Mamie's 2015 Madness (page 2)

My name is Mamie, and I love to read. That’s why we’re all here, right? This is my fourth year in the 75ers. Let’s see, what do you need to know about me? I like to take each day as it comes. I believe in kindness, in being gentle with people’s hearts. I think that words are powerful, so I would ask that you use them carefully on my thread. And I love to laugh.

About two years ago my husband and I packed up our Indiana born and raised family and moved to the Deep South, where macaroni and cheese is a vegetable, shopping carts are called buggies, and winter is just a breath of cold air. We wanted to sit on the back deck and look at the pecan trees, so we bought a house in Georgia where we could do just that. As I was a new 75er at the time, our moving adventures were a big part of my first thread, which is how our place got its name. Paul christened it the Pecan Paradisio, and that name has held true.

My reading is eclectic; I will read almost anything, but I avoid self-help like the plague. Not sure what that says about me. I read more fiction than non-fiction, and I tend to run home to Momma with rereads of old favorites and crime fiction when I can’t decide what to read next. I love discovering new authors, and I have slowly been dipping into new to me genres such as space opera and steampunk. I am learning the art of listening to audiobooks, and I have ventured into the landscapes of graphic novels. One thing about this group is that they are excellent with making recommendations. You will be better read than you ever imagined if you follow their advice.

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January Reads: (8 books)

1. Dead and Gone by Charline Harris (reread, 9th in the Sookie Stackhouse series), ROOT ebook
2. Walking Shadow by Robert B. Parker (21st in the Spenser series), library ebook (3 stars)
3. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, 2014 acquired ebook (4.5 stars)
4. The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel (3.75 stars), library hardback
5. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers (4 stars), 2014 acquired audiobook
6. King Lear by William Shakespeare (5 stars), 2015 acquired audiobook
7. Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch (4 stars), 2015 acquired audiobook
8. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman (3.25 stars), 2014 acquired ebook

Those of you who know me well know that while I love to plan and make lists, I then feel completely free to drop everything and just read what I want. The exception to that is if I told you that I would read something with you; I like to honor those commitments.

January Possibilities:

For Mark’s AAC:
The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers, 2014 acquired audiobook (#22) COMPLETED
Reflections in a Golden Eye by Carson McCullers, 2014 acquired paperback (#19)

*If you have not yet read this author, I highly recommend The Heart is a Lonely Hunter – one of my top reads from last year

For Paul’s BAC:
Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively, 2014 acquired ebook (#15)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, requested from library (#10), recommended by Kim

For Jacqui’s ANZAC:
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, library hardback (#2) - library copy had to be returned as someone else had requested it. THE NERVE!

For projects with friends here on LT:
The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman, 2014 acquired ebook (#22) COMPLETED
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, ROOT ebook , this will be a reread

Other prospects:
Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth (#4), 2014 acquired ebook, shared read with Ilana
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (#3), ROOT paperback, this will be a reread, shared read with Ilana
A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O’Nan (#9), requested from library, recommended by Mark
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (#15), 2014 acquired ebook COMPLETED
The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel, library hardback, recommended by Mark COMPLETED
The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh, 2013 hardback, gift from Benita
King Lear by William Shakespeare, 2015 acquired audiobook (followed along with PDF of play), shared read with Suz COMPLETED

TIOLI

There are loads of challenges running this year, and I intend to participate when my own shelves and the local library can provide a book AND when I feel like it. Those of you who participated in Mark’s AAC last year know that I was tainted, not pure. I’m fine with this. I love tainted. I want the challenges to a source of fun, not a source of stress, so I will take things one month at a time and see what happens. This space is just to help me keep track of those challenges.

Just a listing of what's already on my own shelves that I have not yet read:

Mark's AAC 2015:
January - Carson McCullers - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (audio) COMPLETED, Reflections of a Golden Eye
February - Henry James-
March - Richard Ford
April - Louise Erdrich-
May - Sinclair Lewis- Main Street, Babbitt
June - Wallace Stegner-
July - Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness, Worlds of Exile and Illusion
August - Larry McMurtry- Lonesome Dove
September - Flannery O' Connor- A Good Man is Hard to Find, Everything that Rises Must Converge (audio)
October - Ray Bradbury-The Halloween Tree, The Illustrated Man
November - Barbara Kingsolver- The Bean Trees
December - E.L. Doctorow-

Paul's BAC 2015:

January :
Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go (requested from library)
February :
Sarah Waters
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited (audio/ebook)
March :
Daphne Du Maurier - Rebecca
China Mieville - The City & the City
April :
Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
W. Somerset Maugham
May :
Margaret Drabble
Martin Amis
June :
Beryl Bainbridge - Every Man for Himself
Anthony Burgess - Malayan Trilogy
July :
Virginia Woolf - I have her complete canon and have only read Mrs. Dalloway
B.S. Johnson
August :
Iris Murdoch - A Word Child, The Italian Girl
Graham Greene - Our Man in Havana, The End of the Affair (audio)
September :
Andrea Levy
Salman Rushdie
October :
Helen Dunmore - The Siege
David Mitchell - Cloud Atlas
November :
Muriel Spark
William Boyd - Brazzaville Beach, A Good Man in Africa
December :
Hilary Mantel
P.G. Wodehouse - Piccadilly Jim
Thirteenth Month :
Bernice Rubens - A Five Year Sentence
Aldous Huxley - Brave New World

Jacqui's ANZAC for 2015

Australia

January- Richard Flanagan - The Narrow Road to the Deep North (requested from library)
February-Cate Kennedy
March-Michelle De Kretser
April-Roger McDonald
May-Christina Stead
June-Kim Scott
July-Peter Carey
August-Helen Garner
September-Ruth Park
October-Robert Hughes
November-Kerry Greenwood - Flying Too High
December-Matthew Reilly

New Zealand

January-Fiona Kidman - In a Clear Light (requested from library)
February-Maurice Shadbolt
March-Elizabeth Knox
April-Alan Duff
May-Katherine Mansfield
June-Witi Ihimaera
July-Lloyd Jones
August-Keri Hulme - The Bone People
September-Michael King
October-Patricia Grace
November-Ngaio Marsh
December-Paul Cleave

Navajo Mystery(Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project Navajo Mystery/Longmire Project

January - The Blessing Way COMPLETED
February - The Cold Dish
March - Dance Hall of the Dead
April - Death Without Company
May - Listening Woman
June - Kindness Goes Unpunished
July - People of Darkness
August - Another Man's Moccasins
September - The Dark Wind
October - The Dark Horse
November - The Ghostway
December - Junkyard Dogs

Patricia Briggs Group Read

MT = Mercy Thompson series
AO = Alpha and Omega series
WM = World of the Marrok

Here's our tentative schedule:

January: Moon Called MT
February: Blood Bound MT and Alpha and Omega AO (short story)
March: Iron Kissed MT
April: Cry Wolf AO and Star of David WM (short story)
May: Bone Crossed MT and Seeing Eye WM (short story)
June: Hunting Ground AO and Mercy Thompson: Homecoming MT (graphic novel)
July: Silver Borne MT
August: River Marked MT and In Red, With Pearls MT (short story)
September: Fair Game AO
October: Frost Burned MT
November: Night Broken MT
December: Dead Heat AO (NEW!) and the remaining stories in Shifting Shadows

Don’t laugh. Okay, go ahead and laugh. I want to read more from my own shelves and from the library this year, so I am going to try to keep my 2015 purchased books to just fifty. That’s right. You heard me. Fifty. I arrived at this magic number by taking my age (47) and rounding up to a nice even number. This is where I will post my purchases.

These books were pre-ordered in 2014, so I am not counting them in my tally:

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch - comes out Jan. 6th COMPLETED 1/15
First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - comes out Jan. 20th
The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen - comes out Jan. 24th
Love and Freindship and Other Youthful Writings by Jane Austen - comes out Jan. 27th (this is a clothbound classic, which I collect)
Fairest by Marissa Meyer - comes out Jan. 27th
Prudence by Gail Carringer - comes out March 17th

Mamie's Sweet Sixteen from 2014 (in no particular order)

1. The Hours by Michael Cunningham
2. *Middlemarch by George Eliot
3. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
4. *The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
5. Vanessa and Her Sister by Prima Parmar
6. *The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
7. Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
8. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings
9. The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan
10. *The Martian by Andy Weir
11. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
12. *The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
13. The Bullet Catcher’s Daughter by Rod Duncan
14. *The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony
15. In Paradise by Peter Mathiesen
16. Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller

* denotes that I listened to the audiobook

That should do it, next one's yours!

Great topper! NYC?

ETA Happy New Thread!

Thank you, and yes. Look at you getting here first, Mary!

I'm here! Love that topper! We are thinking of taking a long weekend in NYC in the spring. My husband has only been once, for about three hours. I grew up taking the train in and, once I was old enough (15 or so?) wandering around by myself. I love it there.

Hooray, Katie! Glad you love the topper - I was kind of sad to let the last one go. I have never been to NYC - that would be a fun trip, and how lucky for The Wayne to have his own personal tour guide!

