Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 2

Alys sporting her winter coat | Grand-dog Rizzo looking adorable

Welcome to my thread! I'm Laura, 61, retired. My husband Chris and I live in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia, with our 8-year-old terrier mix, Alys, who has a place of honor at the top of my threads. We keep ourselves busy with gardening and various home projects, which you can read more about in our (free!) Substack newsletter, Willow Greens Farm. Besides reading, I spend a lot of time knitting and weaving. I/ occasionally post photos of my work here; if you’re so inclined you enjoy more “fun with fiber” on my thread in the Needlearts group.

2023 is my fifteenth year in the 75 Book Challenge Group, which I can hardly believe. I love this group! I'm more interested in the quality of my reading than the quantity, so this year I have abandoned the infamous ticker. I read mostly contemporary fiction, with the odd classic or memoir thrown in. I enjoy reading where my mood takes me, but this year I want to be a little more intentional in seeking out nonfiction and prize winners or nominees.

Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
7. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
8. Bitter Orange Tree
9. The Marriage Portrait
10. Small Things Like These
11. Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years
12. Mecca

Series Progress

Active series as of January 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2023:
* Inspector Gamache

Series started in 2023:
* Kurt Wallander (resumed after a long hiatus)

Series abandoned in 2023:
* Lymond Chronicles

Currently Reading



I Hear the Sirens in the Street

On Deck



Foster

Happy new thread! Maybe I can actually keep up with this one!

>3 lauralkeet: I will be curious to see your thoughts on both of those books.

Happy new one, Laura!

Happy new thread Laura!

Happy second thread, Laura!

Hi Laura my dear, Happy New Thread.

Happy new one, Laura.
>2 lauralkeet: I really like your 'snapshot' layout.

Happy new one, Laura! I love the doggo photos up top!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Laura. You've got some handsome pups!

Hi Laura, I do lurk a fair bit... enjoying your thread though I don't chime in all that much. Hope your bone scan has shown a good result (nope, not asking, just saying). I have a bone scan every 24 months due to osteoporosis. Genetic in our family.
Edited to also say, not that I assume your scan was for that reason. I will now remove foot from mouth so I can talk properly.

Happy new one!

>4 alcottacre:, >5 katiekrug:, >6 quondame:, >7 FAMeulstee:, >8 johnsimpson:, >9 PaulCranswick:, >10 scaifea:, >11 drneutron:, >12 BLBera:, >13 SandyAMcPherson:, >14 figsfromthistle:
A hearty hello to Stasia, Katie, Susan, Anita, John, Paul, Amber, Jim, Beth, Sandy, and Anita. Whew! Thanks for keeping my thread warm yesterday afternoon.

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Yesterday's bone density scan went off without a hitch. Sandy, you didn't put your foot in it, so no worries! I had a baseline scan two years ago which showed a small loss of bone mass. The doctor recommended increasing my calcium intake, weight-bearing exercise, and scans every two years. Osteoporosis does not run in my family but it is certainly a common malady for women of a certain age, so let's just use this moment to advise all women to take care of their bones! Calcium supplements are a good place to start.

Yesterday's gym session was productive and we decided to buy monthly passes for the mere pittance of $20. What a deal! I still can't get over it. I also managed to squeeze in some reading time in the afternoon. In the evening we watched the 1981 film Quartet, based on the novel by Jean Rhys and starring Maggie Smith (note this is not the 2012 film, which also stars Dame Maggie but is a completely different story). It was on Kanopy, which we have been neglecting but we recently added a bunch of titles to our watchlist. Anyway ... it was okay not great. I haven't read the book but per Wikipedia it appears to faithful to the plot. Reviews at the time were mixed. I just didn't quite get the point of it all, but Maggie was great as always.

Today I have nothing scheduled until Barre at 4:30. I'm going to do a bit of cleaning (still turning over that new leaf), and have some guild-related emails to send. My cardigan is finally blocked and ready to wear, and I'd love to get some photos but that depends on lighting. We don't have an ideal indoor spot for a "photo shoot," but it's easier on sunny days. Today, however, started out with a bit of snow on the ground and it's rather gray. So we'll see.

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Happy February, Laura. Happy New Thread. Glad to hear the scan went well. How is Bitter Orange Tree? I have been curious about that one.

>15 lauralkeet: Calcium supplements are a good place to start. We we're doing some sorting out of my Mum's flat last weekend and one of the tasks was getting rid of old medicines. We found about four or five bottles of calcium supplements that she'd been prescribed but not taken, from a few years ago. All past their expiry date now, of course.

>16 msf59: Hi Mark! Actually, I haven't started Bitter Orange Tree yet. It's next up after I finish Georgiana. I know Beth really liked it though.

>17 SandDune: Too bad they weren't expired Rhian -- you could have had a long-term supply!

Morning, Laura! Happy new one! Those gym passes are a steal. Glad you were able to finally get your scan. I was reading your daily post, and I got to "...and have some guild-related emails to send." I had to reread it because the first time through I read guilt-related. Cracked me up.

Glad the gym worked out - what a deal!

And thanks for the reminder that I need to be better about taking my supplements...

I'm currently taking calcium and vitamin D supplements to see whether that influences the wonky PTH levels I had last year. Should find out by the end of the month. I'm officially osteopenic after many years of an aromatase inhibitor, which is known to leach bones. I actually had to argue the medical team into ordering a baseline bone scan before I started that med. Like, duh, you do understand what baseline means, right?

I like the newsletter! What an interesting project to keep you endlessly occupied. I am remembering now your tale of relocation from threads past.

Beauty and the Beast used to be my favorite fairy tale as a child. Reading all the different interpretations sounds like a fun challenge, and sounds like you'll never run out of options there.

Happy New Thread, Laura! I'm glad to be here before it explodes as it will. I'll try to check back to see what you think of your 2 current books. I have both on Kindle, thanks to deals, and will be eager to see what you think.

Oh dear. Osteo-porosis/penia. I'm delighted that your doc doesn't think the Prolia is necessary for you. Hope you can stay that way. Mama and I are both sufferers with bird bones even though mine are now well-padded.

OOooo! $20 a month for gym privileges is good if your insurance doesn't offer Silver Sneakers. Use it often!!!!

Note me as another Beauty and the Beast favorer.

AND you Wordled in 3 today - 2, really! Very nice!!!!

New thread? Already? Happy? Well, why not.

>22 LizzieD: I was going to mention Silver Sneakers but then I realized you aren't old enough :) When you are, though, look into it because it's a great deal!

And...happy new thread!

>19 Crazymamie: There may have been some guilt involved too, Mamie. Like "I need to send this now or else ..." LOL.

>20 katiekrug: Yes you do, Katie! The benefits of doing so are invisible so you can't help wondering if it's worth it, but remember you're playing a long game.

>21 justchris: Hi Chris, thanks for visiting! I'm glad you like our newsletter. We enjoy writing it and love engaging with readers in the comments too (HINT HINT to many of you!)

Reading Beauty and the Beast sounds like a fun challenge but I'm afraid, not one I've taken on. Did I mention it somewhere?

>22 LizzieD:, >24 RebaRelishesReading: Peggy & Reba, at almost-61 I am still new to the world of senior discounts and privileges. We get the senior rate on the monthly gym pass at the Community Center. I will definitely look into Silver Sneakers when I reach 65! Remind me, okay?!

>23 weird_O: Hi Bill!

I do hope nothing happened toward the end of your first thread, because I've had to abandon it and restart here. Gardening, reading, exercising, and scritching the dog all sound like a good life to me!

>26 ffortsa: It's pretty much the same old, same old around here Judy. Jump right in.

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Happy Groundhog day! Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter, for what it's worth. But that's pretty much par for the course in this part of the country anyway.

Wednesday Barre class was brutal, in a good way. Meaning I'm a bit sore. But I also kept up with some of the moves longer/better than usual, so I feel like that's a sign of progress. Then last night we watched an episode of Trapped, and one of Slings and Arrows. I worked on two knitting projects while watching TV: a sock that I pulled out of hibernation, and a new sweater that I just started last night.

We're heading to the gym soon, where I'll do mostly cardio & maybe some strength work. Then I'll finish the week's cleaning. Yesterday I did the kitchen, clearing the counters first and all. It had been a while, so they needed it. Today I will vacuum the kitchen floor, which tends to attract dirt from going outside/coming back in. While I'm at it I'll vacuum the living and dining rooms which are adjacent to the kitchen. I have to say, it does look nicer around here, and it's pretty easy to do a little bit each day. I fell out of the habit during the holidays but hopefully I can keep up now.

In reading news, I have reached the final section of Georgiana, which has kept me engaged throughout. I have Bitter Orange Tree on deck, and my hold for The Marriage Portrait finally came in (it's been months). Both books are singing their siren songs so I'm glad to be in the home stretch with Georgiana.

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There's a sentence in there I'm sure.

When I hear 6 more weeks of winter, around here that sounds like the best outcome possible. Only 6 more weeks? awesome, lol. I guess Groundhog Day doesn't really mean much this far north. We are really just getting started with winter, as our first cold freeze is imminent. It was all January thaw around here.

I'm still not loving Barre, but I do some classes, probably once a week. Making progress is the key, and when you can see that you keep up longer/better, it feels so good, even if the muscles don't feel so good. I swear my shoulder strength is going in reverse though.

Glad you finally got that bone scan done and dusted. I'm probably overdue for one, so you've reminded me. Love the doggos up top. That's a very seaworthy looking coat on Alys. I could just eat up Rizzo--always have been a sucker for a shaggy dog.

I enjoyed Georgiana too. I felt sad for her, surrounded by wastrels and users, but glad when she found her passion in life.

>28 raidergirl3: around here that sounds like the best outcome possible
Ha! This sounds dumb but I'd never thought of that! Having lived most of my life in places where the weather begins to improve around the spring equinox, 6 more weeks always sounds about right. And the people of Punxsutawney, PA (home of Phil the "official" groundhog) would probably be quite surprised to see spring any earlier than that, too.

>29 tiffin: I could eat Rizzo up too, Tui. We have only met him once but he is a very sweet and mellow dog. Julia and Noah have completely succumbed to his charms, gradually ceding bed space to him for example.

>27 lauralkeet: I didn't realise that Groundhog Day was a real thing! I thought it was just a film.

Oh yes, it's a thing Rhian! You might remember that the events in the film take place during an event where people are converging on a small town in Pennsylvania. That actually happens every year, with men in top hats and a ceremony and all that. These days, it can be live-streamed. It's pretty ridiculous actually, and I kind of hope none of them really take it seriously!

More about Groundhog Day on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day

Our local groundhog predicted 6 weeks spring. I have never been to the actual celebration as it is quite far from where I live but it is quite an event. The hotels are booked out months in advance.

I am glad your turn has come for Marriage Portrait. It was an excellent read for me.

Hi Anita! I was vaguely aware of other professional groundhog prognosticators. For some reason Punxsutawney Phil gets all the media attention. Despite having lived in Pennsylvania for many years, we never even considered attending the celebration. It was still quite a long drive and, well, I'm not sure it would be worth it to be honest.

>34 lauralkeet: Mr. SM says, "Any excuse for a party". *grin*

Happy Friday everyone!

