foggidawn's Thread of Mystery 2021, Vol. 1

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foggidawn's Thread of Mystery 2021, Vol. 1

1foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 1, 2021, 8:30 pm



Welcome, friends and strangers, to my thread of mystery!

If you have come seeking a kindred consumer of whodunits, I fear you will be disappointed, for though I occasionally indulge in a detective story, that is not the source of my thread's mystery this year. No, indeed -- it is the content of the thread itself that will be mysterious...

*drops the Professor Trelawney act* So, here's the deal: As some of you know from last year's thread, I'm serving on a major children's book award committee this year. (I'd prefer not to mention the name, so as to keep off the search engines' radars, but you can PM me if you're curious.) In order to be in strict compliance with the rules concerning social media use by committee members, I will not be listing titles or writing reviews of books eligible for the award: that is, books published for children in the USA in 2021. I'll keep a kind of tally here, so you'll know how many books I've read, roughly (I may lose track at some point). And, of course, I can post as usual about books not eligible for the award -- I'll probably start the year off with several of those, before the other books start pouring in. I also won't be adding books to my LT library that I receive for award reading, at least, not until the award winner (and possibly honor books) are announced in early 2022.

Obviously, I won't be participating in any kind of reading challenges or making any reading resolutions this year. I failed hard at last year's reading resolution, anyway, so if time permits here in the early months of the year, I may try to pick up one or two of those books.

I'm counting on you all to keep my thread alive even when there aren't a lot of book titles to talk about! I'll still post about other things in my life: my darling dog Lottie, pictured above in all her muddy glory; family, friends, housemate, and dating adventures; cooking, gardening, gaming, sewing, and theatre (depending on what the reading load is like, I may not do a lot of those things, but I'll need the occasional break from reading!); and life in general. Plus, I'll tell you as much as I'm permitted about my award committee experience. Serving on this committee is a tremendous honor and it's been one of my "bucket list" items ever since I got my library degree. I know some of you are curious about the process, so if you have questions, ask 'em -- I'll answer them if I can.

2foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 1, 2021, 1:57 pm

Top Five Books of 2020:

1. All Systems Red
2. A Gentleman in Moscow
3. A Deadly Education
4. The House in the Cerulean Sea
5. Daisy Jones and the Six

Honorable Mentions:

The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet
Return of the Thief
Circe

3foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 1, 2021, 2:03 pm

End-of-Year Book Meme

Describe yourself: Sounds Like Me

Describe how you feel: Snug

Describe where you currently live: A Castle in the Clouds

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Your favorite form of transportation is: Go With the Flow

Your favorite food is: My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich

Your favorite time of day is: Turning Darkness Into Light

Your best friend is: One to Watch

You and your friends are: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

What’s the weather like: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

You fear: A Deadly Education

What is the best advice you have to give: To Be Taught, If Fortunate

Thought for the day: We Are Not Free

What is life for you: A Wish in the Dark

How you would like to die: Not If I Can Help It

Your soul’s present condition: The Moment of Tenderness

What was 2020 like for you? The War I Finally Won

What do you want from 2021? Again, But Better

4foggidawn
Gen 1, 2021, 1:11 pm

Reserved 3

5foggidawn
Gen 1, 2021, 1:12 pm

Feel free to post below! Happy New Year!

6AMQS
Gen 1, 2021, 1:39 pm

Happy New Year, foggi! I do remember which award and I think that is SO COOL and it just might kill me to know what you're reading and know that you cannot talk about them. AAAAARRRGGHH.

But I will carry on. Can I at least ask how many books are under consideration/you need to read for this endeavor?

7foggidawn
Gen 1, 2021, 2:15 pm

>6 AMQS: See, that's the thing: this award doesn't have any kind of longlist or anything like that. The 15 of us on the committee are to read as much as we can of the year's publishing output, everything from picture books to the younger end of Young Adult, both fiction and nonfiction. Many of them will be mailed to us by eager publishers, but we're also to seek out ones that are not (smaller presses, etc.). I will read hundreds of books this year, and easily blow last year's meager total out of the water. (I'm sure I will also DNF a lot of books.) And we communicate through the year about books that we find noteworthy, and try to read each other's top picks, so hopefully the cream rises to the top. I'll be using a physical notebook to keep track of the books I read for the award, where I can jot down my thoughts, etc. But, yes, hundreds of books. I have one empty bookcase waiting them, but it will not be nearly enough space. I expect to be swimming in books by the end of the year.

8drneutron
Gen 1, 2021, 2:26 pm

Wow, sounds like quite a task! Happy new year!

9curioussquared
Gen 1, 2021, 2:43 pm

>7 foggidawn: That is so cool! What a process. I'm eager to hear how it all goes even if you won't be able to share titles!

10FAMeulstee
Gen 1, 2021, 4:45 pm

Happy reading in 2021, foggi!

11thornton37814
Gen 1, 2021, 7:13 pm

Hope you have a great year of reading!

12Berly
Gen 1, 2021, 7:18 pm

Wow! You are gonna be one busy reader! Good luck and have fun with it. And here's to a brighter, better 2021!

13quondame
Gen 1, 2021, 7:34 pm

Happy new year!


Is there no distribution via e-books? That would cut down the bulk if not the burden.

14PaulCranswick
Gen 1, 2021, 8:02 pm



And keep up with my friends here, Foggi. Have a great 2021.

15figsfromthistle
Gen 1, 2021, 9:14 pm

Happy New Year!

16compskibook
Gen 1, 2021, 9:27 pm

Yay for new years and award committees! So exciting! I can't wait to see your name during the announcements in a year!

17scaifea
Gen 2, 2021, 9:30 am

I'm counting on you all to keep my thread alive even when there aren't a lot of book titles to talk about!

Um, excuse me, but I'm counting on more Tales of the Chainsaw Boyfriend to fill your threads...

18MickyFine
Gen 2, 2021, 10:31 am

Happy to see you back, Foggi, and happy to hear all about your award committee adventures. Sounds like a very full reading year ahead for you.

>17 scaifea: *Cackle*

I echo Amber's sentiment.

19ronincats
Gen 2, 2021, 12:27 pm

Dropping off my and wishing you the best of new years in 2021!

20norabelle414
Gen 2, 2021, 1:23 pm

Happy and Exciting New Year, Foggi!

21fuzzi
Gen 2, 2021, 6:49 pm

>1 foggidawn: if you aren't going to be posting reviews it'll be easier to keep up with your thread...I think.

I like your non-review posts, so I plan to check in on a regular basis...especially to hear more about you dating a chainsaw-wielding farmer!

22bluesalamanders
Gen 2, 2021, 6:56 pm

Happy new year, foggi! That award committee sounds amazing, good luck and have fun!

23leahbird
Gen 3, 2021, 2:36 am

Happy New Year foggi! Look forward to see what you CAN share throughout the year. ;)

24fairywings
Gen 3, 2021, 7:15 am

Happy New Year foggi.

I hope you find a lot of great reads among the children's books.

25aktakukac
Gen 7, 2021, 6:28 pm

Happy reading this year!

26foggidawn
Gen 11, 2021, 1:57 pm

Hi, all! Thanks for visiting! I'm sorry to say that I haven't made the rounds of the new group, and probably won't get to it today, either. Hopefully some time this week I will get the chance to visit all of your threads. In the meantime, I did finish a few books...

27foggidawn
Gen 11, 2021, 2:06 pm

(1 book read)



A Light in the Window by Jan Karon -- This, the second book in the Mitford series, is a reread for me, and may be my favorite in the series. I don't feel pulled to read the rest of the series right now, but this one, featuring a gentle romance, was the comfort read I needed to start the year. Some find this series too bucolic, over-sweet, and so on, but every so often I need that. (A real-life friend gave me a very hard time about loving this series a couple years ago, so I've felt defensive about it ever since -- but I know you guys wouldn't book-shame anyone for loving the books they love.)

28foggidawn
Gen 11, 2021, 2:29 pm

(2 books read)



The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison -- Maia, fourth and least-favorite son of the Emperor, never thought he would see the throne -- he'd been exiled to a household far from the capitol, with a surly, abusive cousin overseeing what passed for his education. When an airship carrying the king and his heirs crashes, Maia is brought to the palace and crowned Emperor -- but how long will he last, when he's had no training to deal with the intrigues and back-stabbing of the royal court?

This character-driven fantasy showcases a benevolent but inexperienced ruler. It's an ultimately hopeful story, though there is plenty of conflict along the way. The setting is beautifully realized. Fantasy fans, if you missed this one, it's not too late to pick it up!

I read this several years ago, and loved it then. I loved it again on this read-through, and am thrilled to discover that the sequel is due out this summer!

29foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 11, 2021, 3:02 pm

(3 books read)



The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay -- Abi is just starting, unwillingly, to settle into her new blended family, when they must pack up and move because the landlord has other plans for their tiny rental. House after house proves unacceptable or unaffordable, until the whole family falls in love with an ivy-covered cottage just above their price range. In her new bedroom, Abi finds a box of old books and discovers that she can literally disappear into them -- and that's just the beginning of the house's secrets. But what will happen when the magic grows out of control?

This has many of the hallmarks of McKay's writing: warm, quirky family dynamics, friendship drama, and a hint of magical mystery. I didn't love it as much as I've loved some of her books (the Casson Family series, particularly), but I did kind of fall in love with the house. For young readers looking for this kind of story, it will scratch an itch.

30foggidawn
Gen 11, 2021, 3:15 pm

As you can see, I haven't started my "mystery" reading yet. Soon, I hope! I also have a few books on the go: I'm still working on Hollowpox, which is good, but I haven't felt like listening to an audiobook lately. I started The Ickabog and it just didn't grab me, but I'm sure I'll finish it eventually. I'm working on One Way or Another, but the Teenage Angst Quotient is very high, and I am just not sure if I'm going to be able to deal with it.

I spent a long holiday vacation at my parents' farm, which is part of the reason why I've been unavailable here (the farm has many fine attributes, but a fast internet connection is not one of them). On the way home, Lottie and I stopped at John's place (John, aka Shakespeare Guy, aka Chainsaw Boyfriend) and we had a nice walk around the fields, giving Lottie a good chance to run and chase the ball, and giving me a nice break from driving. We also sat and talked for a bit, and Lottie proved herself to be jealous of my attention and affection, as she was not particularly friendly to John at that point. She's going to have to get over that. Now I'm back at work, settling into my new role. I still get to do some work from home, so that's a plus.

I'll be around the threads more once I get things unpacked and cleaned up at home, so I'll be dropping by your threads then. In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable!

31quondame
Gen 12, 2021, 12:11 am

>30 foggidawn: "She's going to have to get over that." That sounds serious.

32foggidawn
Gen 12, 2021, 9:13 am

>31 quondame: I meant it mostly in general, because I don't want a dog who's going to make my friends uncomfortable. We'll have to do some training to make her accept that she and I are not the only people allowed to exist in her world. (But I also have no intention of seeing less of John because my dog disapproves of me hugging him.)

