Deborah ( vancouverdeb) thread 5

Muffin in the wind, near Whistler, BC.

Melissa and Miles visiting the UK, as they are right now.

I'm Deborah, married for 42 years and counting. I have two adult sons and one is married and they have two young children. This will be my 15 year in the 75's. Both Dave and I are retired and we recently adopted a new just turned 1 year old dog, Muffin.

January

1)The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley mine, UK, F, 5 stars
2) Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa , library, Japan, M, 3 stars
3) The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon , mine, USA, F, 4.5 stars
4)Always Pack a Candle by Marion McKinnion Crook,library Canada, F, 4 stars
5)How To Read a Book by Monica Wood, mine, USA, F, 4 stars
6)The Booklover's Library: A Novel by Madeline Martin, library , USA, F, 3.5 stars

February

7) Night Shadows by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir, library, Iceland, F, 4 stars
8) Isola by Allegra Goodman, mine, USA,F 4.5 stars
9)The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan, library, Ireland M,3.5 stars,
10) Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell, mine, F, Ireland, 4 stars

March

11) Small Bombs at Dimperly by Lissa Evans , mine, UK, F, 4 stars
12)Fagin The Thief by Allison Epstein, library, USA, F, 5 stars
13) Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis mine, UK, F , 3.5 stars
14) Three Days In June by Anne Tyler, library, USA, F, 3.5 stars

April

15)Boys Who Hurt by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir, mine, Iceland, F, 4 stars
16)Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout, library, USA, F, 4 stars
17) The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue, library, Canada, F, 4 stars
18)Murder At Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd, mine, UK, F, 4. 5 stars
19)A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike, mine, UK, F 5 stars
20)Can't Run, Can't Hide by Yrsa Sigurdardorttir , Iceland, mine, F, 4. 25 stars
21) Finding Flora by Elinor Florence, Canada, library, F, 4 stars

May

22) The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji, USA, mine, F, 3 stars
23) The Sirens by Emilia Hart, Australia ,mine, F, 4 stars
24)A Fine Balance by Rohiniton Mistry, mine, M, Canada, 4.5 stars
25)Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent, mine, UK, F, 3 stars
26)These Days by Lucy Caldwell, mine, Ireland, F 4 stars

June

27) The Adversary by Michael Crummey, library, Canada, M, 4 stars
28) Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin, mine, Canada, F, 3.5 stars
29 )The Best of Everything by Kit de Waal mine, UK, F, 4 stars
30) Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein library , Trinidad, M, 4 stars
31)Death at the White Hart: A Novel by Chris Chibnall, library, M, UK, 3.5 stars
32) A Schooling in Murder by Andrew Taylor, mine, M, UK, 4 stars

July

33)Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor, mine, M, UK, 4 stars
34)The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, library, M, UK, 4 stars
35) Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, library, F, USA, 4. 5 stars
36)Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller, library, F, USA, 3 stars,
37) The Searcher by Tana French, mine, F, American/Irish 4 stars
38)The Names by Florence Knapp,library, F, UK, 4 stars
39) So Far Gone by Jess Walter, library, M, USA , 4 stars
40)Days of Light by Megan Hunter, library, F, UK, 2.5 stars

August

41) Cold As Hell by Lilja Sigurdardottir, mine, F, Iceland, 4 stars
42) Love Forms by Claire Adam, library, F, Trinidad, 3.5 stars
43)Mrs Spy by M J Robotham, library, F, UK, 4.5 stars
44)The Women on Platform Two byLaura Anthony, library, F, USA, 4.5 stars
45)The Very Marrow of our Bones by Christine Higdon, mine, F, Canada, 3.5 stars
46)A Murder in Paris: A Novel by Matthew Blake, mine, M, UK, 3.5 stars
47)Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte, McConaghy, library, F, Australia, 4 stars

September

48) The Whistling by Rebecca Netley , mine, F, UK, 4 stars
49) 33 Brugmann Place by Alice Austen, mine, F, USA, 4 stars
50) The Book Club for Troublesome Women, by Marie Bostwick, F, USA, mine, 4 stars
51)Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James, F, USA, mine, 4 sta rs

October

52) A Loneliness of Sunny and Sonia by Kiran Desai, F , library, 4 stars
53)Five Found Dead by Silari Gentill , F, Australia, library, 2. 5 stars
54) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, F, USA, library, 4 stars
55)The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer: A Mystery by Ragnar Jonasson, M, Iceland, mine, 4 stars
56) Pick a Colour: A Novel by Souvankham Thammavongsa, F, Canada , library, 2 stars
57) Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green , M, USA, library, 4 stars

Prize Winners and Nominees

Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell, Women's Prize Longlist, 2025
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis, Women's Prize Shortlist, 2025
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout , Women's Prize for Fiction , Shortlist 2025
A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike, Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist 2025
The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji, Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist , 2025
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry , 1001 Books to read Before You Die, Giller Prize 1995, Booker Prize shortlist 1995,
These Days by Lucy Caldwell, Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction Winner – 2023
The Adversary by Michael Crummey International Dublin Literary Award Winner, 2025
The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction Winner, 2025, Booker Shortlist 2025
Love Forms by Claire Adams 2025 Booker Longlist ,
The Loneliness of Sunny and Sonia by Kiran Desai, 2025 Booker Shortlist
Pick a Colour: A Novel by Souvankham Thammavongsa, 2025 Giller Prize Shortlist.

The Quiet Mother by Arnaldur Indridson

Welcome to my new thread! Please drop a star, lurk, delurk, all are welcome!

Well the word to describe muffin is......ADORABLE1 Happy new thread Deborah. Hope you are enjoying this fabulous warm weather.

>14 mdoris: Thanks Mary! Muffin is adorable, I think so too!:-)Sometimes I just pick her up and give her a big hug. In the car she is belted in, but she puts her head forward to look out the window and gives me some " kisses" on my neck or ear. She's a darling.

Booker Longlist

Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
Flesh by David Szalay
Endling by Maria Reva
The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovits
Audition by Katie Kitamura
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
Flashlight by Susan Choi
One Boat by Jonathon Buckley
Universality by Natasha Brown
The South by Tash Aw
Love Forms by Claire Adam

>1 vancouverdeb: & >2 vancouverdeb: Lovely toppers both, Deb.

Happy new thread.

Any plans on which Booker longlist you will try first?

>17 PaulCranswick: I have read The Land in Winter, which I would recommend, Paul. I have Love Forms out from the library, so that will most likely be my next longlist read. I am considering ordering The Rest of Our Lives from Blackwell's in the UK. So that's it so far.

Happy new thread, Deb. The kids are so big already! And Muffin is a charmer.

Sweet Thursday, Deborah. Happy New Thread. I LOVE the Muffin and the M & M toppers. Perfect.

Happy new thread, Deborah.

>1 vancouverdeb: Muffin has a sweet face.

And your grandchildren are looking great!

>12 vancouverdeb: Speaking about covers: that cover would make me pick the book up, very nice.

>1 vancouverdeb: What a sweet photo of Muffin! I'm smitten.
The grands aren't too bad either lol

Happy new thread, Deborah!

Muffin is a cutie, Deborah.

Happy new thread.

Lovely pictures Deborah. I was trying to work out where M&M are - somewhere on the South Bank, maybe?

Hi Deborah. My thanks to you for *finally* launching this new thread. I've fallen behind on a lot of threads, and I'm deterred from visiting when the post tally runs to 3 digits. My bad, of course. I just have to visit often and thus keep up.

Just wondering about your topper. You said: Muffin in the wind, near Whistler, BC. Was the wind whistling?

Happy new thread Deborah. Love the pics of Muffin and the Grands. Happy end of July and on to August.

>1 vancouverdeb: OMG!!! That is too adorable!!! I want a puppy hug!!
>2 vancouverdeb: and those are beautiful, adorable kids!!!

Happy new one, Deborah!!

Happy new thread!

>2 vancouverdeb: love to see M., M., and M. together!

Happy new thread!

Love the photos

>19 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley! I think they all look adorable too. Melissa is especially tall for her age, I think. The are just turned 7 and nearly 5 years old.

>20 msf59: Thanks Mark! I love the M and M's too.

>21 EllaTim: Thanks Ella. Unfortunately,Days of Light was not a book I enjoyed, even if it has a decent looking cover.

>22 lauralkeet: Muffin is very cute, Laura. The grandchildren aren't bad either :-)

>23 katiekrug: Thanks Katie.

>24 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I have to agree that Muffin is a cutie.

>25 charl08: I think you might be correct, Charlotte, that Miles , Melissa and family are near the South Bank. I know they were on the London Eye that day, and I think that is in the South Bank area. You'd know better than me.

>26 weird_O: Great to see you, Bill. Well, it was a bit of breezy day, but Whistler is named for marmots that whistle to each other and live in the area. I had to look that up, because it's always just been a place name to me. It's big skiing area and a village full of residents and tourists. Dave and I took one of our first dates to Whistler Mountain to go skiing.

>27 Kristelh: Thanks Kristel. I loved the pictures of the grands and Muffin too.

>28 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba. It 's hard to resist hugging Muffin, though she can be quite stubborn at times. She decides when she will stop on a walk, flings herself on here side , and refuses to move until she is good and ready. That's a many times a day happening on our walks in this warmer weather. Luckily we love her.

