karenmarie's reading in 2023 - part II

Welcome to my second thread of Two Thousand and Twenty-Three!

Bibliomaniac, bibliophile, lectiophiliac, bookworm. Four ways to describe me and books.

The Good: Family, friends, kitties, books, in constantly-rotating order. Knee replacement surgery scheduled for March 9th after a devastating visit with an insensitive and IMO incompetent orthopedic surgeon then a perfect visit with a competent and sensitive orthopedic surgeon. Jenna being home is wonderful although I know living at home chaffs her and she’d rather have her own apartment and a kitty or two.

The Bad and the Sad: Covid is getting the upper hand again. Ukraine is still fighting for its survival as an independent country. Women’s rights in the US are under continuing attack. Racism is alive and well and able to easily organize on the Internet. The haves keep wanting more and more and the have nots keep getting shafted more and more. Much extreme weather here in the US causing trauma and damage. Mass killings are a daily occurrence.

The Ugly: The Gang of Psychos continue to work hard to destroy our Republic. Even though I have always disagreed with most of their policies, at least they weren't right-wing nut jobs until you-know-who reared his ugly, evil, puerile head.

The encouraging: The overturn of Roe v. Wade has woken some folks up, even members of the GOP. The hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica could fully mend over the next 43 years.

I’ll be 70 this summer. Like everybody else who gets there, I think “How did I get to be old? Not in a bad way, just a real way.

I am so glad I’m retired, and am beyond grateful that I don’t have to venture out to work to earn a living ever again. I paid my dues. Every day I don’t work is a cause for celebration.

I read and am a charter member of the Redbud and Beyond Book Club, started in 1997. We started meeting in person again last May. This book club year ends in April, with May to pick 11 books – one for each member – for the 2023-2024 year. I am President for our local Friends of the Library. I gave my resignation, effective June 30, 2023 at the July meeting. I’ll stay on the Board as Immediate Past President for however long the next President serves, then completely leave the Board and just stay on the Book Sale Team. The Book Sale Team meets on Tuesdays to sort donations for the upcoming Spring 2023 sale. I won’t be going to any Tuesday mornings ‘til way after my surgery.

I have been married to Bill for 31 years and am mother to Jenna, 29. The three of us live in our own little corner of paradise on 8 acres in central North Carolina USA.

We have three kitties. Inara, Zoe, Wash.
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My maternal grandfather with his dashing convertible, 1920s.
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My goal last year was 75 books, based on what I thought would be a tough reading year because of my health. Ha. I read over 300 books, mostly on my Kindle, mostly using Kindle Unlimited. They were, as my daughter calls them, smut, and my friend Karen in Montana calls porn. *shrugs* I really, really enjoy reading this subgenre of contemporary fiction/romance and will continue until it no longer interests me. This coming year’s goal is back to 100, but depending on what I read in January, I may up the goal. I’ll still set the pages read to 30,000, but that’s not an official goal, only a guideline.

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New Year’s Resolutions – 2023 – I think I’ll just posting this all year and make sure I read and update it!

Health:

Lose a minimum of 20 pounds.
Work out for cardio health 3 times a week when appropriate given potential knee surgeries.
Get knee replacement surgery (ies?) and assiduously follow through with all PT and other requirements.
Reduce red meat consumption and increase salmon and other healthy fish consumption.
Continue low-sodium lifestyle and gradually work to reduce sugared items to 2-3 times a week.

Reading:

Read 5% nonfiction this year if continuing with startling numbers of contemporary fiction - i.e., romances, otherwise 10% if the romance trend tapers off.
Inventory all book shelves in house, ruthlessly cull that which I won’t read/re-read and which Jenna won’t want when I’m gone. ~123 shelves = 10/month.
Finish The Federalist Papers, Pilgrim, re-start and finish Run With the Horsemen, a gift from Peggy.
Read A Brief Introduction to the New Testament by Bart D. Ehrman with friend Karen in Montana.
Maybe read Don Juan by George Gordon, Lord Byron, with Peggy.

House:

Get the Parlour back under control by making a decision about each thing in the room and immediately following through properly: keep and store, toss, donate.

Inter-personal:

Be in better touch with family and friends. I tend to isolate when stressed.

General:

As Judy says, pay attention.
Express gratitude for what I have - family, friends, intangibles and tangibles - every day.

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2023. I have high hopes for familial stability with Jenna living at home and socking money away for the eventual move to an apartment of her own. The new normal for Covid will, I hope, be continued vigilance and an eventual regimen of yearly vaccines as we do with flu. With politics, who knows, but I hope the Democrats continue to keep the Gang of Psychos in check as much as possible and the world does not implode via Putin/nuclear/Ukraine, Kim Jung Un in North Korea ditto nuclear, and the Middle East with Israel and Iran ditto nuclear. See a potentially devastating theme here?

Books Read - last year was 324

January
1. Glamorous by Romeo Alexander 12/31/22 1/1/23 202 pages Kindle
2. Commitment Issues by Ali Ryecart 1/1/23 1/2/23 372 pages Kindle
3. Take My Breath Away by Ali Ryecart 1/2/23 1/3/23 395 pages Kindle
4. Out of the Shadows by Ali Ryecart 1/3/23 1/4/23 364 pages Kindle
5. Loose Connection by Ali Ryecart 1/4/23 1/5/23 354 pages Kindle
6. Corporate Bodies by Ali Ryecart 1/5/23 1/6/23 318 pages Kindle
**abandoned Release by Ali Ryecart** 106 pages
**abandoned Time for Love by Laura N. Andrews** 84 pages
**abandoned Imperfect by Ali Ryecart** 52 pages
7. Hotline by Quinn Anderson 1/6/23 1/6/23 276 pages Kindle
8. Alaska by Cate Ashwood 1/6/23 1/7/23 182 pages Kindle
9. Bishop Ridge by Cate Ashwood 1/7/23 1/8/23 187 pages Kindle
10. Copper Creek by Cate Ashwood 1/8/23 1/8/23 198 pages Kindle
11. Bet on Love by A.F. Zoelle and Ariella Zoelle 1/9/23 1/10/23 178 pages 2020
**abandoned First Comes Marriage by Shira Anthony** 145 pages
12. Ex-Factor by CJ Bishop 1/10/23 1/10/23 22 pages Kindle 2022
13. Hot Boss by Scarlet Blackwell 1/10/23 1/11/23 110 pages Kindle 2021
14. The Mechanic and the Surgeon by Steve Milton 1/11/23 1/11/23 115 pages Kindle 2015
**abandoned Captured by Scarlet Blackwell** 82 pages
**abandoned Ironhearted by Cate Ashwood** 156 pages
15. The Best Man Problem by Jace Hadley 1/11/23 1/12/23 248 pages Kindle
16. Show Me Wonders by Riley Nash 1/13/23 1/14/23 327 pages Kindle
17. Hold me Under by Riley Nash 1/14/23 1/15/23 336 pages Kindle
18. Christmas Special by Riley Nash 1/15/23 1/16/23 261 pages Kindle
19. Gruff Touch by R. Cayden 1/16/23 1/17/23 170 pages Kindle
20. Off Limits by Riley Hart 1/18/23 1/18/23 265 pages Kindle
21. Trusting Tanner by Nicky James 1/19/23 1/20/23 197 pages Kindle
22. Not So Nice by Emma Lyon 1/20/23 1/21/23 215 pages Kindle
23. Reunion by Lynn Van Dorn 1/21/23 1/22/23 312 pages Kindle
24. Rebound by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 381 pages Kindle
25. Be My Mistake by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 92 pages Kindle
26. Wild By Nature by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 134 pages Kindle
27. Damage Control by Lynn Van Dorn 1/24/23 1/24/23 426 pages Kindle
28. Delicious by Stella Starling 1/25/23 1/26/23 249 pages Kindle
**abandoned, 8 books** 693 pages
29. Sem by Cora Rose 1/27/23 1/28/23 276 pages Kindle
30. Whit by Cora Rose 1/28/23 1/29/23 290 pages Kindle
31. Emery by Cora Rose 1/29/23 1/29/23 294 pages Kindle
32. Luke by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/30/23 276 pages Kindle
33. Lex by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/31/23 233 pages Kindle
**abandoned Save Me by Beck Grey** 86 pages

February
34. Hard Target by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/1/23 246 pages Kindle
35. Full Contact by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/2/23 206 pages Kindle
36. Most Wanted by Kelly Fox 2/2/23 2/4/23 220 pages Kindle
37. Goodnight by Kelly Fox 2/4/23 2/5/23 264 pages Kindle
38. Heart of the Steal by Roan Parrish and Avon Gale 2/5/23 2/5/23 296 pages Kindle
39. In The Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish 2/5/23 2/6/22 428 pages Kindle
40. Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish 2/6/23 2/7/23 316 pages Kindle
41. Straight to the Heart by Lynn van Dorn 2/8/23 2/8/23 302 pages Kindle
42. The Loner by Riley Hart 2/8/23 2/9/23 253 pages Kindle
43. The Husband Hoax by Saxon James 2/9/23 2/10/23 278 pages Kindle
44. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith 11/1/22 2/11/23 audiobook 32.75 hours
45. Pretty Obsessed by J.R. Gray 2/10/23 2/11/23 350 pages Kindle
46. Pretty Toxic by J.R. Gray 2/11/23 2/12/23 228 pages Kindle
**abandoned May the Best Man Win by J.R. Gray, Kate Hawthorne** 116 pages
47. Just Want More by Evelyn Jeannie Hall 2/13/23 2/13/23 203 pages Kindle
48. The New Hire by A.W. Scott 2/14/23 2/14/23 116 pages Kindle
**abandoned Ben's Boss by K.C. Wells** 231 pages
**abandoned Powder and Pavlova by Jay Hogan** 99 pages
**abandoned The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde** 18 pages
**abandoned Sawyer by J.J. Harper
49. Gus by J.J. Harper 2/15/23 2/15/23 120 pages Kindle
50. Pushing the Limits by Riley Hart 2/16/23 2/16/23 322 pages Kindle
51. Giving Chase by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/17/23 355 pages Kindle
52. Murphy's Law by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/18/23 343 pages Kindle
53. Hard Knox by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/18/23 358 pages Kindle
54. Griff's Place by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/19/23 353 pages Kindle
55. Beautiful and Terrible Things by Riley Hart 2/19/23 2/19/23 386 pages Kindle
56. Snowed in With Benefits by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/20/23 422 pages Kindle
57. Working Out the Kinks by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/21/23 362 pages Kindle
58. Just a Bit Bossy by Alessandra Hazard 2/21/23 2/22/23 251 pages Kindle
59. So Into You by S.E. Harmon 2/22/23 2/23/23 312 pages Kindle
60. Stay With Me by S.E. Harmon 2/23/23 2/24/23 272 pages Kindle
61. Chrysalis by S.E. Harmon 2/24/23 2/24/23 238 pages Kindle
**abandoned Texas King by A.R King** 150 pages ugh. got weirdly kinky. I like kink, but not this kink.
62. Charming Him by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 183 pages Kindle
**abandoned The Last Favor by Meg Harding** 15 pages
**abandoned Until You Say Otherwise by Kate Hawthorne** 120 pages
63. Fake It 'Til You Make It by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 39 pages Kindle
64. Eurotour by Jaberona BL 2/26/23 2/26/23 95 pages Kindle
65. Proud by Tatum West 2/26/23 2/27/23 231 pages Kindle
**abandoned Not Used to Cute by Becca Seymour** 40
66. The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths 2/27/23 2/28/23 357 pages hardcover
67. 1066 by Professor Jennifer Paxton 2/14/23 2/28/23 audiobook 3 hours

March
68. Business As Usual by Alison Hendricks 2/28/23 3/1/23 219 pages Kindle
69. A Kind of Romance 3/1/23 3/2/23 by Lane Hayes 270 pages Kindle
70. Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray 3/2/23 3/3/23 336 pages Kindle
71. Honestly Yours by Jaime Reese 3/3/23 3/4/23 364 pages Kindle
72. The Marriage Contract by Aja Foxx 3/4/23 3/4/23 254 pages Kindle
**abandoned Out by Tatum West** 167 pages
**abandoned Forgotten:Luca by Sloan Kennedy** 116
73. Rare by Briar Prescott 3/5/23 3/5/23 302 pages Kindle

Currently Reading:

The Terror of History: Mystics, Heretics, and Witches in the Western Tradition by Professor Teofilo F. Ruiz 3/2/23 audiobook 12 hours 2002
Pilgrim by Timothy Findley 6/20/22 486 pages hardcover 1999
When Christmas Comes by Andrew Klavan 2/23/23 hardcover, 250 pages, 2021
The Happy List by Briar Prescott 3/5/23 Kindle 2020
Heal My Heart by HQ Kingsley 3/5/23 Kindle
The Last Favor by Meg Harding 2/25/23 Kindle
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman 3/3/23 hardcover 337 pages hardcover 2022
Forgotten: Luca by Sloane Kennedy 3/4/23 Kindle 2019
Cross by S.E. Harmon 2/24/23 Kindle

The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels 2/xx/23 Kindle 2019
The Federalist edited by Jacob E. Cooke 5/28/22 656 pages hardcover 1961

adds - last year was 371, with way too many Kindle books. Kindle Unlimited will reduce that number significantly this year. I hope. We'll see.

1. Kindle - Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained: Expanded Edition by Maya Rodale (BB from Meg)
2. Kindle - The Mechanic and the Surgeon by Steve Milton free :)
3. Kindle - Hot Boss by Scarlet Blackwell
4. Kindle - The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem
5. Kindle - Remember Him by Steve Milton
6. Amazon - Livid by Cai Emmons
00 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle - got rid of all L'Engle's books in a fit of pique, just found them all, want to keep this one, but won't count it against my acquisitions. A happy surprise finding it.
00 New Testament - family Bible never entered into LT before
7. Amazon - Gun, With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem
8. Amazon - Everything You Need to Know When I'm Gone
9. Friends Book Sale F22 - The New Testament Greek and English edited by Kurt Aland et. al.
10. Amazon - What Is Left The Daughter by Howard Norman
11. Amazon - Desperation in Death by J.D. Robb
12. Kindle - Baby Shark by Robert Fate
13. Amazon - No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child
14. Kindle - The Golden Asse by Lucius Apuleius (Author), William Adlington, translator free on Kindle
15. Friends book sale team discarded - Oldtown Folks by Harriet Beecher Stowe
16. Amazon - Call for the Dead by John LeCarre
17. Kindle - Powder and Pavlova by Jay Hogan $0
18. Stasia - The War Against the Jews 1933-1945 by Lucy S. Dawidowicz
18. Kindle - Fake It 'Til You Make It by Louisa Masters $0
19. Kindle - Eurotour by Jaberona BL $0
20. Kindle - The Fresco by Sheri Tepper
21. Kindle - Adreneline Jake by Louise Collins

culls - only 88 last year. I hope for more this year with my resolution to completely inventory my catalog yielding books that need to be rehomed.

1. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
2. American Sphinx by Joseph J. Ellis
3. The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay
4. The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay
5. The Darkest Road by Guy Gavriel Kay
6. The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters - duplicate
7. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson - trade paperback - duplicate
8. The Bishop's Secret by T.C. Fairley
9. The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
10. Closer Than You Know by Brad Parks
11. Sons by Evan Hunter
12. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
13. The Player by Brad Parks
14. The Fraud by Brad Parks
15. Say Nothing by Brad Parks
16. Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks
17. Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks
18. The Politics of Rich and Poor by Kevin Phillips
19. The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950-1953 by Clay Blair
20. A History of the Twentieth Century by Martin Gilbert
21. Waking Raphael by Leslie Forbes
22. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - mass market paperback, 50th anniv edition, duplicate
23. The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George
24. Complete Works of Lewis Carroll - yellowed
25. Fowler's Modern English Usage - everything I'd ever need is online
26. Lily White by Susan Isaacs - will never read again, Jenna will never want or read
27. The Winner Stands Alone by Paul Coelho
28. Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund

YTD Statistics Through December 31 of 2022

324 Books Read
17 of them on my shelves before 1/1/22 and not rereads
35 books abandoned, 4101 pages abandoned
93099 pages read
107 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 255
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 287

Book of the Month: Hopelessly Bromantic and Here Comes My Man by Blake Lively

Books by Month
January - 4 paper books 1312 pages, 1 audiobook 19 hours
February - 14 paper books, 2473 pages
March - 10 paper books, 3193 pages, 1 audiobook 19.5 hours
April - 9 paper books, 3173 pages, 1 audiobook 18 hours
May - 36 e-books, 13344 pages including 2 books abandoned with 252 pages counted
June - 31 e-books and 1 paper book, 10,849 pages, including 1 book with 49 pages abandoned
July - 37 e-books and 1 audio book 36 hours, 10,030 pages including 1 book with 111 pages abandoned
August - 31 e-books, 8,550 pages, including 7 books with 749 pages abandoned
September - 34 e-books and 1 audio book 14.5 hours, 9,211 pages plus 6 books abandoned with 515 pages
October - 34 e-books (again!), 5 books abandoned with 910 pages
November - 37 e-books, 1 paper book, 9544 pages plus 3 books abandoned with 409 pages
December - 40 e-books, NO paper books, 9066 pages plus 9 books abandoned with 1,048 pages

Author
Male 11%
Female 89%

Living 99%
Dead 1%

US Born 81%
Foreign Born 19%

Platform
Hardcover 4%
Trade Pback 4%
Mass Market 3%
Audiobook 2%
e-Book 87%

Source
My Library 46%
Library 2%
Kindle Unlimited 51%
Borrowed from a friend 1%

Misc
ARC/ER 0%
Re-read 1%
Series 85%

Fiction 98%
NonFiction 2%

Author Birth Country
Australia 6%
Canada 2%
England 9%
Germany 1%
Ireland 1%
Sweden 1%
US 80%

Original Decade Published
1870-1879 0.3%
1950-1959 0.3%
1980-1989 0.3%
1990-1999 2.1%
2000-2009 10%
2010-2019 48%
2020-2029 39%

Category
Contemporary Fiction 69%
Crime Fiction - Mystery, Thriller, Suspense 7%
Fantasy 1%
Graphic Novel 0.3%
Historical Fiction 21%
Informational Nonfiction 2%
Poetry 0.3%
Science Fiction 0.3%

Acquisition/Source Date
2007 - Joined LT, added 1853 books 2
2011 8
2013 1
2018 1
2019 2
2020 1
2021 5
2022 111
All other 193

Average Rating
2.0 - Bad 4
2.5 - Average 6
3.0 - Good 28
3.5 - Very Good 42
4.0 - Excellent 157
4.5 - Outstanding 46
5 - Masterpiece 1

Average Rating 3.85
Books acquired YTD 371
Books culled YTD 88

edited to add: Starting # of books in catalog: 5516

December Lightning Round

Firecracker by Lucy Lennox and May Archer 11/30/22 12/1/22 Kindle

Small town rivalries are at the heart of this story of Flynn ‘Firecracker’ and JT, who have a love-hate relationship. When JT returns to the small town to try to get Flynn to sign with his company for distribution rights to Honeybridge Mead, we realize it’s truly love. It takes the heroes a bit to get there, along with sibling problems, mother problems, and potential relationship sabotage. HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

Boyfriend Goals by Riley Hart 12/1/22 12/2/22 Kindle

Milo, neurodivergent, inherits his biological mother’s mother’s bookstore/building. The other half is rented to a tattoo parlor owned by Gideon, who lives in the upstairs apartment. These two divergent men immediately care for each other, and with a few ups and downs, have their HEA. I really liked the way the author writes about Milo’s autism and the way Gideon understands and accepts him. There are a few low-angst family issues and random bits of humor. Very sweet, and caveat emptor re sex.

Off Plan by May Archer 12/2/22 12/3/22 Kindle

Doctor Mason Bloom flees a broken engagement to take a posh position on an island getaway. Problem is, it’s a run-down eyesore with just enough people left to keep it going. Sort of. Fenn Reardon, nephew of the town mayor who fled to the island 5 years earlier after a romantic betrayal, picks him up from the airport. Immediate sparkage, lots of fun and eccentric characters, buried treasure, and HEA. May Archer has a good way with situation and dialogues – belly laughs all the way, along with a sigh or two for True Love. Caveat emptor re sex.

On the Run by May Archer 12/3/22 12/3/22 Kindle

Mason’s best friend, Toby, flees NYC after a compromising photo of him appears although you can only see a distinctive tattoo on his shoulder. He comes to visit Mason, who, along with Fenn, has gone to NY to see new niece or nephew, I can’t remember which. He gets access via a neighbor to the guest house, where Fenn’s cousin Beale is staying to oversee renovation efforts. Sparkage, misunderstandings, endearing Whispering Key folks. Once again, Archer has a good way with situation and dialogues – belly laughs all the way, along with a sigh or two for True Love. Caveat emptor re sex.

Off Key by May Archer 12/3/22 12/5/22 Kindle

Beale’s older brother Rafe has loved straight BF Jay since they were teenagers. Jay left to become a successful singer/songwriter. Bisexual Rafe married Jay’s sister Aimee. Jay’s really gay and has also loved BF Rafe forever. Amusing road trip to visit Aimee, where we meet Chet, and etc. Sweet, with only a bit of the eccentric Whispering Key characters. HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

Roommate Arrangement by Saxon James 12/5/22 12/5/22 Kindle

Eccentric fantasy author Beau has been in love with his best friend’s older brother, Payne, for 20 years. Payne found out his husband was cheating and fled to his hometown and is crashing on a single bed in his nieces bedroom. Having a room to rent from Beau seems ideal, and it is. It’s a little over the top with Beau being rich and Payne needing a jump start with a wilderness camp with his half of the sale of his and his ex-husband’s townhome. Standard fare, liked but didn’t really love it, although the origami birds with little messages on them that Payne leaves around for Beau are charming. HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Hostile Takeover by Lucy Lennox 12/6/22 12/6/22 Kindle

A drunken prank gone terribly wrong, Grey is blamed for something Ellison did and loses a cushy job and is blackballed from some power circles. Years later Grey gets his final bit of revenge, this time against Ellison’s father’s company and Ellison. However, sparkage, HEA, and caveat emptor re sex. The character of Ellison is particularly well-written and sweet, and Grey’s strengths become his weaknesses for a bit. I was happy to read how Grey protected Ellison contractually, punishing Ellison’s father again after the father tried to sacrifice Ellison in his choice of power over his son.

Virgin Flyer by Lucy Lennox 12/6/22 12/7/22 Kindle

Teo has been in love and waited for Chris forever. Chris won’t commit. Teo meets Jack on a hookup to lose his pesky V card, and because Teo wants things kept anonymous they don’t know how to get in touch with each other when they’re really attracted to each other. They meet months later when Teo has to fly with Chris’s grandfather on a business trip and Jack’s one of the pilots. The flight has problems, Grandpa has a heart attack, and etc. Neither Teo nor Jack want a relationship with each other – Teo because of Chris, Jack not at all, but True Love wins out. I liked their dynamic and Jacks caring. Caveat emptor re sex.

Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox 12/7/22 12/822 Kindle

First in the Made Marian series. Blue Marian comes to the vineyard where his sister Simone is marrying John, and meets John’s brother Tristan, who owns the vineyard. Instant sparkage, instant everything… family drama in spades. The characters are vibrant, there’s humor and love and strong emotional writing and scenes. Caveat emptor re sex.

Taming Teddy by Lucy Lennox 12/8/22 12/8/22 Kindle

Second in the Made Marian series. Jamie Marian lives in Alaska, monitoring local fauna. Teddy is a nature photographer who wants to photograph Jamie. Jamie rebuffs all his attempts, so one day he just shows up. Instant attraction, lots of good photos, Teddy leaves because Jamie wants a committed relationship and Teddy feels that his nomadic lifestyle would doom any permanent relationship. Teddy keeps coming back, eventual HEA. Throw in Jamie’s ex, Teddy’s relationship with is father, and a good read was guaranteed. Caveat emptor re sex.

Jumping Jude by Lucy Lennox 12/8/22 12/9/22 Kindle

Third in the Made Marian series. Jude Marian is a country star, deeply closeted. Derek is his body guard, also, deeply closeted. Stalker threats, ex-boyfriend threats, sparkage, romance. Highly satisfying, lots of fun. Caveat emptor re sex.

Grounding Griffin by Lucy Lennox 12/9/22 12/10/22 Kindle img src="http://static.librarything.com/pics/s7.gif">

Fourth in the Made Marian series about Griffin, adopted son of Thomas and Rebecca Marian and Sam. Griffin is afraid of commitment because of his traumatic childhood, Sam is estranged from his parents. There is a misunderstanding, good career things for both, and lots of back and forth with Griffin and commitment. It was a bit tedious and preachy there for a bit, frankly, but HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

Hopelessly Bromantic by Blake Lively 12/11/22 12/12/22 Kindle

Wow. Just Wow. First of The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet. TJ gets assigned to a job in London, meets Jude his first day there. Immediate sparkage, date arranged, but it turns out that they’re roommates and won’t jeopardize their friendship. Until the last week, when TJ gets reassigned to NY. Ahem. They decide to not be in touch until they’re both successful. Seven years later, both are successful, they get back together, but there’s a complication and TJ runs. Ten months later Jude needs a fake boyfriend, TJ needs a fake boyfriend, and that leads to book two, Here Comes My Man. The absolute yearning, love, lust, and emotions portrayed in this book are stunning. Caveat emptor re sex, caveat emptor re tears you might shed.

Here Comes My Man by Blake Lively 12/12/22 12/13/22 Kindle

Conclusion to The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet. Jude and TJ navigate the famous/infamous roles they’re both in – TJ is a successful author and Jude is up for an Oscar. Their secret yearnings for each other over the years and current feelings and opening up to each other emotionally are a pleasure to read. Continuing and expanded sparkage, HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Uncharted Desires by M.M. Phoenix 12/13/22 14/14/22 Kindle

Blake and Sawyer have to work on a paper together for college. Sawyer requires Blake meet him where he works, a sex club. Blake’s supposedly straight, gets turned on watching two men. Sawyer’s gay, things go from there. Shortcutted emotions, situations. Voyeurism kink. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Husband Gambit by L.A. Witt 12/14/22 12/15/22 Kindle

Wanted: Fake husband, to earn $1.2 million to be legally married for one year. Jesse hires Hayden to force Jesse’s homophobic father to prove publicly that he’s willing to cut his gay son off so that the father’s too damaged to run for political office and implement homophobic and racist policies. Jesse’s family is over-the-top dysfunctional, Hayden’s over-the-top poverty stricken, and it’s all quite wonderful, actually. They fall in love, of course, and there’s a wonderful denouement and HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Rules of Engagement by L.A. Witt 12/15/22 12/16/22 Kindle

Dustin is immediately attracted to a man, Brandon, after being married to a woman for 10 years and then divorced for 6 months. Serious sparkage for both, but Dustin questions whether he’s attracted because Brandon’s the opposite of his ex-wife or simply because he’s Brandon. Lots of angst, not helped by Dustin’s family’s rejection of his relationship. Well written emotions and dialog, HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Rain by L.A. Witt 12/16/22 12/16/22 Kindle

Two years later, Dustin and Brandon are planning to marry although it’s not legal in the US for same-sex couples to marry. Out of the blue, Dustin’s estranged brother Tristan approaches Brandon at work to have Dustin call him. The brothers are reunited. Brandon, who’s been estranged from one of his brothers for 16 years ever since he came out, goes to his brother’s house out of the blue. His brother tells him that unless he stops dating men, specifically, Dustin, he’s not his brother any more. Brandon knew, but confirms, that he won’t give up Dustin for anyone, and lets go of hoping for a rapproachment. I love how the search for peace with birth families plays out. Dustin and Brandon’s HEA is confirmed and strengthened. Caveat emptor re sex.

Country Mouse by Aleksandr Voinov and Amy Lane 12/16/22 12/17/22 Kindle

Hookup between just arrived American and local Londoner turns serious. Supposedly Dom is really a Sub, a very young man is actually a Dom. Sweet and sexy, caveat emptor re sex.

If It Drives by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/17/22 12/18/22 Kindle

7th in the Market Garden Series. Limo driver Callum works for London banker James. Lines get crossed, roles are experimented with, HFN, caveat emptor re sex.

Quid Pro Quo by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/18/22 12/18/22 Kindle

1st in the Market Garden Series. Short story with rent boys Tristan and Jared hiring out together to ‘Rolex’ during a slow Chritsmas holiday night. Caveat emptor re sex.

Take It Off by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/18/22 Kindle

2nd in the Market Garden series. Rematch of Tristan and Jared with ‘Rolex’, caveat emptor re sex.

If It Flies by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/18/22 12/18/22 Kindle

3rd in the Market Garden series. Spencer goes to Market Garden to hire a rentboy. He gets more than he bargained for in Nick, a Dom. Things turn romantic, scaring Nick off. Satisfactory ending, caveat emptor re sex.

