Mamie's 2021 Madness, page 3

Today would be my Dad's 95th birthday. He was full of fabulous, and is responsible for pretty much 100% of the snark that I contain. He was funny and irreverent, had a wicked wit that was hard to keep up with, was a man of few words but was generous with his heart. He gently shaped who I am as a person by teaching me how to be my very best self. "The first person you have to look in the eye on most days is yourself," he used to say. Yesterday in President Biden's speech, there was a wording that reminded me so much of my Dad: "We have to lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example." I miss him. Every. Single. Day. In honor of him, let's share a memory:

Every year on Christmas, my mom made a big deal about Dad handing out the presents. This is only fair as she bought and wrapped everything. Anyway, he made a production of first needing to drink his coffee. He would drag it out so long that it had to be stone cold by the time he was finished. And then, every time, he would say, "Maybe I need a second cup before the heavy lifting." We would all groan and my mom would be saying, "Nelson, come on..." I can still hear her saying it in my head, and he would grin and look over at us and his eyes would twinkle, and he would say, "Oh, alright." We would head to the Front Room and take our places. My mom would remind Dad not to throw the gifts. All of us knew he was going to throw some of them, and it felt like a shared secret even though everyone knew what was going to happen. He would bend down and pick up the first gift, call out our number and either gently hand it to us or...yep...throw it. "Number One," he would announce, and we knew this was Cindy because she was the first born. And my mom would say, "Nelson, call them by their names." And he would say, "I can't be bothered to learn their names, but I know the hierarchy." And he would laugh. There were six of us, all girls, and he had a thing about each number to show why that number was the most important. I can't remember them all, but I remember that second was important because second chances are a blessing. My number was six - I was the baby. "Kid," he would say, "you're on the bottom, but the bottom is the most lauded and it is a very important position which is why people always say 'Bottom's Up' when they raise their glasses. They are acknowledging that bringing up the rear is where it's at. Only your most trusted people get to have your back. And he would also say that the bottom is where the truth resides which is why they always say in mysteries that they will "get to the bottom of things." Anyway, he was sweet, and he was funny, and he left me a thousand memories that are like Disney movies or Looney Tune cartoons - something for the kid and something for the adult in me that sees even more of the dry humor as I look back on it.

Happy Birthday, Dad. From Number Six.

......

...

January:
1. River of Darkness by Rennie Airth, trade paperback acquired in 2014, crime fiction (John Madden, book 1) - 4 stars
2. The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat, paperback acquired in 2020, horror - 4.5 stars
3. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars
4. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, Kindle, acquired in 2020, humor - 3.25 stars
5. The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator) - paperback acquired in 2013, GN, horror - 4.5 stars
6. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher, audiobook narrated by James Marsters, acquired in 2020, urban fantasy (Dresden Files, Book 17) - 4 stars
7. Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars
8. Bloody January by Alan Parks, Kindle, acquired in 2020, crime fiction (Harry McCoy, book 1) - 2.5 stars
9. Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Artist), Kindle, borrowed, GN, time travel - 3.5 stars
10. The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, borrowed audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, juvenile fiction/humor - 5 stars
11. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kindle, acquired in 2020, gothic horror - 3.5 stars
12. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/grief - 4 stars
13. Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, Kindle, acquired in 2020, short story/food - 4.5 stars
14. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a seventh year, let’s see what she hits me with this time.

1. Siracusa by Delia Ephron

The List:

1. A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill - Shannon (sturlington)
2. Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire by Alex von Tunzelmann - Susan
3. Cove by Cynan Jones - Richard - "...this is the book I wish The Old Man and the Sea had been, but was not."
4. The Riddle of the Third Mile by Colin Dexter - Jennifer (6th in the series)
5. A Lear of the Steppes by Ivan Turgenev - Paul
6. Summerwater by Sarah Moss - Caroline - "Moss communicates the dark undertow of the ordinary through a group of characters confined by weather to their cabins in a Scottish forest." (acquired 1/11/21)
7. The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell - Ellen gave this the full 5 stars
8. Sidewalks by Valeria Luiselli - Charlotte
9. The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon - Judy (ffortsa)
10. The War Widow by Tara Moss - Meg
11. Blood and Oil by Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck - Susan
12. Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen - Käthe
13. A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler - Luanne (clue)
14. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls - Karen, and Richard liked this one, too (acquired 1/11/21) read Jan. 2021
14. The Bells of Old Tokyo by Anna Sherman - Charlotte - travel writing
15. Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar - Mark
16. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry - Jennifer
17. Those Who Knew by Idra Novey - Beth
18. The Steam Pig by James McClure - Kerry - crime fiction series set in apartheid-era South Africa
19. Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines - Richard
20. Harriet by Elizabeth Jenkins - Rhian
21. Unfinished Business: notes of a chronic rereader by Vivian Gornick - Charlotte
22. The Historians: Poems by Eavan Boland - Charlotte again
23. A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris - Linda (laytonwoman3rd)
24. Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut - Julia
25. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones - because Ellen because Richard

The List, continued:

26. A World Beneath the Sands by Toby Wilkinson - Erik
27. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu - Charlotte "...really clever (and funny) way of making a powerful point about stereotypes..."
28. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell - Leslie (leslie.98)
29. Milkman by Anna Burns - Richard
30. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw - Chelle (YA)
31. The Tender Bar by J. R. Moehringer - Mark - memoir
32. Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe - Jim (acquired 1/26/21)
33. Mystery, Inc. by Joyce Carol Oates - Jennifer
34. The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton - Jennifer (jpaul22)
35. The Man Who Walked Through Walls by Marcel Aymé - Pam
36. Telephone by Percival Everett - Kay
37. Monogamy by Sue Miller - Kay again

This should do it - next one's yours!

Happy new thread!

>7 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

>1 Crazymamie: Beautiful tribute to your Dad. It’s so hard to not have them with us.

Happy new thread.
What a lovely story. Dads always leave uniquely Dad shaped hole in life. Mine seemed to spend most of my teens doing something embarrassing.
My husband has been known to roll his eyes when I do anything particularly penny pinching (like up ending the used bottle of sauce on the new one to get the dregs out) and say that I'm being my father's daughter again.

Mine died nearly 16 years ago, aged just 56. An age I am now less than a decade away from. *gulp*.

OK, story time.
My Dad never praised us. Just never. Not sure why, we both left him for dust academically. I suppose he found it hard to dish out praise when he'd never had any either. So the day I passed my PhD viva, I phoned home to tell them. he was at home, and answered the phone. I said hello and and he said "hello hellywellykins*" So I replied with, "No, It's Dr hellywellykins". At which point there was a stunned silence, I'd not told them I was having the viva that day. Then he said "well done". And that remains, still, one of the proudest moments in my life.

* that's another long story, which we don't need to go into now!

>9 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen! It is so hard - this year marks ten years without him.

>10 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! So true about uniquely Dad shaped holes - I am thinking about your pantomime story, and it makes me smile. Your husband and I share that same eye roll as Craig is the pincher of pennies here, and he gets it from his mom.

>1 Crazymamie: - Thank you for sharing that memory, Mamie. He sounds just as wonderful and funny and thoughtful as you are. xx

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Mamie!

>1 Crazymamie: Lovely tribute to your father, you were lucky to have such a wonderful father.

>12 katiekrug: Katie, that is such a lovely compliment. Thank you, my friend. xx

>13 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! I was indeed extremely lucky.

Good Thursday, Mamie dear, and a happy new thread and new year!

I brought some Guiness Stout three-ingredient bread:

A little thread-warming and tummy-pleasing offering.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Lovely tribute to your dad. And such sweet memories. Mine died 25 years ago and I am now older than he lived to be (he would have been 91 last month). Though we didn't always get along (especially in my teenage years), he did have the craziest sense of humour and gave me his love of music, and storytelling and reading. We used to have a *hi-fi* and from as far back as I can remember, I fell asleep to the soundtrack of his music. And it covered quite a range: Bobby Darrin, Frank Sinatra (who I don't even like), Kingston Trio, The Limeliters, Glenn Yarborough, Marty Robbins, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Broadway albums, and many many others. Each night, after I said goodnight and turned out the light, I would request which album I wanted him to put on, for me to fall asleep to. I was probably the only 7-year old to know all the words to all those great songs. I have inherited and still own, most of those vinyl albums. Along with the memories. And he also bought me my first Beatles album.

>1 Crazymamie: I love your tributes to your father. It's so obvious that he was a great guy and how much you loved him. I had never realized his name was Nelson before, though, which was the name of my maternal grandfather and my favorite uncle. Must be a "good guys" name :)

>15 richardderus: Thank you, kindly, BigDaddy! "Thread-warming and tummy-pleasing is always most welcome.

>16 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley! What great memories of your Dad - I so appreciate your taking the time to share them. I love that he put on an album by request every night. Very cool. Reminds me of my sister Nora who has always loved music. She bought me my very first record player with the paycheck from her first job. We used to sit and listen to Three Dog Night, Janis Joplin, The Byrds, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones...Birdy has inherited her love of all things music and knows the words to everything. And I mean Every. Thing. This year for Christmas we got her a turntable, and she was delighted- she is an old soul, so I said she should listen to music the old school way. Like you, Birdy and I both love Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles. My Dad and I shared a love of old movies, and when I watch them now I can still hear his laughter at certain spots and remember his comments, and it's like getting him back again for just a little while.

>17 RebaRelishesReading: Hello, Reba! I love sharing my Dad - he was one of a kind. How lovely that we share that connection of names. If we had had a second son, his middle name would have been Nelson. And my oldest nephew Michael has it as his middle name.

What a wonderful way to start a thread, Mamie! Your father sounds amazing! My own was. He inspired two of the great loves of my life, reading and coffee drinking.
When I came home after an absence, he'd hug me and say, "O.K., DD*. Make me know you're home." (That meant to bring him a cup of coffee.) He's the only person I ever knew who got a DWR ticket. (That's Driving While Reading. In his defense, he was stopped at a stop sign with no other traffic - but the highway patrolman - just checking something in his coin book.) He would be 100 this year and has been gone 40 years, but yes: I miss him.

*Darling Daughter, Dastardly Daughter, etc. I was an only child.

Hello, Peggy! Thank you for the kind words. And for sharing a bit of your Dad with me - that's a great story. I also got my love of coffee from my Dad, and he didn't read books much, but he read the entire newspaper every day until he went blind. Even after he went blind, he used to sometimes hold the paper up in front of him while listening to the news on the radio. Mostly he was just trying to see how long it would take people to catch on, but he also said he liked how a paper feels in your hands and that he felt kind of naked hearing the news without it.

Three already!! I love the tribute to your dad, Mamie. He sounds great.

>4 Crazymamie: Yay! I'm on your list.

Happy new one.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Lovely tribute to your dad.

>22 BLBera: He was indeed full of great, Beth. And that list is already out of control, *grin* Thanks for the happy wishes!

>23 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda!

Happy new thread!

>1 Crazymamie: What wonderful memories of your dad.

Happy new thread, Mamie, that was a lovely memory about your Dad. I just realized after reading >16 jessibud2: above, that I am also now older than my Dad was when we lost him - strange feeling!

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Happy Birthday to your beloved Dad! I lost my Dad at the young age of 72, back in 2003. We were robbed! Miss him every day.

As always Mamie that is a lovely tribute to your father. Interestingly I picked that self-same quote from Biden yesterday on my thread to wish the new administration well - it struck a chord with me too.

Happy new thread. xx

Happy new thread

Lovely tribute.

Happy Friday Mamie, we've all nearly made it to the weekend.

