Mamie's 2018 Madness (Page 10)

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Books Read in March:
23. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired audiobook. non-fiction/memoir/abuse - Katie's Dirty Dozen
24. The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Fiona Griffiths series, book 3)
25. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris (4.5 stars), 2014 acquired paperback, non-ficiton/film history
26. Slow Horses by Mick Heron, narrated by Gerard Doyle (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Charlotte and Deborah
27. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White (3.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Heather
28. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran, narrated by Louise Brealey (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, contemporary fiction/coming of age
29. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, sci-fi/space opera - recommended by Joe
30. Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, weird fiction
31. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, narrated by Rachel McAdams (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction/classic
32. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham (3 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/memoir - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread and loved the quotes she posted from it
33. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagleu (5 stars), paperback borrowed from Birdy, GN/non-fiction/history
34. Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming, narrated by Tom Hiddleston (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, espionage
35. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, narrated by David Tennant (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction
36. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (5 stars), 2013 acquired paperback (also listened to the 2017 acquired audiobook), crime fiction/espionage (George Smiley novels, book 5)
37. A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes, narrated by Samuel Jackson (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/noir

I am planning on walking the cat again this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Katie’s PopReadHarderSugarEtc.Challenges 2018

Books Read in January:
1. Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker (4 stars), library hardback, YA non-fiction/history - mentioned on Julia's thread last year in reference to the 100 year anniversary of the incident
2. March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (5 stars), library paperback, GN non-fiction/memoir/Civil Rights Movement
3. Artemis by Andy Weir (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, sci-fi
4. You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars), 2018 purchased audiobook, non-fiction/vignettes with selfies
5. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher, narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Lourd (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook - recommended by Mark
6. The White Album by Joan Didion (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/essays
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (3.8 stars), 2012 or earlier acquired paperback, gothic fiction/classic
8. Ties by Domenico Starnone (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/relationships - recommended by Lynda
9. God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Roni and read for her GR of it
10. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant (4.5 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction/illegal immigration - recommended by Katie
11. Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Dark Iceland series, book 2)

Books Read in February:
12. The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Johansson and Jarnebring series, book 8) - recommended by Charlotte
13. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/grief
14. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, dystopian/zombies - recommended by Mark
15. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye series, book seven)
16. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/The Civil Rights Movement
17. A World Gone Mad: The Diaries of Astrid Lindgren 1939-45 by Astrid Lindgren (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, non-fiction/diary/WWII
18. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (4 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/mystery - recommended by Amber
19. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw with Jonathan Keeble (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/feminism
20. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/democracy - recommended by Joanne
21. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
22. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (4.5 stars), library paperback, GN - recommended by Mark and Joe

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a fourth year, let’s see what she gets me with this time

1. The North Water by Ian McGuire - Mark and Judy loved this one, too. And also Richard, though a weentsy tidge less.

From 2017:
1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)
2. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
3. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir)
4. The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam
5. Personal History by Katherine Graham
6. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
7. Taft by Ann Patchett
8. Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
9. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
10. The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
11. Snow in August by Pete Hamill - Katie mentioned how much she loved this one over on the AAC thread after Mark had posted the list for next year

From 2016:
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 COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself COMPLETED 3/01/18 4.5 stars
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant COMPLETED 1/2018 4.5 stars
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:
1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Susan’s Summer Shivers - Susan’s suggestions for some cold reading during the hot summer, which lasts about 9 months in Georgia

1. The Terror by Dan Simmons
2. The Abominable by Dan Simmons

Every year, LT is an embarrassment of riches for me. I like to keep track of who recommends what and any other pertinent info that lands a book on The List.

1. Curse of the Narrows by Laura m. MacDonald - about the Halifax explosion of 1917. Recommended by Bonnie, Meg, and Susan
2. Greenglass House by Kate Milford - recommended by Amber (she gave it an A!) COMPLETED 4 stars
3. In America: Travels With John Steinbeck by Geert Mak - recommended by Anita
4. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - recommended by Barbara
5. Darktown by Thomas Mullen - Jim, and he says the second book Lightning Men is just as good
6. The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, audio narrated by Michael Sheen - recommended by Traci
7. Number 17 by Jefferson Farjeon - Harry recommended this series on his thread
8. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - recommended by Lisa (jonesli)
9. Slow Horses by Mick Herron - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte COMPLETED 5 stars
10. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - recommended by Carrie
11. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - recommended by Caro
12. For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio by W.H. Auden - recommended by Christina
13. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain by Charlotte Higgins - recommended by Beth
14. The Good People by Hannah Kent - recommended by Bonnie
15. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton - recommended by Shannon
16. How to Build an Android The True Story of Philip K Dick's Robotic Resurrection by David F. Dufty - recommended by Victoria
17. The Confession by Jo Spain - recommended by Susan (Irish noir, she says!!)
18. Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper - recommended by Richard
19. Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire - recommended by Jim (GN)
20. Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes - Jim again (the doctor is IN)
21. The Wandering Falcon by Pakistani author Jamil Ahmad - recommended by Judy - interlinked short stories
22. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Anne
23. Silent Days, Silent Dreams by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
24. Dead Wake by Erik Larson - recommended by Karen
25. The Passage by Justin Cronin - recommended by Lori (ikernagh)
26. Drawing From Memory by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
27. A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - recommended by Beth
28. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson - recommended by Mark
29. The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson - recommended by Susan, it's Southern Gothic
30. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz - recommended by pammab
31. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu - recommended by Charlotte (GN) COMPLETED 5 stars
32. Women and Power by Mary Beard - recommended by Charlotte
33. Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn - recommended by Mark and Jim
34. Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky by Patrick Hamilton - recommended by Susan
35. 1939: The Making of Six Great Films from Hollywood's Greatest Year by Charles F. Adams - recommended by LittleTaiko
36. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread, and I loved the quotes she posted from it COMPLETED
37. Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend - recommended by Chelle
38. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
39. The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
40. Conclave by Robert Harris - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
41 The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - recommended by Meg, she says it's a prequel to The Bridgertons series! *happy dance*

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
2. True crime
3. The next book in a series you started
4. A book involving a heist Greenglass House by Kate Milford
5. Nordic noir Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
6. A novel based on a real person
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you
8. A book with a time of day in the title - Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
9. A book about a villain or antihero - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
10. A book about death or grief - The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
15. A book about feminism A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
16. A book about mental health
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
18. A book by two authors
19. A book about or involving a sport
20. A book by a local author - March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
21. A book with your favorite color in the title
22. A book with alliteration in the title - The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson
23. A book about time travel
24. A book with a weather element in the title
25. A book set at sea
26. A book with an animal in the title The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
27. A book set on a different planet
28. A book with song lyrics in the title The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
29. A book about or set on Halloween
30. A book with characters who are twins God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell
31. A book mentioned in another book
32. A book from a celebrity book club
33. A childhood classic you've never read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
34. A book that's published in 2018 MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner Artemis by Andy Weir
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The White Album by Joan Didion
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to - The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
38. A book with an ugly cover The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these)

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6. An allegory
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
8. A microhistory - Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker
9. A book about a problem facing society today On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Charlotte)

My 2018 Data:

Books read: 37
Group Read: 1
Formatted Challenge: 1
PopSugar Challenge: 24

Books that are part of a series: 18
In Translation: 5
Rereads: 0
GNs: 4

Format:
hardback: 7
paperback: 7
ebook: 9
audio: 13
audio/print or ebook combo: 1

Borrowed: 9 (public library), 1 (Birdy's library)
Archive (Purchased in 2012 or earlier): 1
Purchased in 2013: 1
Purchased in 2014: 1
Purchased in 2015: 0
Purchased in 2016: 3
Purchased in 2017: 12
Purchased in 2018: 9

Authors:
Living: 28
Dead: 9

Male: 21
Female: 16

American: 16
Canadian: 2
English: 10
French: 1
Icelandic: 1
Irish: 2
Italian: 1
Scottish: 2
Swedish: 2

New to me authors: 23
Rereads: 0

fiction: 23
non-fiction: 14

Genres/category:
non-fiction/memoir: 8
non-fiction/essays: 2
non-fiction/film history: 1
non-fiction/history: 2
non-fiction/politics: 1
classic: 1
literary fiction/contemporary fiction: 2
literary fiction/historical fiction: 1
crime fiction/espionage: 3
crime fiction/mystery: 1
crime fiction/noir: 1
crime fiction/police procedural: 4
weird fiction: 1
dystopian: 1
fantasy: 2
urban fantasy: 1
sci fi: 2
juvenile fiction: 3

LT Recommendations Read:
Amber: 1
Charlotte: 5
Deborah: 1
Heather: 1
Katie: 2
Lynda: 1
Mark: 3
Joanne: 1
Joe: 2
Roni: 1

This should do it - next one's yours!

Well, then: Happy new thread, Mamie!

>10 harrygbutler: You are first again, Harry! How DO you do it?!

Happy new thread Mamie.

(Gets out Harriet the Spy outfit..)
Have you revealed your top secret real identity, above?
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

>12 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! Carp - you caught me right away. I told Birdy I was going to list that there and see if anyone called me on it. Nicely done, Harriet!

>11 Crazymamie: Just lucky timing, I guess! I'll probably be a day late to the party next time.

