Amber's (scaifea) Thread #10

Hey, everybody!

I'm Amber, a one-time Classics professor, turned stay-at-home parent/lady of leisure, turned part-time library assistant, turned once again Classics professor, and turned librarian again. I spend my free time sewing, writing, knitting, baking, and, of course, reading.

My reading life is happily governed by lists, which means that I read a healthy variety of things across various genres.

I'm 48 going on 12 and live in Ohio with my husband, Tomm; our son, Charlie; Mario, the Golden Retriever; and Agent Fitzsimmons, the Border Collie.

Here I am modeling the gorgeous headband that Ana (the library patron for whom I'm learning Spanish) brought back from Guatemala for me:



Favorite Books from 2022
Solutions and Other Problems
Beat the Reaper
Hyperbole and a Half
We Ride Upon Sticks
The Prestige
The Ogress and the Orphans
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
A Fatal Grace
The Ghost Writer
In the Woods
This Book Is Gay
Brothersong
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Waiting for the Flood
Heartstopper
Alice I Have Been
Cemetery Boys
The Plot

What I'm Reading Now:
-The Girl from the Sea (from my Read Soon! shelves)
-Lemon Drop Dead (mystery)
-Let It Snow (romance)
-Black Butler volume 1 (manga)
-The House Next Door (wishlist book)
-The Phoenix and the Mirror (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books)
-East (Beauty & the Beast retellings)
-The Getaway (audiobook)
-Shakespeare for Squirrels (Moore Bibliography)
-A House with Good Bones (from the library displays)
-Light from Uncommon Stars (Alex Award)

The books I have going at once and the On Deck books nearly all come from the following categories and lists:

-14 years ago I started working my way through a handful of awards lists for children's books. I've finished a fair few of those, but I'm still working through the 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die list, and I try to stay up to date with several of the YALSA awards each year.

-A mystery

-A romance novel

-Manga

-A book from my wishlist (it's *so* long)

-A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List

-A Beauty and the Beast retelling

-An audiobook, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/clean/drive/pack and unpack cargo at work

-Agatha Christie's bibliography

-Stephen Fry's bibliography

-John Boyne bibliography

-Neil Gaiman's bibliography

-Christopher Moore's bibliography

-Maggie Stiefvater's bibliography

-The NEH Timeless Classics list

-The National Book Award list

-The Pulitzer list

-An unread book from my shelves

-A book from my Read Soon! shelves

-Book-a-year challenge: A few years ago I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've since been trying to fill in the gap years.

-A full-on re-read through Shakespeare's stuff.

Books Read

JANUARY
1. A Face for Picasso (Schneider Honor Book) - 7/10
2. The Devotion of Suspect X (audiobook) - 9/10
3. Heartstopper vol 4 (series read) - 9/10
4. Elatsoe (audiobook) - 9/10
5. A Court of Silver Flames (a Beauty and the Beast retelling) - 10/10
6. Shuna's Journey (manga) - 9/10
7. Still Alice (audiobook) - 8/10
8. My Hero Academia vol 7 (manga) - 9/10
9. Summer Bird Blue (audiobook) - 8/10
10. A Heartbeat Away (audiobook) - 8/10
11. A Parcel of Patterns (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10
12. Jacquard's Web (wishlist) - 6/10
13. Spider Sparrow (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10
14. Radio Silence (audiobook) - 10/10
15. I Am Not Esther (1001 Children's Books) - 9/10
16. The Day the World Came to Town (audiobook) - 9/10
17. When He Was Wicked (romance) - 9/10

FEBRUARY
18. Tarnished Are the Stars (audiobook) - 8/10
19. A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (for a couple of my category challenges) - 8/10
20. Assassination Classroom vol 3 (manga) - 8/10
21. Drums Along the Mohawk (NEH list) - 7/10
22. My Hero Academia vol 8 (manga) - 10/10
23. In the Ravenous Dark (audiobook) - 9/10
24. The Beauty and the Beast (B&B retellings) - 9/10
25. So Cold the River (audiobook) - 9/10
26. The Joy Luck Club (unread book from my shelves) - 9/10
27. Taken at the Flood (Christie bibliography) - 8/10
28. The Secret Life of Bees (Books I'm Reading with My Friend, Rob) - 7/10

MARCH
29. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (audiobook) - 9/10
30. Given Vol 1 (manga) - 10/10
31. Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club (audiobook) - 9/10
32. Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Stonewall Award) - 9/10
33. Sarah's Key (audiobook) - 9/10
34. Almost Flying (Stonewall Honor Book) - 8/10
35. The Cat Who Saved Books (audiobook) - 10/10
36. Assassination Classroom vol 4 (manga) - 8/10
37. Killer Research (mystery) - 8/10
38. The Weird Sisters (audiobook) - 9/10
39. Lest Darkness Fall (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 6/10
40. The Call of Cthulhu (editing job for my classicist friend) - 2/10
41. Heartless (audiobook) - 8/10

APRIL
42. My Hero Academia vol 9 (manga) - 10/10
43. Ape House (audiobook) - 8/10
44. The Screwtape Letters (audiobook) - 7/10
45. Strange Objects (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10
46. Two Night in Lisbon (audiobook) - 8/10
47. The World Without Us (audiobook) - 8/10
48. Mrs. Stephen Fry's Diary (Fry bibliography) - 8/10
49. Given vol 2 (manga) - 10/10
50. On the Road (books I'm reading with my friend, Rob) - 7/10
51. The Ghost Drum (1001 Children's Books) - 9/10
52. It's in His Kiss (romance) - 9/10
53. The Woman in White (audiobook) - 9/10
54. A Gentleman in Moscow (wishlist) - 7/10

MAY
55. Bad Feminist (audiobook) - 10/10
56. Destination Unknown (audiobook) - 9/10
57. Pi: A Biography (wishlist) - 6/10
58. The Strain (audiobook) - 7/10
59. Freewater (Newbery Medal) - 9/10
60. My Hero Academia Vol 10 (manga) - 10/10
61. Assassination Classroom Vol 5 (manga) - 8/10
62. The Young Elites (audiobook) - 8/10
63. Blizzard of Glass (audiobook) - 8/10
64. The Witches (audiobook) - 8/10
65. Silverlock (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books) - 6/10
66. The Night Strangers (audiobook) - 9/10
67. Ash (audiobook) - 9/10
68. The Changeover (1001 Children's Books) - 8/10
69. Lunatics (audiobook) - 8/10

JUNE
70. Avalon High (audiobook) - 8/10
71. Hollow Kingdom (from my Read Soon! shelves) - 8/10
72. The Darkness Outside Us (Stonewall Honor Book) - 9/10
73. The Things That Keep Us Here (audiobook) - 8/10
74. The Plot and the Pendulum (mystery) - 8/10
75. My Hero Academia vol 11 (manga) - 9/10
76. The Coming of the Dragon (audiobook) - 9/10
77. Beauty and the Werewolf (B&B retelling) - 9/10
78. Mother May I (impulse library checkout) - 8/10
79. They Came to Baghdad (Christie bibliography) - 8/10

JULY
80. The White Devil (audiobook) - 8/10
81. The Jumbies (audiobook) - 8/10
82. The Martian (audiobook) - 10/10
83. Kon Tiki (NEH) - 6/10
84. Assassination Classroom vol 6 (manga) - 7/10
85. The Looking Glass Wars (audiobook) - 8/10
86. Snow, Glass, Apples (Gaiman bibliography) - 10/10
87. When She Woke (audiobook) - 8/10
88. The Hawkline Monster (from the library displays) - 8/10
89. Premeditated Peppermint (mystery) - 8/10
90. The Lost Sun (audiobook) - 8/10
91. Wildwood (unread book from my shelves) - 6/10
92. Ordeal By Innocence (Christie bibliography) - 7/10
93. Sin in the Second City (audiobook) - 8/10
94. Notes on a Nervous Planet (from my Read Soon! Shelves) - 7/10

AUGUST
95. On the Way to the Wedding (romance) - 8/10
96. The Snow Child (audiobook) - 8/10
97. Firekeeper's Daughter (Printz Award) - 9/10
98. The Tiger (audiobook) - 7/10
99. My Hero Academia Volume 12 (manga) - 9/10
100. Forgotten Bookmarks (an unread book from my shelves) - 8/10
101. The Star-Touched Queen (audiobook) - 8/10
102. Throne of Glass (mother's day present from Charlie) - 8/10
103. The Agathas (audiobook) - 8/10
104. The Thief of Time (Boyne bibliography) - 8/10
105. Toxic Toffee (mystery) - 8/10
106. Queen Charlotte (romance) - 7/10
107. Making Faces (B&B retelling) - 4/10
108. The Lodger (audiobook) - 8/10
109. Greywaren (Stiefvater bibliography) - 10/10

SEPTEMBER
110. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher (audiobook) - 8/10
111. Concrete Rose (Printz Honor Book) - 9/10
112. The Great Gatsby (unread book from my shelves) - 9/10
113. Les Miserables (Book-A-Year Challenge) - 9/10
114. Beastars vol 1 (manga) - 7/10
115. The Moving Finger (Christie bibliography) - 8/10
116. Tiger Lily (audiobook) - 9/10
117. Floodland (library display book) - 7/10
118. The Neil Gaiman Reader (Gaiman bibliography) - 10/10
119. The Ugly Duchess (audiobook) - 3/10
120. Wrapped (audiobook) - 9/10
121. Glitterland (romance) - 8/10
122. The Deep (audiobook) - 8/10
123. Marshmallow Malice (mystery) - 7/10
124. Eleanor & Park (audiobook) - 8/10
125. I'm Glad My Mom Died (Alex Award) - 9/10
126. My Hero Academia vol 13 (manga) - 9/10
127. Promise Boys (audiobook) - 9/10
128. Boy Meets Boy (audiobook) - 8/10
129. Evil Under the Sun (Christie bibliography) - 8/10

OCTOBER
130. The Mysterious Island (NEH Timeless Classics) - 7/10
131. The Farm (audiobook) - 9/10
132. The Lost Library (impulse library checkout) - 10/10
133. Ghost Wood Song (audiobook) - 9/10
134. Z for Zachariah (audiobook) - 8/10
135. Towing Jehovah (wishlist) - 6/10
136. Cinderella Is Dead (audiobook) - 9/10
137. Bird Box (audiobook) - 9/10
138. The Halloween Tree (impulse library checkout) - 8/10
139. Nick and Charlie (Read Soon! Shelves) - 9/10
140. Jay's Gay Agenda (audiobook) - 7/10
141. Thirteen Reasons Why (audiobook) - 8/10
142. The Hollow (Christie bibliography) - 9/10
143. Of Fire and Stars (audiobook) - 6/10

Presenting Mario and Simmons in: She's On My Bed!
(Featuring Mario's New Shoes!)



