karenmarie's reading in 2023 - part IX

Welcome to my ninth thread of Two Thousand and Twenty-Three!

Bibliomaniac, bibliophile, lectiophiliac, bookworm. Four ways to describe me and books.

The Good: Family, friends, kitties, books, in constantly-rotating order. Jenna being home is wonderful although I know living at home chaffs her and she’d rather have her own apartment and a kitty or two. Almost 7 months post left knee replacement surgery. The Friends of the Library book sale is over, so I can relax a bit.

The Bad and the Sad: Covid seems to be on the uptick again. Ukraine is still fighting for its survival as an independent country. I’m distraught that there are so many state-sanctioned evil things going on in so many countries in the world, including ours. Women’s rights in the US are under continuing and escalating attack. Where do men come off trying to control women’s bodies? Racism is alive and well and able to easily organize on the Internet. Why has this poison not yet been eradicated? The haves keep wanting more and more and the have nots keep getting shafted more and more. Why don’t people here in the US vote with their pocketbooks instead of extreme religious beliefs? We’re currently in a (fortunately so far) inactive hurricane season. I’m still pretty much avoiding the news these days, frankly.

The Ugly: The Gang of Psychos is the ugliest thing going on in this country right now.

Like everybody else who gets to 70, I think “How did I get to be old?” Still trying to figure out if I want to visit Montana, and/or northern California to visit my aunt/uncle, or just forget it for this year.

Here’s what I still feel about being retired after almost 8 years:

It’s Killer Diller! It’s the humdinger. It’s also dilly! It’s the Lollapalooza. It’s the lobster’s dress shirt! It's the snail's ankles. It’s bonaroo! It’s the berries! It’s aces, snazzy, hot, smooth, sweet, swell, keen, and cool. It’s also the fox’s socks, the cat’s pajamas, the bee’s knees, the eel’s hips, the monkey’s eyebrows, the sardine’s whiskers, the gnat’s whistle. It's the razzmatazz and the chipmunk's cheeks. It’s jake, and it’s hotsy-totsy.

I read and am a charter member of the Redbud and Beyond Book Club, started in 1997. Here’s the schedule for 2023-2024:

Aug 23 - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Sep 23 - Indigo Field by Marjorie Hudson
Oct 23 - Shy by Max Porter
Nov 23 - An Immense World by Ed Yong
Dec 23 - Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Jan 24 - The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
Feb 24 - Solito by Javier Zamora
Mar 24 - The Scapegoat by Daphne DuMaurier
Apr 24 - The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash
May 24 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

I happily turned over the reins of the Presidency of the Friends in July and am Immediate Past President. I’ll stay on the Board for however long the next President serves, then completely leave the Board and just stay on the Book Sale Team. The Book Sale Team meets on Tuesdays to sort donations for the spring and fall book sales.

I have been married to Bill for 32 years and am mother to Jenna, who turned 30 in early August. The three of us live in our own little corner of paradise on 8 acres in central North Carolina USA. We have someone who's got her horses here, but it may not work out. There are electrical problems at the barn that may be prohibitive to fix at this time and some real weirdness from her and her boyfriend.

We have three kitties. Inara – 16, Zoe – 5, Wash – 4.
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Jenna, 2011.
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My goal last year was 75 books, based on what I thought would be a tough reading year because of my health. Ha. I read over 300 books, mostly on my Kindle, mostly using Kindle Unlimited. They were, as my daughter calls them, smut, and my friend Karen in Montana calls porn. *shrugs* I really, really enjoy reading this subgenre of contemporary fiction/romance and will continue until it no longer interests me. This coming year’s goal is back to 100, but I’ve already read 285 books, am still enthralled with contemporary fiction/romance – smut - with no end in sight. I’m going to leave the 100 book goal as is.

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New Year’s Resolutions – 2023 – I think I’ll just posting this all year and make sure I read and update it!

Health:

Lose a minimum of 20 pounds.
Work out for cardio health 3 times a week when appropriate given potential knee surgeries. Have restarted 3x per week treadmill.
Get knee replacement surgery (ies?) and assiduously follow through with all PT and other requirements. First one, left knee, done.
Reduce red meat consumption and increase salmon and other healthy fish consumption. More chicken more frequently, salmon about every week and a half.
Continue low-sodium lifestyle and gradually work to reduce sugared items to 2-3 times a week.

Reading:

Read 5% nonfiction this year if continuing with startling numbers of contemporary fiction - i.e., romances, otherwise 10% if the romance trend tapers off.
Inventory all book shelves in house, ruthlessly cull that which I won’t read/re-read and which Jenna won’t want when I’m gone. ~123 shelves = 10/month.
Finish The Federalist Papers, Pilgrim, re-start and finish Run With the Horsemen, a gift from Peggy.
Read A Brief Introduction to the New Testament by Bart D. Ehrman with friend Karen in Montana. Read The Making of Biblical Womanhood with friend Karen and @streamsong, both in Montana.

Maybe read Don Juan by George Gordon, Lord Byron, with Peggy.

House:

Get the Parlour back under control by making a decision about each thing in the room and immediately following through properly: keep and store, toss, donate.

Inter-personal:

Be in better touch with family and friends. I tend to isolate when stressed.

General:

As Judy says, pay attention.
Express gratitude for what I have - family, friends, intangibles and tangibles - every day.

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2023. I have high hopes for familial stability with Jenna living at home and socking money away for the eventual move to an apartment of her own. The new normal for Covid will, I hope, be continued vigilance and an eventual regimen of yearly vaccines as we do with flu. With politics, who knows, but I hope the Democrats continue to keep the Gang of Psychos in check as much as possible and the world does not implode via Putin/nuclear/Ukraine, Kim Jung Un in North Korea ditto nuclear, and the Middle East with Israel and Iran ditto nuclear. See a potentially devastating theme here?

Books Read - last year was 324

January
1. Glamorous by Romeo Alexander 12/31/22 1/1/23 202 pages Kindle
2. Commitment Issues by Ali Ryecart 1/1/23 1/2/23 372 pages Kindle
3. Take My Breath Away by Ali Ryecart 1/2/23 1/3/23 395 pages Kindle
4. Out of the Shadows by Ali Ryecart 1/3/23 1/4/23 364 pages Kindle
5. Loose Connection by Ali Ryecart 1/4/23 1/5/23 354 pages Kindle
6. Corporate Bodies by Ali Ryecart 1/5/23 1/6/23 318 pages Kindle
**abandoned Release by Ali Ryecart** 106 pages
**abandoned Time for Love by Laura N. Andrews** 84 pages
**abandoned Imperfect by Ali Ryecart** 52 pages
7. Hotline by Quinn Anderson 1/6/23 1/6/23 276 pages Kindle
8. Alaska by Cate Ashwood 1/6/23 1/7/23 182 pages Kindle
9. Bishop Ridge by Cate Ashwood 1/7/23 1/8/23 187 pages Kindle
10. Copper Creek by Cate Ashwood 1/8/23 1/8/23 198 pages Kindle
11. Bet on Love by A.F. Zoelle and Ariella Zoelle 1/9/23 1/10/23 178 pages 2020
**abandoned First Comes Marriage by Shira Anthony** 145 pages
12. Ex-Factor by CJ Bishop 1/10/23 1/10/23 22 pages Kindle 2022
13. Hot Boss by Scarlet Blackwell 1/10/23 1/11/23 110 pages Kindle 2021
14. The Mechanic and the Surgeon by Steve Milton 1/11/23 1/11/23 115 pages Kindle 2015
**abandoned Captured by Scarlet Blackwell** 82 pages
**abandoned Ironhearted by Cate Ashwood** 156 pages
15. The Best Man Problem by Jace Hadley 1/11/23 1/12/23 248 pages Kindle
16. Show Me Wonders by Riley Nash 1/13/23 1/14/23 327 pages Kindle
17. Hold me Under by Riley Nash 1/14/23 1/15/23 336 pages Kindle
18. Christmas Special by Riley Nash 1/15/23 1/16/23 261 pages Kindle
19. Gruff Touch by R. Cayden 1/16/23 1/17/23 170 pages Kindle
20. Off Limits by Riley Hart 1/18/23 1/18/23 265 pages Kindle
21. Trusting Tanner by Nicky James 1/19/23 1/20/23 197 pages Kindle
22. Not So Nice by Emma Lyon 1/20/23 1/21/23 215 pages Kindle
23. Reunion by Lynn Van Dorn 1/21/23 1/22/23 312 pages Kindle
24. Rebound by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 381 pages Kindle
25. Be My Mistake by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 92 pages Kindle
26. Wild By Nature by Lynn Van Dorn 1/23/23 1/23/23 134 pages Kindle
27. Damage Control by Lynn Van Dorn 1/24/23 1/24/23 426 pages Kindle
28. Delicious by Stella Starling 1/25/23 1/26/23 249 pages Kindle
**abandoned, 8 books** 693 pages
29. Sem by Cora Rose 1/27/23 1/28/23 276 pages Kindle
30. Whit by Cora Rose 1/28/23 1/29/23 290 pages Kindle
31. Emery by Cora Rose 1/29/23 1/29/23 294 pages Kindle
32. Luke by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/30/23 276 pages Kindle
33. Lex by Cora Rose 1/30/23 1/31/23 233 pages Kindle
**abandoned Save Me by Beck Grey** 86 pages

February
34. Hard Target by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/1/23 246 pages Kindle
35. Full Contact by Kelly Fox 2/1/23 2/2/23 206 pages Kindle
36. Most Wanted by Kelly Fox 2/2/23 2/4/23 220 pages Kindle
37. Goodnight by Kelly Fox 2/4/23 2/5/23 264 pages Kindle
38. Heart of the Steal by Roan Parrish and Avon Gale 2/5/23 2/5/23 296 pages Kindle
39. In The Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish 2/5/23 2/6/22 428 pages Kindle
40. Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish 2/6/23 2/7/23 316 pages Kindle
41. Straight to the Heart by Lynn van Dorn 2/8/23 2/8/23 302 pages Kindle
42. The Loner by Riley Hart 2/8/23 2/9/23 253 pages Kindle
43. The Husband Hoax by Saxon James 2/9/23 2/10/23 278 pages Kindle
44. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith 11/1/22 2/11/23 audiobook 32.75 hours
45. Pretty Obsessed by J.R. Gray 2/10/23 2/11/23 350 pages Kindle
46. Pretty Toxic by J.R. Gray 2/11/23 2/12/23 228 pages Kindle
**abandoned May the Best Man Win by J.R. Gray, Kate Hawthorne** 116 pages
47. Just Want More by Evelyn Jeannie Hall 2/13/23 2/13/23 203 pages Kindle
48. The New Hire by A.W. Scott 2/14/23 2/14/23 116 pages Kindle
**abandoned Ben's Boss by K.C. Wells** 231 pages
**abandoned Powder and Pavlova by Jay Hogan** 99 pages
**abandoned The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde** 18 pages
**abandoned Sawyer by J.J. Harper
49. Gus by J.J. Harper 2/15/23 2/15/23 120 pages Kindle
50. Pushing the Limits by Riley Hart 2/16/23 2/16/23 322 pages Kindle
51. Giving Chase by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/17/23 355 pages Kindle
52. Murphy's Law by Riley Hart 2/17/23 2/18/23 343 pages Kindle
53. Hard Knox by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/18/23 358 pages Kindle
54. Griff's Place by Riley Hart 2/18/23 2/19/23 353 pages Kindle
55. Beautiful and Terrible Things by Riley Hart 2/19/23 2/19/23 386 pages Kindle
56. Snowed in With Benefits by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/20/23 422 pages Kindle
57. Working Out the Kinks by Misha Horne 2/20/23 2/21/23 362 pages Kindle
58. Just a Bit Bossy by Alessandra Hazard 2/21/23 2/22/23 251 pages Kindle
59. So Into You by S.E. Harmon 2/22/23 2/23/23 312 pages Kindle
60. Stay With Me by S.E. Harmon 2/23/23 2/24/23 272 pages Kindle
61. Chrysalis by S.E. Harmon 2/24/23 2/24/23 238 pages Kindle
**abandoned Texas King by A.R King** 150 pages ugh. got weirdly kinky. I like kink, but not this kink.
62. Charming Him by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 183 pages Kindle
**abandoned The Last Favor by Meg Harding** 15 pages
**abandoned Until You Say Otherwise by Kate Hawthorne** 120 pages
63. Fake It 'Til You Make It by Louisa Masters 2/25/23 2/26/23 39 pages Kindle
64. Eurotour by Jaberona BL 2/26/23 2/26/23 95 pages Kindle
65. Proud by Tatum West 2/26/23 2/27/23 231 pages Kindle
**abandoned Not Used to Cute by Becca Seymour** 40
66. The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths 2/27/23 2/28/23 357 pages hardcover
67. 1066 by Professor Jennifer Paxton 2/14/23 2/28/23 audiobook 3 hours

March
68. Business As Usual by Alison Hendricks 2/28/23 3/1/23 219 pages Kindle
69. A Kind of Romance 3/1/23 3/2/23 by Lane Hayes 270 pages Kindle
70. Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray 3/2/23 3/3/23 336 pages Kindle
71. Honestly Yours by Jaime Reese 3/3/23 3/4/23 364 pages Kindle
72. The Marriage Contract by Aja Foxx 3/4/23 3/4/23 254 pages Kindle
**abandoned Out by Tatum West** 167 pages
**abandoned Forgotten:Luca by Sloan Kennedy** 116
73. Rare by Briar Prescott 3/5/23 3/5/23 302 pages Kindle
74. The Happy List by Briar Prescott 3/5/23 3/6/23 278 pages Kindle
75. The Dating Experiment by Briar Prescott 3/6/23 3/6/23 268 pages Kindle
**abandoned The Terror of History: Mystics, Heretics, and Witches in the Western Tradition** by Professor Teofilo F. Ruiz** .45 hours
**abandoned The Underdog by Briar Prescott** 22 pages
**abandoned Heal My Heart by HQ Kingsley** 24 pages
**abandoned The Long Game by Samantha Wayland** 14 pages
**abandoned Forgotten: Luca by Sloane Kennedy** 100 pages
76. The Inconvenient Love by Briar Prescott 3/7/23 258 pages Kindle
77. Dirty Forty by Mia Monroe 3/8/23 3/9/23 236 pages Kindle
78. His Touch by Elena London 3/18/23 3/18/23 55 pages Kindle
79. Redeem by Christina Lee 3/18/23 3/21/23 238 pages Kindle
80. Undone by Christina Lee 3/21/23 3/23/23 255 pages Kindle
81. Beautiful Chaos by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack 3/24/23 3/25/23 241 pages Kindle
82. Love Me Louder by Christina Lee 3/25/23 3/25/23 236 pages Kindle 2018
83. The Romantic by Riley Hart 3/26/23 3/27/23 270 pages Kindle
84. Destructive Relations by Hayden Hall 3/27/23 3/27/23 244 pages Kindle
85. Pretty Wreck by J.R. Gray 3/28/23 3/31/23 282 pages Kindle

April
86. Colin by Cora Rose 3/31/23 4/1/23 242 pages Kindle
87. Hard for Tristan by Brady Fox 4/1/23 4/2/23 86 pages Kindle
88. Roommate by Sarina Bowen 4/2/23 4/3/23 297 pages Kindle
89. Reaching Reed by Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes 4/3/23 4/4/23 264 pages Kindle
90. Filthy Sweet by R. Cayden 4/4/23 4/5/23 216 pages Kindle
91. Givers by Casey Cox 4/5/23 4/6/23 281 pages Kindle
92. The Unmasking of Kelly James by Belle Chapin 4/6/23 4/7/23 224 pages Kindle
**abandoned The Faker Rulebook by Baylin Crow** 77 pages
**abandoned Family Rules by Jacki James** 78 pages
**abandoned Moving On by Felice Stevens** 210 pages
**abandoned Filthy and the Beast by R. Cayden** 100 pages
**abandoned Thief of Hearts by K. Evan Coles** 17 pages
**abandoned Hired: Hadley by Nora Phoenix** 112 pages
93. Pretty Things by Devon McCormack 4/7/23 4/8/23 342 pages Kindle
94. The Night Screams by Devon McCormack 4/8/23 4/9/23 203 pages Kindle
95. #ROYAL by Devon McCormack 4/9/23 4/10/23 263 pages Kindle
96. Snowblind by Eli Easton 4/10/23 4/11/23 114 pages Kindle
97. The Trouble with Tony by Eli Easton 4/11/23 4/11/23 111 pages Kindle
98. Beyond the Sea by Keira Andrews 4/11/23 4/12/23 263 pages Kindle 2016
99. Honeymoon for One by Keira Andrews 4/12/13 4/13/2023 269 pages Kindle 2018
100. In Case of Emergency by Keira Andrews 4/13/23 4/13/23 155 pages Kindle 2017
101. Dearest Milton James by N.R. Walker 4/13/23 4/14/23 218 pages Kindle 2021
102. 2 Dead Fish Named Kevin by L.A. Witt 4/14/23 4/14/23 84 pages Kindle 2023
103. Surprise Groom by D.J. Jamison 4/14/23 4/15/23 312 pages Kindle 2019
104. To The Moon and Back by N.R. Walker 4/15/23 4/16/23 209 pages Kindle 2023
105. Prince of Lies by Lucy Lennox 4/16/23 4/16/23 298 pages Kindle 2023
106. IRL: In Real Life by Lucy Lennox and Molly Maddox 4/16/23 4/17/23 267 pages Kindle 2019
107. Say You'll Be Nine by Lucy Lennox 4/17/23 4/17/23 265 pages Kindle 2020
108. Virgin Flyer by Lucy Lennox 4/17/23 4/18/23 254 pages Kindle 2020
109. Facing West by 4/18/23 4/18/23 4/19/23 271 pages Kindle 2017
110. Hearts Colliding by Ali Ryecart 4/19/23 4/19/23 310 pages Kindle 2023
111. Gideon by RJ Scott and Meredith Russell 4/20/23 4/21/23 190 pages Kindle 2020
112. Cover Me by L.A. Witt 4/21/23 4/22/23 386 pages Kindle 2014
113. Hitman vs Hitman by Cari Z 4/22/23 4/22/23 272 pages Kindle 2020
**abandoned Attraction by Kelly Fox** 120 pages
114. Takeover by Anna Zabo 4/23/23 4/24/23 230 pages Kindle 2021
**abandoned Just Business by Anna Zabo** 130 pages
115. Hard for my Boss by Daryl Banner 4/24/23 4/24/23 380 pages Kindle 2017
**abandoned Jerk: An ABCs of Love by Daryl Banner** 140 pages
116. The Intern by Serena Akeroyd 4/25/23 4/25/23 270 pages Kindle 2020
117. Revenge is Sweet by Felice Stevens 4/25/23 4/26/23 273 pages Kindle 2023
118. Make Me Fall by Riley Nash 4/26/23 4/28/23 296 pages Kindle 2022
119. Deadly Lover: Special Edition by Jocelynn Drake 4/28/23 4/29/23 338 pages Kindle 2021
**abandoned The Marriage Runaway by Aja Foxx** 120 pages
120. And the Best Man Ran Away with the Groom by Isla Olsen 4/29/23 4/30/23 185 pages Kindle

May
121. List Me With Your Best Shot by Isla Olsen 4/30/23 5/1/23 205 pages Kindle 2023
122. Friendly Fire by Cari Z 5/1/23 5/2/23 228 pages Kindle
123. The Art of Possession by Cari Z 5/2/23 5/3/23 171 pages Kindle
124. The Intern by Ally Porter 5/3/23 5/3/23 59 pages Kindle 2021
125. Tate by D Alex 5/3/23 5/4/23 138 pages Kindle 2021
126. Soul to Keep by Garrett Leigh 5/4/23 5/5/23 238 pages Kindle 2018 Jamie and Marc
127. Christmas on Firefly Hill by Garrett Leigh 5/5/23 5/5/23 188 pages Kindle 2022
128. Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh 5/5/23 5/6/23 254 pages Kindle 2020
129. How to Catch a Prince by Ana Ashley 5/7/23 5/8/23 230 pages Kindle 2019
**abandoned No Good Mitchell by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack** 203 pages
130. Checking Him Out by Debbie McGowan 5/9/23 5/10/23 208 pages Kindle 2014
131. Up for the Challenge by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack 5/10/23 5/12/23 358 pages Kindle 2017
**abandoned Felix and the Prince by Lucy Lennox** 148 pages Why, oh why, did I think another Prince of a small European Country and an American would work?
132. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith 3/1/23 5/12/23 16 hours audio book
133. Addicted to Ellis D by S.E. Harmon 5/12/23 5/13/23 320 pages Kindle 2023
134. Misconduct by Lynn Van Dorn 5/13/23 5/14/23 198 pages Kindle 2023
135. Not That Complicated by Isabel Murray 5/14/23 5/15/23 283 pages Kindle 2022
136. The Trouble With Trying to Date a Murderer 5/15/23 5/16/23 167 pages Kindle 2022
137. Not So Fake by Emma Lyon 5/17/23 5/18/23 Kindle 187 pages 2021
**abandoned Midnight Ash by Ana Ashley** 183 pages
**abandoned Sugar and Sawdust by Debbie McGowan** 33 pages
138. Picking Up the Pieces by Frey Ortega 5/18/23 5/19/23 118 pages Kindle
139. The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey 5/16/23 5/20/23 254 pages Kindle
140. The Realist by Riley Hart 5/19/23 5/19/23 235 pages Kindle 2023 Marcus and Kai
**abandoned His Personal Assistant by LJ Harris** 120 pages
141. Edge of Living by HL Day 5/20/23 5/21/23 250 pages Kindle 2018
142. Five Night Stand by HL Day 5/21/23 5/22/23 151 pages Kindle 2022
143. Taking Love's Lead by HL Day 5/22/23 5/22/23 248 pages Kindle 2018 Zack and Edgar
144. Gaycation in Paradise by Ariella Zoelle 5/23/23 5/24/23 236 pages Kindle 2021 Rook and Aldo
145. Cinderella in the Sheets by Reece Pine 5/24/23 5/24/23 131 pages Kindle Presley and Louis 2018
146. Always MJ by SJD Peterson 5/24/23 5/24/23 49 pages Kindle Matty and Jared 2012
**The Gift of Strength by M.A. Innes** 126 pages
147. Kept in the Dark by HL Day 5/25/23 5/26/23 202 pages Kindle Dean Justin 2018
148. A Temporary Situation by HL Day 5/26/23 5/26/23 249 pages Kindle 2018 Tristan and Dominic
149. Time for a Change by HL Day 5/26/23 5/27/23 249 pages Kindle Michael and Sam 2018
150. Temporary Insanity by HL Day 5/27/23 5/28/23 258 pages Kindle 2019 Paul and Indy
151. Christmas Riches by HL Day 5/28/23 5/28/23 156 pages Kindle 2019
**abandoned Shai by HL Night** 146 pages
152. Not So Silent Night by HL Day 5/29/23 5/29/23 222 pages Kindle Ferris and Xander 2021
153. Exposed by HL Day 5/29/23 5/30/23 370 pages Kindle Tate and X 2020

June
154. A Flighty Fake Boyfriend by Z.A. Maxfield 5/31/23 6/1/23 250 pages Kindle
155. A Much Younger Man by Z.A. Maxfield 6/1/23 6/1/23 254 pages Kindle 2020 Beck and Lindy
**abandoned The Office Nemesis Calamity by Hayden Hall** 186 pages
156. Trick Play by Eden Finley 6/2/23 6/3/23 316 pages Kindle Matt and Noah 2018
157. Beautifully Stolen by Charity Parkerson 6/3/23 6/4/23 146 pages Kindle Brett and Roman 2020
158. Sometimes You Just Know by Bill VanPatten 6/4/23 6/4/23 258 pages Kindle Arnie and Peter 2022
159. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith 5/13/23 6/5/23 17.5 hours audiobook 2014
160. Forrest's #Win by Jennifer Cody 6/4/23 6/6/23 221 pages Kindle Forrest and Blake 2021
161. Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody 6/6/23 6/7/23 85 pages Kindle Orlando and Shannon 2023
162. The Best Men by Lauren Blakely and Sarina Bowen 6/7/23 6/8/23 326 pages Kindle Asher and Mark 2022
**abandoned A Guy Walks Into My Bar by Lauren Blakely** 138 pages
163. Reckless Roulette by Alice Winters 6/8/23 6/9/23 147 pages Kindle Kade and Len 2023
164. Dealer of Secrets by Davidson King 6/9/23 6/10/23 143 pages Kindle Zaire and Carter 2023
165. Leave No Trace by Michelle Frost and Sammi Cee 6/10/23 6/10/23 79 pages Kindle Trace and Kol 2023
166. Atlas by Eden Finley 6/10/23 6/11/23 257 pages Kindle Atlas and Lemon 2023
167. Snow Falling by Davidson King 6/11/23 6/11/23 236 pages Kindle Snow and Christopher 2017
168. Bullets & Butterflies by Maz Maddox 6/11/23 6/12/23 147 pages Kindle Liam and Cisco 2023
169. Smash & Grab by Maz Maddox 6/12/23 6/13/23 180 pages Kindle Dalton and Simon 2020
170. Sink or Swim by Maz Maddox 6/13/23 6/14/23 220 pages Kindle Jackson and Baha 2021
171. King & Queen by Maz Maddox 6/14/23 6/15/23 219 Kindle Royal and Blaise 2021
172. Lost in Amber by Maz Maddox 6/15/23 6/16/23 219 pages Kindle Yu and Lance 2022
173. Love for the Reaper by Charlie Cochet 6/16/23 6/16/23 80 pages Kindle Dev and Remy 2023
174. Heart Thief by Skylar Sweeney 6/16/23 6/17/23 282 pages Kindle Mason and Rex Blood Brothers 1 2022
175. Power Plays by Tricia Owens 5/28/23 6/17/23 6/17/23 117 pages Kindle Max and Ethan 2018
176. The Bucket List by Tricia Owens 6/18/23 6/18/23 110 pages Kindle Gabriel and Quinn 2016
177. Not So Innocent by Emma Lyon 6/18/23 6/18/23 201 pages Kindle Ethan and Holden 2021 The Real Thing 2
178. Not So Perfect by Emma Lyon 6/18/23 6/19/23 192 pages Kindle Shane and Quinn 2021 The Real Thing 4
179. The Guardian by Tricia Owens 6/19/23 6/20/23 332 pages Kindle Hayden/Dorian and Thomas 2017
180. The Holiday Hookup by Baylin Crow 6/20/23 6/20/23 57 pages Kindle Finn and Hunter 2021
181. Sweetest Hate by Baylin Crow 6/21/23 6/21/23 216 pages Kindle Arsen and Kellan 2021 Guys Next Door 2
182. Booklover by J.E. Birk 6/21/23 6/21/23 240 pages Kindle Jamie and Briar Vino and Veritas 7 2021
183. Mastering the Muse by Peter Styles 6/22/23 6/23/23 137 pages Kindle Arlo and Walter The Billionaire's Consort 1 2019
184. The Date Mistake by Joelle Lynne 6/24/23 6/25/23 296 pages Kindle Trevor and Aaron 2023 standalone
185. Nerdy Talk by Joelle Lynne 6/25/23 6/25/23 236 pages Kindle Micah and Lucas 2022 standalone
186. Wish Me Home by Joelle Lynne 6/25/23 6/25/23 167 pages Kindle Emmett and Cody 2022 Home for the Holidays 2
187. Hired for the Holidays by Raquel Riley 6/25/23 6/26/23 134 pages Kindle Jones and Adam Hearts for Hire 5
188. Faking It by Ali Ryecart 6/26/23 6/26/23 288 pages Kindle Toby and Ben Rent Boys 2
**abandoned Love, Me by Quinn Ward** 57 pages
**abandoned Shared Custody by J.P. Oliver and Peter Styles** 45 pages
189. Ace in the Hole by J.P. Oliver and Peter Styles 6/28/23 6/28/23 178 pages Kindle Oliver and Leo 2018
190. Before You Go by S.J. Conner 6/28/23 6/29/23 139 pages Kindle Leo and Anthony 2022 Holiday MM Romance 1
191. Adam by Reese Winters 6/29/23 6/29/23 69 pages Kindle Adam and Ronin Cockpit Club 1 2020
192. The Billionaire's Proposal by Reese Winters 6/29/23 6/29/23 75 pages Kindle Sebastian and Jude 2020
193. Corporate Merger by Lance Abrusco 6/29/23 6/29/23 41 pages Kindle Jack and Cameron 2015
**abandoned Into the North by Amber Huxley** 200 pages
**abandoned Fighting For You by J.P. Oliver** 60 pages
**abandoned Paladin by Onley James** 262 pages

July
194. Captive Hearts by Ali Ryecart 6/30/23 7/1/23 296 pages Kindle Dashiell and Billy Deviant Hearts 1 2018
195. LOL by Lucy Lennox and Molly Maddox 7/1/23 7/2/23 277 pages Kindle Scotty and Roman After Oscar 2 2019
196. The Step Bro Situation by Jesse H Reign 7/2/23 7/3/23 321 pages Kindle Luke and Jessie The Situationship Series 1 2023
197. How to Say I Do by Tal Bauer 7/3/23 7/5/23 401 pages Kindle Noël and Wyatt 2023
198. Sainted by Jesse H Reign 7/5/23 7/6/23 277 pages Kindle Saint and Damon (Demon) 2023
199. The List by Felice Stevens 7/6/23 7/8/23 267 pages Kindle Win and Eliot Second Chances 1 2021
200. Stick to the Script by Lane Hayes 7/8/23 7/8/23 88 pages Kindle Wyatt and Jamie Ace's Wild 13 2019
201. The Real Baxter by Lane Hayes 7/8/23 7/9/23 344 pages Kindle Sebastian and Trent The Baxter Chronicles 1 2022
202. Spreadsheets by Jaclyn Quinn 7/9/23 7/9/23 88 pages Kindle Griffin and Jeremy Ace's Wild 8 2019
203. Baxter's Right Hand Man by Lane Hayes 7/9/23 7/10/23 269 pages Kindle Pierce and Lorenzo The Baxter Chronicles 2 2023
204. Up to No Good by Annabella Michaels 7/10/23 7/10/23 60 pages Kindle Miles and Cole Ace's Wild 11 2019
205. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith 6/6/23 7/11/2023 18 hours audiobook 2015
206. Explicit Transactions by Hayden Hall 7/10/23 7/11/23 215 pages Kindle Luca and Austin Destined to Fail 3 2023
207. Rent Boy by Peter Styles and J.P. Oliver 7/11/23 7/12/23 126 pages Kindle Evan and Jacob 2018
208. The Right Wrong Number by Katie Warren 7/12/23 7/12/23 240 pages Kindle Julian and Liam 2023
**abandoned Up In Flames by Eden Finley and Saxon James ** 240 pages
209. The Jerk Next Door by Mia Monroe 7/13/23 7/14/23 190 pages Kindle Reign and Ace 2021
210. The Easy Way by May Archer 7/14/23 7/15/23 266 pages Kindle Cort and Cam 2017 The Way Home 1
211. I Do (Not) Anni Lee 7/15/23 7/15/23 244 pages Kindle Jake and Trevor 2023
212. See Me by CeCe Bennett 7/16/23 7/17/23 84 pages Kindle Ben and Oliver Requited 1 2023
213. Trained by the Boss by Charlotte Storm 7/17/23 7/18/23 184 pages Kindle Aiden and Griffin 2018
**abandoned Unfortunate by Nicole Dykes** 164 pages
214. Marry Me by Mia Monroe 7/18/23 7/19/23 230 pages Kindle Briar and Jude Tattoos and Temptation 1 2020
215. Not So Sincerely, Yours by A.M. Johnson 7/19/23 7/20/23 442 pages Kindle Ethan and Anders 2021
216. Laws of Attraction by Peter Styles 7/20/23 721 137 pages Kindle Tom and Jay 2016
217. Until You by Briar Prescott 7/20/23 7/22/23 320 pages Kindle Jude and Blake 2023
**abandoned Mr. Big Shot by Isla Olsen** 88 pages
218. My Boss With Benefits by Casey Cox 7/22/23 7/23/23 Kindle Miles and Kyler Elysian Escapades 2
219. The Long Way by May Archer 7/15/23 7/23/23 Kindle Damon and Cain 2017 The Way Home 2
220. Wrong Message, Right Valentine by Romeo Alexander 7/23/23 7/23/23 Kindle Sebastian and Trevor
221. Right-Hand Man by T.S. Ankney 7/23/23 7/23/23 Kindle Eli and Dante 2022 Hot Takes 1
222. Asking for a Friend by JJ Harper 7/23/23 7/24/23 Kindle Lando and Hesketh 2023
**abandoned Beau Pair by Rhys Everly** 128 pages
**abandoned The Unravelling of Julian Gray by Belle Chapin** 134 pages
223. The Kiss of His Blade by Romeo Alexander 7/25/23 7/27/23 387 pages Kindle Dane and Tristan 2022
224. Always the Groomsman by Raleigh Ruebins 7/27/23 7/27/23 253 pages Kindle Zane and Sebastian 2018
225. To Love and Protect by Romeo Alexander 7/27/23 7/28/23 330 pages Kindle Marcus and Adrian 2022
226. Help Me Remember by Romeo Alexander 7/28/23 7/29/23 277 pages Kindle Eric and Dylan 2022
227. Cupid Hates Me by Romeo Alexander 7/29/23 7/29/23 111 pages Kindle Brendan and Ryan 2020
228. Escort by Romeo Alexander 7/29/23 7/30/23 189 pages Kindle Jacob and Max 2021 Greenford 1
229. The Case of the Disappearing Hero by Romeo Alexander 7/30/23 7/30/23 118 pages Kindle Trevor and Cole 2019
**abandoned Stubbed Toes and Dating Woes by Dahlia Donovan** 38 pages