33AMQS
Gen 12, 2021, 9:28 am

>27 foggidawn: I think I have the first Mitford book in a pile somewhere. I could use a comfort read as well. And I'm certainly glad to be in a community where our reading is praised and not judged!

34thornton37814
Gen 12, 2021, 1:15 pm

>27 foggidawn: >33 AMQS: I'm reading a book that includes all the prayers of Father Tim in the series. It's making me want to revisit the series because I realize how much I've forgotten about them. I do, of course, remember enough that I know when someone is going to live or die, etc. Perhaps I can re-read all of those and all the Miss Read books sometime in the future. It would likely be a multi-year project with all the books in the various series.

35curioussquared
Gen 12, 2021, 1:31 pm

>32 foggidawn: I feel this! Kermit is a sweetheart but we haven't really been able to train him in guest etiquette due to the, um, lack of guests. He's really good with us and does not jump up when we come home, but on the rare occasions we do have a non-us person over for an outside hangout, he is relentless about jumping on their shoulders and trying to lick their face. We're gonna need to work on that...

36foggidawn
Gen 12, 2021, 2:34 pm

>33 AMQS: I find the series very relaxing.

>34 thornton37814: I haven't read any of the tie-in books (prayers, quotations, etc.) except for the cookbook. I also have the bedside companion, but I haven't read the whole thing.

>35 curioussquared: Yeah, it's been a really good time for dogs in that they've had their people around more than usual, but a less good time because socializing them has been such a struggle.

37foggidawn
Gen 12, 2021, 2:39 pm

(4 books read)



Little Moments of Love by Catana Chetwynd -- Cute and funny comics based on the artist's relationship with her boyfriend. I read her other book, Snug, last year, and decided that I wanted to read this collection, too. If you've seen these comics around and enjoyed them, the books are worth picking up, or at least borrowing.

38quondame
Gen 12, 2021, 2:52 pm

>32 foggidawn: I do understand the advantages of having a dog who is good socially with other dogs and non family. We are expecting Nutmeg to be much better than Gertie who just doesn't interact with non-family humans and lunges at any non-family dog. Whether Nutmeg will do well without her emotional support human, Becky, around is a big question.

39foggidawn
Gen 12, 2021, 3:59 pm

>38 quondame: Heh. "Emotional Support Human." Good luck with Nutmeg!

40leahbird
Gen 13, 2021, 1:17 pm

>30 foggidawn: "Chainsaw Boyfriend" is the highlight of my week. Thank you for that!

41MickyFine
Gen 13, 2021, 1:18 pm

>37 foggidawn: She has a new book out in February and she's doing virtual pajama parties in partnership with several bookstores as part of the launch, which I think is adorable.

42foggidawn
Gen 13, 2021, 6:26 pm

>40 leahbird: I'm going to have to write that book, aren't I?

>41 MickyFine: I saw advertisements for that! In fact, those ads might have been the impetus behind me checking to see if I could get my hands on her older work(s). Hooray for Hoopla -- I'm always pleasantly surprised at their collection of comics and graphic novels.

43Deedledee
Gen 13, 2021, 10:28 pm

>41 MickyFine:
My library subscribed to Hoopla in April and I'm loving it.

44MickyFine
Gen 14, 2021, 10:22 am

>42 foggidawn: I always cringe a bit at using Hoopla because I know how much money it costs my library every month but their comic selection is great and is thankfully reasonably priced so I feel no guilt using it for those. :)

45Deedledee
Gen 14, 2021, 11:12 pm

>44 MickyFine:
No need to worry. It's better money spent than Overdrive.

46MickyFine
Modificato: Gen 15, 2021, 11:48 am

>45 Deedledee: Oh I strongly disagree on that front. As a selection librarian I find that the lack of control over content in Hoopla far more frustrating. Some of it is good but some of it is stuff I'd never add to our collection (questionable medical material, for example). While the variety of licensing models in OverDrive is frustrating, it's not their fault, and their interface (especially Libby) blows Hoopla out of the water.

47scaifea
Gen 16, 2021, 8:56 am

>44 MickyFine: So does Hoopla charge libraries per individual item checked out?

>45 Deedledee: I agree that Libby is fantastic. I use it tons.

*waves* Hi, foggi!

48thornton37814
Gen 16, 2021, 10:27 am

>47 scaifea: On Knox County Public Library's (Tenn.) website, it states, "The library pays per use so patrons are limited to 5 checkouts each month. At the beginning of each month your limit will reset."

49drneutron
Gen 16, 2021, 6:19 pm

>44 MickyFine:, >47 scaifea:, >48 thornton37814: Maryland libraries limit us to 10 checkouts per month.

50MickyFine
Gen 16, 2021, 6:23 pm

>47 scaifea: Yup, Hoopla uses a model called cost per circ. Every time someone checks something out, we pay for it. Comics are usually pretty inexpensive in the $0.99 to $1.99 range. Audiobooks and films tend to be the most pricey (and the most used) and can be $5+ per checkout, which adds up quickly when you have thousands of people using 5-10 checkouts a month. Most libraries set price and checkout caps to try and keep Hoopla spending under control but it can be hard to manage.

51Whisper1
Gen 16, 2021, 10:25 pm

I love the opening image of your pup.

52scaifea
Gen 17, 2021, 9:06 am

>50 MickyFine: That's so interesting - thanks, Micky! In my three months of working at the library, I didn't pick up much knowledge about acquisitions and subscriptions, since that's all done in the offices at the main branch.

*waves at foggi again*

53MickyFine
Gen 17, 2021, 9:26 am

>52 scaifea: Happy to share my knowledge.

Date this weekend, Foggi? Hopefully sans chainsaw. ;)

54bluesalamanders
Gen 17, 2021, 10:09 pm

>50 MickyFine: I had no idea that's how Hoopla worked. That's. Unpleasant to hear and makes me less inclined to use Hoopla. Ugh.

55foggidawn
Gen 18, 2021, 9:22 am

>43 Deedledee: Great! I'm glad you're loving it.

>44 MickyFine: Right. I try to go easy on Hoopla for that (though, shamefully? I'm still using my old Hoopla account from a previous library, as I've never bothered to change over my account info).

>45 Deedledee: I can't really agree with that, either. OverDrive is our most popular e-lending service by far.

>46 MickyFine: I'm part of a big consortium, so I don't really have control over OverDrive/Libby, either, but *shrug* people like 'em both, so I try not to sweat it.

>47 scaifea: Hi, Amber! *waves*

>48 thornton37814: >49 drneutron: >50 MickyFine: What Micky said. :-)

>51 Whisper1: Thanks! She loves the mud, but also loves taking a bath, so I'm fortunate in that.

>52 scaifea: *Waves, awkwardly, again*

>53 MickyFine: No dates or chainsaws this weekend. He's off this coming Saturday, so we're having a date then, weather permitting. I think he's coming over to my place, maybe for pizza and a movie, and the chainsaw will stay at home. :-D

>54 bluesalamanders: It's not all bad. It can be pricey, but it gives users access to items that publishers won't lend any other way.

Hi, all -- I'm still looking for "spare time" to go around the new threads. I've hit a few, but usually I'd be settled in and keeping track of everybody by now. That may not happen this year, so I extra-double-super appreciate you visiting my thread, especially if I haven't visited yours.

56foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 10, 2021, 10:54 am

(5 books read)



Award reading count: 1

57curioussquared
Gen 18, 2021, 12:48 pm

>56 foggidawn: Ooh, the mystery begins!

58MickyFine
Gen 18, 2021, 12:59 pm

>55 foggidawn: Sounds like excellent tentative plans with the gentleman caller (do you have a preferred term besides chainsaw boyfriend?).

Exciting to have your first award read under your belt!

59foggidawn
Gen 18, 2021, 1:41 pm

>57 curioussquared: Indeed it does! I am checking them out from the library right now, as I haven't gotten any exciting book mail but I was feeling antsy about getting started. If my previous committee experience holds, by March I should be seeing some interesting parcels.

>58 MickyFine: Ooh, "Gentleman caller" has a nice ring to it. We're not quite calling each other "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" yet (except for my humorous references here) so if I have to refer to him, I just say "my friend" or "the guy I'm dating," which is clunky and awkward.

60AMQS
Gen 18, 2021, 1:50 pm

>50 MickyFine: that is good to know, Micky - I had no idea. I used Hoopla heavily for a few years - they reliably had the most classics available for listening, but our library has acquired and heavily promoted Axis360, which I wasn't wild about at first as it had hardly any content. Now it's very robust and I hardly ever use Hoopla. I didn't know anything about the back end - knowledge is power!

>59 foggidawn: But "Chainsaw Boyfriend" has to be the best conversation starter I've heard of, so there's that :). Happy Monday, foggi!

61MickyFine
Gen 18, 2021, 2:01 pm

>59 foggidawn: Until Mr. Fine and I had the label conversation I usually referred to him as my gentleman caller. Less of a mouthful than some other options. :)

62justchris
Gen 19, 2021, 2:49 am

>1 foggidawn: What a handsome pupper! Lottie is clearly the dog of action!

>7 foggidawn: Good luck with the heroic task ahead of you this year.

>30 foggidawn: Heh. I'm the chainsaw ex. My ex got it for me as a birthday present when we were still together in our house. One of my best presents ever. It's currently at the house (which he kept through our breakup), and I am overdue to take down some trees fo rhim.

>55 foggidawn: I hope your upcoming date on Saturday is lovely.

63foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 19, 2021, 9:00 am

>60 AMQS: It is a good conversation starter, to be sure. Hope your week is off to a good start.

>61 MickyFine: Good point.

>62 justchris: Thanks for visiting, and for the good wishes! Yes, Lottie is definitely a dog of action! As to chainsaws: to be honest, I am quite scared of them -- not in the "chainsaw murderer" sense, just in the sense that I am fairly clumsy, and I'm convinced that, if I were to use one, I would lose a limb. So, I'm happy to leave all chainsaw wielding to others.

64scaifea
Gen 19, 2021, 10:10 am

Woot for Mystery Reading!!

65jnwelch
Gen 19, 2021, 5:00 pm

So cool that you're on that Children's Book Award committee, foggi. Wow. Can't wait to get into 2022 when you can talk more about it.

I had a similar reaction to The Time of Green Magic to yours. Loved the house, but adult me found the story lacking a bit of "oomph". Young me probably would've found it charming. I haven't read others of hers, so your comments encourage me to look for more.

I've seen warm reactions to The Goblin Emperor from other LTers, and your enthusiasm makes me think I need to give it a closer look.

66foggidawn
Gen 19, 2021, 5:07 pm

>64 scaifea: Woot, indeed! ;-)

>65 jnwelch: If you try more McKay, the Casson series starts with Saffy's Angel, and it charmed me straightaway. I also like her Binny series. And yes, The Goblin Emperor is just an awesome read.

