Joe's Book Cafe 24

2013 reads

January 2013 Books

1. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
2. The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
3. Anomaly by Skip Brittenham
4. The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman
5. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
6. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
7. The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon
8. Low Town by Daniel Polansky
9. Bend Not Break by Ping Fu
10. Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb

February 2013 Books

11. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson
12. The Miniature Wife and Other Stories by Manuel Gonzales
13. All Roads Lead to Austen by Amy Smith
14. Volt: Stories by Alan Heathcock
15. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
16. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
17. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
18. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
19. Howl A Graphic Novel by Allen Ginsberg and Eric Drooker
20 Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb
21. Jerusalem Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle
22. Show Red for Danger by Richard and Frances Lockridge
23. Emma by Jane Austen and Nancy Butler
24. Rebel Heart by Moira Young

March 2013

25. Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It by Geoff Dyer
26. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb
27. Are You There God, It's Me Mary: The Shangri-Las and the Punk Rock Love Song by Tracy Landecker
28. The Dance of the Seagull by Andrea Camilleri
29. Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb
30. The Ghosts of Nagasaki by Daniel Clausen
31. Building Stories by Chris Ware
32. Old Goriot by Honore de Balzac
33. Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb
34. Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb
35. Benediction by Kent Haruf
36. Breaking Point by C.J. Box
37. Heads or Tails by Lilli Carre

April 2013

38. Beloved by Toni Morrison
39. Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb
40. Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
41. Germinal by Emile Zola
42. Looking for Alaska by John Green
43. A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori
44. Robert B. .Parker's Wonderland by Ace Atkins
45. Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb
46. The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door by Karen Finneyfrock
47. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

May 2013

48. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
49. The Yard by Alex Grecian
50. Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
51. Before the Incal by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Zoran Janjetov
52. Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiongo

June 2013

53.Imitation of Death by J.D. Robb
54. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
55. Almost a Remembrance by Jack McCarthy
56. Scott Pilgrim Infinite Sadness Volume 3 Color by Bryan Lee O'Malley
57. Lunch with Buddha by Ron Merullo
58. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
59. Among Schoolchildren by Tracy Kidder
60. Divided in Death by J.D. Robb
61. Feynman by Jim Ottaviani
62. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
63. Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
64. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather

July 2013
65. Saga Vol. 2 by Brian Vaughan
66. Murder in Thrall by Anne Cleeland
67. Visions in Death by J.D. Robb
68. Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather
69. Five by Endo by Shusaku Endo
70. Sum Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman
71. Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
72. The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen by Dominique Enright
73. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann
74. The Softwire: Virus by PJ Haarsma
75. Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman
76, Origin in Death by J. D. Robb
77. Wool by Hugh Howey

August 2013

78. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
79. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb
80. Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
81. Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb
82. The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
83. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
84. Shakespeare's Sonnets by you-know-who
85. Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
86. The Open Door One Hundred Poems edited by Don Shore and Christopher Wiman
87. Memory in Death by J.D. Robb
88. Never Go Back by Lee Child
89. TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
90. Mind Mgmt Volume 1 by Matt Kindt
91. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen

September 2013

92. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
93. The Telling Room by Michael Paterniti
94. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
95. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
96. Me, Who Dove Into the Heart of the World by Sabina Berman
97. Born in Death by J.D. Robb
98. Death of a King by Andrew H. Vanderwal
99. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
100. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
101. A Bit of a Difference by Sefi Atta
102. The Greater Journey by David McCullough
103. Midnight in Death by J.D. Robb
104. Constellation Games by Leonard Richardson
105. The Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri

October 2013
106. The Light Years by Elizabeth Howard
107. Innocence in Death by J.D. Robb
108. The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
109. Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson
110. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
111. Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
112. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
113. Interlude in Death by J.D. Robb
114. Pale Gray for Guilt by John D. MacDonald
115. Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie
116. Longbourn by Jo Baker
117. Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson
118. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

November 2013

119. Burma Chronicle by Guy Delisle
120. Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
121. The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber
122. Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb
123. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
124. Trade Secret by Sharon Lee
125. Rough Passage to London by Robin Lloyd
126. The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
127. Double Deuce by Robert Parker
128. Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert B. Parker
129. Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker
130. A Catskill Eagle by Robert B. Parker
131. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb
132. Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricial MacLachlan
133. Taming a Seahorse by Robert B. Parker
134. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
135. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

December 2013

136. Pale Kings and Princes by Robert B. Parker
137. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
138. The Last Word by Lisa Lutz
139. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
140. Montalbano's First Case by Andrea Camilleri
141. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

2014 American Author Challenge (kudos to Mark)

Willa Cather- January The Professor's House
Cormac McCarthy- February The Orchard Keeper
William Faulkner- March The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Toni Morrison- April Sula
Eudora Welty- May The Optimist's Daughter
Kurt Vonnegut- June Cat's Cradle (re-read)
Mark Twain- July Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Philip Roth- August The Ghost Writer
James Baldwin- September Notes of a Native Son
Edith Wharton- October Ethan Frome
John Updike- November The Witches of Eastwick
Larry Watson- December Let Him Go

LOVE the thread topper, Joe! I can't decide if I prefer the elephants or the pigs. Happy new thread!

What a lovely way to start your thread. Congratulations on reading all these books!

What a stellar year for you.

Good morning!

I like the topiary! They've got some seriously bored gardeners to come up with such a labor-intensive design.

Getting in here early while the gettin's good. Great introductory photos, (as usual)!

Oh, topiary! Sweet.

Whenever I see topiary images, I immediately think of my favorite Stephen King novel --The Shining.

Very cool bushes, Joe.

Waving hello from Kaua'i.

My favorite topiary is the second one, the strolling couples.

Morning Joe- Congrats on the new thread. You are catching up with me, sir! Love the topiary. Reminds me of the one in The Shining, the book that is.
I am getting ready to hit the route. Heavy, but not bad.

Hello Joe! Stopping by while I have the chance. I'm also getting ready to hit the route, but it's the route to Joplin to see Stasia, Catey, Brenda, Sandy, Donna, and whoever else shows up this week! Getting excited!

>3 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! Glad you're loving the topiary. Amazing what they can do, isn't it?

On my screen, the post doesn't want to let my few words ("Topiary", and "Welcome to the new cafe") show up, but that's not a big loss. As first to arrive, you get some caramel pecan pie.



Hope you're having a good day at the Pecan Paradisio.

>4 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! It has been a good year for reading. I have to pick some time to pick favorites of the year so far. I know Longbourn will be one of them.

>5 leperdbunny: Good morning, Tam! How is everything in TamWorld?

>6 richardderus: Ha! Glad you like the topiary, Richard. Yes, it all may have started with bored gardeners, for all I know. It's amazing to me what they can pull off. Fun to walk among it when the chance presents itself.

>7 scaifea: Hi, Amber. We always have a spot ready for you here! Glad you like them threadtoppers. Some green feels good, as we USA-ians start heading into the winter months.

Oh my word the pig! I saw that and burst out laughing! Too funny, Happy new thread Joe.

>8 laytonwoman3rd: Sweet topiary, I agree, Linda. I wonder whether there are any topiaried books or bookselves out there? Maybe a topiary of someone sitting in a comfortable chair beneath a lamp and reading? If not, there should be.

>9 Whisper1: You got me there, Linda. I only know the movie of The Shining, and Kubrick took out the killer topiary bunnies and lions, probably because special effects at that time couldn't have done them justice.

Hopefully these are a little less sinister!

>10 maggie1944: Waving hello from Kaua'i. This is running high on the envy meter, Karen! Actually, thanks for checking in from your tropical vacation. You must be taking a deep, relaxed breath after all the hard work. Enjoy! We'll look forward to hearing about your escapades. Report back on the edibles, too!



>11 Morphidae: I love that one, too, Morphy. The strolling couples have a great feel to them, don't they?

>12 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Hope you had a relaxing day yesterday, despite them inept bears.

Glad you're liking the topiary. No worries, no way I'm catching the Mark express. The cafe car will just be toodling along at the back of the train.

Good to hear the load's not too heavy. I could see the combo of the holiday and the holidays putting together a bodystrainer. And the weather's supposed to be at a decent temp this week, although the rain may be a-coomin' in.

We're going to give you a to-go coffee you can feel good about:



>13 tloeffler: Oh, that sounds great, Terri. What a meetup group. Look out Joplin - the LTers are coming! Pretty library.



ETA: >15 Thebookdiva: Ha! Thanks, Abby. Great pig, eh? Laughter is a good way to start the day. Makes me think of how Sherlock the furry comedian gets us laughing; I'm sure your four B's keep your clan chuckling.

Joe, even knowing you're Kindleless (!), I want to remind you of this really good book's existence. And at the price, it's worth app-ing your iPad.

Big happy! The Kindle edition of this four-plus star book is 99¢ today, 2 December 2013!! I love Cyber Monday.

My review can be found at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.

When that Hunger Games juvenilia gets bestsellerdom and movie money, this far better dystopia gets too little. Baffles me.

Joe your topiaries remind me of Jeff Koons Puppy at the Bilbao Guggenheim. That puppy reminds me of my Westie Bruce.

#17 sounds like someone is catching the evil bookwarbling virus. ;-)

>17 richardderus: I'm Kindle-equipped, actually, RD, so I'll check it out, thanks.

I'm a Hunger Games fan, so if you say this is better, I'm intrigued.

I'm gong to help spread the word on an Amazon charity offer I didn't know about, AmazonSmile, which donates part of your purchase to a charity, including one you can pick if you want: http://smile.amazon.com/about.

>18 luvamystery65: That's a very cool reference, Roberta. I'll show it below. I'd love to get to that Bilbao Guggenheim some day, and see the Frank Gehry design in person. Your Westie Bruce must be huge! (Just kidding). How about a pic of Bruce some time?



>19 luvamystery65: ETA: I love your book-warbling battle with RD!

Hi, another day another dollar, Joe. :P Job hunting and cleaning today. :)

Joe this is my Bruce, one of my three dogs that are collectively known as The Devilles. He is quite handsome and the best behaved of the three. The other two can be seen in my gallery.

