LadyoftheLodge Reads in 2025

My name is Cheryl. I have been a member of LibraryThing since 2010, and my Thingaversary is in September.

Although I am retired from full time work in public education, I teach online college classes in Leadership Theory, as well as the Sciences, for several universities. I also write book reviews, and articles for our community newsletter. My husband and I volunteer at the private library in the retirement community in which we live. We also serve as "shepherds" to mentor and assist residents who are new to our retirement community.

I live in a small town and have two lovable cats. We enjoy theater and music venues. Our travel lately has been limited to bus trips to the symphony and also day trips. Both of us are voracious readers, however our reading tastes differ immensely.

My library occupies one room of my house, although books reside in every room of my home. I read cozy mysteries, classic mysteries, assorted fiction, historical mysteries, children's books, and occasionally biography or memoirs. I enjoy reading print materials as well as e-books. (I like being able to carry all those e-books with me whenever I go anywhere.) My two "reading cats" enjoy reading with me every night before we all go to sleep. They have not yet expressed any specific reading preferences, although both of them approve of The Imitation of Christ (Dover Thrift Edition) by Thomas a Kempis and show a special fondness for the cover.

Challenge Hosting Commitments for 2025:
MysteryKIT--January--winter mysteries DONE
ColourCAT--March--pink DONE
CoverCAT--May--two or more elements on the cover—DONE
RandomKIT--July--DONE
NatureKIT--August--weather & climate DONE and December--wild card

"Just CATS and KITS this year."

AlphaKIT

January-- S O - Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon and You’re Only Old Once by Dr.Seuss
February--L G - Little People, Big Dreams: Vincent van Gogh by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
March--U A - Upon the Midnight Clear by Tasha Alexander
April--K E - Limu the Blue Turtle and His Hawaiian Garden by Kimo Armitage and Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
May--I D - The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters and Nancy Drew Diaries: Once Upon a Thriller by Carolyn Keene
June--C Q - Fat Cat Takes the Cake by Janet Cantrell and Amish Quilting Circle: The Amish Teacher’s Heart by Sarah Miller and Irene Glick
July--W T - What Were the Roaring TWenties? by Michele Mortlock
August--N J -
September--B M -
October--F P -
November--Y H -
December--V R -

All Year--X and Z

RandomKIT

January--Food and Beverages--Tiny Tilda's Pumpkin Pie by Susan Kantor
February--Time--Little People, Big Dreams: Vincent van Gogh y Maria Vegara
March--Wish--Oh, How I Wished I Could Read by John Gile
April--Prime numbers--Wild Scottish Beauty by Tricia O'Malley
May--Punctuation--Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp
June--Invasions—Hula for the Home Front by Kirby Larson
July--Sound of Music--The Sound of Murder by K.L. Montgomery
August - A Writer
September
October
November
December

MysteryKIT

January—winter mysteries - Death on a Winter’s Day by Verity Bright
February—vintage mysteries - The Golden Ball by Agatha Christie
March—espionage--Legend in Green Velvet by Elizabeth Peters
April--paranormal--Wild Scottish Beauty by Tricia O'Malley
May—mysteries not set in my country--The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters
June—LGBTQ+ detectives—Report for Murder by Val Mc Dermid
July—series sleuths--Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase
August—legal thrillers
September—silver age mysteries
October--police procedurals
November--psychological mysteries and thrillers
December--cozies

NatureKIT

January - Sheep & Shepherding--Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
February - Forests, Farms & Grasslands--Little People, Big Dreams: Vincent van Gogh by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
March - Landscape --Legend in Green Velvet by Elizabeth Peters
April - Flying Creatures --Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin
May - Plant Kingdom --The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray
June - Oceans & Rivers--The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh
July - Inner Lives of Animals--Hugo the Hippo by Thomas Baum
August - Weather & Climate
September - Urban Nature
October - Endangered Species
November - Effects of Nature on Humans
December - Wild Card

ColourCAT

January – Green--Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
February – Gold—The Golden Ball by Agatha Christie
March – Pink--Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
April – Brown--Villa Mirabella by Peter Pezzelli
May – Red--Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp
June – Yellow--The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh
July – White--Hugo the Hippo by Thomas Baum
August – Grey
September - Silver
October – Black
November – Blue
December – Purple

CoverCAT

January - something involved in a tea party--Tiny Tilda's Pumpkin Pie by Susan Kantor
February - a tree--Caps for Sale by E. Slobodkina
March - farm animals--Barn in Winter by Chambrae Griffith
April - a road - Villa Mirabella by Peter Pezzelli
May - more than two elements/objects - Brush with Greatness: Van Gogh by Michael DeMocker
June - something with wheels--The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh
July - a fruit pictured - Apple Strudel Alibi by H.Y. Hanna
August - includes a photograph
September - dogs and/or cats
October - something that will fit in your pocket.
November - celestial objects
December - something you would like for a Christmas present

BingoDOG

I plan to read all Children's/Young adult books for this Bingo.

1. Newly in public domain—Toad of Toad Hall
2. Features adoption/foster care/nontraditional family--The Tale of Mallory Mouse
3. A long title (5+ words)--The Legend of Good King Wenceslas: A Story of the Light of Christmas
4. Author has your or relative’s 1st or last name--A Special Place for Santa (Jeanne)
5. Nonhuman narrator--I'm My Own Dog
6. The sun on cover/in title--The Solar System Buddies
7. Hollywood!— Close to Famous
8. A place you've never been--A Child's Christmas in Wales
9. Features winged creature(s)--Little Lost Angel
10. A profession in title--Arthur's Teacher Moves In
11. Travel--A Visit from St. Nicholas
12. Child as a main character—Timmy and the Blue Angels
13. Read a CAT--Tiny Tilda's Pumpkin Pie
14. Totally random--Caps for Sale
15. Originally published in a language not your own--The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish
16. Medical topic—You’re Only Old Once by Dr.Seuss
17. A holiday in title--The Lucky Red Envelope: A lift-the-flap Lunar New Year celebration
18. Writing about writers--Library Mouse
19. Either "Library" or "Thing" in title--Library Lion
20. Features fire--What Was the Great Chicago Fire?
21. Recommended by a friend or LT member--Limu the Blue Turtle and His Hawaiian Garden
22. Oldest book in your TBR--One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
23. Set in your favorite season—Curious George Curious About Fall
24. Features a birth--The Crippled Lamb
25. A piece of furniture on the cover--Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day

My 2025 thread is open for visitors! Please stop by. (My three sisters and I welcome you! I am represented by the second sister from the right.)

The second from the right sister looks just like you, Cheryl! And I love the colourful cats image! Happy reading in 2025.

Such lovely pics, especially the kitties. That is the same sister that would represent me.

>10 VivienneR: >11 lowelibrary: Thanks for being the first to visit my new thread!

Happy reading in your year of CATs and KITs. Enjoy the children's and YA Bingo.

Dropping a star and settling in for 2025!

>14 DeltaQueen50: Thanks and welcome! Grab a cup of tea and get comfortable.

>13 pamelad: Thank you for stopping by. I am starting to pile up my selections for the Bingo card.

Happy reading in 2025. I particularly like your idea of reading all childrens/young adult books for BingoDOG; I look forward to many recommendations from there.

