Berly's Security Blanket -- Books! (4)

April, May and June...

So, my quick bio. I am a mother of three great kids; happily married; and live in Oregon. I have a huge TBR pile by my bedside, kinda like my security blanket. : ) I was a Neuroscience/Psych major and worked on nerve regeneration for a bit; then jumped ship and worked in advertising; served as the Community Relations Manager for the MN Timberwolves; was an editorial intern at Milkweed Editions; wrote for Portland Parent Magazine; and now am the Marketing Director and Accounting Person for our own business, cleaning industrial water and bringing it up to EPA standards. Okay. Kinda unfocused, but I prefer to think of it as multitalented! I am a TKD blackbelt, but am nursing a knee back to health, so that is on hold for a while. I also like to work in glass. Back to books. Did I mention I love books? I read lots of different genres and LT has truly opened my horizons! Welcome old friends and new.

Reading now

The White Tiger
A History of the World In 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor
Yes...I am still reading this one! I am up to 2600 BC. : )
Mark Twain's Guide to Diet, Exercise, Beauty, Fashion, Investment, Romance, Health and Happiness ER by Mark Dawidziak

Completed in June
34. Saga, Vol. 1 (160 pages) GN by Brian K, Vaughan and Fiona Staples
33. The Sense of an Ending (163 pages)by Julian Barnes for my RL Book Club
32. I Take You (305 pages) ARC by Eliza Kennedy

Completed in May (1971 pages in May, 9090 total)
31. The Stranger (audio/400 pages) by Harlan Coben 4.0
30. Wonder (404 pages) by RJ Palacio 5.0
29. Sorrow Arrow (86 pages) poetry by Emily Kendal Frey 2.0
28. Fables: Of Men and Mice (144 pages) GN by Marc Andreyko 3.5
27. Fables: The Return of the Maharaja (144 pages) GN by Sean E. Williams 3.0
26. Leaving Time (audio/496 pages) by Jodi Piccoult 4.5
25. Bossy Pants (audio/297 pages)written and read by Tina Fey 3.5

Completed in April (1639 pages in April, 7119 total)
24. Our Endless Numbered Days (386 pages) by Claire Fuller 4.0
23. Death Without Company (271 pages) by Craig Johnson 3.0
22. Fables: Animal Farm (112 pages) GN by Bill Willingham 3.5
21. Fables: Legends In Exile (144 pages) GN by Bill Willingham 3.5
20. The Bird Skinner (309 pages) by Alice Greenway 4.0
19. The Husband's Secret (417 pages) by Liane Moriarty 4.0

Completed in March (1903 pages in May, 5480 total)
18. Dance Hall of the Dead (272 pages) by Tony Hillerman 2.5
17. Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant (pages 228) by Roz Chast 3.0
16. Night Broken (292 pages) by Patricia Briggs 4.0
15. Fair Game (291 pages) by Patricia Briggs 4.0
14. Three Sisters (380 pages) by Susan Mallery 3.5
13. The Secret Speech (440 pages) by Tom Robb Smith 3.5

Completed In February (1520 pages in February, 3577 total)
12. Snake Oil: How Fracking's False Promise of Plenty Imperils Our Future (124 pages) by Richard Heinberg 3.5
11. The Rosie Effect (352 pages) by Graeme Samson 3.0
10. Turn of the Screw (160 pages) by Henry James 3.0
9. All the Light We Cannot See (530 pages) by Anthony Doerr 4.0
8. The Cold Dish (354 pages) by Craig Johnson 4.0

Completed in January (2057 pages)
7. The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared (384 pages) by Jonas Jonasson 3.5
6. War Dances (209 pages) by Sherman Alexie 3.5
5. Invisible (399 pages) by James Patterson 4.0
4. The Girl on the Train (323 pages) ARC by Paula Hawkins 3.75
3. Station Eleven (333 pages) ebook by Emily St. John Mandel 4.0
2. Moon Tiger (208 pages) by Penelope Lively 4.0
1. The Blessing Way (201 pages) ebook by Tony Hillerman 3.0

1. With a protagonist of the opposite gender--Dance Hall of the Dead
2. Chosen by Someone Else (Paul BAC)--Moon Tiger
3. One You Have Owned More Than A Year--Invisible
4. ..With Scientists--The Bird Skinner
5. ...On a Subject You Are Unfamiliar With--Snake Oil: How Fracking's False Promise of Plenty Imperils Our Future
6. Translated from a language I don't speak--The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
7. ...with A Natural Disaster--Station Eleven
8. ...About Autism--The Rosie Effect
10. Set in a country other than your own--All the Light We Cannot See
13. With a protagonist of the opposite gender--The Secret Speech
14. Reminds me of my childhood--Fables: Legends in Exile
15. Where Prophecies or Portents are Part of the Plot--Fair Game
16. Based on a Myth--The Blessing Way
17. Inspired by Another Piece of Fiction--Fables: Legend in Exile
20. ...where an animal is of importance--Leaving Time
21. With a Mythical Creature--Fair Game
22. Centered Around a Major Historical Event--The Husband's Secret
22. ...Centered Around A Major Historical Event--A History of the World in 100 Objects (when I finish it!)
23. Whose Main Character (I changed this a little) is the Same as Ancestor's First Name--The Cold Dish (Walter)
25. Completely Outside My Comfort Zone--I Take You (The Level of Promiscuity)

(1/1/15) Famous last words: I like to read spontaneously and pretty much refuse to commit to anything in advance.

(1/7/15) My how quickly I cave!! I am thinking I will alternate between Paul's BAC and Mark's AAC.



Paul's British Author Challenge (BAC)

January : Penelope Lively Moon Tiger ✔
& Kazuo Ishiguro
February : Sarah Waters & Evelyn Waugh
March : Daphne Du Maurier & China Mieville
April : Angela Carter & W. Somerset Maugham
May : Margaret Drabble & Martin Amis
June : Beryl Bainbridge & Anthony Burgess
July : Virginia Woolf & B.S. Johnson
August : Iris Murdoch & Graham Greene
September : Andrea Levy & Salman Rushdie
October : Helen Dunmore & David Mitchell
November : Muriel Spark & William Boyd
December : Hilary Mantel & P.G. Wodehouse

Here is the link to the latest thread : https://www.librarything.com/topic/182914

Mark's American Author Challenge (AAC)

January : Carson McCullers
February : Henry James - Turn of the Screw ✔
March : Richard Ford
April : Louise Erdrich
May: Sinclair Lewis
June : Wallace Stegner
July : Ursula K. Le Guin
August : Larry McMurtry
September : Flannery O' Connor
October : Ray Bradbury
November : Barbara Kingsolver
December : E.L. Doctorow

**If you are interested in the American Author Challenge, check out the main thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/185195

In addition I have committed to Roberta's (luvamyster65) 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 I also have to keep an eye on Morphy's Thread on Mercy Thompson and the Alpha Omega Series by Patricia Briggs. I have read a lot, but not all, and would love to reminisce on the one'e I have read and hear people's comments until I get to the new-for-me ones.



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

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

'Course then there is My RL Book Club.



February 11th -- All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr ✔
April 8th -- The Husband's Secret by Liann Moriarty ✔
June 10th -- The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
August 12th -- Little Failure - Gary Shteyngart
October 14th -- The Good Lord Bird - James McBride
December -- Choose NewBooks!!


And now (1/10) I have committed to read The Worst Hard Time in April??? with Julia.

: )

Good thing I like books!

I didn't quite make the 75 goal last year, but close. I managed to read almost 22,000 pages, which sounds impressive and since I have never tracked this before and have nothing to compare it to, made me quite happy. Don't burst my bubble if you left me in the dust!! ; )



My top 5 favorite reads from last year were (in no particular order):

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Gravity of Birds by Tracy Guzeman
The Martian by Andy Weir
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The Rosie Project by Gaeme Simsion

and then also

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
Interpreter of Maladies by Juhumpa Lahiri
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
More Than This by Patrick Ness

Happy New Thread, Kim!

Happy new thread, Kim! And happy Friday!!

Happy New Thread! Have a good weekend.

Hi Kim! Happy new thread and have a great weekend!

Happy new thread, Kim!!

Hello Dear Kim

Happy Day To You!

