Crazymamie's 75 in 2012 (Page 17)

Currently Reading


October
91.

An idea stolen from Heather (souloftherose), who borrowed it from Liz (lyzard): ongoing series that I am actively reading. This doesn't include series where I have the first book in my TBR pile (i.e. series I haven't started reading yet aren't included). An asterisk (*) indicates a series where I already have a copy of the next book. A pointing finger (☛) indicates a series where I am waiting for the next book to be released.

1. African Trilogy by Chinua Achebe: Next Up: Arrow of God (3/3)

2. *Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones: Next Up: Third Grave Dead Ahead (3/4)

3. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache by Louise Penny: Next Up: A Fatal Grace (2/8)

4. *Commissario Montalbano by Andrea Camilleri: Next Up: The Snack Thief (3/15)

5. ☛ Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Next Up: Days of Blood and Starlight (2/3)

6. *Divergent by Veronica Roth: Next Up: Insurgent (2/3)

7. *Dr. Siri Paiboun by Colin Cotterill: Next up: Love Songs From a Shallow Grave (7/8)

8. Duncan Kincaid/ Gemma James by Deborah Crombie:Next Up: Leave the Grass Green (3/14)

9. ☛ Dust Lands by Moira Young: Next Up: Rebel Heart (2/3)

10. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: Next Up: The Dead tossed Waves (2/3)

11. *Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly: Next Up: The Narrows (10/18)

12. *Harry Hole by Jo Nesbo: Next Up: The Snowman (7/9)

13. ☛ The Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh: Next Up: ? (3/3)

14. *In Death by J. D. Robb: Next Up: Glory in Death (2/44)

15. *Inspector Sejer by Karin Fossum: Next Up: He Who Fears the Wolf (2/9)

16. *Jack Taylor by Ken Bruen: Next Up: The Magdalen Martyrs

17. *James Bond by Ian Fleming: Next Up: Live and Let Die (2/14)

18. *Kenzie and Gennaro by Dennis Lehane: Next Up: Sacred (3/6)

19. *Lady Julia Gray by Deanna Raybourn: Next Up: The Dark Enquiry (5/5)

20. *Matched by Ally Condie: Next Up: Crossed (2/3)

21. *Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larrson: Next Up: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest (3/3)

22. *Philip Marlowe by Raymond Chandler: Next Up: The Little Sister (5/8)

23. *Raylan Givens by Elmore Leonard: Next Up: Raylan (3/3)

24. *Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris: Next Up: Dead in the Family (9/12)

25. Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs: Next Up: Grave Secrets (5/15)

26. Vish Puri by Tarquin Hall: Next Up: The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing (2/3)

27. *Walt Longmire by Craig Johnson: Up Next: Kindness Goes Unpunished (3/8)

28. *Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby: Next Up: The Chardonnay Charade (2/6)

29. ☛Wolf Hall Trilogy by Hilary Mantel: Next up: ? (3/3)

January
1. The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes (4 stars)
2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor (4 stars)
3. 11/22/63 - Stephen King (5 stars)
4. A Drink Before the War - Dennis Lehane (4 stars)
5. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (4 stars)
6. Cannery Row - John Steinbeck (4.5 stars)

February
7. The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien (5 stars)
8. The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway (audiobook) (4 stars)
9. The Woman in Black - Susan Hill (4.5 stars)
10. City of Bones - Michael Connelly (4 stars)
11. Behind the Beautiful Forevers - Katherine Boo (4.5 stars)
12. Mockingbird - Kathryn Erskine (5 stars)
13. The Wayward Bus - John Steinbeck (4 stars)
14. Pronto - Elmore Leonard (4 stars)
15. The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey (4 stars)
16. Riding the Rap - Elmore Leonard (3.5 stars)
17. The Two Towers - J. R. R. Tolkien (5 stars)
18. Once There was a War - John Steinbeck (4.5 stars)
19. The Coroner's Lunch - Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
20. Below Stairs - Margaret Powell (3.5 stars)
21. 84, Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff (5 stars)

March
22. Blood Red Road - Moira Young (4 stars)
23. The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (3.5 stars)
24. Thirty-Three Teeth - Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
25. King Soloman's Mines - Henry Rider Haggard (4 stars)
26. Still Life - Louise Penny (4 stars)
27. By the Iowa Sea - Joe Blair (4 stars)
28. A Share in Death - Deborah Crombie (3.5 stars)
29. A Severed Head - Iris Murdoch (4 stars)
30. The Return of the King - J. R. R. Tolkien (5 stars)
31. The Winter of Our Discontent - John Steinbeck (4 stars)
32. Don't Look Back - Karin Fossum (3.5 stars)
33. I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith (4.25 stars)
34. Disco for the Departed - Colin Cotterill (3.5 stars)

April
35. The Moon is Down - John Steinbeck (4 stars)
36. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley (audiobook) (4 stars)
37. Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe (4.5 stars)
38. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Joan Aiken (4 stars)
39. Blacklands - Belinda Bauer (4 stars)
40. Chess Story - Stefan Zweig (4.5 stars)
41. Sea of Poppies - Amitav Ghosh (4.5 stars)
42. Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George (3.5 stars)
43. All Shall Be Well - Deborah Crombie (4 stars)
44. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green (4.5 stars)
45. Rules - Cynthia Lord (4 stars)
46. Darkness, Take My Hand - Dennis Lehane (4 stars)
47. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camilleri (4 stars)
48. Cinder - Melissa Meyer (4 stars)
49. Binocular Vision - Edith Pearlman (4.5 stars)
50. The Wrestling Match - Buchi Emecheta (2.5 stars)

May
51. The Redeemer - Jo Nesbo (4.5 stars)
52. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming (3.5 stars)
53. If Death Ever Slept - Rex Stout (4 stars)
54. Persuasion - Jane Austen (4.5 stars)
55. Lost Light - Michael Connelly (4 stars)
56. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (4.5 stars)

June
57. In the Heat of the Night by John Ball (4 stars)
58. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (4.5 stars)
59. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (4 stars)
60. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (5 stars)
61. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (4 stars)
62. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (4.5 stars)
63. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill (4.5 stars)
64. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (4 stars)
65. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri (4.5 stars)
66. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson (4 stars)
67. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (4.25stars)

July
68. Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury (4.25 stars)
69. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson (4.5 stars)
70. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (4.75 stars)
71. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (4.5 stars)
72. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levine (4 stars)
73. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (4.5 stars)
74. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh (4.25 stars)
75. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
76. The Terra-Cotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri (4 stars)
77. No Longer At Ease by Chinua Achebe (4 stars)
78. Call For the Dead by John LeCarré (4 stars)
79. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (4 stars)

August
80. The Merry Misogynist by Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
81. The Stone Cutter by Camilla Läckberg (3.5 stars)
82. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (4 stars)
83. The Guards by Ken Bruen (4.5 stars)

September
84. Killing the Tinkers by Ken Bruen (4.25 stars)
85. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson
86. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (4 stars)
87. The Devil's Hearth by Phillip DePoy (4.5 stars)
88. March Violets by Philip Kerr (4.3 stars)
89. Naked in Death by J. D. Robb (3.25 stars)
90. The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen (thinking)

Woo hoo! Another thread. Congratulations.

The pumpkin patch is so right! We went to a "pumpkin farm" with Jocelyn's preschool class and the kids picked pumpkins up off the grass as if they'd been growing there! I was bummed out.

Mamie- Congrats on the new thread! Love top photo! "Cabin in the Woods" was fun. Crazy, violent and over the top. If that's your cuppa...!

Karen - My first visitor!! Its just not the same experience if the pumpkin is already picked, is it? Why is everything about being easy and saving time - that's not how life works, and for some kids a trip to the pumpkin patch might be their only opportunity to see pumpkins actually growing.

Mark - Luckily Daniel is wearing his Superman cap since that pumpkin looks like it weighs about as much as he does! Glad you liked the movie - I like things like that when I am in the right mood for it, just for fun - takes me back to my high school days when we used to go in big groups to the theatre to watch the latest horror flicks. My favorite type of suspense is the kind that Alfred Hitchcock did so well.

Hello Mamie, pumpkin pickin'! Great and timely, for you, picture for a header.
A new thread for a new place, and hopefully many new adventures in each.

>9 Crazymamie:. Its just not the same experience if the pumpkin is already picked, is it?

You mean lettuce doesn't grow inside a cellophane bag, Mamie??

Sweet picture up top.

Thanks for the pumpkin picking photo. Sunday we head to the local pumpkin patch for our annual family outing with our grand daughter. She is now ten and we've gone since she was a wee one. How I wish I could turn back the clock to special days when she was little. But, the flip side is how much we enjoy her now that she is a young lady.

I'm sure you can relate!

Thankfully pumpkin picking isn't a big part of the culture of Halloween here in the UK. In fact, Halloween isn't that big a deal at all! I say thankfully because I really don't like the taste of pumpkin, and carving the things is tedious! I only recall doing it once as a child, and quickly decided never again :).

However, he seems to be having fun!

Newest fad is to paint a face on the front of a pumpkin! Seems like a better idea to me. But most of the pumpkins raised for carving don't have much goods inside so it is hard to use them fully at the end of the face....

ah, another first world grievance, I guess.

Some places in the world would think we were crazy for carving up such a nice "squash" and throwing away the good inside.

Typical boy on the cover photo picking the biggest pumpkin in the field irrespecive of whether he can lift it. Congratulations on a new thread to begin a new life in the Pecan Paradisio. x

Such a cute photo at the top, Mamie! When I was growing up in New Zealand, pumpkins had a greyish-green skin (smooth, quite shiny) and I LOVED pumpkin. We used to have it as part of a roast dinner (roasted with the potatoes and sweet potato). In the UK it is not that popular, although there are a few ready-made soups with pumpkin or squash in them, and the shops sell smallish whole ones at this time of year. I wouldn't even attempt to carve one - my mother had good reason to look away whenever I was doing anything with knives!

Happy Saturday and Happy New Thread, Mamie.
I know you'll be spending much of your weekend unpacking boxes and finding things in town that must be found (now where is the best place to buy scented candles to make this place feel homey?). I hope you get a few moments to read, as well.
Ear-scritches for the pooches from their auntie ellen..... :-)

I hope the unpacking is nearly done for now.. so that you have a break before PODday. *shudders*
Also hope that you are taking today off to explore and enjoy :)

Not sure what the day will bring.. hope it is good things for all of us.

Love the pumpkin field photo, Mamie! Like Paul, I'm thinking, typical boy. We knows what we wants, and can't imagine not being able to lift it if it looks that good.

I share a lot of those series with you. Montalbano probably brings me the most smiles of all of them. You might also like C.J. Box's Joe Pickett mysteries if you like Walt Longmire.

HI Megan! And thanks for those simple but oh so wonderful words: "A new thread for a new place, and hopefully many new adventures in each." What a lovely blessing!

Bonnie -"You mean lettuce doesn't grow inside a cellophane bag, Mamie??" Not usually at our house! This is the first year in a long time that Craig has not had a garden. He was delighted to see that the previous owners left their container garden and even some of the plants. Which reminds me that I have stories to tell. I'll start with the container garden one since we are on the subject anyway.

As I mentioned, the previous owners left their container garden and some very lovely pepper plants. Craig tried the peppers from the first plant and found them to be a very nice sweet red pepper. Excellent! Well, the other day he was locked out while the rest of us were off shopping - came home from work and found that the kids had locked the door between the house and the garage. He had only taken the garage door opener with him, so he couldn't get in. No problem, he would just give us a ring to see when we would be back and wait on the deck in the meantime. He calls my cell phone, which Birdy answers - we are at the checkout counter at Target, so perfect timing because we are on our way home. I was originally going to stop at the market to grab a gallon of milk, but I decided this could wait until later since Craig wanted to go out for dinner anyway - figured we could just get it on the way home from dinner. Target is just about ten minutes from our new place - LOVE that because before we had to drive for forever to get to a Target...just saying! Anyway, we pull into the drive, and here comes Craig around the corner of the house with the strangest expression on his face - and he is CRYING! Seriously he looked just like Stan Laurel - that exact face! He had tried another pepper, and this one was...um...HOT!! He runs to the refrigerator to get the milk - oh dear, we're out, and I was going to pick up more but came home to let him into the house instead. Try the creamer I urge him. He tries the soy milk. Nope. Try the creamer I suggest again. He tries sugar. Nope. He tries the creamer - it works! Wow - that pepper was really hot! Craig recovers, and we head out to dinner. Who should be seated right next to us but the previous owners of our house - Craig introduces everyone. Um, by the way, what kind of pepper plant is that in the end container that you left? JALEPENO! But it was red. They turn red when they are fully mature. OH. We are explaining Craig's pepper incident, and they are laughing like crazy. I can't believe he had such a bad reaction to just one bite, I say, he eats the green ones on stuff all the time. Craig is giving me the look, that look that little boys and grown men alike get when they know they have done something wrong - it wasn't just one bite, he says, I ate the whole thing. OH!!

Ay ya ya! Caliente! Mamie tell Craig that milk and water only accelerate the heat from peppers. Bread cools the heat.

