Mamie's 2016 Madness (Page 6)

Continuing with my list of favorite things...Alfred Hitchcock movies, purple finches, cat naps...

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snail's pace

Books Completed in February:
15. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Volume 2 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, GN - sci fi/dystopian
16. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, ROOT audiobook, narrated by Alan Rickman (5 stars) -audiobook recommended by Lucy
17. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (4.25 stars), library paperback, short stories, Pulitzer Prize winner - recommended by Megan
18. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys (4.25 stars), library hardback, connected vignettes, read for the CAC
19. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (4 stars), library hardback, humor, read for the CAC
20. Written in Red by Anne Bishop (4.4 stars), ebook/audiobook, urban fantasy - recommended by Morphy, qualifies for Fantasy February!
21. Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales, Juanjo Guarnido, (4 stars), library hardback, GN - noir, crime fiction - Mark told me about this one
22. City of Djinns by William Dalrymple (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction - travel writing/a history of Delhi, read for the BAC
23. Snow Angels by Stuart O'Nan (4 stars) library hardback, contemporary fiction - relationship/divorce/coming of age
24. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (reread), audiobook, crime fiction - detective, read with Birdy
25 Winterdance by Gary Paulsen (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/memoir - Iditarod race, recommended by Ellen, Karen, and Mark

Reading Plans: None

I tend to make plans and then bail on them, so this year I am just going to take each month as it comes. I would like to participate here and there in some of the many challenges that are on offer, however, so IF I have a qualifying book on my shelf and IF I feel like it, I will. This month I have the following titles in my personal library or on loan that would work:

Empire Falls by Richard Russo - AAC - ROOT paperback - recommended by Katie - reading this with Julia! READING

City of Djinns by William Dalrympole – BAC – library hardback - recommended by Susan COMPLETED

Agatha Christie – BAC - I have almost all of her Hercule Poirot books and some of her others

The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys - CAC - library hardback COMPLETED

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild – Non-Fiction Challenge - 2016 acquired ebook READING

Written in Red by Anne Bishop - Recommended by Morphy - Fantasy February COMPLETED

City on Fire by Garth Risk - Doorstopper Challenge - library hardback, Reading this with Kim, slowly - moved to March

The Penguin History of the World: 6th Edition by J. M. Roberts - reading this throughout the year with Katie and Susan

Books Completed in January:
1. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (3 stars), ROOT ebook
2. Saga: Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples (Illustrator) (4 stars), borrowed paperback, GN - fantasy
3. Mãn by Kim Thúy (5 stars), library paperback, literary fiction - read for the CAC
4. The Fade Out: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, graphic novel recommended by Joe - crime fiction/noir
5. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (4 stars), library hardback, GN - fantasy, recommended by the LT masses, read this because Abby had it out from the library
6. The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook - recommended by Heather
7. Ru by Kim Thúy (4 stars), library paperback - read foot the CAC
8. Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson (3 stars), library paperback, graphic novel recommended by Karen, read this because Abby had it out from the library
9. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (4.5 stars), audiobook/trade paperback - Group Read - Doorstopper challenge
10. The Fade Out: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
11. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 1 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (5 stars), library hardback, GN - science fiction/dystopian
12. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, mystery - police procedural - read for the BAC
13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (4.25 stars), ROOT paperback, contemporary fiction - dysfunctional family - recommended by Katie - read for the AAC
14. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - police procedural

A few of my favorite reads from 2015:

Although I am hoping to focus mainly on my own overcrowded shelves this year, I am not crazy enough to think that I could resist adding new books to my collection. I'll record those purchases here.

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, ebook - recommended by Heather COMPLETED
2. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley ($.99 on Kindle) - blaming this on Roni, who pointed out the deal
3. The Fade Out: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, paperback - mentioned by Joe on the GN thread COMPLETED
4. The Fade Out: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, paperback - Mark said this one was as good as the first COMPLETED
5. Staked by Kevin Hearne - Iron Druid series, ebook
6. Fear Stalks the Village by Ethel Lina White - recommended by Heather ($1.29 on Kindle)
7. Some Must Watch: The Spiral Staircase by Ethel Lina White - Heather's thread($.99 on Kindle)
8. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White - Heather's thread ($1.99 on Kindle)
9. Put Out the Light by Ethel Lina White - Heather's Thread ($1.29 on Kindle)
10. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer ($2.99 on Kindle)
11. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones ($1.99 on Kindle) COMPLETED
12. City of Djinns by William Dalrymple - recommended by Susan ($4.99 on Kindle)
13. You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich - Mark's fault
14. Hit by Bryce Carlson - also Mark's fault
15. Velvet: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker - recommended by Roberta
16. The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett ($1.99 on Kindle)
17. The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois ($.99 on Kindle/$.99 audio)
18. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop - 2nd book in The Others series - ebook
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - purchased for the non-fiction/history challenge

Katie’s Dirty Dozen – KAK has earned her own category on my thread because she has the habit of recommending books that I cannot resist adding to my stacks. Books listed here could be for the WL or purchased, but I will designate if I purchased them. Because Katie is a rebel, there will of course NOT be twelve books in her dirty dozen.

1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stuart O'Nan
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up

Saving this space for LT recommendations that I want to keep track of.

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - recommended by Heather (saw this as I was catching up with her 2015 thread) COMPLETED 1/15/16
2. Slade House by David Mitchell - recommended by Lynda - I know that Mark and several others loved this one, too, but it was Lynda's succinct review that places it firmly on the WL
3. Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan - recommended by Lori (thornton37814) - saw it listed as her favorite cookbook read of 2015
4. Revenant by Mel Odom - recommended by Mark, who came to my thread to deliver the book bullet!
5. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen - recommended by Ellen and Karen
6. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - Lucy mentioned that she loved this on her thread, and I looked it up because I was unfamiliar with it. Note to self: DO NOT look up books mentioned on Lucy's thread!
7. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra - saw Amy's review of this on her thread
8. I Am Spain by David Boyd - recommended by Charlotte
9. The Mirror in the Mist by Susan Hill - saw Lori's (lkernaugh) review of this on her thread
10. The Prestige by Christopher Priest - recommended by Mary (bell7)
11. The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall - recommended by Charlotte - saw her review on her thread
12. The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker - Joe mentioned this one on the GN thread, and it sounds right up my alley COMPLETED 1/15/16
13. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason - Faith reviewed the second book in this series on her thread
14. Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss - read Rhian's review on her thread
15. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan - again, Lynda got me with her succinct review on her thread - how DOES she do that?!
16. The Men Who Lost America by Andrew Jackson O"Shaughnessy - read the review on Reba's thread
17. Wartime: Stories From Ukraine by Tim Judah - read about this one on Charlotte's thread, part of her posted Guardian reviews. LOVE those!
18. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill - recommended by Charlotte on her thread
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - Suz mentioned this one to Charlotte on the non-fiction challenge thread
20. Everything is Broken by Emma Larkin - recommended by Erik on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
21. The Rebel of Rangoon by Delphine Schrank - Charlotte recommended this to me on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
22. Unwind by Neal Shusterman - Mary (bell7) was talking about a follow-up collection of short stories to this series, and peaked my curiosity about the series itself
23. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler - read Megan's review of this on her thread - I love interconnected short stories COMPLETED
24. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson - I read Julia's excellent review on her thread
25. How It All Began by Penelope Lively - read Nancy's review on her thread
26. The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa - read Lori's (lkernagh) review of it on her thread
27. TransAtlantic by Colum McCaan - Charlotte and Katie talked me into this! And Marianne approves.
28. Willoughbyland by Matthew Parker - read Carrie's review on her thread
29. The Quiet American by Graham Greene - read Bill's review on his thread
30. Coast to Coast by Jan Morris - read Paul's review on his thread
31. After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth - read Ursula's review on her thread
32. Fear Stalks the Village by Ethel Lina White - read Heather's review on her thread
33. The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White - also Heather's fault!
34. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
35. Mademoiselle Chanel by Pierre Galante - read Judy's review on her thread
36. Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon - read Suz's review on her thread
37. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - read Nancy's review on her thread
38. War of Two by John Sedgwick - recommended by Reba
39. The Old Ways by David Dalglish - recommended by Charlotte
40. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel - recommended by Anne
41. The Noise of Time by Julian barnes - was included in Charlotte's Guardian reviews, and then Suz reviewed it which is what sold me
42. Countdown by Deborah Wiles - Judy hit me with this 60s Trilogy with her review of Revolution
43. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal - recommended by Marianne, interconnected short stories
44. The Library at Night by Alberta Manguel - recommended by Carrie
45. Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis - recommended by Rhian
46. Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami - recommended by Joe
47. American Housewife by Helen Ellis - recommended by Joanne
48. Trespass by Rose Tremain - recommended by Nancy
49. The Book of Sands: A Novel of the Arab Uprising by Karim Alwari - recommended by Deborah
50. A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin - recommended by Mary
51. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey - because Mark said so!
52. That's Not English by Erin Moore - recommended by Susan
53. In the Country: Stories by Mia Alver - recommended by Mark
55. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin - Mark again
56. The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones - recommended by Suz
57. Saints and Boxers by Gene Luen Lang - recommended by Carrie (read them together)

This should do it - next one's yours!

I'm never the first one to post, and by the time I finish this someone else will undoubtedly have beaten me to it. But nonetheless, "happy" M--day (the Day That Shall Not Be Named).

Have you started Empire Falls yet? I don't want to miss sharing the read with you, though I have plenty to keep me going until you are ready. I just started The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe this morning.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Wow: 50 LT recommendations! That's impressive stuff.

Happy new thread. I saw the Hitchock film with Helen Mirren recently. Not the kind of guy I'd like to know personally, but interesting biography.

Julia!! You're first! Yes - M-day. I like that. I have not yet started Empire Falls. Probably I will rotate that one in next - shall we start it later this week? I can do it whenever. Oh, I liked The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - I have read that several times, but the first time was the best. Someone gave it to me when I was about twelve, I am thinking, and owning a book was a rare thing for me then, so it was a treasure!

Here's your prize for being first:

>10 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie!

>11 charl08: I know, right, Charlotte?! I don't want to think about what it will look like in December. YIKES!

And yes, I don't think I would have liked Hitchcock as a person, but I LOVE his movies. I think Notorious is my favorite.

