Sunday Musings on the Acre, Take 17

Oooh, CUTE picture, Stasia! Love it!

Hey, Roni! Thanks! I need to get on Stephanie about getting me some new pictures of Rylan, but I love that one. 'Major Trouble' is my middle name :)

Great photo!

He is such a little MAN!

#4: Thanks, Darryl!

#5: Yes, he is, Peggy. I cannot wait to see him again.

Oh! I'm here kind of early, for me. Hi!

How close are you to Dallas? Just curious.

Yah! I think this must be a record for me. :) Number 8!!

#7: Hey, Jenn! I am about 75 miles northeast of Dallas, almost at the Oklahoma border.

#8: Hey, Valerie! Glad you found me again.

Yay! A new thread! I figure that getting a jump on it early, I may be able to keep up with it.

Who is that cute baby, Stasia? (Sorry if you mentioned it before. I've not read your last thread because by the time I found it it was already intimidatingly long.)

Not too late this time to make my appearance :)

#10: That cute baby is my great-nephew, Rylan, born March 20th. He was the first of my two great-nephews born this year.

#11: Hey, Piyush! It is never too late for you to make an appearance.

How wonderful, Stasia! Two adorable great-nephews this year! Do they live near you?

I just met my two great-nephews at a family wedding in Chicago on Saturday. One is a little over 1 year and the other is a few months old, and both are just adorable.

My great-nephews both live in Longview, which is about 150 miles east of me. I have met Rylan in person, but have not yet met Brayden.

Good morning Stasia. It's sunny and blue skies here in Newcastle today for a change after all our rain - perhaps the rain's gone west! Hope today is a cool one for you anyway.

ps. I've just read the last couple of posts on your old thread. Thanks for the link to the Internet Archive - that looks like another very useful resource especially for older books that have been digitised.

#15: I love Internet Archive, Genny! I can download books for my Nook that I might not otherwise be able to get. I hope you can do the same.

I hope the rain comes far west! It was 107 here yesterday and will probably be close to the same today.

God.... finally caught up... :) I think I'll add your thread as one of my novels for the year!

Anyway... in a very good mood cos just bought tickets to see Bob Dylan when he come to the uk in October! Would love to see him over in the USA though.

#17: I think I'll add your thread as one of my novels for the year!

I get that comment a lot. I cannot figure out why though :)

Have a wonderful time at the Dylan concert, Lee!

Morning Stasia- I love the picture of "Major Trouble". I wonder if he knows Major Book Geek?

Hope you have a good day!

#19: Mark, the thread you were on earlier was thread 11, not the one immediately previous to this one which is why that link is wrong. I had to check, lol.

I hope you have a good day too!

I just noticed that too! Sorry!

No problem!

Hi Stasia!! Great picture of your little grandnephew - what a darling!Thanks for stopping by my thread. Comedy in a Minor Key is quick read- that much I can tell you.

107 degrees! Oh my goodness!!! I don't know how you can tolerate it! I hope you have a/c!

#23: Yes, I have a/c. I think it is a necessity of life here in Texas. The people who pioneered down here and did not have it, have my greatest admiration!

Unfortunately Comedy in a Minor Key is not yet available at my local library. Hopefully some day it will be.

#17 - Oh, I'm envious! I nearly did that myself (I was going to have a trip to Manchester to hear him there since he doesn't ever seem to come to Newcastle), but got in a muddle and had booked a holiday away on the same date before I realised! I've not yet seen him live and really want to catch an episode of the Never Ending Tour one of these days!

OHH! I missed an entire thread! :(

Well, I'm here now anyway...and I read your Sunday posts, so that must count for something, right?

#26: Yes, it does :)

Great nephew is adorable. I love the tee-shirt, Stas. How about a pic of you holding the cutie?

>26 Ape: Stephen, I've come to realize that it happens a lot on Miss Stasia's threads. :)

#28: No, breaking the camera while holding the baby would not be a good thing, Caro!

Chuckling along with your other followers, Miss Stasia, who are counting your thread as one of this year's novels! I get that! You win big for most active and supportive LT members!

Ah, another acre. Hello from the Monsters and I!

Finally found you! Had to hit 4 links before I got to this one--but the picture made it worth it!

Got ya starred again, Stasia. For the record, I went to school in central Texas back in the early 1960's - and there was no A/C in the schools I went to. Our house had some window units which made life semi-bearable. ;-)

*smooch*

Just peeking in, Stasia. :)

*waves* Hi, Stasia! Happy Friday!

TGIF!

Hi Stasia -
Your thread is moving so fast... first, I love the picture of your Grand Girls (last thread)! They are adorable and I am jealous you have two of them! My Grand Girl is going into the sixth grade in a couple weeks, too!

Of course, Great Nephew is a sweetie! That's a cute shot!

#9 Sigh. I am going to Dallas to visit a friend at the end of October. She actually lives in Frisco. We are going into Arlington for a football game on Friday the 28th. No idea what we're doing the rest of the weekend. We're coming Friday morning and leaving Sunday evening, so it's a very fast trip. I was trying to think of a way to meet you without being rude/difficult...

Maybe another time. Because this friend is a REALLY good friend, and I'll be going back. Incidentally, she is the photographer who took the new photos for my Etsy shop. Have you seen them? They are gorgeous. www.lavenderave.etsy.com - just sending you to see them because I LOVE them. This is not a sales pitch :P.

#31: Hey, Nancy! If everyone else is counting my threads as a novel, I guess I will too - since I definitely read them all.

#32: Hugs back to the Monsters and you, Luxx :)

#33: Hey, Carolyn! Man, you went through a lot of links to get to me.

#34: Ick, Donna. I do not think I could have handled it myself.

#35: Richard! A big smooch back!

#36: Hello, Micky!

#37: Hi, Mary! Happy Friday to you too!

#38: I confess, I would like Fridays a lot better if I did not have to work, Laura.

#39: Thanks, Claudia. My oldest grandgirl, Alyssa, turned 11 today. I cannot believe it!

#40: Jenn, I sent you a PM.

Checking in, Stasia!! I read through your previous thread -and then found the link to this thread. I must agree - you have so many thread perhaps I can add on STASIA'S THREAD for one of my novels! ;)

I would like to point out that there are at least 2 other members of the group who have at least as many threads (or more!) than I do! lol

I don't think anyone's complaining about the length of your threads, Stasia (I know I'm not). We're just kind of setting up an excuse for when we don't manage to keep up. :)

Ah, OK :)

I am busily flagging away 'lvbags' posts and have also flagged the LT account. Hopefully he or she will be gone shortly!

Added a flag - you have enough genuine people posting without this!
Another sunny but cool day here - sending you cool vibes across the Atlantic!

Ah, if only the cool vibes you are sending would reach me, Genny!

Good Morning Stasia! I hope you have a fun weekend planned. Can't wait to see what books you plowed through this week!

