Richardderus thread 30 for 2012

Decorate! Celebrate! It's the Solstice!

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

My last thread for 2012, so it's time to muse. As of 12/12/12, I've written 209 reviews this year in multiple categories. Here in the 75er forum, I've posted about half, and over in the What Are You Reading Now? forum I've posted the rest.

Most folks don't seem too hesitant about clicking on links I post in different threads connecting them directly to a review, no matter the forum it's in. That's good, because I don't really want to try to bookhorn more reviews into my threads here.Possibly it won't be to some tastes that locating and reading my reviews will require actual attention to the content and not mere existence of posts, but I can't help that.

I want to treat the Short Story collection challenge as a ticker-to-itself thread, thinking 36 reviews as my goal. I'll keep the thread over in the Short Stories forum.

The 75 challenge, next year, will be non-fiction and non-genre-fiction books published in 2012 and 2013, plus recommendations from other 75ers.

I'm going to keep a mystery-genre thread over in Crime, Thriller, and Mystery forum, with a goal of 50 reviews. Way way way too many of my reviews this year, in all forums, were mysteries and thrillers, and while I love them, I don't want to get too rut-ified and read only those books while keeping up my self-made review writing census.

Orphans will still catch all the other reading, over in the What Are You Reading Now? forum, like this year. Thinking 60 reviews as my target.

Altogether that's a target of ~225 reviews, and this year I'm on track for 210-plus. I think I can do it.

My 2012 NEW books ticker:




Previous reviews:

Book 1...thread two.
Books 2 & 3...thread three.
Book 4...thread four.
Books 5 & 6...thread five.
Books 7-10...thread six.
Books 11-24...thread seven.
Books 25-31...thread eight.
Books 32-34...thread nine.
Books 35 & 36...thread ten.
Books 37-42...thread 11.
Books 43-53...thread 12.
Books 54 & 55...thread 13.
Books 56 & 57...thread 14.
Books 58-60...thread 15.
Books 61-64...thread 16.
Books 65-68...thread 17.
Books 69-71...thread 18.
Books 72-74...thread 19.
Books 75-77...thread 20.
Books 78 & 79...thread 21.
Books 80 & 81...thread 22.
Books 82 & 83...thread 23.
Books 84-86...thread 24.
Books 87-90...thread 25.
Books 91-98...thread 26.
Books 99-102...thread 27.
Books 103-105...thread 28.
Book 106...thread 29.

My 2012 ORPHANED books ticker:




Pearl Ruled:



14. Beautiful Ruins...thread 18.

15. The Lies of Locke Lamora
16. The Hunger Games...in my Orphans thread.
18. Keeper of Light and Dust...Orphans thread, #196.

17. Equal of the Sun...thread 21.
19. Superclass...thread 23.

20. Narcopolis...thread 24, post #297.

21. Strings Attached...#255.

22. A Place Beyond Courage...#36.

24. Where'd You Go, Bernadette?...#184.

25. The Crossing Places...#178.

26. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared...#184.

Books are reviewed in post:

107. Fra Keeler...#132.

108. Two for Joy...#165.

109. The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise...#215.

Too early? Am I first?

Hi Laura! You're first, but it's always nice to have visitors.

Lovely new thread here, Richard! The Grinch quote is fabulous- love that story!

Hey RD- Congrats on # 30! Wow! Very impressive and as popular as ever. Love the fireplace and bookshelves. Has a nice manly look.

>7 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I've always like that story, too. Glad you're here!

>8 msf59: Hey Mark, isn't that a handsome room? Looks so cozy and inviting to me. Welcome to the dirty thirty!

I love the Grinch. Just got a copy from the library to read aloud to the 4 yo upstairs, my honorary nephew.

I think your reading goals for next year are admirable and INSANE!! Good luck, cuz I love the reviews! : )

>10 Chatterbox: That will be so much fun! Be sure to squeak and giggle when you're reading Cindy Lou Who.

>11 Berly: Thank you, Berly-boo! I'm glad that you do. *smooch*

I love the look of those leather chairs in the photo, but I would need chair-side tables for snacks, tea, more books, more snacks, etc.!

I suspect there's a table between the chairs, Lisa, but it's WOEFULLY inadequate. And despite the lamp clipped on the high shelf near the door and aimed at the left-hand chair, I **insist** on a reading lamp.

Good evening, Richard dear! Love the first picture of ornaments greeting me in this thread--so festive!

Hi Roni! *smooch* Happy Yule!

RD - I'll be surprised if this is the last thread of 2012 for you unless you are going to jump ship to 2013 early and leave us all stranded! Your various links to reviews and the short story challenge are always a fascination and whether a eulogy or a dismissal your reviews are unremittingly readable.

>17 PaulCranswick: Why thank you Paul! Lovely sentiments, and much appreciated.

I dunno, though. My threads are good for about ten days to two weeks, and that takes us to xmas, after which Jim will crank up the 2013 forum, so...maybe...I can eke it out.

Oh you just know we're not going to let you do that :)

I have to admit that I snorked a bit when I read that this will be your last thread for 2012, too. We'll see, eh?
At any rate, Happy Wednesday, Richard!

(Love your pink balls up top... *giggle*)

Hi Richard:) Very festive start to the thread. Hope you are having a good day.

Last thread of the year----silly pronouncement. I heard that last year. And dammit, Amber stole my pink balls joke!!

Last Thread of 2012.. Hmmm I am wondering if that is just wishful thinking. ;) LOL.. Hugs to you Richard...

Enjoyed your musings, Richard, but I'm also thinking this won't be your last thread of the year.

>19 BekkaJo: through 24...okay. All right. Y'all done tore it now. I don't care if this thread gets to be five hundred posts long! This is IT! No More!!

I was waiting to see who'd be first to make the pink balls joke...c'mon down, Amber, and collect your prize!



And for Linda3rd, thw runner-up:



I was up very late gobbling down a first-in-series mystery. Review later.

I WON I WON I WON!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Waaaaaiiiit a minute - who stole a big chunk of my cake?!?!

*smacksmack* ...mmmffft? *gulp* What was that, dear? Peppermint schnapps chocolate cake distracts me.

Yes, thank you, I'd like a piece of that cake. BTW, Louise Penny's first book is going under the Christmas tree for my former Sister-In-Law who loves to read mysteries. I hope she loves it. Thanks for having put me on to a fine series there.

*throws some air kisses in RD's direction*

>28 maggie1944: You must like her a great deal to be so kind! As for cake, consult Amber...it's hers, now that I've had my teensy little taste. *ahem*

*smooch*

Peppermint schnapps chocolate cake distracts me.
Oh! Yes please!!!!!!

I know!! Right, avidmom?! *drool*



Yuletide Wishes!

Okay everyone, just back away from the cake...

You heard the lady! Back away from the peppermint schnapps Devil's Food cake iced with cream-cheese peppermint candy icing!

*burp*

*hides plate and fork behind back*

*grabs the sad remains of cake and leaves in a huff*

There was cake?

>35 scaifea: *waves a sad little goodbye to the crumbs he was planning to lick off the plate*

>36 Crazymamie: "Was" being the operative word.

Sorta caught up....
kinda

Pink cake envy

xo

My youngest turns 16 in a week. Is it possible to get the recipe for that cake????? He always wants a "Christmas-y cake" for his birthday!

Richard, I love the images of the old fashioned holiday decorations. My grandmother lived in an old victorian style home with a wrap around porch and pocket doors separating the parlor from the living room.

As I child I remember that she kept the pocket doors closed during the winter, except when Christmas time arrived and we decorated the tree in the parlor. How I wish I had some of her old, old delicate ornaments.

I would hold them and think of some very nice memories.

The cake looks great. Will you entertain a lot this holiday season?

I guess I am too late for cake :-(

Hi Richard!

I was really hoping for some cake. Will there be cake tomorrow, Richard?

The heck with the cake, I want the victorian style home with the wrap around porch, and pocket doors to the parlor where the Christmas tree is set up! What a perfect picture! I could do a great deal of good reading in that house.

Cake: Box of devil's food cake mix, any brand, with their measurements of oil OR 1/3c if they don't mention it

package directions quantity of eggs plus one

box of chocolate pudding, the cooked kind not instant

1/2c peppermint schnapps

1c sour cream

--beat eggs, schnapps, and sour cream until combined not frothy
--add pudding and STIR until creamy
--fold in cake mix until batter looks like patent leather

Bake as directed for 9in rounds. A slight variation for this is to remove to cool when the tester is wet but not clumpy with batter, instead of a clean tester. Cool completely, then ice. I don't recommend splitting the layers to make 4 fancy thin layers unless you're *really* good at it.

Icing: 1 stick of butter

1/2 block cream cheese (not whipped, not soft, plain ol' brick-like cream cheese) 4oz total

1T peppermint schnapps

2t vanilla extract

2 drops red food coloring (won't be luridly pink like the photo, but will still be pink)

4c powdered sugar

12-15 peppermints, crushed (unwrap, Ziploc, hammer, wail on 'em)

Take the butter and cream cheese out before starting the whole prep, unwrap them, put them in a large bowl on the counter to soften. I don't care where you live, a couple hours on the counter won't spoil them, and zapping them in the nuke will.

When the cakes are cooling, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add schnapps, red color, and vanilla. Beat to combine.

