Mary (bell7) Reads Diversely and Globally in 2021 - thread #2

Discussão75 Books Challenge for 2021

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Mary (bell7) Reads Diversely and Globally in 2021 - thread #2

1bell7
Fev 19, 2021, 9:25 pm

Welcome to my second thread of the year!

2020 was rough on all of us, but I had two highlights: my brother got married, and I bought my first house. I also read 150 books for the first time since I was working full-time, and had the most threads I ever have in the 75ers. I'm not necessarily aiming to do both again, but I'm mildly curious to find out how 2021 will go, reading and posting-wise.

For anyone new to my thread, my name is Mary, and I'm a librarian in my late 30s living in western Mass. I read, I knit, I watch sports, and I talk about life here. I have a large family consisting of two brothers, two sisters, one BIL, one SIL, one niece and one nephew, and my parents. I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and see my Little a couple of times a month. They'll appear here from time to time. Oh, and I watch people's pets for them. I'm hoping the second half of 2021 picks up a bit and gives me some extra spending money for home improvements.

I comfortably read over 100 books a year, and I read an eclectic mix of fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction and more. I facilitate one of our library's book clubs, and 9 of my books this year will be for that - I'll give a little mini-wrap up of the discussion whenever I think of it. My 2021 reading goals are to have at least a third of my reads be by authors of color and 12 books (avg of one a month) by an author NOT born in the US or UK - preferably in translation, but I won't absolutely require it. I'll be aiming for twelve different countries. Suggestions welcome.

If you post here, I will follow your thread, though be warned I tend to lurk more than comment. I'll go through spurts of being really caught up on threads, and then barely have time to keep my own up, so don't be surprised by my sporadic (dis)appearances.

2bell7
Editado: Mar 18, 2021, 9:33 am

2021 Book Club Reads

January - Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - COMPLETED
February - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - COMPLETED
March - Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker - COMPLETED
April - 23999992::A Burning by Megha Majumdar
May - The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Summer break
September - Beloved: a novel by Toni Morrison
October - The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
November - The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
December - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

3bell7
Editado: Fev 19, 2021, 9:29 pm

Top reads 2020 (not including rereads, and in order read):
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Monument: poems by Natasha Trethewey
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Lu by Jason Reynolds
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
The Writer's Library by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown
Class act by Jerry Craft

Random things I'm keeping track of -

Bookish articles:

How to make pretty block quotes (directions from Richard):
{blockquote}TYPE OR PASTE QUOTED TEXT HERE{/blockquote} and replace the curly braces with pointy brackets.

Number of books read since keeping count on LT:
July - Dec 2008 - 65
2009 - 156 (plus over 70 graphic novels and manga volumes)
2010 - 135 (Note: in June, I started working a second part-time job for full-time hours)
2011 - 150
2012 - 108 (Note: accepted a full-time job in February)
2013 - 107
2014 - 126 (plus 8 Graphic Novels)
2015 - 120 (plus 6 Graphic Novels)
2016 - 141
2017 - 114
2018 - 105 (Note: my first full year as Assistant Director)
2019 - 116
2020 - 153

4ronincats
Fev 19, 2021, 9:26 pm

Happy New Thread, Mary!

5bell7
Editado: Abr 9, 2021, 10:04 am

Currently Reading
Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding by Larry Olmsted
Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong

Devotionals/Bible reading
Ruth, Luke
Daily in His Presence by Ellie Claire
New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

April
34. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
33. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
32. The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
31. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forma
30. The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith

March
29. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
28. The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
27. Creativity: a short and cheerful guide by John Cleese
26. The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams
25. Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-Sik Hong
24. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
23. The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
22. Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
21. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

February
20. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
19. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
18. Bloodchild and other stories by Octavia E. Butler
17. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
16. What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
15. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
14. The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay
13. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
12. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
11. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
10. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

January
9. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
8. An American sunrise by Joy Harjo
7. The Last Stargazers by Emily Levesque
6. This Time Together by Carol Burnett
5. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
4. Umma's Table by Yeon-Sik Hong
3. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
1. Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

6bell7
Fev 19, 2021, 9:27 pm

Rough guide to my rating system:

I'm fairly generous with my star ratings - generally a four is a "like" or "would recommend" for me, while a 4.5 stars is a book I would reread. I break it down roughly like this:

1 star - Forced myself to finish it
2 stars - Dislike
2.5 stars - I really don't know if I liked it or not
3 stars - Sort of liked it; or didn't, but admired something about it despite not liking it
3.5 stars - The splitting hairs rating of less than my last 4 star book or better than my last 3
4 stars - I liked it and recommend it, but probably won't reread it except under special circumstances (ie., a book club or series reread)
4.5 stars - Excellent, ultimately a satisfying read, a title I would consider rereading
5 stars - A book that I absolutely loved, would absolutely reread, and just all-around floored me

I see it more in terms of my like or dislike of a book, rather than how good a book is. My hope is that as a reader I convey what I like or what I don't in such a way that you can still tell if you'll like a book, even if I don't. And I hope for my patrons that I can give them good recommendations for books they will like, even if it's not one I would personally choose.

7bell7
Fev 19, 2021, 9:28 pm

Once again, welcome! Here's a question to get us started: What's one thing - a feature, a decoration, a piece of furniture - that you LOVE in your house? (And yes, I have house stuff on the brain lately)

8bell7
Fev 19, 2021, 9:31 pm

>4 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! Wow, you were quick :D

9SandyAMcPherson
Fev 19, 2021, 9:40 pm

I just posted a longish in praise of piece about Paige Rien's book.
I'll have to tell Roni where it is lost.

10SandyAMcPherson
Editado: Fev 19, 2021, 9:45 pm

>7 bell7: Mary asks: what do I LOVE in my house?
My large brass tray on a folding stand: I watched it being hammered out and decorated in the metal souk of Kuwait City in 1965.
My Mom actually bought it, but she gave it to me when they were downsizing to move in 1970.
Edited to add why I have it now... so nostalgic: it's the only thing I've kept from that era (besides some Bedouin jewellery...)

11BLBera
Fev 19, 2021, 10:34 pm

Happy new thread, Mary.

12Esquiress
Fev 20, 2021, 12:36 am

>7 bell7: You know, I appreciate this question. As someone who disparages her house pretty frequently, it's nice to pause and think about something I actually like. My favorite piece of furniture is my bed. My best friend (who is now one of my roommates), his late father, and my late husband built it together as one of their wedding gifts to us (The other gift was filling our pantry, fridge, and freezer so we had plenty of food upon our return from our honeymoon 😢). My favorite feature is probably my walk-in closet. I was just over at Roni's thread and told her I spent hours yesterday cleaning and reorganizing it :)

13PaulCranswick
Fev 20, 2021, 7:28 am

Happy new thread, Mary.

>7 bell7: My reading nook and my book shelves. I have to also plug my coffee maker!

14drneutron
Fev 20, 2021, 8:45 am

Happy new thread!

My favorite thing about our house? Our front porch. We made sure it was wide enough to have some nice sitting areas, and when the weather’s good, it’s our hangout spot.

15figsfromthistle
Fev 20, 2021, 8:52 am

Happy new one!

>7 bell7: For me it has to be my music and library room. Around the corner I have a nice window where I can sit and read.

16katiekrug
Fev 20, 2021, 8:55 am

Happy new thread, Mary!

To answer your question at the end of your last thread, I am fairly certain the electric ones can be stored inside. The one we got also has the advantage of being fairly light and quasi-collapsible, so easy to move around and store.

>7 bell7: - I have several things in my house that I love. My purple velvet couch for one, but that's not sentimental, just something I bought and adore. When I left Dallas, my close group of friends gave me a framed etching they had done of my house there, which was a sweet gift, since it was the first house The Wayne and I bought and lived in together :) I have a few things that were my grandmother's - artwork, figurines, etc. I have my mother's set of Jane Austen's complete works. My first real art indulgence was something I saw in the window of a gallery in Santa Fe. I kept passing it and finally went in to talk to the staff there. I couldn't afford the actual piece, but when I explained how drawn to it I was, the gallery manager said that was how art should be and gave me a deal on a numbered print of it, and I made it my Christmas and birthday present for the next year... It's an image by R.C. Gorman, a Navajo artist, and it reminds me of my mom. It has pride of place over the mantle in our living room.

17msf59
Fev 20, 2021, 8:58 am

Happy Saturday, Mary! Happy New Thread! We love our entire house but my favorite would have to be our downstairs- our family room, aka...Marky-Mark's Man Cave. Of course this is where all the books are stashed.

18MickyFine
Fev 20, 2021, 2:21 pm

Happy new thread, Mary. There are so many things about our house that I love. The big windows in our living room that make for a wonderfully sunny reading spot on weekends, our big kitchen, our deep bath tub that has a slanted back perfect for long soaks. In terms of things hanging on walls that I love, there's a bunch of family and wedding photos but given we're on LT, I'll shout out the canvas prints we have from Kay Pop Art. A local artist, she paints pop culture images on book pages. We've got Outlander, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter pieces in our living room.

19bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 4:48 pm

>9 SandyAMcPherson: I saw you squeaked in there while I was setting up shop in this one :) Hopefully Roni saw it too.

>10 SandyAMcPherson: What a fabulous story! I love pieces that have meaning like that.

>11 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

>12 Esquiress: That's amazing that your bed was handmade by people you love. And I'm slightly jealous of your walk-in closet. I love my old (1916) house, but the one downside is there are literally two closets in the whole place - one in the dining room (!) and the other in the master bedroom, which is too small to hang clothes in!

>13 PaulCranswick: Ahhh, yes, I could see why you'd enjoy both, Paul. It was such a sunny day that my unheated sunroom was warm enough to spend some time in. Here's where I keep about half (give or take) of my books:


(Ugh, sorry it's sideways. I tried messing with it, but couldn't get it to download vertically at all...)

20bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 4:56 pm

>14 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! Ooooh, a porch is a huge bonus feature of a house to me. The front porch here is a little on the narrow side, but I'm looking forward to getting some use out of it this summer for sure. Perfect reading and friendly hangout spot for sure!

>15 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! Love the fact that you have a music and library room. Is that where you listen to music, or does it include instruments as well?

>16 katiekrug: Ahhh, that would be very good news indeed if I could store in inside. I have a few things on The List to save up for / buy as I have extra spending money (and dogsitting jobs, but I'm not really expecting anything major until later this year when more people have vaccinations and start traveling).

>17 msf59: Happy weekend to you, too, Mark! Love that you have a man cave, and of course it's the perfect place to keep books! Did I understand you right that it's a finished basement? Finishing mine would be... beautiful, but probably not happening for a long time.

>18 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Oooh, your house does sound wonderful. I have a lot of big windows too, which makes for great natural light all day. My electric bill is next to nothing ($50-60 a month so far). I totally get enjoying the photos, and Kay Pop Art sounds pretty fabulous! I'll have to check it out sometime. You remind me, though, that I have some Ruth Sanderson prints that I need to get framed, and maybe hang in the bedrooms upstairs. I've had a lot of fun deciding where things will "belong" and every time I find the perfect spot I feel very pleased with myself and happy to see it hanging haha.

21bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 5:09 pm

Today was a fairly relaxed day so far. I had a few house projects to work on: I got one of two motion sensors up for my security system and discovered that the place I want the other is too far for my little drill to reach -_- So I'll need an extension cord (or someone with a cordless drill) before I can put that one up. I baked a crustless quiche because I forgot I used the last pie crust a couple of weeks ago, and I might make myself some quinoa salad tonight, so I have plenty of food for the next few days.

I have laundry going - my washer's being ridiculous. It doesn't like to drain fully, so I've dealt with drenched clothes and have been trying to fuss with it a bit, and now it doesn't like to move from sensing to wash to rinse, it just kinda stays there. After several attempts to get it through a full cycle, I pulled out the clothes and decided they were good enough to go into the dryer, but some where wet and some felt perfectly dry. And oddly enough, while my washer likes to use hot water no matter what I put the settings on, it was cold this time (which is what I want, but it's never done that before). So I may need to add getting a washer repair guy out here to see if it's something small/fixable or if I'm replacing the washer. Ugh... at least if I manage to get the clothes washed today, I'll have a couple of weeks before I have to figure it out or run to the laundromat.

I mentioned in my last thread, I think, that I've been listening to the Australian Open on the radio... This morning I set my alarm for 3:30 a.m. and streamed it to listen to the women's final, and I'm planning on doing that again for the men's final tomorrow morning, though I may curse myself out for it tomorrow afternoon, we'll see. The only plan I have for tomorrow is virtual church service - I've been very deliberately taking Sundays "off" to read, knit, and rest, so if I'm totally useless and take a nap, I'm okay with that. Today was productive enough, and I'm working from home Monday (my five-hour day) and fitting in tons of errands after.

My current reads are
Wintering by Katherine May - I expected more of a how-to, and it's a memoir of one season where she was dealing with the aftermath of her husband's health crisis, her own cancer, and just being depressed. I'll probably give it a little while longer, but I'm not loving it so far.

A Court of Silver Flames the newest in Sarah J. Maas's series which I'm looking forward to but slightly daunted by the 757 pages.

Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler - I started this short story collection yesterday and two stories in, I'm really liking it. I'll probably read at least one more short story today, and try to read a story or two to finish it up in the next week or so.

22FAMeulstee
Fev 20, 2021, 5:39 pm

Happy new thread, Mary!

>7 bell7: Of course I love my shelves, and the books in it even more :-)

23bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 5:59 pm

>22 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! I am not surprised that bookshelves and the books on them would be among your favorite things :D

24bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 6:03 pm

DNF #2 - Wintering. Way more navel-gazing than the title led me to believe, and in part due to my own mental capacity after nearly a year of pandemic, I just could not right now. It's in the spiritual-but-not-religious white woman looks at self-care memoir vein that doesn't really appeal to me, personally (Elizabeth Gilbert blurbs it, though, which should've been a clue).

25bell7
Fev 20, 2021, 8:06 pm

Of course now that I publicly shamed my washer it just gave me two perfectly normal cycles in a row. I still had sopping wet clothes at the end of it, but on balance I'll take it to at least get my clothes clean and dry by a normal time of night.

26bell7
Fev 21, 2021, 10:24 am

I got up to listen to the men's final on Australian Open radio, streamed over my Kindle. Though Federer is still my favorite player, Djokovic sounded impressive and I enjoyed hearing the players' comments at the end. At this rate, Federer's record 20 majors is in jeopardy from both Nadal and Djokovic (Nadal's already tied it, and you can't get against him at the French) in the next year or so, possibly before he's even retired, which is not something I expected to see.

I went back to sleep for a couple more hours and have only just gotten up and had breakfast. It's almost time for me to watch church virtually, after which I have a lazy day of reading and knitting planned.