Those topiary remind me of The Shining book too!

I would love the biggest chai you can dig up please.

>21 leperdbunny: Job hunting and cleaning - that sounds like a tough go to me, Tam. We'll keep your table open for when you need a break. Good luck with the hunt!

>22 luvamystery65: He's a handsome fellow, all right, Roberta. Thanks for posting that. I'll get over to take a look at the other two Devilles. Is there a cat collective of Cruellas?

>23 seasonsoflove: I know you like books that scare the berjibbidees out of you, Becca, so I'm not surprised you make that connection.

Here's the biggest we were able to find when we dug up the chai's:

According to my nieces and nephew I am Cruella. Obviously, I am not cruel to puppies but after witnessing my driving skills they said "Aunt Roberta you drive like Cruella Deville". My response was "I learned to drive in Laredo. It's on the border of Mexico." My niece Anna said, "Well you don't live there anymore." I replied, "You can take the girl out of Laredo..."

So Cruella I am.

Cruella and the Devilles. We need to get you a 1960 Cadillac Sedan DeVille to drive them around in:

Richard I can't see the picture right now but ABSOLUTELY!

ETA: Now I can see it! Perfection. Nice and big. Perfect to hit the curbs with.

>22 luvamystery65: What a handsome boy! Love his little side look to the camera. :P

>>25 luvamystery65:-27 Perfect to hit the curbs with. Lovely!



>28 leperdbunny: Bruce obviously has modeled before, Tam. That handsome face is destined for stardom.

Joe I had that exact photo on my Facebook profile before! LOL

#28 Thank you! He actually has modeled for ads for my friend's Doggy Daycare and Spa.

Hi Joe-
Every time I see that people have read Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricial MacLachlan, I cant help but see the name Sarah Palin! :)
I love the shaped plant animals! There is a vet place near where I live that has shaped hedges that look like animals chomping the fence, I always smile when I see it.

>30 luvamystery65: The Cruella Deville photo, Roberta? Ha! It's pretty evocative, isn't it?

Bruce has that dashing quality of someone who has done it before. Perfect for a Doggy Daycare and Spa, I'm sure.

>31 LovingLit: You know, someone else saw Sarah Palin in the title, Megan. Richard maybe? We thought it make for a good parody. Sarah Palin comes from Alaska in answer to John McCain's advertisement for a vice-president?

Yes, there is something about the shaping of the greenery that makes it hard not to smile. If I had an ideal garden to go with my ideal home library, I'd sure have some of these in it.

ETA: BTW, our daughter reminded me that her mom met Mary Roach at our daughter's school, Wesleyan, not at our son's school as I mistakenly said. Mary Roach is a Wesleyan grad. Oops.

At Sudeley Castle, near Cheltenham...this:

and she doesn't mind company

Your cafe is like a little bit of heaven, Joe... thanks for that..

Oh, that's just cool topiary! Especially the lady on the bench.

Will have to echo everyone else and say how much I'm enjoying your photos this time around, Joe. The strolling couple up top and the reading lady just ^ there are my favorites. Hope you're having a good evening.

Any chance I could snag another giant Chai like your lovely daughter? Sounds like it'll hit the spot!

Topiary, caramel pecan pie and Cruella De Vil...such a combination!

Joe, I pulled out The Hundred and One Dalmatians this evening, after thinking about Perdita. Then I see you posted pictures from the cartoon. Hmmm...gmta. Have you read the original book, or just seen the Disney bastardization? If you have not yet read the book, YOU MUST! It's perfect for a December read, as the majority of the story takes place during that month.

I want this:

OMG, fuzzi, I want one of those too! Too perfect, and actually seems do-able. :)

I loooooooove the thread toppers! I think the elephant family is my favorite.

Well, I've done my bit for Cyber Monday... I think I've made quite the dent in my Christmas shopping list today thanks to all the wonderful discounts and free shipping I found on some of the retail sites. Whew!

>37 fuzzi: Fuzzi, I *love* adult reading nooks. I WANT!

I will *expire* if I don't get some liver, bacon, and onions.

At this time of night, RD? You're likely to expire if you DO...

I'll take the chance!

Do leave instructions for someone to notify us in the event...OK?

*gork*

>33 laytonwoman3rd: Love it, Linda! Topiary woman sitting and reading - how cool is that? Thanks for posting it.

That looks like a castle worth visiting in general.



>34 mckait: Thanks, Kath. Glad you enjoy it. It does seem like a little bit of heaven, doesn't it? Occasionally we have angels show up.



>35 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Good to see you, buddy. I like that lady on the bench a lot, too.

>36 LauraBrook: Hiya, Laura. I like the strolling couple and the reading lady, too.

It was a good evening - my MBH performed at the Holiday Club with some other storytellers, and they were all excellent. Hers had to do with weighing in at the doctor's, and was very funny, and poignant, too. I'm a fan, can you tell? Another performer, a woman from Peru, explained the difficulties her long Peruvian name, which was something like Ines Anacleta Zamora De Alvaladejo, except longer, has created for her here, including the struggles at places like the DMV to fit it into the prescribed boxes. Very funny, and also moving, as her name is very much tied to who she is as a person, a family member, a Peruvian, a South American, a Hispanic, and probably more, and USA-ians so often are insensitive (making fun of it or screwing it up) and inflexible (all those letters and names don't fit the system) with regard to this kind of thing.

But I digress. Big time chai coming up. Hope you have a good one today!

>37 fuzzi: I know, fuzzi, how many places combine topiary, caramel pecan pie, and Cruella De Vil? Plus irresistible book nooks like the one you found? We may have the only one. Although I wouldn't mind a multiplying effect. One Cruella De Vil is probably enough, but we sure could use more of the rest.

I never did read One Hundred and One Dalmatians, so thanks for the tip. It might not happen this holiday season, as books tend to pour in from different directions this time of year, but it's definitely on my radar now.

>38 LauraBrook: It does seem doable, doesn't it, Laura? We just put in a bay window at the back of our house, with a window seat where we'll be able to read, but the bookshelves will be across the room. It sure would be great to have a sit-in nook like that.

>39 cameling: Glad to hear it, Caro, and good to see you. I was pretty feeble on Cyber Monday, although I did pick up a 99 cent-er you'd be interested in - Montalbano's First Case. Never heard of it before, but it was a bargain on Kindle. I also picked up at that price one Richard recommended, The Zona, a gritty post-apocalyptic tale.

Good for you for putting a big dent in your Christmas shopping list. I still have many purchases to go before I sleep. The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have gifts to buy for all my peeps.

>40 leperdbunny: Me, too, Tam. Give me pie and that book nook, and I'm pretty much all set.

>>41 richardderus:-45 We can go over to RD's thread after this to make sure he survived the nighttime liver, bacon and onions, Linda. I think *gork* is a sound of contentment, but it's in a language I don't recognize.

Hi Joe! I love the topiary pics at the top of your thread, and like many others, they bring to mind for me The Shining. The best topiaries I have seen in real life are at Disney World in Florida during the Epcot Center Flower and Garden show. Both times we've visited Disney have been during this show and we have loved the topiaries. They had a fairy garden in 2010 which was amazing.

>48 Cobscook: Hiya, Heidi! Good to see you. Glad you're loving the topiary pics. Wish I'd seen the Epcot ones you're talking about. I did find this pic of some of the fairy garden ones.

Oh, my...

Love the topiary. Think of what they would look like after a few months of neglect, though! Monsters indeed.

I availed myself of cyberMonday to pick up all the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, all the Brandstetter mysteries, and that Camilleri that you snaffled, Joe. So much reading to ensue.

Seeing the DeVille made me think of the 1972 Galaxie 500 that I used to drive. It's even baby blue like mine was (except the rims!)

Hi Joe, I am loving all the topiary art. How about some owls to add to the collection:

OOOooooOooooh, love the owls!

>50 fuzzi: I'd heard of dragon plants, fuzzi, but had no idea they looked like that. Nicely done!

>51 ffortsa: Quality haul on CyberMonday, Judy. Have you read the LPW mysteries before? A ton 'o fun. He's a clever rascal, and humble in his pursuit of romance. The Camilleri popped up out of nowhere, didn't it? I'll have to check out the Brandstetter mysteries; those are new to me.

Those topiaries need persistent attention, don't they?



>52 Morphidae: Nice, Morphy. Your 1972 Galaxie 500 looks like it would have blown my 1968 Ford Falcon off the road.



>53 DeltaQueen50: Glad you're enjoying it all, Judy. Those are great-looking owls, in a beautiful location. Thanks for posting the pic.

ETA: >54 Morphidae: Me, too, Morphy.

Deleted...bad picture. I had my own picture of a nifty frog topiary from one of the Las Vegas casinos, but it was fuzzy when I loaded it. Maybe I can find a better one taken by somebody who knows how to use a camera.

Joe, I read all the LPW years ago, but somehow I couldn't resist the candy when it was so cheap. I also read the Brandstetter long ago. I'm hoping they hold up.

>56 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! I know the problem, Linda. Good luck.

>57 ffortsa: Good idea to pick up the candy, Judy. I want to re-read the LPWs at some point, too. A few years back we were blessed here with some nice stage productions of the Harriet Vane ones.

OK, I found a very nice photo of that Bellagio topiary frog, but it's copyright protected. So I'll just post the link to it. There's a nifty ladybug, too.

>53 DeltaQueen50: love the owls! So pretty!

Jazz band Topiaries?

Nice frog, and Jazz band!

My dh's first car was similar to this:



It was medium blue with a black vinyl roof.

The owl topiaries are a hoot and I really like the jazz band ones, but the fairy ones are a little creepy. I notice nobody's found a camel one yet ... *slinks away*

^ I never like being left out.

Just for Caro!

Elephants I've seen.

I love the pigs, and the dragon too!

Lovely garden art in your thread, Joe!

