RebaRelishesReading in 2021 - starting the new year

I'm starting my 7th year with the 75'ers from a new home in Vancouver, Washington. I've been without WiFi for three weeks and seriously missed LT, especially the 75'ers. I joined LT in 2007 because I wanted to catalog my library but didn't truly appreciate the full wonder of the place until I found this group. It's a favorite part of my morning now. I also love meeting other members in person when possible.

For those of you I don't know, I'll introduce my self a bit. I'm a Californian by birth and have lived there much of my life but Hubby and I decided last October that it was time to leave our condo in the Uptown district of San Diego and move to some place quieter and, most importantly, nearer our youngest grandchild. We have two older grandchildren who we adore but Ally will be going to college in the fall and Kyle will be sixteen next month so they probably won't living near us anymore. Quinn will be three next month so we will have many years enjoying him growing up as we did the other two. So I'm adding Washington State to the list of places I've lived at various times in my life: Arizona, Connecticut, the Netherlands, England and Ireland

I'm a retired city planner who travels a lot (or did pre-Covid). For the past 11 summers we were at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York but among our recent changes we have sold our place there and will probably not attend the season any more. I will miss it but it's time to move on.

I read mostly fiction with a helping of biography or history thrown in. A couple of years ago I finished a personal challenge to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction. I've also challenged myself to read the Pulitzer wining biographies but I don't seem to be making much progress on that score.

CURRENTLY READING:

My Rating System:

Superb *****
Excellent ****1/2
Very good ****
Good ***1/2
Average ***
Don't bother **
Terrible *

READ IN 2021

January
1. What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon**** (audio)
2. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman****(audio)
3. Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner***2/3 (audio)

February
4. This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens***(audio)
5. Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd***(audio)
6. Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand*** (audio)
7. What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand*** (audio)
8. Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand**(audio)

Welcome friends!! I look forward to sharing reading, travel, eating, family, etc. with you this year!

Happy new year, Reba! I'm looking forward to seeing what you get up to, both with your reading and your new life in Vancouver.

Best wishes for a better 2021!

Dropping a star, Reba. Happy New Year to you!

Glad you're back online!

All the best for 2021!

Happy new year, Reba! I look forward to following your adventures in your new home.

Wishing you a good 2021, Reba, in the new home.

Welcome back Reba.

Nice to see you, Reba! Love the thread topper, and hope you're settling in well in your new home, city, and state!

Happy reading in 2021, Reba!

Not only Happy New Year, but Happy New Abode! Let's hope for better times.

Happy New Year Reba. I hope you're settling in nicely.

Hope you have a great 2021!

Happy New Year to all of you: Laura, Diana, Mamie, Jim, Kathy, Katie, Charlotte, Paul, Anne, Anita, Lucy, Bonnie and Chelle. May 2021 treat the world well!!

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

Happy New Year, and new home!

Happy new year!

Hope you enjoy your new year in your new home. Happy reading!

Welcome to the great NW!! I sincerely hope that a means a face-to-face later this year. : ) In the meantime, here's to a brighter, better, bookier 2021!

>21 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul, Jennifer, Susan, Lori and Kim. Happy New Year to you all too.

I sincerely hope it means a face-to-face or maybe a couple of them!! and a Happy New Year to you too.

A New Year and a new house! Looking forward to your reading adventure.

Hi Reba, and Happy New Year! Congrats on the move and getting everything done so quickly (except for the WiFi!).

>3 RebaRelishesReading: I keep getting nudged to start this series.

Happy New Year, Reba. It's good to see you back. I imagine you are all unpacked.

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

>27 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.
>28 karenmarie: We aren't done yet, Karen, but we're making progress. If you haven't read the Robinson books you really should :)
>29 BLBera: Happy new year, Beth. No we aren't all unpacked but we're getting there. We're going to tackle the study today (HELP).
>30 ronincats: Hi Roni. Love your star and wish you the best for the new year. I'm anxious for you to move because I think you're going to be so happy to be there and so we can see that house all full of Roni :) It will be completely beautiful then.

Happy New Year, Reba! Welcome to Portland.

Thanks, Rhonda. We're working on getting unpacked and settled in but, so far, we're happy we made the move.

A happy Sunday, and Happy New Year, Reba! I hope your move will be everything you want it to be.

>34 Matke: Thank you Gail. I think we're going to be very happy here even though it was hard to leave a place where we have lived for a long time (me since 1986, Hubby since 1967) and had some very good friends. I'm liking the quieter life here and more room in the house and, of course, having family nearby (although my son is moving back to San Diego next month !!). Moving is A LOT of work though!!

Morning, Reba! Moving IS a lot of work - I hope to only do it one more time when Craig retires. Georgia is gorgeous but too hot for me - I miss the seasons.

Sounds like you are settling right in, and I bet you will love it there. But the son is moving back to San Diego?

Happy New Year, Reba. Glad to hear the move went well. Moving and unpacking is a lot of work! Hope you will love your new place.

>36 Crazymamie: I hear you about missing seasons. I've lived most of my life without them but I'm enjoying them now. Yes, in the phone call when I told my son we had bought a house in WA he told me he had just received orders to move back to San Diego. Their move will be next month. He's the "child" of the three who moves around a lot though while the "girls" are stable in Portland so it was still the right move, although a big ironic in the timing.

>37 EllaTim: Thank you Ella. A lot of work, but worth it this time I think.

It was a brisk, rainy evening yesterday so we sat by the fire and watched TV -- sigh :)

>39 RebaRelishesReading: - Looks lovely and cozy!

>38 RebaRelishesReading: okay, so this son doesn't have the grandchild that was one of the reasons for your move? Whew.