Charlie in his Homecoming finery:

Happy new thread.
Shiny shoes. I like to see well presented shoes. Not that I have a thing about shoes at all, oh no, not me.

>7 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen!

Yeah, he's pretty particular about his shoes being pristine.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm mostly puttering around the house today because I don't seem to have any real energy. S'okay. I'm not working today or anything, so I can afford to slouch a bit, I suppose. Curried Carrot Soup for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I finished up Promise Boys on audio. Still working on the Christie book.

The Crafting Report:
Work continues on the pride hearts.

What We're Watching:
A Drunk History episode.

Yesterday's Teen Tuesday went really well! They were both more serious about the book spine poetry and had more fun with it than I dared to hope. And my janky attempt at a photo shoot corner worked out pretty well. Here's my example poem with photo taken in the cobbled-together corner:

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Amber!

Why does Mario wear shoes? Just a fashionista or...?

>11 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>12 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

She's having some old lady joint issues and they're exacerbated by our non-carpeted floors (it's hard for her to get up when she lies down on them). The grippy shoes help.

Here is my once per thread check in, Amber. I am not sure why I cannot seem to manage more than that. . .

Happy new one!

127. Promise Boys by Nick Brooks (audiobook) - 9/10
Urban Promise Prep charter school in DC gets all the praise for being a place where underprivileged boys are given a chance at success and learning self-worth. But when the principle (and founder) of the school is murdered in the building and three students are the prime suspects, the truth about the toxic culture in the school begins to leak out.

A solid YA mystery with Dark Academia vibes. I enjoyed how the pieces of the solution were slowly unfolded from the viewpoints of several characters, including the three suspected students. And the final reveal was nicely satisfying, if not as twisty and shocking as I’d have liked.

>15 scaifea: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Amber!

Happy new thread, Amber!

>5 scaifea: Mario has to endure so much...
Was it hard to get her used to the shoes?

>13 scaifea: - Aw, poor girl. I'm glad there's something to help her!

How old is she now? About 10?

>16 alcottacre: Welcome, Stasia! I hope you love it!

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

Thankfully, it was no trouble at all - she took right to them!

>18 katiekrug: We got her when Charlie was...6? So yeah, she's 9.5-10.

The long-suffering look on Mario's face ❤ Happy new thread!

>19 scaifea: My local library has a copy, so I am hoping I can get it read before I head out of town in mid-October.

Happy new thread!

>13 scaifea: I also am having old-lady joint issues, so I feel a kinship with dear Mario. Perhaps some grippy shoes are also in my future ...

Happy new thread, Amber!

>24 rosalita: I definitely vetoed some shoes on a recent shopping trip for not being grippy enough.

Happy new thread and loving strokes to Mario.

Happy new thread Amber!

Mario has my sympathy for sure.

Happy new thread!

Thanks, everyone!

>24 rosalita: *snork!* Mario highly recommends.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-2, picking Charlie up from school, doing the menu planning for next week and prepping the grocery list for tomorrow, figuring out what to feed the Scaife Men tonight, taking Charlie back to school to a home soccer game (the band is pep-banding), then picking him back up at some point when the game is over. I'm already tired. Ha!

On the Reading Front:
Nearly finished with the Christie book, and I started listening to Boy Meets Boy.

The Crafting Report:
I worked on cutting out pattern pieces for Charlie's costume.

What We're Watching:
Agents of SHIELD.

I actually rather like the idea of book spine poetry. And as a professional videographer/producer, I believe the photo turned out great :)
Oh, and Happy New Thread! I don't know why, but dogs wearing booties is beyond adorable.

>10 scaifea: Your book spine poetry example is terrific! What fun!

Great reading lately!

Karen O

>32 Ravenwoodwitch: I love book spine poetry. It's really fun. And thanks for the photo love!

Also, yes, dogs in booties are always adorable.

>33 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen!

128. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (audiobook) - 8/10
YA m/m romance in which, well, boy meets boy, boy has some questionable interactions with his ex-boy and so causes new-boy sadly to bolt, then boy makes romantic gestures to get new-boy back. On the surface it sounds…not great, and if it weren’t for the excellent characters that make up boy’s friends and the fun/funny takes on high school vibes, it would have been. But those good things are really good and make it not only a tolerable read, but a good one. I was recommending it to Charlie by describing it as a story that feels like it happens in the halls of Glee’s high school.



129. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (Christie bibliography) - 8/10
Another banger from the master of the red herring and the impossible-to-guess ending. I loved it.

Christie does hit the spot. Amazing when you consider how many books she wrote.

Anyway. The volume of Euripides plays I had from the library contained 5 plays, so I've read another one. Orestes. In once sense it follows on directly from the end of Electra, but in another it has no relationship, in that it was written afterwards and not intended as a sequel - we're not in Shakespeare's Henry series here. So that felt a bit odd initially, that the announcement of Castor as to the actions expected wasn't the start point of this. It's rather blood drenched. We start with the aftermath of the matricide and then they decide to murder Helen. Still not sure I follow that logic. The end, with a god appearing and telling everyone how it would be, is that a common thing? Two on the trot using that as an ending makes it seem so. I also wondered in this, were most plays written in either monologue, or in two handed text. Even if we know there are 3 people on the stage, the conversation seems to be, in the main, double handed. Was that a stylistic convention?
There are 3 more in the volume, but I think I'll give it a rest there for a bit, the Complete plays of Aeschylus has arrived in the library, so comparing his Electra to Euripides will come next.

>37 Helenliz: I haven't read his Orestes in a very long time, so I can't comment on details much. But yes, the god coming in at the end to tie up lose ends is extremely common - it's where we get the phrase "deus ex machina" because the deus (god) would appear in the machine (a crane contraption above the stage).

In Aeschylus' time, two people on stage at once (not counting the chorus) was a new thing, and by Euripides' time three was normal, but yeah, most dialogue is between two people only. And there were only three actors total, so you never have a death happen on stage - it's always a messenger who comes on to tell the tale of the off-stage murder - because you couldn't afford to have one of only two/three actors lying 'dead' on stage.

On the Agenda for Today:
Well, I didn't to the menu planning or get my grocery list sorted yesterday (too lazy after work), so I'll do that this morning and then get to the grocery store at some point. I also need to back cookies for the Friday After School Treat. And also laundry. The football game this week is tomorrow, so we have a rare fall Friday night together at home. We may do a Family Game Night or maybe just watch a movie.
Frozen Friday Dinner.

On the Reading Front:
I started The Mysterious Island yesterday, which I think will be pretty cool, and I also started listening to A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

The Crafting Report:
I started knitting a cowl for myself a couple of days ago, and I worked a bit on that yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Some Psych and a Bee & Puppycat.

>38 scaifea: thank you. That all makes sense.

>40 Helenliz: Excellent!

On the Agenda for Today:
Charlie has an away football game tonight, but until then we're just hanging out at home. I'll do some laundry, maybe bake a cake, some cleaning, and maybe some sewing. Not sure what Tomm and I will have for dinner - Charlie will have concession food at the game.

On the Reading Front:
Still reading The Mysterious Island and listening to A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

The Crafting Report:
The cowl is coming along nicely.

What We're Watching:
Some Arrested Development, some Attack on Titan, and I watched a couple of OUAT episodes.

On the Agenda for Today:
Laundry, meal prep for Charlie's lunches this week, some cleaning, dog. brushing and nail clipping, prepping my schedule/to do list for the week, possibly some sewing, hopefully some reading. Tomm's in charge of dinner tonight; I think he's grilling pork chops.

On the Reading Front:
Still plugging along with The Mysterious Island, which I'm enjoying but which is pretty lengthy. I think, though, that I'm going to abandon A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. Not quite vital enough of a phenomenon for me to continue. Meh.

The Crafting Report:
I made some progress on my cowl, and I also started a new crochet project, which may be part of my Halloween costume, if I have the time to finish it. We'll see...

What We're Watching:
A couple of Psych episodes and some Arrested Development.

On the Agenda for Today:
Some cleaning, some laundry, some writing, some sewing. Band booster meeting tonight. Ginger Meatballs over rice for dinner tonight, I think.

On the Reading Front:
Look, The Mysterious Island is long, okay? But I'm enjoying it so far.

The Crafting Report:
The cowl is coming along, and so is the new crochet project. I'll see if I can remember to post photos later.

What We're Watching:
It's officially Spooky Season - WOOT! - so we've started our annual Scaife Family Halloween Movie Marathon. Last night was Hotel Transylvania, plus the Halloween episode in the first season of Modern Family.

On the Agenda for Today:
It's Tuesday, so you know that means I'm working 12-8 and running Teen Tuesday. This week they'll be helping me make some spoooky (not really) decorations for the library, and I'll get them a sort of behind-the-scenes look at how we do displays. Before I do in to work I'll do some laundry and probably work a bit in the sewing room - Charlie's costume is coming along, but since this year he wants to help make it, it's a little slower than usual because that kid doesn't have a lot of free time in the fall...

On the Reading Front:
I 'finished' The Mysterious Island - I admit to skimming large chunks (I liked the story but the time spent on geography details was, I think, unnecessary) - and started If You Deceive. I'm listening to The Farm, which is interesting so far.

The Crafting Report:
Quite a bit of time spent in this category yesterday: I finished cutting out the coat part of Charlie's costume, then worked on my crochet project.

What We're Watching:
Tomm wasn't feeling well last night, so when I got back from the Band Booster meeting, Charlie and I started Red White and Royal Blue. So far so excellent (we're about 45 minutes in).

130. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne (NEH Timeless Classics) - 7/10
Five civil war POWs escape their incarceration in, of all things, a hot air balloon, only to get caught up in a massive storm and blown off somewhere in the pacific. They find themselves stranded on an unknown island, which they proceed to make their home for as long as needed. They have run-ins with pirates, befriend an orangutan, and get help from a mysterious benefactor, who turns out to be a crossover hero from another of Verne’s tales.

A fun-enough story, although a little long in the tooth in several places. Plus, well, casual racism. And not a female character in sight. All in all, a very male-centric playing-out of the Could You Survive on a Desert Island fantasy, which may be why, ultimately I didn’t love it – it was certainly not written with me in mind.

Hi Amber. Been awhile since I posted on your thread(s). I thought I should at least delurk to say I haven't picked up any BBs so far but I do like your reviews. Not that I lack for TBRs!

Heya Amber!

I think there's no shame in skimming sections; if it gets you to the story than thats what it takes. I skimmed the story-within-the-story for Misery and I still adore that book to pieces.

Hi Amber my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend.

>47 SandyAMcPherson: Hi, Sandy! No worries. I don't really get around the threads much at all these days either. Who knew having a kiddo in high school would mean I'd be so busy all the time? Plus, job. So. Anyway, it's good to see you!

>48 Ravenwoodwitch: I agree 100%. It's just like Ted Lasso says about torn butts: ain't no shame.

>49 johnsimpson: Thanks, John!!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-2, then probably just puttering around the house, maybe doing some crocheting. Carrot Soup for dinner tonight, since I didn't make it last week.

Teen Tuesday went really well! The kiddos seemed to have fun helping me decorate the library. I'll try to remember to post some photos of the results later on. Oh, and excellent news: they were asking about book clubs and what they're like, which turned into me offering to have one TT a month be a book club week, and they all were enthusiastic about it! Folks, the kids are alright.

On the Reading Front:
I listened to some more of The Farm, but didn't have a minute to crack open If You Deceive at all yesterday. I'll definitely have some reading time today, though.

The Crafting Report:
The crochet project moves along - I can't remember if I've actually mentioned what it is, but I'm making a Puppycat that may be a prop for my Bee costume, if I end up making one. Otherwise, well, we'll just have a Puppycat in our house, and I'm okay with that, too.

What We're Watching:
Charlie and I watched another half hour or so of Red White and Royal Blue, which continues to be a delight.

>53 scaifea: Well that sounds like an excellent result at TT night.

I googled Puppycat, not knowing what that might be. One of the question alternatives offered was "Can anyone explain Bee and Puppycat?". So I feel reassured by not having the foggiest!

Morning, Amber. Sorry A Constellation of Vital Phenomena isn't working for you. It was the best novel I read that particular year. His last 2 books were very good as well. Maybe it was audio experience?

>54 Helenliz: Bee & Puppycat is a very strange, but in a very, very good way, show. We all adore it here at Scaife Manor. And Charlie and Tomm both say that I *am* Bee, which seems to make it a good costume for me.

>55 msf59: I don't think it was the audio, Mark. I think I just don't like grim stuff. I know you do, though, and I'm glad you loved it!

On the Agenda for Today:
Laundry, menu planning and prepping my grocery list, possibly some sewing. I need to call the vet and see if I can get Mario in today - she's been limping lately and we've tried to troubleshoot on our own, but we just can't figure out what's going on, and the last couple of days it's gotten worse. Poor girl. And she's so stoic about it; she doesn't even whimper.

On the Reading Front:
I'm abandoning If You Deceive for being a barely-veiled rape fantasy. It's Outlander all over again. Just...no. Is there some sort of niche romance subgenre for women who like to fantasize about being abused by Scottish lairds?! I mean, honestly, I try not to yuck other people's yum, but this is ridiculous.

The Crafting Report:
Puppycat is nearly finished!

What We're Watching:
We introduced Charlie to Little Shop of Horrors last night.

Poor Mario! I'm sending lots of good thoughts her way that it's something easily remedied.

>59 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. She's my buddy and I admit that I'm worried about her. I dropped her off at the vet's office about an hour ago - the vet didn't have any open appointments, but she'll take a look at her in between her morning surgeries and her afternoon appointments and call with and update. Fingers crossed.

I finished Promise Boys last night, Amber, and came by to thank you for your recommendation of that one. I thought it was very good.

>60 scaifea: Crossing my fingers for Mario too!

>61 alcottacre: I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Stasia!

And thanks for the Mario wishes.

131. The Farm by Tom Rob Smith (audiobook) - 9/10
Daniel believes that his parents are happily enjoying retired life in Sweden until the day he gets a call from his father telling him his mother has had a mental breakdown, been admitted to a mental hospital, and escaped. And then his mother calls him, telling him that everything his father has told him is a lie and to meet her at the airport. And so begins his mother’s struggle to convince him of a town-wide cover-up of the murder of a teen girl and a conspiracy against her for trying to uncover the truth.

A really well-done plot with great pacing and some clever twists. Tilda’s story is at all times equal parts convincing and suspicious, and it keeps you guessing right up to the end.

>63 scaifea: - I read that one almost 10 years ago now and remember al most nothing about it. Apparently, I gave it 3.5 stars, though.

Glad you enjoyed it!

ETA: I hope Mario's leg is nothing major. Nuala occasionally develops a limp, often after she's been at day care and over-exerts herself. SO far, we've only had to take her to the vet once for it when it didn't clear up after a day or so. They just gave her some doggie ibuprofen and said to not let her jump or run (ha! as if we could prevent that completely...).

>64 katiekrug: It's been on my list forever, and it was worth the wait!

And thanks - here's hoping they can patch her up easily.

I hope Mario feels better soon!

Oh poor Mario. Hope doc can help her.

>66 curioussquared: >67 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, ladies. Still waiting for the call. Keep those fingers crossed.

So here's what the Tuesday Teens did this week. I think they did a great job:

Yes, they definitely did a great job!!

Wow! I love that, Amber. What a fun group.

>69 scaifea: Wow, these are just great! Did you give them the ideas and they executed them, or did they come up with the concepts themselves? Either way, I love it!

Thanks, all!

Julia: I had the concepts ready and they carried them out. I think they kind of loved being able to contribute the something public like the decorations, which is pretty cool.

Love the decorations! I'll bet they had a lot of fun making them.

They did a great job of bringing your vision to life. I'm not surprised they loved doing it. It has to feel good walking into the library and seeing things you made with your own two hands decorating the shelves. I imagine it gives them an even stronger connection to the place, which is really neat.

The decorations came out fabulous, Amber! What a great job by the teens.

*Fingers crossed* for Mario as well.

Love the book jack o lantern. Looks like excellent fun.
Hope news on Mario is good, when it comes.

>69 scaifea: they certainly did a great job! Nice!

Thanks, everyone!!

>75 rosalita: Julia: I certainly hope that's the result! The PR person in charge of the library system's social media contacted me; she wants me to send her all the Teen Tuesday photos I take because "...this is exactly the kind of thing I want to post on Instagram." I'm chuffed.

On the Agenda for Today:
Grocery shopping this morning, then cookie baking and weekly bill sorting. Laundry. Possibly some cleaning. Tonight is the last home game of the season, and we'll get to see the band's second halftime show, which is all Michael Jackson music. I'm ready to see Charlie do some moonwalking (no joke)!

Mario has a torn ACL, which generally needs surgery to correct, but we most definitely can't afford that. So, we're going with meds and as much bed rest as we can get her to do. We're hoping we can get it healed enough to keep her as mobile as possible from here on out. She's 10+ and a large dog, so there's not much else we can do. I'm sad, because she's my buddy and I wish we could do more for her. But she doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain and she's in good spirits, so we'll take it.

On the Reading Front:
I started Starfish yesterday and also Ghost Wood Song on audio.

The Crafting Report:
Puppycat is finished! I also worked a bit on knitting the cowl.



What We're Watching:
A Magic Puppy.

Ouch, poor sweet Mario. I hope the meds and bed rest help her to feel better. Enjoy the halftime show!

So sorry to hear about Mario's bum knee. As you say, at least it doesn't seem to be painful for her but I know it's still hard to see her struggle to do her usual things. Please deliver some consoling ear scritches from me when you have time.

>82 rosalita: Ears have been happily scritched in your honor, Julia.

Reading Update:
I'm abandoning Starfish. Free verse only works if it reads like actual verse and not prose just chopped up to look like verse. I didn't feel anything poetic about this, which is too bad because the intention in the plot (fighting against fat shaming and bullying based on weight) is a good one. So, moving on.

>83 scaifea: Yay!

>69 scaifea: Those are a blast!

I'm sad about Mario. I wish dogs could live pain free.

Hugs to you and Mario both.

Puppycat is adorable. I think I missed what he/she is for though.

>86 quondame: Thanks. Me, too. She really doesn't seem to be in much pain, though, which is great.

>87 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. Puppycat may be part of my Halloween costume, if I decide to go as Bee.

On the Agenda for Today:
Today's the Day! I get to co-host the library booth at the Newark (OH, obvs) Pride Fest!! So excited. But also slightly worried about being cold all day - the high is only going to be 54. So I'm packing layers along with the crocheted pride hearts! Woot!!

Enjoy Pride Fest — I hope you get some sunshine to at least give the illusion of warmth.

>89 scaifea: Wow -- 54 degrees -- maybe Pride Fest should happen during Pride Month :) Hope you have lots of nice visitors to your booth and lots of warm things to drink to stay warm

>63 scaifea: I own that one and really need to get it read. I must move it up the list.

>69 scaifea: Oh, those are terrific!

>80 scaifea: Sorry to hear about Mario's torn ACL and hope that the rest will help her.

I love the Puppycat!

>80 scaifea: Sorry to hear about Mario's torn ACL, Amber.

We had a lot of those with our Chow Chows in the past, and surgery didn't always give good results. It also needed weeks (in a few cases even months) of rehab after surgery. So I think you made a good decision for Mario.

I hope Pride Fest is a rocking good time.

>90 rosalita: There was very little sunshine, and my colleague and I were freezing the entire day. But still, worth it. So much fun and so many wonderful, fun, kind people. I'd do it again in a second.

>91 RebaRelishesReading: I think they have their reasonings for doing it on October, but I forget just what they are. It's usually not quite this cold this early in October, too. Anyway, it was cold but a lot of fun.

