Berly, Happily Buried in Books-6

Welcome old friends and new!! That applies to people and books.

“Bookshelf,” by Robert William Service

I keep collecting books I know
I’ll never, never read;
My wife and daughter tell me so,
And yet I never heed.
“Please make me,” says some wistful tome,
“A wee bit of yourself.”
And so I take my treasure home,
And tuck it in a shelf.

And now my very shelves complain;
They jam and over-spill.
They say: “Why don’t you ease our strain?”
“Some day,” I say, “I will.”
So book by book they plead and sigh;
I pick and dip and scan;
Then put them back, distrest that I
Am such a busy man.

Currently Reading
Departure (Audio) by A.G. Riddle
H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald
A History of the World In 100 Objects (657 pages) (OS) by Neil MacGregor
A Manual for Cleaning Women (403 pages) by Lucia Berlin

June Maybes...
Fire Touched (292 pages) by Patricia Briggs




Read in May
42. Unseemly Science: The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire, Book 2 (K) (368 pages) by Rod Duncan 4.0
41. The Guise of Another (Audio) (N) by Allen Eskers 4.5
40. Library of Souls (458 pages) by Ransom Riggs 4.5
39. The Psychopath Whisperer (268 pages)(N) by Kent Kiehl 4.5
38. Another Bowie Book...The Bird Artist (289 pages) (L) by Howard Norman 3.75
37. The Good House (Audio, 320 pages) by Ann Leary, Narrated by Mary Beth Hurt 4.5
36. The Boys in the Boat (OS) by Daniel James Brown 4.0
35. The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter (K) by Rod Duncan 4.0
34. Talking God by Tony Hillerman, pearl ruled

Read in April (April 3,460 pages/10,383 Total)
33. Tell No One (370 pages) (OS) by Harlan Coben 4.0
32. The Eagle Tree (270 pages) (N) by Ned Hayes for Autism awareness month 4.0
31. The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Audio, 522 pages) by Diane Chamberlain, Cris Dukehart narrator 3.0
30. Frost Burned (292 pages) (OS) by Patricia Briggs 4.0
29. Fables: Wolves (129 pages) (GN) (L) book #8 by Bill Willingham 4.0
28. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with The Sea (181 pages)(L) by Yukio Mishima 3.5
27. The Life We Bury (Audio, 303 pages) (N) by Allen Eskens 4.5
26. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges (Audio) (N) by Amy Cuddy
Pearl-ruled, not because this isn't done well, but because this is not an area I need right now
25. As the Crow Flies (Audio, 352 pages) (N) by Craig Johnson 4.0
24. The Museum of Extraordinary Things, (384 pages) (OS) by Alice Hoffman 3.5
23. Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl (244 pages) (N) by Carrie Brownstein 3.5
22. Good Omens (413 pages) (N) by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchet 5.0

Read in March (March 2,635 pages/6,923 Total)
21. City on Fire (944-read 400 pages) (IR) by Garth Risk Hallberg pearl ruled
20. Defending Jacob by William Landay (Audio, 448 pages) (OS) by William Landay 3.5
19. Eleanor (376 pages) (LT) by Jason Gurley 4.5
18. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics (81 pages) (N) by Carlo Rovelli 3.75
17. Fingersmith(582 pages) (N) by Sarah Waters 5.0
16. The Goblin Emperor (Audio, 512 pages) (N) by Katherine Addison 3.75
15. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal (236 pages) (OS) by Jeannete Winterson 5.0

Read in February (2,182 pages Feb/4,288 Total)
14. The Art of Virtue: Benjamin Franklin's Formula for Successful Living (144 pages) (N) by Benjamin Franklin 3.5
13. Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter! (323 pages)(N) by Jutta Profit 3.0
12. And Again (Audio, 320 pages) (N) by Jessica Chiarella 4.5
11. In Cold Blood (343 pages) (N) by Truman Capote 4.0
10. The Mermaid's Sister (Audio, 236 pages) (N) by Carrie Ann Noble 3.0
9. I Am Malala (352 pages) (OS) by Malala Yousafzai 4.0
8. Secret Star (384 pages) (N) by N. Roberts 3.0

Read in January (2,186 pages)
7. Black Man in a White Coat (N) (304 pages) by Damon Tweedy 3.0
6. Hell is Empty (audio) (N) (352 pages) by Craig Johnson 4.0
5. As I Lay Dying (178 pages) (L) by Faulkner 5.0
4. Dying to be Me (186 pages) (N) by Anita Moorjani 4.0
3. Skinwalkers (282 pages) (L) by Tony Hillerman 3.75
2. The Silkworm (Audio, 464 pages) (OS) by Robert Galbraith 4.0
1. Cross Justice (420 pages) (OS) by James Patterson 4.0

L--Library
OS--Off My Shelves
N--New/Gift
GN--Graphic Novel
IR--Indiespensable Readers
K--Kindle
LT--LibraryThing Early Reviewer

David Bowie's Top 100 Reads:

READING with Megan (IreadthereforeIam) and other folks
Jan - As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner ✔ ✔
February - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote ✔ ✔
March - Fingersmith by Sarah Waters ✔ ✔
April - The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with The Sea by Yukio Mishima ✔ ✔
May - The Bird Artist by Howard Norman Reading ✔ ✔
Thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/222358
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

READ
1984 by George Orwell
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
The Divided Self by R. D. Laing
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Herzog by Saul Bellow
Iliad by Homer
Inferno by Dante Alighieri
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Inside The Whale And Other Essays by George Orwell
Lady Chatterly’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
On The Road by Jack Kerouac
The Outsider by Colin Wilson
Passing by Nella Larson
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima
The Stranger by Albert Camus

STILL TO GO
Interviews With Francis Bacon by David Sylvester
Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Room At The Top by John Braine
On Having No Head by Douglass Harding
Kafka Was The Rage by Anatole Broyard
City Of Night by John Rechy
Tadanori Yokoo by Tadanori Yokoo
Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin
Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood
Halls Dictionary Of Subjects And Symbols In Art by James A. Hall
David Bomberg by Richard Cork
Blast by Wyndham Lewis
Beyond The Brillo Box by Arthur C. Danto
The Origin Of Consciousness In The Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
In Bluebeard’s Castle by George Steiner
Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd
Infants Of The Spring by Wallace Thurman
The Quest For Christa T by Christa Wolf
The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin
Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter
The Master And Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Puckoon by Spike Milligan
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Darkness At Noon by Arthur Koestler
The Waste Land by T.S. Elliot
McTeague by Frank Norris
Money by Martin Amis
Strange People by Frank Edwards
English Journey by J.B. Priestley
A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
The Day Of The Locust by Nathanael West
The Life And Times Of Little Richard by Charles White
Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn
Mystery Train by Greil Marcus
Beano (comic, ’50s)
Raw (comic, ’80s)
White Noise by Don DeLillo
Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm And Blues And The Southern Dream Of Freedom by Peter Guralnick
Silence: Lectures And Writing by John Cage
Writers At Work: The Paris Review Interviews edited by Malcolm Cowley
The Sound Of The City: The Rise Of Rock And Roll by Charlie Gillete
Octobriana And The Russian Underground by Peter Sadecky
The Street by Ann Petry
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
Last Exit To Brooklyn By Hubert Selby, Jr.
A People’s History Of The United States by Howard Zinn
The Age Of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby
Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz
The Coast Of Utopia by Tom Stoppard
The Bridge by Hart Crane
All The Emperor’s Horses by David Kidd
Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess
The 42nd Parallel by John Dos Passos
Tales Of Beatnik Glory by Ed Saunders
Nowhere To Run The Story Of Soul Music by Gerri Hirshey
Before The Deluge by Otto Friedrich
Sexual Personae: Art And Decadence From Nefertiti To Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia
The American Way Of Death by Jessica Mitford
Teenage by Jon Savage
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Viz (comic, early ’80s)
Private Eye (satirical magazine, ’60s – ’80s)
Selected Poems by Frank O’Hara
The Trial Of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens
Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes
Maldoror by Comte de Lautréamont
Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder by Lawrence Weschler
Zanoni by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Transcendental Magic, Its Doctrine and Ritual by Eliphas Lévi
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
The Leopard by Giusseppe Di Lampedusa
A Grave For A Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno
The Insult by Rupert Thomson
In Between The Sheets by Ian McEwan
A People’s Tragedy by Orlando Figes
Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg

Plans for Reading


RL Book Club #1
February - Black Man in a White Coat, by Damon Tweedy ✔ ✔
April - The Museum of Extraordinary Things, by Alice Hoffman ✔ ✔
June - H is for Hawk, by Helen McDonald
August - A Man Called Ove, by Frederick Backman
October - Mrs. Poe, by Lynn Cullen
December - choose new books!

