Familyhistorian's Reads for 2023 - Part 8

Lots of people out on the river in these hot days

Welcome to my thread. My name is Meg. I am a bookaholic. That’s not a rare thing around here and it might be catching as my fellow 75ers and enablers can attest to. There will be talk about books, reading, Wordling and travel in 2023. Come along and see where my reading and travel take me. Should be an interesting ride.

BLOG



I write about genealogy and history on my blog. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of exploring and writing about my ROOTs (the family kind). You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges
Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918) - The Somme Legacy by M J Lee - DONE
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938) - The Bee's Kiss by Barbara Cleverly - DONE
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945)
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys - DONE
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie - DONE
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal by Chloë Schama - DONE
April: April Fool - Son of a Trickster by Edin Robinson - DONE
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
June: The Fabulous Fifties - The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro - DONE
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration - We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter - DONE
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners and Nominees
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc. - Trespassers in Time: Genealogists and Microhistorians by Anne Patterson Rodda - DONE
March: Empires - Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain's Empire by Graham Seal - DONE
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations - Northwest Coast Indians by Mira Bartok - DONE - The Face Pullers: Photographing Native Canadians 1871-1939 by Brock V. Silverside - DONE
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants - Holloway by Robert Macfarlane, Stanley Donwood & Dan Richards - DONE
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

List of books for challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918)
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938)
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945) - An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day - Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance by Chloe Schama
April: April Fool
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow - Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale and/or The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
June: The Fabulous Fifties - The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration - We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction challenge

January - prizewinners and nominees - Having it so Good: Britain in the Fifties by Peter Hennessy - 2007 winner of the Orwell prize for political writing
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc.
March: Empires
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

Shared Reads

Peter Ackroyd's History of England series, a shared read of the series with Paul.

A History of England: Foundation
Tudors: The History of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I
Civil War: Volume III: The History of England this was also published as Rebellion: The History of England from James I to the Glorious Revolution - I own both titles
Revolution: The History of England from the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo
Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Innovation: The History of England Volume VI

Group Reads

11/22/63 by Stephen King in May with Kim?
East of Eden by John Steinbeck in July with Mark, MDoris, Linda P, Lynda, Paul, Anita

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2023

January - 16

February - 0

March - 6

April - 0

May - 6

June - 10

July - 3

August - 6



LT Your Library number starting 2023 - 2944

Books read in July 2023

1. Bait by Karen Robards
2. Affair by Amanda Quick
3. The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix
4. The Midnight News by Jo Baker
5. Remember Love by Mary Balogh
6. Self-Portrait in Black and White by Thomas Chatterton Williams
7. A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell
8. Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
9. The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout
10. Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood
11. Romance is My Day Job: A Memoir of Finding Love at Last by Patience Bloom
12. Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea
13. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
14. Tug of War by Barbara Cleverly
15. State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
16. A Finer End by Deborah Crombie
17. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
18. Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
19. Weyward by Emilia Hart
20. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild

Books read in 2023

Books acquired in 2023

Acquisitions in July 2023

The Private Patient by P.D. James
The Ideals Guide to American Civil War Places by Julie Shively
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
A Night Like This by Julia Quinn
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke
The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

Welcome!!!

Happy new thread Meg!

>13 quondame: Thanks Susan!

Happy New Thread, Meg!

Hi Meg and happy new thread to you.>1 Familyhistorian: great summer photo! I'm afraid that I am late to the party but I did start East of Eden today and finding it wonderful. I will have lots of interruptions (visitors) so not expecting to finish it any time soon. That's okay, I will take my time.

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy new thread!

Happy new one, Meg. Your topper is gorgeous.

Happy New Thread, Meg. Love the river topper.

Happy new one, Meg!

Happy new one from me too, Meg

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Meg.

>15 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah!

>16 mdoris: Hi Mary, visitors are a wonderful excuse not to read. East of Eden is one that took me a while to read and I didn't have the same excuse.

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita!

Happy new thread!

>18 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita! I think you and >17 FAMeulstee: Anita followed each other in your thread greetings on my last few new threads!

>19 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, and thanks re the topper. That's the Coquitlam River and many people hang out there in the hot weather and, since it's a river, there are a lot of tubes and other floaty things in use. A bit risky in the rocky bits I'd think but the river isn't very deep because of the dam on Coquitlam Lake that gives us our drinking water.

>20 msf59: Thanks Mark. The river has been in constant use during our prolonged dry hot weather.

>21 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>22 RebaRelishesReading: Good to see you here, Reba. Thanks re the thread.

>23 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel!

>24 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I was just over at yours trying to catch up.

>26 drneutron: Thanks Jim! Thank you for making it all possible.

130. A Moment of Silence by Anna Dean



Belsfield Hall, Monday 23rd September 1805
My dear Eliza,
I must begin another letter to you, although it is not six hours since I sent my last. I have some news to communicate which I think will surprise you not a little.

