Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 5

Alys showing off her long, sleek form

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 can 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)
25. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
26. In the Morning I'll be Gone
27. The Last Remains
28. The Ghost Map
29. Pandora's Jar

Series Progress

Active series as of April 1 (updated quarterly):


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

Series completed/current in 2023:
* Inspector Gamache
* Ruth Galloway

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

Series abandoned in 2023:
* Lymond Chronicles

Currently Reading



Trespasses

On Deck



Exiles | The Slaughterman’s Daughter

Welcome to a new month!

I had such a satisfying day yesterday. I seamed the front & back pieces of my cardigan and read quite a lot of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. Initially I found this novel confusing, because I don't have the knowledge background (Sri Lankan Civil War, Sri Lankan culture) to fully understand a lot of the references. But as the plot took shape I started to get into it more.

The afternoon piano concert by Jonathan Biss was fantastic. He is an incredible performer and while I was disappointed that he didn't interact with the audience, he wrote some of the best program notes I've ever seen, with information about the composer, the piece, and his interpretation. It was just superb. We picked up subs from Jersey Mike's on the way home (continuing the high culture of the afternoon LOL), and then finished watching the 1995 P&P in the evening. Pretty much a perfect day.

This morning I'm working a library shift, and this afternoon I hope to get out into the garden to plant more lettuce, as well as beans.

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Over to you!

Happy new one!

'Morning, Laura, and happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Laura, and huzzah for a perfect Sunday!

Sounds like a great Sunday, and you can't go wrong with Jersey Mike's.

Love the photo of Alys!

Happy New Thread, Laura. Slowly making the rounds after my absence. I also enjoyed This Tender Land. Hoping by the end of the week, when the weather improves, I will set up my hummingbird and oriole feeders.

The concert sounds wonderful Laura. It's a while since I watched that P&P.

Nice. Pleasant place you have, Laura.

Happy May Day, Laura! The concert sounds great. As I learn more piano, I realize the gaps in my musical education about composers, musical traditions, etc.

Your blog has given me an idea! Before the neighbor decided to take out all of the trees within 100 feet or so of our property line we had a very shady, needle- and root-impacted side yard on the east side of our lot. The camellias there were glorious and a few ferns were managing to survive but that was it. So we planted several more ferns and hoped for the best. Now the area gets a LOT of sun and there are no needles or living roots and the ferns seem to be dying. The idea: this is rose climate and now, with sun, I think they will probably do well there. I wish I had Mr. and Mrs. Austin's green thumbs and garden sense but I think I'll get some bare root ones and see what happens.

Happy new one, Laura!

Hi Laura my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend.

Hi Anita, Karen, Micky, Katie, Mark, Caro, Bill, Beth, Reba, Jim, and John!! Thanks for stopping by today to liven up my new thread.

>10 Caroline_McElwee: It was a great concert, Caro. A bit of Jonathan Biss trivia for you: he was the first American to be part of the BBC's New Generation Artist Scheme. He was named in 2002.

>13 BLBera: Beth, I have a classical background from having played violin through my 20s, but I love all genres and traditions. There is so much to learn! But it's a fun kind of learning.

>14 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I'm delighted you've found a good use for that sunny spot in your garden. David Austin Roses are a bit of a specialty item; our "gateway rose" was the more commonly available Knock Out Rose, an easy to grow shrub variety. They're widely available in nurseries and garden centers, including places like Lowe's and Home Depot. Good luck with them!

Happy new thread Laura!

>1 lauralkeet: Alys perfectly displays that dogs really know how to live!

The lovely Alys doing doggo to perfection. Your day sounds pretty darn good.

Happy #5 Laura!

Happy new thread, Laura!

>1 lauralkeet: Lovely to see Alys so relaxed on the couch.

Happy New Thread , Laura! I’m sure will enjoy This Tender Land . I have not read it , but my husband is a big fan of the series . I’ve read his stand alone , Ordinary Grace , and I loved it .

Hello Susan, Tui, Paul, Anita, and Deb! Alys knows how to relax, that's for sure. She thinks she owns that sofa, and insists on the duvets being arranged "just so."

>22 vancouverdeb: Deb, This Tender Land is also a standalone although as you point out Krueger has also written a long-running series.. I'm hoping to read Ordinary Grace as well, and then decide whether to add the series to my never-ending list.

Yesterday's agenda was pretty low-key. I got a few things done around the house. University Challenge didn't air last night because of the Snooker Championship. Harrumph. However, we enjoyed the first episode of a new David Attenborough documentary series about British wildlife: Wild Isles. The cinematography is amazing, and there was a behind-the-scenes feature at the end showing how they tracked and filmed a pod of orcas. Fascinating.

As for today, I'm heading to the gym soon and have a Zoom committee meeting at 10am. The rest of the day is free, and as usual I have a few tasks and would also like to fit in some reading time.

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Should've gotten this sooner, darn it.

>1 lauralkeet: It is my 15th year in the group too, Laura! We must both be charter members of the group. Where did the time go??

>3 lauralkeet: I liked This Tender Land quite a bit. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Happy new thread!

>25 alcottacre: Time has certainly flown, Stasia.

I'm just popping in here this evening to say we're going on another bird walk in the morning, so I won't be visiting threads or posting until later in the day.

Good morning (my time anyway). Hope you're having a great bird walk!

The bird walk was really nice. The day started out crisp with temps in low 40s, but warmed up to about 50. Our meetup point was a rather posh hotel/restaurant/wedding venue so I wasn't sure what to expect but it turns out it's quite a large estate with trails leading from the car park through a bit of woods and lots of open fields. It was beautiful, and we saw more birds than on our last walk including kestrel, broad-winged hawk, meadowlark, various sparrows, and more. The kestrel and hawk were lifers for us.

I am probably going to chillax the rest of the day, and maybe write my review of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, which I finished yesterday. As I thought might happen, I appreciated it but didn't enjoy it much and am happy to be reading something a bit less edgy now.

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25. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida ()

Maali Almeida has just died, and was possibly killed because of incriminating photos of atrocities during the Sri Lankan Civil War. But he doesn’t know what happened and the “border control” staff in the afterlife is unable to help. They can only tell him what he needs to do to progress from “the In Between” to “the Light,” should he choose to do so. Maali wants to find out more about how he died, and orchestrate the publication of his photos by communicating with loved ones left behind.

While this is a really intriguing premise, I found this book difficult reading for a number of reasons. There’s a supernatural component involving ghosts and other spirits, which I found a bit hard to follow. I also was quickly confused by the various factions in the war; it was difficult to keep it all straight and know who the “good guys” were (if in fact there were any, which I’m still not sure about). And finally, there was the violence: lots of it, described in detail.

I can understand why this book received critical acclaim, but I can’t say I enjoyed reading it.

Sounds like a nice venue for a bird walk, if one insists on getting up early and going out into the elements ;-)

>29 lauralkeet: I ended up not finishing The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. I agree with you that the premise was interesting, but it just was too dense for me. I told myself I'd pick it up another time, but who knows. So many more appealing titles out there!

Happy new thread, Laura!

I survived a rainy weekend in NYC. Saw two plays created by students at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, both having sets co-designed and co-built by my granddaughter Helen with another student. I also saw the O'Keeffe exhibit at MoMA.

Today I've been updating my book catalog to account for books I've acquired in March, April, and now May. Last year at this time, I'd acquired twice as many books as I have this year. Reading pace is about the same in both years.

Whatever that "one" is that you are going to have, make it good. :-)

>30 katiekrug: Ha ha Katie, we didn't have to get up any earlier than we usually do, but we certainly had to be somewhere early. The walk started at 8am. I was glad the rain has passed; I might have bailed otherwise.

>31 vivians: Interesting, Vivian. I didn't realize it was a DNF for you. "Too dense" is a good way to describe it.

>32 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>33 weird_O: Sounds like you had a fab weekend, Bill. And I also enjoy doing a bit of catalog maintenance now and then, and I love comparing my stats from one year to the next.

Sweet Thursday!

Not much more to report about yesterday, so let's dive right into today's agenda which includes a trip to the gym, and grocery shopping a day earlier than usual. Tomorrow we're heading to Brooklyn to visit Kate & Julia (plus partners and pets of course), and I want to get the shopping done before we leave. I also need to finish up my pre-departure cleaning. I like to return to a clean house, plus we'll have a pet/house sitter staying here.

Yesterday I read about 30 pages of This Tender Land, and decided I wasn't really into it. There was something about the setup that was nagging at me. The main characters are two orphan white boys, the only whites at a school for Native American children. Why must the protagonists be white? The people running the school are evil, in a mustache-twisting sort of way, no subtlety. I don't know if I'm having a mini reading funk because of Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, but I just wasn't fired up for 400+ pages of this.

I needed a guaranteed winner, so I decided to read the next Sean Duffy mystery, In the Morning I'll be Gone. I checked it out from the library only to find it was in ePub format, not compatible with Kindle, and must be read using the (dreaded) Libby app. This was my first time reading with Libby and I instantly hated it. I returned the book and bought the Kindle edition. Sheesh. Thanks to all that kerfuffle I only read a few pages at bedtime but should make some progress today.

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Hi Laura! Happy Thursday to you.

Sounds like a productive day planned for a great weekend with daughters/partners/pets.

>28 lauralkeet: I am so glad to hear you got out for a bird walk, Laura. Congrats on the kestrel and the broad-wing. Kestrels are here year-round but are still difficult to see. I am also glad you saw Eastern Meadowlarks. We have them for the summer here too.

Sweet Thursday!

