ChelleBearss reads into 2019 (April)

I can't wait for the snow to melt and the spring flowers to start to bloom! Come on spring!

Elissa shares my feelings about winter needing to end stat!


Welcome to my April thread!
Goals for this month are to read two audio books (only managed one in March) and to try and focus on my ROOT challenge and remove some books from my shelves to be able to donate to my Grandmother's retirement home come summer.

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For those that don't know me I am Chelle from Ontario, Canada. Late 30's, wife, mother of two and a police dispatcher. Hubby is an officer and between our two shift work schedules we share in all duties of house and children. I read at work when it is slow and after our daughters are in bed or relaxing.
My reading ebbs and flows pretty badly at times. Some years I have read as low as 36 books and in 2018 I hit 140. We shall see what 2019 brings!

Starting 2019 I am setting a few goals for myself and hoping to keep them going through the whole year, and not just January!
I had great fun in 2018 with the Pop Sugar Challenge and will be doing that again this year!
As well I would like to try and up my audiobook game and am setting a goal of two audiobooks per month.


Print 📗:


Audio 🎧:


Finished

April
47) Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
48) The Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gut-Friendly Recipes for IBS by Dianne Benjamin
49) The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet by Sue Shepherd
50) The Low-FODMAP Diet Cookbook by Sue Shepherd
51) The Low-FODMAP 6-Week Plan and Cookbook by Suzanne Perazzini
52) The Low FODMAP Diet for Beginners nu Mollie Tunitsky
53) The Bloated Belly Whisperer by Tamara Duker Freuman
🎧54) An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel
55) The Suspect by Fiona Barton
56) The Hunger by Alma Katsu

May
57) The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
58) American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
59) The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
60) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson
61) When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
🎧62) Rooms by Lauren Oliver
63) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
64) The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
🎧65) The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Books Finished in 2019

January
1) Blackout by Connie Willis
2) Mango and Bambang by Polly Faber
3) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
4) A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
5) I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
🎧6) The Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend
7) All Clear by Connie Willis
8) Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1 by Dav Pilkey
9) Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea by Nancy Atherton
10) Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
11) Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather McElhatton
12) Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties by Dav Pilkey
🎧13) Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
14) The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
15) The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler
16) Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkeu
17) The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
🎧18) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
19) Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
🎧20) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
21) A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

February
22) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
23) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by JK Rowling
🎧24) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
🎧25) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
🎧26) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling
27) Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
🎧28) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
29) The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri
30) Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong
🎧31) Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
32) The Nightmare by Lars Kepler
33) The Child by Fiona Barton
34) After You by Jojo Moyes
35) Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

March
36) Bird Box by Josh Malerman
37) Still Me by Jojo Moyes
38) Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
39) Year One: Chronicles of the One by Nora Roberts
40) An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
41) Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye
42) The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye
🎧43) Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
44) The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
45) I Found You by Lisa Jewell
46) The Troop by Nick Cutter

ROOT
I'm trying something new this year and I've joined the ROOT group.
I am going to attempt to reduce my unread books by almost half (not including audio or ebooks) and my goal is 30. (I think there are about 75 up there). I won't do anything silly like pretend I can make myself stop buying (as if) but to count towards this I had to own the book prior to December 2018.




Here is the link to my ROOT thread
1) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (owned since 2018)
2) A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (owned since 2011)
3) I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (owned since 2011)
4) Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea by Nancy Atherton (owned since 2016)
5) The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (owned since May 2018)
6) The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (owned since May 2018)
7) Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (owned since April 2018)
8) An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (owned since 2018)
9) Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye (owned since 2017)
10) The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye
11) I Found You by Lisa Jewell

These are my TBR shelves

2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge

30/50

01 - A book becoming a movie in 2019
02 - A book that makes you nostalgic - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
03 - A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction) - Bird Box by Josh Malerman
04 - A book you think should be turned into a movie - The Troop by Nick Cutter
05 - A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
06 - A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
07 - A reread of a favorite book - Harry Potter and the Giblet of Fire by JK Rowling
08 - A book about a hobby - The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
09 - A book you meant to read in 2018 - The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
10 - A book with "pop", "sugar" or "challenge" in the title
11 - A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover - The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
12 - a book inspired by mythology, legend or folklore
13 - A book published posthumously
14 - a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson
15 - A retelling of a classic - Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
16 - A book with a question in the title - When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
17 - A book set on a college or university campus
18 - a book about someone with a super power - The Chronicles of One: Year One by Nora Roberts
19 - a book told from multiple POVs - Blackout by Connie Willis
20 - a book set in space
21 - a book by two female authors - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
22 - A book with a title that contains "salty", "sweet", "bitter" or "spicy"
23 - A book set in Scandinavia - The Nightmare by Lars Kepler
24 - a book that takes place in a single day
25 - a debut novel - The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler
26 - a book that's published in 2019 - The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri
27 - a book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature - The Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend
28 - a book recommended by a celebrity you admire - An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (Opera's Book Club)
29 - a book with "love" in the title
30 - a book featuring an amateur detective - A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
31 - A book about a family - I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
32 - A book written by an author from Asia, Africa or South America - The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (Africa)
33 - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title - The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
34 - a book that includes a wedding - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
35 - A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
36 - A ghost story - Rooms by Lauren Oliver
37 - a book with a two-word title- All Clear by Connie Willis
38 - A novel based on a true story - Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
39 - A book revolving around a puzzle or game
40 - Your favourite prompt from a past Pop Sugar Reading Challenge

Advanced:
41 - A "cli fi" book
42 - A "choose-your-own-adventure" book - Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather McElhatton
43 - An "own voices" book
44 - Read a book during the season it is set in - Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye (winter)
45 - A LitRPG book
46 - A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
47 & 48 - Two books that share the same title 1/2 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
49 - A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
50 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent

May
21 a book by two female authors - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
33 - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title - The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
14 - a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson (Gilmore Girls - Rory)
16 - A book with a question in the title - When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
36 - A ghost story - Rooms by Lauren Oliver
38 - A novel based on a true story - Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
11 - A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover - The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Ideas, suggestions, thoughts on how to finish challenge:
1 - A book becoming a movie in 2019
❊Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
❊The Beast is an Animal by Petronella VanArsdale
❊The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
❊Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

06 - A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
❊Where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens
❊The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
❊ The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

10 - A book with "pop", "sugar" or "challenge" in the title
❊Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

12 - a book inspired by mythology, legend or folklore
❊ Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

13 - A book published posthumously
❊ I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

17 - A book set on a college or university campus
❊ The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

20 - a book set in space
❊ We are Legion, We are bob
Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

22 - A book with a title that contains "salty", "sweet", "bitter" or "spicy"
❊Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

24 - a book that takes place in a single day
❊ The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

29 - a book with "love" in the title
❊ A serial killer's daughter : my story of faith, love, and overcoming by Kerri Rawson

35 - A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
❊Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

39 - A book revolving around a puzzle or game
❊caraval
armada by ernest cline

40 - Your favorite prompt from a past Popsugar Reading Challenge
❊

41 - A "cli fi" book
❊ The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

43 - An "own voices" book
❊ Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

45 - A LitRPG book
❊Wildcard by Marie Lu

47 & 48 - Two books that share the same title
❊DONE Outlander
❊Outlander by Gil Adamson

49 - A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
❊The Godfather
Fellowship of the ring
Dracula
The vampire lestat

50 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent
❊Murder at the vicarage by Agatha Christie

My other threads are sad and lonely. I'd like to try and add a few books to each this year, perhaps these ones that I've listed below:

Women's Prize for Fiction
🔵2018 Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
🔵2009 Home by Marilynne Robinson
American Marriage by Tayari Jones

1001 books list
🔵American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
🔵The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Booker Prize
🔵2017 Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
🔵1992 The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

Books Purchased in 2019
Mine
How Not to Kill Your Houseplant: Survival Tips for the Horticulturally Challenged by Veronica Peerless
All Clear by Connie Willis
Speaking from among the Bones by Alan Bradley
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner
Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong
Outrage by Arnaldur Indridason
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Kids
Mango & Bambang: Tapir All at Sea by Polly Faber
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers: Color Edition
Fancy Nancy Valentine
There's a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
Hedgehugs by Steve Wilson
I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey
Big Bear, Small Mouse by Karma Wilson
The Dot by Peter H Reynolds
Hugs by Robert Munsch
Little Penguin and the Lollipop by Tadgh Bentley
Go Go Gorillas: A Romping Bedtime Tale by Patrick Wensink
Pinkalicious Phonics Box Set (My First I Can Read) by Victoria Kann

Mine!! LOL. I just finished setting up my new April thread, too. Love the flowers up top and Eliisa's pouty face. So cute!