#50: Not many this week, Brit. It will be a short list :)

Stasia- Have a good Saturday! I'm really enjoying TDR. I need to start looking for the next book.

I will be training a new employee tonight at my office - that would be my daughter, Beth - so do not be surprised if I am not around much in the group. I may just take tonight as my night off instead of tomorrow night like I normally do. I am also making a trip to Longview on Monday, so I will not be around much then either.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

I hope it went well with Beth last night. Have a safe trip back and forth to Longview.

Hugs

saving a spot !

#47 Whoever it is, is probably hurting the brand more than anything else.

OMG Stasia, I missed a few days and was like, 100 posts behind on your last thread and this one is one-fifth over with already!

Anyway, hi, got you starred and will be back for your reviews tomorrow, something I always look forward to.

I am having a busy night at work, so comments will be brief (and so is this week's list!):

240. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers - another read along with Peggy as we continue through the Lord Peter Wimsey series, and this is not destined to be a favorite for me; one of the things I really liked about Clouds of Witness was the budding relationship between LPW and Parker, and that is missing for much of this book and the final answer to not 'Who Did It?' but rather 'How Did She Do It?' question seems to come from almost out of the ether; guardedly recommended (3.5 stars)

241. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart - juvenile; this is the third book of the series and my least favorite - as I remarked on Roni's thread the other day, perhaps I am getting tired of the formula by this time as it seems to be the same one repeatedly; not recommended (3.25 stars)

242. In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut - this book was difficult for me to read just because it was so stylistically different from what I am used to, so getting used to the style was half the battle for me; I did end up liking the book more than I initially thought I would: it is essentially a journey of self-discovery as we follow Damon through his travels, meeting up with various individuals and forming relationships with them; my favorite section of the book was the second section, 'The Lover'; recommended (3.75 stars)

243. The Legacy Letters edited by Brian Curtis - nonfiction; the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks is just a couple of weeks away, so when I saw this book at the library I picked it up - the book is a collection of letters from family members to someone they lost in the September 11th tragedy (one woman lost both her husband and mother); I cannot possibly give a rating to a book such as this just because the emotions are pulled at constantly, the writing is different from person to person, etc; one thing that I do wish had been included was some type of afterword as the book ends rather abruptly

244. The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan - young adult; a very good YA book about Marnie, who marries Isake, the lord's second son, in exchange for her family being able to remain on the lord's estate and who, after the death of her husband shortly after their marriage is imagined to be a witch; her friendship with Raven, assumed to be a madman, does not help matters much either; recommended (4.25 stars)

245. I Never Had it Made by Jackie Robinson - do not expect a 'cradle to grave' biography if you read this book - Robinson spends very little time dwelling on his childhood; also do not expect in depth statistics or retellings about games from his baseball career - Robinson spends little time on the games themselves; rather, the first part of this book, although about baseball, really concerns itself with his struggle to reach the big leagues, even with the backing of Branch Rickey, and what happened to him once he was there; the second part of the book is about Robinson's life after baseball, his involvement in politics and the Civil Rights movement; recommended (4 stars)

All of my reads this week were library books, the first such week I have had in a while.

Just a reminder that I will be out of town Monday, so I probably will not be catching up on threads until some time Tuesday. Do not talk too much in the meantime! :)

No BBs for me this week - great that they were all library books! Hope the trip goes well.

No BB's here this week, for a wonder! Happy Sunday, Stasia!

Happy Sunday Stasia - hope Beth's first day at work goes well and you have a safe trip Monday.

I am happy for you that Beth is going to be working with you ..
Hope all goes smoothly and happily :)

Morning Stasia- Hey, I managed to dodge any BBs too! Good luck with the training!

Happy Sunday, Stas. I managed to avoid the BBs today ... but only because I have the Jackie Robinson book already in my TBR Tower. Thanks for the heads up on The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club ...I'm in 2 minds over this series. I've found that I've sort of liked about half the ones I've read, and been really meh over the other half.

I really have to start rereading Dorothy Sayers!

No BB's this week for me Stasia, hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

The Raging Quiet and I Never Had it Made are going on my list. Have a lovely weekend.

Nada, for me, Stasia! Although I am a little curious about In a Strange Room. Have a wonderful week and safe travels.

I enjoyed The Unpleasantness a bit more than you did, Stasia, though it is definitely not among my favourites. I liked little things like Lord Peter's reaction to being snubbed, and later on his sympathetic and sensitive handling of the young lady suspect - revealing something of his manner towards women which we get to see develop more in his relationships in later books.

Do not talk too much in the meantime! :) I fear we may not be very obedient on this score, but we look forward to welcoming you back after your day away!

*Waves* to Stasia, even though she isn't there. Sounds like the story of my life...

I've missed you, sweetie! 3 months till November!

I agree with you about The Mysterious Benedict Society books. I probably wouldn't have read the third if I hadn't had all three out from the library (and did read two other books between the second and third). For upper elementary grade children, the quirkiness and the puzzles as well as the repetitive series structure will keep them interested, but not enough there to keep me reading. Enjoy your family on Monday!

I have been wanting to reread the Sayers books seeing your reviews. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Hi Stasia! I dodged the book bullets too, sort of. I want to read the Lord Peter Whimsey series at some point so will probably get to The Unpleasantness eventually.

Hey Stasia! Well not many books for you is still seems like a lot to me! No BBs for me this week though. I hope you enjoy what is left of you Sunday and travel safely!

Well, I am adding The Raging Quiet to my list, and like so many others I am slowly working my way through Dorothy Sayers books, so will get to The Unpleasantness eventually. Thanks Stasia.

Hi Stasia! I hope you're doing well. I will try to catch up on the first 75 messages soon.....

As I will be starting War and Peace soon, I am not reading any blueprint (unless I see a 5!). But I did want to stop by and say hi! Have a good week!

Nothing for me this week; I Never Had It Made is already on my wish list.

Hi, Stasia! Just a quick reconnoiter before the end of the weekend and of my lovely summer vacation and of heading back to work tomorrow. Hope you have a great week!

Stasia, the Jackie Robinson book looks very interesting. It's going on the wishlist. Thanks!

Rather than replying individually as I normally do, I am just going to give a group 'Hello! Thanks for stopping by the Acre!' tonight. I am tired and have a long trip ahead of me tomorrow. I may even try and catch a nap here at the office, something I rarely do. Shhh - do not tell anyone :)

Not telling anyone. *whispers* happy napping... and have a good trip.

Hi Stasia - glad that you enjoyed The Raging Quiet. I should read her Time of the Eagle, the sequel to Secret Sacrament. I'd forgotten that I still hadn't read it.

So........are the Dorothy Sayers books gentle mysteries? No blood n guts? They rather sound that way. Anyway......just askin'.........

You are quite safe with Dorothy Sayers books if you want to avoid gory stuff.

not catching up.. just saying hi :)

Hi Stasia - hope your travels are going (have gone) smoothly.

No BB's this week.

No BB's for me, either - a miracle!