Happy new thread, Kim!

Nice new thread Kim.

Happy new thread, Kim.

Aha! Caught up before you ran too far ahead.

Happy New Thread, Kimmers! Happy Friday! I love your personal bio up there! I do not see you "unfocused" at all, plus, even if I did, I wouldn't say anything, for fear of you kicking my butt! LOL.
I toyed with TKD, about 25-plus years ago. I liked it and wished I would have stuck to it.

Happy new thread, Kim!

Wow, those are some reading plans you have there!!! So many challenges about these days, I cannot commit. I can barely keep up with my own challenge, to read 75 books, lol.

>7 scaifea: Amber--You are first!! Thanks for the warm welcome. May I pour you a glass? What's your pleasure?

>8 Crazymamie: Crazy!! A close second. What would you like? Perhaps some cheese and crackers?

>9 thornton37814: Hi Lori--pull up a chair. : )

And they just keep coming!!

Hi Katie!! And Val, Linda (look at you visiting threads!!), Rhonda, John, Beth, Judy, Mark, Lori, and Megan. Thanks for coming by. Happy weekend to you all. I look forward to more many more books and visits. : )

Today I met Ellen for a last minute breakfast and trip to Powell's. I was good and brought in some books for trade, but I spent a little more than I brought in. Oh well!! I'll post the titles soon. Tomorrow we off to Eugene to visit Jess at college and watch Jack play soccer down there. And Sarah got asked to Prom!! Life is good today.

Happy New Thread, Kim and I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Hooray for Meet-Ups!!

Sounds like a lovely start to your weekend, Kim! May the goodness continue! Happy Saturday, dear!

Kim, I hope you have fun down in Eugene. I had such a great time with our last-minute impromptu meet up. I loved learning more about Jess, Sarah, and Jack.

You know, we never thought to snap a photo, though, so we may get kicked off the LT island.

Hi :-)

>22 Berly: That's an interesting chair.

>20 Berly: Hmm, can I trade with Mamie? I love cheese and crackers, but not so much the wine...

>30 scaifea: Yes! I am willing to trade!

Hooray for an LT meetup. Hopefully one day I can have one of my own. :D

Yes, please post titles at your earliest convenience!

>24 Ameise1: Barbara--Thanks for the lovely pink trees--Spring!! Yay!

>25 msf59: Mark, the king of meet-ups. You should know!! Ellen and I had a very nice time and it was great to get to know her a little better. A Powell's visit never hurts.

>26 Crazymamie: Crazy--Thanks. I kinda missed out on LT this weekend--so best wishes for a Happy Monday! I know it is not your favorite day of the week. So hang in there.

>27 EBT1002: Ellen--We sooooooo meant to take a photo and we blew it!! Dang it. Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone on LT and then we won't get any hate mail. ; ) I had a great time with you. And I really am going to label all the books "Ellen's Fault" because without you I would not have been any where near Powell's!! LOL Okay, you will only be a co-fault on some of them because they were already on my list. But Being Mortal is definitely all on you!



>28 AuntieClio: Hi Stephanie!! How's tricks?

>29 thornton37814: Lori, I know. I am not sure how comfortable it would be, but I like that you can surround yourself with reading material! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

>30 scaifea: >31 Crazymamie: Amber and Crazy--Glad you two ladies worked it out. Thanks for being so flexible. : )

>32 jolerie: Hi Val! I see an LT meet-up in your future. I know it!! The titles are up above. I have already read both the Fables and have passed them on to my daughter. Loved them!

Thanks, Mamie - such a sharing, caring group. *snork!*

And, oof, but isn't that a lovely stack of books!

>33 Berly: Awesome stack of books! Curious to see how you like The Buried Giant.

We will forgive you the lack of a picture if you promise to have another meet-up and take a photo then.

Happy new thread Kim and yay for LT meetups and book hauls! Several of the books you picked up are on my wishlist (Worlds of Exile and Illusion, Being Mortal, The Buried Giant).

>33 Berly: Love the book stack. And the 'x's fault' tag idea...

Nice haul, Kim -- and a meet up too. You hit the jackpot.

>34 scaifea: Are you snorking at our caring group? Hyppocrite! You are one of the very centers of caring. And besides, snorking can hurt your nose. Be careful. (See--CARING!) LOl

>35 banjo123: I promise to give a full report when I read The Buried Giant and to have another meet-up AND to take pictures!!

>36 souloftherose: Thanks for stopping in! I will have to keep on eye on your thread and see what you think of the books, too. Let me know if you want to coordinate a read....!

>37 charl08: Hi again! Your welcome to assign blame as you see fit. ; )

>38 BLBera: Jackpot!!! It certainly was. : )

Met a fellow board member today for lunch and she has agreed to take over for me as Board President when my term ends in June--yay!!! Serious weight off my shoulders. : ) Then I worked till 11 tonight. Big presentation tomorrow. Wish me luck!

>39 Berly: *SNORK!*
If you are so concerned about my nose (CARING!), why make me snork even louder?! Sheesh.

Love the book haul, Kimmers! And yah, for Tana French. I hope to get to book 5 next month. I have the Buried Giant saved on audio and plan on getting to it this month. Opinion has been strangely mixed.

Morning, Kim! Nice haul! I have The Likeness and Worlds of Exile and Illusion in the stacks and am hoping to get to them this year. And I am waiting for the digital library loan of Being Mortal - it could be a while, but at least I am in line!

And hooray for someone in line to take over your presidency!! Those things are always tricky trying to get someone to agree to shoulder the weight for a year - was it a year, your term, or longer?

Literary Arts congratulates the winners of
the 2015 Oregon Book Awards!



ELOISE JARVIS MCGRAW AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Susan Hill Long of Portland
Whistle in the Dark (Holiday House)

LESLIE BRADSHAW AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
April Henry of Portland
The Body In the Woods (Henry Holt)

FRANCES FULLER VICTOR AWARD FOR GENERAL NONFICTION
Alex Tizon of Eugene
Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

SARAH WINNEMUCCA AWARD FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION
Justin Hocking of Portland
The Great Floodgates of the Wonderworld (Graywolf Press)

ANGUS L. BOWMER AWARD FOR DRAMA
Andrea Stolowitz of Portland
Ithaka

STAFFORD/HALL AWARD FOR POETRY
Emily Kendal Frey of Portland
Sorrow Arrow (Octopus Books)

KEN KESEY AWARD FOR FICTION
Cari Luna of Portland
The Revolution of Every Day (Tin House Books)

READERS CHOICE AWARD
Willy Vlautin of Scappoose
The Free (Harper Perennial)


SPECIAL AWARDS:

STEWART H. HOLBROOK LITERARY LEGACY AWARD
Tom Spanbauer of Portland

WALT MOREY YOUNG READERS LITERARY LEGACY AWARD
Jann Tankersley of McMinnville

C.E.S. WOOD DISTINGUISHED WRITER AWARD
Ralph Salisbury of Eugene

>41 scaifea: I am so sorry you are easily prompted to snork! I will try to be less amusing. (See-Caring again!)

>42 msf59: I am not sure I can squeeze in any more books this month, but I will eagerly await your review of The Buried Giant--you can be the tie breaker on public opinion.

>43 Crazymamie: I just told Mark, this month is half over and I am behind on reads, but let me know when you get to these titles and I could try to read them with you.

As to the Board, I have been chairing something at the school since my daughter started there 8 years ago. I have been on the Board for three years and the last year was an extension of my term as well as a taking on the Presidency. I love Bridges Middle School, which is for kids with learning differences, but I need to spend some time on Jack-related stuff. He is a Freshman and I only have three more years left to show up at school and embarrass him!! ; )

http://www.bridgesms.org

Nice book haul, Kim. Wishing you amost lovely day.

Love the haul, Kim.

Several on there I will get to at some point..... :)

>46 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. : ) I wish you a most wonderful day tomorrow!!

>47 jolerie: Hi Val! Aha, I beat you to the purchase. But will I read them before you?! I have been trying to buy less this year--I think I am doing only fair. Oops! ; )

Another late night at the office, but mission accomplished!! And the taxes are done and turned in well before midnight, I might add. We took time out in the afternoon to go watch Jack's track meet. He was very psyched because he set three personal bests in the 100, 200 and long jump! Pooped. Going to bed. Goodnight!