Add powdered sugar 1c at a time, beating on lowest speed the mixer will keep moving at, until smooth after each addition. If you want a more lurid pink, add another drop after the first sugar addition, but more than that and it starts to look like Santa's undies.

After the last sugar addition is smoothed in, hand-stir in 1/2 of the peppermint chunks. I like small chunks and powdery stuff, but you might want something more chewy (why I don't know, but some do) with bigger bits.

Ice the cakes *heavily* and sprinkle 1/2 the remaining peppermint bits over the bottom layer and down its sides, then put the top layer on and do the same. I don't use the twee little whole rounds as decoration, it makes me feel like a fool, but do it if you want. O.o

Refrigerate if possible. Sets the icing up all nice.

>38 mckait: Not too much to catch up on around here, except pink cake and recipe.

>39 avidmom: See below. I don't make it the way the picture shows, because the decorations are too twitzy-twee for me, and splitting cake layers needs fishing line and a lazy susan both of which I gave away.

>40 Whisper1: Hi Linda! Oh how dear a memory...such a cool way to spend your holidays, in a lovely old home like that.

>41 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! *smooch*

>42 Crazymamie: mmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaybe...IF I'm in the mood...

;-)

>43 maggie1944: I myownself want both!

There is no way I'm moving again, so I would settle for the cake. Here's hoping that you're in the mood, dear one. *leaves behind a silver hip flask filled with G&T*

I'm fully elozable. *swig* Cake there shall be.

I've written my 210th review of the year, of the Botswana-set gritty thriller A Carrion Death, in my Orphans thread...post #295.

Excellent - as was your review. I've thumbed it. I'll be back for the cake!

Thanks for the thumb! Here's the cake a little early:

Ok.....I'm dropping by, nice pics, great thoughts and num nums......smooches...

Thanks for the recipe, Richard! :)

I've been busy over on my own thread building a cupcake army of minions to protect any other cakes that may come into my possession... Just be warned...

Not a fan of fruitcake...but that one is pretty :)

Peppermint icing???? NOT right... sorry. Pretty, but not right.

I thnk I'm in sugar shock.

I think the peppermint frosting looks delish! On a chocolate cake? Wow! And maybe even better on a white cake :)

2> I LOVE the Grinch!!! Great quote, Richard, and nice new thread. I will try to actually read through some of the content this weekend......
xo my dear

Thanks for the recipe dearest! I shall be making that one day!!

>51 tututhefirst: Hi Tina! *smooch*

>52 avidmom: No problem, hope he likes it.

>53 scaifea: OOO cupcakes, be right there to eat them too!

>54 mckait: It's from Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas. People RAVE about that fruitcake. I do not know why. It's dry as a popcorn fart and has about the same smell.

>55 BekkaJo: Pretty, and delicious. Try it before dismissing it!

>56 ffortsa: There's insulin in the fridge, Judy, help yourself.

>57 mckait: It is delish, and you know how I feel about chocolate. Mint and peanut butter are the only reasons I'll eat it.

>58 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! *smooch* for whizzing through despite being busy!

>59 ChelleBearss: It's really moist and dense and scrumdiddlyumptious, Chelle, so I hope it's a success for you.

#61 More for you my dear! Certain mint foods (mints/sauce aside) are my no-no list. Also when I glanced back at the recipe I was suddenly terrified by mis-reading a LITRE of schnapps. That would be some very different icing...

Since all the foodies tend to hang out on your thread - anyone have any ideas for a Gingerbread castle/creation to win a baking competition against my Bro-in-Law? I may have been rather drunk when I agreed to do it!

Depends on who the judge is. I say make a brick of gingerbread, ice it with cream cheese icing, and stick a tag with a bribe written on it on top!

Hmmm... judges may be my sister- so his wife. And my husband - his best mate. Tricky...

Sister: Childcare at no reciprocation for one date night.

Husband: If you can't imagine a bribe to get your husband's full and complete attention and cooperation, then you're married to the wrong man.

Lol - very true... he wouldn't dare vote against me ;)

>54 mckait:, 61 Agree about the Collin Street fruitcake. The absolute best in the world is from Claxton, GA. http://www.claxtonfruitcake.com/index.php

Heard an interview, maybe with them (Claxton) last night on public radio and it made me want one.

cake please?

It's up there! Fruitcake! Still plenty of it. Plenty plenty.

Wow,
hi Richard just stopping by to wish you a great weekend :)
I absolutely loved the photos of you and Stella on your previous thread - yes, I am that far behind :)

And I seriously loved and will thumb your review of The Girl who circumnavigated Fairyland in a ship of her own making!
Thank you again for a wonderful review *very big smile*

Hi Bianca! Glad to see you, and very pleased you liked my review. What a wonderful book.

Richard, I was able to obtain a copy of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a ship of her own making. I'm going to read it in the next few days.

Your review was wonderful.

>74 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! *smooch*

Simply inspired to put up the fruitcake, as it will never be "all gone" due to the renowned self-replicating characteristic of all fruitcakes!

And somewhere I saw a cartoon about not shipping any fruitcake until it passed the ceiling adhesiveness test....

Morning Richard! Fruitcake..um, no, that is just wrong. There is a radio station in Indiana that holds this big contest every year. People have to call in to win ornaments that have a piece of paper inside telling them what they have won. Some of the prizes are really big. Anyway, on the day of the giveaway, the winners have to show up in person to smash their ornament and see what they have won. Guess what they use to smash the ornaments? Yep - fruitcake!!!

No surprise there, Mamie, fruitcake is HORRIBLE. Once upon a time, a local grocery chain in Austin put out a line of xmas ice cream flavors. For the Hispanic market, there was Buñuelos...delicious fritters made with queso fresco and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar...for the Murrikins, there was Fruit Cake in vanilla ice cream.

Guess which one showed up the next year, alone.

So how about a Japanese xmas cake, with ice cream inside?

*grabs a fork and digs in*

OK, RD, I picked up a copy of The Girl Who Circumnavigated, probably the unlikeliest recommendation I've ever gotten from you. I'm nearing the end of Gun Machine, which is full of unlikely coincidences but otherwise good.

>80 jnwelch: Gun Machine sounds intriguing. Will you be reviewing when finished?

Just stoppin in to see what you're up to. Same shenanigans I see :)
That japanese cake looks good...

>83 richardderus: Yessiree, bob. Or Richard.

>84 mckait:, 85 Still numb from Connecticut's news.

As we all must be...

Yes. Devastating.

Hurting kids or animals, helpless creatures who can NOT deserve it, is my hottest button. The kid who did this was a 24-year-old, mentally ill person. There are not enough hateful words in all the world's languages to express my fury at the greedy selfish stupid short-sighted cheapskate asshole bastard shitheels who think a few trillion on a war is worth it but a few hundred million on mental health inpatient facilities is a horrendous burden.

I'm too angry to be good company.

Me rd >88 jnwelch:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/14/shooting-reported-at-connecticut-elementary...

The shooter killed his brother, his mother, and most of the children killed were students of his mother.
Horrifying

I'm already an extremely over-protecting mother, and this sort of business does not help. It's already hard enough for me to drive away from Charlie's preschool each time, knowing that something like this could happen. Why does the world have to be such a terrifying place?

I hate fruitcake except that made my my BIL & SIL. I don't love theirs, but it's edible.

Very sad news out of Connecticut. Too many guns. And too easy for people to get.

I hope you are well, Richard. I'll try to stop by for a longer visit this weekend.

This poor kid, he was clearly sick in the head, and he kills people because he's mentally ill. Absolutely true.

How did he do it? With guns.

Two problems here: He wasn't able to be committed for being insane. WHere would they put him, a hospital? He needed psych help, not medical help. And there are no more facilities for long-term mental health care for the public.

And cheap guns. No guns, no shootings.

Did you see this: (on FB) ‎"So let them be little 'cause they're only that way for a while
Give them hope, give them praise, give them love every day
Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle
Oh just let them be little" Tim McGraw

I like to think on this, rather than the other stuff, right now.

RD- I am NUMB! Will there be an end to this madness? I really appreciated your thoughts and posters on FB. Is the "Right" going to say (once again) that this is NOT the time to talk about "guns"?
I'll have to have another beer to dull the sadness...

I think it'll take more than beer for me to get past this.

#96: Me, too. I can't stop crying today, thinking of those little ones and the of their moms and dads.

And the toys for their gifts: What agony does that represent? Do what with those? Siblings asking why Mama why Daddy when Mama and Daddy can't even feel the floor and don't even see the sky because they're in a ball of lead wondering how to breathe and why to bother?

Paperwork. Death certificates. Funerals. Memorial services. Well-meaning idiots telling you how to deal with something they probably don't know one thing about and you can't kill them. What to make for dinner do we cancel the reservations what will we tell your mother

and all you want, the only thing that will help, is seeing your precious darling baby love alive and ripping up the carpet or breaking the last glass from your wedding crystal or whatthehell ever made you mad last time

and now, now gods now you can't fix it.

Forever and ever world without end, you can't fix it.

I'm with scaifea on that one. And this close to Christmas adds a very bitter sting to it. I agree with the points you brought up in #89 & 93.

