EBT1002 (Ellen) reads 75 in 2014 - Part 3

Blackrock Cottage in Glencoe

from photogalaxy.com

My Rating Scale:

5 = Amazing! Perfect!
4.5 = Wow, this was great, among my favorites of the year!
4 = Very good. Definitely recommended and I'll certainly read more by this author.
3.5 = Quite good, has several redeeming qualities, I'm likely to read more by this author.
3 = Pretty good, with a few things done well. If you like this kind of thing, this is probably worth reading.
2.5 = Average. I probably won't seek out this author in the future, as life is too short to read average books.
2 = A bit below average. A waste of time.
1.5 = Nearly no redeeming qualities. Really rather bad.
1 = Among the worst books I've ever read.

COMPLETED IN JANUARY

1. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
2. A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette Edwards
3. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
4. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
5. The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna
6. My Ántonia by Willa Cather
7. Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
8. Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
9. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY

10. The Blue Place by Nicola Griffith

Currently reading:

.

The Blue Place by Nicola Griffith and To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

This is Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest peak. The mountains in Scotland are rugged but the Cascades they are not. Ben Nevis has an elevation of 4,409 feet.

Hi Ellen, hope it's not too early to post to your lovely new thread. I'll have to see what latest reviews of yours I missed, but it's nice to be able to drop by to your fresh new digs. The photos you've been posting of Scotland are positively inspiring!

.....And the travelogue continues. Just breathtaking, Ellen. Ohh Five Days at Memorial...I hope you're enjoying it as much as I did:-)

Beautiful pics of Scotland, Ellen. The Scottish Tourism Board should be paying you for your thread toppers!

Hi Ellen- Congrats on Part #3! Wow, the threads are really chugging along. Love those Scottish photos!

See you very soon, my friend!

ETA- Glad to see you picked up Empire of the Summer Moon. It was my top read from a couple years ago.

Happy new thread, Ellen! Absolutely LOVE the thread topper!! Wishing for you a week full of fabulous!

#6: Hi Ilana! Your timing is perfect. I haven't posted much in the way of reviews as I've been working my way through Five Days at Memorial. I'm finding it to be an excellent account of the events in one hospital during and immediately following Katrina. I'm glad you're enjoying the Scotland images!

#7: Hi Bonnie! Yep, Five Days at Memorial is heading for a high star rating. I'm glad it got so much airtime around here so I reserved it at the library.

#8: Hi Julia! Well, now, that is an idea. I wonder if they would help pay for some of the inns we'll be visiting. Or maybe they would just donate a nice bottle of whisky for us to bring home. :-)

#9: Hi Mark! I'm very much looking forward to our meet up this Saturday. Lisa is even nice enough to plan our departure early enough on Sunday to get me home in time for kickoff. I well remember you talking about Empire of the Summer Moon so when I saw it on the sale table at the U Bookstore, I figured I'd bring it home with me. :-)

#10: Hi Mamie! I'm glad you like my thread topper. That cottage is very famous and it's as lovely in person as in photos. Our hike will take us within view of it. And wishing you a week full of fabulous, as well!

I brought two books home from the library today: A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and 84, Charing Cross Road. P, who has been propped up in bed with a cold all day, picked up the latter. I didn't hear her turning pages (I was out here in the living room, reading Five Days at Memorial) so I thought she had dozed off. At dinner, I asked if she had started reading it. She said "I finished it." Sheesh. I mean, I know it's a quick read, but honestly.

Now I think I will go read for a bit before tonight's episode of Downton Abbey. If it weren't for Mrs. Hughes, I don't even know that I'd keep watching. Well, and Violet is always fun to see.

Loving the photos, hope P. is feeling better, and enjoy your evening. (No grammies?)

Happy new thread, Ellen. The photos are so beautiful!

Oh my goodness, those photos are *gorgeous*!

Happy New Thread, Ellen!

Your Scotland photos bring back lovely memories for me of Blair Atholl, Dunkeld, Stirling, mist coming off of Loch Lomond, Edinbrugh with its castle and windswept Thurso.

Congratulations on your new thread my dear. xx

Beautiful photographs, I am loving your anticipation of your trip.

Such beautiful photos! I am loving finding them here :) Keep up the good work!
Have a good week... and happy reading :)

Hi Ellen!

From previous thread, lovely review of Two or Three Things I Know for Sure. I must reread that little gem.

I too am enjoying your Scotland photos, though I don't think I've mentioned it yet. It's somewhere I'd love to visit some day. Regarding Scottish literature, I second (or third) James Kelman. I read, and liked very much, How Late It Was, How Late - a stream of consciousness, dialect-heavy thing, so it's a tad challenging, but managable. I'm also very interested in reading Morvern Callar, which I believe Richard mentioned. I thought the movie was very well done.

I'm hoping you're enjoying The Blue Place. The second book in the series - Stay - is even better (and Aud is even more problematic...and wildly hot. Ha!), even though Griffith uses a device that I'm not fond of and I can't talk about, because it would be a big spoiler for The Blue Place.

I'm weird in that I like young children's books - illustrated ones. And I like YA. But I don't care for books that are aimed for the kids in-between. For the most part, either the plots are too simple or the author talks down to them. The first Harry Potter is aimed at those just barely old enough for me to be able enjoy it.

Hi Ellen - A New Thread! I love the Scotland pictures -- the only traveling I'll be doing in the near future...

Have a great week -- do you do a Super Bowl party?

Ellen, congrats on your new thread. those are lovely pictures. This cotagge, is it to rent? I wish you a wonderful week :-D

Mountains don't have to be high to be rugged. The mountains around Blacksburg, VA aren't that tall but the country is rugged. Never been to Scotland but perhaps the mountains there are like those around Blacksburg?

Oh my, I love that thread-topper. It is spectacular, and Ben Nevis is looking pretty too.
I would like to go back and spend more time in Scotland, I fear I under-appreciated it at the time....You are going to have such a great time walking there, being at a pace to drink the views in. :)

I tried to get 84, Charing Cross Road on Netflix the other night, but it is only on DVD. I found the book quite charming. Did P like it?

See you Saturday!

#13: Hi Roni. No grammies for us, although a colleague sent me the link to the YouTube video of Macklemore et al doing a wonderful affirming song. Nice.

#14: Diana, I'm glad you're enjoying my Scotland photos (all borrowed).

#15: Amber, thank you so much. I predict that the scenery will be even more *gorgeous* in person. :-)

#16: Hi Paul, I'm glad my Scotland pics are bringing back fond memories. Might you have spent any time exploring the locks on Loch Lochy?

#17: Hi Lucy, I'm glad my anticipation is enjoyable for others. I have long been a believer than anticipation is a vital aspect of enjoyment. I'm going to milk this 7 months for all it's worth!

#18: Hi Kath. I will do my best, although I have mildly worried about running out of nice images for my threads before I get to the actual trip itself. :-|

#19: Kerri, my dear, I do recommend a re-read of the little gem, Two or Three Things I Know for Sure. It's a volume that I will be keeping (a rare thing for me) and I will definitely revisit it in the future.

I am adding How Late it Was, How Late and Morvern Caller to my wish list. I have a feeling that my Powell's purchases this Saturday will be Scotland-heavy.

I read some more in The Blue Place on the bus this morning and I'm really liking it. You have done me quite the favor by turning me onto Nicola Griffith. I have this vague fantasy that I'll run into her at a wine bar in downtown Seattle.....

#20: Hi Morphy. Interesting distinction you draw there --- that in-between might be hard to write toward and I agree that anything that writes down to its audience loses my respect.

#21: Beth, I'm glad you're enjoying the Scotland pics and I'm sorry you don't have any travel plans in your near future.... It means that those of us who get to do some traveling have to share, right?

We have been invited to a Super Bowl party at the home of our dear friends, Jen and Sara. It's not yet decided whether we will attend. We really want to watch this game but Sara, at least, has announced her shared intention to focus. We'll see. I do like the idea of watching in good company, but I worry that I'll be so focused as to be rude to a room full of women.

#22: Hi Barbara, I don't believe one can rent the Blackstone Cottage, more is the pity. It's occupied by its owners, if I'm remembering correctly. It's also in the path of many trekkers and along a popular driving route through Glencoe, so it's not like they have much privacy.

>1 EBT1002: The light in that photo is gorgeous!

Hi Ellen!