Book #5: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers (4 stars), 2014 acquired audiobook

I just finished listening to this collection that contains the novella The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and several other short stories by Carson McCullers, and while I was not disappointed with the stories, I was disappointed with the narration of this particular audiobook. The stories themselves are quirky and poignant and filled with heartbreak and humor. I like how McCuller's characters get under your skin. They are flawed and fully fleshed and often disturbing. Where I went wrong was in choosing the audiobook over the print version. McCuller's writing is all about language and her incredible grasp of using just the right phrasing to capture the action of the story and to describe the characters - it's language you want to immerse yourself in by rereading passages and sentences and letting the perfection of her similes and metaphors roll over you. One of my favorite examples is when she describes Mr. Brooks (from the Madam Zilensky story) as "pastel". Hard if not impossible to do that with an audiobook. And then there were the multiple narrators - the reader for the title novella was very good, but some of the others were inadequate to the task. I know that I will eventually revisit this, and when I do it will be with the physical book.

WOW, five books finished already?!?!?! My hat off to you, dear lady. *curtsy*

^ What she said!

I appreciate your thoughtful review of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. As much as I love audiobooks, they just don't work for every book. And the narrator makes or breaks the audiobook experience in my opinion.

I'm here Mamie!

You are reading some good books. I hope you like The Blessing Way. I thought it was a good first novel.

Happy New Thread, lady!

Happy New Thread, Mamie! It is nice seeing you back at full throttle! Sorry, the audio was a bit lame for The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. It sounds like it needs to be updated. I really enjoyed it in print.

We really liked Broadchurch. It flagged a bit, in the later episodes, but it ended being a very good show. There is an American remake too, but I have not seen it.

Thread 2. Already. Incredible.

Hi Mamie!

I love that you and Suz are reading King Lear together. I don't think I'll join you but I will read the Lear chapter in Asimov's Shakespeare compendium so I can possibly relate to your relevant posts.

Hmm, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe did so well as a print book. I do hope you revisit it sometime. Of course, 4 stars is not a rating at which to sneeze!

xo for a fabulous Friday.

Checking in on your second thread, Mamie! They are talking on the news tonight about snow down in Jacksonville--how cold is it there?

Hooray! Visitors!

>13 LauraBrook: Hi Laura! Well....the first two books I had started at the very end of December but didn't finish until after the New Year. But thank you for that lovely display of admiration.

>14 Cobscook: Thank you, Heidi! And so true about audiobooks and their narrators - it just didn't work here where I was really wanting to reread endings and refer back to sentences. And it makes it more work than I care to put in just to round up a few quotes. Add to that a couple of poor narrations, and it spoiled the experience for me a bit.

>15 luvamystery65: Thank heavens, Roberta! I am liking Blessing Way so far, but I am not very far into it yet. If you thought it was a good first novel, chances are I will also.

>16 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>17 msf59: Thank you, Mark! SO sweet! I was really disappointed with the second and the fourth (?) narrators. ANd of course you don't get to hear the later narrators when you listen to the sample. I will try it again at a later date in print.

You get extra points for finishing up the previous thread, young man! Rae and I are really loving Broadchurch - was it you who recommended it? American remake? Why in the world did they feel the need to do that?! I like the original just fine!

>18 EBT1002: Ellen! I almost hated to start a new thread, but if they get too long I know that they are hard to load for some people, and I tend to have lots of pictures.

I am excited about King Lear! I haven't read it before, and it will be so great to read it after its being referred to in Station Eleven. Should be fun!

Four stars for me is actually a very strong rating, especially for short stories, which I tend not to like as much as full length books. If I had been rating just the audiobook, it would have scored closer to three. And I will definitely revisit it in print - I would have switched to print this time, but I don't have it in print and the library didn't have a ready copy, either. I did not want to stop and wait to see if a request would arrive in a timely fashion - I have a tight reading schedule this month.

Thanks for those Friday wishes - hoping that yours is full of fabulous, dear! xo

>19 ronincats: Roni, you snuck in there while I was posting! How is your ankle doing? It's cold for South Georgia - 27F!

Love the thread topper Mamie. Congratulations on your new thread, my dear.

>22 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Lovely to see you here!

I just finished The Blessing Way (review to come this weekend) and have started Moon Tiger. Congrats on the new thread and your stellar statistics on Paul's thread!

You are such an amazing and fast reader, Mamie! "Know Your Own Happiness" - that's a wonderful way to think. Dropping a star!

>24 Berly: Hello, Kim! And thank you! I will check your thread to see what you thought of The Blessing Way. I am excited to get to Moon Tiger as I have heard such good things about it. But not this weekend, This weekend I have a date with King Lear!

>25 vancouverdeb: Deb!!!! SO fabulous to see you here! I missed you so last year! Thank you for those kind words. And I love that quote, too - it's from Sense and Sensibility, and so true that it's a wonderful way to think. It is the key to life I tell my kids to understand and seek out that which makes you happy. I am honored you have dropped your star.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! I really like to topper pic. Very cool of you! I enjoy all the Leaphorn stories, some better than others but the description of the Southwestern landscape alway enthralls me.

Have a great FRIDAY!

Thank you, Lynda! SO glad that you love the topper! I am hopeful about the Leaphorn series - not far enough in to form an opinion yet, but so far I am liking it. And thanks for those wishes. Hoping that yours is full of fabulous!

OK Mamie, After visiting Donna's thread and discovered she too is reading Hillerman I googled Hillerman/Longmire Project and guess who's thread popped up? Yours!! So, tell me, does this project have to include both H and L books or if I choose to tag along can I read only Hillerman? I have a few of them on my bookshelf and I'm all about ROOTS this year.

I've been Goggled! You can read just the ones you want - there is a thread that Roberta set up for the project. This is what we are replacing last years Spenser Project with. We chose two different series and are switching between them each month in order to avoid burnout. Here's the lineup:

Navajo Mystery(Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project

January - The Blessing Way
February - The Cold Dish
March - Dance Hall of the Dead
April - Death Without Company
May - Listening Woman
June - Kindness Goes Unpunished
July - People of Darkness
August - Another Man's Moccasins
September - The Dark Wind
October - The Dark Horse
November - The Ghostway
December - Junkyard Dogs

And here's the link to the thread: Navajo Mystery/Longmire Project

Happy new thread, Mamie! I'm also doing the Hillerman/Longmire project and I must get on with The Blessing Way. And I just bought the first Longmire novel for £2.48 on the Kindle, which is a good price.

Ah ha! I will join you for four Hillerman reads. March, May, July and September! I must be certifiable!

>31 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! I am so excited that you are joining us for the project! I have not read the Hillerman books before, but I have read the first five Longmire's - LOVE those. Looking forward to rereading them closer together. I think you will really like them, Susan, and that is an excellent price!

>32 Carmenere: Oh, good, Lynda! SO fun! And you are in the right place for certifiable!!

SO the nephew is due back down today or tomorrow - he made it to the third and final stage of the interview process, and his final interview is on Monday. Please cross your fingers for him and send him some good mojo because he really wants this job which would allow him to move down here. And I would really love to have him here!

Not much on the schedule today - a few errands and chores, and I need to pick up a book at the library. And I really need to do some of those things that one tends to put off - descale the coffee pot, clean and maintenance the frontload washer, clean out the fridge...I know, it's boring me, too!

On the upside, IT'S FRIDAY! I love Fridays!

>32 Carmenere: Welcome to the Project Lynda!

>34 Crazymamie: Housework? No!

I would love to say it isn't so, Roberta! You know how I feel about this stuff.

Here's some mojo for your nephew, Mamie, and here's to boring Friday chores … made not so boring by the fact that its' Friday!

Oh, thank you, Nancy! I am just going to jump in and get the chores done. And then I can decide what's for dinner!

Hope you have a great weekend with your nephew, and that he gets the job. Good luck with those chores :)

Thanks, Jenny! I will reward myself with a trip to the library to pick up the books that I have waiting.

I love how popular the Leaphorn/Longmire Project is getting! It's so much fun to have a bunch of people reading together, whether it's all the books or just dipping in and out.

I'll send all the good mojo I have to your nephew. I hope it doesn't freeze solid before it gets there. (It's 4 degrees F right now, with a wind chill of -15. Which is an improvement on the past two days, believe it or not.)

Me, too, Julia! Who would have guessed? And thanks for that mojo for the nephew.

I am not missing that cold - YIKES! It was cold here yesterday. You know, for Georgia. And it's only 37F out there right now. Again, cold for the Deep South. I have been watching the temps in the Midwest, and I am so happy not to be worrying about frozen pipes and icy driveways. Be careful out there.

>34 Crazymamie: - I don't even know what those household chores are.

Really? Are you messing with me? You don't have to descale your coffee maker? And frontload washers need to have this drain thing emptied every few weeks and the filter thingy cleaned out. Then I run a cleaning cycle for the drum. Keeps everything smelling nice and fresh.

Good luck to your nephew, Mamie. Fingers crossed.

Happy Friday, and I hope you have a great weekend, with no household chores.

Thank you, Joe! And I LOVE those weekend wishes!

Happy New Thread Mamie! Good luck to your nephew. I love King Lear. It was the first Shakespeare play I read, and I've now reread it a second time and seen a National Theatre Live representation of it last year, which was pretty amazing. I know you're doing it as a follow up to Station Eleven. I wonder if I'll want to read the play again once I've read that novel?

Hello, Ilana! And thank you. King Lear performed live would be so fabulous! I'll be watching to see if you are wanting to revisit it after reading Station Eleven - having never read it, I am curious to see if I missed anything in the story because of that. Hoping that Friday is kind to you and that your weekend is full of fabulous, dear!