Are you absolutely certain none of your "clients" are on LT? :)

I am home - just got here about 20 minutes ago. I am dead tired, having never gotten my nap at the office Sunday night (thanks Ilana though, for not telling!) and sleeping less than 3 hours today. I am going to take a couple of sleeping pills and hope than I can manage 6 hours of sleep tonight. I should be back to the regularly scheduled checking of threads tomorrow :)

Take care Stasia.

And 6 hours of sleep, are you sure you really need those many?

Sheesh, I fade with less than 8 hours of sleep.

No BBs for me either, thankfully.

Good morning, Stasia! Just trying to catch up.

Have a good day!

Stasia- I hope you were able to get in that well-needed rest! Catch you later!

I hope you slept long and well and had some lovely dreams !

I'm hoping you've been sleeping while I've been catching up. I couldn't imagine why there had been no action here for several days so went back to your previous thread and found the link again (thanks for fixing it!) and discovered that I had forgotten to star this one. Now I'm good and hopefully will be keeping up at least for a while!

Going bookstore "surfing" with Marty. Must exercise self-control! Must exercise self-control--

Yay, I'm all caught up finally. Even more surprising is that I escaped all the BB's although the Mysterious Benedict books are already on my wishlist and I suspect I will agree with you about Book Three, I'm still curious to read them. Hope you had a good solid sleep Stasia.

Hope you get the much needed sleep, Stas ... you need the rest. *tiptoes out*

Yes, I did get some sleep. Unfortunately, I have a terrible backache which I suspect is from 6 hours of driving yesterday, so I am not going to be on LT tonight - sitting at my computer just exacerbates the back - I am going to have a personal readathon tonight to make up for no reading yesterday :)

Glad you are safely home, Stasia! It will be interesting to see what 4 books you read tonight for your readathon. ;-)

Hope the personal readathon is going great!

Hi Stasia, finally caught up with your thread. Nice pics. Nice books . None for me though.

Hope your backache goes away soon Stasia.

Feel better soon, we will all be waiting for your return to us. :)

Time for some R&R! (Resting and reading!) Enjoy! It sounds great... :)

Take care stas... ((stas)))

So sorry to learn about your back pain, Stasia. Sending some prayers and good vibes for feeling better...
{{{Stasia}}}

Oh no, the dreaded backache. I know both first and secondhand what that's like! Dave said to tell you to "take drugs!" I may have a junkie on my hands.

Sorry about the back pain, Stasia. I use a combination of ibuprophen, hot showers, and icy hot or biofreeze. All temporary measures, alas.

Hope you're feeling better.

How was the readathon?

I hope that your back is feeling much better now. Long car rides are hard on the back for sure! Happy Reading!

I am being stabbed in the back right in between my shoulder blades. Any recommendations on what to do, other than not sit at my computer desk for hours on end? - which I will have to do Thursday-Sunday since I have to work.

I am not going to be on LT again today. I need to rest the back as much as I can unfortunately because of working the next 4 nights. *sigh* I feel like I should be turning in a doctor's excuse to the principal or something, lol.

Thanks everyone for checking in on me. I will be here for sure tomorrow night.

Sometimes I get those heat pads that stick on or maybe they are called thermal pads? They last up to 8 hours, although our doctor told my husband that was too long to use one. But I have been known to use them that way and they can help. Plus, I am a big believer in Advil.

Guess what I got in the mail today???

Thank you so much!! You are awesome. :)

I'm with BillieJean - I find those stick on pads - thermal pads to be a huge help when I get back pain. They last 8 hours. They are not cheap- but I do use them from time to time for back pain. So sorry that you having pain.

Waving hi! Big hugs!

I completely agree with all those recommendations for the thermal pads. They work wonders!

ouch - hope you feel better soon.

I don't have recommendations, but you do have my sympathies. Hope you feel better soon Stasia.

Oh Stasia, sorry to hear of the back pain, that is terrible. The heat pads sound good, and perhaps a topical cream like Deep Heat or Voltaren emugel? These may be called something different in the US. Painkillers definitely but I would also try stretching that area if you can. Use a door frame to brace one arm against and then slowly turn away and stretch the shoulder/back area. My chiropractor would give me this stretch to do for pain in the same area of the back. Hope it eases off, you will be missed.

Find a good deep-tissue masseur/masseuse. My insurance covers it as part of my chiropractic visits. I had a massage Wednesday - Kathy the masseuse worked on my lower back, my feet, and the muscle that crosses over the right hip. It was wonderful. My back felt good all evening and night, even in bed which is where it hurs the most. Or, if someone you know can rub your back the way it feels good to you, enlist their aid.

Also trying adjusting the chair up or down so that your forearms are resting comfortably on the table (shoulders down and relaxed but not straining), the height of the monitor so you're not looking too far down or too far up as you're viewing it, your body positioned so that your hips are parallel to the edge of the desk. All ergonomic things so ease the pressures as you're working. Roll your shoulders frequently, and get up and walk around frequently. Stretch when you can. Look to the left for 10 seconds, to the right for 10 seconds, up for 10 seconds, down for 10 seconds. Don't let your muscles lock in one position too long.

A good hot soaking bath or a pulsing shower that can pound hot water on your back.

Lying on the floor on your back and raising your shoulders up only a couple of inches and holding for 10 seconds works for me sometimes.

Make sure your bed is comfortable for you and use pillows that are comfortable too. Give your neck enough support.

If you're reading heavy hardcover books, make sure they're supported by the end of a couch, a pillow, or on a table to take the strain off your upper back.

Hmm. What else helps?

Drugs - I use ibuprophen when necessary. And Biofreeze or Icy Hot. (I admit you'll have to get someone to apply it for you since your trouble's in the middle of your back right now.)

Poor darlin'.

Salonpas patches work really well for my arthritic pains, which sometimes keeps me waking up on and off all night long. I recommend them highly. I hope you will be able to find relief. I really, really know how debilitating chronic pain can be; and demoralizing. Hopefully, this will pass soon.

I've favorited Karen's sensible, helpful hints for the next time I have back pain. I hope that your taking care of yourself yesterday and today has helped you feel a LOT better.

Stasia, complete sympathy and some hugs; know the exact pain you're talking about--all those years of writing on the chalkboard and bending over student desks to help them with their work...Karen's ideas are all good. Massage, even with one of those electric thingies, done by the dh or, frankly, anyone alive and within reach, can be a huge, huge help.

Much love to you, Stas.

Just stopping by to say hello. Sorry to hear about the back pain. Hope it goes away soon.

Thank you all for the helpful hints about solving the back woes. It was better earlier today, but having sat at my desk for several hours now, the ache is slowly returning - and I have to be here for another 6 hours.

Karen, I am trying your stretching as the night goes on. I will let you know if it works for me. I am not doing the one down on the floor though. I might never get up again :)

Back pain is not for the faint hearted, on the positive side its the upper back from sounds, take the advice given & try stay away from sitting down for too long at once ....