Glad you are settling in and the Target it so close. Now when they finish your library branch you will be perfectly set. Enjoy the weekend.

Love pumpkin especially when I cook my favorite bread with pumpkin and oath meal very healthy food,good to hear
that a lot of us like this vegetables..great pictures with the boy who can carry this big!

I also heard no liquids to counter hot spicy flavors - sugar is the thing. But the creamer.... must be a combination of both!

I had an experience years ago with a housemate's youngster picking a red pepper off a small indoor pepper plant. Oh, yeow, did he give us all an auditory experience to remember!

Linda! I was over on your newest thread last night trying to catch up - I had missed the entire thread! I'll be back today to finish catching up and to leave you a post. Sorry I have been so derelict. I am trying each day to catch up on a few more threads and stay current on the ones I have caught up with - hard to believe how far behind one can fall in just a few short days in this very active group. YIKES!

I know just what you mean by wishing you could turn back the clock a bit for a moment. I try always to be thankful for where I am, and I love the ages that my kids are...but when I see the photos like the one above, it takes me back. Then I wish for one brief shining moment I could embrace that moment just once more. Again hear that voice that has now deepened into that of a man's and hold that small hand that used to grasp mine for support and comfort and safety that has grown larger than my own and will one day be extended to give me strength. Life just keeps on keeping on, doesn't it?!

Jenny - We very rarely have carved the pumpkins, but I love things made out of pumpkin. Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (my favorite), pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin streusel pie...and the seeds can be toasted and salted. And pumpkin is a big part of Halloween, but it is also a staple of the Thanksgiving feast here in the states. We always finish our feast with pumpkin streusel pie (Cracker Barrel makes a delicious one but just during this season) and pumpkin roll - my niece makes this dessert which is just as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat.

And Daniel did have fun that day - it was a preschool field trip to a pumpkin patch and apple orchard. They got to learn about apples and pumpkins, they learned how to properly pick apples and pumpkins, got to drink cider and eat doughnuts, and at the end they got to pick out their very own pumpkin from the patch. Very fun and also educational. A good day!

Karen - LOL! We love to eat the seeds and the pumpkin! Several years we have grown our own pumpkins, and that was a lot of fun.

Mamie, thanks so much for all the pictures of your kids, the old house and the new one - I really enjoyed them. Hope the unpacking and settling in proceed smoothly and without you all getting too frazzled.

#20 Poor Craig! I sympathise because I really don't do spicy food at all...

>20 Crazymamie:: He ate the whole thing? Oh my, what a punch line to a funny story. I hope you are collecting these memories in written form, Mamie. If you published them, you would have a best seller for sure!

Oh, and I loved the picture of the kids and dogs on the last thread. Do they each have their own pup to care for?

Happy unpacking this week end.

Paul - So true! And thanks! We have gathered our first batch of pecans and now I have to decide what to make with them. I would like to try that pecan torte that the people Craig was renting from treated us to when I was down here last, but I do not know if she gives out that recipe or not. Guess there's only one way to find out!

Susan - Thank you! You would not want to see me try to carve a pumpkin either! I love the taste of it, though. And pumpkins scream Fall to me, so I always love to see them start popping up everywhere - a sure sign that my favorite season is in full swing. I bet they would be good roasted - I'll have to try that!

Ellen - Thanks! Yep - still unpacking boxes, but there are much fewer of them now, thank goodness! Last night we hung some stuff on the walls - it's really starting to take shape now. I will be continuing to work on getting things in place but will definitely make time for reading and catching up on LT. It's nice to work for a while and then take a break and reward myself with something delightful like reading on the deck or catching up on the threads.

The dogs have been duly ear-scritched, and Auntie Ellen has been given all the credit!! They send their love in return.

Kath - Nearly done may be pushing it, but a lot of it is done. We had a pretty lazy day yesterday although we did also get some work done. Today I plan on making a big batch of potato soup and tackling some more boxes. Craig is on call for the next three days, so we will probably stay close to home and work on the house. The kids have been invited to "Questionable Movie Night" tonight - a group of kids ranging from early teens to early twenties get together once a month to watch a surprise movie - nobody knows what it is except the guy who picked it out. They have snacks and watch the movie and then have a discussion afterwards. One of Craig's partners has eight kids, and the four oldest are the same ages as ours - they are who invited the kids, so should be a lot of fun and a great way to meet some other kids their own ages. I guess they usually have a pretty big turnout.

The arrival of the Pod shouldn't be too bad. They drop it off and leave it, so we can unload as we have time. We get a week to unload it all, so no worries. A lot of it is the kids' stuff that they took out of their rooms to stage them for the showings. So, a lot of Abby's art stuff, Rae's puzzles, Birdy's Legos - stuff like that. Extra clothes - winter clothes. That will just go back in the kids' rooms. Then we have a bookcase and twelve cases of books - WahHOO! That is going in the upstairs hallway. Then all the camping stuff - into the attic. A huge sectional - okay, have no idea about that. We'll see if it works better in the living room than the current one that's in there. We are only keeping on, so to charity with the other. I honestly don't think it will be too bad - perhaps I am kidding myself. Guess we'll find out!

Here's hoping that your day is full of fabulous!

Joe - Glad you liked the photo. You and Paul are so tuned into little boys - guessing you both have good memories of being one! ANd thanks for the suggestion - I'm off to look up C. J. Box's Joe Pickett mysteries!!

Heather - You're so welcome! So far things have gone fairly smoothly with the unpacking. We are enjoying the new house so much that unpacking has been mostly fun. I will admit that I will be doing the happy dance when there are no more boxes to unpack.

Craig loves spicy food, but an entire jalepeño pepper was a bit much for him!

Donna - Yep. The whole thing! Mamie's Memoirs? That would be a fun book to write!!

Glad you liked the photo of the kids with their dogs - and you guessed it correctly; they each have their own dog to care for. They give them a bath once a week, take care of any medical problems - like cleaning out their ears and giving them medicine if they are being treated for something. If the dog goes to the vet, the kid goes too. I think it is good for them to be responsible for someone besides themselves and to understand what kind of effort and commitment are required to take care of someone. It's fun to have a dog, but it is also work, and they should embrace both if they want to have pets.

Thanks for your good wishes - we continue to unpack with thankful hearts.

I LOVE the story!! Poor Craig.
*chuckles but not without sympathy*

We were laughing our heads off, Ellen, so don't feel badly. Even Craig was laughing about it after recovering!

Oh dear! Poor Craig. That'll teach him about putting things in his mouth when he's not sure where they've been ;)

LOL .. just caught up on your thread, Mamie ... poor, poor Craig. Good thing the previous owners didn't plant a habanero plant as well because those are way more spicy than jalapenos. I guess he's now labeled the plants so you all know which is the jalapeno and which is the regular sweet pepper?

Jenny - Unfortunately, it probably won't teach him! Craig gets into more mischief with food than anyone I know.

Caro - Nope. No labels. He'll remember he says! I was thinking that it had to be a habanero because of his reaction to it, but that was before I knew he had eaten the ENTIRE thing!

yikes! What a story :P Poor guy LOL

Sounds like things are settling in well... Fun for the kids :)

ditto what Kath said above....

Love the discussion about pumpkin. I too love fall (though we don't get much of it here) and like all the things that remind me of it. I'm not a big lover of pumpkin to eat but I've had it in some odd places that turned out to be really good. In an Indian restaurant near San Francisco I had pumpkin curry enchiladas that were to die for and a friend made shephard's pie with pumpkin on top instead of potatoes and that was really good too. I hate pumpkin pie however. But potato soup...oh my. When I was a child and was sick my mother would let me choose what I wanted to eat and I always asked for potato soup. Unfortunately she made it without recipe and I've never been able to make anything nearly as good as hers...but I really wish I was at your house tonight :-)

I know... I love potatoes.. I really love potato soup. I have never made a good pot of potato soup, and have in fact, given up. Yum.

#236 last thread - thanks, Mamie!
A new picture of kids and dogs!
Love it!!!!

I know you will all be happy together in your new life at your new house. Abundant blessings for all of you :-)
I am so happy for you.

>20 Crazymamie: wow, that pepper story is intense! The whole thing? Eeek. I would be crying too. I actually craved jalapenos when I was pregnant with little Lenny, but as soon as I started getting indigestion I had to leave them. And still had to leave them through a year of breast feeding. So now I am all over them again. YUM.
But not a red one and certainly not a whole one!

Hi Kath - Got a lot done yesterday, and the kids had a blast had Questionable Movie Night - except Rae HATED the movie which was Arachnophobia. YIKES! But they got to meet a lot of other kids their own ages and had fun, so it's all good. Rae said she will go to the next one, so that is a very good sign.

Craig and Dan got the new tv up and running in time for me to watch the games today, and let me tell you, it is a thing of beauty! Watching the game right now in HD, and I am in LOVE!

I will post my potato soup recipe - I think it is fabulous, but then it is my own recipe, so I might be slightly biased!

HI Linda! They had a very good time and are looking forward to the next one. Dan got invited to plat ultimate frisbee, so he's excited about that - I guess they play every week, so he will be loving that.

On the house front, we got rid of some more boxes and are starting to hang some stuff on the walls, so it's looking good. I have a roast going right now, and it smells so fabulous - this MUST be home!

Reba - I would love to try those pumpkin curry enchiladas - how interesting! And I bet it the pumpkin was good on top of shepherd's pie -I so would not have thought of that. I never liked pumpkin as a kid, and hated pumpkin pie until just a few years ago. Now I really love the pumpkin streusel pie that Cracker Barrel makes at this time of year - we order one every year for our Thanksgiving feast. This year I won't have to drive out of town to pick it up because Albany has a Cracker Barrel - BONUS!

And you are welcome at my house any time!

Cee! How are you doing, sweetheart? I feel so bad for you - such a bummer to get hurt like that at any time, but especially when you are on vacation. Glad you liked the photo - we took it just for you! And thank you for the blessings and for being happy for us - means a lot to me. Healing mojo to you, young lady!

Megan - LOL! I know - not sure what he was thinking to eat the entire thing - and then he couldn't even get in the house! He is such a NUT! But a lovable one! I love spicy food, too - the older I get, the hotter I like it.

Oh! Mamie, I am excited to see your recipe for potato soup. I love that stuff but don't have a recipe that I'm used to using. I'd love to try yours!

Your kids seem to have been welcomed into the neighborhood which is so great. It can be hard for kids to adjust to a new place. And you, of course, are the happy girl now with both your www and tv working just as you need!

Can't wait for the potato soup recipe. Also really glad the "kids" had fun at the movie night. How nice for them to be making contacts already. Happy Sunday y'all.

Crazymamie's Potato Soup:

We like to serve up our potato soup with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon on the side to use as soup toppers - if you like your soup this way, then you can fry up the bacon first and use a bit of the grease to sauté your onion, celery and mushrooms, otherwise you can use a bit of butter or margarine. This is not a low cal soup...just saying, full calories, full flavor.

A few tablespoons of butter, margarine, or bacon grease (how much depends on the amount of veggies you are adding in)

1 med. onion, diced

enough diced celery to equal the onion

8 oz. diced portobello mushrooms (leave these out if you are not a mushroom fan)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T salt (you can use less if you want, this is a big batch of soup)

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 T flour

1 can cream of celery soup (you can leave this out if you want)

2 cups water

3 cups milk

8 cups diced red potatoes

If using bacon, cut bacon up into small pieces and fry up, reserve as much of the grease as you need for the soup. Sauté the onion, celery, mushrooms, and spices in the bacon grease until softened and onions start to turn translucent - do not overcook. Stir in the flour - this makes a rue. It will thicken and turn a brownish color. Now stir in the milk and water, whisk in the cream of celery soup (do NOT add more water), and then add the potatoes. Cook over medium to low heat until the potatoes are softened - just cook until they are the consistency that you like. If you want the soup to be thicker, you can slowly whisk 1/2 cup water into 3 T of flour to form a paste, and then stir this into the soup. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes over low heat. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. Serve with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

This makes a big batch of soup - you can easily half this recipe.

*If you like this soup, you can use the same base and the potatoes but add diced carrots to the veggie mix that gets sauted, cream of chicken soup instead of the cream of celery, then at the end add diced cooked chicken - you can use canned chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken. It's really good - cut the salt back to compensate for the seasoning in the rotisserie chicken if you use that.

Glad to have you back and it looks like everything with the internet is up and running. :)

I think of my favourite comfort foods is cream of potato and leek soup with bacon bit toppings. Soooo good, but also so bad for you. I try to cut back on the cream and just use regular milk to help with the fat content, and that makes the indulging not so guilt inducing.

Karen and Reba - There you go! Hope you like it.

We have been really lucky here - everyone is just so friendly! Craig's partner has eight children, and the oldest four are the same ages as our four, so that is such a bonus. They invited the kids to the movie night, and at the movie night Dan got invited to the ultimate frisbee, so yes, things are going really well. A good first week in Georgia!

And I am LOVING having my internet and cable, too!!

