Maggie1944 reading in July and August, 2013

Hi

I'm in over my head with stress so I'm just announcing here that I'm shifting to a new book: Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at The End of the Lane. I am sure it will suit my mood.

I can't even post

I hit post message and it deleted my message?

weird

welcome to a new thread!

*there there, pat pat* Stress levels are a bear to regulate. Your footing will come back to you.

Karen - A massage is in order or should that be message - my typing skills are also kaput this afternoon.
Congratulations on your new thread. x

Sorry to hear about the stress. Hope the Gaiman helps.

Gaiman was a great companion in the bed last night! ha.

LOL! Happy new thread, Karen! I think you'll love the Gaiman.

Yes, Mamie, I think you are right.

I have to meet with the Real Estate team this morning and I think I am going to tell them I can not list the property right now. There is just too much to do. And they will have to wait a while. Not every buyer wants to get into their new place in time to put children into school.

This will be a significant stress reducer and I can march onwards, and read a good book, too.

Sometimes slowing down is the fastest way to do something.

Is there a waiting list for your retirement complex?

Janet, you are so right. I love the cliché I've heard - "make haste slowly".

Yes, I am #1 on a waiting list for the studio apts. That is one reason I've been putting the steam on, but with my car being scratched twice in three days, and my beautiful lamp being broken to smithereens, and my being a bit crazy, I just think slowing down is indicated. I like to imagine I pay attention when the Universe slaps me up side my head with these "messages".

I'm sure the pups will insist they know nothing at all about your lamp!

Yeesh, the Universe needs to let up on you a bit, Karen, seems to me. The Ocean at the End of the Lane should be just the ticket. As you know, I loved it and couldn't put it down.

Janet, that picture is perfect. I am sure it is the cute one who is mainly to blame.

Yes, Joe, I read a bunch last night and I'm sure it is just the ticket.

Real Estate people arriving in minutes and my resolution is to strongly assert I will not be hurried. Can't handle it. Maybe the house will be sold in time for Christmas.... but not Labor Day.

I hate when the posting monster rears his ugly head. Glad you got the new thread going.

I have looked at The Ocean at the End of the Lane about 20 times and not yet purchased it. How are you liking it?

Morning Karen! Congrats on the new thread. Sorry about the high stress levels but I think the new Gaiman is the perfect antidote!

Ellen- Stop thinking so much and just pick up, or request The Ocean at the End of the Lane. LOL. Have faith in the LT Force!

It is true: The Ocean at the End of the Lane is wonderful so far. I love Gaiman's ability to capture atmosphere and childhood perspectives. I have less stress as a result but still have not found the missing key set with keys to rental house, and homeowners' association building. Gawk!

Good advice to Ellen, Karen. I look forward to hearing your reaction to The Ocean when you're done. "Have faith in the LT force" - love it!

I found my keys. I slowed down, and stumbled across them this morning, hiding in a box of misc. junk in the office.

*shoots off confetti cannons*

yay! The library has just let me know that the audio with Gaiman reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane is ready to be picked up. Looks like I'll be joining you.

(once I found my keys in the refrigerator. don't ask.)

One time my Mother hid her glasses from herself in the linen closet. I come by "it" by heredity.

Stress makes monkeys of us all.

I never lose anything. I am always calm, cool, and collected. I have plan A and Plan B ready to go. No stress.

And I am handling this transition with calm competence. Yeah! You bettcha.

You are doing alright. Just continue and carry on. Have a nice weekend.

Benita, thank you for your encouraging words. I am chipping away at the bigness of it all. My office is my biggest challenge right now - sorting, tossing, shredding and recycling paper work of many years. But you are right I am making progress. A new site on line - The FlyLady - is helping.

I finished reading The Ocean at the End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman and completely enjoyed it. Gaiman has a talent for capturing the thinking of children without being sentimental or too sweet. In this book, he explores the mind of a 7 year old boy enjoying the wonders of a natural environment and some quirky neighbors. Or at least that is how I read it. I know others read it differently. Might be a bit of a horror story; or maybe it is intended to be a fantasy. It is a short read, so read it and see what you think. I gave it four stars.

I love FlyLady. I got my entire house decluttered using her site.

Well, I am getting started with her. I have a post-it on my bathroom mirror. I always trive when I find a "new" system. I laughed when I recognized many of her cleaning tools are just the same as what I was selling through Norwex, only differing in colors, sizes and shapes. Microfiber does really do the job well!

Nice to know it works, Morphidae. Thank you very much for letting me know.

I used some ideas from Martha Stewart's web site to help me organize my refrigerator. They worked really well. Funny how some of those sites have ideas that really work.

Yes, and I am willing to say I get bogged down by the ordinariness of life, and a little kick in the butt by a motivational program is very well needed. I have been making my bed on and off for years. Ha ha ha. You'd think I'd get a habit established and that would be that. Nooooooooo, not me.

I am back to reading Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of an American Fortune. So far it has been history of her father's success at mining in Montana, Arizona, and some other endeavors in California, right at the turn of the century. I enjoy thinking of my grandmother, born in N. Carolina in 1888, and moved to Idaho in about 1896. This is the era when Ms. Clark's papa made his fortunes. Fascinating.

Okay, I put The Ocean at the End of the Lane on hold at the library. I'm number 141 in the queue for one of 23 copies.

Karen, I know we've said this, but is this the most amazing summer you've ever seen, or what????

I plan to check the fly lady site tomorrow. Something weird just happened...as I was typing the word fly lady, a fly landed on my hand. I swatted it and killed the bugger, but found it unique that this happened....

Take care Karen. It sounds like you are trying to pace yourself.

Ellen, yes this is a sweet sweet summer. And I fully expect it to continue for the most part for the next two months. My expectation for summer is July, August, and September. That we had a beautiful and lovely June is just a bonus that Spring gave us this year! Very Nice.

Linda, that is odd, but I love stuff like that. I will be interested to see if you like Fly Lady.

Happy Sunday morning. I think after I do my computer stuff I'll read for a little while before getting organized for my friends to come over today. I am excited to see one of my photographs all ready to show but I think I may have gone the wrong direction. I looked at the space yesterday and I don't think they actually hang stuff in frames. I may take my friend over there and we can look at it and see.....

I am very ready to get my living room back in order. Hope it will be by the end of the day.

Morning Karen- I think we cross-posted on my thread. Yes, the Man-Cave is pretty much done. Like anything else, there could be a bit more tweaking. I'll try to snap a couple photos later, when everything is shining.
Hope you have a good day too!

Fly Lady really encourages baby steps which helps gets things done when you are feeling overwhelmed.

yes, I think Baby Steps is exactly the right approach for me these days. I feel like I did pretty well yesterday but I confess I am looking forward to some down time in the coming week. I'm leaving you a PM about that all, too.

Karen - I hope your Sunday is working out as planned. X

Sunday *smooches* and good wishes for the friend-viewing-photo-exhibit thingie.

nope! not working out as planned. Painter-Friend has a migraine headache, poor guy. I do not envy. Living room is left as is, not needed and un-lived in. I will concentrate on the office. There are things to be done. Photography lady and I may change plans and make them be more fun. I need to be in touch with her.

I have been reading Scarlet and napping this morning. My Scarlet is different from that of which I have heard here in LT, I think. Mine is about Will Scarlet, companion to Robin Hood, about whom Hood was written.

****more shall be revealed*****

I got into Booktopia! I got into Booktopia! Hip-Hip-Hooray! I am registered and have my author talks all signed up. Yah, for me!

Oh, hi Karen! I just got a little excited.

Whoop Whoop Whoop ** Shoots of TWO confetti cannons ** That is just spectacular. I will be so interested in reading what you do and what you think, and will be looking for photographs, too. Congratulations!

Surgery tomorrow for you? If so, I'm sending gentle hugs and prayers your way.

I'm heading for Dayton Ohio to visit family. I'll arrive there tomorrow. I hope to have internet access to check and see how you are doing.

Please know I send all good wishes for a successful experience.

Thank you, Linda. Yes, surgery sometime tomorrow. Which reminds me I need to call and get a time to show up, and need to get my paperwork in order. Reading medical stuff - yuck.