Happy new thread Mamie - first one to a half-dozen of 'em.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Oh, and happy Monday.

Congrats on the new thread, Mamie! We will make it through this day that shall go unnamed.

Love the thread toppers!

>12 Crazymamie: OK, that T-shirt is really cool! Too bad I didn't know about it back when I could plausibly still call myself a girl without inspiring hoots and laughter. :-)

I am happy to start Empire Falls whenever you like! Just give me a shout when you're ready to go. Believe it or not, I've never read any of the Narnia books — bad Julia! I read The Magician's Nephew last year and would like to read at least a couple of them this year.

>14 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul!

>15 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! Not sure I can guarantee the Monday part, but I will give it a go.

>16 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! That's the spirit!

>17 Thebookdiva: Thank you, Abby!

>18 rosalita: Now, Julia, we all know you are young at heart. Okay - I will give you a shout about Empire Falls. I have read all of the Narnia books except for The Magician's Nephew. The one you are reading is my favorite.

Happy New Thread, Mamie. I'm just curious: why don't you like Mondays?

Thank you, Barbara! Mondays always feel like starting over just when I have gotten into the swing of things. They always have a yucky feel to me. Ha! It's probably all in my head.

Ah, I see. Well, just think it's a loooong Tuesday.

Haha! I'll try that!

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Hooray for hitting #6! You are my idol! Love the Hitch topper. I am a huge fan of his work but I am way over-due on watching one of his films. What is your favorite?

Thank you, Mark! I am your idol!! *preens* I am thrilled! I think my favorite Hitchcock film is Notorious, but I also love To Catch a Thief and North by Northwest. Um...Spellbound and Dial M for Murder...that's probably my top five right there.

The good thing about the Hitchcock filmography, is that there are so many wonderful and diverse titles. My favorites are Vertigo and Psycho, but I sure love Notorious, as well.

I also love both of those, Mark!

>25 Crazymamie: He has so many good ones - Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, Rebecca and on and on.

Vertigo may be the most complex and twisted film, to come out of the old Hollywood system. I wonder what the old studio heads thought of that one. LOL.

>28 jnwelch: I agree, Rear Window is stunning and that Grace Kelly...OMG!

Can I play, too?

Suspicion
North by Northwest
Psycho

>28 jnwelch: Yep. It's almost impossible to go wrong. Almost.

>29 msf59: I know that sometimes the studio made him change the endings - like that one where Cary Grant is supposed to be a murderer. My mind is blanking on the title, but the studio made him change the ending to make Grant simply misunderstood. DO you know the one I'm talking about? With the milk?

Agreed about Grace Kelly - loved her in anything.

>30 katiekrug: Yes, ma'am! Yep. Yep. Yep. Now I am wanting a Hitchcock marathon.

Off to take Rae to her doctor's appointment and then pick up the dogs from the groomer - back in a bit.

Happy New thread, Mamie! The perfect time to open a little bubbly

I still enjoy watching episodes of the Alfred Hitchcock show. It's like the Brady Bunch, I only need to watch the first couple of minutes and remember the whole story.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Happy President's Day! Happy Monday. Oh, wait, never mind that last one. :)

Thanks, Lynda! Don't mind if I do...I'll just set the glasses out for everyone.



Too funny about the Alfred Hitchcock show - I remember that!

>34 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! Right, let's quit with Happy President's Day! *wink*

My new walking shoes have arrived! Finally - I pretty much walked my last pair to death. They were looking and feeling mighty sad. I feel like I should shoot them before I dispose of them.



AND!! Look what else arrived today:

>37 Crazymamie: Oh yeah! I need to catch up with you on that Fade Out series.

I can't wait to read the latest installment, Joe!

^"Notorious"- Possibly, the most beautiful people on the planet, or at least, at that time.

>31 Crazymamie: Was the film you were referring to, Notorious? Poison in the milk or something?

I know, right?! I LOVE that movie! Nope - that's not the movie - I'll see if I can find it.

DUH! It's Suspicion!

I forgot he was in Suspicion. Duh, is right!

Happy new thread, Mamie! The picture of the kitten and parakeet cuddles together is adorable. Love your new walking shoes and YAY! you are reading - or going to read - Empire Falls! Love that book.

>43 msf59: *grin*

>44 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! I loved the kitten and the parakeet, too. My new walking shoes are fab - my old ones were bright yellow, which I loved, but apparently everyone wears a size 8.5, so the selection was very limited. I do like them, though, and they feel great on - I always buy Asics. And I am very excited to read Empire Falls - it will be my first Russo.

Mamie, I am concerned your new walking shoes are not bright enough.

Ha! I shouldn't have any problems being seen!

Here's the ones I just finished wearing out:

Love the new shoes. Mine are boring. I want some like yours.

Mine are boring, too, other than the fact that they are huge (I wear a 10-10.5) :-/ Grey and light blue...

>49 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

>50 katiekrug: Grey and light blue sounds nice, Katie. I think you and Rae wear the same shoe size.

New thread and new shoes! That's pretty good for a Monday! And I can't believe that no one has mentioned my favorite Hitchcock film, The Man Who Knew Too Much! Que sera, sera.

How I love visiting here. Good books, great covers, wonderful images. It makes me smile, every time.

>37 Crazymamie: Me thinks those beauties are Asics.

>37 Crazymamie: Nice shoes. :)

How's King Leopold going? Have you got it yet? I'm a little ways in. Maybe 14% according to the Kindle. It's good so far.

>37 Crazymamie: Are they Salomon's? I've pretty much the same ones.

Wishing you a lovely day, Mamie.

Happy new thread Mamie - I like the new running shoes!

Happy new one, Mamie!

Another Hitchcock fan here - Rope has long been my favorite...

Mornnnninnggg! Mamie :0)

Morning, Y'all! I love how much you love sneakers! They are Asics. I basically only buy Asics because I am missing a sliver of my left heel, and I have gone through many trials and tribulations of finding sneakers that fit and are comfortable. Once I found this brand, I was like YES, and so now I stick with what I know delivers for me. SO I basically just buy the same shoe over and over again but in different colors.

Just to recap for those of you who might not have followed my thread a few years ago when I shared the story of my missing sliver of heel:



The Bike Story: I am missing a bit of my left heel, so it can be tricky getting shoes that feel good on both feet. What happened to my left heel, you ask? When I was little, my sister Nora and I were riding double on her bike (this was forbidden, but we were doing it anyway) - I was on the back, and as we came around a corner, Nora yelled to watch out for the bushes. They were on the left, so naturally I pulled my left foot in - right into the spokes of the bicycle. She kept pedaling, so you can guess what happened. I had to wear flip flops for the rest of the summer, and of course my mom pointed out repeatedly that she has told us not to ride double. Ah, childhood!

Catching up with my thread:

>52 cbl_tn: Great, Carrie, now I'm not going to be able to get that song out of my head. LOL! But you are right, new shoes and a new thread are pretty good for a Monday.

>53 Whisper1: That is the best kind of compliment, Linda! You always say the nicest things. Thanks for that.

>54 Carmenere: Yep, Lynda, you are most correct.

>55 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn! See how I got your name right, Jenn?! I am still waiting for the library to get me King Leopold, but if it doesn't show up today, I am just gonna buy it.

>56 Ameise1: They're Asics, Barbara. I always buy that brand for the fit. I thank you for those good wishes - wishing for you the same.

>57 souloftherose: Thank you, Heather. I was wearing the shoes around the house last night to break them in a bit, and I was not completely blinded by the laces, so that's good.

>58 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Oh, Rope - another good one.

>59 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! How's that Snow Day going?

Good morning, Mamie!

Have we moved on from favorite Hitchcock films to favorite Cary Grant films?

Besides his Hitchcock ones like North by Northwest and Suspicion, I liked Charade a lot, and The Philadelphia Story (the latter being a different kind of part for him). Oh, and Topper.

Morning, Joe! I was just over at the cafe! I have big love for Charade - one of my absolute favorites! And The Philadelphia Story. And don't forget Arsenic and Old Lace - that one cracks me up every time.

Asics are the only tennis shoe I wear. I had a bought of Planters Fasciitis a few years back and my doctor recommended them as did Ellen.

LOL I had a blue banana bike too! They just beg to be ridden by two people, how can you resist?!

It's still snowing. It's pretty

Ouch on the bike story!! Glad you found a brand of shoes that work for you and I even more glad that they are bright so I know traffic will see you when you are walking!! : )

GAH! I forgot we are supposed to read King Leopold's Ghost this month! I've been in a bit of a slump :(

I'm like that with my "trainers". Was so mad to find that the local shops don't stock the right size. Argh. So much easier to buy the same thing over again when it works.

(And Ouch! Re the foot story)

>65 Carmenere: I think they are da Bomb, Lynda! Ha for the bike - I loved that thing, and the banana seat was the best. And those handlebars! Don't get me started - I loved that thing.

I love watching snow fall - I miss that down here.

>66 Berly: Yep - it hurt. I wore flip flops for ever while it healed. The Asics are a perfect fit, and it's a bonus that I can't be missed! All the shoes seem to be very bright colors right now.

>67 katiekrug: Oh, dear, Katie! No worries if you can't get to it. I only sob a little bit. *sniff* I am just kidding, so really, no worries if you can't get to it. I don't even have it yet.

>68 charl08: I always order online and just have t come right to my door, Charlotte. That's the beauty of knowing exactly what I want - I just have to pick from what ever colors are available. I thank you for that ouch.

Lot of talk here; just great. I'll donate 2 cents.

King Leopold's Ghost is very good. Goofiest fact was that Belgium thought it needed a king and kinda shopped around until Leopold turned up. He wasn't Belgian, but he was available. Second goofiest: Leopold viewed the Congo as his personal colony, not a colony of Belgium.

Empire Falls is excellent. I finished it on the weekend, and it's still rumbling around in my brain. Oh, the irony.

The Trouble with Harry is a good Hitchcock film. Not iconic by any means, but great fun.

Cary Grant: Did anyone mention Bringing Up Baby?

Hello, Bill! I love your two cents' worth! I am very much looking forward to both Empire Falls and King Leopold's Ghost - and those are goofy facts!

I love The Trouble With Harry, and it is one of Abby's favorite Hitchcock films. That one always makes me laugh out loud.

Oh! Bringing Up Baby - no one has mentioned it, and that one is so very funny. They don't write dialog like that anymore.

