LauraBrook's 2013 Category Challenge: Chapter 2

Welcome to my (long overdue) second thread for this group! I will be joining the category challenge next year, but I probably won't be setting up a thread for another couple of months. I've really loved having an open challenge this year since I'm in 2 bookclubs and my reading is structured enough, so I'm not sure how rigid I want to be in 2014. But that's still weeks away, so I've got time!



I'm so happy it's finally FAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!




I'm doing 13 categories, one for each month, with the first category set aside for LT friends who have picked a title from my TBR library. Ideally, I'll read 169 books, but if I don't make it, that's okay too. As long as I read as many of my own books as possible, I'll be satisfied. My first goal, the one that I really do want to get to, is 75 books.

A. LT's Choices

B. January

C. February

D. March

E. April

F. May

G. June

H. July

I. August

J. September

K. October

L. November

M. December

A. LT's Choices - I'll bold them once they're read

In no particular order, they are...

1. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (picked by Mark/msf59)
and/or
2. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (picked by Mark/msf59) *currently reading*
3. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (picked by Joe/jnwelch)
4. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (picked by Linda/lindapanzo) (Aug 1) 401 pgs
5. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (picked by Micky/MickyFine)
and/or
6. Soulless by Gail Carriger (picked by Micky/MickyFine) (Mar 13) 373 pgs, 4 stars
7. Esio Trot by Roald Dahl (picked by Sara/saraslibrary) (Jan 21) 64 pgs, 3 stars
8. The Awakening by ?? (picked by Linda/Whisper1)
9. Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson (picked by Nancy/alphaorder & Eva/-Eva-)
10. Sixpence House by Paul Collins (picked by Stephen/Ape)
11. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (picked by Lori/lkernagh)
12. A Passage to India by E. M. Forster (picked by Alison Kay/RidgewayGirl) (Mar 4) 322 pgs
13. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (picked by Lori/thornton 37814)
14. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson (picked by Terri/tloeffler)
15. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (picked by Nora/Norabelle414)
16. Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly (picked by Roni/ronincats) (Oct 5) 340 pgs
17. Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson (picked by Anders/GingerbreadMan) (Mar ?) 176 pgs
18. Moon Sworn by Keri Arthur (picked by Chelle/Gogs81)
19. Late Late At Night by Rick Springfield (picked by Kerri/DorsVenabili) (Sept 29) 324 pages 2 stars
and/or
20. The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (picked by Kerri/DorsVenabili)

B. January
1. Evan Blessed by Rhys Bowen (Jan 1) 246 pgs
2. Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith (Jan 14) 174 pgs
3. Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie (Jan 14) 327 pgs
4. Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham by Lawrence Webster (Jan 19) 192 pgs
5. Evanly Bodies by Rhys Bowen (Jan 16) 210 pgs
6. Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern (Jan 19) 503 pgs
7. King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard (Jan 21) 8 hrs 30 min
8. Torcello, the Jewel of the Lagoon by Giovanni Musolino (Jan 23) 88 pgs
9. Chivalry by Neil Gaiman (Jan 23) 27 min
10. Girl With A One-Track Mind by Abby Lee (Jan 23) 320 pgs
11. The Seventh Month by Lisa Gardner (Jan 24) 1 hr 47 min
12. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Jan 25) 352 pgs
13. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce 52 pgs
14. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Jan 28) 337 pgs
15. Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman (Jan 28) 46 min

C. February
1. M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman (Feb 5) 260 pgs
2. Abstract City by Christoph Neimann (Feb 5) 267 pgs
3. Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman (?) 368 pgs
4. Moominpappa's Memoirs by Tove Jansson (?) 172 pgs
5. Lost and Found by Shaun Tan (Feb 24) 128 pgs
6. The Sigh by Marjane Satrapi (Feb 24) 56 pgs
7. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon (Feb 25) 104 pgs
8. Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon (Feb 25) 128 pgs
9. Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale by Zack Whedon (Feb 25) 56 pgs
10. Emma, Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori (Feb 26) 192 pgs

D. March
1. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (Mar 1) 6 hrs 30 min
2. Vampire Loves by Joann Sfar (Mar 1) 188 pgs
3. A Regency Invitation to the Party of the Season by Nicola Cornick (Mar 4) 308 pgs
4. We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin (Mar ?) 129 pgs
5. Emma, Volume 2 by Kaoru Mori (Mar ?) 200 pgs
6. Everyone's Reading Bastard by Nick Hornby (Mar ?) 29 pgs (ebook)
7. The Hangman by Louise Penny (Mar ?) 56 pgs (ebook)
8. Emma, Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori (Mar 13) 192 pgs
9. Emma, Volume 4 by Kaoru Mori (Mar 13) 192 pgs
10. Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky (Mar 13) 250 pgs
11. Upstairs & Downstairs by Sarah Warwick (Mar 19) 128 pgs
12. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf (Mar 9) 224 pgs
13. Emma, Vol. 5 by Kaoru Mori (Mar 19) 192 pgs
14. Emma, Vol. 6 by Kaoru Mori (Mar 19) 192 pgs
15. Emma, Vol. 7 by Kaoru Mori (Mar 20) 280 pgs
16. Emma, Vol. 8 by Kaoru Mori (Mar ?) 208 pgs
17. Emma, Vol. 9 by Kaoru Mori (Mar ?) 213 pgs
18. Emma, Vol. 10 by Kaoru Mori (Mar ?) 240 pgs

E. April

1. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond (Apr 1) 343 pgs
2. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde (Apr 2) 11 hrs 30 min
3. La Perdida by Jessica Abel (Apr 2) 276 pgs
4. Micrographica by Renee French (Apr 9) 208 pgs
5. Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel (Apr 4) 400 pgs
6. No Voyage and Other Poems by Mary Oliver (Apr 7) 67 pgs
7. The River Styx, Ohio, and Other Poems by Mary Oliver (Apr 7) 55 pgs
8. Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin (Apr ?) 6 hrs 30 min
9. Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners by Josephine Ross (Apr ?) 136 pgs
10. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King (Apr ?) 405 pgs
11. Sizeable Reflections ed. by Shelley Bovey (Apr?) 196 pgs
12. Soulless, the Manga, Volume 1 by Gail Carriger and Rem (Apr ?) 224 pgs
13. Max Hamm, Fairy Tale Detective by Frank Cammuso (Apr ?) 208 pgs

F. May

1. A Bride's Story, Vol. 1 by Kaoru Mori (May ?) 192 pgs
2. A Bride's Story, Vol. 2 by Kaoru Mori (May ?) 192 pgs
3. A Bride's Story, Vol. 3 by Kaoru Mori (May ?) 208 pgs
4. A Bride's Story, Vol. 4 by Kaoru Mori (May ?) 192 pgs
5. The Case of Madeleine Smith by Rick Geary (May ?) 80 pgs
6. Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden (May ?) 304 pgs
7. Elegant Engimas: the Art of Edward Gorey by Karen Wilkin (May?) 123 pgs
8. After Visiting Friends by Michael Hainey (May 9) 320 pgs
9. The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond (May 9) 248 pgs
10. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley (May 12) 175 pgs
11. Lovers' Lane: The Hall-Mills Tragedy by Rick Geary (May 15) 80 pgs
12. The Borden Tragedy by Rick Geary (May 15) 80 pgs
13. Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos by Simon Tofield (May 18) 240 pgs
14. Jack the Ripper, A Treasury of Victorian Murder by Rick Geary (May 21) 64 pgs

G. June

1. The Beast of Chicago by Rick Geary 80 pgs
2. Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington 416 pgs
3. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde 13 hrs 2 min
4. The Resurrectionist by E.B. Hudspeth 192 pgs
5. The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson 352 pgs
6. Cravan by Rick Geary and Mike Richardson 72 pgs
7. The Mystery of Mary Rogers by Rick Geary 80 pgs
8. Soulless, the Manga, Volume 2 by Gail Carriger and REM 240 pgs
9. Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel 400 pgs
10. No Wind of Blame by Georgette Heyer 266 pgs
11. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi 9 hrs 50 min
12. A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey 238 pgs
13. The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans by Rick Geary 80 pgs
14. Imogene's Antlers by David Small 32 pgs
15. Mousekin's Woodland Sleepers by Edna Miller 30 pgs
16. The Adventures of Blanche by Rick Geary 104 pgs
17. Changeless by Gail Carriger 400 pgs
18. Bright Young Things: A Modern Guide to the Roaring Twenties by Alison Maloney 128 pgs

H. July

I. August Will be combining these 2 months together as I don't know when I read these books, just that it was generally one or the other.

