Lunacat's ludicrously periodical perusals

Definition of: Lunacat (noun)

An easily distracted creature, able to fall off LT for weeks at a time and spontaneously reappear with no warning or preparation given. Often odd, amazingly accident prone. An owner (read: slave) to five cats, a guinea-pig, a horse and four ducks. Reader of fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, popular historical non-fiction and anthropology and the occasional general fiction.

Reading aims for 2013

50/50 balance of new and rereads

15 or over non-fiction reads

5 or over autobiographies

Non reading aims for 2013

Get over 65% on a dressage test

Jump a clear round at least twice

End on less than 50 faults when eventing

Try to get rid of at least as many books as I get

2013 Reads




= is new reads from the shelf
# is rereads
~ is newly acquired for 2013

January

# 1. Running the Hotel on the Roof of the World by Alec Le Sueur
# 2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
= 3. The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper
= 4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
# 5. Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
# 6. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Best reads of 2012 (in no particular order) :

New reads

Wool by Hugh Howey
The Incredible Human Journey by Alice Roberts
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Life in a Medieval Village by Frances and Joseph Gies
The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

There's no point listing the best rereads as all my rereads were great last year, of course. Why would you read a book again that wasn't good?!

A few statistics:

33 new reads/ 72 rereads

7 non fiction 98 fiction

48 scifi/fantasy

18 historical fiction

Happy New Thread!

Looking forward to your perusals, however periodical, and may this coming year be less accident ridden!

Welcome back!

I'm glad you are back!

Looks like we have tons of the same interests so I thought I'd stop by and let you know I'd be lurking around :) Happy Reading!!

Clip-clop Jenny .. glad to see you back again and I can't wait for more horse stories. Btw, I love your definition of 'lunacat'. :-)

Welcome back, however periodical you are!

It looks like we like some of the same genres, so I thought I'd star you. Look forward to seeing your 2013 reads!

Dropping my star, so I can follow you into the New Year! Missing your warm and witty presence on the threads - hope all is well.

Welcome back, Jenny!

Hi Jenny, welcome back. I hope you are feeling well again. I loved your Christmas presents on your 2012 thread :)

A Happy and fantastic New Year to you!

Hi there! I'm afraid I lost track of your thread, ummmm, like, a year or 2 years ago...ha! The last I remember you had a fence post in your neck. :P I'll try harder not to lose you in the shuffle this time.

Happy New Year Jenny!

So happy to see you again, Jenny! I came in later than I would have liked at your last thread, but I hope to keep better track of you now. Happy reading!

Easily distracted, you say? Well, I can't say I know what that's-----SQUIRREL! *runs off*

Hi, Jenny - Happy New Year!
I was going through last year's books (or is it still this year's?) that I read and noticed that you had recommended Dragonsbane which I really, really liked.

Here's to a great new year ahead, Jenny!

Happy New Year, Jenny! Hope it is filled with fabulous things and loads of laughter!

Happy New Year Jenny!

Happy New Year Jenny. Starred you.

Thank you all for the welcomes and good wishes for the New Year. My main aim this year is to have an A&E free year, as I'm really fed up of accidents etc! I'm also wanting to make a lot more things this year, be more creative and hopefully get better at the things I attempt.

I'm not going to promise to be here for the whole year, as it seems to be an ingrained part of me that means I have to step away from people for a while, whether that is in 'real life' or on here. I simply don't appear to have that many social hours within me for a whole year visiting LT!!!

But at least I'm usually here at the beginning and the end!

Answers taken from 2012 books read :)

Describe yourself Queen's Own Fool

Describe where you currently live A Wayside Tavern

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? The Enchanted Forest

Your favorite form of transportation?The Long Ships

Your best friend is? Sunshine

What's the weather like? A Sea of Troubles

You fear? The Lions of Al-Rassan

What's the best advice you have to give? Packing For Mars

Thought for the day Childhood's End

How I would like to die? Before I Fall

My soul's present condition A Swift, Pure Cry

Even if you have to step away, I'm still looking forward to seeing what you read this year. (Tales and photos of Connie are also always enjoyed!)

No worries about being distracted... it happens to the best of us. Happy new year and good luck with all your goals.

(PS: Dressage! So cool!)

Jenny

All good wishes for a healthy and accident free year.

Happy New Year!!!!

Hi Jenny - will just be pleased to see you when you feel up to it. Hope you have a happy and healthy 2013:)

#1. Running a Hotel on the Roof of the World by Alec Le Sueur



Highly amusing tale of five years spent working at the Holiday Inn in Lhasa in the late eighties, interspersed with the occasionally serious trials of working in such a controlled and volatile political environment. Included are tales (hah) of giant rats, the difficulties of obtaining food supplies (live animals frequenting the kitchens), guests having to cook their own breakfasts, and the first ever 'Miss Tibet' contest.

A light read that is both unbelievable and far too easy to believe.

There is a Holiday Inn in Lhasa? That is more than a bit disturbing and disappointing.

#31

Not any more. It wasn't making money (if you read the book, you will more than understand why) so it was taken back over by an independent. Although that might have changed since the book was written.

According to the internet, it's now The Lhasa Hotel.

I was reading on Paul's thread that you are an allergy sufferer like myself. People never understand why I choose to work on the farm when half the things on the farm make me a sneezy, weepy, itchy mess. Hay and fresh cut grass are the worst. It's the main reason I do as little with the horses as I can and only put hay down for the pigs when it's really necessary.

#33 Indeed. When I told the doctor that it didn't matter what my tests came back with me being allergic to, I wasn't giving up my job or my horse, he looked at me and said 'we'll see'. There is no 'we'll see' about it!

Thankfully what we're feeding at the moment is haylage and not hay, so much less dust and I can handle it with no problems. It would just be nice sometimes to be able to sit on the grass for 10 mins in the summer without getting an itchy rash!

Ugh. This year is so far the year of annoying paperwork. I was trying to fill out paperwork on Wednesday and couldn't find the medical certificate I need to be able to prove I am currently unfit to work and therefore need government money. Rang the doctors to ask for a new one to be written and was told it would be done that evening and I could pick it up on Thursday.

Finished the paperwork, went in the next day and found that it hadn't been signed, and the doctor that had to do it had gone home for the day already. So dropped off the paperwork anyway, and said I'd be back the next day (today) with the certificate. When I got home, it suddenly dawned on me which safe place I might have put it in and sure enough, there it was, but by this time I wasn't able to go back into town and take it to the office. Called the doctor and said 'no need for another one'. Was planning to take it in today.

This morning the post brings me an invoice from the vet, re: Connie, for a bill that I had already sent a cheque in for. Look at my bank account, discover that the money had indeed gone out. Ring the vets, they have no trace of it but will investigate.

Vets call me back, say they have no trace of me paying it.

I call my bank, they say it was definitely paid out, no reason to investigate, give me the date it would have been paid in and say I could put a trace on it but can take up to six weeks to find out. They can't tell me which account the cheque went into though (why not?? If I wrote the cheque, surely I should be allowed to know who banked it?!).

Call back vet. Still waiting to hear. Through all this I missed my lift into town so now can't take medical certificate in till Monday which means further delay on money.

I need a drink.

What a day, Jenny! I'll gladly pour you that drink.

#2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card



Young genius boy is commandeered by the space section of the military to go to Battle School, where he will learn how to be the one person who can save the world from the 'buggers', an alien force who attacked the world years ago. They dread the return they know is coming, but uncertainty hangs of Ender, as the training threatens to destroy him.

Good, readable sci-fi drama that deals, not only with the military side, but also the moral repercussions of enlisting young people and manipulating their intelligence for their own agendas through the control of information and propaganda.

Oh mei, what a day you had. Meh - hopefully you just can sit down now with a nice cuppa of hot chocolate and cream and relax with a good book or some of your wonderful crafting. *smile*

Hi Jenny, good review. One of those books which is collecting dust in my bookshelve. Hopefully, I will come round reading it soon.

Have a great weekend :-)

I loved Ender's Game. :)

Jenny, that is an UNBELIEVABLE day! Poor baby! How frustrating!

On the book front - I loved Ender's Game when I read it last year.

Dealing with the paperwork and red tape of daily living is very frustrating. Much more so when a wrench is thrown in the works. Sorry your day was so difficult!

Oh my .. what a horrible day you're having Jenny. I'd have a couple of drinks if i had a morning like that! I don't understand why the bank can't trace and tell you who deposited your check at least within a day. 6 weeks is unreasonable.

{hugs}

#38 Bianca haven't managed either the hot chocolate or the crafting - the crafting mainly because all my craft materials have been evicted to the garage to make room for Christmas! I have been watching rubbish TV though, as some compensation.

#39 Rachel I'd forgotten how much I had enjoyed it until I reread it :) Thanks for stopping by.

#40 Mamie Yup, not the best day, and not helped by the vets never getting back to me so now I have to wait until Monday to try and resolve it. Unless I can get through to the oh so 'helpful' telephone helpline and insist they tell me who banked the cheque.

#41 Morphy Thanks. Since I decided to embark on sorting a rather large amount of paperwork I'd been slightly putting off on New Year's Day, it's in fact been a frustrating week all round. Maybe next week will be more productive?

#42 Caro I am currently sitting here drinking pear and raspberry cider in the hopes of drowning out today. I'll admit that I was rather perturbed by the bank saying they couldn't tell me who had banked the cheque.......after all, it's MY money that went out of my account?!? Plus it's not a small amount either as it was for the hospital care Connie received in August......not exactly cheap. We're talking well over £600 here.

Now I'm cross again. I need more drink..........

Your opener looks ideal for my travel challenge Jenny - I'll have to look it up. Have a great weekend.

