROWNIES

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350.
Grease baking pan 13x9x2 (I spray w/Pam)

Melt chocolate and shortening in large saucepan over low heat.
Remove from heat.
Mix in sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan.
Bake 30 min or until brownies start to pull away from sides of pan.
Do not overbake.
Cool slightly. Cut into bars.
If desired spread w/ Glossy Choc Frosting before cutting.

I love that it's all in one pan and I do it all by hand - no mixer needed.
I don't frost mine... but if you want the recipe, let me know.

Kath thought my problem might be the flour??? I used a new bag for both batches... dunno.
I did use the same pan as always. I'll have to check out my oven.
I actually hope it IS on the fritz since it's never been great.
Would love an excuse for a new stove!

Thank you!

I was shocked to see just how off mine was once I put a thermometer inside. Really, I'm amazed that everything didn't come out either raw or charcoaled. Yuck.

Cee .. if you add about a cup of dark chocolate chips to that recipe of yours, the brownies will come out deliciously fudgey inside. ;-)

Luxx - you are very welcome!

Caro - sounds like a great idea!

Laptop Update:
Recovery discs from Tosiba have finally arrived (took a week) so I can rush them over to Best Buy today to get the process of installing new hard drive re-activated. :) I'm really, really hoping they are the right discs, the Geek squad will jump on this right away, and I will be back to normal in a day or two. All crossables crossed!

Very busy this week/weekend with baking (hope my oven co-operates), summer art exhibit, annual meeting and mini-auction of historical soc, and SIL/BIL company. Oh yeah... summer is here!

Not trying to wish my life away... but...Looking forward to winter! *grin*

Hello, busy one!

Crossing crossables regarding laptop....still..

It's a pain when the oven temp is off...my dad's old oven never cooked anything properly...I would have to "keep an eye" on the darn thing every time i came over to cook for him....thank god for that lightning strike in 2006...blew all the fuses (no circuits, then) and i got a new stove and tv from the insurance money...my new baby ain't fancy but she does work....

{{{{hugs}}}

;-}

Hi Claudia, wow keeping yourself pretty busy I see. The best brownies I've ever had came from a recipe in a child's cookbook that my daughter got as a gift eons ago. That's the only recipe we use now :)

Oh laptop goddesses, hear our plea.
Cee needs her laptop mended
my husband has three

take one of his for your nefarious means
I promise not to tell
even if he threatens to drown me in baked beans.

Caro comes up with the best gifs, doesn't she? I got mine crossed for you!

Caro, you be a poet! You go, girl!

hey Jude! Thanks for the great hugs! I got an oven thermometer so i will be checking this oven out - all the time hoping it's totally broken so I can get a new one. What will actually happen is... I will stop baking. That's not so bad either :) Hmmmmmm

Thanks to my great friends for the wishes (added to mine) for my laptop fix. If Caro's poem doesn't do it, nuthin' will! That's quite a creative effort. How could any laptop goddess worth her weight in megabytes ignore that plea?
With any luck at all... I just might get it back tomorrow. The only snag being - the guy working on it is not working tomorrow and it could fall between everyone else's cracks. :P But I'll be optimistic/patient for now and hope for the best.

Hey Claudia! I don't know if the "not baking" will be bad for you or not....i don't bake anymore, since my Dad died (almost 6 years now)....because I would eat the goodies and grow as big as my house!!! i treat myself once a month, though, to "store bought" ...

Still "crossing" for the laptop.....and hope to hell you, or it, doesn't fall into anyone's cracks!! (I couldn't resist that one, y'know!)

Have a good evening, you
;-}

Well... when I typed that crack about "everyone else's cracks", I had a feeling that didn't seem quite right.
So, I know your response was a temptation impossible to resist. LOL

I actually cut way back on my baking the last few years - so maybe I forgot how??? I *AM* getting better at finding all the right places to buy special treats! ;-)

Oh, you are a good soul....and I'll keep my smart aleck comments to a minimum, here.....at least, I'll try!

;-}

got em crossed down south!