Hi Mamie! Happy new thread and happy muggy first day of Spring to you.

From your previous thread, to answer >262 Crazymamie: Nina – those dishes are Mikasa Garden Harvest. Husband got tired of the Franciscan Apple Pattern that he inherited from his grandmother. It’s all packed away in the attic, and we have been using the Mikasa for 20 years.

>8 Crazymamie: Excellent and interesting stats. I'm particularly impressed with 22 new to you authors.

>!4 Ha! We shall see, Harry! Now, I'll be looking for you.

>15 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Yes - muggy is so right. It's very yuck out there at the moment. Soupish.

Mikasa! I kept trying to think what it was called and who made it, but I was coming up empty.

I am very pleased with my stats so far this year. I have been trying to make sure to read more women authors and more non-fiction. And this group makes finding new authors a breeze. What I really love is that I have not had any losers. Yet.

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

I added Enchanted Islands to my list, too, after reading Chelle's review.

this group makes finding new authors a breeze. Ain't that the truth!

>18 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! *grin* This group has done wonders for my reading - so many new discoveries!

Happy new thread, Mamie! I'm glad to see from your last one that you enjoyed MI5 and Me. I'm still waiting for it but I'm sure it won't be too long. I also want Enchanted Islands, but the library doesn't seem to have heard of it yet.

Morning, Mamie! Happy new thread!

>7 Crazymamie: Hmmmm. :)

>20 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! I was just over at your new place! MI5 and Me was fun - guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Hoping your library gets Enchanted Islands soon.

>21 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle, and thank you. And right - it's a complete cheat. I was just seeing if anyone would notice.

Happy new thread, Mamie. It's freezing here in Toronto (but sunny!). Your topper looks particularly enticing

>23 Crazymamie: That's the joy of running our own challenge, you can cheat if you want to!
(My favourite colour is teal. You think I'm going to find a good book with teal in the name? Nope, blue it is! :)

>24 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! It's 70F here already (going to 75F) and very humid - I wish I could send you some of it. Glad you like the topper!

>25 ChelleBearss: Mine is red, so I lucked out. I'll remove the name one once I have something that fits - I just did it to be funny and to see if anyone would notice. I'm going with name in the title though - probably Auntie Mame.

Morning, Mamie! Happy 10th! The Mamieland Express keeps hurtling along. Yah!

>28 msf59: Morning, Mark! And thank you!

Trying to keep up Mamie. I finished Frankenstein in Baghdad on Saturday. It was good. I need to gather my thoughts and write them down. Last night I started The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea and it sucked me right in. I've not read him before. I've always meant to read The Devil's Highway by him, but never got around to it.

Happy new thread, Mamie! I think you are the fist this year with a 10th thread!

>30 luvamystery65: Roberta!! You just made my day! So lovely to see you here. I need to get back to Frankenstein in Baghdad - I am about half way. I will be curious to compare thoughts on this one.

I have not heard of The House of Broken Angels, (although I love that title) so I will have to see how it strikes you - sounds like it's off to a great start.

>31 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread!

>34 drneutron:, >35 thornton37814: Thank you, Jim and Lori!

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Hope your readings are treating you well. :D

>37 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara!

>38 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! They are - I am enjoying everything that I am reading currently.

Happy new thread, Mamie.

>40 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba!

Happy new one, Mamie.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Mamie.
I've tried reading on my back in the sun, like the young lady in your thread topper. It's usually followed by me drifting off to sleep and the book landing on my nose with a thump. I'm not the epitome of grace >:-)

>42 BLBera:, >43 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Beth and Anita!

>44 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen! Um...yeah, I cannot read like that, either, but it does make for a lovely photo.

Too funny about your "cheat" on the PopSugar challenge. Charlotte has an eagle eye!

Happy new thread, Mamie! Another lounging lady topper! If I tried reading like that or like last months topper, I'd be shaking ants and other creepy crawly things out of my hair, but I like the thought :0)

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Will get my stats on reading and posting up to date by the weekend and they will show you still out in front in the thread posts chart.

Yay, there's a new smaller thread I can jump into: Happy New One, Mamie! :)

I'm another one half way through Frankenstein in Baghdad. The destruction (bombs) is so casual and matter of fact it's somehow more affecting, I think.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! And a wonderful topper, brimming with spring or summer.

Morning, Mamie! Happy new thread!

Morning, Mamie! Happy Wednesday. Another chilly one here. I would gladly take a little of your heat and humidity. Keep cool.

'Morning, Mamie and happy Wednesday to you. We've got a few snowflakes coming down at 34F, and expect more this morning and early afternoon. Maybe 1/2" accumulation.

I am enjoying everything that I am reading currently. Can't say better than that!

Good morning, Mamie! What Karen said: It's good to be enjoying all your current reads!

>46 katiekrug: Welcome home, Katie! And yes - Charlotte spotted it straight away.

>47 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda! Yep - I would never attempt lounging on the ground like that to read, especially in Georgia. I don't even like the thought of it, but it makes for a lovely photo.

>48 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! No worries about the stats - you have had your hands full. The reading stats are the fun ones, I think - I am always amazed how how many books everyone manages each month.

>49 Deern: Ha! Good to see you, Nathalie, and thank you.

>50 charl08: I completely agree, Charlotte.

>51 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah! Georgia is also brimming with Spring and Summer - I wish it would slow down.

>52 scaifea: Morning, Amber, and thank you!

>53 msf59: Morning, Mark! It is a very happy Wednesday, actually, as I don't have to go anywhere - amazing! Our humidity has dropped off, and the winds have picked up - VERY windy today. Temps in the 60s today and tomorrow, which is better. Sending you warm thoughts, my friend.

>54 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy Wednesday! More snow - wow!

I am thrilled with my current reads. Now if I only had more time. Heh.

>55 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry! Agreed. And I have added two more to the lineup because I am crazy that way.

Morning, Mamie! Very snowy here - supposed to get anywhere from 10-18". I'm so glad it waited until I got home so I didn't get stuck in the UK. There are worse places to be stuck, but I was out of clean clothes :)

Happy new thread, Mamie. Love the topper - if I were still that age, that is exactly what I would be doing! (Come to think of it - there's nothing really stopping me now!) Hope all is well with you and yours.

.

I am still working on the books up in >2 Crazymamie:, but yesterday I added these to the lineup. Moments of Being is in paperback, and it is non-fiction: autobiographical essays published after Woolf's death. Joe has been reading Woolf, and there was conversation about her on his thread which reminded me that I had this book which traveled with us from Indiana, making it one of the older unread books in my library. Amazon says I purchased it in 2009, so about time I got to it. I have read the first essay and started on the second - good so far. These essays have not been cleaned up - Woolf did not intend them for publication, so they were in various states of completion. The first two essays are so interesting in that Woolf is writing about her childhood but the first one was written when she was in her 20s, and the second one when she was in her 50s, so her perspective has changed immensely.

The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel, on the other hand is completely frivolous. I have this on Kindle. This one was purchased in 2015 - the first in a series of three books, these are the diaries kept by Jane Moneypenny, who was the personal secretary to M during James Bond's time in the Secret Service. Although she was not supposed to keep a diary, she did, and she has arranged for these diaries to be sent to her niece ten years after her death. These are so well done and great fun - I read the final one a few years ago, accidentally - I did not know it was the final entry. (Apologies, Susan) Anyway, I liked it so much that I purchased the other two books but then never got around to them.

>59 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! I am also happy that your snow waited for you to get home - at the end of traveling, one is always ready for the comforts of home. I am jealous of your snow - soak some of it up for me.

>60 rretzler: Thank you, Robin! I used to love to sit and read in the apple tree in our yard - it was perfect for climbing and for sitting in. You would not catch me attempting that now, though. All is well here, thanks - looking forward to a day where I don't have to go anywhere.

>61 Crazymamie: I am intrigued by The Moneypenny Diaries, Mamie. They sound like they could be fun, but do you think they would have the same appeal for someone who is only passingly familiar with the whole James Bond thing? I wonder if it might be like the book Wicked, which everyone I know loved but I found rather boring because I've never read The Wizard of Oz or seen the movie.

>63 rosalita: That's an excellent question, Julia. For the one I am reading now, being familiar with On Her Majesty's Secret Service would be helpful but definitely not required - if the names and personas of the James Bond regular players are known, that would also be helpful, but again not required as the book has footnotes that are excellent - I love it on Kindle as I can just tap on the number and it pulls the footnote up over the text. I think you should go for it.

*I cannot believe you have never seen The Wizard of Oz - my childhood was traumatized by those flying monkeys.

>63 rosalita: A number of us who loved all the OZ books found Wicked boring at least in parts. It is very heavy handed in its message even if it is a message we want out there. I've enjoyed other Gregory Maguire books much more.

>64 Crazymamie: Yes, not quite as bad as King Kong (I was sent to bed just as he escaped), but those monkeys were seriously scary.

>64 Crazymamie: I'll take a look at the library for the Moneypenny books, Mamie — thanks for the info. And yeah, I can't believe I've never seen WoZ, either. I remember years ago my good friend Diane was aghast when I let the truth slip out by revealing that I didn't know the movie starts in black-and-white and doesn't become color until they get to Oz. Up until then I'd managed to seem fairly normal, I think, but after that it was all over. :-)

>65 quondame: Hello, Susan! I never watched King Kong as a child, but I can imagine that would be very scary.

