Amber's (scaifea's) Thread #14

Hey, everybody!

I'm Amber, a one-time Classics professor, turned stay-at-home parent/lady of leisure, turned part-time library assistant, turned once again Classics professor, and turned librarian again. I spend my free time sewing, writing, knitting, baking, and, of course, reading.

My reading life is happily governed by lists, which means that I read a healthy variety of things across various genres.

I'm 47 going on 12 and live in Ohio with my husband, Tomm; our son, Charlie; Mario, the Golden Retriever; and the newest addition to the family: Agent Fitzsimmons, the Border Collie.

The haircut isn't all that new anymore, but, well, here I am:



Favorite Books from 2021
Spinning Silver
Far Away Across the Sea
The Book Thief
Return of the Thief
Mister Impossible
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Under the Whispering Door

What I'm Reading Now:
-Les Miserables (books by year - 1862)
-Mansfield Park (an unread book from my shelves)
-The Magic Mountain (books I'm reading with my friend, Rob)
-Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (romance)
-Three Bags Full (wishlist book)
-A Court of Frost and Starlight (a Beauty & the Beast retelling)
-Magician: Apprentice (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books)
-Death Note 2 (manga)
-Apple (Printz Honor Book)
-The Keepers of the House (audiobook)
-The Dream Thieves (family bedtime read-aloud)

Books on Deck:
-(a book from my Read Soon! shelves)
-Loving-Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness (Buddhist reading list)
-One for the Books (mysteries)
-Richard III (Shakespeare re-read)
-The Land of the Free (100 Banned Books)
-Lest Darkness Fall (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books)
-Death's Master (BFS Award)
-The Thief of Time (Boyne bibliography)

The five-ish or so books I have going at once and the On Deck books nearly all come from the following categories and lists:

1. A book from the 100 Banned Books book (at least currently. As soon as I finish this list, I'll replace it with another, and oh, I've got tons of lists).

2. 13 years ago I started working my way through a handful of awards lists for children's books. I've finished a fair few of those, but I'm still working through the 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die list, and I try to stay up to date with several of the YALSA awards each year.

3. A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List, in chronological order.

4. A list I'm working through together with my best friend, Rob: The Hugo/Nebula/WFA/Bram Stoker (and other) lists (combined, in chronological order)

5. For this category, I cycle through 9 different stacks:
a. Agatha Christie's bibliography (in chronological order)
b. Stephen Fry's bibliography (in chronological order)
c. John Boyne bibliography (in chronological order, sort of)
d. Neil Gaiman's bibliography (in some order other than chronological (don't
ask)).
e. Christopher Moore's bibliography (in chronological order)
f. Maggie Stiefvater's bibliography (in chronological order)
g. The NEH Timeless Classics list
h. The National Book Award list (in alpha order by title)
i. The Pulitzer list (in alpha order by author)

6. An unread book from my shelves.

7. A book from my Read Soon! shelves.

8. A book on Buddhism or from the Dalai Lama's bibliography.

9. Book-a-year challenge: A few years ago, along with a few others in this group (*cough* Paul *cough*), I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've since been trying to fill in the gap years.

10. A cozy mystery.

11. A full-on re-read through Shakespeare's stuff.

12. A read-aloud-to-Charlie-at-bedtime book (or two).

13. An audio book, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/drive.

14. A romance novel.

15. A book from my wishlist (it's *so* long).

16. This slot is reserved for books that just grab me and shout that they need to be read Right Now.

Books Read

JANUARY
1. The Cave Children (1001 Children's Books) - 7/10
2. Conan the Barbarian (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 7/10
3. Beauties, Beasts, and Enchantment (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 8/10
4. The Paradise War (audiobook/Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 7/10
5. What Fresh Hell Is This? (impulse read) - 8/10
6. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (I reread this one with Charlie, who's reading it for his ELA class) - 8/10
7. The Hidden Face of Eve (100 Banned Books) - 7/10
8. Guilty Pleasures (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 7/10
9. Cue for Treason (1001 Children's Books) - 9/10
10. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (books I'm reading with my friend, Rob) - 9/10
11. Metropolis (1001 Children's Books) - 7/10
12. Timescape (Nebula Award) - 6/10
13. A Fatal Grace (mysteries) - 9/10
14. A Loyal Character Dancer (mysteries) - 8/10

FEBRUARY
15. Beetle and the Hollowbones (Stonewall Honor Book) - 8/10
16. More Fool Me (Fry bibliography) - 8/10
17. The Ghost Writer (wishlist book) - 9/10
18. Chimera (National Book Award) - 8/10
19. Cat's Cradle (unread book from my shelves) - 9/10
20. Mockingjay (reread with Charlie) - 10/10
21. Solutions and Other Problems (Alex Award) - 10/10
22. Heartsong (audiobook) - 9/10
23. Beat the Reaper (an unread book from my shelves) - 10/10
24. One More Thing (a book from my Read Soon! shelves) - 8/10
25. Darius the Great Deserves Better (Stonewall Honor Book) - 9/10
26. In the Woods (mysteries) - 9/10
27. The Cloven Viscount (1001 Children's Books) - 7/10
28. Hyperbole and a Half (just because) - 10/10

MARCH
29. This Book Is Gay (impulse read) - 9/10
30. Brothersong (audiobook) - 9/10
31. Into the Land of the Unicorns (audiobook) - 7/10
32. We Ride Upon Sticks (Alex Award) - 10/10
33. Hitting the Books (mystery) - 8/10
34. Beyond the Pawpaw Trees (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 7/10
35. A Court of Thorns and Roses (B&B retelling) - 9/10
36. The Black Gryphon (audiobook) - 9/10
37. Stradivari's Genius (wishlist) - 7/10
38. The Last Unicorn (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 8/10
39. The Prestige (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 10/10
40. The Portrait of a Lady (books I'm reading with my friend, Rob) - 7/10

APRIL
41. The Last Cuentista (Newbery Medal) - 9/10
42. Grendel (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 6/10
43. First Test (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 8/10
44. Fahrenheit 451 (audiobook) - 10/10
45. Changing Planes (audiobook) - 7/10
46. Gifts (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 9/10
47. Escape from Warsaw (1001 Children's Books) - 9/10
48. Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio (Alex Award) - 8/10
49. Peeps (audiobook) - 9/10
50. Red, White, and Whole (Newbery Honor Book) - 8/10
51. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (mysteries) - 9/10
52. Waiting for the Flood (Read Soon! shelves) - 9/10
53. Moon Called (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List/audiobook) - 9/10
54. The World of Tibetan Buddhism (Buddhist reading list) - 8/10

MAY
55. The Raven Boys (family bedtime read-aloud) - 10/10
56. Wicked Lovely (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books/audiobook) - 9/10
57. The Shape of Water (mystery) - 6/10
58. Ink Exchange (audiobook/series read) - 9/10
59. The Kids Are Gonna Ask (Alex Award) - 8/10
60. A Snake Falls to Earth (Newbery Honor Book) - 6/10
61. My Hero Academia Vol. 1 (manga) - 9/10
62. The Junior Officers' Reading Club (unread book from my shelves) - 7/10
63. Fragile Eternity (audiobook) - 7/10
64. The Book of the Dun Cow (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 4/10

JUNE
65. Murder Is Easy (Christie bibliography/audiobook) - 8/10
66. The Ogress and the Orphans (impulse library shelf grab) - 10/10
67. They Do It with Mirrors (Christie bibliography/audiobook) - 8/10
68. A Caribbean Mystery (Christie bibliography/audiobook) - 8/10
69. Friedrich (1001 Children's Books list) - 7/10
70. A Night to Remember (NEH list) - 8/10
71. My Hero Academia Volume 2 (manga) - 9/10
72. The Member of the Wedding (NEH list) - 8/10
73. Love in Focus (manga) - 9/10
74. Up from Slavery (NEH list/audiobook) - 8/10
75. Ethan Frome (NEH list/audiobook) - 8/10
76. A Court of Mist and Fury (B&B retelling series) - 9/10
77. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (mystery) - 9/10
78. The Awakening (NEH list/audiobook) - 8/10
79. Veil of Lies (mystery) - 8/10
80. Fathers and Sons (NEH list/audiobook) - 8/10

JULY
81. The Greek Coffin Mystery (mysteries) - 9/10
82. A Handful of Dust (NEH list/audiobook) - 9/10
83. An Offer from a Gentleman (romance) - 9/10
84. A Kind of Spark (Schneider Honor Book/audiobook) - 9/10
85. A Brief History of TIme (books I'm reading with my friend, Rob) - 9/10
86. Kepler's Witch (wishlist) - 6/10
87. Titan (Locus SF Award) - 8/10
88. For Real (romance) - 9/10
89. Word to the Wise (mystery) - 9/10
90. A Court of Wings and Ruin (B&B retelling series) - 9/10
91. Too Bright to See (Newbery Honor Book) - 6/10
92. Dumb Witness (Christie Bibliography) - 8/10
93. Timaeus (a reread for a summer library challenge bingo category) - 7/10
94. Paco's Story (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
95. Atonement (audiobook) - 9/10
96. Deathnote 1 (manga) - 9/10

AUGUST
97. Sing, Unburied, Sing (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
98. My Hero Academia Vol. 3 (manga) - 9/10
99. Trust Exercise (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
100. Flambards (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10

Mario looking adorable:



Simmons in one of her best napping spots:



And Charlie ready for his first parade (this one seems fitting since we're dropping him off at Band Camp tomorrow!):

Next one is yours!

"This one time, at band camp...?"

I hope you and Tomm have an epic date night or something else fun planned :)

90. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (B&B retelling series) - 9/10
I can't possibly summarize this one without spoilers for the previous books in the series, so I'll just say that it's another solid entry with some good character development and a nice plot. I'm really enjoying this series.