>59 laytonwoman3rd: Nice one, Linda. I like the way the frog is hunkered down among the flowers.

>>60 leperdbunny:, 61 Aren't those owls great, Tam? Love the jazz band! Any idea where that is located?

>62 fuzzi: Oh, I miss those big boats sometimes, fuzzi, gas-guzzling and all. My mom had an Oldsmobile Delta 88 convertible for a while, that I'd get to borrow, and it was my favorite car ever.



>63 cameling: Here you go, Caro, a camel topiary. You may want to lobby the Boston Public Garden, because I suspect a better one could be done. Ah, I see Mamie has some good ones.



>64 msf59: Nice one, Mark! Am I right in guessing it's a topiary librarian? Now we need to fine a topiary high quality ale.

>65 Crazymamie: Nice one, Mamie! Caro should be a happy camper this morning.

>66 ronincats: That is a most excellent elephant, Roni. I like the pigs and the dragon, too.

>67 wilkiec: Thanks, Diana. That's a good way to put it - garden art. I hope your dental problems are behind you and you're feeling good.

Is anyone ready for breakfast?

Oh yes please please sir may I have some hash and eggs with about a Brazilian harvest of coffee please? Hungry and sleepy. I got 9.5hrs sleep because I put David Attenborough videos on loop via YouTube. Better than thorazine.

Once nice thing about those tanks was you could be in an accident with them and walk away with nothing more than a busted tail light. Literally. I was rear-ended at 45 miles an hour. Their front end was crushed. I had the aforementioned busted tail light.

Cars nowadays are tissue paper around balsa wood.

>70 richardderus: I've never tried watching David Attenborough videos on Youtube, Richard, but I'll have to do that (not).

Hash and eggs and a Brazilian harvest coming up:



ETA: >71 Morphidae: I know what you mean, Morphy. There are tanks, midweights, and tissue papers. My wife, pre-marriage, drove a tissue paper, I think it was a Toyota Tercel, on the highway to and from work, and it scared the bejeezus out of me for the reasons you give. We eventually upgraded her to a Honda Accord, which was pretty solid.

Morning Joe- I guess another cuppa java, wouldn't hurt. Getting ready to hit the route. Freakishly warm out here. I am carrying an extra hour but it was voluntary and I am off tomorrow, so not bad.
Enjoy the day!

Joe, I'm in need of the usual, please. I have a lot to get done today, and no mojo to do it with. I just want to sit and read, and that is SO not happening.

Looks amazing! In case you've never read it, Joe, there's a Kindle deal on Pilgrim at Tinker Creek today...$1.99! It's a wonderful read. Annie Dillard's memoir of a year in Virginia's outback, learning about nature's rhythms and spiritual growth, without going all preacholeum or being a pit-sniffing solipsist.

>73 msf59: Morning, Mark - sounds like good timing for you. Warm day today, tomorrow off - pretty good, right? You deserve some good timing after Hell Week.

Cuppa java takeaway, here you go:



>74 Crazymamie: Gotcha, Mamie. One of those days. OK, let's get you fueled and cleared for takeoff:



>75 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Good Kindle tip!

I'll have what Richard is having for breakfast. Sound absolutely delicious. Keep the coffee flowing please.

I'm still reading Spenser #8. Grrr….. I'm also reading a book of Christmas mysteries. One is I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus by Ed McBain. Oh the Christmas Spirit!

>77 luvamystery65: I think I may understand about your aggravation with Spenser#8, Roberta. Some uncharacteristic, hard to justify behavior on his part. Plus A Savage Place is kind of a lesser one in the series for me. OK, but aberrational.

One RD brek coming up, and here's the flowing coffee (who spilled the beans?):

Ah! I have a few early morning minutes to catch up with you and as usual it is a treat. Good food, conversation and laughs.

Off to do some photography today.

Good to hear from you, Karen! Have a wonderful day in that tropical paradise. Hope we get to see some of your photos.

RD, how did you find the Dillard? It didn't show up on the front page of daily deals. Clearly, I'm missing something (but not the Dillard, now!).

#65 : Sweet... thank you, Mamie. They're a little shaggy but at least the camels have been represented. :-)

#68 :Joe, I'm sorry but is that a camel? It looks like a dinosaur to me.

It's one of those days when I just craved hot fried chicken ..... so I had to slink off to KFC for a 2 piece extra crispy chicken meal with mac & cheese and coleslaw. Ahhh.....crunchy guilty blissssss......

>81 ffortsa: It was on one of the zillion emailings I get daily about bargains and deals. Same on let me know Underworld was only $1.99 today, as well. Snapped that puppy up in a heartbeat, wrist-sprainer that it is.

>>81 ffortsa:, 83 Clearly we're fortunate to benefit from RD's network of price-cutting marvels. Some day I have to read some DeLillo. But not today.

>82 cameling: LOL! I agree, pretty pathetic, Caro. It's supposed to be a camel. Thank goodness for Mamie.

want to play, but for now at least, typing just is *not* a happening thing so will just say "hidee-ho, Joe."

I thought the shaggy was kind of charming - like hippie camels!

>85 mirrordrum: Ha! No worries, Ellie. I say "hidee-ho, Ellie". Good to see you!

>86 Crazymamie: Hippie camels, I like that, Mamie. How about a non-topiary one?

LOL! It's probably not easy to maintain one's dignity while wearing all that bling, but somehow that camel manages to pull it off. Fabulous, Joe!

>87 jnwelch: yes!



a hugeous squid for RD from Montreal Bot gardens

LOVE the squid!!

Oooooh, what a superb squid!

Ooh, that Camel looks like he/she is having a ball. :)

>88 Crazymamie: I believe this camel went on to join a dance troupe and successfully tour the world, Mamie. I sure hope so anyway. Glad you enjoyed the bling with attitude.

>>89 mirrordrum:-91 That is a most excellent hugeous squid, Ellie. You probably know this, but RD is a renowned squid connoisseur who often is quoted in Squid Monthly. So his approval carries a lot of wait. Fuzzi: Run! Run! It's not really a topiary!

>92 leperdbunny: It takes hours to do his/her makeup in the morning, Tam, but it's worth it, isn't it?

Coffee please! I'll have the Richard size serving.

*bleurgh* me too a me-sized serving it's foggy and dank and the dog wanted to chase squirrels and I am cold.

Chili cheese fries, too. Lots of them, maybe 3-4 pounds, and onions and jalapenos. I need to warm up!

I am entranced by my latest short little read.

>94 luvamystery65: RD-size java coming up pronto, Roberta. (We call this the Magwhumpus, as The Size Beyond Veinte was unwieldy).



>95 richardderus: Bless you! Was that a sneeze or a burp, Richard? What is your latest short little read? Let's get you warmed up:

Hi Joe! I love the elephants.
Claiming a spot in the cafe, even though I have become an only occasional patron. It's still one of my favorite eateries, you know.

Morning Joe- Looks cold out there! But is sure beats upper-Minnesota. Yikes! I'll heading out, to do some outside stuff in a little while.
I haven't got much GN reading in lately. My chunkster print books have been sucking up my time, but I did start Infinite Horizon and hopefully I can read a chunk today.

Oh thank goodness! Warmth!

I don't know for sure what that noise is...it represents despairing disgust. I first made it when Bush stole the 2000 election so very clumsily and Rove and Cheney bludgeoned the Supremes into validating the theft.

>97 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! Good to see you. Glad the elephants tickle your fancy. As you know, there's always a table waiting for you here. :-) Hope you've been having some good adventures.

>98 msf59: My MBH lived in upper Minnesota for a while, Mark, and still tells tales of the bitter cold. Enjoy your day off! As I mentioned, I liked that Hawkeye, and now I'm reading a new Dresden Files one. I'm also charmed by the Inga Moore-illustrated edition of The Secret Garden. Fun to visit an old favorite in such a well-done edition.

>99 richardderus: Ha! I'm glad something Bush-inspired can make us laugh, Richard, even if it's only a noise.

For those who think it does nothing but rain in Seattle, later this week we're looking at lows of 18F. There will be no rain. Sadly, there will be no snow, either. Maybe I need to move back to Wisconsin. Ha.

Mark recently asked whether this Precious Ramotswe, No.1 Ladies Detective Agency mystery series is dark and gritty. The answer is no. Begun in 1998 and set in Botswana, it features "traditionally built" Precious, applying deep common sense and keen intuition about people to unmask deception and right wrongs. She is assisted by her prickly but insightful "associate detective" Grace Makutsi, who scored 97% on the critical test at the secretarial college, and isn't about to let anyone forget it. The books feature a relaxed pace and gentle humor, with life in Botswana, where cattle can still signify wealth, on display.

SPOILER ALERT As this is the 14th in the series, this inevitably will mention parts that a new reader won't have encountered.

Despite their sweetness, the books have always had dark aspects. Precious herself was physically abused by her musician first husband and lost a baby. She now is married to the wonderful mechanic and auto repair shop owner, J.L.B. Matekoni, who years later still cannot believe his luck that she accepted his proposal. They are raising two foster children, one a smart, capable wheelchair bound girl threatened by a degenerative disease, and the other a charming but constantly daydreaming young boy. As the book opens, Grace and her new husband are expecting their first baby, with Grace determined to stay involved at the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

This time Precious has two mysteries to solve - is the boy set to inherit his recently deceased uncle's farm really who his mother says he is, and who is scaring people away from the new Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by spreading rumors of dangerous practices and exorbitant expense. Per usual, the personal issues of the characters are featured as much as the mysteries. Quirky details bring much of the humor - e.g., Grace's shoes talk to her, and once even Precious hears them; Grace's husband figures out an unexpected way to get a disagreeable aunt to leave their home; Precious nurses along her old, beat-up white van that should have been junked long ago; husband J.L.B. haplessly tries to help with the cooking, mashing the potatoes before cooking them and looking for "red beans that grow in cans". The attempt to cook is the result of his attending a horrifying class on "Being a Modern Husband", which has stupidly lying male students and a domineering female teacher.

