Maggie1944's Reading Journal for 2012, part 2

Oh, my, I didn't expect to have to do this.

But here is a photograph of Nicky in the garden to make you all feel welcome.

Nice, very nice!

Those are the type of blocks I want to use around my tree (but not as deep/tall).

And I see the green dragon on the wall...

Either the dragon is a lot bigger than I remember, or Nicky is very tiny.

Love Maggie's dragon in its new position!

But yes I see Clam's point about it's not being happy reduced to postage-stamp size.

Nicky weighs less than 20 lbs. The dragon weights more than that! Nicky is nearly blind, and deaf. The dragon is blind and deaf. You can insult her all you want and she just stares at you! She is a fine companion for me, who sits and reads by her side.

I love that Nicky is posing like the dragon! Also love the dragon on the main page.

Bought: iPhone in Easy Steps and Tea with the Black Dragon. Sigh

I just can not stop buying books. I need a 12 step program: Hi, my name is Karen and I am a bookaholic. My life is not yet unmanageable, but oh, man, it could be soon. Soon. Soon.

Think I'll go read. Can't buy books while I am reading because I am not a multi-task kind of a girl.

Here's my ticker for this year. I do not know if I have put every book acquired on this ticker, but I've put a bunch:

Nicky looks like a good pal to have, Karen. Hope you're having a great weekend!

thanks!

I'm laughing a bit, because I share exactly the same problem as you! I too have more books than I can finish. In fact, I posted somewhere that I was at least five years behind on my to-be-read pile.

Ah yes, MT TBR. The sad truth is that not only is my TBR collection here on LT huge, I have quite a few (surely it can't be HUNDREDS???!!!) that I have not added to LT.

I also ordered Tea With the Black Dragon along with two others that day. And the sequel to TWTBD also sounds good. :-), But I'm enjoying reading along with Morphy, so what can I do?

Actually, though I've read 34 books so far this year and only accquired 14, so the evil voice in my head says I deserve a treat.

ETA--just got the mail. Better make that 15 books acquired, not 14.

How about a new thread, called "I'm (name) and I'm A Bookaholic"? :D

oh, but then, we might have to be willing to change....

I don't think I've hit bottom, yet!

I don't want to change!

And doesn't that indicate a denial that there is a problem?

Hmm...

...is there a problem, aside from having the electricity cut off due to spending too much money on books and not paying the bill??? :D

Wait and see how close you come to being cut off, my dear, and then decide that queston.

What? Me worry? - Alfred E. Newman (I think)

Don't Worry! Be Happy! - Bobby McFerrin

7: I will have to join that programme!

Joe, excuse my tardiness in responding. Nicky is a very nice pal to have! He is cute and sometimes a cuddle master; however, he also is quite sure he is in charge of me and oh, how he barks when I sleep late and do not prepare his majesty's breakfast, right on time!

His housemate, Greta Garbo, bosses him around. It is great fun to watch. Dogs!

jillmwo, streamsong, fuzzi: That's it, I think we have a meeting! Do I dare start a new thread: "Hi, my name is _____________, and I am a bookaholic" ???

>18 maggie1944: Hah! Love it, Karen. I grew up with pugs (one sister called me "Dances with Pugs"), who generally are congenial and quiet, although ours liked to yip sometimes at bigger dogs. With an asthmatic wife and asthmatic kids, these days we satisfy our canine adoration with giving treats to neighborhood dogs, who love to scramble up onto our porch. (We live on an urban block with lots of neighbors).

The delightful thing about Miniature Schnauzers is that they do not shed. They have hair which needs cutting and washing, but no shedding problems. I love it. I always hated houses where there was a huge problem with dog hair everywhere.

Just heard from Amazon that they have shipped Robert Caro's newest book to me! Woo hoo

Passages to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson should prove to be a very interesting read.... Assassination of JFK, Vietnam, Civil Rights Act!

Our black lab shed so much that years after she died we were still finding black hair balls.

Our lab/shepherd cross is black but her hair is more like her shepherd side. She is not allowed in our son's room, but he still has to vacuum dog hair from under his bed on a regular basis!

I can still find hair from a cat that was put to sleep 1981.
Granted, it's found in the sleeves of LP's old enough that I owned them back then. But anyway... some things die hard ;-)

Did you know that pet hair is great for a compost pile?

I've been putting my "sweepings" into the pile to decompose!

When I was living on an island outside of Seattle I met many people who were creative in their manner of making money. One lady offered to make yarn, and knit you a sweater, from your dog's shedded furs and hairs. Clever. Soft sweaters, too. Might be hard on those who are allergic, though.

I think people are allergic to the dander, not the fur.

If it were washed, it might be okay...

Yes, that was my reaction, too.
It's one of the reasons some people aren't allergic to kittens but as they grow into cats suddenly they need find a new home...? I have heard dander comes as they mature.
The last of our cats came to us that way - a neighbour whose younger kid developed an allergy as the cat became 2 yo, and so the cat moved in with us.

Does anyone know if dander is such a problem with the hairless breeds?

As I understand it, it's no different, because the dander doesn't come from their fur, it's skin cells that they shed.

Any books about this?

Most allergies to cats result from allergies to a protein secreted in their saliva, which licking spreads on cat fur.

Don't know about books, but the wikipedia article might not be a bad place to start. It says the most common allergen is in the cat's saliva and also in their urine with females having less than males.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_allergy

ETA Or were you looking for a book about knitting with pet fur?

hahahaha

I was ironically trying to bring the conversation back to books....

Nevermind, carry on....

Far be it from me to stop a conversation which might make someone's life less allergic.

I am enjoying the exchanges.

didn't know you could knit a book with pet fur........

You know, I thought it was the saliva but when I googled for confirmation I googled badly and what I read didn't agree. Hairless cats still clean themselves, though, so, yeah.

I am not sure, but I think an allergy depends on the individual animal.

I have been around cats all my life, and I do have allergies, but unless they rub my face with their's, I don't sniffle at all. However, when I would go visit my grandmother, this one cat she had would make me sneeze and my face would swell up. I've never had that reaction with any cat before or since. Hmm...

Allergies! schmalergies!

Here's my poor drowning Siberian Iris.

Any ideas, campers?

Raise the bed? Make a gravel lined drainage away from the bed? Both sound like lots of work. Plant them in a container?

Work! that is it! I need to be willing to work. Dang.

My first thought was to add dirt on top but I don't think that would be smart. Smothering the Iris is what that would do, I'm guessing. So, I think I'll wait until they put out some flowers, or not, and then dig up all the bulbs and raise the bed.