27SandyAMcPherson
Fev 21, 2021, 10:25 am

>21 bell7: >24 bell7: I see you were struggling with Wintering (Katherine May).
When I read the reviews on the book page, I thought "Not for me" especially: This is another one of those books where a depressed middle-class woman writes a book about being a depressed middle-class woman.

I don't usually read the main book-review page, if the title is one I might want to explore. I trust more what I read in this group. I'm thinking that Katherine May's book being listed in the titles that are "What's Hot This Month" in the newsletter has a big effect on popular reading. My tastes seem to run counter to the books that are listed there.

28bell7
Fev 21, 2021, 2:54 pm

>27 SandyAMcPherson: I will usually avoid learning much of anything about a book that I know I want to read, but I did glance through the reviews when I was deciding if I wanted to continue. I like some of the "hot this month" books - just like I like some bestsellers. And I think it really is popular in my library, just like Eat, Pray, Love was, but neither are really appealing to me. Thankfully there are books as varied as the people who read them, so it will find its reader and I will find another book to love :)

29bell7
Editado: Fev 21, 2021, 3:10 pm

18. Bloodchild and other stories by Octavia E. Butler
Why now? I read my first books by Octavia Butler last year and am now reading just about everything I can get my hands on. I enjoy short stories too, so picked this one.

In her introduction to the second edition of this book (which includes two new stories not in the 1995 edition), Octavia E. Butler admits that she is not great at writing short stories: most of them turn out to be part of a novel, and the ideas she wants to explore in her books don't fit the length of a short story.

What follows in the seven short stories and two essays that comprise the collection, however, are excellent works - mainly of science fiction - that explore all manner of life, whether it be human interaction with alien species or the results of a terrible genetic disease that causes people to mutilate themselves. The two essays delve into Butler's thoughts on writing, one autobiographical one that describes how she became a writer and the other her advice on writing. The pieces included span her writing from 1971 to 2003 and her afterwords sometimes explain the origin of the story or her unvarnished opinion of it. I haven't read enough of Butler's work to be able to say with any authority if this is a good starting point, but it does give you a flavor for the breadth of topics and genres she'll use to explore topics that interest her and inform her writing. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this collection and may have rated it higher if it hadn't been for the several absolutely stellar reads I've had in a row. But when it came down to it, as I flipped back through in writing this review I couldn't really point to a "favorite" story nor do I think I'd make a point of rereading them or the collection someday down the road.

30SandyAMcPherson
Editado: Fev 21, 2021, 9:52 pm

>28 bell7: "there are books as varied as the people who read them, so it will find its reader and I will find another book to love :)"

I like that philosophy. I'm sure glad for the breadth of selection.

31bell7
Fev 23, 2021, 11:04 am

>30 SandyAMcPherson: It comes at least in part from being a librarian - I want to keep the ability to recommend books to patrons when their reading taste differs from mine, so even though it wasn't a book for me, knowing who it might appeal to is still a win.

32bell7
Editado: Fev 23, 2021, 11:12 am

19. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
Why now? Decided I should go back, reread the books in the series that I'd started, and finish the ones that I hadn't now that the series in complete. This is as far as I got when the books were new, and I borrowed the library e-book and audio combo when it became available.

Here's my review from the first read in 2016:
When we left Laia and Elias at the end of An Ember in the Ashes, they were headed to the tunnels on the run from the school, his mother the Commandant, and the newly appointed emperor Marcus. A Torch Against the Night picks up immediately after that, with the two on the run and soldiers after them. Laia is determined to rescue her brother Darrin from prison, and Elias has promised to help her - will they be able to escape their enemies and free him in time? Meanwhile, the Commandant and Emperor have plans of their own, and Helene struggles to come to grips with her role as Blood Shrike, bringing justice (including killing) at the Emperor's side.

The story shifts in perspective between Laia, Elias, and Helene. I enjoyed this aspect of it, which gave readers a broader sense of what was going on while keeping the pacing taut. Helene especially was a character I enjoyed getting to know. I'm not sure why I didn't love the sequel quite as much as the first - suffering a bit from being a "middle" book with no beginning and no tidy ending, that most of the world-building was done in the first book and there wasn't much added here, or because there were a couple of days during the week that I barely read it, perhaps - but it's an excellent story and I'll definitely continue the series.


When I can get the book page to cooperate, I'll post the review I wrote four years ago when I first read it. Basically, it stands. I think I gave it 4 stars primarily for the violence, but on a rereading I probably would knock it up to 4.5 stars - somehow not so bad when I knew it was coming. Also, though it's a semi-satisfying ending, I did find myself wondering why I didn't nab the next book in the series as soon as I could.

I will revise this just a tad - I found the ending semi-satisfying, leaving it open for the next book without a cliffhanger. It did start off with a bang, immediately after the events of the first and thus has no "beginning," but I found the pacing driving and I easily read/listened to it in a few days. I have no idea why I put off continuing the series, I want to know what happens next... but I also have way too many fantasy books stacked up on my nightstand right now, so I'll probably give it about a month to simmer so I don't get too sick of similar stories back to back.

33Familyhistorian
Fev 23, 2021, 6:51 pm

Sorry to hear about your lack of closet space, Mary. I've lived in places like that. The townhouse I live in currently has a walk in closet so large that I have a small bookcase in it.

That's not the thing I like best about my place, though. What I love is the view. I back on to a creek with trees around it and beyond that is a school playing field. I can watch the people on the path or on the field and am not visible to them. I've seen wildlife in the area of the creek - ducks, a crane and one time a bear. I have a great view because there are deck door in my basement and livingroom and a large window in the master bedroom.

34bell7
Fev 25, 2021, 12:55 pm

>33 Familyhistorian: Your view sounds truly lovely, Meg. I do miss that from where I lived previously. I had a back deck looking into a valley that was the center of my small town, and it was beautiful year-round. At least I have only previously had rooms or apartment-sized spaces, so I didn't have a ton of things I was trying to fit into said closets, and I do have a substantial basement as well as a crawl space in the upstairs bathroom for storage.

35The_Hibernator
Fev 26, 2021, 10:31 pm

Hi Mary! Hope your washer woes improve.

36bell7
Fev 28, 2021, 5:27 pm

>35 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! I'm sure eventually I'll have to get it looked at, for now I'm just dealing with it being quirky and giving me very wet clothes.

37bell7
Editado: Fev 28, 2021, 9:42 pm

I have no new books finished (it was a busy weekend), so here's my

February in review
20. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
19. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
18. Bloodchild and other stories by Octavia E. Butler
17. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
16. What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
15. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
14. The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay
13. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
12. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
11. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
10. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Books read: 11
Rereads: 2
Children's/Teen/Adult: 2/3/7
Fiction/Nonfiction/Plays/Poetry: 10/1/0/0

Because I want to awards:
The Night Tiger for being a book I didn't know I needed to read, but it absolutely floored me
Red at the Bone was searing and beautiful
The Book of Delights: Essays for being a thoughtful, insightful, and joyful read

YTD stats -
Pages read: 6,224
Avg pages a day: 105
POC authors: 11

Thoughts:
This is one of the best February reading lists I have had in awhile, and I'm super impressed I managed to read more books in February than January - that almost never happens. I also had some really excellent reads - the four in a row that starts with Red at the Bone, which I read for book club. I had a good mix of genres, and several authors of color, a number I hope I keep high going into March. I reread the first two Sabaa Tahir books, and am looking forward to finishing the series this year. I also started a reread of Harry Potter, but after it took me a month to read Order of the Phoenix, I have no real desire to pick up Half-Blood Prince soon. I started a couple of long books towards the end of the month that will most likely be showing up in next month's reading. The one goal I didn't reach was reading a book in translation, but I have a few on my soon-TBR stack and I expect I'll more than catch up with my March reading as well. Said stack also has a lot of fantasy, so either my March reading will be heavily weighted that way or I will return some books to the library unread and mix in a few other genres.

38bell7
Fev 28, 2021, 6:26 pm

Late report after a busy weekend - yesterday was my day with my Little, and I tried to cram some cooking and cleaning before and after. It sort-of worked, I got a lot done on my to-do list and had a little laundry left to do today. I watched virtual church, and then went to my parents for my dad's birthday, just them and my brother, all of whom have had Covid tests recently after traveling - I did not, and have probably had most contact with work and such, so I wore a mask. Watched the Bruins game, then headed home. After I finish folding my laundry, I'm gonna grab a bite to eat and read for the rest of the evening.

I'm still knitting myself a pair of socks, but I got bored partway down the foot so started a baby blanket as well to trade off projects. It's a nice lace pattern that makes scalloped edges, and it's a really simple four-row pattern that I memorized quickly so I don't have to refer back to the book at all. It came from Vintage knits for modern babies, but instead of the colors pictured there I'm using blue, green and white for the stripes.

Monday is back to work, and a full week as per usual. I've taken a week off at the end of March, in which I hope to plan some of my gardening (if anyone has tips on concord grapes and roses, as well as composting, I am all ears as this garden has all of those and I'm hoping not to kill any plants for once) and possible start my herbs from a kit I got for Christmas. And read, of course.

39bell7
Fev 28, 2021, 9:39 pm

Well, I'm wrong, I finished one more. I'll go up and correct my counts above.

20. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
Why now? Next in a series I'm reading, and it fit one of the TIOLI challenges this month

Jess's group of friends is once again divided, but this time they're working in concert to defeat the Archivist. Jess himself is in Alexandria impersonating his twin, Brendan. Scholar Wolfe is in prison again, and Morgan returned to the Iron Tower. Meanwhile, Glain, Thomas, Khalila, Dario, and Captain Santi are on a boat that they redirect to Spain where Dario has connections. Can they each do their part to return the Great Library to its rightful place of protecting and disseminating information, or will the wily Archivist hold on to his power?

Another solid entry in the series, though I must be so used to trilogies that I'm starting to feel the story is a little drawn out. It starts to wrap up with this one, but there's definitely a thread or two left hanging for the conclusion in the next book. 4 stars.

40MickyFine
Mar 1, 2021, 1:05 pm

Way to squeeze in one more book to the month, Mary. Hope your Monday isn't too mad. :)

41bell7
Mar 1, 2021, 9:10 pm

>40 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! It's always a good work day (9-2) and then I try to squeeze in too many errands afterwards haha. But today wasn't terrible that way. Somehow after a grocery shopping and cooking and making phone calls I still feel like I worked a full day...

42bell7
Mar 1, 2021, 9:20 pm

Happy March! Can you believe we're this far into the year already? Unbelievable how fast each week flies by.

Today was working 9-2, a grocery shopping, some phone calls, and I cooked myself a pizza for supper before Bible study. One of the phone calls was to the town DPW where I confirmed that there is in fact no dump to bring my trash to, my only option is a private pickup company. So, eventually I'll get that set up. (Recently the folks I lived with until last year picked up all the trash I'd accumulated, so I only have one full bag at the moment.)

I did get good news today though - I have a dogsitting job! The one that I'd expected to run December 28-March 9 is now happening from early April to mid-May. I'm delighted, as it will ease my budget considerably in the coming months.

I'm still reading (slowly) A Court of Silver Flames and A Promised Land, and my new e-book/audio combo now that I've finished Smoke and Iron is We Hunt the Flame.

43scaifea
Mar 2, 2021, 7:55 am

Yay for the dogsitting gig! Hopefully now that vaccines are rolling out, those jobs will start rolling back in, too.

44katiekrug
Mar 2, 2021, 9:01 am

>42 bell7: - I've never lived in a place that didn't have a dump/transfer station or garbage pick-up. Is that common? I hope it's not very expensive to get garbage pick-up. Ours is included in the property taxes, I believe. In Dallas, it was part of our water bill, which I always found slightly odd. Like, why is my TRASH related to my WATER. What are you trying to hide?!?!

Great news about the dogsitting!

45bell7
Mar 2, 2021, 10:21 am

>43 scaifea: I expect the second half of 2021 to be pretty busy as vaccines continue, Amber. I know I'm anxious to see my family in the DC metro area, and I'm a homebody, so my intrepid traveler friends must be going stir crazy.

>44 katiekrug: No, it's not super common around here. There's usually either pickup or a dump/transfer station, so I was really surprised to call the DPW and be told that individuals are responsible for their own trash. They do have free once-a-month recycling days, which is enough for me, thankfully. I might be able to ask a friend who owns a dumpster if I could add to his trash. Trash and water combined is definitely a head-scratcher. All my bills are very separate (oil, propane, water are each to different companies) except my property taxes are rolled into my mortgage payment, kept in escrow, and paid by the bank. And thanks, I'm pretty excited to be getting dogsitting again!

46curioussquared
Mar 2, 2021, 1:40 pm

>44 katiekrug: >45 bell7: Water and trash are also combined where I am -- we pay one "utilities" bill for water/sewage/garbage, one for electricity, and one for gas. I hope you figure out the trash situation!

47MickyFine
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 1:43 pm

Huh, I'd never heard of private garbage collection.

In this house our water/sewage and waste collection are part of our county bills. For natural gas and electricity, we can have our pick of retailers. :)

And adding my congrats on the dogsitting gig. Hope they're lovely puppers.

48richardderus
Mar 2, 2021, 2:06 pm

YAY for budget-easing bowser bunking; hissbooooo on for-profit trash collection.

Apart from that, I'm not possessed of any useful information or entertaining opinion to impart.

49bell7
Mar 2, 2021, 5:48 pm

>46 curioussquared: It's interesting to see the differences in something that never would've occurred to me before home ownership. And thanks!

>47 MickyFine: Really, no private garbage at all? I think everywhere my parents lived there were options for private collection, but the town provided it in one place and in the other they had a dump where you had to pay for a car sticker and trash bags. Both options are cheaper. Here, I pay my water bill directly to the town, and I'm wondering now if that includes sewer, because I don't have a septic tank and I haven't seen another bill. Hmmm. I could've gone with someone else for propane/oil, but in both cases I stuck with the companies that had already serviced this house. The propane tank is technically a rental, but if I use enough propane (and I do, it heats my hot water, and dryer) I don't pay extra for the tank itself. I have both set up on autofill, so they just come every so often to top those off and bill me accordingly. And thanks re: the dogsitting, they're the anywhere-from-cats-only-to-five-labs that I usually watch every winter. I'm not sure yet how many they're leaving me, but I'll definitely be getting my steps in while I'm there.

