The Occasional Sunday on the Acre

Yep, it is me again. That bad penny that keeps turning up. Last year, I somehow managed to have 8 threads, which is about 7 too many, so this year, let's keep it down to one, OK? I know that this is my sixth year in the group, but do not hold that against me.

For those who do not know me, my name is Stasia and I am a 50-year-old crazy person who decided last year that I needed to return to school and finally get a degree. What started out as the pursuit of a 2-year Associate's degree has now morphed into the desire for a 4-year Bachelor's, so reading takes a back burner to studying these days. All of the studying has made my reading take a hard hit, but has increased my game playing since a lot of the time when I am finished studying I am just too tired to read. So along with the books I am reading, I am going to post the games I have been playing. I know most of you will not be interested in those games, but since it is my thread, I am posting them anyway :)

Without further ado, the games I played this past week: Defenders of the Realm, The Castles of Burgundy, Quarriors (along with 2 of the expansions), Uncharted: The Board Game, Agents of Smersh (twice), Red November, Kingdom Builder (along with both expansions), In a Pickle, King of Tokyo (twice), and Forbidden Island.

Oh, and I actually have finished 2 books:

1. A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher - a huge 'thank you' to Peggy who let me borrow this book - I loved it!; Christopher weaves a tale of magical realism that was spot on for me - I really got caught up in the parallel tales of Enzo and Mala and how, despite them being far apart, they were always somehow close together despite not knowing it - this is really not an easy book to describe, but for me, it was very engrossing; if you are a magical realism fan, I cannot recommend the book highly enough; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Borrowed

2. Jumping the Scratch by Sarah Weeks - juvenile fiction; this is the second of Weeks' books that I have read, both on Linda's recommendation, and another very good book by her; this story of Jamie, a boy whose father is absent, whose family is in disarray, who is abused but does not share it with anyone really hit home with me; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

Since everyone seems to be also keeping track of 2013 acquisitions, here are mine thus far: 1) A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows by Diana Gabaldon, 2) Consequences by E.M. Delafield, 3) Original Letters from India by Eliza Fay, and 4) A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan.

A quote to share from Jumping the Scratch:

"That year I became what I guess you would call a reader. I took tons of books out of the library at school, plus I read whatever my mother left lying around, even the sappy paperback romance novels she bought off the spinning wire racks at Kresge's. I read because the words made noise, and the noise filled my head, and that gave me at least a little break from having to think about the dumb things I'd done to mess up what had been a perfectly good, normal-as-cornflakes life."

Hi Stasia, i was wondering why I couldn't find your thread, blaming it on the huge number already and bad glasses. But i see you just signed in.
Good to know you'll continue with your studies further. Is that on the same field, legal?

Yes, I am going to continue studying in the same field, Manuel. The major has not changed, only the length of time involved.

Happy Sunday and Happy New Year, Stasia! I agree with you; 8 threads per month is too much, but 1-2 is reasonable.

Wishing you continued success with your studies!

HI Stasia, great to see you back with your own thread. I wish you good luck with your ongoing studies and hope that you will still find the time to squeeze enough pleasure reading in.
I wish you a great and marvelous 2013!

Good Morning Stasia! I absolutely *love* that you will be posting about your gaming as well! I received Founding Fathers for Christmas and love it! It is a historical game based on the Constitutional Convention! I also received Star Wars: The Living Card game which I am still trying to figure out. I got Whitney Lost Cities and we also received Puerto Rico!

We have Forbidden Island and it is quite fun. How is Castles of Burgundy? A good buddy of mine has it.

Good morning, Stasia. Glad to see you're up and running here.

I think I'll enjoy hearing about the games you're playing, in addition to the books you're reading and the classes you have undertaken.

A HA! Found you, you rascally rabbit! Happy New Year, Stasia and wishing you continued success in your studies....as if.

Oooo, must look into Founding Fathers which Brit mentioned, I think my son might enjoy that one.

Hi Stasia! I enjoy following your progress through your course work as well as the occasional book you're able to read and review in your spare time from work and study. I have you starred.

OK - I'll post once to say that I will be reading your thread(s) but will try not to say anything else so you can at least attempt to keep the number under control:)

Pleased to see you managed some reading and hope that your studies go smoothly.

Oh, I'm interested in reading about your game-playing, too. I don't have much time these days for games, so I have to live vicariously.

Hi Stasia *waves*

Stasia's back! Stasia's back! Yippee! Even if it is sparingly. Happy New Year, my friend.

Yaaay! Hi there Stas... I'd been hunting all over the place wondering if perhaps you've renamed your thread for this year and was about to send you a PM asking for the link. I'm so glad the search is over and you have your new thread up.

You've intrigued me with A Trip to the Stars so off to the wish list it goes.

'Bout time you made it over here. :)

Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best in 2013.

Hi Stasia - glad to see you! I have a copy of A Trip to the Stars - it's one of the books that's been on my TBR the longest. Sounds like I should move it up.

Hello Stasia :)
I'll be interested to know about the games you play as well as the books that you read :)

Just glad you're here! *smooch*

congratulations on your career choice and coming back for more of...us :)

I was wondering if you were going to start a thread Stasia. It's great to see you here, even for brief appearances. Good luck in your studies in 2013.

Starring you! :)

I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a Stasia thread, noticed you were around yesterday and hoped you would post one today. I don't think you have a chance of keeping to one thread, you are simply too well loved and we all want to hang around with you!

#5: Thank you, Darryl. I need all the well wishes I can get regarding my studies!

#6: Thanks, Bianca. I hope you have a wonderful 2013 as well.

#8: Brit, I really like Castles of Burgundy. It is a light-to-medium Euro game, certainly not a heavy one, with enough action choices to make anyone happy, I think. What's more - it is a Euro that Beth will play with me. I am a big fan of Stefan Feld's games: I own Kingsburg and the expansion To Forge a Realm, Macao (a desert island game for me), and now Castles. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Rialto some time in March or April. Watch out for those living card games - I have The Lord of the Rings and numerous expansions that go with it :)

#9: I am glad to see another game lover in the midst, Linda. I hope you do enjoy reading about the games. If you have any questions about any of them, just ask and I will try to answer.

#10: Lynda, for anything board game related, check out www.boardgamegeek.com. You can do a search for the game and you will be able to look at all kinds of information including pictures, videos and reviews of it before you spend money.

#11: Thanks for dropping by, Carrie!

#12: Thanks, calm. Feel free to lurk all you like :)

#13: OK, Amber. I will try and play as many games as possible just for you, lol.

#14: Hey! *waving back at Diana*

#15: Mark's here! Mark's here! Hooray!

#16: Caro, I hope you enjoy A Trip to the Stars as much as I did. I have another of Christopher's books home from the library now. I hope it is as enjoyable as Trip was.

#17: Yes, I know, Jim. I was just waiting until I had something to say!

#18: Thanks, BJ! Same to you.

#19: If you like magical realism at all, Katie, move it up. I do not think you will be sorry!

#20: Thanks, Yoona. I will keep on reporting both.

#21: Oh, Richard. That gif is lovely. Thank you.

#22: Did I really have a choice on coming back? I do not think so. I may not be around as much, but you guys are still my lodestone.

#23: Thank you, Bonnie!

#24: Thanks, fuzzi.

#25: I am really going to try and hold it down to one, Judy, but I think you are right. Although, I did have only 1 thread back in 2008 when we first had the group. It only had 580 or so messages on it. . .

Last year, I somehow managed to have 8 threads, which is about 7 too many ... Make me smile, Stasia : ). I SO get that!

I will do my best in the smile-making department, Nancy!

welcome back ........

Thanks, Alex!

Hi Stasia - good to see you finally made it here and have read books.

Thanks, Kerry. I am glad I finally made it too!

So, what courses are you taking this semester, if you don't mind my asking?

One thread and 35 posting already? By the end of the year it will take ten minutes to download this thread.....

Well, good to have you back in the midst of your studying and gaming etc.

Good to see you, Stasia. I'm down to my last class to complete my Associates in Accounting and I'm 47! I think it's a more common thing for older folks to go back to school.

I'm ever so glad you liked Jumping The Scratch by Sarah Weeks. This is an author to follow.

The quote is marvelous!

Great to see your new thread up and running, Stasia!

Yay! Stasia is here! I liked your book quote. I'm going to post some quotes about reading as I find them this year, too. I'm not much of a gamer unless it's Scrabble or Yahtzee but I can see how it would be relaxing after school and work.

WHoo Hoo....Stasia's back...so glad to hear about your school pursuits and the games. We just started a Mah Jongg group here at the library, and we're having a fun time "dumping our brains".

I also find that I can play solitaire or Zuma online while I'm listening to audio books == it really keeps the blood pressure down.