#125: Unfortunately, staying away from sitting down is not possible. I work 10 hour stretches at a desk.

You need a good, long massage, Stasia! When I had a horrible pain in the neck (seriously) my husband hired a masseuse to come over and give me the best massage of my life. Believe it or not, the pain went away. The masseuse knew what caused it (long days at the computer) and zeroed in on that spot.
Hope you're feeling better soon!

#127: I actually am a good masseuse. Unfortunately, my arms will not reach the spot on my back where it hurts :)

I see your humerus bone is in fine working order! Ack!

#129: LOL! My hubby tells me he married me for my thumbs.

Morning Stasia- Glad to hear the back problems are easing somewhat. Hope it continues. Have a good one.

#131: Thanks, Mark. I hope you have a good one too!

Too bad you can't reach your own back, Stasia! I'm the same way - I can give a great back massage but not to myself. The other day at work Debbie was complaining about her back. She finally let me rub the spasming muscle for about 10 minutes and she said it helped. Said her husband gets impatient after a minute or two - what it takes is patience, strong fingers/thumbs, and a willingness to spend a bit of time at it.

Be well, feel better.

#133: Thanks, Karen.

just attempting to keep up..

Stasia- I finally posted my review of TDR and once again, thanks for this. It will soon be returned.

#135 Hey, Kath! Thanks for dropping by.

#136: I saw your review, Mark. Glad you enjoyed the book!

I hope that you feel better today, Stasia.

Karen's advice sounds a lot like what my physical therapist daughter tells me. Posture while sitting and computing are important for you since you're at it so much. Hope you improve sooner than later.

Finally caught up on your last four threads Stasia since my friend let me use her computer. Still having to use the library or friends but as for your threads, as always, entertaining and informative. I have {Small Island} and {Bel Canto} both on my TBR pie, glad to hear good things about them. Also, I just picked up a fine old book containing three novels by Dorothy Sayers. It has been a long time since I read anything by her. Well, we are getting ready for Hurricane Irene here on the Jersey Shore. I am a bit nervous since we are very close to Long Beach Island which has a mandatory evacuation order for today and tom'w. We are only ten minutes away from that area. But I have eight puppies and 5 adult dogs and 3 cats to transport. We have a big lovely house on a secluded street but there are big trees there. We will certainly see flooding as the end of our street floods and our back yard. Luckily we have no basement but I worry about our many windows. Anyway best of luck to any one threatened by the storm and I hope to be back next week to tell you all of our exploits.

Take care! I hope you're feeling better!

#138/139: I am trying to change the way I sit at the computer, but there are only so many positions I can get into. Unfortunately the back is bothering me again today due to work last night, I am sure, and I have another 30 hours of sitting at the desk coming up over the weekend. Oh joy.

#140: Hey, Mary Beth! Stay safe!

#141: Thanks!

Stasia, do you use a lumbar pillow to support your back in your chair? That always helps me a great deal when my back is bothering me. Sorry for the pain, my dear.

Stasia

Here is my solution to the back problem. Simply come to NE PA...Will and I can baby you, take you to dinner and of course we can visit the libraries and book stores we visited last September.

I hope today is a better day for you my dear.

#143: I have no idea what a lumbar pillow is, Roni. I think it would be too low down to benefit me though from the sounds of it. The pain in my back is in the shoulder blade region.

#144: I love your solution! lol

I think Linda has it right!

Hopefully this will make you feel better!

drat..I tried to post a photo of you and Terri and it wouldn't copy.grrrrr

Stasia, so sorry to hear about your back problems. A lumbar pillow might help in that it eases the strain on the lower back and adjusts your posture so you don't tend to hunch your shoulders as much. What about the chair you sit in? Perhaps it needs an adjustment or you need a new chair.

When I used to spend long hours at a typewriter (in the good old days), we were told to stop every hour and roll our shoulders, shrug and stretch our arms up. This would ease the tension.

Anyway, I hope you soon feel better, and if all else fails, then I would definitely go and visit Linda!

Stasia, are you feeling any better? I second the recommendation for massage -- I think it would help you. Hope you can relax and find some relief this weekend.

#149: if all else fails, then I would definitely go and visit Linda! Even if I do feel better, I would still love to go visit Linda :)

#150: Unfortunately, I am at work - where I have to sit at the desk, which is making the back worse. Hopefully Monday I will get a break from it and the back will recover.

Yuck to back pain.
I hope your work goes quick and you can rest soon.
*grimacing for you*

Thanks, Megan. Right now, the big thing is making it through work this weekend so I can give the back a rest Mon-Wed before having to return to work next week.

To all my friends on the Eastern seaboard: Please stay safe as the hurricane approaches!

Yes, all on the Eastern coastline, please stay safe from Irene!

Hope you make it through the weekend Stasia and can rest your back next week.

Thanks, Heather.

Just waving hi and hoping that your back pain is easing. I really feel for you. I have to limit my time on the computer somewhat and make sure I get out for a reasonable long walk to help keep my back pain in check. My son and his girlfriend gave me a big cushion like thing that goes from my upper back to my upper thighs and it has a massage and heat feature. That is very helpful . Even in the summer! Sending good thoughts your way..

I am not sure I could handle the heat feature (it was still 107 here yesterday!), but the massage thing sounds great. Thanks for the good thoughts, Deb.

I have to say that I am with those who suggest massage..
even a chair massage will help, I promise! My nephew the massage
therapist has helped me with that type of pain often enough. Seriously,
if you look around you chould be able to find a therapist. And a chair massage
is a good first step to help you feel more comfortable with the idea, while you
are being helped.

also, I have used these :

http://www.salonpas.us/

got them at costco.. they do help.. but still massage is best..
chair massage is less expensive as well..

I will have to see if I can find the salonpas things here. Thanks, Kath.

Morning Stasia- Sorry to hear about the continuing back issues and sorry to hear about the nasty heat. Still in the 100s? Boo. Here, it's been hovering in the low 80s, with low humidity. Pretty nice.

I could learn to hate you and your weather reports, Mark :)

We are getting a bit of a break today though. It is only going to be 105.

Stasia - truly, from one who never wanted a massage and finally got one - I believe it would help you. They know muscles, what is causing dysfunction, and how to relieve the spasms. You could also get a referral from your doctor to go to a physical therapist - and insurance might cover it?

I sit in what I believed to be a chair made just for me. Bridget (PT daughter) says it is making my posture all wrong and causing me shoulder/back pain. Drat! Her suggestion was to roll a bath towel and place it along the length of my spine while sitting - for support. Shoulders down, open out chest, raise level of laptop so I am not looking down.
That would be for what ails me... I don't know about you.

I think you need to get someone to check you out and give you therapy plan/meds/exercises for whatever is causing your particular pain. My 2 cents.

Hi Stasia! Good luck with the heat! I wish I could send you some the 5 - 10" of rain we are supposed to get!