>66 rosalita: Too funny about the movie, Julia. We watched it every year as they always had it on tv at the same time each year.

I hope your library has the Moneypenny books. *crosses fingers*

Years ago (sometime in the 90's), when I was still working, my staff decided they wanted to dress in a Wizard of Oz theme for Halloween and wanted me to be the wizard. I had never seen the movie so had to run out and rent it (there were still video stores) so I would know how to dress.

>68 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, dear, Reba! I remember video stores! We had one called The Red Giraffe that we frequented when we lived in Indy - I missed it when we moved to Yorktown, which didn't have a video store of any kind.

Happy new thread!

>15 karenmarie: Ahh; my set is Villeroy & Boch French Garden



I’d love to read outdoors, but the sunlight on the page is too bright, the breeze through the leaves distracts me, the birds flying by ... well, I can’t seem to.

Happy new-ish thread. :)

Finding new authors on LT is not just a breeze, it's unavoidable! LOL

Happy Wednesday, Mamie!

I read all the Oz books when I was a kid, including the post-Baum continuations by Ruth Plumly Thompson and others. Now our son has them all, as he loved them when we read them together when he was growing up.

>1 Crazymamie: Love the topper. Happy Wednesday! Happy new one!

>72 jnwelch: I still have my collection from when I was a kid.

>70 humouress: Hello, Nina! Thank you! That is very pretty - I love the yellow and green together.

I love to read outdoors, but I usually do it on my Kindle because it is non-glare, which I love. I do get easily distracted sometimes, but that is part of the fun.

>71 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn! That is so true. Luckily, that is a good thing.

>72 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe! I have not read any of the Oz books, though we do have the first one around here somewhere. That is a lovely memory you have - and Jesse will probably read them to his son, continuing the tradition.

>74 Crazymamie: Hello there, Kim! SO lovely to see you out and about on the threads! Thank you for all that happy. I'm glad you love the topper.

Did any of your kids read them? I am thinking none of mine did - I will have to ask.

And I forgot to say, on your other thread, that is such a gorgeous photo of the birthday girl. Is that current?

(>70 humouress: Oh, and also the book falling on nose thing, for me.)

Morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday. Glad it has cooled off there. It looks to be a nice day here too.

>75 humouress: Oh, thank you, Nina! Nope - not current. Rae is 26, and in that photo she is probably about 10. She looks like this now:



*Sounds like we need to grab our books and do some strength training, so we can hold that pose long enough for a photo. *grin*

>76 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! 39F currently and going to 63F today. And hopefully less windy!

>74 Crazymamie: No, none of my kids read the Oz books on their own, although I know I read at least one or two of them out loud as bedtime stories. That was fun. : ) I might have to reread soon...

>77 Crazymamie: Rae's hair color is so much fun! And it looks great with her eyes. I don't think I could carry that one off though; I would need more red accents. Do you guys it do it or does she have it done? I have only tried to do the all-over job.

>78 Berly: I might have to read the first one - I have only ever seen the movie.

>79 Berly: It is fun, and I also think it suits her. She really loves it. She has it professionally done - the color is called Mermaid Blue. She wanted streaks, so he put it in like he would highlights.

>77 Crazymamie: - Lol! She looks great and thanks for clarifying that. When you posted that earlier pic in your last thread, I thought to myself that Rae looked awfully young for 26! But I didn't want to say anything! lol

.

Book #34: Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming, narrated by Tom Hiddleston (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage

Yesterday I didn't need to go anywhere, but I did have loads of household stuff to get done, so it was the perfect time for donning the wireless headphones and listening to an audiobook (or two) while I went about my domestic goddess tasks. Since the AlphaKIT letters for March are F and I, an Ian Fleming novel makes for a perfect fit. In my James Bond reading, I was ready for book 14 in the series, and as luck would have it, this one is narrated by Tom Hiddleston. Did I mention Tom Hiddleston!!! LOVE him. He was a perfect fit. This one is a collection of short stories containing "Octopussy", "The Property of a Lady", "The Living Daylights" and "007 in New York". Although the stories were written previously, they were not compiled into this collection until after Fleming's death. The audiobook has Hiddleston reading the first three stories, followed by a short interview with him talking about loving these books when he discovered them as a teenager - so great! The final story is read by Lucy Fleming (Ian Fleming's niece), and she does a good job of introducing it and narrating it. I like the contrast we see of the Bond in the books as compared to the Bond of the films - he is less suave, less perfect, and he doesn't always get the girl. This collection is a nice entry in the series where we get to see Bond in an almost offhand manner - just going about his business as an employee of the Secret Service.

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Book #35: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, narrated by David Tennant (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction/classic

I have seen the movie based on this book many times, but I had never read the book, so when I saw it narrated by David Tennant, I snapped it up. This is SO different from the movie! Here Caractacus Pott is already married, and not to Truly Scrumptious (a name worthy of a Bond girl!) His wife's name in the book is Mimsie. There is a Lord Skrumshus (I like this spelling better than the movie spelling of it) who owns a candy factory, and Caractacus earns the money to purchase the car we know will be called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by selling him the whistle sweets that he has invented. Chitty is an absolutely marvelous car with all kinds of secrets and amazing abilities, but the story is much simpler than the movie (Roald Dahl helped to wrote the screenplay, so you know where all the larger than life imaginings came from). Both the movie and the book are very fun. Fleming wrote this story for his son Caspar, and he left room for sequels, which he would never get to write because sadly, he died before it was published. Tennant's narration is, of course, full of fabulous.

>81 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley! Your post made me laugh out loud. I should have posted both photos together - I didn't even think about anyone thinking the older photo was a current one.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope you have a great Thursday.

I had insomnia from 2:30 to 4:30 a.m., but went back and slept 'til 8:30. Now I feel like half the day's gone.

Just realized that I never wrote a review of this:



Book #33. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagleu (5 stars), paperback borrowed from Birdy, GN/non-fiction/history - recommended by Charlotte

This GN is totally awesome. Bagleu wrote and illustrated it herself, and I love that she dedicated it to her daughters. Here she gives us the brief bios of 29 historically significant women. Her artwork is a perfect companion to her engaging text - she does not sugarcoat anything, but there is humor to go along with the truth that can be so ugly at times. And I love her choices - some very famous and some I have never heard of before but that now I want to know more about. It's a beautiful book that immediately pulls the reader into its pages. I just cannot recommend this one highly enough.

>84 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Hoping your Thursday is also sweet. Oh, dear about the insomnia - that happens to me all the time, too. May the rest of your day go very smoothly.

Good morning, Mamie! I read the Fleming Bond books — including the stories — a long time ago. I enjoyed them well enough at the time but wasn't wowed enough to ever reread them.

>87 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry! Watching the Bond movies with my Dad is a big time memory for me, so I have enjoyed reading the books. They are not great literature but they are great fun.

>88 Crazymamie: Ah, now the movies, that's different. :-) I definitely can understand that. We used to watch them regularly when I was a kid, and I think we were taken to see one or two at the drive-in as well, so I have a soft spot even for some of the movies that aren't highly regarded.

Daniel Craig and Sean Connery are my favorite Bonds, but I have seen all of the movies many times over the years.

>77 Crazymamie: You really do have beautiful daughters (and a handsome son)!

>91 RebaRelishesReading: Why, thank you, Judy! So lovely of you to say.

Judy?

>93 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, my stars! Sorry, Reba! Obviously, I need more coffee.

No problem -- I'm surprised I noticed this early in the morning lol

Ha! I'm still shaking my head over it.

Happy Thursday, Mamie! Full of gorgeousness in Cleveland. So sunny, it's like catching up for all the days it was gone!
I'm reading Wicked this month and not so much impressed.
How I remember when The Wizard of Oz was shown on television once a year. How special it was when shows weren't so available.

>77 Crazymamie: Rae is such a lovely young woman! My 25yr old Becky just did her hair midnight blue as a celebration of losing her accounting job.

>85 Crazymamie: Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World wow, that looks powerful!

>98 quondame: Thank you, Susan. Oh! Midnight blue sounds full of fabulous! Is she loving it?

That GN is really good - I would love to see her do a part two.

I saw reviews as I whizzed past to get to the bottom of the NINETY-EIGHT POSTS on your NINTH THREAD.

I do not experience one single iota of guilt at simply beginning life anew down here. Nope. Not a bit of it since nothing *I* can say could possibly matter to your august self, O Thread Queen.

>97 Carmenere: Happy Thursday, Lynda! It's gorgeous here, too - bright and sunny and 54F currently. A perfect day, IMO.

I had Wicked, and I just could not get into it - I tried several times, but no. We were just talking about how when we were little you had to wait for something to be on tv and then plan your life around it so you could watch it. It did make it special, but I have to say that I love streaming and no commercials.

>100 richardderus: Richard!! How are you, BigDaddy?

Now, darling, you know I hang on your every word, so of course what you have to say matters to me very much. However, No worries about jumping to the bottom and starting over - smart move. *nods head regally*

>79 Berly: Seconded!

Thanks, Nina - I shall relay the compliments to her.

