Joe's Book Cafe 6 2021

By various photographers

Welcome back to the cafe!

January 2021

1. The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine*
2. The Dreaming by Simon Spurrier*
3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay
5. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
6. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
7. Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Gluck
8. Lady Mechanika by Joe Benitez*
9. Catwoman Friend or Foe by Joelle Jones*
10. Jack by Marilynne Robinson
11. Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison
12. The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
13. Slam by Pamela Ribon*
14. Mezo by Tyler Chin-Tanner*
15. Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini*
16. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
17. Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay
18. Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn*
19. Prodigal Son by Greg Hurwitz
20. Bodega: Poems by Su Hwang

February 2021

21. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
22. Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman*
23. Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
24. Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald
25. Mortal Instruments The Graphic Novel Vol. 4 by Cassandra Clare*
26. Wicked Enchantment by Wanda Coleman
27. The God of Nothingness by Mark Wunderlich
28. Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer
29. Blood Grove by Walter Mosley
30. Bookshop of the Broken-Hearted by Robert Hillman
31. Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
32. The Dreaming Vol. 2 by Simon Spurrier*
33. Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb
34. Pride by Ibi Zoboi
35. The Sunflower Cast a Spell by Jackie Wang
36. The Dreaming Vol. 3 by Simon Spurrier*
37. House of Whispers by Nalo Hopkinson*
38. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
39. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
40. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
41. Punisher Max Omnibus Vol. 1 by Garth Ennis
42. Becoming by Michelle Obama
43. Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
44. Stay Safe by Emma Hine

March 2021

45. Monstress Vol. 5 by Marjorie Liu*
46. The Way of the Househusband by Kousuke Oono*
47. The Lefthanded Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
48. Slam! The Next Jam by Pamela Ribon*
49. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
50. A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson
51. Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge*
52. Trader’s Leap by Sharon Lee
53. Soft Science by Franny Choi
54. Alex Rider Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz*
55. A Wealth of Pigeons by Harry Bliss*
56. Injection Vol. 1 by Warren Ellis*
57. inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
58. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 5 by Kazuo Koike*
59. The Sheriff of Babylon by Tom King*
60. Dr. Strange/The Punisher Magic Bullets by John Barber
61. Butch Geography by Stacey Waite
62. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 6 by Kazuo Koike*
63. The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff*
64. Manazuru by Hiromi Kawakami
65. The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
66. Dark Sky by C. J. Box
67. Murderi in an un-sound Mind by Anne Cleland
68.

April

68. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
69. First person Singular by Haruki Murakami
70. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas
71. Cluny Brown by Mathery Sharp

May
72. Fugitive Telemetry by Nartha wells
73. Home, Habitat by Martha Wells
74. New Lone Wolf and Cub vol. 6
75. New Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 7 by Kazuo Koike
76. New Lone Wolf and Cub. Vol. 8 by Kazuo Koike
77. The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers
78. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
79. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
80. And Shall Machines Surrender by Benjanun Sriduangkaew
81, Chaos on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer

June

82. Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
83. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce
84. Reckless by Ed Brubaker
85. Friend of the Devil by Ed Brubaker
86. I’ll Fly Away by Rudy Francisco

* Illustrated/Graphic Novel

This year I'm just going to list the illustrated/GN books with the others

Grandkids Rafa and Fina

Favorites of the Year So Far

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

Chicago River at NIght

Ralph wanted to join us in the new cafe

Street art by Alice Pasquini

Yes. this is a double post. I posted it first over on your last thread, but figured that I could just move it over here and you wouldn't mind.

I am deep into reading Giver of Starsby Jojo Moyes. It is a totally different story than Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Totally different plots. Giver emphasizes the lives of the women who live in that part of Kentucky and the building of the coal miners unions. It is a more traditional story about the "good" librarians standing up to and fighting the "evil" coal mine owners. It is filled with interesting characters and even though the plot is straightforward it has kept me interested. I am fully invested in the characters and have about 100 pages left to read in it, so I can say that it is just as good as Book Woman - just with a different slant. Giver is a longer book - by about 100 pages, but I think well written. If you liked Book Woman, I would say that you are going to like Giver as well.

I think it is unfortunate that both books were published in the same year and about the same time. Readers would have a tendency to think that they would be plotted about the same way. That isn't the case. Both books are really good reads. Some might say that Book Woman is "misery porn" in that it is one of those books that features an exotic rare disease or medical condition, but even though it is the bleaker of the two novels I think it is a good read. Giver is classified as "women's fiction" and not nearly as bleak as Book Woman. I think that both tags work against both novels as they both are really good books and illustrate the problems with tagging, genrifying, or classifying books. Sometimes those tags are erroneous or exclusionary in that they cause people to overlook books that might be great reads for them.

Thanks for the encouraging comparison of Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and the Jojo Moyes , book, Benita. It's nice to have a thoughtful opinion from someone with no axe to grind. I agree, the near-in-time releases no doubt added to the initial controversy.

Hi Joe, and happy new thread!

>3 jnwelch: TCFW – too cute for words.

Stunning toppers Joe. And love seeing your grandies growing up too.

The Isaacson is on my list, I love his book on Einstein (and am watching the series 'Genius' which was based on it), and have his Da Vinci in the tbr mountain.

Happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: What a stunning welcome.

>2 jnwelch: Oh wow, wasn't Fina an infant just a minute ago? What a lovey.

Happy new thread, Joe! Keep on keepin' on...

Happy new one!

Happy new thread! I'll try to stay up-to-date on this one. ; )

Happy new thread, Joe!

>2 jnwelch: Your reading is getting back on track I see.
Congratulations on reaching and passing the magical number!

Happy new thread, Joe. Love the toppers. Already, it feels cooler, just looking at them! We are experiencing what feels like mid-August temps here this week, into the high 20s, low 30s Celsius. It feels like we've had 3 seasons this month alone! I am not ready for that! I think I could be happy with autumn year-round!

Great grandpics. Is Fina getting blonder every time we see her? ;-)

>1 jnwelch: OoooOOOooooo they're so *pretty*

I really think you should get The Long Call out of the library, Joe. Author Cleeves has done it again...Matthew Venn is right up there with Jimmy Perez and Vera Stanhope.

Happy new thread, Joe.

Rafa and Fina looking adorable as always!

I'm glad to see you really liked Fugitive Telemetry, I just finished a reread of Network Effect and saw it listed as next in series. Very happy!

Happy new one, Joe.

The openers look a little autumnal to me!

>3 jnwelch: Not surprised you are proud to put up those pics, Joe. Gorgeous little fellows, both!

>6 jnwelch: Love that so much!

Morning, Joe! Happy new thread!

>1 jnwelch: Stunning! (But I think you're catering more to the Antipodeans in the group.)

>2 jnwelch: Congratulations on 75! You sneaked that one past us.

>3 jnwelch: Cute!

>6 jnwelch: Hey Ralph.

>17 jessibud2: I noticed their blond hair this time, too (Rafa's seems dark blond).

>10 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen! Aren't those two ineffably cute?

>11 Caroline_McElwee: T hanks, Caroline. I"ll post some of the grandies on this thread later. I appreciate the enthusiasm. We'll all get to watch them grow.bp

I'm glad you've got the Isaacson teed up. If you loved his Einstein book (i did, too) (it was the top touchstone for once!) you'll love this one, too. Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

>12 quondame: Thanks, Susan! I'm glad you find those toppers stunning - me, too. Isn't Fina something? She is a lovie, but she also can look quite fierce. Our daughter loves to show friends a photo of happy Fina, followed by a photo of fierce Fina, looking like she'll take your head off if you don't shape up. It's going to be a lot of fun seeing what she gets up to in her life.

>13 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>14 drneutron: Thanks, JIm!

>15 Berly: THanks, Kim! I'll look forward to it.

>19 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. And thank re the adorabubble two.

it feels like a Celebration Day every time a new Murderbot book comes out, doesn't it? Have fun with our favorite SecUnit.

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. It's been a confusing time with everything that's been going on; at least I've been able to read. I'm not so sure I"ve done a good job of keeping track of what I've read, but I've tried. THanks for the congrats. You've probably lapped me twice by now. :-)

>17 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley, and thanks re the toppers. I agree - they do help cool the psyche, don't they. IT's hot here today, too. It feels like we've had 3 seasons this month alone! Ha! We get that a lot here in sweet home Chicago, like our snow and hot temps close together last month. We're expecting it to only get wilder with climate change effects.

>18 richardderus: Aren't those purty, RD. Thanks for the Long Call tip. The library is re-entering my life now that I can walk longer distances again.

>3 jnwelch: Wowie! That Fina is doll, a marvelously huggable doll. Yer blessed, Joe, and you know it.

An aside: Didn't David Bowie and his first wife name their daughter Zowie?

>20 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Isn't our friend Ralph a hoot? As Shelley says, you can come here and cool off in those autumnal reds. (It's my favorite season). Those two little cuties have become quite popular here. I thought I might be overdoing the grandpa love, but our pals assured me they love seeing photos of them as they grow up.

>21 scaifea: Morning/Afternoon, Amber. Thanks!

Happy Sunday, Joe! Happy New Thread! I love the fall toppers, but aren't you jumping the gun a bit? Grins...

I am really enjoying Klara and the Sun in the early going. BTW- Stop by my thread and check out some of my birdy pics.

Those grands are as gorgeous as ever. They grow so fast!

I finished Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution by Jennifer A Doudna ( I don't remember how to do touchstones, sorry :( It was like a prequel to Code Breaker and very interesting. I have so many questions.

I'm now moving on to something light :)

>22 humouress:. Thanks, Nina. Aren’t those stunning photos? Antipodeans are A-OK by me.
I
Thanks re the 75, the cute ones and side-eye Ralph. I think their hair is getting lighter, too.

>28 msf59:. Thanks, Mark! Happy Sunday! Beautiful photos are timeless, right?

I’ll come over soon. It’s hard to keep up this year!

Yay for Klara and the Sun! That guy has some writing chops, doesn’t he.

>29 mckait:. Thanks re the grandkiddos, Kath. They do grow fast! We’re going to visit them in June. We try not to fall behind on seeing them in person.

Good.for you for finishing the Doudna book. She’s really something, isn’t she. I’m glad she’s leading the way on tackling the ethical questions.

>26 weird_O:. Jeez, I almost missed you there, Bill. Bowie’s son is Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones, and goes by Duncan Jones. I remember him as Zowie Bowie, too.

Yer right re the adorable Fina. Blessed we are. We give her parents a lotof the credit. They do a great job with those two.

Hi Joe. I'm thinking of you and sending all good wishes. Your grandchildren are stunningly beautiful. I'm sure they bring so very much joy to you.

>31 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. How are you doing? I"m not doing a very good job of visiting this year. I'll stop by.

Thank you for the good wishes and the compliment on those sweet grandkiddos. They do bring us a lot of laughter and joy.

>33 jnwelch: Gorgeous.

Have a good day Joe.

>33 jnwelch: Absolutely stunning.

Happy new week's reads!

>34 Caroline_McElwee:. Thanks, Caroline. Love mama tigger and the little tiggers.

Good day so far. Two physical therapy sessions instead of one, and they worke me hard. Stamina and balance are the #1’s. I hope your day went well and you’re settling into a relaxing evening.

>35 richardderus:. A isn’t that a stunning photo, Richard. What a world we live in, eh? I’m reading a sci-fi-er recommended by my BIL, And Shall Machines Surrender and after that, I don’t know. I hope your reading is going well.

>3 jnwelch: You have your very own Cindy Lou Who!! What an adorable face...so full of joy. I'm glad to hear you're "normal for your age", whatever the heck that means. Obviously, though, that's not quite good enough for you---I'm glad the PT people realize that and will keep you working on stamina.

>37 laytonwoman3rd:. Hi, Linda. She’s a sweetie pie, that Fina. I’ll try to post some more of her and Rafa.