Excellent, Mark!

I like your take on The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Karen. Likes the natural environment and quirky neighbors. Hmm, that's food for thought. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it. One of my faves so far this year.

Debbi just gave me The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope, so that'll be coming up soon. Right now I'm reading a good sci-fi-er called Wool.

We've got beautiful weather here, too. That Chicago-Seattle connection just keeps on coming through.

Oh boy, I must go over to Mark's thread and congratulate him. He is going to love Booktopia!

I still haven't gotten to On Sal Mal Lane, Karen, but I hope to read it in August (along with about ten other books. Sigh).

#38
There are two Scarlet's. One is a story about Robin Hood told from the point-of-view of Will Scarlet. The other Scarlet is a sequel to Cinder. I ordered both of them for the library, so you will have to tell me how you like your Scarlet. I think the one that Mark talked about is the one that is the sequel to Cinder. Both of them got good reviews so I don't think you will be sorry to be reading a different one. I plan on reading or listening to both of them ... eventually.

Happy surgery *whammy*

Thank you all for stopping by. I may be Away From My Keyboard for a day or two. I'll be back as soon as I can be.

>43 drneutron: Jim, nice to see you stopping by. It is excellent that Mark gets to go to Booktopia. I had so much fun and I'm sure he will, too.

>44 jnwelch: Joe - I thought the Adam Hope book to be quite interesting, a different take on "magical realism" I guess, one rooted more deeply in the American experience. I confess when I think of magical realism I think of Latin American literature most often. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

>45 EBT1002: Ellen - it just keeps going on beautifully, the weather, it does. I love it although I probably am not watering as much as my yard would like me to be doing. I don't know how the reading in August will be for me as one eye will be good for distance and the other will be good for up close. I'll be in a hurry to do the second eye surgery, you can count on that, unless it goes horribly wrong tomorrow. I expect it will be fine.

>46 benitastrnad: Benita. I knew there were two books with Scarlet as the title, and I hope to one day read them both. I've started this Lawhead one, and I'm torn between it and an ER book I should be trying to finish in reasonable time. As I said to Ellen I don't know what the reading will be like after the cataract removal. Should be interesting.

>47 richardderus: Many millions of thanks to you, kind sir. Don't know if surgery can be happy, but we'll bet on a "happy outcome". That will be good.

Good luck, Karen. I will be sending you lots of good thoughts tomorrow!

Sending you great vibes for tomorrow, Karen!

Good thoughts and Great Vibes accepted with gratitude. Thanks, Janet, and Ellen!

More good thoughts and great vibes heading to you for a happy outcome, Karen.

Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer are really good. I've been giving them as gifts.

Another magical realism type is Murakami, who I enjoy greatly. It'll be fun to read some homegrown mr.

I was glad to read elsewhere that everything is good so far. Will we get to see you in your pirate eye patch?

Ah, a photograph! What a great idea.

I am home now for about four hours. I've made myself some lunch in the oven, watched a very few minutes of TV news, poked the computer some, and taken a nap after putting some drops in my eye. He did my left eye rather than the right due to a little mix-up, no big problem since I need the surgery bilaterally. I'm feeling good.

Thanks again for all your good wishes and thoughts.

Oh good, glad you are home and well. Rest up. No reading for a bit, I suppose.

I have not tried other than on screen but I think I can read for little bits of time.

I've been thinking of you and I'm glad your surgery went well. Rest, my friend!

All good wishes!

Good to hear it went well, Karen! Has the colander come off yet?

Back from follow=up appt. with Dr. All good. Colander can be off during the day, and I can drive. Colander goes back on face at night to protect the eye from my poking myself in the eye. I asked the Dr. "how soon can we do the other?" and he said he'd talk with his scheduler and maybe we can get it done within August. Whoo hoo. That would be fun.

I can do small, short bursts of time on the computer. The screen is a little too bright right now, so my eyes get tired. I'll be in and out.

Thanks for all the interest and concern.

*smooch* for the happy surgery!

Yay!

Thanks, and thanks!

I think I will be avoiding reading on the computer for a while. With one eye wanting to get in the car and drive and the other eye wanting to sit in bed and read a light hearted paperback novel, well, it is a conflict. The computer is going to lose. Sorry, all.

Hi Karen- I am glad the surgery went well. Just be patient with the the recovery. Your friends here will wait. We are a considerate and caring bunch. Gentle Hugs!

Glad to hear things went well. I am on vacation in Kansas and, like you, won't be at the computer that often. Maybe you should spend more time looking at flowers this month? Or maybe other happy looking things! The computer and the books can wait a little.

Good suggestion, Benita. However, I'm choosing to prep for a big garage sale in about a week. Need to clear this house out of clutter so I can sell it for the big bucks, don't you know.

Hope your vacation is wonderful! Kansas, eh? What will you be doing in Kansas? Looking for Toto?

Second cataract surgery scheduled for 8/13, Tuesday. If my experience is a pattern I will be happily seeing everything except books clearly by 8/15. Then I'll go get some reading glasses. I should be good to go before Labor Day. Horray!

Excellent!

>68 maggie1944: Hooray hooray! Wonderful to have the end in sight.

Pun optional.

liked it (-:

and thanks, Jim!

Whew. Lots of surgery. And if your experience is at all like my sister's, you'll love the results!

Ellen, I am confident results will make me very happy. I am especially interested to see how it interacts with my camera! Thanks for stopping by and checking on me.

Glad to hear that things went well with the first surgery and that you have the second planned. My brother-in-law is having lots of trouble with cataracts and doesn't want to have anything done because he had pain with his first cataract surgery. Knowing that things have changed since even a few years ago hasn't helped much in trying to persuade him to try again. Rather sad.

Oh, boy, I saw the doctor today and he said I was healing very well, and I told him I was looking forward to eye #2. Next week! Whoo hoo. I am sorry for those people who are nervous about the surgery because the improvement in my sight is so remarkable I am sorry I did not do it months ago, maybe even years ago.

Thanks for stopping by and checking on my Benita. I really do appreciate it. I must be more than just a reader who reports on books. I might be a friend. (-:

So glad the eyes are going well for you. I too had such an improvement when I had cataracts done almost ten years ago, I'd almost like to do them again as the age-related reading glasses issues are creeping in....

Good luck and enjoy your new life.

Tina, thanks for stopping by and telling of your great experience. I will be using some reading glasses, but I don't know whether I could even adjust to having no glasses at all! Ha ha ha

Tomorrow: great three day yard/garage sale begins! I will be a rich woman.... or not. We shall see.

Good luck with your yard sale!!!!

he said I was healing very well

Woo Hoo! And, like my sister who had the same surgery done on both eyes, you are glad you have done it. It sounds wonderful. Happy healing, Karen!!

Linda, thank you. Wouldn't you know it: Seattle's weather has been stellar, but Saturday and Sunday have a prediction of Cloudy, possible scattered showers. Scatter them elsewhere please, oh weather gods! I am hoping my goods will not get too wet. I do have a lttle bit of overhang in front of the garage; and I can create some displays in the actual garage, too. It is a garage sale after all! Ha ha ha

Ellen, thanks for you cheers. I feel very confident about this and can not wait until I get out here with my camera. I may be able to find the focus easier to do. I sure hope so. (BTW, have a great day tomorrow!)

Happy weekend all!

I'm glad to hear the good news about eye 1 and eye 2!

Good luck with the garage sale--feel free to blow all clouds to the east--we're awfully dry again this year.

OK. Closed the sale down a little early to go have a "physical" in advance of eye surgery #2. And this gives me a few minutes of down time before I run off to the Storm game this evening with the Great Niece rather than the Great Nephew. Great Nephew gets to go on Sunday, and he'll be an honorary captain. He is excited. I am getting tired. This retirement is much more tiring than I imagined it would be.

Thanks for stopping by, Janet, and checking on me. It does mean more to me than I can express here.

Happy Game-time, Karen44! Hope the yard sale stays dry tomorrow.

