Mamie's 2016 Madness (Page 12)

Continuing with my list of favorite things...fictional murder and mayhem, popcorn, jammie days...

...
...

snail's pace
Books Completed in May:
58. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (4 stars), library hardback, literary fiction, GR
59. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - series recommended by Charlotte
60. The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
61. The Other Side of Silence by Phillip Kerr (4.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Suz and Charlotte
62. Frozen Sun by Stan Jones (2.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural
63. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (thinking), 2016 acquired paperback, Russian literature

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:


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


The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov - reading this with Mark and Ellen


The Bird Artist by Howard Norman - reading this with Kim, Megan, Mark, Paul and Charlotte

Coming in July:


Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry - reading this with Diane and Kim

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

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 - read for the BAC (early) and to honor Rickman's passing
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 - recommended by Susan
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
26. The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan (4.2 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - saw this is Charlotte's Guardian reviews
27. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild (5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction/history/the Congo/slavery - read for Suz's Non-Fiction Challenge

Books Completed in March:
28. Empire Falls by Richard Russo (4 stars), ROOT paperback/audiobook, Pulitzer Prize winner, read for Mark's AAC
29. Fade Out: Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
30. Velvet: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
31. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
32. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
33. Crooked House by Agatha Christie (reread), ROOT paperback, mystery/crime fiction - read for Paul's BAC (yes, I know this was last month's author)
34. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
35. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
36. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
37. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
38. Velvet: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
39. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
40. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
41. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver (4 stars), library hardback, poetry - read for Mark's AAC
42. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
43. Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (4 stars), ER paperback, retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew

Books Completed in April:
44. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
45. The Misty Harbor by Georges Simenon (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
46. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
47. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
48. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
49. Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
50. The Portable Veblen (I have no idea), 2016 acquired ebook, um...weird fiction?
51. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, fantasy - series recommended by Roni
52. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (4 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook, fantasy
53. Black Diamond by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
54. Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthyy (2.5 stars), 2016 acquired book, retelling of The Great Gatsby
55. Ballistics by Billy Collins (4 stars), library hardback, poetry
56. Shaman Pass by Stan Jones (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural
57. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery

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) COMPLETED
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) COMPLETED
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 COMPLETED
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/$.99 audio)
18. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop - 2nd book in The Others series - ebook
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - purchased for the non-fiction/history challenge COMPLETED
20. Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older - Mark's fault
21. The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan - Charlotte's Guardian reviews COMPLETED
22. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab COMPLETED
23. The Fade Out: Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips COMPLETED
24. Velvet: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker - recommended by Roberta COMPLETED
25. The Misty Harbor by Georges Simenon - recommended by Charlotte COMPLETED
26. Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthy -Charlotte again, and on my own thread! COMPLETED
27. The Trees by Ali Shaw - Guardian review on Charlotte's thread
28. The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth Mckenzie - Charlotte's thread? COMPLETED
29. The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster by Scott Wilbanks ($.99 on Kindle)
30. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman ($1.99 on Kindle)
31. Galore by Michael Crummey ($3.99 on Kindle)
32. An American Childhood by Annie Dillard ($1.99 on Kindle) - for the AAC
33. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon ($2.99 on Kindle) - Charlotte's fault COMPLETED
34. The Carter of 'La Providence' by Georges Simenon - Charlotte again
35. The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon - Yep. Charlotte
36. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon - Ahem. Charlotte
37. The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker - book #4 in Bruno, Chief of Police series COMPLETED
38. The Devil's Cave by Martin Walker - book #5
39. The Resistance Man by Martin Walker - book #6
40. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara ($1.99 on Kindle) - series recommended by Roni COMPLETED
41. Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara - book #2 - series recommended by Roni
42. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan - heard about this on Ellen's thread
43. The Blackhouse by Peter May - recommended by Barbara
44. The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza ($.99 on Kindle)
45. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard - recommended by Jim
46. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart - recommended by Charlotte, Mark and Joe ($2.99 on Kindle)
47. Zero World by Jason M. Hough - recommended by Jim
48. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - recommended by Roberta and Katie

18/48 completed = 38% have been read

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 Stewart O'Nan
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
9. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great

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 COMPLETED
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 COMPLETED
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

LT recommendations continued...

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)
58. The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan - recommended by Jenn
59. Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift - recommended by Suz, Ellen also loved this
60. When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning - recommended by Amy

LT recommendations continued...

61. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Charlotte
62. Reading Chekhov by Janet Malcolm - recommended by Charlotte
63. Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey - recommended by Beth
64. The Widow by Fiona Barton - recommended by Diane
65. Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo - recommended by Reba (over on Katie's thread)
66. Super Mutant by Jillian Tamaki - GN - Mark and Joe's fault!
66. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice - recommended by Charlotte
67. The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell - recommended by Susan
68. My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem - recommended by Beth
69. The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks - recommended by Rhian
70. Dodgers by Bill Beverly - recommended by Ellen and Mark
71. The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro - recommended by Mark
72. Zero World by Jason M. Hough - recommended by Jim
73. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie - recommended by Susan (and Carrie recommended it to her)
74. Without by Donald Hall - recommended by Ellen, who read it because of the poem that Katie had posted - poetry collection
75. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan - Ellen mentioned this on her thread as getting great reviews
76. River Thieves by Michael Crummey - Judy mentioned that she loved this one (on Ellen's thread)
77. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild - Beth's review on her thread
78. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - read Julia's review on her thread
79. Georgiana by Amanda Foreman - read Anne's review on her thread
80. Pleasantville by Attica Locke - read Charlotte's review on her thread
81. Locally Laid by Lucie Amundsen - Janet's review on her thread - I can't believe that she actually got me with this one, but there you have it!
82. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan Howard - Jim said to just read it, already
83. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke - recommended by Susan, Pleasantville is the next book in the series
84. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - recommended by Mark, who said the audio was good, too. Joe also liked this one

A few of my favorite reads from 2015:




This should do it - next one's yours!

Hi Mamie!

ETA: What a coincidence! I'm having a crazy day, but a quick look at LT won me a prize!*

*No pressure, Mamie :-)

You are first, Susan! Here is your prize:



I am thinking an extended stay at Magnolia House would be just the thing. Then you could take your time and enjoy the massive tour that Katie and Roberta are sure to provide just as soon as you make it to Texas.

*This is a duplicate post from my previous thread, just in case folks don't go back there:



Well, HELLO, Friday! Abby and I have decided that a jammie day is in order, so we plan to do just that and binge watch Trueblood - we are on Season 5. Last night we finally got back into watching it - it's been a while. Rae and I had gotten caught up in Season 2 of Broadchurch: I thought they did a good job with it. Then, I got slightly addicted to White Collar, and I may have watched a few episodes of Chicago Code, so... *ahem* BUT today is all about Sookie. And me, of course, because after all, this is my Friday. I am thinking pizza for dinner. I might even go completely crazy and try to squeeze in a bit if reading. Who knows?! Anything could happen. Except getting dressed -that is most assuredly NOT going to happen. I mean, I do have standards.

They are spraying the pecan trees today, so it is NOT quiet here at the moment. They started early, so I have high hopes that they will be finished soonish.

*MERCY UPDATE* We took her back to the vet last week, and they thought that the bite looked better but they were still not sure it was going to heal all the way - they are worried she may have some necrotic tissue, which would need to be cut out. They said keeping putting the antibiotic cream on twice daily and bring her back in two weeks for a recheck, at which time she will also get the rabies vaccine, again with the Benedryl and steroid to counter an allergic reaction (this is the one I am really nervous about). BUT I am very happy to report that Mercy's bite is looking very good - it looks like it will heal all the way to me, which would be awesome. SO keep your fingers crossed - she goes back next Friday.

And yay for jammie day!!! And for Mercy looking good. : )

Glad to hear Mercy is on the way to recovery. Still unseasonably warm here, I have pottered a bit in the back garden, and moved around several plants. I do like finding mystery plants and putting them somewhere can actually see them. Hoping they like their new homes. I'm not at all sure what some of them are, but hey ho.

And what a great read is The Bird Artist? Very pleased I jumped on the Bowie read for that one.

>15 Berly: I took two, Kim. Happy Friday to you!

>16 charl08: Charlotte, we have been ecstatic that the last two days have been a bit cooler - only going to 76 today. I'll take it!

I need to trim my herbs - they are getting completely out of control. They are like toddlers, as soon as I turn my back...

I am really liking The Bird Artist, but I am only on chapter four. *grins*

>1 Crazymamie: Nice!

Yay for The Bird Artist! I'm glad to see it working so well for the group.

Happy Friday, Mamie! Congrats on the new thread.

Thanks, Joe! So glad you like the topper! And yes, The Bird Artist is a little gem of a book.

Congrats on your shiny new thread, Mamie.

(Have you noticed how early I am? ;-))

Thank you, Barbara! Ha! You are VERY early!!

Happy new thread! A bit jealous of your jammie day :)

hi my name is adrian it smelz good here i smell a dog and a cat and and FOOD is ther some for me when is dinnr

Oops! Sorry Mamie! Adrian likes to sit between me and the laptop, and sometimes he tries to help me. :-) Anyway, happy new thread. You've been marked! ;-)

>22 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba! You'll have to schedule your very own jammie day to make up for it.

>23 cbl_tn: Ha! Adrian is always welcome here! That is one clever dog you have got yourself there, Carrie! And thank you! I feel...so ...special.

Good afternoon Mamie and happy Jammie day!!!! And happy new thread!!!!!
Fingers crossed for Mercy and continued healing!

Good Afternoon! Happy Lynda Day! And thank you.

Awesome new header, Mamie! Congrats on the new thread.

Thanks, Brodie! Glad you like the topper!

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy Friday.

Happy Jammie day.

