MickyFine Rocks 2022, Thread 8

The Ferryland lighthouse. Photo credit Megan Cole on Flickr.

I'm Micky, 35 years old, librarian, and generally bookish nerd. I usually have a good mix of reads going on every year with strong doses of romance, sff, historicals, and a dash of non-fiction. I'm doing a Canadian author challenge for myself this year to try and increase the amount of Can Lit I read, which is often abysmal. Anyone who's interested is welcome to join me (schedule down thread). I do my best to be chatty on my own thread and in addition to my reading, I'll also discuss my craft projects (cross-stitch and crochet), board games, what we're watching, and general life goings on often featuring my husband, Mr. Fine, and our two cats, Ash and Smee. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

2022 will be the year that Mr. Fine and I finally go to visit his family in Newfoundland. In celebration of the trip, this year's thread toppers will be views of the Rock, as the island is affectionately known.

January
1. All Adults Here - Emma Straub
2. Arcadia - Tom Stoppard
3. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism - Amanda Montell
4. Wicked and the Wallflower - Sarah MacLean
5. Warlight - Michael Ondaatje
6. A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers
7. A Likely Story - Jenn McKinlay
8. The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London - Judith Flanders
9. Am I Overthinking This?: Over-Answering Life's Questions in 101 Charts - Michelle Rial
Favourite(s):


February
10. Troy - Stephen Fry
11. Bloodlust & Bonnets - Emily McGovern
12. The Twisted Sword - Winston Graham
13. Before She Was Helen - Caroline B. Cooney
14. The Anthropocene Reviewed - John Green (re-read)
15. Half-Blood Blues - Esi Edugyan
16. Space Opera - Catherynne M. Valente
17. The Murder on the Links - Kate McAll
18. Boy: Tales of Childhood - Roald Dahl
Favourite(s):


March
19. Cold-Hearted Rake - Lisa Kleypas
20. Binti: The Complete Trilogy - Nnedi Okorafor
21. Marvel 1602 - Neil Gaiman
22. Oscar Wilde: The BBC Radio Drama Collection - Oscar Wilde
23. Molly of the Mall: Literary Lass and Purveyor of Fine Footwear - Heidi L.M. Jacobs
24. Pretty Bitches - Lizzie Skurnick (ed.)
25. At Bertram's Hotel - Agatha Christie
26. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (re-read)
27. Index, A History of the - Dennis Duncan
28. Six-Gun Snow White - Catherynne M. Valente
Favourite(s):

April
29. Hot Six - Janet Evanovich
30. Time After Time - Lisa Grunwald
31. The Bride Test - Helen Hoang
32. Mãn - Kim Thúy
33. The Garden of Small Beginnings - Abbi Waxman
34. Check, Please!: #Hockey - Ngozi Ukazu
35. Check, Please!: Sticks and Scones - Ngozi Ukazu
36. My Brown-Eyed Earl - Anna Bennett
37. Dark Mirror - Diane Duane
Favourite(s):


May
38. A Woman of No Importance - Sonia Purnell
39. Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson
40. The Kaiju Preservation Society - John Scalzi
41. Gallant - V.E. Schwab
42. Julieta - Alice Munro
43. Other People's Houses - Abbi Waxman
Favourite(s):


June
44. Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron - Julia Quinn & Violet Charles
45. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - T. Kingfisher
46. Seven Stones to Stand or Fall - Diana Gabaldon
47. Indians on Vacation - Thomas King
48. The Princess Beard - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne
49. Invisible Women - Caroline Criado Perez
Favourite(s):

July
50. Last Tang Standing - Lauren Ho
51. Bellevue Square - Michael Redhill
52. When a Rogue Meets His Match - Elizabeth Hoyt
53. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill - Abbi Waxman (re-read)
54. After the Wedding - Courtney Milan
55. Paper Girls - Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (re-read)
56. I Was Told It Would Get Easier - Abbi Waxman
57. Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure - Courtney Milan
58. Spoiler Alert - Olivia Dade
59. Phoebe and Her Unicorn - Dana Simpson
60. Crazy in Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop - Annie Darling
Favourite(s):


August
61. Thor: The Goddess of Thunder - Jason Aaron, et. al.
62. Because of Miss Bridgerton - Julia Quinn
63. Thor: Who Holds the Hammer? - Jason Aaron et. al.
64. All of the Marvels - Douglas Wolk
65. Book Lovers - Emily Henry
66. A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying - Kelley Armstrong
67. A Murderous Relation - Deanna Raybourn
68. Brazen and the Beast - Sarah MacLean
69. Better Late Than Never - Jenn McKinlay
Favourite(s):


September
Favourite(s)

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

Canadian Author Challenge Schedule

January - Michael Ondaatje
February - Esi Edugyan
March - Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour
April - Kim Thúy
May - Alice Munro
June - Thomas King
July - Scotiabank Giller Prize
August - Kelley Armstrong
September - Leonard Cohen
October - Vivek Shraya
November - Non-fiction
December - Lucy Maud Montgomery

Kelley Armstrong is a SFF writer from Sudbury, Ontario. Writing for both teens and adults, she has an avid fanbase based on the number of copies my library has to order for any of her new titles.

July is done and it definitely has more colour variation than June. The coldest temperature was 14°C (on two separate days), the warmest temperature was 31°C (also on two separate days), and the most frequently used colour was Banana (21-25°C). Given its frequent use, it's not a huge surprise I used up 2 skeins of Banana this month.

What's (been) on the agenda: It's a holiday Monday here so slept in a bit and then had a fry up for breakfast. Went for a long walk together this morning before it got too warm - it's not too hot temperature-wise but it's pretty humid for here so it feels very sticky. Took a shower when we got home and then did all the new thread things while Mr. Fine played some video games. I think we're going to board game a bit this afternoon and I'll possibly get in some reading and/or crafting time as well. Mac and cheese (from scratch) for dinner tonight.

What I'm reading: Didn't crack a book yesterday so I still have the Thor comic and Because of Miss Bridgerton lined up.

What we're watching: There was a lot of lazing around yesterday and viewing included a couple episodes of TNG and Mom as well as Goldeneye and one of Mr. Fine's DC animated films (I was more in the room and crocheting rather than watching for that last one).

Happy new one, Micky!

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread! Glad last month was a better reading month.

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy new thread, Micky. Looking pretty certain to be your busiest year on your threads. x

Happy new thread!

>1 MickyFine: Love the topper.

New-thread orisons, Micky, and the temperature blanket's looking grand!

Thank you, Katie, Natalie, Foggi, Anita, Susan, Arlie, Paul, Figs, and Richard for the new thread well wishes!

>11 foggidawn: It's a relief to feel more back to normal. It's been a while since reading felt like fun, so it's nice to rediscover that.

>15 PaulCranswick: That's exciting news, Paul.

>16 figsfromthistle: Living in a landlocked province, I find lighthouses such a romantic view. Planning to visit at least a couple on our trip.

>17 richardderus: I'm really pleased with how the blanket is looking. It's getting massive too. Should be big enough for both Mr. Fine and I to snuggle under come this winter. :)

Book 61



Thor: The Goddess of Thunder - Jason Aaron et. al.

Odin has returned to Asgardia only to find all is not as it should. Freyja is less than willing to relinquish her role as the All-Mother and Thor is no longer worthy of lifting Mjolnir. However, a mysterious woman is now hefting the hammer and taking on the role of defender of Midgard.

Such an excellent comic arc. The plot is excellent and the mystery of the identity of the new Thor is well-hidden (viewers of Thor: Love and Thunder will know the answer, of course, but within this arc there are hints but no reveal). I also love that Aaron manages to call out any misogynistic fanboys about Thor being a woman within the world of the comic and smack it down completely. There's also some excellent humour interspersed in here (I particularly loved Spider-Man's speculation on what the new Thor's name might be), which adds some levity to an action and politics heavy arc. Recommended.

Rating: ****

What's on the agenda: Early morning in office routine today. It was a bit of a Monday-ish start to the day as I slipped going down the stairs from the house to the garage, knocking my shoe off, which slid so far under the car that I had to pull the car into the driveway before I could retrieve said shoe. However, my day has improved vastly as my manager just announced this morning that she's leaving the organization at the end of September! With my vacation in September, it means I only have a month and a handful of days days left with her as my supervisor. Work itself is fine with all the customer suggestions, updating Lucky Day content, and submitting my orders for November titles. Take out for supper tonight is my pick and I'm leaning towards banh mi.

What I'm reading: Started Because of Miss Bridgerton on the bus this morning and am already thoroughly enjoying it.

What we're playing: Mr. Fine taught me Risk as apparently one of his second cousins back home is obsessed and has requested a game with us when we visit since most of the family isn't big into board games. We called it a draw because I wasn't keen on endless swapping of zones as we were pretty evenly matched.

