Mary's (bell7) Reading is Easy in 2026, Page 3

Hello and welcome to my third thread of 2026! If you have not already met me, my name is Mary and I'm a librarian in western Massachusetts. I'm a newly-minted foster mom and I'll mention my foster kiddo occasionally but vaguely to keep both of our anonymity.

I read widely and eclectically, and especially enjoy fantasy, historical fiction and contemporary fiction. I facilitate a book club for work and participate in a librarian book club (we call it a readers' advisory genre study, but that's fancy language for reading a book or two and talking not just about the book but also the genre it's a part of and who we would recommend it too).

I usually make some reading goals each year. In 2026, I've decided to go much easier on these than I have in the past. I want to focus on reading novellas, since there are a bunch I want to read that have come out recently, and seem to be especially good in the SFF genres that I enjoy. I'm also going to try to get my e-book ARCs from NetGalley and Edelweiss down to under 20 un-reviewed. And because with a kiddo I have even more limited time, I've made it a goal not to keep reading books that aren't working for me, so it's possible I'll have more DNF's than usual. All in all, this will probably keep me reading very comfortably in my wheelhouse and not stretching much, but that's okay.

2026 Book Club Reads

One of my work responsibilities is facilitating one of our book discussions. Here's what we're reading in 2026 (we take a break for the summer):

January - Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong - COMPLETED
February - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - COMPLETED
March - Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson - COMPLETED
April - The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson - COMPLETED
May - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
September - Wild Fire by Nelson Demille
October - Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky
November - Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
December - The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Our reads in February, May, October, and December will be rereads for me. I had actually read Caste with this group a few years back, but our group has changed so much that I think it will only be a reread for me and one other person.

Readers' Advisory Round Table

We meet monthly, but every other month is just an around the table of what we're currently reading/listening/watching

January - God of the Woods by Liz Moore and (attempted, DNF) The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
March - Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
May - Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
July -
September -
November -

Favorites of 2026:
5 stars
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (reread)
First-time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner

4.5 stars
Network Effect by Martha Wells (reread)
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 1 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 2 by Beth Brower
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 3 by Beth Brower
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 4 by Beth Brower
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (reread)
Love-in-a-Mist by Victoria Goddard (reread)
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 5 by Beth Brower
Plum Duff by Victoria Goddard (reread)
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 6 by Beth Brower
Translation State by Ann Leckie
Great big beautiful life by Emily Henry
Balancing stone by Victoria Goddard (reread)
The Saint of the Bookstore by Victoria Goddard (reread)
System Collapse by Martha Wells (reread)
The unselected journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 7 by Beth Brower

Random things I'm tracking

Articles of interest and book lists:
1. 60+ Small Tasks to Defend the Right to Read

How to make pretty block quotes (directions from Richard):
{blockquote}TYPE OR PASTE QUOTED TEXT HERE{/blockquote} and replace the curly braces with pointy brackets.

Number of books read since keeping count on LT:
July - Dec 2008 - 65
2009 - 156 (plus over 70 graphic novels and manga volumes)
2010 - 135 (Note: in June, I started working a second part-time job for full-time hours)
2011 - 150
2012 - 108 (Note: accepted a full-time job in February)
2013 - 107
2014 - 126 (plus 8 graphic novels)
2015 - 120 (plus 6 graphic novels)
2016 - 141 (I stopped counting graphic novels separately)
2017 - 114
2018 - 105 (Note: my first full year as Assistant Director)
2019 - 116
2020 - 153
2021 - 138
2022 - 131
2023 - 180
2024 - 131
2025 - 133
2026 - ???

Global reads in 2026 (author's country of origin):
Brazil - Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos
Canada - Victoria Goddard, Patty Krawec
France - Mariette Navarro
UK - Richard Osman
Japan - Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Michiko Aoyama

All time (since 2022):


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, North Korea, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe

Rough guide to my rating system:
I'm fairly generous with my star ratings - generally a four is a "like" or "would recommend" for me, while a 4.5 stars is a book I would reread. I break it down roughly like this:

1 star - Forced myself to finish it
2 stars - Dislike
2.5 stars - I really don't know if I liked it or not
3 stars - Sort of liked it; or didn't, but admired something about it despite not liking it
3.5 stars - The splitting hairs rating of less than my last 4 star book or better than my last 3
4 stars - I liked it and recommend it, but probably won't reread it except under special circumstances (ie., a book club or series reread)
4.5 stars - Excellent, ultimately a satisfying read, a title I would consider rereading
5 stars - A book that I absolutely loved, would absolutely reread, and just all-around floored me

I see it more in terms of my like or dislike of a book, rather than how good a book is. My hope is that as a reader I convey what I like or what I don't in such a way that you can still tell if you'll like a book, even if I don't. And I hope for my patrons that I can give them good recommendations for books they will like, even if it's not one I would personally choose.

Currently reading
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower
Platform Decay by Martha Wells
The Bone Harp by Victoria Goddard

Bible/Devotional Reading
1 Samuel, Luke

DNFs in 2026
1. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

April
50. Aya: Claws Come Out by Marguerite Abouet, illustrated by Clement Oubrerie
49. The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
48. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
47. The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
46. Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
45. First-time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner

March
44. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 7 by Beth Brower
43. Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec
42. Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
41. System Collapse by Martha Wells
40. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
39. The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann
38. The Saint of the Bookstore by Victoria Goddard
37. Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit
36. All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson
35. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
34. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
33. Balancing Stone by Victoria Goddard

February
32. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
31. Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
30. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
29. The Black God's Drums by P. Djeli Clark
28. Translation State by Ann Leckie
27. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
26. The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall
25. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
24. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 6 by Beth Brower
23. Plum Duff by Victoria Goddard
22. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 5 by Beth Brower

January
21. Where Nobody Knows Your Name by John Feinstein
20. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
19. Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
18. Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
17. My Sweet Orange Tree by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos
16. Love-in-a-Mist by Victoria Goddard
15. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
14. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 4 by Beth Brower
13. Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
12. Memory Wall: Stories by Anthony Doerr
11. Ultramarine by Mariette Navarro
10. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
9. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
8. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 3 by Beth Brower
7. Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather
6. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2 by Beth Brower
5. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
4. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
3. God Help the Child by Toni Morrison
2. Network Effect by Martha Wells
1. Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett

Thread number three is officially set up for business!

I'm tired and can't come up with a clever question at the moment, so I'll simply ask:
What are you reading now?
Is there anything about your 2026 reading that's surprised you so far?

Answer one, both or neither as you like!

Happy new thread, Mary!

I am currently reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, which is the pick for my Challenged Books Club this month. I'm nearly finished with it, and it's quite good.

At the moment, I can't think of anything surprising in my reading so far this year. But I may be just too tired to think of anything. It's getting late.

>11 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene! Oooh Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a good one. Taylor wrote sequels that I never got to, but you remind me that I wanted to read more.

Good Thursday morning! Today's agenda should be the normal work/school. I'm making turkey burgers for dinner, have a black bean salad I made yesterday to go with it, and will put fries in to round out the meal in a kid-friendly way haha. Should be a fairly quiet evening.

Reading: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, System Collapse by Martha Wells and Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

Listening: "The Wall" by Pink Floyd

The listening report -

"Damn the Torpedoes" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Meh. This kinda sounds similar to Bruce Springsteen to me, and I can't tell you why but I don't particularly like either. It was a breakthrough album for them, however, and competed with "The Wall" in popularity according to the Wikipedia page. #231 on the list

"Rust Never Sleeps" by Neil Young and Crazy Horse - I don't like Neil Young and this album did not change my mind. #296 on the list

>13 bell7: Good morning! And happy new thread!

Have you decided what TIOLI Challenge you're going to use for System Collapse? I want to reread it before Platform Decay comes out in May. I might as well do it this month rather than next and get the shared read with you.

Btw, I am definitely planning a reread of The Hands of the Emperor in April - I'm looking forward the release of the audiobook version!

>11 atozgrl: It has been a very long time since I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I wonder if I would enjoy a reread?

>10 bell7: I finished a novel last night, so the only book I'm reading at the moment is the excellent Autocracy, Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World by Anne Applebaum. It's a short book, and I've been mainly listening to it. I should finish this morning.

>10 bell7: New-thread orisons, Mary! My biggest surprise of 2026 was how early in the year I found my first 5* read. I thought last year's first, Río Muerto, was a fluke coming early in February. Maybe Evil Genius is solidifying a trend? That would be lovely if so!

Enjoy the weekend-ahead's reads.

>10 bell7:
I was surprised to have two 5-star reads in January. I NEVER have 5-star reads that early in the year. Both were novels - All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker and American Dirt by Jeanin Cummins. I started American Dirt determined to not like it. I was probably being influenced by the huge amount of negative publicity surrounding the novel and its selection as an Oprah Book Club book. My advice is, don't listen to all that noise. The book is very good. It is also very relevant to our current times.

Then in February I had my first 5-star nonfiction book. Code Girls by Liza Mundy. I can't believe I have had so many good books this early in the year. I hope that the string of wonders continues.

Happy New Thread, Mary!

