Katie's Reading Life - 2020 - Part 12

Photograph by Anthony DiMatteo - Clark's Pond in Bloomfield, NJ

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Welcome to my thread! I’m Katie and I’ve been with the 75ers since 2011. I live just outside New York City - in addition to reading, I love to explore the city and to travel both near and far. I’m a bit of a foodie, am trying to get more comfortable doing my own cooking, and love wine. My reading tastes are eclectic and run from acknowledged classics to super frothy romances. I can be a bit snarky and sarcastic, and I am not to everyone’s taste, which is totally okay with me :)

In addition to a couple thousand books, I live with my husband (affectionately known as The Wayne), our cat, Leonard,and our new doggo, Nuala.

I don't have any specific reading goals for this year, but I do plan to participate - at least a bit - in several challenges here and in the Category Challenge and Reading Through Time groups.

CURRENTLY READING

(Kindle) (Audio)

COMPLETED

Books off my shelf: 16
Books off my Kindle: 21

81. Turbulence by David Szalay (4 stars)
80. Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (4 stars)
79. City of Thieves by David Benioff (4.5 stars)
78. Jackaby by William Ritter (audio) (3 stars)
77. Lockdown by Peter May (3.5 stars)
76. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner (3 stars)
75. Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan (3.5 stars)

74. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (audio) (4 stars)
73. The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward et. al. (4 stars)
72. Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (4 stars)
71. Writers & Lovers by Lily King (4.5 stars)
70. The Mercy Seat by Elizabeth H. Winthrop (5 stars)
69. Lily-Josephine by Kate Saunders (3.5 stars)
68. The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves (audio) (4.5 stars)
67. An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (3.5 stars)
66. Speaking of Summer by Kalisha Buckhanon (3.5 stars)
65. Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore (3 stars)
64. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris (audio) (4 stars)
63. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles (4 stars)
62. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (audio) (4 stars)
61. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (audio) (2.5 stars)

DID NOT FINISH (Year to Date):

1. The Little Disturbances of Man by Grace Paley
2. The Murder of Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes
3. Handsome Boss by Lori Wilde
4. Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren
5. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand
6. Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

COMPLETED

60. An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (3 stars)
59. Long Bright River by Liz Moore (5 stars)
58. Beach Read by Emily Henry (4 stars)
57. The Secret Guests by Benjamin Black (audio) (3.5 stars)
56. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (4.5 stars)
55. How to Ride a Dragon's Storm by Cressida Cowell (audio) (3.5 stars)
54. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (audio) (4.5 stars)
53. The End of October by Lawrence Wright (3.5 stars)
52. French Exit by Patrick deWitt (audio) (3.5 stars)
51. The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs by Nick Trout (3 stars)
50. Fade Away by Harlan Coben (audio) (3 stars)
49. Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (4 stars)
48. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (4.5 stars)
47. Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words by Tara Sivec and Andi Arndt (audio) (4 stars)
46. Smile by Roddy Doyle (audio) (4 stars)

45. Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (3.5 stars)
44. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (4 stars)
43. A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell (audio) (3 stars)
42. I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty (4 stars)
41. Pont Neuf by Max Byrd (audio) (2 stars)
40. Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland (audio) (3.5 stars)
39. Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward (4 stars)
38. Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl (5 stars)
37. Quarantine by John Smolens (3.5 stars)
36. Mister Monkey by Francine Prose (audio) (3.5 stars)
35. Born Round by Frank Bruni (audio) (4 stars)
34. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson (4 stars)
33. Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian (audio) (3 stars)
32. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (4 stars)
31. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (audio) (4 stars)

30. Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane (audio) (4 stars)
29. Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl by Various Authors (2.5 stars)
28. Visions in Death by J.D. Robb (4 stars)
27. The Indignities of Being a Woman by Merrill Markoe & Megan Koester (audio) (4 stars)
26. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (audio) (3.5 stars)
25. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (3.5 stars)
24. Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie (audio) (3.5 stars)
23. A Boy in Winter by Rachel Seiffert (audio) (4 stars)
22. This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison (audio) (3.5 stars)
21. Island of Wings by Karin Altenberg (3 stars)
20. Riots I Have Known by Ryan Chapman (audio) (3.5 stars)
19. Emma by Jane Austen (audio) (4 stars)
18. Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern (4 stars)
17. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson (3.5 stars)
16. Circe by Madeline Miller (audio) (4 stars)

COMPLETED

15. Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham (4 stars)
14. Still Waters by Viveca Sten (3 stars)
13. Corregidora by Gayl Jones (3.5 stars)
12. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (3.5 stars)
11. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (4 stars)
10. Lady Fortescue Steps Out by M.C. Beaton (audio) (3 stars)
9. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn (4 stars)
8. Nightwoods by Charles Frazier (4 stars)
7. The Circus Fire by Stewart O'Nan (3.5 stars)
6. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (4.5 stars)
5. A Commonplace Killing by Sian Busby (4 stars)
4. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider (3.5 stars)
3. Big Girl by Kelsey Miller (audio) (4 stars)
2. Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore (4 stars)
1. American Royals by Katherine McGee (3.5 stars)



My Ratings (revised, once again, as I continue the fruitless search for the perfect scale...)

2 stars = below average
3 stars = average
4 stars = above average
5 stars = perfect *for me*

(Anything below 2 stars is unlikely to be finished)

I'm a sucker for peonies...



Welcome!

>5 katiekrug: Beautiful!

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread, Katie.

Love the peonies, Katie. Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Katie. I'm looking forward to following along. :)

Happy new thread, Katie. I was expecting a puppy photo or two but the peonies and pond are lovely!

I also loved Writers & Lovers.

Happy new thread, Katie. Gorgeous peonies!

>6 richardderus: - Thank you, sir!

>7 PaulCranswick: - Thanks, Paul.

>8 Familyhistorian: - Thank you, Meg.

>9 DeltaQueen50: - Nice to have you along, Judy :)

>10 Copperskye: - Keep checking in, Joanne. I'm sure there will be new puppy photos soon.....

W&L was great, wasn't it?

Katie, I signed in here before I caught up on your last thread so I just found out about your new puppy. She's adorable and I am very happy you found her.

Hoping for lots more puppy pictures, Katie.*
(And happy new thread! )

*In a non-demanding, relaxed sort of way...

Happy new thread, and glad to see that Nuala is settling in.

Katie, this new thread is nice and all, but I really think that henceforth all new threads must include a pup photo. Nuala's adoring fans want to watch her being adorable as she grows up!

Oh, and congrats on the pooch! I got very behind in threads and missed the news. She looks adorable. The only dog I ever had (for 15 years) was a small dog but he was black with a gray *beard* so that look just melts my heart. My friend's cat and dog got along great. Just saying. :-)

Happy new one!

Congrats on getting your new puppy! Very exciting :)

Happy New Thread, Katie! Love the Clark's Pond topper!

Happy new thread, Katie. I love peonies as well. No photo of the pup?

Good dog. Had to jump back and take a look. Yeah.

Happy new thread! Love the still life.

>13 DeltaQueen50: - Thank you, Judy!

>14 charl08: - LOL, Charlotte. I will post a new pic when I sit down at my computer for work :)

>15 bell7: - Thank you, Mary.

>16 lauralkeet: - Duly noted, Laura! I didn't want to bore people :) And most of the photos are very similar because the easiest time to snap one is when she's lounging and they all look the same.

>17 jessibud2: - Thanks, Shelley.

>18 figsfromthistle: - Thank you, Anita!

