Lynda's (Carmenere's) Reading Room #3

My plans for this year include reading a book each month - UPDATE
1) from my RL book group - April’s read is The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Igor
2) reading something off my shelf - Continue reading Epitaph and Flight Behaviour
3) reading a book for "The Book Girls' Guide to reading across the USA - What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez
4) reading from the 75ers American Authors Challenge - April is Trudi & Pia by Ursula Hegi
5) start and complete The Complete Sherlock Holmes Volume I also off my shelf (OMS) Study in Scarlet
6) I’m been continuing with Rod Serling and the Twilight Zone
7) I hope to get to The Passenger and Killers of a Certain Age
8) Also continuing Alaska with 10 pages a day with plans to finish by June’s vacation.

Busy, busy, busy!

This is my messy TBR

That is all, come on in!

#15 Devotions
Mary Oliver
AAC March Poetry Challenge Read
4/5

Let me make this clear. Unless we’re taking about song lyrics I am not a fan of poetry but since I’m doing the AAC challenge this year and March happened to be poetry month, I chose the poet I’ve been hearing most often about on LT, Mary Oliver.
Let me tell you, Ms Oliver has stolen my heart with her gentle poetry directed towards nature and the little creatures that are apart of it.
Devotions is a great place to start if you are not familiar with Oliver as it includes selected poems from her earliest days as a poet in 1963 to her most current in 2015.
For its sheer joy, I love “The Storm”

“Now through the white orchard my little dog
romps, breaking the new snow
with wild feet.

Running here running there, excited,
hardly able to stop, he leaps, he spins
until the white snow is written upon
in large, exuberant letters,
a long sentence, expressing
the pleasure of the body in this world.

Oh, I could not have said it better
myself.”

Because of its timeliness I like “The Poet Thinks About the Donkey”

“On the outskirts of Jerusalem
the donkey waited.
Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,
he stood and waited.

How horses, turned out into the meadow,
leap with delight!
How doves, released from their cages,
clatter away, splashed with sunlight!

But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited,
Then he let himself be led away.
Then he let the stranger mount.

Never had he seen such crowds!
And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.
Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.

I hope,finally, he felt brave.
I hope, finally, he loved the man who road so lightly upon him,
as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.”

Happy New Thread, Lynda! Wishing you many good reads ahead.

Hi Lynda, I enjoyed catching up with you and I am excited to hear more about your planned trip to Alaska!

>5 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! So good to "see" you and thanks!

Happy new thread, dear Lynda. x

>6 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! I'm excited and the preparing and anticipation stages are so much fun. After a couple of days in Denali we'll be cruising from Whittier to Vancouver. A once in a lifetime trip, for sure!

Happy new thread!

>10 figsfromthistle: thank you. Anita! Happy Saturday!!

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Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lynda!

Happy new one!

>13 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!
>14 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita!
>15 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

I chose my book of the month Hang the Moon by Jeanette Walls.
I also chose two add ons: Circe and The Sundown Motel

You inadvertently missed me above @ >8 PaulCranswick: Lynda.

>4 Carmenere: I may read something by Mary Oliver this month as her soothing poetry is always easy to help me out of a reading slump.

>18 PaulCranswick: Oops! Sorry about that, Paul. I see we sort of cross posted.

>4 Carmenere: I think Spring is a particularly good time to read Oliver. I hope she helps you deslump.

Sending good vibes for the week ahead xx

Morning, Lynda! Happy new one! Abby and I also love Mary Oliver. Hoping that your Sunday is full of happy.

>20 Crazymamie: Happy Wednesday, Mamie!
Oliver is a poet I see buying and referring to often.
Hope your day is gentle and kind to you.

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Happy Wednesday, Lynda. Happy New Thread. Lots of rain and storms here. It may be moving your way. Hooray for Devotions. Wonderful volume. I have a "keeper" copy on shelf.

Today is Will's 24th birthday. Since we celebrated both of ours s couple of weeks ago , today will be just a phone call or Skype.
I did however send a surprise email this morning with an attachment to A Day in the Life of Will. That's the video I took 20+ years ago and Will has never seen. I hope he likes it.

On the reading front The Ride of a lifetime by Robert Iger. It's for library book group and I'm enjoying it.

It's a warm day here today so lots of yard work and then dinner with a former co-worker who managed to get reservations at the hottest new but old restaurant in town.

>23 msf59: Back at cha. Mark! Yes indeed! The storms are coming my way this evening but before that temps in the upper 70's :0)

I'm thinking of adding Devotions to my collection. It's a very nice sampling of her work through the years .

>17 Carmenere: So you are reading The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James? I enjoyed it, but I liked The Broken Girls more, according my LT stars. It's fun to just read a rollicking scary tale.

Are you hitting Vancouver BC, or Vancouver Washington ? If you hitting my Vancouver, it is lovely here. I hope you have good weather, because we get a LOT of rain this time of year and really, all year round. It is very safe here, and I have to no anxiety about travelling in Vancouver or Richmond, even after dark. But do avoid the downtown east side. I'd avoid it at any time but right now the police are clearing out a tent city in the Down Town East side. It will be an ongoing operation over the next few day or so.

Happy Birthday to your Will! A wonderful name! My younger son is William, and he'll be 33 in May of this year.

Lynda..A planned trip to Alaska? How exciting!!! Happy Birthday to Will. I am so very happy he is in your life and all the love and comfort he provides.

Morning, Lynda! Belated Happy Birthday to Will - I bet he loved the video.

>26 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! Ms Trust had given The Sun Down Motel a very high rating so when I saw it could be an add on to my Book of the Month order. I jumped on it.
To be honest, I really like the cover too.
Our cruise disembarks in Vancouver BC. Seems my only opportunity to see Vancouver is the transportation from the dock to the airport. :0(
Will is actually William, like your son. However, my Will is a third. His grandfather was known as Bill, my husband was William to family & Bill to friends so to lessen confusion, the third became Will.

>27 Whisper1: Yup Linda, Alaska! I'm going on a cruise with family and friends and I'm thrilled Will is coming along too. He's quite the nature buff and can't wait to see the animal life. Haha, I can't wait either.

>28 Crazymamie: Why thank you, Mamie. Yes, he did!!!

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Haha I had to look up the definition of this word

>32 Carmenere: I bet I know what your third word was! Good job!

Karen O

>33 klobrien2: haha you'd probably be right, Karen!

