Katiekrug Reads and Reads and Reads Some More - Part 10

CURRENTLY READING
(Kindle) (Audio)

Hi All!

For anyone new to my thread, I'm Katie: reader, wine drinker, food appreciator, shenanigan-ator, and non-sufferer of fools. I live outside New York City with my husband, "The" Wayne, our cat, Leonard, and our dog Nuala/Noodles. I work as a senior governance manager for a non-profit engineering association, which used to be fun because I got to travel and now is just a big pile of meh.

Here's to a great, or at least an improved, new year!

Books Completed

Books Off My Shelf: 17
Books Off My Kindle: 23
Books from Audible: 5
Library Loans: 12

June
57. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty (4 stars)
56. The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
55. Summerwater by Sarah Moss (4 stars)
54. Outlawed by Anna North (3.5 stars)
53. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell (audio) (3.5 stars)
52. Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan (4 stars)

May
Favorite:
51. Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger (4.5 stars)
50. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz (4 stars)
49. The Other Americans by Laila Lalami (3.5 stars)
48. Normal People by Sally Rooney (audio) (4 stars)
47. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught (3 stars)
46. The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine (4.25 stars)
45. How to Break a Dragon's Heart by Cressida Cowell (audio) (3.5 stars)
44. On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (3 stars)
43. Darkside by Belinda Bauer (4 stars)
42. Another Kind of Life by Catherine Dunne (3 stars)
41. Eat Cake. Be Brave. by Melissa Radke (audio) (3 stars)
40. Lord the One You Love is Sick by Kasey Thornton (4.5 stars)

April
Favorite:
39. Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson (3.5 stars)
38. Stories from Suffragette City by Various Authors (3.5 stars)
37. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
36. Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin (4.5 stars)
35. The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie (3.5 stars)
34. The Crucible by Arthur Miller (audio) (4.5 stars)
33. The Vanishing Point by Mary Sharratt (4 stars)
32. Pride and Promiscuity by Arielle Eckstut and Dennis Ashton (2 stars)
31. Island of the Lost by Joan Druett (4 stars)
30. It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn (4 stars)
29. The Secret River by Kate Grenville (4 stars)

March
Favorite:
28. Dodgers by Bill Beverly (4.5 stars)
27. The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe (3.5 stars)
26. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (3 stars)
25. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (4 stars)
24. Shit, Actually by Lindy West (3.5 stars)
23. Difficult Women by Roxane Gay (4 stars)
22. Anywhere for You by Abbie Greaves (3.5 stars)
21. Fat Chance by Nick Spalding (3.5 stars)
20. Memory in Death by J.D. Robb (3.5 stars)
19. Passing by Nella Larsen (3.5 stars)
18. Love by Toni Morrison (4 stars)

February
Favorite:
17. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver (4.5 stars)
16. The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson (4 stars)
15. The Weirdies by Michael Buckley (audio) (4.5 stars)
14. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley (4.25 stars)
13. Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke (4 stars)
12. Paradise by Toni Morrison (4.25 stars)
11. Emperor of the Air by Ethan Canin (3.5 stars)
10. When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele (4 stars)
9. Blessings by Anna Quindlen (4.5 stars)

January
Favorite:
8. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2.75 stars)
7. Triangle by David Von Drehle (4 stars)
6. New Boy by Tracy Chevalier (3.5 stars)
5. 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (audio) (4 stars)
4. Siracusa by Delia Ephron (4.5 stars)
3. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls (4 stars)
2. One By One by Ruth Ware (3.5 stars)
1. Jazz by Toni Morrison (3.75 stars)

Did Not Finish
1. Waterland by Graham Swift
2. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
3. The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
4. Chasing Shakespeares by Sarah Smith
5. Dear Girls by Ali Wong
6. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro



My Ratings (revised, once again, as I continue the fruitless search for the perfect scale...)

2 stars = Whyyyyyy?
3 stars = Eh, ok.
4 stars = Definitely worth the time.
5 stars = Perfect *for me*

(Anything below 2 stars is unlikely to be finished)

Welcome!

Hi Katie! Just caught up on TW's migraine (ugh, poor man) and then saw you'd created a new thread. Just plumping up the pillows and settling in ...

Happy new thread, Katie.

>5 lauralkeet: - Nice to see you, Laura!

>6 Helenliz: - Welcome, Helen!

Looks like the new thread bug bit us both!

Great minds, Jim!

Ew...eyegraines. They do indeed suck wookiee balls.

New thread orisons.

Happy new thread, Katie. I hope TW is feeling better.

Oh, and I plumb fergot to tell you about Confetti at the Cornish Café being 99¢ through the fourth. To top up your supply of cocktail-peanut books.

>10 richardderus: - And what's a new thread without mention of wookie balls? Thanks, RD xx

>11 BLBera: - Thank you, Beth. He is feeling better - he'll be going to the gym tonight :)

>12 richardderus: - I am pretty sure you drew my attention to that one a few months ago... Or is it a whole series of 'Cornish Cafe' books?

>14 katiekrug: It's a series!

>13 katiekrug:

>15 richardderus: - Book pusher!

>16 katiekrug: see >15 richardderus:

Glad I missed the migraine. Glad too that The Wayne is recovered. Tip o' the hat to this new thread.

Happy new thread, Katie! Hope your week improves vastly.

Happy new thread, Katie! I'm so glad that TW seems better.

Happy New Thread, Katie! I got enjoy a Meet Up today. Yah! I hope these joyful events increase, as we climb out under this lingering pandemic. I would sure like to get back to the East Coast.

A new thread! A SHORT new thread! Hi, Katie!

Happy new thread, Katie! Glad to hear The Wayne's migraine is improved.

>17 richardderus: - *grin*

>18 weird_O: - Thank you, Bill.

>19 MickyFine: - Appreciate it, Micky :)

>20 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber. No problems last night.

>21 msf59: - Hiya, Mark! Hooray for a meet-up.

>22 ronincats: - Hi Roni!

>23 bell7: - Thanks, Mary!

Happy Tuesday, all! The Wayne is feeling fine now and made it through our gym session and cooking dinner, and slept well. Yay for that :)

Not a lot going on, though I did finish a book so I'll type up some comments later. Dinner was good - fresh red pepper linguine with olive oil, fresh basil and toasted garlic and shallots. I made a fruit salad on Sunday which I'm enjoying with yogurt for breakfast and I think lunch today will be the vegetable soup I made and hopefully a grilled cheese sandwich I can talk TW into making.

Work is the same, though I think that super secret project gets announced today, so I may get distracted by emails and questions and such. We'll see.

Morning, Katie!

Ooof, that linguine sounds amazing. And also now I want a grilled cheese sandwich.

Happy Tuesday, Katie! My latest read would probably cause you some bleeding feministosis as the MC lets herself get all testosteroned on by a jerk...but it was actually a darn good read. The Color of Rock. Consider it, k?

I've been craving a grilled mozz with pesto and a tomato. *sigh*

Anyway, *smooch* for your Answering Service role's latest rehearsal.

Happy new thread, Katie. Glad to hear all is well again at your house.

>26 scaifea: - Nothing beats fresh pasta, IMO. And O.M.G. The grilled cheese was SO good. Picture below...

>27 richardderus: - I will check it out!

Mmm, pesto on anything please!

*snork* re: answering service.

>28 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!!

So since I've been talking about my lunch rut, I thought I'd share a success story... This is the vegetable soup I made on Sunday (carrots, celery, zucchini, onion, peas, corn, kidney beans, chicken stock, garlic, red pepper flakes, Penzey's Tuscan Sunset blend), which turned out very well. I'm glad we didn't eat it the day of, because this was so much better with all the flavors mushed together. I'd never made vegetable soup before, so I'm rather pleased with myself :)

And TW made these beautiful grilled cheese sandwiches just now - aged white cheddar and smoked gouda on fresh panella bread from the farmer's market. I could eat about 3 more...

>30 katiekrug: That looks amazing! #lunchenvy

Glad I ate before I read your post. Good grief that looks yummy!!

>30 katiekrug: That soup looks terrific! I am usually wary of vegetable soup because it always seems to include veggies or other ingredients (mushrooms, ugh) that I would rather do without, but you hit a home run with yours.

>31 MickyFine: - It was a nice change of pace! And there is soup left over... Along with bread and cheese... So maybe a new lunch rut?

>32 RebaRelishesReading: - It was, indeed, yummy :)

>33 rosalita: - No mushroom will ever darken my door, Julia! TW could have done without the corn, but I like it, so he can suck it up...

>30 katiekrug: Mmm, homemade soup. The sandwiches look good too. Happy new thread, Katie.

Good to see TW get over the migraine. I used to get the ocular ones but they disappeared, around about the time that I separated from my ex. Stress related maybe?

Corn off the cob is endurable but undesirable. ON the cob and it's silage for the pork-roasts. I mean pigs.

Lovely lunch! I had mushroom quiche. Delicious!

Excellent looking soup. And who can resist a cheese toastie?

>35 Familyhistorian: - Mine don't seem to be stress-related, Meg. They are infrequent enough, though, so as not to be too bothersome.

>36 richardderus: - I like corn both on and off the cob. I'll trade my mushrooms for your corn, how about that?

>37 Helenliz: - I certainly can't!

>38 katiekrug: All your shrooms? Like, forever?! Deal!

So, when's the puppy coming home?

Hi Katie, and happy new thread.

I’m sorry to hear about TW’s migraine(?) of the other day. I hope that was a one-off. I had what my doctor called cluster migraines when I was 21-22. It felt like I was being stabbed in the right eye with a hot ice pick and moving my head made me made my head ache. I was sensitive to light and sound, too. They stopped without warning. I’m grateful. Looks like they call them cluster headaches now. My sister gets classic migraines and has medication she takes at the first sign to minimize them.

>30 katiekrug: Yum to both. I agree, the corn is absolutely necessary.

>39 richardderus: - Yes, all of them forever!

There will be no puppy, you rabble-rouser you.

>40 karenmarie: - Morning, Karen! I'm glad your cluster migraines/headaches disappeared. It sounds awful.

Thank you for the corn validation :) I think that touch of sweetness adds a nice flavor to the soup.

Wednesday, eh? Almost to the long weekend!

Last night, The Wayne made stuffed peppers, which were good but he added some kind of hot pepper and it was overwhelming and made my lips burn, so he got most of mine. I wasn't very hungry anyway, and he's promised a do-over next week :) Then I stole Amber's tradition of 30 minutes of reading with Charlie after lunch, and got TW to sit in the living room with me and read, and it was so lovely. I think he enjoyed it, too, as he kept going after my phone timer went off. We probably won't do it every night, but I like the idea of building some quiet time into our routine.

I'm reading The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and it's a lot of fun. Very acerbic - about a writer who steals the plot for a book, which becomes a huge hit.

I started Homage to Catalonia on audio, and it's okay so far. I kind of hate the narrator.