>39 RebaRelishesReading: very nice!

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Lovely! I want MORE house pictures!

>39 RebaRelishesReading: oh I could settle in there very easily Reba. Lovely.

Happy New Year, Reba! I love the glimpses of your new house that we've had so far :-)

>39 RebaRelishesReading: That looks like a lovely spot to relax!

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, that's lovely! *sigh*

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Beautiful. I can't wait to see more, Reba.

>40 katiekrug:, >42 ronincats:, >43 brenzi: Thank you Katie and Roni and Susan and Chelle and Amber and Mamie. I appreciate your offer to look at more photos of the house. As things come together I'll try to share.

>41 lauralkeet: No, the son's children are the 16 and 18 year olds. Delightful young people whom I love dearly but they're starting their own lives and who knows where they'll end up. Little grandson is child of second daughter, the one most likely to never leave Portland.

>43 brenzi: Come on over and sit a while then Bonnie :) (OK I know it's far but I wish you could)

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Your house looks lovely, Reba.

Reba, your home looks lovely! Thanks for sharing pictures of your space.

Thank you Beth and Anne. It's coming together and starting to feel like "ours". It's been 25 years since I lived in a single-family home and I find I'm really enjoying the feel of it.

>51 RebaRelishesReading: Yes! I'd love a view of the grounds, too.

You have been encouraging me to "just do it". I understand that, but have no intention of moving back to Kansas in the middle of winter, let alone with the continually spiking coronavirus numbers. I plan to enjoy one last winter of gardening and a leisurely emptying of the attic before I get serious about the move. Once I get there, I will have to do quite a bit of getting around to public places to get settled and furnished and prefer to be vaccinated and interact with others who have been vaccinated. And to have my family vaccinated too, so they are safe from me. So I am content at the moment, but look forward to seeing what will be blooming on my property in Kansas in April and May when I hope to make preparatory visits.

The room looks nice and cozy and the fireplace will be used frequently I am sure. Glad that your daughter with the younger children is the one staying in Portland. Again, welcome!!

Glad the move has been successful, Reba. We will be in the same situation in about eighteen months. At the moment we lived in tied accommodation - a Church of England rectory - but my husband is due to retire and we will have to move out. We live quite close to our daughter and son-in-law and new grandson, Toby, so will be staying in the area - no long distances for us!

>52 ronincats: Good solid reasoning, Roni. I'm just so excited for you to start enjoying that wonderful house and your family that I tend to forget that winter in Kansas is very different from winter in coastal Washington, not to mention San Diego. Anticipation may even sweeten the reality when it happens :)

>53 Berly: Thank you Kim.

>54 CDVicarage: Hi Kerry. I'm glad for you that your already have family close and imagine it will be fun to choose your own house. Good luck with the house hunt and move!

So we decided to get serious about finishing the move today so we took a load of things to donate to the local Humane Society thrift shop and then really worked on the remaining boxes. Hubby's side of the office/study is now a total mess and he has one more box to open but I AM FINISHED :) Whoopee!!

Guest bed is supposed to come on the 19th and the couch for the family room on the 20th. At that point we'll we officially moved in (although I still need to find a comfy chair for the family room and one or two for out bedroom but that isn't urgent).

Maybe tomorrow I'll start reading a book :)

Wow! Great work on the getting moved in. And it looks lovely.

I found your thread and starred it.

Good to hear you're settling in after the move. And you have a 3 year old grandchild too besides the two teens. Isn't it great to be a grandmom.

Woot for being finished with your unpacking!!

>57 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. I'm really pleased with it.

>58 connie53: Hi Connie. It's so nice to see around again.

>59 scaifea: and thank you too Amber.

We've spent pretty much all of our time since October packing and then unpacking. It may take some adjusting to have time for other things now. :)

P.s. Yes, Connie, I love being a grandma!

I'd like more photos too! Glad you are contented with the move.

Congrats on your move, Reba!

>39 RebaRelishesReading: That looks so inviting! Perfect spot to relax with a book. And I love your floors!

>62 sibylline: Thanks Lucy -- and in response to your request :)



I posted this one on FaceBook but I don't think it's been posted here. We haven't even started thinking about where art work will go but this is our living room with its pleasant view which will be the main "art" I think.

>63 Copperskye: Thank you Joann. I like this house better than any place I've ever lived. Once the sofa for the family room is delivered I'll give you a peek at the whole space (if I can find an angle to do that from).

NEWS FLASH! I actually sat down with a book (Jack)yesterday afternoon and read for a couple of hours. It's been months!!

Looks like a great space!

I like the big windows! And you are really looking at art when you look through them.

I'm with Connie - those windows are wonderful!

Beautiful space, Reba - thank you for sharing!

Hi Reba!

I'm glad to hear that you've finally got time for reading. Beautiful living room.

Looking good, Reba! Hooray for being finished unpacking. Your room looks so inviting, and like others here I think the windows are full of gorgeous.

Thank you Jim, Connie, Amber, Anne, Karen and Mamie. We have huge trees on two sides some of which are visible through that big window. It looks more directly at our front yard, though, which is nice too. I love the woodsy feel although the pesky raccoons who live there not so much :( I saw one climbing onto our roof the other day and wondered what he was going up to dismantle.

>69 karenmarie: It was lovely to sit quietly with a book again -- did it for a while last evening too. I also found time to start cross-stitching a Christmas stocking for Quinn and have kits to add Quinn's dad and our new d-i-l too. After the Christmas stocking conversation a while back I learned that Quinn's mom is also a stocking fan so I've decided we're going to revive the tradition in this house! :)

Thanks for the photo, Reba. Impressive that you are unpacked. Hooray for time to read!