Hi Kim, it seems that you have been a very busy lady recently and I hope that you get to relax a little bit my dear. I hope you are having a good day today and the same for tomorrow and then I hope you have a good weekend my dear, love and hugs.

Great book haul at Powell's, Kim. And you got to meet up with Ellen. Even better. I totally get forgetting to take a picture. We almost forgot here in Denver on Wednesday. We usually have one taken at the restaurant, but were gabbing so much that it didn't happen. We did document our visit at the new Tattered Cover location with our new member, Kris. Fun times those meetups!

Yay!! New books from Powell's Indiespensable Readers Club!! And this time it came with a nifty coaster. My hubby is the best. He is the one who signed me up for this. : )

>50 johnsimpson: Hi John! So tomorrow holds another soccer game in the quest for State Cup for my son Jack. And then tomorrow night is the Sadie Hawkins Dance for Sarah. In between, I am hoping to fit in some reading, which has been pitifully lacking as of late.

Rough day today. I was (note the key word there: WAS!) taking some asthma medicine and let's just say it has not agreed with me. I am hoping it wears off by tomorrow.

Here's wishing you and Karen a great weekend!

>51 Donna828: I am glad you took a photo at your meetup -- I love seeing who is who! And you welcomed a new member -- very fun. I just downloaded Death Without Company and I am looking forward to it. Happy weekend.

>33 Berly: what no photos of meetup?? But lookie here, we do have photos of books, so that is ok. Phew ;)

>52 Berly: and then there's more books too! And a cool coaster too...I wish there were 5 more for you to have a cool coaster set.

Hooray, for more books! I also have a nice hardback of Wolf Winter, that I snagged at ALA.

Happy Weekend, my friend.

Nice book shot. That sounds like a great scheme (and a perfect gift).

Hi Kim, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

Hi Kim! Hope the bad medicine wears off and you can enjoy your weekend!

Good morning Kim. I see you had a very nice visit with Ellen and many great books purchased. I'm currently reading Being Mortal. It is very well researched and well written. Happy day to you!

I have Wolf Winter on my library list so looking forward to your thoughts.
Hope you feel better from your meds. No fun!

>54 LovingLit: Megan--I have another Powell's meetup with local people next Saturday. I promise to take a picture!!! I am glad my book picture was an acceptable substitute. : )

I was going through my tags and discovered I had only entered 22 books for 2013. What? That was definitely not my total for that year, but I was pretty sick. So I have done some sleuthing and got it back up in the 50s, but that is the best I can do. Oh well.

2015 is off to a good start. I am still on track for the big 75. :)

>55 msf59: Yay for more books! You are so right, Mark ; ) I had my TBR pile somewhat under control and I am losing control recently. I blame it on all my best friends here!!

>56 charl08: Hi C! Nice to see you again. I have loved most of the Powell's Indispensable books, and who doesn't like getting surprise books in the mail?? And quirky gifts? It is a great scheme!

>57 Ameise1: Beautiful flowers, Barbara! Happy weekend to you too.

>58 katiekrug: Hi Katie. Still feeling punk today, but I can tell the meds are wearing off. One of the stated side effects is swelling of the throat and lungs (although it is supposed to help ease asthma), but in my case it hurt so much! Swallowing sucked and if I bent over, the increased blood supply made my entire chest hurt too. Ridiculous! I am NOT taking Dulera again. Ever!

>59 Whisper1: Linda!! Making the rounds again I see. How nice to see you out and about! I am really looking forward to Being Mortal. You are the third person who has spoken highly of it. (EBT1002 and SqueakyChu).

>60 jolerie: Hi Val! There is a lot of Wolf going around...Wolf Winter, Wolf Hall....I just watched the first two episodes of Wolf Hall with my husband, who is a history encyclopedia. I was so excited that my Harlequin romances finally paid off -- I knew who everyone was and the background politics and he didn't!! Yay me! (Okay, I might have read some serious history from this era as well.)

And finally, my word of the day:

Smellbound: ('smel-,baund) adj: held as if under a spell by the scent of books.

>61 Berly: ooof - reacting badly to medication is awful, especially as most of the time you just have to wait it out, as you are doing. Ironic that Dulera created trouble where it was supposed to help.

We haven't watched the Wolf Hall episodes yet because we are attending the live performance(s) on Broadway tomorrow. The two parts cover both Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, the latter of which I finished this morning. After we recover from tomorrow, we'll set aside some time to watch the televised version. Mark Rylance is a wonderful actor and I'm eager to see what he does with Cromwell.

I know you are off to see the plays--so jealous!!! Say hi to Jim for me and have a wonderful time. I have yet to read Bring up the Bodies. Rylance is doing a great job so far...I think you will like it! Have fun and tell me all about it. : )

Hi Kim - Lots going on here. Hooray for Oregon Book Awards. Minnesota also has book awards; I guess not many states do. We are in a special group. :) I really liked Wolf Winter; I'll be interested in your comments. Have a great Sunday.

I hope you are feeling better!

>64 BLBera: Hi Beth--Another fan of Wolf Winter, I see. Okay, well then I will try to keep it near the top of the TBR pile. Yes, since MN has several publishing houses (Gray Wolf Press, Milkweed Editions, Tin House Magazine) I would think they would have book awards. Yay for literary states!

>65 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. Better today than yesterday. Hoping I am all well by tomorrow. : )

I really do love this series! The cast of characters in Powder Junction is growing and I like them all: Lucian, the grumpy retired Sheriff; Vic the foul-mouthed deputy; Ruby at the front desk; Henry The Bear, the wise Indian friend; the newbie deputy whose name I can't pronounce (Saizarbitoria); Dog, who is, well, the dog; and finally Walter Longmire, our hero Sheriff. This one starts off with the death of a senior citizen, Mari Baroja, at a nursing home and Lucian thinks that there was foul play. Secrets from the past emerge, people contest Mari's will, lives are threatened, some people die. The usual murder mystery formula, but there is humor and compassion in these books. An understanding of the lost and forgotten in life. It is fast-paced, endearing and fun. 3.8

For anyone in the area, we are having a Powell's meetup this Saturday in Portland!!!

Details here...

https://www.librarything.com/topic/187289

Coming!!
SuziQoregon
Oregonreader
Banjo123
Arubabookwoman
Me

Pausanias ?
Carol ?
Streamsong ?

I wanna go!! Wah!!

Me too!!! Double Wahhhhhh!

>3 Berly: Wow! You just acing that bingo card. Good job! :)

>52 Berly: I totally recognized that storefront. :D I live in Washington, but I drop down to Portland every once in awhile. And every trip must involve a stop by Powell's! :) I'm glad everyone had a good meetup.

>68 Berly: I work this Saturday, so no, I can't make it. :( But I hope everyone has a blast! :)

Have fun! We expect pictures.

>69 msf59: Next year, Mark. You promised! : )

>70 jolerie: Val--Anytime you want to come, I have a guest room!!!

>71 saraslibrary: Sara--Thanks! I am anticipating trouble with the Bingo squares published in 1915. Not because they aren't choices, but because it will require some research (oh no!) and I tend to read a bit more spontaneously.

I am bummed you can't make this next meetup. Dang work!! I am sure we will have another one and I will try to make sure you know about it early enough to swap hours or or schedule trips around it or something!

>72 BLBera: Beth--Thanks and I will do my best to remember the photo this time!

Oh man, I am so bummed not to be joining that group in Portland at Powell's. Maybe I can duck out of my work obligation. No, not so much. Oh well.

Kim, I'm sorry to hear about the side effects from the asthma meds -- it sounds pretty horrible. I'm glad it's subsiding and I hope that never happens again!

I have Junkyard Dogs from the library and have to read it before it's due -- or renew it. ha.

By the way, I'm too late to wish you luck on your 4/15 presentation. I presume it went okay?

Rhonda said she'd forgive us if we have another meet-up and post a photo that time around. I'm definitely IN.

Hi Ellen--I feel lucky I got to see you when you passed through Portland, but I am sorry you don't get to do the group thing this time. I am sure there will be another!