Grace's motherhood separates the detecting team for the first time since the agency opened, and they are both thrilled when she is able to return part-time, with baby in tow. Precious can't say how much it means to her. “She wanted to say we are back again in the team that has always worked so well. She wanted to say you were only away for a very short time, but I’ve missed you so much. I’ve missed your odd remarks, I’ve missed your talking shoes. I’ve missed everything.”

But she doesn’t say such things — “For once again she sensed that our heart is not always able to say what it wants to say and frequently has to content itself with less.”

This series is consistently involving and uplifting. The importance of kindness and understanding is emphasized in every volume, with villains, sometimes dark and gritty ones, exposed and outwitted. This latest entry has all the virtues of its predecessors, and offers a fine time revisiting old friends.

Fourteen books! Yowza, the series got legs the size of pianos! I wasn't caught up in these books for some reason. They were okay. I liked the Isabel Dalhousie ones more, and I got tired of them too.

I think sometimes I must be a defective person. Too much kindness makes me suspicious and mistrustful. It's why I am an evil-souled nasty-tongued old curmudgeon.

My very favorite John Irving book, The Cider House Rules, is a $1.99 Kindle Daily Deal today. So very worth the tiny cost.

Fantastic review of Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon Joe! I supposedly won the audiobook version of it in last month's ER batch but have not seen hide nor hair of it. I love the relationships in this series and it sounds like this installment is a good 'un!

Joe, I will have to try the Ladies Detective Agency books one of these days. They sound like fun and easy reads. Maybe I'll save them for my old age. Haha!

Love, love, love the topiary here. Everyone mentions The Shining but the first thing I thought of was Edward Scissorhands. He could keep all that green stuff in shape quite handily. *groan*

My laugh of the day from msg. 47: " I still have many purchases to go before I sleep. The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have gifts to buy for all my peeps." Good luck with that!

I am here this morning puzzled by a true dilemma: where on Kaua'i shall I go to play with my camera? Sigh. I am obviously putting off this critical decision due to an over load of unread postings in LT on my starred people's threads. So much fun, and so little time. I could just go read a book on the beach, I guess.

Hi, Joe. Hope your week is progressing well, and that the coming weekend has much fun in store for you and yours.

>101 EBT1002: We've been getting word from our shivering son about the weather in Seattle, Ellen. Given that we raised him a snowbank here, it must be getting pretty bad. Good thing you had that Wisconsin training.

>>103 richardderus:-104 You know me, Richard; for me, kindness has an endless fascination. These ones have kept me hooked, and I'm your converse, I couldn't get into the Isabel ones despite trying a couple.

My daughter loved The Cider House Rules; I should give it a try some time. A Prayer for Owen Meany is my fave so far of his.

>105 Cobscook: Thanks, Heidi! I've had to give the ER folks a poke in the past when I had a no-show; they have a way to do that on the ER page. Once I did, it showed up. You're right, this installment is a good 'un, and it really did feel like getting back together with old friends.

>106 Donna828: They are fun and easy reads, Donna, and you may not want to wait another 50-60 years to get old and read them. :-)

Glad you're loving the topiary. You're right! I'd completely forgotten about Edward Scissorhands and his dexterity with plants. He should have hedged his bets and not gotten all cut up over developments, right?



Ha! I'm glad someone caught my Robert Frost tribute. You know, yesterday morning I found two great gifts for my MBH, and both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

>107 maggie1944: You know our heart goes out to you, Karen. where on Kaua'i shall I go to play with my camera? Life brings such tough choices sometimes. I started to tear up when I read, I could just go read a book on the beach, I guess. How you bear it is beyond me.

Actually, like your other LT pals, I'm so glad you got this chance to take such a wonderful break. Your 24/7 push before it I'm sure just makes it sweeter. Please keep us posted so those of us suffering from winter's onset can vicariously warm up.

I know I'm going to a ballgame with a pal on Saturday, and I think we've got something on Friday night, too. I lurve the weekends, did you notice? Good luck with resolving your dilemma, and have fun!

*waves* Can't read your review, but I am looking to start that series at some point, I've heard it is very good. :)

>110 leperdbunny: 'Tis a good one, Tam. Give it a try - you'll know quickly whether it suits you.

From traveling the threads: Thebookdiva has a take on Mamie's usual order that sounds irresistible - pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with streussel topping. We're going to give it a go:



Yes!

Those look really, really good. I must try this idea with butterscotch chips!

And they were really good, too!

>113 jnwelch: *GASP*

>114 Crazymamie: *tries to look really happy for Mamie amidst envy*

>115 richardderus: Cracked me up again!

Joe and Richard - That's exactly what they looked like except for chocolate chips instead of butterscotch. And there were little bits of toffee in the streusel. SO yummy!!

#87 : Those are some serious party lights. The camel with awesome bling attitude is my kinda camel!

Have you ever read Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel? I love Charles Schulz. Bill Waterstone for his Calvin & Hobbes series come a close second.

I too am a fan of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I read the first one when it came out and then I listened to the second one. That did it for me: the voices of Precious Ramotswe and friends are indelibly etched in my brain thanks to the artistry of narrator Lisette Lecat. I've listened to every one since and can't wait to hear the newest.

>117 Crazymamie: Sure, rub it in, Mamie. On the other hand, kudos to thebookdiva. Sounds like she really knows her stuff.

>118 cameling: I thought you'd take to that camel with the awesome bling attitude, Caro. An ordinary camel (or green, leafy dinosaur-like one) just wouldn't do.

I thought Snoopy's Sopwith Camel was his flying doghouse. No? Well, you can tell I haven't read it. As you've probably noticed, I'm a major C & H fan. But I've enjoyed a lot of Peanuts strips along the way.

ETA: >120 jnwelch: Ah, we posted at the same time, Anne. Good to see you! I bet The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency stories make for great audio. We loved the short-lived cable tv series with Jill Scott. Nice to find a fellow fan. You'll enjoy the new one if you haven't heard it yet.

Good Evening to you Joe

I love all the topiary images posted throughout your thread.

Thanks for creating such a warm, welcome and friendly ambiance on each and every one of your threads.

It is always a please to visit here.

Yes Joe, I enjoyed the short lived series of The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency with Jill Scott and the delightful Anika Noni Rose as Grace. Both of these women have amazing singing voices and I wondered if the series had continued, if we'd be treated to a sample. But alas, it didn't make it.

Speaking of fabulous voices: The Sound of Music is on tonight, a live version of the stage play with a couple of songs that most people have never heard before which were cut from the movie. Audra MacDonald, who has the most gorgeous voice on the planet IMHO, plays the Mother Superior. No matter how the rest of the show is, hearing Audra singing "Climb Every Mountain" is sure to give one chills.

Sorry. Not book related. My Broadway geekiness is showing.

All these yummy muffins!

I think I like his other series better.. Dalhousie. But even those, I have only read a few I liked the ones I read though ...So many books, it's hard to catch up. I needed a Joe and Joe's cafe fix today.. I feel like I've been away forever~ LT life moves so fast~

So, hello, good evening and good eating to all....

ps

Loving the topiaries and the beautiful foods !

Joe! You're a doll! How sweet to be perusing the threads and see the tribute to the pumpkin toffee chocolate chip muffins with streusel topping, thank you so much! Too sweet.

Joe, i think Cuckoo's calling would definitely be worth a try, esp. since you can read the "tree-based" version (thanks, RD). i realized i'd been giving it short shrift by dallying concurrently with powerhouses John Irving and Patrick O'Brian. last night i sat down with it and my knitting and attended and my enjoyment levels spiked. i say go for it. Seasons might also enjoy it.

since the streusel is my favorite part of anything streusely, i wish they made double streusel muffins. preferably apfel.

enuff yapping. anon, Joe dear.

Morning Joe- Just a quick check in. I hope your Friday goes quick. I hope you bundle up on the way to the train. I have to leave my ipad home, so no work visits. Boo!

It's supposed to be 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) here, today...

...it doesn't feel like December 6th.

At dentist. Routine. See you later on .

Get those teeth nice and sparkly Joe. We'll have the coffee waiting...

Good morning, Joe. Excellent review of The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon. I stopped reading the series after about the fourth installment and think I just might like to re-immerse myself in them. I love that you note the dark aspect of what appears on the surface to be almost cozy.

Happy Friday!

Happy end of the week, and have a great weekend. I will. ha ha ha

>121 Whisper1: Thank you for the kind comments, Linda. It's fun to do this with all our witty and omni-savvy LT book lovers, isn't it? We'll see whether more topiary shows up today. I hope you're continuing to heal and feel better.

>122 NarratorLady: Ha! I'm enjoying the Broadway geekiness, Anne. I'd seen the promos for The Sound of Music, and you've boosted my interest. I'm not the biggest Carrie Underwood fan, but she has a fine, clear voice, and Audra McDonald no doubt will be a pleasure.

I didn't know that Anika Noni Rose also has a great singing voice. That would have been a treat if they could've worked it into the series. She was really good as Grace.

>123 leperdbunny: All those yummy muffins, where do they all come from? The Beatles "Yesterday" song originally was "Scrambled Eggs", Tam (McCartney dreamed the whole melody, but with no words). So maybe "Eleanor Rigby" was "Yummy Muffins"? Ah, look at all the yummy muffins.

>124 mckait: Hi, Kath! Hmm, what can we give you as a Joe and Joe's cafe fix? How about a beautiful place to read?

We watched the Sound of Music last night and concluded Ms Underwood's voice was lovely, but not especially unique. Her acting was only average. The show was fun, but not thrilling. That is my opinion.

>125 Thebookdiva: Ha! You're welcome, Abby. Thank you, for the inspirational muffin idea and, from what your mom says, stellar execution of it. I'm starting to think streussel topping could help any number of baked goods.

>126 mirrordrum: Thanks, Ellie. It does sound like it's worth a try, and I'm glad your enjoyment spiked when you gave it more of a chance. Seasons is such a mystery buff, I suspect you're right, and she would enjoy it, too.