Capture & Surrender by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/18/22 12/19/22 Kindle

5th in the Market Garden series, has Market Garden owner Frank attracted to his newest hire, Stephan. Capture & Surrender is part of the paintball games Frank invites Stephan to. Serious sparkage, serious emotional issues with both Frank and Stephan surviving the loss of their long-term boyfriends but finding their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Payoff by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/19/22 12/19/22 Kindle

6th in the Market Garden series, the final novella with Tristan and Jared meeting up with ‘Rolex’ for a final time. Interesting time for Tristan to have emotional issues, but Rolex leaves the hotel room for a while so that Tristan and Jared can figure out their relationship then give Rolex his money’s worth. HEA for Tristan and Jared, possible HEA for Rolex in On the Clock, 8th and final book in the series. Caveat emptor re sex.

On the Clock by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt 12/19/22 12/21/22 Kindle

8th and final in the Market Garden series. Surprisingly flat, with ‘Rolex’ hooking up with Jason after Tristan and Jared leave Market Garden. Banter that wasn’t particularly sparkling, barter that got to be rather tedious, and unexplained love. HFN, caveat emptor re sex.

His First Time by Tal Bauer 12/22/22 12/2/22 Kindle

Three short stories of sexy encounters, caveat emptor re sex.

Let the Wrong Light In by Avon Gale 12/22/22 12/22/22 Kindle

Avery, a bubbly, outgoing young architect, works for an older, cold, and repressed Project Manager named Malin. Avery’s project plan gets rejected, he blows up at Malin, then things change. They start having an unhealthy, kinky, secret relationship. Many ups and downs. Avery’s relationship with his friends and co-workers is written with laugh-out-loud dialogue. I was cheering for Avery and Malin by the end and was not disappointed. HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

His Kind of Love by Kate Hawthorne 12/22/22 12/23/22 Kindle

Ugh. Joel is sweet and innocent and works in a book store. Gabriel sees him and obsesses over him and sets up a scenario in which Joel flees to his grandmother’s – who just happens to live next door to Gabriel. Way too many tears, way too over-the-top-emotions. HEA despite both of them being ridiculous, caveat emptor re sex.

Whiskey Business by Avon Gale 12/23/22 12/23/22 Kindle

Sweet story of distillery owner Ryder, openly gay in a very small town in Kentucky, who sells the family recipe for bourbon to a conglomerate. City boy Adam, closeted, comes to audit the business for the company. Immediate sparks but Adam returns to Lexington because he can’t see things working out for them. Things change, and we get the HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Rent Boy by J.P. Oliver and Peter Styles 12/23/22 12/24/22 Kindle

Closeted Jacob hires rent boy Evan to relieve him of his pesky virginity. Instead, they are both attracted to each other, spend time together, even go on a date or two before any sexy times. I particularly love Evan’s bohemian and loving family. HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

The Bride's Brother by J.P. Oliver 12/24/22 12/24/22 Kindle

Julia is marrying a billionaire and meets with the wedding planner, who thinks her brother is her fiancé. Her brother is closeted, Toby is out and proud, one of 5 gay brothers. Misunderstandings, sparkage, HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Road to Romance by Peter Styles 12/24/22 12/25/22 Kindle

Luke and Max have known each other since college, work at the same firm. They get sent on a road trip to hand deliver a package, 40 hours round trip. Enemies turn to lovers, lots of great dialog and sweet emotions. HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Sin Deep by Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga 12/25/22 12/26/22 Kindle

Harley flees his home in Texas, takes over the apartment of a friend who’s gone to Europe for a while. He goes to a club, is attracted to a man 15 years older than he is. They immediately bond. All well and good, but this turned into major kink. I kept reading despite the kink, am not sorry I read it. Harley’s sweet, Winter’s also sweet. There are well-written subtle hints about both of their backstories which made up for some of the ick factor. Caveat emptor re sex.

Pretenders by Alexa Land 12/26/22 12/27/22 Kindle

Wesley hires Ash to be his boyfriend at Wesley’s brother’s wedding to his former fiancé. Instant sparkage, satisfying scenes with former fiancé and brother. Lots of fun dialogue and funny as heck family of choice events, including a marching band dressed in penis costumes. Caveat emptor re sex.

Kept Man by Alexa Land 12/27/22 12/27/22 Kindle

Micah, disgraced ex-rocker on house arrest for assaulting a cop, hires Jasper to live with him for 6 months until he’s off house arrest. He’s hired for companionship and sex. Well, of course there’s sparkage and things get serious. I particularly liked more of the family of choice antics from Pretenders. HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Kaden by RJ Scott 12/27/22 12/28/22 Kindle

Movie star Ryan has a PR problem, so hires fake boyfriend Kaden. Ryan’s bad PR comes from a leaked video, misinterpreted as homophobic, but really about an abusive ex-boyfriend. When another man is abused by the same ex-boyfriend, Ryan wants to help. Oh, and sparkage between Kaden and Ryan, of course, leading to HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Darcy by RJ Scott and Meredith Russell 12/28/22 12/28/22 Kindle

Darcy is hired to be the boyfriend of a woman who’s being hounded by her family to marry and settle down, regardless of the fact that her research is her first love. Abby’s brother Adrian and Darcy have immediate sparkage but have to wait ‘til the week-long wedding Darcy’s been hired for to end. Good enough, not stunning, although Adrian’s insecurities and Darcy’s alpha male characteristics make for fun reading. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Thief and the Gangster by Alexa Land 12/28/22 12/29/22 Kindle

What a hoot. Adriano, a mobster, picks up Jack, a thief, at a bar and takes him home for serious fun. While going to take a shower, Jack sees an open jewelry box and steals Reno’s Rolex – sentimental for Reno but worth serious megabucks. Reno tracks him down but has to go home to Vegas to take care of some family stuff and takes him with. Fun shenanigans, and the family of choice from Pretenders and Kept Man are the bio family in this one. Caveat emptor re sex.

Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher 12/30/22 12/31/22 Kindle

Rock(ford) is a security guy for a club, deeply closeted. He sees an escort, hires him, and things are very … rocky… for quite a while. Eventually they develop a relationship. Carter wants out of the escort biz, Rock wants to come out of the closet, family angst, relationship angst, HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

324 books read

1 Masterpiece
51 Stunning
181 Excellent
48 Very Good
30 Good
9 Average
4 Bad
0 Very Bad
0 Don't Bother
0 Anathema

Best Fiction
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
The Adults by Caroline Hulse
Should We Stay or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Hopelessly Bromantic and Here Comes My Man by Blake Lively

Best (only) Nonfiction
Woke Racism by Dr. John McWhorter
The Book of General Ignorance by John Mitchinson
The Story of Human Language by Dr. John McWhorter
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

Top five overall for the LT Top Five Books of 2022 list:
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Woke Racism by Dr. John McWhorter
The Adults by Caroline Hulse
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

…...

Welcome to my second thread!

Happy new one!

Karen, you are certainly reading up a storm!

Happy new thread. xx

Happy new thread, Karen.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Karen. Sweet kitty pics.

Happy new thread Karen!

Hiya, Karen. Holy Moses, stat person! What a reading year. I'm making some progress of my own, having digested a baker's dozen of books in January. Going to start on the next bookcase project just any day now. Keep breathing, my friend.

>16 weird_O: I was thinking the same thing! Happy new thread! I have been so busy reading I haven't gotten around to my top reads of 2022. Thinking it has to be done by the end of the month and realized that is tomorrow.

Mostly stopping by to tell you a retirement tale: I woke up today and, with the exception of the necessary dog feeding and walking, spent the morning, into early afternoon reading a book. I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company was this magical, poetic story of Lewis and Clark and I devoured it. I really really dig being retired!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Karen. You've got impressive reading for the month and it's not over yet!

Hi Karen,
>8 karenmarie: I'm still laughing over that reading cartoon (of which I'm guilty). I saw it somewhere else quite awhile ago, maybe LT last year? I didn't snag it then, so glad you posted it here so I can use it as needed. Mr. SM would say, he couldn't agree more.

Here we go again - new thread for Karen! YAY!!!!!
I look forward to every post.

Happy new thread, Karen!

Happy new thread, Karen.

Morning, Karen. Happy New Thread! Only 2F out there, right now. Not looking forward to Rehab duties today. Fingers crossed, that they assign me to work indoors. Temps climb back up to the normal range tomorrow. I really want to get out and do some birding.

>10 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>11 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul and thanks re my new thread. Yes, I’m still stuck in M/M romanceland and happy to be there. Introspection tells me that it’s because of my heart attack in November of 2021, all my knee issues which will start being resolved on March 9th with surgery, and other things going on. I need Happily-Ever-Afters and sparkage.

>12 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>13 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle. It’s nice to see you back this year.

>14 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelly, twice.

>15 quondame: Hi Susan and thank you.

>16 weird_O: Hiya, Bill. I know… me and spreadsheets. Blame @drneutron, whose stats inspired me however-many years ago. Congrats on your baker’s dozen in January. Let me see, you said you had three bookcases planned, right? Glad the first one's in the almost planning stages. Yes, breathing is important. That’s going well, by the way…

>17 witchyrichy: Hi Karen and thank you. Last year’s Best of Fiction was a challenge in that of the 324 books read, only 34 were not contemporary fiction or historical fiction, all romance, some straight, most gay. I’ll be by to check out your best of 2022…

Yes, the joy of being able to just read however much we want to in retirement is one of the major rewards of working hard then being able to retire gracefully. I Should Be Extremely Happy In Your Company sounds intriguing. Onto the wish list it goes.

I rarely choose fictionalized accounts of real people, although Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler read in 2016, The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd read in 2018, and The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks read in 2021, are the exceptions that prove my rule.

>18 drneutron: Hi Jim, and thanks.

>19 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I hope to get one more book in today.

>20 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. Glad you like the cartoons, especially the reading one. All three truly represent me well.

>21 LizzieD: Hi Peggy and thank you. Yup, new thread for Karen.

>22 alcottacre: Thank you Stasia.

>23 BLBera: Thanks, Beth.

>24 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you. Thank you. Oh, my goodness. 2F, and according to the NWS, it’ll only go up by one more degree all day. Stay safe and warm and indoors although I know your bouncing off the walls wanting to be outside.

Wordle 591 4/6* adieu, frost, gross, cross. I should have gone in alphabetical order.

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I might go out today and get some small UHaul boxes for stuff. I've got to get the Parlour under control stat because we've decided to upgrade our security system from 1998 hardwired/seriously compromised due to building projects over the years to up-to-date-wireless. It's not cheap, with 26 windows and 5 doors, but Bill questioned the first quote and they came down $500 in the cost of installation and $9/month in the monitoring fee. Not bad for challenging them and reminding them of the fact that we've been customers for 30 years between our two houses.

What with more people moving to our county because of

1. Chatham Park
2. VinFast building an electric SUV plant in the southeast part of the county
3. the Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site in the northwest part of the county and
4. spillover need because of Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, and the Triangle

and the three convicts who escaped and were on the loose 5 or so miles from my house last year, I felt it was time so Bill finally got ADT out here on Saturday.

Other than that, coffee, reading, puttering, all the good things I get to do every day.

Morning, Karen! I am also doing all the good things today, but I have to run few errands, too. Boo. Good for you with the security update. Hoping Tuesday is kind to you, Coffee Sister.

I'm glad that you and Bill worked out the security upgrade and got a nice bit of $ discounted. GOOD!

Wordle 591 2/6

⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I did go alpha, and it paid off after my stellar first word!

Rousting Mama and having breakfast, finishing A Memory Called Empire (easy to see why it was a Nebula winner in '20), getting through the shower/shampoo, watching the last of the sad 2nd episode of *Jewel in the Crown* and relieving it by finishing *Sleepless* maybe (Tom Hanks is so young!), and Henry Lewis Gates and Finding Your Roots tonight = my plans for the day.

>26 Crazymamie: 'Morning, Coffee Sister! Just visited your thread. Man, getting behind even one day is ridiculous - you're way too popular! Thanks re my day and the Security System. Have a good'un your ownself.

>27 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! He's never afraid to ask for discounts, badgering people mercilessly. It always embarrasses the heck out of me, but he frequently gets good stuff for us, so I just roll my eyes and stay out of the way.

Oh my, Wordle in 2. Super congrats. Enjoy your day and bask in the Two-ness.

...
I am pretty excited, because as I was sitting here a while ago I saw a Very Large Bird with a gorgeous White Fantail and a White Head circle a bit then land in the pasture. I tried to get a pic but he/she flew off too quickly, but I called Louise to see if it could be anything but a Bald Eagle and she said no, I had just seen my first Bald Eagle here at the house. Bald Eagles are fishermen and there's no pond close by so I'm puzzled, but Louise caught a glimpse of a white fantail last week and knew we had one out here.

Happy new thread, Karen!

>28 karenmarie: Wow, congratulations on spotting an eagle from home!

Hi Karen my dear, Happy New Thread. You have had a really good month of reading whereas mine has been a tad sparse. I am hoping that February will get things moving on the reading front.

Sending love and hugs to you, Bill, Jenna, Inara, Zoe and Wash from both of us and not forgetting Felix, my dear friend.

>28 karenmarie: a Bald Eagle right there on your property! How cool is that?! As for their diet, I follow a local eagle nest cam and "our" eagles also eat small mammals like squirrels, and go scavenging in a nearby landfill.

>29 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita. Thank you twice. I'm still chuffed.

>30 johnsimpson: Hi John, and thank you. I'm still amazed at the number of books I'm reading. I'll keep going with the flow, though. Sorry your reading has been sparse, I need to come visit and see what's keeping you, Karen, and Felix busy. Love and hugs to you both, kitty skritches to the boy.

>31 lauralkeet: It is way cool, Laura, and I should have remembered that you had/have eagle cam duties. Good to know that they like small mammals, although my kitties count as small mammals but fortunately don't hang out in the pastures. The landfill is too far away for them to have acquired a sudden interest.

Wordle 592 4/6* adieu, moody, frond, scold

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟨⬜
⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

It's raining. Jenna just left for work, Bill's up and dressed in a work shirt instead of a T-shirt, so he's going to work today, too. I'll enjoy the peace and quiet although I'll be out to get boxes at the U-Haul and then make a brief visit to the grocery store.

But for now, coffee, LTing, January stats creation and posting, and puttering.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. Very cold at Rehab yesterday, but we managed. Only 4F right now but will eventually creep up to nearly 30. I am hitting the trails with my birding buddies, who just returned from Florida. Rude awakening, right?

>28 karenmarie: Congrats on the bald eagle. Nice sighting. Yes, bald eagles can usually be found by bodies of water but they are also opportunists.

Morning, Karen! How fun abut the bald eagle. I did the grocery yesterday and it was surprisingly busy. I usually like to get there earlier, but I had a bunch of errands and had to leave it for last because food.

Happy new thread!

>28 karenmarie: Congrats on the bald eagle. We see them fairly often flying over the farm but we do have lots of water around. It is *always* a thrill to pick them out of the band of vultures that live in our town.

Congrats on your bald eagle, Karen!!!! I hope he keeps coming around.

We've walked. Although I should be DOING stuff, I'm going to sit down and watch the rest of that bad episode of *Jewel* so that I can get on with it and *Sleepless* too (Thank you!).

Enjoy your day!

>33 msf59: Hi Mark, and happy Wednesday to you, too. Sorry about the extreme cold. Oh yes, a very rude awakening for them, wicked for me, and ho-hum for you, right? Thanks re the Bald Eagle. That’s what I’m hearing – opportunists.

>34 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Thanks. I know, leaving groceries for last because … food. I ran two errands today – to the U-Haul to get boxes then food. Sorry it was surprisingly busy.

>35 witchyrichy: Hi and thanks, Karen. They are wonderful to see, that’s for sure.

>36 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy. Louise saw him today at her house, so he’s still around. Yay for your walking. Yay for watching the rest of *Jewel* and then *Sleepless*. (You’re welcome!).

YTD Statistics January 31

33 books read
0 of them on my shelves before 1/1/23 and not rereads
19 books abandoned, 1711 pages abandoned
9958 pages read
0 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 321
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 302

Book of the Month: Show Me Wonders by Riley Nash

Books by Month
January - 33 e-books, 19 books abandoned for 1711 pages

Author
Male 3%
Female 94%
Non-Binary 3%

Living 100%
Dead 0%

US Born 48%
Foreign Born 52%

Platform
Hardcover 0%
Trade Pback 0%
Mass Market 0%
Audiobook 0%
e-Book 100%

Source
My Library 0%
Library 0%
Kindle Unlimited 100%
Borrowed from a friend 0%

Misc
ARC/ER 0%
Re-read 0%
Series 76%

Fiction 100%
NonFiction 0%

Author Birth Country
Australia 15%
Canada 15%
England 18%
Ireland 3%
US 49%

Original Decade Published
2010-2019 39%
2020-2029 61%

Category
Contemporary Fiction 100%

Acquisition/Source Date
Kindle Unlimited 33

Average Rating
2.0 - Bad 1
2.5 - Average 0
3.0 - Good 5
3.5 - Very Good 6
4.0 - Excellent 13
4.5 - Outstanding 8
5 - Masterpiece 0

Average Rating 3.82
Books acquired YTD 10
Books culled YTD 25

January Lightning Round

Glamorous by Romeo Alexander 12/31/22 1/1/23 Kindle

Sigh. Stereotype galore, cute cats, Axel works security at a stripper club, Aidan has escaped an abusive boyfriend. Aiden is a superior dancer because …. Why? Axel has sisters he protected from abusive parents. Mostly too cute for words, almost sorry I finished it, but not quite. Caveat emptor re sex.

Commitment Issues by Ali Ryecart 1/1/23 1/2/23 Kindle

Fake boyfriend needed to help Elliot face ex-fiance at a wedding where both are best men. Freddie is a Ph.D. student in need of money. The fake boyfriend bit is only part of it, as neither wants to acknowledge their feelings but can’t quite stop seeing each other - Freddie is waiting to hear about a year-long foreign internship, Elliot doesn’t want to stand in his way by professing his feelings. I loved the sweetness AND the sparkage between them, and I particularly loved Freddie’s family. Caveat emptor re sex.

Take My Breath Away by Ali Ryecart 1/2/23 1/3/23 Kindle

Elliot’s PA, Perry, has been kicked out of his boyfriend’s apartment and is drowning his sorrows. Elliot’s best friend James finds him at the pub, takes him home to keep him safe. Eventual feelings, serious sparkage, ups and downs. Perry wants commitment, James has always been a party animal. Eventual HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

Out of the Shadows by Ali Ryecart 1/3/23 1/4/23 Kindle

James’s cousin and Freddie’s best friend Cosmo got unjustly fired 5 years earlier by Daniel. Now, Daniel has been hired to be the boss where Cosmo successfully landed. Enemies, reluctant respect for the work, Daniel coming to realize he’s gay, huge issues, huge love, eventual HEA. I had tears in my eyes over this one for some reason, and I feel like it’s the best of this series. How can one not love a mangy cat named Wallace? Caveat emptor re sex.

Loose Connection by Ali Rycart 1/4/23 1/5/23 Kindle

Rick and Matt are complete opposites, yet fall deeply in love. Rick is out and proud, Matt is … mostly out… and sometimes proud. It’s all good until it isn’t, but they both want their marriage to work and find a way. Caveat emptor re sex.

Corporate Bodies by Ali Ryecart 1/5/23 1/6/23 Kindle

Rick’s friend Jake and a senior executive meet and sparks fly, love is declared, bad things happen, eventual HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

Hotline by Quinn Anderson 1/6/23 1/6/23 Kindle

phone sex worker Zack lands a ‘whale’ – someone who likes to spend lots and lots of money talking dirty on the phone – and then they accidentally meet in RL when John, the whale’s real name, recognizes Zack’s voice. Ups and downs – they’re both in their early 20s – angsty, the novel stops when they get back together after a fight. I really liked it a lot, particularly Zack’s apartment building with friends Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez and his dog Ziggy. Oh yes, it’s also rich boy vs. poor boy. Caveat emptor re sex for the fictional phone sex and fictional RL sex.

Alaska by Cate Ashwood 1/6/23 1/7/23 Kindle

Holden Prescott is sent to Alaska by his cold and manipulative father to get Gage Emerson to return to work in NYC. If he doesn’t convince Gage, Holden will be fired from his prestigious research job and kicked out of the apartment his father lets him live in. He’s not successful, and once that’s established, the serious sparkage between the two ignites. Romance books frequently say the best things the most powerfully, and this one is no exception. Gage about Holden: If the theories about multiple universes were true, there wasn’t a single one in which I wouldn’t love Holden with everything I had. Caveat emptor re sex. First of the Sawyer’s Ferry series.

Bishop Ridge by Cate Ashwood 1/7/23 1/8/23 Kindle

Second in the Sawyer’s Ferry series, with Logan, a surgeon, meeting Jackson, an oil rig worker, when Jackson comes into the hospital to get a bullet taken out that should have been taken out six years ago. Instant sparkage, both thinking this was an extended hookup. Logan wants more, Jackson runs, but events conspire, and they get their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex. We never do find out how Jackson got shot, though. *smile*

Copper Creek by Cate Ashwood 1/8/23 1/8/23 Kindle

Third in the Sawyer’s Ferry series has Frankie, Holden’s father’s PA at loose ends after Holden’s father goes to prison for fraud. Holden invites Frankie to Alaska to plan his and Gage’s wedding. While there, Frankie has sparkage with straight Barrett and Barrett hires him to clean up his office systems and paperwork. More sparkage, out of the closet to Frankie, Holden, and Gage but not the world. Frankie goes back to NYC, both miss each other desperately. Barrett flies to NYC and we get our HEA back in Alaska. Caveat emptor re sex. Caveat emptor re huge belly laughs over Frankie’s outrageous behavior and seriously funny conversations.

Bet on Love by A.F. Zoelle and Ariella Zoelle 1/9/23 1/10/23

Best friends Rhys and Lucien elope when Rhys is supposed to be marrying bridezilla Olivia. This book is a bit over the top but I enjoyed it for some reason. Turns out that they’ve always had feelings for each other and they get their unexpected HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Ex-Factor by CJ Bishop 1/10/23 1/10/23 Kindle

Steamy short story, caveat emptor re sex.

Hot Boss by Scarlet Blackwell 1/10/23 1/11/23 Kindle

Low angst, sweet romance about a hookup turned into a boss/employee relationship that quickly goes south until the boss looks at his life and figures out what’s important. HEA, caveat emptor re sex.

The Mechanic and the Surgeon by Steve Milton 1/11/23 1/11/23 Kindle

This one had so many laugh-out-loud moments, with snark and clever humor. Matchmaker Alissa, starting up her matchmaking business, gets landed with the Ritter, a successful gay man with a very bad rep and more notches on his bedpost than fit. He is interested in settling down. Alissa knows of a sweet young man, a mechanic, who works on her car, and convinces Ritter to meet Joshua. Rocky start, but Joshua knows what he wants, and doesn’t give in right away. This gets Ritter’s attention, and there’s slow-burn sparkage and a joyous HEA. I really liked this book for its introspective nature for both Ritter and Joshua plus, of course, the sex. Caveat emptor re, of course.

The Best Man Problem by Jace Hadley 1/11/23 1/12/23 Kindle

David has relationship problems, Jay only does hookups. They both work for the same department at a college, don’t get along at all, except that once David’s boyfriend breaks up with him and they are both attending the same wedding, they do. Sparkage, HEA. Caveat emptor re sex. David’s overbearingness is a tad over the top, but all in all a satisfying read.

Hold Me Under by Riley Nash 1/14/23 1/15/23 Kindle

Victor was a swimmer, going to compete in the Olympics, when a failed drug test ruined his career and ruined him. Ethan works for a landscape company, keeping his mother at home even though he knows he’ll have to move her to memory unit sooner than later. They meet at Victor’s house and Victor’s father and lawyer hire Ethan to be his fake boyfriend for a new venture his father’s got going. Victor pushes Ethan away at every turn, yet they both need each other. There are stunning revelations, sad and poignant moments. I had tears in my eyes at the end of this one. Just one quote, to see the beautiful writing:

Our bodies fit together perfectly, every hill and valley contoured to each other like we were one person who got broken in half before we were born.

Caveat emptor re sex. Caveat emptor for potential teary eyes.

Christmas Special by Riley Nash 1/15/23 1/16/23 Kindle

Deeply closeted gay actor Damien, star of a slew of straight Christmas movies, meets Connor, a local who is hired to wrangle the reindeer for the current movie. There’s secret sparkage, stress as they break off what they have, then their HEA when they’re outed. I liked both of them, liked the way the author resolved what was needed to make both of them happy. Deus ex machina? Yes, but that’s okay with me on this one. Caveat emptor re sex.

Gruff Touch by R. Cayden 1/16/23 1/17/23 Kindle

Drew learns who his father is and goes to Chicago to learn about him. Caesar owns an ink shop, knew Drew’s father. The only way to find out about his father is to get a tattoo. Sparkage, angst about the age gap, sweet Drew and gruff Caesar, pin ball machines, and motorcycles. I thought this one was particularly interesting with how the age gap was handled. Caveat emptor re sex.

Off Limits by Riley Hart 1/18/23 1/18/23 Kindle

Ryder’s divorced from Hutch’s sister after coming out as gay, breaking up their family relationships. Ryder returns to Atlanta after 5 years, Hutch is bi, and they anonymously connect on a hookup app. They start caring for each other until they realize that it’s each other. Family angst, eventual sparkage, and HEA. I loved the texting. It got a bit sappy towards the end, but it basically worked. Caveat emptor re sex.

Trusting Tanner by Nicky James 1/19/23 1/20/23 Kindle

Zander is in an abusive relationship, too scared to leave, too under the thumb of Paul. When Tanner meets him while dropping off his niece at the daycare Zander works at, he’s immediately attracted to Zander but backs off when he learns that Zander’s in a relationship. Things get worse for Zander, but he is paralyzed in the relationship, doesn’t think he deserves a better life, and rebuffs Tanner’s offer of help. Things reach a crisis and Zander finally realizes that he needs to leave to save his life. Tanner’s there for him, and they soon get their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Not So Nice by Emma Lyon 1/20/23 1/21/23 Kindle

Formulaic but occasionally sweet, with PA Ryan in love with his billionaire boss Nathan. Fake boyfriend trope, real sparkage, real boyfriend. Caveat emptor re sex.

Reunion by Lynn Van Dorn 1/21/23 1/22/23 Kindle

Florida craziness, first of The Oleander Chronicles. Brett and Tony are secret boyfriends through high school. A party, an attack, a missing boyfriend, betrayal felt on both sides until 15 years later. This book has true emotions, belly laughs, vivid characters and a great plot. Caveat emptor re sex, and hooray for flamingoes and a hard-won HEA.

Rebound by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 Kindle

More Florida craziness, second of the Oleander Chronicles. Jacob drives on down to Oleander to get his boyfriend Brett back, not realizing that Brett has reconnected with his high school love. Jacob has an unfortunate mishap with a scared flamingo, meets a tattooed and pierced mechanic who can repair his damaged car, and sparks fly. Eccentric situations, characters, and true emotions along with the usual caveat emptor re sex.

Be My Mistake by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 Kindle

Twink meets movie producer at producer’s party. Hookup turns serious, wildly improbable but at only 92 pages, why not? A tad pervy, frankly, because I don’t usually like Daddy-boy books, but at 134 pages, why not? There is a HEA and there is room in the world for everybody’s kink. Caveat emptor re sex.

Wild By Nature by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 Kindle

Twink gets lost in woods, falls, breaks ankle & etc., and gets rescued by 39-year-old virgin. Also a tad pervy, frankly, because I don’t usually like Daddy-boy books, but at 134 pages, why not? There is a HEA and there is room in the world for everybody’s kink. Caveat emptor re sex.

Damage Control by Lynn Van Dorn 1/24/23 1/24/23 Kindle

This one had some depth and serious issues to it – cutting and obsessive-compulsive behavior, in addition to parental control, conversion therapy, Tyler’s true parentage, which explains why his dad has always seemed to hate him and etc. Tyler cuts and Josh obsessively cleans. They’ve known each other since Tyler was a baby. The age difference is 9 years, which gets mentioned a lot, but my parents were 11 years apart in age and with the normal bumps of a marriage managed to toddle along ‘til my dad died just before their 54th anniversary. Josh was the secret lover of Tyler’s brother Josh for 6 years, then broke the relationship off for his own mental health. Fifteen years later, Tyler, an actor who has just had a sex video of him when he was 16 leaked online and has rushed off to the family lake house to regroup. Unbenownst to either of them, Josh, who’s been convinced to take a vacation at HIS family’s lake house 3 doors down by Tyler’s brothers in hopes that Josh and Tyler will end up in a real relationship, accidentally scares Tyler into cutting himself seriously while Tyler was intending to ‘just’ cut himself a little bit, requiring another brother to come stitch him up. Josh takes care of Tyler at his family’s house, sparkage, fake boyfriend trope to help Tyler’s image, and etc. There’s some seriously funny conversation in this one, and there were many laugh out loud moments in addition to the serious reading of problems and issues that are, fortunately, not mine. Caveat emptor re sex.

Delicious by Stella Starling 1/25/23 1/26/23 Kindle

Compared to Damage Control, this one was anemic, treated serious issues with a shorthand that I thought was lazy, and vaguely too sweet and perfect. Plus, I’m less than fond of the straight-to-gay trope. I’ve been reading gay romances since last June so have read perhaps 10 of the straight-to-gay plots, and almost every single one is better than this one. Gavin owns Delicious, a bakery. While helping out the Ben’s family bank with a photo shoot for an ad campaign for a charity, Gavin falls and breaks his foot. Ben feels responsible and has Gavin stay at his house instead of Gavin’s 3rd floor walkup. Gavin’s gay, and Ben thinks he’s straight pretty much most of the book. Sigh. Caveat emptor re sex.