Do any of you who wear ASICS know if they work well for those with narrow feet? I've worn New Balance for years because they were the only brand that fitted my foot very well. However, the style that provided me the best support has been discontinued, and I've generally not been happy with later styles tried.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Love your new runners. I need a new pair myself and I always stick with Nike. Light and flexible and also good for narrow feet. I take size 8.5 - 9.

Hello Mom! I like the new shoes, they are snazzy.

Hi, Mamie! Missing the morning by a wide margin today. The volume is heavy after the holiday.
T-shirts and shorts for you guys, eh? Jealous...

>73 thornton37814: Lori, I have pretty narrow feet, and they work for me.

>74 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah! I always like the look of Nikes, but the back part always hits right where my piece of heel is missing, so they don't work for me. I can wear them to run errands, but not for distance walking.

>75 Thebookdiva: Hello, Abby! Thank you - the pink is very bright, but they are growing on me. Ha!

>76 msf59: Hello there, Mark! I bet the volume is heavy with no Monday delivery. Yep - it's warm here. A really beautiful day, actually - last night we had a major storm system come through. We lost our power and had very high winds and lots of rain. But today is gorgeous.

Before Hitchcock gets lost in the dust, I want to comment about the good stories that were revamped for Hitchcock movies. I won't say Hitch had them changed, but thy were changed and he was at the helm. The three I'm thinking of are Rebecca, Strangers on a Train, and The 39 Steps.

I surmise that the changes to Rebecca were as much a consequence of the Hays Office moralizing as directorial meddling. A bad deed must be punished, so we just make it an accident. The filmic resolution doesn't work nearly as well for me as does Du Maurier's. I just read The 39 Steps yesterday, and what a different tale the novella is. No women, sorry. The target of theft is different. The manner of the theft is very different. Perhaps the written story couldn't be conveyed cinematically. I do like Hitch's version a lot; I've seen remakes of his movie that are meh.

So many movies need a pitch line: "Based on a real novel!" Or "Inspired by a novel of the same name."

Ahhh. Just being cranky.

Good point, Bill. I have read both Strangers on a Train and The 39 Steps, but not Rebecca, which I need to get to soon. I like Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train better, and interestingly enough, my favorite version of The 39 Steps is the BBC edition:



I almost always like the novel better than its film, but there are exceptions. The two I have named above along with To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep spring to mind.

>78 weird_O: That's a good list, Bill! I've read Rebecca but not seen the movie, while I've seen the movie of The 39 Steps but not read the story. And Strangers on a Train is one of those books I've been meaning to get to for ages. I'm going to go look for it on the library website right now!

I would also add The Birds, whose original short story by Daphne du Maurier bears little resemblance to the movie. They are both very good, but very very different.

>80 rosalita: That;s one I want to read, Julia! The Birds.

>61 Crazymamie: It's not bad - I think $10 for Kindle...

>73 thornton37814: I have narrow and flat feet and I'm a huge fan of Brooks. The best thing I ever did was go to a running shop and have them watch me walk/run and help me determine the best shoe for my feet. It's really frustrating when they change the shape of a shoe that you like. My only complaint at the moment is the change of color that happens every year. My current pair is hot pink, which was off putting at first, but I kind of like them now. I ordered them and had them sent to my brother's house because he was coming over for a visit. His kids opened the box and the chorus of "Daddy's got PINK shoes" lasted for days LOL.

>82 nittnut: Yep. I just picked it up, Jenn, so I am ready to go!

>79 Crazymamie: I love that version of the 39 Steps but they didn't half take liberties with the plot. Top marks for the scenery too.

Oh, I know, Charlotte, but it is fabulous!

The Phliadelphia Story! Bringing Up Baby! Rebecca! All such fabulous movies.
And the guy in the 39 Steps photo - isn't he from MI-5? He's easy on the eyes...

Good morning, Mamie. Wishing you a day full of fabulous.

This segued into a Cary Grant fest, huh? LOL!

Morning, Mamie! Hope the week is going well. Hope you guys can track down The Girl with All the Gifts. I really enjoyed that one. A neat surprise.

Just popping in to say hello! Love the new shoes, so fun!!! You'll be shooting up the leaderboard before we can blink! (Especially if yesterday's numbers were any indication! Wowzah!)

>86 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Another fan old old movies!! Hooray. I have not seen MI-5, but the guy in 39 steps is Rupert Penry-Jones, and yes, he is easy on the eyes. Okay, I checked and apparently he plays Agent Carter in MI-5.

>87 Ameise1: Morning, Barbara! Why thank you! Also wishing for you a day full of fabulous!!

>88 msf59: Morning, Mamie! I love anytime that the thread segues - it's always interesting! So far so good with the week, although Craig has been swamped at the office. I am putting The Girl With All the Gifts on the list - because you said so!

>89 dk_phoenix: Morning, Faith! Hello. I did manage to get all my steps in yesterday, so the new shoes are already making a difference. They feel so much better than my old pair, which was completely shot. I am wondering how many miles I had on those things, so I think I will keep track with the new pair - just for fun.

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Katie!

Update on the status of my library haul:

Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales, Juanjo Guarnido - GN, brought to my attention by Mark COMPLETED and RETURNED
Winterdance by Gary Paulsen - recommended by Ellen, Karen and Mark - READING
City of Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg - reading this with Kim - READING
City of Djinns by William Dalrymple - actually reading this on Kindle, but got the hardcopy from the library so I could see the map and the illustrations - BAC COMPLETED and RETURNED
Fifth Business by Robertson Davies - almost finished with this - CAC COMPLETED and RETURNED
The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill -book #2 in the Simon Serrallier series
The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill - book #3
Everything is Broken by Emma Larkin - recommended by Erik
Heap House by Edward Carey - recommended by Ilana
Shaman Pass by Stan Jones - Book #2 in the Nathan Active series
Snow Angels by Stuart O'Nan - I LOVE this author - COMPLETED
Hold Still by Sally Mann - I don't remember why I requested this - did one of you recommend it? I FIGURED OUT WHERE THIS WAS FROM - LIZ'S (lalbro) REVIEW ON HER THREAD

Good morning, Mamie!

I'm still waiting for Heap House to come in (sometimes I think "in transit" means, we'll get to it when we get to it, so don't bug us), and Winterdance, too. Soon.

Morning, Joe! I hear you about "in transit" - I have been waiting for a couple of books for pretty much forever, it seems. Books I requested after them have already come in, been read by me, and returned.

What did you think of Snow Angels?

I really liked it, Katie. I love his writing and how he captures brokenness in ordinary and extraordinary moments. He says a lot with a little. It's haunting, and I had to immediately turn back to the beginning and reread the first chapter when I was finished. Hard to believe it was his first novel - written the same year that Daniel was born! Oh, and I LOVED all the music that he mentioned. And 8 track tapes!! It took me back so completely to the 70s and early 80s.

I saw the film version of Snow Angels a few years ago and it was excellent. I did not realize it was based on O'Nan at the time. Now, I need to read the book and see the film again.

I hope you are loving Winterdance...

Mark, I am thinking that Katie said the book was better than the movie. I need to see if I can track down the film.

I am loving Winterdance!

Happy Wednesday Mamie!

Thank you, Carrie! Happy Wednesday to you!

>79 Crazymamie:, >86 scaifea: Yep, I recognized him right off from MI-5. Adam - boy did I hate his character when they introduced him. No fault of his, I was just annoyed with the direction of the series. After I read The 39 Steps, I watched the Hitchcock version ... maybe I should track this one down as well.

I have never seen the series, so I have no opinion on that, Ursula. However, I DO think you should watch my favorite version of The 39 Steps - really well done, even though the story line differs QUITE a bit. Highly entertaining, I thought.

>103 ursula: I watched the first couple of seasons of MI-5 but I think I stopped before this guy came along. I really liked the original star though of course I can't remember his name now.

>95 jnwelch: Seems to be endemic for this book, Joe. My copy has been "in transit" for over a week now!

>107 Crazymamie:, >108 LovingLit: *waves at Julia and Roni* Hello, ladies!

>94 Crazymamie: you are doing well!
You also remind me to go and look for a *shock* lost library book. My children don't take as much care of library books as I'd like....in terms of not losing them :)

Thanks, Megan! Oh, dear! A lost book! Here's hoping that you find it quickly.

>105 rosalita: Yep. Tom was the character, Matthew MacFadyen the actor. I think he did some Jane Austen-y movie?

>104 Crazymamie: More changes than the Hitchcock?!

>60 Crazymamie: Mamie, What is there about a bike that just seems to dare us to throw caution to the wind? I also was hurt when I disobeyed my mother. A friend had a two wheel bike; I had none. Frequently, I begged her to allow me to sit on the back while she flew down the hill, devil may care to the wind.

Once, I fell. I do not remember the incident. I sustained a concussion. I simply remember at night my mother asked me if I visited my grand mother that day. I could not remember the entire day. I lied and quickly told her yes. Looking back, I should have literally had my head examined.

>94 Crazymamie:, What a great book haul!

I loved the first few seasons of MI-5! If Julia and I liked it, you're bound to like it!

I love all the versions of The Thirty-Nine Steps. Classic movie, recent movie, & book were equally enjoyable for me.

>110 ursula: It's a toss up - I would need to see the Hitchcock again.

Matthew MacFadyen played Kiera Knightley's Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Abby and i love that movie even though it is not nearly as true to the book as the Colin Firth one. Plus, no Colin Firth.

>111 Whisper1: I know, right, Linda?! Although, I was much more cautious after that. Your story made me laugh - not at you, but at how you told it! Here's another bike story: Daniel also managed a concussion while riding a bike - he was riding his bike through our Indiana yard, which had loads of really huge trees (we had two acres). Something went wrong with the steering, and he rode right into a tree and completely knocked himself out. He had scratches on his neck and side, ripped his pants, knocked some teeth loose, and concussed himself, but the bike was fine. When he still had tooth pain two days later, I asked Craig to take hime along to his dentist appointment (Craig was getting his teeth cleaned) - I wanted to see if they would x-ray his jaw, and Craig laughed at me but took him along. Turns our his jaw was broken, so that time the mother was right and the doctor (Craig) was wrong.

I am working my way through that library haul - an embarrassment of riches, eh?!