I've never tried to read with Libby - I've always just gotten Kindle books from the library, mostly because I didn't realize I could read e-pubs via Libby. Sounds like I should just continue on like that. I've been wondering about the very strong anti-Libby reactions lately, and now I assume it's due to the bad reading experience. I only use it for audiobooks and it's fine.

Anyway! Hope all goes smoothly in anticipation of your trip. I hope our weather improves for you :)

Yay for daughter visiting!! I hope you all have a blast.

I'm sorry Libby didn't work well for you. I've been using it for a while now and am used to it, but at the library we're sort of bracing ourselves for patron backlash at the changeover from Overdrive. So far not too many complaints, but it's early days.

ETA: I most definitely am not lumping you into that category of grumbling patrons - your mention of Libby trouble just led me to the thought of what we're expecting at work...

I didn't love This Tender Land and I don't think you're missing anything skipping it. Part of my review touched on what you noticed also
"It also gets a bit sentimental, a bit predictable, and doesn't hit some of the big topics as hard as it could have. The treatment of Indian children ("Kill the Indian, save the child") and Native Americans in general is always in the background of the book, but it didn't take the foreground as strongly as I'd hoped it would. Only one of the four children is a member of the Sioux tribe. The others are white (or at least identify that way). To me, this book is more about childhood friendships, family, and finding your identity. While I liked that, it also disappointed me a little."

I don't like Libby either, it's doesn't seem to be any improvement over Overdrive at all. But I'm trying to get used to it. I don't use it to actually read the books - I just use it to check kindle books out from my two libraries - but I find the app non-intuitive and clunky. Too many icons that don't mean anything to me, no matter how much I use it. I always have to click several places before I find my holds, wishlist, search feature, etc.

Kestrels are such lovely birds. Sounds like a good birding morning. I too clean before going away so we can come back to a clean house--glad I'm not the only one!

>40 japaul22: I'm having similar Libby displeasure...navigating just doesn't seem intuitive.

Hope you enjoy your Brooklyn weekend, Laura. We just spent a rainy Sunday morning at the Prospect Park carousel (a double birthday party for two grandkids) and will be back again this weekend to babysit. We'll also begin looking for an apartment for our youngest daughter Jo, who will be moving there this summer to begin her first job. So funny...I grew up in the city and never once ventured into Brooklyn, and now it's the center of our universe!

I'm not crazy about Libby either and mostly use it for audio books so far. I'm constantly doing a "how do I..." search on the web to see how to do things. Not sure I've done any epub reading although I used to on Overdrive.

Hi Karen, Mark, Katie, Amber, Jennifer, Tui & Vivian!

More thoughts on Libby forthcoming, but first:

>36 karenmarie: Karen, my "must do" tasks are now complete which leaves the afternoon at my discretion. Yay!

>37 msf59: Thanks Mark, I knew you'd appreciate the bird walk results. The group leader has to report on species seen and/or heard, including the number of each. The count seems to be pretty much a wild-a** guess, but I guess it keeps his overlords happy ha ha.

>40 japaul22: Jennifer, your review describes what was at the root of my sense of foreboding. The sentimentality was already evident, and I felt like the difficult issues were likely to get short shrift. There's also no doubt my decision to abandon the book so quickly was motivated by our travel plans. I would have been most unhappy traveling with a book I wasn't enjoying.

>41 tiffin: Tui, it was indeed a nice outing. Although I'm not sure when we'll do another one, I want to experience bird walks at all of the locations so I don't think it will be long.

>42 vivians: Vivian, Kate has lived in NYC since graduating from college in 2015, and all but the first year in Brooklyn. Julia graduated in 2018 and moved to Brooklyn in 2019. She and Kate shared an apartment for a year before Kate moved in with Tyler. I have no idea how we'll be spending our time but Julia and Noah live about 0.5mi from Prospect Park. Kate & Tyler live about a mile north, in Bed Stuy. Coincidentally they live on the same street!

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Okay so ... Libby. My experience to date has been only with checking out and returning ebooks, so fairly minimal exposure. I think I was extra annoyed last night because we were just about to go to bed and I needed reading material, stat. I expected the Sean Duffy book to be available in Kindle format, and it was not. I borrowed it to read in Libby, but the interface wasn't exactly the same as Kindle (not unexpected), and I just wasn't up for a learning curve. I'm willing to try it again under different circumstances.

>39 scaifea: Amber, I am sympathetic to your situation. I had to deal with technology change a lot during my working days and no matter how hard you try to make it smooth and easy, there's always something. And no worries, I knew you weren't lumping me in with *those people* ha ha.

The shift to SimplyE and then to Libby has been quite confusing. I've managed to use Libby, but it's not my favorite. Sometimes I don't see the books I'm reading with it on my account on the main library page. Confusion all around.

All of this Libby discussion makes me very glad to have a Kobo e-reader that supports the EPUB format, and allows me to place holds and download my library ebooks directly on my e-reader!

I haven't had any issues with Libby, but I mainly use it for audiobooks and I don't read many e-books.

Enjoy your time with your girls.

Hi Laura, I loved Overdrive but when I saw how much storage it was taking up on my iPad I knew it had to go. Libby is a poor substitute but when I download a book it takes me to Amazon where I check out the book and then it lands on my Kindle so really no problem. I'd never consider getting any kind of epub book. That just isn't a hassle I want. That said, I mostly get audiobooks through Libby. I'm not reading very many Kindle books since I read an article saying studies show readers don't remember as much compared to print books. 🤷‍♀️

Laura, I had not realized that This Tender Land was a stand alone novel. By reading your reaction This Tender Land, I think I can safely skip it. I did really love Ordinary Grace though.

>35 lauralkeet: My darling granddaughter tried before -- I have no idea why that didn't occur to me. As I told her . Anyway, I've been struggling with Wordle a lot more lately than I used to -- not sure why.

Hope you have a wonderful trip to Brooklyn :)

>45 ffortsa: Hi Judy. I'm not familiar with SimplyE but share some of your confusion.

>46 rosalita: Count yourself lucky, Julia!

>47 BLBera: From what I've heard Beth, Libby works pretty well for audiobooks.

>48 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! I have no problem downloading Kindle books from Libby, and that's mostly how I use it. For some reason, my library only had this book in EPUB format which Kindle no longer supports, so I was stuck.

>49 vancouverdeb: Well you know Deb, the world would be boring if we all liked the same things wouldn't it?!

>50 RebaRelishesReading: Hi there Reba, sorry to hear about your Wordle woes. It's can be simultaneously fun and frustrating!

Happy Friday!

Yesterday was mostly spent getting ready for our trip. I also spent did some prep for a future knitting project, and wedged in some reading time. In the Morning I'll be Gone is really fitting the bill right now, so yay. Last night we watched another episode of Wild Isles, and then re-watched My Best Friend a French film starring Daniel Auteuil. He's an antiques dealer with no friends, who is challenged in a bet to form an actual friendship. It's a fun and heartwarming movie.

Today will mostly be spent driving to Brooklyn. I might check in here, or I might just visit or lurk on other threads. My exciting daily agendas and Wordle results will be suspended until Tuesday. I hope you all can cope. Ha!

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Have a great time, Laura!

Hi Laura. So much to catch up on here. Libby (I've never tried it), bird walks, a mini reading funk, and a trip to Brooklyn. Have fun!

Have a lovely time visiting with your daughters and their furkids, Laura!

Rizzo on Kate's stoop | Kitty caught in the act

We're back!

We had a lovely weekend with Kate, Julia, and the guys. The weather was warm and sunny and we spent a lot of time outdoors. We went to a farmer's market and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and walked a lot, which we love to do when visiting a city. We also enjoyed some very nice restaurant meals and, before our Saturday night dinner, a visit to a jazz club. On Sunday, Kate & Tyler cooked dinner for everyone which was perfect because we were all pretty exhausted from the weekend's events, not to mention rather hearty consumption of wine.

I did absolutely no reading, but did manage to keep up with Wordle so at least half of the important things were accomplished. Ha.

>56 lauralkeet: Glad to hear the trip was so good. Hopefully settling back into the day-to-day routine isn't too much of a bummer. :)

Welcome home, Laura! Glad you had a good time.

Rizzo is adorable to the max. The farmer's market and Botanic garden sound like a lot of fun. Glad you had a super family weekend.

Glad you had such a lovely trip, Laura! Rizzo is really cute! What sort of dog is he ?

Welcome home! Glad the trip went well. Would Rizzo like a new home? I'd take him in a minute :)

>57 MickyFine: Micky, fortunately the day-to-day routine of a retired person is pretty easy to settle back into. No backlog of emails for me!

>58 katiekrug: Thanks Katie.

>59 tiffin: We are all in love with Rizzo, Tui. He's so floofy and sweet.

>60 vancouverdeb: Deb, Rizzo was a rescue so his origins are a bit unclear. He was listed as a schnauzer-poodle mix (aka schnoodle). Julia did one of those doggie DNA test and it showed those two breeds as well as several others.

>61 RebaRelishesReading: Sorry Reba, but if anyone is going to dognap Rizzo it's me!

Hello everybody,

Back to the usual day-to-day stuff ... I have a small backlog of admin tasks to take care of including a propane delivery for our stove (cooktop) as it appears we are out of fuel. This is the only thing the tank is used for and there hasn't been a propane delivery since it was installed in 2013. So I'm hoping that's the reason for last night's sudden loss of flame.

But my knitting group also meets today so that will be fun.

Last night we watched University Challenge, which was an exciting match but my favorite team lost), and now the field of semi-finalists is complete. (Spoiler tags in case Katie visits before watching the episode).

Is anyone watching White House Plumbers? It's a satirical recounting of the Watergate break-in (and events leading up to it). The first episode dropped last week and we really enjoyed it, so tonight we'll watch the second one.