Happy New Thread!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Mercy and wishing her a speedy recovery.
And I watched season 2 of Broadchurch not long ago. It's a great, intense show and I hope there will be a season 3. I watched the American version, Gracepoint, too.

>29 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Happy Friday to you! Our Jammie Day has been a complete success so far - very relaxing and fun.

>30 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer! I appreciate those good wishes for Mercy - the spider bite is looking SO much better.

There is going to be a season three for Broadchurch - but it will be filmed in 2017, so we will have to wait a bit. My daughter, Rae, was just telling me about Gracepoint, so we will have to check that out. I didn't know about it until she just recently mentioned it.

Happy New Thread, Mamie, and great to hear good news about Mercy. It's a cool rainy day here and we love it!

I binge-watched both seasons of Broadchurch. I'm glad there will be a season 3, but I hate the wait! I'll have to check out Gracepoint. I loved White Collar, too. It sounds like I need to add Chicago Code to my list. If you like it, chances are that I will, too!

>32 ronincats: Thank you, Roni! Glad you are getting to enjoy a cool rainy day - no rain here, but it is cool, and we are soaking it up. We even get to have the windows open.

>33 cbl_tn: We did, too, Carrie, but not all together. We binge watched season one when we first found it and then just recently binge watched season two. I LOVE David Tennant!! Rae and I are not happy about the waiting, either, but we will do it. And yes, check out Chicago Code - I just learned about it when Julia and Brodie were talking about it on my previous thread. Very good so far, but there is just one season, darn it.

I'm back because I forgot to say................Bogie!!!!! I love Bogie!!!! He is the coolest of the cool. Not extraordinarily handsome but so awesome!

I could not agree more, Lynda! He is my absolute favorite!!

Bogie is supercool - His picture should be next to "cool" in the dictionary.

Happy New Thread!

Yay for a jammie day! Hope you and Abby had a wonderful one.

Healing vibes for Mercy

Digging out my copy of Master and Margarita. Have you actually started it yet?

>37 BLBera: You'll get no arguments from me, Beth. I completely agree.

>38 SuziQoregon: Thank you, Juli! We are still watching Sookie - the pizza has been ordered and consumed. Just like the day, it was very good. A lovely indulgence. And I thank you for those healing vibes for Miss Mercy.

>39 EBT1002: Yep. I have read/listened to the first four chapters, Ellen. I am really liking it so far.

>1 Crazymamie: Always a good one to start with, Mamie, the inimitable Bogart.

Happy new thread, xx

Happy new thread, Mamie. You know how to relax in style - hope you enjoyed your jammie day.

Happy new thread!

from your previous thread - "The problem is that if I am not in the mood to read any of my current reads, then I just pick up something new, and then slowly things spin out of control." - That's my problem now. And I'm supposed to be exercising/walking more, but how can I POSSIBLY do that with all these books calling out to me!!!! *end whinging*

Happy Saturday!!

Happy New Thred! To answer your question from the last thread. My Birthday was quiet lust how I wanted it to be.

>41 PaulCranswick: I think so, too, Paul. I mean, how could one possibly go wrong with Bogart? And thank you. xx

>42 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! The jammie day was just what was needed, and it turned out to be a lovely escape. Highly recommended.

>43 dragonaria: Thank you, Kim! Yep! That's just exactly it! If you figure it out be sure to let me know. LOL.

Happy Saturday to you!

>44 BBGirl55: Thanks, Bryony! And hooray for a birthday that turned out just how you wanted. Well done.

Happy Saturday, Mamie!

Morning, Joe! Happy Saturday!

>39 EBT1002: >40 Crazymamie: I want to read The Master and Margerita, too, but I have 3 other books I am in the middle of...dang it. I guess I can bring up the rear. LOL.

Yes, Kim, bring up the rear. LOL! Mark is going to read it, too, but he hasn't started it, either. No hurries - the GR was last month, but I couldn't do it then, so Mark, Ellen and I were doing it this month instead. We would love to have you along for the ride.

Morning Mamie! Happy S A T U R Day!! Lovely morning over here. Hope you're sharing in the sunshine!

Morning, Lynda! I get that song reference, and I didn't even have to think about it! It's really gorgeous here, too - sunny and only 69F right now. Going to 83F today.

I also want to read The Master and Margarita, but I think it might be a while.

Hi Mamie! I love my prize :-) Funnily enough, I was checking some recorded Fixer Uppers this afternoon to see if there were any new ones, and the continuity announcer pronounced the town as "Wacko". Which I think Katie has also done in the past...

I finished Sons of Anarchy. And a big book :-) Maybe the two are not unconnected...

Happy new thread, Mamie. Wishing you a great weekend!

Hi, Mamie! I'm glad you are enjoying Chicago Code. I was really mad they didn't renew it. Jason Clarke is dreamy, isn't he?

Hi Mamie. I am slowly working my way through threads and it looks like I have the equivalent of one month's worth of posts to get caught up on. Daunting prospect! Anyways, happy new thread!

Glad to see that Lonsome Dove is on your planed reading list. I look forward to seeing what you think of it. As for Crummey.... I still have yet to read my copy of River Thieves. I was so hoping that the library would have the audio version so that I could "cheat" my read of it, but no such luck... darn it all. Sorry to read that your TV wasn't surge protected when the "tree fall" occurred. The one good thing about living with a computer techie type is that everything electrical in our house is protected. Downside of living with a computer techie type is that I really have to moan and grumble if I am having technology issues... kind of like the cobbler who never has time to tend to his children's shoes or the auto mechanic's wife who's car never seems to be running properly. ;-)

... "disgusting foam thing full of revolting fluoride Seriously?! You don't have dentists that "paint" - like with a brush - the fluoride on the teeth, and then you are not allowed to eat or drink anything for 1-2 hours?! I am a little confused here. I have never experienced this "foam thing" that is referred to on one of you previous threads. Just discombobulated by the whole "foam" concept.

Glad to see that Mercy's "growth" has been diagnosed and the vet has provided treatment. I hate spiders. I discovered a spider on the floor at work the other day - a largess spider - and I had a colleague kindly remove the spider and release it outdoors. I have had spider bites in the past and they can be nasty.

I love "jammie days"... I don't get enough of those. *whimpers*

... did not know, but it appears that when it can be noisy when they spray the pecan trees. See, I learned something new, just stopping by to say hello. ;-)

.. all caught up! *For now*

Happy weekend, Mamie!

>56 lkernagh: Apologies to anyone (like me) who was traumatized by these things, but ...



When I was a kid, this was how they delivered fluoride. Ick. Only they were usually attached to each at the front, so they would fill them and then fold them over and cram them into your mouth.

*wave*
Happy Mother's Day!

Iew! The fluoride!

But yay for a jammie day!

I should have stayed in mine, it is totally pouring rain out there. Normally I walk Po first thing, but nunh-unh. Just can't face this sort of rain. Plinky rain, fine, but not steady thrumming rain.

Oh my goodness, I'm glad The Bird Artist is still on the radar screen. Read it yonks* ago -- right around when it came out and there was buzz.

*Full disclosure that I know this is a britishism but I adore, envy, covet and have decided to USE it freely, wantonly. I feel no need, say, to adopt "serviette" although "jumpers" occasionally twinges at me, and "plimsolls" cause yearning. . .

All right. I am going to find a copy of Lonesome Dove and read it!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! Love you always Mom, from watching Sookie, to telling funny stories, to interpreting me to Dad, you know me best. You are truly one of my favorite my #1 favoritepeople to hang out with. And think, it's only going to get better, next year we can drink together. Love you.

I'm struggling to keep up with everyone at the moment but happy new thread Mamie! Glad Mercy is doing better and hope that bite goes completely without them needing to do anything further.

Happy Mother's Day, Mamie.

Afternoon, Y'all! It's been a delightful Mother's Day so far - got to sleep in, Abby made really yummy pancakes for us all, I finished up a murder mystery, and now we are preparing to play Settlers of Cataan. Life is good.

Sounds lovely. Wishing you a good week ahead. I have cracked open Master and Margarita and am hooked.

Happy Mother's Day, Mamie. 🌹
Awwww, what a sweet note from your daughter. It sounds like all your children are spoiling you today. I got phone calls, flowers, candy, and a few hugs. I'm happy!

Happy Mother's day Mamie!

Glad to hear your Mother's Day was nice. Hope you have a happy Monday to follow it with.

Morning Mamie! Happy Day after Mom's Day!

Morning Mamie! I am back. It looks like I have a trillion threads to catch up with. Fortunately, I took a "cushion" day off, to get a few things done, which will also include something called reading. And somehow the "book stacks" grew while I was away.

Happy New Thread, my friend. Hope all is well.

>63 Crazymamie: Love the mug!

Sounds like you had a great Mother's Day, Mamie - well-deserved!

We had some beautiful weather over the weekend, and now it's gray and rainy. Seems about right for a pre-Tuesday. :-)

>34 Crazymamie: I am also Glad to here that you are enjoying 'The Chicago Code'. I so enjoyed the series and it was where I noticed Jason Clarke. I really like him as an actor. And, Delroy Lindo is...Delroy Lindo. It is hard not to enjoy him regardless of the role.

Good Afternoon, everyone! It has been a surprisingly pleasant day for a Monday - I have been working on the laundry and listening to The Master and Margarita, which continues to delight. I have read the first twelve chapters, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Yesterday was relaxing and fun - I won the game of Settlers of Cataan, so it truly was Mother's Day. Then Abby and I started season six of Trueblood while everyone else scattered to entertain themselves. We ordered out dinner from a fabulous little restaurant that makes VERY delicious burgers, so it was a tasty treat enjoyed by all. And no mess to clean up.

On the reading front, I managed to finish up two books that I had been working on: The Bird Artist and Pietr the Latvian. Reviews to follow soon, so I won't reveal my thoughts here in this post.