>7 katiekrug: Oh, don't think that Tomm and I haven't been trading those kinds of jokes around all week! Charlie has, of course, not seen those particular movies just yet...

We have a whole week of eating out planned! Charlie doesn't like going out to eat so we're going to a few of the places on our long list of restaurants we want to try!

>9 scaifea: - I was concerned I shouldn't even make the reference... :-P

And yay for trying new restaurants. As you probably know, it's practically my favorite thing to do!

Happy new thread, Amber!

I hope Charlie has a great time at band camp and you and Tomm enjoy your extended date week.



Now that you've seen Doctor Strange 2, I know you'll appreciate this.

>10 katiekrug: *snork!* Yeah, no need for concerns like that on this thread...

I'll try to remember to report back on the restaurants since I really enjoy reading about your food adventures!

>11 MickyFine: Ha! Yep.

91. Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff (Newbery Honor Book) - 6/10
Bug is just about to start middle school and is spending the summer dealing with her grief over the loss of her uncle by trying to figure out if it's his spirit haunting her and if so, what he's trying to tell her. She's also trying to suss out why the idea of wearing dresses and makeup makes her uncomfortable to the point of being nauseated. Plus, her mom is dealing with money issues and, of course, the loss of her brother. Bug's long-time frenemy isn't really helping matters, but she possibly finds a new friend in the boy who just moved to town.

I love that there are more and more middle grade books out there that give representation to people on the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community, both because in general that's just a very good trend, but also because I can then take comfort in the fact that there are other and better stories out there than this one. I just...didn't like it. I found Bug and her frenemy intensely annoying, and the ghost story element felt forced and somehow...off. But if the premise sounds good to you, don't be too swayed by my thoughts - this book has won several awards, including a Newbery Honor, so clearly others disagree with me.

92. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie (Christie Bibliography) - 8/10
Poirot gets a long-delayed letter delivery, in which an older lady requests his help because she fears someone in her family is trying to kill her. When the famous detective finally receives the letter it's too late and the woman has died. The doctor has declared it a death by natural causes, but Poirot isn't so easily convinced.
Another excellent mystery nicely solved by the little man with the weird facial hair. Once again Christie completely fooled me and I love her for it.

93. Timaeus by Plato (a reread for a summer library challenge bingo category) - 7/10
*sigh* Yeah, I still don't like Plato. I didn't like him the first time I read him, I didn't like him in Greek, and I don't like him any better in translation. Blech.

Happy new one!

>17 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

Happy new thread, Amber!

>5 scaifea: Lovely pictures of Marion and Simmons.
I hope Charlie has a great time at Band Camp.
And you and Tomm enjoy your week of eating out!

Happy new thread! Somewhere about the time I got to high school, our band camp quit being held on a college campus where we had to stay in the dorms. Instead we used the band's practice field for ours and marched over a couple times to the football field when the football team wasn't practicing toward the end of the two weeks. It was always miserably hot in Mississippi in August.

>19 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>20 thornton37814: We had band camp twice every summer, but we didn't go away for it; we just had practice from 8am-9pm M-F for one week at the beginning of the summer and then again for another week at the end of the summer. It was also really flipping hot, especially marching on the asphalt parking lot all day.

>22 scaifea: I'm grateful we had a grass practice field. Ours was always the two weeks right before school resumed--so the last two weeks of August basically since school started the day after Labor Day.

Happy new thread!

>307 scaifea I know it's not at all the same, but Becky took off with some friends for Los Vegas where she works her company conference for 3 days. We have the consolation of getting Nutmeg to ourselves.

>15 scaifea: I'm very much falling in love with the Poirot character, book and recent films. I like clever characters to begin with, but his temperamental, expressive nature is delightful.
Going on the list! :D

Edit:
I also wanted to add that I hope Band Camp goes well for Charlie. My first camp was girl scouts and I had to have my mom stay with me. He's very brave :)

Happy new one!

Hope Charlie has a great time at band camp

Happy new thread, Amber! Glad to see you enjoyed A Court of Wings and Ruin and the rest of the series. I especially love book #2 for absolutely turning everything on its head in the most believable way.

Hope Charlie has a great time at Band Camp!

Band camp! I hope it's so much fun.

>14 scaifea: it's wonderful that there are so many great LGBTQ+books out there for young people. I haven't read that one so I can't comment, but lots of others out there - finally!

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread Amber

Happy Sunday, Amber! Happy New Thread!

>24 quondame: Thanks!

And I bet it's pretty close to the same thing; moms are moms and worry like moms no matter what age their kiddos are, I suspect.

>25 Ravenwoodwitch: Poirot is definitely a character. I slightly prefer Miss Marple, but Poirot is still pretty great.

Ha! Brave, yeah. Plus, he's a 13yo boy, so I suspect having mom stay with him at camp would be a braver move yet... Also it would have to be Tomm because I do *not* do camping. Ever.

>26 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!!

>27 bell7: Yes!! I LOVE that about the second book! And it's great that the series continues to be interesting and fun. Not all series can claim that, for sure.

And thanks! Fingers crossed that all goes well at camp.

>28 AMQS: Thanks, Anne! I hope he has a ton of fun, too. Apparently the band members who are also on the cross country team are planning on hanging out together, which makes me feel better about things. He hasn't made any close friends in the band quite yet (all his friends are either not in band at all or didn't make the 8th grade marcher cut).

And yes to more representation in books for kiddos! It's so great.

>29 WhiteRaven.17: Thanks!

>30 msf59: Thanks, Mark!

On the Agenda for Today:
Welp, today's the day we drop Charlie off at camp for the week. So I'll be helping him pack this morning, then we'll take the hour-and-20-minute drive to get him there, and then Tomm and I will have dinner out somewhere on the way home. We're thinking about this place, which is about halfway between here and there, and the menu looks pretty good:

https://www.1808americanbistro.com/

On the Reading Front:
Ooof, it felt great to get all those reviews sorted and dusted. I was on cargo duty yesterday, so I was able to listen to a good chunk of Paco's Story, which I'm really surprised that I'm enjoying so much - it's not my usual jam. I also started Magician: Apprentice and Flambards, and read a bit of Mansfield Park.

The Crafting Report:
I knitted just a couple rows on the scarf. Hey, progress is progress, right?

What We're Watching:
We had a Fullmetal Alchemist fest since Charlie will be away for a few nights.

Good luck with the Charlie drop-off today, Amber. I like that he'll be able to hang out with his XC pals. Hopefully the experience will help him get to know others in the band too. I'm sure it's a little weird being an 8th grader in a high school band.

The restaurant menu looks fabulous, so yes: DO IT! But please have a word with them about this apostrophe catastrophe on their website:
Currently open for dinner Wednesday’s through Sunday’s.

Have a great day!

>38 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura - I sure hope it brings him a little more out of his shell, too.

HAHAHA! I noticed that catastrophe, too! I suspect most of us here will shudder at that.

>37 scaifea: - Yay! Menu! Beef carpaccio and seared scallops for me, thanks ;-)

I hope the camp drop-off goes smoothly and that you and Tomm enjoy your dinner.

>37 scaifea: Morning, Amber :)
Hope Charlie has fun (and that things aren't too quiet at home)

This place looks fancy. I say treat yourself :)

Happy new thread.
Hope Charlie has a great time at band camp and that you & Tomm make the most of it as well.

Happy new thread, Amber! Sorry Too Bright to See didn't work for you; I enjoyed that one. I totally agree about Plato *shudder*. The worst part about being a writing tutor in college was having to read endless freshman essays on The Republic as it's the one text that as been part of the Freshman Studies program since its inception.

I hope Charlie has a good time at camp!

>40 katiekrug: Neither of us went for the Beef carpaccio or the scallops, although they did look good. Everything on the menu looked amazing. See below for my full report.

>41 Ravenwoodwitch: Here's hoping the same for Charlie. Fingers crossed.

>42 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen. We had a great dinner last night, at least, so so far so good!

>43 curioussquared: I suspect I'm in the minority with how I feel about Too Bright to See, but yeah, Plato, man. The worst.

Happy new thread, Amber! Have a marvelous Monday!

Operation Charlie Drop Off went really smoothly: the kid has amazing luck and was assigned to the best room in the whole camp. It's attached to the main building, is air-conditioned, and has a bathroom attached. All the other kiddos have to take a walk in the woods to get to their bathrooms. When we left he seemed ready enough to get going on his camp adventure, and he texted us last night to say that the evening activity was really fun (some sort of slip-and-slide competition). So, he seems to be doing okay. Bedtime last night was a little rough for me, but I'm doing okay this morning, I think. And our dinner last night was *amazing*! We started off with cocktails (Tomm had the Aviation and I had a really delicious Lemon Drop Martini), and then Tomm ordered the Filet Medallions and I had the 48 Hour Short Rib. Folks, you could have eaten it with a spoon it was so tender. So, so good. Tomm opted to skip dessert (the weirdo), but I had the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, which was 112% heaven:



On the Agenda for Today:
I'm not working today, but I do need to take *both* gals into the vet for their annual checkups. At the same time. Hoo boy, wish me luck with that. This afternoon I may try to do some writing, or I may do some crafting, we'll see. It may just turn into a nap, let's be honest with ourselves. Tonight Tomm and I are going out on the town again, this time with a little shopping adventure tagged on: Costco (ooh, fancy!) because Tomm wants to look for a ginormous TV for our bedroom (*eye roll*), The Container Store because I want to get some bento box-like supplies for my work lunches. We will be dining at Cooper's Hawk:

https://chwinery.com/menus

On the Reading Front:
Not much time for reading yesterday, but I did get a few pages of Magician: Apprentice in. I also finished Paco's Story on audio.