>92 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! I think you'll love The Farm when you get to it. And thanks for the Mario wishes - she seems to be doing better on the meds, and we've ordered a brace for her, too. Hopefully that will help.

>93 FAMeulstee: Oh, that makes me feel much better, actually. So thank you for that, Anita! She's doing pretty well so far and getting even more snuggles than usual (which is saying something).

>94 MickyFine: It definitely was!

I had a wonderful time at the Pride Fest yesterday! My cheeks hurt from smiling all day. Everyone was so kind and happy and having a good time, and so many people were happy to see the library represented there. We gave away all our prizes and swag, and I met some very cool people, including some amazing drag queens, who were performing all day. One of my favorite bits was when a couple of my regular Tuesday Teens walked by and their faces just lit up when they saw that I was there for the library. I love that they know they have a friend and ally at the library - I want my library to be a safe and happy space for them, always.

But today I am 100% beat. Big old headache and bone tired. Still, things to do: I need to do some baking, meal prep for Charlie's lunches this week, laundry, tidying up my office, and I need to make some progress on Charlie's costume. Ooof.

On the Reading Front:
I didn't have the time nor the energy to crack open a physical book, but I did listen to more of Ghost Wood Song, which is excellent so far and perfectly spooky for this time of year.

The Crafting Report:
I was planning on working on more crochet hearts while sitting at the booth yesterday, but it was too cold! So no crafting accomplished yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors

132. The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead (impulse library checkout) - 10/10
Told in turns by a ghost librarian, a cat who fancies himself the Guardian of the Books, and a young boy turned detective, this is the story of a library that was lost and how a new little (free) library ignited the spark that led to the solving of an old mystery.

Rebecca Stead is one of those authors who, in my world, can do no wrong. This book is further proof of that fact. So lovingly told, it’s a sweet and wonderful story (but one that is never in danger of becoming saccharine) with humor and pathos and a cool little mystery at its heart. And there’s a lot of heart here. One thousand percent recommended.

>101 scaifea: You sure sold me on The Lost Library! One can’t pass up a book with that kind of rating! 8>)

Karen O

>102 klobrien2: Yay! I hope you love it as much as I did!

I hear Mario tore his ACLU; I'm so sorry :(
Injuries on animals are always so sad; I hope he feels better soon.,

And cool of you to do all that work at Pridefest. We had one recently in my area too, which surprised me. But it sounds like you made sure everyone felt safe and had a good time.

>104 Ravenwoodwitch: The meds really seem to be helping Mario a lot, so fingers crossed that the trend continues.

Honestly, my colleague, who has ran the library booth at Pride for several years now, did most of the work, but I had a great time helping out. I hope she lets me join her again next year!

On the Agenda for Today:
It's Staff Development Day at the library, so we'll be closed to the public but putting in a full day of meetings and such. I prefer this staff day to the one in the spring, because this is the one where we get to stay at our branches and just hang out with the people we work with all the time, instead of the entire system meeting at a convention-like center for the day (which I find exhausting). This is more like hanging out with friends while also sort of doing some work. Feels like a holiday, to be honest. For example: We have an ongoing prank war with another small branch (we send each other envelopes full of glitter, or dvds with googly eyes on the cover faces, or hack into each other's library accounts and request books with embarrassing titles for each other,...). One ongoing prank is sneaking one particularly realistic-looking rubber cockroach back and forth in our delivery cargo. So, this weekend I made some cupcakes; one of my colleague is bringing in some dates, which we'll use as roach bodies on top of the cupcakes, and we'll use decorating icing to add antennae and legs. We'll be delivering these treats to the other branch on our way to lunch...

On the Reading Front:
Another day without a lot of reading time, but I did manage a few pages of Towing Jehovah and I listened to more Ghost Wood Song.

The Crafting Report:
I made some progress on my knitted cowl. There are several sections, each with a different pattern, and the one I'm currently working on is a real pain in my butt. Thankfully I'm nearly finished with that section. Whew.

What We're Watching:
We finished up Red White and Royal Blue, which was excellent, and then we watched an episode of Glee.

Hi, Amber.

Thanks for the good review of The Lost Library; I added it to the WL. One of my books right now is the YA The Brothers Hawthorne, courtesy of Becca. This series always makes me think of The Westing Game.

I enjoyed learning the origin of deus ex machina up above and the discussion of theater back then. I’m enjoying the new Emily Wilson translation of The Iliad, and we’re having a bit of a discussion on the various translations over on my thread. Her own comments are at posts 74 and 75. I expressed my belief that the Stanley Lombardo translations are still your favorite. Did I get that right?

Wow...torn ACL...poor Mario. Seems like it should hurt...glad it doesn't seem to. *pets*

>106 scaifea: Your prank war sounds epic!!

>80 scaifea: I'm sorry to hear that Mario tore her ACL. Back in July, we thought maybe Skye had a tear but it turned out to be a hip issue that steroid injections helped. I'm not sure we would have opted for surgery either, if it had been. Copper had had successful surgery on both of hers but the rehab is long and stressful and there seem to be good outcomes without surgery these days.

>101 scaifea: That sounds good!

>107 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! The Barnes books are on my list - I've heard nothing but great things about them. I'm glad you're enjoying them!

*whispers* I tried reading Wilson's Iliad translation and stopped after the first few pages. I found her translation incredibly clunky and was baffled by some of her choices. I know I'm an outlier here, but yeah, I'll stick with Lombardo. I am happy to see her refuting the label of first woman to translate Homer, which is just plain silly. First to manage to get a major publisher, sure. Most definitely not the first to translate.

>108 laytonwoman3rd: She seems to be doing really well on the meds! We're encouraged by her progress.

>109 curioussquared: It's so much fun, and it doesn't get too over-the-top (we all know we don't want actually to scare each other, so it's just silly stuff). The Roach Cupcakes were a huge hit yesterday!

>110 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. It really helps to hear others say that surgery is not the only - and even maybe not the best - option.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 12-8 and running Teen Tuesday. (Today we're having cookies and tea and chatting about classic horror novels and the books and movies they inspired - I'm going to read out the first sentences/paragraphs of the classics and see if they can guess which are which first. Should be a good time.) Before I go in I need to make the cookies for TT (pumpkin chocolate chip), and I'll probably do a load of laundry, too.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on Towing Jehovah and Ghost Wood Song.

The Crafting Report:
I made a little bit of progress on the cowl yesterday, but that's it.

What We're Watching:
Glee and Futurama.

Happy Tuesday!

Glad you had a good time at pride fest.

The lost library looks interesting. I will add it to my list.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies sounds delicious. Enjoy!

>115 scaifea: Oh that sounds fun. I wonder how many they'll get right.

Coworkers and I had a fun discussion once on whether Frankenstein qualified as the first horror novel or not (I'm in the camp that says Sci-Fi) and I've always thought Psycho should be included in the classics lists.

sorry to hear about Mario's ACL. Poor pup.
Pride sounds fab all round.
Love the prank ideas!
I've started my next project (because one is never enough), french knitting a jacket. I may be here some time...
Have entirely lost track as to what day it is, so have a good one >:-)

>117 Ravenwoodwitch: They got a few of them, but I think they had more fun with the ones that stumped them!

Frankenstein is first and foremost a scifi (Shelley's called the founder of the genre, after all), but part of what makes it fascinating is how our perception of the story has evolved over the years, to the point where pop culture renditions are barely recognizable compared to the novel, and they're 100% horror, of course.

I've not seen Psycho on any classic horror lists. Interesting.

>118 Helenliz: Mario is doing really well, actually! We're very happily surprised and hope that it's a continuing trend.

Good luck with the jacket!!

On the Agenda for Today:
I have a tele-visit with my pharmacist (just a check-in about my meds), and then I'm planning on spending most of the day in the sewing room, working on Charlie's costume. The band is acting as pep band for the soccer game tonight, so I'll be taxi-ing him back and forth to that, too. Leftovers (or possibly Chinese takeaway) for dinner tonight.

The Tuesday Teens continue to amaze me. I was a little worried that they would think last night was too much like school, but they *loved* talking about classic horror and the history of the genre and were more animated and engaged than some of my best college courses. They were surprised at some of the origins of horror lit ("Shakespeare wrote about the supernatural?! I had no idea!") and they had fun trying to guess the books from the first paragraphs (and more than a few paragraphs had them immediately saying, "OH! I NEED to read that one!") So, mission accomplished. Charlie even told me - the sweetheart - that it was his favorite TT yet. I'm proper chuffed.

On the Reading Front:
I listened to more Ghost Wood Song but didn't even get a chance to crack open Towing Jehovah yesterday.

The Crafting Report:
I knitted a couple of rows on my cowl yesterday, but that's it. It's nearly done, though!

What We're Watching:
More Futurama.

Congratulations on another successful TT, Amber. You are on a roll!

>122 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!

>121 scaifea: That TT sounds like music to my ears. I, too, remember being thoroughly surprised at how much I enjoyed the likes of Tell Tale Heart when I was in high school.
Good luck on the cowl!
Would love some pictures when finished.

>121 scaifea: Congratulations on the success of Tuesday Teens! You have every right to be chuffed.

>119 scaifea: I must be reading/watching the wrong modern takes on Frankenstein - they seem to be mostly comedies.

>121 scaifea: Hmm, "back and forth" shouldn't it be "forth and back?" and why did that occur to me today?

>124 Ravenwoodwitch: I'll try to remember to post photos when I'm finished!

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! I'm really surprised at how well the program seems to be going.

>127 quondame: Most idioms that include motion like this one seem to start with the motion toward instead of away. It may have something to do with one's perception. Also, well, idioms are just that. Idioms. They don't have to (and rarely do) follow logic.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working the 9-2 shift today and it will likely. be a doozie. With the eclipse on Saturday, this is the first day we'll be handing out free glasses, plus our Friends of the Library group starts their annual book sale today in our large meeting room. I predict a mob. *sigh* I can't wait to argue with people about our policy of only handing out one pair of glasses per person and three per family. Should be a fun time. *mops up the sarcasm dripping from that sentence*

On the Reading Front:
Slow going these days with the reading, but I should have some time this evening to open a book while I wait for Charlie at a library program he wants to attend at another branch. Just finished Ghost Wood Song on audio - review to come, probably tomorrow, but I'll say here that it was excellent.