For about 5 years Morgan and I have been doing somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes of reading together every night before I go to bed. It's nice, and it builds some reading time into every day for him.

I kind of hate the narrator.

I find that impossible to overcome.

Corn on the cob roasted in a hot oven shucked at the table and butter and salt is a treat for the gods.

Americans who grew up on Green Giant "Niblets" (ugh) don't know what they are missing

>42 katiekrug: That makes me happy. It's really surprisingly lovely to have that purposely-set-aside reading time, isn't it?

>43 ursula: - TW likes to read but never prioritizes it, so this has the added bonus of reminding him of the pleasure of a book :)

>44 magicians_nephew: - Well now, the corn in my soup was GG niblets, which I don't find too objectionable. They are nice and crisp and taste like something other than tin can :) But yes, having grown up in the rural hinterlands where corn on the cob was a summer staple, I agree it is far superior. It's not in season yet. I refuse to eat corn on the cob before August.

>45 scaifea: - It really was a nice way to relax after work and cooking. And as I said to Ursula just above, I think it will help TW remember why he has so many books!

>46 katiekrug: They are nice and crisp and taste like something other than tin can

Corn is just crunchy sugar-bags, so without tin-can taste, what taste does cellulose, sucrose, and water have?

>44 magicians_nephew: Picked the ears myself. Roasted on the BBQ. Drenched in butter.

Never, ever again.

>41 katiekrug: ...we shall see...and does TW know that Mme la Maréchale refers to him as "rabble"?

Mr. Fine and I retire to bed an hour before bedtime and read then. It's a habit I brought from my single life into our marriage and he likes it a lot. :)

>49 MickyFine: - I usually try to read in bed before turning the light out, but I tend to get sleepy pretty fast and rarely make it through more than 5-10 pages :-P

Pre-pandemic, when we lived in Philly, Chris and I would often go to a cafe in the afternoon to read. It really was lovely. We always read before bedtime but I kinda miss those reading dates. Right now we're a bit consumed by our garden but I have a cafe in mind for when the time is right.

>34 katiekrug: How on earth can anyone not like corn!?! It's the only vegetable I will voluntarily eat from a can. Better yet frozen corn is very nice, especially the frozen roasted corn from TJ's. Fresh (picked same day) corn on the cob, 3 minutes in boiling water, slathered with butter ... nothing better on earth. Especially if the corn is from NY state which has, imho, the best corn on earth (sorry to my Indiana family, but I cannot lie).

>51 lauralkeet: - Laura, you do have lots to keep you occupied these days! I like the idea of going somewhere to read, but the seldom-used living room seems like a change of scenery, so.... :)

>52 RebaRelishesReading: - The rural hinterlands where I grew up were in the great state of New York, so I fully support your endorsement of the corn! Ha. I like mine slathered in butter and then rolled in salt and pepper. Yum.

Two more days until the long weekend! Not that we have any special plans, but I do love the anticipation of a Monday off...

Nothing new to report - work is the same, I'm reading the same books, I was tortured last night at the gym, etc.

After the gym, we had planned to pick up dinner from a new Lebanese place, but we walked out into a big ol' thunderstorm, so decided to delay that until Friday. We came home and had salad and a frozen pizza :-P

Oh! One fun thing - my RL book club is meeting tonight! First time since February 2020. I am facilitating the discussion of The Other Americans, which reminds me I need to think of some questions/topics...

>54 katiekrug: "No plans" are two of the loveliest words applied to weekends.

Happy RL booking!

I'm with Richard, a long weekend with no plans is the best. Hope the book club discussion tonight is good!

>52 RebaRelishesReading: a lady after my own heart, Reba!

butter and salt on mine please sometimes a little cinnamon

>55 richardderus: and >56 MickyFine: - Thanks, RD and Micky!

>57 magicians_nephew: - The cinnamon reminds me of a really wonderful dish I had in Mexico City several years ago. It was some kind of chicken with obvious but not overwhelming cinnamon flavor over a smoked corn puree. DELISH.

I am nearing the end of The Plot, and I am simultaneously eager to see how it ends and worried that the ending will be lame. Fingers crossed that Korelitz pulls it off... It's been a fun ride so far!

And not that anyone is likely interested, but that super-secret work thing was announced - it's a *potential* merger between my organization and one of our "sister" orgs. It probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but it would be. And the amount of work involved in hashing out details to get to the point where the membership can vote on it is mind-boggling. I both want to steer totally clear of it and hope I'm involved in at least some small way - probably in the governance discussions, as our Boards operate totally differently.

>60 katiekrug: I'm interested! Hopefully you get to be in the loop a little but not in an overwhelming way.

>59 katiekrug: Simultaneously saw your post about The Plot and got an instagram alert about a NY Times live interview with Korelitz. She's very thoughtful and articulate. So that seals it for me - added to list.

Sounds like your super-secret work thing might shake things up a bit, which can be a good development. Hope so!

>61 MickyFine: - Ha! Thanks, Micky :)

>62 vivians: - I really enjoyed her The Devil and Webster, and I have a few others on my shelf/Kindle to get to.

I told TW the other day that I wouldn't be surprised if the merger is approved, if my boss decides that it's a good time to retire, which means I'd probably leave, too, because I have zero interest in trying to figure out how to work for someone else...

Ooof, Tomm's company went through a big merger a couple of years ago, which was both stressful and kind of exciting. I hope you get to be involved, but not so involved that it means a lot more work or stress for you.

Oh, and hey, did you see this?

https://ew.com/books/schitts-creek-book-best-wishes-warmest-regards-dan-eugene-l...

>64 scaifea: - Oooh, I didn't know about that! Thanks!

The potential merger for your company sounds interesting, Katie. Much better viewed from the sidelines though. May it all work out in a way that comes out well for you and your boss. From what you've told us, it sounds like the poor man needs a break.

>66 Familyhistorian: - Thanks, Meg. I think my boss would see it as a natural endpoint to his time with the organization. He is close to retirement age, and I'm sure the many health issues in his family have him valuing time spent with them even more. So we'll see...

The company I spent my career with went through numerous mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures over the years. Some involved only one business unit but others were more significant. I was in IT, which needed to be involved no matter the size of the deal, because businesses can't run without their computer systems. There were almost always staffing implications. Much depends on which party ends up with the greater ownership stake, as they will call the shots. I recognize the non-profit world is different but still, don't believe any "merger of equals" rhetoric.

Good luck with the merger, Katie. What would you do if you do decide to leave?

BTW - I went to a fitness class for the first time since our gym is newly reopened, and OMG! I am so out of shape.

A reading date sounds like fun.

>57 magicians_nephew: Cinnamon? I love cinnamon but it has never occurred to me to try it on corn. So...do I mess with perfection or try a little cinnamon and see how it goes...hmmm

Hope the merger works out well for you Katie -- just the right amount of involvement, a clear choice of whether to stay or go, and an interesting, fun job either with the new organization or elsewhere after it's all over.

Good luck with the merger stuffs. What might you do if you did depart? What's your dream??

>69 BLBera: I hear ya! I'm a week ahead of you, that was last week's nasty surprise.

Hi Katie.

>63 katiekrug: Wow. Merger. Boss might retire, you might leave too. I’ll stay tuned…

>68 lauralkeet: - It's funny you say that, Laura, because *of course* the press release mentioned "a merger of equals" and I was like bullshit. My org is the larger of the two...

>69 BLBera: - I don't know what I'd do, Beth. Maybe not much of anything? The best part about working right now is the 401k match, which is very generous. Except for that, I could easily walk away...

>70 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>71 Helenliz: - My dream? I'd like to write. But I don't really have the discipline for it. Though maybe if I didn't have to work.... :)

>72 karenmarie: - It's all a long way off, Karen. But at least it livens up my work conversations!

My RL book group met for the first time in over a year last night. We returned to our usual meeting location - a local Greek restaurant - and sat outside and had a nice catch-up. We didn't talk about the book (The Other Americans) all that much. Everyone liked it to varying degrees, but we all agreed that there were maybe too many POVs, and for that to work well, each one needs to be very distinct, and we didn't feel like Lalami was entirely successful in that. I appreciated the story she was telling, but I think she was trying to weave in too many threads. Still, definitely not among the worst that we've read, so hooray for that since it was my pick :)

I think I'll just let this post serve as my "review"...



3.5 stars

>73 katiekrug: EerEhm...Run For Something. Or better yet, use your awesome organizing skills for the greater good and help someone else Run For Something.

Glad the book club went well, Katie. We are meeting face to face for the first time in June.

>75 ELiz_M: - Definitely not running for anything, but I could see volunteering for something I really believed in. Our current congressional rep is fantastic and I adore her, so I'd definitely like to help her next campaign - and I should do it regardless of what happens with the job!

>76 BLBera: - That's great, Beth. I really enjoyed getting to see everyone again, even if most of the time was spent catching up and comparing vaccines and side effects ;-)

>77 katiekrug: I think >75 ELiz_M: is on to something there....

It got cloudy and a wee bit nippy out in the wind, but it's Memorial Day weekend so let the rain commence!

*smooch*

>78 richardderus: - Bring on the rain! I'm actually kind of glad I'll have a good excuse to stay in this weekend... I need to recharge. Too many (only 2!) social obligations lately :)

>72 karenmarie: Well hell, that's a 200% increase from a year ago, so no wonder you're a bit frappéed.

>80 richardderus: - I think you're referencing >79 katiekrug:, but yes, totally right. It's exhausting!

Hi, Katie. I'm glad to hear that you have an open weekend. Like Richard and Micky, that's my favorite kind.

How did the book club discussion of The Other Americans go? Any interesting comments? i've never been in a book club, although Madame MBH used to host one. The kids and I used to tease her; as the wine bottles emptied, the discussion volume got louder and louder, the opinions more adamant.:-)

>81 katiekrug: Yep. Got the gist, thank goodness.

I posted something here yesterday that had to do with corn and how it's not worth eating until August and also how NY has the best corn but apparently it disappeared or at least I don't see it anywhere Katie. Oh well it was too lengthy for this brain to reproduce it. Have a great weekend. It's cold and rainy here. 41 degrees right now!

In sweet-corn season, Judi would make corn pie and corn pudding made from kernels sliced from from the cob. Fresh corn, picked that day. I'm thinking late June into July. But my memory is an unreliable narrator. I wonder if my weird kitchen elf could pull it off?

My Grand Claire gets migraines, for which she's been getting botox injections at Jefferson Hospital in Philly. First time, she got 31 injections scattered across her forehead.

Hi Katie. I hope you and TW had have a marvelous Memorial Day Weekend.

>81 katiekrug: Thanks. I was puzzled.

>82 jnwelch: - Hi Joe! Great to see you making some rounds :) See >74 katiekrug: for mention of the book club discussion. I've been in several book clubs - this one is the longest-lasting and the most intelligent. But we also like to drink wine. When I first started going, they met at a coffee shop with bad parking. I eventually got them to agree to move to a Greek restaurant with plenty of parking. And wine...