#23: Benita, I agree that mountains don't have to be tall to be rugged or beautiful. I think the mountains in Scotland are more barren than those around Blacksburg, but otherwise pretty similar.

#24: Megan, I suspect you are right. I'm going to have a wonderful time. I probably should start thinking about those waterproof hiking boots....

#25: Hi Lisa! I think P liked 84, Charing Cross Road, even through her cold-medicine fog. I would like to see the film but will save it for after reading the shortie novel.

Saturday is getting closer and closer!

I'm into the last (long at over 100 pages) chapter of Five Days at Memorial. Someone else around here said they kind of got bored once it moved from the events during those five days to the litigation that followed. This is my experience, too. Still, I'm enjoying it and will hang in there to the end.

Not the locks, Ellen but I have walked many miles and cycled many of the paths that surround that most scenic of Lochs. Here is a famous view from the elevated roads nearing the destination:

^ Oh, that is lovely!

I always loved that the locks on Loch Lochy were, by translation, the locks on Lake Lakey.

Oh, and they are the Laggan Locks.

At 10pm, I said "I must go to bed."

30 LT minutes later, I really must go to bed.

Goodnight, all.

Four more days my friend...

^ Safe travels today, Mark!!

Loving the Scotland photos, Ellen. Congratulations on the new thread!

I have created a thread to discuss the book Five Days at Memorial. Please join me there if you have read the book and would like to discuss it when you finish.

Ellen what a lovely new thread you have. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Five Days at Memorial. I should put that on my wish list. Last year I read The Fight for Home by Daniel Wolff. He was helping Jonathan Demme make the documentary that ended up being called "I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful" It was shown on PBS POV. It was well done and followed some of the residents from the lower ninth ward and their struggle to keep their homes and places of worship.

Hi Ellen. I'm loving the pictures of Scotland! And your comment about Five Days at Memorial slowing down when it got to the litigation reminded me of reading Toms River about a cancer cluster in New Jersey next to a chemical dye plant. It kept my interest up to the last 100 pages which was all about the litigation and I still haven't gotten back to it.

Looking forward to seeing you Saturday!

#37: Hi Joe. Glad you're enjoying my little pre-travelogue.

#38: Hi Lisa. I just finished Five Days at Memorial (while propped up in bed with this damn nasty cold which will be finished by Saturday morning!). I'll head over.

#39: Hi Roberta. I'd be interested in seeing that piece on PBS POV. Five Days at Memorial was very well-done. It dragged a tiny bit as she got into the investigation by the District Attorney and the politics of the grand jury hearing, etc., but she tells a good story and she presented some difficult issues in medical ethics and disaster preparedness. I recommend it.

#40: Hi Pat! It's kind of interesting that litigation/investigation sections of otherwise excellent narrative nonfiction works can drag so. I think there is a lot of speculation about motives and I find the politics to be a bit boring, so maybe that's it. Still, with this one I am glad I hung in there as it wound up well (as in, interesting).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

P generously shared her cold with me so I came home early today and propped up in bed to read Five Days at Memorial. I hate having a cold but I might as well make good use of the time.

8. Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
by Sheri Fink
4 stars

This account of the events in Memorial Hospital in New Orleans on the day of Katrina's landfall and the few days subsequent is well-researched and well-written. Fink spends the first part of the book telling us what happened. She uses multiple points of view and provides no judgments. Later, she elaborates on the investigation by the District Attorneys assigned to the case by the Louisiana Attorney General. For the most part, this is still very interesting although it provides a less compulsive read. I suppose that is to be expected: reading about a group of people trying to survive the horrific flooding, loss of power, and rampant chaos in the days following Katrina is simply more exciting than reading about a bunch of state administrators looking into possible criminal activity. The book ends with an interesting epilogue which explores disaster preparedness as it has (or has not) evolved in the years since 2005. Necessarily exploring difficult questions of medical ethics, Sheri Fink has piqued my interest in learning more.

For the most part, Fink's writing is dispassionate and "neutral." But really, it's not that she lives and writes from the neutral zone as much as she attempts to write from the perspective of subjects who have very different opinions about what might have happened and what should have happened at Memorial Hospital. Fink can't resist an occasional snide jab at what she perceives to be outrageous decisions or outcomes (by investigators, the grand jury), but she doesn't get carried away with these and doesn't let them distract her from the story. Overall, this is an excellent work of narrative nonfiction.

#27 - I have this vague fantasy that I'll run into her at a wine bar in downtown Seattle..... Ahem. I must note that all evidence points to the fact that Nicola is a member of "Team Beer." :-)



Also, please feel better soon!

^ You know, I don't care whether I run into her at a wine bar or a pub. Really. Either would be fine.

(Actually, in that lefthand photo, it looks like she might be drinking milk.)

And, thank you.

BTW, I've decided to start updating my "Currently reading" post (#4) instead of imbedding my current reads in my threads. We'll see how this goes.

Ellen- Great review of Five Days. It's a terrific book. I hope that cold is on it's way out.

Hey there Ellen! Still getting caught up on threads. Some thoughts:

1. Super Bowls are social events combining true fans of the sport with the casual watcher and those in it just for the commercials. If you go to a party, you should be prepared for and be kind to all in attendance.

2. The one EXCEPTION to the above rule is when it is YOUR team playing in the Super Bowl. In that case you can tell everyone else to Shut the F*#k Up. (technical sports lingo there.)

Huge fan of 84, Charing Cross Road. Thought it especially apropos that I had a used copy sent to me. ;-)

You and others here have hit me with a solid BB on Five Days at Memorial. Put in a hold request at the local library. Only 37 people ahead of me, but they have several copies.

>34 EBT1002: 30 LT minutes later
That is about 4 days, isn't it?
;)

STILL haven't read 84, Charing Cross Road even though I own it. Actually, that my be the problem, I own a hideous small and tight-worded copy.....I shall get rid of it and visit the library instead!

#44 - That's stout, not milk! ...I think? I hope. :-)

Oh, yes, and great review of Five Days at Memorial, although knowing about the drier section you describe does not help motivate me to pick it up again. I will though. I will.

Get well!

I liked that review of Five Days at Memorial, too, Ellen. Well said. I just finished it - you're right, the first part, with all the activity and decision-making in response to Katrina, made for the most page-turning read. But the rest is well done and all of it is so thought-provoking. Besides a lack of preparedness for what now seems like an inevitable (sooner or later) disaster, Memorial seemed to suffer from a lack of leadership. So many decisions made ad hoc and on the fly, amid terrible conditions. So many resources that were available and unused because of a lack of coordination. The comparison late in the book to another hospital (Charity?) that did so much better was striking.

>46 msf59:: Hi Mark! I decided to actually post my review of Five Days at Memorial. Sometimes I fail to do that step. The cold is in full swing today but I'm staying home from work so that I'm all well for book buying and banter on Saturday.

>47 michigantrumpet:: Marianne, you totally cracked me up. I read the first comment and I was thinking "yeah, right, I get that." Then I read your second comment. Perfect!!!

>48 michigantrumpet:: Hi Marianne! Maybe I'll read 84, Charing Cross Road today. It seems like a good one for a girl who is sick in bed. I love the length of queues for library holds. Right now my highest number in line is #1042 for The Goldfinch. They have 197 copies.

>49 LovingLit:: Megan, I'm glad you caught my reference to LT time there. You clearly understand the concept.

I applaud your determination to simply get rid of the copy that holds no appeal. Life is too short to read average books or books with tiny font. Beauty of content and of physical presence, that is what we need. I mean.

>50 DorsVenabili:: Hi Kerri! I'm sure it's stout she is drinking. Although, as I said, if she is drinking milk it makes no difference to me. That woman could drink Tang and I'd still want to run into her around town.

I think you would find Five Days at Memorial a good read. Both the very introductory part and some of the last bit were a bit dry, but the heart of it was very well done.

By the way, I'm completely enchanted with The Blue Place. I stayed up late reading it, giving up only when the Benadryl finally kicked in.

>51 jnwelch:: Hi Joe! You have commented on one of the most interesting facets of Five Days at Memorial, I think. The difference in leadership appears to have made the difference in outcomes at Memorial and Charity hospitals. Since I spend much of my working hours "doing leadership" for an organization within an institution of higher ed, I'm fascinated by this and I'm trying to integrate the core "takeaways." BTW, Lisa has set up a thread for discussing Five Days at Memorial.

