Mamie's 2013 Madness (Page 7)

It is perhaps ironic that the baby of our family was born old. She had the face of an angel and while she always appeared to be the same age as her contemporaries, once she had communicated with you, there could be no doubt that inside that very small and very young body beat the heart of a senior citizen. "Birdy," I called to her as they lined up for the journey from classroom to stage for the recital, "guess what we're having for dinner." She tilts her head to one side while she waits for the punchline - if we're going to discuss dinner on the way to the stage, this is going to be good. "Lamb chops!" I exclaim.

"I hope it's not anyone I know," she replies. "Could I interest you in some Shepard's pie instead?"

Currently Reading


March
28. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (3.75 stars)
29. Twilight by Stephenie Meyers - reread (I know what you're thinking, but I like it)
30. Killing Floor by Lee Child (3.5 stars)
31. Hamlet by William Shakespeare - reread (4.5 stars)
32. The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes by Tess Uriza Holthe (4 stars)
33. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (4 stars)
34. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (4.25 stars)
35. The Chardonnay Charade by Ellen Crosby (3.5 stars)
36. The Bordeaux Betrayal by Ellen Crosby (3.5 stars)
37. Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (4 stars for sheer entertainment value)

March Possibilities:

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (TIOLI #) - ROOT - COMPLETED
The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel (TIOLI #1) - 2013 acquired hardback
The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #4/shared) - ROOT
World War Z by Max Brooks (TIOLI #1/shared) - ROOT - Christmas Gift: Thank you, Stasia
Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin (TIOLI #4/shared) - 2013 acquired hardback
Sacred by Dennis Lehane (TIOLI #4) - ROOT
Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (TIOLI #4/shared) - ROOT - COMPLETED
Killing Floor by Lee Child (TIOLI #18/shared) - ROOT - COMPLETED
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (TIOLI #3) - ROOT - gift from Paul:Thank you, Paul!
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (TIOLI #3) - ROOT
Round Mountain by Castle Freeman, Jr. - ROOT
Hamlet by William Shakespeare - ROOT - Christmas Gift - COMPLETED
Eragon by Christopher Paolini - ROOT
The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes by Tess Uriza Holthe - library book - COMPLETED
Paris in the Twentieth Century by Jules Verne - library book
The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (TIOLI #21) - 2013 acquired ebook - COMPLETED

Hey, Wait a Minute... These Weren't On the Original List!
The Chardonnay Charade by Ellen Crosby (TIOLI #4) - ROOT - COMPLETED
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - COMPLETED
The Bordeaux Betrayal by Ellen Crosby (TIOLI #4) - COMPLETED
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (TIOLI #) - ROOT
Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (TIOLI #11/shared) - 2013 acquired ebook - COMPLETED
Ashfall by Mike Mullin (TIOLI #8/shared) - 2013 acquired ebook

January
1. Dreaming of the Bones by Deborah Crombie (4.25 stars) - ebook - ROOT
2. Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson (4 stars) - paperback, library book
3. Alice in the Country of Hearts by QuinRose - paperback - ROOT
4. A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori - hardback, Abby's book
5. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars) - ebook - ROOT
6. Maus I by Art Spiegelman (4.5 stars) - paperback - ROOT
7. Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken (4 stars) - ebook - ROOT
8. In the Woods by Tana French (4.5 stars) - paperback, library book
9. Volt by Alan Heathcock (4 stars) - paperback, library book
10. Emma by Karou Mori (3 stars) - hardback, library book
11. Maus II by Art Spiegelman (4.5 stars) - paperback - ROOT
12. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (4 stars) - audiobook - ROOT
13. The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair (3.75 stars) - paperback, Early Reviewer book
14. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (4.5 stars) - paperback - ROOT
15. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (4 stars) - hardback - ROOT
16. Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (5 stars) - ebook - ROOT
17. The One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (5 stars) - this was a reread, I am leaving the previous rating that I assigned it in place - hardback - ROOT

February
18. Before Midnight by Rex Stout (4 stars), paperback, library book
19. 420 Characters by Lou Beach (4 stars), hardback, library book
20. The Iron Duke by Maljean Brook (3 stars), paperback, library book
21. Temple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors (4.25 stars), paperback, ER book
22. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (4.25 stars), hardback purchased hot off the presses
23. A Literary Guide to Flannery O'Connor's Georgia by Sarah Gordon (4 stars), paperback, library book
24. Soulless by Gail Carringer (3.5 stars), library ebook
25. The Pale Criminal by Phillip Kerr (3.5 stars) ebook, ROOT
26. Blue Bloods: The Graphic Novel by Melissa de la Cruz (3.5 stars), hardback purchased in 2013
27. Pyongyang by Guy Delisle (3 stars), paperback, library book

Because I am completely insane, I am also trying to complete a pyramid challenge for the Lucky 13 Challenge, so I will picking my possible reads each month so that I can also fit them into the pyramid that Abby (my 16 year old daughter) and I created. We used a game show theme, and here are the categories we came up with:

The Categories:

1. Truth or Consequences - nonfiction
2. What's My Line? - biographies and memoirs
3. Beat the Clock - time travel
4. Let's Make a Deal - I agree to read four Manga books and Abby agrees to read four mysteries - we are each trying a genre new to us that is a favorite of the other.
5. Name That Tune - books set in or about Georgia, our new home state
6. Treasure Hunt - graphic novels
7. Hollywood Squares - books made into movies
8. Queen For a Day - historical fiction
9. Joker's Wild - right now it is anything goes, but Abby and I will each choose our own category for this
10. The Price is Right - books found on sale, at a used book store, or borrowed from the library
11. Match Game - books in a series
12. Press Your Luck - authors new to each of us
13. Pyramid - books published in 2013

You can find our Lucky 13 Challenge thread here: Crazymamie's Lucky 13

Checked It Out: (books that I have out on loan from the library)

Paris in the Twentieth Century by Jules Verne
Golden Legacy by Leonard S. Marcus
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers - recommended by the LT masses
A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Books Purchased in 2013:

January
1. Sandman, Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
2. Dog Stars by Peter Heller
3. Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
4. The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
5. Nightbirds on Nantucket by Joan Aiken
6. In the Woods by Tana French - because I loved it so much
7. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
8. Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie - collecting these covers
9. Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie - collecting these covers
10. The Clocks by Agatha Christie - collecting these covers
11. Third Girl by Agatha Christie - collecting these covers
12. The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch
13. The Likeness by Tana French - the book store had the hardcopy edition on sale for $6, how can I resist that?
14. Raylan by Elmore Leonard - Craig and I will both read this
15. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - I read this on Kindle last year, but wanted a physical copy of it
16. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory - book store had this on sale for $3, recommended by Chéli
17. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCollough - I read this forever ago and loved it, today I found a lovely edition with deckled edge pages, enough said!
18. Old Filth by Jane Gardam - my very first Europa edition!
19. The New Moon With the Old by Dodie Smith
20. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
21. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin - I read this on Kindle, but wanted a physical copy of it for my shelves
22. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin
23. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
24. A Feast of Crows by George R. R. Martin
25. A Dance of Dragons by George R. R. Martin

February
26. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
27. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
28. Vampire Empire by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
29. Faithful Place by Tana French
30. Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers (Kindle Daily Deal)
31. The Woman Who Wouldn't Die by Colin Cotterill - the latest Dr. Siri!
32. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett - deckled edge pages!
33. The Cider House Rules by John Irving - Kindle Daily Deal
34. The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel
35. Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell
36. Frances and Bernard by Carlene Bauer
37. Still Life With Murder by P. B Ryan (Kindle Daily Deal)
38. Blue Bloods: The Graphic Novel by Melissa de la Cruz
39. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (Kindle Daily Deal)

March
40. West With the Night by Beryl Markham (Kindle Daily Deal)
41. Made in the USA by Billie Letts - bookstore had this hardback on sale for $6
42. Die Trying by Lee Child
43. The Searchers by Alan Le May
44. The Witches of Wenshar by Barbara Hambly
45. Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly (Kindle Daily Deal)
46. The Poet by Michael Connelly
47. Blood Work by Michael Connelly
48. The Bordeaux Betrayal by Ellen Crosby
49. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
50. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
51. Ashfall by Mike Mullin - because Judy and Dejah assure me it is good!
52. Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb - who can resist this title? And Dejah says it's good!

2013 Stats (I shamelessly stole this from Cee!)



Total Books Read: 37

ROOTs books (off my own bookshelves): 17 counted/ 1 reread

Fiction: 33
Non-Fiction: 4

Male authors: 15
Female authors: 22

US authors: 21
Authors from other countries: 16

Living Authors: 30
Dead Authors: 7

Medium:
Hardback: 9
Paperback: 15
ebook: 12
audiobook: 1

An idea stolen from Heather (souloftherose), who borrowed it from Liz (lyzard): ongoing series that I am actively reading. This doesn't include series where I have the first book in my TBR pile (i.e. series I haven't started reading yet aren't included). An asterisk (*) indicates a series where I already have a copy of the next book. A pointing finger (☛) indicates a series where I am waiting for the next book to be released.

1. African Trilogy by Chinua Achebe: Next Up: Arrow of God (3/3)

2. *Bernie Gunther by Phillip Kerr: Next Up: German Requiem (3/9)

3. *Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones: Next Up: Third Grave Dead Ahead (3/4)

4. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache by Louise Penny: Next Up: A Fatal Grace (2/8)

5. *Commissario Montalbano by Andrea Camilleri: Next Up: The Snack Thief (3/15)

6. * Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Next Up: Days of Blood and Starlight (2/3)

7. *Divergent by Veronica Roth: Next Up: Insurgent (2/3)

8. *Dr. Siri Paiboun by Colin Cotterill: Next up: Slash and Burn (8/9)

9. Duncan Kincaid/ Gemma James by Deborah Crombie:Next Up: Kissed a Sad Goodbye (6/15)

10. * Dust Lands by Moira Young: Next Up: Rebel Heart (2/3)

11. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: Next Up: The Dead tossed Waves (2/3)

12. *Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly: Next Up: The Narrows (10/18)

13. *Harry Hole by Jo Nesbo: Next Up: The Snowman (7/9)

14. ☛ The Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh: Next Up: ? (3/3)

15. *In Death by J. D. Robb: Next Up: Glory in Death (2/44)

16. *Inspector Sejer by Karin Fossum: Next Up: He Who Fears the Wolf (2/9)

17. Jack Taylor by Ken Bruen: Next Up: The Dramatist (4/9)

18. *James Bond by Ian Fleming: Next Up: Live and Let Die (2/14)

19. *Jackson Brodie by Kate Atkinson: Next Up: One Good Turn (2/4)

20. *Kenzie and Gennaro by Dennis Lehane: Next Up: Sacred (3/6)

21. *Lady Julia Gray by Deanna Raybourn: Next Up: The Dark Enquiry (5/5)

22. ☛ Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: Next Up: Cress (3/4)

23. *Matched by Ally Condie: Next Up: Crossed (2/3)

24. *Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larrson: Next Up: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest (3/3)

25. *Philip Marlowe by Raymond Chandler: Next Up: The Little Sister (5/8)

26. *Raylan Givens by Elmore Leonard: Next Up: Raylan (3/3)

27. *Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris: Next Up: Dead in the Family (9/12)

28. *Song of Fire and Ice by George R. R. Martin: Next Up: Clash of Swords (2/5)

29. Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs: Next Up: Grave Secrets (5/15)

30. Vish Puri by Tarquin Hall: Next Up: The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing (2/3)

31. Walt Longmire by Craig Johnson: Up Next: Another Man's Moccasins (4/8)

32. Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby: Next Up: The Riesling Retribution (4/6)

33. ☛Wolf Hall Trilogy by Hilary Mantel: Next up: ? (3/3)

Series that I am reading out of order:
Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout (2/47)

Hi again! So happy to be first. :-)

Wow! You are very fast, Pat! And yes, you are first - so happy to have you along for the ride!

I just realized I needed to go back and see what your opening posts were. I love the story about Birdy and the picture. You've probably explained this before but how did Birdy get her name?

I hope you love The Shipping News. I thought that was a great book and I think Paul made an excellent selection.

Such a great story and photo of Birdy! Love it.