>83 richardderus: - :)

>84 brenzi: - I think you've reproduced the gist just fine, Bonnie. And totally agree about no corn before August! We are suffering a change in weather too - It was 92F on Wednesday, and today is cold and rainy and will barely get past 50F. Gross.

>85 weird_O: - Ooh, those corn dishes sound great, Bill. I've never done anything with fresh corn other than eat it off the cob. I'm sorry for your granddaughter. I have heard that Botox can work for some people, though not all. I'm glad it helps her!

>86 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen! The same to you and Bill.

Cold and rainy here, so a perfect day to stay in and read and maybe clean house? I want to take advantage of the long weekend and try to do a deeper cleaning than normal so that I don't feel embarrassed having someone come in to give me an estimate on the cost of having *them* clean it from now on :)

We were up and out early because The Wayne rented a truck so he could haul bags of mulch and some wood and other stuff for his garden. I'm home now and he is, I suspect, happily frolicking at the nursery in the rain. Such a weirdo.

After the gym last night, we picked up dinner from a new Lebanese restaurant in town. The falafel was not awful (heh), and the hummus was pretty good, too. A little over-priced, though, but I'm happy to support a new business in town, especially these days.

I should finish up Last Days of Summer today - what a hoot! But also very touching without being schmaltzy. Definitely a winner. Still listening to Homage to Catalonia - I'm in the chapter about all the factions and politics which Orwell himself says one can skip because it's so boring, but I am trying to learn more about the Spanish Civil War (more=something) so I am persevering. Too many acronyms...

Rainy and chilly here too today. I suspect I'll give in to the idea of a nap this afternoon.

Renting a truck: Tomm is trying to convince me that he needs a small truck for his occasional mulch/lumber needs. We'd have to trade in one of our current cars and the catch is he wants to trade in MY car because it's the smaller of the two. That makes sense on the surface, because then we'd have the larger car for vacation trips, but I don't want to give up my car for something HE wants and I don't give a hoot about. I love my car. *grumbles*

>89 scaifea: - It seems to me that if his needs are occasional, then Tomm should just do what TW does. He either does the Home Depot by the hour rental, or gets a truck or van from U-Haul. I don't think it's fair to ask you to give up your car! We only have one car since moving up here, and I suspect we'll eventually get a crappy used truck for his convenience, but I told him only when he's made room in the garage to park it, so I don't have to look at it in front of the house :)

>90 katiekrug: Tomm tries to make the argument that the whole truck rental thing is too much of a hassle. *eyeroll*

>91 scaifea: - Waaaaah!

I read a whole non-fiction book on the Spanish Civil war to try and learn at least a little bit about it - I'm not sure it helped. I figured the Comunists & Fascists weren't on the same side, but I'm not sure I could go much beyond that - too many factions to keep track of.

I've taken advantage of a dry couple of days to *finally* mow the lawn, which had done a fine job of turning itself into a meadow in the almost continual rain we've had. Weeded the strawberry patch and made inroads into the vege patch. Long weekend here, it's Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, so we're expecting the weather to be dire by Monday, 'tis traditional.

>92 katiekrug:, >91 scaifea: Cry me a river....

Yep, cold-rainy and yucko. Old Stuff fretted about how he'd get his books to the library without getting them wet...was *blown*away* when I handed him a plastic bag.

He's 77. Not 7.

And now I take a moment to offer up a prayer of gratitude that I manipulated him into reading...goddesses rain blessings even more on James Patterson.

>93 Helenliz: - Yeah, I'm not getting all the factions either. It's in one ear and out the other... We have a long weekend, too, and the weather is dire right now but Monday is supposed to be nice. Go figure.

>94 richardderus: - My first reaction was "Old Stuff reads?!?!?" I should have known you were behind it. *smooch*

>88 katiekrug: I'm picturing TW bouncing along like a cartoon sheep in his nursery frolicking. ;)

Hope your weather improves a bit but enjoy your rainy day reading!

I saw your comment about The Plot on FB and immediately put it on hold at the library. Not surprisingly, there is a queue.

When we lived in Oregon, we co-owned a 1984 F-150 with two other families, one of whom were our immediate neighbors. We all used it when needed, and we "loaned" it to non-owner friends for $10 per use and return it with a full tank of gas. When we visited Corvallis two months ago, we drove past our old house and there was "Cinnamon Bear," still parked on the street! It was a cool system but required some coordination and trust.

Chicken and corn pudding was my Aunt Alice's signature dish for the fall.

Yum!

and as for cinnamon you put the cinnamon in the melted butter and serve it that way. Nothing finer.

Ww now return you to our regular scheduled book conversation

>89 scaifea:, >90 katiekrug: This is why I have a clunker Toyota Tacoma. It’s nearly 20 years old and makes a bit of noise, but runs great on its way to the dump with a load of yard waste. I occasionally get offers to buy it…

Hey, TW is welcome to come and borrow my pickup. Not quite as convenient as trotting to the curb and driving to the nursery But...

One could also draw inspiration from my late wife, who urged me to trade in a money-pit clunker we had on a brand-new truck. She was the money-manager and was confident we could swing it. She was right. But in short order, circumstances changed. So I have an eleven-year-old Ford Ranger with...wait for it...18,000 miles on the clock. It's alllll mine.

>96 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! I like that image of TW :)

>97 EBT1002: - That's a great set-up, Ellen, and I love that the truck is still there. I wish Amber lived closer - we could have a truck-share!

>98 magicians_nephew: - Both sound excellent, Jim!

>99 drneutron: - I do see a clunker in our eventual future, Jim...

>100 weird_O: - Ha! That might be a bit out of the way, Bill, but thanks for the offer :)

Yesterday did not go as expected. I did not clean. I did not finish my book. I puttered around for a while trying to decide what to do, and then TW wanted to go out to a late lunch, so we did that. And then I wanted to go buy pillows for our bed, and I found ones I liked, but the line for the registers was so ridiculously long, wrapping around and around, that I couldn't face waiting over 30 minutes, so we just left. Sigh. We came home and because the weather still sucked, TW couldn't work outside, so we played MarioParty, and then ordered a pizza, and had a Double Feature Night. My pick was 'Memphis Belle' which I loved in my young teenage years for the eye candy (Matthew Modine, Harry Connick Jr, Billy Zane, Eric Stoltz, etc). It actually help up pretty well, and TW likes war movies, so it was a win. His pick was Defiance, which I enjoyed up until I fell asleep. Oops. So I need to go back and watch the last hour or so :)

It's still cold and rainy, so maybe I'll get to that house cleaning today. And the grocery store. And the laundry. But we'll see. I did finally finish my book this morning - more on that later.

Whatever you end up doing today, Katie, I hope some of it is fun.

>102 katiekrug: Sometimes it's nice to have a puttery day, Katie. I had an unexpected visit from my girls plus two of Scout's younger cousins. They went to a park and ran around, then to DQ for ice cream. They all wanted Big blizzards. My daughter get each of them a small one, of which they ate about a quarter. :)

>102 katiekrug: It's Proper Memorial Day today...of course it's raining. And cold. The boardwalk is so empty you could fire a cannon down it and only kill anti-maskers so, y'know, go ahead.

I posted my May wrap-up today but since I don't do y'all's kind of statistical break-down that might not be so interesting. I'm actually ahead of my goal for blog-posting! And I said nice things about Jessica Simpson.

...who even AM I...?

>103 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky. Yesterday was weird. I was in a bad mood for parts of it, for no good reason. I got very little accomplished. I hope today goes better!

>104 BLBera: - That sounds like a nice time with your girls, Beth! And *of course* they couldn't finish even the small ice creams :)

>105 richardderus: - I'm going to try to get caught up on LT today, so I will be sure to stop by... Jessica Simpson, huh?

I'm not going to rehash yesterday because it was a weird day and I was in a weird mood. I don't think the rain and gloom helped. It's finally stopped raining, so hopefully today will be better. I still have the same list of things to do...

Oh gross, I hate those kinds of days. I really hope today is tons better for you.

Thanks, Amber.

Sorry to hear it wasn't a good day yesterday, Katie. I also can get in weird funks when the weather is gloomy. Hugs and joining Amber in wishing you a much better holiday Monday.

Thank you, Micky. It's already better - laundry started, living room cleaned, and now TW is making noises about going out to lunch...

>111 katiekrug: Lunch out sounds like an excellent idea. Hope it's good!

Sorry you also got a case of the blahs, Katie - the rainy cold weather is pretty stinky that way :( Glad to hear today seems to be better, though, and hope you had an excellent lunch!

Looks like a productive day, Katie, and a short week ahead - always a bonus.

>112 MickyFine: - It was!

>113 bell7: - Thank you, Mary!

>114 Familyhistorian: - The second best part of a long weekend is the short week that follows :)

Yesterday was much better! I got some things done and we had a nice lunch out (chicken caesar salad for me). We canceled our gym session for last night and will go tonight instead.

I've got lots to do for work and am feeling mildly motivated which is better than my usual complete lack of motivation, so hopefully I'll be a bit productive.

In books, I'm still listening to Homage to Catalonia, and I started Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan, one of my favorite authors. It's a bit slow, but I think that's part of the point. Regardless, I am enjoying it.

>116 katiekrug: Such a perfect political moment to listen to Orwell's leftist lament. Though the Texas Dems did us all a solid to de-quorum the vote on that *horrifying* voter's rights removal bill.

>117 richardderus: - True on both counts.

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

This is one of those books that will be on summer must-read lists. It's a literary thriller, exploring the nature of stories and who owns them. A one-hit wonder novelist takes the plot of one of his students who has died, and it becomes a bestseller, Oprah selection, and the talk of book clubs everywhere. And then someone accuses him of stealing the story - but whom? Korelitz's novel starts off really well with humor and insight, and though I sort of figured out the twist before it happened, it was a fun ride to have my suspicions confirmed.

4 stars

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

I've had this book on my shelf since June 2005, and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it! It's a charming coming of age novel about a boy in need of a hero and the baseball player who reluctantly assumes that mantle. Set in the early 1940s in Brooklyn, the time and place are wonderfully evoked through letters, newspaper headlines, and other documents. Joey Margolis is a wise-ass who finds his match in 3rd baseman Charlie Banks of the New York Giants. As war looms, Joey and Charlie both learn the importance of friendship and what really matters. Yes, it's cliched, but it's also funny, touching, and warm-hearted. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars

And it's currently on sale for $1.99 on Kindle! Snap it up.

Happy June, Katie! You got me with both The Plot & Last Days of Summer. Mission accomplished.

ETA- I snagged a copy of Last Days. Thanks!

You're welcome, Mark!

Glad to see The Plot was a good one - I bought it for the library and it sat on the shelf for a little while, but now it's out with holds on it. I might read it eventually, but probably not this summer.

The Plot has been getting lots of press, including a feature on the NY Times book reviewe podcast. Sounds great - I'm on the library waitlist!

>120 katiekrug: Thanks again for the tip! It sounds really good.

