Roni Reads Up a Storm: Books and Crafts III

A touch of nostalgia.
















Best Fiction Books of 2012

Night Circus
Ready Player One

Best Children's Book of 2012

The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
(This is the first of the series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place but it's the only one I've read so far.)

Best Series of 2012

Paladin's Legacy series by Elizabeth Moon
Toby Daye series by Seanan McGuire
Connor Gray series by Mark Del Franco

Best YA Series of 2012

Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima

Best Non-fiction of 2012

The Closing of the Western Mind by Charles Freeman
James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Lives of Alice Sheldon by Julie Phillips

Find my final 2012 Thread here

Goals for 2013:

To read 150 books.

To read 50,000 pages.

These two are at a comfort level for me--I almost always go past them, but I don't want to make reading a chore.

To acquire fewer books than I did last year (95).

I've been making this goal to acquire fewer than I read, but I think that is being too generous. This will be more of a challenge, and includes all books, including gifts and trades, except those free Kindle books.

To read 40 books off my own shelves that were there prior to 2013, and of those 40, 25 must have been in my library by 1/1/12.

I failed miserably on this goal last year, only reading 16 of the 30 I aimed for, but I have joined the ROOT group and want to prioritize reading my own books. This will be about 25% of my total reading, so I should be able to do it if I set my mind to it..

To pass as many books as I acquire on to others through donations and swaps--in other words, they left MY house and went elsewhere.

I was doing pretty well on this one until the last month!

Books read in 2013

* indicates re-read, # indicates library book, + indicates Kindle book, % indicates Book Off The Shelf (BOTS)

January

1. Seven for a Secret by Elizabeth Bear (128 pp.)%
2. Adam, Eve, and the Serpent by Elaine Pagels (154 pp.)%
3. The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson (352 pp.)+%
4. Unveiling Islam by Ergun and Emir Caner (234 pp.)%%
5. The Becoming by Jeanne Stein (295 pp.)%
6. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (652 pp.)%%
7. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (288 pp.)
8. The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima (517 pp.)#
9. The Cookie Book by Maritza Breitenbach (167 pp.)
10. The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson (323 pp.)%
11. Reflections: On the Magic of Writing by Diana Wynne Jones (362 pp.)%
12. Necessity's Children by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (336 pp.)+
13. Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay (96 pp.)%%
14. Infinity's Hold by Barry B. Longyear (281 pp.)%

February

15. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood (313 pp.)#
16. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin (175 pp.)*
17. Jhereg by Steven Brust (239 pp.)*
18. The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima (598 pp.)#
19. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (598 pp.)
20. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (673 pp.)%
21. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (202 pp)
22. Shadow of Knight by Deborah Harkness (581 pp.)#
23. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (464 pp.)+
24. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (284 pp.)#
25. Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton (293 pp.)%
26. Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (355 pp.)
27. The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby (386 pp.)
28. The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin (429 pp.)

March

29. Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene% by Bart Ehrman (272 pp.)
30. Curse of the Pogo Stick# by Colin Coterill (240 pp.)
31. Yendi* by Steven Brust (209 pp.)
32. The Ladies of Mandrigyn* by Barbara Hambly (311 pp.)
33. Taltos* by Steven Brust (181 pp.)
34. Dragon* by Steven Brust (286 pp.)
35. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency# by Alexander McCall Smith (235 pp.)
36. Murder Most Crafty# by Maggie Bruce (330 pp.)
37. The Witches of Wenshar* by Barbara Hambly (339 pp.)

Books acquired in 2013

This will be only dead tree books and books for which I actually paid money on my Kindle. All the free Kindle books don't count.

January

1. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (kindle, Amazon, 1.99)
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (gift)
3. NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)
4. The Cookie Book by Maritza Breitenbach (ER)
5. Blood Maidens by Barbara Hambly (kindle, Amazon, 1.99) Already read, copy for my library
6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (PBS)
7. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara (PBS)
8. Necessity's Child by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (kindle, Amazon, 9.99)

February

9. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Amazon, 9.77)
10. Alien Tango by Gini Koch (B&N, 6.79)
11. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (ER)
12. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (kindle, Amazon, 9.99)
13. Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)
14. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester (gift, Paul)
15. The Practical Potter by Josie Warshaw (AABS, 7.00)
16. The Political Career of General James H. Lane by Ks. Historical Society (AABS, 12.00)
17. The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (AABS, 3.00)
18. Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh (AABS, 3.25)
19. A Change of Heart by Candace Hern (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)

March

20. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (library, 1.00)
21. Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente (library, .50)

Welcome to the new thread! Again, the earliest I've ever had a third thread. I only had one my first year, two the next year, three the next year...

Yay, a nice new thread! And congratulation on a third thread so soon. You are definitely becoming a sensation in the 75ers.

Hi Roni! Oooh, I think I'm first! Looking forward to lots more of your lovely crafting :-)

Sweet photograph at the top here. I'm so glad to see you liked the bio of Alice Sheldon so much. What an amazing story.

Roni, is that you at the top? What an adorable picture!

Welcome to my visitors!

Eris, glad you were able to get all that homework done and get back out on the threads!

Susan, Eris just barely edged you out, but you are most welcome regardless.

Thanks, Lucy. Yes, that was quite a book, wasn't it?

Terri, yes, I'm afraid it is. At 18 months, I think.

I've read through Chapter 11 in Tigana and Chapter 3 in Shadow of Night.

Roni, that's a beautiful picture!

That's you at the top?! Everyone, say it with me: AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! You had such lovely curls at eighteen months! I was still bald at that point. And then my hair grew out when I was three, and I chopped my little blonde curls off with scissors. My dad cried. I was an awful child.

I VERY much suspect, Eris, that those curls were the result of curlers in my hair. I have always had thin, dead-straight hair. On my dad's side of the family, and his side ran true in our family and all the first cousins, all the girls had straight hair and the boys had curly hair. But they all went gray prematurely, ha ha!

And I went to check the back of the photo, and I'm 3-1/2 there, not 18 months. I knew it was one or the other, but couldn't remember which.

Delurking to say : Cute photo!

Very cute photo Roni!

Also delurking to say I love the photo!

First off, you were pretty cute at 3 1/2, Roni. Secondly, your scarf turned out beautifully. I can't wait until I get some time to get out and pick up some yarn.

What a great picture of adorable you, Roni. I'd take stick straight over premature grayness any day. :-)

I pretty much raced through your second thread to make my way over here, Roni. What a great picture at the top! Going back to your second thread, I just wanted to comment that the scarfs you make are very impressive!

Just popping in to make sure I don't lose you again! Adorable young Roni shot, and what a lovely dress!

Good morning, Nina, Anne, Faith, Judy, Caro, Lori and Hannah! Thank you all for stopping by. Thanks for the scarf love, Judy and Lori. Hannah, that would have been made by my grandmother--she made all our clothes until I was in high school, and even then was sewing for me up until I graduated college and got married--she made my wedding dress.

Wow. . . Your grandmother's devotion to clothing you through the ages is impressive! : )
Seriously though, very sweet . . . The picture and the dress remind me of my own from those years.

Very pretty picture at the top there, Roni! I have missed the end of your last thread, but at least I am here now...

Happy new thread!

Roni

I had a dress like that when I was a little girl. I can feel the scratchy petti coats .

Love the thread topping picture Roni! :)

HI roni :) LOOOOOOOOOOOOOve your thread opener. I am such a ?sucker (well, I heard people using this expression when they like something very much) for old pictures and you look so lovely there.

Just to let you know that I finished Jhereg and very much liked it. I also started on Yendi which confused me slightly, because that seems to be set BEFORE Jhereg *scratch head*. As you read already the whole series - Are all the books jumping back and forth in time? I saw that there seems to be a chronological order recommended for reading his books.

oooooo petticoats. My older sister and I wore 'em, and little gloves and little socks with those embroidered tops but the sister four years younger, born in '58 never did. Sea change somewhere in there.

That scrunchy noise and the crinkly sensation against the back of your knees and upper leg when you sat down in a petticoat. One of those sounds, like needles on records, the old phone ring..... gone now......

Brenda, my grandmother loved to sew and was professional-level. She sewed for all 5 girl and 1 boy grandchildren, but I was the oldest. Whenever she made me a dress, she made a matching one for my doll.

Genny, good to see you here.

Hi, Es! I'm over half way through a knit scarf with the red yarn now.

Linda, the crinolines came along around when I was in the 5th grade--I remember those petticoats well too.

Thanks, Tina!

Bianca, I am so glad you are feeling better. There were some very worried people here on LT. Yes, Yendi tells the story of how Vlad and Cawti met, while Taltos tells how Vlad and Morrolan got together. The other book that takes place before Yendi and Jhereg is Taltos, where Sethra gets involved. All the other books follow Jhereg, although not always in internal chronological order. But Jhereg was the first written.

Lucy, yes, petticoats. And we always wore dresses to school. If it was bitterly cold, you could put on pants under the dress. And it was dresses, at least for elementary school--no skirts and blouses. Unless you were wearing your Girl Scout uniform.

My Jayhawks broke a 3 game losing streak and a slide from #2 to #14 last night by beating our in-state rivals, #10 Kansas State, handily. There will be movement in the rankings next Monday for sure! We looked like us again.

Still progressing in Tigana (through chapter 15) and Shadow of Night (through chapter 6) and picked up The Ghost Map from the library today for the group read.

>29 ronincats:: Congrats, Roni! Did you see the cream one I finished today? Pic is over on my thread.

Yes, I did. YOur mom picked out a lovely yarn, Es.

>29 ronincats: matching doll dresses. . . Lucky you! That would have been my idea of heaven! I still think it's pretty cool, actually. Must be the little girl in me . . . : )

Delightful opening shot Roni, thanks for sharing that with all of us, Curly!

Love the reminiscent petticoat conversation! Wow, your grandma was good.

>28 sibylline:: I just heard the old phone ring. It's on my mum's iPhone (I suppose she misses old sounds, too)

>29 ronincats:: Yay Jayhawks? *clueless cheer*

I was just over on your previous thread admiring the scarves. Sweet photo! Are we all posting childhood memories now?

28: born in '58 never did
Hmm, me too, and I remember one especially scratchy dress when I was 6 or so.

I never wore petticoats (born in '67, so yeah), but I did wear dresses my grandmother made. Unfortunately she was in love with polyester (I recall one set of polyester velvet Christmas dresses...), so while they looked great they rapidly became incredibly uncomfortable. And usually way too warm - we were living in desert countries at the time. Gorgeous work, and unwearable...sigh.

*waving* at Roni

Roni my sister is fourteen years older than me (she was born in 1947 and I was born in 1961. So she'd had all those frilly petticoats which of course I never had. They got kept for me to use for dressing-up: as a small child I used to put all of them on at once to become a Victorian crinolined lady!

Good morning Roni -- hope you're set to have a fine day

Brenda, one of these days I'll have to get out my doll (from Christmas when I was 5) in one of her dresses matched up to one of my school pictures with me in the same dress.

Thank you, Paul. When I was a bit older, I would have to go through the misery of permanents to get those curls. Ugh! Home permanents stank! Literally.