Oh, rubbish TV is fine. I do that from time to time as well. Helps to relax the brain cells :). I am still watching all the Buffy episodes. Currently, I am on season 6 and my son thinks I am so "uncool!". LOL

I can't WAIT until my girls are old enough to watch Buffy with me! Of course, they are three and seven weeks, so it'll be a while. I'm sure I will be the biggest dork on the planet when I whip them out in 10 years or so :)

Loved Ender's Game as well! And I have high hopes for the forthcoming film, as well... *fingers crossed*

Always like to tune in to a little Buffy. I had never seen it during my teenage years but J, my best friend, used to be obsessed with them so we still watch them when there is nothing else interesting on TV. I was quite confused at first but then we rented the box sets so I could see them in order and now I can watch random episodes without getting too muddled.

Thankfully today is going better, mostly because it's 2pm and I've only been up since 12.30pm. Well, J woke me up for breakfast and medication but then I went back to bed again! Not too much awake time for things to go wrong.

Wooo Ender's Game!

Do you think you'll continue with the series?

Hi Jennie - sorry to hear about all your admin / paperwork annoyance.
I've seen a few mentions of Wool by Hugh Howey and will now add it to my tbr list.

Nice review of Ender's Game. I haven't read it since I was in high school, so I don't really remember anything about it, and I think it's one of the books my (attempted) book club is going to read.

#49 Nora not sure whether I'll continue or not, as I loved it so much that I'm reluctant to risk others not being as good. Or diluting the power of it. It's a good dilemma to have, but still haven't decided.

#50 Kerry Wool is very good, though not at all what I was expecting. Had I investigated more about it before reading it, I wouldn't have picked it up, but I'm glad I did.

#51 Blue I'll look out to see if you get to it this year. It's certainly a book I know I will continue to reread periodically.

Haha, same here. I saw a few scattered episodes of Buffy when it came out, but it didn't appeal to me. However, then one of my friends at work told me about it - she is obsessed BTW as well and can actually quote whole passages, which is absolutely amazing - well, I got started to watch them on lovefilm and was surprised how funny it actually is!

Are you still having the N.K. Jemisin books on your TBR which you got last year? I got them for my kindle now, also I promised myself to get nothing new this year ;(.

I'm noting down my currently reads, mainly because I want to try and see what makes me read certain books throughout the year, and therefore try to read more new books instead of rereads. But also to see how my mind works in choosing books for their practicality, as that is another reason for when I read things!

Current reads:

Out of Eden: The Peopling of the World by Stephen Oppenheimer. Received for Christmas off my wishlist, which I had chosen because I'm currently going through a prehistory anthropology/human evolution kick. Picked up because I felt like a nonfiction.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Had been reading Ender's Game on my Kindle and had finished it, but I was curled up in bed and didn't feel like sleeping yet, or getting up to find a book from my shelves so flicked through my library and saw this. Wanted to see why it has the following it does.

The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper. Had read about two pages last year and then got distracted. Needed a book to read in the shower and didn't want either of the above, the first because it is new and the second because it's on the kindle. Saw this and thought I'd restart it. Glad I did as it's good to turn to when my brain can't cope with non-fiction any more.

Feel free to join in if you often have more than one book on the go and know why. Is it because you have them dotted around various parts of the house, or need relief from one type so also have a lighter/heavier one on the go? Have a bookclub read and something else going at the same time?

Yup Bianca, the N.K Jemisin's are still sitting on my shelf. Haven't felt like them yet but hopefully will do at some point this year.

=3. The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper



300 years after what the people call 'the convulsion', a devastating apocalyptic event that has left areas of devastation around the countryside, women and men now live mostly separately, although alongside one another.

The men reside in garrisons outside the town walls, ready to defend their women and living a warrior life, one of games, parades and mock battles, the only exceptions the few men that choose to return to inside the towns when they reach the age of fifteen. Scorned and ridiculed by the other men, they are welcomed with open arms by the women and take on the role of servants.

The women do the rest, producing food, power, materials and objects for both the women and the men, governed overall by the Council, a group of women chosen to rule and strictly controlled by a set of rules known as the ordinances. It is seemingly a clear cut society, with each person knowing their position in the world.

However, it is never as simple as it seems.

As Stevia, the daughter of a councilwoman, grows she finds herself caught up in a scheme by the men to learn more from the women and her own desire for friendships and information, as well as her disagreement with some of the ordinances, set her down a path with potentially catastrophic consequences and revealing the truth not only about their own society, but others far different than her own.

A fascinating look at the ways men and women function both together and apart, it is an accentuated and intensified but nonetheless entirely believable study of the way the sexes think and identify with each other. Both societies shown, the world Stavia lives in and the world she discovers, are exaggerated portrayals of ones that exist now, and are therefore both terrifying and intriguing.

However, the feminist message behind the novel does leave a little to be desired, as perhaps it shows its age, being written in 1988. The men are portrayed as simple and uncomplicated, wanting their basic desires met and seeking power whenever they can. Men are also blamed for the downfall of the previous world. As a twenty-first century woman, I felt offended on behalf of men in general. While it is clear that men and women are very different from each other, I don't believe the overall message portrayed.

It is certainly a fascinating and intriguing read though, and I'd be interested to hear other opinions, especially those of a man, as there is a lot to be considered within.

Hi Jenny, great review. I read the book many, many years back and remember that I enjoyed it very much. However, I remember that I felt the feministic approach was outdated and that I partial crinched at the treatment of the men. However, I noticed that she portrait men quite often like that, especially in her earlier works. Ignoring these facts, her books make a fascinating read :)

Utterly sickened and horrified by this:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Gangraped-girl-equally-respons...

For those who hadn't heard the story, a young Indian woman was gang raped and assaulted with a metal pole for over an hour on the 16th of December. She suffered horrific internal injuries and had to have part of her intestines removed but survived until the 29th December when she passed away.

It's provoked a huge outcry in India because the police didn't respond or investigate immediately, and protests turned violent over the way women are treated.

The authorities etc are now trying to show that they are going to take these crimes much more seriously and try to protect women, and although the whole incident has been dreadful, it seemed that it might be a catalyst for the beginning of change, although a lot of people remain cynical.

And now this. A well known 'guru' says that she was partly to blame.

How long is it going to take for women to STOP being blamed for the crimes of others? How is it ever possibly a woman's fault for being violated?

Equality has come so far. And yet not far enough. Sometimes it feels that it will never get better because the brutal fact is, we will always be weaker than men. And it's still our fault.

A friend of mine is from New Delhi and has been living there again for the past several years. He says that the public outcry about this is truly fantastic but he's afraid that it's just a flash in the pan like so much social upheaval in India. Obviously this should NEVER have happened, but hopefully it WILL bring about real change.

Leah - I hope that maybe it's a step forward. Even if (as is so likely) it is a flash in the pan as you said, perhaps it can be a flash that helps someone. Or brings an awareness that will hang around, and one day starts something more.

I read this years ago, and I wish it could sink in to many more people than it seems to have done.

If a woman is drunk, don’t rape her.
If a woman is walking alone at night, don’t rape her.
If a women is drugged and unconscious, don’t rape her.
If a woman is wearing a short skirt, don’t rape her.
If a woman is jogging in a park at 5 am, don’t rape her.
If a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you’re still hung up on, don’t rape her.
If a woman is asleep in her bed, don’t rape her.
If a woman is asleep in your bed, don’t rape her.
If a woman is doing her laundry, don’t rape her.
If a woman is in a coma, don’t rape her.
If a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don’t rape her.
If a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don’t rape her.

If a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don’t rape her.
If your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don’t rape her.
If your step-daughter is watching tv, don’t rape her.
If you break into a house and find a woman there, don’t rape her.
If your friend thinks it’s okay to rape someone, tell him it’s not, and that he’s not your friend.

If a girl smiles at you, do not rape her.
If a girl dances one dance with you, do not rape her.
If a girl is walking alone, do not rape her.
If a woman is a dancer, stripper or prostitute - nurse, teacher or nun, do not rape her.
If a woman changes her mind, do not rape her.
If a woman is strong or weak, smart or dumb, pretty or ugly, young or old, in a relationship or single, tall or short, skinny or fat, do not rape her.

If your ‘friend’ tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.
If your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there’s an unconscious woman upstairs and It’s your turn, don’t rape her, call the police and tell the guy he’s a rapist.

Tell your sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it’s not okay to rape someone.

Don’t tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
Don’t imply that she could have avoided it if she’d only done/not done x.
Don’t imply that it’s in any way her fault.
Don’t let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he ‘got some’ with the drunk girl.
Don’t perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can, too, help yourself.

Superb review of The Gate to Women's Country, Jenny! I went to give you a thumb, but I didn't see your review on the book's home page.

Powerful message in the above post. That should be widely read and distributed; thanks for sharing it with us.

#61

Have put it there now Darryl. It's never occurred to me to post reviews as I usually don't put much effort in.

Thumb duly added.

Hi Jenny, I second Darryl's opinion about the post in 60 and also think something like that should be much more widely read and distributed.
I have read about this incident in the German Newspaper and my family and I were equally horrified, which then sparked a very lively discussion. I think it is just absolutely disgusting that some countries still get away with the way they treat their women.
This poor girl has done nothing and lost of her life, because of such self-important idiots, who unfortunately even get away with that. So nothing will change, even so that there is currently an outrage.

>52 lunacat: Ender's Game is definitely in a league of its own, but the sequels are good in their own special ways. They are just very different.

Jenny, thanks for posting the review of The Gate to Women's Country. I've never reread Gate to Women's Country because I'm afraid I'll hate the portrayal of men in it. The first time I read it I discovered I was not as nonviolent as I wanted to be. I do wonder what I'd think of it now. I recently reread her novel Beauty and liked it a lot the second time around.

Also, thanks for the post #60.

#56 Also thumbed your review of A Gate to Women'S Country Jenny. I really enjoyed Beauty by Sheri Tepper but again found some of the 'message' she included in the book a bit unpalatable.

#58 & 60 Agreed. There just aren't words sometimes.

#64 Bianca doesn't it always seem to be the way that those who are outraged are those who would strive to do something about it but don't need to, because we live in countries where this kind of attack would be taken seriously. But others.... well, it is disgusting that not only do these things happen, but that other people also become complicit by not caring, and not acting, because of whatever reason.

#65 Nora Good to know that they are worth giving a go. I do have them on my kindle so I'll hopefully try one at some point this year.