Unfortunately, my entire backyard is kind of a wetland. I am going to build a deck over the majority of it, and do container gardening in the main. I need some grass for the puppies to pee on... but other than that, I'm trying to get away from the swampy feel of the land here.

Maggie, there are quite a few wetland flags or irises out there. I have some in my pond. You might look into that by going to a nursery specializing in pond/wetland plants.

Ours came from my brother, who got them from a friend, etc. If you can find another like-minded gardener, it's nice to share plants rather than having to buy them. :)

Great suggestions, MrsLee. Thanks

I just broke down and bought: It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism. I should not have done it, I may not find the time and dedication to read it, but I must support these authors for having written it!

Finished reading Massacred for Gold: The Chinese in Hells Canyon. Nokes has written a pretty straight forward history of an incident which clearly happened but about which very little detail is known. A group of white men ambushed and killed any where from 10 to 34 Chinese men who were prospecting for gold along the Snake River in Idaho.

I am a great lover of history and found his account of searching for and finding some information about this event to be quite interesting, but a tad dry. When I was between the ages of 8 and 15 I spent parts of my summer vacations in these parts of Oregon and Idaho so I was familiar with many of the descriptions and places. I loved that part of the book. I want to find the time to go back and visit.

I should not have done it, I may not find the time and dedication to read it, but I must support these authors for having written it!

Bravo, maggie1944! I like your way of thinking.

Thank you. I seem to be on a roll of getting books and then not having the time to read them. Bah! I just today picked up another book from the library. The Rescue: 40 Americans Trapped in the Philippines. A Set of Secret Japanese Battle Plans. And the Submarine That Saved Them. How's that for a Title! Weighty. Writtten by Steven Trent Smith.

oh, well, we shall see.

I finished reading Tea with the Black Dragon last night, in the middle of the night. Listened to some public radio stuff until about 1 am and then read until 2:30 am. I enjoyed the book, probably if it had been one of my "door stopper" large books, nonfiction, I would have read for a bit and then tried to go back to sleep, but The Dragon kept me up. A quick read. A mystery. Modern, and yet a Dragon in it! I enjoyed the love interest involving a woman with grey hair, and some maturity.

Now I am busy picking away at Blue Moon Bay a free book I got for the Nook. It is amusing and I hope to finish it quickly.

Finished reading - The Rescue A True Story of Courage and Survival in World War II




Decided to go ahead and buy the Nook version of The Case of the Missing Books so I could start reading it during this weekend's Read-A-Thon. I am so disappointed that the ebooks are not cheaper. I hate spending $10 for a simple little mystery.

Finished reading The Case of the Missing Books, definitely a quick, easy, read.




A bumbling, incredibly dense, young man shows up in an Irish village to become their new librarian. He stumbles into a small village controversy which involves stolen library books, and a closed library. He is told he must solve the mystery, and is given nothing but cheeky, unkind, "I'm smarter than you" assistance. The author was attempting to make the book funny in every sentence and succeeded in making the book stupid in every sentence.

I had to read 160 pages of this 200 page book before I found one character which was in the slightest bit a believable, or interesting, person. If I was not reading this book for my real life book group, I would have given up within the first 20-30 pages.

I'm just finishing up The Case of the Missing Books myself and like you, found it an exercise in frustration. The author was trying to be funny but it just came across as people being unpleasant.

yup, that's the one. I never have enjoyed people who are mean, thinking they are being funny, either in RL or in books.

Of course, I have to say Israel's brand of stupidity and dense thinking did invite some abuse; unfortunate.

And he's a doormat.

Ok, now here's the question: How did the author imagine we, his readers, would buy the idea that this Israel guy would feel as if he could not leave this town. What made him feel as if he was a slave who could not just walk away from these highly unpleasant people, and impossible situation? I mean: his residence was in a chicken coop? And he continued to sleep there?

Stopping in in hopes of hearing more about whale-watching......

sounds like I'll skip Case of the Missing Books

Yes, too bad about Case of the Missing Books, Karen. I hope your next read is a better one.

The Swerve on the Nook

I have had some difficulties with posting. Ignore this posting.

We will try a - gain!

OK, the above is a picture of cliffs near Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, north of Seattle, in Washington State. Those black dots on the white cliffs are commorants. We saw Brandt's Commorants, Double-crested Commorants, and Pelagic Commorants! Very cool. Also, saw Herring Gulls.

Not in the picture, but also seen by us... Bald Eagles, Rhiinoceros Auklets, Canada Geese, and of course crows! Lots of Crows.

We had a great time.

Also, check out the images for Spieden Island via Google. We went right by it, but my photographs do not rival these that Google has found.

just google Spieden Island, and look for the Images. Spectacular!

We did see Mouflon Sheep, and Fallow Deer, and other non-native species which were introduced to Spieden Island, renamed Safari Island, for the "use" of sportsmen who flew onto the island and hunted. This was discontinued decades ago, when the Island was temporarily called "slaughter island", but the animals are still there.

Pretty awesome stuff.

No whales but we did see Harbor Porpoises which are in the Whale family. Or others saw, I just looked, and saw nothing. These are not big animals, and they do not like the noise of the boats.

Thanks, I Googled the island, and it is very nice.

I was wondering why anyone would want to hunt 'sheep', thinking of the barnyard variety, but the pictures on Google clarified it for me: they have incredible horns!

So cool, Karen. The profile page picture of the four of us sitting was taken at Orcas Island. The San Juan Islands is one of the most beautiful places ever, as far as my clan is concerned. Magical, and unlike any place we've ever been.

One of the reasons those Islands continue to be so fine is because the weather and the seasons do not favor the tourists except between late May and mid September. The winters are long, dark, and pretty wet. Living there is a bit of a challenge but those who do... love it.

What beautiful photos here and on your gardening thread!

I have a cousin who practices medicine on the San Juans (her address is escaping me, right now). I'm afraid I don't know her very well and she would be surprised if I showed up to visit...... but hmmmmm.

Oh, if you could, it is such a wonderful place to visit. I loved even just going up for one full day, two days for travel.

Great pic!

I travelled through the San Juan islands for a couple of days some years ago, and would love to go back; they are truly beautiful. I saw my first Great Northern Divers (Loons) there.

It is great for bird watching. We saw a Rhinoceros auklet!

I'm going to have to look that one up in my US bird guide - sounds fascinating!

I sold some books at Half Price Books and bought two: The Neverending Story for a Morphy reading group, and How to Grow Berries and Currents, for my garden! Woo hoo. Rest of the money from the books went to buying Pill Pockets for my little old man dog who needs nightly pain pills. A good thing!

Those pill pockets are a life saver!