67justchris
Gen 19, 2021, 10:09 pm

>63 foggidawn: I hear you! I believe in full safety kit at all times. I've managed to cut my chaps at least once after a long, tiring day working in the woods for the Forest Service. I really worried about my 65-70-year-old mom taking up chainsaws to buck up the full logs she continued to have delivered to feed the boiler furnace at her farm house after her husband passed away. Last year, the boiler house burned down, and she switched back to fuel oil furnace in the basement. I'm thankful she's okay.

68foggidawn
Gen 20, 2021, 8:50 am

>67 justchris: Yikes! My father and uncle have a sawmill, and it makes me nervous whenever they are working in it. They also do a fair amount with chainsaws, cutting firewood. I try not to think about it. Really, many things on the farm where they live make me nervous, like when they take the ATV up and down the steep, muddy paths during maple syrup season. I'm an anxious person in general, I suppose.

69foggidawn
Gen 20, 2021, 8:55 am

DNF



One Way or Another by Kara McDowell -- I read about the first hundred pages of this and wasn't invested enough in the relationships to keep going. The main character has an extremely well-described anxiety disorder, and it was making me anxious as well. I wasn't enjoying the read, so I quit. However, others without my particular quirks may find this a fun holiday romance.

70MickyFine
Gen 20, 2021, 11:53 am

>69 foggidawn: I totally get that. I enjoyed Turtles All the Way Down but I couldn't re-read it due to how well-described the main character's mental illness is described.

71humouress
Gen 20, 2021, 11:51 pm

Hi foggi - I've finally got around to visiting your new thread. I suppose it's a bit late to wish you for the New Year, but wishing you all good things anyway.

>1 foggidawn: So exciting! And congratulations! I'm looking forward to whatever you can tell us.

>28 foggidawn: Okay - will look out for that one.

>30 foggidawn: >31 quondame: >32 foggidawn: I think we can give John the LT stamp of approval (y'know, in case you were waiting for that)

>35 curioussquared: Oh, Jasper falls in insta-love with any visitors (especially if they're male *rolls eyes*). He's not large for a retriever but he still falls in the mid-large dog category and in Asia, some folks aren't keen on dogs so there's poor old Jasper desperately trying to make friends and there are these big macho workmen (we've been having a few issues with the house recently) being ... er ... cautious at his approach.

72fuzzi
Gen 21, 2021, 8:02 am

>55 foggidawn: now I have "America the Beautiful" going through my head. I think it was the "Amber! *waves*" that did it, ha!

73scaifea
Gen 21, 2021, 8:36 am

>72 fuzzi:

...

*waves*

74foggidawn
Gen 21, 2021, 9:08 am

>70 MickyFine: Turtles didn't bother me as much as this one did, though yes, the description there was spot-on.

>71 humouress: My last dog, Sophie, was an incorrigible flirt when it came to men. She would see one across the street, minding his own business, and she would advance in his direction and slowly wag her tail as if to say, "Well, hi there, big strong man! Wouldn't you like to tell me how pretty I am?" On the other hand, she had no use whatever for other dogs.

>72 fuzzi: Hahahahaha!

>73 scaifea: All this waving, I feel like I'm at a ballgame.

75scaifea
Gen 21, 2021, 9:14 am

>74 foggidawn: Well, I mean, that last one felt sort of mandatory.

76humouress
Modificato: Gen 22, 2021, 12:18 am

>74 foggidawn: 'advance in his direction and slowly wag her tail' Ha! Jasper is far more direct than that (maybe it's a macho guy thing and he's taking the 'let's go out for a beer' approach) (okay, I don't really know how macho guys behave). He'll barrel up to them, tail and backside going ten to the dozen fast enough to knock me over if I were nearby (his tail's at knee height to me) going 'Hi, Best Friend! I haven't seen you in so long and I've really missed you!' to complete strangers.

77quondame
Gen 22, 2021, 12:14 am

>74 foggidawn: >76 humouress: My little Piglet would single out a single guest and stare adoringly at them, allowing them to pet an praise her, and each and every one would swear she loved them best. But of course, it was me she loved the most!

78fuzzi
Modificato: Gen 22, 2021, 7:07 am

>77 quondame: I love how the light illuminates the growth of her fur...

My Tirzah was a one family dog, no one else was allowed to pet/touch her, although she would submit to the vet because I made her.

Cleo is the opposite: every person, everywhere, in every house and car is HER FRIEND, and someone who should pet and love her. She's got a German shepherd face, bulldog body, weighing 90lbs +/-, so some people are intimidated...but she's a big sweetie.

79quondame
Gen 22, 2021, 11:24 pm

>78 fuzzi: Wow! 90lb! Nutmeg at 20lb is huge and ever so solid to me. I can lift her, barely, but I try not to carry her downstairs.

80fuzzi
Gen 23, 2021, 8:40 pm

>79 quondame: I like big dogs, as long as they listen to me.

Cleo is a solid and compact 90lbs.

81quondame
Gen 23, 2021, 9:48 pm

>80 fuzzi: Same shape and coloring (mostly) as Nutmeg, but bigger and with a snout and a tail. Of course Nutmeg has stand up ears - even when she sleeps.

82humouress
Modificato: Gen 24, 2021, 2:16 am

>80 fuzzi: >81 quondame: She does look like Nutmeg - they both look very cuddlesome.

Um ... we seem to have hijacked foggi's book thread and turned it into a dog thread.

83PaulCranswick
Gen 24, 2021, 8:39 pm

>80 fuzzi: If a big dog doesn't listen to you then a big problem is about to occur!

84justchris
Gen 24, 2021, 8:52 pm

>82 humouress: I fail to see the problem. Bring on the dogs!

85fuzzi
Gen 24, 2021, 8:59 pm

>84 justchris: agreed! The OP had a photo of two dogs, we're just following her example...

86humouress
Gen 25, 2021, 12:12 am

You know I'm always happy to talk dogs and see other people's pets. I just felt a bit guilty. :0)

87SandyAMcPherson
Gen 25, 2021, 10:04 am

>50 MickyFine: OMG, sounds like Hoopla is just a golden egg for a business. How can that be sustainable in a public library system?

I don't use Hoopla, and I am okay getting loans through Library-2-Go, except it is flaky when I try to connect for a download on my Kobo. It should be seamless. I usually have to use my Mac and tediously manually transfer the epub to my Kobo.

Hi Foggi!
I added some of your book titles here to my January-BB list (The Time of Green Magic, A Light in the Window). I guess I should read At Home in Mitford first.
I'm with you on the comfort-reading genre. It is amazing that there is even a 'book-shaming' meme out there. I used to be ribbed by the ignorant for enjoying Georgette Heyer's Regency novels...

And yes, definitely, your idea of writing a book, "Chainsaw Boyfriend", is a definite win!

88foggidawn
Gen 25, 2021, 4:48 pm

>75 scaifea: Indeed. :-)

>76 humouress: I can see how complete strangers would find that alarming!

>77 quondame: Beautiful photo of a very good girl, I can tell.

>78 fuzzi: It's funny how we compare them, isn't it? Lottie is so different from my Sophie in many ways.

>79 quondame: Yes, 90lbs is a lot! My current stipulation is that I won't get a dog that I can't lift into the car in case of an emergency. Lottie, at probably 35-40lbs, is a solid dog and I wouldn't want to carry her around for fun, but I could pick her up if I had to.

>80 fuzzi: Aww, what a sweetheart!

>81 quondame: I can see the resemblance.

>82 humouress: I can't say which I like more: dogs or books! Always happy for some canine conversation to keep my thread alive in between books.

>83 PaulCranswick: So true.

>84 justchris: Right?!

>85 fuzzi: Two dogs? Ah, yes, I did get Sasha's tail end in the top right corner. Good eyes!

>86 humouress: No need for guilt here!

>87 SandyAMcPherson: Each library generally sets a cap of how much they are willing to spend on Hoopla in a month, and also limits the number of items each patron can borrow. But I'm sure it's a good money spinner. The parent company has been marketing audiovisual materials to libraries for decades, so they developed it based on things they had heard from librarians about other e-lending systems. Hope you enjoy the book bullets, and yes, Heyer's writing is nothing to scoff at!

Hello, everyone! Glad to see you here. Since my last visit, I've finished one book that I can tell you about, as it was published last year. I'll get that review up later. I've been working on some other books, but haven't finished anything else yet. Had a lovely date Saturday evening -- we ordered a pizza and watched GalaxyQuest, which we both had seen multiple times, but we wanted something funny. I made a strawberry cheesecake galette for dessert, which turned out very well, though I'm sure it would be even better when the berries are in season. No chainsaw in evidence at our date, but he's been using it to clear brush around his farm. :-)

89scaifea
Gen 25, 2021, 4:56 pm

*Pokes head through door*

Happy YALSA Awards Day!!

*Sneaks back out*

90foggidawn
Gen 25, 2021, 5:13 pm

>89 scaifea: Yes! Best day of the year. I brought doughnuts to work, as is my tradition. It was sad not having the press conference, with people cheering their favorites. Next year, I hope -- especially since next year will be my year!

91scaifea
Gen 25, 2021, 6:35 pm

>90 foggidawn: Yes!! I love the cheering and the atmosphere, which comes through even in a live stream! And I was thinking about you every time they showed a panel of judges, thinking, That will be foggi next year!!!

92quondame
Gen 25, 2021, 10:46 pm

>88 foggidawn: She was beautiful - the dachshund breeder that took the photo wanted us to show her - after she was spayed. Said no one would see the scar. But she was not exactly good - someone described her as the sort of person who would read Kierkegaard in a dim and quiet room. The dim and quiet room part was dead on, but she'd jump on my bed and burrow under the cover sans book pretty much daily. She lived with my parents while I was dwelling in a tiny apartment in Los Angeles.

93foggidawn
Gen 26, 2021, 8:50 am

>91 scaifea: I was thinking that, too. :-)

>92 quondame: ...the sort of person who would read Kierkegaard in a dim and quiet room. Hahahahahahahahaha! And the bed burrowing is a dachshund trait that Harvey, my sister-in-law's dachshund, taught to Sasha, my parents' Springer. She now enjoys a good burrow in the blankets on a cold day. Lottie can't fathom why one would want to do such a thing.

94foggidawn
Gen 26, 2021, 12:17 pm

(6 books read)



A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey -- Lila's experienced a trifecta of loss: the death of her beloved Abuela, a breakup with her perfect boyfriend, and a split with her long-time bestie has Lila acting recklessly. Her loving family decides to send her to an aunt and uncle in England, to give her time to heal. She'd rather stay home in Miami and work out her troubles in the family bakery, but they're not giving her a choice. In England, Lila finds new experiences and new flavors that she can meld with the ones she's always known -- and a sweet boy who is willing to show her around and take things one day at a time, because they both know that Lila is leaving at the end of the summer . . . right?