With those words, the reader was introduced to the sleuth in A Moment of Silence. It was at once apparent that Dido Kent was an inquisitive person and a bit dithery in her manner. That characteristic was all to the good as it allowed her to look into the mystery of the disappearance of her niece’s fiancé at a house party without arousing too much suspicion and putting anyone on their guard.

It was a charming mystery well explained by the letters that Dido continued to write as she got closer to the truth of what was happening.

Biblical?

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>31 Familyhistorian: I think so! :-) Took me 4 too.

Not a word that came to mind easily in the morning

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>32 vancouverdeb: It reminded me of that chapter in the bible, Deborah. It's that kind of old timey word.

Happy new thread, Meg!

>30 Familyhistorian: That one looks interesting. I will have to see if I can locate a copy. Thanks for the recommendation, Meg!

>35 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, good to see you with time to visit the threads. A Moment of Silence is the first in a series but it's fun.

Hi Meg! Happy new thread.

Skippety-skip skip from mid-June.

>3 Familyhistorian: I got caught up on your blog, but the only thing that really stands out is that we, too, have lost the Family Tree Maker data. Bill didn’t take printouts, however. Sigh.

>30 Familyhistorian: I have all four Dido Kent books just waiting for the right time.

Happy new thread, Meg. You had a great month of reading in July! I love the photo at the top.

>37 karenmarie: Hi Karen, my genealogy is mostly in binders so I printed out the Family Tree Maker trees for various families to put in the front of them. I'm so glad that I did since I've had a few computers crash on me. I'm testing out a new family tree program now to see how it will do. I've just started and will talk about it in tomorrow's blog post. (Just finished writing it.)

I'm not sure where I got the BB for the Dido Kent mystery but found it charming. A bit of a departure from your current reading but as they say, a change is as good as a rest.

>38 BLBera: Thanks Beth. Maybe my July reading is because the hot weather is conducive to staying in and reading but it's probably because I haven't been writing much. Have fun with your August reads!

Another five

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Happy new thread, Meg, and happy reading in August!

>42 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks Lavinia. Hope your August is filled with good books!

Hi Meg my dear, Happy New Thread my dear and your thread topper is gorgeous. We are both well as i hope you are and we both send love and hugs my dear friend.

>44 johnsimpson: Hi John and thank re the thread and the topper. Good to see you getting around the threads now that your Scotland sojourn is over. I hope you had a good time and didn't bring home too many books.

Quick one because of my beginning word

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Not a warm and cuddly word

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>47 Familyhistorian: I got it in 4 also. It wasn't a word I expected. Lol

>45 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, since my birthday trip my TBR pile has grown from 2980 to 3035 as it now stands, i wish i could read books as quickly as i purchase them, lol.

>48 The_Hibernator: Not expected but what else would fit with those letters?

>49 johnsimpson: That's a bit of a jump, John. According to my stats, I have one more than your starting number at this point, although it feels like more. I know what you mean about reading them quickly though, they are beginning to take over!

Just stopping by to catch up and admire the river, Meg.

131. My Lady Judge by Cora Harrison



I’m not sure whose thread nudged me in the direction of the Burren mysteries but I’m happy they did. The first mystery in the series, My Lady Judge, introduced the reader to Mara, a judge under Brehon law. It was her task to investigate the death of her assistant, Coleman, who went up the mountain with the other people from the town during the celebration of Bealtaine but never came back down.

The narrative brought this time in history to life and all the things uncovered in the course of the mystery both fit with the people and the setting and made for an involving mystery.

>52 PaulCranswick: It does look refreshing, doesn't it Paul? I walked there again today.

132. the Hot Ladies Murder Club by Ann Major



Sometimes I just need to read a fast page turner. That’s the kind of book that The Hot Ladies Murder Club was. I mean, how could it not be with a title like that? There was a lurking killer, the hot lady the killer was targeting, the other ladies in the group with their own agendas and a ruthless lawyer turned protector. It all added up to a page turning thriller/mystery/romance.

That was fast!

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So what's up with the missing topper and cover photos? They were there yesterday.

ETA: Apparently it's a bug that has been fixed but it may take a while for my server to catch up.

Happy new thread, Meg. Since we have no plans in August, my monthly theme is going to be adventure reading. I can laze away in the comfort of my home while reading of others having to survive all manners of dangers! How is your August reading shaping up?

133. Holloway by Robert Macfarlane, Stanley Donwood & Dan Richards



The slimness of the book was a surprise, but Holloway was at once a memorial to a friend with whom he once explored the paths in nature as well as a guide to showing how to get closer to the natural world and those who went before.

>58 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, your adventure reading sounds like fun. I enjoy feeling like I have free time but this August is all about getting caught up with the writing I do because I'm going on a writers retreat towards the beginning of September, then coming back and going to Boston and then on a cruise to see the fall colours. That's not conducive to leisurely reading. It's juggling the library holds and trying to get everything back by the due dates.