Pat - Birdy's "paper name" as she calls it, is Sara. We call her Birdy because she is always up with the sun, always cheerful and always chattering - just like the birds. When she was little, she would literally fall asleep talking. She is an old soul, and because she is the baby, she was my constant companion while I carted the other kids around to their various locations - preschool, swimming lessons, soccer, etc. She would be back there in her car seat talking away, but not about mundane things - she has a rapier wit and I would not have been surprised to glance in the rearview mirror and see her smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee, if you know what I mean. I always told Craig that I felt like I was driving around with my aunt back there, not my daughter, because she was such a nut. I would drop Dan and Abby off at preschool and then drive through the coffee shop and she would say "I'll take a latte, too, but get mine with skim milk, I'm watching my weight today." I didn't know you were watching your weight today, I would say, and then she could deliver the punchline: "I watched it yesterday, too, but nothing happened."

Hi Julia! Glad you liked the opening post!

I laughed out loud at Birdy's response. How old was she at the time? It's just so precious!

Thanks so much for that explanation, Mamie. What a great story. Birdy sounds like a hoot!

Caro - She was in preschool there, so probably just turned five (she has an October birthday and that is a Christmas concert). She is one of those people that has never met a stranger and can think fast on her feet, so she is a lot of fun.

Pat - You're welcome! And she is a hoot - that's the perfect word!

I've fallen so far behind Mamie! Had to skim your last thread & I'll try to do better here! Love your Birdy stories! She sounds like a fun little person! :)

Hi Tina! I am so far behind on the threads, too - I'm always thrilled to see you, don't ever feel like you have to catch up. Birdy is fun (and funny) - she is fourteen now, and she still keeps us in stitches.

LOL! I wish I could say I watched my weight yesterday and nothing happened! I guess I should get the skim milk latte!
Birdie is a gift!

Welcome Cee! Me, too! And Birdy is a gift - thanks for saying so.

Hi there Mamie, glad to see you back in action. I love the Birdy story. Isn't it wonderful that with kids, no two are alike within a family? I know my two are as different as night and day and it sounds like yours are too.

Hi Bonnie! Thanks! It is nice to be missed and great to be back. And that is so true - each of our four kids has their own distinct individual personality and interests. They are so different from one another, but Rae and Birdy really stand out as complete opposites because Birdy LOVES irony and sarcasm and Rae simply cannot understand either one. And Birdy is so outgoing and social, and Rae is quiet and introverted. But they are both VERY stubborn - I have no idea where they get that from!

Birdy is my kinda gal! I have a grandson who would be about right for a marriage contract....

LOVE the photo -- LOVE the Birdy stories

Hi Mamie! I'm so far behind, but new thread!

Birdy sounds like a hoot! Your stories reminds me of Matthew, a very bright former piano student. He always had the best zingers and impeccable comic timing for an 8 year old. I suppose he's in college now and probably all set to rule the world.

Morning Mamie- Congrats on the new thread! Good luck with all those current reads! LOL.

Good Morning Y'all! It's only going to 55F here today, so this will be a winter day - I'll need my sweatshirt! Living in the South cracks me up.

Richard - LOL! Please send me his credentials - we plan on letting her date in about 30 years!

Reba - So glad you loved them!

Kerri! So true - new thread means you get to start over, right? Matthew sounds a lot like Birdy. It's funny because she was a bit shy with her own age group since she was always around people older than herself. When we took her to preschool for the first time she said, "And what exactly am I supposed to do with these kids?" Um...socialize...interact...it will be fun. "Just don't forget to pick me up," she said. "Don't let all that freedom go to your head."

Morning Mark! I know - I am in over my head! March is going to be my clean up month for reading - my current reads should be nice and tidy by the end of the month. Anyway, that's what I'm telling myself!

It's very easy to get very far behind very quickly... but... hello!

Birdy sounds like such a trip. How old is she now. And which one is she in the top pic? The one on the left, I bet!

Hi Crazy! Love the Birdy photo and stories, and the marriage proposal. Your intended March reads look awesome and I can tell you really enjoy your stats up top. When I have some spare time I might have to steal the series one. Have an awesome day!

Hi Mamie, I love your thread topper and story about the lamb chops. It looks like the boy on the left thought you were serious! I hope you are having a good week with plenty of time to read some of those library books you have checked out.

Hello, sis! Happy Wednesday to you!

Morphy - She is a trip! She is fourteen now, and you have guessed correctly - she is the one in blue on the left side of the photo.

Kim - I knew you would love the pic and the story! And the proposal! I do love stats and lists of any kind - how did you guess?! Steal away on the series one - I did! The sun is out here today, which is an unexpected surprise, so I am feeling quite cheerful. Looks like a good one! Wishing you an awesome one as well!

Congrats on the new thread, Mamie, and what a great thread topper!

I just realized (what a slow poke I am sometimes) that you're reading some of my favorite series. You've got a bunch I like, but it was particularly nice to see you're reading the Camilleri Inspector Montalbano series, and Dust Lands, Lunar Chronicles, in Death, and Dr. Siri.

ETA: I saw your question on the last thread, Mamie. Amazon says Autumn of the Patriarch is 280 pages, which is relatively short these days.

Bitterblue is great, btw. Well worth you're getting to.

Thanks, Joe! Four of those five series I started because of LT - Mark and Chelle got me to read Blood Red Road, Paul and Lucy got me to read the Inspector Montalbano, and Richard got me to read Dr. Siri - all excellent series. I think that it was you and Caro that talked me into the In Death series. I found Cinder on my own because I picked it up to add to Birdy's collection of Cinderella books - she collects different versions of Cinderella stories. I absolutely love a good series!

Oh, you edited your message while I was posting - okay, 280 is short, so I will try that one. And I will definitely read Graceling - just need to figure out where to squeeze it in. It sounds like a good summer read, so maybe this summer. Craig is reading Bitterblue right now, and he thinks it is the best of the three, he says.

Oh, you've got some good reading ahead of you, Mamie. Graceling and Fire are both topnotch, and Bitterblue is at least as good if not better, as Craig is saying.

Spot #39. Whew. Just in time.
Good to "see" you again, Mamie!

eta: Make that spot #40.

Hi Mamie, glad to see everything is going well in Mamieland. We have an old soul in our family as well with my grandson while his younger sister totally keeps us all on our toes, she's full of energy, mischief, and one-liners which makes it very hard to scold her when you can't keep from laughing at her jokes!

If you've missed my threads like I've missed yours, Mamie I can say this... I just finished the Cashore trilogy and loved each & every one of them!!! Don't wait til summer! Read now!! ;0)

Prospective bridegroom Quentin swinging his little sister Genevieve at some war or another.

Mark was grumbling over at my place about his movement from his familiar 5th spot to nosebleed time in your spot at number 3. I told him that you were waiting for your second wind and then I blinked and the second wind duly blew through at gale force! Congratulations on number 7 dear Mamie.

A red headed prospective bride groom, eh? Should be interesting! What a treat to watch all these little guys grow into their full selves.

Mamie, your thread is always like visiting my favorite neighbor's home! Lots of good books, lots of laughter, and really fun, and interesting people. Congrats.

I hope winter in the South at nearly 60 degrees is not too tough on you!

Mamie! I love your family's sense of humor as reflected in the opening pic and dialog. A family without a sense of humor is like pb & J without the bread.
Have a spectacular day in balmy Georgia!

Agree with Lynda here. You have a wonderful group of kids :)
Just a peek in and a hello. I feel rather like I have been run over by a truck. No idea why :PPP
It will sort out... lots of working this week.

Hope all is well.. and the week is winding down to your favorite day!

Happy Thursday, Everyone! Yesterday was Craig's 1/2 day off - he just works until lunch on Wednesdays. We had a very lovely day together. First, we all went out to lunch at Chilis, then to the Mall for jeans for Birdy who has shot up recently and was beginning to look a bit like a Nerd Bird in her flood pants. Then of course we had to stop at the bookstore because it is at the Mall, so it would be rude not to pay our respects, right? Abby and I each found a book on the sale table - I bought Billie Letts' Made in the USA and Abby got Secret Society - $9 for the two hardbacks, so not bad. Birdy wrote down titles to purchase from Amazon, as she is a discriminating shopper (i.e. cheap), then we went for coffee at a local shop that makes excellent lattes for a bargain price. After dropping off Birdy and Rae at home (they are not big shoppers), we went back out to two local stores that Craig and I had not been to before. One was a shop that does interior decorating but also carries a lot of eclectic stuff for sale. They also carry some plants and landscaping materials, which is what Craig wanted to look at. The red geraniums were in, but not off the truck yet, so Craig will stop back and pick them up today - I ADORE red geraniums! They are just so cheerful. Next we went to a shop that must rent out sections of its store to other sellers - so fun to look here as they had a lot of antiques and handcrafted items. Abby bought three vintage Vogue magazines from the thirties, and I bought a cast iron bunny that I intend to use as a doorstop - not a cute bunny, it looks like a real bunny. I also bought these bookends that are tiny lamps that look like a part of a tree with two little birds sitting in it - has a cast iron look, but is lighter than that. I gave them to Birdy, who was delighted with them. I will have to take a photo to post here because they are hard to describe but completely charming. Our final stop was at the furniture store down the road that is having a huge sale - more than 50% off of all items in stock. We bought a few pieces of outdoor furniture to add to the stuff we already have for the new pool area. Speaking of the pool - the fence company is supposed to arrive today to start putting up the fencing! We are nearing completion of the project, and I cannot wait to see the finished result.

*back to answer individual posts in a bit

Joe - I will get to them. I promise.

Ellen! Thanks for stopping in! Spot #40 looks lovely on you.

Judy - Your grandchildren sound delightful! And it is indeed hard to scold them when they are charming and you are having trouble keeping your poker face on. Trust me, I have been there before!

Tina - I need to delurk on your thread! I am glad that you add another positive vote for the Cashore trilogy. I will try to get to them before summer, but no promises because my reading is completely out of control at the moment. I am trying to be good and finish what I have started before dipping into any more books. We'll see!

Richard - What a great photo! Your grandson looks like he knows how to embrace life! Birdy would like to know how tall he is! Anyone who takes time to make his sister smile like that during a war gets my vote!

Paul - Mark can have spot number three - I have my eye on the five spot! I was actually shocked that I was still in the top ten after last week because I wasn't around much, and this is a busy place. I thought I would be left in the dust.

Karen - I love the red hair! And what a lovely compliment you have paid me - thanks so much for that! Winter in the South is turning out to be just my cup of tea...er, coffee!

Lynda - Thank you! And that is such a great analogy - I think humor is key, too. Today in Georgia it is sunny and going to a high of 58F. It's beautiful out there.

Kathleen - Thanks, sis! Sorry you feel like you have been run over by a truck - that's is NOT good! I hope today is a good one for you and that it is kind. I am looking forward to tomorrow, although I must say that today is looking pretty sweet so far. Hugs for you, dear one.

Quentin's thirteen now, and five feet six. I hope hope hope he takes after mom's side and makes it to six feet. His dad's a chihuahua, maybe five five or so.

Birdy has not yet made it to five feet! She is definitely not going to be tall.

Short women don't face the same sort of prejudice that short men do. I'm certainly guilty of it.

Mamie! Birdy is an absolute gem. I'm two thirds of the way through Bitterblue and it is really, really good. I think it is a great idea to wait until summer. They would make great sunroom, poolside reads. Line them up on a lazy weekend. Do you have those? Probably not!

Give the Giver quartet a try when you have some time. They are quick reads but really good. The second book seems unrelated but they all end up somewhat connected. That is all I will say. The last in the series is the longest but it makes the quartet rewarding. I think the first one stands out but the others bring the story to a nice closure.

Richard - True. About short women not facing the same prejudice, I mean. I am only 5'2" myself, and I find that to be a fine height except when I need something from the top shelf. My son Daniel, however, is 6' and therefore just an inch or so taller than Craig - my Dad was only 5'9", so Craig was shocked that Dan made it to 6'. Oh, the fickleness of genetics!

