karenmarie's Comfort Zone Quandary - Don't Wanna vs Should - XV

Welcome to my first-time ever fifteenth thread in the 75ers, and my fifteenth thread of Twenty Twenty.

Head down, pretending we’re still in lockdown, and trying to stay safe. I looked back on old threads and am amazed that it was only on March 3rd that I mentioned Covid-19 for the first time. Two days before, March 1, I was happily planning for and executing book club for 12 at our house. It’s been nine months of shockingly different social and shopping/essential services behaviors. Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family are both cancelled although there’s hope that Jenna might be able to come home for Christmas. Slim, but a hope.

I still love being retired, and am beyond grateful that I don’t have to venture out to work to earn a living ever again. So many things are on hold and uncertain right now, and I’m not convinced I won’t be saying much of the same next time this year. Sad, but true.

I read and am a charter member of the Redbud and Beyond Book Club, started in 1997. We haven’t met since March, and I’m not at all certain when we’ll be able to meet again. I am President for our local Friends of the Library (henceforth abbreviated FoL), and am sad that our Tuesday morning FoL book sale donations sorting meetings are still on hold, the Library is still closed, and we’ve now had to cancel two book sales because of Covid-19. It isn’t looking good for the Spring 2021 Book Sale either.

I have been married to Bill for 29 years and am mother to Jenna, who turned 27 in August. We live in our own little corner of paradise on 8 acres in central North Carolina USA. Jenna is currently working as a tutor for her community college and as she settles into that will try to find other work to cover her expenses. We have three kitties. Wash and Zoe were being sort-of outdoor kitties, and our senior girl, Inara, was just being cute.

…

The theme for this year’s pictures is no theme. This is my father’s paternal grandmother and her sisters. Hermoine Sargent Pomeroy is on the far right. She was born in 1857 and died in 1916, 5 years before her only grandson, my dad, was born. Scary looking women, and my G-gma almost has that Frieda Kahlo unibrow thing going.



My goal was 100 books again this year. It’s a good goal, not too stressful and not too comfortable. Without Covid I’d still be working on it; as it is, I’ve read 114 books so far this year, 12% nonfiction. No page goal, just tracking. I seem to read around 30000 pages per year and have surpassed that too.







My personal challenge for the year was a re-read of Jane Austen’s 6 novels. The last time I read them was BLT - Before LibraryThing – and to be perfectly honest I never even finished Emma. Bill bought lovely Easton Press Editions for me for Christmas 2008 which have never been opened. I think it’s time to crack’em. I’m now officially Very Far Behind. I've started Emma but it's slow going. I will also read Sanditon, the Watsons, Lady Susan & other Miscellanea and one biography, to be decided upon later. I've already decided to cut myself some slack and carry this challenge into 2021.
In response to the pandemic and in need of comfort reading, I’m reading/re-reading the Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout, all 47 of them. This, too, may carry into 2021. I’m currently at book 26 of 47.
A second personal challenge for the year will be of an archaeological nature – I want to dig through each year of book acquisitions and read 2 as-yet-unread books from each year. 13 years, 26 books. My ROOT goal is 30 books, none of them re-reads, so there’s a bit of wiggle room for 4 additional ROOTs. Not doing so well with this goal, but I’ll use the pandemic as my excuse. I may or may not accomplish this goal as my reading has changed focus quite a bit in this annus horribilis. I have, however, read 30 ROOTs, so while the content is not how I wanted it, the number is.

During my high school and early college years, 1967-1973, I kept a notebook, which included some quotes I liked. Here are a few of them:

There is not much to be said for the business of the male having to be superior except that it’s a terrible strain. For men to be superior, women have to be inferior, which requires a lot of play-acting for both parties and never seems to work. And an awful lot of men would likely trade their male supremacy for a chance to be accepted as they actually are. – Merle Shain Some Men are More Perfect Than Others

I’m quite sure that one never makes fundamental mistakes about the thing one really wants to do. Fundamental mistakes arise out of lack of genuine interest. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

Any man who thinks civilization has advanced is an egotist. Will Rogers

…And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

He was so congenitally conceited that he appeared modest. J.D. Salinger

Pleasure not known beforehand is half wasted; to anticipate it is to double it. Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

And, finally, Comfort Zone Quandary – how do I balance reading for sheer pleasure in genres/authors I love with Book Bullets acquired from fellow LTers and Real Life Book Club? It is a never-ending battle between Don’t Wanna and Should. Don’t Wanna stray from what I love, Should expand my horizons.

books read

January
1. A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd 12/27/19 1/2/20 326 pages trade paperback, Advance Reader's Edition...
*abandoned* A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 20 pages
2. Abraham Lincoln: Mystic Chords of Memory edited by Larry Shapiro 1/8/20 1/9/20 **** trade paperback, 79 pages...
3. Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches? by Mike O'Connor 11/24/19 1/12/20 211 pages trade paperback
4. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith 11/17/19 1/14/20 audiobook 18 hours
5. So Many Steps to Death by Agatha Christie 1/12/20 1/14/20 200 pages
6. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton 1/3/20 1/18/20 458 pages trade paperback
7. Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly 1/18/20 1/20/20 433 pages hardcover
8. The Night Fire by Michael Connelly 1/20/20 1/20/20 405 pages hardcover
*abandoned* Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding, 14 pages
9. Cecily by Clare Darcy 1/22/20 1/23/20 285 pages mass market paperback
10. The Second Sleep by Robert Harris 1/23/20 1/27/20 298 pages hardcover
11. Spying on the South by Tony Horwitz 1/13/20 1/27/20 417 pages hardcover

February
12. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 1/28/20 2/4/20 374 pages trade paperback
13. Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel by Richard H. Minear 1/18/20 2/5/20 267 pages hardcover
14. Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb 2/4/20 2/6/20 343 pages mass market paperback
15. In the Frame by Dick Francis 2/7/20 2/8/20 206 pages mass market paperback
*abandoned* The Cold Last Swim by Junior Burke 131 pages
16. The Sacrament by Olaf Olafsson 2/8/20 2/11/20 292 pages hardcover
17. The Last Basselope: One Ferocious Story by Berkeley Breathed 2/12/20 2/1/20 30 pages hardcover
18. Slay Ride by Dick Francis 2/12/20 2/13/20 279 pages mass market paperback
19. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher 2/9/20 2/14/20 180 pages trade paperback
20. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker 2/13/20 2/16/20 299 pages hardcover
21. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths 2/18/20 2/20/20 370 pages hardcover
22. River of Darkness by Rennie Airth 2/16/20 2/24/20 435 pages trade paperback
23. Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb 2/25/20 2/27/20 371 pages hardcover
24. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 1/23/20 2/28/20 22 pages of introduction, 381 pages hardcover

March
25. Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz 2/27/20 3/2/20 354 pages hardcover
26. Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb 3/3/20 3/4/20 370 pages hardcover
27. Dark in Death by J.D. Robb 3/4/20 3/7/20 372 pages hardcover
28. Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift 3/7/20 3/8/20 177 pages hardcover
29. Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb 3/8/20 3/12/20 385 pages hardcover
30. Connections in Death by J.D. Robb 3/13/20 3/18/20 371 pages hardcover
31. Vendetta in Death by J.D. Robb 3/20/20 3/21/20 356 pages hardcover
32. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith 1/16/20 3/24/20 22.5 hours audiobook
33. Golden in Death by J.D. Robb 3/22/20 3/27/20 387 pages hardcover
34. Blood Sport by Dick Francis 3/28/20 3/29/20 309 pages mass market paperback

April
35. The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz 3/27/20 4/3/20 373 pages hardcover
36. A Small Book of Grave Humour edited by Fritz Spiegl 4/5/20 4/5/20 192 pages paperback
37. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout 4/6/20 4/10/20 199 pages mass market paperback
38. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout 4/10/20 4/14/20 207 pages mass market paperback
39. The Rubber Band by Rex Stout 4/14/20 4/18/20 189 pages mass market paperback
40. True Fiction by Lee Goldberg 4/18/20 4/20/20 248 pages hardcover, Kindle
41. Beastly Tales From Here to There by Vikram Seth 4/5/20 4/19/20 152 pages hardcover
42. In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick 4/22/20 4/26/20 245 pages trade paperback
43. Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg 4/19/20 4/27/20 287 pages hardcover, Kindle
44. Foucault for Beginners by Lydia Alix Fillingham 4/28/20 4/29/20 150 pages trade paperback
*abandoned* Left to Die by Lisa Jackson 4/27/20 496 pages mass market paperback, 2008, 86 pages

May
45. The Danger by Dick Francis 4/29/20 5/5/20 370 pages mass market paperback
46. The Red Box by Rex Stout 5/6/20 5/7/2020 264 pages trade paperback
47. Too Many Cooks by Rex Stout 5/8/20 5/14/20 179 pages mass market paperback
48. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout 5/14/20 5/16/20 278 pages hardcover
49. Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout 5/16/20 5/19/20 191 pages mass market paperback
50. Where There's a Will by Rex Stout 5/19/20 5/23/20 255 pages, Kindle
51. Black Orchids by Rex Stout 5/23/20 5/24/20 105 pages mass market paperback
52. Cordially Invited to Meet Death by Rex Stout 5/24/20 5/24/20 99 pages mass market paperback
53. Not Quite Dead Enough by Rex Stout 5/24/20 5/26/20 102 pages hardcover
54. Booby Trap by Rex Stout 5/26/20 5/26/20 116 pages hardcover
55. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 3/25/20 5/26/20 audiobook
56. The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout 5/26/20 5/30/20 271 pages Kindle
57. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 3/18/20 5/30/20 415 pages hardcover

June
58. Too Many Women by Rex Stout 5/31/20 6/5/20 355 pages, Kindle
*abandoned* Stacey in the Hands of an Angry God by Thomas Keech 60 pages
*abandoned* A New God in Town by Thomas Keech 20 pages
59. And Be a Villain by Rex Stout 6/6/20 6/8/20 247 pages mass market paperback
60. The Second Confession by Rex Stout 6/9/20 6/11/20 168 pages hardcover
61. In the Best Families by Rex Stout 6/11/20 6/12/20 170 pages hardcover
62. That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green 6/12/20 6/19/20 350 pages trade paperback
63. Trouble in Triplicate by Rex Stout 6/20/20 6/23/20 228 pages mass market paperback

July
64. The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry 6/23/20 7/2/20 462 pages trade paperback
65. Smokescreen by Dick Francis 7/2/20 7/5/20 212 pages mass market paperback
66. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 7/5/20 7/12/20 381 pages trade paperback
67. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming 7/12/20 7/15/20 308 pages hardcover
68. The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope by C.W. Grafton 7/15/20 7/16/20 284 pages trade paperback
69. Wild Dog by Serge Joncour 7/17/20 7/24/20 351 pages trade paperback 2018
70. Curtains for Three by Rex Stout 7/22/20 7/25/20 222 pages paperback
71. Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump, PhD. 7/21/20 7/26/20 215 pages hardcover
72. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming 7/25/20 7/29/20 314 pages trade paperback
*abandoned* A is for Arsenic by Katherine Harkup
73. Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod the World's First Female Sports superstar by Sasha Abramsky 7/30/20 7/31/20 232 pages hardcover

August
74. Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming 7/29/20 8/4/20 325 pages hardcover
75. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling 5/29/20 8/5/20 audiobook
76. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen 5/31/20 8/9/20 494 pages hardcover
77. To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming 8/9/20 8/14/20 311 pages hardcover
78. All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming 8/15/20 8/17/20 322 pages hardcover
79. I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming 8/17/20 8/21/20 414 pages hardcover
*abandoned* In the Last Analysis by Amanda Cross
80. #Sad! More Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by GB Trudeau 8/3/20 8/24/20 128 pages trade paperback
81. One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming 8/26/20 8/29/20 327 pages hardcover 2011
82. Lewser! More Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by GB Trudeau 7/17/20 8/30/20 127 pages trade paperback

September
83. Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming 8/30/20 9/1/20 355 pages hardcover
84. Coraline by Neil Gaiman 9/2/20 9/3/20 163 pages hardcover
85. Murder by the Book by Rex Stout 9/3/20 9/4/20 199 pages mass market paperback
86. Triple Jeopardy by Rex Stout 9/5/20 9/7/20 148 pages hardcover
87. Prisoner's Base by Rex Stout 9/7/20 9/8/20 286 pages mass market paperback
88. The Edge by Dick Francis 9/9/20 9/11/20 324 pages hardcover
89. Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb 9/11/20 9/15/20 355 pages hardcover
90. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith 9/15/20 9/19/20 927 pages hardcover
91. The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson 9/1/20 9/21/20 235 pages hardcover
92. Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming 9/21/20 9/24/20 339 pages hardcover
93. IQ by Joe Ide 9/24/20 9/26/20 321 pages trade paperback
94. The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware 9/26/20 9/28/20 368 pages trade paperback
95. The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz 9/29/20 9/30/20 356 pages hardcover

October
96. The Golden Spiders by Rex Stout 10/3/20 10/4/20 208 pages hardcover
97. Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz 10/5/20 10/7/20 404 pages hardcover
98. 2020 Democratic Party Platform by the Democratic National Committee 9/1/20 10/8/20 91 pages PDF
99. Three Men Out by Rex Stout 10/8/20 10/10/20 150 pages mass market paperback
100. How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi 9/28/20 286 pages hardcover
101. Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz 10/13/20 10/16/20 385 pages hardcover
102. Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz 10/17/20 10/19/20 385 pages hardcover
103. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 8/6/20 10/17/20 audiobook
104. The Black Mountain by Rex Stout 10/20/20 10/22/20 Kindle
105. The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver 10/11/20 10/23/20 338 pages hardcover
106. Before Midnight by Rex Stout 10/23/20 10/26/20 208 pages Kindle
107. Bangkok 8 by John Burdett 10/26/20 10/29/20 338 pages Kindle
108. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff 10/30/20 10/30/20 trade paperback

November
109. The Fifth Season by N K Jemisin 9/28/20 11/3/20 449 pages trade paperback
110. Glacial Lake Missoula and Its Humongous Floods by David Alt 9/15/20 11/4/20 trade paperback, 186 pages
111. The Sentinel by Lee Child and Andrew Child 11/5/20 11/8/20 351 pages hardcover
112. Three Witnesses by Rex Stout 11/8/20 11/11/20 179 pages mass market paperback
113. Second Wind by Dick Francis 11/12/20 11/16/20 383 pages hardcover
114. My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber 11/11/20 11/16/20 106 pages trade paperback
115. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 11/17/20 11/24/20 288 pages trade paperback
116. Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson 11/25/20 12/1/20 316 pages mass market paperback
117. Might As Well Be Dead by Rex Stout 12/1/20 12/11/20 208 pages mass market paperback
118. A Year with G.K. Chesterton edited by Kevin Belmonte 1/1/20 12/18/20 402 pages trade paperback

Currently Reading:

Camino Island by John Grisham 12/12/20 318 pages trade paperback 2017
A Promised Land by Barack Obama 11/20/20 709 pages hardcover 2020
White Trash by Nancy Isenberg 11/9/20 321 pages trade paperback 2016
The Source by James Michener 10/1/20 909 pages hardcover 1965
The Princess Bride by William Goldman 9/19/20 444 pages trade paperback 1973
Emma by Jane Austen 8/18/20 xxx pages, 1816
Moby Dick 5/1/20 517 pages trade paperback 1851
What the Bible Really Says by Manfred Barthel 2/12/20 388 pages hardcover 1980 Germany
The Bible and the Common Reader by Mary Ellen Chase 314 pages hardcover 1944 US

books added - 341 added in 2019 - goal is to reduce that by 20% or more. This should actually be an easy goal given the pandemic and the fact that we've already missed one book sale and will probably miss a second one.

January
1. book sort team reject - Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
2. Amazon - The Second Sleep by Robert Harris
3. friend Karen - Christmas - A Higher Loyalty by James Comey
4. friend Karen - Christmas - The New English Bible
5. friend Karen - Christmas - A Beginner's Guide to The Books of the Bible by Diane L. Jacobson and Robert Kysar
6. friend Karen - Christmas - The Bible and the Common Reader by Mary Ellen Chase, first printing, 1944
7. friend Karen - Christmas - What the Bible Really Says by Manfred Barthel
8. Amazon - River of Darkness by Rennie Airth

February
9. McKays - The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
10. McKays - The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
11. Jenn - The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
12. McKays - Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
13. McKays - Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton
14. McKays - Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb
15. McKays - Dark in Death by J.D. Robb
16. ER - The Cold Last Swim by Junior Burke
17. Amazon - Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
18. Amazon - Religous Literacy by Stephen Prothero
19. Amazon - The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
20. Amazon - Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood
21. Thrift Shop - The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
22. Thrift Shop - Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
23. Amazon - The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
24. Amazon - An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim
25. Amazon - Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson
26. Amazon - The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth
27. book sort team reject - Ishi Last of His Tribe by Theodora Kroeber

March
28. BookMooch - Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
29. Amazon - The Benefit of Hindsight by Susan Hill
30. Amaon - The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz
31. book sort team reject - the Epic of Man by Time-Life Editors
32. book sort team reject - Golden A Guide to Field Identification Trees of North America by C. Frank Brockman
33. ER - Wild Dog by Serge Joncour
34. Amazon - Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
35. Bookmooch - Recursion by Blake Crouch
36. Amazon - Vendetta in Death by J.D. Robb
37. Amazon - Golden in Death by J.D. Robb
38. BookMooch - Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay

April
00. Amazon Kindle - True Fiction by Lee Goldberg, March 1, 2018
39. Amazon Kindle - The Names of the Dead by Kevin Wignall 1-5-20
40. Amazon Kindle - The Complete Novels of Fanny Burney 2-15-20
41. Amazon Kindle - Killer Thriller by Ian Ludlow
42. Amazon Kindle - Moby Dick by Herman Melville
43. Amazon Kindle - Fidelity by Susan Glaspell
00. Amazon Kindle - Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace 8/26/2018

May
44. Amazon Kindle - The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
45. Amazon Kindle - A Man by Keiichiro Hirano
46. Amazon - An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
47. Amazon - Belgravia by Julian Fellowes
48. Amazon Kindle - Where There's a Will by Rex Stout
49. Amazon Kindle - Too Many Women by Rex Stout
50. Amazon Kindle - Guardians of Ga'Hoole #1: The Capture by Kathryn Lasky
51. Amazon Kindle - The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout
52. Amazon Kindle - Stacey in the Hands of an Angry God by Thomas Keech
53. ER - A New God in Town by Thomas Keech

June
54. Amazon Kindle - Double for Death by Rex Stout - first in the Tecumseh Fox series
55. Amazon - Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
56. Amazon - That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green
57. Amazon - The Rat Began to Gnaw the Rope by C.W. Grafton
58. Amazon - Trouble in Triplicate by Rex Stout
59. Amazon Kindle - Curtains for Three by Rex Stout
60. Amazon Kindle - In the Last Analysis by Amanda Cross
61. Amazon Kindle - Delphi Complete Works of Anna Katharine Green by Anna Katharine Green
62. Bill - birthday - The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
63. Amazon Kindle - Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
64. Amazon Kindle - The Devil in America by Kai Ashante Wilson

