bohemima's books, part three

April Reads
27. Team of Rivals
28. Cutting for Stone
29. The Style's the Man
30. The Birth of Venus

May Reads
31. The Shape of Water
32. After the Rain
33. Stormy Weather
34. Death of a Perfect Housewife
35. The Darwin Awards II
36. Month-By-Month Gardening in Georgia
36. A Fatal Inversion
37. The Inn at Lake Devine
39. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
40. The Count of Monte Cristo
41. Bring Up the Bodies

June Reads
42. Kissing the Gunner's Daughter
43. The Western Lit Survival Kit
44. Possible Side Effects
45. Charlotte's Web
46. Northanger Abbey
47. Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders
48. The Five of Hearts

July Reads
49. Lucy
50. The Glass-Sided Ant's Nest
51. Something Wicked This Way Comes
52. The Bridge of San Luis Rey
53. From Beowulf to Virginia Woolf
54. Vengeance: A Novel
55. Read This Next
56. The Reader
57. The Finishing School

Books off My Shelves
27 of 47

Progress is being made!

Um...except for all those nook books I've added...well, we just won't talk about that part.

Need to get all my "reads" up to date, and a couple of reviews done. Unfortunately, that requires some work on actual paper for me, as I'm not too good at typing while thinking.

More later.

Trip was okay, especially after Dh realized that driving in an unfamiliar area is beyond him now, even with me supplying the best directions clearly stated. So now I do the driving and we're both much happier and more relaxed.

I love Montgomery, though. Pretty little city.

Hello my friend! I am happy to see you here :)

Gail - signing in for your latest thread. I always drive when we go anywhere unfamiliar as it gives SWMBO an opportunity to criticise while making sure we don't get lost irretrievably! Hope your weekend goes well.

Welcome to Kath: Always happy to see you;
and Paul: You always make me laugh!
and to any others who choose to stop by.

Book 27 of 75
Team of Rivals
Goodwin has produced a sort of group biography of Lincoln and the major members of his cabinet. I thought it was a pretty easy read, although some of the men were a bit unfamiliar to me and I took some time to get them straight. It's pretty amazing to learn how Lincoln controlled all these strong, undwieldy personalities and managed to get the best out of them, even when those men had their own decided agendas to pursue. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in Lincoln or in how very little politics has changed in 150+ years.

Book 28 or 75
Cutting for Stone
What an interesting book this turned out to be! The plot moves with glacial slowness in the first hundred or so pages, while the author sets the ambience, ideas, and characters. Once that's established, the story steadily picks up speed, until the last 200 pages fly by, impelling the reader on to a great ending. I loved this book and would recommend it to any adult reader.

Book 29 of 75
The Style's the Man
Once again the elegance of Auchincloss's writing charms the reader completely. The breadth of his reading; his easy conversational tone; his wicked humor all combine to make this slight book fascinating to any lover of books and writers. His assessment of FDR alone is worth reading the entire book. Meeting all sorts of new-to-you authors is a pleasure, as Auchincloss delineates their styles, foibles, and worth. What a book!

Book 30 of 75
The Birth of Venus
is a great picutre of Venice under the thrall of Savonarola. Author Dunant paints a vivid picture of the best and worst of this society, which is interesting enough in itself. Although it could strictly be considered a girl's coming-of-age story, it isn't really. An extremely mature young girl grows and changes over the course of this novel, but it's the growth and change of a woman, and not a girl trying to find her way. The ending is a stunner.
Highly recommended.

Very serious looking books! Two of them, anyway...I liked Team of Rivals, too.. and you are so right!

There is nothing of note going on... I have enjoyed my last few reads.
AS you guessed, my appliances are in revolt again. I have smudged..
I don't know what to think! :P

I hope things are looking up a little for you ?

eta

Will you do something fun today or tomorrow?

Hi, Gail! :-)

Girolamo Savonarola's rise and fall featured prominently in The Agony and The Ecstasy which I read earlier this year. The Birth of Venus sounds like a better book though.

Hi Gail. I got horribly behind on your last thread so I thought I would take the opportunity to say hello here before going back to catch up. Glad you had a good trip.

Just my daily run through. Sending hugs..

Hi Gail!
Stopping by to pretty-up your new thread ;-)
Hope you are well... and having a restful day.

Hello to kath, Porua, Heather, and Cee! So nice to see you here.

Today has gone well so far. Nice and quiet. Not too hot outside, so did a bit of gardening. And reading. And fussing around with my podcasts and music.

More on books:

Book 31 0f 75
The Shape of Water
is the first in a new-to-me mystery series set in Italy. I loved the main character and the picture of life in Sicily. Lots of information about food, a very sophisticated outlook on life, a pretty snarky sense of humor all combine to make this mystery with political overtones a winner. Definitely will look for more by this author.

Book 32 of 75
After the Rain
is a wonderful YA story. A young girl reluctantly but persistently develops a relationship with her distant, prickly grandfather. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Well, it's a very moving story, realistic and funny but with a pathos that is well-drawn. Many thanks to Linda for this book!

Book 33 of 75
Stormy Weather
Good grief. I've no memory of this, which I read about 4 weeks ago. Just nothing comes to mind. Must have been a particularly difficult week.

Book 34 of 75
Death of a Perfect Housewife (no touchstone?)
I do remember this one, however. A supremely obnoxious woman is killed a a village fete. No one could have deserved it more. I wasn't crazy about the plot resolution, which seemed to come from left field with no warning, but I enjoyed the rest of the book.

Book 35 of 75
The Darwin Awards II
Absolutely mindless way to spend a bit of time comtmeplating the incredible stupidity of human beings. Funny but essentially worthless, this is a compilation of the ways people can find to eliminate themselves from the gene pool.

Some interesting books here :) I see two that I could easily sit down with right now!
However, I am reading a perfectly fun little thriller by Lincoln Child, an author I enjoy :)
And it is a freebie from vine. Yes... some days life is good!

I am happy to have caught you here, if only for a moment :)

Hi, Gail. Glad the get-away was relaxing!
I love to dip into and out of *Darwin Awards* - also It Was a Dark and Stormy Night and its sequels. In fact, when I think about it, I'm a born dipper. And I've said before, but I say it again, thank you for reminding me of the Auchinclosses on my shelves unread. That's a pity that can be assuaged.

Whoa! That's a mighty impressive list of May books. Several chunksters too. Good for you, Gail, fitting in all that good reading while managing to do some gardening and sneak in another getaway. So glad this trip went better than the last one. Have a great week!

Good morning to you! Hope you find some goodness in today :)

Hi Gail. " a bit of gardening. And reading. And fussing around with my podcasts and music." Sounds like a nice, gentle day :-)

And I hope today is just as soft and gentle :)

Hi Gail. Your day yesterday sounds lovely. Like Kath, I hope today has many of the same qualities.

Hello and welcome to Kath, Peggy, Donna, Heather, and Ellen!

Good news: first therapist appt. on Monday next. At last.

Good in one way but not-so-good in another news: I've now acquired, either by paying or for free, approximately 80 books for the e-reader this year. Obviously they take up no visible room, but still...and I'm joining audible today. Hmmm...perhaps the therapist can explain this to me...or maybe it's just the most pleasant, intellectually stimualting, friend-finding, great compulsion there is. ;->

Ah! beat me here this morning. I am cooking.. in the cool of the morning.
Duncans casserole and this and that ...

Ereader books are sort of invisible.. and you can shelve them on the site..
not even keep them on the reader. Archives are lovely places :)

The fb page where I was finding books to share with you is down.
Or done. Or something. The woman who ran it had a meltdown one day..
it was a sight to behold! LOL
So back to mostly scrounging for nook.. sigh

I will still share when I find good ones :)

hugs

Gail, finally another good one, ( IMO)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-a-glass-darkly-karleen-koen/1100201529?e...

Through a Glass Darkly

I LOVED this one when I read it eons ago..

Nothing going on to tell.. so this is just a drive by..
cleaning this morning, to take advantage of the cool.

(What is in CLR anyway?) ( ouch)

Hope all is well in Gailtopia :)

hugs

eta
not free but

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/armageddon-leon-uris/1105860975?ean=978145322572...

Leon Uris

Hey, Kath. I got Through a Glass Darkly this a.m, and a mystery of some sort, and now must think about the Uris. I used to love his work, but haven't read anything by him in a long time. Maybe I'll get a paper copy for Dh for Father's Day.

A perfectly horrid day today, and the dr. appt. yesterday for Dh didn't go so well, either. He (the dr.) did say we could try one of the newer Alzheimer meds to see if it could get him another year or so of independence, at which point a sulphurous black cloud descended and completely surrounded me and is there still.

*long shuddering sigh*

Back to books:
Book 36 of 75
Month by Month Gardening in Georgia
This big, pretty, helpful book took me about a year to read, off and on and off and on...Worth the time and a valuable ready reference for lots of different things. 4*'s

Book 37 of 75
A Fatal Inversion
is my first Barbara Vine mystery. Kind of creepy and weird. I liked it and will try another two or three by her. 3.5*'s

Book 38 of 75
The Inn at Lake Devine
is a hilarious story about prejudice (specifically anti-semitism) in the 50's and 60's. I loved this book about a young girl who gets her back up and decides to do something about it. The plot is ridiculously full of coincidences and unbelievable twists, but it's a great romp and lots of fun. 3.75*'s

Book 39 of 75
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
isn't quite as scary to me now as it was when I was a child, but the exploration of a man's dual personality is psychologically sound if rendered in a rather fantastic fashion. This is another of my "Boys' Own Adventures" which I seem to have fallen into this year, quite by accident. Many of these are/will be re-reads, and they're holding up surprisingly well. I'd be curious to know what inspired this particular story. 3.6*'s

Book 40 of 75
The Count of Monte Cristo
If revenge is a dish best served cold, the Count must have enjoyed a culinary delight here. Completely innocent of any crime, wrongfully imprisoned for years and years, Edmund Dantes slowly and steadily prepares himself (he has some help from a fellow innocent) to exact the fullest possible retribution for his wrongs. He succeeds beyond his wildest dreams. This is a great ripping page-turner with no pretentions to conspiracy theory or hidden plots by huge agencies, whether church or state. It's wonderful and I am so very glad I finally found a translation I could enjoy. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys evil-doers getting their just desserts. 4.5*'s

Hi, Gail! Just stopping by to see what you've been up to. Lots of good books! I want to read Team of Rivals sometime.

ETA to add saw the list and missed the part about the appointment. So sorry!

So sorry to hear about your day, Gail! Just know that even if we can't physically be there to help you, you are always in our thoughts! *Hugs*

I was afraid that things were rough for you, since
You have been aeay. I am so sorry about the doctor visit.
As I have said in the past, i do NOT know how you caregivers manage, I just cannot imagine years of it. I don't imagine that there is any hope of you getting away on your own for a day or two? Family who would be able to help? I know...I am sure that if there was a way, you would have managed it by now....just thinking out loud...worrying for my friend.

I haven't read Uris in years either, but what I read I liked. i am thinking that one over, too. I have so many ebooks waiting....

I sincerely hop the black cloud lifts and you have a better, breezier day.

Hugs

oh, and I am afraid you may have tempted me with a book...maybe two. :-o yikes!

Good morning Gail! A whole new week :) I hope it is the start of many good and peaceful ones.

I keep looking back at your comments about The Count of Monte Cristo, and feeling like I
might want to read it .. I never have. I am finally nearly finished with the disappointing Lincoln book.
I will get it reviewed this afternoon and move on to something else. I am very disappointed, as I was hoping for a much better read.

I have no complaints about my day yesterday, which ended up being nice and quiet..and pleasant.
Aside from the neighbors dog thing that is.. and they are fine. I have considered contacting the owners daughter on facebook. She and Cory dated for a couple of years ( thank the goddess they didn't marry!
All that girl wanted was to get married and have kids asap. I wasn't crazy about her, but that might have been partly due to her family, she is a very beautiful girl.. who is now married with beautiful little twin girls : )

So.. I am off to do errands in a bit.. what will you do with your day?

Hi, Gail! I also wish you a sunny day that burns through some of that black cloud. We all wish, since words are what we have to help you, that we could find the right words. Meanwhile, I pray.

Hi Gail. Ah, the challenges continue. I'm sorry to hear that. I'm a fan of Barbara Vine, although it has been a few years since I've read any of them.
I hope your reading continues to give you comfort through this process.

Good morning to Terri, Porua, Kath, Peggy, Ellen and all lurkers.

We carry on, more or less.

Here's something funny: Back up in Post 12, I mentioned Book 33 0f 75, citing Stormy Weather, which came up as by Carl Hiassen. I was floored because I couldn't remember one single thing about it.

Well, no wonder.
The book I actually read was Rough Weather, the last Spenser book written by Robert Parker. Do ya think I might have too much on my mind?

Anyway, Rough Weather rates 3*s. The plot was ludicrous and completely incredible. What brought the stars were Spenser's snide remarks and the presence of Hawk, one of the better series sidekicks in P.I. fiction. Another plus was that Susan consumed more than a single lettuce leaf at a sitting. If you're a Spenser fan, give it the three or four hours it takes; if not, go on to something else.

Book 41 of 75
Bring Up the Bodies
Review in progress. It's one terrific book, even better than Wolf Hall because it's much tighter, much more tense, even for those of us who are really, really familiar with the historical material. i can't wait for the next one.