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Happy Saturday, Lynda. When are you going on your Alaska cruise? We went in 2004. It was probably the best vacation we ever went on, closely followed by Hawaii. I highly recommend doing the land portion, if it is included in the package. We started in Fairbanks and worked our way down. Absolutely stunning.

70s here next week! Yah!!

>36 msf59: Our cruise is in June and we are also starting off in Fairbanks and exploring Denali. Which cruise line did you use?

Yeah for warming up! It's sunny and still in the 50's but a good day to trim bushes and rake the leaves out of flower beds.

Royal Carribean. Are you embarking from Seward? June should be good but it could still be cool. We went in August. It was actually very warm.

Princess and we’re embarking from Whittier. We’re anticipating dressing in layers. Haha

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Tricky

Happy new thtead, Lynda. Your Alasks trip is coming closer.

>41 Ameise1: Yes, it is, Barbara! Anticipating it is almost as exciting as experiencing it. Well, sort of.

—————
I attended the monthly library book discussion group this morning and we had a very good conversation on The Ride of a Lifetime by Disney CEO Bob Iger. Then…..

I won two mah jonggs today. I’m really getting the hang of it and all it’s crazy rules. Then….
I cleaned out one of the flower beds. Now….I’m exhausted.

#16 The Ride of a Lifetime
Robert Iger
Library book group discussion
4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s memoir concerning his tenure at ABC’s Wild World of Sports, then ABC entertainment, the merger with Disney followed by Disney’s acquisition of Pixar, Marvel and Lucas films just to name a few. It provided an inside look at the mechanics of the industry and the art of negotiation.
Mr. Iger also includes insightful leadership qualities a business person might adopt.

#17 Presence The Strange Science and True Stories of the Unseen Other
Ben Anderson-Day, Ph.D
NetGalley
3/5

I found this book well researched and somewhat interesting with many true accounts of people feeling the presence of or seeing something that is only visible to them.
The thing is, the book is not what I had anticipated. To box those who have experienced such phenomena into mental illness, disease and extreme conditions doesn’t do them justice. It is not until Section 9 when the author touches app on Spiritualism. A thought provoking book which makes one alert to the many ways and reasons presences reveal themselves.
I listened to the audio version from NetGalley and found it well done.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review the advanced copy.

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Here are my book of the month selections:


And a couple I picked up from the library yesterday:
1 for the AAC
and 2 for library book discussion in May.


I guess the bottom pic is difficult to read. Diamond Eye and Trudi & Pia

The weather is great so I'll have to put off reading this morning and work outside. When I come in, I'll be reading What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez.
I've also fallen behind on Michener's Alaska so I'll be catching up on that too. Ugh, I haven't even gotten to the Gold Rush.

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I need to tidy up the church library this morning , drop off clothes to charity get gas for my lawn mower and again, work on the yard. In the 70's for the next few days then back to rain and 50's next week so I want to accomplish as much as possible now.

Morning, Lynda. The Winners & Empire of Pain are both chunksters, so have been dominating my reading lately and then I have my Texas trip coming up. Low numbers for April. I am leading a bird walk this AM. We should have a nice group and migrants are really beginning to return or pass through. It also helps, that it will be a beautiful day.

>46 Carmenere: Love to see pics of your monthly book selections.

Morning, Lynda! I absolutely loved Circe, and so did Abby.

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>48 msf59: I'm sure your bird walk went well Mark. Anything new?
I'm going birding today. I'll let you know how that goes.

>49 Crazymamie: Hi there, Mamie! I've heard nothing but good things about it. I have Song of Achilles coming ng my way too.

Happy Thursday, Lynda!

>52 Carmenere: I also loved that one.

Happy Saturday, Mamie!
I really need to curtail my book buying expenses especially when I already have an abundance of books.
Maybe when I have the urge I should go to my own bookshelves and blindly pick one out. Yeah. That's what I'll do. Turn all the spines away from me. That could be exciting.

>29 Carmenere: Enjoy The Sun Down Motel I did too . The cover is very cool, yes. It's fun to read a good, creepy fun book. Sorry to read that you won't get a longer time to enjoy Vancouver. It's a very beautiful city , as you will see if it not raining the day you are in town. William is the only William so far in my family, but my paternal grandfather was Hugh, as was my dad, and then my brother , who we called Hughie to differentiate him from my dad. Now my bother Hugh has a son, Hugh Benjamin, but he goes by Ben. I understand my sister in law was not especially crazy about the name Hugh and so they flipped a coin after his birth to decide whether to call him Hugh or Ben. So Ben won out over Hugh. I still call by brother Hughie. Somethings are hard to change.

#18 Epitaph
Mary Doris Russell
Book Girls Guide - Read across U.S (Arizona)
ROOTS
4.5/5

A well written historical fiction but I wish I could unread it. Knowing too much about the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday after the events of the O.K Corral takes away the romantic mystique of the Wild West that was so prevalent in Doc, the novel that precedes Epitaph.
What comes to mind as this novel ends, is the song from Hamilton, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”. It is largely due to the persistence of Wyatt’s wife, Josephine, that the romanticized legend of Wyatt Earp was born.

#19 Trudi & Pia
Ursula Hegi
AAC Challenge for April
3.5/5

A charming tale of a young girl who feels out of place because she is different from all the other students in her class.
Then she meets someone who is just like her who instead of letting her differentness hold her down she finds a place she fits in and excels in promoting her distinct traits.
Lovely illustrations by Giselle Potter add a fantasy like aura surrounding the story.

>55 vancouverdeb: Ha, “Something’s are hard to change.” Exactly!
And that is why I didn’t want anyone entertaining the thought of calling Will, Billy. No no no!
Yes, I love a good creepy book so I hope I can get to Sun Down Motel soonish.

Morning, Lynda! I had The Sun Down Motel out from the library but did not get to it in time, so returned it unread. Sadness.

>56 Carmenere: I am making a note of this because I have Doc on the shelves where it has been waiting patiently for quite awhile. Sometimes less is more.

I didn’t want anyone entertaining the thought of calling Will, Billy." Yes! We went through this with Daniel, as we did not want anyone calling him Danny. I used to joke with him that we would know he had found The One when he dated someone who called him Danny and he liked it. Luckily, his wife calls him Dan, which is what he goes by, but I always call him Daniel.

So so busy! Now that winter has turned into spring I’ve been working outside and when rain keeps me inside, I’ve got household things to do that I’ve put off.