>112 cbl_tn: Okay, now I'm going to have to watch at least the first season of MI-5 because we usually like the same shows, Carrie.

Yep. I like them all, too, but if I had to choose I would pick the BBC version.

>113 Crazymamie: Oh I just felt the need to remind everyone that Penry-Jones was in a version of Persuasion. Lovely scenery (but still no Colin Firth, sorry).



Is it just me, or is he unimpressed to be at the back of this cover.

He does look a bit miffed at not being front and center, doesn't he?! And oh, dear because I have not seen that version of Persuasion. Still, it's too bad about Colin Firth. *sigh* My video queue is going to be able to compete on equal footing with my book queue if I am not careful. Adding that one to the giant list. Thanks, Charlotte!

I've read Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan and loved it. How was Snow Angels? Sounds interesting.

You know the saying....."the shoemaker's children go barefoot" :) My sister in law is a pediatrician and do you think she sees the issues that her kids have? It took another family member to point out that their eldest held her neck to one side all of the time. Subsequently she has had physcial therapy and several surgeries to correct a shortened tendon? in her neck.

OMG I almost missed the Alfred Hitchcock discussion! I lurve his films and would have a hard time picking my favorite. (Blink) But I will. My top three Hitchcock films, according to how I feel today, are Notorious, Suspicion and Rebecca. But I honestly love all of his movies.

I'm so glad you enjoyed Written in Red. It gives me such pleasure when one of my recommendations works out.

Because of all the hoopla, I got Winterdance out from the library, too.

I've read The Circus Fire by O'Nan and thought it was very good but haven't read any of his fiction.

Popping in to say Hi!

Morning! I'm bringing the coffee immediately; I know that we both need it this morning.

I love that bike story! Our family is chalked-full of crazy tales isn't it? (one of my favs is your seatbelt story, kills me every time!)

Morning, Y'all! I'll be back to catch up with my thread in just a bit - off walking, and Abby is going with me, so BONUS! For those of you who were talking about MI-5 here yesterday, you'll be happy to know that you got me. We watched the first two episodes last night. We liked it.

>122 Crazymamie: The first two seasons are brilliant. Then there's a bit of a lull for a season or two, but if you stick with it, it gets rewarding again later.

>115 charl08: I love that version of Persuasion, Charlotte! You and Mamie seems to be focusing on the gents (go figure), but I'm a Sally Hawkins fan.

>114 Crazymamie: Mamie, your Daniel story reminds me of when I got knocked out by a tree while riding a horse. Another one had gone up on its back legs and come down on the one I was riding, which, terrified, then took off through the trees in northern Michigan "barnstorming" back to the horse barn. I was able to duck and bob and weave until he got to a thick, chest-high branch - it knocked me right off. I came to with a friend standing over me, who was thoughtfully saying, I thought you were dead. :-)

Good morning! Walk some for me, okay? : )

Morning, Mamie! Hope you are enjoying your walk. Glad to hear you are loving Winterdance. What a treat that book is.

My mojo is off today - I feel like I used up all my energy already, and it is only noon. This calls for more coffee! Abby and I managed about 4 miles this morning - it's gorgeous out there (58F currently and going to 65F). I see some reading on the deck in my future. I read out there yesterday, and it was lovely. I do have to go to the library and the market, but I am hoping to be quick about it.

I was listening to {A Study in Scarlet while I was walking and I kept thinking where, oh where has Sherlock gotten himself off to? I had completely forgotten how it spins off onto a tangent story involving Mormons. So strange. I don't like this part and want them to just tell me what happened in a nutshell and get back to Sherlock already.

Hoping to finish up Winterdance today - it has to go back to the library on the 23rd, so I should have no worries there. I'm really surprised this wasn't made into an audiobook because I think it would make a fabulous one. Audible has another of Paulsen's non-fiction books and it is narrated by him - I am very tempted, as I liked the sample that I listened to. He has a nice voice for audio. I know Mark will ask what it is, so I will beat him to the punch and say that it is Woodsong.

Catching up with my thread:

>117 vancouverdeb: Hello, Deborah! I requested the pre-curser to Emily Alone, Wish You Were Here, so that will be my next O'Nan read. I really loved Snow Angels - hoping to get a review of it up either today or tomorrow, but in the meantime, I will say that I think it is worthy of your time. Very well done.

I do know that expression, and I think there is something to be said for sometimes being too close to the situation to see it clearly. The closer you get, the harder it is to be objective, I think.

>118 DeltaQueen50: Judy, you make me laugh! Glad you could bring yourself to pick! Those are three great ones, fro sure. I think it is hard to go wrong with him because all of them are good.

>119 Morphidae: I did, Morphy, and I thank you for recommending it. I am trying to get Abby to read it. And hooray for you getting Winterdance from the library - we will have to compare notes!

I have not read the Circus Fire, but i know Mark really loved that one. I had it out from the library last year but didn't get it read in time. I need to request it again.

>120 Berly: Hello there, Kim! Thanks for popping in!

>121 Thebookdiva: Abby, I didn't think I'd ever say this but, um...there is a pig in my coffee. I'm going to need a fresh cup. And yes, we got more than our fair share of crazy, but I am not willing to give any of it up.

>123 ursula: A little bit nervous about "a lull for a season or two..." YIKES! I will make a note of it, Ursula, and thanks for the warning.

>124 jnwelch: Well now, Joe, the gents are might important. I can't watch a movie without some good eye candy acting. And WOW to your horse story!! That must have been scary. Glad you were not dead. *blink*

>125 Berly: Yes, ma'am, Miss Kim! I am happy to walk for you any time!

>126 msf59: Morning, Mark! The walk was very good, and of course I had excellent company. I am really loving Winterdance - such a great story!

>129 Crazymamie: Ha! Me, too, Mamie (me not dead).

I'm starting Winterdance today. Good to hear you're loving it. I feel like a persuasive warbler has flitted through our woods, don't you?

I'm pretty sure that, way back when, another warbler, Richard D., recommended Woodsong to me. (Haven't read it yet). Paulsen sure has written a lot of good ones.

Haha! That warbler is getting a lot of bang for his buck! He should be working on commission! I am really tempted by Woodsong because Paulsen narrates it himself, and it is about preparing for the Iditarod, so it would make a nice companion to Winterdance. I am greatly missing Big Daddy in these parts!

>129 Crazymamie: Yeah, I made that sound terrible I guess! But UK seasons are short, so it's not as bad as it sounds and also, opinion frequently differs on which seasons of tv shows are the best.

LOL! Good point about UK seasons being short - I wasn't thinking about that. Abby, Daniel, Craig and I all liked it, so it was a lovely find. I'm glad you guys got to talking about it!

Sorry you've lost your mojo. But it is National Drink Wine Day, so there's that...

It is? Well, Yippy Skippy!! I had no idea. Let's see, what shall we do to celebrate?!

Speaking of wine, we tried this last night, and I liked it.

>136 Crazymamie: - I will keep my eye out for that one. It is a blend?

Re the Persuasion version - I agree with Joe, Hawkins is wonderful, but would add that the casting all round for that film is lovely. I wrote a long spoilertastic post about all the different characters but I think I should probably leave it at that!

>137 katiekrug: Yep. Very smooth.

>138 charl08: So no long spoilertastic post? *sob*

I still prefer the Persuasion with Ciaran Hinds and the actress whose name I can never remember...

That's the only one I have ever seen, Katie! And it is very good.

" I feel like a persuasive warbler has flitted through our woods..." Sounds like the beginning of a poem or a song.

Nope, Mamie, not on commission. My only compensation, is the joy, the books bring. Worth it's weight in gold.

I heard just a little about Woodsong, but not much. Now, you have me pumped about the audio. If his audio narration, is anything like his voice, on the page, it could be damn good.

I am not crazy about A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, it was falling a bit short for me but I am currently enjoying, the lengthy "American Couple" and that might save the day.

Oh, I know that you are not on commission - I'm saying that you should be because you are that good, my friend!

I am really thinking about using a credit to get Woodsong - I liked Paulsen's voice on the sample, and I would love to hear him tell his own story.

Sorry that A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain is falling a bit flat for you - I admit it is an uneven collection, but it worked for me because I thought several of the stories were excellent. "American Couple" surprised me with it's length, but it was well done.

I knew you were kidding about the commission thing. Grins...

Okay, I checked with my library system and Woodsong is available in audio but abridged. Does this make sense? The book is a 130 pages! It says 2 1/2 hours long. That could be the right length, right, or pretty close?

ETA: I think it was a mistake on the library info. This is the same length Audible lists. Whew!

Right - I think that is unabridged. So great that your library has it!

>140 katiekrug: Apparently it is Amanda Root. Having just seen Mr Hinds playing mean Scottish baddie in grim Scottish crime drama Shetland, thinking of him as Captain Wentworth requires some imagination. (Or it would, pre- Google image search).

I requested it. B.A.G.

>140 katiekrug: Love that one! It's one of my favorite movies.

And I'm glad to hear you're enjoying MI-5 so far!

>140 katiekrug: The only one, IMHO.

Good morning, Mamie!! Hope your mojo returned home while your were sleeping.
I actually envy your pleasant walks. Perhaps I can get back into the groove this weekend as temps in the 50's will melt most of the snow. *fingers crossed*

>146 charl08: I am having trouble getting my hands on the one you're talking about, but I'lll keep trying. Abby and I love the one Katie is referring to - it's fab.

>147 msf59: You go, Mark! I might wait to see what you think of it, although you are much easier on the narrators than I am. But I would love to hear ot read by him if he is not completely annoying - and the sample was good, but it is hard to tell from just the sample.

>148 cbl_tn: We do, yoo, Carrie! And yes - so far so good with MI-5.

>149 nittnut: Ha! Another fan! You are in good company, Jenn. We own that one, so we watch it all the time.

>150 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! My mojo is back - it required an extra cup of coffee yesterday. The walks are good - and I actually feel like I have more energy when I am walking regularly. It is amazing how much of a difference it makes all the way around. Yesterday I ended up with a total of 9.12 miles (20,140 steps), so I was thrilled with that.

Wow 9 miles!

I did about 8k, but figure I should get bonus points for carrying rhubarb most of the way.

Sorry the Persuasion is proving tricky.

>152 DianaNL: Very intense! That baby made me laugh, Diana! Thanks for that.

>153 charl08: I know! But not all at once, Charlotte. I agree you should get bonus points for the rhubarb.