Just finished putting Charlie to bed and could barely get through the bed-time stories without breaking down, knowing that there are parents out there tonight who won't ever kiss those little ones goodnight again. I'm having a really rough time with this, but gods, what a shitty thing for me to say when those parents are, well, I mean, christ. I can't even. I just, can't even.

Exactly, Amber. Exactly.

Even though I'm not a parent, my feelings and emotions are similar to Amber's. This tragedy is very upsetting to me, and I can't think coherently at this point about anything.

Healing kids all day long, every day, and then hearing that someone did this...well how the hell else are you supposed to feel, Darryl, except beat up and horrified and hurt.

Shudderingly apt comments by Amber - with three of my own - I cannot conceive of what those poor parents are having to face up to.
I recall a very serious exchange with a family member of my wife who expressed to my horror that he thought "America deserved 9/11". I pointed out that on one of the aeroplanes were three children belonging to one set of parents of exactly the same age as my own and what had they deserved? Needless to say he wasn't able to provide much of a coherent response.

RD have a wonderful weekend all the crap going on in the world notwithstanding.

All we can do is hold on to each other, and to all our kids, and be kind.

Amen to that. Thanks for all your thoughtful comments in this awful time, Richard.

I don't have much in me to give today. I am ripped into shreds by the renewal of my personal grief. I know how these parents feel. I've felt the loss.

I can't chat today. Believe me when I tell you that you won't miss me. All I can talk about is the stupidity of allowing gun ownership. Best not to do that here.

Only thing that's made me laugh in two days.

Thanks. That IS funny! Smooch.

Mind touching mind, across time and space and culture. Amazing, this reading thing. I hope it catches on.

This includes free to speak my mind, free to choose the low road when I want to, and free free free to tell anyone anywhere anytime that silence is never support.

i just keep thinking, every time this happens in the US, and it happened in our UU church in Knoxville 3-1/2 years ago during a children's play because we welcome GLBTQ folks, that this experience is the stuff of day-to-day existence in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Israel, Afghanistan and on and on. what horrifies us, breaks our hearts, leaves us feeling violated is taken-for-granted in too much of the world.

glad you have this thread going, RD. helps to put down something and right now, the church e-list isn't the place. too many folks retraumatized already.

i went to sleep last night and awakened this morning thinking of the kids' presents, too, RD. and the long, long days, weeks, years to come.

enough. enough now. enough.

I do send out into the Universe gratitude for those souls who were able to act with courage and saved some lives. Remarkable, and reminds me that humans do have the capacity to be awesome. Awe inspiring. I am so grateful.

Hello Richard

The comments posted about the horrific tragedy in CT acknowledge that we are caring, kind people who are suffering with the parents.

When I heard the news, my co-workers and I went to the media room to watch tv. It didn't take long until we were all crying and stuned.

I thought Obama's comments and tears were heart breakingly real. I'm not sure if he wrote the text or someone else did, but my, oh my, the words and the way in which they were delivered was spot on and incredibly wise.

I can not imagine that this will be an end to the violence in this gun-obsessed, my-rights-my-rights culture, but I will now look for ways to help it come into being.

Books. Well! I read Fra Keeler and a weirder little thing I haven't come across in a long, long, long time. I'll review it soon.

xo I'm done, too :(

RD- I was just talking to a good friend of mine and he said that this type of horror would not have happened if the teachers were trained and armed. WTF? It's baffling how many people feel this way.

Rdear, when you find any effective way, voting, writing to legislators, marching, whatever, please, please let me know.

I can't stand by any more. There are shootings, many fatal, in the nearby city weekly. Over nothing.

Hi RD, reading your (and your visitorss) thoughts on that horrendous tragedy involving guns and a damaged person behind it...I felt similar feelings here hearing about it too. My chest felt tight and I felt a really heavy sadness wash down onto me. It is so unfair on so many families.

this type of horror would not have happened if the teachers were trained and armed WTF indeed, Mark. What a terrible thought.

Anyway, I am back online! Feeling very good, if immobile. My lovely other has his brain full of household and child duties and I fear that if my appetite was not reduced my drugs I would not have been fed adequately.....but other than that, Im all good.

Ps can you imagine how hard it is to get a hot drink from A to B using one crutch, and hopping!? It's difficult! But boy do I appreciate it once ive got it :) I hope you are well.

119 > you need to borrow your other halves coffee thermos - then you can hop without worry or better yet have xmas elves delivered for all your whims :)

Richard, I am just now getting back to your thread after leaving one comment (when my day was still just sickened by the news but had not turned into our own very-small-in-comparison-crisis as we called the authorities to do a welfare check on two little boys, ages 3 and 5, because of information we got from a student that might indicate they were at risk of being beaten.... oh geez, it was one hell of a Friday). I'm glad your thread turned into a place were some of our best buds (and you!) could express some of their rage and heartbreak. And I wholeheartedly agree with you:

Too.
Many.
Guns.

And thank you for posting #110. Perfect for the days we are having.

xo

i'll add my thanks for #2. :)

Hmmm. What to read next.....
(magnificent dilemma)

I don't really get the right to bear arms constitutional argument. How many people are there in that rollicking, sea of kinetic energy you call the US of A who still think it is cool to strut around like Wyatt Earp?
Guns are for the army and the police force. full stop.

Paul, we seem to have an ungodly number of Wyatt Earps still walking around.
Strong gun-rights folks say that the right to bear arms is the single most powerful protection against an authoritarian government that would (apparently) swoop in and deny individual freedoms at an alarming rate. That these same individual rights folks seem not the least perturbed by the so-called Patriot Act (which I believe went further in reducing individual freedoms than anything had in many decades) is baffling. I don't believe that the second amendment was intended to ensure that any person, sane or otherwise, could arm themselves to the teeth. I honestly don't understand on any kind of gut level the ferocious attack on any efforts to control the possession or acquisition of guns. I don't get it. I assume it has to do with money.

Hi Richard. xo

Hi everyone! Up too early, hope all is well in y'all's worlds, and here is some Grade-A book porn:

Good morning RD! You're up early today.

I'm attempting to make panettone today - got the biga rising and will steep golden raisins in marsala and continue with the 3 more risings of the dough as the day progresses. I bought panettone paper molds and although they were delivered damaged and Amazon cheerfully refunded my money and didn't require that I mail them back, I think I can use them even though they will be somewhat malformed.

We bought and decorated a tree yesterday, as well as putting out my Lladro Christmas Bells, all 25 of them! Other decorations and fresh greenery on the mantle are out/up too.

Have a super day.

*smooches* from Horrible

Hi rd. I hear the Westboro Baptist Church is planning to picket the school in Connecticut ...
I hope it isn't true.. the bastiches. Those people make my blood run cold.

Hope today is a better day for you...

*throwing a few air kisses in RD's direction*

Hope you are able to get into some good reading today! I will be finishing my ER copy of Butch Cassidy Beyond the Grave today! Then, I get to pick my next good read! It is nice to have finished the Team of Rivals clunker, even though I enjoyed it.

Listen, if those Westboro assholes picket the funerals, I hope that some Second Amendment-misinterpreting gun-totin' goofball opens fire on 'em.

Hey RD! Someone on FB, brought up the old argument, that "we don't blame cars for drunk driving". Seriously?

What happened with the Westboro situation? I didn't hear that.

Review: 107 of seventy-five

Title: FRA KEELER

Author: AZAREEN VAN DER VLIET OLOOMI

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Book Description: Fiction. A man purchases a house, the house of Fra Keeler, moves in, and begins investigating the circumstances of the latter's death. Yet the investigation quickly turns inward, and the reality it seeks to unravel seems only to grow more strange, as the narrator pursues not leads but lines of thought, most often to hideous conclusions.
BLURBS: "Obsessive. Surreal. Darkly comic. Chilling."--Robert Coover (!!!!!)
"Obsessive/delightful, FRA KEELER subtly elaborates on life's details, its ordinary lunacies. Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi's observations are droll and often hilarious. Her novel's incidents pile up and on, tilting and shifting under the weight of language's bizarre disturbances. FRA KEELER is wonderfully imaginative, the work of a terrific young writer."--Lynne Tillman
"Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi is the descendent of writers as brilliant and disparate as Max Frisch, Alain Robbe-Grillet and Per Petterson. FRA KEELER is a compelling and humorously associative meditation on how 'one lives against one's dying, ' and how that living will be in contra-distinction to all that explains that death on paper after its fact. Would that more book groups read books of this complexity and intelligence; discussion would reach on into the wee hours!"--Michelle Latiolais
"In FRA KEELER a mind churns on itself, while reality--if it is reality--comes rushing at it with a strange stutter, everything a bit lost, a bit off, and ready to be ground up further by the uncertain perception of the narrator. This is a book by turns funny and strange, but always entertaining."--Brian Evenson

My Review: You will never see an endcap at your local Buns and Nubile featuring, or even including, this weird little bagatelle. It won't be piled in pyramids at the Costco. I'd even be surprised if it was among the Staff Picks at BookPeople, Austin's excellent indie megastore.

It's too weird to be a commercial force. It's a short work, so it's not likely to be used by the hoity-toity to display their Good Taste and Erudition. (Cloud Atlas, , I'm lookin' at you.) So who will buy and read this book?