Jude - I love all your smart aleck (and just plain smart) remarks. :)
Don't stop! ( hehehe )

Thanks, Kara! Hoping today is the day! :}

Rainy day, too too much to do today, company coming, and of course I have a headache for all the stress. :P At least it's cool. Thank goodness!

Hope everyone has a great Friday!

Your thread cracks me up, Claudia. Okay, I'll stop now. But I do hope you get your laptop back today. This nonsense has gone on way too long!

Have the goddesses spoken? Has the laptop been fixed, Cee? Maybe if you promise the BB guy some of your brownies, he'll get that repaired in 2 shakes.

*Here I come to save the day .....*. I've had that Mighty Mouse theme song swirling around my head all day!

Sorry to hear about your stress headache. Did you know if you suck on a sour plum, your headache will go away? You may have to walk around all day with a puckered up face, but at least your head won't hurt.

Hi Donna! and Caro!

Guess what???? NOPE! NO LAPTOP TODAY! Waaaaaaaaaahh...
The goddesses must be angry - really angry!

Here's the latest... Ron called to check on the progress as he was going to go get it for me. It's not ready because... are you all ready?????
They installed the wrong hard drive!
Oh, everything was done - all my programs and data were moved over, etc.
So, instead of calling me to see if the HD they put in would be ok,
they took it out and re-started the process on another hard drive.
Supposedly the correct one this time... I don't even care...any damn HD will do!
I'm thinking my face just might look like I've been sucking on plums!
I don't know what to say anymore :{
Well, I can think of a few things... but I need to consult Jude.
Maybe she can help me punch it up a bit! Arrrrrgghh!

:(

Oh happy day! Came home late last night to find my DH had picked up my laptop
and brought her home!
Looks ok from the outside... :)
hope she has not been too traumatized.
Or maybe she had fun traveling & flirting with all those young techie guys???

Still have to load programs on new HD including security.
This will take time... but should be functional later today.
Can hardly believe it. Home at last.

Hooray! Glad the laptop made it home .. finally! Ron is a good egg.

Claudia- That's great news! Hopefully, everything works fine. Fingers still crossed.

Here I am!
Wearing my comfy old laptop again. :)
Oh! This is so great!
Hi Kath! Hi Mark!

Phew! And i didn't have to coach you on "punchy" repartee!!!

All is well with the world, now...or, at least, your corner...

;-}

Hi Jude! It's actually a very good thing Ron picked this up instead of me! Saved my BP and the BB techie's day. :)

On Cloud-ia Nine......I see..
I would be too. Glad you are "home" again.

Congrats on getting the laptop back!

Thanks Kath & Jim! Nice to be back in business. Gawd! This keyboard feels nice!

Done for the day... Exhausted. Glad I don't have to go to work tomorrow!

Sorry for all of you who do have to get back to the grindstone. I'll sleep a little later for you all! :)

#135 mmmmm brownies
I made a batch last week to give to the pre-school teachers to say thank you for looking after all the kiddies in these earthquakey times we are still having here. I got so jealous when I handed them over that I came home and immediately made another lot! It was a good idea :-)

#141 the do not over bake suggesation is the key I reckon

I'm glad the laptop story has a happy ending. I'm certain that was one joyful reunion. Happy surfing, Claudia.

So is your day less crazy today?

Hi Megan! That is pretty funny... going home and baking more brownies to keep! LOL
I'm still not sure what's going on with my oven. trying to test the temp but I can't seem to get the hang of it yet. Need time to do a little more baking.
I made raspberry oatmeal bars for yesterday's gathering and they came out fine. Bewildering that I now seem to be a hit and miss cook???

I can't believe you are still having earth tremors. How tense that must be making everyone day to day. And the poor kids - how is everyone adapting? I'm so sorry for all of you. :( Even when the ground stands firm, you must wonder "for how long???" and "what next???" I would go nuts... I'm a born worrier.

Hi Donna - why yes, this is like a kidnapped daughter coming home. Time for a feast!