>19 msf59: - Thanks, Mark.

>20 BLBera: - Yay for peonies! I will post one soon.

>21 weird_O: - Thanks Bill :)

>22 Helenliz: - It's pretty, isn't it, Helen?

Hiyah, Katie! Happy new thread!

Thanks, Jim!

>23 katiekrug: I get that, Katie. My daughters constantly ask me to "send dog pics" and I usually end up snapping a photo that looks like it could have been taken anytime in the past year.

This is a bit blurry, but you can see the hound in her, I think, especially around the ears.



Her bark, which she rarely uses, also sounds a bit hound-ish.

Happy new thread, Katie!

>23 katiekrug: And most of the photos are very similar because the easiest time to snap one is when she's lounging and they all look the same. I've got hundreds of the same photo of Zoe and Wash taken at different times.

>28 katiekrug: Sweet pup.

>28 katiekrug: - Awww! I have an almost identical pic of my pup at almost the same age, same pose (except, mine was on my dad's lap)... nostalgia pangs...!

>28 katiekrug: aww. It's nice to get a "full" look at her, and she's a beauty. You're lucky she's not much of a barker!

>29 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen!

>30 jessibud2: - She's a real sweetie, Shelley. We are lucky to have her.

>31 lauralkeet:- I hope she stays not much of a barker, Laura :)

Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan

This one started slowly for me, and I thought about putting it aside, but eventually, I got caught up in Tilda's story. Tilda had a fraught relationship with her mother, who sent her away to boarding school at a young age, and never seemed to accept Tilda and her "oddness." The novel tells the story of Tilda discovering the truth about her mother following the latter's death - a truth obscured by secrets and regrets and the many ways we can hurt those we love the most. Much of the book is told in flashbacks to Tilda's (then Tilly) childhood when she lost her father, the world was a confusing place, and she never felt that she fit in.

This was a decent novel but some of the characters and plot threads were weak. What kept me reading was wanting to know if Tilda would ever reconcile with the memory of her mother.

3.5 stars

(This was an LT Early Reviewers book.)

And with that, I've read 75 books with half a year still to go!

I'm also a member of the love peonies and puppies club and looking forward to many photos of each. Hope this new thread records a very happy time in your life. I'm looking forward to following along.

Woohoo! Congrats on reaching 75! 🎉

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Young adult novels often don't work for me. I'm too far past that stage in my life, and they often feature cliched, angst-y characters who reflect nothing of what my teenage years were like. And the stories can be simplistic and formulaic. But maybe that's just the kind of YA I have the bad luck to encounter.

With the Fire on High was definitely a cut above the rest. Acevedo deals with important themes in a realistic and sensitive way. Emoni is a senior in high school with a 3-year old daughter. She is navigating the usual school stuff, but also uncertainty about her future, the pressures of being a young mother, and a precarious existence seemingly on the edge of poverty. There are no easy resolutions, there is no heroic figure swooping in at the end to set everything right; but Emoni does learn her own strength and her confidence allows her to pursue her dreams.

The audio was read very well by the author.

4 stars

>34 RebaRelishesReading: - You certainly can't go wrong with peonies and puppies, Reba! Thanks for those lovely thread wishes.

>35 bell7: - Thanks, Mary!

Congratulations on reaching 75, Katie! That's impressive, so early in the year.

>33 katiekrug: YAY!


>36 katiekrug: Yay again! I liked the read as much as you did, though with a lot more surprise to be honest. My track record with YAs is, it's fair to say, poor. This story has something special.

>33 katiekrug: Congratulations on reaching 75, Katie!

I just left congratulations for Richard over on his thread, only to come here and discover you have also reached the milestone, Katie.

Congratulations on reaching 75!

Congrats on reading 75 books!

Happy new thread, Katie, and congrats on reaching 75 already!

I love the story about Nuala's fake peeing. She's a smart cookie :-) I'm glad she's settling in.

Congrats from me too!

Congrats on 75, Katie, and I love the fake peeing story too.

Thanks for all the congrats, everyone! I still find it a bit hard to believe :)

Today is my first day of vacation. I'm off until next Tuesday. I've got lots of organizing and picking up around the house to do. My bff is coming over for the Fourth of July, which I am looking forward to. haven't seen her since late January!

Today's Nuala pic is an "action" shot taken on our walk last night. Not much action, but it's not her lounging on the chair she has taken over as her own, so.....

She has a great smile. And that purple lead! Love it.

>47 richardderus: - Purple is my favorite color :) And I didn't even pick the lead and collar out! The Wayne was in charge of purchasing all the necessities. He did a good job.

The Stone Circle, #11 in the Ruth Galloway series, is on sale for Kindle for $2.99 today.

And Then There Were None is only $1.99, too. In case there are some Agathans out there.

Nuala is a sweetie, Katie.

Congrats on reaching 75!

>49 katiekrug: I already thanked you on the eBook "deals" thread, but THANK YOU again for this alert Katie! Apparently you are more reliable than the alerts I've signed up for on ereaderiq. I snapped up The Stone Circle right away, and I'm super happy because it's the one I need to read next. Woot!

Thanks for the Nuala photo -- Does she do well on a leash? I was never very successful getting my dogs to be calm and not tug all of the time on a leash -- perhaps I should have walked them more :)

>50 richardderus: - Ooh, a classic! I'd snap it up if I didn't own it already.

>51 BLBera: - Thanks, Beth!

>52 lauralkeet: - Oh, good, I'm glad my alert was useful, Laura. Woot! indeed.

>53 RebaRelishesReading: - Hi Reba! She is a bit hit-or-miss on a leash so far. She doesn't tug a lot, but she wanders which can lead to tripping of the humans :) But then sometimes her hound instincts kick in and she puts her nose to the ground and trots along in a nice straight line.

>53 RebaRelishesReading: re: dogs that tug, our lab Woody was an atrocious tugger. We bought a PetSafe Easy Walk harness and it made a world of difference.

>55 lauralkeet: - Yep, we have a walking harness for Nuala.

>55 lauralkeet: I doubt I'll ever have another dog (sob) but I'll keep it in mind if I do. My "grand -dogs" have harnesses and it helps with Mollie -- a strong, active, young lab-mix.

Lovely to see Nuala, Katie. She looks a lot like our Lab mix from years and years ago. He took to dog training perfectly as long as he was in the gym getting instructed, but as soon as we hit the parking lot he knew he was out of school! Hit the end of the leash like an express train sometimes. But a real honey.

Congratulations on the new dog, the new thread, and 75!

>58 ffortsa: - Thanks, Judy!

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

I wanted to like this more than I did. It started off well enough - a plus-size social media influencer agrees to be a bridesmaid at her ex-best friend's wedding on Cape Cod. There is a lot about social media, body positivity, teenage cruelty, and it was engaging. But about halfway through, the story suddenly shifts gears (no spoilers!), and the change just didn't work for me. The protagonist becomes kind of an idiot and the story gets shallow and ridiculous.

Meh.

3 stars

>60 katiekrug: Oh, that's so disappointing. The midstream shift away from what you were enjoying drives me spare.

Tooth pain makes this a day I'd like to sleep through. Luckily the dentist's office is making my appointment on Monday and they're doing everything to get me in during the week instead of the usual two-month wait for new patients.

>60 katiekrug: oh that's too bad. I hadn't read any of Weiner's early books but I enjoyed Mrs Everything and I like her advocacy for body positivity. This book wasn't calling to me but I'm still sad to see it didn't "click" for you.