July
65. Amazon Kindle - Tomboyland: Essays by Melissa Faliveno
66. Amazon - Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump
67. Amazon - A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia spencer-Fleming
68. ER - Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod the World's First Female Sports Superstar by Sasha Abramsky

August
69. Amazon - #Sad: Moore Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by GB Trudeau
70. Amazon - Inside Job by Connie Willis
71. Amazon Kindle - Attack of the 50 Foot Indian by Stephen Graham Jones - Richard
72. Amazon - Or What You Will by Jo Walton - Susan
73. Amazon Kindle - I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming

September
74. Amazon Kindle - Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell
75. Amazon Kindle - The Saltmarsh Murders by Gladys Mitchell
76. Friend Karen - The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump by Bandy Lee
77. Amazon Kindle - It's a Bird by Christian Cooper
78. Amazon - Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb
79. Amazon - Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
80. Amazon - The Fifth Season by N K Jemisin
81. Amazon - The Obelisk Gate by N K Jemisin
82. Amazon - The Stone Sky by J K Jemisin

October
83. Friend Jan - Instant Pot For Two Cookbook by Alice Newman
84. Friend Jan - The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook by Simon Rush
85. Amazon - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Jennifer Smith
86. Amazon - The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver
87. Judy - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
88. Amazon - Final Proof by Rodrigues Ottolengui
89. Amazon Kindle - The Black Mountain by Rex Stout
90. Amazon Kindle - Before Midnight
91. Amazon Kindle - Bangkok 8 by John Burdett
92. Amazon Kindle - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
93. Amazon - The Sentinel by Lee Child and Andrew Child
94. Amazon Kindle - Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett

November
95. Amazon - Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn
96. Amazon - A Wealth of Pigeons by Harry Bliss and Steve Martin
97. Amazon - A Promised Land by Barack Obama
98. Amazon - The Standing Chandelier by Lionel Shriver
99. Amazon - Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
100. Amazon - Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith, audio CDs
101. Amazon - Hope Rides Again by Andrew Shaffer
102. Amazon - Might As Well Be Dead by Rex Stout

December
103. FoL Book Donation - The Source of Life and Other Stories by Beth Bosworth
104. FoL Book Donation - Off the Map: Selected Poems by Gloria Fuertes by Gloria Fuertes
105. FoL Book Donation - The Rushdie File by Lisa Appignanesi
106. FoL Book Donation - The Vision of the Void: Theological Reflections on the Works of Elie Wiesel by Michael Berenbaum
107. FoL Book Donation - Fall Color Finder: A Pocket Guide to Autumn Leaves by Ritchie C. Bell
108. FoL Book Donation - A Word or Two Before You Go . . . . by Jacques Barzun
109. FoL Book Donation - The Regional Arts of the Early South by John Bivins
110. FoL Book Donation - 1599 Geneva Bible: Patriot's Edition by Reformers
111. FoL Book Donation - Handbook for William: A Carolingian Woman's Counsel for Her Son by Dhouda
112. FoL Book Donation - Chakra Healing by Margarita Alcantara
113. FoL Book Donation - Epistolary Histories: Letters, Fiction, Culture by Amanda Gilroy
114. Sister Laura - Finding My Way by our cousin Lenita McCallum Witherspoon
115. Friend Karen - Taking on the World: Joseph and Stewart Alsop, Guardians of the American Century by Robert W. Merry
116. Friend Karen - Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in Americaby Ibram X. Kendi
117. Friend Karen - The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe by William Hitchcock
118. Friend Karen - A Seer Out of Season: The Life Of Edgar Cayce by Harmon H. Bro
119. Friend Karen - Seafurrers: The Ships’ Cats Who Lapped and Mapped the World by Philippa Sandall
120. Friend Karen - The Bible: New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs: Contemporary English Version by Cev Abs
121. Friend Karen - Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays by Candace Savage
122. Amazon - A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey - bought as gift but will keep to upgrade my collection from mass market paperback to trade paperback. I realized that I'd already given this particular book to the friend I bought this copy for 5 years ago.
00. Amazon Kindle - The Complete Father Brown Mysteries (Annotated, With Introduction, Rare Additional Material) by G.K. Chesterton (Author), G.A. Fisher (Editor), Gary Fisher (Foreword), 11/22/19

books culled - 255 culled in 2019 - goal is to maintain or increase by 10%

1. A Cold Treachery by Charles Todd
2. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
3. A Matter of Justice by Charles Todd
4. Legacy of the Dead by Charles Todd
5. A Fearsome Doubt by Charles Todd
6. Wings of Fire by Charles Todd
7. Search the Dark by Charles Todd
8. A Pale Horse by Charles Todd
9. Watchers of Time by Charles Todd
10. A Long Shadow by Charles Todd
11. A False Mirror by Charles Todd
12. The Red Door by Charles Todd
13. A Lonely Death by Charles Todd
14. The Confession by Charles Todd
15. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd
16. Hunting Shadows by Charles Todd
17. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
18. No Shred of Evidence by Charles Todd
19. Racing the Devil by Charles Todd
20. The Gate Keeper by Charles Todd
21. A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd
22. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling - duplicate
23. Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney
24. The Book of Merlyn by T.H. White - duplicate
25. Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding - abandoned
26. Cecily by Clare Darcy - read and culled
27. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro - thornton37814's review made me realize I'd never read it
28. Life with Maxie by Diane Rehm - dogs, not me, plus I need .3 points on bookmooch
29. Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara - ditto the .3 points, plus novels about the revolutionary war ... meh
30. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen - ditto the .3 points and I'll never read it - contemporary fiction
31. Left to Die by Lisa Jackson
32. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout - duplicate
33. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout - triplicate
34. The Partner by John Grisham
35. The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths
36. Black Orchids by Rex Stout - duplicate
37. Not Quite Dead Enough - duplicate
38. Hawaii by James Michener - when I looked at it the other day, I realized that several of the pages were misprinted and even if I wanted to re-read it RIGHT NOW, it would be a terrible reading experience. I'll have to look for another copy. I actually threw this one into the recycle bin!
39. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout - duplicate
40. And Be a Villain by Rex Stout - duplicate
41. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
42. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson
43. Still Life by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
44. China Road by Rob Gifford - dated
45. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
46. Glass Houses by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
47. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
48. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
49. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
50. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
51. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
52. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
53. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley
54. Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christina Blevins
55. No Instructions Needed by Robert G. Hewitt
56. The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
57. The Long Way Home by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
58. How the Light Gets in by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
59. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
60. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny - won't read any more of the series and won't re-read this one
61. Wild Dog by Serge Joncour - ER book I don't want to keep
62. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter - won't read
63. Walden and On The Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
64. As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann
65. The Timetables of History by Bernard Grun
66. Pruning Made Easy by Lewis Hill
67. Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
68. Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening
69. Shagging in the Carolinas by 'Fessa John Hook
70. A Reporter's Life by Walter Cronkite
71. The Majors by John Feinstein
72. Stupid White Men by Michael Moore
73. Better Homes and Gardens Step by Step Landscaping
74. Needlepoint by Hope Hanley
75. Britannica Book of English Usage by Christine Timmons
76. The Golden Spiders by Rex Stout - duplicate
77. Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler - won't read it
78. The Life of Amelia Earhart by Mary S. Lovell
79. Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher
80. Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher
81. Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher
82. Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4) by Jim Butcher
83. Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5) by Jim Butcher
84. Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6) by Jim Butcher
85. Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) by Jim Butcher
86. Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8) by Jim Butcher
87. White Night (The Dresden Files, Book 9) by Jim Butcher
88. Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) by Jim Butcher
89. Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) by Jim Butcher
90. Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
91. Gump & Co. by Winston Groom
92. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Brashares, Ann
93. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle by Braun, Lilian Jackson
94. The Cat Who Moved a Mountain by Braun, Lilian Jackson
95. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Braun, Lilian Jackson
96. The Cat Who Played Post Office by Braun, Lilian Jackson
97. The Cat Who Said Cheese by Braun, Lilian Jackson
98. The Cat Who Sniffed Glue by Braun, Lilian Jackson
99. The Cat Who Tailed a Thief by Braun, Lilian Jackson
100. The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts by Braun, Lilian Jackson
101. The Cat Who Turned On and Off by Braun, Lilian Jackson
102. The Cat Who Went into the Closet by Braun, Lilian Jackson
103. Full Cry by Brown, Rita Mae
104. Murder on the Prowl by Brown, Rita Mae
105. Murder, She Meowed by Brown, Rita Mae
106. Nine Lives to Die by Brown, Rita Mae
107. Outfoxed by Brown, Rita Mae
108. Riding Shotgun by Brown, Rita Mae
109. Brain Droppings by Carlin, George
110. Mason & Dixon by Pynchon, Thomas
111. Warning Signs by White, Stephen
112. A Flame in Byzantium by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
113. Better in the Dark: A Novel of Saint-Germain by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
114. Blood Games: A Historical Horror Novel Set in Nero's Rome by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
115. Crusaders' Torch by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
116. Darker Jewels: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
117. Out of the House of Life: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
118. Path of the Eclipse A Historical Horror Novel Set in the Far East by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
119. Writ In Blood: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn
120. Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson - good but not good enough to keep
121. A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey - upgraded to trade paperback
122. A Year with G. K. Chesterton edited by Kevin Belmonte - will never read it again

Statistics Through October 31

108 books read
28 of them on my shelves before 1/1/20 and not rereads
10 books abandoned, 553 pages abandoned
29816 pages read
68.8 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 98
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 276

**new feature**
Best nonfiction book of the month: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Best fiction book of the month: The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver

Author
Male 61%
Female 39%

Living 60%
Dead 40%

US Born 69%
Foreign Born 31%

Platform
Hardcover 47%
Trade Pback 20%
Mass Market 18%
Audiobook 5%
e-Book 10%

Source
My Library 77%
Library 17%
Other 6%

Misc
ARC/ER 3%
Re-read 24%
Series 65%

Fiction 88%
NonFiction 12%

Author Birth Country
Austria 1%
Canada 1%
England 23%
France 1%
Iceland 1%
India 1%
New Zealand 1%
South Africa 1%
Sweden 1%
US 69%

Original Decade Published
1810-1819 3%
1890-1899 1%
1930-1939 6%
1940-1949 11%
1950-1959 9%
1960-1969 1%
1970-1979 6%
1980-1989 3%
1990-1999 7%
2000-2009 10%
2010-2019 33%
2020-2029 10%

Category
Biography 3%
Chrestomathy 1%
Contemporary Fiction 2%
Fantasy 6%
Historical Fiction 5%
Humor 4%
Informational Nonfiction 6%
Memoir 1%
Mystery 60%
Poetry 1%
Science Fiction 3%
Suspense 1%
Thriller 7%

October’s Lightning Round

The Golden Spiders by Rex Stout 10/3/20 to 10/4/20 208 pages

Archie is irritated with Wolfe and interrupts after-dinner coffee by bringing in a young client. 12-year Pete Drossos sees a woman wearing golden spider earrings mouth the words “Help me” and wants to hire Wolfe. Soon after the boy is killed in an apparent hit-and-run accident and his mother brings the boy’s $4.30 in savings to Wolfe as a fee. Intricate, multi-faceted, and entertaining.

Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz 10/6/20 to 10/7/20

As much a story of how Evan grows as a human being as a story of rescuing Jack’s last protégé and recruit. At one point I actually had tears in my eyes. Evan gets a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call, is protecting the protégé, and sets up the next book nicely with the last chapter of this one. The best of the three so far, but they are all fantastic.

2020 Democratic Party Platform by Democratic National Committee 9/1/20 10/8/20

Dense, detailed, robust, stating the US’s return to world participation, support of all racial, sexual, and economic groups within the US and rebuilding of the US and our relationship with the world. Compare it to a one-page blurb by the Republican National Committee whining about staying safe from Covid preventing a new party platform and making it 2016 again.

Three Men Out by Rex Stout 10/8/20 to 10/10/20

Three novellas:

1. Invitation to Murder. Archie’s been hired to discover which of three women his dead sister’s husband is planning on marrying so he can cozy up to her to insure that his income from the estate isn’t jeopardized. While Archie is at the house, murder ensues, Wolfe makes a rare on-site visit, and easily figures out who the murderer is. Okay but not memorable.

2. The Zero Clue. Archie stumbles across murder when he deliberately disobeys Wolfe’s order to not pursue a client. A clue in pencils and erasers eventually leads Wolfe to the murderer.

3. This Won’t Kill You. There’s baseball fixing at a World Series game, and a murder to boot. Archie and Wolfe are at the game. Drugged players and a missing second baseman, a loving wife, a druggist, and a radio all figure in a neat little case.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz 10/13/20 to 10/16/20

Evan meets a client who further stuns him into empathy. The set up from the end of the last book materializes – Evan is going after the President of the United States. He acquires an interesting ally and I’m glad to see his protégé Joey in this book, too. Easily the most memorable conversation of this book:

”If we don’t have trust, Evan, we don’t have anything.”

“I’m trustworthy,”, he said. “I just have limits on disclosure.”

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 8/6/20 to 10/17/20

No matter how many times I read or listen to this 3rd in the Harry Potter series, it always satisfies. The occasional crack shows after so many perusals, but the main points are always consistent and Harry’s growing knowledge of his skills, talents, and place in the magical world is cemented when he understands more about his parents and their role in the fight against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz 10/17/20 to 10/19/20

Evan’s newest client has a problem that Evan solves. But people are still after Max Merriweather, and Evan keeps going and going until the hydra is finally killed. Easily the best in an extremely good series.

The Black Mountain by Rex Stout 10/20/20 to 10/22/20

Nero Wolfe’s best friend, Marko Vukcic is murdered. Wolfe vows to find his murderer and bring him to justice. The search takes Wolfe and Archie to Montenegro, where footsore and walking a tightrope of local politics and dangers with Archie not understanding any of the languages spoken, they discover who the murderer is and justice is served.

Before Midnight by Rex Stout 10/23/20 to 10/26/20

Wofe is hired to discover who took the creator’s wallet and answers to the final questions in the Pour Amour Perfume Contest. Wolfe and Archie end up solving the murder, too, but only as a byproduct of finding out who took the wallet and answers. Clever and fun.

Welcome to the latest and greatest. Who'da thunk I'd have this many threads this year?

*smooch*

Happy new thread, Karen!

Happy new one!

Congrats on your first ever 15th thread!

Happy 15th, Karen!

Happy new thread! Fifteen! Wow.

>7 karenmarie: I'm not surprised.
We all like to come over to visit, hang out, get a few laffs. Eat good pie (after seeing a flaky recipe, heh heh heh).

I loved the old photo up there of your Great-grandma. Not sure exactly which one, but they all look astoundingly similar to the formal sepia pictures of *my* great grands..

Looking forward to your comments on Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. I read that one back in 2016. It was a fun premise, although I got a bit lost with certain aspects.

Happy new thread, Karen!

*running back to Troubled Blood* I won't finish it today, but sure I will tomorrow. I love Galbraith/Rowling!

Happy new thread!

Epic threading and reading, Karen. Record-setting in both areas.

Have a thankful holiday Thursday. We shall: me and myself, her and herself. Grand Claire is home from college until late Jan/early Feb. Her twin sister comes home Wed. We'll seen them on Zoom, but probably not in person.

Happy new fifteenth, Karen.

>16 weird_O: Bill is right - you have had some year so far!

>7 karenmarie: I would!

Your upward trajectory has been constant since 2015 even though it had plateaued in the last couple of years :

2015 493 posts (73rd place)
2016 1,310 posts (27th)
2017 3,957 posts (9th)
2018 3,734 posts (6th)
2019 3,775 posts (6th)
2020 to date 4,212 posts (6th)

You managed 13 threads in each of the last three years.

>8 richardderus: *smooch* back’atcha RD.

>9 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley.

>10 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita. I’m happily astounded with #15 – heck I was happily astounded with #14.

>11 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>12 quondame: I know, wow. Thanks, Susan.

>13 SandyAMcPherson: So glad people like to come visit, Sandy. I should be making a couple of pies for Thanksgiving. Pecan definitely and either pumpkin or banana cream.

Thanks re the photo. I’m almost 2/3 of the way through. I’ve been diverted the last couple of days with A Promised Land, but will read some more tonight.

>14 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita.

>15 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! And thank you, as always, for the great job you do for this group.

>16 weird_O: Thank you, Bill. Bad reason, good LT results.

>17 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul, and thank you for the stats. I'm pretty wordy, I guess, having been a member since October of 2007. I think the increase can be attributed to my retiring in January of 2016. Lots more lovely time on my hands to read and visit here. *smile*

Everybody can find their own stats: Home, Stats/Memes, Social/Groups and Talk.



Thankful will be the watchword for the day – thankful that we’re still safe and sound, thankful that our daughter is staying safe and sound in Wilmington, and like you, it will be me and myself and him and himself.

I think I’ll make pie crusts tomorrow and put them in the freezer. The leftover pie crust bits will become cook's reward - rolled out, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and then baked.

15 - WOW!!!

I'll be back often, Karen.

>18 karenmarie: Mine in comparison:

Total topics 6,373
Topics started 306

Total Messages 56,111
Word Count 3,533,289
Words/Message 62.97

Groups Messaged 49
Longest Message 2,3239

Hi Karen! Happy new thread loaded with books and statistics, just the way I like 'em. ; )

>14 FAMeulstee: Ooh! I haven't read that one yet, off to add Troubled Blood to my WL!!

Morning, Karen. Happy New Thread! Hooray for #15! We are waking up to our first measurable snow. It will probably end up as 2-3 inches. It won't stick around long but it is a portend of things to come. Unless something pops up my bird radar, I probably won't get out today.

>19 LizzieD: ‘Morning, Peggy! Wow for sure.

>20 PaulCranswick: These stats are fun, aren’t they?

>21 Berly: Hi Kim! Thank you! It took me a long time to come up with a new thread format that I liked. I recently added my lightning round and think it’s now pretty much set cast in concrete. Troubled Blood is quite wonderful to those of us who love Strike and Robin.

>22 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark! Thank you kindly. Wow, snow. Here it’s clear 42F, going up another 10 degrees or so. Enjoy the books and the inside.

…
Still changing websites over to my new email address or crossing them off my list if it won’t matter if the old one goes away. Some of them let you change easily, some make you go through ridiculous hoops.

Hey Horrible, how fares the house? That kind of chore, the over-switching of email on subscriptions, is the sort of thing that some browser-coding bright spark should automate.

Spend your Tuesday well. *smooch*

Hi RD, things are fine here except for my occasional email change rumblings. I might make pie crusts today, I might not. I might chop some onions and celery today, I might not. Reading, check. More coffee, check. Brekkie soon, check.

*smooch*

Oh, I have a celery question. What's your policy re: stringing the stalk before chopping? I always string my celery so it won't kinda-sorta hang together and can be more finely cubed. My YGC was dumbfounded when I showed him how. A string (!) of celery-hating friends through the years have gleefully adopted this technique. And thee?

Happy sweet 15! :)

Your plans for today sound perfect.