*smooch*

Wow! niece is overwhelmed by the noise, again, and frankly, is too young to be interested in the game. We hung in there until shortly after first quarter and the Strom was tanking.... and she wanted to go home. So we did. It was nice taking her so she feels better about my taking her older bro, and he and I can go tomorrow easily without her being upset.

Day 2 of yard sale....

big ole thunker storm last night. Hopefully, it will stay dry today.

Thanks, Richard, for coming by. I am so ready to get back to reading but it will be a little while yet..... dang.

Morning Karen- How are you, stranger? I miss seeing you around. Are you staying out of trouble?

Yes, dear Mark, as much as I ever do. Out of trouble. Am sitting here in a quiet time at the garage sale.... reading Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Hugette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune still. What an interesting woman Hugette Clark was. One of the eccentric things she did was commission the construction of many, many doll houses; also sent money to France to support illustrators of children's books.

My eye does not let me read for long periods of time. The garage sale is not making me rich, but it is entertaining. Next week the next eye; and then a little later, reading glasses, and then I should be back to regular reading and posting. Thanks for stopping by and saying "hey". I appreciate it a good deal. It is nice to be seen.

Have a great weekend.

How did the garage sale go?

Garage Sale went well, if long. I'm thinking I might do another in September, but only two days. Three days is one too many.

Yesterday, one woman came back and picked up $40 worth of stuff she had only said she wanted. And my house cleaning crew looked over the left overs in the garage and bought some stuff, including some of my handmade greeting cards. I was thrilled with that. I need to get myself into the craft room and make some more.

First, today's cataract surgery. Yesterday I bought my first pair of plain, no prescription, sunglasses since I don't remember when! I wore contacts in college and as a young teacher so I guess it has been since the 1980s.

In the end I think I might have sold nearly $200 worth of de-cluttering.

Lots of people use garage sales to declutter ... and to make some extra cash. Glad things went well.

I am leaving Fort Smith, Arkansas in the heavy rain and will be touring the Clinton Library today. Then it is back to Alabama.

Good luck today, Karen!

My post-cataract-surgery MBH buys plain sunglasses now, and never had before. She loves it. Makes it easy when we're traveling and they get misplaced, too - we just pop into a drugstore and get her a pair.

Glad you successfully de-cluttered and made some $ while doing it.

Hope your surgery today goes smoothly.

Sounds like you did well with the garage sale. Good on you for de-cluttering and making money at the same time:)

I hope this one goes as smoothly as the first one! I'll be thinking of you today.

So many good and excited wishes for surgery today! *smooch*

Thank you, all. Benita, I'd love to read what you thought of the Clinton Library. Thanks for stopping by an cheering me on. You should see the living room. All cleared out of clutter. I need to iron two more curtains and hang them; and then, clean the pellet stove and it will be ready for Prime Time. Next....dining room, bar between it and the kitchen, and then the kitchen. Progress is being made.

Joe! I am so silly... I am looking forward to buying multiple pair of sun glasses and reading glasses. You should see me now. I have the "colander" on my face and a pair of bookstore "readers" on the end of my nose. The first eye fixed can see through the readers well and I can see what I am typing quite clearly. Woooopie! The second eye feels good. It is 4 pm, and it was "fixed" at about noon today. I rested on my bed for a while and now I feel great. Tomorrow I'll see the eye doc at about 8:30 am, and will be able to lose the colandar. Then I just need to put the drops in my eyes for a few weeks and I should be good to go. I am so excited to pick up the camera with my new eyes.

calm, Janet, and Richard, thank you so much for stopping by and wishing me well. It went very well indeed.

I did enjoy putting money in the bank after the garage sale. I love that there is a machine that you can feed cash and it deposits into your bank account!

I still have one more person to come by and pick up one item she bought but she and I are both a bit handicapped for putting the butcher block into her van. We will wait a week.

Today's surgery was funny in that I knew what to expect and duh, it went by so fast I hardly knew I was being treated. At one point the surgeon stopped what he was doing and said he'd put a little more pain killer on the eye. Just as he said that my brain was slowly saying ...ah, I think I feel a little something. Evidently the eye responded faster than my brain did. Funny. In any case, it feel quite good right now and the protection taped on my face over the eye is just a bother. I'll be glad to be rid of it tomorrow.

He also told me that in a month I should feel 100% all better and ready to do any thing I want to do with my eyes.

But what do you bet, I'm well and good into my reading life, well before then?

Such great news that you're feeling better already, Karen44! *smooch* for a happy outcome

*smooch* back to you, Richard, dear. Yup, feeling good but trying to be careful to not "over do".

I pledged to not buy books in August, and I just today mentioned this FACT to a friend of mine, and yet just now.... I bought two books. I am an Addict. There is no debating.

I bought Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer to read for my book group's next meeting, in September; and I bought Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson. Both appeal to my historical self. I love history. OK, I need to get off the computer and give my eyes some rest.

So glad everything went well! You'll be batting those new eyes soon!

Thanks, Richard and Morphy. You probably do not know how much I love it that you guys stop by to check on me. I am up early to go to the eye doctor, and he is eye candy! Should be fun. Then I'm off to take care of kids. We'll see how much my new eyes help, or not, in that endeavor!

Oh, I didn't even think of your photography, Karen! This is going to be like a whole new world opening up, I suspect. Those in my clan who did this got wowed by the color vividness. So glad it went well!

Eye surgery is no joke...I get a little antsy when someone has eye surgery until all is pronounced well by the newly eyed.

How appropriate that the doc is eye candy!

Yes, I am anxious to get out with the camera and spend some time becoming reacquainted. Could be bunches of fun!

Yes, Richard, he is quite the cutie, and very charming, too, which my little ole lady heart loves. I was a little antsy, too. While "on the table", I said, "I am having a little trouble reminding myself to not hold my breath. Could you turn up the relax me juice a little"? Ha ha ha. They did, I did, and all is good.

So pleased to see that your eye ops seem to have been a complete success. Miss you whizzing around the threads but I guess now that your eyes will be in good working order there'll be no stopping you. Your bravery and good cheer for what is a pretty scary procedure is definitely worth a tropical hug.

Hi Karen! I saw on Joe's thread that you are back among the reading public. How cool is that. I know you will enjoy reacquainting yourself with that camera. I wonder how different it will seem.

Look forward to seeing you in person one of these days.

Paul, thank you for the virtual tropical hug! It was exactly what I needed! The eyes are working so well I almost forget that the operation was just yesterday. There are many other noisy things demanding attention in my life these days and I am really looking forward to school starting. I need some long days with no "outside responsibilities". But yes, truly and really, with some cheap reader glasses I am doing well in the reading department when I can find the time; and with some cheap sun glasses I am also driving around with very clear vision. The technician this morning says my right eye is seeing 20/25! Now that is different. Oh, happy days!

Ellen, I too am looking forward to connecting face to face with you again some day. Meanwhile we will just keep reading, eh? Will you be having a couple few more weeks of relative calm? When does the UW start? Sometime near Oct. 1?

The Clinton Library was very interesting. The architecture was outstanding. The museum was ho hum - more like a man sized brag fest. However, the building - WOW! There was a small explanation of the design features in the museum part of the library. It said that Bill Clinton really liked the long hall reading room of the Trinity College Library in Dublin Ireland and requested that his library have a long hall aspect. It said that was the only design request he made. There was a picture of the reading room of Trinity College and the resemblance was very apparent. Not with shelves of books (as in the Trinity reading room) but in the structure and design of the place.

The library is located in downtown Little Rock and right on the Arkansas River. It was built on land that was the former rail yards of the downtown depot. It does make an architectural statement. It is four stories and quite imposing in its way, but not over done. The library part of it comprises about a third of the building and the museum the majority of the space. The library is not open to the public. You have to be a researcher in order to get in there. Only the museum part is open to the public and it costs $7.00 to get in.

I went there because I had read about the fifty year retrospective exhibit of the fashions of Oscar de la Renta and the First Ladies. That exhibit was disappointing. There were only thirty items of clothing. Lots of bling and sparkle, but few of the garments were actually worn by the first ladies, and the oldest one displayed was a 1988 dress and coat worn by Nancy Reagan. There was little documentation about the garments aside from what type of fabric used, so it was impossible to tell how they were constructed. I thought there would at least be some of the design sketches on display. And there was only 1 pantsuit. Isn't that what Oscar de la Renta and Hilary Clinton made famous?