Beats me all hollow, and I suspect the reason it was published by Dorothy, a publishing project, is right there. Who's the audience for this piece? Me? Not if I had to spend my very own personal sixteen United States dollars for it. Not one single damn chance of that happening. I got it from one of my rich county's libraries. (I am consistently astounded and delighted by the sheer variety and quantity of oddball stuff at least ONE library in the county system will buy. Often two or three. It's a pleasure to hit the catalog and request a weirdo book like this one, and three days later go and fetch it.)

But back to this weird little item. It's an interesting attempt to tell a mystery story via the stream of consciousness of a fractured identity apparently having occasional psychotic breaks. The mailman's hand turns into a lobster, the previous owner of a home has a magically shifting death certificate from two widely separated countries in Europe where it would seem we are not, the dust on the skylight comes in for some heavy narrative scrutiny....

Doesn't that sound like a corking way to spend an afternoon?

Strangely enough it is. Van der Vliet Oloomi—now it's time for me to confess that I got this book at all because the author's name makes me laugh until my sides hurt, and I love saying it out loud to unsuspecting housies, the dog, the librarian even and I go out of my way to avoid talking to the sourpusses at my library—is a young Iranian-American MFA-havin' writer whose sinuous sentences are a pleasure to slither alongside, and a more surprising and unexpected compliment I have yet to give.

ROBERT COOVER yes that's right ROBERT COOVER, he who created the uberbrilliant book The Public Burning which if you haven't read don't confess your turpitude to me just go fix it by reading it, praises the book! A writer I had never heard of compares Van der Vliet Oloomi (heh) to Max Frisch...I can't even pronounce “Latiolais” and had never heard of her either, so I ordered up her collection of short fiction Widow: Stories and must say that I owe Van der Vliet Oloomi a huge debt of gratitude for introducing me to this terrific talent...he of the awful, misogynistic novel Montauk and the impenetrably ironic, archly “comic” I Am Not Stiller, which would cause me personally to go find this Latiolais person and belt her one if it were MY book she was insulting that way.

So the blurbs kinda-sorta made me do it. Tillman, Evenson, okay okay I'll read it I'll read it already. And I'm glad that I did, because now I'll be on the lookout for whatever Van der Vliet Oloomi comes out with next. She's got something to say. That makes her interesting to me. I hope to you, too.

But $16? I know that it's not that much money in the cosmic scheme of things, but as I'm not made of money (I appear to be made of anti-money judging by my bank balance which I don't have as I don't have enough money to keep in a bank according to the banks), I would not have made a purchase. Should I recommend that you make the purchase?

Only if $16 is less than nothing to you. Otherwise ask the library to ILL it.

>131 msf59: Mark, that idiot argument will be bandied about as often as the other idiot argument concerning the Second Amendment, both of which tell me more about the fool using the arguments than that fool probably wants me to know.

The Westboro chrissssssschins will probably be there at one or more funerals so as to vampire off the publicity. I wish Morgan Freeman's idea of selective forgetting would be applied to those people, they give humans a bad name.

Can't talk about the whole gun mess because I just start crying. So...moving on. Wish me luck! To the Internet for my last Christmas purchases. Got my LT Secret Santa books and mailing them tomorrow. Almost keeping on top of things...almost! Smooches.

I'm still drooling from your latest Grade A book porn. Oh my!!!!

>134 Berly: *smooches* No more gun talk. I'm not able.

>135 cameling: Ain't that grand? Just love the light in the corner.

Yes, I want to crawl right into that bed!

Morning, Richard!

Morning Richard! Sending ~~Waves~~ N (((HUGS)) your way :)

xo

Morning Richard! it's Monday, which I am not a big fan of, but it just keeps coming anyway! Hope yours is a good one. Hugs!

Hi there Monica, Karen44, Amber, Mamie and, let me see, what's that lady's name again...oh dear, it'll come to me...hmmmm...

Monday arrived dank and raw. I am almost unable to move. Better that it snow, it causes less pain to me than fog and drizzle and chill. I am so crippled up today that I even got a pity delivery of coffee in bed...now that's somethin'!

So do please forgive if I'm spotty in my attendance today. *smooches* to all my lurking lovelies and posting pals!

Stella can make coffee?!?!?
signed
the invisible and un-named

...what...? Did someone say something...?

Your Invisibility, no no, she hasn't developed opposable thumbs. It's Monday so the Gruesome Twosome were still here. It was a sweet thought!

OIC

Sorry about the pain :(

I hope you feel better...very soon.

Doesn't that sound like a corking way to spend an afternoon? Another great review, thumb from me. I think I'll spend my afternoon otherwise, though.

>145 mckait: Thanks. I am making it through the daily stuff on willpower. *smooch*

>146 jnwelch: I think that's a wise decision, Joe. Strikes me as something you wouldn't find much fun in reading.

I just put up the Gun Machine review you were interested in, RD.

I done saw and thumbed, Joe, and think I'll give it a miss because of the coincidences issue. Strains me a bit too far, I fear.

Thanks for the thumber, and I understand on the coincidence quotient. It increases my appreciation for the hard thinking that goes into not relying on coincidence.

*air kisses*

Unfortunately, we have snow predicted here in NW lands for tonight! I ran over to the pellet place and stocked up on bags of pellets I'm good for about two weeks of cold weather, which I sincerely hope is not coming my way.

I've got good books. I've got a car which will drive the two miles to the kids house easily. I am assuming if the driving is too hard the schools will close. I think I am good.

Sorry the cold and damp is getting to you. I'm feeling OK today. So I'll put all my hoping for better in your direction. Let it be, and let it be now!

So sorry the weather is aggravating your pain, Richard! I'm afraid our weather wouldn't help you either right now--rain and fog.

I am done.. had to do some dreadful errands in the rain.. warmish though..
It was one of those everything goes wrong trips .. but I am done. AND I found the HALO to keep nasty germs away from me.. I hope.

>126 richardderus: best yet!

>151 maggie1944: The Weather Channel is calling this "Winter Storm Draco" which will only *really* amuse me if they also have a Lucius, a Bellatrix, an Albus....

*smooch*

>152 ronincats: Yuck! What is this, The End Times or something? Oh wait....

>153 mckait: HALO? What does that signify? Have you become an xian mystical saint in the last day or two?

>154 LovingLit: Oh yeah! Don't I know it! *drool*

rd... they made a graphic of you!!! again!

The graphic, the sentiment, the steaming foot-bath...all me to the life, it's true, though I can but sigh for the days when my hairline was so far forward.

But I like you just the way you are...

xo TY you bat-blind old dear you

A bath does sound loverly tonight. Sorry about the pain, dang it. My shopping is done and I am halfway through writing the Christmas what-did-we-achieve letter. Just have to add pictures. Smooch!

Hi RD! I'm sorry you are having a "painful' day! Bummer, my friend. This might cheer you up: I heard Gillian Flynn's next book will be a YA! Wrap your mind around that one.

>161 Berly: There's a special place in heaven for moms who do all that AND get black belts. I am even more impressed because I'm aware of how many pain issues we share! *smooch* to Superlady!

>162 msf59: ...YA...Gillian Flynn...who wrote Gone Girl...YA...

...
...
...

Oh dear, I must go swallow strychnine now. Clearly the Mayans were correct and Friday's the last day of planet earth. Toodles!

ROFL!! I think that's a very interesting combo and please leave the strychnine alone or at least wait for my Dickens bio review.
BTW- Did you see the Mayan weather forecast that Kath posted on FB? It's priceless.

Review: 108 of seventy-five

Title: TWO FOR JOY

Author: MARY REED and ERIC MAYER

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Book Description: Reed and Mayer combine the scholarship of Steven Saylor with the humor of Lindsey Davis. Starred review in Booklist December 2000.It is now two years after One For Sorrow, and John the Eunuch, Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor Justinian, is faced with a new and byzantine problem: why are Constantinople's holy stylites bursting into flames as they stand atop their pillars? His investigations are hampered by a pagan philosophy tutor from his youth and a heretical Christian prophet whose ultimatums threaten to topple the Empire.

Then murder strikes close to home and John has only days to find a solution before he, his friends, his Emperor, and the city itself are destroyed. The sumptuous halls of the Great Palace and the riot-torn streets are filled with the same danger and deception. A colorful cast of characters that includes a runaway wife, servants and soldiers, madams and mendicants, a venomous court page and a wealthy landowner or two -- not to mention John's bete noire, the Empress Theodora -- adds texture to this rich, exotic tale of sixth century life and mysterious death.

My Review: A whole half star above the first book! Added because the series has a footing now, and the conflict leading to the murder is not as far-fetched, and the identity of the murderer and motives of same are a lot more surprising to me than in the first book.

Clearly there is no way I can claim to know that the authors have evoked exactly the atmosphere of sixth-century Constantinople, but they have managed to create an intense and lively picture of it in my mind, and that will serve me admirably.

The eunuch chamberlain, John, has some wonderfully imagined character traits. I like that he's not a Christian, but his servant is, and therefore the servant is allowed to be open in his faith where his Mithraist master must skulk and hide. I like that John the Eunuch is repulsed by other eunuchs, feeling the responses of the man he was before his maiming even yet. I like that John is a wise counselor to many, a good friend to a few, and a serious political animal of the (forgive, please) byzantine court of Justinian and Theodora.