Nina, my nana was great! I had a Wendy nightgown, a nurse's uniform, and much more. And the Jayhawks are my University of Kansas basketball team.

Katherine, a lot of people seem to be doing retrospectives of some sort right now, aren't they?

Jenn, fortunately polyester wasn't around yet!

*wave back* at Stasia

Rhian, your sister is just 2 years older than I, so yes, we would have been in the same type of clothes.

Reba, it is a fine day! Supposed to be HOT the next two. We've been out for lunch and a trip to See's Candies for a box of chocolates and are going to Khan's Cave on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. for their special Valentine dinner tonight! Tomorrow I think we'll go for a walk on the beach, since it's supposed to be in the mid to upper 70s.

Ta da!



Book #20 Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (673 pp.)

Kay does what he does so well, taking a period of medieval history and transforming it into a many-layered fantasy incorporating memorable characters and complex relationships around a turning point in history. He does it again, well and truly, around the lost province of Tigana and the quarreling dukedoms of the Hand, modeled on the peninsula of Italy, only inverted and in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a good story. It did not take me in, chew me up and spit me out to the degree of The Lions of Al-Rassan with its dreadful final contest. But truthfully, I'm not sure anything could. Still, Dianora, Alessin, Devin--even Brandin--will live on in my memory and I will hope that Brandin and Dianora come together in their Finavir.

Hi, Roni! Good review of Tigana. I know there are a lot of LT fans of that book.

Thanks, Joe. It was an engrossing read.

I came back to update on some key statistics.

Tigana is my 11th book off the shelf this year, my first in February. It was acquired 4/15/09 and finished 2/14/13, so it meets the more exclusive criteria of 25 books from before 2012, making 5 of 25 read.

I received my 11th book acquired of the year yesterday, an ER book I won. It's a Children's fantasy, the first in a series called The Phoenix Girls.

And I sent off 3 books yesterday via PaperBackSwap and BookMooch, bringing to 25 the number of books out the door for the year.

ETA well, I just had to purchase another book, as the library wasn't going to get it to me in time for my book group next Tuesday. I'm still #2 on the holds list after 4 weeks. It is City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte, and I got it on my Kindle.

Hi Roni! Adorable photo up there!

From the previous thread, I enjoyed your review of The Lathe of Heaven. I've read The Left Hand of Darkness (liked quite a bit) and The Dispossessed (one of my favorites), but I'm never sure where to go with her from there. Now, you've made me want to read her again, although I'm not sure it will be The Lathe of Heaven that I read next.

Have you ever read her Earthsea books, Kerri? Those are probably her best loved.

#45 - No. It looks like I have Rocannon's World, Planet of Exile, City of Illusions, and Orsinian Tales, which I don't think are the Earthsea books, but I could certainly get hold of them. Thanks for the recommendation!

Kerri, the first three are some of her older science fiction, and the last is a book of short stories.

I'm about to have a Caro type report. We went out to dinner at Khan's Cave tonight (where, incidentally, Caro and I had dinner when she was here) and had their special 3 courses tasting dinner for 2.

For appetizers there were ahi poke wontons, seaweed cucumber salad, and a cheese baked crab cake with baked taro--all completely delicious!

The main dishes were sole Szechuan style on a baked tortilla, pot roasted pork belly with mustard green (this was mostly for my husband but it had great flavor), and Guinness braised short ribs on rice with mixed vegetables. The sauces were distinct and absolutely wonderful on each dish.

For dessert, we had cheesecake and a chocolate-cherry ice cream heart encased in chocolate. Oh yum!

Your dinner sounds wonderful. A friend who is in rehab following surgery hasn't been eating well and mentioned to his wife that it would be nice if the four of us had burgers from The Habit in his room. Seemed like a good idea to us so we took a thermal lunch box to The Habit and managed to get back to Hillcrest with the burgers warm and had a lovely visit to go with them. Looking forward to more nice weather tomorrow with maybe a walk in the park.

I really need to get back to Guy Gavriel Kay's books. I own several that I have yet to read. Thanks for the reminder, Roni!

Aww cute photo Roni!

Glad to see you enjoyed Tigana! I started it last night and only got a little done before I got sleepy. I'll be reading more tonight while The Hubby is at work

Re: permanents

Don't hate me, but I have naturally curly hair. *pats her curls* Neener. Okay, you can hate me a little.

I was able to get back to Balboa Park to take pictures today!

Reba, your Valentine meal sounds warm and fuzzy!

Stasia, I'll try to remind you when you actually have time to read one!

Chelle, I hope you'll enjoy it. Sounds like you're going to have lots of reading time coming up!

Morphy, I hate you not for the curly hair, but just a bit for the "Neener"!

I read my new ER book today.



Book #21 The Phoenix Girls: The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (202 pp.)

This is the first of a new series for middle school girls. Thirteen year old Penny is moving back to a small town in Washington to live with her guardian, her mother's best friend, after her mother's death. She makes one friend, and thanks to a talking fox, they find a box with a wand and a book of magic. At the same time, someone starts kidnapping children in the area. Penny and Zoe are able to block the evil Birdman and rescue the children, but are left at the end of the book with needing to further develop the next stage of their magic powers.

This is clearly a book for this age group. It reads smoothly and carries the interest, but without the depth or character development that would make it entertaining for adults. There are lots of mysteries hinted at that will clearly be a focus of future books. There are two egregious printing errors: on page 175, "to wet your curiosity" instead of "to whet your curiosity" and on page 200, the boy named Rooster is called "Roster". One can hope that future books will not only carry the action forward but also develop some emotional depth. Recommended for its target group.

Roni, I just love your scarves...they almost make me want to learn to knit.....almost!

Tigana sounds very good. I have not read any Guy Gavriel Kay before. would you suggest I start with this one or Lions of al-Rassan?

Nice shot, Roni. The trees all over the park were amazing.

Balboa Park - Kyran would be looking all over for Rocky! Have a lovely weekend.

Roni, Balboa Park looks wonderful!

> 56 heeheheh not just Kyran would look for Rocky!

Just stopping by to wish you a wonderful weekend Roni!

Hi, Heidi! I have a new one I finished tonight.



Yes, the trees were amazing, Reba.

Hi, Paul and Bianca. Welcome and hope both of you are having a great weekend too.

No pottery this week--I wasn't able to glaze last week. But I did glaze this week and so next Saturday I'll have some new pieces.

Ooh! Is that Starbella Flash?! Doesn't that come out lovely? :)

that red is beautiful!.... i love it!

Hi Roni! I swear I just blinked and you were suddenly 60 posts away on a new thread :-)

I think I agree with you on Tigana - I wonder whether I was disappointed that it wasn't another Lions? My copy has a similar cover and I've been trying to figure out who the girl on the cover is - maybe Dianora?

Yes, Es, it is Starbella Flash. It is very dressy looking with that silver.

Thanks, Jennifer.

Heather! Welcome. Yes, I'd say the cover has to be Dianora--none of the other female characters would fit.



Book #22 Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (581 pp.)

This is a series where you are along for the journey. Matthew and Diana travel back to 1591 to find witches capable of training her. We get a lots of neat historical references, even a meeting or two with both Queen Elizabeth and Rudolf II. Diana is only in mortal danger once, so it is a bit slow action-wise, but they return to the present prepared to face the modern enemies in the next book. Probably too long and not all that significant, but I am finding this an entertaining if light read.

>62 ronincats:: I really like how the Flash knits up. There's something... almost sturdy to it that helps it lay just beautifully.

Hmmm I had something else to say, but it has flown off..... I couldn't do the Harkness books after the first one.

Beautiful scarf, Roni. That will really dress up an outfit.

Lucy, actually I liked the second much better as a lot of it was how to fit in with the time period and cameos by actual inhabitants of the time, and there was a lot less "action", e.g., attacks by other vampires and witches. I fear that now they are back to the present, the last book will ramp up the action, though.

Thanks, Reba. I agree, we need to get together one of these days for coffee.

We're leaving three weeks from today for a long trip -- any openings before then?

Ha! I preferred the first because there was more action. I found the second slow and tedious. I'm hoping the last book will ramp it up. We'll see who is right!

Glad you like Tigana. I'm looking forward to getting to it soonish.

Oh Roni - I was so far behind hat now that I'm caught up, I'm not certain I'll remember everything I wanted to comment on!

Etiquette & Espionage was fun - it felt very Carriger and yet quite YA. I'd rather read her adult books, but I won't pass up anything she writes!

I've been debating about Tigana - your review pushes me closer to it. Maybe when the play is over....

I've been wanting to read the Deborah Harkness books, but I this point I'm considering waiting until the third comes out. What do you think?

Cute photo, btw!

ETA - Now I remember what the other thing was - there's a group read for The Ghost Map? I already read it this month. Now I have to go find the thread.....Thanks for enlightening the clueless....

Book #23 City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (484 pp.)

Well, it was quite a coincidence that this book also dealt with Prague, Rudolf II, John Dee and Edward Kelley, just like my previous book. But let me tell you--that one was much better.

This is like The DaVinci Code in that it is disjointed, full of extraneous pieces that go nowhere, egregious sexual escapades, trying to be a spy type thriller with the addition of a history of Beethoven in the same space, which is dark space. I'm surprised the authors didn't throw in the kitchen sink--it's about the only thing that isn't there. Wait--is that it down in the basement? Seriously, it is a pastiche of everything that is selling books these days, and while some of the Amazon reviewers thought it very clever for this reason, for me it simply did NOT work. Poor writing, poor pacing, poor plotting. I am really upset that I was unable to get it from the library (still second on the hold list after a month) and ended up buying it for Kindle to meet my RL book group deadline tomorrow--a complete waste of money, imho.

Reba, I'll PM you.

Morphy, I've noticed that while we like many of the same books, we often like different things about them. ;-) I agree that the final book should be much more ACTIVE.

Michelle, I hope you are feeling better and get back to reading really soon!

Dejah, glad you are all caught up! Best wishes for your theater production. I'm so delighted you loved Jhereg and are continuing the series. I'm getting started on The Ghost Map tonight.

Hi Roni, just catching up here. Your Valentine's Dinner sounded wonderful and has me drooling. That red scarf is a knockout! And your picture of Balboa Park has me longing for summer and/or a trip to San Diego!

Yikes! I'll stay far, far away from book #23... I guess someone had to take one for the team, and it was your turn? o_O

I certainly hope your next read is MUCH better!

We tried out a restaurant that had been featured a couple of months ago on one of our local news shows, as it was on the way back from the dentist this morning. The owners are a married couple--he is hispanic and she is Thai, and their restaurant features both. We had the Pad Thai lunch special with Tom Kar soup and the fish tacos lunch special with a bowl of tortilla soup, and it was all totally delicious! Great flavor, fresh ingredients--we'll be going back.

http://memelas.com/

It was just a checkup and cleaning visit at the dentist--no probs. It started raining on the way back home, and is supposed to be a downpour later tonight. I fed all my fruit trees yesterday so the rain can water it in thoroughly.

Hi, Judy and Faith. Judy, I'm glad you are feeling better and getting caught up on LT.

Faith, thanks. I don't do a rant on a book too often, but when I do, I want my friends to come by and read it and comment on it!