Sem by Cora Rose 1/27/23 1/28/23 Kindle

Second in the Unexpected series, read first. Rich, textured, vivid, detailed. Another straight-to-gay plot, but what a difference compared to the last book I read. Sem is gobsmacked when he meets Magnus, and basically stalks him. Sem realizes that Magnus – Maggie – is his forever person, regardless of labels, and it goes from there. I loved the humor, Sem’s family’s total acceptance of Maggie, Sem’s protective nature and how he stands up to Maggie’s family’s homophobia and verbal abuse of Maggie. It takes a violent situation, Sem’s running away and Maggie’s kidnapping him with Sem’s brothers’ help to get Sem to realize he’s worthy of Maggie and that they are perfect together. Caveat emptor re sex, caveat emptor for possible tears.

Whit by Cora Rose 1/28/23 1/29/23 Kindle

First in the Unexpected series, with Caleb having Whit for a roommate. He doesn’t know Whit’s secrets, they fall in love. Caleb was straight ‘til Whit, but Whit is his person. It takes Whit giving up wealth, status, and his homophobic family (not a sacrifice there, but still) and marriage to a woman for he and Caleb to get their HEA. Sweetly, emotionally true writing, fun and serious plot. Caveat emptor re sex.

Emery by Cora Rose 1/29/23 1/30/23 Kindle

Third in the Unexpected series, with Magnus’s best friend August and his stepbrother Emery. Emery has been abandoned, abused, has ADHD, and has type I Diabetes. He’s mostly overcome these things but still has serious fall out. He’s secretly in love with August. On the way to a mountain cabin to meet up with August’s mother and Emery’s father – newly married – Emery gets them caught on a service road with no cell phone bars and dangerously cold temperatures. They survive and there’s sparkage. August is, like Sem’s attraction to Maggie in the first book and Caleb’s attraction to Whit in the second book, gobsmacked by his attraction to Emery. It’s all-encompassing and all-consuming. August has issues with telling his mother, but it all works out in the end, with sweet plot lines, LOL dialog, and compassionate understanding and writing about Emery’s issues. Caveat emptor re sex.

Luke by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/30/23 Kindle

Fourth in the Unexpected series has Luke berating a guy who cuts in front of him in line. Elliot is a doctor, patches up a cut on Luke’s head. Luke is attracted, tracks him down, and it goes from there. Elliot is trans and as Luke puts it, perfect. Lots of humor, lots of strong emotional writing, fun with Elliot’s three sisters and crazy Lex, who features in the final book in the series. Caveat emptor re sex.

Lex by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/31/23 Kindle

Final book in the Unexpected series finds Lex insecure when his chosen family Brenda’s grandson William returns from 6 months away, trying to get rid of a dangerous stalker. Lex is immediately attracted to William even as he considers him an enemy, and William, who’s always considered himself asexual, is immediately and attracted to and bonded with Lex. Hijinx, getting rid of the stalker, Brenda’s failing health, and dealing with past trauma and current grief make for a beautifully written and laugh out loud humorous book. Oh, caveat emptor re sex, of course.

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>38 karenmarie: You had a great start this year, stilll going strong with your reading.
And more books culled than acquired :-)

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday! Impressive Lightning Round. It looks like the majority of them, were winners. Despite the cold yesterday, I had a good walk with my birding buddies. We struck out on the owls but still clocked in 15 species, which ain't shabby for the 1st of February.

I am finally doing a Meet Up with Joe today. It has been a very long time. He invited me to the Chicago Bulls game and we will go to dinner first. Looking forward to it.

>40 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. Happy Thursday to you, too.

Still contemporary fiction, still romance, but yes, I'm burning up my Kindle, so to speak, with Kindle Unlimited books.

The culled books are a result of getting the Library books reshelved to include the Easton Press haul of late last year.

>41 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and a sweet Thursday to you, too. Thanks. Yup, all happy-making romances. My abandoned book count is buried in my stats, but it's already 19 books – some with as few as 2 or 3 pages read – for a total of 1711 pages abandoned. There’s a certain style or feel I look for, and since it’s all Kindle Unlimited, I can afford to experiment a bit.

Congrats on the 15 species, and Wow to having a meetup with Joe for dinner/Chicago Bulls game.

Wordle 593 5/6* adieu, flint, crisp, smirk, shirk

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Yesterday was actually getting the boxes from UHaul, 25 small, then grocery shopping, then puttering and realizing I didn't have caraway seed anymore and having to order it and Marjoram from Amazon to make Austrian Goulash. My stupid grocery store, Food Lion, did not have Marjoram. What kind of grocery store does not have Marjoram? There is a new upscale grocery store, Lowes, being built 10 miles away, can't wait for it to open.

Today is actually using some of the boxes acquired yesterday and maybe doing a bit of baking. Reading, of course, coffee, and the always-happy-making puttering.

Morning, Karen! Great January stats. You are definitely getting your money's worth out of Kindle Unlimited.

So weird about the marjoram.

Hoping Thursday is kind to you.

Congrats on your bald eagle sighting! How cool!

Morning, Karen. Good day to stay indoors, read, and putter! Add some movie watching, and I'm with you.

Wordle in 5 for me because of my first word, I think. Tomorrow! Anyway, our last two words are the same.

>42 karenmarie: What kind of grocery store does not have Marjoram?
Mine has it, but when I needed some it was only available from one of the more "gourmet" brands and I balked at the price. Right there and then I looked up "marjoram substitute" and the interwebs recommended oregano, which I have aplenty. So, no marjoram for me.

>39 karenmarie: Wow, you sure had a wonderful series of good reading. I hope February choices treat you as well, too.

>46 lauralkeet: Good choice on the oregano (vs over-priced marjoram). They're in the same plant family, so makes sense, because oregano is also known as "wild marjoram"!

>43 Crazymamie: Next morning hellos, Coffee Sister. I think I'm overanxious about my friend Jan's visit today. Up Very Early. Thanks re my stats. OMG, yes, on Kindle Unlimited. Otherwise this reading pattern would have withered and died because of $$. See below re yesterday. Yesterday I got the McCormick Organic Marjoram and McCormick Organic Caraway Seeds from Amazon. I can now make the Austrian Goulash, although I don’t think I’ll have time today.

>44 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle. Thanks re the Bald Eagle. You can always find what you’re looking for on the Internet, as you can in the Jewish or Christian Bibles (otherwise known as cherry picking), so I liked this about the spiritual meaning for sighting a Bald Eagle

An eagle may appear in your life when you are being called to expand your reality, align your actions with your spiritual values, and conquering obstacles that have held you back such as self-doubt or others standing in your way.

They bring optimism, growth, new opportunities, and a call to action into your awareness so you can feel confident to tap into your own inner strength to carve out a reality that you were destined to live.

More importantly, they show you the importance of aligned-growth. If you grow and expand, but are doing it for power, money, greed, or self-importance, there may be internal conflicts in the path ahead. However, if you grow in a way that celebrates and honors your core values, there is no obstacle that can prevent you from success.

>45 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I did stay indoors, read, and puttered. I think I shouldn’t have moved a package of 25 small UHaul storage boxes, because now my right knee is telling me it’s not happy. The left one’s getting all the attention it will need on March 9th, so boo hiss. I should have waited and let Jenna move the boxes upstairs. We watched a bit of soccer last night – the first half of a January 22nd Premier League game we hadn’t seen. My Arsenal socks came yesterday, just in time to wear to tomorrow’s 7:30 a.m. match against Everton. Today’s Wordle took a bit, but I didn’t ‘cheat’ by looking up valid words not yet used, just used logic and then checked those words to see if they were valid or already used. *smile*

>46 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. I was thinking of using basil because it’s my favorite herb, but since I was going to the effort of trying a completely new recipe, I thought I’d go for using the recipe exactly as written. I also have tons of oregano, though, and should have thought about using it.

>47 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! Thanks re my reading. I don’t know if you followed me much last year, but I started a ‘contemporary fiction’ = romance phase with the Bridgerton series last year in April, then continued with other sexytimes male/female romances, then have shifted to male/male romances. *shrug* They make me happy and are uncomplicated but frequently with major themes, and what with other things going on here in the wilds of central NC, if I can get 'happy' and 'uncomplicated' I’ll take them.

>48 SandyAMcPherson: I did not know that about oregano being known as wild marjoram. Way cool.

Wordle 594 4/6* adieu, shoal, brass, tasty

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So as I mentioned above, I might have tweaked my right knee lugging 25 Uhaul boxes upstairs. Rookie mistake, so now both knees are complaining. I can take more pain meds at 7 a.m., having taken some at 1 a.m. But I had fun puttering reading and talking with my maternal aunt for an hour and a half. Talking with her always makes me happy. She just turned 87 in December

Today I'll be hustling around 'til friend Jan arrives about 11:30. Lunch menu's simple - tuna salad on a bed or lettuce or with crackers, in a wrap, thin, or sandwich, grapes, unsweet tea, and cookies for after. Gonna pace myself because I'm almost 70 and knees and ... well. I wish I could have 5 days a year where I feel as good as I did when I was 20 (before the accident that gave me back problems off-and-on for the next 50 years). Wouldn't that be fun to pick a day you KNEW you'd need your A game and just magically get it?

Then at 3 p.m. I'll be talking with a woman who's on the book sort team about the Publicity Chair position on the Friends of the Library Board. Fingers crossed that she wants it, 'cause she's good and I can present it at the February Board meeting.

Lunch with your friend sounds nice and I hope you sell the woman on the Board position!

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Have a nice lunch with your friend. Sorry about your knee. Currently 1F out there and will only get to 10. Fortunately, we rebound tomorrow and it will be milder for the next few days.

I had a great Meet Up with Joe yesterday. We always have such a good time hanging out. I will post a pic or two on my thread. I have Jackson duties today. Such a chore...

>49 karenmarie: I don’t know if you followed me much last year
I lurked on your thread more than posted. It's been a tough time the last couple years and more, I guess. I read 85 books in 2022 (still listed on my profile) and DNF'd 10, so not bad.

I'm taking my time reading. Works better for me to keep up with other priorities in my life. I was becoming very reclusive by the end of 2022 and knew that wasn't good for my soul. Not sure how much I'll post on LT this year. Probably drop by less frequently as the winter wanes (that'll be in April in these parts). I have a big garden renovation in mind.

More on that later on, when I actually start doing something. There's about 4 feet of snow in the yard and the night before last, -32 oC... went out for coffee yesterday morning with a friend and dressed to the nines in many layers plus a parka! I do so love winter, just don't like how loooong it is.

I'm sorry about the knee. Hope your lunch with Jan turns out to be a fine restorative.
We're off to Doc Brownie two-ish, and that's my day.

Wordle in 4 for me too with the usual route.

Morning, Karen! Happy Friday.

Sorry about the tweaked right knee.

I love that you bought Arsenal socks!

"Wouldn't that be fun to pick a day you KNEW you'd need your A game and just magically get it?" Yes, please.

>50 katiekrug: What Katie said.

>50 katiekrug: Jan is one of the sweetest people I know, and I’m going to put my selling hat on when I talk with Jayne.

>51 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday. Thanks and thanks. Yikes 1F. I just heard on NPR about some temps in New England getting to the -45F range, and the -60F range in Maine. Glad your temps are going to pick up. We’re supposed to get down to 19F tonight and 25F tomorrow night, a heatwave compared to you and New England. Yay for a wonderful meetup with Joe. Ah, poor you, with Jackson duty.

>52 SandyAMcPherson: I’m sorry the last couple of years have been tough for you. 85 books in 2022 is great, and I am always happy to hear that people DNF books. Not everything’s worth reading. You should only post as much as you want to, and the garden renovation sounds intriguing. 4’ of snow. I don’t think we’ve had 4’ of snow over the last decade or two combined. Glad you got out to have coffee with a friend.

>53 LizzieD: ‘Morning, Peggy. Thanks re my knee, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Jan. Blech re your doctor visit, hope it goes as well as possible. Yay for Wordle in 4.

>54 Crazymamie: ‘Morning, Mamie! Thanks and happy Friday to you, too. My right knee already feels better, so *whew*. I’m pumped about my Arsenal socks and will wear them tomorrow morning.

I just took the Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chunk Muffins out of the oven. The recipe lies - says it takes 10 minutes of prep. Took me 30, from start 'til I put them in the oven, but I clean as I go so that added a bit of time. Loan me your daughters. Jenna's at work, so I had to do it all by myself. They look yummy.

The muffins look gorgeous!! I think it does take about 10 minutes, but yeah, that is without cleaning up and putting away as you go. I do it the same way you do. I am happy to loan you my daughters anytime. *smile*

'Morning, Coffee Sister! Thank you for the recipe. They tasted yummy. Even Bill, not a pumpkin pie person at all, loved them. Jan loved them, and of course Jenna, pumpkin pie being her favorite pie AND birthday cake, loved them. I'll be having one for breakfast here in a while.

Wordle 595 3/6* adieu, tulip, unlit

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Arsenal plays Everton this morning. Arsenal is first among 20 teams, Everton 19th, but on any given day any team can win.

Edited to add: Alas, Everton prevailed 1-0. Everton was outstanding, Arsenal just couldn't get it together. Even with my Arsenal socks they lost.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I had a good time with Jackson yesterday. Sue is staying at her brother's house, for the weekend, watching our niece and nephew, while they are away. So me and Juno at the homestead. I am meeting my birding buddies this AM and then lots of book time in the PM. A perfect scenario.

'Morning Mark, and happy Sunday to you. Yay for your Jackson time on Friday. I hope you enjoy your Mark alone time weekend - of course that includes Juno and all your birding buddies.

Wordle 596 3/6* needed a bit of help from list of 2,309 words this morning - haven't had enough coffee. adieu, drape, dance

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Bill and Jenna are still asleep, it's just me and my coffee and LT. It's 26F outside, nice and warm inside.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. Can you believe it is 36F out there at the moment? And it will be in the low 40s for most of next week. I will take it. I went birding with my buddies for a short time yesterday. We found a nesting GHO, so I hope to view some little ones in the coming weeks. Chores, books & Juno today.

'Morning, Mark! I hope your Sunday was a good one with chores, books, & Juno. Looks like you've got balmy weather all week. Looks like we'll be in the 60s all week.

Wordle 597 4/6* adieu, choir, hilly, ninth

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Yesterday was reading, puttering, soccer, and being lazy. Today I need to make sure every window is easy to get to - offhand I can only think of 5 that aren't, and they're not that difficult to move stuff away from.

I forgot to mention that I spoke with Jayne on Friday - she's working Publicity for us for the Book Sale but wanted to get a book sale under her belt and attend a Board meeting before committing to be Publicity Chair.

Karenmarie! Wow, what a well-written opening! I love your writing style and your sheer honesty. I applaud you for writing your thoughts and feelings in a cogent and spirited manner. Good for you! I will be thinking of you as you prepare for knee surgery. Trust me when I say I am well aware of the pain that is created by not-so-ethical orthopedic male doctors! I am glad you found a good one and hope and pray your surgery brings relief.

Morning, Karen. I hope you had a good Sunday. Bree asked me to come over today to help with Jackson, so I will be leaving in an hour or so. Enjoy your day.

>62 Whisper1: Hi Linda, and thank you. I'm glad you liked it. I love writing my openings, usually start them when a thread reaches about 250 messages. I find new family pics, make new cat collages, and update the verbiage. Thanks re the surgery.

>63 msf59: Hi Mark! I did have a good Sunday, lazy, soccer, books, and etc. Enjoy your day with Jackson.

I need to spend about 1.5-2 hours making sure there's easy access to each window/door today for ADT tomorrow.

I'll be calling Louise today - she's got a lot going on and needs a shoulder, I think. I might go grocery shopping.

Other than that, I'm happily involved in a new romance, eyeing The Federalist, and all the other books that are NOT romances that I should be wanting to read but don't. 🙄

Morning, Coffee Sister! That last sentence of your previous post made me laugh. Keep following your mood, I say. I am just reading by mood this year, and it is very freeing and happy making.

Hi Karen my dear, sorry to hear that your knee is playing up and maybe it was hauling the 25 boxes of books my dear. I love the fact that you have some Arsenal socks even though they didn't do much good on Saturday. I know that there is no love lost between the North London rivals but i dare say they are saying a thank you to Spurs for beating Man City and my boys won on Saturday beating Palace to keep the momentum going.

Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>65 Crazymamie: Hiya, Mamie. Oh yes, I'm definitely a mood reader, glad you are too. The only reading homework I have right now are book club books, and I've already read February's - The Midnight Library. For me personally, I don't like to consider reading homework.

>66 johnsimpson: Hi John. Thanks re my knees. To be clear - I moved empty boxes upstairs, not full boxes of books, but I have been moving things around in anticipation of ADT installing a new wireless security system today. Jenna snarkily said that it might have been my actually wearing Arsenal socks that jinxed them, but they're still 5 points ahead of Man City and 8 points ahead of your Man U. We watched your boys beat Palace on replay last night and except for Casemiro's expulsion on a red card for choking Hughes, it was a job well done. I particularly like watching Rashford play.

Love and hugs to you and Karen and kitty skritches for your dear Felix.

Wordle 598 6/6* darned alphabet soup. adieu, above, aware, ankle, ample, apple

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Well, here we go today with the installation of the whole-house ADT wireless security system. I've already downloaded two apps for my cell phone - one for administrator and one for user as per Bill's instructions. It will take 2 techs 4 hours, so a total of 8 hours. After they leave I'll probably go grocery shopping, so a pretty long day, all good stuff.

Morning, Karen. I had a good time with Jackson. I took him out in their big backyard with the dogs. Most of the snow is gone but it was muddy in spots. Jack didn't seem to mind, as he scouted the grounds, tottering around in his snowsuit. Can you believe it is currently 40F? We could get spoiled. I have Rehab duties today.

Good luck with the security system.

'Morning, Mark. Happy Tuesday to you. Yay for good times with Jackson. Doesn't surprise me that he didn't mind the mud. Jenna never minded the mud, and thank goodness for Amway spot remover because Jenna + our Chatham County red clay always made laundry a challenge.

I'm glad you've got milder temps, if for nothing else than reduced winter energy bills. We just got a propane delivery yesterday - 225 gallons, $725. We have a monthly-pay plan for 10 months out of each year, so it doesn't ever all hit at once.

I hope Rehab duties go well.

Bill just told me that ADT will be here in about 20 minutes, so I need to get out of winter jammies and into Real Clothes. Harrumph.

I hope the installation goes smoothly!

Good luck with the ADT installation, Karen! We had their system installed in Philadelphia and were happy with it.

>70 katiekrug: and >71 lauralkeet: Thanks Katie and Laura. So far so good.

The last paragraph from The Federalist No 45, written by James Madison, in my copy of The Federalist, edited by Jacob E. Cooke.

January 26, 1788

To the People of the State of New York.

If the new constitution be examined with accuracy and candour, it will be found that the change which it proposes, consists much less in the addition of NEW POWERS to the union, than in the invigoration of its ORIGINAL POWERS. The regulation of commerce, it is true, is a new power; but that seems to be an addition which few oppose, and from which no apprehensions are entertained. The powers relating to war and peace, armies and fleets, treaties and finance, with the other more considerable powers, are all vested in the existing congress by the articles of confederation. The proposed change does not enlarge these powers; it only substitutes a more effectual mode of administering them. The change relating to taxation, may be regarded as the most important: and yet the present congress have as compleat authority to REQUIRE of the states indefinite supplies of money for the common defence and general welfare, as the future congress will have to require them of individual citizens; and the latter will be no more bound than the states themselves have been, to pay the quotas respectively taxed on them. Had the states complied punctually with the articles of confederation, or could their compliance have been enforced by as peaceable means as may be used with success towards single persons, our past experience is very far from countenancing an opinion that the state governments would have lost their constitutional powers, and have gradually undergone an entire consolidation. To maintain that such an event would have ensued, would be to say at once, that the existence of the state governments is incompatible with any system whatever that accomplishes the essential purposes of the union.

The most cogent of the papers written by Madison, IMO.

>73 karenmarie: Yay! The Federalist returns!

Have a great week!

Karen O

Hi Karen!

I'm slowly plugging along, and admit that when RD is able to get back onto LT again, soon I hope, then he will know I've been doing my homework for him. My revised estimate to finish was June, but we'll see. I've now 'only' got 41 to go.

Thanks re my week, same to you.

...
We've only got one ADT guy here, and he had to coordinate with the salesman to make sure what he had in the box matched what was supposed to go where in each room. I don't understand why what he was given did not include the room-by-room-equipment list, but it's under control now and we're moving along. All day, I think.

Wordle 599 4/6* adieu, plain, claim, flail

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The installation went well. It was only one guy, and I thought it would take all day since the salesman told us it would be 2 guys for 4 hours. However, it took him 5 hours and we were 100% pleased with him. It was our usual with folks in the house - Bill chatted him up and I stayed in the Sunroom unless I was needed. He also saved us another $10/month on equipment because with our wifi system we did not need the repeater that was part of the original quote.

I went grocery shopping too, so don't need to go anywhere today.

Reading, puttering, inventorying my catalog, one of my New Year's Resolutions.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. Glad to hear the installation went well. You will be safe now. Our Aunt is still sick, so I will be going over to Bree's today, to help with the boy. Sue will switch spots with me on Friday. I am anxious to get out and do a little birding, although it is supposed to rain tomorrow.

Hi Mark, and happy Wednesday to you, too. Yup. And, Jenna and I actually remembered to disarm the system this morning before she went to the garage to get the 40 pounds of wild bird seed out of my car. Then she and Bill left, then I've re-armed the system in Stay mode. So far so good...

I'm sorry your Aunt is still sick and that that also involves Jackson logistics. I hope you do get out to do a bit of birding.

I've got finches and sparrows here, saw a Carolina Chickadee yesterday, along with a Downy and many Cardinals. The Blue Jays have been hanging around here, too. Neither Louise nor I have seen the Bald Eagle again.

Morning, Karen!

"It was our usual with folks in the house - Bill chatted him up and I stayed in the Sunroom unless I was needed." Yes. This is what Craig and I do, too.

Hooray for not needing to go anywhere today - me, too, so we are twins.

Good job remembering to disarm the system - I would have totally failed there. Heh.

>76 karenmarie: >79 Crazymamie: Yep, Mike always does the chatting up while I sequester myself elsewhere.

>76 karenmarie: lol. You still remember your resolutions! I had to think about what mine were for a moment.

>79 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Why do men like to chat up service folks? I know Bill seems to think that will get us better service or some kind of benefit… I just want them to come in, do the work, then leave.

I had a great time not going anywhere today. 😊

Well, ah, there’s a story about the system. After Bill and Jenna left, I decided to Arm-Stay the system for some dumb reason. Then I started thinking about Sunday’s chili for the Super Bowl, so without thinking rushed out to the garage to check the freezer out there for ground beef. As soon as I opened the door to the garage I knew I’d screwed up and sure enough, the system told me – just words, not blaring sirens or anything – that I needed to disarm the system Right Now. So I did, and kept it disarmed all day. When I told Bill this he sent me instructions on arming the system but disabling one or more sensored windows/doors. If you do that, it resets after disarming/re-arming the system. I don't think I want to do that. I sure felt like an eejit.

>80 quondame: Ha another chatter/sequesterer couple.

>81 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel. Yes, I’m trying to keep them front and center this year. I should be able to get the Sunroom shelves inventoried by the end of February – 8 more, approximately 468 books.

...
We watched one of the weekend Premier League games - Newcastle/West Ham. It was one of the higher energy games I've seen recently, with everybody going at it tooth and nail for every posession. Hot Newcastle goalie - just sayin'. *smile*

Happy Thursday, Karen!

Glad to read the installation went well.
Over here Frank chats with service folk to keep them away from me. Others in my house is difficult for me, they can unintentionally trigger me, so it is better to keep them away. Tuesday we had the yearly aircon service. Cleaning it, and a small repair outside. It was the same man that was here three years ago, and nice enough to interact with me, so no worries this time ;-)

>82 karenmarie: Those security systems certainly have a learning curve, don't they? We've had various practices over the years depending on where we were living. I can't tell you how many times I set the alarm off when letting the dogs out first thing in the morning, just because I wasn't awake enough to remember to disarm. In one of our homes the alarm was really loud and while you could turn it off, the alarm automatically triggered a call from the monitoring center, and we had to provide a verbal passcode or they would send the police. That's all great when you need it, but not when you've just stupidly let the dogs out without disarming.

>83 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and happy Thursday to you, too.

Thanks re the installation. I'm glad Frank provides the service of keeping service folk away from you. I'm also glad your aircon guy was someone you already knew and interacted with you in a way that wasn't stressful.

>84 lauralkeet: This one seems pretty straightforward, and I absolutely love having the arm/disarm app on our cell phones. Saves walking to the panel most times. Setting the alarm off gives us 30? 60? seconds to disarm with the code prior to the world descending upon us. Our order of getting calls, all to the cell phones, are me, Bill, then Jenna.

Wordle 600 4/6* adieu, place, stave, stage

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I have a bit of Friends work with our Membership Chair on a phone call today to start planning for cashiers and Square credit card processors ('Square Squad') at our March 30-April 1 book sale. She volunteered to do this at the end of the last sale when I said I wouldn't do it again, but I need to show her what I did and give her discount charts and etc. and help as much as I can without owning it. I might see if she'll be the Square administrator, too, although theoretically our Treasurer should be because of managing the finance side of it. However, I trust Heather implicitly. We'll see.

And then I go to a Hospital Joint Class, required before surgery. It's one hour. I already printed out the presentation and watched a video. I feel very good about things so far.

So. Busy day, but all necessary.

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. Do you have your joint class today? If so, good luck with it, along with your other tasks. Sue is getting ready to go to Brees. Jack was such a good boy yesterday. It is raining here, so no birding plans.

>85 karenmarie: The system I mentioned above was c2004, pre cell phones and in fact required a landline to function. We had keypads both upstairs and down so we could disable easily, but why it always triggered the call from the monitoring center is beyond me. I love being able to use my phone to arm & disarm. It's really handy when I've forgotten to arm the system before leaving the house.

I like the term "Square Squad" -- might have to steal this for the Fiber Guild. We use Square to sell handmade goods at fairs and festivals.

Hope your busy day proceeds as expected!

>86 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, too. Yes, the joint class is from 1-2 this afternoon at Rex Hospital. Round trip commute will take longer than the class. On the way home I'll stop off at the grocery store for a couple of things for Sunday's chili and get an item or two at the pharmacy for Jenna. Sorry about the rain, you'll just have to stay inside and read, right? *smile*

>87 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. Our old, wired system required a landline, which we still have although I'm changing contact info over to my cell phone. Bill hasn't started converting his contact info over to his cell phone yet... I thought I needed a landline but after we switched it to Spectrum and it isn't available when we have commercial power failures, it seems rather ridiculous to keep it.

Our former Board member and Volunteer Coordinator coined that one and we love it - I'm glad you like it enough to share it.

Thanks re my day. I hope your day goes well, too.

Morning, Karen!

>82 karenmarie: With Craig, he likes to learn and asks ten thousand questions, and usually makes them teach him what they are doing. Most of the time they are thrilled - Justin, our cooling/heating guy was just here last weekend doing the routine seasonal maintenance on our units, and he and Craig got into a conversation about the lighting that Craig is putting into the attic. He is going to come back and help Craig with it. Heh.

Oh, dear, about setting off the warning - I would be doing that all the time.

>85 karenmarie: Hoping that your busy day goes smoothly.

In our house, I'm in charge of making first contact with service people/companies and arranging things. And when they arrive, I'm the one to greet them and be friendly. As soon as the talk turns technical, The Wayne takes over. If there is nothing technical, he holes up in his office. Not much of a people person is my husband :)

Good morning, Karen! You're out and about already. Very good! Hope the joint class is good and that the system lets you back in AND that the rest of your day is fine!

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Sue is taking my Jackson shift. I am hoping to see the boy over the weekend. I plan on getting out to do a little solo birding. Seasonably cold today but dry. How did the joint class go?

>89 Crazymamie: Hi next morning, Coffee Sister! Happy Friday to you.

Bill's the same, asking tons of questions and trying to learn about whatever it is is being done in the house. My busy day went well - see below.

>90 katiekrug: Hi Katie. It sounds like you have the perfect system down with TW. More power to you. I can be friendly, but am usually irritated that even though it's always to benefit us, someone's in the house.

>91 LizzieD: Hi Peggy. Yes, I was out and about early, and am again today, too. See below.
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The Joint Class was actually no more than what I'd read when I downloaded and printed their Powerpoint Presentation while watching the on-line video except that I had to actually go to Rex Hospital and prove that I was paying attention - no quiz or anything, but a form to fill out and participate while a member of the nursing staff, Charity, went through that presentation. I did have the question about whether I should plan on being downstairs when I come home for some time or be able to go upstairs that very day, and Charity said that either was fine. They obviously anticipate my being able to negotiate stairs as soon as I come home. However, I'll make sure I ask about it at my pre-op appointment with the surgeon's office on the 15th. The drive to Rex took about 50 minutes. After that I went to the pharmacy to get something for Jenna using my OTC credit and saved $15 and change, then came home.