And RL Book Club #2
February - I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai ✔ ✔
March - Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeannete Winterson ✔ ✔
April - Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir, by Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia!) ✔ ✔
May/June - The Boys in the Boat ✔ ✔
Summer - Americanah
The rest of the year TBD later...

And Navajo Mystery(Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project
January - Skinwalkers ✔ ✔
February - Hell is Empty ✔ ✔
March - A Thief of Time
April - As the Crow Flies ✔ ✔
May - Talking God Pearl Ruled
June - A Serpent's Tooth
July - Coyote Waits
August - Any Other Name
September - Sacred Clowns
October - Dry Bones
November - The Fallen Man
December - Wait For Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories

Favorites from last year:

The Uninvited (340 pages) by Cat Winters 4.5
The Boy Who Went Away (230 pages) by Eli Gottlieb 4.5
Finders Keepers (audio) (448 pages) by Stephen King 4.5
Wonder (404 pages) by RJ Palacio 5.0
Leaving Time (audio/496 pages) by Jodi Piccoult 4.5
All the Light We Cannot See (530 pages) by Anthony Doerr 4.0
Fables: Legends In Exile My first GN Series!! by Bill Willingham

New last year were Graphic Novels and listening to books on audio--I enjoyed them both!

I am going to start entering those series I still want to follow. This list will evolve over time...

Cormoran Strike--Next is Career of Evil (3)
Alex Cross--I have read (17) and (23)
Alpha and Omega--Next is Dead Heat (4)
Author Terry Pratchett, Discworld, Wyrd Sisters Souloftherose's fault ; )
Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children: The Library of Souls (3)
Longmire Series: now on (8)
The Gaslit Empire Series: (2) The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire
Morgue Drawer by Jutta Profit on book (5)
Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs--next up is Fire Touched (9)

New Books in 2016

Gifts
1) Mr Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt, Indiespensibe #57
2) Fever at Dawn by Peter Gardos, Indiespensible #57
3) Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore, Birthday
4) A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin, Birthday
5) The Monopolists by Mary Pilon, Birthday
6) Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein, Birthday ✔ ✔

Thingaversary Treats...these don't count!
7) Dying To Be Me by Anita Morrjani ✔ ✔
8) Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron
9) Stars of Mithra book 3 ✔ ✔
10) The Science of Discworld: The Globe by Terry Pratchett
11) Black Man in a White Coat by Damon Tweedy ✔ ✔
12) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs (March with Mark)
13) The Psychopath Whisperer, The Science of Those Without Conscience by Kent A Kiehl
14) The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls ✔ ✔

Purchased. Now anything below this line, guilt might set it in. Notice I used "might"!!! LOL
15) The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Ron Duncan ✔ ✔
(Richard's Fault, with a second from Crazy, and a final push from Kidzdoc for the $1.99 Kindle pricing)
16) Unseemly Science the sequel by Ron Duncan (ronincats's fault for the push and the $1.99 Kindle pricing alert)
17) The Last Girl by Joe Hart -- Free!
18) The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Ann Noble ✔ ✔
19) Christopher and Columbus by Elizabeth von Arnim.
20) Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter! by Jutta Profit ✔ ✔
21) Maximum Muscle, Minimum Fat by Ori Hofmekler (For TKD Test!)
22) The Art of Virtue by Benjamin Franklin (For TKD Test!) ✔ ✔
23) The Queen's Poisoner (The Kingfountain Series Book 1) by Jeff Wheeler (Free! Kindle First, Amazon)
24) Clink or Cooler by Jutta Profit (Kindle)
25) The Art of Virtue: Benjamin Franklin's Formula for Successful Living by Benjamin Franklin (For TKD) ✔ ✔
26) Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli ✔ ✔
27) Fingersmith by Sarah Waters ✔ ✔
28) The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison ✔ ✔
29) Mislaid by Neil Zink (Crazy)
30) The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
31) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
32) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (how is that for a duo?!) ✔ ✔
33) The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss, whom I have never heard of but had 3 books in Powell's favorites collection
34) The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
36) The Eagle Tree by Ned Hayes, Free! ✔ ✔
37) The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Audio) by Diane Chamberlain, Cris Dukehart narrator 3.0 ✔ ✔
38) The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown ✔ ✔
39) Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart (Mark and Crazy)
40) The Guise of Another by Allen Eskens - Free Audio!!

Uh-Oh! I have purchased more than I have read. ; )

Plot Summary From the Book:

Fourteen-year-old March Wong knows everything there is to know about trees. They are his passion and his obsession, even after his recent fall—and despite social services’ threat to take him away from his mother if she doesn’t keep him out of their branches.

But the young autistic boy just cannot resist the captivating pull of the Pacific Northwest’s lush forests just outside his backdoor.

One day, March is devastated to learn that the Eagle Tree—a monolithic Ponderosa pine near his home in Olympia—is slated to be cut down by developers. Now, he will do anything in his power to save this beloved tree, including enlisting unlikely support from relatives, classmates, and even his bitter neighbor. In taking a stand, March will come face-to-face with some frightening possibilities: Even if he manages to save the Eagle Tree, is he risking himself and his mother to do it?

Intertwining themes of humanity and ecology, The Eagle Tree eloquently explores what it means to be a part of a family, a society, and the natural world that surrounds and connects us.

“Every human experience is unique, but The Eagle Tree provides insight into one distinctive and uniquely important perspective. The Eagle Tree… seems very authentic to me.””— Temple Grandin, New York Times bestselling author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic.

“The Eagle Tree is a gorgeously written novel that features one of the most accurate, finely drawn and memorable autistic protagonists in literature. Credible, authentic, powerful. A must-read.”–– Steve Silberman, New York Times bestselling author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity.

I don' think I need to say anything more. 4 stars

Kim, I love the poem at the top. It is perfect for this crowd.

I am promptly putting The Eagle Tree on the wish list. Thank you for that. :-)

Hi Ellen! You are first on my new thread. As your reward, you can have your pick of these lovely items for your soon-to-be-finished bathroom:



Glad you like the poem and the book. ; )

>10 Berly: LOL. So hard to choose. They would all go so well with our decor.... ;-)

Happy Weekend, Kim!

BTW, I'm bummed that our library does not yet have The Eagle Tree on order. I'm hoping they get to it soon.

>11 EBT1002: Well, then...take them all!!! How much longer until the shower door is ready? And did you find a painter? I am glad you are enjoying your temporary office space.

The eagle Tree is only $5.99 on Kindle.... 😬

Happy New Thread dear Kimmers!

So pleased Robert still has Service above and I am still sure the blighter must have heard of me. xx

Morning, Kim! Happy new thread - I love that you brought the poem over!

>13 DianaNL: Diana--Why thank you for asking! I am doing well. Lazing around this morning, than a few hours at work. Tonight we are going to a fundraiser for my daughter's old school which I recently retired from as Chair of the Board. Should see some old friends and have some fun. Hope you are well and happy!

>14 PaulCranswick: Nice play on his name, Paul. And I thought you were THE inspiration for the blighter's poem?!! I am sure I read that somewhere....

>15 Crazymamie: Hi Crazy! I just couldn't leave that poem behind. I think I should get it framed. It's just perfect. Happy Saturday!!

>16 Berly: Well I think that is mere propaganda.....my propaganda!

Happy new thread. The Eagle Tree sounds great. I'm off to check to see if my library has a copy.

Happy new thread, Kim. The Eagle Tree sounds great. I'm off to check to see if my library has a copy.

Great review of The Eagle Tree. I must look for it.

Hi Kim, happy new thread my dear, hope you are having a good Saturday and wishing you a fabulous weekend my dear, sending love and hugs.

Happy New Thread, Kim!

What a great reading year you're having/planning. I love the ambition to read David Bowie's top 100.

The Eagle Tree sounds great. I'm adding it to the WL, too.

Happy new thread, Kim!

>17 PaulCranswick: I knew I heard it somewhere!! Happy Sunday.