What we're watching: I got in a bit of Felicity while Mr. Fine was cooking. Season 2 I'm in the arc where Noel's girlfriend, Ruby, is pregnant and I'm fascinated to see where this goes. A few episodes of Doctor Who was the shared viewing with Mr. Fine.

>20 MickyFine: I definitely do not remember that plot, lol

>20 MickyFine: Woohoo to your manager leaving! That's the best feeling.

>20 MickyFine: Glad your day took a turn for the better!

>20 MickyFine: - Glad my "Manager Be Gone!" vibes finally worked :)

Ah, Risk. The first time I ever played was when TW and I were dating, and I routed him. I don't think we've played since. Heh. But he prefers Twilight Struggle (beat him at that the first time we played but then he beat me the second time and that's all we've played because it's ridiculously (to me) long and involved...

I'm glad to hear your reaction to the Bridgerton prequel, as I've been a bit wary of trying it/them.

Happy new thread! Glad the supervisor situation is changing.

>20 MickyFine: Oh thank goodness! You can unknot the cord around the voodoo dolly's neck at last.

>21 norabelle414: Well, I'll make sure to update you on the result. I'm guessing that in the way of most plotlines of this nature Ruby will miscarry so the writers don't have to deal with major repercussions either way. At the point I left off, she's planning to keep the baby and Noel is Freaked Out.

>22 curioussquared: I may have put on one my dance music playlists and spent most of the morning dancing at my standing desk due to my current mood. :)

>23 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi. It definitely changed the tone of the day>

>24 katiekrug: They definitely didn't hurt, Katie.

I don't think Risk is destined to be a favourite for me. If we're going to play a territory conquering game, I'd rather go with Scythe which has a variety of ways to victory and while combat is an option, it's not as heavy an emphasis in the game. Plus the artwork in Scythe is gorgeous.

I did laugh really hard at the geography of the Risk board and how big they made Alberta. So it wasn't completely without its entertaining factor.

I'll keep you posted on the Bridgerton prequel. I'm only a few chapters in but it's solid quality so far.

>25 drneutron: Thanks on both counts, Jim!

>26 richardderus: *snort* It wasn't quite there but a lot of my work dread has mysteriously dissipated for the time being.

Hmm, I'm going to have to check out Scythe now as a potential gift for TW...

>27 MickyFine: Sure or maybe she'll get in a school bus crash and then be in a coma and give birth and then Noel will kidnap the baby and run away to Mexico never to be seen again....oh wait that's a different show

>28 katiekrug: If you do get it, I look forward to hearing about how both of you like it.

>29 norabelle414: BAHAHAHAHA. I love Veronica Mars but that plot line remains one of the most ridiculous ever. Although I still think I find the moment when a Neil Diamond cover band plays at a frat party more unbelievable.

>30 MickyFine: - It looks good! I've put it on my mental list of Christmas gifts for him because I always have trouble thinking of what to get him.

>20 MickyFine: Wow, that seems to happen so rarely! I do hope you find more comfortable working relations with whoever the next management is.

Great news about your manager, Micky! That's a stroke of luck, for sure.

>31 katiekrug: Awesome. Happy to provide ideas. :)

>32 quondame: Fingers crossed. There's some speculation about internal candidates but given the unique skill set for the position, it's likely to be externally posted and we've got hopes we'll get someone awesome from another library system.

>33 lauralkeet: It made for an excellent first day back after a long weekend, that's for sure, Laura.

One month from today, Mr. Fine and I will be in Newfoundland. Yay!

What's on the agenda: It's an early morning WFH day. Dropped off Mr. Fine, went for a walk AND did today's Yoga with Adriene video. I'm trying to do her monthly challenge this month and so far I've stuck with it three days in a row so I'm feeling good about that. A lot of my work to do list from yesterday carried over to today as there was a heavy load of customer requests over the weekend (everyone using up the last of their requests and/or submitting all their request for the new month). After work, it's our biweekly grocery trip. Turkey bacon BLTs for dinner this evening.

What I'm reading: Because of Miss Bridgerton is delightfully charming so far at about the 1/3 mark.

What we're watching: Finished season 2 of Heroes and started season 3. We also watched a couple episodes of Mom.

Wordle 410 3/6

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PEONY, ROYAL, YOUTH

My default starter word has been serving me particularly well lately.

>36 MickyFine: I got my clue to the solution from Mary (bell7) complaining about it having her most troublesome letter. Solution in 4!

>35 MickyFine: Omigawd! A lousy month to wait!! I know you'll have a good time.

>37 richardderus: I'm eagerly looking forward to the trip and even Mr. Fine, who is one of those people who don't get excited until very close to the actual event, is starting to share my glee in the countdown.

Happy new thread, and congrats on the manager news. Does that mean your big possibly-October assignment isn't happening?

>36 MickyFine: Nicely done! I've had X/6 two days in a row after a perfect 140+. Maybe I should switch to your starter word :)

I've fallen off the yoga wagon of late because we've been taking a brisk, long walk every morning. I love the Yoga with Adriene videos, and her monthly calendar makes it easy because you don't have to go searching for a video to do that day.

>39 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Sadly, I'm not quite that lucky on the project front. I'm still waiting on a decision from my manager and her supervisor (who is also about to change positions - moving up into an even higher level position in the organization), but if they decide to go ahead with the project I'll still be on the hook. That said, I did draft a rough project plan for them to review and clearly outlined launch wouldn't be likely until late October or early November due to my own upcoming vacation. We'll see how that goes over.

>40 lauralkeet: On WFH days it's much easier for me to fit in a walk and yoga. On in office days I'm struggling to fit either - some of which is just the bad habit of collapsing on the couch after dinner and not getting up again until bedtime. It's particularly tough on weeks Mr. Fine is on early shift though as we're in bed by 8 and lights out at 9 as we're only home a few hours before it's bedtime and there's all the other adulting to do.

Adriene can be a bit too much for me some days (some of her affirmations make me roll my eyes) but the workouts are good and Benji is cute so I stick with it. And I agree the calendar/pre-built playlist on YouTube is super handy as I just have to scroll to the right video for the day.

What's on the agenda: It's a rainy in office day. I did have time between dropping off Mr. Fine at the bus this morning and my own departure time to not only get myself ready but also clean litter boxes so I'm feeling pretty accomplished already. Work itself is yet more customer suggestions and depending on how engaged my brain feels I might start prepping notes for my mid-year performance appraisal (it's booked for mid-August). If I'm not in the mood for that, I'll just work on the diversity audit project. After work, we'll do a quick swing by the local library for the weekly drop off and pick up of stuff. Dinner is a beef gyro kit from Costco. Afterwards, I'll head out again for a hair cut. I'll detour on my way home after the salon visit to pick up an anniversary gift for Mr. Fine, which I've pre-ordered for pick up. And somewhere in all that I need to squeeze in today's yoga video.

What I'm reading: Because of Miss Bridgerton is still on the go. I might finish it today, but tomorrow is looking more likely.

What we're watching: An episode of Felicity at lunch and a couple episodes of West Wing and one of Mom in the evening. For Nora it turns out that Ruby's baby isn't Noel's (she got knocked up while in California) so I'll give the writers credit for not going with the most cliche of outs for this plotline that still lets Noel be a decent guy.

Wordle 411 5/6

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PEONY, FLYER, SPYRE, TRYKE, RHYME

Wordlebot informs me I'd narrowed it down to only one word after my second guess. Joys of knowing too many obscure words.

>43 MickyFine: It's a curse, having a vocabulary larger than 4,000 words. *there there, pat pat*

>43 MickyFine: I definitely have a lot of moments where I think of a possible extremely obscure word and then have to take a step back and ask myself, would Wordle really make THAT the word? And then I stare at it until the (inevitably more plausible) real word finally comes to me.

>44 richardderus: Right up until it's time to play Scrabble. :P

>45 curioussquared: I knew guesses three and four weren't going to be the word but I need to eliminate some letter placements/choices for my brain to see the right answer today. Ah well.

>42 MickyFine: I keep envying your Beef Gyro kits! But I'm avoiding beef, arrgh! But still envy.

>47 quondame: They're nothing too fancy but they are very tasty and a good option in the summer as beyond heating up the meat, there's almost no prep required.

Book 62



Because of Miss Bridgerton - Julia Quinn

Billie Bridgerton has never conformed to expectations of what a young lady ought to do. So it isn't entirely surprising when her neighbour and long-time family friend, George Rokesby, finds her stranded on a roof with a sprained ankle after attempting to rescue a cat. What is unexpected is that Billie and George, who have always found each other irritating at best are suddenly wondering if there might be something more between them.

An excellent romance novel filled with plenty of banter and a decidedly slow-burn frenemies to lovers plot. While the book (and its series) is technically a prequel to the now-universally well-known Bridgerton books, it stands on its own very well. That said there is a round of Pall Mall in this book that will delight readers of the previous series and isn't derivative either. Recommended for historical romance readers in general and Quinn fans particularly.

Rating: ****

>49 MickyFine: - Sold!

>50 katiekrug: Excellent!

