Scaifea's 2014 Challenge - Thread #26

Welcome to The Twenty-sixth Thread!

This year, since I read a fair amount of children's books, I think I'll open my threads with photos of the work of some of my favorite picture book illustrators.

I don't really know much about Skottie Young, but I do know that I love his work with Neil Gaiman on Fortunately the Milk:





Below you’ll find an explanation of my reading habits, which, I warn you, is a bit crazy. Usually I have about 10-12 books going at once, one each from the following groups (and occasionally other books slipped in there, too):

1. A book from the 100 Banned Books book (at least currently. As soon as I finish this list, I'll replace it with another, and oh, I've got tons of lists).

2. A children's book, for Charlie's library. I'm trying to collect books from various award lists, and I like reading them before reading them to Charlie or deciding to add them to Charlie's shelves. For this category, I’m currently working through three lists:
a. 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die
b. The CYOA books
c. The Newbery Honor books

3. A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List, in chronological order.

4. A book for the Presidential Challenge. Books for this category are read in chronological (presidentially) order.

5. An audio book, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/drive.

6. A list I'm working through together with my best friend, Rob: The Hugo/Nebula/WFA/Bram Stoker lists (combined, in chronological order)

7. For this category, I cycle through 7 different stacks:
a. A book from my shelves which I haven't yet read
b. Agatha Christie's bibliography (in chronological order)
c. Stephen King's bibliography (in chronological order)
d. Neil Gaiman's bibliography (in some order other than chronological (don't
ask)).
e. Christopher Moore's bibliography (in chronological order)
f. Stephen Fry's bibliography (in chronological order)
g. The NEH Timeless Classics list
h. The National Book Award list (in alpha order by title)
i. The Pulitzer list (in alpha order by author)

8. A read-aloud-to-Charlie-at-bedtime book.

9. A book from my Classics shelves.

10. A book on Buddhism or from the Dalai Lama's bibliography.

11. Book-a-year challenge: Last year at some point, along with a few others in this group (*cough* Paul *cough*), I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've decided, again, to follow Paul's lead and try to fill in some of those blanks, and so I'm adding an entry here to my lists.

12. This slot is reserved for books that just grab me and shout that they need to be read Right Now.

And on top of these, there will be a multitude of picture books, which Charlie and I read together. I only list picture books that I or we read for the first time - no repeat reads will be mentioned here (and they are legion).

So, now you've got a glimpse of just how neurotic I am.
Please feel free to post comments, recommendations, or whatever else strikes your fancy. And Happy Reading, everyone!



What I'm reading now:
-Sanctuary (Banned Books list)
-Cedric, the Forester (Newbery Honor Book list)
-Faust (The Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List)
-Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times (Presidential Challenge)
-One Summer (audio book)
-The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Hugo award list)
-Enemy of God (from the TBR shelves)
-E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core! (Charlie's bed-time book)
-The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine (off of my classics shelves)
-Deity Yoga (buddhism list)
-Lady Windemere's Fan (year-by-year book list, 1893)
-Paddle Your Own Canoe (from the READ ME NOW pile)
-The Iliad (everyday audio book in the car)
-The Haunted Bookshop (sequel to Parnassus on Wheels)

In addition to these, I have some classics-related texts that I'm working through (quite slowly):
-Asinaria by Plautus (reading in Latin)
-Iliad by Homer (reading in Greek)
-Latin Literature by Gian Biagio Conte
-The Cambridge History of Classical Literature Volume 1 Part 1

And here's my list for the Reading Bingo, which seems to be taking us 75ers by storm. Like many others, I'll not make an extra effort to fill it, but rather just see which of the books I read this year happen to fit what categories:

More than 500 pages: The Sterkarm Handshake
Forgotten Classic: The Man in the High Castle
Book that became a movie: The World of Pooh
Published this year: Packaging Your Crafts
Number in the title: 45 & 47 Stella Street
Written by someone under 30: Cirque du Freak
Book with non-human characters: Odd and the Frost Giants
Funny Book: Diggers
Female Author: Flora & Ulysses
Book with a mystery: One Came Home
One-Word Title: Truckers
Book of short stories: M Is for Magic
Set on a different continent: Wings
Non-Fiction: Buddhism for Beginners
First book by a favorite author:
Heard about online: A Darkling Plain
Best-selling book: Still Foolin' Em
Based on a true story: John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life
Book at the bottom of TBR pile:
Book my friend loves: Stories I Only Tell My Friends
Book that scares me: The American Red Cross First Aid & Safety Handbook
More than 10 years old: The Genie in the Bottle
Second book in a series: E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core!
Blue cover: The Life and Times of Paddington Bear

Also, here's the list of all categories for my local library's Summer Book Bingo Challenge (the ones specifically on my own Bingo card on in bold):

Come to a library program: Mad Science of Iowa show
Find a something (plant, animal, mineral, planet, etc) and identify it with a library resource.
Find the secret phrase onfacebook.com/plattevillepubliclibrary or plattevillepubliclibrary.org/adults.
Listen to a music CD you haven’t heard before: Now That I've Found You - Alison Krauss
Listen to an audiobook: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Read a book about how to do something: The Unforgettable Photograph
Read a book about someone from a different culture: The Last Temptation of Christ
Read a book and watch the movie: Dune
Read a book by an author with the same last initial as you.
Read a book from the new book shelves: Packaging Your Crafts
Read a book from the children’s shelves: Should I Share My Ice Cream?
Read a book from the teen shelves: Predator's Gold
Read a book in a series: Infernal Devices
Read a book in large print.
Read a book longer than 300 pages.
Read a book of poetry or a novel written in verse: Howl and Other Poems
Read a book set in the future: This Immortal
Read a book set in the past: Little House in the Big Woods
Read a book set in the present.
Read a book set outside the United States: Brave New World
Read a book shorter than 150 pages.
Read a book that is not in a series: The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Read a book that is scientifically impossible.
Read a book that is scientifically possible.
Read a book that makes you laugh.
Read a book that mentions a place you want to visit.
Read a book that says “by a bestselling author” on the cover: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Read a book that won an award: Babel-17
Read a book where “sparks fly”: A Darkling Plain
Read a book with a battle against the elements.
Read a book with a color in the title Forever Amber
Read a book with a love story: Lady Chatterley's Lover
Read a book with a number in the title.
Read a book with a one word title: Divergent
Read a book with an explosion: Great Disasters
Read a book with an investigation in it.
Read a book with pictures in it Horton Hatches the Egg
Read a book without a love triangle.
Read a book you heard about in the media or online.
Read a book you keep “meaning to get around to.”
Read a cookbook and try a recipe: 500 Cupcakes (Lemon Cupcakes)
Read a folk tale or a book based on a folk tale.
Read a graphic novel: Hello Kitty: Here We Go!
Read a magazine from cover to cover: High Five - June 2014
Read a memoir or biography.
Read a newspaper that you don’t normally read.
Read a nonfiction book: The Girl in the Leaves
Read a short story or essay.
Read out loud for half an hour.
Read outside for an hour.
Read the same book as someone else and discuss it.
Try something recommended by someone at the library: It's Always Something
Use the microfilm machine to look at the Platteville Journal from the week you turned 5.
Watch a movie based on a true story.
Watch a movie with the subtitles on.

Books Read (see previous threads for previous reads):

