Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 9

Alys give me a guilty look, now I have to figure out why

Welcome to my thread! I'm Laura, 61, retired. My husband Chris and I live in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia, with our 8-year-old terrier mix, Alys, who has a place of honor at the top of my threads. We keep ourselves busy with gardening and various home projects. Besides reading, I spend a lot of time knitting and weaving. I occasionally post photos of my work here; if you’re so inclined you can enjoy more “fun with fiber” on my thread in the Needlearts group.

2023 is my fifteenth year in the 75 Book Challenge Group, which I can hardly believe. I love this group! I'm more interested in the quality of my reading than the quantity, so this year I have abandoned the infamous ticker. I read mostly contemporary fiction, with the odd classic or memoir thrown in. I enjoy reading where my mood takes me, but this year I want to be a little more intentional in seeking out nonfiction and prize winners or nominees.

Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
46. Hello Beautiful
47. An Immense World
48. Wrong Place Wrong Time
49. The Last Devil to Die

Series Progress

Active series as of July 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2023:
* Inspector Gamache
* Ruth Galloway
* Thursday Murder Club

Series started in 2023:
* Kurt Wallander (resumed after a long hiatus)
* Kinsey Millhone
* Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James

Series abandoned in 2023:
* Lymond Chronicles

Currently Reading & On Deck



The Last Devil to Die | Mad Honey | Somebody’s Fool

Bird Buddies of the Month

In the past month two new species started hanging around on the Bird Buddy feeder. These birds can often be spotted on other feeders, and they finally managed to snag a spot here.



Tufted Titmouse. I love its inquisitive expression!.



American Goldfinch. They are especially beautiful this time of year, when their full color is on display.

This thread is open for business!

Welcome to September!

Yesterday was a little busy, with errand-running and a Zoom call that took a bit longer than I expected. We also had a catch-up call with Julia in the late afternoon, which was really nice, and then we went out for dinner. We had a hankering for Indian, and while our town doesn't have an Indian restaurant there are several east of here. We really liked the one we went to and I'm sure we will return.

Last night's viewing included a stage of La Vuelta and an episode of The Wire. I'm still reading (and enjoying) Hello Beautiful, although I haven't had a lot of reading time this week for some reason.

Today we're heading to the gym, and then I need to do the grocery shopping. I haven't even made my list yet, so that's up first. I'm not sure what else I'll get up today, maybe just putter around taking care of this and that. We are heading into a holiday weekend here (Labor Day), but we don't have any plans so it will be the same old routine chez nous.

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Happy new one!

>4 lauralkeet: Cute bird buddy picture. I especially like the first one. It seems to have curious nature :)

Happy new thread Laura. I saw my name on your last thread so decided to delurk. I don’t know why I have been so quiet lately. I’ll just blame the hot weather.

Yes, I am a fan of Hello Beautiful. It went a little overboard on the dysfunctional side of family life but overall it engaged me. I am also a fan of your Christmas stockings. The HoHoHo season will be here before we know it!

Happy new thread, Laura!

I will be curious to see what you think of Hello Beautiful. I have only read one of Napolitano's books (Dear Edward) and I really enjoyed it.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy new one, Laura! I love the tufted titmouse photo - one of my favorite birds, and we have one that stops by every day. They're so fast, it's nice to see a frozen moment!

Happy new thread, Laura. x

>6 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita! I love it when the camera captures them up close like that. It doesn't happen often, I get a lot more side shots and bird butts ha ha.

>7 Donna828: Donna, thanks for delurking! I have been lurking over at your place, too. Interesting comments on Hello Beautiful. I like a good dysfunctional family novel and it's an Oprah pick and her books have worked well for me in the past. So we'll see.

>8 alcottacre: Well Stasia, I'm glad to see you enjoyed one of Napolitano's earlier books. That's a good sign.

>9 Crazymamie: I love the tufted titmouse too, Mamie. You're right about them being speedy little guys. I think they prefer our tube feeder, and with this one they tend to flit around the edges, just out of camera range.

>10 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul!

Happy new one, Laura!

We have no plans for the holiday weekend, either. Just the way I like it :)

Happy new one Laura.

I just had fun looking at your series stats in detail. Ms. Penny is going to publish a new one next year (she's reviewing 2nd or 3rd draft now, says it takes 4) so there's still life in that series. I'm listening to the Grafton series and am up to "J" which I bought but haven't yet downloaded. I can only hope Strout does another Lucy Barton book. Other than that I've not tried any of these series. Do you have a favorite?

Happy new thread, Laura!

Happy new thread, Laura. I love holidays with no plans. Scout will stay overnight tonight, and I'll get to hear about her first few days of school. Otherwise, no plans. It is supposed to be HOT here, in the upper 90s, so I'm thinking reading is a good activity.

Happy new thread, Laura!

>1 lauralkeet: Did you find out what the look was for?

>12 katiekrug: Hi Katie! Welcome back. Seems to me that 3-day weekends aren't such a big deal when you're not working. I'm perfectly happy not to be battling traffic to or from the beach.

>13 RebaRelishesReading: Hey there Reba ... that's good to know about Louise Penny. Usually I add a gray block to the series when a new one is coming out (see Thursday Murder Club), so I'll need to do that. As for favorite series ... that's a tough one now that Ruth Galloway has come to an end (or at least a pause). I guess my current active favorites would be Sean Duffy and Sebastian St Cyr.

>14 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>15 BLBera: I know you'll have a great time with Scout, Beth. It's going to heat up here too. Yuck.

>16 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita ... you never know with Alys! She's a dog of mystery. At least she didn't make a mess or break something (which actually never happens anyway).

Happy new thread Laura!

I hope your quiet long weekend is full of chill time, Laura.

>18 quondame: thanks Susan & Micky!

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Welcome to the weekend! A short and sweet post this morning. As mentioned, we don't have any specific weekend plans, but that's okay with me. We can do whatever, whenever. I'm going to barre this morning and I need to do some chores and bill-paying, but other than that ... who knows. I want to do some online yarn shopping for a hat project, and at some point I also need to go to Joann Fabrics for stocking project supplies. Then again, the veg garden is in need of some attention and I'd also like to just hang out with my book for a while. So, we'll see.

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Unusual to see two repeat letters.

>17 lauralkeet: - Agree about 3-day weekends, though they probably hit slightly different here since they are still a "thing" for The Wayne.

Have a good Saturday!

>20 lauralkeet: Ooh yarn shopping. Have fun with that! One of the indie dyers I follow on Instagram did a post about hat kits they've got on their site and they're super tempting. Lovely colours with coordinated faux fur poms. ❤️

>21 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! Full report on Saturday coming up next.

>22 MickyFine: Hi Micky, I'm pleased to say my yarn shopping was a success. I started out with a particular hat pattern in mind, but changed my mind when I remembered Shetland Wool Week, an annual celebration of Shetland's sheep and textile industry. The organizers release a Fair Isle hat pattern using Shetland yarns. This is the 2023 pattern:



The yarns are not all readily available in the US, but I found a few yarn shops that carry Jamieson & Smith, the leading Fair Isle yarn brand. The shop I ordered from did all the hard work of coming up with color combinations that work for this hat pattern, and I chose one called Wildflower Bouquet, a pleasing combination of purple, pink & yellow shades.

Hello all ...

Yesterday I didn't do any of the chores or gardening (not sad about that), and I also didn't go to Joann Fabrics. Instead, we headed out with the intention of buying some shoes I need for the gym. There were two problems with this idea: first, we were not on the same page about what type of shoe I need. Second, we made the mistake of going to an outlet mall. On a Saturday. And a holiday weekend, no less. What were we thinking??! It was heaving with people and the stores that carried athletic shoes had really spotty inventory. We didn't stay long. Part of me wants to try on shoes before buying them, another part says just order online. We will regroup and try again.

After that dismal excursion I consoled myself with some reading which was time well spent because events in Hello Beautiful suddenly kicked the plot into high gear.

I might run over to Joann's today. I *should* do some garden work but will probably tackle this in short bursts because it's supposed to get very hot (mid-90sF/~35C) today and for the next several days.

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>23 lauralkeet: Nice hats.

>23 lauralkeet: I love those hats! I should mention that Scout loves Joann Fabrics. We worked on learning how to use the sewing machine this summer, and she made a sundress! She now can thread the machine and wind the bobbin. It has been so much fun.

>24 lauralkeet: We have a dedicated "running shoe" store here, recommended by my husband's podiatrist, where they actually help you pick the right sort of shoe for your activities, and know something about fitting them to your foot. NOT in a mall, either. It isn't a chain, but I suspect there may be other such places about---maybe you have one nearby. OR, you could come on up north and visit this one. I only buy shoes on-line when it's exactly what I've had before, and sometimes even that doesn't work.

Thanks for the hat love, Caro & Beth. I like doing fair isle colorwork so it should be a fun project.

Beth, I love that Scout is learning to sew and that it's sparked her creativity. Plus it's a fun thing for you to do together.