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Thanks for the spoiler tag! We haven't watched yet, and probably won't be able to until Wednesday.

>63 lauralkeet: I watched the first episode of The White House Plumbers but I didn't really like it. I found all of the stunt casting really distracting. It did make me want to rewatch the 1999 movie Dick, though.

Nice newish thread here, Laura. I loved the Alys picture. She reminds me of our Penny, although Penny is anything but sleek these days. Too many treats for being a "good dog".

I didn't get very far into The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida because of the ghosts and confusion. I have abandoned two books so far this year which might be a record for me. Pod was the other one. Who knew dolphins could be so violent? Sorry you had to abandon This Tender Land. Perhaps Krueger isn't your kind of author after all. Gotta trust your instincts.

>63 lauralkeet: That's quite a line-up of words!!

>64 katiekrug: You're welcome, Katie 😃

>65 norabelle414: Oh well, Nora. So it goes. Luckily there's plenty of programs out there to watch. Like books I guess!

>66 Donna828: Donna, Alys is on her way to "anything but sleek" status. She loves her treats. We've started giving her one Denastix every day, just so happens around lunchtime, and now she positive demands it. At least those are good for her teeth and gums!

>67 RebaRelishesReading: LOL Reba, I'm glad I didn't have to make a sentence out of them.

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News Flash: we spotted a nestling in "our" hawk's nest! Chris saw it being fed today. We thought we heard chirps about week and a half ago but this confirms it.

Second News Flash: I haven't seen this mentioned in the threads yet: Barbara Kingsolver won a Pulitzer for Demon Copperhead. Woo hoo! They actually awarded two prizes for fiction; the other one went to Hernan Diaz for Trust, which does not even compare IMO. But I'm very pleased for Ms. Kingsolver!

>68 lauralkeet: Your story about Alys' affinity for her Dentastix treat reminds me of something I saw on Twitter yesterday. A woman posted that when she was training her puppy, she would say "trade" when she wanted the puppy to drop what it had in its mouth, and in exchange she would give it a treat. After the puppy got the hang of it, she switched to giving her a small ice cube to cut down on the calorie intake. And now, if it's been too long (in the puppy's mind) since the last "trade", she will steal something like a roll of toilet paper and stand next to the refrigerator with it in her mouth, waiting to trade it for an ice cube!

>69 rosalita: OMG that is so cute Julia! I love the idea of teaching the pup "trade" though, I can see where that would be useful but that was certainly an unintended consequence.

Those dog DNA tests are interesting. Our dog, Poppy, was a pup born to a rescue dog, so we don't know her origins either. I did a dog DNA test for her, and it came back 75% poodle, and much further down, Great White Pyrenees and Brittany Spaniel. She is 18 lbs, so if any one asks, I just say she is maltese / poodle cross, because that is what she looks like.

Poppy also loves her version of dental bones. We call it her " good eating bone" and she waits for it eagerly after breakfast and dinner. If we forget, she stares at us until we remember.

It sounds like you had a great time with your girls, Laura. Rizzo is adorable. I just saw the Pulitzer news. Congrats to Barbara Kingsolver. I agree, Trust doesn't compare.

>71 vancouverdeb: Poppy is a lucky pup, getting two bones a day! And I'm familiar with that stare, too. Alys does that when there's interesting people food on the table. Which is pretty much any people food.

>72 BLBera: It was a great weekend, Beth. And Rizzo is certainly loved by all. This morning we noticed his resemblance to the dog that won Westminster yesterday. Except that Rizzo is not as well groomed, ha ha.

Happy Wednesday, Laura.

>56 lauralkeet: Rizzo is quite a cutie! Sounds like you had the perfect weekend that was also relaxing!

Sounds like it was a great weekend, Laura.

I had not heard the news about Kingsolver's Pulitzer. Yay! I haven't yet read Trust. Every time I look at it on the shelf or when it came available in the library queue, I was ambivalent.

And yay for hawks nesting! 🙂

>74 figsfromthistle: It was indeed, Anita.

>75 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I was thrilled about Kingsolver's win. I would love for her to win the Women's Prize too. And yes: yay for hawks! I hope to catch a glimpse myself soon.

Welcome to Wednesday ...

Yesterday had my knitting group and did a bit of gardening in the afternoon, transplanting tomatoes and peppers into beds. We have some extra plants that I'm giving away to others so I organized all that with little labels for each pot. We ended up getting takeout for dinner because our stove was still inoperable (the propane delivery is today), and while the oven works I just wasn't up for cooking. Continuing that theme, we had McDs for breakfast which is a very, very rare thing for us. Coming on the heels of a weekend with a lot of heavy meals, I'm ready for normal meal service now.

This morning I have a Guild meeting, and then Barre in the late afternoon. In between I'll probably do some garden work.

In bookish news, I returned to In the Morning I'll be Gone after our weekend trip. The mystery is taking shape and it looks like this will be another good one. And then my next book will be The Last Remains, which just came in at the library. Woo hoo!

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I almost got it in 2 and for some stupid reason decided to try a different word first. *shakes head*

>77 lauralkeet: I hope all goes well with the propane delivery and you can fully return to your routine today. :)

It was 3 day for me too, which quite pleased me.

>68 lauralkeet: Hooray for Ms. Kingsolver!! I missed the announcement. I read each year's winner to keep my list complete and I've read Demon Copperhead. I'll have to get Trust to stay up to date though.

>78 MickyFine: Hi Micky, the propane delivery went just fine and was indeed the source of our problem with the stove. The good news is, a full tank lasts a very long time.

>79 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I saw the announcement on Barbara Kingsolver's Instagram and I thought, how weird that I haven't seen anything about the Pulitzers elsewhere yet. But anyway, I was thrilled. I keep a list too for Pulitzers, Bookers, and Women's Prize. These days I'm just trying to keep up with the recent winners rather than the entire backlist. So yes, it was satisfying to add this year's winners and mark them as read. I'm not sure that's ever happened before.

Sweet Thursday!

Yesterday's agenda included a Guild Board meeting which was surprisingly fun, because of the camaraderie and conversation more than the meeting agenda. I gave away some surplus tomato and pepper plants too. In the afternoon I transplanted the rest of my tomatoes and peppers into containers. It was also nice to return to Barre after missing both sessions last week. Our evening viewing was pretty random: Westminster dog show segments, other mindless stuff on YouTube, and then Chris watched an episode of The Avengers (the 1960s series with Diana Rigg) while I read my book.

Yesterday's Guild meeting was held in a conference room at the library, so while I was there I also picked up these two holds:



The Last Remains | The Ghost Map

Today's agenda includes the gym this morning, a short zoom call in the afternoon, and I'm not sure what else. I'll probably do some menu planning in preparation for shopping tomorrow.

Wordle 691 4/6

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TRADE, BROIL, BROWN, BROOM

>81 lauralkeet: - Fun to see two books I've already read on your post! I hope you like them both.

We finally watched UC last night :(

I am still waiting for The Last Remains, Laura. Lucky you.

I just finished The Last Remains and it is satisfying knowing it is the last one, rather than continuing long past enjoyment but hating to give up on it. (I'm looking at you, Maisie Dobbs, lol)
To celebrate, I borrowed Sworn to Silence to have a brand new, recommended series, to begin. So we are reading each others recc's right now!

>82 katiekrug: I'm sure I will, Katie!

>83 BLBera: Hope you get your hands on a copy soon, Beth. I can't wait to start reading it.

>84 raidergirl3: I'm also glad to see you found The Last Remains to be a fitting conclusion. I only read two of the Maisie Dobbs books but I know there are about a million, so I get what you're saying. I hope you like Sworn to Silence. That series is a lot grittier and more graphic than the Ruth Galloway books, but they two series have one thing in common which you will soon discover. 😀

Laura, thanks so much for telling me about your difficulties with delivery services, UPS, in this case. What a relief it was to read that you have had a similar problem more than once. Such a relief to me. I really did not think they had " attempted delivery " and your info confirmed that. Thanks again for taking the time to let me know. So kind of you. I phoned UPS this morning and had my packaged diverted for delivery to a UPS store close to me. That way no more so called " attempted deliveries, and we had a report of a porch pirate a few doors away from us about a week ago. The seller did not require a sign on delivery and I did not like the thought of bracelet sitting in front of the front door. I'm really happy with it, and so pleased to safely have it.

Thanks again!

>86 vancouverdeb: How sweet of you to stop by and mention it! I saw your post and thought well, maybe things are different in Canada but maybe not, doesn't hurt to mention it. I understand your worry. When we lived in Philly any packages left sitting out in the open would disappear. It was very stressful, so we bought a parcel locker for deliveries. Thankfully we have no such issues where we live now. The "attempted delivery" thing has happened enough times that I just roll my eyes and wait for the next day. But it's still annoying.

TGIF!

Yesterday's agenda included the gym and zoom call as mentioned, and then in the afternoon we made a trip to the local nursery to pick up a few things, browse a bit, and of course pet the dogs. Evening viewing included an episode of David Attenborough's Wild Isles, and then I finished In the Morning I'll be Gone while Chris watched one of "his" shows. Book review coming soon. At bedtime I read a few pages of The Last Remains; no surprise it's off to a good start.

Today's agenda is pretty light. This morning I'll finish the grocery list and then do the shopping. While I'm out I'll drop off the recycling and take a couple of sweaters to the dry cleaner. This afternoon we're going to Home Depot. I ordered a new dehumidifier for our basement and it's ready for pickup. In the meantime, Chris came up with a list of things he needs for various projects so we'll get those items, too. I haven't decided what's for dinner yet, but I'm going to cook something since we did takeout earlier in the week when our stove stopped working.