I'm reading The Ghost Map for the science, history, religion group read now, although I'll probably pick up a fiction too to read along side it.

It's always great to find a new restaurant, especially one with interesting combinations. A few months ago I found a place that's a Cuban/Barbecue combo! I should get to eat there again next weekend.

I hope you enjoy The Ghost Map!

Skipping City of Dark Magic. Sorry you had to waste time and money :(

Books and scarves and pots. what a wonderful thread!

What a wonderful Valentine dinner, had me drooling as well the photos of the meals just look absolutely fab.
I think I will skip the City of Dark Magic as well, doesn't sound like I would enjoy that.

The Ghost Map looks intriguing, Roni. I look forward to your take on it.

I love that bright red scarf, Roni. I need to learn some time management skills from you! We all have 24 hours in a day, but you seem to accomplish so much more than I do.

Thanks for that trip down memory lane. Oh, did those petticoats scratch. I also loved the picture of 3-year-old Roni. My grandmother used to make doll clothes for me, too, though I didn't have the matching dress. I'll have to get Marie out of storage and let her model some of her fancy clothes!

Hi, Roni! I am stopping by to say "thank you" for recommending A. A. Milne's Once On a Time--I just finished it, and just adore it. It was a lovely read. Thank you!

Karen O.

I'm here - I did start the second book - on audio - and I wasn't sufficiently engaged, or something. Maybe reading it would have worked better, since you can move right along.

Your rain is a good thing, right?

>81 Donna828:: I need to learn some time management skills from you! We all have 24 hours in a day, but you seem to accomplish so much more than I do.

I keep thinking, "How would I be keeping up with all of this if I actually had a *job* I was going to?! I used to work full time, and let me tell you... I didn't read and knit nearly as much then. Ruing the day I'm going to have to go back to working :)

Book #23 The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (284 pp.)

I love it when books serendipitously dovetail! In its opening chapters, Johnson's discussion of the entrepreneurial collection and disposition of mid-19th century London evoked recent reads Our Mutual Friend, with a dustman as a main character, and Dodger, with its main character being a tosher although defined a little differently than Johnson's toshers.

Johnson is, of course, explaining the systems of the large city of London in 1854 in order to help explain not only how a major cholera break was able to occur but also how two individuals familiar with the area were able to gather evidence about how cholera spread and be instrumental in stopping its spread. He is interested in the larger picture of epidemiology as well and so one is exposed to all sorts of interesting things you might not expect.

For example, waterborne diseases have been endemic since mass human settlements began occurring. But the response has not been to purify water (the technology did not exist for most of that time) but to drink alcohol. "Dying of cirrhosis of the liver in your forties was better than dying of dysentery in your twenties." As a result, many scientists believe that selection pressure led to increased populations of individuals who could produce enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenases, which allow humans to tolerate the poisonous alcohol, in a manner similar to the increase in the population of lactose tolerance. So, while most of us have inherited a genetic tolerance of alcohol, some have not, and populations who never developed mass settlements never developed the enzyme at levels above chance, and therefore do not exhibit alcohol tolerance.

Also to think about is his contention that the environmental footprint of cities is much less than it would be for the same population dispersed across the countryside. "Portland's 500,000 inhabitants require two sewage treatment plants, connected by 2000 miles of pipes. A rural population would require more than 100,000 septic tanks and 7000 miles of pipe" Almost any service system can be delivered more economically to a concentrated population than a dispersed one. And cities support population control, just by their character.

This was an interesting story and a quick read. A little dry in style--I found myself nodding off a few times when reading at bedtime, but with much to think about.

And again, welcome to all my visitors over the last two days: Dejah, Tina, Ellen, Bianca, Joe, Donna, Karen, Lucy, and Es!

Donna, I had to laugh at your comment about time management skills. Just imagine what I could accomplish if I weren't wasting hours every day playing Chefville and Farmville 2 on the computer!

One of these days I will get down my dolls, including my Nancy from my 5th Christmas and match her dress with my school picture in the same dress for you.

Karen, I am delighted that you loved Once on a Time by A. A. Milne as much as I did.

Lucy, I think the audio would be really slow. And yes, rain is good. We got an inch here at the house.

Es, I started a scarf with Sashay, in a beautiful multicolor blue, last night during the basketball game (which we won by one point in overtime). At first, it was more difficult to handle the yarn, but once I got into the body of the scarf, I found it just as easy to handle. I do love the colors in Sashay--I have the teal green as well. Pictures will come when I am done.

The Ghost Map sounds quite interesting although I can imagine it could be dry too. Your discussion of alcohol tolerance was fascinating, however.

I found myself nodding off a few times when reading at bedtime, LOL, if it wouldn't be on my wishlist already it would be now, despite your comment Roni LOL

Nice review of The Ghost Map, Roni. Sounds intriguing - onto the tbr it goes.

populations who never developed mass settlements never developed the enzyme at levels above chance, and therefore do not exhibit alcohol tolerance

That's a fascinating thought. Sounds very much like the type of thing you find in Jared Diamond's books.

I wonder, does this mean that 20th generation New Yorkers will be able to drink with impunity?...

Thanks, Reba and Bianca, Joe and Tad. I suspect that there were a lot more than 20 generations involved, Tad. ;-) I also thought of Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel when I read that section.

Well, it's about time, since Reba (chautauquan) only live about 6 miles apart. We finally managed a meet-up for lunch and a visit to the Adams Avenue Bookstore today. (Reba is on the left.)



And later I went out to Fusionglass in La Mesa to pick up my pendants from last week's workshop. These are still taped flat (24 hours to set the glue for the bails) but I was really happy about how they turned out.

Oh, yes, purchases at the the bookstore:

The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall--I encountered this delightful Newbery Honor book in my children's lit class in my undergrad days and loved it, but it disappeared from my library sometime in the last 45 years.

Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh--Peggy is currently loving this series and the only one I had is Pretender which is like the 5th in the series--this is the first one.

The Practical Potter--time to start learning more.

Publications of the Kansas State Historical Society: Gen. James H. Lane (Vol. III 1930)--this sounded interesting. Evidently Hale was a big mover in the Kansas as a free state struggle prior to the Civil War.

Roni, that's a fantastic picture of you and Reba and what beautiful pendants. Sounds like a great day. :)

So nice to see you and Reba in a photo.

And your jewelery.

I have Foreigner too, but it has to wait a bit as I am immersed in Cyteen as you well know......

Nice picture Roni and Rena. . .

You two could be sisters! Lovely ladies, the both of you. Always so jealous of meet-ups...

#23 The Ghost Map sounds an interesting read. I know a bit about the history of the cholera epidemic in London and how the cause was worked out but some of the ideas round that sound well worth a read. I remember reading somewhere an idea of how tea drinking in the UK had helped to enable the growth of cities and hence the early industrial revolution (because the water had to be boiled and also because some of the constituents of the tea, I think), but I hadn't heard the idea about alcohol tolerance before.

Another one that likes the sound of The Ghost Road and its fascinating insights into city development and alcohol tolerance. I'm also loving the pictures, pendants and tales of meet ups. I think I currently live quite a long way from other LTers (well, in an British context. I always remember what Bill Bryson says about the difference between how Brits and Americans view distance - I'm paraphrasing but basically he says that what British people would consider a serious road trip is a distance that an American wouldn't bat an eyelid at travelling in search of a decent taco. Mind you, I think the difference in fuel prices might play some part in that fact too ; ) ) So, LT meet-ups are just the stuff of dreams for me at the moment, but I'm hoping my relocation to Manchester will put me within range of other Brits travel tolerance zones.

My latest scarf--I love the denim blues in this!



And my latest book.



Book #24 Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton (293 pp.) Acquired 6/2011, read 2/2013

Had I read this book in my teens or twenties, I believe I would have adored it. Unfortunately it was written a decade or so later. However, it was still enjoyable but not outstanding. Sometimes considered steampunk, it has all the characteristics and setting of a Victorian novel set in a fantasy world. It made me think of Our Mutual Friend with a gothic touch and, of course, magic.

Thanks, Pat. I'm going to try to get some pictures that do the pendants justice, but dichroic glass is very hard to photograph.

Lucy, I know you are in Cyteen and I plan to follow you as soon as Fantasy February is over. And my deep sympathy regarding Hank, a paragon of cats.

Thanks, Brenda and Amber. I do think that picture does us justice. And we do have some similarities, don't we?

Rhian, the author of The Ghost Map also mentioned the advent of tea and coffee, leading to the boiling of water before drinking, as a factor in inhibiting cholera.

Hannah, how true! When I go home to visit, it is 1500 miles, while from the top of Scotland to Plymouth in the south of England is less than 800 miles. Going from San Diego to the north California border is longer than that! And I do think the cost of fuel over there has a LOT to do with perceptions.

99> I have a signature cookie (I have a couple hundred, and a plug-in for Thunderbird that picks one randomly for each email I send) that says

"In England, 40 miles is a long distance.
In America, 40 years is a long time."

I don't think it's Bryson - no idea who it is, though. It's a lovely expression of an interesting truth.

I liked The Ghost Map. Goblin Moon sounds entertaining.

Whew! I am caught up with your thread Roni. I love your scarves and the adorable childhood picture at the top of the thread as well as the reminder of crinolines. Yikes I can still remember the scratchiness! I agree with you about Tigana lacking the emotional impact of The Lions of Al-Rassan. It was still good just not quite as good.

Lovely shot of you and Reba and how lucky that you both live in San Diego, the city I would most like to move to. *sigh*

A beautiful picture of you and your "sister lookalike"! I love those pendants you have posted too.

Hoorah for Rumba yarn. That's a great scarf. I've made a few in that color.

So far behind! You were such a darling little girl, and you are pretty much a darling big girl too - and so is Reba! That's a great picture. I love, love, love that red and gold pendant!
I may love *Tigana* more than *Lions* because I read it first - or I may just love it more. Anyway, I'm glad that you're a fan too.
I don't know whether to encourage you to read Cyteen or Foreigner first. I'll remind you for what it's worth that it took me some time to get into both of them. I liked them just fine from the beginning, but now I'm rabid about them. Explorer is *Foreigner* getting better and better!

Jenn, how true!

Ren, I'm glad you enjoyed The Ghost Map too.

Bonnie, you are welcome to visit any time!

Hi, Es. Yes, this Sashay was a bit different at first, but I quickly adjusted. Now I'm working on one in the teal green variegated Sashay--so gorgeous.

Peggy, I started Cyteen back when it first came out and bogged down 50 or 60 pages in. I'm going to read those two books first, before tackling the Foreigner series.

It's Saturday night--pottery pictures will be showing up here soon.

I have caught up on your threads! Yay! *does a happy dance* Looks like you've read some pretty good books so far this year, Roni, and I've added more than a few to my wishlist. I'm glad you liked Tigana, it's my favorite Kay that I've read so far, although I haven't gotten to The Lions of Al-Rassan yet.

I need to reread/finish reading Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia series. Every time you mention them in comparison with the Chima series (which also sounds fab) it reminds me!

A scarf, pendants, and a meet-up photo - there's a lot going on over here, Roni!