>61 richardderus: - Boo! to tooth pain. The. Worst. I'm glad the dentist is fitting you in.

>62 lauralkeet: - I think I like Weiner's earlier stuff way better. I do want to read Mrs. Everything, though.

My bff is coming over today, so we'll have a lazy day of hanging out and eating (and of course, we'll keep a safe distance). I insist on hot dogs on the 4th of July, but we'll also have grilled vegetables, and I made an orzo salad with pepper, cucumber, spinach, and feta, dressed with The Wayne's Famous Vinaigrette. For dessert, there will be pound cake, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. Not too shabby!

Nuala is doing well. She peed in the living room yesterday, but I think that was due to us being distracted with house projects and not taking her out as often as we should have. Otherwise, she's been doing great, except for her penchant for waking me up too early (miraculously, The Wayne seems to always sleep through it..... ).

We mostly got the living room together yesterday. I still need to tend to a few details, and some pictures need to be hung, but it no longer looks like a disaster, so I'm happy. I promised somebody a picture when it was finished... This is the main area:



And here is the obligatory Nuala photo. She got a new toy :)

Hi Katie! Happy 4th and happy visit with your BFF. Your menu is perfect. Your living room looks marvelous.

Yay for the Nuala pics and her new toy. We have kitty toys all over the house.

The living room looks absolutely beautiful, Katie. I love the pieces you chose to go with the amazing purple chesterfield.

I'm glad Nuala has a new toy. Such a good girl.

>64 katiekrug: Its Majesty Purple I looks wonderful with that rug. The room's a cozy comfy-looking spot.

And Nuala is a complete widdle woofiekins smoochieface!

>65 karenmarie: - Hi Karen! Nuala's toys seem to already be taking over, but I don't mind :)

Thanks re: the living room.

>66 lauralkeet: - Thanks, Laura! I like that I managed to keep the room cozy but colorful, if that makes sense.

Nuala is a very good girl.

>67 richardderus: - I like the rug, too. The colorful hassock doesn't really go (I think it's too glaringly white) so that may move elsewhere. I really love it, though, so don't want to hide it away...

Perfect description of Nuala!

The hassock's issue is the rug. Absent the rug, it would be fine in the room; but heck yeah, retain it! Such a lush and visually fun piece of practical furniture.

>64 katiekrug: It looks very comfy, Katie. Nice built-ins.

What a charming, cozy room!! Love it! I foresee many wonderful fall/winter evenings by that fire...with a sweet, beautiful doggie at your feet. Life doesn't get better than that.

umm, this might be a translation thing, I see no hassocks. That's a kneeler, traditionally found in church.

>72 Helenliz: A hassock in American English is an upholstered footstool or ottoman (so says the Oxford American Dictionary). Having said that, in my Midwestern part of the U.S. no one would use that word. It's strictly an ottoman in these parts.

(A hassock is also a clump of marshy grass, but not in Katie's gorgeous living room!)

>72 Helenliz: It's a pouffe to me! (I suspect that this term will die out with my generation though). I love it, I'd buy one.

It’s a pouffe to this Brit also. Though it changes with households as my best friend would call it an ottoman. Just what my grandparents always called them.

A kneeler or hassock would be a much smaller hardish cushion that hangs on the back of pews in churches, or sits on the seats, not something big enough to sit on by itself. I

Thank you all. In that case I think the hassock is fabulous.
>74 charl08:, >75 lunacat: and me. Phew!
I always think of an ottoman as having feet (although not necessarily legs), and being longer than it is wide. I imagine someone lounging on an ottoman, you can't lounge on a pouffe - or if you did you'd fall off.

In this difficult year with an unprecedented pandemic and where the ills of the past intrude sadly upon the present there must still be room for positivity. Be rightly proud of your country. To all my American friends, enjoy your 4th of July weekend.

To me as well a hassock can only be found in a church. I can’t see enough to decide whether I would call it an ottoman - to me an ottoman has to be rectangular rather than square. But a pouffe I think of as round ... I’ve realised I have no word for square shaped things of that type. Whatever it’s called, I like it.

>69 richardderus: - Yep, the white clashes with the creamy-beige and looks Wrong.

>70 BLBera: - Thanks, Beth.

>71 RebaRelishesReading: - Life is good, Reba :)

>72 Helenliz: - I see no kneeler?!?! Isn't a kneeler the low, narrow padded thingy that swings down from the pew in front of you?

>73 rosalita:, >74 charl08:, >75 lunacat:, >76 Helenliz: - Ah, language! I introduced my best friend to the Great British Baking Show last night, and we had fun analyzing language differences :)

>77 PaulCranswick: - I've never not been proud of the idea of my country, Paul. It's worth fighting, arguing, and protesting for.

>78 SandDune: - Maybe I'll just call it a table, as I've put a clear tray on top of it so it can hold a drink or whathaveyou :)

The living room looks great, Katie! And well done getting all the doggy toys out of the picture :-)

>72 Helenliz: to >78 SandDune: May I offer "foot stool" as an option. That's what I think first when I see it. Definitely not a pouffe which, to me, is a large, leather pillow-like seat found in North Africa. I've never heard anyone actually use the term "hassock" either but perhaps I just haven't spent enough time on the east coast. I love regional language.

(But, yes, the whatever-it's-called-thingy might be happier in another room)

>60 katiekrug: Never been a big Jan Weiner fan . Seems like she writes the same book over and over again

>64 katiekrug: the Famous Purple Chesterfield looks right at home. Agree that the white hassock is sort of fighting it out with the rug

Looks great Katie! I'm very partial to the wrought iron hardware - we have an very old house and have that hardware throughout. Hope you're enjoying this wonderful weekend!

>80 susanj67: - Ha! All the doggy toys are in the family room, Susan :)

>81 RebaRelishesReading: - I think it's too high to be a foot stool, Reba.Whatever it's called, it needs to find a new place to live!

>82 magicians_nephew: - Her first novel, Good in Bed, remains my favorite. It was somewhat revolutionary for its time.

Thanks re: the living room!

>83 vivians: - Thanks, Vivian. The house has a lot of details like that that we love.

I'm loving this discussion of hassocks and their ilk. I've always used the terms ottoman and footstool, and used them somewhat interchangeably. Now I see how WRONG WRONG WRONG I was!

I realize some of this discussion is probably due to variations in English usage on either side of the Atlantic, but I also found this article:
Hassock vs. Ottoman vs. Pouf vs. Footstool: What Are the Differences?

I like that it begins, "This article splits hairs," and also that it lays out some "defining differences." I'm bummed that there are typos in the article which, for me, affects its credibility. I now know that the footstools in my living room are, in fact, hassocks and not ottomans (ottomen?). I'll leave it with Katie to determine what her piece of furniture should be called. 😀

>85 lauralkeet: - Thanks for that link, Laura! I use hassock and ottoman interchangeably, but since mine doesn't have legs or structure, I shall now refer to it as a pouf :)

Katie--Congrats on 75!! Already!!

>64 katiekrug: The room looks awesome. Hope the hot dogs and BFF visit were fabulous. And I am glad you are having so much fun with Nuala, despite the loss of sleep and the toy tripping danger. ; )

>85 lauralkeet: Clearly I have missed noting the subtle differences between furniture pieces! LOL

>85 lauralkeet: BE WARNED CLICKERS
The link plays audio that you can not turn off or escape from while trying to read the article.

>87 Berly: - Thanks, Kim!