The Crafting Report:
No progress yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Since Charlie refuses to watch a movie in B&W, Tomm and I indulged in a rewatch of Shall We Dance last night. *sigh* So good.

B&W movies! Fancy dinners out! Time to pack Charlie off to boarding school ;-)

Good luck with the doggos at the vet. I have enough trouble with just Nuala on her leash when I take her in, I can't imagine wrangling two!

>49 scaifea: Good luck with the girls at the vet today. I know what a hassle it is to take my 2 cats at the same time - I just did it a month ago!

>49 scaifea: Oh my stars and garters, that cheesecake looks divine!

I'm so glad Charlie has settled in and is already having a great time. Your dinner sounds excellent, as does tonight's restaurant.

Good luck with the vet visits. I've done two-dogs-at-a-time before, and it can be quite an adventure.

>50 katiekrug: HAHAHAHA, no. I miss that kiddo too much already! But yeah, the fancy dinner and the Fred Astaire were nice distractions.

>50 katiekrug: >51 alcottacre: >53 lauralkeet: Yeah, I'm wondering just how I'll manage the two of them at once. Mario LOVES going to the vet and wants to meet everyone everywhere all at once with the force of the happiest hurricane you've ever witnessed. And she's big and strong and so hard to manage. Simmons is the opposite and doesn't like people too much, so she'll be trying to hide between my legs. She also HATES car rides and will have to be manhandled (womanhandled? Amberhandled?) into the car. Oh, and they both get really carsick. So that's awesome, too. The vet is only a 5-minute drive, so generally we can make it there and back without any vomiting. Usually.

>52 rosalita: I can't even describe how good that cheesecake was. The amount and sweetness (not super-sweet) was perfect, and the berries went so well with it. I also had a lovely cup of coffee with it, and I love coffee with dessert. Come visit and I'll absolutely treat you to dinner there!

>53 lauralkeet: I'm glad he seems to be having a good time, too. I'm hoping he was able to sleep okay last night; it was his first night ever away from home, plus he's in a cramped room with something like 15 other boys. By the time we got there it was already smelling strongly of dude.

We've been wanting to try Cooper's Hawk since we moved back to the area. I'll be sure to give a full report again tomorrow.

>55 scaifea: That's a deal!

>57 rosalita: YAY!

Happy new thread! Sorry Too Bright to See didn't work for you. Good luck with the vet trip, and your dining out dinners (and desserts!) sound amazing!

Adding my best wishes for wrangling two dogs at the vet.

Your dinner sounds amazing! Also, I'm now making a list of all the B&W films I love: Bringing Up Baby, Casablanca, The Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday... That's a lot of options for only a few days.

I hope Charlie continues to have a great time and the time until he's back home doesn't drag too badly for you. *hugs*

Your dinner sounds like it was lovely! Good luck with the dogs; I do double appointments fairly often but my boys are pretty good at not pulling too much. I like the term "Amberhandled" 😂

>59 foggidawn: >60 MickyFine: Thanks. The vet trip went fine although, wow, so expensive. Those sweet gals are worth every penny, though.

>61 curioussquared: Clearly your dogs are much better behaved than mine. They did really well today, though, despite Simmons being very uncomfortable with the whole thing.

I picked Leonard up from the vet today - he'd been boarding there since last Monday and he had a teeth cleaning and one tooth extracted. It was not a fun bill to pay!

>49 scaifea: Oof on the vet visit, sorry. Always fun when you have multiple animals to wrangle into "the Worst Day Ever."

That cake is making me hungry.

I've got an abundance of plastic Tupperware that I use for my lunch, to the point where it's stacking and tumbling from the cabinents. Replacing them with some bento boxes may be the solution here . . .

>64 katiekrug: It's *so* expensive! I hate to complain, though, because pets deserve the best, of course.

>65 Ravenwoodwitch: Yep, I pack my lunches in a hodgepodge of tupperware and such, and I just want to have a neat system.

Adding a vote for making Amberhandled a word hehehe

Glad the vet visit went well.

>68 bell7: *snork!*

>49 scaifea: Time to deploy Seven Samurai. >60 MickyFine: Those too. And Marx brothers.

>62 scaifea: Glad to hear the pooches did well. We had one wee vomit prone dachshund that was a bit of a trial.

Glad the vet trip went well. I have memories of Mum & Dad wrangling the cat into a shopping basket and Sooty being remarkably unimpressed by the entire affair.

>62 scaifea: Yeah, those vet bills will get you every time, won't they? Glad to hear that the vet trip went fine though!

Happy Tuesday, Amber!

>70 quondame: You know, I've never been a huge fan of Seven Samurai. But the Marx Brothers, absolutely.

I really thought Simmons would probably yarf in the car on the way home because she was pretty shook up about the entire experience, but she did alright!

>71 Helenliz: Ha! Back when my cat, Susie, was still around, she had a black mark on her vet records, so they'd know to be prepared for a drama queen when we came in. She was a handful at the vet.

>72 alcottacre: Every aspect of health care in this country - for humans and animals alike - is a complete racket. But what are you gonna do, eh?

Last night's dinner was another winner! We made the mistake of not having a reservation and they were fully booked for the evening, but we lucked out that there were two seats open at the bar, and honestly, I kind of love eating at the bar. I love watching the bartenders work. I had a Dark Chocolate Martini, which was delicious, and then the Cooper’s Hawk Chicken Giardiniera, which was the perfect amount of spicy. The pickled vegetables were amazing. We opted to skip dessert there and instead walk to the Jeni's Ice Cream just down the street, where Tomm had Texas Sheet Cake and I went for my usual: one scoop Coffee and one scoop Milkiest Chocolate. So, so good.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-5 (I'm drinking my first cup of ambition as I type) and I don't really have anything else on the To Do list. We're doing takeaway tonight for dinner from our favorite Mexican place.

We texted with Charlie last night and he's having a good time! Their evening activity last night was a sort of scavenger hunt: they had to run around the camp finding various adult chaperones and then do some silly task for them before being awarded a glow stick. A bunch of teens running round in the half-dark with varying numbers of glowsticks and generally acting like silly teens sounds pretty hilarious. I miss him tons but I'm *so* happy he's having fun.

On the Reading Front:
I started listening to Atonement yesterday and I like it okay so far. I also read a bit of Flambards.

The Crafting Report:
I made some progress on the crochet washcloth! I can't really take a good photo of it right now because it's not wanting to lie flat just yet, so it'll have to be a finished product photo once it's blocked, I guess.

What We're Watching:
We didn't watch anything last night but instead opted to sit together on the couch but do our own thing (I read, Tomm watched Top Gear on his ipad).

Sounds like another great meal out, Amber. You guys are really making the most of your "grown-up week" aren't you? Knowing Charlie is having a great time makes that easier too. It sounds like the organizers really know how to connect with teens and make the most of their free time.

The Wayne and I always sit at the bar, if it's just the two of us.

I'm glad Charlie is having such a great time. What a relief!

Ooh, Atonement on audio. I loved that book but I'll curious to hear how it is on audio. I feel like I would have lost the thread a few times, but I'm also not a great listener... at least according to my kindergarten teacher.

Hurrah for an excellent meal out.
Glad Charlie is enjoying himself too.
I'll be interested in your take on Atonement. I have mixed feelings about that one.

Dinner sounds lovely and honestly the glow stick scavenger hunt sounds like something I could enjoy, too 😂

I was pretty sure Charlie was going to have good time at band camp. Remembering my own camp experiences, I'm glad his first one is run by folks who get the teen mind. I only had one week I didn't care for (and it certainly didn't traumatize me or anything), but I kinda saw it coming (Baptist church camp), and I was with cousins, so it was OK.

>79 Helenliz: Yes! All sorts of good things going on here these days.

I'll report back on Atonement...

>80 curioussquared: Right?! I'd totally go on a glow stick hunt at night!

>81 laytonwoman3rd: I think these band directors (the husband runs the HS band and the wife runs the MS band) know what they're about. All the kids adore them. So I'm not surprised they know how to run a successful and fun camp.

>84 scaifea: Oh my gosh, husband and wife band directors? How adorable. I bet their evenings are a lot more fun than the rest of us.*

* I may have a distorted sense of what band directors are actually like.

>85 rosalita: I imagine the two of them huddled at the kitchen table, eagerly developing new formations for the marching band, with Sousa playing in the background. Like you said, lots of fun. Ha!

>76 scaifea: >78 katiekrug: I guess I'll skip my rant about how Attonement ruined 80% of BritLit for me....

I'm among those who enjoyed Atonement and will also plug the film adaptation, which is gorgeous and has an AWESOME score.

>88 MickyFine: - I also liked the film but don't remember the score, so perhaps a re-watch is in order...

>89 katiekrug: I adore how they incorporate the typewriter into it. It's definitely in my Spotify favourites somewhere...

>85 rosalita: Ha! They do seem pretty adorable together, to be honest.

>86 lauralkeet: I suspect that's exactly what happens at their house!

>87 quondame: >88 MickyFine: >89 katiekrug: >90 MickyFine: I actually own the movie but have never watched it. It came in a boxed set with the Fassbender Jane Eyre and a couple of others, which I have also not watched because I was only interested in Fassbender. Maybe I'll watch it once I finish the movie...

>76 scaifea: Happy Tuesday, Amber :)

Oof, curling. The scourge of my large crafting projects. I can never tell if its my tension or my stitches.

>93 Ravenwoodwitch: Yeah I know my stitches are still too tight, and that's why I'm making a washcloth that I won't use - just for the practice. At least the rows are looking much neater than when I first started!