Here's this week's pottery:



and a hopefully better picture of the pendants"

Looks like you managed to get the casserole loose -- Hooray!! Very nice collection of pottery and a great job photographing the gorgeous pendants. The scarf finished up very nicely too. Once again you're turning out craft pieces at a breathtaking rate.

>107 ronincats:: I actually prefer Sashay to Starbella sometimes, because the Starbella tangles more easily for me.

>110 ronincats:: I love that pendant in the middle. So cool.

I am going to read Foreigner and that series when I've read all the Alliance-Union stuff I can get my hands on. Don't let Peggy influence you!!!!! Tug of War!!

I have read Lions - but I LOVED Tigana which was the first Kay I read, and I haven't loved anything else of his half as much..... there is sometimes a first book thing.

I love that picture of you lovely ladies!!!

I'm jealous over those gorgeous pendants! You are so talented!!! :)

Your pendants are absolutely beautiful!... my mom used to make jewelery similar to that when I was growing up.... It is so nice that you were able to have a meet up with Reba... you guys really do look like sisters!.... I wish I could find some interesting people to meet up with around here.... but the closest I have found is in northern VA and I can barely make it 30 miles in my car before it goes BLAH.... Have a happy rest of your weekend reading and crafting!

115> There is an Amtrak train from Williamsburg to Alexandria (and one from Norfolk, though the times might be a pain) - and there will be at least a small meetup in DC in April or so (http://www.librarything.com/topic/149062). I have no idea about cost for that (train, parking at the station, Metro fares...it's a long time since I rode Metro), and it's a 3-hour-plus ride (each way, presumably). But it might be worth trying, once at least.

Wow, Roni, so much going on here! Your scarf is gorgeous, I love those shades of blue. The pendants are exquisite, each one unique, but I would have to say that blue one in the middle is my favorite. Then you've also posted your recent pottery, had a LT meetup and even read some books! I am in awe.

I can hardly wait to get some of my energy back, and get out of the house and do something different!

> 116 - thanks! I will look into that....

Reba, another lovely day today, wasn't it? We cooked out back.

Thanks, Es!

Lucy, no, I am reading Cyteen first!

Tina, they are really surprisingly easy. Find a glass studio near you!

Jennifer, I hope you are able to work in a meet-up. They are so much fun. Thanks for the Amtrak info, Jenn.

Judy, I hope you recover quickly. It's lousy to lack energy, but I'm glad you visited.

Okay, tonight while watching the Oscars I've been making a necklace for a birthday present for one of my friends. We saw this really sparkly purple lariat necklace at a craft show before Christmas that she really loved. It is really hard to photograph this, especially the lovely button, but here goes.



The majority beads are a dark blue-purple with a gold highlight.

Another work of art! And, yes, today was lovely. We can't cook outside but we enjoyed the weather anyway

So much creativeness going on here! The red scarf was so pretty. A friend of mine just recently got into knitting and last week she gave me a scarf she had knitted that looks much like the last two you've posted here....perhaps the same kind of yarn?

The Ghost Map sounds great so onto the ever increasing WL it goes!

I am excited to report that a copy of The Lions of al-Rassan is on its way to me from Paperback Swap. Looking forward to reading it.

Hi Roni! I hope you're doing well.

#85 - Ghost Map sounds fascinating, but I'll probably skip it for now.

#92 - Awe! Lovely meet-up photo!

#119 - Beautiful!

Good review of The Ghost Map. I'm really excited to start it...it seems like my type of book. I like it when books dovetail too...I actually find that happening to me a lot. It's a nice feeling to connect everything in the cosmic net of ideas. :)

Sitting here munching on a bowl of strawberries (I won't tell your husband but they're getting pretty good) looking east at the mountains. Another beautiful day!! Hope it's a good one for you.

Hey, Reba, Kerri, Rachel, and Heidi! Thanks for dropping by. Heidi, I'm glad you are going to try Lions. We looked at the strawberries at the La Mesa Market on Friday--not too bad but we decided to wait another week or two, Reba.



Book #26 Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (355 pp.) Acquired before 2011. Read 2/14/13. BOTS

If you like urban fantasy, you'll like this. Sure, all the cliches are there, but handled in an interesting manner with decent writing. I don't think I'll be continuing the series, but that's just because I'm not really into this subgenre all that much.

Well, we were getting ready to paint the kitchen ceiling, since we've got company coming next month, and I managed to stumble and dislocate my trick knee doing the prep work. Didn't excuse me from the work, but has certainly slowed me down a fair amount.

OK I don't know where to look first. There are too many beautiful things to look at here Roni. The pottery is lovely, the pendants are gorgeous and I love the necklace. Do you take time to sleep;-)

Oh my, Roni - I particularly admire the pendants and the necklace. You do beautiful work!

The Ghost Map was great - I have to say, though, it never came near to putting me to sleep! Perhaps I was particularly well rested when I read it....

I'm trying to remember if I've read Magic to the Bone - if I have, I can't remember anything about it, which isn't a great sign. Perhaps I need to give it another try since I do like urban fantasy.

I'm sorry about your knee - I hope it doesn't trouble you too much!

Thank you, Bonnie. Remember, I'm retired, so this is what I do instead of work.

Thanks to you, Dejah, as well. And for commiserating with me about my poor swollen knee. I've had ice on it again tonight while watching my Jayhawks win an overtime game at Iowa State, and I finished another scarf while doing it as well. Luckily, one can lie in bed and do all of this! I was feeling sorry for myself, but winning the game cheered me up.


I like this picture with the new scarf draped over the previous blue scarf because I think it brings out the colors in both.

I love the combination of blues! Simply gorgeous, Roni!

Bless you, my dear! I just posted some questions over in the Jhereg thread, btw.

Glad the Jayhawks won but so sorry about your knee!! I hope it gets better quickly (maybe not so quick you have to paint the ceiling, but fairly quickly).

How's your knee this morning? Hope it's feeling better.

I absolutely love the blues!

>92 ronincats:: What a lovely picture of you and Reba. Is there any way we can get her to Kansas for a meet up? Hmmm, maybe we can time it with her cross-country trip this year. I'll let you work out the details. Lol!

Roni, there are so many pretties on your thread...jewelry, scarves, pottery...and pretty soon we will have garden pictures again. I posted a picture of our 3-inch snowfall on my thread this morning. Kansas is having all the fun!

Oh yeah, I have to tell you that you wore me down and I bought The Curse of Chalion for the iPad. I can't go too far wrong with a 99 cent purchase.

134> If you like epic fantasy, or Bujold, or good writing and excellent characterization, you won't go wrong with Curse of Chalion. I was ignoring them for years, because Bujold wrote SF, not fantasy - but she's just as good on the fantasy side.

I advise, however, not reading it immediately after a Miles Vorkosigan binge. When I did, I kept trying to make Caz into Miles - they have some of the same mannerisms, but they're in fact very different people.

Heh, my version of book bullets - I pulled the book off my shelf to check Caz's name and only prevented myself from sitting down to read it by reminding myself I just started a different book that way...

Though - I had a paper copy, but not an e-one. Now I do - thanks for the mention of the .99 sale! Got it via Amazon.

Knee is stiff, Reba. And sore. But thankfully no worse.

I love those colors too, Morphy. And congratulations again on completing your calorie challenge!

Donna, those are great pictures of your deck and pond in the snow! And like Jenn says, Bujold is a good writer and if you have any chance for affinity with fantasy at all, you should enjoy The Curse of Chalion--it is a really fun story.

Jenn, I have the same difficulty. It's hard enough just when talking about the book not to go pull it down and reread it right away.

Book #27 The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby (386 pp.) Acquired May 2011, read February 2013

Usually I send my books to my sister in Kansas after I've read them, and eventually she gets them read and returns them to me. But this is one she owns and sent to ME to read. It is a Book Off the Shelf prior to 2012. It is a children's fantasy, somewhat light on the fantasy but it is there. Feels more like a historical in most cases. Three young people (I'd put this at ages 11 on up) in a big city at the turn of the century, I'd say, late 1800s, are all three in want for different reasons. They find each other and help each one resolve many of their issues. There are some very grim aspects to their circumstances that made it difficult for me to get into the story at times, but overall I enjoyed it.

Bummer about your knee. Hope you're giving it some rest today.

I'm sorry your knee is stiff - did it a least get you out of painting?

So far! But after putting the primer on the kitchen ceiling and top 12' yesterday, my husband is complaining of soreness in his thighs and hasn't done any of the painting today after all!

Who needs a painted ceiling, anyway?

So much creativity here! Love your latest creations Roni! :)

Hope your knee is feeling better.

Since you are a basketball fan I thought I would share that the elementary school girls basketball team I coach won their first game tonight. I am very proud of them!

Dejah, you are so right. But after my husband exploded a pot full of cabbage all over the kitchen, including the ceiling, and since my mom and sister are coming in mid-March, it seems like a good idea. ;-)

Thanks, Chelle.

Heidi, thank you. That is great news about your team!!

#144 after my husband exploded a pot full of cabbage all over the kitchen Wow! That sounds impressive! How did he do that?

Curse of Chalion is certainly a rich enough story that is it re-readable. I've re-read it three or four times now!

Hi Roni! Dropping by for the first time this year, so...:

#5 ...whereas I peaked a couple of years ago and am slowly regressing in my number of threads!

#29 love the pic at the top - and the idea that going to school in your girl guide uniform was an option people might take! V impressed by your grandmother's needlework too - how sweet of her to make the same dress for your doll at the same time! ;o)

#44 - 46 Very belatedly backing you up on the Earthsea books - A Wizard of Earthsea is firmly in my top 10 children's books (which has no particular order)... Loved them. I haven't really read much else by her though - I really should try The Disposessed one of these days...

#58 Wow, amazing scarf. How on earth do you do all the ruffly stuff?! I'll admit at this stage that I am completely rubbish at any form of textiles. I did make stuffed toys for my niece and nephew when they were born though (penguin for the niece, monster for the nephew). They're, well, pretty good for me. A little mishapen and overlarge perhaps...!

#85 & 90 Strictly speaking, everyone has the gene that makes alcohol dehydrogenase, it's just that we have different versions of it. In China, for instance, the majority of the population have a mutation that basically makes the enzyme not function proplerly (the flip-side of what Johnson describes). I'd never thought about this from this perspective before - it's an interesting idea and does make sense. I'll be paper mining about it this evening, I can tell!

#93, 100, 110, 128 lovely photos, pendants, scarves and pots (particularly loving the latest blue scarf)!!

#98 SandDune, I've heard the tea drinking thing before too - it's the kind of fact that's strangely pleasing because it's so serendipidous (sp?)

#125 May have to read that - I'm discovering I really like urban fantasy for escapism (mostly because the stories are usually so silly!)

#136 Sorry about your knee - fingers crossed it starts to improve soon

...and a ceiling covered in exploded cabbage does indeed seem a good reason to paint!!! ;o)

Hi Roni, just trying to catch up with all of the creativity and books over here! Hope you are doing well. :)

Rhian, he was boiling cabbage in a pot where he jammed the lid on very tightly, and there was no vent. So when the boiling started, the pressure built up until it blew the lid off, and cabbage and liquid went ALL over the kitchen.

I agree, Morphy. I think I've reread it even more.

