The Read goes ever on and on...MrsLee 2023 chapter 2

Due to the unknown nature of my direct future, rather than waiting for March 31st, or for post #300, I am starting this thread while I think of it.

Carry on.

Oh dear. My husband said I could do what I want, so I just purchased the special hardback editions of the Tiffany Aching Discworld books.

>2 MrsLee: Tee hee. You’re not one to seize the opportunity, are you?

>2 MrsLee: Oh nice! Photos? :)

>2 MrsLee: Your husband sounds like a keeper!

>2 MrsLee: Wonderful. Everyone should have a favorite author in special edition hardcovers!

>2 MrsLee: That sounds like the correct action to take. Enjoy.

>4 Narilka: Hopefully this link works, I copied it from the Discworld group.
https://www.discworldemporium.com/product-category/books/the-discworld-collector....

Happy new thread! Ooh, pretty books!

>2 MrsLee: Absolutely the right thing to do. And happy new thread.

Happy New Thread! Love the covers.

(I didn't wait for the end of the month either. I dove in on the Ides of March.)

>11 clamairy: I suppose if you're riding the knife edge and decide to plunge, the Ides of March is a good day to do it on. Historical plunging.

>8 MrsLee: The link didn't work for me but I found the books by looking though the site. That's a pretty decent price for such a nice set!

>11 clamairy: >12 MrsLee: Here is a gift idea nearly in time for the Ides of March...

>8 MrsLee: Nice! Man those new covers are so pretty. Makes me want to rebuy the series lol

>14 Narilka: I have been buying them since they started printing them. I had such a rag-tag selection of various paperbacks in all sorts of conditions, I decided to splurge because Discworld is a place I can return to over and over.

Last night I needed a book to read in a hurry, so I grabbed one off the shelf in the dark. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. I confess, this book is only there because it is a book we are "supposed" to read. It has a bad rap for being depressing and I have been picking the books around it for years. I make no promises to finish it. I was recently made painfully aware of how short life could possibly be and I don't intend to waste any of my reading time on a book I don't like.

That being said, Sinclair can WRITE. I'm not far into it, not even finished the first chapter, but the place and the people are vivid. So we shall see.

Oh, I finished Teacher Man, in spite of my above resolution. McCourt can write, too, even if I don't always like what he writes. I have very mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I was very impatient with him and his insecurities, on the other hand, aren't we all insecure? Perhaps some of my impatience was that he wasn't acting the proper "hero" and triumphing as I wanted him to.

So did I enjoy the read? Not really. Does my mind keep going back to chew on it? Yes.
Do I recommend it? Erm, no? Unless, unless.

>16 MrsLee: I read Teacher Man over 15 years ago for a book group, and I think most of us agreed with your assessment. I see I gave it 3½ stars, so I didn't hate it.

I've got both a paper and a Kindle copy of The Jungle, and I too have been dancing around it. I will watch you test the water for now. I hope you enjoy it.

>17 clamairy: One good thing about The Jungle many of the names and the quotes (well, just a song so far) are in Polish, or some other such like language, so I can skim right over them, not being fluent at all in it. I thought Latin or French quotes were bad in a book. I mean no disregard to the languages mentioned above, only stating my extreme laziness and lack of ambition to learn them.

>17 clamairy: and >18 MrsLee: Oh, please take my advice. Just skip it. You won't (either of you) become a better woman for having read it and as MrsLee notes, life is not sufficiently lengthy to allow for reading unenjoyable books. Neither of you will benefit from trying to absorb the amount of misery Upton Sinclair felt necessary to set down on paper.

>19 jillmwo: LOL, I already am annoyed at the tense it is written in, but am proceeding for just a bit to absorb the place and time. I am still at the wedding in the very beginning, so no misery yet.

>13 ScoLgo: bwahaha! Love it.

>16 MrsLee: I read The Jungle many years ago, and remember being spellbound by it.

>8 MrsLee: Congrats on your acquisition! Unfortunately that link no longer works, but in my imagination it is an awesome set.

>23 Karlstar: Try This Link

>24 ScoLgo: Yep, they are awesome.

I finished Shakespeare's Richard III. Honestly, my heart wasn't in it. He made a great villain of Richard. The authorities who wrote the introduction (I don't have the version in front of me) were dead certain that Shakespeare had the right of it and that anyone who disagreed was a half-assed scholar..

Began reading The Law by Jim Butcher at my PET scan. By the way, aside from having radioactive sugar injected into me, the PET scan is by far my favorite medical test so far. A lot of testing quietly under a warm blanket. Lovely.

My attendance here may be spotty for a bit. Surgery is April 4th, early a.m. and I'm getting a bit distracted by it. Here's hoping all goes well.

>26 MrsLee: I didn’t know hospitals had warm blankets! Lucky you!

Glad you’ll be rid of this next week!

>26 MrsLee:
Wishing you all the best for your treatment and recovery. We will all be thinking of you and wishing you well.

May all your blankets be warm.

>27 2wonderY: Usually you have to request them, but sometimes you get considerate nurses or technicians who offer them. My guy yesterday was one of those.

>28 pgmcc: Thank you! I've saved up my two McDonnell books to read afterwards, to keep me laughing.

>29 MrsLee:
That will be a good use of the McDonnell books.

>26 MrsLee: Good luck in advance. What Peter said.

>26 MrsLee: Best wishes for the 4th. (May the 4th be with you!) only it's April.

>26 MrsLee: What everyone else said. Speedy recovery and best wishes.

>26 MrsLee: What everybody else said. You're much in this family's thoughts.

>26 MrsLee: I'm glad that the pre-surgical round was less difficult than you might have anticipated. Thumbs crossed for the surgery on April 4. We'll be here when you find yourself able to return. (((Hugs)))

Wishing you all the best and that you have a nice, quiet recovery room and attentive staff taking care of you before, during and after.

>26 MrsLee: I will be keeping you in my thoughts for the next week. (And after, too.)

Warm blankets (given by thoughtful people) are the best.

Thank you each and all, it gives me a lovely, warm, fuzzy feeling to know that people from around the world care about me. What a blessing you all are!

Another blessing: My new Terry Pratchett books arrived yesterday, also my new gardening gloves (I needed those so much, my others had burst their seams. I use goatskin gloves because they protect, but are very flexible) As for the books, I am in the process of cataloging them now. They have changed the production quality a little, sad to say. There is no ribbon bookmark, but they are still quite nice.

>38 MrsLee: Oh! I see one I haven’t read!

>38 MrsLee: "What a blessing you all are" But Lee, what a blessing you are to all of us!

>38 MrsLee: What hfglen said. Your warmth and kindness in the Pub is a huge part of why people stick around.

>38 MrsLee:
Those books look great. It cannot be easy turning pages while wearing goat-skin gardening gloves, even if they are flexible.

>38 MrsLee: What lovely copies... I've listened to them all, but now your photos make me think I need to put my eyeballs on them, too.

>38 MrsLee: Seconding (or thirding) what >40 hfglen: and >41 jillmwo: said.

Those look scrumptious! May they be good company for many years.

>39 2wonderY: Glad you made a discovery!

>40 hfglen:, >41 jillmwo: & >44 haydninvienna: Aww, shucks. *blushes*

>42 pgmcc: You goof. :D

>43 clamairy: & >45 Bookmarque: I do love the set on my shelves. The only problem is that I always want to be reading them, but there are so many unread books I also want to read.

I finished the short story The Law by Jim Butcher. A good followup to the last book of the series. Not lighthearted, but still a visit to Chicago with some of the beloved characters.

Remember when I took the job at the cemetery because I thought it would be quiet? Aside from all the punning fun we had, I thought this would be a somewhat relaxing place to work. Not today.

I was in the office alone, getting the end of month numbers crunched, when about 9:30 I heard three rapid shots, then one more. Sounded like they were right out front. Looking out the windows, I didn't see anyone. I asked the maintenance supervisor if he had been shooting anything (of course not likely, but it's that kind of town, and I thought if it wasn't him, it might have been some idiot trying to shoot one of our turkeys). He said not and hadn't heard anything, said it was probably a nail gun at the school next to us where they were doing construction. Then the police helicopter started circling and the schools (there are three next to the cemetery) were locked down. The sheriff came and asked if we had seen anyone in a green sweatshirt, as they had been seen with a gun. We had not. About an hour after that my boss came in (it was his day off, but his phone had been going nuts, although no one called the cemetery itself) and said there was a body outside. I was confused, because we were expecting a body soon for a burial service. He pointed out the window and not 100 yards from my office were swarms of police vehicles, coroner van, etc. They think the man committed suicide, although I'm a little unclear as to why four shots.

I prefer my mysteries as fiction in book or on TV. Kind of glad I probably won't be at work when the family comes in to make arrangements. That will be a tough one.

>46 MrsLee: Holy smoking turdballs!
Four shots? I am also confused.
Can you miss yourself three times? Sounds very suspicious to me.
That kind of excitement is a bit stressful.

>47 clamairy: Definitely a kind of excitement I could do without. As to the 4 shots, my son said he thought it was only journalists who were reporting on intelligence agencies that used multiple shots in suicide. I don't actually know how many bullets were in the body. I was not interested in investigating. At. All. No Miss Marple here.

>48 MrsLee: I hope you can find something to put it out of your mind so you can sleep. Yikes. I'm rattled for you!

>49 clamairy: I'm not sure I'm rattled? Discombobulated, but I feel a bit numb at the moment. Sort of looking from a detached viewpoint as to what else the universe is going to throw at me.

>46 MrsLee:
Wow! That is scary stuff. It takes a while to process that type of thing.

>46 MrsLee: Oh my gosh!

This is perfectly normal, but quite a disruptor. Once you get the Big C diagnosis, it tends to suck up a lot of brain time and will do for years. If you get to dance with NED (5-year mark with No Evidence of Disease), it takes up less room in your head. I had to hit the 10-year mark so that I didn't think of it at least once a day. Now it seems to come in streaks. I think about it not quite daily, but in a more abstract sense. Until something weird happens and like every sniffle is Covid now and not a cold, everything is cancer. A weird twinge. That mole. An ache. But it gets less and less and sometimes I go days without thinking about it. I find it's especially hard on people who have had relatively healthy lives; like my brother. Plus his is terminal eventually and not curable like mine. But I think his body's betrayal came as more of a surprise to him than to me. My body's been trying to kill me since I was 4 and has almost succeeded a couple of times. So the cancer was just kind of more of the same. Not quite, but I'd already come pretty close to death and so it wasn't such a shock.

Eek. That was longer than I intended, but with successful treatment and a dance with NED will help quite a bit. Until then, it will most likely occupy your thoughts all the time and it just is. Some of my coping was good and some wasn't. There are repercussions in my life to this day and I just keep on as best I can. I have no doubt you will find your own way through this. You have a great husband and family and real and virtual friends to support you.

>46 MrsLee: I was about to say that less than a week before surgery, you need that kind of excitement like a hole in the head. That would be a decidedly tactless simile under the circumstances, so instead I'll offer long-distance (((((hugs)))))!

>53 Bookmarque: I very much appreciate your insight. Like your brother, this diagnosis kind of blindsided me. My family genetics are no cancer and living into the 80s & 90s. Those who have not had long lives generally died of heart issues, so that is what I have focused on. It's still early days to know how I will cope, because there is too much I still don't know. I don't know the results of the PET scan, the surgery and tests that will be done after. I am zeroed in on one day at a time, get through the day doing what I can to prepare for surgery so that I can recover as fast as possible in order to enjoy the wedding.