I wasn't surprised that my first book for 2026 was a 5-star read, because I planned to read Written on the Dark first. I knew it was going to be a 5-star read even before I started it because most of Kay's books are 5-star reads for me. What I wasn't expecting was that the second book, I See You've Called in Dead, would be a 5-star read too, so that was a nice surprise. A not-so-nice surprise was how little I enjoyed The Orb of Cairado, because I love The Goblin Emperor and all the books of The Cemeteries of Amalo spin-off series, especially The Grief of Stones. So a couple of surprises. As for what I'm reading now, I seem to be in a bit of a reading slump, and I don't know why. None of the books I'm reading - either as audio or ebook - are grabbing me. I really hope that ends soon!

Sweet Thursday, Mary. Happy New Thread. I hope your work week is going smoothly and those current reads are treating you fine.

Happy new one, Mary!

I saw on your last thread that you are providing "respite care" for another kiddo. Without giving away any details, of course, I just wondered what that was? Sort of fostering but shorter term?

Happy new thread, Mary!

Sort of a surprise, sort of not, but my reading has been a lot slower lately due to some stuff I'll talk about eventually. But I've also set fewer goals for myself this year, and it has been kind of nice to savor my reads a little more and also dive into rereading a series I haven't looked at for years.

Happy new thread! Right now I'm reading Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter, and enjoying it very much. My 2026 reading has not been terrific so far, though I've had a couple of good ones.

Happy new thread, Mary!

Happy new thread, Mary!

You do seem even more busy than usual!

>15 Dejah_Thoris: I haven't figured out what challenge (if any) System Collapse fits in, so if you see one, feel free to put it in and we can have a shared read. Hooray for The Hands of the Emperor! I don't think I can commit to a shared read of that one next month, but I've read it twice and still love it. Autocracy, Inc. would probably be a little too stressful for me right now, but I wish you luck with & enjoyment of it.

>16 richardderus: A 5* read early in the year is always an excellent surprise! My only one so far was a reread, but was still quite enjoyable.

>17 benitastrnad: Three 5-star reads at this point in the year is quite an accomplishment, Benita. American Dirt isn't calling my name anytime soon, but glad it was a good read for you. I fault publishing in general quite a lot for the controversy there - there's still a lot more marketing and advances that go to white authors (in this case writing about people of color) than the actual authors of color. Yellowface was an interesting read tackling a lot of that, I thought. Hope you continue to read some excellent books!

>18 Storeetllr: Wow, what a start to 2026, Mary! I've seen mixed reviews of The Orb of Cairado so I'm skipping it for now. I really loved The Goblin Emperor and the Amalo trilogy after it as well.

>19 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Hope you had a sweet Thursday, too. The current reads are good, but I'm going to have to focus on Shadow Divers quite a bit if I want to finish it in time for book club on Wednesday. Have you read it already? Seems like the type of narrative nonfiction that might grip you.

>20 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Yeah, it's basically watching someone else's foster kid, either while they're traveling and can't take the kiddo(s) or just to give them a break. I think it can be as short as an overnight, but he'll be with us for a few days.

>21 curioussquared: I also have fewer goals this year, Natalie, and find I'm reading very comfortably in my wheelhouse with a lot of my current reads. Hope you're finding your own reading enjoyable, if a little slower.

>22 foggidawn: Oooh, I have that out from the library right now! I really loved her Emily Wilde series, and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

>23 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>24 quondame: Thanks, Susan! I have been especially busy these last couple of weeks and don't see that slowing down anytime soon.

Happy new thread, Mary. This one is chugging along nicely already!

>12 bell7: I finished Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry today, and it is indeed a good one. I was not familiar with it. Having worked in a government library, it escaped my notice. I saw on the book page here on LT that it's part of a series. Given all the loose threads that could be followed up that were left at the end of the book, I'm not surprised Taylor wrote more.

>15 Dejah_Thoris: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is good, and it may well be worth a reread. For me, it was valuable to see the world through the eyes of a black family in the South during the Depression.

I picked up a copy of Autocracy, Inc. last year. I don't know when I'll get around to reading it, but I'm glad to see that you found it to be excellent.

>27 PaulCranswick: thank you, Paul! Yes, I've appreciated seeing all my visitors.

>28 atozgrl: glad you enjoyed it, Irene. I read it as part of my (very slow) project to read all the Newberry Awards and Honors.

Happy newish thread, Mary! I just started Murder in Mesopotamia yesterday for my Poirot project.

What's surprised me about my reading so far this year is how different my genre distribution is thus far. With the Poirot project, I knew mystery would make up a bigger slice of the pie this year but sci fi is currently making up a big chunk as well and I've read much less romance than usual. Once I finish my Murderbot reread, we'll see if there's more romance novels back in the mix.

Happy new thread, Mary! I have a mix of books started at the moment but one of them I'm just getting into is By Gaslight.

>30 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Oooh, that is interesting. I always enjoy seeing how my pie slices turn out and if they're wildly different at the beginning and end of the year. Sci fi is my fourth-most at the moment, after general fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction.

>31 Familyhistorian: I hadn't heard of that one, Meg. Hope it's a good one!

Saturday night and I am pooped! I gave the two kiddos a couple of options for what to do today and they elected not to go out but to have a chill day. We did go out briefly to a park so they could play and run around, but it was cold and they were done quickly, so we visited my parents briefly and then went home for lunch. Well, I ate lunch. They snacked. And then told me about 2:30 they were bored hahaha. They did eventually figure out something to do, while I knit and read some, then we had dinner. They're currently getting ready for bed and I'm going to attempt a 9 p.m. lights out tonight. Tomorrow's church in the morning, and I may need to wrack my brain for an afternoon activity.

They're both doing well overall - weekends are just tough anyways if we don't have something planned out of the house.

Reading: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, System Collapse by Martha Wells, and Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

Listening: "Off the Wall" by Michael Jackson

Watching: a little more of the Marlee Matlin documentary while the kids were outside

Crafting: finished the sweater and started a a new-to-me pattern for a simple drawstring-style bag

Here's the completed toddler cardigan:



I had to get a little blue in the background to get the green color to photograph true. I'm pleased with the result, but wow, what a fiddly pattern.

>34 bell7: It's so pretty! What lovely work.

>33 bell7: I'm glad to hear that you and the kiddos had a good day. I hope they don't run you too ragged tomorrow!

>26 bell7: I don't have anywhere particular in mind for System Collapse, but when I figure something out, I'll let you know.

Autocracy, Inc. was excellent, and not quirte as fraught as some I've read recently. I can absolutely understand not wanting to tackle; some things you have to be in the right headspace to read.

>34 bell7: That's gorgeous work, Mary, and I love the colour.

>34 bell7: >36 MickyFine: Ditto to what Micky said. That was exactly my reaction. I'm sorry the pattern was so fiddly, but it turned out beautifully.

>34 bell7: It looks super-fiddly, but really handsome in that lush teal/forest-border shade. Those complicated shades are so pleasing to my eye.

Sunday *smooch*

>34 bell7: Great sweater. You are definitely a much better knitter than I am to do all of the complicated cabling!! I'm impressed!

>35 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah! I'm ready to be done respite haha. It's not the number so much as this particular dynamic, but I'm glad we did it. Keep me posted on System Collapse, I was just going to read it and not count it if it didn't fit. Some months I end up reading a bunch of stuff that doesn't make the TIOLI challenge. I'm glad Autocracy, Inc. wasn't too fraught. I have been jumping into comfort reads lately and don't see that changing anytime soon.

>36 MickyFine: Thank you, Micky! I love the color, too, that deep green is one of my favorites and will look very nice with R.'s coloring.

>37 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene! Mostly I was just unhappy with the way it was written, I didn't understand it more than once and had to take stuff out more than once.

>38 richardderus: Yeah, it's a deep green that I bought specifically for that pattern, knowing it would be perfect for my niece R. It's a little too bad I won't be able to get it to her before St. Patrick's Day! *smooch* back

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Aw, thank you! It does kinda look like cabling in the picture, but that's actually some lace, and what looks like the cables is just the decreases surrounding the yarn overs. The pattern itself I eventually memorized, but the way it was written out was hard for me to follow. I'm used to more written out instructions, and it was just a six-row repeat with starting points for each size, and different starting points for each sleeve. I had a couple of starts and stops before I got the hang of it. I've been knitting for about 15 years, and what's great about it is the variety of projects and difficulties. I know a lot and still have a lot to learn!

Beautiful cardigan Mary. I love the shade of green.

Re the question - my reading has been affected lately by the temporary closure of my local library. I miss being able to go in when I'm passing. I've picked up more from browsing other libraries' shelves.

>34 bell7: Beautiful sweater! I would like one in my size! ;-)

>41 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! Sorry to hear about your local library shutting down - hopefully for a good reason, such as a renovation? I am spoiled, I confess, working at one. I'm never out of books!

>42 foggidawn: Well, the pattern comes in kid's sizes, and I'm not good enough at construction to extrapolate adult sizes from it! I think the only way I'd consider doing this particular pattern again would be if my SIL asks for a matching one for my baby niece hahaha

>35 Dejah_Thoris: Looks like we could put System Collapse in a last name that could be used as a first name (Wells is currently 767 most popular as a boys name in the US). What do you think?