August
230. Distraction by Kelly Fox 7/31/23 8/1/23 248 pages Kindle Hopper and Liam Mobsters and Billionaires 4 2022
231. An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone 8/2/23 8/2/23 277 pages Kindle Aubrey and Blake When Snow Falls 1 2021
**abandoned Romantic Rescue by Blake Allwood** 99 pages
232. Curious by R.G. Alexander 8/3/23 8/3/23 232 pages Kindle Jeremy and Owen The Finn Factor 1 2015
233. Liar's Gambit by KellyFox 8/3/23 8/4/23 90 pages Kindle Nigel and Wilhelm The Elite 5 2023
234. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall 8/4/23 8/6/23 425 pages Kindle Luc and Oliver London Calling 1 2020
235. Obsession by Beth Laycock 8/6/23 8/6/23 269 pages Kindle Eli and Dominic 2019
236. How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall 8/6/23 8/7/23 350 pages Kindle Arden and Caspian Arden St. Ives 1 2017
237. How to Blow It With a Billionaire by Alexis Hall 8/7/23 8/8/23 355 pages Kindle Arden and Caspian Arden St. Ives 2 2017
238. How to Belong With a Billionaire by Alexis Hall 8/8/23 8/10/23 452 pages Kindle Arden and Caspian Arden St. Ives 3 2019
239. Love Always, Wild by A.M. Johnson 8/10/23 8/11/23 386 pages Kindle Wilder and Jax For Him, 1 2020
240. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 8/6/23 8/12/23 386 pages Hardcover
241. Glitterland by Alexis Hall 8/12/23 8/13/23 286 pages Kindle Darian and Ash Spires 1 2013
242. The London Chance by Lane Hayes 8/12/23 8/12/23 77 pages Kindle Chance and Roman 2023
**abandoned The Boss by M.D. Gregory** 48 pages
243. Waiting For the Flood by Alexis Hall 8/13/23 8/24/23 98 pages Kindle Adam and Edwin Spires 2 2018
244. For Real by Alexis Hall 8/14/23 8/16/23 427 pages Kindle Laurie and Toby Spires 3 2018
245. Pansies by Alexis Hall 8/16/23 8/18/23 438 pages Kindle Alfie and Fen Spires 4 2018
**abandoned Yours to be Forgiven by Hayden Hall** 115 pages
246. Reese Holt: The Dark Side by Laura Baumbach 8/18/23 8/19/23 236 pages Kindle Reese and Alex Reese Holt 1 2016
**abandoned A Bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach** 100 pages
247. Dear Mr. Brody by A.M. Johnson 8/19/23 8/20/23 402 pages Kindle Van and Parker For Him 3 2021
**abandoned Forever, Con Amor, by A.M. Johnson** 233 pages
248. The Endless Road to Sunshine by Nicky James 8/21/23 8/22/23 351 pages Kindle Jason and Skylar 2021
249. The Christmas I Know by Nicky James 8/22/23 8/23/23 145 pages Kindle Xavier and Andrew 2018
250. Adrenaline Jake by Louise Collins 8/23/23 8/23/23 93 pages Kindle Jake and Maddox Jake & Maddox 1 2017
251. Mad Dog Maddox by Louise Collins 8/23/23 8/23/23 117 pages Kindle Jake and Maddox Jake & Maddox 2 2017
252. Bye Baby by Louise Collins 8/23/23 8/24/23 157 pages Kindle Eliot and Donnie 2020 Flowershop Assassins 1 2020
253. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith 7/12/23 8/28/23 audiobook 22.5 hours 2020
254. So Pathetic by Louise Collins 8/25/23 8/26/23 249 pages Kindle Yates and Dylan Flowershop Assassins 2 2022
255. Raging Ranger by Louise Collins 8/26/23 8/26/23 243 pages Kindle Ranger and Troy Flowershop Assassins 3 2022
256. Rocked to Death by Louise Collins 8/26/23 8/28/23 307 pages Kindle Stone and Robin The Bakery Brothers 1 2023
257. My Cowlick Cop by Louise Collins 8/28/23 8/29/23 320 pages Kindle Jude and Luck The Bakery Brothers 2
**abandoned About Last Night by Aimee Nicole Walker** 93 pages
258. Halo by E.M. Lindsey 8/30/23 8/31/23 239 pages Kindle Victor and Oliver 2023

September
259. Rapture by E.M. Lindsey 8/31/23 9/1/23 239 pages Kindle Poe and Alonso 2023
260. Not Dating Material by Saxon James 9/1/23 9/2/23 281 pages Kindle Seven and Molly Accidental Love 2 2023
261. Aisle Be There by Charlie Cochet 9/2/23 9/3/23 246 pages Gage and Jett Kindle Runaway Grooms 1 2023
262. The Reprobate by Silvia Violet 9/3/23 9/4/23 284 pages Kindle Fox and Darren Texas Safehouse 5 2023
263. Takers by Casey Cox 9/4/23 9/4/23 246 pages Kindle Bremmer and Kelsey Upper Echelons 2 2023
264. My Fake Boyfrenemy by Casey Cox 9/4/23 9/4/23 Kindle Marnus and Pierce Elysian Escapades 3 2023
265. His Model Lover by Brendol James 9/4/23 9/5/23 200 pages Kindle Mika and Leo 2023
266. Taming the Tattooist by Brendol James 9/5/23 9/6/23 222 pages Kindle Isaac and Sean Sweet Ink 1 2022
267. Checking Out Love by R. Cooper 9/6/23 9/7/23 41 pages Kindle Jeremy and Benj 2015
**abandoned The Billionaire's Assistant by Silvia Violet ** 157 pages
**abandoned The Brat and the Bossman by Rebecca James** 9/8/23 9/9/23 Blaze and Lake
268. The Charmer by Riley Hart 9/9/23 9/10/23 249 pages Kindle Corbin and Spencer The Vers Podcast 4 2023
**abandoned Scandal by T. Ashleigh** 145 pages**
269. Heatwave by A.D. Ellis 9/11/23 9/11/23 173 pages Kindle Grant and Avery 2023
270. Return of the Chauffeur's Son by Tara Lain 9/11/23 9/12/23 223 pages Kindle Luca and Dylan Movie Magic Romances 1 2020
**abandoned Imperfect by Ali Ryecart** 160 pages
271. His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene 9/13/23 9/15/23 400 pages Kindle Alessandro and Teddy West Coast Mobsters 2 2023
272. His Fatal Love by Leighton Greene 9/15/23 9/17/23 410 pages Kindle Leo and Julian West Coast Mobsters 2 2023
273. Will & Patrick Wake Up Married by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/17/23 9/18/23 128 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 1 2016
274. Will & Patrick Meet the Family 9/18/23 9/18/23 121 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 2 2016
275. Will & Patrick Do the Holidays by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/18/23 9/19/23 117 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 3 2016
276. Will & Patrick Fight Their Feelings by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/19/23 9/20/23 141 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 4 2016
277. Will & Patrick Meet the Mob by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/20/23 9/20/23 153 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 5 2016
278. Will & Patrick's Happy Ending by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/20/23 9/21/23 140 pages Kindle Wake Up Married 6 2016
279. Mr. Naughty List by Leta Blake 9/21/23 9/23/23 312 pages Kindle RJ and Aaron Mr. Christmas 2 2019
**abandoned Husband Material by Alexis Hall** 97 pages
**abandoned Pretty F*cked by J.R. Gray** 173 pages
280. Mr. Jingle Bells by Leta Blake 9/23/23 9/26/23 421 pages Kindle Ashton and Walker Mr. Christmas 3 2021
281. A Little Bit Like Love by Brooke Blaine 9/26/23 9/26/23 314 pages Kindle Jackson and Lucas South Haven 1 2017
282. Bedhead by Brooke Blaine 9/26/23 9/27/23 238 pages Kindle Hudson and Drew Hate to Love You 1 2023
**abandoned Bring on Forever by Leta Blake** 60 pages
283.Falling for the Florist by Brendol James 9/27/23 9/29/29/23 157 pages Kindle Henry and Dylan Sweet Ink 2 2023
**abandoned His Argentinian Billionaire by Avery Mist** 71 pages

October
**abandoned Made to Order by Brigham Vaughn** 171 pages
284. The Anonymous Hookup by Jax Calder 10/1/23 10/2/23 121 pages Kindle Sam and Lane 2022
285. The Roommate Proposal by Jace Hadley 10/2/23 10/2/23 287 pages Kindle Alexsei and Logan Perfect Opposites 2 2022
286. EWB (Enemies with Benefits) by N.R. Walker 10/2/23 10/2/23 353 pages Kindle Valentine and Marshall 2023
**abandoned Private Charter by N.R. Walker** 34 pages
287. Outrun the Rain by N.R. Walker 10/4/23 10/5/23 177 pages Kindle Tully and Jeremiah The Storm Boys Series 1 2023
**abandoned Tic-Tac Mistletoe by N.R. Walker** 130 pages
**abandoned Sinner's Gin by Rhys Ford** 83 pages
288. Into the Tempest by N.R. Walker 10/5/23 10/6/23 185 pages Kindle Tully and Jeremiah The Storm Boys Series 2 2023
289. Touch the Lightning by N.R. Walker 10/6/23 10/7/23 195 pages Kindle Tully and Jeremiah The Storm Boys series 3 2023
290. The Kite by N.R. Walker 10/7/23 10/8/23 272 pages Kindle Harry and Asher 2022
291. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith 9/27/23 10/10/23 Hardcover and Kindle 2023 944 pages
**abandoned The Hate You Drink by N.R. Walker** 112 pages
292. Love and Sunshine by Killian Ford 10/9/23 10/10/23 230 pages Kindle Levi and Cameron 2022
293. I Hear You by Casey Morales 10/10/23 10/11/23 310 pages Kindle Gabe and Tyler Nashville Spicy Book 3 2023
**abandoned Oral Persuasion by Ian Finn** 52 pages
294. Body Count by L. Eveland 10/12/23 10/13/23 349 pages Kindle Theo and River Wayward Sons 2023
**abandoned Real Trouble by Elle Keaton** 60 pages
295. Captured by by Remi Kingsley 10/13/23 10/14/23 54 pages Kindle Leo and Maddox 2022
296. The Fixer by Charity Parkerson 10/14/23 10/14/23 243 pages Kindle Chad and Journey Damaged Devils 1 2023
297. Blood Sports by Daniel May 10/14/23 10/15/23 289 pages Kindle Jove and Tobias Hanged Men 1 2021
298. War Games by Daniel May 10/15/23 10/16/23 420 pages Kindle Nerva and Pascal Hanged Men 2 2022
**abandoned Claiming the Cleanfreak by Daniel May** 134 pages Atticus and Isaac 2021
299. Man Hunt by Daniel May 10/16/23 10/18/23 280 pages Kindle Mars and Diomedes Hanged Men 3 2023
300. The Moon Also Rises by Frances M. Thompson 10/18/23 10/20/23 452 pages Kindle Jake and Rami Sun, Moon & Stars 2 2022
**abandoned Too Close to the Flame by Ryan Taylor** 66 pages
301. Pick Me by May Archer 10/21/23 10/22/23 323 pages Kindle Gage and Knox Sunday Brothers 1 2021
302. Floodgates by Mary Calmes 10/22/23 10/22/23 307 pages Kindle Tracy and Cord 2023
303. The Marshal's PI by Este Holland 10/23/23 10/23/23 232 pages Kindle Kai and Gannin Yours to Protect 2 2019
**abandoned One Night in Whisper by K. Sterling** 57 pages
304. Christmas Spirit by Ali Ryecart 10/24/23 10/24/23 167 pages Kindle Roland and Georgie 2020
305. A Toast to Us by Leah Meers 10/24/23 10/24/23 156 pages Kindle Max and Emmitt Tales from Revere's 1 2020
306. Top Shelf Tastes by Leah Meers 10/24/23 10/25/23 193 pages Kindle Finn and Carter Tales from Revere's 2 2020
307. Talk to Me by D.K. Sutton 10/25/23 10/26/23 181 pages Kindle Max and Chase Sloan Brothers 1 2019
308. First Impressions by Jay Hogan 10/26/23 10/27/23 323 pages Kindle Michael and Josh Auckland Med 1 2019
309. Up Close and Personal by Jay Hogan 10/28/23 10/29/23 354 pages Kindle Mark and Edward Aukland Med 3 2020
**abandoned Giving In by Rue Whitney** 154 pages
310. Enemies Like You by Joanna Chambers and Annika Martin 10/30/23 10/31/23 308 pages Kindle Will and Kit Enemies with Benefits Series 1 2017
**abandoned Too Close to the Flame by Ryan Taylor** 110 pages
abandoned

November
311. Total Creative Control by Joanna Chambers and Sally Malcolm 10/31/23 11/1/23 358 pages Kindle Aaron and Lewis Creative Types 1 2021
**abandoned Meeting Mr. Adorkable by Ali Ryecart** 227 pages
312. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith 8/28/23 11/2/23 audio book 32 hours Cormoran Strike 5 2020
313. His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley 11/2/23 11/3/23 188 pages Kindle Ian and Guy Con Riley's Christmas Collection 2022
314. On the 2 by Felice Stevens 11/4/23 11/4/23 283 pages Kindle Nash and Ethan 2023
315. Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker 11/4/23 11/4/23 101 pages Kindle Sebastian and Ryland 2017
316. Galaxies and Oceans by N.R. Walker 11/4/23 11/5/23 301 pages Kindle Aubrey and Patrick 2018
317. Bossy by N.R. Walker 11/5/23 11/6/23 270 pages Kindle Bryce and Michael 2021
318. Elements of Retrofit by N.R. Walker 11/6/23 11/6/23 122 pages Kindle Thomas and Cooper Thomas Elkin Series 1 2017
319. Clarity of Lines by N.R. Walker 11/6/23 11/6/23 132 pages Kindle Thomas and Cooper Thomas Elkin Series 2 2017
320. Sense of Place by N.R. Walker 11/6/23 11/6/23 134 pagesKindle Thomas and Cooper Thomas Elkin Series 3 2018
**abandoned Fall For You by Felice Stevens** 164 pages
321. The Art of Husbandry by Jay Hogan 11/7/23 11/9/23 397 pages Kindle Gil and Holden Mackenzie Country 1 2023
322. The Mechanics of Lust by Jay Hogan 11/9/23 11/10/23 382 pages Kindle Zach and Luke Mackenzie Country 2 2023
323. Trusting the Elements by Elle Keaton 11/10/23 11/11/23 178 pages Kindle Greg and Otto Never Too Late 1 2019
324. Flat Whites & Chocolate Fish by Jay Hogan 11/11/23 11/12/23 330 pages Kindle Niall and Adrian Southern Lights 3 2020
**abandoned BTW: By The Way by Lucy Lennox** 89 pages
**abandoned Hold the Door by Vinni George** 189 pages
**abandoned Tied to You by Syn Blackrose** 85 pages

Currently Reading:

Pilgrim by Timothy Findley 6/20/22 486 pages hardcover 1999
Lost Christianities by Professor Bart D. Ehrman 11/2/23 audiobook 12.5 hours 2002
Lost Christianities Course Guidebook by Professor Bart D. Ehrman 11/3/23 trade paperback 118 pages 2002
Tallowwood by N.R. Walker 11/14/23 Kindle August and Jacob 2019
An Immense World by Ed Yong 10/22/23 Hardcover 355 pages 2022
The Federalist edited by Jacob E. Cooke 5/28/22 656 pages hardcover 1961

adds - last year was 371, with way too many Kindle books. Kindle Unlimited will reduce that number significantly this year. I hope. We'll see.

1. Kindle - Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale
2. Kindle - The Mechanic and the Surgeon by Steve Milton
3. Kindle - Hot Boss by Scarlet Blackwell
4. Amazon - Livid by Cai Emmons
5. re-added - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
6. Amazon - The Dead Sea Scrolls by Betsy Bennett
7. found - New Testament by
8. FoCCL - The New Testament: Greek and English by Kurt Aland
9. Amazon - Everything You Need to Know When I'm Gone: After Death Planner by
10. Amazon - Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem
11. Amazon - What Is Left the Daughter by Howard Norman
12. Amazon - Desperation in Death by J.D. Robb
13. Amazon - No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child
14. FoCCL - Oldtown Folks by Harriet Beecher Stowe Quality Issue
15. Amazon - Call for the Dead by John le Carré
16. Stasia Doster - The War Against the Jews, 1933-1945 by Lucy S. Dawidowicz
17. Kindle - Fake It 'Til You Make It by Louisa Masters
18. Kindle - Eurotour: Age Gap MM Romance by Jaberona BL
19. Kindle - Powder & Pavlova by Jay Hogan
20. Kindle - The Golden Asse by Lucius Apuleius, translated by William Adlington
21. Kindle - Baby Shark by Robert Fate
22. Kindle - Adrenaline Jake: Jake & Maddox by Louise Collins
23. Kindle - The Fresco by Sheri S. Tepper
24. Kindle - Remember Him by Steve Milton
25. Amazon - The Fresco by Sheri S Tepper
26. FoCCL - The Golden Age by Kenneth Grahame
27. Karen - Writers and Their Cats by Alison Nastasi
28. Karen - Call of the Cats: What I Learned About Life and Love from a Feral Colony by Andrew Bloomfield
29. FoCCL - Moby Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville
30. found - Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
31. Amazon - The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
32. Rhoda - Whoever I Am by Eileen Dewhurst
33. Rhoda - 1222 by Anne Holt
34. Rhoda - Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
35. FoCCL - Halley's Bible Handbook: An Abbreviated Bible Commentary by Henry H. Halley
36. FoCCL - Resurrecting Jesus: Embodying the Spirit of a Revolutionary Mystic by Adyashanti
37. FoCCL - Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them) by Bart D. Ehrman
38. FoCCL - Abraham Lincoln The War Years by Carl Sandburg
39. FoCCL - The Word Bible Handbook by Lawrence O. Richards
40. FoCCL - The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History by Ph. D. Alan Axelrod
41. Jenna - Le Petit Prince: Avec Dessins Par L'auteur , Antoine de Saint Exupery by Antoine de Saint Exupery
42. FoCCL - Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
43. Amazon - The Red Sea Scrolls: How Ancient Papyri Reveal the Secrets of the Pyramids by Mark Lehner
44. Rhoda - Bill Slider Omnibus by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
45. Amazon - The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr
46. Karen - Thrust: A Spasmodic Pictorial History of the Codpiece in Art by Michael Glover
47. FoCCL - The Tao of Zen by Ray Grigg
48. FoCCL - God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens
49. FoCCL - Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
50. FoCCL - A Treasury of American Folklore: Stories, Ballads, and Traditions of the People by B.A. Botkin
51. FoCCL - Jewish Participants in the Civil War by Harry Simonhoff
52. FoCCL - The Bible in Pictures by Rev Ralph Kirby
53. Kindle - Sugar and Sawdust by Debbie McGowan
54. Kindle - Checking Him Out by Debbie McGowan
55. FoCCL - Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
56. FoCCL - The Monks Of War. The Military Orders by Desmond Seward
57. Kindle - Say It by Sky McCoy
58. Kindle - Los Nefilim by T. Frohock
59. FoCCL - The Obsidian Chamber by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
60. FoCCL - Still Life with Crows by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
61. Amazon - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
62. Amazon - Slow Horses by Mick Herron
63. Amazon - Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
64. Kindle - The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey
65. Kindle - Cinderella in the Sheets by Reece Pine
66. Amazon - Salmon Fishing In The Yemen by Paul Torday
67. Kindle - Power Plays: MM Stories of Sin City by Tricia Owens
68. Amazon - Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
69. Kindle - Ruth by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
70. Amazon - Fatal Shadows by Josh Lanyon
71. FoCCL - Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
72. FoCCL - Slaughter-House Five or The Children's Crusade A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
73. FoCCL - Back Home by Bill Mauldin
74. FoCCL - The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo
75. FoCCL - Sapho by Alphonse Daudet
76. Amazon - The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
77. Amazon - Encore in Death by J. D. Robb
78. Amazon - Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says about the End by Bart D. Ehrman
79. McIntyre's - Metropolis by B. A. Shapiro
80. McIntyre's - Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen
81. McIntyre's - Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen
82. McIntyre's - Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World by Malcolm Harris
83. Karen - Yellowstone View by Thomas Lee
84. Amazon - My Search for Warren Harding by Robert Plunket
85. Amazon - The Bigger They Come by Erle Stanley Gardner
86. Karen - The Kingdom New Testament: A Contemporary Translation by N. T. Wright
87. Karen - The Beauty of Living: E. E. Cummings in the Great War by J. Alison Rosenblitt
88. Karen - The Journey to the Mayflower: God's Outlaws and the Invention of Freedom by Stephen Tomkins
89. Karen - Dinosaur Lives: Unearthing an Evolutionary Saga by John R. Horner
90. Karen - Librarian Tales: Funny, Strange, and Inspiring Dispatches from the Stacks by William Ottens
91. Karen - Scribe by Alyson Hagy
92. Karen - The Zen of Home Water: True Tales of Adventure, Travel, and Fly Fishing by Jerry Hamza
93. Karen - David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell
94. Karen - Melted Cheese: Gloriously gooey recipes, from fondue to grilled cheese & pasta bake to potato gratin by Ryland Peters & Small
95. Laura - Exiles by Jane Harper
96. Louise - A Field Guide to Western Birds by Tory Peterson Institute Roger
97. Laura - An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
98. Jenna - The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
99. Jenna - Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Live of the Stars by Scotty Bowers
100. Kindle - Our Secret Wedding by H J Perry
101. Jenna - The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
102. Jenna - Telling Tales by Ann Cleeves
103. Jenna - Hidden Depths by Ann Cleeves
104. Jenna - Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves
105. Jenna - The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves
106. Jenna - Harbour Street by Ann Cleeves
107. Jenna - The Moth Catcher by Ann Cleeves
108. Jenna - The Seagull by Ann Cleeves
109. Kindle - Off Plan by May Archer - thank you Richard, for sending me the $0.00 link
110. Kindle - Moving Maverick by Lucy Lennox - thank you Richard, for sending me the $0.00 link
111. Kindle - The List by Felice Stevens
112. Kindle - Why Love Matters by Jay Northcote
113. Kindle - Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen
114. FoCCL - Donald Has a Difficulty by Peter Neumeyer and Edward Gorey
115. FoCCL - The Dinosaur Hunter by Homer Hickham
116. FoCCL - Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
117. FoCCL - The Library Book by Susan Orlean
118. Amazon - Birnham Wood by Eleanor Catton
119. Kindle - Mission:X by Alan Kim
120. FoCCL - Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature's Most Intriguing Dedications by Marlene Wagman-Geller
121. FoCCL - Simon the Coldheart by Georgette Heyer
122. Amazon - Ascending Peculiarity: Edward Gorey on Edward Gorey
123. FoCCL - Letty by Clare Darcy
124. FoCCL - The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
125. Kindle - Husband Material by Alexis Hall
126. Kindle - Glitterland by Alexis Hall
127. Kindle - Farthing by Jo Walton
128. Kindle - Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall
129. Kindle - For Real by Alexis Hall
130. Kindle - The Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale
131. Kindle - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
132. FoCCL - Gandhi's Religious Thought by Margaret Chatterjee Quality issue
133. FoCCL - When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
134. FoCCL - Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck - mass market paperback
135. FoCCL - The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck - mass market paperback
136. FoCCL - Giant by Edna Ferber Quality issue
137. FoCCL - Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis Quality issue
138. FoCCL - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
139. Kindle - Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer
140. Kindle - Pansies by Alexis Hall
141. FoCCL - Simon the Cold Heart by Georgette Heyer
142. Kindle - Artifacts by Mary Anna Evans
143. Amazon - The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels
144. Amazon Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
145. FoCCL - My Religion by M.K. Gandhi
146. FoCCL - The Mind of the South by W.J. Cash
147. FoCCL - A History of Britain Vol 1 by Simon Schama
148. FoCCL - A History of Britain Vol 2 by Simon Schama
149. FoCCL - A History of Britain Vol 3 by Simon Schama
150. Amazon - Secret Power Wikileaks and Its Enemies by Stefania Maurizi
151. Kindle - Indigo Field by Marjorie Hudson
152. Thrift Shop - Writers & Lovers by Lily King
153. Thrift Shop - Hussein by Patrick O'Brian
154. FoCCL - Village Creek by Gordon Baxter
155. Amazon - Feminist Interpretation of the Bible edited by Letty M. Russell
156. Amazon - The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer - trade paperback
157. Kindle - Checking Out Love by R. Cooper
158. FoCCL - The Abduction Of A Limerick Heiress by Toby Barnard
159. Amazon - Payback in Death by J.D. Robb
160. Amazon - Shy by Max Porter
161. FoCCL - The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
162. Amazon - Baking Yesteryear: The Best Recipes from the 1900s to the 1980s by Dylan Hollis
163. Dutch & Kay - Collier's World Atlas and Gazetteer by Son Corporation
164. Dutch & Kay - Japanese in Thirty Hours by Eiichi Kiyooka
165. Dutch & Kay - Stirrin the Pots on Daufuskie by Billie Burn
166. Dutch & Kay - The Birds of America by James Audubon
167. Dutch & Kay - The Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier by Greenleaf Whittier
168. Dutch & Kay - What If There's a Rainbow? by Johnston-Hale
169. FoCCL - A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
170. FoCCL - A New History of the American South by Fitzhugh Brundage
171. FoCCL - Afternoons with Harper Lee by Wayne Flynt
172. FoCCL - Alexandra Petri's US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up) by Alexandra Petri
173. FoCCL - An Honest Man by Michael Koryta
174. FoCCL - Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane
175. FoCCL - Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates by Jay Dolin
176. FoCCL - Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune by Keith Thomson
177. FoCCL - Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century by Roseanne Montillo
178. FoCCL - Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers by McDowell
179. FoCCL - Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession by Laurence Leamer
180. FoCCL - Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism by Jeffrey Toobin
181. FoCCL - I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
182. FoCCL - In the Act by Rachel Ingalls
183. FoCCL - Jerusalem: The Biography by Sebag Montefiore
184. FoCCL - Kappa by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
185. FoCCL - Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins―From Spices to Vices by Noah Whiteman
186. FoCCL - Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past by M. Kruse
187. FoCCL - Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
188. FoCCL - Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi
189. FoCCL - Rich White Men: What It Takes to Uproot the Old Boys' Club and Transform America by Garrett Neiman
190. FoCCL - Roadwork by Stephen King
191. FoCCL - Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies: How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature by Elizabeth Winkler
192. FoCCL - Soldiers Don't Go Mad: A Story of Brotherhood, Poetry, and Mental Illness During the First World War by Charles Glass
193. FoCCL - Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding
194. FoCCL - The Book of Longings by Monk Kidd
195. FoCCL - The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight by Andrew Leland
196. FoCCL - The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
197. FoCCL - The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
198. FoCCL - The Other Dr. Gilmer: Two Men, a Murder, and an Unlikely Fight for Justice by Benjamin Gilmer
199. FoCCL - The Paris Mystery by Kirsty Manning
200. FoCCL - The Reality Meltdown by Dan Cray
201. FoCCL - The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Callahan Henry
202. FoCCL - U.S. Official Pictures of the World War by William E. Moore Late Captain USA and James C. Russell Late Captain USA
203. FoCCL - Zero Days by Ruth Ware
204. FoCCL - Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World by Ella Frances Sanders
205. FoCCL - The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart
206. FoCCL - The Devil's Company by David Liss
207. FoCCL - Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art by Christopher Moore
208. FoCCL - Do Penguins Have Knees? by David Feldman
209. FoCCL - I'm Too Young To Be Seventy: And Other Delusions by Judith Viorst
210. FoCCL - My Friends by Hisham Matar
211. FoCCL - The B.S. of A.: A Primer in Politics for the Incredibly Disenchanted by Brian Sack
212. FoCCL - Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
213. FoCCL - Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth by Bart D. Ehrman
214. FoCCL - The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot: A New Look at Betrayer and Betrayed by Bart D. Ehrman
215. FoCCL - The Great Courses: Introduction to Judaism by Shai Cherry
216. FoCCL - Dear Brutus by J.M. Barry
217. FoCCL - North Carolina Archaeology, Volume 71, 2022 by David J. Cranford
218. FoCCL - North Carolina Archaeology, Volume 65, 2016 by R.P. Stephen Davis Jr.
219. FoCCL - The Work of Purcell and Elmslie, Architects by David Gebhard
220. FoCCL - Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas And the Shaping of Christianity by Elaine H. Pagels
221. FoCCL - A Vanished World by Roman Vishniac
222. FoCCL - The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles by Anne Savage
223. FoCCL - Complete Idiot's Guide to British Royalty by Richard Buskin
224. FoCCL - Ancient Egyptian Art: Systematic Catalogue of the Collection, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh by North Carolina Museum of Art
225. FoCCL - Art and History of Egypt by Alberto Carpiceci
226. FoCCL - Amedeo Modigliani by Jacques Lipchitz and Alfred Werner
227. FoCCL - What Life Was Like in Europe's Golden Age: Northern Europe, Ad 1500-1675 by Steven E. Ozment
228. FoCCL - The Hours of Henry VIII: A Renaissance Masterpiece by Jean Poyet by Roger S. Wieck
229. FoCCL - Teotihuacan: Art from the City of the Gods by Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
230. FoCCL - Bloodline of the Holy Grail: the Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed by Laurence Gardner
231. FoCCL - Australian Family Circle Heritage Cookbook by Joy Hayes
232. FoCCL - Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
233. FoCCL - Nothin' but Good Times Ahead by Molly Ivins
234. FoCCL - TILT : A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa by Nicholas Shrady
235. FoCCL - Crowned Masterpieces of Literature That Have Advanced Civilization - Vol. X. by David J. Brewer
236. FoCCL - Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
237. FoCCL - The Best Liberal Quotes Ever: Why the Left Is Right by William Martin
238. FoCCL - The Drifters by James A. Michener
239. FoCCL - The Source by James A. Michener
240. FoCCL - Caravans by James A. Michener
241. Amazon - The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers: 1899-1936: The Making of a Detective Novelist by Dorothy L. Sayers
242. Dutch & Kay - 'Tis Sixty Years Since: A Story of the University of North Carolina in the 1880s by James Lee Love
243. Kindle - City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong - bought it in June, just discovered I hadn't added it to my catalog
244. Amazon - The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
245. Kindle - The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
246. Kindle - The Complete Harvard Classics - ALL 71 Volumes: The Five Foot Shelf & The Shelf of Fiction: The Famous Anthology of the Greatest Works of World Literature
247. FoCCL - The History of Christian Theology by Professor Phillip Cary audio CDs
248. FoCCL - Lost Christianities by Professor Bart D. Ehrman audio CDs
249. FoCCL - Aristotle's Children by Richard E. Rubenstein
250. Amazon - An Immense World by Ed Yong
252. Kindle - The Artist's Boxer by Este Holland
253. Amazon - Paleofantasy by Marlene Zuk
254. Found here at the house - Humpty Dumpty's Book of Poems
255. Found here at the house - Queen's Full by Ellery Queen
256. Amazon - My Dear Cassandra: The Letters of Jane Austen Selected and Introduced by Penelope Hughes-Hallett
257. FoCCL - The Epic of Gilgamesh
258. FoCCL - The Earth: An Intimate History by Richard Fortey
259. FoCCL - The Trial of the Templars by Malcolm Barber
260. FoCCL - The Plums of P.G. Wodehouse by P.G. Wodehouse
261. FoCCL - The Ottoman Empire by Lord Kinross
262. FoCCL - Portfolio 12: The Artist as a Visionary by John Canaday Metropolitan Museum of Art
263. Kindle - First Impressions by Jay Hogan
264. FoCCL - Village Creek by Gordon Baxter
265. Found here at the house - The Adventures of Robin Hood by Paul Creswick
266. FoCCL - The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
267. Kindle - Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker
268. FoCCL - The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
269. FoCCL - Mayo Clinic On Arthritis: How to Manage Pain and Lead an Active Life by The Arthritis Experts at the Mayo Clinic
270. FoCCL - Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
271. FoCCL - Ultimate French: Beginner-Intermediate by Annie Heminway
272. FoCCL - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
273. FoCCL - Corpus Christmas by Margaret Maron
274. FoCCL - Death in Blue Folders by Margaret Maron
275. FoCCL - Death of a Butterfly by Margaret Maron
276. FoCCL - Fugitive Colors by Margaret Maron
277. FoCCL - High Country Fall by Margaret Maron
278. FoCCL - Home Fires by Margaret Maron
279. FoCCL - Past Imperfect by Margaret Maron
280. FoCCL - Southern Discomfort by Margaret Maron
281. FoCCL - The Right Jack by Margaret Maron
282. FoCCL - Up Jumps the Devil by Margaret Maron
283. FoCCL - Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker
284. Kindle - Trusting the Elements by Elle Keaton
295. FoCCL - The New Adventures of Ellery Queen
296. FoCCL - The Four of Hearts by Ellery Queen
297. FoCCL - Have No Fear, Snoopy by Charles M. Schultz
298. FoCCL - You've Come a Long Way, Snoopy by Charles M. Schultz
299. FoCCL - You're Supposed to Lead, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schultz
300. FoCCL - Hats Off to You, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schultz
301. FoCCL - The Book of Mormon
302. Kindle - Hold the Door by Vinni George
303. FoCCL - The Zen of the Bright Virtue by Manly P. Hall
304. Amazon - The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
305. Kindle - Going Up by Amy Lane
306. Amazon - The Book of Paradise by Itzik Manger
307. FoCCL - As She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem
308. Amazon - The Promise by Damon Galgut
309. Amazon - Holly by Stephen King
310. FoCCL - Forged: Writing in the Name of God--Why the Bible's Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are by Bart D. Ehrman
311. Kindle - Mr. Big Shot by Isla Olsen

culls - only 88 last year. I hope for more this year with my resolution to completely inventory my catalog yielding books that need to be rehomed.

1. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
2. American Sphinx by Joseph J. Ellis
3. The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay
4. The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay
5. The Darkest Road by Guy Gavriel Kay
6. The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters - duplicate
7. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson - trade paperback - duplicate
8. The Bishop's Secret by T.C. Fairley
9. The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
10. Closer Than You Know by Brad Parks
11. Sons by Evan Hunter
12. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
13. The Player by Brad Parks
14. The Fraud by Brad Parks
15. Say Nothing by Brad Parks
16. Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks
17. Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks
18. The Politics of Rich and Poor by Kevin Phillips
19. The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950-1953 by Clay Blair
20. A History of the Twentieth Century by Martin Gilbert
21. Waking Raphael by Leslie Forbes
22. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - mass market paperback, 50th anniv edition, duplicate
23. The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George
24. Complete Works of Lewis Carroll - yellowed
25. Fowler's Modern English Usage - everything I'd ever need is online
26. Lily White by Susan Isaacs - will never read again, Jenna will never want or read
27. The Winner Stands Alone by Paul Coelho
28. Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund
29. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
30. The Fever Tree and Other Stories of Suspense by Ruth Rendell
31. The Killing Doll by Ruth Rendell
32. The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh
33. All Florence In Colours by Edouardo Bonechi
34. The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey - trade paperback, given to a friend
35. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz - references to LotR? Seriously?
36. Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof
37. The Melaleuca Wellness Guide 2005
38. The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
39. Telling Tales by Ann Cleeves - dup of new one given to me by Jenna
40. Hidden Depths by Ann Cleeves - dup of new one given to me by Jenna
41. Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje
42. Half Broken Things by Morag Joss
43. Bridget Jones the Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding
44. Cause Celeb by Helen Fielding
45. In The Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
46. Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson
47. Royal Escape by Georgette Heyer - duplicate
48. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak - I will never, ever read this
49. A History of Britain : At the Edge of the World, 3500 B.C.-1603 A.D by Simon Schama
50. The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato
51. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute - awful copy, marked in ink
52. Transcription by Kate Atkinson - just don't want it
53. The Whites by Richard Price writing as Harry Brandt
54. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
55. Passing On by Penelope Lively
56. Natchez Burning by Greg Iles
57. Denali's Howl by Andy Hall
58. The Only Story by Julian Barnes
59. Quiet as a Nun by Antonia Fraser
60. Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs
61. The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard
62. American Lion by Jon Meacham
63. Mrs. De Winter by Susan Hill

YTD Statistics through September

283 books read
2 of them on my shelves before 1/1/23 and not rereads
77 books abandoned, 8484 pages abandoned, 1 audiobook, .45 hours abandoned

109.75 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 269
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 259

Book of the Month: The Will and Patrick series by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

Books by Month
January - 33 e-books, 19 books abandoned for 1711 pages
February 34 e-books, 1 paper book, 1 audiobook, 6 books abandoned for 718 pages
March 18 e-books, 7 books abandoned for 443 pages, 1 audiobook abandoned for .45 hours
April 35 e-books, 9 books abandoned for 974 pages
May 32 e-books, 1 audiobook for 16 hours, 8 books abandoned for 1,112 pages
June 39 e-books, 1 audiobook for 17.5 hours, 7 books abandoned for 948 pages
July 36 e-books, 1 audiobook for 18 hours, 8 books abandoned for 849 pages
August 29 ebooks, 1 audiobook for 22.5 hours, 6 books abandoned for 688 pages
September 25 ebooks, 8 books abandoned for 1,041 pages

Author
Male 12%
Female 80%
Undeclared * 5%
Non-Binary 3%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Living 100%
Dead 0%

US Born 47%
Foreign Born 30%
Undeclared * 23%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Platform
Hardcover 1%
Trade Pback 0%
Mass Market 0%
Audiobook 2%
e-Book 97%

Source
My Library 7%
Library 0%
Kindle Unlimited 91%
Borrowed from a friend 1%

Misc
ARC/ER 0%
Re-read 1%
Series 67%

Fiction 99%
NonFiction 1%

Author Birth Country
Australia 8%
Canada 4%
Cuba 1%
England 14%
Ireland 1%
Philippines 1%
Portugal 1%
Scotland 1%
UK 2%
Undeclared * 21%
US 46%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Original Decade Published
2010-2019 35%
2020-2029 65%

Category
Contemporary Fiction 97%
Crime Fiction 2%
Informational Nonfiction 1%

Acquisition/Source Date
Kindle Unlimited 265
2012 0
2013 0
2014 1
2015 1
2017 0
2018 2
2019 1
2020 0
2021 0
2022 12
Borrowed 1

Average Rating
1.5 - Very Bad 2
2.0 - Bad 4
2.5 - Average 12
3.0 - Good 27
3.5 - Very Good 54
4.0 - Excellent 133
4.5 - Outstanding 50
5 - Masterpiece 1

Average Rating 3.79
Books acquired YTD 242
Books culled YTD 49

September Lightning Round

Rapture by E.M. Lindsey 8/30/23 9/1/23 Kindle

Kitchen sink time – Alonso is working on getting out of the Mafia, age/Silver Fox trope, Poe kicked out of family home as a teenager because he’s gay, greedy family, and hmm. Oh yes, Poe’s best friend is now gay-curious with one of Alonso’s friends, Lorenzo. Poe inherits his gay uncle’s run down/closed pub and is viciously beaten. Alonso rescues him, instantly falls in love, protects Poe, puts money into the pub, and basically, in a supposedly good way, takes over Poe’s up-‘til-now-unsuccessful life. I loved the kitten rescue, but some of the emoting was over the top. Caveat emptor re sex.

Not Dating Material by Saxon James 9/1/23 9/2/23 Kindle

Molly moves to Seattle to get away from an unfortunate old boyfriend situation, moving into a house with 5 men, next door to the woman who owns the house. He meets Seven, Seven offers dating advice – funny, actually, since Seven vows never to date – and there’s eventual sparkage and HEA. Seven was in foster care with Xander and they’re a platonic package deal, which Molly accepts. Some funny scenes, one particularly steamy scene where Seven body paints Molly ‘cuz he’s a tattoo artist and it’s not ink time yet, and it goes from there… Caveat emptor re sex.

Aisle Be There by Charlie Cochet 9/2/23 9/3/23 Gage and Jett Kindle

Gage runs away from his wedding to an influencer because of crustaceans (very funny and way over the top) and stumbles into an event with his former lover who abandoned him when a family situation got in the way 12 years earlier. He sticks with Jett and the band. Sparkage again, the requisite horrible manager trying to control members of the band’s lives, HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Reprobate by Silvia Violet 9/3/23 9/4/23 Kindle

Fifth and least satisfying of the Texas Safehouse series has Fox and Darren thinking their protecting the other as they go off grid. Darren is the billionaire, Fox is the security guy. Their sexual tension is off the charts, caveat emptor re the sex. The story itself is rather ridiculous, and even giving it 3 stars is generous.

Takers by Casey Cox 9/4/23 9/4/23 Kindle

I don’t understand why billionaire
Bremmer agrees to a group tantric masturbation, self-awareness weekend with Kelsey, but he does, and then Bremmer asks him to be in a fake boyfriend situation to help with Bremmer’s appearing to be in a stable romantic relationship to help entice an investor to pour millions into Bremmer and family’s business. I ended up liking it enough for 3.5 stars but even from 2 days ago I couldn’t really tell you why. Caveat emptor re the sex.

My Fake Boyfrenemy by Casey Cox 9/4/23 9/4/23 Kindle

Sweet proximity novella about Marnus and Pierce not understanding each other’s sexual orientation (bi and/or gay) but Marnus pretending to be Pierce’s boyfriend when the man who broke Pierce’s heart comes to spend his honeymoon weekend at the hotel they work at. Sparkage turns into HFN/HEA (?) and caveat emptor re sex. Novellas are harder to make work, and Casey Cox nailed it here.

His Model Lover by Brendol James 9/4/23 9/5/23 Kindle

Mike and Leo both attend the same college and both are models. Mika is a billionaire and part of a billionaire/power family, Leo has a single mom who was seduced and abandoned by her married lover. This informs Leo’s entire life, to be successful financially, to get an advanced degree, and to buy his mom a home of her own. Mika creates a situation where Leo’s apartment’s lease ends and Leo is offered a room with Mika. I do love the sexual tension and how Leo’s feelings for Mika change and grow. Mika’s been in love with Leo forever. Family opposition from Mika’s parents and an incomprehensible attack on Leo by a professor, plus very sensually described scenes of photo shoots with Leo and Mika make for a satisfying read. The language is lush and romantic, but caveat emptor re sex.

Taming the Tattooist by Brendol James 9/5/23 9/6/23 Kindle

Isaac is an artist and owns a tattoo parlor, comes from money but hates his parents’ expectations, and never dates, only has one night stands. He likes it this way. Sean is a former band member, owns a bakery, and doesn’t do one night stands, wants dating and romance. When each’s best friend starts dating the other, they band together to make things go smoothly, there’s a one night stand to get each other out of their systems. I do not understand Sean’s motivation in this one. However, Isaac begins to want a relationship and after a few miscommunications, we get our HEA. Caveat emptor re very explicit sex.

Checking Out Love by R. Cooper 9/6/23 9/7/23 Kindle

Hmmm. Short story or small novella? Either way, R. Cooper creates vivid characters in Jeremy and Benj. The library environment is lovingly described and Jeremy’s infatuation with Benj starts right away. There is the specter of the Beast – the Librarian who kicks people out and is a rigid enforcer of the rules. A few vignettes in, both Benj and Jeremy are interested in the other, and then there’s a sweet breaking of the rules. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned The Billionaire’s Assistant by Silvia Violet** 157 pages

Almost noncon, not quite, but still not my cup of tea. Instant attraction, control by billionaire Miles, Ben got the job because his criminal family wanted him to steal confidential information. Caveat emptor re sex and strange CEO behavior by Miles.

**abandoned the Brat and the Bossman by Silvia Violet ** 177 pages

I didn’t realize this was MC – motorcycle club – until I got a bit in and decided to ride it out, as it were, to see if I could stand the whole thing. I couldn’t – bossman owns a porn company, which is okay in and of itself, but MC gangs and illegal activities make it unattractive, regardless of the attraction between Blaze and Lake. God. The names these authors choose sometimes. Caveat emptor re sex, caveat emptor re Mafia-like stuff without the Mafia-like whatever-it-is that I like.

The Charmer by Riley Hart 9/9/23 9/10/23 249 pages Kindle

Somewhat disappointing to the end of what started off as a brilliant series. Corbin is the last un-relationshipped Vers Podcast friend, body and social media obsessed as a result of being overweight as a youngster/teenager and liked but told he was going to hell by his family because he is gay. An incident from his teen years, being ghosted by Spencer, who overheard cruel remarks by Corbin and the Vers boys in an unthinking moment, has Spencer disliking grown up Corbin. However, they attend a charity event together, and, amazingly, and irritatingly, are next door neighbors in their apartment complex. Corbin’s a cuddle slut, as he puts it, so they become CBs – cuddle buddies, and then there’s sparkage, apologies, and things go from there. Pretty schmaltzy by the end, to tell the truth. Spencer is a bear of a guy who does NOT have a six pack, which keeps being brought up to show how Corbin’s grown past obsession with his body and we can all love folks who aren’t 0% body fat. *eye roll* Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Scandal by T. Ashleigh** 145 pages**

Improbable tale of a twin, Austin, with port-wine birthmarks, whose brother Aaron sets up a scandal and Austin is sent off to a rehab center/island spa for 6 weeks by his father. Mind you, this is a 24-year old man. So, no control over his personal life. Beck is a reporter sent to the same island because Austin’s there but to report on the island itself? Not clear, and the attraction/sparkage of this one just doesn’t do it for me.

Heatwave by A.D. Ellis 9/11/23 9/11/23 Kindle

Small town retirement community dietician Avery meets Grant, aging rock and roller, when Grant comes to meet his unknown-until-now grandfather. Sparkage and romance. Rather ho-hum, actually, and includes the author’s relatively unsuccessful attempt at including magic via dog – a mysterious dog shows up whenever there are significant emotions between Grant and Avery when they’re out in public. Caveat emptor re sex.

Return of the Chauffeur's Son by Tara Lain 9/11/23 9/12/23 Kindle

Chef Luca returns to his hometown and chauffeur father’s apartment and starts looking for an apartment when he takes a job as a sous chef. He’s always been in love with James, son of the wealthy man his father works for. James is straight but seems to be wanting to try the gay-for-you experiment, which Luca sort of buys into but not really (?). Meanwhile, older brother Dylan realizes little gay boy Luca is all grown up but wants to give James whatever James wants. Meanwhile, there’s a restaurant competition, a potential business merger that might include James marrying a woman, and culinary espionage. Lightweight and mostly fun, but I won’t continue with this author. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Imperfect by Ali Ryecart** 160 pages

Could have been a sweet novella, with Josh, a lawyer, being instantly attracted to Alex, a barista and student. Josh is in a relationship without a future, as he sees it, but I really had a hard time with Josh not breaking up with Dan before getting emotionally – but not physically – involved with Alex. By page 161 no need for caveat emptor re sex.

His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene 9/13/23 9/15/23 Kindle

Violence, and crime, passion, and power plays. Yum. Alessandro is his father’s first born son, and inherits the Family when his father is murdered. Teddy witnesses crimes he commits, and Alessandro has to bring Teddy back to the mansion. Teddy’s more complex than he lets on – runs a Mafia fanboy website, and has a parentage that is not conducive to being involved with the Mafia. Sparkage, potential betrayal, solving the murder of Alessandro’s father, and power plays/etc. round out a fun book that’s probably not for hardly anyone who reads this Lightning Round. And, I’m already reading #3 in the series, with his half-brother and an Enforcer for another family, that’s even more bizarre than this one. I love it! Caveat emptor re sex, violence, murder, torture, and etc.

His Fatal Love by Leighton Greene 9/15/23 9/17/23 Kindle

More violence, and crime, and power plays. Yum. This time it’s Alessandro’s half-brother Julian, self-described as a psychopath but undiagnosed. He butts heads with Leo, Enforcer for another crime family, and there’s immediate sparkage. Julian wants to prove his mother was murdered 20 years earlier, Leo wants to win his father’s respect by controlling Julian for the benefit of their Family. Lots of Mafia politics, betrayals, and etc. Julian suffers from face blindness – prosopagnosia – and keeps it a secret. He has to identify individuals by scent, body type, voice, and etc. Interesting twist, and it does move the plot forward. Caveat emptor re sex, violence, murder, torture, and tec.

Will & Patrick Wake Up Married by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/17/23 9/18/23 128 pages Kindle

Frequently used trope of two men waking up in Las Vegas married after a drunken night of wild sex. Will is the grandson of a Mafia don whose money is tied to him being married, Patrick is a world-class neurosurgeon whose life is his work. Will’s money is being used for a world-class hospital in his hometown, surprise, surprise. They both want to annul/divorce, but the terms of the will are fun and lots of obstacles are present. In the meantime, they both start caring for each other and there’s lots of snark and emotions and this first bit of the series is a joy to read.

Will & Patrick Meet the Family 9/18/23 9/18/23 122 pages Kindle

Will and Patrick hook up in Las Vegas, both in town. They have a night of wild passion and … you guessed it… wake up married. Will is in a bind because of a will that leaves his money conditional upon a successful marriage. No divorce. And, oh, by the way, his father is in the mob. Will talks Patrick, a brilliant neurosurgeon who is indiscreet in talking with his boss about the situation and gets fired, to come to Will’s home town to figure things out. Patrick is on the spectrum, has no real ties to Georgia, so closes his apartment and moves in with Will at the fancy hotel in Caveat emptor re sex.

Will & Patrick Do the Holidays by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/18/23 9/19/23 Kindle

Will and Patrick continue their story in trying to figure out how to successfully end their marriage. Will happens to have a charity that he’s funneled his inheritance into and is in the process of building a world-class neurosurgery unit – surprise!. He talks Patrick into working there and helping to make it world class. They spend the holidays with Will’s family, dealing with Will’s family’s overprotectiveness, Will’s ex and his current boyfriend, and Will’s father, comes to town. Caveat emptor re sex.

Will & Patrick Fight Their Feelings by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/19/23 9/20/23 Kindle

Patrick becomes friends with a young mother in town, is joyously operating on people and spending the charity’s money to build a world-class neurosurgery unit at the local hospital, all the while pretending to be wildly in love with Will. Will keeps running into the ex who dumped him just prior to the Los Vegas trip, who flaunts his new boyfriend. Will’s family keeps trying to manipulate both of them. Each is falling in love with the other, but realizes that if they don’t get the divorce, things will change, and not for the better, job-wise and finances wise.

Will & Patrick Meet the Mob by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/20/23 9/20/23 Kindle

Installment 4 has Will’s father, who’s never been a real father to Will, interfering, threatening Patrick, and generally causing havoc and upset. Feelings continue to grow, living in the fancy hotel works for Will and Patrick, as does the wild sex without commitment, all the while pretending to be in love. Town politics, family politics, family interference. Caveat emptor re sex.

Will & Patrick's Happy Ending by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths 9/20/23 9/21/23 Kindle

And finally, Patrick flees to his former foster parents in Georgia. He has loved them forever, has helped them financially as soon as he was able, and needs their comfort as he thinks the relationship is over. Will realizes as soon as he leaves that he wants and loves and needs Patrick, so follows him to Georgia. Lots of great scenes with Patrick and his foster parents, their house full of foster kids, and Will’s visit, which, of course, culminates in their reunion, commitment, and return to Will’s home town to start their lives together. Marriage, and etc. Caveat emptor re sex.

This series really worked for me, because each came to a shockingly abrupt, drunken marriage with baggage, needs, and attraction into a valid, strong marriage, against the wishes of almost every person of Will’s family. Patrick’s being on the spectrum is treated wonderfully, positively, and with a wealth of information. Their attraction and care for each other is apparent from the beginning.

Mr. Naughty List by Leta Blake 9/21/23 9/23/23 Kindle

Aaron is a middle-school teacher, sees RJ, a member of a band playing at a local bar. He recognizes him as a former student. RJ recognizes Aaron, the teacher he had in his senior year of high school. He had fantasies about him then, and fantasies about him now. The attraction is immediately and powerful. Aaron’s closeted but all the kids in his classes know he’s gay. His mother is the principal in the school he teaches in, is divorced from his father, and holds a first-year-teaching indiscretion between Aaron and a sports coach (and of course the coach doesn’t get fired or have it follow him) over his head. She’s disgusted with his being gay, and he’s never had a reason to fight her until he starts standing up to her because of RJ. RJ is a dom, Aaron is a sub, and so there’s lots of kinky sex, so REALLY beware. Aaron’s father and family are wonderful, RJ’s family is wonderful too, and as Aaron and RJ think that this might be more than a holiday fling, they start opening up to each other emotionally. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Husband Material by Alexis Hall** 97 pages

I waited too long to continue with this one, and I may come back to it. For now, as I recall, it seemed anticlimactic to Luc and Oliver’s romance.

**abandoned Pretty F*cked by J.R. Gray**

Another one where I waited too long to continue with this one. This one was a rehash of the previous book as I recall, from another angle, and it was just way too much angst, psycho-babble, and drugs, sex, and rock and roll.

Mr. Jingle Bells by Leta Blake 9/23/23 9/26/23 Kindle

Partners in a marketing firm, there is always tension between conservative-appearing Walker and flamboyant Ashton. Ashton’s apartment is being fumigated for bedbugs, and Walker, at the instigation of their third partner Casey, invites Ashton to stay with him for 3 days. They surprise each other by seeing beyond the tension at work and are attracted. There’s a fake boyfriend situation for Walker’s sister’s wedding, sparkage gets satisfied, Ashton learns something about Walker that is supposedly a deal breaker, yet we get our HEA. Lots of backstory for Ashton – abuse, homophobic and drug using relatives, abandonment – and all of it was fascinating. Caveat emptor re sex.

A Little Bit Like Love by Brooke Blaine 9/26/23 9/26/23 Kindle

Jackson ghosted Lucas just before high school graduation 8 years previously. He’s back in South Haven to make a business deal and sees metal work that interests him, is sent to Lucas’s house/workshop unknowingly. A hurricane brews up, he’s forced to spend the night, and etc. They gradually discover that they were manipulated and their attraction and never-stopped love for each other gets their HEA and Jackson’s comeuppance against the person who broke them up. Caveat emptor re sex.

Bedhead by Brooke Blaine 9/26/23 9/27/23 Kindle

Hudson and Drew broke up years ago, are both in publishing, both want the tell-all book by a rock star. Both invited to a weekend away during a bad storm, Hudson’s car breaks down, Drew conveniently drives up behind him. Only one hotel room, only one bed… it had a few moments, mostly the sexy times, but HEA too. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Bring on Forever by Leta Blake**

Gray and Blaine were serious 10 years previously. Gray didn’t want to follow Blaine when he went to California to pursue his dream, and made sure the breakup hurt Blaine enough to not want to try anymore. Blaine’s in a serious but non-monogamous relationship but reconnects with Gray. I didn’t like the characters, didn’t like how Blaine broke up with his lover over the phone from Chicago to LA, just didn’t like the vibe. Caveat emptor re predictable sex.

Falling for the Florist by Brendol James 9/27/23 9/29/29/23 Kindle

Henry’s a lawyer, rich, possibly aromantic, possibly asexual. He makes wedding flower arrangements for his sister at Dylan’s flower shop and is smitten. Very sweet, with a bit of nastiness with Henry’s family manipulating and controlling him, his siblings, and his cousins. HEA and caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned His Argentinian Billionaire by Avery Mist**

A novella, harder to successfully pull off, and this one was not a success. Too many short cuts. The writing was not vivid, and it needs to be either vivid or subtle in a novella, IMO, and this one just didn’t make the grade. Instant sparkage, the supposedly traumatized child because his nanny left unexpectedly immediately falling in love with Warren the new nanny. Details that tried to anchor it but just seemed jarring. Caveat emptor re sex?

324 books read

1 Masterpiece
51 Stunning
181 Excellent
48 Very Good
30 Good
9 Average
4 Bad
0 Very Bad
0 Don't Bother
0 Anathema

Best Fiction
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
The Adults by Caroline Hulse
Should We Stay or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Hopelessly Bromantic and Here Comes My Man by Blake Lively

Best (only) Nonfiction
Woke Racism by Dr. John McWhorter
The Book of General Ignorance by John Mitchinson
The Story of Human Language by Dr. John McWhorter
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

Top five overall for the LT Top Five Books of 2022 list:
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Woke Racism by Dr. John McWhorter
The Adults by Caroline Hulse
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

…...

Welcome!

Hi Karen my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend.

New 🧵 orisons, Horrible... now you're on MY lucky number of thread.

*smooch*

Hi Karen. Stopping by to make sure I starred the latest thread ~ à toi !

Happy new one, Karen.
285 books and almost at 4x75 (wowzer!!).

Happy new thread, Karen! I didn't know Jenna plays trombone. That's what my DH plays. He has a gig with his jazz band Saturday night.

>4 karenmarie: So you culled Doctor Zhivago. I finally read it this summer, and I was rather disappointed. I was expecting more from such a famous book.

Happy Wednesday, Karen. Happy New Thread. I am glad you got to see a red-shouldered hawk yesterday. They are not as common in our area. I enjoyed my solo walk. A beautiful morning. Lots of bird activity but mostly common birds. I did hear and see 3 Carolina Wrens. They have been nesting in this certain area for a few years now, which is a treat since they are not all that common here.

>10 johnsimpson: Hi John! Thank you. Our boys both lost yesterday. Here’s to a win next time for Man U AND Arsenal.

>11 richardderus: ‘Morning, RDear, and thank you. 9 is a good number too – it’s been part of my street address 3 of my last 4. 491 now, 995 just before here, skip Bill’s little house in North Chatham, then 9419 for my last address in CA.

>12 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, and thank you.

>13 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul. I know – I’m on fire this year again, almost all MM romances. *shrug* They’re what’s making me happy, so I’ll go with it until it doesn’t work any more. Wowzer indeed.

>14 atozgrl: Hi Irene, and thank you. Jenna played trombone from 5th grade through her sophomore year of college. She’s not in any organized groups now, but we have her straight trombone (Marching Band) and her Stradivarius Trigger Trombone (Jazz band and marching band) here at the house. I think she probably plays them when neither of us is around. I just found these videos on YouTube – Jenna was a freshman and had been invited into Jazz Band and passed the audition for the first, was a senior in the second. Not like her at all, she stood up with her best friend Justin for In the Mood. Four years, 3 practices a week at 7 a.m. Brutal schedule, but worth it. In the first video Jenna's the only female trombone player, on the end, and in the second video she did something she NEVER does - act extroverted and out there.

St. Thomas, Northwood HS Jazz Band Pittsboro NC 2008

In The Mood, Northwood HS Jazz Band Pittsboro NC 2011

Yay for your husband, yay for Trombone. We have a friend our age who plays bass in a local jazz band.

Yes, I did cull Doctor Zhivago, probably based on your review of it. I remember watching part of the movie and abandoning it, so don’t figure a book would make me much happier. I don’t feel much affinity for Russian authors. I've still got some Tolstoi, Dostoevsky, and Turgenev on my shelves, either for sentimental or Easton Press reasons.

>15 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you, too. Thanks. The hawk was thrilling. Today I’ve seen one of the last of the male hummingbirds and will take the feeder down over the weekend most likely. Yay for the Chickadees, especially since they’re not common up there compared with Black-Capped.

Wordle 837 5/6* adieu, mouth, blunt, trust, spurt

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My cleaning ladies came yesterday, yay. I also worked out, mailed a book to an LTer, and got my flu shot.

Coming from LA 32.5 years ago where you rarely if EVER see people you know out, I'm still stunned when I see people I know. Yesterday it was Jenna's first grade teacher's assistant Cathy at the Senior Center. It was her first day there. I also know her from her son owning Virlie's where the book sort team goes each Tuesday after sorting and seeing her coming out of my PT's office in the spring because she'd gotten knee replacement surgery about a month before I did.

And then at the pharmacy getting my flu shot I saw a neighbor of mine - she lives across and down one house. I never see her anymore, and although it was rather brief, it was nice to say hi.

...
Jenna and I are going to make a Mock Apple Pie this morning, from Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis. I mentioned it to Louise just now, and she remembers her mother making it during the Depression. No apples, just Ritz crackers, Cream of Tartar, sugar, water, cinnamon, butter in a double pie crust, egg wash over the top.

Other than that, reading, puttering, and etc.

Happy new thread!

Love the photo of Jenna and her trombone! Does she still play?

>16 karenmarie: You wrote: Yes, I did cull Doctor Zhivago... I don’t feel much affinity for Russian authors. I've still got some Tolstoi, Dostoevsky, and Turgenev on my shelves, either for sentimental or Easton Press reasons.

I've gotten onto a Russia/Soviet track, having read Voices from Chernobyl, The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin, and A Gentleman in Moscow. I scoured my TBRs for more such, and Pasternak's epic is among the books I collected. (Details on my newish thread,) It would be swell if you could stop by.

Happy new thread, Karen!!

>17 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, and thank you. Jenna probably plays when we’re not around – rare if both of us are gone, though. The trombones are under a table in the Retreat, along with the tenor sax and her 6-string guitar. I also think the Casio 88-key keyboard is under there, too…

>18 weird_O: Bill! I’m remiss in not visiting, thank you for the nudge.

>19 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia.

…
Mock Apple Pie prep and Cook’s Reward (pie crust, butter, cinnamon sugar).

>20 karenmarie: Nummers!

Just out of the oven - Mock Apple Pie and Cook's Reward

Oh wow you've made a Ritz Cracker mock apple pie?! I remember seeing that recipe on the cracker box in my youth and wondering what the heck?! Have you made it before? Does it actually taste like the real thing, or just have similar flavors, like cinnamon-sugar?

Hi Laura!

It tastes like apple-pie adjacent. Mostly cinnamon and sugar, and it's VERY sweet, almost too sweet. It will probably taste good with a cup of black, no sugar coffee tomorrow morning.

Bill liked it more than Jenna and I did. Live and learn, right?

Happy new thread!

New Thread!!!! Does Wash really have his rear paw on his head?????

I adore that bass brass line, especially In the Mood! My DH was just humming along as I watched it. Jenna was/is super cool!!!!!!

Happy New Thread!

Amazing reading!

I was really disappointed in the movie Dr Zhivago and never tried the book.

We're in apple country, so I've never tried the Ritz pie. This weekend is Bitterroot Apple Days with homemade cider, pies and apple butter at the farmer's market.

Happy new thread Karen!

>6 karenmarie: I think I've found what for me is an equivalent to your romances - the fan fiction in the Hands of the Emperor server on A03, some is tame, some raunchy, some screamingly funny - and all of it about characters I've become attached to even if I really can't see them doing that, it's clear others are so much more imaginative.

I've been spending some less time sitting in front of my MAC because my back is all issues so I'm quite behind myself on LT.

Happy New Thread, Karen! Way back when I was in my early teens, I made the mock apple pie from the Ritz Cracker Box. I recall it being good, and tasting like apple pie, though that was a long time ago.

>25 ArlieS: Thank you, Arlie!

>26 LizzieD: Yes – Jenna was coming into the bedroom to show me a YouTube Short one night last week and she was able to catch him in that pose. We love it.

So glad you liked the videos, especially In the Mood. Jenna was so out of her comfort zone, but Justin and she always rocked together. He’s married to a woman named Laura and only lives about 20 minutes away these days. Jenna rarely sees him – he’s a nurse and has crazy hours.

>27 streamsong: Hi Janet! Thanks re my MM romance reading. I’d discount it except that in some, not all, of the books, there are Life Situations in addition to the sparkage and sex. Here’s one from this morning’s reading. Australia, Tully, hired to take Jeremiah into the wilds near Darwin so that Jeremiah could study storms and after some sparkage and showing him some of his own photos of storms:

He smiled and took my hand, bringing my palm to his cheek, and he closed his eyes. “That’s who I am,” he murmured. His brown eyes met mine. “Out there, where I have no expectations or obligations. Here?” he said, looking around the room. “You think this is all glamour, but it’s not really. I mean, it is. I know I’m privileged to have this. I know that. So yeah, this is also me, but this me is where real life takes the shine off who I am.”

Zingers galore in this book.

So we’re in agreement about Doctor Zhivago, one thing among many.

Apples. I remember my first autumn in New London CT in 1977, stopping at a roadside stand and buying a bag of local apples. Stunned this LA girl, who up to then had only had yucky Red Delicious and marvelous Granny Smiths. Here, even at the local chain grocery store, we’ll get cider and local apples. Sigh. I may want to make a true apple pie here soon, just because making a pie with Jenna was so much fun yesterday.

I told Karen about the pie making adventure on a phone call last night, and after I told her that Jenna did all the prep dishes/measuring cups/spoons/pans she said “The Caesarean was worth it.” I want that on a T-shirt.

>28 quondame: Hello Susan, and thank you. I’m glad you’ve got something that really trips your trigger reading-wise. Jenna reads a lot of fan fiction on her cell phone. I’m sorry about your back issues and hope you get some relief sooner rather than later.

>29 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, thanks. I just didn’t taste apples, frankly, but it was good. Super sweet as I wrote above, and God help me re the sodium from the crackers. I stayed within ~2,000 mg sodium yesterday, though. I didn’t realize the recipe was on the Ritz Cracker Box.

Wordle 838 3/6* adieu, trout, bunch

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Today will be somewhat busy outside the house - treadmill, lunch with Rita the Librarian, then a medium-ish grocery store run. Dinner will be bone in, skin on chicken in the air fryer, along with baked potatoes and either sauteed zucchini or some broccoli. Pie will feature at least once today.

>24 karenmarie: Thanks for reporting back on the pie, Karen. I've always wondered, but have never gotten around to trying the recipe. Enjoy your pie!

Nice job on today's Wordle. Enjoy your day.

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. Ooh, the pie looks fantastic. Yes, please! Waking up to a spot of rain. It will be cooler today too. I will be helping with Jack today and tomorrow. As usual, I miss the little guy. It is still dark and gloomy out there but I did spot a cardinal on the main feeder. Always our first visitor.

>30 karenmarie: I remember the Ritz-cracker box's recipe for mock apple pie...could never really get why you'd need a mock version when I was a kid but fully get it now. If I were to make it now, I'd add some apple-cider vinegar instead of the water. Waaay too sweet for me now I'm old.