>25 quondame: Thank you, Susan!

>26 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I am so very lucky that my Dad lived to be 85 - I am the baby by a lot in my family. My oldest sister is 15 years older than I, and my closest sister in age is 7 years older.

>27 msf59: Morning, Mark! Thank you. 72 does seem like too soon. I think when it is someone you love it is almost always too soon.

>28 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Abby, Birdy, and I watched the Inauguration together, and I jotted that line down as soon as I heard it because it struck a chord with me. I have been surprised that the news coverage we have watched so far as not quoted that line when referring to his speech. The other thing that struck me was at the beginning of his speech when he was saying that "we have come so far, and we have so far to go" - made me think of that Robert Frost poem and the ending lines "But I have promises to keep. And Miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep." xx

>29 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>30 Helenliz: Happy Friday, Helen! You know I love me a Friday. Mexican takeaway for lupper, which is always a treat.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday! Cold here today. It will barely reach 20F, so after running errands I think I will just hunker down with the books. How do you like The Sea?

Happy Friday, Mamie!

>4 Crazymamie: I've made the list. Yay.

>33 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Friday!! It's raining here, and I am loving it. I did the grocery shopping yesterday, so I don't need to go anywhere today, which means that I can sit back and enjoy the rain.

I need to get back to The Sea - I have only read the first few pages as I have been mostly watching the news. Now that Biden and Harris are in place I can hopefully focus more on my reading.

>34 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy Friday!

"I've made the list." *grin*

Morning, Mamie!

Gorgeous story about your dad. *hugs*

Morning, Amber! Thank you. *hugs back*

>32 Crazymamie: Yes, there was a little bit of Robert Frost in Biden's speech. Thank you for reminding me over at my thread about Biden's stammer or stutter which probably does explain the slight slur in his speech sometimes.
I did like his habit of repeating lines to emphasise his creed - as you noted very Frostian.

Brand New Start (20 January 2021)

It is a new start;
an inauguration
that augurs
changes for the better;
hope for those
who were without hope,
care for those uncared for,
succour for those in pain,
relief for the unrelieved,
community before self,
a voice for the many
not the few,
pride in nationhood again.
Pride in nationhood again.

You're welcome. I love that Robert Frost poem - it is Rae's absolute favorite.

Lovely, Paul. Thank you for sharing.

>39 Crazymamie: I would never claim to be fit to sharpen Frost's pencils but I am glad you liked it. Typed straight from brain to your thread. x

Hi, Mamie.

I'm grateful to Paul, too, for posting that Robert Frostian poem, and what a kick that RF's is Rae's absolute favorite! We were among those blown away by Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem, and seeing her interview afterwards, I'm so impressed with her.

What wonderful glimpses of your dad up top! Thanks for sharing that. I'm sure it was tough waiting for him to finish that cup of coffee, but well worth it. :-)

Happy Friday. I love a rainy day. Enjoy!

>40 PaulCranswick: Very thoughtful. And at the end of your day, too!

>41 jnwelch: Hello, Joe! I thought of you immediately when Amanda Gorman began - slam poetry, I said. She was so full of fabulous!

You are welcome - I am always happy to share my Dad. He was a card - for me waiting for the finishing of the cup of coffee was part of the tradition. And we were allowed to dig into our stockings as soon as we got up, so it's not like we were waiting on him for our first taste of Christmas.

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Katie!

So happy that the world's stopped feeling like a place I should run far, far away from.

The problem was always where to run *to* and now it's a moot point.

I'm up to 24 reviews written and it's only the 22nd. This "give it the once-over and review it already" binge is getting plenty of two- and three-year-old half-finished books done!

>46 richardderus: Yes, that is ever is nice, isn't it? Not wanting to run away from home.

Look at you go!! Most impressive, but then you usually are. *smooch and a bear hug*

>47 Crazymamie: *preens*

*smooch*

6. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher, audiobook narrated by James Marsters, urban fantasy (Dresden Files, Book 17) - 4 stars

This is the seventeenth book Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. These urban fantasy books feature Harry Dresden, resident wizard of Chicago. You really need to read these in order, so be sure to start with Storm Front, and let me warn you that the series really needs the first five or six books to take off, but then they are excellent and a lot of fun. I love these on audio narrated by the fabulous James Marsters. In this entry, the title pretty much spells it out for you - loads of battle. In fact, it's almost all battle, which grows a bit wearying, but there is also some good plot development. I am very interested to see where it goes from here. There is a bonus short story at the end of the audio that takes place six months later.

*Just an observation - I feel like Peace Talks and Battle Ground really should have been just one book with a lot of editing. Peace Talks ends on a cliffhanger and Battle Ground picks up right where it left off - making these into one story would have been a much better and tighter story, IMO.

Oh, your thread is flying, Mamie. I have to catch up first at the weekend, so I'll just follow your lead on Patrick Stewart and raise with a reading James Dean. Happy Friday!

>48 richardderus: *grin*

>50 PersephonesLibrary: Nice raise, Käthe! Happy Friday!

I just started listening to Dead I Well May Be by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle. I loved McKinty's Sean Duffy books, and Charlotte said these were good as well, so I though I would give them a try. Barely into the story and I had to purchase the Kindle edition as well (currently just $1.99) because I want to be able to mark quotes easily. We meet the main character while he is cleaning up glass from an explosion (the Europa Hotel in Belfast, Ireland).

"We worked, the rain eased, the wind changed, and papers, fragments, bits of the hijacked car, and pulverized brick and glass coated us as we moved. The dismal stuff of explosion so familiar now in many cities. A confusion of words and particles that the poet Ciaran Carson calls Belfast Confetti."

And here is the poem that is referenced:



–Ciaran Carson, from Belfast Confetti (1989)

Ooh, thanks for the tip! I snagged it on Kindle.

I live to serve.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Number three already! Dead I Well May Be sounds like a good one and my library has it but I've sworn off library holds for a while. I need to whittle down my own books a bit as I'll probably be moving them soon.

>1 Crazymamie: I love that photo of your Dad Mamie. It makes me think of my grandfather: he was a lot older of course (he would be 126 if he was still alive), but when I was a child in the 1960s that is that sort of hat he always wore. And nobody else I knew wore a hat like that - in fact I’m struggling to think of any men I knew as a child who commonly wore a hat at all apart from him. I think hat wearing for men died out earlier in Britain - there was a period that you could tell instantly if a T.V. programme was set in the U.K. or the U.S. without any other clues at all because if it was in the U.S. the men would be wearing hats.

>52 Crazymamie: I have the collection Belfast Confetti which I read several years ago. Northern Ireland has turned up many fine poets including, of course, Seamus Heaney. Carson died in October 2019 and is sorely missed.

I really must go and seek out McGinty's series.

>55 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! I did not need a new thread, I just started this one so that I could put my Dad up top. I am also trying to read my own books. It seems I solve the library issue by just buying the books myself. Heh. I am loving Dead I Well May Be, so definitely keep it in mind for when you do go back to the library.

>56 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian. I took that photo of him when I was in my teens. I love your comments so thanks for sharing. I wish men still wore hats like that - I think they are completely charming. My Dad also had an Elmer Fudd type of hat that had the ear flaps, and it should have looked silly on him, but it never did. It was black and he wore it through winter when he went out. He was bald on the top of his head - just a fringe of hair that wrapped around at ear level. All his brothers were the same, and I loved seeing them all sitting around the kitchen table when they would come to visit, looking so very much alike.

>57 PaulCranswick: I might have to get that collection, Paul, as I would like to read more. And I love Seamus Heaney!

I really love how McKinty writes. I posted this to Charlotte on my other thread "And I love how he talks about music and books and poetry - I always have to look up what he is referencing and listen to or read it, even if I already know what he is talking about because it sets the tone for me. For example, when Mike takes the subway he says, "The train ride was uneventful. I brought a book with me about a Russian who never gets out of bed. Everyone was upset with him, but you could see his point of view." So I looked it up and he is talking about Oblomov, which now I am going to have to read."

Morning, Mamie! Happy Saturday! No birding plans today. Just some chores and more book time. Yah! I hope you get plenty of that book time in too.

>59 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday. I saw on Karen's thread that one of your errands is the liquor store - I love to go there and just explore, but I have not done that in a long while.

I finished up two books yesterday and started a new audio, so the books are treating me fine.

Hi Mamie! Happy Saturday to all the denizens of the Pecan Paradisio.

I'm coffee-ing and will be taking my Ford Escape to get inspected so I can register it by the 31st. Nothing like leaving things til it's almost too late.

Morning, Karen! We are thoroughly enjoying our Saturday so far - Craig went out and brought back takeaway from our favorite local breakfast spot, so there is a lot of happy here right now. LOVE breakfast food.

I am also coffee-ing. Good luck on the inspection - I have never had to do that with a vehicle.

Morning, Mamie! I am *still* coffee-ing this morning (on my second big cup). *raises mug*

Morning, Amber! I have just finished my second cup and am seriously considering a third. *clink*

Morning, Mamie!

I'm on my first mug of coffee, but I tend to nurse them. I use an insulated mug with a lid so it stays warm :)

I really want a yummy breakfast now, dang it. I have some spinach and feta egg bites in the fridge, so that will have to do *sob*

Happy new thread, Mamie. I loved your story about your dad.

>52 Crazymamie: Thanks for the Adrian McKinty reference. I'll be looking for his books.

>65 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! My first cup usually disappears quickly, and then the second one I drink more slowly. Hooray for the insulated mug - I am seriously considering one of those Ember mugs that Jim mentioned. Maybe I will ask for one for my birthday.

My deepest sympathies about the lack of a yummy breakfast - it is one of my very favorite things. *hands Katie a tissue*

>66 EllaTim: Hello, Ella! Thank you. Adrian McKinty is da Bomb! The first book in his Sean Duffy series, set in Ireland during the time of the Troubles, is The Cold, Cold Ground. I have read all six of those books and loved every one of them.

7. Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars

Last year I read Square Haunting, which was an excellent book about five writers who had all lived at the same address at various points in time. Here is the Amazon blurb about it:

"In the early twentieth century, Mecklenburgh Square—a hidden architectural gem in the heart of London—was a radical address. On the outskirts of Bloomsbury known for the eponymous group who “lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles,” the square was home to students, struggling artists, and revolutionaries.

In the pivotal era between the two world wars, the lives of five remarkable women intertwined at this one address: modernist poet H. D., detective novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, classicist Jane Harrison, economic historian Eileen Power, and author and publisher Virginia Woolf. In an era when women’s freedoms were fast expanding, they each sought a space where they could live, love, and—above all—work independently.

With sparkling insight and a novelistic style, Francesca Wade sheds new light on a group of artists and thinkers whose pioneering work would enrich the possibilities of women’s lives for generations to come."

I came away from the book with a bunch of book bullets, and Eileen Powers' book Medieval People was one of them. I was expecting something interesting but also dry and academic. And I was very happy to discover that while the book is interesting, it is also completely engaging and pulls you right into its pages. Powers is so excited about her subject that her enthusiasm is catching. Through letters, wills, brasses, architecture...basically anything she could get her hands on, Powers presents us with a glimpse into the Middle Ages that is not to be missed.

"It is the greatest error to suppose that history must needs be written down; for it may just as well be something built up, and churches, houses, bridges, or amphitheatres can tell their story as plainly as print for those who have eyes to read."

With the exception of Marco Polo, most of her chosen subjects are just ordinary people that she brings fully to life for our benefit.
Anyway, the entire book is full of gems and insights and commentary that is not to be missed if you are at all interested in this time period.

