RebaRelisheReading again in 2026 - part 2

January
1. The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick***1/2
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen*****
3. Clear by Carys Davies *****
4. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw**
5. An Enemy in the Village by Martin Walker****
6. A Simple Story by Elizabeth Inchbald*****
7. The Paris Bookseller by Keri Maher****
8. Evensong by Stewart O'Nan*****
9. Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler**1/2
10. Memories of a Cottage by the Sea by Rebecca Alexander***
11. Belinda by Maria Edgeworth *****
12. True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop by Anne Darling**

February
13. Last Days of Cafe Leila by Donia Bijan*****
14. my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry by Fredrik Backman***** (reread)
15. The Old Manor House by Charlotte Smith****
16. The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox DNF**
17. Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome***1/2 (audio)

March
18. Call the Nurse by Mary J. McLeod (audio) ****
19. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi*****
20. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell*** (audio)
21. Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (audio) ****
22. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry (audio) *****
23. The Worlds of Jane Austen by Helena Kelly ****
24. Nurse, Come You Here by Mary J. MacLeod***(audio)
25. Emmeline. The Orphan of the Castle by Charlotte Smith ****

April
26. Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley ****
27. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen **** (reread)
28. Cecilia by Frances Burney ****

I forgot to post an introduction in my haste to get my first 2026 thread up before we left on our trip so I'll try to make up for that now.

I'm a retired city planner married to a retired Geography professor. Between us we have three adult children. My son, who has given us two lovely grandchildren, and Hubby's two daughters, one of whom has added a second grandson. My granddaughter is in graduate school working on a master's in child psychology/counseling. My grandson is in college preparing for nursing school. Hubby's grandson is 7.

We love to travel and have been fortunate to see much of the world. I've lived in California (where I was born and have spent the most time), Arizona, Connecticut, the Netherlands , England and Ireland. Five years ago we moved to Vancouver, Washington to be near family here and for a somewhat less intense life than we had in San Diego (where we had lived for 30+ years).

I read mostly fiction but sometimes branch out into biography or history. In honor of Jane Austen's 250th birthday I am trying to read many of the books about her and books she is known to have read -- my "Austen project"

I joined LT 19 years ago to catalog our books. One main goal was to prevent me buying Hubby a book present that he already had :). I soon found the 75'ers and this lovely group has been an important part of my day since.

.
Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (audio) ****

Julia is a well known and respected child psychiatrist but one case becomes a media sensation after it goes badly. Her reputation is tarnished and she is under attack. She seeks refuge in her childhood home, a small town in rural Washington. As she is recovering and considering her future a little girl is found alone in a park. She doesn't speak and is clearly traumatized and wild. Julia's sister, the town Chief of Police, convinces her to try to help the little girl. Who is the girl? What has happened to her? Will Julia be able to help her?

I won't try to comment on the literary merit of this book but the story grabbed me and held me right to the end.

Happy new thread, Reba!

Happy New 🧵, Reba!

Happy new thread, Reba.

>3 RebaRelishesReading: A good story, that grabs you to the end, sounds good!

Happy new thread, Reba. I'm glad you enjoyed Magic Hour. My book club will be reading a different book by Kristin Hannah next month, The Women.

Thank you Susan, Deborah, Ella and Irene.

I read The Women a while back and really liked it too. I appreciated that she showed the real role that women played in the VietNam war but also it was fun for me because so much of it was set in San Diego in places I knew well from my 30+ years there.

I just checked my library and found I've read 7 of her books (surprised me somewhat that it was that many) and ranked them all highly.

And, indeed Ella, Magic Hour held me all the way through.

Happy new thread, Reba.

Thanks, Beth :)

Happy Thread, Reba. And I'm glad your TV connection is complete! That would have annoyed me so much.

We have our own small victory, in that we got a new cable remote and finally were able to sync the remote to the TV as well as the cable. Made things easier. I know we should have asked for help before this, but we are stubborn folks, and sometimes think we can figure out everything on our own.

Happy new thread, Reba. I'm hoping my TV lasts for a long long time after reading about your challenges with the new one!

Happy new one, Reba!

Hi Judy, Meg and Jim! Thanks for visiting.

TV report -- a delightful, patient, kind young man came from the cable company this morning (did I mention that we had a 9:00 a.m. Sunday appointment?!!! ever heard of such a thing?) to hook us up and spent a lot of time helping me try to learn to use the remote and to move between cable and streaming services. I took some notes and he left his card and asked me to call him if I have trouble -- we're now connected to the world!! (if I can remember how to do it 😧)

Trying out the new image feature -- if it works you will be seeing a photo of my early camilla doing its thing outside my kitchen window

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/17/27/17274193-x-h50-w50-pv25_654647...

Yes, that was a lot easier than it used to be

>15 RebaRelishesReading: quite cheerful!

Happy new thread

I didn't have problems with the TV (other than the feuding mega-companies that want to limit access) but I spent over and hour today uninstalling and then reinstalling my printer. I checked several times to make sure I had written down the correct PIN for the machine, but the software kept telling that the number I was using was invalid. I finally used the serial number and that worked. Why printe a PIN on the machine, label it as such, and then tell the user that something labeled PIN is invalid? It was aggrevating, but I evenutally accomplaished it.

Oh I also had to reset the router for the wi-fi in the house. Who knew that connecting a printer would take so long? All because the electricity went out a couple of weeks ago. Goes to show how much I really need a printer doesn't it. But when you need it you need it.

>17 benitastrnad: OMG that sounds so frustrating!!!

Meanwhile we're doing quite well with our new TV set-up. Lots of new choices although we don't get closed captions on shows we stream and Hubby can't hear well enough to follow them very well. Otherwise, all is well in TV/streaming land :)

>18 RebaRelishesReading: Without close captioning I would be lost when we watch anything Irish!

>18 RebaRelishesReading: I'd call your tech guy again about that, Reba. We toggle captions on/off on our streaming services so I'd be surprised if it wasn't an option for you.

I was going to say exaclty what Laura (>20 lauralkeet: did). All of our streaming services offer CC, but it's accessed differently depending on which service we are watching when we want to turn it on or off. You can Google instructions. For instance, I just Googled "how to use closed captioning on Peacock" and got the step by step instructions.