Wordle 692 5/6

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PAUSE, STARE, SHADY, SLANG, SNACK

>26 lauralkeet: Boy, hasn't it?

>29 lauralkeet: That one is on my list to read in the near future. I think I will postpone it for a while yet.

>81 lauralkeet: I really need to get to The Ghost Map at some point. It has been in the BlackHole forever.

Have a fantastic Friday, Laura!

>89 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia!

Good morning to all ...

Yesterday was fine. Can I just say how much I dislike Home Depot? When I placed the order, I requested curbside pickup because the item was heavy and I knew I'd need help with it. When I arrived the online check-in process wasn't working correctly so after some attempts on my phone I resigned myself to going inside. Chris was originally planning to come with me, but he wasn't quite ready to get whatever it was that he needed, so I was on my own. Fortunately I was able to get someone to load the dehumidifier into my car for me, but it was annoying! My wounds were soothed by deciding to get takeout for dinner after all, so we had pizza and there are leftovers for lunch today. I also wedged in a decent amount of reading time and am thoroughly enjoying The Last Remains.

Today's agenda includes morning Barre, and then some household tasks including schlepping the new dehumidifier into the basement, figuring out what extra bits & pieces we need to hook everything up, and possibly a visit to the hardware store for those.

In other words, nothing very exciting planned ...

Wordle 693 4/6

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LEAST, FAIRY, CIRCA, ACRID

Best of luck with the schlepping! Hopefully there's still time for fun things around that.

>91 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! We haven't schlepped yet but I expect we will soon. Meanwhile, I'm content with puttering around and getting other things done ... like a book review ...

26. In the Morning I’ll be Gone ()

Sean Duffy has earned a reputation as a highly motivated and committed police officer who won’t give up even when instructed to do so. This got him in a bit of trouble in the series’ previous installments, and this book opens with Duffy suspended from his position with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). But not to worry, MI5 thinks Duffy is just the man to track down IRA member Dermot McCann, who escaped prison and is currently in hiding, most likely outside of Ireland. MI5 believes Duffy’s childhood friendship with McCann and his current friendly relationship with McCann’s family will give him a leg up.

The problem is, McCann is a master at evading capture. Duffy has no leads and no idea how to proceed, until he learns the recent death of McCann’s sister-in-law Lizzie was ruled an accident despite its suspicious circumstances. McCann’s mother-in-law agrees to reveal his whereabouts if Duffy is able to identify what really caused Lizzie’s death.

I enjoy the fast pace and interesting plot twists in this series. This installment had the added bonus of Duffy’s investigation intersecting with two real-life events: Joseph Kennedy II’s visit to Ireland, and Margaret Thatcher’s 1984 Conservative Party leadership conference. This integration of fact and fiction was cleverly done, and I hope this continues in the next books.

"This integration of fact and fiction was cleverly done, and I hope this continues in the next books." I like when that's done well. I need to read the second Sean Duffy.

Hi Laura!

I also hate Home Depot. I think Lowe's is a better company with somewhat better customer service.

I need to return to the Sean Duffy series. I think I've read three of them.

I finished Trespasses this morning; it was very good. I started Birnam Wood for my RL book club and I'm liking it so far.

I also have Ghost Map languishing on my shelves. I need to get to this year? Your review of In The Morning I'll Be Gone makes thing I should get to the first in Adrian McKinty's series sooner than later, The Cold, Cold Ground.

>94 laytonwoman3rd: I like when that's done well. Same here, Linda. Although I admit that I didn't have a deep understanding of either of the two significant real life events, McKinty placed Duffy in the center of some key moments in a way that seemed completely plausible.

>95 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! We nearly always shop at Lowe's too. In this case, I'd done a bit of research into dehumidifiers and Home Depot carried the brands that came up most often and Lowe's didn't.

I'm glad to see you're enjoying Birnam Wood. I've been on the fence about that one.

>96 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! I have Katie to thank for warbling incessantly about the Sean Duffy series. I'm just adding my warbling to the mix. I hope you enjoy it.

Hey everybody, happy Mother's Day or Happy Regular Old Sunday, take your pick.

Yesterday's accomplishment was getting the new dehumidifier into the basement (it weighed about 40lbs), and getting it connected to a) power and b) the drainage hose. Said hose was already in place from the previous (ancient, no longer working) unit. We needed an extension cord for power, but that problem was easily solved with a trip to the hardware store. I'm glad to have this sorted because we'd been doing without for a while and I didn't want to let the basement humidity go unchecked for much longer.

Last night we watched a Japanese gangster film on Criterion which was tolerable but not really my thing so I focused mostly on knitting my cardigan. Also, reading The Last Remains.

Yesterday while we were out buying the extension cord we stopped by Southern States for a few more strawberry plants, as some of ours seem to have been attacked by varmints. We now have a chicken wire fence around the berries and I'll get the new plants in the ground today. It looks like the weather will be nice so I'll take advantage of that and do some weeding and other garden jobs too.

Wordle 694 4/6

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DAISY, ASTER, SHARK, SCARF

Happy Mother's Day, Laura. Enjoy your day. Cool and damp here but the family will all be together, so that will keep us warm.

Hi Laura, and happy Mother’s Day to you!

>56 lauralkeet: Sweet pics of the fur babies, especially the action shot.

>71 vancouverdeb: I’ve never heard of DNA tests for dogs. Wow. We think our boy kitty has Maine Coon in him because he’s huge and getting huger. His mom is half his size and weight, no ear tufts.

>81 lauralkeet: I hope you enjoy the Last Remains. I’ve brought my copy of The Ghost Map into the Sunroom based on Katie’s having recently read it.

>90 lauralkeet: Bill loves Lowe’s curbside pickup, plus we get 10% off everything, including sale items, because he’s a veteran. I don’t even have to have him there to get the discount, just tell them our phone number.

Good morning Laura. I'm enjoying Birnam Wood but I'm noticing that she describes the characters in great detail, too much of which doesn't actually give me a feel for the character. I'm curious to see where it goes, but I'm not sure it's going to be my favorite read of the year. I'll keep you posted.

>99 msf59: Hey Mark, a family day sounds great, and makes up for crappy weather. Enjoy!

>100 karenmarie: Hi Karen! You can get DNA tests for kitties too. The brand is Wisdom Panel and Amazon has them for about $100. Hmm ... with multiple kitties that adds up, but it might answer your Maine Coon question if you're curious enough to spring for it.

>101 EBT1002: Ellen, thanks for reporting in on Birnam Wood. I will watch your progress with interest!

I had a fairly low-key day yesterday. I did a bit of work in the garden, worked on a task for the Guild, made brownies, and finished reading The Last Remains. Briefly, it was an excellent wrap up to a long-running series. The biggest surprise was how emotional I felt at the end. I mean, like very close to tears. I am not a cryer generally, and it takes a lot for me to get teary over a book. Why this one? Well, it was partly due to how the characters' individual stories wrapped up. And also Nelson's declaration of love, , finally. And probably just having to say good-bye. Now, how to rate the book? A book that makes me cry is almost always a 5-star read, but this wasn't a 5-star book. I did some scouting around the threads to see how others here rated it, and Joe gave it 5 stars in recognition of the series as a whole. I'm going with 4.5 stars on that basis. I'll post a review later.

Okay, so. Today's agenda is pretty light. I have a library shift this morning, I'll do a bit of gardening work in the afternoon, and maybe some household tasks. Zzzzz ... not very interesting, I know.

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PISTE, FLARE, MAUVE, DANCE, CANOE

I'm glad you found The Last Remains to be such a satisfying conclusion!

>93 lauralkeet: I'm a huge McKinty fan, precisely for the reason you highlighted in your review. I spend a lot of time googling real events after reading one of his novels! I still have his wife's non-fiction X-Troop sitting on my shelf, and I hope to get to that sometime soon. I've never read Elly Griffiths and may have to remedy that once I get some current series completed.

I've always found series I like that I tended to rate the books individually as 4 stars, but the series as a whole is a 4.5 or 5 star series, or else why would I keep reading?

My wordle today was CRANE, CANOE

Have a great day!

>104 katiekrug: I sure did, Katie. So satisfying!

>105 vivians: I did the same thing (Googling) after this third book, Vivian. I don't know enough about this time period so it's fun to actually learn something.

>106 raidergirl3: Good point Elizabeth! And congrats on Wordle in 2.

27. The Last Remains ()

The Last Remains is a wholly satisfying conclusion to a much-loved long running series. Over the course of 15 books we have seen Ruth Galloway grow from a shy unknown academic into a leader at her university, respected by her staff and routinely called on to lend her archaeological expertise to police investigations. Alongside the way Ruth has become a confident single mother while wrestling with conflicting feelings about her relationship with the child’s father, DCI Harry Nelson. The mystery in this book is secondary to bringing closure to that issue, and Elly Griffiths handled it brilliantly, maintaining the uncertainty and tension until the final pages. She also brought closure in a different way, by re-introducing a character from a much earlier book in a very touching way.

I really didn’t want this series to end, but it’s far better to go out on a high note than draw things out and lose the magic.

Laura, I just picked up The Last Remains from the library. I'm waiting for a slow period so I can focus on the wrap-up. I like your idea about upgrading the last book in a series as a way to applaud an author for some enjoyable times.

>109 Donna828: I hope you enjoy it, Donna!