Love the colourful kitty picture. Happy reading, Cheryl!

Good luck with your 2025 reading!

Hope you have great reading in 2025.

I'm looking forward to following you again next year! We seem to enjoy many of the same titles.

>21 clue: Welcome! Thank you for stopping by.

I'm looking forward to following your thread in 2025. I always enjoy reading your thoughtful reviews.

>23 MissBrangwen: Thanks for stopping by! Welcome! I hope your New Year is safe and healthy.

Enjoy your 2025 reading! I’ll be interested to see how a children’s/YA only BingoDog works out!

>25 Charon07: Thank you! I used the same idea for last year's BingoDog. I had some fun and some challenges! I want to read different choices for this year. Sometime I would like to see how many CAT tricks I can include, which means how many books can suffice for more than one square. Somehow that does not seem fair though.

Almost there!!

End of the Year meme - 2024

Describe yourself: H is for Hoosier

Describe how you feel: A Rolling Scone

Describe where you currently live: Bento Box in the Heartland

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Art and Apprehension in Las Vegas

Your favourite form of transportation is: Alaska Alibi Cruise

Your favourite food is: Sleep in Heavenly Pizza

Your favourite time of day is: Evening Class

Your best friend is: Rebecca

You and your friends are: The Seaside Sisters

What’s the weather like: The December Market

You fear: The Last Note of Warning

What is the best advice you have to give: We'll Always Have Christmas

Thought for the day: Abide With Me

What is life for you: How to Age Disgracefully

How you would like to die: Death by Misadventure

Your soul’s present condition: Cloistered: My Years as a Nun

What was 2024 like for you? Madrigals and Mayhem

What do you want from 2025? Better Safe Than Sorry

I've placed my star!

>29 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, so good to see you here! Blessings and peace to you. Happy New Year 2025!

Hope you have a good reading year. Some good meme answers.

>32 dudes22: Thanks! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and good luck with your reading.

>34 lowelibrary: Thank you, and Happy New Year to you as well.

Love your meme answers! Hope you have a Happy New Year with lots of good reading!

Finally getting to 2025 on January 1st! I love the pics you've chosen for your categories this year. I'll look forward to following along as usual. My thread is finally live here
https://www.librarything.com/topic/367017#8712413

>37 beebeereads: Hi there, glad to see you here! Happy New Year!

I read a bunch of kids' books for my "all children and YA" BingoDog card. Here they are:

Little Lost Angel--winged creature
The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish--translation
Tiny Tilda's Pumpkin Pie--CAT
The Crippled Lamb--a birth
A Child's Christmas in Wales--place I have never been
A Visit from St. Nicholas--travel
A Special Place for Santa--my/relative name (author Jeanne Pieper)
You're Only Old Once--medical topic

Also Shepherds Abiding, and Death on a Winter's Day.

I am currently reading My Life in France by Julia Child for our onground book club, which I am enjoying.

This year started out rather strangely, with my older sister ending up in the hospital with bronchitis and my sisters and myself in an uproar! She is home now with help from my younger sister and visiting health care professionals. We were supposed to meet for a family lunch but that is on hold for whenever.

Hubby and I had a few nice dinners for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, both specials a the Hibachi Grille in our retirement community. We also were out and about running errands since the weather was sunny and clear for a few days.

Today we are getting smacked with a huge winter storm, snowing all day and into tomorrow morning. We went out to breakfast before the snow started. This is a good day to stay inside, cook soup, and read. I took a few minutes to push the snow off our small sidewalk in our yard and from around the vehicles. It was really quiet out there and the snow was not too heavy yet. Lots of cancellations and closures for tomorrow.

I plan for 2025 to be my last year of adjunct teaching part time for online college courses, retirement (again!) at the end of the year. I would like to get back to my needlework and other stuff I want to do. ( I ordered some new stitching patterns since the Silver Needle has a New Year's Eve day sale. As if I needed more!) I do not have any teaching contracts for 2025 yet though.

>40 LadyoftheLodge: Stay safe.

>39 LadyoftheLodge: I *love* A Child's Christmas in Wales and reread it every year.

>40 LadyoftheLodge: We're in Ohio and the snow is still coming down this morning. Schools and the library system where I work are all closed. I love that I have nowhere to go and can just drink tea and watch the snow all day.

>42 scaifea: It snowed here overnight and was still snowing until about 10:00 a.m. Lots of closings here too. I did go out and shovel around our vehicles again. While I was out there, a maintenance guy in a pickup truck with a blade came by and plowed out the end of the driveway for me! He was my guardian angel for today! I guess I just like to play in the snow.

I also re-read A Child's Christmas in Wales every year. The version I like the most has lovely artwork. I also have an audio version read by Dylan Thomas. It is interesting to hear him read the work himself, so I can hear how he wanted it to sound.

My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme was the book club selection that we discussed today. Ten people attended and we had good discussion, although the leader spent the first 30 minutes reading information that was in the book. Our next book is The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules.

We got out of the house for the first time since Sunday morning. The roads around here are clear with some huge piles of snow resulting from the snow plows. It has been sunny today so a lot of the snow on the roads and driveways has melted. It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow too, but a chance of more snow on Friday.

>44 LadyoftheLodge: I loved this book! I'm not sure I would like it for book club though.

I read a Kindle e-book that I got for free on the Stuff Your Kindle day. The title is The Legend of Good King Wenceslas: A Story of the Light of Christmas by William Edwin Baxter. There is no touchstone showing up for this independently published book. It seemed to be a bit amateurish and the pages were created using a Paint program and Google images.

But wait! Once I read the author's bio, I was amazed and humbled. The author is a man with developmental disabilities, which have not stopped him from writing over 100 books (mainly for kids) through Kindle Direct publishing, co-authoring a book, and recording two songs, all since 2018 when he experienced a life-threatening health scare. I think we can all learn a lot from an individual like this.

I used this book to complete a BingoDog square "book with a long title."

>40 LadyoftheLodge: I am too, pondering retiring again from teaching my college course. I tried it once from 2020-2023 and did not like it! However, I think I might be ready to be more leisurely.

>47 Tess_W: I am getting tired of dealing with the lack of ambition amongst my students. I give them extensive feedback on assignments and use the rubrics for scoring, but they do not read the feedback. Hence they make the same errors every week. They seem to want to "do their own thing" instead of the right thing. I am also seeing a lot of use of AI to write papers.

We got more snow yesterday, so stayed inside and read. I cleared away the several more inches of the white stuff today.

I am currently reading A Winter Wedding at Primrose Hall and Cruise Comedians (not) in Las Vegas.

>49 LadyoftheLodge: Stay safe and warm.

>50 mnleona: Thank you for your kind thoughts. We have not had this much snow in about 5 years.

I just finished Cruise Comedians (not) in Las Vegas. This was a rather silly book and I don't know why I persisted instead of just skipping to the end. I guess I thought it would get better. I have read others in this series and they were not this silly. It read sort of like a NetFlix film. It was Kindle Unlimited, so back it went! Whoosh!

For BingoDog square “child as main character” Timmy and the Blue Angels by Inga Suprenant. Cute story with lovely colorful illustrations.