19, I hear you Rhonda. I need them when we watch things with a strong accent.

20, 21. Hmmmm. I found a place where I could select on or off for closed captioning but when I selected one it only worked on instructions coming from the service but not on the shows themselves. I will call tech service and ask. Thank you!!!

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry (audio) *****

Lilla had a rather unhappy childhood in small town Georgia but long ago found happiness on an island in Maine. Her beloved husband has died but Maine still feels like home. Then, one early rainy morning, her mother, Geneva, is found dead in the far back of the garden of the family home, in her night gown holding a large spoon. Lilla and her brother fly home to help their sister, who still lives in town, with all of the arrangements that must be made but then long-held secrets begin to be revealed.

This book is beautifully written and contains a great deal of wisdom. (I kept running across things that I thought should be cross-stitched on a pillow or hung on a wall). Engaging and delightful.

The Worlds of Jane Austen by Jelena Kelly ****

Subtitled "The Influences & Inspiration Behind the novels" and that explains it quite well. I've read this book in "gulps" over the past few months as part of my "Austen Project" and it has provided a lot of interesting information to add to my enjoyment of Austen's books.

Happy new thread, Reba. xx

Happy new thread!

Thank you Paul and Jennifer :)

Expecting visit from younger daughter and her son ("little grandson" -- he's 7 as opposed to "big grandson who is 21"). No other plans for today so may get some reading done in the late afternoon. I'm listening to audio of Nurse, Come You Here, the sequel to Call The Nurse. It's great company for knitting, driving, exercising, etc. (if I get back to it today it will be company for knitting).

New-thread orisons, Reba!

Thanks, Richard -- and thanks for stopping by :)

Nurse, Come You Here by Mary J. MacLeod** (audio)

Although billed as a continuation of The Country Nurse Series, this book is only half about the author's life on a Hebrides island before it switches to her years living in California and Nevada, not working but following her husband's career in the computer industry. The anecdotes about life in Scotland in the first part of the story were amusing but rather redundant with those in the first book. The stories of life in Nevada and California would probably be more interesting to an English reader than they were to this Californian (and some of them were not very accurate).

I was disappointed.

Time to dip into my stack of Austen related books again. I've decided to go with Emmeline by Charlotte Smith...no real reason why it's next I'm afraid...maybe just because the cover appeals to me.

https://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/17/29/17297083-x-h50-w50-pv25_654c76...

>31 RebaRelishesReading: I hope you enjoy Emmeline, Reba.

>32 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah! I expect to :)

>31 RebaRelishesReading: Ooh, I'm really interested to hear more about that one, Reba. I really enjoyed The Old Manor House and I don't have this one (yet lol).

Next up for me will be Belinda, which I believe you praised highly. I hope to get to it in early April.

HI Reba. Happy new thread!

>14 RebaRelishesReading: Yay for getting connected to the world. 😊

>17 benitastrnad: I’ve had to reinstall my Brother printer several times over the years due to power failures and new PCs. Brother's Customer Service is wonderful, and I finally wrote down all the steps to make computer and printer talk to one another again.

I admire your commitment to your Austen Project :)

>35 karenmarie: Good to know about the Brother customer service. I think we are headed for a new printer, and we can include the Brother line in our evaluation.

>34 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! I didn't have much time to read yesterday so I'm only on page 18 but so far I think I'm going to like it! :)

>35 karenmarie: Thank you Karen>. It's nice to be comfortable with the beast in the corner :)

>36 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I'm really enjoying it. I've liked all but one of the books a lot and it's kind of fun to have a "project".

>37 ffortsa:. Hope your search goes well, Judy and nice to see you.

On a related (Austen) note, I saw the short film, "Jane Austen's Period Drama" today. It was short (15 minutes?) and silly but somehow also managed to capture much of that Austen "essence."

"England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, the dashing Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his very expensive education has most certainly missed a spot."

I think it's on YouTube.

>39 katiekrug: OK I'm literally laughing out loud (well, chuckling anyway) from that. Was that short one of those nominated for an Oscar?

>39 katiekrug: OMG! The stuff of my teenage nightmares!

Hi Reba, how's your husband doing? I caught up on your last thread and this one. I'm hoping no news is good news?

>42 AMQS: Thanks for asking Anne. The cardio-vascular surgeons have decided the answer is to do a procedure to clog up the capillaries that they think are leaking into the aneurism sack (scheduled for next month when the one and only person who can do that procedure is available). I trust these two brilliant young women to give us straight, good advice so am optimistic this will work. (sorry, probably much more than you wanted to know -- )

As she mentioned at her thread, I had lunch with SuziQOregon yesterday. We only live a couple of miles apart and should do this much more often. It was ever so nice to catch up.

>43 RebaRelishesReading: That sounds innovative, Reba. Hope it's the magic bullet.

Looks like your Austen related reading is still going down well.

>43 RebaRelishesReading: Oh ... I missed this post the other day. It's amazing what's possible these days. I hope this does the trick.

Thanks for the good wishes, Meg :). And, yes, I'm still enjoying the Austen-related reading.

And, yes, Laura I'm amazed at what they come up with/are capable of sometimes.

>43 RebaRelishesReading: Best wishes to you and your husband for the procedure,Reba. I'm glad you enjoyed your lunch with Suzi Q.

Thank you Laura and Deborah. All good wishes sincerely appreciated.

On the reading front I've finished Volume II of Emmaline. What a soap opera!! I'm planning to start Jane Austen At Home tomorrow but I would like to finish Emmaline first so we'll see.

No King's protests today. I made myself a red hat to wear but failed to make any plans to meet up with friends and don't really want to go alone so I may fink out :(

I enjoyed Emmeline although by the final book, I was ready for some resolution.

How nice you got to meet up with Juli. LTers are the best.

Indeed, Beth. LTers are the best and I'm blessed that there are quite a few in the Portland area. As far as I now, Juli is the only other '75er in Vancouver (WA). There's talk of another Portland/Vancouver meet-up before long though which would be nice...it's been quite a while.