My sister in law and gotten me into birding. I’ll post some pics later. Time to mow the lawn

>59 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Yes, much sadness when a book needs returned unread OR even worse, when it must go back mid-read. Sob

I gave Doc 5 stars. It really is an outstanding novel.

“but I always call him Daniel” I have to smile at that because my husband Bill was always called William by his mom and his entire family for that matter.
There’s not much you can do with Lynda. Maybe one person calls me Lynn, I was Lynna to my uncle but that’s about it. I often say, I put the “dah” in Lynda. ;0)

>58 Carmenere: Yes, no Billy's in my family either! I made sure to tell people that before he was even born. From an ultrasound I had at around 16 weeks, I found out he was going to be a boy. And so William it was. My sister teasing called him " Beefy Bill' occasionally in his first couple of years, but that was it. I think his wife might call him " Will" some of the time, but I can live with that. ;-)

>62 vancouverdeb: Ha! That's often a mom's first responsibility is setting the record straight how others should refer to their children.
Funny story, we took Will to his meet and greet with his soon to be kindergarten teacher.
She said to Will "we already have a Will in the classroom so we'll call you William, ok?
Will tugged on my sleeve and whispered in my ear. I related to the teacher that Will said his name is Will, everybody calls him Will not William. So the teacher obliged and agreed, he can be Will Z and the other Will M.

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Wawawaaaaa. My streak is over at 44

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>66 Carmenere: Me, too! I made it to 95 before the big bomb-out today. But Wordle will be waiting for us tomorrow, and there will be a lot less pressure.

Have a good one!

Karen O

>67 klobrien2: Ha! It's nice not to be alone!

I've been meaning to post a couple of pics from a bird thing I attended with my sister-in-law (she's the real birder). I found this so fascinating.
The eyes of an owl tell you when they hunt

Orange eyes - hunts at dawn and dusk


my photo

Black eyes - hunts in the evening


my photo

barn owls (like the one above) often wake me up in the night. It sounds like a slaughter is going on in the woods behind me.

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I attended another birding lesson this morning. It mainly prepped us for next week's field trip to the lakefront. We'll be looking for migratory warblers.
Taught the best way to utilize binoculars etc etc
We then walked over to the indoor viewing area and saw what I usually see in my yard.

Now relaxing and started The Sun Down Motel

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I've come to the realization that during the next few months when there is so much work to be done, mainly outdoors, I'll limit my LT time to Sunday's.

>74 Carmenere: Then I shall heartily look forward to Sundays, Lynda. xx

>72 Carmenere: Enjoy The Sun Down Motel . Good creepy fun. I read it a couple of years ago. I enjoyed The Broken Girls even more. I love your owl pictures, It's so thrilling to see them in real life, which I have done just a couple of times. I think Barn Owls are so cute, but it sounds like you have lots of them around. We have them here too, but since I am in a more urban/ suburban area I don't see them often. I know what you mean, LT does take a lot of time. I'll forward to Sunday's.

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Morning, Lynda. I am back from my various trips and I am looking forward to settling in at home for awhile. I can also slowly catch up around here. I am so glad to hear that your SIL is sparking more interest in birding. This will be the perfect month too, with migration being in full swing and you can also enjoy all the summer residents returning. Please keep me posted on your sightings.

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>80 Carmenere: Glad you got Wordle! It took me 5 today. I found it tough—so many possibilities.

Have a great Thursday!

Karen O

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>75 PaulCranswick: Yay! And Sunday is here!

>76 vancouverdeb: Happy Sunday, Deborah! I've put The Broken Girls in my Thriftbooks cart so I'm sure to include it in my next order.
TSDM is very creepy. So much so that I can only read it during the day. Seriously, especially when those owls begin to hoot.

>78 msf59: Good Sunday to you, Mark! Have you checked out birdcast.info? It tracks Warbler migration and theifwest is really beginning to pop.
Tomorrow's field trip to the lakefront should be perfect ( I hope a little rain doesn't stop them.

>81 klobrien2: Hey Karen!
Is it just me or has Wordle been a little tougher lately?
Have a wonderful week!!

>85 Carmenere: I hope you enjoy The Broken Girls, Lynda. Happy Sunday, Lynda! Ohh, I'm glad you are having some good creepy fun with TSDM. Enjoy your week ahead.

>88 vancouverdeb: Creepy fun it is, Deb. I have some ideas swimming around in my head but I don't think anyone of them can explain the weird goings on at the motel.

Hi, Deborah! Just stopping by to see how you are and to wish you a wonderful week.

Karen O

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#20 Our Natural World Heritage
Christopher Woods
5/5
NetGalley

This book is certainly a treasure! Not only does it include exquisite photography but the author describes each location throughout the 50 world highlights showcased in this book. Additional photos of flora, fauna and wildlife are also included with again information regarding each.
I highly recommend Our Natural World Heritage either to read in a few sittings or left on the coffee table to read at random or refer to often.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read an advance ecopy of this work.

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Happy Wednesday, Lynda. I hope all is well in OH. Getting anything new at the feeders? The "Natural World Heritage" sounds like a lovely volume.

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Is the Sunday only rule helping you get things done, Lynda? I had to laugh up thread when you thought of turning your books around and picking one instead of buying new books. I wonder if that would work?

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>92 Carmenere: I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Lynda!

I hope you have a fantastic Friday!

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Well, it's almost Sunday! I'll look forward to a reading update, Lynda.

Hi Lynda!

I have a copy of The Sun Down Motel, jut acquired it a few weeks ago. It looks like a good distraction read*.

*A read that is easy to sink into when one is rather distracted and distractible by life.

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Oh for Heavens sake

Happy Sunday & Mother's Day to all!
A very happy mother's day here in Lyndaville. Will returned home yesterday and we had lunch with his GF and her mom before his GF left for study abroad. Will remain home through our trip to Alaska and into July. Color me all kinds of happy!
Posting a little late today as we were invited over to our neighbors for brunch and bloody mary's. hehe, yes, I can still function.

The week started with a birding expedition along the shores of Lake Erie for Warbler migration. Thank goodness a naturalist was with us to point out the little guys who flit and fly faster than my beady eyes can spy them. A couple of pics are coming later today.
Whilst working outside the next day, I captured the sounds of more warblers than I saw on the big expedition with Merlin App. I just couldn't find where they were hiding. Maybe I'll improve with time.