My inner Neo is in full burgeon. I'm not even tempted by them.

Nope.

Not even a weentsy li'l bit. Tempted, that is. *la di daaa*

The Plot sounds like one I would like, Katie. It IS on lots of lists. I imagine there's a super long line of people waiting for it at the library...Off to put my name on the list.

Yup, I'm # 32. Luckily I do have other things to read.

Morning, Katie! I'm *so* glad yesterday was better for you.

Adding The Plot to my list...

>123 bell7: - Mary, I think it will be one of those "hot" books that fizzles fairly quickly...

>124 vivians: - Hope you enjoy it when your turn comes around!

>125 rosalita: - You are most welcome :)

>126 richardderus: - Resistance is futile.

>127 BLBera: and >128 BLBera: - #32 isn't too terrible!

>129 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber. I'm glad too :) And glad I could add to your list(s)!

I got a decent amount of work done yesterday, so felt pretty good by the end of the day. I knocked out my workout pretty well, too, and then we came home and had a HelloFresh meal for dinner, followed by reading in the (clean!) living room. It was a really nice evening :)

Today will be much the same, I think.

A solidly decent day under your belt always feels like an achievement. Especially when it's the first day after a long weekend. Hope your week is more of the same.

>130 katiekrug: Amazingly, the Nassau County system has 26 copies of the Korelitz & I'm #20 on the hold list!

>132 MickyFine: - Thank you, Micky! So far today is cooperating.

>!33 - I *knew* you couldn't resist. xx

Month in Review: May
(#s in parentheses are YTD)

Books Read: 13 (51)
Mine vs Library: 9 vs 4 (41 vs 10)

Non-US/UK Authors: 3 (Ireland, Morocco, Ireland) (6 - 1 Mexico, 1 Canada, 1 Australia, 1 Morocco, 2 Ireland)
Own Voices: 1 (10)
New-to-me Authors: 7 (29)

Best of the month: Lord the One You Love is Sick and Last Days of Summer
Worst of the month: Eat Cake. Be Brave

DNFs: 0 (5)

>135 katiekrug: The mine-vs-library stat is impressive. I wish I had that balance...mine is reversed, I think.

>128 BLBera:, >133 richardderus: By way of contrast, in the Brooklyn system there are 63 copies and 394 people on the hold list, so an estimated 13 week wait. (I'm not interested in reading it, was just curious how bad the list would be :D )

>136 richardderus: - Yes, I'm pleased to be reading my own books. But then I think about all the ones on my library wish list and get sad that I'm not reading those... Can't win!

>137 ELiz_M: - I just looked and NYPL doesn't even have it in their Overdrive collection, which I find surprising. My local library system has 20 e-books, with 169 holds.

I had a really good gym session last night - shaved a couple of minutes off my circuit time and sweated like a pig and really pushed myself. It felt good :) Then The Wayne didn't feel like making dinner, so we went out and I had firecracker shrimp tacos that were delicious. Not a bad night!

Still plugging away at the same books. And the same job. Same old, same old. My big excitement for today is going for an eye exam. Ugh. I hate the eye doctor...

Good luck at the eye doc's today!

Hi Katie!

>119 katiekrug: I’ve requested this one from the Library – glad you liked it so much.

Good luck at the eye doctor.

For the time being, my course is set. I shan't be diverted by some trendy novel that's...well.

Greeks and a cranky art collector are my projected reads. The Song of Achilles, perhaps coupled with The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid. (I have my eye on a boxed set of the latter three, each translated by Robert Fagles; come on chil'ren, Father's Day and Gramps' birthday coming up.) The cranky art collector is Doc Barnes. I just dipped into The Devil and Dr. Barnes and located the copy of Great French Paintings from the Barnes Collection that I got for a couple o' bucks at Goodwill. The course, as I say, is set.

Hope your eye exam goes well!

I don't mind going at all although I have a strong startle reflex and every time they do the puff of air test I jump. I'm also not great at keeping my eyes open when they do the back of my eyeball scan so I've often had discussions with the optometrist of "everything looks healthy, although you blinked here so we missed a section." *shrug*

>140 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber! I'll be leaving shortly.

>141 karenmarie: - Hope you like it, too, Karen! Thanks re: my appointment.

>142 weird_O: - Hi Bill! a nice duo of reads you've got going. I liked the Miller less than most people, though it was still good...

>143 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! Yeah, I hate that puff thing, too. Part of my problem with eye exams is that I tend to think of them as having right and wrong answers, rather than being evaluative, if that makes sense. So I stress out when I can't see letters of a certain size, or can't tell the difference between #1 and #2 or a and b when the doctor tries different lenses. I feel like I am being judged. It's a weird hang-up, I know...

I had my eye exam today. No air puff, they're only doimg that in suspected cases at present. New glasses, right eye has deteriorated a little for distance. Fortunately they still do the same frames as my current varifocals, so I'm going for the same again. Plus some sunnies for driving - which may have entirely jinxed summer, knowing my luck. I apologise in advance...

>144 katiekrug: As a goody-two-shoes suck-up student from way back, I know what you mean about wanting to give the "right" answer in the eye exam, Katie. That's how I ended up with bifocals in eighth grade —I did not need bifocal lenses but I got so stressed out about not seeing a difference between #1 and #2 that I must have started just picking numbers at random. That was a fun couple of years until my next exam (with a different optometrist, thankfully) who got it all straightened out.

>144 katiekrug: Ah, that makes sense. I really like my optometrist and she's great for telling me when she does the 1 or 2 thing that it's ok to not be able to tell the difference and tell her they're about the same.

>144 katiekrug: My cataract evaluation is in September...I always remind them NOT to use natural belladonna because it makes me pass out and that makes the whole place freak out. The puff dealio makes me no never-mind, with that as a baseline....

>137 ELiz_M: Wow! Darn good thing you aren't in the mood for some of Helene Hanff's li'l gurl's words, eh Liz?

>144 katiekrug: I get kind of anxious when I can't tell the difference either. Especially because there must be a difference, right? (I realize that probably those are very fine gradations at that point and therefore it really doesn't matter if I can't see it.) It's like ... all these clear choices and then... suddenly I've lost my ability to discern.

>145 Helenliz: - No air puff for me, either! Woot! I also got new glasses and sunglasses - should have them in a week or so. And we are basically twins, because my right eye needed a stronger prescription for distance, too, and I got progressive lenses (varifocals?) because I am getting old...

>146 rosalita: - Oh dear, Julia! Sounds like me taking the math part of the SAT and just choosing crap at random... I'm glad it got sorted out - eventually.

>147 MickyFine: - This doctor was great, and she was very patient with me. And thought it was pretty funny when I told her I felt like there were right and wrong answers and I was stressed about failing.

>148 richardderus: - What is the belladonna for? I forget what the air puff is meant to test for, but I think there are new ways of doing it, which is good for me because I LOATHED it.

I think Jean Hanff Korelitz is Helene's cousin...

>149 ursula: - I'm so glad to learn I am not alone in this, Ursula.

So my eye exam went fine. No problems, other than needing a slightly stronger prescription and progressive lenses to help with my newly acquired difficulty in reading small things. I also decided to try the blue-light coating on my glasses since I work all day at a computer. We'll see if it does anything...

I really liked the doctor and her staff, who were all very patient with me and my neuroses. I also liked some of the new technology (I assume it's new? Maybe my old eye doc was behind the times?) - like there wasn't the endless changing of lenses on the thing in front of my face and being asked "1 or 2." It was all computerized and involved colors and dots and cool stuff. Anyhoo, my eye health is good, and I should have my new glasses and sunglasses in the next week or two. I almost freaked out when she said her hand-held thingy measuring the pressure in my eye showed it as high, so she checked another way using some kind of drops and then another gizmo, and that was normal. I got all concerned my eyes were going to explode or something, but she said the hand-held thingy sometimes reads high, and all was well. PHEW.

Woot for the appt going well!! And welcome to the progressive lenses club!

My far-away vision only changes a little bit this time, but I told my doc at the beginning that I knew I'd need a stronger Rx for the up-close part of the lenses and once she examined me she actually said, "Hoo, yeah, your prescription has CHANGED." So I'm looking forward to being able to see better soon!

Glad you survived the eye exam and passed. *smile*

I make my eye doctor show me 1 vs. 2 multiple times. He's very patient, and when I tell him there's very little difference he takes it in stride. He always takes a picture of my eyes and I was impressed a decade ago when he diagnosed Fuchs Dystrophy without even knowing that my mother had it and it's genetic. We monitor it and so far it hasn't presented with symptoms.

>150 katiekrug: what we call varifocals you call progressive lenses. Twinnie!
I'm still not yet ready to be someone who wears glasses (despite having needed them for distance for at least 10 years and worn them full time for the last 5), so I went for rimless again.
I can't collect until 24th, but that's just as I went to the optician near work and I can't get there until then.

>152 scaifea: - When the doctor showed me my current prescription vs what I was going to be getting, I was amazed. Can't wait!

>153 karenmarie: - I've not heard of Fuchs Dystrophy, Karen, but I'm glad you're not having any symptoms!

>154 Helenliz: - I went for frames similar to the ones I have, as I still like them. But they have a bit of blue in them, rather than my current tortoiseshell.

I popped over to the library to pick up a hold that came in - Klara and the Sun for my RL book group. I'd never actually been in this library before - we only moved into town a few months before lockdown - so it was nice to take a look around. On the new fiction shelves, I also found Summerwater and Outlawed, and they both came home with me :)

>156 katiekrug: Ooh, I hope you like Klara and the Sun, Katie!

>157 MickyFine: - I hope so, too. I probably wouldn't read it if not for book club. I hope to be pleasantly surprised :)

>156 katiekrug: EXCELLENT haul!

>151 katiekrug:, >150 katiekrug: I get belladonna'd to dilate my eyes for the macular degeneration/cataract part of the fun. The puff is for glaucoma, so yay for it not being high after all!

I believe the ladies are cousins, indeed.

Spend a splendid weekend!

>159 richardderus: - I had to have my eyes dilated - apparently she does it for new patients, and it won't be an every visit occurrence. Thank goodness, because it took a few hours for me to get back to normal, and I did not like it!

Congratulations on a successful eye exam, Katie. And guess what, I'm reading Summerwater right now. I really love Sarah Moss' writing. There's a sort of ominous tone throughout and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

>160 katiekrug: It's a damned unpleasant part of the proceedings. It's especially so if one's allergic to belladonna!

My doctor has a new hand held gadget for testing my pressure for glaucoma. Thing looks like a big Pez dispenser But its faster and they say more reliable that the old ways. No puff of air thank goodness

The photo of the back of my eyes is never fun. Like looking into the eye of Sauron. But I go to my eye guy every three months.

Nice library haul, Katie. My library is having a sidewalk sale today and tomorrow, and I may stop by...

Congrats on your eye health. I was recently diagnosed with glaucoma, so that's a bummer.

Woot for new libraries!

