Richardderus 2013 thread 5

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -- Groucho Marx

I have a category called Orphans, which will still catch all the other reading I do in 2013. Thinking 60 reviews as my target.

My 2013 ORPHANED books ticker:




I want to treat the Short Story collection challenge as a ticker-to-itself thread, thinking 48 reviews as my goal. I'll keep the thread over in the Short Stories forum.

My 2013 SHORT STORY collections ticker:




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

My MYSTERY & THRILLER books ticker:




THIS THREAD is the 75 challenge for 2013, which will be non-fiction and non-genre-fiction books published in 2012 and 2013, plus recommendations from other 75ers.

My last thread of 2012.

My 2013 NEW books ticker:




Book 1...thread one.
Books 2 & 3...thread two.
Book 4...thread three.

Books are reviewed in post:

5. A Killing in the Hills...#293.

Only thread 5? I was sure you would be at least to 15 by now, RD.

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

Only 5 threads Stasia but the other four were humungously long ones! Congratulations on another one RD.

You mean the thread police did not arrest him yet?? Oh, I forgot - Richard is the thread police.

>4 alcottacre:

You're first!! Yay Stasia!

>5 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul, glad you're here so early!

>6 alcottacre: Yeah, lady, and don't you fergit it!

I love the crown. I will wear it to work tonight.

>8 alcottacre: Oh do! I suspect your clientele will award one to you any day, considering the service you're rendering to them.

Now for the goopy sentimental stuff: Because I have some of the best friends ever, anywhere, I've been offered a couple and have taken an offer of some much-needed help. You're all sweethearts who made the path smooth for me, and I am so very grateful.

*smoochiesmoochsmooch*

I'm glad you're getting help for whatever it is you need help for/with and that people are being wonderful. Wandering away again.....

Happy new thread dear Richard. I'm glad you are getting some assistance from friends. You have great friends because you are a warm & loving person (not curmudgeonly in the least!). Oh, and because you're very free with your smooches!!! :)

>3 richardderus: LOL!

Glad things are going well for you, Richard.

Smooches to you!!

>10 tiffin: Heh, that's the proper way to go about this thread, Tui: "Yes dear" while ambling into the distance.

>11 TinaV95: I suppose I could fairly be described as "prosmoochcuous" couldn't I?

>12 Copperskye: Hi Joanne, thanks for the smoochings, and goodness knows I might get a review in sometime soon. Check back!

Thread Police! That's right, and now you are the major culprit. The crime buster became national thread-length criminal #1 :)

Is now a good time to get a smooch in? There seems to be a lot of it going about here at this here smooch-fest ;)

*smooch*

PS *oh my aching foot* Now that Im using it again, it is letting me know- who'da thunk it? Its time I got it up on the bed, and a good book in my hands. See ya!

The goopy sentimental stuff sounds beautiful Richard. Have a *smooch*!

Congratulations on another thread Mr Popular!

So pleased to hear that there are some kind people out there to help offset the bureaucratic nonsense.

*smooches* and wishing you and Stella a great day:)

I love the Groucho Markx quote but he's wrong - when I was little my dad used to tell me the story of a little red-headed girl (now who could that possibly be?) who got swallowed by a tiger. There was a light, chair, books (!) and a refrigerator down there and the little girl could read as much as she wanted. When it was time to leave she left - but the question was always whether she forgot to turn the light off.

I'm sure dogs are the same as tigers.

Anyway, have a scrumptious day, RD!

*smooches*

I'm sorry that yesterday was so crappy - bureaucracy will do it every time.

*wavies and hugs* nothing to add apart from spamming your nice clean thread :)

That picture of the icy building from Chicago made me think of Dr. Zhivago! Before my hubby left for work I started to clean off my horrendously book and paper covered desk. I told him I would work on the office for several hours and then put my foot up (by which time it will have swelled to triple its normal size) So after about 20 minutes I sat down to catch up on a few threads. I didn't say several consecutive hours.

Not caught up.. but wanted to make a wee spot for me, here.

Good morning.

Thinking good thoughts of you. Sending love.

Woofie

Nothing much to add - just popping by to say hello. Peg

>14 LovingLit: Heh, *smooch* back...and oh my heck yes, that first week to ten days after post-surgical healing on bones is quite an eye-opener in terms of pain. Ow.

>15 wilkiec: Thanks, Diana! *smooch* back to you, too.

>16 calm: Hi calm! I am always humbled and amazed by how very kind people are to me. I don't imagine it's too different for anyone else. But it is so very welcome to re-learn that folks are good to each other some places and times.

>17 karenmarie: Omigosh! JonaHorrible and the Tardis Tigger! I sense a cartoon show....oxo

>18 scaifea: Hi Amber, thanks for stopping in. Bureaucracy is always annoying, and I don't love the rigidity that comes with it. Still, there will always be frustrations in life, so best to vent and move on.

>19 BekkaJo: *smoochings* out to the Isle of Jersey

>20 mmignano11: Hi Mary Beth! I like your sneaking, I mean thinking. xo

>21 mckait: You've got permadibs on the inglenook, sweetness, you know that.



>22 womansheart: Woofie! Hi there! *smooch* for the returning heroine!

>23 plt: Hi there Peg, so happy to see you here! Come back soon.

Oh the agony!

"I never read a book before reviewing it;it prejudices a man so."

Sydney Smith, quoted in H. Pearson, Smith of Smiths

just dropped by to lay a big wet *smooch* on your fuzzy little face.

>26 richardderus: aww thanks rdear I love that spot!

>26 richardderus: hey now, there's a nook I could handle, now, Ive just got to get that sweeping staircase to plonk it under!

>27 richardderus: hehe, I love that one. And it makes the process that much more understood- form my point of view as a non-writer.

Finally caught up with you, Richard. Stopping by to wish you a lovely weekend!

Cinco! Ay Dios Mio! Hello sweetness! I will post an update this weekend of my Mom. She is unbelievable!

I saw on someone's thread that you would be coming to Texas in the fall! Woo! I hope I can meet you.

I hope you are feeling well and that your world is in perfect alignment.

Stopping by to see how you are doing, Richard! Hope the support of friends is helping you.

Hi Richard, I still need to read thread #4, but thought I'd better check in here relatively early and catch up later. I had a very slow start into LT this year, and I don't like to skip threads - I'd miss so much. For example that great review of Howard's End is on the Landing in thread #3 which I read sometime this week and immediately added the book to the upper part of my tbr.

Adding to the *smoochings*

Have a lovely weekend!

Back on your prior thread, you said "I hate greed, and it's all around me right now and that puts me in a foul foul foul humor."
I hope it's better. Not just your mood, but the bureaucratic idiocy that has contributed to it.

Not much to say about books and resisting the temptation to post kitten spam.

Passing thru - nothing much to say apart from I am back after week or so MIA

Early morning hellos and smooches.

Horrible

Just waving from across the Atlantic

Wah! off to work I go......good day to ya!

Good Morning Richard Dear. Once again caught up for the "Moment" darn real life anyway. My reading has been suffering from it. Now I can't even read at work for a while due to having a trainee attached to my hip all day, :( Sigh... I hope all is well with you and Stella. Smooches to you both.

Greta Garbo, Benny, and I send greetings across the country to you and your pup! Happy Weekend.

Mornin', Rdear. Many thanks for pointing me to The Stockholm Octavo. A very nice conceit well-executed, I think. I didn't find it draggy, but did have ot work a bit on keeping peripheral people straight, French history being a weak spot in, and Swedish hisotry completely absent from my brain. It was great being carried off to another time and place.

A good week-end to you, Sweetie.

I am so very late to this party - I have brought pecan pancakes to make up for it. Happy Saturday, Richard - hoping it is a good one. May your weekend be full of fabulous!

>28 mmignano11: Ha! Cute, Mary Beth, very appropriate for a critic to say.

>29 mirrordrum: *smoochiesmoochsmooch* for dear OLD Ellie.