>18 BLBera: >20 banjo123: Beth and Rhonda--I hope you enjoy it. Just bear in mind, you have to like trees!! : )

>21 johnsimpson: Thank you, John. Are you out and about, driving the racetrack yet? ; )

>22 jnwelch: Joe, this year is definitely off to a great start for reading. This April may have been my best one yet! And I feel like I am getting in a good mix of group reads and personal random draws. So much fun.

>23 scaifea: Hi Amber! Thanks for keeping tabs on me. Did you ever decide about the library position at your school?

Hi Kim, not tearing around but back driving ok, the furthest I have been has been Harrogate which is about 30 miles from us but feel so much better and Karen has got me back as taxi driver. Hope you are having a good weekend my dear, sending love and hugs.

I love trees.

^ Me too. :)

Great review of The Eagle Tree, Kim!

Happy New Thread, Kim!

I think you have found the perfect thread topping poem, Kim! Service obviously has some acquaintance with this group!

You are going to town on the Bowie books. It's a great list to pull from. I wonder if Prince was a reader. He certainly was a deep thinker as indicated by some of his lyrics. I understand you danced with the legend. Did you have time to ask about his reading?

So, yesterday, I had an allergic reaction and totally missed going to the fundraiser shindig. Pooh.

And today we spent at the office today again. I watched the glorious, sunny day through the window. Double Pooh. But hubby and I got a ton done, stuff we don't get a chance to tackle during the week. Gotta love start-up companies!!

And no real reading this weekend. Triple Pooh!! Oh well. Tomorrow is a new day. : ) And it is May, so I get to start The Bird Artist and The Boys in the Boat. Already started on Talking God and a random one, The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter. I think I am set for a bit!!

>25 johnsimpson: So glad you are feeling better! And that you have earned your hat back...



Have a great week!

Hiya!

>26 BLBera: >27 nittnut: Beth and Jenn--Then you should both read The Eagle Tree! It is filled with so much information about trees, where they live and grow, how fast, how many years they live, how deep the root systems are, the different growth layers, the Fibonacci growth patterns (I loved that one--I still have that as one of my email addresses!)...just fascinating stuff. And then the wonderful portrayal of March, the young autistic man. Yup. You should read it. : )

>28 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl! For further enticement, read ^^. My daughter attended a school for kids with learning differences and about 1/3 of the kids were on the spectrum. I felt this book painted an accurate picture of one child's autistic world, authentically conveying some of the reasons and emotions behind the behaviors.

It certainly gave me a greater insight into the condition and I have renewed respect for all the parents out there trying to protect their children while helping them to be who they are in our world.

>29 ronincats: Thanks Roni!! Wishing you a great week ahead.

>30 Donna828: Donna--That poem is a perfect for LT!!

I tried to look up a Prince Reading List, but so far have been unsuccessful. I haven't given up though. And, no, we didn't talk books on the dance floor. LOL! ; )

>33 AuntieClio: Hi Stephanie! Haven't seen you in a while. I think you have been pretty busy, yes? Thanks for popping in. : )

What a wonderful opening. Congrats on your shiny new thread, Kim. Wishing you a great start into the new week.

>24 Berly: I turned in my application last week, so we'll see. I still haven't 100% decided that I'll accept it if they offer...

>4 Berly: I very much enjoyed The Museum of Extraordinary Things. I am an Alice Hoffman fan. I think this is one of her best books!

Morning, Kim! Sorry to hear about the allergic reaction - yikes! No fun. Hoping that this week is kind to you, my friend.

Hi Kim, just dropping by to see if you are reading outside! No, I'm not either, have to go to work. And it's Monday.

>36 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. Still dragging a bit after working the weekend and the allergic reaction. But winning the war!

>37 scaifea: Amber--I hope you get the offer and then you can decide what you want to do! Good luck.

>38 Whisper1: Hello dear Linda. I also enjoyed Hoffman's book--she is a reliably good read. Hope all is well with you--did you hear anything back after your recent pre-op visit?

>39 Crazymamie: Thanks Crazy. I could use a kind week. ; ) Happy M*@#day to you!

>40 lit_chick: Nancy--Monday. At work. Me too. But maybe a little reading outside later today....it's sunny and warm again. Fingers crossed.

Dropping in for a quick hello. Happy May!

Happy new thread!

Sorry to hear about your allergic reaction. Hope you're feeling better today.

Hi Kim - Pooh for your allergic reaction. Here's one of my favorite Billy Collins poems from Aimless Love - you have children closer to this age, so you might like it.

To My Favorite 17-Year-Old High School Girl by Billy Collins

Do you realize that if you had started building the Parthenon
on the day you were born,
you would be all done in only one more year?
Of course, you couldn’t have done that all alone.
So never mind; you’re fine just being yourself.
You’re loved for just being you.

But did you know that at your age
Judy Garland was pulling down 150,000 dollars a picture,
Joan of Arc was leading the French army to victory
and Blaise Pascal had cleaned up his room
— no wait, I mean he had invented the calculator?
Of course, there will be time for all that later in your life,
after you come out of your room and begin to blossom,
or at least pick up all your socks.

For some reason I keep remembering that
Lady Jane Grey was queen of England when she was only 15.
But then she was beheaded,
so never mind her as a role model.

A few centuries later, when he was your age,
Franz Schubert was doing the dishes for his family,
but that did not keep him from composing two symphonies, four operas and two complete masses as a youngster.
But of course, that was in Austria at the height of Romantic lyricism,
not here in the suburbs of Cleveland.

Frankly, who cares if Annie Oakley was a crack shot at 15
or if Maria Callas debuted as Tosca at 17?
We think you’re special just being you —
playing with your food and staring into space.
By the way, I lied about Schubert doing the dishes,
but that doesn’t mean he never helped out around the house.

:)

>44 BLBera: LOL! "Like"

Happy New Thread!
>3 Berly: And what a great pic of the Bowie books!

>32 Berly:, thanks for that Kim, think I could do with the hat if only to keep my head warm at the moment, sending love and hugs.

Sorry to hear about your allergy attack, Kim. That's no fun at all. And thumbs up from me for the Collins poem.

>42 London_StJ: Hi Luxx!! And a Happy May to you, too! Thanks for popping in.

>43 SuziQoregon: Suzi--Thanks for the well wishes. I am sensitized, and had another small reaction today. Benadryl too care of it. But still wiped out as a result. I will have to be careful for a while. : )

>44 BLBera: Beth--I love that poem!! Thank you. And, yes, some of that certainly fits. LOL.

>45 jnwelch: Certainly!

>46 mstrust: Jennifer--Glad you like the Bowie book picture. I am so enjoying working my way through his list. I have a bit to finish on another book and then I am jumpin into our May read of The Bird Artist.

>47 johnsimpson: John--Warm is good! LOL. Hugs.

>48 rosalita: Julia--Yeah, I don't recommend allergies. They do tend to get in the way. And that poem is great.

>22 jnwelch: >24 Berly: I feel like I have a good mix of reading this year too, Kim. And I might thank Bowie's list for that too, as well as university.

>50 LovingLit: You have an amazing variety of books going this year!! And after work today, I am ready to start our next Bowie!!

April was a great reading month for me. I usually read about 2,000+ pages a month and in April I read over 3,500!! 12 books. That's a lot for me. : )

May is off to a good start, too, as I just finished The Bullet Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan. I wish I could remember who got me with that book bullet, because I loved it! I am thinking Dr. Neutron, since he was the one who got me to read my first steampunk novel...whoever you are...thank you!!

I know this is hard to believe, but I don't actually own a kindle. I understand they just came out with a new one to tempt me....

>51 Berly: Kim, I know where you got that book bullet - Richard's thread. He reviewed it and I agreed with him - it's well written and fun. There are two more books out in that series, and I have both of them, but I haven't read them yet.

Hi Kim, you had a really good month in April with the number of books and pages, hope you have had a good day my dear.

>51 Berly: Richard was warbling about this series, but I know I reviewed the first book before he ever read it. And Mamie reviewed it in December of 2014 (checking my tags!) and so she was responsible for my picking it up. Hope the allergic reaction gets under control--I have those too.

>52 EBT1002: Ellen--No, I believe you! LOL. And I much prefer my real books to the Kindle, but sometimes the Kindle is cheaper and it is definitely easier to carry around. I tend to get books I know I won't necessarily want to have forever on my shelves, but have to have right away and can't wait for the library. My Hubby gave me mine. I think I hear that one calling you...!