On the Agenda for Today:
I have a therapist appointment this morning, and then I may try to do some writing. We'll see. Otherwise, no real plans, and we have plenty of restaurant leftovers in the fridge for dinner. Charlie continues to have a good time at camp, or so he reports. We get him back tomorrow evening.

On the Reading Front:
I started Three Bags Full and it seems fun so far. I also listened to a chunk of Atonement while doing cargo yesterday.

The Crafting Report:
I only managed a couple of rows on the washcloth yesterday. I kept pretty busy with actual work at the library yesterday; the summer reading program is officially over and so I changed up my children's section book display to a Back to School theme. Oh! And when I was counting the till money yesterday morning, I found a fake $1 bill! We were all pretty excited about it because none of us had ever encountered such a thing.

What We're Watching:
We decided on a rewatch of I Love You, Man last night. So funny.

I'm glad Charlie is having a great time at camp!

My parents never put me in camp and I wish that I could have experienced it. My friends always had fun stories to share when they came back.

>96 figsfromthistle: I only went to camp a couple of times and it was for end-of-the-school-year field trip things. One was a total disaster for me (read: stupid boy with a snake in a cave = me with a concussion) and the other was fun (computer camp!), but I hated the actual camping part. I'm a fan of the great indoors.

>95 scaifea: Weirdly, I was just reminiscing with my friend Liz about Three Bags Full on Monday. The context was a "discussion" about animal narrators (she loathed the Chet and Bernie series and refused to read beyond the second, while I think it's cute and have read a few more). But we agreed that the sheep in Three Bags Full are delightful, so we ended the conversation still friends. Whew!

>98 rosalita: Ha! Thank goodness! I'm loving the sheep narrators so far and think it's a clever idea.

94. Paco's Story by Larry Heinemann (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
Paco is a soldier in Vietnam who becomes the only survivor of his platoon when they get caught in a massive air strike. He himself barely survives and eventually makes it home to the states with his cane and his chronic pain as tokens of his service. His story - how he travels to some small Texas town because that's how much bus fare he had, finds work at a greasy spoon as a dishwasher, and has thoughts about the gal who lives down the hall from him - is told to the reader (addressed throughout as "James") by one of the other soldiers in that platoon, namely, a ghost.

I tend not to like war stories very much at all (or at least I've convinced myself that I don't, although the reality, I suspect, is that I dislike war *movies* but in fact do enjoy war *novels*). This one, then, was a pleasant surprise. I kinda loved it. Paco is an interesting character who is nicely but subtly fleshed out, and the ghost narrator trick is a nifty one that adds all sorts of complexity and complications to the story itself. Definitely recommended.

>100 scaifea: - I've never heard of that one, but it sounds good. And the library has it in both e-book and audio editions.

>101 katiekrug: Woot! The audio was pretty good.

On the Agenda for Today:
Charlie comes home today!! I work 11-7, so Tomm will pick him up this evening. I can't wait to hear all about his week! Before I go to work this morning I need to do some menu planning and get my grocery list ready for shopping tomorrow. Otherwise, just work and waiting to see the kiddo.

On the Reading Front:
I started The Magic Mountain yesterday and finished listening to Atonement this morning. Review to come...at some point.

The Crafting Report:
I had lofty plans to work on crocheting yesterday but at the last minute I opted for a nap instead. I did get some writing done, though.

What We're Watching:
We rewatched another favorite last night: Serenity. So, so good.

Hoping Charlie arrives home safely. With all his kit. And nothing unexpected in the bag...

Looking forward to discussing Atonement once you've mulled and reviewed.

>103 scaifea: I am finally going to get to Atonement in August.

Have a thunderous Thursday!

>104 Helenliz: Ha! You've just given the job of supervising the unpacking to Tomm! In all seriousness, though, as crazy as it may sound, making those sort of jokes to people with anxiety like me is not exactly advised. I will actually not be able to help him unpack now. And I don't mean that in a chastising way at all, but rather as more of a PSA to everyone, especially since I've recently discovered that not even Tomm knew how much anxiety affects my life until I started therapy and started talking to him more openly about it.

I'm going to try to get my mini-review of Atonement up before I leave for work - we'll see if I can manage it...

>105 alcottacre: Oooh, I hope you love it, Stasia!

We have, in fact, had some thunder this morning, so you're wishes are spot on!

>103 scaifea: Excellent film choice, Amber.

I hope work flies by for you today and that Charlie comes home full of excellent band camp stories. :)

>103 scaifea: Yay Serenity! I wonder if it's time for a Firefly rewatch...

>108 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>109 curioussquared: It's never not a good time for a Firefly rewatch...

>106 scaifea: Oh my I am very sorry. I'm not sure I knew that. I certainly never intended to cause upset.

>107 scaifea: I wish we were getting some thunder here! Our grass really needs some rain.

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Charlie's home!! I think he grew ten inches in the last few days, and he's got a bit of a tan going, too. It's *so* good to have him home.

On the Agenda for Today:
Menu planning and getting my grocery list together (because I didn't do that yesterday), then the actual grocery shopping. Charlie has a band performance tonight - they'll show off what they've been working on all week, and the new band uniforms will be revealed. In the meantime, I have a couple of pans of brownies I want to make and deliver to the neighbors on both sides of us: work is finally getting started on our back yard (the deck will be torn out and a patio with built-in fire pit built in its place, the old wooden fence will be replaced with a metal one (the ironworksy-looking kind), and we're also having a tool shed build in the back corner), and I want to warn and apologize to the neighbors for any ruckus and inconvenience. I suspect, though, that the 6yo boy who lives on one side of us will be over the moon about the construction, and will likely chat up the workers no end. He's pretty adorable.

On the Reading Front:
It was pretty slow at the library yesterday and four of us were working, so I managed quite a bit of reading in The Magic Mountain. I'm also enjoying Sing, Unburied, Sing so far on audio.

The Crafting Report:
Again, it was slow at work, so I'm now nearly finished with the washcloth!

What We're Watching:
An episode of Fullmetal Alchemist before Charlie tumbled into bed.

Morning, Amber. I was visiting your fine state for a few days. Mostly hanging in the Cleveland area. I hope you are doing well, and I am glad Charlie had a good time at camp. I will also add Paco's Story to my list.

>114 scaifea: I am so glad that Charlie has made it home safely - and yay for the band performance tonight! I hope all goes smoothly with it.

Magic Mountain and Sing, Unburied, Sing are both sitting here at my house waiting for me to read them. . .eventually.

>115 msf59: Morning, Mark! You really should come down into the center of the state sometime!

Also, I think I saw on GR that you've already read Paco's Story? Otherwise I was definitely going to recommend it to you!

>116 alcottacre: It feels *so* good having him back in the house. He's been chatting happily about the camp, so I'm really glad he had a good time. We're all excited about the show tonight, too!

Eventually is our motto, I think. Ha!

Hurray for an excellent first experience at band camp! As you know, being in band (or orchestra, or theater) can be such a formative experience. I'm so happy for Charlie (and you too of course).

Ooh, interested to see your thoughts on Sing, Unburied, Sing; that one is on my shelf waiting for me.

>119 lauralkeet: Yes! I'm really happy for Charlie, too.

>120 curioussquared: So far I'm really enjoying it - the audio is very good.

95. Atonement by Ian McEwan (audiobook) - 9/10
When Bryony - a fanciful girl who considers herself a writer - is thirteen, she witnesses a handful of small but to her traumatic vignettes all in one day that lead her, for various reasons, to wrongfully accuse someone of a shocking crime. This awful act has all sort of consequences for many members of her family, and we watch those consequences play out during the first years of WWII.

Welp, I *loved* this novel. I have strong feelings about all the characters, both positive and negative (I love that I love the ones I love and love to hate the ones I hate), and I thought the writing and the pacing of the story was perfect. It wasn't a happy story, but somehow it didn't put me in a funk, which typically happens with darker books.

>123 scaifea: We read this one in my intro college English class and I loved it too. The movie is excellent as well.

>123 scaifea: yay! This makes me happy. I thought the film was pretty good too. Saoirse Rowan plays Briony, in one of her earliest roles.

>123 scaifea: Oh yay! I'm glad to hear it was such a good reading experience.

Yay for Atonement!

>124 curioussquared: >125 lauralkeet: >126 MickyFine: >127 katiekrug: Yay for the Atonement love!!

What did you make of the last chapter? I felt it threw the rest of the book into doubt, it felt like I now no longer knew if what had preceded it was real, or just Briony being a very unreliable narrator. That last chapter still niggles at me, some years later. It felt like it undermined everything the author had got us to invest in.

>129 Helenliz: Yes, yes, and YES, and that's why I loved the book so much! I loved the story itself, but also how McEwan swept the rug right out from under me at the end. As one of my grad school professors used to say, sometimes the problem is the point, and I love it when that happens. Ambiguity is The Best.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9:30-3, and then I'll either read, crochet, or nap (one guess which one wins out). Chef Charliemagne is on duty for dinner: Three Pea Pasta, which is one of his specialties and it's delicious.

Charlie's band performance was so fun! They really made a lot of progress on their halftime show during camp and we could tell that he really loves performing. It's amazing to see a kiddo who is usually so undemonstrative really get into the dancing and movements. Very cool.

On the Reading Front:
I read bits of Romancing Mister Bridgerton and Flambards yesterday, plus I polished off the first volume of Death Note and listened to some of Sing, Unburied, Sing.

The Crafting Report:
News! I finished the washcloth! I need to block it before I take a photo of it, since it's curling up on me a bit. I have a few mistakes in there, but overall I'm pleased enough that I've moved on to learning another stitch: half double. I'm working of a swatch just for practice.

What We're Watching:
A couple of Modern Family episodes.

Now I want to re-read Atonement.