I am enjoying Emmeline. I'm now on page 253 and there's still a lot to be resolved ("issues" seem to increase as we go along rather than getting resolved although I trust they will resolve by the end)

Happy (relatively) new thread, Reba!

>50 RebaRelishesReading: I hope you went anyway! I went alone and met some lovely people there. I posted some pics over on my thread of the event.

>53 Storeetllr: I'm afraid I chickened out and stayed home. Next time I'm going to look for friends to join because quite a few people I know went to this one. Of course, without pre-arranging a meeting place I would never have found them (actually we had at least two demonstrations in Vancouver plus what ever was going on in Portland).

----------------

Now about 150 pages from end of Emmeline -- "issues" set to grow rather than getting resolved but hopefully that will turn around soon.

>54 RebaRelishesReading: How many pages are there in total, Reba?

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

>55 lauralkeet: Hi Laura -- just back from a wonderful lunch with a delightful friend -- I'm smiling all over :) -- but that isn't really what you wanted to know...

My edition of Emmeline has 453 pages - I'm starting Volume IV Chapter II

The raised beds are 3' x 13'

Loved your item about how well Chris knows Gordon Lightfoot :)

>57 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba! Funny thing, I was texting with my brother last night about the book because I thought he would enjoy reading it. His first messages back to me were two lines from the song:
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy

Fellas, it’s been good to know ya

What is it with these guys?! LOL

Anyway, about your garden bed. You mentioned grape tomatoes and I added peppers. Each of these should be spaced about 18-24" apart. Herbs like basil, thyme, etc. would be spaced about 12" apart. If you planted more than one tomato and/or pepper plant and a few herbs, the bed will fill up easily. You could also just start with one each this year to see how it goes. Or you could add something else, like lettuce or spinach or even flowers. I googled "tomato and pepper companion plants" and see that Marigolds & Nasturtium can draw pests away from the other plants. I'm interested to see what you decide to do!

>57 RebaRelishesReading:, >58 lauralkeet: I had a good friend in college who was obsessed with Gordon Lightfoot, and I think I saw him in concert four times with her! So, I also am quite familiar with the song. :)

>58 lauralkeet: Thank you for your advice. I was thinking about the beds this morning and wondered about a little lettuce. Hubby loves butter lettuce which doesn't last well in the fridge so might be nice to have some growing. Marigold or Nasturtium to draw off pests sounds good too. I'm not much of a cook (gets worse as we go) and don't use many herbs so I think I'll pass on those. So maybe a pepper, a tomato, a couple of butter lettuce and a Marigold or Nasturtium...
Now to get the strawberry plants pulled and visit the garden center... Thanks for your expert advice :)

How about some carrots?

Off to get some tax prep help at noon. Otherwise hope to finish up Emmeline. We'll see what else the day brings.

My grandfather was a big gardener and he always said to plant marigolds next to your tomatoes. When I was growing up we had a big garden and we planted a row of marigolds and then a row of tomatoes. I read somewhere that pests don't like the marigolds, but they smell like tomatoes, so pests gravitate to them and so the marigolds are protecting the tomatoes. I like the idea and the tomatoes, but I also like the bright yellow, orange, and gold marigolds in a garden. Marigolds are also easy to grow, so I would say, add their bright cheery flowers to your garden. They just make people happy.

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Carrots! Great idea for using some of that leftover space.

>3 RebaRelishesReading: you know, I still haven't read this author! I really must get on to that :)

>62 benitastrnad: Nice to have more support for the idea. Sounds great to me. I'm busy with taxes and some other "secretarial" duties right now but I should be finished with that tomorrow or Thursday and I think weather is supposed to be fairly dry starting about then so my current plan is to work on the raised beds Friday and Saturday. I'll post a photo when I finish.

>63 lauralkeet: 🙂

>64 LovingLit: Give her a try. The books of hers that I have read were good feet-up in the easy chair reads.

Emmeline. The Orphan of the Castle by Charlotte Smith ****

Emmeline is born to the eldest son of the elite Mowbray family. Her parents, who aren't married, die while she is an infant and she is raised in the home of her father's younger brother (his heir) and his wife, who despises her. As a teenager her cousin falls in love with her and she with him but they are kept apart by his mother who dislikes her. During the next few years she is sent to live with genteel, but poor, ladies to keep her away from the cousin and she receives only a small allowance from the uncle who is her guardian. Complicated family relationships, problems of friends, lack of money, etc. provide a somewhat soap opera like nature to the story but the characters are interesting, the experiences gripping and Emmeline is so lovely that it's a fun read.

>68 RebaRelishesReading: This looks like a fun one, Reba. I'll see if I can get my hands on a copy.

>69 lauralkeet: Mornin' Laura.

Emmeline was fun and engaging. Hope you find a copy.

Probably not going to read Emmeline. I had enough trouble getting through the novella The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. It too was about an orphaned young woman raised by hateful relatives and cheated out of her inheritance, but, soap opera-ish or not, they are short enough that I won't get too tired of them and so will continue with the series.

>71 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! Actually, Emmeline was really only treated badly by her aunt and (somewhat) the older daughter of that aunt. Emmeline is a paragon of virtue and many friends and family members see that. It's a hefty novel (400+ pages) but I enjoyed it.

Re: marigolds for pest control.
Only French marigolds work for pest control in the garden, something I've learned the hard way after sowing all kinds of pretty varieties that did diddly-squat to keep my tomatoes and peppers and radish and carrots from being chewed up. Look for a variety like Dwarf Bolero.

>73 mstrust: Thank you Jennifer. I plan to go to the garden center so that piece of advice is just in time :)

>73 mstrust: French marigolds are my favorite kind of marigold! So delicate looking but really strong against pests!

>74 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, what fun! My favorite kind of shopping. Enjoy your trip to the garden center!

>75 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. I've lived in condos most of my adult life so I really have no idea what I'm doing in the garden. It's never going to be a big passion of mine but I do enjoy the results and, so, am willing to do some (but not TOO much) of the work it takes. Hubby, on the other hand, hates even the thought of working in the garden (and really isn't physically able to do it any more). We have a "gardener" (mostly a lawn service) who does a little of the work (prunes the two rose bushes every winter for example). Previous owners put down weed barrier in the flower beds so there's very little weeding to do (thank goodness).