8. Bloody January by Alan Parks, Kindle, acquired in 2020, crime fiction (Harry McCoy, book 1) - 2.5 stars

I have loved many a Harry in my life. Harry Potter. Harry Bosch. Harry Dresden. Harry Nelson. But alas, try as I might, I could not find any love for Harry McCoy, who is the main character of Alan Park's noir police procedural set in Scotland. I love noir. I love Scotland. I love me a good police procedural, but um...no. This one has too much of everything - too much blood, too much violence, too much repetition, too much stupid. And the women! DO NOT get me started on the women! I was very tempted to just completely bail of this one, but by the time I reached that conclusion, I was already 200 pages in, so I decided to just stick it out and see if the ending redeemed it at all. For me, in order for a story to work, I need to either be invested in the characters or in the writing - Parks can write, but I did not understand the constant need to keep reminding the reader of the tragic backstory that is hinted at, then glimpsed, then referenced, then hinted at...you get the idea. And also, if the main character is going to be completely lacking in charm, then at least make him smart - this one just keeps charging in without thinking things through. Anyway, suffice it to say that I will not be reading the next installment.

>56 SandDune: My dad wore a wide brimmed Stetson when he went out to the day he died. He was very fair and burned at a touch of sun, which was a bit inconvenient in the California high desert. He'd be 110 this year, so somewhat in the middle.

>68 Crazymamie: - This sounds good! I'm going to mention it to my BFF - she teaches European history and has a special fondness for the medieval period. I wonder if she's read it.

>69 Crazymamie: - I love hate-reviews :)

>69 Crazymamie: *quietly cancel's Mamie's lifetime subscription to the ten forthcoming Harry McCoy stories*

>70 quondame: *waves at Susan* What color was his Stetson?

>71 katiekrug: I was surprised by how readable it was, and so interesting.

Me, too! I did remove my final line, which was rude: Noir should be gritty, not shitty.

>72 richardderus: *belly laugh* Good thinking, Richard.

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Sorry your last read wasn't a good one - here's hoping the next one is better!

>69 Crazymamie: Oh, gross.

>73 Crazymamie: I vote for reinstallment of that last line. It's brilliant.

>74 bell7: Happy Sunday to you, Mary! I am loving my other current reads, so the next review should be much better. *grin*

Morning, Mamie. Happy Sunday! Light snow falling. I am planning on hitting one of my birding spots, before heading over to Bree's place, to watch the Packers/Bucs game, plus I get to hang out with my dog buddies. Should be a good day.

>75 scaifea: And the ending was completely over the top, Amber.

Ha! I had it there originally and even posted it, but then couldn't leave it.

I am really enjoying The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen - travel writing from his journey in the mountains of Nepal in 1973.

"Tukten has elf ears and a thin neck, a yellow face, and the wild eyes of a naljorpa, or Tibetan yogi. He radiates that inner quiet which is often associated with spiritual attainment, but perhaps his attainment is a dark one. The other Sherpas are uneasy with him; they mutter that he drinks too much, uses foul language, is not to be trusted. Apparently he has demeaned himself by taking this job of porter. Yet they defer to him as if he possessed some sort of magic, and sometimes I think I feel his power, too. This disreputable fellow is somehow known to me, like a dim figure from another life. Tukten himself seems aware that we are in some sort of relation, which he accepts in a way that I cannot; that he is not here by accident is, for me, a restless instinct, whereas he takes our peculiar bond for granted. More often than I like, I feel that gaze of his, as if he were here to watch over me...the gaze is open, calm, benign, without judgement of any kind, and yet, confronted with it, as with a mirror, I am aware of all that is hollow in myself, all that is greedy, angry, and unwise."

I plan to read Medieval People; it sounds great.

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Happy football day, too.

>68 Crazymamie: Medieval People is free on Kindle today, so I snagged all the virtual 0's and 1's. *smile*

>79 Crazymamie: That is such a blissful read! Beautiful beautiful sentences.

Special Sunday wishes!

>80 BLBera: Beth, I think you will enjoy it when you get to it.

>81 karenmarie: Happy Sunday! And hooray for football, although I am already getting sad about it being all over.

I picked it up for free, too - a bargain!

>82 richardderus: I agree, Richard. He is a very keen observer, and I like how he processes things.

Thank you for those Special wishes! Wishing the same for you. *smooch*

I'm with Amber, I would have kept that last line of your review. But I'm not really a nice person like you are (apparently Amber isn't either - ha!).

Ditto! I liked that last line.

>73 Crazymamie: that last line made me laugh too. I'll join those in the less than nice person corner. At least I know I've got some good company. >:-)

>73 Crazymamie: Almost always grey. He had a brown one which was worn when the dirty grey one wouldn't do, and a collapsible opera hat, also a bush hat like is often seen on Australians. My mom, who had had numerous patches of her face removed for skin cancer, also wore very broad brimmed hats, Borsalinos being her favorites. Unfortunately, her head was way smaller than mine.

>86 Helenliz: - Welcome, Helen ;-)

>84 katiekrug: *preens* Or perhaps I am just more if a chicken.

>85 drneutron: *grin*

>86 Helenliz: I am happy to give you a giggle, Helen. I hope I don't lose my seat at the cool kids' table. I know it's the cool kids' table because all y'all are there.

>87 quondame: Oh, thanks for coming back to answer, Susan. Bummer about the hat size. Craig is a wearer of big hats, and now it is used as a way to identify him. If the kids are talking to someone about him it almost always comes up. Abby has a friend who works at a local store, and she says, "Oh, my Dad goes in there all the time. He's the one with the hat." Everyone always knows who they are talking about.

>88 katiekrug: *belly laugh*

>1 Crazymamie: What amazing stories and memories of your dad!

>52 Crazymamie: That poem is amazing too!

>91 justchris: Thank you, Chris. My Dad was full of fabulous.

I liked the poem, too - I want to read more by him.

>90 Crazymamie: Ah, I used to be able to describe Mike as the guy with the beard. Now, not so much. I can still say the one with the pretty white hair. Or could - it's rather a mess just now, and the bits of dark at the edges have grown out and show more.

Lovely memories of your dad, Mamie. My dad's birthday is coming up in a week and a half--he would have been 101. But we lost him just before his 71st birthday to liver cancer. Taught me to fish and to love tilling the land, to respect everyone regardless of gender or race or political party, and to be a liberal! (Wait, are those last two synonymous?)

^^I did stop by yesterday. Just sayin'...

Morning, Mamie. Snow arrives later this afternoon. 5-8" predicted. It sure is nice to not have to think about working in it. Whew. I plan on getting out for awhile this A.M. before the white stuff arrives.

>77 msf59:, >95 msf59: Morning, Mark, and my apologies. Thanks for telling me. I don't know how I missed you. I bet you had a good time at Bree's. Both teams I was rooting for lost, so now I'm rooting for the Chiefs. Heh.

I am jealous of your snow. We have had some cooler temps at least and less humidity, which is always nice. Completely understand why you don't miss working in it - that must have been a pain delivering mail in the snow.

>94 ronincats: Thanks, Roni. Your Dad's birthday must be close to Abby's - February 2nd. I love that sharing my Dad has led to you sharing yours. Made me smile. He sounds full of wonder, and now I know where you get your love of gardening from.

"...to respect everyone regardless of gender or race or political party, and to be a liberal! (Wait, are those last two synonymous?)" This made me laugh!

>93 quondame: Poor Mike! Did he used to have the barber trim his beard? I miss going to the salon on a more regular basis - my hair is crazy just now, but the guy who cuts my hair fell and broke his arm and had to have surgery on it. I have only had my hair professionally cut once in the last year, and luckily it was right before Daniel's wedding.

Hi Mamie! Happy day to you.

The advantage of not caring which team won made me a winner when the Bucs won. *smile* And I wanted the Chiefs to win all along.

I haven't had a haircut since March 17, 2020 and thank goodness for those little plastic hair combs to keep my bangs out of my face.

Hello, Karen! Well, it's Monday, so let's not get crazy with the happy.

I have nothing against the Bucs, but I am not a fan of Tom Brady, so... Rae was thrilled that the Chiefs won. I was rooting for the Bills because they were the underdog.

My hair grows really fast - I have had Abby or Birdy just whack some of it off from time to time, but I was very thankful to get a professional cut before Daniel's wedding.

I thought I was being respectful not using the M word... I'll ease gently into future messages on this day of the week!

I'm not a fan of Tom Brady at all, but even though he threw at least 3 interceptions, Rodgers wasn't able to take advantage of them. So for this particular game Brady & Co. deserved to win.

Just giving you a hard time, Karen. And yes, it was very respectful not to use the M word.

They were definitely hungry for the win.

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Katie!

Well, here we are, it's a new week and it's amazing what five days of a rational adult in charge of at least one of the branches of government will do for one's sleep. No nightmares of waking up to wailing air-raid sirens or spikes in the prices of basic goods.

I could get used to this.

So very true. I would love to get used to this, but I will never again take it for granted. We have learned a very valuable, if also very painful lesson. *smooch for a dear one*

Hey Mamie! Good to see you here today!

>98 Crazymamie: >99 karenmarie: >100 Crazymamie: My M day has already ended and sleep beckons but has been un-rudely interrupted by Hani making strawberry scones and the aroma is wonderful. Please help yourself - they are as delicious as they smell.

>105 Carmenere: Hey, Lynda! Thanks - good to see you here, too.

>106 PaulCranswick: Those look most yum, Paul! Thanks for sharing - I love scones of almost any kind.

So we had to take the babies to the vet today. Mischief had a skin irritation on her abdomen awhile back which the vet treated with a steroid injection and an antibiotic injection, and it cleared it up completely but now it is back. Mayhem also has a red patch on his leg. This time he got the steroid and the antibiotic, but the vet kept Mischief to do a biopsy of the area. We are hoping to get to pick her back up and bring her home right before closing time today, but she might have to stay overnight. We call the vet back at 5pm to check on her status. I am so nervous, so please keep us in your thoughts and send us a heap of good mojo.

Good mojo sent south!

Awww, lots of love to the fluffy baby.

Fingers crossed and all the best for the fur baby!

>109 katiekrug:, >110 Helenliz:, >111 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you so much, ladies! Much appreciated.

Fingers and paws crossed, Mamie. She has such pretty eyes! How old is she?
Good luck!

>96 Crazymamie: Mike does his own beard, but went to my salon for his hair and then kept on following a trail of connected hair dressers long after I left layering behind and just grew min out.

Thanks for that, Shelley! Mischief is four years old - she was the smallest one in a box full of kittens left outside the Petsmart where my son worked at the time. He called the local shelter, and they took the other kittens but said if they took her they would have to put her down because she was sick and had an eye infection, and the shelter already had all it could handle. Daniel thought he had someone lined up to take her, but they couldn't pick her up until the next day, so he brought her home. That fell through, and we ended up keeping her - she just looked so sad.


December 8, 2016

Mischief and Mayhem are such wonderful name for your kitties. Very attractive little fellows they are too. Sending positive vibes and best wishes, Mamie. xx

Thank you, Paul, for those kind words and good wishes. And their names fit them, too - Mayhem gets into much more trouble than Mischief. He has had many adventures that we hope Mischief will never attempt.

We did get to bring Mischief home tonight - she is very groggy, and is sleeping it off in the room she shares with Birdy. Now we just have to wait for the results of the biopsy.

>117 Crazymamie: Fingers crossed that it is a minor skin irritation and nothing more serious.

Thank you, Paul.

Glad she is home, Mamie. Sounds like Mayhem would be a partner in crime to my Theo...

>120 jessibud2: They would be best buddies, Shelley.

:-) You don't know the half of it.....