1. Changeless by Gail Carriger 4 stars, 400 pgs
2. The Adventures of Blanche by Rick Geary 5 stars, 104 pgs
3. Lovers' Lane: The Halls-Mills Mystery by Rick Geary 4 stars, 80 pgs
4. The Beast of Chicago by Rick Geary 4 stars, 80 pgs
5. The Mystery of Mary Rogers 3.5 stars, 80 pgs
6. Cravan by Rick Geary 4 stars, 72 pgs
7. J. Edgar Hoover - A Graphic Biography by Rick Geary 3.5 stars, 112 pgs
8. The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans by Rick Geary 4 stars, 80 pgs
9. Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington 4 stars, 416 pgs
10. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde 3.75 stars, 13 hrs 2 min
11. The Resurrectionist by James Bradley 2.5 stars, 192 pgs
12. The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson 1.5 stars, 352 pgs
13. Soulless, The Manga, Vol. 2 by REM and Gail Carriger 4 stars, 240 pgs
14. Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel 3.8 stars, 400 pgs
15. No Wind of Blame by Georgette Heyer 2 stars, 266 pgs
16. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi 3.5 stars, 9 hrs 50 min
17. A Shilling for Candles by Josephine They 4.25 stars, 240 pgs
18. Imogene's Antlers by David Small 4 stars, 32 pgs
19. Mousekin's Woodland Sleepers by Edna Miller 4 stars, 32 pgs
20. A Study in Sherlock ed. by Laurie R. King 4 stars, 250 pgs
21. House Beautiful Decorating With Books by Marie Proeller Hueston 3 stars, 144 pgs
22. The Mystery of the Magic Green Ball by Steven Kellogg 3 stars, 32 pgs
23. Roland the Minstrel Pig by William Steig 3 stars, 32 pgs
24. Amos & Boris by William Steig 4 stars, 32 pgs
25. Farmer Palmer's Wagon Ride by William Steig 3 stars, 32 pgs
26. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig 4 stars, 32 pgs
27. Doctor DeSoto by William Steig 4 stars, 32 pgs
28. Doctor DeSoto Goes to Africa by William Steig 4 stars, 32 pgs
29. Goody O'Grumpity by Carol Ryrie Brink 4 stars, 32 pgs
30. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs 2.5 stars, 256 pgs
31. Paddy's Evening Out by John S. Goodall 4 stars, 55 pgs
32. Paddy Pork: Odd Jobs by John S. Goodall 4 stars, 60 pgs
33. Spring Story by Jill Barklem 5 stars, 32 pgs
34. Autumn Story by Jill Barklem 5 stars, 32 pgs
35. Summer Story by Jill Barklem 5 stars, 32 pgs
36. Winter Story by Jill Barklem 5 stars, 32 pgs
37. The Secret Staircase by Jill Barklem 5 stars, 32 pgs
38. Juke Box Hero by Lou Gramm 1 star, 240 pgs
39. kate spade new york: things we love 3 stars, 240 pgs
40. The Tale of the Faithful Dove by Beatrix Potter 4 stars, 48 pgs
41. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse by Beatrix Potter 3 stars, 64 pgs
42. Winnie-The-Pooh by A. A. Milne 5 stars, 176 pgs
43. xXxHolic: Vol. 1 by CLAMP 3.2 stars, 208 pgs
44. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain 4 stars, 10 hrs 39 min

J. September

1. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny (Sept 22) 4.5 stars, 384 pgs
2. The Twits by Road Dahl (Sept 22) 4 stars, 96 pgs
3. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (Sept 22) 3.5 stars, 160 pgs
4. Twigs: The Go-Girl Guide to Nesting by Julia Bourland (Sept 22) 2 stars, 288 pgs
5. Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart (Sept 22) 4.5 stars, 7 hrs 21 min
6. My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read & Shop by Ronald Rice (Sept 22) 4 stars, 384 pgs
7. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (Sept 22) 1.5 stars, 709 pgs
8. Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers by Dav Pilkey (Sept 22) 2 stars, 192 pgs
9. Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers by Dav Pilkey (Sept 22) 2 stars, 304 pgs
10. Unicorn Being A Jerk by C.W. Moss (Sept 22) 3.5 stars, 120 pgs
11. The Road to Burgundy by Ray Walker (Sept 22) 3.5 stars, 320 pgs
12. Holes by Louis Sacher (Sept 22) 4 stars, 272 pgs
13. Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventure of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer (Sept 22) 4.25 stars, 7 hrs 26 min
14. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde (Sept 22) 3.5 stars, 12 hrs 27 min
15. The Earl & The Fairy by Ayuko (Sept 30) 4 stars, 184 pgs
16. A Treasury of Victorian Murder, A Compendium, Vol. 1 by Rick Geary (Sept 30) 4.5 stars, 288 pgs

K. October

1. The Earl & The Fairy, Vol. 2 by Ayuko (Oct 1) 4 stars, 200 pgs
2. The Earl & The Fairy, Vol. 3 by Ayuko (Oct 4) 3 stars, 200 pgs
3. The Earl & The Fairy, Vol. 4 by Ayuko (Oct 4) 4 stars, 184 pgs
4. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Oct 4) 4 stars, 294 pgs
5. Coffee With Mozart by Julian Rushton (Oct 4) 3 stars, 144 pgs
6. Notes From The Hard Shoulder by James May (Oct 4) 3 stars, 216 pgs
7. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (Oct 2) 3.75 stars, 334 pgs

Monthly Totals - Number of books / Pages / Audiobook time

Oct: 8 / 1,732 / 0

Sept: 17 / 4,025 / 19 hrs 48 min

July & August: 45 / 5,736 / 33 hrs 31 min

June: 18 / 3,110 / 22 hrs 52 min

May: 14 / 2,498 / 0

Apr: 13 / 2,518 / 18 hrs

Mar: 20 / 4,092 / 6 hrs 30 min

Feb: 10 / 1,731 / 0

Jan: 16 / 2,865 / 11 hrs 30 min

Books Purchased - Title, author, place purchased, price

1. Taschen's London by Christine Samuelian (Milwaukee Art Museum) $26
2. Dress Up Kate sticker activity book (MAM) $8
3. The Trail of the Serpent by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (Amazon, used) $9
4. Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam (Boswell Books) $16
5. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (BB) $16
6. Memoir of the Sunday Brunch by Julia Pandl (BB) $14
7. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (A) $14
8. Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson (A) $8
9. Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (Little Read Book) $24
10. Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather (A) $9
11. Hollow Earth by John & Carole Barrowman (A) $12
12. Thief Eyes by Janni Lee Simner (A) $7
13. Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky (A) $12
14. The Distracted Preacher by Thomas Hardy (A) $9
15. The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald (A) $9
16. The Nice Old Man and the Pretty Girl by Italo Svevo (A) $9
17. The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde (A-UK) $8
18. The Art of Being a Healing Presence by Susan Cutshall (A) $8
19. The Subtle Body by Cyndi Dale (A) $23
20. Cecelia by Fanny Burney (A) $11
21. Jane Vows Vengeance by Michael Thomas Ford (A) $13
22. Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie (A) $10
23. Versailles: A Biography of a Palace by Tony Spawforth (A) $15
24. Faerie Winter: Book 2 by Janie Lee Simner (A) $8
25. Through No Fault of My Own by Coco Irvine (A) $11
26. Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf (A) $10
27. Energetic Boundaries by Cyndi Dale (Sounds True) $4

*** this is, sadly, a long lost cause for this year. Still, it's interesting to see what I did buy and for how much in the first half(ish) of 2013. Oh well!

that's it! Feel free to comment away!