>83 Crazymamie: - Well, yeah, that's just me, Mamie, slightly out of step with most... Still, she is lovely at both ages! :-)

>102 Crazymamie: *smooch* for being so understanding, O Majestic Ruler of the Threads.

Dearest...for the first time, I am going to suggest that you spend $3.99 on a Kindlebook...The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal...there is a bit of, errrmmm, non-hetero sex in it but it's *obvious* when it's coming...that is, uhhh, when the events are about to occur...and can be avoided. But London's urban fantasy landscape is so enriched by this ubercool fantasy universe and the love story is, for once, really about a relationship that isn't absurdly shallow.

Give it a whirl?

>77 Crazymamie: What a beauty! The blue does look wonderful on her. I definitely could not pull that off!

>85 Crazymamie: Yay for this book, and also for the beautiful blue hairstyle, which is so stylish.

Morning, Mamie! Oh, Hiddleston could narrate anything for me and I'd be happy. THAT VOICE. *happy sigh*

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday. Hooray for Brazen: Rebel Ladies. Good review. Thumb. I am still slowly making my through it. I haven't cracked it all week. Hope I can finish it over the weekend.

Happy friday, Mamie. Hope the day treats you well and the weekend promises niceness.

I'm becoming more convinced that I need to get Brazen: Rebel Ladies. You're a bad influence. You & several people around here (mentioning no names). I've finally started A Vindication of the Rights of Woman as well. Maybe finish in a week or so (hopefully!)

I listen to audiobooks in the car, not had the pleasure of Misters Tennant or Hiddleston as yet. Will keep a look out for them.

'Morning, Mamie and happy Friday to you!

NBC showed The Wizard of Oz once a year in LA, but we didn't have a color TV until 1967 and I'm pretty sure the annual event was abandoned by then. I can't remember the first time I saw when it switched from black-and-white Kansas to color Oz.

Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig are my favs.

Good Friday, Mamie!

I enjoyed even more than TWoO annual screening was Cinderella with Leslie Ann Warren. I was mesmerized! She was beaufiful then and still is today.

Sean, Daniel and Roger! In that order.

>112 karenmarie: I had a similar black-and-white to colour change shock when I was in my 20s. As a child, we have a black & white TV. I used to watch Bagpuss, and I knew that the titles went from an oval frame to full screen, what I'd not realised that as it when full screen, so it went to colour. I bought the complete series on DVD when I was in my 20s, in a fit of nostalgia. Happily watched the titles, singing along. The it went colour and freaked the living daylights out of me. Bagpuss was PINK. I'd thought the colour on the cover was for effect, I'd not realised it was real! I stopped the DVD and phoned my mother. She pointed out the obvious - that we'd have a black & white TV.

And here's the titles, so you can have a trip down my memory lane as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpwhohWhrEE

(hijacking your thread, Mamie!)

>114 Helenliz: Helen - I've never heard of Bagpuss and was utterly charmed at the youtube video. I'll watch more.//

Happy Friday, Mamie!

Some breakfast/brunch tacos, dear?

>>114 Helenliz: Well Bagpuss is an interesting addition to childhood TV! I remember an early SF convention where I saw a color episode of Star Trek - luckily I had never before encountered a red shirt joke or it would have flown over my head!

>117 richardderus: I just had breakfast and now I hungry all over again!

>117 richardderus:. Whoa! That looks good!

Happy Friday, Mamie

>117 richardderus: You're killing me, dude... I soooo want.

>105 jessibud2: Shh... don’t tell anyone, but that’s why I asked (>75 humouress:)

>114 Helenliz: Hah! I remember the first time we watched colour TV, in the ‘70s. We discovered Big Bird (Sesame Street) was yellow and Mrs Slocomb from Are You Being Served had hair that changed colour every week. Never mind that I’d never seen anyone with pink, or blue, or purple hair before. That was my Bagpuss moment.

>85 Crazymamie: wow- I love that! What a great concept. I will see if the library has it.
eta: the library has it on order :)

>117 richardderus: Don't mind if I do. Pass the Tapatío please?

You got me with Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World especially when you showed those pages! Have a great weekend, Mamie.

>124 Familyhistorian: I love the way books wander around the threads. V cool.

Mamie, thanks for adding me on Litsy. It's funny the differences between the different book sites, but I love the recommendations.

Hi Crazy! I love James Bond and I grew up watching them with my dad, too. Great memories. I've also read most of the books and have some of the music. I had no idea that Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!! That's cool to know. And now I have to get Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World. : )

>105 jessibud2: No, not just you, Shelley - I should have clarified. And thank you.

>106 richardderus: You are most welcome, BigDaddy. *smooch back* I will check out that book you mention - always happy to get a rec from you. I love urban fantasy, so that sounds like a good one for me. Thank you!

>107 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle - it really does suit her.

>108 charl08: I am so happy that you brought it to my attention - Birdy loved it, too and Abby is reading it now. And I shall tell Rae you love her blue hair!

>109 scaifea: Morning, Amber! I concur - I just adore him!

>110 msf59: Hello, Mark! Friday was very good - Birdy, Craig, Rae and I had lunch at our favorite Mexican place and then enjoyed a relatively lazy afternoon and evening.

Thanks for the thumb - I always get so excited about those! I was shocked to be the first to review it. I am really hoping she does a part two of it.

>111 Helenliz: Hello, Helen! Friday was indeed full of happy! The weekend is looking good so far - Craig is out puttering around getting his garden ready, and I am enjoying a slow start to my Saturday and wondering if I dare to steal the last cup of coffee from the pot. I think I do.

I am so happy you are reading to A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and that you added Brazen Ladies to your list! You won't be sorry - I am thrilled to be a "bad influence" on you. And you should definitely indulge in listening to the fabulous performances of David Tennant and Tom Hiddleston on audio. I love Tennant's narration of the How to Train Your Dragon series - truly delightful.

>112 karenmarie: Hello, Karen - hoping your Friday was also happy. Lovely day, so I didn't hit the threads much. Hoping to catch up today - haha, like one could ever actually catch up.

I did not know about the switch to color during the Wizard of Oz movie until my aunts got a new tv and gave us their old one, which to our delight was a color tv set. We had been watching it every year on a black and white set, and I had no idea that it went to color in the Oz part - it was breathtaking the first time I saw it that way.

Pierce Brosnan would be my third favorite, so we are in complete agreement on the Bond men.

>113 Carmenere: Oh, I love that one, too, Lynda! Cinderella is Birdy's very favorite fairy tale, so I have seen pretty much every version of it through the years. And of course, we had our own:

>114 Helenliz: Your post made me laugh, Helen! And thanks for the link - I had never heard of Bagpuss. How completely charming!

>115 karenmarie: Me, too, Karen!

>116 katiekrug: Hello, Katie! Happy Saturday to you - Friday was delightful.

>117 richardderus: Oh. My. Word. That made me mouth water, BigDaddy! How delicious it all looks - thank you for the feast!

>118 quondame: I am loving all these stories, Susan. So funny how color tv changed our lives, isn't it?

>119 jnwelch: Richard is very good with the yummy foods, isn't he, Joe? Friday was indeed happy - hoping yours was, too!

>120 drneutron: Me, too, Jim!

>121 humouress: *grin* I can remember that my Dad went to get my aunts old color tv on a Saturday morning because my sister Nora and I were eagerly awaiting its arrival to watch the Saturday morning cartoons in color for the first time. The firs thing we got to see was Justice League, and we were completely delighted with it.

>122 LovingLit: I am so glad your library has it on order, Megan - it's so good. I think every library should have a copy.

>123 nittnut: *grin* Hello, Jenn!

>124 Familyhistorian: Most excellent, Meg! I am happy to have hit you with that one. Each lady gets her own spread like that which tells her story and then between each story there is a beautiful two page spread of artwork honoring her:

>125 charl08: Me, too, Charlotte!

I had just started checking out Litsy yesterday, and you are the first person I found on there. You would have laughed at how long it took me to figure how to add a book - I kept missing that little bookstack icon.

>126 Berly: Hello, Kim! Hooray for the shared Bond memories! And now you can credit him with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, although the movie is very different from the book. I love the original three book format it was originally released in - don't they look charming?

>129 Crazymamie: - Ok, Mamie. I'm asking.....? :-)

>134 jessibud2: Ha! Birdy is about three there, and she is currently 19. She looks like this now (except she still has blond hair - it is dyed here):

.

>135 Crazymamie: - Sweet! :-)

>135 Crazymamie: She is indeed very sweet. She is also the Queen of Sass, which I love.

'Morning, Mamie, you got me laughing with the last cup of coffee thievery. We brew separate pots at our house so that's never an issue.

>135 Crazymamie: Very cute pics of Birdy. I love those gorgeous blue eyes!

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Book #36:Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (5 stars), 2013 acquired paperback (also listened to the 2017 acquired audiobook), crime fiction/espionage (George Smiley novels, book 5)

"He would set up as a mild eccentric, discursive, withdrawn, but possessing one or two lovable habits such as muttering to himself as he bumbled along pavements. Out of date, perhaps, but who wasn't these days? Out of date, but loyal to his own time. At a certain moment, after all, every man chooses: will he go forward, will he go back? There was nothing dishonourable in not being blown about by every little modern wind. Better to have worth, to entrench, to be an oak of one's own generation."