#66 Ardene I think I might have Beauty around here somewhere but I'm not sure. I'd certainly like to read more by her, although I think the treatment of men might get on my nerves if ishe writes like that in every book.

In other less depressing news than my rant up there, I have a very cross cat here today! I was having a cuddle with him yesterday and aimlessly scratching the back of his neck when I noticed he had quite a few small scabs there. He often does have a few in a row like he has been scratched there, but on further investigation there were more.

Because I am an eternal scab picker (the monkey instinct is very strong in me - I'd be happy to pick lice and fleas off things, though not to eat them) I rummaged and found bigger ones. He then rolled over and I found a big one in each of his armpits, and lots of smaller ones all over his tummy in various states of healing.

It's very strange. He's not a fighter and has never come in looking as though he'd been in a scuffle, so no idea where he got them from. Because one of the ones under his armpit was looking oozy and sore we kept him in today, hence being cross. He keeps yowling at the door! At least they all look better today although he has very thick fur so I know we haven't found them all, despite my picking.

About six months ago we had to take him to the vets when a scab he had on his head came off and a whole load of pus came out. He had a significant hole in his head.

What on earth could he be getting up to? None of the others ever have anything like this?

#67 Heather you popped in while I was writing. Good to see you stopping by :)

Unpalatable would be right - I don't like feminism in that sense, where it turns into an attack on all men. There must be some way to get a balance.

#56 Thumbed your review of The Gate to Women's Country. It looks interesting although I might have the same reaction as you to the differing portrayal of men and women. But I've already got another Sheri Tepper on my TBR pile so I'm not adding anything else by her to the wishlist until that's read!

Hi! Dropping off a star and hoping to keep up. :)

Ah, so you're a horse person. Way cool! We need pictures! I'm planning on reading 4 or 5 biographies this year too. Not sure which ones. I count things like Corpse Walker which is biographical, but not of one person.

Interesting review on Stepper. I haven't read her yet. At first it sounded like it's a Sparta-based society. That's pretty much what they did, although they had kings, not queens. And I know what you mean about feminism in the late 80s. There was a lot of negative stereotyping of men, some deserved and some not. I'd say the typical male of today isn't the typical male of the 70s/80s so some of the stereotyping seems totally off now. It also is a bit crass/inelegant/unfair/ineffective to fight stereotyping (and opression) with more stereotyping. In the 80s, I had a male friend who worked in a feminist bookstore and he actually had customers who walked up to check out, threw their books on the counter and said "Now I can't buy these because you are here." Trust me, this guy was not the enemy - but there were a lot of women then, and probably even now, who had enough experiences that were bad that they thought avoiding/demonizing men was the right thing to do. That said, I'm grateful to the more strident voices of the 60s through 80s because they accomplished a lot.

Excactly, if something like that would happen in the countries we live in, there would be an outrage, but at the same time justice would take over to handle the situation. People like that wouldn't get away with something like that.
I just had a chat with one of my friends from London this evening about that and she told me that our Indian friends at work said, that the said thing is is that - not matter what outrage there is in India now - nothing will change. To bring change about in situations like that you need to change the mentality of the people first. Yes, and I agree that it is absolutely disgusting that still can happen in the 21st Century. However, we experience them things via the media, feel horrified, but at the same time we are helpless, because we can't force any changes. :(

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath



Young woman has possible mental breakdown after visit to New York. She can't work out what she wants, and wanders round failing to kill herself and self-obsessing over everything.

I didn't get it. Language lyrical but the main character's intense self-pity frustrated me. I never felt anything but dislike for her and therefore didn't care what happened. All I wanted to do was shake her.

I've had my own mental problems, including continuing clinical depression. I know I was selfish during it. But this is something different.

I read it because I had heard so much about it. I'm glad I have but I'll carry on wondering what all the fuss is about. Perhaps it was a novel of its time, a chance for other young women to realise that they were not alone in their feelings of isolation and depression, but I have read classics that portray this, without the self-indulgent whining.

Nice comments about The Bell Jar, Jenny. I wasn't impressed with it, either.

I feel reassured now Darryl. At least, even if I am in a minority in disliking it, I'm in good company :).

Getting increasingly fed up as the festive season fades completely away, and the long plod till spring begins. I forced myself to go on a bike ride yesterday but am so appallingly unfit I only managed about a mile, so that hasn't helped my mood.

At least I'm getting a decent amount read, although when the depression creeps up like this, all I want to do is sleep. I'd love to go and see my horse but as I have to rely on others for lifts etc, it feels such an effort. And I can't ride her yet and she's not a cuddly character so wouldn't appreciate the visit.

I picked up some knitting last night, gorgeous wool and pattern I was given for Christmas, and did manage to start it before I got accosted by a cat, but when I looked at it this morning I've discovered I was doing it wrong so have had to unravel it.

Maybe bed is the best place for me!

>74 lunacat: I've planned to read her collection of poems in Ariel this year and was toying with reading The Bell Jar along side of it. However, it doesn't sound like a book I'd like.

>77 lunacat: At least you caught your knitting mistake before you got too far along! I've knitted for hours, only to hold up my work to admire it and find a glaring mistake in the first 20 rows.

One of our daft cats this morning

Thank you for your well wishes for Alex. He is still asleep now (I know it's already afternoon), but I just let him be now.

> 74 Very interesting review on The Bell Jar, I was considering of reading it, because it got so many nice reviews. However, reading yours now, I don't think it would be for me.

I definately feel with you about feeling depressed in this weather. This is the time of the year, where isn't that much to do either :(. I have done some gardening on Saturday, but because it was so cold, wet and got dark so early I gave up after two hours.
So, what are you knitting? A shame that you have to unravel the pattern again.

I love the photo of your cat. He/She looks very much like the cat of my new landlady Rossella :)

#80

At least Alex has got the excuse of being sick to be sleeping. My sleep schedule is ridiculous at the moment when considering the amount I need. Sleeping 12-8am, get up for breakfast, back to bed by 9.30am, doze till 11-11.30am.

Get up for lunch, then need an afternoon nap, usually about 2 hours. Evening is my longest time to stay awake, managing 4pm-midnight. Ridiculous.

I'm trying to knit a very delicate scarf/shawl type item but it's not going so well. About to pick it up again.

The cat is Bobble, who has had a pretty rough time of it recently. He's now happily curled up on my lap :)

Well, if that's what you need at present. Aren't you still on the medication as well? As far as I know some of the meds can make you pretty tired as well.

Oh, is he the one who was so annoyed at you and to stay in, because of all the scabs?

I would love to see a picture of the kind of scarf/shawl you are knitting. Any pictures handy you can post?

Hi Jenny, I'm new to your thread and finding much of interest!
I read Ender's Game a while ago, and really enjoyed it, but have not read any of the sequels, partly because they branch out - one becomes the story of one of the other recruits - I've forgotten the character's name now, but he's another super bright recruit, kind of Ender's second in command. His first book is Enders Shadow, which is the story of Ender's Game, but told from his perspective. And then there's Speaker for the Dead, which is what Ender does next, which I have on my TBR pile but haven't got round to.
A very helpful review of The Gate to Women's Country. It's a book I've heard about but didn't know the details of. I think I'll definitely add it to the wish list - I like SF that addresses gender issues, even if their attitude can seem dated and unhelpful. I agree about not beating up on the men too much though - I think that makes feminists just as guilty as chauvinists but in the other direction. The more I think about feminism, the more I think actually it needs to address a lot more issues to do with male gender identity as well, as I'm sure many men are also a victim of gender stereotyping. If we could all just start thinking about ourselves as "people", rather than our reactions to them being based largely around their gender, we might start to make progress. Alas, I think that day is still a long way away, as the recent terrible events in India show.

#82 Bianca Yup, I am still on medication. I've always needed a lot of sleep but not quite this much. It's getting rather tedious to feel sleepy ten minutes after starting to read a book though. I'm trying to do some more exercise in order to boost my energy so I hope it will help soon.

Yes, that is the same cat. He has also had a lot of problems with another one of our cats. They happened to be facing each other when they got scared by a box being knocked over and both reacted by leaping up, puffing their fur and hissing, but then assumed each was attacking the other and got scared. Zita went for Bobble in her fear, and Bobble ran away, but not before wetting himself in fear :(

For a few weeks they couldn't be anywhere near each other, hissing, attacking and growling when they were. Bobble lived in a bedroom and was too scared to come out. It has taken us a good long while and some vet prescribed calmers to get them functioning in the same house, but they still don't like each other, and Bobble always seems to come off worst. He is such a darling though, so we'll do whatever we need to to keep them all happy.

#83 Hannah I believe Ender's Shadow tells Bean's story, which is probably one I'd be most interested read, although I'm still hesitant. It's funny isn't it, the way we so fear other books being bad that we won't try them when the first book is such a standout. I'm sure it's not the way we are supposed to think.

I agree with you about feminism. I thought the point was supposed to be that they fought for equal rights to men, not believe themselves to be superior to men and blame them for all the problems of the world. After all, we have a lot we are responsible for as well. A lot of feminists seem to be determined to blame men in general for the crimes of some, and also to take revenge for the centuries of unequal power.

I was talking about it with my mum the other day, the ideas of feminism etc. Perhaps it's because I have never had to fight to be treated as equal but I do find a lot of viewpoints, especially from women, ridiculous. We merrily make sexist jokes about men and when they do so in return, we get offended. Some women get angry when a man opens a door for them because they think they are being demeaned, and others don't like it when men don't.

I think men are in a very difficult situation currently. The old traditional ways are still held so often, e.g men not being accepted readily as house husbands or the main carers for children, and yet are expected to fulfill the role of being equal in jobs and tasks around the house as well as working full time to provide for their families. Society wishes them to be 'metro sexual' and understand women, but we make little effort to understand men.