>54 hfglen: Inappropriate or not, that made me laugh.

PSA for all my friends who may not know. Too many loved ones have told me they didn't know this, so although it is uncomfortably personal, I am going to share it here.

Melanoma does not need sunshine to grow. When you do your monthly check on your breasts, and you all, male and female should, whip out a mirror and check the places the sun don't shine. If you see anything different, odd colored spot, bump, itchy spot, go see your doctor and get it checked. At first I thought this was just a broken blood vessel, because at my age, I get those. Then it became itchy with a raised bump. So my friends, be aware, and take care.

>55 MrsLee: Oh. Melanoma. Something I am uncomfortably familiar with. I second your advice most emphatically. Melanoma is something Australians tend to know about--Brisbane used to be one of the melanoma capitals of the world, and I have several relatives by marriage with a history of it.

>46 MrsLee: Sorry to hear about that incident, that's not something you need to deal with right now. Also thank you for the words of advice in >55 MrsLee:.

>46 MrsLee: Oh, my goodness! What a thing to be dealing with!?! Police helicopters, your boss coming in to let you know there was a body outside! And you're simply trying to crunch month-end numbers. I can't imagine how you managed to finish out the day, but I'm so glad you're able to tell us about it. Do take care.

>55 MrsLee: Thank you for the heads up. I've been leaving notes on the door so I don't forget the sunscreen, but non-sun related melanoma was something I hadn't really considered.

>38 MrsLee: Playing catch up. The books look great! It's great you had a nice nurse/tech who gave you a blanket for your medical exams.

>46 MrsLee: Woah, that's scary. Did you ever find out what happened?

>57 Karlstar: & >59 clamairy: We don't hear about this cancer much because it isn't an area of the body we are comfortable talking about, but I decided that is precisely why we must talk about it. Sometimes the things you don't know can kill you.

>60 Narilka: All I've heard is that the police think it was a suicide.

I was saving Love will Tear us Apart for after my surgery, but yesterday I also decided that 1. Aesop's Fables can only be read in short moments, otherwise they are nap inducing. 2. I may not be in the best condition to throw myself into a new story right after surgery, judging by the pain medication the doctor had already prescribed, so I began reading it. Loving it so far.

>61 MrsLee:
I am glad you are enjoying Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Your comment that the police think the death is a suicide reminded me of The City of Bohane by Kevin Barry. It is set in a city about forty years in the future in the West of Ireland. (Probably thirty years now given when the book was published.) The city is basically run by gangs and the Guards (Irish police) carry out their duties as best they can. There is a scene in which a detective is inspecting a body in an ally. It has suffered several gunshot and multiple stab wounds. There is a young guard on duty keeping the public back from the scene. The detective is a bit worried about a new recruit at the scene and the complications it might cause. He decided to test the young guard.

"Guard, what do you think happened here?" asked the detective.

"Obviously another suicide" replied the guard.

"I can see you will go far in this city."

>61 MrsLee: You May have chosen the wrong edition of Aesop’s Fables. I highly recommend those interpreted by Helen Ward.

Here’s a thread devoted to her works:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/178200

>62 pgmcc: That sounds about right. To be fair, I don't know how many bullet wounds were in the body. I suffered to my brother (a retired policeman) that perhaps the man was concerned about leaving a loaded gun about after the fatal shot, so decided to empty it down to one bullet. He thought that would not be typical. I tell you, I got the creeps thinking about a loaded gun laying beside the body for the hour and a half it took for anyone to discover it.

>63 2wonderY: I don't dislike the version I have. The stories and illustrations have a sort of Asian vibe to them. It's just that so many very short tales in a row tend to bleed together and make me sleepy. I spent awhile yesterday reading about Aesop and the tales related to philosophy, which I found interesting.

So sorry you had to experience a nearby shooting while also dealing the health stuff. Both are pretty awful.

And, as others have said, I’ve been keeping you in my thoughts and sending you positive juju. I hope all goes well on April 4th and the test results are the best one can get.

I'm alive.

**Applause!!!** Well done!

>66 MrsLee: And communicating even! Fantastic! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

>66 MrsLee: Yay!
We're all thinking of you!

>66 MrsLee: So glad to hear this. Swift recovery to you!

>66 MrsLee: Best wishes for a speedy recovery :)

Woo hoo!

Thank you all.

I'm not only alive, but I managed to steal the dinner of the patient next door andeat half of it before I brought it to anyone's attention. (Actually a mistake of the nursing staff, but I have to sound lively for all of you.) Glad for the mistake. Here's was vegetarian and I'm almost certain that I enjoyed it more than the regular entrée. Beef burgundy over noodles in a hospital is almost bound to be a failure. I enjoyed lentil soup, a lovely green salad and a bowl of fruit.

I managed to watch the movie, Where the Crawdads Sing. It was not a bad adaptation of the book, only it was all about the drama, only giving the swamp a courtesy mention, whereas in the book, the swamp was almost a character.

>73 MrsLee: Bless you, you’re sounding like you. Well done.

>66 MrsLee: >73 MrsLee: Alive and sounding like the Lee we know and love! Wishing you strength to survive the hospital, then a speedy and complete recovery.

>27 2wonderY: I found out about heated blankets when I had my hip surgery. Everyone should have a blanket warmer in their house!

>28 pgmcc: that's a lovely sentiment. Really. :)

yay! one more thing checked off of your to-do list, and a big one at that! Now you can move on to the recuperation bits and get back to wedding plans and snail massacre.

>76 fuzzi: I can add another thing to the home spa list. Heated wipes! Had to swab down before the hospital gown went on. One thick, heated, wipe for each limb, and front and back of torso. Comforting when all you have between your bare all and the world is a shower curtain type of sheet.

OMG too funny about the hospital dinners & your awkward sponge bath. Your usual humor and good will came to the fore!

Previous post was interrupted by nurses doing their thing.

>74 haydninvienna: & >75 hfglen: Thank you!
>77 Darth-Heather: Yes! And the bonus is that now my job mostly consists of directing others what to do!

>79 Bookmarque: *fist bump* :)

I have somehow slipped into a Jerry Seinfeld set. Only instead of no soup, it's "No food for you!" They left me off the breakfast list also, but Mark fooled them, he went to the cafeteria and brought me an egg, bacon and cheese in an English muffin. I don't want to come back to this restaurant. Supposedly, in some dimension,
my breakfast has been ordered. Nursing staff and care workers are all terrific though.

>81 MrsLee: I'm glad Mark made sure you were fed. Seriously, though... not feeding you is a huge black mark, IMHO!

I'm glad to see that your sense of humor made it through intact! I hope you are feeling better all the time.

Cartwright!! Four!!!

>81 MrsLee: What you had for breakfast was probably better than what you would’ve received had they remembered.

Glad you are doing well!

>82 clamairy: Husband gets five gold stars, hospital cafeteria bag of poo! My soon to be daughter-in-law ordered meds and groceries for us via Instacart, to arrive shortly after we got home. Mark put on his chef hat and I scarfed down a perfectly grilled steak with a large side of grilled asparagus and mushrooms for dinner. With a finish of dried prunes. I am allowing myself a small dessert tonight of Tillamook chocolate-peanutbutter ice cream. My tummy is happy, even if the rest of my body is sad. Oh, included with the groceries was a bouquet of purple tulips from my son, and the driver slipped in a plastic egg filled with chocolate coins. Made us feel loved and special.

>86 MrsLee: That sounds like a delightful meal. Hopefully the rest of your body will catch up to your stomach in the happiness zone! Glad to hear to food and filter flower delivery was even better than expected.

>86 MrsLee:
I am delighted to hear you have the operation over with and that you are enjoying food related adventures ranging from robbing your vegetarian neighbour’s dinner, through dining on steak, asparagus and mushrooms, and then chocolate coins.

Your posts have made great reading. All the best for your recuperation.

>86 MrsLee: our local "medical center" used to have an excellent cafeteria, really good food. Long before Covid they decided to have an outside vendor handle the food, and it's been going down ever since. The food is nasty, overpriced, and the vendor staff doesn't care. The old staff were hospital employees who took pride in offering great choices. Now everything is nasty, overspiced too. There's nothing for someone who needs a bland diet or has food allergies. It's swill. Ick.

>89 fuzzi: The food in my hospital wasn't bad, if you could get any. ;)

>88 pgmcc: I want to hear about your adventures! Heading over to your thread now.

>86 MrsLee: Your meal sounds lovely so kudos to Mark! However, I was also charmed by the inclusion of the flowers and the Instacart driver thinking to include the Easter egg of chocolate. You're safely home and, despite the physical discomfort, that has to be considered a blessing.

Still holding you in mind with great fondness!

>86 MrsLee: Sounds like a great welcome home, congratulations!

Happy homecoming!

If you have radiation, I highly recommended taking advantage of the warm blankets they offer each session.

I'm very glad to hear that you seem to have not just survived this hurdle, but leaped way over it. I'm continuing to hold you in my thoughts.

>92 Karlstar: Thanks :)
>93 libraryperilous: I never turn down a warm blanket.
>94 Jim53: Not much leaping today. Or really any time in the near future. Today has been kinda rough. I decided long ago that nursing was not for me, and today and the next week require a lot of medical things I want nothing to do with. Width I could be unconscious for a couple of weeks.

I managed to finish Love will Tear us Apart, and when I tell you that it was not distracting enough, you may have an idea of my mood. Was not the book's fault. Have some friends visiting tomorrow, hope that will help.

Read the novella Escape from Victory by Caimh McDonnell today. Fun little story. I think novella length seems to be about all my brain can commit to at the moment. Can't seem to focus on longer stories, not even audio.

>96 MrsLee:
A friend of mine often used the expression, “Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”. The title of the story reminded me of it.

I'm just catching up after my holiday and am so glad to see you posting with your usual sense of humour intact. I'm glad everything went well, that you got food by hook or by crook, and that you're home now. I hope the next couple of weeks go smoothly and that friends, family and good books will help get you through the rough patches.

>98 Sakerfalcon:
One thing I have learnt from MrsLee’s posts is that if I am ever having a meal near her I will have to keep my eyes on my food. It will be like eating in the school canteen; one arm placed protectively around the plate while using a fork in one hand to eat, and at the same time keeping your eyes peeled for incoming forks attempting to capture the juiciest morsels on my plate.

>99 pgmcc: But if you are having a meal near MrsLee there's a good chance she will have prepared it, in which case the food will be so tasty that you'll accept the inconvenience of defending it!

>100 Sakerfalcon:
So true!

>98 Sakerfalcon: - >101 pgmcc: LOL! >99 pgmcc: I will honestly say that was my position at the dinner table growing up, as both brothers and my father would attempt attacks on my plate (mostly for fun, not because there wasn't enough food). My theory is: I still eat too fast to this day, because if I didn't eat fast enough, there was not likely to be a second helping anywhere. At least of the good stuff. There were always lots of vegetables. Which, now that I'm older, would consider the good stuff. This is a weird theory in my head, because my mom was always known for cooking enough to serve an army, but my two brothers and father, and usually some of their friends, who worked on the farm all day, ate like an army.

I think having a housekeeper is more stressful than having a dirty house. Yesterday I mostly stayed in my room, resting and not being in the way, while two ladies came. Their mission, as I described it: clean all the windows inside and out, clean the bathroom I'm using to keep it sterile, vacuum two braided rugs which have an extra special layer of cat hair on them.