In short it was not a retrospective and it was not about fashion and first ladies. I spoke to a docent about it, and she (also somewhat of a seamstress) told me that she understood my desire to see the design and construction elements of the garments but most people were satisfied to see the flashy formal dresses and thought that they were beautiful. Talk about dumbing down a museum exhibit! Furthermore, she suggested that I go to the Fashion Institute of New York to get more detailed information or look at books about Oscar de la Renta. I might have it wrong, but I thought that the purpose of having a museum exhibit out in the hinterlands was so that a person could see things without going to the "Big City."

My sister told me to write a letter to the Clinton Foundation and complain. I probably should, as I made a special side trip and drove 200 miles out of my way to see the exhibit, but I don't know if I will have time as school starts next week and I have to prepare.

Thanks for your comments. Very interesting and they remind me of so many ways in which real scholarship seems to have slipped out of our life. America does have a long tradition of being anti-academic, right?

I love good architecture, too.

Maybe after school starts and you find a little time to pursue personal interests in between your occupational duties you could write the letter.

I am happily here this morning with two new lenses in my eyes, both of them. Some cheap reading glasses work wonderfully well for my morning poking around on LT and in other interwebs explorations! And regular ole cheap sunglasses work well while I drive around and look at the scenery with new sharp vision. Taking my poor little ole car into the body shop today so she can get fixed up, too. Life goes on........

Outstanding, Karen! I hope your ole car can see better after it's fixed up, too. I probably missed something, and I'm clueless as to why you're looking forward to school starting. A class? Classes?

Hours of freedom ahead for Karen44, Joe, since once school starts her supervisory duties for the kidlets she watches (like a hawk now, with these new eyes!) will be curtailed.

Sending car mojo and general hugs

Ah, got it, thanks, Richard. Hawkeye liberated.

Yah, for clear vision! Very happy for you, Karen! Now, I'll have to make sure I am fully dressed when I am typing away, before I could be starkers and you wouldn't notice a thing.
I hope you enjoy Under the Banner of Heaven. I am a big fan, along with all of Krakauer's work.

Mark, I love Krahauer, too.

Yes, Richard the sleuth deduced the reason I am looking forward to Labor Day.

Car: I hit a bollard at a Storm game, in part because I was so irritated at some of the behavior of other drivers. Stupid me. Then two days later someone hit me in a parking log. Just a scratch but it is costing him over $1000. Yikes. Dropped the car off today and discovered the body shop does not take credit cards. WTF. Really?

Then the silly car rental place gave me a car with a low pressure tire. Had to go back to the body shop.... they put air in the tire.

Why does all this happen to me?

Home now. Trying to relax.

Thanks Joe, Richard, and Mark. You three are Princes! Thank you for checking up on me and coming up with good stuff to think about like enjoying a book!

Hi Karen

I'm stopping by to check and see how eye surgery #2 went!

Amen for good news!

Yup! The eyes seem to be healing quickly and completely. I have one more eye doctor appt. next week and then we'll wait a month before I go get an exam and see if I need any prescription glasses at all! Whoo hoo.

I am very glad it is Friday. I need a day or two of just futzing around in my home. Expect I'll get some reading done, too. Living room is almost put back together and I can use the great reading chair again.

Happy Friday, Karen! I hope your weekend is full of good futzing and reading in the great reading chair and enjoying life.

Wow! We started out today by having a quiet morning watching TV cartoons, and having breakfast, and then over to my place.... walked the dogs through the little forest to the play structures, hung out there for a bit and became increasingly too warm on the walk home. So we chilled out with some Lucky Charms, then off to the Lake to look at ducks, and then to the library and checked out two books for the kids. The next door local tiny museum was open so we went in there are looked at displays of early Lake Stevens (logging and mining town). Then on our way home we were going to stop at the 7-11 and have a slushie, but I discovered..... no wallet in purse. So... back to the library: there it was sitting next to the computer. Ha! And then we noticed that the old house was open, too. So we walked though it. It has two bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and bathroom all decorated circa 1920-1930 ish. Fun. What a great summer day with the kids. When we got home Logan snacked on yesterday's pasta/spinach salad, and Jocelyn inhaled a piece of water melon. Summertime. I love it.

Then home to find a box from Amazon. Two books: Under the Banner of Heaven for the next book group read, and Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson. I have to make myself finish the Emply Mansions book before I start the Krakauer book, but man, I'd like to start it right now. Can't... must prepare for tomorrow's arrival of a guy who will pressure wash my house's north side (its green) and clean up the yard again.

So - I think that qualifies for good futzing... I am enjoying life.

Lake Stevens was one of the places that the family in Wallace Stegner's Big Rock Candy Mountain lived. It was hard to picture the Seattle area as so primitive because the only thing I have known of that area is the modern metropolis. I had to stop and remind myself that every place has a history.

And I am here to say, "the trees were huge!"

Morning Karen! So glad to hear that your surgeries went well. Your yesterday sounds delightful, and how lucky that your wallet was still sitting just where you left it!

Good morning, Karen.
UW starts September 25, I think (is that a Wednesday? we always start on a Wednesday). It's so weird to start a month or more after most universities around the country. But yes, the next couple of weeks will be somewhat quiet on campus. My job is less impacted by the academic rhythms than some, but I do experience a bit of peace during the last week of August and the first week of September. P and I will be going to visit the Grandmother/Rainier/Tahoma the first weekend in September, a delayed mini-moon since we stayed here while my Tennessee relatives were visiting.

I wonder if I can get a copy of Under the Banner of Heaven from the library with any relative speed.

I like that starting in September for UW, Ellen. Starting a school year in August has never felt right to me - it's still summer!

I know Mark is a big Krakauer fan, Karen. That should be a good one.

Sounds like some excellent summer futzing going on for you.

Ellen, there is at least a chance I'll read it quickly and could lend it to you. I received a used copy yesterday because I do not know where my keeper copy is. I think I accidently packed it in a box of TBR nonfiction which is in storage.

Hi, Joe. Yes, futzing going good. Four guys here today: mow lawn, weeding, make a new small flower bed around the lilac bush; and most importantly, power washing the green off the north side of the house. Whoooopeee!!

It was a beautiful day in Alabama. It was cool. Tonight I find that I need a sweater with some heft to it. Who would have thought that about Alabama at this time of year, but the weather is perfect. Except for the bugs.

It sounds like you had a wonderful day on August 16th. How fortunate that your wallet was still where you placed it and that no one took it!

I'm glad your surgeries went well. I hope you can enjoy the rest of the summer with no more procedures.

Gentle hugs

Karen, I have it on hold at the library and I should get it within a few days. It's not been high on my mental TBR list, but I hope to attend book group in September!

Last night's Seattle Storm game was great. They started the game with big leads, and then alternated leading with their opponents all through the game. Exciting. It was a big physical with more than one long pause as someone took a few minutes to recover from a hard hit. In the end, the Storm won with a couple few points to spare. Fun!

Benita, I'm glad it is lovely there. Last night as we walked out of the arena I caught the cool autumn breezes blowing and realized our summer is beginning to wind down. We have had a spectacular summer this year, quite the opposite to last year's rainfest. But it is coming to an end. Autumn is lovely here. Never too warm, often sunny and crisp. My favorite time. I must get the camera and my eyes to communicate happily again!!

Linda, yes I did enjoy Friday as it was not filled with this and that piece of business and driving all over the region to accomplish things. No more "procedures" scheduled for a bit. Talked with the lung doctor and the last lung/breathing tests were very good, better than before. (Proving in my mind it was the stupid tech I had for the early tests, I knew there was nothing really wrong with my breathing) So nothing more scheduled for breathing until December. I have an appt. with the Rheumatologist but I think it will be mainly routine.

It is true that this medical stuff has taken much too large a part in my life recently and I do want it to stop!

Ellen, I'm looking forward to September's meeting, too, and hope to start on that book in the foreseeable future.

