karenmarie's 2011 75 book challenge thread - no. 3

Books read so far this year:

1. C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton 01/06/11 01/09/11 ***1/2
2. D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton 01/10/11 01/12/11 ***1/2
3. E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton 01/12/11 01/13/11 ***1/2
4. F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton 01/13/11 01/14/11 ***1/2
5. G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton 01/14/11 01/15/11 ***1/2
6. H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton 01/15/11 01/16/11 ***1/2
7. J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton 01/16/11 01/17/11 ***1/2
8. K is for Killer by Sue Grafton 01/17/11 01/20/11 ***1/2
9. L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton 01/20/11 01/22/11 ***1/2
10. M is for Malice by Sue Grafton 01/23/11 01/29/11
11. N is for Noose by Sue Grafton 01/29/11 01/31/11 ***1/2
12. I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton 01/31/11 02/02/11 ***1/2
13. O is for Outlaw by Sue Grafton 02/03/11 02/05/11 ***1/2
14. P is for Peril by Sue Grafton 02/05/11 02/08/11 ***1/2
15. Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton 02/08/11 02/11/11 ****
16. R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton 02/11/11 02/13/11 ***
17. S is for Silence by Sue Grafton 02/13/11 02/14/11 ****
18. T is for Tresspass by Sue Grafton 02/14/11 02/16/11 ****
19. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton 02/16/11 02/16/11 ****
20. The Help by Kathryn Stockett 02/17/11 02/18/11 ****1/2
21. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 02/21/11 02/23/11 **1/2
22. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris 02/24/11 02/27/11 ****
23. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris 02/27/11 03/01/11 ***1/2
24. The Skeleton in the Closet by M.C. Beaton 03/02/11 03/2/11 **1/2
25. Mrs. Ames by E.F. Benson 03/02/11 03/08/11 ***1/2
26. The Attenbury Emeralds by Jill Paton Walsh 03/08/11 03/09/11 ***
27. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/09/11 03/11/11 ****
28. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/11/11 03/12/11 ****
29. Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/12/11 03/13/11 ****
30. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/13/11 03/15/11 ****
31. Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/16/11 03/17/11 ****
32. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/17/11 03/19/11 ****
33. Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/19/11 03/21/11 **1/2
34. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny 04/17/11
34. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/21/11 03/25/11 ****
35. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/25/11 03/27/11 ****
36. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/27/11 03/30/11 ****
37. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/30/11 03/31/11 ****1/2
38. The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers 03/31/11 04/02/11 ****
39. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers 04/02/11 04/04/11 ****
40. The Egg and I 04/05/11 04/08/11 ***1/2
41. Cell by Stephen King 04/08/11 04/10/11 ***1/2
42. The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill 04/10/11 04/12/11 ***
43. The Calligrapher by Edward Docx 04/13/11 04/17/11 ****
44. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny 04/17/11 04/18/11 ****
45. Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg 04/19/11 04/28/11 ***1/2
46. Was Shakespeare Shakespeare? by Milward Martin 04/29/11 04/29/11 ***1/2
47. Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson 04/29/11
48. Bones of the Barbary Coast by Daniel hecht 04/29/11 05/06/11 ***1/2
49. Any Place I Hang My Hat by Susan Isaacs 5/09/11 5/13/11 ***
50. Six of One by Rita Mae Brown 05/13/11 05/15/11 ****
51. Bingo by Rita Mae Brown 05/15/11 05/17/11 ****
52. Lily White by Susan Isaacs 05/17/11 05/26/11 ****
53. The Family Man by Elinor Lipman 05/26/11 05/29/11 ***
54. Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen 05/29/11 06/06/11 ***1/2
55. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs 06/10/11 06/12/11 ***1/2
56. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris 06/17/11 06/19/11 ***1/2
57. Loose Lips by Rita Mae Brown 07/01/11 07/03/11 ***1/2
58. Alma Mater by Rita Mae Brown 07/03/11 07/05/11 **
59. Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White 07/06/11 07/07/11 ****
60. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George 07/08/11 07/09/11 ****
61. Champagne for One by Rex Stout 07/10/11 07/13/11 ***1/2
62. Tropic of Night by Michael Gruber 07/13/11 07/18/11 ***1/2
63. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb 07/13/11 07/15/11 ***1/2
64. Glory in Death by J.D. Robb 07/19/11 ***1/2
65. Payment in Blood by JElizabeth George 07/20/11 07/27/11 ***1/2
66. Well-Schooled in Murder by Elizabeth George 07/27/11 08/01/11 ****
67. A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George 08/01/11 08/07/11 ****
68. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud 07/15/11 08/08/11 ***1/2
69. The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone 8/8/11 08/12/11 ***1/2
70. Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It by Gary Taubes 08/12/11 08/15/11 ****
71. As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs 08/15/11 08/17/11 ***1/2
72. Hush by Cherry Adair 08/17/11 08/18/11 ***
73. Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb 08/18/11 08/21/11 ****
74. She's Not There by Jennifer Boylan 08/21/11 08/28/11 ***
75. Kiss and Tell by Cherry Adair 08/20/11 08/22/11 ***
76. Hide and Seek by Cherry Adair 08/22/11 8/25/11 ***
77. In Too Deep by Cherry Adair 08/25/11 08/26/11 ***
78. Out of Sight by Cherry Adair 08/27/11 08/27/11 ***
79. All Cry Chaos by Leonard Rosen 08/27/11
80. On Thin Ice by Cherry Adair 08/29/11 08/31/11 ***
81. Hot Ice by Cherry Adair 08/31/11 09/01/11 ***
82. Reckless by Anne Stuart 09/02/11 09/03/11 **1/2
83. A Trick of the Light 09/04/11 09/06/11 ****
84. I'm Looking Through You by Jennifer Finney Boylan 09/07/11 ***1/2
85. White Heat by Cherry Adair 09/08/11 09/09/11 ***
86. To the Edge by Cindy Gerard 09/10/11 09/11/11 ***
87. To the Limit by Cindy Gerard 09/11/11 09/12/11 ***
88. To the Brink by Cindy Gerard 09/12/11 09/13/11 ***
89. Over the Line by Cindy Gerard 09/14/11 09/15/11 ***
90. Under the Wire by Cindy Gerard 09/16/11 09/17/11 ***
91. Into the Dark by Cindy Gerard 09/17/11 09/18/11 ***
92. Show No Mercy by Cindy Gerard 09/18/11 09/18/11 ***
93. Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard 09/19/11 09/19/11 ***
94. Whisper No Lies by Cindy Gerard 09/19/11 09/20/11 ***
95. Rapture of Death by J.D. Robb 09/14/11 09/20/11 ****
96. Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb 09/21/11 09/23/11 ****
97. Vengeance in Death by J. D. Robb 09/24/11 09/26/11 ****
98. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb 09/26/11 09/27/11 ****
99. Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child 09/29/11 10/03/11 ****
100. Peace Like a River by Leif Unger 09/23/11 10/02/11 ****1/2
101. Persuader by Lee Child 10/03/11 10/05/11 ****
102. Without Fail by Lee Child 10/05/11 10/07/11 ****
103. Worth Dying for by Lee Child 10/08/11 10/09/11 ****
104. One Shot by Lee Child 10/09/11 10/10/11 ****
105. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child 10/11/12 10/12/11 ****
106. Nothing to Lose by Lee Child 10/12/11 10/13/11 ****
107. The Hard Way by Lee Child 10/13/11 10/16/11 ****
108. The Enemy by Lee Child 10/16/11 10/18/11 ****
109. Killing Floor by Lee Child 10/19/11 10/21/11 ***1/2
110. Die Trying by Lee Child 10/21/11 10/22/11 ****
111. Tripwire by Lee Child 10/23/11 10/24/11 ****
112. The Visitor by Lee Child 10/24/11 10/25/11 ****
113. Echo Burning by Lee Child 10/25/11 10/27/11 ****
114. 61 Hours by Lee Child 10/27/11 10/29/11 ****
115. The Affair by Lee child 10/30/11 10/31/11 ****
116. The Shallows by Nicholas Carr 10/10/11 11/6/11 ***
117. Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb 11/1/11 11/2/11 ***1/2
118. Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb 11/2/11 11/10/11 ***1/2
119. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb 11/10/11 11/13/11 ***1/2
120. Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb 11/13/11 11/15/11 ****
121. Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb 11/15/11 11/17/11 ***1/2
122. Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb 11/17/11 11/20/11 ***1/2
123. Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb 11/20/11 11/21/11 ****
124. 11/22/63 by Stephen King 11/21/11 11/27/11 ****1/2
125. Purity in Death by J.D. Robb 11/27/11 11/29/11 ****
126. Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb 11/29/11 12/1/11 ***1/2
127. Imitation in Death by J.D. Robb 12/1/11 12/5/11 ***1/2
128. Divided in Death by J.D. Robb 12/05/11 12/8/11 ***1/2
129. Visions in Death by J.D. Robb 12/08/11 12/10/11 ***1/2
130. Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb 12/10/1112/12/11 ****
131. Origin in Death by J.D. Robb 12/12/11 12/22/11 ***1/2
132. Memory in Death by J.D. Robb 12/17/11 12/22/11 ****
133. Born in Death by J.D. Robb 12/22/11 12/26/11 ***1/2
134. Big Jack by J.D. Robb 12/26/11 12/27/11 ***1/2
135. Born in Death by J.D. Robb 12/27/11 12/28/11 ****
136. Creation in Death by J.D. Robb 12/28/11 12/31/11 ****

*end of year* Whew!