Roberta - Thank you! Craig is really liking Bitterblue also. And we do get those long lazy weekends, so I will plan on reading them poolside! What a lovely thought! I am still not sure that I want to venture further into The Giver quartet, but I shall consider it since you recommend it so highly. I liked the open ending of the original, so I hesitate to mess with that - I am funny that way sometimes. For example, I read and loved Ender's Game, but I have no interest in messing with my thoughts on it, so I will not read further in even though there are more books. Sometimes less is more for me.

Hello Mamie, I'm really pleased I've finally caught up with you and your lovely family! It sounds like you all had a fab day - did you get your red geraniums?

I love the Birdy story at the beginning of the thread, and Rae's four leaf clover one last thread.

Hi Mamie, I'm so jealous that you're already thinking about planting geraniums and have such a long flower season. I'm also really looking forward to seeing those bookends! It's so nice that Craig likes to do all that shopping with you. My husband's shopping stamina is an hour tops.

Mamie/RD - Chihuahua here at 5ft 6; my thirteen year old towers over me already and SWMBO is, like you Mamie, 5ft 2.

That picture makes me laugh each time I sign in here...
I am like Pat... wishing it was planting weather here. I am so tired of being cold.. brrrr!
Whatcha doing today?

eta

thanks for the coffee :)

It's FRIDAY! I love Fridays! I don't know why, but they just feel different to me - they always seem special somehow. Hope everyone out there in LT Land has a fabulous one!

Dee! What a wonderful surprise! I MISS you! I am getting my red geraniums today - Craig got off work too late to pick them up, so he's getting them today. I am excited about them. And I am thrilled that you liked my last two opening posts. Hope all is well with you - please give the hamster and the corgi my love.

Pat - I don't actually do any of the work involved with the flowers - I just enjoy the bright infusion of color that they provide! Craig does all of the gardening and yard work - it makes him so happy, so I leave it to him. He finds it relaxing, he says. And the shopping - Craig loves to go out and look in places like the ones that we visited the other day, but clothing shopping is another thing entirely. He and Dan usually go do something else and meet back up with us if we have significant clothes shopping to do. Birdy just needed jeans, so that was fast and easy and relatively painless. I will try to post a photo of the bird bookends later today.

Paul - 5'6" still beats me and all of my girls, Paul! And see?! 5'2" is perfect Diva height!

Kathleen - Morning, sis! I love that picture, too! March always makes me giddy for Spring, but here I am actually getting some - so different from Indiana. It's supposed to be 67F here today! Let's see -what am I doing today? Um, laundry for sure, and I have to finish reorganizing the pantry because I made kind of a mess by stopping part way through the other day. I also need to pay some bills - absolutely hate that, but love when it is done. And figure out dinner. Other than that, I hope to get some reading done and write up my review of Love in the TIme of Cholera, which I am still thinking about. And you're welcome - coffee anytime for you!

Me,? 5'2" also! Although, I think I must have a big personality because lots of people who knew me mostly around conference room tables and the like are surprised that I am "short". The one time it kinda freaked me out was when some guy picked me up to twirl me around (I am sure he did it in fun, and meant no harm) and I did not like the feeling of being off my own two feet. I did not like it that I was small enough that he felt free to do that.

Icky!

I love Fridays, too. It is the beginning of a whole lot of time when I can just follow my own nose and do what I want. Even the scheduled events are possible to skip, and have just the weekend be mine, mine, mine.

Hope your weekend is lots of fun. I am going to try to make mine so!

I beat you both at 5'1". And J at (just) 13 is already two or three inches taller than me. It's funny, when he was a young child I always measured his height in centimetres because that's how his clothes were sized. Now that he's getting older I'm starting to think of his height in feet and inches.

fly-by wave *waves hello*

Hi Karen! I'm with you - twirling is OUT! Definitely icky! And that's probably why I like Fridays, too - Friday=Freedom. It's the beginning of less structured time as it leads inevitably to the weekend. When the kids were little and played soccer, the weekends were just as busy as the rest of the week, but in a different way. Now they are loose and free, and I like them that way. Hoping that your weekend proves to be as fun as you can stand - may it be full of fabulous!

Rhian - Hello! Okay, you win. That is funny about the measuring! I remember that Daniel was the littlest thing for the longest time - he walked at 9 months, and he was so short that he could walk right underneath the ding room table without ducking his head. I wish I had taken a photo of that! Now he is 6' and could not even sit under it without ducking.

*waves back at Diana*

Hi Mamie, I thought I'd stop in. I had been sort of overwhelmed by the sheer number of posts (and threads) in the past and stayed away, but I figured I'd just dive in now. :)

My kids are both taller than me. I'm 5'3" and my daughter is 5'7", almost 5'8". She's done growing now, but for a while I thought she might end up even taller. It's a good height though, I think. At least she won't have the problem I do, of having a hard time finding pants that don't drag on the ground. My son is about 5'11" now, which is an inch taller than his dad. I'm not sure how tall he's going to get (he's 17), but it would be nice if he made it to 6'.

My husband now is 6'4" so he towers over everyone - except when he met my uncle, who is 6'6"! It was a rare experience for him - the idea is so strange for me, who looks up to everyone!

On the book front - you've got the "2/3 through everything" blues too, hm? Somehow I just put the wrong group of books together, and now I just want to finish something already!

Ursula! I am so glad that you decided to just dive in! Love the height stories everyone is sharing - I bet your son might still shoot up a bit more. Daniel is 18, and he is still sneaking up a bit. That is so funny about your husband meeting your uncle - I always look up to everyone, too!

And yes! I am right with you on the not quite finished book blues! I have too many going - and for some reason others are still calling to me. I have to make myself sit down and focus on something I am already reading. I am thinking that you have hit the nail on the head with having the wrong combination of books together - I think that is exactly what I did. I am determined to finish what I have started, so hopefully, if I work at it this weekend, I will soon be feeling better about it all. Must move forward! Good luck to you with yours!

I'm 5'10", but both my parents were tall so it's not surprising. The funniest experience I've had was when I had to meet a friend of my friend Kate, and she said he was "very tall". That was about the only clue I had to go on, so I was a bit surprised when he turned out to be no more than about 6', if that. But then I remembered Kate is only 4'11", so I suppose it all depends on your perspective :-)

Hi Susan! You made me laugh! So true that it all depends on your perspective.

Susan, at something over 5'9" I'll be on your team. I know about that perspective thing. It takes someone really tall to get me to notice. My son is 6'3" and I do notice that he's "tall". I sort of wish my husband could "twirl" me (he's a little shorter than me so that was never an option, even before we got old lol) but I would HATE it if anyone else even thought about it (which I can't imagine they ever would have -- I'm told I can be intimidating which is odd to me because I know I'm a cream puff inside). Mostly I'm glad to be tall but when trying to buy pants (you can cut them off but you can't tug them longer) or fit into the back seat of a car or into an airplane seat, not so much.

Donna - WAAaaaayy back up there in post 34. I missed you somehow - I think we cross posted. I have to point out that there is no boy in that photo - the little girl all the way to the left of the photo in blue is my own Birdy, and she was responding to the lamb chops for dinner comment, so you were half right, although she did know that I was joking.

Reba - I am laughing about the twirling. I do not want to be twirled by anyone, even Craig. Perhaps in my twenties, but somehow I cannot even imagine liking it then. I told each of my nephews as they passed me in height that they were not allowed to pat me on the head - EVER! I have my dignity, I said.

I was a hair under 5'7"but now I'm 5'6" and shrinking. Grrrrr. I had a grandpa who was 6'2" married a woman who was 4'11" and we are all over the place height-wise. (The other pair were a bit taller than the average for the time, but only a couple of inches apart.) My mother was over 5'10" as an adult but she shrank terribly and would get furious if anyone mentioned it.....

*waiting for the picture of the bookends* .... no pressure ,Mamie ... just sayin' ;-)

sounds like you guys had a wonderful Thursday. I love geraniums of any color. Plants come to my house only to die.

I had to laugh when you mentioned not wanting your nephews to pat you on the head as they gained height over you. I have a tendency to pat the hubster on his head whenever I walk past him when he's sitting down. He doesn't mind ....although occasionally, he'll turn his head and make like a panting dog.

My mom's the "short" one in the family at 5'7". I've been 5'10 since I was 13. So I got a lot of the opposite prejudice. I was "too tall" and therefore didn't date much. My first serious boyfriend was 6'5"! Not only that but he used to wear boots with a small heel so would be even taller when dressed. My husband is just under 6'2" and I don't think of him as being all that tall. But then my brother is 6'3" and my dad is 6'4".

Hi Mamie,I was 5'2" from seventh grade until a few years ago when I started shrinking (gasp!). Currently I'm 5'0" and hopefully have leveled off. I have a son who is 6'1" and a daughter who is 5'6" so they apparently got the tall genes. Pictures of me and my son (or son-in-law who is 6'3") are hilarious. Talk about Mutt and Jeff.

I completely agree -- no head patting, EVER!! But a nice romantic twirl/hug sort of thing might be nice but I'll never know :-)

Glad other people weighed in from the tall camp - I was starting to feel like a giant (only 5 10 so not that tall). My sis is 6ft though and her baby boy was 60cm long when he was born - he really will be a giant.

Me and two of my friends are convinced we have mutant children - all three kids are in different school but all are the tallest in their classes. We as parents aren't short but the kids are definitely lanky!

Hanging onto our dignity as we become the shortest person in the room.... Or perhaps my "better option" might be to just try to be as cute as I can get away with.... even though "cute" is the last word I would use to describe my inner life. I might look cute on the outside, but I am a giant of profundity inside. So, there!

Hope your weekend is chock a block full of good times, too, Mamie.

Morning Mamie, I just read all about The Searchers, both book and movie, in today's Wall Street Journal and thought of you. You are on top of the latest trends. I wondered why you were reading this old classic I had never heard of. I am very familiar with the story of Cynthia Parker and now want to read the book. Who knows, maybe I'll see the movie too and want to read the upcoming Ford biography. Happy Saturday to you and your lovely family.

Ha! I just received my copy of The Searchers on Thursday. Yay!

Super short here.... 5'3". Very challenging!

I will be back in a bit to answer individual posts, but in the mean time, here is the promised photo of Birdy's bookends:

They are lovely!

Lucy - 5'6" sounds good to me! All of my nieces and nephews seem to tower over me - now I am thankful that I was considered to be the "fun aunt". 6'2" and 4'11" probably made for some interesting photos!

Caro - I need to see if I can get a closer pic of the birds to show the detail, but you get the general idea from this photo. They are proudly occupying the top of Birdy's bookcase - a position of honor! And the geraniums have arrived and are looking ever so cheerful - all red because red is my very favorite. And about the head patting - my oldest sister Cindy is the shortest of all of us at just 5'. She gets much head patting because for some reason people just can't resist that, so I thought some defensive measures were indicated for when the nephews passed me by in height.

Morphy - You come from the land of tall compared to me! 5'10" at thirteen must have been hard. And your first serious boyfriend was taller than John Wayne!

Bonnie - I think that Craig has shrunk a bit, and I'm glad to hear you and Lucy mention it because I thought I was imagining things! I know just what those pictures of you and your son look like because my nephews are tall like that, too. I laugh when I see the photo of myself with any of them at their graduations.

Reba - LOL! We are agreed on the no head patting, but must agree to disagree on the twirl!

Bekka - My niece is 5'8", and I think she looks stately! I come from short, so I am always amazed by tall. Sounds like our LT group is all over the place - don't you just love individuality?! I did the math conversion to figure out your nephew's length in inches - good gracious! Over 23 inches long - he IS going to be tall!

Karen - Looking cute on the outside is excellent camouflage! I would agree that you are a "giant of profundity" on the inside. And I am totally stealing that! And thanks for your good wishes - the weekend has been lovely so far. And you got your copy of The Searchers - hope you like it as much as I am liking it. I'm about halfway through, and I think he did a good job with how he set up the book. I just wish that there were more photos and that those that are included were larger.

Tina - You top me by an inch! The jeans are always way too long!

Roberta - Thank you! Birdy really loves them.

In the past two years I've lost 3/4" off my 5'8" frame. Being 50ish ............insert the 5 letter s word here.
I love Birdy's bookends ............and whats inbetween them too!

All the tales of the tape are interesting Mamie. Susan, Reba and Morphy would certainly stand out from the crowd in Asia where the ladies very rarely are taller than myownself.
The age shrinking thing is a concern of course, I must be 5 ft 5 already!