OK, now I'm going back to trying to catch up with all my friends' threads.

Morning Karen! Hope you have a nice Sunday planned. It's beautiful here!

I think that the Seattle area would be beautiful at any time of the year. I love that city. 25 years ago I recommended it to my younger sister. She told me that if she hadn't found a job in Kansas within 4 months of her graduation from college she was moving. Where, she didn't know, but she was moving. I suggested Seattle. She ended up moving to Everett, then down to Oregon, then all over the world and the rest of the U.S. and now is in Montana. She found her love of skiing in Washington and now her only requirement in a place to live is that it be within driving distance of a ski slope.

It is raining hard here today. perfect for a cappuccino in the window of the local Barnes & Noble and participating in LT thread talk. I also plan on reading. I have an ARC from the Chicago meeting The Aftermath and I am totally engrossed. I hope to finish it before Wednesday and the madness of the first week of school.

Love your idea of doing some day trip tours in the Seattle area that involve food. I ate at Salumi when I was there in January. Made my sisters and cousins go there as well, and we had a great time. It doesn't cost much and the food is great. Homemade sausage. Gina Battali said that they are trying to get tourists to come to Seattle at other times of the year beside July and August so that is one place that you can go this winter and have a good cheap gourmet meal without breaking the bank. I was inspired to start making my own sausage and hope to make some with my sister this winter when I go home for Christmas.

I loved the Chihuly museum. There was a Chihuly glass sculpture at the Clinton Museum. Seems that it was presented to the Clinton's as a gift at some point during their White House years. I recognized it from two floors away. I was so impressed that I bought the postcard of it to send to one of my cousins who also loved the Chihuly pieces. I want one of those!

Thank you, Mark. I'm having a great day; however, the niece called and said her brilliant husband, going to the Seahawks game yesterday, chose to park in a very secure place. So secure that the Post Office closed their parking lot before the game was over. His new shiny truck is still in the lot, in downtown Seattle. Tomorrow morning I will go to their house to be the adult in place at 5 am so she can drop him off downtown on the way to her work, and he can drive from Seattle north to his job in his truck. Hopefully. Smile.

Benita, you are a wonderful inspiration!

*smoochings*

Thank you, Richard dear. Smooching right back at you, and throwing in a scritch behind Stella's ears.

I finished it! I completed the reading of - Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune.

As a frequent reader of popular histories and biographes, I eagerly jumped into this book of the very eccentric Huguette Clark, heiress to a large fortune from her father's early 20th Century mining in Montana and Arizona. By the end of the 20th Century this quirky, and to some people charming woman owned several homes which she spent money on maintaining but which she never used. She collected antique dolls. She had elaborate and authentic doll houses made to illustrate fairy tales. She also was an artist, spent her considerable fortune to support illustrators in France, and took elaborate notes on her own photography.

The book started out being a healthy romp through early 20th Century American history and told of Ms. Clark's father's rise as a mining entrepreneur and a U.S. Senator. At about half way though it leaves this narrative and begins to tell Ms. Clark's own unique history, a much more personal and unusual tale. In the end, she lives several years as a hermit, living in a room in a hospital in New York City. At her death, 19 far removed relatives attempted to challenge her will in which she left her wealth to a nurse, a lawyer, an accountant, and some other close associates as well as to several charities. I'll not spoil the story by reporting whether they were successful. I can happily recommend this book to people who enjoy reading American history, and some of its more bizarre stories. This is one. In the end, I am not sure I would have liked Ms. Clark, but I have certainly have enjoyed knowing about her.

good gravy, i see i've missed much excitement with surgeries and all. glad they're over with and you're doing well enough to be watching the Storm games. doing surprisingly well without LJ and Sue. going to mis TT after this year. she, her treys, her savvy and her lipstick have been such a part of the journey.

as for you, here's hugs. keep on keepin' on.

Ellie, you are so right about missing Ms TT after this year. She is a phenom; and I love watching her maturity hold the team together. And then she shoots.

Thanks for your good wishes. Eyes are improving but the ability to read is sometimes sketchy, dang it. I am sure it will be good in the end.

*sigh* I would've LOVED to have Huguette Clark as a grandma!

Well, I don't know. She "cut off" all of her relatives in the end. Her money went to charities and some professionals who provided her service in her last couple of decades.

Any one who is "following" WNBA: The Storm performed wonderfully well last night and won a game at Arizona. The Phoenix women just never were able to penetrate Storm defense often enough. So sad (not). It was great fun to watch them on TV for a change.

Finally, I have Under the Banner of Heaven on a new Kindle. My old Kindle died. It is not available on Nook. I bought a new Kindle and had a devil of a time 1. connecting to my Wi-fi here in my house; and 2. downloading a copy of the book. Dang. But I am happy now. I can enlarge the font and can read it with little effort. I just finished a bunch of pages and am taking a break. I still think I will read more slowly than I am accustomed but I will do what I can between now and the second Monday of the month (book group night).

The book is so depressing. These fringe Mormans who believe that they have the ability to speak for "God" and who think women are to be breeding cows, nothing more. They rape the girls at early ages and keep them totally subjugated, kind of like they were living in Hitler's Germany and in concentration camps. And the frustrating thing about this: it is going on right now, in more than one state in the United States of America, and in Canada, and in Mexico! These people use "freedom of religion" to justify their reprehensible behavior and have won in court more than once. So far the couple of law enforcement officers who dared to challenge this were voted out of office. Arg! Grrrrrr! and **stomping feet**.

I'm just at the beginning of the book. I should be able to read it with my in process of healing eyes, but I don't know if my stomach will allow.....

Uh oh, just started the book and already you're stomping your feet. I suspect Benny and Greta disapprove of such behavior (I know Abby does). I got my copy from the library yesterday and will start it after I finish the last two stories in The Empty Family. The latter has been like a disappointing hike: a slog with only an occasional worthwhile view. Still, I'm this close so I plan to complete it.

P and I went to the Capitol Hill farmer's market today and brought home some more peaches. We are having a remarkable peach year!

Go Storm!

Just watched the Storm on LiveAccess lose to San Antonio! Dang.

Happy new week, Karen44, and many a smooch for you.

Karen- Sorry to hear about the incident with your niece's husband's vehicle. LOL. Hey, he thought he was doing a slick move. Hang in there with the Krakauer. Many unpleasant moments but fascinating throughout.

Richard, thank you. Yes, it is a new week and the last week of summer vacation for the kids. We bought school supplies yesterday. Wow. All these years of taking care of these kids is pulling in to an end. I am excited for Jocelyn to start Kindergarten. She will surely blossom with all day school, she is very smart, and very social. Crossing my fingers for the boys as both of them find school to be a bit of a challenge. They would prefer to be much more physically active than the schools allow. Sad.

Mark..... I don't know how to break this to you. I am not married. Never have been. Probably never will be.

However, having the new Kindle up and running well, with larger print for the Krakauer book is a big help!!! I am nearly half through it. The history of the church is very interesting it is the present day stuff that is hard to read, but I am sure I'll be able to finish it.

My car's scratches and bumps were pretty much all my fault except for the last one which was from a guy hitting us in the parking lot. All cleaned up now. Looking shiny and almost like new! So good even if expensive!

Happy week everyone

LiveAccess. Cool.

Just starting the Krakauer.

Yes, LiveAccess was/is cool. I am only sorry I did not sign up for it before now. All those games I could have seen!

I downloaded and read the FREE Kindle novella The Goodreads Killer: A Revenge Fantasy today...not one single misspelling, faulty parallelism, or non-Oxford comma!...in my thread, post #195.

Whooooo eeeee! What an accomplishment!

It is! Not a ONE! I'm still all a-twitter over it.

oh, it was so reasonable in price, I bought it. You scored.

*smooch*

Sorry, Karen! LOL. I know you are not married, I meant to type your niece's husband. Maybe, something's wrong with my eyes or maybe it's just my mind.

OK, I watched LiveAccess basketball, Storm vs. San Antonio again, rather than drive in to hear Ivan Doig. I know, I know, this is not the behavior of an addicted reader, is it.