JULY
399. Sparky! (public library book) - 9/10
400. Never Ever (public library book) - 8/10
401. Spark (public library book) - 8/10
402. ABC of Jobs (public library book) - 8/10
403. Another Brother (public library book) - 9/10
404. (#62) Journey to the West (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy list) - 9/10
405. (#63) Packaging Your Crafts (Summer Book Bingo Challenge) - 8/10
406. If You Made a Million (public library book) - 8/10
407. (#64) Lady Chatterley's Lover (Banned Books list) - 7/10
408. (#65) The Unforgettable Photograph (Summer Book Bingo challenge) - 9/10
409. The Dark, Dark Night (public library book) - 10/10
410. Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies (public library book) - 9/10
411. Listen to My Trumpet! (public library book) - 9/10
412. Why Should I Recycle? (public library book) - 8/10
413. My Neighborhood: The Hospital (public library book) - 8/10
414. Me First! (public library book) - 8/10
415. When Elephant Met Giraffe (public library book) - 8/10
416. Dooby Dooby Moo (public library book) - 8/10
417. (#66) The Last Temptation of Christ (Banned Books list) - 9/10
418. (#67) Howl and Other Poems (Banned Books list) - 5/10
419. Giggle Giggle Quack (public library book) - 8/10
420. Where Is Fred? (public library book) - 9/10
421. Today I Will Fly (public library book) - 9/10
422. Cars and Trucks (Charlie book) - 8/10
423. A Moose That Says Moooooooooo (public library book) - 9/10
424. (#68) Brave New World (Banned Books list) - 9/10
425. See What a Seal Can Do (public library book) - 8/10
426. (#69) The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Gaiman bibliography) - 10/10
427. Cake Soup (public library book) - 8/10
428. A Day in the Life of a Police Officer (public library book) - 8/10
429. (#70) Great Disasters (Summer Book Bingo Challenge) - 7/10
430. Thump, Quack, Moo (public library book) - 8/10
431. Duck & Goose Go to the Beach (Charlie book) - 9/10
432. Bear Wants More (Charlie book) - 9/10
433. (#71) Divergent (audiobook, Summer Book Bingo Challenge) - 9/10
434. Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (Charlie book) - 8/10
435. Froggy Gets a Doggy (public library book) - 7/10
436. A Pet for Fly Guy (public library book) - 8/10
437. Home, Stinky Home (public library book) - 8/10
438. Late for School (Charlie book) - 8/10
439. Fire Truck to the Rescue! (public library book) - 8/10
440. Duck for President (public library book) - 8/10
441. The Lost Stars (public library book) - 7/10
442. Pedro's Burro (public library book) - 8/10
443. (#72) Forever Amber (Banned Books list, Summer Book Bingo Challenge) - 6/10
444. Suki the Very Loud Bunny (public library book) - 8/10
445. Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (public library book) - 9/10
446. (#73) The Girl in the Leaves (Summer Book Bingo Challenge) - 7/10
447. Are You Ready to Play Outside? (public library book) - 9/10
448. Big Egg (public library book) - 8/10

The Charlie Topper (one more from swimming lessons):

And the Bonus Question:

If Hell was being locked in a waiting room with one person for the rest of eternity, who would your hellmate be? Whose hellmate would you be?

>2 scaifea: Yay Charlie!

>3 scaifea: My hellmate: Woody Hayes (Ohio State FB coach from the '60's/'70's) or Jonathan Franzen. Someone else's hellmate: Anyone who doesn't like argumentative well read women.

>4 michigantrumpet: Marianne: Oh, agreed - Franzen is awful.
Also, zing!

My hellmate? Vladimir Putin. Seeing as he is Satan himself, bumping into him in hell would be rather likely.

And whose hellmate I'd be? Hmm. Someone who wants women to shut up, look pretty and chain themselves to the stove.

Amber, continuation from your previous thread: lurking in the Kenyon Bookstore is not weird. AT ALL. :)
Older daughter Kate is living in Farr Hall this year, directly upstairs, in fact her window is right above the bookstore entrance. Tell me she's not similarly obsessed.

>1 scaifea: I loved that Neil Gailman book. The illustrations were great too.

>3 scaifea: I know this is rather mean and that there are much more evil people on earth, but I would say my stepmother. I'm pretty sure I would be her hellmate too.

>3 scaifea: There's someone I once worked for... yep, that would be the one. But if we're talking public figures, just about any politician would do the trick, frankly. Not sure whose I would be. I'm not very intimidating.

Welcome to the 26 thread club! RD has tipped a certain Wisconsin lady to garner the most posts in 2014 and become the first lady to do so in a single year. He could be right.

Great Charlie topper - Mark Spitz eat your heart out!

Hell mate? Maybe Luis Suarez - it must be awful getting bitten by those nasty looking choppers!

>6 PawsforThought: Paws: Putin, eh? Good answer.

>7 lauralkeet: Laura: Are those apartments through the student housing allotment, or are they private rentals? I've always wondered...

>8 RosyLibrarian: Marie: Oh, that's okay - I suspect that most here won't be surprised to hear that my answer would be my MIL (and I suspect that I'd be hers, too).

>9 foggidawn: foggi: Oooh, bad co-workers - *shudders*

>10 PaulCranswick: Paul: Ha! We'll see about that. And I doubt that Charlie could give Spitz a watery run for his money - he doesn't care for getting his head under water...

Bonus Question: Ann Coulter. I'm breaking out in hives just thinking about being trapped anywhere with her.

>12 lycomayflower: OH yeah.
I would probably be the hellmate of that poor girl who tried to be my secretary years ago, and just couldn't BEAR to work with someone who insisted on commas being placed where they belonged and wanted "there, their, and they're" spelled properly EVERY FRIGGIN' TIME!

>11 scaifea: they are official student housing. I think most are singles, with a shared bath between two rooms.

>13 laytonwoman3rd: She definitely wouldn't like being stuck with me either.

>12 lycomayflower: Laura: Oh, ew. Good one.

>13 laytonwoman3rd: *snork!*

>14 lauralkeet: Laura: Interesting. I was distantly fascinated with the housing lottery while there - the students always worked themselves into such a tizzy about it.

>15 PawsforThought: Paws: Ha! Me neither.

Hi Amber, my hellmate would be Jeff Bezos, I liked Amazon when it first came out but now I am not sure what he wants to do, could be the Hitler of internet retailing.

>17 johnsimpson: John: I have to say that although I do a crap-ton of ordering from Amazon, I'm getting more and more uneasy about it...

>16 scaifea: Housing lottery tizzy -- yes. Being a senior helps, although she had to have a proxy at the lottery because she was abroad, which added lots of DRAMA. Which I think is half the point.

>19 lauralkeet: Laura: Oh, the drama. Oh, yes. Kenyon students seem to be very good at the drama. Ha!

>2 scaifea:: rocking those goggles, Charlie me lad!
>3 scaifea:: my husband, because he always makes me laugh...oh wait, did you mean who would it be hell to be locked in with? Oh cripes, the list would be too long to post here (top five: Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada; Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia; a certain faculty member who shall remain nameless from my days at the uni; Ann Coulter sounds pretty ghastly, so throw her in too; a woman I worked with who was certifiable.

Catching up on the hellmate comments, because I wasn't paying close enough attention. My favorites so far:
>4 michigantrumpet: Someone else's hellmate: Anyone who doesn't like argumentative well read women.
>13 laytonwoman3rd: Linda as hellmate to the grammatically challenged.

I suppose that makes me (and many of us) a doubly-threatening hellmate to someone else.

So who is my hellmate? Today it's my boss, who likes to dive into minutiae, ask questions that have already been answered, and miss meetings he specifically requested a week ago.

Grr. I posted and it disappeared. Apparently LT gremlins are my hellmate.

>22 lauralkeet: Laura: All of you with your hellish co-workers are reminding me why I don't at all regret leaving mine...

>23 lauralkeet: Laura: *snork!*

>18 scaifea: Same here. With my current financial and geographical situation, Amazon is more or less my only option when it comes to buying certain things but I don't like it one bit.

>21 tiffin: Putin's president again now!

Hellmate? No doubt about it, it would have to be my mother, hands down. The meanest, most selfish and manipulative person I've ever known. And, I would hope that somehow I could rise to the occasion and be her hellmate, but I fear that it might be harder on me than it would be on her. But, then again, I suppose that would only be right - after all in this scenario if I'm keeping someone company in Hell then I must have been sentenced to the place as well and so I am not expected to be having fun, am I?

Boy - I'm glad I don't believe in Hell...

>25 PawsforThought: Paws: I also shop at Walmart far more than I want to, but there aren't many options in this small town. Once Charlie's back in school in September, I've vowed to scout out my other options within a drivable distance, though. This Walmart business has got to stop. I feel morally grimy every time I walk out of that place.

>26 Fourpawz2: Charlotte: Oh, dang. It makes me sad that so many (way too many!) people have had bad parenting experiences. It's just not right - all children should have a charmed and loving and happy growing-up.

>27 scaifea: I know nothing about Walmart. We don't have that over here.

Charlie's photo is so sweet!

My hellmate would be Sarah Palin!

Nice new thread, Amber! Your bonus question reminds me of the Jean-Paul Sartre play No Exit, set in a room in Hell in which three people who despise each other are locked together in a room for eternity; they try to kill each other without success, as they are already dead. There are several people who I've met or worked with who would be high on a list of my list of what I call my "No Exit" people, but if I think of well known people Ann Coulter and Sarah Palin are high on my list as well. I think I could handle Stalin, Putin or Hitler more easily than either of them.

I'll be in touch about my trip to Madison next month. It would be great to see you and to meet Charlie! If it doesn't work out this time hopefully we can meet during a future visit there.

ETA: I'll have to think about who would consider me to be their hellmate.

Haha, interesting bonus questions!
My hellmate would be this particular guy who is... shall we say desperate. He hit on me years ago when I was engaged (long story... I'm still single and happy!) and I've never forgotten how awkward that was and have pretty much avoided him whenever possible ever since.

Whose hellmate would I be? Hmmm... probably my favorite authors who haven't written the sequels I'm waiting for!