Hey Kath! Yes and no... now I have all the after company wash to catch up on,
figuring out what's left to eat around here,
and making reading aomething of a priority - but happily all on my own schedule.
Only one meeting tonight - for the fire dept auxiliary to gear up for the BIG auction, July 9th.
That auction is all day long and really lots of fun.
2 friends and I will be the ones passing out programs,
recording who won each item and $$$ amount,
and collecting money.
We sit up front to hear and see all that is transpiring
and can't leave our posts from beginning to end (except to answer nature's call)
Food and drink brought to us!
The success of this auction is vital to the support of the fire dept -
hope it goes well this year.

Sorry to ramble on so :)

Happy Monday!!!!

Wow Claudia you have a computer story to beat all computer stories. I'm glad it's all settled now and you are good to go.

You have the patience of a Marijuana-happy saint, Cee. I think I would have made a few nice calls to them, so they log my polite distress over their ineptitude, and then once I had my craven hands on my much abused and traumatized laptop, I'd have used said laptop to zip off a scathing but still polite email to the GM of BB, and ask him what he thinks BB should do to compensate you for the mental anguish and the loss of use of your laptop. Your loss of sleep as a result of duress has caused hair loss and anxiety attacks.

Hi Bonnie... if ever I wanted to be part of a "story" it would not be this computer nightmare.
I'm ok with all's well that ends well... but will never be able to fully trust them again.

Caro - I wonder how many others think I am "Marijuana-happy"? hmmm didn't think it was so obvious...
The only thing that saved BB was that the supervisor at the local store was truly excellent and did all he could... unfortunately everyone and everything else went wrong. You aren't far off on the mental anguish and anxiety - but I think I still have all my grey hair. I would write a letter or e-mail, but truly, I just want to forget it and move on. :P
Still I love reading your indignant ruminations - you crack me up! :) LOL

I think that if one has a wee bit o the weed, that one should be sharing it..

....that's what I think...

And it is v good for the headache.

You are a smart thinker there, Kath.
You know I would share w/you if I had some...
esp since we both seem to have headaches that won't go away ;-)

The last time I encountered what I thought were weeds, turned out to be baby columbines.
Didn't find that out till I pulled them all up...
Oh! That's not what you meant? (hehehe)

Claudia...you got Weed...that isn't cut with toxins???

Send me some (as if, right?)

{{{{big hugs}}}

.....any who.....

I look away for a second and its all talk about drugs! lol

#172 yes to the idea that unsteady land induces worries. I have to rein my fear in sometimes and remember that our house is sturdy, and that the ground under us is firm (and not water-logged like the other side of town). Who said they could put a fault line under my city anyway? :-) I need a quake-break!

drugs? what drugs? Herbs.. herbs and weeds.. it is a chat about gardening.

See? This is why I don't like gardening, you never know when you'll find toxins in your weeds! I can't tell one from another and I keep forgetting to put on my "lovely" :P gardening gloves. Not to mention the bites I'm itching now! Double :P:P

Thanks for the big hugs, Jude. Now I can go forth into today with gusto! {{{big hugs back}}}!

Megan, I can't imagine how unnerving those tremors must be. I see you have a sense of humor and have come up with some "quake quips"! I really hope things settle down and the tremors are just a bad memory before long. So, would it help if I sent you some of my weeds? lol

Kath, I'm glad you understand what I'm talking about... Herbs and weeds! right... wish I had some basil. Love the smell of basil! :) What are you growing in your garden besides weeds?

hmmm some of this .. some of the other.. none of that, sad to say

hmmmm sounds like my garden - but I'll bet you a lobster roll yours is neater!

doubtful

Good Grief, Cee! I've just discovered your not so new thread. Glad I'm finally here.

Hi Lynda! Nice to see you... don't worry. I don't think you missed anything.
I've been so distracted by RL and laptop woes.
Doubt things will quiet down for me till summer is over.
I'm on "low-dose reading" for the time being. :(

Did ya go? Did ya take pictures.. ?

Hi Kath! Yes and no... we went, had a nice lunch (my favorite BLT in the world), a short walk (cuz she refuses to bring her walker) and enjoyed all the purty flowers, sculptures, etc. we could get to. Someday I'll get to see the whole place.