Nevertheless, the Storm pulled off a win: 72-71. I'll say it was a great game. Teams were within 4 or so points of each other pretty much the whole time. There are some talented women playing ball! Fun.

Now I'm off to the bed to read that book. I did buy the book Richard was over the moon about, and I'll have to start it sometime soon to see if it was worth its price. (zero) Then I think I have another ER book I need to get to reading.

Basketball vs Reading; or perhaps I can do both. I was shooting baskets with Logan yesterday and he asked me if I had ever played Basketball. I, who have never topped 5"2", said "no, too short". Little does he know that when I was of the age....back in the day.... I don't think we even had "girls' basketball", no soccer, and maybe no soft ball even! That was the age when high school girls played tennis, golf, and volleyball.

Woke up this morning to much rain. Very convenient as the roofer guy came by yesterday to look at my roof. He thinks it was a nail misplaced which was holding up one shingle and letting the damp in, especially when we have the massive rain storms. We drew a little line around the stain, and I'll watch it today to see if, with the current down pouring, it grows. I asked him if he knew anyone who knew plumbing well enough to solve a little problem and he looked at it, and muttered around a little bit and fixed it. He is definitely a keeper. Cute, too. And his Ellen briefs were showing a little bit over his jeans, and his shirtlessness (it was very hot and muggy yesterday) showed off multiple tattoos. Unfortunately, I'm hoping for no more roofer issues, so I'll probably not be seeing him again.

Today, a Cleaning Ladies arive at about 7 am and will be gone before 9 am. This will free me to do some office work and probably some good reading. I'm closing in on finishing Under the Banner of Heaven and I will be glad to be finished. Not that it is a bad book, it is just a very unpleasant topic.

Good morning, Karen!

I'm impressed with how much you get done in a day!

Overcast and thundering here so it seems your storm moved west. Anything that washes smoke out of the air is a Good Thing.

I adopted an incredibly sweet elderly Golden Retreiver two weeks ago; unfortunately she is TERRIFIED of thunder. I'm trying to put off her morning walk until this storm cell passes.

Hi Karen,
I thought I would check in about Book Club. I am just starting Part II of Under the Banner of Heaven and it's a very engaging, interesting read! I'm planning to attend book club on the 9th; will you be there?

I went for a very muggy run this morning. The nighttime heat waves (i.e., not cooling off as much as it used to -- thank you, climate change!) are really occurring right now.

I hope you're continuing to recover and love your new eyesight!

Hugs for Benny and Greta.

Janet, I am feeling the pressure to get lots done and I have to squeeze it in on my "days off"; but soon, I'll only be with the kids for 2 hours each day and I'll have much more time to work with to accomplish all these To Do lists!

I use sedatives for Greta Garbo when the idiots in my neighborhood shoot off fireworks. She also gets incredibly upset, and tries to dig through the floor. Hides under the bed, or in the closet.

Hi, Ellen! Yes, I was particularly unhappy with the humid feeling this morning early. I am very used to having the nights cool down, and the early morning is usually cool and refreshing. Perfect for running. I know you must hate this heavy feeling, too. But the rain is nice for the lawns, and trees, and bushes.

Yes, I will be at the next Book group meeting. Eyes are working OK, but it will be another two weeks before I can have them measured to see what I need in the way of prescription glasses. For now the combination of Drugstore readers + font which I can change works. But I do get tired before too long. I am almost finished with the book and I think I'm going to have a mixed reaction. We'll see.

Have a great end of the week and long weekend. I'm looking forward to it!!

The Storm won last night. Amazingly, a brief and heavy rain storm came rushing through the region just as we were driving to Seattle. The traffic was horrific! Stop and go on the freeway from way north, I jumped off and tried the alternate of Highway 99, and it became gridlocked, so when I got to the Seattle Zoo I jumped off thinking I'd use Fremont. Even it had become clogged. Finally went back to 99, and then up and over Queen Anne Hill. Logan and I had to go to the bathroom so badly that we stopped at the grocery store to use the facilities.

We completely missed the 1st Q, and this was after I left Lk Steve early on purpose. Drive from my house to the Key took 2.5 hours! ! ! Usually it is less than an hour, maybe 45 minutes. oh well. The game was fun and I bought a Tina Thompson tribute shirt!!

We only have 3 more games left. Next game I think I'll ask two of Logan's friends to join us and use up some extra tickets the Storm game season ticket holders. The game after that will be Aunt Christine, Logan and Jocelyn! Fun.

Almost done with the book....almost.

Hope the traffic clears over the weekend as much as your vision has since the op!

Glad to see that everything is well and that you are so energetic. xx

Happy Friday, Karen!

Congrats on the Storm winning. Sorry the storm messed with traffic so much. Have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Finished "Under the Banner of Heaven".

Review will come later.

The Storm have come on strong at the end of the season!

Yes, last night's game was great. Really playing as a team.

I am going to hold off posting the review of Under the Banner of Heaven until after our group's meeting, so you can read on without any "undue influence". Ha ha ha

Hi Karen- Hope you had a good day. I just started my 3rd Booktopia book and so far, I am batting a 1,000! Ann & Michael sure know how to pick 'em. You might like Songs of Willow Frost. It's set in depression-era Seattle. I am only a few pages in, but this will be a good one.

Books Finished during 2013

1. The Last Unicorn finished on 1/21/13
2. Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight: Cassius Clay vs. The United States of America finished on 1/29/13
3. Prisoner 88 by Leah Pileggi, published 2013 Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Here's the book's page: http://www.librarything.com/work/13472337/summary/93697111
4. The Truth of Me by Patricia MacLachlan, published 2013, Harper Collins Publisher, Katherine Tegen Books
Here's the book's page: http://www.librarything.com/work/13456843/summary/93570131
I have no idea where The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry came from. How can The Truth of Me lead there?
5. Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller, and,
6. Anna Karènina by Leo Tolstoy
7. Dead Money by Steve O'Brien *wrong touchstone! ER book!
8. Cairns: Messengers in Stone by David B. Williams. Finished reading on 3/21/13
9. Buying the Farm: Peace and War on a Sixties Commune by Tom Fels, finished on 3/25/13
10. My Beloved World by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, finished on 3/29/13.
11. The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope: A Novel by Rhonda Riley, finished early in May
12. The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving: A Novel by Jonathan Evison, finished on 5/12.
13. On Sal Mal Lane by Ru Freeman, finished on 6/1.
14. Waiting to Be Heard by Amanda Knox, finished on 5/1/13.
15. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
16. Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb
17. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
18. Bend, Not Break by Ping Fu
19. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
20. Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
21. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
22. The Goodreads Killer by Dave Franklin

I read The Goodreads Killer in response to a review encountered here on LT, a very enthusiastic review. I agree the book is well written however not my cup of tea. Somewhere in my growing old I've decided murder and mayhem, graphically described, is just not all that interesting. This author writes well, and the book is more of a short story, and I think this is published in order to entice readers to be interested in his work. I wish him well, but probably will not read more of his work.

Well, I think my next books is Boneshaker, I've read a few pages and I'm hooked.

mmmm, i like the cover of Boneshaker--what is it about women in goggles, anyway--but zombies and stuff, nahsomuch.

now, Karen, i expect a major Storm whelm tonight. Storm are gonna surge, the Lynx are gonna be sunk. just sayin'!

oh, I guess I'd better get my Live Access stuff figured out....

Boneshaker - so far, no zombies, etc. Just druggies slowly rotting to death. Happens in the best of families, doesn't it?

Hi Karen,
I finished Under the Banner of Heaven today and I did post a review. It was a good read and I thought it was hard to write a review of it. So many issues, which ones to address?

I hope you're enjoying your weekend.

yes, Ellen, I am enjoying my weekend. And I agree reviewing the book is a challenge. Still thinking about it.

I have been wanting to read those Boneshaker novels for some time. Tonight when I walked into the used bookstore there was an exhibit on Steampunk novels at the door. Directly facing me was Boneshaker. Maybe it is a sign?

yes, do it!

Book #23 finished: Boneshaker is finished. I guess this is not the first Steampunk book I've read but it definitely will stick with me as obviously earlier ones have not. I liked that some women were front and center in the story, not shrinking violets, or playthings, or harridans.

