Berly Turns the Page #4

IT'S OFFICIAL -- I am now an empty nester!

Which makes me happy and sad at the same time. : )

So many choices!! What should I read?

Reading Now
Gold Diggers (B 344 pages) by Sanjena Sathian
The Lost Apothecary (B 300 pages) by Sarah Penner
Outland (🎧 ??10 hours) by Dennis E Taylor
When We Believed in Mermaids (K 348 page) by Barbara O'Neal

Next
The President's Daughter by Pres. Bill Clinton and James Patterson -- Aug
Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family (B ??) by Amy Ellis Nutt -- Sept
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi with ffortsa/Judy ??
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett with Vikzen ??

Read in July ?? pages / ?? 🎧 hours
2021 Total // pages / ?? hours
42. @ I Have Always Been Me (K 250 pages) by Precious Brady-Davis 3.5
41. @ The Magic of Found Objects (K 362 pages) by Maddie Dawson 2.75
40. @ One Two Three by Laurie Frankel 3.5
❤️ ✔ Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent (B 395 pages) by Isabel Wilkerson 4.5
38. @ Hadley and Grace (K 344 pages) 3.75
37. ✔ Black Coral (K 317 pages) by Andrew Mayne 3.75
36. @ I Thought You Said This Would Work (K 301 pages) by Ann Wertz Garvin 4.0
35. ✔ In Bad Company (K 485 pages) by Viveca Sten 3.5

Read in June ?? pages / ?? 🎧 hours
2021 Total // pages / ?? hours
34. L Sweep with Me (146 pages) by Ilona Andrews 3.5
33. L Sweep of the Blade (322 pages) by Ilona Andrews 3.5
32. L One Fell Sweep (K 340 pages) by Ilona Andrews 3.5
31. L Sweep in Peace (K 315 pages) by Ilona Andrews 3.75
30. ✔ Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews 3.5
29. @ In the Puma Years: A Memoir (K 298 pages) by Laura Coleman 3.75
28. @ The Immune Mystery: A Doctor's Impassioned Quest to Solve the Puzzle of Autoimmune Disease by Anita Kass 4.0
❤️ ✔ Voyagers (B 414 pages) by Robert Silverberg ARC 4.5

Read in May 763 pages / 4 🎧 hours
2021 Total // 5,733 pages / 55 hours
26. @ Billie Eilish (🎧 2.0 hours) by Billie Eilish 3.5
❤️ @ Klara and the Sun (B 303 pages) by Kazuo Ishiguro, RL Bookclub 4.5
24. @ I'm Not Dying With You Tonight (2 of 🎧 5.5 hours) by Kimberly Jones - ✗
23. @ Special Circumstances (K 460 pages) by Sheldon Siegel with my Dad 3.0

Read in April 0 pages / 23 🎧 hours
2021 Total // 4,970 pages / 51 hours
❤️ @ Later (🎧 6.5 hours) by Stephen King 4.5
22. @ Beginner's Mind (🎧 1.5 hours) by Yo-Yo Ma 4.0
21. @ Between Two Kingdoms (🎧 13 hours) by Suleika Jaouad 4.0
20. @ Sleeping Dogs Lie (🎧 2 hours) by Samantha Downing 3.75

Ratings
❤️ Favorite(s) of the month
Loved it! 5.0
Really Good 4.0
Good 3.0
Hmmmm 2.0
Don't Bother 1.0

Source
IR = Indiespensable Readers
LT = LibraryThing Early Reviewer
✔ = Off the shelf (not acquired this year)
L = Library
↩ = Reread
@ = Acquired this year
✗ = DNF

Media
B = Printed Book
🎧 = Audio
K = Kindle
= Graphic Novel

Read in March 1,495 pages / 3 🎧 hours
2021 Total // 4,970 pages / 28 hours
19. ✔ In the Name of Truth (K 459 pagers) by Viveca Sten 3.5
❤️ @ Anxious People (K 349 pages) by Fredrik Backman, RL Bookclub 4.5
17. ✔ The Sandman (🎧 3 of 8.5 hours) by Neil Gaiman ✗
16. @ IR Leave the World Behind (B 256 pages) by Rumaan Alam 4.0
15. @ In the Woods (B 431 pages) by Tana French 4.0

Read in February 1,802 pages / 25 🎧 hours
2021 Total // 3,475 pages / 50 hours
❤️ @ Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island (B 310 pages) by Will Harlan 5.0
14. @ The Book of Delights (B 141/274 pages) by Ross Gay ✗
13. @ The Cipher (K 325 pages) by Isabella Maldonado 3.75
12. ✔ IR Did You Ever Have a Family (B 295 pages) by Bill Clegg IR #55 with Paul 4.0
11. ✔ In the Shadow of Power (K 393 pages) Book #7 by Viveca Sten 3.5
10. ✔ In Search of Black History (🎧 5.5 hours) by Bonnie Greer 3.75
9. @ Dead Heat (B 338 pages) by Patricia Briggs 3.5

Read in January 1,673 pages / 25 🎧 hours
8. @ Keep Sharp (🎧 8 hrs) by Sanjay Gupta 4.0
7. @ The Viscount Who Loved Me (K 344 pages) by Julia Quinn 3.75
6. ✔ Squeeze Me (B 336 pages) by Carl Hiaasen 4.0
5. @ Banker (K 323 pages) by Dick Francis 3.5
4. ✔ Heaven's River (🎧 17 hrs) Bobiverse #4 by Dennis Taylor 3.75
❤️ @ Themes and Variations (K 17 pages) Essay by David Sedaris 4.0
2. ↩ Jazz (K 244 pages) by Toni Morrison 3.0
❤️ ✔ Girl Waits With Gun (B 409 pages) by Amy Stewart 4.25

Catalogued shelves -- I am determined to finish this in 2021 and I am off to a good start.

1/5 -- I am now in the M's.
1/25 -- In the N's.
3/19 -- In the P's.
3/22 -- In the R's
3/25 -- In the S's.
4/19 -- More S's.