>3 scaifea: Hellmate: My mother
Whose Hellmate would I be? Probably my mother

>28 PawsforThought: Paws: Reason #997...

>29 LoisB: Lois: Oh, Palin! Very good answer...

>30 kidzdoc: Darryl: I hope we can meet up, but if not this time, definitely another!

>31 bell7: Mary: Oooh, those are some awkward moments. I had a few students hit on my over the years (when I was in grad school, not once I was a prof!) - I tended to attract the D&D/Renaissance Fair boys for some reason - and it was *always* weird and a little sad. But then I up and married the one of them (he's not into either D&D or the Fairs)...

>32 AuntieClio: Stephanie: See my sad rant (srant?) in >27 scaifea: above...

Happy new thread!

I'm enjoying the bonus question answers of some and am perplexed by some others as they strike me as a bit extreme, but to each his/her own.

As for mine, knowing what I do now about my father, it would be him. All the other well-known "baddies" can't compare to a personal antagonist! As for whose hellmate I would be, I don't know, but I hope someone with good taste ;-)

My hellmate: Cheney.

Me as hellmate: Cheney.

>35 katiekrug: Hi, Katie!

>36 richardderus: Richard: Ha! Ew, yuck.

Toss-up between Dick Chaney and Rush Limbaugh, I think. Ugh!

I'm (was) hellmate for graduate students who thought they were going to get through my class without doing any actual thinking. Spell-check tried to change it to helpmate--I was that to those who were interested in learning and doing some thinking.

>38 ronincats: Roni: Ha!

The Charlie topper is just adorable, Amber.

Bonus question: my hellmate would have to be my daughter's mother in law who has made her life miserable in many ways while I've had to bite my tongue. She has taken some of the excitement out of the upcoming birth.

Mine would have to be one of the teachers I worked with for many years. We never could see eye to eye. Since I was the administrator, she rarely won

It wouldn't be a politician for me. Yeah, they make me angry but the relationship is too superficial. There is no emotional attachment.

At first I thought of my mother. While I love her and know she loves me, after five days we get on each other's nerves. We know not to plan visits to last longer than that. I can't imagine an eternity with her.

But then I realized there was someone else who would piss me off from day one. I just keep forgetting about my father because it's been so long since I've talked to him (by my choice.) He's a physically and emotionally abusive, bigoted, sexist adulterer.

Not that I have strong feelings or anything. :D

I would be the hellmate of anyone who thinks someone who has 10 pounds to lose is "fat."

434. Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown by Charlies M. Shulz (Charlie book, picture book) - 8/10
A present for Charlie from my mom. I'm not really a Peanuts fan, to be honest, but Charlie likes them, so, *shrug.*

435. Froggy Gets a Doggy by Jonathan London (public library book, picture book) - 7/10
I thought this one might be fun, since we're starting to talk with Charlie about getting him his own puppy. Wow, it's not good. Pointless story, with not at all good writing.

>42 scaifea: It's interesting about the Froggy books: a couple of them are very good (Froggy Gets Dressed, Froggy's First Kiss), but the rest seem a little formulaic and tired to me. Sounds like you should read Let's Get a Pup, Said Kate by Bob Graham instead. :-)

>40 brenzi: Bonnie: It's a very good thing that my mom and my MIL live so far apart. My mom would light into the MIL so fast, she wouldn't know what hit her, and I don't think mom would do well in prison...

>41 Morphidae: Morphy: All these folks with hurtful parents - I just want to give you all a big hug...

>25 PawsforThought:: brain fart and now corrected. Thank you!

I'm getting a big kick out of these but not the ones with toxic parents. Those are just too hard.

>45 tiffin: Same here. I'm just sitting here being grateful for my own parents.

>45 tiffin: & >46 PawsforThought: Me, too. Plus, you know, I'm full of admiration. Most of the successes in my life have been because my parents' support gave me the strength to believe I could do it; I'm not sure that I could have found that strength on my own.

On the agenda for today:
It's Wednesday, so it's Library Day!! WooHoo!! Story Time this morning for Charlie, and then this evening I'll be going back to the library because they're hosting an "In Stitches" night, inviting people to bring their knitting, crochet, needlework projects, sit round and chat, have cookies and stitch. I'm excited! (I don't get out of the house much, really.) Otherwise, some sewing, reading, possibly some baking. Charlie wants to cook dinner tonight, so he'll be making his famous Chicken Salad (from a Sesame Street cookbook - it's really good!).
On the reading front: I'm about 1/3 through Forever Amber. Hm. So far so meh.

The calendar book for today: Say Her Name, which is, apparently, a 'novel' that is really a memoir about the death of the author's wife and his dealing with it. Doesn't really sound appealing to me, but again, it could be the bad blurb talking... Anyone read this one?

Happy New thread, Amber! Love the pensive Charlie Topper!

Good morning! Looks like a cool beauty today. Smiles!

>49 msf59: Mark: I know, right? I could learn to like July if this keeps up...

BTW- Glad you liked Divergent. Unfortunately the next 2, are not on the same level.

>51 msf59: Mark: That's good to know - I won't feel as rushed to get round to them now...

I liked Forever Amber when I read it as a teenager and was going through a phase where all I read was torrid romances. Don't think it would be such a great read now... But apparently it was groundbreaking when it was published because it was considered so smutty :)

>53 katiekrug: Katie: That's the thing - it's not groundbreaking at all. Defoe did it with Moll Flanders and Cleland did it with Fanny Hill waaaay before Ms. Windsor came around, and they did it much, much better.

Hi Amber. I don't know if I've missed it or not, but Happy Birthday!

>2 scaifea: Gosh, Charlie is growing up!

As for your bonus question, ughh! I don't want to think about it. Imagine if it came true? ;0)

>55 humouress: Nina: Ha! Nope, you haven't missed it yet - it's not until early August. I just won't see my parents again until after the fact, so we celebrated a bit early there.

Isn't being locked in a room with another person torture enough already!?!? *Shudders*

I suppose I would be locked in with anyone remotely talkative. My mom's husband is super talkative, and when I didn't have a car and needed a ride to the library once per month, that 15 minutes back and forth was sheer agony. :P

As for who I'd be a hellmate for...well, that could be just about anyone, I suppose. ;)

>57 Ape: Stephen: Ha! You poor thing, you.

>54 scaifea: - Okay. I don't know the details, just remember hearing that it broke a bunch of publishing taboos or whatever at the time.

My hellmate...Will's Aunt and Cousin (if I could have a pair). They would most likely have me as their hellmate as well. As will relates to family members "The chemistry just isn't good there!"

>59 katiekrug: Katie: Ha! Sorry, I didn't mean to be snarky - I'm just a bit irritated at the book because of this false 'groundbreaking' business.

>60 Whisper1: Linda: Oh, I'm right there with you on the in-law business, as you well know...

I just got back from a fantastic time at the library knitting group! A bunch of gals sitting round knitting and chatting about books and authors and Dr. Who = an excellent way to spend an evening.

26 threads? Whew!

>63 drneutron: Jim: I know, right?! Whew!

On the agenda for today:
A stay-at-home day. Laundry, I need to get the photos off my camera and sorted for the week, some sewing (I hope - I've nearly got another little dress finished), some baking (Charlie has requested Banana Bread, and I think I may try a new pie recipe, too), hopefully some reading.
On the reading front: Forever Amber seems to be taking, um, a long time. Dragging at bit, really. But then, I've never been one to enjoy romance rags. And this one is long.

The calendar book for today: Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety, which seems to be about the author's life of awkward, anxiety-filled shyness. Could be funny, or could be an A. J. Jacobs type thing, and if so, no thanks.

That one certainly sounds relatable. :)

>66 Ape: Stephen: *SNORK!* Guess who popped into my mind when I read the blurb? Here's what it says: "Feeling anxious? Often worry that everything you say lands wrong? Not so sure of yourself with the opposite sex? Have odd physical ailments that you'd be mortified to have others discover? If you've answered yes to all of the above, then you have a lot in common with Daniel Smith, except for the fact that he seems to have dealt with his angst by sharing it with the world..." (NB: the physical ailment part is not the part that made me think of you, just to be clear.)

Morning Amber! I hope you can sit outdoors and do a little reading. It looks like another beauty. Smiles...

It does look like it's going to be gorgeous out - and the bugs seem to be on their way out, too. So, yeah, maybe I can convince Charlie to go outside and play while I sit on the deck and read...

Oh, the physical ailment bit fits me too, but I'd be mortified if you knew why. :P

>62 scaifea: I'm jealous of your knitting group. I'd love to find one. I went a few times to a Sunday afternoon gathering at my local yarn shop, but there were usually only 1-2 other people there, and not the same people each time, so it didn't feel much like a "group." I'll have to check out events at the two libraries nearest to me.