I've raked out the flowerbeds, mowed the lawn, transplanted bushes and cleaned house. So, to answer your question, Meg >96 Familyhistorian: yes, I'm getting things done.

>94 msf59: All is well in Ohio, Mark! I've discovered that warblers like to eat caterpillars so they're unlikely to come to the feeders but the usual suspects are around.

>98 alcottacre: You're welcome, Stasia. I would love to have a hard copy of Our Natural World Heritage too. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a reasonably priced edition.

>100 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! Yay! It's Sunday!! I am pages away from finishing The Sun Down Motel. What a creepy, supernatural ride it's been.

>101 EBT1002: Hi there Ellen! Yes, I can affirm TSDM is a "good distraction read". I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

Thank you all for visiting my Sunday update. Have a lovely week!!!

#21 The Sundown Motel
Simone St. James
4.5/5

Check into The Sundown Motel where ghosts haunt and a murderer is on the loose. Or maybe it's just the wild imagination of a naive and lonely young woman. Dual timeline. Atmospheric and creepy. I recommend it and thank ms. trust for steering me towards it.

This week I'll be reading Killers of a Certain Age and continuing Alaska

Happy Mother's Day, dear Lynda.

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>104 Carmenere: The Sun Down Motel is good creepy fun! Glad you enjoyed it, and best wishes with your next read.

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Wordle 701 5/6

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Happy Sunday!
This past week, Will and I purchased two lilac bushes for my backyard. I'm digging a spot for them and the soil is pretty typical, clay and stones, not the best but I'll work with it. I could not resist a hibiscus plant for the patio and Will purchased two petunia plants for me for Mother's Day.

Went back to the hairdresser I went to 30 years ago! haha we look the same-ish. Caught up and had a trim - as I left I found the entrance to a Barnes and Noble within the same mall. Walked off with The Sentence, The Cat Who Saved Books and Marie Yovanovich: Lessons from the Edge - I thought Will might like it and I'll read it too. I could have purchased them for less on Thriftbooks or Book Outlet but there's just something about browsing through a book store that's just priceless. Know what I mean?

We had dinner out with BIL and SIL who will also be on the Alaskan cruise.

>106 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul and thank you, it was lovely!

>109 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! I'm currently enjoying Killers of a Certain Age. It's sort of a mixture of Charley's Angel's and the Golden Girls which has a dual timeline of 1978 to present. Fun read, especially since I can relate to the "girls" who are about my age.

I'm a great fan of Duolingo, I do it first thing in the morning, after Wordle and I'm happy to report I've reached 1033 consecutive days!

This coming week, I'm meeting up with a good friends of Bill to reminisce a bit, a neighborhood meeting and a few dinners out with family.

Hasta luego!

Sounds like you had a busy week last week, Lynda and have a busy week ahead too. The lilac bushes sound lovely! Lilac grow wild around here and it's very lovely. Well, I got my hair trimmed and coloured on Friday myself. Nice book haul! I've not tried Duolingo, but I do sometime play Quordle after I play Wordle.

Enjoy your week !

Wordle 702 4/6

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Morning, Lynda. Glad to hear you are having a good time with the Merlin app. Warblers can be tough to spot, even for experienced birders but are such a treat when you do get to see them. Do you have a decent pair of binoculars? If so, scan your trees or hedge line for movement. They are small and quick moving.

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Wordle 704 4/6

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This one is particularly funny as while I was working on this Wordle I was having one.

Wordle 706 4/6

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Happy Friday, Lynda. How are those feeders doing? I posted some recent bird pics over on my thread but nothing from the backyard. Things have been slow back there but I have seen a Baltimore Oriole and a hummingbird in the past week.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

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Ohh! It's almost Sunday! I'll look forward to your update!I'm wrong, lilac bushes don't grow wild here, it's lavender! Duh!

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Happy Sunday! It is a glorious weekend in Cleveland, low humidity, sunny, temps in the 70's. It's perfect weather to kick off the official start of summer and white shoes season.

>116 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! Quordle! I am impressed!! I briefly did Quordle but found it way too challenging for my pea sized brain.

>118 msf59: Hi there, Mark! I bought an inexpensive pair of binoculars for whale watching and I've been using them for bird watching. I hear them, locate where the chirp is coming from but, Ugh, can't find them. I'm sure it will come with time. There should be binocucameras where you can click away and maybe capture a bird digitally.

>121 Carmenere: hehe, so I was eating a bagel and it turned out to be the Wordle word. It shouldn't have taken 4 guesses to have me figure out that one.

>123 msf59: Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you, Mark! I have seen a couple of hummingbirds. The allusive Oriole has not yet been spotted. I'll saunter over to your thread and see what you've seen.

>128 Carmenere: Sunday it is, Deborah! Ah, I see, Lilac/Lavender both purple, both are fragrant I can see how the thought of one reminds us of the other. ;0)
Here are a few pics from the past week.....

Lev relaxing on the fireplace mantel.

Will at work with Lilac bush planting

My SIL, me and Will leaving a Hungarian restaurant after dinner. It was a restaurant we often went to when it was in Cleveland, then Shaker Heights, and now it's in the eastern suburbs. We chose it to remember Bill on this 66th birthday. He would have loved this new location.

I'll stop by later to add a pic of my June TBR.

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Reading hopes and dreams for June:
I don't usually read large print but it's the only edition my library had for book club.
Still reading Alaska for my trip. I'm far behind, I think some skimming is in order.
Enjoying Killers of a Certain Age -
Reading the poems of Robert Service pertaining to the Yukon and gold rush. Sorta sad
Oh and the book on top is an ER. I must get to that soon too.
Trying to get my hands on Time Shelter to read ASAP in Booker International afterglow.
One other thing, I just rec'd my AAC book for May by Wakeman so going to concentrate on that too.



I watched the last episode of Survivor last night and I'm really satisfied with the outcome.

All of a sudden it's summer here. Will and I mowed the front lawn this morning before it got steamy and will do the same with the backyard tomorrow.
Reading for the remainder of the day is in order :0)

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Shw! Pretty darn close

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This one was ridiculous! What brain fog,!
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Happy Sunday to all!

Do you know that 30% white vinegar is a great weed killer with out all those toxic chemicals?
I just learned that from my BIL.
I applied it to my pavers and the weeds turned yellow and were so much easier to pluck out. That's what I did Friday, in my front walkway, next week it'll be the patios in my back yard.