If you're looking for a fun and sweet YA romance, look over here. There's character development (early in the book, Lila got on my nerves, but we moved past it) and British scenery and pastries -- so many pastries. (I was a little disappointed that the book didn't include recipes in the back.) A nice, fairly innocent escape from real life, if that's what you're seeking.

95curioussquared
Gen 26, 2021, 12:26 pm

>94 foggidawn: I've been hit! I enjoyed The Library of Lost Things by the same author and this one sounds even more up my alley :)

96foggidawn
Gen 27, 2021, 9:39 am

>95 curioussquared: I haven't read anything else by this author, but I might in future.

97foggidawn
Gen 27, 2021, 9:52 am

I'm having a bit of trouble finishing books lately. Here's what I have going on at present:

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (audiobook) -- I really like this, but I haven't had a lot of audiobook listening time lately. I need to be more intentional about finding time in my day for listening. I've renewed it twice now, I think.

The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling -- I read the first few chapters and wandered off from it. I'm not quite willing to call it a DNF yet, but I may send it back to the library eventually and figure I will catch up with it in 2022, if then.

Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin -- This was loaned to me by John, and I thought it might be a nice change when I am tired of reading the juvenile stuff. I read just a few pages, but obviously, I'm not reading enough juvenile stuff right now to be in want of a change.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling -- Rob and I are still working on this readaloud, but we took a hiatus over Christmas, and now he's working a lot of evenings, so we're only getting through 1-2 chapters a week. (We just finished the part where they visit Godric's hollow, and Harry's wand gets broken.)

Another 2021 juvenile book that I can't tell you about. I may DNF it, but I need to give it a fair shot first.

98foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 10, 2021, 10:54 am

(7 books read)



Not the book I mentioned in my last post, but a different, very short one.

Award reading count:2

99MickyFine
Gen 27, 2021, 3:46 pm

>97 foggidawn: Are you starting to get stacks of award reads in the mail now?

100foggidawn
Gen 27, 2021, 3:56 pm

>99 MickyFine: No, the wheels of bureaucracy are turning very slowly; I don't think the publishers have our address roster yet for one reason or another. Books I'm reading now are ones with January pub dates that have arrived at the library, as I am anxious to get started. But! We have our first meeting as a committee (via Zoom, of course) on Saturday! (Normally we would have met this past weekend at Midwinter.) No books will be discussed, as it's just an organizational sort of meeting. We'll talk about the calendar and how to submit suggestions when the time comes and that sort of thing. But I'm super excited to "meet" all of my new friends!

101MickyFine
Gen 27, 2021, 4:57 pm

>100 foggidawn: That's so exciting! I hope your fellow committee members are a delight to work with.

102aktakukac
Gen 27, 2021, 5:03 pm

>100 foggidawn: So exciting!

103humouress
Modificato: Gen 27, 2021, 11:36 pm

>95 curioussquared: >94 foggidawn: Oh, alright. Borrowed The Library of Lost Things because of you lot.

>97 foggidawn: It's been a while since I read any Asprin but he's usually fairly silly; it should bridge the juvenile/ not juvenile gap.

>100 foggidawn: Exciting! Maybe you could check with them if they've been getting publishers' books. Such a hard life, having to read books for your job ;0)

104scaifea
Gen 28, 2021, 8:13 am

>100 foggidawn: Oh that is *so* exciting! I am ridiculously happy for you that you get to be on this committee!

105foggidawn
Modificato: Gen 28, 2021, 8:55 am

>101 MickyFine: Thanks! I "friended" a few on Facebook, and they all seem to be delightful so far.

>102 aktakukac: Right?!?

>103 humouress: I rarely get to read books for my job -- the award committee is a volunteer activity. But still... having publishers mail me boxes of new releases... it's a rough life. ;-) I'm sure nobody is getting books yet, because the publishers don't yet know where to send them. I expect that will be remedied shortly.

>104 scaifea: Thanks! I'm ridiculously excited to be on it.

106compskibook
Gen 28, 2021, 8:12 pm

I keep thinking of you as I watch this year's awards with my students! I am so excited for you!

I wanted to thank you for posting about The Murderbot Diaries! I am on book five and can't put it down!

107ronincats
Gen 28, 2021, 8:21 pm

So excited for you this year! I am so out of it--I don't think I recognized a single book listed in the ALA Awards, and that's a lot of books.

108Whisper1
Gen 28, 2021, 9:30 pm

Hi Misti. As always, you are reading some great books!

109foggidawn
Gen 29, 2021, 11:32 am

>106 compskibook: Thanks! And I'm so glad you are loving Murderbot! I'm anxiously anticipating the next book, and wondering if I'll have time to wedge it into my reading schedule this year.

>107 ronincats: Yeah, the percentage of the ones I read this past year was much lower than in other years. This year will be different... ;-)

>108 Whisper1: Thanks! It's good to see you here!

110Whisper1
Gen 29, 2021, 4:39 pm

I am reading a YA book, I randomly picked off the shelf. i know you read a lot of YA and juvenile books. Have you read Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt? I'm half way through and really enjoying it.

111justchris
Gen 30, 2021, 1:15 pm

>94 foggidawn: Sounds lovely. I hardly ever read YA stories. Seems like once I open that door, I might never get out again because so many lovely, charming, or even hard stories...

112foggidawn
Feb 1, 2021, 9:43 am

>110 Whisper1: I haven't read that one. Glad you're liking it, though!

>111 justchris: Yes, there's a whole world of YA literature.

113foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 10, 2021, 10:53 am

(8 books read)



Award reading count: 3

114foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 10, 2021, 10:53 am

(9 books read)



I read one book, and DNF'd another. At least for now, I'm going to try and track DNFs, at least if I read more than a few pages.

Award reading count: 4 finished, 1 DNF

115foggidawn
Feb 4, 2021, 12:25 pm

(10 books read)



Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend -- In Morrigan's third adventure, Nevermoor is besieged by a terrible disease that infects Wunimals. Is there anything in a Wundersmith's powers that can help with a cure? Meanwhile, Morrigan's education develops in new and surprising ways.

I continue to love this series. Morrigan is so believable -- sometimes she makes mistakes that make things worse, and then makes mistakes again. Sometimes, there are things that the adults have to handle. She has reasonable limits on her abilities, often because she is still learning. But she still has enough adventures to make the story exciting! And the secondary characters are so delightful. I continue to have a crush on Jupiter North. This book ends, not with a cliffhanger, but with a significant event that will have interesting ramifications for the rest of the series. I can't wait for the next one! (Unfortunately, I couldn't find a title or release date yet.)

This is probably the last juvenile book I read this year that I'll be able to tell you about. ;-) It took me forever to get through the audiobook, but that's not the book's fault.

116MickyFine
Modificato: Feb 4, 2021, 1:43 pm

>115 foggidawn: I think some of the Wunimal disease stuff felt a bit too close to the pandemic for me and made it tougher reading right now. But I still loved the book, especially since I read the Christmas section pretty close to Christmas making it all the more festive.

117foggidawn
Feb 4, 2021, 1:53 pm

>116 MickyFine: It did feel like an almost prescient take (as she had to have written it before 2020) on the intersection of COVID and BLM, considering the disease aspect and the prejudices against Wunimals that are revealed. I'm not sure if that's why it took me so long to listen to, or if it was just a factor of not a lot of driving time in my schedule (my commute to work is too short for audiobook listening).

118Whisper1
Feb 4, 2021, 4:38 pm

Congratulations on reading 10 books thus far!

119foggidawn
Feb 4, 2021, 5:53 pm

>118 Whisper1: Thank you! It feels like a drop in the bucket, but I'm trying not to stress myself out.

120SandyAMcPherson
Feb 6, 2021, 7:13 am

>119 foggidawn: Hi Foggi, I decided not to openly count my reads on Talk this year and it sure helped me feel less focused on the book count.
This is such an internal fight for me. I think all the years of schooling induced a life-long "don't fall behind" obligatory pressure that I just really have to set aside. I'm probably more aware of it with the background anxiety from living in this time of a plague.

Will you be spending the whole year with mystery reading? Or is there a point where the books can be mentioned?

121foggidawn
Feb 8, 2021, 9:06 am

>120 SandyAMcPherson: Yep, mystery reading for the whole year! We will make our deliberations next January. And my reading stress has less to do with numbers (I didn't set myself a goal) and more to do with the sheer volume of books that I know I need to read, and feeling already behind. I'm not -- I've made a start, at least -- but I'm low-level concerned about how I'm going to read so much, when my pace right now is pretty slow. I am trying not to worry, but since worry is my default state...

122fuzzi
Feb 8, 2021, 9:22 am

>121 foggidawn: sorry if you've already mentioned this, but are you doing reviews for the "award" books you're reading? I know you can't post them here, but once you can divulge, I'd be interested in your thoughts.

123foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 8, 2021, 11:19 am

(11 books read)



Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley -- After escaping from a terrible situation, Della and her big sister Suki must reckon with the trauma they have experienced and find a way to move forward.

This Newbery Honor book deserves the accolades it has received. Those who have read Brubaker's other books will not be surprised to know that the writing is strong, with distinct characters and excellent pacing, plus moments of humor and affection that relieve what could otherwise be a very heavy read. It handles topics of sexual abuse, addiction, and suicide in a manner that is age-appropriate without downplaying the serious nature of the issues. For kids who have experienced these horrors, this book could be incredibly helpful and affirming -- and for those who haven't, it will be an eye-opener and empathy-builder. That said, young readers may need to have a trusted adult on hand to talk about the issues raised in the book. I listened to the audiobook, and Bahni Turpin's narration was excellent, as always. She's definitely one of my favorite narrators.

(I know, I said I probably wouldn't read more juvenile books this year, but I was looking for an audiobook for the drive to church, and saw that this one was available. So, I make no more threats or promises regarding what I will or won't read!)

124SandyAMcPherson
Feb 8, 2021, 10:56 am

>121 foggidawn: worry is my default state...

Mine as well. And the anxiety was building ever since the Coronavirus infections came to North America. Recently, I've embraced a number of reference books to look for some strategies in getting a handle on my tendency to fall down the rabbit-hole of anxiety. I've always been a default-worrier from childhood, so it is a hard behaviour to modify.

So far I've read 3 books and the fourth is in progress. This last one is the very best of the lot: The Anxiety Toolkit (Alice Boyes).

Her book was laid out so that she cut to the chase right from the first page and then gave a road map how the book would address anxiety and provide strategies. I liked that this book had a considerably less academic format (compared to Burns, especially which I found rather pompous and overly academic, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy). Within the first chapter of Boyes' book, a very clear connection between physical-emotional symptoms was immediately followed by suggested actions to counteract anxiety.

125foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 8, 2021, 11:19 am

>124 SandyAMcPherson: I think I read at least part of that book (The Anxiety Toolkit) last year! The cover looks familiar. I agree, it was a good one. I should probably take a look at it again.