Fliss!! What a lovely long visit! I've found you have to be here and posting to attract others to your thread. The Earthsea books are very different from Le Guin's other early writing. The Dispossessed is very interesting but not as good a story. The ruffling stuff is basically done by the yarn--it's a special mesh yarn that, when you do simple knitting, gives that lovely effect. So easy! Knee is gradually recovering.

Hi, Laura! Thanks.

Love the blues of the most recent scarf creation! :)

Roni, you'll be proud of me - I got some more scarf orders today at my mom's work :) I took in my big box of yarn, and I pre-sold three scarves I haven't made yet, and I sold one of my ones from my stash of already made scarves. The made one was Pirouette Spring Green, and the new ones will be Sashay Waltz, Aran, and Starbella Eventide.

Woo hoo, way to go, Es!

Thanks, Tina!

>151 Esquiress: Good for you, Es!

The cabbage explosion sounds...er...impressive. Is the ceiling to be white or some more exotic color?

BTW, I think I've read The Curse of Chalion three or four times like Morphy - I'll have to read it again to try to catch up with you!

I think I will reread The Ladies of Mandrigyn this month - you in?

March? (As opposed to in the next day, February?) I think you could talk me into it.

Whoops - I was getting ahead of myself. Definitely March!

>152 ronincats:, 153: Thanks, gals!

Book #28 The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin (429 pp) acquired May 2012 read February 2013

I received this as an ER book last May. I started it and put it down--but didn't forget it. Sometimes lots of intrigue and death do that to me. But I knew I wanted to pick it up again eventually, and I did still owe that review. So I made it a target for Fantasy February.

Jemisin's world-building is even better than in her award-winning Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy. She talks about it a little at the end, but while reading it, you simply are immersed in another world. She never holds back from political treachery and death, something that sometimes makes it difficult for me to get into her books, but she always provides a strong story which keeps me going until the end once I am in them. And she is highly original--very few fantasy tropes to deal with.

In her self-interview at the end, she asks herself--since all her books have strong ties to the gods--about why she keeps exploring religion in her writing, and what she replied resonated with me. "I consider myself an agnostic...in the sense of doubting the capability of any human religion to encompass the divine...Religion is a handy guide to living, assuming you're still living in the society that existed at the time of the religion's founding."

And that wraps up my Fantasy February reading (although every month is Fantasy month for me). Here is the scorecard:

My books
Jhereg: reread of a favorite in a group read
Tigana: been on my shelves since 4/09, also group read
The Killing Moon: an ER book from May, 2012
Wildwood Dancing: pre-2011 (first year I kept track of acquisitions)
Falcon: on shelves since July 2008
Goblin Moon: on shelves since June 2011
The Clockwork Three: lent to me by my sister in 2011
Magic To the Bone: also pre-2011
Library books
Shadow of Night: this is the sequel to A Discovery of Witches and the longest of the lot
The Hidden Gallery: this is the second in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series.
The Crimson Crown: this is the fourth and final book of Chima's Seven Realms series, and there is no way I am not going to read it as soon as I get it. If you've been following my thread, you know how much I've enjoyed the first three books.

And a few unplanned books:
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight: an ER book
City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte: for a RL group read

Hi, Roni. I'm playing catch-up across the threads, leaving the most prolific to the last.

So many book bullets. So many gorgeous photos - the 'sisters', the pottery, the pendants, the scarves ...

Hope your knee has completely recovered by now. Best of luck with the Sistine Chapel project.

ETA : the Location Wiki for anyone else planning LT meet-ups.

How are your knee and the kitchen doing today? It was really too beautiful to spend painting in the kitchen though so hope you got out...maybe foot elevated someplace comfortable in the yard with a nice book and a glass of iced tea?

Thanks for dropping by, Nina.

That would have been nice, Reba! I taped off the bathroom (renovated 3.5 years ago, but still not painted) while the DH finished the kitchen except for the wall behind the stove above the exhaust fan. Looks pretty good. Tomorrow is finishing the primer in the bathroom and starting that ceiling, with the wall color (just above the tile wainscoating) goes on Saturday. The knee is much better, but got quite tired out by late afternoon from being on it so much.

Sounds like you had a very productive day. I worked at the Thrift Shop so didn't get to experience much of the glorious weather either -- just about 15 minutes or so when I went out to pick up trash from the landscaping. I hope to do better tomorrow and hope you can too.

February Summary: pretty much wrapped up in the post about Fantasy February reading, but here are the stats.

Books read: 14
Pages read: 5590

New to me: 12
Re-reads: 2
Library books: 5
Books off the shelf: 5

Genres:
Science fiction: 1
Fantasy: 9
Children's: 3 (fantasy)
Nonfiction: 1

Author gender:
Female: 9
Male: 5

Books acquired: 11
Genre: Science fiction-3 Fantasy-3 Children's-2 Nonfiction-2 Romance-1
Formats: HB-3 TPB-3 MMPB-2 Kindle-3
Cost: $57.78

Books out the door: 3

Books read:

15. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood (313 pp.)#
16. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin (175 pp.)*
17. Jhereg by Steven Brust (239 pp.)*
18. The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima (598 pp.)#
19. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (598 pp.)
20. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (673 pp.)%
21. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (202 pp)
22. Shadow of Knight by Deborah Harkness (581 pp.)#
23. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (464 pp.)+
24. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (284 pp.)#
25. Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton (293 pp.)%
26. Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (355 pp.)%
27. The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby (386 pp.)%
28. The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin (429 pp.)%

Books acquired:

9. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Amazon, 9.77)
10. Alien Tango by Gini Koch (B&N, 6.79)
11. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (ER)
12. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (kindle, Amazon, 9.99)
13. Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)
14. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester (gift, Paul)
15. The Practical Potter by Josie Warshaw (AABS, 7.00)
16. The Political Career of General James H. Lane by Ks. Historical Society (AABS, 12.00)
17. The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (AABS, 3.00)
18. Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh (AABS, 3.25)
19. A Change of Heart by Candace Hern (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)

Lots of lovely stuff as ever. Thanks for reminding me about N.K.Jemisin I started her Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy last year, but only got to the first book, as the other two are NEVER in at the library. The Killing Moon often is though, so maybe I'll give that one a go.
Hope the knee is now fully recovered!

Excellent reading, Roni! Here's to an even better March!

Very nice February reading Roni - hope you have a great March:)

Hi, Roni, I'm wondering if you can help.

I bought a pretty red glass pendant on a chain, shaped like a hollow square, but I've managed to snap it along the diagonal. I've glued it with craft glue - what I had to hand (seems to be like the old standard, UHU), but I'm worried it might not hold, and I'll lose the pendant. Should I - I don't know - try and melt it back together, do you think?

It wasn't very expensive ($5 AUD), but I really like it; and I haven't even worn it yet. Any advice?

The Killing Moon sounds great, Roni! I've been meaning to read her Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy, but never got around to it.

I read the first one in Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and wasn't interested in going on - but that's because it hit some buttons that annoyed me. I don't _like_ twisty plots where you can't tell who's friend and who's foe - where the author lies to you about that (I don't mind - in fact I like - characters with divergent motivations - it's when the narrator/author tells you that "this" is a fact and a few chapters later it isn't that bothers me). And I don't like manipulators, which everyone was or was forced to be. But if you like or don't mind those things - the writing was excellent and the setting was fantastic (in every sense of the word).

I've been lurking and not saying that I still covet the reddy-goldy pendent on the right. Everything you do is lovely. And I bought but haven't read *100,000 Kingdoms #1*. That seems to be the story of my life.

85: I love it when books serendipitously dovetail!
Ghost Map is dovetailing with another book I'm reading too, Toms River.
92: Well, it's about time
Yay! Nice when LT brings people together.

Good morning, Hannah, Dejah, Calm, Nina, Marcia, Jenn, Peggy and Katherine!

Nina, sometimes at craft fairs they have glass artists who will repair that sort of item with their torches, but other than that, a good glue is your best bet.

Here's a left-over basket from last summer, come out to greet the spring.

How pretty, Roni, I love the pink shades. We won't be seeing petunias for another 4 months but at least today is sunny and the daffodils are starting to come out.

Thanks, Judy.

Well, I stopped by the library to pick up some books on hold, and scored 18 chapter books and a pristine hb copy of DWJ's The Spellcoats, which didn't even come into the house but are going down to my school Wednesday when I go down to read for Read Across America. Plus, for 50¢ a paperback copy of Palimpsest and a pristine hardback copy of A Trick of the Light for a dollar.

As part of their absolutely excellent Shakespeare Uncovered series, PBS has this "Which Shakespeare character are you?" quiz.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/blog/which-shakespeare-character-a...

I'm Rosalind--I can definitely live with that.

What a pretty pink those petunias are. I don't have a green thumb but I'm really proud to say that I managed to get an orchid to bloom a second time and it's here on my desk with 10 beautiful flowers on it!!

I somehow got horribly far behind over the weekend. Hope your knee gets better fast.....

Jemisin has a new one, even better? Oh my. But maybe that means I can stop hoarding the Kingdoms trilogy and get going on it.....

How does one explode a cabbage on the ceiling. That takes real talent..... something you can only do when you are NOT trying, most likely.

>176 sibylline:: Presumably most people don't TRY to explode cabbages on the ceiling? (But then, I'm not most people)(either).

>171 ronincats:: Thanks for the advice, Roni; much appreciated. Now to find a craft fair ...

Love the spring flowers. We are dealing with a winter storm - 6 to 10 inches of snow on the way!

Nobody else wants to find out what Shakespeare character they are? Come ON, people, be adventurous!

Reba, these were in a pot last summer and when they didn't die, I just left them on the deck. Imagine my surprise!

Yes, this Jemisin is the first of a duology set in an different world than her other series, Lucy. The cabbage story is up above but basically it involves the husband cooking cabbage as if in a pressure cooker, but without the sealing/vented top, so when it blew, it BLEW!

Hope you can find one, Nina.

Thanks, Morphy. What WAS that groundhog thinking, anyway?

Book #29 Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene: The followers of Jesus in history and legend by Bart D. Ehrman (272 pp.) Acquired 10/12/12. Read 3/4/13.

I have a number of Ehrman's books and find him an entertaining writer. This book treats separately with the three characters named, looking at what are the probable historic facts associated with each and, what is even more interesting, how and why they came to be depicted legendarily, using the New Testament and apocryphal writings, including the Nag Hammadi texts. Due to my fairly extended reading in this area over the last few years, a lot of this was familiar to me, but I still found it interesting going and the character of Mary Magdalene to be the most interesting, probably because as Ehrman says, we actually know the least about her!

179, 174> I'm Rosalind too. It would have been more fun if the questions were less obviously identifiable with certain characters/plays, I think - more about a modern person (like the last one), and only in the answer linked to Shakespeare. But maybe that's just me.

I did take it when I first read your post. I think I was Ophelia.

Oh dear, I'm Ophelia.

Roaslind here...... I could feel it coming when I picked Jon Stewart....... oh ... and 'any lad or lass'.

I picked any lad or lass - but Ken Burns instead of Jon Stewart.

Rosalind, as well...