>70 Ape: Stephen: *SNORK!!*

>71 lauralkeet: Laura: This is the first time I've went, and it's a fairly new group. I hope it becomes a steady and permanent thing because it was a hoot.

" all children should have a charmed and loving and happy growing-up." Yes, indeed. (And if you haven't yet, skip over to my FB feed and watch my niece's Lily take her first steps. That bald guy is my baby brother, Lily's "Pop Pop". HE doesn't love her a bit, you'll see.)

>44 scaifea: My Mom does occasionally light into my MIL for saying something witless, but it rolls right off.

>71 lauralkeet: Our library has a knitting group; I think they make things for soldiers, or women's shelters or something. But you'd run screaming from the company, if the one member I'm familiar with is any indicator of the type of conversation you'd be likely to encounter.

>73 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: I'll head over toot sweet!
Also, I was afraid that this knitting group here might be tedious, but the conversation was lively - meeting authors, what books we're reading, Dr. Who (one gal was working on a lap throw in the shape of the TARDIS).

>73 laytonwoman3rd: eek, yeah it needs to be the right kind of conversation that's for sure! And to be honest I'm more interested in a group where you bring your own knitting than one that's knitting for some other purpose. I know that doesn't sound very charitable. I don't have enough free time to do both "my" knitting and "charitable" knitting so call me selfish but that's the way it is.

75 Laura: Oh, I'm right with you there. Selfish, we are, I suppose, but there it is. Plus, I love seeing what other people are working on, too...

Banana Bread is in the oven and Charlie and I are taking a little break before starting in on the Maple Sugar Pie.

Couple things I wanted to mention:

1) I'm not sure if I've shared this recipe before, so if I have, please to ignore and feel free to skip on down to #2. Charlie's Chicken Salad (whenever I say that in my head, I immediately think of Oscar the Grouch and his Charles Chicken Soup!) , which he made for us yesterday for dinner is hands down The Best chicken salad I've ever tasted. It comes from a Sesame Street cookbook that I picked up for him at a garage sale last summer, which is chock full of amazing recipes. Anyways, I wanted to share it here in case anyone may be interested (we love it on toasted Italian bread):

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup mayonnaise
-1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 lb cooked and cubed chicken
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped

1. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, jam, curry powder and lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir until well-blended.
2. Add chicken, apples and celery. Stir until well-mixed.

NB: We've modified the original recipe slightly, which calls for turkey instead of chicken and also includes 1 scallion, chopped. The cookbook is C Is for Cooking: Recipes from Sesame Street.

2) We watched Cool Runnings recently, which Charlie thought was the height of sophistication in hilarity. I know it's a cheesy movie, but dang it, I love it. Adorable and silly.

So late to the party, but I made it! Happy new thread Amber! My answer to your bonus question is my mom. I see I am not alone with choosing a parent. I always joke that I am completely booked up for when hell freezes over - spending that entire day with my mom.

Wishing you a Thursday full of fabulous - and banana bread is a very good start!

Happy new thread, Amber. Banana bread sounds tasty. :)

>78 Crazymamie: Mamie: The idea that you are such an awesome mom to those amazing kids of yours when you yourself didn't exactly have a good model for it in your own mother? Inspiring.

>79 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! The Bread smells pretty amazing right now...

Thank you - I had an AMAZING Dad!

>81 Crazymamie: Mamie: I'm glad to hear it! I did, too (still do).

I took this photo over the weekend while we were visiting my parents. I have such wonderful memories of Mom putting me up on that same counter and sitting there looking out that window with her, chatting about all sorts of things. Makes me so happy to see the two of them doing the same thing:

Lovely!

>84 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. I love the lighting in that one.

And here's this week's TBT. Just look at that happy wee thing:

He's a charmer, for sure! I love how he smiles with his eyes!

> #83 Great
photo- Charlie is a lucky kid to have all his grandparents and a good relationship with some. My son and I both missed that opportunity - cherish it.

>86 Crazymamie: Mamie: I know, right? He's been that way from Day One, really.

>87 Helenoel: Helen: I never knew any of mine, either.

Finished another little dress today; this one is a size 3T:

>83 scaifea: OMG - such a classic! Beautiful picture. Love the story. Love the half-silhouettes. Love the corn in the distance.

As for parents / grandparents, my folks are over at the moment. *sigh* I may be getting more like my dad as I get older - intractable and grumpy - and we do tend to clash with each other. But my mum's having a ball with the kids; every day she seems to pull something new for them out of her suitcase (I'm beginning to wonder if it'll be empty of everything by the time they go on to the next stage of their trip. All I got was a few old letters that went to their address for me.)

>90 humouress: Nina: Yep, I just happened to be there with my camera at the right moment, and I'm very glad I was. I suspect this will be one that Charlie will love having in the years to come.

436. A Pet for Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (public library book, picture book) - 8/10
Charlie was over the moon when we found a new Fly Guy book at the library. *sigh*

437. Home, Stinky Home by Melissa Lagonegro (public library book, easy reader) - 8/10
A Step Into Reading book about Lilo & Stitch. So of course we liked it!

>92 scaifea: Hey, that's the newest one, so if you have read all of the others, you should be off the hook, at least until he manages to write more! ;-)

>93 foggidawn: Then I am indeed off the hook! For, um, probably a couple of months. He seems awfully prolific, doesn't he? Ha!

Hi Amber, I love the dresses you are making, what a talented lady you are. The photo of Charlie and Grandma is absolutely gorgeous, hope you have all had a good day today my dear, love and hugs to you all.

>95 johnsimpson: Many thanks, John - I hope you're having a lovely day, too!

>83 scaifea: That is a BEAUTIFUL photo.

>97 PawsforThought: Thanks!

>97 PawsforThought: ditto. I love it. Definitely a keeper, worth enlarging and framing.
>85 scaifea: and that's adorable
>89 scaifea: those will sell like hotcakes!

>99 lauralkeet: Laura: Thanks!

>96 scaifea:, Hi Amber we have had a lovely day after a traumatic/dramatic start to the day (see my thread for full details) and are hoping to get a good nights sleep even though it is quite humid here after another gorgeous sunny day. I can just see Hannah in one of your dresses my dear, keep up the good work with all your sewing and knitting, you would be an ideal candidate for The Great British Sewing Bee programme that has been on recently and will be coming back for another series soon, Karen is very jealous of your sewing skills although she is a good knitter and is learning to crochet.

438. Late for School by Steve Martin (Charlie book, picture book) - 8/10
My mom gave this one to Charlie, and it's cute and funny, but a bit awkward to read, as it's apparently the lyrics to a song he wrote, set to illustrations (there's a cd of the song included, but we haven't listened to it yet).

On the agenda for today:
We're leaving for Minneapolis this evening (more on that below), so I need to pack today. And I'd also like to get my menu planning and grocery listing done today, so that it'll be all ready for me on Monday morning to go shopping (we'll be getting back home late on Sunday). Charlie and I will likely bake some cookies, some of which we'll take with us to snack on and some we'll leave here for the dog/cat/house sitter, who has a significant sweet tooth. And then the usual: some sewing (I'm excited to get started on another little shirt dress) and some reading and some hanging out with Charlie. We'll be eating dinner out tonight, somewhere between here and Minneapolis...

Originally we were going to be in Minneapolis for a week - Tomm's work was sending him to a conference up there and Charlie and I were going to tag along and explore the twin cities during the days. But then Tomm was put in charge of organizing a Gates Foundation grant portfolio - and given a very short timeline in which to complete it - and so the conference trip was canceled. But by that time, Charlie (and I) were so excited about the trip that we all decided to go up for the weekend at least anyway. The sad news is that the part of the trip that I was most looking forward to - meeting up with Morphy and possibly also Rachel, too - can't happen now. SAD. Someday, hopefully, we'll make another northwesterly journey, and which point my Morphy and Rachel Meetup dreams will come true...*sigh*...

Nothing much to report on the reading front - same old, same old. Forever Amber isn't just a clever name - it's taking this Amber for-friggin-ever to read this thing! Sheesh.

The calendar book for today is a nope for me - I don't do dog books: Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean. I'm curious, though (read: nosey) - anyone read this one? Thoughts?

Morning Amber! Have a nice time in the Twin Cities. Sorry the Meet-Up fell apart.

I have heard of Rin Tin Tin and heard it was very good. It's been on my WL.

>104 msf59: Morning, Mark! I know, right? Sad.
And I'll be interested to hear what you thing of Rin Tin Tin when you get round to it.

If I have to be stuck anywhere for eternity, I'll just be stuck with my husband.