Book 42 of 75
Kissing the Gunner's Daughter
Whoa! I love Ruth Rendell's work, and this has to be one of her best. Review in progress on this one as well.

Off to the shrink therapist later for the first visit. Hope she's the right one for me.

Wishing luck with the therapist! Big step.. I hope it helps you
hugs

Hi Gail, just adding my best wishes. Reading Ruth Rendell is a great way to escape from your everyday life. Plus there's the added bonus of the sheer number of books she's written!

I was glad to see that you made it there and back home unscathed :)

So, what's on the agenda for today? Nothing much here, so far.
I am just sitting here being grateful for coffee :)

hugs

Sending good thoughts your way, and thinking of you every day...

Good morning, Judy, Kath, Amber!

Having survived the first session, I thought it went pretty well, if one can think of an hour and 15 minutes, about 50 minutes of which were spent crying, as going well. She recommends upping or changing my medications as both the depression and especially the anxiety are getting out of control. So, dr. appt. on Thurs. to do something about the meds., and another session next Monday to start mapping some strategies to cope with my "New Normal", crummy as it might be.

I've finished my prelim. review of the Rendell on paper, and pretty much mapped up a review for the Mantel, and I've one other almost done...will be posting those this evening. Bridge today--hope it goes better than last Friday!

I think I have some understanding of anxiety issues. I am sorry that you are
having to endure them, but glad that ou are finding some help :)

Have fun Bridging :)

Sorry to hear you are having a rough go right now with depression and anxiety. Hopefully your sessions and med change help you out
sending hugs!

I was talked into see a therapist for awhile when I was in grad school, the reasons for which I'll not go into, and I was skeptical at first, but then spent the first session doing pretty much what you did. If for no other reason, it was helpful to have a good old cry with someone uninvolved personally, but sympathetic and understanding. Like Chelle, I hope your sessions and your med changes help.

Okay, now go read Stormy Weather or, better yet, read Tourist Season which (I say as a native Floridian) is a hoot.

Just passing though. I expect to be sort of busy today.. so not sure if I will be here much..
so wishes for a good day being sent >>>NOw!

hugs

Speaking and glad to see better possibilities. I can't wait to see your review of *BUtB*! I thinkI'll just read my old Spensers when he calls me - I stopped buying them before he stopped writing. Susan drove me nuts, but I adored Hawk.

Hi Gail, thanks to a good friend I'm getting a copy of Bring Up the Bodies when we get together tomorrow night. I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Your first session with the mind doctor sounds very therapeutic. A good safe cry can do wonders for the soul. I hope it washed away that dark cloud that has been hanging over you. I'm glad you have someone to guide you into a "new normal" way of life. Hugs and prayers continue.

Gail - don't know if you noticed but you recorded 2 no. 40 books The Count of Monte Cristo and Bring Up the Bodies. I make your total 42 not 41?

Gail, there is going to be a sort of memorial read of Dandelion Wine this weekend. I never really do a group read, don't even know how.. but I was already planning to read it when the subject came up. It's
my favorite of his... although I love every one I have ever read. I thought I would let you know in case you are interested in doing the read either with the group or just..like me.. on your own :) Good energy
multiplied, you know :)

So, whats doing in Gail land today?
More bridging? I can't keep that straight, do you play 2x a week?
How are you feeling?

hugs

{{{{{Gail}}}}}

It's so hard.
So very hard... attempts at emotional acceptance and day-to-day functioning.
I hate this disease - it is so heartbreaking.
It's difficult with my Mom, but I can't imagine a spouse.
Some things are just too heavy and you need help - and lots of it!

Cudos to you for being smart and brave. I so hope you are able to feel more confident in finding your way through this struggle. I also hope you have found the right therapist and you can both work toward solutions. Crying is a good start.

Hugs Gail. There aren't words... I hope the therapist and the doctor can help and glad to hear you have been managing to enjoy some good books despite everything. I'm glad you could talk to the therapist - caring for someone is hard and very isolating but we are here for you as much as it's possible to be remotely.

Oh Gail, I haven't been here for a day or two.. but trust me, you are in my thoughts I hope you
are doing okay, and having some days of peace and pleasure. I miss you.

hugs

Gail! How are you ?

I miss you a lot these days.. I
hope that whatever is keeping you away gets better soon!

hugs

I'm here for just a moment.

Flogged myself into reading a tiny bit of The 36-Hour Day, and found that there is, in fact, a name for something that drives one insane but can't be helped:
"Catastrophic Response". This isn't a response to a catastrophe, but a beyond-the-edge-of-reason reaction to some small-ish sort of problem. A couple of these have happened out in public and they are mighty embarassing, but it would be really a good thing if I could learn that I don't and can't control the behavior of others.

Sigh.

In better news, I've finished Northanger Abbey, a quite funny book and the last of the six major Austen novels for me. Oddly enough, last week at bridge a friend brought me her copy of The Jane Austen Book Club, saying she knew I would be the perfect person to pass it on to. How nice of her.

And, in a canny, sneaky move, by always, always looking at the "give-away" book shelves at our two local senior activity centers, I've managed to score quite nice hardcover copies of Mary Stewart's King Arthur trilogy. I was pleased by that, as I'd not read but one of them back in my other lifetime.

Oh, and something else good: Remember I said my ideal book would be a mystery set at a school involving the performance of an opera? Hah! I get a few book catalogues because, yanno, I don't have enough to read. One of these is from "Murders from the Rue Morgue", a small but marvelous mystery bookstore in Colorado. Imangine my surprise and delight, and the swiftness of my ordering, when I read the following description:

"Death at the Opera: When Miss Ferris drowned in a wash basin during a performance of The Mikado at the Hillmaston Coeducational Day School, the police ruled it a suicide. The shool's headmaster wasn't so sure. He called in that grand dame of detection, the psychoanalyst-sleuth Mrs. Beatrice Lestrange Bradley."

I know Gilbert and Sullivan qualify as operetta, but still...what a coup.

My, how easily pleased this simple old lady is...

Why am I so busy today? This was not part of the plan.
I had errands this morning, then put up the lights on the gates
at the end of the porch, because the morning glories are starting to try to climb..
Then I visited a neighbor to take her some of the chili seasoning I made, came home and
made enchiladas. I forgot to add the cilantro. Such is life.

Hope all is well in your world..
How is bridge? To me card playing feels like something one is sentenced to.
To each his own, as they say :) I hope it gives you pleasure !

Good to see you Gail. I hope you enjoy Death at the Opera and I'm so glad you found NA so funny.

Thinking of you.

Oh! That's the Gladys Mitchell I want to read! Now I'll be back to see what you think of two of your current books.
Always hugs and wishes for courage and endurance.

Hi Gail, I've been thinking of you and took time to catch up, one of my rare days spending time on LT of late. It seems like we both grew into Jane Austen in the last year. Isn't it funny how that happened? I thought NA was quite funny too, and having finishing Persuasion in May, have also finished all 6 of her major novels. No I'm interested in reading her "Juvenilia" (I think it's called) as it seems all her early writings were much funnier, in the vein of NA, a style which she toned down as she became popular—such a shame really.

Pretty exciting that you've found a book that correspond to your ideal setting with Death at the Opera. Hope it's a good romp for you.

Don't have words for the other... heartbreaking aspects of your life. I can't imagine going through what you live with on a daily basis. You are very wise to recognize your limitations and seek help. I always wish you well and send you hugs my dear.

Books! sigh. Always books on the mind. My sister was cleaning out her books, and dropped off
her Lumby series for me to read. nice, but I had asked her not to. I do not have the time, or the
inclination for them right now, and I most certainly do not have the space. Also, she has some books
for the humane society book sale, but will only give them if I will store them until fall. So several boxes
there. It really ticks me off. I could go on with that rant for a while, but you get the gist...

Also, in a fit of pique a week or so ago, I made Dan write out his own check for his fishing trip.
I told him where the check book is ( clueless, he has no idea about he bills), told him which to use
and made him look up the info on his own email ( his friend sent it to me, because he knows dan...
and I forwarded it to him. ) Well, he used the wrong check book. One that does not have his name
on the account, just Amy's and mine. Yesterday, I asked him to buy 6 bags of mulch, so he bought 4. ( not enough) I need two more ( at least ) AND I asked him to stop and get a rotisserie chicken so I could make easy enchiladas. ( he bought bar bq flavor, I hate bar bq, always have, plus it was enchildadas!)
And more. Seriously? GAH!

All small things but annoying.

How was Bridge? Do you do it again tomorrow?

Anyway, not much going on here.. same old same old. Weird loud noises coming from the
railroad.. what do they do down there anyway, aside from the obvious?

oh dear... I have gone on! sorry..
Hope things have been less aggravating in your world? I hope I hope?

>51 mckait:: Kath, I enjoy cards, but not enough to make it something I'd indulge in more than once every other week or so, given my own choices. I'd much rather watch a dvd with a friend or two, making comments, hitting the pause button to discuss what just happened, and eating a bit of popcorn or m & m's. On the forgetting, today I was supposed to pick up green peas, did not do it. Oh well, green beans are good too.

>52 souloftherose::Heather, hey! What's up with you? I'm finding concentrating on reading is a bit difficult, but I'm hanging in there.

>53 LizzieD::Peggy! I also have Tom Brown's Body waiting, another Gladys Mitchell. I find the Rue Morgue Press to be a valuable mystery resource, in more ways than one.

>54 Smiler69:: Ilana, my dear, I'm so glad to see you here. I'm not sure I want to get into the Jane Juvenilia just yet, as I have so many, many more books to read. One that will be coming up soon is Framley Parsonage, the fourth of the Barsetshire series by Anthony Trollope. It's been waiting for quite a while, and I want to read Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton, which looks fantastic, all about dragon society; anyway, the author says her book is based largely on the Trollope, so I want to give that a go first.
I'm having trouble keeping up with LT as well. This has been an awfully busy month for me.

>55 mckait:: kath, I'm afraid I would injure Dan if he were my husband. Perhaps you could punish him by planting more grass instead of getting rid of some? I mean, really, it almost sounds like one of those stilly plans to get out of doing any work by being stupid.
I just got The Lumby Lines on the nook last week. That's the great thing about the nook: no troublesome book piles making one look like a hoarder.
*peers around uneasily to see if anyone is looking this way*

I'm just going to put this out there: My aunt, about 80, just sent me an email that she's moving back to Florida. This will be her sixth or seventh move in 12 or so years. Well, that's fine, of course, if she's up to it physically and financially. But here's the thing: this is the same aunt who put my uncle, who has precisely the same condition as my husband but further along, into a Veterans' Nursing Home, where he definitely did not want to go, around the turn of the year. In New Hampshire. Really, I can't comment, but I just had to put it out there. Their marriage, which I attended at age 6 or so, is well over 50 years old.

Gail, I have The Warden waiting among my mounds of great books to read (have it on audio actually). I think I might need to read it with a tutor though, but Liz (lyzard) is keen on helping me with it, so it's just a matter of time.

I really don't know what to say about your aunt's choices. Sounds like she's putting her own needs first, which some may call selfish, while others would say she's making choices that few are brave enough to make. Suffering in silence (or not so silently) and being there for one's partner even in the worst of times is definitely admirable, but some people decide life is too short to be miserable and do their own thing, and who's to say they have the wrong idea? I can see how that situation might trouble you deeply though, and I sympathize.

Good morning, Ilana. You know, Liz is an amazing person! I read her tutored threads just for pleasure, whether I'm reading the book being discussed or not. The Warden is a sweetly charming book, but quite topical, so some background info. is critical to both understanding and appreciating the book. The second book in the series, Barchester Towers is marvelous, although quite long. Another way to get a really good feel for the stories would be to view "The Barchester Chronicles", a BBC production of the first two books in the series. The shows really make the humor in these books come alive.

You're right about the situation troubling me. After a lot of thought, I could see her point about the nursing home, for the reasons you cited, although I certainly disagreed with it. I can't see her leaving him in New Hampshire, though, while she moves to Florida.

Another dr. appt. today, this time to see what's causing, maybe, the maddening muscle spasms I've been experiencing. The rest of the day is sort of free, for a wonder, except for laundry; this week has been and tomorrow will be awfully hectic for someone who likes to stay home. Nothing on Saturday, though.

I abandoned a book (sob): Get Shorty. I couldn't relate to the characters, I am unfamiliar with any of the milieu being explored, and just couldn't get into it at all. So, back to trying to finish The Five of Hearts, which is good, but my word, what a self-absorbed set of people they seem to be. Still, it's interesting to see behind the scenes of U.S. history, so to speak. And I'm trying to find something else to read, something light but interest-holding. I've got lots of choices in that category, but can't seem to settle on one.

Oh, here's something else I wanted to mention yesterday: my copy of Framley Parsonage is the Penguin Classic edition. The cover painting, which shows a man apparently overcome with emotion by the news he's received in the letter he's holding; a woman, fairly obviously the wife, is clinging to him with an adoring and sympatheric look. The title of this little artistic gem: Woman's Mission: Companion of Manhood.

Oh please.

I am so sad for your uncle.. but I am sad for your aunt, too.
For that matter, I am sad for you, that you have such a heavy load and that
you shoulder it alone..

Lumby Lines is enjoyable. I will read the lot of them one day.. not sure when.