They have all these stats for guys my age - How far we can walk if we walk fast for 6 minutes, how strong our left hand is, how we do on cognitive tests. It’s remarkable. How they arrive at what’s “normal” is a legit question, but they sure have the data. When they tell me I’m in the “normal range” I’m happy, because I definitely wasn’t before this.

I was happy with life before the stroke, and I just want to get back to the physical shape I was in then. We were very active, so as you say, I need to build back up my stamina. They kicked my butt today on the elliptical with that goal in mind.

>36 jnwelch: Coddiwomple threadward tomorrow. My latest read will be reviewed.

Normal for your age. Well that's not bad Joe. I guess I'd be ok being told I was normal for my age lol. Love the grandkid pics. Where would we be without them?

Happy new thread, Joe! Your photo toppers are stunning and the grands adorable, as always.

Glad to hear they are working you hard in PT! That's what's gonna get you back to your pre-levels. Hang in there. You're making progress. : )

>32 jnwelch: Dunno Joe. Any excuse will do you for not visiting. Next you’ll be blaming the grandkids. ;0)

Happy new thread Joe. Love the photos of the kiddos!

>40 brenzi: HI, Bonnie. It's pretty odd being in a position where "normal for my age" is a great achievement. Grandkids are a treat, aren't they. We couldn't just sit back and enjoy our own kids; too much maintenance work and worry involved. with Rafa and Fina we mostly just enjoy.

>41 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I"m glad you like the toppers and the adorabubbles.

>42 Berly: Thanks, Kim. These therapists are too nice and well-meaning for me to even cuss them out. And I sure can see and feel the result. It's very humbling. They find all these things I struggle with and push me on them.

>43 humouress: You must mean my slowosity in visiting on LT, Nina. I could get out my tiny violin to play while I explain, but I'll spare you that. Unfortunately, I expect it to continue for a while, as I still have a ways to go.

>44 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne!

Senegal Street Art

>46 jnwelch: Like!

>46 jnwelch: Stunning!

>46 jnwelch: Pensive. Beautifully captured.

>47 weird_O: :-)

>48 quondame: :-)

>49 humouress: :-) I love this one. I'm glad it went over well.

Hiya, Joe! I love the pic of the mama tiger and her two babies.

>51 karenmarie: Hiya, Karen! Isn't that a good pic? Other than birds, i don't post a lot of wildlife photos, but I couldn't resist this one.

Today's Bargain: Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami, a Man Asia Literary Prize winner, for $1.99 on Kindle. I loved it, and have since read and enjoyed most of her others. "Quiet charm" said one review. Not everyone's cuppa, but at this price well worth giving a try.

Hi Joe, happy new thread mate, great thread topper pictures and photos of Rafa and Fina.

Hope all is going well with your recovery mate and that Debbi is fine, sending love and hugs to both of you and the family dear friend.

Happy new thread, Joe. Great grandkid photos and good to see you're normal for your age. To they actually tell you what that is?

>52 jnwelch: I wasn't overwhelmed by this one, but I think it might have been my overly high expectations: and it's a great deal.

Happy new thread. Your grands look full of curiosity in that picture of the two of them, lovely.

>53 johnsimpson: Hi, grandpa! Thanks, mate. How are Amy and Robert Elliot doing? My recovery is going fine, thanks, and love and hugs to and Karen and your growing family.

>54 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Like Dr. Jmi, I"m thinking that I can't really be normal for my age, can I? The therapists always put it that I"m in "the normal range for your age" in terms of speed and distance, or amount of reps I can do, and I tend to think instead of what was my normal life before my stroke. So when I say "back to normal" I'm thinking of the latter. My left hand getting back to normal means it's getting back to being as strong, useful and coordinated as it was before the stroke - that my brain has rewired to send the signal and get a response like it did before everything went kablooey,

>55 charl08: Fair enough, Charlotte. I'm just glad to hear you read it. The atmosphere she created still comes on me a bit. It is a great deal, isn't it.

Those two grands are so curious. No unlocked drawer is safe from little Miss Fina. They only stop delving into things when they're eating or sleeping.

Their mother just successfully completed her second round of auditioning for the quiz show "Jeopardy", and is waiting to hear whether she'll be on it.

>57 jnwelch: - Aww, ain't that the truth!

>56 jnwelch: - Ooo! How cool, re Adri and Jeopardy! The mother of one of my former students was on several years ago but she did not win. I never knew, at the time, but she kept a blog about it, chronicling the study, the stress and the excitement of the entire process, which I discovered much later. Do keep us posted! I am a lifelong Jeopardy fan and watch every night. I even watch on Saturday nights because they replay old shows then, shows with Alex.

I recently read a book called Answers in the Form of Questions which was a good insight into the behind the scenes not only of the show itself but of the contestant process.

PS - Keep up the good work, therapy-wise, Joe! You are an inspiration to us all!

Morning, Joe. Sweet Thursday. I hope PT is going strong and you are building up that stamina. Much cooler today. I think I will take a birding break for a couple of days. I loved Klara and the Sun and getting ready to start The Aviator's Wife. I am also continuing to enjoy The Code Breaker, although it is on audio so I am making my way through it slowly.

Hey, whenever you are ready for a mini-Meet Up give me a shout out. You know I have a more flexible schedule now. B.A.G.

>56 jnwelch: Good luck to 'mom' with the Jeopardy audition. Exciting for you all Joe.

Glad recovery continues well. I still can't make a tight fist with my left hand, after a small accident at the end of last year. I think a tendon got mashed when the rest of the arm recovered. It doesn't slow me down much, the odd jar can't be opened etc.

>57 jnwelch: True indeed.

>57 jnwelch: Ha!! I love Linus so much. He really *BELIEVES* when he believes, an enviable trait.

Well, I’m a happy girl! The library waitlist has just coughed up The Last Bookshop in London just before the long weekend as rain descends on the east coast. Can’t wait to begin!
(I’d rather be reading in the sunshine of course but once immersed in a good story, does it really matter?)

Lots of eye candy here on your thread, as usual, Joe: grandkids, tigers!!, street art, and of course the wisdom of Peanuts. :-)

I've just finished reading Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters which ended up being a creative and interesting look at life as a trans woman, the complications of gender, and the dynamics of motherhood and the desire to be a mother --- all wrapped up together. Great characters and an intriguing storyline.

Now I'm reading Alison Bechdel's new graphic memoir, The Secret to Superhuman Strength, which is interesting so far.

I've convinced my sister to check out Good Talk from the library to consider for her RL book group. I hope that happens -- I want to keep spreading the Mira Jacob love around the country!

Hi Joe!

>56 jnwelch: I hope you get back to normal sooner than later. Your normal, on your terms, of course. And how exciting that your DiL may be on Jeopardy. I stopped watching it years ago for a variety of reasons, but I’d definitely watch it if she was on.

>58 jessibud2: Linus has a proper appreciation for a library card, doesn't he. it is an amazing thing. Isn't that cool about Adri? We have high hopes she'll get on. She presents herself beautifully and says the interview went really well. She read that book you mention,
Answers in the Form of Questions, as part of her prep. It sounds really good.

Yesterday was my last day at Rehab! I met all sorts of testing goals, and, music to my ears, the physical therapist said she had absolutely no concerns about my walking by myself. That probably sounds like not much, but it's been a long road to get there. Per tradition, with two other "graduates" i hit a gong while people applauded. Right before I hit it, my OT said, "With your left hand!", which cracked me up. That's a phrase I heard over and over while working with her. I"M going to miss the camaraderie - so many good people there.

>59 msf59: Hiya, Mark. I don't know The Aviator's Wife, but I'm happy to hear it about Klara and the Sun and The Code Breaker. The latter would've been a tougher go for me on audio. Challenging science goes better for me in print.

I'm liking Chaos on Catnet, the follow-up to Catfishing on Catnet, involving a friendly AI helping our brave teen protagonist and her friends take on some diabolical villains while also negotiating adolescence and society-challenging relationships. Probably not your cuppa.

Yes, now that I"m done with all the rehab, I'm ready for a mini-meetup. Your not having to worry about work sure simplifies things. I"ll get organized and let you know.

>60 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks re Adri and Jeopardy. It is exciting. Man, are we glad she married our son. I think even Lady Catherine de Bourgh would be impresses by her accomplishments - probably while disdaining her color.

Sorry to hear about your hand. Ouch! I hope the pain isn't too bad. That's got to be frustrating. As our house's official jar opener, I know losing that one would be a hassle. Are you a righty? i hope so. Losing ability in my right hand would've been really tough.

Congrats on your graduation from PT, Joe! Watch out world, Joe is back!

And best of luck to Adri and Jeopardy! So exciting!

>60 Caroline_McElwee: I use an absolutely amazing battery operated jar opener similar to this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Opener-Kitchen-Gadget-Automatic/dp/B07SN8KFHM/re...

I did a zoom author talk with Mary Doria Russell speaking a few nights ago. When asked about her current projects, she said she has retired from writing. It takes her about five years to produce a book and she is now in her early 70's. She has a PhD in anthropology and said she would spend six months researching to decide if there was a story there; if not - start over. If so, begin the first draft which would take her a year to do.

She said this past year has taught her how important and fragile life can be. She wants to spend time with her husband, family and friend and has taken up watercolor painting.

But still - sad face - no more MDR books. I still have several of hers unread.

>66 streamsong: Hi, Janet! Thanks! I was just thanking Madame MBH for all she did to help me get back to beforetimes, from the middle of the night 911, with firemen carrying me down our stairs and my cut ear dripping all over the place, onward. Man, I would not have wanted to go through all that alone. I"m a lucky guy.

That jar opener looks most excellent. if I ever get mightily faboozled again, I"ll suggest she get one. I need to be careful though, as opening jars is one of the main reasons she keeps me around. High shelves, too.

I know that's got to be hard news for MDR fans; I know how grateful I am that the late Andrea Camilleri kept writing Montalbano books right up to the end. (I liked The Sparrow and the one after, but haven't kept up with her since like you and others have). But I think we can all understand her reasons why. As a happy retiree, I sure can't fault her.

I"m glad you have some of hers left to read. I"m watching the Montalbano Italian tv movies (well done!) on Prime/MhZ to help with that craving.

>61 richardderus: Linus thinks and feels deeply,and is good at expressing it, isn't he, RD.

>62 NarratorLady: That's great news, Anne! I almost wish I was reading The Last Bookshop in London again. This is the perfect day and weekend for that. I love to read on rainy days. I think part of it is not thinking that I should get myself out into the good weather while it lasts. I can just relax. Another part may be my having been born out on the moors, somewhere near that dratted howling dog that the Baskervilles misplaced. (My mother, who gave birth to me in Ann Arbor, would be very surprised to hear that part of the story).

>63 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. I'm glad you're enjoying all the visual goodies in the cafe. I hope you got my snail mail.

Detransition, Baby - wow, what a lot for one person to take on. Trans, and wanting to be a mother. Respect. That must've been a great read.

Yay for Good Talk! Kudos to you for continuing to spread the word. It should make for a good discussion in your sister's book club, shouldn't. Raising kids in a mixed family and explaining your past, and a child's natural curiosity, among other things. (Is MIchael Jackson black, or white?)

I saw Mira Jacob give a talk about it (online), and she's so smart, and funny, and genuine. I'd hear her again any time. What a book. She talked about pitching it to the publisher when there was nothing like it out there. She ended up bringing in draft pages to help explain what she intended. So cool.

>65 jnwelch: Yes, I'm right-handed Joe, thankfully in this case. No, no longer painful, except with an occasional bit of arthritis.

>66 streamsong: ooo, love your alien jar opener. I want one even if not probably really needing it. Thanks for posting.

>67 jnwelch: Glad to hear it, Caroli ne.except with an occasional bit of arthritis. Except for that. Will they ever find a cure for arthritis? That's what turned my now replaced hips into lace. But there's only so much that can be replaced.

That's one snazzy jar opener, isn't it. If it wouldn't put me out of a job, and maybe the house, I might get one, too.

The Pittsburgh Gang: Fina, Jesse, Rafa, Bolita, and Adriana. When they visited us.