Good morning to you !

A day late, but good morning back! I'm making breakfast, getting ready for work, going to head off to deal with all the folks who are going to ask how much I cried when I took daughter to college and how much did I weep all weekend.

I must be unnatural - so far I haven't cried at all. Got teary-eyed at the parent session at the college on Friday, but that's it.

Perhaps after I get her room cleaned up and the house under control I'll make time for a few tears.

Good morning! I have you starred again.

I envy you.. I still cry at times over missing my kids. I think I must be unnatural !
Of course, when they are at home, it isn't perfect either.. sigh. Some people are just
never happy, eh? :)

HI tymfos! Welcome.

Kath - I sent my daughter to 1 week camp when she was 6 and cried my eyes out for the entire week. Ditto next year and the year after. THEN I sent her to 4 week camp until she was 16. It was only in the last 2 years that I didn't miss her desperately and cry a lot. By then I started enjoying the "time off". (Husband insisted she go to camp. It was the sister camp to the boys camp he went to for 4 years as a youngster and swore it would be the best experience of her life. She had her ups and downs with it, but mostly ups - it was good for her. It just about did me in those first few years though.)

So I think that compared to lots of folks I'm used to her being gone. I was talking with somebody here at work yesterday and said that if anything I'll probably really feel the difference when she doesn't come back after a month like camp.

You sound like my sister. Her kids have been in and out of her home all through their 20s - daughter is finally settled in with her "wife" Amber in a town about 40 miles from my sister and son is living up north. She misses them but is glad they're not living with her any more.

I got her room cleaned up last night. Finally. Her rec room is next - a 15' x 15' room behind her bedroom. The floor is visible, but there is lot of stuff out.

After that's done we'll get the carpets cleaned and I'll feel good about the upstairs again.

I also have a package to mail to her tomorrow - her Rainbow sandals, a couple of books, slide-o-mix for her trombone, her Pfeiffer day pack, etc. Just a few things we missed. No desperate e-mails requiring things so far. Daughter and I saw the mother of a fellow-band member of daughter's the other day and since she sent her daughter off to Western Carolina two weeks ago she's sent 3 packages of stuff that Sarah's desperately needed.

http://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/what-we-do/what_we_do.aspx

I just heard about this.. I might use their services soon.. maybe you can too :)

They're pretty good if you need to get rid of a bunch of stuff that's mainly unusable. When we emptied my mother's house, we called in a professional 'remover' who would give us a price based on what he thought he could do with the furniture we left behind. But for bags and boxes and heaps of unusable stuff, 1-800-got-junk is ok.

Glad you're taking the empty nest a step at the time, Karen. I think it might help that she's not too far away. I know it's a big step all around. Are you all the parents who will be at every football game when the band plays? Just curious.
(I ought to do our nieces and nephew a favor and call got-junk now. Man, have we got junk!!!)

That's great, Kath! But at this point I think I'll just box her junk up and put it in the attic. Along with all the other junk we've got. When her dad and I get old and decrepit we'll let her sort it out since it will all be hers anyway.

Hey ffortsa - I've really tried over the years to not put unusable stuff in the attic - at the worst it could all go to the thrift store. At the best, some of it's antiques and really needs to be evaluated.

Hi Peggy! I'm not sure how much her being close means at this point because I'm really trying to not be a helicopter parent.

We were the parents who were at every football game when she was in Marching Band in high school. Plus I was the Band Boosters Treasurer. But no, we don't plan on going to any sports games. They don't have a marching band, only a pep band, which she may or may not play with.

I'm trying really hard to back off and let her have this experience to herself, so to speak. I couldn't wait to see my parents' backs when I was taken to Pepperdine University in 1971, and although I know she loves us deeply, she's excited about this new, non-parents, time in her life. I'll be there as much as she wants me to be, but (hopefully) no more than that. Her dad is another kettle of fish - I think he'd love to go there and hang with them if he could. He didn't go to college and I think is anticipating doing a bit of it vicariously with/through daughter. This Would Not Please Daughter One Little Bit, as you can imagine. I'll try to keep the reins tight on him, though. :)

I've been thinking of what she's doing, of course, and what kinds of friends she's making. I'd like to know more about her roommate, but heck. I don't remember telling my parents ANYTHING about college except what I thought they wanted to hear. And, of course, they didn't hear about the alcohol and partying...... Daughter's at a pretty conservative school and she doesn't like alcohol (so far), but you never know. All I can do is say that I've tried to teach her to be a responsible strong person and now it's up to her. (I partied a lot, but also graduated magna. If she does that, which I guess I'll never really know, that's fine with me.)

Second night of having the house to myself to look forward to...... husband works second shift. Pretty exciting. I need time to myself. Husband works at my company and his supervisor is a good friend of mine. Saw James in the hall just now and told him to keep husband on second shift to I could till have my alone time. James just laughed.

Yeah...the "got junk" people are great if you can just say "get rid of it" but my step=mother- in law (88) just died last month....she was a bona fide OCD Hoarder, and since so far no one can find a will, her 83 year old sister, and 65 yr old niece now have the responsibility of donning haz-mat suits and plowing through incredible piles of CRAP (literally....turns out the water had been shut off for several months.....NO WONDER SHE SMELLED SO BAD ALIVE) to see if they can find one, and to be sure they are not throwing away MONEY, JEWELRY, or other important papers.

Poor thing, she just wasn't right in the head, and I am incredibly angry at the Adult Protective Services where she lived. Her hairdresser had to close the shop the last time she came in, and then refused to let her come again because her other customers would not come into the shop for a week after she left!!! Two of us called APS 4 different times (she wouldn't let us in the house, we knew she wasn't bathing, we knew she wasn't putting out the garbage, etc etc etc) and nothing was done. She had been dead for at least 48 hours before anyone found her (and then they had to get the police and EMTs to break down the door)

so ....sorry for the rant (and high jacking your thread!!!)...but cleaning out an boxing up a teen-aged room would be a piece of cake right now....and you'd still have a real live person to hug at the end of the ordeal.

You are a much stronger woman than I am, Karen..

Tina.. I am so sorry.. the poor woman :( the poor family.. terrible situation

Tina - I'm so sorry about your step-mother - what an awful situation. And she died alone, too. I can hardly imagine the mess in her house. Yes, that makes daughter's pig-sty room seem minor - hell, it only took me about 10-12 hours total. And I'll definitely be able to hug her the next time I see her. No worries about "hijacking the thread" either. Broad shoulders, here and many hugs your way.

I'm not sure I'm that strong, Kath - I tend to believe that I'm either less emotional/more cold than other people or I just bury them deeper so people can't use them against me. I'm the kind of person who if you poke with a stick retreats into her shell, although I'm not exactly retreating as trying to be a responsible adult who realizes that this is the new normal. To me crying over it just doesn't make sense.

I've gotten used to her not sharing what she's feeling and she had lots of experiences at camp that I never ever even heard of. It has to be okay, because it's her life not mine. My mom and dad let me be me and I'm letting her be her. She's got us as much as she needs us and is certainly free to do with her life what she wants to do. I've dropped expectations by the wayside ever since she was in first grade and didn't turn out to be a reader like me. Lots of other things she's unlike me in, too, but she's mine and I love her to death. Nobody will ever love her as much as I do. Period.

I realize things will never be exactly the same and that a newer model of Jenna will arrive on our doorstep at Thanksgiving or whenever. It's life and it's the right time.

So off I go to read a trashy romance/thriller Hide and Seek: Adair. A great way to escape feeling sad and a great way to start my new life as an empty nester in the fullest sense of the word since I'll only see husband 2 nights a week for the foreseeable future.

Life is sad and good all rolled up in one.

Karen, I applaud you. Life is sad and good most of the time, and the only authentic thing to do is to live it the best you can. There. That's my philosophy for the day. The college years are at once so liberating for young women and at the same time often turn them into very strange creatures. Most of us come back to our roots at 30 a bit better than we set out, but after all the experimenting, still the same person. That's philosophy #2, so I'd better quit.
Tina, I'm sad for your family and for your step-MIL. (I don't know where the good stuff is in this house. I've said before that we live on the top layers of stuff accumulated by DH's grandmother, parents, and dead older sister. The nieces and nephew may just want to make a quick run-through when we're dead and then torch the place.) (But they'd better do something good with my books!)

Thanks, Peggy. I've been having a rough time, even though I've had the house to myself. Just missing daughter, wondering what to do for a volunteer activity now that I'm done with Band Boosters. Thinking what a milestone we've reached. Feeling restless but restricted...