Linda, we have one of those stores here too, but it's almost entirely focused on running. I have running shoes but think I need a different type of shoe for the exercise class we just started. Cross-training maybe? I decided I'm going to get some input from the instructor and take it from there. He may also be able to recommend a place to shop.

Meanwhile, I have been to Joann's & back, and they actually had everything I needed. Hurray! And then I spent about 20min in the garden taking care of today's task. All before lunch! Looking forward to a relaxing afternoon which will include a FaceTime call with Kate.

Good morning. I missed being on LT yesterday afternoon and was glad to see the site up and running this morning. On the plus side, we had a nice long chat with Kate. And I read a big chunk of Hello Beautiful. I'm enjoying it, although one character's storyline is beginning to annoy me. I still have more than 100 pages to go and a lot can happen in that time, so we'll see.

Not much on the agenda today. We're going to work out later this morning, and I'll probably tackle one gardening task (I'm gradually clearing the veg beds that are done, like the green beans). I also want to work on the final part of my sweater: the buttonholes.

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CHEAT, ROUND, SLIMY, DIZZY, BIDDY, GIDDY
Damn. This was frustrating. I haven't had a 6 in a long time.

>23 lauralkeet: That's a beautiful pattern! Your colour combo sounds lovely.

Those are very complicated patterns but beautiful and your color combination sounds especially nice. Can't wait to see your finished product.

Indeed glad LT is back up. It ate some posts I made yesterday (like about your beautiful hats) but I'll forgive it if it is all OK now :)

>23 lauralkeet: What a lovely pattern! I hope you'll share the pictures of the result. :) And happy new thread to you!

>30 MickyFine:, >31 RebaRelishesReading:, >32 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks Micky, Reba & Lavinia. Fair Isle is really fun to knit. These hats use six colors of yarn, but each row uses just two. I love seeing the overall pattern emerge with each row. I'll definitely share photos!

>28 lauralkeet: It is fun, Laura, to spend time with Scout who is growing up so fast. She has learned a lot this summer. I did most of the cutting, but I've been slowly asking her to look for the pattern pieces and to help me pin them. I think in another year or two, she will be a pro.

>34 BLBera: That's great, Beth. My mom taught me how to sew and while I don't do much of it anymore, it's a useful skill to have and has been a "gateway" to other crafts.

Happy Monday ... oops I mean Tuesday!

We had a very quiet day yesterday. I did my gardening early in the morning before it got too hot, and we holed up indoors most of the day. Instead of working on my sweater, I read more of Hello Beautiful. Last night's viewing included University Challenge and we started watching ep 2 of the Wayne Shorter documentary.

This morning I have a Guild meeting of the committee that I chair, and then the rest of the day is agenda-free. I need to spend time on my sweater, and not in front of the TV because the next step requires concentration. Since I'm close to finishing Hello Beautiful, at some point I'll probably run out and pick up my library hold for An Immense World.

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>36 lauralkeet: I hope you enjoy An Immense World! While reading Ed Yong's previous book I found myself wanting him to talk more about animals so I am excited to get to that one eventually.

Hi folks,

I missed you all yesterday! I took advantage of the downtime to work on my sweater project and finish Hello Beautiful. We also made a second attempt at shopping for workout shoes, and I found what I was looking for. Last night's viewing included an amazing stage of La Vuelta, followed by an episode of The Wire. At bedtime I started reading An Immense World.

This morning we went to the gym, and I'm still planning to go to barre at 4:30. Two very different kinds of workouts, both fun, so why not. In between I have a few household/admin tasks to take care of, and I want to practice making sweater buttonholes before doing them for real.

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I liked yesterday's Wordle better:

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>23 lauralkeet: I love the look of those hats!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Laura.

>38 lauralkeet: I hope you're not too sore after your double workout, Laura. Kudos to you for doing it!

>39 alcottacre:, >40 MickyFine: Thanks Stasia and Micky.

As it turned out, I didn't do the double workout so no kudos for me! I remembered that the yoga studio is either not air conditioned or poorly air conditioned, and on hot days the ceiling fans can't keep up. By hot I mean in the 80s, and by yesterday afternoon it was in the mid-90s. So ... nope. I filled the afternoon with knitting and reading, so it was all good.

Last night's viewing was the film, TAR, starring Cate Blanchett. She was superb, but I thought the ending was a bit overdone. Some critics have said it's a bit "up its own arse," and I can kinda see that point of view. It's a good film, just not perfect.

Today's agenda includes the gym, picking up the farm share, and possibly some garden tasks depending on the weather which will once again be hot. Temps are supposed to fall back into the 80s over the weekend ... now if only we could also get some rain.

By the way, for anyone interested, LT staff posted an explainer about the outage we experienced the past few days. The first message in the thread is long, but even if you're not interested in the "long answer" about the technical problem, it's worth reading the paragraphs about The Solution and The Future.
Resolution of "LibraryThing systems under stress"

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>38 lauralkeet: An Immense World is near the top of my tbr mountain (a Christmas Present). Look forward to your thoughts Laura.

>41 lauralkeet: TAR was certainly, but riveting and thought provoking. I had lots of conversations with the friend I went with in the days after.

Btw: Miss Guilty @ >1 lauralkeet: always makes me smile.

>42 Caroline_McElwee:, >43 Caroline_McElwee: Caro, Chris and I have been talking about the movie quite a bit as well. It's definitely thought-provoking. And there's no doubt Cate Blanchett makes the film.

Miss Guilty makes me smile too!!

46. Hello Beautiful ()

The Padavano sisters – Julia, Sylvie, and twins Emeline and Cecelia – are part of a close-knit Chicago family. Despite their parents’ unhappy marriage, the sisters are loved and nurtured, especially by their father Charlie. Their personalities are quite different, but they support one another through thick and thin.

In college Julia meets William, who hides the scars from a completely different upbringing. William is immediately accepted by the Padavanos, and he happily immerses himself in their love. Julia, a take-charge sort of person, sets about molding William and their relationship to fit her ideal. It would appear they are heading for the classic happy ending … until they aren’t. Their conflict has ripple effects through the entire family, and redirects the course of their lives over the next 25 years.

My favorite parts of this novel were Charlie, whose presence was palpable even when he was “off-screen,” and the relationship between the sisters prior to the central conflict. As time progressed there were certain elements of the story that seemed less believable to me, and the ending was perhaps a bit too tidy. But if you like a good family saga (and I do), you’ll enjoy this one.

We've been debating whether to watch Tar...

>46 laytonwoman3rd: I get that, Linda. It's a time commitment (2 hrs 40 min) which held us back for a while.

Happy Friday!!

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. We had a bit of late afternoon rain which wasn't enough for the plants, but has cooled things off so I'm happy about that. Also in the afternoon we needed to run an errand to the hardware store. It was about the time of day that we sometimes visit the local coffee shop and enjoy a beverage on their patio. Alys saw us getting ready for what we thought was just a trip to the hardware store, and went crazy with excitement. Well okay then. We bundled her into the car. Alys and I waited outside while Chris went into the store and then we had our coffees. I'm not sure why she enjoys the coffee shop so much, she doesn't even get a drink or a pup cup!

Over the course of the day I managed a couple of chapters in An Immense World. Interesting stuff. Evening viewing was La Vuelta and The Wire, and I worked on my sweater button band.

There's not much on my agenda today. Grocery shopping is a must, and I might get out into the garden to take care of some tasks I've been putting off.

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Morning, Laura! We also got a little bit of rain overnight, and it seems a bit cooler. I think it's supposed to be off-and-on stormy all weekend up here, but we'll see.

That Alys is one smart girl! Nuala seems to know when she's going to daycare and is a nut as soon as she's finished with breakfast, reminding us that she has somewhere to be :)

>48 lauralkeet: Your trip out with Alys sounds fun. I'll bet she gets excited just because she wants to be with you, never mind pup cups. :)

An Immense World is fascinating, isn't it? I recommended it to my bookclub and told them I thought they might enjoy it but it wasn't one of my three proposed books for coming year. They totally ignored me and chose An Immense World as their choice for the February meeting. I had started reading it but put it aside to read nearer the meeting. I'll probably pick it up again right after Christmas. Amazing book, isn't it?

>49 katiekrug: Hi Katie! There's some chance of rain here every day for the next few days. In fact right now it's looking a little gray ...

>50 RebaRelishesReading: An Immense World is quite fascinating, Reba. I didn't realize you'd read it. This afternoon I've been reading the chapter on color and am amazed to learn that some animals can see so many more colors than humans, and we can't even really describe what that's like. Mind blown.

Good morning ...

We finally had some rain last night, long overdue. We were going to go to the winery up the road and have dinner outdoors, but it was looking ominous. It started raining and we waited for a bit, thinking it might clear up, but ultimately decided on takeout Chinese instead. The winery will have to wait for another day.

Last night while watching nothing noteworthy on TV, I worked on the sweater button band. I reached the point where I need to make the buttonholes, which needs my undivided attention. I hope to do that part today, and then I'll finish up the button band and be DONE! I've really been procrastinating on the last 10% of this project, and I'm ready to start something new.

This morning I have barre, and then today besides knitting I might continue the vegetable garden cleanup I started yesterday. We only have a couple of beds still in use (leeks and parsnips), and I've been gradually clearing out the other beds.