Trust me, there are days I can barely look at him. I think I might get back at him
by dying first. He will be like an abandoned 4 year old. Today he is out of here early and
I will have peace and quiet. And time to get over the last two days of Dan trying to annoy
the heck out of me.

56 That's kind of sad really. I can understand the need for help by putting him in a home where there are people trained for that sort of thing, but I can't imagine moving away afterwards. That makes me kind of sad for your uncle.

Just stopping by to see how you're doing. I feel bad that last time I posted, I'd skimmed and missed important stuff and I posted something dumb.

Please know you're in my thoughts, Gail.

Hi Gail!
Woman's Mission: Companion of Manhood :PPPP~~~~~
Oh please, is right!

Hope you were able to get some real relief for your muscle spasms. With all the stress you must deal with you are apt to get lots of annoying physical stuff. I know I do. Everything not gone yet - but I do feel better in some ways. Depends on the day, of course.

Hugs to you {{{Gail}}}

Wanting to wish you a good morning! Hope good things are in store for you?
Maybe you can make something good happen? Maybe??
Hope so !
hugs

Hi, Gail! Hope you are doing well, my dear. *Hugs*

"Woman's Mission: Companion of Manhood."

*Eye roll*

Well, here it is the weekend, and it is getting hotter every day coming up.
Nothing much going on. Getting hotter... my daughter is doing a 10 mile run
today.. in Baltimore. I would like to see the ships in Baltimore for the star spangled
Sailabration :) it would be a lot of fun to see.

How are you feeling?
Any plans for today?

Gail, I looked up "The Barchester Chronicles" at the library, but no luck with the BBC production. Shame.

I wanted to say something about the message I wrote concerning you aunt. I think you know by now, though maybe I should have mentioned again, that I was raised by two incredibly selfish parents, who have put their own needs first most of the time. Consequently, I have quite a warped sense of what healthy relationships should be like and the idea that some people do and can stick together no matter what... to me seems almost like something out of a fairy tale. So yes, I should have said that I feel badly for your uncle, and for your aunt too. It's a sad situation all around. If my reply seemed flippant, then I sincerely apologize.

I hope you are doing well—as well as can be, my dear. xx

#56 Hi Gail. I'm having some problems sleeping lately but I think I know why. Hopefully this time next month I'll be feeling less anxious.

I had no idea the Jo Walton book had been based on Framley Parsonage - how cool! I've been wanting to read something by Jo Walton for a while but I think I will leave that one until I've worked my way through the Barsetshire series. I've got my eye on her Among Others.

#59 "Woman's Mission: Companion of Manhood" *eye roll*

Sad to think about your aunt and uncle - I don't know what the answer is to situations like that...

Nothing on the agenda here ... some cooking maybe?
It's going to get hot again...boo hoo :(

I have some good books on the short stack.. so all is well ..
I hope all is well there, too ?

hugs

Today is going to be my computer day (read: She's taking the day off to be on LT and do all the catch-up and stuff).

So, having visited a big 2 threads so far, I think I might just fill in a little here. I've got the laptop running, so as I need to get up occasionally and do stuff, this will be convenient.

Kath: You just never mind Dan. Hang out here with us, where you are properly appreciated! Oh, I love that cat pic. thing that changes every time I visit. Just love it.

Chelle: Thank you for the kind words. It is a sad situation, doubly so because no relatives live near to where my uncle is now lodged. I have very fond memories of both aunt and uncle from my childhood and teens, and it's just heart-breaking to see all this horrid stuff happening. Getting old isn't for the timid.

Terri: Eh? I didn't notice anything dumb. I'm always glad to see you here. We struggle on, laughing when we can, which is still pretty often.

Cee: Oh, the dr's visit...sheesh! More on that down the road apiece.

Porua: Hi! That was my reaction exactly to "Woman's Mission". How do you feel about Alexander McCall Smith, or have you not read him yet? I love the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series...so gentle, so funny, so sweet.

Ilana: I didn't think you were being flip at all and certainly took absolutely no offense. Family relationships tend to be wierd and highly individual to each family, I think, so it's hard to see what others are experiencing.
Here's something silly for you: you kow how I study your artwork. Well, the nude? First thoughts: wow, look at all the colors used, how intriguing, it must be so difficult to convey skin tones and things. Last thoughts: What a pretty mouth and subtle, almost come-hither smile. Sigh. Some year I'll learn to appreciate art in a more correct, coherent sort of way.

Heather: Welcome back to the Sadly Neglected Thread. I read Jo Walton's Farthing and loved it. Very, very different, intriguing, scary in a way. Excellent book.

Gail, your thoughts when looking at the nude sound exactly like the kinds of things that go through my mind when I look at artwork too, so that makes TWO of us who may yet learn to "appreciate art in a more correct, coherent sort of way." ;-)

>71 Smiler69:: I dunno, Ilana, sometimes I feel really, really inadequate when I look at art and try to think about it. There's so much going on, even if you don't take all that mumbo-jumbo, high-falutin' sort of art criticism into consideration.

Gail, I would venture to guess that most people feel that way about art, so don't sweat it. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to look at it really... as long as you keep in mind that "good" art isn't necessarily about having the best technique or making things "pretty". I get confused even trying to explain it. I'm better at making it than thinking about it, that's for sure!

Hi Gail .. sorry I've been absent for such a long time. I've been lurking for a bit, but now I have bit of time on my hands, I thought I'd at least give you a little shout ...and agree with Ilana that there is no right or wrong way to look at art. I'm not sure some critics even know what they're talking about, especially when they're trying to explain contemporary art. I'm not sure why they don't just ask the artist what he/she had in mind when they created their work of art instead of leaving it to the critics to try and interpret the work. Art, I think, is what you get out of it ... if you like it, it's good. If you don't like it ... well, then you just don't like it. :-)

There is, imo, no "Correct" way to appreciate art. I feel that it is similar to the
experience of tasting, say... Vanilla Ice Cream. Surely your experience of it is similar
to mine, in that we are both eating the ice cream. But how would it be possible to believe
that what we taste is exactly the same, the experience one just like the other. Impossible.

IMO

hah! you beat me to it today :)

hugs

Ilana and Caro: I guess you're both correct, but I sure wish I had more background knowledge. Oh hell, I wish that about most things.

Right, Kath. Just like they say "Every reader reads a different book"; I guess every art viewer has a unique experience. How clever of you, srsly.
xo

Bleah. Can't crank it up this a.m. Do have a load of laudry in, however. Step One accomplished.

:) Well, I have an artist in the family... My son is an artist, who doesn't
make a living with his art, but he has a degree and has not worked out of the field
for too long, since college. He was born an artist, and loved drawing on the walls..
floors.. paper of course. What a time we had around age 5-6 :) It was almost
compulsive. So there has been much discussion of art in this house. Some of it
quite lively... lol. And I agree, it is exactly the same with a book.

I have a load of laundry in, too :)
We are so industrious!

Gail, I'm way behind on your thread -- sounds like things are going about the same. Life does throw us challenges, doesn't it?

For what it's worth, I tried to read Get Shorty eons ago, soon after it was published and got all kinds of rave reviews, and I couldn't get into it either. It was long before I had ever heard of Nancy Pearl, and I'm not sure I gave it the Pearl Rule 50...... I have occasionally thought about giving it another try, since Elmore Leonard continues to be popular and I am so much older (and therefore, presumably, wiser) now, but it has never risen to the top of my reading priority list.

Keep taking care of Gail ------

Dropping by to say hi! :-)

Good morning!!!!

Hmm. That's all I've got so far. I have not had any excitement
THANK the goddess. And I am not reading anything at the minute.
I have to figure that one out..

Whats going on in Gail land?

hugs

Gail - I got behind for some reason. Your story re your aunt is a chilling one - I hop SWMBO doesn't leave me half a continent away when I need her the most. Glad to see you keep on keeping on lovely lady.

Kath: Hi! Not much going on here, but a bit of reading does occur here and there. Gail land is pretty quiet right now. xo

Ellen: Welcome back, any time at all. I've been silently running into you roundabout...I thought you were about 30...perhaps I was wrong on that, based on various posts I've seen lately. You just seem to have such a nice, young point of view.

Porua: Hey! I'll be sending you a p.m. later this evening.

Paul: How are you? I've been around off and on lately, but I'm trying for more steady participation. I guess my aunt's actions have disappointed me, as they seem to go against all our very-strongly-held family values about taking care of those who need it. It's like that Frost line:

"Home is where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."

That could be our family motto.

Anwyay, finished up a couple of books, more on that tomorrow. But here's the best thing: I think I mentioned that I've got a set of cd's called Baker Street Dozen, 13 Holmes stories with Sir John Gielgud as Holmes and Sir Ralph Richardson as Watson. They're soothing in the extreme, especially if one is familiar, not to say one has parts memorized, with the Holmes ouevre. These must have been presented sometime and somewhere as radio broadcasts. Imagine my delight last night--I listen in bed as relaxation technique--when the announcer said,
"And tonight, special guest star Orson Welles will be the voice of Dr. Moriarty."
Fantastic! I highly recommend this set to anyone who loves Holmes or who enjoys a perfect radio adaptation of Victorian lit.

# 83 Oh Baker Street Dozen sounds great! Sir John Gielgud as Holmes, Sir Ralph Richardson as Watson and Orson Welles as Dr. Moriarty! It's actually making my mouth water!

Baker Street Dozen seems like just the ticket for you!
Quiet is good.. glad you have some. It is fairly quiet here..
we had a rousing battle yesterday.. no comment there.. but
otherwise, quiet.

It is way too hot here.. 90 plus expected today 70 already.

Not a single thing of interest to report.

We shall see what the day brings, I hope it is good for us all..

83> Nice compliment, Gail. Thank you. I try to keep a young perspective but I am looking 52 right in the face....
and it ain't pretty......

And good morning to you! Another hot one.. ugh!
I am about to go out and do an errand or two..
and then try to relax and read a bit.. I haven't been able to for 2 days.
I sure wish that the post office opened earlier. I just need some fresh rolls
and to send out a package. But I want to do it in one trip.

I did decide to readMatch Day which is good so far. It frustrates me when a book
I could read in an afternoon ends up sitting for two days waiting for me to get to it.
:P oh well, it isn't going anywhere! And I have a couple of good books that will come next, I think?

Hang on and keep cool.. hope you have a good day !

hugs

First, a note to Paul: way up thread, he pointed out an accounting error, which I've finally corrected. Thank you, Paul. Numbers are my bete noir.

Next, I reviewed Wolf Hall. I may have to tinker with it a bit. Hard to express my delight in that book without being effusive.

I also have a review of The Western Lit Survival Kit, an ARC which I'm shamefully late in reviewing. That leaves just one more ARC for me to get to.

Hi Gail,
Checking in to see how it goes with you.

""Home is where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."
Hmmm. My family didn't get that memo. *heavy sigh*

I wish someone would come wash my windows - but it's supposed to rain today anyway - so maybe I'll get my wish ;-)

Have a good one!

An update of June books:

Book 43 of 75
is Possible Side Effects an (exaggerated, I'm sure) memoir by Augusten Burroughs. This book concerns adult problems and situations; I found it hilarious. Unfortunately for me, some of the auhtor's reactions to life mirror my own. Very, very funny and irreverant.

Book 44 of 75
was Charlotte's Web, which I'd somehow avoided all these years, although I loved the movie original with Paul Lynde voicing the rat. It was enjoyable but not my very most favorite child's book...I wish I'd read it earlier, like when I was 10.

Book 45 of 75
is a new favorite, Northanger Abbey. I loved this pseudo-gothic story, especially the characters. The only problem with the book is the ending, which one expects, this being Austen, but it felt very rushed in comparison to her other work. Still, a great funny book for anyone who enjoys satire--and in this case, the satire remains topical: think of all the vampire/zombie things going on today.

Book 46 of 75
I absolutely loved The Western Lit Survival Kit. This is a perfect book for older high school or young college students who just don't see the value of classics. It's also a great review for adults who might be looking through "the cannon" with a somewhat jaundiced eye, wondering if this or that tome might be worthwhile. Quick-witted, sharp, intelligent--I'd recommend this to anyone.

Book 47 of 75
Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders
is surely one of the strangest books I've ever read. A nonfiction account of...well...of more-or-less bogus museums which I'd thought had gone out of fashion about 75 years ago. You won't believe what you read about here--about how odd people can be, how a living satire can take people in. Or maybe you will, if you follow the political pages at all. I liked it, but I'm not sure anyone else would.

I do believe I'm caught up! Yay!

Now for humdrum household tasks...oh, yesterday I came home with the groceries and carelessly placed the wasp spray on a somewhat doubtful shelf'; the Nufinish car wax fell off, broke on the garage floor, and splashed, among other places, all over my slacks. They're ruined, of course. That'll teach me to slow down and pay attention to what I'm doing.

Or not. Can't seem to do any posting without repeated typos. Most annoying.

Oops, Cee; Cross-posted. The good thing about our family is that we all shared the wealth...someone get Pop for six months, we kept Pop for six months, another uncle pitched in for 3 months, etc. It made things a lot, lot easier. I believe you've made the right decision in your situation, honestly. Especially since your Mum seems well settled and happy with it.

{{{Cee}}}

So .. Can you believe that it is taking Dan 2 Days to paint the inside of his closet? He has been
"fixing" it ( patching the ceiling ) . He started 2 months ago. I am ready to strangle him I swear to the goddess..