Celery tip of the day for the uncut celery: if you wrap it in aluminum foil, magic happens and it stays good *much* longer. (This from my favorite food blog)

>26 richardderus: I string'em. Like you I don't like the kinda-sorta-hang together-ness.

>27 streamsong: Thank you, Janet! Ooh, celery in aluminum foil, great tip.

Bill's gone out to get a prescription and take out food for himself - I rarely take advantage of his weekday offers of takeout. I've only got about 10 or so websites to go.

>28 karenmarie:
I'm always glad to know you're *actually* smart, not just seemingly so. *smooch*

Thank you, kind sir. I also use cold milk to make my white sauce, thus preventing lumps. *smile*

>30 karenmarie: Bonus points!

Hi Karen my dear, happy new thread and congratulations on your 15th thread of 2020 dear friend.

15! Happy new one, Karen.

Happy new thread, Karen. Thanks for the directions on how to find the stats. I'm a mere piker compared to you and the ever competitive stats-wise, Paul. Have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Happy new thread, Karen! I’m off now to wrap up my celery in aluminum foil (who knew?).

Happy New Thread, Karen. Thanks for all the support on my thread. And I just bought celery today so...

>31 richardderus: Ooh, yay for bonus points. Hmmm. I need more. What about grinding my coffee beans fresh just before I use them?

>32 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, nice to see you out and about after your surgery!

>33 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

>34 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! There are so many things on LT that I haven’t looked at yet, but my ego likes my stats. Thanksgiving’s Thursday, but tomorrow’s a lot of prep work. I think I’d be hyperventilating if tomorrow was T-day.

>35 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Yay for Janet, right?

>36 ronincats: Thank you, Roni. You’re a dear who’s had a huge shock and handled it with grace. We’ll all put the celery business out of business by not having to buy it so frequently now.

Happy fifteenth Karen!

>37 karenmarie: Don't panic! Don't panic! ;-)

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. More rain through the day, so I don't think I will get out for a bird ramble. It will probably be a feeder watch and more book time. Not a bad combo.

>38 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella! I can putter around today with various Thanksgiving meal prep things that don't have to be last minute. Tomorrow can be all assemble and bake or roast. Still a lot of work for two people, but worth it.

>39 msf59: 'Morning to you, too, Mark, and happy Wednesday. Enjoy your Bird and Book day.

>40 karenmarie: What earthly use is an easy feast?! Part of the thankfulness needs to be for the effort of making a special, out-of-the-ordinary meal full of favorites. *smooch*

>41 richardderus: Bah! Effort for the sake of effort, not my thing. Good food is it's own justification, and if The Stinking Rose were open that's where my Thanksgiving feast would originate.

>41 richardderus: All the food I make for T-day is from scratch except the rolls because I like it to taste a particular way, so yes, it's worth the effort. *smooch*

>42 quondame: It's not effort for effort's sake, Susan, because I don't like store bought anything for Thanksgiving and am willing to go to the effort because it's what we like. I've mostly given up on effort for effort's sake in my life, but a good homemade angel food cake, or German Chocolate Cake, or cookies, just taste better to me than store bought.

I've eaten T-day meals at restaurants when I lived in Connecticut and they were always disappointing.

>43 karenmarie: A traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant can't help but disappoint if you're used to a well prepared home version, but I would never order turkey and fixings - well there was the time one was delivered when my whole house was down with the flu, but I didn't order it. And professional pastry can be as good as home made, those big ovens and quality control are worth something, not from the big grocery, but that shop up the street does some great stuff. No pumpkin pie matches mine in my family's estimation, but such food prejudices are par for the course, no one's vinaigrette has been a patch on my mom's, even though I mixed it most of the time before I left for college.

Morning, Karen. Happy Thanksgiving, my friend. Enjoy. We are keeping it simple this year. Just my FIL. Bree is with Sean's family and Matt is with his girlfriend's family.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Mark. It's just Bill and me here.

...
I made pies yesterday, chopped onions and celery (stringed first, RD), and boiled sweet potatoes so I can bake them today. Turkey's doing the final thaw in the sink, will go into the 450F oven at 11:10 so we'll eat about 2:45-3 by the time the gravy's made and everything else's baked or prepared.

Morning, Karen! Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friend. I know you are missing Jenna today, and I am sorry for that.

We did a bunch of Thanksgiving prep yesterday, too. Dinner for us is today at 5pm - Craig is making the turkey, so he got to pick the time. Abby made that buttermilk pumpkin pie with the streusel topping yesterday, and it makes two pies, so we got to be rebels and have pie with coffee this morning. Delightful!

Thanks, Mamie! I started missing Jenna yesterday because she always helps with the pies and we have fun times in the kitchen.

This may be the first time I ever regret not having iPhones - our cousin Rebecca suggested Facetiming today not realizing that we had android phones. Theoretically we could zoom, but we've never done that before and learning today just sounds stressful to me.

We'll be eating somewhere around 3 p.m. The turkey comes out of the oven at 2:15 or so, gravy needs to get made, baked things (dressing, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole) need to go in 2ish, Sister Schubert rolls go in around 2:30, and etc.

Yay for the buttermoo pumpkin pies, especially with coffee for brekkie today. I'll be having pumpkin pie for brekkie tomorrow with my coffee for sure.

I think Mamie-the-rebel should be required to share her buttermoo punkin streusel gloriousness with the rest of us, don't you?

What do you do with your celery strings?

Happy dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving, Karen. Hoping this one is the anomaly.... and back to normal next year.

>49 karenmarie: You can put the Skype app on your Droid (or tablet or computer) and do the same thing you can do with FaceTime. Hubby has a Droid so I put Skype on my iPad and that's how we communicated when I was walking the canal trail last year.

>52 RebaRelishesReading: Reba beat me to it, I was going to recommend Skype. We used it a lot when our daughters were in college because although they had Macs, we had a Windows PC. It would be a great way for you to stay connected with Jenna, Karen. I totally understand not wanting to deal with tech stuff today, but hey, maybe tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm sorry you're missing Jenna, Karen. I hope you and Bill still find some enjoyment in the day. At least there's pie!

>50 richardderus: She shared the recipe here, buttermoo punkin streusel gloriousness. Sharing actual bpsg is a bit of a logistical nightmare.

I throw celery leaves, ends, tops, and strings in the trash. I do not compost, do not intend to compost, have never composted. I recycle anything recyclable and the rest goes to the dump. Thanks re the dinner. Turkey’s in the oven, sweet potatoes only need the addition of brown sugar. Still need to assemble the dressing, waiting for the turkey broth to cool and neck meat/giblets/heart to be cut up then will cook the onion and celery then assemble, along with s&p, spices, and toasted pecans. Green bean casserole to assemble. All three will go into the big oven immediately after the turkey comes out. Table’s set. We will use our good china, but it will only be 2 plates, two dessert plates and the gravy boat. Only the mashed potatoes will need a bowl and I’ll use one of my nice glass ones. Rolls go into a silver filigree with holiday napkin bread basket. Good flatware just because. Cranberry sauce and olives (both for me, Bill dislikes both) will be in a divided dish on the table. Can’t think of anything I’ve forgotten….

>51 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley! Oh yes, I’d love to be able to host a full-tilt-boogie Thanksgiving dinner next year.

>52 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you re Skype, Reba!

>53 lauralkeet: Another positive review – thanks, Laura. We’ll work on it sometime over the weekend.

>55 karenmarie: You're right, the physical logistics of sharing any-damn-thing are daunting these days.

Not thinking of composting, I've hit that buzzsaw before! I was more thinking of the time I chucked the damn things in the disposall and had to get a plumber out on the holiday. First-ever $1,000 plumber's bill, but it was worth it to have the disposall back.

We had our Thanksgiving get together on Zoom this morning. Got to see both collegians, Helen and Claire, as well as the kids and grandkids we generally see during our weekly Zoom. Chaotic, kinda-sorta, but fun.

So now our family is making four slightly different dinners. Judi and I are lagging behind the others in our prep because we slept in. Judi is the executive chef and I am the scullery elf. Fun and feasting.

Hi Karen my dear, Happy Thanksgiving Day to you all and hope that you are having a good day dear friend.

>56 richardderus: Ah yes, celery strings down the garbage disposal. The only time I ever lived in an apartment building apartment, I was on the second floor and put green onion stuff down the disposal, which backed up the plumbing downstairs. The neighbors were nice, explained that green onion stuff and celery strings were not garbage disposal material. That was in ... 1986... I think.

And then last year I foolishly told Rebecca to put 5 lbs of potato peelings down the disposal without telling her to pace herself because the disposal was getting old. It backed up, of course. All the peelings had to be scooped out and put in the trash. The next day Bill was able to unjam it, and I got a new disposal in March.

And then there's the story of the oven locking unexpectedly on the oven with a 20-lb turkey in there with only 15 minutes to go. By the time Bill shut off the circuit breaker, released the oven, and then turned the breaker back on, the turkey was perfect. But everybody still remembers the look on my face when Jenna said "Mom, why does the oven say "Lock"? That's the year we got a new downdraft Jenn-Aire gas cooktop/gas oven.

>57 weird_O: Hi Bill. So glad you got to Zoom with the family. Well. Four different dinners. We broke it out into three plus Jenna on her own with her once-a-year-or-so pizza...

Have fun, scullery elf. After dinner I went into a carb/turkey/wine coma for an hour and Bill had gotten quite a bit of the kitchen under control. Dinner at 3, pie at 5:30. Everything's now in the refrigerator and most of the dishes are done.

>58 johnsimpson: Thank you, John! It's been a strange day because even without some of the Raleigh cousins we would have had Jenna and our friends Geoff and Diane here but it was only the two of us. We had a good time, chatted over dinner in the dining room, have had a nice evening. I'm whupped, but in a good way.

Happy Thanksgiving Karen. Glad it was a good day, and hope next year will be with Jenna there!

This Brit wishes to express his thanks for the warmth and friendship that has helped sustain him in this group, Karen.

I'm happy that you had a happy day, Karen!
LEFTOVERS!!!!!!!

>37 karenmarie: Yeah, sorry about that. I knew that Thursday was US Thanksgiving but i thought it was Wednesday when I posted on your thread. No reason to keep special track of the days here as it is an ordinary week except for the added restrictions on our movements. I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one.

>59 karenmarie: And then there's the story of the oven locking unexpectedly on the oven with a 20-lb turkey in there

Our "epic family Thanksgiving" story is about the time my FIL became distraught over turkey juices that had spilled in the oven and decided it needed to be cleaned right. now. So he turned on the self-cleaning cycle. Which, as you know, not only LOCKS the oven but locks it for ages and ages until it's done. Obviously he didn't know that. Thank goodness he removed the turkey first, but it wasn't done yet, so there it sat ... and fortunately none of us got food poisoning!

Well, these mishaps do make good stories years later, don't they?

Have a great day-after-Thanksgiving, Karen.

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. I hope you had a nice holiday with Bill. We also had a good day with our "Bill", my FIL. A fine dinner, followed with a viewing of Die Hard. My FIL is an action film fan and that is one of the best. Sue is going to join me on a birding/hiking excursion later. Yah!

>60 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella!

>61 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. Your presence in this group makes it vivacious and raises the intellectual bar.

>62 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Yes indeed, leftovers. Bill’s already had pecan pie and coffee for breakfast. I’m still waking up with my first mug of coffee. Coffee with pie at 5:30 yesterday left me tossy and turny until about 2, but then I slept solidly until 7:47. There will be pumpkin pie for brekkie. Dinner will be a complete redo of last night’s dinner.

>63 Familyhistorian: No problem, Meg. I rarely remember Canada’s Thanksgiving day and am in catch up mode with my Canadian friends here on LT sometime or another on the weekend leading before or on the second Monday in October.

I’m sorry and glad about the added restrictions – I wish it was January 20th and we had an adult in charge of the pandemic response at the national level and additional restrictions. worldometer.info/coronavirus shows the US with 13,248,924 cases, 269,560 deaths, and one case for every 25 people. My state, North Carolina, has recorded 346,506 cases and 5,138 deaths. We've dropped from 7th worst to 11th worst state for number of cases, but only because other states are worse, not that we're really doing better.

Thanksgiving was different but satisfying. Of the folks who would have been here, I spoke with Aunt Ann earlier in the week, and yesterday texted with friend Diane of Diane and Geoff, talked with our daughter, and also, unexpected bonus, talked with Cousin Rebecca. Plus my sister called. Unfortunately the timing was bad as it was 35 minutes before they were going to eat their dinner in California and the toddler somehow was able to push buttons on the microwave and lock it, so she had to go. I have no idea how he even got up to the microwave because I'm assuming it wasn't on the floor, but that's a question for today sometime.

>64 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! Oh my. Modern technology foils Thanksgiving. They do make good stories.

>65 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. So glad you had a good Thanksgiving. We love Die Hard. Enjoy your BEWS – birding excursion with Sue.

…
First mug of coffee started, not even remotely hungry yet. Probably pie in an hour and a half or so. Bill wants to go out today and run an errand or two. He gets antsy if he’s home more than a day or two without driving somewhere. He’s good about wearing masks and only going on essential errands plus takeout, but he was home all day Wednesday and Thursday. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to head on off to his work to pick up the honey baked ham that he missed out on getting Wednesday because he took the day off. We rarely drive anywhere together anymore, so it will actually be a treat.

OOoo. Happy car date and HAPPY H-B-Ham!!!!!

Happy Friday novelties, Horrible! *smooch*

>67 LizzieD: We had a very nice time, thank you, Peggy. Pharmacy, dump, then 25 more miles to Bill's work to get the ham. It's a beautiful day, got to see foliage and parts of Jordan Lake. An added bonus was the office manager at Bill's work - her husband was at a hockey game so he dropped her off there. She and I socially distanced chatted for about 10 minutes until Bill came back out.

To Bill's work to Bill's work, to get a cured pig.
Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

We had turkey sandwiches and watched two Buffy the Vampire Slayers. Bill will be watching Carolina Notre Dame as soon as the whatever game ends. I'm back in the Sunroom and will read for a while.

>68 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I think the last time I was in Bill's car was March. Maybe April, but probably March. As Peggy said, a car date.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I had a good day yesterday, running around with Sue, but no reading got done. Today, I will go on a solo bird ramble early and then I hope to hunker down with the books for awhile.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday. Glad you had a good time with Sue. I hope you make up for the reading today.

...
At work on my first mug of coffee. It's overcast and winterish gloomy.

Happy first ever 15th thread! Hope everything is well in your corner of the world!

Our corner of the world is safe and sound, thank goodness. I have up times in looking forward to January 20, 2021 and down times when, as I wrote on Bonnie's thread, I am past the euphoria of Biden/Harris and worried about Trump's decision in favor of a scorched earth policy towards anything he can taint/destroy/hogtie.

Sorry your sky is gloomy. We had that gloom yesterday, but this morning we can see the sun SHINING.

I gots to go brew the first coffee o' the day. Read on, read on.

>73 karenmarie: As bad as he can make it, he will. Now, the problem isn't Little Vladdy Pu-Pu's puppet; it's who will replace him, and how best to make the looneys who fall for this crap feel too ashamed of their stupidity to slink anywhere near a ballot box to support whoever it is.

The huge boulder that fell on me was, "what if they pick a woman this time?"

>74 weird_O: It cleared up nicely, Bill and, is a gorgeous Carolina blue. I hope you enjoyed your first coffee o'the day. Reading and Christmas present ordering are on tap over here.

>75 richardderus: Of course he will, the schmuck. I hope Trump disrupts the Georgia Senate Runoffs enough to cause Republicans to boycott the election. So far Putin hasn't acknowledged Biden, has he? No women the Republicans can latch on to, for sure. Or, get Palin involved again and scare away even the looneys. I could stand soundbites of her in a good cause.

Happy Saturday, Karen! Hooray for honey baked ham - I love ham more than turkey, but Thanksgiving is kind of the star at Thanksgiving, so...Craig's family traditionally serve fish, which is ick to me for Thanksgiving, but luckily those days are over.

>59 karenmarie: "And then there's the story of the oven locking unexpectedly on the oven with a 20-lb turkey in there with only 15 minutes to go." I love this story. My favorite Thanksgiving story happened when I was a teen. I have five older sisters (older by a lot), and they had all gathered at my parents' house with their husbands and children, so it was a full house. My mom was taking the turkey out of the oven, and she dropped it. The turkey excited the pan and slid gracefully across the floor, under the table, and stopped just shy of my Dad's feet (he was sitting in his favorite chair at the head of the table). Without missing a beat he looked up at me and said, "Did you see that kid? Your mother just flipped me the bird."

>64 lauralkeet: Oh, dear!

>77 Crazymamie: that's an epic story. Hard to top that one!

Hi Karen, congratulations on what to me anyway is an unfathomable number of threads. Instead of basking in the glory of Biden's win we've had to put up with all the fraud nonsense and no concession. And now he's planning to hold some kind of thing announcing that he will run again in 2024 DURING Biden's inauguration..just the absolute worst.

>77 Crazymamie: Mamie, I stopped eating pork in 1976, cured and fresh. I finally got back to bacon and sausage in the last 10 years or so, but never as part of flavoring anything except one time when I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon; and never on a hamburger or as a BLT or anything like that. Ham came back into my life with Bill's bosses giving them one for Thanksgiving, starting in 2017. And I eat it between Thanksgiving and Christmas, whenever it's done that's it until next Thanksgiving.

What a wonderful story - your dad didn't miss a beat, did he?

>78 lauralkeet: Agree, Laura - totally epic.

>79 brenzi: Hi Bonnie, thank you. I'm in a new world this year with 2 threads more than my max ever and maybe one or two still to come before 2021. I'm happy about the threads, realistic that the reason is mostly the pandemic.

Trump is an abomination, pure and simple.

...
We had Thanksgiving dinner again tonight, skipping last night but having turkey sandwiches for lunch yesterday. No pie for dessert, though - there's still enough for brekkie tomorrow morning and the crust is still flaky and fresh tasting.

Off to read Rules For Perfect Murders and then sleep. It feels like Sunday night.

His Karen. I just love those pictures of Wash and Zoe and Inara!! Yay for ginger cats. :-)

>66 karenmarie: "I’m sorry and glad about the added restrictions – I wish it was January 20th and we had an adult in charge of the pandemic response at the national level..."
Me too!!!!!!!

I'm curious about Rules for Perfect Murders.... just fun reading?
I'm reading I Hear the Sirens in the Street and am so impressed with this series. I'm excited that there are still five after this one!

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. Just poured my second cup of coffee. Mmmmmmm. Nothing really planned for the A.M. although I am hoping to get out for a hike with Sue. Then books and football this afternoon. Enjoy your day.

>81 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! We also had a ginger cat from 1996 to 2012 - Magic. He was a dilute orange mackerel tabby.

...
1998, Jenna, 5, holding on to Magic for dear life. Alas, that view is now a fenced horse pasture and partially blocked by a house. The second picture is undated.

So good to hear that you're enjoying a series - in a way they are comfort reading.

I always keep at least one fiction going and one nonfiction, but for some reason I have five fiction books and five nonfiction books going. I blame it on being scatty because of the pandemic and the election/Trump.