Happy new thread, Mamie!
Sending good vibes for your nephew as well. What fun to have him so close by if everything works out. Would he live with you guys?

Happy Friday, Mamie! Hope the day is going well.

>49 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! I would absolutely love for him t move down here. And yes, he would live with us at first until he gets to know the area, decides where he wants to rent, and saves up a bit of a nest egg. We have plenty of room - silly not to, actually.

>50 msf59: Thank you, Mark! So far so good with the day.

Hmm, we have a front loading washing machine (you don't really get any other in the UK) and we never clean anything in ours. We clean the filter out in the tumble drier every use but don't think there is even anything we could take out in the washing machine.

>42 Crazymamie: That is cold Mamie! It's 13C (55F) outside at the moment but some serious winds going on - gusts of 50-60mph. The wind was so bad it woke me up last night, and even though I have insomnia, once I get to sleep it takes a LOT for something external to wake me up. I'd rather we had temperatures around freezing and it be calm and clear though, this weather is horrible, wet mud and wild winds are not pleasant.

dropping my star and wishing you a happy 2015!

>52 lunacat: Really? Ours has a hose that you let drain out and a kind of drain/filter thing that you need to take out and clean every so often. And then you run an empty load with cleaner in it to clean out the drum. Then I use vinegar to clean the seal because otherwise that gets truly disgusting.



It is very cold for southern Georgia. I like it, but then I am from Indiana! I so agree that wet mud and high winds are not pleasant.

>53 RebaRelishesReading: Reba!! We have been missing you! Thanks for stopping in and dropping a star. Happy 2015 to you, too!

Fingers crossed for your nephew! I hope he makes it through this final hurdle.

After you read King Lear, do you plan to go on to A Thousand Acres? Or have you already read it? Smiley is one of those authors I keep intending to read but haven't managed to follow through with yet.

>44 Crazymamie: - I don't use our coffee maker. Maybe The Wayne descales it? Somehow I doubt it though... Don't have a front-loading washer, so.... And I don't clean out the fridge because it makes me gag so that's The Wayne's job!

What *do* I do, you ask? Sit around and look pretty? Dispose of extra wine that's lying around? Read books? It's all very exhausting...

>12 Crazymamie: I also listened to the audio. I thought the first narrator did a good job, but I agree. It was hard to savor the language. The narrator of Wunderkind was just awful.

>56 cbl_tn: Thank you, Carrie! And your post confused me for a moment until I looked up A Thousand Acres - I hadn't even heard of it before, and I have never read Smiley. Interesting. Has anyone here read that? I am thinking that Ellen read Smiley not that long ago, but I don't think it was that title.

>57 katiekrug: *Gasp* You don't use the coffee maker?!! *sits down hard* Well, ours tells you when to descale it, and it's like it's yelling at you because it keeps flashing in all caps until you descale it. It's been yelling at me since Christmas Day, so really I need to descale it so it can calm down. It makes me tense when it is flasing at me like that - strange, I know. I have issues. Craig says why don't I just tell it that I descaled it. Well, dear, that would be lying, and I like to be honest with the appliances. See? Certifiable I am! And now I'm talking like Yoda. *bangs head on desk*

I love the frontload washer, so I am fine with doing the maintenance on that, but I do really hate cleaning out the fridge. To be honest, and really, why wouldn't I extend to you the same courtesy that I give to my appliances, I usually make the children do it. Every once in awhile I take pity on them and do it myself. This is one of those rare moments.

And I have that same list of chores that you do, so I am thinking that I'm getting a raw deal because I also have all of this other stuff.

Just dropping by to wish you a Happy Friday, Mamie! And to thank you for keeping me on track as far as what day it is. :)

>58 nittnut: Hello, Jenn! Welcome to my thread! And YES! That's the narrator that really bothered me! I love audiobooks, but that collection just doesn't work with those narrators, although I had no problems with the first narrator. I think that if you had read the stories before and were revisiting it on audio that would work IF they got a different narrator. Like Ruby Dee (yes, I know she's dead now, but that's who I want) - she was so fabulous with Their Eyes Were Watching God, and that's another book where the language is just so important.

>60 Storeetllr: Well, thank you, Mary! You made me laugh - do I keep saying what day it is on your thread?

Nah, but you wished me a happy Friday when I woke thinking it was Thursday. LOL

>59 Crazymamie: I've read A Thousand Acres — I'm pretty sure it's a requirement to be allowed to get a library card in Iowa. :-) I quite liked it (and I'm ashamed to say my knowledge of King Lear is extremely sketchy) but I also have friends who loathed it, so ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hehehe, love you arguing with your coffee machine about whether you've descaled it or not. I argue with my car all the time, particularly when it is being overly protective and shouting at me for something it doesn't need to be.

Our fridge shouts when it's been open for what it considers an undue length of time, which is fine except when we're unpacking shopping or trying to decide what to eat. That gets a stern talking to at times as well.

>63 Storeetllr: Oh, I get it now. I do that all the time, so you are not alone.

>64 rosalita: LOL, Julia! I'll put it on the list then. Thanks!

>65 lunacat: I have this thing about flashing lights, Jenny! I like to panic first, and then assess the situation after I'm done panicking. Our fridge does that, too, and Craig laughs at me because I will be telling it, "Calm down. Almost finished."

I'm excited to see the Navaho Mystery Project! I am a huge fan of the Walt Longmire series. I'm past where the project will end but participants have some good reading ahead. I've done the whole series via audio. One of my favorite audio series.

Good luck to your nephew!

I was wondering if you have seen the television adaptation of the Hillerman books that were done for Mystery! on PBS. The episodes were Skinwalkers, Coyote Waits and A Thief of Time. I thought they were well done.

For the record, I loved A Thousand Acres.

I am not anti-coffee or anything, I just don't like making it at home.

Our new-ish car has annoying habit of dinging and flashing "Oil Change Now" on the dash when it thinks you need an oil change. Luckily it stops once you put it in gear, but it's pretty annoying...

OMG, Mamie! Please read A Thousand Acres! You can hug me for it later! It is an amazing book.

^Even KAK endorses it! And she's a tough one!

ETA: And speaking of Smiley, I've been hearing great things about her latest, Some Luck, which I have saved on audio.

You know, all the talk about the Leaphorn-Chee mysteries, I'm inspired to reread the series, only this time I'm going to try to ear-listen to them all. They were so very good, and I enjoyed them so much the first time around! I also thought the PBS adaptations were good.

>72 Storeetllr: I like the idea of listening to some Leaphorn-Chee mysteries. I, too, have read them all and read some of them twice. I adore the series and it seems like they could be fun in audio format. I guess it depends on the narrator, though.

I don't think there is any way I can squeeze another book into my January, but I will keep The Blessing Way on the back burner.

I loved A Thousand Acres, too.

eta: The Blessing Way isn't listed on audible's website. Oh well, I didn't have time to listen to it anyway!

Sorry about the audiobook of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. I've only read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, but I've got to admit, I can't imagine what kind of reader would make that one better audio than print.

>1 Crazymamie: Brilliant photo! Happy New Thread, Mamie and a fabulous weekend.

>59 Crazymamie: Debating with coffee machines? Well our cuppa is important I guess. I distinctly remember watching TV with my dear departed Gran and the arguments she used t have with the box and especially the characters inside it she wanted to take issue with. I recall chuckling at her shaking her fist at many an unsavoury soap opera character.

Love to all at the Pecan Paradisio this weekend.

>76 PaulCranswick: I argue with the TV ALL the time. Usually I'm quibbling details in medical dramas and getting cross with soaps because of the way they depict police matters, or do such stupid things it would never happen IRL. My best friend often says "It's just a programme" in an exasperated voice, but I don't see why they can't make the effort to bring some realism into things!

Morning, Mamie! I'm right with you on intensely disliking the chore if cleaning the fridge. Yeesh.

>54 Crazymamie: Mamie, I loved the pictures - particularly the yellow arrow :-) Mine is like this, except not raised up so there is nowhere for water to drain to. On the old one I wrestled the filter thing out once and there was nothing in it so I didn't bother again. My extreme domestic escaping-water phobia means I just leave it be :-) I did just check the seal, though, and it's fine :-) But I do leave the door open as I don't have any toddlers or pets to worry about climbing into it, so it dries itself out. I don't have a coffee-maker, but I do descale the kettle. London water is vicious for limescale.

Good luck to your nephew for Monday.

Oh, and I also recommend A Thousand Acres, which is excellent.

Good Mojo and Fairy dust to your nephew!
What an upstanding individual you are, Mamie! "I like to be honest with the appliances" See, this is why we all love you!

Very excited about this weekend's itinerary of King Lear and football, and the arrival of my nephew, of course. His car slid off the road and did a 180° into a snow bank yesterday in Indiana - he's not hurt and his car is also fine, but he is getting new tires before he drives the rest of the way. He'll be here on Sunday instead. I'm just relieved that all is well.

Bright and sunny here today, but still chilly (which I love). Sliders on the menu for dinner thanks to Amber - she mentioned that they were having these for dinner last night, which gave me the idea.

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

Happy weekend, Mamie!

Glad to hear that your nephew is OK. I hope he arrives safely!

I love King Lear. "Out vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now?"

>68 SuziQoregon: I'm have listened to one of the Longmire books on audio (The Dark Horse), and I agree with you, Juli, they are good on audio. The other series is new to me. I am excited about the project and about the amount of interest that it has stirred. Fun! And thanks for those good wishes for my nephew!