I don't have much to report about yesterday, except that other than the gym & vacuuming as planned, I buckled down and read Georgiana until I was done. It was very good it's just as I said, I was ready to move on. I'll post a review soon.

I heard from the doc about my bone density scan. No significant changes since last time (it can only get worse, not better, so that's good news). I need to keep doing what I've been doing: calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise.

I started reading Bitter Orange Tree at bedtime, but only a few pages.

Today is grocery shopping day, and while I'm out I'll pick up my library hold for The Marriage Portrait. Takeout for dinner; I'm hoping for pizza since we haven't had it in a while but I'm open to other ideas.

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>35 SandyAMcPherson: you got that right, Sandy!

Good morning, Laura. Glad the bone scan showed no change. I know what you mean about being ready to move on from a book, even a good one.

Hope you get your pizza tonight!

>38 katiekrug: What Katie said, Laura.

Before Abby was born on Groundhog Day, I did not realize that it always falls on February 2nd (2-2). Weirdly, Daniel was born on November 11 (11-11), which is always Veteran's Day. At least the dates are easy to remember.

>15 lauralkeet: Glad to see that the bone density scan went off without a hitch!

Happy Friday!

>38 katiekrug:, >40 alcottacre: Thanks Katie & Stasia. I wasn't stressing over it too much, but I'm glad to know the outcome.

>39 Crazymamie: Love the easy-to-remember birthdays, Mamie.

Good morning!

It's very chilly here this morning, 12F with expected high of 32F. Last night we switched up our dinner plans (crazy, I know, but that's how we roll). I came home from grocery shopping with a bit of salmon thinking we'd have it on Saturday, but we decided to make it for dinner last night: marinated in a bit of soy sauce & brown sugar, broiled, and served topped with some pickled shallots and sesame oil. Potatoes & green beans on the side. It was pretty nice, and I'm also looking forward to having our weekly takeout tonight.

Last night we also watched an episode of Trapped, the second-to-last one in this season and there are still so many unanswered questions. Also something sad happened. I am eager to see how everything resolves.

I'm made some headway with Bitter Orange Tree and I think it will be a good one. This morning my library's "new arrivals" newsletter arrived in my inbox, and mentioned The Last Remains, the final Ruth Galloway novel coming out in April. I jumped on it and am #4 in line and rather proud of myself. I was less quick about the new Jane Harper, Exiles, which is available now, so I'll have to wait a bit for that one.

This morning I'm going to brave the cold to go to Barre, and then hole up indoors all day. Bill-paying, reading, and knitting are all on the agenda.

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Your dinner last night sounds really good. I don't eat much fish at home because (a) TW doesn't like it and (b) I'm intimidated to cook it :)

Good on you for braving the cold and going to barre!

I'm with Katie - your dinner sounds amazing, and I don't cook fish either because I don't really know how. I make fish cakes, but that's about it.

>43 katiekrug:, >44 scaifea: Katie & Amber, I totally get the intimidation factor when it comes to cooking fish. My repertoire is pretty limited. I am totally fine with shrimp (sautéed, boiled, whatever) -- they are hard to mess up. But fleshy fish is another matter entirely. First, there's the "how do I know when it's done" problem. And then, how to prepare and serve it to make it interesting. I used to delegate fish cooking to Chris because he was more confident, but then I realized he could cook it but couldn't be bothered to use sauce or seasoning to liven it up. I get a little more brave every time I try it. My supermarket doesn't have much selection, so I usually default to salmon.

7. Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire ()

Georgiana Cavendish (1757-1806) became Duchess of Devonshire when she married William Cavendish, the fifth Duke, at the age of 17. As the daughter of an Earl, Georgiana was accustomed to moving among the privileged class; as Duchess she took on an even greater role as pre-eminent hostess and trend-setter. But to label her a “socialite” (as Wikipedia has done) is selling her short. Georgiana was a natural leader with a keen interest in government and politics. She successfully organized national election campaigns for the Whigs, and mediated controversial disputes involving the Royal Family. She had a strong intellect, and in her spare time wrote fiction and studied science, in particular chemistry and mineralogy.

And yet, Georgiana’s personal life was a bit of a mess. Her marriage was less than satisfying, and while she bore three children she also had numerous miscarriages before at last producing an heir. Her lifelong best friend, Lady Elizabeth Foster, had far too much power over the Duchess and her household. And Georgiana had a severe gambling addiction that repeatedly took its toll on the family finances.

This biography weaves together all of these threads and more into a fascinating story of a woman who, in many ways, was way ahead of her time.

>39 Crazymamie: Our youngest, Ned, was born in 1983, and it wasn't until his 18th birthday that it became etched in our history—September 11.

>43 katiekrug:, >44 scaifea:, >45 lauralkeet: I fry cod, dredged in flour, to make fish and chips (oven-baked from the Ore-Ida bag). I have a bag of uncooked scallops in the freezer but I am unconfident of cooking them, 'cause, as you say, how do you know when they are done? Judi made seafood chowder following a recipe her sister got from a born-and-raised New Englander. Epic!

>47 weird_O: Doesn't your bag of scallops tell you how to cook 'em?

Hi Laura. I'm having fun clicking to see what your Wordle guesses are each day. You seem to randomly mix up your first guess rather than having one (or even two or three?) go-to words. I have a favorite first word but I'm having more fun mixing it up.

How are you liking The Marriage Plot? I read it last month and thought it was excellent.

I'm glad the bone scan went well.

>46 lauralkeet: This does sound interesting, Laura.

>47 weird_O: I do love fish and chips, Bill. But I like them in the most unhealthy way possible: slathered in batter and deep-fried. I leave that to the professionals, which is probably just as well because that means I don't eat it very often.

>48 laytonwoman3rd: Hmm. Good question ...

>49 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I mix up my starting word, although I usually aim for one with at least two vowels and then try to find any remaining vowels on my second turn.

I guess my "Currently Reading" post is a bit misleading because it looks like I'm reading two books at once. I'm actually still reading (almost finished with) Bitter Orange Tree, so I'll be starting The Marriage Portrait (not "Plot," that's a different book) soon.

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. It was so cold outside that we just hibernated (not that we had any other plans, but still ... ). Chris watched sports; I read Bitter Orange Tree and did a bit of tax-related record-keeping. Guess which one of those I enjoyed more LOL. For dinner we decided on Chinese instead of pizza; we both had a craving for potstickers. Last night I did a bit of work on a sock project I started ages ago, but then decided to abandon it. The pattern is poorly written and has some errors I'd have to figure out on my own. I'm too annoyed to bother with it.

Today's weather is expected to be much warmer, with a high of around 50F and the week ahead should be similarly mild. I'm okay with that! I might finish Bitter Orange Tree today (it's very good). With the sock project now in the bin I can focus on my next sweater. I still haven't taken photos of the cardigan. I keep thinking about it at inconvenient times.

I'm off to do the crossword and then maybe I'll get some exercise on the bike. Not excited about that, but I *should* do it.

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Good morning, Laura. We also got Chinese last night. It hit the spot!

Today's crossword was kind of fun, once I "got" it.

I was also a fan of Bitter Orange Tree, Laura. I'll watch for your comments. 50 degrees sounds great. Have a relaxing Sunday.

...and we had leftover Chinese last night with some egg rolls fresh from the freezer/oven to finish it out. Were we all celebrating the "weather" balloon?

Ach. I meant The Marriage Portrait. That's the one I've read and very much liked.

>53 katiekrug: It took me a while to "get" the theme, Katie, but yeah that made it interesting.

>54 BLBera: Hi Beth, watch this space. Comments coming soon.

>55 RebaRelishesReading: Ha! Maybe the balloon was sending us all subliminal suggestions to support our local Chinese restaurants.

>56 EBT1002: I thought that was probably the one you mean, Ellen. I'm looking forward to it!

Happy Monday!

Another quiet day yesterday. I chatted with Julia who had a couple of tax return questions, and did a bit of tax-related paperwork myself. I also did a bit of travel research and rewarded myself for all this hard work by finishing Bitter Orange Tree. In the evening we watched Ep 5 of All Creatures Great and Small, and finished up Slings and Arrows. I was knitting away during all of this.

This morning I have a library shift, and nothing much planned for the afternoon. Some admin tasks, but no big deal. Maybe some more summer travel research. More sweater knitting during tonight's TV-watching.

That's all I've got!

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TROPE, STAIN, JOINT, NIFTY, NINTH
I thought for sure I had it in four. Rats.

8. Bitter Orange Tree ()

Shortly after Zuhour left her home in Oman to study at a British university her grandmother, Bint Aamir, died. Zuhour feels guilty for putting her own interests ahead of her grandmother’s health and missing the opportunity to be with her during her last days. In Britain she keeps company with other Middle Eastern students, in particular a young couple who are romantically involved despite objections arising from class differences.

The novel moves gently back and forth between Zuhour’s struggles with assimilation and loneliness in Britain, and the story of Bint Aamir’s life and that of Zuhour’s father in Oman. The contrast between the opportunities afforded these two women is stark. Zuhour was close to her older sister during childhood, but events have forced them apart. Bint Aamir had far less agency over her life choices, and yet in many ways appears to have been more content than Zuhour.

Jokha Alharthi tells the stories of these women with poetic prose, in a non-linear fashion that leaves much unsaid. This general feeling of vagueness is unsettling, but perhaps that’s the point, echoing feelings that Bint Aamir and Zuhour undoubtedly also experienced.

>59 lauralkeet: I should add that Richard wrote a lovely review of this book in his usual thorough fashion, here.

His review also recommends this interview with both author and translator, which is indeed well worth a read.

>59 lauralkeet: - I think I'll add that to my library wishlist. The parts about life in Oman interest me more than the ones set in the UK. I've visited Oman and loved it, much more so than most of the places in the region I have spent time. I don't encounter a lot of literature about it.

>59 lauralkeet: Great comments, Laura.

>61 katiekrug: Katie, I encounter Oman in the NYT Crossword much more than in literature, LOL. Anyway, I think you'd like the book. Beth recommended it to me, so that's another favorable vote.

>62 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

>63 lauralkeet: I've had Bitter Orange Tree on my library WL since last year after seeing RD's review. It sounds really excellent even though written in a non-linear fashion, as Laura says.
From my PL website, it appears that the original title is Narinjah, which is highly interesting to me. This rather esoteric background I wanted to share is perhaps irrelevant to the book discussion, except that to me, the word "Narinjah" is a play on words in my mind.

Naringenin is a very bitter component mostly in the white layer just underneath the skin of citrus fruit as well as within specific varieties of oranges and lemons. Its prevalent occurrence in North America (afaik) is in the grapefruit family, but if you've ever used too thick a peel from zesting, e.g. a lemon, you'll have encountered the bitter flavour by mistake.
When I lived in Kuwait, "Narinjah" was what we asked for in Arabic when we wanted the large sweet oranges from Jordan or elsewhere. At that time I didn't have any phytochemistry knowledge.
OK. Done with arcane chatter...

>64 SandyAMcPherson: arcane, maybe, but also fascinating. Thank you Sandy!

>48 laytonwoman3rd: Doesn't your bag of scallops tell you how to cook 'em? Gosh. I never thought to ask it, Linda. (Heh heh) It does have some words printed on the bag, and I think they constitute directions. But I've never been too good at following such. Essentially, following them calls for judgment, and mine has often been suspect.