>72 BLBera: Thanks Beth. Hooray indeed -- may even sneak in a little read sometime today :)

We've reached the picture hanging phase of moving. We did some Wednesday, have stalled since but I'm hoping to get back at it this morning.

I've also started embroidering Christmas stockings for new grandson, his dad and my new d-i-l. We haven't done stockings for years but Quinn's mom said it's her favorite part of Christmas so I have an ally, plan to reinstitute the practice in our house and the new family members need stockings :)

Must also look for a pasta fagioli recipe thanks to Katie.

Wish I was more motivated to fit some reading in there too

We haven't hung a single picture yet, and we've been here well over a year :-P

Well done, you!

Had a busy day today. I finally found some duvet covers that will work with the soothing but odd green walls of our bedroom. I had two rounds of buy/return before managing. That led two some sewing to put straps on the corners of the new duvets and, "while I was at it", sewing some new placemats for our round breakfast table. So, finally the old linens are washed and in the cupboard, the new ones are on the beds and the table and I'm back trying to catch up on my daily computer rounds.

>75 katiekrug: I'm anxious to get them hung both to feel "finished" and also because they were totally occupying about 1/4 of a guest room ... in a giant stack leaning against the wall. We did four more today and are just about finished except for the guest rooms and for a couple of things that are still at Chautauqua being stored by our realtor. I fear we're going to have several left over though in spite of having a lot more walls here than we did in our condo -- not quite sure how that can be but...

I did find a recipe for pasta fagioli that sounds good and I hope to make it this week, once the left-overs are gone. :)

It's an exciting week. Washington has declared people over 65 eligible for Covid vaccine and I have got us both signed up. Don't know when we'll get it but at least we're on the list :)

More exciting even, of course, tomorrow this long national nightmare will end!! (Ford had no idea what a national nightmare was). Now if the civil war can just be stemmed 2021 may turn out to be OK.

Breathe deeply, relax...the orange menace is gone from Washington...

God bless President Biden, Vice-President Harris and the rest of the new government. Keep them and help them deal with the mess they've been left.

Amen.

Hi Reba, Doesn't it feel good to wake up and think omg normalcy. Calm. Honesty. Decency.

>79 Crazymamie: :)
>80 brenzi: Indeed it does, Bonnie.

Yesterday our little grandson turned 3. We'll be off in a bit to attend his "party" (him, his mom, his dad and us). We're bringing balloons and the first installment of a year of Kiwico boxes. Hope he likes it.

Happy Birthday to the grandson, Reba! He is very close in age to my great niece who turned 3 on the 17th. I had to goggle Kiwico boxes - what a great gift! He is sure to love it.

Yay for celebrating Quinn's birthday "live and in person" without a long drive :D

>82 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie. I think he'll enjoy it a lot.

We just got home from the celebration. It was a fun time with a delicious lunch starring home made pita bread (made by Quinn's dad with a little help from Quinn) and a luscious chocolate cake baked by his mom.

>83 katiekrug: Hi Katie -- yes indeed Yay for that. It's a straight shot south and takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Happy Birthday to your grandson, Reba.

That sounds like a fun day, Reba. And I love his t-shirt! Next year he will probably be able to have a rowdy party, so it was nice that you got him all to yourselves this time. The box subscription is a great idea.

Thank you Connie and Susan.

btw Susan, he can get pretty rowdy all by himself :)

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon****

I finally finished a book!! OK, it was an audio book and I was embroidering a Christmas stocking for Quinn while listening, but it was a book...and a very good one.

Anne Gallager is a successful writer and a single, independent woman. Her only close relationship is with her grandfather and he has just died. His last request is for Anne to take his ashes back to Ireland and scatter them on a lake near his childhood home...and there the adventure begins. This is not a genre I usually read but I thoroughly enjoyed this book full of family love, Irish culture, time travel, and romance.

I also ordered a treadmill the other day. It is due to be delivered on Feb. 9 so I will have a lot of opportunity to listen to my six new Audible books what with a new treadmill and three Christmas stockings to make :)

happy birthday to Quinn!

Thanks Rhonda! Sharing things like his birthday "party" is a lot of the reason we're up here :)

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Great! You have a plan for reading, fitness and crafting.

Quinn is a doll. What a lot of fun.

>84 RebaRelishesReading: Aw, Happy birthday, Quinn!! What a cutie!

>93 BLBera: I guess I do -- hadn't thought of it like that...and...thank you, Beth.

>94 scaifea: Thanks Amber.

>84 RebaRelishesReading: Adorable!

I've looked at the Kiwico boxes a number of times and so far have not pulled the trigger so let me know how Quinn likes what he gets I the mail.

>96 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. I'll let you know as time goes on. This first one was a happy coincidence in that his parents got him a "doctor kit" for his birthday and the theme of the box is something similar. We took the "extra book to read with the child" option and, as far as I know, that's the only part of the kit that has been used so far. It's a pretty expensive gift for a little person (IMHO) so I hope he likes it and really gets something from it.

Hi Reba! Sorry it's taken most of the month to get around to wishing you a good year. At least the right thing happened on Jan. 20. That's a good start.

Your house move sounds like it is getting along at lightning speed, although it probably doesn't feel that way to you. Congratulations on the new house and your pleasure in it. I love those windows in the living room.

I'm hoping the major vaccinations are done by September, when my nephew is getting married in the San Francisco area. We will probably take the opportunity to travel to Portland to visit my cousin, whose house in North Portland must be fairly close to you. So we can have a meetup - and there are a good many people in the Portland area to invite!