So, I am over the negative Dulera effects. Happily back to wheezing. ; )

You better read quickly, there is nothing worse than having to return a library book undone. I usually pay the fine and bring it back a day or two late. Shhhhhh! Don't tell on me--I have only done it a few times.

The presentation went really well--two more on Monday. On a new business roll!

Tell Rhonda, it's a deal on the makeup photo. : )

Have a great time at the Meet-Up, Kimmers! Behave yourself at Powells!!

Hi Kim, I wish you a fantastic meet-up weekend.

>76 msf59: "Behave yourself at Powell's" Oh right.

That reminds me of an old boyfriend who, when I would scold him and say 'behave', would reply a la the psych major he was: "I'm behaving. I'm behaving."

>67 Berly: Kim, if I weren't already reading the Longmire books, your comments would have been all that it took to put them on my radar. It is a good series. I was disappointed that I didn't find any of Johnson's books at the library book sale today. My library doesn't have all of them so I have to order them from another Missouri library. Not a big deal unless I spill water on it…big fine!

Oh, a meet up today. I'm looking forward to pictures this time!

Hi Kim, hope you have had a good weekend my dear, love and hugs to a special friend from over the pond.

Hey Kim, it was great to see you yesterday! Hope your daughter had a fabulous prom.

Kim, It was so good to see you again. The meet-up was so much fun. Looking forward to the next one.

Waiting for the MeetUp photo. No pressure, Kim. ;-)

Hi Kim, just stopping by to say Hello!!

Great to see you again Kim! Hope we can manage a meetup more often than once a year or more.

Hope prom went well

Another jealous inducing Powells visit. I eagerly await some pictures and a full report on purchases. :)

>76 msf59: Mark--Behaving oneself at Powell's is an oxymoron--book purchase list coming soon!!

>77 Ameise1: Barbara--I had an awesome, exhausting weekend! I will tell you all about it after I say Hi to all the nice people who kept my thread warm while I was busy. : )

>78 ffortsa: Judy--I knew you were a wise woman! Well, actually I did behave at Powell's. I dutifully did my part to keep this awesome establishment open by helping them move merchandise. I now feel very altruistic!!

>79 Donna828: Donna--Yes there are pictures this time! I promise to post shortly! Sorry your library doesn't have all the Longmires--make sure you don't read and drink at the same time! And don't drink while going down a twisty, bumpy road either. I got tea on my nice white shirt this morning. Luckily I had an orange safety vest to put on for the first meeting and then a more sophisticated blazer for the second. No one could tell.

>80 johnsimpson: HI my friend John from the other side of the pond! I hope you had a great weekend as well. Hugs.

>81 banjo123: Rhonda--Yes, the meetup was great fun! And my daughter had a ball at prom. I will post a picture. : )

>82 Oregonreader: Jan--We really shouldn't wait so long between meetings! I successfully paid cash for my books and managed to sneak them in, so I won't get in trouble from my Hubby. ; ) I am kidding--he fully supports my addiction.

>83 cameling: Caro--Feeling the pressure!! Okay, okay....! I will post the picture!!

>84 connie53: Hi Connie! Come back again so you can see the picture! LOL. It is nice to see you here.

>85 SuziQoregon: Juli--Did you find any more books after you went back AGAIN(!) to Powell's after our lunch?

>86 jolerie: Val--I live to make people jealous! Yes! My job is done.

So, I have not been here much lately because, well, I have been over-the-top busy! It all started Thursday night when I went to Portland's Literary Arts author talk by Katherine Boo. I thoroughly enjoyed her talk on the time she spent researching for Behind the Beautiful Forevers--it was great because as she talked, a slide show was going behind her and we got to see all the people and places she was talking about. I think I will enjoy this book much more now!

Friday night, Hubby and I saw The Price, a play by Arthur Miller. It is one of his less produced plays, but I am not sure why. It was very powerful.

Saturday started off bright and early with Jack's team playing in the soccer State Cup tournament. They had already made it out of the first round by winning one of the top two spots. Unfortunately, this was single elimination time and they played well, but lost. : ( During the game, I appealed to a friend of mine to come do Sarah's hair and makeup for Prom, as her previous plans for this had fallen through and I am hopeless at both these tasks--it was a state of emergency!! She graciously accepted.

After soccer, I made it to Powell's in the nick of time for our LT meetup!! It was great fun. Oregonreader (Jan), SuziQoregon (Juli), and banjo123 (Rhonda) and I had a great time wandering the stacks and then lunch afterward at the Deschutes Brewery.

Then I rushed back home to get ready for Sarah and her friends to get ready for Prom. Hair primping and makeup ruled! I grabbed the desserts for the pot luck and we dashed off to another house for dinner and photos. After all the kids left for the dance, Hubby and I went over to yet another friend's house for wine and dessert.

But then we had to skiddadle home again, because about 20 kids came over after the Prom to hang out some more. We kicked the boys out at about 2:30 in the morning and some of the girls slept over. Jack also had some friends stay over. So I served Sundaybrunch at about 10 the next morning and simultaneously got Sarah ready for a three day trip. She, along with almost everyone else, left around noon and I grabbed a much-needed nap!!

To cap off the night, Hubby and I went to a friend's new store opening, which was also a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. It was Brats and Brew and you make a donation. I was happy not to cook and it was delicious!

So much fun, but wow!! Phew!!! The house is quiet now. Down to one child 'till Wednesday evening.

: )

Jack and State Cup Soccer

Oregonreader (Jan), banjo123 (Rhonda), me and SuziQoregon (Juli) had a great time wandering the stacks and then lunch afterward at the Deschutes Brewery.

Sarah is in the middle--Prom!!

Kim, your post made me very tired. What a whirlwind of events you've had the past few days. I hope the rest of your week is fairly quiet.

The pictures are wonderful. Your kiddos are beautiful and our LT Peeps look very happy!

Okay...here is the Powell fortune! Or in Mark vernacular, Kim misbehaving!! Oh, and I like to assign blame give credit to people who made suggestions on how to expand my horizons. ; )

Saga -- This was Juli's Fault
Fables: Fairest The Return of the Maharaja -- on my list for the kids
Fables: Fairest Of Mice and Men -- same
The Free The 2015 Oregon Book Award Winner. I think we all got this one.
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President--This was Jan and Rhonda's Fault!
Behind the Beautiful Forevers because of Portland Artist Lit and Seeing Katherine Boo!
Sorrow Arrow Oregon Book Award Winner for Poetry 2015 and April is poetry month--who knew?!
Wonder -- This was Rhonda's Fault
The Plover -- This one was a conspiracy!!

So, I am a happy girl with no lack of reading material in the near future. : )

We had so much fun and promise to do it again sooner, rather then later, for anyone who missed out on this get-together!

>93 Donna828: Hi Donna. I am very happy that the whirlwind has subsided and that it played out well. I think this last weekend may hold the record for most events ever! I am glad you like the photos--I always enjoy seeing my LT friends, too. I am about to go pour a nice glass of vino and do some reading--hallelujah!!

Love the flurry of posts, pictures and all! I'm tired just reading so you go super mom!
Awesome haul as well. You've done your job well, my friend. :)

Wow, Kim, are you sure that this took only place during four days? Well, first of all congrats on your offspring they are beautiful! Your meet-up looks like a big success and I like your book haul.
Thanks so much for sharing those beautiful photos.

I came back to see the pictures! Lovely! The prom girls are very beautiful! I always love to see the faces of LT-members. And Jack is a handsome guy! you must be so proud!

>92 Berly: Boy, she is a tall drink of water - and beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

Lots of WOWS!! Great photos of the kids and the Meet-Up. The only thing missing, is me in front of Powell's. Next year, my friend.

Great book haul! And the Boo talk sounded fantastic. If you remember, I was a huge fan of Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

>91 Berly: I am so jealous! But it is a good thing I saved some money. I saw the bill for my dog's dental surgery: $2000. It will take me a while to pay for it! Yikes.

I will try to find a way to come down one day and spend my $38 that I have on account there.

Promise you guys will do another Meet Up soon!