And I have to get the extra smelly, expensive, ones made with low fat duck meat! Both dogs are so excited to finish their dinners so they can have their little treat.

I've never heard of Pill Pockets until this thread.

If my dog needs a pill, I just put it in a piece of bread or cheese and toss it at her. She swallows it whole. :)

With my cats I always went for "I'm your master, you just do as I command" attitude.
Some kind of pill pocket for cats definitely would had made life easier...

Google them, busifer, and I'll bet you can find several on line providers of the little darlings. They work very nicely.

fuzzi, my dogs are way too picky. If I put a pill in some bread they'd spit it out at me, saying "what the he**, bread, you want to feed me bread?" And as for cheese, schnuzers have difficulties digesting fats so they are not allowed cheese for any reason. So pill pockets it is, even if they do cost.

I had a terrier that was picky like that, Karen. But my Sheltie/Lab from years ago, and my current Lab/Shepherd could/will catch a tidbit in mid air and inhale it without chewing or tasting. :D

We have a dog who is an artist at spitting out pills. He will put them under his tongue, clean the peanut butter off of them, delicately eat the salami while managing to spit out the pill. He will hold it in his mouth for long amounts of time and then when he thinks you are looking away, *ptui* spits the pill behind him. I'll have to look at pill pockets.

#74 - Thanks, but last cat died three years ago and there will not be a new one. I love cats but they deserve some attention and I just don't have the time.

MrsLee, the ones I get are made by Greenies; you know: those green bones that are supposed to be good for dogs' teeth. They are not made of that same material, they are soft, and smelly (dogs' favorite sense = the nose).

That's the same ones we get. And yes, very smelly!

Finished reading Faithful Place and I think Tana French's writing is improving with each book. She gets the atmosphere nearly pitch perfect on this book, melting current Irish reality with the Ireland of previous decades. A very nearly totally cold case murder begins the slow, agony, of revisiting the rough neighborhood of the past; and the sad, tragic dysfunction of families in poverty, alcoholism, and lack of hope. I think perhaps she intends her protagonist to be able to be better than his background and I think it is up to the reader to decide if she succeeds. The mystery does get solved; but the mystery of life continues.

BTW, with this book I've read 25 of the 75 in the challenge. That gives me 34%; and at the end of May I am 42% through the year. Hmmmm

I doubt I'm going to speed up all that much. And I do have a couple of big door stopping books to attack. Well, its not about the numbers, right? Its about my loving reading, and I do.

Next: back to LBJ and his powerful early years as President.

*Applause* You're doing quite well. And yes, I think you should recognize the difference between reading 75 light and fluffy books and reading a broader variety that may contain the LBJ bio!

(81) Yippee! Great job, Karen!!! Go! Go! Go!

Hear, hear! And you're right, it's not about the numbers, it's about loving to read. Glad you liked the Tana French.

Thank you all for your encouragement! It is fun to be in a tribe of readers, isn't it! Rewarding, too.

Besides, I hear the LBJ books are great! :)

Yes, Robert Caro is one of my most favored authors. I think he is awesome; I've loved his work since the 1970s when I first read The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York. He is fascinated by power and the people who know how to use it.

Ok, I did not reading today: best of the photographs I took at the Weyerhaueser Rhododendron Species Garden!

Here's my friend who loves Rhodies even more than I do:

Lovely pictures, maggie :)

Thank you. One more....

+1, my dear!!!

Thank you very much. You are very kind.

Finished reading The Neverending Story. Good book. A bit dated, but definitely is still well worth reading.




This book is similar to many a "learning about life" book for children, filled with phantasmagorical sights and characters and could have been more enjoyable if I had the movie in my mind's eye as I went along. There were several descriptions of characters which made me think, "oh, I wish I were artistic as I'd like to draw that!"

The big life lesson is not a surprise although I'd say the large number of adventures our hero had to live was surprising. Lots. Maybe too many. Or maybe I'm just too modernly attention deficit-y and want things to happen too quickly.

I would recommend this book to preteen youngsters who really love to read. It might be too ponderous for those who need some encouragement to love reading.

Purchased Among Others for the Nook based on reviews read in Library Thing

Damn! Just wrote a very nice paragraphy about buying Something Wicked This Way Comes and its being (maybe, if I've been accurate) the 36th book acquired this year. I gave myself a pat on the back for having bought a used copy, and being nice to my budget, and trying to not buy so many "dead tree" books. And then, I deleted it by looking for the books completed ticker. Dang.

So, I also finished reading Among Others which I did not like as well as all of my buddies here in LT. I don't know why "going away to boarding school" is such a rich topic but it feels like I've read more books about this rite of passage than any other.

I liked the book well enough and it did have some unique wrinkles, but I was not blown away. I think Richard has spoiled me for reading YA for a little while.

**lurking**

**waves at Maggs**

*waves back*

*whispers behind hand* I have made it to 5 water exercise sessions: 3X a week is my goal! Woo hoo

Good job, maggie! Getting the routine set is more than half the battle.

I too have veered away from stories about "going away to boarding school." Well, I've also veered away from "coming of age" stories. Hard to avoid them altogether though! They are so prominent.

I know. What is it about the middle of adult life that is so boring that no one writes fine books about it?

100: Oh, dear, is that true? I have to think about it. I've never tried to classify books that way, so I haven't noticed if a whole age group is missing. There are plenty of middle-aged writers, but maybe they're still busy reflecting on their youth, or maybe it's just that youth is what audiences in general prefer to read about.

Well, I'm pretty sure my life would make dull reading, but that's the way I like it, thank you! Excitement in books, yes, but in life, it wears you out. :)

Finished reading Zeitoun and am feeling quite "blown away" by it. It is a true story of a family in New Orleans and their Katrina experiences. The story is complicated by the fact that the father is from Syria, and that he and his wife are Muslims.

Many of us saw that the police, military, and emergency response systems did not work in New Orleans after the Hurricane; and, many of us know that all too often innocent people are swept up in our legal systems and are victimized by inefficiencies, corruption, laziness, stupidity, injustice and just plain human errors. This nonfiction book colors in the outlines of those truths and will remain in this reader's memory for a long time to come.

The tragedies that occurred before the storm (bad engineering of the levies), during the storm, and after the storm broke my heart then, and this book is breaking my heart again. But in the end, I must say I am filled with admiration for this family, who although grievously damaged, was not broken.

I want everyone who reads this little review to seriously consider reading this book. It is a story which should be widely known.

Hmn, some coming of age books are good, I think. I have tagged Complete Persepolis and The Name of the Wind as such. College dorm books, on the other hand, aren't that fun once you have left that age yourself. IMHO.

Something Wicked This Way Comes has been read and I'm going to sleep before I write any comments.