>30 mckait: Figured you would, it's so cozy and the fireplace to keep you warm. *smooch*

>31 LovingLit: Hey Maude, it's a lot like having your toenail ripped off by a fast-closing spring-action door, then the top of your foot scraped raw as some well-intentioned boob tries to open the door, then another toenail dragged off as it closes again.

>32 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Thank you kindly indeed, sentiments heartily returned.

>33 luvamystery65: Hey Roberta, I'll stop by to see how much better she's doing.

>34 ronincats: Hi Roni! Thanks for stopping in...it has been a major major help indeed. A lucky man I am. Yoda I am not, talk like this I am why?

>35 Deern: Howdy Nathalie, very glad you're here! Thread-reading can become a full-time job quite easily. Take it as it comes, and don't sprain anything catching up. I link to all my reviews.

>36 EBT1002: Yes, yes, the Serial Spammeress returns to the scene of her crimes...casing the new joint to see what the prominent spots she can leave her hate-speech about *shudder* cats...I know the type.

*smooch*

>37 roundballnz: Hi Alex! Glad you're Found instead of Missing in Action. Hope all's well.

>38 karenmarie: Early indeed, Horrible, what on earth? Sleepless again? Boo hiss if so, and bigger boo hiss if you're getting up to go to work!

>39 Mercury57: *waves back* Come again soon!

>40 mckait: Speaking of boo hiss. Shall I whammy someone for you, dearest?

>41 MonicaLynn: Stella sends return smooches, Monica, and I hope RL calms down soon. *smooch* from moi as well.

>42 maggie1944: Hi Karen44! Tousle the ears of all relevant parties from Stella and me! Happy weekend to you as well.

>43 Matke: Hi Gail! *smooch* I knew next to nothing about Swedish history, apart from Gustavus Vasa snaffling Finland and making a good run at Poland, or was it Prussia? Anyway, the book was a success and I'm happy about that!

>44 Crazymamie: Pecan pancakes!! Outstanding! You can put them all right here next to the cinnamon syrup bottle. So happy to see you, Mamie!

Hi Richard! I hope you're having a lovely, cozy start to the weekend with Stella never too far from your side. (((HUGS))) and a *smooch* to you, my friend. I'm sorry to hear that a-holes in charge are living up to their name and happy to hear that you have friends to help you (and that you're willing to accept the help). Much love to you!

That inglenook would act like a venus fly trap for me......

>50 LauraBrook: Hi Laura! All seems to be well enough out here in Siberia. (Terrible winter storm Khan dumped an immense amount of snow on me last night...almost an inch!) Well, a-holes are everywhere, and my troubles with them were resolvable by the application of generosity from my friends, so what the hell, it's all good. *smooch* and a big big hug to you too!

>51 sibylline: Heh...I'd buy that house for ye olde inglenook, too!

I'd buy it, too. I learned what an inglenook is from this little place. Thank you, sir. My life is richer.

Out here in the wild-ness of the west we have so few houses that are even 100 years old, and none much older than that, and our electricity from the beginning was cheap due to hydroelectric power generation by the big dams build in the 40s and 50s - so - seeing houses, homes, with heating fixtures harkening back to days of burning wood - amazing to my young eyes.

>53 maggie1944: I'd forgotten that, Karen44. In the part of Cali I'm from, there were missions and old early-1800s Mexican/late 1700s Spanish haciendas and such-like all over the place. Residences were mostly brand-spankin' new.

53 & 54. I can't help but think of this when reading about the age of American buildings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6hijsqO8H0

Exactly! Castles? The stupid housing developers over here think that if they put a two story entrance on the front of a regular stick built wood frame plastic sided house that the inhabitants will suddenly feel like royalty. Ha! They feel royally screwed, is what they feel. Painting the inside of those damnable two story entrances requires you hire "professionals" with big ladders. )-;

>46 richardderus: it's a lot like having your toenail ripped off by a fast-closing spring-action door, then the top of your foot scraped raw as some well-intentioned boob tries to open the door, then another toenail dragged off as it closes again.
Um.....ouch!?
I take it this actually happened?
I would be ab anger ball in that situation.

When I was recovering from my marathon hip operation I flew to a family Christmas and the airport concierge wheeled my in a wheelchair to the plane. My left foot was out in front as the nerves were still a little taut from their stretching.

Anyway, the wheelchair-pusher came to an automatic door, bumped my leg into the door as it hadn't opened......pulled the chair back to allow the sensor to see me, and did it again!! I was too shocked and in pain to say much and she was oblivious. lol- some people huh?

#38 alas, sleeplessness. But I got a lot of good stuff done and had a good morning. This afternoon daughter and husband had a spat about good sportsmanship in tennis of all things and aren't talking. I'll try to get them to be in the same room to watch Downton Abbey season 2 in anticipation of getting season 3 from Amazon this week..... sometimes three's a bitch.

On a happier note I found a hardcopy of Notorious Nineteen, Stephanie Plum frivolity for $1.07 at the Habitat Store. Perfect condition, with intact dust jacket. :)

>55 PawsforThought: Indeed.

>56 maggie1944: I've never understood the desire to fancy up the box, myownself.

>57 LovingLit: That would have caused me to fly into a screaming rage, but I'm just not as nice as you are.

>58 karenmarie: Ew, I'm so sorry. And father/daughter spats: Ew, I'm so sorry. Evanovich news: Yay! I'm not sorry! *smooch*

Sending good thoughts your way from snowy, cold Beavercreek, Ohio.

Each time I see that photo of you and Stella, I smile.

Khan sent you a paltry inch of snow....we had three inches, yesterday...with today's flurries, i have no idea....

I'm glad your "troubles" were resolved.....

I found this. I would need very good lighting, and serious back support....but, i like the idea:

>60 Whisper1: Hi Linda! Don't freeze. I smile whenever I see Stella, too...frown and grimace when I see myself. When did I get so ugly? Oh that's right! I always looked like this!

>61 jdthloue: I like the idea, not mad for the execution, since I'd want knee support too.

I think I would have a panic attack in there - but my kids would all love it!

Stopping in for a quick smooch Richard!

Those molded plastic thingies with a thin layer of some sort of fabric.... not comfortable. Butt gets tired, falls to sleep. Ever had a sleeping butt? No good. Softer, bigger chair type things work better. But even them, I need to get up outta wonce in a whiles.

#61 But the biggest problem with that picture is the nearly empty shelves. Where are all the books?

yeah .. that looks like something I would have liked as a kid.. but not so much now. I like your other nook better, the one with a fireplace..

After a couple of adventures today, one to purchase plants and one to purchase some Washington travel books for my sister, I thought I'd do like Tina and stop by for a Saturday Richard smooch.

You do have quite the following, don't you? Almost Beatle-esque......

Jude, I saw that pic earlier today when I was looking up bookshelf ideas. I thought of bending and folding the slightly past middle-aged bod into that...maybe if I were 8 it would work. Give me a good wing chair with decent lumbar support and a footstool any day.

Stella the Wonder Dog!

#61 And the books are all the same! But cool concept. Smooches Richard. Have to go back and catch up on your last thread now.

>61 jdthloue:. Too. Much. Pink.

>61 jdthloue: I thought that was Caro perched in there for a minute Jude. Wouldn't want to not be able to see my books though whilst reading.
Have a great weekend RD.

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx for today, RD!

>69 tiffin: I'd prefer a recliner.

>70 jadebird: She is, Ren!

>71 Berly: *smooch* for Berly-boo

>72 EBT1002: ANY pink is too much for me. Detest pink!

>73 PaulCranswick: I shall do my best...almond cake with vanilla buttercream for dessert! That was scrumdiddlyumptious!

>74 alcottacre: *smoochiesmoochsmooch* Stasia!

#76: I am with you about pink. I cannot stand the color - and Catey, as a little girl, loved it. I learned to deal. Happily her tastes changed when she was older - to green, which I can at least tolerate.

Have you ever noticed that "pink" and "puke" have the same number of letters, and share 50% of them? It is not an accident.

I agree!