Anyway, I'll be lurking from now on, but won't jump in to clutter up the thread unless I have something of great import to add. In the meantime, Happy New Year, and so glad you're still with us. Good luck in school.

#34: I am taking Torts & Civil Legislation, Law Office Management and Domestic Relations Law over 2 sessions, from January to April. I am taking the summer off this year in order to get transferred to a 4-year college.

#35: Thanks, Carsten!

#36: Cool beans, Morphy! Congratulations!

#37: I am going to check out more of her books, Linda. The two I have read have been excellent.

#38: Thanks, Cushla!

#39: Some games can be relaxing, some not so much :)

#40: Happy New Year to you too, Tina!

I will be watching the football game in about 45 minutes or so, but I am sticking around LT until it is on.

Yay New Year New Thread.. So glad your back again. I have been checking about every other day to see when you would be putting your new thread up. So glad you joined in I have you starred my dear. :) (((HUGS)))

Hi Stasia!
I'll be lurking to see your progress in reading and school.
Good luck with both!!!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Now that Stasia's back, things are normal for 2013!!! I'm really glad that you enjoyed A Trip to the Stars as much as I did, and I look forward to tuning in for updates on reading, gaming, and schooling.

Found ya and starred! Glad to see you here Stasia.

Hi! I am super impressed that you are getting your BA. Hooray for you!

#42: Thanks, Monica. ((Hugs)) back at you!

#43: Lurk away, Claudia! Thanks for the good wishes.

#44: If I am what made things 'normal,' we are in real trouble, Peggy.

#45: Hey, Peg! It is good to be seen.

#46: Thanks, Rhonda.

Stasia - I am not never, ever going to refer to you as a hobbit my dear being just as vertically challenged as you are! Belated as it may be I just wanted to place my marker here, star your thread as usual and heave a sigh of relief that you are with us again in 2013.

Hello Stasia just stopping by to *lurk*

*delurk*

Good luck with all the studying. Rather you than me, but I'm sure you'll do fabulously :)

Oh, those courses sound exciting (and intense)! I get a little sad at the beginning of each semester that I'm not taking (or teaching) courses anymore. What a nerd, eh?

Hi Stasia! Good to have you back! Two books already is very impressive. I've yet to finish one this year, and I recently finished school.

Hi Stasia - great news about your new degree! It's good that you'll be able to have the summer away from the textbooks, too.

#48: Thanks for not calling me a hobbit, Paul, although I do think they are rather cute ;)

#49: All lurkers are welcome here!

#50: Thanks, Jenny.

#51: Nerds of the world, unite! I am there. . .

#52: Thanks, Kerri. I bet you get on track with your reading soon.

#53: Thanks, Susan. I do not think I will get summers off though, just this one as I change schools.

Waving "Hi" to the college girl.

Hey, Ren! Thanks for dropping by!

Happy new year, Stasia, and welcome back! Exciting to hear about your expanding ambitions!

A big TLO wave ~~~~ to Stasia!

#57: Thanks, Rebecca.

#58: *Waving* back at you, TLo.

Stasia

I support you in your studies. You are one of the most intelligent people I know -- and one of the most caring as well.

But, I do want to say it is wonderful to see you post. Though I know my tbr pile will expand again and again.

Will classes begin again soon?

I have found you! Leaving a star so I don't lose you in the complete craziness that is LT right now! Not caught up here yet, but I will be.

Happy Wednesday, Stasia!

Hi Stasia. Finally thought to go looking for you in the wiki thread thingy and - voila! - here you are. How strange people are - you want only one thread for the year and I would kill to be able to have a year of nice fat, fully-populated ones.

Looking forward to your reads this year...

Hi Stasia!

I noticed that you just added Women of the Raj – that sounds right up my alley, I'll be interested to see what you think of it.

Hi Stasia :) ... found the thread, hallelujah :P

I envy you for going back to school... older myself but I am still dreaming of classes/college and fulfilling some of my "learning about..." dreams.
And cheer you from the sidelines :). I know it takes a lot of willpower ...

Looking forward to your thread and i will not be lurking anymore :P

I stopped reading posts somewhere around #35, but wanted to pop in and wish you a good spring semester! Classes can take a real toll on reading for pleasure, but I still say it's a worthwhile pursuit (taking classes, that is). Hopefully you can take something you find particularly interesting!

#60: Linda, classes begin again a week from today, on the 16th. My first session will be the hardest because I will be taking 2 classes that session including the tort law class.

#61: Happy Wednesday to you too, Mamie!

#62: Thanks for taking the time to find me, Charlotte!

#63: Kriti, I picked up Women of the Raj because I am currently reading Emily Eden's Up the Country, the letters she wrote back to England from India. I wanted more background so I am going to read them together. I will keep you posted.

#64: I have a lot of support for going back to school, not only through my family but here in the group. All I can say is stop dreaming and just go! I hope you do - it is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. (I will promptly forget I said that when I am in the midst of exams, I am sure!)

#65: Thanks for stopping by, Luxx. I appreciate the good wishes!

Hey Stasia - I read part of Women of the Raj last year, but left off when life got a little crazy. I'll request it from the library again and give it another go; what I read was very good. Thanks for the reminder!

Hello Stasia! Hope your studies are a stimulating substitute for reading for pleasure! On your recent purchases, I read A Prayer for the Dying last year and absolutely loved it. Now have a couple of other books by the same author on my Shelves of Shame. Enjoy your 2013 and i look forward to followiung your reading and postings - however sporadic.

#67: I am glad to know that you were enjoying Women of the Raj so much, Dejah. I have not yet started on it but will be within the next couple of days.

#68: Hey, Prue! The studies are stimulating but I hate the time they take away from pleasure reading. I will have to get to A Prayer for the Dying soon! School starts up again for me next Wednesday.

Hi Stasia! Thanks for dropping by my thread and sorry it took me so long to return the visit. I am intrigued by some of the board games you are playing. I think I will visit the board game website you mentioned and read up on them. Happy reading!

Hi Stasia, thanks for the link for boardgames. I made it a fave for easy reference.
Good luck with the tort class. Now, if you were taking a torte class I may be a little more interested. :0}

Your semester starts the 16th? We start Monday, the 14th.

I think I've mentioned that I love torts class. It was my favorite one of all. For me, a whole lot easier than contracts and the like. The fact patterns were memorable and the concepts were more understandable for me.

Good luck again, this semester, Stasia.

Hanging my star!

#70: We play a variety of games at my house, Heidi, but primarily cooperative ones - pretty much because that is the genre of game that my daughter Beth enjoys the most. I will pretty much play anything - and I spend a lot of time solo gaming.

#71: No problem about the BGG website, Lynda. I hope you get a chance to check it our further. Thanks for the good wishes about class!

#72: Cool beans, Ren. We can commiserate together!

#73: Thanks, Linda.

#74: All right, Lori!

Happy weekend, Stasia!

Found your thread, Stasia. Stopping by to wish you a happy weekend!

Hello Stasia, just wanting to wish you a great start into your new semester of studying, happy reading and a great weekend, of course!

Belated welcome back Stasia! A prayer for the dying sounds fascinating.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Stasia. Enjoy those last few days off before jumping into a new semester.

A Prayer for the Dying has been on my tbr pile since 2011.
Like you, I hope to get to it soon Stasia.

Happy Weekend Dear One.

*waves

#76: Thanks, Diana. Same to you!

#77: Thanks, Lori. I hope you have a nice weekend too.

#78: Thanks, Bianca. I am trying to get in as much reading as I can before Wednesday comes. Have a great weekend yourself!

#79: I have seen a lot of good reviews of A Prayer for the Dying, so I am really hoping I like it when I get a chance to read the book, Ardene.

#80: Thanks, Mamie. I am going to try!

#81: Happy Weekend to you too, lovey.

#82: Hey, Bryony! Thanks for stopping by.

Good evening, Stasia!

Happy Weekend, Stasia!

Glad you caught some sleep. Thx for the visit :)

And I can soooo relate to not having energy for reading after classwork. I didn't have anyone to play games with (but you sure are getting me intrigued by your FB posts!), so I ended up reading cookbooks. Didn't matter if I lost my place or had to sleep in the middle of something :) LOL Funny thing is that before that I really couldn't cook, but after reading through x number of cookbooks something clicked. And now... well, with one terrible exception, I haven't had anybody sorry they came to a meal at our place :)
xox

Stasia, you are my inspiration. I applied to a masters degree program today.

Stasia

While tooling around Goodreads, I found this book and thought of you. You might be interested in this one:
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Enduranceby Jennifer Armstrong

http://www.librarything.com/work/book/93069418

Great news Terri!!!! Congratulations and good luck!

I propose that you, Stasia and I take a course on navigation.

Okay, I'm in!

Hi Stasia- Just a quick check-in. Hope all is well. Have a nice weekend.

#84: Hey, Ren!

#85: Thanks, Ellen. Same to you!