Oh, shoot, I thought it was Jon Stewart did it, but can see the lads and lassies was probably paramount. I haven't taken the time to do it yet, but I do like to play with all the permutations to try and figure out the algoriths.

Thanks for playing, Jenn, Nina, Lucy, Morphy, and Marcia! So far we are unanimously woman characters, and the Rosalinds in ascendancy!



Book #30 The Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill (240 pp.)

This is the fifth of the Dr. Siri books, and I continue to find them entertaining and informative. Dr. Siri is away from the morgue for the whole trip, and Dtui is taking care of things in Vientiane. I'm still worried about that ring, though.

I'm Hamlet. Oh, dear.

I'm Ophelia. Hmmmm.

Those petunias are gorgeous Roni and the fact that you did.....nothing, is even better. It'll be a long time before we see anything like that. I'll settle for seeing the snow melt.

I'm Hamlet too. OMG. Well, Es at least we have each other!! :)

Beautiful flowers in 171!

>190 TinaV95:: I remember adoring Hamlet when I was in 11th grade... maybe he's an angsty teen at heart...?

If so, that deserves an even larger "oh dear" on my part. Pesky teens.

Es and Tina, I feel your angst! B^D

Thanks, Bonnie--I thought the petunias were a real lift! Glad you enjoy them. Um, are you the weepy sort? (Ophelia)

Read for relaxation this evening!



Book #31 Yendi by Steven Brust* (209 pp.)

This book takes place a year or two before Jhereg, when Vlad was first setting up in business and gets involved in a Jhereg war. Just as entertaining. We will be discussing it in the Jhereg group read thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/148667

My second favorite of the series after Jhereg.

I do like Taltos a lot too, Tad. And the two most recent ones are really picking up the story again.

I'm off to Otis Elementary School to read to a kindergarten and a first grade class for their Read Across America celebration!

Hope you have at great time at Otis -- that's a very nice thing to do.

Oh, it is such fun, Reba! I wouldn't miss it for anything.

Dejah has ALREADY read The Ladies of Mandrigyn, which we are reading together this month, and so I went to pull it off the shelf and read next. Thought I'd share a photo of the Hambly shelf. Although her Sisters of the Raven duology is on my hardbacks shelves.

I love your pottery. And, the book shelf listed above looks lovely. I'm sorry to be 171 posts behind. Real life gets in the way of LT sometimes.

I think of you often and send hugs!

I'm Hamlet too! And Roni, your Barbara Hambly shelf reminds me to pick up the title you chose for me, and soon!

>196 ronincats::   :0)

I am also Rosalind.

Which is okay. It could have been worse.

But I was sure hoping for Falstaff.

I am Rosalind too....and I don't even know who that is! LOL

Linda, I think of you all the time too, and send hugs right back atcha!

What do our Hamlets all have in common? Am I thinking too much?

Steve, maybe you just weren't dissolute enough to be Falstaff. After all, in the second play, he really comes off the worse for wear.

Heidi, Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It, who runs away from her evil uncle into the woods and dresses as a boy while she sets everything to rights. One could do much worse!!

Book #32 The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (311 pp.)

So I pulled this off the bookshelf above and went and stretched out on the couch for a couple of hours and read it! Had to catch up with Dejah. This is one of my favorites by Hambly because I love the characters and the developing relationships, despite the direness of the situation. Classic fantasy with some nice twists. If you liked the Paksenarrion books, you will like this.

What was the lead female character in Taming of he Shrew? That's who I wanted to be (heehee).

I'm Ophelia. I must now go and think deeply about my life, wondering if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I did have a crush on Hamlet as a girl though (I even wrote fanfic about us meeting... teehee), so that might explain it.

Katherine - in TofS - I wouldn't mind being her either! But I'm OK with Rosalind, she has a lot of spirit and is more tactful and clever than Katherine.

Here is the wiki summary on Ros, not a bad one:

She is the daughter of the exiled Duke Senior and niece to his usurping brother Duke Frederick. Her father is banished from the kingdom which breaks her heart. She then meets Orlando and falls in love with him. After angering her uncle, she leaves his court for exile in the Forest of Arden. There, she lives disguised as a shepherd named Ganymede with her sweet and devoted cousin, Celia, disguised as his sister, Aliena and her uncle's fool Touchstone. Eventually, Rosalind is reunited with her father and married to her faithful lover, Orlando.
Rosalind is one of Shakespeare's most recognized heroines. Admired for her intelligence, quick wit, and beauty, Rosalind is a vital character in "As You Like It." Most commonly seen next to her beloved cousin Celia, Rosalind is also a faithful friend, leader, and schemer. She stays true to her family and friends throughout the entire story, no matter how dangerous the consequences. Rosalind dominates the stage. Her true decision-making skills can be seen in the last scene of Act V (5) where she has to present herself as Rosalind to her father and to Orlando, but at the same time change Phebe's opinion to marry Silvius. She is the main character of the play who extracts the clarity of important traits in other characters.

Yes, Sweet Kate is definitely a strong character, but as you say, Lucy, not as well-rounded character-wise as Rosalind perhaps.

Eris, at some point I'm going to have to go back to the quiz and figure out for you and Es and Tina what the crucial question is for Ophelia!

In the meantime...



Book #33 Taltos by Steven Brust (181 pp.)

This book is the earliest chronologically in the series although the fourth in publication order. In it, Vlad alternates between stories of his rather grim early days and his current predicament which brings him into contact with Morrolan, Sethra Lavode, and Aliera. This provides a great deal of backdrop into their relationships, and also provides insight into the consequences of the major action in 500 Years After, becoming a hinge book between the two series. Taltos remains one of my favorite books of the series--I love the interaction with the gods here.

Oh dear. Oh dear. I'm Ophelia and not too happy about it. But oh dear. Oh dear. I can see it.
Roni, doggone it, you're bound and determined to make me read B. Hambly, aren't you? (Oh dear. Oh dear. etc.)

I thought "With my luck I'll be Hamlet."

So I tried to be very un-Hamlet-y in my answers.

I'm Hamlet. Should I take it over again trying to be Hamlet?

To do over, or not to do over......

Peggy, I would never have thought it! And yes, you could read Hambly, indeed.

LOL, Janet!

>192 ronincats: Um, are you the weepy sort? (Ophelia) Uh, no not at all so I don't get it. If I were someone who took this sort of thing to heart it might matter a tiny bit but since I'm not---eh.

More reason to explore the algorith, Bonnie!



Book #34 Dragon by Steven Brust* (286 pp.)

This is the second book in the series chronologically, and the 8th in publication order. I think this is the first time I've read it in such close temporal proximity to the other 3 initial books. This time through, I paid a lot more attention to some of the incidents that I now know are important to the future of the series, such as the meeting with the Serioli, but I got a little irritated with the dual story technique similar to that used in the last book. Vlad, can't we just get on with the story? Still a good tale, though.

Book #35 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (249 pp.)

I've heard so much about this. Many have loved it; others can't see what all the fuss is about. I found it totally charming in its portrayal of Botswana and Mma Ramotswe. While clearly seeing the flaws in African society, the love of Africa comes through very clearly. This is as much a character study as a series of cases and mysteries. Is it prejudicial in me to be bothered by the fact that the creator of this marvelous black African woman is a white male? I wasn't bothered in the same way by Kipling's portrayal of India in Kim, where his love of the cultures and land of India was so obvious, so I have to think maybe the gender thing is what bothered me? Yet I know males can write good female characters, so maybe it's the juxtaposition of the two.

I'm so glad you read one of the No. 1 Ladies'. You described it (imho) perfectly as "charming". I agree the "crimes" aren't much (actually that's part of what I like) but the characters are wonderful. Have you seen the HBO series? We don't get HBO so we rented them from Kensington Video a few weeks ago and I thought they got Mma Ramotswe exactly right. It's partly because of this series that we're making a side trip from the cruise to visit Botswana. We even have a 1/2 day tour there of places Smith used in the books.

Roni, I agree that "charming" is the perfect description of the books. I have the first nine of them but I think there are 12 now - I have some catching up to do.

Botswana is somewhere that I really want to go to - even before I read any of the No 1 Laies Detective Agency books.

Thanks, Susan. I'll probably pick up another one occasionally, but I think it would be hard to live up to the first one.

Reba (chatauquan) is headed there next month, Rhian. You should follow her trip blog--the url is in her thread.

Well, it's Saturday afternoon. I went into pottery early because the final regular season Kansas University men's basketball game is at the regular classtime, starting in just minutes now. Here's what I brought home today.

Love the mug Roni. You'll need to fill it with plenty of coffee as you must not be sleeping too much the reading you're doing this month!
Have a lovely weekend. x

And the latest scarf, finished during today's game.



Thank you, Paul. YOu have a great rest of the weekend too.

I love the mug, too. A beautiful blue!

>213 ronincats:: Is it prejudicial in me to be bothered by the fact that the creator of this marvelous black African woman is a white male?

I think I would be more bothered by being bothered.

Anyway, I found those books a lot of fun; I think I read the first nine or so. Not only is Mma Ramotswe a marvelous character but several of the others are, too. But, by the ninth, they had begun to pall. I still cannot put my finger on why. The plots had a certain sameness but I had forgiven that in other series. It's something to do with them starting to feel like knock-offs of themselves...if that makes any sense whatsoever. Maybe I just needed/need a long break.

maybe it's why Smith turned attention to other series

Roni, I love your crafts. Are the little pottery things beads? The scarf is exactly the sort of colour I love, and your model is so obliging :-)

Oooo that blue mug looks like just the right size for my morning cuppa.

As for McCall Smith - I'm a great believer in the fact that part of the draw of writing fiction is to release other aspects of the self....that we are capable of being far more than the body we happen to inhabit - thus Styron in Sophie's Choice, Flaubert in Madame Bovary. Women have, so far, been shyer about expressing their male side - it's an area yet to be fully explored fictionally, I think. One reason I'm so keen on Iris Murdoch is that in many of her books all the main characters are men, you see the women as they see them. She's breaking ground. Anyhow Smith has embraced his inner female, and also black (who knows why) self and brought her out and made her live. His other main character in Scotland is also a woman..... I forget her name.

>225 sibylline:: I've never read any Murdoch, Lucy. Where should one start or doesn't it matter?

You might want to come over and browse the Iris Murdoch readers group..... HERE - we've got threads for all the books we've got going and you can read around and see what grabs you...... I had made up my mind to read IM for a whole year, so I just started with one of the books I'd picked up used - The Sea, The Sea - I loathed most of the characters, but ended up admiring what IM was up to. I really liked The Bell and didn't care for the one I read last month and the name, in fact, has fallen out of my head, always a sure sigh. I am LOVING this month's -The Good Apprentice - I'm not really reading them in any order, but I am avoiding the later ones for now, concentrating on early and middle.