So I really appreciate all of the advice from my LT pals.

>76 RebaRelishesReading: Your gardening plan sounds perfect, especially if you aren't passionate about it.

I used to love gardening. Still do, though I can't do the in-ground gardening that requires bending down/kneeling/squatting anymore. I plant in pots and a "garden tower" only, and I'm not going to be growing anything except herbs and flowers this year because of our deer/groundhog/rabbit problem. Last year, they ate everything we planted - kale, lettuce, carrots, beet greens, radishes, watermelon plants, tomatoes (!). I put chicken wire fencing around and on top of the raised bed garden my daughter started, and a net over the garden tower. Didn't matter. Critters got into everything like no barriers were there. The only crop that wasn't destroyed were the flowers and herbs on the back deck and the green beans in the raised bed. Told my daughter I'm not wasting the time and money to try and grow actual food until we put a fence up to keep out the deer at least. She wants a wooden fence but we can't afford that. At this point, chain link sounds fine to me, or I won't be participating. *shrug*

I had both of my knees replaced several years ago so I don't do kneeling or squatting. I can bend enough to work in the raised beds though. However, you reminded me that there is at least one wild rabbit in the neighborhood...hope he/she/they leaves some of the plants for us :(.

I am not much of a gardener, Mrs. Banjo does it here, but I think that as we get older we are going to need a different plan.

>73 mstrust:
I didn't know there were any other kind of marigold. I am talking about the old fashioned red, orange, and yellow marigolds that have been around since 1900 when my grandfather started gardening. Are those french marigolds?

>79 banjo123: Hi Rhonda. Neither of us does much gardening but I like the idea of having fresh salad components at hand so I think I'll see how it goes.

>80 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. I just about know what a marigold is but have no idea about types so I've taken good notes to take with me to the garden center

This is the type of marigolds I like.

(Image from https://ownyardlife.com/35-types-of-marigolds-marigold-varieties-with-pictures/)

>80 benitastrnad: Overall, if it has stripes or edges of multicolor, it's likely a French, like in the photo of >82 Storeetllr:. Just my observation that the majority of the big, puffy solid colored marigolds tend to be African, which aren't very good for pest control but are very pretty. There is a big French that looks like an African, it's called Safari.
I began growing a French variety called Brocade a few years ago, just happened upon it, and that was excellent for pest control. Then, not knowing that there was a difference when it came to pest control, I started sowing all kinds of marigolds and wondered why they didn't work.

Dave and I have lived in a townhouse for the past 25 years and we have little area to garden, which honestly is fine by me. We get a couple of hanging baskets and some potted plants and that is enough for us.

>84 vancouverdeb: We don't have a lot to do here either, Deborah. The front, back, and gardens were planted with mature plants we like and we have someone who does the lawn. The west side along the house was just full of weeds when we came so we got rid of those and put the raised beds in. For two years we had lovely strawberries there but last year was minimal and this year they are done so I'm going to see what it's like to have a little veg plot there. May only last one year...we'll see.

So-o-o, first thing this morning I gathered up tools and bags and dug out the strawberry plants. Man do those things make a lot of roots -- not big individual ones but massive clumps of tiny ones. I think I did a pretty good job of getting them though and I'm quite sore tonight to remind me it's done. :)

Good job, Reba!
BTW I'm now reading Belinda. Lady Delacour is a hoot.

>87 lauralkeet: I have three of Burney's books waiting to be read (they're the last of the books I bought for my "Austen Project"). Lucy Worsley says Burney was Austen's favorite author . Cecilia and Camilla are frighteningly thick but, still, I think I will move to Cecilia next (after I finish Worsley so in a day or two)

As to the raised beds. I think I'm going to wait a week (maybe two) before getting the new plants/seeds to see whether there are any remaining strawberry plants wanting to come back up. (not to mention to let my sore muscles recover a bit 😥)

I was coming over to see if you had posted your thoughts on Jane Austen at Home yet. I will check back later!

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!

>89 alcottacre: I'm in the process right now :)

https://www.librarything.com/work/19067064/306628236
Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley****

I enjoy Lucy Worsley's television presentations and was delighted to find that this book about one of my favorite authors was just as informative and just as pleasant to read as Dr. Worsley's TV shows.

This was a joint read with Stasia (Alcottacre) and our comments back and forth added to my pleasure in reading the book. (see Alcottacre's comments today too)

So...now I'm torn. I really want to read Austen's books again, this time in order of completion BUT I also want to read some of Burney's books, especially Austen's "favorite" Cecilia, but that one is 941 pages of fairly small type!! What to do? What to do?

>91 RebaRelishesReading: I literally just posted my thoughts on the book too. I am very glad that we read this one together!

>91 RebaRelishesReading: I completely understand your reluctance to dive into Cecilia, Reba. I have Burney's Camilla on my shelf of Austen influences, and it's intimidating. But I think you enjoyed it, right?

As for Cecilia, I read it in 2015 (!!) At that point I'd read Austen but not many other authors from that period. It was part of a group read, led by LTer @lyzard, who did an excellent job of guiding us through it, with clear indication of which chapter is being discussed. It would be easy to follow along on this thread as you read: https://www.librarything.com/topic/202236

For what it's worth, I took my time reading Cecilia. It took more than a month so I probably read other books concurrently or something. But when it was all said and done, I wrote: The book is quite long, with many winding subplots and some over-the-top drama, but it is fairly easy reading and an interesting portrait of women at this time in history.

Well, we're used to that by now aren't we?!

>91 RebaRelishesReading: I tried to tackle Fanny Burney's novels twice, foundering both times on the shoals of prolixity. Maybe a Gutenberg download of Cecilia will succeed now I'm old...?

Lucy Worsley's latest on PBS is the American Revolution from the British perspective, which I've seen half of and quite enjoyed. Hoping for a good result on the capillary-blocking procedure.

>91 RebaRelishesReading: What a great problem!

