Oberon's Fresh Start to 2022 - Thread 2

Finally getting around to getting thread 2 up for the year. Been a slow posting year for me.

The photo above is from Seville where a bar was being renovated near the city's cathedral and it was realized that the building had been built into a 12th century Islamic bathhouse. Love the history of places like this and this place especially benefited from having an excellent sangria.

Hall containing works by Peter Paul Rubens at the Louvre. Hardly anyone in there since it wasn't marked on the map with a must visit note on the museum map.



The Wedding Feast at Cana which was the subject of Cynthia Saltzman's excellent Plunder: Napoleon's Theft of Veronese's Feast which was sadly ignored being in the same room as the Mona Lisa.

Books read in 2022:

January

1. The Unwritten Vol. 4 by Mike Carey
2. The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, Book 4 by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. The Commodore by Patrick O'Brian
4. Hellboy: The Secret Histories by Mike Mignola
5. The Unwritten Vol. 5 by Mike Carey
6. The Unwritten Vol. 6 by Mike Carey
7. The Living Landscape by Rick Darke
8. The Unwritten Vol. 7 by Mike Carey
9. The Unwritten Vol. 8 by Mike Carey
10. Vanished Kingdoms by Norman Davies (audiobook)
11. The Unwritten Vol. 9 by Mike Carey
12. The Unwritten Vol. 10 by Mike Carey
13. The Unwritten Vol. 11 by Mike Carey
14. The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf (audiobook)
15. The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane
16. Maus, Vol. 1 by Art Spiegelman
17. Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

February

18. Still Life by Sarah Winman (audiobook)
19. Maus, Vol. 2 by Art Spiegelman
20. Plunder: Napoleon's Theft of Veronese's Feast by Cynthia Saltzman (audiobook)
21. Black Panther: Panther's Quest by Don McGregor
22. Teddy by Laurence Luckinbill
23. Darwin: An Exceptional Voyage by Fabien Grolieau
24. Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan by Michael Straczynski
25. King Conan: Wolves Beyond the Border by Timothy Truman
26. The Last Lions of Africa by Anthony Ham
27. World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
28. Jungle, How Tropical Forests Shaped the World - and Us by Patrick Roberts (audiobook)

March

29. Starlight Enclave by R.A. Salvatore
30. Constantine, Vol. 14 by Brian Azzarello
31. Red Famine by Anne Applebaum (audiobook)
32. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
33. Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War! by Stan Sakai
34. Constantine, Vol. 15 by Brian Azzarello
35. Constantine, Vol. 21 by Andy Diggle
36. Young Hellboy, The Hidden Land by Mike Mignola
37. Bewilderment by Richard Powers

April

38. Roar of the Sea by Deb Vanesse
39. Master of the Revels by Nicole Galland (audiobook)
40. The Nature of Oaks by Douglas Tallamy
41. Constantine, Vol. 19 by Denise Mina
42. Constantine, Vol. 17 by Mike Carrey
43. Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker
44. Constantine, Vol. 20 by Andy Diggle
45. Constantine, Vol. 22 by Peter Milligan
46. Constantine, Vol. 24 by Peter Milligan

May

47. Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson (audiobook)
48. Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
49. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
50. Rise of the Black Panther by Evan Narcisse
51. Black Panther Vol. 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates
52. Black Panther Vol. 2 By Ta-Nehisi Coates
53. Anathem by Neal Stephenson (audiobook)

June

54. Metropolis by Ben Wilson (audiobook)
55. Riverman by Ben McGrath (audiobook)

July

56. Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez Reverte
57. Purity of Blood by Arturo Perez Reverte
58. The King's Shadow by Edmund Richardson (audiobook)
59. The Sun Over Breda by Arturo Perez Reverte
60. Lost in the Valley of Death by Harley Rustad (audiobook)
61. How to by Randall Munroe (audiobook)
62. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (audiobook)
63. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (audiobook)
64. The King’s Gold by Arturo Perez Reverte

August

65. Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman
66. Sandman, Vol. 2 by Neil Gaiman
67. Sandman, Vol. 3 by Neil Gaiman
68. Sandman, Vol. 4 by Neil Gaiman
69. Sandman, Vol. 5 by Neil Gaiman
70. Sandman, Vol. 6 by Neil Gaiman
71. Sandman, Vol. 7 by Neil Gaiman
72. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (audiobook)
73. Falconspeare by Mike Mignola
74, Sandman, Vol. 8 by Neil Gaiman
75. The Only Street in Paris by
Elaine Sciolino
76. Sandman, Vol. 9 by Neil Gaiman
77. Sandman, Vol. 10 by Neil Gaiman
78. Tales from the Outerverse by Mike Mignola
79. The House of Lost Horizons by Mike Mignola
80. Antitrust, Taking on Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age by Amy Klobuchar (audiobook)
81. The Enemy at the Gate by Andrew Wheatcroft
82. Sandman, Vol. 11 by Neil Gaiman

September

83. Sandman Overture by Neil Gaiman
84. Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman
85. Lobster Johnson, Vol. 5 by Mike Mignola
86. Violent Cases by Neil Gaiman
87. Harlequin Valentine by Neil Gaiman
88. Likely Stories by Neil Gaiman
89. Creatures of the Night by Neil Gaiman
90. I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider
91. Lady Baltimore by Mike Mignola
92. River of the Gods by Candice Millard (audiobook)
93. The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells

October

94. Oceans of Grain by Scott Reynolds Nelson (audiobook)
95. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
96. Within These Woods by Timothy Goodwin

November

97. Saved in Time by Estella Leopold
98. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
99. Black Panther & the Crew by Ta-Nehisi Coates
100. Black Panther: World of Wakanda by Ta-Nehisi Coates
101. Freezing Order by Bill Browder (audiobook)

December

102. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The King's Shadow by Edmund Richardson

A long overdue book review.

This book is the story of Charles Masson, one of the first archaeologists to focus on Afghanistan. His excavations found Alexandria (the Afghan one, not some of the others) and in the process rewrote contemporary thinking about the blending of eastern and western thought that took place in Afghanistan.