Next, I'll keep working on the LBJ book, and for fiction, I think Woman in Black is calling me.

I have Something Wicked This Way Comes, but I haven't read it yet. I should do that today.

Woman in Black is awesome!

I am still going to hold off until the discussion on Green Dragon develops a little bit more...

I have finished reading The Woman in Black and found it to be a satisfyingly short, and atmospheric, ghost story. I liked it a lot. It did not creep me out, and the ending was somewhat predictable, nevertheless the descriptions of the lonely house, set in salt marshes, near the coast, in northern England delighted me. The wind, the rain, the little terrier dog, and cold of the night, and the way the unforgiving dampness penetrates was too familiar to me, living as I do in the chilly, damp, pacific northwest in June, waiting for the summer to maybe arrive in July.....

Yes, loved the atmosphere. And it was written some 30 years ago, which could help explain some of the predictability. I am still wondering why they chose to change so much about the movie. I'm sure much of it had to do with pacing, and such.

Yes, the slow, steady pace of the book would probably not hold movie goers in their seats.

That's why I don't want to see the movie. Some things just don't seem compatible.

Wait 'til closer to Halloween to read The Man in the Picture by the same author. She has a gift for ghost stories.

oh, goodie! thanks.

A new picture for the fun of it:

Look at Nicky's nose and you can see the remainders of breakfast. But you can also see his happy button eye!

He is a sweetie and I'm so sad to see him failing in his older months/years.

OK, I am trying to re-energize the blog and am looking for additional followers...

if you are willing you can go here, I think: (give it a try) http://marvelousmaggiesmusings.blogspot.com/

Following!

Thanks! I am focusing (intentional use of this word) on photographs, per a suggestion by a wise reader.

I joined up! :)

fuzzi! I thank you. It will be fun, I hope.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm is a must read, even if you have no reason to read children's books. Read this one if you just plain love books.

Mr. Morris Lessmore loves books but unfortunately one day some very big winds come along and turn his bookish world upsey-daisy! And the flying books become a very important part of Mr. Lessmore finding a new way to live...

I don't want to spoil it for you. I loved the book, and the short movie on which the book is based (backwards from usual, eh) The illustrations by author William Joyce and Joe Bluhm are wonderfully whimsical and charming. I want to live in Mr. Lessmore's world, I think.

Go get the book!

Admitting I acquired The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore




And I read it, also

We had a successful Meet-Up yesterday at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. Fun, fun, fun!

Lovely photo!

There are more photographs here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/138315

Wah, wah, wah, f'ng wah... I tripped over a display at the local pet store and landed flat on my face, actually on my left rib cage, left elbow, right wrist! Ouch! I think I probably cracked or broke a couple of ribs. I am going to bed with a pain pill tonight, and probably will go get an athletic bandage to wrap my ribs tomorrow.

I can avoid all kinds of work and just read, now.

Oh maggie, I'm sorry. Too many women I know lately have fallen badly (physically, not spiritually) and hurt themselves. My mother, my mother-in-law (broken rib and wrist) and now you! My husband says there was a study done that shows that as we age we forget how to fall with minimal damage and we need to be retrained. :( I do hope the damage is minimal and short-lived for you. Makes me want to start Tai Chi again, which is all about balance. *Hug*

Oh, no! I'm so sorry. I am still mending from a broken wrist that had to be fixed by surgery. I took a terrible splat, more than a year ago now. My sympathy for others' mishaps is still very fresh. Breaking something is a major deal at our age. Shouldn't you see a doctor, dear?

Yes, please see a doctor!

*hugs* Awww, maggie. :o/
I second Meredy and Morphy! Please get your bruises and cracked bones checked out. :o/

MrsLee, I believe it. It's partially from lack of practice falling. As kids we topple regularly, and have a lot less far to travel down.

I don't think older folks "forget" how to fall with minimal damage. I think two factors work to create the seriousness of the falls for "elderly". One, we do have more fragile bones regardless of whether or not we have been diagnosed with oesteoporosis; and Two, muscles are weaker so the automatic movements which can regain balance once challenged are slower and weaker. Retraining is not the solution. Strength training is the best thing to do.

Unfortunately, as usual, I can give advice much more easily than I can take it. But I have been working out in the pool more and I think I'm going to work at pumping that up some after I talk with the doc about how to help recover from this latest fall.

I am feeling it this morning so luckily I have a "day off" and I can go talk with the doctor if they can fit me in.

Thanks, all, for your kind words and concern. Believe me, I really appreciate it. Plus my Niece's husband and eldest came over yesterday and finished a really nasty lawn mowing job. Rain had been making it impossible and it was very long, and a bit wet, and peppered with dog bombs. So glad it is cut now!

As a result of all the therapy after my knee replacement (which I'm still doing under a Wellness Program since the insurance ran out), I have noticed a lot fewer trips and falls.

Before the new knee and the strength training I was no longer able to do the "Trip Dance" - that quick series of recovery steps you do when you trip. I would catch my toe and topple like a tree. Now I can recover more often. Haven't broken anything in quite awhile.

yes, that is what I was thinking about. "Trip Dance" = must relearn, practice, and become an expert! Dang. I am tired of tripping and falling.

Ouch! I hope the doctor can fit you in and confirm that you have no more injuries than you have noticed. But yay for an excuse to do nothing but read ;-)

Oooh! Ouch! I hope the damage ends up being minimal. Any problems breathing or laughing this morning?

PS. That is a gorgeous picture of Nicky up above.

I have had no problems breathing, and have had no excuse to laugh yet this morning. I think I need to make one up... or do a session of Laughing Yoga!

maggie - If you want an excuse to laugh, check out the video on this page. It's both adorable and hilarious. (I hope it doesn't hurt...)

Thanks!

I love that the video was sponsored by The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee! That alone was worth a laugh. Cute kitties! And definitely laugh out loud antics! Thanks, again, Bluesally, for your contribution to my continued good health (I hope).

I adore the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee! :D They foster kittens until they're ready to be adopted, and post darling pictures and stories as they grow.

I hope you're doing well, maggie, and I'm glad you enjoyed the link.

Cute. My first pet ever when I was a little girl was Itty Bitty Kitty. Then we had Puff and Pom Pom. :)

(136) Oh, my! That is so funny!

maggie, you get your hiney to the doctor, asap!

And not that I'm saying you should 'sue', but I'm sure the store has insurance to pay for your medical bills, since you tripped over their display. Just a thought.

Ouch! Poor maggs! Hope you have been able to get to the dr. and that he/she found nothing too serious. Take care of yourself m'dear!!