>131 scaifea: Congrats on finishing your dishcloth! Do you have a project in mind while learning half- double crochet? Another dishcloth?

>132 katiekrug: Do it!!

>133 MickyFine: Thanks! Next up is a striped scarf, but I have to get some yarn for it first.

>135 scaifea: Oh the hardship of having to buy yarn. 😉

>130 scaifea: mmm. Less of a fan of having the carpet ripped from under my feet. Can admire the art in it, while still feeling miffed about it.

>131 scaifea: DEATH NOTE holy moly, I'm so excited :D. I'm eager to see what you think.
... don't watch the Netflix movie. William Defoe can't save a trash fire >_>

>137 Helenliz: *shrug* To each her own, and that's totally okay.

>138 Ravenwoodwitch: I'll try to get round to posting a mini-review later today, but I'll say that I really enjoyed this first volume and I'll definitely be reading on! (I didn't even know there was a movie! I probably won't watch it, but please tell me that Defoe plays the death god!)

On the Agenda for Today:
The demolition guys are already here and hard at work taking apart our deck! Woot! The gals are not as excited as I am and are currently both jockeying for hiding space under my desk, poor things.

I think I'll make some banana bread today, and then divide up the rest of my time between sewing, knitting/crocheting, and reading. Tomm's in charge of dinner tonight: brats!

On the Reading Front:
I started A Court of Frost and Starlight yesterday, read a bit of Flambards, and listened to more Sing, Unburied, Sing. The reading is good these days!

The Crafting Report:
I worked more on my half double stitch swatch and ordered yarn for the scarf! The pattern uses dark pink and chocolate colors for the stripes, but I went with light blue and tan.

What We're Watching:
A couple of Modern Family eps.

Good morning Amber! I hope the pups cope with all the noise outside. Remind me of what comes after the demolition: are you building something else or just creating open space?

I've loved everything I've read by Jesmyn Ward, including Sing, Unburied, Sing. I have her debut novel still to read, but I'm hoarding it until she has a new one coming out...

Exciting about the deck/patio work!

>142 lauralkeet: We're having a patio put in with a built-in fire pit! Also, they'll be replacing our derelict wooden fence with a nice metal one (the kind the sort of looks like wrought iron), and then they're building a shed for us, too.

>143 katiekrug: I admit I was hesitant to start SUS because I was worried it would be too dark for me, but I'm loving it so far (even though it isn't exactly rainbows and unicorns). The audio is excellent, too.

>144 scaifea: Ooh that sounds like a big project, but it will be so nice when it's done.

And I forgot to comment on your reading. I love Jesmyn Ward. I hope SUS continues to work for you.

Ooh your yard project sounds lovely. How long is the work supposed to take?

>146 lauralkeet: I'm so excited to have the deck gone and to see how the patio turns out!

I know Ward has a lot of fans here, and it seems that's for good reason.

>147 MickyFine: They're saying a week for the patio (but these things always seem to take longer). I'm not sure about the shed.

96. Deathnote 1 by Tsugumi Ohba (manga) - 9/10

A death god drops his notebook in the human world, and when a super-intelligent high school student finds it and realizes he can kill people at will with it, he (the kid) decides to use this new-found power to rid the world of criminals. The police aren't exactly happy about the strange mass deaths of inmates and start a hunt for the mysterious mass murderer, spearheaded by an equally mysterious and smart detective-type guy. Oh, and the death god hangs out with the kid to see how all this plays out.

So far so very cool in this first manga volume. I love the story, especially the idea that the main character isn't exactly morally sound or even very likable. But he is intriguing and I just *have* to see what happens next.

On the Agenda for Today:
Work starts on putting the patio in this morning! Charlie and I will pick up his new glasses at 2pm, then he has a fitting appointment for his new band uniform at 4pm, and then cross country practice at 6pm. Yoicks. Saucy Sesame Meatballs and peas over rice for dinner tonight.

On the reading front:
I spent some time with Magician: Apprentice and Flambards yesterday, and I'm still listening to Sing, Unburied, Sing.

The Crafting Report:
While I'm waiting for my yarn to get here, I decided that I'd like to make swatches of all the stitches I learn, so once I finished the half double swatch I started a single chain swatch.

What We're Watching:
My pick last night, and we're finally getting back to watching OUAT (or, juance, as I like to call it).

Yay for the patio! Hopefully you can fit some reading or crafting in around all the chauffeuring.

>149 scaifea: You hit the nail on the head for me ;) This story grips hard and fast. I'm eager to see what you think of the rest of the series. The detective is honestly my favorite character, along with Chief Yagami (Light's dad).
To answer about the film, Yes, Defoe is Ryuk. And he's the only nice thing about this adaptation. They basically picked the whole story up and moved it into America. And the Light they picked is an IDIOT. And I'm not even talking about in comparison to Wunderkind Light Yagami, I mean just in general. He reads the damn book's rules, aloud, IN A CROWDED SCHOOL GYM!

Yay indeed for the patio and the fire pit. It will be lovely out there in the fall.

I skimmed through your last thread and noticed you had listened to the Turgenev as translated by Constance Garnett. Having read many Russian novels (in English), may I suggest that NO ONE read translations by Constance? She makes up about half of what she translates to suit a Victorian sensibility; there are other excellent translations, more faithful and modern, of many of the Russian novels. If a Pevear and Volokhonsky translation is available for any Russian book, it's bound to be a winner.

>151 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>152 Ravenwoodwitch: Yep, I think I probably have a new boyfriend for the Boyfriend Couch in that detective. I do love a mysterious and competent dude. But yeah, the movie sounds silly. I'll stay clear.

>153 ffortsa: Oh! I didn't realize you know Russian - very cool! For Latin and Greek translations, I'm okay with a certain amount of wiggle room in translations depending on what the translator is trying to do, as long as they stay true to the spirit and the ideas of the thing.

Hooray for the patio and firepit! That sounds lovely. Hopefully it's finished soon enough you get to enjoy it a bit this summer.

>153 ffortsa: I have never been one to be super picky about translators, but I was first introduced to Russian lit through the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of Crime and Punishment and now I try to stick to them exclusively. I took a few classes in college on Russian novels in English and the professor was also the main Russian teacher, and... he had a lot of feelings about Constance Garnett, lol.

>153 ffortsa: and >157 curioussquared: Now I feel like I need to check the Russian novels in my collection and see who the translators are!

>156 scaifea: Nope, don't know Russian (wish I did), but I have read a lot of translated Russian novels, and the comments about the older translations, especially by Garnett, are excoriating. Pevear and Volokhonsky have won awards, and others are working on them too.

>157 curioussquared: Yes! Well, they think they'll be done with the patio this week (we'll see). I think I'll enjoy it most in the fall and the spring, though.

>159 ffortsa: Ah, I see. Well, I don't know Russian either, but I did enjoy that translation just fine. It's also the case, though, that I don't really care that much about detailed accuracy in my Russian novel translations. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one since in general I...don't (the novels themselves). I know the P&V translations are revered, but so is Wilson's Homer translation and I find it just awful (and I *do* know the original in that case), so I don't really go by what others think when it comes to translations and just let myself decide for...myself.

Starting Trojan Women. So far wading through introduction that has circled above my head several times. What do I need to know going into this? And any advice on how to read a play - not read one since Hamlet at 16 - it's been a while...

>162 Helenliz: It's probably best if you have a general grasp of story of the Trojan War and especially how it ended, so not just Homer's version, and then keep in mind that Euripides loves to use myth to talk about Bigger Issues and that he wasn't really appreciated in his time because the way he talked about those Big Issues annoyed the Athenians sometimes. As far as how to read a play, maybe just try to have in the back of your mind what it would feel like on stage. Here's a link to a production of the Oresteia that happened back in the 90s; it's the best/closest rendition of what we think it may have been like, with the masks and the bare minimum of scenery. Plus, it's really cool and kind of creepy, which nicely captures the spirit of those three plays. No need to watch the whole thing, of course, just a couple of minutes to get the idea of the thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7sdZQ1BDs0

I'm happy to answer questions as you go, if you have them!

On the Agenda for Today:
I've already dropped Charlie off for his 8-11 band practice and I'm finally settling down with my first cup of coffee of the morning. The guys just arrived with a dump truck full of gravel to, I guess?, fill in the giant square holes they dug out yesterday for the patio and the cement square for the shed foundation. Fun things happening at Scaife Manor. I'm so glad I remembered to take some Before photos so I can share those with some After ones when they're all done!

Before I go to pick up Charlie from band practice I need to head to the pharmacy to pick up some Rx refills. This afternoon I'll try to do some writing, I think. And then Charlie has cross country practice this evening, plus we have a CC parent meeting. Leftovers for dinner tonight. The meatball recipe turned out really good! Sort of BBQ-y and tangy. I'll try to remember to share it later on.

On the Reading Front:
I spent some time at Mansfield Park yesterday and also at Flambards, plus I'm now a little over halfway through Sing, Unburied, Sing. Still pretty much enjoying all my current reads. I love when that happens!

The Crafting Report:
I finished up my single crochet swatch and did some knitting on the scarf yesterday. Progress! The yarn for the crochet scarf should get here tomorrow.

What We're Watching:
A couple of Fullmetal Alchemists.

>123 scaifea: I brought that one home from the local library to read, but now I am not sure I will get to it this month. *sigh* Too many books, too little time. . .

>164 scaifea: Still pretty much enjoying all my current reads. I love when that happens! Yeah, me too.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Amber!

>165 alcottacre: You can always check it out again later!

And thanks - happy Tuesday to you, too!

>123 scaifea: He is a great writer. I should hunt that one out too. Thanks.

>167 sirfurboy: He really is. I hope you love this one when you get to it!

