Mamie's 2022 Madness, page 5

I just took this photo yesterday - Mercy keeping company with Abby's books. Abby said, "She's not supposed to be up there, and she knows it." Cracked me up.

I'm Mamie. I have BIG love for books and movies, cooking, making lists, wine, snark, and shenanigans. I try to get into trouble as often as possible, and I am very good at it, so I often succeed.

I live in the Deep South of the US - Georgia. I'm an Indiana transplant, so after nine years I am still adjusting to the hell-like temps heat and humidity. I have been married to my best friend for thirty-one years, and we have four grown children - all in their twenties, at least until March. We share our space with a trio of remarkable cats - Mercy, Mischief and Mayhem. That last one is excellent at living up to his name. I have been on LT for ten years, and it has been full of fabulous. I am looking forward to further shared adventures (and misadventures!) in my reading journey.

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June Reads:
40. The False Inspector Dew by Peter Lovesey - recommended by Judy
41. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
42. Hamlet: Shakespeare Appreciated by William Shakespeare, narrated by a full cast and Joan Walker
43. Slow Horses by Mick Herron, narrated by Gerard Doyle - reread
44. Night Waking by Sarah Moss
45. Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin
46. Murder in Paradise: Thirteen Mysteries from the Travels of Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie, narrated by David Suchet

April/May Reads:
36. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill - reread
37. Mansfield Park: An Annotated Edition by Jane Austen
38. MASH by Richard Hooker
39. Booked to Die by John Dunning

March Reads:
26. The Memory Of Love by Aminatta Forna
27. Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit
28. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
29. The Crazy Kill by Chester Himes
30. All Systems Red by Martha Wells - reread
31. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - reread
32. Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition by Jane Austen, edited by Patricia Meyer Spacks - reread of the novel, but first time through the annotated version
33. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells - reread
34. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells - reread
35. So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell

February Reads:
15. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, adaptation and illustrations by Peter Kuper (GN) - Katie's Dirty Dozen
16. Dare to Disappoint by Özge Samanci (GN) - recommended by Beth
17. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
18. When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson, narrated by Ellen Archer - reread
19. Mindful Drinking by Rosamund Dean - Katie's Dirty Dozen
20. The Giver: The Graphic Novel by Lois Lowry, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell
21. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
22. Fangs by Sarah Anderson (GN) - recommended by lowelibrary
23. Why Orwell Matters by Christopher Hitchens
24. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, narrated by Miranda Richardson
25. Still Waters by Viveca Sten, translated by Marlaine Delargy - reread

January Reads:
1. Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots - recommended by Richard
2. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (GN)
3. Kim by Rudyard Kipling, narrated by Madhav Sharma
4. The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett, narrated by Indiram Varma - reread
5. The Kiss Murder by Mehmet Murat Somer
6. Good Talk by Mira Jacob (GN)
7. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
8. The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 by James S. Shapiro
9. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
10. Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
11. When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs (GN)
12. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson - reread
13. Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones - recommended by Richard
14. Pulp by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (Artist), Jacob Phillips (Artist) (GN) - recommended by Charlotte

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for an eighth year, let’s see what she hits me with this time.

1. Mindful Drinking by Rosamund Dean - Read 2/2022
2. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness by Peter Kuper (GN) - Read 2/2022
3. Mr. Flood's Last Resort by Jess Kidd - do the audio
4. If Beale Street Could Talk - Katie says do the audio
5. Here For It by R. Eric Thomas - do the audio
6. Last Best Hope by George Packer
7. The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland
8. Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan
9. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

The List: (this is a list of LT book bullets from this year)
1. Ballad for Sophie by Felipe Melo (GN) - Mary
2. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix - Jennifer - requested from library
3. Evil Things by Katja Ivar - Judy
4. Wordslut by Amanda Montell - Micky
5. Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin - Anne over on Mary's thread
6. When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs (GN) - VivienneR Read 1/2022
7. These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett - Stasia - reading
8. Last Man Off by Matt Lewis - Stasia (she hasn't read this but it sounds good! Plus, it's a Cold Read)
9. The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley - NinieB
10. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. -The Weird One
11. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samanci (GN) - Beth - Read 2/2022
12. A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley - Carrie
13. Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger - VictoriaPL
14. Fangs by Sarah Anderson (GN) - lowelibrary - Read 2/2022
15. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond - Rhian
16. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak - Anita (FAMeulstee)
17. Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia "...detective noir set in 1971 Mexico City" - Jim
18. Fadeout by Joseph Hansen - Richard
19. 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James S. Shapiro - Eric
20. Pulp by Ed Brubaker (GN) - Charlotte - Read 1/2022
21. The Pasha of Cuisine by Saygın Ersin - Richard
22. This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno - sturlington
23. King Richard: Nixon and Watergate--An American Tragedy by Michael Dobbs - Jim
24. Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones - Richard - requested from library
25. My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies by Ed Brubaker (GN) - Joe

The List, continued:
26. My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson - Beth
27. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood - Amber
28. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman - Linda mentioned this is a favorite
29. Unholy Land Lavie Tidhar - Rhian - Reading
30. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Robertgreaves
31. Pollak's Arm by Hans von Trotha - Richard
32. Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt - Richard gave it 5 stars!
33. Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey - Judy
34. Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham - Judy again
35. The Talented Ribkins by Ladee Hubbard - Richard
36. Marzahn, Mon Amour by Katja Oskamp - Helen, and Charlotte loved it, too
37. Dreaming of Rose: A Biographer’s Journal by Sarah LeFanu - Richard, do your homework first
38. Against the Ice: The Classic Arctic Survival Story by Ejnar Mikkelsen (tr. Maurice Michael) - Richard
39. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - Jim
40. The Guncle by Steven Rowley - Richard
41. The False Inspector Dew by Peter Lovesey - Judy - Read 6/2022
42. The Old Man and the Wasteland by Nick Cole - Judy again
43. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill - Richard
44. Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?: A Memoir by Séamas O'Reilly - Richard again
45. Old School by Tobias Wolff - The Weird One
46. Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal & Sovereignty in Native America by Gregory D. Smithers - Richard

This should do it - next one's yours!

Happy new thread, Mamie! Love the photo of Mercy on her desk that she lets Abby use.

>7 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie! Mercy was very pleased with herself.

Happy new threa, Mamie!

Great photo of Mercy! Happy new one, Mamie.

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Mamie. I love your cat!

>9 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>10 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie!

>11 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>12 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Mercy is da Bomb.

>1 Crazymamie: Of course she knows it ha. I used to have a cat who enjoyed sitting on piles of books, as if he were able to read them that way.

I have the Sissinghurst book, and have been lucky enough to visit there a number of times.

Mornin' Mamie -- happy new thread :)

Happy new one!

Hi Mamie, and happy new thread!

>1 Crazymamie: Kitties always go where they’re not supposed to go, of course. Mercy, you floof!

Hi Mamie, I am here at last. *smooch*

Happy new thread!

>1 Crazymamie: A cat is supposed to be where she is. She does know people disagree, but who are they to tell her where to be.

Happy New Thread, Mamie. Happy Saturday, too!!

Happy Saturday, Mamie! Happy New Thread! Love the topper. Glad we are going to do a shared read of Arctic Dreams. Looking forward to it.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Love to all at the Paradisio.

Hiiiii, Mamie. I kinda slept in this morning, but I got up and had a donut and my coffee. Observed an abundance of snow on the ground. Then I observed an absence of bits and bytes in the internets, then observed that was due to an absence of electrons pouring out of the electrical outlets. Uh oh.

So I had a quiet afternoon reading the last of the Freddy the Pig books I borrowed from my brother. About two-thirds through. The occasional nap. Along about 5:45—still light outside—the fridge started humming, the light over the coffee bar came on. Even my eyes lit up. Yaaaa, I can have a hot supper. And just now, my second cuppa.

Happy Saturday, Mamie! Happy new thread as well!

>14 Caroline_McElwee: Hello, Caroline! Mercy loves to lay on books - especially if you are trying to read them.

I would love to visit Sissinghurst! That is actually my book - Abby gave it to me for Christmas and then borrowed it. Heh. Those top four books are mine that she is borrowing, and the rest are hers.

>15 RebaRelishesReading: Hello, Reba! Thank you!

>16 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>17 karenmarie: Hello, Karen, and thank you!

That's actually one of the things I love about cats - they are so contrary and will do as they please. She is very sweet and also very funny, so its hard to ever even be a bit miffed with her.

>18 richardderus: Hello there, dear one! Thank goodness - now we can begin.

>19 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

So true about Mercy!

>20 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda! Happy Saturday to you.

>21 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Happy Saturday. I am also looking forward to reading Arctic Dreams with you and whoever else jumps in - should be fun!

>22 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! The residents of the Pecan Paradisio return your love.