Books Freed = 0
Powell's isn't open for drop-offs....although I do have a bag waiting to go and I just found out I can enter them by ISBN and see if they are willing to take them. Another project!!! : )

RL Book Club #1
✅ February - News of the World by Paulette Jiles
✅ April - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
✅ June - Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
August - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
October - The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead

RL Book Club #2
✅ February - Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
✅ June - Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
September - Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family by Amy Ellis Nutt
October
November

Literary Arts 2021-2022
October 2021 -- Daniel James Brown Facing the Mountain
January 27, 2022 -- Cathy Park Hong Minor Feelings
February 17, 2022 -- Britt Bennet The Vanishing Half
April 21, 2022 -- Richard Powers The Overstory
May 12, 2022 -- Edwidge Danticat Everthing Inside

Powell's Indiespensable Readers Challenge

Hubby signed me up for this (Thank you!!). Over the years I have received over 90 installments (some with two books), and I haven't read all the books yet. Not even close! In an effort to catch up -- I want to read 8 this year. The complete list (such as it is) can be found here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/301060#

Done
1. Did You Ever Have A Family with Paul
2. Leave the World Behind
3. Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian -- reading
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

The Nerd 2021 Reading Challenge
To help motivate me to set off BOMBs!! (Books Off My Bookshelf) There are 52 categories and I have chosen 26 and made a few changes ('cuz this is supposed to be fun and not a chore!).

1) An Audiobook
2) An LT Trending Book
3) Gold on the Cover
4) Two Word Title
5) Author Starting with E
✅ Part of a Trilogy - Jazz by Toni Morrison
✅ NYT Bestseller - The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
8) Debut Author
✅ Title Starts with G or K - Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
✅ Multiple Perspectives - Heaven's River by Dennis E. Taylor
11) Features Traveling
✅ Standalone - In Search of Black History by Bonnie Greer
13) Set in Winter
✅ SF or Mystery - In Bad Company by Viveca Sten
15) A New-To-Me Author
16) Over 400 pages
17) Food on the Cover
18) Same First Initial as Me (K)
19) Romance or YA
20) Set in the Future
✅ Released in 2020 - Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen
22) Purchased Years Ago
23) A Book Gifted To Me
24) A Book I Never Finished
✅ Five Word Title - In the Shadow of Power by Viveca Sten
26) Body Part in the Title

I can't resist buying books!!

I seem to manage to read around 50% of my newbies, except in 2019 where I (ahem) added a few more books to my collection than normal. But then in 2020 I killed it and read almost 75% of my newbies!!

2017 47/85
2018 45/88
2019 45/128
2020 75/103

Let's see how I do this year...

2021 19/43 Read

✅ Keep Sharp by Sanja Gupta MD
2. Paradise by Toni Morrison
✅ Themes and Variations: An Essay by David Sedaris *
✅ Hadley and Grace by Suzanne Redfearn *
5. Cold Earth by Sarah Moss (Thank you TwinB!) *
6. The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams
✅ The Book of Delights by Ross Gay - DNF
8. Effie by Suzanne Fagence Cooper (Thank you Whisper1!) *
9. Infinite by Brian Freeman *
✅ Voyagers by Robert Silverberg * ARC
✅ The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado
12. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates
✅ Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island by Will Harlan
14. In the Woods by Tana French
✅ In Bad Company by Viveca Sten
16. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
✅ Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
✅ Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
19. The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah *
20. My Year Abroad by Chang-Rae Lee * IR # 90 (Thank you Hubby!)
21. Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
✅ Beginner's Mind by Yo-Yo Ma *
✅ Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad *
✅ Sleeping Dogs Lie by Samantha Downing *
✅ Billie Eilish by Billie Eilish 3.5
✅ I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones
✅ Special Circumstances by Sheldon Siegel with my Dad 3.0
✅ Later by Stephen King
✅ Beginner's Mind by Yo-Yo Ma *
30. Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian * IR #91
31. The Murmer of Bees by Sofia Segovia
✅ The Immune Mystery by Anita Kass *
✅ Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
✅ The Puma Years:A Memoir by Laura Coleman
35. The Pact by Jodi Piccoult *
36. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier *
37. Shelter by Harlan Coben *
38. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters *
39. A Burning by Megha Majumdar * Thank you Mark!
40. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich * Mark again!
41. Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen * IR #92
42. Love Like That by Emma Duffy-Comparone * IR #92
43. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney * IR #92

* Free or gift

Favorites from 2020
Fiction
Miss Suzy by Miriam Young (Childhood Favorite)
The Night Before Christmas by Jan Brett (Christmas Tradition)
The Institute by Stephen King
There, There by Tommy Orange
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Non-Fiction
I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty
Liquid: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives by Mark Miodownik

I am going to try and keep track of series I am currently enjoying here:

Series/Author/Next Book
Bobiverse / Dennis E. Taylor / #5 not yet published
Bridgerton / Julia Quinn / #3 An Offer From A Gentleman
The Chronicles of St Mary's / Jodi Taylor / #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Cormoran Strike Series / Robert Galbraith / #5 Troubled Blood
Kinsey Millhone Mystery Series / Sue Grafton / Read ABCDEQX / Next F is for Fugitive
Kopp Series / Amy Stewart / #2 Lady Cop Makes Trouble
Sandham Murders / Viveca Sten / #8

Are you open? Congrats on getting your second jab! School is done. Just a bit of grading left to do. I should finish tomorrow.

Oh, and happy new thread!

If you are open, Kimmers, which I guess you must be by now - HAPPY NEW THREAD!

>13 BLBera: Hi! Yes, I'm open. : ) Glad to have the second jab! Everyone in my immediate family, including their significant others, are fully vaccinated. Just waiting for my niece and her fiancée to get their second.

And, in big news.....my oldest got engaged this past weekend!! Whoohoo!

>14 BLBera: Good luck finishing up the grading!! It's almost summer!

>15 PaulCranswick: Thank you , Paul!! I am ready to have a fresh start on LT and that starts with a new thread. : )

Happy new thread!

>16 Berly: Felicitations to your eldest!

>18 quondame: Thank you! She also moved last weekend. Life is a blur right now! Very happy about the engagement and her new house is only 15 minutes away from me. Hurray!! : )

>16 Berly: Congratulations to your daughter, Kimmers.

Happy new thread Kim! Lovely to hear the engagement news.

I love your cataloguing update: does reaching 'S' mean you are nearly there?

Congratulations on your daughter's engagement, Kim!

Happy New Thread, Kim. Hooray for being empty nesters! And congrats to your daughter's engagement. How exciting.

Hi Kim, and happy new thread!

>16 Berly: Excellent news!

I'm going to be a non-empty-nester for the first time in 16 months this weekend as Jenna will visit tomorrow and Sunday and head off to Asheville early Monday morning for some training at her new job. She'll start full time sometime down the road and settle into a new apartment June 14th.