>53 Crazymamie: Aha!! Thank you, Crazy. Thank you, Ricardo. I do miss that man's regular presence here. Sigh. I have the second in the series waiting for me, but I have others to get to first. Just finished Chapter 1 of The Bird Artist. : )

>54 johnsimpson: Hugs John. ; )

>55 ronincats: Roni--maybe it was you!!! Or Crazy. Or all of you put together. I have only recently started to tag book bullets with the shooter's identity. In any case, thanks for talking me into this one.

Aren't allergies annoying? I say that lightly, but actually several of mine are life threatening and I always carry an Epi pen with me. I usually wind up in the hospital once or twice a year with a particularly bad one. But unless they are horrible, I tend to pop a Benadryl and carry on.

Okay, now don't be afraid of my memory - it's crazy good most of the time: Kim takes a bullet

But look at Roni! Most impressive with those stats! I knew I reviewed it way back because the second book wasn't even out yet.

I picked up The Bird Artist, and I have read the first chapter. I read parts of it out loud to the girls, and we were all impressed with Margaret's brashness.

Hoping that the allergies start behaving themselves. Happy Wednesday, Kim!

Happy sort-of new thread, Kim! I'm way behind, thanks to a work trip/conference, but at least I'm caught up here :)

>58 katiekrug: Welcome back! And, since you are caught up here...I think you should just stay, because it is a guilt-free zone!! ; ) Speaking of guilt free...

Ahem.

>57 Crazymamie: Happy Hump Day, Crazy!! I think Margaret is my favorite character as this point. And the allergies are behaving today. Thanks. Would you like a cocktail, too?

>60 Crazymamie: I'll take that as a Yes!!

Shakespeare and his Elizabethan-style smack talk. Here are a few of my favorites:

“I must tell you friendly in your ear, sell when you can, you are not for all markets.”

“Thy face is not worth sunburning.”

“I do desire we may be better strangers.”

“Thou art a boil. A plague sore, an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted blood.”

“Thy sin’s not accidental, but a trade.”

“Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I do look on thee.”

“Thou art unfit for any place but hell.”

“More of your conversation would infect my brain.”

Okay. I LOVE “I do desire we may be better strangers.”

>64 Crazymamie: stop the bus....I was just copying “I do desire we may be better strangers.” to highlight as a brilliant quote. It seems out minds are near complete synchronized ;)

I think that is why I loved DOmestic Manners of the Americans, all those deliciously worded insults! It seems a contradiction to word harsh words so well, but its is so fun to read.

That is my number one favorite!! Megan, DMoA does not sound like a book that has insults, LOL.

I wish that I was quick enough on my feet to come up with these highly intelligent retorts--maybe I should just memorize a few. ; )

>65 LovingLit: Wow! Two quotes in one day, Megan!! I hope this isn't scaring you.

>66 Berly: We're practically triplets!

Stopping by to say hi, Kim! Love your thread topper! So darling!
>63 Berly: - love it! :)

>57 Crazymamie: BTW--I realize I didn't give your amazing memory the kudos it deserved. How in the world did you manage to find Richard's thread where he zapped me with the bullet? You ARE scary good!! Glad we are almost triplets--that means your powers are on my side. : )



>68 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb!! Thanks for popping in. : )

Morning, Kim! I promise to only use my powers for good.

I haven't heard of The Bullet Catcher's Daughter, and I do read steampunk. I'll have to keep it in mind for my next book club suggestion (which won't happen for half a year, since I'll be suggesting The Stand for next month.

Just stopping by to say hi!

>31 Berly: Sorry you had the allergic reaction. Bummer! You're OK now?

Kim I hate that you had an allergic reaction. Scary. :(

Take care!

How are you, Kim?

On Monday, I'm going to see Louise Erdrich read from her new novel, and next weekend, I'll be lunching with my sisters at the Kenwood and visiting Birchbark Books. Just saying.

You may need a Minn. trip. :)

>70 Crazymamie: Thank goodness!!

>71 The_Hibernator: Definitely keep it on your list, somewhere near the top.

>72 tymfos: Hi T! I am mostly recovered. Thank you. : )

>73 luvamystery65: R--I really do not enjoy them at all. ; ) And they are taking longer and longer to recover from. Dang it!!

>74 BLBera: Oh man!! Beth, I am totally jealous! Today I miss MN horribly. And it will be worse on Monday and next weekend. LOL. Tell me all about it....

So, I am in the middle of three very different (and all wonderful!) books:

Good morning (Good evening), Kim. It looks like you're pretty busy with your readings. Enjoy them.

>78 Ameise1: Still evening here...good morning to you!! I am liking the variety. And The Good House is on audio. Mary Beth Hurt does an amazing job!! In fact, I can't imaging reading this book without her voice. It is perfect. Now I have to go check out what you are reading...!

I'm currently reading Glenn Cooper's The Devil Will Come. It's very fast-paced and so far I like it.

Glad you are liking it--It has gotten mixed reviews, so I will await your verdict.

>81 Berly: I suppose the reviews are mixed because the plot is a bit far fetched but works fine for me so far.

Thanks to you and Megan for arm-twisting the reading of The Bird Artist. Bowie knew what he was at - lovely book.

Have a great weekend Kimmers. Check your email by the way. xx

>82 Ameise1: Excellent!! Enjoy the rest of it.

>83 PaulCranswick: I have read thru Chapter 3, but then I switched over to Boys in the Boat which I have to finish in time for my RL Book Club next week. I will keep sneaking in chapters. I am glad you are enjoying it. Did you finish?

Happy Friday, Kim!

Hi, Kim. I'm another fan of "I do desire we may be better strangers." I feel like that's one I could even work into a conversation today, in the properly frosty situation.

Hope you're setting up for a good weekend. I'm glad The Bird Artist is working so well for the group; I loved that one.

Today, the morning is all about cleaning the house. We are having friends over tomorrow night to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. It is a little after the actual date, but the closest we could get it. Then later in the day I have to go check on stuff at our loading dock. We are installing a new work bench and expecting a delivery of organizational bins that my son is going to put together on Saturday. We are also having a new kind of flooring put in one of our portable water treatment pods for a client, and I want to see how it's going. I spent the day supervising that yesterday. And then...a new Starbuck's coffee is going in at our building and they are having a soft opening for building tenants before they open to the public tomorrow, so I will pop over for that. It's proximity is good news, bad news. I used to stop on my way to work every day at our old office and then I broke the habit when we moved to these offices last November. I fear having it downstairs may be bad for my wallet and my waist again! But I do like it. : )

>85 Crazymamie: Happy jammie day to you and Birdie!!!

>86 jnwelch: I think the phrase needs a little rewording to make it in today's world, and I hope I never have to use it, but that's the winner for me!! Perhaps, "I believe we would be better off as strangers." What do you think?

>88 Berly: I like it. "I hope that we can be more strange to each other" makes me laugh, but seems to convey a different message. :-)

>87 Berly: Enjoy your busy weekend!

>87 Berly: Hope you have a great party. And congrats on the 25 years.

I have the boys on the boat on my kindle but keep forgetting it. Must sort that out.

Have a great anniversary celebration. It sounds like you have a couple of busy days ahead.

I will update you about the Erdrich reading. I'll try not to gloat. :)

>87 Berly: Having a Starbuck's nearby is too tempting for me. I've worked with one in the building and could never just walk by.

>89 jnwelch: Joe--I've got it!!! "Let's go back to being strangers." ; )

>90 London_StJ: Thanks Luxx. It looks to be a very busy one!! AND I just found out I am hosting Sunday brunch for Mother's Day. Signals got crossed and reservations were never made, so at this late date I think it is Chez Berly!! My oldest daughter just told me she'd do all the cooking. : )

>91 charl08: Hi Charlotte- Thank you. It should be fun. I got the house all clean and potted new plants out front. I even wiped the cobwebs away by the front door---yuk!! Not sure I will get to the back deck planters tomorrow. Oh well.

I think you should pull out The Boys in the Boat and read it with me this month!!! I am not very far into it yet....

>92 BLBera: Beth. Thanks. And ... I used to like you. ; P

>93 mstrust: Jennifer--That's what I am afraid of!!! Maybe I will have to do two laps around the building including the stairs before I can have a Starbucks drink. That will at lest combat the calories, if not the empty wallet!! LOL We met the store manager today and most of the workers and they are super nice.