>23 weird_O: Hello there, Bill! We are having donuts tomorrow morning for Rae's birthday breakfast, and I am very excited about it. Oh dear about the power! Glad you finally got it back. Look at you having adventures! It has been very cold (for Georgia) and very windy here all day - we lost power very briefly in the early morning hours.

Stay warm, Oh Weird One!

>24 alcottacre: Happy Saturday, Stasia! Thank you.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Enjoy your cold for Georgia weather.

>29 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! We are loving the cold weather.

Happy new thread. Mercy and the books are lovely, but I'm also admiring the chest, I've not seen one like that before.

>31 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! I forget where we got that chest for Abby, but it is so cool. Lots of different sized drawers and we love how it is painted.

'Morning, Mamie!

I hope things are going well at the Pecan Paradisio.

One of my favorite photos of Rae - she is probably about 10 here.

Yesterday was Rae's 30th birthday - I still can't believe she is 30. She is the oldest, so also Craig and my anniversary of becoming parents. Sadly it was a bit of a train wreck. Daniel and Kaitlyn had been in New York and were supposed to be home to celebrate with us by 1pm, but both of their flights got delayed - one for weather and one for a damaged plane wing. So they did not get here until around 7pm. And in the afternoon, Craig's mom died. We had been expecting this, but I was hoping that she would not die on Rae's birthday.

On the reading front, I have been re-reading Pride and Prejudice with Stasia, which is proving a treat - this is my all time favorite book, so this particular reread is coming at the perfect time. I'm also listening to Daisy Jones and the Six, and the full cast narration is very good. Still working on my other books - All Art is Propaganda, Bleak House, The Red Gardenand The Chosen and the Beautiful (this is a retelling of The Great Gatsby, and pretty fun so far). My insomnia book is Artificial Condition - rereading the first four novellas before diving into the two novels, and I already finished up All Conditions Red, the first book, over the weekend.

>33 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! We are not off to a good start, so Monday is living up to its name. Craig started off for Florida to help with his mom's stuff, and he got more than an hour down the road before realizing that he had left his wallet at home, so he had to turn around and come back for it. He has just left again, poor baby.

Ooof, that's a lot, Mamie. I'm sorry Rae's birthday was not all you had hoped for. Please wish her a happy birthday from me!

Hi again.

Belated Happy Birthday to Rae. I'm very sorry about Daniel and Kaitlyn getting delayed and sorry that Craig's mom died on Rae's birthday. My sister's *expletive deleted* MiL died on our mother's birthday, and the first year or so it colored our memories, then we relegated it to the lowest priority possible.

Poor Craig, and insult to injury about forgetting his wallet. I hope things go well for him in FL regarding his mom's stuff and etc.

>34 Crazymamie: So sorry about Craig's mom. Even when it's not a surprise, it's still a loss. I hope Craig's trip gets better!

Andy belated happy birthday to Rae!

Happiest of birthday wishes to Rae! I hope she was able to still find some joy in celebrating a milestone — 30 years old is prime time, baby!

And condolences that your MIL's death marred the festivities. It's difficult when things like that happen on what are supposed to be happy days.

>36 katiekrug: Indeed, Katie. Thank you for those birthday wishes for Rae - she is sleeping in today, happy at least for the excuse to take a day off. I will tell her when she gets up, and she will be delighted.

>37 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen. I was really hoping she could make it just one more day, but it was not to be. Figures it had to be Rae's birthday, and a special one at that. Sorry you experienced a similar thing. So not fabulous.

I know - it's already a five hour drive, so adding two more hours on is not good. He took today and tomorrow off and is hoping that will be enough. His brother was already down there, and the brother is the power of attorney, so most of the work will fall to him. Craig did just find out, though, that he is listed as the trustee on something that he had no idea even existed. Nice. So hopefully he can get that figured out while he is down there. Thanks for those good wishes for him - he's going to need them.

>38 drneutron: Thank you, Jim. There was no love loss between the MiL and myself, but she was still Craig's mom, so an emotional ride for him. Thanks for the good wishes for him, and for the birthday wishes for Rae.

>39 rosalita: Thank you, Julia. We had donuts in the morning before everything went sideways, so that was nice. She is most pleased to be 30.

It was a very weird (and long) day, but now it is over. Thank you for those kind words. After Daniel and Kaitlyn left, and Birdy and Abby were upstairs, Craig and I treated ourselves to big ol glasses of wine, and Rae climbed into the Big Bed with me, and we watched the end of season two of Schitt's Creek, which is my favorite episode, and then the one with Patrick's surprise party, which is Rae's favorite episode. So at least we ended with some quiet but much appreciated happy moments. I always think the small moments are the best ones anyway.

Congratulations to Rae. May she enjoy many more birthdays. A popular meme in the era when I turned 30 to say "Don't trust anyone over 30." My coworkers gave me a bottle of Geritol, which was huckstered on TV as the antidote for "iron poor tired blood." Betty White did such ads in the mid-50s. Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6MlXc-Bao4
Geritol worked for her.

On the other hand, condolences to Rae on the death of her grandmother. And to Rae's dad and her entire family. Sad times.

>41 Crazymamie: That sounds like a fantastic way to end a birthday, Mamie! You are right that the small moments are the best ones in so many ways.

I'm glad you got to end a trying day happily. Happy, belated birthday wishes to Rae and strength and condolences to all of you.

>42 weird_O: Thank you, Oh Weird One! Geritol!! I remember those commercials. Too funny.

Craig's mom was a very difficult woman, so not so much sadness as you are thinking, but I appreciate the kind words and the thought. It's the end of an era for Craig and his siblings - I have been without both parents for years, but it's new for them. Their dad died from cancer about twenty years ago, so it's been a long haul for Craig's mom without him - they were best friends and had done everything together.

>43 rosalita: It was a lovely bit of calm and laughter to end the day with, Julia.

>44 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. Rae has just gotten up, and I have passed along all of the birthday wishes, and that has made her smile BIG.

Frankly, I'm impressed you haven't booked Michael Flatley (or his grandson) and the Eagles to have a bash now that the Dread Dragon is Dead. I hope you hadn't started in with the bunting-hanging and the strippers before Craig got back for his wallet.

*smooch*

>47 richardderus: Oh, your post made me laugh! *double smooch* You totally get me.

Happy birthday to Rae -- too bad the day did not go as planned. My condolences on the death of your MIL. I hope all goes well for Craig, after a rocky start.

>49 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. At least the weather is gorgeous, so it's a good day for a drive. I appreciate the good wishes - I always worry when he is on the highway.

If it rains it pours. You had quite a day Mamie. My thoughts are with you all, losing a dear one. I hope in time Rae will be able to enjoy her shared anniversary by celebrating both lives.

Happy birthday to Rae! 30, oh to be 30...
And sorry about Craig's extra hassle dealing with his mother's death. Condolences to him. Even when you expect it, it still feels like a hit to the solar plexus.
Look after yourselves.

Hi Mamie. That’s rough when a family member dies on a special day. It certainly puts a damper on things. My mother died on my husband’s birthday. She really loved him and made sure he would never forget her!

Belated Happy Birthday to Rae. What a sweet picture of her at age 10.

>34 Crazymamie: >35 Crazymamie: Oh what a tangle of disappointed plans and heartbreak. And that is just the sort of upheavals that lead to things like forgotten wallets. I hope the life tracks are smoother after all this.

>34 Crazymamie: What a lovely picture, belated happy 30th birthday to Rae!
Sorry the days didn't turn out as hoped, my condoleances.

Just catching up, Mamie. Sorry Rae's milestone birthday coincided with your MIL's passing. I completely understand your sort of ambivalent reaction to that event, too. It happens. Hopefully her affairs will be relatively easy to sort out.

'Morning, Mamie.

Senior generation now in Craig's family, eh? And in yours for quite a while. My parents died in 2006 and 2016, so I've had some time to get used to it.

>51 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline. She wasn't really dear to any of us except for Craig. She was a very difficult person who insisted on having her own way and was pretty much impossible to please. The anniversary of the death won't be a thing for Rae, it's just that it made a mess of this birthday, which was a big one for Rae. We were originally supposed to have her party at 1pm, but Daniela and Kaitlyn could not get back in time. Instead Craig's mom died at 1pm - weird, right?

>52 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen. Craig is currently down in Florida with two of his siblings, and I guess there is much drama. I'm guessing most of it is coming from the sister, who is kind of a pill. This is the same sister that had her healer reach out to Abby through the air waves, so, um...yeah.

>53 Donna828: Donna, it was most unfortunate that the two events had to coincide. That's too bad about your mom's death being on your husband's birthday. I guess she did make sure he would be thinking about her every year. Heh. I'm glad my Dad has his own Death Day because some years that day hits me very hard.

Thank you for those birthday wishes for Rae and the kind words about the photo.