Okay. I need a nap now after catching up with you - YIKES, girl! I don't know HOW you do it!! What an awesome Mom you are! Your children are gorgeous. Very nice book haul - well done. That is all. *shuffles off to take that nap*

>96 jolerie: Thanks, Val! I was briefly Super Mom, wasn't I? Then I was just pooped Mom. LOL

>97 Ameise1: Barb--I know! I can't believe that all fit in to four days!! I would have preferred to spread it out a little, but I didn't get that option, LOL. The Prom wasn't on the calendar originally, because it wasn't even at Sarah's school, but she got asked and knows lots of kids there so suddenly the weekend got a lot busier!

>98 connie53: Thanks Connie! I think they both lucked out in the looks department, but there's nothing I can do about that, you just get what you get. I am trying to make them nice people on the inside, too.

>99 scaifea: Amber--She is indeed tall. I love that expression--a tall drink of water!! Sarah stands about 5'9", 5'10" without heels and she is very slender. And now the heels have that platform bottom on the toe part so the heels are ridiculously high! I am sure she was over 6 feet. My son came downstairs, and normally they are eye-to-eye, and he said "What the Heck!?" because he was so much shorter than her.

>100 msf59: Mark--Yes, we thought of you at the Deschutes Brewery--next year indeed, sir!!! I do remember that you like Behind The Beautiful Forevers. If you would like me to blame credit you, too, I will gladly do so!!

>101 maggie1944: Maggie--We did miss you! And promise to do it again soon. In fact, we decided at lunch that you should have the honor of choosing the next date since you were a driving force in making this meetup happen and then couldn't come. So ball's in your court!! Hope you puppy is feeling better and ouch! on the bill.

>102 Crazymamie: Hi Crazy--Thanks very much. Coming from you that is indeed a compliment! But you know how being Mom goes. Sometimes you just have to keep going until you are done!! Luckily it was all very fun stuff.

Today I am chairing the jury selection of artwork for the Senior T-shirt contest.
The logo is: Be Yourself. Everyone Else is Already Taken.
(Sarah came up with it and the Senior class chose it from a group of anonymous suggestions.)

I will gladly take that kind of blame/credit. Anytime, Kimmers.

What a weekend!! Love the prom photo!!

Yes I did get two more books when I went back. One that was on my list (another author I discovered at the Left Coast Crime convention) City of Slaughter by Cynthia Drew

The other was an impulse purchase off the sale table - On the Map: why the World Looks the Way it Does by Simon Garfield because both The Hubster and I love maps.

I love all the photo's Kim, Jack and Sarah are good looking kids.

>104 msf59: : )

>105 SuziQoregon: I early await your crime reviews and I will have to keep an eye out for the next convention--it sounds like a blast!

>106 johnsimpson: Hi John! Thanks very much. : )

I won an ER book!! Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont. Yay!

*Love* the t-shirt logo! V. cool.

Congrats on the ER win - sounds like a good one.

hailo nice busy lady :-)

Great to see the meet-up photos and the book splurging, Kimmers. A brewery sounds just the place to meet-up too!

>91 Berly: What a great photo of your meet up
>92 Berly: What a beautiful young lady your daughter is. You must be so proud.

i'm slowly making the rounds of threads as energy allows. It is so good to be back, even if marginally.

I hope all is well with you.

Howdy ho, Kim!

Pooped mom? Sounds like the title to my memoir..ha! :)

Hope you are doing well, my friend.

Hi Kim, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Kim, I have been away for too long. I love the report on the meet-up (and you know I wish I could have joined that group!). I especially love the photos of Jack and Sarah. It's cool to see them after hearing some tales of their adventures. You're a deservedly proud mom.

>107 Berly: I got the same book from ER!!! It arrived this week. We "should" perhaps try to read it around the same time? What is your ETR (estimated time for reading)?

Hi Kim, I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Hi Kim, hope you are having a lovely Saturday my dear, sending love and hugs.

>108 scaifea: Thanks Amber. I'll take a photo of the T-shirt when it is complete and post it here.

>109 SuziQoregon: I just got my copy of another ER I Take You, so my piles are growing and I have had no time to read! Except audio books. I got a thingy so that I can use my car to play audio books over my speakers in the car and I have loved that! Just finished The Stranger by Harlen Coben and now I am listening to Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. : )

>110 AuntieClio: Hello horse lady.

>111 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Hope life is treating you well. I have been too busy to check up on anyone!! I have about two more weeks of pandemonium and then I should be human again. Graduation is May 29th and I have family coming. Suddenly, I am looking around the house and there are all sorts of projects: pruning the roses, chasing the forest back out of my back yard, putting plants in the planters on the deck, replacing the broken toilet seat, FIXED THE DISHWASHER!, clearing out the piles which have sprouted everywhere, finding the carpet in my daughter's room which is somewhere underneath all sorts of stuff which should really be folded and put in the drawers or hung in the closet, etc. etc. etc.

>112 Whisper1: Hi Linda! Nice to see you up and about. I hope the pain continues to abate and that you are making small steps forward every day. Big hugs!

>113 jolerie: Still pooped Mom here! Sorry/glad you can relate! Two weekends ago was Mom's weekend at University of Oregon and I went down with Jess. We had a blast, but I got very little sleep. We hit the bars, saw a friendly spring football game in the stadium, which I had never been in-huge and fun!, went to her sorority's fundraiser at a local vineyard, had a yummy brunch and went home. Phew!

Then last weekend it was a second Prom for Sarah. No sleepovers this time because then it was the real Mother's Day and we had my MIL over for brunch.

This weekend was the Art and Science Show at my daughter's school. Sarah had several photos in the show and she was the official photographer of the event. Saturday was a fundraiser for a nonprofit I am the chair of. It was kinda my last hurrah. They gave me a plaque and I made a speech and we raised lots of money. My last board meeting is June, which is good. I am a tad overstretched!!

>114 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! I need my flowers to look like that!! Thanks.

>115 msf59: Thanks Mark! It was a good one. Jess came back up for Mother's Day weekend so I had all my kiddos home.

>116 EBT1002: Hi Ellen--I would love to read the ARC with you, but my ETR (!) will not be until after all the graduation hoopla. Can you wait that long? Beginning of June?

>117 Ameise1: Time flies, huh, Barbara? Thanks for being a constant on my thread. You are better at it than I am right now!! Hugs.

>118 johnsimpson: Hello John. I hope you had a great weekend, too. I'll be around again sometime soon. I hope. : )

I forgot to add that I was a volunteer twice last week for my son's school. Monday we went to the OR Historical Society with his English class. They are reading Animal Farm and wanted to get a local perspective on the war. It is pretty cool. Then on Tuesday, his Freshman Seminar class took a tour of Portland State University. They are trying to give them some exposure to college campuses and also get motivated for college, so GPAs will have more significance. It was fun because we took the bus, which I have never in 20 years living here done! Train, tram, the trolley, boats, planes, but no buses (unless you count from the car longterm parking lot to the airport, which I don't). We crowded everyone in and took over the bus.

Cool! I love going on field trips with Charlie's classes, too.

Hi Kimmers! Good to see you checking in. Hope you've been getting some reading time in. Looking forward to your thoughts on Leaving time. I've heard good things.

Hi Kim! just waving.

Great posters, Kim. It's nice that you can see those things with the class.

>123 scaifea: Amber, LOL, there is NOTHING that you don't love to do with Charlie!! : )

>124 msf59: Hiya Mark! Regarding Leaving Time, but I must warn you that it is pretty much a requirement to like or want to know more about elephants! I am actually enjoying that aspect of the book very much and I like 3 of the 4 narrators and the story is very intriguing, pretty much pulling me in. How much so? Well, it is making me look forward to my early morning runs, and that is saying something!

>125 connie53: Hi Connie. Waving back enthusiastically!



>126 Ameise1: Hi Barbara. It was a great field trip and I am glad the school is trying to stretch these young minds!

Just sharing what greets me by my front door. Roses from my garden. They smell divine, too!

And Jess and I at the University of Oregon stadium two weekends ago.

Great photo of you and Jess!

And yes, I am very fond of elephants...

>127 Berly: *SNORK!!* Busted. Although I didn't love potty training him - does that count?

>129 Berly: LoveloveLOVE the photo!

As a die hard Duck fan I heartily approve of the photo of you and Jess ;-) Go Ducks!!

Lovely photo of you and Jess my dear, hope you have had a good couple of days.

Hi Kim. You have beautiful roses by your door and a beautiful daughter! I know the craziness won't subside until school is out. Hang in there. Summer "vacation" ahead!!!