>93 lauralkeet: Nope, Laura, I have not read Camilla. I have three Burney's stacked next to my desk, waiting to be read :Camilla, Cecilia and Evelina (which also is "only" 400 pages). I do want to read them, however, I also want to reread all of Austen's books in chronological order. So, this morning, I talked myself in to starting with Sense and Sensibility and then reading Cecillia (since according to Dr. Worsley the general plot line and title for it comes from Cecillia), and then moving on down the line.

>94 richardderus: Hi Richard. Maybe you should start with Evelina since it's roughly half as long as Cecillia or Camilla :)

>95 BLBera: Yep, life's tough... :)

>97 RebaRelishesReading: Excellent plan, I shall implement it here directly.

>96 RebaRelishesReading: that sounds like a great plan, Reba. I'm going to keep glancing at Camilla on my shelf and moving swiftly along ha ha.

>99 richardderus: Great. I'm looking forward to seeing what you think. I'm going to do Camilla first because (see >96 RebaRelishesReading:) but I do plan to read them ... before the year is out I hope.

How is your gardening coming along, Reba? I enjoy the Lucy Worsley programs too. I watched her latest program about the misunderstandings and bungling that led to the American Revolution. It was good and I hope to catch the next part of the presentation this coming week.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: They sound like stories that've inspired the generations, the models of lots of gothic stories we all know better than hers (sadly).

>102 Familyhistorian: I haven't been back out to the garden, Meg, been too busy plus I want to see if anything pokes its head out before moving on to replanting. I know there are some strawberries that have escaped out the bottom of the raised beds and into the pathway plus some raspberries that I can't seem to get rid of on the other side of the path. I'm planning to spray those with weed killer today. Then in a week or so I'll see what the garden center has for sale and start the next phase.

We enjoyed Worsley's American Revolution too.

>103 richardderus:. I'm afraid Austen is much more well known than the authors she took inspiration from.

As to my plan for the next phase....I've been falling somewhat behind on baby sweater production so I decided to listen to Sense and Sensibility so I can knit and "read" at the same time. I finished volume 1 that way yesterday. Hope to get back to it this afternoon.

I really enjoyed Jane Austen at Home , Reba and it got me to read Northanger Abbey, which I really enjoyed. I had read most of her other books back in my twenties. Good luck with the sweater production, Reba.

Hubby and I went to the symphony this afternoon. Concert was wonderful as always but a bonus today was that during intermission I chatted with the lady sitting next to me and it turned out she's a retired literature teacher. I mentioned LT to her and she sounded interested. Sure hope she stops by and, maybe, even decides to join us.

>106 vancouverdeb: Glad you read Northanger Abbey and enjoyed it, Deborah!! I'm about to embark on Cecilia by Frances Burney which Lucy Worsley says provided the plot line and title for Pride and Prejudice. What to join me in that one?

I finished reading the very informative introduction to Cecilia last night and hope to start the book itself sometime today. At 941 pages of small type I expect to be working on it for quite a while!

I may not get very far today though because I have a massage and facial booked for this afternoon. All of my joints hurt so I'm really looking forward to it.

Hope you all have a day that brings you pleasure :)

>109 RebaRelishesReading: Good luck reading it, Reba. Some time ago I finished the dutch equivalent, 18th century Sara Burgerhart. It was fun and interesting, but it also took time and patience. People had more time to spend reading and writing.

A massage, great. Enjoy.

>110 EllaTim: Was Sara Burgerhart in old fashioned Dutch? A friend asked me to translate a couple of old insurance policies she found in her mother's papers. They're in old-fashioned legalize so rather challenging to translate. I don't think I would take on an entire novel written that way.

Finally found some quiet time to get into Cecilia. I finished Book I (91 pages). I'm going to a "tea" this afternoon, which should be fun, and the have choir practice this evening so probably won't make any more progress today but I feels good to have a start (and I'm liking it).

>112 RebaRelishesReading: way to go Reba! I need to meet up with a Guild member next week and we were planning to visit a tea shop that she recommended, but alas it's closed the day we're meeting. I'm going to have to check it out at some point.

I'm curious what your choir is working on right now. I can't remember if it's SATB or SSAA. Do you have a spring concert coming up?

>113 lauralkeet:. Hi Laura!!

Choir is SSAATB. As to the concert -- we were working on Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living but it's pretty difficult and we're quite amateur so director has given up on doing the whole thing. Instead he's planning to pull parts of the mass from other composers and replace some of the more difficult parts of Forrest's work with them. We're going to sing it in June just before we start our summer break.

Are you a tea drinker? I love it in almost all forms -- green, black, white, with fruit or spices added or not, hot or cold. Hope you get to check your tea shop out soon and can't wait to hear what you find :)

I spent a long day (12 hours) at the hospital with Hubby today while he had some leaks in an aneurysm fixed. Surgery itself was over 3 hours long. My eyes cross and my hands shake just thinking of that surgeon searching around with tiny little tools through blood veins to plug up tiny little leaks in a blood vessel. But...all's well that ends well, right? Leaks are plugged.

It also gave me a huge chunk of time to work on Cecilia and I have now finished Vol. I. (171 of the 941 pages). I'm really enjoying it.

>114 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks for filling me in on the choir, Reba. Learning the requiem sounds like a fun challenge. As for tea, I'm not a connoisseur but I enjoy it. We always have unsweetened cold brew iced tea in the fridge, a stash of Yorkshire Gold if we want an afternoon cuppa, and an orange herbal tea that we have most evenings after dinner. I guess green tea is the only tea I've come across that I can do without.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: Most importantly I'm glad hubby is doing well after surgery. It's also great you were able to be so "productive" during the waiting time.

I am glad to hear the surgery went well. Sending healing thoughts your way, Reba.

>116 lauralkeet: First thing I do each morning is make myself a 2-mug pot of tea. This morning it's Vanilla Bean. I buy loose leaf from a company called IV Tea. They're actually located only a few miles from here but in the direction I don't often go plus they ship for free so I just let the PO bring it for me :). They have different mixtures to go with the seasons. As a character in a Larkrise to Candleford would say "it's my one weakness".

>116 lauralkeet:, >117 BLBera: Thanks for the kind thoughts for Hubby Laura and Beth

So glad your husband's surgery went well, Reba! It is strange to contemplate someone going in and messing around with one's insides, no matter what the surgery may be but especially when it pertains to the heart or brain. I try not to think too much about the heart surgery I had back in 2020. It's just squicky.

