Berly's Bounty #2

Summertime!!

1. A Book With More Than 500 Pages--The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
2. A Forgotten Classic--Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
3. A Book that Became a Movie--The Green Mile by Stephen King
4. A Book Published This Year--Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
5. A Book With a Number in the Title--Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

6. A Book Written by Someone Under Thirty
7. A Book With Non-Human Characters--Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
8. A Funny Book--Basket Case by Carl Hiassen
9. A Book by a Female Author--Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
10. A Book With a Mystery--Paper Towns by John Green

11. A Book With a One Word Title--Orfeo by Richard Powers
12. A Book of Short Stories--Dirty Love by Andre Dubus
13. A Book set on a Different Continent--More Than This by Patrick Ness
14. A Book of Non-Fiction--Marbles by Ellen Forney

15. The First Book by a Favorite Author--Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
16. A Book you Heard About Online--The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker
17. A Best-Selling Book--Life After Life by Kate Atkins
18. A Book Based on a True Story--When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
19. A Book at the Bottom of Your To-Read Pile--French Women Don't Get Fat by Mieille Guillano

20. A Book Your Friend Loves--The Hanover Square Affair by Ashley Gardner
21. A Book That Scares You
22. A Book That is more than 10 Years Old--The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
23. The Second Book in a Series-- Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
24. A Book With a Blue Cover--Dust by Patricia Cornwell

Reading
Interpreter of Maladies (198 pages) by Juhumpa Lahiri
A Second Chance (292 pages) by Jodi Taylor

July
36. The Hanover Square Affair (319 pages) by Ashley Gardner 3.5
35. God Save the Child (208 Pages) by Robert B. Parker 3.5

June (2772 pages)
34. Sleep Doctor (528 pages) by Stephen King 4.0
33. Cotillion (366 pages) by Georgette Heyer 3.0
32. The Explanation for Everything (335 pages) by Lauren Grodstein 3.5
31. The Godwulf Manuscript (208 pages) by Robert B. Parker 3.5
30. The Goldfinch (775 pages) by Donna Tart 3.75
29. Life After Life (560 pages) by Kate Atkinson 4.5

May (822 pages)
28. Just One Damned Thing After Another (332 pages) by Jodi Taylor 4.5
27. A Symphony of Echoes (334 pages) by Jodi Taylor 4.5
26. The Book of Salt (156 pages out of 260) by Monique Truong 3.0

April(1601 pages)
25. The Bartender's Tale (432 pages) by Ivan Doig 4.0
24. City of Thieves (258 pages) by David Benioff 4.5
23. River Marked (304 pages) by Patricia Briggs 4.0
22. Thirteen Reasons Why (336 pages--read with my daughter) by Jay Asher 5.0
21. Paper Towns (320 pages) by John Green 4.5
20. The Rosie Project (304 pages) by Gaeme Simsion 5.0
19. Basket Case (317 pages) by Carl Hiaasen 3.5

March(2107 pages)
18. French Women Don't Get Fat (256 pages) by Mieille Guillano 3.0
17. Sisterland (397 pages) by Curtis (a woman!) Sittenfeld 4.0
16. World War Z (342 pages) by Max Brooks 3.5
15. The Green Mile (536 pages) by Stephen King 4.5
14. Shadow Spell (339 pages) by Nora Roberts 3.0
13. Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me (237 pages) by Ellen Forney 4.0

February(1922 pages)
12. Chocolate War (263 pages) by Robert Cormier 4.0
11. Sisters Brothers (325 pages) by Patrick DeWitt 4.5
10. Dark Witch (342 pages) by Nora Roberts 3.0
9. Silver Borne (304 pages) by Patricia Briggs 4.0
8. Dirty Love (304 pages) by Andre Dubus--Pearl Ruled unless my book club can talk me back into it
7. Hollow City (394 pages) by Ransom Riggs 5.0

January(2340 pages)
6. Basket Case (317 pages) by Carl Hiaasen 3.5
5. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (246 pages) by Judith Kerr 4.0
4. Orfeo (369 pages) by Richard Powers 3.0
3. Flight Behavior (433 pages) by Barbara Kingsolver 4.0
2. More Than This (480 pages) by Patrick Ness 4.5
1. Dust, a Scarpetta Novel (495 pages) by Patricia Cornwell 3.5

Favorites from 2013

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald 5.0
Brewster, by Mark Slouka 5.0
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier--A Banned Book!! 4.0
The Panopticon, by Jenni Fagan 4.5
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs 4.0
The Dog Stars, by Peter Heller 5.0
What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty 5.0
Round House, by Louise Erdrich 4.5
With or Without You, by Domenica Ruta 5.0
The Death of Bees, by Lisa O'Connell 4.5
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot 5.0
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain 5.0
The Fifty Year Sword by Mark Z. Danielewski 4.0
Morgue Drawer Next Door, Jutta Profijt 4.0
Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore 5.0
A Million Heavens by John Brandon 4.5
When She Woke by Hilary Jordan 5.0

I love your topper Berly.

Hi Auntie! I am glad you like my summer vibe. : )

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor 4.5

I love this quirky new series! Who wouldn't? It has a feisty heroine, time travel, adventure, mystery, and lots of tea, the beverage of choice. The history department at St. Mary's has the ability to travel back in time and witness firsthand the definitive answer to historical questions, from dinosaurs to the pyramids. Charming, funny, and a real page turner.

A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor, 4.5

Just as good as the first one, with a little romance thrown in. This series is perfect summer reading!

Kim I love the optimism of the beachside book. Hope it comes to fruition for all of us.
Congratulations on your new thread. How's the leg?

Hooray for summertime! I wish it was like it was when we were kids and I could just read most of every day. But still, I will hope that you and I both get to indulge at a generous rate in these next few months.

Hi Paul--Well, I definitely have the book, sun, and heat. Just missing the water to put my toes in. Not bad all in all!

Ellen--I know. I miss those days where all I did was read and read and someone else made the meals, did the laundry, etc. etc. Oh well. Here's to reading as much as we can despite our grownup responsibilities!!

Proof that the world is totally insane:

Pythagoras' Theorem: ..........................................24 words
Lord's Prayer: ..................................................... 66 words
Archimedes' Principle: ..........................................67 words
Ten Commandments: ..........................................179 words
Gettysburg Address: ...........................................286 words
US Declaration of Independence: .......................1,300 words
US Constitution with all 27 Amendments: ............7,818 words
EU Regulations on the Sale of CABBAGES: .........26,911 words

Seriously!?

Happy new thread, Kim! I love the thread topper.

>12 Berly: LOL!

>12 Berly: Cabbages are of course a complex problem compared to the mere trifles you list before it!

Hi Kim! Happy New thread! Good to see you popping in. I am listening to A Symphony of Echoes. This is a fun series.

Who knew cabbages were such ornery things, needing so much supervision.

Happy new thread Kim, hope you are doing well.

That St Mary's series is getting a lot of buzz, I'll have to check it out.

Happy New Thread! That topper looks like heaven to me...

Post #12 made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that, Kim, and happy new thread!

Hello one and all! Glad you like the new thread, topper and cabbages alike! Not much happening today. Trying to wean off pain meds, perhaps a bit too soon. But I am stubborn that way. ; P The Goldfinch is not really working for me right now. It was great until surgery, but I think I will put it aside for now and come back to it later. Maybe a little murder mystery....crutches off to check the piles.

>12 Berly: Oh my, I do love that perspective. Something is terribly wrong with the world, I say....

>12 Berly: I am sure it's because of all the babies left in cabbage patches.