Kim wins :)

Yes!!!! And I love that kid's face. Do you think the parents made any money off it? They would be rich!!

Happy new thread, Chelle. This seems to be the weekend for them!

And re >1 ChelleBearss:, wasn't that some shock to the system this morning? Snow everywhere! ACK! Our streets are free of it now but some lawns are still white. It was pretty but *pretty snow* is just not acceptable at this late date!

Happy new thread! Great, cheerful topper :)

>10 Berly: Ha! yes, I hope they got some money from all the memes somehow. That kid is famous!

>11 jessibud2: Thanks! When I got to work on Saturday I was without a jacket as it was 8c. When I left at 3am it was cold and my truck looked like this! Not happy!


>12 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! I can wait to see the flowers in real life!

My favourite call from work today: Male calls 911 because his neighbour was using the washer and dryer at the same time and he couldn't get his laundry done. Seriously. That happened.

>13 ChelleBearss: That is so not 911 material!! LOL. Sorry about the late night snow. Whew.

Happy new thread, Chelle! That picture of sad little Elissa at the top is a classic :-) She could be a meme too!

>13 ChelleBearss: LOL re the 911 call. Last year KFC had to close a lot of stores temporarily because a new transport contract meant they couldn't get chicken delivered on time. People rang the police to complain, and my local police tweeted this:



Maybe you need to run the Twitter account at work :-)

Happy new thread, Chelle!

Happy new thread, Chelle! LOL when you see a cute kid aka Elissa look so distraught at the sight of more snow, you know it's been a looooong winter. We shared in that snow and not one bit happy. Hope we all see hyacinths soon!

Happy New Thread, Chelle! I hope that the gastrointestinal bugs that infested the old thread don't cross over into this one.

That 911 call is hilarious; how do you keep from laughing out loud when you deal with people like that?

My physician and nurse colleagues often comment that we should write a book about things that kids say and parents do. The comments from some toddlers can be absolutely hilarious, and some parents can be so ridiculous or exhibit such bad behaviors that defy belief. One of the more awkward situations I faced was the family whose mother left the hospital to take a break while her husband stayed with their sick child, went to a local bar, got stinking drunk, returned to the hospital with a guy she met there, and was caught by Security making out with him in the lobby, which was reported to the night nurse who was caring for the kid, and to her husband. I saw the child on rounds the following day, with both parents at the bedside, and even though I made no comment about the mother's escapade the tension in the room was as thick as porridge.

We also frequently say that some of the best stories would never appear on any TV dramatic series set in a hospital, such as "ER", as viewers would find them unbelievable.

Happy new thread, Chelle! Sorry about the snow. Boo.

Happy new thread, Chelle!

>13 ChelleBearss: >15 susanj67: I can barely imagine people do call 911 for these...

>18 kidzdoc: So unbelievable it must be real and how sad for their child.

>18 kidzdoc: - When I was still teaching, I used to keep a notebook of things my students said. I called it *Kidisms*. I still have it. Some hilarious stuff! I am old enough to remember watching a tv program called The Art Linkletter show, and he had a segment with small kids that was called (and he later wrote a book with the same title), *Kids Say The Darndest Things*

I guess there could be a companion piece called *Adults do the Darndest (or dumbest) Things*!

Happy new thread!

Morning, Chelle! Sorry about the snow. I can relate about the 911 call - Craig gets all kind of weird stuff, and he is usually pretty patient about it but this weekend he got a 2am call about diaper rash, and a 4am call asking which kind of formula was best.

Happy new thread, Chelle. It seems to be the day for it. I just finished mine and have seen others along the way.

re >13 ChelleBearss:: comic relief?

Happy new thread! We got over an inch of snow Saturday night, so I can relate. Grr. SO ready for spring and flowers!

Hi Chelle my dear, happy new thread and love and hugs to you and the family dear friend.

Happy new thread, Chelle. I love your topper. Your little one looks the way I am feeling about winter right now. That photo is priceless.

Happy New Thread, Chelle!

What a beautiful topper. Poor Elissa! I think we all commiserate about the lingering winter. Love the photos of the girls in >2 ChelleBearss:, too.

Despite all the kid chaos, it seems like you're having a really good reading year. You've intrigued me with The Shining Girls.

Happy New Thread, Chelle! Love the colorful spring topper! I hope to see another topper with Elissa smiling or laughing.

>13 ChelleBearss: Ooh, that is a bummer. Lets hope, it is the last of it.

Happy new thread, Chelle.

Love the topper with Elissa's expression telling us clearly how cold it is!

Happy new thread, Chelle. I am wishing you some of our weather, we are warm, sunny with plenty of flowers blooming In fact the gardeners were working around the apartment today so we also got a little stink of fertilizer as well.

ETA: I meant to say that author P.J. Tracy is a mother/daughter combination that would work for the PopSugar prompt about reading a book by 2 females. I read their first mystery, Monkeewrench last year and really liked it, I will most likely read their second book for the prompt.

I’ve got some book suggestions, if you haven’t read already!

Novel based on true story - The Paris Wife or Z, about Zelda Fitzgerald. Bonus is these books will bring Ernest Hemingway way down off his pedestal.
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Mekanie Benjamin is set in 60s and 70s NY all about Truman Capite and his rich gal pals. Benjamin has some other books I’m now interested in.

Morning, folks! Yesterday was a much needed day of rest for me after night shift and I started a cleanse to try and help my poor belly repair after the bad stomach flu last week. Not much happening today either, some cleaning and hanging out with Ellie.

>14 Berly: Ha, nope not 911 material at all! Not even a police matter lol. I find a lot of my calls end up being not 911 worthy

>15 susanj67: That's hilarious!! Our twitter is run by our media officers and they do tweet about these calls sometimes. We had one put out last week about a guy that called 911 because he found bugs in his house. I don't know if tweeting these calls makes people educated about what 911 is for or makes them want to get in the news so they call anyway.

>16 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>17 Carmenere: She doesn't like the snow at the start of winter either lol. She is very much like me. Our forecast looks like warmth is approaching though, I think it's supposed to make it too double digits this weekend! :)

>18 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl! Chloe had some tummy issues to start the morning yesterday but felt well enough to go to school after breakfast. Hoping to have everyone healthy now!

It was hard not to laugh at that guy as I could hear my coworkers laughing at me in the background. I was trying to educate him on why his laundry issues wasn't a police matter but I don't think he was getting it. Perhaps some alcohol may have been involved lol.
Your ER story is hilarious! I can only imagine how thick the tension would have been!

>19 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! The snow has mostly melted now and it's getting warmer. Hoping that spring is finally here after that last dumping of snow.

>20 FAMeulstee: Oh yes, we get all sorts of silly 911 calls. That same night I had a teenager calling from her work to say she got the key stuck in the door and couldn't lock up and couldn't reach her manager, as well as a man at a bar that thought he was going to get into a fight so he called police to come arrest himself to prevent the fight ... perhaps just calling a taxi and going home would have been a better choice!

>21 jessibud2: Oh adult do do the darndest things! They are worse than kids some days.
I saw this funny meme recently for kids about solving problems before telling the teacher and someone had crossed out teacher and wrote in "before calling police". It's funny but totally relevant!


>22 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>23 Crazymamie: Oh dear, being woken up in the night with calls like that would make me mad! I don't think I ever knew what Craig did for a living lol.

>24 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, comic relief is good. Thankfully we get a good mix of serious with ridiculous. Nice balance most days lol

>25 aktakukac: Hope spring makes it to you soon, too, Rachel! I know I am more than ready@

>26 johnsimpson: Thanks, John!