So that's all the excitement from here. Hope everyone has a great Saturday!

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>51 lauralkeet: I haven't read An Immense World, just started it. When the book club chose it I put it aside to read nearer the February club meeting date. There were several "mind blowing" things in the part I did read. One that sticks in my mind is a bird that sings a song in a sound range it can't hear. I am looking forward to getting back to it.

Hope you have a great Saturday too.

>53 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks for the clarification, Reba!

Good morning ...

I didn't do any gardening yesterday because it got cloudy and then it rained off and on, sometimes heavily with thunder, for a while. I took advantage of that to make progress towards finishing my sweater project. I worked the buttonholes and a bit more of the buttonhole band. I have a few rows left to knit, and then I need to bind off my work and sew on the buttons. I'd love to finish this up today.

But first, we're heading out early on a bird walk in a park we haven't visited before. Today's guide is our favorite of the 3-4 guides we've walked with. They are all very knowledgeable about birds of course, and this guy has expertise in other areas too (plants, wildlife etc.) and shares it freely throughout but in a low-key way (no mansplaining ha ha).

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I came *this close* to using today's word on my second turn.

>55 lauralkeet: Wishing you a pleasant and fruitful (birdful?) walk this morning!

Hi Laura my dear, a belated Happy New Thread dear friend. I hope that you are having a really good weekend and send love and hugs from both of us and Felix.

Hope you had a great time on your bird (and other nature things) walk this morning

>45 lauralkeet:, >57 johnsimpson:, >58 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Micky, John & Reba! Nice to see you all here.

The bird walk was pretty good. It was different from previous walks, mostly because of the season. This is the time when warblers are migrating through the area. But unlike their spring migration, on this trip they do not sing so you can't bird by ear. Rather, you have to watch closely for movement in the trees and then have the skills to know what you're looking at. Fortunately our guide and 3-4 other experienced birders were on hand to do just that. Where on previous walks we spent most of our time walking trails, on this walk we hung out near groups of trees, watching for birds. There were a lot of them! The guides identified several different types of warbler. I managed to see a few, using binoculars of course. Here are two (not my photos):


Black & White Warbler


Northern Parula

After our early start yesterday we fell into complete lazy Sunday mode. We watched the day's stage at La Vuelta and then found a replay of a cycling race that took place in Quebec City last Friday. We thought we might recognize some of the route, in particular a very steep hill near our hotel, and sure enough we did. While watching cycling I finished knitting the button band on my sweater. I was all ready to attach the buttons, but after reading up on the technique, I realized I need to work one more step first which required an Amazon order. So, after a short delay I will be able to wrap this up.

Yesterday afternoon/evening I also found time to read more of An Immense World, which continues to be fascinating. We also watched an episode of The Wire.

This morning I'm working a library shift, and while I'm there I'll pick up two holds:


Kate recently recommended Wrong Place Wrong Time to me, and Mad Honey was mentioned somewhere on LT (Reba?). I'm thinking of starting *WPWT* right away. An Immense World is very interesting but demands a lot of attention, and I can feel myself flagging at times. I'm at the halfway point and I think a short break will re-energize me.

I'm not sure what else I'll get up to today. Maybe a bit of veg garden cleanup, a task best done in short bursts.

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PLEAD, SLIDE, ELDER, OLDER

Mad Honey was very good.

>61 katiekrug: Oh maybe it was you, Katie! I'm really looking forward to reading it.

>62 lauralkeet: - Reba read it much more recently than I did, so I'm sure that's what put it on your radar :)

>60 lauralkeet: Yep, I mentioned Mad Honey -- excellent book imo -- as is An Immense World which I must return to before long.

Wrong Place Wrong Time is a fast moving thriller book. Nothing too heavy but an engrossing fast read. I think I didn't love it, but was an easy, good read - potato chip read, lol.

>45 lauralkeet: Already in the BlackHole.

I still have Ed Yong's I Contain Multitudes here to read before I get to his next book. . .

Have a marvelous Monday, Laura!

>63 katiekrug:, >64 RebaRelishesReading: You two are endless sources of book recommendations!

>65 raidergirl3: Good to know, Elizabeth. That's just what I'm in the mood for at the moment. Kate and her friends group share books and/or book recommendations (like we do here, but IRL). They are all fans of Tana French, as am I, and Kate will often recommend a book to me if it's what she considers "Tana adjacent."

>66 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia! I haven't read Ed Yong's first book. I look forward to learning more about it on your thread.

Hi all,

Yesterday was pleasantly low-key. I spent 30-45 minutes in the garden, beginning to tackle some really messy spots. The area around our barn/storage and veg beds is gravel, but that doesn't keep weeds from coming up which starts to look like crap after a while. The worst of it is behind the barn which, like dust bunnies under the bed, no one but us ever sees. But eventually you need to deal with it. So I've made a start. I also did a little work on my stocking project, cutting out the felt pieces and researching the best way to do the lettering at the top.

Last night's viewing included University Challenge (a one-sided but still excellent match), and an episode of Tour de France: Unchained. At bedtime I started reading Wrong Place Wrong Time which is off to a fast-paced start.

This morning we're going to the gym, and the rest of the day is unplanned. I will probably do a bit more garden cleanup. And I want to do a test run on the sewing machine. It hasn't been used in a while and my skills are rusty, so I should probably practice before doing any "real" sewing on the stocking.

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>67 lauralkeet: Thank you, Laura! I don't think I've ever had a compliment I liked better :)

>59 lauralkeet: Gorgeous birds, even if they are not your photos. We don't get those around my part of the world.

>67 lauralkeet: I would also be interested in Tana French adjacent!

Hi Laura. I see that you're reading An Immense World. I was looking at that in a bookstore the other day. It looked interesting though I haven't heard or read anything about it. Are you enjoying it?

>59 lauralkeet: I love warblers and those two are lovely.

>69 RebaRelishesReading: awww, you deserve it, Reba.

>70 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! One of the things I enjoy about travel is seeing the different birds (and other animals, and plants). The western parts of North America are very different from here. Even so, we don't see these warblers year-round, only during spring and fall migration. So if you're into birds, it's a treat.

>71 raidergirl3: Hi Elizabeth, it's fun to chat about Tana's books with Kate and see where it leads her, book-wise. The Secret History is a good example.

>72 EBT1002: Hey Ellen! I'm guessing the cover of An Immense World caught your attention. I love that monkey. But also, the book is really interesting. I was not familiar with Ed Yong's work other than knowing he's a staff writer for The Atlantic, and won a Pulitzer for his coverage of the pandemic. The book is really science-y, but not arcane. His writing style is aimed at the layperson so it's easy to understand the concepts.

I've found that sometimes these daily agenda posts help me hold myself accountable for something I need to do. Like yesterday: I made myself do some garden work before lunch, which freed up the afternoon for crafting and reading. I set up the sewing machine and familiarized myself with all the bits and pieces. Kate -- or maybe Julia -- has my machine, and this one belonged to my mom. At my skill level (which is pretty basic), it works pretty much the same way. I was happy to see the machine is still in good working order. Onward!

Today will be more structured than yesterday. We took an early morning exercise class, so that's already done (yay!). I have a guild meeting at 10am, and barre at 4:30. In between I'll do something crafty, maybe sewing on sweater buttons since the things I need were delivered yesterday. I'll probably fit some reading in as well.

Wordle 816 4/6

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EARLY, GLARE, ALTER, CLEAR

>74 lauralkeet: Morning, Laura! I'm puzzling over your Wordle diagram because it doesn't seem to match your list of guesses. The first three rows indicate that an R is in the answer, but it's not? Mind you, I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep so I'm a little foggy this morning and probably missing something really obvious!

>75 rosalita: oops, that was a typo on my part Julia. Fixed now. Thank you!

>76 lauralkeet: Just to prove how foggy I am, I even pointed out the wrong letter in my spoiler comment. So things are really going well today so far ... :-)

>77 rosalita: You weren't foggy at all, Julia. You pointed out that my first three words included an R that wasn't in the final answer but should have been. And you were right, because I typed the wrong word as my final answer.

Good morning ...

Yesterday I finally sewed the buttons on my sweater project, which means it is now FINISHED! The final finishing steps (button band, buttons, etc.) took much longer than I expected, both because I needed materials (like buttons, button backers, and sewing thread) and I needed to research and practice some of the techniques. The latter was challenging not because the work was difficult, but because I had to fight the temptation to do something half-a**ed just to be done. I'll hope to have photos to share soon.

On the reading front, I've found a nice rhythm reading An Immense World during the day and Wrong Place Wrong Time at bedtime. In the daytime I can give An Immense World the concentration it requires. *WPWT* doesn't make those demands and moves along very quickly, so I'm still able to read a nice chunk before nodding off.

Last night's viewing included episodes of The Wire and also Yes Minister which we've seen many times but is always fun to revisit.

Today's agenda includes the gym, picking up the farm share, and a few miscellaneous tasks. It looks like the weather will be mild so I might also continue the veg garden cleanup. And maybe work on my stocking project or start the Fair Isle hat (photo in >23 lauralkeet:).