Dragged the dang camera around and did not feel like taking pictures. Sorry. Go ahead, beat me with wet noodles! Oh... more! more! lol

No pictures 8-{

Nope. Too many people. Too much blasted sun. Carrying too much stuff - like the heavy sweater my Mom HAD to wear then decided to shed it... and her map that she HAD to have and didn't want to carry (I already had a map)... and the Almond cookies we bought to bring home, oh! and ...not to mention the camera! I won't mention that. If she doesn't bring her walker next time, I will just for the basket!

We had a good time even tho we didn't see all that much of the gardens - but I just couldn't get in to taking pics! :P I enjoyed my $50 +gas BLT. She doesn't know it, but I designated today HER day so I would not feel guilty taking Thursday for MY day. I'm planning to run away!!!! :)

Hi Claudia-What is this "low-dose reading" business? I am not familiar with this particular malady. I hope it's not contagious or anything. Gotta go!

Mark... not to worry
low dose reading = survival reading to keep my brain active

It's like daily low dose aspirin to protect against heart attack. :)

#192 lol, ps I like basil too :-)

My daughter made us a really nice spinach salad with chopped, fresh basil, dun dried tomatoes,
grilled chicken and croutons.. garlic ones. It was quite yum.

Nothing on the agenda yet for me.. something will turn up, I have no doubt..

browsing Ammy ( DANGER there.. Danger!)

http://www.amazon.com/Maine-Islands-Dorothy-Simpson/dp/0942396510/ref=pd_sim_b_5

Hi Megan! Hi Kath!

That spinach salad sounds great... wish my family would eat like that.

What's with the Maine Island book? Trying to beef up my WL are ya? I'm gonna see if the GHS or the library has it first.

Beautiful foggy morning. Ah.... Maine!
Need to be a docent today ... "... a voluntary worker who acts as a guide in a museum, art gallery, etc..."
Hmm, I can't give much guidance, I'm afraid. Hopefully no one will come today and I can spend my time reading, reviewing and learning more about this art.

No better way to learn than to try to teach I always say!

Foggy 'up' this way too!

Claudia- Just swinging by to say hi! I'm off today and its another gorgeous day. Went for a nice bike ride, but now I'm pooped. Book time.

yes. I am totally trying to lure you into adding more books. I got into a list of good books after reading another post.. look at the books that are recomm/ended at the bottom of the ammy page.. more good ones

>197 sibylline: Ah... Cape Cod! Another beautiful place. :)

>198 msf59: Hi Mark! I just want to say... I can NOT keep up with your reading. I like what you have to say in your reviews... but need my own "thundershirt" when I read your thread. :}

Pet peeve: I wish read (current tense) and read (past tense) were spelled different.

>199 mckait: Kath, I thought we were friends!
I didn't used to be afraid of being buried alive... but I'm getting a little nervous about the piles on my night stand and shelves in bedroom... a good thunderstorm could shake loose an avalanche!
Somewhere in my library system must be these books on Maine... but don't get me goin'! *groan* :}

If the Thundershirt doesn't work for Bailey, I'll package it up and send it to you! LOL!

Thanks, Mark!

Cee, i am having a lot of trouble getting online with anything but nook. I will visit as I am able. Grrrrrrrr

so sorry, kath
I feel your pain!

why doesn't BB have loaners if they need to take so long????
1-2 days - tolerable 2-4 weeks NOT!
oh woe....
are we spoiled or what?

Addicted ... addicted

Just stopping by to say good night, and sweet dreams..
I am hanging it up for the night...
might read.. might not..see ya tomorrow !

Morning Claudia- I saw on Kath's thread, you were going boating. Well, have a great time! I wish I could go along. I would be very quiet and mind my own business! Hugs!

I'm reading too many books at once and have made varying progress with each...
However, I did finish a beautiful children's book that I'll be sending to my grandson, the new trumpet player:

#35 The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Never read this one as a child, or to my children. What an unfortunate miss. Having now rectified this, I strongly recommend this enchanting book to share with a child. This is a positive and optimistic story in the face of personal doubts and hardship on a level to which children can relate. The last paragraph was exquisitely beautiful... endings are so important. I'd love to quote it here, but just in the very unlikely case there is anyone who has not read it yet - it would probably be a bit of a spoiler.