Lynda - Oh dear - 3/4". Glad you love Birdy's bookends - and what's in them! She loves fantasy as long as there is no icky stupid love stuff in there.

Paul - The age shrinking thing IS a concern - good thing I have a tall personality!

You have purchased about as many books this year as me!I officially have 47 on my list, but one of those was for giving away, and the two that I got yesterday have barely even made it in the house...so we are at evens! :)

Those bookends are lovely! But to keep all the books I have left over from the shelves, Id need a surface about 14 metres long!

Hi Megan! And Hooray for new books! And we probably are even or I might have purchased more than you because I am not counting books that I purchase for the girls but have no intention of reading myself. Glad you like the bookends - and the shelf space is limited, but you have to keep in mind that the shelves in question belong only to Birdy. We have boxes and boxes of books that are in the attic space, as we have no room to display them! The girls had to pick and choose what would get the available shelf space - they each have their own bookshelves in their bedrooms, and we have two bookcases in the upstairs hall just for their libraries. Needless to say, Craig and I had to store books in the attic also. I would love to someday have all of our books displayed and easy to get to, but for now that is a pipe dream!

Hey Mamie! Finally able to catch up with you and your new thread! Sounds like things are going well for you!

Hi Brit! Things are indeed going very well - I cannot complain. How are those boys doing? I need to come catch up with you!

Georgia sunset - courtesy of Abby:

I was looking for the like button! LOL

Beautiful, especially the way she caught the sign at just the right spot in the tree! Abby has a real eye for photo composition.

Great photo!

Wow, Abby captured the sun perfectly. Be sure and thank her for us, Mamie. I love trees in their stark winter beauty.

Gorgeous photo by Abby! She is so talented :)
Bookends.. what a find for Birdy! I'm sure she will treasure them always! I know I would and my name isn't Birdy !

I won't join in on the shrinking discusiionl... I prefer to not think about it!

It looks as if things are happy as usual in Mamieland... and that is a good thing to see :)

Yup! That is one good "eye".

Morning Mamie- Just checking in. I love Birdy's bookends and Abby's sunset photo. Hope you had a nice weekend.

Morning Everyone - all we are just a bit grumpy because of the time change? I want that hour back! Yesterday was fabulous here, and I spent the afternoon reading on the deck. As a result, I have finished up a few books, so I will be reporting on those later today. So thrilled that so many of you liked Abby's photo - she just keeps getting better and better, I think. Of course, I might be slightly biased! Here's hoping that Monday is as good as it can be for all of you - it's supposed to rain here, so it's looking a bit gloomy outside. Good thing nothing has to get done today because I am running low on energy.

Thanks so much to Roberta, Julia, Pat, Donna, Kathleen, Karen and Mark for your lovely words about Abby's photo - I will make sure she checks in here later today to see all your sweet compliments for herself.

Sis - Birdy really loves those bookends, so they were a great find. And Mamieland is indeed happy - thanks for checking on me!

Mark - I hate that you had the water damage to deal with over the weekend and now today. Sending my best thoughts your way that all the mess gets taken care of quickly and with minimum hassle for you. Hugs to you, friend.

Monday *smooch*

Richard - Monday Smooches are especially valuable to me - thanks! *smooch back*

Hi Mamie!
Great photos - especially Abby's tree.
Even I am starting to get a wee bit jealous of your reading on the deck. It's no secret I love winter - but few know I also love spring... er, the part of spring that follows mud season, that is. It'll be here soon.

So many have mentioned how great Bitterblue is. I may not be able to hold off much longer.

Red geraniums - cool! or should I say HOT! Did you get your fence done?

How about a Monday *wave* and a hearty "hi-ya"!

Hi Cee! Thanks for the kind words. I love Spring, too. Hard not to like everything waking up and coming to life again - it does for earth what a smile does for the face! Craig ended up loving Bitterblue - he said it was the best one out of the three. We did not get our fence done - the Pool Guy needs more time to finish things on his end before the fencing goes up, so that has been delayed. Hopefully the Pool Guy will be finished by the end of this week, and then the fence company can get started. It's supposed to be in the sixties and seventies all week with rain only today, so they should be able to get it done if they show up. I am really anxious to see the finished project!

Hi Karen! I'll take that Monday wave and hearty "hi-ya"! I need to come get caught up on your thread.

Hi Mamie.. I may be a wee bit jealous of warm weather, too. I have been cold for months.
I hardly know what to do with myself...how to keep warm. Usually at about 4 pm or so at work
I am so cold I can barely stand it. I am always cold at home, unless I am busy cleaning ... a good reason to clean... lol

Nothing worth mentioning going on here... so it's good to see things are smooth and happy in Mamieland :)

So when do we get more pool pics?

Morning, sis! I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner last night because your thread made me hungry for it! Sorry about the cold -I would gladly share the warm. Supposed to be 66F here today - I am hoping to actually see the sun sometime today - pretty overcast yesterday. No big plans for today - just the usual routine. I need to decide what's for dinner - maybe I'll try a new recipe.

Hi Morphy - We don't have any progress to report on the pool. I am hoping the Pool Guys will be back today to start on the last leg - they need to hook up the plumbing and electric, install the pebbling that goes on the interior of the pool, put in the filter...that kind of stuff. After that, the fencing can go up. I am really wanting it done - feels like it is really dragging out, but all the rain we got last month created a stand still. The rest of this week is supposed to be clear with good weather, so if they show up, they should be able to finish it up. I'll post new pics as soon as there is something different to see.

I don't know if it is any comfort but I know you know: all construction projects go like this. Those which finish on time are so unusual that a celebration is often ordered up, and a bonus paid. Just for being on time. Ha! Wish the doctor's office would give me a bonus for being on time. Or the dentist.

So true, Karen. Hurry up and wait. Our last house was pretty much a 14 year renovation project - we gutted it one room at a time, so I know all about construction. I always get antsy in the last stage of a project. Everything has gone really smoothly, and it's nice to have a project that does not involve workers coming into the house, so I cannot complain.

Hi Mamie, I'm spending my morning catching up on LT. Your afternoon reading on Sunday sounded lovely. I wasted my 10 hour flight home yesterday watching bad movies - just couldn't concentrate on any of the books I was in the middle of...

Hi Katie! Welcome home! Don't you hate when you actually have a block of time to read in but then it's not what you are in the mood for? So glad that you made it safely back from your travels - which you were so very generous to share with all of us. Now I want to go to London and tour the bookstores and eat at those fabulous places!

Morning Mamie- I hope your Tuesday is going well and that your current reads are keeping you happy. I think you would love St. Lucy's.

Hi there Mame-a-licious, I cam sniffing for bacon pecan pancakes but you'll do fine as a substitute.

Mamie, I always love your stories about the kids :-)

"I watched it yesterday, too, but nothing happened." *snort* Oh, I'm going to try and remember that one!

Hey Mamie -

I'm away from the threads for a few days and I'm over 100 posts behind - sheesh!

I love the Birdy stories - your kids are a hoot! They all sound like wonderful people - kudos to your parenting!

I noticed you reread Twilight - never fear, I have an unexplainable fondness for it myself. I'd love to hear what you thought of Barbara Hambly's The Ladies of Mandrigyn. Will you be continuing the series?

Isn't winter in the South wonderful?

I am, once again, too far behind.
But I do like that Georgia sunset.

Good day to you! I agree with the comments above.. having time to read and just not feeling it ... so annoying when that happens!

Not much happening here...work later .. doing som reading.. all is well.

Mamie today is my Friday! Woo!

Mark - It was a good Tuesday. Today is wednesday, and it is GORGEOUS! 65F and sunny - a dreamy day! I am very happy with my current reads - I feel like I am finally making progress. I will have to check out St. Lucy's if you are recommending it - I did not like Swamplandia because I could not get into the story, but the writing was beautiful, and I bet short stories would show it off perfectly.

Richard - You sweet talker, you! That always works with me!! And we always have pecans and bacon - aren't those staples? I have not made bacon pecan pancakes before, but now I am thinking about it - sweet and savory go so well together...

Heather - Thank you! Glad you liked the Birdy stories. She is full of fabulous!

Dejah - What kind words you offer me - thanks for that. I did reread Twilight - I just love those books even though I know they are not very popular here. Glad to find another fan - we must stick together! And I LOVED The Ladies of Mandrigyn! Thank you so much for pointing me in its direction. What a fun read! I had not read anything by Barbara Hambly before, so I was thrilled to discover a new author. I will indeed be continuing the series, and I have already purchased the second one. And the South - SO fabulous! I am loving and falling in love with Georgia. What a beautiful state this is!

Ellen - I need to go searching for your thread - I had lost you and Dejah! Glad you liked the Georgia sunset. I will track you down and catch up with your thread - I found Dejah this morning when I had a moment. I am blaming the iPad because somehow I end up hitting the ignore button on threads even though I try to be careful, then I don't realize it until I think, hmmm, I haven't seen so and so lately. I am having a harder time keeping up with everyone this year.

Kathleen - Good day! Not much happening can be good - glad to hear that all is well with you. The pool workers came today, so that makes me so happy!

Roberta - Oh, how I love Fridays, so I am feeling your joy! WahHOO for you!

Today is Rae's birthday. She is twenty-one. TWENTY-ONE!! How did this happen?

Happy Birthday Rae!

Happy birthday to Rae! Wow, 21 — that's a big one, too.

A lovely young lady, and I hope you can remind her that The Entire Universe Danced on the Day She Was Born. You would know, wouldn't you?

Happy Birthday, Rae.

Mamie, you do know, also, that on the 75 Book Challenge home page there is a link to a page with everyone's threads listed. It is the easy way to find folks who've lost their place on your Stars list.

I'll join in with the pleasure of wishing Rae a wonderful 21st. Lovely to get the key to the door at the Pecan Paradisio! An obviously special young lady's special day.

Happy birthday to Rae! Woohoo - 21 is a milestone.

Congratulations on your lovely daughter, Mamie.

Happy Birthday to Rae - and many, many more!
What a gorgeous young lady :-)
Takes after her mom...

There's the before and after picture I was looking for Mamie. Happy Birthday Rae! And what a lovely young thing she is.

Wow..she's a stunner! Happy Birthday to you Rae!

Happy Birthday to Rae. She was lovely as a youngster and is still lovely at 21.
I guess 21 is still a youngster, but you know what I mean. Hopefully she does, too.

Happy birthday to your beautiful Rae!

Dejah & Mamie -- y'all can add me to the very small list of Twilight fans. (coughs, tries not to look too sheepish as I wait for insults...)

Happy birthday Rae!

Happy birthday, Rae! I hope the celebrating is continuing into today.

Happy Birthday Rae! Great photos! My son Matt turns 21 on the 20th. March is a big birthday month for my family.

So what sort of post birthday happy stuff happening today?
Knowing Mamie-land, something good is happening :)

Rae looks so lovely. A big happy birthday.

I don't have anything profound to add except that everytime I visit your thread, that picture of Birdy just cracks me up. I think it's the sheep ears on all 3 kids as much as her expression. So thanks for my morning giggle!

Belated birthday wishes to Miss Rae!

Sheep ears! So that's what those are. Up until now i kind of thought they were just very not-pretty hats. This is what comes of not being a mom. Or maybe it's from being not too smart....

Hi Mamie! Have been a little AWOL around LT last week and the week before.

Happy belated birthday to your beautiful child..

Hi Mamie, I'm home again safe and sound. Happy Birthday to Rae, a beautiful young woman (doesn't it just seem like yesterday that she was born?)

Happy birthday, Rae!

Hi Mamie- boy do you have stunners for kids! Rae looks beautiful, I hope she had a lovely 21st birthday. Did you do anything special?
*trying not to remember my own 21st, which isnt hard as I drank too much and actually cant*

I have bent neglecting my own thread - sorry about that! Yesterday was a bit of a miss for me - I was just not feeling it. Still, I did get some reading in, and I was able to finish up Kindness Goes Unpunished, the third in the Walt Longmire series - delightful. Fast paced and funny - I love Walt's dry sense of humor; it reminds me so much of my Dad. I am really wanting to get some thoughts down on the books I have finished up recently, so I am making that my goal for today. The Pool Guys are here, and they are working!! They are putting the liner on the pool - it is a pebbled finish, bot sure what it is called, but the finished product makes the pool bottom look like the beach. Really pretty - we got to see this on a neighbor's pool, and it is beautiful, so I cannot wait to see it on ours. Also the heat pump for the pool is here, so looks like they will be able to get started on the electrical stuff next week. WahHOO!!