Love your roses. I am still killing greenfly and waiting for the buds to turn into blooms (fingers crossed!).

>130 msf59: Mark--Finished Leaving Time and I loved it! Comments coming later. And I am glad you liked my photo. : )

>131 scaifea: OK. You begged off liking the potty training so you have at least one foot in reality. You are still besotted though...and that's a good thing!

>132 SuziQoregon: Go Duck's indeed!!!

>133 johnsimpson: Thanks John. Just trying to minimize the to-do list!!

>134 Donna828: Hi Donna--yes, the roses keep me happy as I run in and out the front door being taxi mom after work. ; ) I think my daughter is a cutie, too, but then I am totally biased.

>135 charl08: Hi Charl--Thanks! Good luck with the greenfly elimination (we call them aphids, but I like greenfly better!) and I hope you get some blooms soon!

What a great photo of you and Jess, Kim! Sounds like you had a fabulous time.

Hi Crazy--Yes, Jess and I had a wonderful time! I am so glad she is going to be home again this summer--I am not sure how many more I will get to have.

Today is the official Senior Skip Day at Sarah's school. Why they make it official, I don't know, but they do. Times have changed. When I was in high school, the seniors planned the date for skip day and it was a big secret from the administration and we also planned a big prank, which nowadays might even get people into trouble. My year, everyone collected street signs throughout the school year and then on skip day we posted them all around the outside of the school.

Anyone else do Senior pranks?

The senior pranks at my school were pretty tame. My senior year, we recreated the study hall on the quad - moved all the furniture out and set it up, took the pictures off the walls and laid them out, etc.

We also had a "skip" day but it was official, as we were at boarding school and skip day involved going off campus and doing something fun.

Sarah's class is very small: 23 kids. They are going to a game center that has bowling, laser tag, coin games, etc. Then they are going to someone's house for a BBQ and they have a pool. My class was 426 kids, so that wouldn't have worked! You were on your own to create some fun. I have to admit I was lame and didn't skip--a mean teacher scheduled a test that day and just said if it coincided with skip day, too bad, there would be no makeup. : (

Katie, did you guys move the furniture out before school started that day? Very funny!

Yep, we did it overnight :)

My class was 52. Can't remember what we did on skip day...

Kim, I can totally wait until June to read Among the Ten Thousand Things. In fact, after June 13 might be best. That's our commencement date.

>139 katiekrug: what a great story!

>141 katiekrug: Katie, so now I know to make you my partner in crime if I ever come up with a dastardly scheme!! ; )

>142 EBT1002: Ellen--After June 13 sounds like an excellent plan. I wrote a note on my book Among the Ten Thousand Things to remind myself.

The Sr Skip Day was a success! Sarah had a great time. Karaoke, BBQ, hot tubbing. The lightning waited until just before everyone went home, so no pool time was lost and it was absolutely beautiful! Home now and blissfully pooped. : )

Ours was an unofficial, prank skip day. (And I went to school, because I was too panicked about getting into trouble and liked school too much to skip. Ha!)

Funny coincidence - a friend of mine from high school now teaches there and just posted on FB this morning about the senior prank:

"It's Senior prank day. I did not know it was until 6AM when the chapel bells started ringing and music starting blasting from the quad. I looked out my bedroom window to see a corral of desk chairs with real livestock roaming around in the middle."

Apparently, it was some sheep...

>146 katiekrug: They had a senior prank in one of the schools in a county south of Knoxville that got several administrators and law enforcement officials in trouble and kept a large chunk of the senior class from "walking" in their commencement ceremony.

Hi Kim, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

That park looks familiar...

Like the sheep prank. Flour and egging kids who've finished their exams was about as far as folks went where I studied. I couldn't see the fun in that for anyone though, especially the poor cleaners.

Hi Kim! Love the picture of you and Jess. My high school days are now a daze, so I can't tell you much about pranks or skip days. Franklin HS, where my daughter went, did have prank days, which were entertaining, I think crickets in the school one year, and chairs on the roof another.

Happy Memorial Day, Kimmers! Hope you are enjoying a lovely holiday weekend. And I hope you are getting some R & R in too.

Love the stories of senior skip day and senior prank day. I don't think we had a senior skip day (class of 42 kids here) but considering I missed a total of 36 days my senior year I might have just been gone that day! I guess you could say every day was senior skip day for me. :-)

Kim, I'm super belated in getting back to your thread, but I'm glad to hear the Portland meetup was a success, and I love all the photos! :)

>129 Berly: cool photo of you two! University huh...it seems to be creeping up fast these days.

Love your meetup pics and the bags o'books look great too!

>138 Berly: love your high school antics! We never had a prank day or a skip day, but on our 2nd to last day of school most of us went and hung out at a local native reserve, we're were all quite morose and pensive about our time at school together finishing!

Have a lovely Sunday Kim, love and hugs from over the pond.

Oh, and >44 Berly: I have just powered through The Free which won an Oregon Book Award. It is fab fab fabuloso. I rate that guy, he is like a modern day Steinbeck.

Love the senior prank/skip stories. I remember, vaguely, senior skip day when I was in school, but I was too goody-two-shoes to go along. In college, the tradition was to dress up a certain dignified statue on the quad in less-than-dignified attire.

If my son's class has skipped or pranked, officially or unofficially, I haven't heard about it. Nobody did anything bad enough to not walk in graduation, anyway. Class of 55 students, compared to the 500+ that I walked with at my high school grad. It made for a very nice ceremony.

Sarah's Graduation was on the 29th, did I see? Congratulations!

>145 scaifea: Good for you , liking school too much to skip! That would be me too. ; ) So Sarah participated in our local high school prank (not her school) and they all slept out on the football field in tents last night. The cops let them for a few hours and then kicked everybody out. No harm, no foul, but lots of fun!! Then they all went over to somebody's house (let me add somebody else's house-yay!) for the rest of the night.

>146 katiekrug: Katie--How hilarious!! I love it. Baa, baa, black sheep...

>147 thornton37814: Uh-oh!! A Sr. prank gone wrong.

>148 Ameise1: Hi Barbara--Relaxing has not been my life of late. But I appreciate the thought and the photo!! What park was this? >149 kidzdoc: (see you I am looking out for you Darryl?)

>150 charl08: I have never heard of flour and egging. That doesn't sound fun for the seniors or the janitors! I'll pass on that one. ; )

>151 banjo123: Hi Rhonda--I like the crickets--how long do you think it took to get them out of the building?!

>152 msf59: HI Mark--Great Memorial Weekend, a complete blur. How about yours? I'll recap my activities in a later post, along with some photos. Let's just say I can finally come up for air!! : )

>153 rosalita: Why did you miss so many days of school your senior year? I missed a ton when I was little, often 1/4 to 1/3 of the days due to poor health. It got better as I got older, thank goodness!

>154 saraslibrary: Sarah--more photos coming, when I have more time. Too late tonight to pull it off. : )

>156 johnsimpson: Hugs back atcha over the pond, John!

>157 LovingLit: Wow! That is HUGE praise for a book! I will have to find The Free, especially since it is an Oregon product!! Current rating of 4.1 on LT--pretty good!

Thanks everyone for keeping my thread alive!! I love you guys. xoxo

>158 tymfos: Yes, Sarah is a graduate!!! That's part of the reason I have been so busy. I was in charge of the Senior T-shirt (which Sarah designed), part of the Commencement program, and designing the outside of the Palanca folders (letters written to the seniors designed to celebrate and lift their spirits). I also had several out of town guests staying with us. All in all, lots of fun!

With a small class of 23, each of the kids gave a speech and there lots of tissues being used! Much more personal than the 726 in my graduating class, which was also larger than my college class BTW. Congrats on your graduate, too!!

Big Congrats to Sarah! You must be one proud Mama! Miss seeing you around, my friend.

>160 Berly: I hated high school, so I just didn't go. It started when I was a sophomore and I even got caught and suspended for it but I kept doing it anyway. (And really — the punishment for skipping school is ... not being allowed to go to school? Someone didn't think that through.)

>162 msf59: Hiya Mark! Slowly getting back on top of things. Going to try and get caught up on my backlog of books before I make the rounds. Happy Thursday!!!