>164 scaifea: How are you getting on with Fanny and the Bertrams?

>169 MickyFine: I'm enjoying MP just fine, although so far it's not my favorite Austin.

On the Agenda for Today:
The guys are already here and hard at work again - the backyard is coming along! I have a haircut appointment at 9, work 1030-6, and possibly will need to pop out of work at some point to pick Charlie up from the school - sports and band pictures are today. Tomm can get him there and *maybe* pick him up, depending on when Charlie's finished. Yoicks. Leftovers again for dinner.

On the Reading Front:
I didn't find much time to read yesterday, but what time I did have I spent with Three Bags Full and Flambards. I also finished up Sing, Unburied, Sing but won't have time for a review today. Maybe tomorrow?

The Crafting Report:
More work on the knitted scarf yesterday. I'm excited to start the crochet one soon!

What We're Watching:
An episode or two of Modern Family.

>170 scaifea: It's my least favourite Austen novel but it's still an Austen so it ranks pretty high on my list of all-time favourites overall. Doesn't hurt that I took a Jane Austen course during undergrad that really helped boost my appreciation for it. Once the Crawfords arrive, you might have a better time with it.

>172 MickyFine: MP is one that I sort of wish I had been able to read in a college course instead of on my own. I liked it but didn't love it when I read it. I was just thinking I don't think I've ever watched an adaptation of it; do you have a favorite?

I like Mansfield Park - it's very different from most of Austen's novels but there is a lot to chew on. I usually rank it 3rd or 4th...

Hope you're having a good day, Amber!

>172 MickyFine: It's great when courses like that actually help your appreciation of a thing!

>173 curioussquared: I haven't seen a movie version, either, so I'm awaiting the response...

>174 katiekrug: It does certainly seem different than her other stuff. I'm glad you like it!

>173 curioussquared: I love the 1983 BBC version.

>173 curioussquared: >176 scaifea: The 1999 version with Frances O'Connor was the first adaptation of MP that I ever watched and while it's a delightful film I'll be the first to admit it's not a very faithful adaptation. They incorporate a bunch of Austen's juvenilia as Fanny's own writing, in an effort to make Fanny more interesting, as I think most adaptations have a hard time with Fanny's unrelenting goodness. The film also gets far more into the realities of the Bertrams having an estate in Antigua and the ties their money has to slavery. Austen's contemporary audience would have made the connection more easily than modern readers so I'm not upset over the change, although again the film takes some creative license. It does have a really great cast and I'm particularly fond of Jonny Lee Miller's Edmund (although he also makes a solid Mr. Knightley - but that's a whole other conversation).

I've only seen it once but the 2007 ITV adaptation is more faithful to the novel, as I recall. However, while I love Billie Piper (Rose remains my favourite Doctor Who companion), she doesn't match my mental image of Fanny's physical type so I had a hard time buying into her portrayal of Fanny.

That's it for my (long) two cents. :)

>178 quondame: >179 MickyFine: Thank you both! Perhaps I'll have to watch them all for comparison... what a hardship.

>179 MickyFine: Oooh, Billie Piper! Welp, I'm sold on that one.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-5, Charlie has band practice 8-11 and cross country 5-7. So, another crazy day here at Scaife Manor. The patio is coming along and it's fun to see the progression. Breaded Chicken Breasts for dinner tonight, I think.

On the Reading Front:
Almost not time for reading yesterday except for listening - I started Trust Exercise and so far so interesting. I did manage a few pages in Flambards last night, too.

The Crafting Report:
The scarf yarn arrived and I love it! Lovely colors and very soft. Photos when I have time, which is not this morning!

What We're Watching:
My pick last night and I decided it was time to introduce Charlie to the greatness that is Army of Darkness. Such a fantastic movie.

Hi Amber my dear, a very belated happy new thread, i am slowly catching up with the threads after a blank week on here and then nine days away on holiday.

Sending love and hugs to you and the family from both of us dear friend.

>182 scaifea: They started school this week here because the buses were running. I think they are out today because it is local elections and state primaries and most of the schools are polling places. I voted, and there weren't really very many there. I hope they all did early voting instead. I fear a lot of people just didn't vote because the local elections were primarily decided in the primaries.

>183 johnsimpson: Hi, John! So good to see you!

>184 thornton37814: Charlie's school doesn't start back up for another couple of weeks.

On the Agenda for Today:
Working 9:30-3, then bill sorting, menu planning, and getting my grocery list ready for shopping tomorrow morning. Frozen Friday dinner (although I may have a leftover chicken breast because they're so good!).

On the Reading Front:
Not much reading time again yesterday, although I did manage a bit of Flambards and some listening to Trust Exercise.

The Crafting Report:
I started the crochet scarf! The yarn is lovely; I'm really happy with the colors and it feels fabulous (it's Lion Brand Feels Like Butta, and it does).

What We're Watching:
Charlie's pick last night, so more Fullmetal.

>166 scaifea: Yeah, I have already sent Atonement back. I will just have to get it again later. Hopefully, my local library will not dispose of it in the meantime!

>187 scaifea: Looking forward to seeing the scarf when it is finished. I do wish I could reach through the monitor and feel it though :)

Have a fantastic Friday, Amber!

>188 alcottacre: Fingers crossing it'll still be there when you decide to check it out again!

On the Agenda for Today:
I've already been there and back again on a grocery quest, and now Tomm and Charlie are off on a birthday present buying journey. I still need to do the weekly bill sorting, and then I think I'll do some baking (blueberry coffee cake and maybe some almond cookies). Then maybe some reading and some crafting. Brazilian Chicken with Orange for dinner tonight (new recipe - we'll see how it goes).

On the Reading Front:
I had some guilt-free reading time while Charlie was at cc practice and powered through another volume of My Hero Academia, which means I'm two reviews behind now. Yeesh. I'm nearly finished with Flambards and only have a couple of hours of listening left with Trust Exercise, too.

The Crafting Report:
I worked just a wee bit on the crochet scarf yesterday.

What We're Watching:
The first episode of The Sandman, and folks, it's WONDERFUL!! *happy sigh*

>190 scaifea: Oh I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the first episode of Sandman. I enjoyed the concept but bounced off the comics due to inconsistent art. Hoping the show will work better for me (although if they do the gross serial killer convention plot I might have a hard time with it in this format too).

Sounds like an excellent Saturday off ahead for you. Enjoy!

Whew, so much to catch up on, Amber! That's what I get for being mostly off the threads for a week or more.

Glad Charlie's back and he had such a great time at camp.

I hated Atonement the first time I read it, but reread it for book club and completely flipped my opinion.

Mansfield Park is my least-favorite Austen but still a solid read from what I remember. I don't think I've seen a film adaptation, so I may look up the one Micky discussed.

Yay for new yarn. Gotta love something that's pretty AND nice to work with.

Have a great weekend!

>192 MickyFine: Hm, I think part of the point of the Sandman series was to switch up artists, though. I'm sorry that element didn't work for you. And if that spoiler sort of thing bothers you, it could just be that Sandman isn't for you, and no worries.

>193 bell7: Welcome back, Mary! Isn't is wonderful when an author is so good that even your least favorite book of theirs is still pretty great?

>194 scaifea: I don't mind artist changes between arcs or even issues. I bounced off more because I found the art inconsistent from panel to panel and that took the joy out of it when I couldn't keep characters straight.

I made it about 30 seconds into the first episode of American Gods before being grossed out so I'd set odds for my making it through Sandman at 50/50. 😝

Finally waded through the introduction to Trojan Women and started the play. Do I need to worry too much about questions of style? The notes contain quite a lot about lyric style and monody and messenger passages and lots of stuff that is probably quite interesting, but I might read after.

It's startlingly modern, so far. I mean not necessarily the words, but the spirit.

>190 scaifea: Howdy Amber :)

You know, I had a college course on fantasy in literature and we actually read a story two stories from the Sandman comics (Three Septembers and a January, Ramadan) and so, when I saw the show was a thing, I was a tad curious if they'd be able to pull off some of the more fantastical elements.

P.S: loved that class for introducing me to Lord Dunsany. But I was mad that I had to read The Magicians, a book I still don't like to this day.

>198 Ravenwoodwitch: The Magicians is not really a likable story, but the series does have it's worthwhile qualities. But it sort of falls in the what I would call the unmagical magic category of fantasy literature, sort of an anti-Narnia.

>199 quondame: Oh, absolutely. And the point it was making is fair, I will grant (spending too much time in escapism and all) but I tend to follow the "Flight of the Prisoner" mindset when it comes to escapism. So, the book just made me angry :/
The Sandman, on the other hand, I did like; I oughta pick up more from it.

>200 Ravenwoodwitch: Ha, I'm so into escapism that that (sub)text didn't even nick me. I am not a deep Sandman fan, but I do appreciate it and, for sure the art irritated me from time to time, the story too, come to think of it, but yeah, it's good. But I do get it confused with The Books of Magic.

>196 MickyFine: Ah, well, I guess that's another thing entirely. I've never even noticed that happening. Yeah, if you didn't like AG, maybe just stay clear of Gaiman's shows.

Morning, Amber!

Quick question: a while ago, you shared your recipe for lemon-basil chicken in the crockpot, and noted you now did it in the IP. What timing do you use for it with the IP? I tried to make it last night and overcooked the chicken... Thanks!

>197 Helenliz: Nah, I'd say don't think too much about style and such until you've read through the play, and instead just enjoy what you're reading. If you're still interested afterwards, then go back and reread the introduction (I always read intros after the fact anyway).

And YES! Pretty much all Greek drama is still very relevant today in many ways. My students are always startled by that, too.