This is the fifth entry in John le Carré's George Smiley series - espionage books set during the Cold War. George Smiley is a member of the British Secret Intelligence. These books are fascinating and ring true because le Carré, whose real name is David Cornwall, also worked for the British Secret Intelligence. I am so glad that I had first watched the movie version of this which features Gary Oldman as Smiley - it is very well done, and having just seen it enabled me to follow the intricate plot so much better. The narration of the audiobook is by Michael Jayston, who does a fabulous job of it - he is such a good fit for these books. I also followed along in the print version in order to reread the complicated parts and to endeavor to keep all the characters straight. Definitely worth the extra effort - highly recommended if you like spy stories.

>138 karenmarie: Separate pots?! Oh, the luxury! Usually Craig will just take one cup, which he drinks on the way to work, and he leaves the rest of the pot for me. However, on the weekend he seems to think that he is entitled to additional cups. The nerve!

Thank you for the lovely words about my Birdy - she does have very blue eyes.

Happy Saturday, Mamie. The carpet guys are still here banging away. I thought they would be done sooner, so we could start carrying all of our stuff back down. Sighs...Hey, at least I have been squeezing in some reading. Arthur & George has been excellent.

I had the same exact experience with Wizard of Oz, growing up with mostly B & W TVs. I think I saw it the first time, in color, on VHS. Mind-blown...

Happy Saturday, Mark! I hope the carpet guys hurry it up already. I had Arthur and George out from the library, but I did not get to it in time. It looked interesting, but it was also more of a commitment than I was looking for at the time. Heh.

Too funny about Wizard of Oz - I love comparing memories like that.

Happy Saturday, Mamie! Lovely pictures of your family as well. I like Rae's blue highlights!

>129 Crazymamie: Your little Cinderella is precious!
Hope your weekend has been fantastic!

>143 bell7: Thank you, Mary!

>144 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! Gone are the days when we would find one little clear plastic "glass slipper" on the staircase each morning. The happy news is that all these years later she still loves that fairy tale. So far so good with the weekending. The weather has been just right for reading on the screened-in porch, so that's mostly what I did yesterday. Then, in the evening, Rae and I binge watched several episodes of Doctor Blake Mysteries and the first episode of The Frankenstein Chronicles, which features Sean Bean, so I am waiting for him to get killed off, haha!

Happy Sunday to you!

>145 Crazymamie: Poor old Sean Bean! You'd give him, what, three episodes? ;0) and also :'(

>146 humouress: Exactly! Hello, Nina!

Sounds like you are having a nice weekend! At -4c there is no outside reading for me but the sun is shining so it looks warm, even if it isn't.

Good morning, Mamie! I can't recall when my family got our first color TV, but I do remember that the last black-and-white TV I had was in the mid-'80s. That was during Ted Turner's "colorizing" craze, and I could console myself that at least I didn't have to worry about that tampering with old black-and-white movies. I'm certainly glad that fad faded. Oddly, though, a DVD of Heidi I picked up yesterday has the option to view a colorized version of the film.

>148 ChelleBearss: Chelle, we have the French doors open! It is currently 67F here (19.4C) and going to 75F today. Hooray for the sun shine there - here, too. Looks to be another day full of gorgeous.

>149 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry! Oh, I really do not like colorizing - they need to just leave the old movies alone. Black and white in the 80s, huh?! I was in grade school when we got our first color set, so it must have been in the 70s some time.

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Your reading and series binge-watching yesterday sounds wonderful. I did something similar - read and binge-watched the first three episodes of season 4 of Buffy with Bill. I made Cream Biscuits - sugar, self-rising flour, and whipping cream - easy peasy and very tender and delicate. We had them with homemade turkey noodle soup.

We didn't get a color TV 'til 1967, but I remember the first time I saw a color TV - when was 8 years old in 1961 at Vicky Murdock's house when I went over to pick her up to walk to school. It was the NBC peacock.

edited to fix the bold problem.

>150 Crazymamie: We had had color TVs at home since at least the '70s, but when I went off to graduate school, I think I got an older set that someone in the family could spare. I didn't have that set long, though; my housemate and I lived in a not-very-good area of South Bend, and someone broke into the house one day while we were up at UND and took the TV. I remember feeling a little sorry for them, as they probably were quite disappointed when they tried to sell it, as B&W TVs had no value. :-)

The first TV Mama consented to have in the house was a color TV. It was 1956 so I was -4 years old. When we moved to Los Gatos, in 1961, the TV in the family room was a 26-inch console with radio and record player, and that's what I grew up with.

>151 karenmarie: Happy Sunday, Karen! I have big love for Buffy - especially the high school years. The biscuits and turkey noodle soup sound delicious. I am hoping to make potato soup later today.

1967! The year of magic! I love that everyone remembers the first thing they saw on color tv.

>152 harrygbutler: I am originally from Indiana, Harry, but not South Bend - although I have been there multiple times. Serves those burglars right getting stuck with the black and white tv. Sorry you lost your only tv, though.

>153 richardderus: What a great memory you have, Richard dear, especially for being in the negative numbers! Those old sets were like giant pieces of furniture - you wanted to chose carefully where to place them because you wanted to never have to move it again.

>145 Crazymamie: I hope you and Rae are enjoying Doctor Blake. I've watched all the episodes that are available on Netflix and wonder if the rest will ever make it there. The scenery and the period costumes are great, aren't they?

>155 rosalita: We are, Julia, although I could have done without the episode involving the Asian pit viper. YIKES! I really, really don't like snakes. And yes, the scenery and the costumes are a feast for the eyes. My favorite thing are the automobiles - so gorgeous.

Glad you've all enjoyed Bagpuss. When you look at children's TV from our formative years, I'm amazed we turned out as well as we did.
We had a B&W TV until we had to get rid of the TV when I was 8 or 9. I was in my teens when we got one again, and that was then colour, so mid 80s, I guess.

>157 Helenliz: Hello, Helen! "When you look at children's TV from our formative years, I'm amazed we turned out as well as we did. " This made me laugh! I am so happy that I did not have to go from the age of 9 into my teen years with no tv - watching Action Adventure Theater on Sundays with my Dad is a very favorite memory of mine. They would play back to back movies in the same theme all afternoon, and we gobbled them up - war movies, westerns, screwball comedies, murder mysteries...Makes me sigh happily just thinking about it.

>157 Helenliz: Dunno; I think what we got back then were better quality products (for the most part) than what my kids watch now. And not on 24 hours of the day.

Hiya, Mamie. Just checking in. Happy Sunday.

Love the Birdy pics, and that she's the Queen of Sass.

>159 humouress: A good point, Nina. I don't mind kids programming being available 24 hours a day, as I think it is the parents who must set the parameters, but I do think a lot of the charm of the older offerings has gone by the wayside.

>160 jnwelch: Hiya, Joe! Happy Sunday to you! Glad you love the Birdy pics and her attitude. She was born old, I always say, so she is a hoot to hang out with.

>149 harrygbutler: My ex(thank goodness)sister-in-law wouldn't watch movies in B&W.
>152 harrygbutler: >153 richardderus: My parents accepted my grandparents old B&W TV in the late 50s, but it was dead by 1960, so until I got my own wee portable in 1972, I was way behind on popular culture, but loved pre-WWII movies which I'd go to with my mom when we visited ''the city". Probably when I fell in love with Los Angeles.

>162 quondame: She missed a lot of good ones then, Susan.

Very cool story, Susan. I rarely watch tv these days - just for football, mainly. I use it mostly for streaming things from Netflix and Amazon Prime - I am happy to skip the commercials and watch things when I want to watch them.

>163 Crazymamie: I think it's my bad hearing that makes TV uninteresting to me these days. Back in the early 2000s I'd spend hours watching Food Network. Though I don't like contest shows, or Guy Fieri and that seems to be all that I see when I walk through the family room now, when it isn't a super-loud totally dark super something movie.

I like some kids TV programs better than others, though right now the kids are into watching those stupid Minecraft videos where peoplr talk to themselves while recording video. They're horribly boring and not at all wholesome. In fact, I think Aaron got tired of them while I was out of town and put the nix on them.

>164 quondame: That could be, Susan. I also used to love to watch the Food Network. My hearing is fine, and I have trouble with some of the movies where the soundtrack is very loud but the dialogue is much softer - the sound editing on some of the newer movies needs work, I think.

>165 The_Hibernator: Hello, Rachel! My kids used to love to watch the Pokemon stuff, and I hated that as it seemed all the dialogue was yelled. Little Bear is more my speed. Heh. I have not seen any of the Minecraft videos. I should probably be thankful, huh?

Happy Sunday, Mamie. I hope you have had a good day so far. I have had another active day, myself. The only thing that is suffering is my reading time, so I am squeezing in what I can. Slowly, bringing books down. I have one bookcase filled and 2/3rds of another bookcase piled up and ready to be shelved. Back to my book...

I'll just leave this here.

ALERT! ALERT!
JUST SCROLL PAST THE POST ABOVE, MAMIE!!!.

Have a great week even if it does start with the day that should not be named.