>29 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>30 m.belljackson: Thanks Marianne! I love seeing the three M and M's together too.

>31 figsfromthistle: Great to see you, Anita.

Days of Light by Megan Hunter 2.5 stars

I read this book because it was predicted by some Booktubers to be on the Booker 2025 Longlist. But it did not make the Longlist. I did not enjoy this story. The story takes place over 6 pivotal days of Ivy's life, starting in 1938 and ending with Ivy's death in 1999. At the start of the novel, Ivy's unconventional family has gathered for lunch , awaiting the arrival of brother Joseph's new girlfriend, Frances. A tragedy happens that day,that changes the course of her family's life.

I found much of the novel to be overwrought. Ivy herself was an unmoored creature of impulse, who I found hard to relate to. Perhaps you will enjoy this book more than I did .

Happy new thread, Deborah!

>1 vancouverdeb: Cute dog, Muffin!

>2 vancouverdeb: Very cute grandchildren!

>37 quondame: Thanks Susan!

Happy new thread Deborah!

Lovely new photos, Deborah. Happy new 🧵.

>39 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

>40 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara!

Happy new thread, Deborah! Lovely picture of Muffin. It looks like the grandkids are enjoying London, nice.

Happy new thread, Deborah! I love your topper pictures. Such a fun picture of Muffin, and your grandkids are really growing up.

>42 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. Yes, I think the grandkids and their parents are enjoying London and then they are onto France and Switzerland. I'm not sure where they are , perhaps France right now ? I did ask for a few more details about when and where they are going, but so far that is all I know. I hope William will WhatApp more information and pictures;

>43 atozgrl: Thanks Irene! It is a good picture of Muffin and yes those grandchildren of ours are growing up fast

Cold As Hell by Lilja Sigudardottir 4 stars

Great Icelandic crime fiction. Arora and Isafold are sisters, living in the UK and Iceland , respectively. They are not close , and are not on speaking terms , when their mother , Violet, loses contact with Isafold.

Isafold has been living with her abusive, drug selling boyfriend, Bjorn. Reluctantly, Arora returns to Iceland to find her sister. Arora contacts Bjorn, and any friends or associates of Isafold's that she can find. Joining up with police officer Daniel, they try to determine what has happened. This is the start of a series and I will be readiing further into this series.

Happy Sunday and happy new(ish) thread, Deborah!

>1 vancouverdeb: Muffin in the Wind. Sounds like the title of a song or a book. What a cutie! I'm with Reba: I want a puppy hug too!

>2 vancouverdeb: What sweet smiles! They look like they are having a blast! I bet you miss them.

>44 vancouverdeb: That sounds like a fun family trip, Deborah. Hopefully you'll get a WhatsApp message soon.

>46 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary! Muffin is very cute, we think. The grandchildren are very cute. And yes, I think they are having lots of fun.

>47 Familyhistorian: I think that yes, the family is having a great trip. You were correct, I got a few pictures today of the the kids in France via Whatspp. I wasn't sure if I would get more.

Love Forms by Claire Adam 3. 5 stars

Dawn is a 58 year old woman. She is now divorced , and the mother of two adult sons, Finlay and Oscar. Many years ago, she lived in Trinidad. There at age 16, she finds herself pregnant. As was common in the day, her parents send her off to live with an aunt and then with nuns, where she gives birth to a daughter. She returns home after giving birth, with her daughter adopted out. Eventually she moves to the UK, and becomes a doctor herself. But throughout her life she misses the daughter she never knew. In time she tries to track down her daughter, but it proves challenging. An emotional journey of one woman's life.

Love Forms is the second book I have read from the Booker Longlist. I did enjoy it, but I guess I preferred The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller as I gave that book 4 stars. However, this is still a worthwhile read, and I will be happy if it gets to the shortlist.

Miles and Melissa in Antibes , France. It looks like they are enjoying themselves very much.

>50 vancouverdeb: I have also read 2 so far, Deb, and place
The South above Audition.

>51 vancouverdeb: Antibes is a great place to visit and it is great to see the Grandies have such a wonderful time there.

>51 vancouverdeb: I posted on Meg's thread 🙈
It looks like your son and family are on a great trip. Do you know what they will be visiting in Switzerland?

Happy Wednesday, Deborah. I LOVE the M & M photo. Looks gorgeous. When do they come home?

>51 vancouverdeb: Looks like great fun to me! Lucky kids :)

My local library is of no help at all regarding the Booker longlist and even Hoopla only has one of the books. *sigh*

>51 vancouverdeb: Love the photo! (Thanks for the morning smile it provided)

Beautiful beach pictures of the grands in France. I've read both Audition and Flesh and I believe they are both long list worthy. Kitamura's form for writing could be off putting but I think it was a good book. I also liked Szalay's work off "modern masculinity" which I think is a timely subject. It deserves to make it to the shortlist IMHO. Not that it is worth much. Mr Szalay was born in Montreal, Canada though I think he is now living in England.

So nice to see the kiddos enjoying their visit to France!

>52 PaulCranswick: I'll keep your booker reads in mind , Paul for my next Booker Reads. I'm not sure which Booker Long list i will read next. I'll be honest, I'd never even heard of Antibes until William sent the pic and I had to google it! :-) It does look like they are having a great time though.

>53 Ameise1: No problem, Barbara. No, I don't know where they plan to visit in Switzerland . I asked William about where they were going, but only got the names of the countries from him and no Disneyland in France for them. They have taken the kids to Disneyland in Hong Kong more than once, so that is about all I know until I get pictures sent with a the name of the place. Sons!

>54 msf59: Hi Mark. I am not sure of the exact date they get home ( sons again! ) but I know they planned to be gone for 3 weeks , so I think they will be home next Saturday if it is exactly 3 weeks. Dave drove them to the airport, so at least I know when they left for certain.

>55 alcottacre: Lucky kids is right, Stasia. That is too bad about your library. You often have trouble with your library finding titles there. My library has most of the Booker Longlisted books, but not all. One is not yet published.

>56 RebaRelishesReading: I'm glad it gave you a smile , Reba. I was sure pleased to get some pictures from William of the family.

>57 Kristelh: I'm glad you have read two books that your regard as Booker Long and Shortlist worthy, Kristel. I will keep them in mind. I feel that The Land in Winter and Love Forms are Booker Prize Shortlist worthy, but I guess we will have to wait and see. I did know that David Szalay was born in Canada. I think he and his family are currently living in Hungary. ( I think that his what I read, but I could be wrong).

>58 mdoris: Yes, I am very glad they are enjoying their time in France. A friend of mine said - oh they are too young for Europe and will not remember their trip. I think that they will remember, especially Melissa, who is 7 .

>61 vancouverdeb:. When I "googled" David Salzay where is he living? AI said; David Szalay currently lives in Vienna. He was born in Canada, grew up in London, and has also lived in Budapest. His most recent novel, "Flesh," was published in March 2025. I guess he's a traveling man.

I cannot get The Land in Winter until 2026 so I will just have to be patient to read that one. Also Love Forms was not found but will keep a watch out for it.

Hi Deborah. Thanks to you, I have The Adversary on hold at the library. You intrigued me with your comment about the Caine and Abel connection.

>51 vancouverdeb: Ooh-la-la! That is a very cool picture of Melissa and Miles having water fun in France. I'm eager to hear more about their European vacation. I'm sure they will be more "chatty" about it than their father. Haha.

>51 vancouverdeb: Oh! What fun! They will definitely remember this vacation, or at least the funnest parts of it. I bet you’ll be happy to see them again.

>51 vancouverdeb: So cute!

Looks like the grands are enjoying their time in France!

>62 Kristelh: I googled AI about David Szalay and it said he lived in Budapest, but then I checked a book review on the Guardian Newspaper and it said he and his family currently live in Vienna, like you said, Kristel. And yes, I guess he is a travelling man.

>63 Kristelh: That is too bad about The Land in Winter, Kristel. I got from my library, so I know it is available in Canada. Who knows how they decide when to publish books ? I also got Love Forms from the library. Maybe your library will get it .

>64 Donna828: I hope you enjoy The Adversary , Donna. It's a dark but worthwhile read and I think , and I think the author meant it to be a sort of Cain and Abel retelling. I thought pictures in France where fun too. You are correct, Melissa and Miles will no doubt be more chatty about their trip than either of their parents. Melissa gave us a rundown of all of the places she has travelled to before they left.

>65 Storeetllr: They do look to be having fun, Mary! I think they will remember the holiday, especially the highlights, depending on what the highlights are to them.

>66 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda! I think so too.

>67 Familyhistorian: I think so too, Meg. I hope to get a few pics when they visit Switzerland. I think they might be there by now.

Happy Friday, Deborah. I hope your weather is better than ours. We are going through another HOT stretch. Still playing PB, so it hasn't stopped me.

>71 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark. Our weather is warm but probably not as hot as yours . I think today is was about 82 F with the humidex.

Hi Deb. Our temps here have been awful. Yesterday it hit 32 with a humidex of 38C. Looks like it will stick around for a few more days. It's that blast-furnace heat that hits you when you walk out the door. I hate it.

I hope things settle down for Muffin soon!

Good morning Deborah. How has your Booker longlist reads been going?

