Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2026 Reading - Part 6

Café crème and pain au chocolat anyone?

Welcome to my cozy reading nook! I'm Laura, retired and living with my husband Chris in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia with our two dogs, Alys and Ellie. Our two adult daughters are both married and live in Brooklyn. We spend a lot of our time gardening and working on various projects around the house. Knitting is my other hobby, which I post about here occasionally. If you’re so inclined you can see more on my thread in the Needlearts group.

In October I’ll celebrate my 20th Thingaversary, and 2009 was my first year doing the 75 Book Challenge, which makes 2026 my eighteenth year in this fabulous group! I haven’t achieved the 75-book “goal” since 2020 and I’m glad nobody cares about the numbers here, because I’m more likely to finish the year in the mid-60s. I read more books when I was still working, which either says something about my job or confirms the adage about being busier in retirement. Regardless, I love this community and plan to be around for a long time.

My reading leans towards contemporary fiction and various series (mostly mysteries), with some non-fiction thrown in for balance. I’m also planning to read more classics, specifically the women authors who influenced Jane Austen (here’s a list of books featured in Jane Austen’s Bookshelf.

Books Featured on This Thread
30. The Keeper
31. Lonesome Dove
32. Journals of Emma Lion Vol 2
33. A Guardian and a Thief

Series Progress

Active series as of July 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2026:
* Blandings Castle
* Cal Hooper

Series started in 2026:
* Dark Iceland
* Journals of Emma M. Lion

Series abandoned in 2026:
* Inspector Gamache

Currently Reading & On Deck


A Season for That | Whistler | On the Calculation of Volume | The Romance of the Forest

Hello friends! Thanks to everyone who helped boost my previous thread over the "continuation" hurdle. And now, here we are kicking off the 2nd half of the year. It's hard to believe we're at this point already. I've read just 29 books so far which is fewer than usual. I'm not sure what's different this year, but I'm enjoying myself and that's what matters. I'm especially pleased with my summer reading especially recent & current reads like Land, The Keeper, and Lonesome Dove, and upcoming library holds like Whistler.

So, on to events of the day. Yes, it's Independence Day but it will be a fairly normal Saturday for us. We're watching the F1 British Grand Prix Sprint Race as I type. I have a few household odds and ends to attend to, including blanching and freezing the green beans I picked yesterday. It's going to be another very hot day but there's a possibility of rain this afternoon/evening which would be most welcome.

Over to you!

Happy new thread, Laura. Stay cool! There are so many great new books out this year!

Happy 4th, Laura. Happy New Thread. Seeing your current reads make me smile and you giving Land 5 stars really makes me happy. I just started it the other day.

Lookit you, up and DOING things bright and early on a holiday.

Happy new thread! I’m having a lazy 4th on the couch, getting up only for snacks and to move laundry around. We’ll drop by a neighbor’s picnic supper, but probably won’t stick around for long. Hope you have a pleasant day!

I'm happy to get here in time to wish you a HAPPY NEW THREAD, Laura!!!! Enjoy as yo stay cool!

Happy 4th and Happy New Thread, Laura.

When thinking about the number of books read don't forget the huge Austen related ones (they should count for two, don't you think?).

Happy new one, Laura!

Mmm your topper looks so delicious!

I'm glad to hear you've got so many reads you're looking forward to lined up for the summer.

>6 BLBera: There sure are, Beth.

>7 msf59: Hi Mark! Land is amazing; I'm delighted you're reading it.

>8 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, between my own natural clock and two dogs I don't sleep in much. Plus I was itching to start this new thread.

>9 foggidawn: That sounds like a nice day. Enjoy!

>10 LizzieD: Thank you Peggy!

>11 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, you make an excellent point. I also read Anna Karenina in March. Lonesome Dove isn't in my stats yet but that's another one that could easily count as two. But I'm not one to break the rules. 😇

>12 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>13 MickyFine: I do love pain au chocolat, Micky. It's probably a good thing they're not easy to find near me.

Happy new thread, Laura!

>14 lauralkeet: Me too, I'm afraid but still...

I'll definitely share the pain au chocolat, Laura!

I have a boulangerie and restaurant near me called happily enough, "Pauls" but I will normally favour the almond croissant.

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread, Laura, and a late wish for a happy 4th. Stay cool in this awful heat!

Happy New Thread, Laura and yes , I will gladly have a pain au chocolat.

>15 quondame: thanks Susan!