I'm actually reading more mysteries and thrillers on the Kindle these days, as it turns out those are easier for me to read without a "flow", meaning there are times when it's easier to take the Kindle to read, but some time may pass before I return to it. The mysteries and thrillers are easier to pick up on with a break in time than some of the more challenging novels and nf. Right now I've got Montalbano's First Case going on the Kindle, with a RD post-apocalyptic rec lined up behind.

>127 msf59: It was chilly this a.m., Mark! I walked to the dentist, as is my tradition, and it's a good ways, maybe close to two city miles. (I always enjoy it, because there's plenty of time for looking around and daydreaming, a couple of my specialties). I was bundled up enough so it was fine. I imagine you're going through something similar. Why can't you take your iPad? I didn't quite figure that out from your thread. What has changed?

Hope it's a good one for you.

>128 fuzzi: Wow, 80F, fuzzi! It wouldn't have surprised me to hear that from Roni, but is that unusual in NC for this time of year? Too bad we can't barter - we could take about 20 degrees off your hands and make it cooler for you, and warmer for us.

>129 jnwelch: You look familiar, sir.

>130 luvamystery65: Teeth are all sparkled up, Roberta. Had a new hygienist today, and she was really on the ball. Makes me think of Stanley Tucci as the Hunger Games/Catching Fire talk show host. Have you seen his teeth in it? Blindingly white. As usual, he's terrific in that part.

>131 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Happy Friday!

You know, I often find it hard to review a book in a series I like. How to convey the appeal of the series, and the particular book? I'm glad you liked this one. I hope you give the series another re-immersion try. He does a good job of developing the characters and their lives, while entertaining us with the stories, and he even manages to impart some wisdom along the way, usually via the irresistible Precious.

>>132 maggie1944:, 134 Ha! I know you will, Karen! :-)

I look forward to catching up on your tales of Hawaii. We'll try all try to have a good weekend, too, in our less idyllic parts of the world.

Your description of Carrie Underwood's voice matches my perception, and I'm not surprised her acting is only average. Tough for a lot of singers to successfully move into acting. Two that come to mind as doing it well are Jennifer Lopez and Justin Timberlake. Although neither gets really challenging roles that I'm aware of.

An inspiring man. He is missed by all of us.

Yes, I agree. He was a beacon of light in a dark, and dusty, world.

I remember when he was released from prison in 1990, I wondered how much of his life he would have left to live after so many years in jail.
And look what he did with those years. Amazing man!

>>138 maggie1944:,139 Well put, Karen and Anne. Yes, he was 71 when he was released, and from then on, radically changed his country for the better and affected the whole world. He was amazing. His forgiveness of those who mistreated him surprised most people (including me - how hard that must have been!), and paved the way for what came after.

> 144 perfect! Absolutely perfect! Thank you.... and as for Nelson Mandela... no one better ~ astounding man.... goodness incarnate.

RIP, Mr. Mandela. His legacy is huge.

Joe, Stanley Tucci's teeth blew my mind. Maybe it was digital, can someone really have that white of teeth? lol

Morning Joe- Getting ready to leave in a few minutes. The problem I would have with my iPad, is that it would have to stay in my cold vehicle all day. Even if I keep it wrapped up and I warm up the vehicle on breaks, I rather not take a chance that it freezes up.

Had a nice little visit with Kerri and her husband Joe, last night. Beer and book gab, can't beat it.

We are over-due ourselves, my friend. Have a great Saturday!

>141 mckait: Glad that worked for you, Kath. Woo, we could use a sunny warm spot to read today. 10F, wind chill taking it below zero.

Nelson Mandela, goodness incarnate, yes. We were lucky to have him as long as we did.

>142 EBT1002: Right, Ellen, rest in peace Mr. Mandala. He brought peace amidst a lot of turmoil. He deserves a rest in it. He always fought against be considered a saint, saying he is human, but his legacy will live on like a saint's.

>143 leperdbunny: I know, Tam, right? I thought the dazzling white teeth were a perfect and hilarious choice. Of course this king of smarm would have beyond perfect teeth to go with his phony laugh.

>144 msf59: Man oh man, I don't envy you today, Mark. It's cold out there! I commuted to work, and I'm still thawing out.

I can see what you mean with the iPad. It would probably refuse to operate if left out in the cold we have today.

I do envy you the visit with Kerri and Joe the Mysterian. Beer and book gab is the way to spend an evening. I agree, let's figure out a time to get together.

Did you see the Bulls beat the Heat? I love the way they play that team. That may have jumpstarted them out of their post-losing-Derrick stupor. I'm going tonight, so we'll see.

Hope you have a great Saturday, too!

This is where I'm going to hang out today:

Nice place to spend a day off...

The storm has arrived, but we're just getting strong downpours. The cold should arrive later this evening, relative cold:

Rain likely, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. North wind 11 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 37. Northeast wind 11 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Keep in mind it was 81 degrees F yesterday...

The temps have dropped 20° since yesterday, but the rain moved out first and the remaining puddles are too deep to freeze at a piddling 32F.

Happy fireplace day, Joe, much good reading in it! Stella and I had hot milk and a donut before coffee. (Her donuts are made by Alpo, mine are Entenmann's.)

BIG KINDLE/NOOK NEWS for 20th-century classic American book fanciers! All three of these titles are $1.99 for download today:

Dust Tracks on a Road--witty, upbeat (!) autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston
Saratoga Trunk--Edna Ferber's novel that the Ingrid Bergman movie was based on
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn--well, not much to say about this, is there.

>146 fuzzi: Yikes! We had a 30 degree drop, fuzzi (and then some more), but you're going to beat that! Of course, it helps to start at 81 degrees. Hunker down by a fireplace here; we've got a bunch.



>>147 richardderus:, 148 Just don't get those donuts mixed up, Richard! Otherwise that sounds good to me. We gave Sherlock a big holiday cookie (might have been menorah-shaped) from some local shop Becca knows. and he was in heaven, breaking it into chunks and snarfling it up. Happy fireplace day! Stay warm and well-fueled.

Hmm, good Kindle tips. I finally read Their Eyes Were Watching God and liked it a lot. I should consider Dust Tracks. ATGIB I've read, and would certainly highly recommend to those who haven't. I have no Ferber in my diet, and I know doctors recommend a high Ferber one.

According to Mamie, the Kindle of Giant is $1.99 as well, so some Ferber in the reading diet is irresistible!

I may have to try her a little ferber on down the road, RD, as I've got a bunch waiting for my perusal. But you've got her on my radar now, or on my plate, or something like that.

I'm off to join my MBH at some kind of fair, so please enjoy the fireplaces in my absence.

Joe, I'd sit by my own fire if we had a place for it...the only thing that I really, really wanted that this house didn't have: a fireplace. I'm not complaining. Maybe a wood burning stove is in the future...

NOAA states it is 45F here, but after walking the dog, I have to say it feels raw outside...know what I mean? Damp and cold, too cold, brrr.

#145 Whose library is that? i see Emmys on the mantel...

Pretty reading spots. . :)

It's even cold in Seattle! We never got above freezing today, but the sun was lovely.

Morning Joe! It looks COLD out there! I am glad I am in here, snug & cozy. No Bears game, so we get to postpone the agony until tomorrow night. It supposed to be wicked cold too. Hopefully, that will be to our advantage.
Have a good Sunday, my friend.

ETA- I picked up Sarah, Plain and Tall from the library. Sue read it last night, in less than an hour. This copy does not have illustrations though.

Happy Sunday, Joe! Love those reading corners - especially the first one. I'll just make myself a latte while I'm here, shall I?

Hi Joe! I hope you're having a lovely Sunday. The Bulls beat the Heat?! I missed that. As I've said before, I'm the worst basketball fan ever (although I try). I'm ashamed of myself really. I find it difficult to get involved until football is over. Do you think there's any hope without Rose?

Kindle, Nook, Kobo bargainhunters! Amazon and others are selling Native Son, Richard Wright's amazing novel, is $1.99 today!

Same deal on Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but I can't be arsed to find a link.

Happy Sunday Reading, Joe. It's too dadblamed cold to do much else where you are.

>152 fuzzi: Same here, fuzzi. Ours had a gas fireplace when we moved in, which we didn't want, so that area got turned into our living room bookshelves. So it's good to hang out by the fireplaces here.

Stay warm! It's a little warmer than yesterday here, but still icy.

>153 laytonwoman3rd: I didn't notice the Emmys, Linda, and I'm not sure whose library that is. Maybe one of our denizens will know.

>154 leperdbunny: Aren't they, Tam? I'm hanging out here today.

>155 EBT1002: Stay warm, Ellen! Sunny sounds good though.

>156 msf59: Sorry your Sarah Plain and Tall doesn't have the illustrations, Mark, but you'll still have a good time with it. It's a fast read, as Sue experienced.

I just finished The Secret Garden. Not a fast read, but as good as I remembered.

It's chilly out, but better than yesterday. We just walked to have breakfast, and now we're hunkering down and watching some Haven.

The poor Bulls sucked last night, as Noah admitted. This time Luol Deng was injured. They're running out of players, and can't get any rhythm as a team before someone else gets injured. Having said that, a pal and I still had a good time, including a good dinner at a place called Handle Bar on North Ave near Western. I had a New Holland brown ale - tasty.

>157 Crazymamie: Happy Sunday, Mamie. I know, I'm hanging out in those fireplace reading spots today. We can get you that latte.



>158 DorsVenabili: Hiya, Kerri. The Bulls didn't just beat the Heat, they pounded them. They've always played well against the Heat, but they really showed their weakness - the Heat is small. I know, hard to believe with big LeBron, but he's about 6'8", and they've got forward Chris Bosh playing center. He's too skinny for that. They have problems with tall, strong front lines like the Bulls have. Detroit and Indiana give them a lot of trouble, too.

Without Derrick, the Bulls can get into the playoffs and win a round. That's what they did last year. Without Luol or Noah, they're going nowhere. They need Jimmy Butler back, too. I've been wrapping a basketball in gauze and burning incense for the Archangel Raphael in hopes of lifting the injury curse.