Catching up with the thread:

>52 BLBera: I will say that it draws you right in, Beth. I was expecting to have to work at it a bit, but it has just been delightfully easy and very clever.

>53 susanj67: So glad you love your prize, Susan. How fun would it be to reserve the entire house for an LT reading retreat?! Wacko made me laugh out loud!

Whatever will you replace Sons of Anarchy with?! Always fun to finish something like that but it also makes me feel at a bit of a loss. And congrats on the big book. I am absolutely certain that Netflixing and reading were meant to be partners - some of one, then a bit of the other...lather, rinse, repeat...

>54 tymfos: Thank you, Terri! My weekend was full of fabulous, so those wishes worked! Hoping that yours was as well.

>55 rosalita: Rae and I are both loving Chicago Code, Julia! I'm so thankful that you and Brodie mentioned here or I might not have come across it. It boggles the mind that there wasn't a second season. Totally agree that Jason Clarke is dreamy. Gotta love those eyes!

>56 lkernagh: Hey, Lori! I am always impressed with your catch-up posts! Thanks for those good wishes.

I am looking forward to Lonesome Dove and I am wanting to read more Crummey. I was just not in the right mood for Galore at that particular moment, but I will go back to it when the mood strikes. I have it on Kindle, so it will wait patiently and take up no space in the meantime. Yes, the tv was such a tragedy. Our tv mounts on the wall above the fireplace and the plug-in is there behind it. Everything attached to it was surge protected, but the outlet that the tv was plugged into was not. Just a complete waste, but we will not make that mistake again.

Concerning the fluoride - our new dentist here in Georgia does use the paint on kind, which is fabulous. But I had never even heard of it before moving down here. In Indiana, we always had those disgusting foam inserts. You are lucky to never have experienced it. Trust me.

Mercy's spider bite is almost completely healed now and looking fabulous. I am so happy. Spider bites are always nasty, itchy things, I think. We have had some black widow spiders down here, and those things completely creep me out.

The spraying of the pecan trees is indeed noisy, but a small price to pay for getting to look at those beautiful trees all the time - we have a grove behind our property, so that is our view. Stunning. They use very large trucks with sprayers coming out both sides to spray the trees - one pass down each lane gets the trees on either side. Very loud, but the spraying only takes a couple of days. They also spray from the air once or twice a year with a plane that flies overhead, and that is deafening, but again, very short lived.

Wishing for you a jammie day in the very near future!

>57 ursula: Yes! That's it, exactly! So gross! And then you were drooling all over the place and trying not to swallow because you were not supposed to swallow any of the fluoride.



*shudders*

>58 nittnut: *waves back at Jenn* Hey, there! It was happy! Hoping yours was, too!

>59 sibylline: Agreed, Lucy. Ick. But jammie day was lovely - we need to do more of that. I totally don't blame you for not wanting to walk Posey in the pouring rain - our dogs won't even step off the porch if it is raining.

I have finished The Bird Artist now, and it was so great. I loved Margaret. And I also like the word yonks! Your full disclosure made me laugh.

Are you going to read Lonesome Dove right away? If not, you are more then welcome to join us in July.

>60 Thebookdiva: Abby, you always make me smile. Thank you so much for that! I love you, too, and I very much look forward to sharing wine as well as coffee with you.

And I LOVE that laundry label - too funny. Also true.

>61 souloftherose: Thank you, Heather! You never have to keep up here - just drop to the bottom and start over.

Mercy's bite is looking SO good. You would not believe it was the same injury, so I am convinced that they will not have to do anything else with it. Hooray for that. But I am nervous because she gets her next vaccine when she goes back.

>62 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Hoping yours was also full of happy!

>64 charl08: Thank you for those good wishes, Charlotte! Me, too, with The Master and Margarita - completely hooked. It's so good and so clever; I am really enjoying it.

>65 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! I did indeed get spoiled - sounds like you did, too. Glad we both got to get our happy on!

>66 The_Hibernator: Thank you, Rachel! Hoping that your week is off to a great start!

>67 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba! And those wishes worked!! Monday has been lovely so far. Hoping your has been, too.

>68 Carmenere: I am late to the threads today, Lynda. Thank you! Hoping that your weekend was fun and that Monday has been kind to you.

>69 msf59: Mark! Thank heavens you're back!! We missed you! So smart of you to cushion your return with a day off before you have to go back to work. I need to come check your thread to see what you brought back with you! Happy reading, my friend!

And thanks for those good wishes - all is well at this end!

>70 jnwelch: Hey there, Joe! That mug made me laugh when I saw it! And thank you - Mother's Day was full of fabulous for me.

Sorry about your weather - it is beautiful here today.

>71 brodiew2: Hello, Brodie! Chicago Code is really good, so a huge thanks to both you and Julia for bringing it up here. I love Jason Clarke! And Delroy Lindo is fabulous in anything he is in.

Popping in to say hello as I try to catch up on threads. It will be slow-going!

Hello, Lori! Lovely to see you here - thanks os much for popping in. Please give my love to the boys!

>79 Crazymamie: The boys are definitely happy to have me although they are a little stand off-ish. They have all come to be petted though. I think they are just napping a lot.

They had been boarding, right, Lori?

Hi Mamie! I hope you had a good pre-Tuesday. I'm glad to hear that Mercy's bite is improving thanks to the treatment.

Morning, Mamie!

>82 cbl_tn: Morning, Carrie! I did! Mercy and I thank you for those thoughts and ask that you give Adrian our love.

>83 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Just unwrapped a Dove chocolate (dark, for the health benefits!) and found this advice: Treat Tuesday like Friday. That's one smart bag of chocolate! If it today had been Wednesday, would it have said "Treat Wednesday like Friday"?!

My body can't handle the caffeine in coffee, so I have to get it from chocolate. :-)

Ha! I love those Dove chocolates. My favorite piece of advice found inside has been: Buy the shoes.

You poor, poor dear! I adore coffee. I start every morning with it - at least two cups, usually more.

Howdy Do, Mamie!

Good morning, Mamie!

"Buy the shoes". Ha! We need more advice like that. My Chinese fortune cookie would be so much more meaningful to me if, instead of, Your future is a rose blossoming by the path, or somesuch, it said, "Buy the books."

Hope all is well at the Rhubarb Pecan Paradisio.

>87 Carmenere: Morning, Miss Lynda!

>88 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Right. Good thinking. We need to change those fortune cookie messages.

All is well, thank you.

Morning, Mamie! I was really hoping to return to work, wearing shorts but it is not happening today, with a light rain falling. Staying focused and positive though.

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Morning, Mark! The rain followed you home, huh? It's overcast here but no rain. Thank you for those Tuesday wishes - hoping work goes smoothly and quickly for you.

>88 jnwelch: You really need to get yourself a bag og Dove chocolates. I unwrapped one yesterday to read "Go o a physical bookstore". :-)

>92 cbl_tn: Ha! That's perfect, Carrie. I'm not much of a chocolate fancier, but Dove is swaying me with that one.

All caught up here, Mamie! I was merrily cruising along, reading the posts, when BAM! Ursula posted the photo of the fluoride foam. I had to breathe deeply for a minute to overcome the panic. Blech.

Glad you had a good Mother's Day and all seems to be right with the world - at least at the Pecan Paradisio!

>92 cbl_tn: They don't do Dove here (it's a brand of soap) but I'm wishing that they did...

>75 Crazymamie: That brings back bad memories!

>92 cbl_tn: Oh! I have never gotten that one, Carrie!

>93 jnwelch: I usually prefer savory to sweet, myself, Joe, but I do love those chocolates.

>94 katiekrug: I know, apologies. Ursula and I were just trying to show Lori what the foam inserts were. Just looking at them makes me shudder.

Thank you. I never take the Hallmark Holidays very seriously, but it was a good one. And right - all is right with the world, at least in this one small corner of it.

>95 charl08: We have Dove soap, too, but the chocolates taste better. LOL. So sad they are not available to you.

>96 Familyhistorian: Sorry, Meg. No more fluoride talk.

GM, Mamie!! I was wondering if you and Carrie fulfill the commands given by your chocolates? They sound reasonable and I must put those chocolate fortune cookies on my grocery list.

Morning, Lynda! Right. Good thinking. Carrie and I should carry out the wishes of the chocolate.

Oooh, the Dove chocolates sound fun. I wonder if I could limit them by telling myself that I can't have another one until I've fulfilled the suggestion ..... (and keeping them locked up in my Kitchen Safe )

Good morning, Mamie!

I'm not a big one for chocolate, but cookies and pie are another story.

>100 streamsong: Ha! That should work, Janet! The Kitchen Safe made me laugh - I had not heard of that before.

>101 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Oh, I adore pie. Truly.

Morning Mamie! Wearing the shorts! Yeah baby! Without the sun, the glare from the legs should not be too bad. Whew!

Haha! So thoughtful of you to spare your patrons the eye strain, Mark! Now, hurry up and tan those babies up.

Actually the sun is beginning to peek out. Come on baby!

Morning Crazy!! All caught up at the Pecan Paradisio. I just finished The Boys in the Boat for my RL book club tonight, so now I can go back and finish The Bird Artist. I was swamped at work the last two days. Phew! : )

>105 msf59: Oh, dear! Try not to cause any accidents, Mark!

>106 Berly: Morning, Kim! I am predicting that you will love The Bird Artist - so well done.

Hi Mamie, I'm home from our little trip and although there is plenty of housework waiting for me, here I am at the computer catching up on LT! Sounds like you had a lovely Mother's Day. We were lucky enough to be visiting friends on Mother's Day and went with them to take her 89 year old mother out for brunch. I got cyber hugs and messages from my girls which was nice.