>16 RebaRelishesReading: At this point Reba, Camilla is the most intimidating pre-Austen book on my shelves. I might consider breaking it into three parts with other books in between, unless of course I get completely caught up in the story. We've talked about reading it together, which will definitely help. In any case it's not calling to me as "summer reading" !

>17 PaulCranswick: mmm ... I love an almond croissant too, Paul. I once had a chocolate almond croissant, which was both amazing and too much!

>18 atozgrl: Hi Irene, and thanks. We made it through yesterday's heat mostly by just staying indoors.

>19 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! Chocolate makes everything better as far as I'm concerned.

Hello all, we had an uneventful July 4. The promised rain didn't really materialize in our area, although rain is in the forecast for the next few days. I spent most of the day alternating between puttering around the house and reading The Keeper. In the evening we watched TV and tried to ease the dogs' anxiety when neighbors started setting off fireworks (annoying).

Today will be a little less hot, but still hot. I need to do some pruning in the veg garden so I'm going to take care of that early, and we'll watch the F1 race at some point. More reading, for sure -- The Keeper is accelerating towards its conclusion and I'm eager to see how everything is resolved.

We wrapped up the holiday weekend by grilling Impossible Burgers and corn, with Lemon-Almond Butter Cake for dessert. I'm looking forward to leftover cake today! We had some much needed rain overnight which cooled things off a bit. There's rain in the forecast every day this week and temps will be in the mid-80s instead of the mid/high 90s, and I'm totally okay with that.

Last night I finished The Keeper. I didn't see a major plot twist coming so that knocked me back a bit. I'm still thinking about the ending, not sure what I think about it. Tana French is either taking her characters to a new stage or wrapping up the series. I haven't read any published reviews or press about this, but seems like it could go either way.

Next up is A Guardian and a Thief. Today I also have a couple of admin tasks to attend to, and my usual cleaning/dusting and vacuuming (ugh, boring).

"Tana French is either taking her characters to a new stage or wrapping up the series." I've seen this book referred to as the final installment of the Cal Hooper trilogy. But as I said in my review, I think French enjoys the company of her characters, so...who knows?

>23 laytonwoman3rd: That's really helpful, Linda, thank you! I'd intentionally avoided reviews and other press about the book so I went into it expecting a continuation. But Mart's death was totally unexpected for such an important character, and then the final pages with Cal, Lena, and Trey felt like a conclusion.

>14 lauralkeet: That plot development threw me, too, Laura, even though I was geared to "this is the last one".

>25 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks again Linda. Knowing this was the conclusion helped me write my review!

30. The Keeper

Oh how fun -- I've read the other two and just checked and see this is available on Audible...and I have 2 credits available :). Perfect to knit/drive/walk to.

Happy new thread, Laura!

>20 lauralkeet: I remember eating just such a thing, Laura - an almond croissant filled with chocolate. I took a greedy bite right into the heart of it and got covered in liquidy chocolate.

I am waiting for The Keeper to hit the stores here. Loved the first two.

>27 lauralkeet: - I took a book bullet for this series years ago and actually have the first one on my TBR pile. Now that there are 3 books, I guess I should start.

>28 RebaRelishesReading: Yay! That's great, Reba.

>29 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>30 PaulCranswick: LOL, that'll teach you, Paul. 😀

>31 dudes22: You have some good reading ahead, Betty.

Good morning ...

Today's agenda includes a manicure and a Zoom meeting with the Guild treasurer. We also have a plumber stopping by to fix something we messed up yesterday. Long story, but our well/water purification system has multiple components with bits that need replacing now and then. Yesterday afternoon, replacing one bit broke another related bit which isn't readily available in local shops. Meanwhile our water is turned off. I contacted our amazing plumber this morning and he can not only get hold of the part, but can come out and replace it for us later today. At this point we've lost confidence in our ability to handle the replacement ourselves lol, so I'm really glad he can do it for us.

After managing that situation first thing this morning, I have to "recover" before I can think about doing anything else today lol. I'm sure there will be reading -- I started A Guardian and a Thief yesterday. It's short (205pp) and a fast read, so I'm already halfway through it.

>27 lauralkeet: I still have not managed to get to that series despite very much enjoying French's Dublin Murder Squad series. Clones. I need clones.

>33 lauralkeet: Sounds like a busy day ahead. I look forward to your thoughts on A Guardian and a Thief. I read it earlier this year.