I can't believe how long it's taken me to get here, Reba. I love the pictures of your house and I'm happy the move is going well. I would love to be part of a meet up when we can all meet again!

>98 ffortsa: What an exciting thought! A meet-up in Portland in September. Yes, North Portland and Vancouver are very close. Our daughters live in North Portland and it is 15-20 minutes from door to door for one and more like 25 for the other.

The move felt long when we were dealing with it but it's all over now and, except for a few pieces of furniture yet to be delivered (or for a couple even purchased) we're in and settled. Thanks for the kind words about the living room windows, I like them a lot too :)

>99 Oregonreader: Thanks Jan. I be willing to host the meet-up, assuming we're all vaccines and safe. We do have a huge deck so, weather permitting, we could do it outside which is better. I hope it can happen :)

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman****

Two afternoons embroidering and a couple of days running errands in the car and I've finished another book. Anxious People isn't the best Backman imho (that would be A Man Called One) but it's sensitive, lovely and has an interesting twist. My only criticism is that in wrapping the story up for each of the characters there seemed to be a lot of "endings". Still I very much enjoyed it.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: I have heard good things about Backman, Reba, and I must get to reading him soon.

It's so much fun to think about a meet-up!

Hi Reba!

I'm glad things have been settling down and that you're at the picture hanging phase of the move in.

Perfect timing for the move - getting to celebrate Quinn's birthday in person just a hop-skip-and-jump away.

>102 PaulCranswick: Backman's work seems rather simple on the surface but he has some lovely messages in there. I've liked them all except My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. That one just didn't do it for me.

>103 banjo123: I agree, Rhonda. Dreaming helps us get through this, doesn't it?

>104 karenmarie: Hi Karen! If only the couch for the family room would get here!! We've put two chairs that belong in the guest rooms in there so we can use the room but I feel like we're camping and I'm really ready to be done.

It is nice to be able to see Quinn & Co., easily although they come here a lot more than we go there. In fact, we're expecting them in about 1 1/2 hours.

>102 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Backman's work seems rather simple on the surface but he has some lovely messages in there. I've liked them all except My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. That one just didn't do it for me but A Man Called Ove is one of my favorite books and Anxious People is right up there too.

>103 banjo123: I agree, Rhonda. Dreaming helps us get through this, doesn't it?

>104 karenmarie: Hi Karen! If only the couch for the family room would get here!! We've put two chairs that belong in the guest rooms in there so we can use the room but I feel like we're camping and I'm really ready to be done.

It is nice to be able to see Quinn & Co. easily although they come here a lot more than we go there. In fact, we're expecting them in about 1 1/2 hours.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: Glad to see you also enjoyed Anxious People, Reba.
I had a little trouble getting into this story at first, but it grabbed me after a while.
Besides Ove I also loved the Beartown books.

>108 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita :) I would rank them (1)Ove,
(2)Anxious People,(3, 4, 5) Beartown series.

I read The Deal of a Lifetime but don't remember a thing about it. I would recommend skipping My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you She's Sorry.

>109 RebaRelishesReading: I actually liked My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you She's Sorry, Reba :-)
And And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer was touching.

My least favorites were Things My Son Needs to Know about the World and Britt-Marie Was Here.

The Deal of a Lifetime isn't available in Dutch translation.

Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner***1/2 (audio)

The subtitle of this book is "my extraordinary life in the shadow of the crown" and at the least "extraordinary life" part couldn't be more true. Ms. Glenconner was the daughter of a British earl and grew up in the midst of British nobility. Princess Margaret was a childhood playmate and friend. The family wasn't wealthy enough to support their hereditary homes and the aristocratic lifestyle so her mother organized a company to produce handicrafts at one time employing 100 workers. When she let school, Anne traveled through the U. S. on a Greyhound bus with a suitcase of samples, selling the wears to retailers. On her first trip, she traveled to the U. S. in "steerage" (her word) but ate in the first class dining room each evening as the guest of family friends who were traveling first class. These are examples of the tame events in her early life and don't begin to compare to the rest of her life.

The book is adequately but not brilliantly written (IMO) but the story told is amazing and engaging. The audio is read by the author which provides a sort of conversational character. I enjoyed it a great deal.

>110 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita. I haven't read And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer, The Deal of a Lifetimenor Things My Son Needs to Know About the World (hadn't even heard of that one. Sounds like I need to keep reading Mr. Backman.

It's taken me almost all of January to get to your thread, Reba, but it was worth the wait to see some pictures of your new place. It's gorgeous but looks like the opposite of downsizing. From the birthday pics, it looks like you'll enjoy being close to family.

>113 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Our move wasn't intended to be downsizing. We had "downsized" three times in the past 20 years and thought we had taken it a bit too far so we were looking for more space, a quieter neighborhood and not to deal with condo life (out-of-service elevators, fire alarms, etc.). It was also a conscious move to be near the little grandson. The other two grandkids (who live in San Diego) are now 16 and 18 and will being leaving home soon. We left several very close friends, which was hard, but we're comfortable and happy here.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: Glad that you liked that one! I DNF as I could not get used to his writing style. I felt like he was writing in circles for the first 40 pages

>64 RebaRelishesReading: I adore this living room with all those lovely windows and minimalistic furniture arrangement. I know you said you're hanging artwork now...

The photo at >39 RebaRelishesReading: doesn't appear (Safari or FireFox), and I'm really curious if there's more house pix. I'm in a mood to daydream a move myself, back to the Westcoast, but the hubs is thoroughly entrenched in this prairie life.