Commenting away!

Hello! (hello, hello) Echo! (echo, echo) Happy new thread! Love the picture on the wall :)

Very nice photo with the leaves and their reflection in the water!

Hi Laura--nice new thread and a spectacular photo!!

Hi, Laura! :)

Nice new thread Laura. Love the autumn pic. This reminds me that I also should be starting a new thread.
I see you finally read the Rick Springfield bio. I remember discussing that one last year. Have you seen the RS fan movie?

Another quickie before heading out to work...

Book 132: The Earl & The Fairy, Vol. 2 by Ayuko

Wow! A lot more happened in this book than I expected. Really, most manga series I've read (or attempted to read) have dragged their storylines out - not this one! I won't spoil anything for anyone who'd like to read the series, but as the book ended, I was surprised at the twists and turns. Can't wait to get stuck into the third book, and I'm hoping to pick up the 4th before I head out of town this afternoon! 4 stars

The Earl & the Fairy sounds like something I might have to try.

Okay, everyone, I'm heading out of town! One of my good friends and I are heading Up North to her in-law's cabin for a few days. The leaves are just starting to turn colors down here, so I'm hoping that it'll be saturated and gorgeous up there. I've got 2 bags of books packed and I'm just getting started on getting some clothes together - I've got an hour, I don't see what the problem is! - and I'm getting nervous about getting up there safely and "in time". I realize that that's a nutty thing to say, but I just want to get there already and hurry up and relax, and then, conversely, hurry up and get home on Saturday.

I hope you guys have a great week, and I'll be back in a few days with (hopefully) lots of books that I've finished! See ya!

Have a great time up north, Laura. Enjoy the R&R.

Have a great time!

That's a gorgeous pic at the top of your thread! Makes me think of jigsaw puzzles for some reason.

Have fun! :)

Your thread topper is stunning, Laura! Settling into your new thread so I don't miss any of the action. Have a wonderful trip!

Like your new thread!

Happy new thread! :D

Hello everyone, and welcome! I had a very nice time Up North this week - I went ATVing for the first time (so awesome!), managed to get a few books read despite the "efforts" of my friend, and the colors were beautiful.



Of course I meant to do this last night and fell asleep instead, so I'm doing a quick book list now before I head out to work!

Books 133 & 134: The Earl and the Fairy, Vol. 3 and The Earl and the Fairy, Vol. 4 by Ayuko

A good conclusion to the series. Only a little disappointing because I figured out who the main bad person was, but no matter - there were enough other details that I didn't see coming to make this short series enjoyable. 3 and 4 stars respectively

Book 135: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

This was my second attempt at reading this book, and I this time I think it was a case of "right book, right time". I ate it up in less than 24 hours and had such a fun time reading it! I'm already a fan of the TV series "True Blood" (though maybe a little less now - I just finished with season 5, and it's really removed from where the first few series were), so it was nice to read the source material. Great, and I'm picking up the next books in the series at work in an hour! 4 stars

Book 136: Those Who Hunt The Night by Barbara Hambly

Roni's choice for me to read this year, for some reason I just couldn't really get into this book. I've been "reading" it for months (it was my purse book for awhile), and ultimately I had to force myself to finish it. Most reviews online seem to love and adore this book because it's a different entry into the vampire canon, and it is, but I wasn't as enamored as most. No real reason, but it just wasn't my favorite thing I've ever read. Still good, though, and intriguing. 3 stars

Book 137: Coffee With Mozart by Julian Rushton

A short little book composed of interviews with Mozart at different stages of his life. Cute, and clearly they'd done their research, but I'm happy to let this book go to someone else out there. 3 stars

Book 138: Notes From The Hard Shoulder by James May

My first book by the Top Gear guys, I'm assuming that this will be the most "cars-y" of the three. To me, it felt like James was reading one of his rambles to me (not a bad thing) and it did make me laugh a few times. 3 stars

Book 139: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Really feels a little dated to me now, in that I think he has softened and improved by leaps and bounds as a person since this book was first published. Also, I can see how much the TV series (cancelled by Fox and starring Bradley Cooper, I totally love this show) is pulled right from the pages. Full of insight, swagger, inside information, and helpful hints, it was a very enjoyable read. I don't think it's the same in tone as his other books, but I look forward to finding out, and soon. 4 stars

And now, I will be seriously late for work if I don't step away from the computer! More later...

Glad you enjoyed Dead Until Dark. The storylines in the books and the TV show get further apart every season. I don't watch the show for the plot, if you know what I mean. LOL.

Glad you had a good vacation. There's nothing better, especially if you can get a few books read as well!

Sounds like you had a fantastic time up north and love the picture you have posted!

#28: Beautiful photo! And that's so cool you were able to go ATVing. :) Nice reads, as always. I liked Dead Until Dark, too, though it's the only one I've read in the series. And I think I only watched the first (maybe second) season of True Blood. I'm woefully behind, I know. I hope you like the other books in the series! :)

Sounds like a great break and lovely photo.. I had to look up what ATVing is! Sounds fun.

I have Notes From The Hard Shoulder on my wishlist - I do love me some Captain Slow! :)

29: I DO know what you mean! That's kind of the only reason I want to keep watching, if I'm honest. I'm curious to see where the books go, as you're not the first to mention that the two are less similar as things move along. I hope that Sookie and Bill are together more in the books.

30: I did, and I only wish that I could've gotten a few more titles squeezed in. But TV on nearly all the time is a bit distracting, especially when it's Will & Grace, which I love.

31: It was great, and thanks! The only thing I did was lighten it up since for some reason the original is really dark despite the fact that it was sunny out - strange!

32: Thanks, Sara! I was surprised at how much I loved ATVing - it was so freeing to zip along through a forest and just smell all the smells and see the sights. I hope we both like the other books in the series, and you should totally watch the next season! The nekkid mens is nice to see, despite everything else. Lafayette is my favorite, and if it weren't for both he and Pam, I probably would have given up on the TV show. I need to visit your thread, it's been WAAAAY too long!

33: It's really a good time, ATVing - hope you get a chance to do so at some point! My parents were worried that I'd tip it over onto myself or something, but you'd have to be really reckless and going entirely too fast and then not let go when a wheel came off of the ground. Very solid, if a little loud. Fun times!

34: Would you like to borrow the book? I love Captain Slow too, especially the various other TV mini-series that he's had, like Toy Stories and such. I'm in the middle of a book by Jezza And Another Thing: The World According to Clarkson, Volume 2, and I'm laughing out loud more than with Dame Ellen May's book. Let me know if you're interested!

It's nearly 11:30 in the morning and I'm still in PJ's! There goes my Grand Plan to really get things done around the house this morning. But I've just been enjoyed putzing around, having an audiobook on, and spending time here and on various places online. Oh well!