Your books 45 & 47 Look pretty good.. But I might have to hunt down a good grisly murder mystery ..
just sayin'

hugs

eta

Cee.. my family didn't get that memo either.

:(

It is different for my kids..

So bridge went okay? Hope so..
Glad you like my purchases. I didn't exactly need the shirt..
but it was to yummy to pass up for the price. Now I might have
to go somewhere.

Maybe you and I could take a trip to NS to visit Chelle! We could pick up a few others on the way!
( I know, not a snowballs chance for me either....lol)

Oh, wouldn't it be great to go visit Chelle1 I've always wanted to go to N.S. but never could persuade Dh to go there.

Bridge for the most part was fine, but last 30 minutes were hell, as Dh got reallllly tired and thus crabby...man, I hate that. Hate, hate, hate.

We had flounder and assorted vegs. for supper, no potatoes. We're making stuffed peppers (again) tomorrow night and thus will have some to freeze for later meals. Still not overly enthusiastic about cooking, which I just can't understand; I used to love it so...

Got a new book from a friend today, unasked; also got vol. 4 of the Botswana mystery series. Not reading much today...just goofing around, mostly.

Have two MRI's scheduled for Tuesday; yuck. I hate the big noises, but I'm sure everything will go fine.

Get a good night's rest, all.

Why 2? And yes, me too, with the noise...

One is on (of?) my head...I'm sure that will turn into a Yogi Berra joke: "they examined her head and found nuthin'." The other is of m lower back. Gee, I have the most fun, don't I? Bleah.

Good luck with the MRI's tomorrow Gail. I had my first one last year and was quite nervous about it, SCARED actually, but I remembered my breathing exercises and in the end I found the experience... interesting.

I was delighted to find Baker Street Dozen at the library. Amazing considering they have relatively few audiobooks available. I REALLY have to start reading Sherlock Holmes.

Agreed about Charlotte's Web. I think the first time I read it I must have been around 10 and really did love it very much. But re-reading it last year, it fell totally flat. Meh.

I need to do a quick roundup of the reads I've done so far this month. The pressure of being behind all the time kills me. I just saw Mark did it recently, now you. Next, I'll attempt it too.

Hope you're otherwise well m'dear (or as well as can be? I focus on tiny pleasures when things get rough). Hugs.

eta: Typos R Us (well, typos R Me, actually), so don't sweat it. xx

eta2: I wrote eta above in the original message (in other words, it WASN't an edit at all) so came back to edit and add THIS eta note just so it would say "edited" next to the time up on the bar. Totally Retarded, right? :-b

Dear Gail - I am also caught up - at least for this morning!
Love the family motto! I'm old fashioned and, despite (or maybe because of) my own family tearing itself to pieces very much a believer in families sticking together through thick and thin.
Glad to spot your "accounting" error even though it proves me to be a leading geek of the group!
Have a lovely weekend.

Good luck with the MRI!

I hat a cat scan of my head after the accident... that was quick and quiet!
I had an MRI of my knee a while back.. loud and you could feel the different ..whatevers..
it felt different from one minute to the next. Weird. Be prepared. When I have something like that
looming, I try to focus on the day after. Make a plan to go out to lunch and to a bookstore ( or something )
and think about that whenever the mri's try to creep into your brain.
Or shop for jeans! ( did you see the link on my thread?)

I am hoping to read today. I think that there have been as many days hat I have not read this
year as there have been reading days :P

hang in.. !

Good morning ! I hope that you have a calm and pleasant day today :)
Are you going to make that crab dish? It sounds so good! My thread made
me hungry this morning :) Lemon curd..delish!

I am going to try again to read my book ... first laundry.
Take care of yourself.. I hope life is being gentle to you today.

Mornin' to all. Coffee'd, fed, getting ready for the MRI--ugh--

Oh, Kath, I scored the new Benjamin Black mystery this month from L.T.E.R.'s. Gee, that's pretty good.

I'm planning my own imaginary bookstore this a.m. while at the dr.'s. I do also plant to take your suggestion of lunch and bookstore after...such a good idea!

OH COOL! Glad you got a good one..
I am getting ready to go out the door, with Zuul..
so I will be back later.. to see how your day went..
Hoping to hear it was wonderful!

#102 Thinking of you today Gail - hope it goes ok. Planning an imaginary bookstore sounds like a great way to get through it and a treat afterwards is definitely a good idea. (I've just got home from my therapist's appt where we were talking abt making sure we take time to celebrate achievements - getting through MRI scans definitely counts as an achievement).

Hi Gail, just passing through to wish you luck with the MRI Hope all goes well.

So how did it go? You have been on my mind....
I hope the lunch and bookstore canceled out the MRI

Hi Gail, hope it all went well. What books did you get? :-)

Me too, saying the same stuff. I'm glad that it's done and hope that the bookstore and plans were effective distractions. We'll all be glad to hear that everything was negative!

So what is your plan for today? Stay home?eat easy food?
Anything to take you out, or do you get to stay home and maybe have a semi jammie day?

Mornin' to Heather, Judy, Kath, Ilana, and Peggy! Today we have coffee, fresh berries with cream, and some raisin toast available.

MRI actually went fine, believe it or not. Even though the noise was incredible; I did have a thought about that: if the U.S. gov't. wants information from people, simply pop them in the MRI machine for 24 hours; I guarantee they'll tell ya anything.
"Yessirree, just step right up, folks, and let us help you into our new, improved, no permanent damage torture machine..."

Anyway. Got out earlier than expected. Got a couple of odd books (used bookstore): Mistresses of the Dark, a collection of spooky tales by such authors as Margaret Atwood, Edna Obrien, Louise Erdrich, etc.; and The Abbess of Crewe by Muriel Spark. Just felt in the mood to buy some creepy sorts of books. In other shopping news, managed to find a dvd of Richard III directed by and starring the great Olivier. I think I saw this something like 35 years ago at a film festival. I love collecting movies, as I can easily watch a movie several times with no loss of enjoyment...

Today a dr. appt. this p.m. The a.m task is paste-waxing the bathroom cabinets in the master bath. I know, I know, I'm obsessive. But it's mindless work and I can listen to NPR's "Books on the Nightstand" or BBC's "The Archers" while doing it.

I'm hoping for a jammie day tomorrow or Saturday...

Good luck with the Dr appt! Remember to pick up any necessaries on the way home so that you can stay home tomorrow ..

If it's hot.. pretend to water flowers, turn up the hose and stand under the "rain". ( I do that every time )
because it feels good!

flying *smooch*

Well, Kath, the dr.'s visit was great, but alas no "jammie day" tomorrow; must wait for Saturday. He's thinking that getting Dh out more, with me that is, will be helpful to us both, so tomorrow we're going to b'fast and then perhaps to the (shudder) big box hardware store.

Oh, I often run the hose over my feet and legs...feels so soothing and cool...up to 104 this week-end, so tis said...I may throw up...

Rdear! Hello. I'm sending some active energy your way for the blasted bureaucracy (surely that's spelled wrong) to hurry up and do the right thing for you.

Had a great conversation today as well as a (oh, at last, at last) a great dr's visit with someone I think can actually help me. Many days should be this good.

I do that too, then I make rain. If mother nature fails me, I take care of it myself! I must feel rain on my skin. How lucky we are that we can, if only for a moment....

Sorry jammie day is put off again. I like small hardware stores, not so much the big ones. Buy a nice solar light or nightlight for you?

I'd gotten a bit behind with your thread, but not I'm caught up, and so glad that the doctor visits have been so successful! We're bracing ourselves here for the intense heat today and the rest of the week, too.

Just a quick good morning. I keep reading a few post here and on fb... then wandering off to dust or do something. Hope you have a nice day out :) Stay cool !

Glad to hear of a good doctors visit. Doctors who are actually helpful can make a real difference!

Gail....perhaps they'lll have a birdbath at the hardware store. Then DH could watch the birds, and you both could "cool off" by filling the bowl for the birdies!! It's a great excuse to turn on the hose.

Hope you day (and weekend) is filled with a soft mist of sun, sprinkles (rain or hose) and love.

ha! I never need an excuse to turn on the hose. I can't imagine what my neighbors think of me when they see me out there standing under the "rain". MAybe they get jealous.

Hope its a good and peaceful day for you :)

GLAD to hear about the good doctor and the good day! Four 100+ days here too before it cools off to the high 90s for the foreseeable future. Oh woe.

Woe indeed. Hot here too. Crazy weather... Hope you are staying cool and relaxed, Gail...
Haven't started today's book yet... just hanging out and reading some things online. Something I saw on TV yesterday had me googling ( with a suggestion from rd) about a UFO incident in the 1960's..
interesting to revisit :)

Hang in and keep cool!

Hi Gail, glad you got through your MRIs without any problems. Now you'll find out what's in your head! Mine is filled with ideas on how to feed all the visitors we're expecting in July. My son offered to send me an e-mail of the many foods he dislikes. I told him not to bother as I lived with him for 18 years. Same plan..I'll fix what I want to and he can have a peanut butter sandwich if he doesn't like it!

Almost forgot the reason I'm posting. I will be shopping in your imaginary bookstore next time some distasteful situation comes up for me!!! I also plan to make my own rain today per Kath's suggestion. It's too darn HOT!

Gail not seen you around for a few days - hope everything is well and that you have a lovely weekend.

Hello to Kath, Amber, Terri, Tina, Peggy, Donna, and Paul!

I guess except for Paul, who is probably more used to this deadly heat thing than the rest of us, we're all crushed by this heat wave. Oh, it's so flipping hot here; one could curl up just like those poor earthworms who lose their way and dry out on the driveway...erg. I hate this. Winter, where are you?

My plants are shriveling up, despite watering. I just about wither myself, every time I step outside. So, today, I stayed inside and had a modified jammie day; that is, I got dressed (shorts, Tee, moccasins) and didn't nap, but I didn't do anything except a tiny bit of cooking. We had London Broil, grilled by Dh, and scalloped potatoes, and green beans. That was it for dinner. However, we've been extremely fortunate in getting wonderful, juicy, sweet peaches at the store, and have been eating them out-of-hand and with the breakfast cereal the past couple of days.

Must go out briefly tomorrow, early in a.m., for some errands, then back inside for the rest of the day.

In other news, Book 48 of 75
was The Glass-Sided Ant Nest, an odd murder mystery. Something else odd about it; it was (re)published as "Skin Deep", but that doesn't show up on the touchstones. Anyway, this one is by Peter Dickinson and stars Detective Pribble, a most mild-mannered but determined man. I liked it, but the last 20 or so pages made absolutely no sense, or perhaps it was me. All about this woman who brings the remains of a destroyed culture (maybe New Guinea?) to London and puts them all in a house--she lives there too--while she studies them, as she's an anthropologist. One of the stranger premises I've come across in a lifetime of collecting weird mysteries. Maybe 3.5 *'s

Book #49 of 75
Five of Hearts
which is a really interesting group biography of Henry Adams, Clover Adams, John and Clara Hay, and Clarence King. The only problem is that by the end of the book, the reader likes no one except John Hay. And perhaps Clara. However, it's a fascinating picture of a by-gone era and how the other half lived (the other half from myself, I mean). Recommended to those interested in U.S. history.

Interesting titles there, Gail... I wish you had liked them more....

I picked up a book from Vine..The Celtic Conspiracy
It involves shenanigans at the Vatican, Supreme Court.. and bonus Druids!!!
What more can I want? I feel like you did, I think when you found your music school mystery!

long-buried secrets of the Catholic Church that prove the Druids of Ireland did not die out; they were systematically exterminated in cold blood. However, the secret will stay buried within the walls of the soldier’s home for another fifty years before it is brought to light by his son, a modern-day proponent of the Druids’ enlightened, pacifist culture. Armed with the evidence and the conviction to expose the Church’s conspiracy, the soldier’s son, a Supreme Court justice forms an unlikely alliance with a healer, a linguist and a Boston attorney to bring the Vatican to trial. As the action races from the corridors of the White House and the United States Supreme Court to Dublin’s halls of academia and the secretive back passages in Rome, the Church will stop at nothing to silence the voices of the past.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612183476

I hope to have it soon :)

Glad the MRI went well! :-)

*smooch* for a sweet Sunday, preferably cool and dry, but we take what we're given....

Good morning to you! I sat down with my laptop and got slammed in the back of my head with
a headache. gah! This has been happening lately. How are things going around there? I have nothing to complain about here..

I am a bit concerned about my 2 kids in the no power zone..

Good Morning Gail - Just working my way through some threads this morning and saw that you liked The Count of Monte Cristo. That is one of my all time favorite books!

Hi Gail .. popping in to wish you a happy Sunday.

Interesting review of Five of Hearts ...I may have to add this to my obese wish list.

This made me laugh on twitter...
I love Whoopi

Whoopi Goldberg ‏@WhoopiGoldberg
Omg!!! I forgot my pants!!!! Who does that, I'm in my travel sweats noting is open, I'm getting old!! Oh well I'm on pants or not!! Yikes

Hi Gail, just dropping by to see what you're up to and say hi!

Gail, so sorry it's so hot. I do hope you get through. Please do take care, take things slowly.....