One thing I love about this eye doc is that she somehow manages to dilate my eyes just enough to do what she needs to do but not enough for me to notice a difference. It's fantastic.

The last time I had an eye exam the doctor first dilated them, did whatever torturous thing they do (I think it's Jim's Eye of Sauron; great description) and then they put in some drops to reverse the dilating drops. My eyesight was pretty much back to normal in 10 minutes or so. Magic!

I'm really hoping when I go back this time they have whatever thingy means they don't have to do the air puff. Always hate that.

And I have been on the progressive lenses train for four or five years now. I expected the adjustment to be much tougher than it was, so that was a pleasant surprise.

>161 lauralkeet: - I'm very much looking forward to Summerwater, Laura. I really liked Ghost Wall.

>162 richardderus: - I would imagine so!

>163 magicians_nephew: - Perfect descriptions, Jim - giant Pez dispenser and Eye of Sauron. Ha!

>164 BLBera: - You'd better stop by the library sale, Beth! And I'm sorry about the glaucoma. Boo.

>165 scaifea: - It's mostly getting the drops that I hate. I was able to drive home just fine - I just had some light sensitivity, so I really shouldn't complain too much. But I will ;-)

>166 rosalita: - Oogh, reversing the dilation would be great! I hope I can adjust to the progressives okay...

Happy Saturday, folks! We were up and out early (for us) and went to the farmer's market. We even managed to snag a primo parking spot, so the day has started off well. Lots of goodies.

We had a torturous workout last night - a super high intensity interval thing that nearly killed me. But of course it felt great to have accomplished it afterwards. Then we came home for what has become our traditional Friday night dinner - frozen pizza and a salad. It's about all we can stand to do after the gym at the end of the week. And then we watched '6 Underground' which was ridiculous but lots of fun. I love Ryan Reynolds.

The Wayne plans to work in the garden today, and I am thinking about running out to look for new bed pillows. Very exciting, don't be jealous.

I will also finally finish a book - I have 5 pages left in Wish You Were Here so surely I can knock that out...

And there's always laundry and housecleaning to do, so I guess that's my Saturday plans set. Maybe we'll go out for dinner?

Sorry to hear about the intense workout but glad there were good rewards afterwards. Here's hoping your day is the perfect mix of productive and relaxing.

Workout intensity is always tied to the reward of good results, no?

Eat out where? I need to live vicariously....

Happy weekend!

>169 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! Does shopping count as productive? I "needed" some basic v-neck tees...

>170 richardderus: - Unsure where but I PROMISE to report back when I know. There is a new Mexican place we've been wanting to try... https://www.bitolnj.com/

>171 katiekrug: The chairs...! It looks like so many Mexican restaurants in Austin.

The Taco de Atún looks extremely delish. They appear to be on the Mayan side of Mexico in general!

Hope Saturday's going well. It's been lovely here. I walked down to the farmer's market first thing. It is possible I supported a local cake business with cake that I didn't need (but it was yum). Then gardening this afternoon and a trip to the garden centre before I do the pots tomorrow.

We're on baked chicken linguini tonight, with raspberries & icecream for afters.

>172 richardderus: - We ended up going out for a late lunch instead. I had a chicken salad sandwich on grilled sourdough. It was okay, but kind of bland. I doctored it up with salt and pepper and garlic powder...

>173 Helenliz: - That sounds like a lovely Saturday, Helen! Explain baked chicken linguine - linguine with baked chicken on top or some sort of casserole? And I'll have two servings of dessert, please!

Dessert all gone. Sorry (not sorry)

As I cook it, onion lightly fried up, then add extra butter, made into a white sauce, cook chopped chicken, bacon, mushrooms (OK, you can loose them - husband wishes I would, but I like 'shrooms, throw in anything else that goes with chicken), throw some cheese in the white sauce, stir sauce & everything up with the cooked linguini, top with sprinkle of cheese, bake in oven so cheesy top goes crispy. One of those hugely adaptable recipies, which is great for someone who cooks by eye, not measurement (sometimes with dubious results).
I wouldn't describe it as a casserole, to me that's a different cooking technique.

>175 Helenliz: - It sounds great, though I am on your husband's side about the mushrooms!

>176 katiekrug: he whinges, but eats them. If I cook, I get to make the decisions. >:-)

>177 Helenliz: - I would whinge and then discreetly pick them out ;-)

Not much to report here. We had a quiet evening - I finished up Season 5 of Schitt's Creek, which means I only have one season left *sob*

I started Outlawed by Anna North, which is great so far. I am hoping to finish Homage to Catalonia on audio today while I vacuum.

This morning, I got a pedicure and then an iced coffee and scone, all of which was a lovely way to start the day! It's hot here - supposed to be about 93F, and I've also now been to the supermarket, so I can pretty much stay inside the rest of the day. The Wayne is making pork chops, brussel sprouts, and potatoes for dinner tonight - all of which came from the farmer's market yesterday. I plan to make a fruit salad and either chicken or tuna salad for lunches this week... I've finished the clothes and towel laundry so just need to do a load of sheets and some blankets to be put away for summer. And other than that, I'm just going to read and maybe watch a few episodes of 'Normal People' on Hulu.

>179 katiekrug: Sounds like the perfect day to me...I have no intention of poking my nose out-of-doors today in that almost-90° crud. (We're always about 5° cooler in Summer, warmer in Winter because ocean.)

I posted my 99th review of the year! *woot* I'm on track to hit my goal of 190 for the year, easy.

>180 richardderus: - 99 reviews?!!?!? *faints* Good for you!

The Wayne just left to go to the home improvement mecca, for what I do not know. But he's stopping at the wine shop for me, as I need some nice, crisp whites to cool me down...

>181 katiekrug: thank you, thank you *queenly wrist-wave*

Let's be honest, who the hell cares what he's after so long as there's a lovely riesling in it for you.

>182 richardderus: - Riesling?!!? Ptooey. The only whites I will drink are sauvignon blanc (and only from Marlborough, NZ) or, in a pinch, pinot grigio... But yes, you are right, generally speaking!

>183 katiekrug: OIC

Well please pardon I, silly viniferously peasant-hoofed self

I like Sauv Blanc, but there's nothing wrong with a Dry Riesling, IMO. We tasted several during a trip to Seneca Lake NY last autumn, and have kept some in stock ever since through regular orders from one of the wineries we visited.

Heya Katie, so good to see your updates! Passing through to say hi on your new thread!

Nice to have the eye exam over, Katie. I put off going to mine but recently made an appointment. They can fit me in for one in August. By then I'll have forgotten all the beastly things that appeared on your thread about eye exams.

Have a wonderful week.

ETA. Hope you enjoy Outlawed. I found it good but odd.

Hey Katie, to continue on with the IG Stewart O'Nan love. My favorite is probably A Prayer for the Dying, followed closely by Last Night at the Lobster.

I've pretty much loved everything I've read of his, so far.

The Odds
In the Walled City : Stories
Pittsburgh Noir - he has a pretty good story in this Noir collection (he's from the 'Burgh, if you didn't know)

>184 richardderus: - Oh, nonsense! It's just a personal preference!

>185 lauralkeet: - I associate Rieslings with sweet and do not like sweet wine. If you have a suggestion for a non-sweet one, let me know!

>186 vikzen: - Hey there, Vic! Thanks for stopping by.

>187 Familyhistorian: - The eye exam wasn't beastly at all - I hope yours is similarly un-beastly :) I am enjoying Outlawed and its unique take.

>188 mahsdad: - Hi Jeff! Lobster is my all-time favorite, I think, but I also loved A Prayer for the Dying. You should track down Everyday People which is linked stories set in Pittsburgh. I really liked that one, too.

Gross. It's hot here. And one of our a/c units (we have a split zone with two units) isn't working quite right. Of course, it's the one where the bedrooms are, so I slept poorly. I called an HVAC company and they have no openings until the 18th, but we are going away that weekend, so I have an appointment scheduled for the 22nd. I guess I should call around and see if I can get something sooner. The good news is, this isn't Texas, and the heat is supposed to break mid- to late week. But it makes me cranky...

Anyway, I got lots done yesterday and felt very productive, which is always a good feeling going into a new week.

I'm enjoying Outlawed and I did finally finish Homage to Catalonia on audio and started Becoming by Michelle Obama. I don't usually like long audio books, so I will probably listen to half and then switch to something else and then finish it up. But we'll see...

It's gross here too, Katie. Charlie and I went for our morning walk and it's already muggy and just ick out there.

>191 scaifea: - I so loathe summer.

Reminding myself "it's not triple-digit heat" only goes so far when the changes cause whiplash from their speed.

I must say, though, that the parade of pretty semi-naked men up the ramp to the boardwalk is one mitigating factor.

>193 richardderus: - If I had that view, I *might* not complain so much!

Amen to all of the comments about hating heat and summer! Especially humidity with heat.

Also ditto to suggestion you try a dry Riesling. The only whites I really like are Sav. Blanc and dry Riesling. I like most German dry Riesling's (and they're marked "dry" so easy to tell).

Good luck with the A/C.

It was so hot here yesterday I was trying to remember what ice wine tasted like, just for the name.

I agree with Reba, Katie. Also here’s the Seneca Lake dry Riesling we’ve been ordering:
https://shop.wiemer.com/product/riesling-dry/

We also like their reds and rose. Just mentioning that so you can take full advantage of the shipping cost. You’re welcome. 😃

>192 katiekrug:

>195 RebaRelishesReading: - Okay, I guess I'll have to try a dry Riesling!

>196 ffortsa: - Ha! Did it work, Judy?

>197 lauralkeet: - Oooh, you're a bad influence, Laura! I'll check it out :)

>198 scaifea: - Sweet David. He gets me.

I'm fine with summer. *shrug*

I mean, I'll complain from time to time ... but there's always something to complain about.

It's super humid here, so although it doesn't usually get (much) above 90, it's pretty toasty. And we're on the 5th floor, without A/C. But it's better than Fresno!

Thinking of you...

>200 ursula: - I admire your forbearance, Ursula!

>201 msf59: - Can't imagine why... *grin*

>202 katiekrug:, >201 msf59: HA!! I love that!

Go look at my book-haul!!

Very hot and humid here too Katie. Next week will be 70s which for me is the perfect weather.

No white wine for me either, Riesling or otherwise.

ETA did I miss your comments on Wish You Were Here Because I'm staring at the book right now and I'd like to know what you thought.

>201 msf59: ohhh - a far more fun version of whack-a-rat! And it self-handicaps - you'll get worse as you win...

I'm not proud, there's very few wines I won't drink. Fan of robust reds and dry whites, but apart from dessert wine (which is like drinking cough mixture, imo) I'll drink it.

>203 richardderus: - I'll be over shortly!

>204 brenzi: - The weather is supposed to moderate here, too, thank goodness. I think we have today and tomorrow and then temps that are more reasonable.