>78 richardderus: lol
Pink. It has its place, just not in my world!

What is scary is when fully grown adult women are still obsessed with pink ( I am talking over 40) ......

I'm with you on pink. Never could stand it!

I like pink - if it's combined with other colours (and I'm not taking about baby colours, I mean stuff like navy blue, brown, dark green, etc. Rich colours.) And it needs to not be baby pink which I hate. Fuchsia is pretty nice.

Sending Sunday *smooches*

Just worked my way through thread #4. So much great book porn! I usually prefer the modernist versions, then the books can shine in all their colorful glory.

While I'm learning pronounciation on Peggy's thread, I got a grammar lesson on yours! Or is it 'on your's'? Must repeat the lesson I guess...
While I almost never (unless my thoughts are wandering) confuse their/they're/ there, I have an issue with adjectives/adverbs, simply because both forms are absolutely identical in German and we usually encounter the difference for the first time when we learn a foreign language. 'Running quickly' is simple enough, but 'corrected wrong' instead of 'wrongly'? Sometimes I just decide by sound.
I still wonder what the plural of Dickens is. Still Dickens (I read 4 Dickens last year) or Dickenses? I know you don't read them, but maybe you can help me with the plural form? :-)

Just stopping by to wish you and Stella a lovely and cosy remaining Sunday *smooch*. :)

84. It's "on yours" (otherwise it'd be "on you is").
Dickens in plural should be Dickenes, I believe, but I'd say "Dickens novels".

English is a bitch! I'd write "I read four books by Dickens".

Happy Sunday, RD! Daughter and husband made up after about 4 episodes of Downton Abbey. And after I went to bed I heard them chatting amiably while watching an old Alias episode.

*smooch*

>61 jdthloue: I like that chair-thingy. Does it have a door so I could shut myself in away from the continuous noise that goes on around here? (Seems to be no way to escape it these days.) Also, that poor girl, is she doomed to read the same pink book over and over?

I like her shoes. :)

English is a bitch!
Most languages have rules that make sense. Ours does not. That's what my college English teacher told me!

>79 alcottacre:, 80, 82 Vile color. I grew up in a household where everything that could be was pink. Hated it then, hate it now.

>81 roundballnz: That was my mother. Pink pots and pans, pink china, pink fridge and range and oven...ew.

>83 PawsforThought: Fuchsia is nowhere near as horrible as "angel-skin coral" or "shell pink" or those shades.

>84 Deern:, 86 "Dickens" has no plural. It is a superlative form, carrying the connotation of "world-endingly horrible and misery-inducingly bad" and so needs no plural form.

>85 drachenbraut23: Hi Bianca! Sunshine, warm enough to be unpainful and cool enough to be winter, and delicious almond cake with vanilla buttercream icing for breakfast. What could go wrong?

>87 maggie1944:, 89 English is a bitch, and I'm eternally grateful that I learned it first because there is *no*way* I would want to try to get the complexities of this ramshackle magpie's nest of a language packed in after something as orderly and simple as, say, Spanish. Ye gods!

>88 karenmarie: As most spats will, it blew over...always annoying to the bystanders, though. Glad the day has some peace in it for you! *smooch* back

almond cake with vanilla buttercream icing for breakfast. What could go wrong?
That does sound like quite an auspicious and delicious start. Where's mine? ;)

>92 avidmom: There's a half cake in the fridge....

Sorry. Only a quarter is left. Licks fingers...

Sunday, Sunday.
All the cake talk reminds me of Bill Cosby's response to his wife when she scolded him for feeding their child cake for breakfast. His stance: it's flour, eggs, milk..... what's the problem?
I tend to agree.

Swinging through to say hello and give you a smooch! Happy Sunday!

delurking to say I'm delurking. Nothing much to say, unless doing the laundry sparks some excitement.

I take that back. Jim and I saw "Les Miserables" (current version) last night. As Jim says, 'highlights from Victor Hugo', but that was the musical on stage as well. Some rocky patches, but we were both in tears at the end. That Hugo, he can jerk tears with the best of them.

Just stopping by to tell you I'm loving you today.

I'm over 40 and I like pink and Dickens. I'm fessin' up! I hope that doesn't mean you won't like lil' ole me Richard? Funny thing is I did not like pink for most of my life, until I began crafting in earnest. Now I like it in combination with other colors, especially darker colors,on occasion with muted or dusty colors, not too crazy about pastels.And not in decorating schemes as much as in artwork, like the mixed media stuff, Speaking of the English language, how about two, to and too? Those are always fun for someone trying to learn our dastardly tongue. Anyway, I can utterly sympathize with your dislike for pink after having it all over your house. Pink appliances? Wow. As for Dickens, he was one of the authors that made my somewhat lonely childhood bearable. Oddly, wherever we lived there was a library literally on our street (age 13 to about 19) or at the end of our street (age too young to remember to 13) and now about 2 blocks away. Books were my best friends and they never let me down. As an adult I can't remember reading any Dickens but as a child I read most of his well-known stuff, but I didn't know from depressing, only that those kids were worse off than me, for sure.

Lookit dis one!

A book igloo!! I like!

I like too!

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx along with hopes that you and Stella are staying warm today, RD.

Richard? Is Richard around?

Weekends ... he sometimes takes a bit of time off... hopefully he is fine xo

eta

Time to come back to us rdear...

Hi, Richard!

I fear he is composing a scathing response to my admission to liking the color pink and the works of Dickens!

Seriously, I will be checking in today until I see that you are back with us. Hopefully you just had something to do that took you away from your post at the computer. Will continue to lurk now and then until your return.

I think Richard is setting up his new Chromebook. Give us a review Richard. A friend of my nephew's had a beta copy. She seemed to like it.

Sorry all, Sunday was a bit on the hairy side, the boiler broke. It took the repair people until 1a to get here, but they're 24/7 and our contract specifies that they arrive WITH parts. I don't like 60F inside. It's fixed, happily.

Snowing a wee bit today, actually a snowy mix but the weather guessers say it will be rain soon. That's good as I don't want to walk the dog in snow, and rain means she's ready to accept a quickie!

So I'm about halfway back in the door.

Hi Richard! I am starting to get back around after two weeks of a nasty nasty flu/cold. Loving the discussions here as always. Count me in as a non-pink lover....although as long as it isn't pastel I can tolerate it!

Hope Stella was good with a short walk today in your yucky weather.

Weather guessers. Absolutely right on that!

*smooch*

No pink for me. And precious little red, either, at least on my person, excepting always my hair (which is of course more orange than red). I'm a green, blue, turquoise, purple, orange, brown, black and a little bit of grey person. Pink, get thee behind me!

Hello there, dear. I have been missing you and have come in search of your wonderful self. We have survived another Monday. Sorry to hear about the boiler, but ever so happy that it is fixed. How is your new Chromebook shaping up?

*dropping by a flyer* (printed on pink paper, with scarlet borders)

Here's a link to the list of books I picked up at the ALA Convention. If anyone wants to express an opinion as to which I should read first, please do so on my thread. I might follow some direction.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/146503#3871010

post #62...Richard, You, my dear are NOT ugly!

#62 - I concur with Whisper. You, my dear beloved Richard, are not ugly. You are beautiful because you are you, and that's why we all adore you. *hug*



I have been away from LT for too long. Two or so weeks is forever in internet time.

drive-by *smooch*

Hope the worst of the weather is passing you by... we had snow-to-a-wintry-mix here today too, but I think the precipitating is done for the evening, and then we should be getting positively balmy up into the 30s and even 50 degrees on Wednesday.

>86 PawsforThought: Dickens in plural should be Dickenes,
Lenny says keyses, for keys! Just like Gollum.

118. And as we all know, Gollum is an excellent guide to the English language. He is, aren't we, Precioussss?

Just my morning halloo...and a wish for banished ouchies.

Hi all...again, I'm so sorry for not responding individually...been up and down two flights of stairs to reset the damn boiler four times so far. It's very hard on me physically, and the oil people say they've fixed the problem so it's not an emergency any more. Blech.