All of those traits play into John's solution to this complex and interrelated series of deaths, bringing them all back to the machinations of...and here's the reason for under four stars...previously unseen agency. The cause of the crimes is believable, the source of the actions taken is simply not a factor well enough developed for my mystery-reader's sense of fair play. Often in a murder or series of murders, the brains and the hands are located within separate bodies, and I feel it's only fair to make that possible for the attentive reader to deduce.

Still and all, I felt the nature of the story and the degree of narrative development between books one and two made this an enticement to move on to book three and hope for even more.

>164 msf59: *pauses in tilting strychnine bottle*

Oh yeah, the Tomalin...I have that here somewhere from the liberry...maybe I should read about how vile Chuckles the Dick actually was so I can wing my way to Valhalla with a joyous yodel on my lips.

Thank goodness for the forthcoming Dick review. Put down that bottle, sir! This is not all about you ya know! What about me? What about the joy and chuckles I get from your posts and reviews, scathing or otherwise? And the book porn? No one does it better. Don't be so selfish. Besides, I need my fellow pain sufferer to vent to on occasion. DON"T LEAVE ME!! Got it?

Pain, pain go away
Leave Richard alone and do not come back another day!

Hugs to you!

>167 Berly: yes ma'am

>168 Whisper1: I say we form a chanting circle and fling that around for all of us who have pain issues!

I do hope you set that strychnine bottle aside, my dear Richard.

And I know I'm late to the party and the conversation has moved on, but why do "gun rights" activists get so all-or-nothing about this? Our housekeeper left a note (in response to the note I left for her) saying yes, sad, but she would be "too afraid without her weapon." Okay, fine, keep your handgun in the drawer next to your bed (although statistics suggest it won't make you any safer). But get rid of the freakin' assault rifles!!!! They are meant for one thing alone: to kill a large number of people very efficiently. We don't let people drink and drive (and no, we don't blame the cars, but we do restrict the associated behavior); why on earth do we let them have assault rifles????

Sigh.

*looks around*

How did I get up here on this soapbox?

So, Richard, if you can stand it, you might want to see this - a conservative who changes his mind: http://front.moveon.org/joe-scarborough-long-time-pro-gun-supporter-changes-his-...

*Ra Ma Da Sa ~ Ra Ma Da Sa ~ Ra Ma Da Sa ...*

RD, Here's sending tropical rumblings to scare away the pain today. Good idea to turn the guns on the gun toters.

*stumbles in with coffee, gingerbread pancakes, bacon, and what's left of the bourbon-laced whipped cream (um...okay, there's nothing left of the bourbon-laced whipped cream, but I brought maple syrup)*

Morning Richard! Hope you are feeling better today.

Kath - That is exactly what I was thinking when he said chanting circle!

Good morning Richard! >137 maggie1944: where are the books? Also, if you leave a few inches space between headboard/shelf and wall you can throw the Pearl Ruled books behind there. Get thee behind me...!

>105 maggie1944: true and wise words. Let it be a mantra to the world.

>170 EBT1002: Hiya Ellen. Your soapbox speech is well made and well thought out. I have one thing I disagree with: I DO want ALL guns out of private hands, and only one-day rentals for hunting rifles.

If you need a gun to feel safe, I need you not to have a gun for genuine public safety reasons not paranoid delusional fears.

>171 maggie1944: I think Joe Scarborough is one of the reasonable idiots, for sure. He has kids, and if you have kids, I can NOT see how this hideous, disfiguring tragedy could not open your eyes. Those could have been my grandkids. I get screamingly terrified thinking about them in school in TEXAS of all places.

They are my hostages to fortune. I can't change that. And I don't control their lives. I just want those lives to go on for longer than mine, and longer than their mom's.

>172 mckait: Obla di obla da to you, too! *smooch*

>173 PaulCranswick: It's a cherished dream of mine. Thanks for the pain-free wishes!

>174 Crazymamie: Sit thee down, sweetiedarling, I'll get us some plates. I think Kath said something about rum up there, so I'll whip us up some rum whipped cream, it'll go with gingerbread pancakes a treat!

>175 luvamystery65: Oh myyyy Roberta, I like the Pearl-Ruled oubliette idea a lot! *smooch*

So sorry to hear the pain fiend has struck again, Richard ... did you get to use the little bookstand so you can sit back to read? Maybe the pain will get bored of not troubling you and go away. *sending pain-free mojo*

25. Pearl Ruled: THE CROSSING PLACES by ELLY GRIFFITHS

Rating: 1.875* of five (p126)

The Book Description: When she’s not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants - not quite earth, not quite sea.

When a child’s bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice.

The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her.

As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory – and in serious danger.

THE CROSSING PLACES marks the beginning of a captivating new crime series featuring an irresistible heroine.

My Review: Hell, damn and BLAST!! I love the idea for this series. I am a fiend for archaeological settings in novels. I am a fan of tart-tongued women. (Look at my friends list and tell me that's exaggerated.) And I am always down for another series, since that makes the spaces between discoveries of books fuller and more bearable.

But it's just not good.

When he has gone, Ruth sits on the sofa, at the opposite end to the place where there is a faint bloodstain on the faded chintz. She looks at the remains of her meal with Shona and wonders, dully, how long ago it was that they sat at this table talking about men.

(p126, US hardcover edition)

And that is where my patience snapped. The rest of that paragraph floated past me like poop down the john. A huge sucking sound was heard, the bowl of my mind filled up with clear water, and there was no more interest to be found by me in this book. This writing is what, politely (yes, I do know what the word means), I would characterize as “serviceable.” But laddies and gentlewomen, I am over 50 and the days ahead number fewer than the days behind. What am I doing mucking about with “serviceable” when so much that's GOOD awaits discovery?

So no more Mr. Nice Guy. You don't cut the mustard, writer dear, you're on the scrapheap of history.

Hope you are feeling better today.

#178 Into the Oubliette!

I'm sorry this didn't work for you, Richard. I suspect I'm struggling with something similar with T.S. Learner's The Map (can't find the touchstone)... I've gone 40 pages and I'm rather bored. I hope it will pick up soon because I did enjoy Sphinx and was expecting to be equally gripped by this one.

>179 BekkaJo: Thank you, cuddlemuffin. I appreciate the kind wishes.

Oubliette bound! Incoming!

>180 cameling: Dearest, please take a page from my book, while you're still young and beautiful! QUIT if it's not wowing you at 50pp! Just not worth the time. You aren't as old as I am, but if you establish the Pearl Rule habit now, think how many more excellent books you'll have read by the time you get to be my age!

I like the Pearl Rule part where you subtract your age from 100, and that is how many pages you 'get' to read before throwing the book into the Forget It pile. 100-68=32. 32 is so much shorter than 50!

Heck, I'm happy with my 47pp! Obviously I kept going at that point, but I consider permission granted to stop at any time after 47pp.

26. Pearl Ruled: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Rating: 1.5* of five (p100)--coincidentally, the end of chapter 8!

The Book Description: The international publishing sensation--over two million copies sold A reluctant centenarian much like Forrest Gump (if Gump were an explosives expert with a fondness for vodka) decides it's not too late to start over...

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant).

It would be the adventure of a lifetime for anyone else, but Allan has a larger-than-life backstory: Not only has he witnessed some of the most important events of the twentieth century, but he has actually played a key role in them. Starting out in munitions as a boy, he somehow finds himself involved in many of the key explosions of the twentieth century and travels the world, sharing meals and more with everyone from Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to Mao, Franco, and de Gaulle. Quirky and utterly unique, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared has charmed readers across the world.

My Review: Seriously, Sweden? THIS is the best you've got to offer?

I am not a charmed reader, I'm a ticked-off reader who does not wish to continue on the tedious journey between 2005 and, as of chapter 9 which I did not read, WWII. I've already been dragged back to 1905. Oh hell, I didn't like this “utterly unique” (someone needs to explain the concept of a superlative, therefore unmodifiable, part of speech to the copywriter) bag of doorknobs and frankly can't see why anyone would. It's ponderous, it's got disagreeable people practically bursting from it, and it's supposed to be charming?

And Winston Groom's people should be examining the damn thing right close. That Forrest Gump comparison sounds to me like the sound of a gun being spiked: “Look! We admitted it was a lift! No one's hiding it!”

I'll say not. Not hiding the dullness, either. Yeccch.

Oops .... sorry, Richard. I think you bit the blue bullet because of me on this one. But really? You didn't find it funny?

So UNfunny as to be irksome. So so very unfunny. In fact, if I ever need to bring myself down from an euphoric high, or stop a good mood before the xian gawd notices it and smites me with even worse misery, I will call to mind the character of The Beauty. Her mere existence on paper will reduce me to frog-faced glumness.

hmmm... then again, you didn't like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society either .. tsk tsk ....

Ah, too bad on The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window, Richard. I found it quite entertaining, but then I'm a bumblehead from way back. Good for you for at least giving it a try. I had sort of the anti-Pearl rule. I read a chunk of it in the bookstore and thought, I can have a good time with this one. Which I did. Oh well.

>170 EBT1002: *looks around*
How did I get up here on this soapbox?
lol
Ellen, it just seems to happen doesnt it!
I agree totalmente btw

>185 cameling: 1.875stars times two? I do love the utter specific way that you rate RD. :)
But, it sounds not for me (neither of them)
The rest of that paragraph floated past me like poop down the john.
A classic RD review phrase!