His Toy Stories were great, weren't they. I especially laughed at whoever put that pink lego into one of the red bricks! "Signs of the British public being funny" (at 4.07). Haha!!

Thanks for the offer - they have it at my library, so I'll pick it up when I'm in need of a chuckle.

#35: Next you'll need to go repelling. I did it once and loved it! :)

Now that you mention it, I do remember nekkid men being in abundance in the True Blood series. :D I think it was Sookie's brother who had trouble keeping them on. Poor, poor boy. They must've been strapped for money on set; I'm sure that's the reason. ;)

Not to worry about keeping on threads. I know how that goes. :)

The last scene of the most recent series with Eric taking a sun bath had me concerned that we might not see more of this excellent body...er, character... next season.

(Bad Mamzel! Bad!)

I love these beautiful autumn pictures that you have posted, Laura. My grandson goes ATVing with his Dad and seems to love it. I can imagine how super it was zipping though the woods. Glad to hear that you had a nice break.

>38 mamzel:: Nearly laughed out loud in the airport! :P

You mean this one, Mamzel? :D Seems like an appropriate pic, since this is LT and all. ;)

36: Man, sounds like you have a way cooler library than I do! And I forgot about that pink lego in the brick - made me laugh harder than it probably should have!

37: Hmmm, not sure about repelling, but if I was feeling brave that day I'd give it a go!
Yeah, poor Jason Stackhouse was so poor he could hardly afford to buy pants.

*tisk* such a shame

38: mamzel, it was hard to look away from all of the previews I kept seeing of that particular scene (thanks for the link, Sara) - perhaps I should move season 6 up a little higher on my TBW list?!?

39: Thanks, Judy! It felt really freeing to do that, in a way. And, we were so far from the road/civilization that it would've taken me an hour to get back where we were and I probably wouldn't have ever seen how beautiful it really is. I kept stopping and getting off of the ATV just to look around and listen to the silence and smell that wonderful pine forest smell.

40: Nice, rp!

41: Thanks Sara - and yes, that is totally a True Blood LT Appropriate pic!

Well, yesterday was Dewey's Fall Read-a-Thon. I didn't manage to stay awake for the full 24 hours, but I did make it for 20!

Book 140: Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy

Funny, brutally honest, and not for the squeamish. One of my best friends is pregnant, and she leant this to me (she's not a reader), and it was a fun and interesting way to spend an hour. 3 hours

Book 141: The Pirates! In An Adventure With Ahab by Gideon DeFoe

Fun and filled with dry humor. I watched the movie not too long ago and loved it, so naturally I'm now reading through the books! 4 stars, and if you liked the movie, I think you'll like the books.

Book 142: Jim Henson's Return to Labyrinth, Volume 1 by Jakes T. Forbes and Chris Lie

I loved this movie when I was a kid (even though it scared me - much like The Dark Crystal), and wanted to give these manga a try. Not great, but it does follow kind of the story line (the main character here is the baby brother from the movie) and it was nice to see some movie characters again. 3 stars, and I'll probably finish the series because there's only 4 of them, total.

Book 143: The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

Listening to this book on CD was a mistake. The narrator, who I've listened to and liked before, didn't really differentiate much with character voices, so i was hard to keep track of who was talking, not to mention the time and location jumps that happen nearly every (short) chapter - needless to say, I was lost a lot of the time. Thankfully I had a physical copy to help keep up. It was okay, and I'll certainly read more Steve Berry again, but I know now to actually read his stuff. 3 stars

Book 144: The Conference of the Birds by Peter Sis

Beautiful, like every Sis book, and an interesting story/fable/whatever this originally is. Really lovely - and what kind of paper is this printed on? I kept feeling it, trying to figure it out! 4 stars

Book 145: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

A wild, magical, twisty story about fairy tales, friendship, and what constitutes good and evil. For a middle grade book, this sure reads like a thriller! A couple of niggling little things (like calling Agatha's shoes "clumps") were annoying, but really, it's small compared to how much fun I had reading this book. The small illustrations were a great addition (as was the deckle-edge paper), and I never could figure out where things were heading from chapter to chapter, let alone how it would ultimately end. Of course, this is a trilogy, and I can hardly wait for the next book to be published! Highly recommended if this sounds like your cup of tea - 4.5 stars

>41 saraslibrary: That's the one, alright!

lol @ 42. Yes, I think I've seen that episode. Thanks for sharing! :)

Return to Labyrinth sounds interesting. I've seen the series, but I haven't read 'em. Kind of like The Last Unicorn manga--want to, but just havent made the time. And yes, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal were great scare-the-crap-out-of-kids movies! :)

The School for Good and Evil definitely sounds like my cup of tea. I'll look for that one, too. Thanks! :)

I haven't watched it, but there seems so be an inordinate amount of nekkid people in that show. :)

I have the first two of The Pirates! on Mt. TBR - I got them for last year's holidays, but I will try to actually read them for this year's holidays! :)

Labyrinth terrified me as a kid, too, but I also loved it. I think I'll skip the books, though, as I'd hate to be disappointed.

The School for Good and Evil sounds fabulous, so you bb-ed me with that one. :)

I'm sorry to do this, but I have some bad real life news.

My Dad most likely has pancreatic cancer. He's been in the hospital since Tuesday (went in for an emergency enema, kept him overnight as he was scheduled for a liver biopsy Wednesday morning, and due to an overnight nurses dumb decision, he essentially went into a kind of coma until yesterday afternoon), we won't get results from him biopsy (done yesterday afternoon) until Monday at the very earliest. Mom, Dad, and I are all trying to stay as positive as possible (at least until we know for sure what is going on), but it is scary as hell, and I don't want to live without my Dad around - he's only 69, and his parents lived until their 80's and 90's!

Needless to say, I'm heartbroken and terrified and exhausted and scared. This will be the 4th time he's had cancer. If you could please keep my Dad and my family in your thoughts and prayers, we would really appreciate it. We need all the extra energy and love and light that we can get right now. Thank you.

Laura, I'm sorry. I'll certainly be thinking of you and sending good thoughts in your direction. Your parents are lucky to have you there with them.

Sending good thoughts and light your way.

Thoughts, prayers, and every good wish in the world coming your way!

I'm so sorry to hear that, Laura. I hope everything turns out all right and I'm sending positive thoughts to you and yours. HUGS.

Oh Laura, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. My family is dealing with my sister's cancer and I know how hard it is on everyone, but it is important to stay strong and healthy yourself. Your family will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope it's just a false alarm and everything turns out okay.

Oh no! Very sorry to hear about your dad's illness. Fingers crossed for the biopsy results.

So sorry about your dad. Hope you get some positive news on Monday.

That's terrible news - you are absolutely in my thoughts! Wishing hard for optimistic news from the doctor!

So sorry that your family is going through this. Stay strong.

Sorry to read about your dad. Sending positive thoughts, hopes, feelings and hugs your way during this stressful time. Here is hoping that Monday brings positive news for you and your family.

Laura, I am so sorry to hear about your father. Lots of hugs your guy's way!

Oh I am very sorry to hear, thoughts are with & your family of course and very good luck for the test results next week.

I too am sorry for your troubles. Hope the tests are good news.

Thank you all for your support and concern.

My Dad passed away this Thursday morning. He was 69 years old. He had so much damage (they took him to the ICU on Saturday, he had a stroke some time on Thursday due to his body shutting down from not getting proper medication and fluids, and we weren't sure until Saturday that that was what happened) from the stroke, and he had several seizures over the last few days that if we were able to wake him up it would have taken several months of very hard work on his part to get to where he was on Monday. On Monday he could follow commands, couldn't really talk, couldn't move one of his arms well, and spent most of the day sleeping. He would be furious with us if we did that, not to mention the fact that he had severe pancreatic and liver cancer to fight, so Mom and I made the difficult but kind decision to make him comfortable until he passed.