>54 quondame: No heartbreak, Susan, just a wreck of a day. Hopefully, once they get everything sorted, this will decrease Craig's stress level. She refused all treatment and refused to leave home, so it's been a lot of work for those left caring for her for the past several months. Poor Craig had had a lot of road trips, phone calls, and messaging. It would be lovely for things to settle down.

>55 FAMeulstee: Thank you so much, Anita.

>56 lauralkeet: Hello, Laura. Thank you for those kind words. I am also hoping that her affairs are easily sorted.

>57 karenmarie: Morning, Karen!

Sort of? Craig and I are both the baby of the family by a lot. We both have a seven year gap to our closest sibling. Craig is the baby of four siblings, and I am the baby of six. My oldest sister is 15 years older than I am, so that seems like another generation to me even though it isn't.

Belated congrats to Rae, and condolences to Craig. My dad died on my birthday and for several years after that, I refused to acknowledge my birthday at all. Good friends always had me over for dinner or took me out and gradually, it became a thing again, but always low-key. My grandfather died on my aunt's birthday (her father) so we were kind of in an exclusive club that (as Woody Allen once said), no one wants to join. This too shall pass...

Love that photo of Rae. So photogenic!

>60 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. Oof. That would be so hard.

Glad you love the photo.

>58 Crazymamie: We were originally supposed to have her party at 1pm, but Daniel and Kaitlyn could not get back in time. Instead Craig's mom died at 1pm

Bad Julia says: I can only assume she got the memo about the schedule change too late to adjust her timeline ...

>62 rosalita: I adore Bad Julia. That is all.

>63 Crazymamie: ❤️

>62 rosalita: - Snork.

>63 Crazymamie: - Ditto.

Hi Mamie! Hope things are a bit more settled now. I'm sorry Craig is having to deal with drama in Florida :(

>59 Crazymamie: From my own experience it's kind of heartbreaking when death is a relief. I'd much rather have experienced a significant loss than to be left, immediately and over the years, primarily relief over the death of someone to whom I had strong attachments. But we don't get much of a choice about our feelings and almost none over how those we care for chose to handle their last years.

A 15 year gap can be a generation in terms of attitudes and expectations. Especially in the mid or late 20th century.

*smooch*

Got no news, so that's it.

Hi Mamie, great to see you posting again. Sorry to hear that Rae's milestone birthday had some family diffculties, but condolences to Craig, it's never a good time to lose a parent.

Every book I've read the past three days has made me madder'n a brand-new steer. Are you beaming meanie-vibes or something?

*smooch*

Mercy is quite a beautiful cat! I would like to have a cat in the house, but alas a dog and a ferret seem to be about all I can handle. The ferret is my granddaughter's responsibility, but when she attends classes at a nearby community college, and works ten hours a week, I keep an eye on the every adventurous Stinky the Ferret.

He gets into trouble quite easily. A few weeks ago, I watched him check out the front of the dish washer. He looked at this intently for a day. The next evening, Kayla heard agitated scratches from that area. Alas, he was able to remove the front piece of flashing and crawled into the dark area of the underside of the dish washer. He was one mighty scared ferret by the time Kayla was able to remove everything and get him out.

He doesn't even go near that area anymore.

>70 Whisper1: At least Stinky learned from his mistake. I've known dogs that take their time, if they ever do.

A very memorable day for Rae's 30th. Sometimes things just go like that. Belated Happy Birthday to Rae and I hope that Craig and his siblings are able to wrap things up quickly so that Craig can get back to you all.

Wednesday...that fogbank-of-deprivation day...and not a Mamie-sighting to alleviate the dank, dripping tedium of it all.

Whatever shall I do? *woe*

*waves* Hope all's well chez Mamie.

Happy New Thread, Mamie. A belated Happy Birthday to Rae. Your favorite photo of her sure is a beaut.

My codolences to Craig. It’s so tough to lose a parent. Debbi’s mother died on our daughter’s birthday, and she was very young. It was difficult for her.

I love that you went on a Murderbot binge this month! Such good books.

Happy Friday, Mamie! I hope you are doing well.

Hi Mamie- sorry to hear about the loss in your family. It can be so complicated, can't it. I recall in years gone by you talking about a tricky relationship there.
I offer my belated birthday wished to Rae as well :)

Hope Craig is OK, Mamie. I know you and your MIL had a difficult relationship which would have been hard on him for sure but I am sure that he will be relieved that here suffering (and yours!) has been curtailed. XXX

View hallooooooooooooooo

Is there a Mamie sighting?

Thinking of you & your family, Mamie. Hope you're just busy with life in general and all is well.

Definitely a day filled with too much drama, Mamie. And I was wondering what Craig's 'trusteeship' consisted of. Maybe money for the grands? One could hope.

Re the CT: Do you have an ergonomic keyboard? I switched to one years ago, and currently type on a Microsoft one you can find in most stores. It lets you keep your wrists straight (uncocked to the sides) and has helped eliminate a lot of pain for me, although it was never categorized as CT.

Belated happy 30th bday wishes to Rae and condolences to Craig (and freedom to you!). Families can be so complicated. Sending best wishes to everyone.

Hoping all is well with you and yours.
It might be ***day, but it is a bank holiday (in the UK) so it's really Saturday in disguise and therefore safe to venture out.
Surprisingly nice weather out as well for a bank holiday. >:-)

Dropping in to say hello! Hope all is well.

What Anita said, Mamie. Missing you.

*smooch*

Saw you put in an appearance on RDs thread, Mamie, and was hopeful that it would augur a more than welcome return.

I too saw the lesser spotted Mamie and hoped for an update.

I was hoping for a reboot of your thread too, Mamie. Hope all is well.

Thinking about you, Mamie, and sending good health vibes and positive energy to all the denizens of the Pecan Paradisio.

Sweet Thursday, Mamie! Just checking in on my pal. Hope all is well.

Hello there!! Missing you. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Miss you and thinking about you Mamie.

MAMIE!! I know, I know, deckled edges are The Bomb etc etc, but sweetiedarling!!

These edges are...are...ART in its most bookish form!


Now...aren't these worthy companions to the edges deckled in your most amiable opinion?

*smooch*

Bonus that >94 richardderus: is an excellent book, if you haven't already gotten to it.

Happy weekend, Mamie, hope all is well!

>95 bell7:. Agreed, Mary. Excellent book. I’ve got her new one, Gallant, on my WL thanks to you.

Griffin's 1st Birthday

Greetings from the Deep South, Y'all! I am tiptoeing back into LT after several months absence - life has been crazy here, and mostly centered on health issues (Abby's), and so I have not had a lot of energy for other things. Thanks so much to those of you who have kept my thread warm and for those of you who have sent PMs - most appreciated. I think the biggest trouble with falling off a thread is that it feels overwhelming to jump back in and catch up. Not because of you all - I know everyone here would be fine with me just saying I'm starting fresh, but I don't want to do that. This place means a lot to me and has been an anchor through good times and bad, and I have greatly missed this lovely group of wise and generous hearts. Thank you for your patience and your understanding, and I am deeply sorry that I have only boring things to report.

On the reading front - I am slowly emerging from a reading funk, and my numbers are going to be slightly depressing this year, but at least I am actually finishing books again. The shared reads have been great - a huge thanks to Stasia who came and got me to read both Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park with her. The first is my all time favorite book, and it was very fun to compare notes on it, and Mansfield Park was new to me. It will never be one of my favorite Austen's, but I know I will visit it again at some point. I have decided to just let all of the reading challenges go - I want to focus my reading on what speaks to me right now. Here's what I have finished since I last reported in:

Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition - I have read P&P many times, bt this was my first time through this annoyed edition
Rogue Protocol - reread
Exit Strategy - reread
So Long, See You Tomorrow
Some Girls Bite - reread
Mansfield Park: An Annotated Edition
MASH
Booked to Die

This brings my grand total of books read this year up to 39. YIKES!

In other news, let's see...

Griffin (our granddog) turned one on April 30th - we threw him a pool party complete with pupcakes and gifts.

Craig and I got a new mattress, and the delivery guys placed it on the bed frame sideways and were just going to leave it the way even though it was obviously wrong. I mean, it had handles on the side, so you'd think it would be obvious which way it went, but um...apparently not. I had to ask them to rotate it.

My arch nemesis, Craig's mom, who passed away back in March left each of her ten grandchildren a substantial bequest which shocked all of us but mostly Craig's sister who thought it should have gone to her.

I celebrated my 55th birthday on June 1st. There was pizza shipped in from my favorite Indiana pizza joint (Pizza King - I grew up eating this pizza, and there is nothing else like it). They ship it frozen, and it cooked up beautifully. There was also off-key but enthusiastic singing and a beautiful lemon cake. Daniel had asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I said I would like some of the photos from his wedding. He gifted me a GIANT framed photo of just himself. Made me laugh so hard, and I have threatened to actually hang it up. (They did also give me tons of wedding photos - their photographer did such a beautiful job of capturing the moment.) This is the photo from Daniel's wedding in October of 2020 that he had enlarged to a whopping 18 x 24 inches and framed:



I'm hoping all is well with each of you and am greatly looking forward to catching up with all y'all.