However, the archaeology, while interesting, is a bit of side show to Charles Masson's life. Masson's real name was James Lewis and he was a wanted deserter from the British East India Company who managed to sneak away from his regiment and made a life for himself in Afghanistan. There, being one of the earliest Europeans to spend substantial time in Afghanistan, Masson got blackmailed into serving as England's spy in Afghanistan and later got caught up in the political machinations that ultimately led to the first Anglo-Afghan war. That war, which was basically an extension of the Great Game between Imperial Russia and Imperial England, resulted in a massacre of the invading British Army - literally one guy makes it back from the retreat from Kabul in the dead of winter.

Masson, who correctly realizes the folly and misunderstandings that underlie the Anglo-Afghan war, speaks out against the war only for him to be ignored as unpatriotic on the front end and a grouchy critic afterward. This, plus his inability to write a solid account of his excavations led to him being largely forgotten. The King's Shadow is an effort to rectify that wrong. Highly recommended.

Soccer news: The Loons lost 4-3 versus Colorado this past weekend. We were missing several of our top players due to yellow card accumulation so not time to panic just yet. Tonight I am taking my youngest to the MLS Skills Challenge - a competition which is part of the All Star Game. The whole family is going to the All Star Game tomorrow night.

Happy new thread, Erik!

>2 Oberon: Hardly anyone in there since it wasn't marked on the map with a must visit note on the museum map.
Markings on a map with "must visits"?
I remember the Louvre is very large, but to send everyone to the same few places feels a bit odd to me. Well, you could look at the Rubens paintings undisturbed.

Happy new one!

Great vacation photos, Erik! I read about La Cervecería Giralda in an article in El País last year. I just looked up its location, and it is literally just around the corner from the Hotel Doña María, where Bianca and I stayed when we visited Sevilla in 2016. We certainly would have gone there if we knew about its history back then! Hopefully I'll be able to return to that superb city in the near future.

The Wedding Feast at Cana is spectacular. I'd rather spend time viewing it than the Mona Lisa.

Did you visit any bookshops on your travels, e.g. Shakespeare and Company in Paris?

Great review of The King's Shadow; I've added it to my wish list, and I'll look for it in the library systems I belong to.

I haven't been following MLS closely this year, in part because Atlanta United is performing so poorly, but mainly because I'm no longer living in Atlanta and can't go to home matches with friends. Having said that, I don't expect to transfer my allegiance to the Philadelphia Union anytime soon, as it's still more likely that I'll see matches in Atlanta than in Philadelphia, especially since the latter's home ground is well south of the city, 42 miles from where I live. The Union, unlike Atlanta United, are off of most sports fans' radar here, especially now that the Phillies have gotten red hot and appear to be playoff bound for the first time since 2011.

Have a good time at the MLS All Star Game!

Happy new thread, Erik.

The EPL has started in England and my team Leeds won its first game with its American Head Coach and two USA Internationals in tow - Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson. The latter in particular was a revelation.

Happy new thread, Erik. I love the photo at the top. The King's Shadow sounds fascinating.

>6 FAMeulstee: I thought it was odd too. I suppose there is a chunk of people who want to see the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa and call it a day and apparently that is a big enough segment of the population that they put some of the most iconic pieces on the map and call it good. I found it really disheartening. Especially the Mona Lisa. Almost no one seemed focused at looking at the painting. Rather it was about getting your selfie with the painting in the background. On the plus side, I could admire The Wedding Feast of Cana at my leisure while the hordes streamed past to the Mona Lisa.

>7 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>8 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl. I was wondering if you were watching much soccer. The All Star game was fun. I am glad we went.

I did hit several book stores including Shakespeare & Company where my wife picked up The Only Street in Paris which I plan on reading shortly. Most of my book buying was at gift shops so I picked up guidebooks at the Prado and Louvre and bought myself a history of the Alhambra. Unfortunately, I made my suitcase a bit too heavy with my book buying.

I think I saw about the bar/Islamic bathhouse in a Guardian article and that is what led me to track it down when we visited. That section of Seville, right around the cathedral, is fantastic.

>9 PaulCranswick: Paul, I am hoping that Leeds has a great season for selfish reason. If the Americans are going to get anywhere in the World Cup they need to get good performances out the players playing in Europe.

>10 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I found The King's Shadow engrossing. Fact being stranger than fiction.

>12 Oberon: I'm glad that you were able to see the MLS All Star Game in person, and that it was an enjoyable match.

Well done on visiting Shakespeare and Company. The Only Street in Paris sounds fabulous; I'll add it to my wish list.

I'm also fond of buying books in gift shops of European museums. Did you visit the Museo Reina Sofía, and Guernica, when you were in Madrid? It's a vastly more impressive and powerful work when seen in person, and when I visited the museum in ?2017 there was a larger room with sketches of Guernica and descriptions of its creation, with the actual work in a smaller inner room with nothing else displayed. I had intended to go to the Museo del Prado, but I chose to eat a late lunch first, and by the time I joined the incredibly long line outside the museum on a blazing hot summery day (back then you could enter for free in the late afternoon) it was clear that I either wouldn't get in before closing, or wouldn't have time to see much if I did.

Speaking of Picasso I just started reading Picasso's War: How Modern Art Came to America by Hugh Eakin, which I expect to be very good.

I like to read a newspaper every morning that I can, and when I was in Spain I routinely bought either El País, or the Castilian edition of La Vanguardia if I was in Barcelona. I subscribe to the weekly emails from El País, which is where I first read about La Cervecería Giralda, and shortly afterward I read another article about it in The Guardian, as I subscribe to the online edition of the newspaper.

If I only had a dollar for every time I bought too many books on my travels, and had to buy a cheap duffel bag to bring them back...

>11 Oberon: I have never been a fan of the moaning Lisa Erik.

I think I've only done a selfie with a painting once. A friend and I made ourselves extra Brontes! Not big on selfies.

>14 kidzdoc: I am embarrassed to admit that we did not go see Guernica. I have seen it in on previous trips but this was the reality of traveling with my children. They made it through the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid but were running short on patience with visiting art museums. Towards the end of our stay in Madrid we debated the Reina Sofia and Real Madrid's Bernabeu versus a daytrip to Segovia. Segovia won out.

I visit El Pais (in English) a couple of times a month. I too try to read some foreign news coverage, usually of places I have visited. Sadly, my lack of command of other language limits my choices.

I think my biggest issues with my book buying were the wrath of my wife and the impact on my poor back from hauling them around. On the plus side, 15 year old teenage boy has upped his carrying capacity so he ended up with some of dad's books. I feel like that was a fair trade for an all expense paid trip to Europe for him.