I am probably generalizing as well, and am guilty of some of these problems as well, but I am generally fairly traditional. I think it makes sense for women to stay home with the children - firstly because they are the ones that go through childbirth and therefore need to be at home to recover, secondly because of the practicalities involved if they breastfeed - not physically possible for men and, from what I've seen, a bit of a hassle to pump etc, and thirdly because a woman's mothering and caring instinct has been dominant for hundreds of thousands of years and you can't change that in fifty years.

But if a man chose to stay at home, I wouldn't think anything less of him. The same as if a woman chooses to work for whatever reason. Each to their own. I also don't take offense if a man offers to do something for me, such as carrying shopping bags, lifting things etc. Anything that requires physical strength. I am not as strong as nearly all men, and I never will me, so it makes sense for them to do so.

That turned into a bit of a lecture, sorry! It's very interesting to look at gender differences, as long as neither sex (or those who identify gender differently) are victimised. We are different, physically, emotionally and mentally. The challenge is to use those differences positively and making sure 'power' doesn't slide one way or another.

And in other news, this explains so much in my world.

Hi again Jenny, actually, we did interact last year, so I'm a doofus to say "I'm new". "I'm forgetful" is more like it. Love the cat brain picture. "infatuation with people who hate cats" made me laugh, because it's so true! My husband doesn't hate cats, but he is pretty badly allergic (which is why we can't have one, sigh), so he always steers away from them, and they just seem to sense his aloofness and adore him for it!

Regarding your post, "We are different, physically, emotionally and mentally". I think that is true, but I also think that a lot of the perceived differences of gender can be explained as "nurture" rather than "nature". There has been quite a lot of research done into how adults react to young children, and how it is influenced by the gender of the child. So young boys being loud and boisterous are praised and seen as assertive, whereas young girls behaving in exactly the same way are told they need to calm down and are considered "bossy". (Seen classically in later life as the lady boss who's a bitch, and the male boss who's simply uncompromising/good at his job etc). There was a chapter in a book I read recently The Equality Illusion that dealt with this topic in a lot of detail, and made me realise that, as someone who works with young children, even I am guilty sometimes of treating children differently based on my own pre-conceptions about their gender, even though I consider myself a feminist and absolutely want to empower young girls, the age-old reactions are just so hardwired into our brains. A tricky subject to be sure, but one I find really interesting.

Hi Jenny - have a personal point of view here as my husband gave up full time work to care for our son when he was six months old and stayed working part time (no more than 2 days per week) until he was six. For us it was a purely economic decision but I do feel strongly that people should be allowed to arrange their lives however they want I'd it suits them. We were lucky in that the friends we made in ante-natal classes took this completely in their stride, but we did occasionally come across people who struggled with the concept. What I do find irritating is where women in particular treat their partners as some sort of performing seal who can't be left alone with the children for 10 minutes without losing one of them or able to deal with any domestic event without the house burning down. It's almost like there's a completion of my husbands more useless domestically than your husband sometimes.

I'm glad that you had support for what you were doing from friends, even though others were unable to comprehend it. If it works, who is anyone else to judge!

It seems as though some people can only feel good about themselves and their lives when they are putting down others. I can't imagine doing that to your own husband though. We often joke with my best friend's husband that he is incapable of multi-tasking which is true, but he jokes with us about being unable to do the DIY things around the house so it evens out and none of us get offended.

My mum always said people were amazed at how hands on my grandad was as a father, happily getting up in the night and dealing with the children, and doing nappy changes etc. He was the exception rather than the rule as a husband in the forties and fifties. My grandmother would happily leave him alone with the children, although she did get frustrated on one occasion when there was an open day at the primary school she taught at. She was occupied with other things so Grandie was left responsible for the children, and however it happened, my mum (under five) fell into the school pond. My mum said she thought Grammie was more embarrassed that it happened to her child while all her colleagues and friends were around than anything though!

I was often left with Grandie when I was a little girl. The only problem he ever had was that I was still in nappies overnight and he didn't know how to put the disposable on and off so I had to show him (I was under 3). He'd have been fine with reusable cloth ones.

@79 Looks like a happy daft cat.

Great discussion about gender here. I've been reading a collection of Tiptree's stories Her Smoke Rose Up Forever and saw an evolution of what we've been talking about here. The earlier stories were more stereotyped, angrier, but the later stories are much different.

I've got a friend too that is a stay-at-home dad and one of their sons has autism. A lot of people have been cool with it, but yes, he's mentioned to me that when he would go to the playground to watch the boys all the mothers would sit on a couple benches and talk but never made him feel welcome even when he tried. He's a published author now, but for a long time he hid behind the "I'm a writer" instead of saying "I'm a dad," even though when his younger son was pre-school age, I'm being a dad was a full time job.

I totally agree, we do so much to shape gendered behavior without even meaning too!!! I'm glad to see people discussing the issue. We've made a lot of progress in shifting the way people think, but there's a long way to go. I'll quote Lily Tomlin "Any gender is a drag." The idea here is more freedom and respect for everyone, not retribution or blame.

Daft cat photo of the day - lying on my legs, which are under the blanket. It's cold here today!

oh your cats are pretty adorable!!

I am finding that I'm sleeping a lot lately as well! Since I haven't been working much and have no reason to get out of bed at a decent time I have been sleeping quite late. I've always been known to sleep about 10-12 hours but lately it's been a bit ridiculous. Longing for spring I guess...

Yummy cat picture!!

My Willie looks almost exactly like that. He'd never lay on his back that way though.

Off to the doctors to get treatment for a suspected ear infection.

Will be carrying with me a letter so I can arrange an appointment to have two non-standard vaccines to test my immune system response. Have to remember to pick up medication while I'm there.

Letter comes this morning saying I need an ultrasound to look at my spleen re: immune system.

Don't you love it when you become a mystery to doctors *sigh*

Oh dear. I purchased books, the first of the year. In my defense, they were half price in the bookshop and I rarely buy brand new books, so I couldn't resist.

I then went to the library cafe to have a hot chocolate while I waited for my bus and discovered the third book. At only 30p, it had to be purchased.

Half price new books:

What to Look for in Winter: A Memoir in Blindness by Candia McWilliam

Candia had just joined the judging panel of the Man Booker Prize in 2006 when she started to lose her eyesight. As it disappears, she looks backwards and inwards at her life, and how she can cling to herself.

Across Many Mountains: The Extraordinary Story of Three Generations of Women in Tibet by Yangzom Brauen

The personal stories of three women from one family, as they flee in fear, fight for survival and learn to live with life in exile.

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

Historical novel depicting the hostilities and wars between England and Wales in the thirteenth century.

I've just settled on my categories for the 2013 Category Challenge. I had to share them here for fun! Some of the rhymes and grammar are truly appalling though :P

One for a book that looks like good fun (Something pure fluff)
Two for books that are debuts (The author's first book)
Three for books not grown on trees (Read on my Kindle)
Four for books that might be a chore (Books I've been procrastinating about reading)
Five for books that are yet to arrive (Books I hadn't bought by the end of 2012)
Six for books that resemble bricks (Books over 500 pages)
Seven for books that are far far from Devon (Books set outside UK or USA)
Eight for books with a future date (Sci-Fi)
Nine for books that do nothing but shine (Award winners of any type)
Ten for books that had happened by then (Historical fiction)
Eleven for books that might just be heaven (Fantasy)
Twelve for books I will always re-shelve (Rereads)
Thirteen for books for info I'll glean (Non-fiction)

HI Jenny, two days not on LT and I miss great discussions going on everywhere!

In regards to your discussion about gender. Alex dad was a house husband for the first three years of Alex life. We decided to do that that way, just because I earned more money. For us it worked out well and it ment that we didn't need any childcare. However, I do agree that the way we look at gender has a lot to do with the fact how we educate our children. The problems I often encountered was that Alex liked to play with "girls" toys and loved to dress up as fairies, princesses and the like, this caused very often odd looks by other dads who felt that I shouldn't let him do that. He also used to do Ballet when he was little. Well, he is 13 now and in IMO a "proper" boy who is very sensitive to girls needs and never feels awkward or giggly around them.

I love your cat picture :). Justin, the cat of my landlady would do that with me, but he has become a very demanding cat.

Great categories for your 13 category challenge. I am curious what your will fill them up with. I love your "something pure fluff" category.

Wish you a great and relaxing weekend!

Congrats on your book scores! Here Be Dragons is one I'm hoping to get later this year.

>95 lunacat: I then went to the library cafe to have a hot chocolate while I waited for my bus and discovered the third book.

Ya, wasting time while waiting for the bus can be dangerous. Where I used to live there was the BEST used bookstore on a corner where I often had to change buses. We won't talk about how many time I went it just to waste time and came out with a book.

And Across Many Mountains looks interesting, adding it to the library list. :)

90. My kitty looks almost exactly like yours. Same sleeping pose too.

Love your categories!

#95: Nice haul, Jenny!

Hey, great categories!

This is just too adorable not to share

A six month old dog teaches a scared eight week old puppy how to go down stairs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fDKDC_IUnOA

Three things to comment upon (and I'm editing drastically here).

1. Love the cat brain. I can see our three nodding as I type.

2. I think that is the most inventive category list I have seen this year; beautifully thought out.

3. Wishing you a wonderful weekend and I hope that your prize reaches you soon as I was notified that it was despatched already.

Bianca I hope you have a great, and more restful, weekend as well.

I agree that it's important that we do our best to allow children to be themselves without expecting them to conform to their gender stereotypes. If boys want to play with dolls and girls play with cars, what's wrong with that?

Karen Yes, it's becoming very dangerous. There is also a secondhand bookshop just round the corner that I've managed to resist so far. I've also lost my library card so can't be tempted to borrow things!

Michelle, Carol, Roni, Thanks. I need to get round to taking my laptop upstairs so I can inspect my bookshelves and see what options I have to fill each category.

Paws Cats are utterly ridiculous sometimes, aren't they? I hope the flu starts getting better really soon.

Stasia Yup, quite pleased with my little stash.

Paul Thanks for dropping by. The categories took me a while - of course time I could have spent reading, but oh well! I'm looking forward to seeing what comes through the door :)

>104 lunacat: Oh my gosh, that was too cute! I like how at the end the older dog was ready to grab him by the scruff if he started to fall.