ACK! I've been away and you need a massage! I'll hop in my 97 Corolla and drive on down to Texas to help you out, my dear. ;)

As for tips I can give you - well, Karen did a very good job upthread for suggestions. Some kind of a stick-on heated pain pad would be a help, as would any basic pain reliever. Those are the two things that I go for myself when I can't grab a massage therapist friend and say "help me!". I also have something called a Theracane (found at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Thera-Cane-JMAS5000-Massager/dp/B000PRMCJU/ref=sr_1_2?s=hp... that I use on myself when I can't bribe a friend. You use leverage to get the exact spot that you can't normally reach. I know it's $30, but I've used mine so much that it's worth it. Sure, people might look at you funny, but I don't care how strange I might look, it relieves the pain!



Is this where it hurts?

#163: The only doctor I see on a regular basis is my orthopedist, Claudia, and I would not see him so often if I would not break, dislocate and tear body parts so often :) I hate doctors.

#164: I wish you could send me some of your rain too, Brit. Stay safe!

#165: Go ahead and come down! Lower than that, Laura, but I will see if I can get one of those cane things. That looks like it would help me out.

Stasia, I really hope you enjoy Pigeon English as much as I did. Initially the slang was a bit of a challenge for me - but after a short while, it did not distract me at all. As I mentioned, there is a glossary at the end of the book, which makes things much easier. It really did have a powerful impact on me - and I think I understand how the riots in UK happened much better than I did prior to reading this book. That was one of the biggest reason's I chose to to read the book - to understand poverty and tensions in the UK better, and I think Pigeon English really did that. I hope very much that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Take care, Stasia!

#167: You take care too, Deb!

This week has been rather a muddle for me, so be prepared for muddled reads (although, truth to tell, I think most of my weeks are muddled.)

246. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex - young adult; I forget whose thread this book popped up on, but 'thank you' to whoever it was that recommended the book to me because I really enjoyed it; Gratuity ("Tip") is assigned a paper to write about the day that aliens invaded the earth and proceeds to tell all about her adventures: driving across the country in an effort to save her mother (who, along with the rest of the US population has been rounded up to Florida and from there Arizona) in company with a cat and one of the aliens trying to escape his own problems; the book is funny and clever and definitely worth the read, even for old fogies like me - and try the print version because you need to see the illustrations!; highly recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

247/248/250. Gifts, Voices, and Powers all by Ursula Le Guin - young adult; Roni recommended the books in this trilogy (thanks!), The Annals of the Western Shore, which are loosely connected by characters and locale; the first book, Gifts, is the story of Orrec and Gry and their decision not to use the gifts that each clan in their culture is endowed with; the second book, Voices, was my favorite of the three as Memer, a 17-year-old living under the protection of the Waylord, seeks knowledge in the hidden library of the house where she lives; and Powers, the story of Gav, a slave boy who loses everything; even though these books are young adult, Le Guin does not hesitate to ask hard questions and tackle difficult subjects in them, so even for adult readers, I think the books are thought-provoking; guardedly recommended (3.5, 3.75, and 3.75 stars respectively) Library Books

249. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett - young adult; yes, I keep trying Pratchett if for no other reason than that I have a hard head; I have decided Pratchett's young adult books work for me because I enjoy his sense of the ridiculous in them: a talking cat leading about talking rats as if he is the Pied Piper?; recommended (4 stars) Library Book

251. The Spirit of the Ghetto by Hutchins Hapgood - nonfiction; thanks to Darryl's TIOLI challenge this month, I finally pulled this book from my shelf to read; the book is a look at the immigrant Jewish population of New York, just after the turn of the 20th century and Hapgood (who was not Jewish) gives good insight into the difficulties of coming to a new country and adapting to it, while not forgetting your own culture - not only is the Jewish religion looked at, but also Jewish theatre, novels, newspapers, etc.; the introduction calls this book "the first authentic study by an outsider of the inner life of an American immigrant community"; BTW - if you are looking for mention of the Triangle Fire, which I subconciously was as I read the book, that fire happened around 10 years after this book was originally published; recommended (4 stars) Mine

Reading The Spirit of the Ghetto made me want to yank out my copy of Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky and re-read it, even though I did not do it. I am so glad that Lansky had the foresight to try and save as much Yiddish literature as he could. I shudder to think what we might have lost had he not.

252. The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna - definitely my read of the week and a huge 'thank you' to Peggy for loaning me her copy; Claudia mentioned that the book started slowly for her, but I did not have that difficulty with it; the book sucked me in from the get-go, a story of wartorn Sierra Leone and love triangles prior to the war, and after (everything old is new again?); the prose is wonderful in this book ("When he wakes from dreaming of her, is it not the same for him? The hollowness in his chest, the tense yearning, the loneliness he braces against every morning until he can immerse himself in work and forget. Not love. Something else, something with a power that endures. Not love, but a memory of love.") and the story really swept me away as Forna looks not only at love, but deceit and power; my only quibble with the book is that I wish more of the history had been presented, since I know almost nothing of Sierra Leone's history, but that is my fault rather than the book's; highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year (4.5 stars) Borrowed

253. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore - audiobook; a detective story told in parallel time lines, that of Arthur Conan Doyle, trying to help Scotland Yard solve the murders of 3 women, and present-day, as a member of the Sherlockian Society tries to solve a murder and track down Doyle's missing diary; all-in-all, a fun read, but I think some judicious editing and a tighter pace would have helped; guardedly recommended (3.5 stars) Library Book

So, I have 9 books for this months TIOLI challenges left and not a hope of finishing them all. I should probably stop reading books that are not TIOLI books, but what fun is that? LOL, I guess I shall have to resign myself to the fact that I will constantly set unreachable goals for myself and just enjoy the books I do get read along the way.

Sunday Greetings, Stasia! I have the Memory of Love on my wishlist based on Bonnie's rec. and now your recap is stimulating me to bump it up a notch on my to read list.
Hope your back is feeling better and plenty of rest and reading is ahead for the next few days.

#170: Do bump The Memory of Love up a bit, Lynda! I hope you enjoy the book when you get to it.

As far as the back goes, I am probably going to have to take a computer break for a couple of days, once my work week is over. We shall see.

I knew I couldn't dodge your bullets for too long, Stas. I took a bullet for The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents (how could I resist the ridiculous?), The Spirit of the Ghetto and The Memory of Love. They all sound good.

I'm so sorry that your back is still kinked. A visit to the chiropractor on the calendar? *sending healing waves ... and kinky dust to unkink your back while you sleep*

Morning Stasia- Hope your back is feeling a little better today. The Memory of Love has been on the WL, it seems like everyone loves it. I'm planning on squeezing it in sometime next month. The book-horn is working overtime.

#172: I knew someone around here must share my love of the ridiculous! Even though Pratchett does that in this particular book, I think he is very aware of the not-so-ridiculous things that are just under the surface of his work. Of course, I could be completely wrong :) Anyhow, enjoy the books!