More bureaucracy!!

So Chromebook is delicious. Apes the Mac functionality of instant on/off, and is simply streets ahead of Windows 7 in terms of speed. (Same size hard drive, same speed processor, same DRAM as the computer I'm comparing it to.)

I don't need any of the Office programs so haven't tried to install or use them. With the Chromebook comes unlimited cloud storage of one's GoogleDocs documents, and that is more than sufficient for my purposes. For under $250, this is the computer I'd give to any kid who needs one, and any senior who needs to check email and fiddlefart around on the web. They are not kidding when they say you simply take the thing out of the box, plug it in to charge, and open it up. From there it's all done for you. One needs a Google account, even solely Gmail will do, and you're off to the races.

Y'all who need cataract surgery, regardless of age, are too kind to say I'm not ugly. But really, get those eyes seen to!

*smooch* Off to chase the oil people again. I called three hours ago, and their person isn't here.

Sorry to hear about the boiler woes. Hope it is fixed soon and you and Stella can be toasty warm.

Chromebook sounds good. I'll have to keep it in mind for when I need a new gadget/computer.

BTW - you are not ugly:)

*smooch*

My feelings exactly.

>122 calm: You're sweet! Blind, but sweet.

*Smooch!!!*

I want your home warm and cozy, now! I will do what I can from this distance to conjure up some gods to meet my demands!

I'm almost recovered from the ALA experience which was too much fun. My little rental property is rented! I have a signed lease! And now I can focus on reading. I hope the same is true for you, soon, or sooner.

Richard - It is amazing that the so-called developed world has developed more bureaucracy than the old communist states. Hope you get your boiler fixed before the winter is gone and its need is obviated but more importantly I trust that you are able to keep snug enough in the meanwhile. Take care mate.

Thanks guys, the heat is still on, just twitchy at this point. Something isn't right in the connection between thermostat and boiler, so I'm watching the time changes in the programmed temperatures.

If that made any sense.

Sending heat on mojo.... hugs

*smooch*

That totally makes sense. Poor baby, sorry that you have to mess with that. I brought you a holster that holds two hip flasks of G&T, so when/if you have to go down to the boiler next time, please wear it and imagine the music from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. And if you have a poncho...

So sorry to hear about the boiler woes, Rdear .... we had to have our oil guy come over and fix ours 2 weeks ago when something in it broke and we lost heat during the arctic freeze. Fortunately whatever it was that he replaced appears to be working. Can you call them and tell them that your heat is spotty?

*silly question alert*
Um, what's a boiler? I guess a big burny thing in the basement that heats a house somehow. A completely uneducated guess, but there you go. Does the heat get pumped into the air- or into stuck-on-the-wall heater thingies?
I hope the oil man sorts it out for you asap RD!

>131 Crazymamie: *gurglegurglegurgle* shudnly i don' care quiiii' so muschh 'bout th' boilr

>132 cameling: I'm waiting to verify my theory of what happened before I call them again, because it puts blame squarely on their technician, and that's where it belongs! (Also and not incidentally, it means the $400 already spent on parts won't be upped even if they need *other* parts.)

>133 LovingLit: A boiler is an oil-fired furnace/hot water heater. We have a 250-gallon boiler unit that heats, via in-wall radiators, the house and provides bathing/washing hot water year-round.



That's what the thing looks like.



The smaller one looks like our water-tank.

No stupid questions except the ones you don't ask! xo

Wow- that is one complicated looking thingie-majingy. No wonder you need to get someone in to look at it, I wouldn't go near it!
I appreciate your understanding in the matter of the silly question ;)
*smooch*

Plumbing makes my head spin. I don't know how those guys do it. I can barely make it through the topology, and then the hydraulics make the idea of wakefulness untenable. *snooore*

Sorry that you are dealing with so much bureaucracy from so many angles, Richard.

And on top of that, you have to be on the look out for those nefarious felines and their evil plans:
Study: Cats kill billions of animals a year

134. Boilers down have to be oil-fueled, though. Ours runs on pellets.

135. I does look complicated and for problems like RD's you definitely need a professional to look at it, but most issues you can handle on your own. For a lot of problems, the solution is similar to that of computers in a bad mood - reboot it. ;)

The boiler issue continues, but I have it now. The thermometer's program kicks the firing mechanism into the "off" position when it changes temps at its fixed time-points. Woke up FREEZING and ran down (well, okay, hobbled painfully down) to see what was up. Ta-da! No rumble of fire heating water, so the issue is tracked down and should therefore be easier to resolve!

I hope.

Much luck with the heating problems - here's hoping the end of today sees you toasty and warm.

I hope today sees the resolution of your heating woes, rdear..

I am constantly amazed at how complicated our lives have become because we have so many pieces of technology dedicated to making our lives easier! Thermostat's programming should make thinking about your heating system obsolete. Does not happen that way!

I hope your theory is correct and that it is easily and quickly fixed once the techie person arrives! Hope the rest of the day is dedicated to being comfortable and able to read all your troubles away! I am planning one of those days for myself, too.

Sounds like you have been having quite a time with your heating problems. I sure hope they are all solved very soon for you Dear.

BLASTED FURNACE!!!

Sorry to yell on your thread Richard. I hope this problem is solved very soon.

ROFLMAO

"blasted....furnace....."

Oh the tragedy! Poor poor veggies, growing along all happy and suddenly *rip*gnashchompswallow* their futures torn into salad and their potential for...whatever...ended!!

Carrot Rights! Carrot Rights!

#146 - Oh, I am SO showing that to my vegan best friend. :D

I didn't realize you lived so near the parkway - and I guess that's because the trees were still there. More noise? more exhaust pollution in your yard?

>147 ErisofDiscord: Oh do! Tell me what it says, too.

>148 ffortsa: Y'all's visit was in the height of summer, so the leaves on the remaining trees were out. It's far enough away that it really doesn't obtrude, I'm just comparing it to ten years ago when there was no slightest hint of traffic noise. The big retention pond there now was dug to keep flooding to a minimum on the parkway, though I don't see too terrible much difference TBH.

Dearest.... Hoping your boiler is all fixed & that you are nice & toasty very soon! Smooches xoxo

RD- Fingers crossed that you have narrowed down the problem. Good luck, my friend.

? Not fixed yet :(

My issue with the repair job they did is still ongoing BUT and this is crucial I am not without heat! I have to do more stair-climbing than is comfortable for me, but the heat is on. Or I would simply put out a hit on these yahoos.

xoxo to all for checking in, it's very sweet.

Richard, I do hope the heat issue is resolved well, quickly, and for some duration!
I got a wonderful image of you staring at the thermostat, watching it cycle through the various temp programs. Might be only slightly more entertaining that watching paint dry.

AND - you cleared up the question of what a boiler is. I kept waiting for some reference to those folks from Purdue! Of course, I can't think of anything funny to say; I don't know why I expected you to do so (especially when you're sitting there freezing!).

Oh wait, you are not without heat. Oh. Well. That's good then.

Richard this how I pictured you earlier without your heat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjNqLOorulI

Sorry you still have to climb the stairs. I hope it all resolves soon.

Double ((hugs)) and xx smooches xx for today since I missed yesterday.

Yay! Heat!! Now if it would just be reliable without all the stair climbing. Hugs.

Keep fighting the good fight RD!
(you know, against bureaucracy, vegetables, boilers, reality TV shows etc)
:)

Hi Rdear, That just sucks! I simply hate anything that requires repairmen, the paying of repairmen, the fact that they almost always have to come back, and the hobbling back and forth it all requires! (I have been using a cane and/or crutches for the last year or so due to an extremely painful right foot. What is wrong with it is anybody's guess. I can't afford the damn doctor right now,but I fear the day is coming. So I am in complete commiseration. with you)

Rick had a tree come down on his car this morning ( he live up in your neck of the woods) I hope all is well and still attached to itself there. Rotten luck with the stair climbing. :( hang in there.

>146 richardderus: LOL

Early morning, checking in to see how things are going at Richard's place.
Hugs for Stella (and for you, of course!)