>73 jessibud2: Sound dreadful, Shelley. It's hot enough here at I think 29 C here today. It was a hot walk with the dog and later I took a walk by myself. I not a fan of hot water either. I hope things settle down for Muffin soon too, and for us.

>74 Kristelh: Hi Kristel. I still have only read The Land in Winter and Love Forms I have South on hold at the library , but it will be a while until it gets to me.

Mrs Spy by M J Robotham 4.5 stars

This is the most entertaining book I have read in a while. Maggie Flynn is a middle aged widow, mother to one, and purportedly works in a Department Store. In fact, she is working as an undercover agent for MI5. It is the 1960's .Maggie's world is turned upside down when a chance encounter with a Russian agent reveals that her husband did not not die in an accident as she was told. She feels the need to dig deeper into what happened , and wonders who she can trust, and who she cannot.

The perfect balance of suspense, humour and spy craft.

Highly recommended.

Not yet decided which of the Booker Longlist to read next Deb. Between us we have read four of them. I am leaning towards Andrew Miller's Walter Scott Prize Winner which I know you enjoyed.

I am currently reading Once the Deed is Done by Rachel Seiffert for my alternative Booker longlist and so far I like my alternatives better, I think.

Hot enough for you Deborah and Muffin? Poor Loki with her black fur. I just wished she like swimming as we would take her in the ocean for a cool down but she really does not like it. There are a few more days of this hot weather coming.

p.s. Mrs. Spy sounds good!

Hi Deborah, Love your family photos (and you know that, of course, I include Muffin)!

I saw your review of Mrs Spy earlier today and starred it. The book looks intriguing and my library has an ecopy which should be available soon. Thanks for the heads up!

>77 PaulCranswick: I did like The Land in Winter, Paul , so that would be a good choice. I'm not sure what I will read next from the Booker Longist, either. I have South by Tash Aw and Flashlight on holds at the library. I'm not sure when they will get to me. I'm glad you enjoying your current read. I have one book by Rachel Seiffert in the past , and I can see I gave it 4 stars.

>78 mdoris: Yes , Mary is it certainly hot enough for Muffin and me. Too hot! Yes, a black coat would make it that much worse. Muffin has a double coat and a lot of fur, so she really feels the heat too. Mrs Spy was great!

>79 Copperskye: Thanks Joanne! I hope you enjoy Mrs Spy too. One of those lucky finds at the library. I really loved it.

Mrs. Spy sounds fun, Deborah.

Hi Deb my dear, a belated Happy New Thread dear friend.

Cooler today, Deborah, I hope you’re enjoying it. Mrs Spy looks like a fun read.

So nice to have it cooler. We can even go outside!

>81 BLBera: It was a fun read, Beth

>82 johnsimpson: Thanks , John.

>83 Familyhistorian: I am enjoying the cooler weather, yes, Meg. Mrs Spy was a fun and interesting read. I think you would enjoy it.

>84 mdoris: I am enjoying the cooler weather very much, Mary. I am glad you are too.

The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony 4.5 stars

An excellent and gripping read.

In Dublin, 1969, Maura marries a doctor, " Christy" Christopher Davenport. He seems the perfect man initially, but Maura soon realizes he has a terrible temper , and is physically and psychologically abusive. She feels she cannot reveal this to anyone, and that her family would not accept her back. Christy desires to have children, but but Maura is concerned that a child would not be safe in their home. Any type of contraception is illegal in the Republic of Ireland. She makes friends with a neighbour, Bernie, and for Bernie , another conception could prove fatal.

Meanwhile in 2023 , Saoirse, who is living with her partner, and has a close call with pregnancy . She wonders is Miles is the man for her , and if she wants any children at all. Maura and Saoirse meet on a train, and start a conversation. Maura tells her life story to Saoirse, which proves very helpful to her.

This novel is based a real life event in the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Island. While the characters are fictional, I had no idea that contraception was illegal in the Republic of Ireland for so long and that a group of women made such difference in bringing legal contraception to Ireland.

Highly recommended.

Hello Deborah. How's Muffin these days? How long has she been your dog now? You've had some interesting reads but they're not available here yet. Mrs Spy is in the card catalog but it says no copies available. I'm not sure if that doesn't mean it is going to be ordered.

Hope you had a good weekend. I am back home after being at Grand Camp with my youngest granddaughter. We had good weather and it was restful week.

>87 Kristelh: Hi Kristel. Well, Muffin is a great dog, other than the problem we have with her separation anxiety. I am hopeful she may be gradually overcoming it. Yesterday I was out and Dave left her for a planned half hour. He decided to have a nap in the car while he waited and he did not wake up for an hour. Apparently she did fine . Today we left her for another planned hour, and she did bark and howl and lick the door and try claw her way out the door, but it was not too bad and not constant. We have had her for close to 9 months. I have a had some really good reads. I hope that some will become available for you soon. I did have a good weekend. My brother was in town and we had an hour or more visit, just chatting. He lives about a 13 hour drive away. I see him fairly often as he uses my mom's place as a place to sleep etc as he works as a pilot out of Vancouver. His wife has a job she really loves in Edmonton, so perhaps when they retire they will return to the West Coast , depending on where their kids end up. I am glad you had a good weekend at camp with your granddaughter.

The Very Marrow of Our Bones by Christine Higdon. 3.5 stars

At a young age, Bette Parsons becomes a mother. Her eldest son is developmentally delayed, and she finds looking after her 5 children overwhelming, despite her even tempered husband, Wally. One day in 1967 , both Bette and another woman, Alice McFee go missing. The small town in the Vancouver BC area is thrown in panic, with the inhabitants wondering if the two women have been murdered. But ten year old Lulu Parsons found a note from her mom to her dad, but she hides it. Lulu narrates the story , alternately with a mute neighbour, Doris Tenpenny, who sells eggs.

Thought this is a slow paced story, quite a lot goes on. Teacher Mr McFee spends a lot of time with young Lulu after her mother disappears, and Doris knows first hand that this is not a good thing. There is a lot of sorrow in this novel, the grief of losing a mother and wondering if she is dead or alive, abuse, poverty and a fire and brimstone pastor, the father of Doris Tenpenny. Lulu's reaction to the loss of her mother results in her sleeping with almost any man who asks, taking drugs and drinking. This is a family saga, with a some mystery. I found it to be a worthwhile read.

My son and his family are back from Europe, the UK, France and Switzerland. We saw them briefly yesterday and here is apicture of the grand kids at the Lindt Chocolate Museum in Zurich.

What a great pic! And fun place to visit!! : )

>90 vancouverdeb: Great photo of your grandchildren with the Lindor ball. I hope they enjoyed the trip.

Good review of The Women on Platform Two. I will add it to the hefty TBR. So many gifted Irish writers out there. Truly amazing. Love the M & M pic. Such happy kids.

>90 vancouverdeb: Great pic of grands and one of my favorite chocolates!

>90 vancouverdeb: Wow -- a chocolate museum is that Kid Heaven or what?

>90 vancouverdeb: What a delicious picture!

>90 vancouverdeb: So cute they are looking! I hope they all enjoyed themselves. (Lindt chocolate is my favourite as well).

>91 Berly: I thought it was a cute picture, Kim, and I would like to visit the Lindt factory!

>92 Ameise1: Yes, they did enjoy their trip, Barbara. We saw them briefly yesterday. I hope to get more details about their trip when we see them again.

>93 msf59: The Women on Platform Two was a great read, Mark and I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

>94 Kristelh: One of my favourite kinds of chocolate too, Kristel.

>95 RebaRelishesReading: I think that is kid heaven as well as some adult's heaven, Reba! If I flew I'd love to go. I have been to a chocolate factory in Vancouver some years ago and it was a lot of fun. I think I had a sample of chocolate, but I am not sure now.

>96 quondame: Yes it is a yummy picture, Susan!

>97 EllaTim: Thanks Ella ! I think they are very cute too. As far as I know, yes they enjoyed themselves. Lindt chocolate is among my favorite chocolates too. We have a chocolate factory right here in Vancouver, Purdy's Chocolates and they are very good too.

Was supposed to be a picture of my latest puzzle, but for some reason it, is really blurry, so no puzzle.

>90 vancouverdeb: Oh! They must have had a lot of fun there.

Happy weekend. I hope you are enjoying the cooler temps!

Nice picture at the Lindor factory. I imagine that was one where you exit through a sweet smelling gift shop!

Did they get any samples? I sure would like some samples of their Excellence chocolates. I ❤️Lindt!

>102 figsfromthistle: I was enjoying the cooler temps , Anita, but now the heat is back! Another hot week. I am sure that William and his family had a of fun on their trip

>103 Familyhistorian: I imagine you are correct, Meg. One of the little gifts they brought back for Dave and me was a Lindt Pistachio chocolate bar. It was very good and not available in North America.

>104 mdoris: I don't know if they got any samples or not, Mary, but I suspect so. I love Lindt chocolate as you know!

>102 figsfromthistle:
>103 Familyhistorian:
>104 mdoris: I will know more about their trip next Sunday. We are going out for brunch with them that day.

Happy Saturday, Deborah. Sorry to hear about your returning heat. We will mercifully have a very nice cool stretch next week. We will see Jack tomorrow at his birthday party. Yah!