Spring cleaning started today, after a trip out for some machaca for breakfast. My mom and sister are coming to visit next week, and the house needs a major cleaning to get ready. My husband has been intermittently painting--way too intermittently for my tastes as he is already a week behind. The kitchen is done except for above the stove, but he's been putting off the bathroom ceiling for nearly a week now! Today was cleaning cabinets and countertops and all the stuff on them. Countertops are pretty well done, and about half the cabinet facings. It's amazing how much grime gets on them! Mr. Clean sponges do a really good job getting it off, but they fall to pieces way too quickly. I did refrigerator and microwave tops and a couple of the cabinets last week, and finished all the upper cabinets on the south wall and the base cabinets east of the refrigerator, but still have a lot of base cabinets to do, and they are the dirtiest of course. I am stiff and sore from scrubbing and being on my feet all afternoon, and will be hitting the ibuprofin tonight! Plan is to finish the cabinets and remaining counters and everything on them tomorrow. Floor and the stainless steel appliances wait for Friday or Saturday, as they would just need it again if I did it now. Aargh, everything wants to wait until the last minute and that just won't do!!

Gorgeous pottery as ever, Roni. *sigh*

Good luck with the spring cleaning (from the safety of another country) ;0)

Hi Roni...just stopping by to say my doc says yes I have shingles. I take it you have had them too. How long did yours last? Did you take Gabapentin for it and was that helpful? Boy, I would never have guessed how painful shingles are....its a bummer.

Good luck with the kitchen cleaning.....

Nina, you win two ways--another continent and it's fall there!

Oh, Heidi, I am so sorry to hear that, even though I was sure from your description that that is what it was. I think the Gabapentin has to be started very early in the case, and mine wasn't diagnosed soon enough. I had it on my left temple, very close to my eye. And yes, surprisingly painful...

Thanks, Lucy. We have an old bungalow and, with our weather, the windows open 70% of the time, and the dirt and grime get in. I have all the cabinet fronts and counters done, as well as the most used drawers cleaned out and reorganized. Lex finished the painting over the stove. The stainless steel applicances, sinks, and the wood floor will be done either Friday or Saturday, because if I did them now, I would need to redo them. Of course, all the other wood floors need to be done then too, for best effect...

So for tomorrow, I will declutter the laundry room (again--how does it get so cluttered so quickly!) and we have a project to put a backsplash behind the stove which shouldn't take too long (cross your fingers and toes), and either the bedroom or the dining room. I can't start on my bathroom yet because the painting there has not progressed at ALL over the weekend. He wants me to "help" tape the walls at the ceiling, which are too high for me to reach, and which wouldn't have needed to be done at all if he'd painted the ceiling BEFORE the walls like... well, don't get me started there. But he did help with cleaning out the garden window for me over the sink, reaching into the back corners and handing out all my knickknacks. Here's a picture so you can visualize (and there's 3 to 4 times the cabinets as those in the picture):

Mark me down as a late Ophelia.
I'm enjoying the Brust reread. I got partway through Jhereg again; I was surprised to see Kiera showing up on the first page, knowing her later roles.
Cobscook, I've talked to several people after they've had shingles, and if you're lucky it takes about three weeks for the pain to go away. (Months to years if you are unlucky enough to get postherpetic neuralgia, which the gabapentin can treat.)

QQ, come on over to the Jhereg thread and make some comments!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/148667



Book #36 Murder Most Crafty edited by Maggie Bruce (330 pp.)

I thought a book of short stories, while not my favorite genre, would fit in well in the crevices of my spring cleaning, and this was a gift from Jan Burke's sister (Jan has a story in it) and it's Mystery March, so... The premise is each short story has a craft featured in it, and then instructions for doing that craft follow the story. It sounded good. I love crafts. But for me, it didn't work. The stories were too short, and the murders too prevalent. Silly to say, of course, but since someone dies in almost all of the short stories, the body count was very high. Even though I spread the stories out, it got to me. Some of the stories were flippant, some disturbing, some weird. I only really liked a couple. But perhaps a true mystery aficionado would react differently.

Thanks for the info Roni and Quinaquisset. I hope the Gabapentin works for me. I've only been taking it for about 24 hours, but so far the pain is still pretty bad and now I'm crying for no reason!

Hey Roni!

I'm sorry I've been AWOL lately - I haven't been on the threads, but I have been reading!

Yep - I decided to jump to The Ladies of Mandrigyn in a moment of stressed out fatigue. I wanted to revisit an old friend and it was wonderful. Hambly writes so very well - it's hard for me to pinpoint why I read this book so very many times (although not recently) but it's still wonderful. I'm totally motivated to reread almost all of her fantasy works - like you, I don't read the Dragonsbane sequels. It was perfect as it stood - I feel the same way about Ender's Game. Do you want to continue with The Witches of Wenshar? BTW, I think Mamie is reading LOM, too.

Yendi was great fun- I am definitely continuing with the series. I'll get to Taltos soon. Based on your post above, should I read Dragon next?

Heidi, I hope the pain lessens soon, but unfortunately it takes its sweet time to go. It could be worse. My brother got it on his auditory nerve last year and it permanently affected his balance.

Dejah, welcome back! I answered your question on the Jhereg thread--Taltos first, and then Dragon. And the Hambly question. Sure, I'll do WoW next!

I'm so jazzed that you are into the Brust series!

I'm really enjoying it. The body count is kind of high, but it works. How lovely it is to have a new series to read!

BTW, I failed to mention before how lovely the new pottery and scarf are - how do you find the time?

I'm retired, my dear! Pottery is two hours a week, and scarves are done during basketball games on tv. But thank you so much--I take great pleasure in creating both.

But an update on the spring cleaning! Today I helped tape around the top of the bathroom wall, and at 5:30 today my husband finally started painting the ceiling of the bathroom, something that is essential to finishing on time (ETA noon on Sunday). I cleaned our bedroom today, all but the vacuuming. All vacuuming will be done Sunday morning, btw. That included a lot of wood and a lot of dusting, and getting all my jewelry that was out on the dresser top put away, as well as clothes and shoes.

Tomorrow we are working outside and in the utility room at the back of the house. Cleaning the deck, raking and mowing the yards, planting some annual color in the bare spots in the front flowerbed, and putting everything where it is supposed to be in the utility/laundry room, which opens up onto the deck. Thursday is cleaning the bathrooms, now that mine has been painted, and doing the backsplash project and painting around the light in the front hall. Also, I have a retired teachers' luncheon to go to. Friday I'm on my own, as the husband has meetings, and that will be dusting and cleaning the dining room and living room and starting on the wood floors (living room, dining room, kitchen). Saturday is finishing the wood floors and everything that hasn't been done yet, which probably means helping the husband to store all the stuff out in his office! Sunday am is vacuuming. Finishing up my office will be the work of evenings--I did all but the paper filing last weekend. Do you know, it takes longer to clean and prepare the place than they will be here? Hardly fair, is it?

Dejah has convinced me to read The Witches of Wenshar next, another reread. And Dejah, you talk about the body count in Yendi? WoW puts that to shame!

As always, I love your pottery & scarf!

I am amazed at all the cleaning you've been doing lately!! How do you have so much energy? Want to come here next?!? Lol

Wow - I am so very impressed by your cleaning. Do you make house calls?

Ha! This is the sort of cleaning that ensues when one's mother comes to visit, which, since she lives 1500 miles away, doesn't happen that often. And if I'm going to do it, I might as well do it correctly so I can enjoy the long-term benefits. And it's taking up almost all of two weeks time, plus spurred my husband into several (but not all) long-neglected projects. So no, sorry, I won't be doing any house calls! -)

Oh well - it was just a thought. I actually prefer that type of goal oriented one time cleaning to the drudgery of the everyday stuff....

Oh, that is so ME as well, Dejah! I was the kind of child who let my room degenerate into pure chaos, and then had the time of my life bringing order out of it in one fell swoop.

Roni, sometimes I'm still that adult - forget child! LOL!

NEWS ALERT! One of the best dragon stories of all time is on sale for Kindle today on Amazon: Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly for $1.99.

Got it, Roni! I hadn't checked the deals yet today, so thank you for the heads up!

Love the purple in 220!

Hi, I'm back! Just flying through trying to catch up a little on some threads...

Your kitchen looks marvelous! Breathtakingly clean!

Wow Roni, that is some cleaning barrage! Beautiful ceramics again. I'm retired too but I don't seem to get as much out of 24 hours as you do. I was getting tired just reading about it haha.

I had facial shingles in 1999 and didn't get treated immediately because they thought it was a dental problem initially. Anyway, eventually I was treated with acyclovir and was lucky to have it pretty much over with after 6 weeks. A very miserable 6 weeks.

>244 ronincats:, 245 : Me too!

ETA : I'm so glad to find myself in good company.

Roni, I'm in awe of the cleaning itself and the schedule! If only!!! I honestly don't see the clutter as clutter. I think we're clean enough that no health hazards threaten, but that's about all I can say for sure. Of course, when one of us is smitten with a pick-up bug, I'm thrilled at the results. I'm old. I don't see any prospect of learning that new trick.
Your kitchen looks magazine-worthy.
So, are you or are you not reading Cyteen??? Much as I'm loving *Foreigner*, I'd read the big one first, and Regenesis too. *R*'s not nearly as good a book, but I loved it because it let me live with the characters a bit longer.
As always, lovely pottery and scarf! I have a piece that would blend beautifully with that brown pot.

Hi Roni, and congratulations on your spring cleaning. I know what you mean about clutter, I don't know where it all comes from. I thought once the kids were gone and it was just hubby and me, the house would stay clean all the time - Wrong! Now I'm beginning to think we were the problem all along. My husband got ambitious recently and cleaned all the windows which makes me feel that I should now get going on some spring cleaning as well.

I have the Murder Most Crafty box in a TBR box. Your review doesn't want to make me drag it out soon.

I am getting further and further behind! The living room is half cleaned, ceiling fan to floor, including the wooden window blinds. I'm getting ready to put the polish on that half of the floor. The bathroom, which I spent yesterday basically repainting, still needs a last edging around the ceiling, where the ceiling paint dripped down behind the tape, which is what happens when one paints the ceiling AFTER the walls, but who wants to listen to me? So I have still not gotten all the drop cloths and ladders out of there so I can mop up all the paint splotches on the floor and get it cleaned and refurbished with all its stuff that is out in the hall now. That's the part I'm behind on.

Still to do:

kitchen appliances--exterior Saturday
kitchen floor--mop and polish Saturday
living room floor mopped and polished Friday
living room furnishings all dusted, cleaned, and placed back on clean floor Friday
my office--finish clearing paperwork off desks, dust. ?
dining room and hall--mop and polish floor Saturday
dining room and hall--dust all shelves, furniture and knickknacks Saturday
bathroom--finish trim around ceiling Thursday
bathroom--clear out all painting stuff and tapeThursday
bathroom--replace stuff on counter and shelves Thursday
bathroom--clean tub and sink and toilet Thursday
bathroom--mop floor after removing paint spots Thursday
paint stencil design around hall light--Saturday
vacuum entire house Sunday

husband's responsibilities:
back yard--pick up, clean and mow
utility room--mop
back bathroom--clean

Go to Costco ?
Go to farmer's market Saturday
go to pottery Saturday
Watch KU game Friday and Saturday
Give dog bath
Wash car

I'm tired, from doing and from looking ahead. But I'm a list-maker, what can I say?

Thanks to visitors--I'll acknowledge later. I'm off to polish a floor and trim me some ceiling.

Some encouragement would be welcome.