#173: I hope you enjoy TMoL when you get to it, Mark. Make it soon :)

I have enjoyed a number of Prachett's works. He never fails to entertain me. He's ridiculous but not to the point of being sophomoric.

#175: True. My hubby enjoys sophomoric humor, but I do not - although some times I think my funny bone has been mislaid somewhere.

I can take 1 sophomoric joke per day, but more than that just makes me roll my eyes, yawn and starts hitting my irritated bone. I think it's a guy thing ... half the guys in my office not only enjoy but appear to live for sophomoric humor. Makes for very trying lunches sometimes.

#177: Yikes, I bet! I really do think it is a guy thing though. The girls and I tend to roll our eyes at Kerry when he is laughing at those kinds of jokes.

My husband may have a smidgeon of oestrogen in his system because he, thankfully, abhors sophomoric jokes, so at least I don't have to deal with it at home.

#179: Luckily, I do not have to deal with it very often. Kerry mainly watches that kind of stuff when I am asleep.

I need to get my hands on a copy of The Memory of Love ...

TIOLI is bad for you! :) step away! LOL

#181: TIOLI may be bad for me, but I am addicted at this point. Besides, it is all guilt-free fun - my favorite kind!

I had to step away from TIOLI ... I was becoming seriously addicted, and because I tend to read just one book at a time, I was feeling guilty about not getting to other books I wanted to read but which didn't fit into the challenge for the month.

Stasia, I'm so sorry to read about your back pain. Mine hits my shoulders/neck and gives me awful headaches. The physio people at work recommend a lot of stretching - getting up from the computer for a few minutes every hour and running through a routine, to stop toxins building up in the muscles. I know how hard it is when you're busy, though.

#183: I read books both inside and outside the challenge, Caro. I am decidedly not a one book at a time gal though. I do make an extra effort to read all my shared TIOLI reads. I hate to lose the points! :)

#184: I have to get up from my computer on a fairly regular basis, but I cannot stay away so long that the pain goes away completely. I am using Karen's upthread stretching recommendations these days and they seem to help some.

Hi Stasia - hope your back is a lot better...

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents is one of many Terry Pratchett books I need to get to... I don't know why, but I LOVE his books. They are ridiculous - and they're perfect for me. This is as close as I get to fun these days. ;-)

I heard Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. How I hate that disease!

Morning,Stasia.

Wow! Remember all those weeks I missed the BB's? (Okay, the two weeks...) Well, made up for that today, as I'm adding 5 to my W. L. this a.m. One is an incidental mention that I've been thinking about: Outwitting History. I keep forgetting about it.

Have a wonderful week and I hope the back pain eases soon for you.

#186: No, the back is not better. I am most unhappy about it. Yes, Pratchett has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's unfortunately.

#187: Gail, I am reading Outwitting History for one of September's TIOLI challenges. Want to join in?

>188 alcottacre:: Why, yes, I think I will; thanks for asking, as it will prompt me to get right on it and not put it off while being distracted by a shiny...

#189: Challenge #2! Come join in the fun. No looking at any shiny new covers in the mean time :)

OK, I am off to get some sleep for a while. I will be back later.

Glad you enjoyed The Amazing Maurice Stasia. No BBs for me this week but only because the Ursula Le Guin trilogy and The Memory of Love are already both on the wishlist.

Hope you get some sleep and the back pain goes soon.

Hello Stasia! Catching up. I've added The Spirit of the Ghetto and Outwitting History to the wish book. I'm sorry to hear that you didn't like The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma. I just bought the hardcover for 50 cents at the thrift store. I haven't read the first two books but I figure I'll get to them eventually.
I hope your back is feeling better soon. I agree with all the above advice and would add accupressure or even accupuncture. Also, an Alexander Technique teacher or physical therapist could show you ways to manipulate your environment and change your posture so that you can sit in the car or at the desk without back strain. Feel better!

Sorry to hear about your back pain - that is one of the worst kinds, I think.

I hopped right over to the library catalog and placed a hold on The True Meaning of Smekday - it sounds like something that might get passed around by the whole family. I closed my eyes while reading the rest of your list and managed to escape any more BB's!

Stasia, I hope you are feeling MUCH better! I envy your summer reading - well done! Mine has been very slow and sporadic.

I know what you mean about setting unreachable goals. I seem to do this all the time! Anyway, another great reading week for you despite your back problems. I added several to my wishlist. Hope your back gets better soon.

Happy Sunday, Stasia! Good reads this week -- I've been hearing a lot about The Memory of Love lately. Glad you enjoyed it!

Stasia, I'm just a few pages into The Memory of Love. The writing is SO beautiful - if the whole book is like this, well ... WOW comes to mind.

I am going to have to read my copy of Outwitting History; I've had it for several years.

I am sorry about your back pain. Since LT is a book site, I'll recommend two books, although they may not help you in your acute state: Stretching by Bob Anderson and Backache Stress and Tension by Hans Kraus, which I've had for many years and only just discovered I never entered into LT!

Hi Stasia, I am adding The Memory of Love to the wishlist, so one BB for me this week.

Oh, ouch, Stasia! I feel your pain. Well, actually, I feel my own, but I can definitely relate.

Yesterday I had a chiropractic treatment, my second for this episode. I get a heat treatment first, then a massage, then the chiropractor (who works mostly with sports injuries) stretches my muscles and does some adjustments. By the time I leave, I feel much better, and the relief lasts for at least a couple of days. If I could only refrain from injuring it again (I work at a computer all day too)... I've had an ergonomic expert help me set up my work space, but there's only so much that can be done. I need to do more stretching and improve my posture, which I'm trying to do I agree with VioletBramble that acupuncture might be helpful; one day I'm going to try it too.

Hope the heat, rest and stretching help and your back heals quickly and stays healed.

> 181

TIOLI is bad for you! :) step away!

Kath!! ;)

Caught up! Lots of interesting stuff on your Sunday "list" but I am drowning in partially read books now so will resist the urge to add more to my pile right now. Hope you have a slow night work wise tonight and can give your back a little rest. Happy reading!

The True Meaning of Smekday, The Spirit of the Ghetto and The Memory of Love are all going on my list! Thanks.

I've been off TIOLI most of the summer. I may try to jump back in in September...

Good evening Stasia! I will be putting the Ursula Le Guinn books on my TBR! I remember reading one in high school and liking it, although I cannot remember which book. . .

Stasia, hope your back pain disappears soon. Adding The Memory of Love the wishlist.

The year I was teaching full-time and needed a hip replacement, asap, I survived due to a combination of acupuncture and massage. I'd do the needles one week and the rub-a-dub-dub the next week. None of it eliminated the pain I was in but it did make it more managemable and I was able to finish the academic year. Scheduled the surgery right after the last day of school.

I loved the acupuncture. If you can find someone who is good, do it!

(You'll notice I did not learn to spell.... I'm leaving the typos in for comic relief)

Glad you enjoyed The True Meaning of Smekday -- I read it a few years ago and thought it was great!