Welcome home, Judy! I know I would choose LT over housework every time! Mother's Day was a good one, but then most days here are - I cannot complain. My children are thoughtful, fun and always a joy to be around. I would choose them if they weren't mine - I lucked out in the kid department.

I bet your girls were missing getting to see you in person, but I am happy to hear that you got to connect with them via the internet.

Morning, Mamie!

"I would choose them if they weren't mine..." Yep, I agree.

Morning, Amber! *grins*

Just a quick announcement - there are two gems in the Kindle deals currently:


Mislaid by Nell Zink for just $1.99

I read Mislaid last year, and loved it - very fun and quirky. Here's what I said when I reviewed it last July:

Mislaid by Nell Zink (4.5 stars), library hardback - heard about this on Charlotte's thread

This was one of the books mentioned in Charlotte's latest batch from The Guardian. I had just read about it on her thread, and then I went to the library and what should be staring out at me from the new editions shelf?! Serendipity, I cried, as I snagged it. And what a lovely find it was! I read it in just two sittings. It is irreverent and witty, and I thought finally an American fairy tale that encompasses all of the bizarre, inconsistent and incongruous voices of a country whose doctrine declares equality for everyone but has yet to deliver its promise. It reminded me of those old screwball comedies (think Cary Grant) that had the clever dialogue and the plot that was always spinning slightly out of control, only without the censors to say, "Wait a minute, you can't do that. You can't say that." Completely and totally engaging, it will pull you into its pages and not release you until you have read every last word. Highly recommended.

"Because people never grow accustomed to lies. They either believe them or they don't. And a big lie is never forgiven. The person who told the lie stops existing, and in his place stands a paradox: the truthful liar. The person you know for sure would lie to you, because he's done it before and confessed. You never, ever believe that person again."


Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart for just $2.99

I have not yet read this one, but both Charlotte and Mark loved it, so there you go.

Morning, Mamie! Thanks for the heads up! Everyone's been talking about GWWG and I want. Off to add it to my many, many, many Kindle books.

Morning, Mamie!

I enjoyed Girl Waits with Gun, too. That's a great price.

>113 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! You're welcome!

>114 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! It is a great price, and I was thrilled to snag it because the physical version is heavy for me with the tendonitis in my wrists.

Morning Mamie! Sweet Thursday! I caused no accidents yesterday and I hope to repeat that, again today.

I think I have Mislaid saved on audio, I will have to check.

I highly recommend Salt to the Sea. Great audio too.

Thanks for the Kindle heads-up(s)! I've snatched up Girl Waits with Gun - I am vacillating on Mislaid as quirky and I don't always get along (which always surprised me...)

>116 msf59: Morning, Mark! Way to go with not causing any accidents. Safety first.

I'll add Salt to the Sea to the list - thanks!!

>117 katiekrug: You are welcome, Katie. I think you would like Mislaid because there is a lot of humor in it, but I totally get that quirky is not for everyone.

Check out Joe's terrific review of Salt. That should seal the deal. My work is done...

Saunters off into the soupy gloom...

>119 msf59: Ha! Glad to help.

Gets ready to saunter out into the soupy gloom . . .

That is a great price for Girl waits With Gun! Now, Joe, what did you like most about it? Mamie?

Hi Mamie! Happy Thursday! Except it's kind of like a Friday for me since I'm taking the day off tomorrow. :-)

>112 Crazymamie: Zap! Zap!! ; )

Morning, Mamie! I treated Tuesday like Friday, so I'm going to treat Friday like Saturday. Three day weekend ahead!

Happy Friday, Mamie!

I forgot it's the 13th.



Hope you have a great day at the Pecan Paradisio.

Happy Friday, Mamie! The weather is beautiful here - low 80s and no humidity. I just got back from an hour+ walk around my neighborhood. Note to self: remember sunscreen!

Thanks for the heads up on Girl Waits With Gun, Mamie, I've snagged myself a copy. A good buy for Friday the 13th.

Hope everyone has bought Girl Waits With Gun (and likes it). I can't wait for the sequel. That's such a great deal.
M
I ate four home grown beans yesterday. Woo!

Happy weekend Mamie.

I've had Girl Waits With Gun for a while and now that I hear the second book is coming out in the fall I really need to get it out and read it.

I need to put Mislaid on my library wish list - that sounds odd but fun.

We've made it through Friday the 13th just fine, just letting you all know, there's nothing to worry about. *grin*

Nighty night, Mamie! Here on the West Coast, it is only 9:42 pm. Not late at all. I was hardly aware that it was Friday the 13th. But I know with Mark it is always 5 O clock somewhere! :) Love the cover on Mislaid.

Morning, Y'all! Happy Saturday! Things have been busy at the Pecan Paradisio, so I have not been on the threads much the past two days, but things are looking to slow down now. Just in time for the weekend. Hooray for that. Should be gorgeous today - going to 88F, and the humidity has eased up a bit. We did not get the promised rain yesterday, but it sure looked and felt like it was going to rain. Now they're saying Tuesday - we'll see.

Not much to report on the book front - still reading the same ones with the exception that I did finish up The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker - it was the fourth book in his Bruno, Chief of Police series, which continues to be great. I am hoping to post reviews later today - I'm behind by three now, so expect to see the sheep dancing if I get that done.

I am about half way through The Master and Margarita, and I am still loving it. Thoroughly enjoying listening to the audio while following in the print. And I meed to finish up The Other Side of Silence, a it is due back at the library on Monday. Also, I started another one - The Museum Guard by Howard Norman. This is the same author that wrote the Bird Artist, and since I liked that one so much, I jumped right into another by him.

Hoping that all of you have weekends filled with fabulous! Back to catch up after my coffee.

>81 Crazymamie: The boys stayed at the vet's. This weekend my normal sitter is checking on them.

Happy weekend, Mamie.

Happy Saturday, Mamie!

Happy Saturday, Mamie!

Sounds like you're set up for a good weekend. Enjoy!

Thanks for posting about Girl Waits with Gun, Mamie. It was a good price for Kobo as well. I have been interested in that one for a while.

>133 Crazymamie: amazing! you can put, like, words together before coffee! just amazing!

Just checking in, Mamie. Hope you're having a good time in that pecan paradise of yours.

Hey Mamie, hope you've had a good weekend! Sun still shining here (shocking!)

Hope you have a great week ahead Mamie!

Oh, dear! I never made it back! Apologies. The weekend flew by, but we managed to squeeze some reading and relaxing in. The weather was truly gorgeous - we got break from the humidity, and yesterday was only 80F! Needless to say, I spent a lot of the weekend on the screened-in porch. Both Birdy and Rae have been sick but seem to be feeling better this morning, so that is most excellent news.

I finished up another mystery, so now I am four behind in reviews - YIKES! The book I finished is Phillip Kerr's The Other Side of Silence, and as both Suz and Charlotte had said, it is very good. And that title needs to be never used again, as it has already been used WAY too many times.

I also added to my stacks as I used the gift cards that I received for Mother's Day to purchase two LT recommendations from my list:

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye, which both Katie and Roberta loved
Zero World by Jason M. Hough, which the good doctor recommended - and Jim was right! I have already read the first ten chapters of this, and I am hooked. Very good so far.

SO, currently reading:


and have added:

Catching up with the thread:

>119 msf59: I was over at the cafe reading his review as you posted - how funny is that?! And never any need for you to seal the deal, Mark - if you tell me, I add it to the list. It's as simple as that.

>120 jnwelch: I like that about you, Joe! Always so helpful. And thoughtful. And witty.

>121 brodiew2: I haven't read it yet, Brodie. I just know that Joe and Mark and Charlotte all really liked it, so I picked it up based on their recommendations.

>122 cbl_tn: Carrie, you are always switching up the days of the week! That cracks me up - I like how you think!

>123 Berly: Oh! Hooray, Kim! I got you!

>124 Carmenere: Well...not just another day. And I kind of like them, as my Rae was born on a Friday the 13th.

>125 cbl_tn: There you go again, Carrie! How DO you keep it all straight?!

>126 jnwelch: Joe, that made me laugh out loud. Now you can laugh when I tell you that Mercy was supposed to go back to the vet that Friday, but when I saw that it was the 13th, I decided to schedule her for this Friday instead. Ha! I am nervous about the rabies vaccine. Can you tell?

>127 katiekrug: Your walk sounds great, Katie. I have been taking it easier because I have a hip that is bothering me some. And yes, we have been enjoying that weather, too!

And YES! Remember the sunscreen, young lady!

>128 DeltaQueen50: You are welcome, Judy! I always love to share a good deal. Glad you snagged it, too!

>129 charl08: I can't wait to get to it, Charlotte! And the eating of the beans!!! Congratulations! Most exciting! My weekend was good - hoping yours was, too!

>130 SuziQoregon: Juli! Well, hello there! That's a great description of Mislaid - odd but fun. Yes!

>131 nittnut: Thanks for that, Jenn! We came through it okay, too. Even managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping. *grin*

>132 vancouverdeb: Haha, Deborah! Good point! I really liked Mislaid - and the cover goes with the narrative perfectly!

>134 thornton37814: I bet they were so happy to be back home and to see you again, Lori!

>135 Ameise1: I love that image, Barbara! So sweet!

>136 katiekrug: It was happy, Katie! Hoping that yours was, too!

>137 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! It was an excellent weekend, but it went by in the blink of an eye. I'd like another, please.

>138 Familyhistorian: You're welcome, Meg! Glad you were able to get it for your Kobo!

>139 dragonaria: Well...sometimes, Kim. Sometimes.

>140 jnwelch: Thanks for checking on me, Joe -I didn't spend much time on the computer as the weekend flew by. Hoping to catch up with all of you this week.

>141 charl08: It was excellent, but it went by too quickly, Charlotte!

>142 The_Hibernator: Thank you, Rachel! I am hoping that your week is filled with fabulous!