>41 MickyFine: I totally agree about both the affirmations and sweet Benji!

>48 MickyFine: I'd get them in a minute if our local Costcos offered them, but apparently not.

>52 lauralkeet: Oh good! Glad I'm not alone on either front.

>53 quondame: My Costco does seem to be one of their locations where they test out things, which is great because new things but also a bummer when they're deemed not successful. I'm still sad they no longer carry the black cherry, raspberry, and blood orange jam they had for a few years in my late teens and early twenties that I could have eaten by the spoonful (although that might be more E.D. Smith's fault than Costco's).

Happy weekend-ahead's reads! *smooch*

>54 MickyFine: That does sound like some delicious jam.

Book 63



Thor: Who Holds the Hammer? - Jason Aaron et. al.

Odin resorts to extraordinary measures to try and discover the identity of the new Thor and retrieve Mjolnir. While Prince Odinson disagrees with Odin's methods, he's on his own quest to discover who the woman is. But she has more than one secret to keep.

A solid continuation of this arc. I loved how the many ladies of Marvel lined up to join the fight in this one and thoroughly enjoyed the misdirection around who Thor is. While I roughly know the direction the plot will take, I'm still thoroughly enjoying every second of it. However, I will note that this volume includes some extra comics outside of the main arc that I skimmed as they were not my jam.

Rating: ****

>55 richardderus: Much thanks. It's a busy weekend so I'm not sure I'll get much face time with the books but I'll do my best.

>56 foggidawn: It was SO good.

What's (been) on the agenda: Particularly tough early alarm this morning as there was a phone call that woke up Mr. Fine and I an hour or so after we'd fallen asleep last night and it took a bit to settle again (all was well, just my grandmother being... my grandmother). The bright side of getting up at 5 this morning was that I had time to do today's yoga video, clean all the bathrooms, and take a shower before my shift. Work today has included customer suggestions in OverDrive, preparing notes for my mid-year performance appraisal, and starting work on the mystery project which has been approved by leadership (prepare for much hair pulling over this in the coming months). I'll spend the rest of the day going through the core collection tome. After work I'll do a bit more of the usual Sunday chores as we'll be too busy to do them Sunday. I've also got to prep the No Bake S'mores Cheesecake Bars I'm making for game night tomorrow. Chicken souvlaki, rice, and Greek salad for dinner tonight. Depending on how long chores take movie night may or may not be a double feature.

What I'm reading: Really enjoying All of the Marvels so far.

What we're watching: My stylist ended up having a cancellation so I only watched one episode of Mom while having dinner before heading out for my haircut and picking up Mr. Fine's anniversary gift. When I got back I opted to go to bed early with a book and let Mr. Fine finish the episode of The Boys he was watching (decidedly not my jam, that).

>59 MickyFine: Late night phone calls are always somewhat upsetting - and experience indicates that they are usually something to be more than somewhat upset about, though I'm sure that varies from family to family. In ours, the very idea of one triggered my mother into anger, so the wise would never unless the upset was already at a critical level.

Wordle 412 3/6

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PEONY, SAGGY, BUGGY

Very satisfying, this one.

>59 MickyFine: I watched the first season of The Boys with Tim but left subsequent seasons to him; I don't really think of myself as that squeamish, but it's just way too gratuitous for me.

>62 curioussquared: Yeah, I'm not big on tons of swearing and tons of violence so I haven't watched it at all.

What's on the agenda: Slept for almost 9 hours last night, which has me feeling much more pleased with the world. Played games on my phone while Mr. Fine was still sleeping. Breakfast will probably be our usual eggs, turkey bacon, and toast. Watching church online this morning. Otherwise lots of things I'm planning to squeeze into today. I still need to make the ganache layer for the s'mores cheesecake bars at some point. I'm a few days behind on the temperature blanket so I'm planning to do a lot of crocheting. Mr. Fine is planning to go to the gym at some point today so I'll walk with him to the rec centre to get my walk in. I've also got today's yoga video to do (haven't broken my streak yet!). This evening we're off to M&A's for our monthly game night with them. Hopefully it's not a crazy late night as we've got another full day tomorrow.

What I'm reading: Only a couple chapters in All of the Marvels.

What we're watching: Tomorrow Never Dies and a few episodes of Mom.

Wordle 413 3/6

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PEONY, TAKEN, ALIEN

Yay for a three day!

>66 MickyFine: It's a lovely sensation of accomplishment, no?

Say, are you and MrFine looking to relocate? This is in Calgary:

And the house it's in is only $3.149MM!

Good luck with All The Things today!

>67 richardderus: Bahahaha. Not sure if the house or the idea of moving to Calgary makes me laugh harder. *smooch*

>68 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Got most of it done (catching up on crochet is perpetual).

>67 richardderus: eek!

What's on the agenda: Up at 7 this morning to shower and get ready for the day. Leaving the house at 10 to drive out to my brother's farm to celebrate my youngest niece and my nephew's birthdays (their birthdays are less than a week apart). That will probably eat up most of our day. Charcuterie for dinner as we're likely to be pretty wiped after all the peopling.

What I'm reading: Didn't crack a book yesterday.

What we're playing: A tile placement game called Zombies! and Wingspan with the Oceania expansion. Mr. Fine won both.

Wordle 414 4/6

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PEONY, STARE, SHEAR, SMEAR

>72 MickyFine: 3 for me...I had, literally, all five letters between words 1 and 2!

>71 MickyFine: "Charcuterie" is such a lovely word. I like it, as well, but the word's just a pleasure to say and see spelled out.

*smooch*

>70 ArlieS: ...not to mention "ewww ick"

>73 richardderus: Thoroughly agree about the pleasure of saying charcuterie. And it sounds so much fancier than cheese and crackers and some other stuff added to make it a rounded meal. LOL.

What's on the agenda: Fitful sleep last night as the house was hot but it was stormy overnight so we couldn't leave the windows open. Bright side is Mr. Fine is off today so I didn't have to get up until 6 for my work day. *yawn* I'm in office for the day where I'll be dealing with all the customer suggestions, working on the diversity audit project (I swear, really!), and maybe poke at publisher catalogues. Dinner is chuckerout tonight. Virtual craft circle this evening.

What I'm reading: No reading yesterday but back to All the Marvels on the bus this morning.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of TNG and a couple of Mom.

Wordle 415 5/6

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PEONY, NADIR, CUMIN, UNTIL, UNFIT

Even if it is a 5, I'm really pleased with the words I used for guesses.

>76 MickyFine: Choices 2 and 3 are *chef's kiss*

I think you should read the book I reviewed today.

Paper Girls went onto my birthday list for Rob to get me. The series has kept us involved. I hope you're satisfied, bibliosiren.

No, I mean it, I really hope you're satisfied! Your warbling put it on the radar. Well done.

>77 richardderus: Added your reviewed book to the mental list.

Yay for Paper Girls! I'm more than happy to take responsibility for adding it to your shelves.

What's on the agenda: I am a total Goldilocks as last night with the window open and a box fan running at the other side of the house to create a cross-breeze, I was too cold and woke up (Smee horking up a hairball on the bed didn't help either). Early morning in office routine again today. Work will include sending some emails about the secret project, removing expired content from OverDrive, time with the diversity audit project, and I'll try and go through the new issue of AudioFile today as well. Between those tasks, I also have the monthly department meeting this morning and a staff member from one of the branches is doing a job shadow in our department this afternoon (it means spending about 20 minutes of my time brain dumping a bunch of details about what my work looks like). Stir fry for dinner tonight, I think.

What I'm reading: Still working through All of the Marvels. I'm playing due date chicken as it's due Thursday and I still have 200ish pages left to go (depending on whether I decide to read the appendix that gives a rough timeline of the whole MCU).

What we're watching: Finished series 9 of Doctor Who last night.

What's (been) on the agenda: Another early in office day today. Work has included a few smaller tasks that recur every few weeks, putting together a post for our internal staff site about a course I'm co-leading in October, the bi-weekly group meeting, some time on the diversity audit, getting through the last few relevant reviews in the new issue of AudioFile, and some documentary ordering. My friend, A (of the monthly game night), was at the downtown branch for training this morning so we went out for lunch, which was lovely (caprese salad for me, finally fulfilling that craving). The rest of the day I'll spend checking LJ content on Fall titles and prepubs for January and February. After the bus ride home, I have to swing by home to drop off the lunch I packed today and didn't need. Then Mr. Fine and I are off for date night at the Sherlock Holmes Pub. Afterwards we'll swing by Purolator to pick up a package we weren't home to receive yesterday (much grumbling from Mr. Fine about this).

What I'm reading: Trying hard to get through All of the Marvels before 4ish tomorrow. We'll see how I do.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of Heroes and a couple of Mom.

>80 MickyFine: What an undertaking, All of the Marvels, as both writer and reader.

Caprese salad sound most yum. I think I'll have that tomorrow.

*smooch*

Caprese salad! Yum yum yum. I was just thinking I might need to make that this weekend.