Have a lovely pleasantly busy day! *smooch*

Duplicate post. How did that happen?

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354158

>16 karenmarie: Those videos were fun! Jenna certainly looked like she was having a good time there. I was playing the first video and my DH came in from the next room, asking who was playing St. Thomas.

I didn't care for the movie version of Dr. Zhivago either. It was such a hit at the time it came out, I thought it was just me. But it looks like I'm not the only one.

I did enjoy Dostoevsky when I read him, and I loved War and Peace. I haven't read any Turgenev.

>15 msf59: We see red-shouldered hawks in our neighborhood fairly often; or maybe I should say we hear them. We hear them probably more than we see them. Their call is certainly distinctive. Interesting that you're seeing Carolina Chickadees. I didn't realize they got that far north. Although I guess with climate change I shouldn't be surprised. I don't remember seeing any while I was growing up in Illinois. But I did see the black-capped chickadees. There were a couple of years when I saw a pair of black-capped chickadees nesting in the eaves of our house, outside my bedroom window.

>36 atozgrl: I am jealous that you get to see red-shouldered hawks, Irene. I goofed up in my post to Karen- I saw Carolina Wrens not Carolina Chickadees. Duh!! Of course, we get black-capped here.

>31 lauralkeet: You’re welcome, Laura. I did have a teensy sliver last night – I’m talking ½” wide – and it tastes better after being in the refrigerator. In fact I’m having a piece now, along with some fresh blackberries, and coffee. Thanks re Wordle – today’s didn’t go quite as well. I hope you had a good day, too.

>32 msf59: ‘Morning Mark next morning. Double-crust pies with an egg wash always look impressive. I hope your Jackson time was good yesterday and will also be good today. I’ve got a few finches fighting over the sunflower seed feeder but that’s all.

>33 richardderus: Hiya, RD. Apple-cider vinegar would definitely cut a bit of the sweetness. My day was a good and busy one. *smooch*

>34 streamsong: Hi Janet.

>35 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

>36 atozgrl: Hi Irene, and thanks. St. Thomas, Birdland, In the Mood, others I can’t remember offhand, all recognizable to jazz fans or jazz-adjacent fans like me.

>37 msf59: Ah, Carolina wrens instead. I don’t see them frequently, but I do recognize them easily when I do.

Wordle 839 5/6* Alphabet soup. adieu, spite, knife, exile, chime

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Treadmill, lunch with Rita, grocery shopping. Back home by 3:30 or so, then a bit of a nap before starting dinner. We had the above-mentioned air fryer chicken, baked potatoes (Jenna and I always split one), and cooked carrots instead of greenery.

...
I need to use the treadmill today, and depending on Louise's schedule might visit her. I also need to either find in the house or buy a birthday card for an 80-year old for a party that I agreed to go to tomorrow.

>38 karenmarie: The kind of card you need for an 80-year-old isn't likely to be just sitting around, is it? Or do you think that far ahead when card-shopping? I haven't bought a paper card in a decade, but the absolute right one never seemed to be in my hands when needed.

Enjoy the day. *smooch*

>38 karenmarie: >39 richardderus: I’ve got tons of cards inherited from my dear mama, and there are specific-decade cards for “80th” and “90th” ( I sent the “100th” to my little (he’s 63 now) brother as a kinda-lame joke one year. I wish I lived closer so that you could use the “80th,” Karen!

Have a great weekend, Karen (and Richard)!

Karen O

Good morning, Karen. I'm happy to think of you with blackberries, pie, and COFFEE!!!!!!! Friday mornings mean ¾ everything bagel and grapes for me, ½ grapefruit and a couple of mini-muffins for Mama. After telling me for years that she didn't like prune juice, I gave her some this week (necessitated by her refusal to eat even one prune - her technique being to bite it in half and hide the evidence in two different places on her plate of rejects --- TMI) in a pretty little sherry glass. It has been a hit, and prune juice is suddenly tasty!

(((((Karen))))) not only found a 100th birthday card for my mother but also 101st!

I trust your day leaves you a good amount of time for yourself, my friend.

>39 richardderus: Hiya, RD! I never think ahead about card shopping, except for the birthday cards I bought for Peggy's mama, see below. I'll get an 80th one today when I go out. Treadmill, pharmacy, visit Louise - we've spoken and I'll stop in after. *smooch*

>40 klobrien2: I have a drawer full of cards from various charities I've donated to over the years, all generic, all useful on occasion, Karen. What a hoot that you gave your brother a 100th birthday card.

>41 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Brekkie was a special treat - the tartness of the berries offset the sweetness of the pie, and of course black coffee no sugar was the perfect complement.

My usual breakfast is 1 oz of pepper jack cheese with 6 low-sodium triscuits and some red grapes, so yay grapes. I can't do grapefruit because of some of my meds, more's the pity. I love the story of your mama hiding the prune evidence - Bill's step grandmother Pat would always put her napkin over her dinner plate when done and ask for dessert - Kay always just took it to the kitchen, knowing that half or more of dinner wouldn't be eaten in favor of dessert. Yay for the prune juice.

Yes, I was particularly pleased with myself for the cards for your dear mama, and will get her another one for this year's birthday. Although - I'm getting ready for YOUR birthday next week. *smile*

Today is busy. Treadmill, pharmacy, Louise, although Jenna's leaving for 2 days to visit friends near Lake Norman about 2 p.m. today, so I'll do the first two errands, visit with Jenna before she leaves, then visit with Louise after.

>30 karenmarie: Great T-shirt! Worth it cesarean or not!

>42 karenmarie: It does sound like a busy day! I hope it was a good one!

>37 msf59: Oh, Carolina wrens. We've got them here. They live right around us, and we hear them singing every day in the spring. They're cute to look at, but it amazes me that a bird that small can be so loud. I'm glad you're getting to see a few of them in your area!

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I had a good time with Jack. Yesterday, we dressed a little warmer and hit the park and then hit the trails. He got to throw rocks in the water. One of his favorite things. Only 42F at the moment. Kinda glad I skipped the camping trip. I am attending a volunteer lunch for my birding club today. We will do some birding first.

Enjoy your day!

Zipping through and delurking so you know I *do* visit.
I am also in the camp of not reading or keeping the Russian heavies. So depressing... though I did think Omar Sharif, Geraldine Chapman and Julie Christie were excellent in the movie. And Alec Guinness has always been a fave in our house.

Saturday *smooch*

Have a lovely time today.

>43 quondame: *smile*

>44 atozgrl: It was a good day, thank you, Irene.

>45 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you, too. 42F. Brrrr. Actually, that’s what our low will be tonight. It’s 63F now, will get to a high of 75F. Enjoy the lunch and birding.

>46 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. Glad you delurked.

>47 richardderus: Saturday *smooch* back at'cha, RD. Thanks re today.

Wordle 840 4/6* adieu, plait, final, viola. Viola is my maternal grandmother's name, so there's that.

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Got all the errands done yesterday, and had a lovely 2-hour visit with Louise. Jenna headed off to visit her friends and will probably return sometime tomorrow.

...
Why oh why did I RSVP to go to the party today? I'd rather stay in, but I bought a lovely card and promised to go. I know I'll have a good time once I get there, and her house is less than 10 minutes from here.

In the meantime, reading and etc.

Ah, our social urges act up. I hope that the party is worthwhile to you and the honoree. (I had a student who wrote "worthwild* and who was quite confused when I corrected him. I'm still not sure what he though worthwild meant.)

Enjoy the rest of the day!!!!

Hi Peggy!

I need to contain my social urges to my bio family, the Friends, you, my friend Jan, Irene, the small bit of local by-marriage family I have here, and Louise. Admittedly Judy's my RL book club and has been a member for 21 years, so there's that.

So far today I've cleaned a cat box, drunk coffee, taken meds, eaten, and reading more of The Running Grave. Small spoiler: I'm liking the chapters that are not Robin undercover - they're very painful to read, although so far she's safe. Here's the Amazon blurb:

In the seventh installment in the "outrageously entertaining" Strike series, detective duo Cormoran and Robin must rescue a man ensnared in the trap of a dangerous cult. (Financial Times)

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.

The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.

In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .

Utterly page-turning, The Running Grave moves Strike's and Robin's story forward in this epic, unforgettable seventh installment of the series.

And I'm reading the 3rd in an Australian MM romance series and lovin' it.

...
I think I posted this sometime earlier this year, but saw it again just now and love it:

>50 karenmarie: epic, unforgettable seventh installment of the series. And here I am, still yet to read the first one!

BTW - I have always spelled it grEy and I have never lived in England. Maybe because I learned to read when we lived in Iran? Who knows.

Have a wonderful weekend, Karen!

>46 SandyAMcPherson: I agree with you about Alec Guinness!

>48 karenmarie: I hope you have fun at the party, in spite of last minute reluctance to go. I understand the feeling.

>50 karenmarie: Well now it's my turn to blush! I'm honored to be included in that group!

Yes on rather staying in. Whatever the possibilities of enjoyment in venturing out, well they're possibilities rather than the controlled probabilities of staying in.

Happy new thread, Karen!

Wash is the star in your topper pictures this time, a really great (and lucky?) shot!
Of course it is also nice to see a young Jenna :-)

From your previous thread: I hope Inara is still okay.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. How did the party go? I hope you had a good time. I had a dandy time with my birding group yesterday and we saw a great variety of migrating birds. An impressive lunch too. I am having a kick back day today. Books and some football.

GLORIOUS Good Morning, Karen! I hope you get to enjoy this perfect weather!

Judy’s 80th Birthday Party. Judy lives in the original slave kitchen which was renovated as a cottage in the 1970s at the same time Judy and her husband renovated the 1810 Plantation House.

I ended up spending 3 1/2 hours at the party. I saw 4 people besides Judy that I knew - a lawyer we used in the late 1990s now the County Registrar, 2 friends in my book club, one of which is on the Friends Board and book sort team, and her husband, also on the book sort team.

The big, fun question, was "How do you know Judy?" Lots of great answers. The food was marvelous, and I met a very interesting woman who gave me her email address so we can go out for a coffee or something. We chatted for about half an hour, until she had to leave just after the food and before the cakes and etc.

Judy, looking marvelous.



That is a Peacock Sculpture, 4-5’ tall.



The party set up. Food and drink are off to the right.



Facing toward the Plantation House.



>51 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I hope you can get to this series, starting with The Cuckoo’s Calling. Grey, got it. Iran? Do tell. Thanks re my weekend, same to you.

>52 atozgrl: I did have fun at the party, Irene. See above. You are in the group!

>53 quondame: I had promised to go so I went, Susan. It was a formal RSVP, so they included me in their food/drink plans. Turns out that one of the women I know hadn’t RSVPd but was there. I used my manners and adulted.

>54 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. It was a lucky shot that Jenna took as she came into the bedroom. I cropped it but love it. In fact, I just made the top shot my profile picture.

Inara is very skinny, but eats, drinks, grooms, and has healthy bathroom habits. We give her Meloxicam every 3 days and Cosequin every day. Thank you for asking.

>55 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday, too. Party details above, and I did have a good time. Yay for your birding group. Kick back day is what I’ve got going today. Heh – I’ve got books and football planned today, although my football is soccer. *smile*

Wordle 841 3/6* With more than the usual help from my handy-dandy spreadsheets: adieu, rifle, binge

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Today will be Arsenal - Manchester City at 11:30 a.m. Huge game, last year's Champions vs our guys.

Jenna will be home in about an hour or so, so between her being home, Arsenal, books, and no other obligations today, I'm happy.

Have a lovely time boosting your team, Horrible. I'm glad you enjoyed Judy's party.

Sunday *smooch*

Sunday *smooch* back at'cha, RD. I just posted on your thread, too.

>57 karenmarie: What's with the postage-stamp-sized photos???? I clicked on a couple to embiggen them, thinking they were thumbnails. Zzzt! Well, anyway, nice you could be there and that you did enjoy yourself.

Jealous that you are hugely, bigly engaged with your reading. Don't let go of that engagement.

Enjoy your football this afternoon; may your team prevail. I've been following granddaughter Gracie's field hockey via streaming. Although she's a first year player, she's getting a goodly amount of playing time. She and the whole team are improving. And I am finally seeing the miscues the referees call (well, occasionally I see the infraction).

Hiya, Bill! Thanks for stopping by.

Half time - Arsenal 0 Man City 0.

Okay, I made the pics bigger for you.

Jenna's home, upstairs relaxing.

I'm still seriously enjoying MM romance and luckily are able to keep finding books/authors/series that engage me.

Yay for Grace getting a goodly amount of playing time.

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edited to add:

Male hummingbird at the feeder, had a good long drink.

Hi Karen my dear, we got a very lucky win yesterday with two goals in added time, hopefully this is a turning point for the club and some of the players show the commitment that McTominay showed, this harks back to the days when Sir Alex was manager. He always said that the match was never over until the final whistle and that they should play to that.

It was very sad to find out that Sir Alex's dear wife, Lady Cathy had passed away, she was the rock that enabled him to go on for as long as he did. She made sure that everything was tickety-boo at home and with the children and therefore Sir Alex could just get on with his job, 57 years married and 59 together.

I watched the Jacksonville Jaguars V Buffalo Bills game held at White Hart Lane, sadly the Bills just couldn't get the win but it was nice to see my team play.

Sending love and hugs to you, Bill, Jenna, Inara, Zoe and Wash from both of us and Felix.

>57 karenmarie: I like Judy's style! That was some celebration, but I guess 80 warrants going big. It does sound as if it was well spent time for you.

Stopping by to say hello before we head out of town tomorrow. I'll be offline for about two weeks. I hope you have a great couple of weeks while we're gone!

>57 karenmarie: Yesterday was the perfect day to have an outdoor party. It certainly sounds like everyone had a great time!

>62 johnsimpson: Hi John! Congrats on Man U beating Brentford. You’re right – it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. Nice info about Sir Alex and his wife, sorry for her passing.

The Bills are Your Team? Well, color me confused. I didn't know you had a US football team. I do not have a team yet this year, having not watched the Kansas City Chief play. Bill and his friend Ronnie officially gave up on the Panthers, are considering pulling for the 49ers although Bill still has a serious soft spot for the Cowboys.

Love and hugs to you, Karen and Felix from me, Bill, and Jenna.

>63 quondame: It was a nice party, for sure, Susan. Low key but with lots of interesting people, good feelings, and good food. Judy is one of the most easy-going people I know.

>64 atozgrl: Have a safe time, Irene, and see you in a couple of weeks. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, for sure.

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Arsenal beat Man City 1-0, with Martinelli (back after a month away with a hamstring injury) scoring the winning and only goal at the 86th minute. They shut down Haaland completely. Made me happy.

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Brrr. Tonight's getting down to 39. My Sunroom's 66 but I don't want to put the propane on for even a little bit - if I get chilled enough, even wearing winter jammies, I'll head upstairs.

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Tomorrow's a chiropractic appointment at 11:15, so if I get organized enough I'll use the treadmill first. If not, it'll be Wed - Fri because I have a book sale follow up meeting on Tuesday.

I was thinking of you yesterday, Karen, as we were watching the Arsenal match. We enjoy Premier League football but don't manage to watch it often. I was pretty sure you were out there in the virtual stands!

Hi Laura, and yes, I was in the virtual stands. I was thinking that maybe one time in my life I might get to go to a game. Glad you enjoy Premier League, too.

Wordle 842 3/6* adieu, mouth, truth

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Up early, but got a solid 5 hours of sleep last night. The Sunroom was 61F this morning, so I have the propane heater on for the first time this season. It's 37F out, colder than the 39F predicted.

Morning, Karen. Happy Birthday to Judy! Glad you had a nice time. Looks like it was a lovely day too. I have Trail Watch duties this AM and books & Juno in the PM. I spotted my first backyard dark-eyed juncos yesterday. Winter is coming, but it is nice to have these cute little guys hang around for the next several months.

'Morning, Mark! It was a lovely time for sure. The weather cooperated, too. Enjoy your Trail Watch duties, Juno, and the books. Yay for juncos. Winter is coming, but first - my favorite season, autumn.

Inara decided to hang out in the LL Bean kitty bed this morning, and I scooched it closer to the propane stove.

Happy Indigenous People's Day, Horrible. *smooch*

The Judy party looks like quite the affair, and I'm glad you were a part of it.

Enjoy this lovely, lovely weather! Happy chiropractor, cooking, and reading!!!!!

(As to anticipation, the UPS truck pulled up in front of Mama's house just a bit ago. The driver rummaged in the back for about 3 minutes - or was it hours - and took an envelope to the next-door neighbor. Boo. Also Hiss.)

3 Sisters Wordle again!

>67 karenmarie:, Hi Karen my dear, while you are having it cool, we have had 70F in our unseasonal spell and the same is expected tomorrow before tempertures wander down to more normal October temperatures of around 59F and then it is said that they may go back up to 70F next week before finally settling down to normal temperatures for October, very confusing for us.

As if we are confused with the weather, Madeira has issued an Orange warning for continued temperatures above 33C/91F, they hit an October record of 34.7C/94F yesterday.

>57 karenmarie: We went to Iran when I was about 2 years old and we left when I was 5 or so. My father worked for the CIA. My sister was born there.

Judy's party sounds like it was fun!

Morning, Karen. Waking up to 38F. Brrrrr...I am meeting my birding buddies and it will be a chilly start. We going to the Arboretum, so all the beautiful trees will keep us warm. Enjoy your day.

>70 richardderus: Honestly, I’d lost track of the fact that it was Indigenous People’s Day and also still Columbus Day. Bill was pissed because the bank was closed. *smooch*

>71 LizzieD: It was a nice time, Peggy, and I’m very glad I went. The weather is glorious, although I’m feeling the cold. No cooking, but much reading – I’m on page 841/945 of The Running Grave.

Another 3 for me for Wordle today.

And, I’m sorry the UPS truck didn’t deliver like it should, but things are under control now, for sure. *smile*

>72 johnsimpson: Hi John. It’s 43F/6.1C out now, going to a high of 77F/25C today. That’s crazy about Madeira.

>73 alcottacre: Wow, I did not know that about your father working for the CIA.

>74 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you. 38F. Brrr. Bust out the winter jacket! Enjoy your time with your birding buddies at the Arboretum.

Wordle 843 3/6* adieu, trail, snail

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I didn't cook last night, watched the part one episode of Silent Witness but we abandoned the second one. We do not like the 2-episode stories that take place outside of England, and this one was really, REALLY preachy. We'll continue with a new one tonight and hope it's back in England.

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This morning will be book sorting for 45 minutes or so then the book sale follow-up meeting. Probably out to lunch at Virlie's but I most likely won't go, but we'll see. I should use the treadmill instead.

Oh, I'd forgotten that you're ramping down the book-fondling since the sale is done. *there there, pat pat* It won't be for too long.

Virlie's will trump treadmilling, I predict. You're far and away too sensible to waste a chance at good nosh. Have a lovely, sweetiedarling.

Did a bit of book fondling, RDear, then had a 2-hour post-sale meeting, and you're right - Virlie's trumped treadmilling. I also picked up a prescription and filled my gas tank.

Talked with my sister, talked with my dear Peggy, and now it's time to read either the last 70 pages of The Running Grave or start a new MM romance. Or both.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. We had a very good time at the Arb yesterday. Lovely fall AM. I am doing a solo bird stroll today. Rain arrives later and will be sticking around for several days. I was hoping to take Jack out again tomorrow.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you, too. Glad you had a good day yesterday, and I hope the solo bird stroll is fun. Sorry about the rain coming. We've got wispy clouds floating by, 50F getting to a high of 73F.

Wordle 844 4/6* adieu, south, skulk, skunk

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I finished a MM romance early yesterday (like 1:51 a.m. early), The Running Grave last night at 8:54 p.m., and started another MM romance last night.

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Today is oil change, treadmill, email to the woman who was going to keep her horses here but now it's not going to happen which makes us happy, quick grocery store for potatoes and sweet potatoes, PO run, and then making beef stew for dinner. Oh, and writing The Running Grave review and updating 2023 Books Read and Smut spreadsheets, and October Lightning Round Word doc.

Morning, Horrible. I'm completely shocked, shocked! that Virlie's beat the treadmill. Not. I'm sorry you're not sleeping a bit more...it was a smooth night for me. But then again, most are. Beef stew's the perfect food for this time of year, innit? So deeply satisfying to get the fully melded flavors of the simple ingredients.

Enjoy, my dear lady,

'Morning, RDear, and happy mid-work-week-that-we-don't-worry-about-any-longer hump day.

I literally decided on my way out of the Library to go to Virlie's instead of the treadmill, and am glad that I did. I spoke with book sale team member and Publicity Chair Jayne for most of the time, getting to know her better.

Gonna use The Southern Living Cookbook Beef Stew with Dumplings recipe. Beef, onions, garlic, spices/herbs, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and quick dumplings. I've made it before, just not in a long time. It takes roughly an hour.

*smooch*

The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith
9/27/23 to 10/10/23





From Amazon.com:

In the seventh installment in the "outrageously entertaining" Strike series, detective duo Cormoran and Robin must rescue a man ensnared in the trap of a dangerous cult. (Financial Times)

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.

The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.

In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .

Utterly page-turning, The Running Grave moves Strike's and Robin's story forward in this epic, unforgettable seventh installment of the series.

Why I wanted to read it: Strike and Robin – I can’t NOT read this series.

The absolute menace of the UHC from the very first page of the prologue, when Will’s parents are frantically trying to get in touch with him through nearly the end of the book, is palpable. Frankly, every chapter with Robin undercover is stressful and filled me with a yes, it’s only a fictional character BUT… dread.

Papa J is the head of the church, his second wife Mazu is a power-hungry and controlling force at the farm. We gradually learn about the ‘religion’ of the church, and how the church goes about dehumanizing and breaking people who do not tow the line. Strike and Robin start honing in on the death of Daiyu, Papa J and Mazu’s biological child, with its inconsistencies. Daiyu has become the Drowned Prophet, a religious icon and who manifests at church services and public meetings to recruit new members. There are other Prophets, but only the Drowning Prophet is used to scare people into staying in the church. If you leave, she will come to you and you will kill yourself out of remorse...

Robin leaves a note every Thursday night in a fake rock at the perimeter of the farm where there is a place the cameras don’t cover. Strike and Robin’s cop boyfriend Ryan… yes, Robin is dating Ryan Murphy… leave notes and Strike leaves candy or other sweets. Robin loses weight, grows weaker and loses her mental acuity. She walks a tight line between detecting and staying safe within the walls.

There are things with Charlotte, things with Strike’s Uncle Ted and sister Lucy, and even things with another of Strike’s half-siblings, Prudence, that are vivid and help us understand Strike better. We even learn that Strike and his half-sister Lucy were at the farm with their free spirit mother Leda when it was a commune and still a very dangerous place for children. More and more layers about Strike, the agency, and their other cases make for a satisfying read.

And Robin and Strike? *smile*

Six word review: Atmospheric mystery, vivid characters, Strike, Robin.

Wooo Hooo! I did read your review, and you didn't spoil, and I'm all over *RG*! I'm dipping into a few other things too, most often the next Rockton novel in which Casey and Eric find a Danish woman tourist (they can tell by her clothes) (they know she's Danish because one Rockton resident speaks a little) with a stomach wound wandering in the early spring Yukon wilderness. Good stuff!

Our talk was such a treat! We will do it again!!!!!!!

Enjoy your day!

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>82 karenmarie: Like you I can't NOT read the Cormoran Strike books. I am looking forward to this one!
I will have to wait a while. The Dutch translation will be published in December, and then it will take several months before I can get it from the library...

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. A steady rain falling and it will not let up for awhile. It turns out Sue is helping with Jack today and my turn comes tomorrow, so I will have a rare AM with the books.

Even with the rain, the birds are active- cardinals, house finch and chickadees at the moment.

>83 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I’m so glad you’re reading The Running Grave. Could it have been shorter? Possibly. However, by the time you’re done, you realize every single thing in it is necessary to know before you reach the last page.

So, I just went to Amazon to check out the Casey Duncan series, opened up the first book, City of the Lost, and realize that I bought it on June 19th. I paid good money for it, too. *blinks* It’s now added to my list of 2023 adds and my catalog and I might just pop into it to see if I want to read it. I like the premise.

You’re such a pleasure to speak with, in person (soon…) and on the phone. I’m glad you were able to take the time.

>84 FAMeulstee: Hello Anita, and thank you! Happy Thursday to you, too. You’ll love it, I think, when you can get it. Knowing you, you’ll read it in a day or two. It took me almost two weeks, unusual for me, but Life and etc. got in the way.

>85 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you. Enjoy your rare time with a.m. books. It’s damp out here so must have rained or at least drizzled overnight. A few showers are still expected this morning. Yay for the feeder report. My feeders are completely quiet and I don’t even see anybody in the Crepe Myrtle.

Wordle 845 5/6* adieu, stone, entry, inept, knelt

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The only thing I didn't get done that was on my list yesterday was actually making the beef stew - I didn't check the clock in time and we would not have been able to eat by 6, the latest Bill likes to eat dinner. We'll make it tonight for sure.

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Today's the treadmill, possibly the pharmacy (again... seems like I'm always there...) the above-mentioned stew, reading and etc.

Ummm. Beef stew........maybe next week here. Enjoy your day and read a lot!!!!!

We are finally, finally getting a little measurable rain. It has been mighty dry.

You will not be surprised that I am reading *TRG* every time I have 5 minutes. I don't have Robin undercover yet, but she has been to a meeting in London. Oh boy!
I hope that you do try the Casey Duncan and like it. I think you will. We agree about so much as we find when we talk.

>84 FAMeulstee: Anita, would your library let you put your name on the list now so that you'll be near the top when the book comes in?

>75 karenmarie: Wow, I did not know that about your father working for the CIA. I never knew until I was well into my teens and accidentally ran across a copy of his resume. He never told my sister and me.

I hope you have a lovely day!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354324

>82 karenmarie: Glad to know that this is a good instalment. The last one was just ok for me. I have this on hold and am looking forward to reading it as I do enjoy the series.

Happy Friday!

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Looking forward to my time with Jackson. It is supposed to rain, so we may be stuck inside. Maybe, I can get him to read a book or 2. Ooh, beef stew sounds good.

>87 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I did 4read a lot, and the stew got made, see below. It’s been dry here, and we got no more yesterday than what I saw on the concrete first thing.

Well, I found City of the Lost on my Kindle and opened it up so that when I sort by Recent, which is the default, I see it at the top.

>88 alcottacre: Wow, that must have been a shocker for you, Stasia. I had a busy and productive day. I hope you had a lovely day yesterday, too.

>89 SilverWolf28: Thanks, Silver!

>90 figsfromthistle: It’s long, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>91 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday/Jackson day. Reading sounds good.

Wordle 846 4/6* adieu, plume, tulle, uncle

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The beef stew came out well, although next time I'd probably add either a bit of Tabasco or Texas Pete or even hot pepper flakes, just enough to punch it a little bit. I won't add more salt, though.

Leftovers for tonight, so yeah!

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Today will just be the treadmill plus reading and puttering.

I was still sleeping when Larry from the landscape company started mowing this morning, but I was dazed and kept thinking there were low-flying airplanes or helicopters. I finally remembered it was Friday and that it had to be Larry.

Good Gorgeous morning, (((((Karen)))))! I'm off to grind my morning coffee!!!!!!!

Top of the Morning (so to speak) to you!

'Morning, Peggy! Yay for morning coffee. I just poured my last cup.

Zoe was missing first thing - normally as soon as I step into the kitchen she's there telling me All About It, whatever It is at that particular moment. Usually food, first thing. Well, no Zoe, didn't think too much about it. We saw her last night after the kitty door was locked. I looked for her in the media room stairwell that leads to the garage, which I also checked. We checked various and sundry, upstairs and down, no Zoe. But just now, as I checked the media room stairwell and garage yet again and was yelling out the hallway window for her, there she was behind me. I only knew because I heard the bell on her collar. She's not talking much right now, perhaps has laryngitis from yelling at us from behind a closed door. But, she's found, and that's the important thing.

>94 karenmarie: ugh. That's scary.

>75 karenmarie:, Hi Karen my dear, the temperature here has now dropped to what is expected at this time of year and we are warned that we are going to have the first cold spell of the season.

The temperatures are still high in Madeira and Orange warnings have been issued until Sunday, all this has led to the countryside getting very dry and then some idiot around the Municipality of Calheta decided to make a fire, this has spread and they have had to call in firefighters from mainland Portugal to help fight the fires, there are some idiots about. The only good thing at the moment is that they have arrested a couple of men for the fires.

>96 johnsimpson: That's maddening. We deal with it all the time in California and it's horrendous.

>95 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! We thought she was okay, but I must admit that we all three had visions of her collapsed behind a piece of furniture somewhere - she's young and healthy, but you just never know. She ended up chatty again by the mid-afternoon.

>96 johnsimpson: Hi John. I'm glad temperatures are normal for you. We've already had a cold spell but not a freeze, so still have many bugs.

Idiots starting fires during dry spells - intentional or not - is horrible. They're fortunate that they've caught the men.

I remember the Bel Air Fire in Southern California. I was 8.

It was

... a disaster that began as a brush fire on November 6, 1961, in the Bel Air community of Los Angeles. The fire destroyed 484 homes and burned 6,090 acres (24.6 km2) At least 200 firemen were injured, with mostly eye injuries due to the smoke and flying embers. The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds.

We lived south of LAX, and ash rained down for a week or more after the fire was out. Another, separate time, I vaguely remember driving home from a vacation, on a freeway, and we drove through fire on both sides of the road.

>97 quondame: SoCal is such a hotbed 🙄 for brush and arsonist fires, isn't it, Susan?

Wordle 847 4/6* adieu, awoke, alert, agent

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We've lost power. It's raining. Bill and Jenna are asleep. I can't turn on the generator by myself, so used my cell phone's flashlight to safely navigate downstairs, made coffee quickly to take advantage of the Bunn coffeemaker's hot water reservoir since the power had just gone out. Kitties fed, kitty door open, I'm sitting here with only the light from my laptop and 18" monitors lighting the room. Beeping from my UPS...

We have a smart monitor on our electricity monitor, so Duke Power already knows about the problem and I've gotten two texts to my cell phone. There are about 1278 customers affected, with power estimated to be back on around 10 a.m.

Normal Saturday plans otherwise - Bill going out to the dump and bringing back take out. The power outage isn't affecting downtown Pittsboro.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I had a good time with Jack yesterday, although we were stuck inside for most of it. Not much planned for today, just meeting friends for dinner later. Lots of rain in our area and may stick around for the next few days. The birdies will have to wait.

>99 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. Yay for your Jackson time. Enjoy your rainy day.

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The UPS is complaining, so I may be off LT for a while.

Power's back. Way too exciting a morning so far.

>96 johnsimpson: Glad to hear those (I hope merely) bl**dy fools have been arrested.

Whew, I'm glad Zoe was found.

I'm glad to read that you found Zoe alive and well. I, too, am both alive and well at last. I hope we all stay that way ❤️

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. Any more problems with the power? Our rain is finally moving out and it should be dry for the next few days. I am making a Costco run this AM and then books and football for the rest of the day. Let's see if my Bears can get back-to-back wins. Sadly, they have not done it, in a couple of years. Sighs...

>101 ArlieS: Hi Arlie!

>102 EBT1002: Hello Ellen. She still hasn’t told us where she was imprisoned or hiding, little wretch. She’s already had brekkie and will go outside as soon as she figures out the kitty door is open.

>103 richardderus: Thank you, RDear. I am glad you’re alive and WELL, given your recent challenges.

And so say we all. ❤

*smooch*

>104 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. No problems with the power, thank you for asking. Glad you’ll be rain-free for a few days. Ah, Costco. I always loved going to Costo, but during Covid we had to source everything we were getting from there other places, and now just don’t bother. It’s 60 miles round trip, and costs more, no doubt, than the $55 we were paying per year to only go 2-3 times per year.

Sorry about your Bears. I haven’t watched a single minute of Panthers football, don’t even know who’s on the team any more. Bill and his friend Ronnie have given up on them this season, and I think are going to follow the 49ers because McCaffrey went there several years ago. Bill, as always, is a Cowboys fan.

I’m an Arsenal fan.



Wordle 848 5/6* adieu, bleat, scale, learn, leaky

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Yesterday was not busy. I read, cleaned out the physical inbox on my desk, and etc.

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I woke up with the gingers on the bed, and at one point had stereo purring. *happy dance*

Plans for today include either grocery shopping or cleaning out more of the garage with Jenna - the workbench, HVAC closet, and freezer area still need to be cleaned up/out.

Reading, of course, will feature heavily.

Ummm. Stereo purring is a GOOD THING!

Enjoy your day. I so respect your cleaning gene. My aunt Jean got all of hers and mine too. I don't have even one.

Hi Peggy!

Jenna and I cleaned/kept/tossed/put aside to donate for about an hour. At a certain point I get twitchy when things aren't clean and organized. I've been twitchy about the garage for a while, and between the major work Jenna and I did about a month or so ago and today, I'm feeling pretty good about it. Another hour with the workbench, an hour or two with the closet, an hour or so with the freezer area, an hour with the shelving, and then it will be in pretty good condition.

We'll be having fresh salmon for dinner, probably with cooked carrots, possibly with baked potatoes.

In the meantime, reading.