Sure, you tease me with another edition of Persuasion...

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday! At least, Woodsong is not much of a commitment. I have faith, it will be wonderful.

I should wrap up A Good Scent. I am really enjoying "American Couple". This might save it for me.

Woot! I'm so glad you're watching MI-5! It's excellent!

>155 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Friday! Here's hoping that Woodsong is awesome, and hooray for finishing up Good Scent - I liked "American Couple" although it was not my very favorite. I was surprised by how long it was - like a novella stuck in there.

>156 scaifea: We are liking it so far, Amber! Hoping we can watch more of it tonight.

Morning, Mamie!

Good morning, Mark! Happy Friday!

You have a three-day weekend, yes? Nice.

Winterdance is going well; his humility and humor about it all, along with the wonderful descriptions of his surroundings, make for a most excellent read.

I'm still enjoying Jake Ellis, and I've got Lucifer coming, so I'll be able to report back on that one.

>158 katiekrug: Morning, Katie!

>159 jnwelch: Here you go, Joe.



We'll just keep em coming until you know whose thread this is, eh? And yes, Mark does have a three day weekend.

>160 Crazymamie: Holey Moley! Thanks for the java, Mamie. I'd better have a couple. :-)

Not sure how that one happened, but thanks for the confirmation on Mark's 3 day weekend.

Hope you and yours are setting up for a good weekend. I'm ready already, as you can tell.

P.S. Now I'll go check on what I said to you on Mark's thread.

No worries, Joe. I have done it myself and more than once. Just a routine weekend for us - Craig is on call this weekend. Supposed to be gorgeous on Saturday, so I am hoping to snag some deck time since it is going to rain on Sunday. Anyway, that's what the forecast says. We'll see - it's usually not very reliable in these parts.

Just stopping by - glad your weather is improving. I'm definitely in the winter doldrums here, very hard to motivate myself to go out. If Po didn't put on the pressure I don't know if I would!

Hello, Lucy! Well...in regards the weather, I would actually rather have the cold. A nice sunny day is excellent, but I love to have cold temps with it. I do like to sit out on the deck, but I can pretty much do that about 90% of the year down here. I totally get not being motivated to go out in the kind of cold that you get, though, and I remember in Indiana, the cold was often accompanied by a lack of sun. I so think that the sun makes a huge difference in mood.

Mamie, it was 45 degrees when I came to work this morning at 7 a.m.! All I could think was "ah, winter in south Georgia". :-)

I've dug out my copy of Empire Falls and am ready to start it when I get home tonight. Since it's a paper book I won't be carrying it back and forth with me to work, but I should be able to get a good start on it this weekend. Thank you for letting me read along with you!

That's just exactly it, Julia! I am so excited that we are reading Empire Falls together - I have it in paperback, and it moved with us from Indiana, soI am sure it is relieved to finally be getting its moment in the spotlight.

Wow on your bike story.

Now that I've caught up with your thread I want to spend the whole weekend watching old movies.

Hi, Mamie! Happy Friday! Hope you had a chance to sit out on the back deck and enjoy the unseasonable warmth!

Speaking about unseasonable, yesterday here on the Front Range was gorgeous! Sunny and high in the 70s! Of course, I had to work. LOL Today I'm off, but of course the weather is cool and cloudy. What's that they say about being a day late?

They say, "a day late and a dollar short!" ;-)

Mamie, be proud of me. We got up this morning and put 5000 steps on the Fitbit first thing. I hope to make a habit of it, and then start increasing once this becomes routine.

>167 SuziQoregon: Yep - it hurt. And hooray for an old movie marathon - that's a lovely complement. I hope you get to watch at least a few this weekend, Juli!

>168 Storeetllr: Hello, Mary! It was a lovely lazy Friday. I didn't read outside, but I am hoping to today. Instead, the girls and I watched tv together, which was also a treat.

I hear you about that weather - sorry you missed the gorgeous.

>169 ronincats: Yep - that's it, Roni! And I am SO proud of you!! Most excellent work! You will be amazed at how much better you feel after just a few days of that routine. My new shoes have gotten me back into the routine, and I am so happy about that.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Saturday! Not much on the agenda for me. A couple house-chores, walk the dogs, (We have Bree's German Shepard) and then plenty of book time. I am looking forward to starting The Lost Garden. Have you read that one?

Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday! I have a lazy day on tap, too. I need to get my walk in, but other than that and making dinner, my time is my own. I have not read The Lost Garden,s o you will have to tell me if it is worthy. I started Empire Falls yesterday, and I am liking it.

Happy Saturday Mamie! The last couple of days it's been nice enough for Adrian and me to walk a lap on the cross country trail after work. It's still getting dark too early for more than one lap. I don't have a Fitbit, but my iPod Nano will count steps if I remember to turn it on.

Thank you, Carrie! Happy Saturday to you! You and Adrian have a good time, I bet. I used t use my iPod nano for counting steps before I got my Fitbit, and it worked very well.

It has been awhile, since I read Empire Falls, but I remember loving it. Enjoy, my friend.

If you can find the HBO mini-series, with Paul Newman, as Miles' father, try to see it.

I will, Mark. I had no idea that there was a mini-series! And Paul Newman!!!

Hellllooooo, Mamie! Wonderful to have a "my time in my own" day! Enjoy!

Hello, Lynda! I will do my best to enjoy today - it's going to 75F, if you can believe that. I plan to read on the deck for a good part of the day.

Glad to hear you are taking it easy. Even if I had a deck, I would not be on it, as there is more rain! So I shall be treating myself to Girl waits with Gun I think.

Hi Mamie! And happy new thread. I know post 180 is a bit late for that, but I didn't want to subject you to my Kindle typing before. I've done nearly all my steps for today - yay!

>179 charl08: Oh, no! More rain! I am on the hold list for Girl Waits With Gun, so I'll be interested in your thoughts on it, Charlotte. Wishing for you a bit of sunshine.

>180 susanj67: Hello, Susan! Thank you, although I know you have been lurking. *grin* Oh - Kindle typing! I try to avoid posting when I am on my Fire, too, as it is most difficult. Hooray for nearly all your steps!!! I have yet to start, but it's still early here - just 9:16 am, so I still have plenty of time to get them in. I have had a very good stepping week so far.

>169 ronincats: Go Roni go!!!

>182 RebaRelishesReading: *grin* I'll second that: Go Roni go!!

*waves at Reba*

Hi Mamie, your threads are just flying by. Hard to keep up to. Interesting discussion on walking shoes. I rarely wear sneaks and mostly walk in boots. I had my favourite pair of books re-heeled and thought I was all set (but I did wonder why my feet started feeling wet). Turns out the soles were so worn they have holes in them. So sad because I actually had a pair of boots that fit and didn't want to cross the border to get another pair. I think I might have found a replacement pair and maybe will start getting used to a pair of sneaks as well as I will be walking the Sun Run again this year.

Good morning, Mamie. Wishing you a lovely Sunday.

Morning Mamie! Happy Sunday! My timing, on Girl Waits with Gun was ideal. I just snagged the audio from the library and it is safely stored in my trusty Nano.

Expect more warbling about The Lost Garden. Now, this one is ringing all my bells.

Sunday Happiness, Everyone. It's overcast here but going to 73F today. Right now, it's only 52F, so I am enjoying having the windows open. I should be out there walking as it is the perfect temperature. Maybe after a second cup of coffee...

Yesterday was just about perfect - I sat on the deck and read for a bit, binge watched some tv with the girls, and got my steps in. We had chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes for dinner, which is Abby's favorite. Remember when we first moved here, and I had The Great Pasta Hunt looking for Amish noodles in the Deep South?! That still makes me laugh. Apparently chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes is pretty much a Midwest thing. Anyway, it's YUM and very excellent comfort food, which is just what we were in the mood for yesterday. Tonight we are getting out the Panini press and making sandwiches - so good, and the press is one of my favorite gadgets.

So yesterday I worked on reading:

Empire Falls by Richard Russo - this is for Mark's AAC, and I am reading it with Julia!! I am really liking this so far - it's one of those novels that you just sort of fall into. It has a lovely rhythm to it.

King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - this is proof that truth is stranger than fiction. Wow! I mean really, just wow to what greed and self-absorption can accomplish. I did not know much about Henry Morgan Stanley before beginning this book, but I am learning a lot. Can you say scum? This book is so well written that it feels like a novel that just absorbs you into its pages - it makes me desperately sad that it's all true. A huge thanks to Suz and Eric for recommending this one. Reading this one with Jenn and Katie for the history non-fiction challenge.

On the tv front, we watched several episode of Castle, an episode of The 100, and an episode of MI-5. Also, I started watching a documentary on India - what I was wanting was to see Delhi, since I just recently read City of Djinns for Paul's BAC. The first episode of this, however, just kept teasing me by routing through Delhi on the way to other places. Hoping to actually SEE Delhi in later episodes.

Happy Sunday, Mamie! King Leopold's Ghost sounds excellent. And there are two copies in my borough! Both out at the moment, maybe fortunately for my resolutions this year :-) But I've wishlisted it to remind myself.

>184 Familyhistorian: So true, Meg - the threads are flying this year. Good but also slightly intimidating. I must confess I love to see LT hopping.

What kind of boots do you wear? It always makes me sad when a favorite pair of shoes bites the dust. Also, what is the Sun Run?

>185 Ameise1: Good Morning, Barbara! I thank you for those wishes, and wish for you a Sunday that is filled with happy!

>186 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday! Look at you snagging audio - well done! Sounds like I'm going to have to add The Lost Garden to the list.

>188 susanj67: Happy Sunday, Susan! King Leopold's Ghost is one that you would love, I am sure of it. Hoping you can work it in this year.

Oh yeah, Stanley. Yuk and double yuk. (My careful historian's vp there).

Love the little bird. Don't laugh (unless you want to)but I got super excited on Friday because a long tailed tit turned up in my garden. They are so cute with their little fluffy heads, and rarely seen (in this garden, anyway).

I concur, Charlotte! I would never laugh about the bird excitement - I have become a bit obsessed with watching the birds myownself. I am madly in love with the tufted titmouse currently. Your long tailed tit (that sounds quite naughty!) is adorable.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Sunday!

Morning, Amber! Happy Sunday to you!

Morning, Mamie! Happy Sunday to you and the Mamie clan.