I lurked quite a bit on your threads last year but I'm resolved to do more visiting with comments this year. I like a number of the titles you've written about - some BBs there from your books last year.

>115 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle. Was this your first Backman? I think his style here is a bit different from his other books but they all are sort of conversational, I think. Still he makes such good points about human feelings and interactions that I do like his books.

>116 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy. Thank you. I like our living room windows a lot too. There are some blinds there but I never close them because I like the look of the windows plus the view is nice. Sorry you can't see the photo at >39 RebaRelishesReading:. I didn't do anything different with posting it so I don't know why. It's a picture of the fireplace in our family room -- it was taken with Christmas greenery still intact and looks different now but it's definitely a favorite feature for me (didn't have a fireplace in our condo). With the Washington "cozy" winter weather I'm spending a lot of time enjoying that fire these days :) We are nearly finished with hanging pictures -- just waiting for some furniture deliveries now.

Thanks for posting. Everyone is more than welcome to "lurk" (I do some of that myself) but I love it when I know there have been visitors.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens*** (audible)

A fun rom com that was perfect for working on my cross-stitch Christmas stocking with.

Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd*** (audio)

Another historic romance/mystery which was fun to listen to while embroidering. Very predictable.

Hi Reba, you seem to be keeping busy with your embroidering and cross stitching. What did we do before audio books?

>119 RebaRelishesReading: It does have a nice cover!

>120 brenzi: Indeed, I don't remember what I did without audio books, Bonnie. I've done needlework all my life but must have done it with TV as my background distraction

>121 thornton37814: It does have that, Lori. Actually it was just fine for the purpose just not one I would probably read "with my eyes".

We drove six hours to Wenatchee, in the middle of Washington, because it's the only place we've been able to get appointments for Covid vaccine after trying non-stop since January 18. At 1:40 tomorrow we're supposed to present ourselves a couple of blocks down the street from the hotel for our Pfizer shots :) I will be so relieved to have this process started even though having shot #1 here means another 6 hour drive partly through snowy mountains for the second one. (Boy, I hope I haven't jinxed us by reporting that -- like what if the vaccine runs out or something? ack!!)

>123 RebaRelishesReading: That is unbelievable Reba. What in the world is going on? Everybody I know here has been able to get their shot very close to home.

>124 brenzi:
I think it is called organization and direction, which seem to be lacking in so many states. Last night I had a retired colleague call me and ask how she could get on the list to get the shot. She has been turned away. I think we figured out the problem - she let her University ID expire. I told her that UA probably thought she was dead so she didn't get the e-mail from them. The only phone number we could find was the one for the COVID hotline, so she was to call them today and see if they could figure out how to get her in. I also advised her to go to the UA ID office and get a new ID. The system here seems to be working for the campus, but outside of the campus, I am not so sure. There are very long lines for the drive through at the local hospital. And shots are only given by appointment.

>123 RebaRelishesReading:
I got my second shot on Saturday. I was sick for 5 days with the first one back in January. This one has created a lump on my arm the size of a tennis ball, but other than that I am doing OK. I would advise that you get the shot and hightail it for home so that you will be there when you get sick. Either shot can make you feel bad for about 12-24 hours. I felt bad for a week, but could hardly get out of bed for 5 days. However, the COVID hotline told me that my symptoms, as described, were within the range of normal reactions. I had aches, and major joint pain. I did not run a fever, but I had a headache for several days. The aches didn't go away for almost a week. They got better, but it was bad enough that I couldn't sleep at night. I was truly miserable. It was surprising because I rarely get sick, and I have never had any reaction like that to any other vaccination I have had in the last twenty or thirty years. I was very surprised at my reaction. It as not fun.

>123 RebaRelishesReading: - Oof, that's crazy, Reba. Not that you did it, but that you had to. I hope all goes smoothly.

>124 brenzi: Everyone I know from other areas has been able to as well, Bonnie. :(

>125 benitastrnad:, >126 benitastrnad: Ugh, that doesn't sound like much fun Benita. I'm just going to take myself down there and hope for the best, though. We do plan to head straight home though although we're going to take a longer route because the way we came yesterday was through the mountains and there is a major snow storm on the way so we want to stay at lower elevations.

>127 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. We're hanging out in our hotel just up the street from the vaccination site. Appointment is at 1:40 and then we'll head home. Hope to be there by 7 or so this evening with shot #1 in arm and appointment for #2 in hand.

>128 RebaRelishesReading: That's awful Reba! Six hours driving. And snow. I hope you will have an easier reaction to it than Benita did.

>129 EllaTim: Thanks Ella. I hope so too! She's the first person I know who has had more than minor soreness in the arm for a day so I think the odds are with me :)

Yeah, my parents didn't even mention any reaction - they got theirs last Saturday. But it's still better (and better odds) than a COVID infection.

This is when you miss San Diego, Reba. I was able to make an appointment Friday morning for this last Monday at the new La Mesa supersite at Grossmont Center, and it took 35 minutes from when I got in a fairly line long outside to when I walked out the food court door after my 15 minute observation. A bit of soreness when I pressed on the arm where the shot went on for the next day, and that was it. Hope all went smoothly and you have a safe drive home.

I enjoy needlework as well, Reba. What are you working on now?

>131 jjmcgaffey: Hi Jennifer. I was tired when we got home last night but not sure how much was the drive and how much was the shot. I didn't feel the shot at all and haven't had any soreness since.

>132 ronincats: I know Roni. Everyone I know in our age group in San Diego has had no trouble getting an appointment -- actually that's true for everyone I'm in contact everywhere -- except us. But, it was a beautiful drive over with fresh snow in the trees and on the ground (but not the road), the process was smooth, friendly, competent, fast and we have our appointment for March 3 when we'll get another road trip (fortunately, we like road trips).