>163 rosalita: Julia--Well, who knew you were such a rebel? Wait...I did!! Sorry HS wasn't fun for you. Glad life has improved! And, no, they certainly think that punishment thing through, LOL!!

Love the artwork in this Graphic Novel series and seeing favorite fairytale characters rough, raw and real!! I think they might be the perfect light reading for my son this summer!

Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller

Dark, twisted book about a young girl, Peggy, who is kidnapped for years by her survivalist father, James. They live in total isolation in the woods. Her mother, Ute, was a concert pianist, so music plays a beautiful, haunting piece in the book. I thought this book was fascinating! And there is a great twist at the ending, too: a total surprise that made me want to go back and reread parts. Another winner from Powell's Indiespensable Books collection! 4.0

Sorrow Arrow by Emily Kendal Frey

I like poetry--I do!! I don't read it often, but I appreciate it when I do and I used to write some of my own when I was younger. I don't think poetry always has to rhyme, and can appreciate free form pieces for the totality of the message, but this collection did NOTHING for me! I was so disappointed because it was the Oregon Book Awards Poetry Winner for 2015.

Here is a poem:

"You do not love me
I knew it when I entered the duomo capped in mint green
at the center of town
Jesus hung like a piece of toilet paper
Night opening its black flower
Every statue had bullet-sized holes in its feet"

Okay, I like the second-to-last line. But seriously. How did this win? These poems are a series of one-liners thrown together. And none of the poems are titled. Sometimes I can't even tell if the lines on the next page are a continuation of the poem or a new one. In case I am old and just don't get it, I tried a few out on my high school son, who said "What the heck is that?" with more colorful language, of course.

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Okay, one of my favorite reads of the year. Five stars! This is the moving story of a ten-year-old boy, Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities. It is fiction, but the story and the emotions are so real. Auggie has been home-schooled, but is about to enter fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan. Needless to say, he is excited and scared. Told from multiple points of view, this story is all about friendship, celebrating compassion, and appreciating the beauty inside. The characters are engaging and believable. I cried and I laughed my way through this! The language is current and includes an entire texting chapter, which kids will relate to. My version also had an extra chapter, which told more from the point of view of the "bully" and it was interesting to see what went on there as well. I totally recommend this one!

The Stranger by Harlan Coben

Amazon Summary:
The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world. Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life. Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.

Beryl's Summary:
Perfect summer reading! I am really beginning to like these audio books. : )

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

This is about a child's search for her missing mother, who happened to be an expert on elephants. Seriously, you have to like elephants to like this book -- I thought is was so interesting! It also helps if you can find it in yourself to like a grumpy detective, a precocious young heroine and a down-on-her-luck psychic. Oh, and the missing mom also has a voice. I loved this book! My only beefs are that I didn't enjoy one character's voice on the audio and there are several times where there is a long list, which I normally would have skipped in the written version, but it was so much fun that I listened to the last four hours at one go! Oh, and the ending floored me! One of my favorite Picoult's. If you like her stuff, or if you have never given her a try, don't miss this one.

Kim I haven't been by in FOREVER! Please forgive me. I have Being Mortal on the soon stack. I just finished Saga Volume 1-4 last month and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to read Fables next year when I can round them up and do a year long.

Loved the meet up photos and your book haul.

Hi Kim - Congrats on the graduation -- you've been busy. You've had some good reading, too. I've been looking at the Fuller book -- I may check to see if my library has a copy. The Palacio and Frey also sound good.

>148 Ameise1: Darryl and Kim I can't remember where I took it.

Kim, I wish you a fabulous weekend. (this is Florence in Italy a very beautiful place)

>171 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta! Thanks for stopping in...finally! LOL. Funny you should mention Saga; I picked up Vol 1 when I got volumes 3 and 4 of Fables. I am starting it today!

>172 BLBera: Hi Beth. Yes, I have been way too busy. Things are finally settling down now that graduation is over. The other two have this next week and then they are done, too. My oldest comes home for the summer on Thursday-cannot wait! I think I am going to be out MN way in October for a wedding, so I will keep you posted. I would love to do a meetup!!

>173 Ameise1: Thanks Barb. I love Italy and have been to several cities there, but not Florence yet. It is near the top of my list for someday. : )

So, I had a great time last night. Drove down to Eugene where my daughter goes to University of Oregon and we saw Theresa Caputo from the show Long Island Medium. How she can do what she does is amazing to me. Spot on with the psychic stuff and so funny! We had a great time.

Today, not so good. I ate something and after Benadryl and an Epi pen, I managed to avoid the hospital, but I pretty much lost the day.

Kim I hope you recover quickly! Yay for no hospital but it must be serious for Benadry and Epi! Yikes!!!

Well, I'm glad you avoided the hospital, Kim! It sounds a bit scary, though.

Our Endless Numbered Days sounds quite intriguing.

Still on for our post-June-13 shared read?

>175 luvamystery65: Thanks Roberta. I'll be fine. Just wiped out now. I have so many reactions that when I can avoid going in I try to. But only if it's "safe"!!

And another 175!! How did that happen?

Ellen--I hope you'll give Our Endless Numbered Days a go and I am totally in for our read of Among the Ten Thousand Things after the 13th. Book club is next week (A Sense of an Ending) and then I am open!

So sorry to hear about your incident. I hope you feel much better.

^ Sounds good. I should put a reminder in my calendar....

Oh wait, that^ doesn't sound good (although Barbara's posts are always very nice).

>177 Berly: That does!

Happy Sunday, Kimmers! Love the family photo. I am glad you loved Wonder. I have Leaving Time saved on audio, I need to bump that one up the stacks.

Hi Kim - I hope you're feeling better. Food allergies have to be scary. Yes, do keep me posted about a possible Minn. trip! I am there.

Happy Sunday, Mark! My oldest daughter loves elephants, so I told her I have just the summer reading book for her: Leaving Time!

Thanks, Beth. Totally wiped out today, but should be good as new tomorrow. : )

My goal for today is to read The Sense of an Ending. And water my outdoor plants. It is 90+ here today, and us Portlanders wilt at that temp!!

Hi Kim, I could do with a few days of 90+ temp but will just have to wait six weeks before we go to Madeira and two weeks lounging around doing nothing but reading, drinking and soaking up the sun and maybe a bit of painting.

>160 Berly: Wow! That is HUGE praise for a book!
I know! AN d this coming from someone who only has 4 authors officially listed as favourites. Vlautin hasn't made the list yet, but I will add him if I love the one I have lined up (Lean on Pete), that will be the 4th of his 4 novels that I have read. So I will be qualified by then to make a decision ;) (best not to move on these things too quickly, right?)

>184 johnsimpson: Six weeks is worth waiting for I think! I like the reading, drinking, soaking up the sun and even the painting. I just would prefer, 80-85, not 90. : )

>185 LovingLit: Yes, one should show restraint and judgement when listing an author as an official favorite. I await your official verdict on Vlautin. Meanwhile, I better move The Free up to the top of the stack.

Well, I finished The Sense of an Ending, more on that after my bookclub discussion this week. I watered my plants and now I am off to brave the heat and watch my son play in a 4x4 soccer tournament. He is playing on two teams and they have both made it to the finals in different brackets. Gotta go cheer!

ooh, I look forward to thoughts on Sense of an Ending too, I loved that one.
Oh, and, I totally came up with calling Vlautin a modern day Steinbeck. And then I read a review which referred to him as just that, and now the wind is out of my sails. Humph.

I think you will like The Free. I did. It's very sweet.

>187 LovingLit: Megan, I heard the comparison (Vlautin to Steinbeck) from you, so that's what counts in my book!! I'll post comments on Sense of an Ending later this week....

>188 banjo123: Banjo--Another vote for The Free! Yay.

So, Jack's two teams wound up finishing first and second in the different divisions. Two medals and a very tired boy!!

Sorry to hear about your anaphylactic reaction this weekend, Kim. I hope that you've completely recovered by now.

Congratulations to Jack!

>190 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl--I'd say my medical crisis was nothing compared to your latest, but lets not make this into a competition, okay?! Glad you are feeling fine again. And good luck getting the meds sorted out.