They worked hard, I could tell there was no loafing, but when I came out after they left, there were only about four windows clean. In the bathroom, she cleaned the tub and floor only, not the toilet, counters or sink. The rugs were not vacuumed, although the floor did get cleaned. As an added bonus, she cleaned and rearranged my bookshelf by my chair! Arrrgh!!!! Took me five minutes to find a book I wanted this morning. They are sweet ladies though, and I am only using them two more times before the wedding, so I guess I will adopt an attitude of c'est la vie. They definitely have their own ideas about what to clean, and although they say, "Yes, yes" they are going to do what they want. *eloquent shrug*

I finished Love will Tear us Apart, can't remember if I said so before. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I did it any favors reading it at this time. My brain doesn't focus well right now. Not very attentive. Happily, it is a book I own and so if I want at some future date, I can reread the set. I am giving it four stars, which means it is a book I would consider rereading and will be keeping.

Other than that, I dabble in Aesop's Fables, play Animal Crossing and watch Death in Paradise. I am trying to sit no more than two hours at a time, then stand or walk gently for two hours or so. It doesn't always work that way, but at the moment, being upright is a helluva lot more comfortable than touching furniture with my nether end. Do most of my eating meals standing up. :/

>102 MrsLee:
I also gave Love Will Tear Us Apart 4 stars. In my opinion this novel focused more on the urban fantasy side rather than humour. It established the series in that genre with the humour being incidental rather than central.

I will repeat myself when I say this series has demonstrated McDonnell’s skill in terms of writing two sets of books that have different feels to them, and yet doing both to a high standard.

>102 MrsLee:
My sister Anna, had the habit of saving a nice piece of her dinner as the last bite. It was an unspoken challenge for the rest of us to steal that piece from her plate. Yes, siblings can be cruel. :-)

Stupid phone. It's so easy to accidentally unjoin a group. Fixed now.

I can't bring myself to read. Possibly because I am so wrapped up in my own story at the moment, I don't have room or patience for a fictional one. Oh well. Pretty sure this will pass after the wedding, and after I make a bit of progress in healing.

I feel like a train that has been shunted off the main track onto the side rail for an undetermined time.

Biopsy news was mixed, but mostly good. No cancer in the lymph nodes, but the depth of the tumor removed means I will probably have to have follow up IV treatments of a nasty medicine. There are also some more tests to be done next month.

Thought some of you would like an update.

>105 MrsLee: Yes; was just wishing to hear how you’re doing. How is your weather holding?

>105 MrsLee: Oh, a mixed bag. I'm sorry. But it could be so much worse. I know that doesn't help much, does it? I'm glad you posted an update. I was going to send a FB message if you were missing much longer. Hang in there.

Well no lymph is positive. It is. And to be wrapped up in your own situation is totally normal - indulge in some self-involvement for a while. You need to. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best and hope you get some serenity somehow. It is hard though, I know. Just recently, somewhat because of you, I had a mole looked at, removed and biopsied - benign, but for a while there it was all "the cancer's back" in my head. Very hard to divorce one's psyche from that once it sets in.

>106 2wonderY: Thank you. We finally are having beautiful weather, although it was very cool the first part of the week. Wedding day is supposed to be low 80s, we will take it!

>107 clamairy: Thank you. Sometimes I can't really bring myself to talk about it. One day at a time.

>108 Bookmarque: I can understand that. Every twinge makes me worry if the surgeon got it all, or if more is coming on. The first one grew so fast after the biopsy, and I've heard that is a thing. Cancer is a survivor weed. I would be happy if I could either sit in a chair, or have the drain tube removed. At present, I can do neither, then there is the fear of the incisions tearing open. :/

For distraction, I'm watching the newer Jane Marple series of Agatha Christie stories. Enjoying it very much.

>109 MrsLee:
Thank you for the update. I am glad to hear the good news and hopeful any further treatment is not too arduous and is totally effective.

Sending big hugs and hoping the healing process is rapid.

>109 MrsLee: The newer Jane Marple series is indeed fun, I agree! I was recently reading something that suggested that Miss Marple was Agatha Christie realizing her own strength as a woman aging in the 20th century.

Thank you for the updates. No one wants to be intrusive on the details of things you want to keep quiet on, but your friends (and you have many) do want to cheer you on day-by-day.

>105 MrsLee: Sorry for the mixed news, at least there is some good in there. Wishing you the best for the further treatment.

>105 MrsLee: I was thinking about you and wondering how you are getting on. I'm sorry to hear the mixed news, and especially that you can't read to escape. I hope that having the wedding to focus on will help you get through this next phase. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

Ugh, I know exactly your pain with the surgical drain. When I had them once, I had my surgery out of state and no one close to home would touch them to take them out. So they stayed in a little longer and, no lie, my husband was instructed to watch You Tube to learn how to take them out. He did and we had our own little drain removal party in the bathroom. Totally bizarre. Was glad to have them gone though. My little turkey basters.

>110 pgmcc:, >111 jillmwo:, >112 Karlstar:, & >113 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, you know I care about what happens in all of your lives as well. *smooches*

>111 jillmwo: I can see that about Miss Marple, also a voice to speak up for aging women. I think the TV series may be more pronounced in that direction, but it has been a long time since I've read the stories.

>114 Bookmarque: *insert look of horror here* I was just saying to my nurse soon-to-be-daughter-in-law that I'm not awfully fond of this serve yourself medical care. That after having to remove the steristrips on my largest incision. It isn't really the pain, it's the not knowing what you are doing, what the results should be, and if there is anything wrong. My husband would never be able to help with that procedure, so I hope to God it doesn't come to that. Brave you!

It was definitely weird and sort of felt like slurping spaghetti except all down my leg. I couldn't bring myself to watch, but I had no choice in the feeling of it. Was quick. If I lived close to the hospital I where I had the surgery some post-op tech would have done it. Now hubby has a new line on his resume. LOL.

I purchased The Longing yesterday, a video game perfect for me. A little shade lives in underground caverns, waiting for his king to awaken. The game lasts 400 days, whether you play or not. The shade potters around the caverns at an extremely slow pace, finding things. He walks about the same pace I do, with about as much purpose.

>117 MrsLee: That sounds wonderful. I hope you get much enjoyment from that pottering.

You should get a kick out of this. My daughter gave me a Switch and a Pokemon game for my birthday. I was playing it faithfully until I got trapped in an underground cavern. I had to wait for her to visit to get me out. It wasn't easy, so I felt better about it. But I've been very reluctant to go back in.

>118 clamairy: I can relate! I do find a lot of help online for the games I play, but my son's are an invaluable help with the actual mechanics of the machines.

>105 MrsLee: Mostly good news is good. Fingers crossed further tests are more good news.

Did I mention that my little shade can read books and the time on the clock speeds up? So far he has Moby Dick, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, selections of poetry, The Six Swans, The Goose Girl, Aesop's Fables and a couple more I can't remember the name of. The words are one The screen, so I can read the books too, but I'm not reading Moby Dick again. Over 2000 pages to click/read through.

I have up reading The Jungle. Finally got me down. It is a part of history we should know, but in such detail I can't bear it.

>121 MrsLee:
A very well read shade.

>105 MrsLee: First, apologies for the lateness of my response. More important, yay for the good news and strength to you for coping with the other.

>121 MrsLee: I find it weird but charming that your shade can read.

As to all the other stuff, hurrah for the good news (hoping also for much more of it), and best wishes for the rest.

That sounds like a wonderful game, and a perfect pastime.

>121 MrsLee: I tried to warn you about The Jungle. Honestly, Moby Dick is a jolly romp by comparison. Have you considered introducing your little shade to D.E. Stevenson? (Being a video game, I rather suspect that the books you name have already been pre-programmed into the system.)

I’m catching up on threads. Glad to hear an update from you. I’ve been thinking about you lots and sending you lots of positive healing juju.

>123 hfglen:, >124 haydninvienna:, >127 catzteach: Thank you. It is good to know there are so many people all over the world wishing me well. :)

>126 jillmwo: You did warn me, but one must try to find out if one agrees! :D I have to find the books in the game, there is a library, but I haven't found the way in yet. I have the little fella chipping away with a mattock as I type this, hoping for more clues.

>128 MrsLee: So will the words appear on the screen or will he read them to you? I just discovered that Alexa can read books in my Kindle library* to me. She seems to do a pretty good job, too. It's called Kindle Assistive Reader. I don't believe you need an Echo device to do this. I think you can just put the Alexa app on your phone.

*I don't think she can read books that I bought elsewhere and emailed to my Kindle.

>129 clamairy: The words are on the screen, on pages, to read. There are very few frills of sound and actions in this game. You can direct him to pick things up, hit things with a mattock, and close his eyes. Oh, and walk. No running. If you don't do anything to him for long enough, he will sit. If you wait even longer he will lie down and dream; usually an unpleasant dream about falling or being alone.

>121 MrsLee: I once read most of The Jungle. I did it as an adult, so no teacher forced me to finish. It was riveting, but I couldn't continue for some reason. I doubt I'll ever pick it up again.

Glad to read the mixed news. Mixed is better than bad. I have a coworker who didn't get good news.

>131 fuzzi: I also found it very interesting, but my tolerance for books I know will not end well is very low these days. I could handle the hopelessness better when I was younger.

Life is a real Rollercoaster at the moment Wedding is day after tomorrow. Yesterday I had to make a sudden trip to the doctor because the drain they have in me became infected. I am now on antibiotics and get a bonus trip to the doctor today. These are one hour drives, and riding in a car is still pretty uncomfortable. The drain is extremely painful, although I think the antibiotics are helping. Yesterday, while getting ready for the doctor, my gold tooth overlay popped out, so this morning was a trip to the dentist to get that fixed. Numb mouth now and no solid for 4 hours, so I plan to have a milkshake for lunch.

My daughter is here to help, son and his bride arriving today. Garden is lovely, although filled with weeds!

My mentality is "what's next?" Sigh. Does someone have a voodoo effigy of me they are poking with pins? Roll with the punches we are told, but that doesn't mean the punches don't hurt.

I'm not posting this for sympathy, I know that the balance of my life has been and still is blessed, I just want to whine a little.

*hugs*

You have a lot on your plate right now -- a little whining is totally understandable!

>133 MrsLee: Oh no. I'm so sorry. Sending more good juju your way, since the first several batches appear to have been ineffective.

It always seemed to me that fate loved to kick folks when they were already down... Maybe we're easier targets then. *massive hugs*

>133 MrsLee: know that you're in my prayers, my friend.

>134 foggidawn:, >135 clamairy:, >136 fuzzi: Thank you! A friend of mine told me today, "sometimes in life you just have to hold on to the "oh shit!" bar." That suits my mood exactly. :D

Oh man that's the pitz. I'm sorry you have extra crapola to deal with on top of what you already had. Oh shit is right. Here's to the wedding going off well and you doing nothing except raising a glass of champagne.

>133 MrsLee: Blessings and hugs for you and the wedding party, and best of luck for the big day.

>133 MrsLee:
If you cannot whine here where can you whine? We are here to listen to you and to give you sympathy whether you ask for it or not. Spill it out if it helps. Hoping for an upswing in your fortunes. You deserve a few breaks at this stage. You have listened to our whining and you have helped me through some tough times. Whine away.