Wordle 817 5/6

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STEAM, DRAIN, ACORN, BARON, RAYON
This would have been a 4, but I thought the word was a brand name so I tried something else.

Hi Laura, and happy new thread, albeit a bit late.

>1 lauralkeet: Sweet Alys.

>59 lauralkeet: Gorgeous birds, thanks for posting ‘NMP’ photos. I’m glad you had a successful bird walk.

>79 lauralkeet: Sounds like a good agenda for today. I am sending info re the Shetland Wool Week to a friend of mine who’s a serious knitter, just as a way to get back in touch with her. She’s in my RL book club, but goes out of state to visit her children a lot and most recently missed a book club meeting because after 3+ years of NOT getting Covid, she and her husband got Covid recently.

Hope the rest of the week goes well for you!

I don't know how I managed to miss this new thread but I did. I was thinking it was awfully quiet from your neck of the woods: turns out it wasn't at all. So: *hug* for Alys, lovely birds, good for you re garden clean-up, hooray for finding your new shoes (I have had dismal luck buying shoes online and must try them on), more hooray for getting the buttonholes done, thank heavens for some rain, happy reading.

I've never seen or had a black and white warbler, or a parula. Hope I don't lose you again!

I can't wait to see photos of your sweater, Laura. Your work is so beautiful.

>79 lauralkeet: Yay for finished!

Oh, how exciting to be finished with the sweater!

>80 karenmarie: Hi Karen, Alys says thank you for the compliment. I hope your friend appreciates the Shetland Wool Week info.

>81 tiffin: Hey there Tui, thanks for all the hoorays. Alys sends a virtual hug.

>82 BLBera:, >83 quondame: Thank you so much Beth & Susan. Photos coming soon, I lost track of time yesterday.

ETA:

>84 PawsforThought: and Thanks to you too Paws, looks like we cross-posted! I'm pleased with it and also glad to be finished and moving on to something else.

Happy Friday!

Yesterday's weather was gorgeous, so I took advantage of that for a bit and continued working on garden cleanup. There are so many areas in need of attention, I just have to break it down and keep plugging away. I spent some of the afternoon reading, too. In the evening I started a swatch for my Fair Isle hat: a small piece of the overall pattern, to make sure I'm getting the right gauge which in turn makes sure the hat will be the correct size. I worked on the swatch while watching The Duke, a film with Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, both of whom I love. They were excellent in their roles and it was a nice lighthearted movie.

It's another gorgeous day here. Temps have dropped and this morning it feels almost like autumn. My first priority today is grocery shopping (woo hoo). In the late afternoon I'm going to help set up the fiber guild's booth for a fair this weekend. This is one of two fall fairs where we demonstrate fiber arts and sell handmade goods. In between groceries and fair setup, I'll probably just putter around and read.

Wordle 818 4/6

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WEARY, INERT, OVERT, EXERT
I solved this before going to the gym. You can see my early morning frame of mind ...

Have a fantastic Friday, Laura!

>86 lauralkeet: LOL (re Wordle)!! Hope you have a lovely, productive day. I need to do some things in the yard too but it's going to be 91 today so the plants and I can just wait until further into Fall when it's nicer :)

>87 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia, it's been peachy so far!

>88 RebaRelishesReading: That's wild Reba, I seem to remember the other day you mentioned having very mild weather. I guess it came over our way. It's been in the mid-70s, sunny, with a breeze. Really nice. But I didn't do any gardening. We took Alys for a long walk instead.

>89 lauralkeet: Yep, it's been a bit of a roller coaster here lately.

>59 lauralkeet: Lovely sightings of feathered critters Laura.

I'm glad you enjoyed them, Caro.

Welcome to the weekend!

Yesterday was lovely, nice weather and a low-key schedule. Evening viewing included Gardeners World and an episode of The Wire with a very dramatic ending that we're still talking about this morning.

Here's the cardigan photo I promised:



I'll be heading out to barre shortly, and then I have a whole list of little things I'd like to get done today both indoors and out. Mostly mundane stuff like garden cleanup and vacuuming. Sigh. But it needs to be done ...

Wordle 819 5/6

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CASTE, PLEAD, MEALY, ABLER, ANGEL

Happy weekend, Laura!

The sweater looks great. Well done!

I love the sweater, great color.

>93 lauralkeet: Beautiful sweater full of complicated stitches! You definitely are a skilled knitter.

Katie, Beth & Reba thank you so much!

Hi Laura. Lovely sweater! I love reading your posts and seeing you say you might do "something crafty" this afternoon, etc. I'm so excited about my sketching adventure and looking forward to spending time in the middle of the day fitting that in between reading and gardening and vacuuming. Lol.

>93 lauralkeet: Wow! Excellent pocketing!

>98 EBT1002: Ellen, I can't wait to see what you get up to in your new-found free time. You're gonna love it.

>99 quondame: Thanks Susan!

My Sunday is off to a lazy start, thanks to rain which makes me want to curl up with coffee and a book. It's supposed to rain off and on most of the day, so indoor activities are in order. I haven't done the vacuuming yet, and I guess I have no excuse now. This afternoon we have tickets to a concert by the Manhattan Chamber Players, eight artists from -- you guessed it -- New York. This is the opening concert in a series, held in a village just 20min from here.

Last night we finished season 3 of The Wire and watched the Formula 1 qualifying round. La Vuelta wraps up in Madrid today, with the winner already determined and we are very happy with how that turned out. Where will we get our cycling fix now? We have one episode left in Tour de France: Unchained so that will have to do.

I'm making steady progress in both An Immense World and Wrong Place Wrong Time, two very different books for sure. An Immense World is fascinating, but there's a lot to digest. I tend to be a monogamous reader but the two-book strategy is working for me in this case.

Wordle 820 3/6

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DREAM, MOUND, MUSIC
In other puzzle news, I had a personal best time on the Sunday crossword. Woo hoo!

Today's crossword was a fun - and fast! - one. I also got Wordle in 3.

Enjoy your rainy Sunday, and I hope the concert is good.

Hi Katie! Rex Parker called the puzzle "very easy" but I'm still happy about my PR! Happy Sunday back at ya, my friend.

Very happy about the Vuelta results too. The Jumbo Visma team sure seems supportive of each other. Sepp was amazing!
WTG re the crossword! I Wordled in 3 as well.

I don't usually try the Sunday crossword but listening to you guys I may just do that. It will come at the expense of knitting and reading but it would be nice to have some puzzle success today. I managed Wordle in 4 having only two letters up to that point thereby proving the value of letters eliminated :)

A rainy Sunday sounds rather appealing although it's really beautiful here today. I'd think about reading outside except there won't be any sun in our backyard (north facing and small) and there's no place to sit in front so guess I'll just stay inside.

Hope your cozy afternoon is wonderful!!

Yeah, today’s crossword was a quick one for me too. Fun, though. Mostly because I knew all the songs… 😀

>104 tiffin: Tui, I might have a bit of a crush on Sepp Kuss. And yes, what a team.

>105 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba ... we've been doing the Sunday crossword for a long time, like years.. It took quite a while before I was able to finish it, and even then it involved a lot of googling. Back then we had the Times delivered and mostly solved on paper. As I got better at it, and started using an app to solve, I began paying attention to my solve time. I'd say just dive in and do your best, without worrying about finishing the puzzle. Or start with the Monday puzzles, which are the easiest of the week, and build from there.

>106 drneutron: Me too Jim! That was a fun theme.

Beautiful cardigan, Laura!

>108 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah!

And a hearty welcome to the week to everyone.

Yesterday's rainy weather made for a pretty relaxed day. I did most of the vacuuming, except for our TV room and other rooms within hearing distance. Chris was watching F1 and La Vuelta, and I popped in to watch from time to time also. We enjoyed the afternoon concert followed by a quiet evening at home. I did very little reading yesterday and absolutely no crafting.

This morning we did the early class at the gym (*adjusts halo*), and I'll be heading to the library soon. This afternoon I should probably finish the vacuuming (the excitement never ends here), and then we'll see. Maybe gardening because the weather should be nice. Or maybe not. I have some phone calls to make which I am already mentally putting off until tomorrow. Never mind that I originally intended to make the calls last week ...

Wordle 821 4/6

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TRADE, CRASH, PRANK, FRANK

LOL about the phone calls. I can relate.

We've got your rain now, thank you very much...

I took all 6 on Wordle today :(

>110 katiekrug: We've got your rain now ...
I heard the same grumpy refrain from the Brooklyn branch of the family this morning. #sorrynotsorry

It's gorgeous here today so I wish you the same for tomorrow!

>107 lauralkeet: I always do the Monday puzzle (fairly quick and I don't have to do research to finish it), sometimes Tuesday or Wednesday too. Once in a great while I'll give the Thursday a look too. In reality, that's probably all I will do :(

Laura and Katie - please send the rain my direction!