>48 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! Good to see you even so. I'm thinking I'll ask the friends that I lived with before if I can drop my trash off either at their house or in their dumpsters. I certainly won't be generating more trash than I did when I lived with them so they may not notice a difference :)

50bell7
Mar 2, 2021, 7:49 pm

Today was a busy one at work. My boss had to be out on a day that we have in-library appointments, so I was both in charge and also checking everyone in throughout the day. I came home pretty beat, but managed to do a yoga video and reheat some French onion soup for dinner. I'm listening to podcasts, going to knit and read a bit, and then head to bed. I'm not sure yet if my boss will be back tomorrow, but either way it's a day we don't have people in the building, so it should be a little easier. I can't get annoyed for her taking the day, either, she's got a lot going on right now and tries hard to work around the appointment days so I don't have to do it alone - and also, I'm taking a week of vacation in a couple of weeks so she'll have to do the same while I'm out.

In preparation for that week off, I've decided the garden needs to be a project soon so I picked out a couple of books, including one on composting (yes, there's a compost pile) and a book on roses (again, already present). I really need to figure out Concord grapes - not how to start them from scratch, they were producing when I saw the house in October, but how to keep them going now. Any advice or suggestions of where to go for info would be welcome :)

If I kill all the plants, Plan B will be to replace it all with tall-bearded irises that I can hybridize. I do in fact know how to do that, and irises tend to survive me because they're hardy and like to be essentially left alone.

51charl08
Mar 3, 2021, 2:05 am

>50 bell7: Good luck with your garden, Mary. How exciting to have a new space to work with!

I envy your compost heap. I don't have the space, but would love a hot composter or a wormery. I wondered if you were thinking about it linked to getting rid of your biodegradable rubbish?

I've had mixed results with roses, but if you know anyone with horses or who keeps chickens they could be your new best friend!

52msf59
Mar 3, 2021, 7:59 am

Happy Wednesday, Mary. I hope the work week is going well. Bloodchild and other stories sounds good. I think I have it on my Kindle. Yah!

You asked me about the man cave. Yes, it is a finished basement. One of the reasons we bought the place. I need a hideout.

53streamsong
Mar 3, 2021, 11:49 am

Posted the first part of this on your previous thread by mistake. And then I lost my copy.

So it goes.

I have Interior Chinatown on my hold list at the library. It was the February pick for the PBS/NYT Now Read This book club, but I didn't get in time to read it.

I love that your house is so close to those previously owned by your family. I wonder if you had a bit of a spiritual whisper in your ear.

>37 bell7: My library books at home are heavily skewed to non-fiction and mysteries. I may also take some of them back unread this month.

I believe that our trash collection is also a for-profit private company. There is only one in the county as there just aren't enough people for competition. They also own the 'transfer station' where garbage is sorted and then sent on to the dump in the next county.

Yay for dogsitting! Does that mean you will be away from home that entire time?

54jnwelch
Mar 3, 2021, 1:45 pm

Hi, Marry.

I was thinking of you with The Hate U Give (which I know was a favorite of yours) and Concrete Rose. I'm looking forward to your reaction to the latter; I loved it.

I'm glad you have a vacation coming up, and that you're enjoying working on your new garden. What a pleasure to put in the work to get it the way you want it. We're 20+ years down the line, and still making tweaks to ours.

55katiekrug
Mar 3, 2021, 1:53 pm

The Wayne has set-up a compost bin/box/structure. Apparently, the key is layering. Or so he tells me.

56bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 1:54 pm

>51 charl08: Yes, it's covered in snow at the moment but when I can start saving coffee grounds and peels and cores and eggshells and the like, I'm definitely hoping it will cut down on my trash (especially the smelly stuff) even more in the spring/summer. I think it's just a square area with a corner fence on two sides where he dumped compost in one big heap, but I could eventually try to get something a little fancier. Horses or chickens for manure... hmmm, I think I actually do know someone, I'll keep that in mind.

>52 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It's going by fast, today I have a department head meeting, tomorrow is people in the building, and then it's Friday! But this weekend should be pretty quiet, and I'm looking forward to reading and knitting time already. I hope you enjoy Bloodchild and other stories. For her not loving short stories, I thought they were pretty good. Yay for the finished basement and your own space there! My basement is completely unfinished and I want to eventually have concrete poured on the half that's brick-over-dirt (!) at the very least, if not finish it someday. There's a workshop space down there already, and I feel a little bad that I can't use that to its utmost. But where there are shelves, I'm already thinking about down the road buying some lights and growing tomatoes and other veggies from seed down there before putting them out in the garden.

>53 streamsong: I hope you get the library copy of Interior Chinatown soon, Janet. It's a very quick read once you've got it in hand, and I happened to already have it when PBS picked it for February. Do they have a book discussion going online? Isn't it funny how we can accumulate a pile of one genre even when we read a lot? I've had some holds appear the last few days (how did that happen?) so I'm going to have to take a good hard look at what I can reasonably read and what it's not the time for.

57bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 1:58 pm

>54 jnwelch: I've really gotta read Concrete Rose soonish, Joe. Thanks for the push! Yeah, I'm looking forward to that vacation if only to take a breather, read, relax at home (there's not much I can work on until I have the dogistting payment) and maybe learn about the gardening stuff.

>55 katiekrug: Any particular layering advice of what I should put in between? Quite honestly my first approach is mostly likely going to be dumping all of my food waste on the top :D

58katiekrug
Mar 3, 2021, 2:26 pm

Okay, you owe me. I asked him and was subjected to a 10 minute discourse on compost, nitrogen, humus, gardens, etc. I will spare you the details, mostly because I wasn't paying close attention ;-)

The gist is "Green" and "Brown" layers - green is your kitchen scraps, fresh grass cuttings, anything that still has some nitrogen (?) in it. Brown is paper, dead leaves, etc. that provides insulation and the carbon needed for good humus which is important in gardening. Apparently, pizza boxes are good brown layering, too, which is great, since you aren't supposed to recycle them and they take up a lot of room in the trash.

So sayeth The Wayne, who attended a class on composting at home at Rutgers U :)

59katiekrug
Mar 3, 2021, 2:27 pm

Mind you, as far as I know, he hasn't actually used any of his composting results in the garden yet, so..... take it for what it's worth.

60bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 4:20 pm

>58 katiekrug: and >59 katiekrug: Oh dear, yeah, I do owe you on that one. Your first drink on me the next time we can meet up for dinner ;)
Huh. Okay, I'll try to green and brown layers and see what I get. I mean, it'll definitely cut down on my trash, so it's worth a try, right?

61bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 4:25 pm

>58 katiekrug: For what it's worth, I *won't* have you ask him the follow up question I'm now pondering, which is how thick must the layers be? But one of the books I took home was on composting, so I'll peek and see if it has an answer that doesn't subject you to another 10 minute lecture that glazes the eyes :)

62MickyFine
Mar 3, 2021, 4:29 pm

Our county waste collection uses a two bin system - one for compostable waste and one for all the other garbage. Recyclables are also picked up separately. Who knew waste systems in different places could be so fascinating?

>49 bell7: As for private garbage, thinking harder about it apartment buildings I've lived in may have separate contracts from what homeowners get through the city. My brother lives on a farm and has access to a garbage dump but I'm not sure if it's private or part of his county taxes. I'll have to ask the next time we chat. :)

Glad to hear you survived pick-up day as a solo manager. We just got notice this week from the provincial government that public libraries are allowed to re-open again (at 15% capacity of fire code). There's some good things and challenges about that but it does mean a lot of staff who were on temporary layoff will be recalled.

63bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 6:39 pm

>62 MickyFine: I am a little surprised it generated as much discussion as it did, but I am rather fascinated to see all the varieties of ways towns deal with it.

Ooof, good luck with reopening. I'm glad for those temporarily laid off getting recalled; we were very fortunate in being allowed to work from home with furloughs or layoffs. We have curbside Monday-Friday, and in-person appointments for browsing and computers on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but we've kept the limit right around 10-20% capacity, including staff. We're one of the only libraries in our area offering any in-person services; most are curbside-only or very limited in the amount of time people can come in. Our appointments start at 45 minutes, but on the day of when we have space, folks can stay for a second appointment for a total of 2 hours. Our governor just announced that starting March 22 we're allowed 50% capacity, so patrons have been asking if we're going to expand services, but a lot of that is decided by the trustees and town management, so it's still very up in the air. Most of the staff isn't eligible for vaccination yet, so that makes it challenging too. It's gonna be a tough couple of months - kinda reminds me of the year the government decided not to send us as many tax forms and we had hundreds of people complaining to us about something that was completely out of our hands.

64bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 7:41 pm

I had a bunch of cabbage left over from a recipe I used last week, so at this shopping I was planning on making corned beef and cabbage until I discovered the price of the corned beef. I shifted gears slightly and bought stew beef instead, so tonight's dinner was beef stew with cabbage made in the Instant Pot.

I used this recipe as a jumping off point, but instead of vegetable broth I went with beef broth, and the tomatoes came in sauce, so I just dumped the whole thing in. One note that in using stew beef instead of ground beef, you will need a LOT more olive oil to saute and make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. It came out delicious, though. I was very happy with the broth, and I have so much I'll probably freeze a couple of containers and eat the rest over the next few days. I might add celery next time I make it too.

I now have enough soup in my freezer that I could probably get away with a bare minimum shopping next week (milk and bananas for my oatmeal, snacky foods like nuts, maybe a sandwich option) and not have to cook at all.

65richardderus
Mar 3, 2021, 7:48 pm

>64 bell7: Which Aesopian fable are you living right now? I can't remember which one was about the virtuous thrifty planning animal, but you are deffo her at this moment!

66bell7
Mar 3, 2021, 10:06 pm

>53 streamsong: Just realized I neglected your question about the dogsitting. Yes, I would stay over at their house but I don't live terribly far away and expect I would stop by often to pick up mail, swap clothes, and the like.

>65 richardderus: Hmmmm, it's been awhile since I read those, so the grasshopper and the ant, maybe? And thank you, I am indeed trying to be thrifty and food is one of the areas of my budget I have the most ability to cut down on spending a bit. I probably won't go quite so drastic next week, but I am definitely enjoying the heck out of having a full-size fridge/freezer.

67bell7
Mar 5, 2021, 9:16 am

Today is truly TGIF! Yesterday was a busy day of in-person appointments, and a period of time when all our circ staff was out while a guy on the computer was getting help from my boss in attempting to open archaic files on a floppy disk made for quite a flurry for about a half hour before I even let the afternoon appointments in. If I had alcohol in the house, that would be the night I needed it. Actually, I managed to do some yoga and put a sandwich together for dinner before reading until bed.

Work should be quieter today. We get busy with curbside appointments but don't have the public in the building, and we usually don't get any calls from about 3 p.m. to five minutes before closing. I go from here to a children's program at my church where I check in those attending and then help out with the 3-6 graders, but it's a fun night for all I'm tired and ready for the weekend when it's over.

Over the weekend, I'm not planning on going out at all, though I do have some phone calls I want to make and home cleaning to catch up on. I think I'll make myself a chickpea stew in the Instant Pot too. The rest will just be reading and knitting, and I will enjoy every moment of quiet.

68streamsong
Editado: Mar 5, 2021, 11:40 am

Hi Mary - the PBS Now Read This has a discussion group on Face Book. It's a bit chaotic since the books aren't separated from each other. They would do so much better to have a group here on LT with threads for each month's books!

This month's book is Nomadland, which I have my name in for at the library. I've seen trailers on TV for the movie - it looks interesting.

I'm glad you will be able to stop by your home periodically while you are pet sitting. That's the best of both worlds!

Your weekend sounds perfect!

69bell7
Mar 5, 2021, 3:12 pm

>68 streamsong: Ahh, gotcha. I'm not on Facebook anymore, but I think that would be a little too chaotic for my taste. An LT or Goodreads thread for the books would be easier, for sure. Nomadland sounds interesting, I'll look forward to your thoughts on it.

70bell7
Mar 6, 2021, 4:57 pm

Happy Saturday!

I won't bore you all with today's to-do list, but suffice it to say I had a long one and have done most of it. Enough of it that tomorrow should be really relaxing, and I'm excited about that. I have one last load of laundry to put in the dryer, and then fold it, cook dinner and I'm done.

Today was a cold and crisp day, but it was sunny enough that my sunroom was comfortable, so I spend some of the afternoon basking in the sunlight while I worked on projects.

So I haven't read much today so far, but I'm looking forward to sitting down with a book this evening. Someday soon I *should* be reporting on the first book read in March :)

71bell7
Mar 6, 2021, 8:18 pm

21. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Why now? Newest book by one of my go-to fantasy authors, I had a hold on this months before it came out and got it as soon as it was processed at my library

Nesta Archeron, Feyre's sister who wrested powers from the Cauldron, is living - but barely. She drinks and has casual sex and shuts out those who love her, and her family is sick of it. Finally, she's given an ultimatum: go back to the human world, or train with Cassian. Nesta resents every moment, but as she and Cassian are in close contact, she starts letting her guard down.

I love the first two books in this series especially. Maas has an incredible way of pulling seemingly disparate strands of a story together, creating twists that I don't see coming but also fitting perfectly with everything that's happened in the story. And at this point, I've come to really love these characters and enjoy spending time with them. That is why I kept reading when the first 150 pages or so of this 750 page tome were really slow going setting everything up, and while Nesta was at her least likable. But as the story continues, more political machinations in the Faerie courts reveal trouble bubbling under the surface even as Feyre and Rhys want to promote peace after the war with Hybern. This is as much a romance as a fantasy, as Cassian and Nesta's relationship develops and - whew! those sex scenes - this is definitely an adult book. It's still a humongous book and I probably wouldn't read it again as a standalone but it, and Nesta, won me over in the end. I teared up, burst out laughing, and enjoyed the read immensely. 4 stars.

Curious to see where she'll take the story from here. She wove in some hints about the third sister, Elain, and I think reading a story about her would be verrrry interesting.

72richardderus
Mar 7, 2021, 1:37 pm

>71 bell7: A great way to finish the weekend, with a 4* yummy. Have at least that good a week, if not better.

73bell7
Mar 7, 2021, 1:53 pm

>72 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! So far so good, I'm curled up with a book or two and my knitting in the sunroom, which is the warmest place in the house right now even without heat. Hurrah for sunny days and getting all the cleaning done yesterday... I might even be ready for human interaction tomorrow ;)

74MickyFine
Mar 8, 2021, 12:42 pm

A sunroom is the one dream feature I didn't get with our house but our upstairs living room has good windows and gets great sun exposure so it makes up for it. :)

75bell7
Mar 8, 2021, 4:11 pm

>74 MickyFine: That's a nice feature to make up for it! I am spoiled, I have both a front porch AND a sunroom, and I expect I will be enjoying both tremendously over the summer. I am managing to squirrel away books in every room, so I don't really need one room specifically devoted to being a library, so the one dream feature I did not get was a fireplace. BUT with all the amenities I do have, including an attached garage, I am not going to complain (but most likely will be buying a small fire pit this spring/summer).