Happy new-ish thread, Laura! I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

>27 lauralkeet: I enjoyed this one as well, Laura. Too bad there aren't going to be more. I enjoyed the Cal Hooper world.

I found A Guardian and a Thief to be a bleak and harrowing read. I will watch for your comments.

>34 alcottacre:, >35 BLBera: Hi Stasia and Beth. "Bleak and harrowing" is a good way to describe A Guardian and a Thief. It's a lot to deal with, even though it's short. This morning I was thinking about DNF'ing it especially since other books are calling to me. This was one of the library holds I picked up after my vacation and was originally due July 8, but it was just auto-renewed so now I have plenty of time.

Having mulled this over all morning, here's my new plan: set it aside for now, finish Lonesome Dove which I'm really itching to get back to, and then see how I feel.

>36 lauralkeet: I also considered DNFing A Guardian and a Thief when I read it too. I continued, because it was short. But oh so bleak!

>37 raidergirl3: Thanks Elizabeth. Reading similar thoughts from everyone here is reassuring.

Dan the plumber came to the rescue for us yesterday. He wasn't able to get here until about 6pm but the job only took about 15 minutes and it was so nice to have running water again!

Today's agenda includes a Guild Board meeting this morning, and taking Ellie to get her nails trimmed this afternoon. I also need to plan next week's meals and get my grocery list together. Pretty exciting stuff, eh ?

Having set aside A Guardian and a Thief, I am now happily back on the trail with the gang from Lonesome Dove. I'm glad I made some notes for myself when I stopped reading; it's been nearly a month, and without the notes I would have forgotten the current state of each storyline. Anyway, it's great to be reading it again and I know I'll be picking it up every spare minute.

>37 raidergirl3: I was not too keen on A Guardian and a Thief, Laura, but it was on so many prize lists, I am glad I read it. I took Muffin to get her nails trimmed today and her anal glands expressed. Every 6 weeks. Some dogs just have that anal gland problem and Muffin is one of them. My life is similarly exciting!

>36 lauralkeet: I really liked her debut novel A Burning, Laura, but I haven't yet couraged up enough to read her bleak little follow up.

>40 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I too am a sucker for prize lists. I'm glad my dogs don't have "that anal gland problem" although Ellie has become surprisingly anxious when I take her in for a nail trim. She's the sort of dog that loves all people and situations, although she's not a fan of the vet either. I think I'll try giving her trazodone before her next nail appointment (for our dogs, every 3 mos is enough).

>41 PaulCranswick: Thanks for the moral support, Paul. I really liked A Burning, too.

Happy Thursday. This should be a low-key day. I need to go grocery shopping and then my day is free and clear, woo hoo! No doubt I'll be back on the cattle trail with Lonesome Dove. Yesterday's reading included a sad event for one of my favorite characters (Deets). I can also see that McMurtry is beginning to wrap things up and I don't want it to end, darn it!

>40 vancouverdeb: Lottie generally doesn't have that problem, but when she goes to the vet for her yearly exam/shots, she often gets so nervous that she empties them herself on the vet's table. The vet has joked in the past about us getting a "free" anal gland expression!

>39 lauralkeet: I really need to find my copy of Lonesome Dove! It has been forever since I read it last.

I agree with everyone about A Guardian and a Thief being bleak. I am glad to know that I am not the only one who thought it so.

>44 foggidawn: OMG poor Lottie!

>45 alcottacre: Lonesome Dove is such a great book. I could see re-reading it someday. I think Mark is doing a shared read in August, if that suits your schedule.

It's Friday!

Today's goal is to finish Lonesome Dove. I had a slight chance of doing so yesterday afternoon, but then I reached a significant plot development that knocked me back. I closed the book, turned to Chris and said, "I can't believe McMurtry did that." IYKYK. I read a bit more at bedtime and have about 40 pages left I think.

We've had a rainy few days but today is sunny and not too hot so I'll probably head outside and take care of some weeds that have sprung up here and there, and harvest some potatoes if they're ready.

Have a great day, y'all.

"I can't believe McMurtry did that." I know.

I looked up Lonesome Dove, and now I have some questions. LT says it is number 3 in a series, but my Libby says it is #1 in the series but of course has no other books. Also, the audiobook is 36 h? Narrator is Lee Horsley, which brings me some frisson of recognition, and it is a good memory. Maybe I'll just watch it on Tubi.