House wrens took up residency in my dryer vent. Oh my! What to do?!

Will and I pulled out the myrtle in my front yard flowerbed. We're going to plant perennials and cross our fingers for more color in that spot.

My neighbor was almost taken out by encephalitis three years ago. After hospital and nursing facilities and her dedicated husbands care she's now feeling more confident being amongst people again. Although still difficult to walk and recollect words, she looks great. I had them over for lunch and Yahtzee.

Took another group of neighbors to my fave relocated Hungarian restaurant and had them trying all sorts of new Hungarian specialties.

Starting to get my things organized for packing for Alaska. Everybody says dress in layers do it's looking like a couple of suitcases for each of us is in order.

Wonderful weather here but still no rain. The ground is cracking up. Gotta take the good with the bad, I guess.

Today I m meeting up with one of my bestest friends from the 1970's! I really haven't seen her for almost 50 years!

Have a fantastic week!!!

Sounds like a wonderful day and week ahead, Lynda. Meeting up with one of your best friends after 50 years is fantastic. I hope you had a great time. Not long until your big trip to Alaska, so I hope you are soon sorted out with your packing. Layers sound good.

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Oh for goodness sake!!

>137 vancouverdeb: Deborah, the met up was so fun! She remembered things id forgotten and vice a versa. We chatted as if those 50 years never existed. We'll meet up again when her twin sister is able to and she'll add her memories.
Hope you also have a wonderful week :)

It sounds like you've been busy lately!

My mom uses a mix of equal parts vinegar, water, and Joy dish detergent for weeds. Works a charm, apparently.

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What the heck?!

>140 scaifea: Thanks, that's a good tip and less expensive than 30% white vinegar

Hi, Lynda. Just checking in. How are those feeders going? Mine have been very quiet. I think many birds are sitting on nests now, with the males foraging for insects for their mates or young.

Enjoying a nice stretch of beautiful weather, despite the dry conditions.

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Jeez Louise!

>115 Carmenere: Another Duolingo fan here!! The hardest thing for me is to not be totally competitive about reaching the top 1-3 positions every week, but rather to take the time and LEARN. I am doing French. And I'm on a 598 day streak. : )

>144 Carmenere: Me too today, Lynda! Argh!

>146 vancouverdeb: Wordle 719 4/6

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A little better today

Birds nests, bees nest. Dental emergency! Oye vey!

Still getting ready for the Alaska trip, Lynda? I read on Deborah's thread about you not being sure if you should get a booster before going. Last year I took a cruise to Alaska with a group of genealogists. I timed one of my boosters so that it was just a few weeks before the ship sailed. We had a great time and spent a lot of time together - there were about 30 of us and we had seminars on the at sea days. After the trip was over many of the group came down with Covid including a couple that I was at most meals with. I didn't get sick. Another person I knew timed her booster for just before as well. Her husband got sick but not her. Just my two cents worth.

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Hmm, certainly not a word I use often if at all

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Grrr I hate this game...ok not really

It's almost Sunday! I look forward to your weekly update.

How can it already be Sunday!!! ?
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It's been a tough week of Wordle for me but at least the streak has not been broken .

If I gave my home a name it would be Hosta Hill.
Every year at this time I splint my hostas and give them to neighbors, friends and relatives. Will helped out this year and I'm thinking I could even sell them at the annual development yard sale in July. $5 a bunch would be reasonable, I think.

Will addressed the bees nest last night. Hopefully, they bee-gone now.

Will also began power washing the deck this past week. 3 or 4 years of uck, muck and fungus take some time to remove but it's half done.
.I continued to weed the pavers in patio one and since the bees nest is gone I can begin patio two.

I weeded and mulched the front flower bed.
Bought 2 Adirondack chairs to replace bleached out and broken ones.

Is been a lovely stretch of weather. It hasn't rained for about 2 weeks so it will be welcome when it arrives this afternoon although it may rain on the annual Hungarian picnic it will still be in the high 70's.
It's been hazy as we're getting some wildfire smoke from Canada yet not nearly as bad as New York. Still I take breaks from working outside cause of asthma.
Oh yeah, I thought a chipped a tooth and I started having jaw pain so my dentist was able to squeeze me in. Took an x ray, poked and prodded and didn't see anything amiss. He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic Incase it flared up in some remote area if Skagway or were ever.

Yes, I did receive a covid booster on Wednesday thanks to Deb and Meg for their support and Will's urging, The side effects weren't as bad as the last one just some chills and redness by injection but all's well now.

Have a happy week reading buddies!

I've got to finish We Begin at the End for book group tomorrow so I'll visit threads tonight or tomorrow.

>143 msf59: Hi there bird buddy! Haven't seen birds at my feeder, just the House Wren who continues to hand around my dryer vent. I am not a happy camper with him.
Hasn't the weather been gorgeous, Mark?! I'm getting so much done outside and then lounging on the deck has been delightful!

>145 Berly: Hi there, Kim!! Congratulations on your Duolingo streak!! I rarely make it into the top three myself but it's no big deal.
The streak freeze thingy saved my butt a couple of times. I've found doing it right after Wordle helps and I try to do it in the evening too but that's not as consistent.
I tried French, Greek, Latin, Romanian and Russian but they made my head explode so it's mainly been Spanish as I took it in high school and college.
Carry on Duolingo buddy!!!

>149 Familyhistorian: A huge thank you for your input, Meg! I'm headed your advice especially because my group of 12 will be hanging out ir dining together on a regular basis and too, the long haul flights are a cesspool of there own.
I've heard about norovirus on ships too so I'll be careful of buffet lines if I choose to do any.

>152 vancouverdeb: I'm so glad you look forward to my Sunday updates. Deb! I look forward to them too :0)

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I finished a book! Yay, me!!
I had to go all the way back to 5/14 to find the last book I read. So that makes this one

#22
We Begin at the End
Chris Whitaker
4.5/5
Library book group

At first, I didn't care much for the writing style. The first chapters were not resonating with me and the characters were flat but when I discovered that the novel was becoming a murder mystery, I fell into the story and became engrossed with the stories of the characters. Because of a tragic event, many seemed to live in the past and suffered consequences from guilt or betrayal.
Made for an excellent book group discussion and I recommend it.

I should finish book #23 Killers of a Certain Age in the next couple of days.