>88 richardderus: - Odd. I didn't get any audio at all when I clicked on it and read through... You must just be lucky ;-)

Happy Newish Thread, Katie, and congrats on reading 75! Your new living room looks great, as does your pouffe/hassock/footstool/ottoman. (In my neck of the woods, it would be an ottoman).

Nuala looks like she's living the good life. We just had two weeks of toy tripping danger with the two-year old grandson. His father told us he'd lately begun creating "death traps", with his constructions left near doors and stairs for best fatal tripping. We managed to survive.

>88 richardderus: Oh no, that didn't happen when I visited, although it's a very "busy" page. I'm sorry to have caused a disturbance.

No music for me either. Glad my initial leaning towards pouffe has been followed up and others concur.

Now we’ve dealt with that, time to have a debate as to the correct spelling of it :)

https://grammarist.com/homophones/poof-pouf-or-pouffe/

>85 lauralkeet: In my family, hassock was the default name. And we did have a few, but nothing so grand, or in such delightful fabric.

>92 lunacat: that's useful. It seems we are mostly talking about pouffes here.

Hi Katie! I hope you're enjoying Lockdown. I found it engaging and distracting, in good ways.

Your living room is lovely! I love the fireplace and of course the bookshelves. And Nuala is a cutie. I'm so glad you found her.

Glad to see we're converting you to the cause of the pouffe!

>90 jnwelch: - Hi Joe! Thankfully, Nuala isn't smart enough to create "death traps" :) She just gets bored easily and needs a lot of toys, apparently!

>91 lauralkeet: - So weird that different people experienced the site differently...

>92 lunacat: - Ha! I'll defer to the spelling of The Thing to those who correctly identified it from the get-go :)

>93 ffortsa: - I think I am more likely to call such things ottomans, but I am definitely not consistent in my terminology.

>94 lauralkeet: - Okay, so pouffe. I will have to remember that!

>95 EBT1002: - Thanks, Ellen!

>96 Helenliz: - LOL, Helen!

Probably a huge mistake, but we let Nuala sleep in our bed last night, and there wasn't a peep from her all night. 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep -- pure bliss!

Today is the last day of my staycation. I plan to work on my current jigsaw puzzle and listen to Jackaby, as well as pick (and start!) my next print book. I finished Lockdown this morning and will share some comments later. I also realized last night I haven't done my June round-up yet, so I should get that done today, too.

JUNE RE-CAP

(YTD in parentheses)

Books: 14 (75)

Pages read: 3186 (15,397)
Audio time: 25:43 (222.29)

Print: 5 (14)
Kindle: 5 (21)
Audio: 4 (30)

Library: 6 (24)
Mine (pre-2020): 4 (33)
Mine (2020): 4 (12)

Fiction: 11 (52)
- General/Popular: 2 (14)
- Literary: 3 (11)
- Historical: 2 (10)
- Romance: 1 (9)
- Crime/Thriller: 1 (11)
- Juvenile/YA: 1 (6)
- Classics: 0 (3)
- Speculative: 1 (2)
Nonfiction: 3 (9)
Re-reads: 0 (5)

Female: 11 (52)
Male: 2 (23)
Mixed Anthology: 1 (1)

Own Voices: 4 (7)

US/UK authors: 13 (55)
Other countries: 0 (6) (Ireland x2, Canada, Sweden x2, Australia)

Date of Publication:

New (2019-2020): 7 (22)
2010-2018: 5 (27)
2000-2009: 0 (14)
1990s: 1 (3)
1980s: 0 (0)
1950-1979: 1 (5)
1900-1949: 0 (3)
19th c.: 0 (1)

Another good month. Highlights include reading 4 “own voices” works, and keeping a pretty good balance of genres. The three standouts were The Mercy Seat, The Silent Treatment, and Writers & Lovers. No true duds, though Big Summer was the most disappointing. I don’t have any real goals for July, so I’ll just see where the month takes me….

Hi Katie!

The thing we put our feet on in the living room, when nobody else is visiting, is called a coffee table. We are not couth.

>100 katiekrug: Belated congrats on 75 and a good June.

>85 lauralkeet: I enjoyed the article, Laura, even with its typos. I too now know that the footstools in my living room are hassocks (a word I have never used in my life until now) not ottomans because they don't have storage even though they look very much like the examples of ottoman in the article. Language is such fun.

>100 katiekrug: congratulations on a great month of reading, Katie!

Oops! I was here yesterday admiring your living room and got so caught up in pouffes and ottomans and hassocks that I forgot to comment (the fact that I was on my tablet didn't help). I think the rug and the ottoman pick up on each other's colors the way that you have them separated and I like that.

Hope you have a king-sized bed!

>101 karenmarie: - Ha! Karen, that made me laugh. Couth, shmouth. It's your house.

>102 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>103 ronincats: - Yes, a king size, thank goodness :)

I was here, Katie. Nothing productive to contribute, so I'll wave and quietly depart.

>94 lauralkeet: I'm still surprised that one turned up in my book just after this discussion.

Should I mention an ottoman bed? No?

>100 katiekrug: Lovely covers! May July take you to fun bookish places (even if RL can't right now).

>105 weird_O: - Hi Bill!

>106 charl08: - Thanks, Charlotte! And the same to you.

>100 katiekrug: Lovely covers, Katie! I'm sure they are more alluring now than they used to be when I was younger. Never judge a book by its cover, and all that, but these days I totally do!

Lockdown by Peter May

May wrote this in 2005 but no one would publish it because the idea of a London in lockdown due to a virus was too far-fetched. Ha.

This was a good crime thriller - Jack MacNeil tries to find out how a set of children's bones came to be dumped at a construction site. It's his last day on the job, and he traverses a near-empty London to chase down a killer. I might have given this a higher rating if the ending (specificially the bit about 3rd degree-burned Pinkie escaping and continuing to function despite his injuries) hadn't been so completely outlandish. Still, a solid and entertaining thriller for these weird times.

3.5 stars

>108 susanj67: - Seeing them all lined up like that, Susan, I am struck by how vibrant many of them are.

I am about halfway through City of Thieves which I first heard about during my first year on LT, and it's wonderful. It's been sitting on my shelf since 2011...

>109 katiekrug: Oh my heck! That's a sadfunnyweird story about how it came to be published. As to your spoiler, yeup that'd make me nutso as well.

Spend a happy Tuesday!

>111 katiekrug: enjoy City of Thieves we did.

does read a little bit like a screenplay - don't think they ever got around to making a movie out of it. (The author is also a screenwriter.)

eggs is eggs

>112 richardderus: - Thanks, Richard. It was a pretty meh Tuesday. Onward!

>113 magicians_nephew: - I know what you mean about the screenplay feel of it. I usually react negatively to that, but the humor in this one is carrying me along, I think.

So I haven't been here in a while...and everyone is downright tired of this subject now, but I'm chiming in anyway:

A footstool is very low, and has legs. Preferably covered in tapestry or leather.

A hassock is roundish, padded and higher; more for sitting on than resting feet on. May incorporate storage.

An ottoman is squarish, same height as a hassock or a little lower, not so comfy---more for feet than tushies, but OK to perch on if needs must. What Dick Van Dyke trips over May also open up for keeping things in.

Y'all are totally making up this "pouf/pouffe" thing.

Whatcha got there is definitely a hassock.

(Various internet sources will dispute my conclusions. You can just ignore them.)

Hey, Katie. Very belated congrats on hitting 75! Our magic number, baby!

>115 laytonwoman3rd: Love this!

Ciry of Thieves, you say... I'm impressed you picked it up: books that sit on my shelf that long don't tend to get rediscovered very often.