#86: Love the story about the cookbooks, Susan. I love to cook. I love to game. I love to read. I am just a nerd - and proud of it! BTW - if you are interested in knowing my favorite solo games, I will provide a list. I play a lot that way too.

#87: Terri, that is wonderful news! I hope it works out for you. Since you are the person who inspired me to go back to school, I am glad to be able to repay that favor.

#88: Linda, thank you for passing that book title along. It looks like my local library has a copy, so I will be able to get my hands on it. Navigation classes? What for? We had fun being lost, lol.

#89: Well, I guess if you are in, I have to be too, since I am the backseat driver.

#90: All is just fine, Mark. Thanks for checking in. I hope you have a nice weekend too.

Well, I was going to try and check posts last night while I was at work and my Internet was screwy all night long. It was extremely frustrating. I sent 3 PMs to various people that disappeared into the ether before they were delivered. I gave up at that point. Hopefully, today will be better!

I hope your insomnia is at an end, Stas, especially since your semester starts next week. I'm also sending you some good mojo that your internet issues don't return today.

Thanks, Caro! I hope the insomnia (and the work Internet troubles) are both gone too.

OK, I took the Book Quiz from Cheli's thread. Here are my results:

You're Catch-22!

by Joseph Heller

Incredibly witty and funny, you have a taste for irony in all that you
see. It seems that life has put you in perpetually untenable situations, and your sense
of humor is all that gets you through them. These experiences have also made you an
ardent pacifist, though you present your message with tongue sewn into cheek. You
could coin a phrase that replaces the word "paradox" for millions of
people.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Just finding your thread, Stasia!! Somehow I don't think you'll be keeping it to one thread seeing as you are already so close to 100 after a few days!

Stasia - I got Love in the Time of Cholera doing the quiz and I think it surmised I was the cholera.
Have a lovely Sunday.

Somehow I've missed your thread until now! Well, here I am and I've got you starred. Here's hoping you're able to get some sleep tonight.

((Hugs))

Happy belated new year! I'm a little behind the times (as usual), as I just found your thread, but I'm glad to see you back posting in the group.

Congrats on deciding to take your studies further! That is fantastic!!

And insomnia, be gone! =)

ETA: I took that book quiz, and apparently I'm Moby-Dick.

#94: I will just have 580+ posts like I did the first year, Tina. I can handle it :)

#95: Perhaps you are misunderstanding, Paul, and you are the 'love?' That I would believe. The cholera thing, not so much.

#96: I am working tonight, Faith, so no sleep here! I will sleep tomorrow afternoon after football in all probability.

#97: ((Hugs)) back at you, David. Insomnia and I are life long adversaries, so I am not sure it will be going anywhere any time soon, but I appreciate the hex you put on it!

Stasia--I'm so glad you are back to participating in LT again. I understand how tiring going back to school is, especially if you're surrounded by a bunch of "whippersnappers." Of course some young students don't always appreciate having the opportunity to learn. (I went back to school when I was 47 and had 5 young kids at home).

#99: I tip my cap to you, Deborah. I cannot imagine going back to school with 5 children at home! I deliberately waited until my daughters were older to go back - one of the reasons was because I was homeschooling - but I had always promised that I would go back.

It has been a busy week for me as I prepare to begin school again on Wednesday, but I did manage to get some reading done:

#3: Woe to Live On by Daniel Woodrell - TLo sent this book to me for Christmas (thanks again!) with the order not to put it in the BlackHole never to appear again so, not wanting to risk her wrath, I read it - and am glad I did because I discovered the Daniel Woodrell can really write!; the novel centers around Jake Roedel who, going against the wishes of his Unionist parents, joins in with other rebels (basically guerilla fighters) in wreaking havoc on the landscape of bloody Kansas; Roedel is portrayed as both a young (in age) and old (in experience) man and I thought that Woodrell did a wonderful job with that distinction; my main reservation on the book is the amount of violence - not completely unexpected since the book is set in the Civil War, but it did get a bit much for me; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

#4: The Journal of a Disappointed Man by W.N.P. Barbellion - nonfiction; the best word I can come up with for this book is 'poignant' - it is a poignant reminder of the brevity of life from a man who died far too young (he was 30 and knew he was dying) who decries the loss not only of his life, but the waste of his intellect - he was a very gifted, self-taught naturalist - and tries to cram as much living as he can into the 30 years that he had; this book really struck a chord with me; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

#5: They Fought Alone by John Keats - nonfiction; Becky recommended this book and I am glad that my local library had a copy so that I could learn of this story, which I had never heard before, of Wendell Fertig, a man who refused to surrender to the Japanese as they were taking over the Philippine Islands during World War II, and through cunning, force of will, and anything else you can name, actually managed to get the various Filipino factions to work together - "The real measurement of his accomplishment is that he created a nation out of chaos on the island of Mindanao. Whether another man could have done it is moot. If another man could have done it, another would have, for the times demanded the thing be done."; one caveat about the book - there is racism throughout, especially to the Japanese; Recommended (4 stars) Library

#6: Veronica by Nicholas Christopher - having read one of Christopher's books, I was anxious to try another and my local library happened to have this one - this is a weird dream of a book - from the very beginning we are perplexed as readers as to exactly what is going on, just as the hero of the book, Leo is, but slowly this dream world begins to unfold in a mix of time travel and mythology; my main quibble with the book is in the hero - Leo has things happen to him rather than he himself acting but I am not sure if that is not just the way Christopher intended the book to be - after all, we as readers begin in the weird dream at the beginning of the novel just as Leo does; if you like rather 'out there' kind of books, give this one a try; Recommended (3.75 stars) Library

The only book I acquired this week was Women of the Raj by Margaret MacMillan. I want to read this book in conjunction with the Emily Eden book of letters that I am currently reading since I really know nothing about the British rule of India. If anyone else has any recommendations of nonfiction works concerning the subject, I will gladly take them.

I played quite a few games this past week - and again, I will point you to www.boardgamegeek.com for more information if you are interested in any of them - Flash Point: Fire Rescue, King of Tokyo, Troyes, Wrath of Ashardalon, Pandemic (along with the On the Brink expansion), and Uncharted: The Board Game.

OK, that is it for this week's report!

They Fought Alone sounds interesting. I read so many WWII books last year that I'm not sure how soon I'll be ready for another one.

There's an interesting discussion of the Raj on SusanJ's thread. She recently finished a book about the women who went to India during the Raj to find husbands.

Hi, Stasia. I've been wanting to drop by with my belated New Year's wishes for a while, but you've been very hard to find. Every time I went looking for you on the group list, though I couldn't find you, I got distracted by equally interesting threads.

Thanks for coming by my place. Not that you need it, but wishing you the best of luck with your studies. Some intriguing books under your belt already. Gaming looks interesting, but I need to find out more. I have an iPad, which keeps me occupied, for the times I'm not on LT. I usually lurk, so I doubt I'll be adding too much length to your thread; but I can't see you keeping it to one for the whole year!

Happy Sunday, Stasia.

Well, it's nice to see things are back to normal here, at least for a little while.
I've put the board game quest on hold for now because we're in the process of giving the basement a thorough cleaning and lo and behold we found a pool table. Well, we knew it was there all along actually but it was covered up with years of junk. So we're now downstairs most evenings sharpening our skills

Have a great weak and enjoy what little vacation time you have left :0)

#102: Most of my knowledge regarding WWII has been confined to the European theater, not the Pacific theater so I am on the hunt for more books in that area. Any suggestions, Carrie?

#103: Lurkers are always welcome here, Nina! BTW - a lot of board games are now being adapted for the iPad. I would be happy to give you some game names if you are interested :)

#104: Happy Sunday, Lynda! Cool beans about the pool table. I would play if I had one too.

Good to see you able to get some reading in Stasia. I hope this semester goes quickly for you so you can have a summer of putting us to shame with your reading before the college transfer!

Stasia, I really liked Given Up for Dead by Bill Sloan, about the battle for Wake Island. The Emperor's Last Soldiers was also very interesting account of a couple of Japanese soldiers who remained in hiding on Guam until 1960. They didn't know the war was over. It's an older book and might be difficult to locate. My library happened to have a copy of it. I also enjoyed Warriors in the Crossfire, a YA novel set on Saipan during WWII.

Hi Stasia - Just stopping by to say hi.

Hi Stasia! For your Raj reading, you could try The Fishing Fleet: Husband-Hunting in the Raj, which I finished yesterday. I have added Women of the Raj to my library list! I hope you're having an enjoyable few days before school starts again.

:)) did the Book Quiz... got the exact same thing as you - Catch 22

yeap, they got me somewhat right :P (or my choices ) so we are kindred spirits :D

Finally found and starred you! Happy Sunday, Stasia!