Hi Ellen! Hi Clio! Thanks for popping in. Most of today sucked. Trying to wean off the pain meds. Perhaps a tad too soon but I really hate how they make me feel. Still struggling through The Goldfinch. Most of today's reading involved drug use and the horrors of coming off them. I related all too well! Yucko. Enough said.

Today ended on a high note--my son's choir had their end of the year performance and it was amazing! They competed earlier last month in CA and won the top award as well as the adjudicator's award, so they are not half bad. So half was those songs and then they did a fun Disney medley. My son was beaming. Yay!

Today is better. Feeling more like myself. Cute hubbie is bringing home lunch for me. It is so hard to move around the kitchen on crutches and carrying anything is next to impossible! So I am happy to be pampered today. Trying to catch up on threads... : )

I'm glad today was better and YAY for the choir! xoxo

Thank you kind sir and how nice to see you out and about again! I hope you are feeling better too.

So school is winding down. Oldest one has finals next week and then she is coming home for the summer. I can't wait to have her around again! My middle one has her end of the school picnic today and a dance recital next week. Youngest gets out next week, but he is gearing up for his China trip. Wow! I am so excited for him.

I finally finished The Goldfinch! More on that later today....

So yesterday and today I spent on the computer trying to put together an online photo album. I am the historian for my Jack's school choir this year. Who knew you could do so much? I am using the Costco program and it is really quite good. Themes, format layouts, background options, frames, color, font types...wow! And far less messy than the cut and paste I used to do. In my home albums, Jack is still only two years old, much to his dismay. In fact, I got so far behind, I now just print 3x5 pictures out at home and shove them into sleeved albums. Not creative, but I am caught up for the last four years!

Hi Kimmers! Looking forward to your thoughts on the Goldfinch. Are you making any progress in Dirty Love? I hope you have a nice weekend planned, my friend.

Damn. Got all cocky and did way too much today. Now where did I put those pain meds....? Time for some bad TV.

Hi Mark!

Sharapova wins Women's French Open in Tennis..

No Triple Crown Winner. : (

Into overtime in Stanly Cup...

The Godwulf Manuscript on Kindle 37%.

LA up 2-0 in the series. Bummer. Rooting for NY Rangers.

Hi Kim, Found you and starred. I wish you a gorgeous Sunday.

Sorry about your Rangers. Statistically, the series is over. One never knows, though.

It's a funny thing about The Goldfinch. I finished it thinking FIVE STARS FIVE STARS!! As the months go by, I bring it down bit by bit, now it's at 4.25 stars.

Then there's Life After Life, which I finished thinking "well, maybe 3.5..." and the longer I'm away from it the higher it gets...and now it's at 4.5!

Thank you Ameise! I really do love ladybugs. Thanks for popping in.

Richard--I know, I know. But I can still hope! Read on for my thoughts on...



The Goldfinch by Donna Tart

So, I LOVED, LOVED The Goldfinch until about halfway through the book. And then...it just became a chore for me. And it seemed an awfully long slog for very little redemption at the end. It is hard to give a fair review though, because the change in my love for the book coincided with my knee surgery. I fear pain and meds may have altered my appreciation of the book. I had a particularly hard time reading about all the drug usage as this was the same time I was trying to wean off my Oxycodone and morphine and they play havoc with me. Deep depression, lots of crying, great loneliness. I am sure that soured the book for me: I identified with our hero's low points a tad too much. I needed humor and levity. Ah well, not much I can do about it. Timing is everything. So 5 to start, and 3 at the end. I can only go 3.75 overall.

Nadal wins!! Nine at Roland Garros!!

So, Linda (whisper1) was kind enough to send a little love my way. It was perfect timing. I am rather meh about life right now and rather grudgingly schlepped out to the mailbox on my crutches only to receive her wonderful package. Instant happiness! Thanks Linda for transforming my day. You are such a bright light in so many people's lives. Blessings and happiness right back atcha. Hugs!

Hi Kim- I ended up liking the Goldfinch more than you but I do understand your complaints. There were sections that got sluggish for me but I did like the way she pulled it together at the end.
Hope your current read is much more satisfying.

Thanks Mark. Yes, I found an easier read...



The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert Parker 3.5
Donna turned me on to this series, and it has the perfect flavor for me right now. Spenser is such a classic gumshoe. Attractive to women, but sensitive; smart; bends the rules for a good cause; and likes his booze. Oh, and he is better in the kitchen than I am! A quick, amusing read. It didn't hurt that his hometown is Boston, one of my favorite cities. I will look for more in the series.

>36 Berly:, ah, gee, you made me smile. You are a bright, shining star. Your health may be impacting your usual brilliant true self. It's been a long journey for you. When pain meds help, I'm all for using them.

All doctors tell me that it is when you are not in pain and take them that is when the problem happens. I admit though that after four plus years of vicodin and diladid, it might be a rough go coming off them. Indeed, I do hope that one day I won't need them. And, naturally, I hope the same for you.

Take care dear soul. I hope tomorrow is a better day!

>28 msf59: Truth is I pearl ruled Dirty Love. Didn't care for the first two stories and my book club, which actually liked the book more than I did, still couldn't convince me to finish it.

>39 Whisper1: Good morning Linda! Words of wisdom from one who knows. I think I can safely say I don't have a problem stopping pain meds; after all the surgeries I have had it has never been a problem. I just don't like how they affect my thinking when I am on them and how they mess with my mood when I come off. But when I need them, I do. Still on the fringes. By the end of the day there is not much left of me. : P

But, right now is the morning! So life is pretty good.

Big plans for the day are to work on the choir scrapbook some more and start a new book.

Yesterday a friend dropped off two books. I think they are both authors that are coming next year for the Portland Literary Arts speaker series: behind the beautiful forevers by Katherine Boo and A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. Both sound very good. Also, my ER edition of The Explanation for Everything by Laura Grodstein came. So lots of great options. : )

>34 Berly: Oh bummer about The Goldfinch! But I know what you mean about the lack of redemption.

xoxoxo

Smooches. I am glad to see you walked over here, despite the shrink-dink shoes. You are always a treat.

After playing eeny meeny miny mo I have decided I need The Explanation for Everything. So that's what I am reading now.

Heh! Fun title.

>24 Berly: Cute hubbie is bringing home lunch for me.
hehe, cute hubbie. And the other ones are happy grumpy sleepy and dopey hubbie?? ;) Good on him for pampering and good on you for accepting pampering!

>40 Berly: I love having a good pile of 'cant wait to read' books

>34 Berly: I can easily imagine how what you were going through with your knee affected how you reacted to The Goldfinch. Even without going through pain med withdrawals, I spent most of the book with a constant feeling of anxiety about Theo and the choices he was making in his life.

>42 Berly: >44 richardderus: The Explanation for Everything. "Finding or losing God proves to be an equally destabilizing tectonic shift, and this novel is full of them..." --The Washington Post

>45 LovingLit: Megan, that's funny! You've heard of Sister-Wives? Well, how about Brother-Husbands?!

>46 rosalita: Hi Julia! Did you enjoy the wrap-up of The Goldfinch? It felt very loose to me. I naively wanted more concrete closure. And not to be too ADD, or personal, but how did you come by your LT name? Not seeing the connection between Rosalita and Julia....

Well, the good news is my knee is no longer cantaloupe sized. More grapefruitish. Still in cumbersome splint from thigh to ankle with only 20 degrees bend, BUT!!! I graduated to hobbling around on one crutch yesterday! That is awesome because now I have a free hand to carry stuff. Happiness. : )

>48 Berly: Yay for one-handedness!

...wait...that sounded wrong, somehow...

Kim, this are good news. I keep my fingers crossed that the improvement is going up quickly. Get well soon.

Yay for continued improvement!