>27 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! She loves to go outside for walks but hates her snowsuit if I make her actually stand or sit in the snow. Chloe was like that too for the first couple years and now I can't make her come inside without a fight!

>28 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I find I've been doing a lot of reading at work lately as my shifts have been rather slow. except my last two shifts which were surprisingly busy!
Have you read anything by Beukes before? I've been impressed with what I've read from her and have a couple more to find.

>29 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Hopefully we will get some outside time this month where I can take some pictures of happy girls playing! I think it's supposed to start being warm again by this weekend, yay!

>30 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! She was less than impressed!

>31 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I'm jealous that you have nice spring weather already!
I haven't heard of those authors so I'll have to check that out, thanks!

>32 raidergirl3: Thanks, I'll have to take a look at those!

>35 ChelleBearss: - LOL, Chelle! I worked my entire career with kids, physically and developmentally disabled kids, aged 5 to around 10 or so. I have always been told how patient I must be, how *special* I must be to do such work. My response is always that it is not at hard at all to be patient and compassionate with kids; not so much with adults who behave worse than kids, though. And there seem to be an abundance of those around, right? Perfect example: none of my students (well, almost none, ;-) would ever behave or get away with behaving, like most politicians these days do.

'Nuff said.... ;-p

>1 ChelleBearss: Love the flowers

>31 DeltaQueen50: I really liked Monkeewrench, too, and gave it 8/10 stars.

***

I think we should have a thread called "You're Not Going to Believe This..." for all the silly/weird/stupid/funny things kids/patients/parents/customers/people/animals say and do that we come across personally on a day to day basis. (Not from social media or the Internet.)

Hi Chelle!

I've skimmed... stomach flu, snow, bugs, books, laughter, your Great Uncle (how wonderful!), etc.

I hope you're doing well today and have fun with Ellie and get through the cleaning. *smile*

>20 FAMeulstee: Fortunately the child of that mother was a young toddler, although I wouldn't be surprised if her husband divorced her after her highly embarrassing public escapade. What's worse is when parents who are divorced or about to separate have a verbal or physical alteration with each other in the hospital in front of their sick school aged child, which happens where I work more often than one would think, including twice so far this year for children I've cared for.

Last month I had a mother of a young baby with multiple rib fractures tell me and the resident who worked with me that week that she would go "apeshit" on us if child protective services took away her baby due to child abuse. The vast majority (well over 90%) of the parents I encounter are absolutely lovely to work with, including the three mothers and one father whose kids I admitted to hospital last night, but the bad ones are spectacularly awful, and often unreasonable and unbelievable.

>21 jessibud2: The latest hilarious encounter I had with a kid in the hospital occurred in the hospital with a sweet four year old girl (toddlers are the best!), and went something like this:

Doctor enters patient’s room.

Toddler: Are you the doctor?
Doctor: Yes! Are you a doctor?
Toddler: No, I'm a person.
Doctor: Oh. Am I a person?
Toddler: No. Doctors aren't people.

Doctor and parents laugh uproariously.

I suspected that the very smart toddler correctly figured out that doctors are actually zombies, who sole purpose is to torment their patients.

Yes! I remember Art Linkletter, and that very entertaining show. Bill Cosby (ugh) had a similar show much more recently.

>23 Crazymamie: I can confirm the validity of that. My friends in private practice get those calls all the time, which seem to occur more often in the middle of the night when the pediatrician on call is trying to sleep. They especially love it when the mothers ask, "Did I wake you up?"🙄 Ridiculous and thoughtless calls like those are the main reason why most of the primary care pediatric groups in nearby metro Atlanta pay Children's nurse advice line to answer these questions, although more serious concerns are usually referred to the pediatrician on call for the group.

>34 ChelleBearss: I'm glad to hear that Chloe has almost recovered, Chelle. Hopefully none of you will deal with any more nasty bugs for the remainder of the spring, at least.

Perhaps some alcohol may have been involved lol.

Some alcohol?!😂

I felt sorry for that father, who had to deal with such a public display of his wife's infidelity, and I could hardly contain my disdain for his skanky wife. Fortunately I was able to discharge their child early the following morning, to save him from any further embarrassment.

>35 ChelleBearss: That meme is perfect. There have been numerous cases in the US recently in which an offended white woman has called the police on an innocent black man, for things such as barbecuing in a public park, entering the apartment building in which he and the woman live, and sitting at a table in Starbucks while waiting for a friend to join them. That could serve as a PSA for some people in this country.

>39 jessibud2: Spot on, Shelley!

>40 Morphidae: I'd be happy to contribute to that thread, Morphy. I could also add shockingly inappropriate comments and behaviors from single mothers and nurses who have wanted to hook up with me over the years. For the record, grabbing the buttocks of the resident who is admitting your sick child to the hospital with both hands and telling him that you "had to do that" probably won't endear him to you.

book suggestion for novel based on real people. If Paris Wife by Paula McLain isn't of interest, you could read Circling the Sun by the same author. This one is about Beryl Markham the aviatrix and race horse trainer from Kenya who was the other woman in the Out of Africa story. I got intrigued by Beryl Markham's life so much that I read her autobiography and then a biography about her. She was quite a scandalous woman in her day, but what a life!

For a book with a question in the title I would suggest What Is the What by Dave Eggers. I looked on Amazon and technically there is no question mark in that title but it reads like a question to me. It is a biographical novel of one of Sudan's Lost Boys. (I am not sure what the term biographical novel means - it always confuses me, but I think it would work for the category of having a question in the title? It would also work for the category of a novel based on a true story. It was a bestseller and should be easy to find in libraries, so you wouldn't have to buy a copy.

I ran across two books with the same title while I was looking at children's book lists. Ghost Road by Pat Barker - I read last year. There is also Ghost Road by Charis Cotter - this is the children's book.

There are also two YA novels with the same title. Seeker one is by Veronica Rossi and one is by Arwen Elys Dayton. I have read the one by Dayton and it is pretty good.

>37 ChelleBearss:. I read Beukes’ Zoo City and liked it a lot, and her “Moxy - something” (can’t remember), which I thought was okay. I’ve added The Shining Girls to my WL.

>36 ChelleBearss:, >42 kidzdoc: Yep. Craig is a pediatrician in private practice. I LOVE that encounter with the four year old!! Too funny!

Happy Friday, Chelle!

Laughing at the 911 calls. As a student someone called 999 on a group of us because we were watching the sunrise in a suspicious manner... (we weren't drunk, had met deliberately to mark the end of exams!) Very weird.

47) Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
75 Books Challenge

I really enjoyed this. Thanks to everyone who suggested I move it up the list. Even though I have never read Jane Eyre I still really enjoyed the story and especially a few awesome characters.

Sorry to everyone for getting behind (again). I am going to try and get caught up today during my shift.

Morning, Chelle. Happy Saturday. Hooray for Jane Steele. I had a great time with that one too.

Hi Folks, Happy weekend!
I am at work today for my second of three day shifts. I am on day 6 of this cleanse and can't wait for it to end tomorrow night! I'm tired of the funky tasting protein shake for lunch and breakfast. Although the good news is between this cleanse and the stomach flu from a couple weeks ago I'm now down 7lbs! only 4 more pounds left to hit my pre-Chloe weight as I've already passed me pre-Elissa weight :)

Work this weekend has been a bit ridiculous. We are training a bunch of new call takers and it's been quite busy. Since the new people take a bit longer on each call I find I am taking a lot more calls than normal. I've been in call taking the last two shifts and the public is starting to wear on my patience.

>39 jessibud2: Ooof, yes I've had enough of our politicians lately, federal and provincial.

>40 Morphidae: Ha, Morphy, that's a great idea! It would get pretty sad to see how much stupidity is in the world, from the adults anyway because kids silliness is adorable.

>41 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Well, the cleaning only got a little finished. The cleanse kicked my ass this week and the first few days I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. Not a lot got done. My floors really need a scrubbing on my next days off though!

>42 kidzdoc: That makes me so sad for kids when their parents are so neglectful or abusive. We had a shaken baby case here a couple weeks ago and I wanted to be the one that arrested the guy. There is a reason I sit behind a phone and don't have access to a taser!
Haha didn't you know you aren't a person, doctors are superheros!