I was starting to do pretty well yesterday - had a good day with husband, then daughter called from Charlotte NC - a group of kids went to Charlotte and instead of going back on the bus she went with someone with a car and was stuck when she'd rather have been back at the dorm. She was supposed to call me when she got back to the dorm but her cell phone battery died and she forgot, and I slept terribly last night. I knew she was okay, but my mom radar just couldn't turn off. I broke down and called her at 9:30 this morning and we had a good talk.

Today I've been blah and tired and not motivated at all. I did do some laundry and worked on daughter's rec room (wreck room more like) but I'm a tad down right now.

This coming weekend we're committed to going to stay with some friends in the mountains but I'd rather just be home for the three days, the weekend after that we go to visit husband's mother, and none of it is appealing at all. I just want to curl up in a ball and stay in bed.

I hate feeling this way.

I've been reading trashy thrillers by Cherry Adair, that's how far I've sunk.

But, I did pick up my ER book last night, All Cry Chaos, a mystery, and it's intriguing so far. Although I'll take the next Cherry Adair upstairs in case I want to switch.

The sad part of life is in ascendancy right now. I've been working so hard at keeping my spirits up but I'm just too tired to work at it right now.

Hi Karen, I'm sorry to hear you are having a hard time. I'm also at a loss with my son away at school. I woke up at 4 am this morning, worrying about him and have no idea why. I don't get how, suddenly now that he's 18 and away at school, I am supposed to turn off being a worrying, concerned and involved mom. I wish I knew how. I just know it's not easy.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

I just want to curl up in a ball and stay in bed. is how I feel much of the time.
Nothing in the world would take me away from home for two weekends in a row. I
just don't think I could do it..

Yeah.. my kids left home in the days before mobile phones. I suffered countless hours
of worry and fear if I called their rooms late in the day and they were not there. I still
have that problem, and sometimes it is made worse by the mobile phones, because you
KNOW they have a phone in their pocket, and if they are not answering why not?.. sigh

No way around it.. the mom/worry thing is just going to happen for most of us.. no fun.
:(

*smooch* to my dear Horrible in her mom-crisis. Single-eggers like us have a weird challenge letting go, never ever easy for anyone anyway but...!

HI coppers: We're going through the exact same thing, aren't we? I don't get how, suddenly now that he's 18 and away at school, I am supposed to turn off being a worrying, concerned and involved mom. I don't either. I know she's okay, but. It's hard to be totally involved to being minimally involved.

Hi Kath: You've gone through this four times and all without cell phones. I admire you. I was quite fine until the Call from Charlotte. It my mom worry hat back on my head. I think I've successfully tucked it away in a drawer, but I'm sure I'll pull it out the next time something new happens that I can't be there to help her with. We're definitely committed for Labor Day weekend. We'll probably only visit Bill's Mama for one day, so I'll have part of a weekend.

Single-eggers. Good one, RD. Thank you for the smooch.

Thanks guys, for the support.

I think the hurricane and it's barometric aftermath has given me headaches - had one late yesterday and one all day today. 4 ibuprophen have barely touched it. I may break down and take one of the three Tylenol Sinus I have left.

So work's gone quickly today and it's time to get lunch! Food is always a pick me up. Grilled chicken salad with tomatoes, green peppers, and banana peppers. Yum. (BTW, on a semi-Atkins type diet I lost 4 pounds last week and ate as much as I wanted. Not carbs of course, but at least I was able to eat til I felt full.)

Trashy thrillers are sometimes a necessary evil :)

Good for you for getting on with it anyway, Karen! I suspect that you agree that it's a good thing that you can't vegetate for long. I do know what you mean about being away for two weekends in a row though - not my preferred mode of existence. Take care! Enjoy the books! Enjoy the food! All of that will help you arrive at a new way of being a mom - even if you remain old mom at heart, and I think you will.

Trashy thrillers are sometimes a necessary evil :)

I agree completely!

Hi Stasia: I'm working my way through a great trashy series.

Hey Peggy: Old mom in my heart, new mom out front. Good idea. I'm really trying to just put one foot forward at a time. Like Dory in "Finding Nemo" - Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.... What do we do, we swim, swim..."

Just Keep Swimming

The weekends away are a necessary evil, just like trashy thrillers. I just finished another one, On Thin Ice. Will start another one, Hot Ice. Both by Cherry Adair.

Hi tymfos! This year has been a serious re-read of ...lightweight... shall we say.... books mostly. I envision myself reading all the T-FLAC books by Cherry Adair. I might even be passive aggressive against our financial problems and buy some of them new, not waiting to try to find them at used book stores or bookmooch. Let's see. I have 9 of them, need 5. No big.

Insomnia sucks. I don't know why tonight - no caffeine, nothing major troubling me beyond the usual. Sigh.

I guess I'll read for a while then try to sleep til the alarm goes off at 6 a.m.

My Merlin kitty is sitting with me here - trying to get between me and the keyboard, purring her little heart out. Furry kids are a comfort when your human one is away.

Trust me.. the worry doesn't just slide away when they are 19, either. or 20.. or 30..
haven't much hope for 40 either.

If my observations of my mother are anything to go by, --- 60 either.
Karen, I don' t know how you'll hold your eyes open today. Be careful!

Kath: I know you're right and I'll worry about her until the day I die. It will be better once she's past this child-adult transition, I think - for me at least.

Peggy: Confirmation, alas. My mother always calls when we've got weather brewing out here in addition to the regular calls we make back and forth.

I did go back to sleep about 4 a.m. and slept til the alarm went off, then punched it 4 times. Still got to work on time, though!

I'm a little bit tired, but my eyes aren't as gritty as they sometimes are when I'm exhausted. I will be having lunch with husband and one of the two guys he works with on second shift - this other guy wants to talk about Harry Potter with me, so it will be an interesting and hopefully invigorating lunch. Then the afternoon doldrums, then home. I'll try to go to sleep early tonight if I can.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.....

sea monkeys stole my money

Hi Brenda! Sea monkeys, eh? Ya gotta watch out for them, they're devious.

Your profile page shows you currently reading A is for Alibi is that true or have you already read it or did you abandon it?

Daughter and roommate are apparently going to get a fish - and then of course a friend of mine asked me how the grandfish was doing.

Grandfish.

Gads.

Daughter has now mentioned that they're considering getting one each, so that when the summer break comes they'll each have their own.

Life's never dull - sometimes sad, sometimes happy, but surely never dull.

ok, don't laugh, I wanted to read it, but the print is SO small! I have those cheater glasses but they give me a headache after a while. I will make an effort to try it again

No laughing here. Hmm..... I don't have a large print copy to swap out, sorry.

(my biggest fear - not being able to read)

I know right, I just checked it, I find my vision is worse in the morning (isn't everything) so as long as I wait until lunch time I should have no problems.

wow, edited for really bad not being able to see

How was your Potter theme lunch?

Grandfish!!! I love it! (My freshman dorm passed an Easter bunny around for its owner for a good part of a semester, (pets being Against the Rules) and she boarded her plane to Florida with said rabbit in hand when summer came.)
Biggest fear - not being able to read. Heaven forfend. That's a biggie for sure.

#30: my biggest fear - not being able to read

Not mine. My biggest fear is running out of books to read. The WWBF, don't you know? :)

Brenda: whatever it takes, right?

Kath: didn't fly (tee hee). Bill, the friend, was more intent on telling stories - we actually had a good conversation that ranged all over the place, but quite a bit of it was his stories. Not all of which I believe, but he's certainly interesting. I tried twice to bring the conversation back to HP and my husband tried once, but we heard stories about cooking, hunting, his daughter, his ex, his varous and sundry problems with the VA, etc. An enjoyable lunch, even without HP.

Peggy: The bunny story is good. A friend of mine found a baby squirrel away from the next when she was a freshman and carried it around in her pocket to classes.

Stasia: WWBF? I'm not grokking.

I got A Trick of the Light yesterday via the nice brown truck guy. I will take it with me on our 3-day weekend in Fancy Gap VA. Along with All Cry Chaos (ER book), What Men Don't Want Women to Know, and Edge of Danger. I'll add another book or two because you can never have enough books on hand just in case. I'll also take my laptop, but don't know what kind of connectivity they have.

#35: WWBF = World Wide Book Famine

Have fun on the trip!

Thanks, Stasia!

I admit I am jealous that you have A Trick of the Light already though :)

It came in the mail two days ago. There are quite a few books I'm willing to be patient and wait for paperback or hope to pick up at the thrift stores, but Louise Penny's gotten under my skin and I require immediate gratification. I also immediately buy the newest Charles Todd Inspector Rutledge and the newest Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse. Please note that I abhor True Blood. I watched part of the first episode of the first season and about puked. But the series is fun.

I'm taking the Penny to the mountains with me, along with enough other books so I won't be left bookless in case I get a lot of reading time in. We leave around 8 this morning.