I finally made my way over to this thread and find that you've graduated to having a hand available for....well for whatever you want Kim. Yay for that!

>49 richardderus: Hi Richard--yup. That sounded wrong. LOL So, thanks...I think.

>50 Ameise1: Ameise--Thank you for the well wishes. I will take all that I can get!

>51 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. Slow, but still progress.

>52 brenzi: Bonnie--Nice to see you! It is great that I have a hand free to carry food, or a BOOK! from one room to another.

So I was so jazzed by yesterday's success that I actually went in to work for an hour today! It was great. I found the top of my desk again. Made lots of piles. Threw out junk mail. And now I am home agin with my knee up and I am icing. So worth it to see four new walls. : )

The Explanation for Everything by Lauren Grodstein 3.5

The battle between Darwinism and Intelligent Design serves as the colorful backdrop to the story of college professor Andy Waite. Andy is a single parent, having lost his wife in a drunk driver accident. Andy's world is populated by his two daughters, a neighbor who wants to be noticed, a religiously zealous student, a demure girl who needs a thesis advisor and Andy's own famous college mentor. Each of these characters claim their place in the evolutionary discussion, but as they interact with each other, positions shift, sometimes surprisingly. In the end, each is really looking for love and happiness, for meaning. Humorous, interesting, warm and not preachy! A good solid read.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 4.5 (I think I forgot to review this earlier.)

Loved it! Well executed idea. Ursala Todd dies repeatedly. Over and over. The story then restarts with the previous calamity narrowly averted. We see in each "life" how there is a subtle shift: events are reshaped. A fascinating look at how we each affect so many lives around us. I am not a huge fan of historical books, but this was the best WWII book I've read. Through Ursala's lifetimes, the reader visits family events, beautiful English countrysides, violent war scenes and Hitler's rise to power. The Butterfly Effect (or Ground Hog's Day if you are a Bill Murray fan!) worked brilliantly. My review is not doing this book justice. It was great! GO READ IT!

Hooray! Glad you are so much better!

Kim, I wish you a wonderful weekend.

>55 Berly: Hmmm, mebbe I need to try this one again...

>56 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. Making progress, making progress...

>57 Ameise1: Ameise--Amazingly beautiful! Thank you for making my thread a better place to be.

>58 Chatterbox: Chatterbox--Indeed, you might. ; )

>55 Berly: I resisted this book. The longer I'm away from it, the more I like it. The opposite is true of The Goldfinch, which I finished and was besotted by its richness.

Life After Life, OTOH, was baklava-level overdone at first; and as time went by, I could get the subtle rosewater-butter layers of complexity past the honey-blast of Atkinsonian just-stop-the-pose prose.

So yesterday was my son's 8th grade promotion ceremony. He is now a freshman!! How did that happen so fast? They did a very nice job and had each row of students stand for acknowledgement. I am glad they did not do the individual walk-across-the-stage-diploma thing because that would have diminished the specialness of high school and college graduation. It also made the ceremony much shorter, which I really appreciated because it is so hard to sit in auditorium chairs with a leg that won't bend! LOL. I am a proud Mama and he is a very happy young man.

>60 richardderus: If only I had your way with words...! And your book porn.

>61 Berly: YAY!! (Esp. the shorter part...graduations are so GAWDAWFUL dull)

>62 Berly: *baaawww* You so sweeeeet

>61 Berly: Congrats Kim, isn't it wonderful to see the offspring growing up so well. You deserve being proud.

>48 Berly: one-handedness carrying ability is a real help. Goon on you for simpler days ahead.

>61 Berly: milestones. There's no going back from the age ones! That sounded like a satisfying ceremony, I like the shorter ones too.

Happy Weekend, Kim! How is proud mama doing? Congrats to your son.

I also loved Life After Life.

>63 richardderus: Waves and smooches

>64 Ameise1: *Beams Proudly*

>65 LovingLit: I am all set for simpler days ahead, but I am not quite there yet. Tonight is my daughter's dance recital, oldest comes home tomorrow and its Father's Day, Wednesday son leaves for China, then middle daughter turns 18! After that things should get calmer. : )

>66 msf59: Thanks Mark. Happy Weekend to you too! I've watched two episodes of Orange is the New Black and I liked it but wasn't sold. Is it more of the same? Should I give it a few more or should I already be sold on it?

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer 3.5 (For LT Read GH in June)
This was a cut above the typical very cute romance. The language was spot on for the period and added a great deal of charm. Besides the usual, dashes, curst, daresay and deuce, there was bleater, just as lief, sap skull, cockatrice, and my favorite expressions, "plain as a pikestaff" and "doing it too brown!" And Heyer successfully balanced not one, but four love-crossed couples and ended the whole with a quite unexpected twist. A very satisfying Regency Romance.

Proud Mama again. My son's (The Promoted One) soccer team just won a 3x3 soccer tournament and they qualified for Nationals in January 2015!! Wait for it...in Florida at Disney!! Life is not dull here.

I still want to read The Goldfinch but it sounds like (and I can't take credit for this quote but I don't recall which LTer used it about a different novel -- Richard, I think) a great 600-page novel crammed into 800 pages. P says she got really tired of all the drug use but still thinks I should give the novel a go.

I'm glad you loved Life After Life. I fully agree. It was wonderful.

Congrats to your son's soccer team!

>67 Berly:- Orange grabbed me right away, Kim, so I don't know what to say. If you want to watch one or 2 more and then decide, it's up to you. Sorry, it didn't take hold.

It took me 3-4 episodes of OitNB to get into it. I don't like Piper but the other characters make it worth watching, IMO.

>70 EBT1002: Ellen--That's a great quote! " 600-page novel crammed into 800 pages" Yup, That was one problem with the Goldfinch, that and the excessive drug use. BUT! It is exceptional in many other ways and well worth a read. Great character development. Wonderful friendships. Interesting twists and turns. The Art World.

>71 msf59: Okay then. 1 or 2 more episodes before I decide on OitNB. And I will still love you even if the show is not for me. Your recommendation hit list is too phenomenal!

>72 katiekrug: And Katie agrees! All right. I shall continue...

And Happy Father's Day to all those of that persuasion. : )

>67 Berly: orange is the new black is compelling storytelling. Give it another episode or two. I almost stopped after the first episode and am very glad I didn't. For sure, it's hard in places but I think it's well done.

>72 katiekrug: totally agree with you about Piper.

Go Kim! Go Kim! I watched the 2nd episode of the new Orange and it's been good.

Ok! Ok! I am convinced. I will watch a few more of Orange. But not tonight. Off with the family to watch the X-men movie.

And X-Men was great!

So, have you ever really contemplated the importance of sleeping positions before? I hadn't really given it much thought until recently. I like to sleep on my stomach and sides, and neither is happening right now due to positional discomfort. Crankiness is starting to set in, LOL. Sleeping on my left side doesn't feel good with added weight of the other leg on top of the hurt knee. Sleeping on my stomach puts direct pressure on the knee cap, which is even worse, so that's a distant dream. (Distant dream--I crack myself up.) My best bet is my right side. If I cram a blanket between the legs so the hard, bulky brace doesn't pinch the bottom leg, I can last a half hour so so. But mostly I am left with sleeping on my back. Sigh. That's my whine for the day. I am done. Thanks for listening. ; )

The big agenda for the day is getting my son ready for CHINA! He leaves tomorrow for almost two weeks. We have all the shopping and laundry done so we should be able to go down the list and just put everything in the suitcase. I am so excited for him! This is an exchange program that has been going on for fourteen years with the sister school and the teacher who started it (now the principal) is going again this year so they should have a fantastic time. I hope Jack takes lots of pictures! And that they are not all selfies, LOL.