I'm seriously considering officially abandoning anything left on January 1 except Emma to keep my Jane Austen challenge going and The Bible and the Common Reader by Mary Ellen Chase for the much-delayed shared read with my friend Karen in Montana. I'll definitely finish up A Year with G. K. Chesterton edited by Kevin Belmonte.

>82 msf59: Hi Mark, and happy Sunday to you, too. I'm on my first mug of coffee. Enjoy your hike if you make it and the books, beer, and football.

Panthers play at the Vikings at 1 p.m. I see that your Bears play at the Packers for the late game.

Morning, Karen! I am ready for football.

>78 lauralkeet: *grin*

>80 karenmarie: I love pork in all of its forms but especially bacon.

My Dad never missed a beat - he was quick and clever and kind. I miss him every single day.

Happy Sunday, Karen!

>83 karenmarie: Magic was beautiful, so nice that he looks right into the camera on the second picture.

>84 Crazymamie: 'Morning, Mamie! We'll only watch the Panthers. Dallas got trounced on Thanksgiving. We quit watching after the first half and switched to Buffy, not a bad thing given the result.

I love pork in all of its forms. Ah, but have you tried liver mush? I tried it once when we were in western NC, almost on a dare from Bill. The first few bites were tasty because it was fresh from the frying pan, but as it cooled it congealed and became unpalatable to me.



I miss my dad, too. Miss my mom also, and realized quite a while back that I missed them differently.

>85 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, and thank you. Magic was our puppy cat - if we walked down to the creek he'd run ahead like a dog, waiting for us to catch up, then run ahead again. Usually when we came back up he'd still be investigating whatever, but if I called "Magic!" from the front porch he'd gallop up the field and run up on the porch as quickly as he could. He always slept with me to, tucked under the covers on my right side 'til Bill kicked him out when he came to bed. Bill has never liked kitties in the bedroom at night. Since I mostly sleep upstairs now because his snoring finally got to me and Jenna's bedroom became available when she moved to Wilmington, I sleep there with 1, 2, or even 3 kitties on the bed. We all get better sleep for it, actually.

>86 karenmarie: I do not eat organs, so no, I have not tried liver mush. Growing up, my mom would make (beef) liver and onions for my Dad and my sister Vicki, who loved it. Just the smell made me nauseous, and it permeated the entire house. So no organs of any kind from any animal. Ever.

I know exactly what you mean about missing them differently.

Love the story of Magic! Our Mischief is our puppy cat - she comes when called, follows Birdy around just like Bailey (our poodle) used to, waits outside the shower and the garage door for her and mews at her if she is taking too long. She also loves to play fetch and sits on our laps just like he did. We think he left a bit of his soul with her when he went to watch over Birdy.

>86 karenmarie: We had a tortoiseshell like that, she always walked the last round with us and the dog.
We had some cats before turning to dogs only. Our red (half persian) made us close the bedroom for cats at night, he started playing with my toes in the middle of the night... Back then the dog wasn't allowed in the bedroom either. That was changed by our first Chow Chow, we never found out how he passed the stair gate, only that he did in the morning, waking us up. Each day a few minutes earlier, until we gave in and took him with us to the bedroom, the night of his first birthday. The rest of his life the bedroom was important, as he conquered it :-)

Liver mush under scrambled eggs. Divine!

Trump is an oaf, according to Ralph Steadman, anyway. His new book will be mine sometime next year. It bids fair to be his last, as he's 84.

>77 Crazymamie: I am literally laughing out loud!! That is one priceless story.

I agree, no organs, not ever. But ham and bacon? Love them. Ditto pulled pork barbecue sandwich.

It's still morning, so good morning, Karen! Hmmm. I presume that puppy cat=kitty dog, and we've had several, all males.

I could probably eat liver mush now since I have a taste for Braunschweiger. As I child I would also gag at the smell of beef liver and onions, which my parents loved. I realize that I'm a non-adventurous eater unless I compare myself with my DH.

>77 Crazymamie: That's so great, Mamie! That quick wit is such a gift.

>87 Crazymamie: Oxymoron – Mamie and organ meats. Check. Yay for Mischief the puppy cat.

>88 FAMeulstee: I never realized you had cats, Anita – and being tickled on the toes in the night would have banished cats from my bedroom, too. What a nice birthday present for your first Chow Chow. He earned it.

>89 richardderus: Scrambled eggs must be eaten by themselves, or on buttered toast, so ATD. I’ve never heard of Ralph Steadman before, now I need to look at his stuff in more depth.

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba. I like sausage but only cooked at home either as plain patties or in a breakfast pizza, bacon in a breakfast omelet or plain or even in scrambled eggs. I have never acquired the taste for pork barbeque – tastes like nothing with a bunch of spicy sauce to me. Heresy, I know - it's one of Bill's favorite meals.

Warning: Liver love - Even though I won’t eat liver mush again, I do love beef liver and onions and fried chicken livers, and the turkey liver for cook’s reward while preparing the giblets, neck, and heart for either gravy or dressing.

>91 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Afternoon now, but happy Sunday. Puppy cat does equal kitty dog.

I love Braunschweiger but haven’t had it in decades, but see spoilered liver love above regarding liver and onions. I don’t consider myself an adventurous eater when cooking at home, but I’ve been known to try different things when eating out. I have tried a few new things this year that are now in permanent rotation, mostly from the Instant Pot but also one memorable Andouille sausage and potatoes recipe from Chef John of Food Wishes.com. Of course eating out is a bust this year, but perhaps sometime next year I can eat in a restaurant again.

…
Louise will be coming over for a quick porch visit, masked, to return a book and for me to loan her the newest Reacher, The Sentinel. Then Panthers vs. Vikings.

There’s NFL craziness – the Broncos have to play quarterbackless today as all 4 are either quarantined or have tested positive for C-19. A practice squad wide receiver will go against a Brees-less Saints.

>92 karenmarie: Ha! You can love liver all you want - other people eating organs does not bother me; I just don't want any. I also don't want to smell the liver cooking.

I wondered what the Broncos were going to do. Whoa!

I am a fan of chopped chicken livers with lots of diced red onion on top, and Carr's water crackers to spread it on. That's about it as far as organ meats go for me. When I was in Scotland, I did have haggis. It was... ok.

I thought of you the other day, Karen, when a friend of mine who lives in Raleigh posted a photo on Facebook of herself and her husband at The Angus Barn. I was like, "I know that place!"

That liver mush looks an awful lot like scrapple, a Pennsylvania "delicacy" that Wikipedia describes as "traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is formed into a semi-solid congealed loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then pan-fried before serving." I've never been tempted.

>92 karenmarie: I started with cats, inherited from a students house where I lived for a few months. Mother (tortoiseshell) and daughter (calico); mother had an awful flea allergy and no-one took her to a vet, so I did take her. And then when we had to leave (we knew it was a temporary place) everyone thought I would take them with me, so I ended up with them. Meanwhile I also got a young black male, that I raised as a dog. I took him everywhere on a red leash ;-)
I should have some pictures somewhere, see if I can dig them up. Maybe "my pets from the past" could be a new theme for thread toppers.

>93 Crazymamie: It’s all good, Mamie. I learned as a young child to not criticize what other people ate. My dad loved Roquefort dressing on salads. Mom had it at her end of the table one night and Dad asked for it to be passed to him. Mom handed it to me, I held my nose as I passed it to Dad and that was Not Good. I had to eat a salad with Roquefort dressing on it and was lectured about not making editorial comments about foods I didn’t like.

>94 katiekrug: I love chopped chicken livers, Katie. I’ve never had haggis. Oooh, Angus Barn. I envy your friend, it’s such a wonderful place, glad you were familiar with it through me. We weren't able to celebrate our anniversary and all 3 birthdays there this year, sad to say.

>95 lauralkeet: Sounds pretty much identical, Laura. We have a family joke/tradition – I started offering Jenna $1 if she’d try something new or that she had previously said she didn’t like. Got her to try quite a few things that way, although none of them became favorites. Would you try scrapple for $1? *smile*

>96 FAMeulstee: Wonderful kitty stories, Anita. And I’m absolutely charmed about taking your kitty everywhere on a red leash. I’d love to see some pics, either here or on your thread.

…
Well my Panthers lost. Bad coaching and a missed 54-yard field goal attempt with about 2 seconds left in the game that would have won it. The defense scored two touchdowns within ten seconds, both by the same player, #21 Chinn. QB fumbled the ball, Chinn picked it up and ran into the end zone. Conversion point scored, kick off to the Vikings who fumbled it on the very next play and the same guy plucked the ball out of the mass of bodies and ran for his second touchdown. That tied an NFL record set in 1948. Fun stuff.

Morning, Karen. Sorry about your Panthers. I was watching it for awhile and I thought they had it in the bag but it looks like they choked in the end. It does sound like there were some exciting moments, at least. My Bears were awful most of the night. The Packers made them look like amateurs. Sighs...

Cold today- mid-30s or so. No plans yet for any walks, just food shopping.

>97 karenmarie: Would I try scrapple for $1? Sure, Karen! If I were in a situation where scrapple was the only choice, I'd give it a try. But fortunately that particular "rock and a hard place" has never presented itself.

I've had haggis though, and actually liked it, although my senses may have been dulled by the wine. 😀

>98 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you. Thanks re my Panthers. They definitely choked. Sorry about your Bears.

Brrr! It's overcast here but not raining. I guess the storm went through quicker than they expected. I just had a Blue Jay on the suet feeder, a Cardinal hanging out on the porch rail, and a female Red-Bellied woodpecker on the Sunflower feeder. I see a Carolina Chickadee right now and a few Cardinals in the Crepe Myrtle.

>99 lauralkeet: Brave woman! A traditional accompaniment is a dram, neeps, and tatties, all charming words for practical things.

Coffee. Reading. Perhaps grocery shopping but I have enough canned cat food to wait until tomorrow.

Just did an orgy of Christmas shopping online.

Yodelee-whoooo-hoooo!
*smooch*

>100 karenmarie: Exactly, Karen. The aforementioned haggis was served as part of a Burns Supper hosted by some friends, with all the requisite traditions. It was good fun!

>101 richardderus: Hiya, RD! We just went through about 10 minutes of howling, wind-driven rain storm and now it's blue skies and puffy clouds. *smooch*

>102 lauralkeet: Hi Laura! Sounds like fun. I saw some pics of Burns Suppers and some pictures of haggis. By the way, I finished part 1 of A Promised Land according to Tim's schedule yesterday, and just posted my thoughts about it. Parts 2 and 3, pages 79 - 330, are due by December 7th. Boy howdy. Tim eased us into it and now WHAM! 36 pages a day average needed to stay on schedule. However, there are photos in the middle as a reward.

Statistics Through November 30

115 books read
28 of them on my shelves before 1/1/20 and not rereads
10 books abandoned, 553 pages abandoned
31653 pages read
68.8 audiobook hours
Avg pages read per day, YTD = 94
Avg pages read per book, YTD = 275

Best book of the month: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Author
Male 63%
Female 37%

Living 59%
Dead 41%

US Born 71%
Foreign Born 29%

Platform
Hardcover 46%
Trade Pback 23%
Mass Market 17%
Audiobook 4%
e-Book 10%

Source
My Library 77%
Library 16%
Other 7%

Misc
ARC/ER 3%
Re-read 23%
Series 63%

Fiction 87%
NonFiction 13%

Author Birth Country
Austria 1%
Canada 1%
England 22%
France 1%
Iceland 1%
India 1%
New Zealand 1%
South Africa 1%
Sweden 1%
US 71%

Original Decade Published
1810-1819 3%
1890-1899 1%
1930-1939 6%
1940-1949 10%
1950-1959 10%
1960-1969 1%
1970-1979 5%
1980-1989 3%
1990-1999 8%
2000-2009 10%
2010-2019 33%
2020-2029 10%

Category
Biography 3%
Chrestomathy 1%
Contemporary Fiction 2%
Fantasy 7%
Historical Fiction 4%
Humor 3%
Informational Nonfiction 7%
Memoir 2%
Mystery 59%
Poetry 1%
Science Fiction 3%
Suspense 1%
Thriller 8%

November’s Lightning Round

Glacial Lake Missoula and Its Humongous Floods by David Alt 9/15/20 to 11/4/20

A geologist’s dream book, harder for this non-geologist to follow. The premise is that much of the geology of western Montana, northern Idaho, and eastern Washington is explained by multiple catastrophic failures of glacier ice dams. An abundance of wonderful maps and photos helped explain what Dr. Alt was talking about. Also, the background of theories on this region were helpful.

Three Witnesses by Rex Stout 11/9/20 to 11/11/20

Three novellas:

1. The Next Witness. Excellent! Wolfe is in the courtroom preparing to testify for the prosecution in a murder case, when he abruptly leaves, incurring contempt of court, to pursue a theory that the plaintiff is innocent. He and Archie interview some people, hide in Saul’s apartment overnight, and devise a clever ruse to allow Wolfe to present his case that the plaintiff is innocent on the witness stand by manipulating the DA into asking a question he shouldn't have.

2. When a Man Murders. A presumed-dead Korean War soldier returns home after his estate has been divided between his wife and other heirs. His presumed widow has married again, which complicates things, along with a cryptic message in the last letter he wrote home before being presumed dead. Very well done.

3. Die Like a Dog. Archie tries to return a raincoat and get his back, has a dog follow him home, and he and Wolfe get a sweet little murder case out of it. Very well done, just like the one above it.

Second Wind by Dick Francis 11/12/20 11/16/20

This book took forever to get off the ground – I didn’t get engaged until page 125 of 283. Meterologist Perry Stuart gets involved in an errand with a friend while flying through a hurricane – it sort of goes downhill from there except for eventually finding out that there are bad guys, there’s true love for Perry, and some interesting shenanigans revolving around a herd of cattle. I’m not sure I actually liked it very much. Way too many coincidences and machina ex deus.

My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber 11/11/20 11/16/20

Stylized and humor-filled memoir of Thurber up to the age of 18, includes The Night the Bed Fell, The Night the Ghost Got in, and, probably my favorite, The Dog That Bit People. Introduction, Preface to a Life, Afterword, About James Thurber, and a summary of the book. The illustrations are as fantastic as the stories, quintessential Thurber ink drawings of stylized people, These are strange people that Mr. Thurber has turned loose upon us. They seem to fall into three classes – the playful, the defeated, and the ferocious. All of them have the outer semblance of unbaked cookies… Preface by Dorothy Parker to The Seal in the Bedroom from About James Thurber after the book. Fantastic, immensely cheering stories.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 11/17/20 11/24/20

Ultimately a bit disappointing, perhaps because the magic and immortality were a different kind than anticipated. Clever, but the characterizations were flimsy and shadowy. The right characters won in the end, however, the quest and victory just weren't that interesting.

Stopping by to say hello and dropping off a picture of my holiday tree for some inspiration on this dreary Monday morning. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

>103 karenmarie: I joined you in posting over on the Obama group read thread, Karen. Although I just logged some good reading time before lunch, I doubt I'll be able to manage 36pp/day. I had always intended to have other books going at the same time, and I just had a couple of library Kindle loans come in to land, so I am beginning to accept that I won't keep up with the stated schedule. But the nice thing about LT group reads is that the threads are always there waiting for you when you're ready.

>106 witchyrichy: Now that's the right sort of tree!

>106 witchyrichy: Hi Karen! What a lovely and apropos tree. Plus the room is comfy and inviting and pleasing to the eye. We had a bizarre but ultimately OK Thanksgiving with just Bill and me, Jenna in Wilmington, Aunt Ann and her in-her-bubble-friend-Leslie in Raleigh and Cousin Rebecca/husband/daughter at their house in another part of Raleigh. I hope your Thanksgiving was good.

>107 lauralkeet: I love what you wrote, Laura! It felt so. darn. good. to be back in Obama-land. Oh, my, yes. I hope to keep caught up but of course probably won’t.

>108 quondame: Books, books, and more books. I wish I could do something like that. My problem is kitties.

All caught up here, Karen. I wasn't enamoured of Mr. Penubra's either.

>92 karenmarie: Coming late to the pork and liver talk. I loved liver and bacon, liver and onions, but we haven't had it for years. My mother and I loved chicken livers on egg noodles. When I picked a chicken for Thanksgiving, I spotted a container of chicken livers. Moved it to da cart! I'm now reminded that that container is still in the fridge. Chicken livers and noodles for lunch!

>95 lauralkeet: I thought the same thing, Laura. I happen to love scrapple. Darryl (kidzdoc) and I had scrapple at a meet-up several years ago at the Reading Terminal Market; he'd never had it. That particular scrapple wasn't so good.

>103 karenmarie: WHAM! So where the hell is this ObamaBook group read thread? Somebody please throw the old man a link.

>87 Crazymamie: I don't eat pork but will occasionally eat chicken livers (especially as a pate which is divine). I don't eat other organs although beef lung is a particular favourite of the Malays.

I sometimes eat chicken livers, and I love pâté, also made of liver isn't it?
and what about kidney? Does anyone eat that? When buying a whole chicken they used to pack the kidneys inside it, when I was a child. Small but tasty, now no more.

Hi Karen,

>104 karenmarie: Always love to see the stats.
I liked The Fifth Season, but it didn't make a best of the month list.
Funny, my reads are the opposite, 23% Dutch writers and 76 foreign.

>105 karenmarie: Agree about Second Wind, probably the least Dick Francis I have read.

>110 ronincats: Hi Roni! This was one of those books that started off great then meh-ed out. I pretty much forced myself to finish it out of sheer curiosity.

>111 weird_O: and >112 weird_O: Hi Bill! My mother always made liver, onions, AND bacon. I stopped eating pork in the 1970s for quite a while so started just making liver and onions. And now that’s the way I like it best. Yay for today’s liver and noodles.

I had a boyfriend in the mid-1980s who loved to eat Sunday breakfast out. We found a wonderful diner in Sylmar California that served fried chicken livers and eggs for breakfast. My favorite breakfast out ever.

First two A Promised Land threads:

Intro
Part 1

>113 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Yum to pâté I must admit that I’ve never tried beef lung…

>114 EllaTim: Hi Ella! From Wikipedia: Pâté is a paste, pie or loaf consisting of a forcemeat that at least contains liver. Common additions include ground meat from pork, poultry, fish or beef, fat, vegetables, herbs, spices and either wine or brandy. Pâté can be served either hot or cold, but it is considered to develop its best flavors after a few days of chilling. I have never had kidneys of any sort, but I used to get beef tongue sandwiches at a wonderful Jewish deli in the San Fernando Valley in California.

>115 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Glad you like the stats. It pleases me to keep them. My November reads were satisfying but the one that truly held my interest and enthusiasm the longest was the Jemisin.