Oh, peaches! Sounds wonderful.
And I'm with you on wanting winter - I was day-dreaming yesterday about snow, sweaters, cozy fires in the fireplace... *sigh*

Peaches. I'm not a fan of touching them. It never used to bother me..
I used to pick them on my gram's farm.. feed them to the horses...
peel them for the kids. Then one day...it just didn't work for me.

Good morning to you!
Hope that today has some goodness to it?
And rain.. lots of rain.. for the whole country...
I hate the krispy kritter feeling that the lack of rain gives. :P

It is first tuesday.. Dan and Margie want to go to Kelly's for dinner and music..
Dunno how that will work out. It seemed fine yesterday but ....not so sure today.

otherwise, so far? nuttin'

Good morning to you!
Just starting my rounds, here...I was out last night..but home early.
Then I ran to the store this morning, then found out my yahoo was hacked..sigh
But, all is well...

All kids have power now.. they are all fine..
so.. there ya go!

Are you doing anything special today?

Just stopping by to wish you well, Gail.


glitter-graphics.com

So how was your 4th? Did it sound like your neighborhood was blowing up, or
do you have quite neighbors. How did you spend your day? anything fun? Is it bridge day?
How're you doing?

Good morning again! I want you to come to my thread to see my new grand kitty :)
exciting ! Hope all is well.. Today is my shopping/ errands day. UGH!
Hot.

Found you Gail! Thanks for dropping by my thread. :) Will definitely try to keep up with your reads here on out!

Gail, will you join us for Something Wicked This Way Comes this weekend?
hot, hot again... I hope to just read today. Hot dogs on the grill, baked beans ( blech) for Dan,
to go with. So cooking will not be a chore today.

Nothing much to tell... yesterday was a quiet day..most excitement in a while was
Seamus arrival in the family :) It still makes me smile :)

Congrats on selling the car so quickly. I know you will miss it, but at least it is not looming
as a thing to be done..

*smoochings*

Hi Gail, thinking of you. xx

*&&%$^**(

I just touched the wrong key and lost a nice (well, I thought it was nice, anyway) post.

So, starting over: hello to all, and thank you for visiting. I've actualy not even looked at my own thread in several days. Not sure why.

No car--wah! But, it will save money on insurance and the excise tax/license plate fees. I really like the new vehicle, but this is the first time in 40 years that I've not had my own car.

Last night about 2 a.m., there was quite a loud crash sort of noise directly outside of our bedroom. Turns out that when I changed the a.c. filter, I hadn't got the danged grid back on just right, so it fell on the floor (metal on tile) and got bent beyond use. An early morning call to our a.c. guy and $73 later, that was a problem solved. Sigh. That was probably a bit more excitement than was absolutely necessary for us at that time of day.

Oh, it rained a lot, lot, lot last night and a couple of days ago, so it looks as though the plants will survive. The heat is slightly less as well. It's wonderful how green everything gets with just a bit of water.

On the book front, I'm reading several things but can't seem to finish anything. I think I will join the Something Wicked This Way Comes read this week-end, although it might take me until Monday night to finish. I'd started it and put it aside for some reason, so now will dig it out and finish it. I loved what I read so far.

Tired. Trying to get used to new meds. and the &*^*%%( muscle spasms continue...man, I'll be glad if they can stop those...the lower back (waaaay lower back, heh) is helped by heat, so using heating pad and those new things that are activated by air and you slip into little pockets of a most lame-looking thing to wear; the kind that have sticky stuff on the edges to apply directly to the skin pull my skin off with them when removed, so that didn't work too well.

Very quiet day today; mostly napped and read. Didn't even do the laundry. I'm sure it will still be waiting for me tomorrow, as the Laundry Fairy appears either to have died or to have abandoned my house.

I am so happy that the a/c issue was fixed without drama :)
What caused it sounds like something I would do.

Muscle spasms. Please try drinking tonic water ( or pickle juice, but?)
to see if that will help you. My skin is so dry, the sticky things don't stick for me :( I have
never see the others. But seriously.. try tonic water with Quinine

I do hope that you finish Something Wicked and that you like it :)
I loved it, again :)

Laundry Fairy doesn't come here either sadly, and I think it will have to be a laundry day here, too.
I kept trying to wait for it to cool down but, apparently that is never going to happen.

I am cooking for Dunkers today..
So things are getting hot here...

Then I have to cook for Dan.. so.. does not bode well for my puny a/c unit in the dining room :P
Hope it is up to the task!

And I hope you feel better today.

Gail....I second Kath's recommendation of tonic water. the Brits survived years of empire living in India, Singapore, etc, by sipping on G/T all day. It's really the quinine that helps. Don't need the gin (my mom enjoys her daily "cocktail" with cranberry juice) -just a spritz of lemon, lime or any fruity taste and some ice. It does wonders to help with heat and weak limbs/muscles.

Tonic water is an excellent tonic. Wait...huh...isn't that interesting? I must disagree with Tina, though. Gin is integral to the healing process initiated by the quinine. It makes all that silliness seem so, well, amusing and unimportant!

And juniper berries are healthful. I'm sure of it.

Juniper berries are healthful. And they are also good to protect you on long journeys...
Jest keep them in your pocket and you meet good people in new places, drink the water safely,
not meet up with dark energies.. and they will bring you safely home.

But I agree with tina.. a sprits of this or that will do the trick.

The laundry fairy is back.. or at least, I am on load #3 today...
cooked a little.. nothing much.

I want to read, I am reading a fun mystery that Terri made me read. (tymfos)
she did.. really. She can be very forceful..

yay! Dan left early... I am currently laplocked by Emmie..
but plan on reading as soon as I can reach my book!
How are you today? Weekend over.. safe to shop again if need be..
I forgot to go this morning, ooops! Too bad.

Nothing interesting here :)

*smooch* for dear Gail!

Fortunately I do have tonic water on hand, as Dh really likes it, plain. I need citrus in it to make it palatable. It used to be G and T, then the G started to give me a headache, so it was V and T for years. Sadly no alcohol for me now except maybe a glass of wine twice a year.

I did the group read, but didn't finiish it till today, so will head over to that thread after posting here.

Book 50 of 75
was Lucy, which was a fictionalized biography of FDR's longtime mistress/companion, Lucy Rutherfurd. Very well-written, and gave some insights we don't usually think of about FDR: how athletic and graceful he was before the polio, what a magnetic man he was. Eleanor is portrayed as quite stiff and self-righteous, but still a very generous woman who understood others well.

Book 51 of 75
was Something Wicked This Way Comes
a great horror fable by Bradbury, and this week-ends group read. Can't imagine how I missed it as a young person. Scary and interesting, if slighly over-written here and there. A nice ending wrapped it all up exceptioinally well.

Got a nice check today to sort of make up for the loss of my favorite car. Still hot, hot, hot here.

One fantastic thing happened today: i went out to get the paper this a.m. and on my front porch, directly in front of the door, was a small hawk's feather. Needless to say, it's now in my little treasure box. I can't tell you how much that one small thing pleased me.

Nature's little gifts are always nice little treats aren't they? I should really give Bradbury a try again. I had so much looked forward to Fahrenheit 451 and for some reason didn't like it all that much when I read it, so wasn't tempted to read anything else by him. But I have Dandelion Wine on my wishlist now since so many people were saying great things about it recently for what I suppose was a memorial group read. Eventually, maybe this one too will make it onto the WL.

I'm not sure where along the line I missed what happened to your car...

Why, Ilana, hello! We sold the car, and kept the small SUV because Dh isn't driving any longer, so two vehicles would have been, at best, conspicuous consumption. He couldn't stand the the car sitting there accusingly. So we sold it off. Sad but necssary.

I vaguley remember Fahrenheit 451 form high school, but ot much. I'd like to read more of his work, though, as it's suitably creepy.

Oh, btw, Audible.com is going to do me in. So many, many choices...

*Grin* From what I have read of Eleanor ... that might be incorrect or at least exaggerated ..
Or not, who really know? I have another about Eleanor to read Kindred Souls by Edna P. Gurewitsch
I read Eleanor Roosevelt, Vol. 1: 1884-1933
Eleanor Roosevelt : Volume 2 , The Defining Years, 1933-1938
by Blanche Wiesen Cook

I am a fan of hers :)

I have a hawks feather, too! At least I used to . I wonder if it is still upstairs in a box or?
I used to use it for smudging... but haven't seen it in a long time.
Wow.. it was years ago that I found it. Like a gift, isn't it?

Checks are never bad. Never.

Hope today is a good one.

eta

I think that Fahrenheit 451is an angry book. I think he was making a point, as he always does in his stories. Even his creepy books are gentle... IMO

Hey, Kath! Good mornin'.

I've got the two Cook volumes on Eleanor as well; my brother gave them to me as a present...guess he knows my tastes in people, politics, and books. I've read the first one, and was always sorry she didn't get to finish up, as I think she was sympathetic to E. without being cloying. I always felt sorry for E. as she was in FDR's shadow, and because she seemed to have a really hard time enjoying herself. Her early life was fairly hellish too.

A nap is in order for me, as we didn't sleep well, and have bridge this p.m. I did manage to clean the kitchen, which needed it, even though it was thoroughly cleaned on Friday; someone (perhaps named Gail) managed to get some sort of gooey spots on the floor, which necessitated vac'ing and mopping. Blech.

I would like very much to know if there is anybody that the laundry fairy does visit. I'm losing my faith.....
I keep picking up The Five of Hearts and putting it back down; I want to read it but don't need to read it yet. And I'd very much like to read a good bio of ER - two volumes, eh? I'm sorry to say that sounds like me. AND I just ordered the first from PBS and the second from AMP for a grand total of $4.05 plus whatever I spent to mail the PBS book which earned me the credit. Thank you, Gail and Kath! I've been thinking about this for a long time. Your work here is done.
I wish that we would get some rain - murderous heat (which is abating this week at last!) and dry, dry, dry, except for the humidity.
Happy bridge. My last outing was a disaster because of my stupidity. I wish you a LOT better!

My laundry fairy comes in the form of a husband who rarely, but occasionally surprises me by throwing a load into the wash, but then forgets to tell me he did that, and so it sits in there for the whole day and comes out smelling like damp moldy goodness. I end up doing the same load of laundry twice so in my house, the laundry fairy is on probation. :)

I loved those to Eleanor books.. Have to read the one I have sometime soon.

It has been another weird day for me.. yesterday and today .. lots of phone time.
But in a very good way. Mostly.

And another day where so far not a word has been read from a book.
le sigh. Oh well. We may go to Kelly's for dinner. Irish night, but not
the band we usually go to hear. . Hmmm

Not sure what will happen today.
Hope it's good.
And by that I mean for ALL of us !
Take care of you.. bridge, yes?
sorry :P

OK. I got a turkey feather! A nice BIG one suitable for a quill pen. We were driving down the road when a gaggle of turkeys (2 adults and about a half dozen babies) decided to cross over. It was a sight to see and one of the adults decided to fly the last half of the roadway. Just as it got some height a large feather fell out of it's wing/tail/whatever and dropped into a bush. I made Ron stop and I snagged the feather! ;-)
Don't know what to do with it now, but I love it - so pretty for a turkey.

Sorry to be away so long, Gail. I have this excuse note from my Mom for missing your thread due to illness.
Sorry to hear you have not been well either. Hope you figure something out soon - and was glad to hear you have a good doctor.

I want a cat scan of my head! Maybe it would determine whether there is anything in there??? Maybe Woolly will scan it for me... hehehe (sorry)

"...getting Dh out more, with me that is, will be helpful to us both..."
Did this work out? Seems like more work for you and frustration for both. Hope I am wrong.

I was just going to suggest Wooly. :) I had mine scanned :) If it's all hollow they just smile and nod..
Honest. I know because that's what they did for me when I had the scan....

I used to have frequent scans by my mom's cat: I'd lie on the floor and she (the cat, not my mom) would be fascinated by my hair and do a full, kneading scan for quite a while, purring and being an idiot. Well, not much more of an idiot than me, lying there on the floor at age, oh, 55...

Glucose tolerance test tomorrow. Yuck. I like sweet stuff, but the stuff they give you is so sweet it sets your teeth on edge.

Peggy, Jolerie, Cee: Welcome back! Always glad to see you all.

Kath: Welcome. Tonight's tea is a fruity-berry blend. Or of course we have ginger, always, for the delicate tums.

Bridge was loathesome today. Lowest scores we've ever had. Not stupidity entirely; we got really, really, really bad cards.

Fruity blend sounds nice to me!

Ugh! sorry about bridge. First you had to go , then you had to deal with bad cards.
Did you have a burning ceremony after? No? Write your score on a bit of paper.. set it alight and blow the ashes in into the wind. Yeah.. I know, the flaw is no wind. Sorry.. sweep them into the driveway?

I am going to hope that the coffee carries away my headache and then in about ten minutes I am out the door. Hope today is a nice quiet . stay and home and lease a breeze day :)

Happy Glucose Tolerance Testing Day! Come home and eat an entire bag of potato chips guilt-free!

Love the idea of the burning ceremony, Kath! Absolutely going to do it.

Rdear! How kind of you...and how clever to think of chips; yum!

After the test (four lovely hours in a clinic), I came home and had to drive Dh to the Vet clinic/specialty place, about an hour or so away, to pick up his repaired hearing aid--the one he dropped on the floor aobut three weeks ago?--and then we waited there for a good long while. Finally got home at 5:00 to discover water pouring out of the overflow pipe in the garage which comes from the air handler part of the a.c. unit. So, had to call my fav. young man again; pretty soon he's going to own part of the house if this keeps up.