This may fall into the category of TMI, but I'm a sniffly, sneezy, freaking mess today. I hate having a cold!!!!!

I'm very grumpy, despite the fact that it means I get to stay home and sleep, read, and LT all day.

Sorry about your cold, Ellen! Take care of yourself, my friend and get well quickly. i'll make sure I bring hand-sanitizer for Saturday, for the hand-holding.

Good idea, Mark. :-)

I thought of one more good thing about being home sick, in addition to the reading and LT-ing. I get to eat Kraft Macaroni n Cheese for lunch. Now, I know that this is not real food and I almost never buy it. P makes wonderful mac n cheese from scratch so why would I? But, every once in a while, I have to have the childhood stuff. Today would be one of those days.

My 'go-to' sniffly ouchie food is Chinese Hot and Sour soup. The warmth the soup combined with the spice clears me up and feels so good!

Feel better. 84, Charing Cross is a short book! perfect for a sick day in bed.

Oh, Marianne, you made my mouth water. I also love Hot and Sour Soup when I feel like this. But it requires going out into the world to get it (unless I can persuade P on this...).

And thank you.

Ellen: sending healing thoughts. Hope you're feeling better by Saturday.

Thanks, Suzi! I can't imagine that I won't be. (fingers crossed)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I just started reading 84, Charing Cross Road and it's cracking me up! Just what I need.

"But it requires going out into the world to get it ..."

A story a bit off topic,. but one to entertain you while you are stuck at home:

I once had a case defending a donut shop (think a counter and a few tables, NOT Starbucks with the comfy chairs.) The pro se plaintiff had essentially taken up residence there, hogging a table for HOURS at a time, chitchatting and endlessly bothering the female high school aged counter help, and even getting phone calls there on occasion. In short, completely disrupting the business. The owner decided to institute a 20 minute limit on sitting at the tables so all customers would have a chance. New rule properly posted, etc.

So, the next week, the plaintiff was asked to leave and refused. The cook/baker came out from the back and tried to push the plaintiff out the door. You can completely see the assault and battery claim coming here, right?

What cracked me up was the other count on the complaint: He alleged unlawful imprisonment. Yes. By kicking him out of the donut shop, the the defendent allegedly had imprisoned him ... in the world!

Yep. Won that one. So, now you have a perfect excuse for wanting to avoid that unhappy fate! P should be happy to bring you rations...

Oh I LOVED 84 Charing Cross Road I should re-read that.

>56 EBT1002: LOL I used to live with 3 Canadian snowboarders in Taiwan (this is a true story, really) and they used to LOVE Kraft Mac and Cheese out of a box. It was the first time I had ever seen pasta meals pre-made (they are all over the place in the shops here now). They were like little kids in a candy store when they splashed out and got some :)

>61 michigantrumpet: what a crack-up! What kind of drongo thinks they could get away with that complaint? Surely the person had to be "in the world" first in order to go to the donut shop?....amongst other ridiculous things I could say....

>63 LovingLit: Drongo Love that one. Definitely going into the pejorative dictionary!

>52 EBT1002: Out of curiosity, I went and checked my library queues. My longest is 74 (out of 121) for Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris. They are ordering 75 copies so I should be first in line when they come in around May. Second longest is 66 (out of 198) for Night Broken by Patricia Briggs. They are ordering 32 copies, so it will be a month or so after the March-ish arrival date before I see that one.

We're only allowed to queue up five at a time. I put several on the list that will take a while and then two that I can expect much faster. Wish we could queue up more!!

>52 EBT1002: Thanks - I toodled over to the Five Days at Memorial thread, and read your excellent comments and those of others. Starred.

84 Charing Cross Road is a gem. You have nothing but wonderful reading ahead of you.

9. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
5 stars



This small collection of letters between writer Helene Hanff and the employees of a bookseller in London is simply charming. The first letter is dated October 5, 1949, when Helene sends an inquiry to Marks & Co. Booksellers after seeing an ad in The Saturday Review of Literature. Sure enough, they are able to find and ship an edition of Selected Essays that includes the three, written by Hazlitt, which she seeks. Thus begins a correspondence and business relationship that spans two decades. Helene is sharply witty, as is Frank Doel, her primary agent at Marks & Co., but they are also both as generous of spirit as any two people on Earth. Though the collection is quite short, it calls for a couple of quotes:

In 1952, Helene expresses her joy and gratitude at receiving "three honest navy-blue volumes" of Sam Pepys in the post. She goes on to muse about relationship with books:

I houseclean my books every spring and throw out those I'm never going to read again like I throw out clothes I'm never going to wear again. It shocks everybody. My friends are peculiar about books. They read all the best sellers, they get through them as fast as possible, I think they skip a lot. And they NEVER read anything a second time so they don't remember a word of it a year later. But they are profoundly shocked so see me drop a book in the wastebasket or give it away. The way they look at it, you buy a book, you read it, you put it on the shelf, you never open it again for the rest of your life but YOU DON'T THROW IT OUT! NOT IF IT HAS A HARD COVER ON IT! Why not? I personally can't think of anything less sacrosanct than a bad book or even a mediocre one.

She speaks the truth and cracks you up doing it.

There are also warmer, sweeter moments of book loving to be had. After sending her usual box of rationed foodstuffs to her friends at Marks & Co (which they always appreciate immensely), she says

I do think it's a very uneven exchange of Christmas presents. You'll eat yours up in a week and have nothing left for show for it by New Year's Day. I'll have mine till the day I die -- and die happy in the knowledge that I'm leaving it behind for someone else to love. I shall sprinkle pale pencil marks through it pointing out the best passages to some booklover yet unborn.

Now, I know there are those among us who would not appreciate a prior lover of that book having "pointed out the best passages to us" (I'll choose my own best passages, thank you very much), but Helene's love of literature is expansive. She not only loves the books, she loves everyone who has ever also loved the books! And when a used copy, which is what she mostly acquires, falls open to a particular spot, she relishes the thought that someone else read this book and lingered or revisited this particular spot in the narrative.

And finally, I have to mention the delightful way that interesting tidbits in history peek at us from the pages. Churchill, QEII, JFK....
From September 2, 1955 in a letter to Frank:

I shall be obliged if you will send Nora (Frank's wife) and the girls to church every Sunday for the next month to pray for the continued health and strength of messrs. gilliam, reece, snider, campanella, robinson, hodges, furillo, podres, newcombe and labine, collectively known as The Brooklyn Dodgers. If they lose this World Series I shall Do Myself In and then where will you be?"

Thank goodness that, in addition to using creating and interesting punctuation, Ms. Hanff generally wrote in hyperbole.

Her quips and ribs and jabs at and about literature reminded me of some around this beloved LibraryThing. (what? you haven't yet visited a "talk" forum here? Then what on Earth are you doing reading this review? Go visit some threads and make friends!) I give this lovely collection a hearty five stars and recommend it unreservedly.

I've been over the 1,000 mark in a queue and I've seen queues half again as large. We have a very large library system and with the most popular books they will order over 100 of them.

ETA: Lovely review of 84, Charing Cross Road. I also gave it my highest (and rare) rating!

>61 michigantrumpet:: Marianne, I love that story! I'm certainly glad you won it. Ha!

P is very sweet (she is generally a better caretaker than I) but I'm reluctant to ask for much this round as she hasn't really recovered from her own bout with this illness. We may simply be eating leftover bean soup for dinner.

>62 SuziQoregon:: Hi Suzi. I also loved it (see above). And yes, you "should" reread it. Helene would expect as much.

>63 LovingLit:: Hi Megan. P always has a conniption when I want Kraft MnC. But when I feel like this, it's the only thing other than OJ that even sounds vaguely comforting. And it's very easy to make. I just don't think about what's in the orange "cheese" powder.

>64 michigantrumpet:: Yes to drongo.
Wait, has anyone looked it up? I want to be sure it's, you know, not obscene or anything. Ha.

>65 Morphidae:: Hi Morphy! I frequently check to see where I am in the queue on books I've placed on hold. I know the first time after moving to Seattle that I checked and saw that I was something like number 467 in line, I about died. Then I saw how many copies they have. They keep it moving relatively well. I think it must be a fine balance to get in enough copies for the rush period for a newly released or newly prized work but not so many that they're overwhelmed with them when the hoopla and demand have died down.