Another quick one

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However the bug where the covers and photos was fixed may have worked for a lot of LT users but the html code for my photos and covers was changed and added in a "cdn" so the images still wouldn't appear. I went back and took out the "cdn" which fixed them on a couple of my threads so the images showed up again.

>59 Familyhistorian: - Is this a new one by Macfarlane, Meg? It doesn't appear to be our library system all.

>63 jessibud2: It was published in 2012 or 2013, Shelley. It clocks in at 38 pages, so maybe your library thought it wasn't worth investing in but the Vancouver Public Library did as that's where I borrowed it.

This one took a bit more work

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134. Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson



Her Heart for a Compass caught my eye at Costco and I finally got around to reading it. It was a story based on the life of Sarah Ferguson’s 3 x great grandmother, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, the second daughter of Walter, the 5th Duke of Buccleuch. A blend of fact and fiction, it followed the framework of Lady Margaret’s life in a believable if romantic way.

Hi Meg, I love that your threads open with a local picture (the river looks so inviting) and that you always include the picture of your local Yellow Little Free Library. We have two in our neighborhood that make me so happy when I pass them on our morning walks.

I was tempted to join in on East of Eden with you, Mark, and others, but my granddaughter was visiting and then I got Covid and couldn't do much serious reading. Steinbeck is an old favorite and I've read East of Eden twice (once for book group about ten years ago) and always get something new when I revisit his books.

It looks like you will be busy with your upcoming writing retreat and the Boston trip followed by an autumn leaf cruise. All those sound like fun. Can't wait to see your pictures.

>59 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, I really liked Holloway when I read it years ago. i must read more of his books!

Hard one today

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>67 Donna828: Thanks Donna. I'm glad you like the pictures and happy you visited when they were visible after the clitch that wiped them and most of the book covers out the other day.

I can see why you wouldn't have the time to devote to East of Eden with all that was going on. It wasn't a light read and took me some time to get through.

The trips are coming up soon and, as usual, I have a long list of things to do before I go. I hope to have good weather while away and lots of photos to share.

>68 mdoris: Hi Mary, I've read a few of Macfarlane's books and they all seem to be different in some way. One was too large to fit in my book bag and this one was so slim I was surprised!

Hi Meg, I see that I have read 6 of his books but not the real whoppers. I have The Old Ways at the top of my TBR pile. Enjoy your time away! Where are you going this time? Sounds like you need some good weather for your trips. Our visitors (grandsons) left today 😢 so we are getting the place back in order. I will be chained to the washing machines tomorrow. Am steaming through East of Eden in quiet moments.

You are reading to beat the band, Meg! I purchased a book about a month ago that I think you would enjoy , The Benevolent Society of Ill- Mannered Ladies . I read a positive review about it in the Vancouver Sun and thought it would make a nice lighter read. I just got a hold in from the Library, A Most Agreeable Murder, which I think might be to your taste too. As if you don't have enough books ideas of your own!

>72 mdoris: Hi Mary, I hope you have some free time while waiting for the laundry to be done. My trips this time will be back east. For some reason I seem to be stuck in North America this year. I'll be going to Ontario for the first trip and on the second head out to Boston and take a cruise from there to Quebec City. Fingers crossed for good weather!

>73 vancouverdeb: There's always room for more book ideas, Deborah, and, thankfully, the VPL has those so I can read and release and not add them to my book stacks. It is a bit evil to hit me with two BBs on my own thread, though!

A difficult one

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>36 Familyhistorian: Well, of course. I need a new series to read since I just caught up to both the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes and Murderbot ones :)

>53 Familyhistorian: Woot, my local library actually has that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Meg!

>55 Familyhistorian: >59 Familyhistorian: My library failed me on those. Into the BlackHole they go!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Glad to be of service, Meg! :-)

>77 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, sorry about the series and BTW My Lady Judge is the first in a series too. Have a great weekend!

>78 vancouverdeb: That's the trouble with LT, so many helpful readers! I think my book stacks exploded since I joined.

Took a while for the penny to drop

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135. Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb



Continuing my reread of the in death series, this time I read Treachery in Death. In it Dallas butts heads with another female lieutenant, Renee Oberman, whose head of the Illegals Squad at Cop Central. It was a deliberate move on Dallas’ part, as she had reason to believe Renee had a dirty side gig running out of her squad from an altercation Peabody had overheard. It was all complicated by the fact that the other lieutenant’s father used to run Central, meaning Renee had a privileged and supportive upbringing that she was repudiating, something that pissed Dallas off, given her own background. It was another solid entry in the long running series.

I'm trying to catch up on my writing deadlines at the same time that I'm working on inputting info into new family tree software I downloaded a trial for. I started with myself and am entering the places I've lived, gone to school etc. That's how I found out that my high school, Lindsay Place, closed after 40 years. I was looking for its address online when I came across that news.

I'm behind on my reviews and my rewatches of my DNA study group sessions and I almost skipped attending the virtual sessions of the Edinburgh Book Festival which started today. But I gave in to the nagging from all the emails they sent out and signed up for some of the author talks. It's good that I can watch them later because some are way too early and I already missed the first one with Bonnie Garmus this morning but I'll catch it later, hopefully today.