>81 richardderus: I should have a review up by tomorrow at the latest. It's been a fun reading experience.

>82 lauralkeet: I am heartily in favour of that choice. :)

What's on the agenda: Back to the glorious WFH life. Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus and after I got home I went for a walk and then took a shower. Work today is customer suggestions, submitting some DVD carts, and then time with either winter pub cats and/or the diversity audit project. After work I'll meet up with Mr. Fine at the local library for the weekly drop off and pick up of stuff. Then we're headed to the farmer's market to spend the gift cards I won a couple weeks ago. Not sure what we'll come home with but I think baked goods or some kind of jam are likely. When we get home it'll be pasta for dinner using up some meat sauce we stuck in the freezer a while back.

What I'm reading: I should finish All of the Marvels on my lunch break today as I only have one chapter and the appendix left to go. Yay for winning at due date chicken! Tonight I'll start Book Lovers.

What we're watching: One episode of each of West Wing and Mom.

Wordle 418 4/6

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PEONY, SNARE, CLEAN, GLEAN

>84 MickyFine: I love when you finish a book just in time! And I hope you enjoy Book Lovers :)

>86 curioussquared: I've got a feeling Book Lovers will be exactly my jam. :)

>86 curioussquared: >87 MickyFine: Just my 2 cents, but I enjoyed Book Lovers. I hope you do too, Micky!

Book 64



All of the Marvels - Douglas Wolk

Author Douglas Wolk took on the monumental task of reading every Marvel comic and this book is the highlights of his total immersion in the universe. The book isn't truly a memoir, although plenty of Wolk's personality shines through, nor is it a summary of the entire narrative, although the appendix does a very brief version of that. Instead, after spending a couple chapters on what comics he included or excluded in the project and clearly outlining what his goals were in undertaking the project, Wolk takes the reader on a tour through some of the major arcs that stood out to him. Whether it's a chapter on the turning web-like nature of Spider-Man's story, the compelling ways that the X-Men use its central metaphor, or how Squirrel Girl and Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel are challenging everything that's expected of superhero comics, Wolk explores his theme while highlighting specific issues of note in the journey. Interspersed are shorter chapters that take on other Marvel-related issues like the appearance of various presidents in the comics, the various announcements of Marvel related films that happened over the decades before the MCU as we know it now, or how the Marvel universe might really be about Linda Carter, night nurse. Wolk's love of comics is obvious throughout but he doesn't shy away from the flaws in a world created predominantly by cis-het white men for so long (and fully cognizant that Wolk himself is one as well). Whether you're a long-time, hardcore Marvel comics fan, someone who follows select arcs of interest (like me), or just interested in what all the fuss can possibly be about after over fifty years, there's joy to be found in this read. Recommended.

Rating: ****

>88 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I think everyone I've seen around LT who read it has enjoyed it so far. I don't think I'm likely to be an outlier. :)

>89 MickyFine: You got so much closer to landing that book-bullet than anyone else has. I am just appalled by superheroes and can't feature reading 1.2 trillion words (counting rereads of the sentences fallen asleep during, the pages lost to eye-rolling, and the inevitable years-long hiatus after the myocardial infarct caused at someone actually *telling* these stories in the first place) at my advanced age.

>91 richardderus: I'm pleased I came close at all. *smooch*

>92 MickyFine: Happy-weekend *smooch*
Pray for Rushdie this weekend in church, okay?

>93 richardderus: Absolutely. Scary stuff that.

Yesterday's adventures: Got in a chunk of crocheting after dropping off Mr. Fine. Work went off the rails from what I was expecting due to an email my manager sent after we'd all departed on Thursday and before she was off for a 4.5 day weekend. *makes face* It involved success measures for a new strategic goal (our library is currently working on new strategic goals (5 year plan) and business plan goals (2-3 year plan)) but without a lot of detail. Anyway it ate up huge chunks of the day with conversations with my colleagues about how to respond and then actually responding as she'd requested reply all to a group which includes our director (my manager's supervisor). Went for a walk at lunch with my friend, R, who lives nearby and we had a lovely meander and chat. Afternoon was customer suggestions and more details sorted for the secret project. Dinner was chicken stir fry.

What's on the agenda today: Woke up at 5:30 (stupid body clock) and played around on my phone for a couple hours. Getting up soon for a shower and breakfast. Mr. Fine made noises about making omelets so we'll see what awaits me. Watching church online this morning as usual. It's supposed to be pretty hot today so I'm not sure if I'll get a walk in but yoga will be happening for sure (haven't broken my streak yet this month). Also some crochet and reading. Lamb chops and various veggies for dinner tonight. Board games are likely this evening.

What I'm reading: Book Lovers is really enjoyable so far. I keep reading funny bits aloud to Mr. Fine - sometimes to his enjoyment and sometimes to his annoyance when he's reading his own book. 🤣

What we're watching: Thursday night was a couple episodes of Supernatural, the new I Am Groot shorts (pretty darn cute), and an episode of Mom. Last night was a double feature of Lightyear (actually a solid movie) and The Princess Bride.

Wordle 420 6/6

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PEONY, NATTY, UNIFY, BUNGY, JUNKY, HUNKY

Sigh. Guesses 4 and 5 aren't on the approved list. At least it was a phew.

>96 MickyFine: I'm a lot like Mary in that The Last Letter is one that simply doesn't occur to me...so I've been making a concerted effort to think of words with it in as first options. Paid off today, I got it in 3!

>95 MickyFine: That is one craptastic managerial strategy. Drop a bomb then skedaddle is something that'll get you called on the carpet in well-run companies.

>97 richardderus: Thankfully only 13 more work days before I'm on vacation. Plus, when I come back she's only my manager for 3 more days. Not that I'm counting or anything... 😝

>98 MickyFine: 36 more hours! tickticktick 35 more hours! tickticktick

What's been on the agenda: Ash had a noisy freak out about a cat walking across our back fence this morning so I was awake at 6:30. Can someone describe what sleeping in feels like because apparently my body has given up the practice entirely. Played on my phone for about an hour before getting up and starting on Sunday chores. Mr. Fine ordered Tim's for breakfast and I did not complain about that life choice. While working on chores, my Dad also came by as requested to help troubleshoot a couple slow draining sinks (one was clogged one has less than ideal pipes that we can fix at some point but doesn't have to be today) and the en suite toilet which has been losing a slight amount of water but not lots (the flapper is warped but is a weird size and he needs to talk to one of his suppliers). Having a Dad who works in maintenance is seriously The Best. Between him and my brother who is a plumber, most of my home maintenance questions can be resolved. Once my Dad headed out, I did bill stuff and now I have the afternoon gloriously free. I need to do today's yoga video but otherwise might just watch a movie and hang out with Mr. Fine. Dinner tonight is pasta with a tex-mex-y turkey sauce (the recipe is called Bow Ties of Texas).

What I'm reading: Book Lovers is making me laugh So Much. I know if I carved out the time for it I could finish it in a sitting or two but there's been lots of other things going on.

What we're playing: Mr. Fine and I played Wingspan after dinner and I beat him by a single point. A little later his daughter came for a visit because her boyfriend was hanging out with a friend in our 'burb, and all three of us played Calico. She and I tied. :)

Wordle 421 4/6

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PEONY, STAIR, UMAMI, KHAKI

Apparently guess three is too obscure for the official answers list. *shrug*

So glad you're loving Book Lovers :D

>101 MickyFine: I almost used guess three myself, until I realized I'd ruled out the first letter. It's such a trendy word, it never occurred to me that it wouldn't be on the list. OTOH, I also guessed ABACI which is not on the list, leading me to conclude I should avoid most Latin plurals.

Hope you had a lovely day!

Yay for Book Lovers! Such a fun read.

>102 curioussquared: Me too!

>103 lauralkeet: Right? I was surprised too. It's been a very quiet Sunday, with lots of homey things done.

>104 katiekrug: I'm looking forward to spending more time with it at bedtime. :)

What's on the agenda: Early morning WFH routine today. Did my walk after dropping off Mr. Fine and was rewarded with a really gorgeous sunrise. Showered when I got home and dealt with the last of the laundry and feeling pretty proud as I'm bad for letting clean laundry sit around for a week before I put it away. Work today will include customer suggestions, submitting some carts, wrapping up the January prepub alerts from LJ, and hopefully some time with my diversity audit project. I'll probably do yoga after work since the video for today is a full 30 minutes (the streak continues!). Soft tacos for supper tonight. Virtual craft circle this evening.

What I'm reading: I still have about a third of Book Lovers left and continuing to enjoy it thoroughly.

What we're watching: The World Is Not Enough for the Bond project. An episode of Felicity on my own while Mr. Fine was cooking. Then a couple episodes of TNG and a couple of Mom.

Wordle 422 3/6

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PEONY, PORES, POKER

The aforementioned gorgeous sunrise.

>108 MickyFine: - Beautiful!