>70 jnwelch: Lovely family Joe. I know you loved having their visit.

>70 jnwelch: Very happy smiles!

Enjoy your weekend's reads.

Congratulations on graduating from rehab, Joe! I'm not surprised given how hard you worked. It must feel really good to be resuming normal activities again.

Happy graduation, Joe!! You should be so proud!!

>71 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. That was such a nice visit from the Pittsburgh gang.

>72 richardderus: They're a happy bunch, those PIttsburghers. Nice job of picking parents by the small ones. My weekend reads: I'll be enjoying Dear Mrs. Bird thanks to your review. :-)

>73 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. Never has "resuming normal activities" sounded so good!

>&4 Thanks, Amber! You know, I haven't taken a minute to feel proud about it all. Good idea!

>75 jnwelch: - Good morning, Joe. I read Dear Mrs. Bird a year or so ago, I think, and loved it. I even reviewed and posted it (often, I review on my own thread and forget to post it to the general review page). I hope this first-time author has another one brewing.

>76 jnwelch: - !! Rainbow lorikeet?

> Good morning, Shelley. Yeah, I"ve gotten bad about posting review on the book page, too. Great to hear that you loved Dear Mrs. Bird. I'm looking forward to starting it.



Rainbow lorikeet - well done! what a bird.

>78 jnwelch:, >77 jessibud2:, >75 jnwelch: Yay for Mrs. Bird love! It was a fun read. Even the tragedies...Emmy's such a survivor, so deeply good-hearted, that you just know it won't end badly.

>76 jnwelch: !!!

>52 jnwelch: I snagged an e-book version of Strange Weather in Tokyo just now. Whoopee!

I'm delighted to hear that you've "graduated" from rehab, Joe. I expect MBH would keep you around, even if you had to resort to a robotic jar opener. If you could be so easily replaced, she probably would have let you know that by now!

Sending strong positive vibes for Adriana's Jeopardy! hopes. We rarely miss the show, and if she makes it to a podium you can be sure we'll be rooting for her favorite categories to come up.

Hi Joe! I lost your thread and am just getting caught up! What an ordeal, but good to see that you are "graduating".

>70 jnwelch: Great picture, what a cute family!

Happy Saturday, Joe. Still cool today but much better than yesterday and the sunshine feels and looks great. Having a lazy day with the books.

>76 jnwelch: Wow! Love the lorikeet.

Hi Joe, good you are well enough to enjoy watching Giannis!

Hi Joe. Good on rehab graduation. (Hey, could you get a gig now as a TA?) Swell looking Pgh contingent. Afraid I'll miss Adriana on Jeopardy; haven't had the tv on in 2 or 3 weeks.

Gotta work on bookcases.

Have a good weekend (now that a third of it is gone). :-)

Hi there...well, my Proper Memorial Day (this year my mother's 101st birthday, too!) got off to a rip-snortin' start: English dictionary of ancient Greek ‘spares no blushes’ with fresh look at crudity in The Guardian gave me all sorts of grins.

Spend the week ahead wisely and well, my ol' pal.

>80Wonderful, Judy. Please let me know what you think of Strange Weather in Tokyo.

>81 laytonwoman3rd:. You’re probably right, Linda, although there are days she probably wouldn’t care whether I’m easily replaced. Or not - out I go. Good thing there are cafes that take in wanderers.

We’ve been teasing Adriana that she should study up on “Fruits that begin with Q” (from White Men Can’t Jump). She thinks that, if she makes it, the earliest they’ll film the show is September. Fingers crossed. She’s be a great contestant. We’ll see.

>82 banjo123:. Thanks, Rhonda. It feels good to have graduated. We’re back working with our trainer 3 times a week (including today). When I’ve got all my strength and stamina back, I’ll really feel good. Yesterday we walked more than two miles, my longest yet.

Great-grandfather.

ME.

A great-grandfather!

*yikes*

>83 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. Raising a glass on Memorial Day for those who didn’t make it back.

We’re having a lazy day, too. We’re on the deck reading and Lt’ing after a good workout. I had a good time with Incense and Sensibility(a book for romantics, not dark travelers named Mark) and now. I’m into Dear Mrs Bird featuring “jolly, plucky” Emmy and her friend Bunty navigating WWII London.

Enjoy the day off from being retired, buddy.

>84 m.belljackson:. Giannis is spectacular, isn’t he, Marianne. I hope he and Kevin Durant get to go against each other. Two exceptionall talented 7 footers. (If Giannis isn’t 7 feet he’s darn close). Congrats on Milwaukee being the first to sweep into the second round.

>85 weird_O:. Hey, Bill. Thanks. I have no shot at being a TA, although I think they enjoyed having me around. These people have a level of knowledge that must’ve required a whole lot of study and experience. It’s like I was sweeping the floors at NASA.

Good for you for foregoing TV. Not easy, I would think. Congrats on getting the bookshelves done. I’ll have to visit and find out your latest acquisitions and what you’re reading.

>86 richardderus: >88 richardderus:. Hey, buddy. Great and fun Guardian article. I’m sure you’ve shared that with our classics scholar pal Amber.

Congrats! I’m sure you’ll be a great great-grandfather - how about that! One great is amazing, particularly for a fellow so young. Are you going to get to see the new arrival? What’s his/her name? Very cool, my friend.

>90 jnwelch: Luckily for my blood pressure, I have until December to know what the sprog will be...they're twelve weeks along yet.

The kid born when I was 21 gave me a grandkid at 42 and a great-grand at 62.

>89 jnwelch: TV? I watched it twice in the past 10 years, both times for Barack.

Netflix keeps us going, though Men In Kilts in no way compares with OUTLANDER.

>90 jnwelch: I saw that Guardian article. Very cool. Now someone needs to do the same for the Oxford Latin Dictionary so I can stop spending precious class time trying to explain all the euphemisms in the definitions ("No, no, no, glubit doesn't really mean 'peel the bark off a tree' here - do men have bark on them? No, no they don't...").

I need to save up for the new dictionary (I suspect it'll have a hefty price tag). I won't let go of my Liddell and Scott, though - did you know that the Liddell in the pair is Alice's (of Wonderland fame) dad?

>91 richardderus: A great-grand at 62 - impressive. The math works fine, although having a kid at 21 must've been challenging. I was still a bozo at that age. I at least was less so by the time we had our eldest.

>92 m.belljackson: Isn't watching Netflix watching TV, Marianne? Or are you watching it on something else? I'll have to let someone else comment on your Men in Kilts - Outlander comparison, as I've seen neither.

>93 scaifea: Hi, Amber. I thought you'd enjoy that article. I hadn't thought about the problems the euphemisms would create for teachers. Silly. if you're studying the classics, you know you're not going to be reading about boy and girl scouts. Doesn't gubit translate to "strip"? Is there really any reason to have a euphemism for that?

I didn't know that about Alice's father. He and Dodgson must've been friends, yes? I Don't know as much about the origins of that remarkable book as I probably should.

>94 jnwelch: Catullus famously uses glubit in a poem about his then-ex-girlfriend and what he accuses her of doing with other men in back alleys. She's not giving a strip-tease but instead performing a particular service for them...

And yes! Liddell and Dodgson were friends.

>95 scaifea:. She supposedly was peeling bark from them in a back alley?! What fun for a professor t o explain.

>96 jnwelch: Ha! Yep. And this past year was the most agonizing I've experienced, I think. Usually it doesn't take them too long to figure it out without me needing to come right out and say it, but this year I eventually had to do so and there were some red faces. Adorable.

>97 scaifea:. :-). Kudos to you for helping those who struggle with dendriology references.

>98 jnwelch: *SNORK!* That's what they pay me for, I suppose.

"Bark-peeling"...um...lessee here...can I think of...
...
...oh. I do indeed see. A-heh.

>94 jnwelch: I wasn't great at the dad-thing until the 90s. C'est la vie....

>99 scaifea:. 😀. I suppose it’s encompassed in your job description, but c’mon kids! This isn’t that tough.

>100 richardderus:. I think our son already is a better father than I was, although I gave it my best shot. And we did grow two really good kids/adults.

>101 jnwelch: Isn't it a giant gift when they do better than we did? Makes me feel so much less like the world will inevitably devolve.

Hi Joe, I've fallen behind on the threads this year, but I am very happy to read that things are going well for you.

>94 jnwelch: We watch Netflix on my big Old MAC computer. Our television is a near antique.

Outlander is definitely worth watching, notably for folks who aren't (like me, who skips them)
afraid of the darker parts of time travel to Culloden Scotland.

>91 richardderus: !
Going by my family's record, I shouldn't even have my first grand by 62. (Fingers crossed - I don't think I could survive before then.)

>102 richardderus: Oops; I feel I'm not doing as good a job as my parents did. Though I do get a feel for what they had to put up with.

Wishing Adriana good luck for Jeopardy. (Not that I've ever seen it, but I have an idea what it's about.)

>101 jnwelch: I suppose Amber's students aren't as worldly-wise as you, Joe.

>102 richardderus: You're right, Richard. I"m seeing really great kids and parents all over the place, and it heartens me for the future.

>103 DeltaQueen50:. Thanks, Judy. Good to have you with us.

>104 m.belljackson: Wow, you are the Queen of old tech, Marianne. How's that Blackberry doing?

Yeah, I did read Outlander, and there definitely were some dark parts in the book.

>105 humouress: Hi, Nina. 62 has come and gone for me. I've got quite a wait with Rafa and Fina. i know what you mean; I"m certainly not in a hurry. At 95, my dad did meet great-grandson Rafa right before he left the planet. It was quite a day.

It's wonderful how much our kids appreciate what we did (and what they put us through) now that they're at advanced ages. My parents were kind but hands off; when my dad tried to take credit for raising us so well my sister and I rolled our eyes at each other.

Thanks re Adriana. She's got a good shot at making it.

Maybe I should be a little ashamed to be worldly-wise enough to figure out what bark-peeling in a back alley is. It's all that reading books that does it! I think I"d read enough by high school to figure that one out. :-)

Moonlight in Sydney, Australia
photography by SeaSalt Photography

Today’s Bargains: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, a good collection of sci-fi stories by Harlan Ellison is 99 cents on Kindle and Montana:1948 by Larry Watson, an LT favorite, is $1.99 on Kindle.

>107 jnwelch: - Beautiful but any lower and that will make one mighty splash! ;-)

>106 jnwelch: Hi Joe - Keep the Good News going = TWO miles! I'm thrilled when I get to ONE...
and remember those Good Old Days when I used to run THREE miles twice a day with my dogs.

Okay, what's a Blackberry? That tech totally passed me as I still have my little Motorola Tracfone.

And with OUTLANDER you can look forward to MANY good parts in the movie that surpass the book!!!

>108 jnwelch: !!!!!!

>106 jnwelch:, >105 humouress: We're (or we'll be, as the case may be) lucky we get to see them at all, ever, since the planet's doing its best to make us go away en masse....

>108 jnwelch: my copy of "I have no Mouth . . ." and signed by the author no less is showing some signs of wear. Be happy to have a good reading edition on my Kindle. Thanks for the heads up Joe!

Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday. It looks like we have a big warm up coming for the next week or so. I ain't complaining, I will just have to get out earlier for my bird walks before it heats up.

I am currently enjoying Interior Chinatown. Have you read this one? I am also still making my way through The Code Breaker. I am loving it but having a hard time finding audio time.

>109 jessibud2:. Ha! I don’t think it works that way, Shelley, but it sure looks like it could!

>110 m.belljackson: ha! I love that you still have your Motorola tracfone, Marianne. Who needs a Blackberry (Obama held onto his)? Who needs an iPhone? You’re smart to not get caught up in standing on line for the newest modej (we don’t either - we’re fine with an older model).

outlander: I don’t often feel this way, but I felt the book was written for women, not a guy like me. So I’ll wait for Madame MBH’s vote on the adaptation.

We just took an even longer walk and it went fine! I still have to be patient as we build our way back to where we were pre-stroke.