>66 michigantrumpet:: Marianne, only five at a time?? I would hate that.
The Seattle Public Library recently changed it so that I can place up to 50 books on hold at any one time. But they also reduced the number of days they'll hold it from ten to seven. So, if I get notice that it's available for pickup and I don't get there in 7 days, I'm back at the end of the queue. Seems fair enough, especially since we can suspend holds for up to a year. On a suspended hold, we keep moving up in the queue (I like that!) but we won't get a notice that it's available until the designated activation date.

Okay, that is more than you ever wanted to know about how holds work at the Seattle Public Library. :-)

>67 jnwelch:: Hi Joe. I'll meander over to the Five Days at Memorial thread and see what conversation is going.

I loved 84, Charing Cross Road. What a delight.

>69 Morphidae:: Morphy, it sounds like our systems are similar. I do love living in a city with a thriving and relatively well-supported library system.

Glad you liked my review. :-)

So glad you enjoyed the little story (and that you've stayed inside and avoided being imprisoned in the world!)

And our reward is that lovely review. Thanks!!

I loved, loved, loved that review of 84 Charing Cross Road, Ellen. Great quotes. Big thumb from me!

Magnificent review of 84, Charing Cross Road, Ellen! I loved it when I finally got around to reading it last year after hearing about it for years and years. The letters about the boxes of rationed food that she sent to the London bookshop was very touching to me. I can only imagine the emotion they had about it. What an extraordinarily generous thing to do for a shop full of strangers.

>73 michigantrumpet:: Marianne, thank you. I stepped outside only to bring in the mail. I've really not much left my bed. Abby just came up from her basement hideaway to see what's up. I'm not sure she realized I've been home all day!

>74 jnwelch:: Why, thank you, Joe, for the kind words and for the thumb! *blushes*

>75 rosalita:: Julia, I know! I kept hearing both their gratitude and their astonishment. I imagined Cecily, after losing touch, telling new friends in the East about the eccentric American woman who used to send them packages of meat and eggs.... An antidote to the world's evil, sure enough.

Yeah, we use the Minneapolis/Hennepin County library system and it's one of the largest public libraries in the nation. Google Zeitgeist announced Hennepin County Library was the fifth most-searched library in the U.S. in 2012. And I looked at a list of the top libraries. Hennepin is the twelfth largest public library (not including colleges/universities).

I couldn't find Seattle but it's probably under the country name.

http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet22

ETA: Found it! Seattle's (King County) in fourteenth place.

Hi Ellen - I hope your cold is going away. Great review of 84 Charing Cross Road; I also read it recently, and it was one of my favorite 2013 reads.

I'm laughing about your number on the waitlist for The Goldfinch. It will probably be out in paperback before your name comes up. Just saying. :)

>78 Morphidae:: I must go look at that, Morphy. Seattle has a library system and King County (in which Seattle is located) has its own separate library system.

>79 BLBera:: Beth, thank you. My cold doesn't feel to me to have budged one tiny bit. Grr. I simply have to go to work tomorrow. Sigh.

Yeah, the number in the queue can be daunting. I often let my name sit in the queue and, if the book comes out in paperback before I get it from the library, and assuming I'm still wanting it badly enough, I will simply go buy it. So you are exactly right!
Sometimes my interest has moved onto other things by that time, too.

Ellen - I know what you mean. I've picked up reserves that I have no memory of reserving and can't imagine what I was thinking.

Well, one of the reasons our system is so large is that the Minneapolis city system and the Hennepin country system merged.

>81 BLBera:: LOL Beth! I do that all the time!

>82 Morphidae:: Perish the thought, Morphy. I mean, I don't know why I say that. If the Seattle and King County systems merged, it would probably be fine. It's just that I so love my Seattle Library System. :-)

>78 Morphidae:: I'm glad to see that the Library of Congress is the largest library system in the nation!

Ellen, I hope you and P recover soon. I too love hot n sour soup, chicken noodle soup, and peppermint/mint tea. All good respiratory helps. :) 84, Charing Cross Road has been on my radar. Glad you enjoyed!

I'm hoping Five Days at Memorial will be available when I go to the library this weekend.

Nice review of Five Days at Memorial!

I hope your cold is all better for Saturday...

>85 leperdbunny:: Hi Tamara! I will skip the peppermint/mint tea. I love most things mint, but not tea so much. I hope you nab a copy of 84, Charing Cross Road.

>86 thornton37814:: Lori, I hope so too!

>87 banjo123:: Hi Rhonda! Thanks for the kind words about my review and I hope so, too. I don't see how I couldn't be better by then.

Hi Ellen. Terrific review of Five Days at Memorial. Although I agree with you about the slowing of the pace of the book after the narrative moved on from the frantic days immediately after the hurricane, I didn't feel that took away from the enjoyment of the book. At least it didn't effect me that way.

I read and liked 84 Charing Cross Road a few years ago. And your review is excellent for that book too. Have fun at your meet- up. Very jealous.

Now really. A new thread without placing banner advertising in all major media markets? *tsk*

#68 - Ok, I guess I really do have to read this. For some reason, I've been resisting, but people with good taste seem to like it...Fantabulous review and quotes!

Hope you're feeling better for the big Portland meet-up!

Ellen 84 Charing Cross Road was one of my favorite reads of last year. Helene was a hoot!

ETA: I hope you are feeling better

Morning Ellen- I hope you wake up today feeling better. Thanks for putting up with my brewery texts. LOL.We might do one more later this afternoon.
2 more days!!

Wonderful review of 84, Charing Cross Road, Ellen! Did you know that there is a sequel or two? I will be looking for the next, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street at Powell's. Oops, shouldn't have said that, you'll beat me to it! :-)

Hope you are feeling better soon. My husband and daughter both had the flu in the past few weeks, but I have stayed healthy. I did twist my ankle on Tuesday, and I thought "Oh no, I really will have to have Mark give me a piggyback around Powell's" And then I remembered he had a bad foot. Fortunately my ankle is better (after a horrible night where I was awoken with it throbbing; stumbled around trying to find Advil, a cane, and ice, and actually passed out before Bill got me back to bed.)

ANYWAY, I am so excited for our meetup! Less than 48 hours! Should I put the cargo carrier on the roof of the car, just is case we need extra book space? ;-)

I hope you're feeling better today, Ellen! *smooch*

>94 labfs39: - I just checked Powell's website - they have multiple copies of Duchess of Bloomsbury Street in stock at the downtown store so no racing needed.

Ha, ha! Good to know!

...drongo...hm.
Just a word from my youth :)
Not obscene (here anyway) but useful for describing dumbness in people.

Hi folks! I did go to work this morning, mostly because I felt compelled to give one of my employees a good talking-to after I heard how she behaved yesterday afternoon. Sheesh. The nerve. I mean, to simply say "I don't want to do that" about a relatively simple task that you have been assigned for weeks. No proactive talking about it, just not doing it and then, when the floor supervisor says she'll cover the desk for an hour so you can work on that assignment, to have the employee reply with "I don't have time." We were just giving you time!! Grr.

So, I dealt with that and I dealt with a couple other time-sensitive matters, then I trundled myself home, Puffs with Lotion in hand, and now I'm settled back in bed. I'm certainly better than I was yesterday, so I think I'll be in fine shape by Saturday. Whew! I would not want a stupid cold to keep me from my 16 Thingaversary books and good conversation at a brewpub with my PNW (plus Chicago) LT buddies!

I'm almost through reading The Blue Place. I have a feeling our intrepid heroes are about to encounter some trouble....

>89 brenzi:: Hi Bonnie! Thanks for your comments about Five Days at Memorial. Overall, I agree with you that the slower pace did not affect my overall experience of the book. I'm very glad I read it.

I'm glad you liked my review of 84, Charing Cross Road. I did sort of crack myself up by writing one of my longer reviews for one of the shortest books I've read. :-)

>90 richardderus:: Richard! I must admit I was kind of wondering where you've been. I started to worry that I had offended you but I knew I hadn't posted anything remotely kitten related any time recently. *winks* In any case, I'm glad you found me. I guess I need to be better about making a clear announcement when I start a new thread, eh? Or I'll hire this space:

>91 DorsVenabili:: Hi Kerri! I think you would enjoy 84, Charing Cross Road and you could probably read it during one of your train commutes. And I do mean one, not a round trip.