Hello Stasia! You are an amazing and driven lady and I wish you all possible success regarding your academic pursuit as well as the rest of it (books and games included)! Looking forward to following you and hoping to keep up as best I can.

Hi Stasia, just dropping in ...

Hello dear Stasia, sending love and hugs, and recommending The Bestiary to your Nicholas Christopher-discoverin' self.

*smooch*

I'm wearing my bb-proof vest tonight, but I have a copy of Veronica, so I expect I'll get to it at least. I also have a copy of Below the Peacock Fan: First Ladies of the Raj, but I haven't read it. At least it's another title to investigate.

#106: I leave the shame putting reading to better heads than mine these days, Jenny!

#107: Thanks for the recommendations, Carrie. I will see which of those books (if any) my local library has.

#108: Thanks for stopping by, Beth!

#109: I saw The Fishing Fleet this morning on your thread, Susan, and added it to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation. A pity my local library does not have the book yet. Maybe by the time I finish Women of the Raj it will.

#110: The more kindred spirits, the better! :)

#111: Thanks, Nathalie!

#112: Thanks, Elena. Keeping up with me will not be a problem especially once school starts. My reading pace slows to slower than a crawl.

#113: Hey, Nancy. Thanks for dropping in!

#114: I already have The Bestiary in the BlackHole due to your recommendation a couple years back, Richard. I will have to see if my local library has a copy in yet. Thanks for the reminder!

#115: What?! I do not get to hit you with any BBs? No fair! (Thanks for the recommendation of Below the Peacock Fan though.)

I just realized I had not found your thread yet--thank heavens for the Threadbook! Now I have you starred.

#117: It dawned on me after I had set my thread up that I had failed to do what Jim suggested and put my name in the thread title. I am thankful for the Threadbook too, Roni!

Hello Stasia, wishing you a great week, hope your studying is going to be fine and I hope you will find enough time for some pleasure reading :)

Love the book quiz, when I took it some time ago I turned out to be Kurt Vonnegut *grin* - I think Cat's Craddle but I am not to sure about that one anymore.

*smile* I don't think that anyone had difficulties finding you without your name in the title as everyone knows that we find you on the Occasional Sunday on the Acre *smile*

A bad penny that keeps turning up! Stasia, you have a great sense of humour - but I hardly think of you as a bad penny - more like a silver dollar or some gold bullion. Bravo to you for going for a 4 year degree!

I'm glad Terri got you to read Daniel Woodrell's book. Yes, the man can write, and, no, he doesn't sugarcoat anything.

Good luck to you, Stasia, on your new semester. I hope you find time to pop in occasionally to let us know how it goes.

Hey Stasia! I've been lurking a bit, but thought I'd emerge for a bit to say that. like Paul, the book quiz has determined I'm Love in the Time of Cholera. Unlike Paul, I refuse to speculate on if I'm Love, Cholera or possibly Time....

I'm interesting in reading more about the Pacific Theater in WWII since most of my reading has dealt with the European one. My dad was in the Navy on the Pacific, of course, during that time. They Fought Alone sounds like it might fill a void in my reading.

>101 alcottacre:: I discovered Daniel Woodrell last fall when my RL reading group read Winter's Bone. It blew me away. Now I know which Woodrell will be my next. Thanks for the recommendation!

Journal of a Disappointed Man also goes in the Swamp.

Hi Stasia. Thanks for the link to the Blue Pyramid Quiz. I'm The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (again). "When in doubt, put your trust in zoo animals."

#119: Hey, Bianca. I hope you have a great week too.

#120: Thanks, Deb.

#121: Thanks, Donna. I hope that this session goes well too. I am glad I finally got to try Woodrell - my local library does not have any of his books.

#122: No speculation in this case is probably wise. I mean, what if you turned out to be Cholera? If it was me, I would rather not know that.

#123: I hope you enjoy They Fought Alone if and when you get to it, Lori!

#124: Good, Stephen. Glad I could add more to the Someday Swamp!

#125: Mr. Tumnus is not a zoo animal! LOL

I am not feeling well tonight. I have had a headache since about midnight last night and it has not gone away. I slept through the day without getting up at all - highly unusual for me - and want to go back to bed now. My head hurts and my body aches. I will be back when I am feeling better and hopefully, making more sense.

Sounds like you and I have the same thing Stasia....no fun :(

The book quiz says that I am To Kill a Mockingbird. As I am a strong liberal environmentalist surrounded by mainly conservatives, my friends would no doubt agree! Heh.

Stasia- Sorry you are not feeling well! I sure hope it's not the flu! Get some rest.

Hope you feel better soon, Stasia!

I hope that by visiting your thread I haven't begun to spread Cholera around...I hope you feel better soon!

I'm sorry that you're feeling poorly, Stasia. Headache + body aches sounds like the flu, especially if you are also having fevers. Can your doctor prescribe you Tamiflu?

Hope that you start to feel better soon Stasia

Sorry you are feeling sick, Stasia.

#123 I learned most of what I know about the Pacific Theater from Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 by David M. Kennedy, although there's a lot of other stuff too. This is a very long but extremely readable and fascinating history.

Hope you are feeling better soon, Stasia! God bless!

Oh no Stasia!! I hope you're getting better already :(

Unfortunately, sounds like it could be onset of the flu. I very much hope it isn't and that you feel better very quickly!

Feel better soon Stasia!! (Hugs)

Still not feeling well today. Darryl, I have not been to a doctor in at least 10 years, so I do not have one. I do not know anything about Tamiflu, so I do not know if I could take it or not.

I slept for something like 14 hours today. As most of you know, that is about 3 times as much sleep as I get on a normal day. Right now, I am dosing myself with aspirin and Echinacea and Goldenseal. Hopefully I will feel much better before school begins again tomorrow.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Stasia, hope you're feeling better and able to get a quick jumpstart on the new semester. Take care of yourself, please.

Stasia, if what you have is flu, you can get better on your own. It just takes a while. I've had it twice, and while it was no fun (i.e., I couldn't concentrate on reading, and this got addicted to Law and Order on TV, which was on 4 times a day in reruns at the time), I got better just through the passage of time (as my grandmother used to say). There are a couple of really awful days where you feel you'll never get better, and then you start getting better slowly but surely. Your body can do it! Hang in there!

I hope you will feel better soon!

Good luck your first week of the semester. I hope you feel better.

Feel better soon! Maybe you should see a doctor, just to be safe?

Stasia, I came over to wish you luck with your new semester and see that you are sick :( I hope it's not the flu and that you start feeling better soon. Have you ever gone to an urgent care clinic (CareNow, PrimaCare, etc.)? I have a regular doctor but have used those for the occasional problem that doesn't warrant the ER but can't wait for a doctor's appointment (most recently it was after stabbing myself in the leg - long story!). If you get Tamiflu early enough it can really help so you might think about trying one of those "doc in the box" places.

Sleep is a wonderful thing, Stasia. I hope you feel better, soon.

Monday I slept from 8:30 or so until my husband woke me up at 5:30pm. I then proceeded to nap on the couch for at least an hour during the evening and was in bed by 2am - extremely early for me. Tuesday was pretty much the same. Wednesday the headache woke me at 6:30am and kept me up for the next 3 hours until I finally fell asleep again - and I slept until Kerry came and woke me up again. By late Wednesday/early Thursday though, I was actually feeling better and today have felt almost normal. I think all the Echinacea/Goldenseal and aspirin - plus plenty of hot tea - I have dosed myself with have finally kicked in. Good thing too - I cannot afford time off either work or school!

Thanks everyone for the good wishes. I just have one more request - my mother was hospitalized this afternoon with chest pains. They are keeping her overnight for observation. Prayers are much appreciated for her :)

I'm glad that you're feeling better, Stasia. I'll say a prayer now for your mother; please keep us posted about her condition.

Hi Stasia, I was so please to stumble across your thread. I've missed you. If you feel the presence of a lurker, that will be me!

I'm so glad you are feeling better, and sending prayers for your mom.

Glad you are feeling better and hoping your mother feels better soon too.

Hello Stasia, I am also glad to hear that you are feeling better and I also send lots of healing mojos to her. Please keep us updated on your own wellbeing and that of your mom. *hugs*

Drive-by *smooch* for our li'l gal out gettin' her book-larnin'

Stasia, I'm sorry to hear you weren't feeling well and hope those days are behind you. I'll be keeping you and your mother in my thoughts.

I'll also be saying some prayers for your mom. Keep taking good care of yourself!

I am so glad that you are feeling better. I am adding my prayers for your mom. God bless.

I spoke to my mother this morning after I got home from work. She sounded good and said she was feeling much better. The stress test did not show any heart problems and she was released from the hospital around noon.

Thank you all for the prayers!

Great news about your Mom, Stasia. I hope you are just about recovered and ready to hit the books.

Glad to hear you and your Mum are feeling better Stasia.