>133 MrsLee: I have no words of wisdom. I simply wish for you sufficient ease to allow you to enjoy the wedding tomorrow. However, if it will help in any way, we'll organize a search here in the Pub for any miniature MrsLee effigies with pins stuck through them. The Enforcers will ensure that kind of thing gets stopped quickly and thoroughly.

And no one here would ever accuse you of real or frequent whining. (((Hugs)))

Somebody is just refining the gold. It’s done in the fire.

Best wishes dear.

I have to add that I think the dental emergency is just going too far. And I will speak up about it on your behalf.

>138 Bookmarque:, >139 haydninvienna:, >140 pgmcc:, >142 2wonderY: Thanks *hugs*

>141 jillmwo:: ) When I told my son's bride about my theory, she sent me a meme with a lady saying, "Don't worry, I'll kill them" It's from some movie or other, somehow made me feel better.

Sending virtual hugs and best wishes!

Keeping you in my prayers. I hope that the joy of the wedding will help to distract you from the bad stuff.

>133 MrsLee: Aged Mother always maintained that troubles came in threes. You've had your group, which doesn't make coping any easier. Beaming positivity your way (apologies for late response) and wishing you and the bridal party everything that's good and beautiful for tomorrow.

Sending all sorts of positive juju!!

>133 MrsLee: Playing catch up. Hopefully some of the pain has passed already. How did the wedding go?

Shhh. The mother of the groom is resting. Waiting patiently for a re-cap.

>144 NorthernStar:, >145 Sakerfalcon:, >146 hfglen: & >147 catzteach: Thank you all!

>148 Narilka: The wedding was absolutely lovely. A fairy tale event. Weather perfect, mosquitoes somewhat controlled. The garden blossoms listened to my request to bloom on demand and all guests were enchanted.

I was a little sad that I had to spend part of my evening in the house on the couch, just couldn't keep up and had to rest. The other sadness is that my grandson had a meltdown and his mother took him home before the ceremony began, so no photos of them.

I will post pictures when I get some. I didn't take any.

Hi, MrsLee, it is I, a voice from the past.

I do not use maggie1944 in many places but find I can not access Library Thing unless I go by that name.

I came looking for the full title of a book by Simon Winchester.

Hope to be here more often.

>151 maggie1944: So lovely to see you! Thank you for stopping by.

Sorry about the kid meltdown, but glad everything else was great even if you had to sit some of it out. Better to do that than to risk your recovery!

>150 MrsLee:
Glad to hear the wedding went well and the blooms were appropriately obedient. Looking forward to your photographs.

>150 MrsLee: Wonderful wedding by the sound. You made me laugh with the bit about the mosquitoes.

>150 MrsLee: Weddings always take more out of you than expected and if the grandchild was the only one having a melt-down, then I'm sure it was a great success. As others here have said, I think we all look forward to any photographs you may be able to share with us. But rest up!!

>150 MrsLee: That sounds wonderful :) Even without health issues, weddings can be exhausting!

>150 MrsLee: Congratulations on getting through all that and putting on a successful wedding! I'm glad the weather and flowers cooperated. Make sure you give yourself time to recover.

>150 MrsLee: I am looking forward to the photos. Sorry about your grandchild not being happy, but they are sponges for the stress that the people around them are experiencing, so it not uncommon.

>147 catzteach: What she said!

Glad to hear the wedding went well. Hope you are doing better now!

>150 MrsLee: glad the wedding went well! I hope you were able to get some quality rest yesterday.

It sounds like a wonderful day, and I'm sure your son and daughter-in-law will treasure their memories of it. I hope you've had plenty of time to rest and recover from it all.

Thank you all, resting continues. I still have that horrid drain they put in after surgery and won't take out until the fluid level stays below a certain level. I don't think the stress of the wedding helped that, but I think we are moving in the right direction at last. For those who are able and wish to, I have posted some non official photos of the wedding on FB. I probably won't add them here until I get the professional ones.

Glad to read that the gardens cooperated and that you managed to survive the stress of the day.

Whoopee! That drain is finally out! I'm not quite dancing in the streets yet, but my heart is happy.

>166 MrsLee: That's seriously good news! Probably not a good idea to start violent exercise like dancing in the streets (or anywhere else, for that matter) just yet, but you make me happy, too. I distinctly recall grinning like an idiot, or maybe like Jeremy Clarkson driving fast on Top Gear -- if there's a difference -- when first allowed to drive myself to Inchanga after my heart problem a few years back. Long may your recovery last!

ETA author brackets and a few words, to make sense.

I feel you on that one!! The day hubby took the turkey basters out was a great one. Almost as good as having another tube out for a different surgery. Oy vey. Anyway, here's to going from strength to strength on your recovery path.

>166 MrsLee: Awesome! I hope it's all smooth sailing from here!

>166 MrsLee:
Great news. Hopefully that will be more comfortable and make it easier for you to get some well earned rest.

I loved the wedding photos. They are a great catalogue of a lovely family occasion.

>166 MrsLee: Huzzah! Although as hfglen suggests, dancing in the streets might best be postponed a bit. One day at a time; it upsets the medical community when you flout the doctor's instructions too dramatically.

>166 MrsLee: Great news!

>166 MrsLee: Great stuff! maybe not dancing in the streets yet, but soon ...

>166 MrsLee: happyhappyjoyjoy!!!

Thank you all! So good to have others rejoice with you. So here is more good news: Yesterday the doctor told me that the Cancer Board he presented my case to said that follow-up treatments will NOT be necessary! I asked my sister if I had to give the quilt back which she gave me to hold on to while I had them. :) I will have to be checked every six months for five years, and there are some other things which need checking as well (can't seem to get a colonoscopy any sooner than August), but for now, I am holding on to the sunshine and rainbows.

On the book front, I still haven't been reading since the surgery, but I wonder if I will begin again now that the monster is off of my back a little. Anyway, here is what I said in my review of The Jungle.

"I didn't finish this. I read about half. The reason? The reality was too harsh for me at the moment in life I was attempting to read it. Perhaps I would have gone further when I was younger, say, in my 30s or 40s. I did appreciate what I read of it. Sinclair's writing is vivid and clear. It paints a clear picture, although the picture is not what one wants to see; that of human misery. I found it to be very interesting in showing a place and a time in history. Like Charles Dickens, he is an advocate of the downtrodden. Unlike Dickens, he does not soften the blow with humor or heartwarming scenes."

>175 MrsLee: Wonderful news!

That is fabulous!!! Woo hoo! May the five years go by in a flash and you'll have your first dance with NED!

>175 MrsLee: I am so relieved and happy for you. I do hope you're able to read something wonderful soon.

>175 MrsLee: Excellent news! Keep a hold on those rainbows and sunshine!!!

>175 MrsLee: Best news :D Congratulations!!

>175 MrsLee: Absolutely brilliant news!

>175 MrsLee: Absolutely delighted for you. Personally, I think you should be able to keep the quilt for at least the next 5 years as it's obviously a lucky charm if nothing else.

>175 MrsLee: Great news!

>175 MrsLee: fantastic report!

And good overview of The Jungle. I didn't finish it, either, but would recommend it.

As ever folks, thank you for your well wishes.

Six hours of coronation broadcasting last night. Good show, I watched it for curiosity, but find myself very caught up in the show. "I wouldn't be king for 100 pounds, says Alice." They gave him all these treasures, then took them right back! I was watching all those choir children for giggles or wiggles, never saw one! Very impressive. I also loved the moments caught of Princess Charlotte of Wales and her mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales, sharing secret smiles. Also of course the little Louis. The broadcasters referred a lot to Shakespeare, which was fun. I am glad to have the visuals in my head of the pageantry. Every little thing helps to reference when reading.

>175 MrsLee: So glad to hear this great news!! I hope you can keep the quilt!

>175 MrsLee: What the others have said! Continue well!

>186 Sakerfalcon: I'm fairly certain my sister won't begrudge me the quilt. Her children call it her "Hippie" quilt. It features birds with dark orange and gold poppies, on squares with a color theme of green, blue, brown and orange. Perfect for me! My cats appropriated it right away, which is why I don't usually leave lovely things draped on my furniture, but fortunately I had another quilted hanging which was falling to pieces on top of my "new" (sister made it about 20 years ago) quilt.

It is perfect for my room with red furniture and burnt orange walls. That happens to be the room I'm spending most of my time in these days, since the couch is the only place I can recline less painfully aside from my bed, which I CANNOT abide being in during the day. Pain is getting better, but sitting is still very difficult.

>188 MrsLee: I admit to being a color junkie, so your description makes me smile, as I add in the great California light filtering in. Sounds pretty near perfect.

>189 2wonderY: The older I get, the more I enjoy lots of vibrant and rich colors.

>188 MrsLee: The quilt sounds gorgeous! Rich colours, birds and flowers ... beautiful.
I'm glad that if you have to be stuck on a couch it is at least in a lovely room.

So glad to hear the news about your recovery and cancer!! The quilt sounds lovely and comforting.

I managed to read a book! Picked a cozy, gentle read to try, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, by Sarah Addison Allen. This is a book inherited from a dear friend who died some years ago of breast cancer. I have slowly been making my way through the several boxes of books her husband gave me after. Her reading tastes were similar to mine, but she also veered to the romance end of things. I almost quit reading this one on the second or third page because of her strange description of sunlight, but I'm glad I persevered. Here is my review.

"A girl of 17 moves to a small North Carolina town to live with her grandfather. She discovers that her mother had a very different reputation in that town, and she must live it down. Another woman, who had tough teenage years in that town has come home to clear up her father's affairs after his death. This is the story of both women learning to look at the past through a different lens than they had seen it before, and making peace.
This author plays fast and loose with anthropomorphism and comparison, "sunlight coughing through the windows." Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Her books have a tiny bit of soft magic in them, or at least fantastical happenings. The stories are pleasant and easy on the brain.
Warning: Please have a delicious cake on hand if you begin reading this story. You will need several pieces of it before you are done."

I won't be keeping this book, it isn't the sort I would read again, but I am content that I finished it.

I've started another, A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey. I enjoy the Alan Grant mysteries, and discovered that I have this particular story in an omnibus with A Daughter of Time. I am missing the first and forth book of Alan Grant, so that is something to aim for.

Such a relief to be reading again, but I'm not pushing it. Reading only the things which appeal to me. I am passing on a book I had on my shelves called Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. Started it, didn't care for the first few pages, written in the present tense, no can do.

Received Graveyard Clay in the mail a couple of days ago (pgmcc & haydninvienna recommendation) and will start it after I finish the Alan Grant book I'm reading. If it is too much for me at this time, I will set it aside until I have a better momentum on reading, unlike the above book, which I have no desire to read, this one interests me on several levels, so will be worth a bit of struggle when the time is right (if there is a struggle, who knows, I may love it).

>193 MrsLee: SO GLAD you are feeling well enough to be reading again!

And thanks for reminding me of Sarah Addison Allen. Her first book completely charmed me with an apple tree that threw its fruit when incensed.

>193 MrsLee:
I look forward to your reaction to The Graveyard Clay.

Your reading support-person is standing by ready to spring into action when needed.

Reading only the things which appeal to me... That reminds me of something I read just this past week:

From Alberto Manguel A Reader on Reading: ...the best guides – I believe – are the reader’s whims, trust in pleasure and faith in haphazardness which sometimes lead us into a makeshift state of grace, allowing us to spin gold out of flax.

Stick to what works for you, MrsLee

>193 MrsLee: >195 pgmcc: Me too.