A February Short Stories thread is up! Come and make suggestions, announce intentions, or browse for ideas of short story collections to sample this month. As always, reviews or links to them are most appreciated.

Hello, Rdearest!

Infrastructure problems are just the worst, aren't they? Hope things are settled down.

*smooch* from your own Horrible

hmmm have you left us for short stories?

Sorry to hear your heating is still not straightened out, but glad you have figured out how to keep it working, Richard. Keep your fingers crossed for me--we still have the floor heater that is original to the house, so going on about 80 years now. If it ever goes out, we can't have a new furnace put in in the same place because of city codes.

Well cuz - looks as if we our stars are similarly aligned - techno problems. Where is the sonic screwdriver when you need it!

I so want a sonic screwdriver. So badly want one. More tech issues, and bureaucratic wrangles. Each of these nightmares is caused by a private, for-profit company, seeking rents on every jot and tittle of money they can find to extort from thee and me.

I wish you had one, too... and a personal healer!

Hello Richard dear! Sorry to hear about your annoying boiler problems but I'm glad to see that you still have heat!

Richard, I thought of you today. Our neighbor knocked on the door early this morning. He knows that periodically I use prednisone to break the cycle of a wicked migraine.

He knew he was heading for a nasty gout attack, could feel the warning signs and asked if I could share a few pills before he obtained a prescription today.

Poor man looked so weary and pain filled and said even his clothes hurt as they touched his skin.

My heart goes out to you in living with this wretched condition.

I hope the boiler problem is solved. Alas we had to replace our gas furnace in the fall.

Hi all, another trip down two flights accomplished to restart the blasted boiler. I have heat, and tomorrow's supposed to be cold, so I am keeping the grumbling to a minimum.

I finally wrote my review of the charming first mystery Bruno, Chief of Police, over in my Crime, Thriller, and Mystery thread...post #20.

Blasted boiler. I'll say.
Coincidentally, I am starting February with a short story read, so I'll head over to the thread to check in.

*heads over to CTM thread*

Wow, I take my eyes of LT for a few minutes and 100 posts later. Caught up :) Sorry about the boiler and big drive by waves! Happy February :)

Happy February. We often have a week of spring like weather in Feb., which I call "false spring" because it normally returns to cold and rainy shortly thereafter; however, I'm feeling the need! And I imagine you would like a little springtime, too, if only inside the house!

I hope this month is much better in the techno depts. and in the comfortable body depts. for us both!

So.... what's the deal with the heat fixers? Are they coming back?
Why is the thingy not staying started, Not keeping going... not staying hot?
This means broken to me, and it means they should be coming to fix it.

>173 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Glad you're keeping the pace with the story collections. I like them for their severability...read one or two, go to something else, come back and read a few more....

>174 BekkaJo: Hi Bekka! Whew...100 posts! We're a chatty bunch in this forum.

>175 maggie1944: Happy Old Nell's Curse Month! Luckily the house is warm enough, but keeping it that way means stair-climbing that my poor knees are growing angrier and angrier about.

>176 mckait: They say they've fixed the problem, and if we want them to come back, it's some outrageous fee. Quite a fun battle, I must say. Fun.

So sorry to hear that the boiler is still not functioning properly. Sending positive mojo and hoping that in spite of the boiler you can manage to have a good Friday. Hang in there, Richard.

>178 Crazymamie: Thank you, me deario! I am hangin' in there as best I can. It helps that I'm in several very good books just now. Claire Tomalin's bio of Chuckles the Dick is excellent. I hate him just as much as a writer, but now I know why.

Being in several very good books always helps, even when things are otherwise fine!
I do need to get better at giving myself permission to read short story collections in fits and starts. I do it with the likes of Anna Karenina, why not a collection of stories!?

>180 EBT1002: I confess that I find that a puzzlement, Ellen. Stories would seem so very much to lend themselves to the fits-and-starts means of reading. Jerry, who sometimes hangs around the WAYRN? group, keeps essays and stories around specifically to fill in time gaps...calls them "between books."

Chuckles the Dick.

You absolutely crack me up, darlin' RD!

*smooches*

Heavens, been sayin' that for so long I don't remember the man's real name half the time. *smooch*

oh good grief. last time i lurked by you were struggling with the boiler. and still? an arrrrrrrgggggghhhhh situation fer shur. what a bummer. wouldst could i but provide you with an elevator for the stairs. barring that, i think we should all come over and do stair climbs with you. howzzat?



xoxoxo

Hi RD- Just checking in! How you feeling today, you party animal you? Those dance moves of yours, were pretty impressive, even with those brittle knees! And that strip-tease! OMG!

>184 mirrordrum: Tell you what...come on over, I'll make a batch of shortbread and we'll sip some scotch while younger people than us do the stair-climbing.

>185 msf59: *freezing Lady Grantham stare* I do beg your pardon, sir. I fear you have mistaken me for another person.

Tolstoy in Chaps! Is there anything finer?

>187 msf59: *profound, deafening silence and chill*

At least you don't have it burned into your retinas! There, Mr. Crabby Pants, owner of the Big-Chill Stare!

Heh fair point. Here, this should help alleviate the pain:

Tolstoy in Chaps! LOL at Mark.

I'm still trying to shake the image of Darryl in his tear-away stripper trousers...

Much much better! Thank you, my friend. Next party, she's invited.

you make shortbread? you make shortbread? ohmigod. i'll be right over. i incline to single malt scotch, but don't like Laphroaig. i always wanted to try Balvenie but never did.

i'll bring Janet. she can push you and pull me, or vice versa. she's skinny but frighteningly strong. she shoves me uphill in a wheelchair without halting or gasping. it's revolting.

Oh, no you don't! Those weren't chaps at the party and they certainly weren't women's.
They were breakaway trousers. Real (male) stripper breakaways.
Magic Mike-style.

>192 msf59: We aim to please...I thought she might!

>193 mirrordrum: I hate her. Sheer jealous loathing. I'd be a dead man if I even attempted it.

Of course I make shortbread, the bought stuff is fine for those people but not for me. It's too easy to get right. Ardbeg okay?

>194 PawsforThought: *happy sigh* Such pretty pretty mens. Yum.

194 = YUM!

194 = yawn. chacun à son goût.

>195 richardderus: yes, i know. if i didn't love her so much, well, it would be horrid envy for me too. also, she got very fit originally in order to take care of me as i stagger about, and then it turned out to be something she liked for her own health and it led to an outdoor job she likes. so it's all good.

197. Honestly, I don't get the allure of most of those guys. Not my cuppa. Matt Bomer, though... Yum. Reminds me that I need to watch the last episode of White Collar.

>179 richardderus: I hate him just as much as a writer, but now I know why.
I couldnt see an old bio changing your mind about Dickens! :)

>190 richardderus: Hey RD! I told you that picture of me was just for you. lol

And the male strippers? Better than the one that was bought for me for my 21st (oh the shame), but still meh. I prefer my men with post pubescent chests (is, not shaved!) and not so high maintenance. They'd be all like "ooh- look at me, look at my muscles, arent I puuurdy?". And I'd be all like, get back to me when Ive finished my book, and we'll see ;)

>196 ChelleBearss: *dreamy eyes* I know, right?

>197 mirrordrum: More for me! And yes, it's wonderful where discoveries of hitherto-unknown interests lead. I love her for loving you so much, and will cheerfully drown her in a vat of homemade Italian wedding soup if given an opportunity, out of spiteful mean envy.

>198 PawsforThought: See Ellie's response, first sentence.

>199 LovingLit: ooops I forgot sorry Maude....

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

Looks like it's been a mad, mad week, Richard. *smooches* Hope your weekend is better!

My goodness, this thread is flirting with downright bawdy!

194 = Yummy, funny that movie just came in my mail today from Netflix. Richard Dear would you like to come to my house and watch it with me ;)

> 199 I love you !!LOLOL You make me laugh daily..

Hi rd... houseful today? Stella walking and furnace flicking will be someone else's for a day or two?