Good morning ...
Yesterday's low-key, not-much-happening agenda held fast; it was a good if somewhat boring day. The weather was gorgeous so I was happy to spend some time weeding the garden. I also snuck in a short nap. Evening TV viewing included the first University Challenge semi-final match. And suddenly, the season is coming to a rapid close: one more semi next week, and then the final on May 29. We also watched a movie that a friend recommended to Chris: Winter Kill (1979), starring Jeff Bridges. It was ... hmm ... terrible, I think is the word. Bad acting, one-dimensional characters, unbelievable plot ... I could go on. That's 90 minutes we'll never get back. But as usual, I worked on my cardigan so the time was not completely wasted.

In more positive news, I'm well into The Ghost Map which really interesting and written in an easily digestible narrative style. I now know more about cholera than I ever wanted to know, and yet I am eager to learn more. Go figure.

As for today, I'm heading to the gym soon, and I have a Guild committee meeting later in the morning. The afternoon is free with no pressing tasks so I'll do a little of this and a little of that.

Wordle 696 4/6

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LATER, LATHE, LATKE, LATTE
I really, really thought I had it in 2

Sorry about the terrible movie. Will the frienship survive?!?

I was going to tell you I can't watch UC next Monday because TW will be in Boston, but I think I'll just watch it without him so you and I can compare notes on it and then I'll watch it with him again when he gets home :) Priorities!

>111 katiekrug: Yes, and so will our marriage (ha). I asked Chris what on earth his friend was thinking, and he wasn't sure but he also said that if you're going to recommend things to a friend yourself, you have to be willing to act on their recommendations too. Good point.

And yes to next week's UC! You can take notes and surprise TW by your ability to answer all of the questions.

>112 lauralkeet: - Ha! I think he'd see right through that...

>110 lauralkeet: Amazing how excellent writing can make a topic that you'd never think would be your thing into compelling reading. I had the same experience when reading Stiff.

It was a 5er for my Wordle but I likewise thought I had it in 3 and had the exact same progression of words.

I'm still waiting for The Last Remains, Laura, so I skipped over your comments. I do want to start the McKinty series at some point. It sounds like one I would enjoy.

Stopping to say hi, Laura. Sorry to read about the bad movie. I'm having a hard enough time finding something to watch and I've got Brit Box, Net Flix, Amazon Prime, Acorn TV and Masterpiece. What is wrong with me? Argh to myself.

>113 katiekrug: Yeah, you're probably right Katie.

>114 MickyFine: Good point, Micky. And you remind me, I really should add Mary Roach to my non-fiction reading list.

>115 BLBera: The Sean Duffy series is a good one, Beth. I haven't read any of McKinty's standalone novels, but I think you'd like the series.

>116 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! I've recovered from bad movie trauma LOL. We subscribe to a lot of streaming services too. Every few months I review the list and ask myself, do we still want/need all of these? And the answer, so far, is yes. Every one of them delivers something we don't want to give up. And yet sometimes we still find ourselves wondering what to watch!

Hump Day!

I had a surprisingly good time at my Guild meeting yesterday. This committee alternates between meeting over Zoom and meeting in person, usually at the library. This was an in-person month but the library's rooms were booked so we met at the committee chair's house with one person on Zoom. The meeting took longer than our Zoom-only meetings--I think collectively we were less focused and more prone to going off on tangents--but there was also more fun and laughter. In the afternoon I did a bit of garden tending, and ... hmm, I can't remember what else. Evening viewing was the latest episode of White House Plumbers and some other surfing around; I was sleepy and didn't pay attention.

Today is a no-agenda day, except for Barre at 4:30. I have no idea how I'll spend my time and I'm okay -- actually happy -- about that!

Wordle 697 2/6

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Woo hoo!

>118 lauralkeet: A little envious of your agenda-less day. I hope it's a good one, Laura.

>120 MickyFine: thanks Micky. It was pretty nice!

It felt great to have a relaxing day yesterday, free of commitments. We decided to visit the nursery in the afternoon, and picked up several hostas and heucheras (aka coral bells). We already have several of these in one part of our garden, and they look pretty together so we want to expand.

I'm still reading (and enjoying) The Ghost Map. It's really interesting to learn how prevailing beliefs and a general lack of scientific method led to inaccurate theories about the cause of cholera. Everyone was so focused on the air around them and assumed the disease was transmitted by human contact when in fact it came from drinking contaminated water due to inadequate sewage treatment systems. So yes, this is also a book about human waste. Lots of it. But don't let that stop you from reading this book! It's fascinating.

I don't have much on my schedule today, except for someone coming to do annual service on our boiler. I'm going to the gym soon to get that out of the way. And then, probably gardening and menu planning/grocery list making.

Wordle 698 5/6

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JUICE, ROAST, SCORN, SWORN, SHORN

Glad The Ghost Map is hitting the spot for you, Laura!

Hi Laura. I am all caught up (on your threads, that is). How's that for a change? I read what I missed on thread 4 and proceeded to enjoy #5.
>93 lauralkeet: You've inspired me to read some more Sean Duffy novels. I stopped at #2 for some reason. I think I felt overwhelmed by too many series started at the same time.
>108 lauralkeet: I haven't written any reviews of my May 'books-read', but this Elly G's book is one I finished a couple days ago. I think your review nailed it.

I should go and catch up on my own thread but wanted to visit around the other Talk threads to get some idea how everyone is doing.

Nicely done on yesterday's Wordle. Sorry today didn't go as well.

The Ghost Map sounds fascinating.

I am looking forward to those agenda-less days. Although, truth telling here, I'm just a wee bit nervous about boredom. Of course, if the crazy radical twenty, as I like to call them, crash the world economy, I may be delaying retirement after all. 😬

Tomorrow is Friday. Sunday I fly to Nashville for a few days. Yay!

>122 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! It's a pretty good read.

>123 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! It's so nice to see you again. I understand the "too many series" problem for sure. And I'm glad you liked my review of The Last Remains. Such a great finale!

>124 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, first of all I hope the crazies don't delay your hard-earned retirement. I am confident you will find ways to spend your days. My advice (not that you asked LOL) is just to try things without holding yourself to some standard of commitment. If an activity isn't working for you, stop doing it and move on. It's not a job, there's no performance review, this is all about you and your interests. You'll soon learn how much activity you need and what you find fulfilling. I hope you have a nice visit in Nashville!

Happy Friday, folks!

I have nothing much to report from yesterday, to be honest. Lots of puttering around doing this and that, including some gardening, reading and knitting. Evening viewing was a rewatch of Terence Malick's excellent 1978 film, Days of Heaven. It's on Criterion through the end of the month and we wanted to see it again before it disappears. The cinematography is amazing.

Today has started off in a most pleasing lazy fashion. The grocery list is complete, so I'll be doing the shopping soon. Takeout for dinner tonight; I predict pizza but you never know, we might go for Chinese. That could be the biggest decision I make all day. Tonight's viewing will include our Friday favorites: Have I Got News for You, and Gardeners World.

Wordle 699 4/6

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I love agenda-less days and haven't had any trouble with boredom in retirement. In fact, I don't know how I ever had time to work!

Sounds like a wonderful day, Laura -- enjoy!!

>127 BLBera: I know what you mean, Beth!
>128 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba!

Welcome to the weekend!

Yesterday unfolded as expected. I did the grocery shopping in the morning, and in the afternoon I weeded an area of the garden that was looking a little scruffy. We did, indeed, have pizza for dinner: sausage and mushrooms instead of our usual sausage or pepperoni only. Aren't we adventurous, LOL. Later, in addition to our usual Friday viewing, we also watched the crime series The Tower. Britbox has been promoting its second season but we hadn't watched the first yet. It started off well and we'll continue.

I've all but finished reading The Ghost Map. I think I was about 3 pages from the end when we turned in last night. I really really liked this book, although I admit to fast-reading the epilogue. The author gets a bit carried away predicting the future (the book was published in 2006), and his breathlessness about both urban living and technology--not to mention potential pandemics--is a bit much seen from today's vantage point. But the rest of the book, focused on the Victorian era, is very good.

While I was reading The Ghost Map, I looked at my library holds and didn't see any that would be ready soon so I requested two other books with no wait time: Pandora's Jar and The Slaughterman's Daughter. I picked them up yesterday and wouldn't you know, one of my holds (Louise Kennedy's Trespasses) is now In Transit?! I've decided to read Pandora's Jar first, most likely followed by Trespasses. The Slaughterman's Daughter is a chunkster but I can renew it if necessary, which is not the case with Trespasses. First world problems, I know.

Today's agenda begins with Barre this morning, some household tasks, and maybe (probably) some gardening. Although it might rain, so we'll see.

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Nice Wordle - Mine looked more like this: (I hate when this happens)

Wordle 700 5/6

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I've heard good things about Trespasses and am hoping to fit it in soon. Will be waiting to see what you think.

Hi Laura!

>102 lauralkeet: Hmmm. Kitty DNA test. Interesting, but I’m too cheap, plus it’s fun to speculate.

>108 lauralkeet: One thing I really liked about the last several books of this series is that Griffiths directly confronted the COVID19 pandemic and its repercussions on people, social structure, and infrastructure. Most authors I have read recently have ignored it completely.

>110 lauralkeet: Do you ever abandon movies or TV series? We do in a heartbeat – and it usually involves looking at each other and saying Blech or something else equally intelligent to show our lack of interest.

>124 EBT1002: and >125 lauralkeet: I was told to not volunteer for the first 6 months of retirement because once people know you have time on your hands they’re like vultures. I managed to do just that, but then volunteered to be on the Board of the Friends of the Library. I’ll step down as President on June 30th but still be on the Board as Immediate Past President, then I’ll leave the Board completely when Heather, our President-to-Be, becomes Immediate Past President. I'll stay on the Book Sale Team and that will be my only volunteer activity for a while.