Meanwhile, Richard has me thinking about stuffed French toast. Here's the banana version.



>159 richardderus: Good Kindle tips, Richard. I appreciate your alerting us. I've read, and have, both of these ones. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a big deal for me when I was a kid.

Happy Sunday reading! I finished my Montalbano (excellent), and started Zona. So far so good.

I don't know whether I'm sympathetic towards or envious of the chilly weather at yours Joe but I suspect if it was the latter it would only be for a couple of days if it arrived on my own doorstep.

Keep warm and keep those toddies flowing.

Hi Joe,
Hunkering down to Patriots football and The Light Between Oceans. Not at the same time of course, although the book will win out if the game isn't going well.

Two chapters in, "Light" hasn't intrigued me yet but I'll give it more time. Farewell, Dorothy Parker awaits me at the library and since it's a lighter book, it might suit my mood more. In any case, our first fireplace fire WILL be happening this afternoon. We're not quite as cold as Chicago but we're cold enough.

Joe,
I've just been catching up with the thread. Absolutely read The Cuckoo's Calling. You have a real treat in store.

Been wading through the puns here, Joe. You've been in fine fettle lately!

>162 PaulCranswick: That sounds right, Paul. I'm sure the cool weather would feel good for a couple of days, and then you'd be ready for a warmup. But there's something to be said for hunkering down inside where it's warm, drinking hot toddies (or the hot beverage of choice), and reading.



>>163 NarratorLady:, 165 Sounds like a good combo, Anne. I'll look forward to hearing your final reaction to The Light Between Oceans. I haven't been drawn to it so far. Good Seattle - SF game on later today.

Oo, Farewell, Dorothy Parker looks like it could be a keeper. That's a new one for me.

Thanks for the push on The Cuckoo's Calling! I'll do it. We always have a book-buying trip in Ann Arbor when we go there for Christmas, so I'll probably pick it up then.

I had a good time with re-reading The Secret Garden and Montalbano's First Case. Now I'm finishing The 5th Wave and starting the RD-recommended Zona. I want to get to The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey soon.

>165 ronincats: Wading through the puns, wading through the puns, we shall come rejoicing, wading through the puns? Or bringing in the sheaves, maybe. You should meet my father some time, Roni. He can be worse than I am.

He cracked me up yesterday - said he was glad I called, because he'd been talking to himself, and the problem was, he'd heard it all before.

My wife and kids groan at both of us.

Hi, Joe. We are, even here in warm, sunny, Hawaii, anticipating our Seahawks and the California team, what's its name?, playing later today. So we have the Philly/Detroit game on the boob tube and it is a hoot watching them dash about in that powdery snow stuff. How do they keep the yardage lines showing when all else is covered with white fluffy stuff? Between 4" and 6" of it! Amazing. Grown men playing a game....

I finished reading The End of Your Life Book Club last night and gave it 3 stars. I think I'll let it fade out of memory pretty easily but I did want to finish it as it was our book group's December book. I think my next big job is trying to decide what, out of a list of 21 books, I would like the group to choose for next year. Then, I'll probably go back to reading Isabella Bird's The Hawaiian Archipelago written about her late 1800s visit to the islands. She provides interesting perspective. We saw an old book of hers at one of the shops we visited on Friday night. I do love my history.

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday.

*waves hi*

Sherlock and I just came back in from being Arctic explorers-he trounced very bravely through the snow to do his business and scare a squirrel ;)

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey was a 5 star read for me, Joe. I hope you enjoy it.

I'm watching that hard-fought Seattle-California team game, Karen. Although not in a tropical paradise; we've got a couple of inches of snow now. Hope that helps you enjoy your vacation even more.

Katie Krug's rant about The End of Your Life Book Club helped convince me to give it a pass. Worth finding among the reviews if you have time.

We're having a good Sunday, even getting our bookshelves better organized among football and reading.

>168 seasonsoflove: Hi, Cutie-Pie. That Sherlock is a brave fellow, as is his ma. We're staying warm inside today, but have nothing but admiration for Arctic explorers and squirrel-chasers.

Hey, I have some pics now of that guy. We can visit virtually, if not RL-ly.



>169 laytonwoman3rd: Oh good, glad to hear it, Linda. My sister had a similar reaction. I'm a big Walter Mosley fan. My favorite probably is Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned.

Joe, we are watching that game, too. Two minute warning was just issued with Seahawks... 1 point in the lead. SF's ball... oh my

an interception. Well, nice game, disappointing for my side. It was an interesting and exciting game.

It was an interesting and exciting game, Karen. Really enjoyed it. Just saw some of those highlights from the Philadelphia snow bowl. Ha!

*waves* All this lovely company and oh yah FOOD! *hugs*

We watched a little of it, too, Joe and I was amused by seeing a player get up from the field with snow packed tight between the face guard of his helmet and his face. Almost made him look like a snow man.

It must have been miserable to play in that mess.

Lots of good football today, Joe! That Ravens & Lions game was particularly exciting. I can't believe all the snow. It looks like we are getting a few inches out here too!

Good morning Dad! Here are some pictures of our brave Arctic explorer :)

I absolutely love the puppy pics :) They made me smile :)

Just popping in with a hello before I start my busy day... I am stunned to find out that it's MOnday, as the weekend seemed to melt away. Le sigh.

Hope your week is a good one for you and yours :)

>173 leperdbunny: Hiya, Tam! Love your enthusiasm. It's been a fun time at the cafe, hasn't it?

>174 maggie1944: Often they'll have a Zamboni-like truck come out and clear the snow. I'm not sure why that wasn't done in the Philly game. It did seem to give an advantage to the offenses, as they knew where they were going, and the defenders were slipping and sliding while reacting. Fun for us to watch, though as you say, had to be miserable to play in.

>175 msf59: That was a good football day, wasn't it, Mark? I only saw highlights from the Lions - Ravens game, but it looked like a doozy. Really enjoyed the Seattle-SF game.

>176 seasonsoflove: Is that snow on Sherlock's schnozz? What a furry and brave guy. Thanks for the pics, Becca.

Baaaaawwwwwwwww Sherlock is soooo cuuuute!!

It snowed for a couple hours max yesterday. It waited until we were done decorating the tree, and then the fat white flakes came down in the outside lights. We turned off the lamps and sat drinking homemade nog, looking at the glittering tree, and watching the snow decorate the boxwoods and yews outside the sunporch.

Dinner of supercalafragilisticexpialadocious antipasto, fusilli with clams and red pepper, avocado salad, and a maple-walnut birthday cake for the young man staying here. Just a slice of heaven, it was.

Happy Monday, Joe. Love the whole dogs + snow caper. My friend with the new lab puppy also reported much good fun when he discovered snow. Smiles.

>177 mckait: I suspect that pup would make even a curmudgeon smile, Kath. I'm glad he got you smiling - we can all use that on a Monday, right? Yeah, this one started at a gallop for me, too. That weekend zipped by. Should be a good week, all things considered, we'll see. Seasonsoflove takes over as lead teacher at school while her co-teacher has twins, so please send her lots of positive energy - I'd be melted on the floor if I tried to do what she does with those pre-K-ers.

>179 richardderus: Scientific proof that Sherlock even gets through to curmudgeons! Thanks, RD. Although Stella had already confirmed this was possible.

We've yet to decorate the tree in our catholic (small c) family; that's probably coming up this weekend. Renovation has made critical access to the attic difficult. Good for you for getting it done, and right before them fat white flakes starting coming down. Sounds quiet, lovely and enchanting.

That super(bunch of letters) dinner sounds . . . super(bunch of letters). Yum. Nice of you to help the young fellow celebrate his b-day. Let's see if we can come up with a maple-walnut cake for a winter's Monday.



>180 maggie1944: Good morning to our tropical damsel! Glad our dogster capers are bringing you a smile, Karen. Now get out there in that warm beauty surrounding you, and have a good time!

Oh goodness, I didn't know we had puppies visiting the cafe! Nice. I like puppies.

I'm almost done with The Man in the Wooden Hat and not sure what I'm going to read next. I do believe I read Sarah Plain and Tall many moons ago.

I think your decision to skip The End of Your Life Book Club was a good one, Joe. A few nice bits and some sweet moments, but.... well, you read Katie's rant and so you kow the rest.

Happy Monday!

>182 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! Yes, we're a puppy-friendly cafe. We even will help them get snow off their schnozzes this time of year.

How did you like The Man in the Wooden Hat? I loved Old Filth, and in fact am giving it to my English prof BIL for Christmas, but I haven't read the other two yet.

I remember your reaction to TEOYLBC, and that really sealed the deal for me as to avoiding it. I know some have given it a high rating, but it just doesn't sound like one for me. There are so many other good ones out there.

Happy Monday!

I liked these comments that open Justin Cronin's review of The 5th Wave in the NY Times Book Review:

"In a post-Potter, post-Katniss era, the line between young adult and mainstream fiction often blurs. Novels that once would have slipped beneath the radar of adult readers are now proudly displayed by middle-aged commuters on public transit; books that not so long ago wouldn’t have made it past the P.T.A. into the middle school library are, for a generation raised on endless reruns of 'Law and Order: SVU,' just another day at the office. Thirteen isn’t what it used to be — nor, apparently, is the 30 it’s become.

Finding a manuscript that will satisfy both audiences has become the holy grail of publishing. It’s a tricky line to walk, and few succeed. But Rick Yancey’s wildly entertaining new novel, 'The 5th Wave,' is such a book."

I don't think I was proudly displaying it on public transit, but I was one of those middle-aged commuters (give or take a few years off the top) immersed in this one and trying to make sure I didn't miss my stop while reading it. Cassie Sullivan, a 16 year old high schooler, identifies herself as not even the friend of the popular person whom no one remembers, but the friend of that friend, whom no one even realizes exists. Her crush on athletic Ben Parish goes totally unnoticed by all but her best friend. Then the aliens arrive, with Cassie's dad and much of humanity looking hopefully up at the mothership, thoughts of ET and Close Encounters dancing like sugar plum visions in their heads. The aliens, however, are only interested in wiping the planet clean of us, so they can move in. The "1st Wave" is a worldwide electro-magnetic pulse that knocks out everything we've come to depend on. The cause and result is plausible, as is true of subsequent waves, with an Invasion of the Body Snatchers theme thrown in.