Love the newest shirt dress. Nice work on matching those plaids. :) I've been sewing my first lined jacket, a corduroy number for my youngest. I have not made a lined jacket before and I have to say that even though the pattern instructions are total crap, I'm making plenty of a muddle of it on my own as well. Isn't it amazing that even though they are cut from the same pattern pieces, the jacket and its lining can turn out different sizes? Yeah. We'll see if I can un-muddle it tomorrow.

Hope your trip to Minneapolis is good. Too bad about the meet-ups.

>106 nittnut: Jenn: That's the beauty of these dresses - I didn't have to line up the plaids on my own - the already-made shirt did it for me...
Also, good luck with the jacket lining - I don't really consider any sewing project finished unless I've had to use my seam ripper at least once. *sigh*

Hi Amber! Stopping in to say hello!

I've always wanted to visit Minneapolis, and it's not that far from me, so I don't really know what I'm waiting for. Have fun!

>108 DorsVenabili: It's not that far from you? Well, then. Next time I get up there maybe you can join us in a meetup!

>109 scaifea: Deal! And I think Ms. Beth is around there somewhere too, so maybe we can drag her out of the house as well.

Such sweet Charlie pictures!

>110 DorsVenabili: Awesome!

>111 banjo123: Thanks!

Whelp, cookies are baked, bags are packed. Time for a little break, I think. Cookies, anyone (they're Chocolate Oat Chewies)?

Oh no! Sorry the meet-up isn't working out. But enjoy the rest of the trip.

Thanks, Nina.

Proud of myself: I managed only to pack 3 books for the weekend. And that took some inner strength, let me tell you.

E-book?

>117 humouress: Nina: *snork!* Nope. That would be cheating. Also, I don't have one.

>116 scaifea: I am duly impressed; last time I went away for four days, I think I took 8 books (and read 1.5 of them).

>116 scaifea: The ol' LT concern: Have I packed ENOUGH to read? What would I do if I runout?

>119 foggidawn: I read something someplace where the author complained some of his books should have their own frequent flyer miles....

Sending happy-weekend smoochings!

>116 scaifea: I'm doing the same thing getting ready to go away... the only time I will potentially have time to read is during the actual driving (4 hours each way), but nevertheless find myself wondering... if I bring the Kindle along with 5 books +2 from the library loaded on it, will I run out of reading material??

Hope you have a great trip, Amber! I'm going to be in Minnesota in a few weeks myself, though I don't know yet what day(s) I might be in the Minneapolis area 'cause it depends on my friend's work schedule. You'll have to tell me what to check out while I'm there! :)

>118 scaifea: Hmm. Birthday soon?

Oh, Tomm ...?

It looks like the weather will be decent for your visit this weekend. Be warned though - all the rain has given us a bumper crop of mosquitoes.

>119 foggidawn: foggi: If I were going to my parents', I would pack way more, but I know I won't have as much reading time this weekend. Still, I'm concerned that 3 won't be enough... I may have to reconsider...

>120 michigantrumpet: Marianne: I know, right? It's so wonderful to know that you all understand me. Ha!

>121 michigantrumpet: Marianne: Ha! (Not so) humble brag, much?

>122 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

>123 bell7: Mary: I know, right?!
We'll be spending most of the weekend at the Mall of America, I suspect. And possibly the free zoo, weather permitting. You should talk to Morphy, who lives there - she has the inside scoop on what to do and where.

>124 humouress: Nina: Yes, I have a birthday coming up, but I honestly don't want a ereader. I'm a old fashioned kind of gal.

>125 Oberon: Erik: I *knew* there was another one of us stationed up there, but couldn't place who it was! It's you! Dang. Another LTer I'd love to meet but can't this weekend. *sigh*
Oh, and yeah, I'm not looking forward to the bugs, although if I have my way we won't be outside much. Ha!

>126 scaifea: Oh yes, I'm planning on asking Morphy too...actually, I was kind of hoping I could fit in a mini meetup, but again I'm pretty much waiting on my friend's work schedule since I'm actually staying with his family a couple hours away from the cities so I might not really know what I'm doing 'til the last minute.

>126 scaifea: To be honest, I prefer physical books, too, but my Christmas present last year was a Kindle - with the corollary from my husband that I stop buying physical books.(Didn't quite work, though.)

It does save on packing, and I stick to books that I really want that have deals on, so it hasn't hit the wallet too hard (yet).

I'm so glad to be amongst people who understand taking an extra, empty suitcase on long trips simply to have something in which to put the books we buy.

>128 bell7: Mary: Oooh, it'll be hard for me not to be jealous if you get to meet up with Morphy...

>129 humouress: Nina: Ha! Tomm knows better than to pull a 'deal' like that - it'd never work.

>130 AuntieClio: Stephanie: I don't tend to buy too many books while on vacation - my problem is pretty much just limiting the number of books I pack to take with me.

Well ... there was no deal made... So you can't blame me if it doesn't work. *whistles innocently*

>127 scaifea: Forgot me already. I am crushed.

It saddens me to hear that your itinerary consists of the Mall of America. Go out to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts or the Science Museum of Minnesota - something better than than the MOA. The Guthrie is showing My Fair Lady (we are going Sunday night)

Oh yeah - take Charlie to the Wild Rumpus http://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/

>132 humouress: Nina: Ha!

>133 Oberon: Erik: I didn't forget! I remembered that someone was up there - I was just temporarily confused as to which of us it was...
Also, it saddens me that it saddens you that we're going to the Mall of America. It has indoor mini golf (which Charlie loves) and a Lego store (which we all love). Were we to have been there for the whole week, as originally planned, we would have included trips to both zoos and the 2-3 bookshops that I found online - including the Rumpus. Charlie doesn't do well yet at museums and I'm not ready to take him to a live play yet, either. There will be plenty of time for those and other 'culture' in the next few years.

>77 scaifea:: Amber, I think I love the idea of apricot jam in chicken salad. Guess I'll have to try it out to know for sure. And to think such yummy things are in a Sesame Street cookbook!

>83 scaifea:: Absolutely precious...as is this one ->85 scaifea::

Have fun on your weekend jaunt. The Mall of America will be such fun for Charlie.

Those cookies look so unbelievably amazing. *Drools*

>136 Donna828: Donna: The apricot jam makes the chicken salad so tasty! I love curry spice mixed with fruit. I hope you like it, too!

>137 Ape: Stephen: They are good and very easy to make; chocolate cake mix, oats, coconut and egg, and that's pretty much it.

Good morning from sunny Minneapolis! We got in pretty late last night and slept in a bit this morning for a leisurely start to the day. The drive up, which was honestly one of the reasons for making the trip, was gorgeous - we followed the river up and took winding back roads. We're relaxing over breakfast in our room for awhile, then we'll head over to the mall, which is just across the street from us, for Lego browsing and mini golfing, and then find some place for lunch before heading back here for pool time (for Tomm and Charlie) and poolside reading (for me). I love these no-big-plans, lazy weekend mini-holidays!

*waves* Glad you made it safely! I love scenic drives on road trips... it definitely adds to the experience. Have a wonderful weekend!

>140 dk_phoenix:. Thanks, Faith!

Enjoy your weekend! I've been to two conferences in the Twin Cities and I enjoyed both of my visits. Lots to see and do.

I love the photo of Charlie and your mom. I'm sure it will always trigger very special memories.

Hi Amber! I love your stack of books! Puts my little mantle to shame!

Since our latest trip, I'm all into the baby steps of our nation. I've pulled Mayflower and 1776 off my book shelf and ordered books on our first 3 Presidents. Not that it's a challenge or anything like that but I would like to read at least 1 book on each US President. They all have great stories to tell and we can learn so much from each of them, even Zachery Taylor.

Have a super-duper weekend!

*whimpers pathetically* You're just so close!

I wouldn't worry too much about buying books. All MOA has is a Barnes & Noble. Yawners.

Charlie should also like the indoor amusement park, Nickelodean Universe. Even just walking through it and seeing the rides should be fun for him. Do NOT go to any of the exhibits like Star Trek. Far too much money for far too little entertainment. Do check out the Build-a-Bear workshop. Do not go into it if you don't have the money though! A basic bear costs $12 to $25 plus clothes and such.

For dinner, try Rainforest Cafe. It's pricey and the line is long, but Charlie will love the experience with the fish tanks, "storms," and steam that rolls through the "jungle." It's quite the experience.

Another idea: Picnic at Minnehaha Park and waterfall, with a walk down to the river following the creek downstream for just under a mile or so. It's reachable via light rail from MOA and the light rail is free for Charlie. The waterfall is amazing right now because of all the rain we've had.

This is probably all too late. But maybe helpful for tonight and tomorrow!