Wordle 601 4/6* adieu, drake, ready, heady

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Jenna took my SUV to work so I can take her Kia to the Ford dealership today so I wanted to make sure she was all set to go with my SUV. We bought her Kia at the Ford Dealership last March and we use them for everything to do with any of our vehicles and have for 15 or more years. Today's an oil change/fluids check and to see whether her tire can be properly patched or she needs two new tires. Sigh. Maybe one new tire, but probably two to keep things balanced on the wear-and-tear front. That's at 1:15, so I have to make sure the tire's inflated enough to get me to the dealership. She has a pump in her car which hooks into the 9-volt thingie and since Bill's staying home today when he's supposed to be at work (sigh) he can talk me through it if I've got questions. Alex the house cleaner's coming today, too. So another busy day in a different way.

Hi Mark! Happy Friday to you. Yay for the solo birding action today. I've got Downy and Red-Bellied woodpeckers, a White Breasted Nuthatch, finches, sparrows, and a Carolina Wren right now, plus Cardinals. Really busy, fun to watch.

See above - the joint class went well. There were probably about 10 of us, some with family members/caregivers, but that wasn't a requirement. I didn't mention above that we were given valet parking - so easy to just pull in front of the doors, have a nice young woman say "leave it running and the class is down the first hallway to the right". I gave her a nice tip when I left - she had my SUV over to the side and a teensy walk later I was ready to go. Fortunately, a teensy walk isn't a problem.

Morning, Karen! Sorry Bill is staying home today. Good luck at the Ford dealership - hoping the tire can be patched.

Love that you get valet parking for the joint class - what a great idea.

'Morning, Coffee Sister!

Thanks re the tire. 🤞

I love my surgeon, his super-efficient office, and Rex Hospital. They do this twice a week, so it not an inconsiderable expense/effort.

edited to add:
While looking for books to loan to friend Louise, I picked The Gun Runner's Daughter off my shelves. Inside is a quote that, having recently read Alexander Hamilton and currently reading The Federalist, I find particularly appropriate:

The fact that our Constitution was written in a spirit of cynicism, suspicion and distrust, and every clause reflects those attitudes, every clause reflects the attitudes that humans in authority and power cannot be trusted to become angels by virtue of their office; cannot be trusted at all, as a matter of fact, and need to be set watching each other.

Daniel Ellsberg,
addressing Senate Hearings,
May 17, 1973

>96 karenmarie: Anyone without a "...a spirit of cynicism, suspicion and distrust," isn't paying attention. "and, every clause reflects those attitudes, every clause reflects the attitudes that humans in authority and power cannot be trusted to become angels by virtue of their office; cannot be trusted at all, as a matter of fact, and need to be set watching each other," is necessary to the functioning of a representative democracy. We have two generations of calculated instilment of apathy snd selfisgness to overcome to return to pre-Nixon vigilance. *smooch*

>93 karenmarie: Stairs? Mike stayed at the bottom of our split level house for a couple of weeks - of course his entire recovery included re-opening the knee and 3 days more in hospital and intravenous antibiotics. He has recovered well, and did so quickly once all the drama was over, but stairs weren't in it for a while.

>97 richardderus: Hiya RDear, so lovely to see you out and about! Missed you on your thread and missed you on mine and everyplace you hang your hat.

The writers of the Constitution were educated in the forms of government in use and in antiquity and pulled together everything they could think of to make it work. Cynicism and mistrust of power AND the people created the document that is still vibrant today although being whittled away by the Gang of Psychos and their Supreme Court minions.

>98 quondame: Hi Susan. I'll only consider the stairs if they say my recovery would benefit from them as opposed to them being a lesser solution but acceptable. I'm most likely going to be in the Library on the queen-sized sofa with a luxurious foam topper, which still has to be acquired.

We're also probably going to take this opportunity to replace all four toilets in the house with higher-rise and more-efficient-flush Kohler toilets. I've always hated the ones we have since they were low-flush per code and we've always had to keep plungers out beside them.

Wordle 602 4/6* I really thought I had a 3 with debut, but alas. adieu, deuce, debut, debug

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Alex the house cleaner came yesterday, which always makes me feel good. Jenna's tire was re-patched, fluids checked, and her car inspected for the March registration. Here in NC you must get your vehicle inspected every year within 3 months of when it needs to be registered for another year. I was gone about 2.5 hours and got a lot of reading done. We had turkey tacos for dinner.

Arsenal plays Brentford at 10 a.m. There are other games on today, but I'll watch them on replay later this week.

Reading and et cetera the rest of the day.

Morning, Karen! Hooray for the tire being able to be patched. And for Alex the house cleaner. Does today get to be a lazy one, then?

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. Glad the joint class went well. I had a nice solo outing yesterday. I visited a couple of nature centers, that put out a variety of feeders, so I was able to get a FOY -tufted titmouse, a purple finch and a few red-winged blackbirds. They were also singing, which seems odd for this time of year. I have also been hearing cardinals singing. Like me, they must all be anxious for spring.

>100 Crazymamie: Good afternoon, Mamie. Today's been totally lazy, with Arsenal playing Brentford, me finishing up The Ink Black Heart's last 3 CDs in the house just now, and nothing else planned for the day.

>101 msf59: Hi Mark! Happy Saturday to you. Thanks re the joint class. Yay for your solo outing and yay for some FOY birds. Hmm. Cardinals singing. I've been hearing peepers but no birds out of the ordinary.

I'm not anxious for spring, because that means summer. I'm feeling cheated out of snow. Oh well, it's almost too late for a blast of winter. Sigh.

1. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
11/1/22 to 2/11/23





From Amazon:

The latest installment in the highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling Strike series finds Cormoran and Robin ensnared in another winding, wicked case.

When frantic, disheveled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The cocreator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity.

Robin decides that the agency can’t help with this—and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.

Robin and her business partner, Cormoran Strike, become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits – and which threatens them in new and horrifying ways . . .

A gripping, fiendishly clever mystery, The Ink Black Heart is a true tour-de-force.

Why I wanted to listen to it: I tried twice to start the paper book, couldn’t get engaged, then started listening instead and was enthralled. Of course it took me 3.5 months to listen to it since I spend so little time in my car.

If you’re looking for a quick ride through this sixth installment of this series, don’t bother. If you’re looking for complex plot lines, complex alibis, and complex character studies, this is the book for you. As with Galbraith/Rowling’s Harry Potter series, there are so many plots, subplots, characters, and scenes that you are almost overwhelmed. However, by the end you learn who Anomie is and are able to go back in your mind to all the people she/he isn’t, and figure out their roles in this macabre dance. And, once again, the personal relationship of Cormoran and Robin teeters on the edge of more yet doesn’t deliver.

The most fascinating and complex part of the entire book is that moderator and group chats on the online game of The Ink Black Heart are used to help develop and break alibis of all the people who may be Anomie. This is the part that turned me off with the physical book but really intrigued me with the delicious audiobook read by Robert Glenister. There are also other social media accounts using peoples real names and alibis and a secondary plot of a terrorist group that may or may not play into who Anomie is and who is attacking and murdering people.

This is a long meander through Robin and Strike’s lives, the lives of the people in their agency and the people directly and indirectly involved in the murder of Edie Ledwell and the attack on her partner. Anomie is evil and controlling. Who can he/she be?

Six word review: Social media and a serial killer.

>103 karenmarie: Really I wouldn't expect this writer to deliver a solid story about adult relationships.

*smooch*

>99 karenmarie: Mike rented a hospital bed for his convalescence. And had to extend the rental as I recall. It was handy to have others install and remove it as I'm no good for heavy lifting. Becky is fit, but has such tiny hands - extra small even for her 5'3" height, that while she can lift quite a bit it needs to have a narrow handle for her to grasp it. I'm every so glad that Mike returned quickly to lift and carry status.

>104 richardderus: I'm pretty sure I understand why you say what you say, RD, because Jenna and I are as disgusted with J.K. as you are, but the work overrides the author personally being disgusting for me. Jenna has been struggling with buying the new Harry Potter game for her PS5 for that very reason, but will be succumbing soon. She wants the game as much as I wanted to read Galbraith. And really, the book and the game benefit so many more people than Galbraith/Rowling. For me, G/R simply writes beautiful books.

Without thinking too deeply about it because it's early and I've only had one cup of coffee and perhaps needing to come back if I've forgotten someone I've boycotted for this very reason, I think I can say that I do not vet/read authors because of their personal lives or statements except for those in the political arena. I'd never read a book by Mar-a-Lardo or any of the Gang of Psychos/ however, I would consider reading a memoir by Liz Cheney or, having just looked Cheney up on Amazon, this book: Why We Did It: A Travelogue from the Republican Road to Hell by Tim Miller. I've added it to my wish list - heh. Gave myownself a BB.

>105 richardderus: *smooch* back!

>106 quondame: Hi Susan. I think that's a good idea to rent a hospital bed if you don't have alternatives - our queen-sized sleeper sofa, with a good topper which we'll keep for visitors, will be adequate if not quite as good as a hospital bed, and unless we were to seriously rearrange a room for a permanent situation have no place to put a hospital bed. My Jenna's strong like your Becky is. Jenna's 5'5" as she constantly reminds me - gravity has me now at 5'3.25", down from 5'5" - but like Becky, Jenna has small/delicate hands. She inherited them from Bill's mother. Jenna does all the heavy lifting around here, and if we need true big-stuff heavy lifting we have a handyman who helps out occasionally.

Wordle 603 3/6* adieu, stain, giant

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Today's going to be making chili and possibly watching Manchester City - Aston Villa soccer at 11:30. We're definitely watching the Superbowl at 6:30 and I want the Chiefs to win. Bill seemed surprised when I said I wanted to watch it after he said he wouldn't - he got a bit huffy when he reminded me that I haven't watched hardly any football this season. I reminded him that in our almost 32 years of marriage I've always reserved the right to be inconsistent. *smile*

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. Glad to see you are enjoying the Cormoran Strike series. Joe and I talked about it at our Meet Up. He is a huge fan. I read the first 3, which I really did enjoy.

Juno joined me on my bird walk yesterday. She was a good girl. We had dinner with friends last night and they live very close to Bree's house, so of course we popped in to see Jackson. He was all smiles and of course we were too. Going to my cousins for the game today.

Morning, Karen! Skipping your review of Ink Black Heart as I still need to get to that one. I am debating if I want to just jump in or if I want to re-listen to all of the previous books first. Love this series on audio.

We will also be watching the game tonight. I will be cheering for good football as Daniel is an Eagles fan and Rae is a Chiefs fan. Hooray for reserving the right to be inconsistent.

Hoping that Sunday is kind to you.

>108 msf59: 'Afternoon, Mark, and happy Sunday to you, too. Oh yes, I really love this series. I always want the next one as soon as I finish one. Glad Juno was a good girl, glad you had a good time with your friends and got to see Jackson. Enjoy the Super Bowl with your cousins.

>109 Crazymamie: Hiya, Mamie! I skip reviews when I'm planning on reading a book, too. Skip away. I find I don't need to revisit the previous book/books in this series for some reason, but if I don't find a good audio book to listen to soon, I might revisit the first one just to get the flavor of the series from the beginning again. Although then I'd have to deal with Robin's Matthew again.

Yay for good football, I certainly want that too. I started watching the Manchester City Aston Villa soccer match, but Man C dominated the first half so decisively that it was painful to watch, so I'm going to pass on the second half.

So far Sunday's kind to me. Good book, got the red kidney beans soaking for this afternoon's chili. I think I'm going to pass on cornbread and we'll all have Frito's Scoops.

>110 karenmarie: Oh, I don't need to revisit the books. I just think that maybe I want to.

Frito's Scoops and chili are happy making.

>55 karenmarie: they indeed do look yummy! I used to go to a cafe in the city here specifically to get the pumpkin choc chip muffins they had as their specialty. So good.

>111 Crazymamie: 'Morning, Coffee Sister! Got it. There are lots of bits in the books I'd like to revisit, and some, books 2 and 3 for the macabre murder scene in book 2 and the body integrity dysphoria (BID) in book 3 that I'd be hesitant to pick up except in the right mood.

The chili came out well and the Frito's Scoops were perfect.

>112 LovingLit: Hi Megan! The recipe's a keeper for sure, and we have Mamie to thank for it.

Wordle 604 3/6* adieu, gauge, usage

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I went upstairs instead of watching the second half. Silly me, because Bill kept me posted and I should have come down for the last 5 minutes. Pain and being tired interfered, so I'll probably find somewhere to watch the second half today. I just couldn't imagine waiting 29 minutes for the halftime show to be over (boring stuffy us never watch it), THEN watch. They were down 10 at the half and Mahomes' right ankle had been tweeked, so I was not confident. Bad me for not having faith.

Jenna just left for work and Bill's getting ready to leave, so Karen gets the house to herself today with no plans on going anywhere.

First cup of coffee under my belt, so to speak, and Carolina Chickadees, two, on the Suet feeder. When did it start getting light enough that Jenna doesn't need the outside lights on when she leaves so that I can see the feders at 7 a.m.? Drat. This means... Spring. Which means... Summer. Sigh. My favorite times of year - fall and winter - are ending.

Morning, Karen. Hooray for the Chiefs! They sure came roaring back in the 2nd half. It looked like it would be the Eagles all the way. We left at halftime, so did not see the show. I am going over to help with Jack today. Sean no longer has Mondays off, since switching jobs. Yah, for the Carolina chickadees!

'Morning, Mark! Yes, I'm very happy for Reid, Mahomes, and company. Have a good time with Jack today.

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My maternal grandmother was born on this day in 1909. She died on what would have been her 75th wedding anniversary in 2003, widowed since 1957. This is my grandparents sometime around when they were married - they eloped because her parents did not want her to marry "that Holets boy". This is the same jaunty young man in his jaunty car at the top of this thread. Happy marriage, 3 children. My aunt, 87, and my uncle, 85, are still alive. My mother passed away in 2016.

Morning, Karen! Hooray for having the house all to yourself and not having to go anywhere. A magic moment!

I am also sad about the approach of Spring and Summer. If I could, I would live always in Fall and Winter.

Love the family photos and the trip down Memory Lane. Thanks for sharing.

Ditto about spring and summer. I feel especially cheated since we didn't really have winter. Sigh.

Enjoy your alone-in-the-house time!

>103 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Hurray for that rave review. Well done.
So interesting that the audio worked better for you than the written book. Audio does have the disadvantage that you can’t easily take a peek back, when you can’t remember some detail. And in what sounds like a complicated book? It didn’t bother you?

Chili, yes. Good idea.

>115 karenmarie: Beautiful portraits. Widowed since 1957… ah

Happy day, Karen! Your grandparents were handsome people! No surprise.

I'm impressed that you listened to *Ink Black* rather than read it. I could not have hoped to keep up with all the characters and their user names if I hadn't been able to flip pages back.

You binge your romances. I'm binging Victoria Goddard and other fantasy, but especially Goddard.

WOW!!!!!! I just glanced up and saw what I guess was a drone fly past the window just over the tree tops - silver fat submarine shape with a propelling screw behind, going too fast for a bird (which made me keep my eye on it) but slowly enough for me to get a good look. UFO????? WOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOO.

Morning, Karen. My time with Jack went well yesterday and I have Rehab duties today. Not much else going on. Still enjoying 50F temps.

>116 Crazymamie: Next day greetings, Coffee sister! I had a lovely, quiet, productive, and relaxing day yesterday. See below for the deets. I know Georgia is one of the late spring and summer armpits of the world, way worse than here in central NC. And Indiana summers are probably like Iowa summers and my mom and dad fled to CA when they got married to get away from the weather among other reasons.

Thanks re Grandma and Grandpa Holets. I still remember how excited I was to learn that they eloped. That took a lot of gumption in 1928 in rural Iowa with my controlling maternal Great-Grandpa. My mother was born 4 years later, so it was for Love not expediency. *smile*

>117 katiekrug: Hi Katie. I know – no real winter and it’s getting way too late for it unless something freaky happens. I had a Very Nice Day.

>118 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella. I agree that audiobooks aren’t a format for going back in, and sometimes I am frustrated about that. It bothered me a little bit, and frankly, if I ever re-read this book I’m going to make a characters list as I go. I just looked at the characters list on the Wikipedia article about The Ink Black Heart, and there are spoilers so couldn’t have looked first. There might be other character lists without spoilers, however… but here’s the list of characters from Wikipedia – with spoilers – just to show how many characters there are:

Characters
Main
• Cormoran Strike – A private detective. He is a minor celebrity, thanks in part to his rock star father and his solving of high-profile murders. He is also a war veteran.
• Robin Ellacott – Strike's former assistant, now business partner, trained in criminal investigation. She is a survivor of a rape and attempted murder.
Recurring
• Pat Chauncey – The agency's office manager.
• Sam Barclay – A contract investigator.
• Charlotte Campbell Ross – Strike's ex-girlfriend.
• Michelle "Midge" Greenstreet - A contract investigator.
• Dev Shah - A Contract investigator
• Madeline Coulson-Miles - Strike's new girlfriend.
Offline characters
• Edie Ledwell – Co-creator of The Ink Black Heart, a successful cartoon started on YouTube and about to be made into a film. She is abused online by Anomie and other fans before her murder and is also criticised for being racist, ableist and transphobic by the Pen of Justice.
• Josh Blay – The former boyfriend of Ledwell who was also the co-creator of The Ink Black Heart. He does not receive the same abuse as Edie.
• Grant Ledwell - Edie's uncle who wishes to carry on Edie's desire to create a movie version of The Ink Black Heart after her death.
• Rachel Ledwell - Grant's daughter and cousin to Edie. She is the moderator Fiendy1 in Drek's Game and is able to provide vital information to Robin on who the co-creator Morehouse is.
• Seb Montgomery – An animator on the first few episodes of The Ink Black Heart who Edie suspects of being Anomie.
• Wally Cardew – Josh's friend who voiced Drek in The Ink Black Heart until Edie fired him over a video mocking the holocaust. He runs his own YouTube channel.
• Preston 'Pez' Pierce – A digital artist who voiced Magspie in the early episodes of The Ink Black Heart and a resident of North Grove Art Collective. He models for Mariam's classes.
• Tim Ashcroft – A former actor who voiced the Worm in the early episodes of The Ink Black Heart who now runs a theatre group that works with schools.
• Zoe Haigh – An artist with the collective and fan of The Ink Black Heart. She is the moderator Worm28 in Drek's Game.
• Phillip Ormond - Edie's boyfriend at the time of the murder who is also collaborating with Yasmin, Edie's former employee, on a book about The Ink Black Heart.
• Yasmin Weatherhead - former employee of Edie and Josh. She is the moderator Hartella in Drek's Game and is working with Phillip Ormond to write a book about the cartoon and online game. Anomie is able to keep her quiet by threatening her with going to the police about her interactions with members of the Halvening.
• Nils de Jong and Mariam Torosyan - Owners of the North Grove Art Collective, the establishment where Edie, Josh, Tim, Katya and the rest of the people associated with The Ink Black Heart met.
• Kea Niven - former girlfriend of Josh who claims Edie stole her idea for The Ink Black Heart.
• Katya Upcott – Josh's agent and Edie's former agent.
• Inigo Upcott – Katya's husband, a gifted musician forced to retire due to myalgic encephalomyelitis.
• Gus Upcott – Katya and Inigo's adult son, a gifted musician who is bullied by his father.
• Flavia Upcott - Katya and Inigo's 12 year old daughter, who is treated poorly by both parents.
• Ryan Murphy - a local CID officer called to the agency for Robin's account of her meeting with Edie Ledwell, who later shows a romantic interest in her.
Online characters
• Anomie – A co-creator and moderator of Drek's Game, who persecutes Edie after a video is released in which she said she did not like the game.
• Morehouse – A co-creator and moderator of Drek's Game and the online identity of Dr Vikas Bhardwaj. Unlike Anomie, he does not attack Edie online.
• Vilepechora and LordDrek – Oliver and Charlie Peach, members of the Halvening and moderators who compile a dossier purporting to prove Anomie is Edie prior to her death. They provide this dossier to Hartella.
• Paperwhite – A moderator who is in an online relationship with Morehouse but is later revealed to be a fake account of Anomie.
• Fiendy1 - A moderator who believes Anomie is dangerous and later agrees to speak with Robin.
• Hartella - A moderator who claims to have proof Edie is Anomie, but was in reality being manipulated by members of the Halvening. She later admits to Strike she was the person pretending to be Anomie on his orders.
• Worm28 - A moderator of Drek's Game who struggles with dyslexia.

We had chili again last night and might finish it off tonight – I rarely freeze leftovers and I don’t like the texture of the beans in chili after being frozen. Thanks re my grandparents.

>119 LizzieD: Hi Peggy and yes, I agree – especially my grandma. I think she was a real stunner. Frankly it was a bit tough at the beginning to keep the characters straight, but overall I don’t feel like I missed anything by not reading or listening with paper/pen in hand.

Binging on a loved genre seems to be what I still need right now, so I’m just going with it. Yay for your fantasy binging, too.

Yikes. A drone. Weird shape for sure. I have seen a drone out here, but it’s our friend Dwain’s very expensive, wifi-linked-to-his-very-expensive-camera drone. He’s sent us several pics taken with this setup over the years, but I can’t find one right now offhand.

UFO, wow. Spying for the government, yuck.

>120 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you. Yay for Jack duty going well, and I hope Rehab goes well, too. Sometimes I like there to be nothing going on - well, for me I ALWAYS like there to be nothing going on - and the 50s temps are great for being out and for the heating bills.

Wordle 605 4/6* adieu, dumpy, bound, sound. Reverse alphabet would have been good on this one.

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Yesterday was fun - I did some Friends business, read, puttered, and baked heart-shaped sugar cookies, my favorite Betty Crocker recipe:

Sugar Cookies – Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened - for low sodium, use unsalted butter and 1/2 t lite salt
1 t vanilla
½ t almond extract
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375F. Grease cookie sheet lightly *or* use Silpat. Divide dough in half. Roll each half ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 ½ inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown; cool.

About 5 dozen cookies, 65 calories each. *nope* never, ever that many.

Decorated sugar cookies: Omit granulated sugar. Frost or decorate cooled cookies with frosting tinted with food color. Decorate with colored sugar, small candies, candied fruit or nuts if desired. 80 calories per cookie.

The BEST sugar cookie recipe – rolls like a dream.

This morning I made cream cheese frosting and frosted a cookie for Bill for Valentine's Day and one for Louise, which I'll take over later today since she loaned me powdered sugar. I also went online and found some card-making software and made a personalized card for Bill.

Today I need to go grocery shopping and turn in a Library book. I also need to finalize the preliminary cuts on cashiering instructions for the spring sale - children's room separate from everywhere else for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I'm having to reinvent the children's room because I absolutely cannot find what we used last fall.

Happy V-Day, Horrible. I just noticed the date. I hope your latest round of smut is keeping St. Valentine's flame alive!

Happy V-Day to you, too, RDear. Yup. Valentine's Day. Jenna told me yesterday that she only believes in it for a romantic attachment, but I am going to ask her again tonight if she wants a cream-cheese frosted heart-shaped sugar cookie. *smile*

Oh yes, the smut is keeping the St. Valentine's flame alive. I've found an LT member who has over 5000 books in my new favorite sub-genre, and am using his/her/their (?) catalog to find new authors. Makes me happy.

*smooch*

Morning, Karen! Happy Valentine's Day! Unlike Jenna, I think Valentine's Day is for everyone you love, not just romantic relationships.

"I know Georgia is one of the late spring and summer armpits of the world..." Exactly. Could not have expressed it better myownself.

Thank you so much for sharing the sugar cookie recipe.

..."I ALWAYS like there to be nothing going on..." Me, too!

"...the smut is keeping the St. Valentine's flame alive." This made me laugh! How fun about the LTer with over 5000 books in the genre.

Hoping today is kind to you and very happy-making.

>123 karenmarie: "Oh yes, the smut is keeping the St. Valentine's flame alive. I've found an LT member who has over 5000 books in my new favorite sub-genre, and am using his/her/their (?) catalog to find new authors. Makes me happy. "

Best post of the year! Huge smiles! Happy Valentine's Day!

>121 karenmarie: What a list! Thanks for the warning. I do mean to read the book, and will have pen and paper ready. I usually read ebooks nowadays, but they are less handy when it comes to having a quick look at a list of characters!

>124 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, and thank you for the Valentine’s Day greetings. I tend to agree with you about more than romantic. Jenna was very pleased to eat her Cream Cheese Frosted Sugar Cookie in honor of the day. I don’t know about Georgia, but at least we don’t have the awfulness of Florida’s kissing bugs and alligators to go along with the horrible summer weather. You’re welcome re the sugar cookie recipe.

I found the LTer with the large # of books in my new favorite genre when I went to see who owned one of the books I read in the genre, was intrigued with their username, and then discovered the treasure trove. Yesterday ended up being a good day, with enough happiness to make me give it a B+. I hope your day was an A+.

>125 streamsong: Glad to give you a boost re my new smut source. In fact, I keep a tab open on my browser with their catalog pulled up and sorted by author. *smile* Happy Valentine’s Day a day late to you.

>126 EllaTim: Hi Ella. Yes, it could be considered daunting, but I like your idea of having pen and paper ready.

Wordle 606 5/6* adieu, total, slack, sally, salsa

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Yesterday was puttering, reading, grocery shopping, and watching soccer.

Today is leaving in 45 minutes to go to my hospital pre-op and clinic pre-op appointments for my March 9th knee replacement surgery. Jenna's taking me and after we'll indulge, for one of the very few times since I got scheduled for surgery, in going to our favorite Mediterranean Cafe, and get Greek Salads with a big slab of grilled salmon, no onions, no dressing for Jenna and balsamic vinaigrette for me. Sweet tea for my Southern girl, unsweet tea for this SoCal baby.

I won't be posting anywhere this morning, sorry. Maybe this afternoon?

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. Good luck with the medical appointments. I hope all goes smoothly.

Nice that Jenna is going with you. Enjoy your lunch and I hope all goes well with the appointments.

Morning, Karen! What Katie said. Keeping you in my thoughts.

>123 karenmarie: 5000?! That's Aladdin's cave! Hooray!

I don"t really have an opinion about V-Day's applicability. I've let go of so many shoulds that this one was easy...do it how it feels good to you, I'm not requested or required to opine upon it.

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>103 karenmarie: Glad to see you enjoyed The Ink Black Heart, I am looking forward to read it. It will be a while before I can get it from the library, as I always wait until the long waitingline is gone.

>113 karenmarie: I could live in eternal fall and winter, early spring is doable, dreading summer... And in summer looking forward to the next season :-)

>128 msf59: Hi Mark! Thanks re the medical appointments, everything went smoothly.

>129 katiekrug: Hi Katie! She’s my rock and lots of fun to be with. All I did was give her the addresses. She got us both places safely, then to lunch safely, and we were home by 1 p.m. I was whupped.

>130 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. I appreciate it.

>131 richardderus: Oh yes, RD, some of the sub-sub genres are so not me, but I’m having a lot of fun. V-Day’s come and gone, but I finished making the sugar cookies yesterday and we have 5 more hearts to have with cream cheese frosting.

>132 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and happy Thursday to you, too. I really loved it. One of the signs of a good series for me is my immediate need and subsequent frustration at not having the next one to read. I just played around on duckduckgo.com, and it may not actually be true, but it might be true that Rowling/Galbraith leaked the next title, The Running Grave. I hope you get it sooner than later.

Another Fall, Winter, okay it’s Spring but… SUMMER person.

Wordle 607 3/6* adieu, faint, magic

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Between the clinic and the hospital, they make it so easy to do things. Both places all I had to do was tell them my DOB and name and I was told to just sit and wait to be called. It took an hour at the hospital and 45 minutes at the clinic. I have a bit of homework - get my PT lined up since I don't want to drive 45 minutes to go to the clinic UNLESS I can't get it at the same place I had my cardio rehab, which is only 10 miles from home, and asking my cardiologist if she can release me to take NSAIDs for 2 weeks to 3 months, since I can't take them EVER again because of my heart issues. Sigh.

Lunch was wonderful. It was mild enough to sit outside although it got a bit windy. We never sit outside, but it was perfect.

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Today's homework: things from yesterday's appointments, the dry cleaner if I'm in the mood, and the Library to return a book and pick up an envelope from the Friends asset management provider with a document for me to sign and return in my role as President. I just got a call from them reminding me. The first thing i said was I "I know - I have homework!" She told me about her two successful knee replacement surgeries and how she dealt with the pain. Good stuff, adding to my store of knowledge.

I never wanted to hear labor/delivery stories when I was pregnant with Jenna, but so far these stories aren't giving me the heebie jeebies.

Also might visit Louise this morning, with a cookie in hand.

Dear Karen, cheers for your day yesterday, especially for your eating outside!!! Cheers for your day today. May you be occupied enough to keep you purposeful and little enough to keep you energetic. I also wish that you may read some!

Morning, Karen! Sounds like yesterday went smoothly and lunch sounds delightful. Hoping you can get your PT lined up at the facility that is closer to you.

Hoping today is kind to you.

Sweet Thursday, Karen. Light rain here, with snow later on. Nothing major, but it is keeping me indoors. I did some chores and now I am curling up with the books. I hope you had a nice visit with Louise.