>145 Crazymamie: Your weekend sounds great! I had to giggle when I read "first episode of The Frankenstein Chronicles, which features Sean Bean, so I am waiting for him to get killed off, haha!"
I loved reading on our screened in porch but it was a hanyman's special and came down when we installed our deck. But I'll never forget how nice it was to hear raindrops on the roof of it and read the afternoon away. :0(

>168 richardderus: ha!
Welcome to the start of the new week, Mamie.
With the Easter holidays, it's a short week here, so it's sort of Tuesday already >:-)

Morning, Mamie! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend!

>167 msf59: Hello, Mark! Sunday was very good to me. Sorry to hear that your reading time is suffering. But hooray for the carpet being down and the bookshelves getting loaded back up again.

>168 richardderus: VERY naughty, Richard! Please don't make me call those flying monkeys back. *looks sternly over top of glasses*

>169 Familyhistorian: Your alert made me laugh, Meg! Thanks for looking out for me. And for those good wishes. We are experiencing weather whiplash here - only going to 56F today and stormy. Needless to say, I have a headache - weather fronts seem to have that effect on me. Hoping your start to the week is better than mine - remember not to make eye contact.

>170 Carmenere: It was a very good one, Lynda. I adore Sean Bean, but he does seem to get dead a lot.

Total bummer about losing your screened-in porch - it is one of my very favorite places. And yes, sitting out there while it is raining is soothing - I love rain.

>171 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! I think everyone here (at the Pecan Paradisio) just has a regular week. I wish they all had Friday off - that would be lovely.

>172 ChelleBearss: Morning, Chelle! It was a good one - full of reading and binge watching favorite shows. I even managed to squeeze in a nap.

Yesterday I watched Crooked House, which was fun. Based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name, it was entertaining and definitely dramatic. The book is better, but this is a good interpretation of it. I did not understand why they had changed some of the things they did - in the book Charles and Sophia are engaged, and she says she cannot marry him until the murder of her grandfather is cleared up. In the movie, Sophia dumped Charles and then shows back up again to beg him to look into her grandfather's murder. And poor Magda gets all of her best lines from the book cut. BUT the scenery and the costumes! The house is a main character, and it shines here - a perfect combination of beautiful and gaudy and creepy.

I also watched the final episode (of season one) of Stranger Things. SO now I am all ready for season two, which I have heard great things about.

.

On the reading front, I am still working on the usual suspects, so of course I managed to start some new books, too. Molly Beard's Women and Power, which was recommended by Charlotte - this is a beautiful little book. It contains two lectures that Beard gave, "The Public Voice of Women" and "Women in Power". I also started listening to A Rage in Harlem, which is narrated by Samuel Jackson.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope that your week gets off to a good start despite the impact of the changing weather.

>176 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry! Well, the good news is that Birdy and I have planned to do nothing today. Heh. We are just going to indulge ourselves while everyone else is working. *grin*

Morning, Mamie. Not sure I will make it out for a walk today. Still deciding but my afternoon will be filled with reading and book-shelving.

I hope yours goes smoothly.

>178 msf59: Morning, Mark! No walk for me today, either - I am feeling very lazy and the weather is a bit nasty for walking. I like the sounds of your afternoon. And thanks for those good wishes.

>173 Crazymamie: *whistles urepentantly through*

>180 richardderus: Oh, dear! An attitude problem...

>181 Crazymamie: Thass me, 'tude on legs.

*belly laugh*

>173 Crazymamie: Mamie, sorry to hear you have a headache. But then it is the day before Tuesday, when bad things happen. I hope it's all gone tomorrow. We are supposed to be getting more bad weather, possibly including snow (!) for the weekend, but I have no plans so that's OK :-)

>184 susanj67: Thank you, Susan. Luckily, I don't need to go anywhere today, so that is good. I am thinking that a glass of wine might help ease it a bit. *blinks*

More snow?! This must be a record year for that, yes? I'm glad that you have no plans, so you can just enjoy watching it fall should you get it. I have The Confession sitting here, and I am really wanting to dig into it (Irish noir, you said!!), but I already have so many other books going...

Happy Mmmphmumbleday, Mamie.

Woo, you’re on my wavelength. Loved Crooked House in print and by audio, loved Stranger Things, loved A Rage in Harlem. We had a great time with the second season of ST, and with Beyond ST, where they interview the cast and crew.

>186 jnwelch: Here there, Joe! Happy to share a wavelength with you anytime. Have you seen the Crooked House movie - it's available for free on Amazon Prime, and it's got a terrific cast.

Now *there's* a good use for snow!

>189 drneutron: - LOL!

>188 humouress: >189 drneutron: Yes, yes, this is what we do at Winter Weekend. Not the glass though, we don't put our flagons down where they can tip over, no.

Crazy--I loved Season 2 of Stranger Things, so you have that to enjoy. And I have Amazon Prime, so now I can look for Crooked House! Happy Day After THAT Day. Hope the headache is gone.

Morning, Mamie! Everything looks good on Netflix but I didn't want to get involved with something long term so I watched an Oscar winning documentary last night. It is call Icarus and involves the doping of Olympic athletes. Really gutsy reporting.

Good morning, Mamie! Amazon Prime Video is a good resource, isn't it? Though I'm a bit disappointed that they've begun adding extra-cost "channels" for some offerings.

>188 humouress: Perfect! Thanks, Nina!

>189 drneutron: Agreed, Jim!

>190 jessibud2: *grin* Hello, Shelley!

>191 quondame: Winter Weekend sounds just the ticket, Susan. And good thinking with the glasses.

>192 Berly: I have heard only good things, Kim, so I am excited. I loved how they ended season one. And hooray for Crooked House!

I still have the headache, but it has eased back a bit, so I am thankful. And still very overcast but back to the 7os today, so the weather whiplash continues. Hoping your Tuesday is very kind to you.

>193 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! I will have to look for that documentary - I love watching those when they are well done. Thanks for the tip.

>194 harrygbutler: Morning, Harry! It is, indeed. I don't mind the added channels for extra cost - pay or don't pay, I figure. There is still plenty to chose from that is free with Prime, and right from the start some stuff was free and some stuff was available for a price. It's clearly labeled, which I appreciate.

>196 Crazymamie: You're right, the offerings are fairly ample, and I don't mind extra cost for particular movies. But I dopn't care for my searches yielding "Free (smaller print: with Channel X subscription)." It's like the search results that tell me a book's Kindle edition is "free" when in fact it is only free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Not a major aggravation, just a minor annoyance or disappointment. In both cases I'd prefer a simple price for the book or movie rental, but I understand the business model and can't really fault them for trying to secure subscribers to premium options.

The coffee house where Abby works used to brew this blueberry coffee on Tuesday and Fridays as their flavor of the day, and it was full of fabulous. But now they have started roasting their own beans, which means they no longer order the blueberry coffee - sadness. It made a truly great cafe au lait, and I will miss it.

On the reading front, yesterday I followed my heart and dipped into The Confession, which has been sitting on my desk in the bedroom and calling to me every since it arrived from Book Depository. Susan read this one earlier in the year, and her review of it sold me - Irish noir, she said. I opened it up and fell right in - very good so far.

I did not get the potato soup made yesterday, so we will have that for tonight's dinner. With bacon, tomato, and cheese quesadillas. YUM!

>197 harrygbutler: I get ya, Harry.

>198 Crazymamie: Do you own a Keurig? I know one of the k-cup makers used to have a blueberry coffee. I remember seeing one at a store that let you buy individual cups instead of cases of 18 k-cups.

Mmmm, enjoy your potato soup! I love it but no one else in this house will eat it. Sad :(

Morning, Mamie! I'm sorry that you have a headache - I've been strapped with a few in the past couple of weeks, too. I partially blame early spring allergies. I hope yours clears up toot sweet!

Also, blueberry coffee sounds AMAZING. I'm sad for you that they stopped offering it. Ding dang.

>200 ChelleBearss: We do own a Keurig, Chelle - I use it all the time to make chicken broth and tea, so just the hot water part. Heh. I love how quickly it heats up the water and that it comes out in a measured amount. Abby found out the name of the coffee distributor that the shop ordered from, and we can order the beans from them, but I will miss being able to just have Abby bring me a cup when she gets off work. It was a fun Friday thing for me.

I am sad for your lack of potato soup lovers - maybe the girls will like it when they are older. My whole gang loves it. We serve it with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon to put on top.

>201 scaifea: Morning, Amber! It's a weather front thing, so I usually get then when we have dramatic changes in weather. Thanks so much for those good wishes!

The blueberry coffee is SO good, and the smell - delightful. Looks like we will be able to order it, but it won't be the same - I loved the convenience of just getting a large perfectly brewed cup and bringing it home to make two excellent au laits with it. Ding dang is right.

>202 Crazymamie: - When you say you make chicken broth with the Keurig, do you use something like Better Than Bouillon and then dissolve it in the hot water from the Keurig? If so, GENIUS! Totally trying that next time...

>203 katiekrug: Yep. It's so fast and easy.

‘Morning, Mamie. I’m sorry to hear that you still have a headache. “Weather whiplash” – appropriate. My daughter has caught a cold and she blames the vagaries of the weather in Wilmington for it.

Morning, Karen! The headache is better today than yesterday, so I'll take it. Sorry about your daughter, though - bummer.