Happy new thread, Kim!

Hooray for vaccinations and the engagement of your oldest.

Hooray for happy developments!

Happy new thread, Kim, and congrats to your daughter!

Happy new thread!

Such happy news! Congratulations to everyone, for jabs as well as engagement!!

Happy new thread, Kim, and congratulations on your daughter's engagement. Lovely news!

Hooray for the engagement. How is the empty house?

Happy new thread! Welcome to the empty-nester club! Er, except now we have the mother-in-law living with us...

Hi Kim my dear, Happy new thread and congrats on getting the jabs done with, Big congratulations on your Daughter's engagement.

Thank you for the congratulations my dear, Elliott Robert Welch was born on May 4th (I am sure Andy planned this as he is a big Star Wars fan) at 8.11 am, weighing in at 8lb 4oz, he is gorgeous. All the family are coming over on Sunday, Karen is doing a High Tea to celebrate her 60th birthday which is on the 18th May and new up to date photos will be taken of Elliott and i will post one or two on Sunday night.

We are going to Harrogate on Tuesday for Karen's birthday, we are staying overnight and then going on to York on Wednesday. I will make sure she is well treated while we are out and about.

Hope all is well with all the family and we both send love and hugs to you all dear friend.

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Kim and big congrats for your daughter! Hope you are doing better this week!

Hey Kim, just catching up. Congratulations to your daughter on her engagement.

>20 PaulCranswick: Thank you!! She is a very happy woman. : )

>21 charl08: Thanks! "S" means I have made significant progress. But those are my read books and then there are still all the TBRs and one or two special collections. But progress!

>22 lauralkeet: Thank you! Their realtor gave them a photography session as a new home present, so I should get a photo or two soon. I'll post.

>23 msf59: All good news, Mark. Hubby and I are very happy. And my hummingbirds are loving all the new flowers blooming.

>24 karenmarie: Hurray for a Jenna visit!! I know you will enjoy your time with her while you have her. Congrats. And to her for the new job!

>25 FAMeulstee: Yes, it's so nice to have some joy in the midst of this crummy COVID stuff. : )

>26 laytonwoman3rd: It's so nice to have some happiness, now more than ever. I hope my LT friends like you get some vicarious joy out of hearing about my happy events.

>27 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I actually went on a walk with my daughter today on a trail by her new house and...WE DIDN'T WEAR MASKS!! It was so nice to see her smile. We are both vaccinated and it was outside so we felt safe. It felt so good!

>16 Berly: YAY! Now, of course, Nonniehood is around the corner.

Say hallelujah and bring the jubilee!

Happy new thread, smoochling.

>28 thornton37814: Thanks Lori!

>29 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you! Everyone knows that an engagement ring is worth getting excited about; who knew jabs would fill us with such joy?!

>30 MickyFine: Definitely good news worth sharing. : )

>31 BLBera: Have to admit the house is pretty quiet. I am getting more sleep and eating better--not buying all those cookies and snacks!! LOL

>32 drneutron: So close Doc! As long as the kids don't ghost me and I still have contact, I am sure I will enjoy a little peace and quiet. : )

>33 johnsimpson: So happy for you and Karen!! And how nice that you get to celebrate in person. : ) I look forward to your pictures. Congrats. xoxo

>34 figsfromthistle: Thank you and welcome!

>35 jessibud2: Thanks! Should be feeling better in a few days--got antibiotics. Yay! One remaining problem that will take a few weeks to fix, but I have a plan. : )

>36 brenzi: Thank you! We are very exited for the two of them.

>40 richardderus: LOL. Not sure on the timing of that, but I hope they don't take too long--I want to be a young grandma!! Happy weekend and smooches.

Being a grandma rocks!

Happy new thread, Kim - and congratulations to your daughter on her engagement.
Enjoy your empty nest and have a good time.

Congratulations to the happy couple and to you, and to a quiet house!

Congrats to your daughter! Hope you enjoy your quiet house.

Hi Kim and congratulations on your daughter's engagement.

Happy new thread Kim!

Congratulations on your second shot, your daughter's engagement and her moving closer to you, your cataloguing and congratulations/ commiserations on being an empty nester.

(phew!)

I hope Spring continues to love up to its name, and you are enjoying the warmer days. My littlest has lost one of my Mother's Day slippers, so one of my feet is cold. It is discombobulating, to say the least!!!

Hi Kim!

Just passing through. Nice to not wear masks around our children, isn't it?

Hello my friend. Joining Karen in just passing through. We've already touched base about all that is going on in our lives -- but I need to plan a trip to Portland!!!!

>45 BLBera: And you are good at it, too!

>46 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas. Not quite empty nesting, since we had 3 of 4 households over separately for dinner last week, but it was so nice to see everyone without masks on!! Loved it.

>47 ffortsa: Thank you! Hoping the empty nesting will help me lose some weight, without all the kid snacks around tempting me. ; )

>48 banjo123: Getting caught up on lots of things, I actually picked up a book this week!! Yay!

>49 DeltaQueen50: Thank you very much. Everyone is very happy about the engagement.

>50 humouress: Exactly!! You understand so well. : )

>51 LovingLit: Oh no! Cold feet!! My sympathies. : ( You didn't get to enjoy the slippers for very long did you? LOL

>52 karenmarie: Loving not wearing masks around my family!! Looking forward to a little normality with the nicer weather and friends and family vaccinated. Yay!

>53 EBT1002: Hurry up and come to Portland!!! It's been too long. : )

So, news of the day, I did my first in-person TKD class this week!! It was so much fun to see everyone again, and the energy is just so much better than over Zoom. We all wore masks, and they took our temperature before entering the dojang. Amongst ourselves, we talked and everyone was vaccinated except for one 11-year-old, so that was reassuring. Man, doing it in-person vs over Zoom...I am not in shape! LOL.

Klara and the Sun by Ishiguro 4.5

So, I pretty much love anything by Ishiguro and this was no exception. This book explores a society split by whether or nor they are "lifted" and also explores Artificial Intelligence (AI), both it uses and its limitations. Klara is purchased to help care for a little girl who is sick, to be her companion, keep her company and watch out for her. We witness family dynamics through Klara's eyes. Klara is very observant and compassionate, but can she ever truly understand human interaction? Love? There are lots of mysteries in this novel, but I don't want to give anything away, so just read it! I can't wait to talk about this one with my RL book group.