Adding hopes for the rehab to be close to you...it will make your life so much easier! I'm still plopped in quarantine but am mostly ready to get on with my o.t. Wasting time sitting here's frustrating...I've sent the message up the food chain, now it's up to others.

>134 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Thanks – it’s all good things for both days.

>135 Crazymamie: 'Afternoon, Mamie! All things good from yesterday, thank you.

>136 msf59: Sweet Thursday to you, Mark! I know you're twitchy when you can't get out, so hope that tomorrow brings outdoor opportunities.

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Errands, including food purchases for Bill's birthday dinner Monday night, Friends errands run, prescription picked up. I'd never heard of this before, but my surgeon's office gave me a prescription to be used for 5 days prior to the surgery, oral application for my nostrils, to help prevent MRSA. Won't get an argument out of me...

I visited Louise this afternoon and we both saw the Bald Eagle soaring over her back field - major excitement, and we had a very good visit.

Home now, relaxing.

Oh - my PT is scheduled with a PT in town, recommended by friend Carl and Louise AND Board Member Weezie. He called back right away and set me up for the first 3 visits of the week starting on 3/13. I feel good about him and this.

And, edited to add: At the Library today I found a book that had been donated to the Friends but put in the 'send to the PTA thrift store' box, so available for anybody who wanted it. It's in pretty bad shape, but I figured it needed a home - an 1869 edition of Oldtown Folks by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

That's great news about the PT close to home!

That would be great to have the PT close to home!! I am still seeing my knee therapist and she is only 15 min from my house which is simply awesome. Especially since it is taking forever to get back to normal! LOL. Happy Friday!

>139 katiekrug: It's about 12 minutes, Katie, so yes. Had Max said he couldn't fit me in, I would have not tried anybody else local and gone to Raleigh Ortho's PT clinic - 45 minutes away without traffic.

>140 Berly: Hi Kim. Yes, closer is always better. I'm sorry your knee is still giving you fits. Thanks re my Friday, same to you!

Wordle 608 3/6* adieu, place, cache

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I need to send the in-app query to my cardiologist today about being able to use NSAIDs for 2 weeks - 3 months after surgery today, otherwise I want to do a bit of straightening in the Sunroom and perhaps even inventorying books in addition to reading.

I'm so glad you were able to find PT locally, Karen. Everything is falling into place!

Nice rescue of that old book, too.

Hi Laura, and thank you. I like to have my ducks in a row, if possible, and these ducks are lining up well so far.

Poor old book - I was thinking about the physical book itself. Who stamped the leather, who bound it. Who has read this particular copy. No inscriptions except for a stamp

CHURCH PERIODICAL CLUB
EMMANUEL CHURCH
BOSTON, MASS.

Emmanuel Church was founded in 1860, so perhaps this volume was bought new for the Church Periodical Club... fun thoughts.

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Hooray for the bald eagle sighting. Good luck with the errands. I have Jackson duties today and I will bring him back here later, so both of us can enjoy him. Bree will pick him up tonight. We got about an inch of snow, so I am pleased with that.

I'm very glad to hear there is PT so close to home. The MRSA precaution is logical and very wise as someone who has MRSA now can assure you. I hope the NSAIDs answer is yes, though other anti-inflammatories exist and can be used if the cardio doc says no...be sure to ask them what they are, though, because sometimes that's not obvious to other practicioners.

I like ducks in a row and quacking in unison! GOOD for you! Also glad for good advice from Richard.
Enjoy your day!

>145 richardderus: Argh! It's RD! *must go see his thread*

Also, Hi Karen :) My Wordle aim at the moment is to get my scores so that I have more 3's than 5's. At present I have 9 more 5's than 3's (but the majority are 4's).

Happy Friday! Glad things are coming together for you. A bald eagle sighting is always exciting.

>144 msf59: Happy next morning and Saturday to you, Mark. I know – we were thrilled. We’d each seen her/him separately, but to have the sighting together was special indeed. Yesterday’s errands got done. More below. Yay for Jackson duties. I.Want.Snow. An inch or two or three would be good.

>145 richardderus: Yes, and I’m very happy with what I’d heard over the years and to now get to use him. Yikes! MRSA, Covid, gout wound, stroke recovery. You’ve got so much going on, dear Richard, but you’re in the right place doing all the things you need to recover. *smooch*

I just checked to see if I had a message back from my doctor re the NSAIDs and one other issue, but haven’t heard back. No worries – still have 19 days til my surgery. *smooch*

>146 LizzieD: I even did one more duck yesterday, Peggy – the surgeon’s office wanted me to use something called MyMobility – a cell phone app. It is an easy way for me to communicate with them, and I have exercises to do every day. I DID NOT ALLOW the app to track my movements, because I keep my location services turned off, and the tech who helped me get it set up didn’t really like that but it was an option so there was nothing she could really say, right? I had a good day, hope you did, too.

>147 LovingLit: Yes! RD’s out and about. Exciting isn’t it, Megan?

My two today is an exception, but I honestly consider anything better than being skunked a win. I don’t like sixes, but I’ll take them by the end.

>148 witchyrichy: Hi Karen, and thank you. I hope you had a wonderful Friday. Yes, the Bald Eagle was stunning.

Wordle 609 2/6* I cannot believe it. A Two. adieu, avail

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Yesterday I finished up the preliminary version of the Cashier Instructions for the March Book Sale. Children's Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and Adult Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I also left a message for my cardiologist, and had a tech help me sign up for MyMobility, and then was shocked that there were exercises I'm supposed to do EVERY DAY. F***. I did them, two reps an hour apart, and will get up the gumption to look at the app later this morning to see what exercises I have to do today. Plus, there was stuff to read. 🙄

This morning Arsenal plays Aston Villa. Arsenal is now in second place, tied on points with Man City but with a goal differential of 10. Sigh.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. We had a good time with Jack yesterday. No big surprise, right? Sue is doing an over-nighter with friends in WI today. I am taking Juno with me for a bird stroll. It is warming back up to the mid-40s today. I then have a Post Office party to attend to tonight. It will be nice to see some of the old gang. Enjoy your day of soccer, books and puttering.

Happy Aston Villa-ing today, Horrible. May they close that goal differential a bit today. (Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't, but it seems like something safe to advocate for.)

Hi Karen, ages since I delurked.
I quit reading the HP series after JK's too cavalier killing off (needlessly imho) one of the characters early in the series.
I also quit the Strike series after the 3rd book ~ simply too grim for my tolerance level esp. since pandemic reading has needed to be very gentle on my mind.
My latest fave read this year was The Cartographers. A very twisty-sneaky reveals sort of plot which I classed as urban fantasy. I have rarely enjoyed UF but this one I finished.

I think I would quietly abandon a bossy techy app like "MyMobility" all too quickly. Good luck with the exercise regimen.

Just swinging by with a quick "Hello" and not even trying to catch up. Have a wonderful weekend!

Morning, Karen! How happy making that you could get the PT scheduled close to home. That's full of fabulous! And 3/13 is Rae's birthday.

I also want snow, but I am definitely not going to get it.

Hoping today is kind to you, my friend!

Joining in the hellos. So you've been given pre-surgery exercises? Oh dear. I think I'll pamper my knees some more, no we don't --need-- to go anywhere today.

Looks like everything is set up for your surgery and recovery, Karen. Nice the physio is nearby. Have a great weekend. Love the pics of the eloping couple!

>150 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Thanks re my Saturday, see below. Happy Sunday to you. What!?! A good time with Jack? Nah, not a surprise at all. I hope you had some good alone time taking care of Juno. Yay for warmer weather and I hope the PO party was a good’un.

>151 richardderus: You safely and successfully advocated and got what you didn’t know you wanted – Arsenal beat AVL 4-2, which is huge, and Man City tied with Notting Forest. So Arsenal’s back to #1 and reduced the goal differential by 2, down to 8. (For life-long football ~ soccer ~ fans, I’m learning. Please forgive me if I get things wrong.) *smooch*

>152 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! Nice to see you here. Ooh, do tell. There are quite a few characters I was unhappy with her killing off, but you probably meant Cedrid Diggory in book 4. Yes, I’d agree that books 2 and 3 of the Strike/Ellacott series were particularly macabre, and I envision myself skipping bits if I re-read/re-listen to them.

How do you feel in general about authors killing off characters you don't want them to? Do you see the artistic freedom/necessity they must feel or do you think they should keep characters to keep fans happy? Fantasy and sci fi are not genres I dip into frequently, but thanks for the recommendation.

The app is not bossy regarding personal data but only because I set it up that way – I didn’t allow it to follow my steps or anything like that with location services turned on, FFS – but I am choosing to do the exercises they tell me to. Yesterday I got a break – no exercises, but today I have two reps of “Left Pre-Operative TKA/PKA Routine Level 1”. Crap. I so don’t like exercise, which, of course, is what’s gotten me into so much trouble with my heart and knees over the years. 🙄

>153 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! No catchup required! Thanks for the quick Hello and wishes for the weekend.

>154 Crazymamie: ‘Morning, Mamie! Yes, I’m so glad that’s scheduled and local and with someone I hope I can trust based on 3 friends who’ve used Max. Ah. Good omen for PT start. Yesterday was reasonably kind to me, which, sometimes, is all we can ask for.

>155 quondame: Hi Susan! Yes. I don’t like them, but only one of them really hurts and I don’t push it really hard. I want this surgery to be successful and I want to do everything prior to getting it done to make it successful since I’m going to have so much post-op pain (which scares me to death, frankly).

>156 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Yes, so far so good. The only homework I have is to finish getting the Library set up with Jenna’s help and start figuring out the pre-op stoppage of various drugs/vitamins/herbs and starting of the MRSA prevention nasal ointment what to take on the morning of surgery. Can anybody say spreadsheet? Can anybody doubt that I’d make one? *smile* Yup re the PT, thanks re the weekend, and thanks re my maternal grandparents.

Wordle 610 3/6* adieu, spoil, kiosk

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Yesterday's major goodness was Arsenal beating AVL and Manchester City tying with Nottingham Forest. Personal goodness was reading and having salmon for dinner, Jenna helping.

Today will most likely be making tomorrow's birthday cheesecake for Bill's 67th birthday on Monday, again, with Jenna helping.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. I had a nice walk with Juno yesterday. We saw 16 species, which is not bad for February. The highlight was a belted kingfisher. The post office get-together went great. Nice catching up with some of my old pals. I might take Juno for another bird stroll. I wish I could try some of that cheesecake.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you, too. Nice that you got out with Juno, good news about the 16 species. Oooh, I haven't seen a Belted Kingfisher in years. We have a pond on the right as we drive into town that we still call the Kingfisher Pond, because one hung out there for years. Haven't seen him in years, though. We do occasionally see Bald Eagles there, though. Glad the PO do went great.

This is our favorite cheesecake (well our only cheesecake after trying others over the years for the heck of it) - graham cracker crust, thin sour cream topping. Mom got the recipe off a Knudsen Sour Cream container in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Richard has mentioned that he remembers this recipe, too. Love it to bits. I won't count sodium with it, though - cream cheese is not kind to sodium watchers. I will help minimize sodium by using unsalted Kerrygold butter + 1/4 teaspoon lite salt to make the equivalent of Kerrygold salted butter. (290 mg sodium vs 800 mg sodium).

I was looking for any entries I had regarding Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and found this note from 2012:

Wish I could retire. Really. I could read a lot, wave bye to husband as he trundles off to work, clean the house the way it needs to be cleaned, play with the kitties and wave at the fish, hold the gecko, be a volunteer again. Definitely wishful thinking.

I've been able to check off quite a few of them. The fish are gone, the gecko is gone, and etc. though.

>157 karenmarie: Some fan of A ?Manchester?fan lost his mind and streaked their match with AVL because Alex McLeish annoyed him ten years or so ago. It's the one thing I know about Aston Villa. and I must admit I can't get the connection between disliking a coach and running around a stadium nekkid as a picked bird in whistlin' time. Impressively athletic disvestite, I must say, lots of jumps and rolls.

Good morning, Karen! I wish you a happy day - maybe inside for most of it.
I'm off to roust and feed Mama before church.

Wordle in 3 for me too. Yay!

>157 karenmarie: It is scary from this end. From the other it is hard painful work. You do seem optimally prepared, inasmuch as such is possible.

>161 richardderus: Well, streakers… I went to YouTube and found quite a few Premier League streakers and had lots of laughs. Soccer brings out fan fervor. But I agree, nekkid, especially with junk hanging out is just plain weird.

>162 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I had a great indoor day. I did lots of nothing. I planned on making the cheesecake for Bill’s birthday but didn’t get it done, so I must do it this a.m. after the Friends Board meeting 10-11 a.m. to give it time to chill properly. Yay for Wordle in 3. Do you and your Mama watch via Zoom or some other streaming option?

>163 quondame: I know you watched Mike go through extra issues after his. Do you have bone-on-bone or other knee replacement surgery candidate knee(s)?

Wordle 611 2/6* No. Just... no. Another two, with a word I just pulled out of a hat. adieu, sweat

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I am stunned - I woke up at 5 a.m. without the excruciating pain (level 7-8 out of 10 although it goes away as soon as I elevate my leg or walk to the bathroom) I've been experiencing since October. Jenna said I'd passed out by 9:30 so she turned out the light. I didn't get up in the night at all, and the only thing that's changed, I hate to admit, is that I've done 2 days, 2x a day, exercises on the dratted MyMobility app. Sigh. I'll take it, I'll take it.

So today's Bill's 67th birthday. Steak, potatoes, some TLC and perhaps soccer watching this afternoon, cheesecake. I was in a weird mood when I bought the birthday cards for him, so got them these:



"And Shit" is a game we play, a stupid but fun game, that Bill and a friend of his, Geoff, have played for 30+ years, don't know if they invented it or not, have never asked. If someone says "And Shit", you MUST say "Do" quickly. If you do not, the "And Shit"er waves their hand in a circular motion and you have to say "Do Dammit". It's pointless, agreed, but both Jenna and I now play it. Sometimes And Shits can be embedded sneakily into a conversation, but whispering or otherwise disguising what you say is not allowed. On Geoff's birthday, which is the same day as Jenna's, we all text him at the same time with a "Happy Birthday And Shit" text. Jenna wrote some fun stuff in the card from her - she wouldn't have gone out on her own to get him a card, frankly, so what's a mom to do?

Morning, Karen. Hooray for waking up pain-free. Happy Birthday to Bill and shit! I am joining my birding buddies this AM. They have been out of town for most of the month, so it will be nice to hit the trails with them again. Nothing happening at the feeders, at the moment...

I'm glad you had such a good sleep and woke up pain-free. That's great motivation for continuing the exercises, though I know you would do them anyway.

Happy Monday!

>165 msf59: Do. *smile* Enjoy your birding buddies adventure this a.m., Mark, and thanks for the almost-like-my bird feeders report.

>166 katiekrug: Hi Katie! Oh yes, I am a Good Girl about doing things recommended by my doctors (well, since NOT taking a statin for 10 years and not losing weight me in serious trouble in November of 2021). Happy Monday to you, too.

>164 karenmarie: Pain-free!!! That's excellent. I'm so glad for you. The Holy App™ clearly knows its onions. the "...And Shit" game is funny, so I'm glad y'all find ways to incorporate it into the family play.

Streakers are registered as sex offenders in the UK so I am honestly at a loss as to why anyone would do that there. I also think that is a grotesque overreaction to nudity.

HAPPY DAY!!!! Pain free and Wordle in 2!!!! You are on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!

*And Shit* reminds me of my SiL and her work partner in crime who played an equally silly game when they were bored in a meeting or at other random times. Referencing a dirty joke, which I never heard, one of them would say to the other, "I thought you said it had a knob on it." The reply, "I said it felt like a knob." In their last conversation as SiL was dying and our niece was acting as go-between, the friend said, "Let's see how aware she is." Niece said the opening line, and SiL responded correctly without missing a beat. Someday I'll tell you some of the things those two were up to over the years.

Enjoy your business, and Happy Birthday to Bill! Happy Birthday dinner to the 3 of you!

Hi Karen my dear, hope you had a really good weekend and sending birthday greetings to Bill from both of us dear friend.

Weird_O was here. He's agog at all the goings on. He's speechless, in fact.

Tell Bill that Bill wishes him a Happy Birthday.

Weird_O is thinking he'll try reading a book. Something different to do.

Weird_O got his Subaru back from the repair shop. It looks spiffy.

So it goes...

Quite a day for a Monday: good sleep, good Wordle. Keep up with preparing for surgery as I know from experience that it makes a difference. The hospital where I had my hip replacement invited us for lunch and a tour as well as a review of the rather large binder of information including those exercises. They probably have an app now ;-)

>157 karenmarie: How do you feel in general about authors killing off characters you don't want them to?

Sometimes the author "needs" to eliminate a character because further participation just isn't feasible, or doesn't fit in with how the author thought it should go.

A good example was in the Ruth Galloway series: a character who joined Nelson's team Tim, "almost-nearly" had an affair and ends up being eliminated. I felt that Griffiths was struggling where to go with this scenario and sensibly wrote him out of the story. Maybe other readers wouldn't agree with my take, but that's an example where I understood and it fit the plot without being pointless in the story line.

In JK's case, I felt it was gratuitous and then to go on and compound this by killing off Neville Longbottom was why I didn't bother finishing the rest of the books.

>173 SandyAMcPherson: >157 karenmarie:

Murtaugh in OUTLANDER got killed off twice - one time at Culloden in the book

and, born again, done in by a freak rifle shot in the movie. Too bad, he was a favorite character!

>164 karenmarie: Probably due to dangerous under-use both my knees are original equipment. I do have significant arthritis in my left knee, but it hasn't reached outstanding problem (like gout or plantar fasciitis) so it just gets x-rayed every few years or new primary care physician, whichever comes first.

Mike wrecked his knee skying at the beginning of 1992 - and Becky was born at the end of the same year. Coincidence? Nah. Anyway, he also wore a brace to keep his patella floating where it should before the surgery but seems not to since, so the dogs have one less toylike object to run off with.

>173 SandyAMcPherson: Wait, what!?!? Neville Longbottom never got offed! He killed Nagini and married Hannah Abbott.

>175 quondame: Your spoiler confused me. Or are you thinking of a different person in another book?
More likely (!) I have mis-remebered the gist of that HP story. It has to be more than 20 years since I read those books. I quit at book 5. Heh! I didn't even realize the stories went into adulthood and the students were marrying!

>176 SandyAMcPherson: The adult bit is just the epilogue. Cedric Diggory died in Goblet of Fire(4) and Sirius Black in Order of the Phoenix(5). I can see being upset about Sirius, but I hadn't any connection to Cedric.

Bill's birthday meal sounds like a good one, especially the homemade cheesecake! Good luck with the library set up.

Did I hear mention of cheesecake?!

Many happy returns to Bill and I do hope that you have pain under control. x

Morning, Karen. I hope you are waking up to another pain-free day. I had stellar birding day yesterday (25 sp). I even did some solo owling around dusk and managed to see 3 short-eared owls, my target. There has been an early migration going on and we have been seeing and hearing scores of sandhill cranes and red-winged blackbirds. It seems very weird for February. I have Rehab duties today. Enjoy your day.

Pain-free Tuesday orisons, dear Horrible.

>168 richardderus: Pain free was stunning. The app apparently follows federal holidays, because I didn’t have exercises yesterday and with all the Bill Birthday stuff, and not easily being able to figure out what all the exercises were, I just left it for this morning. I’ve already done the first set, even before coming down to coffee. *preens* I did not realize that about streakers in the UK. It is a prurient and religious overreaction to nudity. We all have bodies, after all. *smooch*

>169 LizzieD: Hi Peggy. Yesterday morning was very good to me. What a sweet and funny story about the Knob Joke. I’ll be all ears to hear about those stories. And we had a good evening with dinner, cheesecake, cards, and an IOU for an LLBean T shirt for Bill. He liked both cards.

>170 johnsimpson: Hi John! Birthday greetings send. Sending you both love and hugs, kitty skritches to Felix.

>171 weird_O: Yay for the Visit of the Great One. Bill to Bill Birthday wishes, aye. Go for it! Books are fun! Books are educational! Books are satisfying. And glad the Suburu is spiffy again. Yup. And so it goes…

>172 witchyrichy: I know – a great morning yesterday. Last night wasn’t quite as kind to me, woke up about 3 in pretty bad pain, which always resolves if I do ‘toes above nose’ for a while or walk. Back to sleep ‘til 7:47, when I actually did today’s first rep of exercises. Harrumph. Lunch. I got folders and an app, shower gel for the night before and morning of surgery, nasal stuff for MRSA. But I’m seriously pleased with them, Karne.

>173 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! IMO, Cedric Diggory’s death was necessary for the plot. And, BTW, Neville Longbottom did not die. He ends up a full professor at Hogwarts as described in the Epilogue at the end of book 7. Several characters died who I was very sad to have died, but you simply cannot have a war against evil without any good guys dying unless it’s so unrealistic that I feel the author is skirting around reality, even if it’s theirworld’s reality. Also, the death of the character who died in book 5 is pivotal to things Harry does later.

>174 m.belljackson: Murtaugh is an interesting character, and particularly hot in the series… just sayin’. *smile* You should put this stuff in spoilers, Marianne.

Eliminating a character by removing them from the book safe and sound is also okay.

>175 quondame: Not coincidence sounds like a bit of what’s going on around here with my husband NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT HIS KNEES IN RECENT YEARS and flat out telling me late last year that he thought he’d be in a wheel chair for the rest of his life like his dad. I came somewhat unglued at this, as you can imagine. Yup, Neville Longbottom didn’t die, killed Nagini, and married Hannah Abbott.

>176 SandyAMcPherson: You might then mean Sirius Black The epilogue of the 7th book takes place nineteen years after the events at the school through year 7 of our heroes. Harry and Ginny are bring their two sons to the Hogwarts Express and quite a few characters are mentioned. Draco Malfoy is married and has a son and is there, Hermoine and Ron are married and their daughter Rose is there, along with son Hugo. And etc.

>177 quondame: Agreed about Cedric Diggory, although the actor who played him was well cast. Harry would not have made it to the center of the maze without Cedric and their both taking the trophy at the same time was wonderful, if deadly, since it was a port key to Voldemort.

>179 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Yes! Cheesecake. It came out well. It’s a pretty foolproof recipe, and I prefer this type of cheesecake to NY-style cheesecakes and, as it turns out from a quick look at Wikipedia, Chicago-style cheesecakes, which apparently have a shortbread/butter/sugar crust instead of my graham cracker crust. I’ll eat pretty much any kind of cheesecake, mind you, just prefer what I make at home. Thanks re Bill, and the pain came a bit last night, but I didn’t wake up with the 7/8 of 10 like I was doing.

>180 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, Happy Tuesday, and thank you. See above responses re the pain – not horrible when I got up at all, after a 3 a.m. ‘why am I living’ episode. Yay for 25 species of birds and owling. My goodness. I’m still and will always be jealous of the Sandhill Cranes – we’re just out of their migration range – and I see Red-Wing Blackbirds out here but have not seen any recently. I hope Rehab goes well, and thanks my day.

>181 richardderus: Thank you, RD! Right now, even without any Tylenol I’m okay, although getting up after sitting for a bit is always painful. Gotta get up to get some brekkie and take my 9 a.m. meds – responding here after going down a few rabbit holes has put me a tad behind.

Wordle 612 4/6* adieu, bound, dumpy, ruddy

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No official plans, but I do need to do a bit of Friends offline prep with John and Heather re Square Cashiering and start the Countdown to Surgery Spreadsheet.

Other than that, reading about Landon and Brett *smile*, not reading things I might should be reading but reading is not homework, puttering and writing one check, and then doing my second set of pre-surgery exercises some time late this morning or early this afternoon. They only take about 20 minutes, but I'm exercise-adverse and do them without joy.

Mark - I've got all the usual suspects at the feeders, including a Carolina Wren, finches, and a Blue Jay in the Crepe Myrtle, peeking out from behind the wild bird seed feeder.

We've been seeing a light gray male unfixed tabby around lately, meowing and even sitting outside the kitty door challenging our kitties. Sigh. Jenna and I have made the mistake of naming him Simon, to continue the Firefly tradition, after Simon Tan, middle name Fitzwilliam after P&P. So far we haven't fed him and are not even sure he doesn't have a human family.

Hello, Karen! All caught up here. Loved that you woke up pain free yesterday morning. I missed Bill's birthday so belated Happy Birthday wishes from all of us here to him.

All the Harry Potter spoilers made me laugh - we love those books. I still remember fondly waiting in line at midnight at the local bookstore with one of my best friends to pick up book seven as soon as it was released. Kids out of town for both of us, and there were waiting in line. I remember taking ours straight home - we had ordered multiple copies so no one had to wait to read the last book, and I got in my jammies, crawled into the Big Bed and started reading. One of my favorite memories.

Simon. Once you name him, he's yours. You know this, right? *smile*

Good job with the exercises. I'm same as you - really hate doing exercises, but oh, the difference they make. I really need to get back to my stretches and strength training because it does make a huge difference.

Hoping today is full of fabulous for you.

>182 karenmarie: Heh, well I'm the unregenerate soul more likely to end up wheelchair bound than Mike, or at least significantly before him as he has stopped doing such damnfool things as skiing. But then again he works out a lot and that has got to put wear on the joints even if it's great for Cardio etc.

>183 Crazymamie: We picked up 3 copies and none of us got much sleep that night.....

Hi Susan!

I admire people who work out a lot, have tried it a few times in my life, but it's always out of the norm for me, you know? Except after my heart attack. I worked out 3x a week religiously from December 2021 - mid October 2022. Now, with the Bakers Cyst, it's just been too much. I'd like to get back to it, and perhaps even get one for the house like I talked about last year.

A friend of mine from my RL book club worked at a huge indie in Raleigh - Quailridge Books - during the HP phenomenon and we'd place orders for release day - I always got both book and audiobook. She'd attend the launch party at the store, come home exhausted at 4 or so in the morning, but leave her hatchback unlocked at the top of her drive and we'd all go pick up our books/abooks. Jenna and I'd always get there eight-ish. We only ever bought one copy, though.

Wordle 613 4/6* darned alphabet soup - adieu, viper, piper, riper

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No plans for today outside the house. A Friends thing or two, still have to get the countdown spreadsheet set up for what to stop taking and what to start taking when prior to surgery.

Read, putter, etc.

My cardiologist has authorized the short-term use of NSAIDs for me after surgery, which will help with inflammation better than tylenol and other pain killers. So yay.

Good morning Karen! I'm so glad the cardiologist approved the NSAIDs. I suspect the news alone is a bit of a stress-reducer.

I was just over on Mark's thread where you mentioned identifying birds by sound. Have you tried the Merlin app? It has a feature called SoundID, where you use your phone to record the sound and it identifies the bird(s) in real time. It is absolutely amazing. It can even parse out multiple birds chattering at the same time. And yes, it should work from inside the house as long as it can pick up the sound.

Have a great plans-free day!

'Morning, Laura! Yes, being able to have NSAIDs, even temporarily, helps with my stress levels regarding post-surgery pain.

I tried the Merlin bird identifier app when it first came out and I think it has probably become pretty good but wasn't then. Thanks for the Merlin SoundID idea. I just installed it and will play with it later. Wow. 94.44 MB. The first computer I ever used, a DOS machine at a job in SoCal mid-1980s, booted from a 5.25" floppy disk and only had 10MB storage.

Thanks re my day - same to you, my dear.

Morning, Karen! I was here yesterday - just above Susan's post. Like Laura, I am thrilled that you have been approved for the NSAIDs. One less thing to worry about. You mentioned somewhere up there about being worried about he pain after surgery. When Craig had his hip replaced, he was in pain after the surgery, but he said that what was amazing was to have that chronic pain that he had been living with for so long gone. It was such a huge relief to him even with the new pain from surgery. And the surgery pain is temporary. He was a new man - like a heavy burden had been lifted, and that was right from the start.

Hoping today is kind to you.

Coffee Sister! I’m sorry.

>183 Crazymamie: That was a lovely post that I read late yesterday on my way upstairs, then completely forgot about this morning. Can I claim lack of caffeination?

Don’t tell my husband, but I put out a small Tupperware of dry Iams cat food for the boy although there are also raccoons and possums and even my kitties who might eat some of it. I showed Jenna the Tupperware and she just rolled her eyes.

Thanks re the exercises, and your working out on the elliptical recently is even more impressive since you hate exercising as much as I do. The stretches are okay. There’s one upper-body strength exercise, the last one in the rotation, that I truly hate, but my wobbly arms and break after the first five reps tell me I really do need to do them.

>188 Crazymamie: I’m hoping that I’m like Craig, that I’m also amazed at the chronic pain being gone even though there will be temporary pain. Thank you for sharing. It was minor compared to that, but I had carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand in January of 2006 and the instant relief when I woke up almost made me cry. I had post-surgery pain and strange nerve pains and my arm was weak for a year as things wove themselves back together, but one day I just thought – Wow. Left arm back to normal.

I just got the alert that I’ve got 2 sets of the exercises to do today. Yesterday I did the first set before I even came downstairs, but I got downstairs at 6:10 this morning and they hadn’t been posted yet.