Great news regarding your mum Stasia. Have a lovely weekend. x

Just found your thread and I'm glad to hear you are both on the mend.

Stasia - Best wishes for you and your mom. I hope you are feeling better. Good luck with the start of school. Are you taking any fun classes? :)

Well, schoolwork is taking up a lot of my reading time now. Between being sick and school, I have finished a grand total of 1 book this week, lol.

Thanks for the good wishes about my mother.

Beth - I am not taking any fun classes. I have Law Office Management and Civil Litigation (tort law) this session.

So happy to hear that both you and your mom are feeling better!

Stasia - It's not about the numbers! Remember! :) I like hearing what games you've played. Last Sunday a buddy of mine and I played Battle Line. It's a two player game and was very fun. Not too complicated, but just enough strategy that it kept me interested!

Glad to hear the good news about your mother!

Thank you for following my "advice." Donna's right, Woodrell doesn't sugarcoat ANYTHING, but his writing is so compelling, I can't put his books down once I've started. I've read (and collected signed copies) of all of his book save one (Give Us A Kiss), and that one's on the Short Stack. He told Chris that his next book was going to be set in St. Charles (or a made-up town just like it), so I'm anxious for that. He also said it wasn't near close to finished. :(

School is just too good at stealing reading time, isn't it? I have the same problem. Bad school, bad ;)

That's good news about your mum, Stasia. And torts can be fun! Wait till you get to the nuisance cases, about people's cows running amok. And I'm not sure about US tort law, but the most famous negligence case taught to English students involves a lady poisoned by a snail in a bottle of ginger beer. Tort law is all kinds of crazy :-)

I read American Notes this week and really enjoyed it, so thank you for the recommendation!

Just passing through to say hello, hope you have a nice weekend!

I'm thinking you just might as well take the bar exam when you're done with this program, Stasia! Good news about your mum; glad to hear it.

The news about your mother is wonderful - I just hope you're feeling better yourself!

Good to hear your mom is doing better.... Hope you feel 100% soon!! :)

Thanks everyone, I will pass on the good wishes to my mother.

#167: Terri, yes I am glad I took your advice too! I hope to get to more of Woodrell's books. I really hope my local library gets some of his works eventually.

#169: Susan, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed American Notes!

#171: I do not hardly think so, Roni. I just hope to get a paralegal degree. Law school is definitely beyond me.

Hi Stasia: Big news out of Cubdom today. They want to renovate Wrigley but without having to play at another team's ballpark. Hope it all works out ok.

Glad to know that both you and mother are doing better. It's horrid to be sick and there's no convenient time, ever.

Hope tomorrow is peaceful and next week is good at school...tort law? Errrg.

Proudly raising my hand as a member in good standing of the Nerd Community.

xoxoxoxo

#175: I had not seen that news. Thanks for the update. I hope it works out too!

#176: Thanks, Gail. Nerds of the world, unite!

#177: Back at you, RD.

I have to get ready for work. Ugh.

Not a lot of reading going on at my house this week, between being sick and school starting up again!

#7: Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot - Color me unimpressed. By the end of the book, I was sick of the whiny heroine, tired of the 'dorm - I mean residence hall' joke and overall just fed up with the book in general; Not recommended (2.5 stars) Mine

#8: The Dog Stars by Peter Sellers - Mark recommended this one - thanks!; a dystopian novel that I really liked, this book is not nearly as bleak as The Road, which I also liked, and I was quite taken with Hig, the hero of the book, who lives in an uneasy alliance with Bangley, before events take place that make Hig decide to go to 'the point of no return' in his plane, to see what else is still out there in the world; I think the style of the book, the almost disjointed (but not really) writing worked well for this story; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

Acquisitions for the week include The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Count Robert of Paris by Sir Walter Scott, Watch the North Wind Rise by Robert Graves, The Chip-Chip Gatherers by Shiva Naipaul, Harpole & Foxberrow by J.L. Carr, and The Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook.

Games played this week include King of Tokyo, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Conquest of Planet Earth, Defenders of the Realm, and Escape.

Reading is slowing to a crawl. Textbook reading is in at the moment!

Hello Stasia, great to hear that you and your mom are doing better. Fingers crossed that it stays that way. I just aquired The Dog Stars as audiobook, because Mark was so taken with it. Great to see that you also rated it quite high.

Nothing to contribute to your gaming as I don't play them, but glad to see that you enjoy them. *smile*

Wish you a great remaining Sunday!

Morning Stasia, sorry to see that you've been under the weather. Hope you are not well on the way to full recovery.
I've already wishlisted The Dog Stars. It sounds great and as I too liked The Road this one sounds like it's my cup of tea.
Speaking of which, have a nice cuppa and a relaxing Sunday!

Good luck with school. Your mention of Harpole and Foxberrow reminds me that I need to look for other books by J. L. Carr -- I was a big fan of A Month in the Country.

Dog Stars wishlisted!

I'm glad you managed to find some time to read, what with school starting and your insomnia, Stas. Dog Stars sounds really interesting and I've added it to my obese wish list.

Are those FB games?

Happy Sunday, Stasia. Sad to say even when you're not really reading, you still read more than I do in a week! Glad both you and your mother are doing better.

Hi Stasia. I dropped my star off a while ago but I don't think I've shown up in person yet. I'm glad you're feeling better and that your mom is okay too.

Another good report on The Dog Stars. I just acquired The Chip-Chip Gatherers myself but am not sure when I will get to it.

My result on the book quiz was A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Good luck with your classes!

You have finally tipped me over into adding The Dog Stars to the ever growing WL. I read Size 12 is Not Fat and it's sequel several years ago...I remember liking it ok but I must not have loved them because I didn't seek out any more in the series. Meg Cabot is hit or miss for me.

Good luck with the start of school!

Hi Stasia!!!
Adding Dog Stars to my WL. Maybe I'll get that one at the library.
Have a great week ;-)

Stasia- I am so glad you loved The Dog Stars. Hopefully, you can snag a few more readers. I hope you had a nice weekend.

Claudia- You haven't already added the Dog Stars to your WL? What? Shakes head and shuffles away...

Stasia,
I'm glad to hear your mother is better and that you are also on the mend! *Only* one book?? I am seriously impressed!

A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher, rd suggested that to me a couple of years ago... I liked it a lot :)
glad to find a Stasia thread :)

#180: I do hope you enjoy The Dog Stars, Bianca! Mark should be a book salesman, don't you think?

#181: I am at the office tonight, so Diet Pepsi is the drink of choice right now. Thanks for the good wishes, Lynda.

#182: I have not read anything by Carr yet, Rebecca, although I now own 2 of his books, including A Month in the Country. I am glad to see that you liked it.

#183: Good!

#184: No, the games I listed are board games, Caro. I have a collection of about 100 or so.

#185: Thanks, Pat.

#186: I appreciate the luck for my classes, Anne. I have a couple of tough ones this session.

#187: I am not sure I have ever read anything else by Meg Cabot. Based on this experience, I am not sure I want to read anything else by her. My daughter, Catey, loves her books though. I appreciate the luck, Heidi!

#188: I hope you can get a copy through your local library, Claudia. I was actually very surprised my library had the book.

#189: Yes, Mark, I really did like the book. Thanks again for the recommendation!

#190: Actually, there were 2 ;)

#191: I am glad to here that A Trip to the Stars was one you liked, Kath. I had never heard of Nicholas Christopher prior to LT. Now, I want to read everything he has ever written!

Off to get some studying done. . .ick!

I'm glad that you were able to acquire The Chip-Chip Gatherers, Stasia. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

I've been wanting to read The Dog Stars since I first heard about it. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Makes me want to read it even more now!

The Dog Stars sounds very interesting!! Going to have to WL it I'm afraid!

Not getting me with The Dog Stars, Stasia. I brought it home from the library on Saturday and am reading it now!

Stasia, chuckled aloud at your comment Color me unimpressed regarding Size 12 is Not Fat. Well said!

I find myself fairly unimpressed with Cabot as a whole, so I think I'll skip her "Not Fat" line series. Very glad to hear your mother was released.

Hi Stasia! I have finally caught up with your thread. How is school going? I must agree that it cuts into *fun* reading time. Good luck this upcoming semester!

#193: I hope I like the book too, Darryl. Thanks again for the recommendation!

#194: What is stopping you, David? Get on with it! :)

#195: I hope you enjoy the book when you get to it, Tina.

#196: Well, rats, Charlotte. Steal my thunder, will you?

#197: Thanks, Nancy.

#198: I doubt very seriously I will read any more of her books, Luxx. I would much rather read quality stuff :)

#199: School just started for me again last Wednesday, Jess, and I am already motoring along. I appreciate the good wishes and hope the same for you!

#200 - I didn't steal your thunder, Stasia. I only told you. Sssssssh! Don't tell anyone else.