Morning, Kim! YIKES about the crossed wires for the Mother's Day plans, but hooray for a daughter who can and will do all the cooking!

I think Starbucks coming to you is Fate, Kim. You were meant to have it. The Universe said so.

>95 Crazymamie: Yes, she is a keeper. ; ) And I should have some leftovers from the party tonight, which will work for brunch. And at least my house is clean!!

I can't argue with the Universe, can I? Thanks, that makes me feel so much better. Hmmm...I think I will fulfill my destiny this morning on the way to work. LOL. And, yes, I have to spend at least the morning there helping hubby get the work space set up so we can use it next week for the install. The new floor should be dry--crossing fingers!!

In Honor of Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Love

Her love is like
an island in life's ocean,
vast and wide
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.
'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And thro' the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.

author unknown

Oh, Kim. In an effort to get into your good graces again, here's a mother's day offering:

The Lanyard by Billy Collins

The other day I was ricocheting slowly
off the blue walls of this room,
moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
when I found myself in the L section of the dictionary
where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard.

No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one into the past more suddenly-
a past where I sat at a workbench at a camp
by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid long thin plastic strips
into a lanyard, a gift for my mother.

I had never seen anyone use a lanyard
or wear one, if that's what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.

She gave me life and milk from her breasts,
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sick room,
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips,
laid cold face-clothes on my forehead,
and then led me out into the air light

and taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Here are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift - not the worn truth

that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-toned lanyard from my hand,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.

Happy Mother's Day weekend, Kim!!

>98 BLBera: Beth--Oh, now you are back in very good graces with me!! That is a wonderful poem--I love it. Beautiful and funny at the same time. I will really have to read some more Billy Collins. Thanks and Happy Mother's Day to you, too.

>99 banjo123: And the same to you, Rhonda!!! Nice weather we are having, huh?

Spent 7 hours in the warehouse and made great progress. Putting my feet up for 1/2 an hour then it's time to get ready for our Anniversary shindig!!

>63 Berly: Lol. Embossed carbuncle! The bit about wishing we could be better strangers reminds me of Bilbo Baggins when he says: "“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”

Happy shindig! I am checking out The Eagle Tree.

Well, the shindig was a success!! People left around 1:30am and since the party was scheduled to end at 11, I'd say everyone had a great time!! I know I did. : ) Hubby and I stayed up until 2:30 washing dishes and cleaning up because his parents are coming over for Mother's Day this morning. Did I know that this weekend was the one after Cinqo de Mayo, or the Kentucky Derby or that it was Mother's Day? Nope!! A couple of our friends couldn't make it because of that; oops. Guess we will just have to have another one. ; )

>102 nittnut: Hi Jenn!! LOL. Okay, now trying saying Bilbo's expression (which I love!) five times fast...

Hi Kim. I am slowly working my way through threads, trying to get caught up. I am way late with my Happy Anniversary wishes for you and your husband. 25th.... what a milestone!

I absolutely love the thread topper pic! Also glad to see you enjoyed The Bulletcatcher's Daughter. I love steampunk reads.

I hear you about the temptations of having a Starbucks - or any coffee shop really - right downstairs from where you work. The closest coffee shop to my office is two blocks away so there is no temptation to venture out when the weather is the typical west coast damp kind. ;-)

I would agree: when a party goes 2 and 1/2 hours longer than planned, it is a goodie!

Glad to hear everything went swimmingly! I hope this morning was just as successful.

>103 Berly: Late night party followed by in-laws for breakfast? You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din! I washed my hands completely of the actual Mother's Day day this year---took my Mom on an outing with lunch included during the week before, and will take MIL to lunch NEXT week. Sometimes there are just too many things crammed in, and I put the brakes on. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed all of it and have now fully recovered from the fun!

>104 Berly: Ha! Can't even do it once fast. Lol

Sounds like the party was a raging success. :)

Happy New Thread, Kimmers! Hope all is well in your world.

Isn't The Boys in the Boat wonderful?

Morning, Kim! Your party sounds like it was full of fabulous!

>105 lkernagh: Hi Lori--So nice to see you! And you actually read the whole thread when you caught up! How nice and thanks. : ) I have the second Bullet Catcher awaiting me and I hear it calling to me...

>106 London_StJ: Luxx--The Mother's Day morning brunch went off very well. We had cheese and crackers as an appetizer, then quiche, a fruit salad, spicy chicken empinadas, blueberry muffins, apple & cheese sausage and roasted asparagus. Not to mention champagne and wine and some divine store-bought cupcakes for dessert. Needless to say, I was pooped and had food coma, so I took a nap in the afternoon!! ; )

>107 laytonwoman3rd: Linda--I think I may try your approach next year. It was a little too much fun in such a short span of time!!

>108 nittnut: Jenn--We had so much fun! And I received so many texts from my friends thanking US for inviting THEM to our party! I am the one who owes the thank you's--they all brought yummy treats and so much wine!! We tried to drink it all, but we still have lots of bottles left.

>109 msf59: Mark is back!! Just finished Boys in the Boat and have my RL bookclub tonight to discuss, so my review will follow. Loved it though!

>110 Crazymamie: Hi Crazy! Life has been a whirlwind lately. The party was indeed, full of fabulous!! And then I worked off all those calories Sunday afternoon and Monday and Tuesday. I moved five truck loads of stuff from our office over to our new warehouse facility and then I assembled two rolling carts as tall as I am, with lots of different sized bins and then unpacked all the boxes of spare parts and organized them. Then I went back and cleaned up the now empty office and arranged the furniture, put in the phone, etc. Done!!! It actually was kinda fun. I had my son help on Saturday and then my oldest helped Monday and Tuesday. It was nice to do the project with them. But I am pooped! Today I am addressing graduation invitations and announcements with my oldest. And I hope to fit some READING in!! : )

Hi Kim - It does sound like satisfying work. I hope you get a book fix in soon.

BTW - Louise Erdrich was great - I can continue to read and love her books without reservation. I was afraid she was going to be a jerk, and I would have to stop reading her. ;) You can probably listen to the interview on a pocast. Kerri Miller and the Thread, I think it is.

Beth--Glad to hear that Louise Erdrich did not disappoint! I will have to try to find the podcast. Thanks.

Dinner tonight was a new recipe--yum!!

Pasta with Prosciutto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Asiago
We added some corn and cilantro. : )

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-prosciutto-cherry-tomatoes-asiago

What is asiago!? It all looks delicious :)
Me and my sister went out for dinner with our kids and *drum roll* it wasn't a disaster! Yay!

The pleasures of having time to catch up on threads! I know I've said it before, but you are one busy lady.

Sorry to hear about the allergic attack. I carry an EPI pen too, but I had to use it because of the aftereffects. The benedril is a constant companion. Since all of my severe allergies are to food, I can avoid them most of the time. It is a bummer, isn't it?

Glad you enjoyed your parties, especially since you worked so hard to get set. Fun is great payback.

>115 Berly: Hi, Kim! That pasta dish looks scrumptious. I think you made a good call to add corn. Are those cucumbers also in the pic? I know I could just click through to the recipe and see for myself, but this way we preserve the illusion that we are having an actual conversation. :-)

I'm late to the party, but congratulations on 25 years together! Dinner looks delicious!

>51 Berly: Glad you enjoyed The Bullet Catcher's Daughter - I have that one to read on my kindle thanks to Mamie and Roni's recommendations.

And belated congratulations to you and your husband for your 25th anniversary!

Morning, Kim! Dinner looks yummy! We will have to try that one.

Happy weekend, Kim.

Happy new week Kim!

Where are you!? (I mean that in a friendly concerned way, not a yelly way)
Ok I hope!
Eta auto corrects that did the opposite of correct.
Eta again....remember this? https://www.librarything.com/topic/222358#5582204
:)
I finished it, and I related it a solid 4-stars. Great choice!

>116 LovingLit: >124 LovingLit: Hi Megan! I am alive. Just not feeling up to par. Or very social. Thanks for checking up on me and not yelling. ; ) But you should know, so I am telling you, that Asiago is a kind of cheese. : ) And I finished The Bird Artist and I'd give it a 3.75. I think everyone else has liked it more than me. You for instance!! LOL. We have to start thinking about our read for next month....