>15 Caroline_McElwee: It is certainly not my favorite by Leonardo. I prefer his Annunciation that hangs in the Uffizi.

The Bronte Sisters selfie sounds fun. I don't want to give the impression that I am opposed to all of the "I was here" selfies as I am certainly guilty (see above) but when the whole point of visiting an art museum is to acquire the selfie it crowds out the actual appreciation of the art.

>16 Oberon: That's very understandable that you didn't go to the Museo Reina Sofía to see Guernica, especially because you had already seen it and since your kids had already visited two of the Big Three museums in Madrid.

A day trip to Segovia sounds like the right decision. If it wasn't so extremely hot when I visited Madrid (upper 90s to low 100s each day) I would have taken a day trip there.

I can read newspapers and magazines in Castilian (not Catalan) Spanish, but not in any other non-Engllish language yet.

Given the photos of her it's hard for me to envision your wife being wrathful! Teenage daughters OTOH...

I'll have to retract my previous statement about the low likelihood of seeing Philadelphia Union home matches. One of my best friends from high school loves football, and he and I will see the Union play an international friendly against FC Pachuca from Liga MX at Subaru Park on September 24th.

>13 Oberon: I'll take that as a good enough reason to support the Whites, Erik.

Have a great weekend. We have a tough assignment on Sunday as we host Chelsea.

>18 kidzdoc: She can definitely do wrathful You will have to take my word for it.

Very glad to hear you are going make it to a Union game. That should be fun. The Union have been playing very well as of late. Never know with a friendly if you will get the top team or prospects but it sounds fun either way.

>19 PaulCranswick: Sure didn't look like a tough assignment on Sunday Paul. Leeds took Chelsea apart. Great game for them.

Loons update: Loons won! 2-1 over Austin FC. Important win for Minnesota against the number two side in the MLS Western Conference. Loons are looking like they are firing on all cylinders and have a decent shot at a home game for the first round of the playoffs. Being Minnesotan you end up expecting the wheels to fall off at some point but right things are going well.

The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino

Written by the New York Times' Paris correspondent, this book is a look at the Rue des Martyrs, a street in Paris. Sciolino lived off the Rue des Martyrs during her time in Paris and became slightly obsessed with the history of the area and the personalities of the people (mainly business owners) that inhabit the street.

In telling the history of the Rue des Martyrs, Sciolino starts with the small businesses that line the streets. The bakeries, the fish monger, the antiques dealer and the book shops. She gets to know the owners and their very specialized businesses. For example, she visits a cheese seller and gets a lesson on the aging of gruyere. She also visits a shop that specializes in repairing antique barometers. It sounds like an odd concept but as she highlights the special nature of each business she draws out what makes each unique and how, collectively, all of the little stores and theaters ad churches fit into the broader history of Paris and French culture.

I admit that it had particular interest for me as we stayed just off the Rue des Martyrs ad Avenue Trudaine while in Paris and spent out evening wandering the street and sampling the stores and restaurants. Wish I had read the book ahead of our visit but it was lovely to read about the places we had recently visited.

Even if you haven't visited the Rue des Martyrs or even Paris, this is a fun book for how it imparts history and combines it with the small details of closely observed daily life. Highly recommended.

>22 Oberon: Hit by a bullet Erik. I love Paris.

I enjoyed Lauren Elkin's No. 91/92: notes on a Parisian commute.

>20 Oberon: She can definitely do wrathful. You will have to take my word for it.

Oh, I can believe it. I've seen plenty of teenage girls who were hospitalized under my care turn on one or both parents and verbally eviscerate them, especially ones with eating disorders who did not want to stay in the hospital for a week or longer. I may not have a teenage daughter, but I know what even the smartest and kindest ones are capable of!

I know nothing about the Philadelphia Union or their players, so I'll start learning more about them. Hopefully my longtime friend Craig will fill me in on who I should pay the most attention to.

>21 Oberon: Congratulations to the Loons! I hope that they make the MLS playoffs, and host a match that you can attend in person.

>22 Oberon: Great review of The Only Street in Paris; that's definitely one for my wish list.

>23 Caroline_McElwee: I also enjoyed No. 91/92: Notes on a Parisian Commute, Caroline.

>21 Oberon: Mutual back slapping, Erik, as we both had great weekends with our teams!

>22 Oberon: This one sounds great, Erik. It is fun to read about places one is familiar with.

FYI: The Kindle version of Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer, a book length love letter to Shakespeare and Company, is currently on sale for $1.99 USD. I read it several years ago, and gave it 5 stars.

>23 Caroline_McElwee: Glad the review resonated. Good book bullet to take.

>24 kidzdoc: & >27 kidzdoc: The Union are looking like serious MLS Cup contenders with only LAFC looking competitive. Might be time to get on the band wagon. Thanks for pointing out Time Was Soft There.

>25 PaulCranswick: Indeed Paul. Saw Leeds dropped points this past weekend but I didn't see the game so I am not sure how competitive they were.

>26 BLBera: Absolutely Beth. I find that travel usually results in an impact in my reading which invariably makes me want to return to see something I missed.

Loons update and me update: Loons won 2-1 over Houston. I had tickets and didn't go which leads to the me update. Unfortunately, I have ruptured another disc similar to my misadventure in Colorado a couple of years ago. Likely looking at another round of back surgery in the near future as I can neither stand or sit for more than a few minutes. Sigh.

>29 Oberon: Congrats for your Loons, Erik. So sorry to hear about your back. I hope everything eventually will work out okay.

We won't even talk about my soccer team today. :`(

>30 SqueakyChu: Thanks Madeline. Sorry about your team - focus on 2024 being all Rooney.

I'm very sorry that you have another ruptured disc, Erik. I hope that your upcoming surgery is successful.

>31 Oberon: I do like Rooney. I’m so sorry that this is the start of his coaching season. I was so upset when he broke his contract and left. Then I didn’t believe he was really coming here as a coach. Even as a player here was always trying to get everyone to be a cohesive team. The team is so bad now. Yesterday Taxi went off on concussion protocol. Usually I like you watch Atlanta play, but they were not even going after the ball. All they were trying to do was to injure Taxi…and they did. The refereeing sucked. They yellow carded Rooney when he protested. I didn’t even care who won or lost. I was just trying to see a clean, competitive game. I feel sorry for all the guys on my DC United at this time. I wish we had relegation so we wouldn’t have to play with teams that are so far superior to my team’s players who are not even used to playing with each other. I watch all the games, but I dread watching each of them. :(

>22 Oberon: I absolutely love the sound of this book. Doesn't it just speak volumes against big-box retail!?