109. The Fifth Season by N K Jemisin 9/28/20 11/3/20 449 pages trade paperback
110. Glacial Lake Missoula and Its Humongous Floods by David Alt 9/15/20 11/4/20 trade paperback, 186 pages
111. The Sentinel by Lee Child and Andrew Child 11/5/20 11/8/20 351 pages hardcover
112. Three Witnesses by Rex Stout 11/8/20 11/11/20 179 pages mass market paperback
113. Second Wind by Dick Francis 11/12/20 11/16/20 383 pages hardcover
114. My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber 11/11/20 11/16/20 106 pages trade paperback
115. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 11/17/20 11/24/20 288 pages trade paperback

…
I got up early enough to watch the moon setting – it started up over the roofline and is now just above the tree line at the creek. Coffee and Obama after visiting a few threads. I need to go grocery and bird seed shopping today.

Morning, Karen. A cold start here. I hope to get out on a bird ramble but nothing definitive yet. I did get a Northern Flicker at the feeders yesterday, which is always a nice surprise and then there is the usual finches, chickadees, cardinals, juncos, sparrows and doves. I am sure you are enjoying the Obama memoir, right?

Hi Mark! Brrr! Your high for today will be 3 degrees colder than it is here right now.

I'm absolutely enjoying the Obama memoir. It is very dense reading, of course, so if I don't get to it in the morning my attention wanders.

Good morning Karen my dear, it is a chilly but sunny morning here in Walton. Once Dave the taxi had picked Karen up to take her to work i had a quick coffee before venturing out in the car for the first time in ten days.

It was nice to be back in the car and my hand was OK on the steering wheel so i will begin taking Karen to work from Friday. I had to pop into Wakefield to do some banking and to pick up a 60th birthday card for a chap in the village who since he lost his wife to cancer over twenty years ago has brought up his two children and maintained everything in the village. He used to work for Yorkshire Water but that wasn't feasible with looking after his two young children so the Parish Council made him the offer of the job and he took over Coronation Cottage. The village has never looked better since he took over and we only found out it was his 60th today via the Working for Walton group who put a message online to try to get people to drop a birthday card off to try and get 60 cards delivered.

Once the banking and birthday card had been picked up i paid a bill at the Post Office and then made my way home.

Sending love and hugs to you and Bill dear friend.

Woo, did I fall behind fast, Karen. Happy Used to Be Once Upon a Time New Thread!

I'm glad Fifth Season rated so highly with you. What a trilogy.

We've got one of the grandkids with us (Fina), with her father, and we're going to bundle her up and take her to the library today. Hope it's a good day for you.

Morning, Karen! I love that you were up early enough to watch the moon setting. I am enchanted by the moon and love to watch it rise and set.

>116 karenmarie: Thanks for the link...ha ha ha. I thought you were funnin' me. Both links took me to a blank page headed "New Topic". Below that: "Group >" and one-a-those long ruled boxes with the words "Select a Group" and a down carat to drop a menu. And the menu consisted of "Book Talk", "Talk About LibraryThing" and so on. And none of them went anywhere. Sweet mysteries of social media.

But I got the idea to click on "Hot Topics" in the panel on the lefthand edge of the screen. The 32nd line had the link I was looking for. Well, so I got there. Now a member of "One LibraryThing, One Book". All I have to do is read the book.

In other news, I got your PM and I'm grateful. Safe holidays.

Happy Tuesday, dear lady, and a liver-and-onions-level of pleasure reads be yours. *smooch*

Karen, I think you and I have similar eating pleasures. Pumpkin pie, liver and onions, etc. My grandmother used to serve organ meats along with her beef stew, and I recall my father really enjoying them. Texture was a bit of a problem for me, but I still thought they were grand.

>119 johnsimpson: Hi John! I’m glad to hear that you can venture out again after your carpal tunnel surgery, and that you can start taking Karen to work again on Friday. Yay! How lovely that the neighborhood got together to deliver cards to the chap in the village. You seem to be part of a very special group there.

Love and hugs to you and Karen, and IF he deserves them, kitty skritches to Felix. (Karen had told me via an e-mail that he scared you guys one night by staying out late and apparently now has a lady friend.)

>120 jnwelch: Hi Joe, and thank you. I’m sure that having Fina and her daddy there make you and Debbi very happy. Today’s been productive. Post office to mail some books and pick up two sheets of stamps for my friend/neighbor Louise, dropping off books at the thrift store that simply will not do for the Friends of the Library when we start accepting donations again, picking up 50 lbs of black oil sunflower seeds and 40 lbs of wild bird seed plus 6 packages of suet, and grocery shopping. Bill helped me bring everything in. Refrigerated stuff went in, but everything else went onto the quarantine shelf.

>121 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I can only see it set because it rises on the side of the house without good horizon visibility and then it cruises over the trees and house before setting behind the second line of trees. I love looking outside from the Sunroom at all times of day and night.

>122 weird_O: Well, Bill, I’ve fixed the links – I almost always check them before posting but of course THIS time I didn’t and they were wrong. I’m glad you’ve found the group and therefore the threads. I happily read the next 36 pages this morning although it does take a while. We’ll see how close I come to finishing parts 2 and 3 by the 7th. Safe holidays to you, friend.

>123 richardderus: Thank you most kindly, RDear. I think it might be time for liver later this week – I’ve got a package in the freezer in the garage. Bill loves liver and onions too, and we’re getting poultried out. *smooch*

>124 ffortsa: Hi Judy. I think I’d probably like your grandmother’s beef stew. The only thing I really have texture issues with that’s not considered rather exotic (sea urchin, for example) is cottage cheese. All those nasty little curds floating around in your mouth. *shudder* It’s only tolerable baked into a lasagna, for example.

>116 karenmarie: My mother made a veal/pork paté with no liver at all from a French recipe. It was to die for, but very expensive and labor intensive and she used special equipment - a custom cut marble press with a handle mounted on the up side which exactly fit the smallish oval ceramic baking pan. Served with cornichons.

I clearly entered the wrong room. Let me know when the liver conversation is finished. My mother loves the stuff and from the time I was little, I just run in the opposite direction. I could be less polite about it but my mother always taught me not to say bad things about food other people like. So I won't.

*backs out quietly...*

>127 jessibud2: I really dislike liver itself, but don't much mind the discussions about it.

I love Liver and Onions with bits of Bacon in it, i have had it since a child and add a bit of mashed potato and it a heavenly Winter dish.

I quite like liver with onions, also kidneys and sweetbreads ... I will pretty much eat anything going in the meaty line to be honest except maybe tripe. I have eaten tripe, but do not like it, so have no desire to eat it again.

Hi Karen, I was away with the card paradox, (see my thread), but thanks for stopping by to see which rabbit hole I'd fallen down.
Your thread has 110 unread (by me) messages, but I gamely scanned and stopped here and there. Whew!

Glad your oven didn't lock! Our story there was when the element died about an hour into roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. On a Day when no stores were open to bail us out (that was in the 1970's and a stat holiday _was_ a stat holiday for everyone.)

Guess I should add, we finished cooking it at a nearby friends place and just combined both households. It was a rockin' good time as I recall... hazily.

Hi Karen, Did I hear mention of Angus Barn? I've been there several times with my son and his wife who live in the Raleigh area but it's been a long time now. Hopefully in the spring.

>126 quondame: That sounds heavenly, Susan.

>127 jessibud2: Shelley – I seem to have unleashed a monster. Come back soon – we’ll exhaust the subject in a while. *smile*

>128 quondame: I’m like you, I think – I can stand discussions about things I don’t particularly like.

>129 johnsimpson: Yum, John. My mom didn’t served mashed potatoes with Liver, Bacon, and Onions – in fact, as I recall, we usually had steamed broccoli. And I love ketchup with my Liver and Onions.

>130 SandDune: Haven’t had kidneys or sweetbreads, Rhian, but tripe is an integral component of menudo, which I’ve eaten many times, although not in perhaps 35 years or so. The thought of tripe is much worse than the texture or taste, IMO.

>131 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks for going to the effort of reading 110 messages, Sandy. I’ll go over to check out the card paradox when I finish responding here. It sounds like combining households was the perfect solution. I’ve just remembered that the day before Thanksgiving one year my friend/neighbor Louise’s oven broke and she brought over an apple pie to bake.

>132 brenzi: Oh yes, Bonnie, Angus Barn comes up every once in a while on my threads. Bill mentioned The Angus Barn just today, and now you’re mentioning it! The next time you come to Raleigh and when it’s safe to socialize, I’d love for us to have a meet up.

…
I used the last of the turkey to make Turkey Pot Pie – just turkey, S&P, broth, butter, and homemade pastry crust over the top, baked for about 45 minutes or so. Heavenly, with leftovers for tomorrow. And the pie crust scraps became Cook’s Reward rolled out, brushed with butter and cinnamon sugar, and baked for about 25 minutes. Double yum.

>133 karenmarie: Triple yum and a jealous scowl at the Cook's Reward!

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. I had a completely unexpected "Lifer" yesterday- A Rufous Hummingbird. This hummer is found mostly in the west, so what it was doing in a Midwestern suburb, in below freezing temps, who the heck knows. I guess it is worth keeping those feeders out. Got looks too and photos. This one isn't mine but I will share what I have.

>134 richardderus: Good morning, RD! Last night Bill broke the Cook's Reward into pieces and brought a plate of it into the living room where we happily munched and watched Buffy. *smooch*

>135 msf59: Wow, Mark, a hummingbird lifer in the north in the late fall. Fantastic. Oh, and good morning and happy Wednesday to you, too!

My friend Louise and her husband found a half-starved and half-frozen Rufous here in NC one winter, called the Ag Agent about how to take care of it, and safely nurtured it over the winter. It was before Louise and I were as close as we are now and I didn't get to see it. :(

...
Coffee. Waking up.

>136 karenmarie: A rufous hummingbird in North Carolina. Poor critter! What a storm that must've been.

Spend a nice and warm Wednesday.

Morning, Karen! Turkey pot pie is also my plan for leftover turkey.

Now I want a pot pie... I think I might have a mass-produced abomination in the freezer... Lunch?

Morning, Karen!

>137 richardderus: Staying warm, RDear, with winter jammies and wool socks and electric foot warmer under the desk. I hope you're safe and sound and warm, too!

>138 Crazymamie: Great minds, Mamie! Our was the smallest turkey I could find (12.4 lbs) because it was just the two of us and I'm very happy that we got 2 full dinners, 4 sandwiches, and turkey pot pie out of it.

>139 katiekrug: 'Morning, Katie! We keep mass-produced abominations in the freezer - Marie Calendar's Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies - and they are tolerable. I only make homemade after a turkey gets roasted, usually once a year, but I did buy a 20-lb turkey which is in the outside freezer for sometime in January. Turkey pot pie hijinks will ensue then, too.

...
I ordered my Melaleuca vitamins today and paid off the Amazon credit card. Next up after a bit of reading is finishing the dishes in the kitchen, vacuuming the downstairs, then setting up the Christmas Present Wrapping Station upstairs.

I had an unconscionable number of posts to catch up on, but I did it. Hi, Karen!!!! Glad to hear you're staying warm.
We had only a turkey breast, and while I'd thought of a pot pie or soup, my mama loves sandwiches so much that I've saved myself the trouble. Oh well.
Impressive reading!
Wowser rufous hummer! I've never seen one. We don't even see red bellies often down here, as I guess I've said. If we put orange pieces out, we usually get Baltimore orioles though. Don't see them otherwise.
Babble. Babble. Go do Italian!

Hi Peggy! I only created this thread 10 days ago and am amazed at the traffic.

If I was only feeding Bill, I'd buy a turkey breast, but I prefer dark meat so it's always a whole turkey effort. I've gotten Bill to eat chicken thighs in the last 6 months or so for teriyaki chicken and our favorite Instant Pot recipe, but when I make Beau Monde Chicken I break down and make both chicken breasts and chicken thighs.

I've never put orange pieces out and keep forgetting to buy oranges to do so. I just added them to the shopping list for next time.

Babble, babble. Brava per studiare l'italiano!

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. I am off to have a routine medical procedure done. Not sure I will get out for a walk afterwards but you never know. I had a nice little solo bird ramble yesterday, the highlight was seeing a mink. I got a photo too.

I liked your Rufous hummer story and I appreciated the happy ending.

'Morning, Mark! I hope everything goes well. A mink! Fantastic. Glad you liked the Rufous story.

...
I'm going to go pick some of those 3,700 books today - there are only three of us selecting and another book sort team member will come later with his truck. We may go back tomorrow. Moral of the story: Do not consider taking large donations during the time of Covid.

>142 karenmarie: Jim and I have the same breast vs. thigh division. I mostly try to accommodate him, and the HelloFresh boxes we get always use chicken breasts. But I am plotting to use more thighs.

Thighs are so much more flavorful to me. Good luck on your plotting, Judy!

...
Back about an hour ago from selecting books for the Friends of the Library. We're only taking a bit more than half of what we thought we would, about 60 bags. Anne said I could take any duplicates or books the Friends couldn't sell for myself and religion books for my friend Karen. Not much fiction, most of it poetry, not my fav. I did see one by Jo Harjo, so put that into the Friends bag. 3 bags of books for Karen. Here's what I took for myself:

Fall Color Finder by C. Ritchie Bell & Anne H. Lindsey
A Word or Two Before You Go by Jacques Barzun
The Vision of the Void by Michael Berenbaum
Off the Map Selected Poems by Gloria Fuertes - I love this book because the poem is in Spanish on the left side and in English on the right side.
The Regional arts of the Early South by John Bivins and Forsyth Alexander - museum in Winstom-Salem NC
Handbook for William by Dhouda
1599 Geneva Bible - Tolle Lege Press
Chakra Healing by Margarita Alcantara
Epistolary Histories edited by Amanda Gilfoy and W.M. Verhoeven
The Rushdie File edited by Lisa Appignanesi and Sara Maitland
The Source of Life and Other Stories by Beth Bosworth - winner of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize in 2012

Here are the 35 bags for the FoL currently in the Sunroom. I'll have to move them to the Library and keep them behind closed doors. Wash has already walked across most of them.

WOW
35 bags is not an insignificant haul!

>146 karenmarie: Wow, that is a lot of books, Karen!
And 11 for your own collection isn't bad either ;-)

>146 karenmarie: Very Nice Karen!

I was just thinking today how useful a Friends of the Library would be here. The council was again threatening to close a number of smaller branches of the city library. Mine, of course, but also some others in poorer inner city quarters. Lots of children there, that don't have well-read parents. You are doing a very useful job!

>77 Crazymamie: Mamie...Your story of the sliding turkey made me laugh right out loud!!!
Karen, 35 bags of books to give away! That is amazing!

I've been culling books that I have throughout the house. I actually have some containers under the bed. Because of Covid, my local library is not accepting books. There is a large building quite near me called the American Friends. Basically, they accept used furniture, clothes, books. and just about anything you can deliver to them.

After Will's passing one of my dear little friends, 12 year old Ashlee, volunteered to help me clean out the attic. We found 36 large plastic containers of clothes. After that, I was on a mission to go through my books. I simply did not want my daughters to sort through them when I passed.

It was tiring, but worthwhile. I'm still working on the book project, some of the books make me wonder why in the world I obtained them. Then, there are others that I put aside to read.

>146 karenmarie: That's a lot of books! Isn't it fun to go through books?

>146 karenmarie: I bet it was fun going through all of those books. I'm glad you were able to get some for yourself

Also, count me in on Team Chicken Thighs. They are a fairly recent discovery for me, but I love 'em. I have several sheet pan dishes in the rotation, and a few dishes that use boneless thighs which are also tasty. I try to keep a supply of both kinds in the freezer.

Just dropping in to day hello
Hope you have a great Friday!

Hi Karen, I've bought the chicken (or maybe it's Turkey) pot pies from Trader Joe's and they're nearly as good as home made. And since there's very little chance I'll be making one anytime soon, they will do nicely. Lol.

>147 richardderus: RD, we could have easily taken another 75 or so… But many items were outdated, foxed, things that we knew won't sell.

>148 FAMeulstee: I was happy to get free books and get books for the FoL too, Anita.

>149 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Our Friends of the Library is very unusual for our state – we’re very active, usually have two huge book sales a year, and have quite a few members. We give the Library upwards of $65,000 or so each year. They’ve bought books, computers, more computers, electronic resources, etc. Unfortunately due to Covid, we are going to have to start giving the Library less money for the next several years to keep a reserve but draw down on the monies we have above that reserve. Sigh. Not a pleasant activity, but one I'll have to start addressing after the holidays. Our fiscal year is July 1 - June 30.

Are there any Friends of the Library organizations in the Netherlands? Here we are legally established as a 501c3 non-profit organization for tax purposes and also to act as a conduit for grant monies the Library is given. By-laws, a Board of Directors, etc. It’s a fine way to help libraries who receive inadequate funding from the government entities (county, state, federal) that hand out funds.

>150 Whisper1: These books will eventually be sold at Friends of the Library Book Sales, Linda. We are not allowed access to the Library to store the books there because the Library’s closed to the public because of Covid. We already had about 17,000 items for the cancelled Spring 2020 sale, would have sold as many as we could, donated the rest to the 3 PTA thrift shops in the county and then would have accumulated another 17,000-18,000 donated items for the Fall sale. Now we’ll have to wait for a sale sometime next year. No more donations, though, and actually this was a special donation. Donations haven’t been accepted since March 16, the day before the Library closed.

It’s good that you’re culling books so your daughters won't have to sort through as many. I know there are books Jenna won’t want, and every time I cull books (except now, Covid) I let her take the ones she wants. I wonder why I acquired some of the books I have on my shelves, too!

>151 The_Hibernator: It was fun, although less fun than it would have been without a mask. Gets hot under the mask, moving books around. But fun was definitely had, Rachel.

>152 lauralkeet: Team Chicken Thighs! You crack me up, Laura. I might pull some chicken thighs out of the freezer for supper tomorrow night – probably the fabulous Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce recipe that Richard gave to me. It’s one of our favorites and I have everything in the house to make it – even organic sun-dried tomatoes!

>153 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, hope you’re doing well. Tomorrow is a quiet day, just me, kitties, books, perhaps setting up my Christmas gift wrapping station. Reading more of A Promised Land, of course, to keep on schedule.

>154 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! Would you believe that I haven’t been in a Trader Joe’s since I lived in California, almost 30 years ago? We have them out here now, but none close, and it’s never seemed like a priority. The closest one is about 25 miles away. TJ’s is a no-go for the foreseeable future, I’m afraid.

The Regional Arts of the Early South. I got a copy years ago, and perusing it made me intent on visiting Old Salem and MESDA, which is a swell museum. We spent a day in Old Salem years ago, and a day wasn't enough for me. Last vacation trip we made as a family. It took us to Savannah and on to Orlando.

>146 karenmarie: 💚 Our FoL closed in March and has never opened again, although the library is otherwise admitting patrons.

I hope you personally find something desirable for yourself, to reward your library volunteerism.

That looks like a great personal haul and a great FOL haul too!!!!! I'm glad you were able to get them.

I always bought both chicken breasts and second joints (as they're known around here) when I was getting out and shopping. Fry the thigh! Also use a combo for chicken salad. Yum.

>146 karenmarie: Why oh why do people give away poetry!?

Nice haul though, Karen.

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. I was out of it for most of the day yesterday but feeling better today. Packing and cleaning day. We leave for Mexico tomorrow for a week. We have had to postpone twice but since flying seems to be fairly safe we are going for it.