>44 bell7: Sure! That'll work.

>45 Dejah_Thoris: Great!

Happy Monday! It was a busy day of work and then errands (so, a typical Monday). I was pooped and didn't feel like cooking, so I did a quick grocery shopping and included some chicken from the hot bar for tonight's dinner. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel like it? Or maybe not, I'll be leaving the house early for an appointment and not getting home 'til after 6. Soccer training starts this week, and the season starts next month so we'll be busy bees for a while.

I'm still reading all the same books, but I'm about 90 pages from the end of Shadow Divers for book club and I'm pretty sure my reading will speed up after that.

Reading: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, System Collapse by Martha Wells, and Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

Listening: "Off the Wall" by Michael Jackson

Crafting: now that I've finished the sweater, I needed some quick & easy projects, so I made a soft knitted back from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and am now working on a pair of kids' mittens

>40 bell7: I hear you about the variety -- I knit a lot too but lately it's almost all from the same pattern - a baby cardigan and cap that I donate to a charity. I have a hard time watching TV without knitting needles in my hands :)

>48 RebaRelishesReading: I have a hard time watching TV without knitting needles in my hands :)
Same! My need for variety comes out in how I do projects. I very seldom do the same thing in a row or use the same yarn. You remind me I should make more baby cardigans! I had a stash, but kept giving them away as friends and family had babies. What pattern do you use?

>49 bell7: I have a top-down pattern that I have modified so that I don't have to sew the sleeves in (I put the sleeve stitches onto stitch holders and then go pack and pick them up with double pointed needles and knit them in the round. Here's a stack of them, although with the hat pinned to the top it may be hard to see.

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/17/27/17278269-x-h50-w50-pv25_654432...

>50 RebaRelishesReading: Oh those are super cute! My go-to pattern is this one that I discovered through Ravelry. It does have me put the sleeves on stitch holders, but I've always sewn a seam on the bottom. I'll have to experiment with knitting them in the round to begin with.

>51 bell7: That's really cute. I notice that it only uses one button which is a blessing given how hard buttons are to find these days (here any way -- although I have ordered several hundred on-line so am well supplied for now). I've printed it off and plan to give it a go.

(I started knitting the sleeves in the round because I'm hopeless at seaming knitwear)

>52 RebaRelishesReading: oh yay! Hope you enjoy it. I bought some buttons before Jo-Ann's went out of business so I'm also well-supplied for awhile

>53 bell7: https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/17/28/17281795-x-h50-w50-pv25_65414f...

Here is a photo of the much-used and written on pattern I use. I bought it on the web and it was already named "5 - hour". I never get close to doing it in five hours but I still like the pattern. I hope you're able to enlarge it enough to see it.

Thank you so much for sharing yours.

>54 RebaRelishesReading: thank you! I will enjoy trying it out

Happy Thursday!

It's been a steadily-but-not-overwhelmingly-busy week. Our respite kiddo went back home on Monday as planned. My kiddo started an extra soccer training we'd signed him up for on Tuesday, and his spring season will be starting next month. Yesterday was my book club. It was a good discussion, but the only other person to show up was the one who recommended the book, which was a little disappointing to both of us.

Today I'm working 9-5, kiddo is going to school, and we'll have a fairly quiet evening. He has a scheduled phone call that he'll take while I make dinner, which is a chicken roulade recipe with deli ham and Swiss cheese. It's new to us, and I'm hoping it will hit the spot. Any recommendations for kid-friendly recipes are welcome! I have a few, but am always looking for a little more variety.

Reading: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, System Collapse by Martha Wells, and Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec

Listening: "The Raincoats" by The Raincoats (another punk band that seems aggressively unmusical to me, I'll only listen through this once)

Sweet Thursday, Mary. Glad you are having a "not-overwhelmingly-busy week". Are you still reading The Shadow Divers. I read it back in 2009 and gave it a solid 5 stars. I also really liked The Pirate Hunters and Crashing Through. He hasn't written anything since 2018. Bummer.

>57 msf59: I finished it right on time for our discussion yesterday. I will probably give it 4 stars, but found it a very enjoyable story with plenty to talk about. Kurson's also written Pirate Hunters, which also features John Chatterton, and most recently (2018) Rocket Men about Apollo 8. Shadow Divers was his debut, which I was impressed to find out.

>58 bell7: Sorry, I edited my post to include Pirate Hunters. LOL. I will have to look into Rocket Men.

>58 bell7: It's really too bad when people simply don't turn up. I'm glad you got to have a good discussion regardless. Thursday orisons!

>59 msf59: Ha, no worries! Glad to hear his other titles are good, too.

>60 richardderus: Yeah, and there's no sign up for this one so it's always unpredictable. I think if every regular showed up we'd have about 10 people, but we're usually holding steady at 4-6 which is small but solid for a discussion. I may start advertising it more and see if we can get some new folks.

What does the kiddo like to eat? I have a nibling around his age who has surprising-for-his-age-at-least-to-me tastes (sushi, lamb, brussels sprouts), so thought I'd ask :) I always think of tacos as a safe bet and very versatile. And a good way to sneak vegetables and beans in... I make a big batch of the meat mixture and then use the leftovers, along with whatever beans and veg are left, and have taco salad or nachos later in the week.

Sorry about the poor showing for the book discussion. My bigger book club has the opposite problem, but I seem to be the only person who thinks we should cap attendance *shrug*

>61 bell7:
I have the same problem with the public library book group that I am now heading up. There are 14 people on the texting list and only 4 who show up regularly. We do have good discussions with that core group, but it would be nice if the others would participate more often. It makes for better discussions.

>56 bell7: >62 katiekrug: Channeling my inner child: I loved taco night when I was a kid. Sloppy joes were a favorite, too. I also loved the odd Sunday night when we'd have French toast. It was a nice treat.

I was a bit weird in that I didn't much like pizza and steak until I grew up. When Mom asked what I wanted for my birthday dinners, it was always either lasagna or stuffed peppers. And only when I became an adult did I realize how much more work my dinners were. Oops.

I think, as kids, we also always wanted to eat whatever Mom clearly enjoyed. Including things like smoked fish, fish fries, breaded shrimp, and Chinese. She modeled, we followed.

>62 katiekrug: So he surprises me with a mix of tastes, things that he LOVES that I wouldn't expect include sushi (he's more adventurous than I am in that department) and kimchi fried rice (maybe your nibling would like that as well?). He likes burgers, pizza, tacos (only adds cheese to them), nachos with Velveeta cheese specifically. He's had soups with leeks or celery or carrots and accepted it. He likes rice, we've found a couple of good recipes. And he loves salmon. And ramen. For fruits and veggies, he likes blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, broccoli if it's boiled. He likes roasted chicken, but is picky about the texture.

He doesn't like some of what you might consider picky eater go-tos. Potatoes are mostly out, unless they're fries or tater tot varieties (he will eat a salmon and potato bake when I slice them very thin). He doesn't like peanut butter, or any nuts and trail mix, for that matter. If he makes a sandwich, it's almost always going to be deli ham and American cheese with plenty of mayonnaise.

And actually, now that I write it all out, we have found several food that he likes, it's just that he prefers it in certain ways and the slightest thing can make it a no-go for awhile, like eating a sour blueberry (he hasn't had any in several weeks). He loved my sourdough bread at first, but lately he tells me it makes his stomach upset. And my tastes are different of course - much as I would love to subsist on pizza and burgers that's not feasible any longer haha.

Re: book discussion, I'm with you, I think at a certain point a discussion gets too large and people don't have the ability to share or really dig deep into a book when you have too many people.

>63 benitastrnad: That's too bad, Benita. I like a good group of about 6-8, that seems to be right in my wheelhouse and lend itself to a variety of opinions and a good discussion. The fact that mine meets in the evening has always kept it a little small, as most of the folks who come are seniors and many don't want to drive in the dark. But I also like offering something after work hours to leave that option open for folks, so here we are. I will probably start advertising more and see if I can get more people in.

>64 ReneeMarie: Oh interesting, I loved steak and would regularly ask for it as my birthday dinner. My parents used to say that we couldn't get pizza delivered for our birthday dinner, until my go-to steak and mushroom dish choice actually got more expensive than said pizza... oops. Too funny that you would go for lasagna and stuffed peppers. My palate had to mature (or maybe just some taste buds had to die) before I liked either of those! He might like French toast, but he has recently asked me to get store-bought bread the next time around.

>66 bell7: One of my nieces always requested crab legs. I think my sister liked them, too, so she was fine with that.

Store-bought bread is easily turned into French toast with just a couple of ingredients. I don't make it very often for myself, but when I do I make sure there are leftovers. Me being weird again: I like to eat the French toast cold, right out of the fridge, without even any butter or syrup. Finger food. Yum.

I was going to suggest jacket potato buffet but then you said he doesn't like potatoes much, so probably not. I just associate this as a complete "comfort" meal, and it was unusual in our house as you chose what you wanted rather than having the same as everyone else. Bacon bits, cheese, and salad options, maybe coleslaw / beetroot / avo too if you are so inclined.