126foggidawn
Feb 8, 2021, 11:23 am

>122 fuzzi: Sorry, your post slipped in between mine and I almost missed it! I'm writing my thoughts down on paper for the books I read for the award committee, and I don't think I'll ever transfer them over to LT. I'm not writing proper reviews in my notebook, just scattered thoughts. Plus, I'm advised it's probably best to keep those sorts of things off social media. I may do a post after the awards are announced with some of my personal favorites for the year, but I'll have to see how I feel about it at that point.

127curioussquared
Feb 8, 2021, 12:21 pm

>126 foggidawn: I would love to see a roundup of favorites once the awards are announced if you feel up to it :)

128aktakukac
Feb 8, 2021, 12:25 pm

>127 curioussquared: I would, too!

129foggidawn
Feb 10, 2021, 10:51 am

>127 curioussquared: and >128 aktakukac: I'll keep it in mind. :-)

130foggidawn
Feb 10, 2021, 10:53 am

(12 books read)



Award reading count: 5 finished, 1 DNF

131foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 12, 2021, 11:32 am

(13 books read)



Award reading count: 6 finished, 1 DNF

I have a nice stack of books for the weekend, and my plan is to stay in and read a lot, with just enough chores, cooking, etc. to get by. John has to work all weekend, so no Valentines plans, and our last date was canceled due to weather. We'll see each other next weekend!

132MickyFine
Feb 12, 2021, 1:23 pm

>131 foggidawn: Sounds like a lovely weekend, Foggi. Crossing my fingers the weather cooperates and your next date can happen. :)

133foggidawn
Feb 17, 2021, 11:07 am

>132 MickyFine: Thanks! We got a big snow yesterday (well, big for us, probably another 6"), but the roads are clear now and the weather looks good for Saturday. Fingers crossed!

134foggidawn
Feb 17, 2021, 11:30 am

(14-16 books read)



Award reading count: 9 finished, 1 DNF

I had a snow day yesterday, and used it for reading and organizing bookshelves. I weeded out some TBR books (mostly galleys I had picked up at conferences, whose pub dates have long since come and gone) that I'll probably put in a Little Free Library, or on my library's giveaway table.

135foggidawn
Feb 22, 2021, 11:04 am

(17-18 books read)



Award reading count: 11 finished, 1 DNF

136foggidawn
Feb 22, 2021, 11:15 am

I got some reading done over the weekend, as you see. I also had a lovely Saturday at John's place: we went for a walk in the snowy woods and fields, throwing a frisbee for Lottie. She had a marvelous time running through the snow, chasing the frisbee and tracking the animals that had been there before her. We went back in and watched a movie (Shrek, since it had been a while since either of us had watched it), then had my slow-cooker roast beef for supper. It was a very pleasant day.

137MickyFine
Feb 22, 2021, 12:41 pm

>136 foggidawn: Aww that sounds like a lovely day/date.

11 books read for the award is impressive. Have your boxes of books for consideration started making an appearance?

I have a former colleague who is on the committee for a smaller regional award here in Canada and her stacks of books for that are intimidating.

138foggidawn
Feb 22, 2021, 1:28 pm

>137 MickyFine: Thanks! No boxes yet, but any time now, I expect. I will post here when they arrive -- wish I could post pictures, but that would be a big nope, so I will just continue to be all mysterious!

139MickyFine
Modificato: Feb 22, 2021, 1:48 pm

Extra mail has to be fun. I really love getting packages. Particularly when there's books in them. ;)

140foggidawn
Feb 22, 2021, 2:05 pm

>139 MickyFine: I know what you mean! Even if it's boring household stuff that I ordered myself, it's still fun to get packages -- and all the more so when it's books!

141foggidawn
Feb 24, 2021, 12:11 pm

(19 books read)



Award reading count: 12 finished, 1 DNF

142foggidawn
Feb 26, 2021, 8:51 am

Planning another weekend of reading and not much else -- I'm planning on pizza for supper, I have some cookie dough in the fridge to roll out, fill, and bake, and I'll have to do laundry and dishes, but other than that, it's reading, reading, reading. Oh, and D&D online with some friends for a couple of hours this evening.

143SandyAMcPherson
Feb 26, 2021, 9:57 am

Your reading forges ahead ~ hope the mystery books are engaging.
I seem to be in a reading-abandonment ditch. I was really disappointed in a Thomas King novel I tried out this week (Indians on Vacation) ~ I guess so disappointed with an author I normally enjoy so very much that I awarded just 2-stars.

Apparently this is a common situation these days (the reading-engagement block). I've been going for long walks out of doors when the weather permits. It is slated to head into frostbite territory by tonight unfortunately.

Is D&D dungeons and Dragons?

144foggidawn
Feb 26, 2021, 10:15 am

>143 SandyAMcPherson: Yes, Dungeons & Dragons. I never played it in my younger years, but started learning it a year and a half ago. Sorry about your disappointing read -- I hate it when a book by an author I like misses the mark. And I hope your weather cooperates. We're getting nice weather after all of the cold and snow, with highs above freezing and several sunshiny days (though this weekend looks like rain, which is all the better for my staying in and reading plans). It's good sugaring weather, and my parents and uncle have tapped their maple trees.

145scaifea
Feb 26, 2021, 11:55 am

Hi, foggi!

I've got cookie bars in the oven as I type and we're going to play D&D tonight, too!

How are you filling your cookie dough?

146MickyFine
Feb 26, 2021, 12:01 pm

>142 foggidawn: Mmm, pizza. We're making homemade pizza tomorrow. Since I was finally able to snag some yeast, we've found a dough recipe we really like.

I've dabbled in D&D but Mr. Fine plays every week virtually with his group. What kind of character do you play?

147curioussquared
Feb 26, 2021, 12:47 pm

I like your weekend plans and may steal them for myself, swapping chicken noodle soup for pizza :)

148foggidawn
Feb 26, 2021, 1:45 pm

>145 scaifea: I made the dough for hamantaschen since today is Purim. I made one sheet of cookies last night, but it was late and I didn't feel like staying up to bake more of them. I filled some with nutella and others with raspberry jam (I was going to make an apricot filling, but couldn't find the bag of dried apricots I thought I had). They're fun to make -- you fold the dough into little triangles. Mine last night did not look great (thought they tasted awesome). If the ones I make from the remaining dough look better, I'll try to remember to post a picture.

>146 MickyFine: Ooh, care to share your dough recipe? Confession: I never liked my mom's homemade pizza dough when I was a kid, so I haven't tried to make my own. (Nor will I this weekend -- a nearby pizza shop will get my business. But maybe sometime in the future!) I'm playing an elf rogue in our game.

>147 curioussquared: Have fun! ;-) I might have chicken noodle soup for lunch tomorrow. I know I have some in the cupboard, and it does sound appealing, especially with the forecasted rain.

149scaifea
Feb 26, 2021, 1:48 pm

Oooh, those cookies sound amazing! I suspect that given the chance, I'd cram both a nutella one and a raspberry jam one in my mouth at the same time, to get a blend of chocolate and raspberry.

Follow me for more gourmet tips.

150foggidawn
Modificato: Feb 26, 2021, 1:52 pm

>149 scaifea: This is the kind of high-quality content that I've come to expect from you.

(Seriously, that does sound like an excellent idea. Now I'm wondering if I could do a half-and-half thing with the filling so you'd have both in one cookie...)

151scaifea
Feb 26, 2021, 1:56 pm

>150 foggidawn: *snork!* Just one of the quality services I provide.

(Oooh, that's an excellent idea!)

152MickyFine
Feb 26, 2021, 3:52 pm

>148 foggidawn: Pizza dough recipe courtesy of Sally's Baking Addiction. Simple but it came out super tasty.

153foggidawn
Feb 26, 2021, 11:11 pm

>151 scaifea: Thanks! I didn’t get to the cookies tonight, but tomorrow is another day.

>152 MickyFine: Ooh, I do like her recipes! I’ll have to give it a try soon.

154quondame
Feb 27, 2021, 12:16 am

>148 foggidawn: Becky made me eat Cheetos instead of hamantaschen this year to celebrate getting rid of our recent tyrant.

155foggidawn
Feb 27, 2021, 5:01 pm

>154 quondame: Hahaha! Appropriate.

156foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 11:57 am

(20-22 books read)



Award reading count: 15 finished, 1 DNF

157foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 12:03 pm

My weekend went as planned, and it was really nice! I finished three books (one of which I had started earlier in the week) and listened to part of an audiobook. The books I read ranged from good to very good, and Lottie was calm and snuggly, with breaks for playing when she woke up full of energy. It was very muddy outside, so she got several baths, which I think wore her out even though she enjoys them.

I also used up the rest of the hamantaschen dough. Thanks to Amber's smart idea up-thread, I put both raspberry jam and Nutella in the centers. They were very tasty, and some of them were even tidy-looking enough to photograph!

158scaifea
Mar 1, 2021, 12:13 pm

>157 foggidawn: Woot!

I love that you describe my cramming two cookies in my mouth at once as a "smart idea."

159foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 12:31 pm

>158 scaifea: It sounds like a great idea to me, but if you could see behind the keyboard, me might actually be cookie monster... nomnomnom

160MickyFine
Mar 1, 2021, 1:55 pm

Those look delicious and if they were in my house, I'd definitely be Cookie Monster-ing them too.

161foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 3:42 pm

>160 MickyFine: Yes, they are all gone now.


I'm preparing to cook and bake this evening, though -- I have carrot cake cupcakes to frost, hard-boiled eggs to devil, and I want to make some potato soup and some ham and cheese biscuits. I have a date with John tomorrow, and I offered to bring a small picnic. (I will actually bring a fairly substantial picnic and send leftovers back with him that he can take to work for his lunches. We are always giving each other food -- did I mention that he gave me a block of farmers cheese for Valentine's Day, among other, more traditional gifts?) It's supposed to be cold but clear, so we're planning a brisk walk in the park, and then probably eating in the car where it's warm.

162curioussquared
Mar 1, 2021, 3:47 pm

>161 foggidawn: Ooh, a man who gifts cheese? A keeper!

163MickyFine
Mar 1, 2021, 3:52 pm

>161 foggidawn: That picnic sounds delicious. Also reminds me that I want to surprise Mr. Fine with a picnic date night in our basement next to the gas fireplace while it's cold enough to justify it. Maybe this weekend...

Also, I'm with Natalie, a man who gifts cheese is most decidedly a good one. :)

164foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 4:40 pm

>162 curioussquared: I know, right?

>163 MickyFine: Ooh, a picnic by the fireplace! Will you roast marshmallows, or is it not that sort of fireplace? (I've seen gas fireplaces where you can't access the flames for marshmallow-roasting, which is a little sad. But still romantic!)

165MickyFine
Mar 1, 2021, 5:18 pm

>164 foggidawn: Sadly, our fireplace is of the glassed in variety so no marshmallow roasting. But no need to feel sad as Mr. Fine built a fire pit in our backyard last summer so come warmer weather, there will be plenty of opportunities. :)

166foggidawn
Mar 1, 2021, 5:22 pm

>165 MickyFine: Best of both worlds, then. :-)

167scaifea
Mar 2, 2021, 7:50 am

Omg, Chainsaw Boyfriend gives romantic blocks of cheese?! I am *so* invested in this story - you two are my new favorite ship! Also? I *love* that you give each other food like that. Sending him home with leftovers for his lunches is just the nicest thing! I love it!