Hi Valerie! I think comfort food should be indulgent, so I rarely cut calories there - I would rather eat less of it than take a chance on changing the taste. But yes, you can easily cut calories by using lower fat ingredients. We often use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, but that doesn't work of you want the grease for the sauté.

I have never had potato and leek soup, but it sounds wonderful - do you have a recipe that you share?

Mamie- Hope you had a good day! It was beautiful here. Crazymamie's Potato Soup sounds delectable and I'm glad the kids are starting to fit in and have a good time.

Go Colts! Go Colts! I take it, you are still rooting for them?

Yeppers! They won today, although I didn't get to see it because we moved geographical areas - we had the Giants/Redskins game and the Ravens/Texans game to choose from for our 1pm picks. Bummer, but the Giants/Redskins game was really good - Rae was really excited about the Giants win.

We did have a good day - I was so excited to see the new big screen hit the wall above the fireplace. ANd with our new open floor plan I could even watch the games while I was prepping all the veggies for the roast. Being able to watch the game from the kitchen - priceless!!

Turkey bacon ..ick ptui ... the hubster eats it, but I stick to the piggy version. I don't like the texture nor the taste. I'm with you, Cee... I would rather eat less than to sacrifice taste.

Umm...Mamie...I'm Mamie, Caro. Although I don't mind being confused with Cee as I find her completely delightful! I'm not a big fan of turkey bacon either, but Craig and Rae love it. But it's tricky to cook - hard to tell when it's done!

Hi Mamie, finally getting caught up here. I missed your move to Georgia and the housewarming party! :(

Glad to see that you are getting settled into your beautiful new home and I'm looking forward to hearing all about Georgia.

I've brought you some wind chimes to hang out on your back porch as a little housewarming gift.



Enjoy the new home!

Thanks for the recipe...can't wait to try it. :-)

Oh the recipe!! Very cool.. I have to try that.. Hmmmm I wonder if I have celery?
Well, I know I have no portobellos... but I will try that soon. I do love potato soup! This looks simple and yummy.

Isn't it great when the kids are welcomed like that? Hw great that Craig's partner has a big bunch of great kids to help with the transition!It makes it so nice when the kids feel accepted so quickly. I will never forget the day my kids took themselves out to meet the neighborhood. The kids there were still in school, and my kids saw that every day the neighborhood kids gathered in the parking lot of the church across the way. One day just before school let out.. off they went to wait. Luckily(?) it was right across the street and I could watch. I was terrified. But the kids were great. Within moments, each of my kids had someone to be friends with and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was one of the roughest parts of moving.... worry that it would work for the kids. IT did work, in more ways than I can say.

Nothing exciting planned.. but I do think I am going to make your chicken recipe today...
I was going to do it yesterday, but Dan had neglected to inform me of a schedule change... bless him.

Hope your days continue in this wonderful fashion :)
Did your teams win yesterday?

Being able to watch the game from the kitchen - priceless!! LOL! I know what you mean, Mamie. Glad to see Indianapolis pulled it off yesterday. They're just going to get better with that kid at quarterback. Are you going to pull for Atlanta, too, now?

Oh Judy - thanks so much, how sweet! I'm looking forward to hearing about Georgia myself, LOL! I don't know much about this particular state - we have been frequent visitors to Savannah in the past, and that is a city that I just LOVE! SO charming and beautiful - I know we will be making weekend trips there throughout the year now that we are so much closer. I do know that Ray Charles was from Albany, and there is a beautiful statue in the downtown area that pays tribute to him - we have a picture with the kids in front of it somewhere that I will find and post. It plays music and the walkway around that area is designed to look like the keys on a piano.

Reba - Hope you like it!

Kath - Good Morning, sis! You can make it without the celery, but I love it in there. It's good with or without the mushrooms, but I think they add another dimension of flavor and give the soup a nice depth.

Craig and I have been thrilled with the welcoming that all of us, but especially the kids, have received. And what a great memory of your kids making friends - I always say start as you mean to finish, so if you want to have a friend then be one first, we're all people, we all worry about the same things and feel out of our depth from time to time, just plunge in there and give it your best shot. So great that it worked out for them!

Now you sound like you're from Georgia by blessing Dan like that! He didn't tell me about his schedule change, bless his heart!! ANd thanks for asking about my teams - so sweet of you when I know you don't like football! The Colts won, but I didn't get to watch the game because that isn't the one that was being shown in this area of the country. The Broncos didn't play yesterday. Rae was excited because the Giants won, so a good football day for us.

Joe - I think they are just going to get better, too, Joe, and I'm excited for them. Root for Atlanta...hmmm...we'll see, maybe after Peyton Manning retires. The bottom line is that I just like to see the game played well and with integrity, so I am a fan of teams that play with heart, the colors and the geography are secondary to a love of the game for me.

Hi Mamie, great that the kids are starting to make friends, but I'm with Rae on avoiding 'Arachnophobia' - I'd definitely have to avoid that myself. Anything with eight legs is a no-go area as far as I'm concerned!

Rhian - That is exactly how Rae feels about it!!

Good morning Mamie! I see everything is falling into place for you. I love when life works out like that. It doesn't always and I say embrace and enjoy when it does. Are you still reading 1Q84? I put it on my list for next year. I'm interested in your thoughts about it.

Hi Roberta! Yep, still reading IQ84. I am liking it so far - it's my first Murakami, so I cannot compare it to anything else he has written. I am a little over half way through it and will say that while I usually don't like story lines that flip back and forth every chapter because I find it disruptive to creating a flow with the narrative, I think Murakami does a great job with this and the narrative is smooth and unaffected. The premise of the book is so very intriguing - an alternate reality, thus the Q for question.

I like Murakami's writing style - the dialogue feels a bit stilted or wooden in places, and I am trying to decide if that is intentional or not. There is a focus on sex and sexual imagery, and I don't know if this is typical Murakami or unique to this particular book. I should ask about that. What I do know is that the story keeps you thinking and trying to guess where it is going. It's a big book, but it doesn't feel like it, if you know what I mean.

I am taking notes, and will have thoughts to share when I have finished, which I am sure will be this month - it has to be because next month I have Team of Rivals in my sights, and I don't want to miss that group read.

Have you read other books by Murakami?

No Mamie I haven't read anything by Murakami yet. I put 1Q84 on my list for next years 2013 challenge. I'm thinking I should read something at the end of the year to prepare for it. Not sure. I've read others on LT where it's their first Murakami and they enjoyed it, but others urge you to try something else first. I'm not sure but I think it was Mark who was suggesting to someone to try Kafka on the Shore first and I may try that as my library has it. It's about 450 pages so while not the doorstop that 1Q84 is, it's still pretty big. Your words are encouraging so even if it ends up being my first Murakami I think I will gain from the experience. I wonder if the wooden and stilted come from the translation or it's just his style?

I think my recipe is pretty much the same as your potato soup. The only thing is you add sauteed leeks in butter to the overall soup. Yum! :)
Yeah, I'm so with you on using the "bad for you" ingredients to get the flavour. My problem is that I know you used eat less of it, but I just can't help it, especially when it comes to soup and cold weather!

I want it with the celery :) I love celery .. :)
I will just wait a few days. It's pretty warm here.. I will try it next weekend maybe..
rd taught me how to swear like a southern belle.. which is sort of what I consider that phrase. Hard
to think of me as a southern belle, isn't it? Yea, for me, too.

That blasted Michael Vic won didn't he? drat it.

Hi Mamie! I got a bit behind on the threads, but I just wanted to drop a note and say how lovely those pictures of your new house are! :)

I can't read every word I'm so far behind, but I love yr. photos and the hot pepper story!

Roberta - I'm going to try the Lucky 13 challenge, too. In fact, Abby and I developed a pyramid together for the challenge that we are pretty excited about. I have Kafka on the Shore, but I'm not sure that I'll get to it before the end of the year. Might be one for next year for me. And your thoughts about the wooden or stilted dialogue perhaps resulting from translation is an excellent point - I had not even thought of that! Did you set up your Lucky 13 thread yet? I noticed that some people have theirs up already - YIKES! I might go ahead and put ours up since we have it ready anyway.

Valerie - I need to try that! And I don't do so well at the eating less of it either, but we have such a large group that you have to be quick to snag the leftovers, so I get some calorie management that way!!

Kath - I love celery, too! Swearing like a southern belle is an art form - you're an artist, Kath!! And no, Michael Vic did not win again - because they didn't play this week. They got the bye (so they had this week off - no games). They play the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. Feel better?

Rachel - Thank you - and thanks for stopping in!

Lucy! Don't worry about reading every word - no worries. I am always happy to see you! Glad you love the photos and the hot pepper story!!

Mamie I put up my 2013 thread yesterday. I thought it would be good practice since I don't have a thread yet and next years 75 thread won't open until December I'm told. I can't wait to see your categories! Come visit http://www.librarything.com/topic/143777

bye? As in bye bye game? I have heard that term...I thought it was buy... like buying a break..or something. Anyway, good.

*creeping out to see if I'm forgiven for my mis-name gaffe....looking for the all-clear from Mamie*

Roberta - Thanks for the link - I checked out your thread and left you a post!

Kath - they have the week off as far as games are concerned

bye 1 |bī|
noun
1 the transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition in the absence of an assigned opponent.

Caro - All clear! You were never in any trouble, I was just giving you a hard time!

*leaps, twirls, does happy camel dance* .. I'm let out of the corner, I'm forgiven, I throw confetti petals in joy!

LOL!

A good first week in Georgia!
I'm so glad!!

I'm impressed that you're starting Murakami with 1Q84, Mamie. I have Kafka on the Shore waiting for me but I'm intimidated by his most recent work.

Potatoes are wonderful! Mushrooms, too. I love potato soup and Mamie's recipe is very, very good. Easy and good! And I can even tolerate listening to the Presidential debate while eating this wonderful soup. I added a little extra pepper! Yup! And I used a nice Irish cheddar cheese with a bite! Real bacon, without nitrites and nitrates so I had to cook the whole package, don't you know.

I followed your recipe as well as I could. I am famous for thinking I know what a recipe says and just go charging ahead, sometime (too often) forgetting ingredients or steps. In this case, I don't think I did miss any thing. And I declare it a favorite!

Ellen - Thanks for being happy for me! I don't think I would have tackled IQ84 alone, but since there was a group read, I felt less intimidated - and it's GOOD!

Karen - I'm so happy that you liked it!! Hooray! I usually add extra pepper at the end, too - I like to see how everything comes together before adding additional seasoning. I'm impressed that you made it so quickly!

Oh my Mamie, I'm so late to the party... and so much to catch up on too, though right now it looks like I need to catch some z's more than anything...

I've read several novels by Murakami and really loved them, but decided this month wasn't quite right for 1Q84 after all. The good news is there is no lack of other books out there for now!

G'night!

So much happening for you! What's the plan for today? Is there a plan?Are you nearly done with the unpacking? Or at least seeing the end? It's rainy here and that always makes me smile. Sun later and warm.. What's up with that?

What! a 2013 thread? That is just too scary... this year is flying by so fast. I am still surprised that it isn't still August. See y'all later :)

Hi Mamie - Cruising through, trying to stay (somewhat) caught up... Glad things are going well for you and your family in Georgia and that everyone is settling in well!

I packaged up most of the left over soup and tucked it into the freezer. It will be so lovely on those long, cold days when I am just too tired to cook. Soup will be perfect! Especially when it tastes so good.

Ilana - It is a big book, and so timing is something to think about. It's working for me because since this has been a kind of crazy month anyway, it was nice to just focus on one book. A sad statistic to just complete one book for the entire month, but oh well, life works like that sometimes. What other Murakami books have you read?

Kath - No big plans for today. We still have boxes in a few rooms, but they are mainly stuff that needs to be organized - stuff from the desk in the kitchen at the old house. There is no desk in this kitchen, so I have to decide what to do with the stuff. Books that the kids want to keep from when they were little, but don't need to have readily accessible, so they can be reboxed in something more durable than cardboard for the attic. Nothing major. And we have to hang up all the pictures, so we have to decide where they will go. And...the POD comes tomorrow!! And so does the pool guy with the plans for the pool!!

Bright and sunny here again today. Beautiful! The 2013 threads that Roberta and I are talking about are for the Lucky 13 Challenge where you develop thirteen categories - just setting up the threads so they are ready to go later. Mine isn't up yet. You're right though, the year has flown by - can't believe it's almost November already!

Katie!! How are things down under? Thanks for your good thoughts - we are settling in just fine. Everything has really come together, and I love how close our house is to everything. We had to drive a bit to get to the market and the stores before, but now we are just 5-10 minutes away, and our road is even quieter. We lived on a county road before, so pretty high traffic - not missing those sounds. Hope you are enjoying your travels even though it is for business - squeeze some pleasure in there just for good measure!

Karen - I am so thrilled that you loved the soup! I have never frozen it before, so you'll have to let me know how it does. I never have enough left over to freeze - usually just a few servings which get eaten the next day!!

hi mamie,
just stopping by to soak up some warm GA hospitality.

have a great day ;-)

Morning, sweetie! How are you doing today, Cee? Come on in and sit a spell and I'll rustle you up some pancakes and coffee. We have eggs and bacon, too, if you are wanting a big breakfast - ask and you shall receive!