I wondered about meatballs - can be quite fun to make for kids, and if you do them yourself you could avoid the extra salt etc.

Does he eat curry? We used to have a very mild kind you cook in the oven and as an adult I'm a fan, not least as you can have it the next day as well. Here's a fancy recipe for it (but our family version just uses a curry powder mix plus turmeric rather than the different spices, and skips the nuts altogether).
https://prue-leith.com/prues-bobotie/

>34 bell7: That is strikingly lovely, Mary.

>67 ReneeMarie: Yeah, I could try French toast, and he might even accept the eggs that way. Isn't it funny how there's certain things that we like hot or cold, or of a certain texture? I prefer hot tea or coffee and don't like iced, but I do like coffee ice cream... I can't say French toast right out of the fridge appeals to me though haha.

>68 charl08: Yeah unfortunately that would not work for him at this stage. We haven't tried curry, but I could see it as a possibility.

Last night, I made chicken roulade and wrapped up ham and cheese, which I thought would be a winner because he loves ham and cheese sandwiches, but he took one bite and gave it a "no."

>69 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul!

Happy Monday, everyone!

We've got work and school today, I'll pick him up at aftercare and then putting in a DiGiornio's frozen pizza for dinner tonight. Should be a fairly low key night, nothing scheduled. Maybe I can get him to go outside, it's supposed to be lovely today.

Reading: same

Listening: "The Raincoats" by The Raincoats Forgot I'd finished that one yesterday - "The B-52s" by the B-52s

Watching: I finished up the Marlee Matlin documentary last night (it was really good) and put a hold on CODA, though I honestly have no idea when I'm going to have time to watch it

Crafting: haven't picked up the mittens in a bit, but I'll work on them some soon as it's a quick project

40. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Why now? Book club book for the month of March

Lasagne? Chinese? Hummus, Tabouli & Falafel?

How does he feel about noodles? My first thought was spaghetti as it's easy to sneak extra veggies into a marinara sauce. But as a kid and even now I also just love noodles with butter.

>74 m.belljackson: He does not like lasagna but he does like Chinese food. And hummus. Haven't tried tabouli and falafel, though I did try spanikopita and that was a fail. (We have yet to try gyros, however!)

>75 MickyFine: He likes ramen, but not pasta in general. He has had a stew with gnocchi that he liked pretty well, so I'm going to try a recipe with cheese ravioli and see how that goes over (though I suspect I will be eating that on my own).

The listening report -

“The Wall” by Pink Floyd - One of those things I'm glad I listened to and can appreciate, but I didn't particularly like it. It's a concept album loosely based on the main singer of the album, they call him "Pink" and he isolates himself and sets up a wall as he gets upset about rules, school, everything. And then there's some kind of court case and he breaks down the wall. (The article I looked up said it was left ambiguous if he was really free or would just start the cycle over again, but that level of listening detail when I can't always make out the lyrics without reading them in front of me is beyond me.) #129 on the list

“Off the Wall” by Michael Jackson - As I grew up, it was impossible *not* to know about Michael Jackson, even though I didn't listen to his music a ton. I'm sure as I listen, I'll recognize some individual songs (like the first one on this album) but the experience of listening to an album in its entirety will be new. I could tell that this was new and different from a lot of the music I'd listened to in the project so far. I'm not a huge fan of a male falsetto, but he's a talented singer/musician and has a great sense of rhythm. #36 on the list

“Risque” by the Clique - I enjoyed the overall sound of this one, though most of the songs were about relationships. My favorites were "Good Times" and "My Feet Keep Dancing". #414 on the list

“The Raincoats” by the Raincoats - Most of this sounded aggressively unmusical to my ear. I just don't get on with punk, which doesn't surprise me in the least, really. #398 on the list

I only have a few more albums from 1979 to go - I'm almost done with "The B-52s" and then I've got "London Calling" by The Clash queued up next. I'm attempting to get "Cut" by the Slits from the library and "Entertainment!" by Gang of Four from the library, but I may have to venture in to 1980 before they arrive so I've started requesting those albums as well.

Mou aresoun fagita ellinika! Spanikopita, dolmades, moussaka, kai baklava... Mmmm.

(Couldn't resist trying out some Greek, but without the Greek alphabet. It's something I'm trying to learn a little at Duolingo, just for fun.)

>78 ReneeMarie: I thought the spanikopita was pretty good, myself! He tried baklava and was not a fan either. Very cool that you're working on learning some Greek through Duolingo :)

>76 bell7: Our local restaurant, MEZE, serves hummus, tabouli, and falafels on one plate with hot pita on the side.

>80 m.belljackson: sounds like something I would enjoy, but not sure I could convince the kiddo. Tomatoes are another food he won't touch, so tabouli would be out

41. System Collapse by Martha Wells
Why now? Rereading the series in preparation for the newest book in the series

I liked it a little better on a reread, I found the "redacted" comments less annoying this time around, and it didn't last as long as I remembered, either. I'll be interested in seeing whether the next book explores trauma recovery, now that SecUnit is admitting it needs it.

>34 bell7: looks beautiful! Love the pattern and the colour.

Happy newish thread!

Food is an issue with my two grandkids. Both enjoy pesto pasta, pasta with butter and parmesan cheese, and mac'n'cheese. Ruby (7) likes rice, but Rowan (4) hates it. Neither like potatoes unless they are french fries. Rowan won't eat chicken unless it's nuggets (and he went through a phase when he hated nuggets too). Ruby ate half my fried chicken the other day when we went out to eat for my son-in-law's birthday after telling me she hated fried chicken. She used to like steak but now merely tolerates it, and likes cheeseburgers sometimes. Rowan isn't a meat lover, though he used to like taco bowls (with ground turkey) but now "hates" beans. They like apple slices with peanut butter, and Rowan likes PBJs but Ruby doesn't. Neither will eat soup or juicy stews. Neither likes salad but will eat carrot and celery sticks and some cooked vegetables. Neither like chinese takeout except Ruby likes the ribs and both like eggrolls and spring rolls (with duck sauce for Ruby). Both like cheese pizza. Neither like milk, but they both like yogurt. Ruby loves my pasta bowls (ground turkey browned with garlic and Italian seasoning, pesto pasta, feta cheese, and spinach) and my lamb bowls (ground lamb browned with Greek seasoning and garlic, with brown rice and spinach) but won't eat them when her mom makes them (same recipes - go figure). They like pancakes, waffles, and french toast. They will also eat string cheese, crackers with peanut butter, and most fruits. And they love ice cream and cookies but don't care for pie or cake. I don't know how my daughter keeps them healthy and fed on a daily basis without losing her mind.

Probably more info than you wanted, and not all that helpful, but I thought it might give you peace of mind to know your kiddo isn't the only one (or even the worst one) with strong food "opinions." ;D

>84 Storeetllr: Wow. Just reading that exhausted my brain. Kudos to all of you food providers.

>83 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>84 Storeetllr: That is comforting, Mary. My niece and nephew are also quite picky eaters and, if anything, are probably more limited than my foster kiddo, so I really have nothing to complain about. I just wish I could find more vegetables that he would eat! But I suppose I didn't like mine when I was a kid either lol.

>85 ReneeMarie: :)

Happy Sunday, all! We had a busy day yesterday. while the kiddo was out with plans, I took a short hike and then made a quick trip to Walmart to pick up some food and discovered that there were 5-shelf bookshelves for just under $40 each. So I bought two, spent the afternoon assembling them, and moved the books I had in the kiddo's room out so he has full use of the bookshelf in there for his own books & things. He got home, and then we went to dinner at a friend's house.

Today should be a little quieter, church and small group, but time at home in between. I've got some tidying I'd like to do, but there will be plenty of time for reading as well.

Reading: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec and The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 7 by Beth Brower

Listening: "London Calling" by the Clash

Crafting: just about finished one mitten last night (I still need to weave in the ends) and started the cuff of the second

>87 bell7: Finally an album I can offer real praise to! I don't know how better to explain why that album was such a joy than to say the #1 song most often that year was "Shadow Dancing" by Andy Gibb, and it was also the year of "You Light Up My Life" *gag* so it felt clean and original, tart and loud after the synth-laden sugar-drenched pap pop around it.

Anyway, good luck with the eternal quest for veggies. I'm no help, I liked them and like now everything except corn on the cob and yams. Are green beans out? Frozen whole ones can be oiled, garlicked, and roasted to go with chicken and fish....

Happy Sunday, Mary. Good review of Shadow Divers. Glad you liked it. Not sure how much you will like London Calling but it is one of my all-time favorite rock albums. How far along into this musical adventure do you go? Through the 80s?

>85 ReneeMarie: Right!?! And that wasn't a complete list of their hates/tolerates/loves. I remember my daughter was a picky eater as a kid too, but she's dealing with two of them, each with their own particular and mostly unique hates/tolerates/loves, which makes it ten times harder.