>187 cameling: I have never been able to force myself to read the Guernsey Literary Potato Pie book ;) It just never called loud enough. In fact, it was calling me to never go near it. I cant say I wouldnt like it if I did try it, but hey. Gotta have the calling ;)

>187 cameling: *shudders like an escort seeing Santa naked* NO there is NO question that I did NOT like that vapid romance published as a novel.

>188 jnwelch: Chacun à son goût, Joe. It was most assuredly not to my goût, but many millions of others the world around disagree!

>189 LovingLit: Oh my heck! I thought I'd changed that! It's 1.875 and 1.5, which I've edited the review to reveal, thank you thank you Maude!

Beware of books with long titles, eh? Probably there is some sort of rule of thumb.

I gave The Girl Who Circumnavigated... a very high rating, and I'll be giving Tell the Wolves I'm Home a high rating, too. But adult books with long titles fare worse.

Both of those are only five words long. The other two are 8 and 11 respectively. My guess is the line is around 7. My brother and I, for years, had a theory that your name had to have at least 8 syllables before you could be appointed to be the Secretary General of the UN, it did finally run its course, but for years it was names like Xavier Perez de Cuellar. OK so that's silly, but I enjoy these theories immensely while they last.

We also pondered other serious matters such as, why did Manuel Noriega always have to be referred to as Panamanian Strongman Manuel Noriega.

Funny isn't it...those sorts of Homeric phrases get attached to some people/places and never let go.

In support of your theory is that booooooooorrrrrrrrrrrinnnng Norwegian book with Buzz Aldrin in the title. Ye goddesses! What a snoozefest that was!

I Pearl Ruled the 100 year old man, too. I thought it started out to be promising.. but it didn't last long..
So... Back it went to the library.

>195 mckait: We might very well be the only two people in the USA who did!

Smooch!

*smooch* Howdy do, Berly-boo, hope you're well and happy!

I had to drop The Crossing Places, too, for the same reason

Morning, Richard!

I agree about the ban on *all* guns, and I'll go even one more step along and say that if you are a serious hunter, then you can do *that* without a gun, too.

Hoping you find a 5-star book soon to counter balance all the pearled gunk.

I won't go so far as to blame the book, to be honest.. I have been antsy lately. As well as out of time..bah!

Hi Richard just catching up - sorry that you aren't reading better books at the moment. Hope the next one is a knockout:)

*Wanders through then off to look at her 1,001 spreadsheet with the ratings to see if longer titles fare worse in her estimation*

Good morning, RD, sir. I hope your day is comfortable and that your reading is engaging and fun!

I'm on the trail of another dog. Might look like this:

>199 quartzite: Isn't that disappointing?

>200 scaifea: *smooch* for the kind wishes, destined to be dashed....

>201 mckait: Bah indeed! *smooch*

>202 calm: Thanks, calm, but the bad news is it's not.

>203 BekkaJo: *awaits full report*

>204 maggie1944: What a cute spaniel! Awwwwww

Lol - full report is unclear. No real sway toward negative for the longer titles. But a definite number of very short titles in the 5 area (and no long ones). :)

Hmmm. So there's a trend, but no smoking gun. ::Ponders::

You're having such a bad stretch with the books, RD. Maybe you need to return to something dependable. Perhaps Mr. Hornby could recommend what he's having (it appears to be one of his own):

Am catching up and relieved that only one book is going onto my wishlist - Two for Joy sounds good! (oh and I really need another crime series. It's just that you mentioned Steven Saylor.)

>209 laytonwoman3rd: HA! Great photo, Linda3rd, though I'll pass on the idea of Fever Pitch since it's never appealed to me.

I might review a book I've already read and enjoyed to get this gloom-and-doom stretch over and done with. Maybe it's time for Defending Jacob to come forth and be appreciated.

>210 cushlareads: I myownself like this series better than the Marcus Didius Falco series....

>190 richardderus: thank you thank you Maude
You're welcome you're welcome RD!
See, I do pay attention sometimes :)

I think you down graded the right one
...he somehow finds himself involved in many of the key explosions of the twentieth century and travels the world, sharing meals and more with everyone from Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to Mao, Franco, and de Gaulle
Really? It doesn't scream plausible at me. Id get angry.

Can you just see me yelling at the book? lol, it's happened! But I never burned one ;)

Just checking in to see how you're doing today, Mr D

The weather outside has been frightful all day, blizzardy and windy. But now it has cleared off and the snow is beautiful, even in the dark.

Heading for grandbabies and a new puppy tomorrow. Hope they get the roads clear.

Review: 109 of seventy-five

Title: THE TOWER, THE ZOO, AND THE TORTOISE

Author: JULIA STUART

Rating: 2* of five

The Book Description: Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics Chocolat and Amélie.

Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That’s right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.

Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower’s maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower’s Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she’s pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erot­ica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.

When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interest­ing. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise “runs” away.

Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delight­ful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is a magical, wholly origi­nal novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you turn the stunning last page.

My Review:









A couple whose marriage has crumbled under the weight of grief for their dead son live on in silence. Cutesy things happen to them. She leaves him. Cutesy things keep happening to them. The characters around them, all nonsensically daffy and wacky, do a variety of handstands and pirouettes for our amusement. She comes back to him, and all ends with a nice, pert little bow slapped on the fanny of the book.

I gave it two stars because I laughed out loud twice. And then I stopped.

Do not read unless you're in a desperately bad mood and want to become so furious you'll forget why you were grumpy, or you feel the need to immerse yourself in a vat of sugary stickiness and squoodge it between your toes and pack it into each orifice on your person before being rushed to the hospital for insulin therapy. Repetitious verbiage-o-phobes are strongly cautioned.

>212 LovingLit: I yell at books all too often, according to the dog. I totally get how that can happen.

>213 cameling: *smooch* Perfectly delirious!

>214 MerryMary: Good and safe travels, M'Lou! Happy visiting!

Love the review. I'm diabetic, so I think I'll skip...

Skip hell! Flee! Flee for your very life!

Good morning, Richard. Nice to see you are more or less "fit as a fiddle". I am hoping, any ways, that your pain and discomfort are taking a back seat to your normal book reviewing self! I am so happy when you make it clear that a book is just not for the reading. So many other threads here keep attacking me with books which cause me to think, "oh, sounds pretty good???," or "maybe I should put that on my WL," or "oh, I want it, and right now!"

Happy Thursday, good man!

Love. That. Review.

Lordy Lou, Richard! You're just not having much luck lately with the books. Hoping the next one more than makes up for it!

>219 maggie1944: I'm actually quite miserable today, but I shall resume my attack on your WL as soon as is practicable.

>220 mckait: Thanks!

>221 scaifea: I think the curse might be lifted, I hope so anyway...stay tuned....

Don't we always? X

>223 BekkaJo: *smooch* So sweet, Bekka! One might almost forgive your acceptance of the (nonexistent) merits of Chuckles the Dick.

The pictures could not have sent a clearer message! I laughed out loud at this last review. Even the first paragraph of the book description set my teeth aching, so I suspect I'd agree with you if I ever wanted to waste time on that thing.

>225 ffortsa: I can't imagine you'd ever be suckered in to this one, it's too clearly cute to appeal to you on any level! Thanks for the laughs on the review. It was a fun change from the usual.

#215 I Pearl-ruled that one a long time ago...in fact, I think I invented a new rule, the I Read-10-Pages-and-Bigod-That's-Enough Rule.

>227 laytonwoman3rd: Heh. I like the Linda3rd Rule a lot...I however was suckered in by a laugh-aloud description early on, and thereafter kept hoping, hoping, hoping....

>227 laytonwoman3rd: I like the sound of that rule!

Yup, great review RD. And the images say it all :)
Sorry you're having a miserable day. Take ten deep breaths and hope it disappears on the out breath.

Oh, and having hope in a book can seriously be a problem! :)

Urgh, hope this latest book is much better!

>229 LovingLit: Hope is the greatest curse of Humankind. -- Me, in a bad humour.

>230 cushlareads: Thanks, Cushla, so far I like it a lot better. Thank GOODNESS!

Sing out today! The Northern Hemisphere's days get longer starting soon, so make a happy (if not pretty) noise!

#224 He is totally awesome and you know it. I tried to post that pic of Will on LT but for some reason it would only come out on its side... grrr...

Tonight I sang carols (I know, I know, I just like singing) and had mulled wine. Unfortunately said carols were open air and it pissed down on us. Not so good.

And a Happy Solstice to you, Sir. Perhaps the magic day when light starts coming back will also bring a bit of light back to our moods...

*smooch*

>233 BekkaJo: Of COURSE Will is totally awesome! Did I ever even imply otherwise? I don't know how to rotate pics, annoyingly, since I'm not a photo person I've never acquired any skills in that regard. Try asking mckait, she usually knows how to do weird stuff.

>234 Matke: Your keyboard, the goddess's ears...I could use a mood-lightener.

UPS delivered a package to me today, one with an expensive and much-to-be-savored bottle of wine in it. Yay!

This is their second attempt. The first was foiled by the fact that I'm so slow, the driver had time to ring both front doorbells and make it back to his truck before I got downstairs. So this time, the helper was sent to the door with instructions to wait until I got there. And did. Yay, right?