>117 Crazymamie: Glad she's home and hope that what ever it is can be sorted soonest.

Morning, Mamie. This photo was from a couple of winters ago. It is still dark out there so I can't take a photo. We have about 3-4 inches out there, with a little more on the way. Not as bad as predicted but I am staying in today.

Morning, Mamie!

I'm glad Mischief didn't have to spend the night at the vet's...

ETA: I started Mexican Gothic last night. One chapter in... :)

>122 jessibud2: Oh, dear!

>123 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen.

>124 msf59: Morning, Mark! Thanks for sharing your snow! I used to love getting up in the morning to find that it had snowed overnight - it's like fairytale when the only prints in are from the animals that have passed through.

>125 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! Me, too.

Morning, Mamie!

Fingers crossed that all is well for Mischief.

Morning, Amber! Thank you so much. I am hoping that they can tell us what it is and that there is a simple and permanent fix.

Hi Mamie!

Fingers crossed and positive kitty mojo for 'a simple and permanent fix' to Mischief's skin irritation.

I wasn't sure when you'd be back my to read my 30th review and partake of the bagel buffet, so I brought you a few.

>129 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! Thank you for those good wishes. Mischief is up and about - being slightly more careful with her movements, but overall she is looking good.

>130 richardderus: Oh, yes, please! Yum. Thank you, kindly.

Your kitties are so cute!! Didn't you sort of accidentally end up with cats because there was one hiding under your house?

>115 Crazymamie: Aaaaaaaw!

How are the kittens doing today?

Oh, Snow Leopard is one of my favorite books ever. I hope you're continuing to like it?

Good review of Battle Ground. You may remember I'm a fellow Dresden Files fan; the series helped get me through the rehab aftermath of two hip replacements. it's almost all battle, which grows a bit wearying, but there is also some good plot development. I am very interested to see where it goes from here. That fits for me. The battle did get a bit wearying, but it was worth it for the plot developments. I'm looking forward to the next one, including Harry being bound to an unlikely romance. Hard to say good-bye to Murphy, though..

BTW, your spoiler-covered noir comment, Noir is supposed to be gritty, not shitty", or something like that, is great - I'd vote for putting it in the review uncovered. :-)

Thanks for the heads-up on Dead I May Well Be, and the strong "Belfast Confetti" poem. I love Adrian McKinty's Sean Duffy series, and this one with a different protagonist and location sounds potentially really good.

>130 richardderus: Sneaking in and stealing the one with capers.

>130 richardderus: that really didn't help the midafternoon munchies I've been struggling with. But now I've pushed through and done my spin on the bike, I will happily stuff my face. >:-P

>135 quondame: It is to Our Hostess that you must answer for your sins, Susan.

>136 Helenliz: There! Problem solved, do the exercise to earn the reward.

Bailey, Biscotti, Barnum, and Bella

>132 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. Excellent memory. We moved down here in 2012 with four aging poodles. Then we found Mercy in the crawl space under our house in 2014. Took us forever to figure out where she was because we kept hearing meowing, and sometimes it sounded like it was outside our bedroom window, sometimes in Craig's closet, sometimes in the kitchen...we searched high and low and finally figured out that she was underneath the house. She was just a little thing, and we ended up keeping her because how could we not? Then along came Mayhem, who was so tiny we had to bottle feed him at first - he and his siblings were dumped in a parking lot where Daniel's friend worked. Rae, whose beloved Biscotti had passed from cancer, had decided she would like to have a tabby cat, and three of these kittens were tabbies. It was late at night, and Rae was already in bed, so Daniel and I went over there to have a look, and we brought her home a kitten as a surprise. That was in 2016. Several months later, along came Mischief, and we really didn't need another cat, but she needed us, so...


Abby and Mercy


Mercy and Mayhem


Mischief

>133 PersephonesLibrary: Thanks, Käthe. They are both doing fine - mostly sleeping.

>134 jnwelch: Hello, Joe! Yes, I am really liking The Snow Leopard - it's a gem. I like how he writes, and he is so honest it hurts. I really admire his honesty.

Battle Ground was a tough one, wasn't it? I kind of figured that was going to happen at some point. I accidentally read your spoiler on Susan's thread last year when she read it, so I was prepared, but still... Funny thing is, the reason I read the spoiler was because I was thinking that you were talking about the one I had just listened to - funny because the titles are opposites, so I had read Peace Talks and you were talking about Battle Ground. Sometimes, I miss my mind. Anyway, I was actually happy to have messed up because it gave me time to wrap my head around it.

Another fan of my snark. I LOVE you guys!!

I am really loving Dead I Well May Be - there are three books in this one, and I plan on reading all of them. I think you would like it.

>135 quondame: I am always happy to share, Susan!

>136 Helenliz: Helen, I also had to stuff my face. Luckily we had bagels on hand, so I made had one with cream cheese, hot pepper bacon jelly, maple bourbon bacon, and a fried egg on top. Absolutely delicious. And now I don't need to eat anything else today, but since we are having the Mamie's Blue Plate Special for dinner...*grin*

>137 richardderus: Ha! I don't mind sharing when you have been so very generous.

I went for the reward first because I am not good with waiting. *blinks*

>140 Crazymamie: Thanks, though I enjoyed the savor of the stolen while it lasted. It's been ever so long since I made up a lox endowed bagel, that I'm thinking of seeking it as a first post-covid outing.

"...though I enjoyed the savor of the stolen while it lasted." The best of both worlds then, Susan.

Sounds like a worthy first post-covid outing.

9. Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Artist), Kindle, borrowed, GN, time travel - 3.5 stars

Not quite sure how to describe this one. Four young papergirls are out delivering papers early on a morning in 1988. When one of them gets robbed, they take off after the thugs that stole one of their walkie talkies only to stumble into an abandoned house that has some sort of spaceship looking thing in the basement. Weird things start happening and there is time travel involved. I'm interested to see where this is going, so I will read the next one. The art was fun, and the premise is intriguing. The girls are supposed to be twelve and seem much more mature than that, which is my only quibble.

Hi Mamie!

>138 Crazymamie: What a wonderful story about kitty acquisitions. Excellent photos of the puppers and kitties, too.

>140 Crazymamie: So what is Mamie’s Blue Plate Special?

Morning, Karen! Thank you.

Mamie's Blue Plate Special is little cheddar meatloaves, mashed potatoes and gravy and a veggie. We were supposed to do it for dinner last night, but things happened, so it's tonight instead. The veggie will be either green beans or brown sugar glazed carrots.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Wednesday! I read the first volume or 2 of Paper Girls but stalled out on it. Not sure I will continue it. Getting ready to head out on a birding ramble but I do not think there will be much trail hiking, with the latest snowfall.

Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday! I want to read at least the next one to see where it's going. And I read it through Birdy's Comixology subscription, so no effort was required on my part in obtaining it - she had already downloaded it to read, so...

Good luck with the birding. It's still pouring here.

Paper Girls? Hm. Rings a distant bell, like maybe I tried it once upon a time?

Anyway, I'm due to get vaccinated today! I'm so pleased. Maybe it's silly to pin one's hopes for the future of maskless life on two arm-jabs, but I'm doin' it.

Try 1/2t of ginger in those brow-sugared carrots. Extra yum.

Morning, Mamie!

I love your BPS. I have been unable to find or make a satisfactory meatloaf. My mom's was da best, and my aunt's is pretty good, but Texas is too far to go for dinner :) I like mix of beef, pork, and veal, and I like a really crusty outside. Mmmmm.....

>148 richardderus: Maybe, but it's a GN.

I am giddy about your vaccination! I don't think it's silly at all - things like that are exactly what hope is for.

Totally trying that with the ginger! Thanks, BigDaddy!

>149 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! I wish I had my mom's meatloaf recipe - I loved hers way back when, and it made for excellent meatloaf sandwiches the next day. I would love to find a meatloaf that would work for sandwiches. I don't do veal, but I think a mix of meat would be good. Agree about a crusty outside - that's my personal choice, too. I need to start experimenting.

Meatloaf sammies with crusty outer bits
OMIGAWD
I am among My People at last!

*grin* Welcome home, luv!

10. The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, borrowed audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, juvenile fiction/humor - 5 stars

Okay. This is delightful. Completely and utterly enchanting, and it is perfectly and brilliantly narrated by Kate Winslet. As an Audible member, I was able to listen to this for free as it is part of the Audible Plus Catalog. It's funny and dark in all the right ways. Written for both children and adults and reminiscent of Roald Dahl - like if Roald Dahl had written The Series of Unfortunate Events meets the Addams Family. And there are going to be more!! Very happy making. If you're thinking the author name is familiar, Buckley also wrote The Sisters Grimm books, which all of us here at the Pecan Paradisio loved.

YES YES YES to meatloaf sammies. I like mine on white bread (I know, I know) with a little bit of mayo, a little bt of ketchup, and lots of salt and pepper.....

>153 Crazymamie: - Ooh, thanks for the heads up! I loved Kate Winslet's narration of Matilda...

>154 katiekrug: Well, I grew up eating them on white bread, so...I used to just put ketchup on them, but I am oh so sophisticated now, so yes to the rest of it.

Me, too, with the Matilda love, and I think she is even better with this narration.

YES YES YES to meatloaf sammies. I like mine on white bread (I know, I know) with a little bit of mayo, a little bt of ketchup, and lots of salt and pepper.....

OMG YAS. Exactly how I love my leftover meatloaf sandwiches! *sigh* My friends have such excellent tastes...

Hi, Mamie!

Hello, Amber!

Hi Mamie, I love the animal pictures! Thank you for sharing!

Hello, Käthe! You are very welcome.

>156 scaifea: - You have the best taste in meatloaf sandwiches AND friends.

Hi Mamie!

>160 katiekrug: Agreed. *waves at Katie*

>160 katiekrug: >161 Crazymamie: It's so true. I really do. *polishes nails on shirt*

You all have wonderful taste :) The only times I eat white bread (except for crusty French or Italian type loaves) is for sandwiches of turkey, ham or meatloaf. But you can leave the catsup off of mine -- that stuff should just stay in the fridge.

Sammich bread for the leftovers.

>162 scaifea: *nods head in agreement* Yep. You really do.

>163 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I grew up eating Ketchup on loads of things like my mom's fried potatoes, which were delicious - she sliced the potatoes very thin and then fried them all together in a huge pan, french fries, tator tots, onion rings...but most especially on meatloaf sandwiches. It's not a meatloaf sammie for me if there is no ketchup. My sister Cindy, however, eats hers with...grape jelly. She also puts grape jelly on burgers because she is warped that way.

>164 richardderus: Oh! Perfect! It's so purty. *smooch*

>165 Crazymamie: Honestly, I think I may need to reevaluate that statement after the personal attacks I've suffered over on Katie's thread... YEESH.

>165 Crazymamie: - Grape... jelly..... ?

>166 scaifea: - Reevaluation is only allowed once a quarter and you missed the window. Check back in April. xx

>166 scaifea: and tea, you were offered tea.
Mint for me this afternoon. Anyone want one?

>167 katiekrug: *snork!* Noted.

>169 Helenliz: Oh sure, everyone else got tea while I was teaching (NOT napping).

>166 scaifea: Amber, those weren't personal attacks. We were very excited about watching your love and passion for literature be forcefully expressed. So, if you think about it, we're your posse.

>167 katiekrug: Right?! It boggles the mind.

*belly laugh* *makes a note of the "once a quarter" thing*

>169 Helenliz: Sure, I'll take a mint, Helen. Is it by any chance inside of a thin chocolate cookie sold by young women in green uniforms?