The sympathy-inducing and three-dimensional Cassie manages to survive, but gets separated from her young brother, and does all she can to find him. Her crush Ben also survives and learns some tough lessons, while coming to know her brother amidst dire circumstances. An effective, aloof girl, nicknamed Ringer for her skills, joins them. Cassie in turn meets up with mysteriously competent Evan Walker, who's about her age, interested in her, and willing to help. All are then off to the races in this fast page-turning action story.

This is set up for at least one sequel. Yancey, the author of Monstrumologist and other popular books, has written a corker. I look forward to the next one.

I've always wondered why aliens with light-speed technology would need to colonize an inhabited planet, and why they'd pick ours. Trillions of planets in the galaxy...and here in our own neighborhood there's Mars. Terraforming it should be trivially easy for lightspeed traveling people.

>184 jnwelch:, sounds interesting, adding to my tbr list!

The pics of Sherlock are adorable as usual. Just stopping by to say high, hope to make pumpkin spice cheesecake later this week.

>185 richardderus: These ones apparently lost their own, RD, and ours came fully furnished.

>186 leperdbunny: If you like this kind of thing, Tam, you should have a good time with it.

>187 Thebookdiva: Hiya, Abby. I'm sure you'll see more pics of Sherlock in the days ahead, as Becca somehow seems to have an endless supply. Go figure. Pumpkin spice cheesecake sounds like a winner. Please keep us posted. Wish you could keep us fed, too, but we'll take what we can get. :-)

>169 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I am loving The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while. I'm having trouble putting it down.

>189 jnwelch: *claps hands gleefully* I'm glad.

That is indeed snow on Sherlock's nose :) He bounded through the snow during our post-work walk, then decided he had had enough of the frigid cold, and pulled me up the steps and back into our apartment. He is now asleep on the couch ;)

Pigs in a Blanket, loaded Nachos, 5 alarm Chili and beer...all set for Monday night football over in my corner. :-)

Okay, adding the Yancey to my wishlist...

Morning Joe- Good review of The Fifth Wave. Sounds like a lot of fun. I hope you bundled up, for your trek to the train. It looks like another brutal one.

>190 laytonwoman3rd: This one is up there with his very best, Linda.

>191 seasonsoflove: Ha! That's our guy. Brave, but no dummy.

Good to hear from you, Hon. Your mom says it was a very successful first day as lead teacher. Congratulations! I'm sure when Sherlock wakes up he'll be very proud.

>192 cameling: Good game, wasn't it, Caro? Go, Bears! Your football snacks would have kept me up half the night, but I think you're made of tougher culinary fiber than I am.

>194 msf59: Yeah, I'd think you'd be a natural for the Yancy, Amber. He tells a good yarn, and gets us pulling for his characters.

>195 jnwelch: Thanks, Mark. The 5th Wave is a lot of fun. I made it in okay, although I'm still thawing out. You know it's bad when you need some recovery time from the commute. The chill is staying a while, too, so we'd better stock up on hot drinks. I'm starting out with some scalding java and molten cake.

Well, I guess it's time for me to finally join in on all the wonderful conversations at Joe's Cafe. I'm Debb - Joe's wife, Becca's mom and Sherlock's Bubbe. I've had the pleasure to personally meet a few of you - and know how much Joe enjoys his time at the Cafe. Now I just have to get him to make me (for real) some of those amazing foods he posts.

How lovely to "meet" you, Debb! We've heard such nice things about you.

SHHH! SHHH! Everybody setttle down, the Principal is in the room!

*ahem* Good Morning, Mrs. Joe! How are you today?

Hi, Debb. Nice to see you here. I think Joe's molten cake would be a great place for him to start making these lovely foods appear in RL. It made my mouth water this morning! Yummy.

mmmm... I love me a good molten lava cake, especially when it's really oozing out rather than just being damply stodgy inside. oh, and with a small scoop of French vanilla bean ice cream on the side.

You were right.. I love Montalbano's First Case. Got it yesterday, read and finished it last night. :-)

#196 - Hi Debb - Good to "see" you! Will you be bopping around the threads on a regular basis in 2014 (including your own)?! What a delightful thing that would be!

Hi Joe!

Hi, Debb. Nice to have you join us in this comfy cafe. One of these days, Jim and I will come out to Chicago and listen to your stories.

Hello to Joe's BH, Debb! I think we would all be in very great trouble if we could get our RL hands on all the food Joe serves up in the cafe. It is nice to finally *meet* you.

Stay warm,
Roberta

ETA: Hi Joe!

>195 jnwelch:, oh.my.gawd. Delicioso!

>196 walklover: Hello Deb! Come join the party! ;)!

Hi Joe!

Hi Deb, welcome to Joe's Cafe! :)

Joe, just thought I'd let you know, I started reading Longbourn last night...and was sorry when the big hand was on the 12 and the little hand was on the 11, and I knew I had to stop. I put a marker in the book at approximately page 100, and thought about how it would be fun being able to continue on Tuesday evening.

Yep, I like it. A lot. Thanks for the recommendation!

>196 walklover: You know, we've had a lot of good-looking and talented people walk through that door, walklover, but you take the cake! I like your connections, too.

I have to admit, I'm much better at working in a virtual kitchen than in a real life one. But there are some dishes I'm good at helping out on in RL - applesauce, for example, comes to mind.

>197 laytonwoman3rd: Phew, that should help, thanks, Linda. "So many nice things" - hope you saw that, walklover.

>198 richardderus: I'm sitting up straight, ears forward, hands in my lap, with proper attention to the Principal, Richard. Experience indicates I'll still manage to get myself into trouble, though.

>199 maggie1944: Hi, Karen. You're one who has actually met her in person. Terrifying, Wonderful, isn't she?

I'm willing to pitch in on a RL molten chocolate cake if walklover is. I know she's into expanding her baking repertoire.

>200 cameling: We'll keep you posted on the molten chocolate cake, Caro. I agree with you on what's essential.

Glad you liked that first Montalbano! Wasn't that fun? Since they have a "Young Montalbano" tv series in Italy, I'm hopeful we'll get more of these. I really enjoyed seeing him meet and interact with, for the first time, some of the characters we've become familiar with. I'd like more of that. How did he and Livia meet, for example, and get into the relationship they have?

>201 DorsVenabili: I hope she bops around the threads, too, Kerri, although she seems to be much less prone to goofing off than her hubby. This reminds me it sure would be good to have another Chicago area meetup soon, too.

>202 ffortsa: Ah, good idea, Judy. She's a primo storyteller, I can vouch for that much.

>203 luvamystery65: Hi, Roberta! Maybe we can encourage her to stop by on a regular basis. We'll see - she wears lots of hats (all stylish).

>204 leperdbunny: Ha! Doesn't that cake look good, Tam?

As an example of all that hat-wearing, we may not see walklover again today, as she has a Young Chicago Authors meeting and then an event following, so I won't see her in RL until late tonight. In the cafe, as in life, she has to be appreciated in those brief moments she's in your vicinity.

Hmm, I wonder what she'll say to that one.

>205 fuzzi: Yay for Longbourn! I'm really glad to hear it, fuzzi. Spread the word! It's so good, isn't it? On a lot of different levels, too, including a skillfully thought out commentary on P & P.

I would be thrilled with more prequels that show how he meets Livia and when Mimi and Catarella join the team. Oh and I really would like to know why Adelina doesn't like Livia. :-)

>208 cameling: Yes! I thought in particular about Caterella, Caro - there's a lot of potential for good laughs in that one. A young Mimi? Oh my, talk about skirt-chasing. And why doesn't Adelina like Livia? You're right, there's a mystery there that could be solved. I really liked all the back and forth with Fazio in this first one, as they learn how to work together - and Fazio learns Montalbano is never going to be conventional and by the book.

I brought a polished apple for the proprietor's boss. Do you think she'll let me stay?

>210 richardderus: Oo, that's lovely, RD. *quickly calculates resale value and number of books that can be purchased with proceeds* I'll make sure she never hears about it gets it, and I'm sure she'll let you stay.

*gimlet-eyed stare*

I know where The Boss lives, you know.

Hi Joe- I see Deb is causing quite a stir over here! It's great to see LT as a family affair. If my wife and daughter were more avid readers, I would coax them in that direction.
I am LOVING Billy Lynn. You know how subtle I am when I fall for a book, so expect more gushing. I give you full credit for the nudge. I remember being intrigued, when it was released but sometimes the right LT pal, can give just the right prod.

Hi Debb, nice to see you here, too. And hi Joe!

Joe, I join you in looking forward to a sequel to The 5th Wave. Hopefully we will not have to wait too long!

>212 richardderus: Springsteen? Really? Thanks, Richard. Road trip!

>213 msf59: Isn't it great to have Debbi show up, Mark? We'll see - I think she'll be back today at some point. Yeah, with her, Becca and Sherlock, it's starting to feel pretty homey here. It's a family-run cafe, you know. We're going to coach my sister on navigating LT at Christmas, so maybe we'll get her here, too. She's already popped in on Becca's thread to say hello.

Great to hear you're in gush mode re Billy Lynn's! I knew that one had "Mark book" written all over it. Can't wait to hear what you think when you're done.

>214 wilkiec: Hi, Diana! We may get a return visit from Debbi a bit later. Unlike her wastrel husband, she manages to find things to do other than Librarything. Hard to imagine, I know, but true.

>215 alcottacre: Good to see you, Stasia! Glad to hear you're another The 5th Wave fan. I hope the sequel comes soon, too. We left our friends in pretty dire circumstances, didn't we?