I also loved Empire Falls way back when, so I think you'll enjoy it all the way through. And The Lost Garden is another topnotch one from Ms. Humphreys.

I'm liking the Do Androids Sleep GN, which I'm alternating with Lucifer right now. They have done an excellent job staying true to the book so far in the Do Androids Sleep GN. As for Lucifer, we become enchanted by the tv show that's based on it.

Morning, Mamie! I think at this point you are just reading KLG with Jenn :( I hope to get to it next month. Things are just not clicking for me at the moment in the reading department. Woe is me.

Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes sounds amazing!

>183 Crazymamie: *waving back* -- hope you have a lovely Sunday, Mamie :)

Visitors! How fabulous!

>194 jnwelch: Hello, Joe! Happy Sunday back from all of us gathered here. Your enthusiasm for Empire Falls and The Lost Garden are duly noted. Hooray for that!

So thrilled that you are liking the Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? GN. I pretty sure that they used the full original text from the novel, so it should be a true reflection of the story all the way through. I'll have to check out Lucifer - both the show and the GNs.

>195 katiekrug: Afternoon, Katie! I'm sorry about your funk - absolutely no worries about not reading the Leopold book this month. This is a guilt free zone! The chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes is truly fabulous - but I only know how to make a giant batch! Ha! It's a perfect comfort food, and I love that kind of thing.

>196 RebaRelishesReading: So far it's been lovely, Reba. Just got back from walking, so I just about have my steps for today. *grin* Hoping that your Sunday is full of fabulous!

Hi Mamie! I made chicken noodle soup last night using Amish noodles that I bought at a local supermarket! I have lots leftover to get me through the week.

Hi Mamie - It does sound like you're having a great weekend. KLG sounds great - onto my list it goes. I loved Empire Falls when I read it.

>198 cbl_tn: Hi, Carrie! I am working my way through a case of Amish noodles!! Craig brought me back a huge box of them when he returned to Indiana for a wedding. SO thoughtful of him! You just can't get them down here.

>199 BLBera: Hello, Beth! I am really enjoying the weekend - I have read a bit out on the deck, and right now we are getting ready to play Settlers of Catan. We LOVE that game!! And hooray for adding KLG to your list - so very good! I am now completely convinced that I will love Empire Falls all the way through - how could I not with all of you chiming in to say that it was a good one?!

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Hope you're enjoying that 73 degree day for me too. Here, it is overcast and chilly, about 40. No walking for me today.

>201 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda! The warmth of the weather here boggles the mind, but yes, I am soaking it up for you. I have 13,000 steps so far today - so about 6.14 miles. *grin* I'll walk a bit for you, shall I?

>202 Crazymamie: What can I say except, Mamie, you rock! I feel thinner already, Thanks!

LOL! You are most welcome!

>194 jnwelch: Wait, what? What TV show based on Lucifer, Joe? I love the Lucifer GN series but have heard nothing about a TV adaptation. Dang, I swear! I am so out of it these days.

Hi, Mamie! Happy Sunday! Hope your day was delight!

Edited to fix Touchstone.

>205 Storeetllr: I saw the advertisements for the show, but didn't realize it was based on GNs:



Here is the link to the IMBD page

Hello there, Mary! It was indeed a delightful Sunday! Hoping that yours was, too.

^ I have seen ads for that show and it looks good. Now that you are endorsing it... : )

Oh! Thanks! The show looks really good! Except, um, not to sound like surface appearance is important to me, and the guy playing Lucifer is, you know, HOT, but, really, Lucifer is blond. In the GN series.

Okay, going now to see if I can stream it.

>208 Storeetllr: Is it important to have a blond Lucifer? I mean...eye candy.

Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes sounds decadent , Mamie! Yum - I don't think I've some noodles and butter in a long time - maybe too long?

Well I am not blond and I am only slightly devilish but I will wish you a lovely week ahead, my dear.

Well. I may be sitting quietly and reading more King Leopold than I had planned this week. My youngest just vomited. Rats. Can't complain too much though. We've dodged that particular bullet for over 2 years. Isn't King Leopold just over the top? And all the slimy people he hired and sent to do his dirty work. Goodness. He gets away with it for so long too.

Love all the bird pictures. Birds make me happy. :)

>189 Crazymamie: I wear any boots that I can get to fit, Mamie. The ones I wore out were combat style boots that I picked up when I was in Illinois a few years back. It is great that US stores have half sizes and carry my size as well!

The Sun Run is an annual 10k race held in Vancouver. You don't have to actually be a runner to enter - I walk it. According to this article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Sun_Run it is one of the largest road races in North America.

Morning, Mamie! I kind of like, sitting around at the house. I am not bothering anyone. Shuffles off to work...

Howdy, Mamie!

Good Morning from the Pecan Paradisio. I hope I get credit for being positive about a Monday - see how I said "good" in my very first sentence? Really what I always feel like is "just do what you can with it and try not to let it bite you," but Mr. Roosevelt said it so much better. Although he did forget about the biting, which I think happens a lot with Mondays if you are not on your toes. Overcast and spitting, which is what Mondays should always look like so you know what you are getting. Whoops, see? My positive is slipping already.

Yesterday we played a new version of Settlers of Catan - anyone play this? We really love this board game; it is slightly addictive. I like it because it requires strategy and luck and because the game is different every time. Craig got the Explorers and Pirates extension pack for his birthday, and we played that version for the first time yesterday - UM...YIKES. It was loads of fun once we got it sorted, but you need to allow about 30 minutes just to figure out how to play it. Very fun, but I think the directions could be clearer and better organized.

i did not finish any books yesterday, but I did get further in both Empire Falls and King Leopold's Ghost - these are both seriously good. And if it weren't for the challenges, I probably would not be reading either of them right now, so a huge thanks to Mark and Suz for taking the time to organize the AAC and the Non-fiction challenges. Also a shout out for the other challenges that I am participating in and their creators - Paul, Ilana, Bill and Kerry (although I have not read any ANZAC authors yet).

Today I need to finish up Winterdance, as it is due back at the library tomorrow. Not sure what the day holds other than that except I do have to decide what's for dinner.

>207 Berly: I am not endorsing the show, Kim - I have not seen it yet. I have only seen ads. Joe said it was good - Abby and I are going to check it out. I am honored that you would watch it on my say so, however. *grin*

>208 Storeetllr: I have not read the GNs, so I am perfectly fine with the brunette Lucifer. I get what you're saying, though because I refused to watch the Jack Reacher movie when they cast Tom Cruise in the lead. That was just wrong on so many levels.

>209 The_Hibernator: Ha! Good point, Rachel!

>210 vancouverdeb: Yep. Decadent is a good word for it, Deborah. I love those Amish noodles.

>211 PaulCranswick: Haha, Paul! I think you underestimate your devilishness. I thank you for those wishes for my week and wish for you one filled with fabulous!

>212 nittnut: Oh, dear, Jenn. Sorry about the vomit. Two years is a very good run for no vomit...just saying. I am completely absorbed by the King Leopold - I feel like I should be reading it with my mouth hanging open because it really is unbelievable how scummy these guys were. If this were fiction, I would be saying that these characters are over the top - no one is that manipulative and that evil, and yet it all happened. And don't you just love that anyone who could contradict Henry Morgan Stanley (and is white) seems to end up dead?!

I love birds, too - glad to share the love!

>213 Familyhistorian: Thanks for coming back and answering my questions, Meg. Do you just find the boots to be more comfortable than sneakers - I think the weight would be disconcerting to me, but then I have never worn that type of boot. There is a lot of boot wearing down here because of the snakes, which we won't discuss further because snakes really creep me out.

WOW to the Sun Run! Thanks for that link. I have never participated in anything like that, but I bet it is a lot of fun.

>214 msf59: Morning, Mark! I also like sitting around the house. Sorry you had to go back to work today - sending you my love and my best wishes for a work day that goes smoothly and quickly.

>215 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! You snuck in there while I was posting!

Good morning, Mamie!

>205 Storeetllr:, >206 Crazymamie: If you're like my esteemed wife and me, you and Mary will get a big kick out of the TV Lucifer. I went the other way from Mary's, seeing the TV show first, and the GN so far is different in significant ways. I don't know whether the TV show picked up on later stories in the GN series or not, but in the TV show Lucifer is attracted to a cop who doesn't feel his charms like others do, and he helps her while trying to change her mind. She can't believe he's who he says he is, and is trying to figure out how he pulls off some of his tricks. (Not a spoiler - this all comes out right away). The two main characters are excellent.

The GN, at least in the first volume, has more of a Sandman feel to it, which is A-OK by me.

I'm having fun reading Winterdance, too, Mamie. How he manages to hold together amid the physical bashing, at age 43, is beyond me. They just taped him up at a stopping point.

I'm trying to move quickly enough here to keep Monday from biting me. We'll see.

Morning, Joe! You have convinced me to seek out Lucifer sooner rather than later. Ha! That sounds so wrong! Thanks so much for that additional information.

And Winterdance is most excellent - as with most true adventure type stories, it's making me tired. I am in my forties, so I stand completely in awe that he started at such a late age and endured, although I think the later age has its own type of advantages in the mental and emotional department. But what about Ruth - that is SOME woman!

Wishing you the best of luck in not being bitten by Monday - I believe in you, Joe!

>221 Crazymamie: Since Lucifer comes on after X-Files on Monday, I started watching it. I'm getting a kick out of it but, Kevin, my husband, is not impressed. But, he only likes sports and the news, so I wouldn't go by his opinion!

>222 Dianekeenoy: Morning, Diane! I'm going to check it out just to see what I think of it, so thanks for that.

Happy Good It's Monday, Mamie! I'm really liking Empire Falls so far, but I'm afraid I haven't gotten as far into it as I hoped. But it will keep me reading, for sure.

You mentioned up ^ there that you've started watching MI-5. I was wondering if you found it somewhere online? It used to be on Netflix but it doesn't seem to be there anymore, or my searching skills have seriously deteriorated (both are quite possible).

Here's to a good week for all of us!

>216 Crazymamie: Gosh this is a very positive Pre-Tuesday. I iike the Roosevelt. Shall have to try and remember that at a relevant moment.

In kind of the opposite experience to your Stanley horror, I've cracked open Gandhi before India. He really was a very hard working guy. Knackered just reading about all the travel and the speeches and the lobbying (and so on). Also, given how bad English food reputedly was in this period, lot of admiration for anyone who would then make it even worse by voluntary dietary restrictions.