Thanks re my day – I wish the same to you.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. Funny, I also mentioned the Merlin app to you, over on my thread. Experiment with it. It can be very helpful. Us bird geeks love it.

Rehab went well yesterday. I got to work inside, which was a relief. It was windy and cold early on. Rain and sleet all day today. I will be helping with Jack for a couple of hours this afternoon, which is good since I won't be doing my regular Friday shift.

>177 quondame:, >182 karenmarie: Okay, now I get it. I abandoned the HP series, so no wonder I didn't see how JK was plotting way ahead. Thanks for the enlightenment.

>186 lauralkeet: Edited to say that I hadn't thought of putting that app on my phone... okay, duuuh! So cool a way to id birds I can't see hiding in our spruce tress singing their asses off. It's territorial out there even at -31 (-23 oF).

>190 msf59: 'Afternoon, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you, too. I just used the Merlin App on my laptop here, and discovered that I've got a Northern Flicker in my Crepe Myrtle. I've seen them before, but so long ago that I'd forgotten what I was looking at. Gorgeous bird. I've also filled the feeders and have Cardinals, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Downys, Carolina Chickadees, and a Tufted Titmouse, plus the ubiquitous finches. Glad Rehab went well, and enjoy your time with Jack. Edited to add: Male Red-Bellied Woodpecker on the suet feeder.

>191 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. To each her own. I loved and love the series and listened to it again in my car in 2021 and 2022.

>185 karenmarie:, >188 Crazymamie: Chronic pain is a completely different thing from acute pain. The post-surgical pain I've felt after bones have been cut up was very sharp and clear, not the dull, pervasive, heavy heartbeat of chronic pain. I found it easy to bear because it *felt* temporary...anti-inflammatories would knock it down to ignorable levels in as little as a half-hour...and nothing not heavily narcotic does that with chronic pain.

Hooray for the end of the grinding pain being in sight!

Happy Thursday, Karen!

Belated happy birthday to Bill.
And so good to read you woke up painfree on Monday, the HP talk was fun.

>193 richardderus: Oh yes, RD, I've had both types of pain, although the acute pain I've had is after the C-section with Jenna and my carpal tunnel surgery in 2006. Oh, and let's not forget acute dental pain that most of us have had. I know this pain will be not fun, but like you said, it will feel temporary and be temporary eventually. What I've got going on now is ridiculous. *smooch*

>194 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. Happy further-along-in-the-day Thursday to you, too. Thanks re Bill, and talking about HP is always a lot of fun, isn't it?

Skip to today's Wordle if you're not interested in the Rowling transphobia issue:

Looks like Rowling has triple-downed about her transphobia and opinion on what defines a woman. Ugh. However, I just read a great timeline of Rowling's trans stuff that introduced me to a new person, Alex Drummond, among other interesting info and links, by Brendan Morrow of Yahoo News:

Rowling transphobia timeline

And I really like the last paragraph:

Hogwarts Legacy releases in February 2023, and many reviews from major outlets wrestle with the implications of purchasing a game that will financially benefit Rowling. Reviews, however, are largely positive.

IGN's 9 out of 10 review includes a more than 200-word section titled "Concerning J.K. Rowling," in which the outlet defends its decision to review the game at all, while arguing "there are good reasons (both in-game and out) to believe the developers" of Hogwarts Legacy "don't necessarily share her views." At Engadget, Jessica Conditt also defends reviewing the game and writes, "Harry Potter will outlive its author. She is not the future of the franchise."

My reading of Cormoran Strike caused two people on my ROOTs thread to say that they're now boycotting Rowling - perfectly fair, they do them - but I also had this question:

... not wanting to continue with Rowling is certainly understandable although I have to ask, are there other authors you boycott for their political/social beliefs? Just curious, because although I abhor JK for her transphobic rants and absolutely cannot understand her or tolerate this aspect of her, I don’t want to stop reading her books because they’re just so damned good. I have never NOT read an author because of their political/social beliefs that I can remember, at least not after at least trying them. I do boycott books ABOUT politicians who I abhor, mostly US Republicans, and that includes their memoirs or autobiographies. *smile*

Wordle 614 3/6* Wow, my first word really helped on this one: adieu, mauve, vague

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Last minute change with today's chiropractor appointment moved back to yesterday because I think I heard the office assistant say that the Chiropractor had to take a pet to be euthanized...? Anyway, I've gone to her twice and don't like her as much as the one who's now exclusively at the office 20 miles away instead of 9 miles away. Sigh. I've told them I'll call sometime in April after my surgery to start back up with monthly preventative adjustments, but I don't know if I want to see her again or drive further to Dr. Sherwood. A decision for April, for sure.

Jenna just left for work, I'll have some quiet time before Bill gets up. Oh, my sister and I will be talking today, yay. I will work on my Countdown Spreadsheet and maybe start the Square stuff prior to the March 30-April 1 book sale to set up the Treasurer and Membership Chair as administrators and set up a meeting with them to talk about training the 'Square Squad', debit/credit card processors for the book sale.

I spoke with friend Rhoda on Monday morning prior to the Board meeting and one of the results of that fine conversation is that she encouraged me to have Jenna take me to the Library on March 26, the Sunday before the sale, to help her with set up for as long as I can and buy books... she's so wonderful and supportive. Plus, books... I've already 'warned' Jenna that we're doing that. ...

>195 karenmarie: There are many writers who's political beliefs are not even close to mine, that hasn't prevented me from reading their books. Reading a next book from a writer is based on the joy I had reading a first one. It would be undoalbe to sort out all before starting to read a new author!
I love the Cormoran Strike books as much as you do. And I will probably read all HP books again some day.

Sounds like a good plan for March 26th :-)

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. I have not really followed any of the Rowling story, although I am aware of her opinions. I personally wouldn't stop reading her work or others I disagreed with but I think it is up to the individual.

I had a good afternoon with Jackson. He is so darn cute. I am doing some volunteering this AM- some brush-clearing at a local preserve.

Good morning Karen. No excuses from me either, but I'm here now and pleased to have found and starred your thread.

I see you're also a Wordler. I avoided this until 40 days ago and I do not know why. I felt intimidated by it for some reason and now I'm hooked. I look forward to it every day!

I scanned your January lightening round (love that) and got a couple book bullets along the way. 😀

Okay, I see stuff about impending surgery but I admit I'm not seeing details ( I'm too far behind). Hip replacement? Other?

Regardless, I also saw posts about pain-free days, to which I say hooray!!

>196 FAMeulstee: I think that’s it, Anita – if you like a book by an author, regardless of their background noise, then try another and etc. I can’t wait for you to get The Ink Black Heart, and I already can’t wait for the next one! Yes – I can see myself using the walker at the book sale setup with Jenna attentively at my side. They all know her – she comes to book sales and even volunteered at one of the last ones – and love her.

>197 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, too. Thanks for your thoughts about reading books by people who you disagreed with. Jackson Is Darned Cute. Enjoy your afternoon volunteering.

>198 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Nice to see you here. I’ve been Wordling for quite a while, although I lost my streak sometime along about when NYT bought it from the original developer. My streak right now is 280 days with 98% wins, a 45 day streak without a skunk.

Yay for the BBs. I got the idea for the Lightning Round from Mark a long time ago, when I was feeling angsty about not writing reviews for every book but not wanting to. So, I write reviews when I want to and put something into a Word Document for the current month’s Lightning Round when I don’t. Low-stress reviewing!

I’m having left knee replacement surgery on March 9th. Bone-on-bone, plus the absolute joys of a Bakers Cyst, which has had me in considerable pain, in addition to the bone-on-bone knee stuff, since last October. I had to wait ‘til I was off one heart medication before my cardiologist would release me for elective surgery, which I got off in November, and getting past the holidays and getting the proper diagnosis and onto the surgeon’s schedule is now all good. (I don’t know if you were following my threads when I had a STEMI heart attack in November of 2021, 100% blockage of my main aorta. Low sodium lifestyle, cardio rehab, weight loss of 60 lbs now.) All leading up to my being able to have KRS.

Pain free days are nice. It’s actually the nights that are bad, because being flat either wrecks my quads and/or circulation goes down. Regardless, I wake up every several hours in bad pain. Getting up, even to go to the bathroom, helps for another 2-3 hours or so. Not good for the long term, though, so I’m looking forward to the surgery and AFTER the pain after surgery.

Well, I'm glad you get at least some reprieve from your pain. I hope that your surgery helps out!

>195 karenmarie: Ezra Pound was an exceptional poet but not a good man and had terrible political views. I won't stop reading his poems though.

I don't endorse some of her views but JK Rowling's feminist comments on safe spaces for women have been vindicated somewhat in my opinion by the rapes of women in prison and schools by people posing as transgender women, isolated incidents though they may be. That is not to condone prejudice against anyone but there are clearly limits to the 'you are what you identify as' idea when it impinges upon the safety of the vulnerable.

There is something wrong with a society that seeks to cancel those it doesn't agree with. I for one, Karen, will read whatever the heck I want to and I often revel in reading books by people I profoundly disagree with as it helps me to challenge and usually reinforce my own ideas.

Without wanting to cause any major issues, the Transphobia issue is getting out of hand and certain parts of the Trans community are all about bullying folks to their way. Last year at a pride event, the Trans community proceeded to bully and shout down the LGB marchers to such an extent that the police wanted then to march elsewhere and let the Trans marches carry on, this has happened on more than one occasion.

J.K. Rowling has received many death threats, her address has been posted on social media, she has been threatened that they know where her children go etc, this is thuggish behaviour and if that is what being Trans is all about then i despair if that is how low they will go to get their way.

The original Fountain pen group on Facebook that i joined was effectively taken over by Trans members to such an extent that the original founder (who had stepped away from being an administrator and who also got good deals from fountain pen websites, got Diamine to produce special inks for us etc) was banned from the group. I had not realised that the LGBT flag is rainbow coloured and is one flag but trans and various variations of not identifying as L, G or B, runs to about 50 flags. How the hell do you know whether you are offending anyone or not. I have trouble with Non-Binary, i don't get it, i am in no way homophobic but i was taken apart by Trans members. I apologised if i had upset anyone but that was not enough and i probably should have worn a hair shirt forevermore to try an appease them. I decided to quit the group as i found that they were critical of anything they did not like. The original founder created another group and there were mass defections from the Trans ruled group to the new group.

With the recent news that Roald Dahl books are having parts re-written so as not to offend, we are going down a slippery slope and are catering to the few rather the many. I am perhaps old fashioned as i don't agree that everyone should get a trophy in school races or that there should not be competitive things for children under the age of Eleven. Sadly children need to learn that you all cannot get a prize, real life is not like that. I feel that in the UK we are nannying children and the vast rise in mental health issues over the last few years are down to the preponderance of the mobile phone and all groups such as Facebook, Snapchat, Tiktok, Twitter and Instagram. Rant over and i do hope that i have not offended anyone or monopolised your thread Karen my dear.

Happy Friday, Horrible! *smooch*

>195 karenmarie: If an author who supports beliefs or behaviors I abhor is living and may receive income from my reading their works I'd rather boycott them - there is plenty for me to read, and while I may miss out on a "community of readers" experience I can live with mild regret. I'm glad to have read HP & seen the original 8 movies, but that's it for me. I couldn't finish JKR's first straight novel, but clearly the mysteries are not of that ilk.

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. We worked hard yesterday on our volunteering task but we did a fine job. I then ran around and did some shopping for our trip today. WI just got slammed with 10-12" of snow but our group is going anyway. Yep, die-hard. We are taking Juno to Brees first so we will get to hug our little Jackson before we go.

I won't be online much, until later Monday. Have a good weekend.

>200 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! Thanks re the surgery. This is pretty major surgery, and several things are key to making it a success, not the least of which are PT and after PT. I proved to myself that I’m disciplined with my cardio rehab, so am not worried about this being successful. I hope to be much more myself in April and closer to complete recovery by the end of summer.

>201 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Thanks for your thoughtful response. I think there will always be people who take advantage any way they can – posing as transgender to get to people to rape them is evil and despicable – AND although, of course, I don’t have any statistics at hand for the US or anywhere else in the world, I would imagine that this is an extremely small percent of the rapes that go on in the world. All rape and non-consensual sex are evil, and keeping in perspective who the victimizers are is something that tends to get lost in the frenzy of specific examples in a particular community.

It's actually the same position that many US Republicans find themselves (I call their party the Gang of Psychos, not individual Republicans). A small, rabid, and evil segment of a large and benign group can taint the whole group in the eyes of the world.

Having said that about most Republicans being benign, I think anybody who voted for Trump in 2016 was drinking the Koolaid and anybody who supports him now has had a lobotomy. However, I actually have several family members and friends who are Republican. Their core values do not align with mine at all, and I actually do not understand them being Republicans at all. We absolutely do not talk about politics, but I don't think they should be threatened, attacked, or confined or contained.

>202 johnsimpson: Hi John! I appreciate your long and thoughtful post with examples of bad and/or vicious behavior by trans people. As I wrote above, A small rabid and evil segment of a large and benign group can taint the whole group in the eyes of the world.

I truly am sorry that Rowling has gotten death threats aimed at her and her children. That’s pure evil and the perpetrators should be found and punished according to the appropriate laws in their countries. I am sorry that your Fountain Pen Group on FB was affected by militant trans people too.

I think that if authors want to rewrite parts of their books to reflect their changed attitudes/beliefs, then they certainly have the right to. Cynical me says some of them might be doing it for personal gain, but if, like what I write below regarding Roald Dahl, helps one person NOT see themselves categorized as 'other', then them gaining money from it doesn't bother me at all. Also, frankly, there are are a lot of authors out there now writing things with PC in mind that might not perhaps believe the things they are writing. We might never know.

Other people changing an author's books, not so much, and estates and publishers changing them for profit is abhorrent, as is the case with Dahl. Having said that, if one child bullied by being called ‘fat’ reads Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the word enormous substituted in for fat and it helps them, THAT’s not a bad thing. Roald Dahl Books Changed

I agree that giving trophies for just showing up is ridiculous. Losing is part of life. When my daughter was 7 or so, the recreational soccer league she was in decided that keeping score was bad and that just playing was good. You can believe that every single child and every single parent on the pitch was totally aware of the score the whole time and you could see the body language of the winners and losers reflecting that knowledge. Not acknowledging the winners and losers was more harmful than beneficial. It did not teach a good lesson.

We never got trophies or awards for just showing up for sure in SoCal in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and how you dealt with losing prepared us for life.

Now. Back to the LGBQTA+ communities/flag and etc. I’ve personally come to realize, after years and decades in learning and listening and being open to things beyond what I was raised with, that sexuality is a spectrum. I came to this knowledge later than I should have, but I'm there 100% now. With 8 billion, 18 million living as I write this, I can see either the universe’s willingness to be all-inclusive, or God/gods/goddesses willingness to be all-inclusive.

Physical traits for people out of the normative male-female definition and/or your knowledge of yourself (whether known when you’re 2, 10, or 40 or older), are the only valid determining factors of how you should be and present to the world sexually. Period. I’ve learned quite a few terms in recent years, including aromantic, asexual (ace), demisexual, and more. *shrugs* Everybody deserves to be happy in their own skin without political, religious, or other limitations/repercussions/attacks. Another period. And don't get me started on the religious persecution of people who don't fit in their religious relief system. As someone who was literally pushed into a wall with a finger in my chest demanding that I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior when I was in my early 20s, I have issues with organized religion.

You could never offend me, John, and your writing here is cherished.

>203 richardderus: Hiya, RDear! Happy yesterday to you, which was Thursday, although I had to confirm that today is Friday because Jenna left early for work today (7-4 on Fridays). I hope you worked hard, played on your laptop, read, wrote reviews, and ate scrumptious goodies sent by your LT and other friends. *smooch*

>204 quondame: Hi Susan. No problem with that opinion either, and thank you for sharing. I tried reading Casual Vacancy, Rowling’s first straight (adult?) novel and found it confusing and character-heavy and after being scandalized that HP’s creator would use the f word, I abandoned it. However, needs must for something to listen to on my commute, and later on I borrowed the audio book from the Library, listened to it, and appreciated the complicated plot and characterization that define her work and her continued unwillingness to paint a completely rosy world by giving some of the characters I liked unhappy lives. The world will still turn with you boycotting writers you have issues with, as it will with my boycotting writers I have issues with. It's all good.

Wordle 615 5/6* Sheesh. Alphabet soup. adieu, alloy, armor, ardor, arbor

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Well. My brain hurts from the above. I'm halfway through my thermos of coffee. I've got birds on the feeders and in the Crepe Myrtle and I just put out a tiny tupperware of dry kitty food for stray-but-named Simon Fitzwilliam again, although other kitties, my kitties, and other critters may eat some. For some reason the outside spot lights don't work. They worked yesterday. I don't know if it is the breaker or something else. Home ownership definitely is a work in progress.

Today is once again trying to work on Friends stuff, do my countdown spreadsheet, and write the list of things for Alex my housecleaner, who comes about 11 or so for 3 hours. I need to tell him today that he can't come in 2 weeks because that will be the day I come home from surgery, but that if he can fit us in the following week that would be good.

And reading, of course. No app exercises today - I finally figured out that they're an every other day event and did them yesterday morning and early afternoon. Sleep was better but there was some major pain about 5 or so.

And so it goes.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you! Rather than go back and edited what I just posted like I sometimes do, I’ll just add this post for your always-welcome morning message.

Yay for working hard yesterday, trip prep, and willingness to still go with the awful weather affecting so much of our country. It’s wicked cold at friend Karen’s place near Bozeman MT, and I can also see that it’s wicked cold at @streamsong, Janet’s. Go bold or go home, eh? Be safe and have a good time, says LT mom. *smile*

>206 karenmarie: I struggle with the Trans debate as well. It doesn't bother me at all if people identify as Trans and the issues that people often get upset about (communal changing rooms & unisex toilets) don't worry me at all. We have a new leisure centre here that has communal individual cubicles (if that makes sense), and to be honest it's my preferred option. And unisex toilets haven't been a problem either. (That may be because public toilets in the U.K. are a lot less 'public' than ones in the U.S. - the first time I encountered U.S. style toilets when I worked in Bermuda I actually seriously reduced my fluid intake for a while so that I had to use them as little as possible!)

But I can see that it maybe an issue for, for example, women who have been abused. Whether it is logical for such women to have problems with Trans people, or whether there is any actual threat, isn't actually the point for me. I don't think it's the role of anyone else to tell traumatised women what they should be comfortable with or who should be in their safe space. It's a difficult question, and I don't think it's helped by the current level of (at times) extremely agressive discourse on both sides.

Good morning, Karen! I am itching to respond to ll of this, and it's late and Mama needs to get up. We both need breakfast!
I'm happy to hear that you were able to sleep until 5:00. I'll be SO GLAD when you are well on your way to recovery. You're doing everything right, and it's going to be grand.

Enjoy your day!!!!!

>208 SandDune: Nicely said, Rhian. It is a very nuanced debate and the level of vituperation on both sides is unhelpful.

Hi Karen!

>206 karenmarie: No, no, Horrible I was sure you wouldn't see my message until Friday so I tailored for the time lag...well, anyway a happy Friday was had by all. And boos as well as hisses on the 5am Fairy.

It was a difficult workout today because Seth added some good challenges to my sense of balance. I left feeling hungry and tired and like I'd accomplished something, which is a good way to feel.

>208 SandDune: Hi Rhian! Thanks for visiting and addressing the Trans debate here. I don't think it's the role of anyone else to tell traumatised women what they should be comfortable with or who should be in their safe space I agree with that, of course, AND think that penalizing all Trans women because of the perceived threat when they personally only want to go to the bathroom that supports their need for comfort and safe space makes for a complicated political and social dynamic. Extremism on all sides isn’t helping at all. And… what? US-style toilets? I’m confused, at least as far as ones for women go. Enclosed cubicles is the norm from my experience. That contrasts wildly with the hole in the floor with no door and no supplied TP at a public toilet in Piraeus, Greece when I was there in 1977 waiting for a ferry to Andros with my then-boyfriend. He was amused at my offended sensibilities.

>209 LizzieD: ‘Hi Peggy, one day later. You have a lot on your plate and if you respond, great, since your thoughts are always intelligent and articulate.

I am doing everything right, thank you. I already exercised once this morning, we put out dry food for Simon Fitzwilliam who made an appearance around the other side of the house while we were in the kitchen. I’m going to get a new will and appropriate POAs and medical POAs drawn on Monday since Bill and I were supposed to do that several years ago to update our wills and etc., but never did and he never took the initiative and now I have to do it for me regardless of him. I had a good day reading and puttering and watching Alex clean the house. 🤗

>210 PaulCranswick: Yes, Paul, I agree. Hi to you, too!

>211 richardderus: ‘Morning, RDear. Happy Saturday to you. Nice recovery on the wrong-day thing, by the way. Glad Seth pushed you a tad to make the workout difficult. Feeling like you’ve accomplished something is way better than having it too easy. That‘s one thing I liked about cardio rehab – they increased my target heart rate and/or treadmill incline or speed I should attain – all in a specific way to keep me safe yet push me.

Wordle 616 5/6* Dratted alphabet soup. adieu, choir, filmy, fizzy, fifty

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Arsenal plays Leicester at 10 a.m. I really like Leicester because I like watching Wout Faes even though he blew it on their last match with a sloppy pass that allowed a goal. He's a defender and is simply all over the place. Plus, as Jenna points out, I seem to have a thing for players with long hair...

Other than that, whole bunches of relaxing, reading, possibly making chicken for dinner tonight with brown rice and vegetables.

>208 SandDune: / >212 karenmarie: - I think US-style toilets refers to the fact that our public bathrooms are open at the top and bottom, whereas many (most?) other countries have a more substantial floor to ceiling model, and hence greater privacy.

Happy Saturday, Karen! I'm recovering today from our party and planning to do absolutely nothing beyond reading, puzzling, and veging in front of the TV :)

>212 karenmarie: >213 katiekrug: Katie has it as regards the toilets. There are just more gaps in the stalls in the U.S. style ones - I can cope with gaps at the top and bottom of the door (we have those sometimes too) - but it’s gaps down the side of the door that get me! I think a lot of European travellers find that they take a little getting used to.

What a trip! I haven't been here since my post 171 on February 20. While it has only been 5 days (and about 40 posts) since then, you reply so thoroughly and thoughtfully to comments, inviting the same in return, that it took me a lot of time to bring myself up to date.

I love your methodical replies, listing responses to a half-dozen or more posts, citing post numbers. I only wish I could emulate that. But I get distracted.

I do want to make known my completion of a book for the first time in two weeks. A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark. It took me about half the book before I was fully engaged. But I experienced a supply-chain issue on my bookcase megaproject yesterday that stymied what I planned to do. So I snorted exasperatedly and read the second half of the book. "So THERE!" I shouted, waving a fist. It was rewarding to me.

Keep on truckin'...

Off to watch Tottenham Chelsea, will return a bit later.

>216 karenmarie: Enjoy the match! *smooch*

>213 katiekrug: Ah, got it, Katie. I was in what was West Germany and Portugal during the same trip as the Greece trip. I also spent time in hotels in Athens but simply do not remember how the bathrooms were set up in any of it. Thanks. I’ll have to come by and visit your thread to see how the party went in a while.

>214 SandDune: The wide gaps are just US reality I guess. I have never really thought about them, Rhian.

>215 weird_O: Aw shucks, Bill, thank you. Congrats on finishing a book. Imagine that – having to read a book instead of finishing bookcases to house the books you buy to read. I’ll keep on truckin’ for sure.

>217 richardderus: Hiya, RD, and thanks. It’s 0-0 t the half, with a very interesting donnybrook in stoppage time, wherin a Chelsea player should really have been awarded a red card – he actually was, and it was CHANGED to a yellow. He should have actually had 2 yellows for two parts of the same donnybrook but wasn’t, so it’s weird. I left Bill to listen to the halftime commentary, and am returning to it right now. Well. 25 seconds into the second half, while I’m here, a score. Sheesh.

Wordle 617 4/6* adieu, butch, plump, syrup. I had help from the 2,309 word list.

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Good morning, Karen. I hope you enjoy the rest of the game and get to see the rest of the scores!
3 in Wordle for me today because of my magic second word. I'm not sure what I would have done without it.

Sunday orisons, Horrible!

I've begun a Donald Westlake novel I picked up a month ago: Help I Am Being Held Prisoner. It was first published in 1974, but went out of print. In 2018, it was reissued as a "Hard Case Crime" edition by a British publisher. I absolutely loved the film made of Westlake's The Hot Rock, featuring Robert Redford, Zero Mostel, George Segal, Ron Leibman, and finally tracked down a copy at Strand Books. I've since collected at least five other Westlake novels. Humor. Lots of humor in Westlake's oeuvre. He also published as Richard Stark. And some other pen names.

It's pretty good. Maybe I'll binge.

I'm going to get back to building today. I have a penchant for making simple things difficult, but I think I've got the productive focus. Heh.

Hi Karen,
Yesterday's post has disappeared.
I left some thoughts relative to >202 johnsimpson: and >206 karenmarie: because I thought those comments were very thoughtful.

However, I am discouraged about reiterating what I said since a number of posts I made yesterday including on my own thread didn't appear when I visited this morning.
Perhaps the LT servers might have had a glitch somewhere. I noticed Meg also commenting on LT weirdness.

Hope today's coffee and reading are all good.

>218 karenmarie: I had a Wordle-in-4 today, too, and I used the 2309 word list (thanks to your bringing it to my attention). It is a great help! I will cite it in my spoiler just as you do. I thought it was funny that the solution was the LAST word listed under the “S”s.

>219 LizzieD: ‘Morning, Peggy, and happy Sunday to you. I did watch the rest of the match, and have deliberately not looked at the Standings Table because we usually end up watching the matches the rest of the week and I don’t like to know the result before I watch a match. Arsenal plays Everton on Wednesday, too. Congrats on your 3, my dear.

>220 richardderus: And Sunday orisons to you, too, RD! I hope you have a good day. *smooch*

>221 weird_O: Hiya, Bill! Congrats on starting a Donald Westlake. I read Who Stole Sassi Manoon in July of 2016, giving it 3.5 stars and have the title 361 on my shelves. Binge away. Good luck on Building Today.

>222 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. Maybe there was an advantage in me not being on LT yesterday afternoon – I was completely unaware of the glitch. I’m sorry you wasted time and effort on lost messages.

Today’s coffee was excellent, haven’t done any reading yet. The Tottenham Chelsea game is over. I had to scan my 1993 will into a PDF file to send to the lawyer for my appointment tomorrow afternoon – I need an updated will and whatever medical directives are currently legal here in NC prior to my March 9th surgery. They know I need this stuff done before the 9th, so I’m relieved.

>223 klobrien2: Hi Karen. You’re welcome re the 2,309 list. It’s not a huge secret, but I did download it to a spreadsheet, AND I found a list of words already used and have it, AND have added to it every day. I don’t always cite my use of the lists, but I always check against the 2,309 list AND the already-used list. What I don’t always do but did today was filter the 2,309 list against the final letter and where another one of the letters might go to come up with valid guesses.

After visiting a few threads, I’ll be reading.

>224 karenmarie: Whoa. You might have stopped my heart there, but not. I read that "361" as the number of Westlake books in your collection. Relieved that it's a book title.

No heart attack intended, Bill. I've edited my post to put ' the title' in front of the touchstone. We don't want anybody to have a heart attack.

Wordle 618 5/6* adieu, sleep, close, horse, worse

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Ah, coffee. I'm happy right now, halfway through my first cup.

Nothing exciting on tap for today, but necessary things - lawyer, PO, Library to pick up hold for A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting. Will I read it? Perhaps.

Morning, Karen. We are back a day early. Details on my thread. We had a great time with our friends. This is the same group we go camping with. 5 couples made the trip. I brought one of my bird feeders up, since I know they don't have one. Lots of activity but only 5 species. I love watching the red-breasted nuthatches. We are rarely get them at our home feeders. Today will be a chill day. It is raining here but mild, so no birding. I hope you had a good weekend, yourself.

Good morning, Karen! As you might guess about today's Wordle, 4 of the letters were in my first word, making a 2 or 3 a shoo-in, right? Wrong. I took 4, my last 2 being your last 2.

Oh, my coffee was so good yesterday. I'm off to try to get the same proportions this morning, my measuring being unregulated.

I wish you smooth negotiations while you're out and satisfaction and contentment at home!

It's a beautiful day here, Horrible. Hope it is there, too!

Morning, Karen! So much interesting and thoughtful and articulate conversation here, and I loved reading through all of it but just do not have the energy to comment. Your thread is one of my favorites - always makes me smile.

Hoping today is kind to you.

Just in time to slip in a "Good Mornin'!" while it's still legitimately morning in the Eastern Time Zone.

>221 weird_O: First time I picked up a BB from you, Mark.
The Hot Rock = BB, especially since I can get it as an e-book.

I usually visit Mark's thread to look at his birdy stuff.

>228 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! I shall visit as soon as I reply to all my lovely messages here. I’m glad you had a great time and am especially happy to hear that you thought to take a bird feeder up. Clever man. Rain is not bad. I had a fun (soccer, reading) and productive (new chicken recipe, finding my will in the safe-scanning it-sending-to-lawyer’s-office) day an with always-not-fun-nighttime-pain-filled night.