We’ve finally cooled down a bit here in Minnesota and it is much appreciated and the bonus is that the excess rain seems to have slowed up too. Wish that Canada would get the rain as I hear it is needed up there.

>90 vancouverdeb: Scout would love that! It is her favorite chocolate.

>90 vancouverdeb: Look at all that sweetness! Love those smiles. You must be glad to have them back. Glad they had such a great trip!

>90 vancouverdeb: What a chocoholic's-dream truffle that is! Enjoy your weekend's reads, Deborah.

>106 msf59: Happy Saturday to you too, Mark. Have fun at Jack's birthday party tomorrow!

>107 Kristelh: I am glad it has cooled down in Minnesota, Kristel. And glad the rains have let up. Yes, I think Canada has a quite a few forest fires right now that could use the rain.

>108 BLBera: I have eaten that particular confection, too, Beth and yes it is yummy! I'm glad Scout appreciates chocolate too.

>109 Storeetllr: Yes, Mary, it good to have them back, I look forward to hearing more details of their trip next Sunday when we get together.

>110 richardderus: I am definitely a chocoholic, Richard, so yes, it's dream come true for any chocoholic! Here's to some good weekend reads for all of us.

Oh my, pistachio/chocolate Lindt!

>76 vancouverdeb: Wow, already thread number five. I'm so behind catching up, Deborah. Seems you've had some good engaging reads in August.

I just bought Mrs Spy as an ebook - that "most entertaining book in a while"-endorsement I couldn't overlook - especially as it only cost me 6 us dollars. Looking forward to it.

Ah, we're in Booker-list season, so will try to follow your progress.

>113 mdoris: It was very good, Mary. Purdy's makes something called Dubai Bark , which has pistachio in it, but I have yet to try it. I hear from my sister that is it very expensive.

>114 ctpress: It is great to see you, Carsten. Yes , thread 5, but I am more pleased that I have read 46 books " so soon' for me. Often that might be my yearly total. Yes, Booker Season. I have only read The Land in Winter and Love Forms. I admit, quite a few of the Longlist books don't hold a great deal of appeal to me. I'll post what I have read as I get to it. I think you will enjoy Mrs Spy. I really did! Very entertaining.

A Murder In Paris: A Novel by Matthew Blake 3.5 stars

An okay murder mystery , I confess I expected better. Olivia Finn is a psychiatrist, a memory expert who works at Charing Cross Hospital in London. One night she gets an urgent call from police in Paris, from the Hotel Lucia .Her grandmother has turned up at the hotel claiming she committed a murder there at the end of WW11. Olivia suspects she is suffering with dementia. She quickly travels to Paris. Is her grandmother telling the truth, or is she confused ?

What will you be reading for the Booker longlist reads next Deb?

I have almost finished 4 (Universality) will be finished Tuesday here by me and I am having trouble picking a favourite so far. All not bad but all less than perfect for one reason or another.

>117 PaulCranswick: I think The South or maybe Flashlight. I have Flashlight out from the library, but I am a little uncertain about it. I have only read 2 and started 2 and DNF them. I DNF'd Flesh and Endling. Maybe if they make the shortlist I will reconsider.

>118 vancouverdeb: I could see the merit in The Land in Winter although I think it was slightly too slowly paced. The South too had its attractions although I am unsure as to how much that had to do with knowing the locale and willing on the Malaysian! I did think some of the shifting between characters and time a bit clumsy and confusing.

I thought Audition was well written and stylistically Katie Kitamura is a pleasing writer but the plot twist left me utterly baffled. I am really liking Universality and like it more that her probably more critically acclaimed debut. Some of the one line comments are priceless. But it seems a bit slight to go on and win the whole thing.

Loving the chocolate talk, Deborah. I didn't know Lindt had a place for visitors, sounds good.

I wondered if the historical novel Once the Deed is Done is out in Canada, and if you might like it. I've been surprised not to see it on the prize lists - maybe later in the year?

Not even trying to catch up, Deborah, but I hope all is well there and that you are having a terrific Tuesday!

I skimmed your thread, Deborah. It sounds like your family had a great European trip. And a Lindt Chocolate Museum--that sounds like heaven!

>119 PaulCranswick: I did enjoy The Land in Winter, Paul. It was a slow read, I agree. Your thoughts on the Booker Long list that you have read are interesting. I plan to get to The South eventually. I'm not sure what else I might read from the Longlist. Love Forms was good enough, but I don't feel it's substantial enough to win the prize.

>120 charl08: I always love talk of chocolate, Charlotte. I'm not sure if Once The Deed is Done is out in Canada. I looked at my library and they do not have it. I also checked amazon ca and they ship the book from the UK. I'll try checking Canada's main bookstore, Indigo Chapters. It sounds like a good read.

>121 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. I know you are just back from a trip and trying to recover. All is well, yes thanks.

>122 atozgrl: Yes , Irene my son and his family did have a great trip to Europe. We'll see them on Sunday and I hope we will hear more details. The Lindt Chocolate Museum does sound good, yes.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy 4 stars

On a tiny island ,Shearwater, near the Antarctica, lives a grieving and fairly dysfunctional family. The Salts', father Dominic, his three children, Raff, Fen and Orly , lost their mother some eight years ago. They are the last inhabitants of this island , which used to be full with researchers. Now , with sea levels rising, the researchers have had to leave. One day , a woman , Rowan, washes ashore. Who is she , and where has she come from ? The family gradually nurses her back to wellness.

The island serves a seed bank vault for the world. As Rowan feels better, she discovers that communication with the rest of the world has been severed, and she discovers a freshly dug grave. Can Rowan trust the Salt family and vice versa? A novel of climate change, grief, love, dysfunctional families and some mystery. It is well written but nonetheless I cannot say I enjoyed it.

I've been eyeing A Murder in Paris. You make me glad I didn't take it home, Deborah. Thanks for that.

>126 Familyhistorian: It wasn't that bad, it was an okay, read, Meg, A Murder in Paris. If you get it out of the library, then you can't go too wrong . You can take it back unread, or just read a few pages and see if it is for you. I think I just wanting a more gripping tale and that was not it for me. I've started The Whistling and I think I am going to enjoy that a lot more - though I am only about 25 pages into the read.

Catching up, Deborah.

I read Once There Were Wolves but I think I'll give Wild Dark Shore a miss, since you didn't enjoy it.

>125 vancouverdeb: I enjoyed your review Deborah!

>128 humouress: If you enjoyed Once There Were Wolves , you may enjoy Wild Dark Shore, Nina. It was a dark read and I don't cli- fi is my sort of thing. It was well written though.

>129 mdoris: Thanks Mary. I try, but I'm not sure my reviews are worth that much. But if it steers you to a book or away from a book, I'm glad that is helpful.

Hi, Deb. Thanks for the heads-up on Wild Dark Shore. I liked her Once There Were Wolves and Migrations, but had misgivings about WDS after reading about it. I think I’ll give it a pass after seeing your reaction.

I’m excited about author Jason Mott. I liked his new one People Like Us, and immediately segued to his NBA winner Hell of a Book. HOAB is even better, and is living up to its name.

>1 vancouverdeb: That is an adorable picture of Muffin!!

I'm looking forward to acquiring and reading Wild Dark Shore as I loved both Migrations and Once There Were Wolves. She has become a favorite author.

Happy September Deborah.

>131 jnwelch: Well, Joe, you may enjoy Wild Dark Shore even though I didn't - or maybe not. Glad to help you with your choice of books. I'll have to look into People Like Us. I've not heard of the book or author.

>132 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen. Muffin and I had a lot of fun today, out walking and heading to the off leash dog park. Other than her separation anxiety, she is such a joy. I you enjoy Wild Dark Shore.

>133 Kristelh: Thanks Kristel! Happy September to you too.

Dave and I got together with our son William , Serenade and Melissa and Miles. Miles is turning 5 later this month and we gave him a new reader kit, as pictured and chosen by his mom. Here is a picture of the two grandkids with the gift.

>135 vancouverdeb: Excellent gift, Deborah - ah, they are cute. Can't help but smile :)

>135 vancouverdeb: They are adorable.

Every time I see a photo of your grands I just want to hug them. Happy birthday to the new reader. May he have many good years to enjoy the skill!!

>135 vancouverdeb: What Fun - I've never heard of a reader kit - does it have a brand name?

You and Muffin will enjoy Percy on JoeB's thread!

>135 vancouverdeb: Your grandchildren always look so sweet! I hope Miles enjoys the new reader kit.

There was a story on our news a couple of days ago that had a dog named Muffin in it. This dog was a short-hair. I couldn't help but think of you.

>135 vancouverdeb: I love looking at their smiles! Thanks, Deborah, it really is a mood lifter.

>135 vancouverdeb: Such happy smiles Deborah. Fun to visit!

>125 vancouverdeb: I still have not even read McConaghy's Migrations, which I am hoping to get to this month. . .

>135 vancouverdeb: A couple of cuties, Deborah! I hope they are both budding readers who will be joining the group in future :)

Happy September, Deborah. I am glad you had a good time at Miles' party. Love the M & M photo. I think Wild Dark Shore would be a perfect fit for me. I am surprised I have not read it yet. I loved her previous 2 novels. So many books, so little...

>135 vancouverdeb: What a great gift idea!