>69 Oberon: I have not, Erik, and I was thrilled to learn about them. Roberta was just talking about a movie of Skinwalkers over on the project thread, and that was the first I have heard of it. SO great to know that there are videos to watch when we get to those books. And good to know that they were well done. I shall look for them - thanks!

>70 katiekrug: Oh, good - I had not heard of it before, but if you and Julia loved it...

You don't like making coffee at home - do you drink it at home, or just drink it when you're out? I always have to start the day with coffee, but I remember you saying that you don't do that anymore.

Oh, I can't take flashing lights inside the car! It makes me completely crazy - it's distracting and it makes me think that I could break down at any moment. Completely illogical, I know, but there you have it. Craig, on the other hand, could drive with the light flashing for years - he would say that he thought it was faking it.

>71 msf59: All right. All right. Calm down, Mark. It's on the list. Don't I always read everything that you tell me to? I'll be sure to get to it this year. Next month if the library has it. I have not read any Smiley before, so I'll get to try a new author - love doing that.

>72 Storeetllr: You'll have to let me know if they are good on audio, Mary. With all the Hillerman love, I don't know how I hadn't heard of this series until Roberta mentioned it last year. And hooray - another vote for the videos!

>73 EBT1002: YOU, too, huh? Where have I been? And yes, the narrator makes or breaks the audio.

Ok, I checked and our library system has A Thousand Acres. I have requested it. There is no possible way that I could not like it if you and Julia and Katie and Mark all loved it. Hit by a book bullet on my own thread!

>74 cammykitty: Katie! Welcome to my thread! I will try Ballad of the Sad Cafe again at a later date. In print. And I LOVED The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - read it last year, and it made my Sweet Sixteen. I think McCullers just needs to be read in print for me because I love to go back and reread passages.

>75 Ameise1: And isn't he just so handsome?! Thank you, Barbara!

>76 PaulCranswick: It's true. I talk to the appliances, Paul. Love the image of your Gran shaking her fist at the tv. And thank you. The Pecan Paradisio sends all of our love to you and yours.

Morning Mamie! Yes, I am still jumping up and down, while warbling. It is my nature...
Have a great Saturday.

>77 lunacat: I talk to the tv most when football is on - I like to let the refs know when they have called it wrong. *waves at Jenny*

>78 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Yep. Cleaning out the fridge is a loser chore. Gross.

>79 susanj67: Ha! I didn't take the photos, although those are the same exact machines that I have - I found them on the web. I always leave the door open, too. The seal still gets yucky, though, perhaps because we do so much laundry. I mean, there are six of us. And we won't talk about Craig's "work" clothes from working in the yard. ALso the dogs and the cat each get a bath every week, so we have a lot of towels.

The water down here is VERY hard, too. You really have to keep on top of descaling or it junks up everything, even with a water softener.

Thanks for those good wishes for my nephew.

And another who loved A Thousand Acres! Seriously, how have I not heard of this book before?!

>80 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda! And you made me laugh - thanks for that!

>82 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia! I will report back when my nephew arrives. Me, too - so glad that he wasn't hurt. Happy weekend to you, dear!

>83 katiekrug: I am looking forward to it, Katie! I will think of you when I get to that quote!

>86 msf59: I know, and we LOVE that about you, Mark! I have no idea what we would do without your book love! Happy Saturday, my friend!

Eek, how scary, I'm glad to hear the nephew and his car are alright and I hope the rest of his journey goes more smoothly.

If I missed you, holler! I like to respond to everyone who comes over, so don't be shy - let me know if I missed you!

>89 lunacat: I know. So glad that he is traveling south, so at least the roads and the weather will get better as he goes. And thank you for those wishes.

>85 Crazymamie: Hit by a book bullet on my own thread!

Just when you thought it was safe to read your own thread ... BAM!

>92 rosalita: I know, right?!

I'm glad to hear that your nephew is okay and on the way! And yay for sliders! Ours last night turned out mighty tasty, I have to say...

Thank you, Amber! Craig will be cooking the sliders in his Big Green Egg, so I am excited to see how they turn out.

>95 Crazymamie: That sounds like a good title for a children's book - Craig and the Big Green Egg!

It does! And it rhymes!

>96 cbl_tn: *snork!*

Catching up here. Finished The Blessing Way and reviewed. Check! My coffee machine has never asked to be descaled and I don't drink I only make it for hubby, so that one is his problem if it ever starts talking. Check! I have read A Thousand Acres and you should too! Check! Glad your nephew is not hurt and you HAVE to write the book about "Craig and the Big Green Egg"!! My work here is done. Check!

Thanks for stopping in, Kim! You don't drink coffee?!Adding your name to the HUGE list of recommenders of A Thousand Acres. Thank you for those thoughts for my nephew. I will await Craig's further adventures with his Big Green Egg before I begin writing about them - he just got it fro Christmas, so he is still a rookie.

My coffee machine has this fancy symbol that lights up when it needs to be descaled and fingers crossed, so far it hasn't turned on. I think maybe it's because we boil our water and then put it through a brita filter as well. Overkill maybe? Ha! Our water is perfectly safe to drink but I have never been able to drink straight from the tap. I have issues I know.... :)

Hi Valerie! Okay, the sad thing is that I think our coffee maker asks you to descale after every 800 cups. Guess it is telling that I have to descale it several times a year. And I don't think you're overdoing it. Well, okay. I would not boil the filtered water and then put it through the coffee maker. But we do use filtered water to fill our machine.

And what kind of adventures are you anticipating Craig will have with his Big Green Egg?

Hopefully tasty ones.

>101 jolerie: I'm the same way, Valerie - I won't drink tap water at all and I only put water from our water cooler in the coffee maker and my electric kettle.

Coffee! When I meet my friends on Friday mornings for coffee, I can't leave the house without first having ............a cup of coffee.

Descale? I only weigh myself on de scale. You mean there's another type?

We have well water and it's pretty darn good except it's never cold enough from the tap so I refrigerate bottled water for a quick cold one.

I'm just here to while away the time as my onions sautee, see ya later.

>106 Carmenere: Presumably descaling is when you step off the scale? Or when you remove your mermaid outfit?

Yep - that's how I always start my day, too, Lynda. Even if you're going for coffee! And yes there's another type - I would much rather descale the coffee maker than visit the one of which you speak. Speaking of well water - we had great well water back at our home in Indiana, but alas, down here the water that comes out of the tap is not so great for drinking. I have a thing about water, and I only drink the bottled stuff if I am not going to heat it up first, but the kids like the water that comes through the filtered fridge line.

Sautéed onions? What are you making? I just sautéed onions and mushrooms yesterday for our baked potato bar, and they were mighty good.

>107 lunacat: Haha, Jenny! Glad I didn't have a drink in my mouth!

>107 lunacat: OK! who told you?! And, BTW, that's no outfit ;0)

>109 Crazymamie: Yeah, don't dedrink de drink. Or try to say that while drunk. Both will cause significant pain.

>108 Crazymamie: Chicken Paprikash yummmm

HI Mamie! I'm just popping in to say Hello & Happy New Year to you!
Hope you have a wonderful year of reading :-)

>110 Carmenere: Oh no. Don't go near a filter or water softener then, you'll come out very nekkid if it deals with your scales.

>114 lunacat: No fear, as long as my son plays trumpet there will always be scales close at hand.

Darn, got to stir my onions.

>115 Carmenere: But does he do the considerate thing and descale after every scale? It's a very important household chore, as Mamie has demonstrated.

Lynda and Jenny - You are cracking me up! You both have rapier wit and considerable charm. And a penchant for shenanigans - you both can stay as long as you like!! And YUM for the chicken paprikash - that makes me think of that scene in When Harry Met Sally where Billy Crystal is trying ti get Meg Ryan to say - "Waiter, there's too much pepper in my paprikash!" Remember that?



>113 ChelleBearss: Hello, Chelle!!! Delighted to see you here! How is Miss Chloe doing? And yourself? Wishing the three Bearss a very Happy New Year! And thanks for those wishes!

Thanks Mamie! Clo-Bear is doing wonderfully! This week she discovered that not only can she crawl, she can stand too. So it's been a busy week of chasing her around and picking her up when she falls over.

OH! Standing!! Clever, clever girl! You are going to be even busier when she realizes all the new things that she can get into with the additional height up standing up! Enjoy it - such a fun age!

Hope the sliders for dinner were great! Now you're making me want sliders, and I already ate. But that doesn't matter when you're talking sliders, right? More important is the availability of beer.

Glad your nephew is all right! Seems to have been a lot of that car out of control, sliding into trees this week. My "it's complicated" did that this week, and an old college friend did too. Neither hurt thankfully.

Hi Mamie! *waves madly*

I hope the rest of your nephews trip is uneventful!

>120 cammykitty: They were oh so yummy, Katie! And right - anytime is a good time for sliders! There is always beer available at the Pecan Paradisio. So glad to hear that neither of your friends was hurt in their accidents - I do not miss the icy roads and the snow.

>121 Dejah_Thoris: Hi, Dejah! *waves back madly* Me, too - just a quiet, boring road trip would suit me just fine.

Happy Sunday, Mamie!

Thank you, Stasia! Happy Sunday to you!

Happy Sunday, Mamie! I am really enjoying The Call. Have you read this one? Very unique style.