>85 ReneeMarie: Glad it helped. Veggies are hard. I don't remember hating much of anything when I was little, except okra (blech then and still blech), but I was willing to at least try unfamiliar foods. These kids won't and look at me like I'm offering them poison when I ask. lol

>87 bell7:, >88 richardderus:, >89 msf59: Okay, I loved London Calling (the single) back in the day but don't remember ever listening to the entire album, so I am borrowing the CD from the library. Two thumbs up from Richard and Mark is high praise indeed! Looking forward to knowing what you thought of it, Mary.

>88 richardderus: I'll let you know how "London Calling" goes, of course. Thanks re: the veggie conundrum. I need to text his previous foster mom and see if I can get some recipes from her for things she did - she sent us a BBQ chicken pie one time that had zucchini cut up so small that I couldn't taste it at all and it's one of MY no-ways. Green beans are out according to him, but I have discovered that occasionally he will like something he's said no to (such as potatoes) in very specific ways. Tonight is going to be salmon and potatoes, for example, and I just slice the potatoes very thin to thus be acceptable.

>89 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I haven't finished my first listen through "London Calling", so I am assessing my reaction just yet. The musical adventure is through all 500 albums on the Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums list, and since I'm using the 2023 iteration, there are some albums right up to 2022. I'm not quite halfway through according to my count, sitting at about 225.

>90 Storeetllr: each with their own particular and mostly unique hates/tolerates/loves, which makes it ten times harder.
Yes, this will be one of the hard parts about having another kid in the house if and when I accept another placement. I will say, my foster kiddo is very good about trying new things, so every so often I try a new recipe and we have discovered more that he likes that way. I've learned not to say what's in it 'til after he eats it though hahaha. I hope you enjoy the album, and I hope you'll share your thoughts as well!

Good morning, all! Here we are with another week beginning. And it's SPRING (supposedly - there's some snow in the forecast this afternoon, blechh).

I'm working my short day and kiddo has plans after school, so I'm taking myself to the gym and planning on doing some tidying around the house before he gets back. Salmon and potatoes for dinner tonight, and a quiet evening after that.

Reading: The unselected journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 7 by Beth Brower, Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec, and Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq (I only have one story left in this one)

Listening: "London Calling" by The Clash

>92 bell7: Snowless here but it's 40 and rainy as the compensatory misery-making weather. I don't really get how the reported dislikes relate... no common theme seems to emerge eg texture or earthy flavor. Maybe institute a "try it bonus?" Try this food, get that thing you want?

*smooch*

>92 bell7: I think I'd take your snow over what we had today. It was supposed to be in the upper 70's today, but it actually got up to 83F. I think we got more sun than expected. It's just too hot for March. It's nice and cool out right now, but I think I would have rather had a little snow than 80+ today.

>93 richardderus: Oh, he's good about trying foods. I introduce a new recipe here and there, and there have been some hits, more misses. I wonder if it's like I can be - I like a lot of foods, but in particular *ways*, and I think my cooking methods don't necessarily match up with his taste preferences. (For example, I love raw or roasted veggies, and he likes boiled-from-frozen broccoli and soft carrots in soup) Hope for better weather for you soon *smooch*

>94 atozgrl: We had a dusting overnight and I think it's already melted by now. We have not gotten that warm yet, and I completely agree that over 80 is too warm for March.

42. Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
Why now? I put it on my TBR list last year after hearing about it in work emails, that it was short stories in translation and shortlisted (eventually won) the International Booker Prize

>96 bell7: I couldn't make it through one whole story, and I tried three.

Well, nothing's for everyone, right? xo

>97 richardderus: it was the kind of read I admired but didn't like, if that makes sense. And honestly, I thought about giving up a couple of times. Groundbreaking, I'm sure, but not a lot to enjoy about it.

>98 bell7: Groundbreaking? If it's the graveyard dirt I need moved before my dirtnap commences from the boredom I suffered....

>96 bell7: Sorry this one wasn't a great read. I liked it more than you did I think. I did wonder about the selection of the stories: I've not read many collections where they've been put together over from across so many years of an author's career. I am hoping more of her work will be translated following this success (although appreciate you probably won't want to pick another one up!)

>99 richardderus: *snort* I don't discount your reading experience and agree that it did not hold my interest. But in terms of both a language not often translated and a cultural community that does not get noticed much by US/UK audiences, yes 🙂

>100 charl08: it was interesting that they covered such a wide range of her career. But yeah, I found it overall pretty slow going and wouldn't necessarily jump to read more by her.

>101 bell7: Fair point. All new things are worth celebrating, those, though I wish there'd been more to enjoy within it.

Happy birthday, Mary!!!!

>102 richardderus: Agreed!

>103 norabelle414: Thank you, Nora!

Happy Thursday! Yesterday was my birthday. I walked with a friend and worked 12-8, my regular Wednesday schedule. Got lots of texts from family and friends, and my boss brought in some goodies to celebrate (there have been a lot this month, a good third of the library staff have a birthday in March). My foster kiddo had some trouble getting to sleep last night, but after he did one of my sisters called for my birthday and we had a long chat. So I'm tired but feeling good today. Kiddo has school, I'm working, and we'll have a quiet evening tonight.

Reading: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower (I'll finish this today)

Listening: "London Calling" by the Clash (will probably also finish this today)

Crafting: haven't picked up the mittens in a bit, but I might tonight

43. Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec
Why now? I have had this out from the library since late last year when I was intentionally reading books by indigenous authors, and finally got to it this month. It was on the Lakota People's Law Project Decolonized Reading List for 2025 and sounded intriguing

Belated happy birthday!

>105 bell7: Y'all June pregnancy babies are everywhere!

Happy another year older day.

Belated happy birthday, Mary!

>43 bell7: That one sounds interesting and probably something I should read at some point. I'm adding it to the wishlist.

>107 foggidawn: Thanks, Misti!

>108 richardderus: Ha! Yeah, there are a few of us. And thanks :)

>109 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene! And I hope you find it an excellent read.

44. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 7 by Beth Brower
Why now? Because these are delightful and I couldn't wait any longer

***spoilers*** ahead for previous books

Good morning and happy Friday! As you can see, I have finished up a couple of books in the last few days, some of which I'd been reading for awhile. I started new books yesterday and today, and it feels weird to do that now instead of over the weekend.

Today's agenda is work and school for us, something easy for dinner, and then going out for fun plans that will keep us out late.

Reading: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett and First Time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner

Listening: "Dirty mind" by Prince

Crafting: did a few rows on the mitten

Happy belated birthday, and many joyous returns!

>113 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah!

Happy belated birthday, Mary!

Happy belated birthday, Mary! You reminded me that I'd like to get back to the Murderbot series. I'm not sure why I have all these other library books out.

>115 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>116 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! Had to laugh about your comment of "all these other library books", as I regularly feel the same way. Hope you get a chance to get back to Murderbot soon :)

I seldom reread books and don't plan on rereading the Murderbot series. However, that prompted me to look at my current unfinished space opera series and so I ordered a new copy of the latest VoidWitch Saga entry so that I could stay current with it. Those are fun space opera books that I discovered on the tor.com booklist a few years ago.

Happy very belated birthday, Mary!

>118 benitastrnad: Partially since I read a lot of series and need to remind myself what happened, rereading usually fits into about 10-15% of my reading. Right now it's a little higher at 20% but I expect that was because I was purposely rereading two series at the beginning of the year. But I do like a good space opera and I'll make a note of the VoidWitch Saga. Thanks for the rec!

>119 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I haven't even celebrated with my family yet (my weekends this month were so busy I asked if we could combine it with Easter), so you're not all that late :D

Happy Sunday! It's been a nice weekend so far, yesterday we had a guest for lunch and got a trip in to the library. We got a stack of astronomy books, since we have gotten into the subject and went to an observatory recently. Did a little more stargazing from home last night before bed, too.

Today we've got church and a shopping trip, then we'll visit my parents after lunch and have small group tonight.

Reading: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett and First-time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner

Listening: currently the kiddo's playlist which is heavily geared towards Linkin Park

Crafting: finished everything but the weaving in on the mittens and started on a matching hat

>121 bell7: Ooh astronomy is a fun interest to develop for the kiddo. Plus it's definitely a gateway to Greek and Roman mythology (one of my childhood obsessions).

>122 MickyFine: He's right there with you in the obsession and knows the Greek myths better than I do, so yes, astronomy is right up his alley and he loves that a lot of the planets, moons, stars and constellations get their names from it.

>120 bell7:
The surprise is on me. I didn't think I had read book 3 of the Voidwitch saga so I ordered a new copy of it from B&N. I started to read it yesterday and am 45 pages into it. This morning I went into LT to enter my start reading date and ... I had already read this book - back in 2018 when it was published. So I am doing a rereading because I don't remember this book at all. I am enjoying it and didn't have any problem remembering the main characters - but the plot? That is a different story.

Hi Mary my dear, Happy New thread my dear.

>124 benitastrnad: well I'm glad it's still an enjoyable read the second time around! I wonder if you'll discover there's something you remember in the end, or if it will all feel brand new? Sometimes I completely forget everything about the book, other times there's some things I remember but particular things might turn out to be a more or less important part of the story than in my memory.

>125 johnsimpson: So good to see you, John! Hope all is well with you.