Just started an ARC collection of short stories by Robert Silverberg: Voyagers: Twelve Journeys Through Space and Time. Sci-Fi with personalities uploaded, rebirths, time travel, etc. Really good so far. He has won four Hugo awards and six Nebullas and he is officially a Science Fiction Grand Master (2005). Just published end of April.

"Every science-fiction story is a voyage of some kind -- to a world of a far-off galaxy, to our own world of the distant future or the remote past, to some interior corner of the human soul."

Great comments on Klara and the Sun, TwinK! I think it would be a good discussion book. You'll have to report back.

Congrats on your RL TKD!

>58 Berly: I need to get back to this Kim. I set it aside to read a book group book, then got distracted. I was enjoying it.

>44 Berly: ...ummm...dear...I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that ship has sailed...

>57 Berly: YAY for the extra boost of a return to normalcy!!

*smooch*

>60 BLBera: RL bookclub is meeting in June, so I'll let you know then what the thoughts on K & the Sun are.

TKD -- woohoo!

>61 Caroline_McElwee: Go find Klara! : )

>62 richardderus: Not young, huh? How about younger? LOL. Yeah, well I didn't start off as a young mom either, so there's that. But ouch for pointing it out. I can't help it if I feel 32 inside! Smooch.

I have just started a new thread for all us Oregonians to track upcoming LT visits. Yes, we will have visitors again!! Rachel (The_Hibernator) is coming end of summer.....

Check it out! https://www.librarything.com/topic/332414

Great to see you posting and reading, Kimmers!

Interested to see you enjoyed the Ishiguro. I am not sure about the premise of the book but he is some writer, isn't he?

Glad you're getting to return to in-person TKD. Every step toward the old normal is so welcome, isn't it?

Wow, now that you're vaccinated and masks can come off, you're going at it full tilt! I thought you were going to relax for a bit after those hectic months?

>62 richardderus: And again ... No villaining on my patch. This is your second transgression.

>64 Berly: One day I'm going to get travelling again! Hope you have a good meetup.

>63 Berly: Oh well, I'm sure the eventual grands will enjoy clambering over the iron lung and romping through the corridors of the nursing home anyway.

*smooch*

*flees having distracted Berly-boo with bearded studmuffin Dean Winchester*

I'm a big fan of Robert Silverberg. Almost the last of that generation still above the earth

Happy Sunday, Kim. Nearing the halfway point in Klara. I am really enjoying it.

Hi Kim. Good luck with cataloging your books. I have so many throughout the house. I vow to find a way to locate the ones I want to read.

>56 Berly: update on the missing slipper. I found it. It's been a few weeks since Mother's Day, so it was an overdue find!!
(so you can all stop worrying now, thank you)

I starred your Oregonian thread because I'm gonna get there ...

Another intriguing review for Klara. I hope my name comes up on the library hold list soon.

>65 PaulCranswick: Paul, it is nice to be posting here on LT!! And to get to my books. Game nights with the family were fun, but I could use a little reading time. Alone. LOL.

>66 RebaRelishesReading: I think life is swinging back towards "normal," so I should be able to pop in here more often. I certainly hope so!!

>67 humouress: Relax? Was I supposed to do that? I am just so happy to be getting back to doing MY things, that I am jumping right in I guess. : )

>68 charl08: It's not until end of summer, so we will see how the whole COVID thing is going then...fingers crossed!

>69 richardderus: You are so mean!! LOL. Oh, and look who we have here...

>70 magicians_nephew: How have I missed Robert Silverberg before? I love Sci-Fi and I don't think I have read any of him. I am loving this short story collection. : )

>71 msf59: Hiya! Glad you are liking Klara. Now I need some advice. Bird advice. How do I keep the damn squirrels out of my feeders?!?!

>72 Whisper1: I can usually find the ones I want to read, because they are only in 1 of two places: my bedroom or one bookshelf downstairs reserved solely for TBRs. They aren't necessarily catalogued yet, but they are alphabetically arranged so I can look through them quickly. After I finish with cataloging the Read books, I'll be tackling those. ; )

>73 LovingLit: Phew!! Slipper found! I was getting worried since it is so long after Mother's Day. Nice to know your feet are comfy and warm now.

>74 streamsong: Yay! Hope meetups can start happening again. I am ready!! And it would be great to see you. I also hope your name comes up soon, too. Good luck!

Excited for next year's Literary Arts lineup!! Whoohoo!

>78 Berly: - Wow, looks great. I recently read that Daniel James Brown has a new book coming out. It's called Facing the Mountain and I am eager to read it. I really loved The Boys in the Boat.

>78 Berly: Ooh! That's a great line up.

Any word on if you will be doing f2f events as part of the festival?

"How do I keep the damn squirrels out of my feeders?!?!"

Keep the poles and feeders from trees or ledges, so squirrels can't leap from them. Add squirrel baffles, either from the pole itself or hang it above the feeder. Post a photo of your set up and I will try to give better pointers.

^This is my set up. Check out both baffles on the left pole. The right one does not need one, because the main feeder is squirrel proof and suet feeder is enclosed.

>79 jessibud2: Yes, he does have a new book coming out! I am excited to read Facing the Mountain, which is probably what he will be discussing next fall.

>80 charl08: Lit Arts has reserved space at our local auditorium for all dates and they will try to hold in-person events if COVID things go well. They shifted their schedule to have more events next spring to allow more time for COVID to be conquered. They are also filming all events for those who are not yet comfortable attending live. I already bought my tickets because I think they did such a great job virtually and I want to attend either way!! I hope it is in-person. Fingers crossed!!

>81 msf59: One feeder is on the bottom branch of a tree and I might just have to let them share some of the birdseeds. Another one is on a pole just as you have, but the darn squirrels just climbed right up it! So, I am going to try to slather on some olive oil and see if that thwarts them, or I may just have to get a baffle for that one.

Thanks for the tips! I'll keep you posted. ; )

>84 Berly: They recommend not using anything to grease the poles, especially Vaseline type products. It gets in their fur and can be harmful, although I am not sure about olive oil. I think a baffle would be safer and more efficient.

>78 Berly: That is a great line up, TwinK! Danticat, especially! I love her.

I am going to have to find a copy of Klara and the Sun.

And thanks for getting the meet-ups organized.

Hi Kim!