#201: My lips (fingers?) are sealed!

ah, hullo, Stasia. just dropping by to attach a star. i'm like a faerie today, just flitting round dropping stars thither and yon.

i miss school. hope you're enjoying learning to paralegal. is that a verb? i doubt it.

well, toodles. :)

Thanks for flitting by, Ellie!

Yes, I am enjoying my studies. I need the challenge of keeping my brain exercised ;)

Dropping by to catch up and say hello Stasia!

um, er, there was a rumor that there's apple crisp here. i don't suppose it's still hot and that perhaps it comes with ice cream? not necessary but rounds it off nicely. i thought p'raps i could just go sit quietly with it next to your bookshelf. i don't take up much space. :)

#205: Thanks for dropping by, Tina!

#206: Here you go, Ellie. . .sorry there is no ice cream. I am not a fan, so I just take it plain. It is still delicious though!

Good grief! Apple crisp...LOVE it!

Oh dear.. food popping up here, too.....sigh

Hi Stas !

Greetings and salutations! That was really all I had to say.....

Drool...

me too, Tina, just at first. now i'm making yummy sounds over next the bookshelf. *sigh* thanks, Stasia.

OOOOooooo, apple crisp. One of my favorite things.

#208: Everyone here loves it too, Kath - which explains why it is now all gone :)

#209: Thanks for stopping by, Dejah!

#210: I cannot blame you for drooling, Tina.

#211: You are welcome!

#212: Mine too. We have good taste!

Hello gorgeous! Just a quick wave on a hot day just before i leave the office!

Oh, I absolutely LOVED A Prayer for the dying - first Stewart O'Nan book I had read, but I have since a cquired a couple of others and put loads on the corpulent WL

I loved The Circus Fire by O'Nan last year so this APftD is going on my acquisition list for February.

#215: Good to know, Prue. I am not sure when I will get to the book, but hopefully soon.

#216: I have not had a chance to read The Circus Fire yet, but it has been in the BlackHole for a while now. One of these days I may get my hands on a copy.

Hi Stasia- I will chime in on the Circus Fire. It was both haunting and outstanding. Have you read Mr. Penumbra? If not, may the search begin...

I read Mr. Penumbra already, Mark, and liked it quite a lot!

Hi! I hope you are feeling better!

I have The Circus Fire from the library right now. Glad to see it's got some good reviews.

Stasia, Thanks for the recommendation of The Circus Fire. This is on the tbr list for a long time. I'll move it up closer to the top.

Happy Day!

Stasia - Hope your day has gone well my dear and that the weekend is a restful and happy one.

#220: Thanks, Bryony. I am feeling much better now. It took about a week before I felt completely "normal," whatever that is.

#221: I will be interested in seeing what you think of it, Morphy!

#222: If I can locate my copy - I own the darned thing and did not even remember that! - I will read along with you, lovey.

#223: Since I work every weekend, it is unlikely to be restful, Paul, but I appreciate the thought!

Glad to hear you're feeling much better, Stasia! Are you on a break right now? I'm seeing you all over LT.

Stasia, thanks for dropping by during my stomach flu bout--much appreciated. I'm glad you are feeling better as well.

Hi Stasia!
*fly by hugs*
Bye Stasia!

#225: No, I am not on break right now, Pat. I am just trying to make a concerted effort to spend time on LT, school allowing. In the next couple of weeks I will not be around nearly as much.

#226: I am glad you are on the upswing, Roni!

#227: Thanks for the fly by, Megan! ((Hugs)) back at you.

I've found you! And boy, do I have a lot to catch up on! How exciting that you are going to switch get a four-year degree. I don't know you at all, but I can't say I'm surprised after seeing what stellar grades you have been getting! Some people just thrive on intellectual stimulation, I think. Will the new school also be online? I recall that's the best option for your schedule.

I for one would love to see a list of your favorite solo games, as I love to play games and cards and have no one to do either with most of the time.

And you got me with a Book Bullet: 'The Journal of a Disappointed Man' sounds intriguing. Thank goodness, Joanne (coppers) had already tipped me to the beauty of 'The Dog Stars' so you didn't get me with that one.

Whew! All caught up for now. Mustn't let that happen again!

#229: Glad to see you found me, Julia!

Well, you asked for it, so here it is, a list of my favorite solo games:

Agents of Smersh
All Things Zombie
Arkham Horror - probably my all-time favorite game
Ascension
At the Gates of Loyang - this is not a true solitaire game, but there is a solitaire variant
Defenders of the Realm
Dungeons and Dragons: The Wrath of Ashardalon, Castle Ravenloft and Legend of Drizzt (3 games)
Elder Sign
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
Ghost Stories - one of the toughest games to beat I have ever played - I have not won yet
Intruder
Labyrinth: The War on Terror
Legendary
The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game
Mage Knight - absolutely my favorite solo game, but it is complex and can be overwhelming
Mice and Mystics
Nemo's War
Pandemic - this game runs a close second to Mage Knight for me
Red November
Rune Age
San Juan - there is a solitaire variant for this game that I really like, but it is not a true solitaire game
Thunderstone Advance
We Must Tell the Emperor

Some of these games, such as Defenders of the Realm, are cooperative games that can be played solo. If you are curious about any of the games, game play, components, etc. I cannot recommend www.boardgamegeek.com highly enough. There are pictures, forums, videos, et al, about more games than you can imagine.

Stopping by to say Hello Stasia it is wonderful to see you on here so much as of late. I hope school does not keep you away to long. :) (((HUGS)))

OMG! I loved your list of solo games! I play Ascension on the iPad. I have Star Wars: The Living Card game which I thought would have a solo component, but it doesn't. Although someone on BGG posted a variant that I want to try. I like Pandemic, I didn't know that had a solo variant. And I'll try the solo variant of San Juan - is that on BGG too?

A buddy of mine and I play Batteline - it was a really good, quick two-player game. Has a neat complexity that puts it a step above Lost Cities, IMO.

#231: Thanks, Monica! (Hugs)

#232: Brit, any co-op game can be played solo. Pandemic does not have a solo variant, but that is the way I play it.

Yes, the solo variant of San Juan is available on BGG. There is a guy who does terrific solo variants for games, SoloPlayGames (Game Rules for One), and he has done 2 solo variants for San Juan. I have only played the first, which I really like.

I have heard good things about Battleline, but as Beth (my daughter and playing partner) does not care for 'take that' kind of games, there is no sense in my buying it. Glad to hear that you are enjoying it though.

*waves* Hope you're having a good weekend! Too bad about the Meg Cabot book, but as you say, not every book is for every body. :)

OK, without further ado, this week's report:

#9: Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch - graphic novel; the first in the Mirka series, about an Orthodox Jewish girl who desires nothing more than to be able to get a sword and hunt dragons; with the tagline "Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl," who can resist?; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

#10: Guardians of the West by David Eddings - following on the heels of Eddings' Belgariad, this first book of the Mallorean series picks up where the previous series left off, so if you have not read the Belgariad, I recommend tackling those 5 books first; the majority of the cast from the previous books are in this one, although some with larger roles than others, and a few new people have been introduced; for fans of Eddings' writing, Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

#11: Testament of Friendship by Vera Brittain - nonfiction; I have read and greatly enjoyed Brittain's Testament of Youth a couple of times now, but it was the only book of hers I have read up until now - and if you have never read it, why on earth not? - and while I definitely prefer that book to this one, I think this one has its place - this book is a biography of Brittain's good friend Winifred Holtby, who Brittain does not lionize as a saint, nor does she sit around bemoaning the fate that took Holtby's life early, although she certainly does lament, with good cause, the death of her friend and the potential that she held; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

#12: What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander - this is a very good book of short stories, some of which I liked more than others, but there is no doubt in my mind but that Englander can write; my favorites in the book were the title story, "Everything I Know about My Family on My Mother's Side," and "The Reader," which I absolutely loved; if you can get hold of this 8 story collection, then do so; thanks to Mark for the recommendation of this one!; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

#13: Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong - juvenile nonfiction; Armstrong does a terrific job with the true story of Ernest Shackleton and the story of his men, trapped by ice in the South Pole, and the lengths that they had to go to in order to survive and be rescued; she does not pull any punches about the mandatory killing of the dogs and the ship's cat, Mrs. Chippy, and discusses at some length the science behind why things are the way they are in Antarctica; Linda recommended this title to me, knowing of my interest in the subject matter - thanks, lovey!; Recommended especially for 8-12-year-olds with an interest in either science or true-life adventures, or both! (4 stars) Library Book

Now, if I could only get The Lost Men read. It has been sitting on my dresser waiting for me to return to it since we moved into our house - almost 5 years ago. *sigh*

#14: The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge - juvenile; I can echo J.K. Rowling "I absolutely adored The Little White Horse" - I never read the book as a child (I had never even heard of Elizabeth Goudge until LT!) and yes, the story is old-fashioned by today's standards, but I do not care - I loved it anyway!; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

#15: The Black Company by Glen Cook - the first book in Cook's Black Company series and one a tried a few years ago and just could not get into, but Carolyn talked me into giving it another go and I am glad she did, because I really liked it this time around; this introductory book introduces the Black Company to us, a company of rather mercenary-like fighters who basically joined the outfit to forget their pasts (I kept thinking it was rather French Foreign Legion-like), and they find themselves in service to the Lady and for much of the book, the reader (and the Company) are left wondering if she is good or evil; there are a lot of gnawing questions at the end of this first volume, so I am anxious to get on with the second; Recommended, especially if you like big, sprawling sagas with a fantasy bent to them (4 stars) Mine

As far as acquisitions for the week go, there are not too many: Death to Dust by Kenneth Iserson, Living Alone by Stella Benson and Untimed by Andy Gavin.