I don't know if I'll have internet access up there, so I may not be online until Monday.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

I hope you have a wonderful trip, Karen! You are right for taking a lot of books. Nothing worse than having time on your hands and no books to read :)

Absolutely! If you take them and don't read them, that's no big deal. If you need a book and don't have it, that's devastation! Enjoy your holiday!

I think you are probably way ahead of me with Trick of the Light..
I am winding down finally today and plan to pick it up shortly..
but I wasn't here for more than a minute this morning so trying to catch up with a few threads...

I checked for Bury Your Dead yesterday at B&N, but the copy they had was a trade paperback, very handsome but 15 bucks. I'll wait a little longer and see if it shows up on PBS or in a mass market format - or at the library!

Morning Karen- sorry, I lost you there for a few days! Hope you are having a good weekend! I'll be starting my 1st Three Pines book sometime next week.

have you looked at amazon marketplace?

http://www.amazon.com/Bury-Your-Chief-Inspector-Gamache/dp/0312626908/ref=sr_1_1...

You realize you're an enabler, right?

*nods proudly*

Hi everybody!

Well, our friends had to come back early - she to work today as a dispatcher at the sheriff's office and he to update his employees' hours in the timekeeping system. We did not know this until we got up there early Saturday. So we had fun - talking, driving around, eating, using the hot tub, relaxing, reading.

But it was nice to get home last evening too.

Poor ffortsa! No excuse not to get Bury Your Dead now, is there?

Smug Kath.

Stasia and Peggy - I only got a bit of reading in Saturday night after the hot tub. Husband and James were watching something mindless on TV and Joyce and I agreed that we would each go read a bit. A woman after my own heart. She showed me her Nook - it was neat but didn't make my heart go pitty-pat.

Have I mentioned that my sister is supposedly getting two Kindles from a friend of hers? The friend bought two, one for her sister and a good friend, but they've angered her and she's supposedly giving them to my sister. One of which may make its way to me - nothing I ever asked for but I won't look a gift Kindle in the mouth.

I just started A Trick of the Light this morning with a nice cup of coffee. I am always amazed how much I absolutely adore these books.

Daughter called on Saturday while we were up in the mountains. I chatted a bit with her, then husband chatted with her. The upshot is that she will spend part of next Saturday with us visiting husband's mother, daughter's "Gran" at the 24/7 facility she's in. It's about an hour past where daughter is attending college. To tell the truth I'm surprised daughter wants to go, but husband says she mostly wants to spend time with us. We'll pick her up, visit Gran, stop somewhere for a late lunch, then spend a bit more time with daughter and drop off her printer and some tennis shoes and hiking boots she wants. She's joining the Outdoor club and they go hiking all the time.

This will make the visit to Gran tolerable - it always takes a full day and husband's mother usually rips us a new one when we visit for not visiting more. Sure makes us want to visit more, eh? But with the promise of seeing daughter and spending time with her too, Saturday is looking more attractive by the minute.

Daughter's very excited because in the Brass Quartet she's in (officially the Chamber Music class), they're letting her play the euphonium. The Band Director at her high school always needed her to play trombone and had other baritone/euphonium players. She's always wanted to play euphonium, and now's her chance.



I think I'm going to go back to Three Pines with a fresh cup of coffee. :)

I like my kindle, it's an enabler for sure - if you are trying to control your book purchases. Some kindle books are lendable but I find that doesn't apply to the more "popular" books.

I'm actually kinda anxious, Brenda, to get the kindle. A new toy to play with.

I'm not good at controlling book purchases - I use Bookmooch, 4 thrift stores in town, and, when I absolutely have to have something RIGHT NOW, Amazon. I have over 1000 books on my shelves that I've classified tbr - to be read. And yet I still buy more. Sigh.

Husband and I went to the recycling center, had lunch, then went food shopping. Major excitement for the day. woo-hoo.

Now we're going to watch US Open tennis for a while.

I was never attracted to the Nook, Karen. But Kindle was immediately accessible to me, and I love it - especially for reading big books. I have to slap my hands to keep from ordering the new stuff, but all in all, I'm delighted to have one. Hope you get yours and enjoy it completely! (I wish I had only 1,000 yet to read on my shelves.)
Glad you had such a fine weekend and wish you another great one with your daughter!

Gee, I don't feel so bad about my TBR now - somewhere between 500 and 600. Unfortunately, I can't always resist the free library shelves down in the laundry room in my building, but it's a two-way trip, after all. I've just about resolved to get rid of a few dozen mysteries I don't need to go back to, and I'm trying hard not to buy any new books or otherwise increase that TBR.

Both the Kindle and the Nook would destroy my resolve to read what I have - so unless I win one in a raffle, it's paper for me for the foreseeable future.

(quiet announcement that I finished my 75th book on August 22nd).

Hi Peggy! Now that I might actually get one, I'm a bit excited. I have no idea when it will happen, but little tingles of excitement occasionally make themselves felt. As far as the weekend went, we did have a good one and I'm looking forward to visiting daughter and MiL.

ffortsa - just think - if you go totally broke you'll still be able to read continuously for years. That's the way I feel about it. I can never resist books. The next fall from grace will the The Friends of the Library Sale near the end of September - I always take the day off and spent between $40 and $50.

I'm so glad that most books aren't as good as A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. If they were, I wouldn't go to work, wouldn't clean house, wouldn't socialize, wouldn't do anything except eat, sleep, and read. Husband, cats, fish, and gecko would suffer from neglect. The seasons would go by unnoticed.

Louise Penny is a genius, pure and simple. Her characters are well drawn, her mysteries intriguing and multi-layered, and her understanding of feelings and of the heart are almost beyond compare. Her writing is true poetry. Everything is intertwined, everything relates to everything else, all in a beautiful tapestry of a book. Is everything resolved? No. Does everybody get her/his come uppance? No. But that pinprick of white paint, that glorious dot of hope, shines out for everybody who has any goodness in them at all.

How is possible to so love characters in a book? Gamache, Beauvoir, Clara, Ruth, Myra, Olivier, Gabbi, Reine-Marie. Struggling, yearning, faltering, recovering, living.

It's just so good.

Let's see. I would consider continuing with All Cry Chaos but no mystery after A Trick of the Light will satisfy. Off to find some more trashy thrillers or a memoir, or Eve Dallas, or ....

That's part of the joys of having so many tbr books on my shelves, ffortsa. It's as good or better than a library and I discover books all the time, just waiting for the right time to read them.

Congratulations on the reaching your challenge :) and I've added A Trick of the Light as well

(ok your touchstone is wrong and I was taken aback LOL don't you love that "taken aback" but I was)

Congrats for your 75th!

Ah, Brenda, sorry! I'm usually careful about making sure it's the correct touchstone but I didn't pay attention this time. It's fixed.

Thanks to both of you. I love the 75 book challenge. I usually read around 100 books, give or take a few, but this is the group for me!

You've already read 83!!!!!!!

YIPPEE!


---and congratulations

cute gif :)

Congrats on 83 reads!

Just checking in and catching up!

Congratulations on meeting the challenge . . . and then some.

(I really must order A Trick of the Light!)

Hi Peggy: Cute gif! Thanks.

Hi Kath: Thank you, too.

BookAngel_a - Hi ! Hope you're doin well.

Thanks, tymfos. I'll just keep reading and see how many I get to.

You absolutely must get a Trick of the Light. Have you read all the other books in the series? It is a series that really demands to be read in order.

I'm pretty excited - between Federer winning last night over Tsonga in straight sets and getting to see daughter tomorrow, things are looking good!

Plus I'm reading a new trashy thriller.....

Well I did go and download the first book, it's like $2.99 for Kindle, and I'm hooked so far...

I'm so excited! A Trick of the Light arrived today at the library (after being back-ordered). I've got it checked out. If only I hadn't started The Ninth Daughter last night. At least that one is proving to be a quick read -- and now with Louise Penny waiting in the wings, I'm sure it will be read even faster!

Brenda - I hope you continue to like the series. You're just beginning - you have a lot of great reading ahead.

thornton37814 - I had the same problem - was reading another book when A Trick of the Light came. I made quick work of the other book for sure. Then I devoured the Penny. And now have to wait a long time for the next installment. Ah well, it's good to want things.

ok. ok. I noticed that the Strand was one of the sources on Amazon for discounted editions of Bury Your Dead and I picked it up this evening. And almost got run over crossing 14th Street on the way home - doesn't everyone read while walking?

Only when someone is guiding me..... you need to wait long enough to not be a target!

Had a lovely time with daughter yesterday. Picked her up about 9:30, went to visit MiL/mother/grandmother. We stayed about 2 hours, then went to lunch and brought things into the dorm that daughter had asked us to bring. We met her roommate and think she's marvelous and a perfect fit for daughter.

Met the grandfish and got an updated view of the room with the roommate's stuff in it - when we left daughter 3 weeks ago she didn't have a roommate yet. So now we know. I was so good at not trying to pick up things and clean up! It was hard.

Today is lazing around, working out in the yard some, perhaps, then watching the women's final in tennis at the US Open. Serena Williams vs. Samantha Stosur. Hope Stosur wins - she deserves a slam.