Ooh, Morphy; you make Minneapolis sound tempting. Other than various maritime states on both coasts, I haven't really explored the interior of the US of A. I've been to San Antonio and Chicago, tagging along with my husband when he went on work, and Vermont for the Fall, but that's about it.

>142 cbl_tn: Hi, Carrie! We're not doing a whole lot on this trip, but I'm sure I'll be back up here someday for more.

>143 Carmenere: Lynda: I'm. Really looking forward to 1776, and I've really been enjoying reading through the presidential biographies, even though I'm pretty slow it it. I'm working on Andrew Jackson now. I've learned so much!

>144 Morphidae: Morphy: we didn't even venture into the B&N. We had a great time today, though. The mini golf was a hoot, and parts of the course had excellent views of the roller coasters, and Charlie really enjoyed watching those, although none of us had any desire to ride them (we didn't even go into the amusement park at all). The Lego store was a hoot, and we ate lunch not at the rain forest place but at Kokomo's I think it was called? It was decorated cheesily but fun and the food was pretty good. We happily found a nice sale going on in the Lindt shop - 100 truffles for $25. So, yeah, we've got a nice supply of chocolate for awhile.

>145 humouress: Hi, Nina!

Sounds like you're having a great weekend away, Amber. Have the 3 books proved sufficient so far?

Amber--Hope you have a great time in Mpls, even though the meetup is a no-go. My kids love the Rainforest Cafe and even though they now range in age from 14 to 21, we still have to go have lunch there whenever we visit the relatives. Happy memories. The good news for me about Kindles is less strain on the writs, but frankly I still like my real books, with the book covers, and different weight pages and fonts. But for VKs, the Kindle makes it way easier to bring lots of reading options. Have fun!

>147 MickyFine: Micky: The three leaned more toward superfluous rather than sufficient - I didn't even finish one!

>148 Berly: Kim: Thanks - we did have a lovely time.

Whelp, back home now and all unpacked. On our way back, we stopped at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Pepin, WI, which was small but fun. Charlie loved Little House in the Big Woods and was fascinated that we were at the very spot where it took place. Lake Pepin is beautiful and our drive home was populated with all sorts of pretty little towns right on the river and the lake. In fact, we've decided that we'd like to try and make it back up to Pepin sometime this fall, as there is a beautiful little winery there and we'd love to see the lake when the trees are all turning.

>4 michigantrumpet: Jonathan Franzen? (say it ain't so)

My hellmate would be NZs current Prime Minister, John Key. His smarminess would wear me down down down....I don't think I would be anyones hellmate, I can shut up when I know I am not in demand :)

Mini golf sounds fun! I have played with the kids before and they got so excited when I warned them not to put the ball into the dinosaurs mouth on the last hole- it swallows the ball for good!- that they all rushed there and put their balls in. The End.

>151 LovingLit: Megan: I've met Franzen; he's really not at all a nice guy.
We love mini golf - so, so fun.

439. Fire Truck to the Rescue! by Sonia Sander (public library book, easy reader) - 8/10
A Lego City easy reader book. Not much there, of course, but Charlie enjoyed it and is getting better at picking up words on his own.

440. Duck for President by Doreen Cronin (public library book, picture book) - 8/10
The last of the Duck books for us, I think, at least for a while. They're okay, but not anything fantastic.

So behind :)
Mini- holiday sounds lovely!
Copying down the chicken salad recipe way back at >77 scaifea:

Very cute photos of Charlie, and those Choc Oatmeal cookies look a bit like an old family recipe my mother learned from my paternal grandmother. You're making me hungry!

>154 nittnut: Jenn: Oh, do try the chicken salad - it's so tasty!

>155 cammykitty: Katie: I usually don't like coconut, but I do in these cookies!

On the agenda for today:
Tomm is off on a last-minute business trip to Chicago, so it'll just be Charlie and I through Thursday. It's work-through-the-bills-stack day, then we'll go grocery shopping. I need to call the vet today, too, I think - Susie seemed to have been doing well, but she's now losing weight again and the vomiting has started back up. So we'll see what happens. After all of that I'm not sure that I'll get much time for the sewing room or the rocking chair with my book, but here's hoping.
On the reading front: The end is finally in sight with Forever Amber. Maybe in the next couple of days? Sheesh.

Today's calendar book: The Light between the Oceans by M. L. Stedman. Sounds like it might be pretty interesting - a couple who tend a lighthouse in love but unable to have children when a dead man and a living baby wash ashore... Anyone read this one?

>157 scaifea: I read The Light Between Oceans last year and rated it ****. My recollection is that it was a bit tedious at times, but overall a great piece of historical fiction set in Australia.

>158 LoisB: Lois: Thanks for that - I think I may add it to the wishlist...

It is an absolutely *gorgeous* day out there! 75F and sunny, with the loveliest cool breeze... *happy sigh* Charlie and I went for a wonderfully lazy and slow walk and I've opened up all the windows to let that amazing breeze in the house.

On a less amazing note, Susie has started up with the vomiting again, and she's losing ground weight-wise again, too. So, Charlie and I stopped by they vet and they suggest an x-ray, for which we'll take her in tomorrow morning. I'm not nearly so nervous about taking her into the office now that I know how patient and gentle they are with her, but I am nervous that this may indeed be the beginning of the end. We'll see how it goes...

>160 scaifea: Crossing my fingers for Susie. :(

I am soooo far behind with your threads, Amber! I love the little dress and drooled over the chocolate oat chewies. I also have my fingers crossed for Susie.

>160 scaifea: Sorry Susie's poorly again. Our Callie has had trouble with vomiting and weight loss for about a year now (she's 13+ years old--we don't know for sure). The vet can't find anything wrong. Just recently she suggested a long-acting steroid shot (lasts 4-6 weeks). It's supposed to reduce any GI tract inflammation that might be present and causing upset. We've been having some luck with it. Callie's gone from a serious vomiting attack every 3-4 days without fail to putting together 3+ weeks with no vomiting. Might be something to ask about. (The downside, of course, being a trip to the vet every month for the shot.) *Hugs* for you and *gentle pets* for Susie.

I'm sorry about the sickly Susie. Hope she feels better soon.

I've been away from your thread for so long, Amber, that you have upped sticks and gone to Minnesota and back in the meantime. Glad your trip was fun, and very sorry to hear that Susie is poorly again. I'm sending all my most positive kitty vibes her way for tomorrow's vet appt.

>161 RosyLibrarian: Thanks, Marie - me, too.

>162 lkernagh: Lori: Thanks, thanks and thanks!

>163 lycomayflower: Laura: Hm, thanks for the tip - I'll see what the vet says and I may ask about that.

>164 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy.

>166 scaifea: Hi, Julia! Thanks for the good vibes.

441. The Lost Stars by Hannah Cumming (public library book, picture book) - 7/10
The stars get fed up with all of the light pollution in the world and are tired of being unappreciated, so they go on vacation, until a group of children seek them out and persuade them to return.
Too preachy for my tastes, although the illustrations are nice.

442. Pedro's Burro by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (public library book, beginning reader) - 8/10
Pedro and his Papa go to the market to find a new burro, but the new burro finds them instead.
Simple but sweet.

Tomm - aka The Best Husband Ever - gave me the most wonderful early birthday present today: he just called to tell me that he talked to his parents and convinced them that he'll simply have too much work to do the weekend that they were planning on visiting and he may even need to make a last-minute business trip then, so it would be best for them to come a couple of weekends later. And they bought it. So now I have an in-law free birthday to look forward to! WOOHOO!!!

Oh wow! That is fantastic news, Amber! That Tomm is indeed The Best Husband Ever. What a guy.

>169 rosalita: I know, right?! And he's handsome, too!
*does her best lucky-gal-happy-birthday-girl dance*

Way to go Tomm. Such a clever man!!!

>168 scaifea: YAY!! And GO Tomm!

Whoop!

>168 scaifea: Woo-hoo!

Best wishes to Susie.

>171 lauralkeet: Laura: Well, is *is* an astro-physicist by training...

>172 richardderus: Richard: YAY-ing right there with you!

>173 katiekrug: Katie: Thanks for the Whoop!

>174 humouress: I know, right?! And thanks for the Susie wishes.

On the agenda for today:
We'll be taking Susie to the vet's office this morning, and the rest of the day sort of depends on what happens there. If all goes well, then we'll head down to Dubuque this afternoon for some school shoes shopping. And I haven't been in the sewing room for a few days and would love to get in there to start on a new little dress, too. We'll see. Dinner tonight: Chili Mac!
On the reading front: Still chugging along with Forever Amber. Only 50ish more pages to go!

Last night I made one of my favorite pork chop recipes - simple and very tasty (and one of the only meats I can get Charlie to eat!): Brown 4 thick-cut pork chops on all sides in a large skillet. Top each with a slice of lemon, a green pepper ring and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix together 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup chili sauce, then spoon the mixture evenly over the pork chops. Cover tightly and simmer 45 minutes.