Winter Wedding at Primrose Hall
This novel represents the final installment in the Primrose Hall stories, and I was sad to see it end. Pia and Jackson are planning their wedding to take place at Primrose Hall, which is owned by Jackson. The manor includes craft studios, animals, event space, and special events. Pia experiences a wild night of fun at her "hen do" with the girls, while Jackson has a similarly fun time with the "stag party" fellows. Other family members play important roles in this story, and surprises abound, with fun twists at the end.

Although this is part of a series, I read it as a standalone. Once I got the various characters sorted out, the story moved along well and captured my attention and interest. Characters from the previous stories all play their parts in this novel. Readers who enjoy family stories, with kids, animals, and pensioners thrown in, should enjoy this sweet and clean novel, and maybe want to read the others in the series.

The premise of the story, characters, and organization of the book reminded me of another series I read in Kindle Unlimited, which I liked very much, called the Juniper Meadows series.

For BingoDog "sun in title or on cover," I read Solar System Buddies, which has such cute illustrations and succinct information about the sun and the planets and other objects in outer space. It was free on Amazon. I often recommend that my university students in my science courses take a look at science books for children, since they explain complex concepts in an easy to understand manner. This one would be perfect for astronomy or geology class.

I started to read a Kindle Unlimited book entitled A Very Beechwood Christmas which contains several paranormal mini-mysteries, but DNF after reading the first one. It was just too silly for me. Whoosh, back to KU.

I am now reading The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules for our onsite book club.

>48 LadyoftheLodge: That's exactly my scenario, also!

Christmas in Aspen by Anita Hughes
Caroline finds herself at a crossroads with her job as a book editor. Keeping her job depends on finding new authors and manuscripts, but she is struggling to do that. When she finds a mysterious letter in her deceased mother's mail, Caroline plans to go to Aspen at Christmas to meet the person who wrote the letter. While she is there, Caroline meets Max, who changes all her "dating rules." Her sister Daphne has become engaged after a whirlwind romance and follows Caroline to Aspen with plans to have her Christmas wedding there.

This novel is really several stories in one. The main plot concerns Caroline and her determination to meet her mother's "mystery man." Subplots deal with Daphne's wedding plans, and the relationship between the two sisters, and with Caroline's romance with Max. Finally, there is the story of Caroline's search for manuscripts, including correspondence between her mother and an author, as well as Caroline's discovery of a small press publication by a local Aspen writer and the story behind it. There is a lot going on in this book!

I liked the characters, but wished the novel focused on just one of the threads. I got bogged down in the middle of the book, although the ending seemed rushed. Maybe this book would have been better as several novellas, with a tighter plot for each of them.

Beachside Bakery by Juliet Brilee was a "second chance at love" novel, set in the Florida Keys. Kathryn and Noah were high school sweethearts, but broke off their relationship when they planned for college. Years later, they reconnect when Noah stays at an inn that is partially owned by Kathryn. She also owns the bakery and is an accomplished baker. Noah has a teen aged daughter, and he is moving from Texas to Cocoa Beach where his daughter will attend school and he plans to help his mom. Sparks fly when Kathryn and Noah meet, and story goes on from there. A couple of loose ends were left hanging at the end of the book though. This was a fun and light novel which was a good one for winter days.

>56 LadyoftheLodge: I'm looking forward to your review on the Little Old Lady. It's been on my shelves forever and I haven't gotten the urge to pick it up yet.

>60 Cecilturtle: I hope you will stop by, I should have it done soon since I have to finish it for our on-ground book club.

The Lucky Red Envelope
The World Needs the Wonder You See

Both of these picture books were 5-star reviews for me, posted on NetGalley. I loved the illustrations for both of them. The Lucky Red Envelope has wonderful pictures, very colorful and detailed, and perfect for Lunar New Year.

BingoDog reads so far this month:
Library Mouse for Writers square
Library Lion for Library/Thing square
Arthur's Teacher Moves In for Profession square

I finally got a Bingo! Now going for a cover-all! Nine squares left to go.

I read The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules for our onground book club. It will be interesting to see how the discussion plays out for this wild read about the League of Pensioners who commit crimes in Robin Hood style. The story also underscores the stereotypes held about senior citizens and how they become rather invisible in society.

I finished With Winter's First Frost, a novel about Amish people with a focus on two senior citizens who find a second chance at love. This novel also underscores how seniors can be "babied" by their own families and made to feel old and useless. However, the spunky oldsters in this novel have their own ways of asserting their personalities. This novel was for sure a page-turner, although there were so many different people in the story that I had to keep referring to the family lists at the front of the book (which still did not help too much).

Yesterday was our turn to work in the library here in our retirement community. Hubby and I had a lot to do! We set up the February Feature on our new rotating book shelf, complete with Valentine decos. The topic is "romance series" featuring the Love's a Mystery and Love Finds You series, which are very popular amongst the residents.

We have also taken over processing new books (pasting in the pockets, spine labels, etc). The cataloger will still be entering the books into the online catalog and printing shelf list cards (yes, we still have a sort of card catalog) and labels. I enjoy doing the processing and getting the books out onto our New Books shelves. Most of them are donations from individuals, our local library, and local indie bookshop, so we do not have to purchase very many new books.

>64 LadyoftheLodge: That sounds so lovely. I like to read about your retirement community, which sound like a really great place. Our small local library is also run by volunteers and they also have a card catalogue for the users and the books borrowed. We do not even have an online catalogue, but it really is a small library and totally living on donations.
That Valentine's book shelf sounds great!

>65 Tallulah_Rose: Thanks! Today we processed some additional new books and sorted out the New Books shelf. Some of them were cataloged in October and November of 2024, so it was time to shelve them in the regular collection. We replace them with about 17 new books that were cataloged in the last month. I will try to take a photo of the Features shelf for February and post it here.

Friday is our first volunteer library staff meeting of the year and the first one I will lead as library co-chair. Keeping my fingers crossed for a good meeting. Our staff members are generally easygoing and not contentious.

It has been awhile since I posted here, amazingly! We spent time working on tax return documents (yuck) and also getting caught up on what our family members are doing.

I read two free Kindle books for BingoDog square "adoption/nontraditional family".
The Tale of Mallory the Mouse by Laura Khoury
Whiskers and the Cat Cafe: Friendships and Forever Homes by Susan Montgomery

That makes three bingos, and eight remaining for a "cover all."

Currently reading:
Shock and Paw
Legend in Green Velvet
The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Shock and Paw
This novel was the first I read in the Cat Cafe mystery series, but I see I was missing out! In this offering, Maddie, Cat Cafe owner, gets involved in several situations. Although she has sworn off involvement in community activities, Maddie gets embroiled in preparations for the local Christmas programming since the plans are falling apart. When the Christmas lighting contest goes off the rails, and a murder occurs that implicates her friend, Maddie also becomes involved with the investigation.

I wondered how Maddie and friends could take so much time to attend to all these activities and events and still manage the Cat Cafe! There are several subplots and intrigues in this novel. Cat lovers will no doubt appreciate the kitties (there is a subplot involving fancy cat breeds too).

Readers of cozy mysteries set in small towns with interesting characters, and especially with cute animals, will enjoy this addition to the genre.

>68 LadyoftheLodge: I read the 4th book in the series, A Whisker of A Doubt, a few years ago and enjoyed it so much. I received the first book, Cat About Town for my birthday, last year and plan to read it soon.