>32 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. Seem to have especially bad luck with my back.

>33 SqueakyChu: I feel like MLS has a targeting problem. Every game the Loons seem to have a stat on how many times Emanuel Reynoso, our Argentine playmaker is one of the most fouled players in the league. If he can't play Minnesota doesn't win much and other teams know it and capitalize on it.

>34 LovingLit: Yes, this is the opposite of big box retail. Too bad the US won't place limits on companies like Amazon to save small businesses here.

>33 SqueakyChu: That is so unfair. The USWNT doesn't play like that. My team is very weak in best players at this time...especially goal-scorers. My husband said that was how he learned to play soccer in El Salvador. "You can let the ball through, but you cannot let the player through." That's fine....EXCEPT for it's not so fine to put out rival players through injury...especially head trauma. Taxi is now out on concussion protocol. It makes the games so awful to watch.

>29 Oberon: So sorry you have to go through back surgery again, Erik.
Is there a waiting list, or can it be done soon?

So sorry about your back, Erik.

Sorry to hear about your back, Erik. Back pain makes one feel so fragile, doesn't it? It does when it happens to me, anyhow. I guess the positive (so to speak) is that this didn't happen on your recent vacation overseas. That would have been awful. Take care and hope you can get some relief soon.

>37 FAMeulstee: Update on the scheduling - after numbness spread into my toes, the doctor whose office I was being offered October appointments for advised me to go into the emergency room at the hospital where the doctor was on call. They progressed me through the ER to a hospital bed and I went in to surgery at about 8pm last night.

Surgery appears to have done the trick as I can sit and stand with no pain other than the incision site and the numbness is gone or diminishing. I am afraid the long term prospects for my back are pretty poor and probably involve a fusion so those conversations aren’t going to be a lot of fun but this surgery did what I needed it to. Hoping to be out of the hospital at some point today.

>38 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda.

>39 jessibud2: Agreed Shelley. It does make me feel fragile and I am incredibly grateful it didn’t happen in Spain or France as it would have ruined the trip.

Frankly this experience has left me feeling like time is kind of running out on me. If I can’t keep my back together I don’t see how I am going to be able to do the travel I want to accomplish. My parents are in French wine country doing a river cruise right now. I wouldn’t call their mobility excellent but compared to where I fear I will be in 20 years I am worried I will have to shelve a lot of plans.

>33 SqueakyChu: Sorry I missed you Madeline. A friend of mine who grew up playing in South America said the game was played the same way down there. Doesn’t seem fair.

I vastly prefer the elegance of something like Spain’s high pressure, maximize possession game.

>41 Oberon: - While it's good to look ahead and plan what you can, try not to overthink it. Before I retired, I was a teacher for physically and developmentally disabled children. If I learned anything in my 26 years there, it's that as a teacher, we always had to adapt the environment to meet and suit the needs of the kids. Needs that changed. When my mum developed dementia 4 years ago, I was already retired and was lucky to be able to use my skills to help make the changes in her life easier. I am really happy to hear you had the surgery so quickly and that you are already feeling the good results. Sure, be realistic about the long-term but don't write anything off just yet. You have many years ahead of you, technology progresses and there is always a way to achieve a goal or a plan if you are willing to be flexible and creative in your approach. I'm sure there will be many trips in your future. Maybe not mountain climbing but other stuff! Hang in there!

Sorry to hear about your back, Erik. I hope the surgery will be successful with a short recovery time. You seem pretty active, so you should be good for a few more years.

>40 Oberon: Good that they got you into surgery without a long painful wait and glad you are recovering.

Linda, at Whisper, will likely have ideas on fusion.

Paul S. also recently described his scary hospital episode.

Hope that All the Healing Energy coming your way will help keep your back in motion.

>40 Oberon: Wow, Erik! That must have been rough, but I'm glad the worst of it is behind you, for now at least. Speedy recovery.

>40 Oberon: Glad you could have the surgery so soon, Erik.
I hope you are at home now.

>43 jessibud2: You are almost certainly right. Just taking a bit to grapple with the level of restrictions imposed on me and where I want to be.

>44 BLBera: Hopefully Beth. I am definitely feeling much better which is a great relief.

>45 m.belljackson: I know Linda has gone through far more than me on back issues. Hard to stay positive sometimes but one step in front of asnother.

>46 SqueakyChu: Thanks Madeline

>47 FAMeulstee: At home and improving so all to the good.

>40 Oberon: Sorry to hear about your back Erik. Glad the surgery helped this time. Hopefully they will be able to come up with longer term solutions so you don't have to cutback on those travel plans more than is absolutely necessary.

Ooh. Sorry to hear about your back, but glad you got in and out quickly. I, too, am not happy with the aging process as I just had knee surgery, again, last week. They told me my running days are over. Sigh. I don't like giving up things unless it's my call. So, here's to our recovery and no more restrictions and lots of fun and travel!!

>49 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline

>50 Berly: Ouch to being told you are done running. I am not doing much of anything right now but at least they haven't flat out said I am done with anything specific.

Had my two-week post surgical visit. Things seem to be on track with my healing. Sadly basically none of the restriction were lifted - I will have to wait for the six week appointment for that. No lifting, no exercise, walking only less than a mile, not even stretching. Leaving me feeling a bit helpless. At least I can read!

I also started in on my latest project, which my wife thinks is crazy. I gathered up a lot of acorns and am working on growing a number of oak seedlings. My master plan (which is a ways from fruition) is to have a two-tiered Little Free Library with the top shelf being all nature themed books and the bottom being native seed packets. I would then plan on giving away the oak seedlings as part of my plan to distribute native seed packets. We shall see. Meanwhile I have 25+ oak seedlings started and I have been scouring local booksellers for discount nature books to stock the library with. Sadly, Doug Tallamy's The Nature of Oaks which is part of my inspiration is not available in paperback.