Morning, Karen. Glad to hear you got to work a bit in the garage yesterday. It was beautiful here in Chicagoland. Bree dropped off Jack in the afternoon, so we got to hang out with him for a few hours. Sue took him to the park while I watched more football and then played with him for awhile.

Not much going on for this week but I plan to get out and do some birding.

>107 karenmarie: I'm totally twitchy about my wardrobe these days. Since I have to take out the cool weather stuff, I'll have a chance to triage as you did, but it's hard for me to give away anything that still fits and is in good shape. However, there is a call out for clothing for Venezuelan refugees, and I can keep that in mind.

>108 msf59: 'Morning, Mark! Sounds like a wonderful Sunday, even if your Bears lost. Enjoy the weather, enjoy the birding.

>109 ffortsa: Hi Judy! I went through my closet earlier this year and got rid of almost everything that didn't fit that was too big. I still have a few might-be-able-to-eventually-wear items. I understand wanting to keep things that fit and are in good shape. I already brought out my mock-Ts to wear with a down vest since I get cold more easily these days.

Wordle 849 5/6* adieu, roast, apart, prank, graph

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Last night was salmon, but I got lazy and made garlic toast instead.

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I've got the Friends of the Library Board meeting at 10 a.m. Possibly treadmill, possibly grocery shopping, but I'm not feeling either yet.

You're meeting even as I type. I hope that it's a good one, and that the friends are thoughtful. Another GORGEOUS day!! Enjoy!!!!!

Horrible, you might enjoy this lecture, 46min, on "How Cozy is Your Crime?" given by Jordan Welsh, on the YT channel Romacing the Gothic. It was really very interesting for the series-mystery lovin' me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bX9Efn5EQ&ab_channel=RomancingtheGothic

*smooch*

>111 LizzieD: 'Morning, Peggy! The meeting was very good. I took on a homework assignment regarding the layout for pavers which will involve - ready? - a spreadsheet. *happy dance* Nobody's ever cross referenced paver purchasers with the actual location of their paver(s).

We also decided that the Friends will purchase a paver in honor of Linda Clarke, the county Librarian, who is retiring at the end of the year and who just lost her husband.

>112 richardderus: Hiya, RDear. Thank you. I created a new YT playlist and saved it to it. Right now I'm waking up and recovering from dropping my full coffee cup onto the floor, setting off the Very Loud Alarm (which did not wake up either Bill or Jenna). I had to disable it in a heartbeat so moved much more quickly than I'm used to moving, wipe up the coffee, including moving the floor mat. Sigh.

Wordle 850 2/6* I love my first word! adieu, adult

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Today's 2 is a rarity at 4.26% of my Wordle results.



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Today's another busy one. Book sort team at 9, lunch at Virlie's after. Lunch instead of breakfast because I went into the book sort room yesterday after the Board meeting and we have two full racks of bags, boxes, and books stacked on it, plus books/AV on the sorting tables. After, I need to get some cash and might go see if I can get a Covid booster.

Morning, Karen. Waking up to chilly temps. Only 36F at the moment. I have Trail Watch duties, so I will add an extra layer or two. I took Juno birding with me yesterday and we saw some good birds, included red-headed woodpeckers and bluebirds. She was a good girl. Very patient. 😁

Hi Karen, I was unable to sleep past 6 am (CST) today, so catching up on threads that grow like 'weeds overnight'.
I see your love of the Robert Galbraith novels continues. I read the first two or maybe three and for some reason never added them to my "Read but unowned" catalogue. I found them too long and too grim. But for me, that's just a case of the ol' YMMV.

Sorry about the dropped coffee. I knocked over a 12-oz glass of water beside my breakfast this morning. At least it missed the laptop key board!

>113 karenmarie: The donations keep a-comin' don't they! Your library catchment area is full of generous souls, thank goodness. Enjoy your book-fondling time and Virlie's lunch.

*smooch*

I'm happy to hear that your meeting was good. Locating pavers seems a logical and necessary thing to do. Good for you!

Sorry on two counts to hear about the dropped coffee. At least the mug didn't break. I double punched the first digit disabling Mama's house alarm this morning with my fidgety finger. I had to take time to get my glasses to see the keyboard, but I avoided the siren.

Yikes! Power outage for 20 minutes or so, maybe from rebuilding the overpass on I-95? I'm amazed to find my post still here. I'm not finished, but I need to come back later!

I don't know what else I meant to say except that after a weekend of not reading, I'm back with Robin and Strike. I have her through her first week at the farm and him having interviewed Daiyu's grandparents. I don't know whether I can stand not knowing how Robin gets out for another 600 pp or so. Very twitchy!

>113 karenmarie: A loud alarm? If I dropped the cup on Gizmo I could expect an alarming noise (and as Mike and Becky were sleeping of a dissipated day at Disneyland I would have been in trouble for that) but just having it hit the floor? Did the mug survive?

‘Next day’s ‘morning to you, Mark! Happy Wednesday. 36F is pretty cold. We’re at 52F, going to 72F. I hope your trail Watch duties went well, glad you and Juno hit the trails the previous day.

>115 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. There are just some times we get up after giving up on getting more sleep, right? I’m past behind on threads myself.

There are some authors whose wordiness and grimness just don’t appeal, but Galbraith/Rowling’s writing style has always spoken to me. Once I got past the shock of seeing obscene words come out of the mouths of her characters, it was smooth sailing. For me the love story of Robin and Strike and the mind-bending complexity of the crimes, subplots, characters, and subjects tackled continues to please me. Like any series, I’ll read it until I don’t want to any more. I have quite a few series I’ve abandoned, the most prominent the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny.

Glad you missed the keyboard, glad it was only water.

>117 LizzieD: Yesterday’s donations were of mostly high and genre-rich quality. I need to start tackling the paver spreadsheet today – I got the necessary pdfs from the Librarian yesterday but between being busy and wiped out from busyness and the Covid vaccine, I didn’t do anything more than print them out. I’ve had no luck converting PDFs back to Excel, but may try again today.

Book fondling went well, lunch at Virlie’s was with a total of 5 of the 10 who sorted, 5 of the 14 on the team.

>117 LizzieD: I figured my unsophisticated but detail-oriented spreadsheet skills could make it easier for Paige to continue with the project. Once it’s done, we can put it or its Google-docs equivalent out in the Google Suites docs portion for Board Members only on the Friends website.

I don’t understand how the mug didn’t break, frankly, but it’s one of my favorite mugs, so there’s that.

Sorry about the brief power outage, glad you’re back on The Running Grave. I found it very twitchy, too, very stressed about Robin’s time at the farm.

>118 quondame: The mug survived, Susan. It was this one, although without the yummy sweetness.



We have a whole-house ADT security system. All doors and windows have sensors, and some of the rooms have glass breakage/impact sensors. The Sunroom is the easiest room to break into, so has the most security. That siren is LOUD. It turns out that Jenna woke up with it, but since it went off so quickly realized that I had taken care of it. Bill slept through it. To be fair, he was a wall, a door, and two more walls away from it. Jenna was upstairs and at the other end of the house, but sound goes up the stairs pretty easily.

Wordle 851 5/6* adieu, slope, tweet, jerky, mercy

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Yesterday's book sorting, lunch, Covid vaccine booster, and fetching of takeout for Bill and Jenna wiped me out. Naps, dozing, reading, etc.

My arm's slightly sore from the Moderna vaccine, so far that's all.

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Today I'm taking Louise to lunch at Longhorn Steak House in Apex for lunch to help celebrate her 89th birthday, which is on Friday, then she wants to go to Target. Spreadsheet-ing and reading will figure in to the day, too.

That vaccine's efficacy is a little hard to endure as it revs up one's immune system, innit? Keep resting until you've acclimated to the new normal and you won't go wrong, dear lady. *smooch* and *schnerkle*

'Morning, RDear! I just posted on your thread. I don't think I'm feeling more puny today than usual as my pain meds kick in. *smooch* and *schnerkle" back at'cha

Happy Wednesday, Karen. Enjoy your lunch with Louise. My feeders were hopping first thing this morning- 5 juncos, 5 doves, house finch and a cardinal. Quiet now.

>119 karenmarie: I hope the arm soreness is gone by now. What a great cup, so it's good it survived. I spilled a huge glass of milky rooibos tea in front of my computer yesterday and my MAC keyboard did not survive. I'm making do with a spare non-Apple one and it sucks.

>113 karenmarie: Everyone I know says their Wordle stats are pretty much a regular curve.

I really need to suck it up and get both my flu shot and my next covid shot. I keep thinking I want to do them on a Friday in case I feel crummy the next day. But then my Fridays and weekends are busy, too!

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>113 karenmarie: I tried to look up 'paver', but nothing makes sence to me all related to 'pavement', so what does it mean?
Playing around with spreadsheets would make me happy too :-)

>122 msf59: Hi Mark, I hope you had a good Wednesday and have a sweet Thursday. Nice feeder report. I saw a Carolina Chickadee first thing yesterday, then a Downy and a few of the regulars – finches and Cardinals.

>123 quondame: Hi Susan! Soreness gone, but I’m more tired than usual, which may be the booster or it may just be being pretty busy this week. And here I am, up by 5:50 a.m., with a poor night of sleeping. Oh well. I’m so sorry you spilled your tea. Poor MAC keyboard. I hope you can get a new GOOD keyboard soon.

>124 EBT1002: Hello Ellen. I wonder if stats vary if you’re a always-the-same-first-word person like I am or if you are inspired or logically vary your first words? Anyway, over time things almost always pan out to a bell-shaped curve, don’t they?

I know lots of people are getting flu and Covid shots on the same day, but my doctor was adamant that I get the shots 2 weeks apart. My husband was going to get both on the same day, but HIS doctor, in the same practice as my doctor, told him the same thing – one shot at a time, 2 weeks apart. Don’t know if it’s related to our health issues or is standard practice policy. I guess if you’ve had bad reactions to flu or Covid shots it makes sense to schedule near a weekend (until you retire, of course).

Wordle 852 6/6* adieu, coral, bylaw, allay, eclat, splat

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Had a nice lunch with Louise. She didn't need to go to Target after all, which didn't hurt my feelings. We enjoyed the drive ~30 minutes each way, and the food was good. I did something very strange for me - I had center cut pork chops, very lightly seasoned, and a sweet potato with a bit of butter. The sweet potato is a normal thing, but I haven't had fresh pork since Jenna's friend Ethan's Dad's 40th Birthday Party in 2003, when they BBQd a whole hog and I actually ate some. It was good, as were these pork chops. I might start incorporating "the other white meat" into our diet.

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Today is a massage. Today is also a massage for Jenna. Mine's an hour, hers is half an hour to see if she can handle someone ... ah... handling her body.

Good morning, Karen! Your lunch with Louise sounds worth the drive and I wish you the joy of your massage. *sigh*

The book I'd like to recommend to you and Karen is Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler, who is/was a theology prof. at Duke. Now I have to go see whether she has survived her cancer.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354535

Hi Karen..I've been out of touch. I see that you are accomplishing quite a list of books read. This is amazing! September was a slow month of reading for me, I did read more in October but haven't added them to my thread. I'm in a reading slump. I'm simply not feeling well and that always impacts on my reading ability. But, there is still November and December to read a lot of books.

All good wishes to you. Thinking of you in the hope that you are well.

Happy Friday, Karen.

Since you missed me earlier >125 FAMeulstee: (you probably started answering early, before I came by), I will ask again what 'paver' in your message >113 karenmarie: means. I tried looking up, but all I found was related to 'pavement', not spreadsheets.

>127 LizzieD: Happy Friday to you, Peggy! Yesterday got busy, all in a good way.

I had a good time with Louise and learned a valuable lesson: do not rely on her to remember how to get to a restaurant. We dithered around for an extra 15 minutes or so until I put on my GPS to get us to the restaurant but she successfully navigated us back out to Hwy 64.

See below re the massages, all good.

I mentioned Kate Bowler to Karen last night, and she has another book by her. I’ve added this one to my wish list – thank you! She did survive her cancer.

>128 SilverWolf28: Hi Silver, and thank you.

>129 Whisper1: Hi Linda. I am happy that you’ve visited. Not feeling well enough to read is awful – I always used sick time, especially time that I could/had to stay away from work as a reading marathon. But in recent years I have come to understand feeling too poorly to read. I’ll come visit in a bit.

I am well. Yes, I have lower back and right SI joint pain pretty much all the time. I manage it with Tylenol and tramadol, Biofreeze and CBD ointment. Given what you and other people in my life are going through pain-wise, I’m perhaps a 3 on a scale of 10.

>125 FAMeulstee: and >130 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita and happy Friday to you. I kept a Word Doc of my replies, discussion of the previous day, and plans for the day open until I posted it. I usually check on another tab to see if someone has posted after I started replying but didn’t yesterday and am sorry I missed your message.

Pavers are flat concrete or other material squares or rectangles used to make a patio, walkway, or other area. Here’s our Library. All of the area in front of the building is composed of individual 12” x 12” pavers. Some have inscriptions, which is what the Friends sell and earn revenue from. As I may have written elsewhere or above, my favorite is "The Wand Chooses The Wizard", bought and paid for by my Friends friend Rhoda.



Here’s a generic pic of examples of pavers:



There are currently 256 engraved pavers and we’re selling pavers, with 3 lines of up to 15 characters each (including punctuation and embedded blanks) for $250 during our 2023-2024 fiscal year. My book club bought a paver in 2018 for $225, but we lost our local engraving source and have to send pavers to Wisconsin, 850-900 miles away depending on route, and everything’s gone up in price since Covid anyway. Our Paver Program administrator is fantastic and we're lucky to have her, otherwise the program would be defunct.

Wordle 853 4/6* adieu, south, croup, occur

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I used the treadmill for 40 minutes prior to getting a 60-minute massage. The massage was heavenly as always. I get a full-body massage, with special emphasis on whatever I mention to her when I get there. This time it was my right SI joint area and my right shoulder/upper arm. It's quiet, low light, warm, comfy, safe, and she puts on relaxing chord progressions as background music.

When my massage was done I paid for mine and Jenna's, which was a 30-minute massage because we didn't know if Jenna would be comfortable with Lynne or not. Jenna got there, met Lynne, and they headed to the massage room while I headed off to run errands. Jenna finished up, got us all Taco Bell/Kentucky Fried Chicken take out, and I actually got home just 10 minutes before she got home with food. Perfect timing.

Jenna reported that Lynne worked exclusively on her neck and upper back. Even then she was a bit jumpy, but calmed down. Lynne told her that her muscles were definitely responding to the treatment and letting Lynne's fingers relax them. After, Jenna reported that she had a headache from the work on her neck but Tylenol settled it down. We'll see how Jenna's feeling this morning.

My errands included going to the bank, getting wrapping paper for Louise's present (her birthday is today and the present arrived after I had taken her to lunch on Wednesday), and getting fresh fruit at the grocery store.

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I will wrap Louise's present of 12-individually-wrapped mini cupcakes and make arrangements to visit for a few minutes today to drop off her card and present. Then off to use the treadmill to get in my 3rd time this week, then home, then the usual fun puttering and reading. Chicken for dinner perhaps, depending on my mood. Otherwise, it's a "Wing It" night where everybody's on their own for their evening meal.

>131 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, what a lovely initiative.
Now it all makes sense, my translation sources didn't fail I found pavers as those pictured, as I missed the 'engraved' part completely. And I had no clue how ordinary pavers could relate to a spreadsheet! :-)

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. I appreciate all the kind comments by my friends in regard to my sister. LT is such a warm, caring place. I am trying to get back in to more of a groove today. Jack will be dropped off early afternoon and he gets to hang with Grandpa. Sue is attending a seminar and won't be back until tonight.

Glad to hear you had dual massages yesterday. I hope Jenna wakes up, pain-free.

Hey, I had a hairy woodpecker at the feeder yesterday. I have only seen one 2 or 3 times in the backyard.

>131 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen!

I love those"wing it" dinner nights. It's a great chance to eat leftovers, not have as much work to do and a great way to eat what you are craving.

I am glad that Jenna was able to handle the massage and that it is helping.

Happy "45-is-screwed" day, Horrible! Sidney Powell's flip is really gonna hurt.

*smooch*

***ETA ...and now Cheseboro! This is so deeply satisfying.

Enjoy the weekend, Horrible!

>131 karenmarie: I'm glad you have a regime that's working for you and ways to deal with discomfort that can't quite be dealt away.

>132 FAMeulstee: You’re welcome, and yes, I’m glad we’ve got a new Board member who also owns her own landscape company, has connections, and knowledge. Here’s the spreadsheet line item for the paver my book club got. It's irritating that they have it as Bill & Karen since I distinctly remember filling out the form as Karen and it's for book club not personal. However, I'm not going to change it on the spreadsheet, keeping the integrity of the spreadsheet intact. I'm the one who suggested it for book club and collected the money and mailed the form and a check to the Friends PO Box in 2012.



There are 294 inscribed/engraved pavers. We also have hired a community college student, Margaret, to re-ink ones that have faded with weather and usage. When my book club’s paver is re-inked, I’ll try to remember to take a pic of it and post it here.

>133 msf59: Hi Mark, happy Saturday to you. Losing your sister is awful, and I’m so sorry. I hope that Jack’s visit brought some joy. The massages were good. Wow for a Hairy Woodpecker – I’m pretty convinced that I’ve never seen one although I recorded one about 6 years ago.

>134 figsfromthistle: Hello Anita. Thanks re yesterday – it was a good day. Leftovers are good, also just not having to worry about anybody’s food except mine. When I was growing up, we had leftovers night once a week. My mother would pull every little bit and leftover out, heat or dish them all up, and the cycle would start over. Thanks re Jenna.

>135 richardderus: I love it that Powell flipped. I’m less happy that the judge has also temporarily freezes her own gag order on Trump.

>136 quondame: It mostly works, Susan. Thanks.

Wordle 854 3/6* adieu, slime, smirk

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Yesterday I gave Louise her card and present and chatted for about half an hour. I think that made her late for her lunch with Omi, but they didn't have a reservation anywhere, were just going to The Brewery. Used the treadmill, then came home. And etc.

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Today will most likely be me taking trash after Arsenal plays Chelsea at 12:30. Bill's been feeling pretty poorly ever since he got the Pfizer booster on Thursday. I also need to finish up bits of the pavers spreadsheet and send it to Paige.

Good morning, Good Karen! I think you're improving each shining hour.

Good for you for Wordle in 3! I took 4, but it was quick.

Hope an Arsenal win will make Bill feel better. That's 2 hopes in one.

Hi my dear - I just posted on your thread, so great minds, eh?

Thank you.

Wordle is still a joy. Thanks for the double hope for Bill.

>137 karenmarie: Here's to hoping that Bill's immune system uses this lesson well, so the discomfort isn't wasted.

Arsenal plays Chelsea? Some vestigial fact is rubbing my psyche...are they bid rivals, or something like that...?

She had to freeze it. There are legit legal issues of competing jurisdiction to resolve. I myownself want someone to plug 45's mouth with ~2.5 tons of concrete and drop the block into the Challenger Deep, but I'm on record everywhere as holding 45 in contempt disgust and generalized ill-will.

Hiya, RDear.

Thanks re Bill. I actually made him some eggs OE and toast. He's sleeping on the couch through Liverpool Everton.

They are Derby rivals. Local rivalries.

And 45 merrily goes along his way, spewing hate and filth, ignoring debates and scheduling rallies.

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I just realized that a book came from Amazon on Thursday - An Immense World by Ed Yong. I need to read it for my RL book club meeting of November 12th and didn't want to by a Kindle version. Library didn't have it available in enough time to read it, so sigh. I now own it. I also have his I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, tbr, on my shelves.

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edited to add: While working on the pavers spreadsheet, I came across the most poignant inscription: MY DAD MAX MIA EASTERN EUROPE SPRING 1945

Breaks my heart.

>141 karenmarie: That's very, very sad for Max's family. Here's hoping Ed Yong doesn't disappoint you in his new book, and that the discussion's lively and fun.

more *smoochings*

>142 richardderus: Hiya, RDear. Long time sorrow - 78 years. The Yong book is 355 pages. Sort of daunting, actually.

Wordle 855 3/6* adieu, giver, given

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With two late goals, Arsenal tied Chelsea to remain undefeated this season. Took trash and recyclables to the dump and stopped at the grocery store to get chicken for dinner. Dinner was air fryer chicken and red potatoes with butter and parsley.

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Today will find Jenna and me spending more time getting the workbench under control. Reading, temporarily boxing books to free up space on the little yellow table, and etc.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. I swung by here yesterday AM but you weren't up yet and never had a chance to return. I picked up the camper yesterday and brought it back here. We decided to winterize it ourselves. A bit frustrating at times but I think I figured it out and it saved us some money. The weather was perfect for this task. I will return the camper today and then I am having a chill day with books & football.

Go Arsenal! Go Bears (groans)!

>143 karenmarie: Dinner sounds lovely, Horrible. I hope Yong's way with words makes the 355pp fly by. I love his clarity of thought...or I suppose I should say, I think in the lines he thinks in, so I find following him easy and pleasant.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. I understand about the swinging by and not returning. Glad you're able to save money to winterizing the camper yourselves. Enjoy books and football. I hope your Bears win. Arsenal tied yesterday. They were down by 2 goals at the 67th minute. They scored two goals within 7 minutes.

>145 richardderus: It was lovely, RD, and I'm looking forward to leftover chicken for lunch. I've already read the introduction, and you're right about his writing style. He discusses his book in terms of a concept called Umwelt,

... defined and popularized by the Baltic-German zoologist Jakob von Uexküll in 1909. Umwelt comes from the German word for "environment," but Uexküll didn't use it simply to refer to an animal's surroundings. Instead, an Umwelt is specifically the part of those surrounds that an animal can sense and experience - its perceptual world. Like the occupants of our imaginary room, a multitude of creatures could be standing in the same physical space and have completely different Umwelten. A tick, questing for mammalian blood, cares about body heat, the touch of hair, and the odor of butyric acid that emanates from skin. These three things constitute its Umwelt. Trees of green, red roses too, skies of blue, and clouds of white - these are not part of its wonderful world. The tick doesn't willfully ignore them. It simply cannot sense them and doesn't know they exist. p 5-6, Introduction

Excellent explanation, excellent start to a book, IMO.

Jenna and I decided to continue cleaning out the workbench tomorrow since we all had such a late start this morning. I had an early start at 4, but went back to sleep from 7-9:30.

Hi Karen, I really liked An Immense World. The umwelt concept was really interesting, and useful as a framework for each chapter.

>146 karenmarie: Umwelt sounds like a useful extension of "niche" plus "awareness". We often don't take any account of what the world looks like to others, even of our own species. The world looks very different to people who don't read, f/ex. I can't put myself in that place because even when I couldn't read myself, I was read to all the time, so I knew that knowledge was expandable and wanted to expand mine.

Most people don't know that. And that's just among similarly privileged US residents!

Morning, Karen. I am hoping that I correctly winterized everything with the camper. Fingers crossed. Sue did a lot of mouse-proofing too. Those little stinkers keep getting inside.

My Bears won too and they looked solid and confident, even with a rookie QB in place. I have Trail Watch duties this AM, otherwise I have a fairly quiet week ahead. We are planning on going to Oregon on the 3rd, so that gives us a little time.

Nothing at the feeders yet...

>147 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! I’m glad to hear you liked it, and am thrilled about Umwelt. I like logical and unifying theories for a book's layout.

>148 richardderus: RDear, I’m always sad to think about children not being exposed to reading at a young age. I just had the thought that I should consider volunteering at the Library to read to children but it seems daunting to actually try to do anything about it. My efforts go into getting children’s and other books into the hands of readers and potential readers.

>149 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you! I’m sure, with the care you always bring to things, that you and Sue Got It Right. Bill and I love these mousetraps. They are effective and we don’t have to touch the dead mouse to remove it from the trap. Of course, there was the time that we had two traps laid out near each other and the dead mice/traps were linked by one mouse being caught in both traps...



Yay for your Bears! Enjoy your Trail Watch duties. Let’s see … or not… no bird-feeder activity right now. I finally brought the last hummingbird feeder in a couple of days ago.

Wordle 856 6/6* Gaack. Woke up late to the alarm, am still in a hard-wake-up daze, even with several sips of coffee. adieu, clone, overt, extol, pesto, tempo

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I don't know if it was a delayed reaction to the Covid booster of Tuesday or if something else was going on, but I was exceptionally tired yesterday and did a whole bunch of nothing, which included a nap and blowing off things I wanted to get done. Oh well...

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No official plans for today except to use the treadmill and clean out some of the drawers in the workbench with Jenna. Read a chapter of An Immense World and more smut, too, of course. It was 63F in the Sunroom when I came in here this morning so I have the propane heater on. I usually am indulgent to me and Inara and let it get to 70F before cutting it off. It's at 67F now.

Inara just dropped down onto my lap, so I'm typing with a purring senior kitty in my lap. She ate some wet food earlier, meowed at me to make a reading lap (which it was too early for, needing to post here and visit a few threads), and so decided to be assertive.

Good for Ms. Inara and good for you!

Hope you're kind to yourself today and take plenty of time to get back to 100%.

Meanwhile, I've been meaning to say that I can't read anything but *TRG*. I was SO HAPPY to get Robin out. Now they are beginning to put things together, but Robin told Murphy that she loves him. Botheration!

You'd think that I'd have gotten today's Wordle in fewer tries. Took me 5 with a list. Boo! But our streaks go on!

'Morning, Peggy - I got happily sidetracked on Laura's thread trying to get caught up, but will visit soon.

I feel better today, especially with infusions of coffee and cheese/triscuits/grapes. I'm so glad you're loving *TRG*. Getting Robin out allowed a complete reduction in stress for me. Telling Murphy she loved him was a reflex, of course - someone says they love you and you say it back. She realized as soon as she said it that it was a mistake and not actually true, of course.

I neglected to mention that I had to use my list, too, today, with Wordle. Better than a skunk, of course.

From An Immense World, footnote pp 18-19, referencing more olfactory machinery than humans:

I've deliberately avoided putting hard numbers on the scale of these differences. It is easy to find estimates, and very hard to find primary sources for them; after an hours-long search that included a scientific paper that sourced a factoid to a book in the For Dummies series, I fell into an existential void and questioned the very nature of knowledge. Regardless, the differences are there, and they're substantial; it's only a question of exactly how substantial they are.

existential void and questioned the very nature of knowledge *smile*

Wordle 857 3/6* adieu, haute, cause

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Jenna and I did get the drawers in the workbench reorganized and there's a box of stuff for Habitat plus some trash.

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Today is book sort day, probably a meal after at Virlie's, a visit to UHaul to get some book boxes (1' x 1' x 1'), probably treadmill. Reading, possibly some book culling in the Sunroom.

Morning, Karen. I hope An Immense World is holding your attention. I am enjoying A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds, despite many depressing stats. There is hope...

80 degrees here today! Can you believe it? I am going to take Juno to a forest preserve as a treat to both of us.

'Afternoon, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. I've finished the first chapter of An Immense World. It's a rich and detailed read, full of facts and patterns and surprising linkages.

I went to book sorting, Virlie's, UHaul, gas station, and grocery store. Home again, where I just finished Christmas Spirit by Ali Ryecart. It's a glorious day weather-wise.

>153 karenmarie: I would've had the same response. A "for Dummies" factoid?! IN A PUBLISHED PAPER?! *collywobbles*

I'm glad to say I finally reviewed Where Demons Hide after several false starts. Ma'at booped my snoot with her feather, I guess. I *am* relieved. Valerie arrives tomorrow for her annual visit. We'll have a few things to accomplish for her work, but who cares? Being able to do it while chatting and laughing and enjoying ourselves...that's the best bit.

>154 karenmarie: The thing you need will now be unfindable.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. I had a very nice walk with Juno yesterday. A gorgeous fall day. Well, it is raining now and it will be, off and on for the next few days. I won't be getting much birding in, but with the winds blowing from the south, there is not much happening anyway.

>158 quondame: Ah, Susan. I know whereof you speak. I'm the one for removing an unwanted object from the place it's been for months to somewhere "safe" that I can't remember when I want said object in a couple of weeks' time.

Good morning, (((((Karen))))). Spectacular day! Enjoy it!
Wordle in 4. I would never, ever have thought of that word had it not been the only possibility at my 4th guess.

>157 richardderus: Glad you were able to get your review of Where Demons Hide review done, RD. I know know how to pronounce Nuala...

As a young person, through Watergate in 1974, at least, I believed the sources I was exposed to. Note the "exposed to" because there was the whole world of non-white-male truth and social Umwelt (😊) I lived in. The first broadening of this was the feminist perpective, then the black perspective, economic/classes, Native American, etc. Quilt-bag, as you put it, in the early 1970s at Pepperdine. I don't mention Hispanic because I grew up in LA, as you know, and I knew many Mexican kids whose parents immigrated, became citizens, and they were just part of my original Umwelt. Logically I knew about other realities because of school and what I read for 'free reading' but internalizing the broadened perspective took a while and still continues.

Yay for Valerie's visit. Of course, real bacon and other good food will also play a part, right?

>158 quondame: You're probably right, Susan, but many of the drawers and shelves are now completely empty, so the number of places to look is greatly decreased.

>159 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you. Yay for your good-weather yesterday. You’re in the mid-tier for warmer weather this winter according to the US government, lower tier for seasonal precipitation, and not in a drought condition. I’m also in the mid-tier for warmer weather, second-to-highest tier for seasonal precipitation, abnormally dry vis-à-vis drought.

>160 LizzieD: ‘Morning, my dear Peggy! It is a spectacular day. I am enjoying it – so far from the Sunroom, now with senior kitty on my lap purring her heart out. She wants me to have my feet up to create True Lap, but so far she’s enduring Partial Lap.

The worst is Christmas presents that I buy early, but I’ve learned the trick of putting the location on my Christmas Presents List, which I create the first time I buy a present for the upcoming season. Congrats on Wordle in 4.

Wordle 858 5/6* adieu, slope, enemy, jetty, retry

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Yesterday was ... Tuesday, right? *smile* Book sorting, Virlie's for late brekkie. I must admit that I had a spell of light-headness at the Library. Ruth brought me a bottle of water and Rita the Librarian brought me a Nature Valley Crunchy Dipped Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Square. It was so good... gave me enough of a boost so I could get to Virlie's where I ordered eggs, hashed browns, and a biscuit. I had eaten, but it was early and obviously not enough. Sigh. So I'll always keep a granola bar/square and bottle of water in my bag.

Virlie's, UHaul to get book boxes for stuff for Karen, grocery store, home. Read, watch Arsenal beat Sevilla in the Champions League group stage 2-1, and etc.

Today my only obligation outside the home is to use the Treadmill, but also possibly go to the PO, possibly get an oversize document copied.

I've finished the first chapter of An Immense World and am now onto the second, Endless Ways of Seeing: Light.

>161 karenmarie: What a stellar idea your Christmas presents list is. I've been known to just put the packages anyoldwhere and the void spits them out a year or two later.

Happy Thursday, Karen!

Sorry, not much else to say today.

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. More rain here, starting later AM but still mild. My feeders continue to be quiet. The usual 4-5 species. Hoping for a surprise or two.

>163 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Your greeting is more than enough, thank you. Happy Thursday to you, too.

>164 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, too. Rain might mean reading? And good luck with more than the usual suspects on your feeders.

Mine are very quiet. A finch just came up and quickly left, otherwise quiet.

Wordle 859 3/6* adieu, cutie, pique. With a little help from my spreadsheets.

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Yesterday was mostly pfutzing around and reading, but I did go to the PO to mail photos found in a book in the garage to Aunt Ann, dropped off a box of workbench things at Habitat for Humanity, went to the Library to check out the Pavers folder, taking 5 Folio Society books, which will be added to what I'll pay in the spring book sale, and used the treadmill for 40 minutes.

The most charming thing that happened yesterday was that I chatted with a man who came to use the treadmill too - there are two - but he only used it for 5 minutes so far because he had knee replacement surgery 3 months ago. He's a retired GP. After chatting about this and that I mentioned that I volunteer for the Friends book sort team. It shouldn't have to thrill me, but his reply thrilled me: "My husband loves the book sales." I thought how happy he must be to finally be able to say that after most of a lifetime of NOT being able to even think it, much less say it.

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Today Jenna and I will start tackling the HVAC closet in the garage. Quite a bit of stuff but not as overwhelming as what we've already gotten done. The biggest item, a barrel with old house plans in it, was taken to the dump by the guy in the truck a month ago.

Treadmill sometime in the afternoon, and possibly searching out the printer we used to use for Friends book marks to start preliminary talks about them donating bookmarks for the Spring 2024 book sale. Here's the one we never got to use in 2020 because the Library abruptly closed 9 days before the Spring Sale. We always hand out bookmarks with the NEXT book sale dates/times on them.

Speaking a third time this morning, Karen! HI!!!!

I love your encounter with the man who now speaks of his husband naturally and freely. May we not lose that!!!!!!!!!

OOooo! Wordle in 3! Good for you!!! Took me 4, and I am proud of that.

Hope the HVAC closet cleans out quickly and that you have the rest of the day for yourself.

(And I think I'd LOVE sharp cheddar melted on a Krispy Kreme!)

>165 karenmarie: It's weird thinking back to all the stuff we expected to do and didn't do in March 2020. (At least, that's when Minnesota shut down.) How suddenly things can change!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354703

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Bree could use a little help with Jack this AM, so I will scoop him up later and take him to the park and maybe hit the trails for a bit. Books in the PM. October has been a great reading month for me.