I only drink white - super cold - in the summer. Otherwise, I'm a red girl all the way :)

Oops, I need to type up my comments on Wish You Were Here. Short version: it was good, but don't expect a lot of plot. Very much character-driven. I think the location would add a level of interest for you (they are at Lake Chautauqua).

>205 Helenliz: - Helen, we really are twins. Dessert wines are just No.

Still hot here. A/C is still effed up. I sweet-talked a woman at an HVAC company into getting someone out here sooner than she originally said they could, but it's still not until Monday. I took a cold shower last night before bed and had a standing fan aimed at the bed, along with the ceiling fan, and managed a decent night's sleep. I expect we may go out for dinner, since turning on the oven doesn't really appeal :-P

I finished up Outlawed last night, and am now three reviews behind. I will try to get some done today in between work stuff.

>207 katiekrug: Only three reviews behind? Amateur! I am *mumblety mumble* behind.

>208 rosalita: - Yes, but you put more effort into yours than I do!

>209 katiekrug: That's what I want you to think, anyway. :-)

I just posted one so now I'm only *mublety mumb* behind.

Hi Katie!

Sorry about your hosed AC. I hope that fixing it is easy and not expensive.

I hate NC summers. It's 79F, 80% humidity, going to a high of 85F today. Indoors and reading day for sure.

>210 rosalita: - You're just trying to show me up!

>211 karenmarie: - Hi Karen! Thanks for the a/c sympathy. I keep reminding myself I grew up without a/c in the house and that I will survive. It's just not super fun.

Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan

A widow and her two children and their families, along with her sister-in-law, spend one last week at the family's summer cottage on Lake Chautauqua in western New York. Like every family, they all carry some baggage - childhood resentments, petty jealousies, failed marriages, etc. The matriarch is seemingly aloof, her children a bit of a disappointment, her grandchildren not of much interest. The surface interactions and story threads are very basic. What O'Nan (one of my all-time favorite authors) has done so well is to give each character - even the children - profound interior lives and character depth. As always, his everyday details of life add richness and reality to the story, which is almost entirely character-driven. If you need a fast moving plot, don't bother with this novel. But if you like complex characters and relationships, as well as acutely depicted settings and atmosphere (his depiction of that claustrophobic feeling of a rainy day stuck inside on vacation where you look for any excuse to get out and have some alone time is just pitch perfect), then Wish You Were Here will be a winner.

4 stars

I remember really liking that O'Nan. Was it a sequel or prequel to Emily, Alone? Another really good one.

>214 vivians: - WYWH was published first, and I think EA is a sequel, while Henry Himself is a prequel.

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

I knew very little about the Spanish Civil War before reading this, and now I guess I know a bit more? But it was kind of a slog, an alphabet soup of acronyms and confusing in-fighting. As he says at the end, Orwell saw only a small piece and one side of the war, so this is certainly no definitive history of the conflict. It didn't really make me want to learn more, either. Still, the writing is strong and evocative and I'm not sorry I read it.

3.5 stars

>216 katiekrug: It's a stunningly complex subject, one that is directly and causally related to WWII, and it's never gonna be a short study.

Orwell was an eye-witness, so that's why his take is valuable at all, but it's not like there isn't a huge hill of stuff you need to know before the view from there makes any sense.

>213 katiekrug: Yay!

I'm so far behind on writing the reviews I *want* to write that I'm getting much firmer with myself about what needs to be Burgoined.

>216 katiekrug: Chris has tried to get me to read Homage to Catalonia ever since our vacation in Spain a few years ago. Your review doesn't tempt me, and RD's perspective in >217 richardderus: just strengthens my resolve.

>217 richardderus: - If I decide I want to learn more, I might attempt SPain in Our Hearts, which is supposed to be very good. I see from the subtitle, it's about Americans in the conflict, but it's probably a bit more comprehensive. For now, I'm okay with my lack of knowledge.

I saw you posted a few reviews today. How far behind are you!?!?

>218 lauralkeet: - Yeah, I can't say you're missing much, Laura (sorry, Chris!) :)

Poor Nuala has kennel cough :( We suspected it might be so, as she had a day last week where she'd cough when she got excited, and she's had some eye goop. She had a vet appointment today to get her annual vaccinations, but she can't get them until she's all better. So she's got an antibiotic to speed things along. Luckily, she hasn't been to day care in over a week...

ETA: I say "poor Nuala" but she's not acting sick. Maybe slightly less energetic, but she hasn't coughed at all in several days, though apparently she had a bit of a light cough while with the vet.

>220 katiekrug: Poor Nuala! Are you able to go in to her appointments with her, or are they still making you wait in the car?

>221 rosalita: - Still have to wait in the car. Luckily (or not), she is so friendly, she'll happily go off with anyone :-P

>222 katiekrug: Ha! I inferred from various things mentioned by the groomers and dog sitters that my Odie frequented that he was a calmer, more mellow pup when I wasn't around. Still not sure how to take that ...

As a fellow O'Nan fan I am really surprised I haven't got to Wish You Were Here. I need to remedy that oversight. I would also like to read Homage to Catalonia.

Our dear departed Lilly* had kennel cough once and Nuala's experience is much like hers. It wasn't a big worry, and it soon passed.

---
* I can't resist mentioning that Lilly, a British Lab, was actually named Lilibet which means we had that idea before Harry and Meghan. 😀

>213 katiekrug: Heh, sounds like my kind of book Katie. And, embarrassingly, it will be my first O'Nan🤷‍♀️

>219 katiekrug: Many. Many. Many are the reviews I'd like to write and I keep thinking, "oh there's so much more to say than just a shortie" but then it's impossible to both read and write about books simultaneously...I swear I've tried to figure out how to do it but it simply will NOT reveal itself to me!

Tomorrow another good-sized review, this one Under the Udala Trees. *sigh*

>223 rosalita: - I have not had any reports of Nuala being mellow :)

>224 msf59: - I thought for sure you had read WYWH, Mark! Get on it!

>225 lauralkeet: - Was she named Lilibet after the Queen? And yeah, Nuala seems mostly fine. I just feel bad she has to stay away from day care, which she loves... We were supposed to go visit my in-laws the weekend after next, but she won't be done with her antibiotics by then (though nearly so) so we are waiting to hear from The Wayne's mom if she wants us to come or to delay - she has a dog with health problems and we wouldn't want to expose her...

>226 brenzi: - Bonnie, I think you would love O'Nan. He seems solidly in your lane.

>227 richardderus: - I have Under the Udala Trees on my Kindle. I need your review to tell me whether I should read it or not!

We got some big storms yesterday afternoon which helped moderate the temperature a bit. The Wayne still didn't feel like slaving over a hot stove, so we went out to dinner. Today should be the last day of high temps for the foreseeable future, thank goodness! I'm such a weenie.

I am halfway through Summerwater which is very good. I might even finish it by tonight - I have 100 pages left, but the pages are small and the type not so much, so it reads fast...

Work is work is work - hardly worth commenting on, to be honest. I have my regular weekly meeting with my boss, and other than that, I'll just be plugging away at my TO Do list, which is mostly organizing stuff for our upcoming Board meetings in July.

>229 katiekrug: The storms were great, weren't they?! I love summer thunderstorms. It *is* much nicer now they've rinsed the atmosphere.

Get to that Udala Trees read!

>228 katiekrug: Was she named Lilibet after the Queen?
Yes, Katie. We were living in England then and wanted Lilly's name to have some direct association with that time in our lives. Some people reacted to it pretty much as the Palace has responded to the new baby's name. I guess it might have been seen as slightly disrespectful? Clueless Yanks, that's us.

>231 lauralkeet: Oh, is the Queen not happy about having her great-granddaughter named after her? I hadn't heard that. It seems a bit churlish but on brand for that lot.

>232 rosalita: Mixed messages, initial reports that she hadn't been consulted, response that she had.
I could understand if she was a bit torn. Lilibet is what she used to call herself, as a young child, when she struggled to say "Elizabeth". It's not a general shortening. It was only ever used by her parents and husband, so I can understand if she did have some reluctance.

It's a bit like a descendent of mine calling their child "Yeyen", which was my early attempts at "Helen". There are many reasons I've never sprogged, adding that to the list.

>230 richardderus: - Not so nice at the moment in my broiling office. But relief is on the way!

I've pencilled in 'Udala' for next month. xx

>231 lauralkeet: - Clueless Yanks or Brits Who Took Things Too Seriously?

>232 rosalita: and >233 Helenliz: - Gah. I'm so tired of all of it. Which is not to say you can't comment on it here, because I love all my visitors, but I just can't get worked up about it on either side. The lot of them need group therapy.

ETA: I just saw something on Twitter that indicated an anonymous palace source told the BBC that the Queen was not consulted about the baby's name, but that Harry and Meghan's spokesperson pushed back on that, saying Harry informed the Queen of the baby's birth and indicated their plans to name her Lilibet, and the Queen did not object. Or something like that. See what you've done?!!? I'm now all caught up on Royal News and have probably lost important knowledge since my tiny brain can only hold so much information...

>234 katiekrug: I share your weariness, Katie, and yet I keep reading about them so ...

And now I've found this, which — full disclosure — is coming from the notoriously royals-smooching People mag: https://people.com/royals/baby-lilibet-name-proves-remarkable-bond-prince-harry-...

The low-class people I hang around with are much more likely to get their knickers in a twist over one of their offspring NOT naming a child after them (especially if it gets named for the parent on the opposite side) but as I'm constantly reminded, It Takes All Kinds.

>234 katiekrug: mea culpa, Katie. But also #sorrynotsorry

>235 rosalita: - I tried to convince both of my cousins to name their daughters after me. The closest I got was one of them getting the same middle name as I have (Margaret), and I think that was probably because it was a grandmother's name, but I choose to forget that ;)

>236 lauralkeet: - I think you're being too understanding. We fought a war for the privilege of naming our dogs after their hereditary monarchs. That's what it was about, right?

Ha ha yes of course.

But just realized that in >236 lauralkeet: I wasn't clear what part of your post I was responding to. It was the "See what you've done" part, since I kinda took your thread off on this Liilbet tangent.

>238 katiekrug: *snort*.
When I did my university year in the states, we had set courses to take, which were 20 credit hours, and we had to make it up to 28 for the year. So I took geology, 2 courses in swimming & American History from 1492 (because that's when history begins *rolls eyes*) to 1865. Including the war if Independence. Let's just say that you have a very different slant on it.

At one point we had to write an essay on the significance of Yorktown, when I may have let rip with the alternative perspective, including phrases like "it was the first time a major power had been defeated by an upstart group of rebels". Came back at 4.5/5 and the comment "very interesting viewpoint".

I may have missed the dog naming thing, but it was probably in there somewhere. >;-)

Anyway, it's nearly Friday, it's muggy and it's off to the office for me. hurrah! I do love my day in the office.

>234 katiekrug: I’d go with Brits taking things too seriously, personally. But who these Brits are is a bit of a mystery to me as I never seem to meet anyone who has anything more than a passing interest in the royal family.