Sorry about the squirrel problem. I have squirrel-proof feeders for sunflower and wild bird seed. I now have a wire that goes through the top of the suet feeder to keep them from opening it, AND in order to keep them off the hanger with the hummingbird feeder I sprayed the hanger with cooking oil and sprinkled cayenne on it. Cayenne does not harm birds (think hot pepper suet) but might deter the squirrels if they take a lick. So spray away, but see if a sprinkle or two of cayenne helps.

An in-person TKD class! It sounds like things are opening up there, Kim. Congrats to your eldest daughter. Enjoy your empty nest!

>88 karenmarie: An arborist was at our house last week and noticed that squirrels have been chewing on the bark of our beautiful Japanese Maple. He recommended smearing some hot sauce on the branches because he said the squirrels will smell it and move on. Might work with the bird feeders too.

>82 msf59: After saying up above that we never got squirrels what did I see yesterday in our garden but a squirrel eating the suet pellets! We moved into this house in 1995 and I’ve never seen one before: while there are quite a lot of bushes and shrubs and smaller trees on the estate, there aren’t a lot of the bigger trees that the squirrels like, so while there are squirrels fairly close by, I’d never seen one in our garden.

But I still think squirrels are cute. Rather than chase it off I just spent 5 minutes videoing it! Just as well Daisy didn’t see it as it’s her life’s ambition to catch a squirrel (she’s never managed it, I’m pleased to say).

>91 SandDune: I was just about to write that I seem to be the only person here who welcomes squirrels at the bird feeders. The poor things have to eat, too!
There's been a slow-TV thing broadcasting here for the past few weeks showing nature and animals in their natural habitat from dozens of places around the country (it's been absolutely fascinating) and one of the highlights was a bid feeder station in the town next to where I live where a squirrel was constantly visiting. One day he was hanging upside down holding on with just one foot (how do they do that?) and munching away.

Am I too late to wish you a new thread! Hopelessly behind in all things, it seems, but feeling like I am starting to get some focus.

>84 Berly: >91 SandDune: We have come to a truce with our squirrels, I guess. I let them chew a hole in the plastic tub of sunflower seeds and add to it now and then and they stop trying to take down my feeders.

Pardon the hijack, but while there is probably no real solution, I thought I could entertain you with a little commiseration. This was before I bought the baffle:

Top, down:


From both ends:


and, Self-Serve on aisle 4:

Heya Kim! Finally - long overdue - visit to your most recent thread! Sorry to hear about your squirrel issues.
I noticed your shared reads post, and I'm cool to read State of Wonder by Ann Patchett if you're interested!

>94 jessibud2: OMG that "self serve" pic is priceless!

Hope all is well with you, Kim!

>96 lauralkeet: - I added a few other *robber* pics on Mark's thread. The squirrels win, I have conceded. ;-)

Hope things are going well, Kim, and that your absence is *good* busy. We are in a stinkin' heat wave here. I leave my A/C only to go out to water my plants. It's like a thick soup out there and hard to breathe. Not fun. Yuck!

Beeerrrlllyyy-booooooo! Time to come home, sweetness. The 25th of May was a while back and this thread is getting cobwebby.

>85 msf59: Well, the olive oil only worked for about a day and a half and then the squirrels wore it off. I am not going to be able to coat the pole every other day(!), so that was a no-winner. LOL

Instead, I got this version of the bird feeder, a cage within a cage, so only the smaller birds can get in. The squirrels have not given up, but so far they are striking out.

And I changed my other one to Squirrel-Be-Gone version that slides the metal outside down and shuts the feeder windows if there is too much weight on the feeder. Another winner!

>86 BLBera: Thanks, Twin! I am excited, as usual. Literary Arts has great lineups. : )

Sorry Rafa is out at Roland Garros. Are you pulling for Djokovic or Tsitsipas??
It was wide open in the women's final and I didn't have a preference.

>87 banjo123: Definitely get a copy of Klara and the Sun! My book group buddies loved it.

And I cannot wait to have an actual LT meetup again!! Whoohoo!!

>88 karenmarie: Thanks! I will have to keep the cayenne pepper as a secret weapon just in case. So far, no problems with the hummingbird feeders.... (Fingers crossed.)

>89 Familyhistorian: Thanks! I thought I was keeping in shape, but this past week of in-person TKD class has broken that illusion. LOL. But really glad to be back in the dojang. Because there are so many black belts, we are limited to 16 per class and have to sign up in advance, to keep people socially distanced. The color belt classes are open. Still wearing masks.

Went to look at a wedding venue with my daughter yesterday. It had a barn theme and was very fun. Trying to help by asking questions but offering no opinion. Key word: TRYING!!

>100 Berly: - HI Kim. You might have noticed in my post at >94 jessibud2:, the feeder in my middle pic is the same as your second pic. Just saying. Generally speaking, that spring-loaded style works well but I think having a baffle above it will help enormously. Those pics were before I had a baffle. The feeder in my first and third is another spring-loaded one and I like it. My main problem now is the sudden appearance of pigeons so I have taken the feeder in altogether. They don't even go after the feeder, they just congregate in numbers. NOT Happening on my lawn, thanks. Twenty years I never had a pigeon and suddenly, voila. Not happy.

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Another great squirrel tip. Gracias!

My next big problem, is to keep the deers out. I moved my tomatoes onto the back deck, so they can't get at them and they were a big draw last summer. I think I found a recipe that is egg, yogurt, milk and some spices, and the smell keeps them away....working on that this weekend.

>91 SandDune: Yes, the squirrels are cute and do make me laugh. I think I will leave random treats out for them, but they were eating my bird food so fast, it was getting expensive!!! ; )

>92 PawsforThought: Yeah, I should be as nimble, strong and flexible as the squirrels!! Their antics are very cute, too. I love watching this video by Mark Rober (who is a former NASA guy, really smart and so funny!). It's a squirrel obstacle course and, yes, they get a reward at the end. They are so smart!!! LOL

https://youtu.be/su7KOoGK-YU

>93 witchyrichy: Never too late!! And I am glad one of us is getting some focus in their life. It is still not happening here yet. LOL.

>94 jessibud2: Self-serve on Aisle 4!! ROFL. Yes!! Rascals.

>95 vikzen: Hey there! Nice to see you. : ) Yes, I would be into reading State of Wonder by Patchett How about July or August? I found my copy....

>105 Berly: Wow, that's brilliant. I love the picnic table at the end!