I'm going to be in fine fettle for book buying and beer quaffing by Saturday.

>92 luvamystery65:: Roberta, I agree that "Helene was a hoot!" And thank you.

>93 msf59:: Hi Mark! No need to thank me; I rather enjoy getting texts from friends who are imbibing happily. I just wish I could have been there with you! By the way, and I'll say something about this over on our meet-up thread, I emailed a good friend of mine who lives and works in Portland. He is a BIG TIME beer aficionado so I thought I'd see what he recommends. I know you said it's fine to dine & drink at Deschutes, but I really would rather go somewhere remarkable since you're in town. I'll keep you posted.

>94 labfs39:: Lisa, I did not know about the sequel or two! I'll definitely check it out at Powell's (and I'm glad to know I won't have to use my elbows to keep you away from the lone copy on their shelves) or I may see if the library has Duchess of Bloomsbury Street.

Your misadventure in the middle of the night sounds like it could have been a disaster. I'm glad Bill got you back to bed --- and I'm glad your ankle is better enough for our excursion. I don't think I could carry both you and Mark. :-)

How big is your car? ;-)

>95 richardderus:: Thank you, Richard. I am on the mend. Still not one to be messed with, but getting more human every hour.

>96 SuziQoregon:, 97: Suzi and Lisa, Oh good! I'll pull my elbows back in.

>98 LovingLit:: Megan, I will definitely be borrowing the word drongo. I don't suppose it's very professional to call one's employee names, but I'm just sayin', that word might have gone through my mind while I talked with her this morning.

One necessity of mine for a cold is Vaseline. When my nose starts getting just a little bit sore from blowing, I start smearing that around. Instant relief!

#102
Agreed on the Vaseline. Here in Kansas the humidity has been about 16% for days. My poor skin is not accustomed to this.

Hope you are feeling better soon, Ellen. I'm glad to see you have your priorities straight. (LT meetups are more important that ANYTHING else!)

I do hope that you are well enough to attend the meet up! I swear that the fizzy tablet variety of Alka Seltzer cold is practically a miracle drug.. and has allowed me to keep functioning while I was sick... Get well and have fun!

>102 Morphidae:, 103: Morphy and Benita, I gave in and did the Vicks around my nose last night. It's basically vaseline with menthol in it. And today I can tell I've definitely turned the corner toward good health. *big smile*

>104 ronincats:: Roni, I always have my priorities appropriately arranged. I'm so excited about this meet-up it's like Christmas all over again. I am very glad we got such a big group together. It's going to be a blast (and I'm going to be healthy enough to fully enjoy it!).

>105 mckait:: Hi Kath, and thank you. I'm going to be there (even though it means setting the alarm for some ungodly hour on a Saturday --- see how my priorities line up?). You know, I made it through this cold without any actual "cold medicine." I have read somewhere that cold medicines aren't a great idea because they almost always have some medicine in them that you don't really need, that you're better off taking meds for the specific symptoms you actually have. Now, when I was taking aleve for the aches, benadryl for the sneezes and sniffles, decongestant for the congestion..... I must admit I thought "what the heck?" But mostly I didn't need the pain reliever so I'm glad I did it this way.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In book news, .....

Oh, wait, I don't have any book news. I'm still reading The Blue Place (will probably finish on the bus today) and I have several in the wings, including To the Lighthouse and Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. I brought home my copies of The Polish Boxer and Absalom, Absalom! yesterday for February shared/group reads.

That is all.

Ellen, I'm a big fan of the "Vicks around the nose" thing, too. Sometimes it's the only way I can breathe well enough to get to sleep. I'm so glad you are feeling better, and the meetup is still on!

Good to hear you've turned the corner. Have a safe trip tomorrow. Do you have an audiobook for the drive?

Ellen, I've been terribly behind but had to catch up with you so that I could post THIS for you. You must read it. It gave me a big smile and I'm only a 2nd-level Seahawks fan.

Also, your review of 84, Charing Cross Road was perfectly timed. I picked it up this morning and was immediately drawn in. I have a library copy, but I've already placed a copy in my Amazon cart for my next purchase...

even though it means setting the alarm for some ungodly hour on a Saturday

*grin* Will we need to hit a coffee shop before heading out?

Read your bit about the employee and ... wow... how utterly frustrating. The only good thing about that whole fiasco was it got the blood pumping nicely.

Glad you're feeling better and have a great time tomorrow at the meet-up.

if you have severely chapped lips the Vicks works on them in a flash. Of course, you have to remember to not lick your lips.

I'm really surprised that anyone would use Vicks on dry or chapped skin as menthol is a drying agent. I guess the petroleum jelly overcomes it.

Have a great weekend, Ellen. I see a future as a Vicks promoter. :)

>107 rosalita:: Thanks, Julia! I'm not 100% but I'm close enough for a LT meet up!

>108 SuziQoregon:: Hi Suzi. I'm riding with Lisa and Deborah so I imagine we'll chat during the drive. I may doze a bit in the back seat with my congested self. :-|

>109 katiekrug:: Katie! So good to have you visit my thread and I LOVE that link!!! I tried to copy the image address but it won't work. It's a cool picture with the Seahawks 747 and the city in the background. Thank you.

I'm glad you're enjoying 84, Charing Cross Road. It's a gem and I want to read more of her.

>110 labfs39:: Lisa, no fear. We have a coffee maker with a timer. I'll be drinking coffee on my way to the shower. But if we have to stop once to get a refill, I'll be okay with that, too. :-)

>111 michigantrumpet:: Marianne, the employee circus continues. I learned something today about another person who reports to me -- I won't even go into it here, but it left me speechless and that is rare indeed. Downright flabbergasted. I am astounded at the hubris with which some people approach their work. It will be an interesting conversation next week.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I predict that a good time will be had tomorrow. We'll try to remember to get some photos taken (and to post them later).

>112 benitastrnad:: Oh my, Benita. I've never tried the vicks on my lips. "you have to remember to not lick your lips." Yikes. I think I never will try it. LOL

>113 Morphidae:: Morphy, I'm with you. But the petroleum jelly is soothing. Of course, it's also a petroleum product.....

>114 BLBera:: Beth, you cracked me up. I mean, I like Vicks and all...... ha!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had an incredibly busy and surreal day at work. By the time I could leave the office, a little after 6pm, I forgot to print my wish list. I guess I'll have to use my iPhone at Powell's to try to stay on track. Or just do my book shopping the tea-la-la way, which is more typical of me.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Ellen, I wish you a happy weekend

Happy Meetup Day, Ellen!

I'm hoping you are so much better and able to enjoy the meet-up today. Of course you are!

I loved 84 Charring Cross Road and your excellent review makes me want to re-read it. I have Q's Legacy yet to read. I just love her writing style. So fresh and honest.

"In book news, ..... Oh, wait, I don't have any book news."
Got a huge chuckle out of that!

I will be with you all in spirit at the "Great NorthWestern Meetup".

I'm so excited for you and the others attending the meet-up today! Can't wait for the book lists and the photos!

In case of meetup photos, check the meetup thread first! I'll bet at least one of 'em will post there later.

Happy meet-up day. We'll expect news and the book haul.

What a busy and fun weekend you are having, Ellen. The LT meetup and Powell's Book Store plus the Super Bowl with your team playing. Should be a memorable weekend. Have fun.

>118 Ameise1:: Barbara, thank you for the very happy bunny!

>119 rosalita:: Thanks, Julia. It was a great day and I'll post pics and provide a report below.

>120 -Cee-:: Hi Cee! I was definitely able to enjoy the meet up (and I bought a few books). I'm glad to be settled into my room fairly early so I can read, LT, and get a really good night's sleep.

>121 scaifea:: Stand by, Amber, book haul list and photos coming soon to a thread near you.

>122 richardderus:: Richard, unsurprisingly you are on to our plans. We agreed to post there as well as on our own threads.

>123 BLBera:: Hi Beth! So, I'm getting the feeling that everyone who didn't attend the Great Portland Meet Up spent the day waiting for a report of said event. Wish you all could have joined us.

>124 DeltaQueen50:: Judy, it is being a great weekend so far! I hope the Seahawks cap it off with a win.
There was definitely a Seahawks presence in Portland today. Perhaps not quite as overwhelmingly green and blue as Seattle, but pretty darn close.