Off to the book mines today. ( again)

Good Saturday morning, Richard. I hope your weekend is a good deal less taxing on your knees and on your patience. You deserve a few days of totally "just as you wish"! Me, too! I am planning reading, a little light housekeeping, and more reading.

>201 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! *smoochiesmoochsmooch* right back!

>202 MickyFine: It was indeed. Thanks, I hope so too.

>203 EBT1002: It's been a long time since there've been scantily clad men in my thread. Can't tell you how much I've missed it.

Any possiblity at all of finding a qualifed, reliable repair person not connected with the company? I'm afraid that's the only solution I can offer. Oh, and the boiler picture reminded me of the childhood (when was that, again?) home. All weird looking and scary, like a very primitive robot designed for heating, which I guess is what it is. Blech.

Loved your mystery review. I need a new mystery series about as much as a third eye in the middle of my forehead, but thanks for the pointer anyway.

Re: the men. Nice to look at, but a man requiring much more personal maintenance than myself is no longer of any more than passing interest to me.

>194 PawsforThought:: Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of these particular specimens, either. If it must be a muscle-bound guy, then I'll take Jason Statham, please. And I want him fully clothed, preferably in a suit (he looks great in a suit) - I want to do the unwrapping myself, thanks.

>204 MonicaLynn: Really?! How funny, Monica! That movie must be making the producers rich as Croesus.

It's odd, but salacious wicked naughty doesn't make me drool the way it seems to most folks. I think sex should be portrayed in movies and on TV because that's how life is. What I don't think is that sex should be sensationalized and made much of and TABOO. The real deal can't live up to the fantasies that sort of inappropriate sexualization of all facets of culture breeds.

>205 mckait: Just the Gruesome Twosome, unless someone made plans and didn't tell me. *smooch* for another workday.

>206 maggie1944: Hiya Karen44! Same back atcha!

>208 Matke: Oh good, Gail! I'm pleased that you liked it, and the series will give you a good time indeed.

I'm uninterested in their personal maintenance routines so long as I'm not involved in them. I don't want to marry one of these beauties, just spend some wedding nights with them. I tried marriage, and I hated it. The enforced closeness, the sharing of bathrooms (which I believe should be unconstitutional), the sleeping in the same bed...YUCK. I can barely stand my *own* morning breath, let alone someone else's. And one spends a lot more time breathing the beloved's morning breath that chuckling at the beloved's witticisms.

So I'll take the eye candy, send it home when I'm all done, and have friends to talk to and laugh with.

>209 scaifea: Being a card-carrying guy, I like variety and novelty in my sex life, and those three will do nicely for that. *sigh* Although Jason Statham is welcome as spring rain, should he want to join in!

I really, really liked The Mechanic. He's not only a good looking man, he's a good actor.

Well, here's the thing. A second repair person arrived, brought 10gal of oil (the delivery yesterday was missed), and messed around cleaning stuff. The system seems to be working fine, after he messed around cleaning stuff.

So. If that was the problem, why did the first guy replace the igniter or starter motor or whatever? Why didn't he clean it instead? Why then did the system keep cutting off every time the thermostat program changed temperature cycles?

Asking this service guy these questions resulted in "grunt" answers.

I just effin' HATE that. I spoke to you in a complete, grammatically correct English language interrogative sentence, which requires a response of greater pith and moment than "grunt."

It's insulting. I should be able to bat him one with no civil or criminal penalty.

I really want to drive down there, find those furnace people and pull them over to your house by their nose hairs, demanding that they fix your thermostat. And I'm with Megan about the prancing suspenderites at >194 PawsforThought:: they have high maintenance written all over 'em, plus 6 hours a day at the gym and can only reheat, not cook. Meh.

Despite the rudeness of the above repair guy, let's all hope what he did, did it! Enough! Let's get on with life in a warm home, without having to constantly think about what it takes to keep it warm! Really. *sashays off in a huff, appropriate to the insults having passed this way*

Ok, Richard, it is time to sit back and enjoy life. Let's do it.

Book porn!

It's a good start, anyway. I want more bookcases myownself.

>213 tiffin: I suspect it's the connection between the thermostat and the firing mechanism, or whatever it's called. I hope against hope it's finally DONE!!

As I've said...who cares what their regimens are, so long as they do them somewhere else?

>214 maggie1944: I'm for it! *props feet up*

Great!

*sits back in reading chair, settles Benny on lap, and opens the Nook for computer to read AK*

Hey, guys! The pic was meant to showcase the breakaway trousers, that's all. Those - not chaps as RD was claiming - is what was left at Ellen's party the other day.

Now you can all imagine your own dream stripper wearing the trousers in question. Whether "high-maintenance" or not, whether one of the guys in the pic or not - it's all up to you. :)

#193 : Ellie, not only does Richard make shortbread, he makes awesomely delicious shortbread.

Loving the latest book porn, Rdear...and keeping my crossables crossed that your boiler issues really are finally DONE as you say.

>216 maggie1944: Something hot to drink, dear? I'm getting up anyway.

>217 PawsforThought: Impossible to be clearer than that.

>218 cameling: *blush* Thanks, Caro! You must not be somewhere snowy since your arms aren't broken and you're able to post...*smooch*

Richard, I'm late to the story but I read on some other thread that you were having boiler and repair-man troubles so I came over to see what was up. I do sympathise - we've had ongoing problems in our church building since replacing the old boiler in the autumn - there always seems to be something not working in the system since then, and I'm getting fed up of encountering a cold or luke-warm building when it should be warm, especially with all the snow and cold and wind we've been having.

I do hope with you that your own boiler is finally fixed and will work smoothly from henceforth and for ever more!

>220 gennyt: Thanks, Genny, I sure hope so too. Our boiler is about 40 years old, but has given no trouble to speak of in that time. One issue surfaced but it's not boiler-related, rather the 75-year-old plumbing got clogged to one radiator.

They bought the top of the line boiler, and it shows in the reliability and functioning of the system. Of course, it's a home system, so it's a lot easier than trying to heat an entire church!

Heating an entire church is certainly a challenge. In our case, the new boiler itself is working fine and should in the long run be more efficient and cost-effective than the 30 year old one we have replaced, but it seems to be putting too much pressure on the old pipes, which are leaking, or filling up with air. I think our plumbing may be even older than 75 years: the church building has just celebrated its 125th anniversary and the pipes may have been there for most of those years, I suspect...

Morning! Glad you are warm and that your thread has porn and book porn. Love visiting here! Oh, and you should check out the Morgue Drawer Four series by Jutta Profijt for your Murder, Mystery thread. Irreverent fun!

>222 gennyt: After that many years, pipes (actually joints, more typically) need replacing...and if that isn't a nightmare chore! *there there, pat pat*

>223 Berly: Thanks loveycuddles! I'm afraid I couldn't see part of your post, though. There's some sort of interference on the line...mysterious...

*swinging by during a break from reading*

Hope it is all warm and cozy and relaxing now!

Thanks, me deario, so far so good. Keep crossables crossed, if you don't mind. I expect disaster to rain down at any moment. But then I always do.

Hi RD! Just checking in, sir! Hope you are staying warm and all is stable...for now.

>227 msf59: Downright toasty, thanks! I'm glad you have one more full day of leisure before returning to the mail-slavery we all take too much for granted.



I think I need a new tattoo.

"Downright toasty", sounds good! Go boiler! It's low to mid-20s here. Not bad. Love the tat. Now that's a book lover!

Love that Tattoo .....

"So I'll take the eye candy, send it home when I'm all done, and have friends to talk to and laugh with" ... totally agree!

>229 msf59: Go boiler indeed! I'm a happy toasty old curmudgeon.

>230 roundballnz: See? Sensible attitude, isn't it?

Now that is a cool tattoo.