>111 richardderus:. That crossed my mind, RD. We’ve got to keep this planet going long enough for these amazing kids to show their stuff.

>112 magicians_nephew:. Wow, how great that you have a signed copy, Jim! Did you ever see Ellison at an author appearance? I always imagined him as difficult and a bit of a wild man.

You’re welcome. I’ve done that with books I’ve liked - gotten a cheap Kindle copy while preserving the hard copy.

>113 msf59:. Hi, Mark. Sweet Thursday, buddy. As I mentioned, Ellen recommended Interior Chinatown to me, but I haven’t read it yet. Glad you’re liking it.

Code Breakeron audio: too tough for me. I’d need the print version. But I hope you find some audio time. How’s the narrator?

>116 jnwelch: I think the female narrator is doing a fine job, Joe.

>115 jnwelch: HUmmmmmm...I think men may well enjoy the movie A LOT more...!

>117 msf59: :-)

>118 m.belljackson: Well, that's intriguing, Marianne!

byPraloy Choudhury in Beauiful Birds and Nature

"The thorny devil (Moloch horridus), also known commonly as the mountain devil, thorny lizard, thorny dragon, and moloch, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Australia. It is the sole species in the genus Moloch. It grows up to 21 cm (8.3 in) in total length (including tail), with females generally larger than males. The thorny devil is covered in hard, rather sharp spines that dissuade attacks by predators by making it difficult to swallow. "

>120 jnwelch: Well, I certainly wouldn't eat that.

>121 humouress:😂. LOL!!

>122 jnwelch:, >121 humouress:, >120 jnwelch: Eat it?! I'm grateful I don't share a continent with it!

Have a lovely weekend, Sir Joseph, and may each day's walk take you farther and with only greater ease.

>120 jnwelch: small but terrifying!

Today’s Bargain: Destiny of the Republic, one of her best, from Candice Millard, at $1.99 on e-readers.

Oh! I read that one.. so good!

>126 mckait: Right, Kath? For me, it wasn't a topic I expected to be interested in, but she made it all fascinating.

>123 richardderus: Ha! Any photo of a really weird-looking animal I see, my first guess is you'll find it in Australia.
What an interesting country. Makes me think of Bill Bryson, who wrote about reading the many-volume "Encyclopedia of the Ways Australia Can Kill You."

Thanks for the good wishes, Richard, and I wish the same for you. We're about to take a long one.

>124 ffortsa: I Know, Judy, right! if I saw that critter near me, I"d probably jump out of my shoes.

Hi Joe. Have you read any of John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep books? Thailand, bizarre crimes, Buddhism. Having read the first book in the series of 6, Bangkok 8, I'm wanting to reread your posts on Buddhism. If I can find them.

>128 weird_O:. I love those Sonchai books, Bill. They make for fast, satisfying reading, don’t they. That Buddhism is related and very interesting, but it’s different from the Western version I push. Still, it’d be great if you re-read my Buddhist posts. I’d love to hear what you think. I tried not to be a Jehovah’s Witness type, but it’s such a great way to live and, except for those anti-Muslim idiots, emphasizes kindness and compassion.

Happy Sunday, Joe. Just returned from a 3 hour jaunt with a birding buddy, mostly avoiding the heat. 41 species. Now I am looking forward to curling up with The Fortress of Solitude. I also want to recommend Habitat Threshold, a poetry collection I am currently enjoying. Strong, topical prose which I think you would like.

>125 jnwelch: Yah! My girl!

Today’s Bargain: The Galaxy and the Ground Within. The newest Becky Chambers is only $1.99 on Kindle today. Snap it up!

>130 msf59:. Can you believe that price for your girl’s book, Mark? Wow.

Happy Sunday, buddy. We got out early and beat the heat, but were dismayed to find out we’re under a Pollution Alert, Yes, we still get those. Arrggh. Debbi had to wash out her eyes when we came back inside. Boo!

Good day for your planned reading. As I mentioned. I’m enjoying interior Chinatown. What a clever way to expose our long-standing racist assumptions about Asians. Yet another reason for collective shame and correction, wrapped up in a very entertaining read.

As we also discussed, I LOVED the early Jonathan Lethem books like Gun with Occasional Music and As She Climbed Across the Table, but I haven’t read Fortress of Solitude. I’ve also got Americanah going; I’m probably the last 75er to read it.

Hey Joe...completely agree re: the Chambers. Get it, y'all!

Great-Grandpa here has just today posted his 99th review of 2021!

*woot*

I should hit my goal of 190 this year easy if I can keep up this pace.

Now back to finish the one for tomorrow....

>133 richardderus: Right, Richard? That may now be my favorite Becky Chambers book. I hope folks here read your endorsement of The Galaxy and the Ground Within and act on it.

That's an astounding number of book reviews, buddy. Kudos to you. They're so good, too! I'll look forward to your latest. As I mentioned, I got a big kick out of Dear Mrs. Bird thanks to you. I'm sure you know this, but there'll be an Emmy and Bunty successor book, titled Yours, Cheerfully. I"ll be there.

you've inspired me. I'll try to keep up better with my own reviews.

>134 jnwelch: - Hi Joe. I am delighted to learn that a new Emmy and Bunty book is coming down the pipes! I did not know that. Any idea when?

It's brutally hot here too and, except for watering the garden, I have no plans to leave the house until it's moved on. Ick

Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors and Recipe for Persuasion has done it again with Incense and Sensibility. The first two will probably appeal to open-minded Austenites, romance-appreciators and foodies; this new one substitutes a yoga studio for the restaurants in the prior books. The emphasis is on romantic tangles and the effects of ambition and fear of heart-harm.

Kirkus Reviews says, "Warmth and humor leaven an emotionally intense romance", and that fits. Yash is the kind of political candidate we'd all rally around, but he's affected by a traumatic car accident and a hyper-competitive family that wants to win at all costs, not to mention good old-fashioned American racism and domestic terrorism. When his family sends him for healing to yoga instructor and trauma specialist India, sparks from a youthful encounter with each other are rekindled. As usual, it's fun to try to spot the Austen parallels. Here, the rash, passionate younger sister's role is played by India's sister China, who enters a torrid and ill-considered affair with a female rock star. You'll root for Yash and India, and hope "sense" doesn't win.

LT is recalcitrant today, and insists that the book cover image obscure the first sentence of my review. It also refuses to let me shrink the size of that image. Sorry about that.

>137 jnwelch: Have you used the magic formula? width=400 after the close-quote, before the angle-bracket? That hasn't failed me yet...

Also, we can see the beginning of the first sentence up next to the title, it just takes a minute to process that it's there.

>135 jessibud2:. Hi, Shelley. Good to know another Emmy and Bunty fan. Amazon says Yours, Cheerfully will be released this August 10.

Disappointingly ick day is a good one fior reading and, for cafe proprietors, watching the NBA playoffs.

>138 richardderus: Over and over and over again, RD. I gave up. First time for me.

Right. I thought you (everyone) could at least figure out what the first sentence says. I’m trying to keep the frustration temporary.

>136 jnwelch: You use a very long image address for the picture, Joe.

I found an other picture that might work at
"https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0293-1/%7BD50750FF-F444-4DAC-988E-9F55F6DC5E48%7DImg100.jpg" (copy/paste).
The sentence starting next to the picture needs an "enter" after the end > of the image.

And LindaPanzo just informed us on her thread that Amor Towles (of Gentleman in Moscow fame) has a new book out in October!

>142 jessibud2: Yay. Loved both his books.

>142 jessibud2:, >143 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for the heads-up, Shelley. That’s exciting news! Me, too, Caroline.

>141 FAMeulstee:. Thanks for trying, Anita. Yeah, I could have deleted what I had and started over, but I really didn’t want to or feel I should have to. I’ve moved on. Just wanted to explain why it looked odd.

Rafa and Fina hanging out at home

>145 jnwelch: Lovely shots, Joe.

As a cyclist myself the lower photo especially appeals and I detect some promise there!

Hi Joe!

I'm glad to hear that you and Debbi are back to your normal trainer routine and that your walks are up to 2 miles.

>145 jnwelch: Cute pics of the grands.

>145 jnwelch: *baaawww* they get cuter every time we see 'em! I know you're extra-special glad to be safe in the knowledge you're going to be around to enjoy getting to know them for quite a while to come.

>146 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Fina's great-uncle Mark (Debbi's brother) made her that rocking motorcycle. Isn't that cool? She's also a fledgling bicycle-rider and I suspect will barrel around on it like she does most things.

>147 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Yes, we're back with the trainer every other day, including this morning, and our walks are getting longer. Full disclosure: I normally have to take a breather on a bench somewhere along the way on those walks. A friend recovering from heart surgery told me that early on in his recovery he planned all his walks according to where the benches were. My therapist wants me to do some stuff on uneven grass, too (not just city sidewalks) so this last time we walked over to a a park for that.

Thanks re the griddles (liddle grands).

>145 jnwelch: It's amazing how painterly those portraits look! And of course, the cutest subjects.

>145 jnwelch: - Rafa has that *grown up* look on his face again. His wrist watch makes me think he is saying, "Ok, sure, I have a minute. Come on in"

And don't mess with Fina. That is a gorgeous rocking cycle! Debbi's brother must be a master carpenter! Wow!

Good idea, planning walks around where the benches are. Are you using a cane at all? Uneven ground is a tricky next step in physio rehab, so good for you for getting there!

A GREAT Good Morning, Joe - Rafa and Fina on target, as so far is Rafael Nadal, followed by The Dancing Lemurs!

>130 msf59: I'm impressed with their parents' photography, Judy. I like that, so far at least, the kids are so used to the phone camera being around that they don't "pose" for the photos.

>13 katiekrug: Riight, Shelley. I think Rafa had a bit of a James Dean moment there, hanging out. "Don't mess with Fina" is so true! The force is strong in that one.

Debbi's brother Mark is so talented working with wood. We have a wooden kaleidoscope that he made that's a knockout.

I refused a cane (or walker) early on. I was determined to get back to the way i was before the wallop. Walking was too big a part of our lives to mess around. The PT at Shirley Ryan walked me to a downtown park and ran me through exercises on the grass to get me ready for that trickiness. (It was also on me to remember how to get us back to the rehab center - which I did). She was awfully good. In my post-rehab evaluation I said she'll probably end up in the Therapist Hall of Fame.

>14 drneutron: A GREAT Good morning, Marianne. that's the spirit!

Rafa and Fina are doing swell these days. I don't know the Dancing Lemurs story, but I'm glad our favorite left-handed Rafa continues to make his way toward the Finals. I"d love to see him take another French Open. What amazing, unprecedented domination of that event!

LOVE the Rafa and Fina photos! I broke out in an instant grin.

Hi, Joe. Did you see my recommendation up there for the poetry collection, Habitat Threshold? The warbling continues on that one. I also want to recommend my current GN, Taking Turns, which a friend lent me. It is a nurse's memoir based on her experiences in an AIDS ward, at a Chicago hospital in the 90s. Of course, it can be heart-breaking but also quite life-affirming too.

I am so glad you loved Interior Chinatown. A terrific and timely read.

>153 jnwelch: "Dancing Lemurs" (find the 2 minute version for the full effect) are at the UK Chester Zoo - worth the search!

>145 jnwelch: What stellar images! Of course the subjects made major contributions.

>154 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Excellent! we can all use some instant grins.

I should've said something about Habitat Threshold. i did make a mental note. i've requested that one and Taking Turns at the library. They likely will come in a lot sooner than And Now I Spill the Family Secrets, which has a bunch of people queued in front of me.

The GNs I can recommend are those Brubaker/Phillips Reckless ones. The new Sandman Universe GNs, thought up by Gaiman but written by others, are big disappointments, unfortunately. My poetry book is that big Paul Dunbar collection (and will be for a long time!)

Yes, Interior Chinatown is terrific and timely, for sure.

>155 m.belljackson: I'll look for them, Marianne, thanks. What do they have to do with Rafa Nadal?!