>107 RebaRelishesReading: Great story, Reba! I talk up LT every chance I get when I'm out and about. Only a few people say, "Oh, I've heard of that." So far, no one's said, "Oh! My favorite book site!"

I'm so glad your husband's surgery went well! I can understand the angst over the process. It's amazing what can be done nowadays - sometimes it seems close to magic.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, that's a hard day. I'm glad to hear that the surgery turned out so well. I don't know how well I could concentrate on reading if I were in your place. Sending thoughts for a quick recovery for your husband.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: That’s a hard day! Best wishes to your husband.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: Oh boy. Not a nice relaxing way to spend the day. I'm glad your husband is ok now, and I hope this doesn't happen too often! Scary stuff.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: I am so glad that your husbands surgery went well, Reba. I am so glad that is behind both of you , and here's to a quick and uneventful recovery.

>119 Storeetllr: Thank you all for your good wishes and commiseration Mary, Katie, Irene, Judy, Rhian, and Deborah.

Modern medicine is often very impressive. This procedure is almost too amazing to believe...maybe it really is magic.

This evening turned out to be even more difficult than yesterday though. Hubby was napping and at about 6:30 I went to wake him for dinner -- found him on the floor where he had fallen some time before and couldn't get up. We spent several hours this evening in the emergency room! He has some major bruises (likely worse than they otherwise would have been due to blood thinners used yesterday but is home now and all OK.

I'm exhausted but needed to eat something and decompress before heading for bed. Think I'm just about there though.

It's nearly 1:00 a.m. and surely I'm de-stressed enough now to go to sleep...so good night everyone :)

>125 RebaRelishesReading: What a scary thing, Reba. I'm glad you are home and OK.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Sure hope the health challenges have smoothed out for a peaceful time ahead.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, no! That must have been so scary for both of you! I hope it's made him realize he needs to ask for help before trying to get out of bed again. It's really hard to ask for help sometimes, especially when you have been independent and strong your whole life and especially for such small things as getting out of bed. (Ask me how I know.) I wish him a speedy recovery and you a calm and peaceful day.

Thank you all for your good wishes. I slept well as, apparently, did he. It's nearly noon and I haven't heard a peep from him yet (which is not that unusual recently). I hope he's getting a good rest and will appear in a while for something to eat and some TV.

Meanwhile I've been catching up on-line, doing puzzles, reading The Times, etc. I think we're both ready for a quiet, stay-at-home day. Now I'm finished with my morning computer "stuff" and think I'll go pour my second cup of tea and settle down with Cecilia.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: Delight and excitement for the husbandly heart being leakproofed!

Happier, more relaxed week-ahead's Fanny Burneying, Reba.

Reba, I'm just catching up with your Saturday-into-Sunday. Oh my, how stressful. I'm relieved to see that hubby is okay now. I'm glad you both had a restful night and I hope your day has been as relaxing as planned.

Hi Reba! You sure had a stressfull week. I hope everything will go smoothly from here. Modern surgery is so much improved, but a long procedure like your hubby had is still a real feat, I think.

As to your question. I was afraid of that when I started reading, that the language would be very dated. But it wasn’t difficult, a few words here and there, some footnotes. The book is from the late 18th century. But maybe legal language is more difficult? I never understand legal documents anyway, old or new.

I'm writing this at 5:24 a.m. after just coming home from all-nighter in the Emergency room with hubby (some belly pain related to the surgery). We opted to have him come home by "transport" so that I could get the house ready and so that there would be someone other than me to help him into the house. He's going to be fine but I'm exhausted-- hope that "transport" gets here soon.

I almost finished Volume II of Cecilia while we waited.

Goodness Reba, you and hubby have been through the wringer lately. It sounds like a rest day is in order for both of you. Sleep well.

Yikes, so sorry to hear about the recent emergency room visits. I hope the transport has arrived and you're both able to get some rest!

What a stressful time for both of you! I'm sure you're exhausted. I'm wishing you both a smooth recovery. 🌻

Thanks Laura, Mary and Jennifer. We got to bed about 6 and then I woke up this morning at 10 (ish) a got right up partly because I felt sort of "I've been in bed too long achy" and partly because I forgot what time I had gone to bed and thought that was enough ... oh well. I'm not functioning too well this morning but, fortunately, nothing difficult to deal with so it will be OK. It's now afternoon and Hubby is still sleeping which is a very good thing.

Hi Reba my dear, i am glad that your husband's surgery went well, i am sure that you were both exhausted by the end of the day. Sending special Yorkshire healing love and hugs to both of you, dear friend.

>139 johnsimpson: Thank you, John! We appreciate the good wishes.

Goodness, two trips to the ER! You have both been through the wringer. I'm sending you all positive thoughts for lots of rest and a full and uneventful recovery for your husband. Take care of yourself too!

Thank you Irene.

I managed to get a nice chunk of reading done last night and today. I'm on page 320 of Cecilia which finishes Volume II.

Reba, take care. You have had a hard time lately. I hope there are no more visits to the ER in the near future.

You're having a rough time. Sorry to hear it - I hope you have clear sailing from now on.

Reba, I'm so sorry about the two ER visits. What a time you all have had. I hope things quiet down from here on out.

‘Morning, Reba!

>62 benitastrnad: I usually planted marigolds near the tomatoes because I was told that the bunnies do not like marigolds – as far as gardening goes, bunnies are definitely pests!

>68 RebaRelishesReading: In my Kindle. I’ve added it to my ‘2026 toberead’ tag. Will any of the books in that tag get read this year? Not necessarily. I’ve also got as-yet-to-be-read/reviewed Early Reviewers books.

>107 RebaRelishesReading: I keep telling people about LT and my username, but so far, no bites.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: I’m so glad the surgery was successful and now behind you both.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: and >134 RebaRelishesReading: I’m so sorry about the ER room visits. I’m glad he’s going to be fine.