On the plus side, I turned my Sube over to Caliber Collision. I hope the repairs will be hitchfree.

On the reading front, I am halfway through Bewilderment, which I like more than The Overstory. Pretty darn good. And I poked into The Thursday Murder Club.

>66 weird_O: "following them calls for judgment" Oh, dear...another person who wants cooking to be like...science.

>66 weird_O: Looks like you're doing some great reading there, Bill. I hope your car repairs proceed apace.

>66 weird_O:, >67 laytonwoman3rd: Cooking: art, science, or a bit of both? I admit I'm a recipe-follower and ardent measurer of ingredients but I have also learned the value of tasting for seasoning as I cook, and adjusting as needed.

Hellooooo!

Yesterday was uneventful and relaxing, just the way I like it. Actually my library shift was pretty busy, in that there were a lot of holds to shelve, and a lot of requests to pull, and those two tasks filled my 2-hour shift (they usually do not). Towards the end I was vaguely aware that a patron's child had wandered off away from the children's area and a search was in progress with a couple of staff members helping. I stayed out of the way and tried not to worry too much. Fortunately the child was found fairly quickly.

My afternoon was spent mostly reading and knitting. Evening TV-watching included University Challenge and wrapping up Season 2 of Trapped. And then we decided to watch Cunk on Earth. I suggested it a couple of days ago and Chris was skeptical, but then Kate texted us to recommend it and apparently her opinions carry more weight LOL. Anyway, we just watched one episode but it made us laugh a lot so we will keep going.

This morning we're going the gym, and I have a Guild Zoom call in the afternoon. I agreed to be on the Nominating Committee to find people to fill three positions for 2-year terms beginning in June: President, Secretary, and Outreach Committee Chair. This will involve a lot of phone-calling, which I hate, but I also have strong opinions about the Outreach role. The current co-chairs apparently put some conditions on their service which limited their scope to organizing our presence at fall fairs & festivals. There is more we could/should be doing in the community and when these opportunities arise we all look around and say "who can lead this?" when it really should fall to that committee. Sorry, end of rant.

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ROAST, PLEAD, MAPLE, AMPLE, APPLE
Ugh: I almost guessed it on my third turn and then did a stupid thing repeating a letter that had already been eliminated. So annoying!

I thought I had it in four yesterday, too. Different words, of course, but I thought I’d kept it from tricking me. Ha.

If you got the Bitter Orange Tree recommendation from me, I'm doubly glad you liked it! I did appreciate reading a book by someone from Oman.

I am enjoying my volunteer time at the library as well. So far I work in the bookstore and do sorting of donations. I am working on doing better with displays in the bookstore...

"Cooking: art, science, or a bit of both?" An ongoing debate in this house. Husband and daughter both need to be told exactly how to do everything ("what does dice mean?" "35-40 minutes???? Is it 35 or is it 40??!!"), and shudder at the suggestion that they use their judgment for any of it.

>72 laytonwoman3rd: Imprecise measures lead to faulty tinctures!

>73 lycomayflower: Well, sure...tinctures. Different procedure than putting together a macaroni hot dish.

>74 laytonwoman3rd: No. No different. Only different in your mind.

>70 EBT1002: Wordle is sneaky that way, Ellen!

>71 BLBera: I'm glad you're enjoying the library, Beth. Mine has a display of books for sale in the lobby, but not a store per se. I'm not sure how it is managed but I think it's through the Friends/Advisory Board. I've never been asked to do anything with it. Last year they had a book sale outdoors, the first in a few years, which I'm hoping they repeat this year.

>72 laytonwoman3rd:, >73 lycomayflower:, >74 laytonwoman3rd:, >75 lycomayflower: This is highly amusing.

>76 lauralkeet: The REALLY interesting bit is that my high school diploma says "special endorsement in scientific subjects" on it. 'Course, it's from the dark ages, when that meant "magic".

>77 laytonwoman3rd: Ah HA. So you admit it!

>76 lauralkeet: I'm glad you are amused. Otherwise I fear we might be quite obnoxious.

>79 lycomayflower: Oh heavens no! I love a good mother-daughter jousting.

Good morning ...

Yesterday was both productive and relaxing. I spent a bit of time working on the family Christmas stocking (short version: I'm trying to re-create a lost pattern so more stockings can be made). I've been using scrap yarn to work out some of the construction details. I ordered yarn in what I hoped would be the right colors--there are so many different shades of red and green out there! The yarn arrived the other day and it's a pretty close match to the original, so I was pretty happy about that. Yesterday I started my first trial stocking. The leg section is easy; it gets more complicated from the heel to the toe. So, we'll see.

Today will be busier than usual with a Guild meeting later this morning, a short Zoom call in the afternoon, and Barre at 4:30. When it rains it pours, I guess. Mostly it just cuts into my reading time, because I've fallen into a bit of a rhythm of reading for about an hour in the afternoon (although this, too, will need adjustment when gardening season gets underway).

Speaking of reading, I'm really enjoying The Marriage Portrait. I love O'Farrell's writing style (see also: Hamnet). The narrative lays out the end of the story right at the beginning, so you know what will happen but not how you'll get there. O'Farrell then alternates between describing the events immediately before the ending, and going back in time to reveal the back story. At this point it's difficult to see how the two will connect, so part of me says "maybe that ending doesn't really happen." But I know it will ... anyway, it's a good read.

Wordle 599 4/6

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PASTE, GROAN, CLAIM, FLAIL

I still need to get to Hamnet...

Hope your busy day goes well. I've started to resent those days where I have more than one "official" thing to do!

>82 katiekrug: Me too, with the Hamnet thing.

Morning, Laura!

yeah, yeah....Hamnet...there it sits, just staring at me.

>82 katiekrug:, >83 scaifea:, >84 laytonwoman3rd: All I can say is, I rated Hamnet 5 stars even though I read it in 2020, during the early pandemic -- which might surprise you given the plague is central to the story.

Happy Thursday!

Busy day yesterday, but it was fine. I still managed to work some reading time into the day, especially in the evening when Chris was watching some shows I didn't care about. We also watched an episode of Cunk on Earth. Fun.

I'm pretty far along in The Marriage Portrait now, and I think I can see where it's going i.e., why the ending, which is known from the start, will come to pass. I'm sad about it already, and also a bit angry about the ways women have been treated over the ages. And, yes, still today. Sigh.

So anyway ... today's agenda. We're going to the gym this morning, and then I'm going to do the grocery shopping a day early. Kate is coming to visit for the weekend! Yay! We're meeting her train around 6pm and will have dinner at a nearby restaurant before heading home. Oh, and here's some fun Kate-related news: she wrote an article a while back about a phenomenon known as the Millennial Pause, and yesterday discovered quite by accident that this phenomenon has a Wikipedia entry which mentions Kate and her "take" on it:
Wikipedia: Millennial Pause

And now, this:

Wordle 600 2/6

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STARE, STAGE
Squeee! I haven't had a 2 in ages! This could easily have been a 4.

I had the same starting word and it took me 4. Lots of options . . .

Nice Wordle-ing! I got it in 4 and considered myself lucky.

Have fun with Kate!

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Good to know about The Marriage Portrait. It had fallen off my radar but it is back on. Did you recommend "Trapped"? I finally started this Iceland crime series and I like it.

Hi - never heard of the "Millennial Pause" before this mention

and so would have guessed that a long pause meant that the Millennial

was deciding whether to answer or not!

Is Kate the Katherine in the article?

Thank you.

>86 lauralkeet: That is so cool! I was already impressed that she writes for The Atlantic but to have a major cite in a Wikipedia article is also impressive. I looked the article up and learned about the Millennial pause then followed that to see what constituted the millennial generation which led me to see a lot of terms for generations before and after that time -- ended up with a lot of new information thanks to your daughter's work :)

I was up in the night and started Wordle, tried my two starter words and was going nowhere so I left it until I was more awake. Will return to it soon but I don't think it will even be a 4 for me today.

>87 japaul22:, >88 katiekrug: yeah, way too many options today.

>89 msf59: Hey Mark, I've been warbling about Trapped so it was probably me. We've been watching on Prime, which has seasons 1-2. We just finished season 2, and were said there were no more episodes available. But then I discovered the third season is on Netflix. It was made a few years later and for some reason has been renamed "Entrapped". We're psyched.

>90 m.belljackson: Hi, thanks for stopping by! Yes, Kate's full name is Kathryn Lindsay. Sometimes she uses that name professionally although it seems more recently she's been sticking with Kate.

>91 RebaRelishesReading: You went down quite the rabbit hole, Reba! Karen (@karenmarie) had a graphic about the generations on her thread not too long ago, which sparked a lot of discussion. My daughters are a Millennial and a just-barely-Gen Z. We learn new things from them every day LOL.

>92 lauralkeet: "Millennial Pause" was really informative!

Does Kathryn write similar articles for The Atlantic?

>93 m.belljackson: I'm glad you liked it! In the past few years she has developed a bit of expertise on "internet culture," especially as it pertains to those who grew up online. She co-founded a Substack publication, Embedded, about internet culture and trends, which publishes 3x/week. She writes about those topics for other publications like The Atlantic as well, not as a steady gig but whenever an editor accepts her "pitch" for an article.

I'll share my Wordle woes today, with people who can appreciate/sympathize, lol CRANE, SLAVE, SHAKE, SPADE, STAGE I'd rather get a correct letter in a wrong spot!

I'm sad about it already, and also a bit angry about the ways women have been treated over the ages. And, yes, still today. Sigh.
Totally agree, and was my feeling about the book. Which is why I really liked The Marriage Portrait. O'Farrell writes the story and you know how it ends, but she made clear how few options the women had. I liked it better than Hamnet overall.

>95 raidergirl3: I'd rather get a correct letter in a wrong spot!
I feel your pain, Elizabeth.

I'm happy to see your praise for The Marriage Portrait. I waited forever for it at the library, but it's been well worth it.

Happy Friday, Laura. Glad to know that Trapped is still holding your attention. Many shows, IMHO, start to go stale quickly. Maybe, I just don't have a lot of patience and with so much to choose from, it is not a bad thing, right?

Good morning everyone!

Yesterday after doing the grocery shopping the weather was so nice I couldn't resist being outdoors, even if that meant a task as mundane as cleaning and organizing our gardening space. The potting shed and seed-starting area was really messy and unusable without a serious tidying-up. I got about halfway through, to the point where I needed a step ladder to continue. That seemed like a good point to take a break.

After meeting Kate's train we went to an Irish pub/restaurant. Kate and I had shepherd's pie and Chris had fish and chips, all good. Back home we watched an episode of Cunk on Earth and that was pretty much it for the evening.

This morning Kate has a bit of work to do, so I might finish the cleanup I started yesterday. This afternoon we're going to Leesburg to visit a yarn shop and a cat cafe (we know how to party).

Wordle 601 4/6

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STAIR, WHALE, PEACH, HEADY
Got my comeuppance after yesterday's 2

I have had several days of taking five tries to get the Wordle. I seem not to be very good at it. Oh well. I'm still addicted.

Thanks for checking in on my retirement progress. It has been so weird and now that it's all settled, it feels a bit anticlimactic!