>156 quondame: Thanks, Susan. We're going to fly out and see those major contributors at the end of next week.

Hey Joe...Rob just sent me a box of books I had in my cart at the UChicago Warehouse Sale that ends next week! I was debating which ones to abandon and he didn't say a word, just went & paid for them. They arrived today...go look!

>157 jnwelch: Maybe the Lemurs will add a Flamenco if he wins?

You're not the last LTer to read Americanah Joe. Apparently that would be me. Oh well. I'm sure I'll get to it eventually if I don't run out of time lol.

Glad to hear your recovery continues at breakneck speed. You go.

>158 richardderus: Way to go, Rob! What a nice thing for him to do. Thanks for the heads-up on the sale. I'll take a look.

>159 m.belljackson: That would be a sight to see, Marianne! That video of them in the Chester zoo was cute.

>160 brenzi: Great to have company, Bonnie! No surprise, it's excellent early on.

I know, sometimes DEbbi and I Can't believe it's only been 2+ months since the stroke. It feels like so much longer. Thanks.

Fina is not well-pleased. Rafa is angling for a summer dream job.

Love the pictures of those amazing kiddos. Kinda wish they were ready to take over, actually.

It's great to hear how well you're doing with your return to pre-wallop status. Determination goes a long long way.

She's got that *don't mess with Fina* look again! lol
Just make sure Rafa doesn't dismantle the bulldozer while he's waiting..... ;-)

>162 jnwelch: Brings back memories for me Joe. Belle used to have that self same look as Fina - normally directed at her Dad!

>162 jnwelch: Heh...the ball's almost as big as she is, no wonder Fina's a bit grumpy.

Good luck, Rafa!

Have a lovely, Ser William.

I really enjoyed Americanah when I read it for my book club. It has some really funny moments in it that keeps the book really lively.

This same book club is going to read Purple Hibiscus in two months because we all liked Americanah so much. Purple Hibiscus is the first of her books to be published so we were able to get lots of cheap copies of the book out there on the used book market. I have high hopes for it since Americanah was so good.

>167 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Great to hear about Americanah, I haven't encountered the humor yet (I've just met Obinze) so I'll look forward to that. Please let us know what you think of Purple Hibiscus.

>163 laytonwoman3rd: Hi, Linda. I'm with you - I'm ready for Rafa and FIna and the other cool little kids we know to take over.

Thanks re the pre-wallop status efforts - we're not there yet, but it's in sight finally.

>164 jessibud2: Right, Shelley? I thought of you when I posted this one. Our daughter likes to show her friends a happy FIna photo, followed by this one.

I'm sure Rafa would LOVE to take apart a bulldozer!

Hiya Joe...I reviewed a book today, and it's one I think you'll really like. Plus it's on sale! Under the Udala Trees...gorgeous writing, involving story, set in the Biafran War of the Sixties and Seventies.

I'm so so so pleased that you've got pre-wallop life in your sights in so short a time. You're far too important and valuable a cafe proprietor to lose to your stupid brain's betrayal!

^I know you are a pug fan.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. I am so glad I got your attention with Habitat Threshold. I have a feeling you will love it, the same with Taking Turns. I requested Restless, the Brubaker GN. How is Americanah coming along? The only Adiche I have read and i really liked it.

>162 jnwelch: That is a wonderful shot of Fina. Sad face or not...

>166 richardderus:, >169 richardderus: Hi, Richard. Fina's abuelo is a rugby coach (currently, a woman's team) and that's a rugby ball. Maybe it's his coaching that made her grumpy, I don't know.

Your use of the word "betrayal" made me think and reflect. That's not what I've felt, although I can see why you'd think so. The body is so darn complicated, and I am in my mid-60s, so a small vessel breakdown and bloodflow blockage isn't all that surprising, from my POV. I did feel two things - that I"d been unexpectedly "hit" and knocked off-kilter (the wallop), and a sense of theft. I was very happy with our life before the wallop, and that was suddenly taken from me. As to that second part, there was no freaking way I wasn't going to get it back. I knew the way to get it back (do the work per the therapists), and that's what this has all been about. Get the brain and body working together the right way again. Thanks for making me think about it.

Thank you also for the kind comments about my being the cafe proprietor. I still remember all those years ago when I dithered about making the effort to have my own 75er thread, and Mark successfully urged me to try it. What a lot I would have missed if I hadn't!

Thanks finally for the recommendation of Under the Udala Trees. That does look like my kind of book, and an awfully good one. I added it to the WL.

>170 msf59: Ha! I do have a special place in my heart for pugs, Mark. That's what my family had when I was growing up in Ann Arbor. The Pug of the Hendersons: Late at night, neighbors would hear yipping and an eerie snoring sound out on the moor.

I look forward to reading the two you mention (they've come in, so I'll pick them up this weekend) and I'm glad you're getting your hands on Reckless. Americanah is very good so far, and I did just have a good laugh from it, as Benita said I would (Ifemelu's mother just saw an angel by the gas oven who told her "to leave Revival Saints {church} because the pastor was a wizard who attended nightly demonic meetings under the sea". As absurd as that is, Ifemelu's father says, "You should listen to the angel", because he wants to have nothing to do with that church). I loved her Half of a Yellow Sun ( I think you would, too) and have been kicking myself for not reading this one, especially since Debbi has raved about it.

Isn't that photo of Fina a hoot? "There's a storm a-comin', and its name is Fina".

Hi Joe.
Um, no snail mail yet but I'll keep an eye out.

I am so anxious to learn whether Adriana gets to be on "Jeopardy!" We record it every day and watch after dinner, fast forwarding through the commercials. I've been enjoying comparing the various guest hosts since Alex died.

I join others in being so so so glad you have pre-wallop life in your sights. Keep taking good care of yourself, buddy.
I've started back to swimming and it feels SO good. I know the regular exercise will keep me on this Earth, reading and chatting about books, for longer. It's a thing to aspire to!

Oh, and pics of Fina and Rafa -- ALWAYS fun to see!!!

Gotta love new photos of Rafa and Fina, Joe. You can see a little bit of their personalities coming through for sure!

You share a favorite dog with my dad, who also had a pug growing up. Rather famously, the dog made off with the entire kielbasa for a family of five.

I hope you continue to enjoy Americanah. It was my introduction to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and I also really liked Half of a Yellow Sun.

Edited to get the touchstones to work from my phone.

>173 EBT1002: What?!! That snail mail should’ve arrived long before now, Ellen. Crap. It may be lost. I’ll text you about it.

Who has been a good host on Jeopardy, IYO? Levar Burton made sense to me, and I thought Anderson Cooper was a good pick. I’ve been thinking about Adriana and the show, too. I hope she hears soon.

I totally agree on the exercise. I’m glad you’re back to swimming and enjoying it.

Aren’t those fun photos of Rafa and Fina? We’ll be seeing those little gremlins at the end of next week.

>173 EBT1002: Yes, Ellen, do tell....who has been your favorite Jeopardy! guest host so far? Mine are Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings, and Aaron Rodgers and I think that's the correct order. BUT we haven't seen Levar Burton yet, have we?

>175 bell7:. Hiya, Mary. Yes, those two have their own mini-size personalities now, and I’m glad those peek through in the photos.

A kielbasa-heisting pug! I’ve never known one quick enough to pull that off! They do love human food, that’s for sure.

Yes, Americanah continues to be top notch, and I imagine it would make a great intro to this author.

>177 laytonwoman3rd:. I heard Aaron Rogers was a surprisingly good host. Thanks for giving us your faves, Linda.

I will weigh in with my favourite Jeopardy guest hosts. I thought Ken Jennings was an excellent choice for the first and he was a natural. I also was surprised at how much I enjoyed Anderson Cooper. I thought he would be too straight-laced and serious to be a choice but I was delighted at how loose and fun he was and he genuinely seemed to be having a blast. I am enjoying Mayim Bialik, too. Not being a football fan I admit I had never heard of Aaron Rogers but I personally found him rather monotone and flat. Ha, I always seem to run against the grain somewhere, it seems. I do hope LeVar Burton gets a chance. I'd think he'd be excellent.

Hey Joe...it's your friendly native TBR-loader...a graphic novel you need to know about it coming out soon: The Body Factory: From the First Prosthetics to the Augmented Human. Graphic Mundi is an imprint it seems to me you're not going to be sorry that you know about, though your wallet may whimper now and again.

Speaking of...at $2.99 I'm actually reasonably sure that you're going to Kindle up Under the Udala Trees sooner rather than later...and it was very interesting to follow your meditative path through the implications of the verb "to betray" as applies to one's body! I think my chronic condition, painful on a daily basis and life-shortening on the macro level, has led me to consider my body a sort of "outside force," not a safe haven.

>180 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. I thought levar Burton was the People’s Choice? I’m surprised they haven’t tried him yet. I’ve seen Anderson Cooper out of the news role and he can be very funny - and enjoys having a good time. I think he’d be a great choice. Yeah, no Aaron Rogers for me. They should try Elizabeth Banks, too.

>181 richardderus:. I should just give into reality and back the TBR truck up to the cafe door, Richard. I sure ain’t complaining. We can make room on the home shelves and the Kindle (I’ll look for that $2.99 deal).

Yeah, I thought of your chronic condition while writing about my one-time experience. Mine isn’t everyone’s, even for one-timers. Canes and walkers are fine, for example- Debbi actually was looking forward to buying me a cane. I’m just trying to sort out what the heck just happened and how I got to this nice neighborhood outdoor cafe, sitting with the lovely Debbi, reading and writing. This is part of what was thieved.

If I had your condition it would all be quite different, and I’d probably end thinking “Why me?” A lot more than you seem to. It would be hard to get in the right mind space to deal with it. I had a clear path out; I just needed to take advantage.

I can grok why your body doesn’t seem like a safe haven, and why there might be a sense of betrayal. Not to swell your head, but you’re a bit of a daily hero, as I’m sure others in our group are. Whisper1 (Linda) with that dratted back pain comes to mind.

>183 jnwelch: You're entirely too kind, Joe...what I *really* am is easily bored. There are few things on Earth more boring than sustained self-pity, my own or others', and I recoil from being boring for the wrong reasons!

(Plenty find me dull because I'm political and plenty more because I'm inclined to wordiness, but those are perfectly acceptable reasons to find me boring. Those are people who, frankly, bore me anyway so boring them is kind of a wash.)

Linda's Charivari syndrome seems to me the cruelest betrayal a body could unleash. She lives with it so graciously that I am always amazed. More people could benefit from emulating her in this world!

Just to add to the Jeopardy guest host discussion, I found a link to the lineup:
https://ew.com/tv/jeopardy-guest-hosts-full-schedule/

LeVar Burton will get a chance!

There are still a few I don't know at all but that's fine.

>184 richardderus: I get the easily bored, self-pity is boring idea, RD. Still, your indefatigability despite your chronic condition ( including 190 book reviews!) is impressive. I agree with you about Linda - her graciousness under such tough physical circumstances is a bright example to all of us.

>185 jessibud2:. Interesting list, Shelley, thanks. Go Levar!

>186 jnwelch:, >185 jessibud2: I really want to see LeVar Burton's turn as host...I'll even watch commercial TV for that!

>186 jnwelch: Well, without a goal what the heck does a person *do* in this world?! I'd give up, just lose the will to live, if the only reason I was making this effort was to make the effort.

We were very impressed with Buzzy Cohen as MC on Jeopardy. For reasons I can't quite figure out, I don't like Mayim Bialik. She seems to be always thinking that she knows all the answers without looking, too smug, too much ego showing. Anderson Cooper was very good, although I can't imagine him wanting the regular gig. And I can't wait to see Levar Burton.

Honestly, they should just go straight to Levar Burton and be done with it! 😀

Hi Joe! Just dropping by quickly before your thread runs away from me completely. I like your determination to get back on track, no matter what. I've known people who just gave up. I'm liking your griddle photos, as always.