Like the challenge love. It has been fun so far, looking forward to the rest of the year...

Haha, Julia! I am also a fan of Empire Falls - I actually a little bit glad that you didn't get as far as you had hoped because I was certain that you would finish it over the weekend. I am on chapter six, so not very far in, but far enough to know that it is good and that I like it.

Alas, I was unable to find MI-5 on either Netflix or Amazon Prime, so I purchased it, as I still have gift card credit on an iTunes card that I had been gifted.

I'll raise my glass to those good week wishes! I seem to recall that you like Mexican hot chocolate, so let's toast with that:

>227 Crazymamie: That's how I need to think of it, Charlotte! But thank you - I am trying.

Ah, Ghandi. I always feel badly for the family that he dragged through all of that with him - I feel that they got a bum deal even though he did such great things. Seriously, don't get me started. I have very strong feeling about what you owe your children and your spouse when you CHOOSE to have a family. Your comments about diet have me laughing out loud, so thanks for that.

I am having loads of fun with the challenges because I am just deciding each month what I feel like doing or not doing, and that is very freeing - I am actually reading a lot more in them because I chose not to commit myself. I am completely warped that way.

>221 Crazymamie: Agreed re Ruth in Winterdance, Mamie. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that she's an artist. Her patience and support for him are remarkable.

>228 jnwelch: "Her patience and support for him are remarkable." Yep. He gets high marks for choosing the right partner! And Ruth gets high marks for understanding him so well.

>218 Crazymamie: It is a good book and I am glad you are enjoying it but it is not a happy book. Unfortunately, I can't think of any non-fiction books with the subject of the Congo that are happy books. The place seems to have had more than its share of horrors.

So very true, Erik. Luckily, I wasn't expecting happy, but still, it boggles the mind...

Wishing you a wonderful loooooooong Tuesday, Mamie. I saw some ibexes today when I was skiing. :-)

Ha! Why thank you, Barbara! SO fun about the ibex sighting!

Good Monday morning, Mamie! Reporting in before heading off to work at the bird rescue. So, I found Lucifer online. Once I got over the expectation that the show would resemble the GNs in any way but the concept, I really enjoyed it. Or, maybe I should say "them," since I binge-watched ALL FOUR EPISODES that are out so far. Yeah, you could say I'm and truly hooked. Despite non blond Lucifer. Agree with Joe's assessment of the actors.

Hope the rest of your day is better!

Thank you, Mary! I like how you sate it so emphatically - "it will be good, and we'll have no nonsense about it" your greeting says to me.

And you have already checked out Lucifer! That was quick work! And I love that you binge watched it!! Abby and I will be sure to locate it today.

I thank you for those wishes!

Mamie, I can't believe I haven't been to visit this thread yet!

>216 Crazymamie: Your Monday thoughts fit with my day so far and how I'm trying to approach it . . . trying . . . I'm really trying . . . ;)

Lovely to see you here, Terri! Keep on trying - we will muddle through Monday together!

Hi Mamie! I'm glad you're still enjoying Empire Falls. I'll look forward to your reviews when you and Julia have finished reading it.

It's very good so far, Carrie! I am reay for the next installment, but first I must finish Winterdance - ah, the burden of too many truly great books at one time. I'll just have to suffer!

Yep, the long-suffering, Ruth. Amazing amount of patience. Lol. Glad you guys are loving Winterdance and hopefully your warbling with convince even more people to jump on this crazy ride.

ETA- I have a copy of King Leopold, at hand. Hope to bookhorn it in, the rotation.

Stopping by to get caught up and to wish you a wonderful week, Mamie!

I love how some comfort foods are regional in that you just don't hear of certain dishes being prepared in other parts of the country.

YAY for starting Empire Falls! Such a great story. Looking forward to seeing what you and Julia think of it.

>240 msf59: Ruth is a trooper, that's for sure, Mark! I promise to warble away as soon as I have finished with it.

Oh! Hoping you can bookhorn King Leopold is sooner rather than later - you will love this one!

>241 lkernagh: Hello, Lori! Thank you for those good wishes - I really don't see how I can NOT have a wonderful week with all of you rooting for me.

It took us a while to get used to what the grocery stores down here did not have that we considered staples where we came from - like the fresh pasta, Abby's red cream soda, the French dressing I adore. And the meat department is a whole different experience, let me tell you - you can purchase any part of the pig! YIKES! So weird to see it wrapped up and on display alongside the meats we were used to seeing.

I am loving Empire Falls - so rich in characters and the setting is perfect. I want to sit in that diner and just observe them all.

Okay, so just for fun here's my first set of stats for my new sneakers. Last week they walked a total of 98,712 steps, which translates to 42.96 miles. Not bad for a first week!!

That is all.

>218 Crazymamie: Yes,I agree. It reads like a novel with the most evil characters, but they are real! Such incredible coincidence in the deaths among Stanley's staff...

>243 Crazymamie: Great stats for their first week! I'm not going to have good stats this week. I rolled my ankle on a bosu ball yesterday and I've got a (hopefully) mild sprain. Sigh. Works well with sitting around with a sick kid though, I guess. Lol

>226 Crazymamie: Oh, you BOUGHT it! Now why on earth did that possibility never occur to me? Probably because I am a cheapskate. Ha!

And for anyone else out there, I did discover that it is available for streaming via hulu.com, but only if you have the paid subscription option, not the freebie option. See that sentence above that starts with "probably" to help you figure out which one I have. ;-)

>244 nittnut: I am thinking it was not a coincidence.

Oh, Jenn, sorry to hear that you rolled your ankle. Bummer. Crossing my fingers that it is a very mild sprain that heals quickly for you.

>245 rosalita: Ha! I probably wouldn't have it I hadn't happened to have a balance remaining on my gift card. I figured that we would like it with the huge endorsement it was getting here.

It figures about the availability. I can never quite figure how how they decide what's available because stuff that is a few seasons old seems like it would be good to go. We buy those iTunes gift cards from Target when they are on sale, and we have a Target Red Card which gets us an additional 5% off, so it's basically like receiving free items if you purchase through a gift card that you bought that way. Makes no sense to me, but they do it, so we take advantage.

>243 Crazymamie: - Awesome "first week in new shoes" stats! Whoot!

>246 Crazymamie: You think? Lol
It's not a huge surprise that I came to grief on a bosu ball. I am not known for coordination. :P

>243 Crazymamie: I knew those shoes were good ones! And the one who wears them. ; )

>243 Crazymamie: 43 miles! Wow!

Morning Mamie. Impressive walking Stats!

Well, it's YUCK here today. Overcast and humid, supposed to rain, and it's already 60F - going to...wait for it...78F. *bangs head on desk*

>247 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori!

>248 nittnut: *motions Jenn a little closer* I think they might have been...murdered.

I do not think I would come away uninjured from a bosu ball, either. I mean, I did fall on the treadmill. Badly. *blinks*

>250 Berly: Aw! Thanks, Kim!

>251 souloftherose: Thank you, Heather, for your enthusiasm!!

>252 charl08: Morning, Charlotte! Thank you!

Hello Mamie! I've got nothing, just a little bit of frustration because of one of my students.

Hello, Diana! Sorry about the frustration - sending you calming mojo. I love the gif - thank you!

Good morning, Mamie!

>243 Crazymamie: Way to go! That's a lot of miles.

Morning, Mamie! Made it through Monday, so there's that...

>256 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! I am going to try to beat that mileage this week. Fingers crossed. And shoes tied.

>257 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! Right. Good thinking. We DID make it through Monday.

>253 Crazymamie: I used to be terrified of falling on the treadmill at the gym. Luckily, I managed to avoid that fate but I have no idea how. "Coordinated" is not an adjective anyone would use to describe me.

Morning Mamie! You have probably just wrapped up Winterdance. Isn't it a terrific read? I will, now have to read more of his work.

Did you read Miss Peregrine? I am reading the follow up, Hollow City and it is pretty good.

Sorry about the heat and humidity. Boo!

>259 ursula: No more treadmills for me, Ursula - the release thingy didn't work, and I ripped half the skin off my knee, not to mention completely embarrassing myself. So treadmills and I are done.

>260 msf59: Morning, Mark! Still not finished with Winterdance - I had a bunch of errands to run, so I did that first. I will agree with you that it is terrific - it had me laughing out loud in places. Bot, can he tell a story!

I read the first Miss Peregrine, but it wasn't for me - it moved too slowly, and some of the photos kinda creeped me out. There is a GN of it, and Abby read and liked that.

Agreed - boo to the heat and humidity.

>243 Crazymamie: Holy new sneakers, Batman! That's MILES!!! I hope they're not grown-up Heelys, is all I can say :-)

Sorry to hear about all that muggy weather, Mamie. I managed a walk with Super-Fit Friend at lunchtime, so I'm on 8,600 so far. You just stay inside and read some books. Really, it'll be fine.

>262 susanj67: You made me laugh, Susan! Thanks for that, as this day is not exactly going smoothly. I am grumpy. I had to goggle Heeleys! Nope they are Asics sneakers - the exact ones that are pictured, although there are not so brand shiny new now.

The muggy is making me not so fun to be around. I mean, it's February!! I will not be walking outside unless I do so this evening, but that is very doubtful. I only have 3,239 steps so far, so you are whipping me. Thanks for the encouragement to stay in and read - I know you are only thinking of me. *grin*

>263 Crazymamie: Mamie, anything I can do to help...:-) One of my neighbours has lights in his sneakers, which I admire greatly. However, he is only three. I don't know at what age we are supposed not to want these things.

>264 susanj67: LOL! My kids used to have those sneakers! And they were pretty cool. I think if we are living life correctly, then we never stop wanting those things. Remaining a kid at heart is good for the soul!

Wow, over 98,000 steps! You go, Mamie. I try to get in my steps but I am really torn because if I put in the time walking I don't have time to do the other things on my To Do list *sigh*. When I am at work I walk for 2 of my breaks so get in a lot of my steps. This week I am off work and trying to catch up, so do I walk or do I work on my To List?

>253 Crazymamie: oh. Not what you were hoping for? ;)
We are getting up there today, 31C (87/88F), and its not good either. I prefer mid to late 20s (C) for my daily dose of heat! But, I am at uni, where at least the computer rooms are air conditioned.