Board games played this week include Conquest of Planet Earth, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Troyes (with the Ladies of Troyes expansion, the first time we have tried it out), Lords of Waterdeep, and Beth's favorite, Elder Sign.

Stasia, have you watched the web show Tabletop by Wil Wheaton? It's so much fun.

Morning Stasia! Thanks for the book report! I'm so glad you enjoyed What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. It is a story collection that has stuck with me for a long time. I may have to get a "keeper" copy.

#236: I have watched every episode of Tabletop, Morphy. I enjoy it very much.

#237: Did you have one favorite story in the collection, Mark? I cannot recall.

OK, off to eat some breakfast and then head to bed. I will be back later this evening!

I've got What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank on the wish list through the library. I really liked Englander's Ministry of Special Cases, so even though I'm not much of a short-story reader, I'll give this one a shot.

Thanks for the game list, Stasia. You got some good reading done this week.

Stasia, I'm glad to see you enjoyed What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. I will have the opportunity to hear Nathan Englander speak this Spring and hope to have read this before then.

I was just looking at buying an illustrated copy of The Little White Horse. Given your review, I think I'll give in :)

Stasia- I can't remember for sure. I loved the opening story and the one about the Senior Camp. Wow! Yes, "The Reader" was a good one too! There were several that were terrific.
I NEED to track down his earlier collections.

I too really liked Ministry of Special Cases, maybe should give this one a try too although I'm not a big fan of short stories.

Hi Stasia. What a great reading week. I had What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank out of the library and only had a chance to read the first story before I had to take it back. But I loved that first story so I will finish the book at some point. I have to hang my head and admit I have a copy of Testament of Youth but haven't read it. But I have put Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World on my library list. :)

#239: I have not read anything else by Nathan Englander, but I am certainly going to look for his other works.

#240: Thanks, Julia. I hope you can find something on both lists to like!

#241: I hope you get to read the book before then too, Linda - and that you enjoy hearing him speak. I am jealous!

#242: My 'review' was not much of a review, but I sure did enjoy the book after its slow start. I hope you like it, Michelle!

#243: My local library only has one of his other books, For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, but I hope to read it soon.

#244: I hope you give it a shot. I hope to get to Ministry of Special Cases one of these days - if I can ever get my hands on a copy.

#245: Pat! You have not read Testament of Youth yet? Ack!!

Whew.
Let's see. I guess I need to dig out The Black Company and get started. I tried it once before and was not enthusiastic enough to continue. Have your read his Garrett P.I. series? My friend who recommended Cook ages ago preferred those, but at the time I could find only *Black Company*.
I do agree with your assessment of Testament of Friendship. I love Holtby and I loved *Youth*, but I didn't love this book.
You might get me with another BB if you can get around to The Lost Men. Keep us posted!

I discovered The Little White Horse in 6th grade, and read it--and read it--and read it again for years. It was in the school library of my parochial school, which opened the year I was in 5th grade. I went to it grades 6-8, and my younger brother and sister went only to it for grade school. When, years later, they deaccessioned the book, my mom bought it for me, a falling-apart by now 1947 hardback with maps on the endpapers. Many years after that (2000), Goudge's The Little White Horse and Linnets and Valerians were republished in paperback and I bought several copies so I would always have copies to lend out. And a couple of years ago we stopped in an antique store in the middle of Kansas on the way home to Abilene and I found a pristine copy of the 1947 copy, with dust jacket which the school copy never had, and I immediately snabbled it. I am so glad you loved it too, Stasia!

#247: Peggy, I have read the first couple of Cook's books in the Garrett P.I. series, but not gotten beyond those. *sigh* another series to which I need return. I will keep you posted about The Lost Men!

#248: Prior to LT, I had never even heard of Elizabeth Goudge. I read her City of Bells and very much enjoyed it before I discovered she wrote children's books as well. I need to see if I can find a copy of Linnets and Valerians. What a great find for you at that antique store, Roni!

Saw that Little White Horse was in the 1001 Children's books collection. With recommendations from Rowling (and you) it sounds like one I have to get soon.

I hope you do get to it soon, Carsten!

A quote I need to share from the Introduction to 84, Charing Cross Road:

". . .it seems that my (Anne Bancroft's) experience with this lovely volume reveals an awful lot about what books provide: a way of reaching out across time and space to friends and strangers, and to the absent presences that play such a large part in all our lives."

Just like the 75ers. . .

I've been a fan of Englander ever since reading his For the Relief of Unbearable Urges (which I bought because of the cover!); now I'm even more excited to get to What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, which I'm embarrassed to say I'd forgotten was in my tbr pile...

Stopping by your busy thread, Stasia, just to say hi!

Too far behind to catch up... For me O'Nan is spotty.. I like some, and I don't like others.. I gave away Circus fire unread... no regrets :P

Take care, Stas....

Hi, Stasia. I haven't come by in a while, because your thread moves so fast, I know there will be a lot of catching up. Glad to see you and your mum are both feeling better.

Your reading must really have slowed down - you've only read twice as much as I have, for the year. :0)

Thanks for the recommendation of Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong. It sounds like something my son would really like. He really enjoys real life adventure type stories and I'm always looking for good ones for him to try as he is somewhat of a reluctant reader.

#252: I, on the other hand, need to pick up For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, which my local library actually has. I am hoping to be able to get it on my weekly trip Thursday.

#253: Thanks, Deb. I appreciate the visit!

#254: Thanks, Kath. You take care too.

#255: Hey, Nina. Thanks for stopping by.

#256: I hope your son enjoys the Armstrong book if and when he gets to it! Please let me know.

For your ooh-ing and ah-ing delectation, here is a picture of the new twins - my honorary great-nieces:

Hey there, bad penny Stasia! 'Great books so far! The prodigal son (100 Book Challenge - 2012) is back. Well, sorta. I'm choking on Infinite Jest, which is making Ulysses feel like The Pokey Little Puppy. When the dust settles, I'll be sure to provide some semi-lucid comments.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank is going on the K2 pile, though.

'Bee-utiful Twins!!!

Regards,

Steve

If anyone can provide semi-lucid comments, Steve, I am sure it is you!

Oh my goodness, those twins are so cute, Stasia.

Those are some seriously cute babies, Stasia!

I think so too - but then again, I may be slightly biased.

The twins are adorable, Stasia!

Hi Stasia, sorry, I lost you for a while.

Oh, what sweet little babies!

Hi Stasa, those twins are adorable, love their headbands!

Ahhhh -- babies are so cute.

>258 alcottacre:: AbsoLUTEly oooh and aaaah! Very cute twins.

Gorgeous babies!!

OMG. What absolutely, perfectly precious, beautiful babies. WOW

Just wow. And congratulations to your family :)

Oooooh..... aaaaaah....

Agreed. The headbands are adorable.

The babies, too.

:D

What a precious picture! They are beautiful :-)

Hi Stasia--Just found your thread, and I haven't even gotten all the way through it, but wanted to let you know that you got me with a book bullet.

I've ordered a copy of They Fought Alone for my father. He's 87 today, in a nursing home, not doing too well, but still reads. Dad was in the Navy in WWll and was in the Phillipines after they were taken back by the US. There were still stray Japanese soldiers hiding out and Dad has some very funny stories about them ...... I think he'll enjoy the book.

Adding my coos to the chorus.

Glad you and your mom are doing better.

The twins are adorable, Stasia. Are they identical?

SO cute!

Lots of action over here, deservedly so, due to the new twins! What an addition to the family!

AAAWWWW, they are beautiful little angels :)

I miss those days, special little double cuddles. I'm sure you'll enjoy every minute you spend with them.

Thanks for the compliments about the twins, who are indeed identical :)

#273: Janet, I hope your father enjoys the book as much as I did!

Stasia - Hugs and kisses to you as always. Book ordered but not despatched yet.
Photo of your honorary great-neices is delightful. As a twin I can honestly say I don't think I was ever called upon to wear such cute headgear!