>115 laytonwoman3rd: - Your post made me laugh out loud, Linda, so thanks for that!

>116 msf59: - Thank you, Mark!

>117 charl08: - I'm impressed I picked it up, too, Charlotte. Books do tend to languish.... I have many unread that moved with me from DC to TX in.... GULP.... 2005.

Finished City of Thieves last night - loved it!

Am now reading #4 in the Bridgerton series as part of my re-read of the whole series as I (im)patiently wait for the Netflix show to drop :)

Jackaby by William Ritter

This was a mildly diverting audio, but the supernatural and YA are not very good fits for me. Abigail Rook disembarks in a New England port in 1892 and finds herself working for a private investigator who specializes in unexplained phenomena. For me, the characters were kind of flat and the mystery not at all suspenseful. Still, I'll give credit for the creativity and acknowledge that I am not the target audience. I have no doubt others will find it more entertaining.

3 stars

City of Thieves by David Benioff

A wonderful piece of historical fiction! I really loved this tale of 17-year old Lev in the besieged city of Leningrad during World War II. Tasked with finding eggs for a colonel's daughter's wedding cake, he is paired up with a Red Army soldier, and they traverse the city and its environs in search of eggs. Along the way, a friendship is formed and despite the bleakness of the setting, the story is brightened by humor and these two wonderful characters. Based, at least in part, on Benioff's grandfather's experiences during the war, this is a classic coming of age story in a unique setting.

4.5 stars

>121 katiekrug: At last a BB I can duck because I've already read the book. And I agree, it is a terrific read.

>122 ffortsa: - I can't believe it took me so long to get around to it, Judy :)

The fun historical romance, Bringing Down the Duke, is $1.99 on Kindle today. I really enjoyed this one last year.

And while I didn't *love* it, if anyone was intrigued by my recent comments on Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel, it is on sale for $2.99.

>121 katiekrug: That one's on my TBR list, but I'm not allowed to take out any more library books until I read the stack I've got, the ILLs on their way, and a few ARCs on my Kindle that coming out soon. I mean, okay, I'm the one making the rules, but I'm gonna try!

>125 bell7: - I hope you like it, whenever you get to it, Mary!

>120 katiekrug: Well, supernatural and YA are right up my street and I kind of love that cover. So, despite not exactly getting the Katie Seal of Absolute Approval, I think I'll add it to my list.

>127 scaifea: - Amber, I think it will be closer to your cuppa than to mine! If you like, I expect all credit....

Humid and grey and gloomy here. It's supposed to storm later - apparently as a result of Tropical Storm Fay, which I didn't even know existed....

I was supposed to have my first Zumba session this evening, but I have a feeling it will go virtual via Zoom. It's through the town, and when the weather is good, we'll be having the sessions on the town green. I've always wanted to try Zumba, and I figure a town offering would be less high-pressure than a more professional sort. And it was only $15 for 6 sessions, which is a STEAL.

Other than that, not much new here. Just keepin' on, keepin' on. The Wayne is going to get his haircut this afternoon, brave man that he is. I'm just going to let mine grow down to my butt ;-)

Nuala is doing great. Once we let her sleep in bed with us, she's been fine through the night, so I am getting to sleep again. She still hates her crate, so I guess she'll be a free-range dog!

>120 katiekrug: I read "disembarked" as "disemboweled" and wondered what the heck was wrong with them marketing that as YA.

It's raining here, now, but the winds are notably absent. Guess we'll see how close to reality the weather models are later, when the storm was predicted originally to have passed. Not much excitement, but considering how gawdawful the excitements of 2020 have been I ain't whinin' over it.

>129 katiekrug: - Zumba is great fun. When I used to belong to Curves, I signed up for their zumba classes. That was several years ago and while I don't miss working out AT ALL, I do miss zumba. Not enough, apparently, to find another class, I guess but if *normal* ever returns, I might. I am not into zoom for anything, to be honest. It just doesn't appeal and I have no room in my living room anyhow.

Good luck with your Zumba!

It rained here yesterday all day, but at least it got rid of some of the humidity and heat! It has been in the upper 80s with 70+ dew points, so it feels sticky.

I loved City of Thieves.

Happy Friday.

>130 richardderus: - Well, The Hunger Games trilogy is marketed as YA, and that had lots of awful things in it. Kids today.... smh. ;-)

Raining here, no wind. I don't mind.

>131 jessibud2: - I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl, Shelley. The Zoom is just back-up due to weather. I would prefer to be outside for it but needs must...

>132 BLBera: - Thanks, Beth! It's been around 90 here with super high humidity so if this rain knocks it down a little, I sure wouldn't mind.

CoT was great. I'm so glad I finally got around to it.

Zumba requires several things I don't posses in abundance, knowing left from right, rhythmn and co-ordination. I'm the elephant stomping on toes as I've Zum'ed when everyeone else is going 'ba!

It always looks like fun though, so enjoy. I really miss my spin class. Yes, I am a certified nutter.

I have no rhythm and no coordination. But as I've gotten older, I find I care very little about how silly I might look. I just wanted to try something new that would get me out of the house and doing some kind of activity :)

The brilliant Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay is $3.99 on Kindle right now. It's worth picking up just for the essays on Scrabble and The Help, but every piece is excellent.

>136 katiekrug: ooh I agree, Katie!

What is/are your source(s) for Kindle deals? You always seem to be on top of the latest developments.

>137 lauralkeet: - I mostly get my tip-offs from BookGorilla and BookBub alerts, Laura. You can personalize them a bit, though I still have to wade through a lot of crap in their daily emails. I also always check the Kindle Monthly deals around the first of the month - there are often good ones in there, but again, also a lot of crap. And then I keep a Kindle wishlist on Amazon, and you can sort your lists by price, so I can easily check if something I want has gone on sale.

But I saw the Bad Feminist sale on Twitter :)

>138 katiekrug: Thanks!

>129 katiekrug: When you first mentioned letting Nuala sleep in your bed, I thought to myself "I hope they know there's no going back now!" And I see you have come to that conclusion yourself. :-) I do heartily approve, as when I inherited my mom's dog after she died he was a free-range pooch all the way — never had a crate, could give him a full dish of kibble and he'd only eat when and as much as he was hungry, and of course he slept wherever he wanted to. He was a Very Good Boy for all of that, just as I can tell Nuala is a Very Good Girl.

Hopefully your Zumba class doesn't get rained out. Wishing you a fabulous and much dryer weekend. :)

>139 lauralkeet: - No problem!

>140 rosalita: - Definitely no going back, Julia. But I'll appreciate it all the more in the winter when my feet are always cold :)

>141 MickyFine: - It did get rained out, Micky. It's *still* raining.... But it should end overnight so hopefully the weekend will be drier. Though I think it's still supposed to be around 90F. Ugh.

Nuala is not amused that her outside time has been negatively impacted by the torrential rain. Poor thing.

>138 katiekrug: Katie, I didn't realise I could sort my Amazon list by price - it's a whole new (dangerous) world!

>143 katiekrug: Poor girl - that's an excellent sad face :-)

>143 katiekrug: Awww! Hope she (and everyone else) gets some dry weather soon!

>144 susanj67: - Sorrynotsorry, Susan! It's a great way to catch some books on sale :)

Yes, Nuala excels at the emotive face :)

>145 charl08: - Sunny here this morning, so after her breakfast she got to go out for more than just a quick wee!