>43 kidzdoc: it's sad, Darryl, but some of those calls make it to our news up here. Canadians know our own fare share of racism too but it makes me so sad when people call police about black people in line at star bucks or some ridiculous reason. It makes it even worse when police entertain those calls by attending. I've taken calls before and told people that police are not attending for someone calling police about someone doing something that is not illegal, like walking.

>44 benitastrnad: >45 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita, for those recommendations. I'm doing pretty well with the Pop Sugar challenge and might even beat my last year's finish date of August

>46 jnwelch: I hope you enjoy it, Joe! She will be an author I keep and eye out for now.

>47 Crazymamie: I'm sure Craig has many cute/funny kid stories, even if the parents can be annoying :) I bet our Pediatrician got tired of seeing us this winter for all the serious bugs the kids caught!

>48 charl08: Ha, don't you hate busy-bodies that call about nothing! We do have some caller's that seem to watch for suspicious behaviour and then call us but rarely do they actually see anything worth reporting

>50 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It was a good'un! I am very impressed with Faye lately!

Hi Chelle my dear, I hope the weekend shifts are going ok for you and the trainees are listening to you, aren't the public a nuisance at time lol. I see the cleanse is going well for you my dear, Karen has started something similar although she has signed up to a course from one of the bariatric group where she gets some information which I have printed out for her and a daily phonecall, she is having major trouble with sugar rush. It seems to be one of the issues of bariatric patients and she is desperately trying to overcome it, things seem to be going well and she has lost three pounds since Monday and this will give her a boost to get her weight down to what she wants for when we go on holiday in July.

Sadly for her and her fellow bariatric colleagues I am a pest as I have a built in self regulation and can easily lose a few pounds if necessary and can ignore Chocolate or sugary products and junk food. I have given up Chocolate for lent in the past but that is too easy for me and so if I decide to do anything like that it needs to be challenging. I know this is not good for some people but it must be something in me that just kicks in plus that fact that I am not expending as much energy nowadays so my intake has decreased.

Enjoy as much of the weekend as you can and sending love and hugs to you all from both of us dear friend.

>43 kidzdoc: >51 ChelleBearss: Done! The "You're Not Going to Believe This!" thread is open for business!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/305627

Congratulations on the weight loss, Chelle. I'm trying to lose some weight myself, but I don't know that I could take the funky tasting shakes . Good on you!

>52 ChelleBearss: Oh dear , how horrible. A shaken baby syndrome. I think being a 911 operator would be very stressful.

>51 ChelleBearss: Excellent work, Chelle.

After a week of not stuffing myself and doing more walking, my clothes feel much more comfortable on me which is a start surely.

Have a lovely Sunday.

Happy Monday, folks!
It's been a busy day here so far but I finally have a brief chance to sit down and relax and grab lunch.
After getting the beasts kids to school and daycare I had to head into the city to see my doctor. She thinks she knows what my digestive issues are and has suggested a low FODMAP diet for the next month to see if that helps. She is going to run some blood work and tests as well but she wanted to start with this as it's the least invasive to my life. If this doesn't help then I'll be going for the big shabang of tests!
While in the city I also did some shopping (clothes for me and the kids, chocolate Easter bunnies etc) After lunch I have to run over for my blood work as well as vacuum and mop floors before picking up the wee ones around 3.

Tomorrow will be a day of rest (and laundry) with miss Ellie.

>54 johnsimpson: John you are like Nate. We did the same cleanse and I was strict and he cheated a bit, I lost 3lbs and he lost 8!! Ugh. Men lol

>55 Morphidae: Awesome, thanks Morphy!

>56 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! My next goal is 4 more lbs and then I will be at my pre-Chloe weight!

>57 PaulCranswick: It's always nice to find the clothes fitting better! I bought two new pairs of pants today in the next size down so that's pretty exciting! :)

>58 ChelleBearss: I hope the diet will help, Chelle, so you can avoid al those tests.

Yay for Jane Steele!

I hope you do get a chance to read Jane Eyre some day. To me, it's one of the more enjoyable classics.

Morning, folks.
Today it cool and windy here. I had planned to go for a morning stroller walk with Ellie but that has been cancelled due to the wind. I may try and walk the treadmill while she naps later.
The majority of my day today will be spent researching low FODMAP diets and figuring out a meal plan and grocery list. I'm struggling to find the majority of our premade items like sauces or snacks are high FODMAP. So I'm either going to have to make some dressings homemade or go without for the next 8 weeks. I'm finding the majority of the foods we keep in this house are triggers for IBS so it's no wonder that I've had issues. It's going to be a long 8 weeks of trying to find ways to change my diet.

>59 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! I hope so

>60 jnwelch: Joe, I struggle with classics because I find they really need my undivided attention and the majority of my reading is done at work where there are many distractions. Perhaps I'll give Jane Eyre a shot on summer vacation.

I guess I haven't been paying attention because I haven't heard about FODMAP before. And I have IBS! Thanks for the heads-up. Off to goggle. And good luck!

Best of luck with the FODMAP research, Chelle. I have a few issues myself, and while I've heard of FODMAP, I've not researched it much at all.

I finished The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffith , and and while I've not had time to write any comments about it, I feel quite certain you'd enjoy it. I'm wasn't a huge fan of her series, but I think that her standalone is really a great read.

>62 jessibud2: I believe it's relatively new program for those with IBS and similar issues. My doctor is fairly young and seems to be hip to new treatments. I found a ton of info online and my library has a bunch of books that I have borrow.
How do you manage your IBS? Have you found your trigger foods? This is all new to me :(

>63 vancouverdeb: Thanks for the recomendation, Deb! I have heard of Griffith but not read anything by her yet

Good luck with FODMAP (I'm going to have to look that up) and hope it helps your digestive issues. Also hope you have a fun, restful day today after the whirlwind yesterday.

>64 ChelleBearss: - I probably am not managing it so well. I *know* I should be eating better and more mindfully than I am. Last year, I had a few meetings with a nutritionist and she gave me some guidelines but this has been a bad year for stress and I have fallen off the wagon totally when it comes to eating better and staying away from crap. Intellectually, I should know better and this should be a no-brainer, I know, but ….

That said, I had not heard of FODMAP and now that I have googled, I will read up on it more closely and see if there is anything I can change now, without too much *drastic* change too quickly. Let me know how you do, Chelle. IBS is not fun, as we know.

Chelle--Good luck with the FODMAP diet -- I might check it out myself. I am trying to figure out what is going on for me as well. Last night I ate a chip on my Bookclub dinner out and it apparently was fried in peanut oil so I had an allergic reaction and that was no fun. But at least I figured out what the problem was. Lately I haven't been able to pin down the problem. Continuing with another panel of tests and scheduled to see my doctor next week. Good luck!!

Happy Wednesday, Chelle. I hope your week is going smoothly and you find some reading time, in between taking care of the "beasts". Smiles...

Well, I am starting to feel like my thread is one big health whine but let's just keep going, shall we. Today and tomorrow instead of going to work I will be staying home with the girls who both have pink eye now. Eliie also has, on top of the pink eye, an infection in the skin inside one of her eye lids. Chloe just has the redness and discharge but otherwise feels fine and is her normal self, Ellie on the other hand has one swollen eye and she is miserable. I woke with red sore eyes so you know who is going to be at the doctor next.

Have kids, they said. It'll be fun, they said. LOL

>65 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. After 3 hours at the walk-in clinic and the girls being up 2 hours past bedtime I ended up bailing on the diet and had pizza and beer with Nate before work. I feel fine right now though so perhaps gluten is not the problem lol

>66 jessibud2: Stress can cause IBS symptoms even if your diet is amazing, so make sure to try and reduce your stress and practice some self care at home to try and lower stress. I know, easier said than done.
I hope the FODMAP helps you if you give it a shot. I don't think it is meant to be a long term thing, but the elimination phase can help clear out the system so that when you reintroduce certain foods you should be able to tell right away if those are trouble foods for you.

>67 Berly: Hiya, Kim. Sorry about your reaction! I don't think the FODMAP will help with true allergies but helps with digestive issues. If you give it a shot I hope it helps narrow down what's causing you issues!