Okay. I think I am all caught up here - if I missed you, HOLLER!

Hey Mamie! I'm so glad that someone somewhere had a gorgeous weekend. Ours was an ashtray of dismal weather.

Oh, dear, Lynda! But your phrasing made me laugh out loud, so there is that. I mean, you still have your sense of humor. Let's see, I'm thinking you need some of this:

Happy Pre-Tuesday, Mamie!

Zero World, eh? Hmm. I see I have it on the WL, but I bumped it up. Sounds good!

Thank you, Joe! Happy Pre-Tuesday to you! I am loving Zero World - it's got a Total Recall/James Bond/Firefly type of vibe going, and the pacing is great.

Happy Monday, Mamie. Mislaid sounds good. I did enjoy Girl Waits with Gun, too.

Just passing through. Great to read all the activity.

Book #5: The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (4 stars), library hardback, literary fiction, GR

Megan and Kim picked this one for their latest Bowie Top 100 read, and the premise sounded good, so I requested it from the library. SO happy that I did because it was delightful. Set in Witless Bay, Newfoundland, it has a great sense of place, and it pulls you in right away because almost first thing the main character (Fabian) tells you that he has murdered the lighthouse keeper. The prose here is great, the characters three dimensional, and the story is charmingly told. I really loved Margaret, the love interest of Fabian.

The story is told from Fabian's point of view, and what a thoughtful narrator he is, giving us insights that provide food for thought and character descriptions that will make you laugh:

"My mother closed her eyes; she sometimes gathered her thoughts so intensely that she all but sank into sleep....All through my life at home with my parents, I knew my mother's sadness (that is the word I always fall back on) had a grip on her...Some days in our house you could breathe it like air."

"...Reverend Sillet now held his lantern up near his face. I had always thought of his face as a place where mannerisms resided: overly anxious grins, clownish frowns--a face that overdid emotions. It was a wide face, whose tics were distracting. I think Sillet knew this, because he had moved his pulpit a considerable distance back from the front pew."

"Maybe we remember, anyway, by selectively forgetting, and vice versa, though that sounds preachy. Then again, some of the things that you try most to forget come back and ambush you, often in your calmest moments. I do not know."

>154 BLBera: Hey there, Beth! Mislaid is very good. Definitely worth the read. And hooray, another who like Girl Waits With Gun - I am excited to get to that one.

>155 weird_O: Hello, Bill! Thanks for passing through!

>151 Crazymamie: Oh Thank You, Mamie!! That is exactly what this girl needs :0)
I want to read The Bird Artist too. I've read nothing but happy reviews.

Book #59: Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - series recommended by Charlotte

Charlotte had recommended this series that features Detective Maigret and is set in France. I started with one of Charlotte's favorites - The Misty Harbor, which comes later in the series, and which I really enjoyed. Then I decided to go back to the first one to see how the series began, and Pietr the Latvian (also titled in some places as Maigret and the Enigmatic Lett) is the very first. Not nearly as good - the plot was a bit muddled and Maigret made a lot of mistakes that I felt were stupid. Still, it was fun to see how it all began. Recommended if you are a completist - you could easily skip it as it doesn't really provide any insights into Maigret.

>158 Carmenere: You are welcome, Lynda! You would like The Bird Artist!

Book #60: The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural

This is the fourth book in Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series, and I am still delighted with these books! So much fun with all the food and wine, and the characters are intriguing. A lovely escape - highly recommended.

Happy post-Sunday, Mamie :)

I have The Bird Artist on my Shelves of Shame (tm), so hopefully I will get to it eventually...

Morning Mamie! I am not familiar with most of your current reading list, so I will be keeping an eye out for your thoughts.

Skipped over your Bird Artist review. I will be starting it today.

Book #61: The Other Side of Silence by Phillip Kerr (4.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Suz and Charlotte

"'You know, I wouldn't have thought there's enough light for a picture in here.'

'This is the whole point of a good picture. To work with the available light and shade. To find definition and meaning in black and white where none seems obvious. And perhaps to illuminate a mystery.'

She made it sound like being a detective."

This was SO good! This is the 11th entry in Phillip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series, and I love these because you get additional insights if you read them in order, but still, each one can easily stand alone. They have a definite noir feel to them, and Kerr's writing reminds me of Raymond Chandler's (HUGE compliment from me). Set before, during and after WWII, Bernie is a German who gets caught up in the Nazi movement even though he wants no part of it. Forced to serve the party at times, he, like Marlowe, always has his own agenda. This particular book is set in France in 1954, but has flashbacks to 1944-1945 Königsberg.

It has everything, really - blackmail, intrigue, espionage, vendettas... And it is a story that keeps turning on itself. Just when you think you have it figured out, it turns on its side. I loved that W. Somerset Maughm was a main character! So well done. This was a great mixture of fact and fiction, of real and created characters. My absolute favorite so far in the series.

"I felt the sincerity of what she had said, but it made me uneasy all the same, as if she'd played me like a hand of cards. Not that it mattered, particularly. I always liked my women a bit slippery."

>162 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie! Happy not-Tuesday to you! Your "Shelves of Shame" made me laugh! YOu'll like it when you get to it, I think.

>163 msf59: Morning, Mark! My current reads are a very eclectic mix of what covers called to me (I know, very shallow) and LT recommendations. Those last two were both recommended by Jim.

My review has no spoilers in it, but I totally get skipping it - I do that, too.

Look at me all caught up with my reviews! WahHOO!!

Congratulations on being caught up with your reviews! I also just finished The Crowded Grave and agree that it's a really fun series. Hope to get to #5 soon.

Thank you, Reba! I am so happy that you are enjoying the Bruno books - and so fun to be reading them at the same time. I am wanting to get to the next one soon, too.

Glad to see I didn't steer you wrong on Zero World!

It's really good, and I like the pacing of it, Jim! I am also loving Johannes Cabal the Necromancer - so fun!

I've never read Philip Kerr, but you make it sound like I should.

Morning, Mamie! There's that sheep again!

>171 BLBera: Give the first one a try, and see if he works for you, Beth. I really like the series. The first one is March Violets.

>172 cbl_tn: Morning, Carrie! I finished another last night, so now I need to...yep...write a review. Ha!

Happy morning, Mamie!

Morning, Lynda! Not sure about the happy yet - I have to go to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned this morning. Ugh. I promise to get my happy on later, though.

Ewwww, Actually, I'm sure it will go very well! Good Luck!

Haha. So easy to say that when it is someone else's trip to the dentist. *blinks*

Morning Mom! Sorry you have to go to the dentist...

Morning Mamie! I hope the visit to the dentist went well. At least a cleaning is better than a filling...I think so, anyway.

Okay. I survived my trip to the dentist. And no cavities, so I am in the clear until November. Whoot! Whoot!

>178 Thebookdiva: Morning, Abby. Thank you, dear.

>179 msf59: Morning, Mark! SO true that a cleaning is better than a filling. We totally agree on that!

Ah, we made it to Tuesday. Good morning, Mamie!

I just survived my dental appointment, too, but I have to go back next week to get a replacement tooth measured. In the clear until November - I envy you.

I just finished my Ivan Doig, and it was very good. I just started A Whole Life, rec'd by Darryl. I'm liking it so far, no surprise.

Yes. Right. HELLO, Tuesday! And hello, Joe! Sorry about the continued dental visits - my sincerest sympathies.

Last night I finished up the third book in the Nathan Active series, and I truly wanted to throw the book across the room and watch it slide down the wall, but it was a library book, so I behaved myself.

>182 Crazymamie: Yikes! I'll be waiting to hear more about that.

Just gathering my thoughts before the rant...

Book #62: Frozen Sun by Stan Jones (2.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural

This book did not work on so many levels for me, that I hardly know where to start. Nathan is a bit of an ass in this one. We got off on the wrong foot at the very beginning when we meet Active's old friend from the Anchorage Police Department, Dennis Johnson. We are treated to this gem (not a spoiler as this is on page 31):

"Actually, as he had discovered the first time he went to Dennis's house, his new friend was only semi-black, the son of a black father and a white mother. And Dennis, like his father, had married a white woman. Active concluded, after some reflection and without mentioning it to Dennis, that the men of the Johnson clan must have decided to solve the race problem by turning the bloodline white. Dennis's own little girl had a light olive complexion and wavy hair that could easily pass for Mediterranean."

Um...WHAT?! Not only is this completely insulting, but it has no relevance to the rest of the story. I thought maybe it would come back to bite Nathan in the ass when he realized what a jerk he was being, but no. NO. And it seems completely out of character for him - where is the Nathan from the previous books?

Moving on, Nathan has been asked to track down a girl who has been missing for four years to give her dying mother closure. The plot here was completely predictable - very few surprises, but what did surprise me was how quickly Nathan's search for the former beauty queen became a threat to his relationship with Lucy. Beyond bizarre.

As the story progresses, Nathan's intellect regresses and we are left with an idiot. He makes one bad decision followed by another with no end in sight. And the sexism is rampant here - what happened to the humor and charm so prevalent in the first two books of this series? There is just a shadow of that here, and it cannot compete with the rest of the truly awful story that is unfolding. Just when you think you can't take one more minute of this drivel, in comes the comic relief - I mean, I think it is supposed to be comic relief, but there is absolutely nothing funny about sexual dog abuse to me. Again, this part is relevant to NOTHING else in the book, so there is no need for it. And the way it is handled is jaw dropping.

So why did I finish the book? I have no idea. Because I was so very close to the end, I guess. Anyway, that's it for me. I'm out. And too bad because the first two books were well done.

But it has a really cool cover. : D

LOL!

Wah! Your thread got away from me.

Love that Philip Kerr review. I thought that the series went off a bit in the middle there, but this one was just brilliant.

>185 Crazymamie: I think I'll stop this series now. Thanks for the heads up!