I'm glad you had a great meet up with LT folk. These get together are special...people automatically feel like they know one another, and quickly, there is no hesitancy.

Thanks for sharing the lovely opening photo...wow!

I know, I know, you all want to see pictures and hear stories. I promise I'll get to that.

But first....

10. The Blue Place by Nicola Griffith
4.5 stars

I loved this mystery set in Atlanta and Norway. Aud is an independently wealthy former police officer who takes on occasional investigation jobs. She doesn't need the money but she needs the stimulation. One night, while out for a solo midnight stroll to work out her insomnia, she turns a corner and runs smack into a woman running the other direction. The woman disappears into the night, and a nearby house bursts into flames. Once Griffith works through a slightly awkward section in which Aud introduces herself to Julia (something about a missing wallet, but it doesn't quite hang together), the plot unfolds at a perfect pace. Griffith provides just the right balance of high-speed storyline and speculative tangents. She has created a sleuth/hero who is extraordinary and vulnerable, smart and distractible, fierce and tender. Griffith also develops an interesting and engaging plot that doesn't depend on Aud making dumb decisions to create the tension (my least favorite device, used too often with "strong female" sleuths). I'm looking forward to the second in this trilogy/series.

Standing from left: Karen (Maggie1944), Mark (msf59), Jan (oregonreader), Juli (SuziQoregon), Deborah (abrubabookwoman), Lisa (labfs39), Carol (CarolO), me
Sitting from left: Pat (phebj), Kim(berly), Rhonda (Banjo)

Back row: Pat, Mark, Carol, Karen, Deborah, Juli, Jan
Kneeling: me, Lisa, Kim, Rhonda

Thanks for posting these lovely photos...Mark among all these wonderful women!!!!

Linda, Mark was a pretty lucky guy today, I think.
If he thinks otherwise, he knows better than to say so. :-)

Fun day! So nice to meet you!!

We met at Peet's Coffee for some introductions and logistics planning, then it was off to Powell's. We asked a young woman begging for change outside of Powell's to take our picture and I contributed to her self-care fund. We agreed to meet at the Deschutes Brewery about 2.5 hours later. Of course, even in a bookshop the size of Powell's we kept running into one another, comparing notes, pointing out used copies of interesting books. I was sorry that Powell's is under construction; although they assured us that the books are all still there, it was disappointing to have some of the square footage blocked off. Still, I managed to find a few things to buy.

I didn't have any photos taken with my phone at the Brewery, so I hope someone else will post those. We had a good time there with a very enthusiastic server. He cheerfully helped me pick my six ales for a tasting flight.

After the meal and conversation, Lisa, Deborah, and I spent another hour or so in the bookshop and then we called it a night. I'm not quite 100% healthy, so I'm glad to have an early night with a no-alarm-clock morning ahead of me.

>132 SuziQoregon:: I agree wholeheartedly, Juli!!

Book Haul:

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald
In America by Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag: The Complete Rolling Stone Interview by Jonathan Cott
Independent People by Halldór Laxness
A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
How Late it Was, How Late by James Kelman
The Way I Found Her by Rose Tremain
Island: The Complete Stories by Alistair MacLeod
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
1914: A Novel by Jean Echenoz
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden

The last is a used copy of an uncorrected proof; the novel is set for release in May 2014.

I fell one book short of a Paul Cranswickian Thingaversary haul. I'll have to make up for that when I get back to Seattle. Ha.

Wonderful photos, and such a happy-looking group! Thanks, Ellen, for sharing it with us and I note, with some asperity, the absence of a book-haul confession.

I came *this close* to buying An Unnecessary Woman today and I'm so glad I resisted the temptation. I just checked and a copy is available for me at the library when I return home. Whew.

>137 richardderus:: Hi Richard! I'm rather proud of myself that I posted pics so quickly. I'm usually a tad slow on the tech front.

Um, I listed 15 purchased books. Is that not a book-haul confession? I mean, compared to some, it's a pretty pathetic book haul, I admit, but I became fearful of the wrath of P. She might have pointed out that we're trying to save money for the great Highlands hike.

Hi Ellen- Yes, I was a very very lucky fellow and had a terrific time with my LT pals. I do not think anything could have been better. Thanks for your contributions too! We did a great job setting it up!
Hugs to my friend and GO SEAHAWKS!

Mark, maybe this will be the plane that takes you back to Chicago:

Here it is with the stadium in the background (actually, my house is "in" this photo, too, but trying to point it out would be impossible).

Ellen - Really enjoyed catching up but must admit to a tinge of envy at Mark grabbing all the gals on his lonesome so to speak. He really looks like the cat that got the cream in the photos!

15 books is a lovely number for a haul and there are some great titles there. A haul this Cranswick would have been proud of. xx

Ellen, those pictures of your gathering are wonderful.
When I was much younger ;-D, I've read a lot of Erich Maria Remarque's books. I was really addicted to them. 'All Quiet on the Western Front' I've read more then once, so I wish you happy reading.

Oh, wow! Wonderful photos and amazing book haul! Joining the queue of jealous folks...

Looks like you all had a great time, thanks for sharing the photos. Great book haul, too, btw. I think you struck the right balance between restraint and maniacally tossing everything you see into your basket.

Enjoy the game today. Me, I'll be watching the Puppy Bowl, Groundhog Day, and Downton Abbey. :)

So #12on is a Seahawks thing? I was Googling it and couldn't find a thing.

Love the pictures and the book haul!

Look at all those happy smiling faces! What a great group you had for your LT meetup. Having just had my first meetup recently, I am experiencing extreme envy mixed with genuine happiness for all of you. And that's a great book haul, too. Cranswickian, indeed.

Ellen, Thanks for sharing your pictures and book haul with us. It sounds like a great time. I'm glad you were healthy enough to enjoy it. Nice T-shirt. :) Good luck with the game today. Are you going to the party?

Love the meet-up photos! Love the book haul!

#127 - So glad you enjoyed The Blue Place. The second one is even better (IMHO)!

Wow - what an amazing meet up - so many of you!

Have fun today.

Happy Superbowl Sunday Ellen!

The meet up photos are awesome. I'm so glad you all had a wonderful time. What a great haul of books you got. I responded to your message on my thread but I have to say when you do read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail



We must Discuss!

>142 PaulCranswick:: Paul, I think Mark was quite pleased with how things turned out. At the pub, Juli brought her DH so the table had a bit of balance from one end to the other.

I'm pleased with my book haul and resisting the urge to ask Lisa and Deborah if they'd like to stop by Powell's for just a wee few minutes before we hit the highway...

>143 Ameise1:: Hi Barbara! I started reading The Guns of August last night, for some reason thinking that I should read a nonfiction work about WWI before I dip into fiction works. I think TGoA will take a while for me to read, although it starts out nicely enough.

>144 scaifea:: Amber, we'd have loved to have you and other jealous folks along!

>145 lauralkeet:: Hi Laura! "I think you struck the right balance between restraint and maniacally tossing everything you see into your basket."
*big smile* Well, it took some serious will power. And a bit of assistance from Lisa and Deborah at the last minute. Whew.

>146 Morphidae:: Hi Morphy! The 12th Man is a Seahawks thing. The team has 11 players on the field at any one time and the 12th Man is the fans. The Seattle stadium is reputedly the loudest sports stadium in which to play, making it hard on the visiting team's offense. The number 12 has been retired and is reserved for fan jerseys, flags, etc. The city is draped with "12" flags these days.

We interrupt this episode of individual responses to grumpily share that the stupid Keurig coffeemaker (environmental craziness, in any case) in my room doesn't freaking work!!! So, I showered and trundled down to the continental breakfast area and got a cup of coffee (after an additional trek back to the room for my ceramic mug because there is no reason to use a paper cup) and the coffee is lukewarm.

I am not happy.

If there's one thing I hate it's lukewarm coffee! You have all my sympathy.

#153 Ugh!

Ugh! I agree about the Keurig - "environmental craziness" indeed. Lukewarm coffee. Double ugh.

Can't blame you, Ellen. That's no way to start the day. So far we like our Keurig for our water-limited sun room, but we wouldn't if it didn't work.

Sounds and looks like just a great meetup, and nice book haul. Glad to see that Murakami tucked in there. That (After the Quake) is the one that got me started with him, and I just kept going.