>68 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I haven't cracked my book in days :( I was too tired last night after we got home from the doctor. Perhaps once they are in bed tonight

>69 ChelleBearss: Oh, Chelle - it never rains but it pours, right?! I remember those days, and you will get through them - it's one of those things that feels like you are stuck in a moment and then suddenly, somehow you are looking back on it, and all that happened was you blinked. Life is funny that way, which, I know does not help you NOW. Just know that I am thinking of you and wishing you sanity. Sending you positive vibes from all of us at the Pecan Paradisio.

Poor Ellie! Poor Chloe! Poor you! Hang in there.

>69 ChelleBearss: - Oh, geez. I'm so sorry you have something else to deal with now, Chelle! Hang in there. Sending you all my positive mojo.

Hi Chelle!

Pink eye is so contagious and so NOT fun. Sorry it's hit your house.

I'm sorry, too, about all your potential IBS issues. Never heard of FODMAP, but now I know.

I hope you get a chance to do some reading again soon - light and frivolous is always good when under stress.

Hope the pink eye clears up quickly. Remember though, "this too shall pass" :)

Now pink eye?! It's okay...go ahead and wine. I mean whine.

Oh, no! Not Pink Eye!! The Worst. Charlie's never had it, but *I* have and it's not fun. I woke up with it on the day we were leaving Wisconsin for a week-long visit to family over the holidays, scrambled to the Acute Care Clinic, and was told mine was the no-meds-needed-just-wait-it-out kind. That was a fun trip, let me tell you. Yoicks.

Thinking of you and yours and hoping you all feel better SOON.

>69 ChelleBearss: Aw. She's cute even when she's sick. Sending lots of get well wishes to you all.

Morning, folks. Ellie is looking a lot better today so it appears her meds are working. The eye is still swollen a bit but I can tell it's gone down a bit and she is less cranky. Chloe is fine and was driving me nuts asking about school every five minutes so off to school she went. I am hoping she isn't contagious now that she has meds in her system. Hope that doesn't make me a terrible human for letting her go to school but it's hard to keep her home when there isn't really anything wrong with her. Her eyes aren't red now so let's hope.

I am tired today and my right eye feels like it's on fire so lots of meds for me today!

>71 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I know this is probably going to be the worst year. We knew that Chloe's first year of school would bring lots of sickness but this seems a bit extreme! To make things worse our weather doesn't seem to know what season it is. It snowed today and is down to 0c but tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny and 15c. Hopefully once spring actually arrives the germ will die

>72 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I am so over this winter! Every time I turn around it's something

>73 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. I read one whole chapter at bedtime last night but my eyes were tired so I ended up just watching reruns of Friends before falling asleep. Perhaps tonight

>74 RebaRelishesReading: But how quickly will it pass?? LOL. I need a vacation ... by myself :)

>75 Berly: To make it worse my diet bans alcohol for 8 weeks! Just when I need the wine the most!

>76 scaifea: Oh, that was a crappy time to catch it! Glad that Charlie hasn't brought it home though! I am hoping mine will clear up with just the polysporn pink eye drops.

>77 charl08: Yes, she is pretty cute. And she is so easy to put the drops in! Just lays there and lets me do it! Chloe now, she is another matter and fights me. Drop time is my least favourite time of the day.

Happy new week, folks. I'm at work for shift 2 of 4. It's a little slow today so I'm trying to get caught up on LT visits and some reading, personal and research.
I'm in a little bit of a book funk as I am liking my latest book but I haven't had much time for it as I've been researching what I can eat on my FODMAP meal plan. It's super restrictive for 8 weeks so I'm going to have to get creative, but I can tell that it's already helping as I feel pretty good!

This has been my reading for the last week:
48) The Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gut-Friendly Recipes for IBS by Dianne Benjamin
49) The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet by Sue Shepherd
50) The Low-FODMAP Diet Cookbook by Sue Shepherd
51) The Low-FODMAP 6-Week Plan and Cookbook by Suzanne Perazzini
52) The Low FODMAP Diet for Beginners nu Mollie Tunitsky
53) The Bloated Belly Whisperer by Tamara Duker Freuman

>79 ChelleBearss: Hmm. I sense a theme here...

>80 kidzdoc: Yep!

But hey, I finished a non-food book!


54) An Unattractive Vampire by Jim Mcdoniel
75 Books Challenge

Entertaining and fun to listen to in the car

Hey, Chelle. Do you watch Global news on tv? They had a segment this evening on the (ab)use of 911 calls. I half expected you to be the one being interviewed! ;-)

>82 jessibud2: No, I tend to not watch the news and I most definitely could not talk on the news without stuttering lol
My coworkers Melissa and Deb both gave interviews this week though as it is Communicators week in North America. They both did great jobs! I shared the link on facebook for anyone who wants to have a listen and I'll try and remember to post it here tomorrow when I'm home (can't access FB at work)

>1 ChelleBearss: OMG that is an adorable "winter must end" picture

55) The Suspect by Fiona Barton
75 Books Challenge

I've really enjoyed Barton's last couple books. I gobbled this one up in about 10 hours at work.

>84 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! The weather has improved and it was a beautiful 20c today!

>83 ChelleBearss: I don't watch the news either, I find it both too depressing, and just not a real reflection of life.

Hi Chelle! I hope you're doing well.

Except for weather, like yesterday with the threat of tornadoes, I never, ever, watch the news. I do listen to National Public Radio sporadically, and have a few websites on my cell phone that I go to. Less than previously, seriously upset at what's going on 'down here' in the US. Thank goodness for books and LT.

An Unattractive Vampire sounds like a hoot. I could use one of those.

No more pink-eye! No! Not ever! *shudders in grim memory*

Have easy, boring shifts this weekend.

Hi Chelle! I am taking advantage of a rainy Easter Monday to get caught up with threads. Happy new thread! Love the flowers in your thread topper. Love Elissa's facial expression.

>13 ChelleBearss: - I continue to be amazed at the true 911 stories. That is a definite "eye-roll"! ;-)

>49 ChelleBearss: - Like you, I have never read Jane Eyre, so had to just enjoy Jane Steele on its own merits.

Good luck with the FODMAP research.

Sorry to learn the girls got pink eye! That is not fun. ;-(

Hi Folks
I've once again gotten behind. I caught a cold and was feeling miserable and have been watching reruns of Friends on Netflix. I am starting to feel better and am looking forward to sitting in the sun on my two days off!
I'll try and pop in tomorrow to post some Easter pics. The girls had fun doing their hunt and had a pretty good weekend with family!

I'm currently reading Milkman and I'm wishing I had not picked it up. I'm not sure stream of conscious writing is really my thing. One moment the narrator with no name is talking about being stalked by Milkman and then next she is off on a tangent about dead dogs and headless cats, and then back to Milkman. I'm having trouble following and it's driving me bonkers that no one gets a name "second sister", "third brother in law". Also the run on sentences that last half a page are killing me! I'm a third of the way through and determined to start liking it at some point.

Morning, Chelle! Happy Wednesday. I am sorry you are not feeling well. I hope you rebound quickly. I am enjoying the day off and getting ready to head out on a bird stroll.

>91 ChelleBearss: Oh thank you, Chelle. I too am reading Milkman and I'm bored to tears. I'm about 1/4 through and determined to plug on, although I don't really have any idea I'll ever like it.

>91 ChelleBearss: It was a satisfying, deeply involving read for me, precisely because of those factors! Everyone's got their jam...and don't overlook the influence of health. Close Milkman until another day, I advise, and see how it suits you then.

Also feel better soon.

>91 ChelleBearss: >94 richardderus: I agree. I just finished Milkman and I loved it, but I liked the non-names and the repetition. I read it in little spurts between other books and I was always happy to pick it up. If it doesn’t match your brain, don’t push it and it won’t get any better.

>92 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It's downgraded to a cold now so I'm doing fine. We got some outside sun time today and it's been good :) Hope you enjoyed your stroll!

>93 RebaRelishesReading: Ugh, sorry you are being bored! I like when she sticks to the main thread of the story but I get frustrated when she goes off on tangents. I know it's meant to be that way but I think I like my stories a little more linear!