I know what everyone means about falling, I've had two falls this year too and it's just not a fun experience. I hit my forehead on the last fall, ended up with an egg-sized lump and two black eyes, looked like a weird raccoon!

So, take it easy maggie and let us know what you're reading while you rest.

I used to watch little old ladies walking with their slow little mincing steps, staring straight down at their feet and hanging onto things, and I thought how hard it must be for them if that's how they had to walk. Now I am doing it (and thank goodness I don't have to ride the bus). I'd rather look like a stiff, wooden wimp and take twice as long to cross a floor than forget what I'm doing and take a tumble. Some things can't be prevented with any amount of caution, but many can be avoided.

Strength training and balance improvement are also very good things that I too have neglected. Thanks for this reminder.

Been to the doctor, had the x-rays done, learned that taping or otherwise making ribs immobile is not always the thing to do. People like me need to breath deeply and avoid fluid in the lungs.

Result: no breaks! woopee! Just bad bruising, and yes it hurts. Can take Aleve for a week. Then grin, and bare it. Carry on, as they say.

I shall now relax in a warm tub and read a book.

Bath and a book sound like good therapy.
Hope the ribs stop aching sooner rather than later.

Good to hear it, maggie! Hope you feel better soon.

Reading as physical therapy... yay!
Good to hear that nothing was broken :)

Me, too. Used the warm bath, good book, and Aleve therapy last night and had a very good night's sleep! Hooray. This morning a warm shower made me feel pretty good, but soon the big pain in the side returned and so I'm slowing down, and trying to get ready to go, slowly. I am sure I'll be tender for quite a while but it is good that no bones are broken.

Thank you all for checking on me and encouraging good behavior on my part! I need all the encouragement I can get. It is easy for me to forget, and over do...

Glad you are feeling 'okay' today. Yes, SLOW DOWN and take it easy!

Do you have a doctor's note? :)

Take it slow and easy. No need to race around. Glad that you went to the Doctor and that it's nothing worse than bruised ribs.

Well, I'm slowly chasing the kids around. Hahahahah

Today, we have walked a short distance to a nearby park and played on the play structures. Greta Garbo, the dog, went with us and had a good run! Then one kidlet ran through the sprinkler, while the other rode his bike around. Eldest was deep in a computer game, but he is limited to time and now, horrors, I am "making" him practice some basic math skills. He is not at grade level and his parents told him he "gets" to practice his math thinking skills all summer long. A very good part of not being up to speed is his unwillingness to try to keep up. He just does not want to. Really. So, here's the consequence. My part in it is to try to make it as painless as possible so that he will not hate it even more. So far, so good. He seems relaxed and willing.

Myself, I am sitting down finally and relaxing a bit. I am still sore, but I think better. Time will tell ...

Maggs! I just read about your fall. I am so sorry! Please take care of yourself.

(By the way, your falls from the bar stool in the chat room are always very graceful and you jump right back up. Must be the constant flow of virtual PGGBs.)

ah! that is what I need. Some PGGBs, or a sleep on pillows behind the bar, dreaming of marshmallow guns! I continue to move slowly but really for reading, and hanging out in virtual reality via my lap top, not much movement is needed. I need to remember that inactivity results in weakness and I really don't want that. So got to find some happy medium.

BTW, Check out Lumosity.com

It is a site for brain training. I really am liking the exercises they provide and the graphing of improvements. Not that I think your brain needs improving but as an educator you might enjoy seeing what kinds of exercises they use. I think you can do a free 3 day trial. I'd be interested in what you think.

purchased the book that was the basis for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach. Frustrating to have the movie called one thing, and the book another.

Enjoying reading it on my Kindle, and thinking about how much furniture I could get rid of and move into a small room in a comfortable retirement home

I've been blogging along on Blogger, posting some photographs and thinking out loud. I read a posting by a friend and was exploring where it said something about read in Reader, I don't remember the exact wording and when I did that I discovered I could Share her blog entry. Whoa!

I did not know.

so, I'm not blogging there any more.

I do not want my "talking out loud to myself and a few followers" to be sent out into the wide, wide, world.

I guess I need to assume every single thing I do on line is available for every body in the world.

I am feeling like a major retreat is in my very near future. Paranoia raises her ugly head.

wah wah wah

Our EYES are on YOU. ;D

Yes, assume everything you write online is available to the world. One of my very early lessons from my parents was, if you don't want it read, don't write it. On the other hand, I don't think too many people are really interested in most of us.

>I guess I need to assume every single thing I do on line is available for every body in the world.

It's always been that way. Not sure why it's a big surprise? If you post on the Internet, it's public to everyone.

well, yes, I realize 1. I was being naive, and 2. not that many folks are all that interested in we little fishes in the big ocean but I guess the Blogger site, in having you have "followers" and having it be a blogging site implied some higher degree of limitation. So, I was wrong. No need for followers since it is pretty much open for all. I need to realize it is not a fancy, easy to use, diary. Just a bit disappointed.

Now does any one know of a journaling site which is more private, where you can invite friends to read and comment, but restricts whether those friends can just transfer your words and pictures to every wherever? I guess that would be unlikely. Where's the money to be made?

Everything is about the dollar. Everything! The zombies want my few little pennies and dollar bills and pretty much everything is made up of zombies. Not LT, of course, but everything else.

No. There isn't any place. Because all someone has to do is copy/paste.

I blog on livejournal.com. There you can make your posts only viewable by those who you've friended and given access to. Of course, there are ways to get around that like everything else, but it does give you a bit of control.

I finally signed up for Facebook. And while exploring the place, I discovered an option to make a 'secret' group, visible only by those you have invited. Even your 'close friends' will not know it exists unless you invite them...at least that is the theory...

Until facebook changes its privacy settings again and makes it all public...

Well, as I said, that's the theory.

Probably the only 'safe' way of writing down your thoughts is in an old fashioned 'journal', but even that could be picked up and read by someone you don't want to share your thoughts with...

It is a tricky, tricky world we live in.

It is not so much about wanting a "secret, secret" journal; it is more that I don't like the idea of keeping it in my mind that, at any time, my page of writing could easily be sent out into the wide, wide world for mocking. I think livejournal.com might give me a bit more "control" and that probably is good enough.

Nothing in life, except death and taxes, is guaranteed; well, except maybe that FB will always be looking for ways to make money off me.

163 - No, I know, it's just that facebook has a stunning history of altering its users settings en masse without warning, including privacy settings. Awhile ago they suddenly made everyone's location visible publicly, even if you didn't want it to be - there was a big backlash, because there are a lot of people with stalkers or abusers or whatever that they want to not be able to find them, that sort of thing. Just recently they switched everyone's e-mail addresses from their personal addresses to @facebook.com addresses with no warning or heads-up.