The Crafting Report:
I made some good progress on Charlie's costume yesterday! Hoping for more time this weekend to work on it.

What We're Watching:
I watched a couple of OUAT episodes while Charlie was at the soccer game. Man, that show goes completely off the rails in the later seasons, but I can't stop watching because of Gold. But honestly, he's the only redeeming quality about the entire thing. Yoicks.

>129 scaifea: Season 5 of OUAT is TERRIBLE. I do think it improves quite a bit in season 6 but I highly advise not watching the reboot of the show in season 7.

Your TT sounds a delight. Almost makes me miss programming.

>130 MickyFine: Season 7 is a reboot? Weird.

On the Agenda for Today:
Grocery shopping, then maybe some sewing, then Charlie (who has the day off school) and I will go out for celebratory Pumpkin Pie Blizzards this afternoon before he has to report to the band room for tonight's away game. Tomm and I are having a date night; we're heading to the local nursery for some fall porch decorations and then out to dinner.

On the Reading Front:
Still plugging along with Towing Jehovah. I started listening to Z for Zachariah yesterday, too.

The Crafting Report:
I will likely finish up the cowl today, and I also started a new crochet project - something for Charlie for Christmas...

What We're Watching:
Some Glee and some Futurama.

>132 scaifea: I read 'nursery' and forgot that was what they call plant places and had a good laugh.
mmm, pumpkin pie blizzards...

>133 Ravenwoodwitch: It *is* a funny term. Makes me think of the baby mandrakes in HP.

>111 scaifea:. Hi, Amber. I suspected that you wouldn’t like Emily Wilson’s Iliad, only because you didn’t think much of her Odyssey. It falls in the category “you never know” for me. If we were in a bookstore, I’d be extolling its virtues to you and, if you bought it, you’d think my book views sure are cock-eyed. Her Iliad strikes me so differently from what you describe - charged, propulsive, exciting. Oh well.

You know I’m also a fan of Lombardo’s translations, so I’ll content myself with our shared reactions to those.

Thanks for answering my Agamemnon question. What a goofy idea he came up with, that almost backfired on him.

>135 jnwelch: I think it's always more difficult to be happy with a translation when you know the original. I just don't understand some of her choices and I don't think she reflects at all well what Homer gives us in the Greek, nor do I think she's sacrificing meaning for form, since her style feels awkward. Lombardo gives us the best of both worlds: he understands to original and both reflects that understanding in his translation while making the English modern and fluid and lyrical.

Agamemnon is a terrible leader and makes horrible decisions, which is all part of Homer's effort to show us the horrid side of war.

133. Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters (audiobook) - 9/10
Shady Grove wants nothing more than to be a good enough musician to play in a bluegrass band with her friends, and she wishes her daddy’s fiddle hadn’t drown in the lake with him 5 years ago. It was a special instrument that, when played just right, could call the dead, and there’s a good chance Shady would be able to use it since she already can sense the ghosts all around her in her daddy’s childhood home and in the woods surrounding it. That seems an impossible dream, though, until her stepdad is murdered and her brother is blamed. It’s then that the ghosts start calling her to find her daddy’s fiddle, and she’s determined to do just that so she can use it to find out who really committed the crime. But there’s a reason her family hid the fiddle and lied to her about it – the cost of playing it is higher than she can imagine…

This YA novel has it all: bisexual bluegrass-playing teens, multiple murder mysteries, a fiddle that can raise the dead, and spooky atmosphere for miles. What more could you possibly need in a fall read?! I adored it.

>136 scaifea:👍

>131 scaifea: Yeah, half the cast didn't renew their contracts so the show has a time jump/reboot. They tease it a bit in the season 6 finale so you'll get a sense of the premise. I didn't make it past the first few episodes of season 7. One of my friends watched the whole of it and highly advocates pretending it doesn't exist.

I hope you had a lovely time on your date with Tomm and pick up for Charlie isn't crazy late.

Amber, a friend posted this elsewhere and I immediately thought of you and your TT crowd:



Hope you date night was fun. Have a great day!

>139 MickyFine: Oh wow. Okay. Well, the litmus for me is if Gold is in it. If not, I'm out. He's the only reason I'm still watching.

And thanks! We did, and it wasn't!

>140 lauralkeet: Oh, I LOVE that!! Thanks, Laura!

On the Agenda for Today:
The band has been invited to be the pep band for Denison University's football team today at their game, so that's where Charlie will be for most of the day. I'll be here working on his costume, mostly. Leftovers, or Frozen Friday Except on a Saturday for dinner, I think.

Tomm and I had a really nice date night yesterday. We love the nursery we go to; they're always decorated to the nines and they have gorgeous mums and pumpkins and such for fall. Then we went to one of Tomm's favorite restaurants and had a lovely dinner: https://hudson29.com/locations-menus/new-albany/ He had the Gerber Farms Chicken and I had the cheeseburger.

On the Reading Front:
Reading time continues to be at a premium these days, but I did listen to more Z for Zachariah yesterday.

The Crafting Report:
The cowl is finished! Photos to come. And I worked some on the crochet Christmas project.

What We're Watching:
Some Modern Family and some Psych.

>141 scaifea: Robert Carlyle did stick around so... have fun with season 7? Lol.

Wishing you a productive sewing day and looking forward to photos of the cowl.

>144 MickyFine: If nothing else I'll just ff through the non-Gold scenes...

The cowl:

That looks beautiful and cozy!

>147 MickyFine: Thanks! The yarn I used is so soft and linen-like. I love it.

On the Agenda for Today:
It's chilly and overcast here, but as much as I'd love a cozy day of blankets and books and tea on the couch, I have a long list of things that need doing. Laundry, sitting down with Charlie to order some costume supplies and some warm school clothes (sweaters and such), getting my xmas project To Do list started, weekly bill sorting that should have happened on Friday and didn't, baking (Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Glaze), dusting (ugh.), meal prep for lunches this week, brush the dogs, prep my daily to do lists for this week, tidy up and put away the leftover yarn and supplies from the cowl, write a book review (I finished my audiobook this morning), sewing Charlie's costume. And then dinner, of course, which will be Pua'a Pork and peas.

Oh! And I also need repair a small tear in the lining of my dad's old pea coat from his Navy days (in the late 50s). He gave it to me when I went off to college and I wore it up until the last few years, and now Charlie wants it for his winter coat. It's still in excellent shape and by far the warmest coat I've ever had. I love that Charlie wants it now - three generations!

On the Reading Front:
I read some of Towing Jehovah and finished Z for Zachariah.

The Crafting Report:
I worked a bit on crocheting Charlie's xmas present and also started knitting a little Yoda to go with the Star Wars display. And I made good progress on Charlie's costume! Yay!

What We're Watching:
Some Modern Family (we're watching through the Halloween episodes), some Psych, and then the new Haunted Mansion movie, which is pretty solid. Bonus points for the Dan Levy cameo.

Hi Amber, been awhile since I posted here, though I drift by every few days...
>101 scaifea: I think that story sounds invitingly intriguing. My library has this one, but I can't get past the general Rebecca Stead book lists (the PL here seems to have adopted a *very* wonky batch of software). Some days it is easier to simply visit the bricks & mortar.

Aww, I love that your Dad's pea coat is making its way to Charlie! I have a dress my mom bought on her honeymoon that she later gave to me. I wore it for years but it no longer fits so I'm hanging on to it to give one of my nieces when they're older.

Good luck completing all the things!

>150 SandyAMcPherson: I hope you find it, either way. I think you'll love it! But even if you get lost in the Stead Stacks, everything I've read of hers is excellent, so it's a win-win.

>151 MickyFine: Thanks!

134. Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien (audiobook) - 8/10
A teen girl lives on her own on her family’s farm in a protected valley, and in fact thinks she’s possibly the only person left alive after the nuclear attacks until a man in a radiation suit enters the valley. She had both hoped for and feared this event, and it soon becomes clear to her that fear is the proper response…

An interesting little thriller, although the main character’s choices sometimes irked me, and that says, probably, a lot more about me than about the book; she yielded way too much ground to the dangerous and violent macho bullshit of Radiation Suit Man. So while it’s a good read in most respects, I was too frustrated by her actions and the resolution to love it.

>149 scaifea: Oh, I love that the pea coat has reached three generations. While my grandparents were either (mum’s side) very good at donating everything to people in need or (dad’s side) using everything until there were only scraps left I do have a few things that have been passed on. As a teenager I used my mum’s old pea coat (from the 60s) every day for years. It’s quite fitted and I’m not as rake-y as I used to be so I don’t think I’d fit into it now.
And I have two of my grandma’s old silk dresses from the 30s, including her wedding dress. I can fit into both of them and mum and I have been considering trying to make a few changes to make them wearable (switching a whole row of mostly broken buttons up the back to a hidden zipper, etc.) My brother and I also have our grandpa’s and grandma’s old watches, respectively.

>149 scaifea: I love the idea of your three-generations coat!!

Sharing the love for the coat. Any chance of a photo as the third generation takes over?

>155 PawsforThought: Aw, that's sweet!

>156 RebaRelishesReading: Right? I love it so much that he wants to wear it.

>157 lauralkeet: I was just thinking yesterday that I should see if my sister has a photo of Dad in the coat when he was in the Navy (she's the keeper of such things) so I could do a side-by-side! I'll see what I can do...

>158 scaifea: A side-by-side is a great idea!

On the Agenda for Today:
It's the Dolly shift for me today, so not much else on the list. Chicken with Cider and Apples for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I got through nearly all of my To Do list yesterday and *still* had enough time to finish (finally) Towing Jehovah. Woot! I also started listening to Cinderella Is Dead.

The Crafting Report:
The lining on Charlie's 'new' pea coat is now mended, so now it's ready for the dry cleaners. I also made progress on the crochet Yoda.

What We're Watching:
Some more Modern Family halloween, some Psych, and we introduced Charlie to Beetlejuice. He was very pleased to see a young Moira.

>159 lauralkeet: I hope she has a picture of him so I can make that happen!

Not lot to report, just popping in.
Love the pea coat being handed on again. I have a green velvet jacket that was dad's (it was the 1980s, it explains a lot) that I had altered after we clear the house. Had it shortened in sleeve & body to fit me. It's a smidge wide in the shoulder, if we're being critical, but it is only a smidge.