>112 RebaRelishesReading: Oh I understand now, Reba. I thought you were new to the puzzle in general but in fact you are a seasoned veteran. Thursday is kind of a turning point in the week in terms of difficulty. I always solve Sunnday-Wednesday and hubby always solves Thursday-Saturday. Sometimes I'll do one of the puzzles later in the week, but not always.

>113 EBT1002: abracadabra ... done! Ha.

Hiya folks,

Yesterday's major accomplishments included vacuuming the downstairs, and making those dreaded phone calls. Not only did I make the calls (which were about getting estimates for an HVAC project), but when the two companies I called said they didn't do the work we need done I found two more, called them, and made appointments. Yay me. We also ran some errands and had a coffee while we were out.

Last night we watched University Challenge, finished up Tour de France: Unchained (excellent series btw), and then started True Detective. Like The Wire, this is another highly rated series that we somehow missed the first time around.

This morning I have a committee meeting over Zoom, and this afternoon I'm meeting with a potential new person to do our taxes. Somewhere in between I should get some more birdseed and I'll try to fit in some gardening and/or household tasks.

Wordle 822 3/6

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GREAT, POISE, CLOSE

I want to get back to TdF: Unchained. We watched the first (two?) episode(s)...

Well done on the phone calls!

Sounds like a solidly busy day but not *too* onerous :)

Hi Laura, I'm envious of your rain (I was looking at the NA rain radar). We've had very little since I don't know when. This afternoon the WNW wind blew off the smoky air from the SE.

I'm way behind on the threads, having been in B.C. (southern Vancouver Island) at a friend's place. Great vacation and clear air for us there. Hope your garden thrives in this tail end of summer. And that the reading has been wonderfully up your alley.

>116 katiekrug: Thanks Katie, and yes it was solidly busy in a good way.

>117 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! Thanks for visiting. We've been in a sort of drought since mid-August but rain has returned and in fact we're expecting a fair amount this weekend. Good news for the garden.

Yesterday was satisfyingly productive. The bird feeders have been re-supplied, the committee meeting was productive as was the discussion with the potential new tax guy. I didn't do any gardening but I did manage to finish An Immense World. Huzzah! Now I can turn my attention to Wrong Place Wrong Time, which is proving to be a twisty thriller. Yesterday my pre-order of the latest Thursday Murder Club arrived on my Kindle, and I'm looking forward to starting that next.

Today we're meeting with an HVAC company about a potential project. They've given us an arrival window, not an appointment time, so we have to wait around but I can use that time to take care of the gardening I've been putting off. This afternoon I'm meeting with the new Guild secretary to (hopefully) help her with some issues using Google Drive, which are making her job difficult. Fingers crossed it's just a learning curve thing, not an actual technical problem.

Wordle 823 5/6

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STARE, SHARE, SCARE, SPARE, SNARE
I hate when this happens!

I hope the HVAC company comes early in the window so you don't have to wait around too much.

Alphabet soup Wordles are such a nuisance but at least you made it there!

>120 MickyFine: Micky, your hoping paid off. The HVAC guy showed up right at the beginning of the time window. Yay!

We are looking at modernizing our HVAC systems. We have a bit of a hodgepodge, with one set of equipment serving the oldest part of the house and another serving a later addition. All of it is well past its useful life, and we would rather deal with that in a planned fashion than wait for something to fail. Yesterday's appointment went pretty well; the tech/engineer was knowledgeable, and proposed some reasonable solutions. We also liked his bedside manner. A second firm is coming today, and they're sending two people one of whom is called a "comfort advisor." I sense a more sales-oriented approach, but we'll see. Of course we also need to see what both companies' estimates look like.

My meeting with the Guild secretary was also productive. Fortunately her Google Drive issues were easily solved by downloading a bit of software to her laptop. The hardest part of this for me was being back in Windows-land after 5+ years of living in an all-Apple environment.

In between those two appointments I even got some gardening done. So all in all, it was a very productive day.

Today's agenda is far less scheduled, although I've decided to do the grocery shopping today rather than tomorrow just to get it out of the way. I expect I'll also find time to read Wrong Place Wrong Time, especially since the intrigue is picking up and I'm really curious to see how it all resolves.

Wordle 824 3/6

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TREAD, STORE, STONE
This could easily have been a repeat of yesterday's alphabet soup.

47. An Immense World ()

Humankind has a nasty habit of assuming that our world view is the only world view, and an animal’s experience is somehow “less than” our own. In An Immense World, science writer Ed Yong shows who wrong we all are by exploring all of the senses that exist in the animal kingdom. He begins with those most familiar to humans like sight, hearing, and touch. But even these familiar abilities manifest themselves in ways that differ from humans. For example, some animals see more colors than humans; we can only imagine their experience. Birdsong has more variations than we can detect. And then there are senses humans do not have, like using echolocation, electrical field, or the earth’s vibrations to hunt and navigate.

Each chapter introduces the reader to scientists who have made it their life’s work to research a specific sense. Yong’s science writing is accessible and easy to understand, although it does take considerable attention and reading stamina to get through the entire book. In the final chapters, Yong makes a sobering call to action by explaining how humans, through their domination and ignorance, have caused harm to certain species (and sometimes their extinction) by limiting their ability to use the senses that are so important to their survival. This issue is only beginning to gain traction, through efforts like “lights out” campaigns during migratory bird season. But in many cases the damage is already done. Books such as this do a valuable service by increasing our knowledge, but will we change our ways?

I'm reading Tom Lake and enjoying it thoroughly. Yours was the first place I saw it recommended so you get the credit -- thank you!!

I had to smile at your "going back to PC land" comment. I last used it in 2003 and am totally incapable to use it now (not that I'm great with Apple but I can usually do what I want to do). Hubby had PC until about a year ago and would sometimes ask me for help and then didn't understand why I had no clue. At the urging of his best friend and me he bought an Apple about a year ago and there it sits on his desk, totally unused as far as I can see, while he uses his ancient tablet. :(

>122 lauralkeet: Too bad my local library does not have a copy of that one, but as I mentioned before I still need to get I Contain Multitudes read yet. Still, putting An Immense World into the BlackHole.

>123 RebaRelishesReading: Well Reba, I knew you'd love Tom Lake but it sure is nice to see that confirmed. I spent most of my career in the PC world, going all the way back to MS-DOS in the 1980s although I dabbled in Mac at one point, and that's the direction we ultimately took for our personal devices. I was delighted to turn in my Windows laptop when I retired.

>124 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, I'll await your thoughts on I Contain Multitudes ... whenever you get to it.

Happy Friday, Laura. I also enjoyed An Immense World & I Contain Multitudes. Glad to see you had a titmouse and a goldfinch at the feeder. I have only seen a titmouse at my feeders twice in 7-plus years, although they do nest in our general area. Good job on the warblers too. Several of them change plummage in the fall, making identification more difficult. I like it that the black & white warbler does not.

TGIF!

Our second HVAC appointment went pretty well yesterday, so now we just await estimates. I finally finished up a big garden cleanup/weeding effort in our veg garden area, and getting the grocery shopping done yesterday leaves today's agenda completely open. I have a small task list that includes some outdoor work and also possibly dropping off a bunch of clothes for donation.

Yesterday I also finished reading Wrong Place Wrong Time -- thoughts coming soon -- and then started The Last Devil to Die, the newly-released fourth Thursday Murder Club book. Fans of the series might be interested to know there's an Instagram account for Joyce, regularly updated in character. It's kinda fun: Joyce Meadowcroft.

Tonight we're going out with some friends, first for a meal at an Indian restaurant and then a wind ensemble concert at Shenandoah Conservatory. We haven't seen this couple since before our vacation, so we're looking forward to a good catch up.

Wordle 825 3/6

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ASTER, SHRUB, BRUSH
Well, I haven't had a second turn like that before!

That sounds like a very nice evening out. I never turn down Indian :)

Fun Wordle progression - I had a standard 4...

>123 RebaRelishesReading: I've got sympathy for you...
Mr. SM *finally* upgraded to a laptop PC (he had an old mini-tower that started off with Windows 7). Then he spent a year with a tablet that died (it was old when he picked it up from a relative who upgraded).

After that (around 2015) he relied solely on his mobile phone. So guess who doesn't use the spanking-new lap top and still browses on the phone? I so don't get it. Myself, I am an Apple gal from way back (like 'Mac Plus). I bought a PC to be compatible for work after that; then when I retired, a Mac Notebook Pro in 2012. It still works but has a now-slow processor, so in 2021 I upgraded to the latest Mac Notebook Pro. I do not know a thing about operating Windows-OS and don't plan to learn at this stage!

Hi Laura, I'm envying your rain forecast but is it a "never rains but it pours" scenario?

I've been trying to gather my thoughts on end of month book reviews but end up lurking all over the threads instead!

>127 lauralkeet: I just got my copy of The Last Devil to Die yesterday and hope to get to it in early October. I really enjoy the Thursday Murder Club books.

Have a fantastic Friday, Laura!

>128 katiekrug: We looooove Indian food. One half of this couple is vegan which adds a challenge to dining out. They say he's found good options at this place, though, which is the main reason we chose it.