Tuesday I went over to my parents house in the morning to pick up my Mom to head to the hospital once we heard from his nurse, and we ended up so exhausted and crying that we just stayed there all day on the couch, holding hands and crying in a daze. All of his doctors and nurses were very supportive of that decision and called periodically throughout the day to give us "updates" on his condition.

Wednesday we spoke to one of his doctors who told us about how much work it would take, and after talking to him, his oncologist, and the palliative care doctors, we decided to just make him comfortable. We spent all day at the hospital saying goodbye. Talking to Dad, crying, laughing, speaking with his doctors and nurses, holding his hands and hugging and kissing him. It was nearly impossible to leave that night, knowing we probably would never see him again. It took an hour and a half of concerted effort to say goodbye and just as we were going to leave, he started to whimper and he tried to roll himself over. We helped him, and got the nurse in to give him a little more morphine so he would settle down again. He was crying and fussing a lot, and even though we didn't think it was possible, it broke our hearts even more. Mom and I kept telling him that it was okay, it was okay to go, and how much we loved him and thanked him for being in our lives. We sobbed the whole way home. Just like we spent most of the day sobbing. Two of my best friends came over to my house and dropped off dinner for Mom and I, and Mom slept over. We hardly slept, waiting for the phone to ring to tell us he had passed. We'd talked a little before going to bed, and had decided that we couldn't get it together enough to go back out to the hospital that day to do it all over again. Then his doctors called at 10:30 to let us know that he finally passed away. He went peacefully. The nurse stepped out to get another dose of morphine since he was fussing again, the chaplain was with him and told him not to be afraid. The chaplain walked out and told the nurse (who was on her way back into the room) that he seemed to quiet down, and when the nurse walked in, he was gone.

Two minutes later, a bell chimed in the hallway - a baby was born.

Since then, Mom and I haven't been able to spend more than a few hours apart, it's too horrible and difficult. Lots of phone calls and crying, with a few laughs in there too. Whether good or bad, TV has been a great panacea for us.

Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers, they made a difference to all of us. He had no enemies, was a wonderful and loving Father and Husband, and had been friends with my Mom since they were 11 and he moved in across the street. Just an all-around sweet guy, nice, kind, easy-going, with a great sense of humor. My God, we miss him so much.

Oh Laura, I'm so sorry. Sending hugs to you and your mom.

Laura, we are all thinking about you and wishing you comfort.

Laura - My sympathies are with you. Stay close to your Mom - family means everything at a time like this.

Laura, so sorry to hear your sad news. Please know that you and your Mom are in my thoughts and prayers.

"Sorrow runs deep, but love runs deeper." May you find comfort in knowing you made the unselfish decision. My condolences to you and your family.

I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs to you and yours.

Very sorry to hear of your loss.

Hugs for you and your mother.

So sorry to hear about your loss. Glad you and your mom have each other for support.

I am so sorry for the pain you guys are going through. Your father was very lucky to have such a caring family to be with him until the end. Hugs for you all!

So very sorry for you and your family.

Laura, I'm so sorry to hear about your father. {{hugs}}

So sorry to hear about your dad, but am glad that you got to spend time with him and say good-bye properly. Both you and your mom are in my thoughts.

Very belated condolences, so sorry to hear about your father

Thank you so much, guys and gals. It's starting to hit me all over again that he's really gone. Yesterday was a bad day, for no real reason, and I'm exhausted nearly all of the time. It's been exactly two weeks, and I'm starting to wonder if this new kind of normal I'm forced into having is ever going to feel, well, normal. I'm sure it will, in time, but from where I'm standing, I don't know how it's possible. Mostly because I don't want it to be possible, and I want my Dad back. I'm not delusional or anything, or losing my mind (more than before), I just really want him to still be here. Really really badly. Really. I didn't realize how much we talked, and how much we talked about until recently. He was always my friend - my parent first, but he was always my friend. It's really a double whammy.

I'm trying desperately to remember some of the conversations we had over the last few months, and some of what he said was eerily prescient. He stopped over one morning to drop off some leftovers (really, it was an excuse for him to get a cup of coffee from McDonald's), and he seemed somehow not quite himself. When I asked him if he was okay, he said "Oh sure, I'm always okay. And you'll always be okay too. I know things are tough, and that you're working through them, but you've just gotta trust that it'll all work out. I'm so glad you're my kid, and I'm glad you have the kids too, even though they're a little scared of me. (FYI, the kids are my two cats.) I'll always be around, don't you worry." And I was kind of stunned and didn't say much since whatever I could think of didn't seem appropriate, so I just said something like "yeah, I know", and he said he had to get home because he picked up breakfast for Mom, and that we'd talk later. So I gave him a hug, we told each other that we love each other, and he left. Not much of that incidence is unusual, but when I talked to him on the phone later, he asked if he'd stopped over in the morning. When I told him that he had, he said he didn't remember leaving the house, but that he had a coffee cup so he figured he must have. When he asked if he said anything strange, I said no, but something internally seemed off, he said that he must have been having a weird day, and not to mention it to Mom. We had just found out that he had cancer again (4th time) about a week before, so I kind of chalked it up to that. But now, I don't know. Every time he's been sick, we've talked openly and frankly about what life could be like for Mom and I, and for him, if he was scared, or what he was feeling, what he wanted. We didn't really do that much this time around, mostly because there just wasn't time. But we'd said it all before, in some form, so I suppose we didn't need to. Still, it's stuff like this that I want to hang on to. I don't want to forget what a loving and awesome person he was, and how smart and fun he was too. I wish there was some way to download my memories now, but I know that that's not possible. And whatever I remember is what I'm supposed to remember. But I don't want to forget a single thing, you know? Ugh.

Okay, I need to switch topics or I'll never stop crying. Our Thanksgiving plans are for Mom to come over mid to late morning and help me cook. We'll eat whenever it's all done, take a nap, read, watch TV, and she's going to stay overnight. Neither of us are Black Friday Shoppers, but both of us do need to replace a bird feeder, so we might go to a local store and see what's on sale. Other than that, I plan on being at home, in pajamas, doing nothing more productive than laundry.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

Hi Laura, I also come from a close knit family and we were devastated when we lost my Dad. At first I would burst into tears anytime I went someplace that held memories of him. I was heartbroken and angry that he had been taken. I knew we had turned a corner when we were finally able to sit around and tell stories about Dad and laugh. He is still missed, even after 20 years, but now he brings a smile to my face instead of tears. This is and will be a difficult time for you and your Mom, and the holidays are always a hard time to miss someone. Luckily you have your Mom and she has you. Take care of yourselves and don't expect too much right now, but be assured it will get better.

That's totally understandable missing your dad all over again during the holidays. You were very lucky to have such a special relationship with him. Speaking from my own past experiences, you rarely get over someone dying, but the pain does lessen, if that's any consolation. One idea to "download your memories" of him (good term :) is to journal/scrapbook as much as possible now while your memories are still fresh. That might help with the grieving. And, of course, being around your family. I'm glad you'll be with your Mom during Thanksgiving. How did that go?

My heart really goes out to you, but it will get easier. Never easy, though, I'm sorry to say. I'll second Sara's suggestion - get a notebook and just scribble as soon as you remember a snippet. The above story is lovely. How interesting that his mind made him go to tell you what he needed to say without him remembering it after - it was clearly on his subconscious bucket-list. What a sweetheart.