168foggidawn
Modificato: Mar 2, 2021, 12:31 pm

>167 scaifea:


Edit: Also, it wasn't just any block of cheese, it was the type of farmer's cheese I usually buy from the little store near my parents' house, which I mentioned once, and he remembered. So.

169scaifea
Mar 2, 2021, 12:51 pm

>168 foggidawn: This guy is *killing* me. So sweet and adorable.

170curioussquared
Mar 2, 2021, 1:56 pm

>168 foggidawn: OMG, that makes it so much better!

171thornton37814
Mar 2, 2021, 2:51 pm

>168 foggidawn: We have an "Amish" (probably Mennonite since it has electricity) store near us. I enjoy purchasing farmer's cheese there!

172MickyFine
Mar 2, 2021, 3:56 pm

>168 foggidawn: All the points for that!

173fuzzi
Mar 2, 2021, 5:59 pm

I like Chainsaw Boyfriend. Too bad I'm already married...

;)

174humouress
Mar 3, 2021, 6:41 am



... waiting for next instalment ...

175fuzzi
Mar 3, 2021, 7:01 am

>174 humouress: love love love Ratatouille!

176foggidawn
Mar 3, 2021, 9:57 am

>169 scaifea: Right?!?

>170 curioussquared: It does!

>171 thornton37814: Yes, that is just the type of store I mean, with the bulk dry goods and the big deli counter with anything you could want.

>172 MickyFine: Totally!

>173 fuzzi: LOL!

>174 humouress: Aww, that little face!

>175 fuzzi: Me, too!

So, our date yesterday evening was very nice -- we walked around the park, which has the usual park stuff (several tennis courts, a couple of playgrounds, basketball courts, etc.) and some wooded areas with paths. It was a short walk, because it's not a huge park, but it was nice. Then we found a picnic table in the sun. It was around 40F, and only a light, occasional breeze, so we were warm enough in our jackets until toward the end of the meal, when the sun started dipping lower and the temperature dropped a bit. Then we went and sat in his truck to warm up. However, I discovered something shocking and distressing: John doesn't like deviled eggs! To be a little sexist, I thought all men liked deviled eggs. Plus, he raises chickens! (He doesn't care for mayonnaise, which explains it... somewhat.) I think we can move past this. ;-) At least he liked the other foods that I brought!

177humouress
Mar 3, 2021, 10:54 am

>175 fuzzi: >176 foggidawn: :0)

>176 foggidawn: Well, more devilled eggs for you.

178curioussquared
Mar 3, 2021, 11:00 am

>176 foggidawn: Honestly, I thought all HUMANS liked deviled eggs.

>177 humouress: Exactly! All the deviled eggs for you 😁

179foggidawn
Mar 3, 2021, 11:19 am

>177 humouress: That thought did cross my mind. And, really, I mostly only make them for church potlucks (someday we'll have potlucks again, right?), where there's always an appreciative audience.

>178 curioussquared: That was Rob's comment. He did not hate that I brought home leftover deviled eggs (and I did send the cupcakes and ham and cheese biscuits home with John for his lunches).

180fuzzi
Mar 3, 2021, 11:20 am

>176 foggidawn: try making them without mayonnaise. I can't eat mayo so I use mustard (usually the dark kind), a little soy or worchestershire sauce, a pinch of horseradish, and a little dill pickle relish. I add my ingredients very slowly so I don't make the egg yolk mixture soupy. I've sometimes used a small amount of the brine solution from pickle or olives jars, too.

181humouress
Mar 3, 2021, 11:40 am

>180 fuzzi: My mum used to make egg boats for our parties with butter, salt, pepper etc and sometimes tomato sauce. Adjust flavours as desired but, essentially, there was no mayo.

182MickyFine
Mar 3, 2021, 11:51 am

>176 foggidawn: Well he had to show a flaw at some point. ;)

183foggidawn
Mar 3, 2021, 12:17 pm

>180 fuzzi: and >181 humouress: Interesting! He indicated that he's not crazy about hard-boiled eggs in general, so I will probably just focus on other things to cook.

>182 MickyFine: Just so. ;-)

184fuzzi
Mar 3, 2021, 12:46 pm

185quondame
Modificato: Mar 3, 2021, 1:10 pm

>176 foggidawn: Ah, deviled eggs can be made without mayo. I use Dijon mustard. My recipe is similar to >180 fuzzi:'s, but no sweet at all, capers(including a bit of the brine) and green peppercorns, Worcestershire sauce, a small dab of anchovy paste. My mom used to top them with those rolled anchovies with the caper in the center, but people aren't that brave anymore.
But then even some people who like eggs do not like them hard boiled, and while I do I can understand the sulfur smell is a big turn off.

186foggidawn
Mar 3, 2021, 3:20 pm

>184 fuzzi: :-D

>185 quondame: All of these new ways to make deviled eggs! I think I will skip the anchovies, though. ;-)

187fuzzi
Mar 3, 2021, 5:48 pm

>185 quondame: ooh, capers??

No sulfur smell if you cook the eggs just until the yolks are congealed. Ten minutes at a simmer, then fill the pot with ice to stop the cooking.

188PaulCranswick
Mar 3, 2021, 6:45 pm

>176 foggidawn: Your comments on devilled eggs brought a smile to my face and would have placed me in a similar position of jeopardy as your date. I have rather strange views about the eating of eggs and whilst I like them, I like to see them cooked for some reason I find hard to explain. It is a real leap of faith for me to order eggs in a restaurant (as part of a cooked breakfast for example) without being able to see them prepared. Definitely one of my stranger foibles.

189quondame
Mar 3, 2021, 9:55 pm

>186 foggidawn: With the anchovy paste though you get a richer flavor and it holds up better to the mustard without adding any fishy taste. But yes, a whole anchovy per egg half is excessive, but well, the guests in the 50s and 60s were pretty well lubricated.

190foggidawn
Mar 4, 2021, 10:30 am

>187 fuzzi: The hard-boiling of eggs is a contentious topic! My practice is to bring the pot to a full, rolling boil for two minutes, then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes, then move the eggs to a bowl of ice water to halt cooking. This yields good, firm yolks without graying. I'm not bothered by a little sulfur odor, but I'm always dismayed if the eggs turn out halfway between hard and soft-boiled. The real key for deviled eggs, though, is to use old eggs, not fresh ones. The membrane between the shell and the white weakens over time, making older eggs easier to peel.

>188 PaulCranswick: Oh, interesting! We all have our quirks. Would you eat deviled eggs if you had seen them being prepared?

>189 quondame: I have a tube of anchovy paste in my cabinets, because my grandmother gave me a little grab-bag of interesting ingredients at Christmas. I haven't used it yet -- I suspect my housemate will use it to entice the neighborhood cats to come and be petted. That's the only thing he would use it for, though, being a vegetarian, so if I did make the eggs that way, I would have to eat them all myself. Well lubricated, hah!

191foggidawn
Mar 4, 2021, 10:35 am

(23-24 books read)



Award reading count: 17 finished, 1 DNF

192fuzzi
Mar 4, 2021, 12:08 pm

>190 foggidawn: I've tried the bring to a boil then let sit method with mixed results. My mother used to boil eggs for 10 minutes then put under running cold water, but I tried dumping ice cubes in the water and I liked how they turned out.

193foggidawn
Mar 4, 2021, 12:27 pm

>192 fuzzi: My stove is (alas) electric, so the element holds some heat, which makes a big difference. I think I'd have to adjust how I do it on a gas stove. I've tried taking it off the heating element after bringing to a boil, and got mixed results then, too. The thickness of the pot you're using, how well the lid holds in heat... I can see all of these things being a factor. So, I know what works in my kitchen, but I wouldn't necessarily expect it to work exactly the same way in yours. I'm one of those people who is used to doing things a certain way, with certain tools, and cooking in another kitchen is always an adjustment and makes me just a tiny bit cranky. Even cooking in my mother's kitchen, I have to ask where things are, and there are tools that she doesn't use or have (I rely much more on the all-purpose rubber spatula than she does, so she has, like, one, buried at the bottom of a drawer, whereas I have 6 or 7, stored in the most convenient spot).

194quondame
Mar 4, 2021, 3:54 pm

>190 foggidawn: After years of once-a-month deviled egg preparation I learned about the old egg trick - and found it was only necessary to leave the eggs out overnight before boiling. I still had years of egg-deviling ahead of me to make use of it, too. Now no, my daughter complains about the sulfur smell of the boiled eggs.

195foggidawn
Mar 4, 2021, 4:04 pm

>194 quondame: Ooh, handy tip! Thanks!

196fuzzi
Mar 4, 2021, 4:11 pm

>194 quondame: nice tip, thanks!

197SandyAMcPherson
Modificato: Mar 4, 2021, 10:37 pm

>167 scaifea: >161 foggidawn: This saga is fascinating.
I'm here for the Chainsaw BoyFriend story, too.
What an awesome thing, specially-remembered cheese purchase.
Are you going to do a St. Patrick's Day outing too?
Guess 'green eggs' are out.

198foggidawn
Mar 5, 2021, 11:58 am

>197 SandyAMcPherson: I'll see him again the weekend after St. Patrick's Day, but no, I'll skip the green eggs, I think. :-D

199humouress
Mar 6, 2021, 1:29 am

>183 foggidawn: Hmm. It's a lot harder to make devilled eggs without the eggs.

200PaulCranswick
Mar 6, 2021, 6:23 am

>190 foggidawn: Yeah I guess I would eat them, Foggi. I do like making myself omelettes but SWMBO prefers me not too as I tend to make too much mess.

201PaulCranswick
Mar 6, 2021, 6:24 am

Have a lovely weekend.

202foggidawn
Mar 8, 2021, 9:59 am

>199 humouress: Precisely. :-)

>200 PaulCranswick: I can see how that would be the case. I do love a good omelette.

>201 PaulCranswick: Hope yours was good, too! I did some reading and took Lottie for a muddy time at the dog park, so my weekend was pretty nice.

203foggidawn
Mar 8, 2021, 10:03 am

(25 books read)



I only finished one book, but read enough of two others to decide to ditch them. I can always revisit them if others on the committee find them worth reading.

Award reading count: 18 finished, 3 DNF

204humouress
Mar 8, 2021, 11:34 am

>200 PaulCranswick: You sound like my eldest; the whole kitchen is a mess after he's made himself a scrambled eggs snack. And he'll only condescend to make me some about one time out of three. They're yummy and the delicious smell goes through the whole house.

>203 foggidawn: Remind me, foggi - did you get your consignment of books to read in the end?