76MickyFine
Mar 9, 2021, 12:08 pm

>75 bell7: We put a firepit in our backyard last year and Mr. Fine in particular loves having the option. I will say if you're ordering a kit to build your own firepit do it early. Last year we had to wait almost two months for the kit we ordered to arrive at the hardware store. Joys of everyone being at home during the pandemic is that a lot of home improvement stuff is in demand. Reminds me that I want to get a bicycle this year and I need to do that sooner rather than later this year.

77bell7
Mar 10, 2021, 6:29 pm

>76 MickyFine: I will probably start with a cheap portable one and save up for something more elaborate years down the road. I'll look early, though, as I bet you're right that the hardware stores will run out quickly.

78bell7
Mar 10, 2021, 6:40 pm

Hurrah for hump day!

I feel the like the week has been busy but at the same time I have very little to report accomplished. Today was a weird day at work, my boss was in later than usual, I was on the desk from noon-1, followed by a staff meeting, and didn't actually take my lunch break 'til three. It was a gorgeous day, so I took some time to take a walk during that break and again when I got home from work. My Fitbit battery died sometime during the day, though, so I can't even get full credit for my steps. (Why yes, I'm task-oriented, why do you ask?)

I'm keeping on with work, a yoga video series, and a little bit of cooking this week. We have in-person appointments tomorrow, I have my regular Friday work-and-volunteer day, and then the weekend. This Saturday is my day with my Little, and then surprise! I got an overnight dogsitting gig Saturday night into Sunday. So tonight's plan, if I can get the energy, is to start planning my packing, keep up with dishes, and cook some chicken soup.

Still reading A Promised Land slowly but surely. I've worked out that if I read an average of 35 pages a day, I will finish it by the due date. Surely I can do that. I'm also reading The Left-handed Booksellers of London, which I think I'll probably finish over the weekend. And I really should pick up my book club book, Hidden Valley Road soon, as we're discussing it a week from today.

Looking ahead, I took a week off the week after book club, and so far I have made plans for two Zoom programs offered by one local and one not-so-local library, and a virtual MassSaves visit. I might venture out and buy myself a rake and some other smaller needed items that I can fit into this month's budget. Next month, when I'm paid for the larger dogsitting job, I've realized that a mower will really have to be high on my purchase list (and depending on how fast the grass grows, I may be leaving the dogs to come mow my lawn a couple of times). I will certainly be getting my workouts come April!

79charl08
Mar 11, 2021, 2:17 am

>78 bell7: You do sound busy! I love the fact that dog sitting jobs maybe mean things are becoming a bit more normal in your area again?

What kind of zoom programmes are you registering for? Sounds intriguing. I've seen a few story times locally run by libraries but not so much for the adults.

Good luck with the book due back soon! 35 pages a day sounds like a plan.

80figsfromthistle
Mar 11, 2021, 7:14 am

>50 bell7: Your garden plans sound exciting! Concord grapes are delicious. You have to be careful with the pruning though. If it's done incorrectly you will have less fruit. I also suggest making sure that the grape vines have a good support system and properly drained soil :)

Anyhow enjoy the rest of the week.

81JudeHolmes
Mar 11, 2021, 7:19 am

Este utilizador foi removido como sendo spam.

82bell7
Mar 11, 2021, 1:34 pm

>79 charl08: Things are certainly progressing that way, Charlotte. We've been vaccinating in waves, and as of today anyone over the age of 65, anyone over 16 with 2 defined medical conditions, or K-12 teachers are now eligible. Now the question is, will we have enough vaccinations and appointments for everyone? The long dogsitting job I'm doing is for someone who's been completely vaccinated and going to their own home in another state. I expect things to really pick up in the summer though!

The local library has a weekly knitting/crocheting club that meets over Zoom. I've never attended, so it'll be interesting to see what it's like. The other is put on by the Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, MA and the State Library of Massachusetts It has a free registration here, though it's 6 p.m. EDT. My library's had some Zoom events for adults with good success, while most of our kids programs have been on Facebook Live. I will look forward to having my book discussion in person though - it's so hard to read body language and facilitate a conversation online.

>80 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! I'll have to take some photos in the garden and show you all a little of what I'm working with :) The grapes appear to have the support of a sort of wire fencing (for lack of a better term) that the vines are growing along. They seemed very happy when I saw the house in October, producing bunches and looking good. I'll have to learn to prune to just keep maintaining them, I think. It'll be a fun summer figuring it all out! There are also blueberries, raspberries, and rhubarb, so I should have plenty of fresh fruit to come.

83richardderus
Mar 11, 2021, 2:44 pm

>82 bell7: Hard-won wisdom: if the grapes were producing, leave 'em alone.

Forgiving things, grapevines, but don't piss 'em off or the fruits will vanish and their *incredible*vitality* will turn them into terrifying botanical imperialists. *shiver*

84bell7
Mar 12, 2021, 3:59 pm

>83 richardderus: Oooh, excellent, also good to know.

Basically any plant that is perfectly fine if I neglect it is my kind of plant. I kill the fussy ones.

85richardderus
Mar 12, 2021, 4:11 pm

>84 bell7: I don't think it's *possible* to kill grapevines. The Motherland of All Grapes is the Red River of Northeast Texas south all the way through the Hill Country. T. Volney Munson saved the French wine industry from phylloxera decimation with rootstock that came from Texas.

Grapevines are some tough bastards.

86bell7
Mar 14, 2021, 8:13 pm

>85 richardderus: That's incredibly comforting to me. I'm very good at killing plants, so I've been a little nervous about the whole garden thing. Another friend assured me that I should prune them... right about now. And that the blueberries shouldn't take much work, other than the netting and maybe mulching them with pine needles. So yay for that!

87bell7
Mar 14, 2021, 8:24 pm

22. Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
Why now? This became my "drop everything and read" book this weekend because the book discussion is Wednesday

The Galvin family in Colorado appeared to be an all-American family, twelve kids born between 1945 and 1965, their mom staying at home to raise a bunch of boisterous boys, followed by just two girls, and their father in the Air Force and having the ear of governors. But when the oldest reached his twenties and married, things started falling apart - he had schizophrenia, and one by one several siblings followed. All told, six siblings would struggle with this mental illness.

Kolker writes a journalistic biography of the whole family, using extensive interviews with all the living Galvins and piecing together the sad story of their lives, as well as the resilience of the two youngest, especially. Interspersed, he gives us the history of the psychological attitude towards and scientific inquiry into the genetics behind schizophrenia, a diagnosis that is still often misunderstood and mysterious. The family became integral to the genetic study, and this fascinating book humanizes what could have been merely a case study. 4.5 stars.

I was pressed for time to read it, but I found this absolutely riveting and read it in two days when I could've stretched it over four-five. I had a great-uncle I can barely remember who had what used to be called manic-depressive disorder, but it would probably be diagnosed bipolar or schizophrenia today (I can remember one of my aunts telling us about how he brought over tons of plants? or flowers? to her house one time for some reason inscrutable to us but was super necessary to him). I thought of him, and various members of my family's reaction to him, a lot as I was reading this story, and couldn't help but wish that we had a better understanding behind this and similar mental illnesses, even as far as we've come.

88bell7
Mar 14, 2021, 8:51 pm

I'm back from a quick overnight dogsitting job, and have already unpacked. It was... a very weird weekend, and doesn't feel like I should be going back to work tomorrow, but I did accomplish plenty by reading my book club book (and, of course, watching the doggos).

This week will be an almost-full week of work with a couple hours off to accept a bed/bureau delivery that was given to me, and then I took next week off.

I already have a few things lined up for that week, including some purchases for the home (mower, rakes, and a step ladder are high on the list), gardening, and a virtual visit from MassSaves to see if I can save energy/money (my electrical and water bill are... ridiculously low atm, but I'm just one person so I thought I'd get ahead of it while I can and maybe get some new light bulbs and shower heads out of the deal).

I've been slow in my reading so far (I blame a couple of verrrrry long books) in March, but I'm hoping it will pick up now that I finished my book club book and can read whatever I want. I'm currently reading A Promised Land to have a discussion with a friend, The Left-handed booksellers of London for fun (paper book), and Modern Romance for fun (digital e-book/audio combo).

89MickyFine
Mar 15, 2021, 12:26 pm

Hope the work week flies by so that you can enjoy your vacation ASAP.

90ronincats
Mar 15, 2021, 2:30 pm

Have a good week, Mary. I enjoyed The Left-Handed Booksellers of London so hope you do as well.

91richardderus
Mar 15, 2021, 6:36 pm

>88 bell7: Those shower heads...they will be what is euphemistically called "low-flow". This means that the dogs you sit for piddle harder than the flow of water from these shower heads will emerge at.

Consider this carefully before "accepting" them or, worse!, having some vulturous contractor coming by to change them out for free!

(Because he can and will resell the old, normal-flow ones to desperate piddled-upon old folks.)

And the lightbulbs will be LED or compact-fluorescent ones. Those cannot be landfilled. They usually cost from $1-$5 each to properly recycle (ie, give to a for-profit company to dump in a landfill for you).

Also on their agenda will be replacing the guts of your toilet to "use less water" (or, amusingly, simply fill the tank less). This results in one flush turning into three or four to get the paper to go down. Again, just so you know.

92bell7
Mar 15, 2021, 9:02 pm

>89 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>90 ronincats: I'm enjoying it so far, Roni, and glad to hear it was a good one for you.

>91 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I will think on all that for sure. The shower head I have downstairs is... a really old-looking one with a long hose and already pretty piddly, so even the low flow like we had at my parents' seems like a step up from the current water pressure. We'll see what they tell me; maybe if they just give me one I can at least change it out myself, keeping the old one in reserve if it turns out to be awful. Anyway, my water bill was as low as it could be this past month (there's only one person living here, after all). I wouldn't be inclined to fuss with the toilets. I'm going to see if there's a local Home Depot that will recycle LED lights for me; I've got some that are and some that aren't now, and between the natural light this house gets plus how long they shine, I don't *think* I'll have to replace them all that often, which will help offset the recycling issue. Some of the light fixtures here have funny sizing, though, so I'm not sure LED will work for everything anyways. Actually what I'd love is if they'd take the not-working freezer from the basement for me...

93drneutron
Mar 15, 2021, 9:02 pm

>91 richardderus: Yep - they are definitely not working for the customer...

94bell7
Mar 15, 2021, 9:05 pm

>91 richardderus:, >93 drneutron: Well, that's super frustrating, but good to know going in.

95drneutron
Mar 15, 2021, 9:16 pm

>94 bell7: yeah, sorry, but honestly, with DIY videos and a few tools, there’s almost nothing you can’t do yourself. 😀

96bell7
Mar 15, 2021, 9:29 pm

>95 drneutron: Ha! True... I even talked to someone recently who explained to me how to replace windows, so if I can do that with a how-to video and friend or two to help with the heavy lifting (um... a few months from now, after I've saved up some money to buy the windows and had a vaccine to have people over again), I can probably figure out a LOT of what this house needs.

I'm not planning on paying them for anything, just getting the assessment and seeing what's free. Both my water and electric bills are very low, so I don't anticipate changing much and especially not going out of my way to make it happen.

97bell7
Mar 17, 2021, 4:26 pm

It's Wednesday! It's book club day!

So today was a weird one work-wise. I went in for nine, was the one in charge for the morning, and then left at 1 to go home for 2 hours personal time. My boss had a bed and bureau she was moving out of a relative's house that I told her I could use, so we had them come here and I'll store them in the basement 'til I'm ready to set up the bedrooms upstairs. Then I finished off another hour and a half working from home, and now I've got a break for another hour and a half before I'll sign in for book group. We're discussing Hidden Valley Road, which I'm very much looking forward to. I really liked this one, and one of our book club members was a psychologist before she retired, so I'm really interested in hearing what she has to say.

I'm debating what to do in the interim... thinking about taking a walk around the neighborhood (it's about 50 degrees right now), then maybe dishes. I've discovered that when I spend the evening cooking (like I did last night) I'm not particularly inclined to wash all the dishes the same night, so I have a bit piled up BUT I have plenty of leftovers to warm up for supper.

Still slowly but surely reading, and hoping that picks up over the next few days and next week while I'm on vacation.

Next on the house agenda (and this will be a good deal of what I do over vacation) will be buying a mower, and a rake or two, and putting the yard and gardens to rights as well as I can before growing season starts. I'm pondering getting a battery-powered mower (and extra battery so charge one, use one) since I've got a third of an acre and limited garage storage space, but I want to go and see what some of my options are before I take the plunge. Now that the compost heap isn't covered in snow, I'm going to start putting the food waste out there so that will leave me with even less trash to deal with.

98bell7
Mar 17, 2021, 4:31 pm

Oh, and as the Nebula finalists were announced, I wanted to make note of them here as well.

Of the novels, I've read and greatly enjoyed
Piranesi by Susannah Clarke
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin and
Network Effect by Martha Wells

Black Sun is on my library stack right now, which I'm hoping to read soon, and The Midnight Bargain is on my TBR list. Not sure about Mexican Gothic, because I don't really do horror, but I still want to read Gods of Jade and Shadow which came out a couple of years ago now.

99richardderus
Mar 17, 2021, 4:56 pm

Have a great book club meeting! I hope the conversation is the satisfying kind. Your retired-psych professional should have some interesting insights.

100bell7
Mar 18, 2021, 9:35 am

>99 richardderus: Thank you!

I enjoyed book discussion a lot. The former psychologist didn't make it, but five of us had a lot to say about the book, mental illness, the family dynamics. It was the kind of discussion where the conversation moved so naturally from one topic to the other, I only had to ask a few questions to keep it going.

101bell7
Editado: Mar 18, 2021, 9:56 pm

23. The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Why now? Newest fantasy title by an author I really like, so it was on my radar and finally six months after it came out, I'm making time for it

When Susan Arkshaw turns eighteen, she leaves her dreamy artist mother behind and goes to London to get a job, go to college, and perhaps find her father, who has never been a part of her life. But when a bookseller named Merlin runs into her at a crime scene that involves the hidden magic world that rarely comes to the surface, circumstances seem to throw them together while they fend off an unknown enemy and continue Susan's search for answers.

This had a fun magical premise, and if there are more set in this sort of alternate 1983 London, I'll be interested in continuing. The romance angle was weak, and the world-building took a lot of set up, but that's me nitpicking and probably in part because I read the first half in very short increments, followed by a good solid reading of the last 100 pages or so. 4 stars, possibly creeping up to 4.5.

The author's Australian, so while it's not in translation it technically meets my reading globally goal. I have a slew of other books on my stack that are from at least 3 different counties as well, and am hoping to get to them over the next month or so.