So, it sounds like the boiler ordeal may have finally come to an end, yes? Sheesh. I know what you mean about the vague grunt one receives as a "response" to a reasonable and clearly articulated question. It makes me crazy. I'm fine if the repair guy is an introvert, but you didn't ask him to share his views on the middle east. You asked him about the furnace that he was presumably there to fix.
Hmph.
I don't mean to bring your blood pressure back up.
*steps down off soapbox and settles onto couch with book*

Ahh. That's better.

Now see? You have naked men, book porn and even tatts in your thread. ( I have enough, though and tatts with words are dicy... you know? )Someone else to walk Stella in the cold and toasty warm toes without basement stair gymnastics. Life is good. Bet y our dinner was good too!

>232 EBT1002: Scotch or Pomerol, dear?

>233 mckait: Not specially...baked tilapia. *yawn* But I don't have to cook it!!

That alone makes it taste better...

>235 mckait: Heh. Not usually! They like boring "simple" foods, I like interesting flavors. I think, I *hope* anyway, that the last round of baked tilapia I made with breadcrumbs and parmesan on top will influence this round.

fingers crossed. :)

Smooches RD! Hope you are all warm & toasty permanently! Love to you & Stella! Enjoy your man-candy & book porn pics on this lovely Saturday evening!

I think cheese, especially "used cheese" or "stinky cheese" tends to make any thing better! Yup. Cheese, yummy, yummy cheese. I do like my cheese.

I think Karen likes a 'bit' of cheese ........

>237 mckait: Uncross. Boring. Oh well.

>238 TinaV95: *smooch* I just watched The Woman in Black movie with Daniel Radcliffe...he was good, the movie scared the Gruesome Twosome a good deal, and mildly amused me.

>239 maggie1944: cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeese mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

>240 roundballnz: What right-thinking (and digesting) creature doesn't?!

Carrot Rights! Carrot Rights! (okay, I'm way behind; I loved the save the veggies/eat bacon thing).

I am glad Radcliffe is a getting a chance to branch out, as is Watson. It would suck to be that wildly famous and then be done at 20. I really enjoyed her in the perks of being a wall flower.

Sigh. Just went over to Amazon (i.e., The Instant Gratification Website) and ordered The Woman in Black. It will arrive, with no shipping, and no sales tax, on 6th.

Happy Sunday, RD!

Hi Richard! Glad to hear your boiler woes are over for the moment. Hope you are having a lovely Sunday.

I will always take Pomerol over Scotch. I don't know why but Scotch doesn't much appeal to me. I figure if there is a vice to which I'm not attracted, I'll leave it be.

I notice that karenmarie "went over to Amazon." I just tried to go there to order something and the internet kept leaping me to FB. NO! I don't want to go to facebook. Frustrating.... not as frustrating as a broken boiler, mind you.

sending you a Sunday smooch

>212 richardderus: I should be able to bat him one with no civil or criminal penalty.
Or at least yell into his face "Talk to me! I demand you respond to my complete, grammatically correct English language interrogative sentence!".

No fair RD.

Hmm, now I feel like some BBQ'd Haloumi wrapped in prosciutto (which is practically bacon you know).

Checking in.
Wondering where and how Richard is.......

Superbowl 47 was interesting the same way football always is: Really? There are people so bored that this tedious herky-jerky entertains them? Wow.

Because of the Ravens' linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo being so vocal in support of marriage equality, I'm happy the Ravens won. Beyonce doesn't interest me, she's got very little singing talent, and the commercials were pretty unmemorable, so there went the entertainment.

Needless to say, the boiler issue isn't fixed. Since none of these people listen, feeling confident that their experience trumps your observation, the endless button-pushing continues. I'm lucky because it won't be me doing it until tomorrow.

Scaife Manor 'celebrated' the Superbowl by not watching it. None of us care for football in the least. Instead, we played Charlie's favorite game (for now), a board game based on Richard Scarry's books. And then later, when my phone alerted me that the football game was over and who had won (really, MSNBC? That was worth a notification beep? Sigh.), I said to Tomm that I didn't even know that there is a team called the Ravens. He told me that they used to be the Cleveland Browns but they moved. So, naturally, I said, "So the Cleveland Browns don't exist anymore?" and he said, "Oh yes, there's still a Cleveland Browns team." Oh. Naturally. Makes total sense. Sheesh.

I watched the first half, and you are right Richard: boring! I found the commercials to be stupid, too. I left my Niece's early because I have produced a great big nasty tooth ache in the molars at the back (of course, that is where molars, are, Karen) of my mouth. One little cheek is all swollen, and I needed my antibiotics and pain pills! Went home, and went to bed. Up early and "resting comfortably" until the dentist's office calls me and schedules my appt. for RELIEF.

Sometimes, I think old age is a process of watching the progressive rotting of the body. Cheerful thought, that, huh?

Sorry Richard for posting such a "downer".

249 > I love watching football but with the light out delay, it did drag. At least the game got exciting afterwards. The commercials fizzled, Beyonce sizzled. Hopefully you are sizzling again soon with consistent reliable heating.

Body Rotting News! A new low has been reached. The right knee/hip sciatic pain has been joined by some new and strange red patches on that shin. I'm falling apart. And in a foul humor about it. *gloomily slurps coffee*

We watched Downton and then Himself switched over to the Superbowl channel to see who won (even though he didn't care). "So are you cheering for the murderers or the homophobes," he asked. Apparently there was one guy on the Ravens' team who got off of a murder charge and the other team had a bunch of guys refusing to support gay marriage. So I said well if that was the choice, I'd choose the murderer, of course.

Richard--Sorry the boiler and repair people are not cooperating in the least. And now more pain and puzzling red patches. Hope the day improves!! Smooch.

TIffin-Why must these be our choices? Grrrrr.

Berly, all very tongue in cheek.

I know. : )

Boiler dude here. Tried explaining what's happening again...the guy listened, and said, "Now that's weird. Why would that happen only at those times? The same wire always does the same thing no matter the time. Huh."

So unlike the last two, he heard what I was saying and responded appropriately! I hope this means things are looking up.

Hope the boiler situation improves, Richard. We keep having problems with our new furnace. Not the time of year for balky heat.

"Mildly amusing" is about right for The Woman in Black movie. Our daughter liked the book, and the movie had its moments, but it was no great shakes.

Bow down! Bow down before My Caffeine-Enhanced Divinity!

Why I am glad the Ravens won the Super Bowl in one graphic.

Hope the boiler problem is solved my dear and Oh my on the red patches. I sure hope things all come together soon for you.. (HUGS)

261. Wholeheartedly agree (with you, of course). Also, one should cheer for the Ravens because they're called THE RAVENS. 1. Ravens are great - incredibly intelligent - birds. 2. They're named after a poem! How many teams can say that?

A very creepy poem!

>262 MonicaLynn: Hi-ho Monica! It looks most promising that the problem is properly dealt with now. *smooch*

>263 PawsforThought:, 264 I know! Right? Who could *not* love a team named for a poem?

264. One of the world's greatest poems!

265. Exactly.

Just sending love your way to help you get through the the assorted b.s. of life, your Worshipfulness.

>261 richardderus:: A really, really high i.q. showing up there, if one substitutes "idiot" for "intelligence".

Heh. So true, so true!

*smooch*

Hiya Horrible! *smooch* right back

>261 richardderus:: beyond sad.

>271 tiffin: Agreed.

very entertaining! (*coming from an old lady on pain pills*)

*envies old lady her pain pills*

but they do make me quite stupppid. And sleeeeepy.

I'll take that over twitchy and stabby.

Back to the Harry Potter kids... I really enjoyed The Woman in Black and screamed a few times ;) It took me a minute to un-link him to HP, but after that, I was spookily scared! I'm looking forward to seeing Wallflower soon!

Stupid boiler people. Hope the new dude got it all figured out!

I watched the first half of the Superbowl for the commercials. I was very disappointed in the entertainment value (or lack thereof, really). I fell asleep during lights out. I'm glad the Ravens won because of Michael Oher! :)

#277 Tina me too! I love The Blind Side so I was rooting for Michael Oher's team as well!

Oh yeah, Hi Richard!