>131 dudes22: Sorry about your Wordle, Betty. I'm really looking forward to reading Trespasses, too.

>132 karenmarie: That's an excellent point about the Ruth Galloway series, Karen. I've read a few other books set during the pandemic and now that you mention it, I think Elly Griffiths has handled it better than most.

Yes, we absolutely abandon movies & TV series. I don't usually mention when that happens, but we just ditched The Diplomat earlier this week. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't grabbing us either. Like you and Bill, we exchanged a look and a few words at the end of the first episode, and that was that.

I was told not to relocate during the first 6 months of retirement, but we did, and it was not the best decision we ever made. I was too busy with moving to consider volunteering, and I also had a very strong aversion to anything that looked like work (committees, for example). When we moved (again), I joined the Fiber Guild for its monthly knitting meeting, and the fiber arts-related programs at the general membership meetings, also monthly. But 5 years into retirement I felt ready to do something more, and I've ended up getting more involved than I ever expected.

>130 lauralkeet: Ooh, I look forward to your thoughts on Pandora’s Jar. I like Natalie Haynes’ work on tv and her podcast, but I have not yet read any of her books.

I loved Pandora's Jar, Laura. It's one that you can alternating with other books. Each chapter is pretty independent. I loved Trespasses as well. You have some great reading ahead.

I just got a note that The Last Remains is available, so yay!

>134 PawsforThought: Natalie Haynes is completely new to me, Paws. I credit Beth for putting Pandora's Jar on my radar.

>135 BLBera: This is not the first time you've influenced my reading choices, Beth, but I'm glad that you do! It's also good to know the book can be read alongside other books. I was toying with that idea even before I knew Trespasses was on the way, and I might find it difficult to resist starting that one. Hooray for The Last Remains!

28. The Ghost Map ()

In 1854, cholera tore through a London Soho neighborhood with speed and impact far greater than previous outbreaks. Prevailing views on disease attributed the transmission of cholera to “miasma,” meaning there was something in the air, and that certain individuals would be more or less susceptible depending on their socioeconomic class and living arrangements. These beliefs, firmly entrenched in the medical establishment, hindered the authorities’ response to the outbreak. Enter John Snow, a neighborhood physician who had been studying cholera for years. Through door-to-door canvassing and painstaking documentation, Snow developed a new theory of water-borne bacteria, and then faced the daunting task of convincing the authorities to respond accordingly. His unlikely partnership with local curate Henry Whitehead was instrumental in making the case.

The Ghost Map was a fascinating account of a public health situation, the state of London’s infrastructure during that era, and the ways in which even the most knowledgeable people can fail to see their limits or accept new data points. I would have preferred the book had ended with its concluding chapter focused on Victorian London, and not the epilogue. This final section leaps forward to the 21st century and discusses the rise of urban living, the internet, and public health concerns at the time of publication (2006): annual flu vaccines and the H5N1 avian flu virus. This was doomed to obsolescence from the start, and I found myself wishing the author had stuck with the history. But his final sentences are spot on:

However profound the threats are that confront us today, they are solvable, if we acknowledge the underlying problem, if we listen to science and not superstition, if we keep a channel open for dissenting voices that might actually have real answers. The global challenges that we face are not necessarily an apocalyptic crisis of capitalism or mankind’s hubris finally clashing with the balanced spirit of Gaia. We have confronted equally appalling crises before. The only question is whether we can steer around these crises without killing ten million people, or more. So let’s get on with it.

Hi everyone,

Another low-key day yesterday, although we did visit a local native plant nursery. While their inventory isn't as large as our regular stop, their focus on natives is intriguing. We were looking to add a few more of a white phlox we bought last year, and then of course ended up buying other plants as well. Visiting nurseries and garden centers is a lot like going to a used bookshop ...

In the late afternoon we took Alys on a long walk to her favorite bit of creek. It started raining on the way back, just sprinkling at first but then a little bit heavier, so we sat under some pine trees for about 15 minutes and listened to the rain fall on the branches. We returned home still relatively dry, and not long after the skies opened and it rained for real for at least half an hour. I was glad we weren't outdoors then!

Today should be similarly low key, with no obligations. Yay.

Wordle 701 4/6

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TEASE, GRASP, CRASH, BRASH

Thanks for mentioning The Tower. We've been really stuck in a rut lately. Hubby has no problem re-watching things but I need more variety so I pushed to watch episode one last night and we both liked it. I'm wondering if it's going to be like Shetland where the same story continues through each season. I rather like that so hope so.

Reba, Chris is a re-watcher also, especially 30-minute comedies when we aren't sure what else to watch or have time to kill. I've lost track of how many times I've seen the Britcom, To the Manor Born. At this point, I just open my book and start reading.

I'm glad you enjoyed the first episode of The Tower.

The Ghost Map sounds fascinating, Laura. Great comments. Onto the WL it goes.

>140 lauralkeet: lol I pick up my knitting or my tablet and do a game :)

Great review of Ghost Map , Laura. I’ve had in my TBR pile for far to long , and I’ll try to get to it soon . I’m not a re watcher or shows or movies . I’m currently watching Season 9 of The Broken Wood Mysteries. The first two episodes weren’t great, but by the 3 rd episode I was really enjoying the series again .

>141 BLBera: Excellent! I think you'd like it, Beth.

>142 RebaRelishesReading: Yep, those ideas work too, although I usually knit while watching TV anyway, unless the project is one that requires more intense concentration.

>143 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah! As non-fiction goes, The Ghost Map is an easy read. The narrative moves along at a good pace without overloading the reader with facts and figures. I'm glad you're enjoying Brokenwood, that's one we haven't tried yet.

Hi everyone,

Not much to report from yesterday. I took care of a few tasks around the house and read a nice chunk of Pandora's Jar. I really like Natalie Haynes' writing, it's like she's having a conversation with the reader.

Yesterday's weather was very nice, so in the afternoon we went out for coffee and a cookie and then came back home and took Alys on a long walk to the creek. In the evening we watched the Chelsea Flower Show preview on Britbox, and another episode of The Tower.

This morning I'm working a library shift. I'm not sure how I'll spend the afternoon, although I do have at least one phone call I'd like (?) to make. Tonight we'll watch University Challenge (the last semi-final), and today's Chelsea coverage. The BBC airs two programs each day of the show. One is a sort of garden how-to program, which we don't usually watch. We prefer the program about what's on display: the show gardens, the designers, the awards, etc. So that will be part of our viewing all week.

Wordle 702 4/6

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BREAD, MOUNT, SHOCK, IGLOO
My third word was a reaction to my progress so far, but it did nothing to allay those feelings. Fortunately by that point I'd ruled out so many letters that there weren't a lot of options.

>I've been meaning to get to Pandora's Jar. I so agree with you - Haynes' style and humor make for a wonderful reading experience.

>146 vivians: Pandora's Jar is only newly on my radar. Looks promising.
I've had a library cascade and some were going to be snatched back, so I binge read at night and gardened during the day, while the temperatures were not vile.
Just last night finished Who Cries for the Lost and reviewed The Last Remains this past weekend. Both very satisfactory reading.

Holiday Monday in Canada today. Is there a USA May holiday?

>147 SandyAMcPherson: Yeap - next Monday is Memorial Day, one half of Remembrance Day. The other, Veternes Day, happens in November and is not as observed. Why there are BBQs and "celebrations" for the "memorial" component and a quasi-somber day no one gets off work and/or school for the living veterans, I don't know.

>148 dreamweaver529: That might be regional, I have always (in Virginia) gotten Veterans Day off of work and school (when I was in school). Memorial Day is popular around here as the start of summer, when all of the pools open and attractions shift into summer hours, but that might be changing as we regularly get 90-degree temperatures at the end of April now.

IMO the main reason that Memorial Day has big celebrations is because it is the end of a long stretch without a federal holiday, while Veterans Day is 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Also the holidays that don't always land on the same day of the week are difficult to plan around.

>149 norabelle414: Interesting. I've lived the in Midwest (WI) and PNW (WA) since I moved to the US nearly 20 years ago, and neither is very into observing Veterans Day. I guess as an outsider, I just think it would have made more sense to switch them, celebrate the Vets in the spring, and remember the fallen in the fall.

Remembrance Day is one of the holidays I miss the most since I moved out of Canada. I miss the plastic poppies and In Flanders Fields (not that I totally buy into its whole message, but since I memorized it for an assembly in middle school, it's always brought me the chills). Though, it may just be the ex-pat in me, longing for everything Canadian now that I'm no longer living in Canada.

>150 dreamweaver529: "I just think it would have made more sense to switch them, celebrate the Vets in the spring". Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th, because originally it was called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. It was renamed in 1954. Memorial Day began after the US Civil War, and was originally called "Decoration Day", referring to the placement of flags on the graves of military personnel buried in national cemeteries. In my tiny little home town in Northeastern Pennsylvania, there has always been some program honoring those who served in the military, whether they died in service or not, by placing flags on their graves in the local cemetery on Memorial Day. When I was a kid, it was pretty informal; my dad, as one of the caretakers of the cemetery, removed the old flags and placed new ones provided by the American Legion. Anyone in the community who wanted to participate came along, usually including the pastor of the only church in the village, who wouldn't pass up the opportunity to say a public prayer. Now there is an annual Memorial Day program hosted by the Historical Society, which also usually picks one local veteran to honor on the day, by having a family member speak about their life and service. It's simple, but usually quite moving.

>146 vivians: Hi Vivian. Yesterday I discovered that Natalie Haynes did a series on BBC Radio 4 called "Natalie Haynes Stands up for the Classics." I was thinking I might listen to episodes about the same women in the book, so today I listened to a bit of the Pandora episode, which aired in 2021. There was considerable overlap with the chapter in her book so I may not listen to all of them as I first thought, but I like her style so will probably listen to episodes about other historic or mythological figures.