Rae had a great birthday - thanks so much for all of your good wishes - she was touched by them, and so was I. A big thanks to: Roberta, Julia, Karen, Paul, Dejah, Cee, Bonnie, Kathleen, Ellen, Tina, Heather, Susan, Mark, Lucy, Katie, Charlotte, Judy, Carol, and Megan. I am so hoping that I did not leave anyone out. We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner - Rae's choice, and came home to dig into red velvet cake with cream cheese icing and ice cream. After the presents, we sat out on the deck with drinks and enjoyed the beautiful night sky. We can see Orion from our back deck, and I feel this is good mojo because Orion is my very favorite constellation - at our old house in Indiana, we could see him in our front driveway if we faced south and looked up. We were surrounded by so many tall trees, that he was not visible from the back yard. Here in Georgia at the new house, I can gaze at him all I want! *does happy dance*

Karen - I did know about the threadbook, and I can use that to locate someone once I know they are missing, but sometimes it takes me a bit to realize that someone is missing! When I use my iPad, sometimes I accidentally hit the ignore button without realizing it, and then that thread stays ignored until I think, hmmmm, I haven't seen so and so for a bit and go looking for them. I am trying to be super careful, but I still do it sometimes.

Bonnie - Glad I could get you that before and after that you were wanting - I will try to do more of that!

Tina - I have added you to the list!

Mark - Wow! Matt and Rae's b-days are really close together, and they are the same age! March is a big birthday month for us as well - I have two BILs, both named Steve that have birthdays ten days apart, Rae, a sister, and two nephews. Luckily April gives us a break with just one nephew born on - you guessed it - the first! He will be 34 this year -I was just twelve when he was born, and oh so delighted to become an aunt!

Kath - Yesterday we had leftover birthday cake for breakfast - FABULOUS! Then Rae had the day off to do as she pleased, so she worked on a new jigsaw puzzle (she is addicted to these), read for a bit, watched Vampire Diaries and Castle, and just lazed around. We had Chinese for dinner. Just a nice lazy day.

Julia - I keep laughing when I see that photo of Birdy, too! I just love photos like that. One of those other girls had the last name of Disher, and Birdy always said it Dishwasher, which makes me laugh when I remember it.

Charlotte! You made me snort my drink when I read that you didn't know those were sheep ears. Probably made the story up there seem, strange! "Up until now i kind of thought they were just very not-pretty hats." Too funny! And welcome back to the threads - you have been missed!

Judy - Glad you survived your testing and made it home safe and sound! And it does seem like just yesterday that Rae was born - unless I look in the mirror!!

Megan - We just hung out most of the day, then enjoyed dinner at her choice of restaurant, then home for cake, ice cream and presents. It turned out to be a lovely day - and the weather was GORGEOUS!

Okay - so here is what I have read so far this month:

March
28. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (3.75 stars)
29. Twilight by Stephenie Meyers - reread (I know what you're thinking, but I like it)
30. Killing Floor by Lee Child (3.5 stars)
31. Hamlet by William Shakespeare - reread (4.5 stars)
32. The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes by Tess Uriza Holthe (4 stars)
33. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (4 stars)
34. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (4.25 stars)

I am going to be working on mini-reviews for these throughout the day, so check back if you are interested.

Book #28: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (3.75 stars)
Fits into Category XII - Press Your Luck - a new to me author, also a ROOT

I had to let this book settle a bit before I could review it because I was so disappointed with it when I first finished reading it. So what didn't I like about it? Well... I thought that part of what was presented at the beginning of the book as a bit of a mystery to me would be addressed in the final pages, and this did not happen. And the characters that I liked the best were just on the periphery. I also thought that parts of the story dragged more than they needed to - I can appreciate the tedious passage of time without actually having to experience it personally. It's funny because there is a passage in the book where the major players are all at the theater together (well, not together, but they are there at the same time), and the narrative so perfectly captured what I was feeling about parts of this book:

"Florentino Ariza had not been impressed in any way by the invention of moving pictures, but Leona Cassiana took him, unresisting, to the spectacular opening of Cabiria, whose reputation was based on the dialogues written by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. The great open-air patio of Don Galileo Daconte, where on some nights one enjoyed the splendor of the stars more than the silent lovemaking on the screen, was filled to overflowing with a select public. Leona Cassiani followed the wandering plot with her heart in her mouth. Florentino Ariza, on the other hand, was nodding his head in sleep because of the overwhelming tedium of the drama. At his back, a woman's voice seemed to read his thoughts: 'My God, this is longer than sorrow!'"

Yes, yes that's just exactly it! Too long. And this is one of those books that requires a lot of effort on the reader's part, at least on this reader's part. Márquez writes beautiful, flowing prose that needs to be extracted from the complicated sentence structure that he delivers it in. Still, this is a worthy task because the language and the meaning are combined in a lush and decadent manner. The words are intended to be savored. I just wish there had been fewer of them - words, that is. The first portion of the novel takes 100 pages to tell a story that could have been captured in 50. Still, the second half of the book delivers a faster pace, less monotony and greater insights. All of the main characters are deeply flawed, and I found that while I could not forgive them certain transgressions, there were qualities that I could admire in each of them. There is humor here, and perception, and truths about life that are delivered in an unflinchingly honest way. So, while I did not love this book, I do not feel that the time I spent with it was wasted.

"The only consolation, even for someone like him who had been a good man in bed, was sexual peace: the slow, merciful extinction of his venereal appetite. At eighty-one years of age he had enough lucidity to realize that he was attached to this world by a few slender threads that could break painlessly with a simple change in position while he slept, and if he did all he could to keep those threads intact, it was because of his terror of not finding God in the darkness of death."

"His uncle was angry with him because of the manner in which he had thrown away the good position of telegraph operator in Villa de Leyva, but he allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day that their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves."

Umm...Mamie - that's a mini-review?

I know, Dejah! It was supposed to be a mini-review, but it got away from me. I'll see if I can do better on the rest!

You crack me up, Mamie! Write as much as you like - I enjoy your reviews whatever the length.

Very nice review, Mamie! I've always avoided this book - something about it has just put me off of wanting to read it. I'm still feeling pretty much this way about it, but your review makes it sound good - if long. Maybe I will get it from the library...

Book #29: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - this is a reread (I must confess I have read these books many times)

There is something about these books that I like. I know that the prevailing consensus on LT seems to be, okay, IS unfavorable, but still...What is it about a book that makes it one of those rare pleasures to be dipped into over and over again? For me often it is as simple as what was happening in my life at the time that I first discovered it. Rae and I found these books together, and they take me back to that magical time of a shared favorite read. We would read them, passing them around, waiting impatiently for our turn with the book and to be able to talk about it. We went to the movies together along with another family that shared our love of them - there is part of the girls' childhood here, and I cannot pick up these books without being transported back to those memories. I also can identify with Bella, the main character, who my own Birdy thinks is a total wimp. But that was me - so unsure of myself and awkward at that age, uncoordinated in anything sports related and feeling like I didn't fit in with my own age group, raising my mom more than she was raising me...I get Bella. So, even though it is "frowned upon in this establishment" (don't you just LOVE those E*Trade commercials?!), I will continue to reread these books - they are for me a guilty pleasure. And isn't that the best kind?



Book #30: Killing Floor by Lee Child (3.5 stars)
Fits into Category V: Name That Tune - books set in or about Georgia, my new home state

This book was a great ride! Sure the plot is full of holes and parts of it are unbelievable, but this book is fast paced and highly entertaining. It was an added bonus for me to discover that it is set in Georgia. When Jack Reacher decides to get off the bus in the (fictional) town of Margrave, Georgia to satisfy his curiosity about the demise of Blind Blake, a blues singer and guitarist that disappeared in the early 1930s, he ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that is just the beginning of his problems. There is corruption here that runs deep, and without meaning to, Reacher becomes ensnared in the local politics. Filled with humor and wry observations, this book would make a great beach read - easy escapism. And really, don't we all need that every now and then?

"I was leaning up in my corner running a Bobby Bland number through my head. An old favorite. It was cranked up real loud. 'Further On Up the Road.' Bobby Bland sings it in G major. That key gives it a strange, sunny, cheerful cast. Takes out the spiteful sting from the lyric. Makes it a lament, a prediction, a consolation. Makes it do what the blues is supposed to do. The relaxed G major misting it almost into sweetness. Not vicious."

"Without his glasses he looked older, more vacant. People who wear glasses, without them they always look defocused, vulnerable. Out in the open. A layer removed."

Why thank you, Dejah!

Charlotte - Yes! Get it from the library. And make sure you have time to concentrate on it when you pick it up because you really have to focus at the beginning. And be warned - the first part is a bit of a slog. The second half really picks up, and some of the sentences are truly gorgeous. I wasn't thrilled with the story, but I would try something else by him because the writing was lovely.

Book #31: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (4.5 stars)
Fits into Category X: The Price is Right - books bought on sale or borrowed from the library, also a ROOT

This book was a Christmas present from my husband Craig, and although I already owned several copies of this play, I did not own this copy which is part of the Signature Shakespeare editions that feature beautiful die cuts throughout. A gorgeous addition to my library! I read this with my kids, which was a lot of fun. Abby has read it before, but it was new to the rest of them, and what a treat it was to introduce them to one of my old favorites.

Yay for Killing Floor, Mamie! Fast paced and highly entertaining is right. The whole series is like that, IMHO.

I liked your review of Love in the Time of Cholera as it caught the flavor of what I felt when I read the first few pages. I Pearl-ruled it several years ago and truthfully have not been inclined to pick it back up. Thanks for helping me avoid one more really big book. I am reading Cairns: Messengers in Stone right now, and that is entirely different!

I haven't read Twilight... not any of them... but if you liked it.. I think you should try the Beautiful Creatures series ( sorry if I said this before.) as it is ( I think ) similar.. I liked it.

I probably won't get back to my Hamlet review until tomorrow - it's a beautiful evening, and I am going to sit on the deck with a glass of wine and my Kindle Fire and read. I made a recipe that my niece gave me for dinner - BBQ ribs, and paired it with loaded baked potatoes. Um...YUM! A really easy recipe that was delicious - gotta love that! I am posting it below in case anyone wants to try it.

Joe - I intend to just keep on going with it. I already purchased the next book in the series. A perfect poolside read I am thinking. Good to hear that the entire series holds its entertainment value.

Karen - Thank you. I was determined to finish it, or I might have been tempted to abandon it between pages fifty and one hundred. I will have to look up the book that you mention as I am not familiar with it.

Kathleen - I do intend to read Beautiful Creatures - I am waiting for Rae to finish with it. She is loving it so far.

Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs

1-3 lbs country style boneless pork ribs
2 cups BBQ sauce
garlic salt
minced onion
salt/pepper

Place ribs in the bottom of a Dutch oven or stock pot and cover with water. Add 1 cup BBQ sauce and the spices; bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for two hours. Remove ribs from water mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Slather with BBQ sauce and place in 350° oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn ribs over. Slather with sauce again and return to oven for 15 more minutes. (I doubled this recipe and it was delicious)

Crazymamie, I was making a "little joke" bringing up my current read. It is a book about cairns, the small piles of stones hikers leave along a trail to mark the way. Some cairns are ancient and not so small and there is a lot of history in those stones, but it does not rival a good novel. It is for our next book club meeting and I think will give some great discussion about hiking trips. Don't worry if you have never heard of it, nor want to....

have a wonderful weekend

I made a nice dinner with asparagus, boiled eggs, bacon, mayo with dill, all on french bread. A bottle of dry red (nonalcoholic) wine is keeping me happy in front of my pellet stove. Friday night! Ya gotta love it.

Dan love those ... I will have to try them your way :) Not surprisingly, I don't like them.. I do eat them sometimes. I often cook something for dan and either just eat the side dishes or, have a sandwich. I guess I'm picky. I'm trying to reform.