Hmm. I had to google Keurig. I’m still not quite sure how you use it - I assume you don’t do the potato soup in it? *wanders off, scratching head*

Is that blueberry flavored coffee or a brand name?
When the first Starbucks opened in Frankfurt, a friend convinced me to try a blueberry latte, but there the flavor was in the sirup, not in the beans. It was surprisingly nice, and basically dessert in a coffee cup.

Oh, dear, Nina! You made me laugh. It's for beverages - it has a compartment that you can put the K cups in - little cups of coffee grounds or tea or hot cocoa, and then you choose the amount of water that you want. The Keurig heats the water and runs it through the cup, making a single serving beverage. BUT, and this is hot I use mine, you can also just use it to heat the water and dispense the desired amount of hot water into your container - so I use it like an electric kettle except it also does the measuring for me.

>208 Deern: Blueberry flavored coffee, Nathalie. Not sweet at all as the flavor is in the beans - no syrup.

Morning, Mamie. Cloudy and damp here but at least it is mild. We NEED more mild.

Hope your week is off to a smooth start.

>211 msf59: Morning, Mark! The sun has finally managed to peek out here. So far so good with the week - I cannot complain.

>209 Crazymamie: Ahh.

>210 Crazymamie: Oh?

>213 humouress: *grin*

Yep - the flavor is in the beans. I have no idea how they do that, but it is most excelletn, and you can really smell the blueberry. And it goes fabulously with these:

>214 Crazymamie: Ooh!

>215 humouress: I know, right?!

>198 Crazymamie: My Mom used to make the best potato soup and I'm so sorry I never learned to do it. Whenever I was sick she would ask what I wanted to eat and the answer was always "potato soup". So how do you make it? Maybe I'll finally find one like my Moms :)

Good morning, Mamie!

>82 Crazymamie: >133 Crazymamie: I read this book to my kids a couple of months ago. The book and movie part ways pretty quickly, but the madcap nature of the story is retained. Having read the book, with the illustration, I never would have chosen Dick Van Dyke. However, he works beautifully in the film.

>214 Crazymamie: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I am fully caffeinated today. I hate bloodwork that requires I give up coffee beforehand. I think they're just messin' with me cuz they can, the bastages.

*smooch*

>209 Crazymamie: What is the max on Keurig hot water delivery? In 2 years I wore out two hot water pots, and have had to go back to boiling on the stove top in a soup pan. My thumbs have trouble with tea kettles, so I'm always spilling dribs of boiling water pouring it into the French press.

Hiya, Mamie!

>187 Crazymamie: We've not seen the Crooked House movie, and free is good. Thanks for the tip.

>139 Crazymamie: I really really really must read this. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré has gone too long unread. That's it. I am getting it off my shelf and putting it on my bedside table, maybe I will even take it away this long weened for easter! Yes, I resolve to do just that. :)

>198 Crazymamie: sorry to hear the blueberry coffee is off the menu. I have W home sick today (thus missing every single university study opportunity this week!- Monday was his inter-schools duathlon, today he is sick, and Friday is Good Friday, our Easter holiday). He is going to lounge around while I take my time with washing up, and hanging out washing etc, then we are going to go out (to pick up uni reading for me) and get coffee.
See? My story really was about coffee!

>217 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, Reba! Such a sweet story, but it makes me sad that you never got her recipe. I am more than happy to share mine:

Mamie's Potato Soup:

2-3 T bacon grease or butter (unsalted)
1 med. onion, diced
celery, diced - an amount equal to the onion
1 T Kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (I always use Spice World minced garlic that you can buy in a jar and keep refrigerated after opening)
2 T flour
1 can cream of celery soup (this is my secret ingredient)
2 cups water
3 cups milk
8 cups diced red potatoes

Melt butter or bacon grease in bottom of big Dutch oven, add onion, celery and the spices, and sauté until onion is starts to turn translucent. Add flour and stir continuously to make a ruox - just takes just a few minutes. (It will turn blondish and give off a nutty smell) Then add water and whisk together, add milk, and then the cream of celery soup (just straight - don't add any additional water). Once this mixture is thoroughly combined, you can add in the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are the desired tenderness. Don't be in a hurry - this cooks best when it comes together slowly. The soup will thicken as it stands.

We like to set out shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon to use as toppings.

*You can adjust the salt if you are salt sensitive - just add 1 tsp at the beginning and then season to taste at the end.

>218 brodiew2: Afternoon, Brodie! How fun, and you are so right in your comments. How did your kids like it? I read a memoir by Dick Van Dyke a few years ago, and he did not enjoy making that movie at all, but it doesn't show at all in the finished product. He is fabulous in it.

>219 richardderus: They are SO good, Richard! One of my favorite store bought cookies. And hooray for caffeination. It is a requirement for my day, so I am deeply saddened to hear that you suffered so yesterday. Poor, poor baby. *smooch and a bear hug*

>220 quondame: It depends on the model you have - mine is an older one, so you can choose 4 oz, 8 oz, or 12 oz. But if you are wanting more than that, all you have to do is lift and lower the part where the K cup would go and select again. It's really fast and easy.

>221 jnwelch: Hiya, Joe! Are you home sweet home again?

And you are welcome- it's always fun to share!

>222 LovingLit: Hello, Megan! I am very excited you are going to read Tinker, Tailor!!

I'm sorry to hear that W is sick, but a happy ending in the coffee if you manage it. Crossing my fingers for you. And sending healing mojo for Wilbur.

Hello Mamie!

YUM to the potato soup recipe. Can't go wrong when you start with bacon. :)

I liked Tinker, Tailor, and I have read it twice again, having forgotten that I read it. It holds up pretty well to the repeat. I hope the third read means I'll remember I've read it. *shrug*

>223 Crazymamie: Thank you so much Mamie. I'll give it a try soon :)

>226 nittnut: Hello, Jenn! I agree - bacon is a winning ingredient. I'm laughing about your two rereads of Tinker, Tailor - at least it's a really good one to reread.

>227 RebaRelishesReading: You are welcome, Reba!

Lemon blueberry cake. Perfect for kaffeeklatsching.

Oh, my stars! YES! That is so beautiful - let's just take a moment to truly appreciate it's splendor....okay, it was delicious. *wipes crumbs off shirt*

I had a butchers at the receipt. The bottom layer has blueberry pie filling above the cake below the lemon buttercream icing, while the middle layer does not...just the baked-in-vanilla-cake fresh blueberries.

*faints*

Mmm, love potato soup! I make something similar but it is more veggie based (including potatoes) and a pound of bacon. Now I am craving it, see what you started? "Crooked House" looks interesting.

>219 richardderus: Guess what happened to your coffee yesterday Richard.

Stopping by to say hi, Mamie. I saw Tinker , Tailor , Soldier , Spy in the bookstore a week or son ago, but when I went back it was gone. I can't remember if I've read it or not, in the past. I'm considering getting it from the library - or will I have to start at the very beginning of the series? I'm weird like that. I've read Russia House by the same author, but that was a long time ago. I forget what else I've read by LeCarre.

>223 Crazymamie: Yum! Thanks for sharing!

'Morning, Mamie!

It's supposed to get to 72F here today. I hope it's still coolish at noon because I'm having a friend over for lunch and am making chili. Yesterday got to about 50F and chili sounded good. Sigh.

Your potato soup sounds wonderful. >233 Familyhistorian: Meg's pound of bacon sounds about right, too. I'm reminded of my Czech family's recipe for koprova - potato soup with dill and sour cream. I'm not a dill fan except for pickles, so leave the dill out.

Happy middle of the week, Mamie!

Hope all goes well today at the Pecan Paradisio.

Morning, Mamie!

I popped the book in the mail today. You should get it in a few days.

>232 richardderus: Interesting - it looks fabulous, and I bet it tastes even better. Here you go, dear:



Try to arrange yourself artfully.

>233 Familyhistorian: Meg, you soup sounds most yum! Sometimes I add mushrooms to it. Once I added carrots, and Birdy said, "Mom, what are you doing? It's potato soup - stick to the plan." Now when she requests it, she asks for "Just Plain Old Potato Soup".

>234 humouress: Ha! I concur, Nina.

>235 vancouverdeb: Hello, Deborah! Don't tell Susan I said this, but you do not have to start at the beginning of the series with this one - it is technically the fourth book featuring Smiley, and each book offers up a different snippet of him, but you can also read each book as a standalone. (For the first four books, anyway). I want to make my way through the Smiley books and then read some of his other stuff - Russia House is definitely on the list.

>236 ChelleBearss: Welcome, Chelle!

>237 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! It's going to 81F here today. I like chili even when it's hot outside, so I think you should be fine.

We put plenty of bacon on top when we are serving it - I love to fry up an entire package of the thick slice to serve on top. The dill and the sour cream sound yummy - I love dill. I have a recipe for roasted carrots that calls for dill on the top, and they are so good.

>238 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! Happy Wednesday to you! The week is flying by, it seems. And thanks for those good wishes. I have some errands and some chores to get done, but I am hoping to snag some reading time on the screened-in porch later.

>239 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! Thank you so much! I am very excited about the early peek at the latest Ruth.

I saw that you tagged me last night on Litsy, but I had no idea how to participate. And how do you tag someone? I need a Litsy manual.