Am I going to have to give in and reread Lonesome Dove? I remember liking it (but not loving it) which was a surprise because I usually don't like "westerns" but it has been several (a lot?) of years since I read it and you and I usually (but not always as recently demonstrated) like the same books....maybe reading it from a more "mature" perspective would make and difference. Also, some years ago I bought the other books in the series and have never read them so....

>49 raidergirl3: Lonesome Dove was published in 1985. Dead Man's Walk and Comanche Moon were both published later, but deal with events chronologically before those in LD. If you read nothing but Lonesome Dove, there are those of us who will tell you you've experienced the best of McMurtry's work with these characters. I would not start at the beginning, because there's a distinct chance you'd never get to the best bits. There may not be universal agreement on that point, but I stand by it!

>48 laytonwoman3rd:, >49 raidergirl3:, >50 RebaRelishesReading:, >51 laytonwoman3rd: I just fnished Lonesome Dove a few minutes ago. I put off reading this for years because of the length and because "I don't like westerns". But then it also won the Pulitzer, so there's that. Anyway, I am so glad I read it; it's sweeping and magnificent.

>49 raidergirl3:, >51 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for answering Elizabeth's questions, Linda. I'm not planning to read the prequels myself. Chris started Dead Man's Walk but it didn't really grab him. I'm inclined to believe I've read the best bits, and am left with very fond memories of the characters.

All this conversation about LD has me thinking I should finally bite the bullet and put it on a "sooner" list. In the past, its length has discouraged me, but I think I would like it. I recently acquired another 500+ page book that is also calling my name. Maybe a vacation read when I can devote large periods of time to it.

>53 dudes22: go for it, Betty!

Repeating myself, but tagging Mark (@msf59) this time, I believe he's planning a shared read of Lonesome Dove in August so if any of you are up for starting it soon, that would be a great opportunity.

I also loved LD and had zero interest in reading the prequels :)

>51 laytonwoman3rd: thanks for the explanation, Linda. There is an at least 6 month wait at Libby, so I have lots of time to decide if I want to read it.

>52 lauralkeet: every now and then a big sweeping epic novel is great to read. Genre of epics doesn’t really matter- a well written book is a well written book.

>52 lauralkeet: I read Lonesome Dove because I have set myself the task of reading all of the Pulitzer winners. I "don't like westerns" but read it anyway and really liked it. Because I liked it so much I was planning to read the two prequels...but now I'm feeling liberated :). So, I can just donate them and forget them ?!?!? :)

I've read Lonesome Dove and loved it. Streets of Larado does not compare. I grew up seeped in western movie tropes and LD was utterly delightful in doing everything - but better and in a subverted way.

>57 RebaRelishesReading: I can't answer your question personally, Reba, but I always pay attention to what Linda has to say ...

>58 quondame: Well said, Susan.

31. Lonesome Dove

Lonesome Dove has nearly 300 LT reviews. When the ones at the top of my list are from two "kindred spirits" in reading, I see no reason to write my own. Both reviews are so well-written and so on the mark that I'll just link to them here:
* Katie (@katiekrug), Aug 22, 2015: https://www.librarything.com/work/4392/reviews/93499585
* Mamie (@Crazymamie), July 24, 2016: https://www.librarything.com/work/4392/reviews/88295607

>60 lauralkeet: Hooray!! You did it! I won't even fuss that you didn't give it 5 stars- I am showing fine restraint. Try to track down the TV mini-series. It is an excellent adaptation.

>50 RebaRelishesReading: Please join us for a shared read of Lonesome Dove, Betty. It is fun having a group to read it with. We will read it in August.

I'm still in a bit of a book hangover from Lonesome Dove, especially since we watched Part 3 of the TV series last night. Some scenes in that episode are all the more poignant knowing what lies ahead. To help me move on, I'm started the second Emma Lion book last night. These are like a bookish sorbet: a light, easy palate cleanser. I hope it will ease me out of Lonesome Dove and into the second half of A Guardian and a Thief.

I have no particular agenda today, other than a brief visit to the kitchen garden to pick whatever is ready. Yesterday it was the first potatoes, some of which we'll have some salmon tonight. The green beans are still bean-ing and if there are some ready I'll probably blanch and freeze them. I have lots of beans in the freezer already; eventually I'll stop picking and let them dry out and become seeds for the next few years.