Hmm, what can we start with on a cold day? Maybe something simple in warm surroundings - makes me think of our friend Karen in Hawaii. Today's cafe special:

Oh, yes! Breakfast on the beach seems just right. It is our last day so you can be sure I will find some time to sit by the surf and just take in the warmth, the lovely smells, the bird songs, and the surf's gentle roar.

I hope there is some fine way for you to enjoy the beauties of the natural world around you even while the weather is most inclement. A good cup of coffee goes a long ways towards letting us appreciate the good life we live.

>217 maggie1944: Enjoy that last day, Karen! You're in a beautiful part of the world there.

You're right, it's actually quite pretty here, with the white snow gracing the trees and streets. I treated myself to a gingerbread latte to start the day - somehow that taste seemed a good match.

Looks scrummy, Joe! I myownself would like some eggnog scones, please, with a half-Brazil of coffee and some brandy to perk it all up.

>219 richardderus: Scrummy-umptuous for Hump Day, RD. A smattering of eggnog scones (I like eggnog anything this time of year!) and big ol' brandy-perked coffee, here you go:

Perfect! Thanks. I'm trying to get a review all done up and wrapped in a bow so I need inspiration.

eggnog scones - inspired!

All this lovely food. . .*homer simpson drool*

>221 richardderus: You know what they say, Richard, inspiration is 90% intoxication. Did I get that right?

>222 maggie1944: Doesn't that sound good, Karen? I must needs track some of those down in RL.

>224 jnwelch: *passes Tam uniquely designed cafe drool towel* No worries, Tam. This happens a lot here.

Thanks to everyone for such a warm welcome! I can tell it's going to be great fun to be a part of this group.

By the way, I actually prefer the title of 'Queen" to that of "Principal". :)

I prefer Goddess. Goddess works.

I've always wanted to address someone as "Your Royal Verisimilitude." *gleeful handclaps*

Would the proprietor and his lady post a link to her thread here? please? I'd love to follow along on reading and chatting.

>228 maggie1944:

Walklover: http://www.librarything.com/topic/150872

Seasonsoflove: http://www.librarything.com/topic/159300

Sherlock the furry guy: (under construction)

I do think Edna Ferber is underrated. Giant Show Boat and lots of others.

Saratoga Trunk - yummy!

Pondering if I can sneak a Ferber in on my book group

>225 walklover: This reminds me that in our house you're known as The Queen of Everything, and I'm honored to have the title The King of Nothing. I'm quite good at taking care of Nothing, I might add.

>226 Morphidae: Goddess is good, Morphy. Almighty Ruler of the Known and Unknown Universes could be a decent Plan B.

>227 richardderus: I've always thought it would be cool to be addressed as "Gleeful Handclaps", but that's probably the jester in me.

>228 maggie1944: see >229 jnwelch:

>230 magicians_nephew: Maybe tell your book group it's the time of year for a fur bear, Jim? Next thing they know, they're reading one of hers? It's tough - you don't want them feeling like a Prisoner of Edna.

Which entry level Ferber would you recommend? Giant? So Big?

Sherlock just returned from his bath and grooming :)

>224 jnwelch:, I've resorted to bibs! lol

>232 seasonsoflove: What a presh pup!

Hi Joe- I bet it was COLD on your way home. It was 12 when I was leaving work and dropping. I think this going to be a LONG winter.

Go Sherlock! What a handsome boy!

Wasn't it Rumpole of the Bailey who referred to his wife as She Who Must Be Obeyed?

>235 fuzzi: It was, indeed. I have the sweatshirt emblazoned with that title.

>232 seasonsoflove: Doesn't he look sharp, though! Good puppy...

Hi Joe, just passing through. It's lovely to see Debbie here. As you may have guessed, I prefer the title "Queen" as well! ;)

I now have this craving for Eggnog Scones. Must go see if I can track down a recipe for this, as they would make a nice addition to my Christmas morning brunch.

How can I get behind here? So many yummy foods, cute doggie pics and great patrons, not to mention the proprietor. Still, it happens. Hello to you and hoping that whats left of the week is good for you :)

>232 seasonsoflove: What a dapper young gentleman he is, Becca! Thanks for posting the photo. He's ready for his new modeling career. First gig: Ewok Monthly.

>233 leperdbunny: Ain't he a cutie-pie, Tam? He's going to go visit his human great-grandpa in a couple of weeks, who won't believe how healthy Becca has gotten him.

Wearing a bib while perusing the cafe comestibles - what an excellent idea. I may take it up a level to a poncho.

>234 msf59: Yeah, this is shaping up to be a long and cold one, Mark. In my mind, Old Man Winter now owes us some balmy days, but he pays no attention to what I think.

It was cold last night, and colder this morning. People on the train were kinda stunned. My marbles are slowly starting to stir around my brain cavity with the help of some warmth and coffee.

Sherlock has been transformed by his ma Becca. He looked a bit like a starved rat when she rescued him, and had some medical issues. I can see why he's so fond of her.

>235 fuzzi: It was Rumpole who called his wife SWMBO, and our LT luminary Paul Cranswick does likewise with his fearsome wife Hani. I can goof up on the obeying part (as Rumpole could and Paul no doubt can), but I always know my MBH is the queen.

>236 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! I'm sure your SWMBO sweatshirt draws comments, Linda. Doesn't Sherlock look good? Freshly bathed and groomed. Probably heading to a black tie affair somewhere.

>237 DeltaQueen50: Ha! Makes sense that "Queen" would appeal to you, Judy. There's a subtle clue there somewhere, I'm sure. Yes, it's great to have Debbi stopping by. Hopefully we can get her to be a regular. She has a tendency to let RL get in the way, but I'm working on her . . .

I've never had an eggnog scone, and now I have the same craving. Let us know if you find a good recipe.

>238 mckait: I have the same feeling when I miss someone's thread for a while, Kath. Yummy foods, cute doggie pics and great patrons - good description of what goes on here. It's nice to be sliding into the weekend after Hump Day. The next couple of days look okay. I hope the rest of your week treats you well.

I lerved The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, and will try to post a review soon. I'm munching my way through another Eve Dallas mystery, this one Promises in Death, and picked up A Tale for the Time Being and The Testament of Mary at the library. I'm looking forward to both.

I daydream of reading like this:

Good morning Joe! Put a hammock in those trees and I'm in!

I'll take a full fry up and an RD sized coffee please.

>241 luvamystery65: A hammock is a good idea, Roberta. I was thinking, my days of sitting on the ground like that have come and gone. A hammock solves that particular problem.

Full fry and magnum coffee coming up:

>242 jnwelch: I'm afraid I'd need the hammock as well. My feet fall asleep if I stay cross-legged too long.

Or maybe a chaise long? Or a back-saver style chair? They are my favorite.

>240 jnwelch: Ooo yeah! Go to my thread to see my latest selfie for my dream of reading.

Eggnog scones with cinnamon cream cheese icing. Canada's Philly Cream Cheese site.



Oh drool. Oh yum.

>244 richardderus: Eek! Are those almonds on that?? Take it away!

on the good news front, I just got word from my library that the latest Louise Penny is waiting for me on the reserve shelf. Woohoo!

Hi, Joe. I'm having the good news/bad news day today. Good news: signing papers appointment made for Friday, expecting money on Monday! Moving out of house to be finished by Sunday. All of which means, I can pay for my extravagant spending while here on Kaua'i, and I can get back to doing a good deal more reading on a daily basis. Bad news: I have to leave Kaua'i today. This morning, even. Sigh.

I hope your Thursday is full of good news and good times. Don't let that damned cold weather get you down.

Okay y'all. I know some are tired of me yippin' about Kindle specials, but there's one now that cannot go unnoticed: John Fowles's eco-creativity meditation The Tree is $1.99 today for Kindle, Nook, Kobo!

It's a wonderful book. His central point, that the natural world inspires beautiful art that creates a longing for the natural world that inspires beautiful are ad infinitum, is made in Fowles' trademark pungent sentences that linger on your mind's breath like garlic does on your tongue.

What's $1.99 to anyone who is employed and not destitute? Try it!

>243 ffortsa: We'll keep working on the concept, Judy. Here's a possibility:



>244 richardderus: I'll visit your selfie thread soon, RD. Those scones belong in my life, and I'll have Judy's almonds.

>245 ffortsa: I've got your almonds, no worries, Judy. Oh my, you're in for quite a time with How the Light Gets In. What a ride!

>246 maggie1944: Sorry you have to return from paradise today, Karen, but what good news on the home front! Money on Monday must feel good indeed, covering Kaua'i, with daily reading time restored to the agenda.

It's a hectic Thursday, but I work with good folks, so we're huddling together and getting through it. You're right, cold weather shouldn't get us down. It's just so darn early in the scheme of things, and getting all the layers and boots and shovels and so on and so forth organized is annoying. My head's still in autumn, not the middle of January.

>247 richardderus: We're not at all tired of your Kindle yipping, Richard. I think it's a great service, and I've sure taken advantage of it. A garlicky Fowles book is intriguing. I'll probably pass meself because I'm on the other end of the spectrum from Paul C., and I don't like to get too backlogged in what reading is waiting for me. But at a $1.99 it's tempting. Keep the tips coming!

>248 jnwelch: Those kids should be romping in the grass. Leaving space for an adult in that excellent swinging thing. Me, for instance.

I'm glad you're not one of the silent sufferers. I've had some pointed nastygrams. *sigh*

Yes a hammock or zero gravity type chair to be kind to the joints works for me!

>249 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! Well put, Linda. Couldn't agree more. It's better for their health if they run around, and let more experienced folks enjoy the comfortable chair.

>250 richardderus: Sit, relax, don't suffer. Seems like a pretty good prescription, RD. Take a Stella break every few hours, too.

>251 luvamystery65: I was not kind to my joints in my younger days, Roberta, throwing them every which way in sports and pounding on them while running, too. Two bionic hips later I'm kinder to them. And much fonder of hammocks and zero gravity chairs.

OK, the new cafe is open. Please come on over!