>117 ffortsa: Judy--I hope unexpected retirement is treating you well. I expect lots more book and play reviews out of you now! ; ) And, yes, Benadryl and the Epi pen are my constant companions, too. Sigh.

>118 rosalita: R--how remiss of me to abandon my own thread just when you were trying to start up a conversation!! My most sincere apologies. They are not cucumbers in the pictures--zucchini! Anything else I can help out with?

>119 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb--thank you very much. And it is never too late to join the party. Well, at least LT parties!!

>120 souloftherose: Heather--They got me, too, with that book bullet. I have the second on my Kindle ready to go!! And thank you for the congrats. 25 years is a long time to be with someone. I am glad that I still like him and he still likes me!!

>121 Crazymamie: Hiya Crazy!! My Fitbit stats are down noticeably. Haven't been up to snuff. So don't taunt me. ; ) I sent one to Katie when I was in the lead and before she left me in the dust. LOL. I just friended my Dad. Hopefully I can keep up with him!

>122 Ameise1: Barbara--Those duckies are so cute!! I just want to be one of the pack, blithely following along today. Hope your week is going swimmingly. ; )

>123 The_Hibernator: Rachel! You came out to play. How fun! I hope you have a wonderful week, too, and that you are not too swamped.

Hi, Kim! Just about halfway done with The Bird Artist. I am so glad you and Megan gave me the perfect chance to finally get to this little gem.

Mark--we are just happy to help out. ; )

>127 msf59: Mark!! (that was the yelly way) You are so fast! I am in awe of course, and also jealous.

Hey, Kim, hope this week is higher energy for you!

>129 LovingLit: Lol

>130 ronincats: Me too!!!! Thanks. Going to sleep early tonight. : )

Morning, Kim! Sorry to hear that you are not feeling up to snuff. I promise not to taunt you until you are feeling better and also more social. I want only your sincerest happiness. Hoping that today is kind to you.

Thanks Crazy. You are most kind. Last night I did not go to sleep early. More like midnight. Then something woke me up at 2am and my brain would not cooperate...I was awake until 5:30! Sigh.

Finished The Psychopath Whisperer and I loved it! The book, not psychopaths. It was right up my college-neuroscience-major alley.

Off to talk to a high school about setting up a possible summer internship with our company. My son got asked to Prom so after work we are off to get a haircut and find a new shirt for his suit.

Success!! Found a shirt that goes with his suit and tie and got him a haircut (thank goodness, because he was doing the grow-out thing and it was looking unruly to say the least!). We are both happy campers.

AND.................I am actually.................wait for it......................going to TKD tonight!!!! So excited!!

>134 Berly: Oh exciting about your son attending prom! Brings back memories of my two sons, now shockingly 31 and just turned 26. The son who just turned 26 went to grade 12 prom with a friend from Grade 12 math class -and what do you know, but a spark was lighted and they got married last summer at the age of 25. Both wanted to finish university before they got married, but I began to wonder how long the two could date! :)

Oh, Deb, that is a fun story about your son and prom!! My son is only a sophomore, asked to go by a junior. I hope he waits a little while before he finds his true love. ; )

And I made it through TKD class with no injuries!! It was so much fun to see friends.

Just started

Hi, Kimmers! Almost done with The Bird Artist. Smiles...Wish I could join you on Library of Souls but I'll have to wait awhile. I hope you like it.

A huge HOORAY about the TKD!! Way to go, Kim! And no injuries is good - please keep that up.

Hi Kim - Congrats on getting back to TKD. I haven't read any of the Miss Peregrine books - if you're reading the series, you must like them. Would you recommend them?

>139 msf59: Hiya Mark! I know you have Library of Souls waiting in the wings (get it?!) and I really want to read it with you but it is just calling to me so loudly!! LOL. It's off to a great start. I know you will love it. And I look forward to your thoughts on The Bird Artist. I should go back and say some more myself! Happy Thursday. : )

>140 Crazymamie: Thanks for cheering me on, Crazy. I went to a lower belt class just so I wouldn't have to overdo it first time back. I am not quite in shape and I have lost some flexibility, but I reviewed the forms before class and they were a little dusty, but still in there. In other words, I could follow along, but I wouldn't want to have to teach them!! I am not too sore today, either, so I think it was a success!

>141 BLBera: Hi Beth. It was so much fun to be back in class. And I saw a few friends, which was very nice. (It was a lower belt class, so not as many of my usual cohorts.) My Master told me to take it easy and kept looking over at me to see if I was still standing, LOL. I only got dizzy once, but it was on a spinning roundhouse series, so I think that is not too surprising.

As to Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, The Library of Souls, and the first two books, I love them! They are totally and completely quirky, with magical powers, time loops, good vs evil and truly memorable characters. There are also whimsical/creepy old pictures throughout the book, not fabricated, but real vintage photography. I read somewhere that author Ransom Riggs sought out particular ones to portray events and characters he had in mind and that in his search he also found photos he could not leave out and was so taken with them that he wove them into the books and they drove the story line! Highly original and recommended. ; )

Hi Kim, congrats on getting back to TKD and without coming to harm my dear. Sending love and hugs dear friend.

Yay for getting back to TKD and double yay for no injuries!

Hi, Kim! Glad to see you back at TKD!

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/201799834/jeanette-w...

That (above) is a link to a very interesting interview that aired a few weeks back here in NZ, with Jeanette Winterson. I thought you'd enjoy hearing it, seeing as Why be Happy When you can be Normal had such an impact for you. I enjoyed listening to it, and found her to be quite patient in answering questions that must be on heavy rotation in her world.

PS I'm not *actually* here, I am *actually* writing my essay.

Kim, I'm stopping by to say you are one of the kindest, most sensitive souls I know. I appreciate you!

Pre admission testing is next Wednesday..all day at Thomas Jefferson, beginning 8:00 a.m. We will stay at a hotel near the hospital. We will go to Philadelphia Tuesday afternoon and have some fun sightseeing and dining. Years ago Will was a medical student in Philadelphia. We also had a residency at Will's eye hospital, which is quite near Thomas Jefferson. He knows the city well and it is always fun to be there with him. I'm glad he is a reader because he will be waiting while I have many appointments that day.

I hope you are pain free day.

Hope you're feeling better, Kim!

>143 johnsimpson: Thank you, John! I took another class last night. Loved it!

>144 SuziQoregon: Suzi--Thanks so much. I missed it so much and it feels great to be back. : )

>146 tymfos: Terri--You and me both! Most of my muscles seem to be okay with starting up again. All except the hip area--I haven't been stretching there and trying to do the splits...well, lets just say I have to limber up again. Ouch!! ; )

>147 LovingLit: Megan--I popped over to the Jeanette Winterson link, but it is 40 min long, so I will have to come back to it later, but thank you so much for posting it for me!! I cannot wait to get to it! I really did love her book. And now I should just be quiet because there is no Megan here to talk to. What was I thinking? I know she is off diligently writing her paper. I am losing my mind. Geesh!!

>148 Whisper1: Linda, you know my thoughts are with you and Will. I am glad you are fitting in some sight seeing in the city before your day of testing. That sounds like fun! Sending continued good mojo and so many hugs.

>149 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Life is good today. : ) Now I just have to figure out how to take credit for my TKD classes on the Fitbit. Otherwise my daily total is going to keep taking a hit! I can't seem to figure out how to do it on my phone, so I will look at the computer version. Happy walking!

Happy Friday, Kimmers! Loved The Bird Artist. Good to know about Library of Souls. I will get to it later in the year.
Are you in town on July 3rd? We will be taking a red-eye, back home late that night. We made be able to do a Meet-up dinner?

>153 msf59: Mark, Happy Friday to you, too! So glad you liked the Bird Artist. It was a strange book. Lovely writing, funny at times, sad, and I loved Margaret--she is one ballsy chick!! Probably my new favorite character. As to July, I would love that!! We can definitely work something out. I have it pencilled in so keep me posted. Yay! : )

Kim, just for you I went back and found Roni's instructions for manually posting activity on Fitbit. Here is what she said:

"When you have the Fitbit Dashboard open on the computer, at the top where it says: Fitbit Dashboard Log Community etc., you click on Log and then on Activity and can put down what kind of activity, how much time, and distance to get your steps counted--thank goodness! It doesn't show up on the Fitbit itself, but it does on your daily and weekly totals."