Couldn't resist sharing this. It's the little face that often greets me in the early morning, just after he has bitten my nose to wake me up.

>108 lunacat: awwww. cute! :)

How adorable...and what a what-did-I-do-wrong-you're-the-one-who's-not-awake look! My cat does that to wake me as well--I suppose it makes me feel loved lol. Either way, it's better than my best friend's cat--his kitty wakes him by yanking on his beard and licking his eyelids!

I'm loving all the cat pictures, especially the one of your cat sleeping on your legs all stretched out. I used to have a cat who would always leap up onto the couch whenever I had my legs up and he'd nestle and sleep stretched out between my shins.

I love your 13 categories. I have a question though, are you planning on re-reading 12 books for your reshelving category, or do you mean you'll be reading 12 books that you plan to re-read in the future?

I wish my cat would learn the nose thing instead of screaming at me to wake up.

And the puppy and the older dog - so cute!

Cute! My older cat, Tigger, will go up to my ear and cry loudly to wake me up. If I'm being stubborn, he'll nip my toes. He see's no reason why I would want to sleep past 5am on the weekend, not when his food bowl needs topping off (mind you it's not empty, it just doesn't have a fresh sprinkling of cat food on top).

112. Be thankful. By cat starts clawing on the walls if no one feeds him/lets him out/gives him water/cuddles him when he wakes up at 4.
Sometimes he jumps up into bed and hits you in the face with his paw.

Our old cat was gentler in the mornings. He used to push his nose into your cheeks. Or sometimes just jump up and stand on your chest and purr as loudly as he could (he weighed almost 6 kilos).

My last two cats (both deceased now, to my infinite sadness) were a nightmare when it came to sleeping. Ollie (the love me my life I've mentioned before) wouldn't settle down unless he was in bed with me, but he wasn't a nuisance. Fig was very active at night and would run all over the bed and then cuddle up around my head and lick my forehead. It was impossible. I tried just locking them out of bedroom but then Ollie would scream all night. I ended up having to get another litter box for in the bedroom (which grosses me out) so that Ollie could sleep with me and we could lock Fig out to have the run of the rest of the apartment at night. The things we do to accommodate our furry family members.

#104: I loved the video of the dog showing the puppy the way to get down the stairs. Thanks for sharing it, Jenny!

Thankfully, the cat wakes up my HUSBAND to feed her at 4am every morning. I don't even know how she does it anymore, but I think she scratches at the end of the bed...? I'm just glad it's not me getting up every night... haha.

And I'm oh so grateful for a dog who sleeps in a kennel and is quiet as a mouse in the morning...

Wow, loving all the visitors here today. Has made a bad day become quite a bit better :)

Thanks for stopping by Rachel. He is very cute, some of the time!

Jennifer he wears that expression a lot. Also coupled with 'what, if you didn't want me to sit in this box full of stuff, why did you leave it in my reach' and 'but it's MY toy, honest'. He will resort to the eyelid thing if the nose doesn't work, and will bite down extremely hard on your nose, lips and chin if you still don't respond. He has been known to do it hard enough to draw blood, little terror!!! It's a good thing he's so adorable.

Caro my legs are currently Bobble's chosen sleeping spot. He nags until I get them into a position he is happy with, and I am then pinned down. God forbid I should try and move, as the claws dig in and he scowls at me.

The re-reads are books I've already read and loved, and so will keep after another read. I did too many re-reads last year and want to cut down, but I needed a category as I know I won't go a year without any by any means.

Charlotte I think I'd take the screaming at times, see above for blood being drawn! The best is when he wakes me up by purring right in my ear. I can never be cross with him for that.

MichelleEek to the nipping of the toes! I'm glad none of mine have learnt that. One of the other cats, Zita, inadvertently wakes me up by lying on my head. I have to have a pillow over half of my head in order to sleep, and she lies on that. Fine if I'm on my side, not so good when I'm on my back and get half suffocated!

Paws The standing on the chest is never reserved for me, but our littlest cat Mouse does it to her 'daddy'. I live with a husband and wife (the wife is my best friend) and Tom, her husband, is absolutely adored by Mouse. They sleep with their door shut but if there is any way for Mouse to get in, she will. Thankfully she is about the size of a four month old kitten (she just stopped growing then) so she's very light, not too much bother.

Leah Awww, bless Ollie. He sounds like Luna, my namesake. She can't bear to be apart from me at night. To such an extent that I was her midwife and she gave birth to her kittens on my bed, pressed up against my stomach in the middle of the night. I tried to persuade her otherwise but she was having none of it!!

She also brought me the kittens in the night quite often in their first weeks. I'd put them back in their bed three or four times in the night and tell her I wasn't looking after them for her, but by morning my friend would come in and find me curled on my side with the kittens next to me, and Luna the other side of them with a smug expression on her face that she'd won and I was helping babysit!

Stasia so cute, isn't it. I couldn't resist sharing. Thanks for stopping by.

Faith good to see you've got the cat well trained!!!

Morphy yeah yeah, rub it in why don't you. I've tried not having the cats in my room at night but they attack the door with such gusto that sleep is impossible. At least this way I mostly get a full night.

________________

Speaking of the things we do for our animals, so far today I have:

*Rescued Mouse from the space behind an open drawer in my room. She had climbed through the drawer, fallen down the back and couldn't get out again.

*Put the guinea pig's wicker house the right way up for him

*Microwaved Mouse's breakfast because she is the fussiest cat in the world and won't eat it cold, but we are trying to put some weight on her

*Given Zita her breakfast - she only eats canned tuna now because she is on permanent medication for cystitis and won't take it with anything else

*Given Bobble breakfast because I hadn't realised he was inside while I was doing breakfast for the other two (he doesn't usually have any) and he was looking mournful at me.

*Put the guinea pig's house the right way up AGAIN

*Pulled out Tashi's favourite toy from underneath the sofa where he couldn't reach it

*Picked up the shredded roll of toilet paper that Tashi had destroyed overnight

*Put the guinea pig's house the right way up for a third time and given him a carrot to stop him shrieking.

*Cleaned Tashi's nose!! As you can see from the photo of him, he has a permanently dirty spot right above his pink bit and it drives me mad. He is the only cat I have ever known to not mind about being dirty. Paws, tummy, tail - he doesn't care and won't clean them!!

Phew. Exhausted now. Time for a nap maybe.

Re your posts on other threads; glad you're with us, Jenny. You really are a survivor.

Oh, a thread filled with animals; how CUTE! I just have the two kids, though my husband has promised them a dog (which means I've got to go and get allergy tested, though I love the daft things). Mind you, my youngest is extremely puppyish most of the time, so I'm not sure we need another one.

ETA: cross posted. Well, I'll be going to bed with a huge smile after reading this.

I hope you get a nap in, Jenny! It sounds like you need it after all your animal caretaking :)

Nina I do my best to keep surviving :)

It would seem appropriate that my thread be full of animals as my life is full of animals! Five cats, four ducks and a guinea pig in the immediate household, Connie down the road, four cats and a dog at my mums. Plus all my past pets that I remember so fondly. Oh, and the tropical fish, of which there are about fifty more as babies have been born!

I'm going to see Connie tomorrow for the first time in a few weeks. Unless it snows. I refuse to bike in the snow. My friend C rode her for the first time in a month on Friday and she was very good, Saturday not so good! Apparently tried to throw C off but we were expecting that.

Hopefully going to be able to sit on her on Wednesday. Yay.

Stasia I did get a nap in, thanks. I was cold downstairs so went upstairs to sit on my bed to read and sure enough, fell asleep. It was a nice nap though.

5. Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold



Cordelia Naismith is conducting a survey of a planet when the enemy strikes. Running back to camp, she finds it destroyed and one of her crew dead. As she searches for the culprits she is attacked, and the man she is with is injured. But the enemy is not as it seems. Aral Vorkosigan has been abandoned on the planet as well.

Forced to work together over the ensuing days, they begin to find a mutual respect for each other. But as the seriousness of the situation grows, and the tension between their planets escalates, they find that surviving a few days on an alien planet was the least of their troubles.

Fun, fast paced, well written and captivating space opera. I raced through it in a day. Always a good re-read.

6. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold



Politics, impending death, misunderstandings in society, it's all here again. Mostly the politics and impending death!

Won't say more because of spoilers. But just as good as the first.

Just catching up. Post 85 cracked me up. I like cats, but am very allergic, and have a lot of experience with the "Infatuation with people who hate (or are allergic to) cats" part. :)

Haha Jenny, description of what you do for your pets just reminded me how true that is. We don't have any cats, because both my parents are allergic to them, but we do have the dogs and there is no difference.
My mom makes them every morning and evening a liver sausage sandwich and they have to be without the crust for the little one and our big one doesn't care. The little one Paula is actually my brothers dog, but stays with us regularly as his work brings him abroad. Paula, likes to go to bed at around 21.00 and likes to sleep in. She hates going for a walk in the morning, so we usually just carry her in the garden to pee and than she races back inside to go back to bed *grin*. Oh well, pets are just fun.

To come back to your question on my thread: Not all preemies have got respiratory problems it depends very much on how early they were and how sick they have been. If I remember rightly you were born at 32 weeks? Although, at that gestation there still can occur some respiratory problems after birth, but they are nowadays quite rare. The problems are usually with the babies who needed to be on a ventilator for a long time and may still required a lot of oxygen. It all depends on what the starting point was. How immature were the lungs, how much support/and or oxygen was needed. The problem with the very small preemies is that on one side the ventilator keeps them alive, but on the other hand the artificial ventilation can cause damage to the lungs. I hope that makes sense :) So, if you didn't have any respiratory problems means that you have been a good little girl, exactly what we nurses like to see *smile*.

Interesting review on the two space operas. I have had them already for a long time on my wishlist, maybe I should give them a try at one point.

Actually Barrayar is even BETTER than Shards of Honor because Bujold was a much more mature writer (it was the 5th book she wrote as opposed to the first), but I do love them both and am tickled pink that you loved them too. Love Cordelia as a character and the interactions, great shopping trip as well. Heck, I just love Bujold's characters as people, period!