>52 Oberon: I stopped by for a quick glance at your thread, Erik, but you sucked me in with your plans for a Little Free Library. We have one which my husband built in 2013. I've been enjoying it every day except for the three months I closed it during the pandemic onset.

I don't think your plan is crazy. I love to give away plants at our Little Free Library. We have a concrete bench next to our Little Free Library. When I have plants to give away, I just set them on the bench and write with sidewalk chalk what they are and how to take care of them. The last plants I gave away were spider plants - a house plant that I leave outside in the summer and take indoors in the winter.

We love oak trees. Our property is tiny, but we have both a red oak and a pin oak. Right now, however, we are enamored with our pawpaw tree which is giving us fruit. That's a tree native to my area and the eastern United States.

I recently had a friend, who is a park naturalist, donate to my Little Free Library ALL of the books from the nature center at which she works as they are remodeling. She wasn't sure I'd take all of them. I told her I wanted EVERY single one! I love redistributing these books to people who want them. If you get a chance, stop by my Little Free Library of Twinbrook (#7720) Facebook page. If you want any more Little Free Library support, just let me know!

Keep on healing, Erik. You've got lots of work to do! :D

P.S. My husband also thinks your idea is great!

P.P.S. It's also good that stewarding a Little Free Library is another hobby of mine beside watching MLS soccer...and you know why! :`(

Cool plans for your mini free library. I'll keep you in mind as I read nature books and save them for you. I love oak trees, but they are so big! I'm trying to think where I could fit one in my yard... I hope your recovery continues to go well. Listen to your doctor.

>53 SqueakyChu: Your LFL is shockingly well organized with that Facebook page. I was just thinking I would continue my practice of looking for clearance nature books and cull out the random romances that other people put in. As an aside, I was trying to think of a way to articulate that it is nature themed and not to put a ton of random books in it.

Your bench next to the LFL is next level. I think I am just hoping to give away some oaks and native seeds and hopefully inspire some people to do some reading on the subject.

P.S. Loons are looking terrible right now. Worried they will drop out of the playoff hunt. Got stomped by SKC this past weekend.

>54 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I am slowly vacuuming up nature themed books for the inauguration and have high hopes for a big upcoming sale in early October.

You are right in listening to the doctor - I know this. I just don't really like what they have to say. I would really like to be doing some fall hiking as the leaves turn and I just turned down a proposal for a short trip to the BWCA because I was concerned that I couldn't paddle a canoe. Sigh.

>55 Oberon: Put a note on your LFL that it’s for nature themed books. Otherwise no one will know that. People will try to stuff it with other books, but those you can cull and donate elsewhere.

After you build your Little Free Library, get a charter number from LittleFreeLibrary.org for a small fee. You will then have access to their Little Free Library stewards page and a nice sign to affix to your box! 😃

Sorry about your Loons, but my team is batting below zero now. This last game was not only another loss for DC United, but it was alleged that Taxi Fountas, our only bright spot and my favorite player, made a racial slur to an opposing player. I fully expect him to be thrown off the team. Just when I thought my team couldn’t get any worse, it did. It seems that he denies doing this, though. There is an ongoing investigation. This is so unpleasant. There is really very little to cheer for on my team now. It’s a blessing for them the season is almost over. I bet Wayne Rooney is quite sorry now he accepted the coaching job for DC United.

>57 SqueakyChu: Like a physical note on the library? I am certainly planning to register it once it is up and running.

I did see the latest DC United dumpster fire. So sorry this is where your team is right now.

Antitrust: Taking On Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age

Prefacing this review with a couple of negatives. Despite being a Minnesotan and a democrat, I have never been much of a fan of Amy Klobuchar. Not sure why - just never found her especially inspiring or motivating. Second, books by active politicians are, in my opinion, so full of self promotion as to be nearly unreadable.

Antitrust: Taking On Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age is by no means a perfect book. You should read it anyway. At its base, the book is a well written history of the struggle to manage corporations. Given my long standing interest in Teddy Roosevelt I thought I was well versed in antitrust history. I was missing a lot of very relevant information. The book goes back to the country's founding and addresses the monopoly held by the East India Company on tea and how that monopoly power played into the Boston Tea Party, a seminal early revolutionary event.

Of course the book cover Roosevelt (and Taft) and their trust busting history well. But the book also delves into the rise and decline of American labor movements. It also provides an excellent summary of more modern antitrust actions from the division of Ma Bell to the browser wars with Microsoft. Along the way, Klobuchar makes a compelling argument that the careful regulation of corporate power remains a pressing problem and one that deserves far more attention than it gets.

Klobuchar has a number of suggestions of how to address this growing power. In some places, when talking about needed policy changes, the book slips into the common political book trap of reciting various pieces of legislation that Klobuchar has proposed. I found that a bit tedious and it bogged down the book toward the end. That said, Klobuchar does a superb job of identifying the problems, explaining the impact of the problems, and proposes reasonable solutions to address the problems. As such, the book is very much worth reading as it provides an excellent history of an important problem and what should be done to fix it. Recommended despite the flaws.

>58 Oberon: Yes, if you really only want nature books… a physical note. It can be small. Anyway, people are still going to put all sorts of books into your Little Free Library even with the sign. Just be somewhat prepared for that. People do what they want! I had someone help himself or herself to our tap light. They unscrewed it from the box itself!

Don’t put anything in the box that you don’t want taken…like a guest book or a nice cup to hold bookmarks. On the other hand, put in things you do want taken. I put in small toys my kids have outgrown in addition to books.

Anyway, it’s total fun, despite the weirdness of some people. The strangest thing I found in our Little Free Library was a shoe horn!

Little Free Libraries can be anything you want. One neighbor of mine turned hers into a food pantry during the pandemic. It has been used so much that she just kept it a food pantry and no longer accepts books. A local nature center has had up to four Little Free Libraries. I always used to bring my nature books there but I haven’t been back there since the pandemic began.

>59 Oberon: Klobuchar’s book sounds interesting indeed!

>52 Oberon: Sorry your recovery is so slow and frustrating Erik. Love the sound of your project though. Will you plant a few Oaks yourself?

>60 SqueakyChu: You have some crazy stories about your LFL. Crazy people out there.

>61 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caroline. I do plan on planting some of the oaks on my property. I am pretty lucky that I have a pretty well wooded lot so they will be more as replacements for dead and dying trees. Also, I have several mature oaks on my property already and the local squirrels are doing a pretty good job of burying and forgetting the acorns so I have at least four younger oaks that are growing in the area where I did shoreline restoration.