If Jack were awake, he'd say thank you. : )

Saga, Vol 1 Graphic Novel by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples

So, Julie (SuzieQoregon) recommended this at our last Powell's outing--thank you! Marco and Alana are from separate worlds, their people locked in an ancient war, yet they have fallen in love and have a newborn named Hazel. They are trying to escape to safety, but independent contractors The Will and Stalk are out to get them. And to complicate matters, Marco and Alana have picked up teenage Izabel along the way; she's willing to help them leave the planet for a price. Fast-paced, sexy and funny with gorgeous artwork. Can't wait for Vol. 2!

This is an ER book I received this month, a series of Mark Twain's quotes collected and edited by Mark Dawididzinak. I thought I might share a few words of Twain wisdom as I contemplate starting exercise and TKD again this week. I am tickled by this wise man's lack of enthusiasm for exercise:

"Now the true charm of pedestrianism does not lie in the walking, or in the scenery, but in the talking...It is no matter whether one talks wisdom or nonsense, the case is the same, the bulk of the enjoyment lies in the wagging of the gladsome jaw and the flapping of the sympathetic ear." (A Tramp Abroad, 1880)

"I am no lazier now than I was forty years ago, but that is because I reached the limit forty years ago. You can't go beyond possibility." (Autobiography)

Needless to say, I plan to take my reentry easy!

Hi Kim. I started Among the Ten Thousand Things last evening. I barely started it but I've been reading so slowly this month that I thought I shouldn't start one of my library books and hope to get to this one by next week.

Just thought I should let you know. :-)

Let me know when you start up again and I'll join you. (I think I got your message right?!)

Hi Kim, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

I'm looking to get the whole collection of Saga so that I can binge read them. It sounds like a good series, Kim.

>194 EBT1002: Ellen, I started reading Among the Ten Thousand Things last night. It starts off with a bang doesn't it?

>196 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! And a loverly weekend to you, too! My yard doesn't look quite that nice. I want to take my book and go sit on that bench!

>197 cameling: I would love to binge read Saga! But my book-buying budget is in the red. I will either have to wait or hit up the library. ; )

Happy weekend, Kim! I love the Twain quotes.

>198 Berly: Hey Kim. I finished Among the Ten Thousand Things last night. My overall reaction was kind of meh, but she did some things well and I enjoyed the read. I'll be interested in how it goes for you!

I am SO glad you liked Saga!! Definitely one of my favorite graphic novel series. I read the first two volumes in print and then subscribed to the digital single issues. I've let them collect on my iPad and I'm due to sit down and binge through a bunch soon. I'm still buying the print collected trade paperbacks though because The Hubster prefers to read them that way.

Happy Day To You!!!

>202 Whisper1: So cute!

I hope you're doing well, Kim!

Hi Kim, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Hi Kim. Happy weekend! I'm keen to read the Saga graphic novels after seeing so many positive reviews of these.

Okay. It has been 10 days since I have been here--oops!! Life is good, but in the way here, LOL. Yes, I have been reading, but more on that another day. : )

>199 banjo123: Rhonda--I am so glad you liked the Twain quotes. I haven't read anymore since then, but I will get back to it.

>200 EBT1002: Ellen--So, I have more to say about Among the Ten Thousand Things. Shall we just write back and forth using Spoiler bookends?

>201 SuziQoregon: SuziQ-- tell me more about these single issue subscriptions to Saga and how do they look on your iPad compared to the book? I have the first four in books, but .... And my son loved the first one!! He is on to the second.

>202 Whisper1: Linda--Thanks! Love the photo and the sentiment. You are my inspiration!!

>204 Ameise1: Barbara, I had a great weekend, thank you very much! I spent it caulking up some dents in the walls, and then applying a layer of extra stuff on top to match the textured surface of my walls, then I painted. It took me four paint stores to find the right match! (They walls were painted before we moved in and I had nothing to go on.) I managed to find all the paints except the one that covers most of the hallways throughout the house. Dang it! That's the one I really need. But the kitchen looks great again. Yay! And Sunday was Father's Day here, so we celebrated that.

>205 souloftherose: Heather--Same to you! Yes, you should hunt down a volume or two of Saga. Very fun! Thanks for popping in. : )

So, exciting news... I took my very first TKD class post knee surgery!!! It has been 14 months since the injury and let's just say I am out of shape. But is was so much fun!! I dropped way back down to the level one classes so I stand a better chance of not hurting myself. I got all these hugs and little kids ran up to me and said, "Miss Kim! Where have you been? I missed you!" Made me so happy. My knee did well. Can't quite do the splits anymore--a little stiff perhaps?! But I remembered how to say the important phrases in Korean. Taking it slow and working my way up. Cross your fingers for me!!

Oh, painting walls. Please tell us about the colours or show some photos.

Barb, this color is called Shade and it's by Devine Paint. It is now carried by Rodda Paint Stores here in the US. Devine is a brand of paint that happens to have been created by a woman who lives here in Oregon. I met her through another friend of mine and she is a hoot! She also has more energy than a person has a right to have. Funny coincidence that my house was painted with her colors. And yes, the maple syrup was used on the waffles I had for breakfast. In case you were wondering.

That looks beautiful, Kim. No, I didn't think you were putting maple syrupe on the walls. Such incident happens with small angry kids.

>208 Berly: I love Devine paints!

Sorry, Kim, I went awol (I know this doesn't surprise you). I'd be very interested in your reactions to Among the Ten Thousand Things. Spoiler away; I'll check in more often (with the caveat that we're going camping Friday through Sunday).

>206 Berly: I use Comixology to subscribe to digital comics and read them on my iPad. I love that format because I can zoom in and scroll panel by panel instead of a whole page at at time - it's comixology.com.

So much for our usual "Summer in Portland starts on July 5th", Huh? This weather is crazy for June.

Good for you for getting back to TKD

That's great you were able to finally get back to your TKD. I know it's really important to you.

Stopping in to see if you melted yet. So far, this coast isn't so shockingly hot.

I'm glad to hear you are getting back to the TKD.

I love the paint color. We finally got the living room painted, in a sort of light Federal green, very calm. Now to find bookshelves and lamps and a rug....

Nice walls! And nice maple syrup...I do love a pancake drizzled or soaked in the stuff. Especially with bacon and banana too...now I am drooling and I have only just eaten a delicious dinner of beef curry!

Yay for the Supreme Court!! It's about time. : )

Yes, hooray!

And good for you, getting back to TKD!

Congratulations, Kim, on finally getting back to your martial artistry! I can only imagine how great that must feel even if you are not 100 percent yet.

I love that wall color in >208 Berly:. A gorgeous neutral with some personality to it.

>209 Ameise1: Barb--My kids are no longer that small, so the walls should be safe from thrown food. : )

>210 EBT1002: Ellen--We are even. I have been AWOL a lot recently. Either too busy with RL or lately, feeling under the weather with GI stuff again. Sigh. I am going to catch up here and then start a new thread and I will get around to Ten Thousand Things then...

>211 SuziQoregon: Hi SuziQ! I will definitely look into comixology--thanks for the info!!

>212 luvamystery65: Thanks Roberta. I have made it through 4 classes without incident. My knee still feels all wonky and I wouldn't want to try any of the tougher kicks, by I am doing all right with front and side kicks. Trying to walk at home and do some exercises to build up the strength. It will be slow, but at least I am making time for exercise and I do love my TKD! It is so nice to be back and to see all my friends there.

>213 ffortsa: Judy--Hot, Hot, Hot here!! Looks like 90s for the foreseeable future. Ugh. Glad your walls are painted and good luck with the shelves.

>214 LovingLit: Megan--LOVE me some maple syrup!! I like a little sausage on the side and I dip that in the syrup, too. YUM! Now I made myself hungry again...

>216 banjo123: Rhonda--Staying cool I hope!! RE: TKD--I am doing pretty well remembering things. I was put in charge of stretching last class, which was a little nerve wracking. I didn't know any of the kids names because they were all new and I am not the most flexible right now, but I pulled through and didn't overly embarrass myself. ; )

>217 rosalita: Julia--Loving my TKD, yes indeed! And I love your description of my wall color: "A gorgeous neutral with some personality to it." I think I like it even more now!!

Hold your horses...I am starting a new thread. : )

Okay! Come visit!!