>193 MrsLee: This is such wonderful news! I am so happy for you, and relieved as well. Enjoy the next one too, my friend.

Completed A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey, last night. It was enjoyable. I will try Graveyard Clay next.

My husband grabbed The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance, by Henry Petroski, from a Little Free Library yesterday when he was putting two book in. He thought it would be a good bathroom book for me.
At the moment, that purpose is being served by Bulfinch's Mythology: A Modern Abridgement by Edmund Fuller by Thomas Bulfinch. It is readable, set up in short tales. Not sure how long it will hold my interest. I have read enough mythology now that I may decide to keep it for reference purposes instead of reading it the whole way through. Are there any other women out there who get tired of Juno ruining the lives of the women that her husband has already messed up? I would love to see a story where she delves out a little pain to him instead.

>193 MrsLee: "Keep a delicious cake on hand" is always sound advice.

>199 MrsLee: How much different is the 'Modern Abridgement'? Is it worth investing in? I have the original, which I mostly glance at from time to time for reference.

>201 Karlstar: It says it has kept the original language. "In The Age of Fable, most of the deletions are examples of poetic allusions from long forgotten Victorian poets. Useful citations from Shakespeare, Spencer, Milton and others remain."
This edition also contains the "central frame and substance of the Arthurian chronicles and a representative selection from the medieval romance in Legends of Charlemagne."
It is written for the general reader and student. More than enough for me. :)

Glad you are back to reading! I’m in a place right now where my brain just can’t. I’m a little over halfway done with a book that I really wanted to read, but it’s been a slog because my brain just isn’t into it. Maybe I’ll put it aside for a bit. Summer’s almost here.

>203 catzteach: That has happened to me more than once in my life. I think it's better to put it aside than to force it. If it is something you need to finish, the desire will come to you when you are ready.

>195 pgmcc: & >197 haydninvienna: Thank you, I am not having too much trouble understanding at this point, although I'm sure some of the political comments fly over my head. I'm okay with that. I can't read it for too long at a time, I dip in and out, but I am enjoying (that isn't exactly the word I want) it. So far, the only thing I'm taking away is that I really hope that is not what it is like after we die. I hate cocktail parties or church socials with crowds of people gossiping or complaining about other people, and that is how this reads to me. Now I said hate, but that doesn't mean I hate this story. I am not trapped in it as I would be at an event full of people, but I do feel a bit claustrophobic while reading it.

>201 Karlstar: I just finished the story of Phaeton and his father, Apollo. About the chariot ride. It was riveting! The epitome of a father trying to save his son from foolishness. A bit hard on everyone else, but then, our foolishness can lead to much hardship for those around us.

>205 MrsLee:
One of the things about The Graveyard Clay that I took a while to get used to was how a conversation will be interrupted as the text moves to another conversation. Once I got used to the individual styles of talking I quickly copped on to who was talking and what their usual gripes and themes were.

>206 pgmcc: Yes, I was puzzled at the key in the front of the book, until I started reading and realized that was happening. :D

>207 MrsLee:
Does your place of work have ten shilling plots?
😂😂

I received a late Mother's Day gift today. Two more books from the new collection of Terry Pratchett books. Raising Steam and Snuff. This kid gets me. Plus he knows he gets the original first editions these are replacing. lol

>208 pgmcc: No equivalent I'm afraid. I think the least expensive we have is a cremation grave for about $460. I'm not sure what the exchange rate is, or the difference in inflation! However, back when this story was originally written, we did have full graves for $8. Some people have just dumped the ashes of their loved ones on a grave. This is frowned upon, and not very nice to the cemetery workers who have to deal with it.

>210 MrsLee: Nearest to that we’ve done recently is scattering a couple of horses’ ashes (say that very carefully) in a field.

>211 haydninvienna: I have no problem with scattering ashes, but don't bring them to our cemetery unless you want us to bury them. There's a whole world out there. What many folks don't understand, is that "ashes" are never just that. There are chunks of bones and any metal parts the person had; somtimes teeth. It isn't nice to make someone else deal with that because you don't want to pay to have them buried.

There used to be a Potter's Field in our cemetery to bury indigents in for the county, but that no longer is open. Too many unmarked graves, so no telling where the bodies are. The manager has thought about making a columbarium grave where cremated remains could be poured in, but he hasn't moved forward in it. There doesn't seem to be much demand here.

Graveyard Clay is not an immersive book for me. I find I can only read it for under an hour each day. It takes concentration to keep up with who is saying what, and that isn't something I'm long on at the moment. I'm finding it amusing, but a bit depressing. To think that one would spend an eternity having to listen to others natter on like that. Well, I would call that Hell.

To please my distracted brain, I've begun The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey. Something about the plot is niggling in my brain that I've read this before, but if so, it was so long ago that I have nothing left but the niggle. It is a cozy read, though I find myself impatient for the ending, and it is longer than her other mysteries. Also, Inspector Grant is a side character so far (and possibly all the way through?), but I do enjoy the lawyer who seems to be the main character.

On the personal health front, I had my colonoscopy yesterday. For those who wish to know no more, the spoiler tag: The doctor removed two polyps and sent them to pathology, but he didn't seem overly concerned about them. He told me he inked me where they were, just in case of cancer, so they could find them again. He also gave me pages of photos of the inside of my colon. Anyone have some spare picture frames? It didn't occur to me later, when I was reading his notes and they said he gave me tattoos, to ask him about the design he chose, and mention that he shouldn't give up his day job because the ink just looks like splotches. Anyway, now I can boast that I am the first one to have tattoos in my family, and I have photos to prove it, if anyone wants to see them. I will have the lab results in 7-10 days, which probably means 2-3 weeks, but the doctor was encouraging. :)

>213 MrsLee:

The Graveyard Clay does take concentration, so I am not surprised you are taking it easy with this one at the moment.

I am finding it hard to resist ordering some of your tattoo pictures, but I will be strong and not bother you for sight of the images. Good luck with the results.

>213 MrsLee: My daughters are all inked up. It used to distress me - I cried for 2 days when I saw younger daughter’s first one. I’d like to have one now, but only for the surprise value when they prepare me for burial. Only, I hadn’t known how to conceal it. Inside probably wouldn’t work though, as they wouldn’t know to look.

This is what I want:

>214 pgmcc: Not really surprised you can resist. :D I won't be posting them on Facebook.

>215 2wonderY: Love it! My 2 DIL both have multiple coverage tattoos. They are beautiful art, but I've always been fickle in my likes and dislikes of art, so never wanted to commit. Also it is my personal preference to keep my body the way it was given to me as much as possible. I told my children they had to wait until they were 18 to do anything like piercing or tattoos, then after that it was up to them to decide. So far, none of them have.

>215 2wonderY: I love it too.

>213 MrsLee: Good luck with the results of the tests.

>213 MrsLee: Hoping that you get good news!

>213 MrsLee: What >218 Karlstar: and >219 Sakerfalcon: said, but even more so.

Echoing what everyone else has said. Holding my thumbs for you.

Yes wishing for an all clear!

Joining the chorus here!

>213 MrsLee:
One thing I remember about reading The Graveyard Clay is that it initially appeared to be all over the place, and it was only by reading it in an unhurried way that I came to realise tge book is like a big, verbal jigsaw; as I read through the book pieces began to fall into their appropriate positions and at the end I had full picture of the village, its petty jealousies, its loves, and the general fashion in which the community operated..

Thank you all, for the good and well wishes! They are much appreciated.

>224 pgmcc: I can see that. I will be patient with it for now. So long as I only read it for about 20 minutes a day, it is tolerable. That's about how long I can tolerate any kind of party, too. ;)

I finished The Franchise Affair last night. It niggled at me that perhaps I had read this before, but I had no memory of the details, so I didn't let that bother me. Here's my scanty review.
"A young girl who has been missing, turns up with bruises and claims to have been kidnapped and beaten by two women. She gives a detailed account of their home, but they claim never to have seen her before. Who is lying? Inspired by an actual case, this is a good story. The pace at times seemed pretty slow, but that may be my mood. At no time did I want to put it down and walk away, although I was tempted a couple of times to skim. I didn't succumb to temptation, and I am glad because the characters and nature of the tale needed the time to build. The ending of the book, not the case, surprised and delighted me a good deal. A case of an author giving the reader their expectations, then taking it away and convincing the reader that was correct for the story, then turning it all topsy-turvy."

>225 MrsLee: In my opinion, The Franchise Affair is best served by at least two separate readings. The first time it's just light entertainment and the second time, you see exactly the point hidden behind your spoiler tags.

As everyone has already noted, best wishes for positive news in the coming weeks.

>225 MrsLee:
Your unmasked comments about The Franchise Affair intrigued sufficiently to follow the touchstone. When I realised it was by Josephine Tey I was well pleased. I recently acquired the complete Josephine Tey on Kindle. This will be my next Tey read. I think you deserve BB credit as you have pushed me closer to reading this book.

>227 pgmcc: Good! I think you will like it, there is a dashing Irishman in it.

>204 MrsLee: I did finally finish the book. It had a good ending and I’ll be reading the third in the series. I do think I would’ve enjoyed it more had I read it during the summer.

I hope your results are good news.

I have a tattoo and would love to get another one. I’ll stick to temporaries for now, though.

I managed to finish a whole book today! Ok, it was only 149 pages, but a complete story! The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey. Very satisfactory. Grant needs a break as he has very nearly had a breakdown. He goes for a six week holiday to his cousin's home in Scotland for some fly fishing.The relationship between Inspector Grant and his 9 year old cousin is endearing; actually, a lot of the people in this story are endearing, but I kept having flashbacks to Lord Peter Wimsey. Wasn't there a similar story with him needing a holiday and hying of to Scotland for some fishing? Or have I become muddled? Anyway, the mystery in this was fine.

One of the commentators I read recently on Tey, said that the joy of reading her stories is that there is no formula. That the stories are complete individuals. I'm not sure about that. I do know that they are each entertaining and filled with interesting characters, not just one or two.

>230 MrsLee: Five Red Herrings.

>230 MrsLee: What I found to be most interesting about The Singing Sands was learning that Ubar / Wubar was real!! I thought she'd invented it, until I was prepping for a discussion at the library and began poking around for specifics about the book.

>232 jillmwo: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ubar? That's taught me something.

>232 jillmwo: I wondered about that, but forgot to look it up when I finished the book.

>231 haydninvienna: Hmm, I knew that took place in Scotland, but I've forgotten the framework. I remember grumpy people, artists, LOTS of timetables, but not the fishing, etc. I think I will read that again today to refresh the mind. I was going to pick a book out of my Kindle, but it isn't charged and my brain still isn't in the mood to work hard. A reread may be just the ticket, but I will be glossing over the timetables!

I've begun The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers (this will be my fourth time reading it). It isn't the story I am thinking of. I'm going to read it again anyway because I can. Also, perhaps because I'm older and more experienced *insert eyeroll* the dialect isn't bothering me as much as it did on previous reads, according to my review.

I suspect that the twinges on my memory of The Singing Sands was that I had read it before, and it had appealed to me. I found my review from about ten years ago. Especially the relationship between Inspector Grant and his young cousin, Tad. Very much like Wimsey and his nephew.

I have to mention how much I am enjoying Bullfinch's Mythology. I have read quite a bit of mythology, but these tales are told with passion, humanity and pathos. The characters are very human, not just oddities or tools of the gods (although they are tools of the gods). Even the gods manage to evoke pity from me as a reader. Something no other writer has accomplished.