I want those shoes with lights too. Ideally with some kind of stealth mode for Serious Situations.

What a great walking week! I've been hampered mostly by snow/ice but I had a good day today!

The tufted titmouse is just a great bird, so dear. I am a great fan of little birds - I adore our chickadees, for example, such tough little beings to stick it out here all winter.

King Leopold really was the worst. One of the true baddies.

I looked at sneakers like those and just thought . . . I can't.

>243 Crazymamie: Wonderful new sneakers and wow on the mileage already!

>253 Crazymamie: Well, KL finally bit the dust, but his legacy lives on... I am really liking Morel.

Ptooey on your weather. Sounds like what we've been having. Humid, humid. Yuck.

>266 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! I hear you about it taking time and having to decide which priority takes...well...priority. Ha!

>267 LovingLit: Right you are, Megan. I want me some cold weather. It's supposed to be winter. I don't mind the heat so much in the summer, I mean, this is Georgia, but it would be ever so lovely if the winter could have some small semblance of cold.

>268 charl08: Yes. Good thinking, Charlotte! Stealth mode is very important.

Hiya, Mamie :o) Finally made it over to your thread. Better late than never!
Whoa! You're going to wear out your cute hot pink Asics before you know it. I bet you're turning heads.
Yikes 78f just like that is a bit much. Hope the storms coming thru your area didn't mess up the day for you!

>269 sibylline: Thank you, Lucy, it was! You need to sync - I can't see your steps for yesterday or today.

Agreed about the tufted titmouse - they are so cute! I love the little birds, too. We have had a chickadee at the feeder the last few days, and he is so adorable.

Also agreed on King Leopold. A villain of epic proportion.

Too bright? Almost all of the sneakers are neon lately - I just took what I could get in my size because I only wear Asics. I really only wear them walking though, so hardly anyone sees them.

>270 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah! Glad you like the sneakers and were impressed by my stats.

>271 nittnut: You are ahead of me, Jenn, but hopefully I will catch up tomorrow. I had to finish up Winterdance today because it had to go back to the library.

Yeah, the weather was yuck today, and now the winds are picking up - we are supposed to get a big storm front moving through with very high winds. They have actually delayed the schools for tomorrow because of it - they are worried about tornadoes.

>273 Carmenere: Psst, I was here too :0)

Hi Crazy!!

Morning, Mamie! We are bracing ourselves for a snowstorm. Really?? Fingers crossed, we avoid the worst of it.

Come on, Springtime!!

Top of the morning, Mamie! We've got lots of rain today. It came up from the south but (so far) no mention of storms.

It's a good day for puddle jumping here in the Deep South - that was some storm system that came through early this morning. Loads of lightening and very high winds and rain that smashed against the windows. Our phones went off in the wee hours with a tornado warning, so we moved everybody downstairs until the tornado warning was over. A very impressive storm, but I am happy to report that we are none the worse for wear.

Not too much on the schedule for today - Abby and Birdy are getting their teeth cleaned, and I have to figure out what's for dinner. It's weird here because in Indiana the market sales always changed on Sundays, so I planned the menu for the week with those ads, but here they change on Wednesday, so often I find myself waiting to see what the new sales will be to plan the back half of the week.

I finished Winterdance yesterday - delightful! I am giving it 4.5 stars, and I will hopefully review and catch up on my three missing reviews today. Last night we also finished up season one of MI-5, and boy, does it end on a cliffhanger. We're going to have to get season two pronto!

>273 Carmenere:, >275 Carmenere: You WERE here, Lynda, and I missed you! SO sorry about that. I think we cross posted and usually I scroll back up just to be safe, but this time I didn't. SO glad you said something.

I hope to wear out my Asics quickly - that means I am doing a good job with the walking. I don't think I am turning many heads because hardly anyone is out there - lots of people walk in the early mornings in the spring and summer, but not so many this time of year. Not sure why because this is better walking weather, I think.

The storms didn't arrive until after midnight, but they came in with great pageantry. The high winds and heavy rains lasted until after 3am. Now it is not raining, but it is still windy. We had a bit of a drop in temps, but not too much -about ten degrees, Still, I'll take it!

>276 Berly: That baby made me laugh out loud, Kim! He is too funny!

>277 msf59: Morning, Mark! I saw that you are expecting a snowstorm - yikes! We had a big storm last night, but no snow! Crossing my fingers for you that you don't get dumped on.

>278 Carmenere: Top of the morning, Lynda! I think the rain is done here, but there are supposed to be high winds all day, so I am glad I don't have a bunch of errands to run. The storms in the south were doozies! Hoping yours is less dramatic.

Ah, puddle jumping! Seasonsoflove loved doing that.

Good morning, Mamie!

Wasn't Winterdance great? I don't know why Mark was so down on it (not!)

Me, too, Joe! Good morning to you! I really loved Winterdance. And also Ruth.

>282 Crazymamie: Yes, Ruth. :-) I'd like to know more about her.

Good morning, Mamie! Still plugging along with Empire Falls. I'm really liking Russo's breezy writing style and Tick is a darling character. It's frustrating that I can only read it in the evenings, when my reading time is rather limited, but it definitely helps that I'm enjoying it so much.

>283 jnwelch: Me, too, Joe.

>284 rosalita: Morning, Julia! I will get back to Empire Falls today - I want to see what happens next. The chapter about the orgasms had me laughing out loud.

Morning! I think it's time for more birthday cake.

I haven't finished The Noise of Time yet, but it's very good. Went to see Deadpool last night so not much reading time yesterday (it was bad. Just didn't find all the gore funny).

The Russian-set book reminds me to put 'ride the Transiberian railway to China' on the bucket list...

>284 rosalita: Oh my goodness, it sure was. "She came before she went", indeed.

Morning, Charlotte! Birthday cake!! What kind did you have?

I am wanting to read The Noise of Time. Daniel is the only one of us who saw Deadpool, and he liked it. But, he is a 21 year old male, so...

Oh, I think your bucket list is much more exciting than mine!

Hi Mamie! I'm glad you're still enjoying your new walking shoes. I am thankful I bought a pair of New Balance walking shoes a few months ago after I started walking regularly. I've been wearing them for the last couple of days because they provide such good support for my injured foot. The nurse practitioner told me yesterday that they were providing some compression and kept the swelling down. :-)

>289 cbl_tn: Hi, Carrie! I am enjoying the new walking shoes - you forget how comfy they are at the beginning before you wear all the padding down. My old ones were shot, and I should have invested in new ones earlier. And hooray for your New Balance sneakers doing double duty!! Those NB are so nice and light.

Yesterday I watched all three episodes of Death Comes to Pemberly, and can I just say that Nancy was absolutely right - it's fabulous! This was just so well done, and I never would have considered it if they hadn't been talking about it on Nancy's thread. I attempted the book when it first came out, and was just so disappointed with it that I ended up abandoning it about half way through. But this! This is excellent. Did I want Darcy to be just a bit taller and a lot more Colin Firth, well...yes. Did I want Elizabeth to look a little less worn out...again yes, but the rest of the casting was most excellent, and its not Matthew Rhys and Anna Maxwell Martin's fault that I had already fallen in love with a different Elizabeth and Darcy - I certainly can't fault their acting skills. This was just so much fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone, like me, who constantly craves just a little more Pride and Prejudice.

>291 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I've watched this before, but now you've made me want to watch it again! Maybe this weekend...

Hi, Carrie! It was really well done, wasn't it? I was just going to watch the first episode to kind of get a feel for it, and then BOOM, I had finished it.

Hi Mamie, Can DCtP be found on Netflix or is it a PBS production?

Hey, Lynda! It's on Netflix - that's how I watched it.

Very good! Thanks!

You're welcome!

Hey, Mamie, did you see where I said my daughter will be going to grad school? Just curious. :)

I did! I meant to comment on it, but obviously I didn't or you wouldn't be asking. She will be on the other side of the state from us - we are in Albany (technically Leesburg for our address, but really we are in Albany). However, you can always call on us if she needs something - we are here for you!!

>299 Crazymamie: Haha, no worries! I was just curious ... I know Georgia is a big state but I have no sense of its geography anyway. :) I may call on your for some tips on southern living (or getting used to southern living, I guess I mean as a transplant yourself).

>291 Crazymamie: OK, Mamie, I just added DCtP to my Netflix watch list. The actress wearing blue in the picture you posted is very familiar to me and I'm going nuts trying to remember where I've seen her. So as I was searching the actresses other films I saw another show to add to my watchlist. Geez is nothing safe! Lol
Long story short, do you know the name of the actress wearing blue? For some reason I associate her with Jane Eyre.

Yep. Seriously, whatever you need.

>301 Carmenere: Hooray!! Okay - spill. What else did you add to your list?

The actress wearing blue plays Elizabeth - her name is Anna Maxwell Martin. She looked familiar to me, too.

I've seen Anna Maxwell Martin in South Riding, Bleak House, and the first season of The Bletchley Circle.

Dancing on the Edge it is about about a band in the early days of Jazz in England. Jenna Coleman is in it the other actress in DCtP

Going to Google Anna and Then I'll wash the floors

>304 cbl_tn: Of the shows you mentioned, Carrie, I might have only seen Bleak House but I'm just not sure that's the place I've seen her.

>304 cbl_tn: Thanks for that, Carrie! I have The Bletchley Circle in my Netflix queue, but I have not watched any of it yet. That's probably what I'm thinking of because she right there on the cover art.

>305 Carmenere: OH! I need to look that one up, Lynda. Jenna Coleman plays Lydia, and she was SO good!

"Going to Google Anna and Then I'll wash the floors" Glad to see that you have your priorities straight!

>306 Carmenere: She was also in Becoming Jane, Philomena, and And Then there Were None (the mini-series).

YesYesYes! She played Esther Summerson in Bleak House! After I Googled it and saw her characters name it all came back to me! Thanks Carrie! And Thanks Mamie, my morning brain workout all began because of you!

I remember there was something about her performance that made me want to dislike her, but then I sympathized with her too.

OK, now the floors!

Oh, good! You figured it out!

>291 Crazymamie: Oh, you got me with that one, Mamie. I didn't read Death Comes to Pemberly because . . . you know. But now I'll watch the BBC production. Sounds great.

>311 jnwelch: Hooray!!