>156 weird_O: Hi Bill! Wow. What a very small world. PA guy has a rather obscure book from a museum about an hour away from me. Good memories for you, visiting Old Salem, Savannah, and Orlando.

>157 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! Our Library is closed, but our FoL is not exactly open, but busy behind the scenes. Our Library has curbside service, but as I may have written on a previous thread, the county suffered a cyber event (their words), cyberattack most peoples words. Can’t look at the Library’s online catalog – they can’t either – and I haven’t checked out a book for a month. Our FoL is raising money via donation letters and membership dues and as things look now we'll hope to have a book sale sometime next year. The spring sale is already off the books, I think.

I took away 3 bags of books for my friend Karen in Montana – mostly religious ones – and the above listed 11 for me.

>158 LizzieD: Hi Peggy. I’m happy about the haul.

Another chicken dark meat lover. I’ve never heard thighs called second joints. I like that. I don’t actually ever fry chicken. Bill gets his fix, and frankly I’ve come to love it, from Bojangles about every 3rd or 4th Saturday. We are still treating ourselves to weekend takeout, but depending on how bad things get in our county, may have to curtail that, too. Our county is one of only nine NC counties that have relatively few cases compared to other counties. The check mark in the center of the map is my county and the check mark on the coast is the county Jenna lives in. This map is as of yesterday's data.



>159 PaulCranswick: No poetry books were given away by poetry haters, Paul. The books donated to us were donated by a design firm that designs book covers, so these are her copies of books that her business designed the covers for. Some of the poetry books are badly foxed, but I was told to take every poetry book because people buying poetry at our book sales don’t seem to mind it. Anne is moving her business to rooms in her house because the building she has in downtown is too big for her needs and she’ll be renting it out to Second Bloom of Chatham, "a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing person-centered support and resources for survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault in Chatham County, North Carolina."

...
I need to set up my Christmas wrapping station and write the annual family Christmas letter. It will be a bizarre one, for sure. No family picture, but I might incorporate pics into the letter itself for the first time ever, one of Bill and me, and one of Jenna, all selfies of course.

>160 msf59: 'Morning, Mark! I hope you have a wonderful time in Mexico, sorry you were out of it yesterday.

Wash is fascinated by the books. First pic is him in one of his Amazon boxes. I moved the Amazon box out of the sea of book bags but he hasn't used it since. He now likes resting on top of the blanket I covered the bags with, lumps and all.

…

>163 karenmarie: Love that piccy of Wash in the book bag. The books perhaps have beguiling odours to the cat (?) Hopefully not 'mouse'.

PA boy shows CA girl a namesake business.

A cousin, who's lived in New Hampshire for years and years, posted this late 40s postcard showing a portion of the shopping district in Reading, PA. Note the name on the department store.

Hiya luvvie.

Dunno, Licenseplate, I just do not know.

Great license plate.

My Life and Hard Times has to be one of the funniest books every written. Thurber was a genius.

>164 SandyAMcPherson: Definitely not mouse, Sandy. I didn’t see any evidence of mice at the book donor’s offices, and even if we have mice here (which, with cats and an a kitty door we do), I’ve not seen any evidence of mice in the Sunroom in probably 10 years or so. I finally figured out to NOT store sunflower seeds or deer corn in this room no matter how convenient, because when I moved some books off a bottom shelf one time there was a pile of sunflower shells behind the books. Whatever intrigued Wash also intrigued Zoe today – she was on the blanket for a while this morning, too.

>165 weird_O: Bill, that’s fantastic! I had no idea there was a chain of Pomeroy’s Department Stores in Pennsylvania. To my knowledge I’m not related to any Pomeroys there, but you never know. Thank you.

>166 richardderus: I love that license plate. I bet it’s been snagged in every state of the union, unless TPTB are squeamish about issuing it.

Bill just sent this to me, much more vulgar. I tried to enclose it in spoiler brackets, but it doesn't seem to work that way.



>167 BLBera: Hi Beth! As a general comment on 2020, it’s a good’un. I needed the laughs that My Life and Hard Times provided.

…
Back from taking a drone shot of our house to get framed. Yikes. Spent way more than I wanted to, but hey. It’s only money, and I’m just about 100% sure we won’t get a Christmas tree or wreath this year – neither one of us is feeling it at all – so will save dinero there.

I also stopped in at a bakery at the request of one of the members of the Board of the Friends to check on the pastry order we have being delivered next Friday to the Library. It couldn’t be helped – a Coconut Cream donut, a Boston Cream donut, and 2 cinnamon rolls came home with me.

>167 BLBera:, >168 karenmarie: I like Karen's even better!
ETA more accurately it's Billhoney's

Ah yes, you have a good memory. Billhoney. 😁

>166 richardderus: About right!

Woot! The postman left a nice little parcel in the mailbox today. Gee, it's almost like Christmas. Thanks.

>155 karenmarie: No, I don't think we have one, Karen. Would be a good thing if there was. The council has to economise, because of Covid, among reasons. All theatres, and other cultural institutions have been semi-closed for months now, so all are having financial difficulties and need some kind of support. The library is only one of them.
But our branch is also in trouble because the rent of the building they are in has gone way up. They are looking for a new more affordable space, but they haven't been successful. But it seems we are just a small branch, while the main library is now planning a new and far more posh and shiny and state-of-the art, ultramodern, computerised branch in our nearby business and university district. Doesn't help if you want local people to support you, I have heard lots of angry voices about that project.

>171 quondame: 👍

>172 weird_O: You’re very welcome, Bill.

>173 EllaTim: It’s very possible that the only reason there are so many FoLs in the US is because the Libraries are being funded less adequately than in the past. I have inherited a robust FoL and am fortunate to have intelligent, resourceful, and enthusiastic Librarians to work with.

Our Library is also part of the local community college campus, serving both the students there and the general public. The library was built in 2010 by the county, so there won’t ever be rent issues facing us as they are you. I’m sorry for that, and sorry that you will be losing local service and sense of community.

…
Coffee and a bakery-bought cinnamon roll for breakfast, yum.

Soggy, cold rain for Saturday. Aren't you sorry for me?

Well, maybe it'd be too much for you to be sorry for me, too, because I'm so sorry for myself.

>166 richardderus: That license plate is wonderful!! (like the Christmas lights too)

Morning, Karen!

>168 karenmarie: I LOVE this!

>175 richardderus: I feel sorry for you, dear one. I would gladly trade you my sun for your rain if I could.

>175 richardderus: I do feel sorry for you, my friend. Soggy, cold rain can be enervating.

>176 RebaRelishesReading: That Maine driver nailed it, didn't they?

>177 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Thanks.

We had torrential rains last night. Didn't last long, but lashed the windows and there was quite a bit of wind, too.

...
I spoke with Eliza yesterday, who was with me Thursday to select books from the large donation - she researches books that might have some value above and beyond what we charge at the book sales. She had found a book that was for sale online for $600. Just for the heck of it this morning I looked up a couple of books and found one hardcover online for $964 and its paperback edition on Abebooks for $2,000. We've got a gold mine here and just need to figure out how to mine it.

>166 richardderus: LOL

>168 karenmarie: And another guffaw!

>178 karenmarie: You've hit gold! Good job.

Hoping to get our tree today. Something to lift the spirit--the kids love decorating it. Hope to see the drone shot of your house someday...

>165 weird_O: We had a Woolworth's store in our town (Victoria, BC) when I was growing up.
The sign in the postcard is what I remember best of Woolworth's.
It closed in the early '70's, IIRC. So did Kresge's ~ which changed to K-Mart sometime in the 1970's. All gone now.

The view in the Reading PA card is quite similar to my childhood memory of Douglas St in Victoria. I guess the whole metropolitan areas of North America were similarly influenced by the architecture of the day (?)

>175 richardderus: We can share being sorry for you and wishing you sunny days to come!

Hi Kim!

Have fun with the tree acquisition and decoration. We're not going to have a tree or fresh wreath and I'm not even sure we'll put out decorations since Jenna probably won't be coming home. The numbers are so bad and the situation so dire that it just doesn't seem to make sense, although we may change our minds.

Sigh.

Two drone shots, one last winter, one in November of this year.

>180 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! I lived in a Los Angeles suburb and there was no ‘main street’ per se. We did have a Boston Store but always went in the back door through the parking lot.

>181 quondame: Good thoughts, Susan.

>165 weird_O: That is lovely Bill.

Have a great weekend, Karen.

>182 karenmarie: Wow! When somebody says, "The good Lord willing and the creek don't rise," you know exactly what they mean.
I wish you a restful Sunday and fun deciding how to deal with way more in the disposition of those books than you had imagined!

>178 karenmarie: Wow, Good find there!

>182 karenmarie: Nice pics and a nice place Karen.

Rising numbers, scary situation. Sorry about your Christmas!
We will be doing some decorating, but we won't be able to visit my mother:-( I just feel it's too risky for her. Will be visiting my sister, who lives nearby, but not Marc's relatives.

>182 karenmarie: I was just admiring your place, Karen, until Peggy's comment made me aware where to look.

>184 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul.

>185 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! The creek does rise, but the drone shot does not show that there is a significant although gradual drop between our house and the creek. I can’t imagine any scenario under which our house would be threatened by flood waters.

The Panthers have a bye week, so I have no excuse to not set up my Christmas gift wrapping station and start wrapping.

I haven’t heard back from Eliza about what they’ve done with valuable books from previous donations.

>186 EllaTim: Hi Ella! Thank you.

I’m sorry that you won’t be able to visit your mother or Marc’s relatives, glad that your sister lives nearby.

>187 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Thank you re our place.

These spammers just don’t give up, do they? If I’m up early enough to see the spam I go to threads to flag it, thank you to whoever got rid of “MillieWhitehouse”.

…
Yesterday I got to meet my new neighbor for the first time – Ben. He and his wife Eileen bought the house literally next door in March, although I can only see it through the trees since the leaves have fallen. One of my packages got delivered to their house and he walked it over. We chatted for about 15 minutes socially distanced.

A lovely set of drone shots!

If you haven't, I think you'd enjoy watching Mank on Netflix. Very well done, trenchant story.

Cold, blustery day but no rain! So I am wreathed in smiles. (Which, if you think about it, is a very disturbing mental image.)

*smooch*

>190 richardderus: Thanks, RD! Dwain and his new toy are providing benefits to us.

...
Coffee and brekkie. Christmas present wrapping. Possibly baking. Reading A Promised Land. Here's a quote that I'm not going to put in my comments for the shared read thread but that hits home. It's about Obama remembering a conversation with his maternal grandmother, who he called Toot.

I thought back to a conversation I'd had with her when I was in high school, around the time her chronic back problems began making it difficult for her to walk for long stretches.

"The thing about getting old, Bar," Toot had told me, "is that you're the same person inside." I remember her eyes studying me through her thick bifocals, as if to make sure I was paying attention. "You're trapped in this doggone contraption that starts falling apart. But it's still you. You understand?" p 198

It's holiday hump time - wrapping and mailing presents this week. Since our family Christmas party was cancelled I have 2 additional boxes and one additional giftcard/Christmas card to send. A box for Jenna, too, sadly. I'm stressed out about how to mail to California - combine LA County presents with San Bernardino presents like I usually do because they may, stupidly, still get together for Christmas, or do the right thing and send them separately, hoping they take the hint and Stay Away From Each Other and actually follow the newest CA lockdown orders? And a nephew in San Francisco is planning on coming down to visit them all, too. Sigh.

>191 karenmarie: - I am loving this book, too, Karen. Not too far in yet (I just started Part Two) but I love his style of writing and am already not wanting it to end. His ability to read his own flaws and motivations (in retrospect) is so insightful and a lot of what he says just jumps out in stark contrast to the current inmate. Here is just one example, when he was admitting how difficult it was (is?) for him to be concise instead of wordy:

"Rather, it was my general inability to boil issues down to their essence, to tell a story that helped explain an increasingly uncertain world to the American people and make them feel that I, as president, could help them navigate it."

Bingo.

Hi Shelley! You're ahead of me - I'm behind on the shared-read schedule and still in part 1. I completely agree with you about his writing style. I feel like he's sitting here with me and just talking about stuff.

And now it's time for brekkie and a wave of present wrapping.

>194 karenmarie: - And another thing, probably completely irrelevant. I love the paper. It's so smooth and lovely to the touch. As a friend of mine said, if it had been regular paper, thicker, the book would have been twice the size! But still, it gives another dimension, a tactile dimension to this book, that I love.

I'm also loving the Obama book. That's a great quote about aging, Karen. And Shelley, I agree about the tactile dimension. I know many people are using the audiobook version which I'm sure is wonderful, but it's nice that the print edition is also such a pleasure to read.

My husband and I have been watching various Obama television interviews lately, as they pop up on YouTube. Specifically ones with late-night television hosts like Colbert and Fallon. They are fun to watch because Obama is so at ease in that setting, so comfortable being made fun of (respectfully) and able to dish it right back (equally respectfully).

>189 karenmarie: Good early afternoon, Karen! It wasn't so much your house that I was anxious for as your ability to get in and out at need. Do you have a nice, high bridge?

>191 karenmarie: Exactly right! I think that almost daily.

I need to finish something else before I can get the Obama book, but my appetite is well-whetted.

>195 jessibud2: I agree, the paper is pleasing, the font size adequate. Lots of photos broken up into two sections, which I adore.

>196 lauralkeet: Obama reading his book would be a treat, as long as it was unabridged, although the photos are always important to me when reading a memoir or biography. I saw a bit of Colbert and Obama, including the trash can paper wad competition, and listened to the WaPo podcast a while back. That's enough for me - until I read the book I'm happy to not hear more of what people ask about the book and what he says about the book.

>197 LizzieD: Hi Peggy!

You know, I never realized that people would make what's a pretty standard assumption about where access to the house would be based on where the official front of the house is.

We did a wonderful for us and confusing to most folks reversal of the house plan - the front of the house, shown in both photos, faces away from the road. We did this so that the view from our front porch would be our fields, the creek, and the treeline.The road is BEHIND the front of the house, in other words, so we don't have to navigate the creek to get in and out. The concrete pad to the left of the garage joins with a crush-and-run gravel drive to the cul-de-sac end to our 15-house teensy subdivision.

My Hillary 2016 bookmark keeps track of where I am in A Promised Land, my Read to Your Kids FoL bookmark keeps track of where I should be by the end of today. Right now they are 115 pages apart. Sigh. I know you'll enjoy the book when you get to it.

...
8 presents wrapped. I'm enjoying watching the birds in the leafless Crepe Myrtle right now - there must be two dozen, mostly Cardinals, jockeying for position and access to the feeders.

Hi Horrible, how go the wrapping wars? Spend a lurvely day. *smooch*

Hi RD! I finished boxing and labeling things and went to the Post Office. 5 packages and $100 later, I'm down to only having one more family and Jenna to mail presents to. I should be able to get those ready tomorrow although Jenna's will be a two-package deal this year because other family members are mailing stuff to her here and the won't all be here by the time I want to mail our presents to her. After that it's only cards...

I just spoke with my sister, my daughter's going to call in about an hour, and we might have spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic toast for supper if I get off my lazy duff and make it. :)

I'm going to read some more of my newest Nero Wolfe...

I hope you're having a lurvely day, too. *smooch*

It *sounds* like a lurvely day, indeed, and full of accomplishments. I'm pretty sure that makes a day good even when it's pretty much just the minutiae of life being accomplished.

Spaghetti ho! pre-garlic-bread *smooch*

Spaghetti not! un-garlic bread *smooch*

I got lazy.

Oh, well, Billhoney didn't starve I'm sure.

Although I had to make Mexican rice with garlic powder to assuage my serious craving for garlic bread.

>203 richardderus: Ah, garlic. I think from the scent, that Mike revived some of the Thanksgiving Bagna Cauda. Last week I skinned the cloves and filtered the oil so it's an easy spread - or maybe it was an easy spread and I'll have to find some other instant garlic.

>198 karenmarie: Y'all are so smart! The back of your house is beautiful!

No garlic for us today. I did get off my duff and fix my ma a pork chop with pineapple, turnip greens (again - much sweeter than Thanksgiving's batch), and a potato. You and Richard and Susan make me realize that there's a whole world of food out there, and I continue to cook like my ma in the 50s. Bagna Cauda? Had to look it up. I've never been able to figure why I like anchovies but not sardines. Oh well. With my DH shopping, I'm not likely to try anything new because I want to minimize his grocery store time.

Babble. Babble. Good night.

>191 karenmarie: "The thing about getting old..."

Great quote. I snagged it for a Christmas letter I was writing to my niece yesterday.
I am hoping A Promised Land is widely given as gifts this year, because then I'll be likely to find it at the Used bookshop.
Yes, I know... I am frugal beyond understanding, but I'm so intimidated by 700+ page chunksters, I am not up to risking buying it new.

>203 richardderus: BH did not starve, nor did I. I think he had peanut butter on saltines and I had tortilla chips with melted cheese and salsa.

>204 quondame: Never heard of Bagna Cauda before, Susan. I have to take garlic in small doses because I remember a time in Ensenada when I ordered Scampi, ate all the garlic cloves that it was served with and sweated garlic for days.

>205 LizzieD: HI Peggy! Next time I go out, which will probably be tomorrow, I’ll take a picture of what the house looks like from the road.

I’m a cook of uncomplicated flavors, mostly, and not really adventuresome. The Instant Pot has introduced us to risotto and sun-dried tomato sauce, as examples, but I rotate among about a dozen tried-and-true and uncomplicated recipes as a rule. I consider myself a good and adventuresome baker, though, making everything from scratch except for Mrs. Schubert’s rolls for T-day and the occasional Mrs. Smith’s or Marie Calendar’s pie.

I love anchovies on Greek Salads. Not sure about sardines. And you’re doing the absolute right thing keeping your DH’s grocery store time to a minimum. I’m now considering and planning on trying to grocery shop only every two weeks instead of every week. I tried this early in the pandemic but wasn’t as organized or knowledgeable as I am now about what we really want/need food-wise to keep going exclusively with food from home except for Saturday take out. And depending if things get worse here in our currently-only-orange county, we may stop getting even Saturday's take out. Heh. Babble babble back.

>206 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! I’m so glad you snagged that quote.

I just mailed a copy of the book to my friend Karen in Montana for Christmas. She knows it’s coming so won’t buy it for herself, but I did wrap it. Knowing her, I know she won’t unwrap it until Christmas Day.

Do you use the Library? Do they have copies and/or e-reader copies?

…
I didn’t stir until almost 9 this morning. Must have worn myself out packing boxes and going to the PO yesterday. I was in and out in 18 minutes, which happily surprised me.

No plans on leaving the house today. Just halfway through my first mug of coffee. I’ll move more bags of FoL books to the Library and whatever else appeals. Christmas cards or wrapping Jenna’s presents, perhaps.

edited to add: I'm way behind on messages here on LT. I have a few folks I check out every day, but sometimes have to sort the messages by New/Total to see ones I'm furthest behind on. I don't always post, but at least get caught up to a point. I'm proud to say that at this exact moment I have no starred threads with more than 19 unread messages. That, of course, will change by the time I make brekkie. 😄

Glad you got a sleep in day! I loooooong for one of those!!