Thank you Beth, Judy, Katie and Karen. I really appreciate you visiting and commiserating!! We're making progress. Son-in-law 1 is here now, putting guard rail on Hubby's bed. We have an appointment with his PCP in 1 1/2 hours which I expect will help me a lot with feeling more competent.

>147 karenmarie: So far I haven't seen any evidence of my new friend visiting LT

In between things I've managed to read a little more Cecilia and really enjoyed reading some of the excellent guided group read from some time ago -- only now that I left my computer to greet s-i-l and get him started I can't find it again :(. This is definitely a complex book that I can use help with. I did print off the character guide before I lost the thread. I realized this was going to be complex so I made a short, sketchy character guide of my own but this one is much better.

I am sorry to hear about your recent upheavels. None of this is pleasant, so I hope that it ends soon and things get back to normal for both of you. It is never fun to spend night time in the ER, it really messes with your internal circadian rythems and all that adrenaline just makes it even harder to sleep. I am glad that you have a book with you that does take your mind off of the most immediate fears and stresses.

>149 RebaRelishesReading: Hopefully your browser's history will get you back to your group.

I'm glad to hear that you've got support in pulling things together after a much too wrought week! And that you both stay well.

Thank you so much Benita and Susan. We just got back from visit to PCP and things are looking up. He's feeling better too (and now napping). All of the kind thoughts and support really help.

>152 RebaRelishesReading: that’s good news, Reba. I’ve been thinking of you and hubby a lot today.

>153 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. Thanks very kind of you.

>152 RebaRelishesReading: We live in a time of miracles. I'm very, very happy this one's happened for y'all.

I hope you're comfortably asleep, and I'll see you tomorrow.

Sending good thoughts and prayers, Reba

Thanks Richard and Jim. We're hanging in there. Himself is still asleep and I'm enjoying my tea and "computer stuff".

I just finished Chapter XI of Volume III of Cecilia and I'm about to scream!! If she doesn't find some backbone and stand up to the manipulative Harrel's I going to climb into this book and shake her!!

Just finished Book V , page 439 of 941. Cecilia is now somewhat out of danger...I think.

>158 RebaRelishesReading:, >159 RebaRelishesReading: ha ha ha these types of books have a way of milking a situation don't they?

I was looking at my copy of Camilla yesterday. It's 900 pages which would probably take me a few weeks, like Anna Karenina did. But paging through the table of contents, I thought maybe I could break it up over 3 months. I'm not up for reading it right now and not even sure when I'll decide to take the plunge. I might read another Radcliffe or Edgeworth first.

>160 lauralkeet: Ms. Burney doesn't hold back on details for sure lol. By the end of Book V the problem I was so frustrated with her about has resolved. On to the next one...

And yes, it's definitely a blow by blow but I'm enjoying it.

I sorry to read of your emergency visits, Reba. I hope your husband is soon feeling a lot better. My husband is having some heart issues, so I have been a bit distracted. Our Dr is referring him to our local hospital for further testing.

>152 RebaRelishesReading: I am so glad to hear this, Reba! Your latest "adventures" have certainly been concerning, and I am happy to hear that it's looking better now. Prayers that it continues! I am also very glad to hear that you've got help from your SiL. Having help from others does make things a bit easier.

>158 RebaRelishesReading: I remember in college a professor suggested we all parachute into the book Brave New World and blow up all the soma factories and see what other mischief we could get up to.

>162 vancouverdeb: Hope all goes well with your husband, Deborah. Try to stay strong yourself too!!

>163 atozgrl:. Thank you, Irene. We are definitely lucky to have two lovely adult daughters and their partners close by!

>158 RebaRelishesReading: I've never read Brave New World (should I even admit that?!?) but, yep, that corresponds to the way I was feeling about Cecilia.

I got Cecilia to Chapter VIIi or Book VI last night and didn't have to shake her. Starting Chapter VII of Book VI/Volume III in a few minutes (page 488 of 941 puts me at almost 52%).

WOW! You are really making progress on the tome. Of course, spending hours using it to find a space to process all that was happening around you at the time would account for all those pages. I am glad it is a happy read for you. Are you seeing any connections to Jane Austen's work in it?

Sometimes I think it's harder to be the caregiver than the person in care. But then it's never me in care so what do I know - only that you need to take time to recharge your batteries every once in a while. Take care of yourself, Reba.

So sorry for all the stress. I hope your husband is feeling better and that things are settling down.

>167 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. Since Hubby is in bed pretty much all the time and I can't really leave him (except for absolute necessities and only for a short time) I'm able to read some and it's a wonderful escape so I read whenever I find a few minutes.

>168 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. He sleeps so much that I am finding some moments to read or, as I am right now, put ice or heat on my aching back and have a visit to LT.

>169 banjo123: and thank you too Rhonda. There is some, very small progress with his recovery but he still sleeps a lot and needs a lot of help when he's awake. I think back on the days, just a couple of years ago, when we actually shared daily tasks/duties. I'm afraid that is over for good.

But...enough whining...all is quiet ,I should be reading :)

>170 RebaRelishesReading: oh dear. I hope Hubby recovers enough to need less of your help and participate more as of yore. This aneurysm has taken a lot out of him.

Thank you Judy. (the aneurysm is taking a lot out of both of us lol)

Oh, Reba, I am so sorry. It sounds very hard for both of you.

Thank you, Rhonda. It is and I'm not always dealing with it well but I just figured out that it's been 6 days now (and we're still alive and speaking) and in 3 days we go back to out-patient and it should get better after that :)

Best wishes to you and your husband as he continues to recover. That must be hard,the adjustment of your doing so many of the tasks and work, instead of the shared work. Dave goes for his holter monitor on Monday,and is on a wait list for an echo cardiogram and booked in late May for a stress test, though he is hoping for someone else to cancel so the can get it sooner. He is definitely more tired. I hope that will change as they figure out what is wrong and can correct it, I hope.

I hope you have some great reads to keep you going, Reba. I find mysteries with their neat endings make good escapist reading.

Reba, you've been putting on quite the brave face here but I can imagine how stressful and difficult things have been for both of you. I'm glad you have an outpatient appointment coming up and hope for the best from that.

>174 RebaRelishesReading: Fingers crossed that life becomes more stable, Reba. Those ER visits have got to be stressful.