>94 richardderus: That's true, Richard! I've given up on a couple books lately that didn't hold my interest but I like the idea of this story and really want to like it. I'm going to pick it up at bath time again tonight and read a short bit. I want to like this despite the weird bits that annoy me

>95 raidergirl3: I sometimes get annoyed at books that are trying to be too unique. This one seems like it's trying too hard to be different. I'm going to keep going with it as I'm 1/3 of the way through now and determined to finish it. I may pick up some fluff to break up my reading a touch.

Just dropping by to say Hi! Hope you are starting to feel better :)

Hi Chelle!

Get well soon.

Milkman definitely sounds like something I need to fend off with a long stick. It is described with lots of things that absolutely don't appeal to me. Sorry you picked it up and feel compelled to finish it.

>96 ChelleBearss: I will try to finish it too because I just have a hard time not finishing books but I'm certainly not enjoying it. I've been sick too so maybe that's our problem ;> Hope you're feeling better and that we both survive the Milkman.

Hi Chelle, sorry to see that you got another cold my dear but hope it is on its way out. It sound like the Milkman is a trying novel and I do hope you manage to survive it. I have one book that I have started twice but somehow not got past page 70 for some reason, it is a few years since the last attempt and I will give it one final go. I have read one or two books that taxed me but I was determined to finish them, the last one was Boneland by Alan Garner, the final part of the Alderley trilogy.

Hope you have a good end to the week and hope that Nate and the girls are all ok, sending love and hugs to you all from both of us dear friend,

Hi Chelle, sorry to hear you've been under the weather. I find that I have to been careful of 'stream of conscious' books as I usually don't like them, but then, every now and again, there will one that totally catches my fancy. Also mood and health issues play a huge role in how we receive a book. I am forcing myself through a book right now and I have already decided that I will reward myself with a Georgette Heyer book when I get shed of this one.

Hi Chelle!

Happy Saturday, folks! I'm on my weekend of nightshifts and the girls are with their grandparents for the weekend. I slept ALLLLLLL day :) It was lovely.

I have officially given up on Milkman. After a week of trying to get past the weird tangents I just can't finish it. I have put it down and am already halfway though The Hunger by Alma Katsu. It's a fictional horror story based on the Donner party and it's freaky! I hope to finish it at work this weekend.

>97 figsfromthistle: Thanks! It's just an irritating cough now but my voice is almost back and I sound less like Marg's sisters from Simpsons!

>98 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Yes, I should have given up on this one earlier!

>99 RebaRelishesReading: I just don't understand why there needs to be so many tangents and asides. Just tell the bloody story. For every two pages of actual linear story there are 4 pages of random shit added in. I found it too much and too hard to follow.

>100 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. Hope you guys had a good weekend!

>101 DeltaQueen50: I know I have enjoyed a stream of conscious book before but it's like this girl's conscious is on meth and all over the place. I just can't keep track of what she is talking about. I know I have been under the weather and cranky but I'm not sure I would have liked this one any better if I had been 100% healthy. Meh, we can't love them all right!
I love that you are rewarding yourself for finishing that one! I rewarded myself with a starbucks tonight just because I wanted one :)

>102 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

Heya Chelle - congratulations on giving up on a book! Sometimes you just need to acknowledge that the relationship isn't working out, and you'd both be better off if you moved on. And I both loved and was horrified by some of the 911/hospital stories above.

Hope you don't have all the snow we've just been hit with!

>103 ChelleBearss: I also left that one for later, Chelle, which often means it was binned! Didn't grip me as I thought it would although it could be that I wasn't quite in the mood for it.

Happy Sunday!

Glad you let Milkman go, Chelle. Life is too short!

>104 evilmoose: Thanks! I find it hard to give up once I have read a decent chunk. It feels like time wasted. I may still go back to it but most likely not
We had snow last night when I left work but it was 10c today and everything melted again. It's supposed to be a cold week and Chloe's teacher sent home a note reminding us to send snowpants and hats/mitts this week :-(

>105 PaulCranswick: Seems like a lot of people disliked it or loved it, not much in the middle. I'm surprised it was an award winner!

>106 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I don't have enough reading time as it is to be wasting time on books I don't like.

56) The Hunger by Alma Katsu
75 Books Challenge

This was on Stephen King's list of horror he loved and it was pretty freaky. Won't keep me up at night but it was good none the less!

>110 ChelleBearss: Sounds interesting. I'm putting it on Mount Maybe!

>111 Morphidae: It was pretty good, and hey Stephen King liked it :)

So normally I would have a new thread for May but my absence means I'll double up my April thread to last through May.

April was a poor reading month for me with only 4 novels finished, one of which was an audio book. I did a lot of research and meal planning for my health issues and a lot of online game playing and watching TV instead. Hopefully May will bring some good books my way.

47) Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
48) The Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gut-Friendly Recipes for IBS by Dianne Benjamin
49) The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet by Sue Shepherd
50) The Low-FODMAP Diet Cookbook by Sue Shepherd
51) The Low-FODMAP 6-Week Plan and Cookbook by Suzanne Perazzini
52) The Low FODMAP Diet for Beginners nu Mollie Tunitsky
53) The Bloated Belly Whisperer by Tamara Duker Freuman
54) An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel
55) The Suspect by Fiona Barton
56) The Hunger by Alma Katsu

I hope all of your research pays off and that you start feeling better soon.

I hope that the Low FODMAP books are paying off for your health, Chelle. Like you, I had to ditch Milkman after 110 pages. I just could not take the repetition and as you say, weird tangents. I want to like and read it, as it is on the Women's Literature Short List and won the Booker, but so far it has not been my cuppa.

Brr it is cold there. We have had some nice temps in the 60 F area.

Stream-of-consciousness books aren't my thing so I don't even try anymore. There are other books out there that I will like better so I am not going to waste my time. Life's to short and all that. Even if the book is a prize winner.

57) The Wife Between Us by Green Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge: 21 - a book by two female authors

This was a thrift store purchase that I am glad that I picked up. I read this in one shift at work and I love that she didn't just trick me once, but multiple times!

>114 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. It seems to be helping!

>115 vancouverdeb: Sorry to see that you bailed on Milkman too! I sometimes wonder how these books that I deem to be terrible can become award winners. Maybe I'm just too thick to understand what she was trying to do there. Oh well!

>116 benitastrnad: That's true, life is too short to waste time on books we don't enjoy! I bailed on one last night after only a chapter as I could tell right off that it wasn't my cuppa. I've picked up American Psycho now!

>118 ChelleBearss: Speaking of books that aren't my cuppa, American Psycho is definitely one. I had to read passages of it while doing prep for a Freedom to Read Week program a couple years ago and it was most decidedly not for me. Hopefully you get on with it better.

Hello Chelle! I hope all is well with you.

I'm warbling a bit about Bird Box I just finished it and found it quite suspenseful. It is less horror than a post apocalyptic high intensity thriller.

I hope you’re out celebrating, Chelle. Happy Birthday! 🎈 🥳

^I hope you had a wonderful birthday, with the family, Chelle.

58) American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
75 Books Challenge
1001 Books to read before you die

Brutal. Disgusting. Vile.
As it turns out I apparently enjoy disgusting, brutal and vile books as I read this in only a couple days.
Not recommended for anyone with a weak stomach.

>119 MickyFine: I can see how American Psycho wasn't your cuppa. It was pretty gross. I ended up being pretty absorbed into it. I kept reading as I wanted to see him caught.

>120 brodiew2: Glad to see that you liked Bird Box, I did as well. Did you watch the movie? I only like horror books and can't handle movies, but I heard it was done well.

>121 Donna828: Thank you, Donna! My exciting birthday night was spent at a parent council meeting lol. Nate is away this week so we celebrated last weekend.

>122 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Chloe and her friend sang happy birthday to me on the walk home from school. It was cute :)

>123 ChelleBearss: Sooooo, I won't be reading THAT book. At least not in the immediate future anyway.

*****

A belated...

Oh no! I missed your birthday. I hope it was a good one.