>147 SandyAMcPherson:, >148 dreamweaver529:, >149 norabelle414:, >150 dreamweaver529:, >151 laytonwoman3rd:
Hi everyone, great conversation about the US Memorial Day and Veterans Day holidays. I've never been clear on why we have two holidays myself, and I get annoyed with the tendency to a) turn Memorial Day into a party and b) use Veterans Day as a reason for zealous flag-waving. This isn't all universally true of course, as Linda points out in >151 laytonwoman3rd:. But after living in the UK for four years I really appreciate the solemnity of Remembrance Day in November.

That’s why Victoria is the best queen! The May long weekend in Canada, aka Victoria Day, has no obligations- meals or services or family stuff, associated with it other than the summer kick-off. Guilt free holiday all around. All Hail Queen Vic!

>146 vivians: That podcast is great! I’m very impatiently waiting for the next season to drop. My introduction to Natalie was as one of the presenters for the new episodes of Time Team.

>153 raidergirl3: I love it!

>154 PawsforThought: I'm glad there will be more podcast episodes, Paws. And I didn't know that she's now a Time Team presenter. That's an excellent show, although I haven't watched it in ages.

Good morning ...

Not much to report from yesterday, although I did make the dreaded phone call which inched the matter (possible oven malfunction) forward slightly, and I did a bunch of weeding in the veg garden. The University Challenge semifinal was a rout, but I was happy with the result, and we enjoyed the evening Chelsea Flower Show coverage. Pandora's Jar continues to be excellent reading. I thought I might alternate chapters with another book, but I'm smitten enough to read it straight through. So everything is coming up roses, as they say.

This morning we're going to take Alys for a long walk instead of heading to the gym. My only obligation is a hair appointment later today. And I guess that's all for now ...

Wordle 703 4/6

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PRONE, LATER, RELIC, CLERK

That UC semi-final was a disappointment, wasn't it? I wanted some excitement!

>157 katiekrug: Yeah, it wasn't very exciting. But I really like the captain of the winning team, so I was happy with it.

I am so glad you are enjoying Pandora's Jar; it's one I will return to when I need a refresher on some of the women she discusses.

>159 BLBera: I could see that, Beth.

Hello everyone,

I seem to be going through a particularly uneventful period with each day sliding into the next ... so there's not much to report from yesterday. Alys enjoyed her walk, I did some garden work in the afternoon, and in the evening we settled into some TV-watching including White House Plumbers and The Tower's final season 1 episode.

Today is Chris' birthday, and his request for the day is to visit the one garden center we haven't been to yet this season. It's further from home but larger than our local spots so it's usually worth the trip. That man knows how to party doesn't he? I'm making a nice dinner--a roasted chicken dish with lemons and garlic that we both like--plus chocolate lava cakes for dessert. We'll probably connect with Kate & Julia at some point too.

Wordle 704 6/6

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PLATE, MITER, DETER, VOTER, ENTER, UTTER
Argh, I hate when this happens.

Yikes! I hate that too and feel so bad for you.

>160 lauralkeet: I had a six in Wordle today, too, Laura. In my case, I only had the last two letters in the right places from Turn 2 onward, and didn't get another one until Turn 5. Things got a little tense there for a while!

You know what the worst part was? Stupid Wordlebot's snarky little "this guess wasn't my favorite" on several of my words. It's a good thing it's just a bot or I might start taking it personally. :-)

Happy birthday to Chris. You do know how to party. :)

I had a lucky second guess in Wordle today and got it in 3.

>160 lauralkeet: Wordle sympathy. Glad you have a nice day planned for Chris' birthday. Sounds like he'll have a happy one.

I tried a new sequence of first/second words I found in an article on most frequently occurring letters in English and got it in three -- feeling happy and a bit smug I am now :)

>160 lauralkeet: Happy Birthday to Chris and I hope he found everything he hoped to at the garden center.

Adding my happy birthday wishes for Chris, even if the day is almost over 🙂 I hope the trip to the nursery was fruitful! And your dinner sounds excellent! Is that a NYT recipe I can look for? Anything garlic-y is beloved at Casa Krug!

>161 dudes22:, >162 rosalita:, >163 BLBera:, >164 RebaRelishesReading:, >165 quondame:, >166 katiekrug: Thanks for keeping my thread warm yesterday, and sharing Wordle commiserations. Yesterday was a full day so I wasn't able to get back here to say hello. I'll write more after I've caffeinated.

Katie, yes, it's from NYT. Here's the recipe:
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Thyme, and Rosemary

Hi Laura!

>151 laytonwoman3rd: Our local VFW post solicits donations in front of our grocery store once a year. I don’t remember if it’s in November or not. Those who donate receive a little artificial poppy with a VFW ribbon. I always think of November 11th as Armistice Day, not Veterans Day even though my Dad served in WWII.

>152 lauralkeet: You lived in the UK for four years? When and where? Enquiring minds and all that…

>160 lauralkeet: Belated Happy Birthday to Chris. Yay for his birthday request and your dinner for him.

>168 karenmarie: Hi Karen! I see you popped in here while I was consuming copious amounts of coffee. The brain cells are starting to work now so I'm back.

We lived in the UK from 2000-2004. I had the opportunity to take an international transfer, where I was based in the UK but worked with people at facilities all over Europe. We lived in a village south of Cambridge, and Kate & Julia (who were 7 & 4 when we moved there) attended a small local primary school. It was an amazing experience to be immersed in another culture, and to be able to easily travel around Europe. To be honest, I think the experience had more benefit to us as a family than for me professionally, which is probably not how it's "supposed" to work but I'm more than okay with it!

As I said yesterday was a pretty full day. We visited the garden center I mentioned but surprisingly came away empty-handed, so that of course required a visit to our local where we picked up some nice plants to fill in a few gaps in the garden. We had a FaceTime call with Kate & Julia, and our nearest neighbors stopped by with their cute almost-2-year-old daughter and some cookies.

Sadly, our mood was dampened by discovering two hawk chicks in "our" nest had been the victim of some sort of predator the night before. We think there's a third chick still in the nest but aren't absolutely sure. We were pretty sad about that all day.

I have nothing on my agenda today, which I'm happy about. The weather is lovely so we're about to take Alys for a long walk. And then I'll probably putter around in the garden.

Wordle 705 4/6

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STAID, MAUVE, BAKER, BAGEL
There's a sentence in there somewhere.

I hate those "crap shoot" wordles where it could be umpteen possible words. Like today's for me.

Oh, so sad about your chicks. A few years ago we had baby robins in a nest just outside our dining room window at Chautauqua and one day we heard a kerfuffle and ran over just in time to see a crow fly off with one -- very sad and very upsetting. I know predator birds have to live too but it's still most unpleasant to be quite so close to the whole thing.

Hope there is a third one on your nest and that it stays safe.

>171 tiffin: I know what you mean Tui!

>172 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba. We've seen hawks flying to/from the nest but the tree has even more leaves than it did a couple of days ago and the nest is barely visible. We are trying not to obsess over it.

Happy Friday folks ...

I have nothing much to report from yesterday, I'm afraid. A long walk with Alys, a bit of weeding in the garden, some odds & ends. My primary objective for today is grocery shopping. I just finished my list so will be heading out as soon as I'm showered and dressed. This afternoon we might run over to Southern States for some supplies. Take-out for dinner. Pizza? Probably!

I'm still reading Pandora's Jar and enjoying it, although I also find myself doing time-wasting activities instead of reading. What's that about? Should I start reading Trespasses and then come back to Pandora? I'm in a muddle.

Wordle 706 5/6

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ROUTE, CHASE, SLIDE, SPINE, SWINE

When I find myself reluctant to pick up my book, it usually means I need to shake things up. So starting something new might help.

>174 lauralkeet: I started with four letters, none in the right place, and it still took me 5 today! Irritating.

I...find myself doing time-wasting activities instead of reading. Exactly!

My ADD mindset has me traipsing aimlessly around and through—everything is a distraction! Well, I do have two specific jobs to complete today. So I can enjoy a Memorial Day with my younger son's family. Yes, yes, I will do it.

>175 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>176 RebaRelishesReading: I feel your pain, Reba.

>177 weird_O: Good luck with that, Bill. I'll stop by later to see how you fared.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Yesterday's agenda included the aforementioned grocery shopping and trip to Southern States. I picked up two herb plants -- mint and sage -- which I planted in pots on the terrace. I also transplanted some basil we started in the greenhouse into the garden beds. Dinner was our usual pizza, but not in our usual way. We walked to the winery down the road (with Alys of course!), and enjoyed glasses of wine and and brick oven pizzas while taking in the views. Alys enjoyed the attention of some folks sitting near us, and the occasional bit of pizza crust.

I appreciate Katie giving me the nudge to change up my reading. I started Trespasses and it was just what I needed. Reading Pandora's Jar is a bit like reading an essay collection or short stories, in which they can all run together. I have 4 chapters remaining, each about a different woman in mythology. Even after a very short break for something different I feel like I could return to Pandora and her cronies.

This morning I'm going to Barre. I have a couple of gardening jobs I need to do today or tomorrow, and a few humdrum household tasks which are not urgent so we'll see.

Wordle 707 5/6

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TRIAL, SCARE, BAKER, HAREM, RAMEN
Sigh.

>179 lauralkeet: You have once again demonstrated how much difference luck with the starter word makes. Well done with what you had to work with.

>180 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba. I decided to mix things up and try something different with my starter word, and look where it got me!