Happy Sunday, Mark! No, I have not read it.

Happy Sunday Crazy! And since >113 ChelleBearss: Chelle doesn't have a thread this year, Hi to Chelle and Chloe too!

You know, a scaly coffee sounds just awful! LOL. This whole conversation has been making me laugh. I probably would drink coffee if it did anything for me, but I get nothing from the caffeine. So, to me it is just a warm drink. I prefer hot chocolate most of the time. Peppermint schnapps doesn't hurt either. ; ) My only true coffee love is Pumpkin Spice Latte in the fall--I just love the taste!

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Enjoying the coffee pot/mermaid discussions. Who are rooting for in the early game? I assume the Packers, right? (Sorry if I missed this info.)

>90 Crazymamie: What a nice sentiment! I love good thread manners!

Oh my!!! Only fifty books? Much luck to you.....every year I say the same---I am limiting my book purchases this year. I am never able to do it. And this was waaaay before e-books. Now with a Kindle and a Nook, I find that I buy and buy and buy because there are so many good deals being offered. Let me know how that works out for you.....lol

>127 Berly: Happy Sunday, Kim! I actually like the taste of coffee, so even without the caffeine (heaven forbid!), I would still drink it. That being said, I WANT THE CAFFEINE! Hot chocolate is so sweet, but I do like the salted caramel kind. And Abby and I both love those Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but I get mine with just half the pumps of the sweet stuff and an extra shot of espresso.

>128 DorsVenabili: Happy Sunday, Kerri! Yep. Rooting for Green Bay. And thank you - I also love good thread manners.

>129 DivaColumbus: Hey there, Helen! Lovely to see you here! I know. I know - the fifty books thing is probably a pipe dream, but hey, I can dream. So far, so good - I have purchased nothing. That being said, last year I purchased 241 books, and the year before, I purchased 307. Even if I could just read more than I purchase this year, I would be happy.

Happy Sunday, Mamie!

>116 lunacat: Ha, A chore?!! I can honestly tell you Jenny there is absolutely no descaling what so ever going on in the Carmenere household! In fact there's so much scaling going on here we're practically wearing armour ;0}

>117 Crazymamie: lol, but I'd be proud to partake in your pecan pie, Mamie :0D

We really have no opinion on who wins the GB/Dallas game but we do like the big stars on the helmets of the Cowboys GB on the helmets of the Packers! Cheese Please!

BTW: the Paprikash was great and the best part, Leftovers!!!!

Just stopping by to say hi and wish you a good week ahead Mamie. I'm about to finish Chocolat in a little bit. Just 35 minutes to go on the audio. It's been good fun, so thanks for picking it for me. xx

Well, poop! Broncos lost. On the upside, I did finish King Lear, and I really loved it. Thoughts on that tomorrow after I recover from the game.

>133 Crazymamie: I'm afraid it's my fault. I watched most of the game. They play better when I don't watch. I'm very sorry. :(

Two threads already! Congratulations!

Sharing your Bronco pain, Mamie. They were my last hope. I'm kind of a flaky fan who wavers between the Chiefs and Broncos. There's always next year! Congrats on Thread No. 2.

>97 Crazymamie: really, that rhymes? *she mumbles in kiwi accent*

Morning Mamie! Sorry, about the Broncos. Manning didn't have the magic. He looked a bit ragged.

I'm so sorry, Mamie! But at least your second favorite is in the race. I'm not an insane Patriots hater, but I do hope the Colts can find a way to beat them this Sunday.

Part 2! You must be kidding, really part 2 ?



Happy New year and happy New Thread, Mamie!

>139 DorsVenabili: - But there's nothing wrong with being an insane Patriots hater, right? RIGHT?!?!

>142 katiekrug: No, Katie. Your feelings are totally valid. :-) Actually I used to hate them, but mostly just Belichick. I think being a fan of a good team has mellowed out my football hatreds for some reason (except the 49ers!!!) I'm actually kinda pro-Tom Brady, to be honest. I was just talking about that the other day. *covers head and hides under desk*

>140 luvamystery65: Yes!!!

I'll be back after dinner (beef stew and toasted Italian bread) to catch up with the thread, but in the meantime, take a look at this really cool photo that Abby took this afternoon. It was really foggy here all day today, and it made the pecan grove behind our property look like a magical place.

And one more:

Cool photos!! We took Sarah to an Art College Portfolio day where they review your stuff, give you feedback and recruit you (or not!). She had a blast and came away feeling pretty good. I think she needs to take a few more art courses outside photography, but we'll see. Tell Abby nice job!

Gorgeous photos!

>143 DorsVenabili: - Belichoke is The Worst. Can't stand him. And I still loathe Tom Brady even after my Giants beat him *twice* in the Super Bowl :)

Those are awesome pictures. Abby definitely has some talent behind the camera! :)

Okay. SO today was not completely horrible for a Monday. Went to the grocery store and the library - sadly, I had to return The Deep Road to the Narrow North before I was done with it because someone had requested it. THE NERVE! I did pick up A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan, Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall, and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. The beef stew for dinner was excellent, if I do say so myself (and I do), and the nephew felt good about his interview. They are supposed to let him know by Wednesday, so cross your fingers, please.

I read King Lear over the weekend with Suz, and our comments are on her thread if you are curious. Here's the link: Chatterbox Thread Discussion I really liked it - some truly great lines in there, and I was very excited to find the quote that Katie had mentioned (>83 katiekrug:). This was a fun way to read Shakespeare, and I would love to do it again with another of his plays.

*edited to fix the link

Hi Mamie! Love the photos of the pecan grove...very magical! Also loving the coffee pot descaling conversation. I have to admit I am another one who does not drink coffee. I just started drinking hot tea in the last two years. Before that I would not drink hot drinks at all. Weird I know...

Catching up with my thread:

>131 Carmenere: Oh hooray, you got my reference! And I love that you edited your message AFTER the game! Too funny! Glad that the Paprikash was fabulous. I love leftovers of some things, but others not so much. Craig, on the other hand, adores leftovers of all kinds.

>132 Smiler69: Thank you, Ilana! I need to come catch up with you. I read your fabulous review of Bitter Greens but ran out of time to post the other day, so now I need to come back and catch up on what's happened since then. I am delighted that Chocolat worked for you - I really love that one! And I am so jealous that you got to listen to Juliet Stevenson read it! xx

>134 cbl_tn: It was not you, Carrie. The Broncos were just not playing well. *sigh* But your apology made me laugh, so thanks for that.

>135 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! So lovely to see you here!

>136 Donna828: I know, right, Donna?! There will definitely be next year for the Broncos, but Peyton isn't getting any younger, so I was really hoping that this would be their year. Oh, well...

>137 LovingLit: Um...yes, it does.

>138 msf59: Thank you, Mark. Your post made me sad. Thanks for not spitting in my coffee. (Just kidding!) Manning did look tired, and I hate that.

>139 DorsVenabili: Thank you, Kerri. I am hoping that the Colts beat the Patriots, too. ANd yes, I am glad that they are still in it. I actually like the Patriots, but their coach...not so much.

>140 luvamystery65: LOVE that! Thank you, Roberta! you made me laugh!

>141 connie53: Nope. Page 2 - I think several threads are on a second page, and Paul and Amber are on their third. Busy this time of year, isn't it?! Don't worry, it will slow down. And thanks for those good wishes, Connie! DO you have a thread up now? I'll come see!

>142 katiekrug: and >143 DorsVenabili: Ha! I like the team and Brady, but the coach could go.

>144 jnwelch: I concur, Joe!

>147 Berly: Thanks, Kim - I'll tell Abby that you liked them! Abby is working on putting her portfolio together.

>148 katiekrug: Thank, Katie - passing that along to Abby, who will be thrilled! I don't care for the coach, either. And that is a HUGE understatement!! Hoping that your Giants have a much better season next year.

>149 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie! I'll tell Abby! I think she has a very good eye.

>151 Cobscook: Hi Heidi! So glad that you love Abby's photos! No hot drinks until recently, huh? Daniel will not drink anything hot, either. Abby and I both adore hot drinks, but I used to always start the day out with an icy cold Diet Coke until about five years ago, when coffee took over the top spot as my favorite drink.

Great job, Abby! Love the first picture the best! Such talent in your family, Mamie!

Oh, thank you, Chelle! I need to get Abby to come read my thread so she can feel the love!

Abby's photos are marvelous!

Mamie, I hope you're sitting down, but I've never drunk in my life other than a sip or two. I love the smell but not the taste. I've always been a big iced tea drinker (unsweet) but lately I have been really getting into hot tea. My current favorite for you tea drinkers is this organic Earl Grey with coneflowers from Two Leaves. It's exquisite. When I went out to Boulder for the Booktopia/LT Meet-Up extravanganza last May, I stopped in to the Ku-Cha House of Tea and picked up this Organic First Flush Darjeeling, which is wonderful but very expensive.

I think I've talked myself into making a pot of tea, come to think of it!

>157 rosalita: At first glance I just read I've never drunk in my life other than a sip or two and I was all BS Julia! then I realized...coffee. Okeedokee. LOL!

Fingers crossed for the nephew. Give a shout out to the Oregon Ducks playing tonight in the National Championship!! Go Ducks!

^ *snort* at Ro! ^

I'm reading A Prayer for the Dying! And now you will be, too. Awesome. I am hoping ot finish it tonight. It's a fast read. I don't love the second-person narration, but it's still a very good read.