It's just the day for it, isn't it? I was slug-a-bed too. *shrug* Nobody needs us to be x place by y time, so to hell with it.

>208 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! Full-time working mother of two little'uns, I can certainly understand your longing for a sleep-in day.

>209 richardderus: I've set an alarm to get up exactly once since March lockdown - and that was for the day we selected and transported the donation books last week. Other than that, *shrug*, I get up when I want to.

...
10 more bags of books made it to the Library. 3 presents wrapped for Jenna.

edited to add, just for S&G, shits & giggles - Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021.

>210 karenmarie: Really? Taxi yellow and wet concrete?

>211 ffortsa: I'd offer "canned lemon pie filling," but yeah. Clearly these folks are expecting 2021 to be bloody well depressing.

>211 ffortsa: and >212 richardderus: What I found amusing was their reasoning. Rather than quote it here, just search for Pantone Color of the Year 2021 and you can choose from any one of a number of news services for the details.

>210 karenmarie: >211 ffortsa: They could hardly have done worse. But then I've liked so many of the past years' choices that something like this was bound to happen.

>210 karenmarie: Hmm. I liked 2020's blue. 2021, not so much.

>210 karenmarie: Really? Of all the colors they could of picked.....

Anyhow, have a splendid Thursday!

>214 quondame: I like yellow but not that yellow, and I dislike gray in all permutations.

>215 lauralkeet: Classic Blue was a good one, I agree.

>216 figsfromthistle: I admit I was surprised. They very rarely choose two colors.

...
We're probably going to give each other just one present on Christmas Day, so Bill gave me another Christmas present yesterday. It's a coffee cup like those used when he was in the Navy 1976-1982, made by Pyrex/Corning. They're white with two lines - a wider band near the top to indicate where to fill it to if the seas are mild, and another, thinner band about 3/4" down from the top band to indicate where to fill it to if the seas are rough.



Today I have three presents to wrap, then I need to box up the presents for Jenna and a cousin's family and mail them. I'm also going grocery shopping.

>217 karenmarie: That is so fascinating. I would have thought it was simply a retro-vintage design!

I didn't know the story until Bill gave it to me and explained the lines. I love knowing things like that.

That's a cool cup, Karen -- I didn't know the story, either.

>219 karenmarie: Great story! And utterly practical while being lovely. Great fun trivia, and thanks. *smooch*

>220 lauralkeet: Neat, eh?

>221 richardderus: Yes, lovely and practical. *smooch*

...
Off to read and sleep. Way too busy today and I am totally whupped.

Morning, Karen! I love your new coffee cup, and the trivia that goes with it. My Dad served in the Navy in WWII. Now I am wondering what cups they had back then.

'Morning, Mamie! Thanks re my new cup. I have no idea when these were first used.

On her thread, Katie referred to a tool on the NYT website that lets you put in your age, county/state, indicate if you're considered an essential worker, have health-related risks, and are in a nursing home/long-care facility. My result is:

Based on your risk profile, we believe you’re in line behind 23.0 million people across the United States.

When it comes to North Carolina, we think you’re behind 725,800 others who are at higher risk in your state.

And in Chatham County, you’re behind 4,800 others.

These are just estimates and the line may ultimately be shorter. The order isn’t yet finalized and children could be skipped entirely if the vaccine isn’t approved for people under 18.

I've been mentally gearing up for April-June to receive the vaccine, so don't know where this fits in.

Friday, is it? Well. I suppose that matters to some people somewhere, but we really ain't two of 'em are we?

*smooch*

Congrats on the book treasures. Let me know if you'd like my two cents on anything since I used to seriously bookscout.

>182 karenmarie: Lovely photos of your place! Which did you decide to have framed for Jenna?

I think I'll wait until spring and see if anyone in the area would be interested in doing a photo of my place. Right now my place is all brown and bare. Yours in photogenic in winter. Mine is uh ... not. Maybe with snow, though?

Very cool cup and a cool story. That's the sort of meaningful gift I love!

>225 karenmarie: I looked at that too, Karen. It places my 99 year-old mother, my DH, and me to follow dose #6,800 in our county. Maybe we should move to Chatham County.

Hope your day is going well. I'm where I always am --- behind.

>226 richardderus: Yay for Friday! The only thing about Fridays for me is that as much as I love my husband, I also love my alone time at the house. I ‘wasted’ an hour of it going to the post office and getting gas in my SUV. *smooch*

>227 streamsong: Thanks, Janet. Good to know – any fabulous bookscouting stories?

The grass is finally stunted and going brown. Leaves are off most trees, but some of the oaks are still stubbornly hanging in there.

We got the bottom one framed with the flooded creek because it mostly just shows our place. Good luck finding someone to do a drone shot. Somewhere around here we’ve got a very expensive photo of when people had to take photos from airplanes – a traveling salesman, so to speak, came through the neighborhood with prints of photos taken from his airplane. We got it although it was prohibitively expensive. It would be nice to compare them, but I don't know where it is.

>228 LizzieD: My days’ gone quite well. Baked cheese wafers/cheese straws for Jenna’s Christmas box, packed up her box, made a separate box with toilet paper and her Navy coffee cup from her dad, and mailed those two boxes, a mailer with presents for some cousins, and a book for a friend of mine on the Friends Board.

Then I came home to find my Christmas box from friend Karen in Montana with 2 wrapped presents, a bunch of articles and cartoons, 15 “Yellowstone Country Montana” face masks, and 7 books that I just had fun entering into my catalog.

Taking on the World: Joseph and Stewart Alsop, Guardians of the American Century by Robert W. Merry
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe by William Hitchcock
A Seer Out of Season: The Life Of Edgar Cayce by Harmon H. Bro
Seafurrers: The Ships’ Cats Who Lapped and Mapped the World by Philippa Sandall
The Bible: New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs: Contemporary English Version by Cev Abs
Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays by Candace Savage

And the major dumb of the day – not remembering that I had a copy of Target Practice by Rex Stout on my shelves, ordering a copy a couple of weeks ago, adding it to my catalog today and seeing that it was a duplicate. Sheesh. I kept the newly-received copy and am getting rid of the one I had since this copy is in much better condition.

>229 karenmarie: - Ooo, I read the Candace Savage one a few year ago and enjoyed it. Nice haul, Karen! And such an accomplished day. Wish I could say the same here.

>229 karenmarie: Bird Brains! I had this book like a zillion years ago and loved it. I think I need to get another.

>230 jessibud2: I'm sorry you don't feel like you had "an accomplished day", Shelley. I've been doing a lot of dithering this week but absolutely needed to get packages mailed today.

>231 richardderus: Between you and Shelley it seems like I need to read this one stat.

Morning, Karen! How lovely to come home from running errands to find a package waiting. And books! I ended up taking a nap yesterday because I have not been sleeping much at night - I sleep until about 2 or 3am, and then I am wide awake. Bonus is that the house is so quiet at that hour, and I love to grab my book and go out to read by the tree lights. Magic. And sunrise this morning was full of gorgeous.

Here's hoping your Saturday is full of fabulous!

Hi Mamie! Believe it or not, those 7 books are all duplicates. I've been telling Karen about this wonderful book cataloging website called LibraryThing for years, now, but it actually works to my advantage for her to NOT catalog her books so that I can keep getting her duplicates. *smile*

This year has been book-scarce because of cancelled FoL book sales and my not going to the local thrift shops and second-hand book stores because of the pandemic. My acquisitions/cull ratio is almost perfect - 121 acquisitions to 120 culls and I'll make sure it's 1 or lower by year end. Sad reason, good result.

Your solution to not sleeping in the middle of the night is perfect - book, Christmas tree lights, quiet.

Today is going to be pandemic-mode Saturday - Bill will take trash/recyclables to the dump then bring home take out. College football for him and reading and possibly Christmas cards for me. Not exciting, but I don't mind not exciting.

...
I was very happy to see that the Supreme Court smacked down Trump and his sycophantic enablers by dismissing the Texas AG's bid to overturn the presidential election results in WI, PA, MI, and GA. All states have certified the election results and the Electoral College meets on Monday. Maybe, just maybe, this will end their seditious actions re the presidential election.

I wouldn't count on it ending the sedition, but it will stop the flow of lawsuits. The Supremes gave this last one a HUGE smackdown...lack of standing and pending motions dismissed as moot is pretty much Judgese for "go away! we don't want you here!"

>229 karenmarie: What a lovely gift!!!! Not a stinker among those books! I'm always grateful to Stewart Alsop who wrote about his dying of leukemia, "A dying man needs to die the same way a sleepy man needs to sleep." (That's pretty close to what he said.) That comforted me more than almost anything when my daddy died of leukemia six years later. That cat book sounds like fun.
Real relief that the SCOTUS is composed of justices however wrong-thinking the new majority may be in general!
My plan is to do nothing today as I pulled my back in a new place last night. I believe that I will succeed in this.

>235 richardderus: Good point, unfortunately, RD - lawsuits will end but sedition will continue.

>236 LizzieD: My friend Karen is more of a bibliomaniac than I am, Peggy, and she has a passion for obscure subjects and rarities. Unfortunately she can only indulge at used book stores and book sales, but living near Bozeman gives her wide scope.

Yes, relief until they try to pull the next coup.

I'm sorry that you pulled your back in a new place. I would have been sorry if you'd pulled your back in an old place. 😟

...
Success. The last of the bags of donated books are in the Library. My Sunroom/office is back to its normal chaotic state, which is much better than its normal chaotic state plus 35 bags of books. While putting the books up I found another treasure - a hardcover copy of Joy Harbo's 1990 In Mad Love and War, listed for $799 on Amazon.

>234 karenmarie: Karen, Trump is scary. I had to take a tv break. The sound of his voice just grates! I imagine he is accustomed to bullying and getting his way. Spending all time fighting the outcome of an election that did not nominate him for president, I wonder whose doing the job at the Whitehouse.

It is overcast and snowy looking today. It is time to wrap packages and finish up the shopping.

Have a great day. And, all good wishes for a wonderful holiday time.

Love the house pics, the navy mug, that your cull and buy numbers are close to even, the vaccine probability, and the valuable hardback, In Mad Love and War! Phew. Your thread is so much fun. : )

>238 Whisper1: Hi Linda. I only watch clips of Trump on YouTube after the fact, agree that I can’t bear watching him, and his voice does grate. He certainly isn’t doing anything at the White House that benefits Americans, that’s for sure.

I’d sort of like snow here. We don’t ever get much during the winter but when we do things shut down (even more than they are shut down now with covid!) and the world becomes all quiet and centered in the house looking out at our winter wonderland. Have fun wrapping and shopping.

Thanks re the holidays. Love Santa and the reindeer over the snowy town. We’re not going to wallow around in self-pity when we are so fortunate in so many ways, but will miss Jenna. We’re giving her the gift of none of us getting Covid although it makes me sad that she’ll be in Wilmington and we’ll be here. I just read this from advice columnist Carolyn Hax on the Washington Post, part of a response re hosting Christmas:

Yes, cancel Christmas.

I am sorry for that.

I am sorry for your past nine months of restricted living.

I am sorry your people are acting like toads when all they have to do to show their love is assure you they’d rather have you around for a long and fulfilling life than get their way for one stupid day.

I am sorry I called Christmas stupid.

>239 Berly: Hi Kim! We aim to please… Seriously, I’m glad you consider my thread fun and like to visit.

Today is watching my Panthers at 1 p.m. and whatever. I may get organized and start on cards, I may read more of A Promised Land, I may wrap two of the last three presents.

I ordered a book for friend Jan, A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, but then realized this morning that I gave her a copy 5 years ago, so ordered the newest Lionel Shriver for her, The Motion of the Body Through Space. It will arrive tomorrow and I can then go to the PO on Tuesday. Looks like I now have a new trade paperback copy of it and can deaccession my old tattered mass market paperback.

Hey there Horrible, happy busy Sunday!

Morning, Karen. Happy Sunday. Nice to be back in my regular groove. We had a great time. Lots of cool bird sightings, I will detail later. I am also feeing fine. The lighter crowds at the resort, were comforting. I still plan on getting tested this week, just as a precaution. I don't want to put anyone else at risk.

I hope everything is going well for you. I plan a lazy day, with books and football. I may tune in now and then on my Bears but I don't want to ruin my day.

>241 richardderus: Hiya RD! Happy Sunday to you, too. *smooch*

>242 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. I agree - nice to have you back in your regular groove. I'm glad you had a good trip, glad you're back home. Getting tested is wise. Yay for the cool bird sightings. I'm going to watch the Panthers, being somewhat of a martyr, since they are 4 and 8. They're playing the Broncos, who are also 4 and 8, so we might win... Sorry about your Bears, although at 5 an 7 they're ahead of my Panthers.

I've been checked out, so to speak. Here, but not here. I am much encouraged to learn you ordered and received a copy of Target Practice, only to discover—Ta-Dah—you already had a copy. I'm so familiar with that trope; glad it happens even to my betters. :-)

>244 weird_O: Not betters by any means, Bill. I attribute this one to dead brain cells and not even remembering that such a book existed. Got all excited when I saw it on your thread. From now on I really need to check my catalog before buying books. It was easy to check at thrift shops and Habitat for Humanity - cell phone app worked beautifully. Even though I keep 2 LT tabs and my Amazon account tab open, I've never actually gone to an LT tab to confirm I don't have a book before clicking to buy it on Amazon. New Year's Resolution: Check LT before buying ANY book.

...
In repsonse to a post on Katie's thread about breakfast pizza, here's the recipe. I got it from a co-worker perhaps 20 years ago and have made it every Christmas Day for brekkie ever since. Will probably make it for just Bill and me this Christmas, too. The original recipe called for putting it on a round pizza plate, but I like it better in rectangles.

Breakfast Pizza

1 lb ground breakfast sausage (hot is better)
2 8-oz packages refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 1/2 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed, or freshly shredded potatoes, rinsed in cold water and thoroughly dried by pressing in a clean kitchen towel
2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese (I use mozzarella)
7 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Brown, crumble, and drain the sausage.

Separate crescent rolls. Place in an ungreased 9” x 13” pan. Press together to form a crust. Bottom of crust should be sealed and outside edge should be raised ½” up the sides of the pan.

Spoon sausage over crust. Sprinkle with hash browns and top with cheese.

Beat eggs together with salt and pepper. Pour over cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in pre-heated oven until eggs are set, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Oh, that breakfast pizza sounds good.

Jim and I saw a Nova special on birds, titled 'Bird Brain', yesterday (we had recorded it a while ago). Your PBS station may allow you on-demand access, no? It was enjoyable, although I've seen other shows that were better done, I thought, where ravens solved even more intricate problems. The parrot vs. raven match-up was interesting, though.

Hi Judy! It is very good. It's also good leftover, heated in a toaster or regular oven. Never in a microwave.

Speaking of which, Nigella Lawson got my attention recently by mispronouncing microwave - on purpose? It has to be on purpose otherwise the mind boggles - and double buttering toast with unsalted butter and then sprinkling salt on it. *shudder* Ridiculous woman.

I think we've seen Bird Brain, or something else just like it showing how ravens perform intricate tasks to get food. Fascinating.

I've favorited the breakfast pizza recipe, although I will definitely have to at least halve it, if not more, Karen.

Hi Karen, I checked out that NYTimes list to see when I'd be getting my shot too. You'll be happy (or maybe not) to know that WH staff will be among the first to get inoculated. That means Jared and Ivanka will be getting theirs before just about everyone. Grrrrr

>247 karenmarie: I do use a microwave to reheat pizza - about 1/2 way then transfer it to a heated griddle and cover with a pan lid. That gets it heated trough and crisped on the bottom with out burning the crust or the top.

Morning, Karen. I had a perfectly lazy Sunday, read a lot and watched a lot of football, including a tidy Bear's win. Sorry, about your Panthers. I saw that it was a close one. I did fill my feeders yesterday and plugged the birdbath heater back in. Cold here today, it may not reach 30F so I am not sure if I will get in any birding but I do have some food shopping to attend to.

Morning, Karen! Sorry about your Panthers - our Falcons lost, too. Your Nigella Lawson post cracked me up.

Like Roni, I favorited your breakfast pizza recipe - we will give that a try as it sounds good. Thanks for sharing.

>248 ronincats: Hi Roni! An 8” x 8” pan, perhaps? Or even an 8” or 9" pie plate might work.

>249 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! I saw that headline about the idiot-in-chief’s staff. And then of course, all of their families. But… but… they don’t believe there’s a pandemic.

>250 quondame: Interesting, Susan. My toaster oven can reheat pizza in about 6-7 minutes, 2 slices. I’m of the fewer pans the better school, so my first thought was instead of having to wash just the toaster oven insert I’d also have to wash a griddle and lid.

>251 msf59: Hi Mark, and happy Monday to you. I’m glad you had a 3 or 4B day. I thought about getting the birdbath heater out and plugging it in too when the temps dipped below freezing last week. Perhaps some time this week. Thanks re my Panthers. Christian McCaffrey is out with his 3rd different injury this season and with DJ Moore also out yesterday I’m actually surprised we came close. Stay warm as you go get groceries and possibly watch the birdies. *smile*

>252 Crazymamie: ‘Morning, Mamie! Thanks, and sorry about your Falcons losing too. 3 point-loss, tough. We needed a TD no conversion to win.

I’ve heard bits with Nigella Lawson on NPR over the years and never really cared for the recipes she’s talked about.

With your crew I can imagine the Breakfast Pizza would be a one-and-done. Here we usually have 2 days of leftovers.

…
Woke up to rain. I never pay attention to the weather report unless I’m going out or Bill mentions it. It’s 58F now. Rain will stop this evening and then we’ll have 30F tonight.

Coffee, a bit of reading, then Christmas cards, I think.

>253 karenmarie: - I saw that headline about the idiot-in-chief’s staff. And then of course, all of their families. But… but… they don’t believe there’s a pandemic.

That is outrageous. And shame on any doctor who agrees to do that. In my humble (and unasked-for) opinion, all superspreaders ought to be LAST in line. Anyone who refuses to wear a mask should have to wait until front line workers, seniors and the rest of the (sane) population have all had their vaccinations. The vaccine has arrived here in Ontario last night and today, front line workers and seniors in residences will be the first to get the jab.

Those disgraceful White House residents should be banished to Alcatraz or something. That would keep so many others safe, for starters. Grrr

Have yourself a lovely little Monday, Horrible, and enjoy the coffeebreath of life.

*smooch*

Happy, dreary day, Karen!

Thanks for the breakfast pizza recipe. Looks good to me! I also reheat pizza at medium low heat in a big, covered pan to keep the crust crisp. One container to wash.

WH staff first for the vaccine. Idiots all around. Ptfu! (That's a spit not an acronym. Close to Nero Wolfe, now that I think about it.) For the rest of us, I'm hopeful. My DH finally, finally ordered our groceries for pick-up this morning, and it all went well. I'm relieved that he can do this without contact for the duration, I hope.