*she had posted this on my thread a thread ago

>155 Crazymamie: Timing is everything!! Thanks. I am still catching up on LT and haven't attempted the Fitbit yet, so now I feel emboldened! Off I go...

>152 Berly: Nice! "Like"

Congrats! (A little late...)

Hi! Getting all caught up. Hooray for going back to TKD! Happy weekend. :)

*weekend fully loaded here*
(so I am allowed to be here and don't have to pretend I am writing my essay)
The interview is a long one. The interviewer is Kim Hill. A fiercely intelligent and outspoken woman, she has also interviewed my dad. I like her, but she grates some people the wrong way.

Kim, for your class, I think if you press your Fitbit button and holds it, it starts a timer for a workout session, and then you hold it again at the end of the session. You can then add notes about it as I described above in Mamie's message on your computer.

ETA advantage is it will track heartbeat for the session, if you have a device that measures that.

>157 jnwelch: Joe--Thanks! Hope yours is all loaded up and ready to go!

>158 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! Thank you. Love being back at it. :)

>159 nittnut: Jenn--Thanks for coming over to catch up. Hope it was fun and not a chore! ; ) Have a great weekend, too.

>160 LovingLit: Megan--Yay, weekend freedom!! I plan to listen to it this weekend. What did she interview your dad about?!

And we should talk about our next Bowie read. This is my list of wanna reads.
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes
Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
White Noise by Don DeLillo

and you had
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby, Jr.
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler

Any on there appeal to you? Other suggestions?

>161 ronincats: Roni--That sounds like a great idea!! I will have to roll down my sleeve and sneak it into class one time and see if I can get a representative set of stats--we are not supposed to wear jewelry into class. But I am going to try!! LOL Thanks for the hint.

Have a great weekend!

Hi, Kim! I will keep in touch with you about July 3rd.

My vote is for Last Exit to Brooklyn. I have wanted to read that one forever.

>162 Berly: you know, I wouldn't mind dong a reread of White Noise! I found myself a 25 (?) anniversary edition for cheap last year, and have been wanting to read that since then. But,..I should probably try a new one. And I do have Last Exit to Brooklyn framed on my wall, so it shouldn't be too hard to get it down and read it!
I'll have a look-see :)

Kim Hill interviewed my dad on the book that came out about his family history, he is a well known photographer in these parts and has an interesting war-torn family story, having been born in Latvia in 1943.

I vote for Flaubert's Parrot and if I get two votes I also vote for Flaubert's Parrot.

Have a wonderful weekend, Kimmers!

Morning, Kim! Waiting anxiously to see what you and Megan choose for the next Bowie read - I just might join in if it calls to me.

Me too, if it's one I already have on the shelf. I want to walk in Bowie's footsteps!

>164 msf59: Mark--okay, I'll keep it open.

>165 LovingLit: Not feeling Brooklyn right now, but maybe later this year. I like White Noise or The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie?

>166 PaulCranswick: Paul--How do you really feel? LOL. I may need a month off from the birds. ; )

>167 Crazymamie: >168 mstrust: Stay tuned!! I'll let you know. :)

I cruised through Library of Souls (which came up first as The Scarlet Letter on touchstones--what?!?!) and aside from a small slow-down describing over and over how vile Devil's Acre is, I loved this one as much as the first two. I just hope it isn't the last, as advertised!

Now I am starting my latest Powell's Indispensable book, A Doubter's Almanac by Ethan Canin--I have not read any of his works, but he is apparently well-loved. And this one is all about a mathematical genius (I love math) who flounders in life. Perhaps more than most of us, LOL.

I read a short interview with the author, that came with the book. As Canin puts it, "You really can't think of a plot in advance, at least not for a literary writer. I'm sure a thriller or a mystery writer does that, but for a literary or a psychological writer, I think you can't do that. The only way to create a plot is to have people misbehave. That's, in a way, what plot is, misbehavior and its consequences. If fiction is gossip, then plot is misbehavior and its consequences. Those are two pretty good rules to live by for a writer." I am not sure I buy the whole "let the book happen" philosophy, but we shall see!! It has a 4.14 rating so far....



And the LT prophet says, deep in the blue rating, that I will like it with a high degree of confidence!

>170 Berly: I haven't read Library of Souls, but I remember his astonishingly wonderful first book of short stories, Emperor of the Air, this from a man still in medical school (I think). I may have read more of him back then, but that's the volume still on my bookshelves. Let me know how you like LofS.

eta - I remember him as such a young man that his picture on LT startled me.

>171 ffortsa: Library of Souls is by Ransom Riggs and I loved it! Absolutely worth reading.

I still haven't cracked the cover of Canin's A Doubter's Almanac. You say he was in med school and wrote poetry? I will have to look into his background some more!

I think you should make a return trip to Portland, now that you have time on your hands. : )

Well, I would definitely probably read any Bowie book that was put forward, so long as I could get it- off my wall, where it is framed in the case of Last Exit to Brooklyn, or just off the plain old bookshelf in the case of White Noise. Or from the library in the case of any other choice! (like Flaubert's Parrot, for example, which I hear Paul is very into).

Happy Sunday, Kim.

Happy Sunday, Kim. I will definitely look for the first Ransom Riggs - I think I heard about the photos and that sounded kind of creepy...

All of your Bowie reads sound good.

I'll watch for your comments on the Canin.

Morning, Kim!

>173 LovingLit: Megan--I left you another PM about books. Let me know what you think. Hope you enjoyed your weekend with a little break from classroom stress!

>174 Ameise1: Barbara--Thanks! Your weekend looked lovely, with reading outside and some gardening.

Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint,
and the soil and sky as canvas.
- Elizabeth Murray

>175 BLBera: Beth--some of the photos are creepy, many are fascinating and some are just funny. I thoroughly enjoyed how they fit the story.

>176 Crazymamie: I am coming over for some of the lemon cookies and pumpkin crumb cake. Just have to find my shoes...

Hey! I was just thinking of meetups and remembered my lost chance to see you back in October. :( I was pretty depressed at the time, plus it was my birthday weekend and I was busy with "important" stuff. But do let me know if you ever come to town again!

You can see the social anxiety that I would apologize months later. ;) You know us introverts.

>178 The_Hibernator: This is a no-guilt zone! I will certainly let you know when I am back out there. Introverts unite!

Here's a peek at my roses.

Ooh lovely roses. Still waiting for the buds to open here!

I have a copy of Last Exit to Brooklyn so would like an excuse to pick it up!

Hi Kim, love the roses, hope you have a good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

>180 Berly: pretty roses! I sometimes stop to smell other peoples' roses when I walk W to school. (funny, iPad auto corrected 'smell' to 'steel' just then, and I honestly have only ever stolen one rose from a neighbouring garden!! ;))

>180 Berly: Love the Blooming Roses!!

>180 Berly: GORGEOUS!!

So sorry to hear about the asthma attack, Kim. I hope you are feeling much better very soon.

>180 Berly: Beautiful!
The only plant I have that is thriving are my many bamboos on the kitchen counter. They must be the simplest thing to grow.

Gorgeous roses! I love the cover of A Doubter's Almanac, which of course means nothing about the book. I'm neither afraid nor do I love math. I'll have to look more into what the book is about. Check the oracle! ;)

Your roses are beautiful, Kim.

Love you guys! Long, hard day at work. Individual comments later. Night!! : )

>180 Berly: Pretty! Since I kill everything plant-related that I touch, I'm always impressed to see what other people grow.

Morning, Kim!

>180 Berly: Hi, Kim. I LOVE the beautiful roses! Happy weekend to you!

Happy weekend, Kim!

Just checking in to see what the next Bowie read is. I'll cast a third vote for Flaubert's Parrot. Haha. So happy for you getting back into TKD. Kim. I know how much you enjoy it.

Morning, Kim! Happy Memorial Day!

Hi Kim, hope you had a good weekend my dear as we had, sending love and hugs dear friend.

>181 charl08: Hi Charlotte--glad you liked my roses. Me too!! I am only sad because they are peeking now and won't be as beautiful when my parents get here for my oldest's graduation in two weeks. Oh well.

>182 johnsimpson: Hi John! Thank you kind, sir. I hope you have had a very nice weekend. Hugs!

>183 LovingLit: Megan, if you are ever in the neighborhood, I will give you some roses of your very own!! LOL. I have some bushes that look great, but don't give off much scent, and then I chose just because it smells awesome!!