" Your post made me sad. Thanks for not spitting in my coffee." LOL! Well, that was not my intention. Manning is 38! He is bound to look tired. Just think about all the joy that man has brought you, over the last 15 years or so.

>157 rosalita: Thank you, Julia! I just had her in here reading everyone's comments, and she was grinning from ear to ear!

What?! No coffee? Craig is actually not big on coffee, either - he drinks an occasional cup in the morning, but that is it for him. He loves hot tea, but I married him anyway. Making a note of those teas for Craig. And I do love unsweetened iced tea- if I'm not drinking coffee or wine, then it's usually iced tea.

Cheers, dear! Hope the tea is tasty!

>158 luvamystery65: That's exactly how I read it the first time, too, Ro!! Too funny!

>163 Crazymamie: - if I'm not drinking coffee or wine

So, like, when you're dead?

>164 katiekrug: Ha!

^ I love that girl!

>159 Berly: Thanks, Kim! And okay. GO DUCKS!! Um...what do they play?

>160 katiekrug: I did it, too, Katie, and I was waiting for the punchline. Then I had to go back and reread it!

>161 katiekrug: I have already read the first three chapters - just love how he writes!

>162 msf59: I know, Mark. I know. But I want him to go out on top. I really hated how the Colts let him go, and I wanted for him to get another Super Bowl win just to stick it to them. Petty, I know. But hey, I can be petty for Peyton!

>164 katiekrug: Right. Or at my sister's house.

>165 luvamystery65: Me, too, Ro! Me, too!

>158 luvamystery65: & >160 katiekrug: & >166 Crazymamie: Oh for heaven's sake, I did totally leave the word 'coffee' out of that sentence! No wonder you all are so incredulous! I can't go back and fix it now because it will take all the fun out of your comments, so I'll have to live with the pseudo-humiliation of being an extremely bad typist. :-D

>168 rosalita: Yes - don't fix it, Julia! Just look how much fun you are responsible for causing!!

The nerve of people requesting a book you are reading! Oh well, request it back. In the mean time, it looks like you've got some good picks.

Tried slipping mocha past the hubby? Only way I like coffee is with lots of milk and sugar and other flavors. And I had to do a week of "coffee school" to work at Borders. Probably a good thing he isn't too caffeinated anyway. ;) I've known people who run on coffee.

College Football!! Jeesh. ; )

7-0 Ducks after kick off return!!

>170 cammykitty: I know! I was totally bummed about it. The hubby likes mocha! Good call - he only has it every great once in a while because he reacts to caffeine. I mean he is a complete nut if he has more than two cups of regular coffee. I usually make his mocha with decaf espresso.

>171 Berly: I know, Kim. I was just messing with you. We are actually watching the game - my nephew is a huge Ducks fan!

I was happy to read that you survived Monday, Mamie. Please tell Abby that her pictures are breathtaking, especially the black and white one - very atmospheric.

>171 Berly: And it was downhill from there...sadness. : (

>166 Crazymamie: - I put the O'Nan book under TIOLI #9 if you want to share it...

I can't stand coffee which is infuriating as a) I love the smell and b) I could really do with the caffeine. I didn't like tea either until about 5 years ago when I was desperate for hot drinks while working in the snow and hot chocolate made me sleepy. So I forced myself to drink tea, and now I consume vast amounts of it. But I think it's more a caffeine addiction (yes, I'm addicted to the small amounts in tea) rather than a love of it. And it HAS to have milk and sugar.

I love the second photo of Abby's. Very spooky. It makes me want to write a ghost story set among the pecan trees.

Morning, Mamie! Beef stew sounds excellent!

Oh those Abby photos are *amazing*! What a talent she is/has.

Coffee: I only drink it very occasionally, and then only when some dessert is involved or if I happen to cross paths with a Starbucks during the holidays (and living in a small, no-Starbucks town, that doesn't happen very often). Now, tea, on the other hand...

>146 Crazymamie: What lovely photos those are. Go Abby!

Sorry you didn't get to finish Narrow Road to the Deep North, Mamie. I just started it, and it looks good. Hope Prayer for the Dying works for you.

Great photos from Abby! I love pecan trees in the fog - I was looking at some this morning, but they're not as orderly as in your view, lol.

I confess I took a good long look at Narrow Road to the Deep North and decided I wasn't ready to tackle it right now - I'm sorry PINES won't let you have that copy in my place!

I have just spent an enjoyable time with my morning coffee reading the last 150 posts on your previous thread and getting caught up here. Happy new thread, Mamie! Love the whole Frank the faucet, coffee machines that demand attention and Abby's wonderful photos.

Now off to go "face the day", as they say. ;-)

Morning, Y'all! Still just a bit foggy here, but nothing like yesterday. Nothing big on the schedule today. One of our dog's needs to go to the vet this afternoon because I think know she has an ear infection, poor baby. And the nephew has to take his car in to get something done. Other than that, nothing major - laundry, and we need to make up both chicken salad and tuna salad because that's what's for dinner. Serving them on croissants with fresh fruit on the side - should be yummy.

>180 lkernagh: Hang on, we're supposed to face the day? Not wiggle in backwards and hope it doesn't spot us?

Wow, I just got another post in before a new thread! Happy Tuesday, Mamie. You won the puppy competition over on my thread - congratulations!

Abby's photos are very "American Gothic", aren't they? They look great.

ARGH! I just lost all my responses! Okay, here we go again.

>173 DeltaQueen50: Hey Judy! Thank you - I will tell Abby. I love how each of you has a different favorite.

>174 Berly: Sorry about your Ducks, Kim.

>175 katiekrug: I joined you there, Katie. Thanks!

>176 lunacat: Rae loves the smell of coffee but won't drink the stuff, either. She only likes hot chocolate when it comes to warm stuff. I am not much for hot tea, but I would drink it if there was no coffee because I do like starting the day with a hot beverage.

I think that both of Abby's photos are begging for either a ghost story or a good murder mystery!

>177 scaifea: Morning, Amber! The stew was very tasty, and Craig was thrilled that there was some leftover, as he likes it better the second time around. And thank you for those lovely words about Abby. Craig is our big tea drinker - he LOVES the stuff!

>178 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! I was bummed about having to return The Narrow Road to the Deep North - hoping I can get it back in time to read it for the ANZAC challenge this month. The writing was beautiful. And I am really liking A Prayer for the Dying - only my second book by O'Nan, but I can see that he is an author whose work I will continue to seek out.

>179 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah! I love pecan trees in any weather, but the fog does make them look like a magical place. And yes, they are very orderly! Part of a large working pecan grove that butts up to the back of our property - the grove is actually why we bought this property, so we could look at those trees!

I just explain to PINES that Dejah said I could take her turn with the book, shall I?!!

>180 lkernagh: Wow! Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me, Lori! And thanks for those good wishes and kind words! Hoping that Tuesday is kind to you!

>182 lunacat: Ha! I do like your idea better - especially for Mondays. I'll have to try that strategy next time!

>183 susanj67: You still had plenty of time, Susan! And Happy Tuesday! I won the puppy competition?!! Most excellent! I thought those looked like German Shepherd puppies, but they were the wrong coloring, so then I thought, I wonder if they have white ones? I bet they are gorgeous when they are full grown!

I am telling Abby that you described her photos as American Gothic. Best plug your ears, dear - there will be excited screaming in just a moment!

Hi Mamie! I love the Mamie's Place sign. It is perfect and the ideal topper. I just started Moon Tiger.I have a feeling this will be a keeper.

>187 msf59: Hey, Mark! I just found that pic online! I have Moon Tiger on tap for this month, and I am looking forward to it. I have heard good things!

LOVE the black and white photo Abby took. That is a novel cover waiting for a story.

The Mamie's Place sign is perfect ;-)

Hi Juli! So glad you love the photo! And the Mamie's Place sign - I just stumbled across that the web. SO cool because Mamie is not an overly common name. Starbucks always writes Mimi on my cup.

CM, I absolutely love your pics!!

Totally impossible to keep up with your thread, even were I in top condition, Mamie. I love the first photo of Abby's best--so spooky looking!

>191 DivaColumbus: Thank you, Helen. My daughter Abby took those.

>192 ronincats: But here you are, Roni! How's that ankle? I think that first photo looks spooky, too!

Hi, Mamie, leaving my star and a *wave* before I get completely behind again!

I love Abby's photos. Hope your week has been a good one :)

>194 bell7: Hi Mary!! Thrilled to see you here, and thanks for leaving your star! Glad that you love the photos. SO far so good with the week, but then it is only Tuesday, yes?!

Chicken salad on croissants?! I'll be right over...

>190 Crazymamie: You are so not a Mimi!

>196 scaifea: Yes, ma'am! And there's always enough to share. *sets a place for Amber*

>197 luvamystery65: I know, right?! But that's what they keep writing on my cup!

Those photos are amazing and especially the first one goes so well with the cover of King Lear that Suz posted on her thread. I loved following your comments and was shocked how much I had forgotten (and how much I have been confusing with Hamlet and Macbeth), it's not that long ago that I read it.