>129 SandyAMcPherson: I see there are several of us with Windows battle scars, Sandy. Our current Mac notebook/laptop/whatever is vintage 2014 but Chris and I use iPads most of the time. I'm considering going back to Mac when my iPad gives up, because they continue to improve in both size and weight.

>130 alcottacre: I love the Thursday Murder Club, too, Stasia. I don't usually go for "cozy" mysteries but the club members are so endearing.

>130 alcottacre: I'm eager to get that one, but I'm No. 87 in the library queue (although they say they have 42 copies in the system, so...)

Linda, this is the only TMC book I’ve preordered. I just knew I wouldn’t want to wait for a library copy!

We had a lovely night out with Kim & Scott. We ordered two of our favorites for dinner: chicken korma and lamb jalfrezi, and both were the right level of spicy. The concert was a joy. It was a student ensemble with a guest artist who had spent the week working with them, and their collective enthusiasm was evident.

Today we are expecting rain related to the tropical storm working its way up the east coast, but it looks like we are too far west to get any high winds. Keeping fingers crossed.

Needless to say, today will be an indoor day. I have a few tasks I'd like to get done, but hope to spend a decent amount of time knitting, or reading The Last Devil to Die, which is proving to be just as fun as I expected it to be.

Wordle 826 5/6

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SKEIN, ULTRA, RALLY, LABOR, CAROL

Happy Saturday, Laura. You missed me up there yesterday. I think we cross-posted. I am sneaky like that...

>135 msf59: Oh no Mark, I'm sorry!
We would never have found those warblers without our bird walk guides. They are really elusive.

48. Wrong Place Wrong Time ()

Late one October evening, Jen waits for her teenage son Todd to return home from a night out. Just outside their home, she witnesses him committing a violent crime. Jen is stunned, having had no indication of Todd’s involvement in anything that would lead to such an event. After leaving Todd at the police station, she and her husband Kelly are left trying to figure out what happened. But when Jen wakes up the next morning, she finds herself reliving the day before the crime. Is this an opportunity to better understand what happened, and possibly even prevent it?

Not so fast. It turns out Jen has a lot of time travel ahead, each new day taking her further into the past. By experiencing the day’s events through the lens of the future, Jen sees things she didn’t notice before. She begins by blaming herself for Todd going astray, but it soon becomes clear this is a much more twisty and layered thriller.

Gillian McAllister describes her novel’s structure as a “Russian nesting doll,” and for the most part it works, although I felt the ultimate resolution was a bit too on the nose. Still, it was a solid read and a fun diversion.

>137 lauralkeet: - I'll keep this one in mind for when I want something diverting but not too "thinky".

Have a wonderful weekend, Laura!

We're expecting rain too (different system obviously) and we have nothing on the calendar. I've declared a "sea day".

>138 katiekrug: "not too thinky" is a great way to describe it, Katie. I enjoyed it, but would also have enjoyed a bit more complexity aka thinkiness.

>129 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks Stasia! So far so good.

>130 alcottacre: a "sea day," eh Reba? I imagine you in a sailor suit with a jaunty cap but that's probably not what you had in mind ha ha.

Good morning ...

It's been such a wet weekend! We had about 1.5" of rain yesterday and another 0.5" overnight. It's not raining now but I think we might still see a bit more today.

Yesterday morning I went to barre, and then managed to get a few admin kinds of things done. In the afternoon I enjoyed some reading time and also started knitting my Fair Isle hat. Evening viewing included an episode of The Wire.

Although today will be another rainy and mostly indoor day, I will be spending the morning at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, where the guild has a booth to demonstrate fiber arts and sell handmade goods. Thank goodness our space is indoors! I'm the cashier this morning, which involves keeping track of what's sold and using Square to take payments. It's my first time at this fair although the guild has a booth every year. I'm hoping to take a spin through the vendor area after my shift. And then I expect this afternoon will look a lot like yesterday afternoon, with reading and crafting, and I have no complaints about that.

Wordle 827 4/6

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PANEL, SHOUT, MIGHT, RIGHT

>142 lauralkeet: Hope you have fun at the festival and that plenty of people stop by your booth.

>142 lauralkeet: Have a grand time at the fibre festival!

>141 lauralkeet: No sailor suit or cap of any kind -- bathrobe and slippers all day :)

Wow! 2" of rain in 24 hours -- hope you aren't flooding. We were supposed to get rain for several days starting yesterday -- so far nothing :(

Hope all is going well at the Fiber Festival. I wish it was nearer...I would definitely go.

>119 lauralkeet: oh yeah, that was a rabbit hole of a Wordle.

I loved Tom Lake and now I'm enjoying/appreciating Prophet Song.

We keep getting promises of rain that doesn't materialize. Yesterday the odds were 90% and we still got nothing. Oh well.

Laura, totally appreciated your clarification at post #115 regarding the hijinks the newer Mac OS gets up to.

I've copied all my old HTML strings to a plain text document based on your suggestion. Sure took me a long time to figure out where my code was screwed up.

>146 EBT1002:, >147 EBT1002: I envy you reading Prophet Song, Ellen. I've seen so much praise for it on the threads, but it's not available in the US yet. Did you snag a copy in Ireland?

>148 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, I just responded over on your thread. I'm glad it was useful information.

>149 lauralkeet: I did get my copy in Ireland, Laura. It's a signed softcover copy. I know you and Mark and others are anxious to acquire it. I'm happy to start it on the rounds after I finish it if folks want to read it and pass it along.

>150 EBT1002: That's generous of you, Ellen. I think you could hold an auction and make a bundle ha ha.

Good morning everyone,

I had a fun morning yesterday at the fiber festival, hanging out at our booth and chatting with Guild members and visitors. I was also pleased to have sold three of my knitted hats at our two fall festivals. It's the first time I've ever listed items for sale, but I had several hats in need of good homes. I turned right around and bought a couple skeins of very pretty yarn from one of the festival vendors.

Chris wasn't feeling great yesterday although he started to rally around dinnertime, and then had a craving for comfort food. We opted for BBQ takeout which was most satisfying.

Today's agenda is pretty light. I'm working a library shift this morning. It's not rainy but the ground is really wet so I'm not sure I want to do any outdoor work. We're having dinner over at our neighbors tonight so no cooking again, yay.

Wordle 828 3/6

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CHEAT, BLOCK, ROCKY

>151 lauralkeet: Yay for turning hats into yarn. Do you have plots for the skeins you acquired?

Enjoy your dinner with friends!

>153 MickyFine: Micky, I love "turning hats into yarn". It's like magic! And yes, I have a project in mind. I don't usually buy yarn without an idea of what I want to make. In this case, a hat pattern that I think will look best with a gradient/tonal yarn. But I may have also bought two colorways because I couldn't decide. What the hell, I can always make a second hat. And sell it next year for more magic!

>154 lauralkeet: Sounds like a perfect plan. I keep buying yarn faster than I can knit and our second guest room is starting to look like a yarn shop.

>155 RebaRelishesReading: I get that, Reba, I've just never been able to do it. For some reason having a lot of yarn stresses me out.

Good morning ...

Chris and I ended up working in the garden yesterday after all, and I also managed some reading and knitting time. We had a nice evening at our neighbors' house. They're young, with a young family (2 year old and infant). This is the same family with the barn cats that visit us. They're a very nice couple and we were surprised they invited a us oldsters for dinner, seeing as we are about the same age as their parents. But it was fun to visit with them and their daughters are sweet as can be.

We have a full agenda today: both of us have our annual doc visits this morning and eye doc appointments in the afternoon. Not sure what else I'll get done, but surely there will be reading.

We have to fast for this morning's bloodwork, but fortunately coffee is allowed. That said, I'm stuck on the Wordle so I'll have to come back to it when my brain is in gear.

That's all for now ...

ETA: Back from the doc appointments, all is well, and I finished the Wordle in the waiting room. Not my best.

Wordle 829 5/6

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TIRED, CLASP, AGLOW, OFFAL, LOYAL

>157 lauralkeet: I had to smile a bit at your Wordle journey. I also tried a somewhat unusual word which led me to finally see the correct one.

How nice to get to know your neighbors better. That's the only thing I would complain about re our house -- we're at the end of a dead-end street with surrounding houses either with the backyards towards us or ours toward them. I invited the couple from the house behind us over when we first moved in -- they came, we had a pleasant time, and I've never seen her since (literally). Bump into him from time to time and have a pleasant chat but that's it. I really love it here but wouldn't mind a bit more "neighborliness".

>158 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, we don't live in a neighborhood, it's more rural with farms, or homes with more land than usual. We are friendly with those who live along the road where we walk Alys, meaning we wave to one another when passing, but the only ones we have any meaningful interaction with are this couple, who live just across the road from us. I'm grateful to have the sort of relationship where we can look out for and help one another if needed, especially since we are of their parents' generation. Those parents all live nearby so they have that support system -- it would be easy to just ignore us, but they don't.

>157 lauralkeet: That sounds like a lovely evening. We are sometimes surprised at how much our nephews and nieces in their 40s seem to enjoy spending time with us. We love it but I still get caught off guard when one of them calls and says "I'd (or we'd) like to visit."