>146 PaulCranswick: I think that's a biker chick you're looking at, not a cyclist :0)

Love all the pictures, especially the photo of Fina with the rugby ball, Joe. If it was a caption competition my entry would be: "what was wrong with the round ball?"

The discussion about the body failing/betraying put me in mind of a new book by Olivia Laing. I am trying to make myself wait for the paperback.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/09/everybody-a-book-about-freedom-oli...

Morning, Joe! Happy Saturday. I hope your rehab progress continues to excel. Are you starting to feel somewhat close to normal or is that still in the future?

We are moving my FIL from his dumpy little apartment to a retirement village today. He will be in a much better place and it will 15-20 minutes closer to us. Sue has been busting her butt cleaning and helping him pack. He is not very healthy. It is going to be hot & humid so I hope the move goes quickly and smoothly.

I finished The Fortress of Solitude but can not recommend it. There is a fine book buried in those 500 pages but it was a bit of a grind to finish it. It definitely was no Kavalier & Clay.

Hi Joe! Happy Saturday to you.

>162 jnwelch: That picture of Fina reminds me of the time when Jenna was 18 months and I took her to Sears for some pictures. When I tried putting barrettes in her hair while waiting, she pitched a fit and fell in it right there on the floor. I was beside myself and embarrassed. An elderly lady said how cute she was and I’m afraid I snarled at her. One of the resulting pictures was so wonderful, however, with a tear-stained, reproachful look, that it’s the one we chose to have large prints of and framed it.

>183 jnwelch: I agree with your ‘daily hero’ badges for Richard and Linda.

>187 richardderus: Pulling for our buddy Levar.

I get what you mean about purpose, and a darn good purpose it is, but you're talking to a guy who's just happy to still be around. Be kind and compassionate, and appreciate the gifts we've been given (even if some of them suck), that would be my motto.

>188 ffortsa: I don't know Buzzy Cohen, Judy, but I'm glad to hear he was good. too bad about Mayim Bialik. I like her as a person. good point about Anderson Cooperbeing unlikely to take the gig. That's a big time commitment,

>189 drneutron: I'm with you, Jim. And I"ve read that Levar would like to do it.

>190 humouress: Hi, Nina! thanks re the track and the griddles. Yeah, that little girl is headin' for the highway, revvin' that engine.

>191 charl08: Hi Charlotte Happy Saturday.

I Like your caption for the Fina photo. This is not the way she wanted it to be. I'll have to circle back for the link. The body certainly is a fascinating subject. What a complicated marvel of engineering.

Mark, as a comic book nerd in good standing i expected to like The Fortress of Solitude but i didn't much.

Heavy handed and just not much fun.

>192 msf59:. Hiya, Mark. I’m getting close to normal except my left side is still weak and I’m low on stamina. The left side is getting stronger with the help of ur trainer,and the stamina is getting progressively better. If there is a lot of standing or walking involved, I’ve still got to take breaks, and by late afternoon I’m usually pretty worn out. What a wallop from that tiny little spot in the brain.

Ssounds like the right thing for your FIL. I’m sure it’s been load of work for poor Sue. Amazing how much we all accumulate over the years. I hope he’s happy there, and heartened by being safe.

Sorry about Fortress of Solitude. I wish Lethem would go back to writing shorties. Longer has not been better in his case.

>193 karenmarie:. Happy Saturday, Karen. A crying fit when posing for pro photos. Yup, it’s probably somebody’s law. I think it’s probably in the successful photographer’s bundle of skills to be able to calm the distraught. I’m glad you got at least one keeper out of it; I think Fina’s is going to be a famous photo in the family for years to come. And I’ll bet the snarlee understood the snarling. Kids are just the worst when it comes to performing on cue, the little ingrates.

I love the idea of “daily hero” badges - facebook has badges; I bet our LT wizards could come up with some.

>196 magicians_nephew:. Thanks, Jim. Another one of his I’ll steer clear of.

>195 jnwelch: Fina might also have captioned her photo: "If this is supposed to be a joke..."

Hey - it's not just general low stamina for you alone - the intense heat is draining the energy out of most of us.

>198 jnwelch: Kids are just the worst when it comes to performing on cue, the little ingrates. Once again, Bill Watterson was ahead of that game:



------------
ETA: I see Louise Erdrich nabbed the 2021 Pulitzer for The Night Watchman.

>198 jnwelch: Whatever you do, DO NOT SAY "FACEBOOK" anywhere outside this thread. You will be shouted at and harpy-ridden in any other part of the site you dare to enter.

This is the voice of experience.

>200 m.belljackson:. Another good caption for our Fina photo, Marianne. I dare say you’re right about the energy-sapping heat. Ours just broke with a furious thunderstorm. They’re telling us to go to a interior room.

>201 weird_O:. Oh, that’s perfect, Bill. Of course Calvin would think of how to take advantage. Can’t wait for Rafa and Fina to start charging.

>202 richardderus:. Thanks for the warning, Richard. It’s almost tempting to do it just to test the reaction.😀

Hey Joe! So glad to hear you have graduated from rehab and that you are upping your walking game. And it sounds like you are stubborn enough to keep on improving. Awesome.

And, as usual, love the pics of the grands.

>204 Berly: Ha! “stubborn” - ha! You got it, Kim. My family would applaud. Somehow I’ve gotten a reputation for being stubborn. Go figure.

We took a long walk this morning for coffee and some fruity drink for Madame MBH, and I’d like to try the library walk later. Madame MBH is skeptical. I don’t blame her. But I can always request a ride share if I have to.

So glad to hear that progress is good Joe!

I did it!! A major goal has been to walk the 1.5 miles or so to the library and same distance back. i walked there with Becca and Indy (they live nearby) and made it back hale and whole, if a little winded. I picked up some books Mark recommended, my first library books in a while. Yay!

>206 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian! Progress is good, and getting even better.

The Cafe by Joost Doornik, 2015

Congrats, Joe! The first of many more success, I am sure. I hope you are reporting this to your OT/PT team! There must be a badge or something. A wall of heroes, something like that! And books as your reward, even sweeter! ;-)

>208 jnwelch: - lovely pic. We are not there yet, here in Ontario. Outdoor dining only, so far, as of last Friday... My first venture in in-person shopping was...a bookstore!

>207 jnwelch: Congratulations! That must have felt really good.

>207 jnwelch: That's fantastic! Congrats, Joe!!

>207 jnwelch: Clapping..... way to go Joe, that's great.

>208 jnwelch: Love this.

>207 jnwelch: I actually misted up a little reading that...what a great way to celebrate your recovery milestone, with new books.

Very deeply glad you're recovery continues apace.

Good for you, Joe. I went to the Philadelphia Flower Show yesterday, this year mounted in an Olmsted-designed park adjacent to the sporting venues and the old Navy Yard. Lots of walking that wore me out. And a fresh reminder to me of how much you are doing. Hail to the Cafe Proprietor. I must follow your example, good friend.

ETA: Moreover, I've been promised a tour of NYC's Strand Bookstore for Father's Day. I absolutely will NOT pass the advertised 18-miles of books. Unless it's in a wheelchair.

>207 jnwelch: way to go, Joe! You have every reason to be proud of that accomplishment.

So pleased for you that you made it to your walking goal and that the library yielded some treasures for you. :D

So fitting that your walking goal was achieved on a trip to the library! Congratulations. 👏👏👏

Hi, Joe! Congrats on the hike to the library. I knew you had it in you and now you have a couple of books to enjoy too. Win, Win! Keep up the good work.

Bree's baby shower is this weekend, so we are excited about that.

ETA- I bought a copy of Habitat Threshold. It arrived today. As you know I buy very few collections but this one had to go on shelf.

>208 jnwelch: LIKE!!

>207 jnwelch: Woo-woo! Walking and weight-lifting. Way to go Joe!

>209 jessibud2: Well of course. Where else would one go?

>209 jessibud2: thanks, Shelley!

fingers crossed on many more. I Have stayed in touch with my PT and she's pleased. Their general approach is: that's very good, now try to do more. If I made the Olympic swim team, she might say, OK, that's enough for rehab. now win a gold.

Yeah, we've been selective on our outings, too. we went to a cafe, but sat outside. the best part of being vaxxed is we can gather maskless with our neighbors.

>210 laytonwoman3rd: thanks, Linda. It did feel good.

>211 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>212 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. Isn't that an appealing cafe painting?

>213 richardderus: thanks, my friend. i actually have gotten a little misty-eyed myself along the way back. I love going to the library (surprise), and it's a pretty, tree-lined streets walk, so this is a big one.

>214 weird_O: Hi, Bill. I"m sure we would've enjoyed that Philaelphia Flower Show. That's a big reason I"M doing this - so we can continue to enjoy that kind of thing. We walk everywhere when we're in London, although we're using the Tube more often these days.

The Strand! You're going to love it, buddy.

>215 lauralkeet: thanks, Laura. As always in this part of the story, It's a little weird to be proud of doing something that used to come easily. But I do feel mighty good about it.

>216 MickyFine: thanks, Micky. It's amazing how sweet the simple things become. A trip to the library - pure joy.

>217 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne! I knew you and others here would appreciate what it meant.

>218 msf59: Thanks, buddy. win, win, for sure.

Bree's baby shower: how great, Mr. Impending Grandpa. Congrats!

Good to hear re Habitat Threshold. I'll probably atart it today,

>219 humouress: Hi, Nina. Yup, walking and weight-lifting, so I can get back, get back, get back to where I started from (my internal radio is playing Beatles music this morning).
.
Going to the cafe is right up there among my favorite things in life. Ain't that one a beaut?

Rafa driving Fina around their abuelo's warehouse.

>223 jnwelch: Ha! That's so adorable I could eat them up with a spoon!

>221 jnwelch: And so it should be a Big Joy...a necessary step towards buttressing your sense of yourself as recovered.

>223 jnwelch: Well you know where to go if you need any heavy lifting done Joe. Cute.

>224 richardderus: Aren"t they cute, RD? I love the good care Rafa is taking of his sister.

"Twas a big joy, and we're getting there, aren't we.

>225 Caroline_McElwee: Ha! that's a fork lift, and you're right, Caroline. They could lift me with that thing.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - Portrait of Vincent van Gogh, 1887

>227 jnwelch: Such a glorious use of pastels! Beautiful.

Happy & healthy Humpday, Joe.

Today’s E-Reader Bargains: All Creatures Great and Small at $1.99. If you haven’t read this charmer, you want to, and if you have, you want to re-read it. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill at $1.99. As one critic put it, a bookworm’s delight.

>227 jnwelch: Fabulous. I've never seen it before Joe.

>228 richardderus: Toulouse painting Vincent - can you believe it, Richard? What a world.

Let’s slide into the weekend from this middle hill, whaddya say?

WOW, Joe, Up and Traveling - way to master the brain and body!

Have you read RIDING THE OX HOME?

Voice Clear As

Kemi Alabi

When my mom discovers heaven’s just a noise festival

the godchoir of all her loves breathing
unsnagged by asthma or Newport-dragged lung

the true song life makes untethered from a body
tugged at last from the men who hold its reins

will she blame her pastors (like I did)
for Sunday portraits of pooled white gold?

Will she miss the wooden flute of her body
mourn the days corner-propped, cloaked in dust

too pious to disturb a room’s skin cells
and stray hair with her sound

snapped awake at the nightmare of a slip fringe
the private note sung aloud?

Or, unburdened by hell

will she exhale
and hear the bells?

>232 m.belljackson:. Thanks, Marianne! I was just talking to our trainer about that. I was a bit frustrated by how ling it takes to get back to where I once belonged; he emphasized all the progress I’ve made. The virtue of patience often eludes me.

We’re traveling to see little Rafa and Fina tomorrow ( with the side benefit of seeing our son and his wife, and my sister and her husband). Can’t wait!

I have not read Riding the Ox Home. Should I?

>234 jnwelch: Yes, Riding the Ox Home is one to slowly savor and return to.

Will you be driving, flying, or taking the nice long lovely train...?