Deb, How very special to see images of Miles, Muffin and Melissa. The three M's in your life are a beauty to behold!!!

I apologize for not visiting soon. The summer was consuming in a good way, but it left for little time for visiting threads. I'm hoping the fall will be different.

All good wishes to you!

>136 ctpress: I think they are very cute too, Carsten. I was happy that Miles liked the reading kit, because I wasn't sure. He told me once, I hate books! :-)

>137 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I bet Scout is adorable too.

>138 RebaRelishesReading: I feel the same way , Reba! I just want to snuggle with them. Luckily Miles gives lots of hugs. I sure hope he becomes a reader.

>139 m.belljackson: Yes , Marianne, the reading kit does have a brand name and I'll give you a link. Its lovevery. https://lovevery.com/products/the-early-reader-club There is the link. Dave and I have bought the grands a variety of those kits over the years. I would never have heard of them had my daughter in law not requested them as gifts for our grand kids. She teaches elementary school , so I guess that is how she knew about them. I know Percy is Joe's daughter's dog - at least I think so. I'll have to check out his thread.

>140 atozgrl: Thanks Irene. I hope Miles enjoys the reader kit too. Thanks for thinking of Muffin. I think there is Bluey ( the cartoon kids watch) dog character called Muffin too.

>141 richardderus: You are too kind, Richard. I'm glad if their smiles brightened your day.

>142 mdoris: Thanks Mary. Miles is coming over once or twice a week after school for about 5 weeks, so we will be able to see lots of his smiles.

>143 alcottacre: Let me know what you think of Migrations when you get to it, Stasia. I'd love for Miles and Melissa to be readers , and even better, on LT once they are old enough.

>144 msf59: Happy September to you too, Mark. I know a lot of people enjoyed Wild Dark Shore. It was well written and interesting, just not quite my in my wheelhouse, I guess

Nice picture of Miles and Melissa, Deborah. They look like they enjoyed the gift.

>145 figsfromthistle: I have to thank my daughter in law for the gift idea, Anita. I asked Miles what he wanted and he said " something random". That made me laugh coming from a not quite 5 year old.

>146 Whisper1: The 3 M's are cute indeed, thanks, Linda. Don't worry about not getting time to visit my thread. It is challenging to get around to so many threads. I know it myself. Great to see you.

>150 Familyhistorian: Good to see you Meg. It's actually Miles gift, but I guess they both had fun checking it out.

>135 vancouverdeb: What a great picture - look at those beautiful smiling faces! - and a great gift idea. Rowan's turning four later this month, and, if I hadn't already gotten him something, I'd definitely consider this. He actually likes to read and begs me to let him have my phone so he can do DuoABC, which also teaches kids how to read. His big sister likes to read too, so he may be motivated by that too.

"something random" -- love it!!!

>148 vancouverdeb: Thank you for reading kit link - what an incredibly great fun set of ideas - I signed up to save for future tiny arrivals.

You are probably just getting ready to create a new thread! I have been thinking about my LT friends just not connected to my laptop. Love the picture of Muffin. We decided to pursue a trainer with Josie. She is high spirited and stubborn and we want to be able to confidently travel with her. We haven't ever done formal training. Should be intereting.

Just catching up and saying hi, Deb.

I will second Charlotte's recommendation earlier -Once the Deed is Done is a very good novel.

>153 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary! I hope if you decide to purchase the kit, Rowan enjoys it. I'll have to look into DuoAbc. Miles is going to spend a couple of hours twice a week with us starting in a week or so , for 5 weeks and that is something he might enjoy here . Melissa, like your granddaughter is a good reader for a 7 year old.

>154 RebaRelishesReading: I had to laugh at " something random" coming from a nearly 5 year old , Reba. I just did not expect him to know that or come up with it.

>155 m.belljackson: I hope it helps for any future tiny arrivals, Mariane.

>156 witchyrichy: We haven't done any formal training with Muffin, Karen. Luckily it turned out she was housetrained when we got her from the SPCA. She was a bit challenging on the leash for a while - nipping our heels and biting the leash, but she seems to have largely grown out of it. She has learned quite a bit since we got her, sit, touch, roll over etc. Her recall is not 100 %, so we only let her off leash in safe places , and not for long. We did do some formal training with our previous dog Poppy, and the group lessons weren't so helpful , but I would say that was due to the trainer . We got a private trainer in for one hour and she was a lot of help with Poppy and her issues. Let me know how it goes with Josie. I bet she will do well. Let me know.

>157 PaulCranswick: Always happy to see you, Paul. I did look into Once the Deed is Done and it seems it is not available at the library nor at amazon canada or Indigo, our big bookstore. You can order from amazon, but it comes from a secondary seller and is shipped from the UK. I may look at Blackwells in the UK.

Sweet Thursday, Deborah. I hope the week is going well and you are enjoying your Muffin walks. It has cooled off nicely here in the Midwest. I will hang with Jack today for a couple of hours before taking him to school.

Looks like we’re heading into cooler weather. Is there much smoke out your way, Deborah?

>160 msf59: Sweet Sunday, Mark. The has gone well, yet. It has still been warm, but today it began to cool off and even rained around 5 pm

>161 Familyhistorian: There is smoke, yes, Meg, but I think pretty minimal compared to any we have had in past years. Today's rain should have taken care of it, I think. Part of me doesn't want the rain, but I guess we might as well get used to it. Somewhat cooler weather is welcome, yes. Meg.

Happy Sunday Deborah. Yes, the temperature has really cooled off. We haven't had much smoke in the past week. The moon looked very bright and full last night.

I am currently reading he said/she said written by journalist Erin Kelly (Fiction). It is quite interesting suspense novel that pretains to a court case of a rape that was witnessed by a young women. It's also about the people who chase total eclipses of the sun.

Stopping by to check in on you, Deborah! I hope you have a wonderful week.

>163 Kristelh: Hi Kristel. Our smoke is largely gone, maybe completely . We haven't had much this year. I hope you are enjoying he said/ she said . Sounds interesting.

>164 alcottacre: So far so good, Stasia. Muffin and I had a good day walking and going to the dog park to check out our friends. I do have a dentist appointment on Thursday, for a cleaning and a filling, so it won't be a trouble free week.

The Whistling by Rebecca Netley 3. 5 stars

After her family dies, young Elspeth Swansome accepts a postion as a nanny on the remote Scottish Island, Skelthsea. Her young charge, Mary, has not spoken a word since the recent death of her twin, William. No one will talk about what happened to William. Elspeth tries hard to to help Mary to speak again, and recover from the grief of her twin's passing. As time goes by , Elspeth realizes that all is not well at Skelthsea. A lullaby hummed in the corridor outside her bedroom each night, concerns about witchcraft , and unfriendly inhabitants. A gothic mystery that I enjoyed.

>159 vancouverdeb: I posted this on my thread, too: our trainer is one on one and seems to think 2 hours might be enough. Otherwise, they offer more personal training. It isn't cheap but we want to be more confident with her. She got house trained pretty quickly and learned how to use the dog door by watching the cat! Right now, she is hiding under the piano in the library because we have people working on the porch in her backyard.

>167 witchyrichy: That's great that your trainer is one on one, and thinks that 2 hours might be enough, Karen. Let me know how it goes. We found Poppy really benefited from the the trainer that we used with her, but Muffin does not seem to need one . If she could just overcome her separation anxiety. But it has improved and is a matter of time, anti anxiety medication and us leaving her alone each day for short periods of time.

33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen, 4 stars

At 33 Place Brugmann , live a variety of people in different apartments. There is Masha, a refugee who works as a seamstress. In another lives Francois Sauvin, an architect , recently widowed who lives with his daughter Charlotte. Another apartment holds the Raphael family, Jewish, the father a fine art dealer and his wife and two children. Retired Colonel Herman Warlement lives alone, a widower. Miss Agathe Hobert is a retired cafe owner, and a nosy busybody. The DeBarre family lives in another apartment, father Martin , wife Katrin and son Dirk. Finally there are the Everards, Jan, a notary and his wife and children.

The story takes place of the eve of the Nazi Occupation of Brussels. One night, the Raphael family disappears, leaving everything behind. The characters each narrate their own chapters. Who in the building is a part of the resistance, and who are the the Nazi sympathizers? This book brought to mind Anne Frank, and I found it well written and fascinating.

Recommended.

>169 vancouverdeb: You sold me on that one, Deb. I will keep an eye out for it.

>170 PaulCranswick: I confess I did like the cover! But Beth had a good a review of it, and that sold me on 33 Place Brugmann. I hope you enjoy it, Paul .

>171 vancouverdeb: I have always found Beth an extremely reliable reviewer, Deb.

Everything but the title and author sound so familiar to me that I (almost) think I have read it..but maybe it was just a similar story...it does sound good though so maybe I should look into it further. (the early morning musings of a confused reader)

>169 vancouverdeb:. I placed a hold on it. About 2 weeks out which is fine with me. I have a lot of reading left to do this month.

I posted the Giller long list on my page. I've read one book from the list. I haven't checked to see if any are available. I will start checking looking.

>169 vancouverdeb: I'm glad you liked it, Deborah.

>169 vancouverdeb: excellent review. I will see if my library has it.

I hope your week is going well and you are enjoying the cooler mornings, Deborah.