>108 MickyFine: gorgeous! (And a slight consolation for early rising)

>108 MickyFine: So pretty!

>107 MickyFine: Excellent Wordling! Your first word came through for you!

Karen O

>107 MickyFine: I used your starting word today with similar results PEONY, POWER, POKER.

>108 MickyFine: Gorgeous is the word for it!

>109 katiekrug: >110 bell7: >111 curioussquared: >113 foggidawn: Happy to share the view. :)

>112 klobrien2: I'm very fond of my first word and on the eventual day it is my 1/6, I will probably still use it afterwards.

>108 MickyFine: Spectacular!

What's on the agenda: Early morning in office routine today. Work is going to be really scattered as my department is hosting a birthday/retirement party for one of our cataloguing librarians (she's been with the library for 40 years). I'm on our department's social committee so I get to do a bunch of decorating and set up with the two other staff members who coordinate our events. It should be fun but it does mean a lot of my regular tasks will be set aside for today. I've managed to update our Lucky Day content and am working my way through the EarlyWord galley chat spreadsheet. If I wrap up with that, I'll spend the rest of my day with this month's Library Journal. Dinner out tonight is my pick and I'm thinking maybe Fatburger? I could really go for a burger and strawberry milkshake. After dinner we're swinging past my grandfather's to pick up wood from a tree my dad cut down in my grandfather's yard. And somewhere in all that I need to squeeze in yoga so that I don't break my streak.

What I'm reading: Started A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying on the bus this morning.

What we're watching: "The Husbands of River Song" Christmas episode of Doctor Who plus a couple episodes of Mom.

>6 MickyFine: Kelley Armstrong was born in Sudbury but actually lives in Southern Ontario now, near Aylmer which is just down the road from me! I was very excited recently to find out we had a mutual friend. Blew my mind haha. She also has a place in either Alaska or Yukon now too.
Love her books!

>108 MickyFine: Beautiful!!

>117 ChelleBearss: You're so close to just bumping into her in the grocery store. :)

Also, HI CHELLE! Delighted to see you!

What's (been) on the agenda: Early morning routine for an in office day. Spent my morning doing some smaller tasks, writing a long response to a librarian in another system who had a bunch of questions about one of our kits, some time with Library Journal, and doing my mid-year performance appraisal. The last was relatively painless. Doesn't hurt that the knowledge she won't be doing my year-end appraisal makes it feel far more low stakes. This afternoon will be more time with Library Journal and then hopefully time with the diversity audit. After work I'll meet up with Mr. Fine to do grocery shopping. Dinner is supposed to be butter chicken but there's good odds Mr. Fine will swap it for whatever meal kit he picks up at Costco.

What I'm reading: Halfway through A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying, with good odds of finishing it today, I think.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of Heroes and one of Mom.

Book 65



Book Lovers - Emily Henry

Nora Stephens is a literary agent and quite possibly the inspiration for every Big City work-obsessed girlfriend who gets dumped by the male lead to run off with the girl from a small town at the end of a rom com. After her latest break-up, Nora's sister, Libby, convinces Nora to take a break and spend three weeks in a small town in North Carolina. Nora reluctantly agrees and is astounded shortly after their arrival to bump into Charlie Lastra, the one editor in all of New York City she'd least expect to find in a small town. While Nora and Charlie don't really get along, in the nature of life in a small town, they continue to run into each other and when their work lives conspire to throw them together too, it's not long until sparks fly.

I really loved this book. It's an excellent send up of romance tropes while also hitting all the beats I love about the genre. It is also very, very funny. I was regularly laughing aloud and sharing passages with my longsuffering husband. Add in the bookish element of both Nora and Charlie working in the publishing industry and this book couldn't be more my kind of catnip if it tried. Highly recommended.

Rating: *****

>120 MickyFine: - So glad you liked it so much! I think it's my favorite of the three I've read by Henry.

(I think you left out a word in your catnip comment...?)

>121 katiekrug: Good to know. I think I have People We Meet on Vacation on The List based on your reviews. Is Beach Read worth the eyeball time?

(thanks for the catch, I've edited for clarity)

>122 MickyFine: - I think you'll like Beach Read. PWMoV was fine but I got a little frustrated with it. I gave it 3.5 stars and BR 4. BL got 4.25...

>120 MickyFine: Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it and hope you're planning on reading Henry's other books, too :)

ETA: I loved both Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation!

>120 MickyFine: Sounds fun. It's on my holds list now.

>123 katiekrug: Good to know.

>124 curioussquared: They're both on The List now. And I noticed yesterday in my various book newsletters that I get at work that the cover for her newest book, Happy Place, was just released.

>125 quondame: I hope you enjoy it, Susan.

Book 66



A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying - Kelley Armstrong

Twelve-year-old Rowan would give anything to be the Royal Monster Hunter when she grows up but because she is two minutes older than her twin, Rhydd, she is destined to be Queen and he the Monster Hunter. At least until a tragic turn of events causes them to reverse places. Now Rowan must prove herself in a fight against a gryphon in order to appease rival clans in the kingdom and in order to do so she'll go on a quest to recruit a trainer. However, nothing on her quest is straight forward and along the way she'll assemble a group of friends and creatures who will be vital to her success.

Very charming fantasy novel for middle-grade readers. Rowan's kingdom is full of both fascinating creatures and political intrigue appropriate for the audience. If I were the right age for this book, I feel like I'd desperately want a jackalope just like Rowan. The novel is well written and I definitely gasped a time or two at some of the twists and action sequences. However, this adult reader won't be seeking out the rest of the books in the series. That said, I think the target audience would be eager to devour all of Rowan's adventures.

Rating: ****

What's on the agenda: WFH life for the rest of the week. Dropped off Mr. Fine, swung past the library to return a couple books in the outdoor slot, went for a walk, cleaned up and watered my flowers in pots (they've been a bit neglected and with our forecasted 30C today, I wanted to give them a fighting chance), and did a bit of crochet before I went on the clock. Work today will include customer suggestions, wrapping up with this month's LJ, and then the diversity audit project for the rest of the day. Yoga on my afternoon coffee break. As predicted, butter chicken got moved to tonight for supper (we had Costco chicken tacos last night).

What I'm reading: Starting A Murderous Relation at lunch today.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of West Wing and one of Mom.

Wordle 425 4/6

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PEONY, FLING, STUNG, TWANG

Really satisfying progression of guesses today.

>129 MickyFine: Ooohhh, good guess #3! I'd've used it if I'd thought of it. Thanks for the nudge.

*smooch*

>130 richardderus: Thank you, kind sir. *smooch*

What's on the agenda: Another full early morning for me today. Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus, came home and went for a walk, watered plants, took a shower, and did a bit of crochet. Work today includes sending some emails about the secret-ish project, customer suggestions in OverDrive, working on the diversity audit, and watching a course in LinkedIn Learning for one of my PA goals (it's really all my brain is fit for on a Friday afternoon). Mr. Fine is having a game night with a bunch of guys at a friend's house so I'll have the house to myself this evening. Planning to order pizza and currently debating whether I want to watch the first half of the 1995 Pride & Prejudice or the first half of North & South (the one with Richard Armitage). I have Monday off so I have the time to complete the other half of either over the course of my long weekend. Feel free to weigh in on which you'd pick! :)

What I'm reading: Only a few chapters into A Murderous Relation and enjoying it. Curious to see if Jack the Ripper will be rolled into the case Veronica and Stoker are working on as there's been mentions of those murders in the initial set up of this entry in the series.

What we're watching: The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which I was predisposed to like since I love Tatiana Maslany, and I think delivered a solid pilot. Afterwards one episode of Supernatural and a few of Mom. We're into the final season of Mom now.

Wordle 426 4/6

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PEONY, STAIR, SURFS, SHRUG

Wordlebot was very judgy about my third word not eliminating any of the potential solutions but it helped me figure out letter placement so *blows a raspberry*

>133 MickyFine: I got it in 4 also. I found it fun today (no guessy-guessy!). Good job, and Wordlebot can take a hike!

Have a great weekend!

Karen O

>132 MickyFine: - I vote for P&P, only because I haven't seen N&S, because I want to read the book first :-P

I have an evening to myself tomorrow night and will either watch the 2005 P&P, the latest Emma (which I saw in the theater but haven't re-watched), or all the good bits of Bridgerton, season 2. Decisions, decisions!

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either of those miniseries... I vote P&P just because I watched N&S more recently.

My MIL was giving away some old DVDs and I said I'd take the copy of the 2007 Persuasion movie, which I don't think I've seen, so I have some fun viewing ahead. She dropped it off yesterday.

Micky, I'm excited on your behalf for your solo evening. I would choose N&S only because I've never seen it (and I have read the book). But P&P is also an excellent choice so you can't go wrong really.

I'm also nosy curious about your daily schedule. What time do you have to drop Mr Fine off at the bus, and what time do you "clock in" for work? You always seem to get an amazing amount of stuff doing before starting your workday.