I read this because it was being discussed on Richard's thread and I felt I needed to see what all the fuss was about. So glad I did!
4.5 stars

sorry, now that my computer has been fixed, I can't do touchstones.
Can you help me with this Kath? Is there some workaround?

Use Firefox!
Free download http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/fx/
call me if you want help setting it up..

I am adding that one to my maybe someday list :)

Wow! I'm almost totally wiped out after a day on the water (ocean and mighty rivers) ... it was perfect. Not too hot, not too cool. Hardly any other water traffic, sunny and calm... Picnic on the boat for lunch. We saw at least 7-8 dolphins swimming in graceful synchronicity. So amazingly in tune with each other and nature! Also saw a deer swimming from one island to another - cute. Eagles, ospreys, herons, cormorants, gulls, harbor seals, etc... Didn't even count the lighthouses and lobster boats. It won't be this awesome again til after Labor Day. We hit it just right today. Glad I went... it was the right decision.

Kath - Thanks for the offer! I think I might take you up on the firefox help when I'm rested and thinking straight. Maybe if I get up at 4:30 again tomorrow am - I'll call you???
LOL - only kidding. Doubt that will happen 2 days in a row!
I'm just nervous about doing this by myself and Ron has a lot of work hours lined up. :{

so you had fun? good! sounds like a perfect day!

your dinner sounds yummy, too..

after 1 pm if you call tomorrow.. after dan leaves for work, okay :)
it is really simple though . Others might suggest chrome..
That is what is on Dan's computer, and it is ok, too :)

Bet you sleep tonight!

K. Thanks! *smooch*

Claudia- Sounds like you had a fantastic day. If I ever make it up your way, you have to promise me, to take me out on a boat trip, like that one. I'm also crazy about wildlife.

Will do my best, Mark! Would love you to have that experience too... wild nature is very spirit-refreshing / life-affirming. But you know that after your great vacation! :)

Quick good morning.. and I am off to the store. I am running late, since rd sent
me off to B&N and I was lost in a world of free books.. just what I needed.. I think nook
is bulging.

Hope you slept well and have a good day ahead!

Sounds lovely, your boating day.

Hi Kath - glad to see you are enjoying the Nook so much and finding free stuff too! My Kindle is feeling comfortably over-stuffed too. We need an e-reader vaca now. How about an all-inclusive resort on a beach in St Lucia this winter? Or a well-stocked cabin in the woods with a huge fireplace in Three Pines?

Hi Lucy, It was a rare and lovely day. All came together just right. :)

Off to oversee the art exhibit again this morning - and try to be a decent docent! :}

Who was it found the Three Pines twin town recently?
Wouldn't it be fun for all the Three Pines lovers to rent a cabin there for a group read when the new one comes out !

:)

cake in oven.

>218 mckait: I think it was Lucy?

That would be fun, Kath... bring cake!

Mm...cake? Haven't had cake in a while. I'm thinking tres leches cake ....I might make some on Monday perhaps, but for now, I'm going to have to be happy with a bowl of beautiful deep red strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

Hi Caro! Just read a seductive description of old-fashioned strawberry shortcake today. Now I am craving some. It's time!

Did you have to mention strawberry shortcake Claudia?? They're at the end of their season here and we only enjoyed them once so far. I guess I'd better go out and find some tomorrow.

We had strawberries a few times. I don't like them much...
Back from a quicl walk.. this hill is deadly. Deadly, I tell you!

Morning Claudia! Just continuing over here from kath's thread. I have been called Brit since third grade. My mom named me Brittany just so she could call me Brit. I am way more of a Brit than a Brittany!

OMG! OMG! Oh My Goddess, Kath!

I did it! I did it!

I downloaded firefox (cute little thing!) and I am using it for LT now!
I have my touchstones back!

Damn that was easy! Should have done this days ago!
I am so timid. :P You gave me courage to try! Thanks.

Now I need to finish a book so I can use it again! :)

Hi Bonnie! Hi Brit!

Cool! Congrats!

Strawberry shortcake, Cee? I'm in. I did just buy a couple of punnets of gorgeous deep red strawberries from the farm this morning. All I need is to get some cream and little shortcakes tomorrow from the store and I can make them for dessert. What a good idea, Cee.