>236 MrsLee: I agree re Bullfinch's Mythology. Edith Hamilton has a very readable style. I also liked the illustrations included in my mother's edition. (Can't reach it from here or I'd look up the artist's name.)

This time around reading Sayers Five Red Herrings, I'm being particularly impressed with the red herrings. She not only made an intricate time table for the murderer, but the victim had a very complicated series of events on his last night alive as well. The unraveling which needs to be done by the detectives is akin to when a cat gets into one's knitting bag.

>238 MrsLee: Excellent insight behind that spoiler tag!!!

Finished the Sayers book a couple of days ago. I found it quite enjoyable this time because I didn't bother to read any of the red herring theories. I remembered who the actual killer was, so focused on those clues and on enjoying the piffle talk. This time the dialects didn't bother me at all. I even enjoyed them! Does that mean I am maturing as a reader? Or perhaps it was because I wasn't in a rush to find out who done it since I already knew.

Still working on Graveyard Clay. Slow going, not unenjoyable, but I can't find a point to it all. Is it a joke on what people believe happens after death? Is the author making a statement that as you are so you will always be? I don't know.

>240 MrsLee: I guess I'm lucky, I forget who was the killer most of the time with rereads.

>240 MrsLee: I do too, but this was the fourth time I read that one. :) Sayers mysteries I read more for the craft of her writing than I do for the surprise of the mystery anymore; because I've read them all at least four times.

I don't know if I've mentioned, but I will have a new grandchild in September. This grandson will be born to my second son. The one who was married in my yard the end of April. He and his wife are very efficient. Engaged Jan. 1st, IVF on Jan. 16th, married in April and parents in September/October. So, I will be hosting a baby shower for them the beginning of July. The theme will be a "Woodland Tea Party." I tell you all this, is because one cannot have a new grandchild in the world without giving him books. I am spending the morning today reading the books which arrived yesterday for Griffin Thomas.

The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
The Bear and the Fern by Mr. Jay Miletsky
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Newberry Award Winner
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett Newberry Award Winner

I was a bit sad that the covers on two of the books were slightly torn when they arrived. The books themselves are in good condition though. I will use my book-mending tape to fix the covers, they aren't likely to last long anyway if they let Griffin read the books. None of the books are board books. I may have to get a couple more books.

>243 MrsLee:
One always needs a couple more books.

All the best to the expectant parents, Griffin, and the expectant grandparents.

Your theme made me think of Tom Bombadil.

>243 MrsLee: I have the perfect hat for that tea party!

>243 MrsLee: Congratulations! That looks like a nice list of books.

>244 pgmcc: Thank you.
>245 2wonderY: Oh, I hadn't thought about hats! This party will be in my house though, instead of outside in my woods, because the temperatures here in July are triple digits.

>246 Karlstar: Thank you. They have a theme of the woods which was easy to do because once I picked the first one on Amazon, they kept suggesting more in that general theme. I will have to purchase a couple from our local bookstore though. I sort of got carried away on the Amazon purchases.

You're enjoying a period of happy busyness! I'm glad and congratulations to all!

>246 Karlstar: & >247 MrsLee:
The mention of hats for events reminded me of an incident that happened at my daughter's wedding in 2012.

It is quite usual for ladies to wear nice hats to weddings here. My daughter married a man from the USA. Naturally enough his sister was a guest. At the wedding reception my daughter's new sister-in-law, who was not wearing a hat but who had noticed that many of the ladies present were, said to my daughter, "Oh, I wish I had known people wear hats to weddings here. I would love to have worn a hat to your wedding. At least now I know for the next time."

To be fair to her, she did see the irony to what she had said. Why would she, the sister of my daughter's husband, be attending my daughter's next wedding? :-)

>249 pgmcc: Funny. :) I love hats, but they do not love my face or hair. I had a fedora I wore a lot in high school, because it was the late 70s, early 80s and I was like that.

>243 MrsLee: Congratulations! That is a fast turn around hah

>251 Narilka: Efficient! Lol

>243 MrsLee: one cannot have a new grandchild in the world without giving him books: something I must try not to forget (twice). Also, at least one "her" in my case.

>243 MrsLee: More congrats! And yes, books are definitely required. For my own kids I found that sturdy ones for them to play with were great, along with a giant stack of some that were to be read from. And there can't be too many!

>249 pgmcc: Funny story, let's hope there is not a next time, at least not for that particular couple!

I have now read all the books referred to in >243 MrsLee:, and am very happy with them. Usually when I buy a stack of unknown to me children's books, there are one or two which don't meet my expectations, but these are all winners. I was a bit surprised at My Father's Dragon, that it was published in the 1940s and Newberry Award winner, but I'd never heard of it. Cute story, although the boy is angry with his mom and runs away from home. I'm not sure modern storybooks would allow that with no consequences for the boy, no happy reunion with the mom at the end and no lesson to be learned!

Snowflake Bentley, Caldecott Award winner, was inspiring, and makes me want a copy of the book on snowflakes he wrote.

>256 MrsLee: That's what would scare me, I've been burnt too many times buying books because Amazon recommended them, it is almost a reason not to get a book now. Glad it worked out well!

This looked like a good list if would like to have another reference: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349258#8153724

>257 Karlstar: That is a good list, but I do like to find some off-the-beaten-path books as well. Some of my favorite books have come from the little shops at the front of museums; at least when they are trying at all to stock interesting things and not tourist trash.

>258 MrsLee: I love buying books at museums, they are often books I'd never find otherwise.

>258 MrsLee: & >259 Karlstar:
In January 2020 we visited The British Library in London. The shop there was full of fascinating books. These included not only high-brow tomes on esoteric topics of bibliophile interest, but also books from the likes of the British Library’s series of classic crime novels. It is certainly a place I will browse again if I am ever in that vicinity.

>256 MrsLee: I remember My Father's Dragon primarily on the basis of the things you mention -- that cover and the fact it won a Newberry Award.

>243 MrsLee: Congratulations! That is wonderful news! And now you have even more reasons to buy and read lovely books!

I finished Graveyard Clay last night. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it was interesting from a cultural/historical point of view. The introduction to each section was my favorite writing. The voice of the Graveyard, or likely Death, was beautiful, and poignant. The way the story was written was clever, each "resident" had their own voice and even though they interrupted each other and the reader was never told who was speaking, their "voice" was unique and unmistakable. A writer would do well to study the method in order to eliminate over use of the "he said-she said" method of writing. I think my disappointment was due to the fact that it was an ending with no end and no point. I will not say a waste of time, due to the above mentioned reasons, but I won't read it again. Guess I'm a gal who needs a beginning, a middle and an end to a story if I'm going to enjoy it. As far as the afterlife is concerned, my preference would be obliteration rather than that existence in a graveyard.

>263 MrsLee:
I am glad you gave it a try. For me the beauty of the book is how the picture of the village, including the private histories of the individuals, their lives and petty prejudices, is painted using the tiny scraps of conversation amongst the residents of the cemetery. (I had written “dead residents of the cemetery”,but then thought use of the word “dead” might be a bit redundant.)

>264 pgmcc: That is exactly what was frustrating for me! There seemed to be no reliable witnesses. I didn't trust any of them to be giving accurate accounts.

>265 MrsLee:
I didn't trust any of them to be giving accurate accounts.

So like real life. I found it interesting how people's view of how things stood in their own lives changed when they got news from the living village after a funeral.

>263 MrsLee: Your touchstone May need fixing. It doesn’t match the previous one and now I’m confused.

ETA never mind. Tim Robinson is a translator. Combining them.
Didn’t Willa Cather write a book featuring the inhabitants of the town graveyard?

>263 MrsLee: >264 pgmcc: >265 MrsLee: >266 pgmcc: As a co-promoter of Graveyard Clay, I probably should have contributed to this discussion, but didn't feel that I had read the book recently enough. My copy is in storage along with most of the others, and I probably will read it again. But what I remember supports what both of you said. I also agree with the hidden comment in #213.

>267 2wonderY: Is hard to figure the touchstones out for this one. It is a book which has been translated twice, and by good advice from pgmcc I chose the version translated by Tim Robinson. Sometimes the touchstones bring this up as an option, and sometimes they don't. But when I actually click on the name, it takes me to my version. Our Town by Thornton Wilder is the one that comes to my mind.

>266 pgmcc: I forget the people around me are not reliable. ;/ The book also makes me sad because we have so many residents in our cemetery with no marker. Makes me want to go buy one for all of them. But no, too expensive for the likes of me.

>266 pgmcc: & >266 pgmcc: Speaking of glitches, how did you both end up with the same number on your post?
ETA* OK, that makes no sense now, but when I typed it, both >266 pgmcc: & >267 2wonderY: showed as 266.

Also ETA: in reading the introduction to "The Graveyard Clay" I found my answer for its purpose, "comic depiction of the utter absurdity of the human race." That is not from the author, but from a review. I can see that in the story, and appreciate the author's ability to relay it, without completely agreeing with the premise. For all the absurdity, I still see much beauty, glory and pathos.

>266 pgmcc: Can you help me with a question I have about the Irish or Gaelic language? I'm confused. In reading the introduction to this book, it seems to be revered, but in some of the stories of Caimh McDonnell a few of the characters seem to regard it as a nuisance. As a person who has very little insight into the matter, I am not sure I'm getting the right cues when I read. Questions I have:
Is it required of everyone to learn Gaelic?
Do I have the right word for it?
Is it more of a regional thing, or a national?
Are newer generations proud of it, or trying to leave it behind?
And this one may be too political, but is it considered more patriotic to speak it than to not?

Some more thoughts on The Graveyard Clay. I wanted Caitríona to be vindicated in the end. Possibly she was, but I want sure. I suppose that is like life, but I liked her vinegar disposition. I also wanted the schoolmistress to be brought up on charges of poisoning! However, I suppose it was not uncommon back then that a person could lose two husbands to illness shortly after marriage. You see, the characters are sticking with me.

>270 MrsLee:
Well, you certainly managed to come up with some very interesting questions. The answers to them are buried in the history of the land and, ultimately, the evils of colonisation/colonialism.

First of all, some context. Ireland is currently divided into two political parts, Northern Ireland that is within the United Kingdom and hence under British rule, and the rest of the country variously referred to as The South, Southern Ireland, The Republic, The Republic of Ireland, The Free State, and, as per the Irish Constitution, Ireland. The Constitution also identifies Eire as the name of the country in Irish.

The Constitution also states that the country has two official languages, namely Irish and English, Irish being the primary official language.

Northern Ireland has no legal status for the Irish Language, and this has been a bone of contention as parties in The North (as Northern Ireland is called) have been arguing over giving Irish official recognition.

As Irish is the first language of The Republic, it is taught in schools as a compulsory subject. The compulsory subjects in Ireland are Irish, English and Mathematics. It is the compulsory nature of Irish teaching in schools that causes some resentment amongst pupils who live in areas where there is not a lot of Irish spoken.

Irish was widely spoken in Ireland before invasion by the British. With the arrival of the British and the seat of British rule being in the East of the country, the West of Ireland was the area where Irish continued to be spoken widely. Today there are areas, mostly in the west, that are designated Gaeltacht areas where Irish is the primary language with all road signs being in Irish and everyday business and conversation carried out in Irish. The village where Martín Ó'Chadhain was born, Spiddal, is in a Gaeltacht area and his first language would have been Irish.