Today should be pretty quiet. We realized that taxes are due next week, so The Wayne will be tending to that. I've signed up for the read-a-thon, so I'll be reading and puzzling much of the day, with some laundry thrown in for fun :-P

We're thinking of going out for an early dinner to a Latin place we've wanted to try, but it's supposed to be hot, so not sure that'll happen...

The excellent memoir, Heavy by Kiese Laymon, is $2.99 on Kindle today. IIRC, this was included on the NYPL Black Liberation reading list.

Hi Katie!

We got our taxes done in June, along with our daughter's. They were all filed electronically. Jenna got her stimulus payment, yay, and we owe the government just about the amount she received, so I'm reconciled. I'll mail the fed and state payments on Monday, just a couple of days ahead of the deadline. Good luck to The Wayne.

We haven't done our own taxes in many years; the company took care of it when I was an expat and we never went back. I'm the family CFO and really disliked doing them so I was happy to keep paying someone to handle it for us.

Good luck to The Wayne!

>149 karenmarie: and >150 lauralkeet: - Hi Karen and Laura! The Wayne doesn't mind doing them, I just hate that he often leaves it to the last minute. But this time we both forgot :) Anyway, they'll get done and it will be fine. We never get anything back because TW believes strongly in not giving the government "loans" over the course of the year and then getting money refunded. He'd rather just pay whatever is due, though of course, his ideal is to balance it all just right and not owe and not get a refund.

Next year's taxes will be more complicated for a number of reasons, and I've already planted the seed of getting a professional to do them.

>151 katiekrug: The complexities of what gets taxed and how much and what offsets...gawd. No thanks, and I am deeply glad they aren't taxing disability payments.

I tend to agree with Wayne, that's a worthy goal to aim for.

>151 katiekrug: Something I’ve always wondered about U.S. taxes which seem completely different from ours. Do you get tax deducted at source when you are paid in the first place or are you just paid gross, and then you have to pay all your taxes when you do your tax return? Or if tax is deducted in the first place, why is the doing of the tax return such a big deal? Just wondering ...

>152 richardderus: - Let's just say that I am glad he likes to do it so I don't have to :D

>153 lauralkeet: - He's always tinkering with the withholding, and it sort of drives me crazy....

>154 SandDune: - Rhian, taxes are withheld from our pay - federal and state and then there is also withholding for government programs like Social Security and Medicare. And health insurance contributions are also taken out, as are any 401(k) (retirement) contributions. So that's all done automatically, but then you can take tax deductions for various things (child care, mortgage interest, charitable donations, etc.), and that's what the return is for. I think that's basically what the deal is.

Happy weekend, Katie, and glad you were able to get the taxes done! I managed to get them in early before all this happened (I spring for a tax pro so I don't have to do it myself), and was glad enough to not have the extra stress, even with the extension. I had also got my passport renewal in and I *just* got the new one in the mail this week. Hope you have a great weekend!

>156 bell7: - Hi Mary! Uhh, the taxes haven't been started. Himself got distracted. Anyway, he'll get to them eventually - hopefully tomorrow at the latest!

>154 SandDune:, >155 katiekrug: It is also complicated because corporate / personal taxes filing is a large part of the accounting industry. The government, state and local, could provide pre-filled tax forms to people that use the simplest tax forms -- they have a ll the necessary data -- but accounting firms have successfully lobbied against that happening.

Federal/NY State taxes are weird. I have managed to find the withholding balance where I pay the Fed x dollars, but get 2x dollars back from the state. I did mine back in early February before the world fell apart.

>121 katiekrug: Hooray for City of Thieves! What a terrific read. I sure hope Benioff returns to writing novels. He is terrific at it.

>158 ELiz_M: - We have to pay New Jersey and New York taxes; they have some weird set-up where NJ will refund you some of the taxes you pay to NY or something. Very confusing...

>159 msf59: - It was a great read, Mark. I just finished a novella I think you might like - Turbulence by David Szalay. Check it out!

We got some very sad news last night - Louis the World's Best Dog is no longer with us. Some of you may remember that Louis was our dog in Dallas and when we moved, we couldn't find a suitable rental that would allow a large-ish dog so he went to live with my sister-in-law and her family. He's had a bunch of health problems over the past year or two and he collapsed on Friday and was unable to get up. The vet said his quality of life would continue to deteriorate. The Wayne and I are so sad; he was such a great doggo and a Very Good Boy. This is a picture my SIL took last week of Louis and his best friend, Charlie.

I'm so sorry to hear about Louis the World's Best Dog, Katie. I'm sure he's romping around in doggie heaven having a good old time.

I'm so sorry, Katie. I knew he'd been in poor health recently. At least it seems like he didn't have to suffer too long. Sending hugs.

>161 katiekrug: Aw. So sorry to hear that. That photo is a lovely one, Katie, what a great way to remember him - giving so much joy.

I'm so sorry to hear about Louis, Katie. I'm so glad I had the chance to meet him in Dallas; he was indeed a Very Good Boy. I know this is hard for you and The Wayne. :-(

So sorry to hear about Louis, Katie. It sounds like he had a very nice life though and that it was time for him to go to doggie heaven. Still, leaves a hole in your heart I know.

Thanks, all. There is definitely a hole in our hearts.

Hey! Will you stop distracting me, Katie? I'm trying to do our taxes. *snicker* Oooo! Now I'm feeling snacky.

I'll get 'em done. Yes, I will. Any day now. Annyy day.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Continuing my re-read of the series... This is actually the first one I read way back when, and it holds up pretty well. I love Penelope (she'll be played by the fabulous Nicola Coughlan of Derry Girls fame in the upcoming Netflix series), and funny, good-natured Colin is my kind of romantic hero.

4 stars

>168 weird_O: - LOL, Bill! The Wayne started the taxes last night and just has a bit left to do today, I am told. You better catch up!

Turbulence by David Szalay

This is a wonderful novella that spans the globe and the range of human emotions and connection. There are twelve linked stories set in 12 different places, from London to Sao Paolo to Hong Kong to name a few. I loved how Szalay gave the reader surprisingly deep portraits of 12 individuals in a minimum of pages.

4 stars

Katie, I'm so sorry to hear about Louis. Look at the love on Charlie's face - how much happiness he brought to all his humans. I remember when Charlie was a baby, and you posted that Louis used to lie in front of his cot, guarding him. He was the Best of Boys.

>161 katiekrug:

>155 katiekrug: >158 ELiz_M: I’m an accountant and it still sounds hugely complicated! We haven’t been able to get tax relief on mortgages for many years and the tax relief on donations is collected by the charity not by the individual, so it’s unusual for most employees to ever have to do a tax return unless they are a higher rate taxpayer or have some other more complicated sources of income. I don’t think I’ve done one myself since about 2005.

>161 katiekrug: So sorry to hear about Louis.

Katie, adding my condolences to the pile. Once *your* pup, always your pup. I am glad that you have Nuala to help fill the empty space right now though no one ever *replaces* a lost loved one. {{hugs}}

Hi, Katie. So sorry about Louis the World's Best Dog. I'm sure he had a grand life with you two and your SIL's family.

Like you, I loved City of Thieves. The search for eggs - what a premise.

I wanted to stop back and say thanks for the nudge to do my taxes! I had totally forgotten I didn't do them back in April. But now they're done and dusted for another year. Well, actually only 9 months, I guess, but still. DONE!

RIP Louis. I imagine he is in doggie heaven with Charlie and Lola.

Monday orisons, Katie!

Thank you, Susan, Richard, Rhian, Shelley, Joe, and Beth . He will be missed for sure.

>177 rosalita: - You're welcome, Julia! TW is finishing up ours as I type....