>74 Familyhistorian: Have a wonderful time while you're away Meg!

>74 Familyhistorian: Thanks Mary, I'm not leaving for my first trip until September but there is a lot that I need to get done before then.

That went quicker than I thought it would

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I just watched Sebastian Barry do a reading accompanied by Steven Isserlis on cello at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. I'm looking forward to reading Old God's Time when my hold comes in at the library even more now.

I was planning to go to a nearby park to see if there was an afternoon concert but by the time the Sebastian Barry interview was over it was hot and my car had been sitting in the sun for hours so I decided to go for a walk along the river instead as there are some places with shade.



The water was busier than usual but that's to be expected on a Sunday at 32 degrees (just shy of 90F)



Even dogs were trying to beat the heat

136. The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman



A fantasy and Regency romance all in one, The Dark Days Club made good use of the restrictions that young women of the ton lived under to make Lady Helen’s abilities/strengths hard for her to deal with. How could she become a member of the Dark Days Club and still present a subdued ladylike face to a world in which her main purpose was to attract a suitable match? Her attempts to please the expectations of diverse parties with a claim on her all played out, in this, the first book of the series. I look forward to what comes next.

>53 Familyhistorian: *ow*ow*ow* Book bulleted. Sounds really delightful.

Somehow I missed the transition, so belated happy-thread wishes Meg.

>90 richardderus: And it's the first in a series too!

Thanks for the new thread wishes, Richard.

Took a while to figure out the missing letter

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After watching the Edinburgh Book Festival's session with Richard Sennett which was called "Ruling by Acting", I have a new book I want to read. Unfortunately, The Performer: Art, Life, Politics doesn't come out until 2024. The author read a masterful critique of Trump's speeches as performance.

>91 Familyhistorian: *grumble* don't I just know it *grouse*

137. Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine by Robert H. Lustic, MD, MSL



As I read my way through Metabolical, I took note of the author’s mantra, “protect the liver and feed the gut” and took heed of what he wrote about processed food. (It does neither.) This book was both a warning about how our food is adulterated and the steps we can take to get back to eating nutritious food. I’m happy that a fellow reader put this book on my radar and plan to adopt more healthy eating habits.

>94 richardderus: There, there, it will just give you more to look forward to.

Something I often look for

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Hi Meg, wow, you have some great plans for the Fall. Both Boston and the Cruise sound very inviting! If I lived by you, you would probably find me rolling around in the river as the heat is definitely getting to me! I hear it is going to start cooling off soon and I can hardly wait!

>98 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I'm looking forward to my fall trips. We'll see how things pan out. It's strange to have heat wave after heat wave, isn't it, especially when other places seem to be having regular weather. It will be a relief when it cools down a touch. I met a friend for lunch today and there were plenty of seats on the patio because many people found it too hot, if you can imagine!

Thank you for the opening image. The water looks so very peaceful! I agree with Judy in the last message, your fall plans sound wonderful!

138. Under the Cold Bright Lights by Garry Disher



A sub genre of the mystery novel, a police procedural usually follows a conflicted officer or two as they go about their duties. In Under the Cold Bright Lights the main character to be followed was Alan Auhl. Not some young hot shot, he came back to work after retirement and works cold case files. He also has a caring heart, as the place where he lives, a last resort for waives and strays proves as do other surprising actions he takes. I was hoping this was a series so I could see what he got up to next, but it appears to be a stand alone.

>100 Whisper1: Thanks Linda, I often walk along the river which is calming for the most part, and, as you can see, a place where people gather to enjoy nature and beat the heat. I'm hoping that everything goes well for my fall travel. Fingers crossed!

>101 Familyhistorian: I quite like reading Gary Disher mysteries, but I'm guessing that, at 71, he's not keen to start another series.

Took a while to get the letters in the right order

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>103 richardderus: I'd never read anything by Disher before and it was really good. Maybe he has another series up his sleeve, Richard, you never know and 71 isn't that old!

>82 Familyhistorian: Yeah, I am continuing my re-read of the series too. Treachery in Death is one of my favorites in the series. The first time I ever read it, I turned around and re-read it the next day, lol.

>89 Familyhistorian: I own that one. I just need to get it read!

>95 Familyhistorian: Adding that one to the BlackHole!

>101 Familyhistorian: Linda (Laytonwoman3rd) has been recommending Disher's books for a while now, but my local library does not have any of them, series or not. *sigh*

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Meg!

>99 Familyhistorian: Yep, 108 Monday. 103 yesterday. Something over 100 expected today. Definitely not my kind of weather. But then there are the poor people in Phoenix OMG!!!

The latest session of the Edinburgh Book Festival that I watched, was one with Denise Mina being interviewed by Chris Brookmeyer. So interesting, they were talking about her newest book Three Fires. She's working on a Philip Marlow book at the moment called Second Murderer. Also mentioned was a podcast "Bad Gays" which is historical and, apparently, brilliant. Sounds like one to check out.