>184 msf59: Thanks, Mark. : )

>185 Crazymamie: Crazy--thanks! I got really mad at a squirrel this weekend, because he was nibbling on a plant and had cut the stem in half, so I had to take the flowers inside and plunk them in water. They won't last as long inside, but they did still bloom nicely.

>186 mstrust:--Jennifer--I love bamboo!! I have one planted, too, upstairs. And I know it is hardy, because if I forget to water it for a time, it still hangs in there. ; ) But a plant is a plant and if you can get it to grow it's all good. : )

>187 vancouverdeb: Deb--I know, I love the cover of A Doubter's Almanac, but I only made it to like page 20 and then I got sucked into two adventure books: Unseemly Science and Departure. And then I have to read H is for Hawk for my book club. ARGH!!! So many books, so little time!!

>188 BLBera: Hi Beth! Thanks. I have six roses planted out front and then another in a planter right by the front door. They are so nice to see when I come home, and they smell great, too.

>190 ursula: Ursala--LOL. Well, but you are so good at preserving them with your camera!! So things live on even longer when you take notice. ; )

>191 Crazymamie: Afternoon, Crazy!!

>192 tymfos: Hi Terry! Thanks. I think they are called Rainbow Sorbet. : )

>193 banjo123: Rhonda!! Hi, hope you had a wonderful weekend, too.

>194 Donna828: Hi Donna! I am so glad to be back doing TKD--I missed it so much! I even managed to make it through two classes back-to-back last week. Oooooh! Was I sore the next day! But in a good way so I actually enjoyed it.

>195 Crazymamie: Happy Memorial Day!!! And thanks for keeping my thread warm.

>196 johnsimpson: John, and you as well. I appreciate all your visits.

So, Megan (IreadthereforIam) and I have chosen White Noise by Don DeLillo for our Bowie read in June. And we took note that Flaubert's Parrot and Last Exit to Brooklyn were very popular; I am sure we will get to them before the year is out. ; )



Jack Gladney is the creator and chairman of Hitler studies at the College-on-the-Hill. This is the story of his absurd life; a life that is going well enough, until a chemical spill from a rail car releases an 'Airborne Toxic Event' and Jack is forced to confront his biggest fear - his own mortality. White Noise is an effortless combination of social satire and metaphysical dilemma in which DeLillo exposes our rampant consumerism, media saturation and novelty intellectualism. It captures the particular strangeness of life lived when the fear of death cannot be denied, repressed or obscured and ponders the role of the family in a time when the very meaning of our existence is under threat.

Come read with us!!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/223975

Hmm. I've been meaning to read DeLillo. Maybe this is a good place to start?

Oh, I think so!! : )

I hope you had a lovely long weekend, Kim. I know - so many books, so little time! :)

Hi, Kimmers! Good choice on White Noise. That does sound good. DeLillo will be featured on the AAC later in the year, so I might get to this one at some point, along with his new one.

I requested White Noise from the library, so we'll see if it come in on time. Happy Tuesday, Kim!

>204 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb. It was a crazy weekend. More on that later....Hope you had a good one!

>205 msf59: Hiya Mark! I didn't know he was on the list. That makes me ahead of the game, right?! ; )

>206 Crazymamie: Morning Crazy. I'll race ya!! Happy Tuesday.

This weekend was kinda nuts. I drove down to Eugene to help my oldest move most of her stuff back home from college. Her graduation ceremony is in two weeks. Hubby was at work all weekend and my son helped out on Saturday, too. We found out during the day on Saturday that one of my kid's close friends was in the hospital, so we went to visit him Sunday and Monday. Suicide attempt. He stayed in the ER all weekend and hopefully will be moved today. I feel like so many kids today try this. Was I just lucky not to know about this in high school? And today my MIL is scheduled for colon surgery (something I know way too much about) for cancer. All is well with me, but kinda wrung out.

Reading light stuff. Just finished Unseemly Science and loved it! When is the next one coming out?

Sending you positive mojo and keeping you in my thoughts, Kim. That is a lot going on all at once.

You are in luck with the Gas-Lit Empire series - the third one is already out - Custodian of Marvels.

Thanks Crazy. Oh, that is good news! I looked on LT and they didn't list the third. Or maybe I missed it. ; )

Started Girl Waits with Gun instead. Sitting here in the surgery waiting room....

Oh sure...now I see the third one listed!! LOL. Could be brain fog, but I am not willing to admit that. ; ) But I am glad it is out.

Hope everything goes well for your MIL!

"Started Girl Waits with Gun"...ooh, nice! Man, I loved that book.

Good luck with everything, Kim. Terrible to hear about your son's friend. We don't do well taking care of teens' mental health, especially boys. We can do better.

I hope your MIL's surgery goes well.

Sounds like a rough weekend all around! Sending positive thoughts.

>212 mstrust: Thanks. The surgery went very well and my MIL has been moved to the general floor. She is expected to be there for about a week.

>213 msf59: Girl Waits with Gun is off to a great start! Read about 1/4 of it today. Man those waiting room seats are not comfy!! ; )

>214 BLBera: I just feel bad because I didn't know that he was in that space. He is always so up and fun when he is over here. Even my son was surprised.

Thanks for the good wishes for my MIL.

>215 banjo123: I am taking any and all good mojo! Thanks. : )

Keeping a good thought for your MIL, and for your son's friend.

Thanks Linda. MIL is doing okay. She is still pretty disoriented, but hopefully that will clear up tomorrow or the next day. A lot of pain and she just wants to go home. Crossing fingers!

The friend is doing well.

My family is hanging in there!!

:)

Thinking of you and your family, Kim. Hang in there, indeed, friend.

{{{{{Kim}}}}}

>208 Berly: tough few days! I hope your sons friend gets the support he needs now, as I guess it's going to be a journey for him.
I hope you get some rest and rec in the meantime!

Thanks guys. Surgery itself seems to have been successful. Some side problems going on. Moved to ICU this morning and seeing some improvement tonight. Keep sending the good mojo!! : )

Thinking of you, Kim - that is a tough few days. Sending good thoughts for you, your Mom, son and son's friend.

All this is a lot to handle, Kim. Best wishes for your MIL's recovery, and also for your son's friend and your son himself. This must be quite a hit for him too.

Sending more good mojo, Kim . . .

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and yours, Kim. Hang in there.

Thinking of you, Kim, and sending positive mojo your way.

Howdy Kim. I hope all is ok with your MIL. Sending you my best thoughts.

Good Mojo on it's way!

Hi Kim, hope everything is ok with your MIL and your son and his friend, sending lots of love and hugs your way my dear.

To each and every one of you--THANK YOU!!!! I have been reading your words of encouragement, but haven't had the energy to respond. Your kind words have meant a lot.

Updates: MIL -- out of ICU and back on the regular floor. No word on discharge date so it may still be a while, but she is making continued if slow progress. Oxygen stats back to normal, starting to eat a limited diet. My FIL is of good spirit and I take that as a good sign.

Son's friend -- He isn't allowed a phone at this point, but his mom says he is doing well and getting the help he needs. Not sure how long the program is....

Son -- Jack is deep in the middle of studying for finals and seems to be handling all of this pretty well. Luckily his friend is going to be okay as opposed to the other option, which would be a lot harder to deal with. Still keeping a close eye on him though. I am encouraged that he wanted to talk to the football coach (Jack is a soccer kid) about also being the kicker for the team next fall. They want him to come to a few summer practices and see. This shows me that he is continuing to look forward and not wallowing or feeling responsible for his friend's ultimate happiness. Such a hard thing to go through.

Me -- Trying to get the house in decent shape as my parents arrive Friday for all the graduation hoopla. I already warned them that I am a tad behind in life right now (I don't even have my plants out on the deck yet!) and not to judge me too much. LOL. Luckily, my daughter and her best friend celebrated high school graduation jointly at our house four years ago and it is their turn to host the college graduation festivities. Phew!!

Again, big hugs to all of you. : )

Hi, Kimmers! Everything sounds a bit chaotic at the moment. Thanks for the update, my friend. Sending positive vibes to your MIL and your son's friend. It looks like you could use a few too, so here you go. Hugs to my pal.

Thanks for the hug, Mark. I needed that!! : )

Time for a new thread....

Sending love and hugs dear friend.