Unfortunately, I have some (more) bad news to share with you all. On Monday my Mom was diagnose with breast cancer. We don't know a stage (and don't want to, don't want to focus on that), but she has a 3cm lump in the middle of her left breast and one lymph node is also cancerous, that one is 4cm by 2cm. We are shocked and devastated and completely scared. It took me 4 days to really tell anyone, it's too shocking and terrifying.

We had a consultation on Thursday with a surgeon that was recommended by Mom's primary doc and the radiologist, and he was, in short, an ass. He scared the crap out of us, made it sound like she'd be lucky to see the start of 2014, and gave non-answer answers to any question we had. Was sarcastic and dismissive about getting a second opinion, and about taking more than 30 seconds to think about accepting his advice - which is to do chemo before the surgery to try and shrink the masses, then do a mastectomy, and then follow with some kind of chemo/radiation combo afterwards. We didn't know exactly where the lump was located, nor did we even think about mastectomy as a possibility - because it's 2 lumps total we assumed that she would have a lumpectomy. Regardless, this guy was the opposite of helpful, not at all caring or kind, and while I'm not sure, I *think* he may have rolled his eyes at me when I asked a question twice (because he didn't actually give an answer the first time). He casually said "you'd be around for a few months more at least" when I asked about a typical pre-surgery-chemo schedule, and my Mom just slumped further down in her seat. When I started crying and saying to him that it's important to me that she maintain a positive attitude, that she can beat this, he just looked blankly at me and said "well, that's not for me to say, so...". !!!!!!!

I wasn't mad then, but by the time we got to the car I was HOT with anger and fear. It's been a long 4 days since then, with me trying to get my Mom to let this horrible experience go and just to focus on her next consult on Tuesday morning (with a client of mine). She was so scared and sad and mad that I was seriously afraid that when I got home from work on Friday afternoon I'd find her with slit wrists in my tub, it was that bad. We have talked to A LOT of my friends since Thursday, many of whom have either had breast cancer or know someone who has, and we haven't heard a "bad" recovery story yet, or that anyone has passed away from it. Obviously, we know that that's a possibility, but I feel so strongly that she's going to get through this, and "they" can do so much more for this cancer than ever before, that it's almost a no-brainer that she's going to be healthy again.

If you could please pray for my Mom (her name is Ann), and for strength for both of us, I'd really appreciate it. I've had a lot of weepy hours in the last week, but I try my hardest to stave it off in front of her. Thank you all so much for your love and support throughout my Dad's illness and passing, and I hope you don't mind to keep on sending good energy our way because we could really use it.

We were both just starting to really "come out of" grieving for my Dad, starting to enjoy little things again and not cry quite so much. I feel like we were both knocked back about 100 miles with a giant baseball bat with all of this crap.

I'm actually scheduled for a mammogram tomorrow. I think there has been so much progress that I'm confident that she'll have years left to share with you. That doctor is a real ass! I would visit another doctor to change to, not just get a second opinion.

Oh, Laura, I cried when I read your most recent news. How completely crass and unfeeling that doctor is! Scaring patients and family members is not the role of a health care professional .... where did the values of a understanding bedside manner go to? I get that it can be difficult to convey some potential outcomes without causing some shock in the family but to be "in your fact blunt" about is just plain wrong!

Your mom is in my thoughts and prayers and here is a hug for your Laura.... your year has been hard enough without having to face this now.

((((Laura))))

Oh no! And how awful to be subjected to such an attitude. I hope you find a much more sympathetic MD. Sending good wishes and hugs to you both.

Oh Laura, I am so sorry to hear this latest sad news. I agree that you should try to get your Mom a new doctor, this is a difficult enough time without having an ass as a caregiver. Be strong, Laura and Ann, as this is a long haul cure but be positive as this is a treatable condition. My family is going through this right now as well, with my sister having lymphomia and we've found that surrounding her with people and medical staff that are upbeat and positive is the best way to go. You are both in my prayers.

I am so sorry, Laura to hear of this new challenge for your family to face. I wish you and yours all the best and will gladly pray and sent positive thoughts her way.

Just catching up on threads I just wanted to say I am so sorry about your father and the recent news about your mother. My thoughts are with you & your family.

Will surely be adding you both to my prayers. My sister recently had an experience where a doctor came into her hospital room and told her - "We can't do any more for you. You have to leave." And then there are doctors out there who really care about their patients and she's had mostly those. So try to find a good one. See if there's a Gloria Gemma chapter in your area. They can probably give you some good advice.

Oh, Laura, what a terrible winter you are having. Find a new doctor -- my mother is having some health issues and the cardiologist was just like your mother's doctor; dismissive with an enormous god complex. They looked around, despite being discouraged from doing so, but found a doctor they can both respect. You need to have someone you can trust involved in your mother's care.

Laura, I am so sorry to hear about your latest ordeal. I wonder how that doctor would feel if it was his loved one or himself subjected to such an awful bedside manner!

It will help if your mom is surrounded by positive energy and treated with kindness and compassion by the medical staff. A co-worker has just gone through this and her outlook is a good one. She has told me many times that she just couldn't be around negative people in her life while she was going through everything

Echoing the sorrowful sentiments of everyone above and agree wholeheartedly that a move to another doctor would be appropriate. Hopefully that was just a one-off for the doctor involved otherwise I'm sure he doesn't deserve that particular appellation.

mamzel, thank you! I hope you had a normal mammogram. I'll be scheduling one for myself (my first, not looking forward to it) once we've got Mom sorted and things scheduled and a plan in place.

(((Lori))), here's a hug back! I think I've finally got Mom convinced to forget that first consultation. Our new "first" is in just over an hour, and we have another a week from today. I'm looking forward to today's because I know this surgeon (she's a client, and if we didn't have a professional relationship, I know we'd be friends - at the very least she will be very kind and empathic), and I'm hoping that it will restore more hope and positivity in my Mom. I can't fight this onslaught of depression and apathy much longer without going crazy.

rp, I'm sure we will. It's really too bad that that man is still around, scaring people, and he's regarded as an excellent surgeon, so I hate to think of others like my Mom who were wounded by his crass inhumanity. Poo on him!

Judy, I will share this with my Mom, she needs to hear stories about people who are going through cancer and surviving maintaining a positive outlook and attitude. I know she can beat this.

Andrea, thank you. Here's a (((hug))) for you for all of your positivity and support.

Claire, thank you. Been a rough winter so far, here's crossing fingers that next winter will be much much better!

Thank you, Betty. I'm sorry your sister had that experience - what a jerk! She normally has great care, and Milwaukee has a lot of excellent hospitals in a 20 minute radius, so there's a large pool of docs to draw from. Today and next week's consults will be better, no doubt in my mind. Haven't heard of Gloria Gemma before, but will look into it when we get home this morning. Thanks for the rec!

Kay, absolutely. I know that today's Doc will be just that, and I know that she'll be honest too and not try to either pull the wool over our eyes or give us false hope. Glad your Mom found a better cardiologist. Since I will be the main caregiver here, I need to make sure that I feel comfortable with the doctor too, not just Mom, and that's a big point on my mind going forward.

Lisa, I know what you mean. It's tempting to wish that experience on him or a loved one of his, but I can't actually do that. Still, if karma works.... ;) Thankfully Mom's friends are positive people, with the exception of a few acquaintances, so I know that she's surrounded by some goodies. Glad to hear your coworker is keeping positive too - it's long road, but one you can beat.

Dave, nice to see you. I'm not sure if this is his only experience being an asshat, certainly seemed well-versed, but at least we don't need to see him again, and have been telling our friends and family his name and the unvarnished experience that we had with him. What do they say, word of mouth is the best advertising? Hopefully we can help someone else avoid an episode with him.