>172 PaulCranswick: Beth is reliable reviewer , Paul .

>173 RebaRelishesReading: I don't know if there are any books similar to 33 Place Brugmann, but probably, Reba. I too think 8 am in early morning!

>174 Kristelh: I will come and check out your thread for the Giller Longlist , Kristel. I confess I had forgotten about it. I hope you enjoy 33 Place Brugmann when you get it. I am quite sure you will.

>175 BLBera: I did enjoy 33 Brugmann Place. Thanks again for your review - it tipped me into getting the book that I had already looked at.

>176 figsfromthistle: I think you will also enjoy the book, Anita. My library did not have it, so I purchased it. I'm happy to have hit a few people with that BB.

>177 Familyhistorian: The week is going well so far, thanks, Meg. Better than I expected. I am enjoying the cooler weather, especially yesterday. Muffin really appreciates the cooler weather , though today was on the warmer side. I hope your week is going well too, Meg.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick 4 stars

In 1963 , Margaret is wife and mother , living in a Virginia suburb, Concordia. When a new woman moves into town, Charlotte, Margaret decides to form a form a bookclub. Four women meet, and decide to read The Feminine Mystique. Margaret is frustrated housewife, who would like to write for a magazine, Charlotte is woman who drinks a lot and whose husband is seldom home. Viv would like to go back to work, but has 5 children, and Bitsy cannot seem to get pregnant. Bitsy had wanted to go to veterinary school, but but since women could not get in, she finds herself unhappily married to a veterinarian named King.

The four find much is missing in their lives, and thanks to the book they read, and their determination , they make changes in their lives. Interesting , very readable , a book about friendship, marriage , being a mother and women's liberation.

Highly recommended.

>180 vancouverdeb:, That one sounds interesting, Deborah!

>180 vancouverdeb: That one sounds very familiar, Deborah. Now I have to check whether I read it or heard a lot about it -- I suspect the latter.

>169 vancouverdeb: Good review Deborah. And yes, my library has it! Audiobook, but it sounds like that would suit the book?

Have a good weekend!

>169 vancouverdeb: Added to my TBR

>180 vancouverdeb: This is potentially my favorite book of the year so far. I gifted a copy to my mother and an older friend as it really is historical fiction that encompasses their lives.

Give Muffin a pat for me.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women looks like a good one, Deborah, and it's available at the Coquitlam Library only there's a few holds ahead of mine.

I don't know why it sounds familiar but I haven' read it -- will start it tomorrow :)

>181 Kristelh: I think you would enjoy The Book Club for Troublesome Women, Kristel.

>182 RebaRelishesReading: A friend of mine recommendedThe Book For Troublesome Women and then I read Karen aka Witchy Richty's review and I was sold.

>183 EllaTim: Yes, Ella, I think that the audio format of 33 Brugmann Place would suit the book . In fact I listened part of the book on audio myself. There are different voices for each character, if I recall correctly. In the front of the book, there is also a list of the characters and what apartment they live in , so it makes keeping track of who is who easier.

>184 witchyrichy: I'm quite sure you will enjoy 33 Place Brugmann, Karen. It was your review and a friend's recommendation of The Book Club for Troublesome Womenthat made me decide to read the book. Thanks for the BB, Karen . I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, as did I.

>185 Familyhistorian: Perfect, Meg. I think you will enjoy the book and it should be diverting enough for stressful times.

>186 RebaRelishesReading: Well, Reba, Karen reviewed The Book for Troublesome Women so maybe that is why it sounds familiar . when I purchased it from the bookstore, I was told that it been very popular lately as well. Enjoy!

I was lucky to find The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai at the library this morning, after I walked Muffin. It's on the Women's Prize Long list, so it will likely be my next read- especially if it gets on the Women's Prize Shortlist on Tuesday.

Booker Shortlist 2025

Flashlight by Susan Choi
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
Audition by Katie Kitamura
The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovitz
The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
Flesh by David Szalay

I have only read The Land in Winter, which I enjoyed. I have The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny out from the library, so most likely my next read.

>190 vancouverdeb: I really liked Sonia and Sunny so am delighted to see it on the finalist list! I read a samples of Flesh and was uninterested in continuing the read, Audition I'll bother with if it wins, otherwise not. Besides Desai's book, are there others you're planning to read?

Wow. I’ve read two and I thought both would be good for making the short list. I’ve seen good reviews for Kiran Desai’s book so that is not a surprise but I hadn’t seen too many impressed with the The Rest of Our Lives. I do hope to read The Land in Winter but probably not this year. Thanks for posting, Deborah.

When I met up with Vivian last month, she gave me her copy of The Land in Winter. I'm excited to read it, but not sure when I'll get to it...

Thanks for the Booker update, Deborah.

>190 vancouverdeb: Thanks for sharing the short-list. I would like to bookhorn in a couple of these by years end. So many books, so little...

Happy Tuesday, Deborah. I am missing Jackson. I will see him next week but it can't come fast enough.

I'm glad to hear you found a copy of the Desai- it only comes out here tomorrow!

>135 vancouverdeb: Oh, those smiling faces! So cute!

Your thread is once again a dangerous one for me, Deborah. You’ve reminded me of 33 Place Brugmann which I had checked out from the library several weeks ago but just didn’t have the heart to read it at the time. Also The Book Club for Troublesome Women keeps popping up and I won’t be able to resist much longer.

>190 vancouverdeb: I have not read one on that list…..I better see what the library has.

Happy mid week

>192 richardderus: I'm not sure what else I am planning to read from the Booker Shortlist, Richard. I am currently about 84 pages into The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and enjoying - and thanks for your review, which I read and thumbed a couple of days ago. I read Love Forms from the Longlist, and found it okay, quite average. I did start Flesh and found myself not interested like you, and the same with Flashlight. I have The Rest of our Lives on hold at the library , so that might be next. I have not heard great things about it, but at least it is short. Maybe I will go back to Flashlight? I'm not sure, Richard.

>193 Kristelh: The Land in Winter was quite good, Kristel, and not too long at all - 225 pages or so. I was surprised by the shortlist too.

>194 katiekrug: That's nice that you were gifted a copy of The Land in Winter. It's fairly short at about 225 pages, but I know it can be hard to bookhorn a book in, as Mark would say.

>195 BLBera: You are welcome , Beth. I am sure you have read books from the Booker Long list and short list - any thoughts ?

>196 msf59: I know Mark, so many books, so little .... and I am very much enjoying The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny so far. Glad to see you back! I hope you enjoyed your Jack day.

>197 charl08: Yes, I think occasionally our library has books out a little ahead of time, Charlotte. I think The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny came out here on just yesterday, but I rushed to the library on Sunday when I saw a " Lucky Day Read" was available. I hope you get a copy soon.

double post, sorry.

double post, library thing!

>198 Copperskye: Thanks Joanne. I hope your find the time and will to read 33 Place Brugmann and The Book Club for Troublesome Women soon.

>199 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita! Let me know what you find - and want to read from the shortlist. It's been a good week so far!

No Jack day this week. 😢Looking forward to seeing him on Tuesday. Things will start settling down here.

Sweet Thursday, Deborah.

>200 vancouverdeb: Do you feel drawn back to Flashlight? Or is it simply a shoulda-oughta because it's shortlisted? I'm vigilant about that, because I'm really susceptible to that social pressure. I'm resisting giving into it more and more...too little time ahead for my comfort.

I haven't read any of the books yet, Deborah. I do have a couple on reserve from the library and will get to them eventually. Or not.

I don't usually read from prize lists but looked up The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. Interesting that the author won the 2006 Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss.

Looks like we have cooler days ahead, Deborah.

Brrrrr! i got out my wooly sweater this morning. It sure was cool this morning. The leaves will be turning.

>190 vancouverdeb: Thank you for posting that. I had not seen it yet. I have also not read a single title on it, lol. My local library is not helping me out with the books on the list.

>205 msf59: Oh dear, Mark, missing your Jack day. Well, I am sure you will see him soon.

>206 richardderus: I can't say I feel drawn to read Flashlight, more of a should thing, Richard. But maybe I didn't give it a chance. I'll see as time goes on. The prize books often make me feel like a I ought to read them, but some , just no. Like Flesh. I am susceptible to my own pressure.

>207 BLBera: If you do read anything from the Booker Shortlist - or Longlist, let me know your thoughts, Beth.

>208 Familyhistorian: I was looking up what authors have won the Booker Prize more than once, and there are 4, Margaret Atwood, Peter Carey,J.M.Coetzee and Hilary Mantel. So I guess Kiran Desai could win twice too. Today was nice weather in the afternoon, I thought. But rain tomorrow, Meg.

>209 mdoris: I wasn't out until the afternoon, Mary, but then I wore pants, but just a short sleeved shirt. I had a fleece top along, but didn't need it walking Muffin. She is very much enjoying the cooler weather- her energy and appetite is back.

>210 alcottacre: That library of your, Stasia! So often lacking titles, not that mine is perfect. You have been busy, Stasia, so understandable that you would not have seen the list.

I wanted to drop by and thank you for your recommendation of All the Broken Places by John Boyne as I have not yet read that one. Unfortunately my local library and Hoopla neither one have it. . .but I do! I bought it recently. Not sure when I will get to it though.