The good wishes of friends, both RL and LT are very helpful and appreciated. Thank you all!!

>175 vancouverdeb: I hope so too, Deborah.

>176 Familyhistorian:. Hi Meg. I'm reading Cecilia which is plenty to keep me busy for the time being. (although the end is in sight). I'm planning to follow it with a reread of Pride and Prejudice.

>177 lauralkeet: Thank you Laura. I'm have hopes for that too.

>178 BLBera: and your good thoughts are very appreciated too Beth

As to Cecilia...I am ready to start on Volume V in a few minutes. 227 pages left to go. It's good and still engaging but I am about ready to move on now :)

Hi Reba, what a lot you've been through recently. I am sending my best wishes to you and your husband for rest and good health.

Oh Reba, I’ve just caught up on all your ups and downs of late. I do hope your husband is starting to feel better soon. I know how stressful ER visits and hospital stays can be for all involved. Please remember to take care of yourself, too!

Thank you Anne and Joanne - today was the best day in at least a week. Hubby even managed to watch a couple of hours of TV with me in the family room this evening -- didn't even fall asleep in his chair. He ate a couple of small meals. Hope this is the start of the upward curve :)

>183 RebaRelishesReading: Happy to hear that, Reba, and hope he’s on the upswing!

>183 RebaRelishesReading: Fingers crossed, Reba.

>183 RebaRelishesReading: That sounds encouraging! I hope it truly is the start of the upward curve!

Thanks Joann, Beth and Irene. I appreciate your visits.

pvhttps://pics.cdn.librarything.com//picsizes/17/38/17387362-x-h50-w50-pv25_65474a504351457941444941_v5.jpg25_65474a504351457941444941_v5.jpg

Cecilia by Frances Burney ****

A thoroughly enjoyable, but very long, book that influenced Jane Austen and provided the title of Austen's second book Pride and Prejudice.

Cecilla is an orphan approaching adulthood and the time she will inherit a substantial fortune. Provisions of that inheritance, however, require any man she marries to take Iher/I last name rather than she his. A major stumbling block for the family-proud people at her social level. The story involves many characters she meets in these last couple of years before she is to inherit, their stories and her interactions with them. The characters are interesting and their interwoven lives are interesting but it does make for a somewhat complicated, long story. (I copied the list of characters provided for an LT joint read some time ago and referred to it often to keep them straight).

Congratulations Reba! That's quite an achievement. I hope you have a couple of breezy contemporary reads lined up as a reward.

>189 lauralkeet: lol Laura. I'm not sure what is next. My RL bookclub is reading Isola for meeting in two weeks. I really don't know much about it and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to go to the meeting...but I will read the book whether it's breezy or not (and whether I can go to the meeting or not). I do think I'll read something contemporary before going back to my Austen Project :)

OK -- don't know what's going on this morning. I just wrote a bit more about Cecilia (as an edit to post 1188) but now it won't post nor can I find it.

OK -- don't know what's going on this morning. I just wrote a bit more about Cecilia (as an edit to post 1188) but now it won't post nor can I find it.

OK -- don't know what's going on this morning. I just wrote a bit more about Cecilia (as an edit to post 1188) but now it won't post nor can I find it.

and now that posted three times but at least my edit showed up in the process

I still have two Burney books to go in my "Austen project' but I think a break is needed so I went to Mt. TBR and have two candidates each by a favorite author of mine:

Straight Man by Richard Russo
or
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout

what to do? what to do?

Tough choice, Reba. I love both authors. I haven't read that particular Russo. Amy and Isabelle was my introduction to Elizabeth Strout and I enjoyed it. I only recently realized the Isabelle in that book is also in Strout's more recent novels, as a much older woman. She's done the same with other characters from early novels.

BTW, I also really liked Isola.

Honestly, I think you just need to read all three lol.

>195 RebaRelishesReading: - Straight Man made me LOL when I read it ages and ages ago. It's sort of a satire - very different from his usual stuff.

I also read the Strout ages and ages ago and don't remember much about it other than that I didn't hate it. Why is it so much easier to remember things about books we hate?!?!

>196 lauralkeet: In the end I've decided to re-read Pride and Prejudice next since the title really does come from Cecilia. Worsley says Austen got the plot line from Cecilia too but I have a hard time seeing that (probably why I'm not a literature scholar).

I will definitely move on to one, or all three, of the other books. I've had the Russo and Strout for a while but I've been saving them so that I don't run out because I really love both of the authors.

>197 katiekrug: Good question, Katie!! Must be a stronger emotion I guess. A satire by Russo makes me want to go there soon. I've been sort of hoarding it so I wouldn't run out of new books by him but now I've pre-ordered his next book which is coming later this year so I can go ahead and read this one I guess ;>

You are so ambitious in your Jane Austen Project, Reba! Bravo for all the reading!

It's good to hear that your husband is getting a little back to normal. I'm sure you're relieved.

>199 vancouverdeb: It's been fun, Deborah. At this point I'm a little torn between doing some non-Austen reading in between or just finishing up what I intend to do re Austen. I haven't read P&P in...10+ years?...so I'm rather looking forward to that. Then we'll see.

>200 mstrust: Thank you Jennifer. I'm not sure what normal looks like right now but we'll see where we end up. I appreciate hearing from you.

>195 RebaRelishesReading: I read Straight Man many years ago - it was laugh out loud funny.

>202 ChrisG1: That sounds great, Chris. I'm definitely a Russo fan so I'm looking forward to it.

On the reading front...I'm still working on the goals I set for Jane Austen's birthday year but starting to lag a bit. I've started my re-read of Pride and Prejudice but life keeps getting in the way of making much progress. That said I'm going to log off now and pick up the book :)

Hi Reba, hoping that your husband continues to feel better. And good luck with your next read! I haven't read much Russo, so I can't weigh in on that.

Thanks, Rhonda. I've decided to put Straight Man on hold for a bit to try to finish up my "Austen Project" before she turns 251 :>

Modern books should be a breeze after reading Cecilia, Reba. I hope your husband's health is still heading in a positive direction.

I had planned to start a new thread on May 1 and here it is May 3 so I think I'd better get at it.