The good thing was the 3 cups of coffee I had on the way to the V.A.

I have doctor dates in a week or so. I plan to come home and treat myself. I usually do after one of those sorts of days!

*smooch* to console you on the condenser issue

I find burning ceremonies very cleansing.. :)

Glad the test is over...and hope that today is better and less....wet

A friend of mine has a handyman who wears a kilt.... just thought I would mention that.
Maybe your young man would be interested?

What's on for today?

Rdear: Well, a.c. issues are seemingly cleared up now. Dh has wanted a flag for the yard for about 5 years (you know: as long as we've lived here), so we (I) finally found a nice flagpole and we're getting a fellow to put it in the ground for us this coming week.

On the self-rewards front: I always plan them, too. Often they involve either Chinese food or toasted coconut donuts.

Kath! Our a.c. guy would laugh and laugh at the idea of a kilt. I give him a lot of credit; he came over in an absolute downpour, had to go in and out to fix the silly thing, and didn't complain once, nor overcharge.

Oh, and Cee and others: the getting out a bit more actually has worked a bit, as Dh was thinking I was considering him a drag. Well, of course he slows me down, but I am, after all, retired with few commitments, so if I go slower, so what? The dr. has helped me to see that some of my own habits are making me crazy(er), that I put too much pressure on myself, etc. Unfortunately at this point I still need medication to help me with that--you know, taking the edge off of everything so I don't want to commit mass mayhem--but still, it's a lot better than I was doing before I met him.

So, no kilt for your guy, huh? oh well...

I have a couple of sons who wear them... When Craig worked at SLU he wore one to work.. lol
The Jesuits were not amused.

Nothing much going on here...

Toasted coconut donuts? Isn't it just like me to pop in at the mention of food? Haha... hey there, Gail. I've been catching up on your thread .... sorry to have been away for such a long time.

I can certainly sympathize with anyone with back pain. I took my back for granted all these years and when I pulled a muscle in my back and had to contend with spasms for a week, I am a lot more careful now when I lift things ... including other people's luggage at the airport.

Hi Gail. Understandable about the car. I bought a bike two summers ago and used it quite a bit the first summer (bringing Coco with me everywhere in a little basket), but then didn't touch it last summer and haven't taken it out a single time this season either. I feel guilty seeing it there all lonesome on my balcony and keep wondering if I should sell it.

Toasted coconut donuts sound yummy. Maybe I'll drop by Tim Horton's later... or not, considering I just got over two days or murderous indigestion. Eek!

Hope all's good with you. One day at a time, right? I slow it down to one minute at a time, when need be (oftener than you'd think).

I want a toasted coconut custard donut now.

Gail my darling...read The Lifeboat. Summer won't seem so onerous.

Just checking in, Gail. ((Hugs))

Hi Gail - coconut donuts: want one now with my coffee!!!
So glad you have made progress with your dr and your life. I'm amazed that going out more with DH is a good thing for you - since you do seem to put a lot of pressure on yourownself. Good for both of you! :-)

Stopping by to check in, Gail. Glad the getting out together is working well for you.

And toasted coconut donuts . . . oh, that sounds tempting!

Dropping by to say hi, Gail! Hope you're keeping well. :-)

Checking in, my friend.. we need to catch up somehow. We tend to pass in the night..?
Never mind, I have you on my mind and heart...

hugs

Thought I would leave a good morning hug too :) ((((G))))

HI Gail! Just popping in to say hello :)

Hope all is world in Gail's world! :)

all-purpose *smooch*

Well.. it is clouding up out there..
I need to abandon LT again and find my iPad so I can finish my book.
All chores are done for the day. I do have to look up some shrimp on the barbie recipes ..
any ideas?

Hi Gail, sending you a big ((((((HUG))))))!

Just swinging by to say hi, Gail, after too long an absence. Sorry about the car woes. No fun at all.

I'm picking up a copy of Dandelion Wine at the library this weekend, but it seems that Something Wicked This Way Comes is a favorite in the Bradbury oeuvre.

Nothing going on here today... kid calling day, so that's a good thing.
I am reading a fun book on nook..and? Well, it is going to be a cooking day, alas.
I have to cook for Dan and Dunkers. Paying for a couple of days off from that chore :P

#184: I loved Dandelion Wine, Ellen. I hope you enjoy it!

I hope you had as good a day yesterday as I did. I talked to my kids and we ate pot roast that took
no real prep. .. I cooked for my Dunkers.. and well.. didn't do anything of value. But it was relaxing. My kids calls were spaced out nicely through the day, and I like that.

I did a fruit run this morning.. and so I am ready for a well of ?

Dan is applying for a different job. Again. No idea why, aside from it is closer to home.
We shall see... gives me agita. That is about as interesting as it gets so far...
Hoping it is a good and pleasant one for you today... rain maybe?

Wouldn't a little rain be grand? It's hot and humid here, but rain and relief are very hit and miss.
Hope all is well with you, Gail, and that you're reading something really good!

Not even a hint of a breeze here.. 76F and Dan stomping around. yay!?
I do hope the man busies himself outside. Next time I will remind myself
not to care if he wants to get on a bus after 4 hours of sleep and "protest" in the heat and rain.
What was I thinking?

Good thing yesterday was so good...particularly the evening :)
or I would be is sorry shape.

Books first, socializations second, she said sternly to herself.

Book 52 of 75
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
What, oh what, is all the fuss about this book? Very nice writing, I freely admit; but just boring in the plot/character development areas. In fact, there's almost no plot, as we know immediately what happens at the end. It does, however, beautifully and repeatedly illustrate the old motto "No good deed goes unpunished." Glad it's gone.

Book 53 of 75
From Beowulf to Virginia Woolf
is a really, really funny compendium of bloopers from student papers gathered together in a sort of cohernent whole to trace the story of English Literature. My particular favorite line? "In 1847 King George III died of a brain hemmorhoid." If you like to be amused in a silly sort of way, seek this out. You'll feel better about it when you find that it was printed in 1952, proving that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I laughed aloud many times.

More later.

Oh, and hello and welcome to everyone. I'll be back with individual messages later.

*smooch* so I can haz messidge to

Gail - nice to see you posting. Hugs from Malaysia which is damn hot if you're feeling cool over there.

Book 54 of 75
Vengeance: A Novel
by Benjamin Black is my first in the Quirke series and is reviewed here
I liked it, but the plot had a weak (to me) ending.

Book 55 of 75
Read This Next
is in the same vein as the wonderfully amusing and informative Western Lit Survival Kit. This volume, which I read compulsively, gives snapshots of 500 books across a wide variety of genera. The humor is here, and the pleasant sense of mild disrespect for hallowed books and authors. An added plus here is the inclusion of several down-and-dirty brief lives of some of the writers. Lots of fun.

Book 56 of 75
The Reader, was kind of a mixed bag for me. I'd recently read a book with a similar plot turn, so there was no surprise involved. On the other hand, Schlink (and the excellent translator) deserve prasie for some beautiful but unobtrusive writing, and some exploration of that most difficult of subjects, the Holocaust.

Book 57 of 75
is The Finishing School by Muriel Spark. Very short, as many of Sparks' books are, this is also extremely odd, not to say weird. It's all about a sort of school, certainly not what one thinks of as a finishing school, run by a married couple in a bizarre but effective manner. I don't know if I liked this or not; it is so very odd that I can't tell.

Enough of books for the moment (I know, it's LibraryThing, but after all, we are a community) and on to more social stuff.

I missed your thread this morning.. dI had to run to Kim's to take a book down for my sister
.Are you still here?

Kath! By all means send Dan off to a protest, a fishing tournament, a drag race, whatever. Just make sure it's something that takes all day, where he can buy his food and drink, so you don't have to make it yourownself. I'm not crazy about barbie shrimp as it's really hard to make sure they don't get overcooked. I'd rather use a saute pan, where I have more control over the heat (at least I'd be in control of something that way. ;>)

Caro, hi. Sorry, no food news today; I need to get some groceries. Oh, wait, what about those marvelous cinnamon crunch bagels at Panera Bread? Droooool.

Ilana, Still looking at artwork and marveling at the talent of others. I'm lucky if I can draw a very simple, very basic cartoon. I'm so envious of those with actual talent!

Stasia, it's so great to see you posting here and there again. You don't know how much we've missed you! Glad to know school progresses well; I knew you'd be LT's star student!

Cee, welcome! Yeah, I do put a lot of pressure on myself, in fact that is my life: I do this stuff to myownself. But I guess one can't change that part of it. One thing: it's really, really hard to get DH to go out. He fell into a funk about not driving, understandably. We have a dr. appt. today with his regular gerontologist, so we're going to talk about the excessive tiredness and lack of motivation. We'll see. But glad to see you and hope it's cool and calm up in Maine.

Terri Hey! Thanks for the kind thoughts. See above re: getting out more. I'm trying, though. And, in view of Kath's remarks, I plan to spend quite some little time glomming your library soon...like tomorrow.

Porua, thank you, my dear, for your thoughts as well. It's day-to-day with me. But I'm trying. Thank heavens for books. If all else fails me, I can rely on one or another of the classic mystery authors to get me through some dark hours...

you are here! how are you ?

I know, I regretted it most of the day. BUT we found screens for the neighbors doors and go them in.. and did a few things there.. so it was good. He is off today

>194 mckait:
Yeah, I'm still here for a few, Kath. Dh is napping...mother o' god, that's all he does anymore...before the dr. visit. So I have a couple of minutes to catch up.

Chelle, Valerie, Ellen: So very glad to see you visiting here. I love visiting your threads, but often have nothing to add, sadly enough.

Peggy, you'll be proud to know that I was working on my library at that other, nowhere-near-as-good, site the other day, and popped Emma up to a five star. Any book that makes me smile every time I read it, and adds to my understanding of myself in a painless sort of way, deserves all the praise it can get.

Rdear! As if I could ever not give you your very own message! My goodness. Anyway, put The Lifeboat on the nook. And I don't think I was clear on your thread the other day. What I meant was, do you think that a book, picked up and put down in a complete lack of interest or empathy, can be picked up 6 months or 2 years later, and read with avid delight? I've had that happen to me, and was wondering if it had happened to you, as well. It's a curious phenomenon, I think, and one I'm sort of interested in.

Paul, welcome to my thread, of King of Book Tempters. I know it's hotter than the hinges of hell in Malaysia, but Alabama isn't a picnic right this second, either. Hot, dry mostly, although my little area has been blessed with quite a bit of rain lately. And it goes on. And on. And on. But you know all about that, don't you? Do you ever long for the misty coolness of England?

Well, things go on here much as usual. Dh is losing some of that amazing athletic agility he had for so long...did I mention this already? Sorry, if so. Anyway, he's becoming clumsy and awkward. Latest annoying-to-the-max habit: Gets out of vehicle. Enters building. Stands directly in middle of doorway, slowly opening his mint, blocking everyone's path with his not inconsiderable bulk. And completely, but totally, unconcious that he's in anyone's (make that everyone's) way. Gad. I can laugh or at least smile about it if it's not happening right in front of me, but in the moment, it's damned inconvenient.

Hot, hot, HOT! Bleah. But sunflowers are blooming, backyard flower garden got a second wind, things could be worse.

And I went to the library and picked up six books to read, because (hello, Kath), I might run out of stuff to read.

Sorry.... my cousin called me.. so I'm not really here..
I will catch up email...

Oh! I didn't get that.

Yes indeedy do! Mrs. Dalloway made me mad the first time I tried it at 19. Nineteen! As if I could relate at ALL to a middle-aged lady's life issues at 19!

Pride and Prejudice bored me lifeless when I first read it. Austen = cooties was as much a mantra for me as Chuckles the Dick = boredom coma alternating with enraged shrieks. I was wring about Austen and Woolf.

I'm still right about Chuckles the Dick.

I am a fan of both, rd... as you likely know.

Good morning to you Gail! I am just hobbling in. Nothing much happening in my world so far.
Sister in law due to show up this morning sometime. Gah! If my nephlets go to my sister's pol I may
go to play with them a bit. Not sure. Too many people lately.

What is in store for you today? Are you going to try that shrimp...?

Good morning, Gail. Sending good thoughts your way!

Gail - Hahaha "hotter than the hinges of hell" - well it certainly felt like that this afternoon walking round an incomplete building listening to contractors talk nonsense about when they "believe" they can complete the works.
Much of the Bronte babes' stuff is intolerable IMO.

Good mornin, Kath and Rdear, and all lurkers:

Thank you for answering my question, Rdear. Of course, it's a street that runs both ways: a dearly loved book from long ago can morph into a "What on earth was I thinking?" mess over the years as well.

Yes, we're having that shrimp today. I put a little Greek salad recipe over on FB; we'll have that with the shrimp and maybe some sort of rice; yellow rice, probably.

Out to b'fast this a.m. Dh got to drive down to the restaurant. I drove back. He did fine. His dr., who is a gerontologist, gave us some really good guidelines for some quite limited driving for him, so that he's not feeling quite so...defeated and useless. This is, needless to say, a big help to his mood, too.