>64 rosalita: *grin*

>65 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. The drama is over but the paperwork is not. *sigh*

>66 quondame: There is a truth to what you are saying, but I was happy to be relieved. It's been a long and painful haul with Craig's mom over the years, and I am thrilled to just put that behind me.

"A 15 year gap can be a generation in terms of attitudes and expectations. Especially in the mid or late 20th century." YES! My sister and I are very different people. I remember having a big party the year that I turned 15 and she turned 30 - she was twice my age. Now she has just turned 70 and I have turned 55, and while the years often matter less as you age, we are still completely different people. We just have to agree to disagree, but she is funny and clever and an excellent mother hen to all of us.

>67 richardderus: I'll take it! *smooch back*

>68 DeltaQueen50: Judy, your words are so poignant as I have been lurking and catching up here and there the last two days, and so I know you are dealing with the loss of your mom. I am so very sorry. Over the years, I have loved reading the stories of your visits with her and I know that you were very close. Please know that you are in my thoughts.

>69 richardderus: I never beam meanie-vibes your way. Honest. *smooch back*

>70 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda. A dog and a ferret sound like plenty. I love your stories of your ferret adventures - he sounds like a handful, but a very fun one. Your Stinky sounds a lot like our Mayhem.

>71 quondame: So true.

>72 Familyhistorian: Ain't that the truth, Meg?! Thank you for those good wishes for Rae. As I said to Katie above, the drama is all over (I hope), but there is still a lot of paperwork from her estate. There is a memorial for her coming up in July back in Indiana for just the immediate family. They will place her ashes with their dad's and then it will be done and dusted. Literally. Heh.

>73 richardderus: Sorry you had to go Wednesdaying without me - I promise to be here for the next one. *smooch*

>74 Helenliz: We're just taking each day as it comes, Helen. The good always outweighs the bad, and my sense of humor is intact, so I'm calling it a win.

>75 jnwelch: Thank you for those kind words and good wishes, Joe. That is so sad about Debbi's mom - I am sorry that those two anniversaries coincide. Life is heartbreaking like that sometimes. Hard enough when the loved one has lived a long and full life, but when it happens when they are still young...

Murderbot is always good for making with the happy.

>76 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia!

>77 LovingLit: Megan, thanks for those good wishes for Rae. Yep, it was a complicated relationship between Craig's mom and myself. She was a very difficult person. I'll leave it at that.

>78 PaulCranswick: Paul, thanks for that. Craig also had a difficult relationship with his mother, but he loved her and so yes, it was hard on him. She was so ready to go that I think no one felt badly about her passing- she had a long and full life and had been missing her husband for many years.

>79 richardderus: You are such a lovely friend. Thanks so much for keeping the warmth in my thread and for missing me. *Smooch*

>80 bell7: Thank you, Mary, for those kind words. We have been dealing with a lot of medical stuff, but I am hoping we have it sorted now and that Abby will be having more good days.

>81 ffortsa: Yep, Judy, that was exactly what it was - money for the grands.

I do not have an ergonomic keyboard, but I can see where that would make a big difference. I just have a laptop, so...

>82 Berly: Kim, thanks for that! You are right that families can be so complicated.

>83 Helenliz: Hello, Helen! We actually had a descent Spring this year - I got some major time on the screened-in porch, which was lovely. Now we are into the dog days of summer, and it's HOT, HOT, HOT. Temps in the 90s and humidity to match. It's gross out there.

>84 figsfromthistle: Hello, Anita! Thanks for stopping in to check on me - all is well, we've just had our hands full with medical stuff.

>85 jnwelch: Thank, Joe. Much appreciated.

>86 richardderus: *smooch back and a bear hug*

>87 PaulCranswick: Sorry, Paul, I was not ready to venture all the way back in yet - just poked my head in for a moment but did not feel equal to dealing with my own thread. I have more energy and time now, so I'm hoping to not disappear again.

Hi, Mamie!!

Omg, that doggie smile up there is cracking me up!

I'm currently reading Mansfield Park for the first time and enjoying it, but not as much at P&P, of course.

It's so good to have you back, friend.

>88 Caroline_McElwee: Caroline, but thanks so much for checking. Sorry for the delay in my catching up here.

>89 Familyhistorian: Aw, thanks, Meg.

>90 karenmarie: Karen, thanks so much - we definitely received those good vibes and positive energy. Most appreciated.

>91 msf59: Mark, thanks for checking in with me. I was lurking on your thread this morning, and I cannot believe how big Jackson has gotten! Love that swimsuit photo you posted.

>92 Berly: Thank you, Kim.

>93 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba! I think of you every time I open my fridge, which I am still head over heels in love with. Gladys is so full of fabulous!

>94 richardderus: Oh, I love this!! So full of gorgeous. I have that book on the shelves, but not that edition. *sob* You are right about those edges being worthy companions to my deckled edge ones. Thanks for sharing. *smooch back*

>95 bell7: I think you might be who put it on my radar, Mary - I have it waiting patiently on my shelves. Just need to get to it. Thank you for those good wishes!

>96 jnwelch: The one you mention sounds good, too, Joe. I have only read her A Darker Shade of Magic.

>97 Crazymamie: The 1st birthday boy likes having his photo taken clearly. Did laugh at Daniel's pressie. How is Abby doing now?

You were missed. It's good to have you back Mamie.

>102 scaifea: Hello there, Amber! Griffin has a great smile, and it cracks me up that he often does that particular grin for photos. Ham! He has added much laughter to the Pecan Paradisio because he is such a goof.

My current ranking for the Austen's I have read is:

1. Pride and Prejudice
2. Persuasion - Birdy says I have this exactly backwards!
3. Sense and Sensibility
4. Emma - because Mr. Knightley
5. Mansfield Park

Thank you very much! I love the photos on your current thread - Charlie is most handsome, and your dogs always make me smile.

>105 Caroline_McElwee: He does, Caroline! He is a total goof about it. Glad Daniel's gift gave you a giggle. Abby is getting there. Her CRPS has spread, as it can do and is now also in her left hand and right shoulder (it started in her right arm and hand). We had to get her a wheelchair for getting to and from appointments as it is often hard for her to stand for even short periods or to walk distances. She has good days and bad days , and we are working on making sure that the good ones outnumber the bad. We were having some forward progress after adjusting her meds, but then there was a pharmacy mix-up with her meds that could not be corrected until after the three day weekend, so that was angry making but we made it through. Hopefully, once we have her back up to the proper doses things will improve again. Thanks so much for asking.

I so appreciate being missed and being welcomed back - thank you.

I think I am caught up here - if I missed you, please holler at me.

>103 Crazymamie: Felicity and I often think of you and Gladys :) Love the puppy birthday and Daniel's wedding photo! It's lovely to have you back but understandable that you've been away.

I totally agree with you that Mansfield Park is my least favorite Austen but I think I might slip Sense and Sensibility to the top of the list and let Emma tie for second with P&P -- I do love all of the top four though.

So...hope you and yours stay well and that you continue to visit when you have the time and energy. You are valued (and missed when you're not here).

I love that Daniel gave you a giant photo of him for your birthday! That also happened to me one year. :)

Nice to see you posting again, Mamie.

Take care.

Lovely to see you back, Mamie.
The birthday sounds brilliant, and I love the idea of a doggy birthday party. Sorry to hear of Abby's ongoing woes.

Oh, poor Abby! There's nothing else to be said except "I am so so sorry" and then shake my fist at the PTB.

I'm really glad to see you around again, smoochling. I'd say I was sorry for >94 richardderus: but I am not in the tiniest. You *need* to know about that level of amazingness.

Happy to see you back, my dear.

>109 RebaRelishesReading: Felicity! I was trying to remember the name of your Fridge so that Gladys could send her love, but it escaped me. Both birthdays provided some much needed silliness.

I love that everyone has a different Austen favorite!

Thank you so very much for the kind words and those good wishes.

>110 BLBera: How funny that it happened to you, too, Beth!

Thank you, my friend.

>111 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen! The doggy birthday party was such a hoot. We put up tons of decorations, and Daniel and Kaitlyn were cracking up that it looked just like a kid's party. He loves the pool and also love to go camping, so we got him a raised doggy bed with pool shade for his birthday, and had it sitting poolside for him when he arrived. Birdy gave it a test drive the night before:

>112 richardderus: Thanks for that - so true.

I am deeply grateful that you are keeping me apprised of the latest bookish trends. And thanks again for keeping my thread so warm. *Smooch*

>113 karenmarie: Karen, thank you. Responding to your birthday wishes got me thinking that I was ready to catch up here. You gave me a nudge without even meaning to, so thanks for that.