Happy Tuesday! We have a full day today. I'm going to leave early to get some blood work done (hoping to be told I can stay on a lower dose of my statin), and then working while the kiddo is at school. Leaving a little early for an appointment, and then we have evening plans. We should be having decent weather over the next few days, warm but rainy.

Reading: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett, First-Time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner, and The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

Listening: "Entertainment!" by Gang of Four

Crafting: knitting a hat

Morning, Mary. Sorry I missed your birthday but it sounds like you had a lovely day. I loved "Entertainment!" Fun, British pop.

>111 bell7: I've tried to get hold of these (thanks to your reviews) but no luck so far. Fingers crossed though.

Hope you have a lovely birthday / Easter celebration when the time comes.

>126 bell7:
I finished the book Static Ruin this morning, and it was like reading a whole new book. My LT records say that I read it in 2019, but I don't remember a thing about it. Generally, I remember something about a book but not this time. I am going to consider my full price for the paperback as money spent on a brand new book.

>128 msf59: No worries, Mark! Like I told Katie, I'm not celebrating with family 'til this Sunday, so it just extends things a little lol. "Entertainment!" has been alright, but not one of my favorites.

>129 charl08: Hope you're able to get ahold of them at some point, Charlotte. The only place I could find them for sale to the public was Amazon, though they were available through the book distributor that my library purchases from. Thanks re: the birthday wishes.

>130 benitastrnad: So odd when that happens, but it's happened to me as well. Hope it was a good read both times! I have book #1 on its way to me from another library, so I should get to it in the next month or two.

March in review
44. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 7 by Beth Brower
43. Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec
42. Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
41. System Collapse by Martha Wells
40. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
39. The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann
38. The Saint of the Bookstore by Victoria Goddard
37. Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit
36. All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson
35. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
34. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
33. Balancing Stone by Victoria Goddard

Books read: 12
Did not finish: 0
Rereads: 3
Children's/Teen/Adult: 1/1/10
Fiction/Nonfiction/Plays/Poetry: 9/3/0/0

Because I want to awards:
Forgot how good it was - System Collapse by Martha Wells
You mean there's only one more??? - Emma M. Lion vol. 7

YTD stats-
Pages read: 11,565
Avg pages a day: 128
Books by authors of color: 13 (29.5%)
In translation: 5 (11%)
Indigenous authors: 1 (2.27%)
Countries of origin: US - 33 (75%); Canada - 5; France - 1; Brazil - 1; UK - 1; Japan - 2; India - 1
DNF: 2

Thoughts: It's a weird thing to say my daily reading slowed down some in a month that I read 12 books, but my average pages a day has gone down significantly from the beginning of the year. I read my first short story collection (which was also my lowest rated book of the year so far, with 3 stars), and two more books in translation helped along by my librarian book club. I'm pleased with the variety of reads this month, and the balance of more challenging with old favorites.

Happy Thursday! We've been all about space lately, and had to watch the video of the Orion spacecraft launch this morning - we were both out and about yesterday when it was live - and will be following its progress over the next several days. Kiddo's off to school and I'm working. We're planning on making pigs in a blanket tonight for dinner (his choice from a kid's cookbook). Tomorrow is a holiday from school, so I took the day off from work and we'll have to figure out some fun things to do for the long weekend. Easter we have plans with friends & family after church.

Reading: First-time Fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner (I'll finish this up soon), Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett and The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

Listening: I've moved on to 1980 and "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead but can't say that will last much longer

Crafting: slowly but surely knitting a hat

>132 bell7: Looks like a great month of reading to me, Mary. Glad to see that you enjoyed System Collapse so much!

The idea of having him choose things to try from a kids' cookbook is great!

Enjoy your long weekend.

>134 alcottacre: Yeah, I gave it 4 stars on the first read, but would up that to 4.5 this time around. I'm hoping to start the ARC of the new one soon! (And yes, I still pre-ordered it...)

>135 katiekrug: He chose a couple of breakfast items that we're looking forward to trying over the weekend, and the pigs in a blanket were a hit! It's also easy enough that he could probably do it himself with some supervision, so I might be free to make myself something different on another day...

I think he's a very lucky kid to have found a home with you.

>137 RebaRelishesReading: that's very kind of you to say. It's up in the air how long it is for, but I'm happy to have him as long as he needs a safe place to land.

The listening report -

“The B-52s” by the B-52s - I don't remember, honestly, other than I was done with it very quickly so probably didn't like it much. #198 on the list

"London Calling" by the Clash - not exactly my usual style, but enjoyable enough listening as a whole album and one I wouldn't mind my brother putting on during a road trip, for example. There weren't any individual songs I added to my playlist. #16 on the list

"Dirty Mind" by Prince - skipping ahead to 1980 because I didn't have the final 1979 albums from the library yet. Too much synth and sex to be to my taste. #326 on the list

"Entertainment!" by Gang of Four - Meh. I didn't really like this much but I have already forgotten why. #273 on the list

"Cut" by The Slits - No. It was the most musical of the punk albums I've listened to so far, but I didn't like the singer's voice at ALL even when she wasn't screaming. #260 on the list

"Ace of Spades" by Motorhead - Too hard rock and loud for me, rather glad to leave it behind. #408 on the list

Your mention of getting to choose from a cookbook is a lovely idea. It reminded me of my first recipe attempts with the Usborne cookbook which an auntie got me when I was about 10 or 11. I just loved it. Although I'm struggling to remember a savoury dish that I cooked from it, it covered useful general things like separating eggs.

Looking at the sample, I think I did try Welsh rarebit! Funny how some childhood books have such strong memories attached to them.
https://usborne.com/gb/first-cookbook-9781836042402

>139 bell7: "Ace of Spades" is a loud, noxious shouting match with some snarling guitars in the background. Headache music. I will say I liked the B-52s back in the day but can't recall any but the title tune from that album at all.

"London Calling" was a road-trip album for me. I'm not surprised you were lukewarm...it always seemed to me The Clash were a guy thing.

It's fun to come along with you as you explore different eras! Have a pigs-in-blankets kind of a weekend!

>140 charl08: That's a really lovely memory, Charlotte. I can't really remember having a "first" cookbook, but used my mom's Betty Crocker one some and learned some basic meals from her. And Welsh rarebit is something I had to Google, but it looks tasty!

>141 richardderus: That's an apt description of "Ace of Spades" for sure. The title song of "London Calling" was somewhat appealing, but nothing else really jumped out at me. It's fun making my way through the eras (and getting an appreciation for a wide variety of music through the decades). There's much less of the 80s than there was in the 70s, so I should speed along through a couple of years, relatively speaking.

Welsh rarebit was a staple of my childhood. Stouffers used to make a frozen version that my dad would doctor to give it more flavor. It was his go-to to feed us when my mom was away in the evening. I'm not sure I'd like it now, but I mean, cheese and toast is never bad, so maybe 🙂

>143 katiekrug: I mean, still can't go wrong with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup (though... my foster kiddo would disagree, that's one of the school lunches that we pack an alternate for), so I can't imagine I would strongly dislike it.

My dad usually went with burgers, though at a fairly young age I learned to make them and he was off the hook.

45. First-time fostering by Laura the Foster Parent Partner
Why now? I got a DRC from Netgalley and Edelweiss (oops), and of course was highly motivated to read it having been fostering for only about five months - comes out May 12

Happy Friday! School's off for Good Friday today, so though the library's open, I'm taking a vacation day. We had morning plans to go birding with my mother (kiddo got bored before we did and read in the car, but we did see a bald eagle, and I got to add ring-necked ducks to my life list), and we're home for a few hours before going out again for a treat.

Reading: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett and The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

Listening: "Scary monsters" by David Bowie

>140 charl08: & >142 bell7: I don't recall ever having a kids' cookbook, but I remember cooking from my mom's two go-tos: the Betty Crocker Cookbook, and the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook with the plaid cover (her edition was from the 1970s, probably a wedding present). My favorite, though, was Betty Crocker's Cooky Book -- I was determined to make every recipe from that book except the ones with hard-to-find ingredients or requiring specialty tools (we didn't have a cookie press or molds, so I didn't make spritz or springerle).

>145 bell7: I see her videos occasionally on social media, and have always been impressed by her calm demeanor and wide ranging knowledge. If John and I ever decide to get into foster parenting, I'll be sure to look for that book.

>146 bell7: Enjoy Agnes Aubert!

>147 foggidawn: Yes, my mom had both Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens as well! I can picture both, the latter with the plaid and the former a three-ring binder that had the first several pages almost ripped out. I think I purchased versions of these for myself from the library book sale purely for nostalgia's sake.

Should you decide to foster, I hope it's a useful resource for you! And thanks, I'm enjoying Agnes Aubert quite a bit.

Saturday orisons, Mary! I'm happily soaking in the sunshine from my southeast-facing windows. Hope all your plans go well, and your listens are All agreeable. *smooch*

>149 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! It's a gorgeous mid-60s and sunny today, and after I finish some baking for Easter (dessert for one get together and rolls for another), I'm going to get outside and work in the garden and enjoy the warmth. Wishing you a happy weekend as you continue to settle in to the new place. *smooch*

>145 bell7: Nice to have a helpful book even if it would have helped even more earlier. It's wonderful you're doing this.