The history of the language is closely linked with the history of the land and can still stir strong feelings today. Answering your questions requires a degree of covering some of the history.

Is it required of everyone to learn Gaelic?
It is compulsory in schools, and for certain professions, such as teacher, civil servant, Guard, and many more, it is a prerequisite. It is after all the official language of the state.

However, the majority of people in the East of the country, unless they have a strong patriotic liking for the language, will not bother much with Irish once they have passed their state exams at the age of 18. Many of the characters in Caimh McDonnell's stories would be from Dublin and would not have a hankering for the history of the language. Most teenagers who do not have an interest in the history of the country will see having to learn Irish as a chore. It is not an easy language and hence there is some resentment.

Others, of course, see the language as a key element of the country's soul and are very keen to use it at any opportunity.

In terms of Northern Ireland, I was given an option to learn Irish, German, Spanish or Greek when I started second level education. I wanted to take Irish but was bullied by the Dean of Discipline as he thought there were too many people opting for Irish, so he put me in the Spanish class. Consequently I have very little Irish. My wife, who is from The South, is from a family that loves Irish and she speaks it fluently when she wants to. As a politician, this works well for her.

Do I have the right word for it?
Gaelic refers to a number of Celtic languages. There are four, possibly five, dialects of Irish Gaelic. Scottish Gaelic is close to Irish. Brittany is Celtic and the local Gaelic, Breton, is related to Irish and Scottish Gaelic. My wife was able to converse with a Breton lady in Roscoff using her Irish and the lady using her Breton.

Is it more of a regional thing, or a national?
Signposts in The South are all in Irish. In Gaeltacht areas they are, generally*, only in Irish. In non-Gaeltacht areas they are bi-lingual.

The official nature of the language is nation wide, nation being the twenty-six counties of the Republic of Ireland. National news programmes are broadcast in both Irish and English on the national radio and television channels. There are also dedicated national Irish language radio and television channels.

Northern Ireland has no Irish language channels. There are some Irish republican areas in Northern Ireland that have taken matters into their own hands and change street names etc... to Irish. This is straying into politics so I will not dwell too long on this.

One point to note. I must point out the difference in usage of the word "Republican" when used in an Irish context and when used in a USA context. I am putting this here for clarification and not political purposes or to make any points. In an Irish context "Republican" refers to someone who is in favour of Ireland being a republic that works for the people. The Irish Proclamation would give a good initial view of what Irish Republicans stand for. There are several political parties in the Republican category in Ireland. They tend to be left of centre, some being very left of centre.

My understanding of the meaning of being a Republican in the US is someone who supports the Republican party. You and others living in the US will be in a better position than I to say what that means.

Are newer generations proud of it, or trying to leave it behind?
There has been a big resurgence in interest in the language amongst young people recently. It is gaining popularity and is even seen as being cool. People who have Irish find it useful to be able to converse privately when abroad or in English speaking countries.

And this one may be too political, but is it considered more patriotic to speak it than to not?
It is considered patriotic. That, however, means it can be used by some unscrupulous politicians to curry favour for less than honourable policies.

*I say, "Generally", because the strict rule for Gaeltacht areas is that the signs have to be Irish only. However, there is one very popular holiday destination in County Kerry that has been known by its Anglicised (English) name for so long that when the Irish only rule was enforced there were was a lot of upset and businesses in the town were worried their visitors would not be able to find the place if the Irish name was the only name on the signs. "Dingle" is the English name with "An Daingean" being the Irish name. If you were not aware of it, you would have a tough time finding your way to Dingle if the only signs you saw were An Daingean.

Some more thoughts on The Graveyard Clay.
It looks to me that while you may not have recognised a story or purpose in the book, you did absorb the purpose and stories in the book. It was all those little personal stories that built up the picture of the village as a whole.

MrsLee, I hope my ramblings above have helped clarify some of the points you raised. The points you raised are not easily answered without stirring up political controversy as the language is heavily entwined with the history of the country. If you are interested in the history I would recommend Robert Kee's Green Flag. His coverage of Irish history is one of the most objective tellings I have ever come across. He was a British journalist who displayed a strong understanding of all sides in Irish history. He had no axe to grind other than his search for objectivity.

>271 pgmcc: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I feel like I owe you a tutoring fee, that was very well explained. I appreciate the book recommendation as well. It is exactly the sort of book I would want to read about the complicated history of your country, but wouldn't know how to find it. I appreciate the possible volatility of the subject, and I think you were masterful in your explanation. I did have to ask though, because how can one learn otherwise?

>271 pgmcc: What an informative response! Thank you, Peter.

>272 MrsLee: Thank you for asking the questions; I just learned a lot due to your curiosity.

>271 pgmcc: >272 MrsLee: When I was working in Ireland, my boss Kieran (blessed man — one of my favourite bosses of all time) held the view that making Irish compulsory in school had been a huge mistake — had the language been banned, everybody would have learned it.

>271 pgmcc: That was a truly useful set of responses, but my jaw truly dropped at this one tidbit -- My wife was able to converse with a Breton lady in Roskoff using her Irish and the lady using her Breton.. I am really quite curious to know the circumstances under which that exchange took place!! Was it a case of asking for directions? Did it have to do with daily marketing of produce and/or cheese?

In what country were you at the time? Ireland or France? I suspect there's quite a story to be heard there.

>274 haydninvienna: & >272 MrsLee:
Kieran’s view is widely held. Ireland responds well to reverse psychology.

>272 MrsLee:
I am glad you found the post informative.

As you say, the history is complicated and still causing unease at times. I do feel, however, that an appreciation of it would support a reader’s understanding of some of the elements in The Graveyard Clay.

By the way, there is a short film, about 13 minutes long, called "Yu Ming is Ainm Dom". The movie was made as a teaching aid for teaching Irish in schools here. It tells the tale of how a young Chinese man, knowing only Chinese and Irish, copes when he arrives in Dublin. I found it very funny. There are subtitles for the Irish and Chinese spoken in the film.

The title is Irish for "Yu Ming is my name". I understand that "Yu Ming" is Chinese (I do not know which dialect) for "no name" or "anonymous".

You can find the film on Youtube HERE. I hope you enjoy it.

>273 ScoLgo:
I am glad you found it informative.

>275 jillmwo:
We were in Roscoff (I spelt it incorrectly the first time) in Brittany. Some would say that is in France, others would say it is not. We are talking about complicated history again. I will just say that the signposts in Brittany are in both French and Breton.

I am really quite curious to know the circumstances under which that exchange took place!!

The short answer is that we were in a car park and looking at a tourist map of the town. This elderly lady approached us and asked if she could help. She had no English and our French is patchy. In conversation we explained we were from Ireland and she started to comment that Ireland and Brittany were both Celtic countries. It was at that point that my wife started comparing Irish and Breton words. She had a friendly conversation in Irish/Breton about the similarities of the two dialects.

The long answer:
We were on what was called a "Booze cruise". The ferry company we travelled with ceases the Rosslare to Roscoff route for the winter. It became a tradition that the last return sailing of the year from Rosslare to Roscoff was used as an opportunity for people to travel to Roscoff to buy alcohol that is much cheaper there than in Ireland. As both countries are in the EU it is possible to pick up quite a reasonable about of wine, beer, or whatever and bring in back without infringing any legal limits.

Logistics:
The ferry sales from Rosslare at about 4pm on Day 1.
At about 11am on Day 2 the ship docks in Roscoff.
At about 6pm on Day 2 the ship sails from Roscoff.
About 11am on Day 3 the ship docks in Rosslare.

The purpose for our cruise:
One of our daughters was getting married in June the following year. We placed an order online with "The Wine & Beer Supermarket" in Roscoff for the wine and bubbly required for the wedding. That would save us several hundred euros when compared to buying it in Ireland.

How our cruise went:
We sailed away for a year and a day and relaxed on the first evening. There was a wine tasting event held on the ship and, as it turned out, it was hosted by the owner of The Wine & Beer Supermarket. We had a good conversation with him and he was very happy to talk to us as he knew how much we were buying from him.

After the wine tasting we had a lovely dinner in the posh restaurant. Unfortunately they have changed the ship and the current restaurant is not a patch on what it used to be. On that occasion it was waiter service, linen table cloths, and live music from two excellent violinists.

By chance, our car was only two cars from the doors. We were the second car off the boat and were at The Wine and Beer Supermarket within ten minutes.

As many people had placed advance orders, the establishment had the orders sitting in the car park on pallets and in shopping trollies awaiting collection. They had also set up a till and counter in the car park. We were the first people to arrive for collection and within fifteen minutes we had our order packed into the car. As we had time to spare we wandered around the warehouse, for that is what The Wine and Beer Supermarket is, and picked up another few bottles of wine.

We still had time to spare, so we ventured into the nearby village of Saint-Pol-de-Léon and had a relaxing two-hour lunch. When in France...

Having finished lunch and walked around Saint-Pol-de-Léon, we headed back to Roscoff and had time to look around. That was when we met the old lady who spoke Breton.

It is nice recalling happy memories.

>279 pgmcc: That sounds like a much more fun way to buy wine for an event than driving to the nearest large warehouse like we have to do.

>280 MrsLee:
We had a one hundred mile drive to Rosslare and the same on the way back.

I forgot to mention that on the way back we stopped at a lovely restaurant in the Wicklow Mountains for lunch.
:-)

Yes, we spoiled ourselves.

>279 pgmcc: I am charmed by the whole of your account.

Yesterday I told my manager that August 31st would be my last day worked here at the cemetery. I'm conflicted about this, but there is nothing like a cancer scare to make you reexamine your priorities in life; and I want to spend my time enjoying family, home, garden and exploring with my husband. All on a low budget. :D

I began The Secret Ingredient Murders by Nancy Pickard. One chapter in. Shall I continue? I like some of the author's allusions, metaphors and similes, but there are so many! Thinking about the idea in The Graveyard Clay that the essence of people is in their speech and not in what they look like or wear, this author is all about describing the clothes and looks of her character and letting us "know" him from that description. At least in the first chapter. I don't love it yet (pretty sure I won't) but I don't hate it either. I will probably read more because the book is light, present and not important. Candy.

Years ago, I read something by Nancy Pickard and was also less impressed then I'd have hoped for. I don't know if it was that specific title. She was getting a fair amount of marketing support at the time.

And, yes, cancer in the family does focus the mind on exactly the point you raise. (((Hugs)))

>283 MrsLee:
Good luck with your career move. Spending time the way you plan to is a good career. I wish you well with it.

>283 MrsLee: Big hugs to you my friend. I think you're making the right choice.

>283 MrsLee: if you can afford it, not working is great.

>283 MrsLee: I wish you all the best for the next stage of your life. More time with family (especially new grandchildren!) and to do the things you love is so important. Where are you up to in your Alphabet of things?

>284 jillmwo: Based on that, and my impression of the first chapter and a couple of pages of the next, the book was a DNF.

>285 pgmcc: >286 clamairy: & >287 NorthernStar: Thank you, I think it is the right decision, but I have guilt. I don't like letting the team down, but my first team is my family. Also, the pittance I make was at least a pittance. Still, we seem to spend to our level of earning, so perhaps we can simply adjust.

>288 Sakerfalcon: We are working on "G" this year. The focus was going to be the Geology of the Sierra Nevada and Grandchildren (named Geoffrey and Griffin), but gynecology snuck in to head off geology. At least for the first six months of the year. :/ So far I can't ride in a car long enough to get to much of the Sierra Nevada, so I must admire from afar.