Today has me dreaming of potato soup. It is cold and sleety. At least it was earlier. I'm tired of cold..
We are planning to go out to dinner today.. not sure where ... I wanted to try again fr fish and chips, but that is pub food around here, and it's St Paddy's ( sort of ) so not sure if that will work. We'ss see.

Hope you all have a wonderful day :)

Mamie, I have the list of books which will be featured at the Bellingham (near me) Booktopia, and I need some help deciding what I will read. If you have time and inclination, please visit here - http://www.librarything.com/topic/149339#3975051 - and give me your thoughts on the choices. Thanks.

Hope your weekend is very swell! And do you feel all settled?

I perfectly understand and forgive you for your devotion to Twilight (which I thought the worst kind of badly written, sappy, clap-trap) because, clearly, to you it is so much more than a mere novel. Hope you read it many, many more times, Mamie and that you always get that amazing feeling and those wonderful memories with each reading.

Dear Former Friend who likes Twilight but thinks Love in the Time of Cholera is tedious,

I take back all the nice things I've ever said about you and want all those pecan pancakes back.

May your pool be plagued by nixies!

Shudderingly,
A Man of Good Taste...must go read some Oscar Wilde to immunize myself

Mamie we all have our guilty pleasures! LOL! I've never read the Twilight books but feel as if I have. I took a trip from Houston to San Antonio with my then twelve year old niece, Victoria. She told me the whole series, complete with OMGs, from book one onwards. That was more than enough for me. ;)

Hey Mamie --

I was just over on Carrie's thread and read her excellent review of Dr. Thorne. I went into the PINES system to put on hold on it and noticed that one of the three copies in the system (one each of three different editions) was already being held for a reader. I was a little surprised that anyone was checking it out when it suddenly occurred to me that it was probably at your branch waiting for you to pick it up!

Am I right?

I hope you're enjoying this glorious March weather!

Whoops - double post.

>151 Crazymamie: We would read them, passing them around, waiting impatiently for our turn with the book and to be able to talk about it. We went to the movies together along with another family that shared our love of them - there is part of the girls' childhood here, and I cannot pick up these books without being transported back to those memories
That is so great Mamie! What a wonderful time to be able to revisit with the simple reading of a book. I say read it a hundred more times in your lifetime.

Hiya Mamie! Just stopping in.

I love your Twilight story... I think it's fantastic that you read with your kids. I'm going to read Beautiful Creatures soonish, I hope! We all need some guilty pleasures! :)

((hugs))

Good morning sis... hope all is well.. Liking different books is what it's all about, I think? I wouldn't want to read Twilight. Not having read it, I can't explain why.. I just don't want to. But read and reread Potter. I like other books classified as YA. To each their own.

( Says the not at all secret reader of Dan Brown books who is currently looking forward to his new one, which will be out soon)

Is it a pancake day?

Hi Mamie!
Read what you love and love what you read! It doesn't get any better than that ;-) Unless, of course, you are reading anything at all by your new finished pool - lol

I am reading Beautiful Creatures and I think finally getting to the exciting parts.

btw - I make my country style ribs in a crock pot. Dump them in with a bottle of BBQ sauce and an onion. Cook all day. Eat 'em up!

Oh no, I'm getting hungry for ribs. Well, that's not a bad thing and they are so easy to do. I love what Kath and Cee said about reading what one likes. Mamie, please don't apologize for liking Twilight. My DIL loved the series and I loved the fact that she was excited about reading.

A belated Happy Birthday to Dear Rae...and a Happy St. Pat's Day to your clan!

Good Morning Y'all! It's Monday again. I'm waiting for my coffee to kick in, and then I'll be back to catch up on my thread. I have been taking a break for the past few days because I have tendonitis in my right wrist, so I have been trying to use it less to give it a break. The good news is that I have gotten a lot of reading accomplished. The bad news is that I am homesick for all of you. Hope everyone's Monday is off to a good start.

Ow, Mamie, that sounds painful. Good news about all the reading, though :-) I hope you're feeling better soon.

Hi Mamie. It's been a while since I visited and apparently I missed a ton of fun! Happy belated 21st to your gorgeous Rae! Hope she had a wonderful day!

You've been doing a ton of great reading too! I also love Twilight, but I loved Love in the Time of Cholera too.
Hope your tendonitis feels better quick!

Sorry to hear about your wrist Mamie. I hope it's better soon but in the meantime, what a good excuse to get some reading done :-)

Ugh, tendonitis! I've been through that. Hope it gets better soon!

It's taking the coffee a LOOOOOOOONG time to kick in. Just saying. Tapping foot...

Hope you're on the mend soon, Mamie! Hand and wrist troubles can be so difficult because it's almost impossible not to use the affected limb for some things. Hang in there!

Hiya Crazy!! I am done being AWOL. The Auction is over and so is all the TKD hoopla! Now I can play again on LT! I've missed you. Thanks for keeping my thread warm while I was gone. : ) And take it easy on the wrist. (How come your Rae and my Jess are so old when we have stayed so young?!)

Okay, let's try this again. Yesterday completely got away from me! How does that happen?

Karen - Actually, that sounds kind of interesting, but you are right - not competition for a novel. And thanks for the good wishes - 76F and GORGEOUS here today. Truly amazing weather. Your dinner sounds delicious - I love asparagus! And I will stop by your thread to check out those Booktopia books and give you my opinion - thanks for asking! We are feeling more settles in - I think as soon as the pool work is finished and we can have people over without a construction zone and without workers in the back yard, I will feel like our transition is complete. I am hoping that we will get some family to visit over the summer to see our new digs and enjoy a slice of Georgia life.

Kathleen - You don't like ribs? Really? But you love pancakes, so you must be perfectly sane! Don't try to reform - I love you just the way you are! And potato soup! I can always eat that - one of my very favorite things. I hope you got your fish and chips. And a lovely day to go with it - mine was very nice. We started the day with Big Breakfast and that night for dinner it was melty Monsieurs and spinach salad. The warm you are seeking was here all day, so I wish I could have shared it with you.

Charlotte - LOL! Don't hold back on how you feel about the book! I guess for me, what I was trying to say is that we love books for different reasons. There are books that combine truly excellent writing with a perfect story, but these are rare - books like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath for me. There are books that are brilliantly written that I loved reading, but that I would not read again. The Kite Runner comes to mind - just because it was so heartbreakingly sad for me. I loved the writing and the story, but I can not go through that again. Other books may have characters that we invest in and a great plot, but the writing may not be as lyrical or as beautiful - the Dr. Siri books come to mind here. Sometimes it is not about the writing or the plot, but about the experience of reading the book - the Twilight books fall into this category for me. They help to define or to capture a moment in time that is a beautiful memory for me. It's like how some songs take you instantly back to where you were when you first heard them or when you listened to them the most - the song Night Shift by The Commodores takes me immediately back to my senior year of high school every time that I hear it. The smell of fried potatoes take me straight back to my mother's kitchen. That kind of thing. So I thank you for your understanding and for your sweet thoughts on my reading it again and again.

*edited for spelling error

Richard, darling...I cannot possibly live without your quirky, insightful, fun-loving self. Your vocabulary usage alone would draw me, but then you have that wit, that charm, that indefinable something that makes you stand out from the crowd. How can I make it up to you dear?

Roberta - I LOVE that story! Thanks for sharing it!

Dejah - Believe it or not, it's not me, although I would like to read those some day. That is funny that someone else is checking them out right now! Isn't that strange how several people can want to read the same book at the same time when the book has been around for a long time and there has been no hype about it? That used to happen to me at our old library all the time - and it wasn't because of LT! And the March weather is glorious! I actually got a bit of a sunburn on Saturday reading on the deck - and I never burn!

Megan - Thank you! What kind words!

Tina - Guilty pleasures are the very best kind, I think! Glad you liked the story and share my love of the books. Rae is reading Beautiful Creatures right now, so I am waiting for my turn because she says I MUST read it! It was cute because we saw the movie trailer while we were in the theater, and she came straight home to use her Christmas gift certificate from her aunt to order the books. Hugs back to you!

Kathleen - That is so true that liking different books is what it is all about. That's what I love about this place! I loved the Harry Potter books, too, and those are also magical transports back to the kids childhood. Abby liked being read to, but she didn't really enjoy reading all on her own until I handed her the first Harry Potter book - then she was off and running and has never looked back. Fantasy still seems to be her favorite genre. I like YA, too, although I read less of it now that the kids are older. And Craig is waiting for that new Dan Brown book, too! We did not have pancakes this weekend, but we did have Big Breakfast both Saturday and Sunday. Pancakes are definitely on the menu for this coming weekend!

Good morning sis! It is my right wrist that I sprained at work on Thursday. After working Saturday and yesterday, it is pretty ouchy.. but boy we got a lot done yesterday!( ouch)

Nothing much to report, I work some days and I don't work others.. at least, not at the library. That is as good as I've got right now.

Sorry your wrist hurts.. I get tendonitis in my wrists too... it can be very painful, I hope yours eases soon!

*waving on her way through*

hope your Spring is very happy!

Cee - So true! And the pool is looking fabulous - the pebbling is beautiful and makes the pool look like it has a sand bottom. They did the acid wash and then filled it with water, which took about an entire day. Then they came back and cleaned the acid off of the tile and added a bit more water to the pool. Yesterday they set the heat pump, filter and all that stuff up. Now we are waiting for the electrician to come run the power to everything. Then I think we are ready for the fencing to go up. It's looking so good!

I will have to come see what you thought of Beautiful Creatures - Rae is almost done with it, too. And I am going to try your way of making ribs - that sounds yummy, and I love things you can throw in the crock pot and let go.

Donna - I always end up hungry after cruising the threads, too! LOL! It's not just book bullets that you have to worry about around here! Thank you for your kind words and advice - I shall take it to heart. Rae had a great birthday, so thanks for you wishes. And St. Patrick's Day is her very favorite, so she loves that it comes so close to her birthday. One of the things that we got her for her birthday was a bracelet with St. Patrick's Day charms on it - we wanted her to have something that she would remember getting for her 21st birthday. She loved it and has not been without out since.

Susan - It is painful, but is feeling much better after staying away from the computer for a few days and trying to use it as little as possible. Getting more reading accomplished has been added boon. I have been indulging in mysteries! Thanks so much for your good wishes.

Chelle - Thank you for your kind words and good wishes for Rae! I didn't hate In the Time of Cholera, I just didn't love it. The writing was truly beautiful - I will try something else by him. And thanks for the good wishes.

Heather - It is an excellent excuse to get some reading done! Thanks so much for your good wishes - it feels pretty good today.

Terri - Ugh is right! It's all the repetitive motions that aggravate it, so I have been trying to be good and stay off the computer, but it's hard because I am completely addicted. It is feeling much better after my weekend of taking it easy, so I just need to not push it. Thanks for your good wishes!

Mark - The coffee never did kick in, and after my second cup Birdy says, "Mom, you know that's loser coffee, right? Dad made decaf." WHAT?? A complete waste of beverage consumption! I have the real deal today, so things should work out better!

Julia - Thank you! You are so right - you don't think about all the little things that you use your hands for until every movement hurts. I switched to using the mouse with my left hand, which helps.

Kim! Is that really you?! SO good to see you here! Good to hear that the auction went well, and FABULOUS to hear that now you will have more LT time. You have been missed, my friend!

I *might* call off a nixie or two...if bribed with pecan pancakes and cinnamon syrup and oooooooodles of butter...just *might* now mind you.

Yum!

"76F and GORGEOUS here today" - I'm going to try to convince my wife it's time to take a road trip and visit Mamie! It's none of that here today.

*sigh*

Can't resist a bribe like that.

*calls off nixies*

Mysteries: I just finished a Early Reviewers book called Dead Money by O'Brien (touchstone is wrong) and it was a great little mystery read..... horse races, love interest, bad guys belonging to a mob, betting on the horses. Very fun with a minimum of ugly, blood mayhem. You might enjoy it.

Hope your wrist is responding well to rest. I also use tapeless binding on my sore, swollen wrists to give them support and that helps a lot. It is kind of like athletic tape but without the adhesives.

Enjoy your progress on the pool! Whoo hoo!