I too dislike sleeping on my back. Been ages since I could go a whole night on my right side (preferred). Grumble grouse whinge.

YAY for Nationals at *shudder* Disney in January, bon voyage for China, and happy happy for the newly minted adult 18-year-old!

*smooch* for you, too.

Sorry you are in a position to empathize. : (
Thanks for you enthusiasm, controlled shudder, congratulations and most importantly...my smooch! : )

Your family is full of events and adventures lately! I hope Jack likes his excursion to China. Any particular celebrations for the new adult?

I'm glad to hear the knee recovery is progressing. I have seen pillows advertised as engineered to fit between one's legs for sleeping on the side. Maybe one of them would be better than a blanket.

>47 Berly: Sorry to be so tardy in getting back to answer your questions, Kim. I did think the ending of The Goldfinch was a bit anti-climactic. After spending all those pages inside Theo's head, it seemed that the ending set the reader at a bit of a distance from him, if that makes sense. Something to do with going from showing us to telling us but I'm not smart enough to articulate exactly what I mean.

I'm rosalita because I'm a big Bruce Springsteen fan and that's one of my favorite songs of his. How's that for a super-boring answer?

I'm glad your knee is improving but what a bummer that it's so slow going. I can definitely relate to not being able to find a comfortable sleeping position. I also used to love sleeping on my side but a bad hip means I have to sleep more-or-less on my back, and bad lungs mean I have to sleep partially sitting up. I miss being able to curl in a ball and sleep for hours!

>82 ffortsa: Hi Judy! I know...it is crazy busy here! Got Jack all packed. We have to get up at the ridiculous hour of 3am in order to get to the airport by 5 in the morning. Yuk! Early to bed tonight!

My soon-to-be 18er wants to have a bunch of friends and spend the day at the beach. I think it will be very low key and we'll pick the day based on the weather.

I will have to look for that pillow--thanks!

>83 rosalita: Hi Julia, of the Rosalita Bruce Springsteen fame--thanks for telling me the background on your LT name! I love it and it makes it much easier when I have an association between LT and RL names. And I really like Sprinsteen so now we have that in common.

I think you are spot on with The Goldfinch assessment and I think you are perfectly smart!

I am sorry to hear that you too have compromised sleep positions. And it sounds like yours are more bothersome than mine. Bummer. Do you have one of those adjustable beds or do you prop up with pillows?

Hi Kim. I've been living a similar life to you re: sleep after having both of my knees replaced in April. I am pretty much still sleeping on my back with pillows under each calf. I never would've guessed that I would still be sleeping on my back almost three months post op. Oh well.

Life After Life was my book of the year in 2013. Just love Kate Atkinson, no matter what she writes. So good.

You have a crazy busy life. Congratulations to your son on all his end of year accomplishments:-)

>69 Berly:: Wow! That is good news, Kim! Your son must be on Cloud 9. Will the family go along to cheer on the team to victory? Is it another son who is off to China? How many kids do you have anyway? No wonder you are so busy.

Bummer on the uncomfortable sleeping position. Hope the knee heals quickly so you can sleep any way you want to!

>85 brenzi: Bonnie! How did I miss your double knee replacement??!! I am so sorry I wasn't there for you. RL totally go in the way this past school year. My husband has been making me practice sitting on my hands and saying "No" so that I can start to whittle away at some of my commitments. I still have to finish up the yearbook for my son's choir, and then I will be down to chairing one board. Whoohoo! So between volunteering being under control and no longer doing TKD I have more LT time. Yay!!!

So back to medical stuff. Did you have to use a wheelchair? Are you walking yet? No offense, but I hope I heal faster than you. ; ) Three months still sleeping on your back? Major bummer! Yesterday I got my own personal ice machine. I have been trying to do the ice cube route and it just wasn't working. I rented a machine when I came home from surgery--that one circulated the cooled water and also applied pressure to move tissue fluid out but it cost over $3000 to buy!! Wow! So I returned that one and my new model cost $125 (half the RENTAL on the first one). It just circulates the chilled water, but that's good enough for me. I think I will have use of it for several months ahead. Best guess is one month down and eight to go!

Best wishes for a quick recovery (having no idea what your timeline is). Hugs.

>86 Donna828: Hi Donna! Thanks for cheering my son's success. I only have one son, but he has had an AMAZING year! (I don't think I can make it through another one quite this busy.) Spleen laceration and hosted Chinese student in Feb, ODP soccer team, lead in the school play, first place in CA choir competition, won 3x3 soccer tournament qualifying for nationals, and off to China this morning. OMG! The kids is going to be bored the rest of his life!! Well, he could work on his grades a tad. Luckily they don't count 8th grade in college apps. ; )

Oh, and I have two girls as well. Oldest at University of Oregon and middle one a senior in HS. They both have lots going on as well, but not quite as much. Thank the Lord.

Thanks for the well wishes for me knee. I'll take 'em!

Come again soon! : )

Just stopping by wishing you continued improvement with your knee, Kim!

>84 Berly: I sleep in a recliner which I find more stable than pillows that slip and slide all over and end up on the floor. It's surprisingly comfortable but I miss being able to toss and turn.

The other reason I sleep in a recliner is that (ahem) when I moved from my two-bedroom house into a one-bedroom apartment I lost all my book space (that was what the second bedroom was for). So I had to choose between having a bed in the bedroom, or all my bookcases. You can guess which won. :-)

The cooling machine for your knee sounds pretty snappy, I must say. It must be so much easier to work with than ice cubes that melt and drip everywhere.

And yay for another Springsteen fan!

>89 tymfos: Hi Terri! Thanks for popping in. Always a pleasure. : )

>90 rosalita: Julia! Now that is the BEST reason I have ever heard of for sleeping in a recliner: books!! What a wise woman you are. That and you like Springsteen. ; )

And the ice machine works like a charm! No more unexpected chilly leaks onto the bed or my clothes. Simply loving it.

Had a great day today. I emptied the dishwasher and ran another load all by myself! Now that may not sound like much, but I even managed to take a few steps without crutches!! I mostly finished uploading and placing the kids' photos in the yearbook so I can have Costco print copies after I get a head count for how many people in the choir want it. Then the girls and I got pedicures. I was hoping to get the owner of the place because he is so considerate and I lucked out. He was so careful about not wiggling or bending my leg and it felt simply great to have the massage part. I can't even reach my foot right yet so I was in heaven. And now my toes like nice.

I've started Stephen Kings's Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. If he does half as good a job, I will still be scared to death! And this will count for one of my bingo squares up top. Yay!

I made it through the rest of the day on one crutch instead of two, but boy am I pooped. I have my leg up now and I'm running the awesome ice machine. Jack landed safely in Shanghai. I am thinking about having a glass of something...Life is good. : )

I LOVED Doctor Sleep, Kim! It wasn't very scary but just a damn good yarn. Enjoy!

Good luck with the recovery. Don't over due it!

Hi Kim,
I'm definitely a side sleeper and these days I have to sleep on my right side or my left hip aches. Aging. Sheesh. But I'm a fan of the pillow-between-the-knees thing. Or whatever works. Sleep. It matters.

Oh lord, I read The Shining when it first came out (I was reading everything by him at that point!) and it was gripping. More than gripping. There isn't a word for what it was. Doctor Sleep might be worth a sleepless night or two... even for us insomniacs.

>93 msf59: Mark, "Damn good yarn" works for me and I will try to behave. Try.

>94 EBT1002: Ellen, see, that's what I am thinking. If I can't sleep, I'd rather it be because King has my heart pounding than because I have aches and pains. Much better reason!

Just checking in on you, Kim!

Hi Katie! Hanging in there. : )

Kim, it's good to hear that you are making good progress and haven't lost the humour.