>229 LizzieD: ‘Morning, Peggy! Not fair about having 4 letters right off the bat yet taking four. Today took me 4, even with getting two of the vowels right off the bat.

We had to get a new coffee grinder a couple of years ago after my wonderful, lovely old KitchenAid A9 gave up the ghost. I had to regulate how much coffee by the level line in the glass container. The new one lets you set a countdown-timer that we always have set on 23 seconds, perfect for both of us, and literally just push the start button. All we have to do is keep the admittedly-less-than-large reservoir filled. He has a separate coffee pot because I like stronger coffee than he does, so it's two grinds a day.



My negotiations were successful and my contentment immeasurable yesterday. *smile*

>230 richardderus: It was cool-ish but beautiful out, RD, for sure. Today’s a mix of blue and clouds slowly floating SW to NE.

>231 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Sometimes comment gets a lot of short replies, other times people spend quite a bit of time writing what’s important to them. I love it all. Not having energy to comment should be a phrase I start using, especially on Paul’s thread since stuff can get quite deep there - good, deep, and intense. Yesterday was a good’un. I got the queen sleeper sofa opened up, realized the mattress cover had seen its last days but the sheet just needed to be washed and put up. I splurged on a new mattress cover AND, although I have some nice flannel sheets that I brought to the marriage 32 years ago, a set of queen microfleece winter sheets.



>232 weird_O: You got in just under the wire, Bill! Hi.

>233 SandyAMcPherson: It’s always fun to get BBs, isn’t it Sandy? Mark and I frequently exchange bird reports.

Like now – I’ve got a female Cardinal on the sunflower seed feeder and a male in the Crepe Myrtle. Nobody else visiting, but there was a Blue Jay resting in the Crepe Myrtle when I looked out a while ago.

Today would have been the 122nd birthday of Bill's stepmother's mother, Elma Patricia (Pat) Roderick Proctor (1911-1996). She never said the word 'step' regarding us, and was absolutely thrilled when Jenna was born - her first red-headed great-grandchild.

Pat and her husband Cecil. Pat's father abandoned the family when Pat was young and Drusilla, her mother, had to put the the youngest children in an orphanage until she could take them back. Pat had a hard life, was a wonderful woman.



Wordle 619 4/6* adieu, bloat, valor, polka

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Nothing on the schedule except grocery shopping and filling my gas tank! No lawyer or other homework, not even exercises since they're every other day.

I've started the 15th and last Ruth Galloway - it arrived in the mail from friend Rhoda on Sunday. She and her husband Roger just returned from a 2-month visit to India and London. She always gets any number of wonderful books in London and I'm always first on the list for the latest Ruth Galloway. I'm already on page 150 of 357.

Morning, Karen. I was just waiting for you to wake up. I was up at 530. So much for being retired. I took the day off from my Rehab duties. I thought we would be getting back later from our trip. Our weather continues to be mild, so I will get out to do some solo birding and then hang out with Juno and the books.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you, early bird. I woke up at 7 today. I rarely deliberately get up to say hi-bye to Jenna in the morning, but am always sad that I missed her.

Glad you took off from your Rehab duties. Birding, Juno, and books sounds lovely.

A few finches, a Blue Jay. That's it right now.

Morning, Karen! I hope the Ruth Galloway is a good 'un to end the series. Jealous you already have your hands on it!

Hi Katie!

I'm really liking it so far, and as soon as I finish visiting a few threads will open it up again this morning.

The only disadvantage of Rhoda loaning her Quercus, published in England, editions is that I don't have the last three on my shelves. I'll probably remedy that one of these days soon, perhaps using some Amazon credit card credit. I mean, I might want to re-read the series one of these days, right? *smile*

I'm very envious of your Ruth Galloway reading, Karen! And I like your snazzy coffee grinder. We used to grind ours, and at one time had a coffeemaker that would grind and brew on a timer and drip the coffee into a thermal carafe so it would stay hot longer and not get that burnt/overheated taste. It was an excellent appliance, and especially perfect when I was working because I could set it all up the night before. Nowadays we get ground coffee by subscription and make it in a French press. We could get whole bean, but then I'd need to spring for a snazzy new grinder.

Morning, Karen! I love my coffee grinder which I bought on your recommendation, so it's the Kitchenaid one, and mine is bright red. It looks like this:



I don't leave beans in the grinder since we switch up the coffee most days. Before that we had a coffee maker like Laura describes, and we loved that and used it until it died. By then Abby was drinking coffee, and we started to love trying new coffees, so we went with this coffee maker:



It makes excellent coffee, and we love how fast and how quiet it is. Very happy making.

I am jealous of the last Ruth Galloway that you have in your custody - I love that series and have read through the books multiple times. Often when I need a comfort read, I run home to Ruth. Love that it has a main character called Nelson because that was my Dad's name.

The new sheets are full of beauty!

Hoping today is kind to you - not having a lot on your schedule is a very good start!

>239 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. It was a doozy - I just finished it about 2 hours ago. Devoured it, actually. Review below. Sometimes easier is better, and if the quality of the brew works for you, then brava.

>240 Crazymamie: 'Afternoon, Mamie! I'm glad you love your snazzy coffee bean grinder, in red. And a Mochamaster. Just checked it out on Amazon, and it's something to think about for the future.

I haven't re-read any of the Ruth Galloway books, and actually need to acquire the last three to make my collection complete, but I've finished reading them, and it has been such a satisfying series. I didn't know or remember that your dad's name was Nelson, so of course it's special for you.

Thanks re the new sheets - they just arrived. I need to get the topper fluffed, rested, and on, then the new mattress pad and sheets. Realistically, probably over the weekend.

I just got back from a blood draw for my cardiologist - cholesterol check. If it's still elevated although below high end numbers she'll increase the atorvastatin dose, although obviously some time after my surgery. I just wanted to get the blood draw out of the way while I was ambulatory. Grocery shopping, home. Review written.

66. The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

2/27/23 2/28/23





From Amazon.co.uk - better description than Amazon US:

The unmissable new book in the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries. Ruth and Nelson are working on a murder case in which Cathbad emerges as the prime suspect. Can they uncover the truth in time to save their friend?

'GALLOWAY NOW SEEMS AS REAL AS MARPLE AND MORSE' The Times

'SET IN DIVINE NORTH NORFOLK. INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India Knight

When builders renovating a café in King's Lynn find a human skeleton behind a wall, they call for DCI Harry Nelson and Dr Ruth Galloway, Head of Archaeology at the nearby University of North Norfolk. Ruth is preoccupied with the threatened closure of her department and by her ever-complicated relationship with Nelson. However, she agrees to look at the case.

Ruth sees at once that the bones are modern. They are identified as the remains of Emily Pickering, a young archaeology student who went missing in the 1990s. Emily attended a course run by her Cambridge tutor. Suspicion falls on him and also on another course member - Ruth's friend Cathbad, who is still frail following his near death from Covid.

As they investigate, Nelson and his team uncover a tangled web of relationships within the student group and the adults leading them. What was the link between the group and the King's Lynn café where Emily's bones were found?

Then, just when the team seem to be making progress, Cathbad disappears. Was it guilt that led him to flee?

The trail leads Ruth and Nelson to the Neolithic flint mines in Grimes Graves which are as spooky as their name. The race is on, first to find Cathbad and then to exonerate him, but will Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to save their friend?

Why I wanted to read it. I love this series. Last book in the series, supposedly, but I cannot find anywhere on the web or on the book that indicates this. Available from a friend who brought it back on the plane with her from London, not being released in the US until April 25th. Since I’ve been on a romance binge since last April, with few other genres getting read, this was a perfect break, whether temporary or permanent from my recent obsession. *smile*

At once like all other Ruth Galloway books in the best of senses, and more in that there is finally some movement on the front in Ruth’s personal life. Again. Kate’s growing up, Ruth’s conflicted about Nelson, Nelson’s conflicted about Ruth. Michelle is conflicted. The personal mixes with the mystery with everybody’s jobs, all in the best of ways. I devoured this book in 2 days.

We have a new player, Lucy, a DS temporarily assigned to help Nelson with the case since Judy cannot be on it because of Cathbad’s involvement and Tony’s out on Covid protocols. However, Tony works from home and brings in several critical pieces of critical info via Zoom, and Judy, along with Ruth and other people, search for Cathbad. I love the sameness of feeling, love for Norfolk, intelligent writing, interesting facts, and vivid characters from the first through this fifteenth in the series.

Six word review: Loose ends, new starts, satisfactory solution.

>234 karenmarie: Lovely new coffee grinder. When Peet's started requiring 1/2lb purchase of beans for a discount on brewed coffee - I'd been buying 1/3lb ground for my French Press - I got a mill. I'm sure it's not as good as a grinder, but for 1 pot a day that seems an excessive use of our limited counter space. The mill is mini-blender size and sits on top of our grill/griddle/panini press.

Pat sounds like a remarkable woman who left happy memories behind.

Hi Susan! Thanks. It works beautifully although aesthetically it's not quite as gorgeous. We always have to consider our counter space, for sure.

Pat also tatted a coming-home-from-the-hospital bonnet for Jenna, which I still have. Yes, many happy memories AND fun ones, too.

67. 1066: The Year That Changed Everything by Professor Jennifer Paxton

2/27/23 2/28/23





From Amazon.com:

With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.

Your journey starts in the 10th and early 11th centuries, when power in England and Normandy was very much up for grabs - and when the small island nation was under continuous assault from Viking forces. Professor Paxton helps you gain a solid grasp of the complex political alliances and shifting relationships between figures such as Emma of Normandy, Cnut, and Edward the Confessor. She also recounts for you the two seminal battles that pitted England against the Scandinavians and the Normans: the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Hastings. Throughout the lectures, Dr. Paxton opens your eyes to continued debates and controversies over this year and offers her own take on the Norman Conquest's enduring legacy and the fascinating results of this epic clash. By exploring the year 1066 – what led up to it, what happened during that fateful year, and what changed as a result - you'll gain a sharper perspective and a greater understanding of everything that would come afterward.

Why I wanted to listen to it. English history, The Great Courses, and wanting nonfiction after my epic listen of The Ink Black Heart caused me to pull this off my shelves.

Professor Paxton has a beautiful speaking voice. She’s articulate, clearly loves her subject, and you just know there’s much more behind the scenes in her researches that she’s condensed to six 30-minute lectures. Claimants to the throne, court intrigue, battle strategies of the 11th century, William the Conqueror’s ways and means of winning at the Battle of Hastings AND his roundabout way of truly claiming England… fascinating stuff.

Six word review: More than the Battle of Hastings.

Hi there! My hubby got a new coffee grinder for Christmas and he's ecstatic! Hurray for another Ruth Galloway. I REALLY need to find time to squeeze another one of hers in...soon! Hope the cholesterol check goes well and I am impressed with your exercise commitment. I need to up mine a tad. If I could just not be tired, that might help. LOL. Anyhow, happy Wednesday!

Hi Kim! Nice to see you here. Simple pleasures can often be the best, right? I'm inordinately thrilled to be able to put new microfleece sheets on the queen-sized sleeper sofa mattress on top of a brand new topper and mattress cover instead of another ratty old mattress cover and non-microfleece sheets, so that next Friday I'll have something fun to come home to.

I encourage you to continue the Ruth Galloway series - I have found it to be reliably good, interesting, always a fast read, and filled with characters and situations that are vivid and plausible.

I know you have Long Covid exhaustion issues and knee issues, so be kind to yourself even as you want to up your regimen a tad. Thanks re my Wednesday, the same to you.

...
Wordle 620 6/6* Humbled. adieu, close, prose, whose, loose, moose

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I need to do set up a meeting with my Treasurer and Membership Chair, via zoom I hope, to discuss the Square schedule and training of the Square Squad. I also have some homework from the Lawyer, due for tomorrow's meeting re new will/medical and financial documents.

Other than that, just a bit of reading, perhaps make some Cinnamon Raisin Scones for breakfast this morning. Jenna just left for work 10 minutes ago and Bill's up and looks like he's going in to work today, too.

Home alone with the kitties.

Morning Karen. I scrolled past your Ruth Galloway review; I'm sure you don't have spoilers but I also want to be sort of a blank slate when I get to it. I did see 4.5 stars though, which makes me even more excited to read it. I'm #4 on the library list so I should get one of the first copies.

I'm glad you have a newly-comfy sleep sofa for your recovery. That will make a world of difference.

Have a great day!

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. I had a very pleasant solo walk yesterday and managed to see 19 species, including a bald eagle, a pileated woodpecker and a few bluebirds. I also had a red-winged blackbird at my tray feeder. A good bird day and I am meeting my birding buddies this AM. Yep, all about the birdies. Enjoy your day.

Enjoy your solo day at home, Karen!

>248 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! I just spent a few pleasant moments getting caught up on your thread. I always enclose spoilers in spoiler quotes. I scroll by reviews of books I know I want to read, too. Thanks re my day - I hope yours is a good'un, too.

>249 msf59: 'Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you, too. Wow - 19 seriously marvelous species. I currently have a female Downy, a male and female Cardinal, and too many finches. Ooh - a Tufted Titmouse is on the porch railing trying to decide where to go.

I was unhappy when Southern States did not have the suet I've been getting forever, and I went back to what seemed unpopular from a year or more ago. However, they actually seem to like it, so there's that. Ah - now there's a Chipping Sparrow hanging around. One of the few sparrows I can actually identify by sight.

Enjoy your BBA - birding buddy adventure - this a.m.

>250 katiekrug: Hi Katie, and thanks! Nice and quiet, just me and the kitties. I hope you have a good day, too.

Best rolled cookies ever -

Sugar Cookies – Betty Crocker 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened - to make low sodium, use unsalted butter + 1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
½ t almond extract
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 t baking soda - haven't tried them with no-sodium baking soda yet
1 t cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375F. Grease cookie sheet lightly, or use silpat or nonstick cookie sheet. Divide dough in half. Roll each half ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 ½ inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown; cool.

About 5 dozen cookies, 65 calories each.

Decorated sugar cookies: Omit granulated sugar. Frost or decorate cooled cookies with frosting tinted with food color if desired. Decorate with colored sugar, small candies, candied fruit or nuts if desired. 80 calories per cookie.

The BEST sugar cookie recipe – rolls like a dream.

I made these for Valentine's Day most recently and we all swooned when I frosted them with

Cream Cheese Frosting
Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook

1 package, 8 oz, cream cheese, softened
1 T milk
1 t vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, milk, and vanilla in medium bowl on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and of spreading consistency. Frosts a 13 x 9 inch cake or fills and frosts two 8- or 9-inch cake layers. Refrigerate any remaining frosting. 16 servings; 175 calories per serving.

No butter in this cream cheese frosting recipe - pure heaven.

>252 karenmarie: Oh YUM!!! Another recipe favorited. I have to say that Betty Crocker taught me a lot of what I know about cooking.

GOOD for you for getting your sleeping arrangement ready to go. You are approaching the short rows!!!!!!!

I read your posts last night and was too sleepy to formulate a post, and now I can't remember what I wanted to say - nothing much, I'm sure. Enjoy your at-home day.
Instead of the scones that I still haven't made (I'm looking hard at blueberry-lemon), I think I'll make banana bread since I have some on the point of going bad.

Past time to get Mama up. Enjoy your at-home day the way you like it!

(Oh! 5 Wordle for me. It was too much too soon with too many choices.) Glad neither of us was skunked.

Morning, Karen! The house to yourself is indeed an occasion for happy dancing!

Like Laura, I skipped your Ruth review because I want to go in a blank slate. I love that you gave it 4.5 stars, though.

Thanks so much for those recipes - I will definitely make them and report back. I have not seen one with powdered sugar in the dough before, so that's interesting.

Hoping today is kind to you.

Hi Coffee Sister! Yes, I'm puttering and reading and etc. to my heart's content.

Loved Ruth... you will, too.

You're welcome and I hope they work well for you. I think of all the sugar cookie recipes I tried over the years, always okay but never stunning, and this one just really works for me. And the cream cheese frosting recipe was luck - I was never happy with the cream cheese AND butter recipes friends had, so just tried this one and love the flavor.

I hope your day is kind to you too, and also full of bits of fabulous here and there.

YTD Statistics February 28

67 books read
2 of them on my shelves before 1/1/23 and not rereads
25 books abandoned, 2429 pages abandoned
19281 pages read
35.75 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 327
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 288

Book of the Month: The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith, audiobook

Books by Month
January - 33 e-books, 19 books abandoned for 1711 pages
February 34 e-books, 1 paper book, 1 audiobook, 6 books abandoned for 718 pages

Author
Male 5%
Female 90%
Unknown* 1%
Non-Binary 4%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Living 100%
Dead 0%

US Born 61%
Foreign Born 39%

Platform
Hardcover 1%
Trade Pback 0%
Mass Market 0%
Audiobook 3%
e-Book 96%

Source
My Library 6%
Library 0%
Kindle Unlimited 93%
Borrowed from a friend 1%

Misc
ARC/ER 0%
Re-read 0%
Series 84%

Fiction 99%
NonFiction 1%

Author Birth Country
Australia 12%
Canada 7%
England 14%
Ireland 1%
Unknown 4%
US 62%

Original Decade Published
2010-2019 19%
2020-2029 30%

Category
Contemporary Fiction 96%
Crime Fiction 3%
Informational Nonfiction 1%

Acquisition/Source Date
Kindle Unlimited 60
2022 2
2023 4
Borrowed 1

Average Rating
2.0 - Bad 0
2.5 - Average 1
3.0 - Good 9
3.5 - Very Good 9
4.0 - Excellent 31
4.5 - Outstanding 17
5 - Masterpiece 0

Average Rating 3.90
Books acquired YTD 21
Books culled YTD 28

February Lightning Round

Hard Target by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/1/23 Kindle

This one trips all my triggers – alpha males, black ops stuff, interesting backstories and current sparkage along with LMFAO dialog and situations. Everett and Rafi… twink USAF retired sniper Rafi, all 5’0” of him, and Everett, a foot taller, silver fox, tattoo artist cover for black ops stuff, who fears that Rafi can’t handle the murder and mayhem he’s involved in. Silly Everett. It all works out, and is the first of what appears to be a great series. Caveat emptor re sex.

Full Contact by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/2/23 Kindle

Omar, Rafi’s former roommate, joins the team and Anders teases him unmercifully. When his final prank, putting highly flammable objects in his car in the heat of Austin Texas and his car catches on fire, their boss insists that they work together on anout-of-town mission and work out the problems in their relationship. Sparkage, more LMFAO dialog and situations, and a very satisfying HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Most Wanted by Kelly Fox 2/2/23 2/4/23 Kindle

Ugh. Thane and Ronan’s story, starting five years ago when Thane walks out of their friends with benefits relationship after Ronan says I Love You. Present day, Ronan’s now on the team and Thane’s got a problem with that. Too much angst, too many tears. On the other hand, two all-purpose alligators, Mama and Papa Bash, and an intriguing set up for the next book, which I hope has less tears and lest angst. Caveat emptor re sex.

Goodnight by Kelly Fox 2/4/23 2/5/23 Kindle

Sam and Trip’s story. The only reason I continued reading it was because I really wanted to find out Sam’s story from when Anders and Omar rescued him in Full Contact. Improbable, cutsie, and the straight-to-gay sex trope got another workout. Caveat emptor re sex.

Heart of the Steal by Roan Parrish and Avon Gale 2/5/23 2/5/23 Kindle

I’ve never gotten into quarter stars, but this one might just be 4.25 stars. No violence, no straight-to-gay, no over-the-top-twink, no tattoos, no gyms. This is a pure romance with a bump or two and a wonderful HEA. William is an FBI agent in the Art Crimes division, Amory is exceedingly rich. They meet at a fundraiser that William’s sister is catering. William tries to attend most events she caters, and Amory is attending as a potential donor. There is serious sparkage as they eye each other while mingling. William escapes to a downstairs room, Amory follows. Kisses and etc. take place in this room that houses some of the owner’s private and expensive art. William expresses interest in one particular piece, they leave each other without exchanging contact info. Amory steals the piece, delivers it to William’s apartment along with an invitation to the wedding he’s hosting for his best friend/new husband. Amory does not know that William is an FBI agent. William goes there to arrest Amory for stealing, yet doesn’t, and there is more sparkage. William secretly returns the piece using the security codes his sister had to cater the event and with the owner away for 2 weeks. William is attracted and conflicted, Amory is besotted. We learn more about what drives each of these men as they start dating. After ironing out some basic differences and each making some compromises, there’s their HEA. I like the alternating point of view and the author’s way with words. There’s also Audrey the cat, always a plus for me. Caveat emptor re sex.

In The Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish 2/5/23 2/6/22 Kindle

First in the Middle of Nowhere series. While interviewing for a job as a professor of English at a small college in UP Michigan, Daniel crashes his car when a dog runs out into the road. He carries the dog, disoriented and unwilling to leave the dog. Rex, local furniture maker and handy-man, rescues both. Sparkage, but Rex is a gentleman and doesn’t take advantage. 6 months later, Daniel gets the job and moves to the small town of Holiday, taking up residence in a ratty old apartment and has a ratty office at the college, where he meets Rex again when Rex is sent there to repair the ceiling. Their relationship moves along in spurts and misunderstandings. Daniel has never had a relationship before, always just hookups, and Rex comes with his own baggage. The development of their relationship is a joy to read, with all its ups and downs. We learn about each of their backstories and there’s a HEA. Caveat emptor re sex. There’s a hook for the second book, Out of Nowhere, which I’m already reading and liking a lot.

Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish 2/6/23 2/7/23 Kindle

Second in the Middle of Somewhere series, this one about Daniel’s brother Colin and Rafe. Colin is deeply closeted, Rafe out and proud, running a program for queer kids at a local YA center. Rafe rescues Colin one night when Colin is drunk and being attacked. Eventual sparkage, as Rafe seems to know better than Colin who he really is. There’s a family situation that changes how Daniel sees Colin, Colin’s reckoning with who and what he is and ultimate acceptance, and some sweet stuff about the queer kids in the YA program. A tad sappy at the end, but not horribly so. My blood sugar levels did not rise. Caveat emptor re sex. Another cat, Shelby, totally adorable, but why he always bites the hand that feeds him is a mystery.

Straight to the Heart by Lynn van Dorn 2/8/23 2/8/23 302 pages Kindle

Age-gap romance between Ben, poor janitor, and Simon, just retired CEO of his family’s company. Very sweet. Simon falls for Ben completely when he rescues him in front of the building he owns, Ben collapsing from pneumonia. He takes him back to his townhouse after Ben’s released from the hospital after he sees the horrible place Ben lives in. They fall for each other but Ben thinks he’s not good enough for Simon. All’s well that ends well, though. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Loner by Riley Hart 2/8/23 2/9/23 Kindle

Excellent book about Declan, who considers himself unlovable and forcefully steers clear of commitment, and Sebastian, a young actor just arrived in LA. They hook up off and on over the next 8 years until Sebastian gets into a committed relationship. Sebastian becomes a well-known movie star along the way. One day he finds his boyfriend in bed with his best friend, retreats to his house in LA, and gets in touch with Declan. Sebastian becomes smitten, yet Declan is still a loner. Sebastian works on the friends bit, without the benefits, then Declan’s feelings become engaged and Sebastian’s become stronger. Sweet book, low angst, with lots of fun stuff about Declan’s podcast with his 3 best friends, The Vers, with it obvious double meaning. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Husband Hoax by Saxon James 2/9/23 2/10/23 Kindle

Excellent version of the fake husband trope, where Emile comes upon Christian in a panic when his boyfriend-for-hire at a family wedding has food poisoning and bails. Emile has left his dysfunctional family’s memorial to his grandfather and steps in to help Christian out. Later, when Emile needs a husband in order to inherit beaucoup bucks (that he doesn’t personally need and wants to set up foundations to distribute) Christian offers. Christian is an actor and lives with 4 other poverty-stricken artists. Emile and Christian have sparkage, of course, and all’s well that ends well when Christian tells his homophobic parents, who’ve come around after realizing that his fiancé is rich, to never contact him again, and Emile’s sister and Christian’s roommates make sure Emile gets the money. Excellent dialog and family issues for both Emile and Christian, and caveat emptor re sex.

Pretty Obsessed by J.R. Gray 2/10/23 2/11/23 Kindle

First in the Pretty Broken series about the members of a successful band. I know, I know… Writer Emory is, improbably, writing his next successful novel in a private sex club when he sees a man engaging in a sexual act but who stares at Emory with his ‘piercing green eyes’. They kiss. Emory has no idea who River is, but before the end of the evening he does but leaves without exchanging info. River, member of said band, tracks Emory down, and there’s serious sparkage and more. The entire book is the back and forth of obsession and yearning and two successful careers to try to find personal time. Emory feels that River will leave him because of who River is, and River has to find the right way to prove to Emory that he’s in it for the long haul. They eventually say the L word. The writing flowed for me, every scene interesting, every relationship important, especially and including River’s with his bandmate Iris. On to book #2, about band member Lowe and his friend/rock star Saint. (I know, I know…) Caveat emptor re sex.

Pretty Toxic by J.R. Gray 2/11/23 2/12/23 Kindle

Second in the Pretty Broken series about Lowe, member of the band, and Saint, a solo artist who’s best friends with Lowe, secretly in love with his straight friend. After a bout of honesty about his feelings, Saint kisses Lowe, and Lowe runs away for 6 weeks, thinking about the kiss, and his feelings, and Saint the whole time. He comes back. Straight-to-gay trope, handled okay but not stunningly. Caveat emptor re sex.

Just Want More by Evelyn Jeannie Hall 2/13/23 2/13/23 Kindle

Sweet story of out and proud 298-year old Rookie and deeply repressed and nominally heterosexual 38-year-old Tobias. Hurtful bio parents, hurtful adoptive parents, takes a while for Tobias to see what’s important to him. Caveat emptor re sex.

The New Hire by A.W. Scott 2/14/23 2/14/23 Kindle

Rather tired version of the hookup-hired-by-high-powered-executive, with said executive, Miguel, acting beyond ridiculous even though the love affair is sweet. ILY said way too early although love at first sight does exist. Caveat Emptor re sex.

Gus by J.J. Harper 2/15/23 2/15/23 Kindle

Sweet tale of a physics major Gus going back for his final doctorate year having a last minute dances-and-drinks outing with his friends. Instant attraction between him and the owner of a new bar in town, Max, falling in love, trying to figure out how their lifestyles will mesh, etc. Caveat emptor re sex.

Pushing the Limits by Riley Hart 2/16/23 2/16/23 322 pages Kindle

Second in the series I started in January, Off Limits. Lane’s mother marries Isaac’s father when they’re both fourteen. Isaac already knows he’s gay and in love with Lane. Lane thinks he’s straight. Both go off to college in different states and over the years Isaac avoids Lane as much as he can because of his feelings. Isaac is a successful investments broker, Lane is a successful artist living in NY. Lane and his boyfriend come home because Lane’s itchy but doesn’t know why. They break up while at home and Lane stays with Isaac, still not knowing how Isaac feels. One kiss and some hugely angsty moments later while Lane’s mother and Isaac’s father come to terms with the stepbrothers becoming life partners, and they get their HEA. I particularly love the bits where Isaac completely gets Lane’s need to create in Lane’s own way – painting naked or in boxers, painting all night, and other eccentric behaviors – where none of Lane’s other lovers ever accepted that. The final scene is particularly sweet. Caveat emptor re sex.

Giving Chase by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/17/23 Kindle

First in the Havenwood series, with Kellan having been in love with Chase since he was 14. Chase left to join the Marines, returning after ten years and having become a cop in the meantime. Chase is best friends with Kellan’s brother and Kellan and Chase don’t want to let on about their growing love because of Griffin’s overprotectiveness. Old events come back to haunt Chase, Kellan, and Griffin, but there’s a HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Murphy's Law by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/18/23 Kindle

Second in the Havenwood series, with Lawson meeting Remington, who becomes a well-known singer/songwriter after Law uploads a video and Remy’s career takes off. They have a 3-year secret relationship, meeting up when they can, texting/phoning when they can, until Law breaks it off. Three years later Remy’s running on fumes music-wise, has high-level anxiety, and buys a house in Law’s home town, not knowing Law’s returned home. They have a rough start which quickly turns romantic. Remy’s struggles with coming out and how it will affect his family and career compete with his love for Law and need to be out and proud. Guess which wins, in a way that actually had me in tears, especially with a song lyric. Crying at 5 a.m. over a fake song lyric. Oh well, it was that good. As was the book, with honest portrayals of panic attacks (a family member of mine has them), anxiety attacks (a family member of mine has them), and depression (which I’ve struggled with off and on almost all my adult life). The writing is believable, the friends group believable. I’m not gay so obviously don’t understand at a visceral level, but have a close gay family member who occasionally lets me know that some of the feelings in the books I’m currently reading are pretty close to what some folks go through, both the good with their love of the male form in the ones I’m currently reading, and the bad with family members, friends, and society at large rejecting them. Caveat emptor re sex.