And now, I'm off to fill up birdfeeders/baths and find something to eat before we get rolling. Need to stop at my massage office afterwards and drop off a big load of clean sheets and towels and also need to brave the post office to send out some belated Christmas presents. Will let you know what happens when we return!

To all of my LibraryThing friends, a very Merry Christmas from me and my cats!

Merry Christmas, Laura! Are the cats getting a treat today?

Merry Christmas, Kay! Absolutely! They're each getting a toy that a friend of mine made (stuffed with catnip, so it's sure to be a hit), and then, they get their favorite present of paper to jump around on and empty boxes! It's a kitty's dream!

Are your furkids getting a treat today too?

Well, Emmie the dog got a bag of treats and was given one. Later she realized the bag had been left unattended and ate the rest. It was a small bag. The cats have more of their favorite treats and the big excitement of Wet Food. Tarzan goes next door for this whenever he wants, but AJ is shy and will be pleased.

I grew up with a golden retriever who loved to shred Christmas paper. None of our current pets show any interest at all, despite a plentitude of boxes, ribbons and balls of paper.

Merry Christmas Laura! Give the cats a cuddle from me :)

Merry Christmas!

since I am late I will just wish you a Happy New Year to you, the cats, you family and of course your books ;-)

Hi Laura. I'm just catching up on threads. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis and her bad experience with the doctor. I hope the second consultation you obtained was more positive and gave you both hope.
Writing down your memories of your father is a great idea and can be very healing. My father passed away on New Years Day a few years ago. It was not unexpected and he had planned everything so my mother wouldn't have to worry over details. He did not want a memorial or viewing but told us that we could have a party 5 or 6 months later if we wanted. We spent those 6 months writing down our memories of him. At the party we each shared what we had written and had a great time laughing at our collected memories of him. It was very cathartic.
Happy New Year to you, your mother and the cats. I hope 2014 is a much better year for you all.

Hello, friends! Christmas was just fine. Mom stayed overnight on the 24th, had a small breakfast on the 25th, then our family friend (who is essentially family) picked up Chinese food for lunch and we all watched Polar Express (I distracted myself so I wouldn't cry) and Christmas Carol (the awesome 1930's version). Then Marcia (friend) went home, and Mom stayed over again. This may sound awful, but I was looking forward to having the house to myself again and a little break from all of the down energy, but that's a small thing.

Last Tuesday morning we met with a breast surgeon (and a long-time client of mine), and Mom (and I) loved her. She was kind, compassionate, intelligent, positive, had a good sense of humor, and, most importantly, she gave my Mom hope again. She stayed hopeful for the rest of the day and it was such a relief to have my regular Mom back again. We spent 2 hours with the doctor, getting a general plan in place, and asking lots of questions. And, shockingly, actually getting answers! ;)

So - here's the plan for this week... tomorrow we will be at a hospital all day for a PET scan and a breast MRI, and on Thursday we meet with the oncologist for the first time. Hopefully we will get a chemo and surgery schedule at least loosely set in place so both of us can feel like things are really happening and we're moving forward. Today I'm actually at home, all day, by myself, and I'm really excited to both get a lot done and be a bit of a bum to recharge my batteries.

And, I've just realized that I haven't posted a book in a long time, so maybe later today I can get caught up on my own thread. Oof.

It's good to have time to recharge. Plus, it'll be great to have a medical plan in place.

Glad to see the new oncologist appointment went well, Laura and things are moving forward for your Mom. Enjoy the quiet time today.... you have more than earned it!

I'm glad things went better with this new doctor. Having some confidence in the person you're talking to because they have a good bedside attitude can make a difference even in just your comfort level and I think you hear better what's being said.

So happy to hear you have a different doctor. A positive attitude is so helpful at the get-go. My best thoughts are with you and your mother.

Glad to hear about the positive experience with the new oncologist. Good luck to you and your mother!

Sheesh, Laura, I'm *so* sorry to hear what you've been through the past few months. I really wish I'd been here more. You're in my thoughts. I'm dealing with similar stuff now too and I'm really sorry to hear the past few months have been so stressful for you as well. I'm glad your mom has found a better doctor, and here's hoping for a better 2014!

Thank you to Linda, Lori, Betty, mamzel, Paulina, and pammab. Yesterday was shorter than expected at the hospital, simply because my Mom couldn't fit into their older "small coil" MRI machine. Now she's not a stick, but she's also not horribly obese either, so.... we don't get it. Was nice to not "have to" stay there another 2 hours, though, for both of us. (Though I have to say that it was nice to just sit down and read 2 books in a row without interruption.) The new plan is for her to have the breast MRI at another hospital on Thursday morning and then meet with the oncologist for the first time that same afternoon. I think she may go and get the MRI by herself, and I'd be happy for the doctor-visit break, if I'm honest. I'll be with her in the afternoon for the oncologist anyways.

Hopefully this afternoon I'll be back with my "books read" list, and will start a thread in the 2014 group too. Until then, I need to hop in the shower, return some books/movies to work before we open (so they aren't overdue), get some groceries for Mom and I, drop them off at her house, pick up some Chinese food to reheat at dinner, and then come home to bum around the house and read to my hearts' delight.

Stopping by to wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2014, Laura!

Here goes my try-and-catch-up list!

Book 146 and 147: Return to Labyrinth Vol 2 and 3 by Jake T. Forbes These were just okay manga-style books based on the hit 80's movie. Rec'd for fans or the curious only. 3 stars each

Book 148: Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me by Ellen Forney Interesting GN look at the authors' experience with mental illness 4 stars

Book 149: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs This one didn't grab me, for whatever reason. Listened to the audiobook (I normally really like this narrator, Lorelei King), and I had a hard time paying attention to what was going on. 2 stars

Book 150 and 151: The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein Light, fun little books, probably haven't read them since I was in grade school 3 stars each

Book 152: Shadows At The Fair by Lea Wait A nice, if slightly dated early 90's cozy mystery. Nothing earth-shattering here, just a light murder mystery story 3 stars

Book 153: And Another Thing: The World According to Clarkson, Vol 2 by Jeremy Clarkson. He's a big, dumb animal, isn't he folks? Still, I enjoyed every single one of these essays, most of them made me chuckle out loud. Even if I don't always agree with what he says (and who says you need to?), I always liked what I read. 4.25 stars

Book 154: How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran What may be my favorite book this year, if not in my top ten. (If I had one, that is.) Simply excellent, intelligent, humorous, heart-tugging, and outstanding. I listened to this, read by Caitlin herself, and she does an amazing job. 5 stars

Book 155: Give It Up! My Year of Learning To Live Better With Less by Mary Carlomagno Mildly inspiring book about letting creature comforts/habits go, one month at a time. Felt like it would've applied to me more if I'd read it when it was first published in the early 2000's, and if I lived in a big big city with a subway, etc. (The month where she "gives up" taking taxis didn't apply to me at all.) 3 stars

Book 156: Mario Makes a Move by Jill McElmurry Cute book about Mario, a flying squirrel, and his sister, doing awesome stunts in the air. 3 stars

Book 157: Address Unknown by Katherine Kressman Taylor Published in 1938, it's credited with showing the dangers of Naziism to Americans before it became widely known. This small epistolary book is written between a Jewish art dealer in California and his business partner who returned to Germany. Poignant and touching, rec'd for any fan of WWII things 4.25 stars

Book 158: The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher by David and Ruth Ellwand An interesting, if slightly disappointing story (GN, really), and I was bummed that it wasn't as cool as the cover and description made it seem. A nice effort, but it seemed to be missing some gravitas or something. 2.7 stars