>69 lowelibrary: Thanks, checking them out now.

>68 LadyoftheLodge: That sounds quite lovely. I usually like cozy mysteries so might check out this one. I sometimes also wonder how much the characters can have going on and still go to a regular work...

We had a sort-of discussion about The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules at our on-ground book club today. It was frustrating because the leader just basically went over the plot at great length and got some of the plot points confused (there are many). One person said it disturbed her that these elders were committing crimes. Others thought there was too much detail and minutiae and it was a slow slog.

The leader also passed around print-outs of the book covers of all the author's books and stated that the author wrote lots of books. However, when we looked at the printouts of the covers, it was obvious that many were of the same books but in translations to different languages. Regardless, the cover art was hilarious, and some of the covers were made to resemble the cover of the Beatles album Abbey Road.

We did not really get into the idea that the elders got away with robberies because seniors seem to be disregarded in modern society and fade into the background. (Recall that I live in a retirement community so we are all elders!) There was so much more to discuss that just did not get into the conversation at the book group. I thought it was a fun book to read, and I admired the "League of Pensioners" for their efforts and plotting in the story. They were very organized.

>72 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds like a chaotic meeting! But also seems like the book is worth a read, so I'll pick up my copy at some point :)

I just read The Golden Ball by Dame Agatha for the Colour CAT challenge and it also fits for Mystery Kit.

We had a fun Valentine’s Day filled with surprises! A local men’s quartet arrived at our house and presented me with a huge rose bouquet and a heart shaped box of fine chocolates. They sang three love songs for us.

Later we went to a dinner in the Bistro at our retirement community that was “by invitation only.” We were voted as celebrity couple by the culinary staff and were joined by two other couples. We were serenaded by a violinist, and were surrounded by soft lighting and decorations. Our server presented each couple with an individual cheese tray, seafood appetizer, plated meal, and desserts, rounded out by a bottle of wine. Lots of fun and a great frolic for a couple of seniors. Of course we dressed to the nines in our formal attire. One couple did not touch their wine so it was presented to us as a parting gift. This was quite a unique experience and I am sure we will be talking about it for days to come. Celebrate love!

>75 LadyoftheLodge: What a great day and congratulations!

>74 LadyoftheLodge: I think it's a rare one I haven't read!
Your Valentine's Day sounds absolutely delightful! How fun!

>76 clue: >77 Cecilturtle: Thanks for stopping by. We had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Cherish every minute, as corny as that sounds.

We got slammed with a blustery snow storm last night. I looked out when I got up to feed my cats and it was snowing fiercely and blowing around. It’s not snowing now but still cold and windy. I cleared our front walkway and there’s not much snow, a lot less than it looks like. The maintenance crew has been working on clearing the streets too, so we are in good shape. I am sorry for the people who experienced flooding just south of us in Kentucky and other states.

>79 LadyoftheLodge: 3 feet of snow in Ottawa over 2 days! Stay safe!

>63 LadyoftheLodge: Taking a BB for The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules

I finished Legend in Green Velvet by Elizabeth Peters for one of my book clubs. I was sorely disappointed in this frivolous novel that read like an Indiana Jones story. I am used to the Egyptology books by Peters, but this was so different and definitely a child of the '70s in which it was written. That is a book off my book shelf. Most of the others in our group felt the same, but one member liked it as a fun and light diversion. She also enjoyed the history parts of the book since she was a history teacher.

I also read I'm My Own Dog for the "nonhuman narrator" square in BingoDog (appropriate title too).

Other finishes: The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Upon the Midnight Clear. Also Killing Me Souffle for NetGalley, which became tiresome after awhile with its endless details. Seems like a lot of fluff and filler. The last couple of chapters were a clear setup for the next book.

For BingoDog:
Close to Famous for the Hollywood square
Curious George Curious About Fall for the favorite season square
What Was the Great Chicago fire? for the "fire" square
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day for "furniture on the cover"

We attended a Mardi Gras party last night at the Bistro in the main building of our retirement community. We wore our purple, green, and gold attire, and I wore a "fascinator" headband that lights up. Food was excellent: bourbon chicken, rice and beans, shrimp skewers, salads, flatbread, and a king cake. The "king cake baby" was in my piece of the king cake, which means good fortune, and also that I get to host next year's Mardi Gras celebration (right!) There were also adult beverages, live music, and parades on the TV. My hubby even agreed to dance with me for a few numbers, but his attention seemed mostly glued to the Mardi Gras parades on the TV.

My last finish for February was Christmas with the Lords which was a Kindle Unlimited book, quite a fun story to read. I did get tired of the main character continuing to revert to her previous wishy-washy self and not going after the man she wanted. The other characters in the book were very likeable, especially the four-year-old twins and the grandpa and his sweetie.

Finished Toad of Toad Hall for BingoDog square “new to public domain”.

This week has been a big mess, hence my absence from LT. My sister was in hospital, then went to hospice care, and passed away early this morning. I got to see her yesterday to say goodbye and sit with her and my other sisters for the afternoon. Hubby and I were both exhausted after the three-hour each way drive. Then today was taken up with multiple planning phone calls with my sisters. Calling and funeral next week.

>87 LadyoftheLodge: You have my deepest sympathy. Saying goodbye to a sibling is very difficult. You and your family are in my thoughts.

>88 beebeereads: I'm so sorry to hear this, Cheryl. Condolences.

>87 LadyoftheLodge: I’m so sorry to hear about your sister.

>87 LadyoftheLodge: My condolences, Cheryl ♥

>87 LadyoftheLodge: So sorry for your loss.

>88 beebeereads: >89 DeltaQueen50: >90 Charon07: >91 MissBrangwen: >92 Tess_W: Thank you for your kind words and thoughts. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. We keep asking ourselves questions regarding her death, for which there are no answers. I want to remember her as she looked before she became ill.

Today we loaded up a local Little Free Library with books that had been riding around in my car for months. The LFL for which I am steward has been full and other readers are loading it up, so there was no room for the bags of books in my car. Luckily, the one I pass often was empty, so it received the bounty from my stash. I hope some happy readers find it. This was a good opportunity to get out of the house on a bright sunny (cold) day and drive around for a bit, before facing the funeral early next week.

So sorry to hear of your loss.

Condolences on the loss of your sister.

Cheryl, I am so sorry for your loss! Praying for you and your family.

Sincere condolences and take care traveling.

Sorry to read about the loss of your sister. Prayers. I might give Beachside Bakery and the Cate Conte cat series a try.

>95 MissWatson: >96 lowelibrary: >97 christina_reads: >98 clue: >99 thornton37814: Thank you for thinking of me and keeping us in your prayers. It’s been a rough couple of days.

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan
This sweet and clean novel set at Christmas features Imogen, who longs for a family and a dog. She finds her family and dog as she spends the holidays at a cottage, and ends up celebrating a family Christmas. Readers who enjoy a Christmas novel with some twists and turns will find this a welcome addition to their collection. It is perfect for reading whilst wrapped in a woolly blanket and enjoying a warming beverage. The story is a cozy read about getting one's life back on track and discovering the real meaning of Christmas and what is important in life. Age level: teens and up.