Off to defrost the chicken breasts before barbecueing them in the crock pot. I was hopeful that putting them in frozen was OK, but several places online say not to, so I won't risk it.

>253 karenmarie: Wash? What is this was you speak of? Seriously the griddle pan is used several times for between washes unless something crumbly like hamburger is cooked on it (it shouldn't be! A pan with sides is de rigueur, but some people) and the lid maybe gets a wipe.

>254 jessibud2: I agree about superspreaders being last in line in theory – don’t know how to make it happen practically by absolutely proving someone gave it to someone else, though. Sigh. It is what it is and we’ll see how soon the vaccine percolates down.

>255 richardderus: Coffee was wonderful, as was sausage and a toasted sesame bagel with cream cheese and raspberry jam. *smooch*

>256 LizzieD: You’re welcome, Peggy. I hoe it’s not still dreary where you are – after three power flicks and a bunch of rain and wind it’s now mostly clear with puffy whites and 18 degrees cooler than it was this morning. I’ve put the propane heater back on and am back in my microfleece jammies.

I’m debating about starting grocery ordering online/pickup. It will probably save money and will definitely save the potential to catch covid. I’m glad your DH had a good experience with it. I don’t think I’ve ever put frozen chicken in the crock pot. Yum to BBQ chicken.

>257 quondame: I’m pretty obsessive about washing dishes except for anything used to measure just water. However, I have been known to use a paper towel to wipe out a cast iron skillet if used for a grilled cheese or something like that.

19 Christmas cards written in, addressed, stamped, with a letter if appropriate, sealed, and return address label on back. I should be able to finish the rest tomorrow. I could finish them today but am not in the mood. I just want to read and putter.

Not that the cold hard facts of the truth would matter to trumpty dumpty. Is there a point where someone (and who, anyhow, I have no idea) just tells him to suck it up and start packing, already?

LOVE all those blue squares!!!!!!!

Wiping a cast iron skillet is definitely the thing to do!

>260 jessibud2: Maybe Melania can let him know when she leaves........

>259 karenmarie: Well done! Glad to see there were no Faithless Electors;-)

>259 karenmarie:, >262 EllaTim: - I just noticed the colour key. Is that a real category, Faithless Electors?! And who are the *Other* party? I thought there were only 2 parties in the United States.

>259 karenmarie: LOVE THIS! Even though it is from CNN and you know you can't believe anything they say. Grins...

Morning, Karen. After seeing about 15 Lifers in Mexico, I returned home and immediately saw another yesterday. There had been reports of a lovely Western Tanager hanging out in a specific spot for a few days, so I took a drive down there and within 15-20 minutes I saw him. It helps that there were 3 other birders at that location. This bird is rarely seen east of the Rockies. I got photos too.

Morning, Karen! Hooray for the official electoral college vote. I love that graphic you posted. And that Georgia is blue!!

>260 jessibud2: I wouldn’t put it past him to leave the White House well before Inauguration on the 20th of January and not be there for the official transition of power.

>261 LizzieD: I know, Peggy, makes me so very, very happy. I’d seen reports of WI, MI, PA, and GA casting their votes for Biden earlier in the day then frankly lost track of it. Bill came in about 5:25 to say that California was going to vote and put Biden over the top. I got into the living room just in time to hear the applause. Then it was fun finding those graphics. Hawaii has now voted, of course, so it’s the 306-232 we heard about soon after the election.

I have 3 cast iron skillets but only use the one that my college roommate left with me in 1972 when we parted ways.

Melania has already been preparing to leave, apparently.

>262 EllaTim: Yes, Ella, everybody did what they are supposed to do.

>263 jessibud2: Yes, Shelley, it is an official category. From Wikipedia:

In the United States Electoral College, a faithless elector is an elector who does not vote for the candidates for U.S. President and U.S. Vice President for whom the elector had pledged to vote and instead votes for another person for one or both offices or abstains from voting. As part of United States presidential elections, each state selects the method by which its electors are to be selected, which in modern times has been based on a popular vote in most states, and generally requires its electors to have pledged to vote for the candidates of their party if appointed. A pledged elector is only considered a faithless elector by breaking their pledge; unpledged electors have no pledge to break. The consequences of an elector voting in a way inconsistent with their pledge vary from state to state.

Interestingly, only North Carolina and Oklahoma void the vote with penalty if they are faithless. I didn't know that before looking this stuff up just now.



Other parties include but are not limited to Libertarian, Green, and Constitution. In theory I approve of them, but in the cutthroat politics of the early 21st century I feel that they almost always siphon votes away from the Democratic Party and thus unintentionally favor the now-ridiculous, seditious, and dangerous Republican Party.

>264 msf59: I haven’t checked out what Fox News is peddling – only half unfair because their news staff apparently reports accurately. It’s just their opinion staff that are nutters.

Fifteen lifers and another yesterday. What a way to end up your Birding 2020. Congratulations.

>265 Crazymamie: ‘Morning, Mamie! I’m so relieved I can’t stand it. I’m happy Georgia went blue for Biden and hope that both Senate seats go blue in January.

…
I didn’t stir until 8:30 and still feel groggy for some reason. Coffee is helping. It got down to 27F and is currently a nice, bright 31F. After a bit of brekkie and lots more coffee I'll work on Christmas cards and wrap the last 3 presents. Two of the presents will get mailed today along with whatever cards I get ready by mid-afternoon. I'll make some Pecan Puffs for Louise some time this week and take them over along with her card.

Pecan puffs will make the day better from the smell of their baking, so it should end up being a pretty darn good day.

All cards except 1 were mailed, along with the two packages. No baking today, but I'll only have one more package to send off to Miss Jenna next week or the week after.

Morning, Karen. Happy Wednesday. I did get out for a solo jaunt yesterday. Very few land birds but I did get a quick peek at a Carolina Wren. My feeders were hopping though, and the Northern Flicker dropped by too, dwarfing everyone else. I will venture out today, just not sure where.

'Morning, Mark, and a very happy Wednesday to you, too. I hope you enjoy today's jaunt.

I really like the markings of Carolina Wrens. Right now there are probably two dozen or so birds in my Crepe Myrtle, jostling for position at the feeders.

It's going to rain all day here. It's 35 now, going to a high of 38. Brrr. I'm glad I got all my post office mailings taken care of yesterday. No need to go out today at all.

Hi Karen. I've been following the electoral college news by visiting your thread. LT is a safe bet for my sanity so I stay off the news websites!

Any book titles you hope to be given for Christmas? I asked for David Bayles small paperback, Art & Fear...

Hey Horrible, I'm slithering through to beat potential outages of wifi.

*smooch* for a peaceful, easy day.

>271 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! I'm flattered. Thank you.

I hope you get Art & Fear. I hope that Cousin Rebecca/family give me Hamnet. She's the only person I asked for it so it's a risk, especially since they sent us a not-inexpensive box of One in Six Snacks potato chip varieties.

If I don't get it from her, I'll finally break down and buy it with some Amazon Credit Card points I have. Looks like I've got about $30 left over from last month.

>272 richardderus: Yes, you've definitely got nasty weather on the way, if not already there. I hope you don't lose power! *smooch* back for a stay-warm-retain-power day.

...
It's been lots of fun to only have one thing to do today - mail the 2nd to last Christmas card since Sherry my massage therapist texted her address to me. I haven't seen her since March 15th. I know I reduced her monthly income by playing Covid-safe but just couldn't justify seeing her knowing that she works at a chiropractor's office. Sigh. I really miss our 90-minutes-a-month massage/talks.

Edited to add: Callooh! Callay! I've finished parts 2 and 3 of A Promised Land and posted my thoughts on the thread.

Bill just sent this to me. I think it's pretty cool.

Yeah yeah. We are gettin' that snow. Could be as much, the TV weather persons warn, as 16 inches until it ends tomorrow morning.

I've got pul-lenty of unread books should snow-bounding ensue. Real worry would be powerlessness, electricity-wise. Reading Tony Hillerman for AAC now, and I will return to other started titles after that.

>274 karenmarie: I love it!

Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. I never did get out for a walk yesterday. It was cold with flurries, so I ran an errand and returned home. I plan on getting out today, but mainly for the exercise. Birding has been very slow in our area.

>274 karenmarie: - The 2021 part of that pic was actually part of the cover of one of our local newspapers yesterday. The headline read *What will 2021 Look Like?* and had a stylized version of that number. Clever.

Morning, Karen! I am thrilled that I got all my errands done yesterday, so I get to stay home the rest of the week.

>274 karenmarie: Brilliant!

>274 karenmarie: That is pretty cool, you are right.

>275 weird_O: 16 inches of snow - wow!

>275 weird_O: Wow, Bill. Up to 16 inches. Yay for books, here’s hoping you don’t lose/haven’t lost power.The NY Times said Central Park got 10 inches, 4.8 inches more than the entirety for last winter.

>276 msf59: ‘Morning, Mark, sweet Thursday to you, too. I hope the books treat you nicely today, even if the birds won’t.

>277 jessibud2: Hi Shelley! There are apparently quite a few out there with 2021’s one being a syringe. One I just saw had the corona virus for the 0, too.

>278 Crazymamie: Hiya Mamie! Getting errands done always makes me feel wonderful, too. Depending on how much wet cat food I have, I might stretch the grocery shopping out until Monday, which would then include the Christmas grocery shopping list.

>279 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul!

...
Coffee started. Ich treatment started for Freddie Mercury the betta fish. 3 days of 2 drops with no filter, see how it's going, then change out some of the water, wait a bit, then see if it worked.

I'm going to make Pecan Puffs today.

We've got a bit less than 6" of snow, thank goodness, and if the power so much as flickered I slept through it. Looks pretty, though.

Pleasurable Pecan Puffing, dear.

My brother just sent me a pic of his place in southern Vermont. Tons of snow! Here in Toronto? a dusting that is not even covering the grass. I wouldn't mind more!

>281 richardderus: That is a nice amount of snow, RD. The first batch of Pecan Puffs will be coming out of the oven in about 3 minutes and I'll immediately put the final batch in. They get rolled in powdered sugar, let cool, and then rolled in powdered sugar again. I'm only making two batches this year instead of the usual 4.

And we're the recipients of many mail order sweets this year:

Harry and David Moose Munch from my sister, One in Six potato chips from our cousin, Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies from my niece and her wife, plus the See's I bought for us. Total Yum.

>282 jessibud2: Sorry that it's only a dusting, Shelley. We didn't even get the freezing rain we thought we might get the other night.

>274 karenmarie: Cool

Have a wonderful weekend

Morning, Karen. Happy Friday. I had a good solo bird ramble yesterday, clocking in 15 species which is very good this time of year. Heading out on another excursion in a bit. Enjoy your day.

>284 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, and thank you. Normal weekend, but abnormal for this time of year since I usually have more presents to wrap, cards to write, baking to do. It's all done, though. *blinks in surprise*

>285 msf59: 'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you, too. Yay for your bird rambles. I've just started my day, a few sips of coffee already consumed.

Yeup yeup yeup, it's Friday again. Next week's y'all's big'un, and Monday starts Yule with the Solstice. A festive time indeed!

*smooch*

Next week is mostly Bill having the week off and the dawning realization that Jenna won't be home for Christmas. I'm a Liberal Theist, not a Christian, so the holiday has no overt religious meaning for me. It's the candy, cookies, and holiday desserts holiday, usually with a tree and decorations. Not so much this year.

This is not to say we're not grateful. So far we haven't gotten Covid-19, Bill and Jenna both have jobs and I have SS and a pension. We have a roofs over our heads, food on our tables, and can stay warm this winter. We can also talk with each other easily and often. Much to be grateful for indeed.

118. A Year With G. K. Chesterton edited by Kevin Belmonte
1/1/20 to 12/18/20





From Amazon:

“A Year with G.K.Chesterton will be a treasure, both for those who are coming to his wit andwisdom as a fresh discovery, and for those who have known and loved his work for years. . . . Chesterton’s talent for paradox, and his ability to embody profound truth in simple images, makes him as compelling now as he was a hundred years ago. . . . He was a prophet in his own time and a prophet for ours, speaking out against insidious evils and kindling us all again to a common love of the common good.” ―The Reverend Dr. Malcolm Guite, chaplain of Girton College,Cambridge University

“This world of ours has some purpose; and if there is a purpose, there is a Person. I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story, there is a Storyteller.” ―G. K. Chesterton

A Year with G. K. Chesterton daily brings this truth to life. And we are heir to the winsome, arresting, utterly original outpouring of Chesterton’s reasons for hope. During his lifetime, a host of perspectives clamored for his attention, but he saw nothing as vital and alive as Christianity. Readers of this book will find their faith strengthened and enriched, even as they see the many reasons why George Bernard Shaw called Chesterton “a colossal genius.”

A true anthology, the best of Chesterton’s many works are presented in concise, memorable selections. From New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve, each page contains a passage of Scripture and myriad moments for reflection, appreciation, and laughter.

“Chesterton once a day? Well, that’s a start. It is good to see that someone is finally recognizing the need for a daily minimum requirement of mirth and meditation from GKC.” ―Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton Society

“Kevin Belmonte writes in the preface to this excellent book that his editing of it has been a gift. As an author who has written regularly on Chesterton I can understand his sense of gratitude at having been able to spend so much time with a genius as genial as the great GKC. Thanks to Belmonte's labor of love we can all spend a few moments of every day of the year in Chesterton's inimitable company. All admirers of Chesterton and the Christian truth he explicates so sublimely will be grateful to Kevin Belmonte for this gem of a gift.” ―Joseph Pearce, author of Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G. K.Chesterton

"Who could not be grateful for a year spent with GKC? The great subverter of everything taken for granted, he stretches and deepens us with his insights, shakes us with his startling paradoxes and delights us with his wit. Thank God there is no getting to the end of Chesterton." ―Os Guinness, author of A Free People's Suicide.

Why I wanted to read it: I only knew G. K. Chesterton from seeing a TV series version of his Father Brown mysteries and was curious.

I’ve since learned that G. K. Chesterton was an Anglican and then a Catholic, was married but had no children, was profoundly in love with his Catholic faith, and wrote extensively on religious, philosophical, and literary matters. I wasn’t impressed with the snippets of his poetry I read, but was deeply moved by a hymn he wrote, O God of Earth and Altar usually set to the tune "King"s Lynn" by Ralph Vaughn Williams.

He was interested in Charles Dickens, toured, and gave lectures in the US.

Having said all those wonderful things, he reminds me of Dorothy Sayers’s non-Wimsey writings in that they are erudite and almost impossible to understand by this mere mortal.

I’m glad to have spent the almost-year reading this, glad to have finished it a tad early.

Morning, Karen. Happy Saturday. I am getting ready to head out on my very first Christmas Bird Count. It will be just me and one other guy. We are covering one forest preserve area and counting every bird we see. Looking forward to it.

'Morning, Mark! I hope your bird count goes well - you'll have to report back.

It's 24F here right now. Thank goodness for wool socks, microfleece jammies, and house heat! Just took my first sip of coffee - heaven!

>289 karenmarie: masochist

I have always found his stuff deeply tedious, tendentious in the most transparent and manipulative ways, and treacly to boot.

But hey! We can, as always, ATD. *smooch*

RDear!

I didn't start out being a masochist, thinking I was going to be introduced to the man who wrote the Father Brown series although I've only seen the TV stuff, not yet read the stories. Actually I became a masochist in April when I decided that I didn't particularly like GKC but deciding that I needed to finish it.

We are actually ATAing. My review must be misleading. I gave 4 stars to Kevin Belmonte for editing an interesting and fact-filled trip through GKC's life/mind/religion. I am not Christian so don't really appreciate or understand what GKC wrote about Christianity, as I've never appreciated or understood what Sayers wrote about Christianity. I fully agree with you about his tediousness and tendentiousness. His treacly-ness is somewhat of when he was writing and eruditing. I could have used the words pompous and self-important, too.

>291 karenmarie: Wow, that must be really unexpectedly cold for your area. We are about the same, and I confess I haven't left the apartment in a few days! But I will go out this afternoon. Appropriately bundled, of course. I already have my Wintersilks on.

Hi Judy! Unusually cold but not ridiculously cold. It's now 44F. I'm going over to Louise's in a while to take her a card and some Pecan Puffs along with Fer-de-Lance, the first Rex Stout. She's never read any that she remembers and might like them.

Yay for Wintersilks. I have some Cuddl Duds, but won't need them even though we'll just be saying hi on her front porch or in the garage, socially distanced.

Today is the one year anniversary of our getting Zoe and Wash. All these pictures were taken on the 19th. We hadn't even named them yet. Wash is on the right in the last picture. Now he is about twice as big weight-wise, and probably an inch or two longer than Zoe.

....

I read a collection of Chesterton's Father Brown stories last year, but I'm not at all tempted to read his (or anyone else's) theological musings.

Did you see the photo of the snowman our twin granddaughters and a few of their friends made? Helen and Claire's mom told Judi it had quickly become a neighborhood landmark. Photo on my thread.

Got a tree yesterday. About six feet tall. It's on the spike, but not yet positioned or unbound. That'll happen today. I must put aside this silly book-talk surfing and get some cleaning and decorating done.

Cheers, y'all.

>293 karenmarie: I gave 4 stars to Kevin Belmonte
oooOoOOOOOooohhh

that's very different

never mind

>296 karenmarie: - So sweet. I am rethinking the name I gave to Theo (tongue in cheek, of course). He was an absolute maniac this morning and I am thinking that Mamie had the right idea, in the name of one of her cats: Mayhem! I usually prefer people names for my pet, but Mayhem is truly an ideal name for my boy. Of course, he is adorable and the best, when he is doing what he is doing right now: sleeping peacefully. I am exhausted. Do your two still tear around? How old is Wash?

>297 weird_O: Hi Bill! You reminded me that I bought a Kindle version of the Father Brown mysteries last November and never added it to my catalog. – Just done, and thank you!

I did see the photo of the granddaughters, friends, and monster Snow Man. It’s way cool. Sometimes I visit without leaving my footprints… Yay for your tree, have fun decorating for Christmas. Cheers back’atcha.

>298 richardderus: I wasn’t clear – my fault. ATA!!!

>299 jessibud2: Hi Shelley! I know it’s been crazy-making for you with Theo and Owen and am sorry for it. It’s frequently chaotic here, too, but usually without the attacking. All three have settled into an armed truce. The chaos at our house derives from Zoe being a huntress and bringing in presents – lizards which are almost always alive and not harmed and which we take outside, but unfortunately birds, too, which usually don’t make it. There was a smear of blood on the kitty door yesterday but none of the kitties are injured and I can’t find any hurt/dead critters. A mystery.

They tear around quite a bit actually, but we usually notice it in the evenings after dinner. My usual comment is “I need to stop feeding them – way too much energy.”

Having just looked at their adoption papers, I see that Wash is a year and 3 months old, and Zoe is 2 years and 2 months old.

We’ve taken to calling Wash the Heat Whore – if the propane stove is on in the living room he’s on the blanket on the hearth in front of it.

…
And it looks like it’s time for my new thread! Stand by.

>274 karenmarie:, love this Karen my dear.

>301 johnsimpson: Thank you, John! I'm going to back to my new thread and put it there, too.