Enjoy your beautiful day and have a happy Easter.

I still use the old red Betty Crocker cookbook. I have my own copy and I have my mother's bedraggled copy as well. I use this cookbook for basic how-to knowledge. Like the basic upsdie down cake recipe (that one whips up in 20 minutes and is done baking in a hour.) The basic recipes for jams and jellies, and cakes are go-to's. The macaroni and cheese recipes are standards in our house. nothing fancy about that cookbook. It is just basic stuff. But that is good. You don't have to spend lots of time reading ingredients or instructions. For me that alone makes it a go-to.

MOOSEWOOD Cookbooks are great and wonderfully healthy too!

>151 RebaRelishesReading: Well, it didn't exist earlier, so I could hardly fault the author for that! Thanks, Reba, and happy Easter to you too.

>152 benitastrnad: My go-to cookbook is Dinner in One by Melissa Clark, though I find myself branching out more to find meals a kid will enjoy.

>153 m.belljackson: Thanks for the recommendation, Marianne. I'd be hard-pressed to get the kiddo to eat many vegetarian foods, I'm afraid.

46. Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Why now? I really loved the Emily Wilde series, so I put a hold to get her new book as soon as I could

A joyous Easter to you and the kiddo!

>147 foggidawn: >148 bell7: >152 benitastrnad: I still own and use The Betty Crocker Cookbook, too! It was my mon's, but not the one from my childhood - that one had a big burn mark from having been placed on a hot stove burner (yikes). At some point, she replaced it. I agree with Benita that it's great for basics, and for a few specific recipies I use.

>155 bell7: Great review - I've placed on hold on it, but it's going to be a while before I get my hands on a copy. Thanks!

>156 Dejah_Thoris: Classic for a reason, right? Yikes about the burn, though I guess it shows how well-used it was! And thank you, I hope you enjoy the book when you get to it.

Happy Easter to all those celebrating! We're getting ready for a busy day, I'm in toddler nursery today (I'll probably ask my parents to give the kiddo the option to sit in the lobby, since the service will probably be especially long/challenging for him), and then we have get togethers to go to. We're going to a friend's for lunch, then to my parents' for a small Easter egg hunt, dinner, and celebrating my birthday. I've put together an Easter basket for him here at home too (not bad for a first attempt if I do say so myself).

Reading: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Listening: currently a Linkin Park playlist we've put together for the kiddo

Happy Easter, Mary. It sounds like you have a full day, celebrating the holiday with friends and family. Enjoy.

>159 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Hope you and the family had a happy Easter as well.

47. The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
Why now? Because I love the Bartimaeus trilogy and had no idea Stroud had come out with another series in recent years

>161 bell7: How interesting, Mary. I had not known Stroud had written any other series.

Hoping your Sunday was lovely, and your week ahead will be lovely!

>155 bell7: Yes! I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that there was a Howl's Moving Castle connection.

>161 bell7: I have a copy of that one on my TBR shelf, but like so many of my owned TBR books, I never seem to get around to reading it.

>162 richardderus: I've only read a couple of his non-Bartimaeus books, generally find them to be solid reads. It was a busy but good Sunday, and thanks for the week-ahead wishes! Hope you have a lovely week as well *smooch*

>163 foggidawn: I was kinda looking because of your review, but I rather think it was an intentional homage - still very much it's own story, but there were too many connections! I similarly have the first Lockwood & Co book on my bookshelves, but haven't gotten around to reading it either. Library due dates end up with first priority over my own books 9 times out of 10.

Happy Tuesday! I'll be heading out soon to go to work, and am leaving a touch early to get my foster kiddo to an event. Dinner tonight will most likely be something simple, such as frozen pizza or taquitos.

Reading: Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood

Listening: "Scary Monsters" by David Bowie

Watching: most of the final in the March Madness tourney last night - with Michigan winning, I won our family pool (all for bragging rights, no actual prize)

>136 bell7: I preordered it too and cannot wait for it to arrive. I know that Dejah is planning to read it in May for a TIOLI challenge, so we should have a shared read there.

>155 bell7: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Mary!

>161 bell7: I have that one on my stack of library books to read this month. Glad to see you enjoyed it!

I hope you and M have a terrific Tuesday!

48. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Why now? Recommendation by a fellow librarian who knows my reading taste and that I made reading novellas one of my goals for 2026

>166 alcottacre: I'm going to try to read Platform Decay this month before it comes out, but if I don't get to it, I will join you in the shared read. Looking forward to your thoughts on both Agnes Aubert and Scarlett & Browne :)

I also won our trivia team's bracket competition, but there is a prize involved :)

>167 bell7: The others in the series are great too!

>169 katiekrug: Congrats and enjoy your winnings!

>170 drneutron: That's good to hear, Jim. I do want to read the rest, but I think I'll start early in the day at a time I can just read through in practically one sitting.

Happy Thursday! We've had a busy week. My car went into the shop yesterday (apparently when it creaks when you turn the wheel, that's a "get it checked out sooner than later" scenario), and I borrowed someone else's overnight to be able to get where we needed to go. Today should be a little more back to normal with work and school, getting the car back, making dinner tonight and having time to hang out at home.

The kiddo's read all his library books and is chomping at the bit for the next ones I can get, so we may have to throw in a library trip over the weekend in addition to my picking up some holds today. My sister will be up visiting because my cousin is getting married this weekend, so we'll be visiting a lot with my family over the next few days.

Reading: Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood and The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Listening: "Sandinista" by The Clash

Crafting: knitting a hat

>170 drneutron:, >167 bell7: ^^^what he said

Thursday orisons, Mary!

>172 bell7: Just gotta love a kid who is "chomping at the bits" for books!

Hope you and your family have a delightful time this weekend!!

>173 richardderus: I spotted your review from awhile back when I posted mine and was wondering what your thoughts would be on the sequels! Saving it for daylight and a lot of free time, but they're on my radar for sure.

>174 RebaRelishesReading: Right? We had a bit of an "emergency" on Wednesday night when he was out of books to read, but I got him the series of graphic novels (he reads the chapter books, then wants to re-visit the stories in this format) and he'll be alright through today, but we'll probably have to make a weekend run for more.

Happy Friday! I'm outta here soon, I have a short day at work today and a bunch of errands to run before my cousin's wedding. Should be a fun day!

Reading/Listening/Crafting: all the same as >172 bell7:.

>178 MickyFine: Enjoy yourself!

Have a grand time with all your family gatherings!

How was the wedding?

>177 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah!

>178 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>179 The_Hibernator: It was fun! I left on the early side to pick up the kiddo when I said I would, but we had a good time catching up with folks we only see occasionally as well as my siblings that I see more regularly.

Whew! It's been a busy weekend spending a lot of time with family. My cousin's wedding was Friday, and you could tell she and her husband really put themselves into the celebration. I picked up the kiddo in time to see the astronauts come out of Orion after the Artemis II mission and then we went home to bed late. Saturday was some chores and then heading out to visit with my sister. Sunday was church, baking at home (kiddo went outside or read), and then going to my brother and SIL's for a family dinner with everyone. My niece R. warmed up after a bit and was really funny with everyone. She's at the age where language just explodes and she went suddenly from one word or two here and there is a complete sentence to really talking in complete sentences. ("(Kiddo's name) and (her name) play outside!") She really looks up to the kiddo, and it's cute to see.

The kiddo's come down with a cold, but he told me this morning he wants to go to school so we'll see how the day unfolds. It's scheduled to be another busy one. Today is my short day at work, the kiddo wanted to go to school today despite his cold (I told him if he needed to, go to the nurse and call me to pick him up early), and he has plans after school if he's feeling up to it all. I'm hoping to meet up briefly with my sister after work before she heads home herself.

Reading: Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood and The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower

Listening: currently the kiddo's playlist while he gets ready, but I'll go back to "Sandinista" by The Clash today

Crafting: slowly working away on the knitted hat

Happy Monday, Mary. It sounds like you had a fun and active weekend with the kiddo. I hope his cold is a brief one. 🙏

>181 bell7: Super busy as usual Mary! Glad to hear your charge is getting so much out of the library, too.

I'm glad to hear the wedding was a good time and crossing my fingers the kiddo doesn't share his cold with you. :)

U.G.H. on the cold, hoping it lets go very soon. Don't you get it too! *smooch*

Sounds like a busy, fun life!! Hope Kiddo recovers quickly and that you avoid coming down with the cold yourself.

Have a good one!!

>182 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Here's hoping.

>183 charl08: Oh yeah - he told a library worker over the weekend that he "loves all libraries" which made my heart happy.

>184 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky, I'm hoping so too!

>185 richardderus: Indeed, thanks and hoping with you that he gets over it soon and I escape unscathed.

>186 RebaRelishesReading: Things have been busy enough I'm ready for a planned day off or two! And thanks, I very much hope so too.