Today was the first day we really went anywhere after my sister's death and funeral. It was a good outing to the symphony, and good for us to get out of the house and be with friends. The pops concert featured small orchestra Pink Martini, and they played music from several different countries, with the vocals in several languages. The Latin music was the best, and the audience was invited to get up and dance, which of course I did. I got some compliments from our friends, who said they had no idea I was a dancer (for a short time in my past, I was a certified aerobic dance instructor). Hubby declined to participate. The last time we went to a Pink Martini concert, the songs were very different and I think some of the musicians were not the same people as we saw today.

>102 LadyoftheLodge: I LOVE Pink Martini! I've seen them several times and always have enjoyed their show. I hope they uplifted your spirits and helped bring back a bit of joy after your loss.

>103 Cecilturtle: Thank you for your kind words. The concert was an uplifting experience and we needed it.

We had a fierce thunderstorm last night with high winds, and the electricity blinked on and off several times before finally cutting out. We sat in the dark with our lanterns and talked for awhile, then finally went to bed. The electricity came back on after an hour and a half, all the lights and appliances jumping back into life, and waking us both up. That also messed up my before bed reading time, as it was not working well with the flashlight. It is still windy today but much colder. And it is the first day of spring!

We also assembled a rotating bookshelf this week (just take your time and follow the directions!) which now has a great spot in our great room, next to my hubby's recliner! It has four shelves and holds about 100 books. This has provided hours of entertainment as we twirl the shelf around and pull out random books to peruse. I ordered another one for our sunroom. The shelf utilizes vertical rather than horizontal space.

I spent frustrating hours on the phone yesterday and today trying to make sense of and schedule blood test appointments for my hubby through the VA. New phone system there is confusing and annoying, enough to make a grown up cry!

Our onground book club read Undaunted Courage and had our discussion over lunch yesterday. None of us had finished the book, but we still had a good discussion. Next up is The Virgin in the Ice in the Brother Cadfael series, a book that I read years ago and look forward to a re-read.

Currently reading Wild Scottish Beauty which I am enjoying, Villa Mirabella which is annoying me greatly, and Meddling with Mistletoe, a romantic comedy.

>105 LadyoftheLodge: I've seen those books cases but never even thought of buying one. I have a wall of nice bookcases in the dining room and they always provide conversation at the dining table. There are two pretty much wasted corners in the room and that sounds like a good idea for at least one of those and we would feel even more like we're in a dining library. Or, I could just pass on some of the books I have. I say that knowing it won't happen!

>107 clue: I would not have purchased one without seeing how it actually looks and works. The one we have in the retirement community library worked out so well, and I deliberated about buying one for a long time before the purchase. We also have a library room at our home, but the shelves are full and there are books in boxes too. (We are also not very good at passing along the books we own!) This shelf takes up very little space so that was a plus.

Meddling with Mistletoe by Liz Johnson
This thoroughly lovable and Christmas-y read features adorable kids, meddlesome relatives, and a sweet couple who end up under the mistletoe. it was not even Christmas when I read this novel, but I enjoyed the Christmas vibe and heartwarming nature of the story. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a sweet romantic comedy with a touch of Christianity thrown in to fit with the season. This is evidently part of a series, so now I want to go back and read the others in the series. I got this one from NetGalley.

How to Be a Saint by Kate Sidley
This book is completely hilarious, mildly offensive and somewhat sacrilegious. However, it was a fun read that would appeal to those readers who were raised on stories of the saints. I laughed out loud while reading this book. The chapters include the canonization process and stories of the saints, as well as a checklist to guide readers along the path to sainthood. (Another NetGalley read.)

>109 LadyoftheLodge: Taking a BB for How To Be A Saint, which Amazon has releasing August 19th.

Serenity's Secret by Lisa Jones Baker
This novel starts out with a violent and suspenseful occurrence, upon which the rest of the novel is built. The "secret" Serenity harbors is not what readers might originally suspect, and the entirety of her secret does not emerge until near the end of the novel. Although this is part of a series of books featuring common characters and settings, it can be read as a stand alone novel. Readers of fiction about Amish people might enjoy this addition to the genre. Those who enjoy a lot of detail and repetition to underscore the plotline might also find this a thoughtful read. Themes include illness, infertility, secrets, romantic conflicts, and physical attack by criminals, all of which could serve as triggers for some readers. This is a sweet and clean novel, with a clear Christian message, although it contains scenes of violence. Three cheers for the horse named Angel!

Booked on Murder by Allison Brook
In this final installment in the Haunted Library series, several plot lines intertwine. They include a historical diary that goes missing, a bank robbery, the mysterious appearance of a dead body, and a wedding! Carrie and Dylan are ready to tie the knot, but several other happenings get in the way. Read this cozy mystery to find out if their wedding takes place!

Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of paranormal activity, lots of details, and several different threads of action will find this a fun and puzzling read. There is a lot of detail about the wedding too, getting readers in the spirit of the event (probably more detail than I like, way too much going on). Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone novel.

Just added to BingoDog for the "recommended by a friend" square--Limu the Blue Turtle and His Hawaiian Garden.

I have way too many cozy mysteries to read, but I will still take a BB for this series, starting with the first book, Death Overdue

Wild Scottish Beauty
This novel featured some cool, some dangerous, and some hilarious paranormal creatures. When Willow moves to Loren Brae in Scotland to serve an internship with a kilt-maker, her life takes unimagined twists and turns. Willow discovers her own magickal gifts and finds unexpected love and lust with the delicious Ramsay. However, I thought the chapter-long extended and descriptive, open-door sex scene was not necessary, as the reader already knew Willow and Ramsay were hot for each other and eventually they would act on that. The kelpies, gnomes, and other creatures added a lot to the novel, and I liked them the best. I also thought the interplay between Willow and Ramsay went on a bit too long--the reader got the idea early on in the book. I liked the premise of the novel though, and would like to read others in this series--just not right now. It was free on Kindle Unlimited.

This book fit the April challenges for MysteryKit (paranormal) and RandomKit (prime number--it is book number 5 in the series).

We experienced severe thunderstorms and high winds on Sunday evening. We were fortunate to have arrived home from dinner before the storms arrived. There were tornado warnings and we had the weather radar on our TV from 7 to 8 p.m. as the storms tracked across to Ohio. Some other parts of the state received damage with downed trees and roads blocked. Heavy rain is forecast and some flooding for later this week too.

Our retirement community has switched TV/internet vendors, since the one we had no longer offers TV service. The technicians have been working in for several weeks, first in the main building and then getting to the cottages (independent living condos). Three different teams came to our place--the first two with cabling and then the set-ups for TV.

The cats were not thrilled with having strange guys indoors, but our Toeney cat was his usual hospitable self and enjoyed visiting with one technician who also has cats. We do not watch much TV, but had fun playing with the new remotes and channel surfing. Glad to have the TV hooked up to see the weather radar! Some residents were a little miffed that the TV change-over happened during March Madness basketball. Everything was supposed to be hooked up today though, as the teams were running a bit behind schedule.

Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson

Probably not my fave cozy mystery this year, this novel was a "just okay." It took too long for me to get interested in this book, so I skipped to the end and read the last few chapters. I like that it was set in a bookstore, and loved the cat and the jazz music. Too many loose ends and unbelievable actions on the part of the main character though. I received this ARC (thank you) from NetGalley and was not required to give a positive review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For BingoDog and completing my card--One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish for "oldest book in my TBR."
For NatureKit--Catwings for "flying creatures."

Esio Trot by Roald Dahl for AlphaKit "E"
This is a book I read many years ago and still enjoyed re-reading it.

Finished Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past which was a Kindle Unlimited book and again was "just okay." There are more in this series but I probably will skip them. Whooshed it back o KU!

Also read What was the Children's Blizzard? in the "What was...?" series for kids.

Currently reading Amish Heartstrings by Sarah Miller and Irene Glick, which is part of the Quilting Circle Amish romances. It is a fun and light read, although I caught a few editing items that should have been fixed.

Also reading The Virgin in the Ice for our on-ground reading group.

Really bad storms here on Wednesday night. We had the TV on until after midnight, as the storms tracked across the state. There were some tornadoes and damage north of us, but we were blessed and fortunate to have survived without damage. When the tornado sirens went off, we grabbed our two kitties, went into the bathroom (most interior room, no windows), and closed the door, although the kitties did not like it at all. Fortunately our power stayed on, although there were high winds and rains.

We had torrential rains again last night, with thunder and lightning to accompany the rain. I stayed up reading for quite some time, but the storms also kept me awake. Our entire state is having flooding now, with more rain forecast into Sunday.

Today we met with a local landscaper to get an estimate on some stonework and mulch for our garden. He has done great work for our neighbors and I think his business is booming just by word of mouth.

I finished Amish Heartstrings by Sarah Miller and Irene Glick. There were some unclear and unrealistic plot points and some editing errors that should have been fixed. The ending was unrealistic but it was a happy one for the characters. Back it goes to Kindle Unlimited!

We had our on ground book group meeting today and I was the discussion leader for Girl Waits with Gun. The group had some good conversation with the discussion questions I provided. Fourteen people were present so we had a nice sized group for discussion.

>122 LadyoftheLodge: Read that last year and did like it.

Currently reading Christmas in Chestnut Ridge and finishing The Virgin in the Ice. Also just started The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.

Internet is up, fingers crossed for continuing service. The technicians showed up at 5:45 p.m. and it took them about 10 minutes to figure things out, and then they just had to restart our router. I probably could have done it, but better to let the pros do it.

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge
When Sheila arrives in Chestnut Ridge to spend Christmas with her friend Natalie, she gets more than she bargained for. Sheila becomes involved in helping a local family recoup after their home is destroyed by fire. In the process, she meets fire chief Tucker, and her big city world somehow does not seem so important any more.

Readers who enjoy a Christmas story with all the elements of Christmasy family traditions will probably find this novel to be a desirable read for any time of year. I read it well after Christmas was over, and found it enchanting and evocative of the holidays. It reminded me of a Hallmark Christmas classic.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
When Edie Jones decides she needs a fresh start, she applies for a job at a bakery on Rue de Paris. However, it is not in Paris, which she finds out to her chagrin. Lodgings turn out to be a cold attic room, Edie struggles with the French language, and she is not allowed into the basement where the ovens are located. Almost ready to go home to Ireland, Edie sticks with her job and things turn out better than she imagined. This novel combines mystery, romance, adventure, history, and of course France! I especially enjoyed the evocative descriptions of the bakery and the town. I was immediately drawn into the story.

Currently reading The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife which was recommended by a friend. The care home descriptions are cracking me up, since I live in a retirement community and go to the residential care home section/main building when I work in the library, pick up mail, go to a meeting, or eat at the grille.

Done with Christmas in Chestnut Ridge and The Virgin in the Ice which had a grand ending.

Dandelions are taking over our lawn! I worked on removing them from the flower beds so it was nice to get outside and also talk with my neighbor for a bit.

>126 LadyoftheLodge: Oh, that's right, dandelion season is coming!

I remember liking The Virgin in the Ice but I confess I don't remember much about the ending.

>127 NinieB: The Ellis Peters book had many rescues and surprise revelations at the end.

>109 LadyoftheLodge: >125 LadyoftheLodge: I'm taking BBs for Meddling with Mistletoe and Christmas in Chestnut Ridge - I just love Christmas novels!

>114 lowelibrary: Exactly the same here!

I'm glad the storms were not too bad where you are! The town where my family lives was affected by severe flooding in 2021 and it still haunts me.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
When Frederick Fife is mistaken for Bernard Greer (they look like twins!), his life takes unexpected twists and turns. This novel tells the story of Fred/Bernard and is really a story of redemption and second chances. The portrayals of people living in a home for senior citizens are hilarious (and some quite true to life). It is both bittersweet and heartwarming. Anyone desiring to read a story about senior citizens and starting a new life after grief and loss will relate to Fred/Bernard. The story also points out the ways in which senior citizens can sometimes be stereotyped or ignored and the results of these actions.

>126 LadyoftheLodge: Definitely taking a BB for the Fife book. I need some humor reading!

Recent finishes:
The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray
Nancy Drew Diaries: Once Upon a Thriller by Carolyn Keene
Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp
Threads of Faith and Love by Sarah Miller and Irene Glick

I downloaded a bunch of cozy mystery freebies for Stuff your Kindle day.

Currently reading:
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
The Lost Girls of Ireland
You are Fatally Invited
We Solve Murders
Fat Cat Spreads Out

This was a busy week, with several errands to run, a volunteer luncheon, library presentation, and dinner with friends at the Hibachi Grille. Tonight we are going to a Titanic themed dinner! Hubby plans to wear his tux, and I have a new champagne-color dress with sparkly jacket and a matching fascinator and elbow-length gloves.

You are Fatally Invited
I really struggled with this mystery novel. Definitely a lot of characters to keep track of, and the narrative keeps switching from one character to another. There were a lot of twists and turns as well. Readers who enjoy a twisty locked room mystery with lots of characters might enjoy this one. It just was not for me.

6:40 to Montreal
The premise of this book intrigued me, and I always like a mystery set on a train. However, I did not like the main character from the outset, and also did not care for the profanity. I wanted to like this book, but it is not a good fit for me.

The Lost Girls of Ireland
This was a cozy, light read about a woman and her daughter starting over again after the death of husband/father, and the sad revelation about his shady business dealings. They wind up at a small cottage on the coast of Ireland after leaving the big city life in Dublin. The best part of the story is the character development, and the ending is predictable.

I also read a couple of novellas as part of a boxed book set about Amish people.
What Has Gott in Store? and A Dream of Familye, both by Naomi Troyer. The first discusses inherited diseases amongst the Amish. The second one deals with infertility. They are not difficult reads, but also not sugary-sweet romances, since they both are about serious issues that can threaten a marriage.

>133 LadyoftheLodge: That's a dangerous post! I think I added all to my wish list.

>134 thornton37814: Good luck! Maybe you will like some of the books better than I did.

Fat Cat Spreads Out by Janet Cantrell
I slogged through this book only because my sister gave it to me. Fat cat Quincy is cool and the best character in the book. Chase is his human, and she owns a bakery. In this novel, she and Anna her co-owner are hosting a booth at a fall festival. The plot is very involved with many murder suspects, a thief, a fancy cat contest, little bit of romance, and lots of extraneous detail.