Have a wonderful weekend, Deborah!

>213 alcottacre: I hope you can find it, maybe on Thrift books ? I gave it 5 stars, but of course, you mileage may vary. Thanks, I had a good weekend, Stasia.

Enjoy the week-ahead's reads, Deborah...I'm putting my blogging house in order All at one go just now, my sister visits from Texas starting Wednesday...I just want not to feel pressured to do anything but hang out with her while she's here.

Stay well!

Drive by wave. . .I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday, Deborah!

Hope you are well! I have been looking forward to cool mornings for dog walks. Glad Muffin is doing better.

>215 richardderus: Thanks Richard. I hope you are enjoying your visit with your sister very much!

>216 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. I had a good Wednesday, nothing special but out with the dog and we had had fun.

>217 witchyrichy: All is well Karen. I have been busy in part reading the 670 page The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, which took a few days to read. I was out at an 30 th anniversary party on Tuesday, which was enjoyable. The cooler temps are definely nicer for walking Muffin. She sure likes it

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai 4 stars

This is a sprawling, interesting tale.Sonia and Sunny are both young adults born in India. Both decide to move the USA, seeking a higher education. Sonia finds herself at a university in Vermont, feeling lonely and lost. There she meets a an older man, Ilan, and falls under his spell. He is an artist, but is a domineering , unstable man who treats Sonia badly. Trying to escape Ilan, Sonia returns to India. She finds herself lonely in both the US and India. Sunny is in a relationship with an American woman, but they have their disagreements. He, likewise, feels lonely amongst the many people in New York City. The families of Sunny and Sonia devise a marriage proposal for Sonia and Sunny, but Sunny wants nothing to do with an arranged marriage.

There are many complex, fascinating characters in this book. This is a 670 page novel of the complexities of family,friends, love, loneliness, migration, class, racism, grief , fear and forgiveness.

Highly recommended.

One of my latest puzzles, Brooklyn in Fall by Eeboo, 1000 pieces. I have ordered a fun Halloween themed puzzle which should arrive on Monday.

>219 vancouverdeb:, I’ve got a hold on that one. Nice to see that you liked it. I am currently reading Flashlight.

>220 vancouverdeb:, love the puzzles. I do like the Eeboo puzzles. Great color.

Happy Friday, Deborah. Love the puzzle. I loved The Correspondent. I am sure you are not surprised. I am also loving Ripeness. Glad you got it on hold.

Great time with Jack yesterday. Boy, I missed him.

>219 vancouverdeb: That one is already in the BlackHole due to its place on the Booker list, I just need to get to it. My local library finally has it but the book is currently checked out. Glad to see you enjoyed it, Deborah!

>220 vancouverdeb: Nice!

>219 vancouverdeb: Nice review, Deborah. I just added my name to the library hold list.

>220 vancouverdeb: Great puzzle, Deborah.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny sounds like a good one.

>219 vancouverdeb: Sounds quite interesting, Deborah, but WOW 670 pages!! It would take a lot of "interesting" for a book that long.

Love the puzzle.

>221 Kristelh: I tried reading Flashlight, but I DNF'd it after about 25 pages, Kristel. Maybe I will go back to it, I'm not sure. Thanks , I do love eeboo puzzles as well, though I like other brands too . Eeboo has some great colours and images.

>222 msf59: I am looking forward to Ripeness when it comes in for me at the library , Mark. I am also looking forward to The Correspondent. Glad you had a great day with Jackson!

>223 alcottacre: I'm glad your library has The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny in, Stasia. I liked that puzzle too.

>224 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. I hope you enjoy The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. I think you will.

>225 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I have a Halloween themed puzzle arriving on Monday, and I'm looking forward to that. I'm sure you will like The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.

>226 RebaRelishesReading: It was a long book, Reba, but I did enjoy it. I must admit I picked up three smaller books from the library yesterday and they look so short in comparison. I really have enjoyed some longer books , like A Fine Balance, The Bee stingetc, so a good book can be a chunkster.

>227 vancouverdeb:, @vancouverdeb; I actually am liking it but I am only about half way through it. I liked the backdrop of North Korea and the Japanese and Korean relationship historically. Flashlight

>220 vancouverdeb: Love the Tea & Tarot puzzle! Such rich, autumnal colors! Can't wait to see the Halloween one.

>219 vancouverdeb: Added to the TBR.

>220 vancouverdeb: I love this! I think Bob and I need to get started on puzzles as the long winter evenings are not far away.

>220 vancouverdeb: Nice puzzle, Deborah. I was just thinking that I should get another one out to do since I have the house to myself for a while. Free time is at a premium though.

The premise of The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is enticing but 670 pages?

Wordle 1,569 2/6

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>233 vancouverdeb: Great! I haven't done it yet.

>229 Kristelh: You never know, I have read good things about Flashlight, so I may go back to it Kristel.

>230 Storeetllr: I hope to start the Halloween puzzle later this evening, Mary. I think it will be fun!

>231 witchyrichy: I hope you enjoy The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny when you get to it , Karen. If you and Bob started doing puzzles together, I'd love it if you featured them on your thread

>232 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. I hope you find time to work on a puzzle, but I can understand that your free time is at a premium. 670 pages is a lot, but I think it was worth the read. This year I read another chunkster, a longer book I think , A Fine Balance and it was well worth the read and time.

>234 Kristelh: It's rare for me to get wordle in two, as I use the same starting word everytime , Kristel, so I thought it was noteworthy.

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill 2.5 stars

Here is a mystery you can miss. It sounded promising, a mystery based on Agatha Christie's The Orient Express. It was an okay read initially , but really fell apart at the end. Without giving away the plot , the ending was ridiculous.

Not recommended.

>233 vancouverdeb: Nice!

I used to play world every day. I should get back into it as it was quite fun.

Happy mid week!

>238 figsfromthistle: I still play wordle every day, Anita. I find it to be a lot of fun!

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 4 stars

This was really an excellent and touching read. Told in a series of letters, Sybil Van Antwerp has always made sense of the world via letters.

Sybil is in her 70's , and is divorced, a retired lawyer, mother, grandmother and a friend and neighbour. She is inwardly quite sensitive, but can come across as quite entitled and difficult. Her relationships with her children, particularly her daughter, are fraught. In her past is an event that still grieves her. This grief dogs her , until finally she able to write the letter that she could not bring herself to write.

Highly recommended.

>169 vancouverdeb:, Thanks for the great review of Place Brugmann by Alice Austen

I am not familiar with the writing of Alice Austen. I'll be sure to look for this book at my library. I'm trying not to buy any more books. The house is filled with books in every room.

Happy Thanksgiving, Deborah!

>241Thanks Linda. I was also not familiar with Alice Austen, but 33 Place Brugmann seemed like a good bet for a read and it worked out well. I hope you can find it at your library.

>242 Kristelh: Thanks , Kristel! We are going to my sister's home for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Muffin is still suffering with separation anxiety , so she will spend the night at her doggie daycare , which she likes. That way both Dave and I can go out for dinner. I've finished a book , The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer: A Mystery by Ragnar Jonasson, which I really enjoyed. I'll try to put up a review this evening, though it may have to wait until after Thanksgiving. I'll see.

@Vancouverdeb, I am thinking of reading The Island by Ragnar Jónasson. I assume they're the same author.

Oh! Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your holiday with your family, and a snuggle for Muffin.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving family gathering, Deborah!

Hi Deborah. I loved your review of Kiran Desai’s book. Yes, 670 pages is a lot, so I’ll wait till winter has arrived, and I’ll have more time.

I found 33 Place Brugmann in my library, a dutch translation, audiobook. But there was just a single reader, and she made such a boring job of it..

Have a nice Sunday, with your family!

Happy Sunday, Deborah. Hooray for The Correspondent. Such a good read. We had a lovely party yesterday. The special couple seemed to have a wonderful time. Mission accomplished.

>244 Kristelh: They are the same author, Kristel. But have you read The Darkness by the same author ? It is the first in the series and I would say it's important to read it first. . For some reason , LT has as Hulda , not The Darkness .

>245 Storeetllr: I had a nice snuggle with Muffin this morning before she went to doggy daycare overnight, Mary. I'll see her again Monday morning at 11 am ! I am kind of missing her right now, but we off for Thanksgiving Dinner soon.

>246 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving also !

>247 EllaTim: Well, Ella, here the rainy weather has arrived , so a little more time for reading and doing puzzles and lots of walking in the rain for me and Muffin!I'm glad my review of The Loneliness of Sunny and Sonia was helpful. I'm sorry the audio of 33 Place Brugmann was so boring! The english version was very good, I thought. Thanks for the well wishes, we are leaving in 30 minutes.

>248 msf59: Yes, I did really enjoy The Correspondent. I checked out the fabulous pictures on your thread - looks like a very happy day for all.

>249 vancouverdeb: @vancouverdeb, Thanks, Deborah, my library does have The Darkness. When I checked on the books, it said they didn't need to be read in order. So thanks for letting me know.

Sounds like a great way to spend your thanksgiving! Enjoy 😊

Happy Thanksgiving, Deb. Good move for Muffin. Hope you had a great and relaxing evening with family.

I am on the library list for The Correspondent. Over 100 ahead of me, though and there are only around 47 copies or so in the system so it will be a bit of a wait. But I am looking forward to it, especially given all the love it's getting here.