We've been watching the Tour de France, and started watching the World Cup when it reached the quarterfinals. We'll probably watch the England-Norway match today/this evening, either live or recorded. Even though our Peacock subscription only has the game in Spanish, if I pay attention I can still follow the game. The France vs Spain semi-final is on Tuesday, which is Bastille Day. Even though it's being played in the US I can only imagine how crazy the fans will be.

>61 msf59: We cross-posted, Mark, and I just mentioned that we're watching the LD TV series. Great minds, eh?

>60 lauralkeet: - Thanks for the shout-out, Laura! It was fun to go back and re-read what I wrote. I'm thinking I might re-read it next year.

Enjoy your quiet day. I'm always sad when there's not an F1 race to look forward to, but Wimbledon and the World Cup will make up for that this weekend :)

>57 RebaRelishesReading: (With Laura's permission >59 lauralkeet:) "So, I can just donate them and forget them ?!?!" You certainly have my OK to do that, if you're the sort who can live with the decision. It IS liberating, but I can't always manage it.

>61 msf59: - Thanks for the invite to the shared read, but I think I'll wait for our winter vacation when I can read with no other responsibilities.

I donated about 6- 7 books yesterday to a local charity shop, Laura. I am getting good at that and learning to use the library as much as possible.

>65 laytonwoman3rd: Well I've owned them for a couple of years and haven't started them yet. It's not something I do readily but I'm running out of room for new bookcases and now with the comments here I think it's time to pass them on and concentrate on other things. Wheeee :)

>64 katiekrug: Hi Katie! There's a lot of good sport to watch right now, that's for sure.

>65 laytonwoman3rd:, >68 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Linda, and good for you, Reba!

>66 dudes22: that makes sense, Betty.

>67 vancouverdeb: Well done, Deborah. I don't buy books nearly as often as I used to, largely because our library system usually has what I'm looking for.

Yesterday afternoon we went over to our local nursery to pick up a couple planters for herbs on our terrace. Somehow we ended up leaving with a bunch of plants in the car too. Hmmm ... how did that happen?! Today I'll put the herbs in the pots and Chris and I will tag-team on getting the new plants in the ground. He digs the hole with an augur, I put the plant in, and we repeat until done.

I might finish Emma Lion #2 today, and then I should be ready to return to A Guardian and a Thief.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

How about Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones? Is that the perfect casting or what?

Happy Sunday, Laura.

Ooh if you need an auger, they must be big plants. What did you get?

>71 msf59: Perfect casting indeed, Mark. We have one episode left in the series, maybe we'll watch it tonight.

And by the way your comments about my rating for Lonesome Dove stuck with me. Initially I thought, "well I didn't cry at the end" but then again, I cried at a few other points. And I can't stop talking about the book either! So I've changed my rating from a 4.5 to 5. See what an influence you are?

>72 MickyFine: Hi Micky! I should have mentioned that Chris has a veritable collection of augurs from a small one that can be attached to an electric drill, to the largest which attaches to the tractor. These plants required the "mama bear" of augurs which is battery-powered and makes a hole about 6" wide, which was about the size of the pots our plants came in. It's so much quicker than digging holes with a shovel. We bought monarda (aka bee balm) and some ornamental grasses, both of which will reach about 2" tall.

>73 lauralkeet: 5 star reads take time for me. 4.5 means it was an excellent read, top notch! But sometimes I look back on 4.5 star reads a few months (or years!) later and I can’t remember what I loved about it. Other 4.5 star reads I’m still raving about, recommending to people. These often get bumped up to 5 stars.

>75 lauralkeet: I can totally relate to that, Elizabeth. Well said!

Today's agenda is pretty light, just a hair appointment on the calendar and a few chores to do around the house. That usually means there will be plenty of reading time but I seem to have a way of distracting myself with other things, like getting sucked down an internet rabbit hole lol.

32. Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol 2

I'm finding these books difficult to review, despite them being short and fun.

Good morning.

Yesterday I finished A Guardian and a Thief and oof. I'm really glad to be done with it. It's well written, but relentless. I'll write a review, but it won't be pretty lol. Now I'm really ready for something different:



In A Season for That, "An American food writer moves his family of unlikely expats to the French countryside, where the locals upend everything he knows about cooking and winemaking"

Yeah, this sounds a lot like A Year in Provence but it's set in the area where we take our vacations, literally just a few miles away. My brother and sister-in-law learned about this book just after our trip and bought a copy for themselves and for us.