Then it's off to bookclub to discuss my book - She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan, a memor of her transgendered life.

And then back to the grind on Monday. Sigh.

doesn't everyone read while walking

I know I do :)

Glad your daughter has a good roommate. When we went into Amy's room for the first time..
the roommate had gotten there first. One look in the closet gave the that uh oh feeling.
They got through the year .. and then Amy managed to have a tiny little single for the rest of her time there. One she shared ( most of the time ) with Stephan, who did not feel comfortable with his own roommate. It worked.

Off to read, I am lucky to have another fabulous read to concentrate on!

Morning Karen- I'm glad you enjoyed your time with your daughter. Our daughter is coming home, (from Oregon) on the 19th and staying for a week. We are thrilled.
I finally cracked A Cafe on the Nile. Wow, this guy grabs you right away. This one could even be better than WRH.

Hi Kath:

I had roommate problems my first year at Pepperdine. She was a smoker (this was in 1971), she partied a lot, and she made fun of me for being so studious. THEN we got a third roommate because we were in one of two "fishbowl" rooms that could hold 3. Those two ganged up on me something fierce. But I got through it.

Stranger even still, when Mary got a school-subsidized apartment in my second trimester as a sophomore she asked me to be her roommate. She had quit school by then and was just working for the school. I was an underclassman and wasn't supposed to be living off campus. But I told them I'd quit and wait til I was 21 to start school again if they wouldn't let me live off campus (the apartment was on a street between the administration and classroom buildings!). My mother even called to give her permission, so I moved off campus with Mary.

Things were a combination of fun and strange for a year, then she decided to move back home and join the Army. So I inherited the apartment - one bedroom, very nice, for $110/month. I stayed there til my senior year, when I moved down to the beach and commuted to school for my last year.

I'm glad, too, that you've got a fabulous read to concentrate on.

Mark! Thanks. I hope our time with your daughter is wonderful. Bartle Bull is just the best, isn't he?

ok, I am now officially sucked into the Three Pines series

Horrible darling, a quick drive-by to send a smooch. Still working on the zombie-brain-eating-bore-me-into-a-coma book, so I must dash.

Hey Brenda! So glad you're a Three-Pines-aholic with the rest of us.

I'm considering a re-read of the entire series.....

Hallo RichardDear! Smooch accepted. What "zombie-brain-eating-bore-me-into-a-coma book" are you being tormented with?

70> you will be glad!

Why the silence? Are you out partyin' the town down with your boy Novak now that he's won the Men's Singles? *heeheehee*

>72 karenmarie: I was doing some manual labor on a book for The Divine Miss, and it was NOT fun. A thriller that was devoid of thrills. Eccch.

Kath: I'm ready for another one already.

RichardDear: Djerkovic, you mean. Sigh. I'm glad I didn't see Roger's match against him last Saturday - we had a much better time paying a duty visit to husband's Mama and indulging in an orgy of hours with daughter.

I've got a few not so good things going on right now - if I could I'd ride out of Dodge, but that's not possible. Oh well, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming....... what do we do? we swim, swim......

*there there, pat pat*

Hi Karen, just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying The Three Pines series. I'm making myself wait and get the third one from the Library rather than just buying them all up. This is me having restraint, this is me also not cleaning my house or working in the yard. More of a passive aggressive thank you now that I think about it.

(good luck with the not so good things)

yes I'm a natural blue...

Thank you, RichardDear.

Brenda - glad you're loving Three Pines. Such restraint you're showing! I admire you for it. Reading instead of getting other things done is sometimes absolutely necessary, too.

Working on the not so good things.....

Dear Karen, I do hope that you have done up those not so good things and sent them packing! What I like about retirement is that I no longer feel the need to do anything that I don't just have to, to keep body & soul together in a house that just barely escapes notice from the Health Department. The thing is, that I'm not reading like I want to. But I'm swimming; oh yes, I am.
Glad you had the good day with your daughter. That is bound to have been reassuring to everybody concerned!!

Hi Peggy:

I'm so glad you're enjoying the swimming. Physical exercise releases those endorphins, for sure. The books will be there when you want them.

As for my angst, believe me, I'm trying. I got some advice yesterday that I'm feeling good about, and it feels like the curtain of anger, depression, and hopelessness might be lifting a bit.

I'm being sinfully self-indulgent after I get home from work - eat, read, sleep. I adore coming home to an empty house. Weekends are a bit more involved - husband isn't working on the weekends and there's always stuff to do around the house. Today's getting some of daughter's stuff boxed to put in the attic (papers from 7th grade - 12th grade that she hasn't gone through); she can deal with them another time but I won't have to look at them in her room any more.

There's a computer fix-it person coming over today at 1 to resusitate husband's computer, so I have to get the front part of the house a bit more under control than it is. Too bad the computer isn't in daughter's room - it's immaculate.

I need to box a few things to send to daughter (warm microfleece sleep pants among them) and mail them this morning if I can. I don't know if the post office is open on Saturdays anymore. Guess I'll find out!

I'm still enjoying trashy thrillers - testosterone-filled alpha males, strong, intelligent women, bad guys, steamy sex. I need to start the book for October's bookclub meeting Peace Like a River, but will probably wait another week or so.

Today we're in a cold snap - only supposed to get to 60 again today after being in the high 80s through Thursday. Rainy, too.... not a bad day to just putter around the house, run a few errands, read, and watch The Office with husband. (we're shameless addicts)

Glad to hear that like the curtain of anger, depression, and hopelessness might be lifting a bit....
I am familiar with that curtain myself.. much better when it isn't there..

I have that book somewhere.. so I look forward to hearing what you think of Peace Like a River.

I like trashy thrillers too! I am reading one I got for nook that is just the ticket.. shenanigans in DC.
Drop By Drop: A Thriller by Keith Raffel ..
And I also plan to start a fluffy one Mariana shortly.

Hope your weekend is a good one!

Thanks, Kath!

Hi karenmarie--I'm still going through the same daughter withdrawal that you are.

I'm putting together a small package for my daughter, too. The small size priority box is $13 to China; the next bigger size is $40 so it will probably be a copy of The Clash of Kings--which will pretty much fill up the box, probiotics and a bit of Halloween.

I havn't even been upstairs to my daughter's room since she left three weeks ago. There are still a pair of shoes by the front door.....you are being stronger than I am!!!!

I'm hoping to be able to use Skype to talk to my daughter. It's a free download and free to use--I haven't used it yet because of the 14 hour time difference (and of course the fact that DD is incredibly busy and having lots of fun on her end!). But I'm hoping. My computer is older, so I had to buy a $30 web cam which came with super easy to install drivers.

AT&T has hoplessly screwed up our accounts so international calls are out right now :-( ; emails are OK, Skype looks promising.

Thought I'd mention Skype because you might have fun with it with your daughter, too. You could ask the computer guru about it when he comes today.

Hi streamsong:

Wow. China. Much, much too far. Our daughter is only 66 miles away and we did see her last weekend. It's easier to be strong when you know you'll see your child soon, my dear. October 15th is the next time - she's coming home for the week-long fall break. Then Thanksgiving week, and a month at Christmas. The withdrawl is being made easy - I assume that over time she'll come home less and less, just like I did..... part of growing up.

Even if I was happily wanting to use Skype, daughter is a hopeless technophobe. Her roommate seems more technosavvy so could probably install it.

I may be strange, but I feel strongly that this is her experience, her life, and am letting her call the shots as much as I can stand (see paragraph below). She's the one who's been calling, which is very nice, and has sent me several text messages just to say hi and share tidbits. But do I need to speak with her daily? No. Am I curious about what's going on with her? Yes, but she's always been a private person and I know she's relishing her independence and NOT having to share everything with Mom and Dad. She shares enough and was the one who wanted to see us last weekend, so I am content.

She did make me nervous this week - I sent an e-mail Sunday after seeing her Saturday, one Tuesday to share some information, then forwarded it again on Wednesday when I hadn't heard from her. Yesterday I finally sent an "Are you alive and okay?" e-mail and she replied quickly that she had been busy with English papers and History Projects and Band (Jazz, Wind Ensemble, Trombone Lessons, Piano Lessons, and Brass Quartet!!!). She was doing great. She went with a group to see the Charlotte (NC) Symphony last night and I'm curious as to how she liked it. She's not real fond of classical music. I'll eventually find out.

Another box of stuff gathered up to take to the attic. I found 8 bankers' boxes for $10 at Office Max so bought 2 sets. They're not the absolute sturdiest, but they are good enough for my needs.

I'm not sure we ever get over daughter withdrawal. I text my daughter every morning with something silly but it's mostly a "Mommie loves you" with some something tossed in from her childhood. It was only after I skipped a day she called to fuss me, come to find out she looks forward to hearing from me and it helps set the tone for her day - who knew?

ps my daughter is 36 ;)

Brenda, that's fantastic. Maybe I'll give thought to just sending a text without strings a couple of times a week. Thanks.

85.. me too.. email @ her work though.. she is nearly 35

:)

Wow! Both of you guys. I think my sister probably does the same with her 32-year old daughter and 30-year old son.