Hope the rest of your week goes well.I tried to go to the dentist yesterday and it turned out my dentist had gone on maternity leave. All psyched up for nothing!

Wow, what a disappointment. What the heck happened to Stan Johnson? A rock fall on his head? That sounds worse than terrible. What a shame. Like you, I enjoyed the first two books. I'm not coming near this one. There are too many good ones out there to waste time on nonsense like this.

>188 charl08: I have not read all the books in the series, Charlotte. (Please don't tell Susan I am reading them out of order) This latest one has definitely been my favorite.

Yeah, bummer about that series, but YIKES! Very disturbing. And sad.

No dentist for you, eh?! I would have been dancing in the office.

>189 jnwelch: It sure was, Joe. Such a huge let down. Completely agree that there are too many good ones out there to waste time with the losers. I'm so disappointed in the author.

>185 Crazymamie: I was waiting to find out why you wanted to throw the book, and it was worth waiting for. I would return that one to the library, and then go in on another day and mis-shelve it somewhere in the wilds of a rarely-visited subject so that anyone who thinks they want to read it can be saved from themselves.

Good thinking, Ursula. Unfortunately, I got it through ILL, so it will go back to wherever it came from.

>185 Crazymamie: - I love a good rant. Reading them can be just as cathartic as writing them :)

Me, too, Katie! And agreed!!

You've not been reading in my wheelhouse lately so I haven't had much to say, Mamie. Still hangiing in here, though.

Bows down in appreciation of a good rant. I thank you for helping me decide that perhaps this is one series I can for-go. Hope your next read is much, much better.

I am caught up again on all things Crazy!! Glad you survived the dentist, but bummer about the book. Very nice rantreview, though.

Morning Mamie! Happy Wednesday! I thought I had a lock on an audio copy of The Master and Margarita and it fizzled out on me. Bummer, dude! I hope to still snag a copy but it might be awhile. Sighs...

"All Things Crazy". I like it!!

Morning, Everyone! It's like soup out there - already 72F and 92% humidity. (And it's 7:38 am here right now) I did walk outside yesterday, but there was a breeze, which made a huge difference. Decisions. Decisions.

On the reading front, I read some more in Zero World, and I am still loving it. I had hopes of finishing up The Master and Margarita yesterday, but it didn't pan out, so perhaps today. I am very close.

>195 ronincats: Thanks for hanging around even though I have been reading mostly mysteries lately, Roni. I am reading Zero World and Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, so I will have stuff to report soon that might interest you. And you'll get a kick out of this - I was telling Craig about the Elantra books (he loves fantasy), and he is now on book four - I don't even have to but them because HE is buying them!!! So there, you got both of us!

>196 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Your Majesty, I am honored at a bow from the Queen! Right - you can safely skip the series, although the first two books were good. Bummer because I loved the setting. And I thank you for those good wishes.

>197 Berly: Good to hear it, Kim! And so great to see you here! I thank you for your kind words.

>198 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday! Well, carp about the audio falling through - it's very good on audio. Hoping you don't have to wait too long for it to come your way.

I also like "all things Crazy"!

>199 Crazymamie: In those temps I'd be in the pool (well, it would have to be a paddling pool here). Hope you have a good day.

Yes, but I can't wear my Fitbit in the pool, Charlotte. *sob* I wish they would make a waterproof one.

Thanks for those good wishes. Hoping that your day is full of fabulous!

Happy Wednesday Mamie! It does sound hot there. Maybe you deserve a day off the walking, just sitting quietly and catching up with all your books *cuts and pastes to put on Katie's thread next...*

Thank you, Susan! Happy Wednesday to you! Your post made me laugh out loud - nice try.

It's cool here - in the 60s I think - and it was very pleasant to walk in but then it started raining, and now I'm freezing! Off to take a nice hot shower. Oh, and go to work. Carp.

Ha! Yes, please! And I WANT your weather. I have new shoes that the kids are calling my Peyton shoes, and I want to walk in them, but I don't want to get them soaked, so I am trying to decide if I can beat the rain or not.

Here's my new shoes:

>206 Crazymamie: Nice shoe(s). Those look like they provide good support.

Good morning, Mamie!

I started my first Stewart O'Nan, an author I'm pretty sure you love. Last Night at the Lobster. I'm also loving A Whole Life, a Booker finalist Darryl recommended.

Hope it's a bonnie one at the Pecan Paradisio today.

>203 susanj67: >204 Crazymamie: >205 katiekrug: You ladies' fitbit shenanigans are making me laugh. Thank you :-)

>207 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I really love the fit, so I think I might have to order another pair.

Good Morning! Yes - I do indeed love Stewart O'Nan - an author Katie turned me onto. Last Night at the Lobster is my favorite so far - I hope you like it.

It's overcast and very humid here today at the Paradiso, but we shall do our best!

>208 charl08: We are happy to help, Charlotte! We are HERE for you!

>206 Crazymamie: - I wear Asics, too. What kind are those? I will be needing a new pair shortly....

They are ASICS Women's GEL-Nimbus 17 Running Shoe, and I just walked three miles in them - LOVE them.

Awesome!

While we're on the subject, I also highly recommend these socks:

Thorlos Womens 84N Thick Padded Running No Show - Low Cut Socks


Just saying...

Pretty shoes and socks.

I'll try the Kerr and avoid Frozen Sun. Thanks, Mamie.

Like your shoes and socks. Congrats on 3 miles...especially in that weather!! I have a date to walk with my BFF (who walks fast and far) for the third day straight this afternoon. Luckily we're having beautiful weather :)

>213 Crazymamie: - Thanks for the tip!

>200 Crazymamie: Oh, too funny about Craig and the Elantra books! I'm on book 10 now.

>214 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Yes, good thinking with the books. I hope you like the Kerr when you get to it.

>215 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! It was SO sticky out there - I was dripping when I got back home. Gross but productive, I guess. Happy walking with the superfit friend. SO great that you have fun company to get you moving - and hooray for beautiful weather. Someone should have it. Ha!

>216 katiekrug: You are most welcome. You do not want to know how many socks I have tried. LOL. I am kind of a nut about the sockage.

>217 ronincats: I knew you would get a kick out of that, Reba! Book 10!!! You are almost through all of them!

>199 Crazymamie: It's getting to be like that here, too. Well, not quite as warm but certainly the humidity is up there. 80% on my run at 7:30 this morning. I am reminded of running last summer at 6 AM with the temperature in the low-to-mid 70s and 95% humidity. Those days were fun.

Ugh. I think that the humidity can make or break the day, Ursula. Makes such a difference when it's absent!!

Love the shoes and socks...I am due for a new pair soon. Guess what I am off to do??!! TKD!!! I am so excited. It has been forever. I am borrowing Mark's phrase--BAG!!!

>213 Crazymamie: Love the low cut socks! I love them with my running shoes (which I now only walk in! ;) I need some new pairs and some new runners aka sneakers - is that what you call them in the US?

>220 Crazymamie: Unfortunately we're never free from humidity. In the winter the cold is just in your bones because it's always humid. And we had problems with mildew everywhere. I had never known it could appear in rooms besides the bathroom, really. But everything is just so damp all the time.

>213 Crazymamie: My socks have a little rise in the back, which I like because in the past those low socks have had a tendency to work their way off my heel and down into my shoes.

>221 Berly: KIM!!! That is MOST exciting! I am so happy for you! But...um...please be careful.

>222 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah - they are my new favorites. I also only walk in my running shoes. We call them sneakers.

>223 ursula: We get a lot of humidity here, too. It's pretty much a constant in the summer and makes a regular appearance the rest of the year. That damp all the time inside would make me crazy. Well, crazier, since crazy is already present.

These socks stay put, which is one of the things I like about them - the ones that migrate are most annoying.

Morning Mamie! Sweet Thursday! Early Shout-Out to my pal. Hope you have a fine day.

Hey Mamie! We swear by Asics. My husband just purchased a new pair yesterday. Not nearly as adorable as yours. Mine are still awesome so no need for a change. Enquiring minds want to know what happened to your hot pink asics.
Hope you have a less humid Thursday!

>225 msf59: Morning, Mark! I was just over at your place! Sweet Thursday to you! It's raining here and VERY humid. I might have to walk inside today, which is not nearly as much fun, but it gets points for being much cooler.

>226 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! I only buy Asics. I bought that bright pink new pair a while back, and the fit wasn't quite as good as my previous pairs (the heel slips a bit on the foot where I am missing part of my heel), but it was a different style. The newest pair is awesome. I like to have two pairs going in case one gets soaked - then I can wear the other pair the next day while they dry out. It rains quite a bit here, so really two pairs is the best way to do it. I don't need any boots or winter foot gear, so it works out.

Thursday is not looking good for less humid, but I SO appreciate the thought.

Hm, I'll have to give Asics a go for my next treadmill shoe. Right now I have a pair of Nikes, because (and I realize how shallow this is) they were the only pair of walking/running shoes I could find that weren't in crazy neon colors (they're black and white). Ha! I'd love a pair of all-white exercise shoes...

>224 Crazymamie: since crazy is already present ... Nothing wrong with that! ;)

I guess we have quite the Asics club going ... my running shoes are Asics too. I am always looking out for shoes with the flattest profile possible. Nike used to make some good ones I liked to run in, but the latest versions changed the fit and they don't work for me anymore. These are great, though. I'm about due for another pair, though - I've run about 180 miles in these (I just added it up).

>228 scaifea: Yes, give them a try, Amber. I know what you mean about the crazy colors - they are everywhere right now. But I don't want just black and white - I like color, I just don't want EVERY color on one shoe. Ha! I can't do all white because I would make myself crazy trying to keep them looking clean. Color makes a good dirt disguise.

>229 ursula: Right. I completely agree. I nurture my crazy, actually.