>199 Deern: Hello, Nathalie! Thank you - I will have to go look at the cover that Suz posted. I'm glad that you loved following the King Lear read - that was a lot of fun, and it was so interesting to see what each of us noted from each act of the play. Suz did such a great job of summarizing and making thought-provoking comments. Her insights reminded me of when you did that read of The Iliad a few years ago and broke it down for us on your thread as you went - so much fun to follow along. This was my first time through King Lear, but I love both Macbeth and Hamlet. Abby and I are wanting to do The Tempest next.

Mamie's Place continues to be a hot spot! And why not? I love the conversation here about coffee, Abby's photography, and even some book talk! I have Stewart O'Nan on my list as an author to check into one of these days.

>201 Donna828: Me, too (Stewart O'Nan). He's new to me.

Morning Mamie! Still morning here. We love Mamie's Place! I would like to see more folks read Stewart O Nan. A nudge and a warble.

I have 'almost' checked out a Stewart O'Nan book several times from the library. Guess I need to pick one an put it on my wish list so I remember to actually bring one home with me.

Waving Hi!!!!!!!!

>181 Crazymamie: I like that!

>164 katiekrug: LOL cos coffee and wine are mandatory in my life

>185 Crazymamie: re: leftovers. My BiL has anything leftover on toast the next morning, it is absolutely crazy. Anything will do. Let's just say last time I was here I kept an eye on my palaak paneer in the AM.

>190 Crazymamie: hehe, my niece and nephew call me Mimi as the bastardised version of my name that my sister uses was unintelligible to them. It is cute.

Finished watching season one of Broadchurch last night - very well done. We also made the soup recipe that Amber had posted on her previous thread, and we loved it. My first time cooking lentils, but it will not be my last. I had also not cooked salt pork before, but I feel that now I have added to my Southern repertoire - all parts of the pig are readily available down here, and I remember thinking on my first trip to the market that I didn't even know there were so many parts to the pig!

A huge thanks to all of you who sent good thoughts my nephew's way concerning his recent job interview - sadly, he did not get the job. We are thrilled, though, that he has decided to stay, so now begins a new hunt for a job. Rain expected to last most of the day today, so I am most pleased that I don't need to go anywhere. Not sure what's for dinner tonight, but it will probably involve chicken as I have that in the freezer. I am thinking probably Chicken Parmesan.

On the reading front, I am hoping to finish up several books today - Foxglove Summer, which I just have a bit more to listen to, A Prayer for the Dying, and The Blessing Way. Not sure what I'll pick up next - probably Moon Tiger and Never Let Me Go.

Hoping that all of you have Thursdays that are full of fabulous!

Sorry to hear your nephew didn't get the job but it's lovely news that he's decided to stick around. Hopefully he'll find something soon. Have a great time curled up indoors instead of braving the rain.

>201 Donna828: Thank you for those kind words, Donna! Hoping that you get to Stewart O'Nan sooner rather than later. I am thinking that I want to reread Last Night at the Lobster sometime soon.

>202 jnwelch: Yes, Joe, you, too! I think you would like how he writes.

>203 msf59: SO happy that you love Mamie's Place, Mark! What else have you read by O'Nan?

>204 SuziQoregon: I had not heard of him before Katie mentioned him last year, Juli, but I aim to read more of him. Next time you're at the library, pick him up and take him home!

>205 Berly: Hello, Kim! *waves back*

>206 PaulCranswick: Oh, good, Paul! Thanks for stopping in!

>207 LovingLit: That's how I feel about coffee and wine, too. And oh, dear about the BIL! Craig will eat almost anything leftover but not for breakfast.

I actually like Mimi, and it makes perfect sense as a nickname for you, but I must stick with Mamie, as I have grown rather found of it. I am only Mimi when drinking Starbucks coffee, LOL!

>209 lunacat: Thank you, Jenny. We are very happy that he has decided to stay anyway. He would like to have a job where he could make use of his business degree, but he is willing to take anything in order to be employed until he finds just the right job, so I think he will do fine.

And I am looking forward to staying indoors today!

I'm sorry your nephew didn't get the job, but it's great he intends to relocate to the area regardless!

We had no idea what to do for dinner last night, but had some chicken in the fridge, so the hubs made a bastardized goram (sp?) masala dish with chicken and chickpeas simmered in all sorts of delicious spices. I was most impressed with him!

Hope I haven't steered you wrong with that particular O'Nan and that it's a good one for you. Happy Tuesday!

>212 katiekrug: Me, too, Katie! We love having him here, so we are over the moon that he wants to stay. And your dinner sounds fabulous! The Wayne is a genius! Craig is only allowed to cook on the grill, as on the stovetop he has no control and just keeps adding things to the pot. Not good, trust me.

I am liking the O'Nan - I actually had it requested from the library before you mentioned that you were reading it, so it was very serendipitous when you mentioned it on your thread. I really like his writing, so I think that I would read anything by him.

Happy Tuesday? Um...Katie...it's Thursday, dear.

Good morning, Mamie. Happy, er, whatever day of the week it is.

I am soooo looking forward to the sunshine returning tomorrow. I swear it's been gray for a week. I'm sorry that the original job for your nephew didn't work out, but how delightful that he's going to stay south!

Happy reading in the rain.

Ha! Thanks, Dejah, and Good Morning to you! I know what you mean about the sun - here, too. Supposed to make a return tomorrow, and I will be very happy to see it. The nephew seems to always land on his feet, so I think he will find something that works for him. And I am loving that he wants to stay down here as all the rest of my family is much further north.

Thanks for those reading wishes! Happy reading to you!

Sorry your nephew didn't get the job, but that just means there's one even better out there waiting for him! It's so great that he's staying in the area, and that he has you all as support while he's looking. I'll continue to wish him good luck in the search.

Thanks, Julia - I think so, too! And thanks for those kind words.

Dang, I'm sorry your nephew didn't get the job, but I'll be sending all sorts of good thoughts that he finds something even better!

Thank you, Amber!

>213 Crazymamie: - Well, hot diggity damn! That means it's almost Friday - sweet!

Yep!! Pretty excited about that myself!

Freedom Friday, except still on a Tuesday!!

(Sorry, I don't know why I'm all about the movie quotes this morning...)

Morning Mamie! A bit more comfortable here today, with some sunshine. Yah!
My favorite O' Nan is The Circus Fire. It is NNF and it is unforgettable!

>145 Crazymamie: and >146 Crazymamie: Very cool photos - thanks for sharing!

Looking forward to your thoughts on Moon Tiger and Never Let Me Go, as I love both!

Sorry to read about the nephew job disappointment, but how wonderful that he's staying!

Hi Mamie, I'm miles behind. I hope you're fine

Mamie - I've realised that I'd completely missed your thread from the start of the year and here you are on. Thread Two already, I'm not even going to try to catch up.

>222 scaifea: But what about Taco Tuesday? LOL!

>223 msf59: Good Evening, Mark! 45 and WET here. But there's a crazy rumor that the sun is scheduled to arrived tomorrow, which would be lovely. I went to add that book to my WL, but when I checked, I already have that recommendation filed away - I am thinking that I asked both you and Katie for O'Nan recs last year? And I actually recorded them at the time - Go Mamie! Anyway, rest assured that I will get to it - it does sound like a good one.

>224 DorsVenabili: Thank you, Kerri, and you're welcome. Hoping to start both of those books tomorrow, and I am looking forward to them. The nephew has already been busy today applying for other jobs.

>225 Ameise1: I am fine, Barbara. Thanks for checking on me!

>226 SandDune: Rhian, you made me laugh! Good thinking to just start here - welcome!

Hi Mamie, sound like things are going well and that there's plenty of good eats at your place! I have had O'Nan on my radar for some time, but sadly haven't gotten around to him yet. Sounds like an author I would enjoy.

>228 DeltaQueen50: Hello, Judy! The Pecan Paradisio is certainly not lacking for fun and food - we're having Parmesan chicken, roasted broccoli, green beans and rice with mushrooms for dinner tonight. Later we are planning on warm chocolate chip/toffee cookies served a la mode. YUM! I think you would greatly enjoy O'Nan, so here's hoping you can get to him soon.

Hi Mamie! I listened to an audio production of The Tempest last year. It was my first experience with that play. I liked it better than As You Like It, but not quite as much as Twelfth Night or Much Ado About Nothing.

Hi Carrie! DO you remember which production you listened to? I have read more of Shakespeare's tragedies than his comedies, although I have read Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Taming of the Shrew. Abby and I are hoping to make our way through several of his plays this year, and I think that listening to the audio while following along with the print version is the perfect way to experience it for the first time, so any audio recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

>231 Crazymamie: It was a BBC Radio production I downloaded free from the Sync summer audiobook program. The actors were good, but I thought some of the sound effects were odd. YMMV.

Good to know. Thanks, Carrie. YMMV?

Your mileage may vary. :)

Ha! Love that!

Sorry to see your nephew didn't get the job. Hopefully something better is around the corner for him!

>200 Crazymamie: Oooh, I love The Tempest and would happily reread it along with you.
Yes, The Iliad, a read I really enjoyed because my translation had the hexameters. I should try to get to The Odyssey this year.

>236 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle! That's what I am hoping, too.

>237 Deern: Oh, fun! I'll give you a head's up when we get to it - we were thinking next month. I loved when you read The Illiad - so much fun to follow your commentary! I am selfishly hoping that you can get to The Odyssey this year!