Hi Mamie, and a very happy Thursday to you.

>145 Crazymamie: Sounds yummy.

>165 Crazymamie: Potatoes and onion rings are just an excuse for ketchup, of course.

>170 scaifea: I also made a note of that. Just in case.

Would you like some tea, Amber?

>172 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy Thursday! Mamie's Blue Plate Special was very good - pure comfort food.

I don't eat very much ketchup these days, but I do like it with onion rings. And for me, it's a must on a meatloaf sandwich.

>171 Crazymamie: Hm. Difficult to argue with that rhetoric, Mamie. Well done.

*sips tea, pinky out*

*grin*

Oh, don't mind me, I'm just chowing down while there's some left. Cheddar slices were a good choice, Mamie, but I used the last one. Where's the list?

I want that but lose the lettuce. I'm making up the grocery list right now, so I'll add the cheddar slices for you. I have to go to the market today, but I am procrastinating.

The lettuce was a last-minute need for some crunchiness. The pickle just wasn't doin' it for me. Normally, I'd agree! Especially on hot foods, lettuce isn't a choice I make often.

If forced to, I could keep the lettuce, but the cheese is a no for me. Lettuce adds texture; the cheese would add a new flavor and disrupt the whole thing.

That's why it's so good it's easily removable slices, instead of messily-melted masses of tartness. I'm fine with either, because cheese. And meat. In herbed-and-spiced loaf form.

*drool*

Good point. I'll take the cheese off, roll it up, and eat it for dessert. xx

>178 Crazymamie: Thank goodness I remembered I had two loaves of bread in the freezer - now I can avoid grocery shopping until Tuesday!

Good morning Mamie and Sweet Thursday, as our friend Mark would say.

I love all the pics of your animals. Mischief might be my favorite (but don't tell the others!).

I liked The Sea quite a bit and I really want to read The Snow Leopard.

>165 Crazymamie: OMG -- grape jelly!!! on a burger?!? That's right up there with my mother-in-law did once when she was quite old (and a bit...odd) -- in a restaurant she searched the packets on the table and put grape jelly on her mashed potatoes. As to onion rings, they're wonderful with BBQ sauce, which is first cousin to catsup I guess.

>179 richardderus: Put the lettuce on the side, and then it's like a side salad. But Not. *blinks*

>180 katiekrug: I was just going to quietly remove the cheese since it's not melty and would be easy to set aside.

>181 richardderus:, >182 katiekrug: You two are cracking me up.

>183 karenmarie: Hooray for not needing to go to the market. I have been and am home again, and I am happy to have restocked our pantry and fridge, but even happier to be done with it for another week.

>184 EBT1002: Afternoon, Ellen, and a very Sweet Thursday to you. All three of the cats are full of gorgeous, but Mischief has really unusual coloring - the brown in her is so pretty. And she thinks she is a dog. She follows Birdy everywhere, and even waits by the garage door if Birdy has gone into the garage to get something. She loves to play fetch - we throw the little ring from the milk container, and she brings it back to us. And she has the funniest meow - she makes little gerbil noises and just a really short little mew when she is looking for Birdy.

I am also liking The Sea, and it's nice to have something that is more of a meander to go with my other reads. I think you would love The Snow Leopard.

>185 RebaRelishesReading: Yep. And she is the oldest of us, so you cannot tell her anything. She knows all. To be fair, she is usually right. I think I would prefer the grape jelly on the burger before the mashed potatoes. Just saying. I agree about onion rings and BBQ sauce - I do that sometimes, too. And with fries.

Sweet Thursday, Mamie! Glad you are enjoying The Sea. It was a frigid one here this morning, so I didn't last long on my bird/owling mission. We did see a pair of GHOs though. More on my thread later...

Hey there, Mark! Sweet Thursday, which it is here. All bright and sunshiny but also crisp and windy. I will come see about the GHOs.

I am liking The Sea, so thanks ever so much for sending it to me.

May I suggest a LT tea party? (We are all mad here anyway...)

Excellent idea, Käthe! "We are all mad here anyway..." This is my mantra.

>179 richardderus: That's because pickle spears are ridiculous. Too much naked pickle meat. The same issue does not pertain to pickle slices for burgers, as they are so thinly sliced. Best choice is a small snack type dill. In my opinion.

I do believe that lettuce is essential on a sandwich and mayo. I became very fond of Duke's mayo while staying in Maryland. They do not sell it here.

Hi Mamie.. hope you and yours are well and happy. I am struggling to find a read right now, but feel like I should mention that when in a book slum, one of my go tos is to reread the Mercy books I first saw mentioned in your thread, and I'm grateful.

>192 mckait: ...unless they're battered and deep fried, of course...

>139 Crazymamie: Sometimes, I miss my mind. Oh, you cracked me up with that one. Ditto.

Did you ever read any of the Orphan X books? The new one, Prodigal Son, is out, and once again the story's grabbed me right from the get-go.

I loved that Paper Girls GN series. Just you wait, re their ages. :-) It got a little confusing with the time travel for me, but the girls were great throughout.

>192 mckait: Ack, there is no such thing as too much pickle meat! I love sliced pickles on my burgers and pickle spears, extra pickle spears!
Lettuce is fine, but in moderation. It must not outweigh the onions. Mayo, well, no, beyond a brush on the inside surfaces of toasted buns, it doesn't suit me at all, but then only mustard works for me on burgers or hot dogs, so I'm outside the curve on that for sure and only a few fellow travelers like BBQ chips ON their burgers.

>193 richardderus: The sliced ones are the ones that are battered and fried and I approve. :)

>195 quondame: I love dill pickles, too. But not the spears. I dunno. The texture of the pickle meat or something? It's all naked and squishy, not nicely crunchy like mini dills lol. I love pickles and cheese and mustard on toast sandwiches. yum. BBQ in any form is a nope. Too sweet for meat or chips. I am a complicated woman. Mayo and or ketchup or mustard on burgers with pickles and lettuce. They are versatile. Hot dogs, dill relish and mustard only. Well, maybe cheese. I do like chips on sandwiches but only plain old salty potato chips. Onions go with everything.

You will not be surprised to hear that my favorite ice cream is vanilla or cherry vanilla.

:)

>197 mckait: Whole dill pickles or kosher dills just put up to much fight for a side. But the dills I slice myself or get about half cured from our local hamburger joint are just right. I don't do bottled whole or spears.
I tend to go for zing and while I admit there is a sweet element to BBQ chips, it's pretty minor and muted by the mustard and dill chips. Sea salt and vinegar chips are great with tuna.
Ice cream, other than drumsticks, doesn't appeal to me much though I love custards. If I'm with the family I go for nuts and caramel.

Mustard, bread and butter pickles, onion and cheese!!

Dill chips (potato and pickle) on Tabasco-mayo drenched bacon cheeseburgers, please.

Hottus doggus brassicatus Carum carvidi est sine qua non. (Must always have sauerkraut with caraway on the dogs of hotness.)

Mamie! What a wonderful tribute to your father. I cried!

>200 richardderus: Well, those are good, those sauerkrautted dogs, but a kosher dog split and fried and served on sourdough toast with mustard and pickle chips - oh my! (fried in butter, I'm afraid is best)

>192 mckait: SIS! SO lovely to see you posting about the threads. Even better to see you here - I am honored.

"Too much naked pickle meat." This made me laugh! I actually like me a dill pickle spear. Craig and the newest daughter are complete pickle addicts, and eat them in every form. I normally do like lettuce on sandwiches for the texture and the crunch, but not on meatloaf sammies. Dukes mayo is very big in the Deep South, and newest daughter told Daniel when they got married that their house will be a Dukes household. Luckily he really likes it. We use Hellman's, but I need to try Dukes.

We are well and happy, thank you. It's been a couple of weird and trying years, but I feel like things are looking up. I remain hopeful about life in general. How is your granddaughter? I bet she is full of fabulous. I am so happy that you still love those Mercy books - me, too! Sorry about the book funk - I went through that last year when I felt too distracted to really read anything. I am back in the swing of things this year. I'm sending you some reading mojo straight from the heart of the Pecan Paradisio. *hugs*

>193 richardderus: When we vacationed in Florida years ago, we ate at this place that had the best fried pickles. They were amazing.

>194 jnwelch: Glad to give you a giggle, Joe. I have not read any of the Orphan X books, but I do have the first one in the stacks. I need to get to it - I have heard good things. Thanks for reminding me.

Good to know about Paper Girls - I thought Birdy could borrow all of them with her Comixology subscription, but it's only Volume One, so I will have to see if the library has them.

>195 quondame: "Lettuce is fine, but in moderation. It must not outweigh the onions." I love the precision! But I want the mayo - love mayo. I love BBQ chips, but I want them on the side.

>196 mckait: *grin*

>197 mckait: "I am a complicated woman." Ha! So true. Again, you made me laugh with this. I have missed you so.

I love chopped onion on my hot dogs, and no to the ice cream because it makes my teeth hurt. I cannot take the cold of frozen treats.

>198 quondame: Our newest daughter gave Craig a jar of pickles that one of her coworkers makes for Christmas, and they are pickled with jalapeño - they are da Bomb. SO good on sandwiches.

>199 ronincats: And Roni weighs in!!

This thread is cracking me up - you guys don't even need me!

>200 richardderus: Hold the sauerkraut on mine. I'll take chili, please. Love me a chili cheese dog with loads of chopped onion.

>201 Whisper1: Linda, thank you so much for telling me. You have such a tender heart. I love sharing my Dad - miss him so much.

>202 quondame: Oh, that sounds good, Susan.

And now I am hungry for All The Things, and it is not even 8am yet.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday. No plan to venture out on a bird ramble today, although that could change. I do need to make a library run though. Books await...

Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you. I have not been back to the library yet although it has been open for ages now. But soon because I am going to seek out that second Paper Girls GN.

Hi Mamie! Happy Friday to you.

>188 msf59: How sweet that Mischief is what we call a puppy cat.

>194 jnwelch: Prodigal Son showed up on my doorstep the other day, and it’s next up! edited to add book #6 title.

>203 Crazymamie: I love dill pickle chips on hamburgers, dill spears with deli sandwiches. No raw onions on anything. I’ve been known to lecture waiters/waitresses to make sure I get lettuce and tomato on the plate only, and please don’t just take a piece of onion off because I can still smell it! You’re right about mayo brands being important in the South. I’m odd in that I don’t particularly care between Hellman’s and Duke’s because on most things I like Miracle Whip, but am not surprised at your newest daughter’s edict. And I love ridged only-salted potato chips on sandwiches when we have them in the house, BBQ potato chips to munch on.

>204 Crazymamie: Orphan X is a great series although there is much violence.

Hello, Karen! Happy Friday!

Mischief is simply charming, and a most excellent puppy cat.

I have heard only good things about the Orphan X books.

Abby and I really love the Claussen pickle slices for sandwiches:



I am not a huge fan or raw onion except on hot dogs, and then I like Vidalia onion roughly chopped. I like to use sautéed, marinated, or pickled onion on salads, burgers, baked potatoes, and sandwiches. Raw onion is too strong in both taste and smell for me. I have not tried Dukes mayo yet, so I shall have to report back, but a huge NO from me for the Miracle Whip. Rae loves the ridged potato chips, but I like the just plain ones better - I will eat both, though. And love me some BBQ chips. I grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the Seyfert's Potato Chips plant is there - we grew up on those BBQ chips which are sweeter than most. When my sister Nora moved to Texas, she was horrified to find that they are not available there, and my mom would mail her a big box full of just those chips from time to time.

no raw onions or mustard...ever...on anything!

Morning, Mamie!