>106 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, this is my first reread of the in death series and I'm really enjoying it. From reading your thread, I think you've been through it a few times. It really is good but so long!

The Dark Days Club is a long one but a page turner, you'd be done it in no time and Metabolical has an important message. I really enjoyed my first Disher and plan to read more. Too bad your library doesn't have any. Could you find some through ILL?

>107 RebaRelishesReading: It's strange the hot weather has gone on so long, Reba, but it's due to cool down soon. At least that's the promise. I had to look up what's happening in Phoenix because our news hasn't been covering it. Looks bad. The news has been covering Lahaina as it is or was a vacation destination for a lot of people from BC.

>108 Familyhistorian: Bad Gays is pretty hilarious, Meg, in its irreverence. It's also very very informative. I definitely recommend it.

Weather in NE Pennsylvania is hot, hot, hot with evening showers. A few nights ago a tornado spun through, leaving us without power for a few hours. The last few nights rains are powerful enough to shut down electricity. I bought a very good flashlight at Home Depot, and now I can read in the dark.

Not too many possibilities given the first correct letters

Wordle 789 3/6

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abide, align, amiss

>111 richardderus: Denise Mina is pretty irreverent herself, Richard, so I figured it would be along those lines. I'll check it out, I love it when humour and history are combined.

>112 Whisper1: Nice to have evening showers even if the rest of the weather is a bit much, Linda. I can picture you reading with your flashlight. Here they are upgrading the electrical grid. Someone told me it is because of all the demand from the air conditioners. We rarely needed to use air conditioning in our homes before the last few years.

>55 Familyhistorian: love the title!

>116 The_Hibernator: Me too, it made me pick up the book!

We've had two portable air conditioners for the past 6 or more years, Meg. It sure has warmed up over the years. In Richmond, any new home, condo, townhouse, what ever sort of home, must have central A/C by the zoning by laws. A very good idea, I think. Today is definitely cooler and there has been a quite a wind - in good way.

I think I am the only one loving this heat. I love to be warm. All year I am the wool/down girl as I am cold most of the time so when this heat comes I simply love it. i know it is a hardship for many people but here on the coast I would never want air conditioning. Just a personal thing!

I have incredibly beautiful gardens because of the mixure of sun in the day and water at night. Way back in college, in chemistry class, we were told by the professor that lightening produces nitrogen, which is a fertilizer.

How about that?

139. The Lady has a Past by Amanda Quick



The Lady has a Past was another in the Burning Cove mysteries. This historic thriller started quickly. Lyra was on her first assignment as a PI standing in for Raina Kirk, when the woman client was attacked by her husband in front of her. Lyra hit him with a golf club. But did she kill him? It was the first move in a plot to capture Ms. Kirk but Lyra and Antiquarian Book Dealer, Simon Cage, were soon tracking Ms. Kirk and the criminals behind the plot down. It was a fun read and a break from more serious books.

>118 vancouverdeb: I'm not sure that Coquitlam has that same zoning law, Deborah. I don't have an air conditioner and don't really need one. My southern exposure is shaded by trees. The wind might have felt good where you are but it caused the wildfires elsewhere to take off. BC has now declared and emergency.

>119 mdoris: I like the heat too, Mary, warm and sunny is fine by me but a little rain would be good too as I can see the streams drying up.

>120 Whisper1: I never heard that lightning produced fertilizer, Linda. Who knew? Sounds like your weather has good timing with the rain at night. We could use some of that here.

Back to four

Wordle 790 4/6

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abide, creak, peach, exact

>123 Familyhistorian: y'all're sure to love the changes coming, then, as heat revs up in the traditionally stable-cool Northern Pacific. Oceans are great at mitigating extremes when one lives hard by them, so maybe we won't have too huge a shock. I hope not, anyway.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Meg! More like Amanda Quick, yes?

>123 Familyhistorian: Yes you are right Meg, rain would be most welcome. The fire reports are frightening and worrisome.

>126 richardderus: We may love the heat, Richard, but we're also fond of our salmon so it's worrisome about the creeks drying up. Right now it isn't as warm as it's been but some of that may be because the smoke has now drifted into our region.

Yeah, the Amanda Quicks go down easy as do the in death books. I'm deep into New York to Dallas right now. Hope your weekend reads are to your liking.

>127 mdoris: Yeah, I saw the news coverage last night about all the people displaced in Kelowna. Scary stuff. Lots of rain would be welcome.

I saw that the entire population of Yellowknife has also been evacuated! I hope that doesn't happen in BC anywhere but how on earth will these fires ever get contained? Very scary!

Praying for rain, Meg.

Took a while today

Wordle 791 5/6

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abide, party, walks, faugh, magma

>130 jessibud2: The news last night showed the situation in Yellowknife too, Shelley. The nightly news program was pretty well all about wildfires. They didn't even have the sports segment. BC declared a state of emergency. The North West Territories did too. They also reported on the people in long term care being evacuated to places in Alberta and Saskatchewan. BC too in some too but not that many given the situation here, well, not here but in the Okanagan. It is very scary!