Lukewarm coffee is of the devil.

Totally agree about the Keurig and 'environmental craziness'

>151 luvamystery65: LOL! :P

Ellen, colds, lukewarm coffee, and stupid employees major thumbs down. . but Superbowl and meetups are awesome in my book. :) Sounds like you guys had so much fun.

The reusable cups for the Keurig can redeem some of the environmental craziness, I reckon, but I do my part by not drinking coffee at all. :-)

Hi Ellen! It was great to have a chance to meet you. Fun meet-up! I am also anxious to see how you like Wild. I met Cheryl Strayed at Broadway books in December--she seems a lovely person.

#160 ...I do my part by not drinking coffee at all.

WHAT!? That's just crazy! :P

#162> :-)

Great book haul and lovely meet-up photos.

Hope you have a great evening (wink, wink) and an even better day at work on Monday. Given how many people are out there looking for jobs, one would think everyone would be happy to be employed and anxious to perform well. Can imagine how frustrated you must get.

>160 rosalita: I am torn...do I call for exorcism of the demon afflicting Julia, hospitalization for the psychosis clearly afflicting her, or get out the pitchforks and torches and book a bus for Iowa?

Ellen, I have no idea how I missed that entire list. 15 items, no less! I need more sleep, I guess. *smooch*

#165> Definitely book the bus for Iowa, Richard. You can decide between exorcism/psychiatrist/pitchforks-and-torches when you get here — after we visit Prairie Lights Books, of course. By the way, no need to BYOP — this is Iowa, after all.

The pitchfork might be difficult to get through TSA, more's the pity!

Ooo, Prairie Lights! Yum. Wait...you don't drink coffee and they allow you in the place? How does that happen?

#168> I have a credit card and I'm not afraid to use it, Richard. That automatically makes me persona grata at a bookstore.

In other words, you haven't come out to them as the aberrant drinker you are. No self-respecting bookstore would allow a non-coffee drinker in its precincts. Order online, they would say, shoving the weirdo out the door.

#170> Heh, they even let me into their coffeshop/café during our LT meetup last month. I covered by ordering hot chocolate, which comes in a mug just like coffee. :-)

Hot chocolate! What a relief Julia.

HoCho. Mmm. A distant second to the Divine Brew, but one supposes the fig leaf was appreciated.

Aw, shucks. Does this mean I'm no longer on the naughty list and you won't be coming to Iowa to chastise me? How disappointing.

>135 EBT1002: I love your good taste in books. And by that, you know what I really mean is, your taste in books is similar to mine :)
I loved Wild- Mark made me read it and I appreciated the push.

I also love the meetup pics!!
Believe it or not i was thinking about you all on Saturday (which was really too early as my Saturday was probably your Friday night), and now that I see who was there, I realise I need to visit more threads.

eta: 170/171 :) You guys are a pack of crack-ups!

Great meet-up fun! The pictures are super great.
I love to see all those smiling faces :-)

and, I approve of that book haul, Ellen. Hope you didn't have to carry them far. oof!

OMG - the Seahawks are going wild and crazy!

I will bet there's no findin' Ellen, out there screamin' and whoopin' and hollerin' with the boys in the locker room over a 22-0 half.

Wow! Good weekend for you, Ellen! Meet-up + book haul + 22-0 at halftime. Yay for you!

Now it's 29-0. I hear former Cowboys QB and Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith singing in the distance:

http://youtu.be/CtGxusvUT3k

36-8

So, that was fun. What's for afters?

SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!

Turn out the lights, the party's over!......

I know lots of folks here are not football fans but I am so proud of my team and so pleased for my city. I do love being a Seattleite tonight.

Congrats, Ellen! I didn't have a dog in this fight but I knew no matter who won some of my LT friends would be happy.

Ellen I'm happy for you and your city!

43-8

Oh my heck!

Woot! Go Seahawks!

Doug Baldwin. My man.

My middle name is Baldwin. :-)

Go Seahawks! Lots of partying in the Pacific Northwest, eh?

Are you going to go to the Victory Parade?

What a game! I am kind of disappointed the Broncos didn't show up. I was hoping for a good, close game but oh well.

My favorite part of the link I posted way up there with the photo of the Boeing test flight was the fact that their flight plan outlined a 12 across the state of Washington :)

lol- even I heard about the Seahawks! On the 5pm radio news, and I rushed here to congratulate you :)

Congratulations! That was one lopsided game.

YAHOO for the Seahawks win but good grief, I would have expected some kind of a game out of the Broncos. *Sheesh*

Congratulations dear lady.....don't really follow it unless you call wanting to share a beer with Mark overlooking Soldier's Field following, but it must be great for you loving your team of residence.

I'm not a sportsfan at all - apart from watching the Tour de France - but the information I have gleaned from these threads enabled me to get the correct answer in a quiz last week! I think your team won?

>171 rosalita: & 173 Julia & Richard: I can vouch for the deliciousness of that HoCho, Richard - I ordered the same and it was amazing. I'm already craving another Prairie Lights visit, and I'm working on convincing Tomm and we need a weekend family outing to Iowa City for some lunch and book shopping...

Hi, Ellen! *insert relevant sports reference here*

Not a sports fan, but glad the game made you happy :) and that you had a good time !

as for 162luvamystery65
#160 ...I do my part by not drinking coffee at all.

WHAT!? That's just crazy! :P >/i>

Yep. unimaginable.. although I do have 2 kids who rarely, or never... drink it. Where did I go wrong?

Ellen! Congratulations to our resident Seahawks fan! What an amazing weekend for you and Seattle!! The meet up pics are so nice. So good to see all the smiles attached to the names we've come to know.
Needless to say, your thread really took off. I couldn't believe this was my first visit!
Have a wonderful day. I'm sure you'll have an extra bounce to your step!

Hi Ellen! I didn't watch the game but I saw the score and am sure you were dancing in the streets. Yay for Seattle!

I'm sure everyone in Seattle is smiling this morning even though it is Monday!

#200> Yes, you do! Soon. How's tomorrow look for you? ;-)

So, is Monday a holiday in Seattle? Were you one of the happy people in the streets last night, Ellen? It's great they won. Too bad it was such a lopsided game. There were some good ads.

By the way, what are you reading? :)

So is your voice gone from cheering?? I heard there is a parade for the team on Wednesday - are you going?

Congratulations, Ellen! If I'm following the subtle clues right, I'm pretty sure you're a Seahawks fan. They kicked some tail last night. Great defense, and I was impressed with Russell Wilson's composure.

Congratulations, Ellen! With the meetup and the Superbowl you definitely had a gorgeous weekend

A work collegue of me has watched the Superbowl, too. With the time difference he didn't got any sleep and therefore he was looking terribly at work today. ;-)

Hi Ellen-It was great to see you again, even though we had to go to Portland to do so. I truly enjoyed our chattiness on the trip down and the trip back!

And hooray for the Seahawks! I think I told you at the meetup but my oldest son snagged a complementary ticket to the Super Bowl at the last minute, He called us from the stadium as he got to his seats, and he was so excited he could hardly talk! For him, this was the experience of a lifetime!

Man, Ellen! The Seahawks CLEANED up. Glad you had a good weekend. :)

Hi Ellen. I had some catching up to do on your thread but I've happily made it through to the end. It was great meeting you this weekend. You're an even more fun person in RL than you are on LT!

I'm very happy the Seahawks won. I'm not a sports person but my husband had the game on and every time I looked at the score, I was blown away by how well it was going for your team. Like you said, a good weekend to be a Seattleite! A friend was at a Super Bowl party yesterday and he said that people thought they were watching reruns of the Seahawks touchdowns when it was really a new touchdown.

In looking over your list of books from Powell's, I'm reminded I need to get a copy of Independent People. Did you, or someone, say that Lisa is organizing a group read of it soon?

Hope you have an easy week. I assume your city is celebrating big time and deservedly so!

Boy, she must still be celebrating...

Pat- I think Lisa was planning a G.R. of Independent People, for March. I picked up my copy at Powell's.

Thanks, Mark. Then I still have lots of time to get my copy. :-)

I had LOTS to catch up with, Ellen so let me go in reverse order.

I'm betting you are still on cloud 9 from your Super Bowl win! I knew you'd be cheering, but I didn't know you we're sick. I hope you were well enough to enjoy it!