Wrong. I thought I'd told the UPS depot to have the person come to the front door, not the kitchen door, which apparently I did not. My bad, but there she was...and there was Stella, behind the CLOSED AND LOCKED KITCHEN DOOR.

Cue freakout by helper, she leans her entire weight against the screen door...locked open so that I can take Stella in and out without major difficulties...breaking the screen door's locking mechanism in the process.

Stella, as Caro can attest, is a wild, vicious barking snarling beast. NOT. She was standing at the side window waiting to greet her new best friend, tail wagging, not barking or snarling or whatever.

So now I have to take Stella out, four times a day, through the garage and leave the garage exposed to the world because this little idiot is scared of dogs.

UPS's insurance people, after my very upset call to them, will try to get here and determine how to fix the problem in less than the usual 14-21 days.

If you're scared of dogs, why would you take this job at all? Grr. (Heh, that was irony in case y'all missed it.)

Coming out of lurkdom to let you know that I just love reading your thread! You are so darn funny, and so well-spoken, and you always have the best pictures and book-porn. You are a blessing to so many people!

Karen O.

>236 klobrien2: Thank you kindly, Karen, that is a lovely Yuletide gift! I appreciate it. Have a safe and happy 2013!

OOOh fer the luvva pete, mike and dave.....
That just pisses me off ... as you said, if you have a job where you might encounter animals...
and you have a strong fear of them... find a new career path. It reminds me of my old Mailman.. the bastich.
Same with a couple of local cops.

I am so sorry, rd... for you to have to suffer for weeks due to this in appalling..
hugs

just blowing in on a gust--ooooh, the oaks and white pines are doing ocean imitations--to say "hola!" and wish you ease for the weekend.

>238 mckait: I am still furious. I went to the liberry and picked up some books, then spent most of my week's unused grocery allowance on Burger King.

Which was delicious, BTW.

>239 mirrordrum: Thank you, Ellie, I appreciate the wishes!

#233 No getting away with such flummery - Will and Charles Dickens are both awesome.

>240 richardderus:: Burger King? What did you have? Usually (okay, I eat there maybe once every five years) I don't care for their food, so I need to know what's good to get.

Fie on the dumba** who takes a job where she knows she'll encounter her fears, probably daily. That would be akin to me working in a herpetarium. Yikes!

Getting a bit harder to get the Old Man (he's been calling himself that since he was 49, just as my father did) to go out. He needs it, though, so we keep urging.

A good day to you, Rdear.

>233 BekkaJo: Will's awesome sweet awwwwness is unquestioned.

The rest I shall leave quivering in the freezing blast of my awe-inspiring "We Are Not Amused" hommage.

>234 Matke: I'm partial to jalapenos. I get, from their current menu, the Angry Whopper. Otherwise just a Whopper with cheese, bring it home, put mayo and jalapenos on it. (They use Kraft mayo, which is a centibleem above *shudder* Miracle Whip *shudder* in my affections.)

And NEVER one of their vats of horrifying fizzy death-juice. Sandwich, fries separately. They are completely verschmeckeled every time, too.

Out is good. It's hard, and while it's still possible, out is good.

Signed, the Other Old Man.

*smooch*

*smooch* RD from your own crazy-busy Horrible.

Two days in a row that I haven't had time to read. *shudder*

>244 karenmarie: (How did I get the numbers so wrong above?) Oh NO!! How completely awful! *smooch*



Sappy sentimentalism. Do not complain, I am not in the mood!

Stopping in to Say hello Richard, I have been so busy the last couple of days haven't had a chance to stop by your thread. Ahhh now I have my Richard Fix. :) Book Porn and fun reading material. :) Smooches

>246 MonicaLynn: Happy to see you, Monica! *smooch*

How could anyone look at Stella and think 'Oh a vicious monster about to tear my throat out'? If there's any dog that just ooooooozes friendly, it's Stella. What an idiot. Poor Stella. I bet she was hurt that that goomba didn't smile and dispense enthused greetings.

Well, the good news about your rough patch of disappointing reads (I, too, found The Crossing Places to be poorly executed) is that I don't have to add any new books to my wishlist.
Based on your recommendation, I'm happily scooting through Devils' Peak. Very enjoyable. It's a library book and I usually have a strict ban against carrying library books with me when I travel, but I don't think I can finish this one before it's airport time and I can't leave it unfinished. So, onto the plane with me it will go. I'll probably finish it before we leave the tarmac (or maybe even before I board the plane). Oh well. I'll think of it as upper body exercise to carry it with me.

Poor Stella. Give her a scritch behind her ferocious ears for me.

>248 cameling: She was completely bumfuzzled by this woman's attitude. I was furious. She was shaky and nervous and I stood there shouting at her to hurry up and do her damned job now that she'd broken my door so I could call her boss and make a complaint.

I sincerely hope it was the worst day she's ever spent on any job she's ever had.

>249 EBT1002: Ha! I caught you with Devil's Peak!! It really was a pulse-pounder, wasn't it? Have a wonderful time with sis and P and company!

Just put this on, would you, so the next delivery person who comes to your door will know what to expect from you, if not from your sweet and midunderstood pooch:

Hi RD- I LOVE your "Friends I have Never Met" poster. That is so eloquent and right on the money. There are some deep, long-lasting friendships forming here, that's for sure. High-five!

>251 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! I want one!

>252 msf59: I think it's all around us and we're so lucky to swim in it.

>243 richardderus: (They use Kraft mayo, which is a centibleem above *shudder* Miracle Whip *shudder* in my affections

I assume you use Hellman's as do I. Not many realize what a difference there is in mayos but you are a discerning man Richard.

Hellman's indeed, Bonnie, and please don't even mention their varying attempts at pandering to the fearful-of-food crowd. "Light" mayonnaise? Ew. Canola oil = gross. Original, please. And the "please" is merely meant to make the order polite.

You'd love my 'Extra Light' Hellmans then... :)

I love best of all: homemade mayo. It is magic watching it form while being beaten. And we can add our own little additions....mmmmm

OK, dear heart, we are on the down hill slide towards the silliness of the holidays, and within eyesight the end can be seen! Hoping for a happy happy happy new year for us all.

Today - I go in search of a new dog - in a few hours I'll be a two dog woman again. Horray!

>256 BekkaJo: *triple shudder*

>257 maggie1944: Oh boy oh boy! Have good fortune dog-hunting! Greta Garbo needs her a playmate and so do you!

251> Ha! Love that!
It might fit, except that Richard, I know that your soul is not an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of rubbish imaginable mangled up in tangled up knots.

No matter how much you would like us to believe it to be so.

xo

Won't somebody please help this little group grow?

http://www.librarything.com/groups/75booksin2013

>259 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen, it's quite kind of you to say so.

You poor, deluded thing. Seriously, put P on so I can let her know to take away your credit cards. Clearly you'll fall for anything!

>260 drneutron: OMIGOSH a 2013 group?! ONOZ! Well, since I won't be coming back that's all right.

RD - I could have predicted that Ruth Galloway would have irritated you no end and everybody knows that humour went on holiday to Sweden and was refused a visa.
To my favourite curmudgeon keep up the oft good natured scowls dear fellow and wishing you a great weekend.

>262 PaulCranswick: But people are yodeling their lungs out about that damn Forrest Gumpsson thing, Paul! Why? What malign genetic switch is on in me that is off in them?

I love the idea of the Galloway series, though. Like, a lot! Why can't it be good? he whined shrilly.

Well I am going to blame Caro so you can kick her for me too (gently mind). Her effusiveness on the Swedish book tricked me into buying it too. Surprised though as she generally has a fair sense of humour - she must be laughing behind her hand at you now.

The sense of place in The Crossing Places was ok but the characterisation so wooden that they should have been pulped and better books made of em. I have an indomitable spirit and expect against all expectations for the series to get better and have the next two installments waiting. I am reliably informed that they get worse!

In spite of being a mere stripling of 21, Paul, I was born the best part of a decade before you, and am in no position to use my remaining eyeblinks so cavalierly as to keep going in a series that starts off with a thud...and it's not the body of the first victim falling.

Sugar I forgot I have to cancel Langkawi as I have Junior High in the morning. Like your Pearl Ruled ideas and it is always entertaining when you bring down the axe on a victim.

Hi, Sweetie. One of my goals for next year is to Pearl-rule more books, so I can have time for the really good ones that are waiting for me right here, surrounding me, whining...

You're so right about going out. I do keep pushing. Our latest manifestation of looniness is inadvertant Spoonerisms, some of which are quite funny, but terribly frustrating to the one striving mightily to communicate.

Still deep in Framley Parsonage, which I'm loving. My reading time, however, has been somewhat choppy, so that continuity is a bit of a problem. Never mind.

Much love and a soft *smooch* from your own Danny.

Yes, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel did come home with Greta Garbo and me. He is cute, and sweet, and pretty well mannered. He was quite confused at first but has learned quite quickly. I am too tired to do to much detail description. Stories and pictures are sure to follow....

The 2013 threads have started? How can this be? Where did the time fly? I joined in 2008 and now headed for the sixth? sixth? year!

xoxo RD... and Merry Christmas & Good health to you in the days to come.. Hopefully not too many days..
I hope the holiday holds some good times for you and that you can keep some of the pain at bay.

hugs

>266 PaulCranswick: And there are so many victims to hand....