I like pickles to snack on, especially Grillo's. For fried pickles, I prefer pickle chips to spears.

I like raw onion on hot dogs and burgers, preferably red onion. Also on tuna sandwiches. And then a good teeth-brushing :)

I will eat any and all potato chips, especially sour cream and onion ones.

And thus concludes my contribution to your tasty thread. At least for now :)

I absolutely adore mustard, Reba. If I had to choose between ketchup and mustard, mustard would win every time.

I loathe mustard in any form including it's relatives like horseradish and wasabi --

>212 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! I have not tried Grillo's, but I will look for them. For me the fried ones depend on the pickle itself - I like both, but I am picky about which ones I will eat because I want a certain taste.

Raw onion is just too overwhelming for me except on hot dogs - even after brushing of the teeth, I feel like I am tasting it the rest of the day. I have an excellent recipe for marinated red onions and for pickled red onions, and so I make and use those. For tuna salad, I sauté Vidalia onion just enough to take the edge off.

I will eat any and all potato chips, too, but I prefer not the cheddar flavored ones. Also, I don't like Ruffles chips.

Thank you for being a trusted contributor to this thread.

>214 RebaRelishesReading: Interesting, Reba. I just can't get enough of the stuff.

I'll take Reba's horseradish...

My favorite potato chip is plain Lay's, with French onion dip. Now I want some.

>217 katiekrug: I'm coming over for the Lay's with dip, Katie. Add that to the list.

Hi, Mamie! Happy Friday!

>217 katiekrug: Same!!

>218 scaifea: Hello, Amber! I'm so happy that it's Friday.

>218 scaifea: - I'll add it to the list, but don't they have Lay's and French onion dip in Ohio? It's not like I actually make the dip myself. I get it in a jar in the chip aisle...

>220 katiekrug: *belly laugh*

I went online to the library to request Paper Girls Volume 2 and discovered that m library card had expired in October. I have not used the library in forever. Anyway, I had some errands to run, and on my way home I stopped by the library to renew my card. The parking lot was completely empty, and I was worried that it was going to be closed despite the online info saying it was open. No worries - it was open. There were two gentlemen all the way in the back using the computers - I'm guessing they took the bus because no cars in the parking lot. It was so surreal that I was the only other patron in there. They now have self checkout stations, which is nice. AND, and this is huge for me, they have gone back to using Overdrive for their digital stuff. *happy dance* I am so excited because they originally had Overdrive and then they went with RB Digital for years, and trust me, they suck.

And I just went looking for an image of Libby to post, and it seems RB Digital has merged with Overdrive?! When did this happen?

I didn't know about that merge either. RB Digital was terrible. I'm glad they haven't screwed up Overdrive/Libby...

>220 katiekrug: I wanted to have chips and dip *with you,* silly. YOICKS.

*blushes*

>222 Crazymamie: I only knew about the merger because one of my library systems used both Overdrive and RB Digital and then one day there was an announcement that all the RB digital books would now be available in Libby. Works for me! I remember it happening back in September.

>223 katiekrug: Me, too, Katie with the not screwing up Overdrive. Anyway, I am so thrilled.

>224 scaifea:, >225 katiekrug: The two of you are just adorable.

>226 curioussquared: Do you remember how long ago that was, Natalie? I used to use tons of digital stuff from the library, but when they switched to RB Digital, I stopped because it was such a pain and because they didn't have very much stuff. I love Overdrive and how seamlessly it works with my Kindle.

>205 Crazymamie: Some of the Persian markets on Westwood Blvd. got fresh dill pickled vegetables from time to time. Those were the best hot dog toppings ever. I'd pull out a cabbage leaf or two and slice them like sauerkraut and add a nice brown mustard and a sprinkle of diced onion.

Yum, Susan. The older I get, the more I like pickled stuff. I am all about the condiments.

Overdrive is The Bomb.

Mustard and horseradish, too, though I still want my Hellman's and Tabasco.

If you deep-fry it, I will come to eat it.

Dill relish, too, in preference to the candy-corn of condiments, sweet relish *ick*.

UNLESS one is making deviled eggs, when it is de rigueur. A small jar of it, though, will last me several years. I ordered a BIG bottle of sweet relish thinking it was dill relish in 2017, and it's still almost full. (And surprisingly still edible. Pickling is effective food preservation, who knew (except thousands of generations of ancestors).)

I am flattened today...coldcoldcold and dehydrated from BP meds...so am now off to chug some more water and sleep.

>203 Crazymamie: I'm even too distracted to spend much time here, I'm afraid. Hopefully, the things that 2020 broke 2021 will mend? I'm not feeling as much hope for that as I did a short while ago..

My granddaughter is indeed filled with fabulous... she has had a year filled with changes and is handling it well. She's brilliant, and beautiful and so smart and funny ( and a tad bit spoiled) . She will facetime me and tell my daughter "I'll take grammy with me" and off we go to her room or to have dinner or watch tv. It makes me feel included and that fills me with joy. She turned 4 in December.

Definitely try Dukes! I have always been a fan of sandwiches with chips. Easy to eat and read at the same time :) Well, and apples. Best reading foods. Beverages? eh, depends. I keep trying to read something other than light and my eyes clench shut and my mind does too. le sigh. Great to "see" you...

>198 quondame: I have only had spears from a bottle so that might matter. I do like deli dills, but there is nowhere to go to find them here now.. le sigh

>210 Crazymamie: Oh, those pickle slices are good, despite all the naked .. I love onions cooked, raw, and in or on anything. yum

BBQ anything always seems sugar sweet to me, unless I make the sauce myself and I rarely do because I still don't like it much.

>231 mckait: Inspired, I added whole dill pickles to my deli order (I do this about once ever third order so it's not a stretch) and came home with another weeks lunches. The semi-local Italian deli has been around since I moved to the Westside in the mid-70s and has changed owners but mostly improved. Going to Boar's Head meat wasn't the improvement, but I'm not a big consumer of deli meats, and the sandwiches and tuna salad are really good. I can make tuna salad more to my taste, but then no one else in the house would enjoy it - or eat it, and I don't see much point in making it if it isn't exactly my weird mustardy, oniony, dilled spread with finely diced celery. Tomorrow's lunch will be Prosciutto dill pasta. OK, I'm hungry now, but have to eat something besides tomorrow's lunch.

>232 mckait: I'm not big on BBQ sauce, but I do love Lays BBQ chips ever since I can remember - I covered the high school cafeteria buggers, squishing the chips with the bun. The burgers just weren't edible on their own.

Popping in to wish the Pecan Paradiso a pleasant Saturday. >:-)

Hiya, Mamie!

Football-less weekend. What’s to do? *smile*

I’ll have to check the Claussen pickle slices for sandwiches. Just looking at that picture makes my mouth water. Yum.

I’ll eat plain or ridged chips, BBQ, salted, or lightly salted. A cousin gave us a box of NC chips for Christmas, 1 in 6 Snacks. The flavors included were Sea Salt, Rosemary & Garlic, Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, Down East Carolina BBQ, Cozumel Jalapeno Queso, Coastal Crab Boil, Cream Cheese & Chive, Rich Bold Flavor, Dill Pickle, and Honey Sriracha. Bill and I are wusses and too old for strange chip flavors and didn’t like anything but the Sea Salt and BBQ.

Good for your mom, sending care packages of the Right Chips. Before American Vines were easily available here in NC, my mother would send me Red Vines and Black Vines for Christmas. She also sent me my favorite Smuckers Crunchy Peanut Butter before I could get it here, too.

No raw onions, but mustard on deli corned beef or pastrami sandwiches on seeded rye. To my knowledge there are no good delis here in central NC. Horseradish for prime rib, wasabi for sashimi.

To hell with healthy. It's a pandemic, let's have dessert first.

Morning, Mamie!

>230 richardderus: Agreed about Overdrive, Richard. Also about the condiments. I want them all, really, except for the sweet relish. I just really cannot stand sweet relish in anything. I think that the sauces, spreads, etc. are what take the meal to the next level. I also love almost anything fried. SO much yum.

It's important to stay hydrated with that vaccine, so yes, drink up, me hearty.



>231 mckait:, >232 mckait: Completely understood, Sis.

Thanks for sharing your granddaughter - I knew she would be full of fabulous. I mean, look who she has for a grammy. And that phone story - so great!

I will try the Dukes. And I love apples, but they need to be Honeycrisp because once you have gone there, you cannot go back.

We love those pickle slices! And I also love BBQ in almost any form. I love the Sticky Fingers Carolina Classic which has a mustard base and a nice kick to it.

Take care of you and know that I will be thinking of you whether you are here or not.

>233 quondame: I am not a fan of Prosciutto, which I know makes me the odd one out. I don't like the texture and it is too chewy. But I do love the sound of dill pasta - we make one that has ham and dill and melon in it that is mighty tasty.

>234 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! Saturday Happiness to you and yours, too!

>235 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! No football - this is the beginning of the sadness that is football withdrawal for me. To console myself, I have subscribed to PBS Masterpiece streaming so I can continue watching Ice Cold Murders - season one is on Amazon Prime, but seasons two and three are on PBS Masterpiece. Why must they do this? Anyway, it has loads of other things I am interested in watching, and I just freed up a big chunk of time with no football, so...

Those Claussen pickle slices are in the refrigerated section - at the Publix, they are in the same aisle as the meats and cheeses. They are delicious.

I would be willing to try all those chip flavors except for the Crab Boil ones...um...ew. But Craig would probably love all of them - he loves stuff like that. I tend to stick with original and BBQ.

My mom was a very complicated and difficult person, but yes, it was sweet of her to send the chips to Nora. I know they were most appreciated. The thing I can't get down here is Amish noodles, which I have to order from Amazon, but they are not the ones that I loved so much in Indiana. Also Abby cannot get her red cream soda.

>236 richardderus: Good thinking! And I love dessert for breakfast with coffee. Pie is my very favorite, but I would also take cake, which I like to be cold from the fridge. SO thoughtful. *smooch*

>237 katiekrug: Afternoon, Katie! I missed morning because I was finishing up Mrs. Caliban. I also finished up Mexican Gothic yesterday, so I will have thoughts coming on that.

>239 Crazymamie: Happy Saturday, Mamie!

I'm with you on prosciutto. Ew.

Amish noodles = egg noodles, right? If so, let me know if you'd like my mom's recipe - it's so, so good and surprisingly easy.

>241 scaifea: Hello there, Amber! Happy Saturday!

I just cannot with the prosciutto.

Yes. Egg noodles. I would love the recipe. I have never made pasta before so surprisingly easy would be perfect.

*Raises hand*

Also not a big prosciutto fan. Okay if in combination with lots of other things, but no thanks when it's the star. I will now have to turn in my Jersey card...

Look forward to your thoughts on Mrs. C and MG!

*note to self: two fewer combatants in the corner-the-prosciutto wars*

>242 Crazymamie: Here you go! I piece of my childhood:

Ingredients:
• 6 egg yolks
• ½ cup water
• 2 cups flour
• 6 cups beef broth/consommé

1. In large bowl, combine egg yolks and water.
2. Add flour to make dough.
3. Turn onto *very* well-floured surface, adding enough flour so that dough will roll out thin.
4. Roll dough as thin as possible, continuing to add flour as needed, especially underneath dough to keep from sticking to surface.
5. Shift dough onto wax paper and let dry 2-4 hours.
6. Cut into long strips (we usually make these about 2-3 inches wide), stack the strips on top of one another, and then cut into noodles. (We make ours really thin, but you could make wider noodles if you like.)
7. Spread noodles out on cookie sheets and let dry overnight.
8. To cook noodles, bring consommé to a boil.
9. Add noodles and boil until tender.
10. Add cornstarch, dissolved in water, as needed to thicken.
11. Cover and remove from heat for a few minutes before serving.