Morning Karen- Speaking of daughters, mine comes into town tomorrow, for a week. YAH! I wish I could have got some more time off work. Sad Dad!
I loved Peace Like a River. hope it works for you.

*smooch* just cause

Enjoy your time with your daughter, Mark. That's the way I felt this summer - working while daughter was home, knowing that she was leaving for college, not having enough vacation time for that AND for time to save for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plus the week she'll be home in October - won't get to take the time off. Sad Mom.

Thanks, RichardDear. Coming along, coming along.

My daughter (and son) also spent their first years at a University about fifty miles away. When people would say "Oh, you see them all the time, then" I'd tell them I pretended they were 500 miles away. I'd get funny looks, but I also didn't want to intrude as college is a wonderful time.

Several years ago, I read a novel about western American pioneers and I was really struck by the fact that as they climbed into their covered wagons for an arduous, dangerous trip, they also knew they wouldn't be seeing their beloved relatives again. Thank God our kids are more accessible than that! I'm not sure how I'd manage on a letter or two a year as the pioneer families did.

HI streamsong - I feel comfortable with the amount of communication we're having. Heard from her two days ago. Her dad heard from her yesterday. Trying to not bombard her but still let her know we're there for her, enjoy communicating with her.

I've thought about that before, too - people saying good-bye to their loved ones, potentially forever.

I'm back in a J.D. Robb Eve Dallas series frame of mind - listened to Rapture in Death and am reading Ceremony in Death. Still thriller-ish - murders and mayhem and steamy sex and atmosphere between her and Roarke. I'm on book 5 out of a series of 34 plus some novellas!!! It's great to have all those books to look forward to.

I had fun yesterday at the Friends of the Library Sale - bought a lovely bunch of books, hardcover, TP, and mass market paperback. I kept within my budget by $1, had a blast looking for books and talking with people, had lunch with husband and a friend of ours, then cataloged books yesterday afternoon.

Sounds like a really good day!

The best kind of vaction day, RichardDear. And today's Friday, so two more days right away. Hooray!

While waiting for the next J.D. Robb to arrive via Bookmooch, Conspiracy in Death, I picked up my first Jack Reacher by Lee Childs.

It's nice having friends in high places - the President of the Friends of the Library and I were talking last Saturday just as the sale was ending and she was shocked that I hadn't read any Jack Reacher. She told me that the first one she read was Bad Luck and Trouble and they already had a copy in the back room waiting for the spring sale - she'd sell it to me for the first day price of $3. Beautiful hardcover with pristine dust jacket. I bit and am about 50 pages in and enjoying it very much so far.

And I'm listening to Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, a stunning novel. Lyrical, powerful, intriguing. It's for my bookclub meeting on Sunday.

I just finished the book circle's next book last night, for the 10/13 meeting: BRIGHTON ROCK by Graham Greene. Wow! Such an amazing book.

Hmmm. Another Reacher Creature in the making? :)

RichardDear - I have 10 books by Graham Greene, but not Brighton Rock. Grumble. I'll have to be on the lookout.

drneutron - Reacher Creature! I love it. I'll probably be one - I've already started collecting others in the series (at the Friends of the Book Sale in Pittsboro last week and at the Friends of the Library Sale where I work here in Sanford yesterday.)

I'm ashamed to admit that ignorance not being bliss, I gave 3 of the series away without even trying them - 4, 7, and 10. Now I'm on a mission to get them all. Bookmooch and the thrift stores will be my friends.

>97 richardderus: Oh, I'm so glad to hear you say that. I won't get to BR until after Tuesday, for which I am reading The Moviegoer, which reread after many years I am thoroughly enjoying. I'm not sure I recognized the narrator's (and author's) sly wit the last time, since I was really just an infant at the time.

Hi Karen- I'm glad you enjoyed Peace Like a River. I loved it too! I have his 2nd book in the stacks, which I've been meaning to read 4ever.
Speaking of Mr. Reacher, I just finished Die Trying, the 2nd book. I liked it but I'm not a Reacher Creature yet.

>99 karenmarie: *heeheehee* Made ya buy a book! :-P~~~~~

>100 ffortsa: I predict you'll enjoy it a lot more the second time around, Judy. I was completely unable to put it down.

I just finished reading Peace Like a River. I gave it 4 1/2 stars - very unusual for me to rate a book so high. In my rating system that's stunning. (5 stars is masterpiece and I've only accorded 2 books that rating - Pride and Prejudice and The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.)

I didn't have time to finish listening to it, so read the last 60 pages or so. It actually does better being listened to, in my opinion. You can hear the cadence of the language and the beautiful phrasing; you can hear the wonder of the miracles and power of the story being told.

Here's my review: Peace Like a River

I'm going to have fun at bookclub tonight.

It's also my 100th book this year. Not very many challenging books, I'm afraid; I've had enough challenges in real life this year. But books can save your life when you're flailing around and need the grounding of something comforting.

Really! That good .. *groan* I have it on my shelf too..
Nice review btw :)

Congrats on 100!

I took some time to read your review, and others, as the title 'Peace like a River' is so appealing. But I think I'll pass, at least for now. The writing might interest me, but the religious content would not.

Yes, Kath, it's that good. At least to me it was. Thanks about my review too!

Oh yeah, 100 books too.

The religious content is not proselytizing, ffortsa, just .... there.... as a major aspect of Reuben's dad Jeremiah Land. It defines Jeremiah, but the other characters are refreshingly non-overtly religious, I'm happy to say. It makes Jeremiah's faith stand out, true. (I'm not Christian and Christian literature gives me the heebie-jeebies. This book worked for me.)

Well, doc, I'm definitely a Reacher Creature. I adored beyond measure Bad Luck and Trouble and am going to check out for the evening, go upstairs and read until I drop. Persuader, Jack Reacher #7 is my choice.

I finished Bad Luck and Trouble at work, trying to unobtrusively read it while closing month end financials and run reports for some of my users. Got both done, fortunately. Aint' I bad?

Karen- Beautiful review of Peace Like a River. You out-did yourself!

I *almost* got over my severe Xian allergy after reading your review.

Thanks Mark.

Well, RichardDear. Xian allergy? Should I modify the review to fully send it on it's wicked way?

I'm devouring the Jack Reacher books. I finished Persuader on Wednesday, Without Fail on Friday, and Worth Dying For this morning about half an hour ago. Drat that iced tea again!

We went out to dinner with some friends and I just cannot abide water at restaurants so against my smarter judgment I enjoyed unsweet tea with lemon. Along with some grilled salmon, salad, and vegetables. (I've now lost 10.2 pounds).

So after our friends left at about 10:30 I read until midnight then woke up at 4 a.m. thanks to the iced tea, came downstairs, made decaf coffee, and drank coffee and finished Jack Reacher #15. I must be really bloodthirsty, because I think I like this one the best so far - Reacher kills 7 evil men, maims 5 thugs, and otherwise incapacitates 6 others. Or maybe he maims 7 thugs and otherwise incapacitates 4 others. Plus he helps a victim extract vengeance against another evil man. Perhaps I should start writing down which bad guys get what. I thoroughly enjoyed it, without reservation. Total escapism, just what the doctor ordered.

Husband is now starting a third shift job. This means I lose my evening alone time, but them's the breaks. He's going to have to figure out when it's best to sleep during the day - right after he comes home at 8:15 a.m. or stay up and go to sleep 1-ish and get up just before he has to leave.

And daughter is coming home for Fall break on Friday afternoon! Nice. She's doing well at Pfeiffer so far and appears to be loving it. But I was encouraged that she was on a countdown - she told me last week that it was only 11 days til she came home! She will be bringing her beta fish home too for the week - my grandfish Sir Bartholomew.

Off to drink more coffee, start One Shot, Reacher #9, then probably go back to sleep for a while. I have a silk quilted comforter on the bed that keeps me toasty warm since the nights are getting cooler and we keep the house coolish at night.

Can you believe they've cast Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher? - the horror! I had Daniel Craig down in my mind, no way is little short Tom gonna make a believer out of me. Congrats on the losing of 10 pounds, I think I found it, I'm on the all you can eat loaded with butter diet for depression.

Tom. Cruise.

No, really. No. C'mon, admit that was just a bad joke. C'mon.

Glad Miss Lady is comin' home soon, and boo hiss on losing personal time. Ah well. Not everyone is as lucky as I am: Five days a week to myself. *bliss*

beeg... me too..

Tom Cruise? I don't know the books, but he is never my choice for anything.
Bah.

Blech. Tom Cruise. But apparently Lee Child doesn't mind: Child on Cruise as Reacher

Thanks beeg - I'm on an Atkins-type diet and use tons of butter. I just don't put it on potatoes, rice, or bread. Or pancakes, waffles.... etc. And I absolutely don't go hungry.

Hi RichardDear - we're looking forward to seeing Miss Lady (I like it!) Friday afternoon. The time thing is awful, but we just keep moving along, don't we? 5 days a week indeed. Totally jealous. Beyond measure.