Oh and I love Firefox!

#225 firefox is pretty user friendly! Well done- you'll be flying through the threads now :-)

Well done, Cee... touchstones watch out! Cee is coming for ya!

Ha! You guys are too funny!

Thanks, Jim! :)

Caro - our family LOVES strawberry shortcake. When the kids were little, ONCE a year during strawberry season we would have straw shortcake for ONE supper. A meal of all the straw shortcake (and milk) as they wanted. (Nothing else - no meat, no veggies) Warm biscuits were the foundation - real whipped cream the topping. Drat! Now I really want some!

Hi Megan! It really is easy - and that's coming from someone who doesn't ever mess around with my pc!

Thanks, Kath. I hate it when I'm missing out. Now I'm back in the game! :)

Happy 4th, Cee. Oh, SbSc sounds perfect for today, especially if you throw in a few blueberries - alas - I opted for a boring lemon pound cake instead. Lemon is just so perky, I love it.
Oh, your boating excursion sounds sooooo nice. Why does Maine have to be wayyyyyyy up north and so far from anywhere? Hmmm, perhaps that's why it's so nice.

I love lemon desserts. Usually, when I have a choice, I opt for non chocolate
desserts, lemon being at the top of my list!

Good morning ... !Now got to mozilla and find some fun add ons!
you will be glad you did :)

Happy 4th Cee. I've had strawberry shortcake on my mind since yesterday, so guess what I'm going to make for dessert today? ;-)

Happy Fourth, Kiddo!!!

No dessert here...just a couple of peaches and some grapes!!!

{{{{{hugs}}}}

mm I love grapes

Happy 4th Claudia! Congrats on the Firefox. I use it too!

Kath- What are the fun add-ons?

Hi Lynda, Lemon pound cake is NOT boring! I actually have a lemon cake (half eaten) on my counter right now. Yum! Thanks for the shortcut (SbSc) for shortcake... makes life easier!

Hi Kath! When it comes to desserts I love them all (well, not fruitcake :P)! I will try some add ons - just a little nervous about getting lost in cyberspace. :}

Caro - whatever you make for dessert will be top notch! Love the flip flops - my top choice in footwear!

Hey there, Jude! How about a small peach shortcake (w/ biscuit)? Grapes can be a great snack... I sometimes eat them while I am making supper so I won't - ya know - eat what-all I am cooking.

Hi Mark! It was a lot easier than I figured - don't know why I fight everything! :P Let me know if you find any great add-ons!

Hope everyone has a special day!

back from my vacation and just scanning the threads...no way of catching up after being gone a week....so, and happy 4th!

Hi! Happy 4th!

I must say, that after reading about strawberry shortcake, I had a major pregnancy craving for some. So I picked up fresh strawberries and made biscuits and whipped cream. Thank you for the idea!

When we were little, if there were any leftover fixings for strawberry shortcake, we got to have it for breakfast! Only once in a while though... I figure there is fruit and milk and bread... all breakfast foods!

books and food run rampant through our threads....

sorry to be so far behind on your thread. June was a difficult month but I hope the rest of the summer will be better! Thanks for the heads up regarding The Trumpet of the Swan. I bought this book last week for .10 at a neighborhood yard sale. I'll be sure to read it this month for the July YA Challenge Thread.

Congratulations on your new computer.

Hi Kara, Jess, Kath & Linda!

Books and food! What else IS there? :)
(Just checking to see if RD reads my thread anymore...lol)

June was an overactive month for me.... hoping the rest of the summer slows down.
Well, we DO have the fire auction next weekend... lots to do...
But maybe after that???

Hope everyone gets a chance to chill out this month:

We've been mad for strawberries this year, dunno why.

congrats on loading Firefox and getting yr. touchstones back.

Yes it was me who 'found' Three Pines -- it's an area -- around Sutton Que if you want to consult a map. I don't know of any appropriate B&B there, but I'm sure I can find out.

I did, last year, contact a friend in Maine who runs a B&B, oh gosh, I'm forgetting where exactly. I think she can put up six or eight and said there was a motel sort of place also, nearby. She runs retreats mainly and so generally provides all the food too. I can go find the email if anyone is interested.