Kim, I saw this on FB and thought of you:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/really-really-bad-puns?bffb

>98 Ameise1: Thanks Ameise! Happy Friday! Any weekend plans?

>99 katiekrug: Katie--I liked too many to post them all, but I put one on FB that I know will speak to my daughter. (She had a rough year in math.)

Dear Algebra,
Please stop asking us to find your X.
She's never coming back and don't ask Y.

She laughed. : 0

>99 katiekrug: I am sitting at my desk laughing so hard my eyes are watering! Wonderful!

I though Bison was pretty cute and then it went downhill from there.....

>99 katiekrug: and >101 EBT1002: Hi Ellen--I said that one out loud to both my girls and they thought it was hysterical, too!! Thanks Katie. Everyone needs laughter. : )

I did an ab workout with my daughter today. Which was hard because at this point, you could say, "What Abs?" But it is a start and I had fun. My reward? I am venturing out today for sushi and then a play.

I thought I'd Puma Pants when I saw "Neil Old."

This is really something to think about. Thanks for the info :-) on the world is totally insane

Catching up with you after a long hiatus on LT. I had my hips replaced last year and had to sleep in a wedge that was strapped to my legs from ankle to top of the thigh. To sleep on my side I had to have pillows wedged in front and back. Needless to say it was horrendous. Like Ellen says, sleep is important. I am a grouchy witch when I don't sleep!

And I know what you mean about escape reading post-surgery. My fall back was espionage thrillers.

Love hearing about your son's and daughters' accolades. Now if you can all stay out of the hospital! LOL!

I'm going to keep an eye out for Life After Life, your review put me over the edge.

>103 richardderus: Ricardo--Glad you were amused!

>104 lilfries: Welcome! Yes, life can be crazy and we are a wild (but friendly) bunch here. Hope you enjoy hanging around these parts!

>105 labfs39: Hi Lisa! Oh, that hip replacement sounds just awful! How's it going now? I was somewhat on the witchy side today (no sleep last night), but I tried to keep it to a minimum. ; )
I am hoping that I am the last of the hospital visits for my family. I am all set for boringly healthy!

Sorry to put you over the edge (not!), but do read Life After Life if you get the chance. I will always remember that one. Now I am off to a great start with Sleep Doctor. Thanks for stopping by!

>100 Berly: When I was taking Statistics a friend gave me a magnet which reads: "Dear Math, I am not a therapist. Solve your own problems." (Statistics was the hardest class I ever took, even harder than the Algebra class I took and failed. Happily, I passed Stats the first time.)

Sleep Doctor??

>106 Berly: My hips are fabulous now. I'm the bionic woman! Seriously, I wish I had done it sooner. Hopefully you will love your new knee as much.

The Sleep Doctor sounds about right for you right now!

>107 AuntieClio: Love that math quote, but then I am a math geek. Stats, Calculus, etc. Loved them all!

>108 msf59: Oops! Cut me some slack...I was tired; it was a subconscious thing. Not Sleep Doctor...Doctor Sleep! LOL

>109 labfs39: I keep telling everyone I am going to be bionic when all is said and done! So glad hips worked out so well. Gives me hope!

Jack is loving China. He is bargaining with the vendors, trying all the food. Yesterday they were on the Great Wall. Soooo cool!

Sushi last night was delicious. My daughter and I thought the play, "The Playboy of the Western World" set in old Ireland, was only OK, but my hubbie really liked it.

>79 Berly: sleeping positions have always been on my mind! My arthritic hip as a 20-something year old saw to that. Then my bunions (as a 30-something year old- what is my body saving up for me in my 40s- dare I ask!!??)....so now thanks to the miracles of surgery I can sleep happily any which way I like!! I appreciate it every night, really, it is so wonderful.
I read on my side (without fail), then I snuggle down to sleep on my back with the covers wrapped tightly to one side and my lovely other to the other side, but usually end up on my stomach through the night. I hope you can look forward to some more sleeping options soon!

>107 AuntieClio: statistics is the only class I have ever failed. And I did it with style by not attending one tutorial, and thus gaining an E (alas, not for excellent)

>110 Berly: There's a reason I got my degree in history :-)

>111 LovingLit: Megan, yeah I understand that. The Algebra class I failed had questions on the final that made me think of the Monty Python scene from "The Holy Grail" where the bridge keeper asks the velocity of an unladen sparrow.

I looked at the test and thought, "They didn't mention African swallows in class."

Happy Sunday, Kim.

>111 LovingLit: Megan--I am glad you have achieved sleeping nirvana again! I personally can't wait to be able to sleep on my stomach again. Thanks for the hope.

>112 AuntieClio: Oh you made me laugh with the Monty Python reference!!

>113 Ameise1: Thanks! I tried to do that once, with rocks. It didn't turn out nearly that well. LOL Very cool. Happy Monday!

How is the Sleep Doctor? Riveting? I hope you had a fine weekend, my friend.

Hi Mark. The weekend was excellent. I am about halfway through Doctor Sleep and enjoying it immensely.

And Monday weren't bad neither. ; )

I made it into work for a half day today! Drove the car, parked it at the ramp, gimped my way to the building--on one crutch no less. It felt good to be back in the office. I have been working from home, but it's not the same. Plies of mail everywhere, but I made a decent start.

Then I had my meeting with the doctor. Good news! I think the swelling is pretty bad, but apparently for the trauma my poor knee has suffered, it is actually quite petite. Also, my range of motion is still plucky and I have graduated from 20 degrees to a wild and crazy 60!! (Which I am supposed to ease into.) I get to start PT and hopefully I will only have another three weeks in this brace. Who knows what the next one will look like?! I really should take a picture of all of them when I am through with this; I think I am already up to 4 different ones so far. Doc said I can ditch the crutches (although I may poop out and want them back by the end of the day) and raised an eyebrow when I said I wasn't on pain meds regularly. Yay progress!! (Many a tear has been shed this past month: pain, frustration and loneliness--take your pick.) So, a very good day.

Hi Kim! Good news about your knee....way to go with that 60degrees!

>117 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel. I am pretty jazzed! And that is some bear on your profile page--NOT hibernating!! LOL How did I not know you were from MN? I used to live in Edina and Mpls. Are you a transplant or native? I moved there in 8th grade and my family is still in the area. Worst month of rain ever there! Have you floated away yet or are you tied down?

Happy Tuesday to ya.

Well, I was born in OK, moved to MN when I was a kid. Grew up here. Moved away. Came back. Hopefully to stay for a while, because it's really nice to be home. Yeah...the rain certainly is something! Can't even jog around the lakes anymore. The paths are all flooded.

I do love MN. Next time I come home to visit we will have to have a meet up. In the meantime, stay dry and do not fall in to the lakes. And run a few miles for me while you are at it, okay? Desperately trying not to gain weight while I can't exercise. ; )

You should let me know next time you come to town! I'm sure you know that Morphi is here too, right? I'll run a few miles for you. ;)

Great news about your knee, Berly! You sound like a model patient. May you continue to confound your doctor's expectations!

You're a champ, Kim!

Wow, these are fantastic news, Kim. :-D

>121 The_Hibernator: Rachel--I will definitely let you and Morphy know when I am next in town. Don't forget to stretch a little before you run--I am a little tight!! LOL

>122 rosalita: Hi Julia--Model patient...ha! My problem is that I tend to ignore the pain, get overenthusiastic and overdo it. In fact, I am paying today. Just because my brace has been adjusted to 60 degrees, does not mean my knee wants to go there yet!

>123 katiekrug: >124 Ameise1: Hi Katie and Ameise. Ah gee, thanks. : )

*smooch* for good news

This review should interest fans of the Chronicles of St Mary's.