Hi Lynda, I'm new to following your thread (don't know why), but I saw on Mark's thread that you're going to Alaska soon. Been there a couple times, love that place. Hope you have a great time, and the weather's nice. We last went in July 2019, We did a car trip from Seward - Anchorage - Fairbanks.

I also see that you're reading the absolute chunkster of a book Alaska, I listened to it on audio in 2021. I liked it, but it certainly was a chore. Had to renew it at least once, and even with 1.4x speed it took me over a month to read.

Glad that you enjoyed We Begin at the End. I wanted to let you know that Demon Copperhead is out in paperback should wish to purchase it. In fact, my copy that I read in January was a paperback copy that I purchased. It may have come out in paper back right from the start, I'm not sure about that. But it certainly is in paperback now. Glad you got your covid booster ahead of your trip. Good for you!

Happy Friday, Lynda. We Begin at the End sounds like a good one. When is your Alaska trip?

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#23
Killers of a Certain Age
Deanna Raybourn
3.75/5
ROOTS

Imagine a mashup of Charlie's Angels and The Golden Girls and you've got the ladies of The Museum, an agency of hired assassins who clean the world of unsavory criminals and former nazi's.
Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice and Helen have been employed by The Museum since 1979 and are newly retired. Someone is trying to make sure that they don't receive their first Social Security check and have targeted them as the mice in this cat and mouse revenge story.
They believe they know who is behind this and the story gives us snapshots of from the past as to how these people played a part in their careers.
A fast moving, often times humorous story of aging women trying to save themselves from being obliterated.
An easy breezy read you might take to the beach or pool.

>164 mahsdad: Hi Jeff and welcome to my thread. It is surprising to me just how many people have been to Alaska. I can't understand why I've put it off for so long!
Your road trip sounds wonderful!
I'll be doing a land tour from Fairbanks to Denali and then pick up the ship in Whittier going south to Vancouver with stops in Glacier Bay, Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau. I sounds wonderful and I hope I'll love it as much as you.

Yes! Alaska is a wonderful book. In true Michener fashion we go all the way back to prehistoric times and each era is filled with fictional and factual characters and tons of history. It was the perfect read while I anticipated my trip. I'll finish it on the plane then leave it somewhere along the way.

Stop by when I post some pics.

>165 vancouverdeb: I don't know what's up with Amazon, Deborah but I ordered the pb edition and the release day was always pushed back. I finally gave up. If Book Depository was still around this wouldn't be an issue.

>166 msf59: I think you would like We Begin at the End, Mark. Hope you have time to give it a go.
Alaska starts tomorrow :0D

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WA WA waaaaaaa

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I'm playing catch up here so I'm just saying "hi" for now.

Hi Lori! Happy Fourth of July!

=========
I'm back from my Alaska adventure. I'll post a few pics later.

I'll look forward to your pictures, Lyda! Glad you enjoyed your holiday.

Will and I and Denali who happened to be shrouded in clouds :0(


Moose sighting in Denali NP

Humpback whales near Juneau. We saw bubble net feeding but happens so fast, no pics.

Glacier Bay - Marjorie Glacier

I hope you are having a fantastic time in Alaska, Lynda. Probably the best vacation that I ever went on.

I had you down for doing a shared read of East of Eden with us, but I am sure you are busy. You can read it anytime this month, if you choose.

Your pictures are great, Lynda! Glacier Bay looks so refreshing! Beautiful scenery.

It's back
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>183 msf59: It was fabulous, Mark! I can see what draws people back again and again. Photos don't do Alaska justice.
Probably won't get to EoE anytime soon. I've got to read Made in China in the next 3 days for book club and I'm reading Tangerine cause Will is in Morocco right now.

>184 vancouverdeb: there's more to come,Deb. I have a few errands this morning, then I'll post 'em.

one of our pre- cruise lodges

Lovely ship.

Lots of terns in Juneau
Mendenhal glacier in Juneau

. There was no spawning of any kind going on here. Salmon weren running yet and men were just following their significant others in nd out of shops.

. Baked Alaska, of course!

You and Will look great! Wonderful photos!

I have always wanted to go to Alaska, Lynda, although preferably when it is at its least 'seasonal'. Your experiences only reinforce that desire!

Have a lovely weekend.

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?, !

>189 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb!
You are so close, have you been to Alaska?

>190 PaulCranswick: Hope you make it up that way, Paul. Truly a beautiful and other worldly experience.

Thank. You too!

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Thanks using Duolingo freeze days my streak continues to 1,082 days.
This morning I've switched from Spanish to Italian. Should be somewhat similar, so I hear.

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Happy Monday!
Didn't get around to my Sunday post as I was trying to finish Made in China for library group this morning. Jusssst about finished.
The thing about this book is the US has known about these atrocities (sp) for @ least 30 years, maybe more . Still it persists,

I'm getting back in the swing of things and thinking how best to kill the belladonna growing in my yard. Scary.

Will is in Morocco of all places. He met up with his GF who has been studying there for the summer. I wish I were there. Sounds so exotic.

Today book buy back at local book store, book club, as mentioned and Mah Jong which I've missed. They played on board ship but who has time when there's so much to explore.

Getting ready for neighborhood yard sale this coming weekend. My first going it with out my sale partners.

This afternoon, I'll stop back to visit threads. Xx

Morocco does sound exotic indeed! I'm sure you will miss him, but nice that he is meeting up with his girlfriend. It sounds like you are very busy in any case. No idea how to Belladonna in your yard, but best of luck.

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What?! No way! :0)

>200 Carmenere: Me, too! Wasn’t that fun?!

Karen O

>201 klobrien2: isn't it a great way to start the day, Karen!?!

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Happy Wednesday, Lynda. Lots of rain here. Good luck with your yard sale. We are having a good time with our shared read of East of Eden. Just sayin'...

>162 Carmenere: I've added We Begin At the End to my TBR pile. I am still in a reading slump. I simply cannot finish a book other than illustrated ones. The last illustrated book so so darn funny that I laughed out loud often. Marla Frazee is such a wonderful artist. It was good to laugh as I've been missing Will, and Lilly. The man and his dog aren't in my life and it is difficult.

It is hot, hot, hot. I'm heading out for some chores in an hour as very hot weather is predicted in the afternoon. I'm so glad you have your son Will to help you with chores. The power washing sounds like a tough chore. My neighbor power washed my deck before he painted it. Now, I have chips of the previous blue paint at the side of the deck, and some of blue chips are plastered into my sliding glass door.. I'm slowly picking them off, and up when I have time and energy.