102bell7
Editado: Mar 18, 2021, 9:50 am

24. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
Why now? Looking for an e-book/audio combo, I found it on a search for "humorous nonfiction" and as I've enjoyed comedy books read by the author before, I decided this would be a good one to try - and I also remembered a co-worker of mine recommending it years ago

Aziz Ansari teams up with sociologist Eric Klinenberg to explore love and marriage - what makes our "modern romance" in the age of texting and online dating different from generations before?

I mostly enjoyed reading this book. The humor sometimes fell a little flat, and I would've preferred a less comedic version of the same statistics. And I ultimately came away with a different take than Ansari did about his own findings: he concludes (and I'm not really giving anything away, I could see this throughout earlier chapters) that while maybe relationships have become more difficult now because we are looking for soulmates, we ultimately have a better chance of having the excitement of passionate love, and it's worth it. My take? I saw a parallel (that he doesn't draw in the text) between what he terms the "good enough" long-lasting marriages of yesteryear with the companionate (long-term, like family) love that grows even as passionate (excitement and like a drug of a new relationship) love wanes in a long-term relationship. While I have experienced the benefits of emerging adulthood (that time between moving out of your parents' house and settling down), and cultural acceptance of not marrying, and wouldn't say technology is all bad, either, I think that one of the downsides of having more potential dating options than "the girl next door" has made us less likely to be content in general. So, I ended up reading against his narrative a lot of the time even while I was taking in the information. Interesting, but not life-changing stuff. 4 stars.

103MickyFine
Mar 18, 2021, 11:48 am

>102 bell7: I don't think I could handle the audiobook of this one as Aziz Ansari's character on Parks & Rec makes me crazy. Glad you found it interesting even if you came to different conclusions.

104bell7
Mar 18, 2021, 1:24 pm

>103 MickyFine: I haven't really watched Parks and Rec to have any kind of opinion on his character there, but I found the audio sometimes engaging and other times just annoying (like, did you really have to stage whisper "snooping" in one whole section?) so that's probably the right choice. I mostly read the digital version, I was falling asleep too quickly to really get much from the audio.

105bell7
Mar 18, 2021, 10:03 pm

25. Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-sik Hong
Why now? I put this on my list after enjoying Umma's Table earlier this year. I wanted to reduce my library stack some before going on vacation, so I spent this evening reading it.

In this graphic novel memoir, comic artist Yeon-sik Hong recounts his and his young wife's adventures in 2006-7 moving from Seoul to live in the countryside.

I say "adventures," but it certainly wasn't all fun and games. Hong portrays the difficulties of money woes, two creative people pursuing their dreams, and his own anger issues and challenges trying to keep up with everything. I could relate to his stress of learning a new place and figuring out the budget. There were moments of happiness too: exploring the area, swimming in the mountain lake, growing a garden. A different sort of slice-of-life memoir that was real and relatable. 4 stars.

I think I liked Umma's Table a smidge more, but this was still a good read.

106AMQS
Mar 18, 2021, 11:57 pm

Hi Mary! I just got caught up here. I enjoyed hearing about your garden plans. Ours should really include "firebomb everything and start over with professional help" or "sell the house and move." Sign. Maybe this year.

I enjoyed your question up top. I have two things I really love about my house. One is the library we built in our basement. Our basement was finished when we moved in but we never figured out a great use of the space and threw out lots of ideas over the years. My husband owns his own business and had an office down there which was nicely finished, but our final plans were developed when we hosted an exchange student. We really wanted to give her a proper bedroom of her own. At the same time we built in bookcases and cabinets and have a lovely library.

The other thing I love are two sets of French doors that close off the living room/dining room from the front hall on one side and the kitchen on the other. They look great and it is handy to have a room you can close off when you have pets, etc. We love them, everyone loves them, but once we brought a designer in to brainstorm and she said they had to go because they take up so much space. But... if we love them... Safe to say that the doors are still here.

107richardderus
Mar 19, 2021, 3:07 pm

Hi Mary! How will y'all be spending the tens of millions your library is *bound* to receive under Congress's largesse to libraries? Making up for two generations' neglect of maintenance and digital infrastructure? Maybe start a local movie studio? Certainly increase salaries into the low six figures...nothing else could possibly be more important, could it?

Happy Friday!

108Familyhistorian
Mar 19, 2021, 5:19 pm

It sounds like things are getting more normal there with you getting dog sitting gigs, Mary. Enjoy planning your garden!

109jnwelch
Mar 19, 2021, 6:35 pm

Hi, Mary.

I’m another one who had fun with The Lefthanded Booksellers of London, so I’m glad you did, too. We’re going to give it to our son this month for his birthday. He’s also liked Garth Nix in the past.

110bell7
Mar 19, 2021, 9:01 pm

>106 AMQS: Ooooh, your basement library sounds heavenly, Anne. If I ever get to finish the basement, that might just be what I look into doing, but that may be a ... hm, retirement age goal. I think you should keep the French doors if you love them, no matter what some expert designer says! That's one of the things I really liked about when I read in Paige Rien's book, that she was all about figuring out YOU and letting the design follow after that.

>107 richardderus: I'll have to look into that one, Richard. I did hear that the *municipality* may be getting some funds, but I have no idea how much of that will translate into the library. Our budget the last few years has been a neat bit of maneuvering trying to figure out how to meet the standards for the state board of library commissioners AND make the town's bottom line happy - and most of our salaries are at the top of our ranges! (Certainly no six-figure range here, but if I keep trucking along I'll retire comfortably at 62, so I'm not complaining.)

>108 Familyhistorian: Yeah, I was reflecting tonight that I'm pretty much back to as busy as I've ever been, Meg - and now I have the house and lawn/garden care too! I expect my reading numbers to drop accordingly.

>109 jnwelch: Oh good, glad that was one you enjoyed, Joe. The Sabriel trilogy is my favorite, but I also have an ARC of Angel Mage that I'm hoping to read this year. I hope Jesse likes the book!

111bell7
Mar 19, 2021, 9:14 pm

Whew! It's amazing how hectic the week before a vacation can be getting all my ducks lined up in a row, but I'm now hanging out in my jammies and contemplating a glorious week off where I have a stack of books to read, and a few to-dos at home to tackle. Tomorrow is getting a haircut and possibly a Home Depot run. A friend (fully vaccinated) might stop by to see the house.

As you can see from my reviews, I finally finished a few books (many of the ones I started the month with were long, and then I put all aside to read Hidden Valley Road the weekend before book club). I still reading A Promised Land, and am only halfway through so at this point I'm hoping the audiobook comes in after next week, and I'll switch formats.

Last night just before bed I started The Liar's Dictionary. I'm not very far, but I think it's going to be right up my alley, and I'm looking forward to reading a lot of it this weekend. I have a whole slew of other books out from the library right now that you'll probably see grace this thread and the next, at this rate:

3 gardening books I'm hoping to peruse this week (one is general, one on roses, and one on composting)
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Newbery Award)
Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding by Larry Olmsted
The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
Creativity: a short and cheerful guide by John Cleese
The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Like Family by Paolo Giordano
Our Dead World by Liliana Colanzi and
Children of War by Ahmet Yorulmaz

And yes, in case you're wondering, I *have* suspended all my library holds so I don't get anymore in until I've finished some. The problem is, I really want to read all of them, now. So, what I choose to read next on any given day this week is going to have a weird mix of reasons based on my mood, the book's genre (I can't read two fantasy at the same time, for example), and how short/long the book is.

The next book I start, by the way, is going to be The Gilded Ones, because I have the audio ready to go. After that, the next audio/fantasy will be Black Sun. We'll see what the week (and the month...) holds.

112katiekrug
Mar 20, 2021, 9:16 am

Enjoy your time off, Mary!

113MickyFine
Mar 20, 2021, 10:04 am

Happy vacation week!

114richardderus
Mar 20, 2021, 10:20 am

Hooray for vacay!

115bell7
Editado: Mar 20, 2021, 7:29 pm

Thanks, Katie, Micky, and Richard! I bought some needed things for the yard work I'm hoping to do this morning, and spent a lazy afternoon reading and dozing in the sunroom. (I imagine it'll get a lot of use this week.) I've got laundry going and am hoping to knit a little this evening as well.

By the bye, have y'all ever been nonplussed by the pure mundanity of adult life? My parents used to always say, "You can do that when you're an adult" when I, said child, wanted something like candy for dinner or to buy some completely silly toy. I thought adulthood was going to be one joyride of doing everything I wanted, but most days I'm cooking to put food on the table and while I do buy fun stuff, today's purchases (as happy as I was with them) were a mower, rakes, pruners, light bulbs and extension cords, which are hardly what I was anticipating in my youth.

That being said, I enjoy a quiet life and I read and knit in my spare time more than I go out, much to the chagrin of my extrovert friends (the introverts get it). Eight-year-old me just expected it to be more exciting hahaha.

116richardderus
Mar 20, 2021, 9:39 pm

>115 bell7: I had that realization one day in my 30s as well. I was deeply engrossed in plumbing fittings at Lowe's...left at speed shaken to my core!

117PaulCranswick
Mar 20, 2021, 9:44 pm

>115 bell7: Ahhh the un-restrictions of youth! I couldn't go behind the house and play football in the school playing fields or cricket or tennis in the yard nowadays. Don't have the puff for a start. Monday to Saturday it is hard to say that my life is my own as I'm paid by a pretty large company to be their man.

118drneutron
Mar 21, 2021, 10:52 am

>117 PaulCranswick: Yup, me too. Well, Mon-Friday, I’m paid. Saturday and Sunday I work at home and yard and all the things that go along with them. 😀

119jnwelch
Mar 21, 2021, 11:00 am

Oh, I'm very curious about The Gilded Ones. It's been getting some positive buzz. Can't wait to hear your reaction to it.

^ I'm unpaid and woefully overworked by the other person living in my house, 7 days a week.

120MickyFine
Mar 21, 2021, 7:51 pm

>115 bell7: Yup, I was complaining about how much work being an adult is just this morning. Where are my stay in bed and do nothing productive all day days?

121figsfromthistle
Mar 21, 2021, 8:11 pm

>101 bell7: BB for me. Have a great start to the week.

122bell7
Mar 22, 2021, 8:56 pm

>116 richardderus: Yeah, I've had the realization before but something about being a home owner has put it front and center lately...

>117 PaulCranswick: Right, Paul? I tried to jump off a bike a couple years ago like I did as a child and the results weren't pretty (scraped up one knee pretty badly, in fact). I am fortunate in that I enjoy most of my job (let's say 80%), and it pays the bills and leaves enough left over for fun, so I'm not unhappy. Just kind of bemused. I had someone about 9 years my junior say something about how I seemed like a real adult to her because I knew stuff and had it all together and my response was something like, "Nah, I've just had nine more years to figure it out!"

>118 drneutron: Ha! Yes. Yard work galore this week for me, Jim. Though I'm telling myself I'm still paid for it because it's a paid vacation week :D

>119 jnwelch: I'll let you know when I start it, Joe! I've been pretty slow about reading lately, but now that I'm making some progress on the raking, I have a feeling I'll be reading more towards the end of the week without my feeling like the "must do" projects are hanging over my head.

>120 MickyFine: Exactly! Though I admit, Micky, I do sometimes plan a day where I really, truly don't have to do anything productive. I've been trying to be semi-regular about it on Sundays lately, and taking some time to read and craft, though when I start dogsitting in a couple of weeks I'll be walking a lot so even those days will feel busier than at home.

>121 figsfromthistle: Oh good, hope you enjoy it, Anita!

123bell7
Mar 22, 2021, 9:24 pm

Well, I thought I'd read a ton this weekend, but I really didn't. I puttered around a bit, on Saturday I dozed in the sunroom, and on Sunday I took about an hour-long walk/ramble around the neighborhood and up to the cemetery where a couple of family members are buried (the ones I mentioned that lived in this very neighborhood). I came home thinking about family/genealogy and sent out a couple emails to family members, a cousin on each side that is also into family history, actually.

Today my parents came over for a masked visit and an early happy birthday. I showed them around the gardens a little, but couldn't really tell them what I had there other than the obvious that I remembered (I haven't seen the house in the summer yet, so I only knew what plants I could identify from October-December before closing) - blueberries, raspberries, roses, grapes, rhubarb, irises. And when I started walking around and looking, I realized there were chrysanthemums and hens & chicks too. After they left, instead of walking to the post office like I'd planned, I ended up starting with pruning my grapes back and then started raking out and uncovering the gardens.

One of my neighbors came over and we got to talking, and she showed me a bunch of stuff I didn't even realize I had - lilies (tiger and/or day, not sure which), and a strawberry patch too. Y'all, I'm gonna be rolling in fruit and flowers this summer and I'm kinda hoping I get some breaks from dogsitting to be here to enjoy it! I told the neighbor about my family living in the neighborhood 100 years ago, and as we were talking she mentioned she grew up in another small town around here, and I told her where I grew up, which is the town where I work. "Oh," she says, "my husband was the head of the DPW there until he retired last year." Guys, I'm the assistant director of the library in that town and just moved basically across the street (their street is a different name, we're each on a side street off the main road in between our houses) from the former head of the DPW. I've lived in suburban/small town area but not THAT small!

I'm hoping tomorrow to do a little more raking and garden uncovering. I'll take some photos of the garden areas and show you the before and after of the grape pruning. I have a suspicion that the grapes haven't been pruned in a year or more, and I didn't really know what I was doing even after watching a YouTube video or two, so I just kinda experimented, thinning out one side of the vine more than the other to see what happens this year and learn from it. A friend of mine who works with my brother makes wine, so I may tap him for ideas and offer him some produce.

Tomorrow I also have a friend coming over to do some work for me, helping me drill a few things and get the pallet board she made for me to hang my mugs on above the coffee and tea station. I'll share a photo of that, too. After that, I'm calling my dining room FINISHED of all the furniture and decorations I wanted in there. (I mean, things might move a little somewhere down the road if I take the closet out and expand the one in the master bedroom, but... yeah, it's finished.)

124richardderus
Mar 23, 2021, 11:22 am

"One room down" is one of the most satisfying things a person can say as a homeowner!

*smooch*

125MickyFine
Mar 23, 2021, 2:04 pm

Sounds like a super productive weekend. Here's hoping you check off all the things on your to do list during your week off and sneak in some down time too.

126bell7
Mar 24, 2021, 10:56 am

>124 richardderus: It is, isn't it, Richard? Dogsitting money is starting to come in, and I'm hoping that means progress on the other rooms as well. Painting alone will make a HUGE difference in the rooms, and a friend of mine is willing to do it for a very reasonable price, so I'm hoping this summer will see a lot of update photos coming.