>162 Helenliz: A green velvet coat sounds fabulous!

>146 scaifea: Oh that looks so cozy! I love the colors for it too.
>149 scaifea: Its so wonderful when family pieces like that get passed down. I have a genuine leather belt with fringe my mom bought from the 70s that I'm hoping to pass down a couple generations, too.
I'm glad to hear the new Haunted Mansion movie turned out good. I'm in the smaller section of the public that liked the original Eddie Murphy film but I have room for this one, too.
>160 scaifea: How familiar is Charlie with the rest of Tim Burton's catelog? It being October and all (*wink wink, nudge nudge*)

>164 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks for the cowl love! I'm wearing it at work today and it is extremely cozy.

I am loving all the passed-down duds stories! Very cool.

Oh, we WILL be watching Nightmare Before Christmas this month. I should introduce him to Sleepy Hollow soon, and I've not seen Sweeny Todd but want to...

>158 scaifea: Side-by-side is a great idea -- you might even want to frame them for your mantle or desk or someplace where you could enjoy it regularly.

>166 RebaRelishesReading: Sad news: My sister couldn't find any photos of my dad in the coat. I'll probably still try to get one of Charlie in it, though.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 12-8 and running Teen Tuesday (today we'll be playing a game of Fluxx and I'll survey them for what they'd like to do about the book club and such). Before I go in I'll do some laundry and maybe sew a little bit. We'll see.

On the Reading Front:
I started The Halloween Tree yesterday and yowza is it ever good already. I'm not sure why I haven't just sat down and read all of Bradbury's stuff straight through yet. I think that's in the cards for the near future. He's amazing. I also listened to more Cinderella Is Dead, which is pretty good so far, too.

The Crafting Report:
Nothing happened in this category yesterday. Too busy with other stuff and too tired at the end of the day. I can report, though, that one of my library colleagues has finished a couple of tie fighters for the Star Wars display and they are very cool! Another colleague is working on a millennium falcon and I'm excited to see it.

What We're Watching:
Some Modern Family, some Psych, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

135. Towing Jehovah by James Morrow (wishlist) - 6/10
God is dead and his corpse is floating somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The angels choose a disgraced ship captain to lead a disparate crew on a secret mission to tow the holy vessel to a final resting place in the arctic circle. Weirdness ensues.

It started out good – the writing is pretty great and the weird was a good weird. But then is just…stayed…weird…with no real dynamics. And the characters were more annoying than eccentric. So, in the end, sort of disappointing.

Sorry your side-by-side photo idea didn't work out, Amber. But I'm sure the coat will be well-loved and -worn regardless!

As someone who recently finished Fahrenheit 451, I feel this. I've got Something Wicked waiting in the wings, and I've got this one on the To Read list now.

>168 scaifea: Great to hear about The Halloween Tree, but I’m not surprised. I’ve been meaning to read more Bradbury. I read, and really liked (despite what I suspect was a bad translation and not Bradbury’s fault) Something Wicked This Way Comes last year. It was such a vivid description and it felt like I was actually there.

>169 scaifea: It was already weird dialed to 11 at "corpse"

>170 lauralkeet: Me too, Laura. But yeah, I happy that the coat is getting a third gen owner!

>171 Ravenwoodwitch: Yes! I would also recommend Dandelion Wine, which is set in the same fictional town as Something Wicked. His prose is just beautiful.

>172 PawsforThought: Something Wicked is so good. I recommended it to Charlie and it made him an instant fan.

>173 quondame: Huh. See, and I think transubstantiation is about as weird as it gets... It's very difficult to out-weird traditional religion, really.

On the Agenda for Today:
Lots of errands to run today. I have to pick up some Mario meds refills, drop off the coat at the cleaners, stop in at my eye doc's office to get my glasses adjusted (they're driving me crazy, slipping down my nose all the time), get some costume supplies at the fabric shop, and make a Target run. I may do some sewing this afternoon, too; we'll see how zonked I am after all that running around. Leftovers for dinner.

I had 6 Tuesday Teens, and they seemed to have fun with the card game. We also chatted about the book club weeks, and they decided that for the first one (next month), they'll all pick something in the Dark Fairy/Folk Tale genre and come in to discuss what they read. Should be a good time.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on The Halloween Tree and Cinderella Is Dead.

The Crafting Report:
I finished knitting Yoda's ears yesterday.

What We're Watching:
A Drunk History.

On the Agenda for Today:
Lots of sewing time, hopefully. I need to make some serious progress on Halloween costumes around here. Yeesh. Also, menu planning and prepping the grocery list for tomorrow's shopping, and then this evening we're all off to the Circleville Pumpkin Show: Charlie and the Big Red Band are marching in the parade.

On the Reading Front:
I finished The Halloween Tree and Cinderella Is Dead, and I started listening to Bird Box.

The Crafting Report:
The coat part of Charlie's costume is nearly finished, plus I started knitting another Christmas present.

What We're Watching:
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Wererabbit.

On the Agenda for Today:
Dental cleaning/check-up this morning, followed by grocery shopping, then cookie baking, bill sorting, review writing, then maybe some sewing.

On the Reading Front:
I read through Nick & Charlie yesterday, started The Hollow, and listened to more Bird Box.

The Crafting Report:
All that's left of the coat part of Charlie's costume is for him to try it on so I know where to hem the sleeves! I also got some work done on his Christmas present.

What We're Watching:
Psych.

136. Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (audiobook) - 9/10
Sophia lives in a world where Cinderella is much more than a story. The princess and her Prince Charming were real, and they changed the course of history for the land they ruled over. But Cinderella has been dead over 100 years, and now her story is used by the present king to keep women and girls everywhere submission and powerless. Sophia, on the eve of her mandatory debut at the king’s yearly ball, has absolutely no desire to find her own prince Charming, and instead would much rather run away with the princess. Her resistance leads to her discovering the real truth behind the Cinderella tale, but will that knowledge be enough to change the system?

An imaginative retelling that feels like Cinderella has been plopped down in the middle of A Handmaid’s Tale. In other words, it’s fabulous. Strong female characters some cool and unexpected twists, and an author who clearly understands what myths and fairy tales are for: holding up a mirror to society and asking if we like what we see.



137. Bird Box by Josh Malerman (audiobook) - 9/10
An apocalyptic story in which the disaster comes in a form that no one can look at without going murderously mad, which leads the few survivors to hid indoors and only venture out with blindfolds firmly secured.

Like all good apocalyptic fiction, this one gives the thrills of the horror at hand while also delving into the terrors humans inflict on themselves when things get dire. I loved it, although I still think I’ll pass on the movie – I can handle this sort of story on the page much better than I can on the screen. *shudders*



138. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (impulse library checkout) - 8/10
A gaggle of boys celebrate Halloween in a small town by decking themselves out in costumes and running off to visit the local abandoned house. What they find there is much more than they bargained for, and they spend the evening zipping through time, accompanied by a ghoulish escort in the form of Mr. Moundshroud, who teaches them the origins and meanings behind autumn celebrations like Halloween.

This one starts out strong, with Bradbury’s customary mastery of wordsmithery, but I felt like the story was a little weaker than the other works of his I’ve read. Possibly because it very much seems to be intended for a younger audience? I think middle grade kiddos would love it.



139. Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman (Read Soon! Shelves) - 9/10
As Nick faces his first year away at college and Charlie is dreading Year 13 left behind and alone, the couple struggle to figure out if their relationship will survive a long-distance stint, and they also have trouble communicating their worried to each other.

Not my favorite entry in the Heartstopper world, but I still adore Nick and Charlie and the whole gang.

>178 scaifea: Ooo you had me with Cinderella Is Dead until "plopped down in the middle of The Handmaid's Tale." I... do not like that book. But I am still intrigued. Perhaps I shall gird my what-have-yous and give it a try anyway.

>179 lycomayflower: If it helps, this one doesn't have the grimness that the Atwood does. It's really just the idea of using a myth (Cinderella/the Bible) to control women - and the both stories are clearly feminist stories - that reminds me of Atwood. I think you'll like it. I'm also not a huge Atwood fan and respect what she did with HT more than actually like the book itself.

>178 scaifea: Ehhh Bird box! That was one of my surprise favorites from last year. Did you hear it has a sequel?

>181 Ravenwoodwitch: I did see that. I liked where the first one ended, so I probably won't keep going. I generally don't continue with a series after the first one unless that first one gets a 10/10 from me. Did you read the second one?

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working the Saturday shift, which means nothing much else will happen today, except maybe a nap when I get home. We'll see. The in-laws are coming for a visit, so Praised Be for being scheduled to work today. Chicken burritos for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I started Jay's Gay Agenda on audio yesterday, and read some of The Hollow.

The Crafting Report:
Progress was made on Charlie's Christmas present.

What We're Watching:
A handful of Psych episodes while Charlie was at the away game with the band.

Weekend shifts are never super fun but yay for skipping out on the in-laws!

>178 scaifea: OK, you got me with the Cinderella. I'm a sucker for a retelling. Reservation placed, the library has a copy.

>183 scaifea: I'm jealous you get to skip the inlaws; we're having MIL trouble, with which I will not burden you.

Bird Box, the book, was great! Bird Box, the movie, was all right, I suppose. Good choice on your part… 😀

>184 MickyFine: I don't mind Saturday shifts at all; as a part-timer, it's just one of the three days a week I work. *shrug*

>185 Helenliz: It's a really inventive retelling. I hope you like it.

Ugh. I'm sorry you're suffering from MILness. The worst.

>186 drneutron: Ha! That's good to know!

On the Agenda for Today:
Baking, meal prep for Charlie's lunches this week, laundry, and as much sewing as I can get in before Charlie and I go to the HS Cabaret concert this afternoon. Tomm's in charge of dinner: burgers and chips.

On the Reading Front:
Still plugging along with the Christie book. I think this is the longest it's taken for the actual murder to happen in one of her mysteries. Weird. Still listening to Jay's Gay Agenda, too.

The Crafting Report:
I did take a nap when I got home yesterday, so no sewing happened, but I made some progress on a Christmas knitting project, at least.

What We're Watching:
The first Halloween Heist ep of Brooklyn 99, some Psych, and Hocus Pocus.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 12-8, and before that I'll do some laundry and maybe a bit of sewing.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on The Hollow and Jay's Gay Agenda.