I'm glad you're enjoying The Marriage Portrait. I wholly agree about O'Farrell's writing.

Enjoy the yarn shop and cat cafe! (Is that just a cafe that has cats in it?)

Hi Ellen! Wordle can be vexing, even for those of us who’ve been doing it for a while. But also addicting, for sure!

Yes, cat cafes are cafes with cats. Specifically, adoptable cats. The kitties usually come from rescue organizations, who have determined they are sufficiently socialized for the cafe situation. Typically visitors need to make a reservation so the place doesn’t get too crowded. The kitties roam free and either hide or act sociable, as cats do. You can pet or snuggle them while enjoying your beverage, and apply for adoption if you want (we are just visiting for snuggles today). The first cat cafe we visited was in London, but we’ve since been to cafes in NYC and Philly. This Leesburg cafe is fairly new. We spotted it on one of Kate’s previous visits and made a note to check it out another time. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a cat cafe in Seattle …

Oh my. I would love to visit a cat cafe. And Carson would end up with lots of little siblings!!!!
Enjoy!

I'm going to be very disappointed if Kate doesn't convince you to adopt one of the kitties...

>92 lauralkeet: I was in REI a few years ago and used ApplePay on my phone. The (quite young) cashier commented how nice it was to see a "member of the greatest generation"(!) paying that way!! I kept my mouth shut and just smiled.

Ok yarn shop and cat cafe sounds like an amazing afternoon. I'm super jealous. And like Katie, I'm going to be disappointed if a feline doesn't come home with you.

>103 RebaRelishesReading: I'm proud of you, Reba 😃

>101 EBT1002:, >102 katiekrug:, >104 MickyFine:
I'm sorry to say that as much as we love cats (and have had several over the years), there is no way we can have a cat and Alys. Kate is currently kitty-less but hoping to change that situation soon. So this was the best way for all of us to get a kitty fix. I took a few photos so you can feel like you came along with us ...



This structure was in the center of the room, perfect for climbing and hiding. There were also shelves at various heights around the perimeter so kitties could explore at altitude. There were plenty of chairs and sofas for both people and cats, and lots of toys and soft cat beds.



These are 2 of the 15 cats that were in the cafe today. One was leaving (temporarily) to have a medical issue taken care of. And then as we were leaving, 5 new kitties arrived! We stuck around to see them released into the room and helped to give them names.

The cat cafe works with Last Chance Animal Rescue a local rescue that takes in cats from about 50 high-kill shelters. They re-home about 10,000 cats annually through stores like PetCo and PetSmart, as well as this cafe.

Wait, what happened to Kate's cat (Birdy?)?!?!

>106 katiekrug: Sadly, Birdie crossed the rainbow bridge last month. She developed health issues just before Christmas, initially it appeared medication was helping but then new symptoms emerged, diagnosed as cancer. It was devastating for both Kate and Tyler; Birdie had only been in the family 2 years. 😢

>107 lauralkeet: Oh I'm so sorry to hear about Birdie.

Glad to hear the cafe visit was excellent. The cats all look adorable.

RIP, Birdie ☹️

>108 MickyFine:, >109 katiekrug: Thanks Micky & Katie. It was sad, and we hope Kate and Tyler find a new kitty or two soon (yes, they're thinking about two now).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a nice day out in Leesburg yesterday, as you can see above, and then a quiet evening at home with some shared TV-watching. This morning we're going out for breakfast to a small town a bit down the road. Dinner will be at a Moroccan tapas place in Winchester that we've been to before. I'm not sure what we'll get up to in between. It's been a nice relaxing weekend.

Wordle 602 5/6

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PIETY, MOUSE, UNDER, DUPED, DEBUG
This one took three of us exchanging hints, and I have no idea why we all found it so challenging!

Wordle 602 5/6

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PIANO, CREST, EXUDE, BUDGE, DEBUG

I've never had all 5 letters be yellow - so sad.

Ooooh! Moroccon tapas - sounds yummy!

Sounds like you are having a nice visit with Kate. I want Moroccan tapas!

It sounds like you are having a great visit.

>111 dudes22:, >112 katiekrug:, >113 BLBera: Hi Betty, Katie, & Beth!

This morning's breakfast was at the Red Truck Bakery, which I guess is kinda famous but we weren't familiar with it before moving here. It's located in a pretty sleepy little town, but within day-tripper distance of DC. I bet it's pretty crowded in the summer; today it was busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. We enjoyed deliciously unhealthy breakfast sandwiches and shared a cinnamon bun, and then stocked up on baked goods to bring home. On Kate's previous visits we've made the rounds of thrift shops close to home, in search of a quilt that she could use to make a jacket (she has a pattern/tutorial for doing this). She's been unable to find anything in Brooklyn and we'd had no luck here so far, so of course we had to stop in a thrift shop across the street from the bakery. And lo and behold, there was a pretty bed-sized quilt that will do nicely for this project. She was psyched.

Speaking of crafting projects: finally, some photos of my lace cardigan: Here are two photos to show pattern detail:



And one happy knitter!

I'd never heard of Red Truck Bakery, so of course I had to look them up and now I'm salivating. And there is one in Warrenton!

Your sweater looks great.

Stunning sweater, Laura! I love the detail and the color looks great on you.

>114 lauralkeet: What a wow cardigan!

>114 lauralkeet: Gorgeous! And the sweater's awfully nice too.

Mmm, cinnamon buns.

Beautiful work on the sweater, Laura. You should be rightly chuffed.

>115 katiekrug: We'll have to check out the Warrenton cafe sometime, Katie!

>115 katiekrug:, >116 norabelle414:, >117 quondame:, >118 laytonwoman3rd:, >119 MickyFine:
Thank you Katie, Nora, Susan, Linda & Micky!!

Bee-yootiful sweater! Good job, you!

Karen O

Thank you so much, Karen!

Hello all!

We had a lovely day yesterday. After our morning jaunt to Marshall (described above), we relaxed at home for a little while and headed to Winchester in the late afternoon. Our ultimate destination was Kasbah, a Moroccan tapas place that Chris and I visited once before. It's located on a pedestrian shopping area in the Old Town, which we wanted to explore a bit. There are several restaurants which appear to be doing well; the shops, less so. However, there's an excellent independent bookshop, Winchester Book Gallery, that's been in operation for 50 years. So we did a bit of browsing and somehow both Small Things Like These and Foster ended up in my shopping bag. And dinner was excellent. Besides a couple of cold tapas dishes (charcuterie, olives, pita bread w/hummus) we had a few hot dishes including some really delicious meatballs and a chicken & apricot tagine. Yummmmm.

Today's agenda includes a leisurely morning doing nothing, then we'll take Kate to her train. When we return, I'll probably spend most of the afternoon puttering around, cleaning up, and getting ready for the week ahead.

Wordle 603 4/6

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PASTE, TOADY, CHART, GIANT

Glad you've had such a nice visit with Kate, full of relaxation and excellent food!

Morning, Laura! That sweater is full of gorgeous. And hooray for finding the perfect quilt for Kate's project. Your yesterday sounds very fun.

I watched the first episode of Trapped yesterday, and I loved it, so thanks for the recommendation.

Really, really beautiful sweater, Laura. You are one very skilled needlewoman!!

I love the sweater, and your Moroccan tapas sound yummy.

Hi - Sweater so beautiful and any chance of a photo also of the recycled quilt

before it turns into a jacket?

>124 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>125 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, thanks for thé compliment. And I'm delighted you're enjoying Trapped. We're ready to start season 3, and will probably do so soon.

>126 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, Beth, & Marianne, thank you so much. Kate did a great job with the photography, it really shows off the garment.

As for the quilt ... it is now en route to Brooklyn with its new owner. She'll probably send photos when she's ready to start working on it; if I'm able to get a "before" photo to share here, I will.

Hi Laura my dear, love your lace cardigan, you are a very good knitter dear friend.

Thank you so much John!

>105 lauralkeet: That place looks amazing!! Even though you're not in a place to adopt a kitty right now, I love that cat cafes exist.

Lovely cardigan!!

Thanks Ellen!
And Happy Monday to all ...

We had a really nice weekend, and spent yesterday afternoon and evening just relaxing/recovering. We didn't even have a proper dinner, just stuff that could be easily microwaved. And then we watched Ep 6 of All Creatures Great and Small, and various other stuff which did not include "the big game," because NFL football is not our thing.

Yesterday morning while we were all just hanging around, I finished The Marriage Portrait which was excellent. I really loved the way O'Farrell developed a full story despite there being almost no historical record of her subject. More on that in my review. I started reading Small Things Like These last night.

Today's agenda includes my library shift, and then we're going to pick up some art that Chris bought at auction. It's a bit of a drive and parking at this auction house is limited, so it's easier to have one driver (me) who drives around the block and/or parks illegally while the other gets the item and brings it to the curb. Fun times.

Wordle 604 3/6

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SPACE, ABASE, USAGE
Happy with this one!

9. The Marriage Portrait ()

Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici lived during the 16th century and was the daughter of the Duke of Florence. She left Florence to begin married life with Alfonso II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, becoming a Duchess at a very young age. Official records are scarce, but Lucrezia is known to have died in 1561, very early in the marriage. The historical note that opens this novel reads, “The official cause of her death was given as ‘putrid fever,’ but it was rumoured that she had been murdered by her husband.”

Maggie O’Farrell offers a rich and plausible story of Lucrezia’s life and her untimely death. As the daughter of a duke, she led a privileged life, but also one with few choices. Marriage was a transaction, in which daughters were wedded off in hopes of strengthening political alliances. Initially, Lucrezia’s union looks promising; Alfonso is kind and respectful. But his dark side becomes increasingly apparent, especially when Lucrezia fails to immediately produce an heir (and yes, this was always the woman’s fault). Lucrezia is stuck: she cannot return to her family, nor can she live as an independent woman. She is, effectively, a prisoner in her own home.

This novel is so well written. The narrative structure gradually reveals details of Lucrezia’s life like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle falling into place. Despite knowing how her story ends, the tension is palpable. The ending is especially well done. The author’s note at the end clarifies which elements were fact, and which were fiction. There may have been little documentation of Lucrezia’s life, but other women of the period – other wives of Italian noblemen, in fact – were murdered by their husbands. How many times did this happen without proof? It brings an air of credibility to the theory that Lucrezia was poisoned, and draws attention to the ways in which women have been marginalized and written out of history.

>134 lauralkeet: - Great review, Laura. I look forward to getting to this one.

Morning, Laura! I agree with Katie - great review. I added my thumb to it.

I can't wait to read The Marriage Portrait. I love O'Farrell.

Lovely kitty visit Laura, and your eats out sound good. I like Moroccan, and they usually have nice vegetarian options too. Great too to be sharing this with one of your daughters.

More beautiful knitwear. That will help keep you snug this winter.

Yay for another fan of The Marriage Portrait.

Hi there Katie, Mamie, Beth & Caro! I really really enjoyed The Marriage Portrait and if you haven't read it, you need to do so stat!

Thanks for the comments on my sweater as well, Caro. The yarn is a cotton/silk blend so it's not as warm as wool, but should be a nice layering piece during spring and fall.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yesterday was a good day, not for any particular reason but it was satisfying. In the afternoon I had to make phone calls for the Guild Nominating Committee. I powered through them, and am now awaiting return calls because I had to leave voicemail most of the time. After that I rewarded myself with some reading time and finished Small Things Like These. It's a very short book, more of a novella really. Lovely prose.