When my first wordle guess gets all gray, I have to remind myself that "this is information." Ha.

Hi Laura! Jealous of your rain. We've had a wetter than normal spring and summer, but the threat of drought is always present. I'm jealous that you have the new Thursday Murder Club book in your possession already! I need to wait for my hold to come in.

Happy Tuesday!

>160 EBT1002: "this is information"
That's excellent advice, Ellen. Probably better than expletives ha ha.

>161 AMQS: Hiya Anne! I haven't seen much about the latest Thursday Murder Club around here yet. Let me assure you, it's a good one and worth waiting for.

Hey everyone ...

Yesterday's doc visits went off without a hitch, seems like we are both healthy and just need to keep doing what we're doing to stay that way. Eye doc appointments also went well. I needed to update my contact lens Rx; they are progressive lenses and the reading part needed a change. I have the very beginnings of cataracts but the doc said I'm a good 10 years from needing surgery. I'm okay with that.

Also yesterday:
* Crafting: I successfully embroidered a name on the Christmas Stocking (never done lettering before), and made some decent progress on my hat during our evening viewing.

* Reading: The Last Devil to Die, an absolutely incredible section with an unexpected plot development that was also an emotional gut punch. I don't know how Richard Osman does it, but he takes a cozy mystery to a new level, making me both laugh and cry.

* Viewing: An episode of True Detective which is super creepy and riveting.

Today's agenda:
This morning I have our monthly Guild membership meeting, with a guest speaker for our program. I'm slightly nervous about all the technology working well for her presentation: laptop connected to TV screen, Zoom for those who are not there in person, and a fancy new camera+microphone that will improve the experience for virtual folks. The camera is our newest bit of kit so we're still learning.

The rain has departed, so in the afternoon I might continue our endless garden weeding/cleanup. It's a pain, but everything looks so much nicer when it's done.

Wordle 830 3/6

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SPOUT, SHAME, SMILE
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Thanks for the reminder about the new Osman. I just placed a library hold and hope it won't take too long. Right now I'm reading and listening to The Covenant of Water for RL book group which is good but way too long. I'm frustrated that I can't get to other books.

>164 vivians: Boy do I sympathize, Vivian. My bookclub is reading it for January. I haven't started yet because I like to read closer to the meeting date but it's sitting there next to my desk staring at me -- what a tome!! (friend who chose it for book club loved it though so hope I will too)

>163 lauralkeet: I think you got me there Laura -- my wish list has been taking a lot of hits lately :) Glad your doc visits went well. I'm happy to say that's pretty much the message I get from my doctor and I know it feels good.

Hope you've had a good Wednesday.

OK -- I've now ordered the whole set ;>

>163 lauralkeet: My brother-in-law gave me his copy of the second in the series. I enjoyed the first but just haven't found the time to keep up with it. Now I want to dig back in and how lucky that I got this used copy!

>151 lauralkeet: I think you're right. Maybe this should be my supplemental retirement strategy. I am trying not to keep books after I read them, even if I love them. I'll let you know how I do with that on this one. It really is so very good.

>164 vivians: Vivian, I just can't bring myself to tackle The Covenant of Water, despite hearing unending praise about it both on LT and IRL. The wait at the library is just too long ... and so is the book LOL.

>165 RebaRelishesReading:, >166 EBT1002: Hi Reba & Ellen. The Thursday Murder Club series is magical. The mysteries are well crafted, and even though you know it's completely implausible for a group of aging pensioners to solve these crimes, you still find yourself getting totally sucked in. The story arc of the pensioners, their relationships, and the supporting cast is equally well developed and you can't help getting invested in their lives. There's both humor and emotional depth, in a way I just haven't experienced in a mystery series before.

Good morning, welcome to Thursday!

Yesterday's Guild meeting was excellent thanks to a superb guest speaker. I was home a bit later than usual because we went to lunch after. The weather was really nice and I had time to tackle a bit of gardening, so that took up the rest of the afternoon.

* Crafting: continued working on the Fair Isle hat.

* Reading: I finished The Last Devil to Die. So so good. I was under the impression Osman was wrapping up the series with this book, in order to start something new. But in the afterword he says he's just taking a break from TMC:

This was the fourth Thursday Murder Club book, and I promise it won't be the last. But I will be making you wait for a little while, as I'm going to write something new next, about a father-in-law/daughter in-law detective duo. I promise you'll like them, but, as I say, rest assured that Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron will also be sticking around for a long time to come.

Hurray!

* Viewing: Harper, a 1966 detective film starring Paul Newman. Pretty good and Paul Newman is always excellent.

Today's agenda:
I have my regular cleaning at the dentist, and I'm planning to do the grocery shopping after that. This afternoon one of the HVAC contractors we met with last week is stopping by for a followup visit in order to develop a more detailed estimate. Reading-wise, I hope to get a bit more into Mad Honey which I started at bedtime last night.

Wordle 831 4/6

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GREAT, ALOUD, POACH, COACH

>168 lauralkeet: That’s great news about the not-ending Thursday Murder Club series! I have The Last Devil to Die right now and it is so good! Many thanks for the news!

Karen O

>168 lauralkeet: Glad to know that The Last Devil to Die is "so so good" and that the TMC is only in abeyance for a while, not done!

I've only read the first Thursday Murder Club book but all this chatter has me looking at putting the second one on hold sooner rather than later.

Your love for the TMC books has me wanting to read the 2nd to see if it sucks me in more than the first (which I thought was fine, it just didn't blow me away...).

>172 katiekrug: katie perfectly summarised my thoughts on the TMC.
I'll make me a list of the series and add it to my

LT folder of Series "TBC" (to be continued).

I love "Harper"...and lately I've been taking note of how many other movies and TV shows pay homage to its opening scene by having some character recycle a nasty used filter full of spent coffee grounds. It's fun.

>169 klobrien2:, >170 alcottacre:, >171 MickyFine:, >172 katiekrug:, >173 SandyAMcPherson: Hello to all the Thursday Murder Club fans, and those still on the fence. You should know that I fell in love with this series from the first book. If you're in the same spot, or have grown to love it over time, you will definitely love this one. If you're not yet convinced, then ymmv as they say.

>174 laytonwoman3rd: Hey Linda, we've watched a couple of noir detective films lately. The Long Goodbye with Elliot Gould was the other one. What's struck us is how many tropes from this genre appear in The Big Lebowski. But you can bet I'll be on the lookout for used coffee filters from now on. I can't unsee it now!

I have happily read 3 Thursday Murder Club books and have holds on the next - but I'm not in love or anything. Maybe as a curmudgeon myself I remain unconvinced that back pain and whatever else requires the characters to be in a retirement community doesn't occupy much more of their time and energy.

>176 quondame: There are all kinds of reasons seniors move to retirement communities: loneliness after losing a spouse, looking for community, freeing themselves from homeowner responsibilities, etc. If they are still in good health, an independent living community is a valid choice. The main characters in the Thursday Murder Club are in this category and I think Osman does an excellent job of portraying seniors as vibrant people leading fulfilling lives.

Sure, sometimes there are health/medical reasons. My dad had Parkinson's, which progressed to a point where he could no longer live in his own home with my mom. That was a little more than "back pain" and yes, it "required" him to move into an assisted living facility. I was grateful for the facility and the care they provided, and sad that he and my mom were unable to live more like the Thursday Murder Club gang.

Happy Friday everyone,

First, yesterday's news.

Crafting: I finished the Christmas stocking. Here are the 4 originals, plus the new one. I'm pretty happy with it!



Reading: I'm well into Mad Honey now and am really caught up in the story. I sense there's a surprise or twist ahead, and am interested to see how that plays out.

Viewing: an episode of The Wire, and some miscellaneous stuff that I wasn't really paying attention to (because reading).

Today should be pretty low key since I knocked out the grocery shopping yesterday. I have a small kitchen cabinet organizing project to do (it's time to deal with all the coffee mugs), and I'm meeting a Guild friend this afternoon to get her advice on choosing colors for a sweater project. We'll do some sort of takeout or dinner out tonight. I was hoping to go up the road to the winery, but that will depend on weather. It's a bit gray and misty today.

Wordle 832 4/6

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ARISE, ADORE, AWARE, AZURE

Really nice job on the stocking! Are you doing another one for the other gentleman friend?

I'm glad Mad Honey has you locked in.

>179 katiekrug: Thanks Katie and yes, that's the plan. Noah's family doesn't celebrate Christmas so this will be his third year with us and it's time to replace the store-bought stocking. Tyler spends Christmas with his family although I have a vague sense that's out of some feeling of obligation which he hasn't yet figured out how to deal with. Still, the guy deserves a stocking right?!

>180 lauralkeet: - He definitely deserves a stocking! Have you told Kate and Julia that they either have to stay with these two or only ever date Noahs and Tylers forever and ever? ;-)

>177 lauralkeet: - I think your remarks to >176 quondame: are very accurate about the book. I'm still on the hold list at the library and the new system they're using (which I hate) doesn't have a way to tell where you are on the list like the old one. You have to ask a librarian to look it up, so I'm not sure when I'll get it.