The Crafting Report:
The coat part of Charlie's costume is finished, and now I just need to finish the pants and make the hat. I also made some progress with Christmas presents.

What We're Watching:
More Brooklyn 99 Heists, some Psych, and Hocus Pocus 2.

140. Jay's Gay Agenda by Jason June (audiobook) - 7/10
Jay moves from a small, backwoods town to Seattle and experiences life as a gay teen in a much more gay-friendly city.

It started out fine, but I kept waiting for more substance to the story and it never arrived. Meh.

>182 scaifea: Not yet, but she's on my list. NGL, I also liked where the first ended and am kinda anxious about that second one.

Looking forward to the pictures when the costume is done, if you're willing.
Was the sequel to Hocus Pocus any good?

>191 Ravenwoodwitch: Well, please report back when/if you get to Book Two.

I'll definitely post some photos when it's all finished, possibly with teen model as well.

Hocus Pocus 2 is *excellent*! I highly recommend it.

On the Agenda for Today:
It's Tuesday, so you know what that means: a 12-8 shift and hanging out with the Tuesday Teens! Today they'll be making stained glass-type art by melting crayon shavings between sheets of wax paper. I spent a good amount of my shift yesterday making the shavings and let me tell you, that stuff CLINGS. I had it alllllll over my hands it did NOT want to come off. Yoicks. So we may be making a mess this evening.

On the Reading Front:
I made some progress on The Hollow and started listening to Thirteen Reasons Why.

The Crafting Report:
I didn't making it into the sewing room yesterday, but I did crochet Yoda's little feet.

What We're Watching:
Charlie and I tried out the first episode of Living for the Dead, the new Hulu show about gay ghost hunters. I'm 100% here for the gays, but I really can't stand reality TV, and while I'm agnostic when it comes to the actual existence of ghosts, this kind of ghost hunting nonsense is ridiculous. It was worth a try, though.

Morning, Amber. I also loved Bird Box but word of advice- skip the film version. It was awful.

>194 msf59: Ha! That's two votes against the movie. Got it.

>193 scaifea: Aw, I remember doing that craft as a kid! As I recall, the teacher had us do our own crayon shaving with our little kid scissors -- maybe for that very reason! :-D

>196 foggidawn: Oh god, I wouldn't even let the teens do that - sounds like exponentially more mess!

>197 scaifea: I also remember Mom allowing me to recreate the project at home, but she was never too fussed about us making messes. "It'll wash," was Mom's approach to child-rearing.

>198 foggidawn: *grin*

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm off today, so hopefully I can spend the majority of it in the sewing room. I also need to do my menu planning get get my grocery list ready for tomorrow's shopping. Tomm's out of town so I'm hoping to convince Charlie and we need a pizza night...

On the Reading Front:
Still working on The Hollow and may finish it today. Also still listening to Thirteen Reasons Why and also may finish it today. We'll see.

The Crafting Report:
The Teens seemed to enjoy melting crayons! We had some fun - I'll try to remember to post some photos later.

What We're Watching:
Futurama.

everyone always needs a pizza night!
I like the TT activity idea. Any pictures of the outcomes? To include messy floor, if appropriate! I can imagine that the crayon shavings cling

>200 scaifea: oh, the controversial book? Looking forward to the review and see if it worth a look.

>201 Helenliz: There was no mess, in fact. The teens were very tidy.

>202 Ravenwoodwitch: I think the controversy was mostly over the Netflix adaptation, right? Which, I think, jacked up the graphic-ness of the suicide and sexual assault scenes. The book was banned, too, but that also escalated with the show. Yes, it's based around a suicide, but there's nothing all that shocking in the story.

141. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (audiobook) - 8/10

A few days after a high school girl kills herself, one of her classmates gets a package in the mail. It contains 7 cassette tapes, on which are recorded 13 stories, narrated as if from beyond the grave, of how 13 different people at her school played a part in her decision to commit suicide. We follow both the stories on the tapes and Clay’s thoughts as he listens to them.

An interesting story with an interesting method of storytelling. I appreciated how nearly every character, including the deceased narrator, is complex – both flawed and with saving graces or understandable reasons for their flaws. No one and everyone here is to blame for a myriad of minute events that lead up to one big one. Overall, a good read.

142. The Hollow by Agatha Christie (Christie bibliography) - 9/10

While staying at a vacation home, Poirot is invited to lunch at the manor house up the road. But when he arrives, one of the other guests has just been shot and the new widow is holding a gun…

Whew. Christie never disappoints. Everyone has a motive but none of the leads pan out, and even Poirot seems baffled up until the very end.

On the Agenda for Today:
Grocery shopping this morning, then more sewing. Baked potatoes for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I started Shakespeare for Squirrels yesterday and I'm excited - I love Moore. I also started listening to Of Fire and Stars.

The Crafting Report:
Charlie's costume is nearly finished! Just the mage hat to go. And mine is finished, too! I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I'll be going as Bee from Bee & Puppycat.

What We're Watching:
Momentous night yesterday: I introduced Charlie to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He, of course, loved it, as one does.

>206 scaifea: I hope you like Of Fire and Stars! I enjoyed it when I read it some time ago.

>207 curioussquared: So far so good!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9:30-3, then probably a nap before dinner. Not much else going on here today.

On the Reading Front:
I read a bit of Shakespeare for Squirrels yesterday and so far it does not disappoint. Also still listening to Of Fire and Stars.

The Crafting Report:
I spend a goodly amount of time yesterday working on a mage hat for Charlie, which, look-wise, turned out fabulously, but fit-wise was a bust. Stupid Youtube video I followed had extremely shitty instructions for fit. There's no way to adjust it and not enough extra fabric to start over, so he'll just be hatless. I was livid yesterday about it, but today I'm over it. Moving on. I think his costume is pretty much finished at this point, with maybe just a quick accessory or two left to go.

What We're Watching:
Futurama, Glee, and some OUAT.

>209 scaifea: I am not really a crafter, but boy do I know that feeling of putting in a ton of time and effort for nothing. Sorry the hat was a bust! So frustrating.

>210 curioussquared: Thanks for that. The good news is that the hat itself turned out great, and it actually fits my head, so I'll tuck it away for whenever I need to dress like Gandalf...

Hi, Amber. Becca recommended Thirteen Reasons Why and I likewise appreciated how the characters were real and not cardboard. It did feel a little odd reading a story revolving around an ancient technology: cassette tapes. I’m old enough to remember when they were an essential part of life, particularly any road trip.

I’m still enjoying the Iliad. I always trip over there being two Ajaxes, and why this endless ocean of Greek warriors chooses to follow Agamemnon is beyond me. So many must’ve really liked the idea of battle.

>212 jnwelch: I kind of liked the cassette tape bit, but yeah, it was a bit strange.

Ha! No, they didn't love war at all, and in fact they had no choice. Before Helen was married off, all her suitors got together and made a pact that whoever was chosen to be her husband would be respected as such by the rest, and should someone ever abduct her (they all agreed that it was a real possibility, since she was so beautiful), they would all drop whatever they were doing, pull together a fighting force from their kingdoms (because of course all the suitors were noble leaders), and sail with the wronged husband to get her back. Menelaus was chosen, and Agamemnon was his older, more powerful brother, so apparently he was the best choice for commander. As far as the common soldiers are concerned, there was no choice at all: they had to follow their kings to war.

(Did you want an actual answer or were you just making conversation? Always a danger, that, with a classicist.)

On the Agenda for Today:
I made cauldron cakes for breakfast (buttermilk pancakes with lemon zest - a recipe from a Harry Potter cookbook) - traditional here at Scaife Manor for the weekend before Halloween, and now I have the first load of laundry going for today while I do my morning compy puttering. I'll spend some more time in the kitchen today making Grey Stuff (as in "try the grey stuff - it's delicious!"), and then I need to do the weekly bill sorting, write a review, finish up a couple of Halloween costume bits and bobs, then give my sewing space a good tidying before working more on my plans for xmas gifts. Some of this, I'm sure, will spill over into tomorrow, especially since it's rainy and dreary here today, and rainy weekends necessitate naps. Mexican beef bowls for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I didn't have much reading time yesterday, but I did manage to finish Of Fire and Stars, which started out seemingly okay but then really went downhill in the second half. More later, when I get to that review.

The Crafting Report:
Nothing to report here from yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Some Brooklyn 99 Heist action, some Psych, and then I introduced both Charlie and Tomm to The Frighteners (Pete Jackson in his pre-LOTR days, although I don't think they're ready still yet for his early early stuff...).

>214 scaifea: I was disappointed when Becky told me that "the grey stuff" at Disneyland was sweet, being as I'm a fan of savory.

>215 quondame: Yup, it's a pudding with oreos. I've always assumed that in the movie it's something like pate.

>216 scaifea: I always thought it was sweet because it was offered up on a tray full of other desserts (Beauty & the Beast was my favourite Disney movie as a child and I've seen it roughly a bazillion times).

>217 MickyFine: I guess I didn't pay that much attention.

On the Agenda for Today:
I woke up in the middle of the night with a nasty headache, so I took some meds, slept in a bit, and now am getting a late start to the day. I crossed a few things off the weekend list yesterday, so I'll try to get through the rest today: more laundry, as usual, the book review, meal prep for Charlie's lunches this week, cleaning the sewing room, working on my xmas crafting list, sorting my to do lists for next week. I also need to try to schedule our vaccine shots. Breaded pork chops for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
No listening time yesterday, but I did make some progress with Shakespeare for Squirrels.

The Crafting Report:
All Halloween costumes are now complete!

What We're Watching:
Some Brooklyn 99, some Psych, and Hubie Halloween.

143. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (audiobook) - 6/10
Denna has long been betrothed to a prince from another kingdom, and she’s been raised and trained to fulfill the role of future queen, but when she arrives in her new home, despite her royal fiancé being perfectly lovely to her, her secret magical abilities, which she’s fought hard to master and conceal, start getting out of her control. It possibly has something to do with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Mare, who is the mistress of the stables and a dab hand at fighting as well. When there’s a murder in the castle, Denna and Mare team up to find out who the culprit is, and they both must deal with their feelings toward one another.