>166 LizzieD: I always love your visits, Peggy. I was happy that it was part of the conversation but not a show stopper. Just part of the natural flow of the conversation.

Yay for your 4 yesterday. Took me 4 today.

>167 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel. March 2020 was so scary - nothing like it had occurred in my lifetime in our country. Our Library shut down on the 17th, and that's when we started worrying about masks and how the virus spread. We quarantined deliveries and groceries for months and months.

>168 SilverWolf28: Thank you, Silver!

>169 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you, too. Yay for some impromptu Jack time and books in the PM. I'll look forward to your October reading month.

Wordle 860 4/6* adieu, slope, loose, noble with a little help from the spreadsheets.

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Jenna and I spent about an hour cleaning out the closet yesterday. It needs another hour or so, plus taking stuff to the dump, cleaning some nice folding outdoor chairs and putting them out for a bit this fall, and etc. I also found 2 wonderful fly fishing rods given to me by a friend from SoCal, Pearl Mikelson. We were fishing buddies – she had promised her son that she wouldn’t use her pontoon boat on Lake Piru alone, and I was happy to spend time with her and fish. Before she died, she had told her son to give me all her fishing gear. I also have some flies she tied and other tackle box fun stuff.

Besides fluffing about, I did go and use the treadmill for 40 minutes yesterday.

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Well. I unintentionally shut off the morning alarm, set for 8:40 a.m., and woke up at 10:06. I’m still a bit groggy, but am going to shift my meds an hour later both a.m. and p.m. as I realized that I frequently wake up to the alarm. So the alarms will be set for 9:40. Half the time I wake up early and it won’t matter.

I was going to work with Jenna on the rest of the garage today, but will probably leave it ‘til the weekend. Reading, and the treadmill.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I had a fine time with Jack yesterday. No surprise there, right? We are having the family over tonight to celebrate Sue's birthday. She is a Halloween baby. 🎃

Just house finch out there at the moment. Chilly out there too. Mid-30s. Bye-bye warm weather.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you, too. Yay for Jack day. Early Happy Birthday to Sue, and enjoy the fam visit.

No activity out here on a bird birders. It's supposed to get to 86F today. 🙄

Wordle 861 5/6* Not enough coffee before I started. adieu, loath, bloat, coral, mason

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Made a call re copying/bookmarks for the Friends yesterday, dropped off a card at the PO, used the treadmill, and that's pretty much it.

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Arsenal plays Sheffield United in 6 minutes. Sheffield's in 20th position - last - and unless Arsenal loses, they'll go ahead of Man City in the standings, to second after Tottenham.

Other than that, perhaps a bit more in the garage closet, reading of course.

You're in the midst of Arsenal play right now. Hope they're winning and making you happy!

Enjoy the day!

Hi Peggy! Yes, but it's halftime. 😊 They're up 1-0 on a beautiful score by Eddie Nketiah on an assist from Declan Rice. I love the name Declan.

Thanks re our day - I hope you have a wonderful one.

edited to add: Arsenal won, FIVE-nil. *happy dance*

Wordle 862 4/6* adieu, moron, snowy, phony

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I spent quite a bit of time on books yesterday - making a box, including birthday present, for friend Karen in Montana. It will get mailed on Monday. I also filled 4 boxes of books that were on the little yellow table and the dresser, with a spreadsheet, of course, identifying which box they were in. I have one or two more boxes to take care of, then things will be cluttered on the floor with boxes, but organized and the table free for kitties again.

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Let's see. Today will be spent with the last of the books, then Jenna and I will clean off the media room stairs so that the cleaning ladies can dust/vacuum the landing/walls/baseboards/stairs on Tuesday. Reading, of course.

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. We had a very nice family gathering last night. Sue put on an excellent spread, despite it being her birthday party. We also got to spend more time with Jackson.

Some clean-up today, along with laundry but most of the day will be books and football. Since the Bears play tonight, it will mostly be reading. Go Arsenal!

Hi Mark! I hope your Sunday is going well, probably books now since the Bears are tonight. Bill's been watching soccer but I've been puttering in the Sunroom getting books organized and the steps cleaned off, with Jenna.

I was happy that Arsenal scored so many goals. Eddie Nketiah got his hat trick, then Viera scored on a penalty and Tomiyasu scored the last one off of a corner.

Morning, Karen. Waking up to 30F. It will be chilly during Trail Watch this AM. I had a perfectly lazy day yesterday. Got in lots of reading. Sadly, but not surprisingly, my Bears lost again. I see that the Panthers won and was able to catch the last of that game. I hope you were able to get a lazy one in too.

Good Monday, smoochling. I know you've been by the new thread and seen that I FINALLY figured out a kludge to post the stupid iPhone photo. Today I resume my accustomed habits, and the weather goddess has repented of her kindliness in gifting a strecth of PERFECT fall days for Valerie and has opened the skyfaucet on the steady drip setting. Since I have no burning need to go outside, let 'er rip sez I.

I'm reading the latest Chambers and Malcolm Creative Types novel, this time about Tag. His presence was never all that interesting to me, but that's what Jo and Sally wrote so here I go.

>178 msf59: 'Morning, Mark! Brrr. It's 67F here, going to a high of 85F. However, a cold snap is coming tonight. Tomorrow will only get to 48F and go down to 30F tomorrow night. Sorry about your Bears. Bill didn't even watch the Panthers.

>179 richardderus: 'Morning, RDear! I'm so glad the weather goddess did right by you and Valerie. Not having to go out is good for letting the rain rain down.

You had to have told me about this series last year, because I actually bought Home Grown Talent. I've gone back and bought Total Creative Control using my free Ammie points. AND, just saw another book by Chambers, Enemies with Benefits and bought it for $0.00, on sale from its usual $.99. *smooch*

Wordle 863 3/6* adieu, plain, grail

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Yesterday got the stairs cleaned off, wanted to post before and after pics, and it seems that my phone and Outlook are on the fritz again. Grrr. Will work on it later. Did a lot of work on the books in the Sunroom that need permanent homes, all 154 of them. They're in labeled boxes on the floor in the Sunroom, and in a spreadsheet identifying which box each one is in. This cannot surprise anyone...

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Today's a busy one. Jenna and I are heading out in an hour to mail two 1' x 1' x 1' UHaul book boxes to friend Karen in Montana for her birthday and then go grocery shopping. At one-ish I'm going to chat with my Aunt Joyce.

Good morning, (((((Karen)))))! I have successfully avoided RD's BBs here, so I'm feeling pretty smug. I know that a couple of hefty-priced Kindle copies are coming up in November, so I'm glad to save my pennies.

Wordle in 4 for me. I had a 50/50 chance of getting it in 3 and missed.

Enjoy your day. I am going to risk going to the PO to mail 2 paperbackswap books. I might vote too if the place looks empty.

'Morning, (((((Peggy)))))! I wouldn't have expected you to get BB'd here, of course. Smugness works.

4 in Wordle is the norm. I'm always thrilled to get 3.

We're both at the PO, then today. I'm so glad you're able to get out, even if it's only brief errands.

>170 karenmarie: >175 karenmarie: >177 karenmarie: >180 karenmarie: You and Jenna are quite the team. The two of you could come up here and show me how it's done. Har har.

I have to get back to work making book shelves.

Also I have to get back to reading more.

>183 weird_O: Hi Bill! Sometimes the right energy just grabs you. It is especially helpful for me to have a young and strong daughter to do the heavy lifting.

More shelves? I shall come visit. And of course, reading.

Wordle 864 4/6* adieu, steal, gleam bleak

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Morning, Karen. Up early, eh? I am sure there will be a nap or two in your future. A mere 28F out there at the moment and it looks like we will get our first dusting of snow too. Ugh. The kids better bundle up today. Thankfully, I will be hanging mostly at home.

Disgruntled *smooch*

I'm failing in my avocation as a book-bulleter...Peggy keeps dodging my aim too successfully too often. My self-esteem's suffering. I suspect all three of us will be splashing out for System Collapse later this month, though, so at least will all be slurping up the Murderbot-ly goodness together.

Hi, Karen! I have finally made it back over to your thread, after recovering from our extended trip. Sorry it took me so long.

It sounds like you've been making great progress cleaning out and organizing your garage and sunroom. I really must start setting aside time to go through my piles of paper and boxes left over from when we moved my mom. I've been putting off most of this for far too long.

Hopefully we can arrange a time to meet in November. Longhorn Steak House where you took your friend Louise for lunch is not far from my house.

Wishing you a great week! Stay warm!

>185 msf59: Next day ‘morning, Mark! Yes, I only got 3 hours of sleep two nights ago and took a 1.5 hour nap late afternoon. Brrr. And snow? I hope your hanging mostly at home day was a good’un. Last night I got 6 hours straight.

>186 richardderus: Poorest little’un, not snagging Peggy on MM romance. Warning: new esteem problem for you: I have never read and at this time don’t intend to read any of the Murderbot stuff. Not my cuppa, even in a genre I occasionally dip my toes into. No. Just… no. You’ll have to slurp up the Murderbot-ly goodness with Peggy sans moi. *smooch*

>187 atozgrl: Hi Irene! Nice to see you here. As my husband would say, the cleaning out/organizing bullet point has finally made it to top of stack.

I’ve got another box of papers to go through – I thought it was Bill’s, but it turns out to be mine. I need to get Jenna to move the shredder back into the Sunroom. It’s heavier than I’d like to be moving around right now. Papers, beverage of your choice, music/podcast/news… I love doing things like that.

Longhorn sounds like a good place for us to meet. I did something I haven’t done for 19 years – I ate fresh pork. Last time was a pig pickin’ for a friend’s husband’s 40th birthday party and it actually tasted pretty good. Longhorn has center cut pork chops, and for some reason those sounded really good the day I went out with Louise. I paired them with a baked sweet potato. I’d probably do that again. Just let me know when you’re up for a meal out – lunch or dinner, either works fine.

Thanks re my week – I hope you continue to settle back in and recover from Mississippi.

Wordle 865 3/6* adieu, slime, noise

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Yesterday was busy. Book sort, Virlie's for breakfast, RSV shot (no side effects - not even a sore arm), pharmacy to pick up a prescription, bank for cash, meeting with owner of print shop in town. She confirmed that they'll donate 600 bookmarks for the spring sale - we give them out with the dates for the NEXT sale. She needs two weeks before the sale so I've already made a note in my 2024 desk calendar to get up with her then. In the meantime, they're copying an oversized diagram of all pavers for me - 3 copies. Home, cleaning ladies, nap, final two episodes of Bodies. We both liked it a lot and loved the plot twists and trying to figure things out. Back to Silent Witness, although Bill's been making noises about the final two seasons of The Crown, but honestly, that ship has sailed for me since QE2 died.

...
Last night we gave Zoe a capsule to calm her. We'll give her another one today at 2:10 in anticipation of her 4:10 well-kitty/shots visit with the vet. She's semi-feral and I did the same thing last time. This time, Jenna will go with AND we'll get to go in instead of me having to drop her off because they weren't allowing people in because of Covid.

We're keeping the kitties inside because Murphy's Law of Kitty Availability means that if we let Zoe out for a quick bit of fresh air, she'd be gone 'til way past her appointment time. I will sneak out sometime late morning to use the treadmill.

In the meantime, coffee, LT, reading.

Morning, Karen. Happy November! Currently 25F but at least we will have sunshine today and no snow flurries. I am trying to shake off a minor but persistent cold, so I think I will just stay warm and snug with the books and Juno. I do need to tend to my feeders, though and bring out the birdbath heater.

'Morning, Mark! Yes, happy November. 25F, really Brrr! That's what we're supposed to get tonight. I'm sorry you have a cold, so inside with books and Juno sounds like the perfect plan.

My old birdbath heater has started chipping, and I don't want the birds to ingest pieces of paint. Into the trash it goes, and I just ordered another one, due tomorrow from Amazon.

All Saints' Day begins with a body-blow: NO MURDERBOT?!? Horrible! Even YOU the SF hater extraordinaire can't *really* resist Murderbot!

Ah well, if you insist on being obtuse and contrary, we will as always ATD. *smooch*

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. The backyard birdies must feel the warmth coming. It will creep back up into the 50s today. There were juncos, housefinch, cardinals and chickadees, when I peeked out there.

Sue just left to do some Jackson time before she goes to work. I will take Juno for an extended walk but not much else planned.

>191 richardderus: Moi? A hater? Harsh, dear one, and in this case NOT true... I have 48 books tagged SF, 28 of them read, and 120 books tagged fantasy, 59 of them read. I just don't like AI. I literally have 0 of 5,727 books where 'artificial intelligence' or 'AI' is in any searchable field.

ATD on AI.

*smooch*

>192 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, to. 50s for you, 55F for us. It was 24F at 7:15, and my Sunroom was 59.9F, so the propane heater is on. I hope Sue enjoys her Jackson time and you enjoy your walk.

Wordle 866 3/6* adieu, cumin, until

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I picked up some copies of the Friends Paver Program layout from the printer and used the treadmill yesterday.

I'll use the treadmill, go to the chiropractor then stop for a few things at the grocery store later this afternoon, but might spend a bit of time cleaning the garage closet with Jenna around 11:30.

>193 karenmarie: Hater! Murderbot's not, by any stretch of the imagination, about AI...it's a cyborg...now it's true there are AIs in the story, but, well, no matter. You're missing out is all I'll say.

I'm really enjoying Best Supporting Actor, so you'll keep your momentum in that series going....

*smooch*

'Morning, RDear!

Cyborgs, robots, androids. I'm reminded that some folks along the equator don't (didn't in the world of the internet and easy international travel?) differentiate amongst sour citrus - lemons and limes. I don't differentiate amongst not 100% completely human beings and don't usually choose that sub-genre.

I don't mind missing out. Same way as I don't mind missing out on Westerns, for example.

I'm reading Meeting Mr. Adorkable by Ali Ryecart - awful title, so far amusing enough. Next up is #2, then I might actually have to break down and buy #3 with Tag and Jay. You weren't thrilled at first, I seem to recall, but glad you're enjoying it now.

*smooch*

>195 karenmarie: I remain eyebrow-archingly Aware of your...indifference.

I wasn't looking forward to spending time with Tag, having developed An Opinion of him relating to Owen and Mason. I was, happy to say, wrong. I ought to know by now to trust Sally and Jo. Oh, that is one awful title! I don't care much for the term, but as a title somehow it comes off even worse. Is La Ryecart carrying it off?

ATD, ATD chanted in a soft, positive voice.

Ali is presenting two characters who were both burned in their last relationships, one returned home to a small town in Wyoming from NYC, one picking a place on the map and moving there from England. I'm a bit irritated with the NYC-returnee, who is sending seriously mixed messages 40% in. He's the silver fox, too, so should know better. Harrumph. But all's well that will end well.

The title is rather ridiculous, isn't it? Sadly, it let me immediately understand what one of the characters looked like.

I like Ryecart - 9 of the 9 I've read so far.

>195 karenmarie: But Murderbot is funny! That the protagonist is a construct is much less important than that they are so relatable. And that they find relating quite the challenge.

>197 karenmarie: That is a solid track record! I'm the same way with relatively many MM authors. I like their work and read them all, or read one and think "not for me" and don't bother again. Funny how that works in this genrs but not others, innit.

>188 karenmarie: Longhorn for lunch would work great for me! Is there a day of the week that's better for you?

I'm hoping to finally work on more of the decluttering this month. I'm afraid it's been taking a back seat to reading and other things so far this year. I must do better!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354878

>198 quondame: Okay, Susan, I give in, but only because I can borrow the first book, All Systems Red, on Kindle Unlimited. *smile* I will start it later this morning, after reading some An Immense World by Ed Yong and my latest smut, His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley.

>199 richardderus: Hiya, RD. I abandoned Meeting Mr. Adorkable at page 227, 67% in. I liked Mr. Adorkable but didn’t like the silver fox. I also abandon mystery series – la Penny is the one I have been most vocal about over the years. I’ve also at least temporarily abandoned the Kate Burkholder, Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne, and Cork O’Connor series. *smooch*

>200 atozgrl: Hi Irene – I’ve left you a PM about my availability for lunch.

Being retired means letting the priorities sort themselves out. I’ve been retired almost 8 years now, and the initial rush to Do Things (although I took good advice by not volunteering for the first 6 months), was almost overwhelming. I settled down and learned to indulge in things I want to do interspersed with things I Should Do. Screw guilt.

>201 SilverWolf28: Hi Silver, and thank you.

Wordle 867 2/6* With help from my spreadsheets... adieu, ardor

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...
Yesterday was 3 of 4: chiropractor, treadmill, grocery store. Jenna and I didn't work on the garage. I spent 41 minutes on the treadmill, so felt good about that.

Today will also be treadmill to get in my three visits this week. Jenna and I will probably work on the garage closet this morning. Reading, and a bit of work on a book sort room document for the newbies and reminder for long-time members. Books are getting put in the wrong category, books are being kept in time-sensitive categories (health/self-help and business), and books with highlighting/writing/underlining are not being excluded like they should be. Two of the long-term members and I started working on a document late last year but Life got in the way for all of us. Time to get back to it.

A day late, so happy Friday, Karen!

>188 karenmarie: I hope all went well with Zoe at the vet.

Hi Anita, and happy Friday to you.

Ah. Zoe at the vet. It was a good visit - she got an A+ from Doctor Cindy. We gave Zoe gabapentin for calming the night before and 2 hours before her visit, per the instructions. As it turns out, however, the prescription should have been one the night before and one 5 hours before the afternoon visit. Thus, Zoe was not calm enough when we tried to get her into the smallest cat carrier. She fought tooth and nail, so Jenna switched to the largest carrier. Zoe complained and was upset the entire drive to the vet's office. Got her in there and I told them that this was Zoe with drugs. The tech who came in was wonderful, and she and Doctor Cindy both came back in and did all the work with Zoe in the examination room with Jenna and me there. They kept things to a minimum - 2 vaccinations, a brief but thorough exam, no bloodwork needed, didn't take a urine sample ditto because Zoe is young and is in such excellent condition. NEXT time we'll either make sure it's a morning appointment for the 2 hours before the appointment or give her the 2nd dose 5 hours before the afternoon appointment. When we got Zoe home she ate 1 1/2 cans of Fancy Feast for dinner, then conked out on me for half an hour. She never lets me hold her.

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Bree dropped Jack off last night, so we get to keep him until later this afternoon. He was in such a cute mood. Hoping for more of the same today, especially since we are bringing him to get a haircut.

I had a very nice walk with Juno yesterday. We saw 20 species, including red-headed woodpeckers and a single fox sparrow.

>204 karenmarie: Sorry to read it was still difficult to get Zoe in the carrier. I hope it will be easier next time, with the right use of the gabapentin. Your vet and the tech sound great in teir care of Zoe.

>205 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. I'm glad you're getting a lot of Jack time. Good luck with the hair cut! Impressive, 20 species.

>206 FAMeulstee: Poor Jenna - I was waiting in the car in front of the open garage door for her to bring Zoe out and after 5 minutes she dashed out to the garage. I asked what was going on and she yelled "She won't go in" as she dashed to get the other carrier. Unless there are problems, she'll go to the vet in 3 years to get more vaccinations. I hope we can remember all of this!

YTD Statistics through October

310 books read
2 of them on my shelves before 1/1/23 and not rereads
90 books abandoned, 9874 pages abandoned, 1 audio book, .45 hours abandoned

141.75 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 273
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 266

Book of the Month: EWB by N.R. Walker

Books by Month
January - 33 e-books, 19 books abandoned for 1711 pages
February 34 e-books, 1 paper book, 1 audiobook, 6 books abandoned for 718 pages
March 18 e-books, 7 books abandoned for 443 pages, 1 audiobook abandoned for .45 hours
April 35 e-books, 9 books abandoned for 974 pages
May 32 e-books, 1 audiobook for 16 hours, 8 books abandoned for 1,112 pages
June 39 e-books, 1 audiobook for 17.5 hours, 7 books abandoned for 948 pages
July 36 e-books, 1 audiobook for 18 hours, 8 books abandoned for 849 pages
August 29 ebooks, 1 audiobook for 22.5 hours, 6 books abandoned for 688 pages
September 25 ebooks, 8 books abandoned for 1,041 pages
October 26 ebooks, 1 paper book, 12 books abandoned for 1,163 pages

Author
Male 13%
Female 78%
Undeclared * 6%
Non-Binary 3%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Living 100%
Dead 0%

US Born 44%
Foreign Born 33%
Undeclared * 23%
* - can't find any info anywhere

Platform
Hardcover 1%
Trade Pback 0%
Mass Market 0%
Audiobook 2%
e-Book 97%

Source
My Library 8%
Library 0%
Kindle Unlimited 91%
Borrowed from a friend 1%

Misc
ARC/ER 0%
Re-read 2%
Series 68%

Fiction 99%
NonFiction 1%

Author Birth Country 312
Australia 9%
Canada 4%
Cuba

October Lightning Round

**abandoned Made to Order by Brigham Vaughn**

Donovan, a chef, and Tyler, a bar manager, work for the same establishment and are always at odds until they aren’t, and Donovan the Dom masters Tyler the sub. Too improbable, and ultimately too kinky for me.

The Anonymous Hookup by Jax Calder 10/1/23 10/2/23 Kindle

A longish novella that works at 121 pages. This is the sweet story of Lane, who always seems to pick the wrong guys. His BF persuades him to just hook up, and the hookup remains anonymous for weeks – no names – but play dates for the dogs (also being play dates for them), time spent at each other’s houses. Lane’s insecure that Sam’s more successful financially than he is and wonders how Sam can possibly want to be with a teacher, Sam admits that he’s falling in love with Lane then walks away because Lane keeps saying they’re hookups. There are several coincidences, but it truly seems like Fate’s involved, as they get their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Roommate Proposal by Jace Bradley 10/2/23 10/2/23 Kindle

Logan is 35, single, and supervises a lab at the University where Alexsei is working on his masters. Alexsei’s apartment floods and Logan lets him live in one of three extra bedrooms. Things start out somewhat antagonistic because Alexsei doesn’t have very good people skills. There’s sparkage, and closeted Alexsei and out Logan start a secret relationship. Alexsei is terrified of his family finding out that he’s ‘started that up again’ because his dad controls a trust fund from his grandfather. His sister finds out, he visits his family and his parents homophobic rants are so terrible that it becomes freeing to him. He and Logan break up but miss each other and get their HEA. I liked the banter and serious conversations between them and the meshing of their different habits and different family dynamics. Caveat emptor re sex.

EWB (Enemies with Benefits) by N.R. Walker 10/2/23 10/2/23 Kindle

Valentine and Marshall hate one another, have since they were ten years old. Marshall’s father’s company was bought out by Valentine’s father and Marshall’s life changed dramatically. Currently they’re on competing rugby teams after hours. Valentine runs one of his father’s company’s divisions, the construction business, and they’ve just bought out the company Marshall works for. After a rugby match, and in the bar, Valentine rescues Marshall from a potential bit of violence, but they have a sexual encounter there. Valentine suggests an ongoing setup, secretly, as he is not out. The sparkage is definitely there, but Marshall starts taking care of Valentine too – making sure he eats properly, helps him with panic attacks – and Valentine starts caring for Marshall. There’s a lot to unpack here because of Valentine being closeted and enduring verbal abuse from his father. Marshall doesn’t like the secret nature of their relationship but respects Valentine’s need for it until things get out of hand, the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak, and we eventually get the HEA. Speaking of cats, Valentine’s cat Enzo immediately likes Marshall, and there are quite a few cute scenes with them and Enzo. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Private Charter by N.R. Walker**

For all the strength and power of EWB, Private Charter is predictable and stereotypical. Stressed businessman charters yacht for him and his Friend with Benefits, FWB bails, sparkage with yacht owner, blah blah blah.

Outrun the Rain by N.R. Walker 10/4/23 10/5/23 Kindle

Another winner from Walker, the first in The Storm Boys Series. Tully is hired to take Jeremiah into the outback to take readings of lightning storms. Jeremiah has a backstory with lightning, Tully’s slumming it with his two weeks away from ‘real life’ as a successful professional in the family business. Sparkage, both literal with lightning and with each other. The first of three, with a HFN. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Tic-Tac Mistletoe by N.R. Walker**

Two very sad men spend time together when Hamish’s rental car runs off the road in the wilds of snowbound Montana. Ren hears the horn blaring and rescues him. Ren’s off work for 3 days for his first Christmas since his father died, Hamish is coming to the US on a 2-year visa to stay with his sister after his life in Australia just seems to be going nowhere. Chutney the dog, named after a character in Legally Blonde features heavily, wearing her cute coat and booties. Just too twee for me, frankly. 130 pages in and NO caveat emptor re sex, perhaps that’s the problem…

**abandoned Sinner's Gin by Rhys Ford**

I liked the storyline of this one, with Miki being the sole survivor of a crash of the limo and his 3 bandmates dying. His neighbor is a cop, there’s sparkage, but then there’s a body in Miki’s vintage GTO. What I didn’t like was the actual writing – I get irritated reading authors who try too much with the names of their main characters, alternating them with his, him, and the man… all in one paragraph. If it’s first person from one character’s POV, then I don’t need to hear the other main character’s name twice in a paragraph, or ‘the man’ as opposed to ‘his’ or ‘him’. It's a real show-stopper for me.

Into the Tempest by N.R. Walker 10/5/23 10/6/23 Kindle

Second in the Storm Boys Series has Tully and Jeremiah back in Darwin, Jeremiah assigned to the Darwin Meteorological office and just in time for a Cat 5 cyclone to hit Darwin directly. The office is decrepit, the equipment ancient. The woman Jeremiah is placing, Doreen, who’s just retired, comes in to help. Tully is beside himself with the danger his family and Jeremiah are in, but they all survive, although is brother Ellis’s house is completely destroyed. The L-word is mentioned, Jeremiah and Tully have a HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Touch the Lightning by N.R. Walker 10/6/23 10/7/23 Kindle

Final book in the Storm Boys Series has Jeremiah tasked with fixing a monitoring station on a remote island. Tully borrows his dad’s boat and they are both there, fixing things and having fun. Out of the blue, literally, with no clouds or warning, there is a huge lightning strike. Tully’s flung to the ground, but Jeremiah takes the strike. Tully thumps his chest, saving his life, and calls for a medevac helicopter. It was interesting to read how lightning affects the body. I’d never heard of Lichtenberg figure skin patterning before, and it’s truly awesome and devastating. Tully’s love for Jeremiah is overwhelming, especially when he thinks he might lose Jeremiah. His family rallies around him and there are even touching scenes with Jeremiah’s father, a laconic and unhappy man. I loved this series. Tully is all sunshine and joy, Jeremiah is all seriousness and backstory tragedy. Their lives together are so much fun and so comforting to read about. Caveat emptor re sex, of course.

The Kite by N.R. Walker 10/7/23 10/8/23 Kindle

Two assassins who band together because they’re both on a list to be assassinated. Harry works for the Australian government, Asher is an independent operator. They don’t seem to have anything in common except their gayness. Harry is good at close up assassinations, Asher is good at sharpshooter distance work. They keep escaping by the skin of their teeth, relying heavily on Asher’s friend Four, a mysterious, rich, and powerful player. There is sparkage and eventual realization that they care for each other. And once Asher is kidnapped to draw Harry out, watch out. Harry and Four are relentless in getting to Asher and wiping the kidnappers off the face of the earth. We finally meet Four on his island off Thailand, and eventually Harry and Asher get resettled in Australia after making sure that the man who ordered their assassinations is … not assassinated… but worse – stripped of all his assets, publicly humiliated, and jailed. And who doesn’t love a character who buys a sweet little black kitten for his lover? Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned The Hate You Drink by N.R. Walker**

Monroe is an alcoholic, devastated after his parents are killed in a plane crash. He heavily relies on his best friend Erik, in love with him since they’re 18, who drops everything whenever Monroe needs him until one time when things go too far and Erik realizes he needs help from his family and a psychiatrist. Monroe agrees to the intervention, Erik leaves him at the family’s Australian Gold Coast beach house. I just couldn’t deal with the alcoholic bits, frankly, with family members being alcoholics and not caring enough for the characters to read another two hundred pages. Caveat emptor re alcoholic blackout sex from Monroe, in-love sex with Erik.

Love and Sunshine by Killian Ford 10/9/23 10/10/23 Kindle

Levi really dislikes that Cameron is a new guy at his work who seems to be threatening everything Levi wants at the company. Cameron moves across country to a new job and doesn’t understand why Levi’s so grumpy/mean to him. They are on a construction site when Cameron is injured and can’t fly home. They drive, have a road trip, and fall in love. Sweet, funny. Cameron’s written as a very positive person although there are things in his past. He doesn’t let them get him down, though, and the story is quite good. Caveat emptor re sex.

I Hear You by Casey Morales 10/10/23 10/11/23 Kindle

Sweet and spicy story of Tyler, a player, and Gabe, a virgin and deaf. Gabe owns a dog training and doggy daycare center, Tyler loves to party and is a mechanic. What they have in common besides sparkage is their dogs. They start going together but Tyler shies away, but we get our HEA. It’s interesting to try to understand, as much as a hearing person can, the issues that deaf people face. In this story, Gabe has Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Gabe went deaf at age 7 but doesn’t currently have any of the vision or balance problems that can also be present. It ended up being very sweet, if predictable. All of these romances are predictable, but some of them take longer to get there or are more convoluted. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Oral Persuasion by Ian Finn**

One’s a County Prosecutor, one’s a pricey defense attorney. The defense attorney is in a ridiculous marriage, the prosecutor is out and proud. It seemed forced and used way too much shallow shorthand to try to explain how the defense attorney is attracted to the prosecutor. Not worth any more words than that.

Body Count by L. Eveland 10/12/23 10/13/23 Kindle

Every once in a while I love a book about either a sociopath or psychopath who finds someone they claim for their own. In this case River is at a bar, sees Theo, who’s a prostitute bought for the night by two men. River takes what’s his, and being the sociopath he is and already a killer, kills Rick and takes Theo home. River’s part of a family that owns a mortuary business, has adoptive brothers, is adopted himself, has two moms and two fathers out of this polyamorous relationship. I know… but somehow the description of these people works and Theo starts coming out of his deprived, and controlled, and enslaved life. River wants Theo forever. They work with the Greek mob, of which River’s family is part, and the Russian mob, who they share a power border with, to find Master, the man who has kept Theo enslaved his whole life. Success, murder, rescue of other enslaved boys and young men, and a HEA for our sociopath and his now-former prostitute lover. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Real Trouble by Elle Keaton**

Dany, part of a crime family but not working for the family, flees to an island, working as a diner cook and finally getting a chance at a job as chef to a restaurant. Soren is a cop, moved to the island. They have a History that didn’t end well. There’s a fire at one of the out buildings at the restaurant. Soren’s called in, and Dany brings coffee to the owner/manager and the two cops – they’re both shocked to see each other. So far so good, but then Soren goes to Dany’s apartment to ‘interview’ him about the fire and they immediately have sexy times. It didn’t flow, it didn’t make sense, neither of the characters was appealing.

Captured by by Remi Kingsley 10/13/23 10/14/23 Kindle

Leo’s mother died 3 years previously at the hands of rich men and Leo’s out to get revenge by hacking into and sabotaging their company systems. He sabotages Maddox’s but Maddox says he’s coming for Leo and sets a ‘trap’ at a bar. Leo just wants to see him, but Maddox takes him and keeps him against his will. He’s never mean to Leo, never abuses him, and Leo realizes that he’s not honoring his mother by what he’s doing. A few kisses, a HEA implied.

The Fixer by Charity Parkerson 10/14/23 10/14/23 Kindle

Chad is the sexual obsession of his stepfather, a U.S. Senator. He gains leverage and has been gone out of the home for 2 years. Journey is The Fixer of the title, sent by his boss Archer to get Chad to be used as leverage against the Senator. Journey and Chad are attracted and start caring about each other deeply, but the Senator kidnaps Chad’s friends, twins, trying to force Chad to come back to him. Archer sends another of his hired guns to free the twins, but Chad realizes that he was only being used by Journey. However, another powerful man steps in, forcing Archer to relinquish Journey… The plot is clever and works, mostly. However, the writing is disjointed and jumps all over the place, plus Journey has been physically maimed and it throws a rather unnecessary wrench into the story, IMO. Sparkage, sexy times, and caveat emptor re sex.

Blood Sports by Daniel May 10/14/23 10/15/23 Kindle

I really loved this book, first in the Hanged Men by a new-to-me author. Tobias is a stable hand. Jove is a mobster, out of retirement to find out who the rat in his organization is. He has 3 sons, Nerva, Diomedes, and Hadrian. Rabbit hole:

Nerva -Roman cognomen derived from Latin nervus "strength". This is the name by which the 1st-century Roman emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva is commonly known.
Diomedes - Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
Hadrian - A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain. His family came from the town of Atri in central Italy.

His sons are in his organization but he is estranged from them. Tobias gets caught up in things, and although Jove has never been interested in men, has an immediate and strong attraction to Tobias. Lots of violence, lots of mystery about who the rat is. An interesting note is that one of the criminal activities the family is involved in is with something called Saturday horses – horse-like, bloodthirsty, carnivorous, creatures. Tobias and Jove nearly die at their hands. The denouement of who the rat is was surprising yet logical. I know some about horses because of Bill and Jenna’s interest and our having them here on our property for 5 years, and the author clearly knows a lot about them. HEA, and caveat emptor re sex.