>241 SandDune: Our landlord seemed somewhat aghast when we named our dog Lilibet (aka Lilly). But then he was an old Etonian and a staunch Tory. I wouldn't say he was interested in the royal family, but he had strong feelings about all things British. And yes, I'd say he took the dog-naming a bit too seriously.

>239 lauralkeet: - Ah, I see! That makes sense.

>240 Helenliz: - Too funny, Helen! I'm glad your perspective was appreciated by the professor and not dismissed as "wrong."

Enjoy your office time.

>241 SandDune: and >242 lauralkeet: - It takes all sorts, I guess :) But I can't think of a higher compliment than naming a dog after someone, given that dogs are The Best. The landlord must have been a dog-hater, which is worse than being a Tory ;-)

It's not hot! Woot! I'm actually a little chilly in my t-shirt and shorts with the ceiling fan on and the window open. BUT I AM NOT COMPLAINING.

Gym was good last night, though very sweaty, and again we didn't feel like cooking, so we ordered in and I got a turkey BLT which the restaurant neglected to put any turkey on. It was still delicious, but I'm sort of annoyed about the wasted $2.00 or whatever. I should probably call and complain but I'm not sure $2.00 is worth it :-P

I have my first virtual happy hour in over a month tonight, so am very much looking forward to that. I'll be getting a salad for dinner because apparently going to restaurants more often is not helping with my weight loss. Sigh. Must buckle down!

Nothing new with work. My boss is on vacation next week, so it should be rather quiet and hopefully I can get a lot done.

I finished Summerwater last night and started Klara and the Sun this morning. I'm not sure about KatS - it's for book group which is the only reason I'm reading it, as the premise doesn't really appeal. I'm 20 pages in and bored. I guess I should give it longer to hook me, but I look at the piles of books I have that I really WANT to read, and I get annoyed. Blerg.

Outlawed by Anna North

In the 1890s, the United States no longer exists, a Great Flu devastated society some years back, and the ability to bear children is paramount. Anna North has created an interesting alternative history that doesn't feel outlandish, and in it she places Ada, who is married to a childhood friend but is not a mother. Her inability to conceive and the attendant suspicions of her community cause her to flee, first to a convent and then to the Hole in the Wall in Wyoming where a community of women, led by The Kid, are hoping to build a kind of feminist utopia.

It's an interesting story and moves along at a good clip. I enjoyed the glimpses of and references to the wider society and how things worked - racism is still rife (shocker!) and outsiders viewed with suspicion. The placing of Motherhood on a pedestal, which our own society does in many ways, is taken to an extreme and barren women are assumed to be witches, men can cast out a wife who fails to fulfill her one important duty, and victims of rape and incest are forced to bear their abuser's children. Some of this sounds awfully familiar...

The brilliance of the society North creates is that it places women at the center because of their ability to have children. Mothers of multiple children are lauded. But in this women-centric world, the women actually have no power - they are merely a vessel by which this dark and twisted society is perpetuated.

So why only 3.5 stars? Well, I found some of the characterizations to be shallow at best. We are introduced to several members of The Kid's community, and I had a hard time remembering who was who because they were drawn so thinly. I also felt like there were some aspects to the story that could have been developed more fully, including the ending which was very abrupt and not at all satisfying to me.

3.5 stars

>246 katiekrug: So Handmaid's Tale as a Western?

Glad to hear it's cooled down for you. We've been cool and rainy most of this week, which was a nice break after the heat wave but I'm ready for it to be a little more summer-y again soon. :)

>247 MickyFine: - Yes, there was very much The Handmaid's Tale feel to it...

I hope you get some sun soon!

ETA: Outlawed=The Handmaid's Tale+Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman :)

>248 katiekrug: That's an excellent description, Katie. They should get you to do book blurbs. ;)

>249 MickyFine: - Ha! Wouldn't that be fun?

The most excellent historical fiction The Mercy Seat by Elizabeth Winthrop is on sale on Kindle for $2.99. Don't just take my word for it, RD liked it too!

I'm (virtually) sitting in a queue on Seat Geek, trying to score tickets to the limited re-run of 'Springsteen on Broadway.' Fingers crossed!

>251 katiekrug: Liked it hell! Fair to say I warbled my fool lungs out about it!

I know it makes no sense to do so, but I bought one to keep on my Kindle just in case I want to read it again. Silly, isn't it. But it made me feel better.

>252 katiekrug: I've got my fingers crossed for you, too!

>253 richardderus: - I figured you'd chime in with your own enthusiasm. I was just teeing it up for you!

>254 rosalita: - I knew you'd be pulling for me, Julia! I really have to pee but I'm afraid to leave my computer... Poor planning on my part.

Oh, well, that was a big, fat fail. Only single tickets left and the cheapest were $400. Guess I'll just watch the Netflix show!

>256 katiekrug: Oh hell! I was rootin' fer yinz.

>255 katiekrug: Heh...I see that football, Lucy...

*smooch*

They should just give Jersey residents free tickets, IMHO.

>258 katiekrug: I was afraid tickets would go fast. They didn't do any of the pre-screening that they did the first time around to weed out the bots and the scalpers. It's a bigger theater, though, so I was hoping it might not be quite such a mad dash.

They should just give Jersey residents free tickets, IMHO.
Ha, no.

>259 rosalita: - It was worth a shot!

I just picked up my new glasses and sunglasses. The progressives are weird. I know I'll get used to them, I just have to be patient. Not my forte. Heh.

>261 katiekrug: For me, progressives were insanity-inducingly hard to maneuver. I ended up with contacts and reading glasses.

Now I've got basic bifocals and they, for some reason, are fine. *shrug* Ain't humans weird.

>261 katiekrug: I heard so many horror stories about progressive lenses but in the end I got used to them pretty quickly. I hope it's the same for you.

>263 rosalita: I'm with Julia - I bet it won't take you long to get used to them. I think it was maybe a day and a half with my first ones and then I was fine.

>262 richardderus:, >263 rosalita:, and >264 scaifea: - I think I'm slowly getting used to them. I don't think I'm using them right, though - I'm pretty much ignoring the bit at the bottom...

It took me a day or two of feeling like a nodding dog, but that was it. Give it some time.

>266 Helenliz: - It's already getting better!

Happy hour last night was good, as was the pizza we ordered - pesto, fresh mozz, and crumbled sausage. I may have some for breakfast :)

I gave up on Klara and the Sun - it was just kind of boring and not engaging me at all. I'll be interested in the book group's discussion of it next week, and maybe it will convince me to give it another try. In the meantime, though, I've started The Wallflower Wager which is lots of fun so far.

Not much on the agenda today - work, gym, movie night. Same as last Friday...

Woot for giving up on books that don't excite you!

How are the glasses this morning?

>269 scaifea: - I'm getting more used to them, thanks!

>270 katiekrug: Woot!

Glad to hear the glasses adjustment is going swell. And yay for Tessa Dare!

>271 scaifea: - Woot! indeed.

>272 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! And one can't go wrong with Tessa Dare *grin*

Tessa Dare > Ishiguro. Wow! That's bold, I love it!

Glad the glasses are settling. And yay for Friday!

>274 richardderus: - Guess I'm just not very high brow!

>275 Helenliz: - Yay for Friday for sure!!

Being sort of unibrow myownself, that's a relief to me.

The Netflix recording of the Springsteen on Broadway event was pretty good, I thought.

Ticket prices are sneaking up not so gradually but I can't think of any show that I would lay out 400 scoots to see.

What was the Woody Allen joke? "They're doing the stories from the Bible - with the original cast"

Maybe that one.

Sorry you didn’t’ try score the tix - we have similar problems trying for the good shows at the Kennedy Center. Hamilton was ridiculous…

>277 richardderus: - HA! I love being a "unibrow" reader.

>278 magicians_nephew: - I probably would have happily paid $400 or even a little more for two tickets, but no way for one.

>280 drneutron: - I was lucky to score Hamilton tickets through a friend - her sister won them in a lottery or something and was generous enough to share them. But yeah, I hear you about the process of snagging tickets. It's crazy - though I don't know that there is much way to improve it...

Gloomy and grey Saturday here, but I don't mind since it's the weekend. I have some cleaning and other chores to do around the house - the a/c guy comes on Monday and of course the house needs to be spotless for this perfect stranger :-P It's a good excuse to get to some things I've been ignoring, so.... yay?

The gym was good last night, and then I was craving Chinese food, so that's what we had for dinner. So I guess that cancels out the gym. *shrug* It was my pick for movie night, and I went with White Men Can't Jump, which I loved in my younger days. It wasn't quite as good as I remembered, but The Wayne really enjoyed it - he hadn't seen it before. Then I toddled off to bed to read.

I'm loving The Wallflower Wager, which is just good fun and funny and sweet. I'll probably finish it up this morning before starting on the chores. I hope to spend some time with Michelle Obama while doing housework. I've been neglecting my audio book for a few days...

Hi Katie!

>261 katiekrug: Good luck with the progressives. My husband loves his. I only need glasses for close up/computer work, and have bifocals for that.

Sorry you didn't score tickets for Springsteen. I'm with Jim - can't think of a single show worth $400/ticket.

>282 katiekrug: Chinese food. Haven't had any since last February and the place we love still only has outdoor seating and we didn't want to eat outdoors in the spring rain and don't want to eat outdoors now in the summer humidity. We'll have to wait for them to have inside seating.

>283 karenmarie: - Morning, Karen! I think I've adjusted to the progressives. I've always (well, since I was about 8) had glasses for distance, and could just keep them on for reading or whatever, but I had started taking them off to look at small print up close. Now I just have to move my head a bit to see that stuff - I don't need to often so the adjustment has been pretty easy.

We are lucky to have a bunch of options for Chinese - all do takeout and delivery. The one we opted for last night isn't the best, but it's the closest. We went to pick it up - we could walk but it was drizzling and The Wayne doesn't mind driving short distances now that we've got the hybrid electric car and it can do the short distances all on electric power.

>284 katiekrug: Already adjusted! Excellent. And just in time for them not to give you a reason to slag off the housecleaning...
...
...didn't think that one through, now did you?

Happy futzing!

There used to be good Chinese food on every other corner in New York City but lately they all seem to be closing or going "Panda Express" on us.

I suspect the college kids who used to order Chinese as a cheap meal have moved on to the good Indian, Afghan, and Japanese food that now seems to be on every other corner.

>213 katiekrug: I read that a couple of years ago mostly drawn to it because it was set at Lake Chautauqua but ended up really enjoying it for itself as well as for the setting. Made me smile to think of you reading it.

And OMG, how did I ever get so far behind on your thread?!? Hope Nuala is better now. Glad it's cooled off. I'll do better now :)

Hi, Katie. Caught up with you, now. Progressive lenses were a game-changer for me. I hated the thought of "old lady glasses", i.e. bifocals. But my husband couldn't get used to them, and he's had tri-focals with the obvious gradations for years and years now. My only gripe is that it's hard to read in bed...I'm not looking through the right part of the lens in that position. Solution---a dedicated reading-in-bed pair of cheap frames with just the one Rx in them.