The calendar book for today: Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India by Joseph Lelyveld. I've not yet read a biography of Gandhi, but I'd like to some day. Anyone read this one? Is it a good one? Other recommendations?

>157 scaifea: The Light Between the Oceans. Didn't love it. So many things bugged me. Just my little opinion. :)

>177 nittnut: Jenn: Hmm... Good to know. Thanks!

Morning Amber! It looks like a nice day. I just hope any rain, holds off until late.

I've had The Light between the Oceans saved on audio for ages. Despite the mixed reviews, I would still like to give it a shot.

>179 msf59: Mark: I'll definitely be interested to hear what you think of it when you get round to listening.

>168 scaifea: You have a keeper!

>181 Morphidae: Morphy: I sure do!

>77 scaifea: Oh, that chicken salad recipe looks good. And, I'm now on the look out for the cookbook. Thanks!

>183 Whisper1: Linda: You're welcome! I hope you find the cookbook - I bet those little neighbors of yours would have a grand time with it...

Way to go, Tomm! Now you can fully enjoy your birthday, Amber. Good man.

Keeping my fingers crossed for Susie. Go Tomm!

>168 scaifea: Amber, oh frabjous joy! That's wonderful!

What a lovely husband you have my dear, posted a photo of my meet up with Barbara. Love and hugs to you all.

>185 jnwelch: Joe: I know! I actually can look forward to my birthday now, instead of dread it!

>186 luvamystery65: Roberta: Details on Susie below. And go, Tomm, indeed!

>187 AuntieClio: Stephanie: It sure is!

>188 johnsimpson: John: I'm a lucky lady, for certain. I'll be over shortly to oogle at the photo!

Susie Update:

Well, they took some x-rays and the vet said that he is, in all honestly, completely puzzled. The stomach doesn't look like it should look, but he doesn't know why it looks the way it does (apparently, in short, it looks full of food when it really shouldn't) and there's also a spot near her lungs that he has no idea what it is. He said that if I really wanted, they could refer us to Madison for an ultrasound, but he also wholeheartedly agreed with me when I said that I didn't want to put her through the long drive and extra stress, plus he also warned me that there was no guarantee that those results would be any more conclusive. Instead we're going to try a course of antibiotics and see how it goes.
I can't state enough how much I appreciate the kindness and thoughtfulness and caring nature of our vet's office. Everyone who works there is wonderful, and I'm so happy that we've found such a great vet. Hopefully the medicine will help...

443. (72nd non-picture book read this year) Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor (Banned Books list, 652 pages) - 6/10
Follows Amber, an illegitimate child born from noble parents in 1644 from her rural, peasant upbringing to her adventures in London as she becomes a mistress, a prisoner in Newgate, a thief, an actress and finally a duchess and the mistress of King Charles II.
Blech. If this is what historical romances are, then thankyounothankyou. Awful. Just downright wretched. It was famously banned on sexual grounds, but honestly should have been burned for crimes against the written word. Ridiculous, meandering plot, annoying-at-best characters, mediocre writing. Read Fanny Hill, Moll Flanders or even Gone with the Wind instead and skip right on over this tripe.

so sorry about Susie! On a good note, I had a dog who had an "internal problem". I made the same decision that you did. It was not worth the stress, anxiety, and money to go through extensive diagnostics. We treated her with antibiotics and she lived another 3 years.

On a more somber note, have you thought about how you will explain this to Charlie when the time comes to say goodbye to Susie? You might want to give it some thought - he seems to be such a caring child that it may be very difficult for him.

>192 LoisB: Lois: I've given it tons and tons of thought, and I think I've got a plan for how to talk to him about it. I would love to be able to put that particular conversation off for another year or so at least, though, for lots of reasons, including the fact that I'd like to dovetail into it an introduction to the idea of religions and faiths for him (and I'm not convinced that he's at the right level of being capable of understanding just yet).

>193 scaifea: Let's hope you have many more yeas with Susie. After we lost Daisy, our last dog, my husband decide that he could not go through the agony of losing a pet again, so we have been dogless since then.

>168 scaifea: woohoo! Now let's just hope the in-laws aren't internet users ;)

So Franzen is an ass, is he? Disappointing.

Sorry to hear about Susie :(

>194 LoisB: Lois: Oh, that's sad. I'm sorry he feels that way. Yes, it's so very hard to lose a pet, but the exchange of love and affection and warmth throughout the years we have with them far outweighs the sadness, I think.

>195 LovingLit: Megan: They are, but not so much so that they'd find this discussion. And if so, *shrug.*
And yes, a complete ass.

It's frustrating not to get a definite diagnosis for Susie, but on the other hand at least it isn't something obviously difficult to treat. I hope the antibiotics have the old girl purring again soon!

That Tomm....good doesn't begin to describe it. I'm just thinking if this were my parents, or even my husband's parents back in the day, all we'd have had to say was "that's not a good weekend for us, how about 2 weeks from then?" No explanations would have been necessary. Sorry Tomm didn't get that kind.

Sending more good thoughts for Susie's health.

And I'm definitely going to try cooking pork chops that way. Sounds yummy. So, you're raising a preferential vegetarian, eh? Not a bad thing!

>197 rosalita: Thanks, Julia - I hope so, too!

>198 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Sorry doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about having this particular set of in-laws...
And, yes, preferential vegetarian is just about right. He'll eat chicken sometimes, and he does like smoked sausage and also pork chops, but nothing else. I'm not complaining, though, since he'll happily eat every fruit and vegetable on his plate every time, and I supplement his diet with plenty of proteins such as peanut butter and various cheeses, so I know he's getting a well-balanced mix of things. I'd much rather he be finicky about the meats than about the fruits and vegetables, although sometimes I think that if he didn't look so much like me I'd have to question whether he was possibly a changeling, since his natural eating habits are so much more healthy than mine! Ha!

444. Suki the Very Loud Bunny by Carmela & Steven D'Amico (public library book, picture book) - 8/10
Suki is an unusually loud and adventurous bunny, which tends to get her into trouble, but when she gets lost, her natural loudness serves her well.
Cute and funny.

445. Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim (public library book, picture book) - 9/10
A clever and funny twist to the classic story. Neat illustrations.

Thanks for the Susie update, I was thinking about you both today. I think I would have made the same call about the ultrasound. I hope the meds help.

Amber, I keep my fingers crossed that everything goes well for Susie.

199: You'll have to do what every mother has to do eventually. Be sneaky about it and hide meat in his favorite vegetables...

Wow, it feels weird just TYPING that. :P

>201 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura.

>202 Ameise1: Barbara: Thanks - here's hoping...

>203 Ape: Stephen: *snork!*

On the agenda for today:
It's Wednesday, so Library Day! Woot! Story Time for Charlie this morning. Otherwise hopefully a quiet day at home - a bit of cleaning, maybe some baking (Honey Cake), hopefully some sewing and reading. Spaghetti for dinner tonight, as requested by The Charld.

Today's calendar book: Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz. A wife drowns in an ice-covered pond while the husband is away fighting in WWI and when he returns he blames the sister... Is this a murder mystery or just a dramatic novel? Can't tell for certain from the blurb. Anyone read this one?

Happy Hump Day, Amber! Looks like our lovely weather continues...swoons. I remember not caring much for Drowning Ruth.

>206 msf59: Morning, Mark! Okay, so one nay vote for the Schwarz...

>205 scaifea: I have that book in my TBR piles, Amber. I think I grabbed it at a library sale, and my impression is that it's trying o be a "literary mystery", if you know what I mean.

I really hope the antibiotics work for Susie. Having been through the whole sick cat thing recently myself you have all my sympathies.

Hope library day was thoroughly enjoyable. :)

Oh, dear, I hope Susie responds to the medication!

And wonderful news about your birthday!!!

>209 MickyFine: >210 ronincats: Micky & Roni: Thanks - she seems not to mind taking the medicine, so that's a good first step...

446. (73rd non-picture book read this year) The Girl in the Leaves by Robert Scott (Summer Book Bingo Challenge, 306 pages) - 7/10

Suki the Very Loud Bunny is one of those titles that makes me go *hmmmmm*

*smooch*

>190 scaifea: Big ol' hair ball?

>191 scaifea: I still say you are overly generous with your ratings! A book with a review like that would have gotten 3 or 4 out of 10 from me. A 6 is a decent but nothing to write home about read for me! :D

>194 LoisB: My husband doesn't want another after our current dog either. He says it about all the care and maintenance. I have to wonder though if it's because it will be our third dog. It is incredibly painful. But I don't know how I'd live without a dog. Our dogs do keep getting smaller though! 70 pounds to 25 pounds to 10 pounds!