I'm with Kath on the lemon desserts. Mmmmm, citrussy goodness.

Lucy... I remember the B&B that you posted about. I think I even kept the link on my computer..not sure though..it looked gorgeous!

Megan, a friend of mine on FB posted a lemon filling recipe.. I am thinking it sounds
perfect for topping some pound cake :)

Morning Cee... Dan is off today, so it will not be a relaxed day..
but, there ya go.. I am having issues with my stove.. milk boiled over and now the burner
won't light, hopefully he will fix that today..

No idea what my day will hold... how about you?

Oh man, strawberry shortcake for breakfast sounds divine right now...

Hi Lucy! Thanks for dropping in.. yeah, what was the name of that place in Maine? Forgot. It sounded nice. Maybe I'll just go myownself. :)
All this craving for strawberries proves you don't have to be pregnant to be obsessed by Mother Nature's "gift of the year". They look luscious, taste terrific, and are naturally nutritious! Why resist?

Hi Megan! I think lemon is gaining in popularity lately - or maybe it's just in my house???

Hi Kath! I think I have to make this Mom's day and take her out shopping/lunch. She's been very patient lately but I think she is getting antsy.

Hi Luxx! You are one of the few who can have what you want for breakfast - go for it! Enjoy the last few days of anticipation. ;-)

Have fun with mom... stop in a bookstore!
lobster roll for lunch?

( yes, I am becoming obsessed )

247 - In that case ... I have apple pie in the refrigerator. ;)

Did you decide not to come home?

I am heading out... nighty night!

#247 : Exactly, Cee. why resist the great summer fruits? I did make strawberry shortcakes ... warm biscuits, a heap of strawberries and lashings of whipped cream on each! Mmm.... oh and also a cherry pie.

Did someone mention lobstah rolls? I have a weakness for anything lobster.

Me too Caro... and I almost never get it ..sigh..
I guess that Cee and her mom were partying into the night?

* checks behind doors *

Hi y'all!
Food:
Kath -no lobster roll for me this time, but Mom had one... looked way better than my disgusting BLT
Luxx -COLD apple pie is a fav of mine
Caro - you did SbSc perfectly!

Parties: none

Today: mine - but I don't know what to do with it!
Trying to find a nice cotton blanket - the stores around here are pathetic. Maybe I will head to Portland (Maine Mall) today or LL BEAN. Unfortunately, I'm not really in the mood for shopping. Dunno yet.

Plodding thru Thousand Autumns and can't decide if I like it or not. Mitchell is a hell of a writer and creative in his style. Book 1 was kinda boring; book 2 way better; way, way, way too many names throughout. So unnecessary to me.
Occasional unexpected lightning bolts of brilliant writing, plot twists, and passages that need to be explored more than once. Still have 100+ pages to go.

Also reading and enjoying White Heat which is a well written bio of Emily Dickinson. Lucy and Becky are exchanging some great comments as they are reading it. Thanks, ladies!

Hope everyone has a happy Wednesday! ;-)

When plodding is the adjective, I am not sure that the book is worth reading..
have fun on your day out!

ditto what Kath said in #254

but only 100 pages to go? plod through I say....to much time already invested

hope it turns out somewhat decent :/

So, how is Cee Day going?

Hi K and K!

Found a blanket! It's cotton; it's soft; it's lightweight; it's blue; it was on sale! Yay!

Bought 2 used books Cleo and The Elegance of the Hedgehog and lots of treats for Loki and Woolly. Also did some grocery shopping to get cool stuff for supper = no cooking.
Visited with a friend for awhile - nice day, but too hot for me - inland.
Nice here now with a beeeeuuutiful cool breeze, sun dipping behind the trees, birds singing.

I'm not sure I can blame the "plodding" on the book. I think it's been me. Or both. Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. :)

Claudia- Hey, you only have a 100 pages left, that's not to bad. There are still some slow sections but I think the last 30 or 40 pages are very strong.
I really enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I know it has gotten mixed reviews over here but I think you'll like it.

NEW THREAD HERE: http://www.librarything.com/topic/120155