I agree, Kath - Tom Cruise is never my choice for anything either.

Yeah, it's just unconscionable. Nobody seems to be able to talk Child out of it, though.

I see I'm in a diet-and-hate-Cruise crowd - I fit right in.
Infortunately, my pounds have been trialing after me like Mary's lost lambs- even with a whole day of fasting, I only just moved the scale. Grump. And I'm off all wheat products, which does limit the amount of damage one can do. Of course, I've discoverd all those lovely rice cookies and crackers in compensation.

I haven't read any Jack Reacher books yet - they sound like fine escape. Must try one this winter.

No butter on bread, pancakes or waffles *and* potatoes!? Yeah, those are all my favorite carriers for the butter, where do your tons factor in? Sigh, I had bread and butter for breakfast, toast and butter for lunch, and I'm now I'm thinking about something chocolate for an afternoon snack. I did call a yoga instructor, too bad the number stays busy.

Dinner: Meatloaf and skin-on mashed potatoes made with one stick butter, one cup half-and-half, and one cup parmesan cheese. All natural!

That's what I'm talkin about!

'Twas delicious. Quite quite.

I've still got the heebie-jeebies over Cruise as Reacher, especially since I've read two more since I last posted - One Shot - the one Cruise is going to turn into an abomination, and Gone Tomorrow.

I've just started Nothing to Lose.

I eat butter when I cook my eggs and I put butter on green beans. I'm sure as I expand my variety of foods I'll find more things to put butter on. When I was a kid I used to eat just plain butter when I got the chance. And I still love peanut-butter and butter sandwiches, although bread is currently out of the picture and peanut butter has surprisingly more carbs than one would imagine.

Two nights ago I had steak seasoned with garlic and rosemary, a salad with thousand island dressing, and some yummy creamed spinach. I'm going back to The Brewery very soon to check to see if it's as good as I thought it was. :)

Mashed potatoes are good, and I never get them out of a box. Lots of butter is mandatory of course, along with whipping cream (saving some for the pies, of course). I'll be making them for Thanksgiving. And Thanksgiving will be a diet-free day. I'm looking forward to mashed potatoes, sweet potato souffle, gravy, turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce AND cranberry relish, green beans, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and whatever other desserts mysteriously show up. Plus wine, of course.

Back to Reacher - Nothing to Lose.

*wipes off the drool*

Devoured Nothing to Lose and The Hard Way and just started The Enemy.

I've got 3 more Reachers coming via Bookmooch and had to break down and order the first three and the newest from Amazon.

Instant gratification is important to me right now.

Daughter's home for fall break and it's wonderful. We're all three having a good time. Today we're visiting grandparents for lunch then off to a pet store to buy new stuff for my aquarium, which is in desperate need of help. Daughter and i will make a project of it while she's home. It's 56 gallons and we're going to get rid of the old plants, rocks, and "furniture" and buy all new today after the grandparents' visit. Horray!

It seems cruel somehow to rearrange the furniture on the poor, dimwitted little fish...but of course, you know best. o.0

But the fish children will LOVE it! We got a hidey hole for The Big Guy, two small rock outcroppings and a Greek Temple. Plus fake plants and new rocks for the bottom. What more could they ask for? They're spoiled rotten as it is - food flakes in the morning and freeze dried mosquito larvae for an evening snack.

And daughter needed a new lyre for her trombone. I had to pay for it, too, because when she broke her lyre at the last football game when she was a senior, I threw away the small piece and she could have gotten it welded in Physical Science. She's been reminding me of it ever since, so today was the day for recompense. $8.06 later.....

So much less than the Ethan Allen digs for the fish, which cost a hell of a lot more than $8.06.

Off to watch a movie with daughter. Husband is trying to nap before heading off to third shift hell.

Fun week with daughter, a combination of glad and sad that she's gone back to school.

We ended up re-doing the fish tank on Friday, it looks gorgeous! It took us about 5 hours, start to finish.

I've been devouring the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child. They're so good!

even with Tom Cruises face?

Aaack. Ptui. Blech. Nooooooooooo.

Cruel, beeg, cruel. I absolutely cannot imagine Tom Cruise playing 6'5" 250-pound Jack Reacher. Lee Child must be on drugs to envision this working. Cruise isn't menacing enough, detached enough, remote enough to make it plausible. Reacher's eyes don't twinkle, for Gawd's sake. And, of course, Reacher looks EXACTLY like Lee Child.

I could see Daniel Craig for looks and ruggedness even though he's "only" 5'10", even Liam Neeson who's 6'4" although a bit old for the role at 59. Probably lots of others that I don't know about since I don't watch much TV or many movies.

I'm reading Running Blind, known as The Visitor in the British version that I bookmooched. So curb is spelled kerb and a few other slight things for British sensibilities. Or, I guess the Americanized the books since Lee Child is British.

Oh Hooooooorrrrribllllle! Horrible dearest, yoo hoo!

Do *I* have a treat for you! A new *FIVE-STAR* Italian mystery series!

Yes indeedy do, ma'am, five whole stars and a big ol' thumbs-up! Excellent crime drama, thrillers set in the Italian legal system written by one of the judges who presided over the Mafia trials that sent organized crime in Southern Italy into a death spiral. Mmm-hmm!

Involuntary Witness by Gianrico Carofiglio is the first. Five stars! Five!

*wanders off trailing evil Muttley laugh*

Hey, Richard. You really should watch out for collateral damage. Too cruel.

Oh NO!!! Another 5 star mystery series featuring an Italian stallion. And our library system has four of them. Drat....just when I thought I was caught up with Montalbano and Brunetti.....

*dances Mazurka of the Evil Book Imp*

La La La Lah ... still not listening

... but I did add it to my Bookmooch Wishlist, evil, EVIL imp that you are, dear Richard.

On a less costly note (since I now have them all and once the money's spent I don't worry about it any more) I'm galumphing through the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I just finished The Visitor last night and the dénouement was absolutely shocking. I didn't even remotely see it coming. But of course, once you look back, the hints are all there. A well-written, tight, book.

Next up is Echo Burning.

Plus, I'm reading a book for bookclub's November meeting called The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. In concept it reminds me of a book I cherish from my college years called Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander, which discusses the physical changes that occur as we're letting those phosphor dots laser into our brains through our eyes. I'll be interested in seeing what Carr says about the physical changes that occur through use of computers, iPads, ereaders, etc. in conjunction with the information and data deluge of the Internet.

It's pretty heavy going, though; an annecdotal confirmation of one of his first statements of how our brains are changing as a result of information and data deluge and snippets of information assimilated quickly. Sigh.

aha! so it is you! I was trying to remember who it was that was reading all f the alphabet books :)
She read one.. a while back, and started the conversation..

*watches rd dance*

Hi Kath -

This has been a year of reading series, most of them very light weight.

Well, now you've gone and done it - I just checked Amazon and the newest alphabet book is due for release mid-November - V is for Vengeance. So I'll have to pre-order it.

It is fun watching RichardDear - but it's a mazurka while doing the evil Mutley laugh..... the mind boggles.

and wearing lederhosen... just because

Lederhosen?! Perish forbid!

nope too late, I see you dancing a mazurka laughing like Mutley wearing Lederhosen. at least it's not as bad as Tom Cruise as Reacher.

Horribly, I can actually picture RD doing that dance in lederhosen.

Cruise as Reacher is an abomination.

RD dancing a Polish Mazurka wearing German/Tyrolian lederhosen is cute and endearing, even with the evil Mutley laugh.

Tom Cruise as anything.. bleh

He is making a film of some sort here in Pittsburgh.. people are all aflutter ..
his wife and daughter show up and they potter around and visit local "sites"
as well as coffee shops etc. I hear they are nice.. it does nothing to make me like
him better..he has never appealed to me .........

I liked Tom Cruise in Rain Man, War of the Worlds, and The Last Samurai. There are a lot of his movies I haven't seen and am not planning on going out of my way for. But as Reacher. The mind boggles.

And Kath - it's the Reacher movie that they're filming in Pittsburgh. One Shot.

Well, I'm bereft. I just finished the 16th and most recent Jack Reacher novel, The Affair. They are SO Good! Just what the doctor ordered - smart thrillers.

So now I'm continuing to trudge through The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. Yeesh.

And, I'll continue reading the Eve Dallas series by J.D. Robb. I've read the first 7, only have 27 more to go! Joy.

One of these days I'll get around to some more serious fiction, but now's not the time.

Husband and I went to see the high school's Marching Band show on Saturday - they were competing close by so we tootled on down the road. Watched 4 out of 5 1A bands, all the 2A bands (which is where Northwood was competing - it's a size thing), then 2 of the 3As. We had a lot of fun and I'm very glad that we're past that stage. We left after 2 of the 3As - didn't have to hang around another 4 hours waiting for the Awards Ceremonies. On the down side we missed seeing some of the bands perform, on the upside it was going to get into the low 40s once the sun set and it was more fun to eat dinner out then go home an watch part of a TV series we're re-watching.

27 more Eve Dallas novels. Are you exaggerating for effect? If not, someone please hook me up with Nora Roberts so I can learn her secret!