Hard Knox by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/18/23 Kindle

Third in the Havenwood series, finds nominally straight Knox, divorced father of two, intrigued with Callum, younger gay man come to live in Havenwood after a bad breakup in California to be near his mother. Friends becomes more, Knox’s son Logan bonds with Callum. Sweet and sexy, with a particularly nice HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Griff's Place by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/19/23 Kindle

Final in the Havenwood series, with Kellan’s brother Griffin and friend Josh finding love against all odds. Josh’s first love had been in a car accident when they were 18, secret lovers, and Josh had blamed himself and promised to never fall in love again. Griffin had never felt romantic love for anybody until Josh. Lots to overcome on both sides, secondary plots that were very satisfactory, and a great conclusion to a good series. “His mouth tasted like coffee and home.” Caveat emptor re sex.

Beautiful and Terrible Things by Riley Hart 2/19/23 2/19/23 386 pages Kindle

Friends forever and high school lovers Gage and Joey were tragically separated at age 18 for 10 years. Gage tracks down Joey and although there is a tragic history with them, they, along with their HS friends Mouse and Romeo reforge the bonds of friendship and Gage and Joey have their HEA. I had tears over this one. Well written and poignant, with the what-ifs traded for the it-is-what-it-is’s for a satisfying if totally different life either expected. Caveat emptor re sex.

Snowed in With Benefits by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/20/23 Kindle

Wild and out of control Austin Ash, musician and content creator, is rescued from paparazzi after being blind drink at the awards show by a “Best Kiss” award recipient, Marco, musician and 6-episode walk on to a TV series, and taken to Marco’s family’s ‘cabin’ – really a huge old mansion. The snow is piling up and Marco knows he won’t be able to drop Austin off at The Belmont for the after-awards party without risking him not getting to the cabin. So, he takes him along. They get snowed in and figure out how to get along and … get along. Funny, kinky, serious. I especially liked Austin’s relationship with his father. Caveat emptor re sex.

Working Out the Kinks by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/21/23 Kindle

Stepbrothers for a brief time as teenagers, they’ve gone their separate ways, their respective parents divorced and moved on. Landon is a poverty-stricken musician, Brett is a “Rolex guy”, a type of guy Landon never, ever dates. Brett seeks him out after a life crisis and against his better judgement Landon takes him home for the night. I found the different ways the men were broken to be sad and realistic, and how they came to get healed and in love quite marvelous. A bit of kink, and caveat emptor re sex.

Just a Bit Bossy by Alessandra Hazard 2/21/23 2/22/23 Kindle

Video game lover Nate is protesting outside a company that bought his favorite game and confronts Raffaele Ferrara, a powerful VP. Challenge on, accepted – Nate has to work for him for 6 months as his PA in order to get a recommendation and removal of microtransactions from the game. Both straight, a one-up-manship game starts. I don’t like that there’s some serious power plays, but like it says in the book, Nate’s an adult, and it’s all consensual. It’s no sappier than many m-f books, actually. HEA, of course. Caveat emptor re sex.

So Into You by S.E. Harmon 2/22/23 2/23/23 Kindle

PI Drew has a screenwriter, Noah, follow him along for a month for tons of money and for Noah to get a better idea what a PI actually does. Serious sparkage. However, Drew doesn’t do hookups and Noah doesn’t do relationships. Takes a lot to get them both on the same page, but eventually they get their HEA. Vivid descriptions and characters, laugh-out-loud conversations, interesting background stories for both. A definite winner. The second in The PI Guys series, read out of order intentionally, but now I actually do want to go back and read the first one because of how great this one was. Caveat emptor re sex.

Stay With Me by S.E. Harmon 2/23/23 2/24/23 Kindle

First of the PI Guys series, read out of order, alas. Mackenzie leaves before he gets left. Jordan is straight and hires Mackenzie to follow his girlfriend because he thinks she’s cheating on him. Jordan is fascinated with Mackenzie. Straight to gay in a very good kind of way, with lots of big emotions, guffaws, LOL conversation and situations, and sweet moments. Caveat emptor re sex.

Chrysalis by S.E. Harmon 2/24/23 2/24/23 Kindle

Christian Cross is shot in the head, wakes up in the hospital with amnesia. The only thing he remembers is Grayson – his lover. He left Grayson 4 years earlier but doesn’t remember it until various and sundry things happen. I really liked this one for the love-of-my-life nature of their feelings for each other, even though they’re not together now. This quickly turns into a spies-assassins-and etc. book, with a cliff-hanger to be resolved in Cross. I may or may not read it. I say that a lot and will probably read it, just not next. Caveat emptor re sex.

Charming Him by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 Kindle

First in the Met His Match series. I really liked this story of Aussie nurse Ben traveling through Europe. In Monaco he’s intrigued by a man who he perceives to not need to carry his wallet. They meet up and sparkage and it goes from there. Leo is a billionaire, doesn’t think of money the same way Ben does. He nicknames Ben ‘Bunny’ – the original title of the book was The Bunny and the Billionaire – because his cousin says he looks at Ben like a predator looks at a rabbit. They spend time, Ben doesn’t continue with his European travels. Things are very serious and wonderful and I truly loved this sweet, sexy, and steamy story. Ben is incurably honest, cheap beyond measure even though he did get an inheritance from a client that makes even Leo and his cousins pay attention. After some angst, there’s the HEA. Caveat emptor re sex. I don’t plan on continuing the series, however.

Fake It 'Til You Make It by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 Kindle

Sweet short story/novella about a 23-year old tech billionaire who’s had a crush on his best friend’s brother forever. Not much more to say except caveat emptor re a little bit of sex.

Eurotour by Jaberona BL 2/26/23 2/26/23 Kindle

This was a great novella – I particularly like stories that make you ferret out the backstory and are subtle as well as giving you the plot and vivid characterizations. Ari is stuck in France with no money, trading his body as needed for food and a place to sleep. Bernard is on a road trip away from his wife and 3 teenaged boys. He stops for Ari, and they dance around each other figuratively speaking, challenging each other, curious about each other. Ari’s always thinking about the cash in Bernard’s backpack, Bernard’s always watching Ari, just waiting for him to steal. A crisis and a HEA. Caveat emptor re a little bit of sex.

Proud by Tatum West 2/26/23 2/27/23 Kindle

Staying at a cousin’s place in DC to hide from his abusive ex-boyfriend, Jesse lies about his work history to get a job at Will’s medical app company. He has no relevant direct experience, but his experience as a PT patient and his nature make him a success. In the meantime, Will hires him to pretend to be his boyfriend at his sister’s Debutante Ball since his parents refuse to acknowledge that he’s gay. We also have a cat held ransom by the crazy ex, Jesse’s insecurities about lying on his resume and not feeling any self worth because of the ex, Will’s never having wanted to be in a relationship before Jesse. I was captivated by their characters and their slow realization of their feelings for each other. Sweet, sexy, and a whole lot of legal retribution to the ex and the rescue of Greta the cat.

Hi Karen!

Way way up there you mentioned retirement notes that you made for yourself when reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. I'm glad you've got to do so many of them! It caught my eye since I've been listening to Major Pettigrew in the car the last few weeks. My own plan was five years of horses followed by looking for an international senior volunteer assignment. Having a hay stack fall of my knee, followed by the COVID restrictions slowed down the horse plans. I'm past the five years, but probably will keep going with them a few years longer.

I still really enjoy the author Sherman Alexie who holds (held?) an integral part in the revolution of Native American fiction. He's now out of favor and boycotted for taking liberties with female students. Nevertheless, one of his early books Reservation Blues was in my top five last year.

The surgery is coming up fast - all good wishes!

Wordle is soaking in my brain today. Hopefully more of my scarce-in-the-am brain cells will kick in later and I'll return to it.

Hi Karen, a Ruth Galloway book is a great way to break the romance streak. Lots of interesting posts on your thread since I last visited back at >178 Familyhistorian:. Did you get your library set up?

Re the trans posts, there was one thing that wasn't mentioned, the incursion of competitors born male into women's sport in the interest of trans inclusion. It's another thorny issue.

>252 karenmarie: YUM! Gonna try that one. : )

>257 karenmarie: What a marvellous set of "4 and more star" reads you've had, Karen. And so many books in one short month, more than a book a day, yes? however do you manage that?

I've never inquired, Horrible, about kosher salt's possible use in your diet...no iodine so would that make a difference to your system? I've never been a huge salt vampire but I'm not a well person when eating things with iodine. I'm as always impressed with your list in >257 karenmarie: but for another good KU read try Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray...best enemies-to-lovers plot *ever* and AGG's prose is single-malt smooth.

Thoroughly thrilling Þórsdagr to you.

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>234 karenmarie: We don't have a coffee grinder, we buy our coffee grinded, that is cheaper.
I LOVE our coffee maker, in 1993 we switched to the Philips Café Gourmet, and are using our third now. And we have one in stock, so we can immediately replace when this one dies. It is the only machine that comes close to the perfect hand made coffee my mother used to make, strong and tasty. Sadly she always ruined the second cup, by adding some more boiling water before serving.

>256 karenmarie: Your reading is still stellar :-)

>253 LizzieD: Aack! I didn’t respond to your message up there, Peggy. I hope it works for you, too. I use the stand mixer to make the dough because of my hands not being as strong as they once were, but with the butter soft enough it’s easy enough to make in a bowl.

I am approaching the short rows – today’s the first day I don’t take my vitamins/herbal supplements. I taped the pill box with them in it shut so I wouldn’t accidentally forget. No more NSAID ointment either.

I made the scones yesterday, had fun doing it, and now have things for brekkie. I love banana bread, just never seem to make it any more. I love it with walnuts. I know – not a Southern thing. I hope you had a good day. Not getting skunked is the goal, although today’s TWO makes me very happy.

>258 streamsong: Hi Janet! Those retirement notes have not changed, with the exception of the non-kitty animals, all gone to animal heaven. Wish I could retire. Really. I could read a lot, wave bye to husband as he trundles off to work, clean the house the way it needs to be cleaned, play with the kitties and wave at the fish, hold the gecko, be a volunteer again. Definitely wishful thinking.

Husband only trundles off to work no more than 3 days a week, and frankly, having stated it elsewhere and else time, I do not know what I'll do when he's home full time after retiring. I get the house cleaned instead of cleaning it, do play with kitties, am a volunteer, and definitely read a lot.

I know that you’re questioning your ability to still keep horses the way you want/need to, but I hope that your knee issues are going away or gone. COVID will be with us forever, I think, but I do hope that it becomes more manageable – it’s certainly become less deadly although long COVID symptoms play havoc. I’m hoping that it becomes a relatively minor crapshoot of getting a regular COVID shot and dodging a bullet for another year.

I have never read anything by Alexie but have The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian on my shelves from 2 ½ years ago – thrift shop probably.

I can’t go away and return to Wordle – I have to finish it up even before coming to my thread. Today’s result is the best I can achieve – two – since my starting word ‘adieu’ is not on the list of 2,309 words. I’m chuffed.

>259 Familyhistorian: I devoured it, Meg. My Library will be finalized by the end of this weekend except for my pillows. I’ll take a picture of it and post it.

Ah yes, another thorny issue. Many men are stronger than women, and that strength, especially upper body strength, is what makes the issue thorny for me. I don’t have an answer, and I guess there’s really no definitive answer. What I don’t like is the transphobia in the discussion instead of the possible science.

>260 Berly: Let me know how it works for you, Kim.

>261 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. I’m reading fluff, frankly, MM romances, on my Kindle. They’re engaging, fun, sexy, and occasionally affect me strongly because of the background of the characters. Also, with my current lack of mobility I’m not doing anything else although I’m sedentary by nature and prefer sitting in a chair reading to oh, say, gardening or exercising. I do anticipate getting back on the treadmill as soon as my doctor/PT therapist allow it though. Other things happen around reading, instead of reading happening around other things.

>262 richardderus: Hiya, RDear. Iodized salt helps prevent goiter if one’s diet doesn’t have iodine in it naturally from foods consumed. I remember an Agatha Christie mystery where one of the characters had a goiter removed, had a huge scar on her throat, and wore costume jewelry to disguise it. Anyway.



I couldn’t switch away from Lite Salt, what with having a low-sodium lifestyle forever. I seem to get enough natural iodine, as you can see from this screen capture of the RDA as posted on the NIH and its list of iodine content in foods. Honeytrap noted, KU downloaded. It’ll be up next since I was looking for a next read. Thanks. I’m not sure Þórsdagr will be thrilling, but I do go to the lawyer this morning then will stop off at Louise’s for a short visit, scone in hand. *smooch*

>263 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. Cheaper to buy ground coffee makes sense, looks like you spend your coffee money on the coffee maker. Such a unique design! Must look pretty on your counter. And having one as backup makes sense. I need to do that, although I can brew coffee directly into my thermos if I had to. Thanks re my reading.

Wordle 621 2/6* This is the best result I can ever get when I use my not-on-the-2309-word-list word 'adieu'. adieu, above. I only guessed above because I wanted to try O and it was the first word that began with A that had an E in it that I could think of.

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Lawyer at 9, Louise after. Home again after that. No app exercises today.

>264 karenmarie: Other things happen around reading, instead of reading happening around other things.
Now there's a sensible philosophy! I'm going to adjust my attitude. Thanks!

You're more than welcome, Sandy. Anything to help a friend. And really, once we're retired, and actually even before we're retired, why can't we do what we love?

Hi there Horrible. Hoping you and Louise will get a llt of yum out of the scone. Lawyer visits are part of adulting but much to be dreaded...there is Always Something else that needs attention and effort and it's never any fun to do. I hope Honeytrap will delight or, at the least, not bore. *smooch*

Sweet Thursday, Karen. Just as I was going to make the rounds this morning, LT went down and I had to leave to meet my birding buddies. We have been out 3-4 hours, so it takes up most of my AM. Seeing lots of FOY birds. We are loving this early migration. I walked Juno, ate some lunch and now it is time for the books.

Wow! That is a helluva lightning round! You go girl!

>264 karenmarie: We've often talked about my problem-solving style of walking away and then coming back. Interestingly enough, my soon-to-be psychologist son has just told me that this can be typical of one type of ADD. Unlike when he was a child and diagnosed with ADHD, it's now known that there are multiple variations (at least five). My general disorganization, and chronic lateness (which is the trait I most hate in myself!) may also speak to ADD. It's something worth thinking about, if only to set up routines (lists?) for myself that address what I'd like to change.

>267 richardderus: Hiya, RDear! We had a great visit and Louise loved the scone. The lawyer visit ended up being a phone call because she had to stay home with her daughter who had a fever – her husband usually works from home but had to be in the office. *shrugs* We got it all done and I’ll sign the final documents Monday afternoon. Honeytrap is a delight – I’m 40% in. Not boring at all. *smooch*

>268 msf59: Hi Mark, and still a sweet Thursday to you, too. I know – LT went down as I was trying to post, too. Birding, Juno, food, and books. Hope your afternoon was wonderful. Thanks re my lightning round.

>269 streamsong: I think most people do that, Janet – I just can’t bear to NOT solve it before I start my LT stuff. Interesting – I would have thought needing to solve something RIGHT NOW would more a sign of ADD. Knowing yourself and what might help you with things that bother you about yourself are certainly a start.

I’m actually a procrastinator, but (unfortunately?) I’ve always worked better under pressure and doing lots of things last minute is mostly how I work. Or, as my husband puts it, I won’t think about things until they ‘rise to top of stack.’

Well, we watched yesterday’s Arsenal – Everton match, which was highly satisfying, with Arsenal winning 4-0. 5 points ahead of Man City again, and the goal differential has dropped to 6.

Off to read.

It's raining, dark. Kitties have been fed canned food, kitty door opened, coffee made, first cup poured. It's still dark outside. Jenna will get up in 10 minutes - they work 7-4 on Fridays so she'll leave half an hour earlier. I think Bill's going to work - he's already gotten out a few of the things he takes in his lunchbox.

Wordle 622 3/6* adieu, vault, squat. I love using the qu combination.

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Not much on the schedule except to pick up some dry cleaning.

So I think I mentioned that Jenna and I named a stray tom cat two weeks ago. We named him Simon, for Simon Tam from Firefly to continue the tradition of names from that series, and picked a middle name from Pride and Prejudice - Fitzwilliam. So, Simon Fitzwilliam. We've seen him around and even put a bit of dry kibble out by the Sunroom door several times. Didn't know if it was him that ate it or not, but it was always gone quickly.

Last night we had the back porch lights on to entice our gingers to come in for the night and there he was, looking at me and meowing at me through the glass. So Jenna and I got a bowl of kibble out for him. He was so hungry he didn't mind Jenna sitting next to him. He let her pet him. I brought a bowl of water and more kibble and he let me pet him, too. He's a big boy by his head and paws, skinny but not emaciated. Sigh. Bill was absolutely pissed off that we did this but we just couldn't NOT feed him. He's not feral because he let us pet him and he rubbed our hands, and he meowed like a domesticated kitty. Sigh. We may have four kitties now.

You were up early today, Karen!
I love that you might have a fourth kitty. We adopted a cat under similar circumstances (just showed up one rainy night, we took pity on him, you know how it goes). I think we might need a photo ...

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. So cool that Louise saw a brown thrasher. I love those birds, although they are not feeder birds. They will arrive here later and stay for the summer. We have a Jackson weekend ahead of us. I am heading to Brees this AM and then Bree will drop him off tomorrow for an over-nighter. We are due.

Looks like the snowstorm moving through will stay just to the south, missing us once again. We could get 1-2" but that's okay.

>272 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! Yup, woke up in pain, took Tylenol, tried to sleep, but the siren call of coffee called out to me. *smile*

Here's a photo of Simon that I took last week some time.



>273 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. Yay for a Jackson weekend. I'd love snow, but as each day passes, the possibility becomes more remote. Not a single flake this winter so far, only a few minutes of sleet overnight in December, I think. I feel deprived.

Thanks for the kitty pic, Karen!

70. Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray 3/2/23 3/3/23





From Amazon.com:

At the height of the Cold War, a Soviet and an American agent fall in love. Soviet agent Gennady Matskevich is thrilled when he's assigned to work with American FBI agent Daniel Hawthorne. There’s just one catch: Gennady’s abusive boss wants him to honeytrap his American partner. Gennady doesn't want to seduce his new American friend for blackmail purposes… but nonetheless, he can’t stop thinking about kissing Daniel. FBI agent Daniel Hawthorne is delighted to get to know an agent from the mysterious Soviet Union… and determined not to repeat his past mistake of becoming romantically involved with a coworker. But soon, Daniel finds himself falling for Gennady. Can their love survive their countries’ enmity? Content warning: sexual harassment and assault by a secondary character, period-typical homophobia (probably less homophobia than is strictly historically accurate, but this is a romance novel, not Giovanni's Room), implied/referenced suicide, messy polyamory.

Why I wanted to read it: Richard recommended it.

Oh my, this is a sweet, sad, victorious book. Daniel and Gennady both sacrifice so much for their countries over the decades. This book takes place in 3 parts: 1959, 1975, and 1992. Reflections on the Soviet Union, the United States. The deep fear and real danger that bisexual and homosexual men felt at being exposed. The compassion of Daniel’s wife Elizabeth for Daniel’s love for Gennady. The repercussions of a few words spoken while drunk, the fumblings and attraction that finally became realized. I’m absolutely stunned.

Six word review: Love wins against the Cold War.

Morning, Karen! I love that you might have a fourth kitty - a soft heart is a good thing. It's gray and overcast here, and we are supposed to get high winds sometime this morning that will last into the early evening. I'm hoping our trash gets picked up before then so we can get the bins back up to the house before the wind hits.

Hoping Bill did go to work so you get the house to yourself for a bit.

Bill's home. I will, however, get lunch out of it - a grilled chicken salad, and perhaps some soccer. Haven't seen Simon Fitzwilliam today. I put out more kibble this morning. I hope the winds hit after the trash gets picked up, or, alternatively no winds at all so that when the trash gets picked up doesn't matter. Living in the wilds of Chatham County as we do, there is no trash pick up. Bill might take some in today when he gets lunch and runs other errands.

In the meantime, I am looking at the newest Richard Osman book but really wanting to look at one of the contemporary fiction (i.e., romance, a.k.a. smut) books I downloaded onto my Kindle. Decisions, decisions...

Kind of you to take care of Simon. Not to be pushy, but since he's not feral, you might take him to the vet to see if he's micro-chipped.

Didn't even think of that, Katie - thanks.

Hi Katie!

Well, it turns out that the neighbors down the road have been feeding him and are trying to live trap him to see if he's been chipped. He's probably not because he's also not fixed. They'll probably keep him, maybe inside, maybe as a barn kitty. He sleeps there sometimes. When I spoke with Pat last night, I was happy to relinquish potential 'ownership'. I was worried the other day when Louise said Pat was going to trap Simon Fitzwilliam - I forgot that she had had kitties and would most likely adopt him.

If he comes around we'll still put out food, but only when he's around. All's well that ends well.

Wordle 623 3/6* adieu, drone, trend

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Newcastle is playing Man City now and Arsenal plays Bournemouth at 10, so I'll be on a soccer binge this morning. Before the Man City game started Arsenal was up 5 points, but if the current score holds, they'll only be up 2 points before their game starts. I'd sure love for Newcastle to beat Man City.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. The snowstorm completely missed us again and stayed south. I have no problem with that. I just took a peek out back and despite the frosty sunshine, not a single bird out there. Looking forward to getting Jackson later on this afternoon.

>281 karenmarie: - Lucky Simon that he found an area with so many willing to take care of him! I'm glad it'll work out well for him, one way or another.

What Katie said. A happy result! Has Pat named the kitty as well?

Have a great day Karen.

Good morning, Karen! Happy soccer to you! Doubly happy that Simon has found a home that won't upset your feline family.

I Wordled in 3 today too. Aren't we the ones!?!!!

>282 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you, too. Glad the snowstorm missed you. Have fun with Jackson.

>283 katiekrug: and >284 lauralkeet: Thanks, Katie and Laura. Pat has not named the kitty and I didn’t mention our name for him. If she keeps him, she should be able to name him, although Simon Fitzwilliam is a clearly brilliant name. We’ll probably save it for the next Hengeveld kitty.

>285 LizzieD: ‘Morning, Peggy. Thanks re the soccer, although not that you care but somebody else might Man City won 2-0, and Arsenal is currently down 0-1 on a goal scored in the first 11 seconds. Sheesh. was down 2-0 in the second half but scored 2 in regulation time and a 3rd in stoppage time. As Bill says, if my heart can handle this match, it can handle anything. *smile* Yay for both of us on Wordle.

Wordle 624 5/6* Ugh. Alphabet soup. adieu, choir, topic, tonic, toxic

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Perhaps a bit of soccer, perhaps not. Definitely reading and puttering. I've been 100% compliant with the pre-surgery exercises, 2x a day, every other day. Today's an exercise day.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. I just knocked out a lightning round. Whew! It is not always easy staying updated. We joined Bree & Co at a St. Patrick's Day parade in their town yesterday, taking advantage of a pleasant March afternoon. We then took Jack home with us. We sure love having him. He keeps us in stitches. He had a brief meltdown before bed, over-tired we think but that was the only glitch. They are still sleeping now.

Congrats on the pre-surgery exercises. You go girl! My feeders are quiet but we do have a robin that has been bopping around out there for the past few days.

Greetings my well-exercised friend! A hearty wish for a happy Sunday free from snow for you to putter about in, reading, football-watching, lunching and other delights as they take your fancy.
*smooch*

Hiya, RDear! One set of exercises down, one to go.

I'd like snow, but it has to melt before my Thursday knee replacement surgery.

BTW, I read and LOVED Honeytrap per your recommendation. See >276 karenmarie:.

*smooch*

Fun LT chart - member genres vs LT genres. I personally lump Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller together instead of separating them Mystery and Suspense/Thriller, but I love this chart. Since this LT account is only the books on my shelves, it only reflects what I physically own.

Home>Charts & Graphs>Books>Site vs. Member

>291 karenmarie: I like this bar graph. The 'Genre' on the y-axis versus subject category is really interesting.

How does that :Genre vs Subject" show up in your "Charts & Graphs>Books>" ? because I don't get a bar graph, I have a pie chart and nothing related to "site vs member".
Actually, I don't see a choice for "site vs member", nor do I understand what the member books are comparing when it says "site".
Is there a help page I'm missing ??

Edited to add that I posted the pie chart on my thread since it seemed inappropriate to upload it here... 😊

>276 karenmarie: So much YAY! I think Aster Glenn Gray writes the bejabbers out of their (? gender of person unclear to me) characters. Want to read the shortie about Gennady and Daniel's Valentine's Day fun?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/valentines-day-78676411 (free to read, no registration required, but Warning! reject the "market relevant services" cookie explicitly, don't trust your browser to do it for you or else)

If you'll trust me once more, try The Larks Still Bravely Singing for another "how much more are you going to do to these characters, you sadist?!" kleenex-wringer.

That pulmo doc is just a bog-standard older white-male doc. The docs I have who don't have that jackass-y trait are Black women and younger men of all ethnicities. *sigh* I don't like my generation of men much.

>292 SandyAMcPherson: Sandy, I just went to your thread and see you didn't get to Books -> Site vs. members. Go down 4 more down to Site vs. Member. I would imagine member books are comparing to ALL books on ALL user catalogs **or** all books entered into LT even if they’re not associated with a catalog. *shrug* I’m not going to overthink it, just find it interesting, whatever criterion is used.

>293 richardderus: Aster Glenn Gray uses ‘she’ on her Amazon bio page. I had a much more difficult time identifying her country – finally got Jenna to look her up on Twitter (I don’t do Twitter) where she found a photo of her book Briarley with a comment about the satisfaction of seeing it on her home town Library, and then one of the books on that shelf showing a shape of the state of Indiana. We are detectives, Jenna and I! Thanks re the link for the shortie about Daniel and Gennady. I’ve looked at The Larks Still Bravely Singing but so far haven’t felt the urge to download it. Honeytrap was a Kleenex-wringer. I may only be up for one per month, not quite sure. *smile*

My wonderful surgeon is white-male doc, but only in his mid-40s at the oldest, so there’s that. AND, bonus points for being a Pepperdine University graduate, as am I, although he graduated decades later.

>294 karenmarie: I really enjoyed Briarley, as you'll remember from last September. I think you'll enjoy The Larks Still Bravely Singing when it does call to you. I found it deeply involving and immersive the way I liked so much in Honeytrap. I saw the "she" usages but remember the "he" references they replaced...I'm almost sure this is a writer who's transitioned or is transitioning. But of course nothing requires someone to discuss their gender identity publicly. And honestly the writing is so much to my taste that I don't think I really need the info but was pruriently curious.

>291 karenmarie:, >292 SandyAMcPherson:, >294 karenmarie: I've had fun playing with the graphs too, since reading Karen's first post. My interpretation of "site vs member" is that you are the member, and "site" refers to all books catalogued on the site. So the colored bars in >291 karenmarie: are Karen's (as the member) and the gray bars represent the distribution over LT (the site) as a whole.

>295 richardderus: Hiya, RDear! So far, Briarley does not appeal to me. I have, however, started The Happy List by Briar Prescott. I just read Rare by Prescott, and although some of it was as problematic as any hetero cisgender romance, I loved it because it tackled the subject of gay men donating blood. In addition to the romance, of course.

Regarding Gray transitioning or having transitioned - it's interesting to know, but as far as it goes I only identify if a person is male, female, non-binary, or undeclared - I had 'unknown' earlier this year, but undeclared states the author's preference instead of my lack of detective skills. I don't actually care very much what gender a person is or identifies with, I just care there's a good story, well written, with either plot or characters to drive it. Recently, of course, romance is what I'm most interested in.

One of my biggest problems with any author, and one of the quickest things that has me abandoning a book, is when they write a person's name too often or go back and forth between name and he/she/her/him in the same paragraph. It's sloppy, IMO, and disrupts the flow of my reading.

>296 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. Yes, the colored bars are my books, and the spikes on mystery, romance, and history do reflect my books.

Here's another fun chart, Profile, MDS Spectrum.



or,



...
Wordle 625 4/6* adieu, rigor, milky, pinky

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My eyes are gritty, but once I woke up at 3 and tried to go back to sleep and gave up at 4, here I am.

Coffee in hand, dark outside, kitties fed. Husband and daughter asleep. This afternoon I have my final appointment with the lawyer to sign my DPOA, HCPOA, Living Will, and updated Last Will and Testament. I'll also go to the PO to mail a corn bag to friend Karen in Montana. She's got the deer corn, I'm just sending the flat, ready-to-fill bag.

Happy Monday!

I quite love all the charts. I always have fun poking around graphs on LT.

Morning, Karen. Sorry you were up early. Nap time later, right? Cool charts up there. We took Juno for a long walk yesterday and friends joined us too. It was a beautiful March Day- sunny and 50F. It may hit 60 today and I am meeting my birding buddies.

>298 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita and thank you! I hope you have a happy Monday, too. They are gratifying, aren't they?

>299 msf59: 'Morning, Mark! Yes, early, but yes, I can take a nap if I want to. Glad you had a good walk with Juno and some friends in gorgeous March weather in Chicagoland. Enjoy the visit with your birding buddies.

Off to create my new thread... give me a few.

>291 karenmarie: Even with your tree it took me a bit to navigate
Home>Charts & Graphs>Books>Site vs. Member
It is no surprise that my F & SF stacks are 4x & 3x or more than most of the other categories where I have much showing at all. My Religion & Spirituality is just barely more visible than my Philosophy.

That was fun, thanks!