I love that Birdy calls decaf "loser coffee"!

Joe - Sorry that your weather is not as nice as mine. You'll get me back in the heat of summer, I am betting. And YES, do come for a visit - you are welcome any time! And I am hoping that by next month our pool will be finished, adding to the ambiance.

Richard - Excellent! Thank you, dear. *smooch*

Karen - I will check that out, although ugly, blood mayhem doesn't bother me as long as children are not involved. But I like almost any kind of mystery that has an actual plot. The wrist is feeling better today - the tapeless binding sounds like a good idea, so I will look for that. And I am loving the progress on the pool! So close now!

Hi Katie! She really is a hoot to hang out with.

Catching up ...and then paused at the pics of butter and pecan pancakes. *drroooool*

Birdy has such great lines .. loser coffee ... love that!

How's the tendonitis today, Mamie? What can you do to alleviate the pain? *dislike*

Hi Caro! Birdy does have good lines - she is always good for a laugh! The tendonitis is better today. To alleviate the pain - ice, ibuprofen, and trying to avoid over using it, especially repetitive motions like using a mouse or typing. I am using my left hand for the mouse, and trying to type by moving my entire hand instead of just the fingers, so that I can avoid flexing the wrist tendons. Slower going, but it helps. Taking a few days off from using the computer really helped a lot.

It's hard to believe that anything that keeps you away from us (such as taking time off from using the computer) could ever be a good thing! I'm glad you are feeling better, Mamie.

AWww, thanks so much, Julia!

Hi Mamie- Sorry you got stuck with the "loser coffee"! That can ruin your whole day. Glad you got back on the good stuff.
Have you read Where'd You Go, Bernadette? I'm over halfway done and it's a lot of fun. Some big laughs.

Hi Mark! I know, right? Loser coffee is not to be borne! I have not read Where'd You Go, Bernadette? - I will wait to see what you think of it when you have finished it. I seem to remember Kathleen not liking that one. It gets mixed reviews, right? I trust your judgement though, so I will wait to hear your final verdict - you have a good feel for what I like and haven't steered me wrong yet.

Hiya Mamie! I'm sorry you're having wrist difficulties. I trust you're back to *real* coffee now??

I'm in Savannah this week and it was 80 here today. Bet y'all are getting excited for the pool to be finished. When do we get updated pictures??

Hi Mamie

I love your opening photo!

I note that you are currently reading In The Bleak Mid-Winter. I read that last summer and really enjoyed it.

I brought four Starbuck's Via packages with me for this trip in case the coffee here was, um, loser coffee (which for me means "weak"). I might not say the Via is excellent but at least it's not weak. Heh.

Mamie, I'm glad you had a good time for Rae's birthday. You appear to be back, up and running, with LT again. I hope to accomplish that myself......
In any case, your March reading list (so far!) is quite impressive.

Hi Mamie! Oh gosh, I hope the tendonitis clears up soon.

I've yet to read any Gabriel García Márquez, but have a few waiting on the shelves. Sigh.

Mamie! Sis! I have been missing you. Lots to do, weird work schedule and a general attempt to catch up on my reading all figure in. SOOOO sorry about the ( LOL ) loser coffee. Terrible thing. I am glad things are going well with the pool, too. Although with the weather we're having... a pool doesn't sound terribly tempting. I am freezing! It is going to move up to the forties soon, they say. 27 right now. ugh!

Hey, The book I just read was very good.. and the author reminded me of you...

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! I cannot believe that today is the 20th of March already - this month is just flying by for me. No big plans for today although Craig has the afternoon off, so I'm sure we'll indulge in something. There is rain in the forecast, but right now it is looking gorgeous out there. We are hoping that the electrician will show up today to hook everything up because once that is done we can get going on installing the fencing around the pool, and that should be it.

Tina - Thank you for your sympathy. Yes! Back to the real deal with the coffee! Lucky you to be in Savannah - I LOVE that city! Will you be eating pizza at Vinnie Van Go-Gos? If so, please eat a slice for me! And yes, we are so excited for the pool to be done - it's a toss up on who is more anxious, Craig or the kids! They did go out there yesterday and go wading in it. I could post a photo of the pool filled with water, I suppose. Really all that has happened since the last posting is that the pebbled finish has been applied to the pool and allowed to cure, and then the pool was filled. The pebbling is really pretty, making it look like a beach bottom, and it also feels really good on your feet. This is what it looks like:



And this is what the tile around the interior top of the pool looks like:



I will try to post a photo later today of the filled pool, so that you can see the finished product, although the bubblers are not hooked up yet.

Linda! How are you?! So glad you like the opening photo - it always makes me laugh! I am really liking In the Bleak Midwinter - I bought it last year when those books were getting a lot of buzz on the Mystery March thread, but I am just now getting around to reading it. Great characters and I love the setting - I am about half way through it.

Ellen - Good thinking about having a backup plan for inferior coffee! If we are driving, I take my espresso machine with me on vacations because it's small and easy to transport. I have this one, and it is FAB! And I am back up and running with LT, but I am not caught up by any means - can one actually do that here?! I guess I will have loads of fun trying at any rate! And March has been a good reading month for me so far - I am hoping to finish up five or six more before the month is through, but we shall see. Hope you are having a fabulous time in Montana - I would love to see all that snow in person as long as I don't have to shovel it or drive through it!



Kerri - Thank you - me, too! I would like to read something else by Márquez to see if I liked the story better - the writing was beautiful, no complaints there. I don't have any more by him on the shelves, so I will have to borrow from the library - probably go with Joe's suggestion of The Autumn of the Patriarch.

Kathleen - I have been missing you, too, sis! I WILL be better. Thank you for your condolences on the loser coffee. It was indeed a terrible thing. I bet a pool does not sound at all tempting in your current climate! LOL! 27! UGH is right - sending warm thoughts your way! I checked out your thread - is the book you're talking about your latest five star read or something else?

The latest 5 star :)
Good luck with the electricians :)

Mamie, those pool tiles are gorgeous! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished pool as I have never seen one with a pebbled bottom. My uncle had a pool when we were kids, and we had so much fun in it, but it was just an ordinary blue-coloured one. He kept it beautifully, though - always out there scooping things out of it so it was pristine.

I hope you're over the loser coffee now. Our coffee machine at work was dispensing half a cup of hot water instead of coffee a few days ago - now that's REAL loser coffee :-) We joked that maybe it was a whole new beverage they just hadn't added to the list yet.

Sis - Okay! And thanks!

Susan - Thanks! I was really pleased with how they looked around the inner pool edge - so hard to tell when you are picking things out from those sample sizes. And the pebbled bottom is GORGEOUS - so thankful that we went with that. And OH DEAR about the coffee machine - not good. You're right - that is REAL loser coffee! Is it fixed now - for your sake, I hope so. I NEED my coffee.

I'm more of a tea person, so it didn't bother me but the other people on my side of the floor weren't impressed. They had to go round to the other side, where there is an evil snack machine putting temptation in their paths. Or we can go downstairs to the coffee bar, but that costs money whereas the machines are free :-)

Tea? I love you anyway! And free always beats costs money - I am guessing that the evil snack machine was thrilled to have new prospective victims.

The pool sounds wonderful - I can't wait to see the finished product! I also hope your wrist is doing better - we can't have you off the threads for too long. Too funny about the loser coffee, btw!

Mamie, have you tried speech recognition software? That could help you stay on computer without aggravating your tendonitis. DragonSpeak is a good one to use if you haven't already got a speech recognition app. This way, very little typing needs to be done although you may need to move the mouse a little depending on what you're doing. It works pretty well actually. I bought it for the hubster a few years ago and he uses it for when he has long documents to write.

Dejah - It is wonderful! I can't wait to see the finished product either - we are so very close now. I will post a pic of the filled pool later today as soon as Abby takes one! And the loser coffee is funny NOW, but at the time I was slightly miffed. Decaf in the morning - what's up with that?

Caro - That is an excellent idea, and one I had not thought of. Thank you - I will look into it.

The electrician for the pool is here!!

I am not caught up by any means - can one actually do that here?
Absolutely no way.

Looking forward to shots of the completed and filled pool! The pebbles and tile are lovely.

Happy Pool Day!

Here are some celebratory flowers:

*waves to Ellen, Richard, and Karen* Thanks for the warm thoughts and wishes! I LOVE the cake and the flowers! The electricians will be back tomorrow to continue working, but we are on our way to power! Here's those photos that I promised earlier.

Oooooooh, it's gorgeous!!!!

I love the close ups of the pebbles and tiles. Y'all are going to have SO much fun! Take lots of pictures for posterity. The candids of them goofing off will make you smile in many years to come! I wish my folks / grandparents had taken more pool pictures when all of us were crowded in the pool when we were kids. So many good memories...

Thanks, Tina! I promise to take lots of photos - I am a very big believer in soaking up the moments.

NICE! Really nice!
Gorgeous pool and beautiful background! Could you have picked a better spot?

I am so happy for you. This home is shaping up!

The pool looks so goooooodddd!!! We have seven inches of snow. Tedious.

I really liked the review of Love in the Time of Cholera - I only remember 'a feeling' of it - a room with curtains blowing? Something? And that I greatly preferred it to One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I herewith confess that I didn't much like One Hundred Years of Solitude and adored Love in the Time of Cholera. I know it makes me less of a person, a mere dilettante. But it is true.

That is a gorgeous pool, Mamie! And to think, not that long ago it was just a big dirty hole in the ground. :-)

It's beautiful, Mamie - congratulations!

Nice pool. Lovely location.

Beautiful!!! It's always hard for me to imagine what things will look like when they are ideas.. or even in process. This is just beautiful! What a summer you and your family will have. And with your trees in the background, to provide shad when needed, what could be more perfect?

I will be one of those looking forward to pictures !

Whooo hoo! Lovely pool. I'm so jealous!

Great pictures, Mamie! Does the pebbled area go down like a beach, and then change to something else as the water gets deeper? Those blue tiles at the top of the water are perfect. The pool guys have done a beautiful job. Now you just need an umbrella for that stand, some sun loungers and a BBQ and you're good to go!

The pool looks so great, Mamie!

I'm the reverse of RD on Marquez - one Hundred Years of Solitude blew me away, and Love in the Time of Cholera was very good but, for me, the lesser of the two.

When's the pool party? I need to make my flight reservations, rent a car, find dog sitters, and rob a bank to pay for it all, but I am coming on down!

Happy Thursday, Everyone! This is what I would like to do all day. However, I also need to do laundry, pay bills, vacuum - do I really need to bother with these petty tasks? After all, there are only ten more days to finish my March reading. Right - I should at least pay the bills. I need my power! The electricians are here again working hard out there, and Craig is hopeful that they will be finished today - I am not holding my breath, and am just counting on them needing tomorrow to finish. That way, if they do finish up today is can be a happy surprise! I am not usually big on surprises - I like to know what's coming, but that kind of surprise I can handle. Hope today is kind to everyone - hang in there, Friday is just around the corner.

Cee - Thank you so much! The view from the back of our house is spectacular, and one of the big reasons that we bought it. Originally we had the pool closer to the house and a bit more to the West, but moving it over and out puts it in a better position, I think. I am really thrilled with how it is all coming together. Thanks for being happy for me!

Thanks, Lucy! And I love that description of the feeling that you remember from Love in the Time of Cholera! A perfect fit, I am thinking. I read only half of One Hundred Years of Solitude before gently setting it aside two years ago. The writing I liked, but the story was not grabbing me enough to finish it.

Richard - I never finished One Hundred Years of Solitude, so I obviously preferred Love in the TIme of Cholera, too. I would like to try something else by him because his writing is truly exquisite - any suggestions? Joe suggested The Autumn of the Patriarch.

Julia - LOL! Thank you! I do prefer the pool to the big dirty hole in the ground.

Thank you, Dejah! I picked up a copy of Bimbos of the Death Sun after seeing you mention it on the Mystery March thread - how could I possibly let that title slip by? I started it last night - lots of fun! I also started Ashfall after reading that both you and Judy liked it, and it does not disappoint. Somehow, I think I will finish both of those books in short order.

Ellen - Thank you! You are probably not swimming outside at your conference! It would be a bit chilly for it here today, too, as the high is only supposed to be 59F today.