In the evening we watched University Challenge, started the third season of Trapped (new title: Entrapped), and I read a few pages of Women's Work: The First 20,000 years, nonfiction about women's history going back to ancient times, as seen through the lens of textiles.

Today's agenda includes an early gym workout and then my knitting group. I hope to do some summer travel planning and get further into my book in the afternoon. We don't have big plans for Valentine's Day, although there will be chocolate (but then again, there's always chocolate). We tend to combine VDay with my birthday, which is this weekend, so it's never been a big holiday for us.

Yesterday during my library shift I had a fun conversation with a patron. My duties don't involve much interaction with the public, although sometimes someone will ask for help and I try to look out for anyone who seems to need assistance. While I was looking for some books that had been requested I came across a woman, probably in her 20s, deep in a search for something in the children's series section. I asked if she needed help finding a book and she said no, the search is half the fun. We both smiled knowingly and I moved on. Some time later I was back in that same area, and she was still there, sitting on the floor and carefully examining a set of books on a lower shelf. I greeted her again, laughing this time. She told me she recently found three Nancy Drew books deep in a closet at home and they had become her latest obsession. She'd read them as a child but was now re-reading. I said something like, "and of course now you want to read every one of them, and you want to read them in order." Her face lit up. Yes! Exactly! I can imagine someone at home thinks she's weird but I didn't. She noted that the library had several Nancy Drews on the shelf but not all, and I explained how she could put in a hold request and we lamented having to wait for a book in order to keep reading in series order ... it was a fun conversation. Later I wished I'd told her about LT.

Wordle 605 3/6

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FIBER, MOUND, SOUND
I was pretty worried after that first word, but my vowel-elimination strategy paid off.

Great review of The Marriage Portrait, Laura. I will have to bookhorn that one in, for 2023. So glad, but not at all surprised that you enjoyed Small Things Like These. I am on the lengthy waitlist for Foster.

I like your library story, Laura. I wish my library had a volunteer program...

I'm swinging by because I saw your post on Amber's thread about yesterday's patron interaction. That's delightful, and I'm glad you were able to help her with her search and make her feel less odd for the request :)

Your cardigan is beautiful!

Aww that's a lovely library interaction, Laura. There are some parts of the public facing side of library work that I miss.

Yay for awesome patrons! I love those kinds of conversations. It just makes your whole day, doesn't it?

" Later I wished I'd told her about LT." She'll be back, and maybe you'll have another chance!

>140 lauralkeet: >146 laytonwoman3rd: You should get a button made that says something like, "I'm an LT75er - ask me how!"

>140 lauralkeet: I reached hour step two on my step three ... but then!!!

Love the Nancy Drew story. I read many of those as a kid and your patron's idea is appealing.

>142 katiekrug: - You should ask - if you haven't already. Sometimes just asking the right person is half the battle.

>149 dudes22: - I have asked. That's how I know they don't have one :)

Waving as I try and catch up on threads, Laura. I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

Ohmigosh, look at all these visitors!

>141 msf59: Definitely bookhorn it in, Mark. I was on a long waitlist for both Keegan novels, but felt obligated to support an independent bookstore LOL.

>142 katiekrug:, >149 dudes22:, >150 katiekrug: Well Katie, I was going to say what Betty said but I see you've tried that route. My library wasn't advertising volunteer opportunities when I contacted them, I just decided I'd email the branch exec and they referred me to someone. I have no idea how many volunteers they have. The branch also has an Advisory Board, which seems sort of like a "Friends of ..." organization but they are not particularly transparent about how to get involved or, for that matter, exactly what they do. The librarians never talk about them. It feels kinda weird so I've never looked into it.

>143 bell7:, >144 MickyFine:, >145 scaifea:, >146 laytonwoman3rd:, >147 scaifea:, >148 RebaRelishesReading: I'm glad you all enjoyed the story! I was really chuffed. I do hope I see her again. I'd love to hear how her "project" is coming along and, yeah, put in a plug for LT.

>151 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I really appreciate your visit. You're a busy lady these days.

>149 dudes22: / >152 lauralkeet: - You both got me thinking. Maybe I should approach them differently. Rather than asking if they have a volunteer program, maybe I"ll just casually ask if they have any interest in having someone volunteer a few hours a week. My high school community service was the library and one of my work-study jobs in college was in the library. And I practically grew up in one, as my mom was a librarian. So really, they'd hardly even need to train me ;-)

Love the library story, Laura. Thanks so much for sharing it.

Your first word in Wordle was your saviour! I rolled through MOUND, ROUND, FOUND, POUND, BOUND, before I ran out of rhyming words. FIBER would have eliminated 3 of them and I might have had a chance instead of x/6. sigh.

Your sweater is amazing!

>140 lauralkeet: I'm sure you will bump into your young reader again Laura. Never got Nancy Drew here.

I am not good at waiting for waits.

>152 lauralkeet: - Our library has a Library Board/Trustees who I think set some of the library policies and interact with the Town Counsil on behalf of the library. (I only know this because my sister is a children's librarian there.) I'm sure most people are unaware of them. There's also a "Friends of " group whose goal is to raise funds for extras for the library above their budget. (I think that's what most do)

>153 katiekrug: - I'm really surprised they don't have some kind of volunteer program. Free help. Who wouldn't want that?

>153 katiekrug: That's a good idea, Katie. Even better if you can speak with a person who has some authority. I hope it works out!

>154 Crazymamie: Sure thing, Mamie!

>155 raidergirl3: Oh wow Elizabeth, I didn't appreciate how lucky I was.

>156 Caroline_McElwee: I hope I see her again, Caro.

>157 dudes22: Out advisory board might be similar, Betty, although they did organize a book sale last year.

Quick post this morning. We put off picking up our auction items on Monday because there was another auction on Tuesday in a different location but relatively close to the other one. Chris had success in that auction as well and we've decided, based on other commitments this week, that it's best if we head out to get the goods this morning. Sigh. I thought I was going to have an easy, relaxing morning. So it goes.

More later ...

Wordle 606 4/6

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CATER, SNAKE, SADLY, SALSA
At least I was able to do the Wordle!

>157 dudes22: - "Free help. Who wouldn't want that?" I know, right?

I think they have some program with the high school just down the street and have some student volunteers. And it's not a very big library, so that might explain it. Still, I'll try!

__

Morning, Laura! Sorry about your interrupted morning. You should demand pastry as payment.

Things went pretty well this morning despite it being a rushed last-minute decision, which I hate. We had artwork to pick up at two different auction houses about 30min apart but both in the greater DC area which is about an hour's drive so it's way better to do that once rather than make separate trips. On Monday we decided we'd make the trip on Thursday. The items wouldn't all fit in our Prius so we would have to take the pickup, and as of this morning it looked like Thursday might be rainy. Uh oh. To further complicate matters, I had a haircut scheduled for noon. One of the auction houses has a really weird parking situation so it's best to have two people: one who can stay idling in the car (me) while the other goes in to collect the items. Were it not for that, Chris could have handled this on his own. So at 7:30 I said well, if we leave home by 8 and grab breakfast along the way it might all work out. And it did, although timing was such that Chris had to drop me off for the haircut a bit early, and then come back to get me later.

My haircut was the first with a new stylist, after my previous one gave me a chop without really discussing it first, and then on subsequent visits didn't seem to understand what I wanted. Today's appointment went well and my cut has been re-shaped into something that can grow out a bit: still short, but not a full-on pixie.

So now I have a couple of hours to get caught up on various tasks, and then barre, and then a relaxing evening. And I have Chris' agreement that tomorrow I can do whatever the hell I want, all day.

10. Small Things Like These ()

Bill Furlong’s life is generally quiet and uneventful. He grew up in a small Irish town; his mother was in service and Bill never knew his father. Now, Bill is husband to Eileen and the father of several daughters, and works delivering coal for heating homes and businesses. With Christmas approaching, Eileen and her daughters are immersed in cooking and decorating. Bill is more concerned with finishing his rounds before the holiday. While completing a delivery at a convent–also home to a Magdalene Laundry–Bill makes a discovery he simply can’t ignore, and on Christmas Eve takes decisive action.

This novella is not a Magdalene Laundry exposé, nor does it fully develop all of its characters and their motivations. It is primarily one man’s inner monologue as he reflects on his life. The reader sees how Bill’s experiences shaped his values and ultimately influenced his actions that Christmas Eve. The prose is beautifully written, with every phrase concise and carefully crafted, with an ambiguous ending left me wanting more.

Today's Wordle fooled me. Vowel elimination just didn't pay off well. I still got it 5/6 (5s are "winning" for me) but I was enjoying my streak of 3s.

Enjoy doing whatever the hell you want all day tomorrow!!

>164 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen! That's the plan ...

As Ellen said, today's agenda is "whatever the hell I want" ha ha. To be honest, I'll mostly be catching up on little odds and ends that I've been meaning to spend time on all week. Some are admin-related, some are more fun or interesting. I'm going to the gym this morning too.

There's not too much else to report today ...

Wordle 607 4/6

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PASTE, FAIRY, MANIC, MAGIC
Almost a 3!

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Hooray for Small Things Like These. Keegan sure exploded onto the scene didn't she?
Thanks again for turning me onto "Trapped" and I am glad to hear it continues to be good into the 3rd season. I just started "Single Drunk Female". It is on Hulu and it is really good.

I also loved Small Things Like These, Laura.

Great library story.

Enjoy your free day.

My good golly gosh, I'm not even going to try to catch up here. Just wanted to see what you're reading. Off to check out the Keegan.

>162 lauralkeet: That looks really good (and I do prefer recommendations from someone whose taste I respect) so on to the wish list it goes :)

Glad you're having a do-whatever-I-want day today. Enjoy!

----and....went to wish list and found it already there thanks to Judy so now it has two recommendations :)

>166 msf59: Keegan sure exploded onto the scene didn't she?
Yeah Mark, that's what I thought, too. I did a bit of research on her background, and was surprised to see that she is 55 and has published four books. I think it may be more accurate to say she has exploded onto the US literary scene, probably because of the Booker nomination for Small Things Like These. Another novel, Foster, has received a lot of LT love and can be found in bookstores everywhere, and that's because it was only recently released in the US. It was originally published in 2010. Who knew?! Well, the Irish literary folks probably did, but we are just now discovering this gem of an author.

Here's an excellent NYT article on her career and her creative process. The link is a "gift" so anyone can access.

>167 BLBera: Hi Beth. Have you also read Foster? I'll be reading that one soon, especially because I promised to send both books to Kate once I finished them.

>168 tiffin: Hey there Tui, you might also enjoy the article I linked to in my reply to Mark.

>169 RebaRelishesReading: You'll be in good company reading Keegan, Reba. And so far so good on my do-whatever-I-want day! Many small tasks accomplished, which is satisfying.

Hi Laura - I loved both Keegan novels and am excited to hear that the film (not called Foster, I believe it's titled 'The Quiet Girl") will be released in the US soon.