The cats don't get up in bed with us any more now that the dog is there, but I have to put all the rugs back in place in the morning from their night-time shenanigans!

Can't wait until you have some crochet and pottery to show us!

Bianca I love the sound of Paula. What a spoilt and decisive little girl. The things we do for our pets!

Have replied about the preemie thing on your thread. And you should definitely give the books a try, I was skeptical but I really really enjoyed them.

Roni I couldn't believe Barrayar came so long after Shards of Honor and that so many books were written in between. It seems odd, given how closely the story follows on and how much it sets up!

Pottery won't be for a while yet, although I could take pictures of my very bad pieces from last term. But I am currently attempting to knit a shawl from a pattern and gorgeous wool that I got for Christmas. It's not going too well at the moment but once I've got a start that even slightly resembles the picture, I'll put it up here.

Paula and Ayke comfortable on the sofa



Paula asleep in Alex bed! Such a princess on the pea, especially in the mornings when she doesn't want to get up :)

Oh yeah, I am very much looking forward to see your knitting progress and a picture of your "bad pieces" of pottery!

I agree thoroughly with Paula! She looks like me in the morning!

Zita, one of our cats, is very determined about her likes and dislikes as well. We are suited down to a tee. We both get up for breakfast, have our medication, and then go back to bed! We like to hibernate and don't go outside when it is cold. Although Zita stays in bed all day and I usually get up at lunchtime.

She will tolerate being outside for about five minutes, and that's enough. When we open the door to let her back in she comes charging over going 'OMG I thought I was going to be out forever, that was the worst thing you ever did to me!'. Prima donna!

LOL, that sounds so much like Paula. She hates going outside when it's cold or wet. However, I have to say that my brother spoiled her pretty much. He usually treats her like she is a baby and we are all sure that she has forgotten/or not realized yet, that she is a dog.
She always sleeps in the bed. When she stays with us then she sleeps with Alex and when he stays up at weekends a bit longer she can get really cross and growls at him, when she feels disturbed in her beauty sleep. :)

Whether Paula realises she is a dog or not, she is certainly very happy, and that's what counts!

>108 lunacat: cute cat! Looks like my old cat called Henry (Henry VIII in full). He was a cool cat too.

Jenny, late to your thread, I'm now reading your January 7th (post #58) message regarding the terrible, horrific event in India.

Good God! When will the madness stop?

On a positive subject, I love the photos of your animals!

Breakfast time for orphaned baby elephants. The slightly bigger one is Barsilinga, and I'm one of his foster parents. The blankets simulate their mothers, and they won't take their milk unless they have them.

Views from my house about 5 minutes ago:









Not normal for mild Eastern England!

I want snow! I thought when I moved from Georgia to New York that I would be guaranteed snow every year. This has not been the case (and snow flurries do not count). I think it has only snowed for 10 minutes so far this year. :(

Have some of ours! Now two inches and still snowing. My best friend drove home an hour ago and her wheel tracks are covered again now.

I thought NY was supposed to get lots as well.

You can have as much as you want from over here. We've been near-snowed in several times this year.

I want snow as well ;( It started to snow here last night and I was so excited and hopeful - AND - nothing this morning just frozen ground with a few flakes on top - baaahahaha.

Yes, paws could you please send some over to Germany :)

Jenny, I love the pictures of the baby elephants. How did you get the adoption done? Is there a special internet site you are using?

Go here Bianca

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

The work they do is absolutely amazing, as is their dedication to the elephants. If you investigate the website you'll find so many wonderful stories.

The standard day to day work - the keepers sleep in with the babies so they can feed them every three hours. They escort the babies out and help them to feed and play and grieve over their lost families. The baby elephants show compassion for others, and the older (but only up to 2 years old in the nursery) already show mothering instincts towards the tiny ones when they are still entirely milk dependent themselves.

And they put so much in to their recovery. One, Murara, was life threateningly lame when she arrived and yet with months of rehab she can now go out with the other babies to browse and join in.

The older stories of who they call the 'ex-orphans' who have gone out to the wild are incredible as well. They have set up their own herds but come home very regularly to help the older babies to learn and integrate into the wild. They also bring their wild born babies back to visit the keepers, so new generations are being born to mothers who would have died without the keepers.

And they come back when they are ill or injured to ask the keepers for help as well.

I could go on for hours about the amazing work they do but have a look, read the stories, and the keepers monthly diaries. They really want the foster parents to see how the babies they help grow. And it's not just elephants, they keep and protect a blind wild rhino, and another is starting her progression back into the wild. As well as gazelles and other wildlife!

Please have a look further, you won't regret it.

I thought you were going to start posting hot, shirtless British guys over here, lunacat...

Not a shirtless hot Brit in sight... :(

Ok.......ok.......ok......... give a girl a chance!

This good enough for you? Stephen Moyer from True Blood

Eh, not my type, but good on you for getting started.

I refuse to do all the work around here! British men are more than welcome, whoever feels like posting them :)

Jamie Bamber, a little more than shirtless.

Alright!

I bring you..... James McAvoy!

145. Oh, hello!

Much appreciated you two :D

Hi Jenny, thank you for the link. I will check that one out later with Alex :) The stories sound really cute.



And here a German cutie for you Jenny - Til Schweiger

ohhh lots of pretty boys here!
Love the snow pictures too!

>123 lunacat:, 126: Yay Barrayar!

>134 lunacat: : Which is you? In the hat?

>140 lunacat: : So very cool. Must look up Sheldrick.

>142 lunacat:, 145, 146, 149 : Sent to Stephen / Ape. He loves that sort of thing, apparently. ;0)

If Stephen wants to look at the pretty men, he can come here and do it. I'm NOT sending James McAvoy over to his house. ;)

>134 lunacat: & 140 The elephant photo was blocked at my work (snow okay, elephants not). National Geographic did an article on them or a similar organization. As you mentioned, one of the elephants that they'd raised and released visited them years later bringing her babies to show off; I thought it was very touching.

Pretty boys abound here too! I love the shots of your garden and being decidedly un-pretty I better not comment further on Messrs McAvoy & Co.

Colin Firth...sigh....

Opps, sorry for the double Colin Firth..twice as good though eh?

:( I dont see any Colin Firth
:_(

I would love to see Colin Firth--unfortunately, it isn't happening.

I would love to see double Colin Firth ... but also nothing. Never picked him for shy.

Jenny - I hope your week has gone well and that the weekend will see you relaxed and on the threads.
Have a good 'un.

I'll refrain from commenting on the relative merits of (invisible) Colin and visible other gentlemen, and say instead that I love the photo of the baby elephants feeding!

How's your snow. It's pretty thick and snowing on and off still more up here, so local kids are having a great time building snowmen and being pulled along on those little plastic sledges by hard-working parental beasts of burden!

Ooooooo Colin.... I've loved him since Apartment Zero.... (what a super creepy movie!) and so long ago, he probably doesn't even remember filming it.

& love your last daft cat photo!!!

I'm trying to force myself out of hibernation by posting this:

Today is our Tashi-versary!! A whole year since I was driving home and the people in the car in front threw a plastic bag into a ditch. The bag had a kitten in it that came out as I neared!

He has been a horror, a monster, a terror, and a older-cat-annoying nose-biting chaos-causing hooligan, but he is also one of the most loving cats in the world, and gives nothing but joy a lot of the time.

Tashi a year ago:



Utterly innocent of everything



A bit older and showing his true colours



He still suckles and kneads this every day - it used to be my hot water bottle. Now it is his comforter!



Destroying a paper towel roll last week



Spot the daft sleeping place

Hi, Jenny. Nice to see you again; and see Tashi for the first (?) time. Naughty, but cute.

This is the 'Tashi' we've been reading about :


Not quite as cute as your Tashi, or the other guys further up, but ...

>164 lunacat: Yay! I remember when you found Tashi! Happy adoption day, Tashi!

I'm so glad that you were around to collect Tashi and bring him to a loving home.

What is it about demonic orange tabbies that's so loveable? My Fig was the same way (even down to the suckling).

Every cat I've had has kneaded no matter how old they've been (and most of them have suckled too). I don't think they ever stop being kittens.

Happy Tashi-versary!! Love the pics you posted, Jenny! As rambunctious as Tashi is, that is a cat after my own heart. A cat should have a mischievous side - but I have to say, attacking the broom like that is something new to me. ;-)

Lovely photos of Tashi, Jenny! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Love Tashi, love his mum. Happy adoption day!

What a cutie! Happy adoption day :D

Tashi's adorable! Hope the two of you had a lovely day celebrating his anniversary.

OH MY GOSH! The cuteness, I can't take it! I always try to deny the fact that I like cats, but I must give in! Tashi is so adorable. ^_^ Happy Tashi-versary!

luna, I found the picture I wanted to share with you and Tashi. This was my demon orange tabby when he was a tiny adorable thing. Oh Fig, what an maniac darling you were.


(He was getting his toenails fake clipped in this picture to desensitize him since I can't stand cats that try to kill you over toenails)

176. I've always wondered about clipping cats' claws. We've never done it to any of our cats (they need them to hunt and climb) and since neither has been very fond of medication and fur care and such things I've always felt blessed we haven't had to hold them down to cut the claws.

I work with all my animals to make them easy to treat if/when necessary. I've never had a cat who's nails I couldn't trim because I started them young and didn't make a bid deal about it. Most of my animals you can do whatever you want to without worry. My dog is a terror for nail clipping because I got her when she was 6 and the habit/fear was already there.

Other cats I've helped people out with, though, have eaten me alive over having their nails clipped. I never clip more than the sharp point so it's quick and painless but some cats go bonkers.

Nina, your Tashi is very cute as well. And highly applicable to my Tashi!

Nora, it was certainly a mad day. Who knew what we were letting ourselves in for.

Lori, I'm so glad I was able to be there for him as well. We wouldn't be without him now.