Kathleen - Thank you, sis! I have that same problem - it is hard for me to picture in my head what something will look like from samples or drawings. We won't be getting any shade from those trees - they are farther away than they look. We did, however, have holes placed at strategic positions around the pool so that we can place umbrellas in them to provide shade when we need it. There is also an umbrella hole in the pool - right on that big first step, so that we can put a chair or two on the step and sit with our feet in the water and be shaded. I can't wait to see it with our furniture and tables around it, and of course, we still have the fence to put up.

Morphy - Thank you! Too bad you don't live closer!

Susan - Thanks! The pebbling goes all the way - the entire bottom of the pool is that pebbling, so the effect is stunning. I am loving the blue tiles, which is the only choice I was not certain about as the rest of our choices are more yellow and terra cotta colors, but the blue is gorgeous and that rusty look that runs through the tile picks up the terra cotta colors. We do indeed have an umbrella for that stand - and a few others, along with the poolside furniture and a lovely gas grill - can't wait to see it all in place!

Thank you, Joe! I love how everyone has a different favorite with works by the same author. I thought it was so interesting last year to see how people felt about the different books by Steinbeck as we read his work throughout the year.

Karen - You probably have plenty of time to get everything in order. Probably about two more weeks - need to get the electricians finished up and the fence in place. Then just staging, which is the fun part. And of course, we will need to stock the bar! And the doggies are welcome here.

I'm so glad you picked up Bimbos of the Death Sun - it's so goofy and entertaining it reads very quickly. There's a sequel, you know, Zombies of the Gene Pool. Maybe you need to pick that one up for reading around the swimming pool!

Ashfall was a great surprise. I'm frequently hesitant to pick up YA novels, but I thought this was a winner. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it.

Dejah - There's a sequel?! Yes, I must have it! Zombies of the Gene Pool sounds like a perfect poolside read! How fun! And I am liking Ashfall, although, I must say, as a Mom I would NEVER leave my fifteen year old home for an entire weekend while I was out of town...um, especially if he TOLD me that was how it was going to be. I always say that democracy comes at a price, so when they can pay the bills, they can call the shots. I like YA if it's not too angsty.

Mamie, I love the idea that you will have chairs and an umbrella right inside the pool! That sounds simply delightful.

Oh, and my sympathies on your "cold snap" of only 59F. As I sit here typing it is 23F here in Iowa, and 59 seems like a distant dream. I can only hope we will experience temperatures like that sometime before the summer solstice. :-)

Hi Julia! We stole the idea of the chairs and umbrella inside the pool - when we were trying to decide about the pebbling, the Pool Guy took us to see another pool that he had done that had the pebbling, and we noticed the umbrella stand built into the pool. The Pool Guy explained that the lady of the house liked to put her chair in the pool so she could have her feet in the water, but wanted shade. I WANT that, I said. You can have it, he replied - it's not too late. So we did it!

And thank you for your sympathy - we each have our own burdens, and I will try to weather through this cold snap that we are having today! You can get me back in the summer when I am a puddle of perspiration and despair.

It's a wonderful idea worth stealing! And at least you will be a puddle of perspiration and despair with your feet soaking in your beautiful pool. But yes, there are few places in the world where the weather is perfect all year around. I don't know why winter is bothering me so much this year, as it usually doesn't. I think it's just gone on a little too long. My mind has moved on to spring but my environment hasn't.

"at least you will be a puddle of perspiration and despair with your feet soaking in your beautiful pool" - TRUE! When we lived in Indiana, I always loved Winter, but I never liked when the snow and the cold were still really prevalent in March because I was ready for Spring by then, so I totally get where you're coming from. By March, you're sick of the dirty snow by the roadside and the salt residue on your car and ready for jeans and a sweatshirt being all that is required to venture outside.

Exactly! I just want to go outside without having to drag on the scarf, the hat, the gloves, the coat ... it's exhausting.

I second The Autumn of the Patriarch...with the caveat that it's not Cholera-level reading joy.

Julia - I thought that I would quite miss the snow this year, but I loved not having to put all those layers on to run to the grocery store or the library, so I hear you. Crossing my fingers that Spring hurries up already for you.

Richard - Thanks for that. SO if I didn't really love the story in Cholera...I did love the writing though, so I do want to try another by him - but NOT Solitude!

Perfect choice then!

Okay then! *smooch*

*smooch*



Strawberry rhubarb crumble with whipped cream?

Believe it or not, I have never eaten rhubarb. It looks good, I believe I'll try some, thanks!

omg oodness, that looks too good for words

I'm still recovering from a dentist appt. so can't eat too much right now for fear of biting my poor cheek's insides; still kinda numb

but I can dream

Oh, the dentist! You poor baby, Karen! We will save you a pieced for later, dear.

We'll save a plate for you, Karen44. This Food Network recipe is soooooo goooood!

Which recipe is it, Richard?

...for the crumble...? This one. *drool*

Oh thank you! Craig loves rhubarb, but I have never had it. I will give that recipe a try - so nice to know that the recipe is good, so if I don't like it then it must be the rhubarb, not the recipe! It looks yummy!

Mamie- I love the pool pics! I especially like the decking. You guys are going to have a great time in that baby.
That strawberry rhubarb crumble looks mighty tasty. Thanks RD!

Funny that you can relate to Bella so well. I know that many people must be able to or else the book wouldn't be so popular. But I'm afraid I agree with Birdy on that subject. :)

Rhubarb... dunno about that.... although it does look good...
I want pie.

Hi Mark! Yeah, the decking turned out so beautifully, and you will really be able to appreciate the size of it once we place the furniture around. I kept telling Craig it was going to be too small, and BOY, was I wrong! And that crumble does really look delicious - I can't wait to make it!

Rachel! How ARE you? I can relate to Bella because that is how I felt in middle school and high school - I didn't really get my legs under me until college when I felt strong and sure on my own two feet. Birdy was born on her own two feet!

Kathleen - Do you like rhubarb? I remember there was a big discussion of it on Paul's thread last year. My Mom used to make rhubarb pie, but I don't remember ever tasting it - I don't think I have had it before. And pie...*sigh*...I DO love pie.

Lovely, lovely pool!

>231 Crazymamie: well that has gotta be the best book pic I have seen in a long time! i love it.

The pool looks great, can I bags the lilo for the pool-warming party, and lll have one with a drink holder on it, and elbow supports so I can read my book as I float. Well maybe that'll be happening the day after the party, I might be busy at party-time!

anything crumble is OK in my book. I love crumble! (I have a box of pears to use up at present, so Im thinking pear crumble will be next)

Hi Mamie! I am loving your pool! That is going to be so nice this summer

Hi Carol! Thank you!

Hi Megan! Yeah - I loved that book pic when I ran across it to. Definitely spoke to me! And yes you can come hang out anytime at the new pool - be sure to bring those adorable boys of yours! And you can have the lilo if I can figure out exactly what that is - some kind of floating pool chair? I have to agree with you that anything crumble is delicious - and pear crumble sounds divine! Oh how I do love pears!

Hi Chelle! So glad you love it! I think we will spend a lot of time out there this summer - a good use of the money for us, and a wonderful treat for the kids. I cannot wait to use it!

Hi Mamie, your thread is really buzzing! After scrolling down through the food pictures I am hungry! That strawberry-rhubarb cobbler looks delish.

I see you are reading Ashfall is a real page turner, isn't it. I am trying to work in the second one, Ashen Winter as soon as I can.

Hi Judy! I think my thread is buzzing because of the pool pics. And that cobbler does look yummy - I love stuff like that! Ashfall is definitely a page turner, so I am thankful to you and Dejah for the high recommendations which had me dipping into it sooner rather than later. I am also getting quite a kick out of Bimbos of the Death Sun - what a hoot! Really funny - the murder doesn't even happen until halfway through the book, but the characters and the setting are just so fabulously quirky.

Belated de-lurk to wonder if you did pick a Marquez? Of the three I've read I really really struggled with Autumn of a Patriarch. Loved One hundred years of solitude and the second half of Love in the time of Cholera.

Hi Bekka - What didn't you like about Autumn of the Patriarch? I was leaning toward that one. I agree with you that the second half of Love in the Time of Cholera was better than the first - the first half dragged a bit for me. I only made it half way through One Hundred Years of Solitude when I attempted it before - loved the writing, didn't love the story. I don't want to pick that one up again right now. I was looking for something shorter.

Pics do tend to buzz a thread. We expect not onlyenty of them, but some of those stellar Abby photos, too. So did you go with a Jammie day?

Hey, sis! Yes, I went with a Jammie day! Never a bad decision! How has your day been - did you get your fish and chips?

I did, thanks :) We went to Red Robin. I am over it for a while... lol.
I blame Joe and his cafe.

Glad you went with a jammie day! I typed the previous post on my phone... so oops!

Oh good! I LOVE Red Robin! So happy you got your fish and chips!! And I knew just what you meant in your post, so no worries.

They have fabulous burgers..they also have a GUINNESS SHAKE!!!
wow. No... didn't try it.

Guinness shake? Is that the Irish version of the Harlem Shake?

Dope. This one comes in a big glass. With a straw!

OIC

o.O

ew

well... Thats what I thought, too.... still....

A Guinness shake...um...that's really brave of them. I wonder how many of those they sell.

A nearby restaurant, I think it's TGIF, also has Guinness shakes and they are mighty tasty. We might have to find an excuse to go back and have one. Unfortunately, the rest of the beer selection is fairly weak, IMHO.

Hi Mark! Really? Huh! You learn something new every day! I love TGIF - I like all the choices on their menu. Always something for everyone - even Birdy likes to eat there, and she doesn't like to eat out. Strange child, but I'm keeping her.

I can see how they would be similar to an Irish Car bomb.. if you read the ingredients.. but I'll stick with the tradtional ICBs

An Irish Car bomb?

Most of a pint of Guinness, most of a shot of Jameson's that is topped with a hit of Bailys...
you drop the shot glass into the Guinness and drink it straight down. ( usually order one of those..
and and a pint at the esame time )

OH. MY. WORD. I want one!

Well, I just landed on your page by a happy accident, Mamie ! Such cute kids and I see that there is a lot of booze talk on your thread! :) Guinness Shakes! I'll leave that to Mark... or whomever... :)

LOL! Hi Deb! Thank you for the cute kids compliment, although only one of those kids up top is mine - the appalled lamb in the blue sweater. And the booze talk was not started by me, but I am always happy to join in!

Afraid I'm skimming to pretend I'm caught up, Mamie. I hope all is well!

A belated happy birthday to Rae - I hope her 21st birthday was memorable.

I haven't reread Twilight and the rest, but liked it pretty well when I read them. It was only after reading them that I started thinking of all the things that made the books less than stellar, so part of why I won't reread them is knowing that all those things will irritate me much more and I just won't like the books like I did the first time. But I enjoyed your story about reading them, and totally get how a reread isn't just a revisiting of the story, but also of your memories of sharing the story. Rereading The Lord of the Rings is like that for me; every time I pick them up to read again, I remember the delicious thrill of not knowing that I had when I first read them at 14. What were the cloaked figures, and why were they chasing Frodo? Hmm... makes me want to reread them again (too bad my sister is borrowing The Fellowship of the Ring!).

Oh and I love the pictures of your pool. Wish it was warm enough here to go swimming, but there's a possibility of some snow here (either flurries or a real storm, depending on how it turns) come Monday.

Hi Mary! How lovely to see you! Skimming is perfectly acceptable, as is just jumping to the bottom and saying hi! All is well here. Rae's birthday was indeed memorable, and I am recovering nicely from the truth that she is 21 now. Craig has the weekend off, and even though it is supposed to rain all weekend, I am looking forward to the laziness of it.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on the rereading of books. Rereading can be tricky because sometimes we reread an old favorite to find that it does not have quite the same magic as before, and that can be heartbreaking. I just read The Lord of the Rings for the first time last year, and I absolutely loved it. Those are Daniel's favorite books, and he knows all of the story by heart, but he still loves to dip back into them over and over again. I know that they will find their way back into my hands in the not so distant future - such a magical adventure!

Glad you loved the pool pics - the electricians finished up today, so next week we will be ready to start on the fencing!