This one had so much potential and I was excited to read it, but boy, did it disappoint. I wanted to love it, but it’s just…boring. The characters are never developed – and the author *tells* us everything about their personalities without ever once *showing* us that those traits are there – and the plot is just as bland as the people inhabiting it. It’s a great idea for a story, but the execution is, sadly, sloppy and lazy.

On the Agenda for Today:
I do love it when I have Monday off; it's so nice to be able to ease into the week. So I'll be finishing off that weekend To Do list: working on my xmas crafting list and cleaning my sewing room. Chicken soup for dinner tonight, I think.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on Shakespeare for Squirrels and The Getaway.

The Crafting Report:
Nothing to report here for yesterday.

What We're Watching:
We finished up the Brooklyn 99 Heist episodes and moved on to Parks and Rec Halloween eps, and we also watched If You Give a Mouse a Pumpkin.

>203 scaifea:: That I didn't know and that's good to know. Saddens me to hear Netflix felt the need to take a book that already features such sensitive subjects and reduce it to shock value.
>204 scaifea: AND it sounds like the author handled that sensitive subject mater with care. I'll consider it for reading :)
>206 scaifea: and this one. It had me at the title.

Hope you have a good Monday!

>222 Ravenwoodwitch: Yeah, I wonder if the adaptation just brought more awareness of the book's existence to ban idiots, and it went from there. *shrug*

I assume you mean the Moore book - I highly recommend any of his stuff. He is hilarious.

Happy Halloween, everyone!!

I'm working today 12-8 and I'll be in costume, although I doubt I'll have any Tuesday Teens (they have better plans on a night like tonight). But just in cases, I'll have candy waiting. Not doing much before my shift - some laundry and just puttering around.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on the Moore and The Getaway.

The Crafting Report:
My sewing room is tidier than it's been in a long time now - woot!! And I I think got my xmas crafting plans all set, too. So, productive day yesterday.

What We're Watching:
We finished the Parks and Rec Halloween episodes and then watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester.

Charlie in costume this morning for school (he gave me a sketch of an outfit for one of his D&D characters):



I'm pretty proud of the godets in the coat:

Charlie looks great!

That's a great costume -- very complicated to make too I imagine!!

Love the costume! And I must admit that I'm kind of jealous of Charlie's hair. :-)

Excellent looking coat there.

Thanks, all!

>228 foggidawn: He has fabulous hair, doesn't he?

>225 scaifea: Fantastic!

>231 quondame: Thanks!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 12-8 again today, and I probably won't do much before hand, again, except some laundry.

We had our first snow of the season last night! Charlie and his ToT friend were cold, but still, I LOVE snow!

On the reading front:
Not really any time for reading yesterday, sadly.

The Crafting Report:
I did work a bit on the crochet Yoda last night at work. It was pretty dead after 6:30.

What We're Watching:
A Bee & Puppycat ep once I got home, in honor of my costume.

>225 scaifea: That look so cool! Well done!
>233 scaifea: Snowed a little in our area too. record cold Halloweens everywhere it sounds like.

>233 scaifea: Snow?! We've got a series of storms, but it's still tipping into double figures (Centigrade) here. Rather warm for the time of year. Apparently predicted a cold winter, but I'll believe it when I see it.

I think we need a picture of Bee & Puppycat, as interpreted by Amber.

>234 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks!

It was nearly as cold here as it usually was in WI on Halloween when we lived there. Crazy.

>235 Helenliz: Ahahaha, no. I don't like myself in photos and the ones from yesterday are awful. You'll just have to believe me that the costume turned out good!

>237 scaifea: Yeah, I understand that. Boooo to bad photos.

On the Agenda for Today:
Menu planning, getting my grocery list ready, grocery shopping, possibly some sewing room time, then picking Charlie up from band practice. Not sure yet what's for dinner.

On the Reading Front:
Still plugging along with Shakespeare for Squirrels and The Getaway.

The Crafting Report:
No progress on anything yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Bee & Puppycat.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working the Friday shift and then probably having a nap when I get home at 3 before going back out to pick up Charlie from band practice at 6. Frozen Friday dinner tonight!

On the Reading Front:
I'm nearly finished with The Getaway, but print reading has been really slow lately. I'm hoping to get some good couch-blanket-tea reading time this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

The Crafting Report:
I didn't do any actual crafting yesterday, but I did spend a chunk of time finalizing my xmas projects list and putting together a supplies shopping list, plus ordering some of the bits and bobs online. I'm getting started earlier than normal this year, so maybe I won't actually have a full-on panic come mid-December? Let's just see.

What We're Watching:
Futurama.

>240 scaifea: oh, cripes, I haven't started mine.
But good luck! I'm sure it'll work out somehow.

How long is the Xmas crafting list this year?

>241 Ravenwoodwitch: Oh, it always works out one way or another, but it would be nice if I could skip the panic part.

>242 MickyFine: 33 items.

>243 scaifea: Wowzers! Your needles and hooks will be flying!

>244 MickyFine: Yup. That's the plan, anyway.

On the Agenda for Today:
Catch up on laundry, do the weekly bill sorting, take down the Halloween decorations and put up the Thanksgiving ones, make the week's dessert (I'm trying a recipe for Disney's Dole Whip), xmas crafting, then hopefully some reading time. Tomm's in charge of dinner: brats on the grill.

On the Reading Front:
I think I should be able to finish both the Moore and my audio this weekend. We'll see.

The Crafting Report:
I worked a bit on Charlie's xmas present yesterday, which is coming along pretty well.

What We're Watching:
Only Murders and some Bee & Puppycat.

Mmm, Dole Whip!

>247 foggidawn: I've never actually had the stuff at Disney, but I know people love it and this recipe sounds pretty good. So we'll give it a go.

>213 scaifea:. I loved the answer, thank you. I’ve often wondered why. A pact between competitive suitors - hard to imagine that happening today.

>249 jnwelch: Right? And honestly, hopefully not. The Women-As-Property business is, of course, gross. They weren't all jazzed about following through with the pact, though: Odysseus tried to weasel his way out of it when Agamemnon and Menelaus came for him by pretending to be insane (the clever man acting nuts to hide his true intentions trope is OLD). He yoked an ox and a horse to his plow and sowed something other than actual seeds (I can't remember offhand what it was), which, apparently, was the height of craziness. But in a weird exception to the Odysseus-in-more-clever-than-everyone-else rule, Agamemnon put Baby Telemachos in the path of the plow, and when Odysseus swerved to miss him, the jig was up.

On the Agenda for Today:
More laundry, because of course, meal prep for Charlie's lunches this week, some baking (Pumpkin Crumble Cake), some sewing, some reading. Florentine Chicken Soup for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
Still working through the Moore and the Giles. Getting there.

The Crafting Report:
I worked on a Christmas knitting project and started thinking about a sewing project that a colleague asked me to do for them: she has a favorite pair of shorts that she's had forever, that are falling apart, and for which she can't buy a replacement. So I'm going to take it apart, make a pattern from the pieces, and sew her a new pair.

What We're Watching:
Some Arrested Development, some Psych, some SNL, and some Only Murders.

On the Agenda for Today:
I've got my list of project supplies ready, so I'm heading to the fabric shop today. Depending on how long that takes me, I may work more on the shorts project this afternoon. And tonight I have a band booster meeting. Sloppy Joes for dinner, I think.

On the Reading Front:
I finished The Getaway but still have a few more pages in the Moore to go.

The Crafting Report:
The original shorts are in pieces, I've fashioned a pattern from them and cut out new pieces for a prototype pair. Sewing will commence anon.

What We're Watching:
Some Glee and another rewatch of Howl's Moving Castle.

Happy Monday, Amber. It's nice of you to help your colleague out like that, especially given the number of Christmas projects you want to get to!

>252 scaifea: Yay, Howl's Moving Castle. I saw a preview for the new Miyazaki movie coming out, The Boy and the Heron, which features Robert Pattinson as the voice of the heron and he sounds FANTASTIC. I wasn't really excited about the movie and then I heard his voice acting and he got me excited all by himself.

>253 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Honestly, if it were anything other than shorts, I might have told her it would have to wait until the new year, but shorts are super easy. Plus, I have a shirt that I'd like to take apart to make a new one, so her shorts can be my guinea pig...

>254 curioussquared: That movie looks so, so good. Charlie and I are really excited about it!

>252 scaifea: With how often my favorite pieces rip and tear, I reall should learn how to sew. But good on you for taking the time to help a coworker like that with all the other projects you have. That's so kind :)

>257 Ravenwoodwitch: Ah, well, I make a distinction between *sewing* and mending. One is fun and sometimes challenging, the other just sucks. So I dunno if it's actually kindness, because if she'd asked me to do a mending job I would very likely have said NOPE. Ha! Sewing, though, is great! Custom made stuff that no one else has? Bonus. My mom, who is an amazing seamstress, used to work for a local department-like store in their fabric section. She'd sew up patterns for them to use as floor models in exchange for getting to keep the item afterward at no cost. But she'd get really annoyed when unimaginative people came in asking for the exact fabric and trim for the pattern because she wanted to have a unique dress or whatever it was!

On the Agenda for Today:
A bit of laundry, and bit of cleaning, and I should probably start a new thread and post the couple of reviews I owe. Then, to the sewing room for the rest of the day! Leftovers (or possibly Chinese takeaway) for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
Finished up the Moore and started The Phoenix and the Mirror, although I think I may have already read it - I need to look into that... I also started listening to They Both Die at the End.

The Crafting Report:
I worked a bit on a knitting xmas project, but the main thing was the ridiculous amount of time I spent in the fabric shop. Every single sewing person in Columbus decided that yesterday was the day to get xmas sewing supplies. I was in line at the cutting counter for 30 minutes. And then again at the checkouts for 30 years. YOICKS.

What We're Watching:
I got home late from the Band Booster meeting, so Charlie and I just chatted a bit before heading to bed. I did watch some OUAT while knitting yesterday afternoon, though.

Sorry to hear that the fabric store was so busy. Standing in line is never fun.

Sounds like today should be a good one though. Enjoy all the sewing time!

>260 MickyFine: I was so mad at myself for not bringing my book in with me. Usually it's in my bag, but for whatever reason, yesterday I just decided to leave it in the car. Rookie mistake.

The new thread is up:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/354985