>131 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

>88 Familyhistorian: Looks like a great spot!

Happy Sunday and may you get rain soon :)

>135 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, it is a very popular spot. Even more so this year with our back to back heat waves. Thanks for the rain wishes. We really need it!

140. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff



I decided to read a classic, The Eagle of the Ninth, as an adventure story in Roman Britain that had held up so well over the years seemed like a good bet. The story of Marcus, the wounded centurion who had to give up his dreams of being a soldier, and the companions that he made in the foreign land of Britannia was a compelling one, especially when he and his former slave went into the wilds on their quest. And what a quest it was, to rescue the eagle standard of the Ninth Legion, his father’s legion, from the tribes of the north beyond Hadrian’s Wall.

It was an adventurous story that changed the hero for the better in so many ways. I better get it back to the library because there are more holds on it. Amazing for a book that was written in the 1950s.

I was lagging behind everybody yesterday on the Coquitlam Crunch when my friend took this picture. Think I'm going to have to start practising going up the stairs more often.

We did make it to the top!

141. New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb



I’m now up to the 33rd book in my reread of the in death series. New York to Dallas had Eve Dallas on the trail of an escaped sexual predator whose predilection was for girls barely in their teens. Dallas had been the one to catch McQueen when he ended up behind bars in the first place. He didn’t forget that and she was his target. Lieutenant Dallas was also chasing him down on a trail that led from New York to Dallas.

Many of the usual characters were merely in the background as the action moved cities but Roarke was there and Dr. Mira showed up later. This episode had Eve confronting her past in Dallas, which also included her mother.

Another four

Wordle 792 4/6

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abide, scent, wrest, quest

Congratulations! That looks like quite a climb.

>142 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. There are 450 stairs, so yes, a bit of a climb. Of course, we went further than that, all up hill.

Good for you , Meg , on the Coquitlam Crunch ! You and your friends look fabulous! Great view below too .

>138 Familyhistorian: Looks exhausting to me, so I'm just that much more impressed by your climb.

Enjoy you week-ahead's reads!

I could NEVER have made that climb, Meg! I hope you *rolled* down after...

>144 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah, the view is even better when it's not smoky!

>145 richardderus: It was pretty tiring, Richard. Hope the books are treating you right.

>146 jessibud2: It's not that bad a climb, not as bad as the Grouse Grind up Grouse Mountain. I only did that one once. The trip back down the Coquitlam Crunch is definitely the easy part!

Should have been three if I’d been thinking

Wordle 793 4/6

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abide, beams, beaky, beach

I was thinking today

Wordle 794 3/6

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abide, slice, spice

Happy Wednesday, Meg. Congrats on making it to the top. I bet it is a beautiful view. I hope you are having a good week.

>149 Familyhistorian: *chuckle* You certainly were that! Excellent Wordleing!

>150 msf59: Hi Mark, it is a great view from the top. A bit smoky on that day though. Have a great week!

>151 richardderus: Yeah that was a good day. It ended in dismal failure today.

End of a streak

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abide, slope, there, creme, revue, verge (correct answer was verve)

142. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn



Meg had found her niche in New York, as an entrepreneur working with letters to make marvelous items for clients. At first, most of her work was designing wedding invitations and the like. Reid had come in with his fiancé when selection for their invites was being done. At the time, Meg thought the couple a mismatch. How was she to know that he would discover the message hidden in the invitations? The one that said “mistake”?

He came back to confront her after the wedding fell through. That’s how the connection between Meg and Reid formed. But forces in the background were ranged against them. Love Lettering was a love story with modern day dilemmas to overcome.

Good start to a new streak

Wordle 796 3/6

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143. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain by Charlotte Higgins



My aim was to read Under Another Sky at the same time as The Eagle of the Ninth. I came close but the holds came in a different times. There was reference to Sutcliff’s book in this survey of Britain’s Roman remains.

This book was indeed a journey. The author tooled around Britain in a camper van, visiting various sites of historic interest with regards to Roman occupation. The chapters were about different cities and areas. Best of all, there were maps. It was a great book for the archealogically inclined.

>156 Familyhistorian: I really liked this one as well, Meg. I need to read the Sutcliff now!

>156 Familyhistorian: Ooo, that's a slug of catnip to my Time Team fanboy self. I've requested the library get the ebook.

>157 BLBera: It really pointed out how many Roman remains are in Britain, Beth. It made me wish I could drive around there and look at them myself but it was good to be able to follow the writer around on her exploration.

>158 richardderus: I enjoy Time Team stuff myself, Richard. Did you ever see any Digging for Britain episodes? It was on Acorn TV, but sadly they only have the first season there now. There were lots of later seasons available before. Enjoy the book!

>160 Familyhistorian: I do enjoy Digging for Britain as well. Auntie Beeb's successes in broadcasting archaeology as it happened in the 1950s were criminally slow to be replicated. I myownself find the process really interesting no matter what they do or don't find.