So glad you're enjoying 1Q84, Mamie! He really is fun to read, in my view. Good to hear you're settling in at the new place, too.

Thanks, Joe! I'm glad I'm enjoying IQ84, too, since it's the ONLY book I'm actively reading - although I am making a half-hearted attempt at I am Legend which is interesting but drags a bit in places.

Stopping in to see what other (mis)adventures have befallen the new Georgian household ...

Mamie, Murakami's book is the really the size of 3 books, so really you spent the month reading 3 books! :)

*waving on her way through*

I am sitting in my bedroom reading chair, listening to Jocelyn take a bubble bath in my tub. Fun. And it gives me a chance to "supervise" her while having fun myownself. (special unique word tis from our friend Richard).

Valerie is right Mamie IQ84 is like three books - in fact it is three books and was published spearately in some places. A few people in the group have actually counted it as 3 books towards the 75 challenge.

Hi Mamie, it sounds as though the unpacking is going well. Don't forget some barbed wire to go around that pepper plant next time you're out! Poor Craig, I bet he never looks at it in quite the same way again.

Hi, Mamie!

*waves*

Just skimming through this thread . . . at least a thread and a half behind, I think. Glad to hear things are going well for you in Georgia.

Yep. What Valerie and Paul said. I've seen the book. It should count as three (in fact, aren't there three "books" that make up the novel or something like that?).

And I think it is a great idea to count it as 3. You deserve it!

Hi Mamie- Remember me? I'm the guy from the Chicago area. We used to talk about books and such? Ring any bells? LOL.
Hope the week is going well!

>85 Crazymamie: I'm glad I'm enjoying IQ84, too, since it's the ONLY book I'm actively reading
What? only one book? *outraged*
hehe, you are slipping Mamie ;)

1Q84 is a doorstop Mamie!

Caro- We're behaving ourselves at the moment, so no new misadventures, but stay tuned because I'm sure they will be more coming...

Valerie - I AM reading the three book paperback set...thanks for making me feel better!

Karen - *waves back* I like myownself - totally stealing that!

Paul - I'm feeling better about it now. I will count it as one book since I have already achieved by 75 mark, but that's good to know.

Susan - LOL! I jokingly said that I had added some of that lovely pepper from the garden to the potato soup the other night just as Craig had the spoon poised to go into his mouth for the first bite...he did hesitate!

Terri - Don't worry about catching up. SO lovely to see you here! We are settling in nicely.

Ellen - I NEED to get over to your thread and post. I have been trying to catch up, and so I have just been lurking over there as I read through the past posts. And there are three books in the addition that I'm reading - I confess that I bought this particular addition because it is pure eye candy to me. Such a beautiful edition!

Karen - I'll count it as one, but I SO appreciate the thought. How lovely of you!

Mark - LOL! I remember you. I will be back to normal, well okay, we all know that normal is perhaps not the right word to describe me...but I will be back to myownself next month. You're lucky I'm getting any reading done at all! If you want a sneak peak at what I'm thinking about for next year, I started thread in the Lucky 13 Challenge - Abby and I built a 13 category pyramid that we are going to try to complete next year. Here's the link: Crazymamie's Lucky 13.

Megan - *hangs head in shame* I know...I know...sigh

Roberta - So true!

Hi Mamie, Lucky 13 eh? I have pretty much decided 2013 will be a year with little or no structure to it other than a concentration on Edith Wharton and some of my chunks terms that have been gathering dust for some time now. I've felt for a while that my reading has lost it's spontaneity and I'd like to get that back. Somehow just peruse my shelves and grab whatever book looks interesting.

That sounds good, too, Bonnie! I'm using the Lucky 13 as a way to branch out in my reading and to get Abby to branch out in hers. I think it will be fun to challenge each other to try new things - so I will be reading some graphic novels and Manga, and Abby will be trying some mysteries and nonfiction. We both love classics and YA, so we will be reading some books together. Even if we don't complete all the categories, we had a lot of fun just setting it all up, so already it's a winner in my opinion. I think it's good to take different approaches in different years just to keep things fresh. I like to plan my reading, but in the end I always grab what I feel like most anyway.

I look at each year now and see it with no structure... at least hopefully...especially when it comes to reading . To be honest those challenges make me queasy... lol. Y'all have fun with them... and I will cheer you on from the sidelines...

Good morning to ya sis! PODday!

The POD is already here, can you believe that?! Got here about 15 minutes ago - talk about not wasting any time! Busy day with the Pool Guy coming to go over the pool plans and the POD's arrival. Good thing Craig only works a half day on Wednesdays. And I don't have to worry about dinner because Craig's older partner's wife is bringing us a meal tonight - so HOORAY for a Southern welcome!

Got some bread at the store yesterday that was TO DIE FOR - pumpkin streusel. I am in LOVE!

About the challenges - I just figure they are for fun. If it gets to feeling stressful, then I just won't worry about it. The categories we created are all very broad, so it should be easy to fill them. Should be fun for Abby and I to delve into some genres that are new to us. And Abby is all over this - very excited, so that right there is enough for me.

What are you going to be up to today?

I will clean a bit more, cook a little.. and read that blasted book LOL. Not too much.

Yay for southern hospitality! Im glad you are settling in happily down there :) Stay cool, and
know that I envy your innate cheerfulness ! I also appreciate it :)

Aw, thanks Kath - you're the best! I need to clean, too...ugh.

Good luck with your pod. Seeing those boxes of books again after so long will be like Christmas I imagine. I'm working on "desk stuff" this morning and then am going to pick my grandkids up from school at 1:30 and drop them off again at 3:45. We'll probably go to a park inbetween since it looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. Maybe a little reading in the late morning....I hope :-)

Reba - Aw, time with the grandkids, how great! Bet they love hanging out with you! And I think it will be like Christmas - can't wait to get the books out and get them all organized! My favorite kind of unpacking!!

I hope that by now you and the family have made a significant dent in the PODstuff.
It will be so great to be all done, and have books shelved, stuff stored. Then you can settle down to settle down!

I am just trying to breathe ... still high excitement here :) for me..
but I did get lots done..so that is all good!

Still working on POD stuff - Christmas stuff straight to the attic, kids' stuff to their individual room, boxes of books being stacked to the side while we wait with baited breath for the big bookcase to emerge from the back of the POD...good stuff!

I am trying to remain clam, but I am so excited for you. I WANT you to have that job. Concentrating all my efforts on the mojo to make that happen, sis.

Thank you Mamie :) I want me to have it too. I hope I can sell myself to them enough for them to give me a try.

Okay, so did I mention that I thought there were 12 cases of books stashed in the POD? Um...there were 32...HOW did that happen?! Denial? Poor counting skills? Nefarious goings on in storage?

Sounds like denial to me, Mamie! But still, that's 20 cases you didn't know you had :-)

I just got a Kindle Fire! There are probably 20 cases of books on there as well. I have to move all the bodice-rippers up to the top of my bookshelf, so I can embarrass the heck out of one of the young guys at the office tomorrow, who wants to see it :-)

Too funny!! You'll have a lot of fun with that Susan! I was just over on your thread saying that we really love ours. I really want to see that new Paperwhite edition (did I get the name right?) - I would have snapped that up as soon as it came out if they made it in a keyboard edition because I take a lot of notes and highlight a lot when I read, so I really like the physical keyboard at the bottom of the Kindle.

Hi Mamie,

Here I am typing on the Fire which taking a bit of getting used to - I am too used to my BlackBerry. I like the sound of the Paperwhite too but they seem to be out of stock at present although they only came out today. The Fire is so pretty, and so easy to use. I'm a bit surprised it was so straightforward.

HI Mamie. Love the pepper story, poor Craig! hehe

Thanks for the soup recipe. looks delish!

oh I love the look of the paperwhite, too. Dan has a fire.. I am not able to show him much of how to use it..
I stick to my iPad kindle app... and my nook.

Oh and the extra books? I go with denial too... lol

>114 mckait: Kath you have just reminded me, I so so really so so so want an iPad.

Hi Mamie, hope the settling in is going well. I bet you feel like you have lived there for years already?

I am toying with the idea of getting the little new iPad.... 7.5 inches on the diagonal. hmmmm

I'd say regarding the books, it was a case of miss counting on purpose. ;) That's like my idea of a perfect Christmas. Opening a package and thinking you only have 12 books, but when you count, it's actually 20. SCORE!

Ok, so I never asked before, but now am really dying to know. When you talk about a POD, do you mean this kind or is it something else?

To answer your question on what Murakami books I've read, the first one was The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, which really introduced me to a whole different world of possibilities as far as novels go. I followed up (possibly in the following order) with Dance Dance Dance, South of the Border, West of the Sun and Norwegian Wood, all of which I really enjoyed, and also Sputnik Sweetheart and Kafka on the Shore which I thought were good, but didn't do much for me. I've got another 5 books of his on my tbr and just may read some of the others before tackling 1Q84 again. I just have to get past the point I stopped at which was really bothering me and then I guess it'll go more smoothly.

Mamie - I have a few Murakami's on the shelves Ryu and Haruki but have only read Norwegian Wood which I liked but it is apparently not so typical.

Mamie, have fun unpacking and shelving those 32 boxes of books. A true labor of love. It will be like seeing old friends again.

Hi Mamie, oh how I wish I could be there to help you unpack and shelve those 32 boxes of books - my idea of heaven!

Hi Mamie!! I have fallen terribly behind on LT threads. I've missed part of your previous one I think. Glad y'all are settling in. The pepper story had me laughing! Poor hubby Craig!! Hope he's recovered & learned his lesson.

Your potato soup sounds awesome. My mom makes a great version that adds cream cheese (a whole block!!) in the last few minutes of cooking to add extra yumminess & calories!

I have to go to Albany on business trips periodically so you'll have to clue me in if there are any good restaurants I should try. There's one really good BBQ place in downtown that you should try out. I'll try to remember the name for you. Blank brain now...

Many blessings to you & yours in your new abode! 32 boxes of books sounds like paradise to me, lol!!

20 bonus book boxes! Woo-hoo!

I really, really, really want a Kindle Paperwhite. I want to go order it right now. But since my family never knows to what to get me for Christmas, I'm trying to leave them an obvious answer. But the waiting is killing me.

Morning Mamie- Just checking in with you! Hope the week went well and your starting to make progress in getting things in order. Have a great weekend.

Good morning Mamie! I hope that you found some great surprises in those extra boxes :)
Will you have a front door lending library in this house?

A "front door lending library" - what a great idea. I must do that.

Hope you are having fun unpacking books, and shelving them. It is one of my most enjoyable chores. Fiddling with the books on the shelves! woo hoo

Have a great weekend, too.

I am late to my own thread today - I visited other threads this morning and then ran some errands. Shockingly, I did NOT get lost - this is truly incredible! I can get lost anywhere - even in buildings, so it is amazing that I went to several different places in a new town and did not get turned around at all. I even made it to the post office which is much bigger than the tiny one in Yorktown, but sadly has no drive-thru! I did drive through the parking lot in the wrong direction, but I'm on it now, and luckily there were no other cars around when I did it. What tipped me off, you ask...um...the giant red DO NOT ENTER sign that I saw just after I had entered! Also the big white arrows painted onto the asphalt.

Susan - Look at you already using your brand new Fire as if you were an old pro! I think the two of you will be great friends!

Hi Chelle! Glad you liked the story! Hope you love the soup!

Kath - We have several Kindles. Craig and I each have our own and then we have a Kindle Touch and a Fire that the kids share. I like my Kindle keyboard much better than the Kindle Touch, so I was disappointed when I saw that the new Paperwhite is only in the touch version. It would be nice to have the backlight because I often read in bed at odd hours while Craig is sleeping.

Megan - I LOVE my iPad...um...when I get to use it. It has become a very popular item at our house. I don't feel like I have lived here forever, but it definitely feels like home. I still want to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming because I am loving everything so much. Feels like we went on vacation, but we get to stay.

Karen - I think the mini-iPad is such a great idea! I vote yes, get yourself one!

Valerie - LOL! Miscounting on purpose sounds about right. I think I remembered it totally wrong because we had packed away a bunch of the books, and then I got this great idea to stack the cases into a pyramid so that I could take a photo and post it on my thread. The kids grabbed some book boxes back out of the Pod and made the pyramid to surprise me. There were twelve cases in the pyramid, so I was thinking twelve cases of books total, but they only used some of the cases to make the pyramid.

Ilana - That is the exact POD that I am talking about - it's sitting in my driveway right now. They will come and pick it back up next Wednesday. And thanks for getting back to me about the Murakami books - I will read Kafka on the Shore as my next book by him simply because I already own it.

Paul - I have heard others mention that one. I am liking IQ84 quite a bit, so I know I will read other books by him, but with such a selection to choose from, it's hard to know where to start.

Donna - Thanks! It was a lot of fun digging into the boxes and seeing our old friends again, some read and some waiting patiently for their turn. I already told this story on Mark's thread, but Birdy got her books all organized on her bookshelves and then she stood back to inspect her work. "Now, it's home," she said. SO very true!