>267 Matke: *smooch* Framley Parsonage is doing its duty, then, and good on ol' Trollope for it!

>268 maggie1944: I've seen his photo, that handsome dawg, and am speechless with admiration!

>269 Whisper1: Heck, where'd 1999 go? I'm still not convinced next year won't be 2000.

>270 mckait: Thank you love, and all the same right back at'cha!

well since its Xmas eve morning here .... Seasons greetings to you & yours - eat, read & be merry !

#264: Paul.. you can join RD in the curmudgeonly ranks then! Hmph...kick me indeed. I did find the Galloway funny ... the sheer coincidence in the way people were murdered, how bodies were found and escapades executed tickled my funny bone. This book is clearly only for those of sunny disposition and an exceptional sense of humor. So there! :-p *slinks away, grabbing all her Dr Seuss books as they are clearly wasted on P & R*

Happy holidays, RD! (And I have a feeling this will NOT be your last thread of 2012.)

>272 roundballnz: Thanks, Alex, and the same wishes returned! Best of all things in 2013.

>273 cameling: I shall have you to know that Dr. Seuss is utterly inviolable in my presence, as his humor matches closely my own. Unhand those Seusses!

As for Forrest Gumpsson, it wasn't funny. It was teeeeedeeeeeiouuuuusssssssssssss. Nyah!

>275 richardderus: Happy Yuletide, Mary! Of course it will, even if it gets to 500 posts. No need for another one.

Hey RD- Just checking in. Hope you are having a fine, pain-free Sunday and your current read is an absolute joy!

>276 msf59: Hey Mark! Glad to see you. Well, the book's pretty good...the rest, not so much.

Hi Richard - Stopping to by to say I have enjoyed following your thread over the year.... love the book porn, the sage words of wisdom re-posted and of course, the delightful book reviews! Looking forward to more of the same, or what ever else you will be posting, in 2013!

Hope you have a wonderful, pain free holiday.


glitter-graphics.com

Well! That is a hard act to follow, and I don't even have any good jokes. Darn.

Stopped by to wish you a pain free, worry free, irritations free Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas Day, and Boxing Day! There! That is three good days, for you, I wish!!

I have a pretty easy road....going to show off the rental house mid-day today, buy some greens, and then tomorrow all I have to do is take a salad over to the Niece's. And, oh, yeah, haul the presents over there, too.

I hope at some point tomorrow I'll be able to get Benny and let him lose in a room full of wrapping papers, and boxes, and sillinesses! Smiles!

*hug*

Enjoying my time with grandbabies (and a brand new grandpuppy!). This afternoon we bake cookies to take to the emergency workers who have to work on Christmas Eve: firefighters, police, and the ERs of both hospitals. Looking forward to it.

Wishing you peace and freedom from pain on this day.

Hello Richard *big smile* just stopping by to wish you a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR. I hope you will enjoy lots of nice food with friends and family :)

Merry Christmas Richard!!

Hope Santa is kind to you and brings you a love filled and pain free holiday!

Thanks Lori, calm, Karen44, M'Lou, and Chelle! Your Yuletide wishes brightened my day.

Far from pain free, I fear, but my major baking duties are done, and tonight after fish dinner (not prepared by me) I will make sausage and apple cornbread stuffing, and scalloped potatoes. This will be part of our ham dinner for The Day, with collard greens and the butterscotch cake with cream cheese icing.

I made maple-pecan bars for tonight's dessert, but I fear they're mostly gone already, and I am not the culprit!

Have a wonderful holiday, however you celebrate it, and I wish each of y'all could be here to share in the food and wine and conversation. It would make a good day brighter!

OH! Richard, me, too. I wish I could visit your welcoming home, and help eat the maple-pecan bars! Keep smiling!

I'll cede to you the maple-pecan bars, and wish you all good things in the New Year, especially on the pain front.

>285 maggie1944: PAWS OFF!!! I want at least...wait...I've had three...I think that's a fair share. Come have one!

>286 ffortsa: Thanks, Judy! From your keyboard to the goddess's inbox.

Yeah, the nuts are a problem for you. Permaybehaps I can figure out how to maple up regular shortbread. Must look into that.

That food sounds delicious Richard! Have a very happy Christmas.

I couldn't find a nice curmudgeonly bunch of reindeer, so you'll have to make do with cheery stars wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a fun day tomorrow with all your guests and loved ones.

Richard Dear, I hope you have a very very Merry Christmas :)

Thanks Cushla, Caro, and Monica!

Some happy news today: My younger brother is marrying his girlfriend! It's been 12 years since he divorced the first wife, and I was beginning to despair, but he's asked Adriana to marry him and she's said yes!

Bravo!

I'm delurking to wish you a Merry Christmas, Richard. Sounds like a big time at your house tonight and tomorrow. Have fun...and congratulations to your little brother.

Okay, wait a minute. Stop the freakin' presses. Way up there, at post number 261, you said since I won't be coming back that's all right. Did nobody catch this? And, my dear sweet Richard, gullible though I may be ---- I say: what?!?!?!

You'd better be spoofing us.

xo

Merry Christmas, my curmudgeonly friend (no wonder I like you so much; P is a self-proclaimed curmudgeon, too).

Good catch, Ellen. What do you mean, Richard?

BTW, I'm glad you are glad for your little bro! Good time for good news!

Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2013!

>279 calm: Eeek! I hope no goat comes looking for some hay to eat. youch!

>291 richardderus: hooray! A family wedding! Congrats to your bro RD. Will the nuptials be local? Do you have a date or will this be one of those 12 year engagements? goodness forbid ;)

Happiest of the season to you RD, thanks for brightening my online experience
*smooch*

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Happy Yuletide, Richard!

Blessings To You!

By the way, Merry Christmas to you, Richard dear. xo

Merry Yule to all .......

284> " ...and I am not the culprit!" does one protest too much ???

Happy Holidays, Richard!


glitter-graphics.com

Merry Christmas Richard - hope you have a lovely day. X

Merry Christmas Richard!

*dashing down the stairs to see what Santa left*

Merry Christmas, Richard! Hope you have a very pleasant, mostly pain free day.

Merry Christmas, Richard! I'm sorry that I won't see you this year, but I'm sure that we'll get together at least once in 2013.

Have a great day today, my friend! Hugs!

Thank you for the Holiday wishes, Donna, Karen44, Ellen, Katherine, and Maude! Your visits are most brightening.

And my sweet buddies Roni, Terri, Alex and Linda! Friends are life's best and fairest furniture, aren't they, and y'all're living proof of it.

My cup truly runneth over when Bekka, Nora, Darryl, and Mark deign to pay a visit to my humble little backwater thread!

The happiest of holidays, the best of meals, the most delightful of days, evenings, and nights to all who stop in! I'm resting a bit before we have our 4p dinner.

Cheers, hugs, and love from me to all of you!

Just dropping by (and delurking) with some Christmas cheer from me and the Moomins. And congratulations on your new sister-in-law-to-be!

If this thread is a "humble little backwater", then Penn Station NYC is a sleepy suburban train station. Have a lovely Christmas dinner, RD!

That's what I was thinking, kidzdoc! Humble, psht! Always on the hot topics list.

Happy Yule, Richard! May the Magic of the Season Remain with You Throughout the New Year!

Merry Christmas, Richard! Wishing for you a day full of fabulous - and for me some of those maple pecan bars!

"Books, Pedar, books! Great minds need books on which to feed as much as the reindeer need the moss to survive our winters. Give him books ... and more books." from The Gift of Acabar

Why this little passage made me think of you I have no idea.... ;)

Merry Christmas!

>308 phebj: Pat! How adorable!! I love it and am so irked with myself that I didn't find it first. Glad to see you, and a happy happy Boxing Day (since that's which way we're headed).

>309 kidzdoc: It's all the company, not the host.

>310 MerryMary: Hot topics list? What's that?

>311 Storeetllr: Oh Mary! What a *perfect* image! How lovely, and thanks.

>312 Crazymamie: It's been a day of some unpleasant pain, but the fabulous came from my delicious dinner and delightful dining companions. I had to retire so as to care for my knee, but it was a great party.

And there are a few maple pecan bars left. I hid them for you.

>313 avidmom: Your Avidity! Thank you for thinking of me with that wonderful quote, it's completely perfectly in tune with my thinking. Merry Happy!

311> Pinching that image to share - its perfect !

Merry merry!

Can you find the shark, the tan cat, the gray cat?

Hiya cuz! The blue shark and the tan cat, yes, but the gray cat? Baffled.

gray cat is on the piano (which itself is kind of hard to see behind the tree). He's sitting next to a basket a little to the left, more or less middle of photo.

OIC! Spotted, but wow is that hard to "read"!



Posted by Jolly Pickle-Pants.

Yes - I didn't even realize he WAS in the pic until after I took it. Actually, I didn't know the tan cat or the shark were in it either.

So I'm Tinker Superplum which I don't like, but my spousal unit is Cookie McJingles which is perfect and my daughter is Tinsel McJingles which is also perfect.

Oh aaarrrgh I can't do it I HAVE TO make another thread *defeated sigh* because it's just too much for me! I can't! I can't watch this tick over to 400!