Off to the dr. at 11:15. Then off to grocery shopping this afternoon. Busy, busy. But then tomorrow will be a do-nothing day. I hope.

Only 80 right now, so a tiny bit cooler here. Got some books to read, some music to listen to; now if I can just get a bit calmer...Must water my one potted plant, a croton; it's starting to droop.

Oh, and a special joy for today: we ate at our fav. local Mexican restaurant last night and now both have diarrhea today. Hmmm: what lesson can be learned here, boys and girls? Perhaps we overindulged, but I don't think so.

Book news: Before I had the conversation with my unenlightened dr., I'd ordered a few books, which came yesterday and brightened things up:
The Heart of the Dales by Gervase Phinn
The Good Times by Russell Baker
The Third Woman: The Secret Passion that Inspired The End of the Affair
Victoria Glendenning's Anthony Trollope

As I told a great good friend recently, I've lots and lots of paper books in case of an electronic failure (so that my little e-devices won't work), many ebooks in case of the World Wide Book Famine, and then some audio books just in case I lose my vision or can't hold books temporarily. I'm nothing if not prepared...

But then I looked in my secret cupboard of vice and thought, "Good gravy, get going on reading, will ya?"

So I'm off to do that in a few.

I need to join you .. and start reading . For some reason, the days that dan is home I find it very hard to read. Nice list of books you have there and I applaud you for buying them! We have so many things in life to bring us down, passing up dessert, or refusing to buy something that we can afford when we know it will give us pleasure to have it.. is bull crappies! It harms no one, and in fact, when we pass some on, as we do.. they provide pleasure to others. Double dipping! It is only sensible to prepare for the WWBF. I am in trouble though, if I can't see... I don't know how audios would work for me.

Sorry about the post Tex Mex issues... bummer ...

I have reading planned for the post Dan part of the day.. And, it is a Vine day ..for leftovers.. a good day to find books.. so yay!

Oh ugh on Tex Mex troubles. Many's the time I can trace that back to overindulging in fats. Cheese quesadillas followed by enchiladas are a *killer* for me, so I don't have them together anymore. And I LOVED them together.

*smooch* for sweetiepunkin Gail

Good morning. . . So far, nothing to share... We had much in the way of thunder grumbles yesterday, nothing more. Not in my neighborhood, anyway. More wind damage a bit southish.
Did any rain make it to you?

I have a grocery run this a.m. Then, not sure. No Marty I hope. I am seriously wondering about her mental state. She can't remember from one day to the next. Her disorganization...

Anyway. I hope to read some and? How about you? This is a stay home day, right? Hope it is a good one :)

Good Morning.

I'm thinking of you and sending lots of love

Kath: I thought today was the stay home day, but that's tomorrow. Saturdays and a few Thursdays usually work for me, but yesterday I had the very tiring dr. appt. plus somehow I managed to schedule the grocery shop on the same day. Not smart.

A couple of errands this a.m. and then, joy of joys, bridge. Bleah.

But the sun is shining, it's only 78...who could ask for more?

Linda! So nice to see you! I sent you a p.m. this morning to sort of catch up. I so wish you yourself were feeling better!

I'll think of you this afternoon, Gail, when I am also taking a space at a bridge table. Unfortunately, I'll probably misplay the few good hands I get. Bleah for sure.

Rdear: I wasn't ignoring you, Dear Man; my mind was befogged. We did discuss it a bit and decide that yes, it was probably overindulgence in fatty products. The sad thing is/was that we ate about half of what we would have eaten about 10 years ago.
Oh, and I dived into The Lifeboat (sorry, the pun didn't occur to me until I typed it) and was, Yes!, immediately drawn in to a great story. Many thanks for your rec. on this one!

Peggy, how are ya? Did you know that Bitch in a Bonnet, at least the first volume, is available as an e-book? I immediately put it on my nook; it's so funny and interesting.

Befogged. yeah... me too... sorry about the bridge :P

Good morning to you! I am pleased to find that it is not a too warm morning here.. and that the grass is still wet from rain. This makes me happy. I hope that your day has a soft start to it, too :)

Good Morning. We had a lovely storm last night, rain enough to soak the earth and now wet enough that the sun sparkles on the blades as Lilly walks gingerly on the grass. It is so dry this summer that she doesn't quite know how to fathom the concept of wet grass.

I send good wishes for a restful, calming day Gail.

Oh, and I dived into The Lifeboat (sorry, the pun didn't occur to me until I typed it) and was, Yes!

Love the pun, inadvertent as it was, and I peeked at Richards review of The Lifeboat and it does look good. (sigh) Bitten by the blue text again!

I hope you have a good weekend, Gail.

So glad The Lifeboat is working for you, Gail!

*evil Muttley laugh* in Terri's general direction as she heads off in the lifeboat

Hi Gail, I am sharing your frustration with the heat. We are also looking at the dryest July EVER. That is one record I hope we don't make, but there is no rain in our forecast. I water what I can but fear we will lose some foundation shrubbery.

Love your book plan in MSG 204. I am well prepared except for the audio books. If my eyes fail me, I'll make DH read to me!

Thanks, Gail. *BiaB* is now safely on my Kindle, and I'm looking forward to it!
My bridge afternoon was only a mitigated disaster - I got good cards about 3 times and was able to play them; otherwise, it was pretty grim. I wish you a good Saturday!

*confessing to lurking*

Lurking.. we all do it.. sigh. There are a lot of threads I read through but don't post on, because it is simply impossible to keep up.

Good morning to you my friend! We had the most wonderful downpour here yesterday. I loved
every minute of it, but wished it were doing the same across the country.

Not a thing exciting so far today, thank goodness! I am not a fan of the Olympics by any means...
so between that and the news, the TV is not tempting me.. I read a book yesterday that normally I wouldn't. I met the author on twitter and he is a sweetie.. so I forced myself to read it.. lol Surprisingly, I thought it was really fun :) It was about a really nice guy that was turned into a vampire. His roommates never missed a beat. They got into all sorts of silly situations. I have to read the next one, now.. have to.
The language was a little... off putting at times, but it seemed it was worse at the beginning and the end.. and I ws able to disregard it.

Anyway.. that's all I've got for now.. wishing you a jammie day :)

Are you going to do the GR of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Gail?
I am hoping to . I have to dig out my copy.

Don't think I'm doing the Brooklyn GR, Kath, even though I absolutely love the book and have read it twice. The first time I was really young and didn't understand the father...next read, I disliked him intensely..huh. Maybe if I re-read it now he will morph into something else again! Wonder if it's available for Nook?

Ellen: We all lurk sometimes. Okay, we all lurk lots of times. So often I'm interested in what everyone has to say but have absolutely nothing to contribute.

Peggy: I grew up playing cards in an extremely cutthroat competetive family. By the time I was five, child games like War and Slap Jack and Go Fish were only for my age contemporaries; if I wanted to play with the brothers or the parents, it was time for the hardcore stuff. This provided valuable life lessons in being a good loser, playing to win, and not trusting any opposing card player, no matter how close the relationship. A game called Hearts (a misnomer if ever there was one) was exceptionally difficult, as my older male relatives--mother did not play this particular game--took great delight, or at least experienced not one speck of remorse, in sticking it to the youngest, least experienced player. Many a winter evening was spent struggling to learn to give it right back to them, which they admired.

Donna, one must be prepared for a sudden book disaster. Let's face it, the worst possible scenario for most of us is: "I don't have anything to read!" Perhaps that won't happen to me. I hope. Your drought must be awful if you're afraid of losing foundation plants. Which part of the country are you from? We have recovered a bit but still must be careful.

Terri, I think you'll love The Lifeboat I was amazed at how quickly I became absorbed in the story and transported to that time and place. Rogan has done a great job with this.

Rdear, how goes the pain? I suffer for you, my Dear.

Linda Same message as to Rdear, and so glad you had some refreshing rain.

Now I'm off to the wilds of the backyard to prune up the wild weeds. Dh tried to help and very nearly fell on his heinie, as the ground is very punky from years and years and years of leaf mold, rotted wood, etc. A great place to grow some shade-loving plants, if I can just get the energy together to get our sprinkler guy to run a couple of sprinklers waaaaaay out there.

We played spades a lot... back in the day there was little else to do. I never liked it much, I always preferred to be reading. Still don't enjoy cards... now .. too many other cool things like the interwebs !

222> LOL --- yes, I'll read along and I'll think about posting something, but so often it would be along the lines of "me too" or "what Donna said".......

I meant to tackle the weeds in our back yard this weekend but an impromptu visit to FIL took precedence..... perhaps one evening this week.....

http://www.librarything.com/topic/140144 here ya go, in case you miss it in my thread....
Glad you are joining in, I hope I do too! lol

*smooch* for La Gail. Bad day pain-wise, but I had no demands on my time at all, so it turned out okay.

Good morning! So... I am going to try this GR thing again. Hopefully I will be able to read 2 books at once, but knowing me... I will feel compelled to finish ATGIB before carrying on reading Pigeon Pie Mystery We are supposed to work for the Obama campaign tonight.. ........

Rdear: And a smooch back to you, Sweet Man. Hope today is better than yesterday. Still reading, and amazed by the author's ability to transport the reader, The Lifeboat. What a book!

Kath, thanks for the link. I've got a couple of books going right now, but will finish both by Saturday and then start right in on Brooklyn. Since it goes for the whole month, I think, I'll probably be able to keep up.

My father and his brothers played Hearts when they were together, and eventually I did too - with pretty much the same results as you. I confess that I sometimes play computer Hearts and name the players Daddy, Uncle Charlie, etc.....and I can hear their voices and laughter... "Shoot the moon, Keed!"

Peggy, that made laugh aloud. What a charming way to amuse yourself. My Dad's voice often plays in my head...

Not a good day today. Hope tomorrow is better. But...it's raining! yay!

Hi Gail, I'm from Missouri -- and I wish someone would show me some rain! It's official (unless we get a downpour in the next two hours)...we received less than 1/4 inch of rain this month and had way too many days over 100 degrees.

What Ellen said about pulling weeds...although I don't have a FIL to visit anymore. But I do have lots of weeds!

Hi Gail, all caught up again. Sorry I've been away for too long. Re: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I read it last August for the first time and must say I mostly felt sorry for him, though the details are already vague, which means it'll be a whole new book to me by the time I read it again! :-)

Hope tomorrow is a better day for you my dear. xx

Donna: Oh, dear, that part of the country has really, really suffered this year from the drought. It's the worst in maybe 50 years, I think. We went to Truman's museum there years ago and loved it. Loved touring the countryside as well.

Ilana, fortunately my life is pretty dull, so not too much to catch up on. Today is a new day, so...

A moment of silence and reflection on the advantages of having a brilliant essayist, novelist, and political gadfly in our midst: Gore Vidal has died. Oh, I'll miss him. A lot.

Hi Gail :) Thank you so much for your support with the whole phone bank craziness.
I survived. It was pretty crazy, actually. People didn't stay long. Dan and I were the last to leave and we
left early. I had already decided that there was no way that I was calling anyone after 8:30...so that is when I left. I did my stack of calls and some of Dan's, too.

Lots of no answers ( which I expected) a few really nice people... and one woman working who I think is secretly for Romney. She was just plain unpleasant to people. Anyway... so much for that. They wanted us to commit to next tuesday, but I am not committing to anything.. If I do it again, it will be different. I offered to do calls from home. I have done that in the past.

Today? I don't think I have anything planned. Hope not, because I don't remember anything..
How about you?

I do hope to start A Tree Grows in Brooklyn sometimes today.

Mornin' Sweetie. So glad to see you here.

I have an emg test today on my legs/feet. There are more fun ways to spend a day. But...tomorrow is shaping up as free day.

Hope to start A Tree on Friday; I need to finish The Lifeboat and The White Tiger before I get going on the GR.

Have a calm day.

Thank the goddess tomorrow is a free day! I plan to make it one too.
I am going to cook and then nothing. After Marty leaves, nothing.
Pesty, you were right. Pesty. Hope the whole testing thin is over and wasn't too bad..

hugs

Hi Gail! Just trying to keep up with all the threads when I have a moment to spare. Good luck with your tests today. Besides the appointments, I hope you are having a great day. :)

The test, while quite uncomfortable, wasn't too, too awful.
But.
Each and every stimulated nerve and muscle is now screaming. Gad.
Went to lunch at a favorite place directly after; had a nice sandwich and a piece of classic cheesecake. Dh's idea, and a good one. He's on kitchen duty today, so I'm free to take a pill and moan and groan.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot! B and N are in the same huge shopping center as the deli, and DH insisted, truly insisted, that we stop in. I bought only one book: the fist Siri mystery. But even so \, what a guy he can still be.

Ugh. Rest up, Gail. I'm glad you treated yourself to a nice lunch (including cheesecake!).....

Hi Gail!
Glad to hear you got the Dr Siri book. I am reading them now and loving them. Easy reads and interesting...
Hope you feel better tomorrow and have a good day ;-)

Well, thats that, and now it's over. Today is the big day... nothing to do!! yay!! ( right?)
Well, hopefully that is the plan here, too. So we shall see. I read not a word yesterday. It's getting to be a pattern, when Dan is home. Marty was back for a "visit" . She told us she can't vote for Obama because he he caused all of this mess with Chic fil A . Also because she believes in the Bible. My head nearly exploded. I guess I will have to flatten a tire or two on election day.