205foggidawn
Mar 8, 2021, 12:29 pm

>204 humouress: The publishers have our addresses now, so books should start arriving any day. If it's like my last committee experience, we'll get a few packages, then a lot of packages, then even more during the summer months, trickling off in the late fall/early winter.

206MickyFine
Mar 8, 2021, 3:17 pm

Here's hoping there's some excellent reads in the early batches of things. :)

207quondame
Mar 8, 2021, 8:16 pm

>204 humouress: That sounds like Becky and hamburgers - if I catch her before she has put the burgers in the pan she'll add one for me, otherwise I just have to live with the scent.

208AMQS
Mar 8, 2021, 8:42 pm

Hi foggi! Your mystery reads are driving me crazy. Will you be able to share your list at some point when it's all said and done? I placed a large order fairly recently but I don't think I have any 2021 books... yet. Sometimes with Follett there's a bit of a wait for the very newly reviewed books. Our district collection guidelines state that the book has to have two positive professional reviews or be on the elementary reviewed books committee recommended list in order to be able to add, so I can't imagine I'd come across anything that you would not have.

I recently read Hollowpox and really want the next one now! Like you and Micky, the sickness felt very close to home. We just completed our district's Battle of the Books (my team placed 2nd!) and the first Nevermoor book was one of the BoB books, so the whole series is catching on at my school right now. I'm so glad!

209MickyFine
Mar 9, 2021, 3:06 pm

>208 AMQS: Oh I'm excited for all your students to discover Morrigan, Anne.

*waves at Foggi*

210foggidawn
Mar 10, 2021, 10:17 am

>206 MickyFine: Fingers crossed! I've read some really good ones already, but then I look at what's coming out later in the year, and it's all so exciting!

>207 quondame: Mmm, hamburgers...

>208 AMQS: When you do start reading 2021 books, be sure to let me know which ones you like. I'm not sure if sharing the list of what I read will be advisable even after the award is announced, but I'll see what I can do. Glad your students are loving Nevermoor!

>209 MickyFine: *waves back*

211foggidawn
Modificato: Mar 10, 2021, 6:18 pm

(26 books read)



Award reading count: 19 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

212foggidawn
Mar 10, 2021, 6:23 pm

EEEEEEeeeeeeeEEEEEE!

I got my first box of books today! Can't tell you which books, or even which publisher, I'm sorry, but I think it's okay to say how many: 6. I admit, I jumped up and down a bit. (I will be calmer in a month or so, though as we discussed above, it's always fun to get packages.) I know many of you have been wondering when the books would start showing up, and how many, so I'm going to try to keep a total in my mystery book posts. I make no guarantees as to its accuracy but it will give you an idea how many I end up with.

213scaifea
Mar 11, 2021, 8:06 am

>212 foggidawn: WOOT! That's so exciting!!

214foggidawn
Mar 11, 2021, 9:23 am

(27 books read)



Award reading count: 20 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

215MickyFine
Mar 11, 2021, 11:27 am

>212 foggidawn: Yay new books!

216foggidawn
Mar 11, 2021, 12:14 pm

>213 scaifea: Right?!?!

>215 MickyFine: How did you know? :-D Actually, some new books are downright stinky, depending on the printing chemicals.

217foggidawn
Mar 11, 2021, 12:15 pm

(28-30 books read)



Award reading count: 23 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

Burning through a lot of relatively short books just lately.

218curioussquared
Mar 11, 2021, 12:27 pm

Ooh, book mail is the best mail!

219MickyFine
Mar 11, 2021, 12:28 pm

>216 foggidawn: Oh yes. I know the too strong new book smell well. :)

Short books feel so nice sometimes. After spending a week with Mansfield Park, I'm relishing in reading some shorter/faster reads.

220foggidawn
Mar 11, 2021, 1:56 pm

>218 curioussquared: Definitely!

>219 MickyFine: My favorite book smell is old library books. Most libraries now keep their collections new and fresh, but you can still get the scent sometimes in old local history collections, archives, or genealogy rooms. That's a really specific, nerdy preference, I know, but it's a very distinctive odor to me. It reminds me of the libraries of my childhood.

221thornton37814
Mar 11, 2021, 2:43 pm

>220 foggidawn: you can still get the scent sometimes in old local history collections, archives, or genealogy rooms

My preferred library space!

222MickyFine
Mar 11, 2021, 11:10 pm

>220 foggidawn: I know exactly the smell you mean. The stacks at my university library were redolent with it.

223scaifea
Mar 12, 2021, 8:24 am

>220 foggidawn: >222 MickyFine: I think academic libraries tend to have that smell because the collection turnover is so different, yeah? And YES it smells amazing!!

224fuzzi
Mar 12, 2021, 5:58 pm

>220 foggidawn: I call it "old book smell" 😁

When I see an old book online that I want, I always add a note to the seller: "Is this book musty? I can handle old book smell, but am allergic to must".

225AMQS
Mar 13, 2021, 12:36 am

How exciting! There's nothing better than when my FM brings the giant Follett box on a cart... and these are for YOU!!

226SandyAMcPherson
Mar 16, 2021, 12:52 am

Hi foggi. A quick delurk to let you know I'm following along.
I am also a fan of 'old book shop' odours but detest the mouldy, damped book smell.

Even worse, is to find a title wanted for a long time only to open the book and smell horrid stale cigarette stink or worse, 'old lady perfume' odours. That is what my kids called that deteriorated perfume smell. It is maybe unfair to tag it Old Lady, but I believe there is some basis to the attribution.

227foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 10:20 am

>221 thornton37814: :-)

>222 MickyFine: Yes, my university libraries were the same way.

>223 scaifea: You've hit the nail on the head.

>224 fuzzi: Exactly -- there's definitely a difference.

>225 AMQS: Yes, so exciting!

>226 SandyAMcPherson: Ugh, yes, none of those other smells. Just plain old-book smell for me!

228foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 10:49 am

So, I took a couple vacation days to extend my weekend, and got to go see my parents and my brother and his family. It was really pleasant, and I also got a fair bit of reading done (I found a couple of audiobooks to listen to during the drive, and had plenty of good reading time during my visit). My nephew's vocabulary is exploding, and he now chatters half-unintelligible words, phrases, and songs continually. He's still big on letters, numbers, and colors, so he does a lot of counting things. One morning, Mom made doughnuts, and he stood up on his chair and counted: "One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight! Wow!" (He's also a fan of climbing anything that can be climbed, whether it should be climbed or not.)

229foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 11:03 am

(31 books read)



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling -- Harry and friends reach the end of their epic struggle. Can they defeat the Dark Lord?

Rob and I finally finished this read, which stretched longer than any previous one. We had a good chat afterwards, about whether the Christian symbolism (Harry's "death" and "resurrection") was intended. Rob enjoyed the series more than he thought he would, so that's something. With Rob mostly working evenings (our most convenient reading time) and me being caught up in other reading, we're taking a break from read-alouds, probably for the rest of the year. After that, I've threatened to inflict Narnia upon him, which he dislikes without ever having read. Or I might do the Bartimaeus trilogy, which I think he would really enjoy.

230foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 11:09 am

(32-35 books read)



Award reading count: 27 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

231curioussquared
Mar 17, 2021, 12:26 pm

Your vacation sounds lovely! Glad you got a lot of reading in :)

232MickyFine
Mar 17, 2021, 1:57 pm

An extended long weekend sounds lovely. I've still got a bit of a wait for my next one. At my work we get Good Friday and Easter Monday and I cannot wait for a glorious 4-day weekend next month.

Congrats on finishing your HP read aloud with Rob.

233foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 3:18 pm

>231 curioussquared: Thanks! It was very nice.

>232 MickyFine: That's coming up before too long! My next one will be Orthodox Easter, when I've requested a couple of days off. That's at the beginning of May, so it's going to be a while for me.

234MickyFine
Mar 17, 2021, 3:26 pm

>233 foggidawn: That is a long stretch. Here's hoping the time in between flies by.

235foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 3:42 pm

>234 MickyFine: Thanks. It is a long stretch, but I'm hoping the spring weather will help make the time go faster.

236compskibook
Mar 17, 2021, 5:36 pm

>229 foggidawn: That's my vote for the award-that-shall-not-be-named!

237foggidawn
Mar 17, 2021, 9:51 pm

238foggidawn
Mar 19, 2021, 11:28 am

Hi, all! I'm so glad it's Friday. Weekend plans: Date with John tonight -- I'm making baked salmon with lemon and rosemary, wild rice, and asparagus. I'm still trying to decide what to make for dessert -- maybe just sorbet, but I'd like to make some cookies to go along with it if I can make time. Then we're going to watch Hamilton on Disney+ (he's never seen it before). Saturday will be a full day of reading award contenders, and Sunday will be church and either more reading or another visit with John, depending on what we decide this evening.

I'm not having much luck finishing books during the week, but I seem to be able to make up for it on the weekends, at least for now. I may have to up my pace as the year goes on and more books arrive.

239MickyFine
Mar 19, 2021, 11:45 am

Your date night plans sound wonderful (especially that tasty dinner)! I hope John enjoys Hamilton. Has he listened to the album at all? Here's hoping you get some good reading time in this weekend.

240foggidawn
Modificato: Mar 19, 2021, 12:25 pm

>239 MickyFine: I don't think he's even listened to the album, but he seems enthusiastic about watching it. The big challenge for me will be not singing along! (I remember, as a kid, watching The Sound of Music with my cousins, and I was singing along with Maria up in the hills, and one of them turned to me and said, "Are you going to sing along with the whole thing?" I was like, ". . . no?")

241curioussquared
Mar 19, 2021, 12:29 pm

Ooh, I love a Hamilton date night! And dinner sounds delicious. Not singing along to the whole thing would also be my challenge :D

242MickyFine
Mar 19, 2021, 1:36 pm

>240 foggidawn: Not singing along is always my downfall too. One of my early dates with Mr. Fine was a screening of Sound of Music at a historic movie theatre and as he'd never seen it I really didn't want to infringe on his first experience. After that, singing along is fair game. ;)

243fuzzi
Modificato: Mar 19, 2021, 5:36 pm

>240 foggidawn: my sisters and I all can carry a tune, and love music. My dad loves to relate the tale from a trip over 50 years ago. As a family we were staying at a Holiday Inn (York, Pennsylvania), had eaten our dinner in the restaurant, and were then allowed to walk around while my parents had their after dinner coffee. They started hearing bursts of applause from the lounge (aka "bar"). The three of us had placed ourselves on the stools around the piano player, and were singing along to the tunes. I was about 5, my sisters were about 9 and 10.

I still sing along when I watch movies with musical numbers.

244scaifea
Mar 20, 2021, 8:49 am

Eagerly awaiting your Salmilton Date Night report, foggi! And if he balks at you singing along, well, that's a litmus test of sorts, no? I mean, who could resist?! I can't even not sing along full blast to the Gilmore Girls theme every time.