>96 lauralkeet: Right? Those pictures made me laugh. All is good here; I just have lost my rhythm in life. Now instead of seeing my kids everyday in my house, we are having frequent dinner get-togethers, which is fun but eating up my LT and reading time. What's a mom to do? ; )

>97 jessibud2: Our AC is broken. Hoping to get it fixed before the next heat wave...! And it looks like it is going to be another frickin' hot, dry summer here. Bad for our water business and really bad because we are going to get a lot of summer fires again. With bad air quality. Ugh.

Ricardo, why what do you mean?! LOL

>103 jessibud2: Yes, I did notice that. Sigh. So far so good though....

Sorry about the pigeon infestation. Ugh. And all that bird poop. Nasty. Glad they spared your lawn.

>107 charl08: Watch the video--it's hysterical. The guy does such a great job of editing the footage and narrating. : )

>105 Berly: Love it!

Okay, quick book update (I mean that IS the main reason we're here, right?)

Voyagers--loved this book of short Sci-Fi stories by Robert Silverberg. It was an ARC. Pub Date was April 2021. Get it!!

The Immune Mystery: A Doctor's Impassioned Quest to Solve the Puzzle of Autoimmune Disease by Anita Kass. Fascinating look at auto-immune diseases, their causes and research to find a cure. Emphasis on Rheumatoid Arthritis (because her mom suffered from it), but other diseases are explored as well. Learn about B and T cells, the hypothalamus and pituitary glands and much more. Autoimmune diseases are among the top ten causes of death in women under 65. And they were originally called, appropriately, horror autotoxicus. This book is fascinating and easily understandable.

>111 quondame: : )

So, I am still reading Caste and I am on the third pillar of Caste. 1) Divine Will 2) Heritability and 3) Endogamy and the Control of Marriage. I was appalled to learn that the Supreme Court did not overturn the illegality of marriage between blacks and whites until 1967 and worse (!) Alabama did not overturn its state law blocking interracial marriage until the year 2000!!! WTF?!?!

>99 Berly: >100 Berly: Happy Saturday, Kim. I have the same caged suet feeder. The larger woodpeckers just reach their necks in there and feast. I also like the slider feeder. Bye bye squirrels.

Hiya Mark! I do love the antics of the squirrels though. So I think I will put a treat out for them every now and then. ; ) Happy weekend!

>114 Berly: It was unenforceable and so was an easy way to shoot the bird at the Gummint.

>109 Berly: *shudder* I literally just put a book down because a character helped a spider move web instead of squishing it and then burning the house down to kill its progeny.

*smooch*

>117 richardderus: Not really a spider fan here either. But as long as they leave me alone, I leave them alone. Outside. Inside? They are not allowed!

Smooches. : )

Lovely to see you back Kimmers!

I think Malaysia maybe helps but spiders and lizards are creatures that I don't get too uptight about. Rats and snakes on the other hand...........

I agree with your ranking of troublesome creatures. LOL. It's nice to be here again. Hope it's a trend....

Good to see you back, Kim :-)

>114 Berly: Can hardly believe that it took so long.

>110 Berly: The video is brilliant. How long did this take him? I loved the bit at the end of the video where the squirrels seem to be sitting waiting at the "picnic table" for his daily automatic walnut release. As one of the tweeters said, what do the neighbours make of it?

>112 Berly: Books? Really?
Seriously though, sounds like a good read.

>102 Berly: Exciting!

>117 richardderus: >118 Berly: Well, you might want to check out my latest book then ;0)

>105 Berly: Hilariously cute, thank you!

>105 Berly: Hi Kim, we recently discovered Mark Rober created a second squirrel obstacle course: https://youtu.be/DTvS9lvRxZ8

Enjoy!

>124 lauralkeet: - I am not an engineer, and I choose not to *encourage* the squirrels who make my life crazy, and I won't be taking his course, but these videos are hilarious! :-D

Hiya, Kim!

>100 Berly: I have different feeders that work on the same concept – weight closes the feeding ports – and I love watching the squirrels trying, and failing.

>105 Berly: I’ve seen that video – cracks me up.

>109 Berly: Just for shits and giggles I went and looked at that book on Amazon. There’s one review of it. The reviewer mostly didn’t like it, giving it 3 stars, but he did say one perfectly marvelous thing: Like all books that have a religious foundation, I think Cobwebs deserves two reviews - one for the believers and one for the others.

Hey TwinK - Glad to see you back - once again I won't be able to keep up with you. Tsitsipas for me. I've never been a fan of Djokovic.

Love all the squirrel talk.

Good luck with the wedding planning. And good luck with not voicing opinions. :)

Squirrels = rats with perms. Yuck on rodentia whole and entire.

Have a lovely week-ahead's reads.

>128 richardderus: The solution for you would therefore be cats ;0)

>121 FAMeulstee: Yes, it's good to be back. Now I have to see if I can make a habit of it again! : )

>122 charl08: He has more than one squirrel video. He actually makes a lot of videos! And they are all pretty great.

I am just happy I wrote a review or two!!

>123 humouress: Nope. I am gonna pass on Sorcerer's Son just based on the name of where they live -- Spinweb. No thanks! ; )

To be honest though, I really don't mind spiders that much. I just don't want them near me when I sleep thank you very much.

Ins't that video hilarious? I think it must be almost a full-time job to get it all set up and then film, edit and narrate, but I love it.

>124 lauralkeet: Yes! I have watched that one, too. Absolutely awesome squirrel videos!! So good for a laugh. And BTW, you stole my thunder, LOL. I was gonna post that link later. You are quick on the draw! Don't worry. I still like you. ; )

>125 jessibud2: Right?! : )

>126 karenmarie: I've been one-upped again! I never bothered to look up Life's Cobwebs (just chose it for the title), but now that you have done that for me, I think I will pass. Great one-liner you found though: "Like all books that have a religious foundation, I think Cobwebs deserves two reviews - one for the believers and one for the others."

>127 BLBera: I am gonna watch the Men's Match at RG in a minute. I am for Tsitsipas, too! And when they replay the point, I will be catching up on all the LT threads.

I am gonna try very hard to keep my wedding opinions to myself unless asked. It is her day after all! I just want to help them think through logistics.

>128 richardderus: Come on! You totally should watch this video. It's hysterical! And, in keeping with your thought that "Squirrels = rats with perms," you would really appreciate one shot in particular. Mark Rober cuts the hair off a Barbie and puts it on a fake squirrel, which he calls The Homewrecker. LOL

>129 humouress: Succinct and to the point. : )

This appears to be a Kimmers Weekend! And I love it! Hooray! Are you enjoying your current reads?