Lederhosen itch. Not wearin' 'em.

Nope, not exaggerating. And, that's only the Eve Dallas series. In total, she's written 195 novels and 11 novellas. Plus some short stories, I think.

I haven't read any of her romances, don't plan on it at this time.

I would think lederhosen would itch - leather - whether shorts or full lenth pants. But ya gotta admit, cute visual.

Insomnia sucks. Why, oh why, am I awake? No new crap, just the old crap.

I finished my first writing wind sprint just after 2a. Then went into a weird light sleep. Woke up after a PBS special I was listening to was over. I don't think that's insomnia, but it's about as close as I come, and me no likee.

Me no likee either. My eyes already feel gritty and it's only 9 a.m. with a LONG day ahead.

Good luck on the gay Italian boys boinking romance, otherwise known as Alexander in India: An Operatic Romance". And, of course, many smooches and hugs.

Another insomniac here, Karen. Figure I may as well try to catch up on LT after a busy week.

Insomnia is awful. I don't wish it on anybody, tymfos.

I have very sad news - my Father in Law passed away unexpectly this morning. We were going to move him to palliative care at the VA today, but my Mother in Law called in hysterics at 7:30 this morning to say that she thought he was dead. The night nurse had just gone off duty, MiL had paid him and escorted him out of the house, came back to the bedroom and FiL sat up in bed, gasped, and then died.

It was unexpected in a way, but he so did not want to leave his home. I think he willed himself to die at home with his wife and beloved puppy dog Lulu in the room.

I was there all day and am whupped. Husband is distraught, couldn't sleep today after working 3rd shift last night and isn't going to work tonight. Daughter will come home for the visitation on Friday evening. There will be a memorial service in early December sometime. Spoke with various and sundry cousins today, took MiL to the funeral home to make arrangements, and helped her some cleaning up the bedroom.

I will miss Dutch. Nobody could have had a better father in law. We are so grateful that we got to visit on Saturday - daughter was home unexpectedly from college on the weekend and we went to visit. We knew he was doing poorly, but didn't think that would be our last visit with him. It was a good visit, though - laughing and joking and just having fun family time.

Sigh.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It's good that you had a good visit that last time.

Thanks, doc.

My deepest condolences, Karen! He sounded like a good guy. Good luck with everything. Hugs!

hugs and condolences for you, your husband, MIL, & daughter.

How wonderful that you had such a good time last weekend and that your daughter was also there.

I'm so so sorry. Best wishes to your family.

My condolences as well. Losing someone who sounds as present in your lives as he seems to have been is very hard. But, as you said, he did die at home, with those he loved. There's some good in that.

I'm so sorry to learn about your father-in-law's death, Karen. My thoughts are with you and your family. I hope you can find some comfort in the fact that he died at home where he wanted, and that you were able to have such a nice visit soon before.

I'm sorry for your loss as well

Thanks to all of you. Mother in law and husband are coping pretty well. I'm sad but doing okay too.

We are eternally grateful that daughter was home and that we got to see him on Saturday. I think we would be totally bereft if we hadn't.

Pretty exciting news on the book front. I have the newest Susan Hill Simon Serraillier book, The Betrayal of Trust and the newest Sue Grafton V is for Vengeance. This is on top of my reading the Eve Dallas series by J.D. Robb.

Bliss.

And, not so enjoyable but it may surprise me, March by Geraldine Brooks for December's bookclub meeting. For those of you who've read March I have a question: I have never read Little Women. Should I read it prior to reading March or avoid it like I always have? Just askin'.

AFAIC, no need to read Little Women prior to reading March. They really aren't in the least connected. I reviewed this one earlier this year, and that's all I'll say, so you can read, discuss and decide for self how you feel. All your upcomings look like good ones tho, so you should have an enjoyable next few weeks.

Thanks, tututhefirst! I'll continue to happily avoid Little Women. Irrational, but consistent, I've never wanted to read it. I would have made the sacrifice, though, if it was important to a better understanding of March.

Hi Karen- I read and loved March and have never read Little women. I really like Geraldine Brooks and look forward to reading her latest.

I too am a Geraldine Brooks fan, and must say that March was my least favorite. Her latest Caleb's Crossing is excellent....gives us quite a picture of life in early New England.

I've only read Year of Wonders and People of the Book. I loved Year of Wonders and didn't particularly care for People of the Book.

I wonder if I'll like March?

I heard her speaking about Caleb's Crossing on NPR a while back and it sounded interesting. I'll eventually find it at a Friends of the Library Sale or at the Thrift Store. Brooks is not one of the authors I buy new. Actually, at this time, there are only about 4 or 5: Charles Todd, J.D. Robb, Elizabeth George, Susan Hill's Simon Serraillier series, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

Oh dear, my noveling self=absorbtion kept me from learning about FiL's passing until today...though to be perfectly frank, it sounds to me like the best possible death. If one has to go, that's the way to do it.

Ease and comfort sent to you and the family. His journey is over, he can lay down his tools. He did his job as well as any man could.

Thanks, RichardDear! You're right - he died at home, with his wife and beloved puppy dog. A good exit.

We're feeling sad and drained and Thanksgiving will be strange without Dutch zooming around in his electric wheelchair.

We will raise a glass in his honor, though, and even perhaps pass the Oreos around - his favorite cookie - in addition to the plethora of desserts that will be on the sideboard.

I'm taking vacation next week - 3 vacation days and 2 paid holidays - hurray - so will have time to get things under control and ready for the 11-12 of us sitting down to eat on Thursday. I adore preparing for Thanksgiving. Daughter won't be home until Wednesday evening, but that's okay - I'll have a chance to putter around and take care of some errands that have gotten backed up.

Today we're taking winter clothes to Mother-in-Law Anne. Dutch's ex, husband's mother. Last night I spent 3 hours going through her clothes, washing a few, freshening up others, pressing others. She's gotten so tiny and hunched over that I'm not sure how many of them will work out.

Our reward is getting to see our daughter for an early dinner. Pfeiffer is on the way to Davidson, NC where MiL is in 24/7, so we literally drive THROUGH the school on our way to and from.

This morning I picked up an "NC Natural" turkey, 23 pounds, for Thanksgiving. It's got pride of place in the refrigerator. One thing off the list.

Hmmm. I really need to start reading March for the December 4th bookclub meeting. I'm curiously reluctant to begin.

Karen...may I suggest that you not start March until your Thanksgiving feast is behind you. It's an intense (and in places disturbing) book that might spoil some people's ability to enjoy a holiday celebrating our plentitude of blessings. A few good solid afternoons and/or evenings of reading will get you through enough of it to be able to participate in a book discussion.

Thank you for the suggestion, tututhefirst! I'll plan on starting it next Friday or Saturday.

Yesterday's visit was a success - with both MiL and daughter. Long, busy day. I came home, read a bit, then slept for 10 hours.

I'm still happily working my way through the Eve Dallas series - I'm up to book 14 now, out of 34.

I took a detour to read 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It was stunning, amazing, sad. I can't say anything about what moved me most about this book without adding spoilers.

We had a great Thanksgiving. There were 11 of us, it was fun, chaotic, joyous. One new wrinkle was that cousin David brought his air rifle. We brought out the Ruger .22, the .22 pistol, and the 12-gauge shotgun. Lots of aiming at Diet Dr. Pepper cans and into the woods while Rebecca, Ann, and I worked on Thanksgiving dinner.

The next day daughter and I shot off the 12-gauge and the pistol. She and husband said that my grin got bigger and bigger for each shot fired. Go figure.

Daughter goes back to college today. The holiday season officially starts for me.

Except for the back shelves of my closet collapsing Friday things are okay. Hopefully our neighbor Larry can jerry-rig something to fix the shelves so that we don't spend $$$$.

I guess I'll pick up March for next Sunday's bookclub.

March is sitting in my bookbag, unread, currently unmourned. I will probably not get it read before Sunday, but you never know.

Back to Eve Dallas.

I'm so far behind, Karen. But I am sorry to hear about your FIL's death. It pretty much sounds as though it were the way he would have chosen.
Your Thanksgiving sounds like fun --- the shooting reminds me of the beginning of Reamde, one of my latest major enjoyments.
I'm one who enjoyed March too. I read it just after The March, and while they have some elements in common, I thought the Brooks was a much better book. So what do you have against Little Women???
And I am jealous, jealous, jealous that you are getting along with Simon in The Betrayal of Trust. I didn't know that it was out already.

I have 11/22/63 waiting, but I've hit a reading slump. I need to knock out a couple of little books or I'll never make my 75

Horrible! Almost three weeks and not a peep over here! Come home, all is forgiven!

xoxo

Merry Christmas, Karen!

mistletoe smooches!

Hi all and thank you for the holiday wishes! I'm doing okay - just okay - not super - and have been busy with family, Christmas prep/enjoyment, and a bit of work.

I've created my 2012 thread, so please forgive me for not responding recently and come on over for a visit!

karenmarie's 2012 75 book challenge - No. 1