>114 Crazymamie: I think I had said something along the lines that the only thing I wanted for my birthday was my kids...

>116 BLBera: Too funny!

It's great to see you, Mamie, but you are free to hit pause and re-play whenever you wish. You owe none of us anything - we just value your friendship and presence when it can be so. xx

Welcome back, Mamie! It's good to see you and catch up on all the busy-ness of your life. Daniel's gift of a framed picture of himself is hysterical. Sorry to hear that Abby's CRPS has progressed so and you had all that trouble getting the right meds, but I'm glad that she's having more good days than bad.

So, hm, tough to rate Austens. I think I would go

1. Pride and Prejudice
2. Persuasion
3. Emma
4. Sense and Sensibility
5. Northanger Abbey (3-5 will shift depending on my mood)
6. Mansfield Park

Glad to see you back, Mamie!
Lovely to see Griffin at his first birthday.
So sorry about Abby. I looked up CRPS, and felt even more sorry :'(

Welcome back, Mamie.
>118 katiekrug: agreeing with Katie. No "shoulds" allowed here!

>118 katiekrug: Katie, thank you ever so much for that. I do know that everyone here understands that sometimes life gets slightly out of control, and in those moments we must pick and choose where and how to expend our energies, but I always feel badly about dropping off the radar. LT has been so kind to me, and I like to be present to share everyone's joys and burdens, but the last couple of years have been kind of ouch. I love what you said, so thank you, my friend. xx

>119 bell7: Thanks, Mary! Daniel is a card - we have the exact same sense of humor, so sometimes we are laughing hysterically and everyone else is rolling their eyes. I can't help it that not not everyone is as funny as we are. *blinks*

Thank you concerning Abby - it has been a journey, that is for sure.

Love that you shared your Austen ratings - Sense and Sensibility beats out Emma for me because I can't not picture Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon.



I am reading Northanger Abbey with Stasia in September, so then I will be able to slot that one into my ratings.

>120 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita. Glad you enjoyed the Griffin photo. I appreciate the words about Abby - I did not know what CRPS was either until she was diagnosed. The pain they experience is truly terrible, and a lot of the people with the condition end up having amputations because they cannot control the pain with meds. Abby gets so bad sometimes that she just passes out or vomits. We are learning how to help her through her flare ups, but it's really hard not to be able to fix it for her.

>121 lauralkeet: Laura, thank you. Y'all are da BEST.

How delightful to see you back!

It must be so draining to be so limited in how much you can help Abby's condition. I hope that she is in for many good days to come.

I, of course, buck the trend in placing Mansfield Park second in the Austen canon. The humor is less kind than in other novels and Fanny's strengths are so not flashy, but rather remarkable. Though really, P&P, MP, and P sort of pile up for me as total wonderful and E isn't too bad either.

>122 Crazymamie: Ahh, the lovely Alan. I was lucky enough to see him on stage a number of times.

The only audio book he did was the unabridged Return of the Native, if you want to hear that voice Mamie.

A volume of his diaries is due to be published in October.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madly-Deeply-Alan-Rickman-Diaries/dp/1838854797/ref=sr_...

Dropping in to say hello

>97 Crazymamie: What a wonderful update. Glad to see you back!

Welcome back! If you want something to lighten your day, I just finished The Kaiju Preservation Society and loved it! One of the funniest things I’ve read in a while.

What a lovely surprise, Mamie, to see you back and posting.

>97 Crazymamie: I do hope that Abby is ok and do please send her our best wishes and gentle hugs from across these several oceans.
Lovely surprise for the grandkids with your MILs bequest - we (my brother, sister and I) are still sorting out Mum's estate and finally ran down the will which splits things exactly into three as we knew it would but makes a strange request to auction off her mink coat and give the funds to the hospice she recovered and returned home from. We now have Hani's mum staying with us and unfortunately she has terminal cancer (brain, lung, colon and bone all at an advanced and aggressive state) she is on around the clock oxygen and it is tragically just a matter - a short matter of time. At least there is the blessing of having all our three kids together and it is nice to have them at home along with several family members (cousins, aunties, sister-in-law) staying in relay to help. People show their gentleness and humanity so consistently when it is called upon.
I hadn't seen Yasmyne for 30 months because of COVID so every grey cloud has a shining sun behind it.

Love to all at the Pecan Paradisio. xx

ETA
The Indiana pizza export for your birthday is a wonderful idea. Was it a surprise for you?

>124 quondame: Thank you, Susan! The good wishes for Abby are much appreciated. And you got it - hard to be so limited in ways we can help her, but it's also hard on Abby to have to be helped so much. I tell her that I have learned that graciously receiving is just as important (and often harder) as graciously giving. We are all of us learning as we go, and the most important thing is open communication. She amazes me with her strength and courage and generous spirit every single day.

Mansfield Park falls lower in the ranking for me because I just didn't love any of the characters, although I came to admire and appreciate both Fanny and Sir Thomas by the end of the book. I love that Austen left something for each of us, and so everyone has a different favorite.

>125 Caroline_McElwee: I have a deep love for Alan Rickman - he is fabulous in anything he has done, and that voice! I have listened to that audio you mention solely because it was Rickman narrating it. I am not a fan of Thomas Hardy, but I would listen to Rickman read the phonebook, so...

I did not know about the diaries! Thanks so much for that, Caroline!

*back to add that I pre-ordered it! *squee*

>126 figsfromthistle: Hello, Anita! Thanks for stopping in and for the kind words.

>127 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! I'm adding that to the list just on your say so - you have yet to steer me wrong.

>128 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul!

I will give Abby your love and hugs and thoughts - most appreciated.

The bequest was indeed a lovely surprise for all of the grands.

I am so sorry to hear about Hani's mum. That is devastating. How wonderful that she can be surrounded by family for her last days, and for all of you to be together once again. I cannot imagine not seeing one of my kids for 30 months - that would be so hard. Please know that all of us here at the Pecan Paradisio will be thinking of you and yours and sending you our love in these difficult days. xx

The pizza was not a surprise - Craig thought of it and asked me if that would be something I would like. I really don't like surprises, unless they are very little ones like bringing me a coffee on his way home or something like that.

Hi Mamie. Good to see you back posting. Adding my gentle hugs and healing vibes re Abby. She is lucky to be in the family she is, for sure, to be surrounded by love and encouragement and acceptance, at a time when there isn't the strength from within herself. Hopefully, she will turn a corner soon. And while acknowledging how difficult it is to not be able to *make it better*, please know that just being there for her is probably one of the best things you can possibly be doing, for both of you.

I love Griffin's smile. My dog used to smile like that, with teeth! :-D

>130 Crazymamie: Like you, I'm not a big fan of surprises. Little ones are fine, I guess, like Rob calling from work to say "I love you" but anything big and splashy? Nuh-uh.

Anyway, Sunday *smooches* aren't a surprise, so here they are.

>131 jessibud2: Hello, Shelley! Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. We are lucky that even though the girls are adults, they still live at home - having the extra hands has been such a blessing. I love how much we genuinely like and respect each other - there is no way I could have lived at home with my mother and my sisters as an adult. Heh.

Griff's smile makes me laugh out loud.

>132 richardderus: Exactly. I don't like the pressure it makes me feel to respond in a certain way, and I also do not like to be the center of attention.

Thank you for those Sunday smooches, dearest one! *smooch back*

I am soooo happy about your return amongst us. I missed you a lot. Mere reading didn't fill the void.

On the other hand, I do wish something could relieve Abby's miseries. Thoughts and prayers haven't worked to quell gun violence, so I doubt they'll work for Abby. I'm convinced she's getting the best care and support imaginable, living with her parents and sisters. Hope.

So... Read any good books lately?

>122 Crazymamie: but it's really hard not to be able to fix it for her

I know, in the 1990s Franks father lived with us for over two years. Frank got CFS in that time. Most people didn't notice much, because they only saw Frank when he had a few "good" hours. His father saw him all the time, and could not bear. So he went back living on his own.

Hi Mamie!

>114 Crazymamie: Cracks me up – the doggy party and the pic of Birdy.

>122 Crazymamie: He was such a heartthrob in Sense and Sensibility, wasn’t he? Sigh. Although I must say that the new Emma was delightful. Bill and I watched it the other night.

Abby gets so bad sometimes that she just passes out or vomits. We are learning how to help her through her flare ups, but it's really hard not to be able to fix it for her. I cannot imagine her pain, nor can I imagine the helplessness as you watch your child suffer. It breaks my heart.

Hi, Mamie. Great to have you back! I hope Abby is doing okay now. (I probably missed what you told us).

P.S. Great photo fro Griffin’s first birthday!

That wedding photo from Daniel is hilarious. He probably couldn’t wai for you to open it.