>170 lauralkeet: Wow, I knew zilch about Claire Keegan and her book, Small Things Like These seems very promising.
Thanks for that wonderful NYT article about this author. I love that you could 'gift' us a link.
Foster sounds amazing too. Two BBs in one shot, very adroit 😵‍💫

>171 vivians: That's good to know Vivian. I'll keep an eye out for it.

>172 SandyAMcPherson: I'm glad you enjoyed the article, Sandy. Our digital subscription to the NYT allows us to gift a certain number of articles. I don't use that feature as much as I could/should!

TGIF!

Yesterday was exactly as I'd hoped it would be. I knocked out a bunch of small tasks: transplanted a houseplant, gathered documentation for our taxes, made some travel reservations, did a bit of tidying, etc. In the afternoon Chris needed to run to the hardware store so we decided to also grab a coffee out. On our way there we saw a dog in the car ahead of us, sticking his head out of the sunroof. It was raining lightly and the dog was loving it. We couldn't stop laughing at the thought of the dog's person opening the sunroof on a rainy day just for their pupper.

Today is grocery shopping day, and I'll probably also tackle a couple of chores and make sure everything is ready for our weekend pet sitter. We're heading into Washington DC tomorrow to visit the National Gallery and celebrate my birthday with a nice meal. We're staying overnight too, and will do some more DC stuff on Sunday before heading home.

In books, I'm making pretty good progress on Women's Work: the First 20,000 Years. It's a really interesting look at the evolution of textiles in very early history (think stone age to bronze age), and the role of women in producing them.

Wordle 608 4/6

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STEAM, DRAPE, ALONE, CACHE

>174 lauralkeet: Happy Birthday for tomorrow Laura. Enjoy your celebrations.

>174 lauralkeet: You got me with Women’s Work, Laura—sounds great!

Good weekend to you! I’m having brain spasms because husband is off work today (Friday) so it feels like a (Saturday).

Karen O

Happy early birthday wishes! I hope you have a great time in DC.

I hope your birthday is wonderful.

I did read Foster and it is great. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Trying to get back into the book swing thing. That sweater looks great. Nods approvingly about your reading. I've established footholds in five different books, but I've been drifting for the last week. But a new bookcase project is beginning to commence. :-)

>162 lauralkeet: I loved that one when I read it last year - so much in a small package. I have Keegan's Foster here to read if ever I can get around to it.

Have a wonderful birthday weekend!

>170 lauralkeet: I’ve recently bought a book of Clare Keegan’s short stories, after living both Small things like these and Foster, but I haven’t started reading it as yet.

>175 Caroline_McElwee:, >177 katiekrug:, >178 BLBera:, >180 alcottacre:
Thanks for the birthday wishes Caro, Katie, Beth, & Stasia!

>176 klobrien2: I hope you enjoy the book whenever you get to it, Karen.

>179 weird_O: Hi Bill! I hope you establish a secure reading foothold soon, but bookcase-making is also a pretty good way to spend your time.

>181 SandDune:: Hey there Rhian. Keegan seems to be quite the master of the short form. I look forward to your thoughts on that collection.

Happy early birthday, Laura. I hope you have a fabulous time on your mini break!

>174 lauralkeet: I've probably mentioned a few times how much I love Women's Work!

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a fabulous day.

>184 quondame: And for good reason, Susan! I'm enjoying it.

>183 MickyFine:, >185 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Micky & Reba!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello all!

Not much to report here, yesterday went according to plan and I even managed more reading time than expected. We skipped our usual Friday takeout since we'll be having dinner out tonight, and I made a tasty chicken dish instead: Peperoncini Chicken from Bon Appetit. Later we watched an episode of Peaky Blinders. We started this a while back and then got diverted. We have one more episode left in the first season, and with five more seasons there's plenty of viewing ahead.

After caffeine, showers, and a bit of packing we'll head to DC for our weekend get-away, returning late afternoon/evening on Sunday. I'll be scarce around here until then. Have a great weekend everyone.

Wordle 609 5/6

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PLEAT, FRAIL, SNAIL, QUAIL, AVAIL
Damn, I thought for sure I had it in 3 and then ... oh well.

Enjoy your weekend getaway!

>186 lauralkeet: - That chicken dish looks like something we'd like - thanks for sharing!

I look forward to hearing about your birthday getaway on Monday :)

Happy Birthday, Laura. Have a wonderful weekend in DC. Thanks for the info on Foster & Keegan. Very interesting. My copy of Foster is waiting at the library.

Enjoy your weekend, Laura.

Enjoy your Birthday Weekend in DC, Laura. I loved the cat cafe pics and your blue lace cardigan is perfection.

We will discuss The Marriage Portrait at our next book group meeting. I haven’t loved our last two books. I’m looking forward to Maggie O’Farrell. Her books are always a treat for me.

Happy happy birthday!! Don't know how the baker got the names wrong on top -- sorry! But the candles turned out great, right? ; )

>114 lauralkeet: GORGEOUS!!!! And the sweater is great too!

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend and that your birthday has been more than special! Happy Personal New Year to you!

I skimmed through all the posts and want to get to *Marriage Portrait* even more than I did before I looked at your review.... I'm a bit, but only a bit, less motivated to try *Orange*.

Belated Happy Birthday, Laura! Saturday got away from me and I didn’t look at my calendar or your thread. I hope you had a wonderful time, and reading below, a great getaway.

>82 katiekrug: and >83 scaifea: Me, too.

>86 lauralkeet: Millennial Pause. Who knew? And yay for Kate’s being mentioned in Wikipedia.

>105 lauralkeet: Well, a kitty café. Excellent idea. I had to laugh, though, at so kitties could explore at altitude because that’s mostly what we don’t want to happen around here – Get off the library shelves! Get off the mantle! Get off the landing rail! (We don't have any drapes otherwise we'd be saying Get off the drapes!)

>107 lauralkeet: I’m sorry to hear about Birdie.

>110 lauralkeet: We got two in 2019 – mama and son – Zoe Rose and Washburne Ryder – and with senior Inara almost 16 although still plucky, we’re glad to have both.

>114 lauralkeet: Beautiful cardigan, more beautiful Laura.

>140 lauralkeet: three Nancy Drew books deep in a closet at home and they had become her latest obsession. She'd read them as a child but was now re-reading. I said something like, "and of course now you want to read every one of them, and you want to read them in order." Her face lit up. Yes! Exactly! I can imagine someone at home thinks she's weird but I didn't. She noted that the library had several Nancy Drews on the shelf but not all, and I explained how she could put in a hold request and we lamented having to wait for a book in order to keep reading in series order ... it was a fun conversation. Later I wished I'd told her about LT. I came to reading series in order rather late, and have actually never read all the Nancy Drews although I have … quick check of my catalog … 24 of them, some of them the original 1930s editions but none with dust jackets. First mysteries I ever read, starting when I was 10. I sometimes embarrass myself with how fervently I talk about LT in the real world.

>152 lauralkeet: Our county has an official county-level Library Advisory Board and I am President of a well-established and well-funded Friends organization that’s been around for 40+ years. They’re definitely separate. Frankly I have no idea what the Advisory Board does, but they have a web page on the county website and meet 4 times a year. Two members of my Friends Board are actually on the LAC and this actually just got me to thinking about having them make a presentation to the Board at our March meeting. 😊 Our Friends organization also has a website, a free function of our Membership Software, Wild Apricot.

>161 lauralkeet: My haircut was the first with a new stylist, after my previous one gave me a chop without really discussing it first, and then on subsequent visits didn't seem to understand what I wanted. Today's appointment went well and my cut has been re-shaped into something that can grow out a bit: still short, but not a full-on pixie. Hope the new stylist works out.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend Birthday getaway.

I'm back!

>187 figsfromthistle:, >188 katiekrug:, >189 msf59:, >191 BLBera:, >192 Donna828:, >193 Berly:, >194 LizzieD:
Thanks Anita, Katie, Mark, Beth, Donna, Kim and Peggy for the birthday wishes!

>195 karenmarie:
And you too, Karen. I also enjoyed your very thorough catch-up on my thread posts. Thanks for taking the time to do that!

I appreciate you making the distinction between a Library Advisory Board and a Friends organization. I've done a bit more digging into how our County library system is organized. At the county level there's a Board of Trustees appointed by the county government. The Trustees "work with the Library Director in the study, evaluation, and development of Library policies and long-range plans." It looks like they meet monthly.

At a branch level, it appears several branches have a Friends organization and ours is called an Advisory Board, but the description of both types of group is the same: "fundraises and advocates on behalf of" the branch. 🤷‍♀️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The DC visit was a lot of fun. We arrived early enough in the morning to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, and we enjoyed taking it all in at a leisurely pace. In the evening we had dinner at a French bistro which was lively and had great food. Our hotel, the Tabard Inn, was a unique experience: a 100-year-old building furnished with antiques, no elevators or TVs, and an excellent restaurant. On Sunday morning we checked out and the hotel held our luggage while we visited the Renwick Gallery, one of the smaller Smithsonian museums, focused on American Craft. Then on our way out of town (not really on our way but...) we stopped at Politics and Prose bookstore. Although we didn't buy anything, it's a great store and lived up to its reputation. We arrived home in the late afternoon and pretty much crashed for the rest of the day.

So today's agenda ... no library shift because they're closed for the holiday. Lots of odds and ends/admin tasks but nothing onerous. I'm hoping to fit some reading and knitting into the day. However, I did just make an appointment to take Alys to the vet this afternoon. She's had a weird sort of cough for a few days and seems a bit lethargic.

Wordle 611 3/6

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SPIRE, STEAM, SWEAT

Glad you had a nice time!

>196 lauralkeet: Ooh, the Tabard Inn is lovely, I've gone to the restaurant for Thanksgiving a few times. I'm glad your trip went well!

Sounds like a lovely birthday celebration weekend, Laura. Enjoy your recovery Monday.

>196 lauralkeet: Your DC visit sounds terrific. Love the idea of a 100-year-old Inn and no electronics but yay, private baths.

My last visit to DC was in 1994! I loved the district where we stayed (Adams Morgan, I think it was called). Main attraction were lots of second-hand bookshops and reasonably-priced bistros. Also took in the National Gallery.

It sounds like you had a great birthday weekend, Laura.

Hi Laura my dear, belated Birthday greetings dear lady, it sounds like you had a great birthday weekend. Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>197 katiekrug: thanks Katie!

>199 norabelle414: ooh, I bet they do an amazing Thanksgiving feast. We only had breakfast there and it was delicious. We could definitely see ourselves staying there again and might just have to make a dinner reservation.

>200 MickyFine: thanks Micky!

>201 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! Private baths are A MUST. We stayed near DuPont Circle, chosen mostly because of the Tabard Inn. It's just a bit south of Adams Morgan. I'm not sure how long ago you visited. Adams Morgan struck me as catering to a younger set who are looking for nightlife. But probably not a bad place to find a restaurant.

>202 BLBera: Indeed I did, Beth! It takes a bit of planning what with the need for pet care and all, but we really should visit DC now and then.

>203 johnsimpson: Thank you John! It was a really nice mini-getaway.

Your bday weekend get-away sounded great! We'll be going to DC on 3/24 and your description of the Tabard Inn sounds so appealing. We usually stay at a boring Marriott in Chevy Chase near Jo's apartment. We have 2 of our kids in DC and will hopefully get a family tour of the State Dept now that Oren works there. The real reason for my post is to say thanks for the rec of "Trapped." I started it last night and am hooked.