>136 msf59: Thank you for the love! Yes, I am enjoying my current books. Surprisingly little fiction.

Caste by Isabelle Wilkerson is an amazing read, but so much to take in.
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters--just starting this one today.
Ancient Bones by Madelaine Bohme--fascinating look at the evolution of mankind and a surprising European find.
In the Puma Years: A Memoir by Laura Coleman is about a college grad trying to find herself while she spends time in a nature preserve/animal rehab in Bolivia.

>132 Berly: Whew! I'm glad we're still friends, Kim. I just didn't want you to go through life without seeing both squirrel videos. I wonder if he will do more?

>138 lauralkeet: Seriously--You are so thoughtful. I can always use a laugh. : ) I don't know if he'll do another squirrel video, but I am up for it if he does. Or anything he explores. I love his sense of humor.

>106 Berly: Nice to see you too! Amused by your squirrel saga! I'm sure I only find them cute because they don't exist here so I get brief glimpses of them when I travel.
July works for me re State of Wonder!
I am bumping up Caste on my TBR and will probably get a physical copy based on what you have remarked about it thus far.

>84 Berly: Kim, It is late at night and I am weary. Yet, when I saw this image, I laughed right out loud with a sound full of energy!

I agree about the damn squirrels! They hang upside down while eating. They shake the feeders so hard that the seeds land on the ground, whereupon they rush to the ground to eat the seeds.

>140 vikzen: July it is for State of Wonder! And, yes, I am sure Caste is one I will refer back to over time. Get a hard copy if you can.

>141 Whisper1: Linda, I am so glad to give you a laugh. You always light me up when I read your thread or see you here, so turn about is fair play. If you want some more laughs, watch the video in >105 Berly:. : )

Squirrels are okay from afar but not when they invade your house. Hope you're continuing to get a lot from Caste, Kim. I found it to be a good read.

Video in >105 Berly: was great!

I've been followin Mark Rober for a while...he did a Devil's Toothpaste video for a young fan that was sweet and kind and hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHiWygziyso

>143 Familyhistorian: Yes, I am enjoying Caste a lot. There's a lot to take in!!

>144 drneutron: Glad you enjoyed the squirrel video! Now you have to check out the one in...

>145 richardderus: Richard's post!! It's more sciency but just as good. And, yes, very kind and sweet.



(Thanks Ricardo!)

A belated thank you for all the squirrel - stuff.
Even if they are annoying, they bring joy into life and some people on brilliant silly ideas...

>147 SirThomas: Anytime! : ) I am actually kinda missing the little trouble makers, and might have to set up something specifically for them, just as treats once in a while. They are pretty adorable.

Hi Kim! I love the squirrel videos.

Great squirrel videos! I miss squirrels.

Hi, Kim! I can't catch up (can't watch squirrel videos but can look at the yard), but I wanted you to know that you aren't forgotten. Congratulations on the coming wedding!

I did see that you will have R. Powers available next year. He is such a favorite of mine! Please go to that one for you and me!

I wish us both a lot more reading time than we've been getting. Courage!!!!

>149 banjo123: Squirrels really are characters aren't they? ; )

>150 ursula: You can have some of my squirrels!! LOL

>151 LizzieD: Hey there! So nice to see you here. Pretty excited about the upcoming wedding. I think they are aiming for next fall, so we have time.

I will make sure to go R Powers presentation and I will report back!!

And here's to LOTS more reading time for both of us. Yay!

>152 weird_O: Why, hello there! : )

And to all my LT Dad friends....

>154 Berly: *smooch*

Hey TwinK - I hope all is well. Any news on a Minnesota outing?

>155 richardderus: : )

>156 BLBera: So, I have been fighting a reoccurring health condition and am not really up to traveling right now. Hoping August? I'll keep you posted.

So, not really feeling great, compounded by hot weather and no air conditioning (it's broken and we are working on getting it fixed), I read a very fluffy and totally fun series by Ilona Andrews (a husband and wife team). It's called the Sweep series and involves vampires, werewolves, magic inn keepers and interspace travel. It was just what I needed. I read all 5. It improved my mood and it boosted my reading numbers!! LOL

>158 Berly: Oh! You read the last two? The fourth came up on my Amazon suggestions and I was contemplating it but I had been hoping they would release another omnibus. I hope they still intend to keep writing this series. It's so much fun :0)

I hope you feel better soon.

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, Kim and no A/C with this weekend coming!! Yikes!! Do you have some place to shelter?

>158 Berly: Oh my dear lady! How horrible to be a/c-less. May it be fixed ASAP.

*smooch* for a better weekend.

>158 Berly: After this month I need a pack of potato chip books - but I've already nibbled through the Sweep series!

Feel better, Kim. Do you have a basement? That's where I slept when my a/c broke down several years ago. It's always cooler down there.

Get well soon Kim.
Hopefully you will soon get the cooling.
I wish you anyway a wonderful weekend.

Hope you feel better soon Kim (and that you have plenty of cool drinks to go with the books if not the A/C).

I hope you are feeling better today Kim.

Hope you feel better and have A/C soon, Kim.

Sorry you are feeling under the weather, Kim. I hope you get that A/C fixed pronto. I know it has been hot in the PNW.

I'm sorry you're dealing with health stuff, Kim. Never fun.

And also sorry about your a/c. That happened to us recently and it was miserable. Hang in there!

Feel better soon, TwinK. I'll be here when you are ready to travel.

Sending my positive thoughts for your feeling better and having well- functioning a/c, Kim.

You caught my interest with that “Sweep” series. I enjoy a good fluffy read every once in a while, and a husband and wife team. Makes me think of the Mercy Thompsonand October Daye books.

Oh my goodness, Kim....that's horrible that your AC isn't working. Hope that it gets working and you feel better soon. Glad that you had some fun reading to distract you.

Sorry you're not feeling well, especially as this extraordinary heat must make your days truly miserable. My cousin Bonnie,who lives on the north side of your city, says she is enjoying the heat! Peculiar woman! I hope you and the air conditioner are in better shape soon.

Hello everyone! Thanks for all the well wishes. I am dealing with an infection that won't go away. Three rounds of antibiotics so far. We'll see if this latest one works.