>134 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen! I hope your weekend is also great.

>135 katiekrug: I have a hunch about what it will be, Katie. Looking forward to seeing if I'm right, lol.

>136 curioussquared: Ooh the 2007 version is my favourite. I really like Rupert Penry-Jones.

>137 lauralkeet: If Mr. Fine is on his early shift, I dropped him off at the bus at 5:50ish and am usually home by 6. I usually start my day at either 7:30 or 8 depending on how much of my extra time I've worked that week for our Earned Day Off program. The last two days I started at 8 so I had two hours to fill. :)

>138 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! I'm impressed with how much you get done in 1-2 hours.

>108 MickyFine: Love the pictures!

>120 MickyFine: Glad to see that you enjoyed that one too!

>127 MickyFine: My local library has a copy of that one and I have put it on hold. I need some lighter reads these days.

Have a super Saturday!

Happy weekend, Micky! Glad to see you enjoyed Book Lovers so much. I only read People We Meet on Vacation and enjoyed it, so I thought I'd read her newest next and then go back and see if I could get into Beach Read afterwards (I DNFed it a couple of years ago).

>97 richardderus: Yeah. I don't think I like this manager.

>98 MickyFine: Yay about your impending escape (both vacation and from this manager).

>106 MickyFine: I have the same problem with laundry.

>142 ArlieS: Either incompetent or maliciously rotten-souled. Either way, buh-bye!

Happy Saturday, Micky. I know you're close to two supercalafragilisticexpialadocious things, so just count the days to Newfoundland and NewBossLand.

>139 lauralkeet: Aww, thanks. Trust me it's not always that good. There's days the list is only one to two items completed.

>140 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I hope you have a great time with Rowan and Co.

>141 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I've definitely put the rest of Emily Henry's adult titles on The List and I'm looking forward to seeing what fun awaits.

>142 ArlieS: Glad I'm not alone on the laundry front, Arlie. I'm better with clothes but sheets and towels often sit for a week or more.

>143 richardderus: Thanks, RDear! Two weeks from today I'll be on an island and so happy to be there.

What's (been) on the agenda: Woke up at 4:17 a.m. and could not get back to sleep. Sigh. Played games on my phone for a bit and was up at 7 to go for a walk before it got too hot. Mr. Fine was just getting out of bed when I got back so I did some crochet until he finished making breakfast. Watched church online and then crocheted a bit until lunch. Currently having leftover pizza and some watermelon. This afternoon I get to pick up my grandmother and drop her off at a memorial service for one of her friends, as my parents are out of town for the weekend. Not sure yet if I'll have to take her home too or if she'll get a lift with one of my great-aunts. Happily the service is at a church in our 'burb so I don't have to go all over the city. Around all the driving, I'll do a bit more crochet (catching up again) and maybe play a board game with Mr. Fine. I might attempt a nap but I find sleeping when it's warm really difficult so not sure that will happen. Burgers for dinner. Definitely board games tonight.

What I'm reading: A Murderous Relation is still on the go.

What I'm watching: Opted for the first two episodes of North & South and a couple episodes of Felicity.

Wordle 427 3/6

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PEONY, STARE, TREAT

Not sure I've ever had 4 yellows before.

>146 MickyFine: I did almost the exact same thing, except my 3rd was GREAT.

>147 foggidawn: Solid round of guesses, Foggi.

What's on the agenda: Slept a glorious eight hours last night. Delighted my body still remembers how to do it. Been playing around on my phone for the last couple hours as Mr. Fine is still sleeping (lucky duck) but it's nearing 8 so I'll get up soon. I'm thinking bagel and tea for breakfast this morning. I've got the usual cleaning and bill sorting on the docket today. Also need to make a trip to the hardware store to swap out our propane tank for the barbecue as it ran out just as Mr. Fine started using it to cook burgers last night (he ended up cooking them in a frying pan on the stove and they turned out great). Once chores are out of the way there will be the daily yoga video and probably some crafting. Mr. Fine and I have the last Brosnan film to watch and then we'll have completed the Bond project. Chicken alfredo pasta for supper tonight.

What I'm reading: A Murderous Relation continues. I might wrap it up today but tomorrow is more likely.

What we're playing: A few rounds of Dungeon Mayhem. Mr. Fine won best 2 out of 3. Followed that up with Everdell with the Bellefaire expansion, which I won by a large margin.

What we're watching: A single episode of Mom before we both crashed.

Wordle 428 6/6

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PEONY, STEAL, BEAST, SATED, TASTE, WASTE

So lucky I pulled off that 6 as it could just as easily been an X with all the options. Also, Wordlebot has been updated and I'm enjoying the new features.

Hooray for sleeping in!

>151 curioussquared: Definitely.

>149 MickyFine: I got a good night's sleep last night and I agree, it's glorious.

>150 MickyFine: That one got me -- a 107-win streak broken. :-(

>153 foggidawn: Yay for sleep but boo for your broken streak. Here's to a longer one next time.

What's (been) on the agenda: I'm off today but Mr. Fine still has to work so up at 6 this morning. Dropped him off at the bus station and detoured to Costco for gas before heading home. Watched the second half of North & South this morning and got in both crochet and cross-stitch at the same time. Afterwards, I went out and tackled our lilac hedges and gave them their annual trim. My forearms are now fire and my palms are a little tender from all the work but I'm pleased I got it all done in 2.25 hours and before the true heat of the day. We've got a bit of wildfire smoke in the air today but thankfully it was just a hint the whole time I was outside. Looking forward to surprising Mr. Fine with having the task completed. I was a gross mess after all that work though so took a shower and then had lunch. Watched some more TV and finished a book after lunch. I've got an hour to kill before I go for my monthly massage so some more TV viewing is likely. When I get back, Mr. Fine should be home and we'll have chuckerout for supper. Virtual craft circle for me this evening.

What I'm reading: Just finished A Murderous Relation. Brazen and the Beast is up next.

What we're watching: We watched Die Another Day yesterday afternoon and some TNG and Mom episodes in the evening. My afternoon viewing today has been all Felicity.

Wordle 429 5/6

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PEONY, TEACH, MELTS, METER, MERIT

Not my best work but I'm still happy with it.

Book 67



A Murderous Relation - Deanna Raybourn

Returned from Cornwall, Veronica and Stoker have plans to face the new realities of their relationship. However, they've barely settled back into their lives in London when their services are engaged to retrieve a gem foolishly handed out by one of the heirs to the throne. However, a bit of digging reveals that darker things may be afoot and as London cowers in fear of Jack the Ripper, Veronica and Stoker have other evils to face.

Not a bad entry in the series but not fantastic either. There are some great set piece moments in the novel but all of them feel as though they drag on too long. Veronica also does a few internal mental circles that retrace the same ground, which felt unnecessary. That said, the book was entertaining enough for what it was trying to do, some big relationship stuff happens for Veronica and Stoker, and I'm still enjoying the series enough to continue.

Rating: ***

What's (been) on the agenda: Mr. Fine is on his later shift this week so we got to commute together this morning. My morning got completely derailed by my manager asking for some specific dates for a timeline chart for the secret project project plan. Lots of emails to lots of people to fill in rough timelines that may or may not actually come true (and nothing bad will happen if the timeline gets thrown out the window so why this fuss is necessary is beyond me). Sigh. I cannot wait for this project to be over with already. Besides the email flurry, I've got customer suggestions to deal with as usual plus I need to watch a recording of the all librarians meeting that happened yesterday while I was off as they're doing "coaching trios" and I have to figure out what the heck that actually means beyond being assigned to a group that I'll have to meet with at some point. Take out tonight is Mr. Fine's pick and this morning he was leaning towards Indian food. I see curries and garlic naan in my future.

What I'm reading: Brazen and the Beast is off to a good start. Didn't get much reading time with it last night as my hands and arms were so sore, I couldn't manage holding a book.

What we're watching: The Return of Doctor Mysterio Christmas episode of Doctor Who and a couple episodes of Mom.

>158 MickyFine: Mmmm, Indian food... Boo about the timeline flurry. You'll be free of her soon!

>158 MickyFine: Indian food sounds so yummy. Looks like your manager is trying to find things to keep herself (and you, alas) busy while she's still there.

>159 curioussquared: So excited for the Indian food. To be fair to my manager, this request is coming from further up the chain of command and likely from a place of training our new acting director. Which is fine, but I have the impression they think adding dates will be fast and because I have to check in with a certain department that is never quick to get back, it definitely won't be.

>160 foggidawn: Possibly true, Foggi. She's definitely shunting things off her plate left, right, and centre. Not upset that I'll be gone most of next month and miss the worst of it (I hope).

Indian food is always delicious, IMO, so I'm having a tiny, itsy frisson of jealousy. BTW, did you know that physicists have proven that gravity is created by the weight of outrage and jealousy? The gluon, forced into molten tiny places (like my soul) makes it apparently.