>126 richardderus: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You already smote me with that book bullet on your thread. I only die once per book!

And then there's book 4 ready for preorder...

Sigh. You haunt me because you love me right?

*smooch*

Berly such great news about your knee! Congratulations.

>131 AuntieClio: Thanks! It's the end of the day, I am lying in bed with my knee propped up on a pillow and I'm rather enjoying my icing time because I get to spend it on LT! I hope your new programming efforts with Kevin go well. And no more horrendous interviews--yikes! : )

Made it into work again yesterday for about 5 hours. It is hard to sit for long periods of time with a leg that won't bend all the way! Back in again later today. We are interviewing for some interns for the summer. A little late for that, but apparently young engineers are not finding jobs because our pool of applicants are stellar on paper! Now, I just hope that they can hold a decent conversation in person. One today and the rest on Monday. Also, I have to yell at the bank. One of our clients has received nothing from the last three checks we sent them although the money is gone from our account. Where did it go?!

Cameling had the brilliant idea to come up with an idea for each Thingaversary, kinda like a special gift theme for each wedding anniversary only much more fun because these are books! I have started a thread to brainstorm ideas.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/176863#

So I thought I might give the July TIOLI a try. I have never ever done it and I am a little scared I will get sucked in and break my vow to read more spontaneously this year, but I think I can safely take on ONE challenge. So that's my decision and then fate stepped in and cemented the idea. Richard was nice enough to post that Kindle has the Gauguin Connection for FREE today and it happens to be a book about art theft which is the #9 challenge for July! Done deal. I got it.

I've always enjoyed the TIOLIs. It's a pretty loose challenge, and if you've got something you really want to read, you can always propose a category that fits it. I haven't done one for a while though - slump - plus I'm in the category challenge as well, but scaled back. I wanted a year that was more spontaneous too.

Thanks for inviting me over, Kim! Now I am all caught up with you, and I am exhausted. How do you keep up with yourself?! Sounds like your son is enjoying a YEAR full of fabulous - how great is that? But poor, poor baby to you - so sorry that your knee has such a long road to recovery. I also cannot sleep on my back, so I totally get the frustration there - Craig has one of those pillows made to go between your legs when sleeping, and he swears by it.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, and wishing for you a weekend free of frustration.

Kim, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

>136 cammykitty: Morning Katie--I think I can pull off the one TIOLI challenge and dip my toe in. I gave Mark a definite maybe about reading Middlemarch and the rest I am sticking with spontaneous.

>137 Crazymamie: Hi Crazy! I don't keep up with myself. I thought that was obvious!! LOL. I only have birthday shopping to do this weekend. The rest is unscheduled and I need that right now. Lots of things I should do, but might not. I could post my review of Doctor Sleep. ; )

>138 Ameise1: Barbara--Now I am spoiled by you...No pressure, but I love my weekly beautiful photo! Thank you very much.

Happy Saturday everyone!

You're welcome :-D

Hi Kim,
I'm so glad you got good news on your last visit to the doctor. Increasing range of motion in that knee is a very good thing! And an abs workout -- good for you! As a sort-of runner, I "should" do abs workouts and I tend not to get to them. Several years ago when I was consistently doing a good core workout along with my running, well, let's just say it was the best shape I have ever been in. Not so much now.

I got Doctor Sleep from the library and it's sitting on the buffet making me nervous. As a youth, I read Stephen King like eating swedish fish, and then I stopped in the middle of It because it was (ahem) keeping me from sleeping. Now I feel this anxiety about giving him a try again....

>138 Ameise1: Barbara's weekly photos are a treat, aren't they?

>141 EBT1002: Ellen, I love visiting everybody's thead and leaving some photos behind me:-)

Totally not caught up ... but..

Doncha just LOVE St. Mary's?

Good news that you are healing... hooray!
and now I will be able to start from here and maybe keep up a bit? Maybe?

Happy weekend!

>140 Ameise1: >142 Ameise1: : )

>141 EBT1002: Ellen--I owe a review of Doctor Sleep, but the quick assessment is a very good read, and not quite as scary as The Shining. Read it!

>143 mckait: Kath! You found me! Thanks for popping in. I hope your itching is under control. Visit here as often as you can and no worries about keeping up. Sometimes yes, mostly no! I just ordered the fourth St Mary's on Kindle. ; )

>144 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel. Happy weekend to you too!!

Major upsets in Wimbledon--OMG! Serena Williams is out?!

Hi everyone,

Hey, come visit this thread and give us your input. Here's how it looks so far:

Thingaversary Year Themes

1. YA Novel (rosalita)
2. Murder Mystery (Berly) A Scarpetta Novel, Turn of Mind, Morgue Drawer Four, Gone Girl
3. Historical Fiction (cameling)
4. Supernatural (majkia)
5. Classic Literature (scaifea) The Aeneid, Jane Eyre
6. Comic Book/Graphic Novel/Illustrated Book (richardderus) Doc Savage: Fortress of Solitude/The Devil Genghis.
7. NonFiction (Morphidae)
8. Contemporary Literary Fiction (msf59)
9. Narrative NonFiction (brenzi) The Worst Hard Times by Timothy Egan and Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.
10. Boxed Set (banjo123)
11. A Book About Books (lahochstetler) Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, Rereadings, My Reading Life, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, So Many Books, So Little Time
12.
13. Baker's D0zen C00kery B00k (PaulCranswick)
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/176863#4747544

I'm glad to see you are keeping yourself busy, Kim! I love the ThingaTheme thread. It's great fun to see what categories people are coming up with.

Hi Julia! Thanks for popping in to check on the ThingaTheme thread. It has been fun putting this together and I hope people check it out and maybe even use it!

Glad to hear that you are "gimping" your way into work a bit these days, Kim! (you know you were in trouble when you go into work for the fun of it!)
And glad that your knee is cooperating with your plans to make it move :)

Just Middlemarch?

I'll confess, the length of that one has me intimidated.

>150 LovingLit: Thanks Megan. Work can be lots of fun--I was just nervous that the piles on my desk would be out of control! But I made a good dent in it. ;)

>151 cammykitty: Katie--It is a tomb isn't it? I was just hoping a group read might motivate me to take a crack at it. It is on the 100 books you should read in a lifetime list and I am crossing my fingers. Come on, give it a try with me!

Off to a day of interviews. Five candidates. Hope we find a good one!

Suerte, mi amor!

Good luck with those interviews. Middlemarch while I'm still recovering from a reading slump? Yikes!!! It sounds like it might be the kind of book you could dip into from time to time and read over months. Most of the comments I've seen about it have been favorable. I'm just not brave enough!

>154 richardderus: Merci!

>155 cammykitty: OK. Middlemarch might be a bit much after a reading slump. And I have already read it and I gave it a measly 3.5. Not sure that is worth a reread even though really fun people are doing it on Mark's thread. How about I join you on Vonnegut instead? Cat's Cradle?

How went the interviews?

>157 Ameise1: It was a long day for sure, but worth it. We are looking for two interns and one today is a keeper for sure. Second round of people is scheduled for Thursday and then we will make both offers. Thanks for asking!

I will work for you! oh wait ... you said interns ...

Glad you found a keeper when you interviewed.. good luck filling both positions.

Nothing out of the ordinary going on here. Thank goodness! Just attempting to sort of keep people on my radar, so I can at least lurk!

>159 AuntieClio: Yeah. Not exactly well-paying. Otherwise I'd have invited you!

>160 mckait: Kath--Thanks for popping in to check on things. How did you meeting go yesterday? I didn't see any update last I checked on your thread. I will have to pop over again today. And if ordinary is good today, then here's wishing you the mostest bestest oridnariest day!