I love that color of green, Ursula! Those heels would come up too high for me, I think - I have to be careful about that with the left heel missing a piece. But otherwise, I really love those.

Mislaid is on the WL now - I read about Zink somewhere or other and then never got her on the list, so thank you!

Puff, puff! Catching up, here and on my fitbit program too.

You are welcome, Lucy! Hope you like it when you get to it. I saw on Reba's thread that your Fitbit had died. I'll be watching to see you make a comeback, now that you have remedied the situation!

I've decided to go to a local running store to have my foot and gait analyzed, so that I can be sure I'm getting the right kind of shoe. I think I overpronate, but I'm not sure. For sneakers, I usually just go to DSW and find a decent looking pair of Asics, but I'm thinking I need to be a bit more selective since I'm spending a lot more time in them!

That is exactly what Craig's doctor told him that he needs to do, Katie. I can't wait to hear what they tell you.

>230 Crazymamie: I think the backs are a normal height, and the sides are very low. But I can imagine how hard it is to find shoes that work when you have an issue with your feet. It's hard enough with just "normal" feet.

Oh. Okay. That makes sense. I got a portion of my left heel cut off in my sister's bicycle spokes when we were riding double in my youth. (It makes me laugh trying to picture us trying to ride double now! I would definitely make her be the one to sit on the back.) Ahem. Anyway, it cause issues because some shoes tend to go right into that little niche, which hurts. Nikes tend not to fit right.

I need some new shoes.

There is no time like the present, Beth. *grin*

Everyone is posting pics of new shoes. I wish my foot were not so hard to fit. Fortunately I can usually order sandals without trying them on if they are Clark's.

I have almost checked Last Night at the Lobster out from the library several times. Guess I have to actually do that and read it.

Yes, do get it next time, Juli. I really love that one.

>206 Crazymamie: I love the new shoes! I bought a new pair of walking shoes not too long ago. What I really need now are socks that don't slip down into my shoes. I've added Thorlo's to my Amazon wishlist. Maybe I won't have to wait long for a pair since I have a birthday coming up soon.

>239 thornton37814: Terri, I somehow missed you before. SO sorry about that. And sorry about the hard to fit shoe situation - I really love being able to just order my sneakers and have them come in the mail.

>241 Crazymamie: I hope you get the socks, Carrie! I also have a birthday coming up soon, but they better not get me socks. And so happy that you love my new shoes - me, too!!

Love all the shoe conversations here anD on Susan's thread. I have shoe envy for those green ones (but since half my wardrobe is green, it would perhaps be overkill).

I could talk abut shoes all day, Charlotte. I love them. And I agree that those green shoes of Ursula's are a lovely shade.

Good morning, Mamie! Happy Friday!

I'm nearing the end of the very good Last Night at the Lobster. Manny . . .

Morning, Joe! Happy Friday! Oh! So happy that you are liking Last Night at the Lobster! Hooray!

Morning Mamie! Happy Friday! Cloudy here but I have the shorts on. Grins...

Morning, Mark! Happy Friday! It's raining here. And VERY humid. So yuck to that, but I am still in my jammies and tucked into my bed with my books and my laptop. My own version of a fairytale.

Ha! Thank goodness that's true. I am so ready for the weekend.

>250 Berly: Ha! "Like"

>252 jnwelch: *grin*

>63 Crazymamie: that mug reminds me of the speech my sister did at her wedding. She wasn't the most sedate of teenagers, so when she launched into talk of appreciating how hard it must have been for our mum and dad raising such a so and so...no one was surprised. But then she put a terrific twist on it by following up with : but you know, I don't think (our brothers name) turned out all that badly in the end!
It was hilarious.

Nice shoes everyone! My feet are hard to fit with shoes also, they have the exact dimensions of a brick (aside from height!!). I usually go for mens' shoes, they seem to be a enter width.

>229 ursula: I like Asics too but my absolute favourites are Adidas and Le Coq Sportif. Even training shoes sneer at me these days daring me not to have the temerity to try them on for size.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend at the Paradisio, Mamie. xx

Morning Mamie! Happy Saturday! Lots of gorgeous sunshine. Should be a good work day.

Keep cool down there in Georgia.

Morning, Everyone! Craig is out of town this weekend, and so we are doing the lazy here at the Pecan Paradisio. Well, Daniel is working, but we women folk have the joint all to ourselves. I predict reading, binge watching Netflix or Amazon Prime and loads of laughter.

>254 LovingLit: Too funny - I love that story, Megan! Your description of your feet also made me laugh. Mine are narrow, so I often have to try sandals as they are often too wide. Abby and I have the same foot size, but hers are wide and mine are narrow, so we can share sneakers but not sandals. Bummer. Rae's feet are huge (very long and narrow), and Birdy's are tiny, so although I dreamed of a closet of shoes that we could all share, it was not to be.

>255 PaulCranswick: I love all this shoe discussion, Paul! And I thank you for those good wishes! Hoping that yours if full of happy! xx

>256 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday! It's pretty much overcast here, but he sun is trying to peek through. But very humid, so not perfect, but still, I'll take it. My other half is in Indiana, and I bet he is enjoying the much cooler temps.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Saturday! Adrian is at the groomers this morning so I'm on my own for a while. I'm taking advantage of the time to catch up on threads!

Morning, Carrie! Happy Saturday! Adrian is going to be looking dandy when you pick him up! Our dogs really need grooming, but our groomer is booked - the earliest we could get them in is the 31st! Yikes! But they will look great for my birthday, I guess, which is the next day.

Yet another thing we have in common. Our birthdays are less than a week apart! Mine is Thursday.

Goodness! Isn't that so funny?

Morning, Mamie! I slept in this morning, which was lovely, but now I feel like the day is slipping away from me... I hate that!

Hope you enjoy a lazy day with your girls :)

Morning, Katie! Sleeping in is lovely - I actually slept in a bit myself. Hope you are successful in avoiding any more slipage of your day.

The girls send you their love! And I am sending some of mine, too.

Happy laid-back weekend, Mamie. Sounds lovely. I'm off to pick up the grandkids so will be a good bit busier today than usual.

But fun, I bet, Reba! Thanks for those good wishes - hoping your day is full of happy!

Enjoy your day of lazy!! I am doing the same. ; )

Glad to hear you're enjoying a lazy day!

Most excellent, Kim! I will be sure to enjoy every single moment of it!

>267 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! What about you - what are you up to?

Have a great weekend, Mamie. Sounds like it will be fun.

Hey Mamie! Let me be the first to wish you a happy Sunday!I brought a few books home from the library yesterday including O'nans newest. Yet, I'm still in the early going of Club Dead. Unfortunately They'll probably go back unread but so enjoyable to pick and choose.

Morning Mamie! Happy Sunday! Glad we are both sharing a beautiful day. Hope to get some reading done on the patio today. I just wish I had your view. We have none. Starting to take the pale sheen off my legs. No more glare. Yah!

Morning, Mom! I'm going to have to make some more Pumpkin Crumb Cake today or tomorrow. We'll need something to drown our sorrows in when we finish Sookie.

>269 Crazymamie: Mostly chopping things down and then putting them in the green bin. Was rather relieved that it started raining an hour ago and I got to come inside and collapse with my book.

Pumpkin crumb sounds wonderful. Mine's a large piece please :-)

>270 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. SO far, so fabulous. Saturday was a complete success, and I am hoping to repeat it today. Hoping that your Sunday is full of happy!

>271 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! And thank you. Happy Sunday to you! I am selfishly hoping that you at least get to the O'Nan. I am so happy you are on Club Dead because the next one is my favorite!!

>272 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday! As I mentioned on your thread, it is truly gorgeous here today - the sun is out, the humidity is gone, and it looks to be a leisurely day of perfect weather. And I will soak up the view for you - as soon as I saw that pecan tree grove, I knew I had to have this space, so good thing that the house fit! I got pretty much everything that I wanted in a house except for a large kitchen. I think the view was totally worth the sacrifice of the kitchen.

Hooray for no more glare from those legs - good work!

>273 Thebookdiva: Morning, Abby! I will never say no to pumpkin crumb cake - yes, please!! And I hear you about Sookie - what a fun ride. So glad we got to do it together - makes foe a fun memory.

>275 Crazymamie: Charlotte, I just came from your place! Hooray for showers which allow you to stop working and grab your book. We will get you a giant piece of the pumpkin crumb cake as soon as it is finished - it's really delicious. It was the first recipe that we made from our new cookbook:

I am wanting to try these:


Glazed Lemon Cookies

The lemon cookies look fabulous. Share the recipe?

I haven't tried the recipe yet, but Beth, but I am happy to share it:

Glazed Lemon Cookies

yield: 24 COOKIES
total time: 1 1/2 HOURS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-3 teaspoons water
Directions:

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Then slowly mix in flour. Mix just until combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Then press down with a cup. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium size bowl. Add a teaspoon of water at a time, until you reach a nice and smooth glaze. Then drizzle or spoon on top of the cookies. Allow the glaze to set before serving. Enjoy!

Yum! Everyone is still asleep here except for me and I don't want to be too noisy in the kitchen so I can't make them here---I'll be right over.

You are always welcome, Kim! We'd love to have you.

Okay, so I am a complete nut. I was thinking that it would be fun to have a private group over on Fitbit for those of us who like to share stats - it allows for private discussion boards and has its own leaderboard. Anyway, I set it up as a hidden group that is by invitation only BUT I have no idea how to invite people if I don't have an email address. I thought it would allow me to just click on my friends over there to invite them, but no. Reba is the only email address that I have, so I invited her.There are just the two of us so far. Which is cracking me up. ANYWAY, if you want to be invited, PM me your email and I will invite away.

Those ah ha moment's get you every time, don't they Mamie?! I'd love to join the fitbit group and if I had a fitbit I would but as it turns out I'm not the least bit fit. Although I could be but.....nope! Good luck, it sounds like a great idea.