My order of preference for Jane Austen’s novels would be the same as yours except, like Mary, I’d put Northanger Abbey above Mansfield Park. I came to NA clueless, but slowly came to realize she was having me on. I then found it to be very clever and funny.. Have fun with it in September. Kudos to Stasia for teaming up with you.

There is no justice in a world that lets Abby suffer and 45 remain free.

Anyway. Happy week-ahead's reads, sweetiedarling.

>138 richardderus: Couldn't agree with you more, Richard!

I just can't find words to say how sorry I am that Abby is suffering so (and, in another way, how much you're suffering). I, too, knew nothing about CRPS but have now looked it up. I can't imagine how awful it must be for everyone with only a ray of hope that someday it may stop. Gentlest of hugs to you all.

Afternoon, Y'all! I am late to the threads today because I wanted to get the errands and chores out of the way first. I did a grocery store run and then a bunch of food prep. I also made chicken and tuna salad for dinner tonight. Also two loads of laundry and ran and emptied the dishwasher. Now I am feeling very virtuous. *preens a bit*

On the reading front, yesterday I read some from Night Waking - I have loved everything I have read by Sarah Moss, and this is looking to be no exception. I listened to some of Hamlet: Shakespeare Appreciated, which is full of fabulous. Abby and I are doing this together, and this audiobook presents the play with interruptions to explain history and other things within the play. It's very well done, and I thought the interruptions might make it feel broken up, but the lady who does it is so good that it just works. The actual play is by a full cast, and then another narrator does the extra info. Abby and I have both read this play many times before, as it's a favorite of ours, but this is a cut above just reading the play. My insomnia book is The False Inspector Dew - a book bullet I took from Judy's latest thread. It hasn't really taken off yet as I am still meeting all the characters, but I am liking it so far.

In streaming news, I currently have a subscription to the MHZ Choice channel which is loaded with foreign crime shows. I have been loving working my way through Detective Montalbano and Young Montalbano. Last night I tried Murder In... which is a French show where each episode is set in a different part of France. Very good. I wondered how they would pull it off with the different locations, but the detectives are not always the same - I watched the first two episodes and enjoyed both.

I'm planning to lounge the rest of the day. There will be wine. And pretzels. And dark chocolate. Hoping today is behaving itself for the rest of you.

Are the pretzels covered in the dark chocolate, because that would be more efficient... :D

No wine here, but I plan on making a Pimms, and you know how I love me a Pimms!

>134 weird_O: Aw, shucks. Thanks so much for that, Bill.

The problem is that thoughts and prayers can't cancel stupid. We're not stupid, so feel free to keep the thoughts and prayers coming. And hope is a powerful thing, so we'll take all we can get of that, too.

Most of my books have been good ones lately, but that's because I have been mostly rereading. I loved revisiting Murderbot and Pride and Prejudice is full of fabulous no matter how many times I read or listen to it.

Thanks for stopping in, Oh Weird One, and for the kindness that you always bring with you.

>135 FAMeulstee: That's so sad, Anita, but I totally get it. I am thankful to be able to be present for Abby and to do whatever I can to lighten her load. We just take it one day at a time.

>136 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! Birdy is five foot nothing, and we were cracking up that she fit perfectly on Griffin's new outdoor cot.

Yes, he was a heartthrob in Sense and Sensibility. We have seen the new Emma, and I completely agree - delightful is the perfect word for it.

Abby's condition is heartbreaking, but we are also learning so much about ourselves and how very strong and centered our family actually is. We try to focus on what we can do, not on what we can't do.

>137 jnwelch: Hello, Joe! Thank you. Abby is doing better, but we are still working on getting her back up to the dose that was working for her. Hopefully after this week, she will be seeing more good days again.

Glad you loved Griff's birthday photos.

Daniel was very pleased with himself - I laughed out loud for the longest time because the framed photo is just so huge. And technically it did fit the parameters of my wish - I did not specify a photo with both of them in it. Heh.

I am very excited to get to Northanger Abbey in September. It was very fun reading the other two with Stasia. She is a great reading partner. I will report back with my new rankings after I read it.

>138 richardderus: Agreed. Thank you for being outraged on Abby's behalf. You are da Bomb. *smooch*

And thank you for those good reading wishes!

>139 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, thanks for that. And for taking the time to look up CRPS. Like I said before, I had never heard of it until Abby was diagnosed with it. The gentle hugs are most appreciated.

>141 katiekrug: No. I just have plain pretzel sticks, so I have to put the extra energy into consuming the dark chocolate separately. It's a sadness, but I'll live.

Hooray for the Pimms! I am raising my glass to you in sisterhood, so whenever you get your Pimms going you can return the salute.

>144 Crazymamie: I will not even feign guilt or regret for this:
https://www.amazon.com/dark-chocolate-covered-pretzels/s?k=dark+chocolate+covere...

Hi Mamie!
I'm glad to see you are liking Night Waking. I adore Sarah Moss.

Also re: MhZ, we subscribed to that for a while, for the sole purpose of watching Un Village Français (A French Village), a drama about occupied France during WW II. There's something like 70 episodes but it's sooo well done. Not light fare by any means, but I highly recommend it.

I loved Night Waking; it is my favorite Moss.

>145 richardderus: Those look most delicious, but I am afeared that they would arrive here in a melted mess. I will have to see what's on offer in the local stores because of course now I WANT them. I NEED them.

>146 lauralkeet: Hello, Laura! Moss is always full of fabulous, isn't she?!

Thanks so much for that - I am making a note of it so I can add it to the queue.

>147 BLBera: Your favorite! So far, I think my favorite is Cold Earth. After reading that and Names for the Sea, I bought a huge stack of her stuff that I am slowly forward to making my way through.

Morning, Mamie!

You and Abby (and the rest of the Pecan Posse) are frequently in my thoughts. I feel for Abby for the obvious reasons, and I feel for you as a fellow mom. *hugs all around*

Yeah...I guess suchlike wouldn't do well in the South Jawja heat. But oh are they worth it.

*smooch*

>149 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Most appreciated, and I am so thankful that you think of us. *hugs back*

>150 richardderus: Yep - the heat and humidity here are most yuck. Ima get me some somewhere, and when I do I will report back. *smooch*

'Morning, Mamie!

Happy Friday to you.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads Mamie me lurve.

>152 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy Fridayness!

>153 richardderus: Thank you, kindly, dearest. Hoping your weekend is also full of reading happiness.

Morning, Mamie! Hope you have a fabulous weekend.

>155 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! Thank you - I know yours will be full of fabulous starting with that concert tonight.

It's good to see you back, Mamie. It's hard to see that Abby's problems are progressing in the wrong direction but how good that she is able to accept help graciously and that she has all of her family's support and do you all.

Keep up the good work and maybe slip in a read or two.

Oh Mamie, I feel so bad for Abby. It's awful luck, but at least she is lucky to have such a family around her. Constant pain is so grinding to live with. I hope with all my heart that she experiences remission, or at least reduction of pain, soon.

>157 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! I appreciate the kind words. I am starting to get back into a routine with my reading, and it feels full of wonder. I have actually finished two books this month, which doesn't seem like much, but I really only four books in all of April and May, so...

>158 ffortsa: Judy, thank you. Your good wishes and kind words mean so much. She is having a good day today, which is very happy making.

Morning, Mamie!

I was in a bit of a reading funk too, but I'm getting my mojo back. Cheers to us!

Morning! The dogs days of summer have arrived at the Pecan Paradisio - it's 82F out there already this morning and going to 99F. 72% humidity, so it's kind of yuck, and we are just getting started. I need to go to the grocery store, but I might put that off until tomorrow morning.

On the reading front, I finished two books! The first was The False Inspector Dew, which is one Judy had recommended, and it was full of fabulous. I'm giving it the full five stars. Very fun mystery and full of surprises. The second book was The Razor's Edge, which I enjoyed but felt that parts of it were a bit of a slog. Very different from the other Maugham I have read - The Painted Veil, which I thought was excellent. The narrative structure in The Razor's Edge is interesting because Maugham inserts himself into the story and so we view things through his eyes. First person narration does not always work for me, but it felt like a perfect fit here. One of the characters in the story is searching for spiritual enlightenment, and it was those sections that really slowed down the story for me. I almost set it aside because of this, but I am glad that I decided to finish it. Next up on Kindle is Arctic Dreams, which I am reading with Bill and Mark and assorted others.

No big plans for today except for some boring household chores. I'm hoping to snag some reading time this afternoon.

>160 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! I can't complain because I have not had a reading funk like this in a long time, but boy was this one painful. I am so glad to be getting my groove back. Cheers to us indeed!

>161 Crazymamie: I thought The Razor's Edge was more The Thing than you did because your bugs were my features. Ain't that always the way to keep life interesting!

Wednesday. Ugh. It will get to almost 90° today, ickyicky ptooptoo. I vote we revoke its license and send it back to week-school to learn the error of its ways.