Since The Secret Ingredient Murders was a DNF, yesterday I blindly grabbed off the shelf Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke. So far I am reading the introduction in order to understand better the book itself. Since it is not a fictional work, I do not mind reading the introduction first. In my reading I have jumped from Galway to Dublin in authors, and about 250 years into the past. Or closer to 200, if you consider when the authors were writing.

I have no commitments to this book. It had better engage me because the French Revolution is not one of my interest areas, nor is politics, except in that vague way that all of history and the life of "mankind" can be interesting.

>289 MrsLee: Somehow or other, your comment about having no particular interest in or commitment to the French Revolution made me cackle out loud. You do you!

>283 MrsLee: Belatedly, a prospective welcome to retirement. (We are all time travellers here, aren't we?) I've now retired twice (I think), once by choice and once not by choice. At some point I will probably work out exactly what "retirement" means — so far, it's just different work.

Welcome to retirement - may you find the joy in it that I have. Knowing you, you'll have plenty to fill your days. Come on over to Wisconsin sometime!

>290 jillmwo: I gave up on the French Revolution. When I got to the second of TWELVE chapters in the introduction (honestly, publish your own book if you have that much to say), I skipped to the writing of Burke. While it did promise a bit of amusement in the writing, I couldn't wade through all the lawyerese language to find the tidbits that made me appreciate his wit. DNF

>291 haydninvienna: For me it will be different work with no pay, but that is how I spent most of my life and I am eager to do so again.

>292 Bookmarque: My husband would move there in a moment if I would let him. If we do follow through on our plans to get a van we can sleep in and travel, we might show up there!

Having dumped the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of Edmund Burke, I made another random grab off my TBR shelves. Have read the first chapter of The Arkansas by Clyde Brion Davis. This is one of a series published in the 1940s, about American rivers. While not exactly riveting, I enjoyed it enough to keep going. The rivers of America are also not a pet subject of mine, but I read one of these a few years ago about the Allegheny and it was more interesting than I expected, so we shall see.

I inherited many history books about America from my husband's uncle and this is one of them.

>293 MrsLee: Oh! I lived along the Allegheny in my youth. We spent lots of times not quite drowning in it. I’d love to read its history. Adding to wishlist.

>291 haydninvienna: many of my retired friends seem to be busier now than they were when they were working, ideally with things they enjoy more. I guess it's true that nature abhors a vacuum and when you have time to fill, something fills it.

>295 Darth-Heather: One of the hardest things for me in this time of recovery from my surgery is the sense of guilt over all the things that I need/want to be done. I have never thought of myself as one of those people who need to be up and doing all the time, but I guess in some measure I am.

Hmmm, the river book is on probation. I am going to read some more in it today, but I didn't enjoy his ridiculing tone about the Spanish explorers. Granted, looking back we can question their motives and methods, but the stroke of ridicule galls me some. As a modern person it is all too easy to discount those who have gone before because we feel superior, but for their time and place, the accomplishment was huge.

There are dangers in reading while you eat.

I was eating some delicious bbq pork ribs I made, while reading The Arkansas. The chapter I was reading was about a cannibal incident in Colorado in the 1800s. Somehow the ribs were not as appealing as they were before I picked up the book. *queasy face* Then I was munching my way through a bowl of raw veggies, nearing the bottom, when I noticed there was quite a bit of caterpillar poop on them. I know it was caterpillar poop because I had found the caterpillar and removed it to a jar a couple of days ago. He was completely green and small and looked like a lump on the green bean I was ready to pop in my mouth, but took a second look at. I didn't realize he had left scat behind. *puke face*

>297 MrsLee:
I am at a loss as to how to respond to that.

>298 pgmcc: LOL, my son said I was dumb. I should have known if there had been a caterpillar, there would be poop, because everything poops. I can only agree with him.

Catching up with threads. Congratulations on your decision to stay home and be more present with family. Can not go wrong with a decision like that.

>297 MrsLee: methinks I’d stop eating while reading for a while. :)

>297 MrsLee: Um, in future perhaps you might do an inspection of the raw veggies, wash them, and then do a second inspection as you prep your lunch. A little bit of protective overkill might be appropriate moving forward.

>301 jillmwo: LOL, I did wash all of them before slicing and putting them in the bowl. However, the caterpillar on the green bean was a master of camouflage. He was a small oval lump on the bean. No antenna, hidden legs, etc. I had to almost get out a magnifying lens to determine it was not part of the bean. I promptly popped the bean and bug in a jar with cheesecloth over the top. I gave it fresh beans for a couple of days, but now it has moved to the lid and is turning brown. I'm hoping for a chrysalis, but it could also be dying. Time will tell. Anyway, I should have made the connection between live critter and poop, but my brain isn't connecting as well as it used to.

>302 MrsLee:
Should have gone to Specsavers.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qDwK_AUk0FI&feature=share

>283 MrsLee: Congrats on your upcoming retirement! Are you starting a new career as a food inspector?

>305 Karlstar:
Low! Very low!

Well done.

>304 pgmcc: *snort* glad you included the link, I've not seen that advertising campaign.

>305 Karlstar: Maaaaaaaybe.

I'm going to quit reading The Arkansas. I don't care for the tone of it. The author makes sweeping statements about people's motivations and events with jocular judgment and nothing to support his views. He describes the major players disparagingly when I can see no proof of it looking at their photos. Also, it is tedious to me. The story of almost all the mining booms, wash, rinse, repeat. DNF page 127.

>308 MrsLee:
That sounds like a good call.

What you need now is something new from McDonnell. I do not know if he has anything new coming out soon.

Even a McDonnell reread might be a good idea.

>309 pgmcc: Pretty sure I need some rereads for enjoyment. Life is a bit distracting for the next couple of weeks what with one grandbaby's birthday, and then hosting the other grandbaby's shower the next weekend. After that I am going to knuckle down and find a GOOD book to read.

Next blind choice off my shelves is A Certain Justice by P. D. James. She is a hit and miss author for me, so we shall see.

On the plus side, all these DNF books will find another home and I will have space on my shelves! *she deluded herself*

Read 67 pages of A Certain Justice, then bailed and read the ending. I feel justified in DNFing that book. I'm not fond of legal proceedings detection, I didn't care for the characters and the ending would have made me mad when I finally got there.

Trying a reread. I'm going to read Storm Front by Jim Butcher (the 4th or 5th time I think) and track down Narilka's thread to read along with her, several years late.

>311 MrsLee: Cool!! Good luck :)

>312 Narilka: I found your original post, it wasn't full of your delightful spoiler reactions to the story, like your more recent ones, but still fun. Can't believe it was 2015! My how time flies!

>311 MrsLee: I'm enjoying the new book by Butcher, The Aeronaut's Windlass, if you are looking for something new by the same author. It is a little more YA than the Dresden books, but not too bad.

>313 MrsLee: I only started the spoiler reactions this year. Wow, 2015! Time flies indeed!!

>310 MrsLee: all these DNF books will find another home and I will have space on my shelves! *she deluded herself* -- I am also prone to this self- (or shelf-?) delusion!

>314 Karlstar: I read that earlier this year, or late last year. It wasn't my favorite, but did have some fun bits. Not sure if I will continue the series or not.

>315 Narilka: Only this year? Oh well, I will still look up your thoughts/reviews as I go. I almost started in the middle of the series, and I still might skip around, we shall see.

>311 MrsLee: I almost said something when you started A Certain Justice but then hesitated. P.D. James is an excellent writer but she's not always up-lifting.

>318 jillmwo: That is what I've thought reading her books. I have a fondness for the detective, Dalgliesh, but he wades through dark waters.

>317 MrsLee: Apologies, I should have checked your library first. I was reading it this week so it was fresh in mind.

>320 Karlstar: No apologies necessary, I don't expect you to have my library memorized. :D Nice to know you are enjoying it.

>321 MrsLee: I liked it, but By the end I was tired of all of the carnage.

>322 Karlstar: Yep

If I may offer a recommendation of a mystery title or two that might better suit your mood and your taste? I did The Bellamy Trial by Frances Noyes Hart with one of my book groups and it was enjoyed by all. It's available in a variety of formats (and probably via used booksellers as well). That one might suit your mood. It takes place in a courtroom over the course of eight days. No blood on the carpet.

Also, I just finished Cat's Paw by Roger Scarlett. While it has a slightly clunky narrative frame, the mystery is interesting and kept me up past my bedtime last night! (As one might suspect, there is a cat. Minimal blood although there are gun shots heard.) Get past the clunky first chapter and you'll find yourself caught up in a good logic puzzle. Reminiscent of Ellery Queen in some ways.

>324 jillmwo: Thank you, I will keep those in mind. I know your recommendations are sound. At the moment my life schedule is hectic, so the reread is just the ticket.

Finished Storm Front and have begun Fool Moon. So many flavors of werewolves, and I don't want to sample any of them. Not my favorite in the series by a long shot, but it has grown on me. Perhaps I am enjoying it more because at present the moon is in its full phase.

OwwwoooOOOooo!

Yesterday while everyone else was celebrating, I stayed home and read. Finished Fool Moon. After the fourth reading, there are still too many werewolves. I skimmed some of the parts I didn't enjoy, just a few where everyone is posturing to no effect and it delays the story.

Not sure when I will begin, but next time I have a chance to read, it will be Grave Peril.

ETA: I stumbled on some pages I wrote on the last read through of all the characters introduced and major events in each book. Guess I thought it would be handy. It might be, if I remembered that I had it.

>328 MrsLee: I have no sense of the book Fool Moon as I don't think I've ever read more than one or two of the Dresden books. But if, as you say, there are too many werewolves, might you specify what a better number might have been?

>329 jillmwo: Hexenwolves, werewolves, Loup garuo, Biker-bezerkers who channel werewolves, and a wolf who transforms to human. I could have done without the bikers.

>330 MrsLee: Fair enough!

>328 MrsLee: Yeah Butcher sure came up with a lot of werewolf types. Luckily it doesn't seem to be very important for the rest of the series so far.

>332 Narilka: I had the feeling that he got it all out of his system in one book! lol

Oops, forgot to start my third quarter thread. Will do so now.

>263 MrsLee: I know I'm late to this conversation, but I recall loving a Peter S. Beagle book A Fine and Private Place, about a graveyard.

>334 fuzzi: LOL. I have read that. Not my cup of tea. Here's my review. I had forgotten about it. This was audio from the library, I think.

"Alright, I didn't care for it, but you might. A live man is living in a cemetery and he can see and speak with the ghosts of people who are buried there. The only characters I really cared about in this tale were Mrs. Clapper, a live woman who befriends the man living in the graveyard, the raven, who feeds the man, and Campos, the cemetery guard. The rest of them annoyed me. They were constantly spouting out unfounded philosophical statements and pronouncements. It was like sitting in a room full of young men all trying to outdo each other with profound sayings. The mood and action (very little action) in this reminded me of another book which I couldn't abide, "Cider with Rosie" by Laurie Lee. Now, just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean you won't, it simply isn't my type of story. I think the only reason I stuck with this to the end was that I found the author was pleasant to listen to on audio."

>335 MrsLee: I read it as a teen, maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to reread it as a much older adult?

>336 fuzzi: I can't remember exactly what turned me off. Whether it was the world view, or the way the characters were written. I only remember a feeling of "meh" when I finished. I give a book two stars when it doesn't please me, but isn't poorly written, so others might enjoy it. This one was a two star. YMMV?