Kayla and her two girlfriends helped finish painting one of the downstairs bathrooms. It was a joy to come home and hear laughter as the three of them worked together in a limited space. This is the 1/2 bath that is located off the dining room. I chose a dark cooper color and it really looks nice.

After I sand the cabinet and re-paint it, the job will be finished. Four years of re-doing every room in the house needs to end soon. I'm worn down from it, but like the end results.

I know you can relate.

Your Alaska photos like wonderful. Isn't it great to relate to your adult child? Sounds funny doesn't it? And adult and child.
I find Kayla is both at varying times. Overall, at age 20, she has become quite a lovely person. Sometimes I hope/wonder if Will is watching out for her. I know he would be proud. He loved her so very much.

I hope your day is cool and happy.

>204 msf59: Howdy mark! It's been so darn muggy here. We got your rain last night and it looks like a 👍 nice day ahead but muggy persists.
Haha I bet you are! EoE is an awesome book. I'm in the midst of Tangerine and very much intrigued. Mentions a few places that Will has visited so there's that.

>205 Whisper1: thanks for bringing me up to to date, Linda!
How nice of Kayla and Co to paint your 1/2 bath!!
She's one special lady!
I still have to finish my stairwell. Ok took off ff the carpet but now I have to sand abit and paint them. Sigh Maybe I should just have them carpeted.
I especially miss Bill when I see older couples together enjoying each other's company and know I won't have that. But. It is what it is.

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I really need to weed today. I killed the Belladonna using an organic weedkiller a local garden center recommended. I need to douse it a couple more times to prevent regrowth.

I'm off to the travel agent this morning to talk about me next cruise. Bill always said we need to travel while we're mobile so I'm heeding his words.

Hehe my cat, Lev, can reach the light switches on walls and turns the lights off and on. He's reaching for door knobs so that may be next

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Happy Saturday, Lynda. Sorry to hear about your reading slump. Ugh. Glad I don't get those. Good luck snapping it. Are you getting as much rain and storms your way? It has been passing through here nearly every day.

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>213 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark! I'm enjoying Tangerine. Mysterious setting and characters. Have you read it?
Yes! We had a couple of storms roll through yesterday, gratefully after our yard sale. But not nearly as bad as the storms you've been experiencing..

#24 Made in China
Library group pick
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Forced labor and torture in China = cheaper products in US and beyond.
How is this acceptable and what will make it end?

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Lynda, I don't know how I lost you these past few months, but here I am, finally. And you've been to Alaska! Great pics, it looks like a a fun trip!
Well, now I can keep up with all your activities. Good to see you again.

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>220 mstrust: Hi Jennifer and welcome back! It's easy to lose my thread as it's pretty quiet over here.
Hope you're camped out in your basement reading and escaping the Arizona heat.

Don't feel bad, my thread is a ghost town these days :-D
Ugh, I'd kill for a cool, underground basement, but the best I can do is our bottom floor den. We bought a new easy chair and a big ottoman, and between the ceiling fans, the floor fan and the a/c, it gets a bit chilly down there.

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>223 mstrust: I completely get the thread thing. Summer is hectic for most and I understand because I'm not a consistent visitor myself.
The cozy winter months are perfect for visiting threads.
Glad you found a way to keep cool!!
--------
I'm having the stoop to my front door replaced. It was crumbling and water was seaping into the basement because of it.
It's looking soooooooo good! I'll post pics of before and after when it's finished.

#25 Tangerine: A Novel
Christine Mangan
4/5
Read it because my son was vacationing in Morocco.

A psychological thriller taking place in an exotic and mysterious location .
Unfortunately, stupid and ignorant people abound making it frustrating for the reader. If you enjoy screaming at characters, you'll be doing it often with this one. Still, I liked it.

So despite the ignorant characters in Tangerine, I just placed an order for The Continental Affair, also authored by Mangan. What can I say, Tangerine was, if anything, a good thriller.

Hi Lynda, I too managed to misplace your thread! Sounds and looks like you had a great trip to Alaska. My hubby and I did a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska a few years ago, and I would love to go back there, it's beautiful country!

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>228 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! I agree!
I would love to return to Alaska! It is mysterious, beautiful and far away from civilization as we know it, not to mention the wildlife!
Now I have my sights set on another bucket list destination, Greece!

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>231 Carmenere: What?! Amazing! It took me, sad to say, 5/6 today.

>232 scaifea: Hehe I surprised myself too!!

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Ugh the agony of defeat!

>234 Carmenere: Today was a hard one - none of my usual beginning letters was in it!

>235 scaifea: Also, when you have some letters but there are so many potential words that could work, it basically comes done to luck.

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Hi, Lynda. Just checking in after our big camping trip. How is everything going on your end? Enjoying those current reads?

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Ha!

>244 msf59: Happy Tuesday, Mark! I'm not a camper but I'll be going to a cabin in PA for a few days. Some time for tubing, reading and relaxing.
I will start the Song of Achilles today. Will's GF told me there were 3 times when she cried. I'm not usually a crier when reading but we'll see.
Are you planning your next trip?

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#26 Come Fly the World
Julia Cooke
4/5 stars

Starting Song of Achilles today. I've been told it's a tear jerker. True or false?

>250 Carmenere: I wouldn't say tearjerker, but it was an emotional read.

>251 FAMeulstee: oooo, this sounds like a good one! My thoughts was to read A little Life in August as well but I think it will be too much emotion for one month.

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That took awhile

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Well. By the skin of my teeth!

I'm 19% through This Other Eden from the Booker long list. A fine start to this true story.

Newly returned from a weekend in Pennsylvania.
Tried new restaurants, new drinks and tubing. I'm usually not into being in rivers ponds and lakes but it was fun.

Glad you had a good time!
I'm off to Vegas tomorrow.

>259 mstrust: Color me green!! Good luck in the casinos!!

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Looks like you’ve got the travel bug now, Lynda. I’m glad you got a booster before Alaska.

>262 Familyhistorian: hehe Yes I've been bitten, Meg! Will and I have been invited to Florida for Thanksgiving so that's next.

Yes. It seems that booster really does make a difference! I know we all want to put that virus behind us but, for me, boosters are effective.

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I first heard about the Storygraph app from a podcast I watch. Jack in the books. He switched over from Goodreads and I may do the same.
Anyone here try it out?