>163 richardderus: And I am such a mood reader that if I read it again at a different time and in a different mood, I might feel the same way. I do love his writing, though, so there is that.

I concur - you can count on my full support. *smooch*

It's good to have you back, Mamie. I've got a couple of books to finish before starting Arctic Dreams. My best to your entire family, especially to Abby and you.

>165 weird_O: Thanks, Bill! I have been reading The Writer's Library, thanks to your mentioning it on your thread, and I am enjoying it. I have started a list. I'm also still working on those Orwell essays, Night Waking, and a reread of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Love me some PKD!

So glad to hear that Abby is having a good day. It must be such a relief, even if only a very temporary short one. Hope you all get a chance to enjoy it.

>167 RebaRelishesReading: I'll take what I can get, Reba, and be thankful for it. Each good day is a win - I am hoping can start stringing more of them together for her.

She is having a good day today, which is very happy making.

I'm glad to hear it, my dear. Sending love and hugs to you all.

>169 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen!

Adding the False Inspector Dew to the list of books I'm going to buy at the end of the month (when my self-imposed book ban ends). (Slightly counterproductively.)

Adding my name to the list glad to read Abby is having / had a good day. Hope tomorrow is the same.

Sweet Thursday, Mamie. So good to see you back posting. You were missed. Glad to hear you are still enjoying those books. Looking forward to reading Arctic Dreams. Glad you will be joining us. We are going camping, for a long weekend. Keep cool, my friend.

>171 charl08: Hello, Charlotte! Self-imposed book ban? Oh, dear! I'm thinking you're going to enjoy The False Inspector Dew when you get to it - very fun.

So far, so good today with Abby - thanks so much for thinking of her and wishing her well.

>172 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! Thank you, my friend. Better you than me with the camping - have fun. I am also looking forward to Arctic Dreams.

I'm sorry to hear about your reading funk, Mamie. I've been experiencing one all year, although now I've found books that interest me but I'm just not making time to sit down and read. Bad Julia!

I add my wishes for another good day for Abby today. Please know that I'm always sending good thought her and your way even if I'm not around to say so. Hugs to both of you!

Morning, Y'all! I have already been out and about to get my erranding done, and am happy to be back home. I plan to stay put and out of the heat. Going to 100F again today - yesterday we actually went up and over 100F. And the humidity! Let's just say yuck. No major plans for the day - some laundry and vacuuming. Dinner tonight is make your own panini.


On the reading front, I finished my audiobook yesterday while getting my steps in. It was Hamlet: Shakespeare Appreciated, and it was so well done. Full cast production with a bunch of extra information and background stuff thrown into the narrative. I was worried that the additional narrative inserted directly into the play would be disruptive to the flow, but it wasn't. Abby and I both loved it, and we plan to do the Othello one next. But first we're gonna read Rosencrantz and Gildenstern Are Dead together.

>173 Crazymamie: Hello, Julia! Look what excellent company I am in with both you and Katie also experiencing reading funkiness.

Thanks so much for the good thoughts and wishes that you are always sending our way - I believe in the LT bump, and I know that all of you are helping to make a difference. Hugs back from both of us.

Oh, I read Arctic Dreams ages ago and remember loving it. And I have it on Kindle! Might be just the thing to break my reading funk. When are you starting, and how are you planning to discuss it?

>177 ffortsa: Hello, Judy! Mark is gonna set up a thread for the GR of Arctic Dreams on Monday. We would love to have you along for the ride.

Hi Mamie, so great to see you posting again. You and your family are in my thoughts and please pass on to Abby my good wishes. I was very happy to see that you enjoyed The False Inspector Dew, I thought it was excellent and entertaining. Although I am not in a reading funk (touches wood, my reading has definitely slowed down in the last few months which is ok by me but I do feel guilty when I can't complete all the challenges that I signed up for! (A small problem when one sees how understanding everyone here at LT is.)

>179 DeltaQueen50: Hey there, Judy! We appreciate those good thoughts and wishes. Abby is so touched by everyone reaching out to her here and lifting her up.

I really loved The False Inspector Dew, so thanks so much for that book bullet. Abby is going to read it, too. You also hit me with the American Wasteland trilogy, and I am hoping to get to that soonish. I have let all the challenges go to focus on just reading what calls to me, but there were some excellent challenges for this year, for sure.

*edited to fix the touchstone

Hotzah! Any chance, do you think, that reading of the Arctic will cool you down? It does seem a stretch, but you never know.

>181 weird_O: Bill, this is one of the reasons that I am addicted to cold reads - the Deep South is way too hot for me. *sob*

Thursday orisons, Mamie! *smooch*

>183 richardderus: And the same to you, my good man! *smooch back*

Send some of that heat our way, Mamie. It has been raining and cool here for the last three months at least. Probably was like that before then but my mind is blanking it out. There's only so much a person can take!

>185 Familyhistorian: Meg, I would love to trade weather. If only...

Hi Mamie, I'm so sad to read of Abby's condition. I just googled CRPS and I wish her all the best. Her loving family is a medicine that can't be bought. Still, to see your child in pain is horrible. I will add her to my daily prayers.

>175 Crazymamie: I love Hamlet Mamie. I've seen about 15 productions including Alan Rickman and Daniel Day Lewis. I've read it several times too.

Also love Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead. I saw a production with Daniel Ratcliffe and Joshua McGuire in. If you have 45 minutes, here they are in conversation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKTzBXzykro

And their Questions game (very short) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S73ffWaFc7U

Good morning, coffee sister! I’ve had my first few sips. With the temps down there are you drinking hot or iced coffee?

>176 Crazymamie: I did my share just now for the Pecan Paradisio LT bump.

>179 DeltaQueen50: I hovered over the title of American Wasteland and loved the cover art – I wonder how many Young People will get the album reference?

>182 Crazymamie: Our temps have been too hot for this time of year, but your temps there in SW Georgia are obscene. Continue to think cold thoughts.

>188 Caroline_McElwee: Me, too, with the Hamlet love, Caroline. It is also a favorite of Abby's. I would have loved to have seen that production with Alan Rickman. I read Hamlet for the first time in high school - my senior year, and since then I have read it multiple times.

Thank you so much for those links - Abby and I will have fun with them. Most exciting!

>189 karenmarie: Morning, coffee sister! The coffee at the Pecan Paradisio is gingerbread this morning. I'm having mine with steamed almond milk and a dash of the Starbuck's White Chocolate Creamer, which is my newest discovery. Regardless of weather, I always start my day with hot coffee - something soothing about starting the day with a warm beverage. I do love me some iced coffee, though - it's more of an afternoon thing with me.

Thank you for contributing to the LT bump. Most appreciated.

Whoops. That's the wrong touchstone - it should be American Wasteland, which is a trilogy. The first book is titled The Old Man and the Wasteland.

Yeah, it's gross here. Next week is gonna be a bear.

Today's coffee sounds delicious. We just make boring Folgers, but I do put hazelnut creamer in it :)

Just me, perhaps, but the GN American Wasteland looks more entertaining than the one you are suggesting. But then I notice that it's the sixth in a series, so that diminishes its luster. Just a thought that popped in there.

Hiya Mamie, happy weekend-to-come spent inside under fans and with a/c laboring mightily or there would be no way on Earth you'd stay there.

*smooch*

>191 katiekrug: Katie, it is indeed delicious. The white chocolate creamer was also very good in yesterday's hazelnut coffee. It is my new favorite thing. And I love hazelnut anything, so I approve of your creamer. *grin*

>192 weird_O: Now, Bill, I looked into it, and I can read those graphic novels for free on Birdy's Comixology subscription, so I will have to check it out and get back to you. Of course as you point out, the one in question is number six in the series, and I must start at the beginning, so... In defense of the American Wasteland that I purchased, it's dystopian, and I love me some dystopian.

>193 richardderus: Afternoon, BigDaddy! You have it exactly right, as usual. It's HOT. And the humidity is adding insult to injury. We are once again under a heat advisory. *sigh*

*smooch back to one of my very favororitest people*

I ordered myself the newest Kindle Paperwhite - the Signature edition, and it came yesterday, and I am in love. It is so much faster than my old Paperwhite, which was making me slightly crazy because I had to tell it to download something five or six times before it actually downloaded it. So frustrating. And I like the charging stand that allows for wireless charging and the cork cover that I chose, so all in all very happy making. Now we'll see if it actually delivers on the promised extra battery life, which would put me over the moon with it.

Today is Friday, so we are doing our usual Mexican takeaway, and I cannot wait for Craig and Rae to bring it home. I'm starving.

On the reading front, I spent yesterday afternoon loading up my new Kindle, and started reading The Member of the Wedding. I also read a few chapters from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. I'm hoping to get more reading in today so I can get back to Night Waking. On audio, Birdy and I started listening to Murder in Paradise: Thirteen Mysteries from the Travels of Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie, narrated by David Suchet. (Not sure what's up with the touchstone) We listened to the first two short stories - "The Plymouth Express" and "The Submarine Plans".