>162 richardderus: Snort. Well, I'm happy to make you jealous if it means we all get to stay firmly grounded and not float off into space. :P

P.S. It was truly scrumptious.

What's on the agenda: Commuted in to the city with Mr. Fine again this morning (my last in office day this week, yay!). Work today will include wrapping up the last of the customer suggestions I didn't get to yesterday, the biweekly group meeting, removing expired content from OverDrive/Libby, setting up my budget tracking spreadsheets for 2023, watching the all librarians meeting I missed on Monday, and maybe the diversity audit. After work, Mr. Fine and I are planning to make a trip to PetSmart before we go home as we want to stock up on cat litter before our vacation. Frozen pizza and salad for supper tonight.

What I'm reading: Halfway through Brazen and the Beast and still quite enjoying it.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of Heroes and a few of Mom.

>157 MickyFine: Ahhh thank you! I was trying to remember what this series was called earlier this week and got distracted and forgot to look it up! I see the newest book is out now and thankfully my library has a copy available! That will be my vacation read! :)

Hello Mickey,
I was hoping you might chime in with your librarian expertise (on this discussion over on Dr. Neutron's thread. Please? 😊

>165 ChelleBearss: Happy to refresh your memory, Chelle.

>166 SandyAMcPherson: I'll try to find some time to swing by.

What's on the agenda: Back to that sweet WFH life. Dropped off Mr. Fine and then did the glamourous task of cleaning litterboxes before taking a shower and sliding into my desk chair at 8. Work today will include customer suggestions, going through an issue of Booklist, and then spending some time with winter/spring 2023 publisher catalogues. On my lunch break, in addition to eating I'll also cook up some macaroni for tonight's dinner of macaroni and tuna salad. I'll do a quick stop in to the library to drop off some things on my way to pick up Mr. Fine whenever he catches the bus this evening. And that's it for excitement around here.

What I'm reading: Going to try and wrap up Brazen and the Beast before I make my library trip.

What we're watching: A couple episodes of West Wing and then a short driveway visit with the stepdaughter.

Wordle 432 4/6

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PEONY, SNOUT, GROAN, CLOWN

>169 MickyFine: Word #3 was different but the same steps for me today.

Have a lovely time with the catalogs! Guernica Editions decided to autoapprove me so I'm reading their entire spring list.

Ordering plays for work today and this initial blurb for Women of the Fur Trade really cracked me up:

"In eighteen hundred and something something, somewhere upon the banks of a Reddish River in Treaty One Territory, three very different women with a preference for twenty-first century slang sit in a fort sharing their views on life, love, and the hot nerd Louis Riel."

(This blurb might be funnier if you're Canadian).

What's (been) on the agenda: It's been a quiet and productive WFH Friday so far and I'm enjoying it. Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus this morning and then spent my pre-work free time doing some crochet. Trying to figure out if I want to play yarn chicken with the red yarn (26-30C) as the forecast includes several hot days right before we leave. If it gets as hot as they're currently forecasting, it'll be up into the orange range but if it doesn't quite get there I may not have quite enough red for another handful of days. I'm thinking I'll see how the ball is looking once I've caught up on the red rows I need to do (and figure out if today will be red or orange) and then place an order on Monday if I need it. Thankfully, the online yarn company I've been ordering from is very quick in its turnaround and I'm seeing what I've ordered within 2 days (just ordered yet more yellow this week as the long range forecasts for our Newfoundland destinations is looking impressively warm). Work itself has been blissfully mellow, just me and my ordering. Dealt with customer suggestions in OverDrive pretty quickly this week, wrapped up going through the July issue of Booklist, and the rest of the day has been (and will be) looking at winter/spring 2023 catalogues in Catalist. On my lunch break, besides eating, I cleaned up my flower pots (I've been neglecting the petunias a bit and they really do have to be dead-headed daily) and put some lamb chops in marinade. Dinner tonight will be the aforementioned lamb chops with probably potatoes and salad. Movie night is Mr. Fine's pick and afterwards we'll probably go for a walk (provided the forecasted thunderstorms haven't arrived or have passed by already).

What I'm reading: Started Better Late Than Never last night and enjoying another outing with Lindsey and her library crew.

What we're watching: The new episode of She-Hulk and a couple episodes of Supernatural.

Wordle 433 5/6

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PEONY, STONY, LOONY, CRONY, IRONY

One of those today. Ah well.

>173 MickyFine: - It's a nice pattern, at least! Mine was a mess.

Have a great weekend, Micky!

Book 68



Brazen and the Beast - Sarah MacLean

Hattie Sedley is about to turn 29 and she has decided that this will be the Year of Hattie. She's taking control of her life and finally getting what she wants, regardless of what society thinks of her. But as she prepares to head off on her first Year of Hattie task, she is alarmed to find an unconscious man bound in her carriage. The man that all of Covent Garden calls Beast is less than enthused by the situation himself but can't help but find himself charmed by the forthright Hattie. However, everything she wants is going to put her up against Beast and he never loses.

I really loved this entry in the Bareknuckle Bastards series. Both Hattie and Beast are compelling characters and the romance between them is quite steamy. I also am pleased to find a historical romance featuring a plus-sized heroine. There is one quirk of Sarah MacLean's writing style that started to wear on me (she really loves putting short phrases of her characters internal dialogue in italics as a standalone line and I can't figure out what she's trying to do with it) but it's a minor quibble that I can mostly ignore. Recommended for historical romance fans.

Rating: ****

>174 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I hope your weekend is good too!

What's on the agenda: Woke up around 4:30 again this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. Sigh. I've been joking with Mr. Fine that my body is making the jump to Newfoundland time a bit early (it's 3.5 hours ahead of us) but I sure do wish I could get a normal 8 hours. Beyond watching church this morning, I'm not quite sure what will be on the agenda today. It's supposed to be cooler and stormy/rainy all day so a walk may or may not happen. What seemed like mild allergies for Mr. Fine turned into a cold last night so depending on how he's feeling, I might get a bunch of solo time today. He gets over bugs pretty quickly usually so he should be fine before we go. I'm trying hard to avoid catching whatever he has, so he slept in the guest room last night. Depending on his symptoms today, I might encourage him to hang out in there during the day too. Reading, crochet, and board games (possibly of the solo variety) are likely ways of spending my time. Dinner will be mac n cheese from scratch.

What I'm reading: Put a good dent in Better Late Than Never yesterday. Good odds of finishing it today.

What we're watching: Mr. Fine picked I Love You, Man for movie night. It was... not my thing but I got a lot of crochet done.

Wordle 434 5/6

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PEONY, STARE, CHEER, LIVER, RUDER

Tricky to get there but I made it.

>178 MickyFine: - Well done!

Oof to that early wake-up. And I hope Mr. Fine feels better tout-de-suite and it isn't The Plague.

>178 MickyFine: Your #3 isn't, I realize now, a word I've ever used or thought to use while Wordleing. Hm.

>177 MickyFine: I shudder to think what will happen when your body adjusts and wakes you at 4.30 Newfietime...in Edmonton.

>175 MickyFine: Oh, fun!

*smooch* for a plague-free weekend

>179 katiekrug: He's doing pretty decently today. Amazing what some Nyquil-induced sleep can do.

>180 richardderus: Fingers crossed my body clock gets back to behaving like normal with the time zone hopping but we'll see.

Well fudge. Mr. Fine just tested positive for the spicy cough. I am currently negative. All good thoughts and prayers that he gets better fast and I don't catch it so we can still go on our trip would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, no! So sorry. But I'm glad y'all are testing. So many people don't nowadays... When are you scheduled to leave?

Oh no!!! Fingers crossed you don't get it and Mr. Fine recovers speedily. Are you making him isolate in the guest room?

Aww, sorry to hear that, Micky. Hoping and praying it stays mild for him and you don't catch it.

>183 katiekrug: It took me a couple days to convince him to swab. He's been a bit stuffy since Thursday. Our flight leaves Friday evening so he's got a decent window to get symptom free.

>184 curioussquared: Yup, he's in isolation mode. Just delivered dinner on a TV tray outside the door. 😆

>185 bell7: I appreciate that so much, Mary.

On a more fun front, look at the gorgeous pie I commissioned from my amazingly talented co-worker. Four years is the fruit and flowers anniversary and pies are the only way Mr. Fine will eat fruit. Gifted early so he can enjoy it before we go on our trip.

Ack, sorry to hear Mr Fine has the bug, Micky. I hope he recovers quickly and that you are able to steer clear of it.

>188 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. I'm still symptom free this morning and praying I stay that way all week.