>62 Oberon: I love Oaks. Glad you have plenty.

I think squirrels must have been created specifically for the proliferation of oaks.

>62 Oberon: Love to see photos of your new little Oaks.

My 3.3 acres have an over 150 year old majesty Oak,
squirrel planted ones,
and a few from acorns carried from my last school.

>63 Caroline_McElwee: & >64 m.belljackson: I am very down on the squirrels right now. I have about 80+ acorns planted and they were out on my back deck. Yesterday at some point the enterprising squirrels that live just outside my back porch figured out that all of the little pots had an acorn stashed inside. They decided to help themselves and made off with about 20% of my plantings. I moved the survivors indoors but my inaugural oak growing project took a hit.

In better news, I won the lake association photo contest last night with this pic.

>65 Oberon: Oh, no! The squirrels here are after the black walnuts my husband is harvesting. He had to put bricks on a board on top of a bucket to keep them out. Remember, they only have now to store the nuts for the entire winter. Cut them a little slack, but protect your plantings better! :D I LOVE nut trees.

I was actually thinking of making acorn bread, but my husband said that he would not harvest and grind acorns. LOL! If you want the recipe, I can post it here for you. I've never made it but I am going to see if they sell acorn flour in my grocery store. My younger son tasted an acorn, but he said it was underripe.

I have had a terrific season of harvesting. The most fun was from the pawpaws, but now I'm making chili for today from homegrown tomatoes.

>66 Oberon: Wow! What a fabulous picture, Erik!

>67 SqueakyChu: I would love to see the recipe for acorn bread. I have always been curious to try it.

>66 Oberon: WOW on your photograph - well deserved!

>66 Oberon: Congratulations for taking that stunning photo, Erik!

>68 Oberon: I’ll try to remember to get that recipe to you when I get back home next weekend.

>55 Oberon: Ouch, and the knowledge they will bury them and forget here they are adds insult to injury.

>56 Oberon: A worthy winner Erik, great photo.

I forgot to mention that I attended my first Philadelphia Union match at Subaru Park in Chester, PA two Saturdays ago, which is well south of the city and is closer to the Delaware state line than the southernmost edge of South Philadelphia. The Union played a friendly against C.F. Pachuca of Liga MX for Hispanic Heritage Month, and the home team managed a mostly uninspiring 1-0 victory. The stadium, which seats 24,000 was about half full, presumably because it wasn't an MLS match, and it was almost serene compared to the raucous atmosphere of Atlanta United matches I've attended at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Five Stripes will, for the moment, remain my primary soccer club in the US, but I'll pay much closer attention to the Union from now on.

>69 m.belljackson: >70 kidzdoc: thanks, I was kind of proud of that one.

>72 Caroline_McElwee: I have plenty of buried and hidden oaks already so yes having the squirrels disrupt my plans (to expand their habitat!) was frustrating.

>73 kidzdoc: Glad you got to a game of the Union Darryl. They finished on top of the East and could go a long way.

On the topic of soccer, the Loons pulled off a 2-0 win over Vancouver to send them to the playoffs for the 4th consecutive year. Ordinarily I would be pleased but the team has played horribly dropping points in their last six matches before today. We should be playing with home field advantage and instead have to go on the road to Dallas FC. All will be forgiven with a good playoff run but frankly they do not seem like a dangerous opponent right now and I think a first round elimination is more likely than a deep run.

Added some new shelving to the office to cope with my tendency to buy art. Now I can buy more things with the spaces that opened up!

>66 Oberon: Great photo, Erik.

Darn squirrels! They dig in my flower pots as well.

>77 BLBera: Thanks Beth.

I haven't had issues with the squirrels other than their relentless pursuit of my birdfeeder. Suppose I should have seen it coming but still caught me by surprise.

>52 Oberon: Better news from the doctor today. Restrictions lifted (warned to do so gradually) and no immediate plans for more surgery. I will return to my fine physical therapist and am looking forward to getting back to hiking and, when the snow comes, back to cross country skiing.

>79 Oberon: Glad the restrictions are gone now, Erik. Take it easy, and take care of yourself!

>80 FAMeulstee: Thanks. Went for my first short hike in awhile last night. Felt pretty good.

Hey Erik! Loving the snow, right?

>82 The_Hibernator: Ha! That was a crummy surprise to wake up to. At least it looked pretty sitting on the fall colors but yes I am not ready yet.

Be kind to your body and take care, Erik.

Happy Sunday, Erik. Just checking in. Sorry I missed your surgery but I am glad to see you are recovering. What did you have done?

Love the Great Blue Heron shot. I also like your office shelves and the lovely artifacts. I need to set up shelves for display my bourbon. 😁

If you are looking for good regional fiction, give The Ski Jumpers a try. Have you heard of Geye?

>84 BLBera: Thanks Beth. Went back to physical therapy today so that was a step in the right direction.

>85 msf59: Hey Mark. Another discectomy in the same place as the last one. Glad you noticed the heron photo. You are always posting great bird pics so I was pleased to add one of my own.

I have not heard of The Ski Jumpers before. I am bad about reading Minnesota authors. Will Weaver, Tim O'Brien, Sinclair Lewis, and F. Scott Fitzgerald is about the only fiction I have from Minnesota authors.

Read this piece in the NY Times yesterday. Practically a manifesto for me minus the LFL plans.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/17/opinion/oak-trees-conservation-ecosystems.htm...

>87 Oberon: - I read that, too. I love Renkl's writing.

>85 msf59: So I missed it by a day but Geye was doing a signing and reading in Grand Marais this weekend. We were there on Friday and the signing was Saturday. Just missed it.

Good luck to the Loons and good to see at >79 Oberon: that you are on the mend steadily but surely.

My team and Jesse Marsch are struggling. Oftentimes playing really well but we cannot score or pick up enough points. We went from Sunday and playing the league leaders Arsenal off the park but losing 1-0 to playing abjectly on Thursday at bottom of the table Leicester. We need some wins and quickly. On the positive his two American players are definitely our stand-out performers this term and the fans have really taken to both of them.

>90 PaulCranswick: Well the Loons are done for the year again. First round playoff exit. To their credit, the game was tight - finishing 1-1 with the Loons loosing 5-4 in penalties. Still felt like they could have gotten more out of the season than they did.