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So I imported my Goodreads info to Storygraph. If you're on the Storygraph app feel free to friend me, lynda z.

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#27 The Dutch House
Ann Patchett
Read for library group read
3 for family drama
4.75 for writing
5 for Tim Hanks narration

Memory, forgiveness, good intentions gone bad

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I'm 56% into This Other Eden and frankly I don't need to read anymore from the Booker long list. This could be the winner.

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Unusually tricky

Just dropping in to say hello and catch up. Looks like you had a great trip!

I'm glad you enjoying This Other Eden Lynda. I have it on hold at my library, but it has yet to arrive for me.

>270 Carmenere: I wasn't so keen on The Dutch House, though I know non-LT friends of mine really enthused about it. The only other book I've read by Ann Patchett was Patron Saint of Liars, and that I really enjoyed.

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>275 vancouverdeb: TDH was actually a reread for me. Ugh I didn't enjoy it at all the first time and only Tom Hanks got me through the second read.
Family dramas are not my cuppa and this one could put me to sleep.

Happy Wednesday, Lynda. I also loved The Dutch House and hope to get to her latest Tom Lake soon. The Other Eden is on my obese TBR.

>278 msf59: ha! I was just over to your thread :)

#28 This Other Eden
Paul Harding
Booker Prize Longlist '23
4.5/5

Reveals an awful truth, lost to time on Malaga Island, Maine.

I started my second Booker read on my walk today......If I Survive You.
I am an hour into it and it's very good too.

>280 Carmenere: I have only read Harding's Tinkers and I am looking forward to reading that one too.

>281 Carmenere: I have a bunch of the Booker longlist books on their way to me too, Lynda. I am hoping to get them all read soon, but it depends on when they arrive, of course.

>282 alcottacre: I have Tinkers on my TBR book shelf. I'm thinking I need to advance it to TBRSoon!
It's funny, Stasia, all my holds for audio came in right after another so I had to tell Libby to wait for delivery. Libby is such a convenient App.

>283 Carmenere: I went a bit nuts the other night and ordered almost the entire Booker longlist from Blackwell's. My local library has a couple of the titles, but not the majority of them. It appears that Blackwell's is sending them piecemeal rather than all at one time, so maybe I have a chance to finish a couple before the rest flood in :)

I agree about Libby, although I rarely use it. I prefer my books in paper form.

>284 alcottacre: I've not heard of Blackwell's. I had depended on Book Depository for Booker reads. I'll check it out.
Audio is not my media of choice. I only use it and Kindle in extreme circumstances. I like a book in my hands too.

ETA: Oooo, I like that Blackwell's ships free to the US :0)

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Ugh, a day I dread! Taking kitty cat, Melia to her vet for annual check up. It can be so difficult getting her into her carrier. Next Thursday is Lev’s turn. I simply can not do two in one day. Haha it’s exhausting.

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>287 Carmenere: good luck!

>289 mstrust: Surprisingly, all went well with Melia. I think I'll need your good luck wishes more so when I take Lev for his appt this Thursday.

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Yikes! That was close,!!

This will be the coolest day of the week so it will also be my busiest. Mow front and back lawn and work on deweeding my new flower bed. Then reading will be my reward

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#28 If I Survive You
Jonathan Escoffery
Booker Long List '23
4.5/5

Often times comical yet sometimes poignant I recommend this book which places you in the shoes of a mixed race American-Jamaican who tries to find where he fits in the world and his family..

Next up: In ascension

Hi, Lynda. Just checking in after our camping trip. The HEAT arrives today. Ugh. Could be triple digits the next couple of days. Ugh! Good news is that a cold front arrives on Friday. Whew! Hope all is well with you.

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Arhhggg!

>297 msf59: Hi Mark! Hope you’re managing your city’s heat wave. We are not sharing in that but I recommend to keep the iced tea and cool books at hand. Isn’t it nice you don’t need to deliver mail on a day like this?!

#29 Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
4.75/5

This is a reread for me. I was gifted it, a couple of months ago, when I was about to travel to Alaska.
While we were there, one of our tour buses pointed out The Stampede Pass were Chris McCandless spent his final months. So once returned from Alaska I wanted to re-read his adventure with new eyes.
Smart guy, rebels against his parents and their wealth. He strikes out on his own to discover what it would be like to live off the land, alone and without money.

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Another tough one

Another day I dread, taking Lev in for his annual check up.
Other than that it will be a wonderful stormy day to read to my hearts content

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Apparently a huge storm blew through my area Thursday night and I didn't hear it nor the tornado sirens. I blame it on the Lemoncello shots we had with dinner that night. In any event, it's been over 24 hours and my development is still without power. I'm so so grateful I had a generator installed last year.

Today. Annual ox roast in the township but I'll double check to make sure it's still on.

Started Circe yesterday and I'm listening to Booker long lister In Ascension

Just picked up The Bee Sting and at 643 pages I guarantee you I will not be reading it unless it’s on The Booker shortlist.

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>307 Carmenere: phew! You made it! Took me 5, and I had the same kind of form to my solution. As Nero Wolfe would say, “Pfui”!

Karen O

>300 Carmenere: I have come across this one a few times but passed....but I think I will pick it up next time. Seems like a good read.

>308 klobrien2: Haha "Pfui"! Truer words were never spoken!

>309 figsfromthistle: I think it a puzzling read, Anita. What possessed him to venture to Alaska so ill equipped? Very thought provoking study on human nature.
I hope you do not pass on it next time it crosses your path.

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Still living on generator power. I swear I think I'm one of the last houses in the development to be fixed. 🤯

Morning, Lynda. We are enjoying much cooler weather and it looks like it will stick around for awhile. Hooray for Into the Wild. Such a great read. I think Krakauer is due for another book?

You are doing really well with the Booker Longlist, Lynda! I've never read anything by Paul Harding, so I will look forward to my hold coming into the library. Sorry to read about your power! I hope it is back. On Wednesday our water will be shut off from 9 am to 5 pm as they fix some valves, or something. I'm not looking forward to that.

>314 msf59: Id say so too. Mark. Krakauer is a wonderful story teller.
Yes! To sunny days and low humidity!!!

>315 vancouverdeb: Hi there, Deb! Power was restored yesterday about 3pm, three days on generator.
I didn't want to overload it so today will be ok laundry and back to cooking.
I'm very much enjoy Booker season! It's always a learning experience! I just found Darrell's thread and addedy two cents :0)

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