Judy - We wish you could have been here, too! We would definitely have put you to work! Almost all of our graphic novels were in the Pod, so the kids were so excited to see them all again. Now Abby has me reading the first Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus to get me ready for our Lucky 13 challenge next year!

Tina - No worries about falling behind - it happens to all of us. Craig has indeed received from the pepper incident, but I doubt he has learned his lesson. He gets into more trouble with food than anyone I know. His adventures are epic - I will have to share them as they happen, and then you will know just what I mean!

I would not have thought of putting cream cheese into potato soup, but now I will have to experiment.

I will keep you informed about good restaurants in Albany. SO far we really like The Mellow Mushroom and Ghang Zhou (Chinese). ANd I would love the name of that BBQ when you remember it - yum!

Thanks for the blessings, and the 32 cases of books is my idea of Paradise, too!!

Carol - My sentiments exactly once I got over the shock. Two of them were full of cookbooks.

And your family better come through with that Paperwhite if you are going to wait all the way to Christmas for it! Don't be subtle!! I am completely addicted to new technology, so usually my family are betting on how long it will be before I buy such and such - books and technology are my weakness!!

Mark - We were starting to look really good, and then the POD arrived! Now we are a mess again, but I hope to have it sorted out by the time the weekend is over. My goal is to be done by the end of the month - would really like to roll into November with a clean slate, just in time to enjoy the holiday season.

Kath - There was treasure buried in those boxes!! And we will have a front door lending library again. The foyer is different here - much more open, so we have bookcases in the living room that you can see from the front door. The bookcase that we had in the foyer before is now in our bedroom!! So excited about that. The new bedroom is so massive that we will have room for the bookcase and a couple of big comfy chairs - HOORAY! ANd the view is fabulous - looks out over the "back gardens". I post a photo when we get it all arranged.

How is your injury? Feeling at all better? Are you staying off of it?

Karen - Yes, you should do that! Ours was a huge hit at the old house. ANd yes, we had a lot of fun arranging the books. They are all out of the boxes now, but not all are placed. Decisions, decisions...

Mamie, you are having too much fun. Maybe you should shut yourself up in a room, and read for a while, just to calm yourself.

Yes! A by the front door book case is my next project! Arranging books so that they catch a possible reader's eye! yes. That will be great.

Karen - I know, right?! Now I am feeling the pressure to start in on Team of Rivals even though I haven't finished IQ84 - perhaps just a peek inside the cover...

And excellent! Good for you to get started on the front door lending library! Good luck on your mission!

Mamie- Have you forgiven me yet? I hope so. How far along are you in 1Q84? You will love the introduction to TOR. It pulls you in pretty quick.

Mark - I am racking my brain trying to think of that movie where the lady says very dramatically, "I forgive you." But there is nothing to forgive, she is a nut. Now I can't think of it, and it's going to make me a crazy lady because I won't be able to let it go. Anyway, there is nothing to forgive - it's all better now.

Um...IQ84 - checking - chapter 10 in the third book, so page 867. I think the rest will go really fast because it has sucked me in now. And I did read the intro to TOR, couldn't help myself, and you're right- I loved it.

And I'll just chime in to say, Goodwin's style is very easy to read.

I just adore her in interviews, but I have never read anything by her. SO looking forward to this GR - perhaps I can read fast enough to not get left in the dust!

Mamie, just delurking to say hi! Do you know the November TIOLI thread is up?

No, I didn't, Ilana...*grin* thanks so much!!!

Hi, Mamie! I have to smile at your miscounted book boxes in the Pod. Sounds like a nice "surprise" to me.

Also, I've only read one book by Goodwin, but found her very easy to read. I finally put in the request to county library for the loan of one of their copies of Team of Rivals. It seemed like every time I went to send it, chaos of one sort or another would break out in our library, and I'd have to quit in the middle and tend to business. But I think it will arrive by November 1.

Hi Terri! It was a very nice surprise- and I loved hearing the kids oh and ah over their long lost friends as they carefully removed them from the boxes.

I hope you get TOR in time! Good to know that she is easy to read- I thought she might be based on how she talks about history in interviews. I just love to listen to her- so interesting.

Hi mamie,
just cruising by this Saturday afternoon, on my way to a party with the kids, should be fun.
See you!

Chaos in a library? Now I'm worried.. lol.

Good morning Mamie :) So, how are your nuts :)
Is it pecan picking time, or did you miss it, or are they still getting ready for picking??
Curious minds..

What's on tap for the weekend? Any exploring?

Exploring! yes, what a great idea. Tell us all about your new environs. And about pecan picking, too, if that is happening? I love getting to know a new neighborhood. I don't know if that is because I have moved so often in my life, or if I move because I want a new neighborhood to explore.

I'm beginning to think about my next move..... maybe my second retirement will lead me to live on Orcas Island, north of Seattle.

I know you've got others in front of it, Mamie, but I'm glad you're teeing up Kafka on the Shore. Such an amazing book! And I've enjoyed the Buffy the Vampire Slayer gns. I hope you do, too.

BTW, congrats on not getting lost! Good way to start off in your new home area.

Mamie, good to hear you're finding things and not getting lost. What supermarkets do you have in Georgia? I read about Piggly Wiggly in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and since then I have been trying to find someone who has been to one and can tell me what they are like. Our supermarket names are very dull in comparison.

I have downloaded a few more things to the Fire, but I am not making much progress reading on it so far. Not because of a lack of books (ha!) but because of all the other distractions. I can see that this is going to be the big danger with it. I might start my library book on it later. That was yesterday's amazing discovery - the Overdrive ebook app.

Megan - Have fun! Thanks for stopping in.

Kath - It is pecan season right now. They were out harvesting the grove behind us last weekend - they have these trucks with arms that shake the trees, and the pecans fall down. Then there the trucks with these rake roller things (pretty sure that is the correct technical term) comb the ground and pick up the pecans. So, we can go out daily and pick up the pecans that have fallen from our trees. They are truly delicious - so fresh and sweet. Not sure how long the season lasts or how many times they go through that process with the trees. I will have to find out!

This weekend? Um...the Pool Guy is coming. He was supposed to come last weekend, but his dad died. So he should be here any time to go over the latest set of plans with us. Then we have to work on unloading the POD the rest of the way. We also have to figure out what to do with our HUGE sectional that does not fit the living room. I am actually so happy that it doesn't fit in there because I don't like it, but don't tell Craig. It is just SO HUGE! Anyway, it needs a good home. Then tomorrow is football! FOOTBALL!

I'll let you know if we do any exploring.

Karen - I will keep you updated as I learn more about the area. We love what we have seen so far. Really great warm-hearted people that have made us feel oh so welcome. The weather is a trip - back in Indiana it is in the 40s and 50s on a daily basis, and here it is in the 80s.

Orcas Island - that sounds fun!

Joe - Will definitely get to Kafka on the Shore no later than next year. And yes, I am enjoying Buffy! We have watched the show together, and so it is interesting to see the backstory. Plus, Buffy is just so fun! And thanks - it really is an incredible thing for me not to get lost!

Susan - Yes! We have Piggly Wiggly - I will get photos for you! They are like a regular grocery except they also sell Piggly Wiggly products! We used to always go to the one down in Hilton Head when we vacationed every year and get the kids Piggly Wiggly t-shirts which are really cute. We also have Publix, Winn Dixie, and Harvey's.

I'm not surprised that you haven't gotten around to reading on your new Fire yet, after all, it is brand new and you DO need to check and make sure that all of the functions on it work properly!!!

12 to 32...... hmmmm..... a pretty big discrepancy...

True.

I don't want too many people to think Orcas Island is a great place to retire to... do not want too many people there! So Google it and you will see photographs of the three sunny days it has each year; the rest of the time it is gray, cold, rainy, wet, drippy, damp, and moldy. People hardly ever get out to meet each other because they are dashing about trying to run between the rain drops. Nothing like Georgia! No pecan trees at all. The houses do have some outdoor decks but they are usually slippery, and covered with moss. One can sit and read in the sun shine maybe once or twice a year.

Do you think that sounds sufficiently unpleasant?

Yes, I think so! Good work!

This reminded me of you:

Those who wish to sing, always find a song.
– Swedish proverb

Oh, I like that. Thanks, Kath!

We had Piggly Wiggly in California when I was growing up and I've been in a few in the south when traveling -- they're just like any other supermarket I'm afraid.

True, Reba, except for the T-shirts. And I just love to say that I am going to the Piggly Wiggly - not sure why that tickles me so, but it does!

Made Big Breakfast today for a brunch-type feast that we just finished eating. YUM! We had pumpkin streusel bread, eggs cooked to order, thick slab bacon, brown sugar flavor sausage links, maple pancakes, and Peets Columbian coffee. We like to do this about once a month, and then sit down and enjoy the delight of good food and good company. It's relaxing, and the best part is that the kids do all of the clean up since I do most of the cooking - BONUS!

Still working away on IQ84, but I am hoping to finish it within the next two days - thought I'd get it done this weekend, but RL keeps intruding! And today is football, so...

Mamie - Loving discovering your new environs alongside you so to speak. Hope your Sunday continues magnificently set up as it was by that whopping breakfast.

hi mamie!
cool! you made it for pecan pickin' sounds like fun.

Orcas Island sounds wonderful! (except for the slippery part that i'm a little sensitive to right now)

and love that Swedish proverb... it suits you perfectly :-)

Go Colts! Go Colts! 4-3! Not shabby. And how about those Bears? Grrrrrrrrrrrr....!

Paul - Making my first batches of cookies today and using some of our very own pecans in one of the batches - can't wait to see how they turn out! And we love to do Big Breakfast like that because then we can skip lunch and have a late dinner. The weather here is weird today - yesterday it was 81 and sunny, today it is 59, overcast and very, very windy. We met our neighbors, and here's what a small world it is - they are from Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is were I am originally from and where most of my family still lives. How funny is that?!

Cee - Pecan picking is fun, and it can also be pretty profitable. We can turn in the pecans for about 60 cents a pound - this depends on the season, prices vary but pecans are a cash crop down here. We have a total of five pecan trees in our yard. Also, after the pecan grove behind us has been completely harvested for the year, the kids can go in and pick up anything that got left behind.

ANd thank you for the compliment! Hope you're having a lovely day.

Football sundays... busy days at the Mamie Mansion! :)

I know, Mark! I wish I could have seen that game! We could choose from the Packers/Jaguars game or the Falcons/Eagles game - so we watched the Falcons whip the Eagles. And your Bears came through in the end - were you on the edge of your seat? Go Colts! Go Bears! Can't wait to see the Saints/Broncos game tonight! Go Broncos!!

Kath - The Eagles lost, did you hear?! See, doesn't that make you happy?!!

Mamie Mansion?! Too funny!

Falcons have been Red Hot! Are you going to jump ship?

Following your lead this morning, Mamie! We had pancakes, sausages, and eggs for brunch. Filled up the boys goods and sent them on their merry ways outdoors to shovel the snow..haha!

Mark - Um...NOPE!

Valerie- Excellent! Good thinking on your part- I love those pictures you posted of your little Monkey! So incredibly cute!

I love the warm, cozy images you paint with words. How very special that you are settling in to your new environment and embracing this journey!

so you moved 1000 miles to live next door to people from home -- how funny is that?!?

yay!!!!!! I like it when they lose :) I never know unless I remember ask Amy...
and with so much going on, I didin't . Sorry to all the fans but Michael Vick is a devil..
( actually..I don't think much of Ben Rothlisberger either, so I don't hope the steelers win either )

Hope your day was good Mamie :)

Linda - Thank you so much - what a wonderful compliment! We are really loving Georgia and the new house - so very different from where we lived in Indiana. And it's always a delightful adventure to meet new friends and learn new things. What's really cool is how much Biscotti (Rae's dog) likes it. She has always loved to be outdoors- she can sit and watch what's going on around her. At the old house she could only be outside when someone was with her, but here we have a screened in porch, and she can sit out there whenever she wants. It's her very favorite place, and she has already spent many peaceful hours out there gazing at nature and enjoying the breeze. She loves to fall asleep in a puddle of sunshine. I am so thankful that she has gotten to enjoy this journey with us.

Reba - Isn't that the strangest thing?! Life has a sense of humor, doesn't it?

Kath - You crack me up. Sorry to disappoint you, but the Steelers won yesterday. I am not a big Rothlisberger fan either, but the Steelers have a lot of great players on that team that really play their hearts out. Too bad that the reputation of one player can color how people feel about an entire team.

I am thinking about you today as you start your new job! Can't wait to hear all about it! Sending you calming vibes and good mojo. Go get 'em, Kath!

Mamie, I love the picture I have in my imagination of Biscotti enjoying the sunshine. My elderly dog is showing signs of kidney failure; we are going to the Vet on Wednesday. I know what it is like to have a puppy who is looking at the Rainbow Bridge.... bitter sweet. Enjoying every moment with him. He likes to fall to sleep in my lap every evening after dinner. And I love him for that.