>249 vancouverdeb: Interesting. I've read other books by Jonasson, but not The Darkness, and luckily my library has it. So I'll be listening to it, probably this week.

>251 Kristelh: That is great , Kristel, that you library has The Darkness . I do think it is important to read the books in order.

>252 figsfromthistle: We had a nice evening, Anita. I missed Muffin a little, but she back this morning, and we had a great hour long walk this afternoon. It was sunny and about 13 C, so a nice day for a walk. My last two walks have been in the rain, so I appreciated this today. Busy on the walking trails - but a sunny day and a day off for people.

>253 jessibud2: Happy Thanksgiving, Shelley! Yes, I booked her in for Thanksgiving in early September and I have her book in for December 24 to December 26th. She does enjoy her dog daycare, which is also where she boards, and we pay to have her sleep with the owner. So I feel relief that she is happy. But I'm always glad to have her back with me. I hope she will overcome her separation anxiety such that we won't have to board her occasionally. We have been working on it daily since January and we do see some progress. That waiting list for The Correspondent is crazy busy, Shelley! I'll have to check my library. I was lucky to get it as a " Lucky Day Read" which means you can't put a hold on the book and can only keep it for 21 days, no renewals.

>254 ffortsa: I hope you enjoy The Darkness , Judy , when you get to it . I really loved the whole series.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jonasson 4 stars

An excellent and enjoyable mystery. I have enjoyed many of Ragnar Jonasson's books. The story takes place in Iceland. Crime writer Elin Jonasdottir has gone missing. Has she disappeared of her own accord, or is foul play suspected ? Policeman Helgi Reykdal is on the case. He interviews her friends and associates, but does not get much useful information.

Helgi has a difficult personal life . He broke up with his previous partner, Bergothora. He is now living with Anita. But Bergotora is still interfering in his and Anita's life .

Most of the threads are tied up at the end, but we are left with a bit of a cliff hanger at the end. I was aware that that would be the case, so I was not bothered. I look forward to the next in the series.

Highly recommended.

I finished Pick A Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa from the Giller Shortlist. I have yet to create a review, but I did not enjoy it. It is blessedly short at 188 pages or so. Sometimes I am puzzled why certain books are chosen for prizes, but there it is.

Happy belated Thanksgiving. We left Josie overnight with a sitter and I was a little nervous. All went just fine. I trust Muffin was happy to see you. We are taking Josie with us on our next two trips so need to start getting her used to longer car rides and strange houses.

Picked up three new recommendations from you!

>259 witchyrichy: Thanks Karen. It's always anxiety producing when you first use a dog sitter, or in my case, a doggie daycare that also boards dogs. Even though Muffin has done a couple of previous nights, I still feel I miss her. I don't worry much now, as she loves the doggie daycare and appears to be very happy with the overnights. I will miss her when she goes December 24 - 26. I spoke with the owner of the doggie daycare today, and she told me to bring a stocking with presents for Muffin as they let the dog have a present opening, and will send me a picture ( pictures) of Muffin and " Santa" . Good luck with your next two trips with Josie. We have just taken Muffin on a day trip where we drove for about 4 hours or maybe a little more. She really enjoyed it, looking out the window most of the time. We stopped several times for her to walk around and also eat. But not all dogs enjoy car rides, I know. I hope you enjoy the three books the I have recommended for to you!

Pick a Colour: A Novel by Souvankham Thammavongsa 2 stars

Want to read a tedious , unpleasant book ? This is it.

Short listed for the 2025 Giller Prize, the story takes place over one day in a nail salon . And a long day it is. Ning is a retired boxer who now runs a nail salon. She has decided that she and her co-workers should all go by " Susan". " So many girls come and go, I don't want to bother getting new name tags each time. Besides you know, it's never difficult to pronounce a name like Susan". p.3 All of Ning's employees are immigrants, and she assumes the customers cannot pronounce their names.

Ning is an unhappy person. She and her employees speak negatively of their customers in front of them, in their foreign language. " Everyone is ugly. I should know. I look at people all day... Most want to get rid of hair above the lip or on the chin." p. 1 This is a book about immigration, loneliness and a day in a nail salon. I would skip it.

Not recommended.

>261 vancouverdeb: Wow -- thanks for the warning. I'm amazed you finished that one.

>262 RebaRelishesReading: At least it was short , at about 180 page, Reba. And I listened to most of it while I was doing a puzzle, or I might have DNF it. Plus, it was on the Giller Shortlist.

You don't seem to be having much luck with the Giller Shortlist, Deborah. I've started The Paris Express and it might suit you better. I need to pick it up again as there are lots of holds waiting to get their hands on the book.

>261 vancouverdeb: Yikes. No thank you! Thanks for taking one for the team, Deborah.

Every time I open your thread and see that adorable photo of Muffin I think you should bring her down for a visit. There's an equally adorable little gentleman in our neighborhood named Walter. I often see him (and his owner, Kelly) out walking and love his enthusiastic response when I say hello to him. I'm sure he and Muffin would have a wonderful time together.

>264 Familyhistorian: This year, a lot of the Booker prize books have not been to my taste, Meg , never mind the Giller Shortlist. I read the The Paris Express earlier this year, and really enjoyed it. I'm glad you are too. The only other Shortlist Giller book I might - might - read is The Life cycle of the Common Octopus, but I will only read it if it suits me.

>265 lauralkeet: I sure didn't enjoy Pick a Colour but I did notice another Canadian LT'er gave it five stars. But I suspect you would not enjoy it , Laura.

>266 RebaRelishesReading: I love those old fashioned names for dogs, like Walter, Reba. There is a big dog , not sure what breeds, named Earle and it's so old fashioned and fun. Thanks for your kind words about Muffin. She is a bit mischievous, I guess it is just those puppy years - she will be two at the end of December. The other day she chewed through her fourth harness while in the backseat of the car. I am not even sure how she has the flexibility to it, but she does.

Checking in on you, Deborah! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

>267 vancouverdeb: - Sounds like your Muffin is like my cats - I swear they have no spines the contortions they can get into!

>268 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Glad you had a good trip to Joplin Have a wonderful weekend! It's pretty wet and rainy here for the next week or more. I do wonder how Muffin manages to chew through the neck of her harnesses! I guess, yes, she is like your cats. We've replaced the latest harness for her. LOL!

Happy Sunday, Deborah. Looking forward to things quieting down a bit. Missing Jack. I did not see him the past week. I will try my best to get out there this week. My little boy...

I hope you are enjoying the weekend and having a good time with the books.

Glad to hear that you liked The Paris Express -- I am going to see Donoghue at the Portland Book Festival in a few weeks, and have pre-ordered a copy of the book.

Hi Deborah, hope you're having a good Monday. I have read another booker shortlisted book, but I have been less successful with my list of jobs around the house...

>270 msf59: Thanks Mark ! Sunday was good day and today was nice too. It didn't rain much on my walk with Muffin this afternoon. I hope you see Jack soon.

>271 banjo123: I did enjoy The Paris Express, Rhonda. How exciting to see Emma Donoghue. Enjoy the book when you get it.

>272 charl08: A good enough Monday, Charlotte. Not too much rain and I did get some reading done, but not a lot . My current book does not come in audio, so it's slowing down my reading pace. I become used to a hybrid reading a book and listening to it on audio while I do jigsaw puzzles. One of my bathrooms is in dire need of cleaning, so I know what you mean. I'll try to get to it tomorrow.

HI Deborah, I sure hope you are getting this glorious sunshine and that Muffin is loving it too!

>261 vancouverdeb: I will definitely pass! I wonder how it ended up on the shortlist to begin with.

Happy rest of the week.

We're definitely into the rainy season now, Deborah, although there was a short break in the rain today. I hope you had a break in the rain too and were able to walk Muffin during the lull.

Just dropping by to say hi. Otherwise, I've got nothing. Oh, except give Muffin a little snuggle and skritch for me.

>277 Storeetllr: ^^^what she said

The Old Farmer's Almanac 2026 has a short sweet feature, "ROCK STAR,"
on The Butchart Gardens.

>274 mdoris: I enjoyed the sunshine while it was there, but yesterday my walk with Muffin was rain, Mary. This morning was better.

>275 figsfromthistle: Some have enjoyed Pick A Colour, Anita, was I was not one of them. It got a good review in the The Guardian.

>276 Familyhistorian: We are in the rainy season indeed, Meg. This morning there was no rain when I walked the dog, but yesterday afternoon there was rain alright.

And now I must run and get a covid vaccine. I hope to get here this evening.

Happy Monday, Deborah. I hope you had a good weekend. I sure did. Have you read Broken Country yet? If not, I recommend that one. I am working my way through the audiobook.

>277 Storeetllr: Great to see you, Mary. Muffin says thanks for the scritches!

>278 richardderus: Thanks Richard . * smooch*

>279 m.belljackson: Thanks Marianne. I have been to Butchart Gardens, but it has been a long time.

>282 msf59: Ah oh! It looks like LT is double posting this evening. I hope to start a new thread this evening, but we'll see how it goes. Mark, I did have a good weekend. I have not yet read Broken Country, but I will have a look for it. I have seen it at the library before.

Please follow me to my new thread.