>205 vivians: Vivian, I can imagine there's something to be said for being near Jo's apartment. Especially if there's free or inexpensive parking!! A tour of the State Dept would be quite interesting.

And wow, we have quite a 75er "Trapped" fan club going now. Despite the grittiness of the first season (body parts, ewww), it was really good. The subsequent seasons are still gritty, but less ewww-inducing.

Belated birthday greetings, Laura.

>114 lauralkeet: That is a very fetching cardigan, well done!

>164 EBT1002: I'm pleased that you rated it too. x

>207 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Birthday wishes are always welcome, no matter the timing. And thank you re: the cardigan.

Good morning all ...

Yesterday I managed to knock off most of my admin tasks. Alys' vet trip was uneventful. Of course despite having developed a cough on Thursday that lasted for several days, she was cough-free yesterday and pretty much back to normal. We went ahead with the vet visit anyway, because her coughing tended to happen in the evening. The vet found no significant problems, which is good news of course. He gave us a probiotic to alleviate a minor gastrointestinal issue. Ah well, I'm glad she's okay.

Today we're heading to the gym earlier than usual so I can get back and have a shower before heading to a 10am Guild committee meeting. The rest of the day is free and clear, with just a few little things I'd like to take care of. I might also help Chris with a project outdoors, spreading gravel for paths in a new garden space we're creating. I'm going to make 15-bean soup using ham hocks to flavor the broth and some leftover ham that's been in the freezer. I'll also make corn muffins to go with the soup. Mmm ....

Last night I finished Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years which was so interesting! And at bedtime I started Mecca, yet another rec I picked up on Beth's thread a while back.

Wordle 612 3/6

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Second word to the rescue!

Nice going on today's Wordle. It took me four.

I'm glad you had a good birthday trip to D.C. And so glad Alys seems to be doing well. Carson goes to the vet next Monday for dental cleaning. He just has bad teeth, poor kitty. Withholding all food after 10pm the night before is going to be tough!

I may be the last 75er to watch "Trapped." I'll give it a go. P doesn't really "do" gritty/eew so I may have to watch season one without her.

>210 EBT1002: - No, Ellen, I'm the last 75er to watch 'Trapped'! LOL.

Morning, Laura! Glad Alys is okay. I look forward to your thoughts on Mecca - Beth got me with that BB, too.

>209 lauralkeet: I found Mecca an interesting alternate view of Southern California, of which only a few parts were familiar.

I'll watch for your comments on Mecca, Laura. Ellen liked it as well.

>210 EBT1002:, >211 katiekrug: OK, I've never even heard of 'Trapped', if that makes y'alls feel better...

Edited to ask >212 quondame: Susan, I'm confused ~ how does So Cal relate to Mecca (assuming the touchstone was correct in the original post at #209)?

Morning, Laura! Belated Happy Birthday wishes from all of us here. Your birthday weekend sounds fun and relaxing.

>210 EBT1002:, >211 katiekrug:, >214 SandyAMcPherson: We should have a "Trapped" watch party!

>212 quondame:, >213 BLBera:, >214 SandyAMcPherson: Mecca has about a million possible touchstones. This is the correct one, for a novel by Susan Straight set in Southern California. I don't know the area well enough to understand it as an "alternative view" of SoCal, but the setting is certainly integral to the plot. Here's a plot summary from my edition:

Johnny Frias has California in his blood. A descendant of the state s Indigenous people and Mexican settlers, he has Southern California s forgotten towns and canyons in his soul. He spends his days as a highway patrolman pulling over speeders, ignoring their racist insults, and pushing past the trauma of his rookie year, when he killed a man assaulting a young woman named Bunny, who ran from the scene, leaving Johnny without a witness. But like the Santa Ana winds that every year bring the risk of fire, Johnny s moment of action twenty years ago sparked a slow-burning chain of connections that unites a vibrant, complex cast of characters in ways they never see coming.

>215 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Thank you!

Hi y'all,

Yesterday's Guild committee meeting was fun, mostly because 3 of us got to chatting afterwards on various topics. The remaining meeting attendees had joined via Zoom. It reminded me of a side benefit of in-person participation: getting to know others better. In the afternoon I helped Chris with unloading gravel for pathways in a new garden space (feeling it a bit in my shoulders today), and made the ham and bean soup and corn muffins which were delicious. There was enough to feed an army so it will probably be consumed for lunch again today but even then, there will be more left. I can always freeze some of it.

During our gym session yesterday morning, I did a treadmill run jog for the first time in over 3 years. Waaaay back pre-kids, I used to run a few miles several times a week. I wasn't breaking any speed records, but it was good exercise. Then I started experiencing knee pain running on pavement, so I shifted to treadmill only. In 2019 I overdid it on a treadmill and ended up with a torn meniscus which was eventually treated with a steroid injection and I've steered clear of the treadmill. I've been using the elliptical trainer at the gym, which I enjoy, but have also tried a couple of low-impact treadmill workouts, using the incline to get my heart rate going. I enjoyed taking the pace up a tad -- still trying to be very careful here though.

Last night we watched an episode of Entrapped. We are getting close to the end of the series now and I will be sad to say good-bye to my Icelandic detective friends. After that Chris surfed around watching old Britcoms and I read a bit, because I didn't want to watch something for the 1000th time. I got a bit further into Mecca but am not yet as immersed as I'd like to be. Hopefully I can carve out some more reading time soon.

Today is the Guild's monthly membership meeting. Our speaker will be joining us via Zoom, and I need to get there early to set up the computer/big screen/Zoom before the meeting starts. I have Barre at 4:30. Maybe I'll grab some reading time in between.

Wordle 613 6/6

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Well, that was annoying.

It's always very satisfying to feel oneself getting stronger/faster at the gym. Our sessions with the trainer are all strength training, and I love when I increase the weight I'm using for a particular exercise. Don't usually love it the next morning, though!

Hi Laura. I haven't done today's Wordle yet but your 6/6 has me worried!

I'm glad to see some chatter about Mecca. I had sort of forgotten about it and I'm being nicely reminded. It was a good read.

As you know, I had a knee replacement in August 2020 and I really haven't run since. I don't want to "wear out" the artificial knee. And I miss it terribly. Running was my best stress reliever for most of my adult life. I'm honestly thinking about getting it back into my routine, at least for the next ten months. It's not like I'll be running so far or fast as to really wear out this hardware. Lol. Walking (and I walk fast) is good but running is just the best for me.

Have a great day!

Laura, a friend shared with me a link from the New York Times that today's Wordle is busting a bunch of streaks. Apparently about 25% of players have not gotten it in the allowed 6 tries. The usual percentage is 1-2%. So, pat yourself on the back for being in the top 75%!! LOL

>217 lauralkeet: - When hubby told me that it took him 6 and that people who he knows that post on Facebook took 6, I was worried. I ended up basically where you were except I had already eliminated one of the first letters you used.

PIANO, ZIPPY, VIPER, WIPER, HIPER, RIPER.

>214 SandyAMcPherson: >216 lauralkeet: What Laura said, Sandy!

My southern California is mostly City and viewed from a near upper middle class altitude as I live adjacent to the posh-adjacent areas.

>218 katiekrug:, >219 EBT1002: I know that feeling of accomplishment that comes from pushing yourself a bit. It felt good to jog again, let's just hope I don't do something stupid again.

>220 EBT1002:, >221 dudes22: Interesting comments on today's Wordle. I'm glad I wasn't the only one. The NYT publishes a weekly Games newsletter which, among other things, covers which Wordle was the hardest and which the easiest. I think I know where today will fall ...

>222 quondame: Hi Susan!

11. Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years ()

In contemporary western society, fiber arts are practiced mostly by women. And, it turns out, that’s the way it’s been for thousands of years. But crafts like spinning and weaving were more than just hobbies. Textiles were integral to the economy as far back as paleolithic times. In this book, Elizabeth Wayland Barber describes why women came to be responsible for making cloth. Then she describes the various types of cloth, production methods, and end uses from the invention of string and sewing over 20,000 years ago, up to Classical Greece around 500 BCE.

Because textiles naturally degrade over time, researchers cannot rely solely on archaeological evidence. Barber found several other avenues of inquiry which she used to develop a picture of these early societies. For example, she obtained a great deal of insight from studying early language. If language included a word for cloth or a garment, then that item must have existed even if no physical remains have been found. The geographic scope is limited to what is now Europe and the Middle East, not because these were the only societies producing cloth, but for practical reasons: a broader scope would have made for a larger and possibly less accessible book.

I appreciated the way this book not only outlined the evolution of fiber arts, but validated the role of women and their contributions to society.

Happy Thursday!

Yesterday, between my Guild meeting and Barre, we made an exciting (not) run to Lowe's to pick up a few things for a project, and then I curled up with my book. That was great, because I finally made enough headway in Mecca to be fully immersed in the characters and storyline. After dinner we started season 2 of Peaky Blinders, and puttered about watching a few other shows that I can't even remember now. I might have been reading ... ha.

Today is completely unscheduled, yay! We're heading to the gym soon. The weather is supposed to be unseasonably warm, but only for today, so we'll probably take advantage of that and do some outdoor work. Other than that, I have a few small tasks I can either do, or put off for another day. Nice.

Wordle 614 5/6

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Blerg.

Wordle 614 4/6

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RAISE, CANOE, LATTE, VAGUE

I consider it a lucky guess.

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Glad to hear that "Trapped" is still going strong into the 3rd season. I watched and enjoyed the first 3 seasons of "Peaky Blinders". Very good show, great cast but I felt that was enough for me.

>226 dudes22: nice job, Betty!

>227 msf59: I get where you're coming from with Peaky Blinders, Mark. Was it the violence? It's like The Godfather on steroids. After watching S2, E1 last night Chris and I got to talking about the way some series amp up the violence over time and how we've bailed on them for that reason. So ... we'll see how it goes!

Today's weather is just as gorgeous as promised, so I've been puttering around outside doing some early-season gardening jobs. Might as well get them done now while I can. It will be a few weeks before we're able to be out there on a daily basis.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention this news for Thursday Murder Club fans. Richard Osman announced the next book will be released September 14 (although Amazon says September 19). Title: The Last Devil to Die.

Oh boy oh boy: I'll see if I can pre-order that one. Thanks, Laura.

>228 lauralkeet: On my list it goes.

>162 lauralkeet: have you read Claire Keegan’s Antarctica? The first story - it’s a collection - is about as far away from Small Things as you can get. I’m not a great short story reader but picked up this collection because I was so impressed by her novels. Highly recommend her short stories.

>229 tiffin:, >230 quondame: I pre-ordered the kindle edition yesterday!

>231 kjuliff: Hi Kathleen, thanks for visiting my thread! I haven't read Keegan's short stories but it's great to know they are as excellent as her novels.

Happy Friday everyone!

Oof, I am sore today. Yesterday I was already a bit sore from Wednesday's Barre, and I did an elliptical workout yesterday morning which tends to make me feel stiff more than sore. And then, I spent the afternoon moving compost from our pile to the raised beds -- several wheelbarrows full, involving lots of shoveling to load and unload. My arms and shoulders are feeling it this morning! But hey, that's one early-season gardening task done sooner than expected. The evening was spent knitting and reading instead of watching TV. Chris watched a couple programs that he enjoys, and I was fine to ignore them in favor of reading Mecca. The book has developed into a nicely interconnected narrative and I'm curious to see where it goes.