49. The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
Why now? Book club book to be discussed on Wednesday

50. Aya: Claws Come Out by Marguerite Abouet illustrated by Clement Oubrerie
Why now? I started the graphic novel series about Aya and her friends, family, and neighbors last year and have enjoyed reading through it, and decided it was time to catch up on the series.

The artist recently died, and it will make me sad if the series continues and the art changes. I have one more book to read before I'm all caught up, though.

Happy Wednesday! We've been our regular busy selves around here. The kiddo's off on a school trip for a bit. Yesterday I had a foster parent support group after work and, simply proving I've reached peak adulthood, I went home and went straight to bed! I met a friend to walk this morning, and we met up with a third woman to get drinks and lunch (in my case). I'm working today 'til 8 and have book discussion of The Seed Keeper tonight. Not a lot of copies of the book were checked out, but I'm crossing my fingers that we get more than the last two months, which was me and one other guy.

Reading: Platform Decay by Martha Wells, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower, and Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood

Listening: just finished up "Closer" by Joy Division and "Los Angeles" by X, will start a new one tonight on my way home

Crafting: finished the hat & gloves set and started on a wrap

There is a new Victoria Goddard short story available. In Lonely Lands.

>191 quondame: Thank you for the heads up, Susan! I'll definitely be checking it out

The listening report -

"Scary monsters" by David Bowie - I rather admire an artist who will do new and different things with each album, and Bowie certainly does that, though I will never actually enjoy his albums. Not as interesting as "Low" or as bland as "Station to Station", but kind of interestingly in-between. #443 on the list

"Sandinista!" by The Clash - There were some interesting musical moments in some of the songs, and I enjoyed the use of strings especially. But there was no one song I really liked from beginning to end, and a triple album was entirely too long. "London Calling" was a stronger album. #323 on the list

"Closer" by Joy Division - A little too loud and clanging and on the weird side for me. I listened to their albums out of order, I still have "Unknown Pleasures" on the list. This one came out after the lead singer's suicide, and was both popular and critically acclaimed. #309 on the list

"Los Angeles" by X - Another punk album! And another one not to my taste, to the surprise of no one. #320 on the list

So far 1980 is a lot of synth and a lot of punk. I have "The Pretenders" in now and will give myself a break by listening to Diana Ross next, I think.

I hope your kiddo is completely recovered!

>189 bell7: Like you, I need to get back to this series.

>190 bell7: I'm jealous you've got Platform Decay, but I keep reminding myself that it's only three more weeks and I have plenty of things to read in the meantime.....

And I think I like punk far more than you do, lol!

I'm finally catching up with you Mary.

It sounds like the fostering is going well (touch wood); good for you. It sounds like you and your kiddo manage to do a lot of activities, both together and apart, and he's willing to give everything a go, at least. I'm so glad he's into reading and libraries.

On food (I forget how old he is) my go to meals would be things like spaghetti bolognese, chilli con carne, shepherd's pie ... but my eldest told me, very early on, that he doesn't like minced meat (except as burgers, which he loves). My younger son is more adventurous and loves Mexican, eats sushi, tried Korean food with his friends but, of course, what one boy loves the other won't eat.

My husband got me Deceptively delicious : simple secrets to get your kids eating good food by Jessica Seinfeld years ago. I've never tried any recipes but the concept is to blend veggies down and then add them to food that way - so you get the goodness without realising you're eating them.

Have you tried things like chicken Kyiv? We love the garlicky butter inside. Kewpie sauce is yummy on salads (eg cherry tomatoes & (soft) kale).

Pasta is easy (though you're obviously a better cook than me) - we used to use a Jamie Oliver TV show inspired recipe; roughly large-chop and squash some cherry tomatoes, mix with herbs & olive oil and then toss in the freshly cooked pasta. Even my kids made it - until they got 'health conscious' and decided it was too calorie laden (compared to their fast food substitutes 🤷‍♀️) or something. And if you choose stuffed pastas (tortellini etc) you can sneak in more ingredients like veggies.

Have you tried hummus with him? My youngest loves it; yummy with hot pita bread.

>194 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah! He was sounding better when he headed out to the school field trip, so I'm hopeful he's doing well out there and I'll know for sure at the end of the week when he returns.

>195 humouress: Hi, Nina! Thanks for catching up :) He doesn't like pasta or tomatoes, but I may be able to try chicken Kyiv. He does like hummus (he'll use it as a wrap with deli ham and cheese), and I haven't bought it in awhile so perhaps I could add that to the next grocery list. And thanks for the recommended book - his previous foster mom had told me that she could get some veggies in when they were chopped small, so that may give me some more options as well. My library has it, so I can get it at work today.

Happy Thursday! I've been getting home too late to have the energy to do anything other than get ready for bed, but today is just a 9-5. I'm planning on making stuffed mushrooms and watching a movie. The kiddo returns tomorrow from his school trip, and I'm starting to think about what we might do on Saturday.

Reading: Platform Decay by Martha Wells, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower, and Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood. I'm also starting The Bone Harp today with Stasia

Listening: "The Pretenders" by the Pretenders

Crafting: knitted wrap

>193 bell7: ♫ scary monsters/super creeps♫

I will never not enjoy the amazing artistry of Bowie though, like you, I'm not a superfan (anymore) and looking back 1980 wasn't music's high point. Joy Division was deeply depressing. New Order was, too. Sandinista! was my introduction to the concept of "artistic self-indulgence." Diana Ross is a lot more widely palatable, and bound to be a relief from these very, very late-adolescent male acts.

Thursday orisons!

>198 richardderus: looking back 1980 wasn't music's high point
No, it was not. There are 11 albums on the list from 1980, but by and large the 80s is not a decade highly represented on the list at all, with several years having only 5-6 albums compared to the 70s when 15 or more was much more the norm.

Not that the list as a whole is widely representative of *my* taste, either, but I do find it interesting.

>198 richardderus: >199 bell7:
I shall take advantage of this double post to expand on what I meant. Though the list itself is not necessarily representative of my personal taste (what list or award-winner or anything else that's chosen by committee is?), it's interesting to me that the group as a whole making the Rolling Stones list did not have a lot of albums from the 80s to recommend.

Happy Friday!

Kiddo's returning today, and I'm leaving work a little early to get him at drop off. Hoping it was a good experience overall, though I'm sure he'll be pretty tired as well. Kimchi fried rice for dinner, I think.

I did finally get to make mushrooms yesterday, and watched a movie. I have enjoyed staying in bed a little after the alarm went off and knowing that I wouldn't be making us late to anywhere by taking a few extra minutes. But I'm also looking forward to the talking and activity that comes with having a kiddo in the house again.

Reading: Platform Decay by Martha Wells, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower and The Bone Harp by Victoria Goddard

Listening: "The Pretenders" by the Pretenders

Watching: CODA (with Marlee Matlin) last night, which was really good

Crafting: knitting a wrap

>188 bell7: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

I hope you have a fantastic Friday, Mary!

>201 bell7: It's been unusually warm here in the Bronx, so the knitting of a wrap really points up your preparedness...no immediate need for it but the need will come. I just chucked my fleece wrap in the laundry to prepare it for its estivational sleep.

Friday *smooch*

>202 alcottacre: Oh excellent, hope you get to it soon, Stasia!

>203 richardderus: Yeah, the last few days have been particularly warm here as well, before we head into more seasonal temps next week. I don't particularly use wraps myself, but I like having a surplus of knitted items to use as gifts or giveaways as the need arises. And I need the variety of color and projects to keep me interested in what I'm making. (The main reason I refuse to monetize this hobby is because I want to make whatever I feel like making. I would start to resent it if I had to make what sells.)

>204 bell7: I totally understand that. I write the reviews I want to write, though I'm now applying more discipline to the process so as to keep the ones I *do* write more about current titles. I write notes that sometimes don't turn into reviews for years so I'm not likely to lack a title to suit my mood, yet can be a better literary netizen this way.

>205 richardderus: Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me, too. I review as I read, as you know, but what I read is very mood-driven. And since I'm a librarian, I can pay attention even less to pub dates because backlist titles can be perennially recommended to my patrons while they wait for the latest and greatest.

51. Raising Securely Attached Kids by Eli Harwood
Why now? Trying to brush up on my parenting skills, particularly focused on attachment - this one focused less on foster care than would be hugely helpful for me, but I suspect that some of what I read will seep out and be more useful than I know.

Glad you're finding the book useful...and I think your foster child (over time children) are very lucky to have you.

>193 bell7: So far 1980 is a lot of synth and a lot of punk

Yep, that’s what i remember…

>208 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! I'm attempting to educate myself on attachment, so you'll see some other similar books coming up over the next several months.

>209 drneutron: Neither is really my thing, so we'll see what I make of the music from the next few years of the list haha. I am enjoying Diana Ross, though.

Happy Sunday! It was a full weekend, and I am tired. Good thing tomorrow is a holiday (in the state of Massachusetts), and I can recover from it haha. The kiddo will be at a day camp during school vacation week.

Reading: The Bone Harp by Victoria Goddard, Platform Decay by Martha Wells, and The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 8 by Beth Brower

Listening: "Diana" by Diana Ross

Crafting: making good progress on the knit wrap