>179 richardderus: - Right back at ya, RD.

Dang it, Katie. I'm going to have to read that Bridgerton series, aren't I? :P

It's a fun series, Micky. The first 5 are probably stronger than the last 3 but they are all worth reading.

I've decided to DNF Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand. Maybe it's my mood or whatever, but I found the story too fragmented and slow-moving despite the very short chapters. Some of the historical details were interesting, but not enough to save it for me.

Moving on....

>183 katiekrug: ...poor Author Hand...

>184 richardderus: - I wasn't THAT bad!

I think I am going to buy this:



Not sure where I'll put it, but.... It's actually rather small - just 7.5" in height so I'm sure I can find somewhere to tuck it :)

>185 katiekrug: Permaybehaps not out loud....

>186 katiekrug: Cool! Hearthside?

>187 richardderus: - Hearthside! I will see if it works. It might be too small and just get lost, but I love the idea of it there :)

>186 katiekrug: I absolutely love this - great find!

>188 katiekrug: I hope it works. A photeau would be nice when it happens, I live my decorative desires out vicariously these days. Pinterest is a huge time-sink for me, one I try to avoid unless there is just flat nothin' I need to do. For the day.

I made pad thai in the InstantPot last night. Thanks to Mary (bell7) for sharing the recipe originally. It came out okay - didn't really taste like pad thai all that much to me, but it was a nice Asian-ish noodle dish. I added extra vegetables, and there is a bunch leftover, so that's lunch sorted....

I am now reading Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English (also known as 'Mr. Rosenblum's List') by Natasha Solomons and so far so good.

>189 vivians: - Thanks, Vivian!

>190 richardderus: - I promise to share a photo.

>186 katiekrug: I love that!

>186 katiekrug: - On a shelf, between some books. It's gorgeous!

>186 katiekrug: I love it, Katie. Definitely go for it.

>193 Helenliz: - Me too!

>194 jessibud2: - Shelley, that presumes there is space on the shelves not taken up with books :)

>195 BLBera: - Enabler!

>196 katiekrug: - Take, say, 4 or 5 books, place them flat down and place the reading guy on top of them. That will give him some height, and not displace the books. Where there's a will, there's a way.... ;-)

>197 jessibud2: - Ah, I see. I'll have to experiment. First, I need to buy it!

>186 katiekrug: ooh, I like that very much. I can't wait to see where it comes to rest. Will it be anywhere near a hassock/ottoman, I wonder?

>199 lauralkeet:- IT'S A POUFFE, LAURA!

*smacks forehead* dammit! how could I haver forgotten?!

Geez, some people.... smh.

>186 katiekrug: Oh, you definitely need that!

I'm very sorry about Louis. Sorry you couldn't have had him with you for his last years, but it does look like he found a might fine friend to share them with.

>154 SandDune: I think you have a much simpler scheme for paying taxes than we do here. Our tax code is notoriously complex, so the amount that gets deducted from wages is a "best guess" of what will be owed. And income from investments (even simple interest on savings) is usually not taxed at all at the source, so that's all to be calculated on the return.

>186 katiekrug: Love it -- can't wait to see where you put it.

...a pouffe...I was unaware that furniture could express itself sexually...

>203 laytonwoman3rd: - Purchased! Should arrive next week :)

Thanks re: Louis.

>204 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba. I will report back once it's received and placed.

>205 richardderus: - You learn something new every day ;-)

I got up early this morning and took Nuala for a walk. I need to get more activity in, and I was hoping it would help calm her down in the morning. She wakes up full of energy, and it's hard to get going with work when she's like that. So far it's worked! She's slept much of the last couple of hours :) I am planning to do yoga after work - I found a video on YouTube that I really like and it focuses on some of my favorite poses and doesn't do the ones I hate, so yay! I am less than a pound away from being down 20lbs. since mid-May and that's without any regular exercise. Feeling very proud (smug?)!

In other updates:
Taxes are done and filed and accepted. Refund from NY is paying for what we owe NJ. The less said about the federal ones the better...

I bought the reader figurine thingy I posted yesterday. Plus another cute item because I am weak. Heh.

Dinner last night was a sheet pan meal with roasted garlic chicken sausages and mixed veg (purple cabbage, carrots, onions, and red and green bell peppers). All tossed with a bit of olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme, and s&p. Delicious. I love sheet pan dinners :)

The Wayne and I finished up the Hulu series, 'Taste the Nation,' which was very good. I hope it gets picked up for another season.

After that, we watched a random show on Hulu called 'Lost in the Supermarket,' which is short episodes (the longest was 15 minutes, I think) following an editor from Epicurious as she explores different ethnic markets and places like Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and Reading Terminal Market in Philly. One episode takes her to a Fiesta Mart in Austin, which made us miss Fiesta. They always had the best produce when we lived in Dallas.

Anyway, that's my exciting life.... Today's highlight will be picking up my order from GreenGrocer, a produce place here in town that supports urban farms, as well as other local places. I don't remember what all I ordered, but I shall report back!

Nice little update there, Katie. My daughter introduced me to Yoga with Adriene, and we enjoyed doing some of her sessions while the girls we staying with us. I haven't done any yoga since they returned to Brooklyn, but I keep intending to. Does that count?

I also think you should look into "doga" that you and Nuala could do together. 😉

I'd say you've had a very successful day so far. Good for you!

I have a sculpture of a quail chick on my bookshelf, sitting on top of a stack of Faulkner, because it seems to fit the mood of this angry youngster.

>208 lauralkeet: - Well, intentions are a big part of yoga, so yes, it counts!

Nuala is not well-behaved enough for the discipline of yoga. The challenge will be figuring out where I can do it that she won't find me!

>209 ffortsa: - Oh, that's so cool looking, Judy! Is there a story behind it? Where did you find it?

Hi Katie -- Congratulations on a lot of little successes in your report (although 20 lbs is NOT a LITTLE success -- wish I could say the same). I'm glad you bought the little sculpture and I can't wait to see where you put it - new metal and glass coffee table maybe?

An aside to Judy -- love your little quail too :)

Have a good rest of Wednesday my New York/New Jersey friends!

>207 katiekrug: Kudos on your start today. I myownself had a blinkered start scheduled, but it turned out to be surprisingly not bad. Root canal. One hour with my mouth hanging open. But not saying anything, not being able to say anything. I focused on trying to relax, and I was darn nappy till the dentist was done.

Took a book along to read whilst waiting, but I never got it out of my pocket.

Katie, >209 ffortsa: that's what I meant by turning books flat and placing the sculpture on top of them. Doesn't it look great?

>211 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>212 weird_O: - Root canal? Yuck! I had to have a double root canal once and it was awful, but mostly because the dentist was awful...

>213 jessibud2: - I knew what you meant as soon as you described it, Shelley. I'll have to see if/where it works for my little piece when it arrives.

>212 weird_O: That does not sound like a fun start to the day. I prefer Katie's idea, tire the pooch out and get started with work

Oh, Katie, I think I found that 20lbs you lost...

(Congrats!!)

>215 Helenliz: - Yeah, I'd take my morning to Bill's for sure!

>216 scaifea: - Just to be clear, I don't want it back!

>210 katiekrug:. We went to a pancake place out in the Ohio country years ago, and the sculptor had an exhibit there. It appealed to me immediately, which is unusual. I didn't think I could carry such a sharp object o to plane, so my sweet cousins packed it up and mailed it to me.