Guess what? My son comes home today!! Yay! Airport at 3pm. Can. Not. Wait. : )

That many interviews in one day sounds horrible. Glad you had some success.

And yay for your son coming home!

Wow sorry it took me so long to get back here but I'm caught up now Kim. Great news about your knee but I think I may be a bit ahead of you in making progress. Tomorrow will be three months post-op and I was discharged from PT last Wednesday. I had a wheel chair while I was in a rehab facility after the surgery but I came home after a week with nothing but a walker that I only used for the next week. Then I used a cane for about a week and I've been without anything ever since. My PT went very well and I'm probably at 90% recovered at this point. Today I went to the surgeon and I don't have to go back until next April. So I had a great outcome. But I am still sleeping on my back with pillows under my calves. Every few weeks I try to go without them but so far I haven't been successful. I've gotten used to back sleeping and am actually finally sleeping very well now.

>162 SuziQoregon: Hi SuziQ! Thanks for popping in and checking up on me. ; ) Was today hot or what? IT hit 100 on the car thermometer--whew! The rest of the week should be just about perfect with sunshine and around 80. Summer is here at last.

>163 brenzi: Hi Bonnie--I am glad your recovery went well and that it was quicker than mine! Good news today that you are excused until April--nicely done! Glad sleeping is going well for you. Still not so much here.

Coincidentally, I had my first PT visit today. The lady started off looking at me all "Why haven't you been in here sooner?" until she read my chart and figured out it wasn't just an ACL tear. She said I have made good progress in my flexibility (60 degrees baby!) but that I would probably have 2-3 months of twice a week and then another 2-3 more of once a week. I am just glad to be starting! The whole patella reconfiguration is apparently what needs to take a while for the bone to heal before I start stretching out the tendon. It will probably be 2015 before I can get back to my TKD, but at least I should be able to.

Hey Kim, I hope you are enjoying some time with your son! And I hope you have a cooler day today......

And yay for flexibility!!

Thanks Ellen. It is supposed to be a beautiful 80 today. : )

But I am so bummed. The US is out of the World Cup. : ( I was waiting for my cute hubbie to pick me up after my PT appointment, but he got delayed by a work emergency so I had to sit outside at the Timber's soccer field. They had the game up on the big outdoor screen so I watched all but 15 min of the game. They lost and I got a wicked sunburn!

Sixty degrees!!! Color me jealous. Haven't had more than 40 in years.

So now you are a little green man, eh? ; ) Smooch.

34. This sequel to The Shining was very well done. It stayed true to the first book; I loved the new characters; and it was a real page turner! Doctor Sleep was not quite as scary as its predecessor, but that turned out to be just fine--it is still a rip-roaring story. Dan Torrence's harrowing childhood experiences at the Overlook Hotel have left their scars. He has somehow managed to claw his way to adulthood and is now a recovering alcoholic. In his work at a nursing home, Dan has earned the name Doctor Sleep because he helps comfort the dying as they pass on. He has repressed most of his powers. Enter Abra Stone, a young girl with amazing abilities. Her Shining draws the attention of an evil group of people and Dan must join the battle to save her soul and ultimately himself. Highly recommended.

I have that one in the stacks, Kim, and you are making me want to get to it sooner rather than later. And I was trying to save it for October!

Howdy Kim! I'll be back later to catch up on your thread. I'm glad you are joining us for Spenser #15 this month. If you want to join in the Spenser Project where we are, this is our schedule.

The Spenser Project

January – Ceremony #9
February – The Widening Gyre #10
March – Valediction #11
April – A Catskill Eagle #12
May – Taming a Sea-Horse #13
June – Pale Kings and Princes #14
July – Crimson Joy #15
August – Playmates #16
September – Stardust #17
October – Pastime #18
November – Double Deuce #19
December – Paper Doll #20

Glad you enjoyed Doctor Sleep, Kim! It worked really well on audio too. I have his latest, Mr. Mercedes, also on audio stand-by. Life is good.

Does it scare anyone besides me that the August Spenser book is titled Playmates?!

>169 Berly: I just finished Joyland by Stephen King. The Shining and The Dead Zone are my favorites. I vow to read Dr. Sleep soon. Your review is excellent.

Do you have another interview marathon today? Good luck.

>169 Berly: I like the ideas in that book, but have to admit that I probably won't read it.
*cue random set of circumstances whereby I am somewhere with no other books and that one is there*

>170 Crazymamie: Read it now Crazy! Then we can pick a new scary book for October! ; )

>171 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta! Thanks for the list. So, yes, I am a tad behind, but I am 1/4 of the way through the second one and then I will jump up to Crimson Joy. It will actually be kinda interesting to see how much the book changes with that kind of gap in the series. Is it still set in the 70's?

>172 msf59: Hiya Mark. Glad life is good! I am looking forward to Mr. Mercedes in the near future. Oh, and thanks for the suggestions for the Thingaversary Themes. I made the changes.
(see https://www.librarything.com/topic/176863)

>173 Crazymamie: I am missing something...are playmates scary? Is it August? What?!

>174 Whisper1: Thanks for the compliment Linda. Did you like Joyland? Recommend it? And just for the record, once again, I am in awe of your positive attitude. : )

>175 Ameise1: Late at night for me now, but, yes, the last of the interviews should be tomorrow! Thaksf or asking--I will update once they are OVER! ; )

>176 LovingLit: Sounds doubtful, but one never knows! Is that totally not your genre? If you like the ideas, why is the book so unappealing to you? No attack intended. Just being curious.

So we had a fine night out. We went to a restaurant with a great view of Portland city and the mountains. The grandparents joined us as well as two friends and we celebrated Sarah turning 18. Holy Cow! How did that happen so fast? She looked so completely happy.

Morning Kim! You are posting early! Can't sleep? And thanks for being so darn thoughtful. Hesitant Hug...

Hi Mark! Yes, it is 4:30 in the morning my time. My daughter is having a sleepover after her 18th birthday and she has yet to go to sleep despite several urgings on my part. I am going to be snarly tomorrow!

Oh, you are so welcome! From now on and forevermore, when people look for their Thingaversary themes, your name will pop up under Romance. Tee Hee. Mind you, I love a good romance now and then. It is just the idea of it being under your name which gives me great glee. : ) (It may not look it but that is an evil grin.)

>173 Crazymamie: Knowing Spenser we probably should be worried that the Playmates will be of the bunny variety. ;-) Here is what Amazon says in it's blurb. "Spenser goes back to school--to investigate corruption in college town. Taft University's hottest basketball star is shaving points for quick cash. And if Spenser doesn't watch his own footwork, the guilty parties will shave a few years off his life..." Sounds like we are safe.

>177 Berly: The shoulder pads are definitely making an appearance as are all the furs. It will be interesting to see what you think of the jump.

>178 Berly: I read Joyland last year and I really liked it. I'm not a King expert and it wasn't the "best" novel ever written but it was solid and enjoyable. Awesome cover too.

>181 luvamystery65: Yep - that's exactly what I was thinking. But it does sound like we are safe!

>181 luvamystery65: >182 Crazymamie: Oh...THOSE Playmates! Yes, I understand how that title might be scary after reading about the secretary AND her bosom entering the room. LOL. I shall eagerly await furry shoulder pads.

Good news--I will keep Joyland on the list.

Hmmm That reminds me. I haven't seen our copy of Sleep lately. I hope it hasn't gone missing...

Just wishing you a Happy Independence day :)

Happy 4th, Kimmers! I hope you got caught up with your sleep. Have a nice holiday with the family.

Happy 4th! Congrats on the good progress of your knee...what a long haul, however.