>124 ChelleBearss: I'm glad you enjoyed it as well, Chelle. I'm not a horror movie person either, but this books does push the gore button too hard. High tension and foreboding, but not saturated with violence. I have watched the first part of the movie, but not completed it.

>123 ChelleBearss: Your comments made me snigger. I've been reading the feedback about his latest book - he does seem to split the critics.

Hope you had a good birthday.

I am reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and really liking this quiet book. It is long - 500 pages, and took a long time to get going, but now I am happy that I am reading it. It is my real life book discussion group's May selection. If you need something that will take you more than one shift at work, this one would be a good one.

I hope you enjoyed a lovely birthday, Chelle! I'm not much for horror at all. Oh, and just this evening, I realized it is Mother's Day this Sunday. Yikes, somehow it did not register with me and I'm going to have to find a card and gift for my mom ASAP!

>123 ChelleBearss: Well, I'll be skipping that one!

Happy belated birthday. And happy mother's day.

Happy weekend and Happy Mother's Day! This weekend Nate is home from his course (he's been away all last week at OPP head quarters for the motorcycle course). We had his parents over for a late birthday dinner for me and a mother's day visit.
I also managed to find some time to pop out and buy myself a bottle of wine to enjoy after the kids are in bed tonight. Nate is working overtime at a school dance so I'll take a book and some wine and relax in a bubble bath tonight!

I've been having trouble getting into some books lately. Not sure why but if I can't get in in the first chapter or so I've been lingering and barely picking the book up. Needless to say not many books are getting finished here lately.
I spent some time this morning going through the remaining prompts in the Pop Sugar challenge and I've taken out 9 books from the library and am purchasing a few (birthday gift to myself :). I hope to have the challenge finished by July this year, or at the latest August (like last year)

>125 Morphidae: Ha, Morphy. It definitely isn't one for everyone!

>126 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! It was decent :)

>127 brodiew2: I won't be picking up the movie at all. I have a few horror and ghost stories on my TBR for the future but I'll skip the movies!

>128 charl08: I didn't realize that he was still writing. Perhaps I'll check out some of his other stuff at some point.

>129 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita! I'll take a look at it

>130 vancouverdeb: Both of our mothers got flower arrangements from us. I think Chloe and Nate are planning on letting me sleep in tomorrow and perhaps coffee/toast in bed.

>131 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

I'm glad you are having a nice Mother's Day. I was delighted to find that my husband remembered Mother's day with a card and he wrapped up a gift. It has 4 Purdy's chocolates on the top. He has already gone to bed before I noticed the gift last night. I thought - my goodness, what could be in this package? Well, it was a Magic bag for heating in the microwave and keeping warm or putting on your aching shoulder or whatever. I had a good chuckle, but I appreciated that he had remembered. I'm going to one of my son's places later in the week when Dave is off for a combo son Birthday party and Mother's Day. Should be great. Apparently my DIL is making something for me.

I stopped by my mom's place and gave her the card and explained I had no idea what to get her. She had something in mind, a watch with murano glass from an online store. She does not like to order things herself, so I'll get her that. So it all worked out :-)

I hope you had a fabulous Mother’s Day!

Morning Chelle! I hope you had a nice Mother's Day weekend, with the family. I also hope you were able to squeeze in some quiet, (i.e. reading) time.

Happy Friday, folks!
It's been a busy couple weeks here but I can see the end in sight! Nate gets home this afternoon from his two week police motorcycle course and I will be so happy to have him home, for both the love of him and the relief of having the second parent home for these wild beasts children.
Today I get to go to Chloe's school for a Mother's Day visit. I thought it was a tea party but her teachers just sent home a post online saying to be prepared to be outside playing.

>133 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! Nate didn't forget but Mother's Day didn't start out great for him as he ended up having to stay for overtime late and couldn't get up with the girls. I didn't get my sleep in or breakfast in bed but I did get a card that Chloe made for me and they told me to order whatever books I wanted :) So I did :)

>134 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy! It was a decent day and my mom even got me gifts that she bought for the girls to give me. They are insulated tumblers and one says "Mommy's Sippy Cup" and the other has a Family Guy quote "Mom. Mom. Mommy. Mama. Mother" or something like that lol. They hold a decent sized glass of wine :)

>135 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I did manage some quiet time after the girls were in bed and even managed to finally finish a book this week! I'm doing some training at work for a supervisor position and my reading time dropped drastically!

In other news I am halfway finished my Pop Sugar Challenge now! And I have about 1000 books out from the library in the hopes of finishing it by July :)


59) The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
Booker Prize
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge:33 - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title

I ended up really enjoying this once I fully got into it, which took a while. It always makes me feel so sad when I read books about women in prison. I'm not sure why it's any different than men in prison, other than the fact that I'm a woman and I can not imagine that as my life.

This is what I have planned to finish off the Pop Sugar Challenge. Anything in bold I've either taken out from the library already or purchased.

1 - A book becoming a movie in 2019
❊Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

06 - A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
❊ The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

10 - A book with "pop", "sugar" or "challenge" in the title (any better suggestions??)
❊Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

11 - A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover
❊The Devil Wears Prada

12 - a book inspired by mythology, legend or folklore
❊ Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

13 - A book published posthumously
❊ I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

14 - a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie (Rory)
❊Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S. Thompson

16 - A book with a question in the title
❊When will there be good news by Kate Atkinson

17 - A book set on a college or university campus
❊ The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

20 - a book set in space
❊ We are Legion, We are bob

22 - A book with a title that contains "salty", "sweet", "bitter" or "spicy"
❊Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

24 - a book that takes place in a single day
❊ The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

29 - a book with "love" in the title
❊ A serial killer's daughter : my story of faith, love, and overcoming by Kerri Rawson

35 - A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
❊Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

36 - A ghost story
❊ The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

38 - A novel based on a true story
Murder on the Orient Express

39 - A book revolving around a puzzle or game
❊caraval

40 - Your favorite prompt from a past Popsugar Reading Challenge
❊

41 - A "cli fi" book
❊ The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

43 - An "own voices" book
❊ Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

45 - A LitRPG book
❊Wildcard by Marie Lu

47 & 48 - Two books that share the same title
❊DONE Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
❊Outlander by Gil Adamson

49 - A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
❊The Godfather
Fellowship of the ring
Dracula
The vampire lestat

50 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent
❊Murder at the vicarage by Agatha Christie

Hi Chelle! Books, wine, wild beasts children, husband home - looks like things are coming along.

Belated happy birthday to you, too!

Thanks, Karen!
Nate took Chloe our for a Daddy Daughter lunch so I’ll get some down time while Ellie naps later :)

I have Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi on my shelves but haven’t read it yet. I should try to do so this summer. Did you like it?

I read Caraval last year and enjoyed it. I have the sequel on the reading list, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. The library has the recorded version so I may just do that instead of reading it.

>123 ChelleBearss: and >125 Morphidae: I'm with Morphy -- I won't be reading that book!
I'm also with her on wishing you a belated Hippo Birdie Two Ewes.

And I'm glad you enjoyed The Mars Room in the end. I thought it was pretty good.

Happy May 2-4 weekend, otherwise known as Victoria Day! It's a holiday here so the girls are both home for the day but I have to work tonight. I'm not sad about that though as I get triple time for today :)

>141 benitastrnad: I haven't read it yet, Benita, but it's on my list of potential books to finish the Pop Sugar Challenge.

>142 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen! I did enjoy it once I got into it. My reading has really slowed down over the last couple months and I've been struggling to get into books that I would normally gobble up.

60) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson
1001 Books to read before you die
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge: 14 - a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie (Gilmore Girls - Rory)

This was a fast paced and interesting trip into the drug world of the 70's in America. I had never watched the movie but I found this interesting and easy to follow. It's hard to imagine that anyone could actually consume that amount of drugs and live to tell about it!

Happy Victoria day weekend!

I hope your Victoria Day...tree?...and umm errrmmm...meal?...all go to plan.

I consumed enough drugs in the 1970s and drank enough booze through the 1990s with the drugs that I am startled each day when my eyes open of their own accord!

>144 ChelleBearss: Oooh, I LOVE that one! The "high-water mark" passage is so gorgeous. He may have been a bit strange, but that man could write.