Laughing my way through your thread.
Hoping you are more pain free and warm all the way through.

Stopping by hoping to hear that your boiler problems are solved, Richard.

Boiler? Heat?

I heard that there was some sort of big game at the Beyonce concert last night.

>277 TinaV95: Oh my heck, the commercials! Boooooooorrrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnnngggg! I remember one, count 'em one, of the things: Ram Truck's ad about farmers. Lovely.

>278 Cobscook: Hi Heidi!

>279 EBT1002: It's usually good for a giggle to come around here, ain't it? *smooch*

>280 ronincats:, 281 I think the heating issue might be solved, though I'm never certain of anything until months have passed. I'm a cynical and untrusting sort, you see.

>282 banjo123: Funny, I heard that too....

282.... Lol! :)

Smooches. Hope you sleep all warm and toasty tonight!

Mmmmmm, first cup of coffee this morning, next to the humming pellet stove!

Hope your day is warm, too.

Dentist found big problem, helped with some relief, and more discussions are scheduled. So I am doing better, thank god. Wouldn't it be ironic if my "find" of money ended up going "into my mouth"!

Still reading Let's Don't Go To The Dogs Tonight. Have you read it?

>261 richardderus:: Really? He plays what is essentially one of the most homoerotic games there is! Sheesh. I guess it makes sense, then, if he plays it really poorly.

Hard as it is to believe, some people do not understand homoeroticism at all. Amazingly sad.

>285 TinaV95: I know! Right?

>286 Berly: *smooch* Boiler appears, after four cycles, to be ship-shape and Bristol fashion at last, though my suspicious nature says it'll break as soon as there comes a storm.

I am a cynic.

>287 maggie1944: Oh NO! Tooth problems!! Horrible, horrible thing. I am so sorry!

Nope, that one's not even on a wishlist that I can see. Let me know how it ends up.

>288 scaifea:, 289 Heh. Of course he knows how homoerotic the game is! All the more reason not to want actual homos around him while he's all charged up. Who knows *what* he might do?

I'm so so glad I don't have to worry about American Football (as in I would really have to work on it if I wanted to watch it) cos I totally do NOT get it. Give me Rugby any day :)

Hope all is good on the boiler front - I keep looking at mine nervously since it has somewhat of a clunky noise going and I am a-feared...

*boiler-health whammy* for Jerseyite heating systems

I'll take rugby, too! The men wear a lot less clothing!

Review: 5 of seventy-five

Title: A KILLING IN THE HILLS

Author: JULIA KELLER

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Book Description: In this powerful, intricate debut from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Keller, a mother and a daughter try to do right by a town and each other before it's too late.

What's happening in Acker's Gap, West Virginia? Three elderly men are gunned down over their coffee at a local diner, and seemingly half the town is there to witness the act. Still, it happened so fast, and no one seems to have gotten a good look at the shooter. Was it random? Was it connected to the spate of drug violence plaguing poor areas of the country just like Acker's Gap? Or were Dean Streeter, Shorty McClurg, and Lee Rader targeted somehow?

One of the witnesses to the brutal incident was Carla Elkins, teenaged daughter of Bell Elkins, the prosecuting attorney for Raythune County, WV. Carla was shocked and horrified by what she saw, but after a few days, she begins to recover enough to believe that she might be uniquely placed to help her mother do her job.

After all, what better way to repair their fragile, damaged relationship? But could Carla also end up doing more harm than good—in fact, putting her own life in danger?

My Review: Very journalistic. Bell, the prosecutor heroine, has a difficult relationship with her teenaged only child. (Duh! That’s called “teenaged daughter syndrome,” and afflicts all parents for at least 4 to 5 child-rearing years.) She’s divorced. (Duh! This is called “the wages of sin,” aka marrying outside one’s species. Never a good idea. Seldom works for very long.) She’s poor. (Duh! She works for the gummint, and not only that, the gummint of one of the poorest states!)

Murder and mayhem and drug-dealing and small-town woes. Not bad, not particularly good, and if you want to read something excellent on the same themes, read Winter’s Bone. This? Well, if you want to. But borrow it, don’t buy it.

Richard I'm thrilled the boiler is working! It better stay that way.

Started Where'd You Go Bernadette yesterday. It is officially my first Pearl Rule book of the year. Blech! Double and triple blech! Horrible, horrible people I do not need to read about. I should have listened to you dearest. Lesson learned.

>294 luvamystery65: I completely understand the Pearl-Ruling! Blech icky ptoo-ptoo on all of them! And the story isn't even that involving.

*waves at everyone* Just sailing through to check on things. No posts in 2 1/2 hours...I thought there might be something amiss.

Nice review of A Killing in the Hills, Richard. I'll pass on it, as I'm highly allergic to anything that has to do with West Virginia. *shudder*

My favorite comment about a Super Bowl commercial was "They've convinced me. I am going to go and buy a farmer first thing in the morning."

Hola!! Yay for the boiler. Dealing with a bunch of sickies at my house. : p

Howdy! Just passing through, hope you are staying warm. I'm ignoring any blue words to try and keep my TBR stack from toppling over. *smooches* to you and Stella!

Nice review - thumb from me. Adding my boiler-health whammy to yours for the old "double whammy" - sure hope it works!

I'm back, still holding my thumb because your review is not posted - if you post it, I will thumb!

I loved Where'd You Go Bernadette? #294 --- thought it horribly clever..review coming someday when I can get my lazy a*s in gear, but then I also loved the Taco Bell Old Folks commercial too.

I laughed so loud at the old folks Taco Bell commercial that I actually snorted. More than once!

Btw, hello Mr. Smoocherific!

>296 laytonwoman3rd: Hi Linda3rd! Tired is all. Walking the dog when one is limping is very wearing.

>297 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl...I suspect this book would draw snorts of outraged derision from you no matter what.

>298 ty1997: Hey Tom, yeah...I liked the ad and I like the comment!

>299 Berly: Darling! Boo for sickies. *health whammy*

>300 LauraBrook: Warm indeed, for five full cycles now. I begin to suspect it's really fixed. I hope, anyway.

>301 Crazymamie:, 302 Here is the review...I had an edition from the Library of Congress in my catalog, and the Amazon listing is the main entry.

>303 tututhefirst: I missed that commercial, though now I wish I hadn't.

>304 TinaV95: Hi Tina! extra *smooch*

I am a speechless elitist.

>307 richardderus:: please tell me those aren't real people. Lord t'underin' Jaysus, as they say in Newfoundland.

Oh, I could speak: but, I really don't need to say anything here. No one here think the above is "just fine". That may be the most disgusting thing I've seen all day.

OK, I'll go. Read a book! Yes, that is what I'll do.

>261 richardderus: ouch! He earned it though.

>307 richardderus: double ouch *shudder*

RD: I had my first ever 75 dream last night. Featuring a cast of many, but you Kath and Mark were the ones I remember. And guess where it was set? In a mental institution.
I was a sane visitor, and sorry- you all were residents!

ROTF!

LOL!

eta- I better go and copy this onto Mark and Kaths thread right away. Its too fun not to share.
PS sorry about your additional pain and hassles.

>307 richardderus: My eyes, my eyes, they're burning...make it stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

307 > Revenge for cute kittens by chance ........

>308 tiffin: Actual corporeal entities, Tui, residents of these United States. *shudder*

>309 maggie1944: Wash your eyes clean of the filth! Notice I've waited until a new thread is due to post this.

>310 LovingLit: Heh! In a goofy garage, were we? Heh, I totally see it.

>311 Copperskye: *there there, pat pat* the dirty hillbillies will be gone soon.

>312 roundballnz: *whistles innocently, eyes cast to the ceiling*

I've reviewed the newest Flavia de Luce cozy mystery, Speaking from Among the Bones, over in that thread...post #26.

It's the fifth one, and the series continues to charm.

>303 tututhefirst: Lot's of people loved Bernadette, but it just isn't for me right now. It sounded really good but I just couldn't get into it. I returned it to the library so someone who may enjoy it will be able to. :)