35. God Save the Child by Robert B. Parker. Second in Spenser series.

In the second book of the series, Spenser, our likable, romantic, tough-guy detective, hunts for a missing child. The parents are a mess. A ransom note follows, as well as murder and extortion, not to mention, Susan, a new, classy dame in Spenser's life. Set in Boston in the late 1970's with all sorts of bell bottom pants and lots of tacky white clothing (who wears a white raincoat...and is a guy?). The book is great fun. 3.5

>184 mckait: Hi Kath--Hope you haven't lost your copy of Sleep. That would be tragic! Happy Fourth of July!

>185 msf59: Hi Mark. Not a stellar sleep night, but not bad. We took our oldest to the airport last night and proceed to keep her company by phone on her layover in Las Vegas until midnight. And it was Jack's turn to have a sleepover. They went to bed by 1 and I only woke up once when someone above my bedroom tripped on the way to the bathroom at 4 in the morning--very noisy. But so far they are all still passed out. So not bad!

>186 banjo123: Hi Rhonda--Thanks for checking up on me. The knee is feeling pretty good today. But now I have other sore body parts--in PT yesterday I did lots of calf raises and today they are definitely talking to me! LOL

Still not tempted by the Spenser series. Too many TV memories. *whew*

Happy Fourth of July!!

>189 richardderus: What TV memories? Was it a series? Not a good one at that?

Well, the books are solid fun and thanks to your input, I will NOT look for the TV adaptation. Smooch.

@187 oh, during the 80s there was a guy in South Minneapolis Uptown area that was rumored to be an artist that wore white suit coat, white shirt, white pants and white tennis shoes all summer and a matching black ensemble all winter. Visual artist, I find hard to believe, but a performance artist? He sure got reactions that way, but the reactions were usually "weird" and not "cool." I still haven't read Spenser. Just started Slow River today, so we're getting a little closer to reading Cat's Cradle.

Kim, I wish you a fantastic weekend full of R&R.

>194 cammykitty: Katie--Oh, the Uptown area attracts all the fun and interesting people! I miss that area of Mpls. : ) My daughter is there this Fourth of July weekend visiting friends. My brother was nice enough to pick her up after her red eye flight and they went out to breakfast somewhere. Hope you enjoy Slow River. (What's it about?)

>195 Ameise1: Thanks Barb. How did you know that roses were on my mind this morning?! I really must get out there and do some pruning. : ) Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Yesterday I enlisted the help of my minions, I mean my kids, and we got the outdoor furniture all cleaned up and placed outside. Last night, all the kids were celebrating the Fourth elsewhere and Hubbie and I sat outside on the deck. I had a little Baileys he had some Scotch and we watched the stars come out and listened to all the booms and fizzles of the fireworks. We could see some of the glow reflected in the clouds. It was lovely!

Now I am watching Wimbledon. I am rooting for Bouchard...

Hi Kim! Just a Saturday lunch-time check in. Hope you are getting some R & R in!

I put up a review of The Dark Vineyard in my Crime, Thriller, and Mystery threadpost #170. Don't worry, you won't like it.

*evil chuckle*

>198 msf59: Nope. NOT R&R!! But chipping away steadily at the To-Do list. Roses trimmed and bed weeded. Check! Deck furniture cleaned and out. Check! Cars went to Les Schwaab, Jiffy Lube and the car wash. Check! Last item for the day is to go get some new plants for the deck. I am soooo far behind on spring cleaning, but I had a really good excuse. : )

Oh, and by the end of the day I will definitely have earned a beer!

>199 richardderus: Nope. Not a chance I will like it. : P

Kim, I'm glad that Jack enjoyed his China trip. Somehow I thought you had at least four children! Must have been their busy schedules that tripped me up. I raised three kids and forgot how hectic our lives were back then.

I like reading your Spenser reviews to refresh my memory. I'm not sure that the basketball playmates will be as much fun as the other variety, but maybe we won't all want to jab out Spenser's wandering eyes!

Glad the knee is in PT and doing you proud!

It's fun to re-live the Spenser series through the eyes of all of you reading them for the first time!

>201 Donna828: Hi Donna--Sometimes I feel like I do have four children!! : )

Aha! So the playmates are boys not girls! Good to know.

>202 rosalita: Julia--You have read the series too? Where the heck have I been? LOL. I am actually enjoying the series very much.

Kim, what's Slow River about? I'm about 50 pages in and not sure what to say. There's a poor little rich kid who has fallen in among the criminal underground. She's from the family that holds all the patents on water purification technology, and I'm predicting a huge water disaster that is perhaps going to involve corruption within her own family. So far it's really good, and the rich kid doesn't spend much time feeling sorry for herself. She's capable. So perhaps my "poor little" is being a bit unfair, but it is hard to leave those words out of the description. Her writing is reminding me of Kelley Eskridge, who I believe is her partner.

Well, I pooped out and didn't make it to the gardening store. But I did manage to clean all the pots. Here in the rainy NW, things tend to get a lot of mold on them over the winter. All my pots looked very green!

Maybe tomorrow...

Started reading... Wait for it Richard! The Hanover Square Affair!! See how much I like you and value your recommendations, subtle as they may be?!

>204 cammykitty: Hi Katie--You will have to let me know if you like this one, since coincidentally my business IS water purification! Sincerely hoping it is a good book, because that would be a lot of fun. Thanks for popping in. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

>205 Berly: ...what book is that...don't think I've ever heard of it before...

Here are the before and after of my mossy flowerpots. Now I just need flowers!

Wow, you've been busy! I'm pretty tired just reading about all of that cleaning...

You think you are tired!! LOL. I am sitting in bed still, watching the Wimbledon's Men's Final. Rooting for Federer. : )

And just for fun...

"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those who have a love for words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", or "to write with a broken pencil is pointless." A competition to see who can come up with the best lexphillies is held every year in an undisclosed location. This year's winning submission is posted at the very end.

.... When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.

.... A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

.... When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.

.... The batteries were given out free of charge.

.... A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.

.... A will is a dead giveaway.

.... With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

.... A boiled egg is hard to beat.

.... When you've seen one shopping Center you've seen a mall.

.... Police were called to a day care Center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

.... Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

.... A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

.... When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

.... The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.

.... He had a photographic memory which was never developed.

.... When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.

.... Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.



And the cream of the wretched crop:

....Those who get too big for their pants will be exposed in the end.

: )

Oh groan!!! Wow, that last one is soooo bad it's good.

I'm about 120 pages into Slow River and I've been wondering how good the water purification science is. I know you can do a lot of it with microbes, and there's a lot of nitrite/nitrate talk. It sounds convincing to me. I wonder if it would convince you? If it's plausible, you'd probably love it. So far, I'm enjoying it a lot.

>211 Berly: groan! I do love such plays on (with?) words.

I let Doctor Sleep go back to the library unread but your review once again entices me....

The lexiphilies are wonderful. I love that kind of thing. I may steal a couple for our staff meetings, where we start each meeting with a joke.

>211 Berly: Bad! Bad Berly-boo! *tsktsk*finger-wag*

>212 cammykitty: ; ) It is after all prefaced with "the cream of the wretched crop" ya know! Keep me posted on Slow River.

>213 EBT1002: Ellen--You will just have to check it out again!

>214 rosalita: Steal away--I did! I think that is a great way to start off your staff meetings. Let me know how it goes.

>215 richardderus: What?!

"exposed in the end" -- that's funny.

I am glad you were amused. : )

Where would we be without the groans and smiles you provide in equal number, Kimmers?

Have a lovely week.

Good question Paul! : ) I hope you have a wonderful week yourself. Calm, stress-free, with working computers and internet.

>220 Berly: :D and the same to you, Kim.

Time for a new thread. Come say Hi!