I watched a big chunk of the Leeds/Fulham match and felt like Leeds deserved a better result than they got. Lots of soccer left for you where as my focus will now turn to to the World Cup and then offseason moves as the Loons try once again to find a decent striker.

>91 Oberon: Hurray for the Loons making the playoffs (from a soccer fan who feels as if she's been kicked in the butt all season long and ends on an all-time low for her own team, DC United)!

To our credit, though, we won the Wooden Spoon Award. I never knew there was such a thing. It's the award given to the worst team at the end of the season. :(

>92 SqueakyChu: No way to go but up! I have faith Rooney will turn the club around.

>94 SqueakyChu: I was so excited when Rooney came back. I'm wondering if he feels he made a mistake. Even his wife and kids wouldn't join him here in DC this time round. She hated living here and would not come back.

>94 SqueakyChu: Yeah. I hope for your sake and DC United he sticks with it.

Long piece in the NY Times Magazine this weekend: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/10/26/magazine/climate-change-warming-w...

It is by David Wallace-Wells who wrote The Uninhabitable Earth. I read the book a couple of months ago and it is still on my list of reviews but since this article is essentially an update to that book I thought I would talk about it here. The Uninhabitable Earth came out a few years ago and focused on what we know about climate science and what the planet would actually look like if the scientific consensus is correct. It was a fascinating book and utterly terrifying. Discussions about how much of the coasts would be flooded if the ice cap melted are pretty typical (i.e. Miami goes away) but the book covers lots of other effects that I don't think we give much thought to. Things like tropical diseases like Yellow Fever being endemic throughout much of the Midwest and Europe. Other examples are things like cereal crops being unable to be grown (due to temperature ranges) throughout the whole of the tropics leading to massive famine and migration.

To the article, the article makes the point that even though the book is only a few years old (2019) a great deal has changed mainly in the cost of green energy sources. Basically, the shift (that is still very much underway) makes it a lot less likely we are going to hit the high of 4 degrees warming that is discussed in the book. At the same time, the article talks about how the modeling for a 2 degree warmer planet (which it seems like we are going to hit) is far more destructive and chaotic than predicted. Basically the article serves as an update to the book. While I would certainly still recommend reading The Uninhabitable Earth too, if you have time for one read this update.

>96 Oberon: I have this book near the top of the tbr mountain Erik, and thanks for the article which updates.

I'm trying to be optimistic about agreements with COP27, but without PM or King in attendance it doesn't show we are as serious as we need to be, despite the latter having been ahead of the curve on environmental issues from a young age.

>97 Caroline_McElwee: I am assuming that King Charles isn't attending so as to not step on the PM's toes? He really has been at the forefront of environmental issues but I suppose it is complicated now that he is king. I am pessimistic. The Republicans seem poised to take back one or more parts of government and somehow climate change denial remains a thing for Republicans. Part of their broader disbelief in science and experts I guess.

Older news but I delved back into the Station Eleven miniseries on HBOMax and finished it. Based on the book Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is wonderfully rendered piece about the power of art. Highly recommended. I would be curious if anyone else saw the series and read the book. I only watched the series.

>98 Oberon: The Government apparently veto'd King Charles' attendance, but he held a conference/meeting with 200 environmentalists (including Kerry) on Friday in London Erik.

He won't necessarily be able to do as much as before, but I suspect maybe he will be very valuable behind the scenes.

I read Station Eleven this year. I started the series then got distracted. May try and pick it up again.

I read and loved Station Eleven; I haven't seen the series yet. I keep waiting for a free trial for HBOMax. :)

>100 Caroline_McElwee: I really recommend the HBO series. Well done I think.

Not much that I can tell coming out of COP27 alas.

>101 BLBera: Free is always good but worth a month of paying IMO.

>64 m.belljackson: Bit overdue but my LFL is coming together.



My father in law with the LFL he built.



Part of my oak seedling collection. Some complications so far with cold stratification required for some oak species but even worse case scenario I am over a dozen young oaks to give away when my LFL goes live.

Major issue at this point is that there is frost on the ground here. Not sure it makes sense to install the LFL and stock it with native plant seeds in the dead of winter. Leaning toward waiting until spring to install so I can bring out the free oaks, native pollinator seeds and, or course, a solid collection of nature books.

>66 Oberon: Congrats on winning the photo contest! I can see why you did. : )

>76 Oberon: You are doomed. Needing shelf space for art AND books?! LOL Good luck!

>81 Oberon: Hurray for a short hike! On your way to recovery.

>103 Oberon: Looking good, seedlings and the LFL. Maybe wait until spring...?

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

>103 Oberon: This is such a great idea! I'm thinking you might have more success in spring...

>103 Oberon: I adore your Little Free Library! That was so nice of your father-in-law.

I'd recommend waiting until spring before releasing the seedlings and the seeds so that no harm comes to either of them. I have great fun giving away seedlings of various plants in the spring and summer. My Little Free Library has a concrete bench next to it on which I offer young plants and write with sidewalk chalk what the plants are and how to take care of them. It's so easy, and my neighbors love it. Occasionally my mailman knocks on my door and asks for further information about specific plant care. :D

Be sure to sign up for a charter number at littlefreelibrary.org so you can share what you do with other LFL stewards worldwide!

>103 Oberon: The LFL and baby oaks look good. Nice to meet your FL.

Yes, I feel COP has become a talking shop, too many promises remain unfilled. The 'first world' especially resistant to coughing up the appropriate restitution to the nations who suffer most and do the least damage. We have to find the money to honour these promises as well as funding ways to change our destructive habits.

I don't believe that the wealthier nations have such economic holes, I am no economist, but I know enough to understand that almost any set of statistics can be made to read in multiple ways.

Ok, slipping down from my high horse now...

Well the LT opinion on waiting until spring to launch my LT has proven prescient. We have over an inch of snow on the ground and it is still falling so I think the likelihood that I can get the library installed has gone down a lot. Oh well, lots of time for me to work on the oaks.

>104 Berly: Hi Kim. Glad you stopped by. I feel like I will never be able to downsize. I am too much of a collector.

>105 BLBera: Getting much snow Beth? Roads in the Cities went downhill fast.