>198 Ravenwoodwitch: Aw, yay for Gaiman as college course reading! The first episode did a brilliant job of translating the page to the screen, so I have high hopes for the rest of the show.

>198 Ravenwoodwitch: >199 quondame: >200 Ravenwoodwitch: I've not read The Magicians, so I'll just let you two chat.

On the Agenda for Today:
Not too much, and I'm very okay with that. I'll bake my birthday cake - I've decided on Sponge Cake with a choice of either cherry or blackberry preserves warmed and poured over it. Chef Charliemagne is making pizzas for dinner tonight. Otherwise, I'll probably do some crafting and some reading.

My breakfast this morning = the Blueberry Coffee Cake I made yesterday and it's delicious:



And the Almond Cookies come out pretty good, too:



On the Reading Front:
Still nearly finished with Flambards (I didn't get much reading time yesterday) and Trust Exercise.

The Crafting Report:
Nothing to report here from yesterday, but I may try to get my washcloth and swatches finally on the blocking board today. We'll see.

What We're Watching:
A couple of episodes of Conan without Borders, which is absolutely hilarious.

Morning, Amber. Happy Sunday. I am a big fan of Jesmyn Ward, so I loved Sing, Unburied, Sing. She should be due for another book. That coffee cake looks fantastic.

>203 katiekrug: - *sad eyes*

>203 katiekrug: >208 katiekrug: Sorry, Katie, you must have posted as I was responding to others and I missed you.

I usually do about 8 minutes for fresh or 10 minutes for frozen chicken breasts.

>209 scaifea: - Yeah, I did 9 and then 5 minutes of natural steam release before venting. I'll definitely go shorter next time. Thanks!

>210 katiekrug: Welcome! I also never have patience for the natural release and always do it manually.

>207 msf59: And now I've also missed your post, Mark! Ha! I'm working on my review for the Ward now - I loved it and I'll definitely read more of her stuff. The coffee cake is *so* good, but then, I love blueberries in pretty much any form.

97. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, are being raised by their mother's parents on a small farm in southern Mississippi. Their mother (Leonie) ostensibly lives with them, too, but her drug addiction and selfish ways make her an unreliable presence and a mean one at that. With the bedridden Mam (the grandmother) slowly dying of cancer and Pop (the grandfather) doing his best to teach Jojo how to be a decent grown man, Jojo is torn between acquiescing to his mother's demand that he and Kayla go with her on her road trip to pick up their father, who has just been released from prison, and doing what he really wants, which is to stay home with his grandparents. In the end, he and Kayla, whom Jojo is essentially parenting on his own, go with their mother. The resulting road trip is full of potential dangers, stupid and selfish decisions on Leonie's part, and complicated family dynamics. Along with this main story, we get parallel narratives of Pop's past experiences in the same prison farm that Jojo's dad is in, and the history of Leonie's brother, who was lynched by a group of white boys that included Jojo's father's cousin. There's also an element of the supernatural here, with the ghosts of both Leonie's brother and Pop's friend, who died at the prison farm, making themselves felt by certain inhabitants of the road trip car.

I'm wholly surprised by how much I liked this novel, since normally the genre is too bleak for me. And this one is plenty grim in its own way, but told in a manner that makes the story itself overpower that darkness. Leonie in any other story would have been enough for me to throw the (audio)book across the room and quit - I can't stand bad mothers; they make me so smad - but my need to know how Jojo's and Pop's stories ended kept me intrigued enough to just make a face at Leonie and keep listening. Her complexities help here, too - she's not just a shitty, drug-addicted parent; she's a product of her circumstances as much as of her bad choices. But even more than the story itself, the writing held me entranced. Gorgeous, gorgeous prose, even when it's Leonie's ugly thoughts we're witnessing. I'll certainly be back for more Ward.

>213 scaifea: - Such an excellent book. I liked Salvage the Bones just a smidge more - also very dark but worth it. Ward's nonfiction is also really good. Men We Reaped is beautifully written and heartbreaking.

>214 katiekrug: I'll absolutely read more of her stuff. Her writing is amazing.

>213 scaifea: Excellent review, Amber. I'm so glad you liked SUS.
>214 katiekrug: Seconding all of this!!

>216 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! I'm so glad I've finally entered the Ward fandom!

98. My Hero Academia Vol. 3 by Kohei Horikoshi (manga) - 9/10
Another fun entry in the series. I adore Tomura Shigaraki and I'm happy that he's now made his appearance in the manga.

>206 scaifea: Almond cookies look yummy!

>213 scaifea: this on has been on my shelf for a while and I always mean to get to it but always forget about it when starting something new. Excellent review. I will move this on my read soon-ish shelf.

>206 scaifea: Ooooh that Cofffee Cake.*le sigh* I really need to stop sitting on my hands and get back to some baking.

Me again, with yet more questions. The "Chorus" is that an ensemble, despite the fact that their speech is in the first person? In my head it's a body of people with shared experience. Close or miles off?

How unusual was this at the time? It's a play presenting the female experience. Even now it's not exactly the norm.

Have read the play, now reading it again with the translation notes in parallel.

>219 figsfromthistle: Thanks! The cookies were *very* almond-y and I love it.

I'm glad you like the review, and I hope you love the book when you get to it!

>220 Ravenwoodwitch: I love to bake, but I know that it's more of a chore for a lot of people. I had a slice of the coffee cake again this morning for breakfast. So good. I love that the cake part soaks up the blueberry juices. Yum.

>221 Helenliz: Greek plays always have a chorus, which is a group of people who chant/sing-song their parts and are, in general, a link between the characters in the play and the audience. They give background information to the story, interact with the characters in a way that draws out more information, and react to the action of the play in a way that guides the audience toward how they should be reacting. The best modern examples are - don't laugh, it's true - the Oompa Loompas in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or (as in a meme I use to share with my myth students), remember in grade school when someone would get in trouble and the rest of the class would go, "OOOOOOOO!"? That's a Greek chorus.

Euripides is famously a feminist of sorts and gives us lots of examples of stories from a woman's point of view. It's possibly one of the reasons he wasn't nearly as popular in his own time as Aeschylus or Sophocles were.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm giving myself a free day to putter and putz around as a please. I'll do some reading and probably some crafting, and very possibly some napping. Oh, and a trip to the Alexandria library to return some books there. No cooking because the Scaife Men are taking me out to dinner tonight.

My birthday haul:



Plus, once the new shed is up in the backyard, I'm getting a new bicycle!



On the Reading Front:
I read a bit of Romancing Mister Bridgerton yesterday, and I'm *still* nearly finished with Flambards and Trust Exercise. Maybe today?

The Crafting Report:
I didn't get down into the sewing room to block those crochet things yesterday - today! For sure. I *did* work on the crochet scarf some yesterday.

What We're Watching:
A couple of West Wings and a Modern Family.

Great review of Sing, Unburied, Sing! Looks like it made you an instant fan.

Hooray for a new bicycle. Is that the type you like?

Happy birthday Amber! I hope your "do as I please day" is everything you hope for. Where are you going for dinner?

Happy birthday, Amber!

>226 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It sure did make me an instant Ward fan and I'll be back for more.

That is *the* bike I'm getting and yep, I love the cruiser style. My current bike is very similar, although no cup holder and I added a basket later, and it's red. I've had it since grad school and it is old and very janky at this point. It makes a loud creaking noise when I pedal and the poor thing has given me all she's got, I think. I want to be able to ride to work, and doesn't that look like the perfect librarian bicycle?! I love it.

>227 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! We're going to PF Chang's, so nothing too fancy, but I love it and we can all find something there to eat, which is sometimes a challenge for Tomm.

>228 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!!

>225 scaifea: That is exactly the bicycle a librarian should be riding, if you ask me!

Happy, happy birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, Amber!
Nice prezzies! Enjoy your special day

>225 scaifea: That bike is adorable! Happy birthday!

>232 rosalita: *SNORK!* EXACTLY!

And thanks!!

Happy Birthday, Amber!

>233 Carmenere: >234 foggidawn: Thanks, folks!

Happy Birthday, Amber. Dreary and rainy here. Hoping for bright sunshine your way.

Happy birthday. That's an excellent looking bicycle.

>224 scaifea: That all makes sense, Thanks. Your suggestion, so only fair I now annoy you with questions about it.

Happy birthday, Amber!

Happy Birthday! Enjoy a day of well-deserved Amber time.

Happy Birthday, Amber!! Hope you have a great day and enjoy that P.F. Chang's (we don't have one near us in WA and miss it a lot, it's a family favorite so enjoy for us too while you're at it please).

Happy birthday, Amber! Sounds like a perfect day and I have all the bike envy. Other than colour, that is precisely the bike I'm looking for - what brand is it for researching purposes?

>238 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It's sunny out right now, but I'm going to stay in - it's very muggy out there.

>239 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen! And I'm happy to answer your questions!

>240 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie!

>241 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen!

>242 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! I'm sorry you've lost your PF Chang's visits. We haven't been in a long while, but we love it, too.

>243 MickyFine: I think it's a Huffy.

Happy birthday Amber! :D
Enjoy the rest day, and may there be more delicious treats in your future!

>246 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks, Angela!!

99. Trust Exercise by Susan Choi (NBA list + audiobook) - 9/10
Divided into 2 parts, the first half of the novel is the story of the students in a prestigious high school drama class, their relationships with one another (mostly, pardon the pun, very dramatically played out), and with their teacher. The second half reveals that the first half is half of a novel written by one of the students years later, and the POV switches to another of the former students, who is disgruntled at the wild liberties the writer has taken with the truth. There is a reunion of sorts amongst some of the alumni of the class, in the form of a play written by their visiting British instructor, directed by one of their classmates, and performed, in one part, by the secretly disgruntled member of the class. Both sections end without really ending, make each other unreliable, and inform one another in fascinating ways. There's an additional small sort of postscript section that adds even more upheaval and uncertainty to what has come before it, and it, too, breaks off without really giving the reader a tidy conclusion.