Hi There

Hang on to that dear precious kittie. It sounds like your vet is wonderful. Ours is as well. When Simon awoke and was bleeding and we rushed him to the vet, he encouraged me to pursue the animal hospital. Stating that if it wasn't cancer, when they removed the mass, Simon would have a 50/50 chance. Knowing how fond the vet was of Simon, it came clear to me when, as Will was rushing with Simon in his arms and we were leaving, the vet had tears in his eyes and said "Linda, remember 50/50!"

I'm sorry about the in laws. Things have been much better in our relationship and in the house since the BIG fiasco three Christmas' ago. I refuse to see Will's cousin and Aunt. They are toxic. I put up with them for 12 years too many. I hate that you still have to struggle with those in law savages.

>213 richardderus: Thanks for the smooch, Richard!

>214 Morphidae: Morphy: My ratings are grades, really. That book was definitely a D (60% = 6/10). An F (5 or below) would mean that the book was unintelligible, which this one wasn't.
And yeah, it's painful. I'm leaning toward not getting another cat because Susie is just it for me and I can't imagine having another. Dogs are a different story, though; if I had my heart's desire, we'd live out in the country with a ginormous yard and have multiple dogs romping all round the place.

>215 Whisper1: Linda: I feel that way about our vet, too (both of them) - they really love their patients and care for them deeply. That matters.
The in-laws are, well, my in-laws and there's not a lot I can do about it, but it does help that we live a few states away now, and clearly Tomm is in my corner (otherwise the marriage would not work!).

>216 scaifea: Ah, so you really don't use the full 1 through 10. It's more like you use a 1 - 5 scale with a 1 (5/10) being an F and an A being a 5 (10/10). Now I get it.

Fingers still crossed for Susie, but it sounds like things are looking up.

Maybe we should set up a separate in-law thread where we can gossip-rant without infecting people who are married into normal families. ;0)

>218 Morphidae: Morphy: Yep, that's pretty much it. But on very rare occasions I do dip below the 5.

>219 humouress: Nina: Yep, here's hoping the medicine works for her.
Ha! I don't need a separate thread - this one's my party/thread and I'll grouse about my in-laws if I want to!

447. Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems (public library book, easy reader) - 9/10
Elephant and Piggie, again. Adorable and hilarious, again.

448. Big Egg by Molly Coxe (public library book, beginning reader) - 8/10
Not much story here, but what is there is cute. Picked this one up for the Charlie readability and he did really well!

>220 scaifea: Yes, it's your thread. But every time you mention something, I immediately think of 2 or 3 things I could say, but I can't put them all down, and hijack your thread. Besides, what would everyone else think of me? ;0)

>222 humouress: Nina: *snork!* Well, you're always welcome to PM me if you need a sympathetic ear, so to speak...

I hear you! By the way, has Charlie read the 2001 Caldecott honor winner Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type? If not, I highly recommend it.

My scale is more like this:

10 - A+
9 - A
8 - B+
7 - B
6 - B-
5 - C
4 - C-
3 - D
2 - F
1 - no grade exists this low

See where the confusion lies? :D

>224 Whisper1: Linda: Ha!! I just posted over on your thread about the Cronin books! Charlie does like them very much.

>225 Morphidae: Morphy: You scale makes better use of the numbers, but I'm afraid I just can't get away from my old grading habits. I thinks it's pretty hilarious and adorable (hildorable, as I like to call it) that you pay so close attention to my ratings. I didn't think anyone would care that much about them! Love it.

I do! I do! I especially look for the 10s and 6s.

>228 Morphidae: Morphy: Maybe I'll start adding the letter grade along with the number...?

>229 scaifea: Nah. I got it now!

>223 scaifea: Appreciate the loan of your ear, but I'm fine, thanks (I'll struggle on, somehow ...). I've pretty much made it clear I want nothing to do with them, so I only get dragged over there on occasions like their birhtdays, and only have to suffer them coming to my house ... well, more often than I'd like, but maybe only once or twice a year.

They did use to live overseas, but moved here a couple of years ago, so on the one hand, there are more family get-togethers but on the other, they've got their own place and they don't have to stay in my house (which is a huge issue for me. My husband's sister lives with her parent - whole other story - and she goes out of her way to annoy me). And there you go - I've taken over your thread, and I haven't even got started.

ETA post number. What's this huge flurry of activity here?

>228 Morphidae: 10s I understand. Why 6s?

>231 humouress: Nina: It sounds like you're in a very similar situation to mine. It's not easy, but it could be worse, eh?

Truly. *sigh*

Hi, Amber! Just catching up after my wild and crazy week.

Love the Charlie topper, and >83 scaifea: just makes me smile!

I really get both sides of the in-law question: I divorced my first husband in part because of his mother and his wimpy attitude toward her meanness toward me; I stayed with my second husband a lot longer than I would have if his mother hadn't been as wonderful as she was.

I don't understand why anyone would want to be mean to the spouse of their child and mother/father of their grandchild(ren). Don't they realize how much more family fun they'd have if they made it pleasant to be around them?

>235 Storeetllr: Mary: I've stopped trying to suss out the in-laws' particular brand of logic long ago.

On the agenda for today:
For the first time in what seems like a long time, Charlie and I are having a Stay-At-Home day. A little cleaning, some laundry, some baking (Honey Whole Wheat Bread and possibly also some Butterscotch Blondies), some sewing, hopefully some reading. If the bread turns out well, we'll likely take a loaf over to our neighbors, The Ladies, who share a hearty and mutual affection for Charlie. It's been a spell since we've visited them and I'm ready for a good chitchat with them. Tomm gets home today, so I suspect I'll be answering the "How much longer til Daddy gets home?" question fairly frequently, too. Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner, I think.
On the reading front: I'm working on the Andrew Jackson biography now, which seems pretty readable so far.

The calendar book today is a YA novel: Reckless by Cornelia Funke. I know I've seen that name in blue round these parts somewhere - thoughts on this one? The blurb says it's about two brothers who follow their father through a mirror into another, strange world. Um, why not just read Lewis Carroll, then? Anyone want to defend Funke here?

>237 scaifea: - Amber - I just want you to know that I wholeheartedly admire your pro-soup in summer position. I'm with you on that one. Such a wonderful food, all in one pot! Who could ask for more?

Best wishes to Susie and her treatment.

>238 DorsVenabili: Kerri: Yes! I know a lot of people think I'm strange for making soups in summer, but we just love them too much to limit them only to the cooler months. In fact, we usually have some sort of soup every week. Also, it's not as if this summer has been at all hot - it's July 31 and the high temperature for today is forecast as 73?! Not that I'm complaining...

>237 scaifea: I've read several books by Funke, but not that one.

We eat soup all summer and drink iced tea all winter. Nothing strange about it! And what's this talk above about "normal" families? As my mother likes to say, (quoting somebody or other, I'm sure) "The whole world's strange, except me and thee...and sometimes I wonder about thee!"

>237 scaifea: I'm reading Reckless by Priscilla West. It's about a woman who becomes a Tour Accountant for a rock band (I didn't know there was such a role!). anyway, it's an entirely different book and I'm still undecided about its rating.

>240 foggidawn: foggi: Do you like her other stuff?

>241 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Ha! I agree with you on the 'normal' business.

>242 LoisB: Lois: Interesting... You know, I've sometimes thought that it might be a hoot to track down different books with the same title, read them in a row and compare.

>232 humouress:

#1 To know what to avoid
#2 The amusement factor

>244 Morphidae: Ah.

>237 scaifea: drachenbraut put Cornelia Funke's Inkheart on my TBR. I haven't managed to get around to it yet, though, but I have seen it around a lot.

>227 scaifea: The very different (and completely valid) ways that people use the ratings scale is why I never pay much attention to other people's ratings. I know even for myself I can be pretty inconsistent with how I rate books.

>245 humouress: Nina: Yes, I've seen that one mentioned a lot here, too.

>246 rosalita: Julia: That's why I'm considering including a letter grade, too. It may help explain my ratings a bit more.

The new thread is up!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/178553

>246 rosalita: I have a rubric (side effect of being a TA for three years) for rating books, so my ratings are internally fairly consistent, but I totally understand that they don't mean much to anybody else. Particularly since I don't think I've ever explained the rubric publicly.

>249 casvelyn: Ah, rubrics! Love 'em!

>243 scaifea: I like Funke's books well enough, but do not love them. My favorite so far has been Ghost Knight.

>251 foggidawn: foggi: Noted. Thanks for the info!

Brief comment before moving over to next thread: As far as I'm concerned, "normal" is highly overrated!

>253 Storeetllr: Mary: Agreed!