>136 LadyoftheLodge: Sorry that one wasn't better. The cats are always the best!

>132 LadyoftheLodge: Hmmm, never heard of stuff your Kindle day!

>138 Tess_W: I got the info from another LT person. Check out the thread devoted to Ebook bargains/freebies!

We Solve Murders Having read other novels by this author, this one was different and my least favorite. I found the beginning to be very confusing as the novel continued to switch between different characters.

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat I started reading this book for our community book group, but I got tired of it half way through. I found the switching between timelines to be confusing. I read enough to participate in the discussion, and also read the ending.

We did some fun stuff this week. Our wedding anniversary and hubby's birthday fall on the same day, and we had a nice dinner Tuesday at an upscale restaurant that is about 15 minutes from our home. We also were asked to be part of a professional photo session for marketing department in our retirement community. It was fun and we got to spend about 45 minutes with a couple we rarely get to talk with. Our foursome was photographed playing cards (fake game!) on an outdoor patio, enjoying snacks and iced tea inside the bistro, and raising a glass (soft drinks) at the bar seating with the bistro chef as bartender. We were instructed to interact naturally with each other, showing lots of smiles all around and an enthusiastic attitude! I am not sure how the photos will be used, but it was a fun experience overall.

We now have a new Pope Leo XIV! We were astounded that a Cardinal from the USA was chosen, completely unexpected, but we are happy about his selection. (I would have lost a bet on who would be the next Pope.) This is a historic moment.

>133 LadyoftheLodge: I'll take a BB for the Montréal despite your review: I've been on that Toronto-Montréal train many times and it would be fun to perfectly envision the setting!

>142 Cecilturtle: That is a good reason to read it.

Our on ground book group read The Supremes at Earl’s All You Can Eat. We had a good discussion and most people enjoyed the book.

I just finished The Silver Ladies Seize the Day by Judy Leigh. This was an enjoyable read and I hope another book in the series is forthcoming.

Currently reading The Housekeepers which reminds me of a Dickens novel crossed with Oceans 11. I like it!

>145 LadyoftheLodge: Well, that's certainly an intriguing description! Looking forward to your thoughts after you finish the book.

>146 NinieB: The characters are quite Dickensian: think of street urchins, char ladies, rich old men, criminals. The women who concoct an ingenious plot to pull off a seemingly impossible robbery remind me of the characters in Oceans 11. They especially remind me of the 2018 film spinoff Oceans 8 in which a cast of women pull off an elaborate jewel robbery at the Met Gala.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
Former employees (and relatives!) of the ostentatious mansion of William DeVries aka Danny O'Flynn, Mrs. King and Mrs. Bones decide to engineer the most audacious theft of the century. Organizing their many "friends" and acquaintances as allies and assistants, they utilize their varied talents to pull off the robbery during a huge and lavish masquerade ball. Many secrets and connections are revealed throughout the novel, which is organized by a timeline up to and including the ball and robbery. Extensive end notes by the author were helpful and interesting too, and provided background to the story and settings.This novel kept me on the edge of my seat. I definitely recommend this one!

The author included a short story at the end featuring Mrs. King and Mrs. Bones and other characters from the novel, but somehow it just did not hang together. An excerpt from the next release The Queen of Fives by the author Alex Hay also provides a teaser.

The Story Collector and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris were both books for NetGalley for which I posted reviews but did not finish.

Just finished Bait and Swiss for NetGalley. The book is part of the Cheese Shop mystery series and seemed very complicated and drawn out.

I am reading Fat Cat Takes the Cake which is slow going. Our book club is reading The Ride of Our Lives which I just started.

We had major landscaping done in our yard last week and our gardens look beautiful. Now I am waiting for the final invoice….

>150 LadyoftheLodge: I’d love to see pictures!

>151 Charon07: This is my newly updated side garden, and my favorite picture of our gardens.

>152 LadyoftheLodge: Very nice!

>152 LadyoftheLodge: Beautiful!

>153 Tess_W: >154 Charon07: Thank you! We have been very happy with the results.

I got my hair cut today! It was down to the middle of my back and getting difficult to manage. My stylist cut off seven inches and donated it for me to a hair loss charity. It’s always a bit shocking to see the shorter version at first, but I like it. I usually have her cut it about once a year and it is much nicer for summer. I like this shorter style so much that I will probably keep it this length. (I like the "1940's movie star" style vibe!)

We went to the last of the Pops symphony matinee performances yesterday and it was a very enjoyable time, although not as well attended as I expected. This might be due in part to the fact that the kids are out of school for the summer, and there are usually some school groups at the concerts. The featured vocalist had a very strong voice although I did not care for the selections or her singing style which sometimes seemed more like shouting. We purchased our season tickets for next year, and those performances will take up again in September.

I finished Fat Cat Takes the Cake which is a cozy mystery that I found annoying and full of extraneous elements that added little to the story. The cat had a very small role in the story. This book was read for the June AlphaKIT.

Hula for the Home Front by Kirby Larson was a fun read and my choice for the RandomKit challenge for June. It is part of the American Girls series and is set in Hawaii right after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Amish Teacher's Heart (The Amish Quilting Circle Book 32) by Sarah Miller and Irene Glick is part of a series that features some of the same characters, but each book focuses on specific people and continues the storyline from the previous book. These are short, light, and easy reads and can be read as standalones. While there are some typos, they do not generally detract from the story. This book was for the June AlphaKIT.

I am still finishing The Ride of Our Lives and The Second Life of Mirielle West, both for onground book groups, and An Irish Summer for NetGalley, as well as Report for Murder by Val McDermid for MysteryKIT June.

An Irish Summer
hen Chelsea loses her job and her apartment at the Boston B&B where she worked, she thinks her world is crashing down. However, life has a way of turning things around in unexpected ways. Chelsea accepts a summer job in Ireland, and finds her life upended yet again as she falls in love with her new country and the people at the hostel where she works.

This is a fun romantic comedy with lots of descriptions of Ireland and the comedy of errors in which Chelsea finds her new life. Readers who enjoy a light romantic comedy will probably find this to their liking.

Our community book group discussed The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard. It was a lively discussion and the event was well-attended with 18 people.

It has been 10 years this month since my departed husband passed away. We went to his grave site and it looked neat and clean. We had a difficult time getting to the cemetery because it is on the other side of the fairgrounds and there was a fair going on with tons of people and cars everywhere. Thankfully we were allowed to pass without paying, and the cemetery was roped off so people could not park on the graves (gasp! But some probably would do that if possible!) I appreciate that hubby was willing to go along with me so I could pay my respects.

I finished reading Report for Murder by Val McDermid for the MysteryKIT Challenge. It took me awhile to get into the story and I had to go back a few times to recall who was whom in the novel. The relationship between Lindsay and Cordelia was a part of the story but not necessary to the solving of the murder. Gruesome and violent scenes were difficult for me to read, as were the scenes of intimacy. I guessed the identity of the killer, although there was quite a twist at the end.

Another finish! The Second Life of Mirielle West for an on ground book group. I was anxious to finish the book as it was quite compelling, but also had some frustrating moments and some that stretched my imagination. I learned a lot about Hansen’s disease. This book should be a great source for discussion.