Have a beautiful journey.

>235 m.belljackson:. Thanks for the ox-riding tip, Marianne. We’ll be flying.

Happy Wednesday, Joe. All is good on my end. Living the life, my friend. I hope you are enjoying Habitat Threshold. It seemed like a good fit for you. Have a great time in PA. Enjoy those little ones! If anything can heal you, they will.

>233 jnwelch: This is from today, right? A good one. Thanks for sharing.



-Indigo Bunting. From a recent jaunt.

Hiya Joe.

Re Jeopardy! guest hosts:
Ken Jennings gave it a good kick-off; he was the right choice to go first but he's not my pick for the long haul.
I thought Mike Richards, the executive producer of the show, was the dark horse. I thought he was excellent.
I actually thought Aaron Rodgers was kind of charming in the role. Katie Couric was fine but too perky.
Anderson Cooper was good; I'm a fan but he didn't knock my socks off.
Bill Whitaker was one of my favorites.
Buzzy Cohen was outstanding. He may be my favorite.
I enjoyed Mayim Bialik.
Savannah Guthrie is just okay.
Mehmet Oz was my least favorite. I actually stopped watching until his two weeks were over.

I just went and picked up The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. It was free because I could use one of my digital credits to cover it. Thanks for the tip!
And just YES to All Creatures Great and Small. Excellent bedtime reading for insomniacs (meaning I don't want it as an eBook but your praise is spot on).

>237 msf59: Nice!

>238 EBT1002: Another Buzzy Cohen vote. I must learn who this person is. Dr. Oz was a bad idea, period, wasn't he.

I hope you enjoy Nina Hill like I did. If you need more dark, you could read it with a flashlight. All Creatures Great and Small is great, isn't it.

We're heading to de plane soon.

We'll be back next Tuesday

>240 jnwelch: Safe travels, joyous visits, and a happy homecoming after it all.

Buzzy Cohen was one of the recent champions himself, and quite charming in his own odd way. He was straight up great hosting the Tournament of Champions this past month.

But of course I want to see Levar Burton before I cast my final ballot.

What >241 richardderus: Richard said.

Safe journey's Joe

Safe travels, Joe!

Have a terrific visit, Joe!

I just finished reading Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman and remembered that you read it several years ago and liked it. This book was a Prinz Honor Book. (that is an ALA award for YA books.) It is very unusual for a work of nonfiction to be on that list, so I put it on my TBR list. When you said you liked it, I knew I had to get it read. I listened to the book and I liked it. Using the letters from Vincent to Theo as the way to tell the story of the two brothers was a good idea. It would have been even better if the letters from Theo to Vincent had survived. I hope others who are interested in Vincent Van Gogh and his art will pick up this book.

And that cover is great! If you read the book, you will know what the cover means!

Thanks everyone! We’re safely arrived, and those two kids are cute as the dickens! Rafa and Fina’s bedrooms are on the top floor, and we told Rafa we didn’t know how to get back downstairs this morning after the two woke up. In his little man voice he said, “I can help you”, and took our hands and showed us the way downstairs. So cute, and such a good little kid.

Fina is figuring out who we are. Since her brother is potty training, she goes and sits on the potty with a little book. As her parents say, she has decided to train herself.

>247 benitastrnad:. I’m so glad you liked Vincent and Theo, Benita! Thanks for sharing those good thoughts about it. Debbi loved it, too, and we had another fan in the cafe, as I recall. I remember being struck by how important Theo was, and Theo’s wife was, to encouraging, facilitating and preserving all the works of Van Gogh that we treasure today. Really well done book, wasn’t it.

I do love that cover.

>241 richardderus: Well said, as usual, RD. Thanks!

>242 ffortsa:. Thanks, Judy. That explains it. BTW, son Jesse has a shot at being on the show. He’s in the second round today, where he goes up against other would-be contestants.

I’m pulling for our pal Levar as host.

Hi Joe. I may have been the other one in the cafe who loved the book of letters between Vincent and Theo. Now that I have my own Theo (Hurricane Theo, my cat, as I call him), it feels funny applying that name to anyone else, lol.

What??! Are you saying that both Jesse and Adriana could be on Jeopardy?! Oh my. Imagine if they ended up playing each other! You and Debbi would have to do babysitting duty, big time! ;-)

>250 jessibud2: Exactly the same thought occurred to me :0)

>250 jessibud2:, >251 humouress:. Yes, it’s possible. Jesse’s playing and being evaluated right now, as we speak. There’s been a lot of joking about their possibly playing each other. I share the view that, if you want to ruin a marriage, that’s a great idea ( their playing each other).

That’s probably unfair to them, as they play each other all the time, in this and other games. But I sure don’t like the idea.

He’s faster on the buzzer now, she’s better at the answers, is what he says. He thinks she’ll make it, and he’ll have to try again next February. But we’ll wait and see. Exciting!

Pretty amazing. Tens of thousands try, apparently, and not many make it through.

Man, this one sure hit home after recent events.

Mourning

Margarita Cruz

5 AM—the world is silent save for the heater
in the hallway, the cars wooshing
down the main road, the vibrato of
every single driver. Every creak of a settling
house. Lay my head down, press it into pillow.
On the window sill a jar of coins,
sunlight crawling through the
water in an empty spaghetti jar.
A spider settles itself into the warmth
of my house. Inside the body: ghosts
of IVs, needles, feeling
breathless in a hospital bed.
Somewhere inside my brain aware
of the machine pumping oxygen,
beeping, attached by wires to the chest.
In the chest, an animal. The animal
forgetting how: to howl, to crawl,
To find the words.

>253 jnwelch: - Powerful!

As for Jeopardy, it would certainly be a first if they played each other. There are many contestants who have had family members, over the years, try, compete, win or not, but I would be very surprised if any 2 ever competed in the same game at the same time! And actually, I think it would be cool. But it would be hardest on those of us in the cheering section, know what I mean? ;-)

>254 jessibud2:. So right, Shelley. It would be cool, and I’m sure they’d handle it well, but it would be nerve-wracking for both sets of their parents.

>255 jnwelch: LOL. That reminds me of when Seth Curry was playing for the Trailblazers, when the Warriors were in town, the Curry parents would come, and they each had a team assigned to cheer for, to be fair. It got lots of press, and my observation was they both cheered when either Seth or Steph had a good play. Nice family.

Congrats to your daughter in law, being on Jeopardy sounds terrifying to me. Your grandkids are so sweet; it must be especially nice to visit with them now.

Happy Saturday, Joe. I am glad you arrived safely and it sounds like you are really enjoying the grands. I hope to experience that soon. Today is Bree's baby shower. Yah!!

I am enjoying The Night Watchman and Reckless. Thanks for the heads-up on the Brubaker/Phillips series. Like you, I love this team.

>253 jnwelch: Great poem!

Hiya, Joe!

Congrats on the successful jaunt to the Library and Jesse's possible jaunt on Jeopardy in addition to your DiL's Jeopardy quest.

The kidlets are very cute in their abuelo's warehouse.

Morning, Joe! I'm happy to read that you've arrived safely downstairs. Please give Rafa and Fina extra hugs each for me.

Safe and wonderful trip, Joe, or in other words 'traveling mercies' which is a wonderful old timey blessing that I love. I'm looking forward to many all your new photos!

Glad you are all having a good time in PGH.

>247 benitastrnad: >248 jnwelch: Another cafe customer here claiming she recommended Vincent and Theo! (We’ll have to check the archives ... not!😳)
Loved that book and I remember so much of what I read, always a good sign.

Happy Father's Day, Joe

Five-starring a comic book.

Yep. I did do that.

I dunno how you convinced the Muses to pixilate me, but you must've done it...this is almost the only place I encounter comic books...so causation or correlation, it's all your fault.

Just dropping in and wishing you a fabulous Sunday. I hope you're doing well.

Happy Father's Day to All The Celebrants!

>266 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. Our son and I had a great one, and I hope everyone in the League of Fathers did, too.

>265 Ameise1: We're doing well and had a fabulous Sunday, Barbara, thanks. Breakfast and dinner at restaurants (our first ones inside since the pandemic hit) and a movie - In the Heights. i hope you had a most excellent weekend.

>264 richardderus: 5 star comic book review from RD - what's the world coming to? Unicorns are frolicking everywhere! I"ll come over to see what this all means. Mark and Charlotte are at least partly to blame.

>256 banjo123: I remember that story about the Currys, Rhonda. Nice problem to have - two NBA brothers, Are you watching any of the playoffs? Trae Young and Atlanta are amazing me. Young reminds me of Steph Curry-- seeming too small and slight to make it in the NBA, and just tearing it up.

Thanks re Adriana and Jeopardy. She loves being in the spotlight, and will just eat it up, methinks, if she gets on.

>257 msf59: Isn't that a great poem, Mark? That one really got me.

Don't you always feel like you're in good hands with Brubaker and Phillips?

I picked up Animal Dreams from Jesse and Adri's LFF - have you read that one?

Go Bree and the baby-to-be! Yes, I think you're going to enjoy the heck out of being Grandpa Bird.

>258 karenmarie: Hiya, Karen! Thanks! From them talking about it, I"d say Jesse's chances are less than 50-50 and Adriana's more than.

Thanks re the library, too. I"ll be repeating that jaunt. And those kids were so cute in person!

>259 scaifea: Rafa was a grand escort to the World of Downstairs, Amber. You'd get a kick out of them - he's nonstop chatter (English to us, Spanish to his mom - they say he's people-specific with the two) and Fina keeps surprising us. I got a "tank ooo" from her, and Debbi got a "'uv ooo". They both love to be read to.

>260 streamsong: thanks, Janet. I'd not heard "traveling mercies" before, and I love that, too. The traveling was fine; full planes on time. It was a lot of mask-wearing, but no incidents from anti-maskers. As Debbi said, they've probably all seen in the media people being dragged off planes and out of airports for that.

>261 weird_O: Thanks, Bill. We felt it was our best visit ever, which is saying a lot. On the grown-up side, my recent close shave led to some deep and frank conversations.

>262 NarratorLady: I'm pretty sure you were the one I was thinking of with Vincent and Theo, and now I'm thinking that you're the one who first recommended it! Sorry for the delay in recognition; sometimes it's hard to remember the provenance!

>263 PaulCranswick: Thanks, and a belated back atcha, Paul. It looked on FB like you were having a mighty fine one, with a cake included, you lucky guy.

Welcome home, Joe. Glad the trip went well. I am happy to hear about all the mask-wearing, even though I, myself, am not psychologically ready to go inside public places like theatres or restaurants any time soon. I will be taking the train to Montreal to visit my mum for the first time since last August/September, but even the trains are doing distancing with one person per double seat (which suits me just fine, lol). Still, I am happy we are slower to reopen and I just hope my worries prove to be for naught.

When do you think Jesse and Adriana will hear for sure whether they made the final cut? Are they even allowed to tell you?

>268 jnwelch: Oh, your Sunday sounds terrific. Glad to hear that you spent such a gorgeous time.

My experience with Jeopardy is that if you're not selected you just don't hear back from them.

I've gotten up as far as in person interview tryout twice

>274 magicians_nephew:. That’s impressive, Jim. You’d probably enjoy sharing stories with our son and DIL.

>273 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barbara. It felt so good to get back to doing some “normal” things for fun.

>272 jessibud2:. Thanks, Shelley. Being vaxed makes me feel much more confident about going back to normal. I was just saying how happy I was that I was vaxed before going into the hospital. The hospital scared me more than anything else has, even though they were very careful about mask-wearing. I’m happy to wear a mask when asked, but it’s still a thrill when we don’t need to.

I don’t know when they expect to hear, and from what Jim says, they may never hear. That seems like a bad practice with fans of the show. I know they expect to tell us; whether they’ll have confidentiality restrictions precluding that I don’t know. If so, I think we’ll understand what they can’t tell us, if they can’t!

Joe - So Great that this was the Best Trip Yet!