>181 lauralkeet: Funny, I read an article about the frequency of letters in English and words chosen to start Wordle and have tried some new ones this week. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it definitely doesn't.

Interesting tidbit re letter frequency. I somewhere read that señorita are the most frequent letters in English (not in that order) but the article points out that t, h, and e get very high ratings because "the" is so common and, while still common, are much less than you would think from the stats if you eliminate "the" from the calculation.

I'm glad Trespasses is just the read you need, right now, Laura. I always use the starter word crane for my wordle, and most of the time it works well for me. As long as you don't get skunked in Wordle, I think you are doing great. And getting skunked isn't the worst, though I try to avoid it.

>182 RebaRelishesReading: Hi again Reba! Years ago we solved puzzles in our local newspaper, which included a daily cryptogram (a short phrase where each letter was replaced by a different letter i.e., all of the Cs were actually Ts). Somehow in that pre-internet era we learned that E and T were the most common letters in English phrases. I think S was a close second? Anyway, because of that I often use starter words that include those letters.

>183 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, your starter word rings a bell. I may have read something--possibly from NYT even--about it being a good Wordle starter. I also agree it's best not to put too much importance on one's Wordle score, although I still can't help being pleased when I do better than my average.

Hello to all ...

Yesterday's agenda included barre, and then some time in the garden. I planted my last row of beans and tended to the other veggies as needed. I also transplanted some herbs into better pots and moved them all to our terrace, just outside the kitchen, so they are handy when we need them.

This morning is starting off lazy, which is just fine with me. Chris is making pancakes for breakfast, which is a nice treat. I'm not sure what else I'll get up to today, to be honest. It's a holiday weekend, but we have no holiday-specific plans. My only goal is to get some reading time in. Yesterday I managed to read some of both Pandora's Jar and Trespasses, which was satisfying.

Gotta run -- pancakes await!

Wordle 708 4/6

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STARE, SOUND, SLIMY, SKIMP

It's nice to see you slow down a bit to enjoy your pancakes, if transplanting herbs, planting beans, and tending veggies constitutes slowing down. Sometimes it's just wonderful to have no plans whatsoever.

Pancakes! That's exactly what I want right now. I wonder if The Wayne would be mad if I just left to go get breakfast....

Enjoy your Sunday!

>186 tiffin: I'm with you, Tui. As you well know, garden work can feel manic and stressful or it can be meditative. It's been more of the latter yesterday.

>187 katiekrug: I hope you ended up with a nice breakfast ... or brunch ... or whatever, Katie.

Good morning ...

Today started off with a light rain, which always makes me feel a bit lazy. It's supposed to let up in about an hour, but I predict my laziness will persist and I'm totally fine with that! I enjoyed a slow day yesterday and would definitely be up for another one.

As you might infer from the above paragraph, we have no plans for Memorial Day. My only goal is to finish Pandora's Jar, and barring any unforeseen circumstances I'll get there. I have only one chapter left. It's been a really good read, very insightful. Meanwhile, I'm also enjoying Trespasses and am looking forward to giving it my full attention.

Tonight's viewing will include the University Challenge final and I'm not sure what else. We've watched a couple episodes of The Forsyte Saga (2002 version) on Kanopy and are finding it a bit meh. I'm not sure if we'll keep going or move on to something else.

Hmm ... I guess that's all for now!

Wordle 709 3/6

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STEAL, MISER, MOUSE
I'm happy with this! I haven't had a 3 in a while.

Enjoy your lazy holiday Monday, Laura!

>190 MickyFine: Thanks Mickey! It's been quite nice. I did some planting outside and then when it started to rain we went out for coffee and cookies.

29. Pandora’s Jar ()

In this excellent exploration of women in Greek mythology, Natalie Haynes unpacks the stories of ten well-known figures. She describes the many variations of their stories in ancient times, illustrating how different authors and playwrights portrayed the characters. Haynes also explores artwork, from ancient pottery to modern paintings, and how these too provide varied interpretations. And finally, she compares the original text to more contemporary retellings and scholarly works. This analysis shows how authors diminished the original role of women to highlight the accomplishments of men, and glossed over the ancient authors’ references to sexual assault or other trauma to focus instead on a woman who is inexplicably angry and violent. From Pandora to Penelope, and the eight women in between, I found this endlessly fascinating.

>192 lauralkeet: So glad to read your glowing review of that. It’s going higher up on my list, along with her other books.

>193 PawsforThought: Same for me, Paws.
I have been subtracting rather than adding to my WL as I note my mood really dictates what I want to read next, so several historical novels have been 'consumed' this month. Pandora’s Jar is definitely an add-to title.

I've had a nice lazy day myself, Laura, which I very much enjoy! Glad you did too.
>192 lauralkeet: Unfortunately I'm not much for Greek mythology, so I fear I will skip that book, as enticing as your review is. Maybe one day I'll give it a try.

>193 PawsforThought:, >194 SandyAMcPherson:, >195 vancouverdeb: Thank you Paws, Sandy & Deb for such nice comments about my review!

Yesterday was more rainy than expected but we still managed to plant out some flowers we started in the greenhouse. Then we had a quiet evening at home as usual, watching the University Challenge final (which was excellent), and the first episode of The Tower season 2.

This morning I'm going to the gym, and will follow that with a trip to Southern States to return something, and then pop into the library to return a book and pick up my hold (Jane Harper's Exiles). After that ... not sure. A few odds & ends around the house and garden, I expect.

I'm moving swiftly through Trespasses now -- it is sooo good, I will probably start reading a few pages here and there any time I have a spare minute.

Wordle 710 6/6

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TRADE, SERUM, HOVEL, LIBEL, EXCEL, KNEEL
Ugh, so annoying. I just didn't see it.

Re Trespasses: I call those kitchen table reads. I just leave the book there to read while I'm waiting for something to boil or bake. Snatched moments indeed.

I think today's Wordle was like that for a few of us. It took 5 for me but it could have gone to 6 if I'd guessed wrong.

>196 lauralkeet: You got it just in the nick of time! It wasn't an easy one.

Today's wordle was so hard! I couldn't see it either, even with a ton of letters known. I got it in 4 with a LOT of time staring at it.

Hi Laura. I'm glad you're enjoying Trespasses. I thought it was pretty terrific, as well.

I have made two guesses on today's Wordle and I feel stuck. I can think of three possible words for my third guess and every single one of them feels like a long shot. At some point before midnight I'll have to take a deep breath and take a stab at it.

>197 tiffin: kitchen table reads
I like that, Tui! I never thought of sneaking in some reading while cooking. That's a missed opportunity for sure!

>198 RebaRelishesReading:, >199 japaul22:, >200 EBT1002: Hi Reba, Jennifer, & Ellen. I am so glad I wasn't the only one who struggled with yesterday's Wordle. It always makes me feel better when I can commiserate with my LT pals. I don't know why it took so long to see the KN combination. It appears in lots and lots of words but as I stared at the available letters, it just wasn't coming to me.

Hey everyone, happy middle of the week.

Not much more to report from yesterday, except that I did fit in a fair amount of reading time in bursts throughout the day. Just before bedtime I reached a very dramatic plot development in Trespasses (if you've read it, you'll know what I'm referring to) which hit me like a ton of bricks even though in retrospect I should have seen it coming.

Last night we watched an episode of BBC Springwatch and wrapped up White House Plumbers. We also had a look at Devil's Hour, a thriller with Peter Capaldi and Jessica Raines. It looks like they will deliver epic performances, but the supernatural elements aren't quite our thing, and it seems like a show that could invade my sleep so we may not continue with it.

I'd love to start my day reading and do nothing else until I finish Trespasses, but that's not going to happen. Today is the Guild's annual meeting/party. Our year runs from June through May and we always mark the end of it with a relaxed social occasion including lunch. We're gathering at a member's house, outdoors actually because she has a really nice space for that. The weather looks like it will cooperate: sunny with temps in the mid/high 70s F by midday. Lunch is potluck; my contribution is a ramen salad which I'm assembling this morning. After the meeting I'll probably just want to relax so I've decided to skip barre this afternoon.

Wordle 711 4/6

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SNARE, TABLE, AMPLE, AGILE

I'm intrigued by the "ramen salad." I guess like a pasta salad but with long noodles...?

Your day sounds very nice and relaxed.

I really want to get to Trespasses soon...

I am so glad you also enjoyed Pandora's Jar. I am another fan of Trespasses.

>203 katiekrug:

(I couldn’t resist…)
But it’s also this, from NYT as usual: Tahini Ramen Salad

>204 BLBera: both books are excellent recommendations from you Beth!

That recipe looks amazing. Putting it on the meal plan for this weekend/next week...

>196 lauralkeet: You're in for a treat with Exiles - I thought it was terrific!

>206 katiekrug: Well Katie ... it was the first time I made it and I, too, thought it looked amazing. I tasted the dressing after I mixed it up and thought oh boy, this is gonna be great. But for some reason when it came time to serve just a couple hours later, it was pretty bland. The recipe makes a lot of dressing and you use it all up, but maybe I had too much ramen? Or did the ramen absorbed it all like a sponge? It wasn't horrible, but it lacked the sesame tang I was expecting.

I read through the notes in the Cooking app and no one else seems to have had this issue so I'm going to go with the dressing-to-ramen ratio being the problem. And you might want to be prepared with a way to spice things up after you mix everything together. Being at a potluck, I just had to live with it.

>207 vivians: I'm glad to see that Vivian!

>208 lauralkeet: - Interesting. Thanks for the notes. I still want to try it, but I might keep the dressing separate until serving.

>210 lauralkeet: That's an idea, Katie. Let me know how it turns out.

Time for a new thread ...