>159 LadyoftheLodge: I imagine that this must have been difficult, as the atmosphere of the fairground must have been so different from the mood you were in.

>162 MissBrangwen: Yes, quite a contrast, and I had to duck under the ropes to get to the grave. If I had known about the fair, I would have gone on a different day. There is no other way to get to the cemetery.

We participated in a Paint and Sip session this evening. Good food and wine were part of the package and we each decorated our own wine glass with acrylic paint. We sat with some people we didn’t know well and had a great time. It was fun to make new friends. Hubby was hilarious after he consumed the appetizer plate and had a glass of wine!

We have had a crash pad apartment in Kentucky for over eight years. We are among many who received eviction notices because the big out of state conglomerate owners are renovating all the apartments so they can charge a lot more for rent. We have spent the last week packing up and moving stuff from the apartment. We have sixty days to move out but hubby and I are both type A personalities so we don’t plan to wait until the lease expires to get out. The entire thing has been done in a sneaky manner since we didn’t see this coming. We never missed a rent payment or caused any problems. I think our entire building is being vacated as leases run out and aren’t being renewed. This has been very difficult and disappointing but we are getting through it. We don’t have room for a lot of the furniture but family members can use it and are helping us move. This has been a very challenging week.

>165 LadyoftheLodge: So sorry to hear about this major disruption to your lives. I know from reading your thread that you are a strong duo and will find your way through this. Sending strength to navigate the future.

>161 LadyoftheLodge: Taking a BB for that one. Just read Moloka'i and and found leprosy quite interesting.

Great that you maneuvered your way to the cemetery.

>166 beebeereads: Thank you! We have put forth a lot of effort so far, and are getting things sorted and moved. The temperatures have been very high this week so we are not spending much time outside.

Two finishes this week;
Death in the Quadrangle by Ellis Dillon which took place at a small college in Dublin. I enjoy academic mysteries, but this one had many characters and I found it difficult to keep them all straight.
The Sound of Murder by K.L. Montgomery. I skipped to the end of this one because I got bored with the main character and there was little to do with actual performance theater in this novel. I probably won't read any more in this series.

Two more finishes amidst moving stuff out of the apartment!
Cat Got Your Cash
Star-Crossed Egg Tarts

Both of these got bogged down in the middle, although each was a fun read. Each of them is part of a series but not the first in the series.

Just finished Hugo the Hippo for NatureKIT and for ColourCAT.
Started but DNF A School for Brides which I now see is a YA book. It seemed rather silly to me, so I skipped to the end after the first 100 or so pages.
Another fun read was What Were the Roaring Twenties? which is part of a series of history and biography books written for kids. I have read others in the series and quite like them. The provide a good overview of the topics in a way that is interesting and easy to comprehend.

We finally got everything moved out of our apartment, although way ahead of the deadline, and still required to pay rent through the end of the lease. Now there is still stuff in our garage to sort out and figure where to place or to donate.

I have taken over a large part of the cataloguing duties for our community library, so it has taken me awhile to learn how to use LiBib, but doing well with it now. I had some tutoring from another of our librarians who is an expert cataloger.

We found out that our cats have fleas, so now they are getting medicine for that, and we had to do a very thorough cleaning and vacuuming of our home. I also put the cats in solitary for an hour while we sprayed a flea spray on our carpets and furniture. The cats were traumatized for days, as were we, but all of us are getting out of our funk now and calming down.

Hubby and I had been invited to participate in a small group book club, which we did and enjoyed for about six months. We liked discussing the books over lunch each month. Sadly, the original four in the group decided they did not want any interlopers and now want to return to the original configuration. Hence, hubby and I have been asked to leave the group! I have not had that kind of situation happen to me since junior high school! We withdrew with grace, but I felt like crying. As my LT friends can see, things have been a bit weird around here lately . . .

>171 LadyoftheLodge: Well, we’re happy to have you in our bookclub here on LT! They probably couldn’t stand feeling so shallow after hearing your brilliant insights!

171> After you were invited they asked you to leave?? This is just astounding.

>171 LadyoftheLodge: Oof, yeah, I'm sorry about the book club! Some people never seem to leave high school cliquey behavior behind.

>172 Charon07: >173 clue: >174 christina_reads: Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate being part of LT.

>171 LadyoftheLodge: really odd about that book club! Knowing what I know, I would not want to be a part of it. Glad you are HERE!

>176 Tess_W: Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.

>171 LadyoftheLodge: Oh, it sounds like you had a lot going on! I'm sorry about the fleas and hope everything will be normal soon. I don't have cats, but I know how stressful such situations can be for them.

And how odd indeed about the book club. It sounds like these people never got out of puberty. But it's their loss and I'm so happy you're here and always enjoy visiting your thread!

>178 MissBrangwen: Thank you for your kind words. I am happy to have you as a friend and fellow LT member. I like it that I have LT friends all over the world.

I finished reading Apple Strudel Alibi and The Gift of Joy (which is an novel about Amish people and it made me cry in several places, unusual since that rarely happens when I am reading a novel). I gave up on How to Wash a Cat because the author seemed determined to include many adjectives, sort of like a school writing assignment. I liked the cover and the title is intriguing, considering that I just gave both of my cats baths! The main story line had little to do with washing cats though.

Currently reading Murder at St. Margaret which is set at Oxford and also quite humorous (includes a smart-talking little wyvern disguised as a black cat) and Commonwealth for our community book group.

I had a great birthday week last week. Hubby bought me a bouquet of flowers and a set of earrings to match a pendant set he gave me for Christmas. We had dinner at a lovely upscale restaurant, along with an excellent bottle of wine. My sisters sent me gardening gloves, a hat, and a cute flower pot along with a bag of ten day lily bulbs that were fresh and to be planted straight away, which I did. Now I am anxious to see what colors they are when they decide to bloom. Lots of morning thunderstorms today, so everything got a good watering.

>180 LadyoftheLodge: I read How To Wash A Cat a few years ago. You are missing nothing by skipping it.

>181 LadyoftheLodge: We might be twins -- my birthday was last week as well! Glad you had a happy one!

>181 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds like a wonderful day.

>183 christina_reads: I have at least three other birthday twins, so welcome!

I am currently reading A Novel Murder by E.C. Nevin and Joy by Danielle Steel, both for reviews, and Her New Amish Family by Carrie Lighte for something a bit "lighter."

I finished Commonwealth for our community book group and found it compelling, although I was disappointed in the ending, which seemed to just ....stop.

We went with a group to see Oklahoma! at a small dinner theater and it was great fun. I was in the ensemble for that play when I was in high school, so of course I had to mentally sing along. This theater has been taken over by new management recently and this time it was much better overall than last summer's visit.

I turned in my letters of retirement from the two Christian colleges for whom I have been an online adjunct faculty member for 14 years. I have not had a teaching assignment since last year, yet I was supposed to complete six online faculty development courses for one of the colleges (unpaid, on my time). I seldom heard from my supervisors at either college, and felt as if they no longer knew who I was. I have been trying to decide when to retire, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity, as this makes 50 years of serving as an educator.

I have enough to do with my work as the library chair and with processing and cataloging new books for our community library, so I will not miss the teaching online.

Come on over to my new thread! I would love to see you there.