>125 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I've been working in the yard on and off the last couple of days, and have already seen some progress with the first stalks of rhubarb, daffodils, and mums coming up. I bought a shovel and gloves last night to be able to dig out some weeds, but I woke up this morning a little worn out and sore, so today might be my rest day.

127bell7
Editado: Mar 24, 2021, 2:25 pm

Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on this week. Most has been boring yard work, and I have the sore muscles and hand blisters to prove it (I have since bought gloves, as there's even more raking in my future). I rakes out quite a bit of the gardens (not yet all) and pruned the grape vines back, though you can hardly tell the difference. I had a hard time telling what was new growth and what was dead. It might take me a little while to get the knack of it, but I don't think it was pruned at all last year and maybe more, and it's not super critical to me if I get a crazy-good harvest right away.

Here's before and after of the grape vines:

Sorry, I don't know why it's upside down...


Well, at the very least you can see the improvement because now they're right side up hahaha

And here's the indoor work that happened to finish off the dining room (again, sorry for the sideways photo, I'm not sure what happens between my phone and the computer for that to happen):





I took "before" pictures of the raked-out garden that's all dirt, but I've put it together in another Google album that you can see here. The heart-shaped dirt patch with the stones is rhubarb, and the day after I raked it out I could see the stalks coming up. By the house are daffodils and mums, the prickly bushes are either roses or raspberries (I do have both on the property). I counted and I have something like fifteen blueberries bushes so, yeah... lots of freezing, canning and giving away will be happening this summer, I'm sure.

And that, friends, is why I have no book finished to report.

128MickyFine
Mar 24, 2021, 3:16 pm

I love your coffee/tea nook. So lovely! I'm impressed you have stalks sprouting already. We're still getting random bouts of spring snow (sticks to the grass but not the pavement) so yard work is still a couple weeks away for us, I think. I do check on the flower bed where I put in tulip bulbs last fall to see if they're sprouting but no signs yet.

129richardderus
Mar 24, 2021, 3:29 pm

>127 bell7: The table the coffee/*ick* nook is on is great! Just the right size for the space *and* the purpose. Plus you've got the best mellow shine on it. You've already made your house a home.

130bell7
Mar 24, 2021, 4:32 pm

>128 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I was talking to a friend of mine, and may look into paying someone to help out with the yard, even every other week or once a month, so I don't have to do it all on my own. It is exciting to see things start to come up, though!

>129 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! I'm really pleased with the beginnings of it, and encouraged now that I talked to that friend about painting that getting other rooms worked on may not take as long as I originally thought. So that was a happy realization... now to just keep dogsitting and saving for each new project. The painting is fun, visible progress, though. I'm legitimately excited about that.

131msf59
Mar 24, 2021, 6:37 pm

Happy vacation week, Mary! I hope you are getting plenty done at the new digs. I like the photos, although I had to twist my neck to see. Grins...

132ronincats
Mar 24, 2021, 6:43 pm

Oh wow! VERY nice, both inside and outside, Mary.

133bell7
Mar 24, 2021, 7:41 pm

>131 msf59: *snort* Yeah, sorry about that, Mark. It's something about how it downloads from Google photos onto my device, and I can't figure out how to stop the auto rotation that happens on my laptop. It's been a good week :)

>131 msf59: Thank you, Roni! I was sore today and took the day off from raking, but I'll try to get a little more done over the next two days. I'm a little sorry I'll be gone as much as I will be dogsitting, but those jobs will also give me the funds to keep getting work done on the house, so... it'll be an interesting year, to say the least!

134scaifea
Mar 25, 2021, 7:05 am

Wow, you've been busy! Thanks for sharing your progress reports with us - it's so fun to watch your progress!

And I'm adding my admiration for your beverage corner to the pile. I love that idea and I'm now trying to figure out how to do that here, too, so I can get my coffee maker and electric kettle off my kitchen counter...

135Whisper1
Mar 25, 2021, 8:14 am

>127 bell7: Mary, the mugs and coffee maker are so artistically placed. What an eye-catching way to start the day at your beverage counter!

All good wishes for a happy day. Your yard work project reminds me of when I bought a little cottage and made it mine. My grandmother was the most important person in my life. When she died, I dealt with the supreme guilt by taking a week of vacation and literally sitting on my butt with a stack of plastic bags and dug out the entire two sides of the hills leading down to the yard. I pulled out all the grass and debris by hand. Then, in her honor, I planted many, many perennials.

When I sold the house, I took a final look at all I had accomplished over the years of working on every room and all the yard. I made a profit, and it felt good to have a tangible witness to all the hard work.

Keep going Mary! You amaze me! And, I am quite sure you get a lot of good feelings, as well as hands and muscles that ache.

You accomplished quite a bit already in this short amount of time!

136bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 9:55 am

>134 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! I don't have a lot of counter space, so that was definitely a plus for me as well. If you do, I'd love to see how it turns out for you :) I totally took the gist of the idea from Pinterest, showed the photos to a friend, and she made me the pallet board and sign as a housewarming gift. The wood is actually new, treated to look distressed and then stained, but because of the treatment it's all uneven colors and basically perfect.

>135 Whisper1: Oh that's such a sweet memory, Linda. I have the pleasure of discovering what plants are already here, but I'm certainly enjoying the process of making this house *my* home in all the decorating and repainting. There's a part of me that's kind of impatient and wants to do it all now, and I have to remind myself when I get frustrated by not having the money to do everything this instant that the process is meant to take awhile. I have the goal of getting some major painting, an electric garage door opening, and replacement windows in the next two years. The rest can be done slowly but surely over the following decades.

137bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 10:06 am

Yesterday I was sore and tired and basically took the day off from yard work. I had that virtual tour with MassSaves and will be getting light bulbs and shower heads sent to me - if they don't work for me, it's free, so no worries. I'll see what the other recommendations are (I think they are going to recommend a new water heater, mine's 1997 and only 30 gallons), but like I mentioned before the electric and water bills are very low when it's just me (plus in a week I'll be dogsitting for a month and a half, thus nearly nonexistent usage), so I'm not too worried about doing it all now if it's costly. In the evening was an early birthday celebration with my family over Zoom. I think it's the first time we had us "all together" since our Zoom session on Easter, and it was pretty fun to chat and laugh with everyone, even those living in other states. I bought myself ice cream and two squares of tiramisu, so I had one for the birthday celebration and one for today, my actual birthday, that I will enjoy after dinner tonight.

Today's plan is more relaxation, maybe some yard work, but only if decide I want to later. I went to the Dunkin drive through for coffee and a muffin, and now I'm leisurely deciding if I feel like reading or needing. I have the fixings for baked crab rangoons that will be lunch, and a stuffed salmon I will broil for dinner. I signed myself up for a virtual event on Plymouth that I'm looking forward to, and then I'm hoping to watch some Bruins hockey after. And that, honestly, is a lovely birthday celebration.

Oh, and this doesn't really fit into my narrative of the day, but back on Sunday my parents called me out of the blue to ask me a very important question: How would I like to become a Giants season ticket holder? They found a website where people were - officially and all above-board - selling their season tickets, so they put in for a pair, and I'm going to be the proud owner of a third of the tickets, along with one brother and my parents. The big dogsitting job I have next month is more than paying for it, and they're covered seats so we'll be able to go no matter the weather. I'm ridiculously excited about it!

138katiekrug
Mar 25, 2021, 10:11 am

Happy Birthday!!!

And WOOT for the Giants tickets :)

139bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 10:30 am

26. The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams
Why now? BookPage first put this on my radar, and I love books about words and dictionaries so it was a natural choice for me

Mallory is an intern for Swansby's dictionary where the heir, David, is attempting to digitize the dictionary and update entries despite the fact that Swansby's great claim to fame is that is was unfinished. Winceworth, 100 years ago, is one of the plodding lexicographers who worked to make the original dictionary. Each chapter brings readers back and forth in time following these two and they discover what is really important to them and find the freedom to be themselves.

This book, with its wordplay, riffs on dictionaries and changing language, and mountweazels scattered throughout, is very cleverly done. That, for me, was both its intriguing aspect and its downfall. I was so taken with the cleverness and paying attention to every word, that the characters were held at arms length and kind of lost in the weeds of the wittiness of it all. It's fun and goes down easy, but I wanted just a tad more. 3.5 stars.

Because the writing style is foremost, I expected to find several sentences or turns of phrase to write down, but it was hard to find a sentence or short passage that stood on its own instead of needing everything surrounding it to be included to get the full impact. Here's one I wrote down in my commonplace book, though: "A daydream, tinged by anger, became a surreptitious hope." Isn't that evocative?

140bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 10:32 am

>138 katiekrug: Thanks on both counts, Katie! We'll see how the stadium capacity works out this year, but I'll definitely let you know which games end up being mine, if we can swing a get together :)

141bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 10:40 am

27. Creativity: a short and cheerful guide by John Cleese
Why now? I can't remember what initially put this on my TBR list, but the hold came in and I literally picked it up yesterday because it was so short, and I wanted to finish another library book to return when I go back to work on Monday

Writer and actor John Cleese sums up what he has learned about the creative process in this pithy advice book.

I kept this quote from The Overstory by Richard Powers in my commonplace book: "Her breakthrough comes as breakthroughs often do: by long and prepared accident." Basically, Cleese expands that same idea into a 100 page book, sometimes coming off simplistic, but essentially telling you to let your unconscious mind be at work during all the time you are working creatively. Be playful, write all the crap down, let your analytical mind take over in the editing process. Sometimes he sounds like he's talking to a child, but I suspect that there's quite a bit of good advice in here. The fault is mine for picking it up more because it was short than because I wanted to learn anything. 3 stars.

142MickyFine
Mar 25, 2021, 1:03 pm

Happy birthday, Mary. Your chill day full of things you enjoy sounds wonderful!

143richardderus
Mar 25, 2021, 1:05 pm

>137 bell7:

Yay about the Giants tickets! But isn't San Francisco awfully far to go to watch a baseball game in person?

144drneutron
Mar 25, 2021, 1:40 pm

>143 richardderus: But they have great garlic fries there!

145bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 3:23 pm

>142 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I've been enjoying it to the fullest so far.

>143 richardderus: Now, really, I didn't have to specify the New York FOOTBALL Giants for you, did I, Richard? ;) And granted, it's a bit of a drive but very doable in a day or with just one overnight at a local hotel.

>144 drneutron: Sad to say, the furthest west I've ever gone is Minnesota, but when I get to SF I'll definitely try some garlic fries, Jim!

146bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 4:12 pm

So far I have not been bit by the yard work bug. Shocking.

I have done a bit of knitting - I finished up the toe of one sock and just barely started #2. These are for me, so no real rush. And I started The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar. This was an impulse read - Madeline's (SqueakyChu) TIOLI challenge this month was to read a collection of short stories written in a language that's not my native language. So I looked through online articles suggesting excellent short stories in translation, and matched up ones that I thought sounded interesting to what I could request in my library system. This is what I ended up with. The stories are very short, some almost poems, others more like parables. I'm enjoying it, even when I don't always fully "get" the story.

I took a quick break from reading to add up my gift money and miscellaneous fun spending money left from the month, and I'm thinking I may have a trip to Ocean State Job Lot in my future to get some household items. I also bought a used knitting book, that one I was using to make the fun critters, off a seller on Amazon that should come in early April.

And now I'm going to go back to reading for a bit in the sunroom :D

147richardderus
Mar 25, 2021, 5:05 pm

"Foot"...ball...? But how is one meant to wield a bat with one's feet...?

Oh. Oh, I get it. You're talking about on of the Lesser Sports. Ah...carry on!

148aktakukac
Mar 25, 2021, 6:33 pm

Happy Birthday, Mary! Hope you get to enjoy a relaxing evening! I'm super jealous of all your blueberry bushes, too!

149bell7
Mar 25, 2021, 9:00 pm

>147 richardderus: *snort* I like baseball too but not that much... the games take so long now and I'm so easily distracted that I have to keep score to pay attention.

>148 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachel! I'm enjoying my evening. I still have to get some netting from my grandfather for the blueberry bushes, but I'm looking forward to seeing the produce this summer. I imagine I'll be giving a LOT away!

150thornton37814
Mar 26, 2021, 6:35 am

>137 bell7: The Dunkin drive-thru sounds good, but I think I'll skip it today since I have one more cinnamon roll to consume. Maybe I can treat myself tomorrow.

151scaifea
Mar 26, 2021, 7:52 am

Happiest of birthdays, Mary!! It sounds like you had a lovely day lined up.

If I do sort out a Beverage Nook, I'll definitely share photos!

>139 bell7: Adding this one to my list...

152bell7
Mar 26, 2021, 8:49 pm

>150 thornton37814: Mmmmm, cinnamon roll sounds like an excellent choice, Lori.

>151 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! I enjoyed my day tremendously, and I'm very glad to be able to pass on the book bullet :)

153bell7
Mar 26, 2021, 8:59 pm

Welp, last weekday of vacation was today. I went out to one of the places I'll be dog and cat sitting this month to learn how to give one of the cat her thyroid meds. I stopped by a consignment shop in the neighborhood to browse and see what kind of treasure I could find - nothing on this trip, but it was fun to poke around. I came home, did some more yard work (there's still one or two sections of garden needing leaf clearing-out, plus half the blueberry bushes, but I got a lot done this week), went out shopping again and got myself a grill and some other fun things with birthday gift money, and then went to the volunteering I do at church on Friday evenings. Whew! I'm spent. I was thinking of watching one episode of GBBS while knitting, but I think I'll skip it and read in bed.

Tomorrow is helping move my brother and SIL temporarily to my parents, followed by time with my Little - we're coming to my place and planting herbs in pots. I may try to find spots for them in the garden in a few weeks when there's no danger of frost. Sunday should be more relaxing: virtual church, and a friend should be calling me at some point. I was originally thinking of trying to push and finish the yard work, but I think I'll give myself a pass and relax before starting the work week.

154bell7
Mar 26, 2021, 9:08 pm

28. The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
Why now? Madeline set up a TIOLI challenge to read a collection of short stories that were originally written not in my first language - I found this book specifically to meet that challenge

The short stories in this collection range far and wide with people, personified animals, and more as the main characters in these fable-like parables and allegories. Originally written in Arabic by a Syrian author now living in the United States, each one is anywhere from a sentence or two to a few pages long. In a sense they were very poetic, and I didn't always feel like I understood everything about every one. But they were intriguing, and I spent a pleasant afternoon reading them all. 4 stars.

I kept a few quotes from this one (the ones headed with the title are the story in its entirety):

The Knife
He was born with a silver knife in his mouth. And he was its first victim.