You obviously don't need to use beef broth - you could add them to chicken soup or whatever you like. They don't take too long to cook, since they're so thin.

After the mustard, etc. discussion I must let you know that I agree with you on prosciutto -- I'll eat it but stringy texture is not wonderful -- and pie! What could be better than a nice slice of pie for breakfast (as long as it isn't pumpkin or mincemeat) or for lunch or for dinner or in between :)

Hah. I’ll take on all comers over prosciutto. Tried to eat enough to make myself sick of it while in Italy. Couldn’t do it, I love it that much!

>243 katiekrug: Sorry about your Jersey card, Katie, but look what good company I am in - I thought it was just me. But look! You, me, Amber, and Reba. Also Craig and the girls don't like it.

I am really trying to sort out what to say about Mrs. C and MG.

>244 richardderus: Actually four, darling. All the more for you!

>245 scaifea: Thank you so much for that, Amber! I will be sure to report back if I am brave enough to attempt it. And I would leave them wider. I like to use the noodles for chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes, so once I had the noodle I would cook it in the slow cooker with chicken broth and spices. I cook the chicken in the broth and spices first, then take it out and shred it, put it back in and add the noodles and cook until the noodles are done. Most yum!

>246 RebaRelishesReading: I just cannot take the texture, so it's a no go for me. And hooray for pie, although I have to tell you that pumpkin is my favorite. I love everything pumpkin, so...My second choice would be apple streusel. But Craig also make a mean blueberry cream pie that is most excellent.

>247 drneutron: Jim, you and Richard can have all the prosciutto. I will happily leave you to it.

>247 drneutron: It appears to be a XX-chromosomally linked defect, Jim, so we're home free!

...now back away from that pig niiice and slooow...

>250 richardderus: *belly laugh*

Well, I've been fighting the munchies, but I think I'll just give in! So many lovely recipes and pictures...

>239 Crazymamie: The best ever dill pasta salad I've had takes those tiny tiny bows and dresses them with shallots slowly cooked in walnut oil, dill and small bits of salmon. I'm not usually enthusiastic about salmon (aside from lox on bagel) but oh my is that salad something else.

>247 drneutron: You were eating Italian prosciutto prepared by Italians. I've had some indifferent stuff wrapped around a slice of melon myself.
I admit I've always been prejudiced in favor of ham - as small child it was one of very few foods I'd eat when we went out, but my mother was cooking with bits and slices of prosciutto farther back than I go, so it was just a given. I've never been much of a fan of the melon presentation, it takes a very good prosciutto to work which can be a waste when there are so many other good ways to eat it.

>250 richardderus: Not in the least. Well, if others aren't eating the good stuff, it's no harm to us. I think I still have a bit I fried up with butter and lemon as a sauce, so maybe I'll pinch a bit off for myself.

>248 Crazymamie: It was a rather chilly day today so I was in the mood for comfort food tonight. After dinner I sliced a Granny Smith apple and put it into a loaf pan along with 3/4 cup or so of blueberries, some sugar and some cinnamon and then topped it all with some streusel mix I had in the fridge then baked it for an hour. Made a lovely warm treat about 9:00 p.m. -- sort of apple streusel pie with a touch of blueberry. As to actual pies, apple with blueberries or boysenberries, or marionberries and with streusel topping is my absolute favorite so I come close to agreeing with you there.

>252 charl08: Charlotte, it's good for the soul to give into indulgence every now and then. And I've just finished reading Babette's Feast - how funny is that?!

>253 quondame: That salad sounds good, Susan, although I would have to use a different oil. I am deathly allergic to walnuts.

I am loving the prosciutto discussion. I just like to talk about food in general because everyone has such different tastes, and I am learning, and I like when people share.

>254 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, that sounds delicious! And I bet it smelled so good while it was baking - a double treat!

11. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kindle, acquired in 2020, gothic horror - 3.5 stars

Amazon says: "After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region."

This was a mixed bag for me. I liked the building tension and the creeping suspense that the author was able to build. It felt like an homage to The Yellow Wallpaper, which was interesting since I just reread that one earlier this month. The premise is sound and makes for a great haunted house story, but it takes too long to get where it's going. I don't know if this is intentional or not, but I felt like it could easily have been about 50 pages shorter and been the better for it. The suspense was almost tangible for me because of the repeated snake motif. I am completely creeped out by snakes, so I almost abandoned this - I was afraid that the people living in the house were going to be shape shifters that shifted into snakes. I was wrong, but still there is a lot of snakeness here. The book takes the first 200 pages to build the tension and then it takes off. Not all of it worked for me, but I do think it is a pretty good gothic horror story if you are not in a hurry to get to the horror. I would have liked for the characters to be more fully fleshed (see what I did there!), and one thing that happened at the end made no sense to me at all, but enough of it worked that I am not grieving my time spent with it.

12. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/grief - 4 stars - recommended by Karen, and Richard's comments sealed the deal

I really liked this one. It does a lot within the confines of a novella. And it defies genre for me - is it fantasy? Magical Realism? Feminist literature?Does Mrs. Caliban really have an affair with a sea monster, or is it all in her head? When we meet Mrs. Caliban, she has gone from intense grief to a kind of numb survival mode where she goes about her day to day life without really investing in it. She suspects her husband is having an affair, but it doesn't really seem to matter to her. She is troubled but not aggrieved by it because she has already been through so much. And the radio seems to be talking to her. Specifically to her. After listening to a report of an escaped sea monster from the Jefferson Institute for Oceanographic Research, Mrs.Caliban finds herself confronted by him in her own kitchen, and decides to help hide him from authorities. One reviewer described this as "Desperate Housewives meets Land of the Lost", which I think is pretty apt, but it's also deeper than that. There is humor here, but there is also grief. And social commentary that does not hit you over the head. Quirky and thoughtful and intelligent. And short, so give it a try.

13. Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, Kindle, acquired in 2020, short story/food - 4.5 stars

Amazon says: "In this witty classic short story Babette’s Feast, a mysterious French housekeeper, who is taken in by two Danish sisters, wins the lottery and as a gesture of gratitude prepares an extravagant and sumptuous feast for a gathering of religious, ascetic, aging villagers and, in doing so, introduces them to the true essence of charity and grace."

This short story was mentioned in another book I read, which is what put it on my radar. Sadly, I did not make note of that book, but I'm hoping it will come to me eventually. (Chocolat, maybe?) Anyway, this is very well done. I love the message delivered by this one, so just read it already.

Oh, look! Book posts! lol. I wish one of them would draw me in. I am honestly stuck in a morass of fluff. I was sure that would pass in 2021..maybe soon? In the meantime, I'm glad to see that others are not in here with me.

Oh, the food posts! It's morning and I'm already hungry for sandwiches and dill pasta salad. I can't do dill with foods because the other adult here does not like dill at all. I am in a situation where we don't have many places to shop nearby. The closest ( not very good) grocery store closed. We have walmart and aldi, but nowhere to go for deli products unless I go north or south to a different town. le sigh.

>254 RebaRelishesReading: that sounds delicious! yum! I have a blueberry bread recipe that I make and an apple cake and apple bread recipe I use, but that looks simple and yummy. I like almost any kind of apples, yum. And you have reminded me to find blueberries for my granddaughter.

This has been fun... xo

All of the Dill salad recipes are making me hungry for Dill Pickle Ranch Potato Salad. It is my daughters favorite and our new go-to for potato salad.

Great comments, Mamie. I'm on the fence about Mexican Gothic... We'll see. I'm about #15 on the library reserve list, so I have some time before I'll get it.

I have to get to Mrs. Caliban soon, so many good comments about it.

>259 mckait: I always run home to mama when I am in a book funk, so old favorites like Garden Spells, Practical Magic, Pride and Prejudice,...favorite series like Mercy Thompson and Sookie Stackhouse, or beloved non-fiction like Travels With Herodotus or Finding George Orwell in Burma. Books that I already know that I love and can fall into the familiar rhythms of the story. I also love books about books whether they are talking about a lot of books or just one specific book. I loved The Last Man in Europe, which is a novel about Orwell's writing Animal Farm and 1984. The author did his research, and it is excellent. I also loved Goldeneye: Where Bond Was Born: Ian Fleming's Jamaica, which is non-fiction about how Ian Fleming came to write the Bond books. Have you read the Ruth Galloway books by Elly Griffiths? Or the Sean Duffy books by Adrian McKinty - those are both excellent series that I have read more than once. But not urban fantasy; they are police procedurals.

Bummer about the other adult. We are lucky to have the Publix, which is where I do most of my grocery shopping.

I love all those baked goods that you are describing, but I tend to cook more than bake.

I'm glad you had fun! xo

>260 jayde1599: Dill Pickle Ranch Potato Salad sounds most yum, Jess! Do you share the recipe?

>261 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Just remember that it is a very slow starter, and you might want to yell at the main character a lot. I would say wait until you know you are in the mood for it, but with a library reserve you have to read it when you get it.

Yes, do make time for Mrs. Caliban. I'm so glad that Karen reviewed it on her thread and then Richard chimed in with comments. It's not one I would have found on my own, I din't think.

Hi Mamie, and happy Sunday to you.

Yay for Mrs. Caliban. Excellent review.

What's on the menu for supper at the Pecan Paradisio tonight?

>257 Crazymamie: Oooh, you liked it! Yay!

>258 Crazymamie: Another hit! More yay!

>259 mckait: ...the other adult here does not like dill at all. Which son moved home?

>264 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! Happy Sunday! Thank you for those kind words and for recommending Mrs. Caliban - how did you classify it?

Dinner tonight is Parmesan Chicken, rice with mushrooms, and roasted carrots. Last night we tried a new recipe from Iowagirleats:Cheeseburger Quesadillas. Everyone loved them. Instead of mixing together the 2:1 ration of ketchup and mustard to mix into all the beef, we just let everyone make up their own mixture and decide how much beef to use. So, I used the recipe mix, Birdy used a 1:1 of ranch dressing and Hot Pepper Bacon Jam, Abby used 3:1 of mayo and mustard...Anyway they were very quick and easy and delicious. We served them with crispy crowns.

>265 richardderus: Mrs. Caliban and Babette's Feast were both very satisfying reads for me - they both had a lot to say. And thank you so much for your comments on Karen's thread about the former because that is what pushed me over the edge. It's one I know I will read again.

*belly laugh* Your comment to Kathleen is what I was thinking but was too chicken to say. I would also just please myownself, but she is nicer than I am.

>266 Crazymamie: I classified Mrs. Caliban as Fantasy, which I define as A story including elements like magical powers or talking animals; perceived to be out of the "real world" norm..

Both dinners sound yummy. I am toying with the idea of chili or Shrimp Chowder with New Potatoes and Corn.

>267 karenmarie: Thanks for that, Karen. I just cannot decide. Is it fantasy or all in her head - that's what I keep coming back to, and I think it is excellent that it is open to interpretation because the writing is so good.

Both of those sound good - Craig is the only one here who would eat shrimp chowder with me. Daniel would have, but he has moved out, so...The girls don't do seafood, and I only do shrimp, and then only if I know it hasn't been touching the scallops because I am deathly allergic to those.

>268 Crazymamie: There's also the Darker Turn the story takes...his vengeance-driven violence. That added an extra urgency to my own questioning of the nature of the book's reality or unreality.

Yes, exactly. It's brilliantly done, and I keep thinking about it.