I'm back nearly 4 hours later, and half the living room is done. The bathroom trim is done and the painting stuff cleared out and the paint spots removed from various surfaces. The Kansas Jayhawks beat Iowa State in the Big 12 tourney. After I eat supper, I'll clean the counter and floor and toilet in the bathroom and put everything back. The tub will be cleaned in the morning when I take my bath. I am so relieved to finally have that bathroom done, I can't tell you!

Roni, I am in awe of all that you are doing. I am a complete sloth in comparison. Where do you get the energy?

Panic. My mom and sister arriving the day after next. I simply couldn't let the bathroom that was unpainted for her last visit two years ago still be that way now! Yes, visitors are a powerful motivation.

visitors are a powerful motivation

Absolutely!

i>Some encouragement would be welcome and here we go. Wow, you have done already so much and I am sure you will be ready in time for your mom and as you mentioned yourself you definitely will benefit from the cleaning even when your mom left again *grin*
Although, I had to giggle a little because my mom and I do exactly the same. Last minute cleaning frenzies if someone important is coming. Really a shame that you don't do house calls :)

> 92 I love the photo of you and Reba and indeed you do look like you could be sisters. Well, at least I can picture you know when communicating with you *smile*

And again I enjoyed all your beautiful projects, but as usual I am especially taken with your pottery. I think, I definitely will try to take a pottery class this year. I just love these handmade plates, potts and cups.

I very much enjoyed the story of your hubbies adventure with the exploding cabbage. However, is the kitchen ceiling to be green now?

Magic in the Bone sounds like a book I would like as I do enjoy a fair bit of Urban Fantasy. Very interesting review on The Killing Moon. I quite enjoyed her first trilogy Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and I had The Killing Moon and the sequel already for some time on my TBR.

I am planning to finish Yendi and Taltos this month and Nina said already that we are still using the old thread, so I still have to check that one out.

I have never read anything by Barbara Hambley but she has been on my wishlist for some time.

Well, it's 2:45 in the a.m. and I'm awake thinking of all I need to do tomorrow. Ironic, actually.

Dejah and Nina, we belong to the disaster school of cleaning!

Es, good to see you back and making the rounds.

Lucy, thanks--I needed that!

Bonnie--yes, but I am tired doing it! Oh, my aching wrists!

Peggy, I love the uncluttered look, but always devolve back into clutter again.

Lori, I'm not a big short story fan anyway, and I like my murders in measured amounts. One every few pages just go to me. YOu may well like it more.

Pat--indeed!

Biance, thank you for the encouragement. I'm so happy you are going to read Yendi and Taltos with us.

Book #37 The Witches of Wenshar* by Barbara Hambly (339 pp.)

When, you may ask, am I reading this? At night before I fall asleep, which is why it's taken me 4 days. This is the sequel to Ladies of Mandrigyn and follow Sun Wolf and Starhawk on their journeys as he seeks someone to train him in his new skills. Still great characters, but continued troubles for our protagonists.

Looking at that list, my first thought was, "Her mother must be coming to visit." Ha!

You'll be fine. I'm sure she'll be much happier to visit you than a clean toilet.

Hi Roni - very behind but trying to catch up!

#85 Very interesting review of The Ghost Map. That's one I'd like to read but I didn't have time to squeeze it in for the group read.

#92 Lovely smiles and lovely pendants :-) In fact, I'm enjoying all the photos of your beautiful handiwork.

#125 Sorry to hear about your knee - I hope it's healing up nicely now.

#157 I want to get back to Jemisin's original trilogy and then start on The Killing Moon - for some reason other books keep getting my attention instead.

#213 Charming perfectly describes The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I really enjoy that series but I have to space them out otherwise they get too samey.

Well done on the spring cleaning! I think my husband and I are both natural sloths when it comes to housework - given I don't think I will ever be a super tidy or super clean person I need to learn to accept the general dishevelledness rather than mentally nagging myself about it.

Clean, clean, rah rah rah! Clean, clean, rah, rah rah!

I am so impressed with everything you've accomplished, Roni! You have motivated me to clean today - we'll see how that works out. Remember - what gets done will get done and the rest...well, I doubt anyone is going to point and laugh. Just think how very clean your house will be after everyone has gone! You probably won't have to do this again for ages!

I'll get to WOW soon....Taltos, too.

wow, your to-do list is huge! How is everything going?!

Sending you some encouragement! (When you are finished would you be interested in doing my house?! ;)

Morphy, I'm sure she will, but I am using it as motivation to do stuff I wouldn't otherwise get done!

Heather, good to see you. The knee is much better, thank you. I am not a super clean person either--I don't like doing the daily stuff and tend to let it build up.

My cheerleader, Dejah! You go, girl! And a big reason for doing this IS to start off with a clean house (and see if I can keep it up).

Chelle, I wouldn't do this for anybody else, but thanks for the encouragement. Actually, I love organizing, and would do that for others, but the drudgery of actually doing all the little chores...naaah.

Okay, I've had my morning cuppa, after being awake from 2 to 5 this morning, so it's off to the races.

Rah rah rah - go Roni - push that mop, wipe that surface, clean those little gritty places, make it shiny. You can do it!

Go, Roni, Go, Go,Go!

I said, Paint, Polish and Mop!

Roni, you continue to amaze me!!!

You are 'da bomb' and I'm sure your house will be great!

Please take some time to enjoy yourself!!

10:30 at night and I am dusting cabinets and shelves in the dining room. Bathroom, living room and front hall are completely done! Yay! Thanks for the encouragement, Lucy, Nina and Tina--when I drop in here for a minute, that really cheers me up and keeps me going.

Waiting for the floor to dry in the dining room and bathroom hall so I can put down the polish and head for bed! Should be there by midnight. Tomorrow for me is the kitchen floor and my office, where all the stuff that needs to go into the attic is, and making our bed with fresh linens. Yes, there is stuff that didn't get done, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Nothing smells as good as clean sheets. Yummy.

Go, Roni! The ... Clean-a-roni!

What's this about cookie crumbs in your clean house? You know that the one thing you didn't get to will be the one that gets noticed, right? I have lessened my housecleaning standards as the years go by. My daughter and family are coming on Tuesday so I will get a thorough vacuuming done as three of them are allergic to dogs. Poor Lucky has to go to the doggy motel. Have fun with your mother and sister, Roni. I hope you saved a little energy for them!

I've never read any of Hambly's fantasies, I don't think, but I do remember really enjoying some vampire mysteries a long time ago... Am I making that up? It almost doesn't seem like a real memory lol.

Go roni, go and as Donna said - hopefully you still have got enough energy left for when your mom comes *smile* enjoy your time with your family.

I'll bet you're enjoying your visitors now Roni.

Bonnie, you are right! We picked them up, had lunch and did a bit of shopping and are home waiting for dinner to finish cooking!

174> Yes, some of her recent work is vampire mysteries - A Free Man of Color is the first one, I think. Nope, wrong, that's her _historical_ mysteries series - Those Who Hunt the Night is the first of the vampire ones (published 1990, so take "recent" with a grain of salt).

I prefer her epic fantasy - Darwath and similar. And Sunhawk. And...yeah. I've never gotten into her relatively-similar-to-here stories. But I'd read them over a lot of others, because Hambly. Heck, I bought a novelization of the Beauty and the Beast TV show, because it was a Hambly. Haven't read it yet (I only bought it last month!), but I intend to. I've never seen the show or much wanted to, but...

Hi Dear One

Back up to message #92, It is amazing! You two look so very much alike. Two very lovely ladies indeed.

Well, supper is over and we've taken them back to their hotel. I ended up getting almost all my stuff done. Molly didn't get her bath, the car didn't get washed, I didn't get the towel bars up in the bathroom, my desk is still pretty cluttered, and we didn't get to the farmer's market. On the other hand, my husband didn't get the utility room or the back yard or his bathroom cleaned. But he did clean my kitchen appliances. So, the whole front of the house is clean and welcoming.

The shopping was also a success, and we got them checked in and here before everyone got too tired out. Tomorrow is the zoo.

I think I'm going to sleep well tonight. I'm not even going to try to catch up on the threads. Thanks to everyone for all your support.

Living room:


Bathroom:

looks lovely!

#280 Shiny and pretty! Well done :-)

You have a bookshelf in your bathroom?! Love it. Beautiful tile, too.

Yeah. Love the bathroom with the bookshelf. Me wants!

Everything looks wonderful, Roni. You do good work! I hope you had a good night's rest and enjoy the rest of the visit.

When can I move in?

Very nicely cleaned!

I've got bathroom jealousy. I see a shower on the right. What's behind the bookshelf?

A deep soaking bathtub, QQ!

Thank you, Linda and Heather. Amber and Morphy, of COURSE I have a bookshelf in the bathroom! Thanks, Dejah! Had trouble falling asleep last night--think I drank too much black tea in the evening. Lucy, when I can have a babbling brook, you can move it!! Thanks Es.

We did the zoo today, went to Hodad's for hamburgers and home to relax for a couple of hours before dinner at P. F. Changs and a trip to the pottery studio to pick up Mom's blue teapot--which I forgot to get a picture of! So tired--should really sleep well tonight. Tomorrow we take the train up to San Juan Capistrano for the day.

Hi Roni, your house looks so shiny and clean! Good job. I have bathroom envy, yours is beautiful. I need to buckle down and get some cleaning down here too. For some reason I keep getting distracted by a good book!

Sparkly, perfectly clean & inviting spaces! I hope you gave enough energy left over to have a good time now!! Rock on, Roni!

It looks beautiful!! Congratulations on doing such a huge job so well.

Your house looks beautiful! Good job; well worth the effort. Sounds like your sightseeing schedule is just as exhausting.

(I noticed you sneakily left the bathroom ceiling out of the picture, ;0) though)

It sounds as though the visit is going well - don't tire yourself out too much, though!

I finished Taltos - I'm really enjoying these books, Roni, thank you so much! Which one next - Teckla? Dragon? Something else entirely?

Roni, you are an amazing whirlwind of cleaning activity. I am so impressed by what you accomplished before your visitors arrived. It's always so nice to have nice clean house to enjoy after you are finished cleaning.

Thanks so much for dropping by my thread and offering encouragement on my bout with the shingles. So many people have them so much worse than me...I am remembering to count my blessings!

Aaahhhh. They are at the airport getting ready to board, and I can finally take the time to get a new thread set up before this one hits 300. We went to San Juan Capistrano on the Amtrak on Tuesday, which was the annual return of the swallows festival, although we didn't see any. Had a good day and came home to relax in the evening. Yesterday we went to Seaport Village, Mission Beach, and then Old Town in the evening for dinner at Casa Guadalajara. Sad to see them go after such a short time, but we did have a great time. My legs are sore, though.

So now here I am with a refrigerator full of leftovers and a clean house--whatever shall I do with all my time? Oh, yes! Read and watch NCAA tournament games!!

Thanks to Judy, Tina, Reba, Nina (it wasn't the bathroom ceiling that had the cabbage stain!), Dejah and Heidi (hope the pain is getting better) for visiting, and to everyone who offered encouragement during the two week spring housecleaning marathon--it has all been much appreciated. I look forward to seeing you all on the new thread.

Ha! I did miss the update! Caught up now :)