Leah, he is the first orange tabby I've ever had but I did have an orange and white cat who was my first cat Rosie's kitten. He was born at least a third bigger than the rest and stayed that way into adulthood. A ginormous boy!! And the feeblest of every cat we ever had, he needed the most vet visits out of any of ours. He also suckled on his mum till he was about a year old - she simply wouldn't tell him to stop.

Paws all of ours have kneaded but only one other of ours have suckled, we assumed it was because she was taken from her mother too soon, and also because she is an inbred (mother and father were also brother and sister) but apparently some cats never grow up!

Lori yup, life is not complete without a rambunctious cat around ;)

Darryl thanks for dropping by.

Roni thanks for the love, it's always most appreciated.

Michelle thanks :D

Charlotte thanks. Our day started with a cuddle at 5am when he was feeling lonely, so it was always going to be a good one.

Eris He is indeed adorable. Well, we think so anyway. He's just taken himself and his favourite toy off to sleep in a box. Why he needs the toy with him I don't know, but as long as he is happy.

Leah Awww, Fig is so cute. Sometimes I wish they never had to grow up!

Paws We've never had any of our cats claws done either. They love to climb so much and I'd hate that they would have no chance of protecting themselves if necessary. Especially as the boys are such wimps so they're easy pickings!

_________________________________

Today's news is that I managed to bike down to the yard and back to see Connie. Didn't ride her but seeing her was good.

Sadly the route to the yard is all downhill so very easy, but of course coming back home is more of an effort. But what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, right? I was exhausted when I got back and my legs were killing me the whole time but I'm told it will get easier with practice? Right?!?

Luna, are you confusing me with someone called Rachel? People on LT seem to give me new names on a weekly basis! :)

The cat we had before this one was hell on Earth when it came to doing the slighest thing he didn't want to. He had a will of iron, that cat. I still have scars all over my arms from trying to hold him down.

The outside cats never got theirs done until we had a couple of polydactyl cats. Their extra nails needed constant attention because they had a tendency to try to grow back into paws. Even then, I only trim enough to keep them from getting too long and sharp and none of ours have had any difficulty climbing as a result. Sometimes I wish they would...

The inside cats always got theirs trimmed regularly for the sake of my furniture and legs, which apparently are irresistible to certain demonic orange tabbies who seemed to think they were there for climbing and nail sharpening.

Sorry Paws, I was convinced for some reason!

Blame the brain damage -I still get noticeably confused at times *sigh*

182. It's fine, I was just a bit confused for a while. You are not the first one on LT to give me a new name.

I know, I've seen it quite a bit! Once Paws got called "Eris"! It's a very interesting phenomenon.

I've been "Maria" too.

>179 lunacat: but I'm told it will get easier with practice? Right?!?
Right! It actually does get easier. Keep at it!

Cute fluffy kittens all over the place here, my little Terry was a fluffy ball of white when he was little. So sweet!

#184 At least I do have the excuse of a recent traumatic brain injury to excuse me!!

#186 Thanks Megan. I've got good reason to be determined as not only is it about the only way I'll get to ride Connie for the next three months, but I also need to be fit to ride her. Hopefully I'll actually start enjoying it!

A slow 2.5 mile bike ride today into a strong wind so I had to pedal even downhill! So tiring but I'll keep persevering and hopefully manage more than a feeble distance.

On route:

Nice picture and looks like a nice gentle gradient! Keep spinning those pedals.

I love the Tashi photos! Cycling in this wind is no joke, is it?

I'm enjoying the photos, too!

I know what you mean about the downhill going and the uphill going home. I live on top of a hill. I like to walk to work, but coming back is quite a workout!

Happy Belated Tashi-versary! Such a cutie!
Good on you for your cycling! I think an uphill ride would probably do me in!

>190 gennyt: I recall turning the corner while cycle-touring, I burst into tears as the wind was straight in my face and the road straight as far as the eye could see. Erugh. But- I made it eventually.

Nice rural ride. When I eventually get on a bike, it's all suburban hills.

Paul thanks. Haven't been able to cycle since as the wind was way too bad and then I was away for the weekend. But hopefully back to it tomorrow.

Genny indeed, no joke at all, especially given that I've only just started for the first time in about twenty years!

Terri, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

Chelle, thanks for the happy thoughts. Tashi has certainly been a blessing, most of the time. The bike ride did me in so I came home for chocolate and a nap. Not sure that is quite the idea though.

Megan, the wind has put me off a bit. That and the rain. I'm being a fair weather rider at the moment!

Morphy suburban rides might make a nice change as it would give me something else to focus on. We're never happy with what we're given.

________________________________________

Today was a sad day in our household as our ducks have left to go to a new, better home. It simply wasn't fair on them to continue to live in our small garden and the mud situation was getting out of control.

So we asked around and an old school friend of mine offered to take them as she already had two rescue ducks and over a hundred chickens on their land, and she came and picked them up today.

We'll miss them desperately, especially the two mallards that we raised from tiny, Bob and Little Miss. She had the best 'laugh' in the world when she heard us doing something in the house, and he was so bolshy and full of himself. But glad they are going to have tons more space and other birds to play with, and access to fresh water more than a few washing-up bowls.

It's very quiet in our garden now though :(

A belated Tashiversary! I remember you getting him last year and it's lovely to see more photos of him.

Sending good wishes re cycling. Sorry to hear about the ducks, I'm glad they have a new home but you must miss them.

Happy People-in-Love-Are-Annoying Day. I went a bit crazy with the great nerdy valentines this year and just made a whole pinboard for them. Check it out here, pick your favorite, and know it came straight from my shriveled heart!

Hi, Jenny. Just dropping by.

Hi Jenny, after being knocked out by illness myself for a few weeks, just stopping by to wish you a lovely weekend.

BTW: the link you gave me for the Elephants is really cool and they actually showed a documentry about such places on the German tv a few days ago.

Too bad about the ducks, but they'll be happier now. & the Tashi photos are super cute!

Aw, ducks are nice little things. Sorry you had to let yours go.

I came across some interesting and large ones at the little manufactured Lake near here the other day. They had snubbed beaks and made more of a honk than a quack, I wonder if they were more goose than duck. I found it odd that i had never seen them before.

Anyway, just musing on ducks.....

Aww... *hugs* for the duckies (er, and you, I suppose)...!

I did everything I could to desensitize my cat to be handled as a kitten, including simulating nail clipping, etc... but nope. She hates to be pet (unless she's eating or asleep), is the furthest thing from a lap cat possible, and tries to murder the vet when we go. Touching her foot now is asking to get your hand ripped off. It's more than a little frustrating, but we suspect there may be something not right in her head... but I tried!!! That said, I've managed to clip one claw at a time while she's asleep over the course of several weeks (because she'll inevitably wake up or change positions after I get one clipped), so I keep several pairs of clippers around the house near her favorite sleep spots. Of course, that means once I've managed to get them all, it's taken so bloody long that the first tip needs clipping again... hah!

Happy birthday, Jenny! I hope you have a great one!

Ha Faith, clipping our cat's nails is a two person job involving oven mitts ( as protection). She is also quite the princess and will only allow us to pet her if she is seated on a pillow.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Jenny!

Was it your birthday yesterday? Happy belated birthday!

Sorry I missed your birthday, Jenny! Best wishes.

Happy Birthday, wherever you are, Jenny!

Hope you had a great birthday!

Tashi was (and is) adorable. :)

Swinging by to see how things are with you Jenny and to say "Hi" and wish you what is probably now a belated "Happy Birthday"!

Was the 19th your birthday? Sorry I missed it; we were away on a family holiday to celebrate my mum's birthday, which was the 19th. And my dad's.

Belated Happy Birthday!

Hiya

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I'm sorry I haven't been here but I've been having some belated SAD and hiding in a hole for a while.

It was just starting to get better but we had to have one of our cats put down yesterday. Marmite was my 'teenage cat' as we got her when I was 14 and she helped me so much through some really difficult times. She gave the best cat hugs in the world, with her paws round your neck, and would 'kiss' on demand. She stayed living with my mum when I moved out but she was always there when I needed her. You couldn't wish for a more loving cat, or a more caring one, she worried about everyone - was the real caretaker of the house. If the dog or the other cats weren't around she'd fuss till they came in and were where they should be.

Can't really believe she's gone, as she was only 13, and we still have two older girls (17 and 16) that we have been expecting to deteriorate soon but haven't. The vet said she had chronic kidney failure and there was nothing they could do.

I'm so glad I was able to hold her in her last hour - I held her in my arms on the way to the vet and then she was cuddled in my arms when they put her to sleep.

Very sad right now.

I'm so sorry. Hope things look up for you soon.

The clocks change soon - longer days always made me feel cheerful. We're about to go the other way, though; not looking forward to that.

Awwww. I'm sorry about Marmite! That's difficult!

R.I.P. Marmite

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. I know how tough it is to make that decision when a cat is relatively young. Mine was 13 too when we had to put him down due to a heart condition.

So sorry to hear about Marmite. You will miss those cat hugs I know - I'm glad you were able to hold her at the end.

So sad about Marmite. She sounded a lovely cat.

Sorry to learn about Marmite, Jenny.

Oh! I'm so sorry to hear about Marmite - thinking of you! :(

Very sorry to hear about Marmite, Jenny.

I'm very sorry to hear the bad news about Marmite, Jenny.

>212 lunacat: She gave the best cat hugs in the world, with her paws round your neck
Aaaaw- that sounds really really nice. Im sorry for you that she is gone now.

Jenny, I am so very sorry to hear about Marmite.

Thank you very much for all your condolences. I don't think it's sunk in yet but I'm dreading when it will. Also upset about the sad fact our other girls are highly unlikely to last very much longer at all - we could well end up having lost all three of them in quick succession. At least when we were facing the thought of having Pixie and Teazle go, we were under the impression we'd have Marmite for a few years afterwards.

Not looking forward to going over to my Mum's for a visit and not having wonderful cuddles either. She was a fabulous cat - not a bad bone or a grumpy thought in her body. I've never known such a happy, laid back, friendly and loving cat.