I finally watched The Shape of Water, which I'd heard was "inspired by" Mrs Caliban and, were I in charge of the author's estate, I'd issue a blanket denial about any connection whatsoever! Even allowing for the medium being different, it's just about the last thing I'd want compared to my work of art.

Oh, dear! I have not seen that one.

My BFF and I went to see The Shape of Water when it was in the theaters and nominated for an Oscar. We looked at each other when it was over and said "why?". I've rarely see a film I liked less.

Well, it sounds like I can safely skip it then, Reba. I do remember all the hype about it, but it never really called to me.

I expect it's not actually *bad* but the comparison did nothing to enhance my experience, shall we say.

The many dissimilarities started with the PoV character, and that one alone was my tolerance used up. Might one inquire why it's necessary for a woman to be severely disabled to appear in a lead role? And why, please, are the men around her all so Pure in their characteristics? (Not, you'll note, characters.)

Simplistic, simple-minded blather.

Oh, Mexican Gothic and Mrs Caliban look very intriguing - I have to keep them in mind!
I liked the cinematography of The Shape of Water and its female protagonist. Storywise it needed a bit getting used to. I took it as a fairytale, then the beastiality (is it - isn't it?) was easier to accept.

I skipped your comments on MG. I have under 100 pages to go....

So glad you also liked Mrs. C! Karen and Richard definitely get bonus points for putting that one on my radar.

Those quesadillas sound yummy. We had stir fry with shaved steak last night, and it was super good. Lots of leftovers, too :)

>275 richardderus: I know nothing about it, Richard, as I just vaguely remember the trailers for that one. It's been too long.

>276 PersephonesLibrary: I will have to ask the girls if they have seen it, Käthe, and if they have what they thought. I just honestly barely remember the ads for it.

If you only read one of them, I would say make it Mrs. Caliban, which is much shorter and leaves you with a lot to think about.

>277 katiekrug: Looking forward to seeing what you think of it, Katie. It almost qualifies as weird fiction to me, which I do like - I loved the Southern Reach Trilogy. I think with some severe editing and a few changes it could be full of fabulous for me. So, close but no cigar.

Mrs. Caliban was delightful, although that makes it sound like a romp, which it was not. I'm glad we both got to it sooner rather than later.

The quesadillas were very good, and we will definitely have them again. And yum to the stir fry! We like to use leftovers like that in a wrap, too- Birdy always takes her leftover Carne Asada from the Mexican place and makes a breakfast burrito for the next morning.

>258 Crazymamie: Babette's Feast is a favorite of mine, and the movie is just about perfect too! Of course, food.

>279 quondame: Susan, I need to track down the movie, as I am wanting to see that. I loved the short story - one I know I will read again. And yes, food!

>256 Crazymamie: I think I may have liked Mexican Gothic a bit more than you, although I agree that it took too long to get going. There's slow-burning suspense, and then there's spinning your wheels. I didn't get a bad snake vibe, but then I don't mind snakes (it's spiders that fill me with horror). And given that I cannot stand eating mushrooms of any kind, I found the ultimate evil to be grimly appropriate. :-)

But now I'm curious what was the one thing at the end that made no sense to you?

>279 quondame: I loved the movie Babette's Feast as well. I never read the short story so I can't compare, but there's really good acting, and of course you can actually see the food she is preparing:-)

I posted my comments on Mexican Gothic on my thread. I may have been, um, ungenerous...

Like Julia, I'm curious what part of the end bothered you. For me, it was all of it :)

>281 rosalita: - Right on with that spoiler comment, Julia! I feel exactly the same.

>233 quondame: and >244 richardderus: and >247 drneutron: I'm with you in liking the prosciutto.

>239 Crazymamie:, >241 scaifea:, >242 Crazymamie:, >243 katiekrug:, >246 RebaRelishesReading: Sorry your palates are sadly misguided. It's ok--more for the rest of them.

>240 Crazymamie: I'm right there with you that dessert, especially pie, makes an excellent breakfast.
>248 Crazymamie: Yum! Pumpkin pie is one of my favorites.
>254 RebaRelishesReading: Apples and blueberries under streusel sounds great!

>257 Crazymamie: Mrs. Caliban sounds great.
>258 Crazymamie: And so does Babette's Feast. Somehow that never made it to my movie viewing list--must rectify that soon. Maybe my TBR too.

14. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars

She conceived me.
I took shape like an infant,
Not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page and into your mind.

This completely blew me away. It arrived today, and I sat down with it to get a feel for it, and I just read straight through it without stopping or getting up. It is stunning. It's the story of Mary Shelley and of how she came to write Frankenstein, but it is told in poetry, and the illustrations are gorgeous and haunting. And she got everything right. It has been meticulously researched and has fabulous endnotes. I read Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon several years ago, and it tells the stories of both Mary Shelley and her mother Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (highly recommended if you are interested), so I am familiar with the histories of both women and of Mary Shelley's father William Godwin. Lita Judge, the author and illustrator of this beautiful 300 page graphic biography, nails it.

>285 Crazymamie: The illos are so gorgeous! She's exactly caught how young and vulnerable Mary was.

Of course, 300pp of poetry

isn't going to happen, but the pickcherz iz purty!

Okay after all the pickle conversation, I just have to say this and hope you will all still be my friends:

Dill pickles are not delicious.
The only acceptable pickled cucumber version is bread and butter pickles.

*Phew*
Glad to get that off my chest.

Hehe... in all seriousness, though, it's kind of fun to see the variety of foods that we like or dislike and how very personal and unique our reactions to that are. I'll eat most vegetables, for example, but I'm *very* picky about how I like them cooked, and most of the time I'm going to go with raw or roasted.

>281 rosalita: Julia, your spoiler comment made me laugh! I really liked the premise and the writing, I just thought it could have been so much better. And I thought the main character made some stupid mistakes. The part of the ending that bothered me was that I found it unbelievable that Victor would have behaved the way he did. I mean, I get him wanting to let Noemí take out Victor, but how did he know that she would not kill him, too. It really left too much to chance on his part - I think he would have been smarter. It didn't ruin the end for me, it just bothers me. Also, now I can't stop saying, "There's a fungus among us!"

>282 EllaTim: Ella, I am excited to watch the movie now. I found it to rent from Amazon Prime, so I'm going to do that very soon.

>283 katiekrug: Katie, I'm coming over right now - I figured you would like it less than I did since you don't read horror. "I'm curious what part of the end bothered you. For me, it was all of it :)" This made me grin!

>284 justchris: I am thrilled to let you and other like minded LTers have all of the prosciutto.

Pie for breakfast is one of my very favorite things ever.

Hoping you enjoy both Mrs. Caliban and Babette's Feast when you get to them. Report back if you watch the movie soon - I'm going to rent it probably this week and watch it.

>286 richardderus: Richard, I think even you would like it. LOVE that gif!!

>287 bell7: Mary, I cannot stand bread and butter pickles, but I am very find of you, so we can still be friends. I love all the food conversation, too! So great to get so many different opinions and to see how what we grow up eating helps to determine our own comfort foods.

Not into dills. Tart foods not a favorite. My husband loved them, though, and always ate mine at sandwich shops.

>287 bell7: >289 Crazymamie: I've been through B&B pickle love to B&B pickle hate to B&B pickles are great with Honey Kettle fried chicken. Not sure what the first change was about, but a lot of my tastes preferences changed from sweet to tart at about the same time, and lately, unfortunately sweet has come back.

>288 Crazymamie: Thanks for explaining, Mamie. And your spoiler made me guffaw, nightmare fuel though it is. :-D

>290 ronincats: I love tart, Roni, and also spicy. Newest daughter prefers sweet to dill but will eat dill.

>291 quondame: I get that, Susan. My tastes have definitely changed through the years and are constantly evolving. All part of life's adventures, I guess.

>292 rosalita: Yep. Happy to have provided some humor to go with your horror.

Morning, Mamie! We got a foot of snow dumped on us. I sure wish I could share most of it with you. It looks like you are doing some fine reading. I remember loving the film Babette's Feast, which I saw many years ago but never did read the book. You got me a BB for Mary's Monster. I am going to request it immediately.

We are going up to MN tomorrow for a birding trip, so I won't be online much.

I am feeling really good about my January reading. Here are some data:

Books read: 14
Hardback: 1
Paperback: 4
Digital: 7
Audiobook: 2
From my stacks pre-2021: 10
New in 2021: 2
Borrowed: 2

Authors:
Female: 8 / Male: 6
Dead: 6 / Living: 8
New to me: 7
Birth Country: America (6), Denmark (1), England (4), Mexico (1), South Africa (1),

Fiction: 12
Non-fiction: 2
Series I am pursuing: 1
GN/graphic non-fiction: 2/1

Translations: 0

>294 msf59: Morning, Mark! I wish you could share that snow with me, too. So happy I hit you with Mary's Monster - you will love it. Safe travels to Minnesota. Stay safe and have fun, my friend.

>294 msf59: Morning, Mark! I would be happy to take any or all of that snow. Happy to hit you with Mary's Monster - you will love it. Safe travels to Minnesota. Stay safe and have fun, my friend.

‘Morning, Mamie!

>295 Crazymamie: Excellent statistics. 10 off your shelves is more than respectable.

>298 karenmarie: Morning, Karen! I am very happy with my stats.

Mary's Monster looks very intriguing...

>300 katiekrug: Katie, I was so impressed by how beautiful it was - the illustrations and the atmosphere they create are a perfect match for the narrative.

>295 Crazymamie: Ooohhh...ten off your shelves! That's outstanding! Nothing is a keener pleasure than getting the reading list whittled down. Under control. Satisfying!


>289 Crazymamie: Alas, we shall never know.

>302 richardderus: Right?! I'll just not mentioned that I might have acquired...um... 34 this month.

I figured.

>303 Crazymamie: That is math that I do not care to do. I make it a cardinal rule of life never to ask questions to which I do not wish to receive answers.

I will never, ever keep track of the number of acquisitions I make. I enter them all in LT, of course, but a few here, a few there, that's all I know. It can't add up to much, right? :)

>303 Crazymamie: I love you for many reasons, Mamie, but one of the minor ones is that you acquire even more books than I do!

>305 katiekrug: Admittedly I've only been doing it for a month, but while I've been somewhat horrified to see the total grow it doesn't seem to be having any effect on the rate at which I acquire them, so ...

Well done on 10 off the owned pile. I will studiously ignore the 34 acquired...
I long ago decided not to count.

>304 richardderus: Luckily, for me it's all about reading from my shelves, and I do not care how many I acquire. I am not trying to limit that. Most of them are Kindle books that I got for cheap, so they are not costing much and don't take up any space. The physical ones are gorgeous and very happy making.

>305 katiekrug: Good thinking, Katie. I keep a category in my library for acquisitions for each year, so the list is automatically made.

>306 rosalita: Thank you, Julia! I am here for you.

I actually don't mind seeing the total grow. Mostly they are Kindle deals.

>307 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen. I only know the total purchased for this month because we are only one month into the year. After this I will just have a total for the year since I just enter them in by year acquired. Like I said, the grand total doesn't matter to me. I am not trying to limit myself at this point in time.

The physical ones are gorgeous and very happy making.

Well, that's what counts, honestly :D
I've not acquired any new books this year, but only because I have very limited spending money at the moment and haven't had any library book sales happening. Can't promise the same over the summer.

Mary, I don't spend money on much else currently, to be honest. I don't buy makeup or need any clothes or handbags. I have only had my hair professionally cut once in the past year. I don't get my nails done or get massages. Not using much gas these days or taking vacations. Books and kitchen gadgets are my indulgences. I mean, wine is a necessity, so that does not count.