Book 159: A Bride's Story, Vol 5 by Kaoru Mori Another excellent entry in the Bride's Story series, and Ms. Mori's art gets better each and every time. Truly wonderful. 4.5 stars

Book 160: Crictor by Tomi Ungerer Wonderful illustrated picture book for kids! Would love a copy for myself 4.3 stars

Book 161: Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger A new fairy tale that has just the right feel for a classic/vintage tale. Ultimately, the story didn't speak to me as much as she was perhaps aiming for, but it was very good nonetheless. 3 stars

Book 162: The Pirates! In An Adventure With Napoleon by Gideon DeFoe Another fun entry in the series, but read a little too closely with the Ahab story for it to be as enjoyable as the first was. 3 stars

Book 163: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman Yet another great picture book! Does what it says on the box. 4 stars

Book 164: Strega Nona Does It Again by Tomie dePaola As a fan of Strega Nona when I was a child, I couldn't resist this brand new book with the wonderful character. As much fun as I remember his stuff to be. 4 stars

Book 165 and 166: Beautiful Bitch and Beautiful Bombshell by Christina Lauren Silly, funny, sexy books, with realistic and modern characters, total brain candy and much better (and much better written) than that 50 Shades business. 3 stars each

Book 167: The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette by Marie-France Boyer Excellent small coffee-table-type book chock full of photos and vintage illos of her houses/palaces, and her private spaces. Wonderful for this house/royalty junkie! 4.4 stars

Book 168: 100 Turn-of-the-century Brick Bungalows with Floor Plans by Rogers & Manson I spent hours with this book, ogling the blueprints and illustrations of the completed houses. Fascinating. 4.3 stars

Book 169: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving Goodly atmospheric, though it took me nearly half of the story to get into the rhythm of his writing. Disney followed the storyline closely with their classic short cartoon 3 stars

Book 170: Nanny McPhee Returns by Emma Thompson Lots of audio fun (as it's read by Emma herself), with alternating chapters of the story and of Emma's film diary. 4 stars

Book 171: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Cute book about a truly wimpy kid who doesn't seem to have much of a clue. 3 stars

Book 172: Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman An ER book about the life of the mysterious Huguette Clark, her father and family, and how she lived her life. She had many empty mansions (and whole floors of 5th Ave NYC apartments) yet lived the last 20 years of her life in a hospital room. Very interesting and curious. 4 stars

Book 173: Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942 by Joyce Dennys Charming, funny, interesting epistolary-style diary from the beginning to the middle of WWII. I read the second installment in this two-book series first (thanks to an ER win a few years ago) and have been saving this book to read when I needed a little comfort and distraction. Wonderful. Excellent. 5 stars

Book 174, 175, and 176: The Emperor's Code, Storm Warning, and Into the Gauntlet, the 8th, 9th, and 10th books in the juvenile 39 Clues series. Cute, if a little same-y after awhile, full of adventure for kids and lots of historical facts and info without beating you over the head with it. Rec'd for kids, certainly, and not bad for adults, either. 3 stars each

Book 177: Bargain Fever by Mark Ellwood Surprisingly funny NF book about shopping, discounts, and the way the clothing market has changed. 3.75 stars

Book 178: Perfect English by Ros Byam Shaw Wonderful coffee table style book about English interiors/decorating. Really, more of a photo essay on dozens of English houses in several different "styles". Perfect for this Anglophile to while away a few hours. 4.25 stars

Book 179: The Lottery and Seven Other Stories by Shirley Jackson Not bad, but not as good as I was expecting. The narrator was fine, but it was very hard to tell when one story stopped and another started. Probably would be better if I'd actually read it. 3 stars

Book 180: Mystery!: A Celebration by Ron Miller The history of Masterpiece Mystery!, including all programs and series, with lots of short interviews with the authors and actors. 3.25 stars, and it doesn't get much farther than the 1990's.

Book 181: The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston A vintage-illustrated novel about Frankie, a young girl in the 1920's and the adventure that is her life. Really great, plausible, funny, touching, and unlike anything I've read (or seen) before. 4.25 stars

Book 182: The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin My first LeGuin, and most certainly not my last. A totally engrossing tale with an old-fashioned feel about a young boy with wonderful mage powers, his life, education as a wizard, and how he restores the balance when he performs a spell too strong for him when he was too young. Most excellent, indeed, and I see what the fuss about Ursula finally is. 4.5 stars

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And now, perhaps foolishly, I'm going to try and see if I can read enough books to get me to 200 before midnight tonight! It'll involve 3 picture books and several GNs I have checked out from work, but I'm hoping to get at least one regular book in there too. *Fingers crossed* The cats have miraculously decided to leave me be for a bit as they nap on the guest room bed together...

Yay, Caitlin Moran! :D Glad you liked it. Have a nice cosy reading evening!

Good luck getting to 200! I'm curious about Raven Girl. Cats look cute and innocent, but I'm sure they'll find you just when you get to the good part of the next book.

What lovely cats! They look available for lap-sitting and general cuddling. Mine is all elbows and being let in and out. And in again. Oh, and then out.

I just picked up a copy of Henrietta's War. Glad to know it's good!

RP: Yay, Caitlin Moran is right. She's so great. I did have a good one, thanks! Hope you had a good NYE too!

Katie: I didn't make it, but I did end up getting a few more read, so all is not lost. They found me not long after I took that picture and insisted on sitting on my chest while I tried to read around them. *sigh* So, so helpful.

RG: Thanks! They're more than ready and willing to get smooches and lay on my legs to make sure I don't leave. It's wonderfully sweet and lovely, and also sometimes annoying as all get out, and I often feel like a schmuck when I have to go to work. Sorry yours isn't more cuddly, though perhaps that will change with age. Hopefully? I hope you like Henrietta's War, it was right up my alley.

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Just a few more finished before the clock ticked over to 2014.

Book 183: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney Unbelievable watercolor illustrations and very few words tell this classic tale. 4 stars

Book 184: Beneath the Ghost Moon by Jane Yolen Very sweet rhyming story, perfect for Halloween/fall. Glad for the rec from Linda/Whisper1. 4 stars

Book 185: Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman An interesting illustration style (seemingly part photographs, illustrations, and magazines cut-outs), and a crazy hair story. 3 stars

Book 186: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood The first in the Phryne Fisher series, this was enjoyable, but I think I like the TV series better. !!!! I know! I'll still listen to more in the series, but not necessarily with any great gusto or eagerness. Perhaps that will change as the series develops. 3.3 stars

Book 187: Cursed Pirate Girl by Jeremy A. Bastian What a wonderfully detailed Graphic Novel! Girls as pirates seem to be a recurring theme for me in the last half of 2013, which is interesting and surprising. To me, at least. The story is very good, with sometimes Dickensian, sometimes magical characters. Can't wait for the second collected volume to be released! 4.25 stars



You can find me at my 2014 thread, though I'll keep checking in here for the first month or so!

Laura's 2014 Cat Challenge Thread!

I forgot one!

Book 188: Delphine by Richard Sala A dark tale, disturbing and creepy, of a young man who goes to look for his college girlfriend who essentially went "missing" when she left 2 years ago to go home for the summer. She never got in touch with him or was heard from again. Quirky, with a fairy-tale-esque vibe to it. 3.5 stars

Woah! Impressive!

Just catching up on threads and only now read about your mom - I'm so, so sorry to hear! Sending all the good thoughts I have to you and her. Not that it helps directly, but I too have only recovery-stories when it comes to breast cancers - I have two friends and a friend's mom who all went through it and are all in remission now for 3, 6, and 15 years, respectively. Hoping to hear good news from you on this.

Very slowly catching up on threads i neglected before Xmas and have just read about your mum! Best wishes & hope for good news