245foggidawn
Modificato: Mar 22, 2021, 10:53 am

>241 curioussquared: I was (mostly) able to restrain myself. ;-)

>242 MickyFine: Agreed! Re-watch singalongs are definitely fair game.

>243 fuzzi: Ah, the beginning of your career as a lounge singer! ;-)

>244 scaifea: "Salmilton" -- love it! And he didn't say a word about my occasional singing along.

The date went very well; thanks, everyone, for your interest. The salmon came out beautifully, though I bought a fairly thick cut so it took a little longer to cook than I had anticipated. John doesn't care for asparagus, as it turns out, though he tried a little to humor me. This is not as surprising as the deviled eggs; my mom doesn't like asparagus either, nor does my brother. John did like the fish and the rice, and I made a blueberry ricotta cake for dessert. He really enjoyed Hamilton, he said he can see it becoming a classic and being performed a hundred years from now.

Apart from that, I had a quiet weekend full of reading and usual weekend activities. Hope you all had nice weekends, too! Now it's Monday, and I started the day with the realization that I hadn't washed my face masks, so I had to wear one of the ones I don't like as much. How's that for a pandemic Monday?

246foggidawn
Mar 22, 2021, 10:55 am

(36-38 books read)



Award reading count: 30 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

247MickyFine
Mar 22, 2021, 1:42 pm

Glad to hear the date went well and that he liked Hamilton. :)

It's funny how quickly we've become picky about masks, eh? We always keep a few disposable masks in the car in case we forget to bring reusable ones but I hate using them because they're too big for my face.

248foggidawn
Mar 22, 2021, 2:10 pm

>247 MickyFine: That's one of the problems with the one I had to wear today. But all of my good ones are now on the drying rack, so tomorrow is looking brighter, mask-wise.

249MickyFine
Mar 22, 2021, 5:38 pm

Woohoo! I have a glut of masks because I'd bought extra in advance of a planned part-time return to the office last year and then we went back into lockdown and based on government phases it'll be a while before the work from home order is listed. So I have 10ish and might use 3 tops in a week. But they're all so pretty. :)

250foggidawn
Mar 23, 2021, 10:11 am

>249 MickyFine: I own five or six, mostly ones that I made. I should probably make a few more, but that's low on my list of priorities right now. I usually wash the mask each evening, but over the weekend I had let them pile up, and then I forgot.

251foggidawn
Mar 24, 2021, 10:53 am

(39 books read)



Award reading count: 31 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

252leahbird
Mar 24, 2021, 10:55 am

I have been MIA from checking posts so there was so much loveliness to catch up on here! Yay for cheese giving chainsaw boyfriend but I don't know if I trust someone who doesn't like deviled eggs..... I'm so happy that you seem happy though!

I have so many masks I can't wear and like 3 I can. I have found that I definitely can't do the around the ears ones and I can't do the ones that have the metal in the nose as both give me headaches. So I'm down to the neck gaiter style and they are surprisingly hard to find in a decent thickness. Mine are double layer and very comfy but they definitely get in your mouth if you are talking too much. I get my first vaccine shot this weekend and I am sooooooo excited to be less worried even though I will still be taking all the precautions.

253foggidawn
Mar 24, 2021, 11:10 am

>252 leahbird: Yeah, I can only do the behind-the-ears ones for a little while (a quick trip to the store, for instance). For a workday, I use the kind with ties. I bought some plastic frames to keep them out of my mouth, but don't usually bother with those unless I am singing (e.g. at church).

254leahbird
Modificato: Mar 24, 2021, 11:20 am

>253 foggidawn: I have seriously considered getting one of the plastic frames but I worried that it would just be another thing to give me a headache. Do you find that it creates noticeable pressure on your face? Apparently I have become a headache looking for a way to happen. ;)

255foggidawn
Mar 25, 2021, 12:13 pm

(40 books read)



Award reading count: 32 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 6

256foggidawn
Mar 25, 2021, 12:16 pm

>254 leahbird: I'll PM you. :-)

257foggidawn
Mar 26, 2021, 9:28 am

(41 books read)



Award reading count: 33 finished, 3 DNF
Books received: 14

I got another box of books!

258MickyFine
Mar 26, 2021, 12:12 pm

Woohoo! Book mail just in time for the weekend!

259foggidawn
Mar 26, 2021, 12:22 pm

>258 MickyFine: Exactly! I'm looking forward to a weekend of reading and being generally lazy. No date this weekend, but I'm having dinner with John on Tuesday (his day off this week) so I have that to look forward to.

260curioussquared
Mar 26, 2021, 2:18 pm

Echoing book mail excitement! I know you literally have to read as many of these books as you can, but you're inspiring me to be better about actually reading the excessive quantities of books I keep buying, lol. Once I finish my Murderbot reread, that is.

261foggidawn
Mar 26, 2021, 3:00 pm

>260 curioussquared: Yeah, at the beginning of this year I went through my books, specifically my TBRs, and got rid of two big bags and one medium-sized box of books. Many of the ones I got rid of were galleys, and I felt bad about having picked them up (mostly at conferences and such) and never read them. However, I put them on the "free table" at the library and they were gone almost immediately, so now they're someone else's guilty acquisition! ;-) And a Murderbot reread is definitely worth the time!

262foggidawn
Mar 26, 2021, 3:01 pm

(I know this thread is getting a bit long, but I'm trying to make it last until the end of the month.)

263curioussquared
Mar 26, 2021, 3:08 pm

>261 foggidawn: I don't have access to many galleys outside of the Early Reviewer program these days, but when I was in high school, I completed a lot of my mandatory volunteer hours by serving on my local library's "teen advisory board." The librarian who ran the teen advisory board was on an award committee one year (for the Printz, maybe?) and got permission to bring a bunch of us teens along to the ALA Midwinter conference. Baby Natalie was in HEAVEN and picked up So. Many. Galleys. Like 60+ or something. This is... 14 years ago, now? Over the years I've read or given away most of them, but I still have 5-10 I keep saying I'm going to read someday. We'll see, lol.

264foggidawn
Mar 26, 2021, 3:53 pm

>263 curioussquared: I think everybody goes a little crazy at their first conference, and 10-15 years ago was probably peak time for physical galleys (before e-galleys really took off). I probably still have a few galleys from every conference I've attended, though I've slowly gotten better at taking only ones that I really want to read right away, and not just everything that looks even a little bit interesting. My library gets ARC mailings from our wholesaler a few times a year, but I mostly pass those along to other staff, and the teen librarians take the YA galleys and give them to the Teen Advisory Board as perks for volunteering.

265SandyAMcPherson
Modificato: Mar 29, 2021, 9:17 am

Hi Foggi.
I'm mostly MIA as well. So busy with some other obligations I let slide last year. Now I have to catch up as best I can on LT.

I really enjoy your Saga of the Chainsaw BF. I guess maybe we need to let that nick go. He sounds lovely. I don't like asparagus either! I wouldn't abandon someone for not liking devilled eggs. Some folks find they're so mushy or sulfur-smelling/tasting, so I get that.

>263 curioussquared: Natalie's story about the ALA meeting was fun to hear. I would love to go to one of those conferences. Do you have to be a librarian?

266foggidawn
Modificato: Mar 29, 2021, 9:48 am

>265 SandyAMcPherson: Glad to see you whenever you can make time. It's good to find a balance. I'm also glad you're enjoying my dating hi-jinks. I like the Chainsaw Boyfriend nickname, thought I don't know if he would or not. He'd probably find it amusing. :-) As for ALA conferences, you don't have to be a librarian or an ALA member, but the non-member registration rates are slightly higher. But you can also buy a pass for just the exhibit hall (or sometimes the LT staff get a certain number of exhibits-only passes that they give out for free). So, if you wanted to make a weekend trip to whatever city the conference was being held in, you could get an exhibits-only pass and spend a while in the exhibit hall, then sight-see around the city. The conference I've wanted to attend for some time is Book Expo America -- it's more for booksellers than librarians, and I'm told the exhibit hall is even better than ALA.

Weekend reading report: only finished two books, but one of them was really good, probably the best I've read so far. Sorry to tease you all like that! This is a case where I really wish I could share the title and recommend it to you all. I'll be sure to do so after the award is announced, with all of the books that I particularly love.

267foggidawn
Mar 29, 2021, 9:49 am

(42-43 books read)



Award reading count: 35 finished, 4 DNF
Books received: 14

268MickyFine
Mar 29, 2021, 12:45 pm

>266 foggidawn: You book tease. ;)

Hope your Monday goes quickly!

269foggidawn
Mar 30, 2021, 12:08 pm

>268 MickyFine: It started out very Monday-ish, but got better. Hope yours went well!

270foggidawn
Mar 30, 2021, 12:25 pm

(44 books read)



Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher -- This live show-turned-book is just what I'd expect from Carrie Fisher: sharp and funny, with plenty of dishing about Hollywood celebrities, addiction, and mental illness. I needed a quick, readily-available audiobook for a couple of short drives, and Micky mentioned it on her thread, so I gave it a quick listen.

271foggidawn
Modificato: Apr 1, 2021, 11:35 am

(45 books read)



Award reading count: 36 finished, 4 DNF
Books received: 14

272MickyFine
Modificato: Mar 30, 2021, 3:26 pm

>270 foggidawn: Glad to be the source of the nudge and happy to see you enjoyed it. :)

Also, happy date day!

273SandyAMcPherson
Mar 30, 2021, 4:56 pm

>266 foggidawn: This is a case where I really wish I could share the title and recommend it to you all. I'll be sure to do so after the award is announced, with all of the books that I particularly love.

I'm marking this as a favourite so I can be sure to --->poke you by this time in 2022!

I love that you are sharing this trip on a review committee!

274AMQS
Mar 31, 2021, 12:21 am

>266 foggidawn: GAH! Well, think how sweet it will be to share this... someday. Glad you had a great read!

275foggidawn
Mar 31, 2021, 3:16 pm

>272 MickyFine: Thanks! Date day was absolutely lovely: the weather was gorgeous, so we went for a drive and stopped at a couple of different places for short walks.

>273 SandyAMcPherson: Poke away! I am glad you've enjoying my dispatches from the field, as it were.

>274 AMQS: I know I'm being a tease! I'm trying not to be too obnoxious with it. ;-)

276foggidawn
Modificato: Apr 1, 2021, 11:30 am

Here's a picture I took on our date the other day. Neither of us loves being in photographs, but I thought this one came out rather well:

277MickyFine
Apr 1, 2021, 9:55 am

Cuties! ❤

278foggidawn
Apr 1, 2021, 11:36 am

>277 MickyFine: Aww, thanks!

Okay, guys, no foolin', I have started another thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/331060

See you over there!

279curioussquared
Apr 1, 2021, 12:19 pm

>276 foggidawn: Yay for another successful date and cute pic!

280humouress
Apr 3, 2021, 12:14 pm

Ooh, new books! And more new books!

>276 foggidawn: Nice photo.
Questa conversazione è stata continuata da foggidawn's Thread of Mystery 2021, Vol. 2.