War Games by Daniel May 10/15/23 10/16/23 Kindle

Second in the Hanged Men series. Nerva and Pascal are the heirs apparent to their fathers’ mob empires, fall in love, and secretly marry. Pascal vanishes after a brutal attack on the family compound and Nerva is told he’s dead. Fast forward ten years, and Pascal is back, mentally and physically scarred, distant and seemingly only wanting his Saturday horse. Once they figure out they were both manipulated, there are chases, adventures, and their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Claiming the Cleanfreak by Daniel May**

Ugh. Just, ugh. I shouldn’t have read as far as I did since I realized from the first page that Isaac was not a good person. He forced what he wanted but by manipulating Atticus. NOT non-con, but still. Caveat emptor re sex.

Man Hunt by Daniel May 10/16/23 10/18/23 Kindle

Honestly, this one barely worked for me, a major disappointment compared with the first two in the series. Why does Dio find Mars attractive? Why is Mars manipulated into inviting himself as Dio’s plus one to a known enemy’s island-getaway birthday party? Why is Dio set up to leverage Mars back into the ‘fold’? No real flow, no real interest from me, and barely caveat emptor re sex, grumble.

The Moon Also Rises by Frances M. Thompson 10/18/23 10/20/23 Kindle

I loved this book, because it was two men in their early 40s, both with serious baggage, yet who eventually make it work. Rami comes to work and has to temporarily share Jake’s office. Jake’s snarky, sarcastic, and rather a diva. His only serious relationship ended when he cheated and admitted it to his boyfriend, who walked away and found his soulmate. Jake asks Rami to be his fake boyfriend at their wedding. Rami obliges. There’s sparkage and then a serious interest that is more than just sex. However, Rami has secrets of his own, which were part of the compulsion to continue reading. The characters are all well drawn, including their siblings, Jake’s father, and Rami’s mother. The length worked, although it was rather long at 452 pages. Caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Too Close to the Flame by Ryan Taylor**

Too twee? Too predictable even though almost every book I’m reading these days is eminently predictable? Regardless, I didn’t want to continue reading it. Caveat emptor re sex.

Pick Me by May Archer 10/21/23 10/22/23 Kindle

Knox has moved home temporarily to help with the family business’s finances although the family thinks it’s for good. Gage takes a job redesigning the family business’s website and business systems. Sparkage, but Knox thinks he’s too old for Gage, then thinks he would be limiting Gage by being with him when his whole life’s ahead of him, and etc. Low angst, HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Floodgates by Mary Calmes 10/22/23 10/22/23 Kindle

Tracey is living his good life since he broke up with Breckin as an accountant for a Russian, brother of a Russian mobster. The first chapter hs bullets flying and Tracey barely escaping with his life. Enter his brother Alex, a DEA agent and HIS best friend Cord, a police Inspector. Tracey and Cord have been dancing around each other for years. Tracey is all about stability and monogamy, Cord is all about hookups. As the action opens on this one, Cord’s changed, starts showing Tracey how much he has always been attracted to him and cares about him. Tracey responds. In the meantime, people are being attacked and dying, and they all seem to revolve around Breckin. Illogically, and what this brought down the rating for me, was that they all traipsed off to Breckin’s parents’ house on the East coast, in order to lure out the murderer/bad guy even though the murderer/bad guy is in CA… Breckin hasn’t been home in 15 years, has come home with a pregnant wife, and it mostly falls apart from there although there is a very sweet HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

The Marshal's PI by Este Holland 10/23/23 10/23/23 Kindle

Second in the Yours to Protect series which I’ve now read out of order but won’t continue. Kai is a PI who apparently had a fling with Gannin in the previous book, or at least they were attracted to each other. Gannin is a DEA agent. Kai needs protecting but it’s off the books, with Gannin taking personal time. Kai has a twin he hasn’t spoken to in a dozen years who now works for Homeland Security… lots of stuff. Also lots of poor decisions and carelessness, which lead to Gannin’s partner getting shot and Kai and Gannin getting kidnapped. Gannin gets tortured, Kai almost gets raped… gads. HEA, brothers reunited, caveat emptor re sex. No more by this author.

**abandoned One Night in Whisper by K. Sterling**

Ugh. Beck is the son of Magnus’s assistant Maggie, who never had time for Beck when she was still alive. Beck hates Magnus but all of a sudden is physically attracted to him. Magnus blackmails Beck into being his assistant by offering a shit-ton of money for a Library renovation. Beck’s AC gives out and Magnus lets him use a bedroom in the house. Magnus tells Beck that anytime Beck wants to have sex with, just knock on the door… Beck has too many beers and does… Just ugh. Illogical, poorly written, plot all over the place, AND taking advantage sexually. I’m amazed I read as many pages as I did, 57, before bailing.

Christmas Spirit by Ali Ryecart 10/24/23 10/24/23 Kindle

Fantasy tale, where Roland is a head chef and Georgie is lowest on the rung, the kitchen boy, mistreated by all, starting with Roland. Christmas shutdown, Roland is coerced by the head of HR to drive Georgie to the train station in town. However, the snowstorm picks up, they get lost and end up at a hotel, with only one room, one bed. No other staff or customers are there except for Nicholas. I loved this story, where Roland and Georgie are given the opportunity to see past each other’s failings by … well. Sweet and emotional, with a very good HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

A Toast to Us by Leah Meers 10/24/23 10/24/23 Kindle

New to me author, start of a long and hopefully good series. Emmitt’s just moved to town, Max has returned after 5 years away. Max’s wife died tragically. They meet when Emmitt is trespassing and gets struck by a branch from a tree Max is felling on his property. Instant sparkage. Max was always bi, Emmitt is smitten, so is Max. Various and sundry romantic things, a homophobic old friend of Max’s wife’s, HEA. I particularly liked how it wasn’t Gay For You, just Max’s being attracted to a man this time instead of a woman. Caveat emptor re sex.

Top Shelf Tastes by Leah Meers 10/24/23 10/25/23 Kindle

Second in the Tales from Revere’s Series has Carter taking over his father’s company when his father dies and announcing that he’s gay. He is very strong business-wise but wants to be dominated in the bedroom and has always just had one-night stands out of town so his father wouldn’t find out. He meets Finn and there’s immediate sparkage. Carter realizes that Finn inherited his grandmother’s house, and Carter’s company had a shady loan with her, trying to gouge her along with many other families. As their romance comtinues, Carter works to figure out the problems caused by the members of his father’s board, find his missing brother in whose name the unethical dealings were made, and fix it all. Finn just wants to take care of Carter, a big change from his hookup ways. HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

Talk to Me by D.K. Sutton 10/25/23 10/26/23 Kindle

Light and fluffy, but good with descriptions of introversion and social anxiety. Max was always top customer service rep until Chase showed up and started beating Max regularly. They got off to a bad start and the bad feelings continued. Max does not realize that Chase is an introvert with social anxiety. He plays a trick on him, but separately they start being attracted to each other. Rocky times when Chase finds out about the trick, but they get their HEA. Caveat emptor re sex.

First Impressions by Jay Hogan 10/26/23 10/27/23 Kindle

Excellent book, with so many plot points that I was almost dizzy, but somehow Hogan stitches them all together seamlessly. Michael is an American, working in the ER of a New Zealand hospital after needing to get away from the trauma of a broken relationship, death of a child in ER that he feels is his fault, and a drinking problem. Josh is a K9 cop. They meet at a gay bar during a drug bust, with Michael there as a customer in a compromising position and Josh making a snap judgment about him. Michael sees more than he should during the bust and is pursued and attacked several times. Josh and his sister hide Michael as he recovers. Serious, major sparkage, but Michael is shy of relationships and that’s all Josh wants. Eventual HEA, with subplots of Josh’s daughter, Michael’s ex, and the criminals trying to get to Michael. The characters were almost over the top but not quite. A bit too much introspection and talking about where the relationship was going, but all worth it in the end. Caveat emptor re sex.

Up Close and Personal by Jay Hogan 10/28/23 10/29/23 Kindle

Third in the series of which First Impressions is, well, first. Josh’s best friend Mark is a player. Edward is new, a forensic pathologist, who Mark’s been attracted to and teases. Edward is NOT a player, but is also attracted to Mark. There are two supposed suicides that are suspicious, people are after Mark and Edward, betrayal, and etc. Serious sparkage but WAY too much talking about it although there’s enough to issue my usual caveat emptor re sex.

**abandoned Giving In by Rue Whitney**

Unbelievable, stupid, I kept trying to find a redeeming feature. Luka’s the son of Fitz’s best friend from college and gets the job based on that after walking in on Fitz naked in his office expecting a rent boy. Sheesh. Luka’s straight but isn’t, ultimately, Fitz wants him but not commitment but caves… poor writing, poor everything. Caveat emptor re sex.

Enemies Like You by Joanna Chambers and Annika Martin 10/30/23 10/31/23 Kindle

Will is doing a contract killing for the CIA with a woman partner. They are trying to get Polzin, a Russian, but the bodyguard has killed the last 5 men attempting to get Polzin. While attempting to get Polzin Will is discovered by the bodyguard, who he thinks is the girlfriend. The ‘girlfriend’ is a man, who rescues Will. Much sparkage. Will wants to kill Polzin because Polzin betrayed his unit in Afghanistan. All Will wants to do is kill him and if he dies, well, that’s just okay. The bodyguard, Kit, also has a goal, to find a file that has the names of MI5 and other agents. Kit wants to find it to exonorate his parents, who died in an explosion when Kit was 10. Kit’s raised by another agent, Archie. Convoluted, steamy, and well written, although somewhat over the top. Caveat emptor re sex.

**Too Close to the Flame by Ryan Taylor**

I can’t remember much about this one except that I abandoned it because the writing was so florid and over the top. Didn’t care about John and Bran at all.

>202 karenmarie: I have a significant but not large preference for the novellas that follow All Systems Red. I think the story flow is better and the humor a bit more up-front.

>204 karenmarie: I'm glad every one survived Zoe's vet visit. I know that driving dogs to the vet can get wrought.

Not even trying to catch up, Karen. Just here to wish you a Happy Friday!

>209 karenmarie: Decent month's reading, the disappointments were surprising to me...N.R. Walker's usually pretty solid!...but you're very good about not wasting your eyeblinks these days.

I'm enjoying Jo and Sally's newest.

*smooch*

>202 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I got your message and sent a response.
I settled down and learned to indulge in things I want to do interspersed with things I Should Do. Screw guilt. Very good advice! Mostly I've been trying to do that, and not doing enough of the "things I Should Do." But I need to remember not to feel guilty!

>204 karenmarie: I'm glad to hear Zoe had such a good visit at the vet, but sorry getting her there was such trouble. I remember days like that from my childhood, when we had never heard of a cat carrier. Taking a cat to the vet in the car with no carrier was not fun. And our cat was not de-clawed.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. That is a heck of a lightning round. Whew! We did not get Jack out for a haircut yesterday but enjoyed our time with him here. He has his crabby moments but we still can't help but to keep smiling.

We went to our nephew's high school football game last night. The weather cooperated. We are having friends over tonight for a game night. House chores beforehand. Enjoy your day.

I just noticed you passed 300 in October, Karen, so congratulations on going beyond 4 x 75!

Holy Moly, Karen! I tried to catch up. That was a big missed ape! Time's gone, and I'm not through. Glad that things tick right along for you and happy to hear that Zoe is very well and took some lap time.

I'm tickled that you're reading Murderbot. That's good of you, and in return, I'll maybe try the Chambers if that's the name. Meanwhile, I need to read another Mb. I hoard them because they're so good. Really!

Enjoy this gorgeous day!

>210 quondame: Good to know, Susan. I admit that I read the first paragraph yesterday and stopped, but I’ll give it a fair shake this morning.

Animals to the vet can definitely get wrought, although I had an 85-pound male Doberman Pinscher, Jet, who behaved like a gentleman in my Civic 1300. I put that all down to my boyfriend of the time, Mark, who started training Jet the day we got him when he was 9 weeks old. Jet never, ever, chewed shoes or clothes, and never howled when we heard sirens. We did give him socks, but he knew he could only have the ones we’d made a knot in. Jet and me in 1985.



>211 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I hope you had as happy a Friday as I did.

>212 richardderus: Hi RD! Thanks re my lightning round. The Hate You Drink was 90% abandoned because of the drinking, since it reminds me of a close family member who was an alcoholic. I also didn’t like the alcoholic black out sex. And finally, the idea of wading through the recovery to get to the HEA just didn’t appeal.

Yay for Jo and Sally. *smooch*

>213 atozgrl: Excellent, Irene. We’re on for the 16th. Work on the guilt thing. Thanks re Zoe. I’ve never had a de-clawed cat. The only way I’d consider getting one is from the shelter.

>214 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you, too. Yes, I’m still having a very good time with my 99% smut-fest. *smile* Even crabby toddlers are lots of fun. I’m curious – how does Jack get punished? Diverted? Time out? Scolded?

I loved high school football games – mine in the early 1970s and Jenna’s 2008-2010 when we went since Jenna was in Marching Band. Enjoy your friends tonight.

>215 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Kindle Unlimited and reading on my Kindle have become a joy, although I have 4 paper books and an audio book going, too.

Wordle 868 4/6* adieu, plait, cabin, mania

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Yesterday was an extended nap - 3 hours! - treadmill, reading, and puttering. We had leftover Vegetable Beef Soup with Bisquick drop biscuits for dinner, then Bill and I watched an episode of Silent Witness. It was a very good one, and I'm proud that I got most of the soccer references. One of the main characters was a soccer star who played for 'Thames City', thinly veiled Man City.

Today will be Arsenal v Newcastle at 1:30. I'm going to shred some old paperwork, read, LT (used in its verb form, lol), and etc.

>217 karenmarie: Agreed about de-clawed cats! It seems so inhumane.

I look forward to seeing you on the 16th!

"how does Jack get punished?" Frankly, he isn't punished as far as I know. Certainly not from us, other than a fairly stern "No" once in a while. He is just 2 after all. Not sure how they will discipline him later on. Never thought to ask.

Happy Sunday, Karen. Not much planned for the day. I may make a quick Costco run and then books and football, which is okay with me.

I found grayish feathers on the ground, near my main feeder yesterday. A junco? A cat fatality? ☹️

>218 atozgrl: Hi Irene! Yes, I'm looking forward to it, too.

>219 msf59: I'm trying to remember when we started punishing Jenna. At a bare minimum there were loud NOs and distractions if she was doing something that could be dangerous. The best punishment for her was to sit her on a chair in the kitchen and make her sit still. The timer was set, and if I got any sass or she got off the chair, 5 minutes got added. I learned early on that sending to her room was a reward to her since she loved her room and being alone up there by herself, so of course couldn't send her since it wasn't a punishment. She had a friend, Ethan, who it was a punishment for since he was being banished, albeit temporarily, from the family.

Books and football, with perhaps a Costco run, are all good things. Sorry about the feathers. Speaking of feeders, mine are lonely. I just saw two smallish birds in the distance, and there's one male Cardinal in the Crepe Myrtle and one female Cardinal on the wild bird seed feeder, but that's it. Yesterday afternoon I saw 2 Carolina Chickadees.

Wordle 869 5/6* adieu, bleat, place, flame, flare

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We had take out for lunch. Arsenal lost to Newcastle 1-0, on a goal that shouldn't have been a goal in my Arsenal-centric world. Grumble, grumble. Their first loss in the Premier League this season, although they have lost in other leagues they're playing in.

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Jenna and i will brave the 54F garage and do a bit of closet clean out again today. Reading, possibly some baking, although I'm not sure what. Possibly shortbread, possibly a recipe from Baking Yesteryear, the wonderful cookbook I recently bought by B. Dylan Hollis.

Horrible my sweet, do you follow Max Miller and his delightful YouTube channel Tasting History? His cookbook looks lovely and has a recipe for garum, the Roman ketchup, as well as one for hardtack *clackclack*. Plus he's just fun to watch as he discusses De re coquinaria and its measurements of stuff.

Sunday *smooch*

Happy day to you, Karen! We're back on our Wordle see-saw. 3 for me today; 5 yesterday. We still move right along!

Being childless, I've enjoyed friends' tales of the terrible twos. One woke up on his second birthday, looked at his beaming Mama, and said, "NO." Friend saw her son slapping his own little hands and saying, "No, no, no, no," as he gleefully went for the stereo knobs. Bless you all!

>221 richardderus: Hiya, RDear! No, I haven't so far, but I just went to YouTube on my cell phone and subscribed. I'll look tonight. Thank you! *smooch*

>222 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, and happy Sunday to you, too. Yes, we still move right along.

I think it was the word NO, but in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Mr. Dursley was pleased that Dudley had a new word - NO.

My daughter was less inclined to say no than to just do what she wanted until she got corrected. She's a pip, for sure.

Wordle 870 3/6* adieu, knead, trade

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Major laziness yesterday, although we did have steak and air fryer french fries for dinner last night and I cataloged books I got from the FoCCL on last week:

The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
Mayo Clinic On Arthritis: How to Manage Pain and Lead an Active Life by The Arthritis Experts at the Mayo Clinic
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell - hardcover Penguin Classics
Ultimate French: Beginner-Intermediate by Annie Heminway
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
Corpus Christmas by Margaret Maron
Death in Blue Folders by Margaret Maron
Death of a Butterfly by Margaret Maron
Fugitive Colors by Margaret Maron
High Country Fall by Margaret Maron
Home Fires by Margaret Maron
Past Imperfect by Margaret Maron
Southern Discomfort by Margaret Maron
The Right Jack by Margaret Maron
Up Jumps the Devil by Margaret Maron
Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker

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I plan on using the treadmill today and of course reading. We didn't get to the garage yesterday, so might today.

>224 karenmarie: Happy Monday!

Looks like you found some great items at the sale. Majority by Margaret Maron. I have not read anything by this author before.

Morning, Karen. Yep, both of our football teams lost again. Business as usual. Not much planned for today but I hope to get out for a walk. It looks like a nice fall day.

Good morning, 3 Sister. My first M. Maron was The Right Jack, and it's still a favorite. I think it was her break-out novel. When I heard her speak, she said that she preferred writing short stories, but she could pace a novel well as far as I am concerned. I miss her.

>225 figsfromthistle: Anita, you might want to give Maron a try.

>224 karenmarie: Someone got rid of their Lt. Harald collection, eh? Well spotted and collected, Horrible!

Monday *smooch*

>225 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita! Thank you, and happy Monday to you, too.

It wasn't a sale, but we're now allowed to take books and pay for them at the next sale. Most of these are mass market paperbacks, which we either give to the Library to sell for $.25 or let a local indie book seller buy for $.25. Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series takes place in a thinly-disguised county near where I live, her Sigrid Harald series takes place in NYC.

>226 msf59: 'Morning, Mark. Yup. Not a good season so far for either team. Enjoy your walk. It's gorgeous out here. We keep losing more and more leaves, so I can see further down the hill towards the creek.

>227 LizzieD: ‘Morning, my 3 sister.

Your starting with The Right Jack reminds me that I started the Jack Reacher series with Bad Luck and Trouble, #14, on the recommendation of my friend Rhoda. It’s all good.

>228 richardderus: They got rid of 3 more than I posted, RD, because I already had One Coffee With, Bootlegger’s Daughter, and Shooting at Loons. I brought them home because I didn’t remember what I had even though I could have looked them up on LT on my cell phone, but I’ll take them back tomorrow. Monday *smooch*

And, finally, I was able to get the Media Room Stairs before and after pics from my cell phone to my laptop via email.

>229 karenmarie: You *rockstar* you! The two of you got those stairs totally cleared off, so big kudos!

*smooch again*

>229 karenmarie: Wow. Those stairs look pristine. What happened to all the stuff?

Regarding Margaret Maron, I recall reading some of the Deborah Knott series, but the only Sigrid Harald book I have listed in LT did not earn much love from me. I may try them again if the NYC library remains inconsistent with its mystery series.

>224 karenmarie: Wow, that is a lot of Margaret Maron books! I really need to read more of her books - I think I have read one? Maybe?

Cranford is a good one! I hope you enjoy it whenever you get to it.

Morning, Karen. Our fall weather has been nice. I hope yours is the same. I officially started my part-time job yesterday. I will be taking kids to school and bringing them home. Just a mini-van and just 2 days a week, so it works out perfectly. Cute kids too- kindergarten- 6th grade. I will post more about it on my thread, in a day or 2. I will leave shortly...

Feeders were hopping yesterday. Lots of blue jays.

>229 karenmarie: That Media Room stairs pic would have made a scary Halloween post. Glad it is cleared up. LOL.

>230 richardderus: Hiya, RD! It actually didn’t take that long. I put a couple of boxes back out there last week and Jenna gave me the stink eye AND the equal in words, so I moved the boxes, which are perfect for mailing books to Karen in Montana (Melaleuca boxes), up into the Media Room, which has become a storage room as much as a Media Room since Bill can’t navigate stairs any more. *smooch*

>231 ffortsa: Hi Judy! Books and a few other things went to the thrift shop, some books went into my catalog and therefore into the 5 boxes here in the Sunroom awaiting a place on my shelves. In addition, a retired pastor was selling The Pulpit Commentary (1985 edition, 9780917006326), so I bought them for friend Karen in Montana, who reimbursed me and covered shipping – it’s just that I haven’t shipped them yet. Let’s see… The walker went into the Media Room. 5 grocery store bags of grocery store bags came back into the Sunroom – some needed for cat box stuff, others will get taken to the Friends to be used for Childrens’ books at the next sale. And etc.

I’ve read the first in the Deborah Knott series and already had the first Sigrid Harald already on my shelves. I’m not trying to collect mass market paperbacks any more, but these were too good to resist. The 4th in the Harald series, The Right Jack, is a like-new hardcover w/like-new dust jacket.

So many books, so little time, but I really need to read One Coffee With, first in the Harald series.

Being a bibliomaniac, bibliophile, lectiophiliac, and bookworm means that I’m always acquiring books. Being a member of the book sort team has seriously increased my ability to acquire all sorts of books.

>232 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. You’ll read each in a sitting, no doubt. I read Cranford in January of 2010 for my RL book club. It was my selection. I have a lovely old leather copy published in 1924 by The Dodge Company, inherited from Bill’s grandmother. It’s just that I couldn’t resist the Penguin Classics edition the other day. I’ll pay $4 for it at our Spring book Sale, keeping track of it and other non-thrift-shop-bound books in a note on my cell phone. I'm currently up to $69.50 in what I'll have to pay in the spring.

Here’s the review I wrote in January of 2010:

Cranford is not a novel as much as a series of vignettes about the elderly ladies of Cranford, told from the point of view of Mary Smith of a nearby town. It is similar to the works of Jane Austen in that major and life-altering events are smothered in the quaint language and manners of a long-gone era. You have to really struggle to remember how many people actually die in this book and how everybody struggles financially but wouldn’t dare admit it out loud. Quite a bit of the action takes place crocheting and discussing bonnets and how to behave in particular situations and sitting in the firelight to conserve candles.

I really admire Miss Matty Jenkyns, whose story is the real focus of the novel. We learn about her early life at home, her chance at marriage wrecked by her family, her senior years and near financial ruin. One of the best scenes of the entire book is when Miss Matty hands over 5 sovereigns (a huge amount of money) that she had scrimped and saved and was going to spend on a new gown, to a man whose bank notes are turned away because the bank has failed. Miss Matty owns shares in that bank and feels obligated to keep the man from losing his money. She is sweet, generous, not overly intelligent, and a genuinely good person.

I found it be a relaxing and calming read. The pace, because of the pace of the lifestyle it is depicting, is slow, detailed, rich in subtlety and irony.

Because I have read Austen and quite a few books with authentic Regency and early Victorian language, plots, and customs, I understood most of the dialect and social forms. I can see that it might be stultifying and confusing for other readers however.

I thought it was charming, intelligent, and an interesting study of a small English village in the Victorian era.

>233 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. Today is gorgeous here, 41F going to a high of 79F. *blinks* Too hot… but we had two nights of hard freeze last week so most bugs should be gone for the season.

Wow, I hope this new job is a good’un. My feeders are currently empty, but there is activity in the Crepe Myrtle.

Heh. The Media Room Stairs have always been A Problem, but as I get older I acquire less things and am also, to my eternal irritation, following the adage set forth by Miss Letitia Perry, 7th grade home economics teacher at Richard Henry Dana Junior High School in Hawthorne, California: A Place For Everything and Everything In Its Place. I did not like Miss Perry because she showed favoritism, but her sections on baking and cooking were fantastic. Sewing, not so much.

Wordle 871 3/6* adieu, spoil, limit

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I did a bit of puttering and used the treadmill at the Senior Center yesterday. Dinner was Wing It, and I made myself a taco salad. It was a serious sodium meal because the salsa I use is 270 mg sodium per every 2T, and I use 810 mg worth. The beef is a bit of naturally-occurring sodium, too, but the lettuce and unsalted tortilla chips are 'free'. I resisted using shredded cheese.

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Today is book sort day, with Virlie's after.

And, in genealogical news, FamilySearch sent me a fan chart of my family back to my g-g-grandparents, which is fascinating.

>234 karenmarie: Virlie's joy today, Horrible!

Every time I see Miss Matty's name, I see Judi Dench mourning her older sister, and her life, by "there is no one left who will call me Matilda." So extremely relatable, as I grow older.

I came by this morning, Karen, but didn't speak because I knew you were gone to the books and Virlie's. I thought I'd get back before now. *sigh* I'm asleep, so I'm just going to wish you a good night and start one for myself.

>235 richardderus: 'Morning, the next morning, RDear. Books and Virlie's, total joy, see below. We watched the BBC production with Judi Dench and thought it very well done. I just looked it up on imdb.com, and had forgotten that Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter were also in it. Staunton, for me, from Harry Potter fame, and Jim Carter, of course, from Downton Abbey.

>236 LizzieD: (((((Peggy))))) I hope you're getting a good night's sleep. I got a reasonable one, woke up 6:15ish, and Coffee Called. Kitties fed, kitty door opened, coffee made, leftover Pineapple Cake, all of 3 bites, eaten, and here I am.

Wordle 872 4/6* adieu, habit, final, ninja

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We finished about 10:30 at book sort, so headed off to Virlie's. There were 8 of us, a nice full round table in the back side room. Rhoda was celebrating her 84th birthday with her usual - 6 pieces of layer cake for the table. Chocolate/chocolate, yellow/whipped cream/pineapple, and white/whipped cream/strawberry. I had a bite or two of each, and when Rhoda told us all to bring some, I brought home a small wodge of the Pineapple Cake.

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I'm having lunch today with a friend of Peggy's who lives in Pittsboro. We're going to S&T Soda Shoppe. We haven't met in person before, so this should be fun. Treadmill after.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. I have Kidz Kab duties today but I can still get out for a bird walk after my morning shift. It worked out well yesterday. Also getting things ready for our Oregon trip on Friday.

Enjoy your lunch with Peggy.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you, too. I hope your morning duties go well. Enjoy your bird walk, too. Ah, the Oregon trip.

Lunch is with a friend of Peggy's.

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edited to add: Books acquired at book sale yesterday:

You've Come A Long Way, Snoopy
Have No Fear, Snoopy
Hats Off to You, Charlie Brown
You're Supposed to Lead, Charlie Brown
The Four of Hearts by Ellery Queen
The New Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Book of Mormon - because, religion

All for the glorious price of $3.50, to be paid next spring, at the Spring 2024 sale.

Happy Humpday, Horrible...hoping your lunch today is but the first of many fun meetups between you and Peggy's local bud.

*smooch*

>234 karenmarie: I thought it was charming, intelligent, and an interesting study of a small English village in the Victorian era. That sums up Cranford very nicely!

>239 karenmarie: Nice haul!

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>239 karenmarie: Nice haul, I always loved Peanuts. Long ago I had all Peanuts Parade books. I miss them sometimes, but choices had to be made back then.

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. Sue needs the morning to get things ready for our trip tomorrow, so it will be Jackson Day for me. Bree has a dentist appointment this afternoon, so it will be a long one. How was lunch yesterday?

Good morning, Karen. I'm itching to know how lunch was yesterday too.

We're fine. Wordle in 6, so my streak is still with me.

>240 richardderus: Hi the next morning, RDear, and happy Thursday to you. Bobbie and I had a wonderful time, see below. *smooch*

>241 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I loved the slow pace but the dramatic plots. I still haven’t read anything else by Gaskell, however. Yes, sweet, small haul. I’m almost up to $70 to pay at the next sale.

>242 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. Happy Thursday to you, too. We have a few other Peanuts books at the house, but they’re Jenna’s and therefore not in my catalog. Yes, choices about books are always having to be made. It’s a very first world problem, isn’t it?

>243 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, too. Yay for Jackson day, sorry for the reason you’re going to Oregon. Sorry Bree has to go to the dentist. I hope it’s just a regular checkup. See below re lunch.

>244 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! See below. Bobbie is wonderful, but that doesn't surprise me since she's a friend of yours!

Wordle 873 4/6* adieu, steam, reach, glaze

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I planned on posting about my lunch with Bobbie, which was wonderful, but once I got home I wasn't feeling too hot.

However, Bobbie and I talked for 2 hours over a very wide range of subjects. Fortunately, as with Peggy, we're in synch about politics so had a great time eviscerating the dangerous and evil 45. We also discussed reading, our dear friend Peggy, in all the GOOD ways that make up for a life-long friend for her and a long-time first LT/now RL friend for me, religion, her family, my family, libraries, the Friends of the Library, our local food pantry. She also told me that the suffragette Alice Paul had been born in the county she was living in in New Jersey. Here's what Wikipedia says about Bobbie and an amazing group of women:

In 1987, a group of New Jersey women raised the money to purchase Paul's papers when they came up for auction so that an archive could be established. Her papers and memorabilia are now held by the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. In 1990, the same group, now the Alice Paul Institute, purchased the brick farmhouse, Paulsdale, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, where Paul was born. Paulsdale is a National Historic Landmark and is on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. The Alice Paul Institute keeps her legacy alive with educational exhibits about her life, accomplishments, and advocacy for gender equality.

And, completely in keeping with the spirit of Alice Paul and the ERA, as we were parting ways outside S&T Soda Shoppe, two young LDS women stopped us. I've never, EVER, seen young women as Mormon missionaries before, so there's that. Bobbie told them she wouldn't talk with them and told them why - earlier in her life she had two young men missionaries knock at her door and ask if they could talk with her about LDS. She said she'd talk with them about LDS if they'd let her talk with them about the Equal Rights Amendment. She said they backed away as quickly as they could. So, no, she wouldn't speak with these young women. She asked them if they knew about the ERA and one said she might have heard of it. I then piped up and said that I didn't believe in organized religion at all, so there was that.

I had a long walk back to my car, then went to the grocery store, then came home. I immediately started feeling puny and was intestinally challenged 'til ten-ish. I feel okay today, just pretty tired.

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So today will be hanging out at home and recovering my energy. Tomorrow Jenna and I are going to get our hair cut in Winston-Salem, eat lunch for the third time at then spend the night in Lincolnton, then go to a family funeral on Saturday. Bill's cousin David passed away earlier this week. Bill has mobility issues and cannot go.

Yep. That's my Bobbie, and that's my Karen! I'm happier than I can say that you have connected in person at long last. I knew it would be a GOOD THING!!!!!!

I'm so sorry that you were ill last night. Hope resting today makes you 100% for your trip tomorrow. My condolences for Bill's cousin. It's hard to lose them.

'Morning, Peggy! It was definitely a good thing. I'm so happy to have finally met your dear friend.

Now, here's a challenge. I seem to remember that one of the first times we connected on LT was when you commented on a book we both had that hardly anybody else had - I got it from Bill's Mama's house. I cannot for the life of me remember the name, but it was a children's book that was and is NOT politically correct. I can't seem to find it but wouldn't have gotten rid of it.

>245 karenmarie: I've got a collection of Peanuts books as well. When I was a kid, I used to cut the Peanuts strip out of the newspaper and paste it onto a sheet of paper. I could get several strips on a page. I've collected the published strips now, although I'm missing some of the Sunday comics books, and they appear to be hard to get.

I'm glad you had such a nice visit with Peggy's friend. She sounds quite interesting! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well later, and I hope you are well on the mend by now!

>245 karenmarie: Such a lovely time and such a tremendously good soul to connect with...but she Peggy's friend, so why the heck should that surprise us. You're unlikely to want to read my next reviewed book...part of an ongoing fantasy series...so maybe take tomorrow off from visiting me, as I am not dying, desperate, or even partic'larly different from today. You need to hoard your recuperative energies. Lots of demands comin' up! *smooch*

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/355049

Great before and after pics of the media stairs, Karen. I like the fan chart Family Search sent you. It's tempting me to open the unopened email they sent me. How is the read of Murderbot going?

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. Glad you had a nice visit with Bobbie. Our lowly Bears beat your lowly Panthers last night. Neither team looked especially good. It is only one game but I was not impressed by the Panther's QB, Young. Maybe, he is still working things out.

Sean is taking us to the airport at 1130, so we will see Jack again, for a bit. Matt is staying here for the weekend, to watch Juno. We will be back Monday. Have a good weekend.

>248 atozgrl: Hi Irene! There’s not much about Peanuts not to love, right? I must admit that these mass market paperbacks do have some value, but they would have gone to the local indie for $.25 each. I didn’t realize the value when I grabbed them, though. Peggy’s friend is really fascinating, and I hope to visit with her again. I’m completely on the mend, thank you for your wishes.