I hope this week is full of all kinds of fun. Putting things away, experimenting with pecans, rearranging furniture, sweeping up and getting accustomed to a new kitchen. Oh! Where did we put the _________?

Morning Mamie- And how about those Steeler's uniforms? Yikes! Scary.

Morning Karen! It is indeed bittersweet with Biscotti, but I just love seeing her so happy. She loves that she can go out there all on her own and stay as long as she wants.

And thanks for your good wishes. I am loving doing all of those things and also hoping that soon the boxes will be all gone. We are getting closer every day, so I can't complain. My cookies turned out oh so beautifully and were absolutely delicious! The oven here is gas, not electric, and it cooked so evenly. Before I had a gas stovetop but electric ovens, while here the entire stove is gas. The only thing that makes me just a bit nervous is that for some reason down here they don't run gas lines to the house like they do in Indiana. So everyone has tanks that have to be filled occasionally - I am wondering how you know when you are running low. What do you do, just wait for it to run out? ANd what if it runs out right in the middle of meal making? I will have to ask around since I have no experience with this! If any of you know, please share!

Your mention above about trying to figure out where something is hits home because yesterday in the middle of making cookies, I realized that I had no idea where the vanilla was. I looked everywhere - the pantry, the kitchen cabinets, the remaining boxes of kitchen stuff. No vanilla. So I open up the door to the garage to ask Craig and the kids (who were working on unloading the POD) if they knew where the vanilla could be. No. But Craig has some that he had while he was renting the little granny flat, just wait a moment, and he will get it for me. He returns a few moments later with the biggest bottle of vanilla that I have ever seen - seriously, the next size up would be a jug! Now I'm laughing because the kitchen contents from his little bachelor pad have already been entertaining us - tons of vinegar of all kinds, cans and cans of tuna, enough Ziploc bags for a small nation...and now this vat of vanilla. What were you thinking, I ask, how could you ever imagine that you would use this much vanilla up. Craig gets that little boy look, and Dan starts laughing like crazy. Turns out this bottle is one of two! TWO! Two vats of vanilla - guess I won't be needing to buy vanilla anytime soon!

Mamie - I trust you have a fabulous week and that your settling in continues to move smoothly.

Mark - I was seriously cracking up at those uniforms! They looked like huge bumblebees! It made me dizzy just to see the highlights from the game!! How did they get the players to wear those - can you imagine when they pulled them out of the boxes for the first time?! I thought the Buccaneers orange cream sickle uniforms last week were bad, but the bumblebee ones take the cake! Yikes is right.

Paul - Thank you, kind sir! I hope that you also enjoy a fabulous week - did you at least get Erni back? Who's making the coffee?

Mamie - Just to share with you I made my first ever Nespresso coffee yesterday (when no-one was looking). Belle has stepped into the breach for the time being but is extorting favours in the form of excesssive pocket money for the pleasure.
Erni is back on 7 November.

Paul - Oh dear! How did your coffee turn out? Drinkable? Belle is probably worth every penny (and also adorable) - I recommend you pay her whatever she wants if she can deliver delicious coffee in the green Harrods cup during Erni's absence!

November 7th? Oh my!

Mamie - I love that you get to pick your own pecans. The harvesting machines sound interesting. When they harvest the grove behind you, do they come over and do your trees as well or do you have to get them to come shake down your trees for you? I can only imagine how good fresh pecans must taste. *thinks about visiting Georgia during pecan harvesting time*

Hi Mamie, I am giggling about the vanilla! I do think, though, that the tiny bottles are too small - there should be an in between size. I sense a lot of vanilla-flavoured things in your future.

My Dad and brother both have tank gas into their kitchens in New Zealand. I will ask Dad in my email tonight how he knows when it is time to change it. He has never mentioned running out, so there must be a way you can tell, and the system may well be the same in other countries. Actually, I seem to recall one of them saying something about the gas company monitoring your usage and just turning up with more when you need it - if you know who supplies the tanks then their website might have more information.

Caro - Funny you should ask because we just meant the guy who manages the pecan grove behind us yesterday. They will shake our trees for us if we ask them to at no charge. In order to efficiently get their trucks through their own grove, they need to be able to make a turn that brings them onto the back corner of our property - really just the back corner tip. In return for this courtesy, they are willing to shake the trees for us if we want them to. And fresh pecans are absolutely delicious! So much more flavor than the store ones.

Susan - Agreed the tiny bottles are too small. I had just never seen one this big! At least we have discovered Craig's stash of vanilla in time for the holidays! And thanks for the info about the gas tank - good idea. I'll have to ask Craig who supplies the gas because we have not received a bill yet, and so I am uncertain who it is. I was hoping that there was a way you could tell, but it they monitor the usage and just show up when we need it, then that would be even better.

Hi Mamie-- thanks for the morning chuckle :-) however, with pecan pies and pecan cookies you'll work your way through the vats of vanilla in no time I'm sure.

I love it that Biscotti has her own outside and sunshine to ease her aching bones.

Finally, when I lived in Ireland we had a propane tank in th yard (I'm assuming that's what your gas is) and it had a gauge on it so we could tell when it was time to top it up. It wasn't something you could see from a distance so you might give the tank a good close-up inspection.

LOL at your vanilla story because I've never seen anything larger than those tiny, tiny, containers in the store. Even the smallest size I have never been able to use up the entire thing yet. Can't imagine what he was up with 2 big jug like containers of it!! :)

I love the image of Biscotti enjoying the sun. I also love how you are preciously walking the path with your beloved animal.

I can certainly relate to moving and trying to locate items. Will and I were both single for many years before making the commitment to be together and share a house. My house sold in two weeks and I had my first time ever panic attack when the realtor listed the house and said "I hope you have some place to go because this lovely cottage will sell very quickly."

While change is a necessary part of life, I am a nester and made my little cottage ever so cute.

Coming together as post mid life adults, we both had accumulated a lot of things. Melding two full households of items into one space was a challenge. Most of my furniture was placed in storage. Silly of me, but I found that I missed my things. Slowly we replaced some of Will's items with some of mine.

We are now at the point where it is necessary to replace things and they have become "ours" rather than his or mine.

Still, these years later, periodically Will says "Do you know where my _____________ is?" I bite my tongue and usually don't say "I don't know...did you look for it? geesh...

I was thinking the same thing as you and Mark about those Steelers uniforms, Mamie. Ouch. Bumblebees, and hard on the eyes. Like having the volume up too loud.

I'm another one loving the Biscotti story. Growing up we had pugs who loved to lie in the sun and look out big floor to ceiling windows we had at the back of our house.

I've never had fresh pecans, and I'm envious. What a wonderful benefit of the move - and what good fortune to have the shaker machine drivers (there's probably a better term for that) willing to do your trees for free in exchange for a little turnaround space on your land.

Linda -- you reminded me of one of my mother's favorite expressions "look with your eyes not with your mouth" -- my husband is inclined to look with his mouth too, guess that's my penalty for tending toward the organized and generally knowing where things are lol

Hi Mamie,
I need to do more looking with my eyes and not my mouth. I am too tempted by the drug we call sugar

I like the Vanilla story. One of my brother's who stays in our house on the Cape buys those huge bottles of Vanilla - also steak sauce and a couple of other things, but in two weeks it appears he really goes through them. Does he pour it directly on ice cream? That is what I suspect.

Reba - I see much more baking in my future!! SO far I have used 2 teaspoons of it!

I will have to inspect the tank! First I will have to find the tank!

Valerie- I can use quite a bit of vanilla at Christmas if we are baking lots of treats to give as gifts, but these bottles are truly breath-taking. I cannot imagine that I could use them up before their expiration date without an all out effort on my part, but I am willing to take the challenge! I have no idea how Craig thought he could use them all up...none...whatsoever...

Linda - Biscotti is truly a gentle soul with the heart and mind of a DIVA! I am loving that she is still showing us what matters most - a nap in the sunshine, a place to sit and watch the world go by...good service. She still rings the bell to go out as if she is summoning front desk service at a fine hotel. First, a gentle ring, and then, if there is no immediate response (she allows about three seconds) she rings it as if summoning us from another country. We all think it is just the funniest thing - her majesty must not be kept waiting!

Love the story of combining households - I cannot imagine trying to merge households with Craig if I had just met him. First, just the very thought of what he might have accumulated on his own frightens me! Truly!! He was on his own for just a few short months and we have a lifetime supply of Ziploc baggies and vanilla, not to mention enough canned tuna to fees a few hundred cats. YIKES!

And "Do you know where my _____________ is?" could be Craig's theme song. He is constantly losing things - his keys, his wallet, the taxes...um...no joke. Luckily, almost everything that he loses he loses within either the house or his car! In fact - here's a funny story. Two years ago Craig lost the keys to his Prius - he had gone to Minnesota with the kids on a camping trip (the dogs and I stayed home), and when he got home he couldn't find his set of keys to his car - he had taken the minivan on his trip, and I had been driving his car but using my own set of keys. He looked everywhere - no keys. The kids and I looked everywhere - no keys. Craig ended up taking over my set of keys. SO, when we moved this year, I thought for sure that we would unearth those keys, but we never did. They were just...gone. A few nights ago Craig pulled into the driveway in the minivan, and he parked it right next to the Prius - very close to the Prius. The kids and I were on the screened in porch, which is right next to the driveway, so we were watching him pull in. As the driver's side door came level with the passenger door of the Prius guess what we heard? The Prius's doors unlocked! Craig jumps out of the van - did you hear that, he asks? Um...yes? My keys! My keys must be in the van door somewhere! And sure enough they were - tucked way down deep in the pocket of the front driver's side door. You know, now I remember putting them there, he says.

Joe - I know, right? What were they thinking? Still can't believe they got grown men to wear those things!

Glad that you and Reba and Linda liked the Biscotti story - it really is so cute to see her on that porch. She just walks up to the door and clicks her nails on the glass when she wants out there and then does the same thing when she wants back in - so cute!

And the pecans are delicious! I have always loved them, but they are even better fresh off the trees. I believe shaker machine drivers is the correct technical term, Joe! That's what I would use, anyway, and yes, a total bonus.

Reba - Oh, I LOVE that expression! I used to drop everything when Craig would lose something and we would search together until we found it, but as our marriage has matured I thought that perhaps my willingness to fix the problem was enabling him. So, now when he asks me where something is and I don't know, I just say that I don't know - and let him do the searching alone. Sounds kind of mean, but actually he is getting better about putting things where he knows he can find them. Now he only loses his wallet a few times a month instead of a few times a week!

Megan - LOL! I have that same addiction, and oh how sweet it is!

Lucy - Love that story! I would never have thought of pouring it directly on ice cream!

re the Vanilla, etc...did Craig by any chance discover Costco while you were still up north?

I can lose everything, within minutes of having just used it, too. As I age, I am more and more finding the right spot to put the important things. Like Keys - there is one correct place to put keys and I'm learning to put them there every time. Same for my meds, the dog collars, poop bags (for dog walking), etc. When you live alone, and you "lose" something, it is only you who will find it. And for me, sometimes that means DAYS later. I lost my Starbucks "gold" card (with money on it) for about a week. I also lost my Health Insurance card for same number of days. But they did turn up! One between the seat and the side of the car, the other on a counter I never use.

You are correct to stop "enabling" him; or "rescue". He will get better, too. Talks time, though.

*staggers in on fiery feet*
*plops down on a sofa*

Good day. Tired.Thank you for sending good energy my way..it mattered..tired... so tired. ouch.

Just a drive-by hello . . . *waves*

Reba - Such an insightful question. Sam's Club. And he already knew about it, but there is one right here in town, and in Indiana the closest one was in Indianapolis, which meant that he couldn't just swing by on his way home from work. LOL!

Karen - That's what I do - try to always put things in the same spot every time so that it becomes a habit, and then I do it without thinking about it when the schedule gets wonky or I have a bad day. It's so funny because everybody is so different. And so Craig tends to be disorganized with his "stuff", but so organized with his thought processes and so practical and meticulous about how he thinks about things. I tend to be more the opposite of that. The kids are really of mixture of the two of us - so interesting!

Kath - Sit down, sis. I will bring you a G&T and something good to munch on. Poor baby. Good work to go to a new job and work so hard today. Takes courage to go through a new doorway - I'm proud of you!

Terri -Waving back. Thanks for stopping by!

YOu know what, Mamie.. I did not feel for a minute that I was nervous of the job.. so no courage...
weird huh? Once I got my parking sorted, I was fine. Then it was just the pain.. I am so mad that I hurt myself again! But I wore the brace and it helped. Tomorrow.. I work 1-7. I will ice before work.

That is just so great, Kath! And excellent that you got the parking sorted - now you won't have to worry or think about that part at all. I hate that your ankle was hurting though. It's good that you don't have to be there first thing, and so you will have time to ice it before work - that is a great idea. Can you take something for it - does Advil or something like that help at all?

I have been eating aleve and ibuprofen like m&ms. No help.

Bummer! And don't eat them like m&ms.

Hi Mamie, it seems that you and the family are getting settled into Georgia nicely. I envy you the fresh pecans, do you know if they require any special storeage? My friend used to have a hazelnut tree in her yard and the nuts had to be stored where the air could still circulate around them, so they found stuffing them in pantyhose and hanging them from the rafters in the garage worked fine. Looked a little strange but kept the nuts from going moldy.