>133 BLBera: Hi Beth. I'm working on a counted cross stitch Christmas stocking for our grandson. Then I need to do one for his father and one for my new d-i-l. I had stopped doing stockings some years back because I couldn't generate much enthusiasm among family but now we'll be with daughter #2 and she is a big fan so I decided we'll reinstate the tradition this year. Fortunately I kept the stockings so only have to make ones for the new members.

Snow was promised for noon today but it's now 1:49 and I haven't seen a flake. I am rather cold, though, so when I finish here I will have a good excuse to go and sit by the fireplace :)

Oops, just looked outside -- it's snowing :)

Hi Reba! Enjoy the fireplace.

Glad that you were able to get the vaccine. In Oregon, we are behind. I did get one because I work in health care, but the rest of the family is waiting.

Glad to read you were able to get a vaccine, Reba. I am rather jealous of your road trip: I haven't seen a RL mountain in So Long!

>137 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. It wasn't easy here but I was determined and checked every possible place every day. Monday I found that the Wenatchee mass vaccination site had a bunch of places open for the last half of the week so I jumped on it. Glad the snow held off or we would have had a bit of a problem but as it was we had a long drive through beautiful country, a pleasant stay at a hotel and then a A+ process for our shot. Now...gotta hope we don't have another storm around March 3 when we have to go back for our second done.

>138 charl08: Hi Charlotte. We live right next to the Cascades so see mountains all of the time but it was nice to drive through them. Truth be told, I would rather have just dropped in at a local pharmacy or medical office but it didn't look like that was going to be possible any time soon so it was worth it to get it done.

And while I was asleep last night, this happened :)

You got your snow! What a pretty setting...

>140 katiekrug: and I just looked out and it's snowing again! :)
Thank you re setting -- that's our front yard and the dead end of our street. Neighbors across the street face away from us and their lots a quite bit higher than us -- held in place by those beautiful moss-covered boulders. Can you tell I really like it here?

Hi Reba. The picture of the snow is beautiful. What a way to wake up. Good to hear you got you first vaccine-shot. Fingers crossed for no snow on March 3.

>139 RebaRelishesReading: Quite beautiful and peaceful. Have a lovely weekend.

>142 connie53: Thanks, Connie -- indeed fingers are crossed and we're making contingency plans :)

>143 figsfromthistle: Thank you Anita. We are having a quiet weekend at home, frequently looking out the windows at the beautiful snow. Forecast is that it will keep snowing through the weekend but then get warmer and start raining on Monday, so we're counting on that doing the shoveling for us :)

>139 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, yay for snow!! We've got a few inches still on the ground and we're expecting more tomorrow. And I love it!

It snowed all night (from the looks of things) and is still busy this morning :) It's so beautiful!!

>145 scaifea: Me too, Amber!!

>146 RebaRelishesReading: Wow!

Reba: I laughed when I read that there wasn't much enthusiasm for stockings. When my kids were adults, I suggested we stop having stockings, and one would have thought I suggested killing Santa. We still do stockings.

>148 thornton37814: Indeed Lori, and it was snowing all day until about an hour ago. I suppose I could go measure again but I think I'll stay by the fire :)

>149 BLBera: Good for your kids, Beth. I'm hoping to work up enough enthusiasm this time to keep it going. We'll see.

Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand*** (audio)

Ilene is married to Russ and all the women she know are jealous because he is such a demonstrative, loving husband. Then Russ dies in a helicopter accident in the Caribbean and Ilene and their adult sons go to St. John's to recover his body. A trip that changes everyone's life.

Perfect book for listening to while doing something else.

Isn't the snow pretty? It looks like it will all be gone by Monday night, so I think you are good to skip shoveling.

>146 RebaRelishesReading: That is a lot of snow, Reba, enjoy :-)

>152 banjo123: Hi Rhonda -- that was our conclusion too (good thing because we don't own a shovel, or a spade, or anything we could move that snow with lol). Besides, we have no reason to leave the house so we're just enjoying it from inside.

>153 FAMeulstee: Thank you Anita, we are.

So Friday I thought it was Thursday all day then yesterday I wished Hubby a "happy Valentine's Day" to which he responded with a similar wish for me -- neither of us noticing we were a day early lol. I think I finally know what day it is today so I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast as a v-Day treat and plan steak, baked potato and Kale salad for dinner. That and enjoying looking at the snow from inside our snug nest will do it for wild and crazy celebration :)

Morning, Reba! I love the sound of those blueberry pancakes - and the steak dinner!

>156 scaifea: Thank you Amber. Reports of your wonderful cooking (esp. the baking) always makes me salivate.

>155 RebaRelishesReading: So you had an extra Valentine's Day, not bad;-)
Blueberry pancakes sounds nice.

I'm going to assume that this amount of snow is unusual where you are Reba. If not you might want to invest in a shovel for the times when you just HAVE to get out of the house lol.

>158 EllaTim: indeed, Ella, it was not bad

>159 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. Yes, we understand this is unusual. Daughter #2 who has lived here for 23 years says many years there is no measurable snow at all. Nevertheless, we might go and buy a shovel one of these days lol. We're above freezing today and there is some slow melting going on. Forecast is for temps to go into the mid-40's this afternoon so I think we'll see the ground again by tomorrow. Hubby wants to go to the post office so I imagine he'll go out as soon as it seems reasonable. As for me, I'm quite happy by the fireplace :)

I came onto LT to go to your thread and tell you I have copied your Booker Prize list and checked my library against it to find I have read 11 Booker winners. More than I thought and now I'm (a bit) motivated to read some more of them.