I'll have to look into the new Paperwhite. Mine is definitely slowing down.

I thought you had an Oasis?

>196 katiekrug: Okay, so I do have an Oasis, but the battery sucks on it, so I had to keep the wireless turned off and still I was charging it all the time. It did work brilliantly for the first few years, but then the battery thing started happening. Anyway, I then bought my current Paperwhite, which I loved until it started really slowing down - after the last update or maybe the one before that. Taking forever to download, not automatically downloading things I had sent to it when the cover was opened, and then making me tell it to download a book multiple times before actually doing it. I use my Kindle all the time, so it needs to work and not me crazy. I did some investigating and decided on the Signature Paperwhite. It's very FAST. I'm hoping what they say about the battery life proves to be true.

>197 Crazymamie: - Yeah, that latest update/re-design messed mine up, too. I think I might treat myself in time for our week away next month when I plan to do very little other than read.

>198 katiekrug: That sounds like an excellent plan. I think the older Kindle models could not handle all of the recent updates, so...Anyway, at least there are some bells and whistles to go with the newest Paperwhite - I am loving mine already.

>197 Crazymamie: My Oasis has held up, though it may not be all that old and I put it on to charge nightly before climbing into bed. I didn't realize the Oasis had been around long enough to decay and have a decayed successor. But it's grand that you're newly equipped with a suitable reader.

>200 quondame: So I just looked, and my Oasis is from 2016. I loved the ergonomic design and the page changing buttons, but the battery life deteriorated after only a few years. In the meantime, the design of the Oasis changed, and the newer models were heavier than the original, so I replaced it with the lighter Paperwhite. That one has been great until the recent updates. Now it is so slow to respond, which was making me cranky, so I have acquired the newest one. Craig has a newer model Oasis (2020), and he loves it, but it is much heavier than my Paperwhite. Of course, it is also waterproof, but I don't need that.

>201 Crazymamie: OK, I have one of the heavier, newer ones. It is still much lighter than a 300+ pg novel, so it's fine though I wouldn't mind lighter. I don't think mine is water proof, but then I've almost never mixed water and reading. Coffee, now is another thing....

>195 Crazymamie: A friend asked me to ask you if this new model kindle has deckled edges.

>202 quondame: The weight mattered to me because I have CT in both wrists, but so true about it being much lighter than a BIG book. Craig reads a lot in the pool, so waterproof is good for him. Plus, he tends to be not overly careful with his things, so any extra protection is most desirable. I'm usually safe mixing reading and beverages, but mixing beverages and LT is a totally different thing. Multiple times I have just missed spewing my beverage of choice while catching up on certain threads. Now I am very careful with the positioning of my laptop. Heh.

>203 weird_O: Sadly, it does not, Oh Weird One, but it does have backlighting which is very handy for me since I mostly read it in the wee small hours of the morning when others are sleeping.

I did not love the Kindle update at all. I might get an Oasis if my 10th-gen one starts misbehaving. So far it's pretty slow, but still doing its job.

>204 Crazymamie: Oh crap. No deckled edges is a deal-breaker for me. I'll stick with the old reliables.

Oooh, I have Paperwhite envy, Mamie. Mine is only three years old, and the one before that lasted five years. But I have experienced some annoying slowness with download times, where it is "queued" and then takes a longer than my impatient self things it should to download. It's interesting to see here that others are experiencing slowness after system updates. Hmmm. I'm not in a hurry but you do have me thinking about it.

Morning, Mamie!

I just finished up The Member of the Wedding this week! I'm interested to see what you think of it.

>205 richardderus: I liked some of the update features, but they were definitely not worth the price with how much slower the device is now behaving. Crossing my fingers for your Oasis to behave itself.

>206 weird_O: You crack me up.

>207 lauralkeet: Laura, I still actually have my original Kindle Keyboard (2012), and it works although you can no longer download things to it. I can read anything I had on there before they took down the free 3G. I am kind of a tech junkie, so I cannot resist new gadgets. I really LOVE the newest Paperwhite. Just saying...

>208 scaifea: Morning, Amber! OH - excellent, we can compare notes when I finish. It's so slow and melancholy, and I do not particularly like Frankie, but boy, do I feel for her.

Good morning, coffee sister! Happy Saturday to you and all at the Pecan Paradisio.

>190 Crazymamie: Yes to hot coffee in the morning, regardless of weather nastiness.

Well, darn. I avoided the BB on the fun-cover-art American Wasteland, but have now taken a direct hit with the correct American Wasteland, although the touchstone only goes to the wrong one since I've referenced the same book in the same message.

>195 Crazymamie: Oooh, a new Kindle. Looks and sounds wonderful. I’ve been reading lots on my Kindle this year, but have figured out the battery charging logistics pretty well. Can’t justify another one yet, alas. And, even worse, I got my old Kindle working again with a proper battery charge, just in case the new one dies, although if that happens I’ll get a brand new one and use the old one short term. Just looking at what I wrote makes my head hurt, but I'm leaving it.

Morning, Mamie! Hope you can avoid going out in the heat today. Sounds awful.

Hiya Mamie...I had to come inside. I wanted to sit on the boardwalk for a while but it was TOO COLD out there! *brrr* The North Atlantic is such a refrigerator!

*flees results of cruelty at top speed*

Hoping for a good weekend at the Pecan Paradiso.

I'm not a kindle user, so I will nod blankly and hope you enjoy the new toy while not having the foggiest idea what you're all on about!

Morning, Mamie. We are back from our little camping trip. We had a nice time. I hope you had a nice weekend at the Pecan Paradisio and congrats on the new Paperwhite. Sounds awesome.

FYI- The Arctic Dreams Group Read thread is up. I will start the book today.

I love a new gadget too, so your kindle sounds very tempting. Must try and resist though, as I mostly have been using the phone to read the ebooks lately. I love your cork cover, very tasteful.

I am way behind on threads due to being out of town for 2 weeks at the beginning of the month, so I thought I had better check in on you. I hope you are doing well!

Hope all is shaded nicely at the Pecan Paradisio, Mamie.

Love to all of you this weekend.

Happy weekend and hurray for the Paperwhite arrival!!

Hello, Mamie! I'm trying to get back into LT again, hoping it will help cure my reading funk. I love your thread topper.

So sorry to hear of Abby's health issues. Wishing her better days!

Hiya Mamie, me lurve, hope you haven't melted and run into a puddle in the heat.

'Morning, Coffee Sister! You're on my mind.

Hi, Mamie! Just a drive-by hello, but you're as scarce as I am on the threads lately.

Just checking in on you, Mamie!

Hope you're keeping well Mamie.

I think of you often. Miss you and hope you're just busy with good things. Hope to "see" you soon.

Okay, I got over COVID; the wedding was a success; and my knee has been repaired (1st post op visit tomorrow); and now I can have some LT time!!! Yay! Where are you? : )

Missing you, Mamie.

Dropping in to say hello. Hope all is well

*smoochiesmoochsmooch*

I echo Richard's *smoochiesmoochsmooch*

Mamie - in the UK Teapigs have launched their Christmas seasonal range again. Just in case you need tempting...

Hiya, Mamie. Just stopping by to say hello. I hope all is well at the Pecan Paradiso.

How are you liking your Kindle?

*waving* hello and hoping all is well with you & yours, Mamie.

You ok, Mamie?

*waves*

Dropping in to say hello. Hope all is well.....

Okay. I'm back after being MIA. Now it's your turn! LOL. Hope all is well. Hugs.

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Mamie and all at the Pecan Paradisio.

Mamie, if you're still checking your thread, know that you are missed and that you and yours are also wished a very happy Thanksgiving!

*sings*

Oh, where, oh, where has our Mamie gone.
Oh, where, oh, where can she beeeeeee?

*smoochiesmoochsmooch*

You're the best of all the possible Mamies, so we want to believe you'll return to us one day soon.

Mamie. I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Happy Holidays, Mamie!

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season, Mamie

Hello, All! Thank you so much for keeping my thread warm and checking in on me. 2022 has been a rough year, and it will be very happy making to see the end of it. We managed to survive with our humor intact, and we are ready to tackle 2023. I have wine and cookies, so I feel fully prepared. The thought of catching up here is just completely overwhelming, so I started a new thread over in the New Year. You can find me here: Mamie's 2023 Madness

Hoping that your holidays are full of fabulous!

Merry Christmas, Mamie! So glad to see you check in. Hope you are having a great holiday and that you have a much better 2023. ❤️🐦

I'll visit you in the new year, Mamie. Of course I'm so sorry 2022 was rough, and I am definitely sending prayers and good thoughts to the Pecan Paradisio.

Hi Mamie, I too was an inconsistent visitor this year but I'm striving to improve upon that. See you next year!