I bet the family is looking forward to all the home baking that will be done to use up that vanilla - Maybe Craig knew what he was doing after all!

Hi Judy! I don't know about the storage - I'll ask my neighbor. Good thinking! The nuts in the hose imagery is totally cracking me up!

And so true about the vanilla!

Sounds like you're settling in just fine Mamie. Your own pecans? How cool is that?

>186 Crazymamie: You know, now I remember putting them there, he says
lol, exasperated lol!

When I used to live with my sister it was like that. Every day the same drama of where the keys were. It was intense. I never lost my keys. And now I sometimes go to dump them somewhere random and convenient, and I think- no, ill put them where I always do instead, and Im always glad i did!

eta to confess that I do sometimes give the keys to Lenny to distract him....and I always regret it. One day I lost them for the whole day, had to use spare car keys and not lock house.....right at bedtime I was putting away the dishes and found them in the bottom of the cake tin drawer! Silly, but funny ;)

Hi Bonnie - I know, right?! I'm thrilled with absolutely everything!

Hey Megan! I always have to put them in the same place, too. So far, so good with the keys - the new plan is working! Next we'll work on the bank card - the last time he got a new bank card he shredded the new one and put the old one back in his wallet - how funny is that?! We are still laughing about it - he keeps us on our toes!

Oh no about Lenny and the keys! You are not alone - I think many of us have done that! Kids are just so great, aren't they? They make you laugh about things that you never would have thought of on your own!

Oh gosh... didn't manage to read every single post I was behind on, but I think I got most of the essentials. That description of Biscotti on the porch almost brought tears to my eyes. Seriously. It's such a gorgeous image, and so true that our critters often remind us of what's important in life.

Great story about the vanilla too! I only buy the genuine stuff and it costs an arm and a leg, so I can't imagine what a whole vat of it would set me back for! Also, now I get the organic stuff on top of it, so vanilla is truly a luxury item in my one-woman household, so it's a good thing I'm not trying to feed an entire family on it!

I loved that bit Linda shared with us about Will and her combining their homes past middle-age after each living alone for all those years. Sometimes I think I'll probably live like an old maid for the rest of my life, and with each year passing by I don't see how I could ever start making concessions for someone else after being so used to being in my own little world, but I guess people do it every day!

I came to the conclusion quite a while back that men are just incapable of looking for things. I mean, most of the time whatever they're asking you about it right there about to leap right into their face! lol

So I guess you'll have to get yourselves a few cats now to get through all that tuna eh? ;-)

I was so far behind from working this past weekend and I had out of town company. What a whirlwind your thread is Mamie. You must find a book called 1001 uses for vanilla. :)

I guessed Costco because (1) where else do you get things in those quantities and (2) I knew the closest one to you was in Indianapolis because we needed a Costco run while we were in Anderson this summer so I looked up the closest one. I've never belonged to Sams Club but I understand they're nearly the same.

Mamie, I asked my Dad about their gas, and he said they have two 100-lb tanks, which feed into the same valve and pipe. When tank 1 is empty, the system switches over to tank 2, a red symbol shows up in the valve and he calls the gas people who bring a new tank. Then when tank 2 is empty, it switches back over to tank 1, which is now a full new tank. And so on. So they have to look at the valve from time to time to check it, but they don't suddenly run out of gas (and after a while you will get to know how quickly you use it). He said if you have one tank, you can knock on it and it makes different noises depending on how full it is, or there is something you can stick onto the side of the tank and you pour hot water onto it and that tells you how full it is. As your house is very new, I suspect you will have a more sophisticated system than the knocking or the hot water!

Due to my inability to keep up lately, I missed the Vanilla story at first. LOL poor Craig!
There are lots of things you can put vanilla in... even coffee! coke..maybe a drop in milk? And as for the expiration date.. I think thats hooey. Vanilla lasts forever. I agree, the little bottles are too little! There is a place I like to go in Ohio that has a store where you can get a decent size bottle of vanilla.. it is a bulk food place. It's just right!

Keys.. we are pretty lucky... neither of us have key issues, typically. I am fussy about handbags. I like mine to have an outside pocket. A good deep one. That is where I keep my keys. Glad Craig found his :)

Nut storage.. good question...

gas tank? something else to get used to! Luck with that :)

It sounds like all is well there.. ... and that is good news!

Just checking in to say Hi Mamie! Lovely image of Biscotti sitting out on the porch and enjoying the breeze. My parents' dog used to enjoy having some time on his own in the garden every day just lying on the patio and looking at everything.

Popping in to say Hi and read about all your adventures. Amused and touched as usual. : ) Glad the move-in is going so well.

Hi, Mamie. Looking forward to hearing the answer to the nut storage problem. :-) Enjoying the tales of Hacienda Mamie.

The story of Craig and the keys resonated. I rarely actually LOSE things, but I constantly put them 'safe' places and promptly forget unless I stop and say. "I've put the keys in this pocket." or whatever. Then I do hang on to it just fine. But I have to take that step. Which, since I get distracted and flummoxed easily, I don't always do.....

Ilana - So lovely to see you here and glad that you have been enjoying the stories I have shared. Biscotti is doing so well, and it has been wonderful to see her settle in and really enjoy the new house. She just seems, like the rest of us, to really love it. The funny thing is that while I thought the screened in porch would be a wonderful place that we could all enjoy, I never stopped to think about how much the dogs would love it - especially Biscotti. It has been ideal that she should find such a haven for this last bit of her journey with us, and I am so thankful that we could provide it for her.

Glad you liked the vanilla story - and it was the genuine article, although not the brand that I usually buy. SO yes, I'm sure it was expensive even though he bought it in bulk. We will be sure not to waste it, and already I am getting new ideas from everyone here about how to use it up!!

I loved Linda's story, too. I am sure that the older you get, the harder it would be to combine households with someone else. You develop your own routine and your own way of doing things. Even your own system of organization. I can't imagine Craig and I trying to combine households if we met now as opposed to when we were young. YIKES!

"I came to the conclusion quite a while back that men are just incapable of looking for things." LOL! Craig is very good at looking for things; he just isn't very good at finding them!

And no, no cats for us, unfortunately, as we have allergy issues. But I do love them and so I enjoy them vicariously on the threads where lots of people such as yourself are lovely enough to share your kitties. So please give Mimi some gentle strokes from me.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such wonderful comments!

Roberta - You're so right - I could use that book! And I bet your thread will be a whirlwind next year when you start one here. I know that I will be a frequent visitor!

Reba - I have never been to Costco, but yes, I think it is exactly the same as Sam's Club. Craig loves places like that - he is completely charmed by the large quantities. We used to buy a lot of baking goods there when the kids were younger because I did a lot of baking to benefit the local school system. I would bake up big baskets of stuff - muffins, cookies, biscotti - and package them individually, then drop them off in the front offices of the schools. The office ladies would sell the baked goods and the proceeds went to help put books in the library, buy AR tests, offset the costs of field trips - stuff like that. They could sell however much I could bake, so although it doesn't sound like much, we actually made hundreds of dollars each week.

Susan - Thanks so much for taking the time to ask your Dad about the gas tank! You are so sweet! The two tank system sounds like a good one. I think we only have one tank. And the knocking on the tank cracks me up - like trying to find a good melon! Now I am picturing me standing out at the tank in my robe and slippers, knocking on the tank trying to determine if there is enough gas to prepare Big Breakfast! Wouldn't that be a sight for the neighbors!! I definitely need to figure this out because I cannot be running out of gas while cooking - that would be such a bummer! When we looked at houses down here, a gas stove was a must have for us because we did not want to have to mess around with getting gas set up at the house. It was amazing how many houses that knocked out - gas for cooking is just not that popular in this particular area evidently.

Were all the houses in your area built at the same time by the same developer? If so, you might find that neighbours have a similar system, and you may well all be with the original supplier (consumer inertia!). Otherwise you could try ringing around the local suppliers and asking if they have an account for your property - I have heard of people doing that here when they become responsible for properties and can't get information from the previous occupant. Someone will be billing you at some point - they should be keen to tell you! I'm sure there must be a way of having a non-stop gas supply, or it would soon cease to be popular with householders :-)

Never been to Costco Mamie??? That is probably one of my favourite places to go, but of course that is bad for the wallet. I always have a list when I go, but it's actually quite pointless because by the end of my trips, I always walk out with a cartful of stuff that was never on my list....most of the times it's books, but lets keep that just between us. ;)

My hubby is truly dangerous at Costco (or the regular super market for that matter). He keeps piling in things he likes, or that just look attractive to him, regardless of how long they will keep, whether the quantity is anything close to what we can eat, etc. and he's SO disappointed when I explain that most of it will go to waste so can we pluleeze get a smaller one (or none at all) :-)

Kath - Good thinking! Drinks! So now I can enjoy a vanilla Diet Coke - why do I never think about doing that at home? And the expiration date is hooey? I am a complete nut about expiration dates...I'll work on it. And I never buy those tiny bottles for vanilla, but I usually don't buy it by the jug either. And I have two of them!

I'm glad Craig found his keys, too - now I can have mine back! Although I never drive his Prius unless forced - I really hate that car. I am short, and it is very hard to see out the back of it for me. I also don't like how it drives in the rain and the snow - not that I have to worry about the snow down here.

Need to look into the nut storage and how to monitor the gas...working on that.

So...al IS well here, thanks for checking on me. You are at work right now, and I am wondering how your second day is going. I hope that your ankle is feeling better today. You did ice it, right?

Heather - Lovely to see you! Biscotti loves to sit out there; it makes her so happy, and she will spend hours lying in the sun. She also just loves to look out at the back gardens and watch the world go by. I wonder what she thinks about?

Please pet your lovely kitty for me and give her my love.

Kim! How ARE you? Feeling better, I hope. So great to see you back on the threads - we missed you! Thanks for your kind words - you always say the nicest things.

Joe - I'm checking into it, and I will report back! And Hacienda Mamie - I LIKE!!

Lucy - I have done that before - in fact that is what usually happens with at least one Christmas present. I hide it from the kids in some clever place so wittingly selected that even I can't solve the mystery of where I put it! But this usually only happens with gifts, not with everyday items. I will have to try your trick of saying it out loud - or stop hiding the presents!

Susan - I am guessing no to that question about the houses being built by the same developer just because the houses don't all look the same and although we live in an edition, it is not a typical edition. Our house was built in 2005. I think I will have Craig call the former owners, who I believe are still in town for a few more days. They can at least tell us what they did about the gas - I am sure there is a way to have non-stop gas available, but that is not how it is currently set up. When we run out, we have to call the gas company, and then they come and refill the tank. I am just wondering if there is a way to tell that we need a refill soon without actually running it all out. I do know that another house that we looked at had a buried gas tank and they did have it set up so that it was automatically refilled. That's what I want, but it will probably cost us some money.

Valerie - Nope. Never been to Costco, but I have spent many hours in Sam's Clubs, which is essentially the same thing. We have the same list problem that you do when we shop there!! And I love seeing all that stuff!

Reba - Okay, your husband and mine should never be allowed to go to the market together! I suspect they are kindred souls!!

Just got back from Costco -- went in with one reusable bag because all we were going for was cereal and lettuce -- came out with a cart full -- but this time it was largely my fault :-)

I hate going to Costco with the hubster... he goes there for lunch on Saturdays after we've been to the gym. While I'm working down my list for stuff that we buy in bulk, I look around the both the hubster and cart will be invariably be missing ...and I'm off on the hubster/cart hunt. I've learned now that I only have to bother looking down the aisles, I just have to smell my way to each sampling stand and i WILL find him either standing in line for a sample of whatever it is they're handing out, or munching away by the cart, (and eyeing the line if he really likes it and is trying to figure out if he should go back for seconds). If he sees me, he waves me over .. and asks if I want a sample for myself, most of the time the answer is no, and then he'll grin and ask if I will go get a sample for him because he's already been TWICE and is a little embarrassed!

>223 cameling: LOVE it!! My guy does the disappearing act in the regular supermarket. I keep the cart myself (besides I like to use it to carry my leaden purse around) and just wait for him after check-out.

Mamie - noticed that amid your busy life you haven't managed to read anything yet this month. Is it because there is simply too much of Murakami or just that the Pecan Paradisio is in need of your homing touches?

Reba - An honest shopper! I always come out with more than I went in for, too.

Caro - Okay, that is exactly what always happens to me except it is Craig and all of the kids that go missing! They take the cart when all they are really doing is feasting throughout the store, and I am left hunting through the aisles with my arms piled full of whatever it was that we came in for. Sometimes I just send Craig and the kids on their own, but that can be VERY dangerous. We used to make Sam's Club runs to Indy, and eventually we stumbled onto the perfect solution- Craig and Dan dropped the girls and I off at the bookstore where we perused to our heart's delight while the menfolk picked up the goodies from Sam's. Then we both kept our mouths shut about the other's purchases!

Reba - Craig and I are very different types of shoppers, so we try to keep shopping together to a minimum as it is not really enjoyable for either of us to do it together.