Your wild and crazy celebration sounds good to me, Reba.

Hi Reba!

I'm sorry you had to drive 6 hours, but am glad that you and your husband have gotten your first dose. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your March 3rd appt going ahead.

My second appt is February 24th. Keep your fingers crossed that I can actually get it that day.

Yay for snow. I.Want.Snow.

Reba, I love your snow photos! So lovely. I miss snow.

Hooray for getting the first dose of vaccine, but boo to the long drive. Craig and newest daughter (who works in the hospital) have had both doses. Craig reacted very similar to Benita, but newest daughter had no reaction. Both had had Covid back in March/April timeframe.

>161 BLBera: Hi Beth -- it was typical for us and just fine

>162 karenmarie: thanks Karen. I hope you get your 2nd shot next week as scheduled and thank you for the crossed fingers for us :) Unfortunately there is really no good route to get to where we had our shot if the weather is bad. Choice is between over the mountains or through a gorge known as having the worst weather in the area. We're going to keep an eye on the forecast and go as early and stay as long as we have to.

>163 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie - snow is amazing, isn't it? Sorry to hear Craig had a tough reaction to the vaccine. Neither of us had any trouble at all with the first dose and hope that will continue with the second. I'm a bit surprised to hear that those who have had the disease are given the vaccine too. I guess that's because they don't know how much immunity you actually get from being sick?

Hi Reba, I'm glad you are enjoying the snow. I love the way it seems to muffle outside noises and the world seems a quieter place. Until the cars start driving by! Even though we don't get a lot of snow, definitely get a snow shovel. When you do need it, it's indispensible! Fortunately, mine is plastic as I had to use it to clear my car of snow and ice yesterday.

Hi Jan! I'm actually kidding about not buying a snow shovel. We will do that soon. The general plan though is to just be prepared and enjoy it from inside, which is what we did this time. Hubby was getting really antsy though and needed to go to the P.O. so he went out today. It looked like a lot of snow on the driveway and street but it smushed down to near nothing when the car drove on it and two blocks away the road had been plowed. He biggest problem was getting cold, wet feet from water running by the curb at the mailbox.

I hope you got a nice amount of quiet the past weekend, and didn't have to go out in it.

I had two days off from work due to the cold weather and today I met with 3 students on Zoom and one professor. I don't think that really was a day off. Oh well !

I finished reading the second of Beverly Cleary's memoirs and enjoyed it. I was surprised to learn that Cleary is 104 years old and living in California! Who would have thought that the author of Henry Huggins, published in 1950, would still be alive. Anyway, Cleary was raised in Portland, Oregon and born in Yamhill, OR. She was a local girl. She also lived in San Diego, and in several places in the Bay Area. She went to a community college in Ontario, CA. She spent most of her life in California, but she maintained strong connections to Portland.

What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand*** (audio)

This is the second book in a trilogy I mentioned in >151 RebaRelishesReading:. It continues to be perfect as an accompaniment to embroidery. These books are making me dream about a couple of weeks on a tropical island :)

A pleasant update to our Covid vaccine saga. On January 18 when Washington announced that people over 70 were eligible to be vaccinated I submitted an on-line form requesting referral to a vaccination site. I never heard from those forms nor did I find any further reference to that process. A couple of weeks later the state opened "mass vaccination sites" for the weekly disappointment/frustration of a lottery for time slots. Remember? I was annoyed, sad, frustrated, etc. and we decided to take advantage of the only openings we could find which involved at 600 mile round trip to get our first shot and an appointment for the second in the same place (all the info says you have to have shot two and the same place as shot one)

Well...yesterday we each got a message inviting us to contact our local hospital to get an appointment for Covid vaccination. I called and was told that (1) yes indeed they have the Pfizer vaccine and (2) they would allow us to come there for our second shot even though we did not get our first one there. Turned out this was because we had come to the top of the list for that form I filled out a month ago. So I guess the system is working better than I feared and I am delighted that we will have a 3 mile drive to our second dose rather than a 300 mile one.

Oh, whtat great news, Reba! I'm very pleased for you 🙂

Hmm - better tell the other place that you're not using your appointments, if there's a way to do so. They'll have two extra doses of vaccine that day.

>169 RebaRelishesReading: Great news, Reba. Just 3 miles instead of that awfully long journey!

>169 RebaRelishesReading: Oh that is good news. You'll just have to find another destination for your next road trip.

Great news, Reba!

>169 RebaRelishesReading: that's wonderful news, Reba!

Hi Reba, I was shocked you had a 600-mile round trip to contend with. Yay for the second dose being local. We have no idea when our province will even receive vaccines for the over-70's not in care homes. I've stopped even looking at the news about roll outs. It's a disgrace how poorly-managed the information on the immunization program is.

Great vaccination news, Reba.

>169 RebaRelishesReading: I’m glad to hear that your second dose round trip will only be 6 miles total.

Katie, Jennifer, Ella, Susan, Connie, Laurel, Sandy, Beth and Karen -- Thank you all for your lovely support. I've never had so many responses to a post! And, yes, Jennifer we will notify the distant site of our good fortune.

I made some banana nut bread last night. I remembered the tips Katie provided me a year or so ago and it turned out perfectly!! Hubby is grateful too :)

>169 RebaRelishesReading: Great news!!!

>169 RebaRelishesReading: That's great news!

>182 ronincats:>183 Thank you Roni and Chelle -- we're most pleased :)

SO glad your second shot will be given closer to home! Sounds like your home is coming along beautifully and you've been enjoying the snow. And you have power. So life is good! Wishing you happy reading.