Sadly I haven't got a photo on this laptop of her, but I'll share one when I have.

Dreading when missing her really hits. The sudden grief and shock has eased, helped by the fact her ashes are sitting on the shelf next to me so it feels real that she has gone, but I've yet to really miss her because it doesn't seem possible she won't be there.

It's simply not fair that our pets should live so much shorter lives than we do *sigh*.

I'm not religious, but I found some comfort in something someone told me about why pets live shorter lives than us. It's so, when we get to heaven, we have lots of loyal tails wagging to greet us and soft tummies warming our (soon to be) favorite chair.

#212 Jenny, so sorry to hear you've been struggling with SAD and the loss of your beloved Marmite. She sounds like a very special cat indeed.

Double post, oops.

Just wanted to share a project that I completed today, being modeled by my bear, Benjamin.

Not suitable to be given to anyone yet, and I need to play about with the sizing but I'm still fairly pleased with it and looking forward to improving as I do some more :)

Love the hat on Benjamin, Jenny! So sorry to hear about Marmite. She sounds like a wonderful companion.

Funny hat!
Sorry to hear about your Marmite. She sounds lovely.
You may have longer than you think with your older kitties, Jenny. My Willie is 21 this year with no sign of slowing down. I do have to do his fur brushing for him these days, but I think it may be a plot on his part. Why swallow all that hair if he can get me to whip out the brush instead...

I'm very sorry to hear about Marmite. She was obviously very much loved.

Love the hat, Jenny! Very Cute! You have more skills that I can dream of having when it comes to making things with yarn...... I can do a basic knit/pearl and make chains with a crochet hook but make a hat..... no, I am afraid to even think what a mess I would make of it!

>233 lkernagh:: And that's more than I can do. Cute hat! I love its ears.

*virtual hugs*

HI Jenny, *hugs* from me as well, it's always dreadful to loose a beloved pet and I feel with you.

I love your hat and I am looking forward to more of your craft projects. I got your pm, but had no time to look into it yet. Maybe you could pm me your email?

Thank you everyone for your continued support over Marmite. It's getting much easier but I'm still apprehensive about going back to my mum's as I haven't been back there since the day we put her down. But I'm sure it will be okay.

Just came by to share a couple of pictures from today. I went hunting with Connie (not that I agree with it, but it's a good experience for her and it was a lot of fun, and no fox was caught so even better!). The ears in the picture are hers :)

Beautiful pictures, so that are Connies ears? and where are yours? :)

So jealous!! Always wanted to go hunting!!

I thought that actual hunting of a fox was banned in the UK? I thought you could only hunt scent trails now?

I used to go hunting all the time as a kid and it was great fun (I never approved of the killing which was, mercifully, pretty rare in our bunch). Except for all the falling off I did because I had an extremely lazy horse who didn't bother to really pick his feet up and would trip over every rock. There is nothing quite like being launched off your horse, at full speed, in the middle of a rocky field and having 30 horses leaping over you while you cower in the fetal position and hope no one steps on you. And then needing to ask your parents to buy a case of beer for the after party because you fell off (tradition dictates that s/he who falls must buy the beer) but you are only 12 and therefore can't buy it yourself.

Adding in some more jealousy!

Fox hunting is banned in the UK but there are loopholes that all the hunts use. This hunt uses the hounds to track, chase and corner the fox but then either one of the huntsmen will shoot it, or if it's on the run they use a golden eagle to catch it, and then shoot it.

Wish me luck today everyone, I'm off for an EEG and if all is clear with that (which is should be as nothing has happened at all), hopefully I'll be getting my driving license back in a month's time!

Hi Jenny, good luck indeed with the EEG, I hope you get the all clear!

*delurking* to add that I am thoroughly jealous of you going on a hunt...it sounds so amazing. I have always wanted to go one...especially in England.. the ones here in Australia are a bit different. Connie has nice ears and well done on the rosettes they look great.

Good luck with the EEG, the all clear sign and back to having an active driving license!

Sorry to see about Marmite! Hope you are doing ok!

Good luck with you EEG! Not have a driver's license must be very annoying for you!

Good luck!

Nice hunt photos, and I'm glad they didn't catch a fox, too.

Hi Jenny,

hope your EEG was ok.
Just stopping by to wish you a fab Easter weekend!
Unfortunately, I couldn't look into your request as yet, as I had so many appointments and investigations going on. However, I will pm you once I had some time. *smile*

Great photos, are they done on an iPhone? My sister can make them look cool like yours and she has an iPhone, so I deduced. Very Sherlock Holmes huh? I may be simple, but people still like me :)

Hope everything went well with the EEG, and that you've had an even better long Easter weekend. :D

Hope things are fine with you. I'm assuming this is one of your 'ludicrously periodical' absences, and not another injury or illness. Fingers crossed your EEG went well, and you'll be getting your licence back soon.

Ditto what humouress said above!!

Likewise!

We're creeping closer to learning to ride; I've booked a holiday class for my 9 year old.

Whether anything comes of it remains to be seen ...

Waving hello, hoping all is well with you. :)

LOVE the piggy hat. :) I find knitting very therapeutic myself.

Me, I can't knit for toffee (as I think I've explained before).

So my eldest went for his riding class, which was for the day, and is quite proud that he got up to trotting. Hopefully we can progress from there.

Toffee? did somebody mention toffee?

LOL! I love toffee. (And I can't knit very well either.)

I am another who does toffee better than knitting.
Jenny sorry I have not kept up so well recently ~ mainly due to nearly a month in the UK spending time with my dear old mum - but then I notice you have also (hopefully) taken your driving licence and driven for the hills so to speak.

Trust you are having a good weekend and I must belated give you a virtual hug for the passing of your kittie. x

Hi, Jenny! Hope you and Connie are well.

((Hugs)) to Jenny. Sorry to hear about Marmite.

Oops, so much for staying here and making sure I continued updates.

It's been an interesting few months in which I gained and called time on a relationship, lost myself in an almighty book funk and am slowly coming out of it again thanks to audiobooks, and have been having a whale of a time with Connie, which has been curtailed as a cut she had on her leg as become infected so she's currently unrideable.

I've also embarked on making all my Christmas presents, and the theme this year is paper based, so I'm doing a lot of origami, as well as making up my own projects. I'm going to start pottery again in September as well.

A brief run down of the books I can remember having listened to or read.

Katherine by Anya Seton
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
All the Harry Potters (again!)
Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett
Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon

Sadly, at the moment this looks like it's going to be the worst reading year I've ever had. We'll see whether I can at least vaguely redeem myself for the autumn but I'm not holding my breath.

Jenny - lovely to see you posting. Have a lovely weekend.

Jenny! Thrilled to see you back here! I was giving serious thought to listening to all the Harry Potter books again myself - they are just so fabulous. Glad that you were able to conquer your reading funk by turning to audio. I have been listening to more audio than usual as well - trying to become s better active listener, as I tend to tune out the audiobooks after a bit if I am not careful.

I can't wait to see what you decide to make for Christmas this year - last years gifts were so creative and fabulous. Hoping that Connie's injury heals quickly.

Hi, Jenny! So glad to see you back! I also fight book funks with audio books. I almost always have an audio going, as the libraries where I have cards all have downloadable collections. I listen during exercise & housework.

Was just wondering if you had posted anytime lately! Sorry to hear about Connie - hope she heals soon!

Seems a bit cheeky popping round here for recommendations when I haven't been here for so long, but it's worth a try!

I'm going to get second hand books for various members of the family, and I only have a few hints for each person. All need to be able to be purchased cheaply from the amazon second hand sellers.

- Thirty-something year old mother of two, likes historical fiction 10th-16th century, her husband said 'the kind with paintings on the cover'. Don't want anything too obvious in case she's read/got it.

- Thirty-something father of two, photographer, likes Philip Roth, recently recommended me Once a Jailbird by Hans Fallada

-Twenty seven year old woman, violin maker/repairer. Apparently likes 'anything by well-renowned contemporary or 20th C authors. Interested in books about Germany between the wars.'

-Sixty something man, retired photographer, part time sailor, reads slowly, currently enjoying Kipling's short stories.

-Thirty something father of one, French man living in London, new father, teacher, quite philosophical, enjoys thinking.

Any recommendations gratefully received!

Seems a bit cheeky popping round here for recommendations when I haven't been here for so long,

Not at all, Jenny!

I can't think of anything off the top of my head (my brain isn't working too well today) but I'll give it some thought.

All the Harry Potters, and again!!?@ *faints*
Woah!

Glad to see you back, and so sorry your time off included the winding up of a relationship. Never fun times there.

Recs?

For the 60 something male, ex sailor and photographer. How about one of those nordic exploration...'searching for the north passage' books? I cant recall the title, but Im sure it'll be tagged "the arctic" or some such.

30 something male teacher....how about some existentialism? Camus might be too obvious for him, but I bet there are a heap of tag searches awaiting your perusal.

I am not so good on historical fiction :(

27 year old woman who likes anything by well-renowned contemporary or 20th C authors- eek! Too broad for me, even if it is my favourite era. Maybe search for "modern classics"? (I love the Penguin Mod Classics publisher series)

Good luck!

Over-fed ex-cyclista relocated to tropical climes reading series and sequels created by bookish guru from Canada is wishing you a lovely weekend.
Read the Deon Meyer books set in South Africa which are thillers with a social context and with believable characters.
Read the Sharpe series to be transported back to a swashbuckling age where men were men and women somehow available next to the battlefield!

Hi, Jenny. I'm going slow on LT at the moment, but I hadn't delurked here in a while. Would P. G. Wodehouse work for any of your books? Maybe your photographer or violin maker?

I'm planning on being in London for the week after and week after next. I don't know how easy it is for you to get in, but it'd be nice to have an LT meet-up if you're game.

Oh no, I'm so sorry I haven't checked in, I was in London on Thursday and could have fit in a quick meet up! Rubbish! That's what I get for being entirely useless :/

>273 lunacat:: Don't worry; I wouldn't have made it, as I hadn't arrived here yet :0)