I loved it. I love the feeling of having the rug pulled out from underneath my reader-feet multiple times, of getting almost comfortable with the idea that I've sorted out what's possibly really going on only to have that feeling dashed again. This is a cleverly constructed novel that manages to stupefy without overly confusing matters, while also delivering interesting and believable characters in an engaging, if not easily verifiable, plot. Highly recommended.

Happy Birthday Amber!

>248 scaifea: Ooh you got me with that review, Amber. For some reason I've never been drawn to this novel but you've piqued my curiosity.

>249 quondame: Thanks!

>250 lauralkeet: Oh, I think you'll enjoy it, Laura.

Happy Birthday Amber my dear.

>253 johnsimpson: Thanks, John!

Happy birthday!

>206 scaifea: That Blueberry Coffee cake looks wonderful. The Almond Cookies are not shabby either.

>213 scaifea: I really need to read that one. It has been sitting on my shelf unread for far too long!

>225 scaifea: Nice birthday haul - including the bicycle! Happy birthday from me!

>248 scaifea: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Amber.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

>255 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>256 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! And I hope you enjoy the books when you get to them!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-2 with a break in the middle to take Charlie for a haircut. This afternoon I'll be sous chef to Charlie while he makes from-scratch chocolate pudding, and then I'll make meatloaf for dinner.

My birthday dinner was fantastic! Tomm had sushi (ew), Charlie ordered mongolian beef (yum), and I had my favorite, Pad Thai.

On the Reading Front:
I read a nice chunk of A Court of Frost and Starlight yesterday, and I started listening to The Keepers of the House this morning.

The Crafting Report:
I finally started blocking my swatches and the washcloth, and I also made a smidge of progress with the crochet scarf.

What We're Watching:
Some Fullmetal Alchemist. Only four episodes to go!

Happy belated birthday, Amber! Glad it was such a good day, and hope you enjoy the new bike.

>258 scaifea: Mmmm I love Pad Thai! We recently completed a detailed study of our three take-out Pad Thai options. Very important research! But necessary, because the one we'd visited before is closed for the month (owners traveling to visit family). Turns out that was our favorite, so now we have to wait until September. I guess we'll survive.

Have a great day Amber!

>258 scaifea: Good afternoon, Amber :) Hope your day goes well.
Ah, sounds like you just finished episode 60. This was the point where I was most excited and terrified.
I also found Envy's final "real" form oddly cute. I'd have a stuffed version of it with glee. I wasn't expecting his death to be so melancholic either, but I think that's because I was in the same blind rage as Mustang.
Hate to say this but I'm on Tomm's side for dinner XD I love unagi and avocado sushi with eel sauce.

>259 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I'm really excited about getting the new bicycle!

>260 lauralkeet: When I lived in Columbus during grad school, there was a fantastic Thai place that had the best Pad Thai I've ever eaten. I'm so sad that they're not around anymore. They also had amazing coconut ice cream. *sigh* But I'll make do with PF Chang's version, which is also pretty dang god.

>261 Ravenwoodwitch: I agree about Envy being adorable. I honestly teared up at his death, the poor little thing.

Mmm, pad thai. I go back and forth between that, pad see ew, and panang curry as my go-to order, but I'll eat just about anything from a Thai restaurant.

I've never tried to make a true pad thai at home, but this is my go-to easy version recipe: more peanut-y than a real pad thai, but super super good. I usually make it with chicken and whatever veggies we have handy at the time. https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/thai-peanut-noodles/

>265 curioussquared: Ooh, I've favorited that recipe. Thank you!

>265 curioussquared: Yum.

>265 curioussquared: Thanks for the recipe! I'll probably try that out soon!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm taking Charlie to band practice at 8, working 9-2, and then probably puttering around the house for the rest of the afternoon. The new meatloaf recipe turned out really tasty - it's the Joy of Cooking one, if anyone is interested. Leftovers for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I finished Flambards, read a bit of Mansfield Park, started an interesting GN called Heathen, and listened to some of The Keepers of the House, which I'm really enjoying so far.

The Crafting Report:
The crochet scarf is coming along, although I'm feeling guilty for neglecting the knit one...

What We're Watching:
A West Wing, a Psych, and a Conan without Borders.

>269 scaifea: I will be curious to see what you think of Mansfield Park when you finish it, Amber. I just finished it recently.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

So sorry to be late with birthday wishes, but clearly it was a good one, so YAY! And, that bicycle...outstanding. In fact, I think you should have a formal photo done with you in your librarian togs ON the bike, and use it as your profile picture everywhere forevermore!

>270 alcottacre: I'm having some issues with it, but I think it's because I'm leaving too many days between picking it up; it's difficult for me to keep the characters straight.

>271 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! Maybe I'll get Charlie to take a picture of me. We'll see. And thanks for the birthday wishes! My boss brought in cheesecake to celebrate today! #bestjobever

>273 scaifea: Mmm, cheesecake!

>274 foggidawn: YES! It's a perfect choice, really, since I love the stuff but rarely make it as home since I'm the only one who eats it there.

Oh, I wish you hadn't mentioned cheesecake just as I'm heading out for groceries...

>276 laytonwoman3rd: *snork!* Apologies.

100. Flambards by K. M. Peyton (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10
Young Christina has been an orphan since the age of five and has been shuffled from relative to relative. Now her uncle Russell has requested that she come to live with him and his two young sons at Flambards, a once impressive estate, although it is now in disrepair. All the money (and there's not much of it anymore) at Flambards goes to the stables, as horses and hunting is the only passion Russell and his eldest son, Mark, have. Christina is nervous at first to be thrust into such an unknown life, especially since she suspects her uncle's motives may have something to do with the big pile of money she will age into at 18. But she takes to riding quickly. The younger son, William, has absolutely no interest in horses, and delights in his fate - he will remain lame after a fall from his horse and will not ride anymore. Instead, he is in love with the new-fangled idea of flight. Christina finds herself growing into a young woman caught between the differing passions of not only the Flambards men, but also of a certain young stable hand as well.

I enjoyed this story, although on the whole I think it has some flaws. It starts out as a coming-of-age, overcoming-a-hard-childhood type story but then seems to shift gears - and too abruptly - into a who-will-she-chose sort of love story. So the whole thing goes through a bit of an identity crisis, it seems, but nonetheless I liked the story enough not to mind so much.

Hi Amber!

Glad to see you enjoyed the Sandman adaption - I've been seeing a lot of praise for it which has my expectations high. I haven't watched it yet, maybe this weekend or perhaps the next one (as a treat after my first week back to commuting to work)?

Completely understand why Micky turned off the American Gods TV show - I've only seen bits and pieces but could tell that it wouldn't be for me.

And a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy belated birthday!

How nice that your boss brought in some cake to celebrate. Enjoy :)

>279 PawsforThought: We're just three episodes in now and I'm suspecting that Micky won't like it if she tries it. Like the comic, it's...violent at times. Gaiman generally writes pretty dark stuff. He just does it beautifully.

And thanks! I had a great birthday!

>280 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! I have the most fantastic boss ever.

On the Agenda for Today:
Charlie has band practice this morning, and then I work 2-7. I'll spend the morning checking things off my odds-and-ends list, plus doing the menu planning for next week and getting my grocery list ready for tomorrow's shopping. Leftovers again for dinner.

On the Reading Front:
I'm really enjoying Magician: Apprentice and The Keepers of the House, and I finished up Heathen vol 1 and it was pretty amazing, too, so I'll probably request the next volume.

The Crafting Report:
Still plugging away at the crochet scarf...

What We're Watching:
Episode 3 of Sandman. So. Good.

>281 scaifea: Yes, some of his works are very dark (and some are the opposite). I've loved everything I've read of his, though, even though I generally stay clear of violent literature. I think he balances it well and doesn't linger too much.

Sweet Thursday, Amber. Good review of Trust Exercise. That one was on my radar for a while and then slipped off, as many of them do. It is now back on.

He also reads like a dream. I've listened to him narrate a few of his works now and I'd quite happily listen to him reading out the telephone book. I just wish some of them weren't quite so long...

Hi Amber!

>248 scaifea: I put this book on my wish list because I saw it on @ffortsa’s thread, but you finally pushed me over the edge and I’ve just ordered myself a copy.

>258 scaifea: Pad thai has always been one of my favorites, although I do love the Dreaded Sushi, too.

>278 scaifea: Congrats on book 100.

>278 scaifea: I remember enjoying that as a teenager. I think these days I would probably find the celebration of fox hunting a little problematic.

>284 PawsforThought: Ha! Yeah, I suppose the Chu books aren't very dark...

>285 msf59: Oh, I think you'll love that one, Mark, when you get to it!

>286 Helenliz: He has a fantastic voice, doesn't he?

>287 karenmarie: I hope you love it when you get to it, Karen.

Pad Thai is delicious, isn't it? I'll let you have my share of the sushi, though.

And thanks!

>288 SandDune: Yep, the fact that Christina takes to fox hunting so easily makes me like her less than I'm supposed to, I think.

>289 scaifea: Unless you have deep-seated phobias of sneezing.

Among the books for older folks, I wouldn't call Stardust, Neverwhere or Good Omens dark either (though there are murders in Neverwhere).
This is reminding me that I have yet to read both Norse Mythology and The Ocean at the End of the Land - maybe autumn reads?

The new thread is up:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/343458

>281 scaifea: Good to know, thanks!

As long as we're talking awesome Gaiman though, Marvel 1602 is a lot of fun.