>285 richardderus: - No, I didn't think it through, but we got a lot done and it felt good!

>286 magicians_nephew: - I wouldn't be surprised if you're right about people discovering/having access to different cuisines beyond Italian and Chinese :)

>287 RebaRelishesReading: - I thought of you while reading it, Reba!

Nuala is feeling better - those antibiotics work a treat, thank goodness. And she gobbles them right up along with her food.

>288 laytonwoman3rd: - I am glad I got the progressives, Linda. It was so nice to read a menu at a restaurant last night and not need to fiddle with my glasses!

The Wayne and I got the cleaning done yesterday that I wanted to - still a bit more to do today but not much. We treated ourselves to dinner out and then came home to watch Master and Commander which neither of us had seen. We really enjoyed it.

I'm getting a slow start this morning but I need to get into gear to finish that cleaning and start the laundry. We are going out for dim sum for lunch - yum.

I finished The Wallflower Wager yesterday and it was a delight, just like the other books in the series. I am now eagerly awaiting the next. I started the 3rd Sean Duffy crime novel by Adrian McKinty - In the Morning I'll Be Gone. Good stuff already.

I follow McKinty on Twitter and learned that all the Duffy titles are lyrics from Tom Waits songs. I had no idea. So there's your useless fact for the day!

>290 katiekrug: Katie ; have you read the books that "Master and Commander" come from? Some of them are ponderous and dull but when he gets it right it snaps.

>291 magicians_nephew: - I haven't. I know of them, of course. My father read them all. The Wayne has expressed interest, but I'll probably give them a pass. Too many other books I want to read!

>289 katiekrug: You're making me chuckle again...this time about Nuala taking her pills so readily. Many years ago I had a beautiful Samoyed named Terena. She was a master at finding the pill in the food and spitting it out whole and wiped clean of all traces of food. One day I had been trying to get her to take a pill for a long time with all of the tricks of "put it in food", put it in her mouth and hold the mouth closed, toss it way back in throat, etc. and nothing worked. I sat there holding the pill on my open hand wondering what to do when she came over and just licked it up and swallowed it. Turned out that was the trick with her -- just hold it on your hand and she would take it -- no tricks needed or wanted.

>293 RebaRelishesReading: - That's too funny, Reba! Terena was offended by your trying to dupe her. I love it.

Dogs are The Best.

Welp, I'm still full from our brunch yesterday afternoon. It was AMAZING. I wanted to try everything, and while I didn't quite accomplish that, I did eat a lot. Luckily, they were small plates...? (https://bluesteelpizzaco.com/dimsumbrunch)

After that, I did the laundry and puttered and read. The a/c guy is coming today, so fingers crossed for an easy, fast solution. I think it's supposed to get hot again toward the end of the week.

We were supposed to drive down to my in-laws in Virginia this coming weekend for a visit, but The Wayne is scrambling on a work project that needs to be done by the end of the quarter, so we have put off the visit until July. So I suddenly have a weekend I didn't expect. Love when that happens!

Nothing new at work. My boss is on vacation this week so it should be pretty quiet.

In books, I'm about halfway through In the Morning I'll Be Gone, which is very good. Still plugging away little by little with the Obama audio.

No gym tonight, and it feels like a gift not to have to go after the horror of a Monday :)

Spin this morning. I followed it up with upper body weights for the first time in ages. Tomorrow I will be perfecting my impression of T-Rex...
Fab for a bonus weekend.
Hope the A/c man does the necessary magic and it works again.

Hot at the end of the week...chilly and gloomy now...the poor plants!

Happy dull week!

Well it's hot here today so depending on how the jet stream flows, I'd say your odds are good for nicer weather later this week.

Hope the A/C fix goes smoothly and your Monday is tolerable. :)

>296 Helenliz: - I know exactly what you mean about the T-rex impersonation. Been there!

Thanks re: the a/c man. It did not quite work out that well :-/

>297 richardderus: - Boo to the hot weather on its way. I may check into a hotel...

>298 MickyFine: - There was no fix, sadly. Hence, my Monday has sucked. Oh well.

>299 katiekrug: Sadness!

So basically our a/c unit/system is old, outdated, and a piece of garbage. We could spend $3000 to make some repairs to parts of it and hope it limps along, or we can replace the whole thing for $9800 (or $13000 for high deficiency). I don't even really mind about the money - which I realize makes me very lucky. It's the fact that it will be An Ordeal to do the replacement and I can't get immediate satisfaction. Grrr.

ETA: And the cherry on top is that the water heater is probably going to die soon, so we might as well just have that taken care of at the same time... $2000. I'm in the wrong line of work.

>300 MickyFine: - So. Much. Sadness.

>301 katiekrug: I can imagine how disappointing that must have been, Katie. Although I'm not sure I'd pay extra for the High Deficiency model. ;-)

Here's hoping The Ordeal is less ... ordealicious ... than you fear it will be. I know better than to even hope that it will end up costing less than the estimate!

>301 katiekrug:. >:-( oh noes!

I feel your pain. Our boiler is getting on a bit, such that some parts are unavailable. Each time we have it serviced I hold my breath, hoping it makes it through, all the time knowing we'll need to bite the bullet and get it replaced at some point.

>303 rosalita: - Oh, geez! That's too funny. I think I'll just keep the typo, since it brought a smile to my face :)

>304 Helenliz: - I looked at the estimates more closely, and if we go ahead and have the water heater taken care of, we can get it for a mere $1300. Also, we'll get a discount from the quoted prices if we pay cash, so I guess that's something.

Oh yoicks. That stinks, Katie. But you're right that yay, you're in a position that you *can* replace it, and also, yay to a new unit, which will probably save you some money in the long run, deficiency-wise...

>307 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber. Some good news - if we go for the higher efficiency replacement, the tax breaks from the federal and state government will almost make up the higher cost. So that makes me feel better. And it comes with some kind of super-duper air filtration and UV light and something else-thingy that can help alleviate allergies as well as air-borne plagues :)

>301 katiekrug: Oh my heck. I am so very sorry.

The time they replaced the boiler here lives in my memory...I empathize.

>309 richardderus: - Well, in further good news (and I am nothing if not a sunshiney happy optimist!), I checked the forecast, and so far, the hottest day for the next 10 is going to be Saturday and it'll "only" by 87, which I can deal with on a limited basis.

But I appreciate the empathy!

Ooof, two big appliances failing at the same time is no fun at all. Glad to hear the tax rebates will offset the cost of the more enviro friendly A/C though.

>310 katiekrug: and I am nothing if not a sunshiney happy optimist

>311 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! I've gotten over my shock and now I just want the damn thing done with!

>312 richardderus: - Well, I CAN be when/if I want to be!

Sorry to hear about the A/C and water heater woes. Our house has some quite dated systems and I expect someday, when it is least convenient, we will have to deal with one or more of them. It definitely sucks, but it sounds like it will all work out well in the end. I hope you're able to get it taken care of relatively quickly.

Well what can I say Katie except I had no idea a hot water heater was so d*** expensive. Granted I haven't replaced the one I have....yet but I'm sure it won't be that far into the future. Luckily my furnace and ac unit are less than six years old. I'm glad the government gives you a rebate for buying energy efficient units. I found that when I have the pre season check up for my furnace to make sure everything is as it should be, the gas company gives a $60 rebate which is a bonus.

Yowza....first time I've been kindasorta glad we don't have central air. BUT, in addition to all the positives you've already mentioned, the new system will surely increase the overall value of your house.

Yikes! I love home ownership…

Though, way back in >301 katiekrug:, I got chuckle over paying extra for the “high deficiency” unit.

>314 lauralkeet: - Thanks, Laura! I'm going to call today to let them know we are going to proceed and to get on the schedule ASAP.

>315 brenzi: - The hot water heater is nothing compared to the a/c and furnace, Bonnie :) We'll get a nice long warranty, which is good and seasonal maintenance is included, at least for a couple of years, I think.

>316 laytonwoman3rd: - Even with the expense, I am happy to have central air because I am a total weenie about the heat. I am looking forward to having an efficient system to keep me nice and chilled the rest of the summer!

>317 drneutron: - Yeah, Julia brought that little oopsy to my attention, but I refuse to fix it because it makes me laugh.

The Wayne often has to remind me about the benefits of home ownership, especially during situations like this :)

Today's agenda includes calling the HVAC people to arrange a deposit and to schedule the replacement. It's a full day's job with 3 people, so I doubt it will happen anytime in the next week or so. I also have to call the vet to rearrange Leonard's boarding reservation since we aren't going to Virginia this weekend. I hate making phone calls.

Other than that, not much is going on. I finished up my book this morning and realize I owe a few reviews. And a new thread. So I might do that today in between work stuff.

Our HelloFresh delivery didn't arrive until late yesterday, so we walked down to our favorite local place for dinner. I finally tried the Thai chili shrimp appetizer (had it as my entree) and it was absolutely to die for. Four big shrimp on charred sourdough bread with the most delicious spicy and sweet curry sauce. I was in heaven. It was a nice Monday treat.

I, too, hate phone calls. Best of luck with yours today. But yay for Monday treats - it sounds amazing!

>320 scaifea: - In a rare fit of non-procrastination, I have completed all my calls. I forgot about one, so I made THREE in all. *pats self on back*

>321 katiekrug: I hate making phone calls too. It was a big part of my job, and under those circumstances I was pretty good at it. But the personal business kind I tend to stall on...it helps to put on my "professional attitude", and pretend I'm doing it on behalf of someone else!

>323 laytonwoman3rd: - I do that, too, Linda! Great minds... The Wayne LOATHES making calls, so I usually end up doing a lot of his to make appointments and stuff. I told him I should quit my job and just be his personal assistant. I was only half-kidding.

>321 katiekrug: That's a major result! Are you in part inspired by the latest Texas electrical-grid shenanigans? "Turn your thermostats to 78°" when it's 99° outside?! No.

How did a duplicate post make it past LT's algorithms?!

Summerwater by Sarah Moss

Similar to her earlier novel, Ghost Wall, Sarah Moss' newest takes relatively few pages and uses each one to expertly build a sense of tension and unease. I loved the changing perspectives, each chapter an internal monologue of a different character, all of whom are staying at an out-of-the-way Scottish holiday camp. Some of the monologues are rich in humor, keenly observant, and at times, disturbing. Moss has a gift for capturing the rhythm of the conversations a person has with themself - it makes the reader feel intimately acquainted with the characters in just a few pages.

And then there is the ending. This slow smoldering finally explodes and the characters we've come to know are forced into action and communion with each other. Immediately after finishing, my reaction to the ending was "meh." I expected something more. But in thinking it over and re-reading a few pages, I like the creepy ambiguity (no spoilers here!).

4 stars

>325 richardderus: - Texas can go eff itself. For so many reasons...

New thread!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/332973