Paul - I know. I know. I think both. The Murakami is big and needs my full focus, although I am really enjoying the skewed reality. It was a slow starter for me, but has really taken off and picked up pace in the last half. And Pecan Paradisio needs my attention, too, but we are getting closer. Still dealing with some boxes trying to decide how to use certain spaces. Often when we have finished working on the house, I find I am just too mentally tired for reading, so I have been watching a bit more tv than I normally do. I think I will be back on track in November, at least I hope so.

Mamie, Mamie, Mamie, I just can not keep up with your busy threads! Just now, went back to the previous thread and saw your BE AU Ti Ful new home. I wish all of you much happiness in it. And the backyard! Yowzaa! It's a golf course! I bet the pooches are happier than ever! *housewarming hugs*

Mamie- Nut storage? Oh, never mind. We like Sam's Club, I just wish it wasn't connected to Wal-Mart, the evil empire!
"I am just too mentally tired for reading". Mamie, Mamie, Mamie! Walks away shaking his head...

I am laughing at all the COSTCO/Sam's Club stories. I have the same experience. Lists are useless. My car is barely big enough to hold all the stuff I seem to find there and my family is usually off somewhere tasting something. However, I usually manage to keep the cart! LOL.

I am so glad you are enjoying 1Q84. I kinda missed out on the whole group read even though I read it for a class last spring. Thoroughly loved it!

My step dad, Walter.. and my nephlet Oliver both fans of Costco samples..

I am only barely caught up... glad to see all is well!

Mamie, only loosely "caught up" after being 138 posts behind....
You should definitely be able to set something up with the gas company so that you don't have to run out to know that you need more! When we still had an oil tank (just replaced it in 2011 with natural gas line), we had a contract with the company such that they came out once a month and filled our tank and billed us for however much it took to fill. So we paid for what we used and we never ran out.

Skimming way back up, I didn't realize that Murakami had written so many novels! I have yet to read one, but keep planning to read Kafka on the Shore first since I own it and some folks have said it's a good starting place with him. You said it would be your next novel by him ---- I'll try to keep track of what you're up to, Mamie, so that when you read it I might read along with you.

I assume your new house and new community are starting to feel a bit familiar? Have you driven somewhere and realized you were driving on "auto pilot" rather than having to think about each required turn along the route?

I can't go to places like Costco - no big box stores really. I have no idea how to describe it, but I immediately go into a state somewhere between severe anxiety and catatonia. Even a very big supermarket can be a bit difficult. I have to stare at the floor as much as possible..... Some kind of over-stimulation?

HI Mamie!
Hope everything is going well in your new home!
Your dogs and kids sound like they are adjusting just fine :)

Lucy I know what you mean. I've have that experience when I try to go to electronics superstores like Fry's. For years I avoided Costco but then needed to bring snacks to church one Sunday and couldn't think of a better place so we rejoined --- now we're hooked on some things only available there and I've gotten quite used to it.

Mamie, now that we're retired my hubby likes his "outings" so we almost always shop together now. It's OK, just takes some managment on my part lol

My trips to Costco are "managed" very carefully. I do not have money to throw to them; so I go with a list. And I know that I will allow myself one or two things beyond it; and I keep a running rough total of how much I'm spending as I go along. But nonetheless, sometimes you just can't help yourself. Last spring I bought two blue berry bushes which were the joy of my summer. Picked berries off them daily.

Hi Mamie,
Adding my hellos to the bunch, and hoping the reading space in your brain increases soon. You realise, it cant go on like this. Quick- read something- anything. The back label on a cleaning bottle. You'll see you can take it in...then extend it to a page, then 100. Easy aye?

Boy I missed lots in a few days :)

Loved all the stories... Biscotti, pecan harvesting (who knew??), vanilla jugs, car keys!

I've enjoyed more than a few smiles catching up here!

Mamie

See how blessed we are that you found the 75 challenge group! What a lively, loving thread you have.

Well said Linda and ditto. You are a pretty vital component of the group yourself too you know.

Looking for our Mamie...

Mamie, it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't seen your thread in a while so I checked my 'ignored threads' list and there it was - must have pressed the wrong button by accident. I can commiserate with you needing to find everything - it's the same in our house and I take a similarly hard line approach.

Hope all is well in Mamieland! Still busy unpacking the PODS and discovering even more "forgotten" bookshelves?? ;)

Just a hello Mamie. Came by to catch up a little. Really shouldn't be on LT right now, so I've got nothing particularly interesting to contribute I'm afraid. I'll get the threads up for Travels with Charley and The Pearl shortly. Might you join us on one or both of those?

eta: for all those interested, I've just now created the discussion threads for The Pearl: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144208 and Travels with Charley: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144209 our two Steinbeckathon short reads this month.

You can join either one or both—I know I've planned to read both as I loved The Pearl the first time around, and I've been looking forward to reading Travels with Charley for a long time!

Lynda - So fabulous to see you here! Thanks so much for your kind words and for the hugs. We are settling in nicely, and yesterday we even managed to hang some pictures on the wall. I feel like it's coming together slowly but surely, and I definitely feel like I have arrived at "home". Really loving the entire experience and feel like I should pinch myself daily to make sure it's all real. We have been so blessed.

Thinking often of both you and your Mom and sending my best wishes your way.

Mark - I'm not a big fan of Walmart either. And I know (about the reading) - November will be much better I think. Of course, how could it get any worse since I finished zero books in October?! YIKES! I WILL do better. Don't despair.

Kim - See? You do a better job than I do because you manage to hang onto the cart! I am still working on IQ84, but I am oh so very close to the end. Then I'll need at least a week to mull it all over - what a ride!

Kath - Thanks for checking up on me! You are a great sis! Today and yesterday were crazy busy, but in a good way. Yesterday we worked on the house quite a bit and made great headway. Today the kids and I were invited to hang out with some moms that try to get together every week at alternating houses just to chat and share stories. The kids range from college age to just turned one, so a very diverse group, but everyone got along really well. The moms were all very nice and the kids had a lot of fun. We have been invited back next week, and we will go, so good; very good.

Hi Mamie- Hey, you've been extremely busy, I completely understand. You will catch up. You are a devoted reader.

Ellen - That's a good thought about the gas company, too. I just need to find out what my options are, and then chose the best one.

I would love to read Kafka on the Shore together! I love hearing other people's thoughts as they read because it helps me catch things I might miss on my own. I also think it is just so interesting to gather thoughts on a shared subject -this is such a wonderfully diverse group and so I always learn a lot. I think that's why I love the group reads so much even though I usually lag behind in the actual reading.

I am slowly getting my bearings. I haven't driven any place on auto pilot yet, but I am sure that very soon Target will be that way. I have only gotten turned around once since we have been here, so really that is awesome for me because we lived in Yorktown for seventeen years, and I could still manage to get lost. I have not a stellar sense of direction!

Lucy - That makes sense. Just too much information - Rae hates big stores, too. I have a hard time in places like Lowes where the overhead lights make that buzzing noise. I can't shut that out for some reason, and it gives me a really bad headache and makes me a bit crazy. I have to limit my shopping there to in and out - no browsing.

Chelle! Look at you taking the time to visit me! Thanks for that. We are loving the new home and getting to know the community which has been great so far. I am looking forward to having all of the boxes out of here and not having any major organizing to do - we're getting there.

Reba - With Craig and I, it really depends on what we're shopping for. I like going with him when we have a specific mission - we are very good together at shopping like that. I do not enjoy browsing with him unless we are in a bookstore. We just have completely different methods of shopping. We do well if we just split up and agree to meet back at such and such a time.

Karen - I know. Almost impossible to get out of there with only the items on the list. But blueberry bushes - YES! That was a great buy!

I love that you appear to have found a social group to ease your way into your new community, Mamie. I'm of course not surprised that they invited you and the kids back again next week. You guys are such lovely and gregarious people, you're going to be the life of the party.

Megan - Agreed. I can't go on this way. I'll try your method right away and report back!!

Tina - Smiles? Then my mission is accomplished! Glad you liked the stories and enjoyed catching up - thanks so much for taking the time to do so. Hope all is well with you.

Linda - Thank you, dear sweet lady! I feel blessed to have found all of you! What a wonderful group of individuals this is!

Paul - Thank you, kind sir! And agreed that Linda is a vital component to this group - as are you!

*waves at Kath*

Rhian - I have done that before, too - I think it happens a lot when I try to LT on my iPad. I am slowly but surely finding my stuff! And it feels SO good!!

Valerie - Mamieland is alive and well and coming along nicely! The POD is completely unpacked and has been picked up and returned to its home location - so now we are PODless! We are still finding homes for all of our books, but oh what a lovely chore that is! We founs a family to take our HUGE sectional that would not fit into the living room - and they were thrilled to have it, so a win/win situation. Love when that happens!

Ilana - Thanks for setting up both of those threads and for posting the links to them here. I will be reading both of those books as I jump back into action in the Steinbeckathon. I read The Pearl a very, very long time ago (high school), and I remember liking it. I have not read Travels With Charley although it has been in my library for a while, so I am very much looking forward to that one.

Caro - Thanks for that! We will try to live up to your wonderful comments. It was a fun time - and we got to try boiled peanuts for the first time! Dan and I loved them and the girls...not so much. The lady who hosted is famous for her pound cake, and let me tell you, it was a thing of beauty. And utterly delicious.

I loved boiled peanuts!!!! I haven't had that in a really really long time ...... and now you're making me consider driving out to the supermarket, breaking in, grabbing a big bag of peanuts, leaving them some money and dashing home and making them for myself.

They are delicious! I think you should go for it!

Ahem...^^!

Mamie ... get bail money ready please .... in case I get arrested for B&E a supermarket for peanuts.

Mark!! So sorry, my friend!! LOL! I somehow managed to completely miss your post. Thanks for the encouraging words! I AM a devoted reader, and devoted member of the 75 - I promise not to shame you guys. I will work hard this month to deliver - and like I said, the only place I have to go is up! On the bright side, my October Stats should be REALLY easy!!

Caro - I will have bail money ready. You can count on me!

You can put the bail money aside for another day, Mamie ... the hubster has nixed my plans... he offered up a peanut butter dark chocolate malted shake instead. :-)

Hi, Mamie! I am so glad you are happily settling in! Cool beans!

Looking forward to your reading comments once you can get back to it. The Team of Rivals group read thread is off and running with some very interesting perspectives! http://www.librarything.com/topic/143910

Read it if you can find the time, even if you are not reading the book!

ETA: link to group discussion

Caro - I'll just keep it in reserve, shall I?!

Hi Karen - I have actually been following the TOR GR thread; I just haven't commented as I have only read the intro so far. Interesting stuff - I had no idea about the trouble Goodwin had gotten into previously. Thanks for organizing the whole thing! How was your Egan thing - wasn't that tonight?

Mamie, the Egan thing was on Tuesday evening and I enjoyed it very much. He is very enthusiastic about his subjects and makes listening to the stories very entertaining. And for every story he told on Tuesday there were more in the book. A great book, and one of my best reads of the year, I think.

I am enjoying TOR a good deal also. I seem to be on a big American history kick recently!

Goodwin trouble? I had no idea.. I guess I will have to look in on that thread when I can. I enjoyed that one a lot when I read it a few years ago, and since thought that I would like to read more of her work...

I have similar issues in large stores ( sometimes small ones ) and TOTALLY get the buzzing lights thing. That used to be a problem.. that and flickering lights, where I worked. I am sure that some of the kids were affected too.

When I go to Lowe's or Costco.. I know exactly what I want/need. I know where it is and I go straight to it, grab and bo. I am sometimes waylaid by things that catch my eye on the way, but still manage to be online in under 15 minutes most times. (Unless I'm with my sister. )

When I can I use the smaller local hardware stores. I actually like the one in Ambridge, and have often thought that is one retail job I wouldn't mind. Crazy huh?

I am so so glad that I didn't have to end up taking the job at the clothing store. I would have HATED it. Hated. It.

Karen - So glad you enjoyed it. Sounds like it was very interesting. The only thing that I have read by him is The Worst Hard Time, but I would like to change that. I have him in my sights for next year.

American history kick? I am fascinated by American history and love reading about it!

Kath - I didn't know either, and it didn't have anything to do with the TOR book. I would still read more of her work - I like her and think she has a deep love for history.

I love the smaller, independent stores - so much personality, and I really like to support local retailers when I can. I don't think working in a small local hardware store is crazy - I could see you doing that! ANd I'm glad that you didn't end up working at the clothing store, too! SO happy that you got the job that you wanted - those lucky library patrons!

I just went and read what was posted. It's a shame it happened... but I agree. It won't keep me from reading more of her work. She has such an engaging way of presenting history, unlike Meacham. I will not read another of his again! :P

Oh and thanks for not thinking I'm crazy about the hardware store.. lol. But I am pretty happy about the library .. you are just too nice to me !

Oh dear, I have Meacham's book on Andrew Jackson in the TBR. Maybe that one is better than the Thomas Jefferson one?

Hope today is a good one for you, sis - full of fabulous!