My knitting group meets later this morning, and I'm hoping to get some outdoor things done beforehand because the weather is cool at the moment. The France-Spain World Cup semi-final match is this afternoon so we might watch that live. Have a great day everyone!

33. A Guardian and a Thief

>78 lauralkeet: Well, I'm glad that's over. I rated it 3 stars only because the writing was so good; if I were rating on enjoyment it would have been 2 stars at best.

~~~~~~~~~~

Moving on ... it's going to be very very hot today so I went out early to pick beans and peppers and hopefully won't have to do too much else out there. I have a boring household task to attend to: we received replacement credit cards due to a fraud alert, and I need to update a number of recurring transactions. Many were things I could change online, but for some reason the charities we support all require a phone call.

A Season for That is off to a good start. I was afraid it would be too much like A Year in Provence but so far, no. The author is introspective in discussing his life history and motivations (positive and negative) for moving abroad, and he's also able to make fun of himself. So far, so good.

Stay cool, folks.

>78 lauralkeet: Excellent comments - I found this novel incredibly stressful to read. Your comparison to a stress dream is right on.

>78 lauralkeet: - I've been looking forward to this one, because I loved A Burning so much. But now I'm not sure!

>78 lauralkeet: Thank you for the warning, Laura. Definitely doesn't sound like a book I want to take on.

>33 lauralkeet: I've been on the fence about that one, and I think you've just given me permission to pass it over. I have enough stress dreams of my own, thank you.

>80 BLBera: Thanks Beth. It's a tough read, for sure.

>81 katiekrug: Well as they say Katie, YMMV. You may be taken in by the writing and less bothered by the plot. But then again, maybe not. Aren't I helpful?

>82 RebaRelishesReading: This is the last thing you need right now, Reba.

>83 laytonwoman3rd: Happy to be of service, Linda. 😇

I just finished Land -- excellent but sad book. Perhaps not the best choice for right now either...but not sorry I read it.

Reba, I just saw your review over on your thread. Nicely done. I hope you have a light fun read lined up next.

Good morning ... I have no scheduled appointments today, hurrah hurrah. I'll do the grocery shopping this morning. I have 50 bulbs of garlic curing outside that are probably ready to be trimmed and brought inside; I can probably handle that even in this awful heat (high of 96F expected today).

Mini-rant: yesterday I mentioned needing to update the payment method on a number of recurring credit card transactions. The credit card company allows these transactions using the old card number for some period of time but eventually payments will be rejected. Doing this for bills (like subscriptions) was easy: log on to our account and make the change. Charities were another matter entirely, usually requiring a phone call. One organization had to cancel our contribution and ask me to create a new one! A recurring "set it and forget it" donation is a boon to non-profits and I wonder how many donors they lose in this process. There are software platforms to manage donations, and non-profits can often get a discount, so I'm surprised they aren't more widely used. Okay, end of rant. I'm mostly done with the task except for one local organization where I had to leave a voice mail ...

>87 lauralkeet: We've had one or two aggravating experiences with that credit card update nonsense too. I wonder if a (ahem) spreadsheet might be useful...

>88 laytonwoman3rd: spreadsheets are always useful Linda, and in fact I created one listing all of our recurring bills that I'd need to update. Sure, this could have been accomplished with a hand-written list but why do that when you can create a spreadsheet?!

What did you have in mind?

>87 lauralkeet: I've only lifted one of my 15 garlics from the ground - how do you cure them outside?

They are now so pretty with the little white tops.

>90 m.belljackson: Hi Marianne, we have a small 2-story barn next to our veg garden, and the 2nd story makes a sort of awning in the front. I set the garlic out on a flat surface under that and they get plenty of air circulation and stay dry if it rains. I leave them for about 3 weeks to cure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Friday! I'm home from our gym+Friday breakfast outing, having enjoyed my usual pancakes and scrambled eggs. Yesterday we collected a few items to go to the dump, including a rug we've never liked that Ellie chewed in spots. It was in a room we rarely use which has become a holding area, and after 5 years in this house we're finally biting the bullet to get rid of stuff we know we're not going to use ourselves, nor give to Kate and Julia. So today I think we'll take things to the dump and a local thrift shop.

The air quality is very poor here today, the effect of the wildfires in Canada. My LT pals north of here have had it worse than us. It's hazy and there's an odor, but the sky isn't yellow as in other parts of the US and Canada. Still, yuck. So other than the exciting outing I've just mentioned, we'll be spending the day indoors.

Have a good one folks.