Hi Katie, it's been awhile since I've been thread hopping - no excuse, just being lazy. I am sorry to read of Louis' passing, but glad that he was so well-loved and had a great doggy life. I have the 5th Bridgerton book lined up to read next and I am very excited for this series to arrive on Netflicks.

Hi Katie, it's been a while since I visited too. Belated congrats on the 75 and beyond, love the living room and the discussion about the hassock or whatever. I have a hard time knowing what to call things being brought up calling them one way (England) and living in a country that calls things by other names (Canada). Sorry to hear about Louie. Good luck finding a place to do your yoga at home.

Hi Katie!

Congrats on being 20 pounds down. Yay for early morning walks with Nuala, taxes being done and sent off/accepted. And etc.

>218 ffortsa: - Very fun, Judy. I know what you mean about something appealing to you quickly being unusual. I'm the same way, so when something does, if it's possible, I try to indulge :)

>219 DeltaQueen50: - Hi Judy! I understand about the lazy. I've been doing a lot of lurking, including on your thread. Typing sometimes seems like too much of an effort :) #5 is my next Bridgerton, too. I have a feeling the premier of the series is going to be pushed back to next year. Sad face.

>220 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg! See my comment to Judy about lurking :) Language is always so interesting. Thanks for getting caught up with me!

>221 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen!

I've abandoned another book. I was 150 pages into Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English and was just finding it boring. It should have been so much better, given the premise. I could have powered through, but decided why bother? So now I'm reading a historical romance and feeling much better :)

>223 katiekrug: I seem to recall giving up on that one too. If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you....on to the next.

>209 ffortsa: Love this! With apologies to Katie, let me share:

Congrats on the 20-pound loss, Katie. My daughter and I are joking that we are up COVID 1 it's not QUITE that bad, but still. I do miss my gym time. I have been trying to get my walks in though, so that may help.

Great comments on the publishing industry on my thread, by the way. Thanks.

I can't wait to see where you put your reader.

Ooh! Twenty is a lovely number of pounds to have divested yourself of. Good on ya!

>224 laytonwoman3rd: - I love your Faulkner "shrine," Linda!

>225 BLBera: - Hi Beth. I had a purely COVID gain, but I've lost that plus a little more. I'll keep at it...

>226 richardderus: - Thank you kindly, sir.

Exciting Nuala day. We had to take out the stitches from her spaying procedure (long story - I'm mad at the rescue org about it...). She was not a happy camper, but I did pretty well wielding tweezers and scissors. Not something I want to repeat...

And we left her alone for the first time while we went out for drinks and a bite to eat. She was confined to the kitchen but there were no accidents and nothing destroyed, so yay for that!

Just our second time going out since the gradual relaxation of regulations here. Still only outside dining. For people who used to go out at least 3-4 times a week, it's weird to think how much has changed :) I enjoyed a cold beer and a lobster roll, and we went early enough that there was only one other table occupied. It was nice to sit outside and get a change of scenery - helped that the weather was perfect: sunny and about 75F.

I don't think I ever posted this... Most recent completed jigsaw - a collage of Edward Gorey covers. This was a fun one!

>228 katiekrug: What a good, if oddly assorted, day.

>229 katiekrug: That's a great puzzle, and a wonderful image to be building in a world that feels more and more like a Gorey story devoid of humor.

>228 katiekrug: - YOU had to remove stitches??! Why not the vet? Yikes! If I tried to do that, I'd probably lose a hand!

Oh, congratulations on the 20 pound loss! That is amazing. I fear I have put on a few. It's not lack of opportunity--there are daily video classes from my HMO, I have yoga cds and exercise books. It's simply doing it--and being at home and doing more baking than before doesn't help either.

>231 jessibud2: I was wondering the same thing. I'm glad you were able to do the job Katie but ... wow.

>230 richardderus: - "a Gorey story devoid of humor" is the perfect description!

>231 jessibud2: and >233 lauralkeet: - I couldn't get a vet appointment any sooner than a week and a half away. I called 4 different places, including our regular one, and they were all booked. They have really stringent regulations in place, and have had to cut the number of appointments available each day. Also, they are extra busy because of all the people adopting dogs lately :) Shame on me for not calling sooner, but I thought the stitches were the dissolvable kind. Anyway, we thought about just going to an emergency vet and paying through the nose, but one vet's office said as long as the incision wasn't infected or swollen or anything (it isn't), that it was pretty easy to take the stitches out at home. So I watched a few YouTube videos and read some articles. And it was really easy but Nuala didn't like it, mostly because she had to lay on her back with The Wayne holding her so she wouldn't squirm (much). Anyway, it's done and everything looks good, though obviously we'll keep an eye on it.

>232 ronincats: - Thanks, Roni! I basically had to stop baking because banana bread slathered in butter was killing me :) The activity side of things is a work in progress, but Nuala and I went on a nice long walk this morning.

Hi Katie! Gosh, you were brave with the stitches. Thank goodness for YouTube - there's literally everything on there! I hope Nuala forgives you soon :-)

>229 katiekrug: That's really pretty!

Hi Katie! Happy Friday to you.

>228 katiekrug: Glad her stitches are out, sorry she was not a happy camper. I clipped Wash’s claws a couple of weeks ago and he wasn’t happy either. But I give Inara .1 ml of Miloxicam every 3rd day and she doesn’t fight me any more. Doesn’t like it, but doesn’t try to bite me or spit it out.

edited to add: Thank goodness for youtube videos!

>229 katiekrug: I love Edward Gorey and have 14 books by him. My first was The Epiplectic Bicycle, acquired in the early 1970s. What a great subject for a puzzle.

>234 katiekrug: ah, now I understand, Katie. And I'm impressed!

>236 karenmarie: My almost-18yo kitty Midnight had a checkup last week and I requested they trim her claws. It turned out they didn't even charge me for it. I can only trim a couple toes at a time when I do it, so I was really happy about that. And happier still that I can snuggle her without getting mauled, LOL.

Wow, Katie, I am impressed. Stitches are worse than blood for me. The two times I almost fainted at the doctor's were when they were removing stitches. Just to put that in context, when I was a medical interpreter, I was in the OR, watching procedures with lots of gore, and that never bothered me.

>235 susanj67: - Susan, once I was done with the stitches, I sort of wished there were more to take out, because I felt so capable :)

>236 karenmarie: - YouTube videos are great. You can learn almost anything. I've never attempted to clip a pet's nails, though. We all have our limits!

>237 lauralkeet: - It was really easy, Laura, as long as she didn't squirm. Lift up knot with tweezers, clip thread, and pull. No problemo!

>238 BLBera: - Neither bother me much, Beth. I actually find stuff like that interesting. I always watch my blood fill the vials at the doctor's office, and the two times I had stitches taken out (thumb and thigh), I insisted on watching. For the thigh, I was at kind of a weird angle so I could see, but the doctor humored me... Heh.

>239 katiekrug: I always watch my blood fill the vials ...
OMG I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. Nope nope nope.

>240 lauralkeet: - The Wayne feels the same way as you, Laura. He thinks I'm out of my mind. But I really love all that stuff. I loved dissections in high school biology, too :)

>239 katiekrug: I love all that stuff too, Katie. My periodontist put the x-rays of my implant process up on the monitor he has in the treatment room, and I was fascinated to see the screw post in my very own jaw! I watch whatever is going on as much as I'm allowed.

>242 ffortsa: - Yes! *fist bump*

>240 lauralkeet: I'm with you. There's a nice mural on the wall where I usually get my bloodwork done. I gaze off into the distance and try to pretend I'm not where I am...