I just heard about Mad Honey somewhere else here on LT and since Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, I'll be hoping to get to that soon.

>181 katiekrug: - I've made my share of Christmas stockings over the years (although fabric, not knitted) and I used to cross-stitch the name on a piece of cross-stitch ribbon. Once I was in a hurry and used some of the fabric paint and sure enough, that's the one that I needed to take the cuff off and replace when the person was replaced.

>177 lauralkeet: Well-stated! I never considered living in a retirement community (and it’s still only a glimmer to me) until I lost my husband this past March. Now I live alone, and I need help with everything Art used to do, and I do get lonely and afraid of things that go bump in the night…

I loved the Thursday Murder Club books since Osman started writing them: the characters are so vibrant and alive!

Karen O

Just saw images on Twitter of the flooding in Brooklyn. I hope your girls don't have to be out and about today!

>181 katiekrug:, >182 dudes22: Tylers and Noahs, oh my. I hope it that never comes to pass, but then you can't predict these things can you? I would probably just make a new stocking, to be honest. And then require a child to be named Tyler or Noah ... ha ha.

>182 dudes22:, >183 klobrien2: Thanks for your sharing your thoughts on retirement communities. I'm glad what I wrote made sense to you; I struggled to find the right words.

Karen, I was not aware of your recent loss and am so very sorry.

>184 katiekrug: Hi Katie, all is well in their parts of Brooklyn. It's wet but not flooded. Thanks for your concern!

>175 lauralkeet: I have really got to get it read soon!

>178 lauralkeet: Nice!

Have a wonderful weekend, Laura!

>178 lauralkeet: Love the new stocking!! It's fantastic!! Glad you're liking Mad Honey. Jealous of your Wordle result.

Have a lovely day :)

>177 lauralkeet: In my experience, the older than me seniors who have chosen assisted living or senior community arrangements haven't lived as long as those who stayed in homes of their own or with family. Not enough for any statistical truth, but it does flavor my thinking. At 74 I'm certainly old enough to consider such, and might have to if my somewhat younger husband weren't basically robust, but really I'd rather not. Much rather not.

>178 lauralkeet: Lovely stocking, Laura! My paternal grandma moved into Independent Living when she was 86. It worked out well for her. She lived until she was 96. Her spouse had died of a stroke in his mid 40's , but she was accustomed to living with several of her siblings. When the last one died, and she was left alone in a house, she was afraid at night and lonely too. Then she had a bout with Shingles, and it was a bad one, so she moved into the Independent Living residence. She was suffering with some memory loss as well, like leaving the kettle on , or the stove top and that worried my dad. My husband's parents moved into a Independent Living Residence in their early 80's. My father in law have suffered a stroke that left half of him paralyzed, and my MIL was battling breast cancer. So they made the decision that was best for them. My MIL lived a nice long life , until 93. My FIL passed away of a heart attack about 5 years after they moved into the Independent Living Residence.

My mom, who is 70 and in excellent health, moved into a lovely continuing care facility this past year. My dad passed away very suddenly when he was only 63. My mom lived in a condo on her own for almost 10 years. But she had several friends who were living in this retirement home and she decided it sounded much more appealing than living on her own. Now she has a lovely apartment, still has her car and a parking spot, is only 6 minutes from us and her grandkids, has dinner with a group of 6 people every night, does water aerobics daily in a lovely pool, goes to movies in their theater, goes to lectures, sings in the choir, etc.

She is really happy to have all of the social interaction that she lost when my dad died. Admittedly, she had the money to afford a REALLY nice facility. They have about 3 different buildings with connected walkways, gardens, 8 dining rooms, libraries, a pharmacy on site, large pool and hot tub, workout facilities, etc. Anyway, she's really happy and my sister and I are thrilled that she's chosen a way to live that will really support her as she ages and is close to us so we can see her lots and provide support.

And, back to books, I've only read the first two Thursday Murder Club books, but I really enjoy them.

>186 alcottacre: I hope you're able to read The Last Devil to Die soon, Stasia. I absolutely loved it.

>187 RebaRelishesReading: I'm finding Mad Honey un-putdownable, Reba. Today's weather is supposed to be really nice so I'll probably get outside, but the book will be calling my name.

>188 quondame: The main factors affecting longevity are diet, exercise, sleep, managing stress, stimulating your brain, and engaging socially. There are many ways to address those factors, independent of living arrangements. And there are many other factors that determine where a senior chooses to live. Not everyone wants to live with family, not all family members are able to shoulder the responsibility for care, some health conditions require professional care, etc. etc.

>189 vancouverdeb:, >190 japaul22: Deborah & Jennifer, thanks for sharing your experiences with this. My parents lived in their home for a few years after my dad's diagnosis. Then one day he had a significant debilitating incident requiring hospitalization, that ultimately landed him in assisted living. It then became evident that my mom's cognitive abilities were worse than we realized and she could not live alone. My brother and I both live too far away to be involved day-to-day. For our family, a continuing care community was the best choice.

Moving on ... I hope everyone's weekend is off to a good start.

Here's a short agenda post. We ended up going to the winery last night after all. It was a bit cool and overcast, but still a nice outing. Today's weather is much nicer and I hope to get outside, but first I have some home admin tasks to attend to.

Book review up next.

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GREAT, SHADY, CANDY, DADDY

49. The Last Devil to Die ()

The Thursday Murder Club was formed by a group of seniors living in a retirement community, with an initial interest in cold cases. By this fourth book, our protagonists have established a track record solving present-day crimes. Their success simultaneously delights and frustrates the local police, but by this fourth book they have all figured out how to work together. This time, the crime victim is an antiques dealer, a long-time friend of Elizabeth’s husband Stephen whose assistance proved invaluable in a previous case. The investigation has the team exploring both drug traffickers and shady antiques dealers.

Of course they solve the crime, but along the way the four club members experienced events that have a profound effect both personally and collectively. The most significant of these developments was foreshadowed early on, but played out differently than I expected. Richard Osman then devoted the next few chapters to a very emotional interlude exploring the impact on each club member. This poignancy continued alongside this series’ trademark humor, with events tied up in a very satisfying way.

>190 japaul22: I'm approaching the age at which people often choose to move into group housing and so give it some thought from time to time. I've concluded that if my husband were to die first I might consider it some day, mostly so I'd have the option of joining others for the evening meal. I've actually only lived alone for about 4 months in my entire life (first with parents, then roommates and then marriage -- one post-college period without roommate in an apartment) but I think I'd be fine with it otherwise (until and unless my own health, metal or physical, required it)

>191 lauralkeet: I'm so happy you're enjoying Mad Honey and hope the weather cooperates for outdoor reading. I have ordered all four TMC books and the first three arrived yesterday. I have a few things I need to finish up first but I'm looking forward to a good who-done-it soon.

Enjoy your weekend :)

Hi Laura. Your review of the most recent Thursday Murder Club book makes me want to give the series a second chance. I was a bit on the lukewarm side for the first two. I found them amusing yet the characters didn’t grab me.

Along those lines, I enjoyed The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen and On the Bright Side by the same author. Hendrik is an octogenarian living in a retirement home in Amsterdam. He is also the founder of The Old But Not Dead Club.

Enjoy your weekend. It feels more like summer than autumn here in Southwest Missouri. We may break the record high temp of 91 degrees today. Hope not!

>188 quondame:, >191 lauralkeet: My parents moved into a townhouse within a retirement community at age 75. They were in good health but wanted to be done with maintenance of an old house and large yard, and also it was a graduated care facility so they could transfer into an apartment with tiers of assistance as needed. As it happened, they resisted transferring, got on the waitlist for an apartment but kept turning down options that didn't meet precise criteria. Then four days before his 90th birthday my father had a stroke, and it was immediately obvious that my mother could not manage on her own (even though us three siblings were local, they had sheltered us from signs of decline). My father's condition was awful but straightforward, and he was whisked to the hospital and released to rehab and well cared for until his death seven months later. My mother's condition was initially less awful but more complicated, and even with the supposed tiers of care it took several months and a bazillion conversations and consultations to get her into a safe situation. Meanwhile we had to cobble together a combination of us juggling who could take what time off work, and hired assistance for specific tasks, and we remained involved as her advocate in serious medical decisions and treatment well after she was settled in skilled care. We were in family emergency mode for a year and a half, even though my parents had made efforts to plan ahead, and even with a hefty amount of institutional support. None of us were in a position to take in elderly parents who needed medical care; didn't have the physical setup or the time, or most notably the expertise.

>194 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, like you I haven't really ever lived alone. I hadn't thought about how that might influence my own "where to live" decision and you've given me some food for thought, thank you.

>195 Donna828: We're having a little resurgence of warm weather too, Donna. I plan to enjoy it while it lasts!

>196 qebo: thanks for sharing your story, Katherine. I can relate to much of it, particularly your last sentence.

>191 lauralkeet: I rather think heredity is at or near the top of the list though it can be undermined.

In my 20s I did live alone and a few years in my 30s as well - Until shortly before I married at 38 I had roommates or partners from 32-37 but was still basically on my own in terms of responsibility for food and finances.