>161 richardderus: Digs are fascinating. So many possibilities and some amazing finds. There was one show that came very close to crossing over into my family history. Skeletons had become noticeable on Burrow Island, otherwise known as Rat Island so they had to be checked out. They used to bury convicts there that had died on the hulks in Portsmouth Harbour. My 3 x great grandfather was a prisoner on one of those hulks when he died. It didn't sound like they took DNA samples though. I did ask.

A quick one

Wordle 797 4/6

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abide, great, clean, ocean

144. A Conspiracy of Violence by Susanna Gregory



The first of the Chaloner books, A Conspiracy of Violence was set in Restoration London. Charles II had just been restored to the throne so it was a time to regroup and change alliances for those who could. For Chaloner, who had been a spy in Amsterdam, there was difficulty in determining friend from foe. Added to that, he needed to find work to keep the wolf from the door and to find the money to marry his Dutch sweetheart. He needed to navigate the seamy side of London, while trying to come out on top of the various plots he found and the misdirections that were sent his way.

>162 Familyhistorian: I really liked that episode! Finding the hospital's footprint was a really interesting result to me.

Crudbuckets on no DNA sampling. It wasn't as common 25 years ago but they coulda saved some teeth for later research.

>165 richardderus: I don't remember there being a hospital, Richard. My assumption was that the prisoners died on the hulk then were buried on the island. Maybe I'm wrong though. I wish that episode was still available so I could check it out.

>166 Familyhistorian: Portsmouth might've had two episodes and I've conflated them, because there was definitely one on Nelson's Naval hospital which had been misplaced in the landscape; the one about Rat Island was, I thought, part of that episode because of the sailors' burials. It's been a while so my recall could be faulty. Maybe those are on Time Team's YouTube channel, they seem to post remastered old episodes between new seasons.

ETA "Nelson's Hospital" was a special aired in 2009 per IMDb. "Governor's Green" was the Portsmouth episode about the medieval hospital on the naval base, and that aired in 2010.

>167 richardderus: The one about Burrow or Rat Island was later, Richard. The bodies didn't surface until 2014 according to this blog post https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/2021/07/07/the-mystery-of-rat-islands-skeletons/. The conclusion made is that the remains were of convicts from the hulks. If you look down the list of comments, mine appears on 11 Nov 2022.

Getting better

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abide, ingot, choir

Dropping in to wish you a lovely Sunday!

>170 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, I hope you had a wonderful Sunday too!

Took much longer than it should have to figure this one out

Wordle 799 4/6

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abide, trace, place, peace

145. We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter



In We Were Strangers Once, the author brought different immigrants together in the city of New York. The main group stuck together against the strange new place in which they found themselves, as their grasp of the language wasn’t the best and their qualifications in the old country weren’t recognized. At least they had been able to leave Frankfurt while they were still able. Out of this Jewish enclave, one of their number became attracted to a woman outside of the group. A woman whose mother was also an immigrant but from Ireland.

It was a story that contrasted the immigrant experience, set just as WWII was getting underway. It was a time when people kept to their own and tolerance was spread pretty thin.

Should have seen this word sooner

Wordle 800 4/6

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abide, slice, prime, write

I woke up about 5 am this morning because I heard a whistle outside, then there was a crash of thunder and the flicker of lightning. Scary because everything outside is tinder dry. Then came the smell of wood smoke. That got me out of bed pretty quick but it was still dark when I looked out. Then rain fell for a few minutes and the smell disappeared.

The whistle was probably from a dog walker as plenty of walkers frequent the school yard behind my home and trails in the river park across the street from me. It was nerve wracking. I hope our next rain doesn't bring lightning.

>175 Familyhistorian: - Well, better to be woken by a whistle than by an actual fire! Yikes. Glad all is ok (for now)

We had some cracks of thunder last night , but very mild . Not very noisy at all . Dave said he noticed some lightning, but I didn’t . Sorry it scared you . I know we need rain , and it sure is raining here right now , but it means I have to put my dog in a rain coat , and dig up my gortex jacket and probably my rain pants for our walk. Rats!

>176 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. The news has been carrying warnings for those who live within 2 k of forested areas which is most of us. The nearest forest to me is 3 feet from my back deck. So a bit concerning.

I decided not to wash my curly hair today, given that I am going to just walk the dog in the rain today. It better not stop raining for the sake of my wild hair!

>179 vancouverdeb: Is it still raining there, Deborah? We just had a few minutes of rain, then it was over.

A lighter rain now than a few minutes ago , and very overcast. It better stay raining for my hair! 😉

146. The White Mirror by Elsa Hart



In the second book in the Li Du mystery series, The White Mirror, our hero, Li Du, was travelling with a trade caravan. The leader of the caravan led them on a less travel route where snow caused them to seek shelter from a local lord. But all was not well at the place where they stopped. The first clue that things were amiss was the corpse of a monk on the bridge where they needed to pass. Li Du was compelled to look into the monk’s death and numerous other people and events during the time of their stay; a sojourn whose length would be determined by when the snow melt occurred.