Even the illusion of privacy is not high on fb's list of priorities.

164 - I like livejournal. I've been using it for nearly a decade and I've never had any privacy issues (occasionally other kinds of issues, but never privacy).

I agree, bluesally, FB is not to be trusted. And I am beginning to feel the same way about Google.

I don't trust any of them. Using Google/gmail and FB, as well as LT and some other sites is just a necessary evil...okay, it's not necessary, per se, but I do use these places with caution and the understanding that anything I put up could become public, and open to ridicule.

And if someone chooses to ridicule me, well, as my grandmother used to say, I "consider the source"...and I move on. Life's too short to care about what some idiot thinks of me. :)

yes, I agree, that what others, especially those uninformed, think of me is really none of my business; and, they do not pay to rent the space they could take in my mind.

Last evening's trip into Seattle to hear George R.R. Martin's book reading was a great success!!! We were early which allowed us to get a seat about one half way back in the smack dab middle of the room. Almost felt he was speaking directly to me.

He is charming, funny, and a little bit snarky (when appropriate). He read two chapters from "Winds of Winter" (book 6, in progress) and promised us there was a good chance he will re-write the chapters! One "sweet young" woman (high, sweet, gently voice) asked him if he had identified any one he would trust to take over the story if he were to die before the books are all done. His response included appropriate direct response to her gall in asking what his after death plans are. He assured her he is not planning on dying anytime soon. Whew. Glad to hear that. And he did answer by saying that he would like to keep the story and the characters to himself, so in a word, no, no successor identified.

Something I did not know, but was not surprised to hear, was that he sneaks references to some of his favorite things into the book. The three stooges can be found in volume 1; and The N.Y. Giants are also honored by having a role in a book one of the character's is reading... not as New York Giants, but as giants. This got a great cheer from the audience.

I bought A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook. He wrote the Introduction and *whispers* confesses he does not cook, although he eats! As if we are surprised about that!

Book is signed! Woo hoo! (Frankly, I don't know that I think an autographed copy is all that valuable these days...)

The cookbook borrows heavily from information about medieval cooking, ingredients, and spices. I am looking forward to some experiments in the kitchen!!

Well, he promises he is working on them (books 6 and 7) but he is also producing the TV shows, and doing book tour kind of things. He said he is saying "no" more often. I don't know. I predict it may be some years of waiting.

Meanwhile, look for the cookbook and cook some of the yummy food!

For example:

17th Century Baked Apples

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 firm, tart, red apples

preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix together the cinnamon, sugar, and butter
Slice apples in half vertically, through the core, remove the core and seeds and prick the inside of the apple all over with a sharp knife.

Place the apples cut side up in a baking dish and pour in enough water to just cover the bottom of the dish.

Divide the cinnamon mixture in half and spread the misture over the cut side of the apples.

Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Provide knife and fork for eating and Enjoy!

(taken from pages 80-81 of the cookbook)

I've not tried it yet, but think I will soon. Let me know if you make these and how you liked them.

George R.R. Martin sounds really interesting. He was here in Missoula this spring at a comcon. If I had known he was there to give a talk (I found out after the event), I would have comconed (no costume, though :-) ). I have not yet read any of his books, but I love hearing authors speak about their craft.

I do a version of the apples that I learned from my mother. I core the apples, leave them whole and then stuff them with the cinnamon/sugar.

But lately I sprinkle apple slices with sugar (or more likely stevia) and cinnamon and nuke them for a minute for the instant version of the dessert or a quick snack.

What a great evening you had! Thanks for sharing. You have to wonder what's going on inside the head of someone who comes out and asks an author if they've made plans for after they die! Just . . . wow.

>170 streamsong:: That's how my mum makes baked apples - delicious. But GRRM's way sounds good too.

To be clear, the cookbook was not written by Martin. He confessed during the Q & A that he does not cook, just eats. His descriptions of food in his books are just mouth watering and these two cooks put together their ideas and research to make a book based on his ideas, and info about medieval cooking. He endorsed the book, wrote the intro, and was the inspiration!

Authors are Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrere.

I should have said "The book's" way but GRRM was fewer keystrokes. I really did read your account all the way through :-)

I think forks were relatively new in Medieval times. In Wolf Hall, which I just finished reading, Cromwell presents a set to Anne Boleyn. So when your recipe calls to provide forks and knives, it might have been a bit of an elegant touch. I wonder how widely available cinnamon was ..... perhaps it was another touch of upperclass elegance that we take for granted.

There is no such thing in this day and age, at the grocery store, as a "firm, tart, red apple" :)

Glad you went and had such a wonderful evening, Maggie!

MrsLee, you are so right! Find firm, tart, red apples at farmers' markets, at the end of summer, or in the middle of autumn. Harvest time treats!

In the meantime, some farmers' markets do have tart apples even this time of year.

Finished reading These Foolish Things (http://www.librarything.com/work/8278/edit/87258274) from which the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is made and enjoyed it. A nice novel full of people discovering their lives are not exactly as they planned, and maybe that could offer some new ways of living, or maybe not so much. Kind of like real life, although the premise of a bunch of elderly English folks moving to a retirement home in India is a little far fetched. Although, could be... could be...

Recommended.

We saw the movie Monday and loved it. Definitely one I'll be buying, just 'cause I want to spend more time in all those wonderful British actors' company. But the story was great too. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy - just doesn't get any better than that for me. I'm going to see it again soon with my daughter.

Now the book sounds good too!

Check this out:

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/547566_394246997299817_1043459494_n.jp...

An extremely cute squirrel!

Red squirrel! They used to live all over the UK until grey squirrels were brought over from North America. Now they are only found in Scotland and a few small areas of England & Wales. They are so cute (though would I think that if they were as common as the grey ones? Hmmm.) Thank you for sharing such a gorgeous pic!

Aw, what a cutie!

We have red squirrels here in the USA as well, but they don't have those 'tufts' on their ears:

So here's a new start to the effort to journal a bit. I am trying to find a way to encourage myself to continue with the camera. We shall see: http://maggie19442.livejournal.com/

It's blank? :(

yes, I know. I still have not figured out how to post on it. I wrote a first bit but can not seem to get it loaded onto the journal. Darn.

Love the meet-up pics, Karen!

We're giving our bro-in-law The Fantastic Flying Books. You're right about how great it is. Somebody probably mentioned it, but the animation of it is very good, too.

Karen, there is a bar across the top when you are signed into livejournal. It should be there, and if not perhaps an extension is blocking it. It shows Home Post and a bunch of other URLs

I finally found it, and it was at the bottom. There are so many things to play with that I feel like I'm walking around in a play room with toys all over the floor.