>249 richardderus: ‘Morning, Rdear. Good to know about the next review. I’m going to do a quick visit. So glad you’re not dying, desperate, or even partic’larly different from the day before. That’s my goal – a few fun things re books/Friends/Arsenal/fam within the scope of not dying, desperate or even partic’larly different from the day before. *smile* and *smooch*

>250 SilverWolf28: Hi Silver, and thank you.

>251 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Amazingly, they are still completely clear although I did have the boxes/death glare from Jenna earlier this week before I got them upstairs into the Media Room. I wondered if you’d visit me here re the fan chart, frankly. Open it! Live dangerously!

Well. Murderbot. I read the first sentence and blanched. I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. Not upset about the mass murderer bit, as might affect some of our more tender-hearted friends here in the 75ers, but the governor module bit. I will, however, persevere and overcome. It’s moved up to the front of my Kindle home page since I just opened it and sort by recent descending, so there’s that.

Wordle 874 4/6* adieu, cream, stale, leash

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I didn't use the treadmill yesterday so only got in 2 cardio workouts this week, although the walk from the Presbyterian Church parking lot to and from S&T Soda Shoppe on Wednesday was a lot for this little oldish lady. Yesterday was lots of reading and puttering and even a brief nap while the potatoes were baking before I started the air fryer bone-in skin-on chicken. All was yummy. Silent Witness with Bill, then the usual evening stuff, including giving Inara a Cosequin capsule, always fun work stuffing a capsule down an unwilling cat's throat. But we always praise her after.

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Packing, driving, hair cuts. Lunch at the Village Tavern near Reynolda house because it's just so damned good, meander the 82 miles from Winston-Salem to Lincolnton, putter, then be able to check in. We'll probably get a take-out sandwich for an evening meal. The visitation's tomorrow at 1. We'll check out as late as we can and go get a real breakfast/brunch somewhere. We still plan on driving home tomorrow night.

>247 karenmarie: Good morning, Karen. Let me say before I forget that the book is Diddy, Dumps, and Tot. I'm still grinning at the enthusiasm from you and Bobbie both.

Have a safe trip there and back!

>253 karenmarie: I hope the trip goes smoothly, Horrible. Murderbot's a lot more fun the further you travel in its orbit.

*smooch*

>253 karenmarie: I hope you've both gotten a wonderful haircut, had a good drive down to Lincolnton, and are nicely settled in tonight. My condolences to you and especially Bill on the passing of his cousin.

>254 LizzieD: 'Morning! Yesterday was so busy and fun. Yes! Diddie, Dumps, and Tot or Plantation Child-Life. It's on shelf L83. I'll have to remember to look at it tomorrow.

>255 richardderus: Smooth so far, RD. *smooch* I will attempt Murderbot again, just not today.

>256 atozgrl: Hi Irene, and thanks.

Wordle 875 4/6* adieu, annoy, abhor, actor

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I love my haircut again. We went to the same restaurant yesterday and both had the same thing again. We drove the ~85 miles, quite a bit of it back roads, which was fun, got to the hotel, got some food from the grocery store and had hotel dinner. Slept well, was up from 4-6, slept again 'til 9. We'll check out a bit before 11, go find brunch, then head out to the visitation and funeral. We won't go to the military service at the graveside, heading out after the service in the church.

Sounds like a busy day, Karen. I think that visitation and funeral makes a generous memorial. Good for you and Jenna! Safe travel home!!!
Wish I could see the new haircut.....

Dropping in to say hello. Hope you have a safe trip home.

Glad that the haircut turned out the way you wanted. My stylist at the salon left to do hair privately at her home. Thats the second one. Now I have to find another.

>258 LizzieD: It was a busy day, my dear, see below. Here's the new haircut with a story, of course: Up from 4-6 yesterday morning meant lurking in the bathroom, drinking coffee (yay for single-serve packets and a small drip coffee maker!), sitting on the (closed lid) toilet and reading. The background for this pic is the shower curtain...



>259 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, and thank you. I'm sorry that you've lost your second stylist. This was my 3rd hair cut at the salon in Winston-Salem. I originally thought the first cut was wonderful, but after Bayleigh left and I was given to Bridget, I've gotten two of the best hair cuts of my entire life. Good luck finding another stylist.

Wordle 876 6/6* Yikes. Almost broke my record. adieu, elate, teach, yeast, heart, meant

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The entire trip went as planned, thank goodness. Left right at 10 a.m. Friday like I wanted to, got to the salon with 13 minutes to spare. Jenna got called in first, I was about 10 minutes behind, but I finished first. Bridget does a scalp and shoulders massage first, then she cut my bangs dry before the shampoo and shaping/trimming cut. She left the length as long as she could, and we'll let the sides grow out, too. I'm so happy. It even looks good again this morning with just a fluff!

When I went to pay, the salon's Jenna (I'd never heard of the name Jenna when we chose that name for our kidlet in 1991, but now I hear it everywhere) asked if I was going to pay for hers, too, and I said "No, she's 30, she can pay for her own haircut." Stunned silence, then "No way she's 30." Jenna will look 10 or more years younger than she is for her entire life.

We have appointments for 9 weeks from now so we can have them with our stylists at the same time.

We stopped for lunch at the Village Tavern at Reynolda Village again. It was cold outside but there was a 20 minute wait for inside, so I opted for the heated tent. It worked perfectly, and we got the same as we've gotten the 3 other times we've eaten there - a Thai Chicken Salad for me and a fresh salmon sandwich w/sweet potato fries for Jenna. She had sweet tea and I had hot English Breakfast tea.

It was ~82 miles to Lincolnton. We had a wonderful drive, with a bit of freeway but more country roads. Lots of fun road names, small houses with character and stories to tell... Got to the hotel just after check in time, stayed in the room for a while to decompress then went to the grocery store to buy things for a light supper. Cheese, crackers, fruit, with enough left over so we could have a light snack before checkout time. We're not enamored with Hotel Breakfasts, so found a local home cooking restaurant and had brekkie there. By the time we finished and paid, it was 20 minutes before visitation started, so we drove the mile to the church. It's a gorgeous church, and I was surprised that this building was only built in 1968. The inside is peaceful, with gorgeous light and dark wood pews and etc.



The visitation line was longish. We saw David's widow Kay, their children/spouses/children, David's sister/family, and the children of David and Nancy's deceased sister Linda. Lots of red hair and brown eyes - Jenna fit right in. The service was about 45 minutes. As I mentioned above, we didn't go to the graveside military internment, and after a 2 1/2 hour drive, arrived home safe and sound. We were both weary but not completely exhausted.

...
I need to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy today before they return it to stock. Bill recorded the Arsenal Burnley match yesterday for me and is happy to watch it again. Not much else - puttering, reading, updating my spreadsheets and November Lightning Round.

>260 karenmarie: Visitations/memorial services make sense to me, but going to the interment seems like one's just checking to be sure the dead body actually gets chucked in the hole like it "should." I wish I could afford a water cremation but I'm doing the next best thing: Harvest the usable parts, the the rest goes to the medical students. What happens after that scarcely matters.

Did Arsenal win?

'Morning, RDear.

I don't mind going to graveside services usually, but it was only 54F yesterday, drizzling, and with my still-new knee didn't want to walk on uneven ground. Plus, Jenna was peopled out and happy for us to get on the road to get back home.

I do not know if Arsenal won. I turned off Premier League and Arsenal notifications on my cell phone a long time ago and haven't checked the League Table, which would show the results in where Arsenal is in the standings.

We're going to watch in about an hour. I would still watch if I knew the result, but this is better. Ignorance is bliss, right?

*smooch*

I LOVE and ADORE the haircut!!! I think this one is even better than the one before. Kudos to Bridget!

Your trip sounds perfect for what it was. That's not the Lutheran church in L'ton, is it? I was in my best college friend's wedding there, but I can't quite remember what it looked like. After all, it has been 58 years. I remember dark woodwork though.....

Your hair cut looks great, Karen. And I'm glad your overnight trip went well with timing, logistics, etc., though I'm sorry for the reason for it.

>263 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy! It's the First United Methodist Church. I love dark woodwork in churches.

>264 katiekrug: Hi Katie, and thanks. I did so much rehearsing of times/distances/check in/check out times before we even left, and it all went seamlessly.

David was 87. When I spoke with his daughter in the visitation line, she said that they were surprised because David had rallied so many times before. She spoke movingly at the memorial service.

It sounds like you've had a decent weekend, Karen, if a busy one. Good for you, making the trip for the service. Your haircut looks fab.

>260 karenmarie: Yay for a good hair stylist!! And, yes, you look marvelous! I just got mine cut yesterday and although not bad, I think I may try to find another person. If I go to someone else in the salon, I know she's going to be bummed. Sigh. But I introduced her to my daughter and niece (who have long hair) and they love her, so I've done right by her. I just don't think she does short hair (or at least my short hair) well. Good thing hair keeps growing!

>260 karenmarie: I love your haircut, you definitely need to keep hold of that hairdresser! You look really young! :)

You look fabulous!

>266 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. Yes, things went as well as they could with the funeral, and our haircuts went well, too. The hunt for the Perfect Stylist rarely ends, right? Now that I’ve got Bridget, I hope she stays there for a very long time. If she moves to another salon, I hope she would let me follow her. At any rate, she has 10-year-old and 13-year-old sons, so I don’t think she’ll be leaving the area soon.

>267 Berly: Hi Kim, and thank you. I know – trying to not hurt the feelings of your stylist. Even if you hadn’t given her two other customers, you should get a stylist that works best for you.

>268 Jackie_K: Hi Jackie! Thank you. Good tips, occasionally chatting, and plenty of compliments and thank yous will, I hope, keep me on her list of Good Customers. Thank you, too, re the young – I’m afraid to have to admit it, but I’m happy that my hair hasn’t gone grey/silver/white yet. It’s nothing I’m doing or not doing, of course, just the way things are playing out genetically. My sister, who got my mother's hair in the genetic lottery, went gray 4+ years ago, and she's 3.5 years younger than I am. *shrug* I do have a few white/silver hairs in my crown and bangs, and my little curly sideburns are white/silver, but so far no major shift in color. And having lost ~60 lbs (no more, alas, but am at least maintaining), my face is back to heart-shaped. Vanity, thy name is Karen.

>269 quondame: Thank you, Susan!

Wordle 877 5/6* adieu, motel, sheer, preen, green

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Yesterday Bill and I watched Arsenal beat Burnley 3-1. Good game played for the home crowd at the Emirates Stadium. I got a prescription refill and put gas in my gas tank, $3.19 a gallon, then I read and puttered and Bill and I watched one of the absolutely best episodes of Silent Witness yet. Season 18, I believe.

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Today's a busy one. Friends of the Library Board meeting at 10, then an appointment with my knee surgeon at 2:30. I want a cortisone shot and evaluation for replacement surgery in my right knee, and since I'm already there, have him look at my left knee. I get bruising near it quite frequently and just want to make sure he doesn't see any problems.

>270 karenmarie: Have a good, productive time today, Horrible. I'd LOVE to have grey/silver/white hair...if it meant I had it all back. *sigh*

Well, goodness knows it's not the first thing on my list to worry about. Still not vain (in that way, anyway). Here's to hoping you won't be told anything untoward about the bruising...I don't expect you will, given how active you are and how that impacts the knees. *smooch*

You really are busy. I'm wishing that the knee-man may have good news for you all around.

Vanity used to be my name, but even a glance in a mirror shows it's a lost cause - something of a relief at this point.

>270 karenmarie: I found my first grey hair at age 27, and now I'm exactly twice that age I am proudly grey, with some Cruela de Vil stripes that I'm particularly fond of! My hairdresser always says there's no way I should dye my hair, that people pay lots of money to have silver hair like mine! (probably one reason I like my hairdresser so much!). It does go super-frizzy in wet weather though, which I don't like so much.

>270 karenmarie:, >273 Jackie_K: I went gray verrrry gradually so I never colored my hair. At 61, I am still not at the silver stage but it will be okay if/when it happens. Like you, Jackie, my stylist* is very complimentary of my hair and encourages my stubborn streak about coloring it.

* Karen, I had to find a new stylist earlier this year after the one I was seeing gave me a very short cut I didn't ask for, and didn't really listen to what I wanted the next time. Fortunately we live ~20-30 min from a town with several salons. I did my research and chose a stylist that I'm really happy with. But despite having alternatives, if I had to change again it would be stressful. I'm glad you've found someone you like so much, even if it means a long drive.

Checking in, Karen, as I keep falling behind.

>270 karenmarie: I hope your busy day went well!

>271 richardderus: Hello, RDear! I can see how any color hair would be welcome.

I loved my dad’s silver hair. Here it is on my wedding day in 1991, when he was 70.



>272 LizzieD: I am way too busy, Peggy. I don’t like it at all, frankly, because I am a Sedentary Person by nature. Heh. The Knee-Man. See below.

I felt relief when I hit 40 and couldn’t wear contacts any more – that allowed me to hide my blonde eyebrows and lashes behind glasses, so no more makeup. I wore makeup a few times for holidays after giving it up for work, but probably completely stopped wearing it no more than 2 years later. I also stopped wearing pierced earrings, and my piercings, acquired when I was 34, have closed up.

>273 Jackie_K: Hi Jackie! I’d be proudly grey, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that my hair hasn’t decided to go there yet. Oooh, Cruella de Vil stripes. Super-frizzy, yup, I’ve got that thing going, too. You should post a pic of you… just sayin’.

My maternal grandmother, born in 1909, dyed her hair black into her late 70s and it made her look sooooo old. Once she let it go it’s natural color, it became a beautiful grey and white.

>274 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. I’m glad you’ve found a happy-making stylist relatively close to home. Changing stylists IS stressful. The long drive is okay. Jenna does the long-distance driving these days, which I sort of like, frankly, but I could definitely do it if I had to. I drove 92 miles round trip yesterday to the “knee-man”.

>275 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. No worries… and my busy day definitely went well, see below.

Wordle 878 4/6* adieu, polar, salty, sassy. Sappy or savvy were two other words on the list that haven't yet been used, so my guess was lucky.

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Yesterday's Friends of the Library Board Meeting went well. Poor Madam President - she is in her mid-40s and works full time. She monitors her work email/stuff from our meeting and would prefer the meetings to get back to the 60-minute time frame I kept them to with very few exceptions. However, we were discussing pavers again yesterday, and she hasn't quite mastered the technique of jerking the reins once folks get the bit in their mouths. I was going to talk to the Paver Program chair after the meeting, but since it went so long she had to leave. We'll meet up this morning - I'll be at book sort and she'll drop in some time then.

And then I came home for a while then drove 46 miles each way to my knee-man, Dr. Watters, in Raleigh. It turns out that the Rosenberg x-rays they took in January were for both knees, so I was already bone-on-bone on my right knee then. I chose to get another cortisone shot, knowing that the soonest I could get surgery is 12 weeks from now and they'll call to schedule surgery in late February. I'll schedule the surgery mid-February -March 13 in order to use the echocardiogram I got on March 14, 2022 (had to get my old desk calendar out to confirm the date just now). The echocardiogram can be no older than 2 years. The spring book sale is April 11-13, so the timing of the surgery means I could hobble in and even volunteer for one cashier cycle most likely. *smile* And, of course, buy books.

He said the bruising near my left knee was definitely from my banging around, nothing to worry about from my new knee. I learned that I could have gotten my other knee done as soon as 3 months after the first one. *shudder*

All of that only took 34 minutes from the time I was called back 'til I checked my watch after leaving the reception area. They are nothing if not efficient and are all sooooo nice and positive. No crankiness, no irritation of any kind shows, even if they're feeling it.

Home again, read, share all the news, then learn that Bill's boss has decided that Bill working from home is not what he wants/needs, and since Bill can't/won't go to work, he'll be officially retired very soon. I knew the day was coming, and if you know anything about me you know that I want/need/currently don't get time alone at home. Big changes a'coming.

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Book sort at 9, with a paver program interruption with Paige sometime during, Virlie's for probably breakfast since when I went in there yesterday I literally saw only part of one shelf of one rack filled with donations. I'll use the treadmill most likely, then go grocery shopping.

There was a very esoteric pamphlet in the cubbies, meaning that either somebody decided it was not worth having Eliza research or she researched it and didn't want to up-price it. Regardless, once it gets into the cubbies, it's up for grabs. It's The Zen of the Bright Virtue by Manly P. Hall, published in 1971. It's the second edition, first published in 1962. It's... a transcription of five classes interpreting Zen philosophy for the Occidental mind., according to Amazon. And now it's mine. I'm not even saving it for Karen in Montana. *smile*

edited to add: Rather than crowd Richard's thread with political stuff, I am posting this here, which is very, very, scary indeed:

Former President Donald J. Trump is planning an extreme expansion of his first-term crackdown on immigration if he returns to power in 2025 — including preparing to round up undocumented people already in the United States on a vast scale and detain them in sprawling camps while they wait to be expelled.

The plans would sharply restrict both legal and illegal immigration in a multitude of ways.

Mr. Trump wants to revive his first-term border policies, including banning entry by people from certain Muslim-majority nations and reimposing a Covid 19-era policy of refusing asylum claims — though this time he would base that refusal on assertions that migrants carry other infectious diseases like tuberculosis.

He plans to scour the country for unauthorized immigrants and deport people by the millions per year.

To help speed mass deportations, Mr. Trump is preparing an enormous expansion of a form of removal that does not require due process hearings. To help Immigration and Customs Enforcement carry out sweeping raids, he plans to reassign other federal agents and deputize local police officers and National Guard soldiers voluntarily contributed by Republican-run states.

To ease the strain on ICE detention facilities, Mr. Trump wants to build huge camps to detain people while their cases are processed and they await deportation flights. And to get around any refusal by Congress to appropriate the necessary funds, Mr. Trump would redirect money in the military budget, as he did in his first term to spend more on a border wall than Congress had authorized.

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Todd Schulte, the president of FWD.us, an immigration and criminal justice advocacy group that repeatedly fought the Trump administration, said the Trump team’s plans relied on “xenophobic demagoguery” that appeals to his hardest-core political base.

“Americans should understand these policy proposals are an authoritarian, often illegal, agenda that would rip apart nearly every aspect of American life — tanking the economy, violating the basic civil rights of millions of immigrants and native-born Americans alike,” Mr. Schulte said.

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New York Times, 11-11-2023 by Charlie Savage, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

Morning, Karen. I am back and trying to get into my routine. I will be leaving for Kids Kab duties shortly. Probably just take care of some things around here, along with a bunch of reading.

Glad your knee-man appointment went well. Sorry to hear about Bill's situation and yep, it will stink for you but you might be able to work out something that suits you both.

>276 karenmarie: ...also brain-dead stupid...who the hell do these yahoos think does the agricultural labor and grunt work of the entire country? Their fat, old, lazy behinds ain't gonna harvest the beets and corn that make their sugar. That's hard work. Think the guy on the moped bringing your food order has a knowledge-worker visa? Deport the illegals and watch these yutzes implode when they can't afford their Cheetos.

The humanitarian part's meaningless to 45's supporters. Not worth wasting breath on it. It's telling that the visual of literal concentration camps doesn't even faze the very-base base.

Enjoy the modestly busy day, smoochling.

>277 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, happy Tuesday to you. I can understand the turmoil of the last weekend for you, and hope that you settle into things quickly. Reading is always soothing/stimulating, of course. Yes, the knee-man appointment well. We'll see how this retirement goes - it was sudden and unilateral with Bill and Tom. Of course, Bill literally cannot walk further than the living room to his car without problems so there's that... Thanks for the encouragement.

>278 richardderus: Hiya, RD! Yup. Low-income people in the US are not inclined to the hard labor/grunt work needed to keeping the economy going forward. The push for everybody to get/deserve/need a college education in this country, promulgated after WWII, has done serious and long-term harm. It disrespects blue-collar work entirely.

45's supporters are ... well. No more typing about him and them for a bit.

Modestly busy is it. I need to start getting ready in order to leave in 25 minutes or so.

I'm happy to hear that the knee-man had good enough news. I will REALLY be happy when the second surgery is behind you and fading into the distance. As for Bill's retirement, I'm guessing that he will be more and more confined to a room or so? You two will work it out.

A word on behalf of the non-working poor for what it's worth. They are as tied to their home status, subsidized housing, welfare, etc. as working class people are to their situations. They're not going to move from crop to crop, and many of them are not going to be well enough to do physical labor. Again, we fail.
As to concentration camps.......... If that were to come to pass and all the immigrants were sent away, what then? Would they be available to house some other group perceived as aliens?
Horrors!

Enjoy your day, Karen.

>280 LizzieD: You've peeped it, Peggy. Why let a perfectly good concentration-camp infrastructure go to waste? All linds of people we don't like...let's give 'em free government housing. Until we decide what to do with them.

Shuddersome thoughts to have to think about our country.

>279 karenmarie: Low-income people in the US are hugely rich by world standards, and have no desperation for food...literally no amount of hunger here can compare to starvation that prevails in the "undeveloped" world...so they ain't see no reason to get all sweaty and icky in the hot sun just for a few bucks.

Eric Shonkwiler's newsletter gave me this gem today:

We are primed for this moment due to what is known in revolutionary theory as sharpening contradictions–the point at which motivations, ideologies, tactics, and the differences between them on opposing sides, become apparent to the world. (Many thanks to @Palestinianyouthmovement on Instagram for that.)

>276 karenmarie: I hope all goes well with your impending surgery (does 4 months from now count as impending?) and with Bill's retirement. I am worried about Kerry's as you know, so we can commiserate together.

The less I say about Donald Trump, the better.

>260 karenmarie: Hurray for a good stylist! You are fortunate to have avoided the gray hair so far. I can vouch for the fact that Jenna doesn't look like she's 30. The brief time I met her, she certainly didn't look that old. I never would have guessed if I hadn't already heard about her here. I'm glad the whole trip went well. The church looks lovely.

>276 karenmarie: Having had acne most of my life, I've had to wear makeup, especially foundation. One of the blessings of the COVID shutdown was being able to work at home and not put on makeup. Once we finally started going back to the office, I did put on some makeup, but not as much as before. And now that I'm retired, I don't have to mess with makeup at all. Most of the time, all I use is a tinted lip balm. It's wonderful! And the acne has also finally subsided for the most part.

So knee surgery again early next year. Another one in about a year's time. That seems like a pretty short gap to me; I can't imagine doing a second one 3 months after the first! I hope everything goes as well for you next time!

Sorry to hear that Bill is being forced to retire. Here's hoping you can work out something that works well for you both.

Horrors! That story about Trump's plans. I had heard some talk about plans for illegal immigrants, but didn't realize it included rounding up people already in the country. And I certainly had not heard the rest of it, which is worse than I thought, but unfortunately not surprising. We've already heard that he wants to get rid of all the existing civil servants and replace them with his loyalists. These are the people who keep the country running; removing them all would be a total disaster, even without Trumpists moving in. I cannot fathom why people continue to support him. However, I also heard this morning that they are being called "Trump Davidians", which certainly reflects the cult aspect.

I definitely relate to being a Sedentary Person by nature--I'm the same way. But I'm still looking forward to meeting you for lunch this week!

>276 karenmarie: Another knee surgery. While it's good that you are moving forward. Ouch!

So much manifold ouch! It's all been emotionally exhausting.

>280 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Yes for the 2nd one being behind me. I admit that I’m already remembering the first 2 week of the first one, but hey ho! Next year at this time should be pretty awesome.

Trump’s fascism is a very dangerous thing, indeed.

>281 richardderus: *smooch*, RD.

>282 richardderus: I think that low-income/poverty is not absolutely measurable on some 0-10 scale that works for the entire world in every country in every situation. Same as pain. My pain level of 4 is just as valid as someone else’s higher pain level.

Our cultural expectations of people’s economic class are devastating to those of lower economic class because they are considered less worthy, less valuable as people. If only they’d work harder, if only they’d do what is expected of them to achieve the American dream, etc. Sigh.

>283 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, and thank you. Yes, 3-4 months is impending. I’m already rehearsing various bits and pieces of the leadup and follow up in my mind, which I need to stop. You’re welcome to say anything you’d like here, of course, but I can understand you not necessarily wanting to go there. That’s why I am not paying much attention to the news.

>284 atozgrl: Hi Irene. Yes, somehow or another the grey/white/silver hasn’t struck yet. It will when it wants to, of course, and I may be complete grey/white/silver within the next 6 months.

I’m glad you’re retired and don’t need to wear makeup any more. Sorry about the acne, glad it’s subsided mostly.

Thanks re Bill. We’ll figure it out, although I must say I’m seriously wigged out right now and Not Happy At All.

Heh. Trump Davidians. Clever.

Yes – Thursday it is for lunch.

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Book sorting, breakfast at Virlie's, then - I'm proud of myself - I actually went over and used the treadmill for 40 minutes before going to the pharmacy and grocery store. I came home, got comfy and relaxed, then took a 2.5 hour nap. Yay for a sleep mask, corn bag to warm my feet, and daughter being considerate/quiet while playing on her PS5 in the room behind the bedroom.

She also helped bring in the groceries and cleaned the downstairs cat box, along with bringing in some boxes from Amazon and Chewy.

Wordle 879 X/6* Alphabet soup. adieu, vomit, fight, might, wight, tight. The word is sight.

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I love you. I miss you. Please get out of my house.

Nothing today hasn’t happened before:
I woke alone, bundled the old dog
into his early winter coat, watered him,
fed him, left him to his cage for the day
closing just now. My eye drifts
to the buff belly of a hawk wheeling,
as they do, in a late fall light that melts
against the turning oak and smelts
its leaves bronze.
Before you left,
I bent to my task, fixed in my mind
the slopes and planes of your face;
fitted, in some essential geography,
your belly’s stretch and collapse
against my own, your scent familiar
as a thousand evenings.
Another time,
I might have dismissed as hunger
this cataloguing, this fitting, this fixing,
but today I crest the hill, secure in the company
of my longing. What binds us, stretches:
a tautness I’ve missed as a sapling,
supple, misses the wind.

-Donika Kelly

^I had to share this one with you. I knew you would especially like the title. ❤️😁

Morning, Karen. My Kids Kab kids are so cute. The first little girl I picked up had a small stuffed bear. I asked her its name and she showed me a tag on its side that said Jackson. I smiled and showed her a photo of Jack. My grandson. Mi nieto! ❤️

'Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday.

>288 msf59: You sly one! I love it. Yes, I especially love the title. I am also reminded of a song by Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away.

>289 msf59: I'm glad you like your Kids Kab kids. Jackson and Jackson is cute.

Funny, I bookmarked that poem before I saw the latest news about, Bill. Now, it is even better timing.

Morning, Horrible. It's a fresh hell of TV noise. I hate MeTV more and more.

How our 45-Dravidian fellow citizens vote in a year is something I'm losing sleep over...Fani Willis suggesting his trial might last until after that election is very anxiety-inducing to me.

I do not know what to think about any of the world's issues when France sends an arrest warrant for war crimes to Syria's president, and an actual seditious traitor appears set to be a major party's nominee for the presidency, and he's nakedly announced a horrifyingly familiar policy of ethnic cleansing.

>286 karenmarie: My first reaction to hearing "Trump Davidians" was that it was appropriate. But I didn't think of it as clever at that time, my reaction was more of a chill. Apparently that's what Steve Bannon said they called themselves. Yick!

>287 karenmarie: Sorry you had so much trouble with Wordle today. I had a better day this time; got it in 3. Lately I have not been getting most of them that quickly.

>287 karenmarie: I got lucky and guessed the right first letter on my forth try but thought I would run out of tries before I went through all the possibilities.

The genetic lottery for grey hair is a real crap shoot. My mother was completely grey by the time she was 30, my father started to go grey in his late 70s. Colourwise, I take after my dad but saw my older brother this year and he is completely white.

I'm currently reading A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them and so much of it seems to be the basis of policy of those who are currently trying to take power. Scary stuff!

Your hair looks fabulous, Karen. Since I also have curly hair, I have trouble finding a good stylist too. I usually have had people with curly hair themselves, as I think those stylists know what curly hair is about. Sometimes I love my hair, often not. I used to attempt to straighten it, with a round brush, blow dryer, various potions and and straightening iron, but about 10 years ago I decided that was taking up too much of my time. I did wear it curly through my teens and twenties though. Is your hair still naturally brown ? Because wow - mine has been going grey since my early 30's. Oh, just read that your hair is still it's natural colour! Lucky you!

Thanks for the kind words re my sibling picture on my previous thread.

Happy Thursday, Karen!

>260 karenmarie: Love your haircut.

>276 karenmarie: I hope you get a date soon for your next knee.
Sorry Bill's retirement is getting so close.

>284 atozgrl: Hi Susan! Saw you up there, but realized just now I didn’t respond. Yes, I’m moving forward. I can’t NOT get it for two reasons: First, I can’t get cortisone shots for the rest of my life.

Potential side effects of cortisone shots increase with larger doses and more frequent use. Side effects can include:
• Cartilage damage.
• Death of nearby bone.
• Joint infection.
• Nerve damage.
• Short-term facial flushing.
• Short-term flare of pain, swelling and irritation in the joint.
• Short-term increase in blood sugar.
• Tendon weakening or rupture.
• Thinning of nearby bone (osteoporosis).
• Thinning of skin and soft tissue around the injection site.
• Whitening or lightening of the skin around the injection site.
Mayo Clinic

Second, when I had the first surgery, the surgeon got rid of my knock-knee. I didn’t realize they could do that, didn’t know, actually, that I was knock-kneed. When they straightened my leg, it made that leg, my left, longer than my right, just enough to be the cause of the lower back pain and SI joint pain that are chronic right now. I use a lift in my right shoe, just a small one, 3/8”, but still. I’d like to NOT have chronic lower back pain the rest of my life.

However, yes, ouch. Serious pain meds, using a walker then cane, very painful PT. However, by this time next year I should be in fairly good shape knee-wise.

>291 msf59: Showing up is 80% of life, but timing is probably another 10-15%. So, yes.

>292 richardderus: Hi RDear! Ignorance was bliss. I’d never heard of MeTV ‘til just now. I trotted over to their website, looked at their offerings, and there’s not a single series I am even remotely interested in watching. To be fair, I’m not into rewatching ANY TV series right now, but still.

45’s pushing for the trial to keep going beyond the election is something everybody should be worried about. And people who want to vote for someone in his precarious legal position… well. And that's on top of the vitriolic, poisonous fascist crap he spews.

Like I’ve said recently, I’m avoiding the news almost as much as is humanly possible. I occasionally peek at the headlines, then usually regret peeking.

*smooch*

>293 atozgrl: Hi Irene. I did not realize that that’s what they called themselves, did not realize the campaign kickoff was in Waco. And they’re going to be selling Trump Davidian merch. What a world, what a world…

Yay for our three. That’s what I got today.

>294 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Interesting about the genetic lottery for grey hair. I don’t know where I got the gene that is keeping my hair at least reddish brown. All the photos of my grands and great-grands by the time they got to their late 60s/early 70s were in black and white. Both grandfathers had passed at the age of 50.

The KKK is still active out here in the town I retired from, Sanford NC, and in a town I used to drive through to go to a job in the early 90s – Saxapahaw. Scary for sure, and I don’t know what the current political climate has done to increase their numbers again.

>295 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah! My stylist has wavy hair down her back, but I don’t know if she’s put waves in or they are naturally occurring. I never attempted to straighten mine but did use big rollers to take the frizz out. I was strawberry blonde through my early 30s for sure. Definitely brown with reddish highlights by 60.
1955, 1977, 1985.



Grey/Silver/white hair timing, if ever, is just a genetic crap shoot. I’ve never colored my hair, although I experimented with henna 2 times in my mid-30s.

You’re welcome re the siblings picture. I love it.

>296 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Happy Thursday to you, too. Thanks re my hair cut. I need to sit down with Bill and Jenna and just actually pick a date.

Bill’s retirement has occurred. He may work a few hours to finish one or two things, but that’s all. Thanks.

Wordle 880 3/6* adieu, shout, trust

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
🟨⬜⬜🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

...
Yesterday was a massage, another brief foray to the grocery store, then relaxing and reading. I didn't nap. I got a good 8 hours of sleep last night, although it was in two phases of 2 and 6 hours.

...
I'm meeting Irene, @atozgrl, today for lunch. I'll go use the treadmill after.

Enjoy your meetup today while I'm at the dermatologist in Queens. *sigh* I'm going because I don't want to have problems down the road. Still not sure I like missing lunch...

>298 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Good luck schlepping to Queens. What major excitement at lunch are you missing? Enquiring minds and all that...

Off I go to start a new thread.

>297 karenmarie: I didn't know they'd picked Waco for the campaign kickoff either, until they were talking about it this week. What a world indeed!

Back to 5 in Wordle for me today. Starting word definitely makes a difference!

See you later!

>299 karenmarie: They saved me some! Veggie lasagna, which I like, and cream of corn soup, which I don't.

>300 atozgrl: Hiya, my dear. Lots of folks use different starting words - I only use adieu. For me, it's a control point and makes all my stats comparable. However, I do think I'm in the minority, which doesn't bother me one teensy bit. Which should not surprise you. *smile*

>301 richardderus: Yay for saved lunch. Vegetable lasagna - I have a wonderful recipe for it, which I haven't looked at to see if it would work as a low-sodium version. Anything with tons of cheese is suspect, which is why I rarely eat southern Italian food. *smooch* a day later