Meet up!!!! Great pictures!!! It's so nice to put faces & names together and it looks like you all had a great time!

I loved your reviews of 84, Charing Cross Road and Two or Three Things I Know For Sure. Both are now sitting atop my wish list and I've added my thumbs up for your stellar reviews!

I detest professional sports but I was very happy for you when the Seahawks won.

My name is Morphy. Hi, Morphy! I don't drink coffee and rarely drink anything but water.

Hi Ellen, boy, your team came through for you with flying colors!

*panting* I caught up at last, and you are AWOL. Hope all is well. Did you hear that the Seahawks asked for Seattle Public Schools to close for tomorrow's parade? When I got home on Sunday, my daughter had made cookies and decorated them with Seahawk heads and slogans. Her teeth were an interesting blue-green color. LOL!

Congrats on your Seahawks win, Ellen - they played a great game and were so deserving of taking that trophy home.

I loved your book haul and seeing the photos from your wonderful meet-up. How fun!! And some lovely reviews here - 84 Charing Cross Road is a favorite of mine, and I have put it on the list to reread this month after reading both your and Katie's reviews. That book was just so delightful.

Hoping that Tuesday was kind to you.

Just dropping by to see how you are doing after all the excitement.

Ellen must be reading her new books! Good for you and your Thinga-Haul! I loved the meet-up pictures. What a lovely group of happy LTers! Congrats on the Super Bowl win. I had a one-day pity party for the Broncos but I'm over it now. Are you guys still celebrating out there?

Congrats to your Seahawks, Ellen!

Ellen?? Yoo-Hoo??

I am finally all caught up here Ellen. Everyone looks like they had such a good time at the meet-up. And what a fabulous book haul. I am very jealous that you managed to get a copy of The Orenda. I've already pre-ordered it from Amazon but I have to wait until May.

Ellen: FYI :)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/nasal-d...

Hope you didn't slug anyone for talking during the game... ;-)

Hope your week is going well

Hey Ellen. Hope all is well!

Oh my, I have been away for a few days and I'm sorry I didn't even check in. I'm fine but work has been hellish this week. I'm dealing with two very serious personnel issues and coming home at night with just enough energy to eat dinner, watch "Sherlock" or "Downton Abbey" and go to bed. I'm reading a bit, but not as much as I'd like. I started on The Guns of August but this is one of those weeks that demands something a bit easier to digest. I'm about halfway through The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon and I'm loving it.

Of course, it's been a bit surreal to be so absorbed in really challenging and emotionally draining issues at work while still feeling giddy and celebratory, along with the whole city, about my Seahawks. I could not attend yesterday's parade but the police estimate there were 700,000 fans lining the blocks-long parade route. I did watch a bit of coverage last evening.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and offered congratulations and expressed concern about where I had disappeared to.
:-)

^ I hate dangling participles, if that's what that is, but that is such a perfect phrase for the condition of having disappeared (to somewhere).

I just read through all the comments more carefully. What a delightful bunch of people you all are. Several non-sports fans who are happy for me and my city nonetheless. I do appreciate that. I will try to respond to each and every comment, but, perhaps more importantly, I'll try to visit your threads in the next few days!

>224 brenzi:> Bonnie, have you read other things by Joseph Boyden?

Sorry you weren't able to get to the parade.

Hope everything works out at the office for you Ellen. Personnel issues can be so stressful, especially if decisions are required from you which will affect other people. So enjoy your time away from the office and hopefully, these issues can be resolved quickly with no aftermath to worry about. Maybe you and P could treat yourselves to a spa weekend when this is all over and done with.

Hi! Just little ole me checking in. The game on Sunday was too damn fun for words. I listened to it on the radio while driving back from Portland, and then Monday morning while at The Niece's house I watched their recording of part of it. The thing that made me the very most happy for the Team and the City is how young that team is; and how their Coach has a reputation of never ever using the Sports Bullying techniques which we all know is way over used by all sorts of coaches. Those players are mostly young men and I am so happy for them. I am also so happy for our city and region and the wonderful celebration parade on Wednesday where, as far as I know, there was no hooliganism of any sort. Everyone was genuinely happy and smiling and even happy to be sitting in traffic. Amazing!

I loved your review of 84, Charing Cross Road. It is a long time favorite of mine, too. I'm also working on reading The Guns of August and it should be fun to compare notes at the Book Group on Monday. I know you did not stick with Redwall but it has been the perfect distraction for me, away from dealing with my house full of unpacked boxes, with some important pieces of furniture still in the POD in the driveway, and the rest of the driveway covered with the unpacked boxes, not yet broken down and stacked away neatly.

Sigh. I had a tough HOA Board meeting last night and have been napping on and off all day today. But I need to finish Redwall tonight, and get on with some of those other books which are calling me from the new library room I've installed.

I hope your work issues have let up a little bit, and that the joy which is Seattle has spread into your building.

ETA: I am trying bravely to catch up with the many threads I've placed stars upon, and which number in the hundreds of postings. OMG. Will I ever have a reasonable amount of LT reading to do?

But I did read every post here, and am now caught up. Yay.

Hi Ellen, I hadn't dropped by in a while so had some catching up to do. Count me among people who could not care less about organized team sports, but I'm happy for you all the same. Just now when I was catching up, I was at the end of January when you got your nasty cold and decided to pick up 84, Charing Cross Road. I thought "now, what a perfect choice for a sick day in". So was happy to see you'd posted "I just started reading 84, Charing Cross Road and it's cracking me up! Just what I need." I read it for the first time last year and have promised myself I'd read it every year because it's such a feel-good book. Great review too. Five Days at Memorial seems to be getting nothing but good buzz too, I'll get to it soon. I'm so glad you had such a great meetup. Powell's must be overwhelming!

Hooray! Ellen's back! You hinted at some of the issues at work before ... I was afraid that might have been what had kept you away. Hang in there.

And happy are those with a parade, even if only caught on TV!

Hi Ellen. It was good to hear from you. I also remembered you saying something about work issues and was hoping that wasn't the reason you weren't on LT. Hope they all get ironed out this week so you can relax and forget about them over the weekend.

Like Karen, I listened to the game while driving back to Alabama. It was a fun game. I am happy for the city of Seattle. It is such a happy city right now and this is a great thing for the city. (I wish that Denver had won because Denver is a great city as well, but somebody had to lose.)

I too arrived back at work and found myself in personnel issues at work. I have enough on my mind right now, but guess this is what you have to do when you add the title of administrator to your job description. Combine that with all the conference calls to the hospital and the nights and evenings on the phone with family I need my reading distractions. I picked up a steampunk novel Soulless last night and read a hundred pages in this fun little book. I get to do some cooking this weekend and that will also help.

Congrats on the Seahawk win! Pretty exciting.

Glad to hear you are enjoying The Polish Boxer I have a copy on my TBR pile.

Just popping in to say hello Ellen.

I am working hard at trying to read all the neglected threads, and now, keeping up with those I've caught up with.... oh, my, no English major here!

Hope to see you in the flesh on Monday.... I'm anticipating shopping at TPBs.

Happy weekend, Ms. Ellen! I hope you're able to relax after the dreadful work week you've had!

I finally ordered 84, Charing Cross Road from the library (audiobook). I'm hoping the letters work in that format.

>229 EBT1002: have you read other things by Joseph Boyden? Yea I have Ellen. His first two books, Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce were both wonderful. And I also have a Kindle Short on my iPad that I will read when I get a little closer to May and The Orenda.

You beat me to The Polish Boxer but you're making me eager to get to it.

Sorry to hear about the hellish week, but so happy that you popped in to let us know what was up. Hoping that the weekend provides you with the chance to relax and take a few deep breaths. Please know that I am thinking of you.

Skimmed and wishing you a soft and easy weekend!

Ellen, I hope you are able to have a rest over the weekend. I wish you a recreative weekend

Sorry to hear about your hectic and stressful week - here's hoping this next one is better for you!
I *am* glad that you've re-appeared, so that we all know whither you had disappeared. :)

Very belated congratulations on your city's blow-out win in the Superbowl. The city must be dancing!

I'm sorry to hear about the difficult personnel issues, though. I hope this week-end gives you plenty of time to recharge and relax.

Hi everyone. I'm getting messages that I need to start a new thread, that this one is not accessible due to some weird thing. Have we all been hacked?

So, I'll start a new thread.