Set in Seattle, a single mother and her teenaged son struggle to survive in an environment which does not reward hard work, nor does it make going to school at all attractive. The son in a misguided impulse to investigate his father's and grandfather's deaths goes missing in a no-man's land, and the mother in a risky motherly impulse follows to rescue him. And so the adventures are on....

I laughed when the author had Seattle sitting on the edge of the ocean, which it does not. But otherwise the references to the city were enjoyable. Chief Seattle (really not named Seattle, more like Sealth) had a daughter who lived in the city longer than any others of her tribe and her name (or close to it), Princess Angeline, was used for one of the stronger and more interesting characters. The Smith Tower, which was the tallest building west of the Mississippi for a few years, was also used as an interesting landmark, as was Denny Hill (named after an early settler).

That aside, the story was clever, original and definitely held my attention. I think I read it over just 2 -3 days which is unusual for me, as I have many other fish to fry.

Karen- Hope you are having a fine Labor Day! I am being mostly lazy, which is a good plan. Glad you liked Boneshaker. I've had that on the To-Read list for eons.

Well, then, go read it. It is quick and fun. Very original. I think you will like it. I think I'll probably put it on my list of series to continue....

Happy Labor Day, indeed. I am enjoying it.

Boneshaker and sequels are faves of mine. Glad you liked it!

About 3 months ago I spent a couple of hours on a plane sitting next to Cherie Priest's aunt. She left me with some very pleasant stories, and Cherie sounds like a neat person.

Oh, that does sound very cool, Dr. Newt. Do either live in Seattle?

Nope. Cherie did, but moved to Tennessee when she got married. The aunt lives in central Florida. (I was coming home from a meeting at Kennedy Space Center on an Orlando flight when I met her.)

Ah, much of Cherie's references to things Seattle were kind of esoteric and very cool. She did however make it sound as if Seattle is right on the ocean beaches. Ha. Nope, not true. But the other references were just fine, even better, really cool.

I think the book is set in a post-apocalyptic world so in that kind of setting much of the familiar around Seattle could be changed at the author's discretion. I have simply got to read this one. Steampunk is so hot right now, and I have a 20 year-old niece who is steampunk crazy.

Benita, you are right but I think the authors must take care that anything that is quite different from the current, real, environment must be consistent with their backstory. There was nothing about the fictional disaster, resulting in Seattle's unpleasant environment which challenged the book's characters, which moved the ocean onto Seattle doorstep. Seattle is separated from the ocean by about a 2 hour drive.

I like the steam punk stuff, too, although I read it in bits and spurts to avoid feeling exhausted of all the challenges of living in a steam punk world.

So not impressed by my only Cherie Priest book experience, Four and Twenty Blackbirds, that I don't want to venture another trip. You sound like you enjoyed it enough to give me a moment's pause.

Well, I would like to read Boneshaker based on your comments. I'll have to see if I can find a copy.

So, Richard, I am comfortable recommending the book to those who like steampunk, but it is not high art. If you do find time to read it, I'll be interested in what you think.

EBT: it is our October book group book. A refreshing change from Under the Banner of Heaven. Definitely not a book with a purpose other than to entertain. And I was entertained.

Ah, I just finished my last full day with the 5 year old and the 7 year old. OMG, they grow up, and "wise" so quickly. You would have fallen down laughing at the 5 year old telling her mother that when it comes to eating her school lunch she knows she is supposed to eat some Protein before she eats her Sugar! (all about 1/2 packet of cookies for each of the two). It was so grown up, and so lecture-ish. Made me giggle and laugh at my preachin' comin' out of her mouth.

Tomorrow big day for her: first day of Kindergarten. The older boy is into the 2nd grade. And their eldest brother is going into the 7th grade. Ah, that family is in for the rocky times as well as big fun!

They do grow up so fast, don't they!

Under the Banner of Heaven sounds wonderful, but tough. Good review! It's definitely one I'll watch for.

Boneshaker also sounds like fun. I can see why she erred on Puget Sound versus the Pacific Ocean. I think to non-locals, Puget Sound is an inlet of the ocean, therefore ocean. I guess I need to do some reading on the differences. Any recommendations?

Well, Janet, I think I was splitting hairs, a bit. Puget Sound, sometimes called the inland sea, is salt water and it does host whales, seals, salmon, etc. So I suppose she can be forgiven. Perhaps she assumed calling it The Sound as we do might confuse readers who are not blessed with so much water all around them. She did live here I hear so she probably did know the difference.

I am reading another "light" read now: Louise Penny's A Rule Against Murder. I do like her ability to describe the natural environment in such a way that makes me wish to be there, right now. And the murder in this book is particularly interesting.

It''s not just you; I've been firmly told by my cousins who live in the area that Puget Sound is not called part of the ocean. I'm sure there are good reasons. Its only us foreigners who aren't in the know that would do so.

Well, for one thing: the ocean has waves which break on the beach and are fun to play in. Puget sound, not so much. There is some small waves and some tide effects but so different from the surf the ocean has.

Ah, surf. Yup. That honestly helps me visualize it more than the Wikipedia entry which talked about protection by all the landforms and no ocean storms.

Under the Banner of Heaven and Boneshaker sound way different but both good, Karen. Glad you're liking A Rule Against Murder.

For all my friends who are contimplating a move to the Pacific NW because we have such wonderful weather, reasonable temperatures, and excellent growing seasons for strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and miscellaneous other greenery: we are looking at a big storm arriving. Rain, rain, and more rain in the next few days and flood warnings are up!

I can't mow the lawn in the rain, so I think I'll read.

166 mirrordrum - As someone who hates zombies muchly, I can say that Cherie Priest's Boneshaker series are the only books with zombies that I read. They're not that kind of zombie and they don't figure prominently enough in the books to bother me. (But I understand the feeling!)

172 maggie - Glad you liked it! I'm a big fan of that series, and of Priest in general.

181 richardderus - Boneshaker is far superior to Four and Twenty Blackbirds. I also read Blackbirds first and I'm not sure why I persevered, but I'm glad I did.

Oh, bluesally, that's great news. I think I'll see about buying book 2 in the series. September is a Series kinda month.

The only book of hers that I've read that didn't especially care for was Blackbirds. I really like Fathom - although it was super weird - and her Cheshire Red series, too.

You know, I have the most recent Clockwork Century book, The Inexplicables, I just haven't gotten around to reading it. I haven't decided what to read next. Maybe I'll pick it up.

Just bought Tanglefoot for the Kindle at $.99. Very nice.

It was only receiving 3 stars on Amazon so perhaps it may not be a happy read, but it does give me a Series and Sequels book to get going.

I am enjoying the Penny book... should not take too much longer to complete.

Morning Karen- I was considering jumping back into the Three Pines books, since there are so many rabid fans over here. I've only read the first.
Enjoy your Thursday!

I think I am on book 4, and I love them both because she describes the settings in such an attractive way (I want to be there, now) and because the characters and the mysteries are believable and complex.

Well, considering I liked Four and Twenty Blackbirds, I should love Boneshaker.

Good morning, Karen. I'm home sick today (and I'm really sick, not just playing hooky because it's thunderstorming), hoping to do a bit of reading but tummy and fever -- bad combo. Ugh.

I got an email ad for the new Kindle Paperwhite yesterday. I found it tempting (except for the name), but am still resisting. I don't know why I resist. I keep worrying that I'll buy exactly the version that comes out right before the perfect version is released.

I'll bring my Kindle Fire 7" to the book group on Monday and you can play with it. Maybe that will be what you want, maybe something else, but I think having a little experience might help you decide.

I hope you feel better very soon. I am having a bit of an RA flare today with sore hands and wrists, and just general feeling bla bla bla.

Hopefully, we'll both be better tomorrow, Friday! And I'm taking all 3 of the kids (2 great nephews, 1 great niece) to the Storm game on Saturday night. Mom and Dad get a date night without having to pay for babysitter.

Yes!

Karen, I would love to play with your Kindle Fire a bit. I think you're right that I can't decide partly because it's all so abstract.