Such cute babies! Thanks for sharing.

Oh what perfect darlings!!!!!
Now, however, I am imagining Paul in the headgear - thanks a lot, man!

Peggy, I am doing the same - picturing Paul with a cute headband on his head :)

I have had a bad day and am not fit company for anyone, so I am off to do something completely nonsensical - and it is not schoolwork! Maybe it will improve my mood.

>282 LizzieD:, 283 : So did I! Only, he wasn't a baby :0)

Hope your day drastically improves, Stasia.

Far to much blue *franticaly adds to TBR.

Stasia, your great-nieces are just precious!!

The twins are beyond cute!

Oh, they're adorable!

I agree!

Aaaaww... the adorable twins! Thanks for sharing the picture with us, Stasia!

Wishing you a happy remaining week + weekend!

Do they have a system for telling them apart? Or can they just tell?

Hi Stasia! I'm a bit behind here. :) Going WAY back to your comments on Size 12 is not Fat...I've only read a couple of Meg Cabot books, but my impression is that she generally writes whiny characters. (Maybe I'm wrong.) :) If I were to read another book by her, I'd probably prepare myself for the whine.

Lovely picture of your "honorary great-nieces", Stasia - have a nice weekend :)

Hi Stasia! I'm so glad you enjoyed The LIttle White Horse. That was a childhood favourite of mine. Also loved Towers in the Mist, which I re-read many times as a teen - set in Oxford during the reign of Elizabeth I.

#290: Happy weekend to you too, Nathalie!

#291: I do not know how they are telling Carlee and Kaylee apart, Kath.

#292: OK, note to self: no more Meg Cabot books. I cannot take the whininess :)

#293: Thanks, Carsten. I hope you have a great weekend.

#294: I had not heard of Towers in the Mist before. I will have to see if I can locate a copy. Thanks for the recommendation, Genny.

Stasia- Just checking in. Hope all is well in Texas.

Passing thru - hope your weekend is grand ........

*waving back*

Whininess is why I can't handle a lot of contemporary YA. Nothing can whine like an angsty teenager.

Hi Stasia! I'm a bit behind on your thread, but you're reading a lot of books on my wishlist – Hereville, The Black Company, David Eddings (okay, that one's not on my wishlist, I have a copy of Pawn of Prophecy in my TBR pile).

The Little White Horse sounds intriguing too. I need a good old fashioned kids book in my life.

Morphy, I can't stand contemporary YA for the same reasons, but I also hate the love triangles. Love triangles are really really boring and overdone.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, Stasia!

Thanks for coming by, Nina, Morphy, Kriti, and Dejah!

I had a bad Saturday, so I am trying to make up for it by sneaking some reading in. . .

I had a great reading week as far as quality goes (and I will take quality over quantity every day of the week!):

#16: 84, Charing Cross Road - nonfiction; this is one of my all-time favorite books and when I saw that Anne had read this with her daughters last week, I decided to pull my copy down and give it a re-read; if you have not yet read this gem, it is a must read for book lovers!; Highly recommended (5 stars) Mine

#17: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente - juvenile fiction; this is Valente's initial foray into juvenile fiction and what a dandy one it is! If you have not read Richard's review of this book, take a look at it here: http://www.librarything.com/work/9657829/reviews/92199610 - and then go out and find a copy to read!; Highly recommended (4.5 stars) Library Book

#18: The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman - this is Stedman's debut novel, and if she continues to write like this, she will become a favorite author of mine - not only is her prose just wonderful, but her characterizations are spot on and highly believable; Carsten recommended this book on his thread and did a great review (http://www.librarything.com/work/12179054/reviews/92853380); Highly recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

#19: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe - nonfiction; the true story of how Schwalbe and his mother formed their own two person 'book club' over the last years of her life after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; I really enjoyed this book - and it managed to add a few more titles to the BlackHole; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

#20: The Bestiary by Nicholas Christopher - this is the third book of Christopher's I have read this year, and he has become one of my favorite authors; I do not think this book is as good as A Trip to the Stars but I did think it was better than Veronica; Richard recommended this book to me several years ago and I had forgotten that I had purchased it then until I stumbled across my copy a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for something else (imagine that!); anyhow, Richard's review is here: http://www.librarything.com/work/2080369/reviews/39661263; Highly recommended (4.375 stars) Mine

Not very many acquisitions this week, just two: The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey and Kokoro by Natsume Soseki.

Games played this week include Airships, Kingsburg (and its expansion, To Forge A Realm), and Castle Ravenloft. Beth and I are playing through a campaign in Castle Ravenloft, so I imagine the play of that game will be all there is over the next few weeks, but who knows?

Midterms are this next week for me, so probably not a lot of reading is going to be happening unfortunately :(

Good luck with the midterms!

Oooh, I hope you like The Fire Rose. I think I've re-read that book more than any other.

Morning Stasia- Looks like you had a great reading week. Those 1st 3 are all on my WL! I hope you have a nice Sunday.

Happy Sunday morning, Stasia! How fortunate for me that all of the books I'm interested in on your weekly list are already on my wishlist. :-)

Good luck with your midterms next week!

I loved The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making! The sequel, The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There was just a good. Apparently there are going to be five books in the series.

Sending best wishes for your midterms Stasia! Your comments were the tipping point re The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making for me and I've reserved it at the library. I'll also look out for The Light Between the Oceans.

Like Morphy, I've very fond of The Fire Rose - I hope you enjoy it, Stasia!

I hope the rest of your weekend is wonderful!

Breezing through to say hello and good luck with the midterms...and to get hit by a few bb's.

Happy Sunday, Stasia. Glad you had a good reading week and good luck on your midterms.

Hi Stasia

You did have a nice reading week! The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and 84 Charing Cross Road have been on my wishlist for quite some time. I will have to get to the library soon!

Yes, Stasia, you indeed had a good reading week. I just gave my copy of 84 Charing Cross Road to my neighbor. It feels good to share such a beloved book.

Mid-terms already?! Well, I know you'll do us proud. Have a good week!

Good luck with midterms! I know you'll rock 'em!

Thinking of you and sending hope for a stress free day.

I've added What We talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank to the list.

#304: Thanks, Nina!

#305: Really? Wow, Morphy. I hope I like it as much as you do!

#306: Thanks, Mark.

#307: Well, maybe I can hit you with a BB next week, Julia :)

#308: I have already put the second book on hold at my local library, Kriti. I hope it is as good as the first!

#309: I hope you enjoy both books when you get to them, Heather!

#310: Thanks, Dejah!

#311: Thanks for breezing through, Gail.

#312: Happy Sunday to you too, Pat. Thanks!

#313: Jess, I hope you enjoy the books when you get to them.

#314: I agree about sharing beloved books, Lynda - as long as I get them back :)

#315: I hope I do, Brit!

#316: I think you will enjoy Englander's book, Linda - at least I hope you do!

Mid terms already? It seems like term just STARTED!

Your great nieces are simply adorable!

Good luck with midterms, Stasia.

I read the title story of What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank when I was killing time at the library one day, and it made me want to read more.

Lots of book bullets to catch up on, and what seems like a great reading week.

I've never read The Little White Horse but may have to seek it out soon.

Hey there! Just swinging by because I've seen your name all over the place, and apparently we share 90 books in our libraries :)

Busy thread so far!

Best wishes in school.

My thread is over here if you're interested :)

#318: I know Caro! It does not possibly seem like I can be working on midterms - and my final projects, come to that - already. Thanks for the comment on the twins. I am going to have to post a new picture soon.

#319: Thanks, Anne. I hope you enjoy both the Englander and Goudge books when you get to them.

#320: I will drop by soon! I will have to see what books we have in common - I am always happy to find another kindred (book) spirit :)

Hi Stasia!! I loved The Light Between Oceans too! We just need to convince everyone on LT to read it :)

Wow, Stasia, you did have an awesome book week. All of those titles sound so good. Best of luck on your midterms!

Stasia! Thanks for posting a link to Richard's wonderful review of Fairyland! I had heard good things about it before, but after that stellar review and your words, it has been added to my overwhelmingly large wish list!! :)

BTW, incredible reading week!!

Hi Stasia! Good luck with your midterms!

I'm glad you enjoyed the Catherynne M. Valente novel. I'm listening to her Palimpsest right now.

Lots of oohs and ahs here over those beautiful twin babies. I'm somehow picturing that they will have a very close relationship as they grow up.

Good luck with midterms. Celebrate with a book when they're over.

Just caught up with you. Glad to see you enjoyed The Black Company. I thought that it was very different from the usual type of fantasy novel and I've enjoyed all of them that I've read.

Just catching up after being away for a week, and glad to see you've figured out how to fit reading into your busy school and work schedule! Adorable babies too.