#192: I got some sleep, but the back pain was worse when I woke up. What is up with that? Ack.

#193: I hope you like The Spirit of the Ghetto and Outwitting History, Kelly. As far as the third Mysterious Benedict Society book goes, I think the problem was as an adult reading all 3 in such a short time span. For a kid, I think they would gobble them right up, but not for an adult. Spacing them out would have worked better.

#194: I hope you and your family enjoy The True Meaning of Smekday, Sandy! I really found it to be a fun book. Shame on you for closing your eyes for the rest of the list :)

#195: I hope as fall approaches that your reading will become less sporadic :)

#196: Thanks, BJ.

#197: I hope you get a chance to read The Memory of Love soon, Anne. I have seen nothing but good reviews of the book, which lives up to them IMHO.

#198: I hope you continue to be wowed!

#199: My local library has Stretching, Rebecca, although it does not have the other book. Thanks for the recommendations. I will pick up the Anderson book on my next library trip.

#200: Well, I guess 1 BB is better than none! lol

#201: I have a feeling that I will be taking a computer break for the next couple of days after finishing work tonight. I hate to do it because I get so far behind on threads here on LT, but the back is already hurting badly tonight and I still have 10 hours of sitting at the desk ahead of me. *sigh* I am glad you are finding some relief, Mary!

#202: Do not worry, Madeline, I am ignoring Kath :)

#203: Thanks, Carolyn!

#204: September is a perfect time to jump back into TIOLI, Jenn!

#205: I hope you enjoy the trilogy when you get to the books, Brit!

#206: I do not think you will be sorry about The Memory of Love, Regina.

#207: I need both knees replaced and a hip, so I can relate, Karen. Have I mentioned that I hate doctors?

If, as I suspect, I am going to have to take a break from LT for a couple of days, I am thinking of having a midweek Readathon. Might as well put time off from LT to good use, right? Would anyone be interested in a Tuesday-Wednesday Readathon with me?

(also copying to the Readathon thread)

>210 alcottacre: Wish I could join you, but I've got long days ahead this week. I sort of had a readathon all on my own lonesome this weekend ~ lying on the sofa in the air conditioning (it's been in the high 90s here in So.Cal too), drinking iced green tea and reading book after book, ignoring much of the housework that desperately needs doing. It's been so much fun! Haven't done it in quite awhile.

#211: It does sound like a fun way to spend the weekend! I am glad you enjoyed it.

OK, I am taking my regularly scheduled night off now. Hopefully (back permitting), I will be on tomorrow night. Everyone have a good Monday!

Mmm. Readathon sounds fun. If only the pre-schooler had started school...

I'm back from Irene hiatus! *smooch* for this beautiful (here) day. I hear it's hot there. :-( It's presently 67 here...sunshine...breeze...low humidity.

209 The Kraus book is probably out of print, Stasia. My copy was my mother's and dates back to 1969, and it may not have been reprinted. But he basically is of the exercise persuasion for relieving and preventing back pain.

#214: I am starting the Readathon at 10pm CT tomorrow night, Jenn. Maybe the preschooler will be in bed by then?

#215: Thank you for stopping by, RD!

#216: OK. Well, at least my local library has one of the books.

Hi Stasia!, I hope your back is better for the break, and that you get some good reading done tomorrow.

Yikes! I'm over 70 messages behind! Have read your book reviews, and don't see what's muddled about them or your reading choices, I thought it looked like an interesting selection, even though I've become more resistant than ever to book bullets.

I too always set myself impossible reading goals, but I look at them more as suggestions that encourage me to read more than I would otherwise and don't feel quite so bad when I see half my lists uncompleted.

I'm interested in a readathon on principle, but in practice, I just seem to be generally too undisciplined to be a good participant, judging by my performance the last few times. I've come to realize that I can't be spending much time checking in because I get terribly distracted and hardly get any reading done, and then having to keep track of page numbers and timing and so on used to be fun at first, but now not so much...
But I'll be happy to join you in intention and spirit if you'll have me Stasia!

Hope your back feels better.

edited for clarity

Hoping you feel better soon my friend!
And let me return the favour to you with my copy of Lullabies for Little Criminals!! :)

*waves*
hope the back pain is better ??
DH has back pain at times...nasty thing to have

Hope you are feeling better after taking a break.
I'm guilty of not managing to complete the shared read of The Memory of Love with you this month. It's sitting at the top of my tbr pile but continually getting bumped as I prioritise library books and my 11in11 challenge reads.
I also have Outwitting history on my tbr since it was recommended by Petermc, another I should have read by now.
I read Gifts when it first came out but haven't got to the others in that trilogy yet.
The True Meaning of Smekday & Spirit of the Ghetto are both added to my tbr list.

Well, I can add my voice to those who love or plan to read Memory of Love . It was a 4.5 read for me -and why it did not take the Orange Prize, I'll never know.

Stasia, I second Lullabies for Little Criminals as a great read- and 220 / Valerie is ready to loan you her copy!

Of course, that said - you know what a fuss budget of a reader I am! ;)

I hope you are feeling 100% very soon. ( Well - really, who feels 100% once they are past 30 , or something like that! ;)

Sorry to hear about the back pain Stasia. I'll 2nd & third the people who recommend massage and/or a referral to a physical therapist. PT got me through an awful summer a few years ago when I had a pinched nerve in my neck & consequent pain in my neck, shoulders, arms, back . . .

Thanks everyone for checking in on me. The back pain is a bit better since I slept this afternoon.

OK, bragging mama here! Catey wrote a poem for her freshman English class that I really like:

Strength In Names

My real name is Zealous.
Passionate and lively. Like waves crashing the shore.
Yesterday my name was Gusto.
Enthusiatic about a chance at a new beginning.
Today my name is Vulnerable.
Scared and shy, as the world around me changes.
Tomorrow my name will be Impetuous.
Strong and forceful, like thunder rolling in the sky,
beating the heavens
with it’s resounding noise
My name once was Discerning.
Insightful and capable, full of knowledge and understanding
that the world is full
of infinite sorrows and joys.

What a lovely poem! Kudos to Catey!

Thanks, Carolyn.

Great poem, congrats to Catey.

I will try and pop in to your readathon and join in for awhile, I still have one book I want to finish for August, and with all the TIOLI books I have signed up for, I may need a jump on September!

Thanks, Judy.

I hope you can participate in the Readathon. You do not have to stay the entire 24 hours :)

I know what you mean about getting a jump on September. Right now I am only signed up for 4 books, but two of them are over 600 pages long. What was I thinking?

I am going to take a computer break for a bit. I have got to rest my back.

Well done, Catey! Thank you so much for sharing this, Stasia.

Lovely poem! I'm impressed. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Anne and Mary!

Well, I was sitting here trying to check some more threads and get caught up, but the back just will not allow it. Looks like I am done with LT for tonight.