What's on the agenda: Friends, I slept from 10:30 last night until 7:30 this morning and I'm so happy! Even with several wake-ups due to stress dreams, I went back to sleep every time. Huzzah! Lots of cleaning on today's agenda since I'll be tackling my usual chores plus Mr. Fine's since he'll still be isolating today. I also get to do all the cooking, which he usually does. It's like pre-married life around here. 🤣 One of the big cleaning chores I'll be tackling today is emptying all the litterboxes and giving them a good scrub out in the yard with the hose. I've also got bill stuff to sort out and lots of laundry to do. Dinner is supposed to be smokies but I've never cooked with the barbecue before so we'll see if Mr. Fine can talk me through it remotely. Might swap it out for something else on the meal plan for later this week. Lots of video chatting with Mr. Fine since he's gone into isolation. It's weird to both be home but not chat as usual. I miss him. We're going with relentless optimism that he'll be better and I won't come down with the bug this week, so that we can still leave Friday night. Of course, I've also checked the cancelation options for all our Airbnbs (they're all really generous with last date for full refund) and our flights. Wouldn't be me if I didn't plan for all eventualities.

What I'm reading: Didn't crack a book yesterday with all the kerfuffle and stressing.

What I'm watching: One episode of Felicity before bed. Almost done season 2.

Wordle 435 5/6

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PEONY, STARE, AGILE, GAUGE, GAUZE

Tricky one for me today. My threes and fives are back to tied again at 45 each.

I'd type more but too many things are tangled up in weird crossings for good plague results.

>182 MickyFine: hugs and sympathy to you both.

My sister's currently in recovery, and hoping she'll be fit to travel fairly soon, on a long planned trip. (She's no longer contagious, assuming the tests are correct, but the cough just won't go away.)

Edit: Lest this scare you, note that she's prone to lingering coughs. The docs say she has a "reactive airway". So with luck, Mr. Fine's experience will be different.

>192 richardderus: Much thanks, RDear! *smooch*

>193 ArlieS: Thanks, Arlie. Thankfully Mr. Fine is a quick healer and he's only had mild cold symptoms this whole time. He's doing today without antihistamines and seems good. Since his first symptoms were Thursday (he was stuffy and thought it was just allergies), he can come out of isolation on Tuesday morning if his symptoms are better (as per provincial guidelines). Then it's just masking in all indoor spaces for another 5 days (which we've been doing anyway in advance of our trip). So the trip should be a go as long as my immune system does its job.

>190 MickyFine: Micky, I saw your mention of cleaning over on my thread, but had no idea the scope of it until I stopped over here. That's a lot of work! We haven't had cats for some time but that periodic total cleaning of the litterbox(es) is a nasty piece of work.

I'm glad Mr Fine's symptoms are so mild and continue to hope for the best for both of you!

>195 lauralkeet: Thanks for swinging by, Laura. It was definitely a lot of work and some of the house cleaning got skipped, which I feel no guilt about as we'll be cleaning again on Friday before we leave.

Thanks for the well wishes for both Mr. Fine and I. He's doing really well and should be almost fully back to normal by the time he's allowed out of isolation on Tuesday morning. I remain symptom free and tested negative this afternoon. Pulling out my old mental tricks from when I was in university and I swear willed myself to stay healthy through finals. Only this time it's through until we get back. 🤣

Best wishes for Mr Fine! Hope you manage to avoid it as well!

Oof! I'm sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much stress right before your big trip. I hope you can continue to avoid it, and that Mr. Fine continues to improve.

>197 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian. So far so good.

>198 foggidawn: Yup, not really ideal. The usual pre-travel stresses plus the suspense of hoping I don't come down with the spicy cough are not the best combo but I'm opting for optimism.

What's on the agenda: Up at 5 this morning to make sure I had enough time to get myself ready for work and deliver all the things Mr. Fine will need for his last day in quarantine. He continues to improve and will probably be symptom free by tomorrow. I am pleased that I once again tested negative this morning (it's the worst suspense watching the liquid travel up the test strip) and continue to be free of any symptoms. Go, immune system, go! In the office today and I'll be dealing with customer suggestions and going through the August issue of Booklist. Nothing too exciting but starting to clear the decks as much as possible before vacation. Dinner tonight will be frozen pizza and salad. Virtual craft circle this evening.

What I'm reading: Nothing yesterday with all the cleaning but got back into Better Late Than Never on the bus this morning.

What I'm watching: Finished season 2 of Felicity.

Wordle 436 5/6

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PEONY, STARE, GLUED, CHEEK, CHIEF

Apparently 5s are all I can manage lately.

>201 MickyFine: Feels like I've had a lot of fives lately, too.

Glad to see your immune system is still working well Micky!

>202 foggidawn: *solidarity fist bump* To be fair, I'm sure your brain has a lot going on right now. :)

>203 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. Me too.

Rooting for your immune system! Glad to hear you're still negative :)

>205 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie! So far so good.

What's on the agenda: Early morning start today. Mr. Fine is out of isolation this morning and is largely feeling normal again. Meanwhile, I continue to be symptom free and tested negative this morning. Yay! Dropped him off at the bus, got myself ready, and headed into the city for my last in office day before our vacation. Woot! I'll be updating our Lucky Day collection content, going through the Booklist I didn't get to yesterday, and setting up OverDrive carts for my colleagues to submit for me while I'm away. I also have my last 1:1 with my manager, which I'm hoping will be short and should mostly be just debriefing on the secret project as she'll be dealing with anything that comes up with it while I'm away. Chicken souvlaki with rice and Greek salad for dinner tonight.

What I'm reading: Started The Secret Chapter on the bus this morning.

What I'm watching: The first episode of season 3 of Felicity. Noel going off the rails is a solid way of getting him to stick around for an extra season. I hate his blonde highlights though. I know I'm supposed to but seriously, what were we thinking youth of the late 90s and early 00s? (I didn't have them but remember thinking they were cool on other people at the time).

Wordle 437 4/6

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PEONY, HONED, OCEAN, ONSET

I was hoping with 3 yellows to start that I'd manage a 3 but I'm happy with a 4.

>208 MickyFine: I got a 3 today: PEONY, NOISE, ONSET. I was pretty pleased. ;-)

>209 foggidawn: Nice! One day my three will come (back).

Book 69



Better Late Than Never - Jenn McKinlay

When Lindsey's library holds a fine amnesty day and encourages the citizens of Briar Creek to return any and all overdue items, with no fear of penalty, the staff are overwhelmed by the amount of material that comes back. What surprises everyone, however, is a copy of Catcher in the Rye that was checked out twenty years ago. When they dig into their records, things get even weirder as the book was checked out to the high school English teacher who was found murdered on the day she died. Of course, Lindsey can't resist digging into why the book has been returned and who might have murdered the teacher, to the surprise of none of her circle of friends in Briar Creek.

Enjoyable as always. I'm with this series for life, I think, even when there is the occasional passage or chapter of clunky writing that has me skimming. Another solid entry in this cozy mystery series.

Rating: ***

What's on the agenda: Early morning start to the WFH life today. Dropped off Mr. Fine at the bus and then went for a walk followed by a shower when I got home. Work today has already involved a bunch of emails making sure everything is as set as possible for the secret project before I go on vacation. Other tasks will include ordering a bunch of sheet music, a meeting with a local author to discuss plans for her term as a featured writer, and the rest of the day I plan to spend with winter/spring publisher catalogues. The plan is for hot dogs for supper tonight. Then we're off to see Come From Away tonight. I am looking forward to the show although I haven't had the chance to be excited for it in the midst of all the stresses of the past few days. Speaking of said stresses, Mr. Fine is back to normal and I remain healthy (and trying to smother the hypochondriac part of my brain that is constantly fretting).

What I'm reading: We'll see how much time I get with The Secret Chapter today.

What we're watching: Just one episode of Mom last night as we made a trip into the city after dinner last night to have batteries replaced in our watches (they're Fossil watches and there are no locations in our 'burb). Bright side was we had fun browsing in the Lego store while waiting for our watches to be done.

Wordle 438 X/6

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PEONY, PLATE, PURSE, PRICE, PRIDE, PRIME

And just like that my streak of 163 days is broken. 😭

>213 MickyFine: Oh noes!

>213 MickyFine: aw, I'm sorry about the streak! I just lucked out with which PRI_E word I though of first.

Glad to hear you're still feeling well and hope all goes well with your travels 🤞

>213 MickyFine: Nooooo. I was almost in that situation as well but realized I had more options than guesses before guess 5 so used guess 5 as a throwaway to eliminate letters. I know how much it sucks to lose a streak!

August Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 9 (69)
Books abandoned: 0 (2)

Fiction: 8 (58)
Non-fiction: 1 (11)

Adult: 8 (60)
YA: 0 (6)
Children's: 1 (3)

Library: 9 (61)
Mine: 0 (8)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (0)

Canadian author: 1 (8)

Re-reads: 0 (5)

Female authors: 6 (53)
Male authors: 3 (17)
Non-binary authors: 0 (0)

Pages: 2,563 (20,389)
Hours: 0 (1 day, 15 hours, 48 minutes)

Average rating: 3.89

Average time to read book: 4.70 days

Favourite book(s): Book Lovers was a perfect for me read and I loved it.

Thanks for the sympathy on the broken streak, Foggi, Mary, and Natalie.

I'm not squeezing another this book into this month so head on over to my September thread.