I am going to "lock" myself into my bedroom and read The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett. I've owned it for more than 5 years, and I think it is high time to read it.

Do it! :)

Just added Everyday Paleo and Glycemic Index Cookbook to my inventory. And, just because I certainly need one more book to read, I bought Black Diamond: A Mystery of the French Countryside. I was captured by its cover picture, oh sigh. I am so weak.

I'll be interested to hear your take on The Color of Magic, Karen. I wanted to enjoy it more than I did. It was okay, just not enough to make me want to read a lot more Pratchett. He's got so many avid fans, I expected to like it more.

Early reaction is very much as you say. It is amusing, but mostly the reason I'm sticking with it is "the book is light weight, and fits in my purse easily. Not as heavy as the Nook or Kindle". Read some today at the pool while the toddlers get their swimming lessons, and at the doctor's office.

We shall see if it survives the weekend when I won't have to carrry it any where.

The general consensus is that later Discworld books are better reads. I started with Mort, which got me hooked, and went back to The colour of magic having read a few more titles. If you still feel disappointed by the end, I'd recommend giving Pratchett another chance by choosing another title, maybe Guards Guards! or Wyrd sisters. There are several threads out there about where to start reading Discworld if you want more discussion on the subject :-)

I think I speak for most Pratchett fans when I say don't judge the Discworld novels on The Colour of Magic or The Light Fantastic, even though they are the first two books chronologically I would recommend skipping foreward three or four and then going back if you feel like. It seems to have taken him a little while to get into his creative stride.

Yes. I needed some advice. The Color of Magic is still in my bag and in my To Read Now list, but I started my new book, Black Diamond: A Mystery of the French Countryside, and an old book, Worms Eat My Garbage yesterday. I could not help myself. The black diamond book is beginning quite nicely and I think I'll like it and the Worms book is all about starting a worm bin. I've had one before but need to remind myself of the finer points of raising worms, and using worm castings (worm poop).

I'll take the suggestions about Pratchett books seriously, but maybe not for a day or two.

In total agreement with #193 & 194. This thread has some great suggestions, I like mine the best. ;)

http://www.librarything.com/topic/139427

You are a gift to us all, MrsLee. Make me smile!!!

Finished reading Black Diamond: a Mystery of the French Countryside. It is a mo dern mystery, set in the south of France, and involves truffles, older folks who had been involved in France's wars in Algeria, and Vietnam, cooking, modern immigration of Chinese and Vietnamese into France, and the everyday life of a small community. I thought the book was delightful. It did not pull punches in dealing with real life horrors of war and crime (nothing graphic) but it also described the sweetness of life in a small community. A little love, a little humor, and some nice mysteries. Recommend it!

I also bought a new book for the Nook:




Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Black Diamond sounds interesting. :)

fuzzi, I found it to be an easy quick read and very satisfying. I liked the descriptions of some fine French meals, as well as some of the commentary of contemporary life in France. I am becoming a bit of a Francophile.

I'm a bit late to the show and I know you've started a presence on Livejournal. But using for example Wordpress.com you can make a private blog, only open to invited and trusted friends.
Very easy to use, as well. Made for people who don't want to know exactly what makes a computer tick.

Anyone who feel a bit paranoid about internet privacy should read In the plex, about Google. I pretty much assume that whatever I put out there is out there for anyone to read or retrieve and I don't worry overly much about it. Google, however... take the collected information-cleptomaniac security agencies across the world and they don't know half as much about you as Google do, one way or another.
And that's why their search engine returns such good results.
Is it worth the price?

//end belated thread-jack//

Thanks, Busifer. Truth is I've not followed up on Livejournal. I think perhaps I am just not the journaling sort.

Or maybe LT satisfies my need to communicate what is going on with me.

Thanks.

I'll have to keep Black Diamond: a Mystery of the French Countryside in mind for my MIL. I think she'll like it, if I can find it on CD for her.

You and I may not have the same taste in books, but you sure do come up with gems for me to gift and to recommend to others :o)

201: French meals, Francophilia...here is the one and only blog I subscribe to:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/about/

I signed up on sheer impulse when I stumbled across a posting one day, and I find that I thoroughly enjoy his comments, photos, recipes, and outlook on things even though I have never sampled most of the dishes he writes about, never mind trying to make any. He comes across as a normal person with some special expertise that he's happy to share and not as a snob who disdains explaining things for the uninitiated.

Right now he is posting from Israel, but most of the time he writes about food-related topics that are local to him as a Californian living in Paris.

Thanks for the complement, Sandragon. And the idea, Meredy. I'll have to follow up when I find a spare moment or 8.

Next on my list of things to do: get accustomed to my new Macbook Air! Woo hoo!

New book: iPhoto'11 Portable Genius - this should help me mess around with my photographs on the Mac. I am a little bit excited.

Aha, you got a Mac! Congrats!

Thanks. I'm taking some time to get used to it. But I love it.

Meredy, I discovered that I'd read one of David Lebovitz's books: "Sweet Life in Paris" and loved it. Always meant to try some of his recipes. I may subscribe to his blog. But right now I'm overwhelmed with getting this new computer accustomed to me.

Congrats on the Mac!!!

Maggie what kind of Nook do you have? I'm ogling the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. I don't want a Table, because I want something light (with a light!) to read in bed.

yes, it is a new whatchamacallit for keeping track. Change of computers resulted in loss of password. Not one of the passwords I have committed to memory.

I finished reading Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and I have to say I was a tad disappointed. I certainly think it was a good book, and I will give it a 3.5 stars but I missed some in depth understanding of how she processed her overwhelming grief. She had grieved for her Mother, and her destroyed marriage, for years; and had sought solace in drugs (which of course did not help). Then she takes this wild idea of a long distance hike and does it with a total lack of preparation. Her book treats the disasters, and near disasters too briefly and treats the psychological healing as if it just happened with no effort while she was out in the sunshine. I am dubious. I think more went on and she did not share.

OK, I know, not my place to insist she tells us all the bloody details. So, it is a good book, and I do recommend it, I'm just saying I was dsappointed.

I know nothing about that book, of course, but I do believe in the healing power of the outdoors. When I am so frustrated/sad/angry, etc. that I can't process anymore, I take off into my garden or the park and just sit. The time it takes varies, and I don't always know how I get there, but usually a peace will come. This is why I love to read old cowboy memoirs, they are filled with simple philosophy which I believe can only be gained by much time outside. Why? Idunno.

*psst* Mizz maggie, did you see #211?

sorry, Clam, I missed it. I have a Nook Color. It does not have a night light. I read it in bed, but I have lights that I turn on.