Book #7: Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch (4 stars), 2015 acquired audiobook

LOVED this, but then I just adore this series. And the narrator - Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is truly fabulous (not to mention gorgeous!), which is why I have listened to all of them instead if reading them. This is the 5th installment in the Rivers of London series - an urban fantasy police procedural that is like nothing else that I have read. SO much fun. As I want to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that this is a worthy addition to the series, but those of you who are wanting a definitive answer to the cliffhanger in the previous book are not going to find it here. Highly recommended - but read this series in order or you will be lost because each book builds on the previous ones.

*the photo is of the narrator, not the author

Yay, good to know that Foxglove Summer is good as I've got 3, 4 and 5 to read when they arrive. Very much looking forward to them, though whether I've have the control to pace myself and not binge on them is another matter.

>240 lunacat: Oh, I would totally binge on them, Jenny - I only read them one at a time because I read them as they came out.

I got the first one in that series when I was in London - at my meet-up with Susan at the gorgeous Daunt Books! - but I still haven't read it. What is wrong with me?

>242 katiekrug:

Insanity

>239 Crazymamie: Good morning! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Mamie - I'm still waiting for it from the library. I'm trying to be patient because it isn't as if I haven't already waited a year and, of course, I have lots of other books to read! I'm almost certain I'll get it next week.....

>242 katiekrug: Totally jealous of that, Katie! But yes - get to it, young lady! And I think you would absolutely love the audios, so if your library has them...

>243 lunacat: Right. Of course, we all have that here!

>244 Dejah_Thoris: Morning, Dejah! I am in the library queue to get Narrow Road to the Deep North back, and I am 16! I am thinking that I am not going to see it again this month. *sigh* Foxglove Summer is only $5.99 on Kindle - can't remember if you have one of those or not.

>239 Crazymamie: Oh! I just checked the library and I am up to #14 on the holds list for that one. Can't wait.

>242 katiekrug: Read it, Katie! Call in sick to work today and read it.

>242 katiekrug: Katie, I remember that! We walked around the shop and we kept stopping at books discussing which LT-er had read or was reading them and what they thought of them.

Mamie (whose thread this actually is, oh yes), Happy Friday. I was also sorry to read that your nephew didn't get the job, but to get through to the final round of interviews shows that he must be doing lots of things right, so I hope it doesn't take him long to find something else. And meanwhile, he gets to hang out at the Paradisio! (Just make sure he actually applies for more jobs).

Worth the wait, Julia! Those books always make me laugh out loud - I was listening to this one while Daniel and I were out walking the other day, and he said, "Alright, what are you listening to? That must be some book!" SO then I was trying to explain the premise of this particular book, and he was looking at me like I was completely nuts - after you read, I'll tell you what I was trying to explain - and he said, "Did you take your medicine today, Mom?!" He cracks me up!

*for those of you new to this thread, I am not on any medication

>242 katiekrug: What Julia said!

>247 susanj67: Hello, Susan! Extra points for knowing whose thread you are on!! Happy Friday! And thank you for those kind words about my nephew. And he is actually applying for jobs! Ha!!

Off to get a haircut, swing by the grocery for the bread for tonight's sandwiches (French Dip), and pick up some books from the library. Back in a bit. Carry on!

Morning Mamie! Make sure you save me a French Dip sandwich!
I can't believe we share 500 books. That is impressive, my friend.
I need to get to book 4 on the Rivers of London series. It has been nearly a year since I read the 3rd. WTH?

>245 Crazymamie: - My crap library only has a couple of the series and none of the audios. Grrr...

And what's wrong with being heavily medicated? Given this is the normal, medicated me, can you imagine the insanity of the non-medicated ;)

The sun is shining!!!! Sun!! It's gorgeous out there - sunny but a nice crisp day. I better enjoy it because starting tomorrow we are going back to the 60s - yeesh!

>251 msf59: Hello there, Mark! We will save you a sandwich! And hooray for 500 shared books! You do need to get back to the Rivers of London series - book 4 was a good one! What are you waiting for?!

>252 katiekrug: Oh, bummer, Katie!

>253 lunacat: Um, nothing, Jenny. Absolutely nothing. I was just pointing out that Daniel was making a joke - there is no medication for my particular brand of insanity!

I'm only teasing - I love my heavy medication ;)

>254 Crazymamie: Mamie, dear, are you objecting to 60 degree weather? I, too, am reveling in the sunshine today, but I'll be trilled for it to be in the 60s tomorrow.

>255 lunacat: *grin*

>256 Dejah_Thoris: Okay, Dejah, yes, I am. I would like a solid month (two months, even!) of weather in the 50s, please. I do not want snow or ice or freezing temps, but I would like some nice crisp weather for more than just a moment.

>257 Crazymamie: It's a darn good thing you didn't move to Florida, Mamie! 60 degree weather in January is one reason I moved back south! Don't fret - I'm sure we'll have a few more cold snaps before Spring properly arrives.

I know! I do love it down here, though.

You're wishing for cold weather?! Madness. It's only just hit freezing round here and that is far too cold for me, I couldn't feel my toes riding this morning. Roll on Spring.

Well, not exactly cold, but you know - crisp. So 50s. With sun. The summers are so very hot here that I like to have a bit of cold to counter it in the winter months. I am definitely not missing the Indiana weather.

I've got to agree with Mamie on this one. Warm weather in winter is just weird (also very alliterative!) :)

>262 katiekrug: So, what are we classifying as warm?

Cos it was 13C last week over here, and I'll admit that was quite weird. I would like weather around 0-5C but lovely and bright, not this godawful wind and rain we've got at the moment. Seriously? Who put Britain right in the middle of the jet stream?!

>262 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie! And true. So true.

>263 lunacat: Well, Katie and I are both from much more northern places where winter was cold. I don't need the freezing temps, just a bit of crisp cold where one can wear a turtle neck or a sweatshirt and not keel over from heat. So, let's say below 57F but above freezing would be ideal for me for winter. And no need for godawful wind and rain - you may keep that.

>261 Crazymamie: Temps in the 50s with sun sounds glorious. Year-round. Seriously. OK, maybe up to 75 in the summer.

I could do that year round, Julia. But I love the idea of up to 75 in the summer!

Can we have it up to about 85F on our perfect desert island? Just on the days we want to swim in the sea and lounge around under palm trees reading, with handsome men serving us cocktails and snacks.

Agreed.

Nope. Nothing above 70F, and NO beaches *shudder*

I'll take a cabin on a snowy mountain (30F) in which I have all the essentials (books, food, wine, The Wayne) stockpiled until spring, which will be a permanent 57F before fading into summer (70F) and then fall (50F).

>269 katiekrug: On our magical desert island we also provide snowy mountains. And lovely wide pastures with wild flowers for me to gallop through and you lot to lie and read in, while watching clouds skitter across the sky.

>269 katiekrug: Oh! I like your idea, too! I'm good either way. I love Fall temps (Um...northern Fall temps, not what we get down here). I don't mind the beach as long as I don't have to be on it.

>270 lunacat: You two can work out the details - I'm good with either one. As long as it's understood that I don't want to spend any time on a beach.

>271 Crazymamie: Can I have a non-sandy beach? Gorgeously warm and with a wide, beautiful sea but with no sand in awkward places.

Yes, ma'am. On the opposite side of the island fromKatie, where there is NO beach.

:( Sorry about the nephew :( but, it wasn't meant to be. That means something even better is in his future, I'm sure!
hugs

Glad you enjoyed Foxglove Summer too!

I want a sandy beach on the island, maybe at right angles to Jenny and Katie, on the south end.

We only share 228 books. :-(

I don't need a beach and the sand that's usually coming with it. I just want my temps up to nice and comfy. Let's say 25 Celcius? 77F?

Sorry to hear your nephew didn't get the job Mamie, but happy to hear he's going to be sticking around. I am starting Foxglove Summer very soon.

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

>274 mckait: Thanks, Sis! I'm excited to see what he finds. Hugs back to you, dear.

>275 ronincats: I did, Roni, but that was pretty much a given, wasn't it?! *grin* LOVE those books! And you want a sandy beach? I am wanting to see this island we are dreaming up!! Only share 228 books? I guess we need to work on that! It's probably because I just started reading the stuff you love since joining LT - you guts are expanding my reading in a very good way.

>276 connie53: I'm not big on the sand, either, Connie. And your comfy temps are different than mine - I like things a bit cooler. How boring if we all wanted the same things. DO you have a thread this year - I can't find you.

>277 souloftherose: Thank you, Heather! I'm glad he's sticking around, too! You are in for a treat with Foxglove Summer - those books are like candy to me.

Right, some views of our island:

Katie's Cabin


The view from her windows



The meadow



One of the coves



A reading castle



Tropical sandy beach for Roni



Swimming pool for Connie and Mamie, complete with cocktails

Wow! We are looking pretty darn good, Jenny! Very nice!

>278 Crazymamie: No, I don't have my own thread yet. And you are not the first to ask that question. I was thinking of not starting one and just stick with my ROOT thread. But now I think I should start one here again.
So I will do that shortly.

I love my shared place by the pool! And the cocktails! Thank you!

Oh, hooray for that, COnnie, although I would have come to your ROOT thread if you weren't going to have one here. Jenny did an excellent job with the photos, didn't she?

>282 Crazymamie: Jenny certainly did!

The thread is up!

Coming to find you right now, Connie!

>279 lunacat: - I know this thread has moved on, but just have to say I am ALL IN for that magical island! Good work, Jenny!

SHe moved those photos to the new thread, Katie, so we can still enjoy them!