This morning I have a Guild-related Zoom call at 10, and will then do the grocery shopping. I'm not sure what else the day has in store, but it will not involve any heavy lifting! Takeout for dinner. I have a hankering for pizza but I'm not set on it, so we'll see.

Wordle 615 4/6

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TRADE, AROMA, ARMOR, ARBOR
4s continue to dominate my stats.

Morning, Laura! No wonder you're sore today. That's a lot in just a couple of days.

I have Mecca on my list, thanks to Beth, and I look forward to getting your take on it, too.

>232 lauralkeet: The Antarctica is very different than Walk the Blue Fields which is much more in line with the novels.

>234 katiekrug: Watch this space Katie ... I'll report back on Mecca soon.

>235 kjuliff: Good to know, thank you!

Good morning all,

Yesterday after my meeting I whizzed through the grocery store in record time, had lunch, and settled into my reading chair for a while. Mecca took a dark turn and I just couldn't put it down. We also satisfied my (our) hankering for pizza at dinner. Yum, we haven't had pizza in a while.

Last night we watched the film, The Banshees of Inisherin, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason (rented on Prime). It was very well done, but much much darker than we expected. Trailers make it appear to be a bit of a comedy, and there are funny points, but it is not a comedy by any stretch. After the film we watched a YouTube video that unpacks how the film illustrates the Irish Civil War, which was enlightening. The film has received several Oscar nominations, all well deserved, but it's not for everyone that's for sure.

I'll be heading out to Barre soon, and then have a relatively agenda-free day. More reading, for sure.

Wordle 616 6/6

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PLATE, MOUTH, DIRTY, SIXTY, NIFTY, FIFTY
Ack. So annoying!

For anyone interested, Walk the Blue Fields is currently $3.99 on Kindle...

Morning, Laura!

>237 lauralkeet: I've been anticipating The Banshees of Inisherin for a while, and at our last Library Board meeting two of our members who have been comparing notes on films for years, apparently, both said it was the best thing they saw in 2022. I don't think my husband will watch it, as he's bad with Irish accents, and I'd rather not have closed captioning when I'm watching something quite so intense.

>239 laytonwoman3rd: It was very affecting, Linda. And yes, intense. We've been talking about it this morning and it will take a while to get it out of our heads. The Guardian loved it: The Banshees of Inisherin review – flawless tragicomedy of male friendship gone sour

Besides being an allegory of the Irish Civil War, Chris has gone down an internet rabbit hole finding comparisons to Tolstoy and other literary works. All of this is best done after seeing the film, since these sources typically have spoilers.

Good morning bookish pals,

Yesterday was wonderfully low-key. I took care of some Guild business like sending out minutes from Friday's meeting. I made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies, which are delicious and I've eaten far too many already. And then I read. A lot. In fact, I finished Mecca. Woo hoo! Thoughts are percolating and a review will spring forth soon.

Today should be similarly uneventful. Chris has been working on an electrical project in one of the guest rooms (overhead lighting), and I am steering clear of that believe you me. I need to run out and pick up Alys' meds at the pharmacy, I might do some daytime knitting (I almost always knit during evening TV-watching), and will almost certainly do a bit of reading. I started I Hear the Sirens in the Street, the second in the Sean Duffy series (thanks to Katie for the enthusiastic rec). I might also do a bit of decluttering as there are a couple of closets that would be quick and easy to take care of.

Wordle 617 4/6

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SPADE, STUMP, SUNUP, SYRUP
Happy to see a 4 again.

12. Mecca ()

The community of Mecca is located in the Southern California desert, east of Los Angeles and San Diego. The people are ethnically diverse and about half the population works in agriculture. This is a far cry from the Southern California popularized in television.

The book opens with Johnny Frias, a member of the California Highway Patrol. Early in his career, Johnny killed a man caught in the act of sexually assaulting a woman. The woman fled, leaving Johnny with no witnesses. He never reported the incident and has lived with fear of reprisals ever since. Johnny’s story leads us to one character, who leads us to another, and so on. Everyone is routinely subjected to prejudice and discrimination by law enforcement and immigration officials, despite having deep, multi-generational roots in the United States. And everyone must teach their children how to avoid the worst possible outcome of these encounters.

Each character’s story is connected to another, often through some small event or circumstance unknown to either party. Sometimes I found it confusing to keep track of all this interconnectedness; at other times their stories were so compelling I stopped thinking about it. The landscape and climate were so vividly depicted that it was easy to feel part of it. And yet, I was disappointed with the ending. Focused primarily on one of the characters, it left me with questions about what happened to others and felt rather sudden and incomplete. Despite that, this is a book worth reading for greater insight to ethnic and racial issues in the US.

I'm glad you liked Mecca, Laura. I did have trouble with the great amount of characters at first; I think I made a list. I did like that it focused on the community of color in S. California. And I loved the descriptions.

>233 lauralkeet: Ouch! Lot's of exercise! At least you have one less garden chore to do though. Happy week ahead!

>243 BLBera: Mecca absolutely opened my eyes to another part of California, both geographically and ethnically, Beth. I love it when books do that.

>244 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita!

Good morning and welcome to Monday.

I had a nice relaxing Sunday. I tackled a small decluttering project: a couple of drawers in a closet where the previous owners had accidentally left stuff behind (yes, two years ago): three pairs of shoes in boxes that can be donated, and a bunch of belts that I tossed, along with some other stuff from my own closet that needed to be thrown out. I also took stock of the clutter situation in the "workshop" part of our basement, which is not a workshop but a place where everything lands and never gets put away. Again, we still have some crap left by the previous owners which we can take to the dump. Some of our stuff might also qualify for that excursion. It's mostly tools and bits and pieces for home projects, in need of some basic organizing as the shelves are poorly utilized. I think Chris will be okay with me doing that as long as I promise not to throw anything out (I have a history of accidentally tossing stuff that should have been kept).

I worked on a couple of smaller knitting projects in the afternoon, and my sweater during the evening while we watched an episode of Entrapped. The trade-off was, I didn't do any reading until bedtime.

This morning I'm working a library shift, and have no firm plans for the afternoon. Fine by me! Tonight will be University Challenge and something else TBD. And reading will happen along the way.

Wordle 618 3/6

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TRADE, SHORE, WORSE
A good way to start the day!

>246 lauralkeet: "accidentally" mmmmhmmm....I have some of those "accidents" on occasion.

>246 lauralkeet: Heh, heh. "as long as I promise not to throw anything out"
I, as well, am constantly attempting to make inroads on "potentially useful stuff" that hasn't really any potential in reality. It's a losing battle keeping our basement-hellhole semi organized.

All the tidying up books I've read and the advice is always to confine yourself to 'your things'. I'm rubbish at that philosophy even though I know it is good advice.

>247 laytonwoman3rd: - Ha! Don't we all?

Morning, Laura! I hope your library shift goes well and you enjoy the rest of your day.

>248 SandyAMcPherson: always confine yourself to 'your things.'
That's generally good advice. I'm just tired of tripping over stuff in the basement-hellhole (I'm keeping that term, thanks Sandy). And I actually enjoy organizing things where he does not.

>247 laytonwoman3rd:, >249 katiekrug: I admit some of my past "accidents" have been on purpose, but some were truly honest mistakes. I have learned to (grudgingly) accept keeping "potentially useful stuff." However, the previous owners left behind a lot of stuff, clearly kept "just in case," which I frequently hold up as an example of "don't let this happen to you."

I just now requested permission to organize the basement shelves, and received approval. I promised I would only be organizing, not tossing. I also said as a separate step we would need to address the previous owners' stuff with a spring trip to the county dump, which he generally agreed with although it will be pulling teeth to make it happen LOL.

I think I just have a "spring cleaning" bug up my a** at the moment. I've also been thinking about the way stuff accumulates and then becomes a problem that others have to deal with (specifically, when adult children have to clean out their parents' house). Doing a bit of clean-out once a year could help with that. And at this point we're truly dealing with trash, not items of value that we have to make difficult decisions about.

Put the other people's stuff in the driveway, and see how quick he decides to go to the dump! Did you know all that was there before closing? 'Cause I'd have insisted on an allowance for having it hauled away, right off the bottom line.
s/Cranky Ol' Thang

>251 laytonwoman3rd: We knew and yet we didn't know, Linda. They asked us if we wanted them to leave the shelves in the basement (your basic sort of wood basement/workshop shelving). We said yeah, sure. We didn't realize that meant the shelves and all the stuff on them. They had a whole-house auction to clear out the house and I suspect they told the auction company to leave the shelves alone and they took that literally. *shrug*

They left behind an astonishing array of paint and chemicals, like every time they needed something they bought more instead of using what they had. Shortly after we moved in, the county had a household hazardous waste collection day so we got rid of most of that it then. There will be some things to cart away this time, but to begin with it needs organizing, like combining all the boxes of screws & washers in one place, putting all the painting-related stuff together, that kind of thing. I'm just going to tackle it a little bit at a time.

When we bought our house, we did the final walk-through with our realtor a couple hours before closing, and there was an old sofa and a beaten up charcoal grill in the garage. Naturally, we were a bit disturbed by that, but when we arrived at the bank, we saw the sellers' pick-up truck parked in the lot, with those items in the back! They must have been waiting around the corner for us to finish our inspection, and then cleared out their last bits. Having cleared out a couple houses myself since then, I understand getting down to the nitty gritty and not knowing what to do with that last load of miscellaneous stuff.

>250 lauralkeet: My day is complete!
Laura likes my term for our messy basement...I always get the stink eye from Mr. SM when I call it that.

>254 SandyAMcPherson: Ha, happy to have made your day Sandy!

Good morning to everyone ...

I made a (very) small start on the basement cleanup yesterday afternoon, but it was a start. Roni started a decluttering thread in this group, and her favorite resource advocates tackling small tasks in 15-minute segments. If you end up spending more time on it (voluntarily), so be it. That's kind of how I'm looking at this.

Last night we watched University Challenge (the first episode in the semifinals), which was really competitive and fun. We also watched an episode of A Perfect Spy, a semi-autobiographical 1987 series written by Jean Le Carre. It's okay, but I'm not super into it. The good news is, I was able to read a lot of I Hear the Sirens in the Street which is excellent. So that was a win!

This morning we're heading to the gym, and then over to Southern States to pick up birdseed (it's senior discount day! But also we're out of birdseed). It's a bit damp outside right now but supposed to clear up and be partly cloudy/sunny so I might get some outdoor work done later. And of course a bit of basement decluttering. I can see all of you now, green with envy over my exciting life. Ha!

Wordle 619 4/6

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TREAD, LAPIS, PLANK, POLKA

I am also trying to do the 15-minute decluttering thing. I often forget, though :-P

We enjoyed UC last night. I didn't realize they drew it out so long, with multiple chances for teams to advance.

Glad you are ocntinuing to enjoy the Sean Duffy!

Hello, Laura! I like the idea of the 15-minute decluttering, so I'm going to try that.

We are also out of birdseed, but that is Craig's department, thank goodness.