>242 Crazymamie: - It's not the smoothest functioning app. You tag someone by putting @ in front of their user name, or I think you can click on their comment and hit reply. I'm just fiddling around with it to see how things work. Chelle pointed me to a helpful tip sheet - I'll try to tag you on it.

Enjoy the Ruth! If you are so inclined, when you are finished with it, I think Beth would like to read it, too :)

>243 katiekrug: Oh, good - I was thinking it was just me. A helpful tip sheet would be just the thing. Or a ten year old.

I figured that Beth and Julia would both be good candidates for passing it onto.

>234 humouress: Heh. Veddy clevah indeed.

>244 richardderus: Yes. Perfection.

>245 Crazymamie: Send it to Beth first, and then she can pass it on to me at our meet-up this summer! See, I have a plan for everything. :-)

>248 rosalita: Will do if Beth is willing to share her address with me. I'll PM her.

>240 Crazymamie: I like carrot soup and roasted carrots and raw carrots...but I agree with Birdy, "stick to the plan" with potato soup.

>244 richardderus: You'll be Sarri for that!

>241 Crazymamie: Oh! I'm right here! Right. Here.

:-)

>250 RebaRelishesReading: I'll tell Birdy that you are totally behind her.

>251 quondame: *groan*

>252 susanj67: Busted! Do you have some kind of alert system that lets you know when your name is mentioned, Susan?

Now, I know why my ears were burning. Thanks for the offer of the Ruth, Mamie. No hurry, and while I am ambivalent about sharing my address with you...(you know I'm kidding, right?), it's for a good cause.

And I see Julia also has a plan. It's a good one and will prompt me to get on that summer meeting in Iowa City.

Susan is everywhere... And don't tell her I said this, but I don't always start series with the first one, and it's usually OK.

I thought this might be the place to share an interesting cake experience. Had a couple of days out, and have had quite a lot of tea and cake in the process.

Feast your eyes as I have feasted in actuality.


I did see a cake that I decided not to try. It looked like a bright green sponge cake with a white icing topping. Labelled as green pea and lemon cake I decided not to try that one out. Peas not being my favourite vegetables, I remain less than convinced that they belong in a cake.

>254 BLBera: *grin* I know I will drop everything and read it as soon as it arrives because Ruth. And I am honored to be entrusted with your address. Julia is very good with the planning, isn't she - she has taken us in hand and organized Ruth's travel plans.

You are in trouble now because Susan has probably already been alerted to your transgression.

>255 Helenliz: Yes, Helen - cake is always most welcome here. What a lovely experience you have had! I think that second featured cake looks safe for me - the first looks like it has walnuts, and the third look like perhaps it has pistachios? What are the flavors? And good thinking to avoid the one containing peas - YIKES. Just the thought slightly terrifies me.

>256 Crazymamie: Good cake identification! From the left, carrot & walnut cake (with Jasmine tea), Lemon drizzle cake (with english breakfast tea), Carrot & pistachio (with earl grey tea) and lemon tart (with Jasmine tea).

Glad I'm not alone in being suspicious of the pea cake. It was a very odd colour for a cake.

I thought perhaps it was lemon - YUM! I love the pairing of the cakes with the teas.

I wish you could see Birdy's face as I just told her about the pea and lemon cake!

I would totally try pea and lemon cake!

>251 quondame: *moan*

>259 katiekrug: Me too...peas being basically nutritionally void sacks of sugar, why not?

>256 Crazymamie: I make the most fabulous plans, Mamie. It's just the following through that I seem to have trouble with! But here I've made a plan that first you and then Beth have to carry out, so it's a real win-win for me. ;-)

>259 katiekrug: Duly noted. But you are an intrepid explorer, and I am not.

>260 richardderus: You, too? *shakes head*

>261 rosalita: That's what I admired most about it, Julia.

.

Book #37: A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes, narrated by Samuel Jackson (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/noir (The Harlem Cycle, book 1)

"She held him at arms’ length, looked at the pipe still gripped in his hand, then looked at his face and read him like a book. She ran the tip of her red tongue slowly across her full cushiony, sensuous lips, making them wet-red and looked him straight in the eyes with her own glassy, speckled bedroom eyes.

The man drowned."

This is the perfect pairing of story and narrator - like all fabulous audiobooks, the narrator here elevates the reading experience. This was written in the late fifties and is set (as the title tells us) in Harlem. Himes does a very good job of establishing a sense of place, but more than that he establishes a sense of atmosphere - we can feel the undercurrents of anger and frustration in a community where equality is a very distant dream. The tale is dark and gritty with a definite noir feel, and yet it is loaded with humor. A very tricky act, and Jackson pulls it off with ease - his voice seems born to the story. He brings every character and every nuance to life. I just cannot recommend this version highly enough.

I ***love*** Chester Himes's books! This one especially. Just about perfect tone/plot/characterization.

>263 Crazymamie: Good review! I bet Samuel Jackson would be an awesome narrator!

>256 Crazymamie: You could start a new thread, and Susan would never have to know.

>264 richardderus: This was my first by him, Richard, but it won't be my last. Agree that it was just about perfect.

>265 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! He was so great - I wish he narrated more of them, but he just does that first one. I guess he does probably keep pretty busy, Heh.

And thanks for liking my very first post on Litsy!

>266 BLBera: You made me laugh out loud, Beth! Maybe if I get time tomorrow, I'll do it just for you. Or if my insomnia continues, it could appear shortly after 2am.

Well, if my insomnia kicks in, I might be your first visitor!

>269 BLBera: *grin*

>255 Helenliz:, >256 Crazymamie: I tried green matcha cake more than once, but I just don't like the flavor. I would probably have tried the pea cake just to see how they dealt with the skins. Adding zucchini or carrots is easy, but I imagine peas must be cooked first and then puréed very finely? Way too much mess in the kitchen.
Now, where can I get real cake now here in the office??

Happy Weekend and Happy Easter in advance, I'll be away until Tuesday.

>263 Crazymamie: Sounds wonderful. Might have to reload my audible account!
Hope the holidays brings you as much chocolate as you wish for.

Thursday sings its song of sirens, Mamie dear, so pull over to let the weekend get out in front.

'Morning, Mamie!

With Easter coming up, I have to ask an earth-shattering question: What's your favorite Easter Candy?

(dodges the BB in #263 above since @richardderus already hit me with one today.)

>274 karenmarie: Probably the Dove Dark Chocolate Easter Bunny. LOL

Sweet Thursday, Mamie!

I loved A Rage in Harlem, but your write-up sure tempts me to re-experience it in audio.

>274 karenmarie: - Cadbury Mini Eggs.

Morning, Mamie!

>274 karenmarie: What'd I hit you with? I wasn't even aiming at people today!

Butterscotches.

>223 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! I hope your week is going well.

Thanks for sharing your soup recipe; I think I'll give it a try next time I make potato soup, as those I've made in the past have been OK, but nothing special. I'll likely be making dill pickle soup tonight.

I guess my own favorite Easter candy is See's Jelly Bird Eggs. (and of course any of their dark chocolate offerings....)

>278 richardderus: The Invisible Library. I have just today made a vow to never go back up threads after I've posted. Too dangerous.

>267 Crazymamie: You're welcome :) Hope you are enjoying Litsy. Did you take a look at the tips post? I found it really helped me. I'm slowly adding in my books and reviews when I am bored and have time.
My wish list is going to be waaaaay out of hand though!

Morning, Mamie. Sweet Thursday. I should track down that audio for Rage in Harlem. It sounds great.

>271 Deern: You are more adventurous than I, Nathalie. I would worry about the texture. Hoping you managed to find some cake.

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

>272 charl08: It was, Charlotte - hoping you do reload your Audible account. And what a lovely wish! I will wish the same for you!

>273 richardderus: I hear and obey, Richard. Sounds like very good advice.

>274 karenmarie: Afternoon, Karen! Excellent question...let's see...I love the little Lindt chocolates as much for the little foil wrappers as for the taste. They are so very cute:



I also have big love for the Cadbury Mini Eggs.

>275 thornton37814: Yum, Lori!

>276 jnwelch: Sweet Thursday, Joe! Definitely revisit it on audio - such a great performance.

>277 katiekrug: Afternoon, Katie! Me, too! They are completely addictive.

>278 richardderus: I love those, too, Richard, although I rarely eat hard candy anymore.

>279 harrygbutler: Hello, Harry! The week has been pretty good so far after a shaky start - it has settled down nicely, and I have gotten rid of the headache.

Hoping you like the potato soup recipe. Dill pickle soup, huh? That scares me just a bit.

>280 karenmarie: I have never had those, Karen. Are they like jelly beans?

Abby is wanting me to read the Invisible Library books, and I know Lucy really enjoyed them.

>281 ChelleBearss: Litsy is totally confusing to me - the only social media I do is LT, so I am finding it not user friendly. Plus, I am worrying that that it will irritate my carpal tunnel. I could not figure out how to get to the tips post, but I did goggle it on my laptop. I don't really care about developing a following, but I do like looking at the book photos. I also loved that everyone starts with a Litfluence of 42 because "42 is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe and Everything (we’re big fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)"

>282 msf59: Afternoon, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you! Yes, you should - you would love it!

>253 Crazymamie: Why yes I do, Mamie :-) And I also know exactly which spoilers to click...

>287 susanj67: I KNEW IT!