This mystery once again served up an intriguing mystery set in the historic and mysterious lands of the East with extra tension added due to the uncertainty of the time which could be allotted to detection.

>181 vancouverdeb: It's dark here but not raining. So strange because we usually get more rain than other places in the Lower Mainland. I hope your hair behaves!

So many possibilities with the letters I already had

Wordle 801 5/6

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abide, steam, learn, payer, caper

A few more cracks of thunder and it’s pouring rain here. It is surprising, yes , because Coquitlam usually gets more rain than Richmond . 🌧️ I think it will keep raining, if it stops , I’ll just pretend I got caught in the rain if I see anyone I know . I’m really sneaky like that . 😉But more thunder just now .

>185 vancouverdeb: You can definitely keep the thunder and lightning over there but we could do with some rain. Our pavement is dry. I wonder what it's doing in Vancouver? I'm heading out there soon.

Hi Meg and Deborah. It is interesting that the rain, thunder and lightening is all so localized and varied. We had it all last night but not nearly enough. My poor plants are desperate for more. Hope you are both having a great week! It does feel like the end of summer with the kids going back to school. I am rejoicing that I don't have to!

>187 mdoris: It is interesting how we have such localized weather , yes. I looked on flight aware plane tracker thing on my I phone and the rainy area looked to be west of Coquitlam. It does feel like the end of summer, kind of yes! As much as I complain about too much heat, the change is hard. The rain was light enough that I did not need my gortex and Poppy did not need a jacket either, so I am thankful for that.

Yes, now back to school for us! You'll have to let me know how it was in Vancouver, Meg. From the map I looked at, it appeared to be raining in the afternoon.

>187 mdoris: >188 vancouverdeb: By the time I got to Burnaby it was raining and raining lightly when I was in Vancouver. I was at Bard on the Beach and, through some of the performance, I could hear the rain on the tent so it must have been heavier then. By the time I got home it was raining in Coquitlam too and obviously had been for some time. It took a while to get ready before I went because it was hard to figure out what to wear for cooler weather. It had been so long.

I like the freedom of summer, not having to time when I drive or walk around here to the school schedule. My place backs on to the playing field at Maple Creek Middle School and the road out of this area goes past Glenn Elementary so timing is everything if I have to get anywhere. The elementary school gets out at 2:30 and the middle school 3ish. I don't look forward to the beginning of the school year but it's coming soon.

Very vowelly

Wordle 802 3/6

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abide, acrid, audio

A few days ago Hubby was awakened by thunder followed by heavy rain. I have since heard heard that D2 and family, plus D1's new hubby all woke up too. Me? I slept right through it all :)

>191 RebaRelishesReading: That's a handy talent to have, Reba!

147. Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb



The latest book I read in the in death series was Celebrity in Death. There were lots of celebrities in the mix because the murder occurred at a dinner party given for the cast and crew involved in shooting the Icove story, a film adaptation of Nadine’s book about that case. As the story was about Dallas and the others involved in solving the Icove case, they were there mingling with the stars. One of the actresses was trying to make trouble and she was the one who ended up dead. But even though they had been at the event, motives and whereabouts of suspects were not clear to Dallas and the other NYPD guests which made for an interesting investigation.

No brainer

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abide, bride

148. The Verifiers by Jane Pek



Claudia Lin was adept at flying under the radar. The youngest in an immigrant family she was expected to get a good job and find a good Asian boy. She hadn’t yet admitted to her brother that she ditched the respectable job he got her and was now working a different job. Instead she worked for Veracity, a detective agency that scoped out matches for online daters. As for the good Asian boy, that wasn’t going to happen. She preferred girls.

As a reader of mysteries, when one of their clients went missing she was immediately intrigued and had to follow it up. But there was danger involved and all was not as it seemed at Veracity. Would she be able to keep the job that she loved, solve the mystery and keep her family happy? Finding out was great fun, so much so, that I immediately looked for the next book in the series but it’s not written yet.

>82 Familyhistorian: I absolutely love that entry into the series.

>89 Familyhistorian: I own that one. I just need to get it read!

>95 Familyhistorian: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I need to locate a copy.

>101 Familyhistorian: Another author I need to get to if only my local library could give me some help.

>137 Familyhistorian: Dodging that BB as I have already read it.

I am skipping a bunch or I will never get done, lol.

Have a wonderful weekend, Meg!

>196 alcottacre: That's a thorough reading, Stasia, no wonder you ran out of steam. You might like the last one that I reviewed though, The Verifiers. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Right letters, wrong order

Wordle 804 X/6

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abide, stake, shame, snare, slave, scape (correct word was space)

Looks like it's time for a new thread and a new Wordle streak!

>193 Familyhistorian: I just never get tired of Eve Dallas books. Robb keeps coming up with such great plots!

>200 PlatinumWarlock: I'm glad you like them too, Lavinia. I'll most likely get to more of them on my next thread.