The schnauzer who sleeps with me doesn't like it, so she sleeps under the bed until I'm finished reading, and then she comes up and slips under the covers after the lights are off.

I love my Nook but then I do not have someone I need to consider at night.

Clam: I have the Simple Touch with Glowlight. I really like it!

ETA: I did not get mine because of the bedtime reading issue, but because of the RV and reading, as well as giving me additional options on where to read which might not always be lit well enough to read.

I want one with a light because I end up sleeping in a lot of different places in this house and some of those spots have better lighting than others. Also, many of the books I read are enormous and I think a ereader would make my arms happier. LOL

Yes, reading the door stopper sized books is much, much easier on the Nook or Kindle. My arthritis thanks me every time. I've tried reading fat books and I need to have them only in bed with a pillow on my lap to prop up the book.

(One of the few things a pregnant belly is really handy for...except when the baby's kicking.)

Meredy, that is so funny! I can picture it and then I smile. So you are reading a really good part, and all of a sudden: boing, the book leaps off your belly. Baby didn't like that one! hahahaha

:) I never could get away with that. As soon as I rested something on my "shelf" baby would start kicking and kicking until I removed it.

Some children do have strong wills, don't they?

I have pretty much decided that along with having cut my cable so I have no Tv, I am also going to strongly cut back on reading and commenting on threads in LT. I am going to do some summer reading!!!

Don't cut back too much on LT... :(

I completely wallowed in a warm summer day, with a gentle breeze, quiet neighborhood, and a good book! I finished reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's Memoir Wait Till Next Year: A Memoir and enjoyed every page.

Doris Kearns Goodwin was born a couple years before I was and so her memoir of growing up in the 1950s brought much nostalgia to my mind. Her neighborhood in Brooklyn was both very different, and a bit the same, as my neighborhood in Seattle. My family moved away and I lost this idyllic neighborhood when I was very young; DKG did not move from hers until high school so she has many good stories to tell. Central to her story was her, and her father's, indeed her whole family's, devotion to the Brooklyn Dodgers during the golden years of baseball. Even I, in far away Seattle, knew the names of the wonderful baseball teams and stars. It was a great time to be a kid and she does a superior job of evoking the magic of summer evenings, playing all day long with the neighborhood gang, enjoying long and deep friendships, and going to the beach; all this before TV took our family homes and closed the doors to the outside.

I totally recommend this book to lovers of baseball's 1950s, to lovers of Brooklyn and of family life at its best. I am sure Doris' mother served Campbell's Tomato Soup with toasted cheese sandwiches. What do you think?

I am putting out some "feelers" to assess whether there might be some interest in a group read of Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Any one interested?

I am, Karen.

Any one else? There are three of us now... maybe reading it in November....

Priceless....

Looking good! That photo's a keeper.

The numbers are mounting up for the Nov. group read - did you post the thread link here? I probably missed it.

November's group read thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/140664#t

I am having a grand time reading Robert Caro's latest volume of The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Passage of Power. Touchstone is leading to an earlier volume.

Tonight's book club meeting shall set me up to start the next month's book: Ship Breaker which will decidedly be different from what I've been reading. Looking forward to it, might even start reading during the day today.

Just bought http://www.librarything.com/work/544362

Louise Penny's Still Life

for my Nook at $2.99

now that is a price I can love

I did that one with my book group in 2011, maggie1944! They thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope you will as well.

Thanks

Great price! Hope you enjoy Still Life, Karen. It's likely different than other ones you've read, and it's the start to a series I consider very high quality.

Thanks. others have encouraged me to not judge the series by this first book.... I do trust my LT friends!

I just went to the Apple Store and learned that my MacBook air can hear me talk and translate that into printed words. That's pretty exciting! I don't have to wear my arthritic fingers out. woo hoo!

The above was dictated to the computer.

But I did have to insert punctuation, and capitalize the beginnings of sentences. Not bad, all and all.

That's great, Karen! I hadn't thought about what a help that would be with your poor arthritic fingers. Excellent news!

Yes, it is excellent news but I still have to do the editing.

I wonder whether the day will come when you can dictate the edits. I suspect it will.

Had a few problems this morning and still trying to work the bugs out

I wonder what it would write if you sneezed, or if one of your doggies barked? :)

Sometime in the future, the Siri voice might warn you that you are over due for a check-up with the doctor or else tell you to put the dogs out.

I don't think Siri lives in my MacBook, I think she only lives in iPhones, and I don't have one with Siri in it. She does have a very seductive voice!

This morning: poor old Nicky has one back leg dragging. Got to go to the Vet today!

I wish Nicky was feeling better. (Jocelyn dictated that sentence!)

OK, back from the Vet. I think he did not know what to say.... Nicky was a bit better but still did not put full weight on his back right leg. Vet poked and prodded and said he did not think Nick was feeling any pain. Good news, that. Just gimpy. So, maybe a neurologic problem... pinched nerve? Maybe he'll mostly recover. Game me anti inflammatory meds. Vet tech suggested I might think about acupuncture. They have an "alternative" vet associated with their hospital. Have to mull that over and watch how Nick improves, or not.

And, now for something entirely different: My niece, Christine, suggested I should consider buying an Apple TV. Any one have any comments?

248: acupuncture for a pet: now, there's an idea I hadn't thought of. Seems to me that would be a pretty unequivocal test of the efficacy of the procedure because the pet's response would not be mixed up with any preconceived ideas about how it would or wouldn't work. There'd be no philosophy or faith or skepticism involved, just cause and effect. If you go for it, please let us know how it works out.

Hmm, my much better half would like the acupuncture idea. She swears by it, although we've never tried it for a pet.

My previous boss had acupunture done on one of her horses. I can't remember the details, but my boss swears by it. The only detail I remember is that her horse would instantly relax and pretty much fall asleep every time a session started.

I know nothing about Apple TV. Sorry.

About acupuncture: I've heard it works, not experienced it.

well, I've experienced it when I had major osteoarthritis pain in my hip, prior to hip replacement, and it worked a bit. As I was pretty much bone on bone I am sure there were physical limitations to how much I could "improve" however, I did feel better.

I just need to investigate how much this will cost; no pet health insurance in this household.

I am about 1/2 the way through Ship Breaker and I think I'll have to read the "companion novel" as I'll be finished way too early for the book group. Need to get a bit more taste of Bacigalupi, I think.

Way back in post #2, I mentioned that I wanted to use bricks like those in your opening post, to plant around my tree...

I just found out that burying tree roots can kill a tree! It's okay to mulch, but never use dirt!

Is that strange or what?