"Little by little, I understood that our souls had become two harmonious melodies inside a single song."
-"Love Letter"

Black Holes
She loved him intensely but her love was not reciprocated. She tried hard to infiltrate his heartbeats...but without success. And so her soul filled with black holes that prevented her inner light from escaping. Stricken and emotionally starved, she began to swallow the light of any love that passed near her. Little by little she became a universe of light no one could see.

(Note: the ellipsis was in the text)

"The civil war burned up all stability and spread its ashes everywhere." - "Homeless Buildings"

155ronincats
Mar 26, 2021, 9:19 pm

Belated happy birthday wishes, Mary! Sounds like you've been very productive. I want to plant some berries at my new house when I get there. Family has sent me pictures of crocus blooms, daffodils and peonies sending up shoots, and hyacinths in bloom, and a dormant lilac bush. Exciting!

156bell7
Mar 26, 2021, 9:20 pm

I'm reading Lagoon as my e-book (mostly before bed, but I don't have an audio to pair it with), and reading The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith as my paper book (just started today).

I didn't get a chance to listen to and read The Gilded Ones before the audio was due back, but I still have the book on my library stack to get to eventually. I would put on the first half hour to fall asleep to, and didn't really pay enough attention for me to say I "started" the book and keep reading. I tried the first half hour of Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse and it was incredibly intense, so I don't think that will be a good before-bed option either. I just downloaded a Newbery Honor e-book/audio combo, so we'll see how The Night Diary does for the third format.

And on that note, I'm gonna start getting ready for bed. Happy weekend, everyone!

157bell7
Mar 26, 2021, 9:22 pm

>155 ronincats: Oh, that is exciting, Roni! I'm happy to see my daffodils budding, and will definitely be taking pictures as things blossom and I discover more of what is here. I hope you're able to get some berries planted at the new place as well. Thanks for the birthday wishes :)

158AMQS
Mar 26, 2021, 10:51 pm

Hi Mary! I love reading all about your garden and your house - can't wait to see the garden in its full glory!

>145 bell7: I'm glad you DID specify that the Giants were football - I was going to ask! It seemed far away and I wondered if maybe it was a minor league team of some sort. That's exciting! My dad is a Broncos season ticket holder and will occasionally offer us tickets. As they get older they have less and less interest in going to games when it's blizzarding or below freeing, but then again neither do I...

159streamsong
Editado: Mar 27, 2021, 1:22 pm

Happy Birthday, Mary! It sounds like you have had a very nice day planned - and YAY! for the Giants' tickets.

Your garden sounds like great fun as plants emerge this spring. It sounds like an Eden full of fruits and flowers. The grape vine pruning looks good - although I know nothing whatever about grapes - *grin*

I love the quote from The Overstory in >141 bell7:: "Her breakthrough comes as breakthroughs often do: by long and prepared accident."

What is your commonplace book? Is that like a journal?

ETA: Whoops! I started my post to you yesterday and didn't push 'save' so my birthday wishes are belated.

You goctcha'd me with The Teeth of the Comb. I love all the global reading that you are doing.

160bell7
Mar 28, 2021, 5:32 pm

>158 AMQS: Hi, Anne! Aw, I was mostly teasing Richard because I've bellyached about the NY Giants during football season and commiserated with Katie over them that I was pretty sure he knew. I should've specified lol. None of us will, I think, be super excited about going on days when it should be cold, but there are legal options to sell them, and the seats are covered. It'll be interesting seeing what happens this season with the number allowed in the building (I'm hoping by fall with more vaccinations, we'll be able to go) or if it ends up being a "wait 'til next year." We'll be figuring out an equitable way to split them up and each get a shot at some decent weather, I think.

>159 streamsong: Thank you, Janet! It'll be interesting to see how the garden shapes up and exactly what I have as it blooms. I have merely received the garden along with the house, and am hoping I can do it justice. My commonplace book is a notebook where I write down quotes from books to save. Sometimes I just enjoy a turn of phrase, sometimes I find a thought profound. It's interesting to see what I've collected there over the years, as themes seem to emerge.

I'm certainly trying to get some global reading in: so far I've managed book originally from Korea and Australia, and a book in translation from Arabic by an author originally from Syria and now lives in the U.S. It's interesting how quickly it can get dicey in exactly how you mean "globally" or "origin" - does the language of origin matter? The origin of the author? But mostly I'm just trying to read widely, so I won't be quick to NOT count books, but I'll specify how/why they "fit". I hope you enjoy The Teeth of the Comb!

161bell7
Mar 28, 2021, 5:39 pm

Yesterday was very busy, starting to move my brother and his wife out of their apartment (we brought stuff to my parents' garage for now, "real" moving date on Thursday), followed by time with my Little. She and I planted some herbs in pots that I'm hoping to see poke out of the soil in a week or so. Hopefully before I go off and dogsit - oops! on that timing... Oh well, I'm coming back on a semi-regular basis to mow, in any case.

Today has been much more relaxed, with only virtual church keeping me to a routine. I've been knitting, reading, and wrote some letters this afternoon. It's nearly time for the Bruins hockey game, so I'll have that on and do some more knitting. I've made progress on a pair of socks for myself, since I want the row counter I've been using for the sock pattern for a table runner to go underneath my coffee pot on the antique desk. The last yarn I bought was white cotton yarn specifically for that, as well as a dark blue and variegated that I thought I'd use and add to my washcloth collection (yep, all the dishcloths I have, I have knit myself). And, a friend of mine just asked about knitting her a beanie and pair of socks to sell, so I'll probably be looking for yarn for that soon too.

I haven't gotten to the book I'm reading much, but I will try to this evening. I've just started The Archive of the Forgotten, the sequel to The Library of the Unwritten that I really liked when I read it last year. I have a bunch to return when I go back to work tomorrow, and still a bunch on my end table to read, so I'm going to try holding off getting any new library books for another week or so, at least until my big, long April-May dogsitting job starts so I'm bringing them a few at a time instead of packing them all before I go.

162richardderus
Mar 28, 2021, 6:35 pm

My library read is Nick and you know what? It is a lot better than the snobby sneerers said it was.

163bell7
Mar 28, 2021, 6:44 pm

>162 richardderus: Funny, I was just posting on your thread, Richard. Is what you're reading what the touchstone goes to, a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway? I've left myself off the hook for anymore Hemingway once college was over, but may try the short stories if you like it.

164richardderus
Mar 28, 2021, 6:59 pm

Oh! Well, if you're going to read Hemingway then yes, read his stories. But no, Nick is the Nick Adams-narrated new novel by Michael Farris Smith.

165AMQS
Mar 28, 2021, 9:52 pm

>160 bell7: Covered seats? That sounds nice.The last time I used the Bronco tickets I took our exchange student and I think she was really entertained by the spectacle of it all, but it was bitter cold and had recently snowed a lot so there was about 4 inches of freezing standing water in our seats. I would not have chosen to go if not for her. Now the Bruins is another matter. We love our Avalanche and my husband's business purchases season tickets which are divided up between the team. We haven't gone for more than a year, of course, but we hope to again soon.

166bell7
Mar 29, 2021, 1:51 pm

>164 richardderus: Ahhh, that's a slightly different story then. Um, would you recommend if I was, let us say, lukewarm about Gatsby, or should I not bother?

>165 AMQS: Yeah, it's still outdoors but the overhang from the third level keeps us covered if there is rain. I don't think I would've made it out to a bitter cold game with freezing water on the seats except for an excellent reason such as an exchange student. Very cool that you have Avalanche tickets when you're able to go to the stadium again! I've been to several pro sports (except basketball, just never knew the rules or really got into it), but only a handful of hockey games. They're so much fun to watch in person.

167bell7
Mar 29, 2021, 4:57 pm

29. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
Why now? I've been meaning to get to it for awhile as I looked for more books to read by this author, and have put the library e-book on hold multiple times only to return it again - this time around, I FINALLY got to it.

Agu, Anthony, and Adaora never knew each other before the fateful night an alien ship landed in the water off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria, and a wave brought them out to the ocean. Now back on land with the ambassador, Ayodele, they need to attempt to get in touch with the president. Will this first contact be peaceful, or tear the country apart?

Really inventive science fiction from one of my go-to authors. I enjoyed the premise, and the writing style incorporating a lot of points of view including a spider, a road, and a swordfish in addition to several human characters. I read impatiently to find out what would happen to the characters, and found this an all-around satisfying read. 4.5 stars.

This one is up there with the Binti trilogy for me.

168richardderus
Mar 29, 2021, 5:09 pm

Thanks for the package, Mary, and all the book-money that just flew at supersonic speed out of my hands would like to be remembered to you!

169bell7
Mar 29, 2021, 8:47 pm

>168 richardderus: You're very welcome, Richard! Those two were doozies, weren't they? So. many. books. added to my TBR list. I just got April's now that I'm back to work and I'll try to get a quick turnaround to you. *smooch*

170swynn
Mar 30, 2021, 10:07 am

>167 bell7: Good to hear that one's good -- I've had it sitting about-to-be-read on Kindle for awhile now.

171Whisper1
Editado: Mar 30, 2021, 10:32 am

Happy Belated Birthday!
Enjoy your house. I still get a tad of overwhelmed when I think of all I would like to do with this house. I started a journal, and each day I list what I accomplished. That helps keep the anxiety in check.

172streamsong
Editado: Mar 30, 2021, 1:54 pm

>160 bell7: Thank you for explaining your commonplace book and the wikipedia link. I had not heard that term before, but I now plan on using it and loving it.

I used to keep something similar on my computer, but didn't have it backed up and lost it when my computer fried last year. I love the idea of having it in a physical journal. I must think about this.

Do you keep a list of your countries visited? Yes, on the debates of what to include and what not to include. Right now I'm enjoying Sarah Moss's Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland about a sabbatical year she did there. It's a wonderful description of Iceland and I'll be including it in my global list - even though she's a UK author and it might fit more into the 'travel' category. I know you enjoy her, too.

173bell7
Mar 31, 2021, 11:05 am

>171 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! I can relate to feeling overwhelmed with everything you'd like to do - I keep reminding myself that it's not meant to happen all at once, but I like the idea of keeping an "accomplished" list, too.

>172 streamsong: You're very welcome, Janet! A friend of mine does the same and inspired me to start keeping quotes more purposefully than I had been in the past. It's fun to look back and see where I found different gems. I haven't kept a list of countries visited in some time, but I may consider doing that in the future if this experiment of twelve books from twelve different countries works well. I think I would worry more that I was doing it "right" if I tried to map it. I actually haven't read anything by Sarah Moss but I'll have to rectify that. The book on Iceland sounds intriguing.

174bell7
Editado: Abr 1, 2021, 10:58 am

My brother and his wife and moving in to their new house today, and I'll be leaving work to help them out in the evening.

Don't mind me if you don't see me again till Saturday... I'm reading, but probably won't finish anything for a bit. Dogsitting this weekend (Saturday-Monday) with a pretty chill dog, though, so I expect I'll get to relax and read a lot over Easter weekend.

175richardderus
Abr 1, 2021, 1:57 pm

Happy Eastre's Day! Enjoy the chillaxin' dawg days.

176bell7
Abr 4, 2021, 10:30 am

>175 richardderus: thanks, Richard! Doggie is happily chewing away at a treat after an abandoned attempt at a walk... She's a funny, nervous thing and yesterday she got all excited when I got the leash out, only to balk when I opened the front door. Today she went out the door, but after rolling in the grass a bit, refused to leave the front yard.

I chose to leave my laptop behind in the interest of not over packing for merely a weekend, but that means I'm limited to browsing on my phone or Kindle so I won't be posting a March in review or the two books I've finished so far until sometimw after I get home tomorrow. Oops. Oh well, more reading time!

177richardderus
Abr 4, 2021, 1:00 pm

>176 bell7: More reading time indeed! I made the gross error of starting Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary at 11pm. I was up until 4.45a and got to 32% where A Significant Event happened and I stopped or I'd've just kept reading and gotten no sleep whatsoever.

178bell7
Abr 5, 2021, 9:49 am

>177 richardderus: Oooof, yeah, I've definitely made the mistake of starting a good book too late at night. Hope it continues to be a good read for you!

179bell7
Abr 5, 2021, 9:57 am

March in review -

29. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
28. The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
27. Creativity: a short and cheerful guide by John Cleese
26. The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams
25. Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-Sik Hong
24. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
23. The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
22. Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
21. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Books read: 9
Rereads: 0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 0/1/8
Fiction/Nonfiction/Plays/Poetry: 5/4/0/0

Because I want to awards:
Hidden Valley Road for being absolutely riveting, a book read in one weekend

YTD stats -
Pages read:

Avg pages a day:
POC authors: 15

Thoughts:
March started out incredibly slow - my book club book, which is discussed on the third Wednesday of the month so usually finished up (give or take) at the halfway point of the month, was only the second book finished. But then a combo of short books and vacation upped the total for me. Most of the books got 3.5-4 stars - I'm not sure if it was books chosen or my mood. And though there were few standouts, there were also no clunkers. Surprisingly, I read almost as many nonfiction (including the graphic novel memoir) as fiction, no children's books and only one teen title. That's an odd combination for me. There was a good mix of genres, four authors of color, and three global reads (though only two "count" towards my twelve, since Korea was reprised).

Looking forward to seeing what April brings - I've already finished 3 books this month, and owe reviews on all of them.

180bell7
Editado: Abr 5, 2021, 10:04 am

30. The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith
Why now? Next in a series that I'm reading, and finally bookhorned it in

After the events in The Library of the Unwritten, the library is still recovering from the fire, now with the muse, Brevity, as librarian and Claire shoved out to the Archives instead. There's some tension between the two, but they - and Rami and Hero - will be forced to band together again when a mysterious pool of ink turns up in Hell's Archives and they start to question the very nature of the Library and the Unwritten books themselves.

I had a blast returning to these characters and the world the author created in Hell's Library. The second in a planned trilogy, the book has reminders of past events without information dumping, and introduces more characters and aspects of the Library that intrigued me. I'm very much looking forward to book 3 in November. 4.5 stars.

181bell7
Abr 5, 2021, 10:10 am

31. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Why now? I can't remember exactly what put this book on my radar, but I'm a sucker for teen fantasy and have been looking forward to reading this one - I read it over the weekend because the due date was coming up and I'm hoping to discuss it with a friend in a couple of weeks

Deka just wants to be accepted by the village and find her place as a young woman, getting married and raising kids. But when her blood runs gold, marking her impure, she is tortured by the community and finally brought to a place where girls like her are made into warriors.