So, the AC is still broken and needs to be replaced, this after having AC guys and electrical come check it out. Probably won't happen for a few weeks because everything is so backed up. It was 109 yesterday here in Portland, and it is supposed to be 113 today and 115 tomorrow. Ugh!! Hubby and I have vacated the house and are staying in a hotel downtown. Much cooler!!! We are treating it as a staycation. : )

Saw "In The Heights" last night. Great movie! A musical about a NY city latino community written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical Hamilton. It was so good! Headed into the office again to get some accounting stuff done when there are less distractions. Then tonight we are headed out for dinner and seeing Fast And Furious 9 with some of our kids. Fun!

And I've started to read In Bad Company by Viveca Sten, a group read.

Enjoy the staycation, Kim! Hope that infection heals quickly.

>174 Berly: What a smart idea, to get a hotel room. It's far and away better than roasting in your home, and could be kinda fun.

I'll keep an eye on the group read thread for your thoughts on In Bad Company ...

Enjoy the staycation, TwinK. I hope the latest antibiotic works! 115 in Portland!? The world is coming to an end.

Oh, a staycation! What a good idea - especially after your stint of being the 'hotel'. Enjoy it.

I hope your infection clears up soon and doesn't interfere with your enjoyment.

Enjoy the staycation, Kim!
I hope you can stay cool and healthy.

Sorry you're struggling with the infection but glad you've found a cool place to shelter. We are so very grateful for our A/C -- hope it keeps working and power stays on until this is over.

Hi Kim, a very belated hello. I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well and I hope you get good results soon.

It was interesting reading about your bird feeder/squirrel problem. I've had the same issue here. Someone in my neighborhood is giving squirrels peanuts which they bury in my yard. I only hope they are not salted!

Good idea to go to a hotel. I wouldn't be surprised if they were full! Stay cool.

One possibly life-saving side effect of staycationing in the a/c is the reduced stress on your immune system. That infection needs to GO!

Have a lovely read in Sandhamn.

^ LOL!

>183 msf59: mmm hmmm

Wow, Kim. Such a grim situation, the heat and drought. I'm sure responsible people are imagining what we have to do to cope as the reality sinks in that this isn't simply an anomaly but a forecast. Wandering into the slough of despond.

Cheers!

>186 weird_O: Cheerful!

I hope you are enjoying relatively cooler weather today, Kim. Our temperatures went down here too but Monday was hard to take. Good call to go to a hotel. I hope your infection clears up.

Hi Kim my dear, sorry to hear that you are suffering with an infection and coupled with the extraordinary heat that you are all having to deal with. It sounds like a good call to check into a hotel and hopefully cooler weather is on its way and hopefully it will help with your infection.

Sending love and hugs to you all from both of us dear friend.

Hope you are feeling better! Is the infection gone?

I had seen the first squirrel video, but not the second. So fun!

We have at least another week of the hot weather here in Montana. We've reached 100, but haven't gone over.

My book club will be reading Caste at the end of the month. Since I suggested it, I will have to lead the discussion. I haven't read it yet, but I have a copy ordered which should be here soon.

>174 Berly: 115 degrees F??!?!?! Woah, that is massive. I can't even imagine how much hot that is. I hope you can stay cool any which way.

As usual we are on the flip side of that with weeks of damp dank doleful days. Although we got some sunshine yesterday, today it is blustery and I always feel discombobulated with the wind. However, I shall carry on!

I hope you are feeling better! At least it looks like the weather is a bit more normal.

A member of my book group recommended Caste. I am moving it up the TBR list.

Hi Kimmers! I see god turned off the "Broil" setting...for a while...so I'm hoping you're marinating your seared self in some extra-good wine and reading wonderful stories.

Not, you know, ignoring us or something.

Hi Kim. I haven't connected with you in a while. Now I'm worried.... you have been under the weather. I hope you're recovered.... That late June heat wave was brutal and rather terrifying. I mean, it doesn't prove that we're experiencing climate change or anything.... (right).

We missed "In the Heights" when it was here so we need to figure out how to see it. I guess we can stream it but we were looking forward to seeing it on the truly big screen. It just didn't happen. Anyway, you know how I feel about Lin Manuel Miranda (can you say genius?) so we'll get to it one of these days. Maybe this weekend.

Hang in there ---- xoxox

Hi Kim!

>174 Berly: Yikes. An infection that won’t go away AND broken AC in the middle of the worst heat wave ever in Portland. I’m glad that you and your husband went to a hotel.

I hope you have AC and the infection is gone.

Hi Kim! Are you enjoying the hotel stay so much that you've decided to stay away from us for a while longer?

Hope all is well with you and that you're just busy enjoying this glorious weather!

Hope all is well, Kimmers! Missing you around here. xx

In case you haven't gotten it by now, we are all really worried about you. Please let us know as soon as you can how you are faring. I check for your post every day.

Kim is fine, just doesn't have a lot of energy, and isn't doing much reading. She will try to post this weekend.

Sending positive energy your way, Kim, to help with that infection and the heat. Like others, I"m amazed to see Portland experience heat that high. Climate change is here and beating up on people.

I hope your energy returns, and you're having a restful, cool, hotel stay.

>201 BLBera: Thank you Beth.
Hope you feel better soon Kim!

>174 Berly: What a great idea -- staying in a hotel when your AC is on the fritz. Fortunately, when the air conditioning stopped working, my neighbor knew someone who worked on her unit last year. I called, and he was here within the hour. He fixed the problem, showed me what to do if it occurred again, and $200 later was on his way. I felt so very lucky.

I am so sorry you are struggling with a nasty infection. I am thinking of you and sending lots of love. I listen to the news that reports such very high temps in the states of Oregon and Washington,

>204 Whisper1: No doubt about it, you were lucky with the AC. We had a great guy, then a good guy, and now it's just the CostCo guys.... alas, but the AC is all according to modern spec, so less power used and less dangerous coolant, so that's good.

>201 BLBera: Thanks for the update! It's good to know that she's fine.

Feel better soon, Kim!

>201 BLBera: Thank you for the news, Beth.
All the best wishes for you, Kim!

Thinking of you Kim and hoping you're improving

Kim, I thought of you when I caught a few minutes of the Olympics. Tae Kwon Do. You sure do have to be limber. I do hope you kick the infection that has you down. I miss seeing you around. *hugs*

>100 Berly: I have that one as well. It is an excellent choice.

Hope you feel better soon :)

How are you Kim? Thinking of you!

Thank you one and all for keeping my thread going. It cheered me up to see people saying Hi even when I didn't have the energy to respond. You guys are the best.
: )

Time for a new thread!!