An NYC friend gives Vincent's Books: Van Gogh and The Writers Who Inspired Him a 5 star rating.

Pobre Senor R.Nadal and Serena, but still GO Giannis and Khris!

Today’s Bargain: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, $1.99 on e-readers. Still my favorite by this author.

>276 m.belljackson:. Hi, Marianne. Thanks re the best trip yet. Vincent’s Books - I love the concept. I read that he was quite the reader.

Too bad about Rafa N in particular for me; I’ve really enjoyed his dominance on clay. I think Serena may be destined to come up short on the most Grand Slams record. I still think she’s the best ever.

>275 jnwelch: I did my trip to Peet's for coffee beans and it was the first time with no social distancing or masks - though all the Peet's employees were masked as was I. I like social distancing and masks, and considering the fewer number of colds, I wouldn't mind that being generally acceptable if not the norm.

Morning, Joe. Happy Wednesday. Welcome back. Glad you had a nice trip to PA and spending quality time with the grands. I hope those books are treating you fine. Are you liking Habitat Threshold or is it not quite working? I have been birding in the A.M and reading in the PM. Living the life...

I wish I had written this one.

Remote Disjunctions

Mónica de la Torre

I didn’t mind ferns enough, I thought, the last time I hiked
up to Lookout Point. They’re so unassuming. I’d be looking up
to the tops of third-generation redwoods, or beyond, toward
Googleplex, in Mountain View, which later Google confirmed
was the complex off in the distance. And I’d be picturing,
those last days, cages and tents. Sorry to make you feel judged,
I almost texted. Stopped myself. Truth is I judge, and if judges
were capable of feeling sorry, they wouldn’t. I welcomed noise
instead of trying to block it out with the folk musician’s songs,
Scottish, coming from my laptop. If you don’t remember a name,
does it mean you don’t care to remember. You’d taken yourself
to places whose specifics you’d chosen to forget. You said you
weren’t there to keep track, but to experience. Which, when
I’m feeling negative, I translate as ditching the thing as soon as
you’re done with it onto the heap of junk you’re not accumulating.
Those who get the backend know what detailed tagging can lead to:
a map so precise it’s the territory’s size. We’re drifting apart
again, spore-like. I’m done completing your sentences.
A version of the signs along the trail anticipating the hikers’ ups
and downs. “It begins with feeling,” was the first, spotted
at the same time I noticed the pet waste bags someone had left
behind. “Here you leave your worries,” seen after I passed a guy
whose grin was such, he did seem to have just dumped them.
This one got me thinking about our tendency to ruin things:
“This is a beautiful moment.” The last wasn’t part of the art:
“Please keep out of area under renovation.” That resonated.

>279 quondame:. I know what you mean, Susan. We’re appreciating not having gotten a cold for over a year. Debbi thinks she might wear a mask during flu season. And all of us in the habit of washing our hands more often - there’s something to be said for the precautions we’ve had to take.

>280 msf59:. Hey, Bird Nerd. Enjoy your morning birding.

I’m liking Habitat Threshold, but it’s not setting me on fire like it did you. I’m excited by this Monica de la Torre (above); I’m tracking more of hers down.

Becca joins us for training this morning. She’ll do that all summer - it’s good for her, and we enjoy the company.

>276 m.belljackson: You hit me with a bullet there Marianne.

Happy Humpday, Joe. Nothing new to report. Well...not quite true...but I won't clutter your space up.

*sigh*

>284 Caroline_McElwee: :-)

>285 richardderus: Aww, you never clutter this space up, Richard. What's better than cake and coffee and sharing what's on our minds? I'll head over to your thread to find out the latest.

>287 jnwelch: *gasp*

It...it's...gorgeous! There's even enough buttercream for once! My oh my, that truly gives me hope for the world.

>283 jnwelch: - Joe, is your training in person already or still online?

>288 richardderus:. Ha! Glad we could improve this questionable day for you!

>289 jessibud2:. We do it via FaceTime on Debbi’s iPad, Shelley. He’s at the Gym and can see us and correct form, and we can see him and complain that he’s a heartless dictator.

I’d like to return to the Gym, personally ( they have a lot more to work with than we do) but Madame MBH is NOT ready for that, and enjoys the convenience of working out at home (the Gym is a bit of a schlep).

How about Nadal and Serena in Mixed Doubles? There's one to dream on!

Just like your #287 Cake...

>279 quondame: >282 jnwelch: I'm used to wearing masks indoors now, so much so that I sometimes forget to take it off straightaway when I get into the car. Outdoors is different because it's too hot. But in this part of the world it's been common to see people wearing masks pre-pandemic, presumably because they had a cold or some such, so there hasn't been any fuss about having to wear masks now. Mind you, after SARS where a lot of children were victims of the virus, it's a small price to pay for a safer environment.

ETA: 'indoors' as in inside shopping malls

Nice to hear about your sojourn with the kidless. I suppose you won't be learning Spanish with Rafa until he's an expert, if he considers you part of the English-speaking population. In the meantime, I haven't managed to learn any in the past year - so much for my plan for learning with my son, who will take his exam in a few months.

>292 humouress: In preparation for letting the cleaners loose downstairs we've been packing away a few years of my eBay and craft indulgences, which really blew up during the lockdown, and I've found wearing a mask indoors quite a help. The dust is thick in these parts.

>293 quondame: Yup; dust makes me sneeze and if it's really dusty my nose runs and my eyes tear and ... it's quite ugly. I'm thinking we should use the masks when sweeping the floors - we had that conversation just this morning, coincidentally.

'craft indulgences, which really blew up during the lockdown' - no idea what you mean ;0)

>276 m.belljackson: >286 jnwelch: My copy of Vincent's Books just landed, that's my evening taken care of.

I can also recommend Thomas Wright's Oscar's Books: A Journey Around the Library of Oscar Wilde.

Good gravy...I'm short three or four days this week. It can't possibly be the last Thursday in June, Year of Our Lardcakes 2021! Wasn't it Tuesday June 6th, 2000, just a minute ago? Rip van Winkle told me so, I'm pretty sure.

>295 Caroline_McElwee: >276 m.belljackson: >286 jnwelch:
According to Vincent and Theo author Deborah Heiligman Vincent Van Gogh read a whole bunch of books. He and Theo talked about the books that they both read and discussed them in their letters to each other. Some of the books mentioned were books that are considered classics but some of them were titles I had never heard of. Vincent and Theo were very literate people.

Somebody upthread mentioned the role that Theo's wife played in keeping the legacy of both Vincent and Theo alive, and they are correct. After the death of both Vincent and Theo she moved back to Amsterdam and ran a boarding house. Her and Theo's son provided most of the paintings that are in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. If I ever visit that city, I intend to go to that museum and pay tribute to her perseverance and insight about the art that Vincent produced.

>297 benitastrnad: You won't be disappointed by the VVG Museum Benita. I went several times over the years, whenever I was in Amsterdam, though it has been a while since I was last there, and they have done a major rehang since I think.

I also visited Auver sur Oise, and Vincent and Theo's peaceful resting place.

>291 m.belljackson: I love that Nadal and Serena Dream Team, Marianne. Wouldn’t that be something special to see?

>292 humouress:. Thanks, Nina. Yeah, it seems like people in parts of Asia have been used to wearing masks for some time now. Is that every day, or in certain seasons or under certain circumstances?

We have been learning Spanish on Duolingo, although the wallop put us on hiatus. Rafa gets a lot of Spanish from Adri and Jess and immersion camp/school, so she’s asked us to speak English with him. Can do!

>293 quondame:. That sounds smart to me, Susan. Dust gets to Madame MBH, too, and I passed on this idea of wearing a mask. She liked it.

>294 humouress:. :-)

>295 Caroline_McElwee:. Sounds good, Caroline. Please let us know what you think of Vincent’s Books. I’m tempted. Now you’ve got me thinking about Oscar’s Books. I imagine some day there will be a “Barack’s Books” for our well-read President.

>296 richardderus:. I know the feeling, compadre. This week has flown by. I think the pandemic has mishmashed our sense of time. I can’t believe it’s almost July.

>297 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I looked into Vincent’s reading after liking one of his paintings of books. I remember finding it varied and impressive. How great to find out our treasured painter was an avid reader and liked to back and forth about them with his brother.

Thank goodness for Theo’s wife! My understanding is she played a critical role in keeping his legacy alive.

We loved Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum, and can heartily recommend it. Get a ticket ahead of time - it’s popular. It’s also right by the Rijksmuseum.

>298 Caroline_McElwee:. Multiple visits sounds excellent, Caroline. Thanks for the photo of their peaceful resting place. Together in death, as in life.

Ohhhh. I get the wobblies. Books about reading books. Two more BBs. Vincent's Books and Built of Books.

Ha, what a mixup. Your reply (>300 jnwelch:), Joe, to Caroline (>295 Caroline_McElwee:) quotes the title for the Oscar Wilde library that she typed (Oscar's Books). The Touchtone links to an Oscar the Grouch tome. At >295 Caroline_McElwee: the Touchstone goes to the correct book, even though the title in the post is incorrect. Touchstones sure are nutty.

>303 weird_O: Touchstones sure are nutty Bill. I think it is two different editions of the same book (maybe UK and US), the book my touchstone leads to is the one I have, the title I posted maybe the US, but it wasn't coming up when I just posted 'Oscar's Books' *sigh*.

I'm half through Vincent's Books, and much enjoying.

>297 benitastrnad: That museum is my favorite memory from my 1967 European trip.

>297 benitastrnad: Benita, here’s an article about Theo Van Gogh’s widow Johanna who was the person who championed Van Gogh’s work after the brothers’ deaths. Fascinating.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/magazine/jo-van-gogh-bon...

Morning, Joe. Happy Friday. The rain will keep me in today but I have been out nearly every day. It sounds like those books are treating you fine. Keep up the good work.

>281 jnwelch: I like this one. Lots to chew on.

>303 weird_O: Thanks for digging into all that, Bill. i'm glad the right one was in there somewhere and you got two BBa out of it.

>304 Caroline_McElwee: Good to hear about Vincent's Books, Caroline (too hard to find the right touchstone!). Man, you just jumped in and started swimming. I just finished Americanah. What a book! I understand all the enthusiasm now.

>305 quondame: You must've been a young 'un back then, Susan.

>306 NarratorLady: Thanks for posting the link to the Johanna article, Anne. I'll enjoy that, too.

>307 msf59: What a downpour last night, Mark. The radio said we're under a flash flood warning. Yeah, i'm in transition time on the books. Americanah was terrific (loved her blogs!). I got the new Rainbow Rowell from the library, and I think I'll try that next.

Isn't >281 jnwelch: a good one to chew on? I've written ones somewhat like it, but hers is so good.

Okuni Shrine
Mori, Shuchi District, Shizuoka prefecture

>309 jnwelch: Tranquil beauty, Joe.

>309 jnwelch: That's my kind of place.

I'm expecting a spiffy new rendition of Joe's Cafe to appear. Something to look forward to.

>309 jnwelch: Just perfect. Absolute stillness. Glorious!

Happy weekend, Joe!

>309 jnwelch: Lovely picture Joe.

>308 jnwelch: Just out of high school. Sent off from a small town to do stupid things far away where no one we knew would ever know. Mission accomplished. My folks knew plenty of people at UC Berkeley as they had go there and a couple of professors worked with my dad over the summers, so that wasn't considered as anonymous, though I believe it would have done - at least I was never tasked with all the different stupid things I did there.

>310 Caroline_McElwee:. We can use a little tranquility, can’t we, Caroline.

>311 laytonwoman3rd:. I posted it on the new thread, too, Linda.

>312 weird_O:. I was hoping this time we’d lulled you into not noticing how long this one is, Bill. But you probably saved me from the Thread Police.

>313 richardderus:. Thanks, RD. Isn’t that glorious?

>314 SandDune:. Thanks, Rhian.

>315 quondame:. Intriguing, Susan. At least they picked a great far away place for you to go do stupid things.

The new cafe is open. See you there!