Leftovers for dinner today... so yay there, too. It will be 90F. I'm so pleased that there is no such thing as global warming, otherwise, I might be concerned. As it is, all I have to do is sweat.

Weird dreams last night. For one thing, I had a baby to take care of.. not sure whose it was. And
then the shower issues. I often have weird moments in dreams where I am trying to find a place to shower.
I have never misplaced it during the day though, so?

Perhaps you become overly warm while sleeping and feel the need to cool off? But don't really want to get out of bed; hence the "lost" shower.

Or not, of course.

Still reading my two books, not very fast. The White Tiger is one of those books which is really terribly sad and even anger-inducing but still almost unbelievably funny.
The Lifeboat on the other hand, is gripping and has no humor. I'm really, really curious to know how that turns out. Hmm...a couple of threads to visit, then back to, you know, actual book reading.

I am radiating heat.... think the chair might burst into flame. I took a cool shower....
but only momentary help. I applied aloe vera gel with lidocaine that I bought yesterday... pretty much the same. Oh well.

Glad you are enjoying your book... also glad the GR lasts a month because I didn't read yesterday either.
Later today ( right ? lol) for sure. ( hahaha)

So what is your weekend plan? Anything fun?

Late getting here today.... I ran to the store to pick up a few things..
I have nothing planned for today, but to stay out of the sun. I am totally toasted. My eyes burned
until I finally fell asleep. They are better today. Not sure if it was the chorine or the sun... but ouch.

So maybe I will finally read? lol. Or maybe I will sit here and eat sugar free popsicles until I burst.
Who knows?

Any plans for you? I am glad that at least someone is getting some reading done.. you... cee.. um ... everyone but me ? :)

hugs

I'm doing some reading. Lots of issues right here right now, so not doing as cheerily as one might hope.

Laundry and nothing today...lazing, lounging...salmon for dinner, lots of vegs. as we are trying to cut down dh's immense protein intake in order to kepp teh kidneys in good shape.

Errands tomorrow a.m. Then, um, nothing. I hope.

I'm just stopping by to say hi.

I think (hope) you'll enjoy the Dr. Siri book. I've read the first two, and plan the third for September Series & Sequels.

Hi Gail, sorry the mood isn't so cheery today and hope something comes up to lift you up a little.

I absolutely LOVE The White Tiger when I read it in 2008 and gave it 5 stars because it just made me laugh out loud so much, even though, yes, it's very maddening too. Since 4.5 stars and up means I intend to reread them, I was happy to find they had the audiobook version at the library narrated by the excellent John Lee, so I look forward to giving it a listen.

I hope you love Dr. Siri as much as I did. I just read the first book, what? three weeks ago maybe? And now impatiently waiting for the 3rd book, Disco for the Departed to come in from the library. Luckily for me they have all 8 books available there, so no need to purchase them.

Hugs my dear! (not warm ones though, because I'm trying to stay as cool as possible in this heat over here!)

yeah... I chose to skip the pool today. Feeling a bit lightheaded and wonky.
Too much sun in the last few maybe? Dunno. Taking a break . Still no reading.
hang in there !

I'm thinking of you Gail and sending hugs and love!

*smooch* for my dear one who's not having the fun she deserves

What rd said sounds right. You should be having nice, quiet days and peaceful ( cool!!!) nights.

I did end up going to my sister's house yesterday....late afternoon. I spent some time in the pool all alone, then got to hold my sweet Owen for a while. Oh Gail, how I love that boy. He has learned the game where her reaches out and touches your mouth with his hands to be kissed :) And he laughs and is silly and beautiful! The blond hair is interesting.... my kids were all fair, but not my sisters.. they both took after the Italian dark looks . They are going to have to watch him in the pool, next year... when he is out of his floaty thing that has an awning over him :)

ok.. enough gushing.

I hope today is a good one and that you find something good to do.. a movie maybe?
Or ?

hope you are having a wonderful "do nothing" day! I am doing the same thing today :)

Hi Gail -
Caught drift somewhere you are not having fun at all. Sorry to hear...
Just stopping by to give you hugs and hope.
I really, really think life will improve for everyone when the heat goes away. (I have to tell myself these things.)

Just stopped by to wish you a good morning and a peaceful, happy day.

Nothing to tell yet.. too early. Muggy, and wet... but I won't complain. Rain is good.

more later!

hugs

Hope your shopping was uneventful and that you found some good stuff cheap!
I always like it when I find surprises at the grocery.. like when I found ours had local
farm vegies out for sale. I even took a guy away from the shipped in tomatoes the
last time I was there and showed him the good ones :) LOL
Crazy cat lady moves into grocery isles.

I may just get more tomatoes and peppers tomorrow to make more salsa.
I have been eating about 2 cups a day.. I love it and i will have to make a store run anyway.

Hi Gail. Hope you're curled up somewhere enjoying your Dr Siri book.

i'm reading fang in the maximum ride seires

*waving* at Gail

respite .. brief but real.. only 60F when I woke this a.m.

Dan is leaving early today for something.. goddess knows what.
Not a bad thing, I can say.... It sort of gives me a day off. Then
it's Irish night.. but doubt I will go. We were going to go and have dinner
there and enjoy the music, but they changed Dan's schedule. So no night out
for me. Probably a trip to the store? not sure..

Hope all is well in Gail land and that you are enjoying some down time ..
maybe some good books? movies? new hobbies like tatting? :P
( my great aunt tried to teach us to tat at one time. Bought us spindles and everything. She gave up)

sending good day mojo your way..

hugs

yep. Me again. Just keeping this thing on top the heap.. I dont want to lose track of you..

Hey, Darlin'. I have 50 million (okay, 3 or 4) reviews to refine and post, which is what's keeping me off here, partly. More later today. Tired but okay.

sending some more smooches your way

This was, per NOAA, the hottest July on record for the continental USA. But global warming isn't real. And it's gawd's will. Or some such nonsense.

Just keeping my hand in here.... I'm happy to read that your DH is looking out for you. I'm trying to imagine mine insisting that I stop in at a B&N - amazing!

*peeking in and gasping at how far behind I am* .. Hi Gail.

There is baseball on my tv right now... and there will be football in a couple of hours.
I have fallen into the outside ring of Hell

Good morning to you! Hope some happy fall on you :)

hugs

((Hugs)) to you, Gail.

Book things first!

Book 58 of 75
The Lifeboat
which is terrific; a great rec. from Rdear.
A most impelling summer read, reviewed here

Book 59 of 75
The White Tiger
which is a fantastic book about the highs and lows of modern India. I absolutely loved it and reviewed it
here

Currently reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for the GR and A Reader on Reading by that amazing man, Alberto Manguel.

So, now the important stuff here: socializing!

Terri and Heather, hi! You know, my family would put away really nice things, very carefully. They called it "saving it for best." At this stage of my life, I don't typically do that, feeling that "best" is right now. However, that's what I'm doing with the Siri book. When nothing suits, I know I have that book, and a few(!) other mysteries, tucked away for just a down time when I need something to pull me out of the doldrums.

Ilana, I loved White Tiger as well (see above). For some completely unknown reason, I'm fascinated by books about India. On another note, I bought myslef an address book--I know, very retro--full of the works of Alphonse Mucha. They are amazing: both lush and just the least bit louche.

Linda! Thank you very much for your kind message. You're always on my mind and I'm sending as much positive energy your way as I can.

Rdear, you lovely man. Always tempting me with books! I found The Lifeboat wonderful (see above); thank you so much for pointing me toward it. I found it a very absorbing work.
What?! Global warming??? You mean all those statistics, coupled with masses of anecdotal evidence, are actually TRUE? Surely not...

Chelle: Hello, my dear. Saturday is my usual do-nothing day, although I try to sneak in an extra on Thursdays or Mondays, but those extra days are hard to find/squeeze in.

Cee: thanks, Sweetie. I hope all is well for you up in Maine...we were only up to the very low 80's here today, a decided relief.

Miss Stasia! I'm thrilled to see you around these parts again. LT isn't quite the same without you.

Peggy, I was very surprised by Dh, as he does occasionally "tut, tut" about the vast number of tomes around here. Thank goodness the iPod (audio books) and the Nook are so very small and deceptive. Heh.

Caro: Hey! How are things up in Beantown? I miss that whole area so much.

And last but in no way least, Kath! I can't thank you enough for everything. You are a Sweetheart!

Nice to hear from you Gail. I quite enjoy Alphonse Mucha's work too, and considered at one point getting either a skin or hardcover for my iPhone with one of his images from this great site called GellaSkins, who do covers for most electronic devices. An address book is indeed retro! I've purchased agendas because of the artwork in recent years, but that's just as retro since I use my phone to store all contacts and appointments. An agenda can't send me reminders, but a smart phone can, still sometimes it's just nice to have printed pieces to look at. xx

I don't recommend Gone Girl, angelflower. I ranted about it in my now-defunct thread. However, so far as the eye can see, I'm the lone voice of dissent.

Gail, just swinging by to say hi. I hope your mood and energy are rebounding......

#269: I already have The Lifeboat and The White Tiger in the BlackHole and it sounds as if I can safely skip that last book, so I have successfully dodged BBs here :)

Dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend Gail.

Oh good! a DO NOTHING DAY! It makes it almost feel like a holiday, doesn't it?

I thumbed your review... I used to read books about India when I was younger. It all seemed so
dramatic and fascinating. All of that Sati etc. As I got older .. it seemed somewhat less interesting :P
I am trying to think of a particular book I read in the 70's and simply cannot remember either the title or author and it is driving me crazy. Google refuses to help. It was VERY thick and exciting :)

anyway.. I hope your do nothing day works out, I have most of my things done already.. only some laundry to do and some washing up after Dan.. so..? We shall see what develops.

I hope that above all things for you, that you feel good in every way and come across many things to make you smile xoxo

nighty night

In case you were wondering what it is hugging you above... I have no idea.

>277 mckait:,278: It's a kitty, or maybe a mouse? Not sure. Love them both, anyway, so it doesn't matter.

Y'all know that marvelous feeling when you find a friend to whom you can say anything, however stupid/embarassing/insane/inane?

Guess what? I've found one.

Smiling....

I have gone back and forth on what it might be.. but intention is what matters, and the intention is a hug.. lol, as long as you aren't too squeamish!

Finding a good friend is not easy, and I agree... it is good to have such a friend :)

Dropping by to say hi! :-)

I have been MIA for the past two or so weeks. Things have been mind numbingly busy! My eyes are constantly burning with lack of sleep. Luckily, in just two days time I'll be taking a much needed break from what has proven to be a most trying time.

I have been reading books but reviewing them is another thing altogether. Currently I have at least three reviews pending.

Good morning to you Gail :)
Anything good ( bad or indifferent) on the agenda for today?
I have to go to Walter's house today. I will finally bring home the vase that I have wanted to own
for all of my life :) It seemed so precious to me all those years ago. Now? I have spent a lifetime not owning it, and I am wondering if it is better just left in my memories.. but have it I will. And pass it on.

Porua: Hello! Sorry you've been so busy lately; hope you get a well-earned rest!

Kath: I understand your feelings about the vase completely. Even if you just put it in a quiet corner, I think after a while it will be comfortable with you and vice versa.

Finished up A Tree Grows in Brookly. I loved it, but not sure what I want to say about it yet.

I'm glad you love ATGiB Gail. It's faded a bit from memory since I read it last August, but it's definitely left with me with a good impression as something I'd like to read again eventually.

Just wanted to swing by and say Hi, Gail. :)

I plan on reading ATGiB at some point, but I guess it would be helpful if I actually get my hands on a copy of the book first!

I'm glad to see that you liked A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It is going to remain on my favorite books list for another fifty years or so :)

The vase.. lol. I took it upstairs, and stuck it between a book case and a chest of drawers ... no cts or dogs to knock it over, as that is a cat free guest room :)

Hope today is a good day!

Ilana, Valerie, Kath

You know, that book--A T G i B--has been three completely different books each time I read it. What wast really amazing was how much went over my head when I first read it at 12 or so. But that image of the girls washing up, with their arms curved over their heads, never left me from first read till today. Great, great book.

Not a good day today, but perhaps tomorrow will be better.

Sending good day mojo your way.... hope it works... my mojo seems to be rusty these days..
I plan to have a busy day, so I don't expect to be here much... but wanted to stop and leave a good morning and good day wish...

:)

Hey Kath
Today is starting off better than yesterday. Things are calm and serene so far. But of course, that's the problem: they're always much calmer when I'm home. When I'm out, apparently Dh becomes especially nervous. We have an appt. on 9/19 with a neurologist to see if we can't get him some help with sleeping at night, not being quite so frustrated, and not getting so very nervous. All without further impairing his mental capacities. A tall order, if ever there was one.

So anyway, I'm reading The Folks that Live on the Hill by Kingsley Amis. I am one of those sophomoric types who found Lucky Jim to be one of the funniest books I've ever read, and so was expecting, perhaps, more than this book can deliver. It's amusing, but no big laughs. I think, too, that this is a book that would be better appreciated by people who actually live in England. Still, it's fun.

I'm going to do some housekeeping up top, and then start a new thread.

Hope the day continued to be good.... mine was busy, but not bad. Had mexican food out after the work...
all is well here, I have high hopes for the new doctor, as well as crossed fingers :)

I will be watching for the new thread! :)