Sorry to hear that your back is troubling you, Stasia. I hope that you're able to rest soon.

The Spirit of the Ghetto sounds interesting; I'll have to look for it.

Congratulations to the current and future poet Catey!

So, will you be accompanying Catey on her future book tours? You could do a LT meetup at each location!

Great poem by Catey! She's off to a fantastic start, isn't she? You must be proud, Stasia.

Stasia, thank you for sharing Catey's poem. I hope she got an A for it!

As you know, I loved The Memory of Love as well. A good book for a shared read.

Catey sounds like English major material to me. Love the poem. It speaks to my changing moods..... today I can most relate to Vulnerable. I hope she continues to write. Maybe when she gets her nursing career going, she can write on the theme of healing.

I'll be with you in my dreams during the start of your readathon. I can't keep my eyes open after 10:00 p.m. these days.

Very nice! Looks like Catey is getting off to a good start at school.

Hope your back feels better!
when I get my neck pain I have a nap on a heating pad set on low. I usually wake up and it's gone or much better. Hope yours goes away!

I love Catey's poem. Would she mind if I share it with a couple of friends?

10 pm tonight, I will join you until I fall asleep, then I will pop in as I can tomorrow. Sounds fun. Will you post link to readathon thread for me? xx

Catching up on threads - sorry to hear about your back pain. Catey's poem is fantastic, thanks for sharing it.

I LOVE Catey's poem Stasia. It's so heartfelt and really resonates with me.

Hope your back gets better soon. I get all sorts of aches and pains from sitting at the computer too long, but at least with a laptop I can move around a little. Still, maybe a sign we spend a little too much time on it?

Hi Stasia!

The True Meaning of Smekday was a wonderful book - I read it about 3 years ago on the suggestion of a bookclub friend who was reading it with her granddaughter.

I checked out LauraBrook's link to Thera-Cane - I want one! I'll probably order one this week some time. I, too, go to a masseuse/chiropractor and only go every 2-3 weeks to save money. Anything that can help me in the interim would be wonderful and the Thera-Cane has rave reviews.

And, good luck with the readathon!

Karen, I hope you do like it if/when you get it! I used mine just before hopping on LT here. It's saved me from awkward cramping many a time, and saved me a (nother) trip to the chiropractor as well.

You've good cause to do the proud mama preening, Stas. That was a fine poem by Catey.

How's the back pain today?

The back pain is still here so I am limiting my computer time severely today. The threads will just have to wait. I will be doing the Readathon tonight, just popping on once an hour to update. Other than that and a little FV, no computer time for me today.

The Readathon thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/122870 if anyone wants to join in!

Thank you all for the kind words about Catey's poem. I will pass them along to the author herself later tonight when I talk to her.

Wonderful poem indeed!! Congragulations to Catey and thanks for letting us read it!

Sorry that your back is troubling you so much!! Take it easy Stasia, I so understand!!

Stasia, I also want to pass on congrats to Catey, your budding poet! Glad you are looking after your back and hope you will soon be 100%.

Hi Stasia. Just horned in on your read-a-thon and decided to come over to say hi. Sorry to hear your back is hurting you. Hopefully tomorrow will be better . . .

#248: Thanks, Deb.

#249: Thanks, Nancy.

#250: Anyone is welcome to the Readathon, Brenda. No horning in necessary :)

Morning Stasia- Hope the back pain improves. Try to have a good day!

can't catch up.. so just trying to keep you in my radar

Just trying to catch up with you! Boo Hiss to backaches, though...

Hey Stasia! Thanks for sharing that poem, it was awesome. I also appreciate you sharing the readathon thread.

Never made it over to the readathon. One of these days I'll manage it. Too much to do. Too many interrupters. I did read a little bit in my ER book though. I also figured out how to cast on for a toe-up sock on two circular needles. Don't try to understand it, just know that I've been trying to figure it out for about a week and I think I may have it. Yay!

just gonna get a hi in here before it gets lost again

I'm so behind again. Missed the readathon. Almost missed Catey's lovely poem. GOOD stuff!

I am officially done with the Readathon even though it has almost 2 hours left to go. I did fairly well, I think: 7 books completed, around 1700 pages and I started one of the September TIOLI books that is going to take a while for me to read as it is 650 pages of tiny print.

I will start a new thread in the next day or so, but for tonight, I am saying 'Good Night.' I have been up for 28 hours or so and I need to get some rest.

Somehow I lost your thread for awhile Stasia. I'm sorry to hear about your back problems but I can assure you that you have a lot of company in that department. I hope you get some relief very soon. I also loved The Memory of Love.

Awesome Poem by Catey!! Hope your back feels better soon. I truly know how that feels. I have early arthritis and disc degenerative disease in my back and 2 herniated discs in my back. PT has helped me with the discs but if I do to much or don't sit or lay right I am feeling the pain. Back pain is not fun. I hope you find relief soon!

1700 pages in less than 24 hours? Wow! You are a fast reader. I tend to read a lot of non-fiction faster than fiction, but even then I would have read 19 hours or so with the easiest of non-fiction reading. I average 50-60 pages an hour with fiction.

great, get a new thread after I just get this one starred

Looks like it will be another terrific list on Sunday. I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! I got a surprise in the mail today, an American flag that flew over Ft. McHenry. So I plan to fly the flag this weekend -- as soon as I find my flagpole!

#259 "I did fairly well, I think: 7 books completed, around 1700 pages"

I would say you did very well! Hope the books were some distraction from the back pain.

Impressive progress during the readathon! I hope you are getting plenty of rest, and that your back is behaving.

Hey Stasia! Thanks again for hosting the readathon yesterday. Hope you got a good night's sleep!

Sandy K

Adding my thanks for the Readathon as well. Stasia. I finished my last August book and got a good jump on September. Not quite the progess you made, but very successful nevertheless. Hope you were able to rest your back and are feeling better.

wow, I love the readathon stats, I can only dream (although I dont like the sound of being up 28 hours!)

Hi Stasia:

Hope you're doing well. congrats on the read-a-thon!

Great stats from your readathon! Thanks for hosting it.
I think I ended up getting 1.75 books done and about 400 pages almost. Good enough for me since I had to sleep and work during that time too :)

Thanks for hosting the Readathon, Stasia--I'm impressed that you got so much reading done.

Your daughter's poem is wonderful. I think my daughter might enjoy reading it.

I am glad that so many people joined in the midweek Readathon!

New thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/123053

Hope your back feels better Stasia. I have a whirlpool tub that I manage to get in but not nearly enough and the other thing I sware by is my chiropractor. Some back issues are too far gone to be addressed that way. I think he helps relieve the cramping of my muscles which in turn creates pain in places I don't think should be hurting. I know so much advice can be overwhelming but we all know that back pain and computers don't mix so you are on these lengthy threads at great cost to yourself and it does not go unappreciated. We survived the hurricane here but there has been some awful damage in parts of Jersey. We have been very lucky. I feel very blessed to have come through unscathed.