>145 figsfromthistle: Thanks, hope you had a good one!

>146 richardderus: Well, I'm glad that your eyes still open!

>147 scaifea: Yes, it was quite a read! I liked that it was actually one that, although bizarre, was still something that was easy to follow and very interesting.

61) When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge: 16 - A book with a question in the title

It has been a while since I finished the first two in this series and I had forgotten how much I liked Atkinson's books. Hopefully I can remember to come back to this series sometime in the next few months and finish it off.

I like the Jackson Brodie series, too, Chelle. I forget when, but she's bringing out a new one some time this year. That inspired me to get caught up.

>150 jnwelch: I will have to double check, but I think I have two more to go in the series before any new ones come out. I think my library has them so I will try and take the next one out for my August vacation!

Today is going to be a lazy day with a bit of grocery shopping and taking care of the sick kids. Ellie just has a cough from the minor cold they both have been fighting, but Chloe developed a fever yesterday which is hanging on this morning. I don't think we will do much today other than relax and watch a movie.

Yesterday I started reading Murder on the Orient Express and I'm enjoying it. I hope to read a bit while we relax today.

Hi Chelle!

Sorry about sick kids, glad you'll have a lazy day of it. I hope the girls get over the colds quickly.

I love Christie - and Murder on the Orient Express is always a good'un.

Enjoy your quiet day, Chelle, but sorry the girls are under the weather.

Sorry to hear the little ones are ailing. Here's to a quick recovery and some rest for Mom!

Boo for illness but yay for Agatha Christie!

62) Rooms by Lauren Oliver
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge: 36 - A ghost story

I enjoyed this, although it was not what I expected. This was not a scary ghost story but more about dysfunctional people and families.

I'm sorry that the kiddos aren't feeling well - you've sure been through the wringer this year with illnesses! I hope you get some relaxing reading time.

Happy Friday, Chelle. Sorry to hear about the kids. I hope they are doing better today. Hooray for Jackson Brodie!!

I am very impatiently waiting for the new Jackson Brodie next month - good to hear you enjoyed this one. I might try and reread before the new one (I'm sure I've forgotten most of them) but would have to find them first!

Hope the girls feel better soon.

Happy, though very belated, Birthday, Chelle! Hope you're celebrating all month long!
Hope the girls are over their boughts of cold/flu symptoms.
Has Chloe started summer vacation or do they go on till June?

Well darn, I am so far behind that I missed your birthday! Happy belated Birthday wishes, Chelle!

Sorry to learn that both kids feeling ill. Here is hoping they bounce back to full health real soon and that you are able to enjoy a lovely weekend.

63) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge: 38 - A novel based on a true story

I love that I never figure out the "who dunnit" in Christie's novels. I think this is the third one I've read and she tricks me every time.

>153 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Thankfully Nate was home to help me wrangle the sick kids.

>154 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! They seem to be getting better quickly.

>155 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! The girls were at daycare and school today so I spent most of my day napping before coming in to work night shift.

>156 MickyFine: Yay for another Christie fan!

>158 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! I was hoping that the warm weather would have meant no more sickness. I was wrong.

>159 msf59: Glad to see another Brodie fan!

>160 charl08: I have a few to catch up on before I could read the new one. Not sure why I had so many years between reading these ones (6 years!)

>161 Carmenere: Thanks! Chloe has her 5th birthday next week so the birthday celebrations continue!
School here last until the last week of June.

>162 lkernagh: Thanks! The girls are feeling better and I am alone this weekend as they are at their grandparents while Nate and I work. This is our one weekend a month when we both have to work so the girls get to enjoy a weekend away

64) The Devil Wears Prada by Lauen Weisberger
75 Books Challenge
Pop Sugar Challenge:11 - A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover

Sometimes I think I'm a bit of a book snob and tend to avoid books that have been tagged as "chick lit", but I ended up really enjoying this one. Sometimes I just need some lighter fare to get back into the swing of reading and this was great for that.

>163 ChelleBearss: Agatha Christie is the best! LOL

Enjoy your childless weekend and I hope they are well by the time they return. : )

How is the FODMAP going? And it is still your birthday month--hope it has been and will be a good one!

>167 Berly: Well, not only are they not healthy yet (but getting there) they have brought me down again. I ended up calling in sick to work last night (Saturday night) as I was coughing so bad and dizzy when I tried to get out of bed. I made it into work tonight (Sunday) but my coworkers are wishing I had of stayed home again as I can't stop coughing and it's a loud dry cough.

FODMAP is going well. I think that my problem is the garlic category in large amounts, as small amounts seems to be fine, as well as coffee in large amounts. I had one bad day a couple weeks ago when I was on night shift and tired and drank too much coffee and paid for it the next day. I've reintroduced gluten with no issues. My next step is to add back lactose. Maybe this set of four days off.

>168 ChelleBearss: The joys of raising kids, right? Sorry, to hear that you have caught the bug too. I hope you get some rest and feel better, once you get home.

I have a couple friends who are both teachers (junior high and kindergarten) and they're one year old is in day care. They have had never ending plague since February. So at least you're not alone. :)

>163 ChelleBearss: I've seen the film but haven't read that one yet. I'm currently doing Marples and then my plan is to do either the Tommy and Tuppence books or Poirot. Haven't quite decided.

65) The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
75 Books Challenge

This was a great audio book and I made excuses to find time to listen. I really liked the main character and will be seeking out the second book asap.

>169 msf59: Thanks, Mark. We went to the doctor today and we both have a virus which they can do nothing about. Doc is sending me for an x-ray tomorrow as my lungs sounded off.

>170 MickyFine: I expected that we would be sick more for Chloe's first year of school but I didn't expect it to be this bad. It's been one serioues thing after another since November.

I hope the x-ray went ok.

Sending get well wishes for your whole clan.

Hi Chelle, I am in the process of catching up after being away for a week or so. I wanted to come by and thank you for encouraging me to give Beartown a nudge up to the top of my TBR. I loved it and now I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I see you are getting your books in a row to finish off the 2019 PopSugar, I am progessing a little slower on that but I did finally read the "choose-your-own adventure" book and I really hated it! No more books like that for me!

Stopping by to get caught up. Sorry to learn the girls are sharing their virus ills with you, but it sounds like FODMAP is working well and YAY for being able to reintroduce gluten into your diet with no issues.

>138 ChelleBearss: I suggest The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen for PopSugar Challenge #10. She's the author of my favorite book to recommend (Garden Spells) and I gave The Sugar Queen 8/10 stars.

Trying to catch up Chelle and sorry to hear about the illness. School will do that lol. My grandchildren seemed to get the illnesses the first year they were in daycare and after that smooth sailing pretty much. I hope you're feeling better.

I really liked The Mars Room.

Another plug here for Sarah Addison Allen and Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. She's a charming (hmm, literally?) author.

I have Garden Spells on my shelves. Maybe I should get to that title this summer? I also have Lost Lake. There must have been something about these books that caught my eye in the bookstore. Maybe I should find out what it was?

>179 benitastrnad: I wasn't as impressed with Lost Lake (not that it was bad.) Garden Spells is all that and a bag of chips.

Thanks for keeping my thread warm, friends! I've been dead for the last couple of weeks with a serious virus which I think had turned into a sinus infection. I've been sleeping a lot and binge watching Schitt's Creek, Friends and Gilmore Girls and not doing any reading. My fever broke last night so I am hoping this is a sign of healing starting!

>173 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! The x-ray was clear, thankfully!

>174 DeltaQueen50: Glad to see that you loved Beartown!!
I did get all my ducks in a row for pop sugar but I checked out too many books at once for my current reading pace and may have to take some back

>175 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I got stalled on the FODMAP and ate somethings I shouldn't have and paid for it. Back on track once I start to feel better

>176 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy! I may take up that suggestions as I'm not sure I want to continue with the Fluke series! Thanks!

>177 brenzi: I am soooo looking forward to the smooth sailing part as I am so tired of us all being sick

>178 jnwelch: That's great, Joe! I'll see if I can find the Sugar Queen as that will match one of my challenges

>179 benitastrnad: Let me know what you think when you get to it!

>180 Morphidae: Ha, love that!