I wanted to like this so much, and I did find it an intriguing, fast-paced read. However, the world-building fell a little short for me: instead of slowly developing revelations, there were very clear unsaid things that were suddenly revealed. Character development felt that way too: Deka is matched up with a boy to be her brother-in-arms and they fall in love, but instead of scenes where the feelings slowly change from distrust to love, we get a few scenes that very suddenly drop the information that they've become friendly, and then how much Deka wants to kiss him. Still, it's a first novel with an overall satisfying story and a few kinks that may get worked out as she continues to write. I'll look forward to seeing what Forna does next. 4 stars.

182bell7
Abr 5, 2021, 10:17 am

32. The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Why now? Audiobook/e-book combo that was available, continuing my read through Newbery Award winners and Honors (this one was an Honor book in 2019)

Nisha lives in India with her father, Dadi (grandmother), twin brother Amil, and their cook, Kiza. When the partition of India makes the area she's living in part of Pakistan, prompting her family to move and leave their Muslim cook behind, she begins writing in a diary addressed to her dead mother, also a Muslim, about the confusion and chaos of her life.

Diary narratives are hard to pull off, and this one does it really well. The places where Nisha doesn't write about events right away make sense, and the writing allows her to develop a voice - quite literally, as Nisha is shy and barely speaks to those around her. The hardships of being a refugee in one's own country are portrayed truthfully and sensitively. Though not always fun to read, it was a good book and ended on a hopeful note. 4 stars.

This got... really tough to read, and that had more to do with me and where I'm at with pandemic stress and all than the book itself. I'll be looking for slightly happier books in the next couple of weeks.

183richardderus
Abr 5, 2021, 12:11 pm

Perfect time to read some Frantz Fanon! Maybe a little Stefan Zweig! Some Eastern-European cheermongers...Sebald?

No? Hm....

184bell7
Abr 5, 2021, 9:47 pm

>183 richardderus: Currently reading
When you trap a tiger by Tae Keller
Night sky with exit wounds by Ocean Vuong and
All Systems Red by Martha Wells for a reread of the series before the new one comes out

Other than the last one, I'm not listening to my own good advice.

185bell7
Editado: Abr 6, 2021, 8:39 am

This past weekend was a short dogsitting job, made busy because I cleaned my house rather thoroughly Saturday morning before leaving, and tried to get a bunch of laundry done, which I'm finishing this morning. The dog herself is very laid back, was happy to have company and basically curled up on the couch next to me and dozed while I watched Great British Baking Show and read.

Sunday was Easter and was a very weird experience. I had chosen not to pack my laptop for the weekend, feeling silly already with how much I was bringing along with me to a short job. So, that left me attempting to watch Easter service - where several people were in person, and of course it's generally a very celebratory thing - on my phone, which I then cut short to go over my parents' for brunch. It was only my parents, my brother, and me, and I feel pretty safe about it mostly because I know my retired parents have not been in close contact with many people, even though I've limited the amount of contact I have with them.

While I was there, we spotted two pileated woodpeckers in the woods behind their house. I was thrilled! This was a lifer for me. We had brunch, I went back to the dog, then went to my brother and SIL's (and they're fully vaccinated) for cheese and crackers and dessert in the evening.

Yesterday was my short day, and I'd ordered some yarn to be delivered to a store about 45 minutes away, so I went straight there, did a quick grocery shopping, and came home to finish packing for the long dogsitting job that starts today.

So now I'm finishing up what packing I can. I have towels in the dryer, and I'm basically waiting 'til the last minute to be able to get ready for work, pack food and last-minute items, and stop at the post office before I go to work. After work, I'll be off and away watching 3 dogs and 2 cats for 40 nights, coming back here occasionally to trade out clothes, check on the garden, and mow the lawn. This was a heckuva lot easier when I didn't own a house, but I can't complain as it's paying for the next round of work to be done and some fun money too. I have a couple of jobs already lined up for June, and expect the second half of the year to stay busy as more vaccinations roll out.

Speaking of vaccinations, I'll be eligible come April 19, and will be checking for appointments regularly when that date rolls around. I'm hoping for full vaccination sometime in the summer, but we'll see how it goes.

186richardderus
Abr 6, 2021, 10:35 am

>185 bell7: Mary, given that you're obnoxiously young and rudely healthy, why not pursue the J&J one-and-done vaccine? It's really perfect for someone who isn't underlyingly unhealthy and is alert to the need for ongoing hygiene care. And it'll probably be easier to get.

Have a lovely time!

187bell7
Abr 6, 2021, 10:54 am

>186 richardderus: I will pursue the first I can get an appointment for, honestly. I'm pre-registered for the mass vaccination sites and through one of my doctors' offices, and I'll be asking around about extras at the end of the day soon. My only concern is that I'll be eligible along with everyone else over 16 in the state, so there will be even more people vying for a limited number of appointments. We're already to the point where my co-workers have said going on after midnight is your best bet for finding one, though several now have been successfully vaccinated or are halfway there.

188MickyFine
Abr 6, 2021, 4:28 pm

Congrats on being eligible for the vaccine soon. That's exciting stuff. Up here the provincial government is saying all adults who want a shot will have (at least) their first one by the end of June but I'm not holding my breath.

Hope the long dogsitting gig goes smoothly and the animals are good company. :)

189bell7
Abr 7, 2021, 8:11 pm

>188 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky. I don't know that we'll all have our first shot by end of June, but we'll see how it goes. I know several co-workers who were eligible got their first shot (and some two), but they've said it's almost a game trying to get an appointment.

So far so good with the dogs - I have to get up a little earlier tomorrow to have enough time to walk them all without rushing. They're happily dozing in their room now, however.

190bell7
Abr 7, 2021, 8:17 pm

33. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Why now? Continuing to read through the Newbery Award winners - this one won most recently

Lily, along with her sister and mom, suddenly go to her Halmoni's and life changes when she discovers her grandmother isn't well. She remembers the stories her grandmother tells, the Korean traditions and foods, but she and her sister haven't had their same close relationship, and Lily's mom doesn't always see her for who she is. In the midst of her struggles, Lily starts seeing a tiger who tells her she can make a deal that will make her halmoni well again.

It's incredibly hard to summarize this book, which manages to contain a lot of heart and a realistic exploration of Lily's character as she deals with all the challenges of life and its changes. It's heartwarming and relatable, both sad and joyful. I really enjoyed reading this and watching Lily's story unfold. 4.5 stars.

191msf59
Abr 8, 2021, 8:11 am

Morning, Mary! Sweet Thursday! Hooray for seeing a pair of pileated. One of my favorite birds. And yah, for the Murderbot series! That was a perfect kick-off.

192curioussquared
Abr 8, 2021, 12:42 pm

>190 bell7: I'm glad you liked this one too!

193bell7
Abr 8, 2021, 7:31 pm

>191 msf59: I was pretty pumped, Mark! Nice to see your a Murderbot fan too. I'm looking forward to the new release, but... I have a crazy-high library stack and I'm gonna try to make a dent in that too.

>192 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. Your description in your review was really good, too.

194bell7
Abr 8, 2021, 7:41 pm

A few new reading updates...

I started Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding by Larry Olmsted today. I think it's going to be a quick, fun read.

I got the audiobook of A Promised Land from the library the other day, and I'm gonna try to finish it that way on my commute. I'm not going to have the same attention as I would with a book, however, so I'm feeling like I'll only have half-finished.

I'm still rereading/listening to All Systems Red, and I started a collection of poetry, Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong, for National Poetry Month.

My library stack has gone a bit overboard. Here's the physical pile right now:

Our Dead World by Liliana Colanzi
Library of small catastrophes by Alison C. Rollins
The World of Plymouth Plantation by Carla Gardina Pestana
Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier
The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
Like Family by Paolo Giordano
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
A Burning by Megha Majumdar (book club book)
Catalog of unabashed gratitude by Ross Gay
The trouble with poetry and other poems by Billy Collins
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Children of War by Ahmet Yorulmaz

195thornton37814
Abr 9, 2021, 8:09 am

>194 bell7: I don't think I've had library stacks that large since grad school. Hope you can get through those before someone else's hold messes you up.

196bell7
Abr 9, 2021, 10:00 am

>195 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori! To be honest, I'll probably return some unread - probably the poetry collections, and maybe a few other titles I turn out not to be in the mood for. I'll have a better idea after this weekend, I think, of what I can reasonably get through before the due dates. Pre-pandemic I'd been keeping my stack to something between 5-9 books, but ever since last March I've almost had the attitude of "But what if we close and I can't get to the library?" as if I don't have 200+ unread books sitting on my own shelves at home (and access to multiple libraries' e-book collections besides).

197bell7
Editado: Abr 9, 2021, 5:59 pm

33. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Why now? Reread before the next book in the series comes out

Here's my review from when I first read it last year:

Murderbot is the self-given name of an AI hired to help out a team of people surveying a planet who just so happens to have overridden her own governor code (so she doesn't have to obey every command) and secretly watches human entertainment every chance she gets. When their survey mission goes suddenly wrong and they find anomalies in their maps and other data, Murderbot must use all her ingenuity - and get over her shyness around humans - to keep her team alive.

This was an incredibly entertaining and funny SF novella. Murderbot narrates her story, and I loved seeing the quirky way her thought processes worked - she's not exactly a robot, has some free will, but isn't fully human either despite the fact that she has organic parts. In some ways, it reminded me of Ann Leckie's series, but this AI has a totally different personality, and so far Murderbot is much lighter in tone. I look forward to reading the others.


Now that I know Murderbot is "it", I find it interesting that right from the beginning I was calling it "she," in part because I was picturing Jennifer Lawrence in the role. I'm not usually good at visualizing books as I read them, so it's funny to me that I have that association. Anyway, I gobbled up the novella in a day last year, and this time it was spread over about four, helping me tease out some of the details and remembering events that had grown blurry for me. Looking forward to starting the next one soon!

198MickyFine
Abr 9, 2021, 2:09 pm

We're closed to in-person browsing again as of this week but curbside is still permitted so I haven't stocked up like I did before the previous closure. Of course, we also only got about 3 hours notice from when the government issued the statement on moving back a step and when libraries were mandated to close so I didn't really have time to squeeze in a trip.

Also, yay Murderbot!

199bell7
Abr 9, 2021, 9:07 pm

>198 MickyFine: Yeah, it's definitely more a "what if?" response than grounded in reality. Last year, we closed to the public and staff still came in for another week - we literally left on Friday with a, "See you Monday," which the next day turned into "work from home until further notice" - which turned out to be the day after Memorial Day, when we started working split shifts, in-library and home. We're now open for curbside five days a week and in-person browsing two days a week, and fortunately have stayed well and not needed to cut back. (Actually there will be meetings over the next two weeks regarding a timeline for reopening town buildings to the public, though exactly how that will affect the library is completely up in the air. Meanwhile patrons think we've all been vaccinated. We have not - though we're getting there.)

Yay Murderbot! I haven't started the second one yet, but I will soon.

200bell7
Abr 9, 2021, 9:20 pm

Not really much of an update to give, I'm afraid. It's been a really stressful couple of days with talk of town offices reopening soon (I'm virtually attending a meeting on Monday to learn more, then Trustees meet next week, so nothing immediate).

But today I was able to work on a local history project that I had back-burnered due to Covid of a walking tour of houses in town (walking down the sidewalk and looking from the outside, no going in). I've made four that had some historic work already done for me (three historic houses, one cemetery), but this is a fifth that I did on my own putting the narratives together and researching the history of the house's owners and year built if I didn't already have a form from the historical commission with that information. Well, today I walked the walk and I took photos of all the houses. Next week, I'm hoping to finalize some descriptions. Many of the locations are on a private school campus, so I may ask the archivist there to make sure my comments regarding those are accurate. Then, I'll get it ready to go to the Massachusetts Center of the Book to add to their walking tours queue. We've put up three complete, the cemetery one is waiting in the wings, and this would be the fifth. It may be some time before I see it up complete - they were working with college interns, which obviously got changed due to Covid as well - but it was fun to work on it again.

Tomorrow is my day with my Little, we're gonna hang out at her place so while it should be pretty relaxed I'll be out and about for a few hours. I'm walking the dogs I'm sitting for before and after all these events, so getting my steps in again too!

Sunday will be much quieter, just hanging with the dogs and probably trying to get some cooking done. Speaking of, I'm heading out to walk them once more and then going to bed!

I'll probably start a new thread sometime this weekend now that I've reached 200 posts :)

201MickyFine
Abr 9, 2021, 11:22 pm

Have fun with your Little tomorrow and wishing you a restful Sunday.

202thornton37814
Abr 10, 2021, 7:51 am

>200 bell7: I seem to be keeping way too busy. I recorded two talks for NGS' on-demand part at the end of last month. I'm presenting for a somewhat local library via Zoom Tuesday night. In the midst of all this, I had a DNA match contact me. The person's mother was adopted. The match wanted to know how we were related. He thinks his mother was a Thornton. Unfortunately it's clear the match comes from my Parish line rather than the Thornton one. Most genetic genealogists would not bother with a segment the size of our match. The individual keeps trying to revisit Thornton. I re-emphasized we are not related through the Thorntons but through the Parishes and that every "in common with" match descends from Allen Parish and Elizabeth Thomas. On another note, a cousin needs help in connecting her DNA match from her father's maternal line with a paper trail. I told her I'd get to it after Tuesday. We relate through her father's paternal line--2nd cousin range. I think I can arrive at a documented solution in about 5 to 10 hours.

203richardderus
Abr 10, 2021, 11:56 am

>200 bell7: Your agendas, Mary...they are proof that youth is a wonderful thing indeed. I *read* them in a sweat!

204bell7
Abr 10, 2021, 4:36 pm

>201 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! We had fun, we watched a documentary and used some kits to do some science experiments, making a crystal tree and bouncy balls. I told her she'll have to text me photos of the crystal tree once it starts growing, and I'm keeping her up to date on how our herbs are doing (there's at least the beginning of a plant in every one now!). I'm back with the dogs and catching the end of a hockey game before I make dinner now.

>202 thornton37814: I slowed way down at the beginning of the pandemic, Lori, but I think I'm nearly up to my pre-pandemic busyness. I hope your distant relative finally understands what you're trying to tell him! I admit while I'm fascinated by using DNA as part of genealogical research, I haven't had the time to take a test or start to tease it all out. I fear I won't be able to give genealogy its fair amount of time until after retirement, but I do look forward to all the research (and related travel) I might do then. Best of luck on the library presentation!

>203 richardderus: I am pretty tired by the end of Friday night, I admit. Keep in mind, though, the walking tour thing is a short description of hours of work that I did off and on over the course of a year or so - that one walk and talking pictures took about an hour, then another half hour or so of labeling the pictures with the house numbers. Just one small part of my work day :) I will say, though, that this particular dogsitting job always makes me feel happy when I go home and rediscover how much free time I have when I'm not walking and feeding multiple animals throughout the day.