So true, Lynda. I don't think any of us are fit - that's the point, right? To get fit. I joined in 2014 and I'm still working on it. Anyway, the stats and the badges are really fun, and it motivates me to actually move, so it's all good. If you ever change your mind, or if mysteriously a Fitbit should materialize before you, just give me a holler. We'd love to have along for the ride. And the shenanigans.

The biscuits look lovely. And if a fitbit ever appears in my life, I'll sign right up..

Can't look at the fabulous recipes! Trying to lose some weight: the story of my post-menopausal life, LOL! After your confirmation of the funny review I found on The Sun Also Rises, just thought I'd drop by to make sure no one over here was drunk ... or on his/her way to bull fight to get drunk.

>282 Crazymamie: I hadn't thought about that. Pretty much everyone whose phone number I have or who has my phone number popped up as a potential friend for me. But I can't fitbit with you since I got sick of my wrist one. It measured my arm movements too much. I could get a hip one, but I don't have the money. Maybe I'll treat myself eventually. Do you have a wrist one?

PMed you my email. :) I'm hoping to boost my steps this week after taking a sick week last week. Also because I'm going to make and eat those lemon glazed cookies. Yum.

>287 The_Hibernator: I have a "wrist" one, but I'm not an arm swinger when I walk, so I tricked it out and put it on my ankle! Works much better and since I have an actual clasp on it, I don't fret so much about losing it.

Morning, lady!

happy monday, mamie (she says in a whisper)

Morning, Mamie! Happy Monday! (You know, I only say that, when...?)

Another lovely day in Chicagoland. We have a nice stretch going.

I've found that if I wear my wrist one when doing grocery shopping or carrying something in my arm it doesn't count my steps so I try to remember to put it in my pants pocket at those times and then it works just fine. You might see if that works for you Rachael.

Morning, Mamie!

Hey Mamie. Sad news to report about the beans... but I've got new ones in so maybe those ones will make it?

Monday, but I'm okay with it. The day is another gorgeous one, Craig is home safe and sound from his travels (well, he's at work currently, but you know what I mean), and the house is getting its Big Clean as I type. Mercy goes back to the vet tomorrow for one more recheck of that spider bite, which is healing fabulously. She will get her rabies vaccine then - they will give her the steroid and the Benadryl first to try to counter any allergic reaction, This is the one I am most nervous about, so please send your positive mojo.


On the reading front, I finished The Master and Margarita a few days ago, and I have been letting it marinate. I liked it, but it is oh so difficult to describe - hoping to put my thoughts down either today or tomorrow, so more to come on that. Other than that, still reading the same previous books, but I have added A Talent for War by Jack McDevitt - anyone read this one? I am loving it so far. Space opera meets detective story, and I am hooked.

>285 charl08: I can't wait to try them, Charlotte. And very selfishly, I am hoping that a Fitbit appears in your life in the very near future - would be so fun to have you along for the journey.

>286 lit_chick: Me, too, Nancy, but I just count the calories and make sure to burn more than I eat. I refuse to give up fabulous treats - I just have less of them or walk more.

I can promise you no one will be going to the bull fights. The drinking is another matter - I am highly in favor if it! But no drunkenness here.

>287 The_Hibernator: I thought it would just let me send the people I was already friends with an invite, but no, you need the email. Weird. And I have a Fitbit Charge - so yes, on the wrist. You can go into settings and get it to be less sensitive to arm movement, which I have done with mine. Hoping you can join us eventually, Rachel.

>288 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn - I sent you an invite! Hooray for the cookies, but boo for the sickness. Hoping you are feeling much better.

>289 dragonaria: Wow - way to think outside of the box, Kim!!

>290 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>291 Carmenere: Ha! It's okay, Lynda - this one is turning out to be a good one. And I love your positive attitude.

>292 msf59: Morning, Mark! I figured you must have the day off, so I checked your thread, and YEP! Hoping it's a good one. And now the mowing is done, so plenty of time for books, right?

>293 RebaRelishesReading: I am going to try that, Reba, because I always lose steps at the market when my hands are pushing the cart. I try to push with my right hand and still swing the left, but not all carts are accommodating like that - some of them tend to veer off to one side if not pushed with both hands. And when the cart is too heavy, I can't do it with one hand. I had not thought about simply putting the Fitbit in my pocket!!

>294 cbl_tn: Morning, Carrie!

>295 charl08: Charlotte, I ran right over to your thread as soon as I saw your post. I am horrified on your behalf. Those poor beans. *sob*

Good morning, Mamie! I wanted to drop a line and let you know I saw The Great Gatsby for the first time this weekend. I enjoyed the Luhrmann direction and the DiCaprio performance among others.

What a film! Luhrmann was definitely able to convey the opulence and decadence of the Jazz age as well Stunning visuals and locations. The music as perfect mashup of then and now.

What hit me the hardest was Gatsby himself. DiCaprio's performance conveys both guilt and innocence, delusion and awareness. The scene in the hotel room where he loses his cool is a little heartbreaking, because you know that he truly and unabashedly loves Daisy and cannot bare to see his delicately crafted identity deconstructed by her racist, philandering husband.

There were questions I wanted answered simply to fill out the Gatsby character, but, ultimately, it doesn't matter.

I would love to discuss this with you if you care to address it further.

I finished the mowing, went for my first bike ride, having a salad and then...book time.

I tried the FitBit in my pocket on Sunday when I was grocery shopping and it worked like a charm :)

Hmm - I'll have to try the pocket thing.

I'm thinking we could have some sprinkles on the lemon cookies, too. I'll let you know how they turn out. I have some lemons I have to use.

>300 brodiew2: Hey there, Brodie! So happy you enjoyed the Baz Luhrmann rendering of The Great Gatsby - I think it was very well done, and I love the soundtrack and the photography. And I lam thrilled that you came over to share your comments and thoughts on it. I am always happy to discuss Gatsby, so feel free to bring it up any time.

>301 msf59: Look at you getting your chores done first and then getting some exercise in - I am very proud, Mark!

>302 katiekrug: Hooray for that, Katie! I am going to try it when I go to the market tomorrow - I am very excited about it. A bit giddy, actually, which probably makes me a complete nerd. Ha!

>303 BLBera: I know, right, Beth?! I can't wait to hear how the lemon cookies turn out - I need to get the lemons, and then we can make them.

>296 Crazymamie: I loved A Talent for War as well. Unfortunately, I have found the sequels to pretty much keep following the same formula without the charm of novelty. I'll be interested to see if they hold your interest.

>305 ronincats: I wondered about the sequels, Roni. What makes the first one work so well, I am thinking is that he just gets thrown into the middle of things and has to figure everything out piece by piece. And what fun world building! I am loving all the space war history.

Exactly!

*grin*

So I justified going out after work for a couple of glasses of wine by noting I already had over 10,000 steps for the day, and didn't I deserve a liquid pat on the back for achieving that AND working my tail off in preparation for a Board meeting?

I am the Queen of Justifications...

I am going to have to try the Fitbit-in-the-pocket trick. I get annoyed having it on my wrist everyday. Also, this week doesn't count. I went to a baby shower at a friend's house and they have lots of dogs and I had another reaction...asthma this time...grrrr. So no walking last few days. Tomorrow has potential though! : )

Hey, Crazy! It's Tuesday!!

I don't have the wrist-watch version of the fitbit; mine just goes in my pocket naturally and I think I like it better that way, although I have to say that the sleep wristband that it fits into at night leaves something to be desired - it has a velcro strap, and I woke up this morning with it not on my wrist, but instead velcroed to my derriere...

>309 katiekrug: I also gave myself a liquid pat on the back last night, Katie. LOVE that phrasing. And yes, you did deserve it, Your Majesty. *bows respectfully because trust me, you do not want to see me attempt a curtsey*

>310 Berly: Oh, Kim! SO sorry to hear about the asthma attack. So scary. You poor, poor baby.Hoping you feel much better very soon.

I am going to try the Fitbit on the pocket today, so I must remember to wear something with pockets.

And yes, hooray for Tuesday!

>311 scaifea: Amber! Your post made me laugh out loud, which had Birdy running in here to see what was so funny. SO I told her the story, and then of course we're so mature that we had to says things like, That was such a BUMmer. And what a great ASSet that technology can be.

>312 Crazymamie: Happy Tuesday, Mamie :-) I just had a cheesecake pat on the back to cheer myself up, but I only have 3,500 steps so far today. The corporate challenge trackers arrived this morning, so from tomorrow I will have to be much better.

Happy Tuesday, Susan! Ooh, cheesecake! Yum! "Corporate challenge trackers" sounds like something from the movies - don't let them put any kind of chip in you. If never ends well. *blinks*

I predict that you will be a complete nut starting tomorrow when those activate.

>314 Crazymamie: Mamie, you could be right. The roomie was discussing it with another team member, during which the words "But I have to *share an office* with her" were overheard :-) I might do an email later, timed to go out at 5am tomorrow. Start as I mean to go on, and all that.

Susan, I am SO wishing that Katie and I could be rogue members of your team. You will be an awesome leader. Don't let the roomie bring you down - she is just jealous that you are so hip and happening.

>311 scaifea: *snork*

Howdy, Mamie!

Morning, Lynda! I also LOVED Amber's inspiring fitness story. I hope she will share further adventures with us.

>311 scaifea: - And did your butt get a good night's sleep, Amber?

LOL!

Ha! I'm so glad that Pecan Paradisio enjoyed my fitness assventures. *ahem*

>319 katiekrug: Katie: Oh, yes. My butt sleeps like a log.

>321 scaifea: Amber--thanks for sharing your Fitbit assventure. I needed that laugh! ; )

>322 Berly: Glad to be of serv-ass, Kim.