Sorry your RA is acting up. Does the stormy weather affect it? I'm feeling a tiny bit better but I still haven't consumed anything, not even water. I probably should try.

Ooh, enjoy the Storm game. Are the kidlets great basketball fans? We're supposed to head to the Grandmother tomorrow morning. I hope I feel better enough for it. I suspect that our hiking plans may be at risk between the weather forecast and my tummy, but that will just mean more time for reading! :-)

The RA flare is probably related to my having over indulged my sweet tooth. I rec'd an OK from the Rheumatologist to temporarily bump up the prednisone to chase this flare away. New diet is probably going to have Day 1 on Sunday (after time to shop, and cook, and prep) and I am pretty sure, as is my doctor, that the Anti-Inflammatory diet will help avoid the flares. Cross your fingers.

I hope you do feel better and that if your plans are changed it is the weather gods who are to blame, not the tummy gremlins. More reading is always a good thing.

ooooh, sugar is so bad, huh Karen? bad for everything. also addicting. glad you're able to chase a flare w/ prednisone. hope it works well for you.

also hope you make it to the Storm's game. i'm hoping LA can look like they give a damn tonight since the Shock is out of it and that Indiana can win one against Chicago who should be easing up a bit. i could watch Della Donne all night long. lordy.

have some good reading this weekend.

Thank you dear friend. Nessun dorma just made my day! I will definitely do some good reading this weekend, and some Storm time, too.

Dear Karen - Stay dry and safe if that storm is on its way. Our friend is returning from Oz this weekend and apparently Hani has commissioned him to buy my KINDLE so I may have something to report there!

Have a lovely weekend.

Paul, there are storms and then there are The Storm. Last night we had one doozy of a thunder and lightening storm, thousands of lightening strikes and one poor guy was hit by lightening while riding his motorcycle on the Freeway (big highway, many lanes). He was released from the hospital today. Whew. My doggies were treated with sedatives so they would not spend the whole night looking for cover, when they were undercover already. Greta Garbo likes to hide under my bed, and tries to dig a hole to your part of the world.

And then there is The Storm. The Seattle Storm is the professional women's basketball team here. They have had a 50/50 season which is great as they were expected to be last. Both of our "stars" are out with injuries this season. Tomorrow night I will be taking all the kids: two great nephews and one great niece to the game while Mom and Dad (my Niece and her Husband) have a "date night" without having to pay a babysitter. We will have a great time eating hot dogs and yelling our heads off.

And then, I'll spend the rest of the weekend reading.... I'm reading a Louise Penny book on one of the Nooks right now.

I'd be under your bed too Karen if it was the original Greta Garbo in her frosty pomp. I'd do my best to warm that particular ice maiden.

That could be interesting.....

I am going to spend dedicated time to LT this weekend. Work continues to suck the energy right out of my weary mind and body.

This time six years ago I visited your lovely city...so clean..so beautiful.

I note your comment about RA and prednisone useage. May I ask if you have any side effects from prednisone?

Periodically when the migraines are brutal, my neurologist prescribes a prednisone taper to break the cycle. I get very jittery, moody and cannot sleep. Sometimes I conteract that with valium...a drug for the side effects of another drug. It is a strange dance.

Sending all the best your way.

Prednisone has the same effect on me that it has on Linda. I'm not worth the paper I'm printed on for a week after the course is over. Mean, edgy, irascible...

...oh wait, that's just me! Never mind.

*smooch* for a happy Saturday.

#209
Richard - you made me laugh. I want you to know that I do not laugh at your misery, but I did have good snort because the ability to poke fun at ones insufferable self is very rare. I hope that the drugs do help you through the suffering, and I will forgive you the side effects as the benefits of having them is much better than your not having them.

>210 benitastrnad: Yeah, right, you know you were having an *evil* laugh!

No one should be unable to laugh at him/erself by the age of 50. One is doing something wrong if one can't. Thanks!

Richard - you speak the TRUTH. How will we stand it??

Prednisone: I am fortunate in that my doses are very small nevertheless I do have some history of side effects. The main one that bugs me the most is bruising. All I have to do is bump into something and I have an ugly bruise. I also bleed more freely which is a bother to those medical people who need to insert IVs or need to draw blood, but generally does not bother me.

Yes, I sometimes feel as if Prednisone is a bit like speed (you know, from the 1960s-70s) and I do have a hard time sleeping all night, or fall to sleep. But I just sigh, and pick up my most recent book.

I always have had on and off mild depression so I am not sure if the Prednisone has anything to do with that. I think it is just one of the habits I feel into when younger and more stupid. Or it is biochemical and is related to what I eat (sugar, fats, salts - you know the devils).

My personal take on it is that if the side effects are less awful than the symptom they are treating, I go for it! I am taking a little extra right now due to my having triggered some symptoms with overindulgence in sugar and processed foods. I am taking 10 mg for a day or two, then taper back to 2.5 mg. with the goal of getting off it all together within a week or so. So, I'm taking the prednisone, but I am also working hard on an elimination diet (To Quiet Inflammation: the Abascal Way).

The first phase, elimination phase - 3 weeks, is a bit of a challenge but can be done - no sugar or any type of sweetener, real or artificial; no dairy of any kind; no wheat or its cousins; no food chemicals (read the labels); no dried corn (chips, tortillas, popcorn, grits); and no peanuts and stick to chicken and fish. These are all in the Elimination Phase of three weeks. Kathy Abascal suggests eating proportionately: 1/3 protein or grains, and 2/3 fruits and veggies. Breakfast is different: 1/2 fruits and veggies, 1/2 protein/grains. For grains she suggests brown rice and quinoa. No salad dressings of the prepared variety cuz they have sugars so she sez use extra virgin olive oil and vinegars. Lots of good flavored vinegars now. Balsamic is especially tasty.

She teaches a class on line and so if you are interested google her and check it out. I'm going to the classes here locally. She lives on Vashon Island, just a 15" ferry ride from Seattle, and it is estimated she has had fully 20% of the population of over 10,000 in her classes. This diet works to eliminate all kinds of inflammatory disorders - and I have had very good luck with only just trying to follow some of the guidelines. I've never yet made a day with 100% compliance but I am working on it. Progress not perfection is my goal.

Best wishes for getting the migraines under control. I know they can be very hard to handle and do not make reading easy. And we do live to read, right?

I thought your earlier review of Empty Mansions was very interesting. My hometown, Hamilton, was homebase for the other half of the 'War of the Copper Kings' duo, Marcus Daly. Between Montana history in school and historical events here in Hamilton, I'm pretty familiar with the Daly half of the story--more so than the Clark, and I know nothing of the Clark descendants. Now it's just been announced that author Bill Dedman will be giving a reading from this book at the Missoula Festival of the Book.

I am soooo trying to keep book purchases down. I bought a copy of Sherman Alexie's latest book, Blasphemy, because he'll be there, too, and I will definitely want to hear him speak. Empty Mansions may be my second selection.

They haven't released the full list of authors and events, yet.

Janet, I lent my copy to a friend but if she returns it any time soon, please let me send it to you. It is not what I would call a "keeper" and I did get it through the ER program. Do have a grand time at the Missoula Festival!

I hope your suffering is worth it in the end.

Thanks, Richard. I hope so too. Eventually, this plan results in my being able to eat any thing I want, just need to know about the consequences. So, over indulgence in sugar will probably always be something I need to avoid, as much as I can, but there will be no absolutes. I do not do well with absolutes. I true to my nature, run in the opposite direction.

I hope you are feeling well. And enjoying your reading.

Thanks, Karen. I'll take you up on that offer if the book comes back from your friend.

I thing the name of this thread, July and August, suggests I need a new one...thread that is. I'll leave the reference to months out of the name of it.

Come on over and join me....

Happy Saturday, Karen. Hope you're enjoying that Penny book.

The Sky lost last night to an Indiana team trying to make the playoffs; it didn't help that their point guard went out after twisting an ankle in warmups. They're well-positioned for the playoffs, but my worry is they're not deep. If someone gets hurt, it gets tough for them to win. It's impressive that your Storm have done as well as they have with two (right?) starters out this year.