Very envious that you all are able to access immunizations. I'm glad, but want our government to provide some honest information. I think we have no vaccines available...

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand*** (audio)

The final book in this trilogy wraps things up (as it should) but has more weaknesses than the other two in my opinion. A high class New York lawyer is hired but doesn't play a big part in the story. There's a stranger in a car with tinted windows who stalks the family but then only plays a minor role. Still, it's a good escapist read and worked well for me as accompaniment to embroidery. I finished the cross-stitch on the Christmas stocking for Quinn just as the book ended so that was perfect :)

>186 SandyAMcPherson: In which country do you live, Sandy? Here in the Netherlands it's finally pacing up a bit. We had a terrible start too.

>186 SandyAMcPherson: I'm sure that's frustrating, Sandy. I was tearing my hair out watching all of my friends and relations getting their shots and we couldn't find an appointment. I'm used to Canada being way ahead of us on health matters so I'm surprised you're having such a hard time. I hope it eases soon.

I finished the handwork on Quinn's Christmas stocking last night so I hope I'll be able to sit down to read for a while this afternoon. I started Jack a few weeks ago and haven't touched it recently. I was having trouble getting into it but maybe now that things have settled down here I'll be able to engage with it more. Hope so.

>189 RebaRelishesReading: We're supposed to receive a shipment of vaccines this coming week. No idea how much is destined for our province ~ solid information has been very sketchy, just a bunch of blather from politicians. Logistics is definitely absent amongst the premiers as well as the prime minister's staff. It is disgraceful, IM not HO.

>191 SandyAMcPherson: Hope you'll get your vaccine soon, Sandy.

So far this day is going well. I had a bone density scan this morning. Super easy and very efficient process. I was gone from home less than an hour. Then my copy of West With Giraffes arrived. This will stimulate me to finish Jack so that I can start the Rutledge. Finally, Hubby suggest going for a walk and the sun is shining and we had a very nice little exploration of our new neighborhood. Very happy-making (love that expression Mamie).

If only all the medical tests were as easy as a bone density scan Reba. Sounds like things are settling down for you.

>193 RebaRelishesReading: Nice to hear you are settling down in your new environment, Reba. A walk is an excellent way to do so. I managed to stay in my neighborhood for the last 40 years moving 2 times but just to a house 400 meters away from the house we lived in.

>194 brenzi: Indeed it was easy, Bonnie. I was a little apprehensive that it would involve being stuffed in a tube like and MRI and that doesn't go well with my tendency toward claustrophobia but the little bridge that moves over you with bone scan is NO problem at all :)

>195 connie53: Thank you, Connie. We are feeling quite settled now even though it was a truly major move. OK, not as much as moving internationally (which I've done a few times) but still quite a change. I had lived in San Diego since 1987 and Hubby had been there since 1967. We'd moved within the San Diego area several times but that really isn't such a big deal. It was definitely time for this move, though, and we're very glad we did it.

My new treadmill arrived this morning :) After a total debacle with Amazon I cancelled the order with them, went back on line, ended up ordering from Costco and the process couldn't have gone more smoothly. They delivered within a few days of ordering. Delivered exactly as promised and assembled it without extra charge. I just had my first 30 minutes on it and I'm very happy.

>197 RebaRelishesReading: Yay for the new treadmill! May it continue to bring you joy :)

Hey, Reba. Spent a day ordering a bed for the new house and setting up appointments for virtual moving company estimates next week. Only 4 months to go--arrrrrgh!

Woot for the new treadmill! I am loving our new one to bits.

>198 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. I'm not sure about "joy" but I hope it will bring me health and take away some pounds :)

>199 ronincats: Hi Roni. Congratulations on more steps toward your beautiful, cozy new home. Just think how you're going to enjoy it!! How is the attic going?

>200 scaifea: Thanks Amber. You're so faithful to yours you serve as a role model for me.

Jack by Marilynne Robinson****

The central character of this book, Jack, is the na'er-do-well son of Reverend Boughton from Gilead. We meet him here in mid-life struggling with his darker impulses to drink too much, steal a little and generally mess up his life. He meets Della who is a well-educated teacher and the daughter a Methodist Bishop and they become friends. Della is also African-American in St. Louis in a time when blacks and whites were strictly separated. Their relationship and race-relations in America are the real themes of the book. The book is beautifully written, the characters well drawn. As is typical of Ms Robinson's books, there isn't a lot of action but there is a thought-provoking look at societal norms and the characters' souls.

This wasn't the best book for me when I was trying to settle back into my reading life because it's rather slow and it took me a long time to really feel engaged. Once I did, however, I liked it a lot.

Next up:

I just got a very exciting phone call!! The sofa for the family room (where we've been camping with two chairs that belong in the guest rooms) which was promised for "late March" when we ordered it has arrived and will be delivered next Wednesday!!! I'm so excited.

Tempering that excitement though by the knowledge that if anything goes wrong with our local Covid second shot on Tuesday we will have to make the 300-mile drive to Wenatchee to get that second shot on Wednesday. But I really trust that the people I talked to at the local site know what they're doing and we will be able to get our second shot here on Tuesday and be home to welcome our new sofa on Wednesday.

If you're near a "Furniture Row" store, I really recommend them. We bought furniture for the Chautauqua place at their store in Eire, PA and always had great service and it looks like the Salem, OR store is the same.

Oh, yay for the couch! That *is* exciting. And I'll keep my fingers crossed that your vaccine shot works out as planned.

>205 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. We'll take all the help we can get :)