>106 SqueakyChu: On my list. I intend to register by the time I go live. Might ask for plaque for Christmas - my family is sick of buying just books so it would be something book adjacent instead.

>107 Caroline_McElwee: I feel like restitution for climate injuries is a tough lift in wealthier democracies. The US has never been able to grapple with the idea of atoning for slavery so I have a hard time thinking that a US president is going to go out and directly talk about sending aid to underdeveloped countries to repay all the harm our industrialization has done to global climate. Maybe the ask is more nuanced then that but I don't see it happening with US domestic politics being the wreck that it is. Heck, 25% or more of this country doesn't believe climate change is real much less that we need to pay for the damage caused.

To me, a more workable solution would be to provide aid in the form of renewable energy to other parts of the world and tell people we are helping them shortcut the same development track we followed and thus help them skip over high carbon energy usage like burning coal and oil for something more sustainable.

>108 Oberon: I have no objection to launching the bookshelf portion of your LFL now. In fact. I encourage it. Make sure it is weatherproof, and get it installed. Save the seedlings until spring to offer. Little Free Libraries and snow are definitely compatible! :D

Just a couple of inches but the roads were slippery at first.

Your Little Free library is so cute :) How cool that you are getting one going. If I were on a busier street, I might consider it too! I love the idea of books coming and going, and me replenishing them at will....

I just read that DC United just signed your goalkeeper, Tyler Miller, to a 2-year contract. Is he good? We lost both GKs that I liked, Bill Hamid and David Ochoa, as our rotten season ended this year. I guess we can only improve (or remain as the worst in the league next season).

I hope you're enjoying watching the World Cup. We sure are!

>112 LovingLit: I am a little worried that there will be insufficient traffic on my street but I am giving it a try

>113 SqueakyChu: Yes he is. Good pick up. He was our starting goalie and got sick only to have his back up, Dayne St. Clair, put in a sting of amazing performances and steal the starting job. Dayne ended up being the MLS All Star MVP. IMO, we should have traded Miller and gotten something for him instead of letting him leave as a free agent. He is (or has been) a quality starting goal tender.

>114 Oberon: When you get your charter number from littlefreelibrary.org, your Little Free Library wil go on their world map which which make it easier for visitors to find.

I'm so happy about Miller then! St. Claire was indeed amazing this year. I loved watching him play! He's one of my new favorite GKs.

>115 SqueakyChu: You should be happy about Miller. Where as Loons fans are roasting the club for just keeping him on the bench and gaining nothing from him all season.

I'm thrilled to have a effective goalkeeper coming to us. Now I'm not even sure how I'll watch the games this coming season as all of MLS is going to be streamed on Apple for the next ten (!) years! Today I watched the World Cup games on my phone while I cooked. Yes, the screen was small, but I could hear the crowd roar, and then watch the replays! :D

I agree with your team's assessment of being on the bench. That's what ruined Zack Steffen, I believe.

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Erik.

I am proud to see my club's Tyler Adams as the States' Captain. He has been exceptional all season and I hope he does very well tomorrow and I would accept a draw as I would like the US to progress.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Erik

>118 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. Wonderful to be here.

>119 PaulCranswick: I am a fan of Tyler Adams. Not sure why Gio Reyna is riding the pine. Feel like the US was a bit luckier than they deserved today.

>120 jessibud2: Thanks Shelly. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

>121 Oberon: To be fair I thought the USA were much better than England today - seemed like we were set up to draw the game.

Whelp, so ends the US hopes for another World Cup cycle. Frankly, the US was simply outclassed by the Dutch. The one goal we managed to score was a fluke.

Spain remains alive so my cheering will be focused there.

>123 Oberon: That was short lived. Spain fails for its usual reason - tons of possession and no goals. They then did abysmally in the shootout and thus crash out of the World Cup. Sigh.

I’m going to hope for Brazil, Argentina, England and Portugal for the semi-finals. You?

>124 Oberon: Some trainers refuse to practice penalties, as they think it won't be needed...

I will keep on rooting a bit for our national team, although they will have a hard time against Argentina next Fiday.
I also like the French team.

>125 SqueakyChu: I think I am for France over England, Brazil, Argentina Portugal. A final four that includes Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Mbappe seems fitting.

>126 FAMeulstee: Supposedly Spain had been practicing for penalties though their performance makes you doubt the effort.

I don't blame you for cheering your home side however your thrashing of the U.S. compels me to cheer for Argentina on this one!

>126 FAMeulstee: >127 Oberon: Anita, your team sure did a thrashing to my team! Anyway, I'm glad that team USA made it to the round of 16. I am so proud of our players.

I have to be with England because I've been following the World Cup with Polaris- ! :D I was very proud, however, that team USA held England to NO GOALS so we ended up tied 0:0 in the group stage.

I'm following Brazil because many of my younger son's friends are native Brazilian (plus I have family in Sao Paolo). I also find Neymar fun to watch.

I'm following Portugal because of Little Free Library steward Joaquim, a friend of mine and Darryl's. I originally became acquainted with him through Bookcrossing and convinced him to start his own Little Free Library in Lisbon.

I'm following Argentina because...I like to watch Messi play! :D

>66 Oberon: Great photo!

Update time. I have been very sparse on my posting and reading for December. It has turned into a pretty hectic month on the home front so I have fallen behind. I am working on Braiding Sweetgrass as my normal book and Dancing in the Glory of Monsters as my audiobook. Not super confident that I will finish either before the end of the year.

I will be making a 2023 thread but I always try to wait until much closer to the new year before putting that together. Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a blizzard. Yesterday was lots of snow, today is unbelievably cold and tomorrow should be extremely windy. We are playing some of our Christmas celebration by ear as a consequence.

I look forward to your thoughts on Braiding Sweetgrass -- Have it in my TBR pile somewhere. It is currently sleeting and really windy with snow to follow, so I foresee a quiet day at home tomorrow.

Stay warm and enjoy the holidays!!

With every good wish of the season Erik. I look forward to hearing what book shaped packages awaited you under the tree.

Happy Christmas from my Christmas gnome!

Happy holidays!

Wishing you and your family happy holidays! Stay warm. :D

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season.

Thank you for the holiday wishes. As usual around this time of year I have been distracted from keeping up on LT. At least I got around (today) to getting my 2023 thread up. https://www.librarything.com/topic/347394#n8024605